AG181 single by Asia Pacific Golf Group

#readyfortheweekend

COVER STORY

181

It would be no idle boast to say that the annual Asian Golf Awards has really no peer event in the world to match it in terms of scale and scope. Now in its sixteenth year, what started as a very humble programme that recognized what used to be the best known golf clubs has grown into a massive annual campaign that polls some 48 categories in the golf club industry.

OCTOBER 2015 20 As part of the Asian Golf Awards, the spotlight will also focus on “The Most Powerful People In Golf In Asia”. Now in its third year, the Asia Pacific Golf Group, publisher of ASIAN GOLF and Golf Inc., a San Diego-based publisher have pooled their resources to grow this “power list” to identify and recognise the top thirty men and women who have had a major impact on the growth of the golf industry in Asia. Put simply, it really is a showcase of the movers and shakers of the golf industry in Asia.

KEEPING GOLF COURSES ALIVE! 56 Human Capital – Not To Be Taken For Granted! The golf club industry in Asia offers employment to thousands and oftentimes most of us in the industry and those who play the game, do not pay too much heed to this matter. How often do we fail to realise that it is the people who work for this industry who are the ones who determine if our golf clubs are winners or losers?

60 Don’t Slash Costs – There’s An Effective Way To Do It! As October is the month for the staging of the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit, the region’s most established and important conference on the business of golf, the spotlight focuses on how golf clubs can continue to operate under trying financial conditions. These are just not operations and agronomical issues. These are challenges that everyone should be made aware of – both golf course owners and operators and golfers alike.

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

SPECIAL FEATURES 28 It’s Time! Let’s Have A Ladies Rumble! A team challenge between Team Asia and Team America. Given the dominance of Asian women golfers on the LPGA Tour, there is strong justification to consider a shoot-out between the two continents. Will this work? Why not!

34 Non-Conforming Equipment – Bring It On Bucko! Talk about non-conforming golf equipment seems to be picking up a head of steam of late. The US Recreational Golf Association (USRGA) feels that once Japanese manufacturers start to develop higher performance clubs for the Asian market and it becomes a norm, it is not a stretch to expect them to begin to export the products to the US and Europe. The USRGA fully expects this shift to happen soon. It’s executive director, John B. Hoeflich shares his thoughts on this matter with Asian Golf.

38 M1 – It Packs Power And Oozes Sex Appeal!

TaylorMade is back on track! In a carefully orchestrated global launch, the company floored the golf world with its newest driver – a club that resembles a sleek race car and the ravishing good looks of a beautiful woman. How do you beat that combination? You just don’t – you let yourself be simply wowed and to be instantly converted to the M1 – TaylorMade’s latest killer product!

42 New PSi Irons – Hot From TaylorMade! Hot on the heels of the M1 family of products, TaylorMade has wasted no time to introduce the world to its newest range of irons – the Psi and the Psi Tour irons.

46 Ball Fitting – It Works! One company that has been very focused on golf ball fitting has been Bridgestone Golf, a company that has been manufacturing golf balls since 1935. At the start of September, Bridgestone announced that it had surpassed the 300,000 “live” ball fitting milestone and “solidified its position as the #1 ball-fitter in golf”.

50 The KING Is Back! The King Cobra, a brand with an impressive history behind it, is back – re-engineered and ready to rock the world of golf. Building off its rock solid heritage and winning DNA, COBRA Golf has breathed new life into King Cobra and has brought it back to life as the KING LTD.

42 60

6 Asian Golf Editorial Team 8 Shared Thoughts From Publisher 64 Next Issue

MIKE SEBASTIAN Chief Executive Officer/Managing Editor

ANGELA RAYMOND President

[ mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

LAWRENCE YOUNG Editor (New Equipment)

[ angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

JIM PRUSA International Roving Editor

[ lawrence@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

[jimprusa@hotmail.com ]

RAQUEL M. ARCEGA Art Director & Ezine Development

[ raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

SAIFUL SUFIAN Art Director

[ sufian@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

MYRA PARAS Accounts Executive

[ myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

ALICE HO Marketing Executive

[ alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

WAYNE LWEE Video Editor/Streaming services

[ wayne@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

Photographers

GETTY IMAGES

Contributing Professionals

IMG ACADEMY, TONY MEECHAI, CHRIS SMEAL, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE), NICK RANDALL, STEVEN GIULIANO

Correspondents

ROBIN BARWICK (EUROPE), RISHI NARAIN (INDIA)

Contributing Editors

TERRY ANTON, ALAN CAMPBELL, KATHERINE ROBERTS, AAERISHNA SHAHSTHY

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Nominated for "Best Golf Resort in Asia" Asian Golf Awards 2015

SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher

THE GREAT WHITE SHARK’S ON A FEEDING FRENZY AGAIN!

t is most gratifying to note that one of the legends of the game of golf is speaking up on the moribund state of affairs in golf. It is none other than the outspoken Greg Norman who never shies away from putting the game’s gate-keepers on the carpet when the opportunity presents itself. The Australian is now calling out for a paradigm shift in how the game is played and is boldly advocating that music speakers be installed in golf carts and that players be permitted to wear board shorts. And that’s not all – he also wants to see the promotion of 12-hole courses. How cool is this! Finally, someone has the testicular fortitude to make some sense to find a way to reach out to younger demographics. The Great White Shark has never played it safe and now Norman is leading the charge to tear up the game’s rule book. Good on you mate – we need blokes like you to step up to the plate and hit a home run for golf! Norman is not your typical professional golfer – he knows a thing or two about what

9 ASIAN GOLF

is causing the game to slide into a more advanced state of comatose because unlike many of the game’s bureaucrats and technocrats, he understands the urgent need for the tradition-steeped game to break out of its current malaise and do something radical and relevant to attract more young people. In a recent interview, Norman was asked about the terminal decline in golf’s popularity especially in Australia where 50 per cent of the country’s golf clubs are in “financial distress” and a further 51 per cent have 100 members or less, the swashbuckling golf entrepreneur fired back, “Bring the kids in by letting them put speakers in golf carts, putting headsets on or playing in their board shorts or getting on an electric skateboard or something like that to take their clubs around, have fun with the game, speed it up, do what the kids like to do.” Can you see the game’s gate-keepers cringing over this call for a revolution in golf? It’s about time that someone delivered these change-averse guys who lord over the game a kick up the pants to get moving! “I’m a big proponent of increasing the speed of the game. Build 12-hole golf courses, reducing the time to play. Why do we have to build these 7000 metre long golf courses for maybe one week a year or not even one week when the cost of construct-

ing and maintaining these ridiculous clubhouses gets out of hand. We’ve really got to get our crap together.” Now, this is telling it like it is – socking it to a golfing establishment that needs to be brought to its senses. While Norman has spoken out bluntly, he fears that change to the game will take time and won’t come easy. He has likened the process of change to the ancient Chinese water torture – “drip, drip, drip, but you only need to do a couple of successful (12-hole courses) and people will sit up and take notice.” In typical Norman-fashion, he fired a telling salvo, “The extent of the problem is masked by over-65 Baby Boomers who continue to play the game in high numbers. But participation rates in the crucial 15-to-24 age bracket have collapsed to less than 2 per cent. This missing generation will eventually become a missing middle-aged generation and quite honestly, you can’t rely on the Baby Boomers to carry the game of golf any more, they have done that for a long period of time but you’ve got to reach down to the millennials.” Intended as an acerbic barb aimed at golf’s gate-keepers, Norman lamented, “If that is what they choose to do in life that’s fine, but don’t throw a big wet blanket over the rest of the game of golf just because that’s what the younger generation want to do.”

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SPECIAL FEATURE The Best!

13 ASIAN GOLF

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

An event worthy of the industry to come together annually to both acknowledge and recognise the leaders in the industry.

SPECIAL FEATURE The Best!

The Asian Golf Awards is the barometer of where we are and where we need to be. To win one is an achievement and so for Thai Country Club to have won so many over the years is a true honour for the club, its members, it owners and the staff.” – John Blanch, general

manager of Thai Country Club

hatever early records are available in the archives seem to indicate that a bunch of guys gathered in some neighbourhood dive to conduct a straw poll on what they considered to be the best. It was no more than a check-list where in between a gulp of ale, what was believed to be a highly complex selection and judgement process was put to work. After many hours of discussion, arguments and exchange of an assortment of expletives, a final list of the best golf clubs in the region emerged. Due to many limitations and constraints, budget being one of the major challenges, the successful clubs were notified by letter, fax or e-mail which sixteen years ago was not the most widely used for of communications. Nonetheless, word did get out but there was no sense of celebration or pomp. It was not until 2007, when the award programme went through a radical transformation. A decision was taken that the Asian Golf Awards needed to be celebrated in a manner befitting its standing. It was decided that the programme needed to be given a shine and dignity all its own. It was expanded into an on-line poll where the popular vote was sought to determine the best of the best in Asia. An event worthy of the industry to 14

15 ASIAN GOLF

come together annually to both acknowledge and recognise the leaders in the industry. How it has grown from its humble beginnings and how it has transformed into a programme that marks the club industry’s quest for excellence is something that everyone associated with the industry should be proud. “I travel the world and attend and speak at many international club conferences but at no time have I seen an awards programme that comes anywhere close to the Asian Golf Awards,” is how Gregg Patterson, the general manager of the world renowned California Beach Club and award winning industry speaker describes the Asian Golf Awards.

THAI COUNTRY CLUB

It is the gold standard for the golf club industry and its worth and value can be seen on display at all of the clubs that have been part of this very exclusive programme. “The Asian Golf Awards is the barometer of where we are and where we need to be. To win one is an achievement and so for Thai Country Club to have won so many over the years is a true honour for the club, its members, it owners and the staff,” is how John Blanch, general manager of Thai Country Club views the programme. “Personally the awards are one of the high points of the calendar as they have truly established themselves as the Oscars of the Asian golf industry – they are very affirming and serve as recognition for the hard work of some very dedicated people.”, Blanch added. The Asian Golf Awards is a much sought after recognition programme and the one club that has been at the very pinnacle of the awards is the massive Mission Hills Group, the world’s largest golf resort. “We are extremely thrilled to receive such an honour, especially coming from the Asian Golf Awards which is one of the prestigious awards programme in the golf industry across the Asia Pacific Region,” said Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of the Mission Hills Group. “Mission Hills has always been devoted to promoting goodwill through

I travel the world and attend and speak at many international club conferences but at no time have I seen an awards programme that comes anywhere close to the Asian Golf Awards.” – Gregg Patterson

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

MISSION HILLS

Mission Hills has always been devoted to promoting goodwill through golf and popularizing the game in China and throughout the region. It is truly a mark of distinction for us to get this industry recognition and certainly acts as an incentive for Mission Hills to continue in its efforts to develop the sport and to reinforce its sustainable capabilities in China and beyond.” – Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of the Mission Hills Group golf and popularizing the game in China and throughout the region. It is truly a mark of distinction for us to get this industry recognition and certainly acts as an incentive for Mission Hills to continue in its efforts to develop the sport and to reinforce its sustainable capabilities in China and beyond,” Chu pointed out. Mission Hills is not alone when it comes to giving the Asian Golf Awards lofty praise. Another facility that holds the Asian Golf Awards in high regard is multi-award winning Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. “We are honoured to receive the award - Sentosa Golf Club was designed specially to cater for all levels of golfers. We are very proud to be recognized for excellence in our offerings,” said Andy Johnston, the club’s general manager. He explained, “The Awards have added strength to strength and it is an honour to be recognized for the efforts of our team. The Asian Golf Awards is affirmation of the hard work and team effort the men and women at Sentosa Golf Club put in. We are heartened that the Awards recognizes and confirms these efforts, and it will continue to motivate us to achieve excellence for our golfers.” Another world class facility that believes in the Asian Golf Awards is Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, a club that plays host to Southeast Asia’s richest golf tournament, the US$7 million dollar CIMB Classic. “Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club places high regard and appreciates such a prestigious recognition and is the only golf club that has staged the PGA, LPGA and European Tours all within a year - for three consecutive years. We dedicate the awards to the KLGCC team who made it possible,” said Steven Thielke, KLGCC’s general manager. The Sultanate of Brunei, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, holds the Asian Golf Awards in high esteem. “It is

SENTOSA GOLF CLUB (SINGAPORE)

ANVAYA COVE GOLF AND SPORTS CLUB (PHILIPPINES)

SPECIAL FEATURE The Best!

KUALA LUMPUR GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB (MALAYSIA)

a great honour and our pleasure to once again be recognized as the number one Golf Course in Brunei. The privilege of this significant award is appreciated and we are most grateful and wish to thank all those who voted for us. We are proud of the considerable efforts of our golf and landscape team, who work so hard to maintain the golf course in championship condition, without whom this would not be possible,â&#x20AC;? said Pengiran Abdul Rahman, Golf & Country Club Operations Manager, The Empire Hotel & Country Club in Brunei Darussalam. After a three-month long on-line poll conducted from April to June 2015 where more than 72,000 votes were cast, the fol-

LOTUS VALLEY GOLF RESORT (THAILAND)

lowing have emerged as the best three in each of the categories polled. Please note that the listings are in no order of merit and reflect only those that have been nominated to be considered for the best three in each category. The official results will be made public on October 15 during the staging of the 2015 Asian Golf Awards Gala Banquet which will be held in Singapore as part of the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. We have heard from country clubs but how do public golf courses in Asia view the Asian Golf Awards? For the answer, this is what Choo Wee Khiang, general manager of the highly successful Marina Golf Club in Singapore had to say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Asian

Golf Awards brings together the best golf industry players in the Asia Pacific region and provides an important platform to recognize their efforts and achievements. By setting the benchmark for success, the awards inspire positive change and a pursuit towards excellence in the golf industry.â&#x20AC;? Choo continued, â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the only 18-hole public golf course in Singapore, we are committed towards making golf an affordable sport to the masses while delivering a quality and value-for-money experience for golfers. We are pleased to gain the vote of confidence from the public and will continue to strive towards bringing a great golf experience to the masses.â&#x20AC;?

2015 ASIAN GOLF AWARDS ORCHID COUNTRY CLUB, SINGAPORE OCTOBER 15, 2015

THE EMPIRE HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB (BRUNEI)

TOP THREE NOMINEES COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY (NOT IN ORDER OF MERIT)

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17 ASIAN GOLF

CHIANGMAI HIGHLANDS GOLF & SPA RESORT (THAILAND)

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ANGKOR GOLF RESORT (CAMBODIA)

BLACK MOUNTAIN (THAILAND)

Since its inception, the Asian Golf Awards has become synonymous with excellence among golf courses throughout the Asia Pacific region. From 2008 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when we were named best new course in Asia Pacific â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to 2014, Black Mountain has been honoured to receive multiple awards in both 2011 and 2014. These accolades have been instrumental in Black Mountain becoming acknowledged as Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading golf course and among the absolute best courses in Asia Pacificâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Harald Elisson, Managing Director, Black Mountain Golf Club (Thailand) BEST COURSE IN JAPAN

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2015 ASIAN GOLF AWARDS ORCHID COUNTRY CLUB, SINGAPORE OCTOBER 15, 2015

TOP THREE NOMINEES BEST IN ASIA PACIFIC (NOT IN ORDER OF MERIT)

BEST GOLF DESTINATION

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BEST PRO-SHOP

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The crème de la crème of the golf club industry in Asia. Befitting the occasion and the stature of the Asian Golf Awards, champagne will flow on October 15 as the best in the industry come together to celebrate another year of accomplishments and achievements!

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LONG THANH GOLF CLUB (VIETNAM)

19 ASIAN GOLF

COVER STORY Asia’s Power Hitters

21 ASIAN GOLF

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

Golf has had a fascinating past in Asia. Although this ancient game had its origin dating back many hundreds of years ago in Scotland, it was not until 1829 when the regal game made its ﬁrst appearance in Asia. Not surprisingly, the game of the English gentry came to Asian shores as part of Britannia’s rapid spread of its colonial might. The ﬁrst course was established by The Royal East India Company, the administrative arm of the colonial rulers and it was The Calcutta Golf Club course which opened in 1829.

ccording to the famous golf course architect and golf historian Ronald Fream, “The course was the landmark golfing and elite social venue for the English and Scottish gentlemen who transited at Calcutta en route to stations in the interior of India, onward ports or to the expanding tea plantations of Assam inland from Calcutta.” According to Fream, “The early clubhouse was rather basic. Indians only entered the clubhouse as employees. It was not until 1911 when the Royal warrant was granted by King George V and his Queen Mary upon their visit to Calcutta.” From way back then, golf has grown rapidly in Asia and there are currently close to 5,000 golf courses in operation. The golf courses, especially the newer ones are world class and these fine facilities are spread out virtually over the entire Continent of Asia – from Japan in the North to Indonesia in the South and as far west as India. Not only have golf courses grown in number but most of the infrastructure related to the game has also kept pace with this growth. All this has been made possible by men and women who have become serious stake-holders in golf in Asia. Without these men and women, golf would not have reached its current level of penetration in

Asia. It is the vision of these men and women who invested heavily in golf and many of them are expected to continue doing so for many years to come. To chronicle the contributions of these men and women, a special list, “The Most Powerful People In Golf In Asia” was created. Now in its third year, the Asia Pacific Golf Group, publisher of ASIAN GOLF and Golf Inc., a San Diego-based publisher have pooled their resources to grow this “power list” to identify and recognise the top thirty men and women who have had a major impact on the growth of the golf industry in Asia. Put simply, it really is a showcase of the movers and shakers of the golf industry in Asia. Those who have been identified have been selected through a very thorough appraisal and examination process which was led by James Graham Prusa, who serves in a senior editorial capacity with both the Asia Pacific Golf Group and Golf Inc. respectively. The selection process took more than three months before the selection panel could arrive at its final decision. “Making the selection was not an easy undertaking because we had a set of yardsticks by which to measure each candidate’s role and contribution to the growth of golf in Asia,” said Prusa. According to him, “We had at least 100 people who qualified to make the list but we had to engage a very critical elimination pro-

cess to select the top thirty,” he pointed out. The final list of the “Most Powerful People In Golf In Asia” shines the spotlight on 30 of the best – men and women who have had the vision and the determination to grow the game of golf in the Asian Continent. “We scoured the entire Continent to make our first selection and in so doing, we talked to many people on the ground in the various countries that our search took us to,” explained Prusa. According to him, the final list had been carefully scrutinized and is a “very accurate and realistic” representation of the role and contributions made by those who have made the cut for the 2015 “power list”. Commenting on the list, Asia’s Most Powerful Man in Golf, Dr. Ken Chu said, “To be placed at the forefront of the 2015 List of The Most Powerful People In Golf In Asia is a great honour and recognition. This comes with greater responsibilities, which encourages us to continue doing our best in what we are passionate about. We are devoted to popularizing the game of golf in China and throughout the region, with Mission Hills’“Golf & More” philosophy. Together with the other key leaders in Asia and globally, we will spearhead the growth of golf beyond professionals and amateurs, and more importantly, inspire and nurture the next generation of golf talents to develop an interest in this spectacular sport.”

COVER STORY Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Power Hitters 5IF "TJB 1BDJĘžD (PMG (SPVQ BOE (PMG *OD BSF QSPVE UP QSFTFOU UIF

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DR. KEN CHU Chairman, Mission Hills Group

TENNIEL CHU

Vice Chairman, Mission Hills Group

CHINA

he Chu brothers, Dr. Ken Chu, chairman and Tenniel Chu, vice chairman of the Mission Hills Group once again top the Most Powerful People in Asia Golf list. Mission Hills, is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest golf resort which includes 22 championship courses in China. The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities also include five-star hotel resorts, an international convention and meeting centre, award-winning spas, volcanic mineral springs, various golf academies and the largest tennis facility in all of Asia. Mission Hills has also recently been designated as the official training headquarters for Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tennis and Golf Associations. The Mission Hills Group has adopted a â&#x20AC;&#x153;golf and moreâ&#x20AC;? leisure philosophy to expand its tourism-related business development which include Mission Hills Centreville, Mission Hills Lan Kwai Fong Haikou, Mission Hills Huayi Brothers and Feng Xiaogang Movie Town are family-friendly leisure complexes which are â&#x20AC;&#x153;hubsâ&#x20AC;? for business, leisure, wellness and entertainment. The highlights include 1,000-plus international anchor brands featuring the latest fashion labels, finest jewelry and watches; trendiest restaurants, cafes and bars; state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas; ice skating rinks; bowling alleys; world-renowned auto showrooms; and many other exciting offerings. A total of six hotels are showcased in these developments, among them Marriott Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ritz-Carlton and Renaissance hotel brands, and Hard Rock International. The Chu brothers remain totally focused on the future of golf and international golf relations. While others may sit in boardrooms and hold meetings about â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;growing the game, these brothers are actually growing the game at their golf courses and attracting new golfers by reaching out through many family and community community friendly efforts. Mission Hills Group Gro is well integrated geographic nations and directly on within the geograph hic sphere of all of Southeast Asian n the cusp of the ASEAN ASEA AN Economic Community (AEC), the common market that generate international tourcomes online this year. e This location will surely generat ism, good regional relationships and net capital inflow ffor China.

JOSE JUAN Z. JUGO Chairman, Verde Golf Development Corporation President, Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club President, Ayala GreenďŹ eld Golf & Leisure Club Managing Director, Ayala Land Premier Vice President of Ayala Land, Inc. Golf Course Developer

PHILIPPINES

23 ASIAN GOLF

senior executive of Ayala Land, Inc. of the Philippines, Ph he holds which includes being numerous key positions in the company wh and president chairman of Verde Golf Development Corporation Corpo Club. No doubt some of the award-winning Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Clu may wonder how Jose Juan Z. Jugo has leapt suddenly into a top-tier posiin his inaugural tion of the 2015 Most Powerful People in Asia Golf ranking rank appearance. The new power ranking for Jugo is also well merited because Ayala Land is one one of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (and Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) oldest and largest ccompanies. As the Managing his executive Mana agi g ng Director of Ayala Land Premier, Jugo has steered stee teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction dir i ection into golf with serious Ayala investment in recent golf course development successful and this is likely real estate e de d velopment that has proven highly success decision maker, to expand ev even further as it steams forward. Being the chief c courses that is secured to an h charted a business he business strategy to build new golf course emerging magnify the participative em merging new w Southeast Southeast Asia middleclass that will mag growth of golf in the Philippines to an enti entirely new level. g row wth of the game ga Ayala Land iss NOW probably the largest and most diverse company in Ay the e world wo w orl r d to ever enter e ter golf with serious intent. en story has confirmed And d the great Anvaya Cove success sto Jugoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Philippines Philippines golf strategy. Ayala Land Premier has the horsepower reasonable golf develophorsepo ower to greatly reinvigorate reason ment in the Philippines.

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OCTOBER OC CT TO OBE BER R 2015 2 1 20 15 5

RYUSUKE KAMATA Representative Director, President and CEO Accordia Golf Company, Ltd.

JAPAN

yusuke Kamata continues as Executive President (CEO) and R Representative ep prre ese sent ntat aattivve Director of Accordia Golf Co., Ltd. since May 21, 2012. His power wer er position pos osiitttio io on in in the top tier of Asian golf continues strong in the Number 3 position osi siti iti tion io on n ffor or tthe or he 2015 rankings. Kamata originally joined Accordia when it absorbed a smaller golff course cco ourrse e operator, the floundering Nitto Kougyou Co Ltd., where he served as R Repreep e prre esentative Director. Accordia, with its approximately 10,000 total employees, oyees yye eess, currently manages 161 golf courses; 30 driving range centres and has about about bout bo 800 ‘affiliated’ driving range centres, additional hotels, restaurants and d branded merchandise. Kamata continues to steer this powerhouse commpany in Asia’s largest golf course market making him a key player in Asia sia si sia with wi w itth h no no let let up up in in sight. sig si gh ht. t.

KIM YOUNG JE President & CEO SKY72 Resorts

SOUTH KOREA

s economic pressures bearing down on the Korea golf course business have intensified over the past few years, SKY72 Resorts CEO Kim Young Je has also turned up the intensity of his enthusiasm to sustain the preeminent position of his operations op o per erat raattio ion n ranging from golf resorts to the hotel business. He is the brains and endless energy behind SKY72 golf resorts. e en ner ergy er gyy b g e SSKY72 SK KY7 Y72 2 company’s golf courses are routinely ranked among the best and busiest golff ccourse golf go ourrs ou rs complexes in the world with consistent play conditioning and customer service. se erv rvic ice. ic e. e. Kim demands and supports world-class conditioning and impeccable customer Ki K im de d e service se serv ervvicce – he h has re-written the book to raise the bar for golf course utilization, service management aag gem gem emen nt aand he has even developed a highly technical grasp of turfgrass management that would wo w oul uld d be b the envy of most superintendents. Rather than waiting for the Asian golf industry to professional training and continuing education for golf course management, to develop dev Kim Kiim K im gave orders to to start sta tart arrtt SKY72’s SKY KY72 7 ’s own 72 own annual ann nnua ual winter ua w nt wi ne err sseminars em min naarrs an and nd even evve en n opened ope p ne ned d them tth hem up to all otherr golf off K Korea. go olff courses cou ours rsses es in in the th he nation nati na t on ti no Ko ore ea. a.

ARIHIRO KANDA Paciﬁc Golf Management Holdings K.K. Representative Director and President

JAPAN

rihiro Kanda helms PGM which is a mega owner and operator or of 155 golf courses in Japan with holdings of hotels, cemetararies and highway hospitality & service areas. Arihiro is a former founder of Accordia and was a star performer forr Goldman Sachs. Upon his graduation from the prestigious Keio Univerrsity, Faculty of Commerce and Business, he was employed as a banker for the former Tokai Bank serving in Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and Los os Angeles financing real estate project. Priors to joining Goldman Sachs in 1999, he served a 2-year stint for Merrill Lynch back home in Japan honing his skills in dealing with ‘non-performing assets.’

COVER STORY Asia’s Power Hitters

SANTI BHIROMBHAKDI President & CEO Singha Corporation

THAILAND

anti Bhirombhakdi is the President of Singha Corporation Co., Ltd. (a top beverage company in Thailand and Asia). Continuing in 2015 with his substantial-behind-thescenes support of golf, Bhirombhakdi remains one of the most influential businessmen in the business of golf in Thailand. His sports marketing reach throughout Southeast Asia also continues to grow. Singha Beer’s exports throughout Asia and the world make it a powerful and influential sports sponsor in golf and sports. Singha Beer is engaged in golf course ownership and also player development. It’s a primary sponsor of golf tournaments at every level and a key sponsor of most all major sports events in Thailand, around the ASEAN region and throughout East Asia. Bhirombhakdi was the chief founder of the Thai PGA and has served as its President. His golf course assets include three respected clubs in Thailand.

TUN DR. AHMAD SARJI BIN ABDUL HAMID Chairman, Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM)

MALAYSIA

un Dr. Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Permodalan NasionalBerhad (PNB) is Malaysia’s largest funds management company with offices in Singapore, London and Tokyo. Most notable in addition to his role as chairman of PNB, Tun Dr. Ahmad is also the active Chairman of the Professional Golf of Malaysia ((PGM). PGM was organized to promote the sport of golf and to contribute to its enjoyment and growth in Malaysia. This is a very active and relatively new golf tour in Asia that is providing rising talents in Southeast Asia with the opportunity to hone their competition skills. He is also credited with starting the EurAsia Cup, the annual Ryder Cup format tournament between Europe and Asia. In 2014 Tun Dr. Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid was inducted into the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of fame during the Asia Pacific Golf Summit held in Singapore. With his business connections coupled with his extensive golf tour network, he is now a very powerful player in the centre of the emerging ASEAN economic bloc – the only area of the globe that is experiencing fast growth and the hottest golf course development activity in the world.

MIKE SEBASTIAN Owner & CEO, Asia Paciﬁc Golf Group

SINGAPORE

rguably the “voice of the golf industry in Asia”, Mike Sebastian has played d a key role in promoting the golf industry through publications like ASIAN GOLF and ASIAN AN CLUB BUSINESS. He has helped raise industry education efforts by launching a revoutionary ary on-line learning platform known as e-University under the auspices of the Club Managers Association on of Asia which he owns. Additionally his annual Asian Golf Awards, widely regarded as the golf industry’s stry’s “Oscars” now dominates a commanding and coveted position all across Asia – golf courses, owners wners and management all across Asia now aggressivey vie for the awards. Such recognition iss a major ‘face building’ exercise in the competition between Asian golf courses. 2015 also saw him launch the Asia Pacific’s first-ever virtual museum dedicated ted to the golf industry and it is now operational at http://www.asiangolfawards.com. With a career track record in journalism, broadcasting and marketing and a corporate career in IBM and TIME Inc., he is now the owner of the Asia Pacific Golf Group, the he most diversified golf company in the region and the powerful publisher of the only pan-Asian n-Asian golf magazines, Asian Golf TV, and the decade old Asia Pacific Golf Summit. 24

25 ASIAN GOLF

ISSUE ISS SSUE SS UE U E 181 8

OCTOBER OC CTO T BE ER 2015 2 1 20 15 5

LE VAN KIEM Chairman, Long Thanh Golf Investment and Trading ngg C Company ompa om paanyy pany

VIETNAM

e Van Kiem is an industry leader in Vietnam and an entrepreneur who wh w ho has has played pllay ayed ye ed da pivotal role in growing golf in Vietnam. Regarded as one of the wealthiest eal alth hie iest st busibu ussinessmen in the country, he is known in the region as the ‘Billionaire aire ai re e for forr the the h Poor’ Poo o rr’’. He has given away more than US$40 million and he has also set up a speciall U US$5 S$ $5 million fund with Bill and Melinda Gates to establish the Vietnam Health Fund nd to t ttake akke care of the sick in Vietnam. Le is a major benefactor of the Asian Junior Golf Foundation and is working king ki ng iin n partnership with the Asia Pacific Golf Group media to expand this organization iio on in an effort to actually bring young people into the game of golf. As part of th this iss initiative, he has launched and funded the Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf TourTou our urnament which is an annual event held in Ho Chi Minh City. Already an owner err of two mega golf complexes in Vietnam and Laos, he is now embarking on development plans that will see new golf courses being constructed in vari-ous parts of the country over the next few years. In 2015, Le was inducted into the prestigious Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame, the first from Vietnam.

DILIP THOMAS Secretary General, Asia-Paciﬁc Golf Confederation

INDIA

ith the 2016 Olympic Games looming for next summer, Dilip Thomas will be playing a key role in golf’s re-entry into the Olympic Games. As the Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation he heads up an organization that the 36 national governing bodies of amateur golf throughout the entire tth hat at rrepresents e Asia region. He is an active member of the administrative committee of the InterAs A siaa Pacific P national Golf Federation (IGF), which is in charge of golf’s participation in the 2016 Olymn na attii pic Cames. He has also served as a technical representative for previous Asian Games p pi tthroughout Asia. Thomas has been actively engaged in helping to develop young, golfers by supporting them and encouraging sponsorships for the profesional circuit in India – he has been a franchise owner of the Tamil Nadu Pullees in order to allow young Indian golfers a chance to gain competition experience.

Conrado ‘Conrad’ L. Benitez II

Enrique ‘Ricky’ K. Razon Jr.

President, The Orchard Golf and Country Club Vice President of the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP)

Chief Executive Ofﬁcer and President International Container Terminal Service (ICTSI)

PHILIPPINES

12 Jimmy Masrin

President and CEO PT Caturkarsa Megatunggal

Masahiro Kuramoto (Japan)

INDONESIA

JAPAN

Chairman, Japan Professional Golf Tour

COVER STORY Asia’s Power Hitters 15

Sir Nicholas Alexander Faldo, MBE Professional Golfer and Designer

Chairman, Managing Director & CEO, Hero Group

INDIA

Micah Woods, Ph. D.

CEO of the Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC)

27 ASIAN GOLF

Chief Scientist and Professional Agronomist, Asian Turfgrass Centre

JAPAN

U.S.A/THAILAND

Admiral Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor (Retired)

Hiroyuki Bamba

Paul Burley Vice President, IMG Golf Course Services, Asia Paciﬁc

Chairman, Japan Golf Goods Association

JAPAN

Ho Kwon Ping Executive Chairman Banyan Tree Holdings

SINGAPORE

Madame Nguyen Thi Nga

Gautam Thapur

Managing Director BRG Group

Rishi Narain Managing Director Rishi Golf Management

INDIA 26

Champion Professional Golfer & Philanthropist , PGA Tour

Masato Mizuno

President of the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI)

INDIA

VIETNAM

Choi Kyung Ju SOUTH KOREA

MALAYSIA

Chairman Royal Gems Group of Companies

U.S.A

President, Malaysian Golf Association President, Royal Selangar Golf Club (Founded 1893)

Pornsit Sriorathaikul THAILAND

Brian Curley Partner Schmidt-Curley Golf Design China and Arizona, USA

Founder and Chairman Ciputra Business Group

INDONESIA

ENGLAND

Pawan Munjal

Dr. Ir. Ciputra

Du Sha Chairman & Owner, Paciﬁc Links International Golf Course Owner

CHINA

HYO JOO KIM

INBEE PARK

CHELLA CHOI

MIKA MIYAZATO

SPECIAL FEATURE Women’s Golf

You’ve heard of the Solheim Cup – a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States of America. It is named after Karsten Solheim, the founder of PING Golf. With the latest in the series now over, Asian Golf thought it would be timely to explore a similar teambased tournament which will pit Team Asia against Team America. 28

29 ASIAN GOLF

NA YEON CHOI

YANI TSENG

SEI YOUNG KIM

SHENSHAN FENG

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

SPECIAL FEATURE Women’s Golf

31 ASIAN GOLF

MIRIM LEE

HA NA JANG

PORNANONG PHATLUM

s this something that will work? Heck why not! For the 2015 calendar year, the LPGA, the governing body of women’s golf staged seven high-profile tournaments in Asia. If one was to read between the lines of statements made by LPGA commissioner Michael Whan, Asia can well be hosting more tournaments in the coming years. Based on this, there is strong justification to consider a shoot-out between Team Asia and Team America. Not convinced? Well, let’s look at the next scenario. At the time of writing, a total of sixteen players from Asia and of Asian origin dominated on the Top 30 of the 2015 LPGA Money List. These were players hailing from South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. The number one player on the LPGA list is a South Korean. This Asian money-spinning machine has squirrelled away over US$16.5 million in winnings so far this year and this figure will keep on mounting. Isn’t this strong justification to consider a rumble between Team Asia and Team America? Still not convinced? Darn it, what do we need to do to convince the gate-keepers of women’s professional golf to shift the focus onto Asia? Whichever way you choose to look at women’s professional golf, the balance tips in favour of Asia. The continent has a large contingent of players amongst the top 100 who hold a valid card to play. Would you believe that 40 of the players on the top 100 are from Asia (this includes two players who represent Australia and New Zealand respectively). Against this staggering dominance, America has only got 33 players on this list. The numbers tell the story! There is absolutely no denying that Asian players are making a killing on the LPGA Tour and there is no better time than now to seriously consider a platform that will create a battle royale between Asia’s very best against Uncle Sam’s beauties. It would prove to be a thrilling spectacle both from a “live” standpoint and from the perspective of a global TV audience. Based on statistics and the depth of talent available, the odds most probably will favour Team Asia and a shoot-out as proposed will go a long

There is absolutely no denying that Asian players are making a killing on the LPGA Tour and there is no better time than now to seriously consider a platform that will create a battle royale between Asia’s very best against Uncle Sam’s beauties.”

OCTOBER 2015

AMY YANG

ISSUE 181

way to provide total validation on the power and skill that Asian women bring to the professional game. The proposition now is predicated on whether the LPGA would even consider staging a tournament like this. It makes good business sense and it is very unlikely that sponsors will be reluctant to step up to the plate and ante up big dollars to pay for a tournament of this sort. What is in doubt is whether the LPGA has the will and the fortitude to pit Team America against the fire-power of Team Asia. It could be a pride thing where the LPGA, while it claims to be a global organization, is still very American at heart. There’s nothing wrong with this – it is only human to be patriotic but put patriotism aside for a moment and in the interest of golf, seriously look at a tournament that will showcase the best that America has to offer against the crème de la crème from Asia. Let’s see if this proposition has legs!

SO YEON RYU

s this special feature was being written, ffour of the world’s major women’s golf ttours have launched a brand new team competition competitio called THE QUEENS which will take place on December 4-6, 2015 in Japan. Four teams of nine players from the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG), Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA), Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Ladies’ Professional Golfers’ Association of Japan (JLPGA) will compete in the three day tournament with a total purse of 100 million yen (approximately 739,000 euros). Players from Australia and New Zealand will be eligible for the ALPG team, with Korean and Japanese players respectively representing the KLPGA and JLPGA. The final format is still to be confirmed, but the three days’ play will consist of a mixture of foursomes and four ball match-play and individual stroke play competition. “Having 36 top players from four of the world’s major tours competing in a team competition in Japan for the first time has really excited sports fans and we are really looking forward to this dream tournament which is certain to be extremely competitive,” said JLPGA chairman Hiromi Kobayashi.

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SPECIAL FEATURE Non-Conforming Clubs

One key aspect of the new USRGA Rules and Etiquette of golf is that golfers are encouraged to use equipment that makes the game easier to learn and more fun to play, which means that USRGA approved equipment take advantage of scientific advances and go beyond the performance limitations set by the R&A and USGA Rules of Golf.â&#x20AC;? 34

35 ASIAN GOLF

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

Perhaps one of the most frequently used phrases in golf must be the call to â&#x20AC;&#x153;grow the gameâ&#x20AC;?. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s used by the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gate-keepers, equipment manufacturers and all the N\Y\Z ^OV WYLZPKL V]LY [OL M\[\YL VM NVSM 0[ÂťZ HSS Ă&#x201E;UL HUK KHUK` [V [HSR HIV\[ NYV^PUN [OL game which more often than not just turns out to be lip service. Instead, ASIAN GOLF feels that the industry in general should stop speaking in innuendoes and be blunt and to the point. One way to grow the game especially for club players and amateurs is to propagate the use of performance enhancing non-conforming golf equipment. As a matter of fact, all the major brands in golf are fully capable of producing drivers, woods, hybrids and irons that will make everyone play better, enjoy the game more and stay on for the fun that non-conforming equipment will cut loose. All that is to be done is to unshackle the equipment manufacturers and see them go! We handed this topic to the Ă&#x2026;LKNSPUN <: 9LJYLH[PVUHS .VSM (ZZVJPH[PVU <:9.( [V HKKYLZZ HUK [OL JOHSSLUNL ^HZ NYHJPV\ZS` HJJLW[LK I` 1VOU ) /VLĂ&#x2026;PJO <:9.(ÂťZ L_LJ\[P]L KPYLJ[VY ^OV RUV^Z L]erything there is to know about golf equipment. Here are his thoughts:

alk of nonconforming equipment has gotten louder and more constant. Not since Ely Callaway unveiled his ERC II in October 2000 has there been so much discussion about the possibility of a major equipment manufacturer essentially sticking it to the USGA and its equipment rules. It is a debate with no middle ground. Proponents will argue the game is at a crossroads -- participation is down, interest is waning

and if we can just make the game a little easier for everyday players, it will raise all boats. On the other side are those who feel the game is fine as is, and anyone condoning or promoting rogue equipment must have red horns, a pitchfork and golf balls with the number 666 on them. So how close are we to a major company bringing a nonconforming club aimed at the masses to market? One key aspect of the new USRGA Rules and Etiquette of golf is

SPECIAL FEATURE Non-Conforming Clubs that golfers are encouraged to use equipment that makes the game easier to learn and more fun to play, which means that USRGA approved equipment take advantage of scientific advances and go beyond the performance limitations set by the R&A and USGA Rules of Golf. It is refreshing to see that recently the Japan Golf Goods Association has decided to lead the charge of sensibility and encourage Japanese golf equipment manufacturers to develop products that exceed the R&A and USGA limits so that recreational golf consumers will finally have an expanded range of products to choose from, which is the norm in most other sports. We applaud the JGGA’s decision.

37 ASIAN GOLF

Once Japanese manufacturers start to develop higher performance clubs for the Asian market and it becomes a norm, it is not a stretch to expect them to begin to export the products to the US and Europe. The USRGA fully expects this shift to happen soon. And what will be the reaction from the US Golf manufacturers? From what we have heard and seen the major US golf OEMs have been afraid to move into the recreational golf equipment market because they still remember the USGA’s reaction when Callaway Golf Company introduced the ERC II driver. This time we expect the USGA will say nothing though because they do not want to create any more ill will with the recreational golf community and they now recognize that recreational golf is outside their jurisdiction. Perhaps the bigger issue is, “How do brands like Srixon, Bridgestone, Callaway, Taylor-Made, Cobra, etc. market recreational products using their “pyramid-of-influence” marketing model and their stables of highly paid Pro Tour players?” Will golf’s superstars just look in the camera and say, “Even though I don’t play this driver on the Pro Tour, when I am playing with my buddies for fun and want to obsolete another golf course, I pull out the Callaway ERC-17 and eagle ever par 5 on a course. You can do the same. I guarantee it”? The USRGA believes that many major equipment manufacturers will create alternative brands as not to create brand identity confusion in the market (like Titleist and Pinnacle, from Acushnet and TaylorMade and Adams Golf from adidas) and

will have non-Tour Players endorsing their recreational product lines. To help manufacturers distinguish their high performance products for recreational golfers from those products that are designed to conform with the performance limitations established by the USGA and R&A, the USRGA has developed an insignia that can be featured on products and marketing materials that states, “Conforms to USRGA Rules of Golf.” The insignia (featured in this report) is available to all partners/sponsors of the USRGA. The USRGA believes all the efforts to recognize and better serve recreational golf will have many positive benefits for the game of golf. First, simply recognizing recreational golf is distinct and different from governing serious competitive golf and is not part of the USGA and R&A’s jurisdiction will eliminate all of the confusion and concern about having to follow rules that are not meant for recreational golf; the USRGA Rules will still provide structure to the game but will enable golfers to have more fun. Second, offering golfers a wider range of high performance equipment that is only limited by the laws of physics will make the game easier to learn for beginners, more fun to play for current golfers and will likely bring lapsed golfers back to the game, especially those that will benefit from the enhanced equipment. Third, by removing the artificial limits on equipment performance this will open up new opportunities for all golf companies to reach new equipment performance levels and even expand the size of their golf equipment offerings. All of these changes will undoubtedly lead to growth in the number of recreational golfers, many of whom will one day graduate to the ranks of serious competitive and serious tournament golfers – all great developments for the game of golf. To learn more about the USRGA visit its web site at: www.usrga.org

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EQUIPMENT FOCUS TAYLORMADE

39 ASIAN GOLF

– THE UNMETALWOOD

ISSUE 181

OCTOBER 2015

After a series of top-level management changes and bottomlines routed by a drop in business, TaylorMade Golf has come roaring back as a totally revitalized and vibrant organization hellbent on letting the world know that not only has it got its mojo ^VYRPUN I\[ [OH[ P[»Z NV[ [OL YPNO[ Z[\Ɉ [V ^V^ [OL NVSM ^VYSK And let it be known that the latest from the company renowned for its dominance in the driver category is just not another new WYVK\J[ 0[ PZ YL]VS\[PVUHY` HUK [OL [LJOUVSVN` [OH[ PZ ILOPUK [OL UL^ WYVK\J[Z ^PSS ZPTWS` RUVJR `V\Y ZVJRZ VɈ

aylorMade is back on track! In a carefully orchestrated global launch, the company floored the golf world with one its newest driver – a club that resembles a sleek race car and the ravishing good looks of a beautiful woman. How do you beat that combination? You just don’t – you let yourself be simply wowed to be instantly converted to the M1 – TaylorMade’s latest killer product! In case you are wondering why all the hype and excitement, you have to understand the technology and philosophy behind the M1. It is the first driver to hit the global market that utilizes what TaylorMade refers to as “multi-material” technology. Over the years, the research and development team at TaylorMade has been working at “slimming down” the weight of a driver and with the M1, they have been able to hit that eureka moment. The M1 features the melding of a multi-material combination of titanium and a seven-layer carbon composite. The magic of this multi-material mix has helped TaylorMade to unlock their longest driver and most fittable product line in company history.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS TAYLORMADE

– THE UNMETALWOOD

From a form and function perspective, the M1 range represents the best performing golf products in the world and our engineers have blended the multi-material technology in a way that has produced the most effective, visually appealing alignment system of any TaylorMade product to date.” “In M1, our engineers have created a line of drivers, fairways and rescue® clubs designed to provide golfers with more distance, forgiveness and playability in TaylorMade’s first-ever “unmetalwood” family,” announced Ryan Hart, TaylorMade’s senior commercial director for SEA and India. He continued, “From a form and function perspective, the M1 range represents the best performing golf products in the world and our engineers have blended the multimaterial technology in a way that has produced the most effective, visually appealing alignment system of any TaylorMade product to date.” The combination of the black face, white forward section and composite rear of the M1’s crown is not only visually stunning and attractive, but provides golfers with a confidence-inspiring alignment aid at address. Commenting on the multi-material technology, Joey Chuasiriporn, senior product manager for TaylorMade Asia said, “In

the M1 driver, our engineers have created a revolutionary carbon composite crown design that has resulted in a significant decrease in overall club weight and allowed them to lower the centre of gravity (CG) and add a revolutionary T-Track system that houses 25g of adjustable weight, enabling a golfer to personalize his driver more than with any product before.” The T-Track system on the M1 driver features one 15g moveable weight in the front track, sliding from heel to toe, allowing golfers to adjust their draw or fade bias by up to 25 yards. Similarly, the back track allows a golfer 10g of moveable weight, sliding from front to back, permitting up to 300rpm of backspin and 0.8 degree in launch angle adjustment. The entire T-Track system has been placed low on the sole, so regardless of moveable weight positions, the club still maintains a low centre of gravity to deliver optimal trajectory. That’s what TaylorMade means by the driver being “fittable” although this technology of sliding weight back and forth and moving weight right to left is not new. However, it is the first to offer this many positions for these weights in a 460cc head. The front track has 18 positions for the sliding weight and the back track has 15, so that is 270 possible combinations. This takes personalized custom fitting and

tuning to a whole new level! How about the sound on impact? We draw your attention to this because the last time this writer hit a golf ball with a driver fitted with a carbon composite club-head, it delivered a sickening sound that went “twack”. Fearing the same result, this was not the case with the M1 – it delivered a terrific sound rivalling that of a full-blooded titanium club-head! How did TaylorMade get around this challenge? Well, if you take a look inside the club-head, it looks like a miniature anechoic chamber, and it’s this ingenuous construction that has helped the M1 deliver a sound that is absolutely superb. “At TaylorMade, we always pride ourselves on improving our metal-wood performance and distance each year,” said Brian Bazzel, senior director of product creation and he went on to point out, “With the constant advances in titanium technology, we found ourselves at a crossroads, one where the R15 was almost unbeatable. We have an allegiance to performance and we were willing to use whatever material or construction necessary to deliver it. I believe the new M1 is a true reflection of our dedication to improving golfers through innovative designs.” The M1 driver has got it all and we’ve got to hand it to TaylorMade for producing a driver which for all intents and purposes

The M1 driver has got it all and we’ve got to hand to it to TaylorMade for producing a driver which for all intents and purposes can be rightfully referred to as a “driver for everyone.”

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can be rightfully referred to as a “driver for everyone”. It’s a driver that delivers more performance to players of all skill levels and it delivers more speed, high launch, low spin, and increased forgiveness. It’s got great technology, great looks and if you can figure out how to tune it, it’s going to be a hard act to beat! The M1 range is a complete arsenal of weapons which besides the driver, incudes the M1 fairway wood and the M1 rescue. The M1 fairway, which features the same multimaterial technology is designed to be TaylorMade’s most adjustable fairway to date. Featuring the same front track system as the M1 driver, the M1 fairway utilizes two 15g tungsten weights that can slide easily to promote a draw or fade using a torque wrench. The carbon composite crown allows for 30g of total moveable weight, 5g more than in the R15 fairway. Having two 15g weights also allows for the golfer to split them, thus increasing the clubs’ inertia and ultimately, protecting ball speed on mis-hits. The front track of the M1 fairway features a reduced channel to improve turf-to-sole interaction. The M1 fairway is equipped with a four degree loft sleeve, which allows for a two degree increase or decrease in loft. The M1 rescue, similar to the M1 driver and fairway, has been refined by extensive input from TayorMade’s tour players. Similar to the original rescue club from TaylorMade, the new M1 rescue

has classic, tourinspired shaping that enables increased playability from a variety of lies on the course. In combination with 1.5 degree loft sleeve, the M1 rescue features two moveable weights (one 3g and one 25g) that can be set for neutral or fade bias to optimize shot shape and trajectory. Additionally, the M1 rescue has a speed pocket, increases the size of the sweet spot and reduces distance lost on off-centre hits.

OCTOBER 2015

EQUIPMENT FOCUS TAYLORMADE

IRONS

The total performance package had to meet or exceed the player’s expectation on look and feel while giving them performance they had never seen before. The consistency, workability and distance are something we think will be a revelation to all better players.” 42

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ot on the heels of the M1 family of products, TaylorMade has wasted no time to introduce the world to its newest range of irons – the Psi and the

Psi Tour irons. The PSi irons feature a new Speed Pocket which is a cut-through slot that feeds directly into the cavity undercut. This, according to TaylorMade yields faster ball

speeds for shots struck lower on the face. PSi also utilizes Face Slot Technology, a feature that debuted last year with the RSi series of irons. Face slots, located on the heel and toe of the clubface, promise to protect ball speed and generate more consistent distance on shots struck off-centre. Blade length, topline thickness and offset increase progressively from the wedges down through the long irons in the PSi irons. The reason for this is to offer players a confidence-inspiring look at address. “In creating the PSi, we wanted to make sure we understood the true needs of the

OCTOBER 2015

better player before deciding how best to approach its design,” explained Tomo Bystedt, Director of Iron Product Creation. “The total performance package had to meet or exceed the player’s expectation on look and feel while giving them performance they had never seen before. The consistency, workability and distance are something we think will be a revelation to all better players.” In addition to the PSi, TaylorMade also announced the PSi Tour iron. It features a more compact head size and tour-inspired shaping and workability that is often something better players are attracted to. The Tour version also features a thinner topline, less offset and narrower sole than the PSi and its progressive CG position, which allows for higher trajectory in the long irons while retaining workability. The PSi Tour is expected to be TaylorMade’s #1 played iron model on the PGA TOUR next year.

t was a double-happiness at the BMW Championship as Jason Day wrested the world number one spot after winning the third leg of the 2015 Fedex Cup Playoffs and a historic day of reckoning for TaylorMade’s spanking new M1 driver. Day used this fabulous multi-metal driver to win and so did the runner-up, Daniel Berger. A total of twelve M1 drivers were in play in the tournament.

SPECIAL FEATURE Golf Research

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ne company that has been very focused on golf ball fitting has been Bridgestone Golf, a company that has been manufacturing golf balls since 1935. So, they do know a little something about golf balls and the science behind these dimpled wonders! If you are wondering how ball fitting is conducted, at the start of September, Bridgestone announced that it had surpassed the 300,000 “live” ball fitting milestone. This is a tremendous achievement and according to informed sources, the company now is said to have “solidified its position as the #1 ballfitter in golf”. How has it achieved this premier status as the leading ball fitter you may ask? Well, the company has a programme called the “Bridgestone Challenge,” which is an in-

person, free, live launch monitor-based ballfitting programme that has been educating golfers on how to find the right ball for their game since 2007. Now with dozens of team in the United States and internationally, it claims to fit nearly 2,000 golfers per week. Through ball-fitting, Bridgestone offers a service previously reserved for the world’s best players to all golfers. Using launch monitors, Bridgestone’s team of ball-fitting technicians analyze golfers’ swings and make science-based recommendations as to which ball is the best choice for each individual. After nearly 8 years and more than 300,000 fittings, Bridgestone has amassed a large body of knowledge about amateur golf swings than any of its competitors - leading to innovative new products that have bridged gaps in the marketplace.

OCTOBER 2015

After 300,000 fittings, listed are some key findings: 75% were playing the wrong ball for their game 75% were recommended a better ball for their swing, gaining on average of 9.4 yards per drive. 13.83 average yards per drive gained for e6 fit consumers 10.28 average yards per drive gained for B330-RX fit consumers “In 2007, we launched ball fitting to show consumers how a properly fit golf ball can help their game,” said Corey Consuegra, Bridgestone Golf’s senior director of marketing. He went on to add, “Today, ball fitting is something that nearly all golfers consider and we are proud to be the originator and leader in golf ball customization.” So, why don’t you give ball-fitting a shot. It could prove to be a real game-changer for you!

LONG THANH GOLF RESORT, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2015

In Celebration Of Fathers And Sons Asia Paciﬁc Father and Son Golf Tournament is back again. Fathers and sons or direct related members of a family will do battle to see who emerges as the best of the best in the region.

The tournament is open to any combination of family members – father, daughter, uncle/ aunty and nephew/niece. This arrangement provides for a wider family involvement and participation.

This prestigious tournament will be staged on The winning team will walk away with the November 1 & 2, 2015 and the host venue is Asia Paciﬁc Father and Son Trophy presented the award winning Long Thanh Golf Resort in by Vietnamese philanthropist Le Van Kiem. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Come and Be Part of the Region’s Only Total Family Golf Event ... The 2015 Asia Paciﬁc Father and Son Golf Tournament! Entry fee is set at US$450 per player and this will include: Daily two-way transfer from the Sheraton Saigon Hotel to the golf course. Lunch, refreshment and dinner on both days. Prizes and goodie bags. One practice round on October 31.

The Father and Son Tournament is designed to promote greater family involvement in golf and clubs are encouraged to enter club teams to participate in what promises to be a fun tournament!

ONLINE Registration is open at: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt2015

DOWNLOAD PDF – RULES & REGULATIONS: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt-rr2015 For enquiries, please contact Alice Ho at alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com or call +65-63232800

ORGANISED BY: LONG THANH GOLF RESORT

SPECIAL FEATURE KING LTD

51 ASIAN GOLF

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OCTOBER 2015

It’s always fascinating to see how the present draws inspiration from the past. It is the story of the evolution of mankind as narrated through the pages of history and time. The golf industry has some incredible stories of its own where great companies have blasted back to the past to resurrect a product or a technology and revive it to a glorious new beginning. Nearly twenty years have gone ÅLL[PUN I` ZPUJL *VIYH .VSM PU[YVK\JLK [OL ^VYSK [V P[Z 2PUN *VIYH IYHUK VM oversize irons which were then followed by woods and drivers. These products ^LYL NHTL JOHUNLYZ PU [OLPY [PTL HUK JYLH[LK LWPJ ^PUZ MVY [OL *VIYH IYHUK

SPECIAL FEATURE KING LTD

oday, with an impressive history behind it, the historic brand is back again, re-engineered and ready to rock the world of golf. Building off its rock solid heritage and winning DNA, COBRA Golf has breathed new life into King Cobra and has brought it back to life as the KING LTD. In its time, the King Cobra was highly innovative in technology and revolutionary in design. Its born-again iteration, the brand new KING LTD is a product that draws inspiration from the past that has been cleverly blended with cutting edge space-age research. The touch of space-age technology is very evident in what COBRA Golf refers to as its “revolutionary SpacePort” design which has allowed the company’s brilliant research and development team “to strategically position the Centre of Gravity (CG)” and to make COBRA Golf’s key internal speed and stability technologies visible for the first time. This is a “eureka moment” in golf! In launching the KING LTD, Tom Olsavsky, the vice president for R&D at COBRA Golf said, “The KING COBRA franchise is synonymous with the brand’s heritage. Now, the new KING LTD driver is the next generation of product under the KING COBRA name, building upon the legacy created

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by COBRA Founder, Tom Crow, in 1990.” “We knew that if we were going to re-introduce the KING Cobra it had to be something much more advanced and special, incorporating innovative technologies that would only surpass its legacy. And we are confident we did that with the KING LTD driver; it is truly game-changing for golfers and fit for a KING,” declared an elated Olsavsky. Let’s get back to the talk about how COBRA Golf integrated space-age research into the KING LTD. In September 2014, COBRA GOLF teamed up with the Centre for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) and Nanoracks LLC, on a materials science research investigation that launched on board SpaceX CRS-4 and was on the International Space Station for six weeks. Taking design inspiration from the Space Station’s cupola module, a 9’ 10” earth and space observation platform, the KING LTD driver features a SpacePort window that is

We knew that if we were going to re-introduce the KING Cobra it had to be something much more advanced and special, incorporating innovative technologies that would only surpass its legacy. And we are confident we did that with the KING LTD driver; it is truly game-changing for golfers and fit for a KING.” – Tom Olsavsky incorporated into the sole of the driver. How cool is this! This unique structural design feature is locked in place by the use of Spiralock thread technology which is designed to withstand high vibrations and loads during impact without over tightening or loosening. The result is a sleek aerodynamic exterior. If you’re wondering what the heck all this talk about space has to do with golf, let us help put things in context – what COBRA Golf is trying to do is find out how they can learn something about material properties in a zero gravity environment that could be applied to golf products right here on terra firma. Describing the SpacePort system, Olsavsky said, “The Oval consists of a 16-gram Aerospace grade Aluminum dual-purpose weight and translucent port system that allows golfers to view the internal technologies of the driver.” This is really unique and quite a revelation! By removing the port, golfers can visually access all the hidden

COBRA technologies which are made up of: 811 Titanium E9 Face Low CG Hosel Textreme Carbon Fiber Crown “In total, there are more than 28 grams of discretionary weight strategically positioned in and around the Port perimeter positioning the CG low and to the back of the clubhead,” explained Olsavsky. If you think this is too much tech-speak to comprehend, wait till you see what comes up next. Olsavsky went on to add, “The Port also removes the necessity for Hot Melt Glue, a sticky substance typically used in drivers to catch internal debris and achieve final club head weight, saving an additional 4g; instead, a more efficient solid structured and more precise weight is placed into the head, behind the SpacePort, further optimizing the mass properties. The Port also allows final

SPECIAL FEATURE KING LTD

swing-weight tuning, with 0-12g Tungsten weight, at time of build to precisely fit the golfer.” Through key structural component weight reduction and critical placement of the discretionary weight, COBRA Golf created the lowest CG on the driver market today. Depending on the head configuration, the CG is on or below the “Neutral Axis”, a perpendicular line extending back from face centre, delivering unprecedented “ZERO CG” technology. The ultra-low CG improves the efficiency of the club head to ball impact and allows golfers to achieve higher ball speeds, higher launch angles and lower spin, all three contribute to distances gains off the tee. “The KING LTD is the only driver to ever reach below ZERO CG – by combining the Space Port with new materials, the KING LTD reaches optimal performance, never been done before by any other driver to date,” said Olsavsky.

55 ASIAN GOLF

That’s your applied physics lesson for the day! The most important information to draw from COBRA Golf’s new technology is that in the final analysis, it works! ASIAN GOLF had the opportunity to test the KING LTD driver and 3-wood and without seeming to suck up to COBRA Golf, we have to declare that with KING LTD, the company has raised the bar in equipment technology. Kudos to Bob Philion, COBRA Golf’s president – you have kept to your promise to keep setting and raising standards! The KING LTD series is, as stated earlier, a true game changer. In the words of Jose Miraflor, COBRA Golf’s director of production marketing, “This is our racecar. Everything that gets us more distance went into this driver and everything that doesn’t came out.” - Jose Miraflor, Director of Product Marketing, COBRA GOLF.

SPECIAL FEATURE Keeping Golf Courses Alive!

It is now possible for every club in Asia to develop its human capital and this is made possible through access to universal education at the Club Managers Association of Asia’s on-line learning portal – The CMA-A e-University.” 56

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Operating a golf club is a serious business. It is all about having a viable business model, the right service standards and the best mix of people to help deliver the experience VU H Z\Z[HPUHISL IHZPZ 0[ PZ UV KPɈLYLU[ [V HU` V[OLY ZLY]PJL oriented business and one vital element that is required to LUZ\YL [OH[ H NVSM JS\I O\TZ HSVUN SPRL H ^LSS VPSLK THJOPUL is HUMAN CAPITAL. In this series of special articles timed ^P[O [OL Z[HNPUN VM [OL (ZPH 7HJPÄJ .VSM :\TTP[ [OL YL gion’s most important conference on the business of golf, we HYL \ZPUN [OPZ PZZ\L [V WSH[MVYT RL` PZZ\LZ [OH[ HYL J\YYLU[S` PTWHJ[PUN NVSM JS\IZ PU [OL YLNPVU (ZPHU .VSM ILSPL]LZ [OH[ owners and users of golf clubs need to understand the impor [HUJL VM O\THU JHWP[HS HUK ^O` P[ PZ ]P[HS [V RLLW [OLT [YHPULK and sharp at all points in time.

he golf club industry in Asia offers employment to thousands and oftentimes most of us in the industry and those who play the game, do not pay too much heed to this matter. How often do we fail to realise that it is the people who work for this industry who are the ones who determine if our golf clubs are winners or losers? “Your number one customers are your people. Look after employees first and then

customers last,” is what Ian Hutchinson, author of “People Glue” advocates and how true is his observation! The most valuable resource in a golf club is not its club-house. Neither is it its fairways and greens. Or its membership base. The most valuable resource is a club’s HUMAN CAPITAL. This is the vital “people glue” which guarantees that everything hangs together and hums like clockwork precision. Training and education is what is needed on

SPECIAL FEATURE Keeping Golf Courses Alive!

an on-going and sustainable basis to help ensure that a club’s human capital is kept highly motivated and sharp on a 24/7basis. Club owners, operators and general managers have to become highly conscious of the need to train their staff well and to equip all levels of employees with the right job skills and soft skills to help deliver an all-round winning performance and experience for club members and their guests. It is no surprise that clubs who believe in human capital development are the current industry leaders. Clubs in Asia are not alone when it comes to training, education and certifying their employees. In fact, it is now possible for every club in Asia to develop its human capital and this is made possible through access to universal education at the Club Managers Association of Asia’s on-line learning portal – The CMA-A e-University. “This unique education platform has taken a long time to develop and we are 58

59 ASIAN GOLF

pleased to inform the club industry that we now have on offer some 170 special learning modules on offer and it is all available online – training, education and certification provided on an any-time, anywhere basis,” said Mike Sebastian, president of the Club Managers Association of Asia. “Most importantly, the education and training provided is specific and tailor-made to meet Asian needs and let me remind you that it does not cost thousands of dollars – as this is a service to the club industry, we have kept it very accessible and very affordable.” The CMA-A is an Asian-based organization that is primarily focused on providing quality education and its mission is to help the club industry grow and advance right across the board. “By this, we mean that training, education and certification is not confined just to a club’s general manager – it is a programme that impacts every job function within a club’s operation,” Sebastian pointed out.

These 170-odd modules (note that this is expected to keep growing in time) are organized under seven work competencies. “We have a system in place and an industry initiative that is specially designed to recognise, validate and dignify the men and women who work in the club industry in Asia,” said Sebastian. The revolutionary CMA-A e-University will be show-cased at the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit to be held in Singapore on October 14-15, 2015. “The e-University project is a classic example of the direct value and benefits that APGS 2015 brings to the golf and club industry in Asia – it is solid and substantive and with a mission to make our industry get better,” Sebastian stressed. If you would like to experience this wonderful learning tool, we would be delighted to offer you a FREE TRIAL – just click on this link and get your club on its way to improvement!

C H A N G E

A G E N T

Extraordinaire A N D Y

S T A N G E N B E R G

Andy Stangenberg is not just another speaker.

Andy entertains and keeps you at the edge

He is a special performer who transcends all

of your seat throughout a session, he also

of the known norms and boundaries of public

imparts knowledge that will help make

speaking. He is often described as a speaker

a deďŹ nite difference to anybody who

from "another planet" and this is attributable to

watches and listens to him.

the fact that he does not conform to universally "Attending an Andy Stangenberg

acceptable standard procedures.

session is like watching something He is an un-boxed thinker and passionate

cataclysmic happening â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he

about all aspects of service and its delivery;

is change in motion!" said Bill

he is intense when he talks about leadership

Sanderson, a noted international

and performance; and he is committed

business coach.

to identifying and bringing out the best in everyone he touches. Andy connects and engages with his audience in a very interactive and personal manner and this is what sets him apart as a star performer. "I have seen many top speakers in my time but never have I witnessed so much energy, drive and innovative thinking to match the Stangenberg package. This guy will drag you through all the emotions and senses - he will make you laugh, cry and celebrate - all in one sitting. This is the magic of Andy Stangenberg," is how noted international speaker Gregg Patterson describes Andy Andy.

Be 'Touched' by Andy Stangenberg A Realty And Business Coach Like No Other! CMAA Asia PaciďŹ c Pte Ltd & Q-Principle

Email: Andy Stangenberg andy@q-principle.com or Call: +65-6323 2800; Mobile: +65-8339 8352.

SPECIAL FEATURE Keeping Golf Courses Alive

61 ASIAN GOLF

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OCTOBER 2015

As October is the month for the staging of the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit, the region’s most established and important conference on the business of golf, the spotlight focuses on how golf clubs can continue to operate under trying financial conditions. These are just not operations and agronomical issues. These are challenges that everyone should be made aware of – both golf course owners and operators and golfers alike. In many parts of Asia golf courses are encountering financial difficulties. It is part of the downturn in the overall global economy. The initial reaction for golf courses is to cut their costs down to the bare bones needed to stay open. Often these decisions are made by the owner, manager or board of directors. While costs surely must be aligned with the revenues of a facility it is best to work with the golf course maintenance team to develop a strategy that can keep the golf course open. For the right strategy, Asian Golf turned to Bruce Williams, past president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and one of the best brains in the turf maintenance business. The following is his report.

SPECIAL FEATURE Keeping Golf Courses Alive

he golf course is the primary asset of most clubs and facilities. It is a growing and living entity and requires specific base inputs to survive. When considering cutting costs it is imperative that the golf course superintendent be involved in the decision making process. It is easy to say cut the operating budget by 20% but management and owners need to understand what the impact will be with a decision like that. In working with clubs that have been placed in such a position I like to look at the specific programmes that will be eliminated when cutting budgets. Be careful that the programmes you eliminate or change do not result in deferred maintenance that will cost you even more when the economy improves.

Examples of Cost Cutting Without Long Term Harm To The Course Typically the largest cost at a golf course is the maintenance of the greens. We must remember that greens are utilized in three shots on each hole and most golf courses are judged by the quality of their putting surfaces. It is recommended that you can mow those greens with a riding greensmower to save labour. Some days you can roll the greens without rolling them again, thus saving labour. It would be a big mistake to alter your pest control programmes as any reduction would lead to weeds, disease and insect problems. Top-dressing should be maintained or your turf will develop a significant amount of thatch that may take years to rectify. Bunkers are often the second most expensive item to maintain on a course. 62

63 ASIAN GOLF

Leaving them without maintenance during an economic downturn will result in erosion, sand contamination and a variety of other problems. Top courses rake their bunkers daily and often by hand. Consider using a mechanical rake to cultivate the bunkers and that will save some labour. While seven days of raking may not be affordable look at reducing that to three days per week. Moderation is the key! Oftentimes water can be quite expensive. The golf course superintendent knows what the bare minimum is to keep the grass alive. Some golf courses have reduced the number of hectares of irrigated turfgrass and utilized natural areas or conversion to plant material with low water requirements. There are some budget items that can be set aside for a year or two with minimal negative impact. That would include tree pruning. Again let the golf course superintendent help by getting his input. The golf course maintenance team can be a big part of the solution rather than a big part of the problem!

golf course. Consider it “Continual Education”. The first source of education is by being connected to peers in the industry. Your golf course is not the first facility to encounter most any problem that comes along. What better way to solve a problem than to communicate with someone who has been down that road. Most countries and regions have associations for the golf course superintendents. Often these groups provide a network for communicating online or at regional meetings. A variety of conferences take place each year throughout Asia. A nice balance of industry professionals, golf course superintendents and university professors share information on best practices that superintendents can use. As a part of Club Managers Association of Asia’s e-University programme, there will be initiatives designed to help superintendents to deal with these challenging times. A certificated programme of this nature is long overdue! And this will be coming through under the auspices of the CMA-A’s e-University.

The Best Investment A Golf Course Can Make!

The Final Word

The last item in the golf course budget that should be cut is the education expense. I often correct clubs by explaining that “Education” is an investment item and not an expense item. The money spent on education should have a very positive return on investment. Strategize what the facility can afford to educate the superintendent and his key employees. While each golf course superintendent comes to a course with his basic education, there should be a never ending pursuit of the best practices to maintain a

The economic impact to golf courses is changing. This is not the first time and it won’t be the last. Work with your golf course superintendent to maximize savings without creating any long term damage to your facility’s biggest asset. Pick and choose your cost cuts wisely. Invest in the knowledge of your golf course management team. Be sure that any and all education is followed up by a written set of outcomes from lessons learned. Those are the items that will assist you to sustain your golf course even through difficult times.

A G O L F B at t l e F I T F O R O N LY

THE BEST! We knew that this headline

would grab your attention! STEP 1:

STEP 2:

TWO-MAN TEAM FROM EACH CLUB

STEP 3:

144 SLOTS AVAILABLE First Come First Serve Basis

Finally club managers get to play and compete in a tournament all their own.

winning 27-hole golf course in Singapore that has played host to a variety of golf tournaments including The Asia Pacific Golf Group in conjunction with the staging the Asian Tour. of the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit will be organizing the Inaugural Asia-Pacific Inter-Club Challenge Tournament. There is no entry fee to participate in It will be played with two-man teams drawn from clubs this tournament. To qualify, players need to register as within the Asia Pacific footprint for the coveted Le Van delegates to attend the Summit and there are 144 slots Kiem Inter-Club Trophy. available. This tournament is all about good, clean fun and more importantly, it is about networking. The tournament will be run on October 14. The venue will be the Orchid Country Club, an award-

Entry will be on a first come first served basis and a two-man team from each club can register on-line through APGS official website at www.golfconference.org or email Alice Ho at alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com or call +65 63232800 for more details.

he 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit it was staged in Singapore in October. ASIAN GOLF OLF will present a special highlight report complete lete with full photo-coverage of Asia’s most important conference on the business of golf.

he legendary Gary Player will turn 80 in November and like the proverbial “Eveready Bunny”, he just keeps on going! To mark this grand occasion, Player accorded ASIAN GOLF an exclusive interview and we are proud to bring you a special commemorative report on the incredible South African who is perhaps golf’s greatest global ambassador. All this and more in the November issue.

ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 182

TITLEIST ROLLS OUT ITS NEW ARSENAL eam Titleist rocks again – the prestigious brand has rolled out its latest line of irons – the AP1 and AP2 716 irons and its revolutionary 816 hybrids. The Asian Golf test team will do a special review on this new set of irons and all other offerings that Titleist has unveiled for 2016. For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice!

www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com

CONSISTENTLY VOTED AS THE BEST COURSE IN THAILAND

Owned and managed by The Peninsula Hotels and often voted as possessing the “Best Clubhouse in Asia” and “Best Course in Thailand”, Thai Country Club is less than 45 minutes from downtown Bangkok and is renowned for having the friendliest staff of professionals in the Kingdom committed to providing the Ultimate Golfing Experience. For registered guests of The Peninsula Bangkok, We are happy to arrange a tee-time at a substantial reduction from our normal visitor’s rate. Extend your business trip in Bangkok, or book a get-away golfing package. When it comes to exclusive golfing with impeccable hospitality – we play off scratch.

1997 Winner: Tiger Woods

VOLVO MASTERS

ASIA

2005 Winner: Shiv Kapur

2006 Winner: Thongchai Jaidee

2007 Winner: Prayad Marksaeng

2008 Winner: Lam Chih Bing

1998 Winner: Vijay Singh

Thai Country Club www.thaicountryclub.com Tel: +66 (38) 570-234 inquiry@thaicountryclub.com The Peninsula Bangkok www.peninsula.com Tel: +66 (2) 861-2888 pbk@peninsula.com

Lotus Valley Golf Resort Nominated for the second consecutive year

“Best Value for Money Experience” by The Asian Golf Awards 2015