ISSUE
190
JULY 2016
Over the last few months, there has been wide-spread talk about an imminent "merger" involving the European Tour and the Asian Tour. Amidst all of this chatter, there has been a lot of carnage people being fired, a board being sacked and replaced, newcomers leaving disgruntled but no sign of the big "kumbaya" moment happening. Will there be a merger or will it be status quo? This is the big sixty-four dollar question. Asian Golf shares its views.
12
SPECIAL FEATURE 18 Inbee Park Rejoices! Inbee Park officially qualified for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame after fulfilling the 10-year membership requirement for Hall of Fame qualification with her 10th start of the 2016 season. At the age of 27, Park becomes the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame and the first player to qualify since fellow South Korean Se Ri Pak in 2007.
18 26
34 42
22 Two Of Golf’s Greatest To Be Honoured At APGS 2016 Only one golf institution in Asia enjoys the tradition of recognizing some of the game’s great legends and that organization is the Asia Pacific Golf Group (APGG). For 2016, APGG is both proud and honoured to announce the induction of two of the greatest legends of the modern era of golf. One of the greats is from the West and the other is from the East.
26 PXG Jets Into Asia! Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) is expanding its global footprint. The company, founded by Bob Parsons, the billionaire founder of GoDaddy has named distribution partners in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Asian Golf met
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
FASHION TREND END 48 The Tour360 Boost Getss Boosted! Ten years in the making - after er a decade of innovation, the TOUR360 franchise nchise is back and better than ever with its newest advancement. The he TOUR360 Prime Boost takess the franchise to a whole new level! vel!
53 Versatility On And Offf The Course PUMA Golf has introduced IGNITE Spikeless Sport, the latest addition to its premium, performance-ready IGNITE family of Footwear. The IGNITE Spikeless Sport pro-vides the ultimate in function, ion, versatility and fashion, coupled with Tour-proven performance and stability.
56 62
48 53
GAME-IMPROVEMENT up with Parsons in Seoul, South Koreaa – read the exclusive interview on PXG’s entry into Asia.
34 The Business That Jack Built Continues To Grow! This year, golf’s number one “gentleman” an” citizen opened his 400th Nicklaus Design golf course, a significant ignificant worldwide milestone since Jack Nicklaus embarked ed on his course design career in 1969. There are now 400 Nicklaus Design golf courses located in 41 countries es and 39 states. To commemorate this milestone, Asian n Golf met up with Paul Stringer, president of Nicklaus us Companies Asia/Pacific to discuss the performance ce of Jack’s golf course design business in Asia.
42 Third Party Management – Do We Need This In Asia? This report is being presented at this time because we feel that the golf club industry ustry in Asia has reached a level of development ment where there is a strong case to justify third party management. There is a business ss case for golf clubs in Asia, especially those that are faced with challenges and nd against this backdrop, it makes sense to hire a management company that can n help reduce expenses and increase revenues by more than the management fees.
56 Some Popular Club Fitting Myths Exposed! Asian Golf’s dedicated section on club fitting is proud to present part four of a six part series in this month’s edition. The focus this month falls on some myths about club fitting which we feel need to be set straight. The answers are provided by master fitter Jeffrey Bose, the proud recipient of the prestigious 2015 Asian Golf Award for “Best Club Fitter in Asia” citation.
62 ProTour Golf In last month’s article (Part 3) we introduced a goal setting process to help you develop and stay on the pathway to improved performance out on the golf course. The article explained how having clear and concise goals helps you stay committed by having a high value for that goal and that you believe it’s achievable.
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 ]
[ angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
RAQUEL M. ARCEGA Art Director & Ezine Development [ raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
WAYNE LWEE Social Media/Video Editor
LAWRENCE YOUNG Editor (New Equipment)
[ wayne@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
MYRA PARAS Accounts Executive
[ myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
Contributing Professionals
[ lawrence@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
ALICE HO Marketing Executive
[ alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]
TONY MEECHAI, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE), JEFFREY BOSE, JIM PRUSA (INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR)
Correspondents Printer
ROBIN BARWICK (EUROPE), RISHI NARAIN (INDIA), ALAN CAMPBELL (MIDDLE EAST) UNUSUAL PRINT MEDIA PTE LTD
MEDIA PARTNER
[ 231 Bain Street, #02-83 Bras Basah Complex, Singapore 180231 ]
Address
ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP (2014) PTE LTD
1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, #07-23 A’posh Bizhub, Singapore 768160 Tel: +65 6323 2800 | Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No: 201405689G
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Contact: Mike Sebastian Email: mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com or Mobile No: +65 9152 8162
To Subscribe MVY WYPU[ VY KPNP[HS PZZ\LZ VM (ZPHU .VSM LTHPS HSPJL'HZPHWHJPÄJNVSMNYV\W JVT or register for a free preview at ^^^ HZPHWHJPÄJNVSMNYV\W JVT (33 90./;: 9,:,9=,+ 5V WHY[ VM (ZPHU .VSM TH` IL YLWYVK\JLK PU HU` V[OLY W\ISPJH[PVUZ WYPU[LK VY W\ISPZOLK ^P[OV\[ [OL ^YP[[LU WLYTPZZPVU VM [OL W\ISPZOLY 6WPUPVUZ PU (ZPHU .VSM HYL [OL ^YP[LYZ» HUK HYL UV[ ULJLZZHYPS` LUKVYZLK I` (ZPHU .VSM (ZPHU .VSM HJJLW[Z UV YLZWVUZPIPSP[` MVY \UZVSPJP[LK THU\ZJYPW[Z [YHUZWHYLUJPLZ VY V[OLY TH[LYPHSZ 4HU\ZJYPW[Z WOV[VNYHWOZ HUK HY[^VYR ^PSS UV[ IL YL[\YULK \USLZZ HJJVTWHUPLK I` HWWYVWYPH[L WVZ[HNL
THIS MAGAZINE HAS BEEN PRINTED ON PAPER WHICH IS DERIVED FROM 100 PER CENT SUSTAINABLE PLANTATION FIBRE AND MANUFACTURED IN A FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED TO ISO-14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STANDARDS.
THE #1 CHOICE FOR YOUR BRAND.
Associating your company with Titleist, the #1 ball in golf, makes a strong statement about your commitment to excellence. Titleist is renowned for proven performance and consistency. And when it comes to customization, Titleist sets the bar for sophisticated creative capabilities, color reproduction, and the highest quality standards in the industry. Visit titleist.asia for more information on how you can connect your brand to excellence.
Š2016 Acushnet Company.
SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher
I
t’s about time that the PGA Tour and various interested media parties stopped promoting the “Big Three” like the future of the professional game was totally dependent on them. So, the guys who make up the “Big Three” win a few tournaments but do they need to be placed on pedestals and crowned as the saviours of the game? C’mon guys, the professional game has gone past the days when its very existence and television ratings were contingent on the success of one super-star or a set of so-called super stars. The professional game is no longer stuck in the era of Tiger Woods who dominated the sport like no one else in modern times. During his reign, he was virtually invincible. He notched up multiple wins and even if he was down in a tournament, he kept millions waiting with bated breath to see if he could pull off an assortment of spectacular “miracle” shots to salvage his game. Oftentimes, Tiger obliged. However, with his apparent demise from the upper echelons of the professional game, there has been no player who has stepped up to match Tiger’s stellar performance. Yes, we’ve seen multiple wins this year and the guys who have walked away with more than one win on tour are Jason Day, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth. They had good wins but none really as electrifying as those that Tiger used to have. There was little drama and no Tiger aggression and fist-pumps. 8
9 ASIAN GOLF
What’s the point you may ask? Well, the case that we are trying to create is that it is not fair to all the guys who play on the PGA Tour. If you were to review the winners on the PGA Tour for 2016, there have been so many winners this year and each and every winner is a class act. There is no denying the fact that the PGA Tour is the toughest and most competitive tour on the planet and to win is in itself validation of a player’s incredible skills. Let us not just write their victories off and instead gloat over those that are anointed as the sport’s super-stars. Just look at what happened at the recently concluded U.S. Open that was played on the ravenous Oakmont golf course – a course that just destroyed all of the so-called stars. Jason Day struggled to finish at 2+ while Jordan Spieth posted a score that he would most definitely choose to forget while Ireland’s favourite golfing son Rory McIlroy was not to be found after the end of the second round. Let us acknowledge each any every player on the PGA Tour and for that matter on every other major professional tour in the world. The members of these tours have all worked hard for the right to play at the highest level demanded by each tour. We should be honouring all of them instead of just shamelessly rooting for the stars, regardless of the outcome. Sure, every game needs its stars but in golf, every winner is a star! It is our contention that all the players on the PGA Tour deserve to be tagged under the “These Guys Are Really Good” slogan. They have earned it and let’s refrain from coming up with sub-slogans that do not represent and reflect what the PGA Tour stands for. The so called “Big Three” will never be able to fill the shoes of Tiger – a star like him only comes along once in a life-time. One who is special and endowed with skills, talent and charisma that are admired the world over!
©2016 Acushnet Company
A glove connects you to your club so, at FJ, we obsess over leather, fuss over fit, inspect and test, evaluate and assess. That’s why FJ is the glove worn by more Tour Pros and more golfers than all the other brands. That’s why FJ is the #1 glove in golf. www.footjoy.com.sg FootJoy SEA
GY. O G L O N I DUC Y TECHN ragonfly, O R INT GONFL s of a d ost DRA the wing ed our m ever.
y creat river er red b Inspi n g i n e e r s s i s t e n t d he G driv e t on ad PING ng and c gy makes e clubhe s o vi fo r g i technol ing increa i s t a n c e . y d c a p Vorte ster, hel for more et fit tod a G f . s even ll speed ry golfer e a v and b a G for e . ’s There ping.com it or vis TM
TM
nced s. Adva ynamic y d g Aero ™ technolo tors
. R E T S A F E . R G O M GIVIN R O F AR. F Y B
e. Gam ard, r u o Fit Y le in Stand ght) or i b l Availa (Straight F . c SF Te (Low Spin) c LS Te
es n sav w o r nc I to a-thi e the MO y. r t l U c ally. k and rais consisten r u t a ac d ng. N CG low / b veness an i v i g For n the forgi More to positio for more ls ht weig new leve
c la Vorte wn turbu ics o r am and c e aerodyn d v ea impro er clubh h g i for h ll speeds. a b and
R GHE I H T I ce NCH THER. ore distan . U A L FAR m g livers of your ba oods D e d N s A serie e top rway w re
fai mo ew G at th The n nsistency ng edge, G aunch and rnal sole l te o di and c lower lea for higher e tiered in d and . h a ll ee With er the ba hybrids, t d ball sp r ping.com o G de nd get u ontact. In ing for ad Specialist x c g solid es face fle ING Fittin t P activa e. Visit a c n dista
E . S S O CL R GAP U O Y
. sign e D Sole nding
g adin ace be Casc es more f ds.
e uc Prod t ball spe s for fa
y. olog t and n h c en Te ator rove alignm l u b Tur s imp lator e. Turbu confidenc e inspir
COVER STORY Asian Tour
12
13 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
The “modern Asian Tour” had its birth back in 1995 and since its inception, the Asian Tour has had quite a JOLX\LYLK OPZ[VY` >OLU P[ ^HZ ÄYZ[ SH\UJOLK P[Z TPZZPVU ^HZ H UVISL VUL ¶ [V NYV^ PU[V [OL [VW TLU»Z WYVMLZZPVUHS NVSM [V\Y PU (ZPH V\[ZPKL 1HWHU ;OPZ TPZZPVU ^HZ HJJVTWSPZOLK [V ]HY`PUN SL]LSZ VM Z\JJLZZ V]LY [OL `LHYZ I\[ P[ ^HZ HS^H`Z HWWHYLU[ [OH[ [OLYL ^LYL WVSP[PJHS Z[PYYPUNZ HUK WV^LY Z[Y\NNSLZ [HRPUN WSHJL PU [OL JVYYPKVYZ VM [OL [V\Y -VY [OL ZHRL VM IYL]P[` ^L OH]L LSLJ[LK [V NP]L [OL ]HYPV\Z THJOPUH[PVUZ H WHZZ HUK L_HTPUL [OL WLYJLP]LK WYVISLTZ HUK JOHSSLUNLZ [OH[ OH]L ILLU WSHN\PUN [OL (ZPHU ;V\Y V]LY [OL SHZ[ ML^ `LHYZ
COVER STORY Asian Tour
The first sign of trouble brewing at the Asian Tour was when there were rumbles about a merger with the bigger and more powerful European Tour. Let it be known that the European Tour has always had designs to gain some degree of control over Asian turf by expanding into Asia with some of their own events.”
A
fter having built a fairly impressive track record both in terms of the number of tournaments and prize money offered, the Asian Tour seemed to hit a grease patch and what seemed to be a problemfree tour became beset with rumours of internal push-and-shove power struggles and dissatisfaction amongst the playing members. Let it not be forgotten that the Asian Tour rightfully belongs to its playing members – the professional golfers who depend on it for their professional livelihood. As juicy tales of conflicts between the board of directors, the management team and members started flying around especially over the last twenty months or so, the Asian Tour seemed to go through a phase where the number of its tournaments started to dry up. Now, when a professional tour starts to lose its shine, it also means that there are fewer dollars to play for and when the belly starts hurting from the pangs of hunger, dissent sets in very quickly. The first sign of trouble brewing at the Asian Tour was when there were rumbles
14
15 ASIAN GOLF
about a merger with the bigger and more powerful European Tour. Let it be known that the European Tour has always had designs to gain some degree of control over Asian turf by expanding into Asia with some of their own events. Not that they needed permission from the Asian Tour to do so because they have been arbitrarily making raids into Asia on a regular basis to set up events for their members. Talk about a “merger” became very obvious when the Asian Tour’s chief executive Mike Kerr began openly discussing the merits of the Asian Tour latching itself onto the European Tour. Regrettably, Kerr’s tenure as the Asian Tour’s top honcho was brought to an abrupt end when he resigned while merger talks were underway. Kerr’s resignation was reported to be forced upon him by the tour’s players who voiced their discontent about the proposed creation of a mega-tour straddling the two continents and Kerr’s handling of the merger. The discontent on the part of the players was said to have been triggered by fears from some players that a merger would
lead to diminished playing opportunities and that they could be squeezed out by the bigger, more powerful European Tour. This action seemed to throw a bucket of ice-cold water onto the merger talks although the newly appointed European Tour CEO Keith Pelley reported optimistically that he had met with the Asian Tour players who had given him “the green light to continue negotiations”. With Kerr’s sudden departure, the entire board of the Asian Tour was fired en bloc and a new board was hastily assembled and anointed to take over the reins of running the business end of the tour. The new board of directors seemed to be a very balanced and good mix of well-placed Asian entrepreneurs who had a deep interest in the professional game. The man who was appointed chairman of the new Asian Tour Board, Jimmy Masrin from Indonesia, is a respected business leader both in Indonesia and internationally. With his appointment as the new chief, Masrin took on his role with a sense of renewed hope of tackling the issues that were troubling the Asian Tour with an end
ISSUE 190
MIKE KERR
ENRIQUE RAZON
objective of sorting matters out and getting the tour back on even keel. In speaking to Masrin, he made it very apparent that his board was committed to developing the Asian Tour into a professional tour with its member’s interests as the prime point of consideration. However, shortly after the new board came into effect, one of its key members, the highly influential and powerful Enrique Razon, the billionaire chairman and CEO of the International Container Terminal Services, the Philippines’ largest port operator, turned in his resignation. It is believed that he was at odds with a number of issues on the table, the main reportedly being continued talk about a merger with the European Tour. Another director who called it quits was Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, a member of the tour and a players’ representative. With two members of the new board stepping down, there were signs that all was not well at the Asian Tour. However, Masrin reported that against this backdrop of upheavals, there was a sense of “alignment” amongst the board members and that there was commitment to
JIMMY MASRIN
continue discussions with the European Tour. Shortly after this, everything went quiet on the talks between the two tours and there were rumors flying around suggesting that a number of players on the Asian Tour had adopted a hostile position towards a merger. This silence was suddenly broken when the European Tour’s big boss got onto his soap-box and trumpeted the fact that his tour and the Asian Tour were expected to rubber-stamp a deal that would see the start of a new romance between the two tours. Pelley, according to a Reuters Agency report, revealed that the two tours had struck “an innovative joint vision for the future of professional golf” otherwise known as a merger. No details were immediately forthcoming but Kelley told the agency that “the two organizations are close to finalising an agreement that will lead to more tournaments being held in Asia” and that he expected the deal to be announced soon. At the time of writing this report, nothing was forthcoming from either tour which could probably mean that talks have hit a road-block.
JULY 2016
MARDAN MAMAT
Meanwhile, as everyone in golf waits with bated breath, the Asian Tour has announced its programme for the second half of 2016, and there is a positive spin that is being put on this schedule. Its commissioner, Kyi Hla Han has been reported to declare: “The Asian Tour looks certain to conclude a solid 2016 season with over US$52 million in prize money on offer to our players. This would see the Tour surpassing the high achievement of 2011 when the Tour offered US$50 million to our membership.” It has to be noted that while the Asian Tour is trying to take credit for establishing a new “record”, in actuality, out of a total of 22 events announced for 2016, 14 of these tournaments are co-sanctioned with the remaining 8 being full-blown Asian Tour events. Looking at it objectively, if there were no co-sanctioned events, there would only be a paltry number of events flying the Asian Tour flag! Go figure this out and arrive at your own conclusion as to whether the Asian Tour can remain viable on its own and provide its members with a sustainable livelihood. Based on these numbers, it becomes
The discontent on the part of the players was said to have been triggered by fears from some players that a merger would lead to diminished playing opportunities and that they could be squeezed out by the bigger, more powerful European Tour.”
COVER STORY Asian Tour
It’s a real shame that the Asian Tour can’t stand on its own feet. Perhaps it is even a greater shame that corporate Asia can’t throw its support behind the Asian Tour to help it stabilise, grow and develop a calendar of tournaments that will help keep our Asian players in Asia and provide them with an opportunity to play and earn a proud and decent living as professional golfers right here on Asian soil.” very apparent that it is in the best interest of the Asian Tour, under its present state and structural make-up, to push for “an innovative joint vision for the future of professional golf”. It’s a real shame that the Asian Tour can’t stand on its own feet. Perhaps it is even a greater shame that corporate Asia can’t throw its support behind the Asian Tour to help it stabilise, grow and develop a calendar of tournaments that will help keep our Asian players in Asia and provide them with an opportunity to play and earn a proud and decent living as professional golfers right here on Asian soil. 16
17 ASIAN GOLF
Special Footnote: While there is all this talk about a merger between the Asian Tour and the European Tour, the latter has announced that it is increasing its physical footprint in Asia. The European Tour has announced the opening of its South Korean Office which it claims “will help to grow the game of golf in the country and further develop the European Tour’s global brand”. How very noble and magnanimous of the European Tour!
The South Korean office is the sixth European Tour office and it already has offices in Hong Kong and most recently China, following the opening of the Beijing Office in 2014. With established beach-heads in Asia, one wonders what is the long term intent of the European Tour. We will reserve our comments on this development until something definitive comes out on the talks with the Asian Tour.
Editorial Footnote: Based on the musings of the European Tour’s Keith Pelley, the perceived agenda of the tour is to expand into Asia eventually with or without involving the Asian Tour. It is also understood that the European Tour is not too concerned if the talked about merger goes through or not.
SPECIAL FEATURE Superstar Gallery An apt moniker to describe the South Korean golf superstar Inbee Park, would perhaps be the “silent assassin”. Ever since she hit the golf trail as a junior, she has maintained a composure both on HUK VɈ [OL NVSM JV\YZL HZ H WSH`LY ^OV PZ RUV^U [V IL ]LY` X\PL[ HUK WYLMLYYPUN [V THPU[HPU H SV^ WYVÄSL
18
19 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
H
owever, this non-combative appearance has gone on to prove that under what seemed like a natural quiet calm, raged a pulsating heart of a potential world champion. An individual endowed with so much natural talent and flair in golf that she has gone on to claim the honour of being the youngest professional golfer in the LPGA to be inducted into the hallowed halls of the LPGA Tour Hall Of Fame. Park officially qualified for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame after fulfilling the 10-year membership requirement for Hall of Fame qualification with her 10th start of the 2016 season. She fulfilled the 27-point requirement at the end of last season when she won her second career Vare Trophy, given to the player with the lowest scoring average for the year. At the age of 27, Park becomes the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame and the first player to qualify since fellow South Korean Se Ri Pak in 2007. She is the 24th player overall to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. To date, Park has 17 career LPGA Tour wins, including seven major championships. She became the second youngest and seventh overall player to complete the Career Grand Slam (winning four different majors) with her win at the 2015 RICOH Women’s British Open. Park earned Rolex Player of the Year honors in 2013 and has held the No. 1 world ranking for a total of 92 weeks in her career, the third most by a player since the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings started in 2006. In her career to date, Park has earned US$12,834,376. On behalf of all golfers in the Asia Pacific region, the Asia Pacific Golf Group salutes Inbee Park on her incredible journey to success and we wish her continued success in her career.
At the age of 27, Park becomes the youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame and the first player to qualify since fellow South Korean Se Ri Pak in 2007.”
It’s What’s on the Inside that Counts
The new OnCore Avant is a low, 65 compression distance ball with SoftCell technology that creates the distance and feel players want off the club face and around the greens. The proprietary chemistry technology incorporated into the core composition combines softness with a high coefficient of restitution, making the Avant “the best low compression ball in golf”. The next generation of golfers want MORE, and that is exactly what OnCore Golf delivers with every one of its innovative golf balls. M.O.R.E. stands for: Maximum performance, Optimal trajectory, Revolutionary technology and Explosive velocity!
MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE
The Caliber is the most radical departure from solid rubber construction in nearly 30 years. This ball is ideal for the golfer who puts an emphasis on accuracy. Designed for swing speeds under 100 mph and is our softest version of the hollow metal core technology to date. The ball features a 392 dimple pattern, an 80 compression, that comes from the unification of our .9 inch hollow metal core and our SoftCell technology around the mantle layer.
We have been optimizing our innovative hollow core technology for several years to be able to offer a product that truly does what it was created to do and will lead to better performance on the course. As a result of our .9 inch hollow metal core, when the ball is struck you get significant rifle spin while reducing sidespin, allowing the ball to travel along a straight trajectory similar to a bullet leaving the barrel.
OnCore Golf Balls - Available at all leading golf outlets in Asia
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia PaciďŹ c Golf Summit 2016
Only one golf institution in Asia enjoys the tradition of recognizing some of the game’s great legends and that organization is the Asia PaJPÄJ .VSM .YV\W (7.. -VY (7.. PZ IV[O WYV\K HUK honoured to announce the induction of two of the greatest legends VM [OL TVKLYU LYH VM NVSM 6UL VM the greats is from the West and the V[OLY PZ MYVT [OL ,HZ[ 22
23 ASIAN GOLF
T
he first legend is the man behind one of the truly great brands in golf – PING. Mr. John Solheim, Chairman and chief executive officer of PING will be inducted into the Asia Pacific Golf Hall of Fame. This illustrious honour will be bestowed upon Mr. Solheim during the staging of the 2016 Asian Golf Awards which will take place on October 30 at the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in the Royal city of Hua Hin, Thailand. Mr. Solheim is being honoured for his outstanding contribution to the world of golf as well as his achievement, leadership and innovation within the business of golf. He is the son of PING founder, Karsten Solheim and was appointed President of the parent company in 1995 before becoming the Chairman and CEO in 1997. PING is an organization that has always been synonymous with quality and service in the world of golf and Mr. Solheim has steadfastly maintained this tradition. One of the hallmarks of this commitment to the industry is the Solheim Cup which was created in 1990. Under Mr. Solheim’s guidance, this international tournament has grown to become a major biennial contest. As a further show of support to the industry, Mr. Solheim expanded the programme in 2002 to embrace the PING Junior Solheim Cup, which
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
DR. KEN N CHU C HU
MR JO MR. JO HN N SOL SO HEI HEIM M
SPECIAL FEATURE Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2016
DR. DAVID CHU
is now played in conjunction with the Solheim Cup and offers U18 girls from Europe and USA the opportunity to promote their golfing careers. Included among some of the past inductees to the Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame are Dr. David Chu, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. In accepting the induction, Mr. Solheim said, “I am honored to have been considered for this recognition and it is my pleasure to accept the invitation and will make plans to join you in Hua Hin, Thailand, on October 30, 2016.” The other legend is the Asia Pacific’s most powerful man in golf - Dr. Ken Chu, chairman of the Mission Hills Group, who will be the youngest inductee at age 42. Dr. Chu is being recognised and honoured for the role that he has played to develop the Mission Hills Group into the largest golf and mixed entertainment empire not only in China but in the world. Dr. Chu heads up a group with properties in the heart of the Pearl River Delta and the tropical island of Hainan that include
JACK NICKLAUS
I am honored to have been considered for this recognition and it is my pleasure to accept the invitation and will make plans to join you in Hua Hin, Thailand, on October 30, 2016.” 24 championship courses. Under his leadership, the Mission Hills Group has evolved from a golf conglomerate into an integrated cultural, leisure and sustainable tourism destination expanding into urban leisure and commercial developments encompassing shopping, dining, entertainment, health, wellness, meeting, business and residential offerings, five-star resorts, award-winning spas and volcanic mineral springs, an international convention centre, golf academies, and Asia’s largest tennis facility.
Dr. Chu’s vision in driving international goodwill through golf and popularizing the game has also brought more than 100 international tournaments to China.
24
25 ASIAN GOLF
GARY PLAYER
To date, Dr. Chu’s Mission Hills Group has invested US$10 billion on all of its multifaceted ventures in Shenzhen on the Chinese mainland and in Haikou on the island of Hainan. Dr. Chu’s vision in driving international goodwill through golf and popularizing the game has also brought more than 100 international tournaments to China. In addition to his duties with Mission Hills, Dr. Chu is also a Global Member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the pre-eminent forum for global business leaders in the travel and tourism industry. In 2013, he was elected as a National Committee Member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). The induction and installation of Mr. Solheim and Dr. Chu will be the highpoint of the 2016 Asian Golf Awards. The Asia Pacific Golf Hall Of Fame is the highest honour bestowed upon a very select group of men and women who have played a major role in the development of golf in the Asia Pacific region.
SPECIAL FEATURE Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG)
26
27 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) is expanding its global footprint. The company, founded by Bob Parsons, the billionaire founder of GoDaddy has named distribution partners in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. “Over my 30-year JHYLLY PU NVSM KPZ[YPI\[PVU 0 OH]L HS^H`Z Z[YP]LK [V ÄUK [OL best products for customers,” said Jay Shin, chairman of Kane Co; PXG’s South Korean distributor. “Grand Hills is honored to be working with PXG to bring Bob Parsons’ groundbreaking innovations in golf equipment to Japan,” said Satoru Kobayashi, director of marketing and communications at PXG’s Japan distributor. This is the sort of enthusiasm that PXG has generated at its Asian launch. Asian Golf had its roving editor, Jim Prusa meet up with Parsons in Seoul Korea and this is his report:
SPECIAL FEATURE Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG)
G
olf has a new Mega-mover and shaker – and that’s upper case ‘Mega.’ He’s a billionaire, philanthropist, golf course owner, and forever a United States Marine – who has now set his sights to become a golf club maker with whom Old Tom Morris would be awed! Yet upon first meeting Bob Parsons, veteran eyes cannot help but discern his shoes. Yes, his shoes! While his newest company, Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), is producing golf clubs and not golf shoes, the dress shoes Parsons wears instantly give away much about the man. Some may read tea leafs to divine a man’s soul – I’ll eye his humanity through his shoes. Sizing up a person by their shoes may not be common in civilian business quarters, but in the military services it is a dictum that reflect troves of discernment. The lustre
of a simple shoeshine exposes measurements of self-discipline, determination, character, work ethic, self-respect, esprit de corps, and many other personal virtues. Parsons’ shoes noticeably reflect an extraordinary brilliant shine – only found on shoes of those always faithful that mirror the best attributes of the highest achievers in the military services. It demands a meticulous passion and rare talent to put such a dazzling shine to leather and I have no doubt Bob Parsons still shines his own shoes. He’s a down to earth ‘Joe.’ His engagement with golf began very young. “When I was growing up my father was a scratch golfer,” he fondly reminisces. “I’d see my dad leaving to go play golf and on a Sunday he’d take me along. In the beginning I’d just watch him hit balls and eventually I was given a club to swing. I’d hit a ball and then would do it again – if I could find it…most of the time I’d wind up chasing rabbits, but
When I was growing up my father was a scratch golfer,” he fondly reminisces. “I’d see my dad leaving to go play golf and on a Sunday he’d take me along. In the beginning I’d just watch him hit balls and eventually I was given a club to swing. I’d hit a ball and then would do it again – if I could find it…most of the time I’d wind up chasing rabbits, but never caught them.” – Bob Parsons
28
29 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
never caught them.” Who could have possibly predicted that being handed his first golf club by his dad would finally drive him to pursue and launch the extreme-high-tech, high-end PXG golf club brand? There are lessons here for all dads; and golf is in for an innovative shakeup. Obviously his dad taught the young Bob Parsons more than golf too. Combat wounded during the Vietnam War while serving in the Marine Corps, he subsequently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore. After self-learning computer programming and creating the highly successful software programmes Personal Tax Edge and MoneyCounts in the 1980s, he sold his first company, Parsons Technology, for US$64 million to Intuit in 1994. Where most would then retire to a life of leisure, Parsons didn’t do so – like many once spared from death, he loves to live life with an intense gusto. Recently asked ‘when do you plan to retire?’ during a Seoul, Korea television interview, Parson responded, “I have firmly decided my plan to retire is immediately when I die.” His is a gift that grows. After selling Parsons Technology, he soon charted out an even bigger success with the launch of Jomax Technologies that evolved into the world’s largest webpage host and ICANN Internet domain registrar – GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy skyrocketed after airing now world famous, semi-risqué TV commercials during several years of the Super Bowl – yearly to over 110+ million people world-
I came to understand why some things, even though they looked good, didn’t deliver and other things, maybe very simple, did deliver. So I got to know what was good – and what was not good!”
JULY 2016
SPECIAL FEATURE Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG)
We want them to want us. It’s like my father’s advice about the relationship of finding a good wife: like women who like you. So we want our sponsored players to like us first.” wide. After selling off most of GoDaddy to three private equity firms for around US$2.25 billion dollars, Parsons had a ton of cash and a mountain of value on paper to finally do something about that single, lone golf club his dad handed him as a kid many years before. His supercharged engine of entrepreneurial passion is now turned with rifleman-aim to surely transform the game for eager golfers. “The story about PXG goes way back to when I was a little boy. ” Then with his usual self-deprecating humor he jokes about himself, “And you can look at me now and see I’m no longer a ‘little’ boy. Now I have never been a really good golfer and it’s helped me [with PXG], because a good golfer would never need to make a product this good!” Reminiscent of his winning pattern in starting up Parsons Technology, he reveals how he conceived and started up PXG. “Over the years while building up GoDaddy.com I was spending US$250,000 a year on golf equipment. This continued up to the year I started PXG. I kept the receipts for that year [2015] – and it was US$350,000! So over time something very important happened: I got to know a lot about making golf clubs. I studied the technology. I studied the ballistics. I studied the air resistance. I studied metals. I came to understand why some things, even though they looked good, didn’t deliver and other things, maybe
30
31 ASIAN GOLF
very simple, did deliver. So I got to know what was good – and what was not good!” His passion for living and achieving is reflected in his many other interests and businesses. He owns the largest HarleyDavidson dealerships in the world – no easy ride for most, but for Parsons it’s just connecting the dots of his life’s passions. Further programming his life’s connections into PXG’s motherboard, a few years ago he became a golf course owner – obviously in order to provide PXG with a ‘spherical ballistics test range’. Parsons passionately speaks about his golf course, “I decided that I wanted to own either a golf course or own a football franchise. When I discovered that what was to become Scottsdale National was available to be purchased and I did that. It’s something that will probably never make money. I bought the 18-hole course at a very expensive price and have since put about US$180 million into it. I’ve bought up all the property around the course and we are building an additional 27-holes that will be completed for opening this November. There are no houses around it. We’re making it truly someplace very, very special. We don’t even keep a tee-sheet – right now we have only 120 members. Parsons is no neophyte newcomer to Asia. Arriving in Asia in the late 1960s he spent time in Vietnam, Japan and Okinawa. Combat wounded in Vietnam in 1969, he genuinely loves the Viet-
ISSUE 190
namese people – certainly some of who will now have traversed over the healing of time with him from respected enemies to future business comrades. History, after all, is replete in recognizing such sagacious evolutions in real human relationships. Revealing his deep emotional connection to Asia that first rooted nearly fifty years ago, Parsons explains, “The reality of my personal experience in Vietnam changed me profoundly. The effect is that I love and admire the Vietnamese people. I instantly relax when I am with them and have just developed a real admiration and affection. So as a result, even though I have not been here much lately, when I am in Asia and get around the people I just relax. And it all goes back to that war.” While currently launching PXG into the important golf equipment markets of Northeast Asia, Parsons is definitely looking to enter the Southeast Asia golf market in the not distant future. “We will one day open up PXG in Southeast Asia, but today is not that day,” as Parsons explains his plans for the region. “Keep in mind that we just started moving inventory since our production started last July. So we haven’t even been at it a year. Already the company has just taken off beyond our boldest expectations. So we will do something in Southeast Asia – and see this is an Previously published on
JULY 2016
unusual business plan – as soon as Southeast Asia comes to us just as has now happened with Korea, Japan and Taiwan. I’d be very interested in getting back to Vietnam one of these days soon – we need to be there.” As to Parsons’ plans to sponsor Asian professional golfers to the PXG Team, “We currently have two Korean Americans players on our professional PXG Team, but we have no one who is playing out of Asia so to speak. We will do that when we have someone who is talented – and when they approach us. We want them to want us. It’s like my father’s advice about the relationship of finding a good wife: like women who like you. So we want our sponsored players to like us first.” And what about those shoes? Bob Parsons’ shoeshine is definitely in the extraordinary brilliance category, like his mind, and they speak that he remains 100% gung ho in all pursuits – past, present and future. One only needs to shrewdly glimpse the ‘spit-shined’ lustre of his footwear to instantly know that this guy only has one mode – being the best. As golfing king Arnold Palmer would say, Parsons is totally ‘go for broke!’ He’s still first a leatherneck US Marine performing in business today – Parsons and PXG are great gifts to Asian golf.
AG179 >> http://media.apggnews.com/ezines/AG/PXG/index.html AG187 >> http://media.apggnews.com/ezines/AG/AG187-april2016-new/files/22.html
his is the new paradigm for golf. It is the beacon that will drive the growth of golf in Asia in the years to come. It is all Asian – conceived, conceptualized, implemented and working like a dream in Asia. *ROI $QG 0RUH LV WKH WKHPH IRU WKH $VLD 3DFLʖF Golf Summit. It is a theme that is tried and tested and it’s all about helping to make golf clubs in the region successful. It draws from the success of the world’s largest golf complex in the world – Mission Hills China. Over one million rounds of golf played a year. A sensational
blueprint on how to operate a golf club that will keep members and guests coming back for more. Come and listen to Dr. Ken Chu, chairman of the Mission Hills Group share his thoughts about how Golf And More keeps twenty-two golf clubs in his complex humming like a precision machine. Never before has anyone been given a look at the inner workings RI 0LVVLRQ +LOOV ɇ QRW XQWLO WKH $VLD 3DFLʖF Golf Summit. If you are a golf course owner, operator or general manager, this is a once in a life-time opportunity to learn from one of the world’s most powerful men in golf.
ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT
Asia Takes The Lead In Golf October 29-30, 2016
Hyatt Regency Hotel | Hua Hin | Thailand PRESENTED AND PRODUCED BY
STRATEGIC BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP
STAGING AND CONCEPT BY
OFFICIAL VENUE & HOTEL
ALBATROSS SPONSORSHIP
BIRDIE SPONSORSHIP
JACK NICKLAUS
SPECIAL FEATURE Nicklaus Design
34
35 ASIAN GOLF
P L STRI PAU R NG NGE N G R
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
SPECIAL FEATURE Nicklaus Design
36
37 ASIAN GOLF
T
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
he 400th course is the American Lake Veterans Golf Course in Lakewood, Wash., just outside Tacoma. The nation’s only golf course designed specifically for facilitating the rehabilitation of wounded and disabled veterans. Jack donated his design services for the new “Nicklaus Nine”. “It is a very interesting thing to watch these guys that come home after serving our country and to help them transition back to society,” Nicklaus said. “Golf has been a big, big boost to a lot of the guys that have posttraumatic syndrome or challenges transitioning into the mainstream of society.” “I could not be happier that American Lake turned out to be Nicklaus Design’s milestone 400th golf course,” Nicklaus said. There are now 400 Nicklaus Design golf courses located in 41 countries and 39 states. To commemorate this milestone, Asian Golf met up with Paul Stringer, president of Nicklaus Companies Asia Pacific to discuss the performance of Jack’s golf course design business. The following are some of the highlights of that discussion:
ASIAN GOLF: Paul, you are an old hand in Asia – you have witnessed many countries come on stream as the pace of development picked up. Perhaps the most frenetic ride was the develVWTLU[ VM NVSM PU *OPUH /V^ KV `V\ UV^ YLÅLJ[ VU [OL Z\KKLU decline of golf course development in that country and do you at all hold out hope for the pace to pick up again?
PAUL STRINGER: We have seen a lot of progress and success with the development of golf courses throughout China and Asia. Much like the USA, the golf courses have been constructed as an amenity for the residential development or resort. The slow-down in China can be attributed to the government’s review of golf courses as they were being developed at a very fast pace. Some of these developments were under-capitalized or being developed improperly in environmentally sensitive areas. I do hold optimism for golf to ramp back up in the near future. Some existing golf courses are starting to be renovated while those in the planning or construction stage will be developed in time under proper governmental guidelines. I believe with the recent success of the Chinese on the LPGA tour along with many up and coming Chinese PGA professionals, golf will gain much more public awareness in China. With golf now in the Olympics and China having more and more training facilities and academies, the growth of golf in China will continue to develop at a very fast pace. AG: There seems to be a total disconnect between golf course development and the growth of golf as it relates to players in China. From all accounts, the game seems to be healthy. Mission Hills has reported 1 million rounds played at its 22 golf courses in 2015. Junior golfers are reported to pack training academies and the professional tours seem to be producing good quality players. All this points to growth – against this backdrop can China really hold back on golf course development? Your thoughts. STRINGER: This is complicated, but I think that golf courses, following proper guidelines, will continue to develop in China. Certain areas of China will grow faster than others including resorts and tourist areas such as Hainan Island and Guilin. As China continues to progress with the urbanization of their cities, less golf development will happen in the first and second tiered cities due to land availability and water restrictions. As golf is televised more and the middle class continues to emerge, more people will become aware of the sport of golf and begin to gain an interest to learn and play the game. AG: Let’s look at the region as a whole. Where do you see golf course development picking up? Would you agree that Vietnam is a good example of an emerging market for golf?
SPECIAL FEATURE Nicklaus Design STRINGER: Golf courses will continue to develop along with renovations of existing golf courses in areas of Southeast Asia. Leading the way will be Vietnam which is one of the fast growing golf markets in the world, followed by Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia. AG: Why do you think Vietnam has become golf’s new darling? STRINGER: The government has been proactive in promoting Vietnam as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. International visitors are discovering the beautiful country side, exotic beaches, fine Vietnamese cuisine, and all the kindness of the Vietnamese people. With more international standard golf courses opening in Vietnam, they are creating a real golf destination in certain regions of the country. AG: How is the pick-up in Vietnam impacting your business?
STRINGER: Nicklaus design is very involved in the current Vietnamese golf
AG: Do you see the golf boon in Vietnam being sustainable?
STRINGER: The government issued a certain amount of permits for owners to develop golf courses within certain provinces of the country. These permits all contain a time table in which the golf course must be developed. The development can
ment is concerned or is it a repeat of what we have seen in the past with property play being the main driver for golf development?
STRINGER: Most golf courses in Vietnam were built as stand-alone golf courses. Now developers are integrating resorts and residential developments with golf courses
The government has been proactive in promoting Vietnam as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. International visitors are discovering the beautiful country side, exotic beaches, fine Vietnamese cuisine, and all the kindness of the Vietnamese people. With more international standard golf courses opening in Vietnam, they are creating a real golf destination in certain regions of the country.
BRG LEGEND HILL GOLF RESORT
course development business. We are proud of the golf courses we have opened and are pleased with the new golf courses in the planning or construction phase. They range from city golf courses to residential and resort golf course developments. We have good resources in Vietnam and will continue to support our Vietnam clients from our Florida and international offices. Nicklaus design will have branded residential properties and some very unique new facilities. 38
39 ASIAN GOLF
be sustainable if the golf courses are in resort areas or near large cities. Many of the people in Vietnam are starting to play golf and those that have traveled abroad, would like to have similar international standard golf courses. Golf academies and driving ranges are being built to help grow the game. The game of golf is relatively new in Vietnam but Vietnamese golfers are very passionate about their golf.
AG: Is Vietnam going down the right path insofar as golf develop-
in strategic areas of the country. Like most successful developments in the world, they need to be properly planned, well capitalized, have very good design and good on going maintenance at the golf course.
AG: You have entered into an exclusive strategic alliance with the BRG Group. This is obviously H Ă„YZ[ MVY 5PJRSH\Z +LZPNU >OH[ were the compelling reasons for 5PJRSH\Z +LZPNU LU[LYPUN PU[V [OPZ alliance?
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
We are honored and very pleased to have developed a strategic alliance with Chairman Nguyen Thi Nga and the BRG Group. Their vision to build quality golf courses throughout Vietnam is aligned with Nicklaus Design. Our pursuit of growing the game of golf in Vietnam while providing great golf courses for the people of Vietnam to enjoy will be a long lasting legacy for Nicklaus Design and the BRG Group. STRINGER: We are honoured and very pleased to have developed a strategic alliance with Chairman Nguyen Thi Nga and the BRG Group. Their vision to build quality golf courses throughout Vietnam is aligned with Nicklaus Design. Our pursuit of growing the game of golf in Vietnam while providing great golf courses for the people of Vietnam to enjoy will be a long lasting legacy for Nicklaus Design and the BRG Group.
AG: Your function is not to just build golf courses but to coach and
manage in collaboration with BRG. The way we see it, this is a built-in safeguard to ensure that all the joint projects are operated at very high standards always. This is the big differentiator over the build and handover approach which has resulted in many courses going to the dogs.
STRINGER: With the Nicklaus Design brand, it is critically important to design and build a quality golf course and to ensure that we are involved in all aspects
of the design and construction as well as management decisions. These all are important for the on going success of the golf courses. The addition of the Jack Nicklaus academies and our alliance with the BRG Group, will assist Vietnam citizens in learning the game of golf for all ages and abilities of golfers. Jack Nicklaus II will take an active role in designing many golf courses in Vietnam. His first signature design in Vietnam is under construction in Hanoi at the new King’s golf course at King’s Island.
SPECIAL FEATURE Nicklaus Design
The game of golf will continue to grow as well as the increased economics to the local and national economy in Vietnam. It is very satisfying to create jobs in local communities and develop golfers in new markets. The growth of the game in Vietnam along with the increased tourism, will lead to many successful golf developments in Vietnam today and in the future.� AG: Do you see a new business model emerging for golf where an investor, designer/operator and government come together to help grow the game of golf. There seems to be a high level of passion on the part of BRG, Nicklaus Design and the government to guarantee sustainable and long term success. This can only be good for golf and Vietnam?
40
41 ASIAN GOLF
STRINGER: On a global scale, some countries have been successful in developing this model that is a collaboration of private funding and public support of golf. BRG works cohesively with the government in taking sufficient time in planning, coordinating and completing successful golf and residential developments. The local and national government in Vietnam seem to be very supportive of the growth of the game and supporting properly funded and planned golf courses. BRG and Nicklaus de-
sign are very passionate about creating very good golf that is sustainable and successful in the provinces they are developed. The game of golf will continue to grow as well as the increased economics to the local and national economy in Vietnam. It is very satisfying to create jobs in local communities and develop golfers in new markets. The growth of the game in Vietnam along with the increased tourism, will lead to many successful golf developments in Vietnam today and in the future.
SPECIAL FEATURE Golf Business
42
43 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
This report is being presented at this time because we feel that the golf club industry in Asia has reached a level of development where there is a strong case to justify third party management. A parallel can be drawn with the hotel and hospitality industry in Asia which started welcoming major hotel brands going back some forty years to manage hotel and resort properties on a third party management system. This witnessed the arrival of major international hotel brands like Hilton, Hyatt, Westin and Intercontinental to mention a few.
I
JULY 2016
n the United States some 20 percent of all golf courses utilize third party management companies. And this trend has picked up speed especially in the last few years with more and more golf courses deciding to hire a third party management company. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of golf courses managed by third party operators increased by 53 percent from 2001 to 2013. One third party management company that has seen exponential growth in this area is Troon Golf, the largest club management company. There is a business case for golf clubs in Asia, especially those that are faced with challenges and against this backdrop, it makes sense to hire a management
SPECIAL FEATURE Golf Business
company that can help reduce expenses and increase revenues by more than the management fees. Amongst many of the advantages of using third party management is that it can often help to implement programmes to increase membership sales, membership retention, and member spending. Besides, the reputation and brand image of a management company itself can help attract members. Given the fact that there are so many perceived advantages to be derived from third party management, Asian Golf approached Troon Golf, an organization that is widely regarded as the leading force in this business. What also prompted Asian Golf to approach Troon Golf was predicated by the fact that this year has seen this company sign on clubs at an unprecedented rate. Obviously Troon Golf is doing something right to be such a favourite amongst clubs seeking to go the third party route in America and in Europe. To get a better understanding of third 44
45 ASIAN GOLF
party management of clubs and how Asia can stand to benefit, we spoke with Dana Garmany, chairman and chief executive officer of Troon Golf. The following are excerpts from that interview:
model, along with clubs realizing they have to operate truly as a business and not as a pastime. We suspect growth in this sector will continue to be our strongest for a few more years to go.
ASIAN GOLF: We have noticed a very
AG: Whatever the case, in these tryPUN [PTLZ P[ ZLLTZ [V THRL ZLUZL MVY V^ULYZ [V [\YU [V ;YVVU [V [OPYK WHY[` THUHNL [OLPY JS\IZ (Z Z\JO ;YVVU PZ ILPUN WLYJLP]LK UV[ VUS` HZ H [\YU HYV\UK ZWLJPHSPZ[ I\[ HSZV HZ HU VYNHUPaH[PVU [OH[ OHZ H [YPLK HUK [LZ[LK Z`Z[LT [V THUHNL JS\IZ LɉJPLU[S` HUK WYVÄ[HIS` ;HSR [V [OPZ
KLÄUP[L [YLUK KL]LSVWPUN PU [OL ^H` ;YVVU PZ I\PSKPUN P[Z J\Z[VTLY IHZL ¶ OHYKS` H ^LLR NVLZ I` ^P[OV\[ H UL^ JV\U[Y` JS\I ILPUN IYV\NO[ PU[V [OL ;YVVU MVSK >OH[ KVLZ [OPZ PUKPJH[L& 0Z P[ HU PUKPJH[PVU [OH[ WYP]H[L JS\IZ HYL ILNPUUPUN [V YLHSPaL [OL ]HS\L [OH[ ;YVVU IYPUNZ [V [OL [HISL VY PZ P[ H ZPNU VM ILSLHN\LYLK JS\IZ NP]PUN \W HUK V\[ ZV\YJPUN VY H JVTIPUH[PVU VM IV[O&
DANA GARMANY: Troon has indeed expanded its private club division quite a bit over the last five years, to the point where private clubs represent roughly 100 of the 300 club/golf facilities we are involved in. Our success here has been due to greater acceptance of the third party operator
GARMANY: While Troon does have strong turnaround capabilities, the majority of our growth has been clubs deciding to make long term improvements to their club in a responsible way. We are able to handle capital projects, increase membership sales, improve agronomy, etc., all at a lesser price than a club can do with via committees and boards.
ISSUE 190
AG: Give us a sense of your current portfolio of clubs and how it has grown in the past three years?
GARMANY: At present we are around 100 public courses, 100 resort courses, and 100 private courses. I would expect by 2018 we will be between 350 and 375, with about 140 private clubs.
AG: Is this growth trend peculiar just
to North America or is it also evident in Europe and the Middle East?
GARMANY: The growth in private clubs is primarily in the United States. Growth everywhere else in the world is more like 33% per sector.
AG: Share with us a showcase ex-
ample of how Troon made its magic work on a club that you have recently taken over?
GARMANY: While I cannot breach privacy and divulge the name of any club, I can say in many instances our savings in a couple of areas, such as insurance costs or equipment costs, have more than paid our fees. Our focus then becomes the revenue side of the business and how to grow it for the club’s long term stability.
AG: While there is a trend pointing
towards more country clubs becoming open to third party management, would you agree that the majority still have their reservations and here we are speaking about clubs [OH[ HYL OH]PUN KPɉJ\S[` Y\UUPUN their operations. There seems to be a mindset change needed. Your thoughts?
GARMANY: Certainly, the very, very high end private club still wants to maintain its “old ways”, we continue to get traction at very elite levels ourselves. We have some of the finest clubs in America in our portfolio and expect to add many more. Indeed, our competitors are growing in the private sector as well, so part of growth is the great acceptance of outsourcing management. Remember, we do not LEASE, we manage upon direction from the board, so the transition is not harsh or difficult at all. AG: >OH[ HYL [OL KPYLJ[ ILULÄ[Z
of going the Troon route as seen through the eyes of the owners, management and members?
GARMANY: Benefits include procurement discounts, centralized services to bring down cost of HR, accounting, agronomy or other departments. Since we bid/seek better pricing on all items, we normally are helping quite a bit due to our buying power. In addition, the member will see more access to both resort, public, and potentially private clubs…all of the clubs can opt in or out of the private club guest play program.
AG: It is a given that when Troon
takes over a club, a proven management system is put in place. However, we also notice that Troon is not about just the dynamics of management. It places a “beating heart” in a club that brings with it a total club experience that impacts all demographics in a membership roll. Talk about the process.
GARMANY: We try to instill a sense of
JULY 2016
teamwork at our properties, led by the GM, who needs to surround himself with great associates. We do a good job training our key staff as well, and spend lots of time asking what they want to accomplish in their careers and then do our best to assist them in that quest. We have a terrific record of people advancing through our system for many years, and now have some actually retiring. Very gratifying to watch this.
AG: In this context, would you agree that the country club business is really more in the entertainment business where there is a need to keep things fresh all the time and to keep members engaged. Many in the club business feel otherwise – especially those who believe in the old practice which was based on the premise that “you build it and they’ll come”. Your comments?
GARMANY: We absolutely believe the club is about fun and entertainment and not about stuffy golf…at least not anymore. We want our food and beverage locations to be vibrant and the club to provide for the current needs to its usual two income families. AG: You have a presence in the Asia 7HJPÄJ +V `V\ MLLS [OH[ [OPZ YLNPVU will soon reach a stage where there will be an appreciation for the ser]PJLZ [OH[ ;YVVU OHZ [V VɈLY&
GARMANY: We do expect to grow in Asia Pacific, but not at the rate we are in some other areas. Perhaps some markets may get better if their governments begin to embrace golf as a sport and lifestyle.
n G iro e h t y, nolog at elusive h c . e T R S CO y COR-Eye elivering thelps you hit T I T h A ar yd GER revolutionn design. B control, it ball speed N O L nd d ith ed ro red w ndard in i ccuracy a h increas farther an y. e e n i Eng new sta tance, a too. Wit her, fly om toda , is .c ig a sets ation of d hold them launch h st or ping s in li comb reens and face, shot ng Specia g ti e more the entir PING Fit a s t acros fter. Visi o s land TM
TM
. T G S N A I F V I E TH FORG D N A m custo d e l a CG ce A con ioning the d . d e e t neer sole, posi r unmatch d. i g n E e fo ea ancenects to th e the MOI id-sized h m r o s f n m Per g port co to increa s in the tunin low/back forgivenes
ting t-trea g a e h ed win cializ 40%, allo e p S e. by tes d Facal strength that crea ults. e e p -S eri ace res High es the mat e flexible f launching v r rimpro inner, mo and highe h t s d for a all spee rb faste
Š2016 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071 GD216
E IT. need K I L NG nd all you n ig a Y THI
s n IT AN id, part iro through deance H R E ybr k, break he dist of NEV art h t l
VE r. P tro ect slee YOU’ Crossove game. Its scores. Exp cy and cond see G a TM
an cur ew long our The n rove your d lower y ith the ac r ping.com n w o p to im n heads a f a hybrid pecialist r S o u will t giveness G Fitting r IN o and f . Visit a P our bag. y n an iro it fits into e wher
e gam s. g n o L native alter s like a
pin che Laun with the s iron. d hybri ntrol of an d 5. n o and c le in 3, 4 a b a Avail
T S R I F E H T T . E D ME TS KIN I F O
5 ter 45 n e p r Ca ing trol. e face flex ch. n o C as un y. ctor sole incre higher la e j a r d g T n n nce. ascadi eeds a Distaface and c ter ball sp s steel for fa Š2016 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071 GD216
FASHION TREND TOUR360 PRIME BOOST
48
49 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
Ten years in the making - after a decade of innovation, the TOUR360 franchise is back and better than ever with its newest advancement. The TOUR360 Prime Boost takes the franchise to a whole new level!
W
hen the Tour360 first hit the market, it was immediately recognized for setting new standards in innovation and technology in performance footwear. With the TOUR360 Prime Boost, the brand has stepped up to the plate to hit another home-run. The new TOUR360 PRIME BOOST, features adidas Primeknit technology – a seamless knitted upper for revolutionary breathability and stretch to maximise comfort and performance. This new offering was first seen on Sergio Garcia during The Masters. Superior performance is paramount in the TOUR360 PRIME BOOST, which features Primeknit fabrication with 50/50 PROTECT for water resistance in the lower half of the footwear. Full-length BOOST™ in the forefoot and heel provide energised cushioning and comfort, a lighter and more flexible 360WRAP saddle allows for greater adjustability and adaptability, and the new S-curve heel shape which follows the natural contour of the foot, make the TOUR360 PRIME BOOST the ultimate in style, comfort and performance.
JULY 2016
FASHION TREND TOUR360 PRIME BOOST
The TOUR360 PRIME BOOST is the first men’s performance golf shoe to utilise the Primeknit technology, which has seen incredible success for the adidas Group, and is used in some of its best performing and most iconic footwear, including the Ultra Boost and NMD. We were inspired by the look, comfort, breathability and overall performance this knit material offered and are happy to bring it to golf.” – Masun Denison “With six wins on Tour and one of the best selling shoes at retail since the January launch, the TOUR360 BOOST has helped adidas Golf increase its market share by 21% and strengthen the #2 position in overall footwear market share*,” says Masun Denison, Director of Footwear, adidas Golf. “The TOUR360 PRIME BOOST is the first men’s performance golf shoe to utilise the Primeknit technology, which has seen incredible success for the adidas Group, and is used in some of its best performing and most iconic footwear, including the Ultra Boost and NMD. We were inspired by the look, comfort, breathability and overall performance this knit material offered and are happy to bring it to golf,” continued Denison. Like the TOUR360 BOOST, the new footwear uses advanced dualdensity 10-cleat puremotion® TPU outsole with CenTraXion and thintech® cleats for improved stability and grip. A new TORSION TUNNEL provides independent flexibility and control between the heel and forefoot with enhanced arch support and advanced green friendliness, and the fitfoam® GEO collar and tongue foam to deliver enhanced cushioning and comfort and finally, etc. lining material to reduce friction, moisture and heat, and helps maintain the optimal shoe climate for maximum comfort. The TOUR360 PRIME BOOST will be available in two colourways: white/ shock blue/mineral blue and Core Black/Power Red/white.
50
51 ASIAN GOLF
FASHION TREND PUMA IGNITE
B
ryson DeChambeau, a COBRA PUMA GOLF athlete and 22-year-old phenom who became only the fifth golfer ever to win the NCAA Men’s Individual Championship and the U.S. Amateur in the same calendar year, will wear this shoe throughout his remaining tournaments this season. “These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn,” said DeChambeau. “The Spikeless Sport provides all the stability, comfort and support that I need on Tour, but they are also very stylish - combining a modern look with classic golf details that fits my style perfectly!” 52
53 ASIAN GOLF
The IGNITE Spikeless Sport provides the ultimate in function, versatility and fashion, coupled with Tour-proven performance and stability, making it a must-have shoe for golfers to wear on and off the course. To create a comfortable, high-performing golf shoe, the team at PUMA Golf focused specifically on the material, utilizing a unique four-way stretch waterproof mesh combined with a leather saddle. The premium leather juxtaposed against the mesh fabric provides a sophisticated, modern silhouette with a sharp style that can seamlessly transition from the golf course to dinner with friends or even an office meeting. The shoes also integrate premium detailing
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
PUMA Golf has introduced IGNITE Spikeless Sport, the latest addition to its premium, performance-ready IGNITE family of Footwear.
including a leather pull-tab, reflective laces and a U-shaped heel clip providing extra support for all types of players and swing types. A new Hybrid Bootie construction along with the 360 tongue design locks in your foot for a glove-like fit coupled with ultimate flexibility. The addition of a full length IGNITE Foam midsole works to provide unparalleled comfort. IGNITE Foam is an ultraresponsive cushioning foam with incredible energy return properties providing the perfect combination of support and stability. “These shoes are perfect for any golfers who are looking for the perfect blend of style and versatility in their golf footwear,” said Grant Knudson, Head of Footwear for PUMA Golf. “The bonus with these, is that along with a fashionable, stylish shoe, you also get extreme comfort, enhanced stability and Tour-proven performance. This shoe will become your go-to shoe for wear on and off the course.” Thirty-nine strategically placed hexagon spikes provide multidirectional, Grip Zone Traction while 24 chevron shaped lugs increase traction where it’s needed most during the swing. The placement of the lugs also work to provide traction on smooth surfaces, so this shoe can easily be transitioned from the golf course to the clubhouse and beyond.
These are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn,” said DeChambeau. “The Spikeless Sport provides all the stability, comfort and support that I need on Tour, but they are also very stylish - combining a modern look with classic golf details that fits my style perfectly!”
The award-winning Anvaya Cove offers more than an unforgettable round of golf. With its comprehensive sports and lifestyle facilities and amenities, the Philippines’ premiere leisure development also now makes a strong case as an exciting destination for families looking for their exclusive piece of paradise away from home. n Sanskrit, the word “Anvaya” means family. This has been the guiding vision on which Anvaya Cove was built: a distinctive place of rest and relaxation where everyone in the family can take E VIWTMXI ERH IRNS] XLI ½RIWX XLMRKW XLEX PMJI has to offer. Ayala Land, the company that master-
TPERRIH XLI 4LMPMTTMRIW´ ½RERGMEP HMWXVMGX Makati City as well as other townships such as Bonifacio Global City, Nuvali and Cebu Park District as well as built other highquality property developments, is the name behind Anvaya Cove. Located in Morong, Bataan about two hours from Manila, the 470-hectare leisure ERH VIWMHIRXMEP HIZIPSTQIRX MW XLI ½VWX
venture into high-end leisure development of Ayala Land’s luxury property arm, Ayala Land Premier. And this inaugural foray has been nothing short of spectacular.
THE CENTRE-PIECE OF ANVAYA COVE &EVIP] X[S ]IEVW WMRGI MXW SJ½GMEP STIRMRK Anvaya Cove has earned accolades from near and far including the 2014 Best New Course in Asia and the 2015 Best Golf Course in the Philippines honours given at the Asian Golf Awards, regarded as the “Oscars” of Asia4EGM½G´W KSPJ MRHYWXV] This championship-standard golf course features a dramatic topography and unique setting with breathtaking views. A virtual labor of love, it took meticulous planning and painstaking effort to build Anvaya Cove in order to keep the natural lay of the land and preserve the inherent beauty of the site. This was in line with the environmental commitment of Ayala Land, a company known for advocating sustainable practices across all their properties in the country. Designed by American golf course architect Kevin Ramsey of Golfplan USA, this 7,030-yard layout provides as much challenge as well as beauty to golfers of all skill levels. Its dramatic “mountains meet the sea” topography combined with Golfplan’s tour-de-force
design creates a unique golf course with character and perfect setting that golfers [SR´X ½RH ER][LIVI What makes it more special are the distinct environments golfers will experience: high grasslands atop the ridges; tropical rainforest on the inland portions; holes right on the beach and others perched on an adjacent cliff above the sea or set high atop the rolling hillsides with 180-270 degree views of the West Philippine Sea and the mountains across the bay to Bataan. The mountains frame everything, yet the ocean is so close – visible from everywhere on site.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Besides its award-winning golf course, Anvaya Cove has also taken the international second-home markets by storm. This project has emerged as the premier seaside residential community in the Philippines both for local and foreign buyers. The homes here are woven into the terrain on verdant swathes of land, surrounded by splendid panoramas, open expanses, wetlands teeming with life and abundant forests. The Seascape Ridge and Sea Breeze Verandas are elegant in their design yet highly unobtrusive — virtually invisible from each other and the golf course itself. Indeed, the quality of the golf and
residential mix here — plus its proximity to the Subic Freeport Zone and the Clark International Airport (now served by various international airlines including Asiana Airlines) – appeals to international golf real estate homeowners and investors. In fact, some of its pioneer residents are retired expats who have chosen to make Anvaya Cove their primary home. Apart from its location enjoying tropical weather all-year round, Anvaya Cove seamlessly combines living and leisure in a thoughtfully designed, master-planned community. The private and exclusive ambience encourages family bonding and the plethora of activities to be had at Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club – featuring two restaurants, a spa, a water sports pavilion, sports and pool complex and the pristine beach – will ensure you don’t have to leave the property to relax and be entertained. Though they are essentially two clubs in one location, members of the Anvaya Cove Golf & Sports Club enjoy the amenities at both, including more than 40 guest cottages. As Ayala Land Premier is a developer of high-end residential properties, these casitas have been designed and appointed with the discerning market in mind. The next time you think of a great family getaway, Anvaya Cove is a place to nurture family ties and create long-lasting memories.
For more information, please visit
www.ayalalandpremier.com
SPECIAL FEATURE PING Custom Fittingg
E X P O S E D ! (ZPHU .VSM»Z KLKPJH[LK ZLJ[PVU VU JS\I Ä[[PUN PZ WYV\K [V WYLZLU[ WHY[ MV\Y VM H ZP_ WHY[ ZLYPLZ PU [OPZ TVU[O»Z LKP[PVU ;OL MVJ\Z [OPZ TVU[O MHSSZ VU ZVTL T`[OZ HIV\[ JS\I Ä[[PUN ^OPJO ^L MLLS ULLK [V IL ZL[ Z[YHPNO[ -VY [OL HUZ^LYZ ^L [\YU [V 1LɈYL` )VZL ^P[O ^OVT ^L HYL JVSSHIVYH[PUN [V WYVK\JL [OPZ ZLYPLZ VU JS\I Ä[[PUN )VZL PZ LTPULU[S` X\HSPÄLK HUK HSZV [OL YLJPWPLU[ VM [OL WYLZ[PNPV\Z (ZPHU .VSM (^HYK MVY ¸)LZ[ *S\I -P[[LY PU (ZPH¹ JP[H[PVU ;OL MVSSV^PUN HYL OPZ HYN\TLU[Z [V KLI\UR [OL T`[OZ ILOPUK JS\I Ä[[PUN MYTH #1: “It’s more expensive to purchase fitted golf equipment than purchasing ‘off-the-rack’ equipment.”
M
y colleagues and I hear this a lot at the fitting centers we operate in Southeast Asia. I believe this may be the biggest reason golfers are afraid of getting fitted for golf equipment. The
56
57 ASIAN GOLF
truth is that fitted equipment can often cost less than ‘standard’ or ‘off-the-rack’ equipment. Let me present a couple of examples of how our customers actually saved money getting fitted for their equipment.
CASE #1 Jaclyn is new to golf and is looking for her first set of golf clubs. She visits several golf retailers at local malls and ends up confused by the endless range of women’s golf sets available. There are many options ‘On Sale’ with large discounts, even with golf bags and boxes of golf balls thrown in. The sales people tell her it doesn’t matter which one she buys since she’s ‘only a beginner.’ A friend recommended she visit a reputable club fitter before deciding. Unlike the shops at the mall, the club fitter spends time to discuss her needs and amount she is comfortable spending. He
takes some static measurements and comes up with some recommended specifications. Because of her budget, he recommends a half-set comprising a fairway wood, half-set of irons (#5, 7, 9, PW, SW), and putter. The cost of the half-set would easily fit her budget. Because they are custom fitted, she will be able to learn faster and enjoy her game more. She also learned that she could come back at any time to fill-in the remaining clubs in the bag, as and when the need arose. Six months later, her friends were struggling with their discounted golf equipment and ended up having to buy new sets. They also ended up having to get used to new equipment all over again. Jaclyn was doing well with her premium fitted equipment and went back to the club fitter to order the remaining clubs to complete her set. There was no disruption to her progress and
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
they identify factors that are robbing Jason of distance off the tee. Essentially, they determine that Jason’s current driver is launching the ball too low and producing too much spin off the clubface. Jason gets to try several driver models with various lofts, shafts, lengths and grip size. With guidance from the club fitter, launch monitor and fitting software, he eventually finds one that gives him an ideal launch angle and spin rate. His drives are also more consistent than before and he is able to find the fairway more confidently. He purchases
the additional clubs were built to identical specifications as the original half-set.
CASE #2 Joe’s friends, Dan and Jim, recently bought new drivers and are now driving the ball longer than Joe. He goes to a large golf retailer and buys a similar driver as Dan’s. After three games, he is disappointed because he has not gained any additional distance with the new driver. In fact, his drives now go out-of-bounds more often than ever. Joe visits the store again and buys the same driver as Jim. Once again, he is disappointed after a few games. His friends recommend getting the shaft ‘upgraded’ at a local
after-market component seller. He goes and spends another $300 on a new shaft that’s supposedly used by many PGA Tour professionals. Once again, the results are far from what he was looking for. He now has his old driver and two new ones, none of which are serving him well. He is more frustrated than ever. A member at Joe’s club, Jason, visits a reputable club fitter at the local practice range. They discuss the issues he is facing with his current driver. With the help of a launch monitor and club fitting software,
the driver and enjoys using it for several years. An opportunity to identify and discuss driver issues with a good club fitter will ensure better fit and performance.
SPECIAL FEATURE PING Custom Fitting THE TRUTH: Proper club fitting ensures better performance, better scores and more enjoyment of the game. It does not have to be more expensive. In the case of Jaclyn, she saved money upfront with a half set. She was able to use her premium fitted set a long time instead of changing sets after a short while. She purchased additional clubs only when she needed them and knew the results would be positive. In the case of Joe, he purchased two new drivers and a new after-market shaft yet did not get the results he was looking for. Jason, on the other hand, saw improvement in his drives before purchasing a new driver. He also learned the importance of optimal launch angles, spin rates, etc, which will help him whenever he was in doubt about him game.
MYTH #2: “Club fitting only benefits highly skilled players. It is not possible to fit a new golfer.” Modern club fitting systems comprise static and dynamic elements. At our PING Fitting Centers, we regularly fit golfers of all abilities, from beginners to Tour professionals. For beginning golfers, we use a static fitting procedure that includes a brief interview and taking of a few key measurements. From the interview, we can narrow down model choices, shaft types and flexes. Using the
patented PING Color Code Chart, we enter the golfer’s measurements and receive a set of recommended specifications, including lie angle, length and grip size. The PING Color Code Chart was developed over decades of fitting hundreds of thousands of golfers globally, and can predict a golfer’s ideal lie angle to within 0.75 degrees, seventy percent of the time. Fitters around the world will agree the PING Color Code System is an amazingly accurate predictor of a golfer’s ideal equipment specifications without seeing any ball flight. The PING Fitting System, as a whole, is consistently voted the best club fitting system in the industry by golfers and club fitters alike. For higher skilled golfers, we are able to use a launch monitor and club fitting software to extract empirical data for finer analysis like launch angles, spin rates, angle of descent, shot curvature, height of apex, dispersion, gapping, etc. You can imagine that such data will not be applicable or useful in fitting beginners who have not developed the skills or consistency for such fine analysis. Skilled fitters know which tools and procedures to use and can fit golfers of any skill level, just as a skilled craftsman will know what tools to use to fashion works of art. 58
59 ASIAN GOLF
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
MYTH #4: Forged irons
THE TRUTH: Club fitting is as much an art as it is a science and can benefit almost any golfer of any skill level. Even golfers who are undergoing swing changes can be fit for a better golf game.
MYTH #3: “You can improve the performance of a golf club by simply putting in a more expensive shaft.” Almost daily, we have customers who bring in drivers, fairway woods, and irons asking us to analyze why the club/s are not performing to their expectations. Very often, our fitters will notice that after market shafts have been installed into these clubs. The reasons given can vary from “looking for more/less weight” to “read a magazine article about shafts.” Upon analyzing ball flight data from our launch monitor and fitting software, we almost always find other issues affecting the performance of the club, including lie angle, length, flex, grip size and head type. When faced with one or more of these fitting issues, it stands to reason that a change of shafts may address issues like weight, spin rate, trajectory and shot curvature, but will not address the other issues that have little or nothing to do with the type or flex of shaft. Before visiting a an after-market component retailer, it’s probably best to visit a qualified and reputable club fitter who will first identify possible issues with your current club. With the issues identified, you can then look for a solution. The club fitter can recommend helpful solutions that often do not involve expensive shaft changes. If the solution happens to involve a shaft change, a good club fitter can guide you in the selection of the right shaft. You will otherwise be embarking on an potentially expensive and frustrating exercise looking the proverbial “needle in a haystack.”
deliver better feel at impact with the ball. Over the years, many golfers have been brainwashed into believing that only forged iron heads are able to deliver “good feel” at impact with a golf ball. This myth about feel is largely misconceived, at best, and highly manipulative, at worst. Before we begin to understand why this is so, we first need to understand what is “feel.” Many golfers I speak with have difficulty verbalizing what is “feel.” The engineers at PING did an in-depth study of this highly subjective and somewhat misunderstood phenomenon called “feel” about a decade ago. They eventually filtered all responses down to two quantifiable factors, namely vibration and sound. They were able to identify bands of vibration and sound frequencies which the majority of golfers equated to “good feel.” They also identified frequencies which golfers interpreted as “poor or bad feel.” Ultimately, it was concluded that head material in an iron was not the only determinant of “good feel” as there were as many forged iron heads that delivered “good feel” as there were delivering “poor or bad feel.” Instead, head design/structure, heat-treating processes and the ability to create and tune vibration and sound frequencies produced at impact were much better determinants of “good feel.” The new PING G iron combines the latest state-of-theart performance technologies achievable only through the best investment casting manufacturing processes.
THE TRUTH:
Correct Flex
Shaft too stiff
6KDIW WRR ÁH[LEOH
Maximum distance is achieved with proper carry and roll
Low trajectory
‘Ballooning’ trajectory
Note: Consider impact position on the clubface.
Finding the right trajectory for each golfer is critical in optimizing driving distance and accuracy.
PING irons today are synonymous with quality, fitting, performance and good feel. And yet, not a single model in the current line-up of models is forged. Week in and week out, dozens of professionals playing the Tours rely on PING irons to deliver the performance and feel they need to play their best. And thousands of other golfers who play PING irons will tell you that they absolutely love the feel of their irons. You may ask, why does PING not offer a forged iron in their range? The reasons are simple. PING engineers prefer Investment Casting as their process of choice when manufacturing irons. Investment Casting, first introduced to the industry by PING founder Karsten Solheim, allows PING to achieve head designs and structures which forging doesn’t. This process allows head designs to achieve far higher MOI figures and CG placements which forging does not. It allows tighter manufacturing tolerances too. Investment casting allows the use of metals which do not corrode. With the help of state-of-the-art heat treatment processes, PING engineers are able to manufacture iron heads that are almost as soft as forged heads without the drawbacks that forging brings. The results are the highest quality irons which perform and feel great.
OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE PENINSULA HOTELS
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
A
FIRST CLASS TRADITION
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 KV^U[V^U HUK PZ YLUV^ULK MVY OH]PUN [OL MYPLUKSPLZ[ Z[HɈ VM WYVMLZZPVUHSZ PU [OL 2PUNKVT JVTTP[[LK [V WYV]PKPUN [OL <S[PTH[L .VSÄUN ,_WLYPLUJL For registered guests of The Peninsula Bangkok, >L HYL OHWW` [V HYYHUNL H [LL [PTL H[ H Z\IZ[HU[PHS YLK\J[PVU MYVT V\Y UVYTHS ]PZP[VY»Z YH[L ,_[LUK `V\Y I\ZPULZZ [YPW PU )HUNRVR VY IVVR H NL[ H^H` NVSÄUN WHJRHNL >OLU P[ JVTLZ [V L_JS\ZP]L NVSÄUN ^P[O PTWLJJHISL OVZWP[HSP[` ¶ ^L WSH` VɈ ZJYH[JO
1997 Winner: Tiger Woods
VOLVO MASTERS
VOLVO MASTERS
VOLVO MASTERS
VOLVO MASTERS
ASIA
ASIA
ASIA
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
GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College Organising your thoughts after you have selected the shot and club is best done behind the ball. This we like to call the “Preparation” phase or zone.
David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).
PART 4 In last month’s article (Part 3) we introduced a goal setting process to help you develop and stay on the pathway to improved performance out on the golf course. The article explained how having clear and concise goals helps you stay committed by having a high value for that goal and that you believe it’s achievable. So after ranking the 7 goals from most important (No 1) to least important (No 7), which was the one you picked as number 1?
W
as it the golf score goal? If so that is the most popular choice with students that we have worked with and the number two ranked goal is the golf mind goal. Let’s focus on those two in this article and work on breaking them down into sub-goals so you can get the results you are wanting over the next six months. Below are some suggested sub-goals
62
63 ASIAN GOLF
that you can pick which will allow you to achieve your goals.
Golf Score Goal The first sub-goal is to calculate your exact competitive stroke average. Not the one where you are allowed to drop the worse scores off after 20 rounds. This will form the true starting point. The second is to have a comprehensive statistic program to help you know which area of your game if improved would
positively improve your golf scores. So not just your weakest skills but the ones that will make a real difference to your scoring. There are many apps available for you to do this. Get Real Golf Stats and GolfLogix are a couple that you can use for 30 days free of charge to get started. Next would be to make your practice sessions more specific to the areas of your game that will make the difference to lowering your scores when you play. Which means you have to track, measure and quantify your practice so as to access if your practice results are congruent with what you do on course. This will allow you to have KPI’s in place that will show you if you are moving toward your goals or not on a monthly basis. The fourth sub-goal is to plan your practice sessions as we have outlined in article 1 & 2 to know if you’re working on improving technique or focusing on targeting as you would on course. Never both at the same time.
Golf Mind Goal In our experience this is an area that all golfers amateur or professional can make the biggest improvement.
ISSUE 190
JULY 2016
www.ProTourGolfCollege.com To get your mind in the right place to play especially in competition you first have to do it in training. Training to improve your technique is the first step but training to compete is the real deal and having the right mindset is critical. The first sub-goal is to develop and practice a bullet proof pre-shot routine that will put you in the best state to perform a golf shot in automatic mode. Now you might say “I know about routines but it doesn’t help me perform any better”. You probably mean the physical pre-shot routine where you stand behind the ball, take a practice swing walk in and execute the shot. Well although that is important having a solid mental pre-shot routine is absolutely critical to allow you hit good golf shots when it matters on the course. Organising your thoughts after you have selected the shot and club is best done behind the ball. This we like to call the “Preparation” phase or zone. In this phase visualising the shot you are about to play will enhance and prime the “feels” you will need to play the shot. If you struggle at first with this, try closing your eyes to enhance the experience.It’s a strategy Jason Day does very successfully. As you walk in we refer to this as the “Doing” zone and any technical thoughts at this stage is not what you want. Align the clubface to your start line, place your body in position, one look at the target and as your eyes track back to the ball you are ready to take the club away. This requires lots of practice and it will get you into the “flow state” more often. The second sub-goal would be to introduce some intensity (pressure) to sharpen your pre-shot routine. This has been outlined in earlier articles by making the targets you aim at smaller or narrower.
One way is also not to not to hit two shots in a row with the same club or target. This is referred to as “Random” practice and this type of practice helps you transfer your shot making to the course more effectively. Sub-goal three is learning how to breathe correctly. This will help clear the mind and also slow your heartbeat down to a level that you can make swings with good rhythm and tempo. A good exercise would be in the preparation phase of your PSR as you take a practise swing breathe in as you take the backswing and breathe out slowly as you follow through. This will help clear your mind of conscious thoughts and feel the rhythm of the swing you are about to make. The fourth sub-goal is for you to learn a
post-shot routine. If you have never heard of this it is probably of all the golf mind goals the most important. It is about after each shot having strategies to mentally discarding the bad shots and filling away the good shots for retrieval the next time you have a similar type shot. To help with our with all the above Golf Mind sub-goals we measure, track and monitor our students using Focusband (Focusband.com). Both Lawrie and I are sure that if you follow the goal setting model and chose the suggested sub-goals that apply to you and your golf game you will see the benefits by improving your on course play and start to break your scoring barriers. Good Golfing
A good go ood exercise exe ex xer erc rci cis ise se e would be in the preparation phase of pre pr rep ep par your yo PSR as you take ke a practise swing breathe pr ath the he e in as you take the backba ackswing swi and breathe sw e out out ut slowly as you follow slo sl follo ow through. This will help th hrough. r hel elp lp clear your off c conclear y our mind o onon scious and ssc ciio ous tthoughts houghts a nd feel feel the the rhythm rhythm of of the th th he e swing swin ing you you are yo are about ab a bo b out to ou to make.” make.” ” David Milne and Lawrie Montague – Pro Tour Golf College
CHAMPS OF THE MONTH The “Iceman” Scores A Double!
T
he “Iceman” kept his cool on an action-packed final day to win the BMW International Open for the second time. Ten years after his first title at what is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour, Henrik Stenson finished three shots clear on 17 under par (271 shots) to join an exclusive group of just 4 players whose names feature twice on the coveted trophy. The Swede fought off a challenge from Thorbjørn Olesen (DEN, -14) and Darren Fichardt (RSA, -14). Fourth place went to Raphaël Jacquelin (FRA, -12), while Sergio García (ESP, - 10) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA, -10) finished tied in fifth place. For Stenson, who receives a winner’s cheque for 333,330 Euros and climbs to fifth place in the world rankings, the tenth victory on the European Tour was a special one: “It is so sweet to win it now, after coming so close for the last two years,” said Stenson.
This Old Guy Is Really Good!
Ko Adds Silverware To Her Collection
W
W
orld number one Lydia Ko won the NW Arkansas Championship closing with a 3-under 68 for a tournament-record 17-under total and a three-stroke victory. This brings her total LPGA Tour victories to 13 with three wins this season. American LPGA star Morgan Pressel, tied for second with Candie Kung at 14-under par. The Kiwi teenager banked a check worth US$$300,000 for her latest win.
Kim Crushes Ciganda In Play-Off
S
outh Korea’s Sei Young Kim has done it again! The highly focused young lady bagged her second LPGA win for the season when she took advantage of a perfect drive to win in the first play-off hole in the 2016 Meijer LPGA Classic. She defeated Carlota Ciganda. The 23-year old second-year LPGA member shot a final-round 3-under 68 to pick up her fifth LPGA Tour victory, winning her first two titles in playoff fashion in 2015. The duo finished regulation tied at 17-under par for the week.
PHOTO CREDIT: LPGA TOUR)
ho would have ever thought that we’d see one-time world number one Vijay Singh contend again on the world’s premier golf tour. Now aged 53, Singh fought off Father Time to almost snatch a win at Tiger Woods’ Quicken Loans National championship. The towering Fijian veteran shot a round of 14 under par to come in runner-up to the eventual champion, journeyman Billy Hurley III who put up a splendid performance of guts, determination and a burning desire to win on tour. Hurley fired a 17-under par total. Singh was not the only old guy to do well at this tournament. Another veteran, Ernie Els, at age 45 came in fifth on his own with a round of 12-under par. On a day when old guys stole the thunder, one young man who had his first outing as a professional did well. Jon Rahm, the only amateur to make the cut last week at the U.S. Open, came in tied for third with a score of 13-under.
PHOTO CREDIT: LPGA TOUR
Johnson Lifts His First Major!
T
he U.S. Open is over. Oakmont Country Club proved that it was a difficult course to master and overcome. Although it played tough, it was fair. As it took points away, it did relent and give some back which helped to make the U.S. Open a thrilling spectacle to watch.The final round proved to be a ding-dong battle as the leaders struggled to stay ahead of the course. The early leader was Ireland’s Shane Lowry who at one point was 7-under par for the tournament. The distraught Lowry finally ended his quest with a 1-under par. Dustin Johnson, with his swagger and John Wayne-gait took his first major championship in style winning with a score of 4-under par. The U.S. Open, originally billed as the “Battle Of The Big Three” made up of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy instead developed into a battle involving a whole bunch of unlikely players to make the grade. Day struggled while Spieth finished way down the leaderboard and McIlroy was nowhere to be seen after the second round! For his win, Johnson banked a check worth US$1.8 million.
ISSUE 188
MAY 2016
Top Ladies Vie For ESPY Awards
W
orld No.1 Lydia Ko as well as No.3 Inbee Park, No.2 Brooke Henderson and No.7 Ariya Jutanugarn have been nominated for the 2016 ESPY Award for Best Female Golfer. The four candidates have more than earned their way onto the ballot, making history this past season on Tour. Ko is a back-to-back major champion, Park achieved the Career Grand Slam with her win at the 2015 RICOH Women’s British Open, Henderson is the youngest winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Jutanugarn became the first to capture her first three titles in a row. Ko won the award in 2015 after being nominated alongside Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis who were also up for the award.
Team GB&I Brings Down USA
T
he team from Great Britain & Ireland staged a determined final round to beat Team USA to win the Curtis Cup by 11½-8½. After claiming five of the six points on day two, GB&I needed just two-and-ahalf points from Sunday’s eight singles for victory at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club. US captain Robin Burke said, “GB & Ireland
Henderson Sets A New Record
Journeyman McGirt Finally Bags A Win
C
anada’s teenage star Brooke Henderson broke out into full bloom when she won her first major title to become the youngest woman to ever win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. After trailing the fourth round leader for the full 18-holes, she forced a play-off against another youngster, world number one Lydia Ko. Both players were tied at 6 under par for the tournament. In the first play-off hole on the 18th, Henderson landed her second shot close to the pin to finish with a birdie and lift the title. Finishing third was Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn who made a last minute dash to finish one stroke back of the leaders.
PICTURE CREDIT: PGA TOUR
just played really well yesterday ….. they made a ton of birdies on us and we almost recovered and we just didn’t quite get there.”
W
illiam McGirt, not necessarily a top-draw name in professional golf, finally won a PGA tournament. The journeyman scored a win at the Memorial in a shoot-out against another journeyman by the name of Jon Curran. This victory came after 165 starts on the PGA Tour. Both finished at 15-under 273 to force a play-off which MCGirt won on the third play-off hole. Finishing behind were Dustin Johnson (71) and Rory McIlroy (68) who were among those two shots behind.
Berger Earns First It’s Fitzy All The Way In Sweden Matthew Fitzpatrick held on to his lead Rookie PGA Win England’s to win the 2016 Nordea Masters, his second Euro-
I
t’s happened again - another first time winner on the PGA Tour and the latest in a string of rookie wins is Daniel Berger. The 23 year old youngster shot a final round 3-under 67 to win the FedEx St. Jude Classic. He beat out veterans Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker and Brooks Koepka by three strokes.
pean Tour title. At 21 years old, Fitzpatrick is the youngest winner of the Nordea Masters. He shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to gain a three-shot victory and finishing with a total 16-under 272. In second place was Lasse Jensen (68), who secured his spot at the British Open. Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium was third on 12-under.
ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT – THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! Asia Pacific Golf Summit is now fully packaged Theand2016 ready to go. The region’s most important business and knowledge conference has assembled a small group of some of the most dynamic, knowledgeable and experienced experts on key aspects of club management. These experts will address the most critical challenges facing the club industry and offer revolutionary and innovative ways to re-invent the club industry and make it relevant to a rapidly changing marketplace.
report that looks at what seems to be a producThistionislinea special that incessantly produces world beaters in professional golf, especially on the LPGA Tour. The report probes how South Korea has been able to be the dominant force of the LPGA with their steady stream of young female golfers. It is quite a revelation!
ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 191
GOLF INDUSTRY
STRUGGLES!
to various industry reports, some 49 percent of golf clubs According in South Korea are facing deficits, and many have even filed for
bankruptcy. This is because the number of golf clubs in the country has doubled over the past 10 years, outstripping even the substantial growth in golfers there. Golf clubs are not able to attract as many customers as they did before because many are competing for the same business, offering substantial promotions and discounts that cripple operating profits. For an insight, Asian Golf checks out the market on the ground.
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