Asian Golf-196 januaryissue by Asia Pacific Golf Group

ISSUE

196

JANUARY 2017

COVER STORY: THE MAN WHO TRUMPED THEM ALL! They said he will never make the cut. They threw everything at him from character assassination to slander to libel and plain old insults. He weathered the incessant political onslaught and the unashamedly biased American mainstream media coverage. He overcame them all by being totally disruptive and unpredictable.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS 48 PXG GOLF – IT’S RED HOT AND GLOWING Back in April 2015, American professional golfer Ryan Moore, ranked 45th on the Ofﬁcial World Golf Ranking signed on to become a brand ambassador for the new upstart golf equipment company Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG). It was only a few months earlier that Bob Parsons, the well-known billionaire businessman and philanthropist had decided to set up his revolutionary PXG brand of golf equipment. And it looks like that vision has been realised. “Putting PXG clubs in play has been a great decision. The technology is beyond anything I’ve ever played,” is how Ryan Moore feels about PXG golf clubs.

58 WILSON GOLF – A CENTENARIAN ON STEROIDS! The world has waited with bated breath for the golf industry’s ﬁrst ever “crowd sourced” driver. Wilson Golf, the oldest golf brand in the world, led an epic search via a reality television show to ﬁnd the best and most innovative idea

for a driver. Tagged as the “Driver versus Driver” hunt, Wilson Golf has unveiled the winner. ASIAN GOLF is proud to be the only golf magazine in Asia to have the full story on this revolutionary search for innovation. We speak to the man who led the revolution, Tim Clarke, Wilson Golf’s President and Michael Vrska, the company’s global director of innovation.

70 BETTINARDI – LET’S MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Bettinardi Golf has come busting out of its expanded manufacturing facility located at Tinley Park in the state of Illinois, with eight spanking new premium models. The new putters are branded

under Bettinardi’s Studio Stock and Queen B lines. And they all live up to being the Rolls Royces of putters!

80 WHOA! IT’S GAME ON! TaylorMade’s new arsenal of M1 and M2 drivers, woods and hybrids - we will cut to the chase and give you the heads up in a nutshell. TaylorMade has elevated performance once again by focusing on materials and geometry designed to deliver improved launch conditions, increased personalization and more forgiveness for every golfer, answering the challenge to once again design the best-performing drivers in company history. Well, that’s it. How good is that?

GAME-IMPROVEMENT 96 MAKE YOUR GOLF BAG YOUR BUDDY

Malaysia’s largest bank, Maybank is taking the lead to show large national corporations what they can do to help support and grow the game of golf. Already with a proven penchant for golf, Maybank has reafﬁrmed its commitment to support the development of more golf champions from the ASEAN region which is a regional grouping made up of ten Southeast Asian countries.

30 ASIAN TOUR – PROMISE OF A NEW ERA OF GROWTH

18 SPECIAL FEATURE 18 JUST IMAGINE – A GOLF MUSEUM IN CHINA China, the most populous nation on the Planet has a golf museum all its own. This is a clear indication that China is taking the game of golf seriously and with the opening of a dedicated museum to golf in China, the country is sending out signals about its future ambitions in golf.

24 MAYBANK SHOWS PEDIGREE AND PANACHE! It’s really heartening to note that

The Asian Tour has certainly taken some huge body blows but it has survived every attempt to throw it off its tracks. It now has a new board of directors at the helm headed by a highly respected international entrepreneur, Jimmy Masrin from Indonesia. Masrin has just appointed Josh Burack as chief executive ofﬁcer of the Tour and ASIAN GOLF met with him for a face to face chat about his plans for the Tour.

42 ASIA TO THE FORE! The year 2016 was a banner year for Asian golf. Never before in the history of golf have we had a front row seat to stand witness to Asian players driving their way to glory – just not glory within our shores but glory on the global stage of golf. It may sound like we are gloating but what the heck – if we don’t, who is going to do it for us!

REGULARS 6 EDITORIAL TEAM

8 SHARED THOUGHTS | FROM PUBLISHER

Our resident golf guru, PGA Coach Tony Meechai is known to be unorthodox in how he teaches the game of golf. To him, teaching the game has got to be uncomplicated and simple to understand. As a coach who has a great following among juniors, one can understand why keeping everything simple stupid makes sense. His latest tip is built around a golf bag. A golf bag you say? Well, read and ﬁnd out!

FASHION TREND 90 FIRST IN THE WORLD – THE ECCO COOL SHOE! Here’s the scoop – ECCO Golf and GORE have joined forces to create a new golf shoe called the ECCO COOL shoe. The technology is cutting edge and it is unique to the golf sector. The ECCO COOL is a golf shoe that combines unparalleled walking pleasure and climate comfort, as well as exceptional protection from the elements.

Mike Sebastian Editor/Chief Executive Ofﬁcer [mike@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITORS

James Graham Prusa Correspondent

Angela Raymond President [angela@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

Alan Campbell (China/Middle East) Correspondent

Andy Stangenberg Club Services Advisor

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Raquel Arcega

Tony Meechai (Black Hat Golf Tips -Thailand)

Executive Creative Art Director [raquel@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

(Pro Tour College)

David Milne & Lawrie Montague

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Alice Ho Business Executive [alice@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

Alice Ho Email: alice@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP(2014) PTE LTD

Wayne Lwee Head, Digital Network/Video Editor [wayne@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, #07-23 A’posh Bizhub, Singapore 768160 Tel: +65 6323 2800 | Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No.: 201405689G

Myra Paras Accounts Executive [myra@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

No part of Asian Golf may be reproduced in any other publications, printed or published without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions in Asian Golf are the writers’ and are not necessarily endorsed by Asian Golf. Asian Golf accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. Manuscripts, photographs and artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by appropriate postage.

FROM THE PUBLISHER SHARED THOUGHTS

Another year has gone fleeting by and with it, has come change on an unprecedented and monumental scale. The United States of America will embark on a new journey that President elect Donald Trump will make absolutely certain, sets the nation on a pathway to making it great again. Of this we are certain. We believe that Trump, the first man from outside the hallowed world of career politicians to lead the most powerful nation on the Planet, will deliver on his promises. He has imbued many with a renewed outlook of hope and a fired up desire to shoot for the stars. 8 9 ASIAN GOLF 196

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he Asia Pacific Golf Group (the parent company that publishes ASIAN GOLF) shares in Trump’s vision for a better tomorrow and we have jumped on his bandwagon as he pulls the free world to a new era of change. Speaking of change, we are proud to advise all readers all over the world that we have decided to fully harness the mindblowing power of digital publishing. It may interest you to note that we took our flagship title, ASIAN GOLF digital way back in 2007. In fact we were the first golf magazine to do so in the Asia Pacific region, if not the whole world. A whole ten years later, we have taken the

bold decision to deliver the and communications industry. total digital experience to Not only have we changed the OU DON T NEED A our readers. look and feel and how we deliver SPECIAL PP TO You will notice that the content, we have also become EXPERIENCE lay-out of the publication extremely active in social media has changed dramatically. We which is a dynamic and exciting UR SOFTWARE IS SMART are now able to dedicate more way to stay connected with our ENOUGH TO DETECT YOUR space to articles and we now multi-generational readers. enjoy the luxury of being able to ASIAN GOLF is by far DEVICE SMART PHONE show-off images of products and the most actively “liked” golf TABLET OR COMPUTER AND players on a scale that we could publication in the Asia Pacific on CONFORM TO DELIVER THE END Facebook. Like President Trump, not do previously. Not only is the publication a we are now very engaged with PRODUCT HASSLE FREE handsome show-case for golf but TWITTER and we are building our it has also opened up a whole new world for rich media presence on INSTAGRAM, Linkedin and Google+ - and we content. Virtually every article that we now feature have a well-stocked channel on YOU TUBE. has a multi-dimensional look and feel about it. We are You don’t need a special App to experience ASIAN able to accompany text with glorious images, vibrant GOLF. Our software is smart enough to detect your videos, related links and a host of other features device – smart-phone, tablet or computer – and conform only made possible by the power of digital to deliver the end product, hassle-free! publishing. We believe you will find this We hope you will come along with us as we continue an interesting adventure. our thrilling odyssey into the future with digital For the Asia Pacific Golf publishing. Group, this marks yet another milestone as we continue to be early adopters of the rapid changes evolving in the media

’ A ASIAN GOLF.

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DONALD TRUMP COVER STORY 14 15 ASIAN GOLF 196

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They said he will never make the cut. They threw everything at him from character assassination to slander to libel and plain old insults. He weathered the incessant political onslaught and the unashamedly biased American mainstream media coverage. He overcame them all by being totally disruptive and unpredictable.

gainst all odds, polls, and projections, Donald Trump claimed victory in the presidential election. It was an unexpected outcome for the Republican candidate, who beat out not only a stacked GOP primary ﬁeld but also an even more formidable opponent in Hillary Clinton, who was consistently ahead of him in the polls and in a much stronger position on the electoral map. In victory, Trump was gracious and magnanimous as he declared, “Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, we have to get together. I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.” This statement is the mark of the man’s compassion for a country that he wants to “Make Great Again”. “As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family,” Trump declared.

ASIAN GOLF is hon dent Elect Donald Trum integrity, a great golfer, golf entrepreneur and a turned politics as we ha its head! Now, let us all watc Make America Great Ag said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Working together the urgent task of rebui and renewing the Amer spent my entire life in b at the untapped potentia

16 17 ASIAN GOLF 196

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ouring Presip as a man of a successful a leader who has ave known it on

ch how he will ain. As he has r, we will begin lding our nation ican dream. I’ve usiness, looking al in projects and

www.trumpgolf.com/Our-Courses

AMERICA WILL NO LONGER SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN THE BEST.

WE MUST RECLAIM

OUR COUNTRY’S DESTINY AND DREAM BIG AND BOLD AND DARING.

WE HAVE WE’RE GOING TO DREAM OF THINGS FOR OUR COUNTRY, AND TO DO THAT.

BEAUTIFUL THINGS AND SUCCESSFUL THINGS ONCE AGAIN.

– DONALD TRUMP

in people all over the world.” He added, “America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country’s destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We’re going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again.” We wish you the very best and may history one day recognise you as the Greatest President ever! Golf is proud to have you occupy the highest and most powerful ofﬁce in the free world.

CHINA GOLF MUSEUM SPECIAL FEATURE

Britain, the hallowed home of golf has the award winning British Golf Museum. It has entertained and informed thousands of visitors since opening its doors to the public in 1990. And now China, the most populous nation on the Planet has a golf museum all its own. This is a clear indication that China is taking the game of golf seriously and with the opening of a dedicated museum to golf in China, the country is sending out signals about its future ambitions in golf.

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he trend-setter for golf in the Asia Pacific is without doubt the giant Mission Hills Group of China. Besides being the largest golf resort of its kind in the world, this behemoth that has built a global reputation for leadership and excellence in golf and it has an incredible penchant to seek out new ideas to help grow golf in the Asia Pacific. Its latest attempt at pushing innovation to a new level can be seen in its launching of China’s first golf museum. Located on its sprawling site in Shenzhen on the mainland of China, the museum made its world debut in mid-December 2016. At the official launch ceremony, Dr. Ken Chu, chairman and chief executive officer of the Mission Hills Group said, “We have created China’s first golf museum to not only to showcase world golf but to also celebrate the history of the game in our country.” To mark this historic launch, Mission Hills invited three

China’s ﬁrst golf museum is unveiled at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen by Dr Ken Chu, CEO and Chairman of Mission Hills Group, Tenniel Chu, Vice-chairman of Mission Hills Group and Chinese golfers Feng Shanshan, Li Haotong and Zhang Lianwei. The group are pictured with the World Cup Trophy, which Mission Hills hosted in 1995, and a statue of the late Dr David Chu, founder of Mission Hills Group.

WE HAVE CREATED CHINA’S FIRST GOLF MUSEUM TO NOT ONLY TO SHOWCASE WORLD GOLF BUT TO ALSO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY OF THE GAME IN OUR COUNTRY. 20 21 ASIAN GOLF 196

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of China’s most decorated golf stars to be present . The stars included Feng Shanshan, Li Haotong and China’s veteran golfer Zhang Lianwei. Complimenting these stars, Dr. Chu said, “They have done so much to put Chinese golf on the world map since Zhang became the ﬁrst Chinese golfer to win on the European Tour in 2003.” Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of the Mission Hills Group and mainland China’s ﬁrst member of The

R&A, added: “It is ﬁtting that we should open the museum in the year that golf returned to the Olympics, where Feng Shanshan, who trained at Mission Hills as a junior, won a bronze medal for China. She inspired a new generation of Chinese golfers and we want to help do the same with the golf museum.” Commenting on the new museum, Feng said, “We are all proud of the heritage of Chinese golf and also how far it has come in recent times, so to show-

case this in a museum and share this with the public is a wonderful initiative by Mission Hills.” The Golf Museum at Mission Hills features a number of unique exhibits and artifacts from world golf, including the famous ‘Claret Jug’ trophy, which is awarded annually to the winner of The Open Championship, golf’s oldest Major. The museum also celebrates the life of the late Dr. David Chu, the founder of Mission Hills Group, and traces his contribution to the sport in China since creating what is now recognized as the world’s largest golf club in 1992.

WE ARE ALL PROUD OF THE HERITAGE OF CHINESE GOLF AND ALSO HOW FAR IT HAS COME IN RECENT TIMES, SO TO SHOWCASE THIS IN A MUSEUM AND SHARE THIS WITH THE PUBLIC IS A WONDERFUL INITIATIVE BY

MISSION HILLS. – FENG SHANSHAN

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MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL FEATURE

A common gripe on the professional golf tour in Asia is that most of the events just lack the glamour appeal and are low on cash incentives in terms of prize monies paid. We won’t dispute this but what are we doing about this as an industry? What are we doing to raise the proﬁle of home-grown professional tournaments in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia? The majority of the tournaments offer paltry sums of cash when stacked up against the glamour events of the PGA Tour in America and the European Tour. However, all this must change at some point in time and we think that change is beginning to happen. The nation of Malaysia seems to be taking the lead to promote golf at both the professional and amateur levels and perhaps the most signiﬁcant development of a home-grown event going big is the Maybank Championship for 2017.

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GAVIN GREEN

t’s really heartening to note that Malaysia’s largest bank, Maybank is taking the lead to show large national corporations what they can do to help support and grow the game of golf. Already with a proven penchant for golf, Maybank has reafﬁrmed its commitment to support the development of more golf champions from the ASEAN region which is a regional grouping made up of ten Southeast Asian countries. In a bold move, Maybank has placed its money where its mouth is and declared that it will be featuring a special ASEAN category in this year’s Maybank Championship. This unique category will see ASEAN’s rising tour professionals, as well as top ten Malaysians from the Professional Golf Tour of Malaysia (PGM), teeoff alongside some of the world’s best professional golfers from both the Asian and European Tours. Commenting on this initiative, Maybank chairman Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor said, “After seeing the rising standards of golf professional excellence in the regional countries we operate in, I am very happy to share the news of our new ASEAN category for the Maybank Championship 2017. Talents mature faster with

Datuk Abdul Farid Alias (Group President and CEO, Maybank Group), Danny Willett, Gavin Green with Tan Sri Dato’ Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor (Chairman, Maybank) (left to right)

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opportunities to compete alongside the best, and in this case, more regional golfers will be up against some of the world’s elite. Our joint Asian/European Tour tournament has a proven track record in revealing future world beaters and I expect this year’s version to continue to provide new surprises.” Well said Mr. Chairman! Golf needs more corporate leaders like you to step up to the plate and hit a few more home runs for the growth of golf in the region. ASIAN GOLF has highlighted the Maybank initiative because we feel strongly about Asian corporations getting behind the professional game in Asia. It is only with real and sustained support like that provided by Maybank, can golf get the impetus it needs to grow in the region. Another point to note, disregarding the PGA Tour’s US$7 million dollar tournament in Kuala Lumpur, the Maybank Championship is the richest professional tournament in Southeast Asia with total prize monies hitting US$3 million. This is serious money and certainly gives Maybank the right to be proud of its role in growing golf. A direct beneﬁciary of Maybank’s support is its golf ambassador and Malaysian Olympian Gavin

Green, the ﬁrst amateur player to win on the Asian Development Tour in 2014 and who turned professional in 2015. Green had a stellar junior amateur career in Malaysia and continued his success on the U.S. collegiate circuit where he was ranked amongst the best in America during his college years. Speaking about his young professional career, the bright young star said, “I’m getting there, slowly but surely. I am also very thankful for opportunities like the Maybank Championship as the experience gained is invaluable. I look forward to building on it this year at Saujana Golf Club (venue for the Maybank Championship), especially in front of a home crowd. It is also exciting to know that there will be an ASEAN category which will deﬁnitely help give the game of golf a boost in the region”

I’M GETTING THERE, SLOWLY BUT SURELY. I AM ALSO VERY THANKFUL FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE

MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP AS THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IS INVALUABLE.

LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING ON IT THIS YEAR AT FOR THE

SAUJANA GOLF CLUB (VENUE MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP),

ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF A HOME CROWD. IT IS ALSO EXCITING TO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE AN

ASEAN

CATEGORY WHICH WILL DEFINITELY HELP GIVE THE GAME OF GOLF A BOOST IN THE REGION.

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ASIAN TOUR SPECIAL FEATURE

The Asian Tour, Asia’s answ in 1995 when the ﬂedgling t build a strong and sustaina ress has hit highs and lows its members, the professio stretch of time in its history tournaments are its life-blo

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wer to the PGA Tour of America and the European Tour, ďŹ rst saw the light of day back tour for professional golf hit the fairways in Asia. It set out with a very clear vision to able professional circuit on the Asian Continent. Since its inception, the tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progs, showed promise and in the same breath delivered pain and despair, especially for nal players. After all, the Asian Tour is owned by the players and there has been a y, where tournaments were few and far between. Remember, as a professional tour, ood that sustains both the players and the organization.

ithout digging into the causes, which can prove to be a dark, murky and messy exercise, the Asian Tour has been plagued by power struggles, back-stabbing and a slew of shenanigans that did not help the tour grow. In fact, it resulted in disunity and rancour amongst the players, ofﬁcials and sponsors, with some electing to distance themselves from the tour. Along the way, certain disruptive forces even saw it ﬁt to launch a “super tour” to usurp the position of the Asian Tour as Asia’s premier professional tour. Thank god, that clandestine effort seems to have been destroyed by a dose of its own poison. The Asian Tour has certainly taken some huge body blows but it has survived every attempt to throw it off its tracks. All of its trials and tribulations seem to now have been cast aside and it has a new board of directors at the helm headed by a highly respected international entrepreneur, Jimmy Masrin from Indonesia. Masrin, a proven captain of industry, is driven by an agenda but it is an agenda that has only one goal THONGCHAI JAIDEE

which is to raise th it its rightful place PGA Tours. With hi CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY he has selected to IS DRIVEN BY AN AGENDA BUT IT deﬁnitely has a new One man that IS AN AGENDA THAT HAS ONLY hope on is the tour ONE GOAL WHICH IS TO RAISE THE Burack who is a se NAME OF THE SIAN OUR AND with over 25 years ment, sponsorship GIVE IT ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE IN and operations. THE NTERNATIONAL EDERATION Commenting o said, “Josh brings a OF OURS from both a comm We are conﬁdent he will successfully sp next phase of business growth and stra Burack certainly has received the b ing from the tone of Masrin’s assessme for the Asian Tour’s future. With all of t Asian Tour, we thought the time was ri Burack. The following are excerpts fro him and Asian Golf’s Mike Sebastian:

MASRIN, A PROVEN

I PGA T

ASIAN GOLF: Do you feel that you h Asian Tour at a point in time when phase of opportunities and growth JOSH BURACK: Most deﬁnitely, ye the job! While the global economy is still the leading region of the wo nomic trends have remained pos potential for professional and am the region, especially among the 32 33 ASIAN GOLF 196

JANUARY 2017

Y.E. YANG

he name of the Asian Tour and give in the International Federation of s passion for golf and the men that serve with him, the Asian Tour most w and promising lease in life. Masrin has invested a great deal of r’s new chief executive ofﬁcer Josh enior sports marketing executive of global experience in managep, media rights sales, TV production

on Burack’s appointment, Masrin a wealth of experience with him ercial and operations perspective. pearhead the Asian Tour into our ategic development.” board’s vote of conﬁdence and judgent of the new CEO, it all augurs well he positivity that now surrounds the ight for us to sit down for a chat with om a wide-ranging discussion with

have taken over the reins of the it seems poised to enter a new h? es or else I wouldn’t have accepted y has slowed in recent years, Asia orld where most of the macro ecoitive. As such, we are seeing a lot of mateur golf to be able to grow across e middle class whose incomes have

JEEV MILKHA SINGH

been rising. There are vast opportunities to create new tournaments in established markets and also in emerging markets which will be a focus. With Asia being the focal point of the global economy, we want to tap into this opportunity to create new and innovative platforms for corporations and sponsors both big and small to use golf as a vehicle to market their brands and services. I am very excited and quietly conﬁdent about the future ahead for the Asian Tour. AG: As the new man at the helm, you obviously have a set of goals and objectives to drive the Tour to new heights. Give us a sense of what your immediate plan of action will involve as a new year unfolds? JB: The primary focus of the Asian Tour has always been to ensure we provide our members with playing and earning opportunities as well as a career pathway to grow in the game. This remains our key focus. To better achieve it we are in the midst of strengthening our sales and business development team in order to tap into new commercial opportunities. At the same time we will continue to work with our existing sponsors and Tour partners to ask them to commit to multi-year sponsorships to provide greater stability to the Asian Tour. Additionally we are very excited about the newly signed Strategic Alliance the Asian Tour made with the European Tour which means that we will work collaboratively to generate new tournaments for members of both Tours. In a relatively short period of time we are already seeing the fruits of this partnership with newly launched cosanctioned Philippine Masters which will be held in early 2018. We are also on the verge of announcing another new tournament for our 2017 season which is all very exciting for the Asian Tour. AG: You have most probably already met with many of the Tour’s stake-holders and sponsors – what sense have you drawn from these encounters? Do you sense that they hold an optimistic outlook for the future of the Tour? JB: Everyone whom I have had the opportunity to meet over my initial

months from our talented players, our sponsors, golf organisations, vendors, International Federation of PGA Tour members and the media have all been very supportive of the Asian Tour. Most importantly I’ve gotten the chance to get to know our highly skilled staff who do an amazing job of creating, managing and staging our events as the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour continuously travels across the 17 markets we currently hold tournaments. Our team and our stakeholders all share a very positive outlook and believe that we are positioned to attain strong growth again. Partnerships are crucial and golf certainly holds great appeal to sponsors due to the nature of the sport which promotes integrity and honesty. Many of our partners have expressed their support and desire to continue working with the Asian Tour for the beneﬁt of the game and I’m very excited about the future. In time, I am conﬁdent we will attract new sponsors to allow us to expand the number of tournaments on both the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour which today comprise over 45 events per year combined. AG: What do you see as some of the major challenges that you expect to encounter as you chart a new pathway for the Tour? JB: We need to remain focussed and committed in our strategies to grow the Asian Tour. There will be challenges along the way which we may not have direct control over, such as the impact of the global economy. The business of sports has always been competitive and today the marketplace is as crowded as ever with mass participation events and other K.J. CHOI

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properties all vying for the same commercial backing. Therefore we need to continue to build and promote the stars on the Asian Tour and be as innovative as possible to create customized tour partnerships and title sponsorships that fulfil the specific needs of our partners. AG: In the Tour’s efforts to grow its profile in the region, some of its fellow members from the World Alliance seem to be making forays into Asia with their own tournaments. While the argument presented is that it is all in the greater interest of growing the professional game in Asia, it does not seem that these tournaments are actually creating increased playing opportunities for a larger pool of your members. If at all, these external tours seem to be exploiting the market for the direct benefit of their own members. The optics are not too convincing. Your thoughts? JB: Every playing opportunity, whether big or small, provides our members with the chance to improve their game in a competitive environment and compete for prize money and world ranking points. The higher profile events actually serve as a motivation for our members to play better, as qualification is always based on merit. Playing spots and countries representation are often influenced by sponsorship demands and the Asian Tour will continue to seek the best playing opportunities for our members in Asia and around the world by working with all the other members of the International Federation of PGA Tours. In particular, I am confident our strategic alliance with the European Tour will bring short and ARJUN ATWAL

long term benefits to our members since they are the most ambitious Tour to grow their schedule globally. So our alliance gains the Asian Tour half the playing spots in every new tournament that the European Tour creates within our territories. This is definitely a great benefit for the Asian Tour. AG: One can argue that the foreign forays serve as an impetus to inspire and stimulate your members to raise their game and to think more global than local. Is this how these forays are viewed by the Tour and its members? JB: Yes, they are. With good results, these events do provide our members with added incentive to raise their game and profile which will have positive spin-off effects in terms of their fans’ and commercial appeal. Take for example Australian Cameron Smith, who played really well in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia several years ago which helped earn him playing privileges in the United States. Anirban Lahiri nearly won the same tournament in October and his performance have served as an inspiration too to other Asian Tour golfers who we are capable of competing at the highest level. AG: One of the challenges faced by the Tour relates to retaining your star players. The guys who cut their teeth on the Asian Tour and who have become successful have moved on to bigger and better playing opportunities overseas in search of fame and fortune.

KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT

WITH ASIA BEING THE FOCAL POINT OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, WE WANT TO TAP INTO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE NEW AND INNOVATIVE PLATFORMS FOR CORPORATIONS AND SPONSORS BOTH BIG AND SMALL TO USE GOLF AS A VEHICLE TO MARKET THEIR BRANDS AND SERVICES.

This is only a very natural to where they got their career Y AMBITION IS FOR breakthroughs. So they return to reaction in light of fewer playing opportunities and play in a selection of our tournaUS TO BUILD UP THE smaller purses on the Asian ments every year. At the same SIAN OUR Tour. How can the Tour work BRAND OF THE time, the Asian Tour continues at keeping star players on to produce a steady stream of AND THIS IS ENHANCED home turf? The European future stars which makes our tour THROUGH THE STORY TELLING Tour, faced with the same extremely exciting and keeps it OF OUR STARS WITHIN OUR challenge of player migracompetitive every year. We expect tion seems to have come up superb things on the global stage MEDIA CONTENT THAT IS with an effective solution to in the future from our current PRODUCED TO THE HIGHEST stem the drain (more US$7 crop of new talents such as Danmillion tournaments). Your thai Boonma, Jeunghun Wang, PRODUCTION STANDARDS thoughts? Soomin Lee, Pavit ThangkamolPOSSIBLE – JOSH BURACK JB: It’s no secret that top prasert and Miguel Tabuena. Asian golfers such as Thongchai Jaidee, Anirban LaAG: Related to the player migration issue, would hiri, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun it be a fair assumption to state that the Asian Atwal, K.J. Choi and Y.E. Yang have developed into corporate world has really not been supportive of great champions from the Asian Tour over the past professional golf. A quick scan of the Fortune and decade. Many of our players achieve success in Asia Forbes top corporations will show that Asian multiﬁrst before venturing onto the global stage to compete nationals have very deep pockets and would be an against the best golfers. We are encouraged by this ideal source of funding for sponsorships. Has the growth trend and as I’ve said, there are many positive time come for them to step up to the plate and help elements that come with their good showing abroad. grow the Asian Tour? As a tour, is enough being done Their increased proﬁle will support our commercial to attract this heretofore untapped resource pool? and marketing efforts to grow the Asian Tour and subJB: While the Asian Tour has solid foundations and is sequently strengthen our schedule. We acknowledge an attractive platform for sponsors and corporations our top players will play abroad whenever they are to invest in men’s golf in Asia, we also have to recogeligible as that’s what we are all about, to create a nise the investments and marketing needs of these career pathway for them to become the best possible corporations that you have mentioned. We have some golfer that they can be. A silver lining is that almost fantastic sponsors and will continue to reach out to all the stars we create on the Asian Tour have a loyalty them as well as many other potential ones. But due

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to the maturity levels of professional golf across Asian nations, there is bound to be countries which will have a bigger appetite for golf sponsorship, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, China and India while other nations could opt for smaller prize money events. The Asian Tour is happy to work with partners in every market that share our same vision to create more tournaments. And yes it is time for the Asian MNC’s to step up to the plate to use the Asian Tour as a marketing platform which will help them grow their business. AG: You bring with you a myriad of experience in advertising, media rights distribution and television production – this will stand you in good stead to embark on a more aggressive marketing stance which we believe can only bring good things to the Tour. Do you share in this sentiment? JB: The power of television is immense and through Asian Tour Media (ATM), which is our joint venture production and distribution company with IMG, our golf package consists of live events, daily news coverage and special digital shows, which are broadcast on-air and on-line to all corners of the globe. Our TV distribution is particularly impressive as Asian Tour programming is telecast in over 180 countries world-wide with a potential TV reach of over 750 million households. I’ve been very impressed by the quality of our live productions since ATM uses several enhancements such as drones to record aerial views of the golf courses, “Flightscope” which superimposes the path of the ball on the screen after its

struck by the player and ATM produce a steady stream of features and colour pieces to promote our star players that go into each production. Now as the world shifts more toward digital consumption, the Asian Tour is already well placed with our own YouTube channel plus we post a ton of video content on all the major social networks. Given my TV production and sales background, I will work closely with our team at ATM to push up the standards of our already high productions and assist the sales team to broker more and more deals for our media rights globally. My ambition is for us to build up the brand of the Asian Tour and this is enhanced through the story-telling of our stars within our media content that is produced to the highest production standards possible.

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NATIPONG SRITHONG

SCOTT HEND, WINNER OF THE 2016 ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT TITLE

ASIAN GOLF SPECIAL FEATURE

It was about this time, twelve months ago when ASIAN GOLF called out for our gi to be in control of its own destiny as it relates to the management and administrat to note that while countries in Asia that were once under the heavy thumb of colo these invasive exploitative foreign forces, the game of golf is still shamelessly in b same colonial masters. Asia does not have its version of the hallowed Royal and A USGA, although they will be quick to react by declaring that there is an over-ridin welfare of golf in Asia – the Asia Paciﬁc Golf Confederation – an organisation tha to the Western governors of golf. We don’t need to go on ranting because we fee point. Against a backdrop of Asia not really being in charge of its own destiny in g the Continent has made a bold statement for itself especially on the professional 42 43 ASIAN GOLF 196

JANUARY 2017

ant Continent to take charge of golf and tion of golf. It is really brain-numbing onial rulers, have all rid themselves of bondage to the descendants of these Ancient (R&A) or the bumbling g body that oversees the at is very much beholden l that we have made our golf, it is surprising that golf circuit.

t was only in the last decade or so that Asian players made in-roads in the professional game. The most dramatic breakthroughs came via South Koreans who smashed through the glass ceiling to send out a warning that Asians were coming. Power-lifter K.J. Choi cut a name for himself on the PGA Tour and this was followed by the historic win at the 2009 PGA Championship when Y.E. Yang brought down the seemingly invinceable Tiger Woods at his peak. Then came along the meteoric rise of Pak Se-Ri who busted through the ranks of the LPGA and subsequently threw open the ﬂood-gates for waves of Asian players to challenge on the world’s top women’s professional tour. Actually, long before these Asian breakthroughs stunned the golﬁng

world, Asia was already making its mark on the professional game. However, this was never played up by the mainstream golf media. Let’s not forget that the greatest golfer to have ever walked the fairways of the world was part Asian. Tiger Woods is part Thai. And then we have the other great golfer Vijay Singh, although Fijian by nationality, he is of Indian heritage, hence the Asian connection. And then, there is the current world number one, Jason Day. He is part Filipino and part Australian. We thought we’ll throw that in for good measure! This past year has been a banner year for ASIAN GOLF. Never before in the history of golf have we had a front row seat to stand witness to Asian players driving their way to glory – just not glory within our shores but glory on the global stage of golf. It may sound like we are gloating but what the heck – if we don’t, who is going to do it for us! Perhaps the most signiﬁcant development was

the staggering rise to the on the future of golf in Asia is ONG BEFORE THESE absolute top of the ranks in China’s Shanshan Feng. She the women’s professional SIAN BREAKTHROUGHS ended 2016 as the in-form game – the LPGA Tour. The player with three straight wins STUNNED THE GOLFING WORLD climb to the pinnacle of and she is already a role model glory by Thailand’s “Queen SIA WAS ALREADY MAKING ITS for young golfers in China. Her of Golf” shocked many in the immediate impact is going to MARK ON THE PROFESSIONAL golf world and the subdued be seen in the army of young coverage to her success bears GAME Chinese talent being put OWEVER THIS WAS testimony to this shock. Ariya through the mill in China and NEVER PLAYED UP BY THE Jutanugarn first signalled the China LPGA which is set to to the world that she was start feeding more world class MAINSTREAM GOLF MEDIA coming to scalp the best in players into the professional the world when she was just eleven years old. ASIAN circuit. GOLF was on hand to see her emergence at that point The South Koreans will continue to enjoy the in her life when she displayed her incredible skills biggest presence on the LPGA Tour and that country’s at the LPGA’s Honda Tournament in Thailand. 2016 output of quality players is not expected to ease up was her year as she dazzled her way to claim her first any time soon. In the Top Ten are players like Ha major victory – the British Open and followed this by Na Jang, Sei Young Kim, In Gee Chun and So Yeon making a clean sweep of the LPGA’s 2016 Player Of Ryu who all have incredible track records and are The Year title and the 2016 Tour Money winner for expected to be amongst the crème de la crème of the 2016. What Ariya has achieved in the short time span world’s best women professionals. Let us not forget of a few months in 2016 is an achievement that would the incredible Inbee Park who has had ten fantastic have taken a whole career for many others. What is years on the LPGA Tour. In that time, she has won important to remember is that she has demonstrated more than US$12 million and has qualified for the to many young girls in Southeast Asia in particular LPGA Hall of Fame. At the time of writing, and Asia in general that if one sets one’s sights high, it was not known if she intends to retire or nothing is impossible! continue in 2017. Besides Ariya’s stellar performance last year, a While the depth of Asian talent in the whole flock of Asian players dominated the LPGA’s top LPGA is deep, there is promise of new ranks. In the Top Thirty for 2016, fifteen of the spots talent joining the Asian army of female were occupied by Asian players. Included in this total golfers. The latest is India’s Olymare New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who is of Korean origin pian golfer, Aditi Ashok who capped her and Australia’s Minjee Lee who is also of Korean sensational 2016 season by running away origin. This dominance is prevalent throughout the with the coveted Rookie of the Year award LPGA’s field of qualified players made up of more presented by the Ladies European Tour South Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Thais (LET). She is now qualified to play on and an Indian. the LPGA Tour starting in 2017. One player who is going to have a huge impact Shifting from Asia’s golf

L A

LI HAO-TONG

sirens, Asian men have also excelled in the last twelve months and based on the tournament statistics, 2017 will be a record-breaking year for Asian stars. Leading the global battle for honours is Japan’s golf “samurai”, Hideki Matsuyama. The guy is 24-years old and he is without doubt, the hottest player on tour right now. Matsuyama is the real deal and is now ranked No. 5 on the Ofﬁcial World Golf Rankings. Nothing intimidates this youngster – he has taken on the world’s best and beaten them all and based on this form alone, expect Matsuyama to set himself up for some notable victories on tour in 2017 including at least one win in a Major. Expect golfers from China to start making their presence felt on the world stage in 2017. Leading the thrust will most probably be Li Hao-Tong, a dynamic player who is just 21 years old. Li has what it takes to become a world beater and with ﬁve titles under his belt, including a win on

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MIGUEL TABUENA

the European Tour, expect him to lead the China-charge onto the world stage of golf. On the Asian Tour, the top professional tour on the continent, Australian Scott Hend is the player to watch. The mild-mannered Hend secured the prestigious Asian Tour’s Order of Merit crown at the season-ending UBS Hong Kong Open, becoming the ﬁrst Australian to win the title and the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings during a season. The other established stars who continue to shine on the world stage are Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat and India’s Anirban Lahiri who seems to be lining himself up for some big wins on the PGA Tour in 2017. Amongst the rising Asian stars are Malaysia’s Gavin Green, Poom Saksansin, Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, Jeunghun Wang of Korea, Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines and India’s Chikkarangappa S. There has never been a better time for Asian men and women to shine on the world stage. There is really no looking back from this point on – the battle cry is going to be Asia forever onward and forward! Shoot for the stars!

PXG GOLF EQUIPMENT FOCUS

Against the backdrop of Nike Golf pulling out of the golf equipment business and Golfsmith, a major American distributor of golf equipment pulling down its shutters, one would think that now is not the time to enter the golf equipment industry. Add to this the fact that adidas, the giant sporting goods company is still on the hunt to get a buyer for TaylorMade Golf, it becomes doubling confusing as to why anyone in his right mind would want to make a business foray into the golf equipment market.

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pparently there are some people who are bold enough to do just that and with the business vision and fortitude to make a success of a venture, in what many consider a very negative business environment. One such person is the Vietnam War veteran and billionaire philanthropist and Internet entrepreneur, Bob Parsons. He fought a war and survived. Entered the highly competitive world of business and built an empire with the globally renowned Internet domain registration corporation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GoDaddy. And as though these were not enough credentials for success, he has also gone on to build the largest dealership for the brand of musclemotorbikes, Harley Davidson. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the largest dealership in the world.

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Slig Parsons with an a ing hims nounced It was m saw Pars thought industry have a ch Wel Parsons Not only offers an has prod

htly over two years ago, busted onto the golf industry announcement that he was launchself into the golf equipment world. He anthe formation of PXG â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Parsons Xtreme Golf. ore out of frustration than anything else that sons get into the golf equipment world. Many it to be a stunt. And there were others, the naysayers who maintained that PXG wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hance in hell to make it. l, in slightly over twenty-four months, has proved all of his detractors wrong! has the ďŹ&#x201A;edgling corporation survived, it n extensive line of golf equipment and PXG duced astounding results on

the PGA Tour through its numerous brand ambassadors. This is a huge achievement for what is still a very new and young company in the highly competitive dog-eat-dog trade of golf equipment. Want to know what makes PXG tick? Ask Parsons and he’ll tell you: “Nobody makes golf clubs the way we do. Period!” ASIAN GOLF has tracked the development of PXG from the very outset and Parsons has always been readily accessible to us. Recalling the start-up, Parsons said, “Our mission is to unlock the potential of existing and new technologies to develop the ﬁnest golf clubs on the planet, without regard to cost. PXG clubs feature patented technology and are manufactured using a sophisticated process only we would use. Premium alloys and elastomers ensure that the experience of playing a PXG club is unlike any other.” Parsons is not coy when speaking about the reasons behind his decision to plunge into the highly competitive arena of golf equipment. He just lets it be known that he is plain frustrated with the hundreds of thouHEN WE HAD OUR sands of dollars that he has spent on golf

BREAKTHROUGH WE

KNEW THAT WE HAD HIT UPON SOMETHING SPECIAL, BUT

COULD NEVER HAVE ANTICIPATED HOW QUICKLY

PXG WOULD BE

ADOPTED BY GOLFERS ACROSS THE GLOBE.

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equipment over the years in his continuous search to ﬁnd golf equipment that worked for him. His solution to the challenge was to simply establish his own company to make the world’s best golf equipment. With an impressive arsenal of equipment and an impressive band of brand ambassadors, PXG has created quite a stir and based on its track record, one can only deduce that the best is yet to come from this bold and dynamic company. As we enter 2017, ASIAN GOLF decided to have another chat session with Mr. Parsons and to get a read from him as to how he looks back on the short history of the company. The following are excerpts from that exclusive interview: ASIAN GOLF: It’s been a fascinating journey since you launched PXG. How do you look back on the launch and describe for us the progress that you have attained? BOB PARSONS: What PXG has accomplished in just over a year has exceeded my wildest expectations. When we had our breakthrough we knew that we had hit upon something special, but I could never have anticipated how quickly PXG would be adopted by golfers across the globe. AG: There is no denying that what you have done is nothing short of being seismic. You went after your dream with dogged determination and proved the naysayers wrong. Speak to this.

PARSONS: When we decided to introduce PXG, we knew that we could make a better golf club. But saying you’re going to do it and actually doing it are two very different things. So I committed unlimited resources and no deadlines so PXG’s engineers had the time and money to identify the breakthrough materials, processes and technologies that would ultimately make a world of difference. There’s an old saying that pioneers get the arrows and it sure wasn’t any different for us. Along the way we had a number of unimpressive prototypes and then one day out-of-the-blue we ﬁgured it out. The results speak for themselves. As for the naysayers, I’ve never been concerned with what other people think. AG: What is it that has made PXG such a success in a short time – you have achieved this with high price points in an industry that has been operating at very depressed pricings. What’s your magic? PARSONS: PXG clubs perform. That’s our magic. And many golfers, particularly those who earn a good living, are always willing to step up and stroke a check for anything that helps their game.

OUR ENGINEERS, OUR EMPLOYEES, EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING IS PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR CLUBS AND DEDICATED TO OUR MISSION TO MAKE THE WORLD’S FINEST EQUIPMENT. BEEN AWARDED ABOUT

SO FAR, WE’VE

100 PATENTS AND

ARE CONSTANTLY RESEARCHING NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE ON OUR ALREADY OUTSTANDING, HIGH PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY.

AG: What you and your team have achieved in a short time is incredible. Would it be correct to state that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg and that there’s a lot more to come? PARSONS: Absolutely. People have said to me, “there’s only so much you can innovate with a golf club.” That’s just not the truth. The sky’s the limit for PXG. Our engineers, our employees, everyone in the building is passionate about our clubs and dedicated to our mission to make the world’s ﬁnest equipment. So far, we’ve been awarded about 100 patents and are constantly researching new ways to improve on our already outstanding, high performance technology. AG: You have a strong team of brand ambassadors and they have brought PXG success in a short time span. This is truly creditable and the best form of validation. Did you think that validation on Tour would have come this soon? PARSONS: When you have outstanding golfers, playing with the best equipment, you’re going to see results. All of our ambassadors - our PXG Troops - are extremely talented players with unique playing styles. Every one of them experienced how PXG clubs could change their game and they capitalized

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on the opportunity to put our product in play. Three wins and 59 top ten finishes in our first year with only 13 players in the field, I’d say that is in one word “remarkable.” AG: Shifting gears and looking at the industry at large, what are your thoughts on the state of the industry – is the worst over or is there more upheavals to come before the industry stabilises? PARSONS: We wouldn’t know. The fallout has mostly been at the bottom end and middle of the market. We do no business with that end of the market, PXG caters to the very top – the golfers who have the experience, passion and resources to really enjoy the game as a part of their lifestyle. The top of the market, to the best of our knowledge, is now, has always been

AG: Finally, how’s your game with PXG clubs – has it gotten better? PARSONS: I’m a middle of the road golfer. My handicap has definitely seen some improvement, but what I love best is seeing the amount of consistency in my game. It has made a world of difference. I can brag a little and say that during a friendly round of Sweat, a game I play with my buddies up at Scottsdale National, I’m usually able to take home some cash! Very aptly articulated! PXG has proven that its clubs work and if the clubs work for Parsons and his growing army of satisfied customers globally, PXG is obviously producing equipment that look, feel and perform significantly better than anything on the market. Simply Put, PXG clubs are the duck’s nuts!

OUR PXG TROOPS - ARE EXTREMELY TALENTED PLAYERS WITH UNIQUE PLAYING STYLES.

EVERY ONE OF THEM EXPERIENCED HOW PXG CLUBS COULD CHANGE THEIR GAME AND THEY CAPITALIZED ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUR PRODUCT IN PLAY.

THREE WINS AND 59 TOP TEN FINISHES IN OUR 13 PLAYERS IN THE FIELD, I’D SAY THAT IS IN ONE WORD “REMARKABLE. FIRST YEAR WITH ONLY

and will always be both alive and well. AG: Looking at Asia, you have already entered the Japanese and South Korean markets – how would you describe acceptance in these markets for PXG? PARSONS: PXG has distributors in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Additionally, we have a presence in many other Asian countries through a direct sales programme. The acceptance of PXG in these markets has been incredibly positive and we expect the momentum to continue. AG: Asian professionals are on the rise, both in the men’s and ladies tours – do you have plans to bring on some Asian ambassadors onto your team? PARSONS: All of the tour players who have added our clubs to their bags have come to us ﬁrst. So, if there is an Asian player at the top of their game who comes to us with interest in putting our clubs in play, we will deﬁnitely consider it.

I T ’S A R E V OLU T ION ! The global club industry is in for a wake-up call with the launch of OneClubNet – a digital revolution that aims to bring a game-changing paradigm shift on the total club experience both for clubs and members alike. At the heart of OneClubNet is an all-encompassing and pulsating mobile digital platform that works off smartphones. The primary focus is to help

replace traditional ways of conducting and delivering the club experience onto a dynamic, 24/7, on-the-go mode like nothing ever before. With an easy to use menu, clubs can push out to members all noti½cations and general information on a real time basis. No more heart-breaking problems of messages getting lost or spammed. OneClubNet makes instant

communications, networking and transactions a dream! And that’s not all – on the greater scheme of things, OneClubNet is a global community of clubs and members. Just imagine the power that is unleashed for club members to utilise the services of member clubs on a hassle-free communications platform. Want to play golf in London, hook on to a member club

and stay a ro at a click for gen

initi ove

OneClubNet – Making Local G

book your ¾ight. Need a place to y at a club with accommodation, book oom in a ¾ash. Looking at entertaining a plush club in New York, it’s just a k away. It’s a whole new experience club members and a global revenue erating engine for clubs. OneClubNet is a huge digital iative that brings member clubs all r the world into one community

Global!

GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS

and empowers both clubs and members to connect, interact and share a global club experience. And it’s all done on the ubiquitous smartphone. The club experience of the future is now.With OneClubNet, the world of clubs is your oyster. It just doesn’t get any better!

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DRIVER VERSUS DRIVER EQUIPMENT FOCUS

It is not a commonly known fact that Wilson Golf is a brand that is over a century old. Perhaps the term old is not really applicable to this company and its brand. Perhaps a better word to describe its longevity would be its uncanny ability to re-invent itself. The Wilson Golf brand is the proud stake-holder of an achievement that will most deﬁnitely not be matched by any other golf brand around today and that is its lasting record as the brand with the most number of major wins – 61 to be precise. That’s how many times Wilson Golf has been in the bag of Major winners. How good is that! Its ability to re-invent itself became obvious when it dragged itself out of the destructive grips of PepsiCo (yes, the cola guys) that virtually sapped all of the winning spirit of Wilson Golf dry. Wilson broke free from the PepsiCo ownership shackles in 1985 and eventually landed in the safety of its current owner, the Finnish group, Amer Sports.

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CLARKE AND HIS T

NEGATIVISM IN THE

ADVENTURE TO GO WHERE T EMERGED VICTORIOUS.

NOT

PUBLICITY POINTS BUT HAVE

UNIQUE, SUPER LONG AND UL EMERGED AS THE ULTIMATE

NEEDS TO BE SEEN TO BE BE 60 61 ASIAN GOLF 196

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ince the take-over, Wilson Golf has been slowly but surely clawing its way back to its past glory days. It has been a tough slog but the determination, drive and focus of the team has carved out a pathway that has witnessed the launch of quality products stretching across the entire range of golf equipment – drivers, woods, irons, hybrids, putters and golf balls. Not bad at all for a company that is over a hundred years old! Although it had its 100th year birthday bash in 2014, Wilson Golf has not elected to sit back and rock away in its rocking chair. No sir! Wilson Golf has had an infusion of new blood, vision and a massive dose of chutzpah that made the company seek out a winning pathway to not only be different but to produce equipment like no other manufacturer has attempted to undertake. Guided by a no-nonsense leader

TEAM WENT THROUGH REGARDLESS OF THE

E MARKETPLACE AND AFTER THEIR BOLD

THE MEEK FEAR TO THREAD, THEY HAVE ONLY HAS THE COMPANY SCORED VALUABLE

E ALSO COME UP WITH A DRIVER THAT IS

LTRA-FRIENDLY.

THE WINNING ENTRY THAT TRITON – A DRIVER THAT ELIEVED. IT’S SENSATIONAL! DRIVER IS THE

in the shape of Tim Clarke, president of Wilson Golf, he came upon a brilliant idea to seek out new and revolutionary designs for a golf driver. In a eureka moment, Clarke and his team struck upon a smart scheme to tap the public at large for ideas that would be totally out of the realms of the golf industry and at the same time, would be out-of-the-box gems! This resulted in a golf reality show titled “Driver versus Driver” which saw great ideas and some whacky ones submitted by the “crowd-sourcing” universe that Wilson Staff tapped into. The cynics and naysayers thought this to be an absolute waste and even went to the extent of tagging it as a publicity stunt. After the Donald Trump victory, we all know what the “expert” analyses of the pundits amount to – a highly misinformed, disconnected and useless empty digit – a hollow nought! Anyway, Clarke and his team went through regardless of the negativism in the marketplace and after their bold adventure to go where the meek fear to thread, they have emerged victorious. Not only has the company scored valuable publicity points but have also come up with a driver that is unique, super long and ultra-friendly. The winning entry that emerged as the ultimate driver is the TRITON – a driver that needs to be seen to be believed. It’s sensational! ASIAN GOLF has followed this

evolution from the outset and decided to obtain all the facts that helped lead up to the creation of the world’s ﬁrst CROWD-SOURCED driver. We decided to talk to the man who came up with the Driver versus Driver hunt and the man who guided the winning entry through its entire development process. The two men are Tim Clarke, president of Wilson Golf and Michael Vrska, the Global Director of Innovation. The following are excerpts of interviews on a awesome journey to ﬁnd a driver that is not

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only revolutionary but an incredible product of unboxed thinking:

ASIAN GOLF: Wilson Golf’s “Driver Vs Driver” campaign has gone off without a hitch. How do you look back on this revolutionary marketing concept? TIM CLARKE: I am very proud of what our and golf team have accomplished in the la a perfect example of what can be done wh is focused on the results. The show was a deavor from Innovation, Marketing, Sales,

? company ast year. It is en everyone huge enFinance and

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Supply Chain. I was especially pleased with the contestants and the energy they brought to every episode.

must have had 20 wacky ideas on his video submission. I think he could have done a show by himself!

AG: It can only be described as an industry coup! TC: I think it showed that a challenger brand in the golf space can be very successful with outside the box thinking. Wilson has been doing it for years with the introduction of low compression golf ball technology in Duo, Right light technology in our distance series of equipment and breakthrough ﬂex face technology in the C200 irons. I would say we have been one of the most innovative companies in golf over the last 20 years.

AG: How did you select the ﬁnal contestants for the “reality show” programme? TC: The ideas were sorted by our Wilson Labs team and narrowed down to meet the qualiﬁcations of a viable driver concept. The superstar of the show was the Wilson Labs Golf Team as they really did tremendous work behind-the- scenes.

AG: How did you guys come up with this concept? TC: Wilson CEO Mike Dowse had a company brainstorming session on big thinking and the idea of a crowdsourced driver was discovered as a result of the meeting. What was a crazy idea four years ago has turned into an innovative platform to launch a revolutionary product. AG: Let’s have a quick ﬂash-back – how many entries did you receive? TC: We received over 300 submissions. The Wilson Whistle (Zanis) guy was hysterical. He

AG: Can you describe the winning entry? TC: The winning design had a ton of issues with the original concept - from centre of gravity to complexity of production. Again, this is where Wilson Labs came in and helped him reﬁne the idea into a workable, marketable, world class winning product. AG: As a man who has guided Wilson Golf’s turnaround over the past decade and someone who has had a front row seat to review generations of drivers, what was this experience like? TC: It was humbling in the fact it proved to me that I have the best job in the world. To have a front row seat

with Frank and Brian to watch the contestants from all over North America present great driver concepts with such passion was an incredible experience. I will never forget the passion the teams brought to each episode. To see them react when Streelman gave insight and to watch their reaction when Harrington tested the final three was exciting to me; I cannot imagine what the contestants were going through. AG: Wilson Staff has always had a reputation for its cutting edge product research and development – with this as a backdrop, do you think that your team would have come up with this winning idea had they gone through the normal process of working on a new product? TC: I believe we have the best team in the industry. We have been producing award-winning products year after year since 2006. I think the winning design was a direct outcome of our Wilson Labs team and their open mindedness to take on such a daunting project like Driver vs Driver and deliver game-changing adjustability. AG: How much direct involvement, if any at all, was there from Wilson Staff in fine-tuning and tweaking the final line-up of drivers? TC: Ninety-nine per cent! It was all in the details behind the scenes and off camera. The work hours that went into the final 3 drivers was crazy and they all had world class performance as was seen in Lake Tahoe! I would have been proud to play any of the final three but the winner had more consumer features - alignment, adjustable sole plate to change ball flight, and a weight system that gives you 18 combinations to influence performance fade, draw and launch. And I haven’t even touched on the six adjustable shaft changes to add loft or help draw the ball! It is crazy what we are bringing to market. I would say the most adjustable driver in golf! AG: The fact that you have gone to manufacturing with the winning driver, give us a sense of how your team feels about the new driver? TC: We committed to crowd source design and launch that was the business plan and we could not be more pleased with the final outcome of the Wilson Staff Triton. AG: Considering that this driver was conceptualized, designed and built by the “public” so to speak, would it be correct to assume that this is a driver designed to be very “public” friendly in the sense that it has been

designed for the widest possible audience of golfers spanning your entire spectrum of FCD skillsets. TC: Yes, I would say the winning design covers the biggest consumer segment. For us, we’d place it in the “Crossover” category. It will be forgiving enough and with the adjustability to enhance the play for golfers also looking for distance. I believe the alignment feature will help all players ﬁnd the centre of the club face.

AND YOU ARE RIGHT, THE ENTIRE DRIVER VS. DRIVER SHOW, FROM CROWD SOURCING PRODUCT IDEAS, TO SHOWCASING

AG: You have started this THE DESIGN AND DEVELOP trend of “public sourcing” MENT PROCESS TO THE for design ideas – do you see this becoming a main- TIMELINES INVOLVED TO stay with Wilson Staff? SELLING THE WINNING DRIVER TC: I believe if you are not HAD NEVER BEEN DONE growing you will be left BEFORE – MICHAEL VRSKA behind, so yes, I believe we have proven a model of crowdsourced reality TV in golf works. We are looking into season two as we speak. I think it will be similar to our experience with low compression golf balls. The competition sort of laughed at our innovation and tried to discredit the concept, but consumers came and today I don’t believe there is a brand in golf without a low compression ball. It’s always great to be ﬁrst!

AG: What are your expectations for the new driver in terms of sales given the fact that you have created a tremendous buzz factor in the marketplace? TC: I am conﬁdent it will be the most successful driver we have launched since “Deep Red.” We are looking to make an impact in the driver category but we will do it with a long-term focus. We will maintain our discipline and not overload the market. Our average order size in the USA is nine units which is great. Let’s get it into golf shops and golf specialty stores with good distribution and let’s sell it out which will allow our supporting golf professional and golf specialty partners make money doing it. To me that is the ultimate long term business model. Win Win!

NEWSFLASH Shortly after launch, the U.S. Golf Association ruled that the new Triton driver, was nonconforming under the Rules of Golf. The Wilson Staff Triton DVD with the 9-degree loft was listed on the conforming list but all other submissions of the Triton clubs were determined to be nonconforming to the Rules of Golf. Since the debacle broke, Wilson Golf has advised that the company has received approval on the 10.5 RH driver. A company spokesman said that Wilson Golf will continue to work closely with the USGA on the 10.5º LH and 12º RH Triton DvD Drivers with the goal of having the full driver line modiﬁed by mid-January. How did Wilson Labs handle this innovative process? Every product out on the market today started as an idea in someone’s head. From a mobile device to a software platform or a kitchen gadget, most items you can purchase came to life through the process of invention. The road from concept to ﬁnished product can be a long one, and those who travel it often face numerous

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obstacles and setbacks. Turning an idea into a reality is a bit more complicated than just handing a design over to a manufacturer or developer and waiting for the proﬁts to roll in. With this as background, ASIAN GOLF spoke with Michael Vrska, Global Director of Innovation at Wilson Golf: AG: What happened at the Driver vs Driver hunt for a new driver was epic in the sense that it has never been done before. As someone trained in the rigid discipline of research and development, what was it like working with Eric Sillies? MV: Eric Silles was great to work with, as were all of the ﬁnalists. Eric is creative, he listens, understands and tries to bring ideas to solve problems. He’s a good designer. And you are right, the entire Driver vs. Driver show, from crowd sourcing product ideas, to showcasing the design and development process, to the timelines involved, to selling the winning driver had never been done before. There was no road map for what we were doing. There were many challenges along the way but Eric and many people at Wilson Golf were dedicated to making both the show and the product great. I am

extremely pleased with the results and to be associated with smart, creative, hardworking people, especially Eric. He will be a great ambassador for the Triton and Wilson Golf.

Consumers will understand that the titanium plate is mid-high launch and low spin while the carbon fiber sole plate is low launch and lower spin. They will understand that as the weights are moved around the sole, it will affect ball flight. We have a great website dedicated to the Triton, its technology and adjustability that helps too. When getting fit or testing it for yourself, the Triton driver will inspire confidence that the fit and ball flight can be optimized.

AG: How much of Eric’s original design concept is there in the finished Triton product? MV: Much of Eric’s original concept made it into the final Triton, though there were numerous changes along the way as well. Key features like the 1:1 alignment aid, the interchangeable sole plates and weight and hosel adjustability were all part of Sillies’ concept from day one and are part of the final TechX5 group of innovations.

AG: How did the Triton handle in robot testing? MV: It did great! It was one of the reasons it won Driver vs. Driver. It is a very forgiving head and was outstanding on both centre and off-centre hits.

AG: What role did Wilson LABs play in polishing up the design? MV: Wilson LABS was instrumental in taking a good idea and turning into a world class driver. Eric talked about that in the ﬁnal episode as well. The Wilson LABS team took good ideas and made them great. Made them manufacturable. Made the look, sound and feel ready for the best players in the world. Wilson LABS added technology to each of the designs, including Triton, so that we would have something that is ready to excel in a very competitive marketplace.

AG: Finally, you’ve tested the driver – give us your take on it? MV: I am extremely proud of the look, sound and, most importantly, the performance of the winning Triton. The feedback has been tremendous from our tour players and the amateurs who tried it so far. Kevin Streelman has said its going in his bag. The Triton driver was a winner on the show and will be winner in the real world too.

AG: You have been with Wilson LABs since 2011 and in that time you’ve RIC S seen the evolution of many prodORIGINAL ucts – how different was the Triton CONCEPT MADE IT INTO evolution? MV: It has been a great five years THE FINAL RITON HIS of innovation for me and the Wilson CONCEPT FROM DAY ONE LABS team. Innovation is central to all we do. I am proud of the “firsts” we AND ARE PART OF THE have brought to market. Right Light FINAL ECH GROUP technology, FLX Face technology and OF INNOVATIONS now the Triton with TechX5 technology, to name just a few. Plus, we are obviously the first to crowd source a golf club and we did it with a television show for the world to see.

’

AG: Looks like a lot of technology has been packed tight into the Triton. Is this too much for the average golfer to understand and handle? Talk to this? MV: It is a lot of technology, and we are proud of that, but the ﬁtters and consumers will understand it.

EQU EQUIPMENT UIIP IPM PMENT ENTT FO FFOCUS CU CUS US S BETTINARDI BETTIN IN NAR ARD A R I GOLFF RD

If there is one company in the golf industry that takes extreme pride in being American, it’s got to be Bettinardi Golf. Given its passion for the mother-land, you can bet your sweet bippy that everyone at the company would spring to attention as the band strikes up the Star Spangled Banner. If president-elect Donald Trump needs an example to showcase for his “Make in America” thrust, Bettinardi would be a perfect candidate of the “Make in America” ethos.

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EQUIPMENT EQU EEQ QU Q UIIP IPM PM P MEEN ENT NTT FOCUS N FFO OCU CUS C US U S BBE BETTINARDI BET EETTTTI TIN IIN NARD A IG GOLF OLFF

EQUIPMENT FOCUS BETTINARDI GOLF

esides being an absolute patriot, Bettinardi Golf is also a steadfast believer in giving a golf product a minimum two-year maturation cycle before it hits the market with a new iteration or a totally new product. There’s a lot to be said for this practice as it most deﬁnitely helps to foster customer loyalty especially in light of what we have seen happen in the industry where customers began showing disgust at frequent new product releases so much so that it made the meaning of the whole process a joke! Well, as we start a new year, Bettinardi Golf has come

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busting out of its expanded manufacturing facility located at Tinley Park in the state of Illinois, with eight spanking new premium models. The new putters are branded under Bettinardi’s Studio Stock and Queen B lines. Besides being brand new, the company is really excited because these are products where the entire production process was carried out on Bettinardi’s expanded headquarters. “We wanted to own the process,” says Sam Bettinardi, head of sales and marketing and son of company founder, president and CEO Bob Bettinardi. “It also speeds up lead time and gives us more creative freedom.”

The new putters are branded under Bettinardi’s Studio Stock and Queen B lines. Besides being brand new, the company is really excited because these are products where the entire production process was carried out on Bettinardi’s expanded headquarters. – SAM BETTINARDI

EQUIPMENT FOCUS BETTINARDI GOLF

QUEEN B

QUEEN B9

One can really sense the pride of being totally American and being in complete control of the entire manufacturing process. This is the sort of spirit that will make President Trump grin from ear to ear! Let’s now do a drill-down on the new ﬂat-sticks from the Rolls Royce of putters. The new Bettinardi’s are designed by Bob Bettinardi and an elite team of engineers renowned for detailed face millings and superior ﬁnishes.

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SPECIFICATIONS

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

LEARN MORE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

PUTTERS

9 | QUEEN 8B

EQUIPMENT FOCUS BETTINARDI GOLF

SPECIFICATIONS

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

LEARN MORE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

SS3 The Studio Stock Series: It’s a direct evolution of classic putter designs, and it features a host of new characteristics including a Mercury Gray ﬁnish, blue black colour scheme and F.I.T. Face milling which is preferred by those seeking a softer feel. Each of the three new models – a rounded mallet, square mallet and traditional blade – are PGA Tour proven with multiple victories to their credit. Fitted with a matching head-cover design and corded grip, this legacy lineup features standard length, counter balance, centre shaft, and arm lock options for maximum player versatility. The second range – the Queen B Series is formed from a desire to fuse performance and sophistication with substance and grace. The Queen B 8 and 9 models feature the signature Micro Honeycomb face milling for a crisp feel, branded elegantly with a light satin silver ﬁnish and unique swarming bees sole stamping. Paired with a white corded grip and matching head-cover, the Queen B is ideal for men and women looking for the very best in form and function.

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Available in Counterbalance

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

STUDIO STOCK SS8

SS28

SS28 CENTRE

Available in a new and improved arm lock technology

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

EQUIPMENT FOCUS BETTINARDI GOLF

We believe that every golfer should have access to PGA Tour ready products – ones that inspire confidence, feel fantastic and perform even better – and that is exactly what we are providing in this year’s lineup. – BOB BETTINARDI Beaming with pride, Bob Bettinardi can’t seem to get over the fact that he now has a plant that handles every process of manufacturing right on American soil. “At our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located just outside of Chicago, we design, produce and deliver precision engineered putters to amateur and professional golfers from around the world,” he said. He went on to add, “We believe that every golfer should have access to PGA Tour ready products – ones that inspire conﬁdence, feel fantastic and perform even better – and that is exactly what we are providing in this year’s lineup.” Beyond new additions, the other tour-proven Bettinardi lines like the BB Series and the iNOVAi 3.0 series remain in the catalogue for 2017.

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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

TAYLORMADE 2017 EQUIPMENT FOCUS

Remember TaylorMade? What serious golfer would not remember! This is the company that reigned supreme as the brand that kept on churning out power drivers that not only dominated in worldwide sales but also did just as well in winning tournaments on the Planet’s biggest tours. The company’s propensity to keep pushing the envelope of innovation has not diminished since it cut back drastically on new product releases which a while ago both confused the retail market and its competitors. If anything at all the reduced pace of new product releases seems to have allowed TaylorMade to be more focused in new product development and this is very evident with the new products. The products look real sharp and you just want to grab them and bag them. That’s how good the new TaylorMade arsenal is!

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o, what’s so hot about the new M1 and M2 drivers and the rest of the arsenal? Great question! We will cut to the chase and give you the heads up in a nutshell. TaylorMade has elevated performance once again by focusing on materials and geometry designed to deliver improved launch conditions, increased personalization and more forgiveness for every golfer, answering the challenge to once again design the best-performing drivers in company history. Well, that’s it. How good is that! Leading the 2017 line-up are the M1™ & M2™ drivers, fairways and hybrids. In launching the new offerings, TayloMade’s senior director of Product Creation for Metalwood, Brian Bazzel said, “Performance is the genesis of everything we do, and through the use of multi-material construction with the original M1, we were able to elevate performance to a level that captured the attention of golfers around the world,” Obviously very proud of the new products, Bazzel declared, “Our mission continues in 2017 by advancing the use of exotic materials with new, intelligent shapes to once again deliver industryleading performance. The M1 is our ﬂagship driver

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designed and engineered to give all golfers the ability to further personalize their driver to maximize their game.” The M1 driver is typically a show-piece of multimaterial technology being put to work to produce a top performing driver. A deep dive into the product’s features reveals that by way of a new, lower density titanium alloy called 9-1-1 and an added carbon toe panel that accounts for a total of 43% more carbon composite than its predecessor, the new M1 460’s mass properties have been optimized to deliver optimal launch conditions, more personalization and increased forgiveness. The classic iconic two-tone crown of the original M1 remains with the latest M1 and the driver incorporates a

the new M1 also has a composite sole panel which utilizes the same thinner composite, shorter ledge and thinner adhesive approach as the crown and the combined weight savings of the new M1 composite CONSTRUCTION WITH THE ORIGINAL crown and sole panel construction WE WERE ABLE TO ELEVATE is 8gm lighter than an equivalent titanium construction,” Bazzel PERFORMANCE TO A LEVEL THAT explained. CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF GOLFERS Besides the weight savings, the new M1’s centre of gravity (CG) AROUND THE WORLD – BRIAN BAZZEL is lower than that of its predecesproprietary 6-layer carbon composite panel that is precisionsor which results in a CG projection that is even closer fit to the skeletal titanium body —a breakthrough engineerto the centre of the face for a hotter trajectory and more ing technique that results in craftsmanship of the highest ball-speed protection at all impact locations. This may quality with manufacturing repeatability for consistent, sound very technical but it has a bearing on the overall aggressive looks and undeniable performance. performance of the M1 - TaylorMade engineers relied on “The M1’s revolutionary construction methods allowed proven internal acoustic management techniques and engineers to step outside of the box of traditional shaping, modified them as necessary to meet the demands of new leveraging these new techniques into the next generation of materials and shaping. The result: the re-definition of TaylorMade product design,” revealed Bazzel. One of the pribest-in-class sound to control vibration and pitch at impact. mary features is the utilization of a recessed carbon toe panel Combined, TaylorMade has delivered maximum distance that put TaylorMade’s engineers on a new runway of design. and forgiveness through multi-material use and complete So what does the new carbon composite crown really personalization. deliver? For starters, the new M1 saves more weight because New to the next-generation of M drivers is a 440cc the composite is 10% thinner, the bonding ledge is 18% model, which utilizes a slightly smaller head, deeper face shorter and the adhesive is half the thickness than the origiand 30g of moveable weight, working in unison with all of nal M1. Eureka! Sure makes a lot of sense! “Furthermore,

PERFORMANCE IS THE GENESIS OF EVERYTHING WE DO, AND THROUGH THE USE OF MULTI-MATERIAL M1,

the same technologies as its larger 460cc counterpart. Both the 460 and 440cc models feature a new 4-degree ultralightweight aluminum loft sleeve (back sleeve compatible). Let’s not forget the other favourite TaylorMade driver – the M2. There’s a new iteration of this big hitter. The new M2 driver successfully raises the bar in design and engineering, with TaylorMade engineers successfully achieving both distance and forgiveness through the utilization of a new multi-material construction and advanced shaping by way of a breakthrough design technique called ‘Geocoustic’™. Along with the new Geocoustic design, the M2 driver houses a newly-designed Speed Pocket that is three times more ﬂexible than its predecessor. “In 2016, golfers of all abilities discovered what the multi-material M2 could deliver,” said Bazzel, who went on to add, “In 2017, they will ﬁnd an even more forgiving and more explosive M2 lineup, break-through performance unlocked by the use of new material formulations and clever geometric shaping.” According to Bazzel, the new Geocoustic feature combines geometry and acoustical engineering to unlock more forgiveness and best-in-class sound. “The new breakthrough in geometry is the sunken sole portion of the driver. This section utilizes an ultra-light, thick-thin 9-1-1 titanium, a design that enabled engineers to free up volume while not raising the centre of gravity, “Bazzel explained.

M1 And M2 Fairway Woods And Hybrids – Complementing Power Weapons! In designing the new M1 fairway, also featuring the same 6-layer carbon composite crown as the M1 driver, the completely re-designed and reshaped M1 fairway has a track system that has been shifted more rear-ward to make room for a new open

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THE NEW BREAKTHROUGH IN GEOMETRY IS THE SUNKEN SOLE PORTION OF THE DRIVER.

THIS SECTION UTILIZES AN ULTRA-LIGHT, THICK-THIN 9-1-1 TITANIUM, A DESIGN THAT ENABLED ENGINEERS TO FREE UP VOLUME WHILE NOT RAISING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, channel Speed Pocket designed to deliver more ball speed and more forgiveness. The new design of the open-channel Speed Pocket is designed to deliver more distance through increased speed and lower spin, as well as forgiveness by way of ball speed protection on shots struck low on the face. A new advanced design with a recessed rear sole – divided by the sliding weight track delivers improved sole to ground performance. Golfers can personalize this new, longer M1 fairway more than ever with the new ultra-lightweight aluminum 4-degree loft sleeve, 25g draw-neutral-fade sliding weight and over 30 no upcharge aftermarket shafts. This is most deﬁnitely TaylorMade’s longest adjustable fairway wood! Similarly, the new, more forgiving M2 fairway takes from some of TaylorMade’s highest-performing and most successful products in its lineage in becoming the company’s next great fairway wood. In the new M2 Fairway, the ultimate

distance fairway has been made even more forgiving and its low CG produces fast ball speeds for an incredibly long, high launching and low spinning fairway.

The new M1 Rescue features a moderate sized, tour-proven shape and a newly designed sole that will appeal to a larger demographic of players, offering more playability from an increased variety of lies. The sole is engineered with TaylorMade’s ﬁrst-ever sliding weight system in a hybrid – and the

BEST THAT HAVE COME OUT FROM THE

TAYLORMASDE STABLE AND THE

COMPANY HAS WITHOUT A DOUBT KICKED THE PERFORMANCE BAR UP BY A COUPLE OF NOTCHES. company’s most adjustable ever – providing golfers the opportunity to not only experience the neutral/fade biases of its predecessor but with the added option of draw setting – as well as anything in between for ultimate shot shape adjustability and personalization. Like the M1 Rescue, the M2 Rescue has a tiered twotone crown that showcases the distinctive and iconic look TaylorMade’s M series of product has become known for. Underneath the hood lies the engine of the club, which lies on the sole, where a longer, more ﬂexible Speed Pocket offers speed and forgiveness. The M2 Rescue is designed to help average golfers replace a long iron with higher, longer and more draw biased performance. There’s no two ways about the new range of TaylorMade drivers, woods and rescues. Arguably, these clubs are the best that have come out from the TaylorMade stable and the company has without a doubt kicked the performance bar up by a couple of notches. Let’s see how the professionals go for the clubs – it’s all about performance and this is what makes TaylorMade the producer of the winningest drivers in the business!

EQUIPMENT FOCUS BETTINARDI GOLF

The New Get Out Of Trouble M1 And M2 Rescues

ARGUABLY, THESE CLUBS ARE THE

It’s that time of the year when virtually all golf equipment manufacturers line-up to strut their spanking new stuff for the New Year. The deluge of new products is also timed for the annual mecca – the PGA Merchandise Show – the supermarket for the greatest, newest and the best golf equipment – this is what all the manufacturers claim to offer! TaylorMade who have come out like gang-busters with new drivers, woods and hybrids for 2017, is no exception. Bringing up the tail-end of the new releases are the 1 and M2 irons.

hat’s new about the 2017 M1 and M2 irons? Quite a lot! TaylorMade has always taken pride in their irons and the company feels that with the M1 and M2 irons, it has taken innovation to the next level with a new approach to engineering with the new, re-engineered M2 irons and the introduction of the all-new M1 irons.

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Who better than Tomo Bystedt, senior director, Irons at TaylorMade to speak about the latest line-up of irons. This is how he describes the new irons, “The improved M2 irons as well as the all-new M1 irons represent a breakthrough in combining incredible distance with industry-leading forgiveness. Through the use of innovative technologies and purposeful design, these irons will appeal to a wide range of golfers seeking the complete performance package.”

There you go – real world beaters from TaylorMade! The new irons draw from a rich heritage of design and performance going back to earlier generations of irons produced by the company. Taking everything they learned from the creation of those cutting-edge products, TaylorMade engineers embarked on a fascinating journey to create a series of products in M1 & M2 that take aim at delivering distance, height, forgiveness and feel with predictable, consistent performance. According to Bystedt, the 2017 M2 irons are the culmination of several years of developing meaningful technologies designed to help golfers achieve more distance, peak trajectory and forgiveness; overall, a more consistently performing iron swing after swing. As is the case with the M1 irons, as clubhead dimensions continue to get thinner across the face and topline, the challenge to design an iron with best in class sound and feel becomes more and more difficult. Engineers have utilized technologies first developed in RocketBladez irons (Speed Pocket), the Face Slots introduced in the RSi irons and an ultra-low centre of gravity, used in the 2016 M2 model, effectively combining them in one product to produce a remarkably long and forgiving iron while maintaining playability. The key to unlocking performance in the M2 irons is a combination of low centre of gravity (CG) and maximum COR. For example, even while adding Face Slots (which slightly raise CG), TaylorMade engineers have been able to lower CG and improve consistency by way of several significant changes: f 33% thinner overall topline; f 7% shallower blade height;

f 20% deeper Speed Pocket with 33% thinner front wall for even more flexibility; Similar to the M2 metalwoods, the new M2 irons were designed employing TaylorMade’s new ‘Geocoustic™’ engineering techniques; acoustics tuned through geometry - better feel through geometry, better sound through 3-D damping and an optimized rib structure to create ideal frequencies for pleasing sound and feel. Complementing the M2 irons, the all-new M1 irons, is an entirely new line that completes the M family of products. The intention while designing the M1 irons was to bring as much of the speed, forgiveness and playability of the M2 but deliver it to the player who prefers a slightly more compact look along with additional control and workability. This was achieved by using many of the same technologies as M2 while adding a tungsten weighting system to allow for more freedom to create the shapes needed without sacrificing low-CG, COR or MOI. Returning to the M1 irons are the company’s proprietary Face Slots, which are designed to increase flexibility at the boundary of the clubface to improve consistency of ballspeed on off-centre impacts. The flexibility of the face is also intended to ensure maximum COR providing maximum ballspeed and higher launch. This combination of technologies is designed to produce longer, higher shots with improved consistency and dispersion on all shots. OK golfers – you have been introduced to all of the power weapons in the 2017 TaylorMade stable. All of the new products should become available in Asia starting from January 2017.

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FASHION TREND ECCO COOL GOLF SHOES

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Forget about your feet getting all sweaty when playing golf. You know how it feels, especially in some of the warmer regions in Asia where a round of golf, especially when you walk the course, can be a soggy and unpleasant experience. Well folks, that’s all going to be a thing of the past. Why, you may ask and that’s a fair question. ECCO, the Danish golf footwear innovator has come up with a whiz-bang of a product that embraces a whole new technology that makes sweaty feet a thing of the past!

ere’s the scoop – ECCO Golf and GORE have joined forces to create a new golf shoe called the ECCO COOL shoe. The technology is cutting edge and it is unique to the golf sector. A joint venture between ECCO Golf and GORE, the technology is a result of the two parties’ desire to create a golf shoe that combines unparalleled walking pleasure and climate comfort, as well as exceptional protection from the elements. Underlining ECCO Golf’s commitment to pushing boundaries through innovation in the new ECCO COOL shoe is the introduction of GORE-TEX® SURROUND™ technology. It is an

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EXCESS MOISTURE AND HEAT IS ABLE TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE UPPER GORE-TEX MEMBRANE ASSEMBLY, AS WELL AS LATERALLY THROUGH THE HIGHLY BREATHABLE MIDSOLE, ENSURING FEET STAY DRY AND COMFORTABLE, EVEN IN WARMER CONDITIONS. – JESPER THUEN advanced air channelling system within the gridshaped sole structure that provides 360° breathability without compromising on waterproof protection, in order to keep feet dry in all conditions. “Excess moisture and heat is able to escape through the upper GORE-TEX membrane assembly, as well as laterally through the highly breathable

midsole, ensuring feet stay dry and comfortable, even in warmer conditions,” explained Jesper Thuen, head for ECCO Golf, Asia Paciﬁc. ECCO COOL highlights the company’s commitment to innovate, through a unique set of performance and comfort properties, including: GORE-TEX SURROUND technology for highly breathable, 360° climate comfort which reduces the risk of blisters and chaﬁng, as well as durable waterproof protection from every angle;

An innovative, direct injected midsole, engineered from a grid-shaped structure to enhance airflow through a series of channels; A luxurious, HYDROMAX® treated leather upper that’s naturally soft, breathable, and strong; Exceptional cushioning, flexibility, and durability provided by a direct injected PU midsole; “Being able to provide complete breathability without compromising on waterproof protection is a genuine first in the golf footwear sector,” said Michael Waack, Head of Global Golf at ECCO. “We’re truly excited about this revolutionary new development and can’t wait for golfers to experience the exceptional comfort, breathability, and protection that ECCO COOL provides,” Waack added. ECCO COOL also boasts the CHAMP® SLIM-Lok cleat system, as well as a removable inlay sole which offers extra width for those who require it. As is the case with all of the golf shoes in ECCO Golf, ECCO COOL SURROUND is crafted at company-owned factories that utilise the DIP to bond the upper and outsole unit, creating a one-piece shoe without the use of glue or stitching. Benefits include flexibility, durability and a lightweight construction. ECCO Golf shoes are worn in competition around the world by Fred Couples, Ernie Els, Peter Hanson, Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjørn, Thongchai Jaidee, Will Wilcox, Ben Evans, Jim Renner, Minjee Lee, Caroline Masson, Gerina Piller, Jennifer Johnson, Kendall Dye, Pernilla Lindberg, Therese Koelbaek and Liz Young, among others. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE COMPLETE BREATHABILITY WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON WATERPROOF PROTECTION IS A GENUINE FIRST IN THE GOLF FOOTWEAR SECTOR.

WE’RE

TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THIS REVOLUTIONARY NEW DEVELOPMENT AND CAN’T WAIT FOR GOLFERS TO EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL COMFORT, BREATHABILITY, AND PROTECTION THAT ECCO COOL PROVIDES. – MICHAEL WAACK 94 95 ASIAN GOLF 196

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BLACK HAT GOLF TIPS GAME IMPROVEMENT

F It may sound strange, but by the time you’ve ﬁnished reading this tip of mine, you’ll learn to appreciate your golf bag a whole lot more.

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ﬁers in T Junior G gearing u Wha mist Inte dedicatio Honda C and whe ately pra

or the past seven years, I have been on the Executive committee of the Thai Junior Golfer Guardian Association (TJGGA) Optimist Club of Bangkok! This non-profit organization conducts activities for families promoting being positive and OPTIMISTIC about life. The TJGGA has been conducting qualiThailand and sending junior golfers to the Optimist International olf Championships finals in Florida, USA. This year the TJGGA is up for another good season! at’s amazing about Thai junior golfers who compete in the Optiernational Junior Golf Championships qualifier and finals is their on to their short game. The PGA National Golf & Spa, home of the lassic, has a great practice facility especially for the short game n the Thai juniors arrive, they check into the hotel and immediactice their short game.

I would like to share their practice routine with you because I feel that there is a lot to be learned from these kids. Allow me to now introduce you to an accessory that you have long taken for granted – your GOLF BAG. Let me show you why it’s more than just a bag – it’s your GOLF BUDDY! I’ve used this tip in our golf camps because everyone has a golf bag and it allows the player to really get synced with his chipping. Here is how it works: 1. Find a place a few paces off the greenside. 2. Take your golf bag and place it between you and the target, laying it sideways.

I HOPE THAT FROM NOW ON, YOU WILL TREAT YOUR GOLF BAG AS A SPECIAL BUDDY. IT’S ALL ABOUT GETTING YOU TO PLAY A BETTER GAME OF GOLF!

3. Now take your stance. Make sure your feet slightly close together. 4. Begin with a PW and start pitching the ball to the target. I highly recommend changing targets and clubs after 20 balls. 5. Make sure you hold your ﬁnish. The objectives are as follows:

1. FOCUS ON MAKING THE STROKE, NOT THE BALL. The ball reacts to the club being swung properly! You will notice that the chipping and pitching strokes are completed nice and simple. You are not trying to lift the ball, but rather focused on making the complete stroke. The loft of the club connects with the ball and the ball shoots over the golf bag easily.

2. DEVELOP GOOD “TOUCH” AROUND THE GREENS. By focusing on swinging the club to the target so that the ball will go over the bag to the target, your motion will be similar to a tossing motion. It will be smooth and natural. Trust me! You will totally beneﬁt from this drill! And, you will have a good time practicing. I hope that from now on, you will treat your golf bag as a special buddy. It’s all about getting you to play a better game of golf!

ABOUT TONY MEECHAI Born and brought up in the United States, Tony Meechai won his first golf tournament at the age of nine. He began working in the golf industry when aged 15 and competed in various Mini-Tour and PGA Tour qualifiers after turning professional in 1994. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University and a degree in Marketing and Professional Golf Management, he has made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which time he has served as Director of Instruction at Thailand’s Heartland Golf Schools and Springfield Royal Country Club as well as presenting tips on numerous region-wide golf television shows. His signature Black Hat Golf Camps and Schools offered at various clubs in Thailand, including Lotus Valley Golf Resort, portrays the unique curriculum and teaching philosophy. Recently, he co-founded the International Preparatory Golf Academy at The American School of Bangkok, which combines an academic and golf education program for junior golfers. Voted 2015 Top 3 Best Professional Golf Coach in Asia Pacific, he continues to strive to grow the game of golf in Asia. For further information, please visit www.tmggroupasia.com or email to tony@tmggroupasia.com. 98 99 ASIAN GOLF 196

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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 KVÛ[VÛ HUK PZ YLUVÛLK 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

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