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APRIL 2017

The Asian Golf Awards for 2017 is on! The on-line poll is open and the time has come for golf clubs to embark on promoting the polls to seek the widest possible support of their members and guests to vote for the best of the best. It is important to note that the Asian Golf Awards works on the simple premise of the most valid votes cast and the biggest margin in any category will claim the top honours. So, start your engines and get voting!

12 24 SPECIAL FEATURE 24 I’VE BEEN FITTED! This is a new series that ASIAN GOLF is introducing with the hope that it will help towards creating greater awareness about custom club fitting and the benefits that can be derived playing with a set of clubs that are specially fitted for a golfer.

48 WOOHOO – EX-YAHOO BOSS GOES GOLF FUTURE GAZING! Like most everything in the world, golf is facing disruption especially in the area of how it can impact the growth of the

game because in the ﬁnal analysis, what matters most is how effective of a magnet is the game going to be in attracting and keeping new players. One guy seems to have some ideas as to how the game of golf will evolve going into the future. He may not be a futurologist in the true sense of the word, but he sure as hell understands disruptive technologies. He is none other than the visionary Jerry Yang, the Taiwanese American who dreamt up and co-founded Yahoo.

62 AN UGLY DUCKLING NO MORE! The new Tanjong golf course at Sentosa Golf Club played host to the LPGA’s Women’s Championship in February and guess what – the stars approved! Everyone from Inbee Park (who

COMMENTARY

FASHION TREND

30 IS A GLOBAL WAR LOOMING?

42 WANT A GRIP LIKE THAT OF A SPIDER? ECCO’S GOT IT!

In the past few months, there seems to have been some stirrings and whether this is related to the start of a global tour cannot be conﬁrmed. What we have to offer is pure speculation but both tours, the PGA Tour and the European Tour have been bulking up their presence particularly in Asia where there is room for growth insofar as the professional game is concerned.

ECCO Golf, the leading Danish golf footwear innovator, has introduced the ECCO CAGE PRO, a spike-less golf shoe that utilises a revolutionary sole design to provide outstanding grip and performance.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS 36 MEET A CLUB WITH AN IDENTITY CRISIS! The latest club from Tour Edge is a hybrid, perhaps an “over-engineered” club that thinks it is a fairway wood. It’s the brand new Exotics EX10 – a hybrid that builds upon the most popular Exotics hybrid – the 2016 EX9.

54 CHECK OUT TAYLORMADE’S 2017 BANDWAGON

74 36 54

TaylorMade is kicking off 2017 with a slew of new products ranging from a basketful of putters, a bucket load of golf balls and some wedges. ASIAN GOLF provides an overview of some of the new product mix with the focus on the new putters and balls. won the tournament) to the world number one and number two, Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn respectively, were waxing lyrical about how spectacular and awe-inspiring the course was. ASIAN GOLF pays tribute.

GAME-IMPROVEMENT 74 BLACK HAT TIPS: WHAT A SIMPLE RULER CAN DO FOR YOUR GOLF GAME! Have you ever taken a golf lesson? Did you notice the amount of emphasis that is placed on the importance of how you set up your grip – yes, your GRIP? It’s a vital part of anyone’s game – get your grip wrong and you are going to be in for some scary, rough experiences! Tony Meechai has the solution.

80 PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE: WANT TO WIN A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP – BUCK UP ON YOUR SHORT GAME! Juniors – if you want to get a U.S. golf college scholarship, you must have a fully developed game before you head off to college. The American college system is geared towards low scoring, and any short-comings in any area of their game puts them under pressure.

REGULARS

68 ASIA’S BEST JUST GOT BETTER!

6 EDITORIAL TEAM

Black Mountain in Hua Hin, Thailand, has added a new ninehole course – an addition to the already spectacular landscape of the original 18-holes. The nine hole facility was built in record time and the planning and designing of the new course was master-minded by its founding owner, Stig Notlov in collaboration with a good friend of his, Swedish professional golfer Johan Edfors.

8 SHARED THOUGHTS FROM THE PUBLISHER: FORGET THE RULES – GROW THE GAME! Set against the recent joint announcement by the USGA and the R&A, the two custodians of the rules of golf regarding an initiative to “modernise the rules of golf”, one can only applaud the decision as being very timely.

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

THESE ARE DARK DAYS FOR THE SPORT OF GOLF. BOTH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PLAYING THE GAME AND SALES OF GOLF-RELATED MERCHANDISE ARE IN FREEFALL, WHILE COURSES EVERYWHERE, EVEN IN GOLFLOVING AND RETIREE-PACKED

FLORIDA, ARE CLOSING AT RECORD RATES. TIGER WOODS, THE FACE OF EA’S GOLF VIDEO GAME FOR 15 YEARS, HAS FALLEN FROM COVER STATUS. WITH ANOTHER 1,000 COURSES SET TO CLOSE OVER THE NEXT DECADE, WE’RE FORCED TO ASK IF THE DECLINE IN GOLF’S POPULARITY, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, IS ACTUALLY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. – JEZEBEL, A BLOG OWNED BY GAWKER MEDIA

he aGMDFHQW extract from a blog, about sum up the state of golf in North America, the game’s largest and most important market. We use America as the yardstick as it is the most credible and about the only market where reliable statistics are readily available. Set against the recent joint announcement by the USGA and the R&A, the two custodians of the rules of golf regarding an initiative to “modernise the rules of golf”, one can only applaud the decision as being very timely. From what we gather, we believe that this overhaul represents arguably the most sweeping effort since the sport’s first known rule book was published in 1744. Now, get a load of this – the process to consider the change to the Rules began in 2012 and according to the bureaucrats, this comprehensive process “is the first fundamental review since 1984, and was established to ensure the Rules fit the needs of today’s game and the way it is played around the world.” Speak of greased-lightning speed! asiangolf

Anyway, in keeping with democratic practices and open participation, the bureaucrats have decided to put out the proposed changes to be viewed by golfers worldwide before the implementation process begins. According to a communique put out by the two agencies, “The online release of this preview begins a six-month feedback and evaluation period during which all golfers worldwide can learn about the proposed changes and

>«À 2017

provide input before they are ﬁnalised in 2018 and take effect on 1 January 2019. There we go again – a cycle of change designed to keep golf dragging its feet in a dynamic and fast-paced world! It is all ﬁne and dandy for golf’s bureaucrats to plod at their preferred pace, which is slower than that of the fastest snail that we know of, we feel since they are in a change-mode, they should be looking at two sets of rules. Our contention is that there should be one for the professionals and a sort of “Rules Lite” for amateurs and duffers. In fact, if we had our druthers, we would advocate the total abolition of rules for the amateur game! It’s controversial and we expect a push back but based on observation, the amateur club game is played with scarce attention to the rules of golf. It is oftentimes comical to watch a bunch of golfers making up their own

HAVE RULES RELATING TO THE GAME’S SOCIAL ETIQUETTE AND MAYBE ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES. RELAX THE HANDCUFFS ON THE USE OF NONCONFORMING GOLF EQUIPMENT. LET GOLFERS HAVE FUN!

THE ONLINE RELEASE OF THIS PREVIEW BEGINS A SIX-MONTH FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION PERIOD DURING WHICH ALL GOLFERS WORLDWIDE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND PROVIDE INPUT BEFORE

2018 AND TAKE 1 JANUARY 2019.

THEY ARE FINALISED IN EFFECT ON

rules, which to say the least, makes a mockery out of the rules of golf. We know that the push back will vehemently point to the fact that the game of golf is “self-regulating” blah, blah, blah. Our intent is not to question the integrity of the rules of the game or its observance. Why subject the rules to such ignominy – just do away with it altogether since there is hardly any enforcement of the rules by national golf associations and golf clubs. And for good measure, virtually no education to bring about a better understanding of the rules! Have rules relating to the game’s social etiquette and maybe attire and accessories. Relax the handcuffs on the use of non-conforming golf equipment. Let golfers have FUN!

FOOTNOTE: The R&A and the USGA encourage golfers to review the proposed changes and submit feedback online via worldwide survey technology that can be accessed at randa.org or usga.org/rules from now until 31 August 2017.

Have You Planned Your Next Golf Holiday? Travel With Golfasian Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Bespoke Golf Vacations!

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COVER STORY

2017 ASIAN GOLF AWARDS

Being the BEST is no longer good enough. It is a measurement benchmark that many aspiring individuals and corporations can ascend to. We do not want to take anything away from these people and organisations that set high goals and strive their level best to attain what they deem to be the pinnacle of being the best. 13

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ver the years, BEST was good enough for us to measure the top performers in the Asian golf club industry. It was a superlative that inspired pride both in individuals and organisations and motivated them to shoot for the stars. However, the quest for excellence has now taken a turn, a turn for the better. With over 5000 golf clubs operating in the Asian geography and thousands of people engaged in this vibrant industry, there is now a need to draw a clear division between those that have

what it takes to be world class players in an ever-expanding global marketplace. The need to bring about this differentia tion has been accentuated by a growing number of international golfers coming to Asia to enjoy the game of golf. Given this trend in the growth of golf tourism, expectations especially in the area of quality of course, quality of service and the experience provided, must be carefully man aged. Those who understand and appreciate world standard need not be told what the consequences would be should Asian golf clubs and courses not measure up to the best th world has to offer. We want to be quick to point out that quality standards excellence are not something that is alien to Asia. Going ba through the ages, the ancient civilizations of Asia, especially the Chinese emperors and the Indian maharajahs had mastered the art of luxury and opulent life-styles. They were the masters who set the standards and as such, w in Asia have a long and rich heritage and traditions and roots that are firmly entrenched in the appreciation of the better things in life. Put simply, we understand qua ity and service and we know how to deliver it. As an example, just look at how Asian airlines and Asian hotel chains stack up in the world order of excellence – Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and ANA All Nippon Airlines are flag-bearers for Asia while the Shangri-la, Mandarin and Peninsula are Asian hotel brands that are world class operators of ultra-fine hotel and resorts. These are organ isations representing brands th have raised and maintained the bar so high, that what they offer accepted as being the worl

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standard. Now, if these service providers can exceed expectations and excel, then we should look inwards toward Asia to help motivate, inspire and set a new epitome for excellence for the golf club industry. To help keep standards high and to continue to strive to take it to a higher level is the primary focus and objective of the Asian Golf Awards. One measure of excellence of this programme is its sustainability – it is no Johnny-come-lately award scheme with no track record. It has been around for years and it is the ONLY award programme for the Asian golf club industry that celebrates the best of the best in the industry. “We live in a day and age when industry awards have proliferated to a level where it has become almost impossible to keep track

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or recall who won what,” explained Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group, the owner and producer of the annual Asian Golf Awards. “By virtue of the fact that the Asian Golf Awards was the first and is the longest running programme is proof in itself of its leadership and its prestigious standing within the industry – it is a record of those who meet the standards and those who qualify!” Speaking about records, all award winners over the years have been installed and enshrined in a purpose-built web-site for all to see – http://www.asiangolfawards.com The 2017 Asian Golf Awards will again be the most comprehensive award programme of its kind for the golf industry in Asia. “We see it as a programme that encompasses every aspect of the industry that needs to be recognised for the good work that is being done and we also firmly believe that these organisations and individuals need to be honoured, brought forward and celebrated,” said Angela Raymond, president of APGG. For 2017, there will be a total of 41 awards clustered under three distinct categories. “For this year, we are expanding the number of awards by recognising the golf equipment industry which will include golf club manufacturers, golf balls and footwear, apparel and accessories,” Raymond pointed out. The reason that these new awards are being introduced is because each product category plays a very important role in the growth of golf in Asia. “We have always thought big at the Asian Golf Awards and

we felt that the time was right to think big and add these new awards.” The new award categories are: Most Popular Golf Equipment brand (driver, woods/hybrids, putters) Most Popular Golf Ball Most Popular Golf Apparel/Golf Shoes/Accessories Some of the special awards to be presented will include: The Global Vision Award Inductions to the 2017 Asia Paciﬁc Golf Hall Of Fame 2017 Asia Paciﬁc Life-Time Achievement Award

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Best Course in Chinese Taipei Best Course in India Best Course in Indonesia Best Course in Japan Best Course in South Korea Best Course in Laos Best Course in Malaysia Best Course in Myanmar Best Course in Middle East Best Course in the Philippines Best Course in Singapore Best Course on the Sub-Continent (including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan & Sri Lanka) 16. Best Course in Thailand 17. Best Course in Vietnam

COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY 1. Best Course in Brunei Darussalam 2. Best Course in Cambodia 3. Best Course in China (including Hong Kong and Macau)

BEST IN ASIA-PACIFIC CATEGORY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Best Golf Destination in Asia Pacific Best Course in Asia Pacific Best Championship Course in Asia Pacific Best Golf Resort in Asia Pacific Best Golf Club Experience in Asia Pacific Best Club Food and Beverage Experience in Asia Pacific erience Best Value for Money Experience Best New Course in Asia Pacific acific Best Clubhouse in Asia Pacifi n Asia Pacific Best Maintained Course in cific Best Pro-Shop in Asia Pacifi

“There are good players, there are great players, ay yers,, Pe and there are those few at the pinnacle - the Peles, Cruyffs and Maradonas.” This quotation perhaps apss ap best captures what makes an organisation stand d out out from the rest. It’s a quote from a great footballer, the e late l t Irish superstar, George Best. He was not known to be effusively effu ffusiv sively ely open with praise for fellow footballers but this was one of the th h rare rare ra re moments mom mo mom momen oment entss when en when wh hen e he paid special tribute to the greatest of them all! We decided to draw inspiration from George Best and the Asia Pacific Golf Group is proud to announce the launch of “The Serendipity” Awards – an unique and exclusive yardstick of quality and excellence bestowed upon the best golf clubs in Asia. Why “Serendipity Awards” you may ask? Well, to start with, it’s an old English word that dates back to 1754. It is a very expressive word and it smacks of class and distinc-

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WE SEE IT AS A PROGRAMME THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERY ASPECT OF THE INDUSTRY THAT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNISED FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT IS BEING DONE AND WE ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THESE ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE HONOURED, BROUGHT FORWARD AND CELEBRATED 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Best Managed Golf Club in Asia Pacific Best Locker Room (Male & Female) in Asia Pacific Best Public Golf Course In Asia Pacific Best Renovated Course Of The Year Best Course Architect in Asia Pacific

SPECIAL CATEGORY OF THE YEAR 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Best Club General Manager Of The Year Best Golf Manager Of The Year Best Food & Beverage Manager Of The Year Best Professional Golf Coach in Asia Paciﬁc Best Golf Course Superintendent Of The Year Best Caddie Of The Year Best MarComm Manager Of The Year Best HR Manager Of The Year

– ANGELA RAYMOND “As always, we expect to be making some special announcements regarding one-time awards to mark the individual achievements of which there will be some and in total, we have good reason to believe that the 2017 Asian Golf Awards will mark a new milestone in the long-standing history of the programme,” Raymond concluded. The on-line polling for the 2017 Asian Golf Awards is already “live” and can be accessed via the following link: http://agmawards.asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com/ ?bypass=apgg2 “Like always, the 2017 Asian Golf Awards is no different to previous years – votes will only be accepted via this on-line facility and the programme works on the simple principle of winners being determined by the most number of valid votes received by the closing date,” explained Alice Ho, APGG’s business executive in charge of managing the polls. The polls will remain open from April 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017.

tion. tio ion. n. “This “Th This his i is is why wh w hy y the the th e award awar awar ward arrd is is being bei bein eing g named nam ame me m ed such,” s said Mike Sebastian, chief executive and of the Asian Golf Awards. execut exe cuttive i e officer offfic offic ficer fi e of APGG, the er e owner ow an nd producer pro o The e first first rss batch batch ch h of of clubs clubs cl bss who b wh w ho will will lll be be the th he proud prrou ou oud d recipients of the “Serendipity Awards” during the Asian Golf Awards Awa ards rd ” will will be e celebrated celeb ce l ratted leb e at a special spec pecial pe ia ia al ceremony ce cer erem rem Gala Banquet 16, 2017. Gal G la B a uet to be anq b he held ld in i Danang Dan Da anang ang ng g on on November Novem Nov No vem ve m

“The honourees will be presented with a special plaque and written citation and will be permanently installed in a web-site as a mark of their special and distinguished achievement,” said Sebastian. A fitting tribute to the first batch can be drawn from the famous American band leader and jazz musician Duke Ellington who said, “My attitude is never to be satisfied, never enough, never.”

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I am PELLE

EDBERG and my life revolves around

Black Mountain. As a professional golfer, I have constant access to a world class golf course that helps me stay at the top of my game. I love life and Black Mountain offers the ideal setting for quality living in a perfectly managed and well-balanced environment. Black Mountain is safe and a perfect place to enjoy life. What more can I ask for? Come and be part of Black Mountain. Black Mountain Golf Club – a small piece of heaven on earth.

Black Mountain Golf Club – Asia’s Winningest Golf Club

Petchakasem Rd, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand Tel: +66 32 618 666 | Email: proshop@bmghuahin.com | www.blackmountainhuahin.com

NOVEMBER 14 – 16, 2017 | DANANG, VIETNAM The 2017 Asia Pacific Golf Summit will be the eleventh in the series and it is the longest running golf business and knowledge conference in Asia. Details will be available effective March 1, 2017 PRODUCED BY THE ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP (2014) PTE LTD. Suite 07-23 A’posh Bizhub, 1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, Singapore 768160 /i \Ê³ÈxÊÈÎÓÎÊÓnääÊUÊ >Ý\Ê³ÈxÊÈÎÓÎÊÓnÎnÊ7iLÃ Ìi\ÊÜÜÜ°>Ã >«>V wV} v}À Õ«°V

Working Towards Growing The Game Of Golf In A

Ë Asia is poised for steady growth in golf tourism which will be more or less internally driven with the growth being led by China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia which collectively account for nearly 2 billion people and a generally youthful and economically mobile population. ËhThe professional tours (PGA Tour/European Tour/Asian Tour will all be ramping up more tournaments in Asia. The PGA Tour, the world’s largest, already has offices in Japan, Korea, China and Malaysia with mega events like the CIMB Classic (Malaysia US$7 million); Korea - US$9.25 million etc. ËhGolf clubs in Asia need to re-position to deliver a more engaging, attractively packaged and appealing proposition to a wide audience made up of Millenials, Gen Xers, Gen Ys and Gen Z. A new direction is urgently needed. The old adage applies - golf is not my father’s game - it needs to be re-engineered and made revelant to rapidly changing times. ËhVietnam, as the fastest emerging nation on the Planet with HOST SPONSOR:

Asia!

regards to golf will playing a major role in the development of golf and will provide a new direction for the growth of golf.

CUSTOM CLUB FITTING SPECIAL FEATURE

This is a new series that ASIAN GOLF is introducing with the hope that it will help towards creating greater awareness about custom club fitting and the benefits that can be derived playing with a set of clubs that are specially fitted for a golfer.

his initiative is really something that should have been done long ago, but like many golfers, we never quite really bought into custom club fitting. Going back to a period some fifteen years ago, this writer was “fitted” with a set of clubs which resulted in him almost giving up the game of golf. It’s a horror story that we would like to share with all of our readers and this will serve as a prelude to the

numerous advantages of You see, the nightma golf club in Australia whe duced to the club’s reside an impressive, loud Austr and he chomped on a ciga than a professional club ﬁ had his assistant roll in a assortment of club heads asiangolf 199

being custom fitted. re took place at an elite ere this writer was introent club fitter. The guy was ralian who wore a cowboy hat ar. He was more a salesman fitter and after his spiel, he fitting cart that had a wide s and shafts.

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He went through a well-rehearsed routine that involved frequent changes of club heads and shafts that were punctuated by breaks when he placed lead tape on the clubs (there was no Trackman in those days). After a ritual lasting for more than thirty minutes, the fitter wrapped up by declaring, “We’ve got you measured up mate. We’ll have a set of clubs ready for you in two days. Happy golfing!” When the two days were up, the new, custom-fitted clubs were collected and this writer could not believe his eyes. It was a set of irons that were fitted with stiff metal shafts and the heads were blades! All this for a guy who had the greatest of difficulty breaking 110 in a round of golf! This writer certainly was not CUSTOM-FITTED. Instead, he was CONNED big time! That was then but things have since changed. The practice of custom-fitting of golf clubs is a science where a golfer no longer is forced to accept what a fitter gives him. Today, with the aid of launch monitors and tracking devices, a golfer gets to see every shot he hits with every club which helps in the process of understanding why a properly fit club can and will help correct the errors. Subsequently, he is able to compare his “off-the-shelf” shots with shots taken with clubs that are tweaked with different shafts and different specifications

THROUGH PING AND TITLEIST, WE REACHED OUT TO A BUNCH OF AVERAGE GOLFERS WHO HAVE TAKEN THE DECISION TO GO WITH CUSTOM FIT GOLF CLUBS AND WHAT ALL OF THEM HAVE SHARED WITH US WILL PROVE TO BE VERY CANDID REVELATIONS OF HOW THEIR GAME HAS IMPROVED.

THIS IS UNADULTER-

ATED VALIDATION FROM END-USERS AND IT IS THE BEST FORM OF SHARING AN EXPERIENCE, A GOOD EXPERIENCE. which allow him to visually see the difference on a medium that he is both familiar with and trusts – a TV screen. He has the ability to see how his shots are ﬁne-tuned with each tweak to a club until it sits just right. This is the science of modern day custom club-ﬁtting. Nothing is left

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to chance – every weakness is corrected and the set that is finally handed over to the golfer being fitted, is perfect for his game. However, let it be understood that a custom-fit set of clubs does not automatically translate into a golfer being able to play golf perfectly. It just means that a golfer is equipped with a set of club, that’s perfectly set up to address his game. Practice is still required to become good at the game. ASIAN GOLF is going out on a limb to promote custom club fitting because we believe that it is the only way to ensure that all golfers can truly enjoy playing the game of golf. In the context of growing the game, what else would be better than giving the FUN FACTOR a big boost? That said, we have turned to two of the leading proponents for custom club fitting. These are equipment manufacturers who have always placed great importance to custom fitting – in fact custom fitting of clubs is deeply engrained in the ethos of both organisations. The brands that we have elected to work with are PING Golf and Titleist, both standout names in the golf equipment industry.

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and further reduced the 15 metre dispersion to 10 metres. Similar fitting was INFORMATIVE AND VERY CONCISE done for irons. The clubs recommended during the AND CLEAR HE FIRST FIVE TEE SHOTS fitting session immediately HIT WITH THE FIRST RECOMMENDED felt very comfortable just DRIVER IMPROVED MY DRIVING DISTANCE like I had been using them all along. Quite remarkFROM M TO M AND able that just hitting fifteen REDUCED THE DISPERSION FROM shots could have achieved this result. METRES TO METRES – JOHN CHEANG Loke (Titleist): I was impressed by the facilities, the knowledge of the fitter Through PING and Titleist, we reached out to a group and realised the wrong impression I had before the of average golfers who have taken the decision to go with fitting session. I had always thought that Titleist clubs custom fit golf clubs and what all of them have shared were meant for low handicappers and that they are not with us will prove to be very candid revelations of how easy to handle. However, the fitting session made me their game has improved. This is unadulterated validation change my mind – I have learnt about shaft weight, from end-users and it is the best form of sharing an expeflex, grip size, lie angle and many other factors perform rience, a good experience. important functions in a golfer’s game. Understanding all The two featured golfers are Joseph Cheang (PING) of this combined with a set of custom fit clubs has really and Loke Hon Weng (Titleist). Both golfers were asked a changed my game and outlook towards golf. I can’t say set of questions and these are their respective answers: enough about having a professional fitter looking after WHAT WAS YOUR HANDICAP BEFORE CUSTOM FITme and my clubs. TING: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT HANDICAP? Cheang (PING): I was playing to a handicap of 18 and Cheang (PING): Currently I confidently play between 92-98 averaged between 98-108 on my scores. and I am very happy with my custom fitted PING clubs. Loke (Titleist): I was playing around handicap 22 before I Loke (Titleist): I am playing off 16 handicap now. Golf is a decided to go for fittings. game of confidence. A new set of fitted clubs has definitely WHAT DID THE INITIAL CLUB FITTING EXERCISE brought new confidence to my game and I truly appreciate REVEAL TO YOU – WERE YOU ABLE TO DISTINCTLY SEE the positive effects of Titleist club fitting. THE VARIOUS FACTORS THAT WERE RADICALLY WRONG WITH YOUR GAME? Cheng (PING): The fitting WAS IMPRESSED BY THE FACIL exercise was informative and very concise and clear. The ITIES THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE first five tee shots I hit with FITTER AND REALISED THE WRONG the first recommended driver improved my driving distance IMPRESSION HAD BEFORE THE FITTING from 180m to 195-200m and SESSION HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT reduced the dispersion from 35 metres to 15 metres. The ITLEIST CLUBS WERE MEANT FOR LOW second driver maintained HANDICAPPERS AND THAT THEY ARE NOT the 15-20 metre improveEASY TO HANDLE – LOKE HON WENG ment in driving distance

THE FITTING EXERCISE WAS .T

180

195-200

EDITOR’S NOTE: What is reported are the answers of the golfers who were custom ﬁtted by both PING and Titleist. It is very apparent that both golfers experienced a distinct improvement to their game as validated by the drop in their respective handicaps. Should you be interested in being custom ﬁtted, do contact the following numbers to seek advice and an appointment:

PING: Tel: +65 6762 7330 • 6481 5669 TITLEIST: http://www.titleist.com.sg/golf-club-ﬁtting/appointments

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200 Yen Phu St, Tay Ho District, Hanoi

www.brggolfcenter.vn

A BRG Golf Company

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COMMENTARY

WAVES OF CHANGE

For the past few years, we in Asia have been hearing about the possible formation of a global tour. The chatter has taken place on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean involving the two giants of the professional game, namely the behemoth, the PGA Tour and the lesser European Tour. While for most of the time, the talk has just been chatter mixed in with some speculation, the subject of a global tour has not really been taken to a higher level from what we gather. It has just remained as chatter.

owever, in the last few months, there seems to have be some stirring and whether this is related to the start of a global tour cannot be conďŹ rmed. What we have to offer is pure speculation but both tours, the PGA Tour and the European Tour have been bulking up their presence particularly in Asia where there is room for growth insofar as the professional game is concerned. With Tim Finchem no longer at the helm of the

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PGA Tour, a younger commissioner in the form of Jay Monahan will be a good bet to bring about change. The Americans have beefed up their presence and geographic footprint in Asia. The PGA Tour has an established beach-head in Kuala Lumpur and a rich tournament in the US$7 million dollar CIMB Classic which has now been extended till 2020. The presence in China seems like one set to grow from strength to strength â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the PGA Tour is partnered with the all-powerful China Golf Associa-

PARTNERING WITH A RESPECTED BUSINESS LEADER LIKE THE

CJ CORPORA-

TION MEANS THIS TOURNAMENT WILL BE ON THE

KOREAN

SPORTS LANDSCAPE FOR YEARS TO COME.

– JAY MONAHAN

tion which operates the China PGA Tour. With this partnership in place, there is no more room for another major tour to start up a professional tour in China. That space has been filled by the PGA Tour! The next market is South Korea where the PGA Tour is growing its presence. The PGA TOUR has teamed up with the CJ Corporation and has announced the US$9.25 million CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges tournament scheduled for October 16-22, 2017, in Korea. In making this official, Monahan said, “This announcement is a historic landmark for the PGA TOUR as we add another tournament in Asia. We had such a phenomenal experience in Korea last year at The Presidents Cup, and we hoped an official, permanent event in this great country would be the result of that success.” He went on to add, “Partnering with a respected business leader like the CJ Corporation means this tournament will be on the Korean sports landscape for years to come.” “The addition of the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges to our schedule gives us three strong tournaments in consecutive weeks in Asia, and they will play a significant role in shaping the early part of the FedExCup season and the FedExCup chase overall,” Monahan continued. Footnote: The tournaments are the World Golf Championship in Shanghai, CIMB Classic and the Korean tournament. In 2016, 20 players from Korea had membership on either the PGA Tour or Web.com Tour. On the PGA Tour’s international-player roster, the 12 Korean members for the 2016-17 season is exceeded

only by the 15 from Australia. Completing the “Asian Swing” is the establishment of the PGA Tour’s Champions and the Japan Airlines Championship, the first ever PGA Tour-sanctioned event to be held in Japan to be played at Narita Golf Clu Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Japan the week of Septe The move towards the globalisation of golf do towards Asia. In 2016, a strategic alliance was for Tour and the LPGA Tour. This agreement is design the growth of golf and the partnership between th women’s professional golf tours will include area dination, joint marketing programmes, domestic digital media and exploring the potential developm Commenting on the strategic alliance, LPGA Whan said, “We look forward to working with the a positive impact for our sport.” This is a dynamit be a tough act to follow and to beat! What sort of a conclusion can we draw from The answer really is simple – there is absolutely n Tour has taken off big time in Asia and from all in Americans are going it alone in their initiative to s Speaking for Asia, we welcome this developm means that good things can happen for the game deep pockets, a tremendous depth in its field of p media in tow. No one can do a better job than the to growing the game of golf and expanding its infl Remember that slogan that the PGA Tour used to promote their tour – THESE GUYS ARE GOOD! We them – they are darn good! So, where does that leave the European Tour start a global tour is concerned? Well, the way w tour’s chief executive officer has not bee has been actively dreaming up plots o and take a hold of the global game. quer” the world, he has sought to

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ub in ember 4-10, 2017. oes not stop at the thrust rmed between the PGA ned to further promote he leading men’s and s such as schedule coortelevision representation, ment of joint events. Commissioner Mike PGA TOUR team to deliver e partnership and it will

all this activity in Asia? no doubt that the PGA dications, it looks like the start up a global tour. ment because it only of golf. The PGA Tour has players and it has powerful PGA Tour when it comes ﬂuence on a global scale. o use some years ago to ell, you better believe

insofar as their dream to we see it, Keith Pelley, the en idling all this time. He of his own to expand In his bid to “conbe allies with the PGA

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Tour of Australasia (what a moronic term – you are E HAVE SAID FOR SOME TIME THAT either Australia or Asia GOLF NEEDS TO MODERNIZE AND but not Australasia!), and INTRODUCING INNOVATIVE NEW FORMATS IS A the “baby” of the alliance, the Asian Tour. MAJOR PART OF ACHIEVING THAT AIM After some months ELLEY EXPLAINED E WENT ON TO ADD of relative silence, Pelley seems to have E WANT TO BROADEN THE APPEAL OF OUR emerged from a deep SPORT TO THE MILLENNIAL DEMOGRAPHIC AND winter slumber to THINK THIS FORMAT WILL DO THAT announce a “game changer”. The Canadian this is precisely what golf needs to grow spectator support. chief of the European Tour generated some tremors As Pelley puts it: “This is an experiment. It may work on the golf landscape with the announcement of a new or may not work. It’s our chance to innovate and afterwards format for the professional game - “GolfSixes”, will be we’ll have to research consumer groups to evaluate it, making its debut at the Centurion Club north of London along with stakeholders and sponsors.” on May 6-7. This format will feature two-man teams In an interview, Pelley was quoted as saying: “It is not from 16 different countries competing for a prize fund of about wholesale changes in the game. We need to be more US$1.06 million. According to Pelley, the teams will be entertaining for the younger generation, so they can experisplit into four groups of four teams on Day 1, with the top ence the wonderful game and the great athletes.” two from each group progressing to the knockout stages. In another twist, the spunky Canadian who comes with The quarterfinals, semi-finals and final will take place on NFL, NHL, and Major League Baseball experience revealed Day 2. Teams will comprise the leading available player that the European Tour may transform a stadium into a from each competing country and a chosen team-mate. makeshift, six-hole course for a novelty tournament. What Pelley has done is part of the European Tour’s “It would be completely different. It could be fun. “We aggressive move to introduce innovative formats to want to modernise as much as we possibly can. In order to broaden the appeal of the sport. As stated earlier, in trying do that, you have to unleash your imagination, and we’re to bring about change, Pelley has started a romance with having fun doing it.” new bedfellows – the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Well, it looks like Pelley has something with which to Asian Tour. Both these tours have bought into the new go after a global golf tournament. Maybe, there’s a special format lock, stock and barrel. “Sixes” global golf tournament league in the offing and perIn fact, the new format was put to the test last month haps this is what Pelley hopes to use as his thrust towards at the inaugural World Super 6 Perth in Australia and it occupying the global game space. It’s anybody’s guess right was a success. The tournament featured 54 holes of stroke now because amidst all of this activity, there seems to be play before the final 24 players battled it out over a drasome clear battle lines emerging. The European Tour with matic final day six-hole shoot-out. Pelley was on hand to its allies (namely the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian witness this success and he spoke with confidence about Tour) are going one way, while the PGA Tour seems to be the future of this new format and the role that it would play the quiet 1000 pound gorilla in the arena. There has been in growing the game of golf. no word or reaction from the PGA Tour on Pelley’s new “We have said for some time that golf needs to mod“Sixes” format. ernize and introducing innovative new formats is a major Whatever the case, all the developments look positive part of achieving that aim,” Pelley explained. He went on for golf and for the global golf population. It just means to add, “We want to broaden the appeal of our sport to the that more of the world will have access to world class golf millennial demographic and I think this format will do that.” played by some of the game’s greatest stars and what could Pelley wants to “emulate the national fervor” of the be bad about this? Ryder Cup in GolfSixes, which will feature amphitheatre-style Our hope is that all the tours come together and work stands around the tees and greens, music and pyrotechnics together for the greater interest of the game. Pipe dreams? on the first tee and at various points around the course, and Most probably! But we’ll keep our fingers crossed. all players to be miked up. Sounds like a great deal of fun and

,”

P “W I

TOUR EDGE EX10 HYBRID EQUIPMENT FOCUS

We live in a world of wannabes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; smartphones that try and behave like an i-Phone; souped-up sports cars that try and rev up to the guttural roar of a thoroughbred Lamborghini or a little caged canary with dreams of soaring like a majestic eagle. You get the message â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we just needed something to set up a brand new club from Tour Edge.

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our Edge, the Chicago-based equipment manufacturer is now promoting itself as “Golf’s Most Solid Investment” and when you really look at the claim, the company and its products do live up to it. The latest club from Tour Edge is a hybrid, perhaps an “over-engineered” club that thinks it is a fairway wood. It’s the brand new Exotics EX10 – a hybrid that builds upon the most popular Exotics hybrid – the 2016 EX9. The highpoints about this new club is its incredible forgiveness and effortless hit-ability which is all attributed to what Tour Edge calls its “MATERIAL ADVANTAGE”. The Tour Edge R&D team has successfully elevated Exotics hybrids to the same calibre as the fairway woods via its MATERIAL ADVANTAGE - the EX10 differentiates itself in the hybrid category with a new Japanese high density, steel cup face – HT 980 high-tensile strength steel. This new steel can be engineered extremely thin producing higher CT levels all over the face ensuring that mishits ﬂy longer and straighter. Exotics continue to use combo brazing technology despite the increased expense because the process ensures

THE HIGHPOINTS ABOUT THIS NEW CLUB IS ITS INCREDIBLE FORGIVENESS AND EFFORTLESS HITABILITY WHICH IS ALL ATTRIBUTED TO WHAT TOUR EDGE CALLS ITS “MATERIAL ADVANTAGE”.

the tightest tolerances. The EX10 hybrid features a 450 SS hyper-steel body that is combo brazed with the steel cup face producing legendary distance and forgiveness. The company’s engineers made substantial changes to the SlipStream sole lengthening the rails and designing the channels between the rails shallower and more compact overall to ensure minimal turf interaction. A heavy rear sole pad, located behind the rails, produces a deeper CG, and helps to easily get the ball in the air from any lie. To further enhance the aerodynamics of the club head speed channels run both vertical and horizontal. The increased heel weight and the aerodynamic design all adds up to faster speed, higher MOI, less spin and HE HYBRID FEATURES more distance. “The EX10 hybrid features VariARIABLE ACE HICKNESS able Face Thickness technology – the TECHNOLOGY THE THIN AND THICK thin and thick compartments on the COMPARTMENTS ON THE FACE ARE face are strategically positioned for optimal forgiveness in preparation for STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED FOR OPTI off-centre hits,” according to David MAL FORGIVENESS IN PREPARATION FOR Glod, founder and president of Tour Edge. OFF CENTRE HITS – DAVID GLOD

T V

EX10 F –

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FASHION TREND

ECCO GOLF SHOES

Remember all those Spiderman movies where you have the super-hero swinging from building to building and latching on to the sides of towering skyscrapers with a clinging grip to kill for? We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to tell you where that grip came from â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the inspiration was drawn from the little arachnid that we commonly refer to as a spider. Well, seems like this grip has proven to be so impressive that the sole of golf shoes are now being engineered based on the grip of a spider.

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CCO Golf, the leading Danish golf footwear innovator, has introduced the ECCO CAGE PRO, a spike-less golf shoe that utilises a revolutionary sole design to provide outstanding grip and performance. The ECCO CAGE PRO is an iteration of the highly successful ECCO CAGE golf shoe which was launched last year. As the inventors of the original, ground-breaking hybrid golf shoe, the ECCO CAGE PRO further revolutionises the concept with the introduction of the new performance focused ECCO SPYDR-GRIP outsole. This is where the “spider grip” comes into focus. “With ECCO CAGE PRO, we’ve been able to take golf shoe design to a new dimension, and in particular, we’re extremely excited about the introduction of our new ECCO

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WITH ECCO CAGE PRO, WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE GOLF SHOE DESIGN TO A NEW DIMENSION, AND IN PARTICULAR, WE’RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE INTRO-

ECCO SPYDRGRIP SOLE AND THE PERFORMANCE BENEFITS IT WILL PROVIDE. DUCTION OF OUR NEW

SPYDR-GRIP sole and the performance beneﬁts it will provide,” said Jesper H Thuen, Asia Head for ECCO Golf. “Engineered for optimal traction at the foot’s natural pivot points, the ECCO SPYDR-GRIP outsole incorporates an organic design that is easy on the green and minimises clogging of dirt in the sole,” Thuen explained. The other special features of the ECCO SPYDR-GRIP include: A unique, one-piece, DIP stability cage that wraps from the heel through the midsole and across the toe box;

VIEW PHOTOS An anatomical design that aligns and moves in unison with the foot’s essential ligaments and muscles; ECCO Freedom Fit which combines a snug heel setting with a roomier forefoot area that allows toes to move naturally; The ECCO CAGE PRO also features a HYDROMAX® treated upper, made from soft, resistant dritton leather.

The ECCO CAGE PRO is crafted at companyowned 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. If it is grip that you are looking for in your golf shoe, check out the ECCO CAGE PRO. It’s the next best thing to actually strapping on spiders to your feet!

ENGINEERED FOR OPTIMAL TRACTION AT THE FOOT’S NATURAL PIVOT POINTS, THE ECCO SPYDRGRIP OUTSOLE INCORPORATES AN ORGANIC DESIGN THAT IS EASY ON THE GREEN AND MINIMISES CLOGGING OF DIRT IN THE SOLE.

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GOLF 2050 – A GAME ODYSSEY SPECIAL FEATURE

Let’s ﬁrst establish one premise and gain agreement on it. Are we all agreed that w most dynamic and exciting age of disruption – disruption across a multitude of ﬁeld be no stopping. Bottom line of all this mind-boggling disruption will all hopefully lea or at least that’s the way things are beginning to appear. Has disruption spared the way! It has already been disrupted and it all started with Tiger Woods and the trend continuing to disrupt how the professional game is played. asiangolf 199

we live in perhaps the ds and there seems to ad to a better world, golf industry? No ds that he set is now

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YANG, WHO IS AN AVID SINGLE HANDICAPPER AND A GOLF EQUIPMENT FANATIC, THINKS GOLF IS ABOUT TO ENTER A BRAND NEW AGE OF INNOVATION. THE TECHNOPRENEUR EXPLAINED THAT THE IDENTICAL APPLIED SCIENCES WHICH ARE RE-ORDERING THE HIGHER CLIENT WORLD - ISSUES LIKE SYNTHETIC INTELLIGENCE, DIGITAL ACTUALITY AND EVER-INCREASING INTERCONNECTIVITY, ARE COMING TO GOLF. asiangolf 199

et’s look at real disruption in golf especially in the area of how it can impact the growth of the game because in the ﬁnal analysis, what matters most is how effective of a magnet is the game going to be in attracting and keeping new players. One guy seems to have some ideas as to how the game of golf will evolve going into the future. He may not be a futurologist in the true sense of the word, but he sure as hell understands disruptive technologies. He is none other than the visionary Jerry Yang, the Taiwanese American who dreamt up and co-founded Yahoo and who had Yahoo invest US$1 billion in Jack Ma’s Alibaba that ended up as the most lucrative bet in Silicon Valley. Last month, the United States Golf Association (USGA), the American bureaucracy that governs over golf and the game’s rules, invited Yang to keynote at its North American Golf Innovation Symposium. One of the touchpoints of Yang’s address covered how he saw the game evolving and his address could not have come at a better time, especially when set against the recent joint announcement by the USGA and the R&A, regarding an initiative to “modernise the rules of golf”. Yang offered some fascinating insights to the future which is sort of ironical when you consider that the custodians of the game are just beginning to emerge from the dark ages with an overhaul to the game’s rules which represents the most sweeping effort since the sport’s ﬁrst known rule book was published in 1744. Yang, who is an avid single handicapper and a golf

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equipment fanatic, thinks golf is about to enter a brand new age of innovation. The technopreneur explained that the identical applied sciences which are re-ordering the higher client world - issues like synthetic intelligence, digital actuality and ever-increasing interconnectivity, are coming to golf. “If you look at the categories of things that are coming across our investment activities and how people understand their bodies, every element of that applies to golf,” Yang explained, adding that measuring brain waves, measuring all the body metrics are fascinating. He visualizes a future where laser range-ﬁnder technology is incorporated in sunglasses, and where a golf simulator in a person’s garage “will let you play St. Andrews in a way that really feels like St. Andrews.” Another area of future technology that Yang touched upon concerns ‘smart ball’ technology that would track every shot, its launch condition, direction, and distance. Now, get a hold of this predication – Yang believes that the kind of ‘haptic suits’ designed to help the handicapped walk could “be the same suit that can make you become a super person where you can literally swing like Dustin Johnson if you wanted to.” In fact many future innovations are already

WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF

ARCCOS, A DIGITAL SYSTEM THAT CON-

NECTS TO YOUR CLUBS AND COMMUNICATES WITH YOUR IPHONE. IT ENABLES YOU TO BUILD A SOPHISTICATED PICTURE OF YOUR GAME AUTOMATICALLY.

THAT ALLOWS FOR

ANALYSIS LIKE NEVER BEFORE. happening in golf and good examples of future technologies at work can be seen at Callaway Golf. The company is betting on ‘Connectedness’ which it views as a huge area for growth in the future. According to Alan Hocknell, senior vice president, R&D at Callaway, “We are proud to have been involved with the development of Arccos, a digital system that connects to your clubs and communicates with your iPhone. It enables you to build a sophisticated picture of your game automatically. That allows for analysis like never before.” Digital technology is also helping with golf clubs. The clubs of the future will be able to measure each golfer’s game DNA. For manufacturers, this will mean that they could use the information to design clubs which would be customised in many more ways than today. Golf balls would also become smart because of embedded microchip technology which will be seamlessly integrated into golf balls as to not affect the ﬂight or distance. These microchips will enable golfers to use GPS on their smartphones to locate an errant shot. That duck hook that goes deep into the thickest part of the jungle? It’ll still be hard to retrieve. But you’ll know exactly where it is!

What about club technology? How about reducing 14 clubs to 4 clubs - a driver, an iron, a wedge and a putter? Each club will be able to extend several inches. The head will adjust to the loft you need. Some laws of physics might make this seem impossible right now. But in the future, everything will be possible. So, what Yang is talking about is already happening in the “new age” of golf. With the available technology today and the doors that these exciting technologies are opening, there seems to be no limit as to how technology can be harnessed to make the playing of golf really and truly FUN for legions of new fans. The only hitch may prove to be the bureaucrats and their willingness to change and to move with the pace of change. Let’s just wait and see see what happens!

TAYLORMADE EQUIPMENT FOCUS

How many of you fol of new product laun just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get eno Made is kicking off 2 of golf balls and som quarter of 2016 in the ASIAN GOLF provide

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lks out there in golf-land remember the halcyon days when TaylorMade rode the crest ches. The company ruled over the world of new product launches and the marketplace ough of new products from the company. That is all now in the past. However, Taylor2017 with a slew of new products ranging from a basketful of putters, a bucketful me wedges. All of the products referred in this report were launched in the last e USA but TaylorMade is just making the products available throughout Asia. es an overview of the new product mix starting with the putters:

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eadlin 2017 is â&#x20AC;&#x153;TP Co of whic tion fo exacting contours. Th processes are said to putter, but also to imp Key to the TP Col which is reported to he bines 45Â° grooves with a roll and reduce skidding and construction of the P bring the grooves into dire impact, even on short putt part to strategically soften Dustin Johnson and Jason tive successes with the putt Pure Roll insert. Another point to note ab that each putter has been giv wick, Ardmore and Chaska. T putter line:

ing TaylorMade’s new putter offerings for s a line that the company refers to as its ollection”. There are 6 distinct models, ﬁve ch feature a 303 stainless steel construcr solid feel and skim-milled machining for he use of new materials and new milling not only enhance the aesthetics of each prove the product’s performance. lection is TaylorMade’s new Pure Roll insert elp provide improved roll. The insert comsofter polymer to promote better forward across varying surfaces. The composition Pure Roll insert is specially engineered to ect and active contact with the ball during ts. The grooves in the face also serve in the insert’s structure. Brand ambassadors Day swear by this feature and their respecters is testimony to the effectiveness of the

bout the TP Collection is the exotic names ven. Names like Juno, Soto, Mullen, BerThe following is a brief description of each

JUNO AND SOTO are classically designed blade putters with heel-toe weighting for optimized balance, control and feel. MULLEN AND BERWICK make up the classic mallet tour proven models of the TP Collection. ARDMORE AND CHASKA add mid-size modern mallets to the TP Collection. Ardmore features a deep cavity with dual sightlines to improve balance and alignment while the Chaska revisits the design of the original TaylorMade Corza Ghost with the familiar circular alignment aid in the back of the putter and three sightlines on top. The entire TP Collection is available in 34” only. Next on the new product review platter are the TP5 and TP5x Golf Balls. According to TaylorMade, the new balls have been engineered to deliver the most complete tour ball on the market. Both golf balls incorporate 5-layer construction and according to a company spokesman, “the balls actively improve or increase driver/iron distance, control and spin without sacriﬁcing any industry leading greenside performance.” Both TP5 and TP5x feature varying 5-layer constructions, whereby each ball maximizes driver and iron distance while also delivering best in class wedge performance and greenside spin. This is achieved by a unique progressive construction manipulating the size, compression, and materials of each layer, which allows the decoupling of driver and iron speed from iron and wedge spin – a formula that can be directly attributed and only obtained through a 5-layer construction.

THE NEW BALLS HAVE BEEN ENGINEERED TO DELIVER THE MOST COMPLETE TOUR BALL ON THE MARKET. BOTH GOLF BALLS INCORPORATE 5-LAYER CONSTRUCTION AND ACCORDING TO A COMPANY SPOKESMAN, “THE BALLS ACTIVELY IMPROVE OR INCREASE DRIVER/IRON DISTANCE, CONTROL AND SPIN WITHOUT SACRIFICING ANY INDUSTRY LEADING GREENSIDE PERFORMANCE. The new golf balls have a number of stand-out features which include: TRI-FAST CORE The Tri-Fast Core consists of a very low compression inner core (TP5x = 25, TP5 = 16) and a progressively stiffer outer core and mantle. The combination of these three layers work in conjunction to create lower spin and increased velocity. This gradient is what makes the TriFast Core so unique, as it builds up speed in transferring energy from the club face to the ball and delivers incredible distance on full shots.

DUAL-SPIN COVER The Dual-Spin cover boasts an ultra-soft Cast Urethane cover and a rigid TP inner cover. This system creates a condition that is ideal for greenside control as the rigid inner cover forces the soft urethane cover into wedge grooves for maximum spin generation. The result is a multi-layer cover that is designed for extreme distance without sacriﬁcing feel or control around the green. TEE-TO-GREEN PERFORMANCE The goal of TaylorMade engineers from the outset with TP5 and TP5x was

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to create a product that was longer, straighter, better into the wind, and responsive around the green. Five-layer construction has allowed the company to unlock these characteristics, leaving the golfer with a golf ball that has been optimized for any and every shot they may face – a ball that has been meticulously engineered to perform with every club in their bag. In case you are wondering which ball would be best suited to your game, TaylorMade says that the TP5x is slightly ﬁrmer and launches higher, and TP5 features a softer feel with mid launch. There you go!

BOTH TP5 AND TP5X FEATURE VARYING 5-LAYER CONSTRUCTIONS, WHEREBY EACH BALL MAXIMIZES DRIVER AND IRON DISTANCE WHILE ALSO DELIVERING BEST IN CLASS WEDGE PERFORMANCE AND GREENSIDE SPIN.

THIS IS

ACHIEVED BY A UNIQUE PROGRESSIVE CONSTRUCTION MANIPULATING THE SIZE, COMPRESSION, AND MATERIALS OF EACH LAYER, WHICH ALLOWS THE DECOUPLING OF DRIVER AND IRON SPEED FROM IRON AND WEDGE SPIN

– A FORMULA THAT CAN BE

DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED AND ONLY OBTAINED THROUGH A

5-LAYER CONSTRUCTION. LEARN MORE

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DISTANCE WITH PRECISION High-launching, distance generating long irons and compact, precise short irons give golfers full command of their shot making.

AN IRON FIT FOR SCORING. Engineered for golfers who want an iron with a soft, powerful feel and Tour-inspired aesthetics, the new i200 iron delivers exceptional distance and forgiveness while providing the trajectory control you need to play with precision. Get fit today and choose from a variety of high-performance, no-upcharge aftermarket shafts to match your ball flight and feel preferences.

Visit ping.com to learn more about the entire PING product line. ÂŠ2017 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071

SOFT, POWERFUL FEEL A muscle-stabilizing bar and deeper, longer tuning port harmonize with a thinner, faster face to create a powerful feel and sound.

SHARPEN YOUR SHORT GAME.

Soft, 431 stainless steel head with hydropearl chrome finish.

Our extremely precise wheel-cut milling process creates our sharpest grooves ever. The result: significantly higher spin rates and precise trajectory control so you can play with greater accuracy and confidence. With four sole grinds, there’s a Glide 2.0 wedge to fit every golfer.

NEW GROOVES SPIN BALL MORE THAN EVER.

FIND YOUR GRIND.

.005”

TS GRIND

.004”

.005” 20° 20°

28°

Tour-proven half-moon grind for precision.

SS GRIND FULL SHOTS Lower-lofted wedges are milled to increase spin and control on full shots. 46°, 50° & 52°

ONE ADDITIONAL GROOVE *

AROUND THE GREEN Higher-lofted options are milled to impart more spin on chip and pitch shots. 54°, 56°, 58° & 60°

TWO ADDITIONAL GROOVES *

Moderate attack angles and divots. Fits most golfers.

WS GRIND Full-sole for players with a steep angle of attack.

* Compared to original Glide

Inspired by Eye 2 for ultimate in bunker performance.

SPECIAL FEATURE

THE TANJONG

SIAN GOLF was witness to this nerve-wrenching experience last month when the Sentosa Golf Club had to roll-out its brand “new” Tanjong Course to be tournament tested by a group of the world’s best women professional golfers. What is especially significant to consider is the fact that this course was just completed late last year and its owners were confident enough to parade it for the whole world to see. How gutsy is that! ASIAN GOLF was one of the first to preview the Tanjong

before it was put through its paces in a world class tournament. At its advanced grow-in stage, the course already looked ready to rock although we had some reservations. Anyway, pessimism aside, the Tanjong played host to the LPGA’s Women’s Championship in February and guess what – the stars approved! Everyone from Inbee Park (who won the tournament) to the world number one and number two, Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn were waxing lyrical about how spectacular and awe-inspiring the course was. The course was no longer the forgotten Cinderella - it had shed its dowdy, ugly duckling image and had transformed into a glorious swan, proud and pristine, ready to share the world-

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stage with its globally renowned sibling, the Serapong Course! It’s like going to bed with the relaxed knowledge that you have a good golf course and then waking up to discover that overnight, that same good course had all of sudden blossomed into an acclaimed world class golf course! This must have been quite a validation for the man who engineered the Tanjong’s magical transformation – Andy Johnston, general manager of the Sentosa Golf Club. “It was a chance for us to show the world that we have achieved something spectacular and I honestly couldn’t be more proud of my team on how we handled we this project,” was his reaction to all the kudos that have been piling up on his desk. Perhaps what pleases Johnston most is the fact that the work done on theTanjong will “serve as a blueprint in the future for other facilities that need to renovate.” The Tanjong, arguably the “youngest” golf course to have played host to a world class event, had its fair share of problems. Mother Nature took the brand new course to task as she lashed it with bolts of lightning and dumped bucket loads of torrential tropical rain on the course, causing weather delays to the tournament. Miraculously, the Tanjong fought right back, got into shape and had play back on track like nothing had happened. This is in itself incredible! What has Johnston got to say to this? “It handled severe weather without any problems at all during the course of the week – after a downpour, there was no mud on the balls and it was no problem to turn players around within 15 minutes of the storm ending.” He explained that the new Tanjong has the most aggressive drainage

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IT WAS A CHANCE FOR US TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING SPECTACULAR AND I HONESTLY COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD OF MY TEAM ON HOW WE HANDLED THIS PROJECT,” WAS HIS REACTION TO ALL THE KUDOS THAT HAVE BEEN PILING UP ON HIS DESK.

PERHAPS WHAT PLEASES JOHNSTON

MOST IS THE FACT THAT THE WORK DONE ON THE

TANJONG WILL “SERVE AS A BLUEPRINT IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER FACILITIES THAT NEED TO RENOVATE. engineering infrastructure of any course that he has developed and he feels conﬁdent that the course will drain well for the next 40 years! Johnston has been with the Sentosa Golf Club for a good stretch of time but never have we seen him in such high spirits. He has always been proud of the world standing of the Serapong Course which is the proud recipient of the Asian Golf Awards Best Golf Course in Singapore citation for many years running. But now, he has two championship courses that have world class tournaments under the belt - how does he feel about this? “It’s a great feeling,” he exclaimed

and added, “we have two golf courses that have their own personality which demand completely different playing strategies - it really gives us the best of both worlds.” Johnston can now relax knowing that he has brought Tanjong from what it was to its current fully revitalised state. Perhaps the best acknowledgement of his work and that of his team was the recognition given by the LPGA stars. “They just couldn’t believe that it was in such fantastic condition especially considering how new it was and they can’t wait to come back next year,” Johnston observed. Against a backdrop of golf courses being shut down in Singapore, the Sentosa Golf Club can take great pride in operating two golf courses that are truly world class! Sentosa Golf Club – you’ve have more than made up for the courses that will soon be shut down!

BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB SPECIAL FEATURE

The opening of Black Mountain, the golf club back in 2007 is still vivid in the minds of many golfers but it is perhaps best remembered by ASIAN GOLF because this was a breakthrough year for the new course located in Hua Hin in Thailand.

t was a golf course that was built in record time – to be precise, it took just 14 months to get it up and running. This was the commitment, drive and passion of its founder and owner, Stig Notlov.

Back then, Black Mountain was already destined to climb up the honour roll of the golf club industry in the Asia Paciﬁc. In 2007, the new 18-hole course made its ﬁrst

appearance on the list of winners for the 2007 Asian Golf

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Awards. In that year, it was recognized as the second best new course to open in Asia. Since then, Black Mountain has gone on to dominate the Asian golf course landscape with clean sweeps in the Best Golf Course In Thailand category with the top spot since 2011, while claiming the same prestigious position in the Best Course In The Asia Paciﬁc since 2014. One of the unique hallmarks of Black Mountain is the

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JOHAN EDFORS

owner’s insatiable appetite for change. Notlov is a ﬁrm believer that without change there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement. And those who have been keen Black Mountain watchers can attest to the fact that change is a constant at the club. The most recent was the addition of nine new holes to the already spectacular landscape of the original 18-holes. Again, the new nine hole facility was built in

WE NOW HAVE A TRULY STUNNING

27-HOLE GOLF COURSE AND IT TAKES THE WHOLE PLAYING EXPERIENCE AT BLACK MOUNTAIN TO A NEW AND EXCITING LEVEL

– HARALD ELISSON

record time and the planning and designing of the new course was master-minded by Notlov in collaboration with a good friend of his, Swedish professional golfer Johan Edfors. Both of them laboured over the project and the ﬁnished nine blends in seamlessly with the original 18 holes. “We now have a truly stunning 27-hole golf course and it takes the whole playing experience at Black Mountain to a new and exciting level,” said Harald Elisson, general manager of the club. The new nine-holes named as the West Course is expected to be ofﬁcially launched later this year. Commenting on the addition, Thailand’s famous

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professional golfer, Thongchai Jaidee said, “I had the privilege of playing on it shortly after it was completed and my friends Stig and Johan have done a fabulous job – it is an outstanding course.” The 27-hole course is the ﬁnal realization of Notlov’s initial vision when he ﬁrst set his sights on the land in Hua Hin back in 2004. The dream then was to develop a golf course that would one day become the best in Asia. That day has arrived and so has his dream. As far as he is concerned, he is driven by a philosophy founded on the belief that one should never rest until your good is better and your better is the best.

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I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PLAYING ON IT SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS COMPLETED AND MY FRIENDS

STIG AND JOHAN

HAVE DONE A FABULOUS JOB

– IT IS AN OUTSTANDING COURSE. – THONGCHAI JAIDEE

BLACK HAT GOLF TIPS GAME IMPROVEMENT

Have you ever taken a golf lesson? Did you notice the amount of emphasis that is placed on the importance of how you set up your grip – yes, your GRIP? It’s a vital part of anyone’s game – get your grip wrong and you are going to be in for some scary, rough experiences!

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SIAN GOLF’s resident golf guru, Tony Meechai is of the opinion that explanations on how to develop a good grip can be very confusing most times. So, typical of being the master of keeping things simple, he has turned to the trusted little ruler to help you with your grip. Take it away Tony! Yes! Did you know that the ruler can help you improve your golf game by keeping your grip consistent! If you feel like you are holding the golf club improperly or for some reason, you are a bit confused on gripping the club, here is what this simple measurement tool can do for you! Take the ruler and hold it like you would hold a golf club. Align the ruler over the middle of your knuckles. Now, wrap the palms and thumb over the top of the ruler. Note that your left thumb is touching the right ﬂat side of the ruler while the right thumb is touching the ﬂat left side of the ruler.

Easy right? Simple! If you are holding the ruler correctly, the palm of your right hand should cover the thumb of your left hand. Now, imitate a swinging motion and notice how the hands work together. Next, take a golf club and hold it the way that you just did with the ruler. Take your last three fingers on your left hand off of the grip as well, leaving only the first finger on your left hand supporting the entire club. The bottom of your left palm should be resting on the top of the grip, acting like a fulcrum. This will allow your wrists to create the leverage necessary for you to swing the club backwards and forwards. Now place your right hand wrapping the right thumb over. With both hands, swing the club backward and forwards! You got it! Man, teaching golf is fun. Try out this tip and see how it changes the way you play 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.

PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE GAME IMPROVEMENT

In the current series of golﬁng tips, ASIAN GOLF has decided to work with its resident golf coaches, the joint principals of the Pro Tour College, David Milne and Lawrie Montague on preparing junior golfers in Asia keen on securing a scholarship to American universities. This is the second article in the current series.

ast month we touched on how junior golfers can use their golf game if they’re good enough to secure a scholarship with a U.S. College Golf Programme. One thing co-director Lawrie Montague and I know is that your son or daughter must have a fully developed game before they head off to college. The college system is geared towards low scoring, and any short-comings in any area of their game puts them under pressure. The reason is that most golf coaches at US colleges are essentially team managers—not elite level golf coaches with the expertise to improve a student’s golf scoring skills. The Performance Pyramid Model discussed in last month’s article describes the base of the pyramid as the capability level. The capability level describes the core scoring skills required by young golfers to develop their low scoring ability, no matter if they are having their best day on the golf course, or they’re struggling.

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WE STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICING SHOTS FROM

“RANDOM” LOCATIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR FLEXIBILITY IN SHOT SELECTION, AND WE USE

“BLOCK” PRACTICE METHODS WHEN THEY ARE IN A GENERAL PREPARATION PHASE WHERE TECHNIQUE ADJUSTMENT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. This article and the video that accompanies it, will help you understand what we do at the National Golf Institute in Jakarta to train our juniors on core scoring skills. In this video, we cover the six core greenside scoring skills that are needed to make more pars and fewer bogeys when greens are missed. These six core greenside scoring skills we teach our students can and should be learned from an early age as strength is not required to achieve form and functionality. The six Core Greenside Scoring Skills are; 1. Chip shot 2. Pitch shot 3. Lob shot 4. Sand shot 5. Rough/Trouble shot 6. Scrape shot

An important factor is that playing these different types of greenside shots helps to develop a creative shot-making environment for young golfers. Techniques for playing these shots vary, and students attending our programme learn speciﬁc techniques that enhance their understanding of how to play the different shots, and when to play them. With consistent practice young golfers develop “feel” which is crucial for improving their distance control. We stress the importance of practicing shots from “random” locations to improve their ﬂexibility in shot selection, and we use “block” practice methods when they are in a general preparation phase where technique adjustment needs to be improved. A young golfer who does not learn these six core greenside scoring skills will be severely disadvantaged and this will make it harder for them to be good enough at the right age to secure some level of scholarship to a U.S. college. Next month we will show you the next level of our Performance Pyramid Model which deals with the mental skills required for playing competitively.

LAWRIE MONTAGUE AND DAVID MILNE are the joint principals of Pro Tour Golf College, Jakarta