AG203 august2017 by Asia Pacific Golf Group

FEEL THE JOY OF THE FIRST TEE, EVERY TIME. Lydia Ko

ECCO BIOM HYBRID 2 ECCO BIOM Hybrid 2 combines soft, ultra-lightweight materials and a low profile midsole that brings you closer to the ground, taking the hard work out of walking. Experience ECCO BIOM Hybrid 2 at your local specialist golf store or online ecco.com.

ISSUE

203

AUGUST 2017

In keeping with tradition and its rich legacy in always being at the cutting edge of golf club technology, PING has again hit the road running with a slew of new clubs that ooze innovative engineering and boundary-shifting technology. If anything at all, the brand new G400 Series reveals that the envelope has been pushed to its extreme limits and the finished products are a manifestation of what current technologies and materials permit PING engineers to engage with in their pursuit to attain the highest level of excellence possible. For the full story, check out ASIAN GOLF’s deep-dive report inside this issue.

SPECIAL FEATURE 34 THAI TEEN TRAIL-BLAZES NEW RECORD! Justt 14 years of age, Atthaya Thitikul T has become the youngest known know winner of a professional golf tour event. event She claimed the record in grand style styl when she won the Ladies European Th Thailand Championship, dethroning Canada’s Canad Brooke Henderson who had held the previous record. Watch this youn young star develop into Thailand’s next world wor beater!

48 THE GOLF TITANS OF ASIA! The Asia Paciﬁc Golf Group (parent company of Asian Golf) is proud to unveil its list of the “Most Powerful People In Golf” for 2017. It is a list that is both representative and reﬂective of the men and women who are known to be making major contributions towards the development and growth of golf throughout Asia.

68 PGA OF AMERICA COMES TO ASIA Its Asian beachhead has been established in China, and the initiative involves

the introduction of the PGA Junior League Golf, the PGA of America’s signature youth golf programme. This popular team approach to golf for boys and girls aged 13 and under will debut in Asia for the ﬁrst time ever, through a new joint licensing agreement with the Nicklaus Companies (NLN, LLC).

82 A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT LADY, MOTHER AND PILLAR OF STRENGTH Louise Solheim, wife of PING Founder Karsten Solheim, passed away in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 99.

34 68

SPECIAL COLUMN 60 MANAGEMENT SCHEMES INCREASE THE PRICE OF GOLF In the third part of our special report, ASIAN GOLF is of the opinion that third party management of golf clubs is an issue that will eventually affect all of us in the business of golf and that includes all golfers because at the end of the day, they are the ones who will bear the brunt of paying the bill for the engagement of outside management services. Our International Roving Editor, James Graham Prusa is very familiar with how third party management companies operate and we gave him this assignment to investigate. The following is his special report.

76 HOW VIJAY BOOSTED INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION ON THE PGA TOUR This special report traces how the PGA Tour has grown into the world’s most powerful professional golf tour. It really all started when golf legend Jack Nicklaus invited a young Vijay Singh to play on the PGA Tour at an event that he hosted, the Memorial at Muirﬁeld. The rest is history.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS 38 CUSTOMISATION HAS ITS PRIVILEGES! How would you like to take the customised route? It’s really quite simple. Titleist, the golf ball brand that is most sought after the world over is now offering special customisation services. And guess what? It’s really COOL!

REGULARS 10 EDITORIAL TEAM 12 SHARED THOUGHTS | WHAT A MAJOR ROUT! For four days during the recently concluded U.S. Women’s Open, Asian professional golfers took centre stage and kept dueling amongst themselves for the coveted major. On the top ten leaderboard, with the exception of one or two non-Asian players, China’s world ranked number six, Shanshan Feng looked good for the money for what looked like a certain wire-to-wire win.

GAME-IMPROVEMENT 86 BLACK HAT GOLF TIPS: HOW STRONG ARE YOUR LEGS? Remember the jump rope that you used to play with growing up as a kid? Well, that same rope can now help you play better golf. According to our resident golf guru, Tony Meechai, a ten-minute daily work out with a jump rope will go a long way toward strengthening your legs, so vital in providing strength and stability when it comes to executing a good golf swing.

92 THE PERFECT TEN In a short time learning golf with Iain Roberts you quickly understand he has three outstanding qualities: phenomenal knowledge, inﬁnite patience and boundless enthusiasm.

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

For four days during the recently concluded U.S. Women’s Open, Asian professional golfers took centre stage and kept dueling amongst themselves for the coveted major. On the top ten leaderboard, with the exception of one or two non-Asian players, China’s world ranked number six, Shanshan Feng looked good for the money for what looked like a certain wire-to-wire win.

ot only was Feng setting President

The 23-year old rookie came from behind to snatch

Donald Trump’s golf course on ﬁre, but

victory which is her ﬁrst big win on the LPGA Tour. For

a teenager, an amateur at that, sent

her win, Park won US$810,000. Her victory was only

the pulse of the spectators racing as

matched by the performance of her Asian compatriots

she challenged for the lead. Seventeen

who occupied all of the ten top slots on the leaderboard

year old Hye-Jin Choi was absolutely irreverent as she

with the exception of one that was shared with Spain’s

matched the top professionals shot for shot and ended

Carlota Siganda.

up playing in the ﬁnal pairing on the last day. But the young lady who stole all the limelight, includ-

ASIAN GOLF is of the opinion that while Park secured a spectacular win, it was a wonderful tour de force

ing a two thumbs up acknowledgement from President

staged by the fair ladies of Asia. May the force remain

Trump was the silent ninja from South Korea, Sung Hyun

with them and may such resounding victories spur more

Park who claimed the title. It was sweet revenge for Park

young ladies in Asia to take up the game of golf. Well

who was robbed of her ﬁrst win at last year’s event when

done ladies on behalf of all of Asia!

she squandered her lead and ended up third.

asiangolf 203 201

SSUNG HYUN PARK

july 2017 august 2017

SHYE-JIN CHOI

y the time you get to read this, Tiger Woods w would most probably be out of rehab and hopefully well on his way to a full recovery h ffrom his addiction to pain-killers. While there is good reason for all his ffans and supporters to rejoice his battle with pain and pain-killers, one thing is for sure – don’t ever expect to see Tiger back at the highest end of competition on the professional tours. Those days are over and done with! While he may have been the most talented golfer to have ever played the game of golf, his body as all of us know, is no longer at its peak. The man has been afﬂicted with too many injuries and while the magic of modern medicine may have repaired him, his body will never be the same. It has been scarred and given the nature of his injuries, there will always be pain – pain that he will have to endure for life. And it is our hope that he will never again have to turn to pain killers and opiods to grapple with the problem. Rather than keep hoping for his return to the highest level of tournament golf, let us remember him at his very best. We would venture to say that there may never be another golfer like Tiger Woods. A champion amongst champions and a true god of golf! (Watch this video to see how great Tiger was).

FEEL THE JOY OF THE FIRST TEE, EVERY TIME. Lydia Ko

PING G400 EQUIPMENT FOCUS

Remember the last technological innovation from PING? It had to do with dragonﬂies, the vortex features on tractor-trailers and turbulators. It all looked and sounded very unconventional and highly unorthodox when PING rolled out its G30 driver. Strange as it seemed, the G30 went on to become a highly successful driver deserving of top industry awards. This is PING’s pedigree from which it draws its engineering and design inspirations that go way beyond the accepted norms and realms of golf club technology. It is a throwback to the ethos of its founder, Karsten Solheim, who once said, “There’s no end to improving club making. When you think you’ve reached the ultimate, you ﬁnd you’ve just scratched the surface.” Put simply, PING is a company that is deeply immersed in engineering and technology and it is this trademark quality that has guided the company since Solheim founded it in 1959. asiangolf 203

august 2017

In keeping with tradition and its rich legacy in always being at the cutting edge of golf club technology, PING has again hit the road running with a g g slew of new clubs that ooze innovative engineering and boundary-shifting technology. If anything at all, the brand new G400 Series reveals that the envelope has been pushed to its extreme limits and the ﬁnished products are a manifestation of what current technologies and materials permit PING engineers to engage with in their pursuit to attain the highest of excellence possible. At the launch, PING’s chairman and chief executive ofﬁcer, John A. Solheim proudly declared, “The G400 driver is a prime example of how our engineering team looks at every single detail of a club to ensure we are optimizing each design variable so golfers can improve performance.” He pointed out, “In this case, we’ve gone slightly smaller in volume (445cc) to improve aerodynamics for faster club-head speeds while actually raising the MOI higher than any previous PING driver.” And that’s not all! According to Solheim, “We also employed a thinner, forged face to deliver increased ball speeds. This commitment to performance enabled impressive distance gains and tighter dispersion, the ultimate driving combination and we’ve also engineered an incredibly pleasing sound in the driver through computer simulation that will turn heads on the tee box when golfers get it in their hands. It even has a shaft that changes colour at address to improve the player’s focus.”

DRIVER

THE G400 DRIVER IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW OUR ENGINEERING TEAM LOOKS AT EVERY SINGLE DETAIL OF A CLUB TO ENSURE WE ARE OPTIMIZING EACH DESIGN VARIABLE SO GOLFERS CAN IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.

– JOHN A. SOLHEIM

So many bells and whistles jammed-packed into a driver – again, this goes to demonstrate how PING engineers have produced an amazing driver that is the company’s fastest and most forgiving driver to date. The same tour level holds true for the G400 ironss which deliver tour-level o fell swoop, distance and ball flight. In one the new G400 Series offers a full line of drrivers, irons, custom-fit, custom-built drivers, d crossovers that fairway woods, hybrids and o help golfers lower are expertly engineered to their scores and increase their enjoyment of sayys it all for the package of the game. That about says power tools from PING. Now, let’s do a drill down on the G400 Series, one club at a time. First on deck is the G400 driver. proce ess, the face of the new driver has Through a special process, h a hotter impact area that is precibeen made thinner with eleva ate ball speed across the entire face sion machined to elevate a when paired with the aerodyfor 16% more flexing and

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WATCH VIDEO

THE PLAYERS IMMEDIATELY LOVED THE LOOK OF THE DRIVER AND BECAME ENAMORED WITH THE POWERFUL SOUND AND FEEL.

AT THE END OF THE

WEEK, THE STATISTICS PROVED THAT BOTH THE LONGEST AND MOST ACCURATE PLAYERS OFF THE TEE AT THE RELIED ON A

august 2017

G400 DRIVER.

U.S. OPEN

namic gains, results in ball-speed gains of nearly 2 mph. By making the face 6% thinner and 9% lighter than its predecessor, extra weight was placed strategically to tighten dispersion even further through higher MOI. The forged face was also instrumental in producing the powerful feel of the driver. The G400 driver’s high-density tungsten back weight and Dragonfly Technology help bring the combined MOI (heel/ toe and high/low) over 9,000 gram cm2 for the first time and position the CG lower and farther back than any current driver on the market – making it the most forgiving driver in golf. In testing, the G400 outperformed the leading drivers in the marketplace, most notably when comparing dispersion results. “We pay very close attention to the dispersion data when we analyze and compare product results,” said John K. Solheim, PING’s president. “Dispersion is an overall performance measurement that reveals just how consistent your distance and accuracy results will be on the golf course. We encourage all golfers to get fit and look closely at their dispersion, not just their one best shot on a launch monitor. We know they’ll be much more satisfied over the long term. They’ll not only hit it farther more consistently, they’ll find the fairway more often and their scores will go down.” The streamlined shaping harmonizes with new, bolder turbulators and Vortec Technology to reduce drag by 40% mid-downswing and 15% overall to increase club-head speed. The Dragonfly crown technology extends to the skirt section on the sole, providing additional weight savings and creating an

DISPERSION IS AN OVERALL PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT THAT REVEALS JUST HOW CONSISTENT YOUR DISTANCE AND ACCURACY RESULTS WILL BE ON THE GOLF COURSE.

ENCOURAGE ALL GOLFERS TO GET FIT AND LOOK CLOSELY AT THEIR DISPERSION, NOT JUST THEIR ONE BEST SHOT ON A LAUNCH MONITOR.

WE KNOW THEY’LL BE MUCH MORE SATISFIED OVER THE LONG TERM. THEY’LL NOT ONLY HIT IT FARTHER MORE CONSISTENTLY, THEY’LL FIND THE FAIRWAY MORE OFTEN AND THEIR SCORES WILL GO DOWN.

“infinity edge” effect that adds to the inspiring look at address. The G400 driver produces a great sound upon impact and this has been made possible through extensive research and computer simulation coupled with music theory that allowed PING engineers to design internal architecture that fine-tuned the frequencies to produce a deeper, more muted sound. Adding to the appeal of the G400 driver is the innovative paint-shifting paint technology of the Alta CB shaft. This premium copper shaft paint transitions to nearly black to reduce distractions as golfers address the ball. The counter-balanced design of the Alta CB allows for more mass in the head to increase energy transfer. Three head options are available to match a G400 driver to a golfer’s desired ball flight.The standard version is engineered to fit most golfers. The SFT (Straight Flight) is designed to correct a left-to-right ball flight (for right-handed golfers) and features heel-side tungsten weighting and a lighter swing weight to help square the face.The LST (Low Spin) version positions the tungsten weight closer to the face to reduce spin approximately 300 rpm for a stronger ball flight. “We’ve never seen faster conversion to a new product than we did at last month’s U.S. Open with 13 drivers in play the first week it was available,” Solheim revealed. “The players immediately loved the look of the driver and became enamored with the powerful sound and feel. At the end of the week, the statistics proved that both the longest and most accurate players off the tee at the U.S. Open relied on a G400 driver.”

INSTANT TOUR It’s always a big deal when a brand new golf club scores a win in the first week of its official launch. PING’s brand ambassador Chan Kim (pictured) earned his second victory in three events on the Japan Golf Tour, winning the SEGA Sammy Cup in Hokkaido. He led the field in driving distance at 319.8 yards. Kim is the first player to win using a PING G400 driver which has just been launched worldwide. Kim is part of a fast-growing roster of players who are already relying on the new G400 family of products. In addition to 70-plus drivers, professionals worldwide are also gaming more than 60 G400 fairway woods and more than 20 hybrids. Kim also relied on a G400 3-wood, 14.5°, -1°setting, in his win. Kim, born in South Korea, played his college golf at Arizona State University.

DRIVER VALIDATION!

SERIES IRONS Next on the drill-down is the G400 Series irons – these irons are engineered to give golfers tour-level distance and towering height combined with the forgiveness and control they need to hit more greens. Its COR-Eye Technology combines with a new top rail undercut to increase face ﬂexing in a catapult-like fashion for faster ball speeds that launch shots higher and farther with low spin for a strong ﬂight. “The G400 iron delivers phenomenal performance,” said John K. Solheim. “We like to call it our ‘game enjoyment’ iron because it’s so much fun to play. It provides tour-level performance while being very easy to hit and extremely forgiving with an amazing feel. Some golfers are seeing distance improvements as much as 15 yards, yet it is launching much higher and landing softer to give them more control.” One of PING’s tour players said it best during testing: “This G400 7-iron COR-EYETM TECHNOLOGY Revolutionary design increases ball speed 1.25 mph for distance with control

has turned into my 6-iron but in an 8-iron window.” To this Solheim said, “He got it exactly right. Golfers can expect one less club to the green with the height of two less clubs. That’s a powerful combination.” A composite back-cavity badge made of aluminum and elastomer provides an enriched impact response that creates a powerful sound and feel. The Hydropearl Chrome ﬁnish reduces friction to improve turf interaction while giving it a premium look. What does ASIAN GOLF think about the G400 irons? We think that with these irons, golfers are going to be able to hit balls high and stop it near the pin like Bubba Watson. We believe that these irons are more than just “game-improvement” irons – they are game-enjoyment irons!

THE G400 IRON DELIVERS PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCE,” SAID JOHN K. SOLHEIM. “WE LIKE TO CALL IT OUR ‘GAME ENJOYMENT’ IRON BECAUSE IT’S SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY. IT PROVIDES TOUR-LEVEL PERFORMANCE WHILE BEING VERY EASY TO HIT AND EXTREMELY FORGIVING WITH AN AMAZING FEEL. SOME GOLFERS ARE SEEING DISTANCE IMPROVEMENTS AS MUCH AS 15 YARDS, YET IT IS LAUNCHING MUCH HIGHER AND LANDING SOFTER TO GIVE THEM MORE CONTROL.

WATCH VIDEO

SERIES FAIRWAY WOOD

In keeping with the paradigm changes to the driver and irons, the G400 Series fairway woods and hybrids are winners! These clubs have been designed to maximize distance and to achieve this, PING has employed C300 maraging steel as the face material. One of the strongest alloys in the world, maraging steel is commonly used in the aerospace industry, where strength and flexibility are necessities. It’s these properties that also make it an ideal face material to deliver more flexing for faster ball speeds that launch shots farther and higher. “Our main goal in the G400 fairway woods and hybrids was to introduce significant distance gains while maintaining other performance benefits such as forgiveness and the ability to launch the ball easily,” said John A. Solheim. “With maraging steel, we have a material that allows us to go extremely thin with the face to give us the faster ball-speed gains we’re seeking for more distance and higher launch. The results have been amazing as we’re seeing face flexing equal to the thickness of the face.”

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WATCH VIDEO

OUR MAIN GOAL IN THE G400 FAIRWAY WOODS AND HYBRIDS WAS TO INTRODUCE SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE GAINS WHILE MAINTAINING OTHER PERFORMANCE BENEFITS SUCH AS FORGIVENESS AND THE ABILITY TO LAUNCH THE BALL EASILY.

SERIES HYBRIDS 25

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WATCH VIDEO

Finally, a look at the G400 Series crossovers. The second generation of the crossover, which combines the precision and control of an iron with the ball speed and forgiveness of a hybrid, has been improved to make it a versatile option for golfers of all skill levels. It also relies on a maraging steel face, which improves the sound and delivers higher launch, producing 30% more stopping power. The addition of a 20-gram tungsten toe weight increases forgiveness, resulting in 17% tighter dispersion. The turf interaction is greatly improved with a thinner sole and Hydropearl Chrome ﬁnish, which reduces friction 40%. To really appreciate the engineering and technology that powers the G400 Series, you’ve got to try the clubs. ASIAN GOLF is prepared to stick its neck out and declare that it most deﬁnitely are some of the best clubs that we have checked out this year. The G400 Series is living testimony to what John A. Solheim once told us: “Our culture is built on always striving to be better, constantly creating knowledge that allows us to make the best product available. We don’t settle for the norm. We know the key to success long-term is better product. We hold true to the values Karsten founded PING on all those years ago and we come to work every day with the goal of improving on what we did the day before. That approach has served us well and will continue to be our focus.”

G400 SERIES CROSSOVERS. THE SECOND GENERATION OF THE CROSSOVER, WHICH COMBINES THE PRECISION AND CONTROL OF AN IRON WITH THE BALL SPEED AND FORGIVENESS OF A HYBRID, HAS BEEN IMPROVED TO MAKE IT A VERSATILE OPTION FOR GOLFERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS. IT ALSO RELIES ON A MARAGING STEEL FACE, WHICH IMPROVES THE SOUND AND DELIVERS HIGHER LAUNCH, PRODUCING

30% MORE STOPPING POWER.

asiangolf 203

Serious forgiveness plus control Higher launching and more workability

OUR CULTURE IS BUILT ON ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE BETTER, CONSTANTLY CREATING KNOWLEDGE THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THE BEST PRODUCT AVAILABLE. PR

WE DON’T WE

SETTLE FOR THE NORM. SETT

KNOW NOW W THE KEY TO SUCCESS LONG G-T TERM IS BETTER PRODUCT CT.

august 2017

INTRODUCING

ADD CONFIDENCE. SUBTRACT STROKES. PEBAX ® ELASTOMER INSERT

MILLED 6061 ALUMINUM FACE

The sum of its parts equals an incredible feel with the full-face forgiveness of patented

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JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO ELIMINATE 3-PUTTS. We did the math, and statistics prove that True Roll Face Technology significantly reduces 3-putts, helping you save strokes every round. We’re committed to eliminating 3-putts from your game. Get fit for a PING putter today. ©2017 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071

Distance. Elevated. Innovative face-ﬂexing technology launches the ball faster and higher to give you tour-player-type distance and stopping power.

So Fast, They’re Ahead of Their Time. In the new G400 Series, it’s not just one thing that makes the difference, it’s everything. It’s the small details that add up to big results. It’s what sets PING’s engineers and researchers apart from the rest. Get ﬁt today and experience the G400 difference in your game.

Fast and Forgiving A speed-inducing forged face and MOIraising tungsten sole weight deliver greater distance and fairwayﬁnding forgiveness.

GET FIT TODAY © PING 2017

Maraging Steel Faces One of the strongest and most ﬂexible alloys in the world, maraging steel ensures faster ball speeds that launch shots farther, higher and straighter.

In conjunction with the launch of the G400 Series, ASIAN GOLF approached John K. Solheim, president of PING with some questions with regards to the company’s philosophy towards technology and especially the technology that has been built into the new clubs. The following are excerpts from that interview:

ASIAN GOLF: What is it that drives PING to seek revolutionary design and engineering innovations with every new product cycle? It is very apparent that PING does not fear radical changes from product cycle to product cycle. Every change process seems focused on building a better mouse-trap! Can you comment on this? JOHN K. SOLHEIM: It’s been our approach since the very beginning. We have a passion for designing the best golf equipment in the world. Our team understands what it takes to accomplish that. They leverage our extensive knowledge library, their own expertise as engineers and scientists and the latest tools available to continually improve our products to help golfers play better.

ASIAN GOLF: Given your all-out thrust to push the envelope to its fullest with your new product cycle, would it be correct to assume that this is driven by the confidence you have in the loyalty of your customer base that they will stick with PING knowing full well that whenever PING puts out something new, it is always a game changer? JKS: We’re extremely fortunate to have very loyal customers all over the world. Their faith in us definitely gives us confidence and we learn from them with each new product. At the same time, golfers are very smart when it comes to equipment so we don’t take anything for granted. We always need to be able to demonstrate improvements in the product. We’re also very focused on developing new and equally loyal customers. The best way to do that is too continually make better product and prove to them our equipment will make them better.

ASIAN GOLF: On the subject of loyalty, do you think that your brand is unique in that your customer base has learnt over time to respect and trust the integrity of PING when it comes to new products, which in turn has a strong impact on demand for new products from the company? JKS: Loyalty is hard to measure but we clearly have golfers who are passionate about our brand which helps bring other golfers into the fold. They choose to connect with us for any number of reasons. We believe in doing things the right way which means we conduct business with integrity and fairness. Golfers understand our passion for helping them play better and they know we stand behind our products. Our commitment to custom ﬁtting plays a big part in this. Having something custom made just for you that leads to lower scores and more enjoyment is very powerful and creates a life-long connection.

ASIAN GOLF: In the years that we have been covering PING’s new product launches, we have discovered a very definite trend in the company’s approach towards a new product. Would you say that the evolution of each new product cycle is led by design alone or engineering alone or is it a combination of both the disciplines? JKS: It’s definitely a combination of both. Our goal is to engineer equipment that out-performs everything else on the market. That comes down to pure physics and is completely measurable. From a design perspective, subjectivity plays into it a little bit more. What looks good to one person may not appeal to another. The shape of club and how it looks is very important to a golfer’s confidence. We spend a lot of time researching and trying to quantify golfer’s preferences for the look, feel and sound of a club. The shelf-appeal is also critical, so we experiment with a lot of different finishes of the head and shaft to ensure golfers will be drawn to it. A great example of this in the G400 Series is the colour shifting paint technology of the Alta CB metal wood shafts. It has an attractive metallic copper finish from most angles until you set it in the address position where it turns darker to eliminate potential distractions from the shaft graphics. It’s a case where a design feature leads to improved performance.

ASIAN GOLF: Looking at the G400 series, what is it that sets this new family of clubs as a new measure of excellence in club design for PING? JKS: All the G400 products have tremendous appeal and each represents advancements in technology that will help golfers play better and enjoy the game more. The driver is the most exciting in that it has so much new technology that really differentiates it and allows it to outperform everything else. From the streamlined shape to the forged face and tungsten back weight, we’ve been able to create a faster, longer and more forgiving club head that has an amazing look, feel and sound. The tour acceptance has been immediate which gives it the instant validation all new products need to be successful. In testing, the G400 Series’ dispersion numbers are the common performance benefit that sets them apart. Dispersion is an overall performance measurement that reveals just how consistent your distance and accuracy results will be on the golf course. We encourage all golfers to get fit and look closely at their dispersion numbers with all their clubs. It’s not just about their one best shot on a launch monitor. It’s about the consistency of all their shots. We know they’ll be much more satisfied over the long term if they take this approach to determining what clubs to buy. They’ll not only hit it longer shots more consistently, they’ll find fairways and greens more often and their scores will go down.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

ONE FOR THE RECORDS!

he may not be a house-hold name yet, but watch out for Atthaya Thitikul as she drives her way down fairways to world glory. Just 14 years of age, Thitikul has become the youngest known winner of a professional golf tour event. She claimed the record in grand style when she won the Ladies European Thailand Championship, dethroning Canada’s Brooke Henderson who had held the previous record, winning an event on the Canadian Women’s Tour in June 2012 aged 14 years, nine months and three days. Although she won the tournament by a whole two clear shots of Mexican professional Ana Menendez, Thitikul was not eligible

august 2017

for the 45,000 euros prize money (£40,000) because of her amateur status.. Thitikul is no stranger to winning – she won the Taiwan Amateur Open in June and will next compete in the South East Asian Games in Malaysia. Speaking to reporters, she said, “My family do not play golf. When I was younger, aged six, my father told me to play sport and he offered tennis or golf and I watched golf on TV and I liked it.” Besides Henderson, the other youngster who went on to make good on the professional tour was New Zealand’s Lydia Ko. Ko held the record on the Ladies European Tour, having won the 2013 New Zealand Open aged 15 years, nine months and 17 days.

3 4 5

ore than most industries, the golf industry has had its fair share of doom and gloom stories. The golf business landscape has been inundated by news about golf course closures, declining incomes, equipment manufacturers shutting down and a litany of such dismal news. The time has come to put this all behind and look ahead. Asia has entered an exciting era of dynamic growth with most of the Continent’s economies reﬂecting good health. More Asian corporates are moving up the ladder of success on the For-

tune and Forbes list of billion-dollar conglomerates. This is an excellent measure of the powerhouse that Asia is. Populations are becoming better educated, more afﬂuent and ready for new and exciting experiences. While the Baby-Boomers may be on the decline, the younger population demographics including the much talked about Millennials have matured and moved up the consumer pyramid. There has never been a better time than NOW for the golf industry to take stock of all the positives and prepare itself to tap into new opportunities for improved business and greater earnings.

New technologies like Mobile Ap to be brought on board to improve t member experience. New and exciti of play need to be introduced that is consuming, more fun and more affo Service standards need to be stepp fold. New and improved ways of ren efﬁciently maintaining golf courses fast-tracked. It’s all about NEW DIRECTIONS b herein lies the future of golf and its g in Asia. There’s a NEW AGE of oppor awaiting the golf club industry in Asia

|1| ADAM HARRIS |2| ANDREW WOOD |3| ANDY STANGENBERG |4| PAUL STRINGER |5| STEVEN FREUND |6| GREGG PATT |8| ROBERT PARSONS |9| ZACH SHOR |10| BILL SANDERSON |11| TODD RHINEHART |12| DR. MILTON ENGELKE |13| DAVID D

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF

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adopters of the emerging changes will be set and ready to reap harvests brought about by the paradigm shifts. Be part of the ENLIGHTENED COMMUNITY and be at the 2017 Asia Paciﬁc Golf Summit (APGS 2017). No other golf business event in the world can offer you a road map to prepare for the exciting times ahead. Come and listen to the architects of change who will be piloting Asia’s thrust forward.

TERSON |7| TENNIEL CHU DOUGET |14| BRAD BURGESS

F GROUP (2014) PTE LTD.

1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, Singapore 768160 xÊÈÎÓÎÊÓnÎnÊUÊ7iLÃ Ìi\ÊÜÜÜ°>Ã >«>V wV} v}À Õ«°V

asiangolf 203

GOLF EQUIPMENT

CUSTOMISATION

You better believe it! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about differentiation. If you want to stand out from the crowd, customisation is the route to take. There are many Ferraris around and while the cars do make some sort of a statement, the stand-out would be to have personal license plates with your name on it. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customisation done with style and panache! 39

august 2017

ow, let’s apply the same perspective to golf. How would you like to take the customised route? It’s really quite simple. Titleist, the golf ball brand that is most sought after the world over is now offering special customisation services. And guess what? It’s really COOL! It all boils down to you being able to choose a product with superior product performance and that’s what matters most! That’s why week in and week out, more of the world’s best players trust the tour-proven performance and consistency of Titleist golf balls. Now, let’s get down to the drill. How does this programme work? Well for starters, you can personalise a Titleist golf ball with your name on it. Besides making a statement on the golf course, a golf ball with your name on it would serve as a terriﬁc gift to your ﬂight mates, friends or business associates.

as asia asiangolf sia iangol ngo go gol g olf 203 20 2 03

40 40

With this programme, corporate gifts can also be personalized or branded with a company’s logo or business message. Whether your company is looking for an elegant executive gift, presents for business associates or employee recognition awards, Titleist will help achieve your marketing goals. For the golfers who are looking to create a special gift for their next tournament, a memorable corporate gift, or a package to commemorate a special holiday or life event, the Titleist team of packaging engineers and graphic designers will help you develop the ideal conﬁguration for your speciﬁc needs. Customisation does not end with Titleist golf balls – it extends to custom packaging also and it includes: PackEdge™ by Titleist,® it’s easier than ever to create your own custom packaging. This template based programme cuts lead-times in half from traditional printed

41 41

au aug augu august ug st 2017

custom packaging, reduces the minimum order quantity and lowers custom packaging surcharges. The Titleist Pro V1® Collection features an array of distinctive packaging options featuring the best-selling Pro V1 and Pro V1x™ golf balls. Titleist also offers an unmatched array of traditional custom packaging options that will meet nearly any requirement. For a sense of how versatile this customisation programme is, check out the attached digital brochure that will show you everything you can do with this special customisation programme from Titleist. Get cracking with customisation – You just can’t go wrong with the most trusted ball; in golf!

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

The only go an excitin lf tournament sp eci g, fun-fille d event w ally organized for here golf g The Asia club execu olf club owners, o Pacific G pe tives get olf Group to play an rators and manag Tournam d compete ers ent. The to together with the in a tourn . It’s back again – B urnamen ament all t will be st RG Group will be their own hosting th It will be aged con . played w junction with the e 2017 Asia Pacific ith two-m This tourn 2017 Asia an teams In te ament is rClub Golf Pacific G drawn fro all about olf Summ m clubs w good, cle it. ithin the an fun an The tourn Asia Pacif d more im ament wil ic p fo o rtantly, it otprint. l be run o is about n n Novem There is n etworkin ber 14 at o entry-f g. It’s the the Danan ee to par third in th g G ti o ci lf p & Countr ate in this to attend e series. y Club in tourname the 2017 Danang, Asia Pacif nt. To qual Vietnam. ic Golf Su if y, p la yers need mmit and Entry wil to there are l be 144 slots register as delegat from eac on a first-come-fir available es h club can st-serve b . re as g is ister on-l For more ine throu and a two-man te informat gh the AP am GS websi alice@asi ion please visit w te. apacificg ww.golfco olfgroup n fe re nce .com or ca ll +65 632 .org or email to A li 3 2800 fo r more de ce Ho at tails. VENUE:

PRESENTED BY:

ASIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S POWER HITTERS SPECIAL FEATURE

After a period of lull in golf course development in Asia which was very much in keep developed markets of North America and Europe, Asia has made a startling recovery course development. Asia has been going like gang busters especially in 2016 and 20 bursting forth like mushrooms mostly within the Southeast Asian basin. Leading the p which seems to have been smitten by the golf bug. The country just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to b golf courses quickly enough! Speaking to golf course architects currently working in the impression that they are being horse-whipped by developers to open up golf cour asiangolf 203

ping with trends in the y in the realm of new golf 017 with new golf courses push forward is Vietnam be able to get enough the country, one gets rses in record time! 49

august 2017

FOR ANY IN INDUSTRY NDUSTRY TO GROW, THERE IS A NEED FOR REC RECOGNITION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT – THERE IS A NEED FOR HEROES TO HELP SET STANDARDS AND WITH THIS LIST, WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING TO BUILD GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS

OF THE

ASIAN GOLF INDUSTRY.

he golf boom in Vietnam is the direct result of a booming economy in the once war-ravaged nation. The adrenaline-charged economy has seen the rapid rise of a whole cadre of very wealthy individuals who are all hell-bent on developing world class golf courses, resorts and upmarket real estate projects. With the above as background, ASIAN GOLF has compiled its list of power-hitters in golf for 2017. This is the ﬁfth in the annual series and it has been quite a challenging task given the fact that many of the truly powerful people in business in Asia have a tendency to maintain a low proﬁle. The golf industry is no different especially when it comes to identifying corporations or individuals behind major investments and developments in the industry. For the

– MIKE SEBASTIAN

2017 “power list” a more penetrative drill-down was commissioned with the following criteria in focus: Scale of involvement with golf; Measurable investments in golf projects; Commitment to grow the game of golf; This criterion has helped sharpen the selection process and the Asia Pacific Golf Group (parent company of Asian Golf) is proud to unveil its list of the “Most Powerful People In Golf” for 2017. It is a list that is both representative and reflective of the men and women who are known to be making major contributions towards the development and growth of golf throughout Asia. “For any industry to grow, there is a need for recognition and acknowledgement – there is a need for heroes to help set standards and with this list, we are glad to have played a role in helping to build global recognition for the movers and shakers of the Asian golf industry,” said Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of the Asia Pacific Golf Group. The following is Asian Golf’s Most Powerful People – 2017. asiangolf 203

oth the Chu brothers have gone onto to build what is

DR. KEN CHU CHAIRMAN, MISSION HILLS GROUP

CHINA

effectively the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest golf resort made up of a total of 22 golf courses in China. The billionaire entrepreneurs have expanded by developing related facilities that embrace a vast complex called Centreville, costing US$1.6 billion. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very trendy international lifestyle urban complex that covers a vast area of 240,000-square-metres. The total investment to date in all of the facilities at Mission Hills is an eye-popping US$10 billion that has attracted over 6 million visitors and 1 million rounds of golf in 2015.

TENNIEL CHU VICE CHAIRMAN, MISSION HILLS GROUP

CHINA

august 2017

r. Santi Bhirombhakdi is the President of Singha Corporation Co., Ltd, the company behind the world famous Singha Beer. He is one of the most inﬂuential personalities in the business of golf in Thailand and is engaged in golf course ownership, player development and the sponsorship of golf tournaments in Thailand, the ASEAN region and throughout East Asia. Bhirombhakdi was the chief founder of the Thai PGA and has served as its President. He is also the patron of the Asian Tour, the region’s premier professional golf tour.

SANTI BHIROMBHAKDI PRESIDENT, SINGHA CORPORATION

THAILAND

anked as one of the top power players rs nand billionaires in the Philippines, Enrique K. Razon, Jr., is an avid golfer who holds ds es. key interests in the country’s top golf courses. He is actively engaged in the sports and enterertainment business and serves as the chairman of pany Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., which is the company mier behind The Philippine Golf Tour, the country’s premier n golf tournament circuit. Razon’s grandfather began e with a port in Manila in 1916. Razon’s dad rebuilt the e business after World War II. Razon started out in the port business with his dad in Manila and transformed it into a global giant. His hospitality ﬁrm, Bloomberry Resorts Co., includess its crown jewel, the Solaire Casino and Resort in the Philippines.

ENRIQUE ‘RICKY’ K. RAZON JR. CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE MANILALISTED COMPANY INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL SERVICES, INC

PHILIPPINES

asiangolf 203

KIM YOUNG-CHAN FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, GOLFZON YUWON HOLDINGS

r. Kim Young-chan is the founder and chairman of Golfzon, headquartered in South Korea. This company commands the largest share of the global golf simulator market. The Golfzon simulator allows everyone to easily enjoy indoor golf. The simulator provides realistic rounds of golf from tee shot to hole-out thanks to advanced 3D graphics technology that reproduces actual golf courses. Golfzon has been producing golf simulators since 2000 in South Korea and now enjoys the biggest market share in the global golf market. The company has more than 25,000 simulators at 5,500 sites in 43 countries. Golfzon is also the LPGA Tour’s ofﬁcial golf simulator provider.

SOUTH KOREA

adame Nguyen Thi Nga is one of only two women on the 2017 “power list”. She owns a number of golf courses including the award-winning Kings’ Island Golf Club in Hanoi. The powerful lady who has extensive business interests in Vietnam has entered into an exclusive business partnership with Nicklaus Design, the company owned by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Under this agreement Madame Nga’s BRG Group is expected to develop a total of ten world class golf courses in Vietnam. This will effectively make her the owner of arguably the most number of golf courses in the country.

NGUYEN THI NGA CHAIRMAN, BRG GROUP

VIETNAM

august 2017

rinh Van Quyet is rapidly earning himself a reputation as “Mr. Golf” in Vietnam. He is ranked as one of the wealthiest US-dollar billionaires in Vietnam according to the nation’s stock exchange. Within the next two years, this Vietnamese developer is expected to own and operate a minimum of thirteen golf clubs in the country together with resorts, hotels and related property developments. He is the proud owner of two golf courses that bear the distinguished Jack Nicklaus brand name including the soon to open multi-million dollar FLC Quy Nhon Beach and Golf Resort designed by the award-winning Schmidt Curley Design company in the central province of Binh Dinh.

TRINH VAN QUYET CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF MANAGEMENT, FLC GROUP

VIETNAM

im Young Je has worked very hard to ensure that his company’s golf courses and resorts are routinely ranked among the best and busiest golf course complexes in the world with consistent play conditioning and customer service. He has also taken the lead to develop professional training and continuing education for golf course management and is noted for demanding and setting very high standards.

KIM YOUNG JE PRESIDENT & CEO SKY72 RESORTS

SOUTH KOREA

asiangolf 203

YUKO TASHIRO PRESIDENT & CEO, ACCORDIA GOLF COMPANY LIMTED

J APAN

s. Yuko Tashiro heads the ten-year old company that serv more than 8 million customserves ers a year for the golf courses and drivr ing ranges it operates at approximately 150 locat locations across Japan. Under her leadership, Acco Accordia Golf has seen a transformation where all club under the company’s management have changed clubs their positioning. According to Ms. Tashiro, she has led ma change to golf clubs – changing from strictly a major bu a business and corporate setting to places where lifelo sport is enjoyed by all generations from lifelong junio to senior citizens with their friends and family juniors me members. She is also leading the thrust to d develop new markets aimed at next-generattion golfers and female golfers. She is also being recognized for the key role that she is playing to changing golf in Japan.

GAUTAM THAPAR PRESIDENT OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR OF INDIA

INDIA

august 2017

autam Thapar is the Chairman and CEO of one of India’s leading business conglomerates, the US$4 billion Avantha Group. An avid golfer playing to a single handicap, Gautam Thapar takes personal interest in promoting professional golf in India. His path-breaking initiative, the BILT Skins Golf, 2003, helped popularize golf and paved the way for similar events in the country. Today, the Avantha Group hosts two major tournaments on the PGTI, the BILT Open and CG Open. His active interest in golf has helped the game attract corporate sponsorships in India. His visionary approach, combined with his remarkable knack for spotting and nurturing talent, has taken professional golf to new heights in the country.

immy Masrin has taken over the reins of the beleaguered Asian Tour and much is expected of this very savvy Indonesian entrepreneur. A self-confessed golf addict, he is the man behind the successful Indonesian Masters as well as the Asian Development Tour. He is very passionate about golf and would like to see Indonesia being showcased and promoted to the world as a wonderful golf destination. Masrin is now the chairman of the Asian Tour, the premier professional golf tour on the continent

JIMMY MASRIN CHAIRMAN, ASIAN TOUR

INDONESIA

tig Notlöv is the visionary who discovered the “golf potential” of Hua Hin back in 2004. After one trip, he recognised the region’s golf potential and set about creating one of the best golf courses in Asia – the multi-award winning Black Mountain Golf Club. Since he opened this course in 2007, he has gone on to develop a resort, private residences and a water theme park as part of the Black Mountain experience. This year, 2017, marks the 10th anniversary of Black Mountain Golf Club. The course was recently extended to include another nine-holes making it a fullfledged 27-hole golf course. Notlov has to be credited for single-handedly placing the Thai city of Hua Hin firmly on the global golfing map.

STIG NOTLÖV FOUNDER, BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB, HUA HIN

THAILAND

asiangolf 203

r. Pawan Munjal is a major ﬁnancial sponsor of golf events in India and has almost sing single-handedly made professional com competitions possible. A leading industrialist, h he has ﬂexed his industrial muscle and has activ undertaken promoting the game all over actively c the country. As a renowned industry leader, he has prov provided powerful leadership that is needed for golf cour development to succeed against other sports course such as the all-popular game of cricket.

PAWAN MUNJAL CHAIRMAN,MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO OF HERO MOTOCORP LTD

INDIA

s Chairman of the Tokyo based Japan Professional Golf Tour (JPGT), Masahiro Kuramoto runs an organization that is the third largest professional men’s tour in the world. The organization has a membership comprised of over 5,000 professional golfers including its tour players and teaching professionals. In addition to operating its professional tour, the organization supports golf course and player development throughout Japan and Asia.

MASAHIRO KURAMOTO CHAIRMAN OF JAPAN PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS ASSOCIATION

J APAN

august 2017

un Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid, is the Chairman of the Professional Golf of Malaysia ((PGM) and is responsible to promote the sport of golf and to contribute to its enjoyment and growth in Malaysia. He is also credited with starting the EurAsia Cup, the annual Ryder Cup format tournament between Europe and Asia.

TUN AHMAD SARJI BIN ABDUL HAMID CHAIRMAN, PROFESSIONAL GOLF OF MALAYSIA

MALAYSIA

e Van Kiem is a top industry leader in n Vietnam who has played a pivotal role e in growing golf in Vietnam. Already an ownerr of two mega golf complexes in Vietnam and Laos, he has embarked on development plans that include a large multi-billion dollar upscale development sett on a stunning 800ha site with 5km of ocean frontage set e4& on Cam Ranh Bay. The resort will feature multiple p5 star hotels, a world class entertainment zone, upscale marina, polo club, theme park, luxury villas and an many more attractions including a Greg Norman designed 18-hole golf course.

LE VAN KIEM CHAIRMAN, KN INVESTMENT GROUP

VIETNAM

asiangolf 203

SPECIAL FOCUS COLUMN

“Victory usually goes to the army who has better trained ofﬁcers and men.” - Sun Tzu, Ancient Chinese General

Asian golfers know there is immutable wisdom in Sun Tzu’s familiar book “The Art of War” – and it’s directly applicable to business management. Military academies of many nations use it in training their ofﬁcer corps and business executives worldwide have turned to it as a source of shrewdness. However, it seems that most people in golf course management around the world have never read this book.

asiangolf 201

june 2017 august2017

aced with the fatal errors from failures of design and failing private club business models in Asia; members, developers and golf courses owners desperately try to cut their operating losses – many simply compound mistakes. Operating golf courses full of designed inefficiencies while retaining poorly trained and uneducated managers and staffs, Asian golf courses find themselves struggling to survive financially. But rather than correcting the actual causes of their failures for the long term with intense training and hiring real talent, they panic in fear seeking fast fixes. Forgoing truly qualified managers who can correct failures of typical golf courses, a portion globally turn to ‘outsourcing management’ with a plethora of third-party management companies that have sprung up in the last three decades. Is this really the best strategy to sustain prices and golfers?

PART 3. GOLF COURS COURSE COSTS ARE DESTROYING THE GAME – WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? What you are about to read is the third in a special series that trains the spotlight on a myriad of problems that challenge the successful operation of a golf course. In this special report, the focus falls on third party management companies that golf course owners engage to manage their facilities. While third party management has become a fixed feature in golf club management in developed markets like North America and to a lesser extent in Europe, it has still not quite caught on in a big way in Asia. However, that does not mean that Asia has been spared – third party management companies are beginning to look at Asia as their next frontier for growth. With this in mind, ASIAN GOLF is of the opinion that this is an issue that will eventually affect all of us in the business of golf and that includes all golfers because at the end of the day, they are the ones who will bear the brunt of paying the bill for the engagement of outside management services. Our International Roving Editor, James Graham Prusa is very familiar with how third party management companies operate and we gave him this assignment to investigate. The following is his special report:

Third Party Course Management Companies – Quick Fix for Long Term Success or a ‘Band Aid’ on Pestilent Wounds? In 1986 I published an article entitled “Golf Has Its Price.” http://prusaassociates.com/ ArticlesPDF/1986MayPrice.pdf. Such was viewed back then as the ﬁrst positive publicity and information presented on the then emerging phenomenon known as the golf course management company. The feature focused on David Price, who was the founder of American Golf Corporation, and how he was hoping to fundamentally modernize stagnant golf with business approaches to the management of

asiangolf 201

WE GO TO A CLUB, PUT ON A DOG AND PONY SHOW AND TELL THEM IN ONE YEAR WE CAN IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE

30%... IT’S EASY. WE GO IN AND

FIRE THE PRO AND HIS ASSISTANT; FIRE THE

CHEF, HIRE THE SOUS CHEF; FIRE THE GREENKEEPER AND HIRE HIS ASSISTANT. SAVE

WE CAN 30% ON PAYROLL ALONE AND AT THE

END OF THE YEAR WE SIMPLY GO BACK TO THE OWNERS OR BOARD AND SHOW THEM HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE MADE THE CLUB AND A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT. golf courses. Fresh from the inﬂuence of an MBA programme in the 70s, I was thrilled and hopeful that Price and his management company approach would improve the economics, raise course quality, and pass the cost savings to golfer consumers. Thinking that economies-of-scale from operating multiple courses would be huge – I envisioned shared capital equipment systems, shared expertise, teamwork, intense staff training, real purchasing discounts, cost savings passed to golfers, and higher quality play conditions. Sadly disillusioned, I came to greatly regret helping to initiate the global spread of the third party, management company scheme. What the golfer and game got was quite the opposite of my hopes. As a rule these companies do not invest any capital in golf. Today ‘golf has its price’ too. Prices are now astronomical with fewer new golfers – due in no small part to incompetence and waste in management. Many golf courses have turned to this third party management approach even in Asia. So what did that get us –sustainable pricing of golf? More golfers? Improved management efﬁciency

august2017

and long-term profitability – or just amalgamation with slick repackaging of incompetence and waste? Martin Wellbourne wrote in February 2011 of a shocking experience revealing the global inner sanctum of many third party management schemes parasitizing golf courses internationally. Sitting in the Orlando Florida Peabody Hotel cocktail lounge during the 2011 International PGA Merchandise Show, he inadvertently overheard braggadocios bantering by a prominent management company executive boisterously telling a listener how management companies really operate, “We go to a club, put on a dog and pony show and tell them in one year we can improve their performance 30%... it’s easy. We go in and fire the pro and his assistant; fire the chef, hire the sous chef; fire the greenkeeper and hire his assistant. We can save 30% on payroll alone and at the end of the year we simply go back to the owners or board and show them how much money we have made the club and a five-year contract.” Repeated all around the world, including in Asia, this is the third party modus operandi. It’s neither golf course management nor bringing in new golfers. Any idiot can fire wellpaid, competent managers for ill-advised short gains. Such terminations temporarily provide false profit. It’s proven an inimical style of third-party golf course management schemes and it has degraded golf. However, wiser golfers have seen the resulting damage that has been heaped upon golf and the golfer internationally. “If you get a superintendent for US$50,000 and he’s taking US$800,000 to maintain it [the golf course], aren’t you better off paying US$100,000 for a superintendent that can do it for US$400,000? The answer is very simple math - about US$350,000 better off.” - Dr. Michael Hurdzan, renowned golf course architect, speaking in North America in 1999 Internationally updating and adjusting the USD dollar purchasing power that Dr. Hurdzan was referring to in 1999 terms to 2017 Dollars per http://www.dollartimes.com we get:

ITEM

In 1999 US Dollar

In 2017 US Dollar

Low Competency Management Salary

$50,000

$73,650

Professional Competency Management Salary

$100,000

$147,300

Professional Management Quality Savings

$350,000

$514,500

Applicable today in Asia, Hurdzan saw many times that hiring a well-paid, professional golf course manager actually reduces maintenance costs while providing better course conditioning. In spite of the sales hype and tripe spewed out by management companies (like the executive laughing about it at the 2011 PGA Merchandise Show) golfers now see how recklessly driving competent managers from the golf courses and replacing them with cheap replacements results in long-term damage to golf courses and drives prices higher for the consumer. Mike Hahn, a highly respected global expert in the field of golf course management writes on his web site that, “In my opinion, many golf course management companies cannot justify the added layer of expense they add to a golf course operation. I see companies taking from US$100,000 to US$150,000 a year right off the top without the slightest impact on business. You’re somewhere feeling confident your golf course is in professional hands, while a kid fresh out of college is the one making day-to-day decisions. Meanwhile, management company ‘brass’ (the ones with all the knowledge) may not set foot on the property more than a couple of times a year.” There’s plenty of blame to go around for the insane quagmire that golf finds itself in everywhere. Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Golf keeps doing the same things, while many can’t seem to figure out why the results are the same over and over. Third party management companies rarely own a golf course and make no capital investments of their own – rigidly avoiding all self-risk. They won’t touch an Asian golf course with weak financial ratios (those really needing help), because there’s no way to make deep cuts that glean their fast profits with existing cheaper managers. Just what good are they if they can’t turn around a golf course or share capital risks? Mike Kahn points out, “There are a few good ones, but I ask, ‘How can you justify paying for an extra layer of infrastructure 1000 miles away to look after your golf course? Would you ask a neighbor to watch your house while you’re away, because you left the baby there alone?’” Considering using a golf course management company? Don’t provide them historical operating finances – let them submit a proposal based upon developing their own budget detailed projections using their vast ‘resource expertise’ and see what that gets you. It’s past time for golf courses to stop doing the same dumb things. It’s time to fundamentally change and follow the advice of Sun Tzu – hire and train competency and victories will follow for golfers.

asiangolf 201

CONSIDERING USING A GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT COMPANY?

DON’T PROVIDE THEM HISTORICAL OPERATING FINANCES – LET THEM SUBMIT A PROPOSAL BASED UPON DEVELOPING THEIR OWN BUDGET DETAILED PROJECTIONS USING THEIR VAST ‘RESOURCE EXPERTISE’ AND SEE WHAT THAT GETS YOU.

june 2017 august2017

STS SPORTS TURF SOLUTIONS CO., LTD

290 Jareonpattana Rd, Bangchan, Klongsamwa, Bangkok, Thailand, 10510 Tel: +66 2-540-3180 | Fax: +66 2-540-3181 | e-mail: Brad@sportsturfsolutions.com | www.sport

tsturfsolutions.com

asiangolf 203

SPECIAL FEATURE

PGA OF AMERICA

When a golf organisation that is over 100 years old starts charting a pathway to head out to Asia, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for everyone in the industry to sit up and start paying some attention. No organisation that has gone past the century mark is going to spread its wings to distant new places without it having a long-term mission and an agenda to grow its presence on the global stage. This is what the PGA of America, formed back in 1916, is doing right now as it crosses the PaciďŹ c Ocean to identify, develop and nurture new pastures for its global expansion.

august 2017

ts Asian beachhead has been established in China,

CEO Pete Bevacqua said, “The PGA of America is excited

and the initiative involves the introduction of the

about the opportunity to introduce PGA Junior League

PGA Junior League Golf, the PGA of America’s

Golf to children in Asia.” He added, “The PGA is proud

signature youth golf programme. This popular team

of this innovative partnership that will deliver PGA Junior

approach to golf for boys and girls aged 13 and

League Golf’s fun and engaging youth golf team format to

under will debut in Asia for the ﬁrst time ever, through a

the region, which is so important to the future growth of

new joint licensing agreement with the Nicklaus Companies

our game worldwide.”

(NLN, LLC). PGA Junior League Golf is a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for junior golfers of all skill levels to learn to

ASIA WILL CONTINUE TO BE A

play and enjoy the game of golf. Kids play on teams with

HIGH LEVEL OF FOCUS FOR OUR

their friends, wearing numbered jerseys and using a popular two-player scramble format, which creates a nurturing environment for learning the game. More than 36,000 junior golfers played on PGA Junior League Golf teams

ASSOCIATION AS WE LOOK TO FURTHER OUR MISSION OF SERVING OUR MEMBERS AND GROWING THE GAME.

across the United States last year, a 300-percent increase since 2013. Local golf operators and instructors overseen

The PGA of America is the world’s largest sports

by PGA of America Professionals will serve as Captains

organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf

and coaches in the new venture.

Professionals who are the recognized experts in teaching

NLN, LLC is a joint venture between the Nicklaus Com-

and growing the game. For over a century, the PGA of

panies, a global marketing, licensing and golf course design

America has enhanced its leadership position by conduct-

company; League Golf, the original partner developers of

ing premier spectator events like the PGA Championship,

the PGA Junior League Golf format; and NPlay Golf, a golf

Ryder Cup, Senior PGA Championship and the KPMG

technology company.

Women’s PGA Championship. Not to be confused with the

Shortly after the deal was brokered, PGA of America’s

PGA Tour – as well as signiﬁcant philanthropic outreach

asiangolf 203

initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. ASIAN GOLF connected with the PGA of America to ﬁnd out more about this historic development and spoke with Arjun H. Chowdri, senior director, Global & Corporate Strategy at the PGA of America’s headquarters in Florida. The following are excerpts of that interview:

ASIAN GOLF: Growing the game of golf seems to be one of the key touch-points – the PGA of America has played this role in North America for a 100 years. Is global expansion part of the PGA of America’s growth plan? ARJUN CHOWDRI: With ever increasing potential growth

a few short years and see this as a tremendous growth opportunity for markets in Asia.

ASIAN GOLF: Will going global require the organisation to tweak some of its policies to make it more international in its appeal? CHOWDRI: We are very fortunate that when our founders developed the initial charter for the PGA of America, it was set with an enduring charter and mission to serve our members and grow the game which is equally applicable within the U.S. and globally. With that in mind, in order to provide greater awareness to international facilities on the beneﬁts of working

coming from international markets and in particular Asia, it is our belief that the PGA of America professionals are the best trained and educated in the world to help support the sustainable growth of the game and the businesses of golf facilities around the world. Therefore, as we look to fulﬁll our two-fold mission of serving our members and growing the game, we continue to look at ways we can develop resources, tools and partnerships to help further these efforts. A great example of this is the partnership with NLN to help bring PGA Junior League Golf to Asia. We have seen tremendous success with this team-based youth programme in the U.S. with over 40,000 participants in just

THE PGA IS PROUD OF THIS INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL DELIVER PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE GOLF’S FUN AND ENGAGING YOUTH GOLF TEAM FORMAT TO THE REGION, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE GROWTH OF OUR GAME WORLDWIDE. 71

august 2017

ARJUN CHOWDRI

with a PGA of America professional, we have expanded our complementary employment services to include international markets. We have retained Colt Mackenzie McNair, golf’s leading executive recruitment agency outside of the United States on a zero-cost basis to help interna-

PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE GOLF IS A FUN, SOCIAL AND INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR JUNIOR GOLFERS OF ALL

tional employers access PGA of America professionals.

SKILL LEVELS TO LEARN TO PLAY AND

Additionally, Colt Mackenzie McNair is providing our PGA

ENJOY THE GAME OF GOLF.

of America members with education on the intricacies of

TEAMS WITH THEIR FRIENDS, WEARING

working abroad.

ASIAN GOLF: What part will Asia play in the PGA’s global expansion? CHOWDRI: With 14% of the global golf supply coming from Asia and a number of our members currently already supporting the growth of the game in the region, Asia will

KIDS PLAY ON

NUMBERED JERSEYS AND USING A POPULAR TWO-PLAYER SCRAMBLE FORMAT, WHICH CREATES A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING THE GAME.

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continue to be a high level of focus for our Association as

coaches in Colombia. We hope to continue

we look to further our mission of serving our members

to collaborate with the IGF to bring this

and growing the game.

programme to markets in Asia in the

ASIAN GOLF: Special emphasis seems to be placed on education, can you expand on what sort of education is being referred to? CHOWDRI: With 100 years of best practices and an

near future.

the development of the IGF Coaching Framework and

ASIAN GOLF: As part of the organisation’s expansion into Asia, are there plans afoot to consider some sort of programme aimed at providing golf coaches in Asia who would like to seek afﬁliation with the PGA of America? CHOWDRI: We are proud that

launch the pilot edition of its ﬁrst technical course for

we have a number of PGA of

unmatched level of investment in golf development and professional education, we believe the PGA of America is well positioned to help support the growth of the game. A great example of this is our work with the International Golf Federation (IGF) and other golf organizations to lead

aug a augu august ugu gu us stt 2017 201 01 017

America professionals working as golf coaches across

RIGHT NOW WE ARE PROUD THAT TODAY WE HAVE PGA OF

Asia and continue to look for ways to further support their efforts in the development of the game such as the expansion of PGA Junior League and IGF Coaches Framework programmes.

ASIAN GOLF: Is it too far-fetched to think that one day golf coaches in Asia can aspire to be PGA of America “certiﬁed” coaches? CHOWDRI: Right now we are proud that today we have PGA of America professionals teaching and promoting the game in over 35 countries around the world including Asian markets. As we discuss future plans, this is certainly something that we will continue to explore.

ASIAN GOLF: What plans do you have to expand the PGA Academy create academies in Asia as we see this as integral to growing the game in Asia? CHOWDRI: We continue to investigate different ways

AMERICA PROFESSIONALS TEACHING AND PROMOTING THE GAME IN OVER

COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD INCLUD-

ASIAN MARKETS. AS WE DISCUSS FUTURE PLANS, THIS IS CERTAINLY ING

SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE. The agreement marks the ﬁrst-ever international facility licensing partnership for the PGA, as its looks to support the global growth of the game. These facilities will

we can support our PGA of America members to help

drive sustainable growth-of-the-game efforts in South

drive the growth of the game. Recently we announced

Korea, and the academies will feature junior and adult

a new strategic alliance with Lake Hills Golf Group, one

development programmes, as well as custom educa-

of the largest multi-course owners and operators in

tion programmes to help train local professionals on the

South Korea to develop PGA Academies in the country.

teaching and business of the game.

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THE DRIVING FORCE DEDICATED TO GROWING THE GAME AND YOUR BUSINESS

UNMATCHED TRAINING AND EXPERTISE With a world-class education program, PGA of America Professionals are trained in offering unmatched value and service to their customers and employers. THE MOST TRUSTED INSTRUCTORS IN GOLF From elite players to beginners, PGA of America Professionals are recognized as the global experts in player development.

Hire a PGA of America Professional at PGA.org/globalemployment or by contacting Adam Keable, Colt McKenzie McNair akeable@coltmm.com The PGA of America name, logos, and marks are a trademark of the Professional Golfersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of America

PGA TOUR IN ASIA COLUMN

This editorial column has been made possible through a collaboration between the PGA Tour of America and ASIAN GOLF. Given the growing presence in Asia of the largest professional golf tour in the world, we felt that it was incumbent upon us to provide the PGA Tour with its own platform to talk about its activities throughout this vast Continent. There is no denying that what the PGA Tour is doing in Asia will go a long way to expose the highest level of professional tournament golf to every country in the region. As of now, the PGA Tour has very high profile engagements in the ASEAN bloc, China, South Korea and Japan and this role is expected to grow progressively in the years to come. The bottom-line simply points to Asian golf being a huge beneficiary insofar as growing the game and uplifting the standard of play are concerned. Only good is going to come out of the PGA’s stake in Asia. The following is the latest editorial contribution from the PGA Tour:

How time has flown! It was back in 1992 and the setting was the Memorial Tournament at Club in Dublin, Ohio. It was at this event that Vijay Singh stepped onto the first tee to make swing. Singh, a native of Fiji of Indian descent, was playing in his first PGA TOUR tournam sible through a personal invitation, courtesy of tournament host and founder Jack Nicklau game and reputation and decided to give Singh a shot at the big league.

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the Muirfield Village Golf e his first official PGA TOUR ent which was made posus. Nicklaus knew of his

may 2017 august 2017

ew, if any, attending that year’s tournament knew of Singh, who at the time was wearing glasses, and was a relatively young, up-and-coming player. He’d been a professional for 10 years and was 29. He had won nine worldwide tournaments, in farflung places like Malaysia, Nigeria, Sweden, the Ivory Coast and Morocco. By the end of his week in Ohio, many people knew about the tall, imposing player who was outdriving his fellow competitors and hitting precision irons into Muirfield’s manicured greens. Singh tied for seventh at the Memorial, with four others, including major champions Tom Kite and Larry Mize. Only an opening, 1-over 73 kept Singh from putting more pressure on eventual winner David Edwards. On the date of Singh’s debut in Ohio, June 4, the PGA TOUR boasted a membership of 14 players from outside the U.S. Those 14 players came from five different countries. When Singh joined the TOUR full time two years later, the numbers had grown considerably, from 14 and 5 to a remarkable 28 players from 13 countries. Prior to 1992, though, just by perusing the membership rolls of the PGA TOUR, a researcher could draw an immediate conclusion that wasn’t the least bit surprising: for most of the TOUR’s existence, TOUR players were, by and large, from the United States. When the international explosion began, it happened quickly—the surge of talent coming in from other countries did not slow down. Singh knows; he was right in the middle of it. Even now, with Singh well into his 50s and playing on both the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, the growth continues, with the growing numbers telling the story. In 2017-18, the PGA TOUR reported 85 international players from 22 countries, and the Web.com

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Tour accounting for 90 international players from 24 countries. T BENEFITS THE GAME AT Ask Tim Finchem about the THE HIGHEST LEVEL WHEN growth, and the former PGA TOUR commissioner has his theories. He YOU HAVE PLAYERS FROM MAJOR smiles as he says it. With the TOUR MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD WHO airing its golf telecasts in 230 different countries, much of that growth in ARE APPROACHING STARDOM T GIVES television reach throughout the world US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE A has occurred in the last 10 years. In short, professional golfers—especially PROFILE OF OUR GREAT GAME IN THEIR those playing at the highest level—are HOME COUNTRIES – JAY MONAHAN no longer toiling in anonymity, and young, elite players can watch PGA and tying for second at the RBC Canadian Open. TOUR golf and then dream of someday making it to that level. Current PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan sees Many are succeeding. the influx of international talent like Kim and Rahm migrat“There’s an awful lot of activity globally. We’re not really ing to the PGA TOUR as not only a good thing for the TOUR looking at it from a standpoint of does the PGA TOUR get he oversees but for golf in general. noticed?” the now retired Finchem recalled. “We’re looking “I think our goal is to develop world-class talent in marat it from the standpoint of, can we assist in creating a stronkets around the world. That’s why we made the investments ger amount of elite-player development outside in these that we have made in the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR other areas of the world so that eventually there’s more of a Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and PGA TOUR China,” balance?” Monahan said, noting those Tours as the breeding ground “And if there’s a balance among the heroes [and] where for players such as Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, China’s Li the heroes are from,” Finchem continued, “then there will be Haotong and Canada’s Adam Hadwin. All three have gone more of a balance in terms of the game growing. That’s kind on to win significant events since their days playing on the of our focus.” three international developmental Tours. While Singh had been a professional for 10-plus years “Looking at the success that graduates have had as when he finally became a TOUR member, today more and they have moved forward,” Monahan added, “is something more players are coming to the U.S., and joining the TOUR we’re proud of. It benefits the game at the highest level soon after turning pro. Si Woo Kim, the 2017 PLAYERS when you have players from major markets around the Championship winner, left his native South Korea and earned world who are approaching stardom. It gives us an ophis playing card at the TOUR’s Qualifying Tournament in portunity to raise a profile of our great game in their home 2012. He then waited until June of the following year to begin countries.” playing because he hadn’t yet turned 18, a TOUR stipulation These days, a common sight at many PGA TOUR for membership. events are the flags flying near the clubhouse. Those flags Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama played the Japan Golf Tour for represent the countries of players competing that week. As one season before bring his game Stateside, while Spain’s Jon the trend of international golfers coming to the PGA TOUR Rahm played college golf at Arizona State, turned pro shortly proliferates, tournament directors are investing considerafter graduation, in 2016, and secured his TOUR membership able money in both flags and flagpoles. weeks later after tying for third at the Quicken Loans National

79 51

may 2017 august 2017

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OBITUARY SPECIAL FEATURE

Louise pas

w t f “I most deﬁni She prefe trative side of with an incred someone’s na amazing team In a tribu CEO of Karste caring parent ﬁrst looking a weaknesses, who you supp and she did s “While he Mom is with T ful that you an Despite h widely recogn naming the m to win more t

asiangolf 203

e Solheim, wife of PING Founder Karsten Solheim, ssed away in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 99.

ouise was a soft-spoken, gracious lady who worked side-by-side with Karsten to build PING into one of the most successful golf equipment companies in the history of the game while raising a family of four children. She chose to remain off stage and left the spotlight to Karsten. She vowed the day she was married to put Karsten’s desires and those of their family ahead of her own. She did it willingly and joyfully without the need for recognition. itely wanted it this way,” she often said. erred working behind the scenes. From the beginning, she assumed the adminisf the business, allowing her husband to focus on club designs. She was blessed dible memory, which Karsten relied on regularly. Whether it was remembering ame or the speciﬁcs of an event, she always had the answer. Together, they made an m that formed the foundation for PING today. ute to Mrs. Solheim, her youngest son John Solheim, Chairman, President and en Manufacturing Corporation said, “I was fortunate to have two brilliant ts who complemented each other amazingly. Mom always put our family after all of us helping us grow in our strengths, how to handle our how to look after those you work with and have true caring for those ply or supply you. Her heart was so large in her desire to help others o with unfaltering passion.” er loss is huge, myself and all of our family are so comforted knowing The Lord, Karsten, and sister Sandra. Mom had a truly blessed life, I’m thanknd I were part of it,” Solheim added. her desire to maintain a low proﬁle, her countless contributions are nized and deeply engrained in PING’s history. She is credited with most famous putter in golf - the PING ANSER - which has been used han 500 professional golf tournaments around the world. Her

august 2017

role in creating the Solheim Cup in 1990 opened the door to bringing women’s professional team golf to a world-wide stage for the players to show off their shot-making skills while competing for the honour of their countries. “Louise had a keen business sense that she combined with a generous heart,” said Karsten Louis Solheim, the oldest son. “She was guided by the Bible and wanted every action to be pleasing to God. She believed God had been exceptionally good to us and wanted to make sure as a company we gave back. She was especially thoughtful in her administration of the Solheim Foundation. I worked closely with her over the years and she applied a wise and fair approach to the distribution of the funds, always making sure the beneﬁciary’s values and missions led to the betterment of people’s lives.” Louise and Karsten met in 1936 in church and were married that same year. Both devout Christians, they remained active in church throughout their lives. At the time of her passing, Louise was a member of Bethany Bible Church in Phoenix. An honour student in high school, Louise worked various jobs over the years as she and Karsten moved around the country while he continued his engineer-

ing career. In the early 1950s, she worked for Convair (now General Dynamics) in its wind tunnels, calculating and plotting test results for the aerospace engineers. Her title was “Computer.” Shortly after moving to Syracuse in 1954, she took a position with the Eastern Milk Producers Dairy Cooperative, where her job included editing the company newsletter. It turned out to be her favorite job of all. Louise was preceded in death by Karsten (February, 2000) and their daughter, Sandra Solheim Aiken (December, 2013). She is survived by her three sons: John A. Solheim, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation Chairman, President & CEO; Allan D. Solheim, retired Karsten Manufacturing Executive Vice President and current board member; and Karsten Louis Solheim, retired Karsten Manufacturing Executive Vice President and current board member. Louise was blessed with 14 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and 14 great, great grandchildren.

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BLACK HAT GOLF TIPS GAME IMPROVEMENT

We reckon that many of you would be wondering what sort of question is that and what has it got to do with my golf game. Well, stop wondering because legs, especially strong legs are vitally important when it comes to playing golf, regardless of whether you are just a club amateur or a professional player.

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heck of the legs of most top golfers and you will notice that they possess a pair of legs that are well chiseled with muscles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; golf legend Tiger Woods has a powerfully built set of legs and the same can be said of Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ariya Jutanugarn and her elder sister, Moriya. Before I go on to speak about strong legs and how they help with your golf game, let me share an exercise tip to strengthen your legs. You really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a gym to get the job done. Remember the old jump rope that many of us used to play with as kids? Well, let me tell you that a daily ten-minute hop, skip and a jump with your jump rope will do miracles for your legs. My students love this exercise tool and it is so functional in that you can work out with it anywhere.

Alright, let’s get down to discussing the topic at hand. Strong legs as I said earlier are essential if you want to play good golf and here’s why. To start with, a proper exercise routine to strengthen your legs provides a good foundation. Most often the legs are overlooked so let me suggest a set-up routine that will allow you to set-up to the ball correctly each time. I am very strict when it comes to setting up a club properly relative to the golf ball and to the target. This has got to be done right from the outset. Once this is done, I make absolutely sure that the golfer positions his legs properly. Here’s what I mean. 1. After placing the golf club behind the ball so that the club face is aligned to the target, move your feet so that they are parallel to the target line. 2. Place both feet together so that you are facing parallel to the target line. 3. Now, move your right foot to the right ﬁrst and then your left foot to the left. Obviously, this is for righthanded golfers. Left-handers, just do the opposite.

Remember to move the right foot first! That’s the secret! 4. By doing so, your body, hip, shoulders and feet are now all perfectly positioned parallel and ‘square’ to the golf ball and target! You are now ready to start the swinging motion! Back to the legs – many golfers have a tendency to have either too wide a stance or too narrow. This is what causes inconsistent shots. Just remember, your legs have to be planted firmly onto the ground and they have to give you the right support. Not too wide and not to narrow – you will have to judge what is the proper stance to give you the foundation you need to generate the perfect golf swing. So, remember, don’t neglect your legs. Just visualize a big tree with strong roots. That’s the way you want to be. Exercise and make your legs your roots. Strong and powerful and see how your game improves. All it takes is a simple jump rope and ten minute work-out whenever you can find the time. The results will surprise you. Happy golfing!

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.

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PREVIEW GAME IMPROVEMENT

Having coached the Hong Kong national team, China’s top juniors, LPGA star Suzann Pettersen and even basketball icon Yao Ming, the intrepid Iain Roberts takes on probably his greatest challenge, teaching his good friend and golf novice Niall Donnelly to play the game – in just 10 hours. Over the next few weeks, Asian Golf Monthly will chart their progress in an exclusive series of articles. We begin with Niall describing their ﬁrst session. IAIN OPENS HIS BOOK, “MY GOLF TEACHING MANUAL”, TO SHOW NIALL WHAT HE WILL BE LEARNING.

asiangolf 203

IAIN DEMONSTRATES STANCE AND POSTURE – BEND FROM THE WAIST.

n a short time learning golf with Iain Roberts you quickly understand he has three outstanding qualities: phenomenal knowledge, inﬁnite patience and boundless enthusiasm. Which is good news, because he’s going to need all these while teaching me. I should explain that while I’m a golf beginner, I’m not a complete newcomer to the game. I’ve worked at professional tournaments and seen top players in action. I’ve swung a club for fun. I know golf terminology, the scoring principles and what each club is supposed to do. But I don’t know how to play. At age 55, after years of prevaricating, I’m ﬁnally taking the plunge and Iain – respected golf professional, coach, administrator and senior executive – has accepted the challenge. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CLUBS AND WHAT EACH ONE DOES.

august 2017

SLIGHT “GIVE” IN THE KNEES.

BACK STRAIGHT.

INCORRECT POSTURE AND STANCE CAUSE 90 PER CENT OF THE PROBLEMS IN SOMEONE’S GOLF GAME. GET THESE RIGHT AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SWING A CLUB PROPERLY.

AND IF YOU HAVE A SOUND

SWING, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY GOLF.

READY TO SWING.

LEARNING THE “PIVOT” – FROM START …

GOING BACK …

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First of all, he explains what we will be attempting ttempting to do erything, apparand how we will go about it. Underpinning everything, ure and stance ently, are posture and stance. “Incorrect posture e’s golf game,” he cause 90 per cent of the problems in someone’s e to swing a club explains. “Get these right and you will be able properly. And if you have a sound swing, you will be able to play You might even golf.” He pauses, then adds mischievously: “You enjoy it.” g up. Iain And on that note, we commence warming cises and outlines a series of stretches, balancing exercises ou ready for muscle-loosening routines designed to get you golf. “These only take about ﬁve minutes and make a real w many people difference to your game, but it’s amazing how don’t bother,” he says, “In short, you need to do these every time before you practice or play. Clear?” I tell him it is. olf bag, lines Next, he takes out every club from his golf e is for. He them up and carefully explains what each one nd driver. “For picks out three – the 7-iron, pitching wedge and d. In fact, to the next few weeks, these will be all you need. start off, the 7-iron is the only one you will be learning with.” Once I’ve digested this, he puts away all the clubs and we begin working on posture and stance.

THE BIGGEST MISTAKEE AMATEUR GOLFERS MAKE IS TO INITIATE THEIR SWING BY TURNING THE SHOULDERS. Patiently, he gets in me position. Feet shoulder width apart, bent at the waist, slight “give” in the knees, back straight, head in neutral position looking down at where the ball will be. It feels unnatural, but he says this is what is required. And then, we work on the all-important “pivot”. This is located at the hips. “The biggest mistake amateur golfers make is to initiate their swing by turning the shoulders,” he explains. “But the swing starts below the waist, in the feet, legs and hips.” To illustrate the importance of pivoting the hips and maintaining a strong core, Iain produces a piece of string with a weight on the end and swings it around. The smaller the movement in his hand, the faster the weight swings. “Keep this image in your mind,” he says, “If you pivot your hips properly around your core, you will swing smoother, faster and truer.” I spend the rest of the lesson with my arms across my chest, in the correct stance and posture, practicing the pivot movement. While I’m doing this, Iain introduces the concept of weight transfer, shifting balance from right leg to left. By the end I feel I’m getting the hang of it. “Next lesson, bring your golf glove,” he advises. “You’ll be swinging a club.”

august 2017

GOING FORWARD.

ABOUT IAIN ROBERTS Iain Roberts has spent a lifetime in golf since ﬁrst picking up a club at the age of 14. As player, coach, retailer, administrator and senior executive, he has vast experience in the game. His outstanding contribution to golf was given the ultimate recognition in 2015 when the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland awarded him Master Professional status. Iain is founder and operator of the Iain Roberts Golf School – www.iainrobertsgolfschool.com – which operates from three locations in Hong Kong.