AG209 february2018 by Asia Pacific Golf Group

INTRODUCIN NG TITLEIST IST T TO TOUR OUR R SO SOFT. OFT.. EXPERIENCE BET TTE E R PE P RFO O M ORM OR MA ANC CE. EXPERIENCE BETT TT TER FEEL.. THIS IS YOUR SOF F T.

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ISSUE

209

FEBRUARY 2018

Just looking at the guy gives you the goose bumps. He has transformed from a junior who is well on his way to becoming a global star in professional golf. . ASIAN GOLF’s got its money riding on Green earning his card to play in the big league and we see him making the cut within three years. After that, we see him moving on to becoming the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to win on the PGA Tour.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS 28 CALLAWAY GOES ROGUE Callaway Golf has announced its new Rogue Drivers and Rogue fairway woods. Rogue Drivers will be offered in three models: Standard, Sub Zero, and Draw while the Rogue fairway woods will be offered in two models: Standard and Sub Zero.

34 FLY BABY FLY... UP, UP, UP TO THE SKY! Titleist has launched two new powerful golf balls.ASIAN GOLF was given a special preview of the new additions to the Titleist family – the all new Tour Soft and the latest from the Titleist Velocity stable. As these two new offerings get ready to roll out onto the tee-boxes and fairways of Asia, we share our impressions with our readers.

42 A QUANTUM LEAP FOR FORGIVENESS PING G400 Max driver is out and one can’t help but feel that this driver has been touched by the golﬁng gods. The G400 Max is not the only new postChristmas gift from PING. The company has also rolled out the G700 irons, Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges and PING Vault 2.0 putters.

54 THREE YEARS DOWN AND A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH! Three years have since gone by and PXG is now a fully-ﬂedged golf equipment manufacturer with a full line of products, a bus-load of top brand ambassadors and a string of successes on Tour to boot. All in the short time span of three years! With such an illustrious record, ASIAN GOLF felt that the time was right to reach out to the founder, Bob Parsons for his own assessment of how PXG has performed since he launched the business. Read excerpts from an exclusive interview that was conducted with him at his headquarters in Scottsdale.

GAME-IMPROVEMENT 74 IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE BABY! Our resident golf guru Tony Meechai is back for 2018. What he has planned for you for 2018 will absolutely blow you away – it is new and more importantly, it is DIFFERENT! He kicks off the new season with tips on the importance of BALANCE.

SPECIAL FEATURE 22 BIG FISH GOLF – NOTHING ABOUT FISH BUT IT’S ALL ABOUT GOLF! ASIAN GOLF sat down with the founder of BIG FISH Golf which started in Singapore in 2006 and since then, it has grown its footprint throughout the region, and in the process, has established itself as one of the top go-to custom ﬁtters.

ASIAN GOLF BUSINESS 88 GOLFING IN “GOD’S COUNTRY” New Zealand is a country that is blessed with an enormous quantity of golf courses, currently sitting right at 400 courses. While there are many country courses that deserve attention, ASIAN GOLF has picked a selection of country courses that are a must for any golfers visiting New Zealand.

62 THE MAN WHO MADE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE! As the ﬁrst man from his country to earn a PGA TOUR card through Qualifying School in 1999, K.J. Choi was self-driven by a phrase which he coined years ago which was: “To be the best, you’ve got to play with the best.” Choi lived up to his motto, aimed for the very top and made his presence felt on the world’s premier golf circuit in the United States where he is now amongst the the most successful Asian golfers on the PGA TOUR.

68 TAIWAN’S NEW BUDDING SUPERSTAR Following in the footsteps of the legendary Mr. Lu is a rising star from Taiwan who has already started to prove his mettle on the PGA Tour. Meet C.T. Pan in this special proﬁle report.

68 REGULARS 6 EDITORIAL TEAM

8 SHARED THOUGHTS: FROM PUBLISHER

100 GOLF UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF BUDDHA Thailand’s newest golf course is a sight to behold. Imagine playing a round of golf with a giant image of Buddha looking down on you. It creates a tremendous sense of serenity and tranquillity.

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]

,DLQ 5REHUWV (7KH 3HUIHFW )

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.

It w wit

Jus Tha and

was not too long ago when Asian professional golfers had to struggle to make a living thout any corporate support in the form of sponsorship.

st remember the days when Southeast Asia’s early stars like Thongchai Jaidee of ailand had to go it alone as they had to pony up their own cash for coaching, travel d related expenses just to play on the professional tour.

hose tough days are almost over, at least for the better players. This is due simply because Asian corporate giants have come forth to bankroll some of the bigger name stars and in Southeast Asia, credit has to go to corporate sponsors in Thailand. SINGHA Beer, a proud supporter of sports

was arguably the first big name corporation to throw its support behind golfers, especially professionals from Thailand. Some of the early beneficiaries of this support were stars like Boonchu Ruangkit, Prayad Marksaeng, Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee. Today, Thai corporates are solidly behind new stars like Kiradech Aphibarnrat and world beaters Ariya Jutanugarn and her sister Moriya who enjoy the stout support of the Siam Cement Group (SCG). Support from the corporate sector is what helps reduce financial anxieties on professional golfers which in turn help them focus on improving their game. The success of players like Jaidee, Ariya, Moriya and Aphibarnrat is proof of what corporate backing can do for their performance on the world stage of golf.

GAVIN GREEN IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE SEE AS AN EFFECTIVE TALENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE WHERE

MAYBANK EMPOWERS

DEDICATED, FOCUSED AND AMBITIOUS YOUNG TALENTS AND HELP THEM REACH NEW HEIGHTS.

He added, “Gavin Green is an example of what we see as an effective talent development initiative where Maybank empowers dedicated, focused and ambitious young talents and help them reach new heights.”

The latest professional to beneﬁt from corporate

Maybank is the ﬁrst ﬁnancial institution in Malaysia

sponsorship is the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit win-

to champion a structured long term development pro-

ner, Malaysia’s Gavin Green. Maybank, Malaysia’s leading

gramme of golf in Malaysia and across the ASEAN region,

banking force has extended its multi-year sponsorship

beginning its support of the game in 2006.

of Green, the ﬁrst Malaysian to win the Order of Merit. As

Reacting to the sponsorship, Green said, “It is truly an

part of its on-going commitment to developing excellence

exceptional honour to continue my longstanding partner-

in golf across ASEAN, the appointment of Green - who was

ship with Maybank as its ASEAN Ambassador in the game

ﬁrst appointed as Maybank’s ASEAN Ambassador in 2015

of golf. Maybank and Maybank Championship have deﬁ-

for a three-year commitment – will see the Malaysian pro-

nitely opened up many doors for me throughout my career

fessional continuing to receive support from Maybank in

as it is a great platform for me to meet other world-class

further honing his skills and competing at an international

players and represent our beautiful country, Malaysia.”

level for another three years. In inking the deal, Maybank Group President and CEO,

Let us hope that this bold investment in corporate sponsorship by MayBank will trigger other major Asian

Abdul Farid Alias said, “More than a decade ago, we de-

corporates to follow suit and support their professional

cided to focus our efforts towards identifying, training and

players. Corporate support is a very important ingredient

nurturing the best golﬁng talents we could ﬁnd in ASEAN.

to build and foster a world-beating culture amongst Asia’s

Today, we are starting to see those efforts bear fruit with

best players.

new and upcoming golfers from Malaysia and the region making waves at an international level.”

Corporate Asia – the call is out for your support. Let’s see the cash ﬂow!

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We have seen top Asian golf professionals make it on the world stage – they’ve come f Korea and Thailand. But never have we seen anyone from the Southeast Asian nation o the wherewithal to make it in world golf. At least not until now! ASIAN GOLF had the op meeting this star-to-be when he was just fourteen years old in Kuala Lumpur. The meet der the best of circumstances as the much-ballyhooed youngster had just bashed throu and had injured his nose badly in the process. Nevertheless, we met him and he had a that had required quite a few stitches. It was not the best of meetings but at least we h nity of meeting this kid and to gaze into his eyes. And what we saw back then convince was destined to greater things in golf. We saw not only a burning passion in his eyes b quality – something that is beyond explanation. He had an aura about him – and an aur have. That extra something that sets those selected for greatness apart from the rest! T grown up and has begun his journey to global stardom.

from Japan, South of Malaysia with pportunity of ting was not unugh a glass door bandaged nose ad an opportued us that this kid ut an indomitable a that only a few That kid is now

ust looking at the guy gives you the goose bumps. He has a strong and imposing frame that stands tall at a strapping 6 ft. 1 in. His busted up nose has repaired itself remarkably well and he has transformed from a junior who is well on his way to becoming a global star in professional golf. Gavin Green, just turned 24, is arguably the total package. Nurtured along by his doting parents, Gary and Vivienne and his late grand-father, Green has turned out to be a very well-rounded and balanced individual. His has no airs about himself. Although he has been blasted into stardom, he has his feet ﬁrmly planted on the ground and he comes across as a very humble and approachable human being. On and off the course, Green has a zen-like quality about himself. Unlike many top professional golfers, he is not about tantrums and tempers – on the contrary, he comes across as always being calm and collected. He is in control and he displayed these qualities when ASIAN GOLF ﬁrst met him when he was a teenager. However, let this demeanour not fool you – we are certain that behind this external façade of calm, there is an internal raging inferno that has driven this young Malaysian to success at a very early stage in his life.

Green’s journey to stardom started at a very young age when he took a liking for golf. Since that early introduction, he has been on an incessant pursuit to improve and grow his game. What Green has amassed in his trophy showcase is a glowing tribute to his successes as a junior, a college player and now, a rapidly rising professional. He has gone from simple trophies to crystals and medals and now, to a growing bank account that will soon swell into the millions. In a relatively short time span since he turned professional in 2015, Green has secured the Asian Tours Order of Merit for 2017 with winnings of over US$500,000. Not bad at all! Green’s success, as declared earlier was pre-destined by the golﬁng gods. His early wins as a junior inspired him to put in the hard work which led him to gaining a place in college at the University of New Mexico in North America. While there, Green blossomed and went on to fulﬁl some of the dreams that he had - he won eight times and was a multiple-time All-American and

GREEN IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE TO BECOME MALAYSIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FIRST FULL-FLEDGED GLOBAL STAR. HE HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS TO LAST THE FULL COURSE.

HE IS PHYSICALLY WELL BUILT

AND DRIVES THE BALL A COUNTRY MILE AND POSSESSES A GREAT SHORT GAME.

IS ENDOWED WITH TREMENDOUS MENTAL STRENGTH AND HE KNOWS HOW TO WIN ON THE BIG STAGE.

GAVIN IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST PLAYER IN THE CONFERENCE.

THERE ARE GUYS FROM OTHER ERAS LIKE TOMMY ARMOUR, CURT BYRUM, TIM HERRON; GUYS WHO WERE NOT JUST GREAT IN COLLEGE BUT AT THE NEXT LEVEL AS WELL.

AND GAVIN IS RIGHT THERE WITH THOSE GUYS SO FAR. Mountain West Conference golfer of the year. Recalling Green’s performance, an ex-alumni of the University of New Mexico, Dwaine Knight said this about the Malaysian when comparing him to other great players from that university: “Gavin is without a doubt the best player in the conference. There are guys from other eras like Tommy Armour, Curt Byrum, Tim Herron; guys who were not just great in college but at the next level as well. And Gavin is right there with those guys so far.” For a Malaysian to make it as one of the top U.S. collegiate golfers is in itself a huge achievement – add to Green’s being named a PING First Team All-American was another glorious feather in his cap. Green was a PING All-Region Team selection for the West (the region he represented). He was also declared the 2014-15 Mountain West Golfer of the Year - one of eleven golfers in the nation named to PING’s All-American First Team. He was selected to the PING All-America Second Team as a junior and Golf Coaches Association of America Third Team All-American as a sophomore. So far, Green has ticked off all the boxes as he develops towards realising his goal. As he moves along, it is obvious that he is not a young man in a mad rush. He comes across as a perfect study of a person who has his career well-paced out. Often times, many promising young careers are smashed by impatience and interference by third parties. Fortunately for Green, this is not the case – he has his father Gary as his caddy and he is absolutely contented with him for the moment. His mother Vivienne comes along to provide morale support and as he puts it, “She’s there always and she just chills out!”. Unlike many over-bearing parents, Gary and Vivienne take a back seat and Green is totally in charge of his career going forward. He has a realistic time-line drawn up which will see him make his foray onto the European Tour this year and this will be followed by a shot at making it on the world’s

most powerful professional tour, The PGA Tour. Green is the total package to become Malaysia’s first full-fledged global star. He has all the ingredients to last the full course. He is physically well built and drives the ball a country mile and possesses a great short game. He is endowed with tremendous mental strength and he knows how to win on the big stage. Most importantly, he has paid his dues in North America and insofar as the PGA Tour is concerned, he is all set and ready for America. And let’s not forget his rock star persona! At ASIAN GOLF, we are going to stick our necks out and make a call that has never been made so far. We’ve got our money riding on Gavin Green earning his card to play in the big league and we see him making the cut within three years. After that, we then see him moving on to becoming the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to win on the PGA Tour.

GREEN’S SET FOR GLOBAL LAUNCH! Everything is happening for Malaysia’s hottest professional golfer Gavin Green. After lifting the 2017 Asian Tour’s Order of Merit title, the crack 24-year old champion has earned an invitation to ply his skills on one of the year’s most challenging tournaments, the World Golf Championship slated to be held in Mexico from March 1 to 4. This is not the first time that Green will be on the world stage – he has played in the WGC Championship in Shanghai last year which according to him was an “eye opener”. After having played in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and the CJ Cup in South Korea last year, both multi-million dollar PGA Tour tournaments, Green said, “I know what to expect, I know what to do now.” Green who is comfortable playing on the big stage, went on to add, “Preparation will be huge as you want to peak during those big weeks. I’m excited obviously and I will aim to prepare myself better instead of going in blindly. Now that I know what events I’m getting into, it allows me to know when I need to play and when I need to work on my game.” Green will also be a featured player in the 2018 British Open at Carnoustie which will be in July.

Goes Where No Driver Has Gone Before. The new G400 driver’s streamlined shape advances aerodynamics and stability to our highest levels ever. A speed-inducing forged face and MOI-raising tungsten sole weight deliver greater distance and fairway-ﬁnding forgiveness.

Forged Face Tungsten Sole Weight With a combined MOI over 9,000 and the deepest CG location in golf, there’s no more forgiving driver available.

Engineered to increase face ﬂexing and deliver a powerful sound and feel, the forged face is precision machined to produce hotter ball speeds across the entire face.

ALTA CB (Counter-Balanced) Shaft

Color-Shift Paint Technology The premium copper shaft paint transitions to black as you address the ball to reduce distractions. © PING 2017

Hydropearl Chrome Finish 40% less friction through the turf improves launch and spin in wet conditions and rough.

Hyper 17-4 Stainless Steel Increases strength 40% for thinner face.

COR-Eye Technology ®

Innovative face-ﬂexing technology launches the ball faster and higher to give you tour-player-type distance and stopping power with the forgiveness and feel expected in a PING iron.

Toprail Undercut Cavity Combines with COR-Eye Technology to amplify and expand face ﬂexing to increase ball speed and launch the ball higher.

When Asian Golf first heard about Big Fish Golf, it was faced with a real poser. Was this another big yarn about fishing and the big one that got away or just another gimmicky eye-ball grabber designed to perk your interest and get you into the shop. Well, it worked alright and it got us through the door of Big Fish Golf. We went in with no preconceived ideas although it did cross our mind that we might walk out with a high-priced set of Shimano fishing tackle. This did not happen but what transpired was a fantastic experience – an experience that just reinforced our belief that if a golfer wants to play a decent game of golf, he or she should do it with a set of customised golf clubs. And this is where Big Fish Golf comes into focus.

SIAN GOLF sat down with the founder of BIG FISH Golf which started in Singapore in 2006 and since then, it has grown its footprint throughout the region, and in the process, has established itself as one of the top go-to custom ﬁtters. It was established by Eric Ng, a one-time successful

advertising executive with a large multi-national advertising agency. Although advertising was his professional mainstay, his real passion was for golf. He was an avid golfer, the tinkering variety that is always looking for a better way to play the game. To cut to the chase, when Eric decided to walk away from advertising,

IN 2015, ERIC WA TIONAL CLUBMAKE WIDE CLUBMAKER OF THE Y SHOW IN ORLANDO, USA. OF BIG FISH GOLF’S DEDIC IN ALL IT REPRESENTS.

he beat a pathway that led to the founding of Big Fish Golf and the rest is history. Today, Big Fish Golf has become one of the most recognisable brands in

Eric is a perfectionist in the trues

golf equipment ﬁtting. Apart from providing tour support for many tournaments

bring about “great golf” to each and ev

around the region, including the HSBC Ladies Championship, Singapore Open

with our professional insights, experie

and countless Asian Tour events, the company has become synonymous with

our customers an edge that may just l

golf equipment ﬁtting excellence. In Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia,

said.

it has been one of the most trusted brands in the golf industry for the last 10

In 2015, Eric was awarded the Inte

years. Its professional and certiﬁed club-ﬁtters and club-builders use all the

Worldwide Clubmaker of the Year duri

state-of-the-art technology available in the industry to complement golfers of

is the best validation of Big Fish Golf’s

all abilities to be able to play their best.

represents. “BFG will continue to striv

Eric runs a tight ship and his prime focus is to offer a comprehensive ﬁtting process which is designed to reveal what the most efﬁcient and optimal bag of clubs should be for any golfer’s swing, body type as well as ambition. “Since our inception, we have been consistently expanding regionally as

the golf equipment ﬁtting business for to the golf industry.

In recognition of Eric’s single-min

customization, ASIAN GOLF conducted

well as internationally. A large part of this expansion is due to our success

session with Eric to capture in his own

stories and ﬁtting philosophy which has produced top class professional players,

of the company, his commitment to jun

elite amateurs and junior world champions alike,” explained Eric. It would be

and his philosophy as it relates to club

timely to point out that Eric and Big Fish Golf played a highly instrumental role

videos are featured in this special repo

in the development of world beaters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn.

WAS AWARDED THE INTERNA-

ER’S

GUILD (ICG) WORLDYEAR DURING THE PGA THIS IS THE BEST VALIDATION

ATION TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

t sense of the word – “I am dedicated to

very of our customers and I believe that

ence and range of solutions, we can give

et them enjoy the game a little more,” he

ernational Clubmaker’s Guild (ICG) ng the PGA show in Orlando, USA. This

s dedication towards excellence in all it

ve towards staying as the market leader in

r the years to come,” is Eric’s undertaking

nded focus on golf ﬁtting and club

d a three part video chat

n words the evolution

nior golfers

b ﬁtting. The

ort.

ERIC NG Founder and Managing Director Big Fish Golf International Pte Ltd

A truly stunning golf vista that undulating landscape.

White frothy lined waves rolli onto a brilliant white sandy b gently rolling hills.

Running through this gift from ticulously manicured green tu and native shrubbery. A mast

KN Royal Golf Links Ca Hotline: (+84) 0989 79787

t rises and falls in an almost never-ending

ing in from the South China Sea lapping each set against a distant backdrop of

m the heavens are verdant pathways of meurf carefully punctuated by pockets of sand terful tapestry of a classic work of art.

The artist behind this spell-binding creation is one of golf’s greatest legends – champion golfer and golf course architect extraordinaire Greg Norman. One look at this landscape was all that Norman needed to transform it into Asia’s only true links golf course. A course that is already destined to earn its right to be ranked amongst the world’s best. KN Royal Golf Links Cam Ranh – opening soon for play. The game the way it should be played in the true traditions of links golf.

am Ranh - Long Beach, Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh - Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. 78 | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Camranhlinks/

It w nolo nolo and stru reb ogy than are arg

was slightly over a year ago that Callaway Golf unveiled the revolutionary “Jailbreak Techogy”. It featured this ground-breaking technology in its Epic driver. Put simply, the techogy features two 3-gram titanium bars behind the clubface that are parallel to each other d connect the crown and sole, in effect looking like the bars on a jail cell. When a ball is uck, the key structural components of any club -- crown, sole and face -- all bend, flex and ound at impact. With the crown and sole now connected by Callaway’s Jailbreak Technoly, the face of the club becomes more efficient, taking on more of the load created at impact n ever before. The result? Ball speed increased by up to 2 miles per hour (across a larger a of the face no less), thus boosting average distance for different swing types. You can’t ue with that and the Epic went on to become one of the most successful drivers in 2017.

uoyed by the success, Callaway has staged another breakthrough using the Jailbreak Technology platform. This technology has clearly resonated with a lot of golfers and as such, Callaway obviously wasn’t going to suddenly leave it out of future drivers, provided they hadn’t found something

better to replace it. So, it has gone on to launch its latest driver, the “Rogue”, a totally irreverent new big stick that takes the original pair of titanium bars and changes the shape from cylindrical to hourglass, making the “Rogue” 25 percent lighter without affecting performance. In essence, Callaway is now offering a thinner face for improved energy transfer and higher ball speeds. That face is what’s been dubbed X-Face shaping, basically meaning the design of the face has variable widths at speciﬁc sections on the face for maximum forgiveness and ball-speed protection.

According to Callaway, it believes it has once again re-invented the

THE “ROGUE” DRAW

driver through Rogue. Callaway engineers enlisted the technologies that

DRIVER IS DESIGNED TO

made the Epic the best-selling driver in the U.S, and supercharged it to create Rogue, a driver with a 460cc head. The result is a driver that com-

PROMOTE AS MUCH OF A DRAW AS

bines all that Callaway knows about boosting ball speed through a new,

POSSIBLE.

MOI-enhancing shape that promises “extraordinary forgiveness.” Callaway believes its Jailbreak technology redeﬁned the driver

THIS ONE IS DESIGNED

FOR GOLFERS WHO HIT A NASTY

category, speciﬁcally with its validation via the Epic model which some

SLICE AND STRUGGLE TO FIND THE

industry observers believe was a thorn in the side of the competition. And

FAIRWAY.

with the “Rogue”, it is hoping that will be an even bigger one. “Rogue” comes in three models – the standard, the “Rogue” sub-zero and the “Rogue” draw. The “Rogue” sub zero driver is designed to deliver low spin off the tee

WITH A 5-GRAM SCREW

IN SOLE NEAR THE HEEL AND INTERNAL WEIGHTING FAVOURING THE HEEL, THE CLUB PROMOTES A DRAW BY MOVING THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY INWARD AND USING GEAR EFFECT TO PROMOTE LESS OF A SLICE.

CALLAWAY ENGINEERS ENLISTED THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT MADE THE EPIC THE BEST-SELLING DRIVER IN THE U.S, AND SUPERCHARGED IT TO CREATE ROGUE, A DRIVER WITH A 460CC HEAD.

The “Rogue” draw driver is designed to promote as much of a draw as possible. This one is designed for golfers who hit a nasty slice and struggle to ﬁnd the fairway. With a 5-gram screw in sole near the heel and internal weighting favouring the heel, the club promotes a draw by moving the centre of gravity inward and using gear effect while maintaining a high MOI design for that combination

to promote less of a slice.

of launch and roll a lot of golfers crave. The head shape

Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer and Callaway have

and construction positions the centre of gravity low and

collaborated in the past to develop Speed Step technology

deep with a more neutral bias. With its positioning, the

used in previous Callaway metal woods. In Rogue, the two

launch characteristics remain ideal, the head is forgiving,

companies worked to redeﬁne the geometry of the leading

but the spin-killing design gives golfer that maximum

edge to improve airﬂow to promote faster head speed.

distance.

Here’s a quick pop quiz for you. Name the winningest golf ball brand on the world’s major professional golf tours? The answer is not something that you should get stumped over. It is obvious and the brand is Titleist! It outstrips the competition by counts that are totally out of the park. Its top-of-the-line winner is the Pro V series that has been dominant on the professional tours almost from the ﬁrst day that it was introduced back in 2000. This dominance is not just on the professional tours – it is arguably the most preferred ball amongst a good cross-section of all golfers across the world. Success has not come by chance – Titleist has

earned its hallowed status by investing heavily on golf ball research and development which in turn has helped the brand produce golf balls of the highest standards which are trusted by the majority of golfers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about performance and playing to win regardless of whether it is a high-stakes professional tournament or just a friendly round amongst friends battling for bragging rights. The quest for the better ball is an on-going pursuit at Titleist and the company has kicked off 2018 with a brand new golf ball and an iteration of another, a proven product on the world stage.

SIAN GOLF was given

view of the two new a

Titleist family – the al

and the latest from th

ity stable. As these tw

get ready to roll out onto the tee-boxe

of Asia, we begin by training the spot

Tour Soft, a golf ball that Titleist desc

a “breakthrough design which deliver leading feel and distance.” Certainly

and any time Titleist’s engineers com something new, it is without doubt a

n a special predditions to the

changer. And the Tour Soft is no exception! Before we start our drill down on the Tour Soft,

work even started on the new Tour Soft – a golf ball built on player feedback like no other golf ball! During the product brieﬁng, ASIAN GOLF was

ll new Tour Soft

we thought that it would be pertinent to reveal that

he Titleist Veloc-

the new ball is being brought to market after more

told that the Tour Soft was aimed at golfers demand-

wo new offerings

than 19,000 golfers participated in what the company

ing better feel, and as such, the ball is said to be the

es and fairways

describes as “the white box testing and validation

softest-feeling golf ball in its category. “Tour Soft’s

light on the

process” for the ball. For the uninitiated, “white box

innovative design combines the largest core ever

cribes as being

testing” is a seeding and sampling exercise where

engineered into a Titleist golf ball with breakthrough

rs category-

golfers receive prototype golf balls for on-course

ultra-thin cover technology to provide responsive

sounds exciting

evaluation. Player feedback is then gathered through

feel, very fast speed for commanding distance and

Team Titleist and shared with the Titleist R&D team.

excellent short game performance,” explained Tom

Now, just imagine – more than 19,000 trials before

Hutton, Golf Ball Product Manager, Southeast Asia

me out with

total game-

for Acushnet, the parent company that owns the Titleist brand. “We knew based on breakthroughs being made in R&D that there was an opportunity to deliver a brand new high-performance golf ball that would lead the category in terms of soft compression feel,” he said. Hutton went on to explain, “Ultimately, because of our exhaustive and iterative prototyping process, we were able to deliver everything we wanted in Tour Soft – and more. It’s not only the softest ball in the category.” The category includes Callaway’s Chrome Soft, TaylorMade’s TP5 and Bridgestone’s Tour B RXS. “The Tour Soft delivers a better performance experience without a doubt it’s all about soft feel, commanding distance and excellent short game performance,” Hutton stressed. Now for the full drill-down and this is what one needs to know about the new Titleist Tour Soft: Q The largest Titleist core ever produces categoryleading soft feel and high ball speed for commanding distance. In developing Tour Soft’s core, the Titleist Golf Ball R&D and Operations teams were challenged to break through previously accepted core size limitations in order to produce a golf ball that feels better and is longer or just as long as the competition.

Q A new ultra-thin 4CE grafted co

that generates advanced short ga

ing process at Titleist Ball Plant 2

mould the extremely thin, very so

surface. The Tour Soft cover – a p – is just as thin as some urethane

Q A new spherically-tiled 342 cub for the new Tour Soft constructio consistent ﬂight.

Q Tour Soft, is available in both w

and improves upon the prior gene

models in the Titleist golf ball fam

over made with TCU Process Technology

ame control. Innovations in the manufactur-

2 in Massachusetts, allowed engineers to

oft cover formulation uniformly across the

proprietary blend of four different materials

-covered balls currently on the market.

boctahedron dimple design, optimized

n, delivers a penetrating trajectory and

white and high-optic yellow, and it replaces

eration NXT Tour and NXT Tour S golf ball

mily.

WE KNEW BASED ON BREAKTHROUGHS BEING MADE IN R&D THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER A BRAND NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE GOLF BALL THAT WOULD LEAD THE CATEGORY IN TERMS OF SOFT COMPRESSION FEEL,” HE SAID. HUTTON WENT ON TO EXPLAIN, “ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE OF OUR EXHAUSTIVE AND ITERATIVE PROTOTYPING PROCESS, WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER EVERYTHING WE WANTED IN TOUR SOFT – AND MORE. IT’S NOT ONLY THE SOFTEST BALL IN THE CATEGORY.

Launched simultaneously with the Tour Soft is the new Titleist Velocity, the third iteration so far of this successful golf ball. Originally designed to deliver fast initial ball speed on all full swing shots to generate explosive distance while providing playable feel in the short game, the new Velocity takes performance to a new level. “The new Titleist Velocity golf balls are designed with proprietary high-speed technology to deliver even more distance on every shot in the bag,” revealed Hutton. He continued, “Everything we do with Velocity is to generate speed and distance ….. when we spoke to Velocity golfers at the beginning of the development process, they told us they wanted even more distance, especially off the tee and our R&D team responded with new core technology and the fastest cover of any Titleist golf ball on the market to give them that added advantage.” The 2018 Velocity has been re-engineered with a softer high-speed core and Titleist’s fastest cover blend to deliver extremely low spin and fast ball speed off the tee for increased distance. Velocity’s advanced aerodynamics produce a high flight on all shots to enhance distance and help golfers stop the ball closer to the hole. Here’s the quick drill-down on the new Velocity: Q Longer distance through high speed, extremely low spin and high flight on all shots. Q The softer, high speed LSX core produces fast initial velocity with extremely low spin for deep downrange distance on all full swing shots. Q A new, faster NaZ+ cover provides higher ball speed for longer distance. Q A spherically-tiled 328 tetrahedral dimple design optimizes Velocity’s aerodynamic performance, producing high flight and long carry for shots that fly far and land more softly on the green. Besides all these exciting performance features of the new Velocity, there is the question of colour. The ball now comes in four colours - standard White plus two new high-visibility colours – Velocity Orange and Velocity Pink. The pink is really sexy and an attention grabber! “We’ve seen an increasing preference among golfers in general to play products that they truly identify with and colour is a big part of that,” said Hutton. “We’re confident these new colour options combined with the improved performance of Velocity will only make the game more enjoyable for these golfers.”

Among one of the m about golf clubs relate ing “forgiveness”. For about how easy it is f a golf club. It is some that tends to be both s and oftentimes how pends on the skillsets given technological a making business, more the “forgiving” tag the that takes the cake fo ing” has got to be th G400 Max driver. AS sneak peek at this ne ready started to rec

most discussed topics s to the issue concernrgiveness commonly is for a golfer to manage ewhat of a “measure” subjective and relative friendly a club is des of a player. All said, advances in the club e clubs are being given ese days. But the club or being super “forgivhe just released PING IAN GOLF received a ew driver that has alceive critical acclaim.

TAKE A SWING, MAYBE A COUPLE OF SWINGS WITH THIS DRIVER AND IT WILL BECOME QUICKLY APPARENT THAT IT HAS BEEN IMBUED WITH A SPECIAL GODLY QUALITY

– A SENSE OF FRIENDLINESS AND FORGIVENESS THAT IS

ALMOST CERTAIN TO BRING A SMILE ACROSS THE FACE OF A GOLFER WHO PUTS THE

PING G400 MAX TO THE TEST!

ooking at the spanking new PING G400 Max driver one can’t help but feel that this driver has been touched by the golﬁng gods. Take a swing, maybe a couple of swings with this driver and it will become quickly apparent that it has been imbued with a special godly quality – a sense of friendliness and

forgiveness that is almost certain to bring a smile across the face of a golfer who puts the PING G400 Max to the test! The G400 Max comes hot on the heels of the G400 driver which was launched last July. While it seems like the new driver has been launched outside of PING’s normal new product launch cycle, which is invariably every two years, there is very good reason why PING has opted to jump the gun on the G400 Max. It is revolutionary in so many ways that it would not have proven prudent to hold it back from a fast release. Validating its early release is the fact that the G400 Max sets new standards in combined Moment of Inertia (MOI) and forgiveness for a driver. Recognising this, PING President, John K Solheim, the oldest son of Ping Chairman and CEO John A. Solheim, and grandson of company founder Karsten Solheim, said, “We’re on a mission to help golfers play better, and

we know that starts with clubs that deliver

and leads to tighter dispersion, which reveals just

across-the-board performance gains.”

how consistent your distance and accuracy results

“The new G400 Max is engineered with the same technology as the original G400 but we’ve optimized the size to gain even more forgiveness, which leads to tighter dispersion and lower scores. With the

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.” The added forgiveness has also appealed to a

addition of the Max to the G400 driver family, golfers

number of tour professionals, including PING Pros

now have four ﬁtting options to ensure they’re getting

Aaron Baddeley and Seamus Power, who put the G400

the most out of their game. If you struggle ﬁnding the

Max in play at the recent Sony Open in Hawaii.

fairway with consistency, the Max is likely the best ﬁt for you,” he added. In the G400 Max driver, PING has achieved its

The unique forging and patented heat-treatment process of the G400 Max’s T9S+ face powers a thinner, hotter impact area that is precision machined to

all-time high MOI measurements by optimizing the

elevate ball speed across the entire face. The forged

crown and face design in the larger-proﬁle, multi-

face was also instrumental in producing the powerful

material head. The forgiveness gains are attribut-

feel of the driver.

able to the 460cc head and nearly four times the

Adding to the appeal of the G400 Max driver is

discretionary weight created by PING’s proprietary

the innovative colour-shifting paint technology of

Dragonﬂy crown technology and the thin, forged face.

the Alta CB shaft. This premium copper shaft paint

Its high-density tungsten back weight wraps around

transitions to nearly black to reduce distractions

the back of the sole to help bring the combined MOI

as golfers address the ball. The counter-balanced

(heel/toe and high/low) over 9,900 gram cm2. Its CG

design of the Alta CB allows for more mass in the

position is lower and farther back than any current

head to increase energy transfer. Go check it out!

driver on the market to make it the most forgiving

The G400 Max is about maximum forgiveness and as

driver in golf – surpassing the current G400 driver.

stated earlier, even a non-staffer like Tony Finau, one

The incredible USP for the G400 Max!

of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour. Has placed the

“Our engineers focused on increasing the forgiveness of the driver while maintaining the distance

driver in his bag! The G400 Max is not the only new post-Christmas

gains and powerful sound of the original G400 driver,”

gift from PING. The company has also rolled out the

said Solheim. “It’s remarkable how long and straight

G700 irons, Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges and PING Vault

the G400 Max ﬂies. The forgiveness is off the charts

2.0 putters.

WE’RE SEEING SIGNIFICANT BALL-SPEED INCREASES IN THE G700 WHILE MAINTAINING THE CONSISTENCY AND CONTROL GOLFERS NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR IRON PLAY,” SAID

SOLHEIM. “IT ALSO HAS A GREAT OVERALL LOOK, ESPECIALLY AT ADDRESS, AND A PREMIUM FINISH. WHEN GOLFERS HIT IT, THEY’LL EXPERIENCE A SENSATION AND SOUND THAT’S UNLIKE ANY THEY’VE EVER FELT OR HEARD. In the G700 iron, PING engineers have put a high priority on creating an iron that offers power and forgiveness by leveraging the advantages of a hollow-body design and a thin, maraging steel face, creating PING’s longest, highest-flying iron to date. “The desire for golfers to hit their irons farther continues to grow,” said Solheim. “We want to provide options that greatly increase distance without sacrificing other performance attributes, such as consistency, forgiveness and feel. With the G700 iron, we’ve been able to accomplish all of that in a very appealing design with a sound that screams distance from the moment golfers hit it.” The hollow-body construction of the 17-4 stainless steel head allows for an internal geometry design that positions weight away from the face, creating a frame for metal-wood-like flexing and high COR to greatly increase ball speed and produce launch results that will amaze golfers. “We’re seeing significant ball-speed increases in the G700 while maintaining the consistency and control golfers need to improve their iron play,” said Solheim. “It also has a great overall look, especially at address, and a premium finish. When golfers hit it, they’ll experience a sensation and sound that’s unlike any they’ve ever felt or heard.”

THE NEW G400 MAX IS ENGINEERED WITH THE SAME TECHNOLOGY AS THE ORIGINAL

G400 BUT WE’VE OPTIMIZED THE SIZE TO GAIN EVEN MORE FORGIVENESS, WHICH LEADS TO TIGHTER DISPERSION AND LOWER SCORES. WITH THE ADDITION OF THE MAX TO THE G400 DRIVER FAMILY, GOLFERS NOW HAVE FOUR FITTING OPTIONS TO ENSURE THEY’RE GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THEIR GAME. IF YOU STRUGGLE FINDING THE FAIRWAY WITH CONSISTENCY, THE

MAX IS LIKELY THE BEST FIT FOR YOU.

– JOHN K SOLHEIM

Next on deck are the Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges – these have 8620 carbon steel heads and precision-milled grooves that deliver a softer feel and higher-spinning shots for greater control. The tour-inspired Stealth finish, which yields less glare and makes the head appear smaller, is applied using a QPQ (Quench Polish Quench) process for added durability. This wedge fits the game and the eye of players for whom performance and appearance go hand in hand. A patented precision wheel-cut half groove near the lead edge on the 56˚, 58˚ and 60˚ improves engagement with the ball (specifically low on the face) to significantly increase spin and control from all conditions. The wheel-cut milling process was developed by PING’s engineering and manufacturing teams to enable grooves with a sharper edge radius, which increases interaction with the cover of the ball at impact, creating more friction for improved spin and trajectory control. The grooves in the lower-lofted wedges (46°, 50° & 52°) are milled with a 20° sidewall and a .005” edge radius for optimal full-shot performance. The higher-lofted versions (54°, 56°, 58° & 60°) are milled to a .004” edge radius and a 28° sidewall to impart more spin, especially around the greens.

“The tour player response has been exceptional,” said Solheim. “The players first comment about the Stealth finish, which not only looks cool, they like how it makes the head appear smaller and it limits reflections on bright days. Once they feel it and see how much spin and control the grooves provide, the wedges go straight in the bag.” The patented design is offered in four sole grinds (SS, WS, ES and TS) to ensure Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges can be fit to a golfer’s divot depth or attack angle and most common turf conditions. The final offerings are the PING Vault 2.0 putters - the

THE PLAYERS FIRST COMMENT AB FINISH, WHICH NOT ONLY LOOKS C

HOW IT MAKES THE HEAD APPEAR SMALLER REFLECTIONS ON BRIGHT DAYS.

ONCE THEY

HOW MUCH SPIN AND CONTROL THE GROOV WEDGES GO STRAIGHT IN THE BAG.

next generation of PING’s 100%-milled putters that are crafted and engineered to provide tour-calibre touch and performance

ﬁtting options than ever,” said Solheim. “The precision with

through proven innovations like precision-milled, patented True

which we mill the PING Vault 2.0 putters allows us

Roll Technology (TR), plus a new custom-weighting system.

to ﬁne-tune the speciﬁcations that best match a

“The PING Vault 2.0 putters are luxurious works of art that

golfer’s stroke and feel preference. With our

are engineered to perform,” said Solheim. “The craftsman-

new weighting system, we’re able to add

ship and materials used in our milling and ﬁnishing processes

or reduce the overall head-weight

ensure premium, eye-catching designs that appeal to the most

to achieve the best balance for each

discerning golfers. The ability to customize the weights provides

player which will lead to more consis-

golfers a putter uniquely built to ﬁt their game.”

tency on the greens.”

Precision-milled TR technology ensures full-face forgive-

Golfers can choose from three

ness for consistent speed off the face. The individually milled

premium ﬁnishes (Stealth, Platinum or

face pattern varies in depth and pitch across the face, which

Copper) in ﬁve models precision-milled from 303

speeds up off-centre impacts, improving consistency and ulti-

stainless steel, including the new Dale Anser, which is

mately leading to fewer three-putts.

inspired by one of the original Anser putter molds created b

“As we advance the technologies we apply in designing and manufacturing our putters, we’re able to offer more putter-

Allan Dale Solheim and detailed by his father, Karsten Solh All the new products are now available. asiangolf 203

BOUT THE

STEALTH

COOL, THEY LIKE

R AND IT LIMITS

Y FEEL IT AND SEE

ES PROVIDE, THE

eim.

august 2017

Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) was a company that was born out of frustration â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the frustration of its charismatic owner, the legendary Bob Parsons, a multi-billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist and self-confessed golf nut. As the story goes, Parsons was tired of buying other brands on the market and decided to break out with his own brand. In slightly over three years since PXG was formed, not only has Parsons got his own brand of golf clubs but a brand that stands out as both highly regarded and respected for being amongst the best equipment available.

hen word got out that a new golf equipment company was to start up

PXG SET OUT TO CREATE THE

back in 2014, ASIAN GOLF sent out an

WORLD’S FINEST GOLF EQUIP-

all-points bulletin to its contacts in the United States for details. The details

were scarce and all we found out was that it was headquar-

MENT AND

I BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE JU

THAT.

tered in Scottsdale, Arizona and that the man behind the new start-up was a very successful American entrepreneur called

products, a bus-load of top brand ambassadors and a strin

Bob Parsons. We were already aware of Parsons who was the

of successes on Tour to boot. All in the short time span of

force behind the creation of the Internet domain registration

three years!

behemoth GoDaddy. We were just curious to ﬁnd out what hard sparked Par-

With such an illustrious record, ASIAN GOLF felt that the time was right to reach out to Parsons for his own as-

sons to establish Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) at a time when

sessment of how PXG has performed since he launched

the industry was experiencing rough times. Big name players

the business. The following are excerpts from an exclusive

were getting their bottom-lines washed with red-ink while

interview that was conducted with him at his headquarters

the sale of golf equipment was in reverse gear. It just did not

Scottsdale:

make sense to us that someone would venture to get into an industry that was pretty much in intensive care. We kept up our search to seek out PXG and Mr. Parsons and we were rewarded when we finally got a contact that was prepared to entertain our request for information. In fact, ASIAN GOLF was amongst the first few publications to write about PXG in the world – we were definitely the first from Asia to speak with Parsons who came across as the epitome of confidence – someone who had the vision, the resources and the stamina to make PXG a success. Three years have since gone by and PXG is now a fully-fledged golf equipment manufacturer with a full line of

UST

s in

OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE, DELIVER THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TECHNOLOGY CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR A GOLFER TO BE CUSTOM FIT FOR CLUBS THAT MAXIMIZE HIS OR HER ABILITIES. ASIAN GOLF: PXG was born out of a need to address your personal frustrations with obtaining a good set of golf clubs that work. Three years have gone by – how do you look back on your decision and do you feel that you have embarked on a successful journey towards achieving your mission? BOB PARSONS: I believed if the normal constraints of time and money were removed from equipment design, development and the manufacturing process incredible advances were possible. Turns out I was right. PXG set out to create the world’s ﬁnest golf equipment and I believe we have done just that.

ASIAN GOLF: As technology evolves in areas such as materials being just one example, what do you see as the scope for improvement for PXG going forward?

BP: In 1899, Charles H. Duell, the Commissioner of the U.S. patent ofﬁce famously said, “everything that can be

WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE

invented has been invented.” Clearly, he was wrong. As far

HAVE JUST SCRATCHED THE

as PXG is concerned, what we’ve accomplished so far is just the tip of the iceberg.

ASIAN GOLF: When you started PXG, you gave your development team a blank check and no deadline to come up with the best equipment possible. Does this pledge continue as your team seeks out new frontiers to improve your product line?

BP: Absolutely! ASIAN GOLF: In the short time that PXG has been in existence, you have been able to build a full set of clubs from putter through to driver. What are your plans to grow the number of models that you have to address to the needs of players of different skillsets including women and juniors?

BP: PXG has, does now and will always make golf clubs for all golfers. It’s not about creating particular models

SURFACE AND LOOK FORWARD TO STRENGTHENING OUR COMMITMENT

ASIA THROUGH NEW, INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMES AND PARTNERSHIPS. TO GOLFERS IN

become a game-changer in the golf equipment industry are being recognized beyond those players who have the means by which to purchase PXG clubs. Our commitment to those golfers and to our existing PXG Troops is we will never hold anything back. When PXG introduces new equipment, the look, feel and performance will be outstanding and noticeably better than anything currently available. So, whenever someone finds their way into a new set of PXG’s they can feel confident that they are playing the world’s finest golf clubs.

intended for speciﬁc genders, ages or skill levels. Our goal is simple, deliver the best opportunity technology currently allows for a golfer to be custom ﬁt for clubs that maximize his or her abilities. PXG offers several models within each club category

ASIAN GOLF: Shifting gears, let’s talk about distribution. What is your distribution like globally? Are your dealers traditional retail outlets or are they custom-ﬁtting shops or a combination of both?

that offer speciﬁc performance beneﬁts such as low spin,

BP: PXG is currently available in more than 40 countries

penetrating ball ﬂight, extreme forgiveness, etc. The ideal

through high-end custom ﬁtting retailers and on-course

set conﬁguration is determined during PXG’s individual

ﬁtting professionals.

fitting process, which matches the right shafts, with the right flex, length and grip and the right lofts and lies, effectively making every set as unique to the golfer as his or her swing. Most importantly the better the custom fit, the more enjoyment each golfer will experience from their game. And that’s what it’s all about.

ASIAN GOLF: What is your business outlook for Asia? Are you bullish about PXG’s growth in Asia? BP: Asia is an important market for PXG and we’ve seen incredible growth in sales since introducing distribution partners in late 2016. Our distributors have helped to create a strong network of retail and green-grass

ASIAN GOLF: In the short time that PXG has been

partners who are doing an exemplary job delivering PXG’s

on the market, we have noticed that it has become the “aspirational” brand for many golfers. This must please you immensely?

renowned club ﬁtting experience. That said, we recognize

BP: We are thrilled and humbled that our efforts to

through new, innovative programmes and partnerships.

that we have just scratched the surface and look forward to strengthening our commitment to golfers in Asia

BOB PARSONS BEING RECOGNISED WITH THE GLOBAL VISION AWARD BY ANGELA RAYMOND, PRESIDENT OF THE ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP AT THE 2017 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT IN DA NANG, VIETNAM.

ASIAN GOLF: Next, let’s discuss PXG’s brand ambassadors’ programme. Again, in a short time, you have put together a formidable team of star players. How do you look upon their success on both the PGA Tour and the LPGA? BP: Having some of the best golfers in the world want to play our clubs in competition validates we’ve done something incredibly special. With wins on all three ma-

course – a goal no different than what we’ve established for our customers.

ASIAN GOLF: Given the size of Asia and the potential that it offers for golf, do you see PXG bringing on board some of Asia’s top players as your brand ambassadors and if so, who do you think would qualify for the job?

jor U.S. tours by our small professional staff, the mes-

BP: If there is an Asian golfer who is a top talent and

sage is clear, PXG is for real! Our goal is to help our tour

comes to us with a sincere interest in putting PXG clubs

staff play their best so that they can ﬁnd success on the

in play, we will certainly consider it.

L E T N AT U R E A N D TECHNOLOGY SWING

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As the ﬁrst man from his country to earn a PGA TOUR card through Qualifying School in 1999, K.J. Choi was selfdriven by a phrase which he coined years ago which was: “To be the best, you’ve got to play with the best.”

This editorial column has been made possible through a collaboration between the PGA Tour and ASIAN G tour in the world, we felt that it was incumbent upon us to provide the PGA Tour with its own platform to tal that what the PGA Tour is doing in Asia will go a long way to expose the highest level of professional tourn very high profile engagements in the ASEAN bloc, China, South Korea and Japan and this role is expected to Asian golf being a huge beneficiary insofar as growing the game and uplifting the standard of play are c For the month of February, the PGA Tour’s spotlight falls on an Asian trailblazer – K.J. Choi, the mega star fr professionals to make the grade on the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour’s Chuah Choo Chiang reports:

GOLF. Given the growing presence in Asia of the largest professional golf lk about its activities throughout this vast Continent. There is no denying nament golf to every country in the region. As of now, the PGA Tour has to grow progressively in the years to come. The bottom-line simply points concerned. Only good is going to come out of the PGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stake in Asia. rom South Korea who has been credited with opening the doors for Asian

K.J. CHOI

hoi lived up to his motto, aimed for the very top and made his presence felt on the world’s premier golf circuit in the United States where he is now the most successful Asian golfers on the PGA TOUR, winning eight times including the 2011 PLAYERS Championship. The drive to succeed and to be the best of the best means fighting your way into the World Golf Championships as well. Dustin Johnson, a 17-time winner on the PGA TOUR, says it the best when it comes to describing World Golf Championships tournaments. “They are very important tournaments. They are big tournaments. They bring together the best players in the world,” the world No. 1 said on the eve of last October’s World Golf Championships in China - the only WGC held in Asia. These factors have driven the long-hitting American superstar to five WGC titles, where he sits second only to Tiger Woods for the most WGC career victories. The desire to be the best has pushed Johnson to excel and the mantra is also now driving Asia’s band of new glory hunters. With Choi preparing for life on the Champions Tour, the region’s new flagbearers and generation of young stars are coming through and attempting to follow in his very footsteps. Some of Asia’s top golfers will get a crack against the world’s elite when the first WGC tournament of 2018, the World Golf ChampionshipsMexico Championship, takes place at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City from March 1-4. Johnson will defend the US$10 million tournament which is supported by the Salinas family and aimed towards supporting the growth the game in Mexico. Although the WGC was inaugurated nearly two decades ago, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama has only recently burst through the gates as Asia’s most successful golfer following triumphs at the WGC- in 2016 and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last year. If there was any blemish at all in Choi’s illustrious career, it would be the fact that he did not win a WGC tournament or a major championship despite some close calls. At 25, Matsuyama is amongst a new wave of supremely talented golfers dominating the global

golf scene alongside Johnson, reigning FedExCup champion Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Beyond Matsuyama, the likes of China’s Haotong Li, 22, Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, 28, and 24-year-old Gavin Green of Malaysia are being tipped to become world-beaters. The trio will get a chance to enhance their credentials in Mexico, which is not lost on them. “I’m really excited about the WGC-Mexico Championship. It is always my ambition to play and compete against the best players in the world, so to get into the elite field is a special feeling,” said Li, who enjoyed an impressive third place finish at The Open Championship last July. “As it is also my first WGC appearance outside of China, I am determined to make it a memorable week by playing to my best ability. Hopefully I can contend for a win,” added Li, who is a graduate from the PGA TOUR Series-China and also a product of the China Golf AssociationHSBC Junior Golf programme. Green, who starred for the University of New Mexico during his amateur days, created a slice of golf history when he became the first Malaysian to win the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit at the end of last year, which earned him with a maiden start at the WGC-Mexico Championship. “The World Golf Championships are all big events … all the best in the world will be there,” said Green. His rise on the Asian Tour during the 2017 season paved the way for him to compete in the PGA TOUR’s events across Asia last fall, the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in South Korea and WGC Championship in China which the Malaysian said “opened” his eyes to top level golf. “Playing in a WGC opened my eyes as well as playing in the CIMB and CJ too,” he said. “I know what to expect, I know what to do. You’ll get all the good guys in the top events, so I just hope to use these events to better myself and compete with them.”

Kiradech is keen a notch higher, which his WGC record. In 1 best is a T18 at the 2 Technologies Match his appearance at th Championship will yi ing. “It is always fun portunity to play in th Being the ﬁrst World event of the year, I w to produce a strong p and hopefully I can p title,” said Kiradech. “I have enjoyed past few months (ﬁve produce a lot of topbe very keen to win a pen at the WGC-Mex it will be fantastic.” All eyes will cert and Kiradech as they emulate Matsuyama conquer the world in And it’s all thanks to blazed the trail befor

asiangolf as asi asia a sia s iangol ia ang ngo ngol n go g olf lf 209 200 20 2 00

64 6 40 50 5

n to take his game h means improving 1 starts, Kiradech’s 016 WGC-Dell Play and he hopes e WGC-Mexico ield a strong show-

to have the ophe big tournaments. d Golf Championships ill be very motivated performance in Mexico play well to challenge for the

a good run of form over the e top-10s). It’s nice to 10 ﬁnishes but I will again. If it can hapico Championship,

tainly be on Li, Green y attempt to ’s heroics and n Mexico City. Choi who re them.

65 6 5 51 5 1

ffebruary m ma may ay 2 ay 20 201 2017 017 017 01 1 y72018 2018 20 201 018 01

I am THONGCHAI JAIDEE 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. As a family man, Black Mountain is safe and a perfect place to grow my family. 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

C.T. PAN

How many of us still remember the historic exploits of the great Lu Liang-Huan, popularly known simply as Mr. Lu? He was without doubt the most successful Taiwanese golfer who won several important tournaments on the Asian and European circuits between 1959 and 1987. His finest year was 1971, when he finished runner-up to Lee Trevino in the British Open at Royal Birkdale. After this, Lu went on to win the French Open a week later. Another memorable win was when he teamed with countryman Hsieh Min-Nan to win the World Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Taiwan’s sole victory in the event. Following in Mr. Lu’s footsteps is a rising star from Taiwan who has already started to prove his mettle on the PGA Tour. Meet C.T. Pan in this special profile report.

he 26-year-old C.T. Pan had a solid rookie campaign during the 2016-17 PGA season where he finished 88th on the FedExCup standings. Outstanding for his first year on the tough and challenging PGA Tour in America. The young Taiwanese had three top-10 finishes which included a runner-up outing at the Farmers Insurance Open. He is all primed for continued action on Tour and is looking forward to a productive 2018/2019 season. His positive outlook was expressed during a recent interview when he declared, “I want to get into the TOUR Championship this season, and this means that I have to finish in the top-30 of the FedExCup.” “I was in contention a few times last season and I feel I have the ability to win. It’s just a matter of time. I need to put my mind in the right place to have a greater chance of winning. For me, the more I enjoy a tournament, the better I’ll play. Playing a round of golf is like creating a masterpiece … you have to pay attention to every detail to have a chance of winning.” Pan conceded that his maiden year on TOUR was inconsistent, with 14 cuts made in 29 tournaments. However, he believes the experience has toughened him up. “As a rookie, the playing status is not great. You’re waiting to get into tournaments and you can’t plan a schedule,” he said. “It’s a dream to play on the PGA TOUR and you want to perform … so you can get over excited too. It took me a while to really calm down and to feel comfortable. How-

THE WEB.COM IS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

EVERYTHING

WAS NEW AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO PERFORM WELL.

A ROOKIE, IT’S TOUGH TO ADJUST.

BUT I GOT ON A NICE

RUN OF FORM, SECURED MY STATUS ON THE

PGA TOUR

AND ALSO GOT INTO THE

OLYMPICS. I JUST GOT MY CONFIDENCE UP AND GOLF IS SUCH A MENTAL GAME.

I I HAD TO SPEND A FEW YEARS ON THE WEB.COM TOUR BUT IF YOU LOOK AT MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER, IT TOOK ME 15 MONTHS TO GET ON TO THE PGA TOUR, WHICH I’M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT. THOUGHT

ever, I’ve always felt like I belonged on TOUR as I played in three major championships when I was still an amateur (U.S. Open in 2011 and 2013 and 2014 Open Championship). I wasn’t as good then but I knew how far behind I was and that was powerful motivation for me to work harder. My goal was to finish within the top-100 on the FedExCup last season, so to finish in 88th place was great.” His entry onto the PGA TOUR has not come as a total surprise. As an amateur, Pan enjoyed a strong career at the University of Washington where he was a four-time AllAmerican. With eight victories under his belt, he also rose to No. 1 on the world amateur golf ranking in 2013. He also delivered two gold medals for Chinese Taipei at the 2014 Asian Games and subsequently turned professional. Pan then won twice on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada in 2015 from seven starts to gain “promotion” onto the Web.com Tour and he went on to produce seven top-10s from 22 tournaments in 2016 to lock up his PGA TOUR card by finishing in 11th place on the Web.com Tour Regular Season money list.

HIS ENTRY ONTO THE PGA TOUR HAS NOT COME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE. AS AN AMATEUR, PAN ENJOYED A STRONG CAREER AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON WHERE HE WAS A FOUR-TIME ALL-AMERICAN. WITH EIGHT VICTORIES UNDER HIS BELT, HE ALSO ROSE TO NO. 1 ON THE WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING IN

2013. HE ALSO DELIVERED TWO GOLD MEDALS FOR CHINESE TAIPEI AT THE 2014 ASIAN GAMES AND SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED PROFESSIONAL.

I WAS IN CONTENTION A FEW TIMES LAST SEASON

I FEEL I HAVE THE ABILITY TO WIN. IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME. I AND

NEED TO PUT MY MIND IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF WINNING.

FOR ME, THE MORE I ENJOY A TOURNAMENT, THE BETTER I’LL PLAY. PLAYING A ROUND OF GOLF IS LIKE CREATING A MASTERPIECE … YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAIL TO HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING.

“The Web.com is a very different experience. Everything was new and you know you have to perform well. As a rookie, it’s tough to adjust. But I got on a nice run of form, secured my status on the PGA TOUR and also got into the Olympics. I just got my confidence up and golf is such a mental game. I thought I had to spend a few years on the Web.com Tour but if you look at my professional career, it took me 15 months to get on to the PGA TOUR, which I’m really happy about,” said Pan. His golfing dream began when he picked up the sport as a five-year-old due to the encouragement from his late father Jung Ho, who was a disciplinarian. His mother, Yeu Mei Kang, worked at a golf course near the family home which gave him and his older brother the opportunity to play the game. Pan’s first set of clubs was a mixed bag of junior equipment and cutdown adult clubs. “My father loved golf. He told me the sport had the potential for me to make it into a career. It was also during the time when Tiger Woods was coming up and we watched a lot of golf on TV, watching Tiger winning the majors. My father told me I needed a lot of mental strength to be successful,” said Pan. He attributed the opportunity to attend the IMG Academy in Bradenton as his big break in golf. Not only did he enjoy expert coaching, he also learned English to eventually gain a place at the University of Washington. He has since given back to the game in Chinese Taipei by running an annual junior golf camp over the past three years. “I’m the first from Chinese Taipei to graduate from a U.S. college and my experience can be used for the other kids,” said Pan. “When our juniors turn 18 at home, they have limited tournaments to play and going over to U.S. colleges will give them the tournament experience that I enjoyed. I hope to influence Chinese Taipei parents with my story and tell them that education is equally important in a golf career,” he said.

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Our resident golf guru Tony Meechai is all rested up and ready to rock for another twelve months. We sent him away for a much needed break and he has returned bubbling with new ideas on how to help you improve your game the Tony Meechai way. What he has planned for you for 2018 will absolutely blow you away â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is new and more importantly, it is DIFFERENT! He kicks off the new season with tips on the importance of BALANCE. Take it away Tony!

t’s great to be back for another season and I am really excited about 2018. As all of you get ready to hit the fairways, I thought I’d spend a few moments with you discussing a very vital part of playing golf and it has to do with balance. Like bike riding, once

you’ve acquired the skill to ride a bike, you will never lose it. Like golf, the key skill you need to ride a bike is BALANCE!

A GOOD FOLLOWTHROUGH WITH A BALANCED FINISH TELLS ME THAT YOU ARE SWINGING THE GOLF CLUB TO THE TARGET!

will teach itself how to balance. And, then riding becomes

SO REMEMBER, SPEND THIS BALANCED! START WITH A

simple and natural. And, most of all FUN!

BIKE RIDE BY YOURSELF OR

Balance is key! If you don’t have balance when riding a bike you will fall to the right or to the left and probably get into an accident. When you begin peddling your, body

For golfers, I have had students who think so much about the upcoming season and become very worried about their golf games. They will try to recall all the tips and moves they did to hit that one great shot in their last round. I try and snap them out of this and point out that all they have to do is make sure they have a BALANCED FOLLOWTHROUGH! Yes, take a golf club and begin swinging! As I like to preach, focus on the golf club swinging to a nice followthrough! Once you swing it to a nice follow-through, do two things: 1) Hold the ﬁnish for 10 seconds and after that ….. 2) Try lifting your right foot off the ground. If you have a good balance follow-through ﬁnish, the belt buckle will be facing the target,

MONTH GETTING

WITH YOUR FAMILY!

your golf club will be over your left shoulder and you should be able to raise your right foot off the ground. Practice without a golf ball and do about 10 swings to the follow-through position and hold. It’s simple! A good follow-through with a balanced ﬁnish tells me that you are swinging the golf club to the target! So remember, spend this month getting BALANCED! Start with a bike ride by yourself or with your family! And, if you are a golf club manager reading this…hopefully you can offer a bike riding area for golfers so they can spend time riding bikes with their family and friends in a safe area. In Thailand so many golf courses have areas for this. Try it! Make 2018 your year!

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 PGA Professional Golf Management, he has made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which 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 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 Club-Focused Instruction curriculum and teaching philosophy. Voted 2015 and 2016 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 tony@tmggroupasia.com. Like Black Hat Golf Tips page on facebook.

INTENSIVE WORK ON THE SWING, FROM STANCE â&#x20AC;¦

TO CLUB ANGLE â&#x20AC;¦ AND FOLLOW-THROUGH.

THEN FINALLY READY TO HIT. IAIN LIKES THE END RESULT!

THEN PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE – STANCE …

arm-up exercises completed, Iain invites me to hit a few 7-irons. What I haven’t

told him is that I’ve put in a couple of additional evenings at the driving range. I nail three straight down the middle and he whistles his appreciation. “What’s this, week seven? You’re making fantastic progress,” he says. He explains there are some students who don’t get this far in six months, let alone six weeks. I can honestly say I’m delighted at how things are going. Iain advises that we will be doing some intensive work on my swing. “It’s pretty advanced for someone who’s had just six hours of coaching, but you’re going well and I think you can absorb it.” And so we spend the next 30 minutes breaking down the swing and ensuring that my feet, legs, hips, head, arms and wrists are in exactly the right position for each part of it. He brings out the yellow plastic swing guide attached to the grip to work the wrists and forearms and a “swing setter” – a stick with a golf grip at the top and magnets that slide up and down the shaft – designed to get you swinging at the correct tempo.

BACKSWING …

Iain is fully aware that such intensive coaching can be wearing and takes care to break it up every few minutes by having me hit a few shots. Once he’s happy that the 7-irons are going OK, we spend a short time on the pitching wedge and then the driver. “Next time you are at the range, start hitting them

AND FOLLOW-THROUGH.

in rotation. Six balls with the driver, then six with the 7-iron, then six with the wedge, and keep repeating,” he advises. “When you’re on a golf course, you’ll be changing club every shot.”

ABOUT IAIN ROBERTS A 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 ssenior executive, he has vast experience in the g game. His outstanding contribution to golf was g given the ultimate recognition in 2015 when tthe PGA of Great Britain and Ireland awarded him Master Professional status. Iain is founder a and operator of the Iain Roberts Golf School – www.iainrobertsgolfschool.com – which o operates from three locations in Hong Kong.

www.iainrobertsgolfschool.com

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Hidden golf courses are scattered across New Zealand that bring with them a unique blend of quirky and rustic. It is a country that is blessed with an enormous quantity of golf, currently sitting right at 400 courses. Along with quantity it has quality with world class courses that regularly feature in global top 100 lists. Beyond the pristine fairways of Kauri Cliffs and the jaw dropping landscape of Cape Kidnappers there are some hidden gems scattered across New Zealand that bring with them a unique blend of quirky and rustic.

ew Zealand’s country courses are like nothing else in the world typically characterized by a lack of paid staff, with labour often carried out by passionate memberships who pour precious time into their local track. Since costly equipment isn’t available, sheep typically act as mowers, with additional support coming from local farmers and their heavy equipment and agricultural expertise. Green fees are collected in cash by honesty box, with guest books for players to sign in before their round. Some of these courses feature as few as six greens with most falling into the 9 to 12 green category with enough tee boxes to ensure an 18 hole round is available. Hazards exist in their traditional golf form, but additional obstacles can often be found from farm fences running right through the middle of a fairway, small electric fences around greens, and often sheep dung dotting the property. Forget the golf cart - make sure you pack your own lunch and be prepared to carry your own bag. Dress up if you like but dress codes don’t exist here nor do tee times or starter’s boxes - simply rock up, tee off and enjoy an incredibly refreshing golf experience. The real charm of a country course is that they are uniquely Kiwi, often featuring handmade signage and tee markers. Green fees usually range from NZ$10-20 regardless of whether you play a full 18 holes (or less), this truly is golf in its most pure form. While there are many country courses that deserve attention, ASIAN GOLF has picked a selection of country courses that are a must for any golfers visiting New Zealand.

WAITARA GOLF CLUB Waitara Golf Course can be found on the rugged west coast of New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North Island in the Taranaki region. This picturesque 18-hole links course is just a 20 minute drive from central New Plymouth the main city in the region. Spectacular views of the Tasman Sea, stunning coastline and Mount Taranaki make it hard to keep your eye on the ball but create a perfect backdrop to some challenging golf. Whilst the course is short at 4750m (5,190yd) it provides a difďŹ cult layout to test all abilities.

TE POHUE GOLF CLUB Located on the Napier-Taupo Road, this golf course is as convenient as it is fun to play. With an entrance directly off the highway, visitors are greeted by handmade and hand painted concrete tee markers. Sheep are often found roaming the fairways so be sure to yell ‘fore’ if you send your drive right down the middle. Small electric fences surround the greens, and golfers are prompted to turn these “off” before they play so as they don’t add new meaning to a ‘knee trembler’ putt. Great elevation changes, natural use of land, with clever hole names make this a stop where both your camera and golf clubs will be used equally.

HAZARDS EXIST IN THEIR TRADITIONAL GOLF FORM, BUT ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES CAN OFTEN BE FOUND FROM FARM FENCES RUNNING RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF A FAIRWAY, SMALL ELECTRIC FENCES AROUND GREENS, AND OFTEN SHEEP DUNG DOTTING THE PROPERTY.

TAKAPAU GOLF CLUB Takapau’s 12 hole course turned 120 years old this year and has one of the most challenging par 3s of any course in the country. Named The Styx, this 158 metre hole has a natural creek, sloping hillside, and a massive willow tree protecting the green. There are several options for starting holes on the course, and the 12 holes move you around the property nicely, taking in the rolling hills of Central Hawkes Bay.

TARRAS GOLF CLUB One of the best drives in New Zealand is the central route from Christchurch to Queenstown on SH8. Before reaching the golf mecca of Queenstown, you pass right through the charming town of Tarras in the heart of Otago sheep country. The golf course at Tarras is anything but ordinary, embracing the country course philosophy with free roaming sheep, small fences around the greens, and an honesty box system for payment. Nine greens and 18 tee boxes provide a full golf experience for a mere NZ$15 per round.

ROXBURGH GOLF CLUB One of the most unique courses in the country, Roxburgh sits directly on SH8 between Queenstown and Dunedin. Playing only 4,372 metres with a par of 68, you’ll soon ﬁnd the challenge isn’t based on length, but instead on the rocky schist that dots the course. The rugged beauty of the course is distracting, and for only NZ$20 this is a course not to be missed.

TOKANUI GOLF CLUB The southernmost nine hole course in the country and possibly the world, Tokanui’s seaside links course has views of the Paciﬁc Ocean looking out to Stewart Island. It is accessed on the scenic route through the Catlins, which connects Dunedin and Invercargill. Golfers playing Tokanui will soon realise it is an experience that changes with the wind. With barely a tree on it, the Southerly wind offers protection to the often ﬁrm and fast conditions. At just NZ$7 to play, Tokanui should absolutely make its way onto any lower South Island golf itinerary.

Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest golf course is a sight to behold. Imagine playing a round of golf with a giant image of Buddha looking down on you. It creates a tremendous sense of serenity and tranquillity.

asiangolf asiangol o f 209

100

101

february uarr 20 uary 201 2018 0 8

WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN FROM THE BUDDHA, WHO TAUGHT US A ‘MIDDLE WAY’ BETWEEN SENSUAL INDULGENCE AND SEVERE ASCETICISM. FOR GOLFERS THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: RELAX AND KEEP IT IN THE FAIRWAY.

his experience can be had at the brand new Chee Chang Golf Resort that will debut its ﬂamboyant new layout in the signiﬁcant shadow of the Chee Chan Buddha, the 110-meter spiritual anchor to an existing resort complex that already includes a water park, winery and shopping

district. All of these amenities are arrayed beside white sand beaches on the Gulf of Siam. The course architects at Golfplan will soon unveil their new 18-hole design in the Silver Lake region south of Pattaya. “It’s been a delight to be so active again in Thailand, home to one of the most dynamic, diverse and sophisticated golf cultures on the planet,” said Golfplan partner David Dale, who has directed the project. “We’re eager to reacquaint Thai golfers with Golfplan because our style has evolved a great deal in 20 years and, frankly, the Thai golf market is uniquely discerning.”

“Golf cultures in Asia develop on different tracks,

IT’S BEEN A

some on the American model, some on the British

DELIGHT TO

model - but Thailand is unique because it has created

BE SO ACTIVE AGAIN IN

THAILAND, HOME TO

its own distinct culture, its own model,” Dale explained. “Japan and South Korea have done the same thing,

ONE OF THE MOST

but Thailand is the only such country in Asia that also

DYNAMIC, DIVERSE AND

serves as a golf destination, attracting golfers from all

SOPHISTICATED GOLF CULTURES ON THE PLANET.

– DAVID DALE

over Europe, from Australia and New Zealand. It’s also far and away the #1 golf destination for Japanese and Koreans, which speaks volumes. It’s just an amazingly diverse golﬁng destination.”

The terrain in Pattaya along the Gulf of Siam is

Chan Buddha looms so large, as it is carved directly

generally quite ﬂat, but Chee Chan Golf Resort is a

into these rock faces. His serene visage is visible from

glorious anomaly boasting fully 25 meters of elevation

multiple points on the property, including the entire

change, just the right amount to create a challeng-

opening hole.

ing, visually dramatic and walkable resort course that

“We couldn’t afford to miss that opportunity: to

measures more than 7,200 yards from the champion-

start golfers at Chee Chan on their spiritual journey

ship tees.

under the watchful eye of Siddhartha Gautama,” Dale

The property’s perimeter is further accented by

said. “We have much to learn from the Buddha, who

a series of enormous, partly vegetated escarpments,

taught us a ‘Middle Way’ between sensual indulgence

some standing 150 meters high. It is here, on one of

and severe asceticism. For golfers the message is

these massive rock faces that the 110-meter Chee

clear: Relax and keep it in the fairway.”

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Callaway Launches New Irons And Hybrids

Callaway Golf has ofﬁcially announced their new Rogue Irons and Rogue Hybrids. The Rogue Irons family will be offered in three models: Standard, Pro, and X. And Rogue Hybrids will be offered in two models: Standard and X

Callaway Rogue Irons Thes irons are led by Callaway’s renowned 360 Face These Cup technology with Variable Face Thickness (VFT) technology to expand the portion of the face that tech deliv delivers fast ball speed. And the company’s urethane micr microspheres improve sound and feel without comprom promising COR and ball speed. The result is the best com combination of distance, accuracy and playability ever in a Callaway iron.

ROGUE IRONS: Long, accurate, easy to hit, and ROG vers versatile, with great sound and feel. Suited for average players seeking balanced performance. ROGUE PRO IRONS: Caters to the preferences of ROG better players with a compact head, thin topline, thin bette sole sole, shallow cavity and minimal offset, to increase workability, trajectory control and impact feedback. work ROGUE X IRONS: A total distance overhaul. They’re ROG lighter in weight and longer in length, with stronger light lofts lofts. The wide sole pulls the CG low and deep for easy, high launch and long carry. Add 360 Face Cup easy and V VFT for more average ball speed and you have an iron fully armed to max out distance.

Callaway Rogue Hybrids These are the ﬁrst hybrids to incorporate Callaway’s innovative Jailbreak distance technology. This technology was ﬁrst introduced last year in the Company’s Great Big Bertha Epic Driver, the #1 selling driver in the U.S. every month in 2017. The synergy of Jailbreak and the Company’s renowned Hyper Speed Face Cup make these the most powerful hybrids that Callaway has ever created.

TaylorMade Golf Disrupts With Its New Twist Face Technology TaylorMade Golf has launched its M3 & M4 drivers and metalwoods, highlighted by the company’s breakthrough innovation – Twist Face technology. Reimagining traditional driver face design, TaylorMade’s Twist Face technology is truly the ﬁrst of its kind. Twist Face, featured in both the new M3 & M4 drivers, is TaylorMade’s solution to counteract golfers’ most common misses, more speciﬁcally, those resulting from the high toe and low heel impacts.

LEARN MORE

Odyssey Goes Red And Black Odyssey Golf, the #1 Putter in Golf, has announced new O-Works Red and O-Works Black Putters. The proven O-Works Red & Black putter line has been expanded with eight new Red models and nine new Black models, creating a balanced lineup of beautifully shaped blades, mallets and mid-mallets, all equipped with Odyssey’s innovative Microhinge face insert technology to promote immediate topspin for smooth, accurate roll.