Asian Golf 214 July 2018 by Asia Pacific Golf Group

GOLFERS HA “I’m a full club longer with my irons.”

“Overall game changer.”

“This ball is the real deal!”

INTRODUCING

REMARKABLE DISTANCE. E

AVE SPOKEN. “Fits my game perfectly.”

“A high performance ball in yellow.”

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ISSUE

214

J U LY 2 0 1 8

A good measure of success normally is longevity. In the world of business, ten years, a whole decade, is normally an excellent yardstick of success. Using this as a basis, the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) is now in its second decade and with the latest edition, it will have had 12 successful stagings since it was started back in 2007. The theme for APGS 2018 is “ENGAGEMENT” and it has been selected with a very specific intention in mind. The time to engage is now! APGS 2018 will serve as a platform to explore, discuss and come up with a new mindset to break free from tradition and embrace revolutionary new pathways to make golf attractive, viable and profitable across the board. Talk alone is not good enough. It’s time to act and ENGAGE!

16 EQUIPMENT FOCUS 26 A MUST HAVE FROM PING!

Continuing its series of eye-catching, highperformance, premium putters precision-milled at PING, the company has introduced a new mid mallet, the PLD3. Customers will cherish their PLD3 for more than its distinctive beauty, though.

30 COLOUR COORDINATED PUTTERS! The TaylorMade Company has launched the “MySpider” personalised putter programme and you’ve got to see it to believe it! It literally unravels thousands of combinations to personalize TaylorMade’s most popular putter in its history – the Spider!

GAME-IMPROVEMENT

76 A TIP FROM FOOTBALL FOR YOUR GOLF SWING! Looks like our resident golf guru has got his games confused. To be speciﬁc, he has a great tip on how you can improve your golf swing with a basic tip from football. Without further ado, here’s Tony Meechai and another of his unique Black Hat golf tips.

REGULARS 8 EDITORIAL TEAM

10 SHARED THOUGHTS: FROM PUBLISHER | GOLF’S FINALLY AWAKENING FROM ITS DEEP SLUMBER

36 SPECIAL FEATURE 36 NOKO – GOLF’S NEXT GROWTH FRONTIER?

If the North Korean iron curtain is brought down, it is going to open up the development-starved nation to progress on an unprecedented scale. Its terrain is said to be blessed with spectacular mountains and spellbinding beaches which all augur well for tourism-related developments, including golf courses and golf resorts.

44 THOMAS – A REAL SIZZLER! ASIAN GOLF pays tribute to Justin Thomas, an incredible player. In a special proﬁle report, Chuah Choo Chiang, senior director, communications of the PGA TOUR takes a look at the achievements of this 25-year super-star.

52 ASIA’S MANE OF POWER! The Asia Paciﬁc Golf Group (parent company of Asian Golf) is proud to unveil its list of “The Power Hitters” of 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 NOW, ONTO A GLOBAL TOUR! The PGA Tour and Discovery have struck up a mega alliance which seeks to beneﬁt the game of golf worldwide. It will help to drive golf’s fan base and grow the sport around the world. This is a massive development by any stretch of the imagination and it comes at a point in time when golf is in dire need of a much needed shot in the arm.

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]

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

Alice Ho Alice Ho Business Executive [alice@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

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

Email: alice@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com

ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP(2014) PTE LTD 1 Yishun Industrial Street 1, #07-23 A’posh Bizhub, Singapore 768160 Tel: +65 6323 2800 | Fax: +65 6323 2838 Company Registration No.: 201405689G

Myra Paras Accounts Executive [myra@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com]

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’s no secret that golf has been on the decline or at least in a holding pattern for some time. While many in the industry have been aware of this languid state, the powers that be in the business of golf have shied away from admitting the fact. Turning to PR-speak, the governing bodies of golf on both sides of the Atlantic have been pontiﬁcating that golf is in good health and that steps were underway to grow the game and all that frivolous talk!

owever, the truth is ﬁnally out! The venerable R&A, the organisation

cobwebs to exhort the golf industry to attract female players and families. This “earth-shaking” declaration was made

that is the self-styled governing body of

when Slumbers launched a “Women in Golf Charter” in a bid

golf in virtually all parts of the world, has

to encourage and increase female participation – it’s sort of

ﬁnally come out into the open to categori-

analogous to the prince who kissed the comatose princess to

cally declare that “golf is ﬂat and has to change”. One wonders what took these guys in Scotland so long

to arrive at this brilliant conclusion? The man who has made all this ofﬁcial is Martin Slumbers. The R&A’s chief executive shook off the organisation’s

awaken her from her deep slumber! The former bank executive said, “Doing nothing is not an option.” He made an eagle-eyed observation that, “The majority of golf clubs are struggling because their product is aimed at a target market which is shrinking”.

SENIOR GOLFERS – MORE YOUNG PLAYERS NEED TO BE BROUGHT IN.

“We want to make sure the R&A is modern and relevant to today’s society and we see our overall goal that golf is thriving 50 years from now.

WHILE WHAT SLUMBERS HAS

While what Slumbers has decided upon needs to be

DECIDED UPON NEEDS TO BE

applauded ASIAN GOLF would like to point out that the move to attract women and children to golf will not save the game. To start with, the game has been neglected for far too long and no quick ﬁx solutions are going to turn things around and make it all better. What is needed is a holistic strategy that looks at all genders because the game needs an infusion of new players and it needs it fast. Speaking for Asia, our own research tells us that golfers (men) in the age group 18-35

APPLAUDED

ASIAN GOLF WOULD LIKE

TO POINT OUT THAT THE MOVE TO ATTRACT WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO GOLF WILL NOT SAVE THE GAME.

TO START

WITH, THE GAME HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR FAR TOO LONG AND NO QUICK FIX

years make up only slightly over 7% of the total golﬁng

SOLUTIONS ARE GOING TO TURN THINGS

population. This is not a healthy sign at all and we see this

AROUND AND MAKE IT ALL BETTER.

as a declining trend. The largest segment of golfers in Asia falls into the

mote golf to women and children is not enough. The game

45 to 60-year-old age bracket and this is what is going to

needs a dragnet that will attract golfers far and wide and

deliver the death knell to golf in Asia. Many in this group

from different age groups, demographics and genders.

will begin to play less golf within the next decade and

This is an initiative that requires all stake-holders to

given the size of this age demographic, steps must be

kick in to make it work and a collective resolve is needed

taken to replace the impending attrition. We have already

post-haste. Meantime, we laud Mr. Slumbers for having

seen a massive drop in the age group 65-75 – this was the

the fortitude to break out from the establishment-think

group that made up the ﬁrst phase of the post-war baby

mindset to shake up the industry. Welcome to the fast-

boomers.

changing world Mr. Slumbers. You’ve done right by the

The trends are telling us that that just trying to pro-

industry!

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A good measure of success normally is longevity. In the world of business, ten years, a whole decade, is normally an excellent yardstick of success. Using this as a basis, the Asia Paciﬁc Golf Summit (APGS) is now in its second decade and with the latest edition, it will have had 12 successful stagings since it was started back in 2007. Over the years, APGS has been staged in Singapore, Shenzhen (China), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok, Pattaya (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Hua Hin (Thailand) and Da Nang (Vietnam). The longest running summit on the business of golf in Asia now returns to Bangkok for 2018. Every year since its inception, APGS has always set standards and new milestones and 2018 will be no different. Everything points to APGS 2018 scaling new heights and establishing new standards. And it all starts with the theme for the Summit and the tone that it will set.

he theme for APGS 2018 is

engage with changing trends, have been reaping the beneﬁts of

“ENGAGEMENT” and it has been

disruption.

selected with a very speciﬁc

The pace of change is something that the golf industry

intention in mind. The world and

needs to seize and engage with great gusto. It needs to ﬁnd new

most of the businesses in it are

and exciting ways to compel younger generations to take up the

experiencing radical, disruptive change. The golf

game and replace the rapidly depleting legions of older players

industry is no different. Dominant old technologies

from past generations. New formats of play must be explored;

have been unceremoniously dumped making way for

the element of fun must be factored in to appeal to the young;

new technologies that were never envisioned until re-

costs of equipment and apparel must be made affordable and the

cent times. One-time corporate behemoths have been

cost to play must be reduced. Golf needs a new template to draw

ushed off their lofty pedestals to make way for fast-charging rporate upstarts. The world and everything on it has been turned on its

in, cater and retain new blood. The time to engage is now! APGS 2018 will serve as a platform to explore, discuss and come up with a new mindset to break

ead – but it has all proved to be for the better. It has brought

free from tradition and embrace revolutionary new pathways to

bout change on an unprecedented scale. Individuals,

make golf attractive, viable and proﬁtable across the board. Talk

rporations and nations that have been quick to seize and

alone is not good enough. It’s time to act and ENGAGE!

The countdown to APGS 2018 has commenced and it’s time to roll out what’s in store. As is customary for APGS, each new Summit is launched with the announcement of a globally renowned personality being brought on board. This year is no exception – the special VIP guest at APGS 2018 is the legendary golf equipment entrepreneur Barney Adams. He was the man who gave golf the history-making Adams Golf and its equally famous “Tight Lies” golf clubs.

“A

ny man who could take over a golf equipment company faced with the threat of bankruptcy and turn it around into a US$85 million force has got to be special and Barney is that sort of a man,” said Mike Sebastian, chief executive ofﬁcer of the Asia Paciﬁc Golf Group, the owner and

producer of APGS 2018. “We have invited Barney because he is a perfect example of how somebody recognised an opportunity, seized it and engaged with it to deliver a total game changing experience for golfers the world over,” Sebastian pointed out. The mainstay of Adams Golf was to provide a very special service to golfers and that service was to design and manufacture golf clubs that would get golf balls to go the distance. Looking back to the early days of Adams Golf, Barney said, “My job was to improve the ﬂight of the golf ball and provide optimum ball ﬂight and I applied everything I knew to develop clubs that hit well and felt good in the hands of a player.”

BARNEY ADAMS

MY JOB WAS TO IMPROVE THE FLIGHT OF THE GOLF BALL AND PROVIDE OPTIMUM BALL FLIGHT AND I APPLIED EVERYTHING I KNEW TO DEVELOP CLUBS THAT HIT WELL AND FELT GOOD IN THE HANDS OF A PLAYER.

age, it takes on a whole new meaning as service excellence is becoming a signiﬁcant advantage and performance differentiator. Service excellence will be part and parcel of the theme for APGS 2018 and to help deliver this important message, the organisers have reached out to one man who has been the embodiment of this practice for almost all of his professional life. His “Tight Lies” fairway woods were so good and the

This professional is Michael Leemhuis, President of

performance of these clubs inspired him to write a book

Ocean Reef Club in Florida. It is arguably the largest private

entitled “The Wow Factor” which went on to become a best-

club in the world with revenues in excess of US$110 million a

seller. He sold his highly successful business to TaylorMade

year, 1100 associates, 17 restaurants/food outlets, an airport,

Golf in 2012 and retired from the industry. But as the adage

a medical centre, three world class golf courses, a marina,

goes – you can’t keep a good man down and true to form,

a hotel and a stunning beach. “It is a very special facility that

Barney is back from retirement!

delivers a unique way of life,” declared Leemhuis.

The man who helped to revolutionize golf in the 1990s is

Besides managing a world class facility Leemhuis

right back into the golf equipment world with a Dallas-based

would easily rank amongst the elite in club management

company called Breakthrough Golf Technology. He is leading

experience. This is borne out by the fact that he served as

the thrust with a product called the Stability Shaft, a shaft

the President of the Club Managers Association of America

designed to dampen oscillation in putters. He is the true

(CMAA). Before moving to Ocean Reef, he was the general

renaissance man and one of golf’s great living legends.

manager of the famous Congressional Golf Club from 1999.

Another major presentation at APGS 2018 will focus

There isn’t a single aspect of club operations that

on service excellence. In the golf club industry, service

Leemhuis is not an expert in – he is without doubt the total,

excellence is paramount for success and in this day and

consummate club manager extraordinaire.

IN THE GOLF CLUB INDUSTRY, SERVICE

BRIAN DISTEL

EXCELLENCE IS PARAMOUNT FOR SUCCESS AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IT TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING AS SERVICE EXCELLENCE IS BECOMING A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE AND PERFORMANCE DIFFERENTIATOR. JOHN BLANCH

BARNEY ADAMS

MICHAEL LEEMHUIS

Leemhuis has a very impressive global track record

Given the importance of sustainability, special arrange-

having spoken at various industry events on topics rang-

ments have been made to stage a very hands-on, show-

ing from latest trends in the management of golf clubs to

and-tell presentation on sustainability at work.

disaster recovery at clubs and virtually everything else in between. He conducts himself professionally with a fascinat-

To help drive the point home, the award-winning Thai Country Club (TCC), a leading proponent of sustainability practices, has come on board and anchored by its general

ing motto which he describes as follows: “I make sure I

manager, John Blanch, assisted by his director of agronomy,

am ready to attack the next day. That means reviewing my

Brian Distel, the dynamic duo will deliver a presentation

schedule, making adjustments, and leaving my ofﬁce space

that will put on show the tangible results to be had with a

prepared for the next day.” This commitment to a state of

well-planned sustainability programme.

total preparedness is how Leemhuis has become known as one of the very best in the business! Yet another major topic to be featured at APGS 2018 is

In this no-holds barred presentation, Blanch and Distel will share how they have reduced costs, improved playing conditions and increased revenues for TCC with their

sustainability. For more than a decade, the term “sustain-

revolutionary programmes. Some of the highlights of this

ability” has been bandied about the golf industry with a

critical presentation will look at:

plethora of special position papers presented by various

Water and electricity savings

stake-holders. As a matter of fact, when the Asia Paciﬁc

Use of technologies to support long-term ecological

Golf Summit was launched way back in 2007, virtually a

balance

whole day was devoted to this topic and sadly, most of the

Increased productivity

delegates walked away confused!

Improved return on investment

Fast forward to the present day, and confusion still prevails! The easy way out would be to sweep this matter under the rug and just get on with things. However, it’s not

Creating greater customer demand Environmentally friendly “In a nutshell, the Thai Country Club experience has

as simple as that! Why so? Because “sustainability” is a key

been one designed to create innovative approaches to mea-

issue that has a tremendous bearing on how golf courses

surably minimize negative environmental impacts, improve

operate today in a setting where environmental and cost

economic bottom lines and grow a community culture for

issues take on paramount importance.

sustainability,” explained Blanch.

“We feel that the time has come when all in the golf in-

As the countdown continues towards the staging of

dustry need to seek support for golf facilities especially when

APGS 2018, more speakers and elements of the summit

it concerns the minimisation of environmental impacts in the

programme will be announced on the ofﬁcial website:

areas of waste, water, energy and air quality,” said Sebastian.

http://www.golfconference.org and in this magazine.

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Tof the 21st Century is just around he end of the second decade

the corner. It’s a time during which the world has witnessed change and disruption on a scale never experienced before. Dominant old technologies have been unceremoniously dumped making way for new technologies that were never envisioned until recent times. Corporate behemoths like General Motors and IBM have been pushed off their lofty pedestals to make way for fastcharging corporate upstarts like Apple, Amazon and Google. The world and everything on it has been turned on its head – but it has all proved to be for the better. It has brought about change on an unprecedented scale. Individuals, corporations and nations that have been quick to Ãi âi > ` i }>}i Ü Ì V > } } ÌÀi `Ã] >Ûi Lii Ài>« } Ì i Li iwÌÃ v disruption. The pace of change is something that the golf industry needs to seize and i }>}i Ü Ì }Ài>Ì }ÕÃÌ ° Ì ii`Ã Ì w ` iÜ > ` iÝV Ì } Ü>ÞÃ Ì V «i younger generations to take up the game and replace the rapidly depleting legions of older players from past generations. New formats of play must be

explored; the must be factored young; costs of equip must be made affordable a must be reduced. Golf needs a new cater and retain new blood.

/ i Ì i Ì i }>}i Ã Üt / i Óä£n ƂÃ > 2018) will serve as a platform to explore, d mindset to break free from tradition and em Ü>ÞÃ Ì > i } v >ÌÌÀ>VÌ Ûi] Û >L i > ` «À Talk alone is not good enough. It’s time to

APGS – The 12th edition. One Of The Industry’s B

e element of fun d in to appeal to the pment and apparel and the cost to play w template to draw in,

*>V wV v -Õ Ì Ƃ* - iscuss and come up with a new mbrace revolutionary new path wÌ>L i >VÀ ÃÃ Ì i L >À`° ACT and ENGAGE!

Best!

If you are a collector of golf clubs that possess a chequered legacy, then we have one

that you cannot overlook. It is a limited edition putter that has just been put on the ma and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too good to ignore!

e rket

ontinuing its series of eye-catching,

several of them have put the PLD3 in their bags. Plus,

high-performance, premium putters

we precision-mill each putter at PING from T6 6061 alumi-

precision-milled at PING, the company has

num to ensure precise engineering detail. You get a putter

introduced a new mid mallet, the PLD3.

that looks unlike any other and it’s going to help you make

Every limited-edition PLD3 is distin-

guished by a multi-colored, ﬂame-torched copper sole

more putts,” Solheim said. A white, full-length sightline set against the dark

plate that’s unique to that putter. PLD3 is a PING Putting

head makes alignment easier. The head is ﬁnished with

Lab Design (PLD) original and part of the lab’s efforts to

a type III black anodize to give it a rich, dark appearance,

bring innovative putter designs, technology and engineer-

and the stepless shaft has a stealth, non-glare ﬁnish that

ing to golfers.

eliminates reﬂections and further distinguishes the look

“Every sole plate design on the PLD3 is a work of art, made here at PING, which speaks to the exclusivity and one-of-a-kind appeal of the PLD

of the putter. The PLD3 putter is available at all PING authorized dealers and golf shops in Asia.

program,” said John K. Solheim, PING President. “Using an open-ﬂame torch, we put each sole plate through a multi-stage heating and cooling process that brings out the natural, living patina colours and unique patterns. Customers will cherish their PLD3 for more than its distinctive beauty, though. We collaborated with PING tour pros on the design and

EVERY SOLE PLATE DESIGN ON THE PLD3 IS A WORK OF ART, MADE HERE AT PING, WHICH SPEAKS TO THE EXCLUSIVITY AND ONE-OFA-KIND APPEAL OF THE PLD PROGRAM. – JOHN K. SOLHEIM

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ECCO YAK leather upper

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for excellent grip, stability,

for increased breathability

HYDROMAX® treated leather.

durability & flexibility.

and durability.

Re tha of f fai We

member how cool it was when FootJoy introduced MyJoys, that very special programme at allowed golfers to customise their golf shoes with an assortment of colours. It was a lot fun especially for those who were both fashion-conscious and great believers in hitting the rways with shoes that were colour coordinated with their golf apparel and accessories. ell, now you can even have your golf equipment customised â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at least your putters!

he TaylorMade Company has launched the

Tour putter to thousands of possible combinations insofar

“MySpider” personalised putter programme

as colours are concerned.

and you’ve got to see it to believe it! It literally unravels thousands of combinations to personalize TaylorMade’s most popular

putter in its history – the Spider! So, what’s the big deal you may ask? Well, it’s a new personalized consumer putter programme inspired by the customization of putters seen on Tour, ﬁrst by staffer Jason

Day with his original Spider Tour Red in 2016 and since, a

This is how you get started. Begin with a blank canvas and make start by selecting your preferred hosel (see

picture # 1). Your options include: L-neck (#1) (RH only) Short slant (#3) Double bend Next, you choose your sight line and you can pick one that perfectly suits your eye (see picture # 2). Your options

multitude of athletes both on staff and non-contracted who

include:

have gravitated toward personalizing their particular put-

No sightline

ters to better suit their preferences.

T-sightline

The MySpider programme available via TaylorMadeGolf.com, allows golfers the ability to personalize a Spider

Single dot Single line

Then comes the interesting part which involves the

increase topspin and improve forward roll across vary-

selection of colours. The fun part of this aspect of the

ing surfaces – helping the golf ball start and stay on its

programme is that you can choose colours to create a one-

intended line.

of-a-kind look for your putter! Over 250,000 combinations! There are additional customization options that: Head colour: black, red, green, blue, white, pink,

TaylorMade needs to be commended on this initiative because anything that helps refresh the playing experience is good for golf. Well done!

purple or silver

SuperStroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip: black, red, green,

ALL PUTTERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH TAYLORMADE’S PATENTED, TOUR-PROVEN PURE ROLL INSERT, FEATURING 45° GROOVES TO INCREASE

blue, white, pink, purple or silver

TOPSPIN AND IMPROVE FORWARD ROLL

Shaft length: Between 32”-36”, available in .25” incre-

ACROSS VARYING SURFACES

Wing colour: black, red, green, blue, white, pink, purple or silver Face insert colour: red or black Pure Roll® insert Shaft colour: black or chrome

ments All putters are equipped with TaylorMade’s patented, Tour-proven Pure Roll insert, featuring 45° grooves to

PICTURE 1

– HELPING

THE GOLF BALL START AND STAY ON ITS INTENDED LINE.

PICTURE 2

June was a historic month for global diplomacy with the President Donald Trump brokered summit in Singapore to help create a pathway to end the decades long impasse with the rogue North Korean regime led by the youthful 34-year old Chairman Kim Jong Un. After months of mud-slinging and name calling, the two leaders met in Singapore to work out their differences in the hope of starting a new relationship founded on peace and progress.

Although both sides have made compelling statements of working towards a new era of hope and development, it is still early days to offer up anything that is concrete especially considering the past mercurial behaviour of the unpredictable North Korean leader. However, there are enough reasons to believe that the charismatic deal-maker President Trump will make things work after the decades long stand-off between America and the hermit kingdom.

f the North Korean iron curtain is brought down, it is going to open up the development-starved nation to progress on an unprecedented scale. For all intents and purposes, the region has been in existence from 7 Century BC and it is said to have a very hard-working population of close to 25 million people. Its

terrain is said to be blessed with spectacular mountains and spellbinding beaches which all augur well for tourism-related developments, including golf courses and golf resorts. Like its neighbour, the powerful golﬁng nation of South Korea, it has the same attributes in terms of its people and given the success of South Korea in golf, it makes good sense to deduce that North Korea will follow in its footsteps and grow golf exponentially. President Trump, a hugely successful real estate developer and owner of world class golf facilities in various parts of the world is excited at the prospects of world class developments in North Korea. At the Singapore Summit, President Trump observed, “They have great beaches. You see that whenever they’re exploding their cannons into the ocean. I said, boy, look at that view. Wouldn’t that make a great condo? And I explained, I said, you know, instead of doing that you could have the best hotels in the world right there. Think of it from a real estate perspective. You have South Korea, you have China, and they own the land in the middle. How bad is that, right? It’s great.” President Trump has a point, and a good eye for prime real estate. Indeed, his own company, the Trump Organization, might one day win deals in North Korea should the nation open up to development. Chairman Kim appears to appreciate his country’s tourism potential.

In May of 2018, the young leader ordered the construction of a world-class resort on the scenic beach at Wonsan, an

LIKE IT’S NEIGHBOUR, THE

eastern port city facing the Sea of Japan.

POWERFUL GOLFING NATION OF

Insiders tell ASIAN GOLF that the tourism industry in North Korea is beginning to boom, albeit relatively insigniﬁcant in terms of numbers when compared to some of Asia’s top tourism draws. Some recent inbound tourism statistics reveal that around 100,000 tourists visited North Korea, with nearly all of them from China and some 5,000 coming from Western countries. With the anticipated thaw in the ice-cold US-NOKO relations, the country is seeking to grow its tourism in-

SOUTH KOREA, IT HAS THE SAME ATTRIBUTES IN TERMS OF ITS PEOPLE AND GIVEN THE SUCCESS OF SOUTH KOREA IN GOLF, IT MAKES GOOD SENSE TO DEDUCE THAT NORTH KOREA WILL FOLLOW IN ITS FOOTSTEPS AND GROW GOLF EXPONENTIALLY.

dustry. Earlier in the year, it was reported that the country wants to attract two million visitors a year by 2020. The

drive to make it happen. And when that happens, golf

country has also built several tourist attractions in recent

course development should see a major surge with new

years, including the Masikryong ski resort.

courses being developed alongside hotels and resort.

There is no denying that Chairman Kim has a long

As one observer put, “It is inevitable – like Vietnam,

way to go before he can transform North Korea into a

we are bound to see North Korea playing catch-up in tour-

major tourist destination like Singapore or South Korea

ism and I do not rule out that golf course development is

but it has the potential, the people resources and the

going to be in for some bountiful years!”

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Back in 2016, Justin Thomas was just another guy on the PGA Tour. Although he was good (you’ve got to be good to be on the world’s best Tour), he was not someone who was heralded as a hig star. But however, everything changed shortly after he successfully defended his title at the CIMB Classic in October 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The kid had arrived! In a matter of weeks, he went on to win his third PGA tournament, the SBS Tournament of Champions and shortly after, he claimed victory again at the Sony Open in Hawaii becoming only the seventh player in PGA Tour history to shoot a 59. 2017 was a break-out year for Thomas when he won four PGA Tour events, including the PGA Championship and the FedEx Cup championship. In May 2018, Thomas became the 21st player to top the Ofﬁcial World Golf Ranking. ASIAN GOLF pays tribute to this incredible player and the following is a special report on Thomas that has been specially prepared by Chuah Choo Chiang, senior director, communications of the PGA TOUR.

ven though his stint atop the summit of the

waited to refresh it and saw it and it was pretty cool. See-

Ofﬁcial World Golf Ranking lasted only a

ing every other golfer in the world behind my name was a

month, Justin Thomas has proven himself

pretty fun thing,” said Thomas, who screenshot the page

to be truly a worthy No. 1 in every sense of

for safekeeping.

the way.

“It means a lot, but it’s something I want to have for

At 25, Thomas is the reigning FedExCup champion,

a long time, it’s not something I just want to have once.

an eight-time PGA TOUR winner, holder of one major title

To have it for a week and then be done with - like D.J.

and counting, he’s shot the magical 59 once plus he is a

(Dustin Johnson) has and like Tiger did and other

ﬁrm fan favourite – in May, he helped make a fan’s wed-

guys who have had it for a long time, that’s more of

ding proposal become a Twitter sensation and headline

a goal of mine as opposed to just having it. I would

news on CNN world sports.

much rather play well for another eight to 10 years

Sporting and entertainment celebrities including Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Tiger Woods, Kid Rock,

and see how long I can have it.” Power-hitter Johnson swiftly regained his top

Tom Brady and Justin Timberland are amongst some of

ranking with an 18th PGA TOUR victory at the FedEx St.

Thomas’ buddies, he hangs out with Jordan Spieth, Rickie

Jude Classic in June but it is very certain that Thomas

Fowler and Smylie Kaufman during their now-famous

will be ﬁred up to challenge for the mantle throughout

spring breaks and he has also played golf with American President Donald Trump. Despite his rise to fame and accumulation of wealth – Thomas has earned over US$22 million in prize winnings in a little over three years – he has kept both his feet ﬁrmly on the ground, which ironically is in sharp contrast to his dynamic

the remainder of the 2017-18

HE WASN’T AFRAID TO SUCCEED. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE. THEY LIKE IT BACK IN FOURTH OR FIFTH PLACE. IT’S COMFORTABLE. JUSTIN, HE WAS PISSED WHEN HE WAS SECOND. THAT’S STUFF YOU JUST CAN’T TEACH.

golf swing which sees him almost tip-toeing on his right foot at the point of impact.

season and beyond. Asian golf fans, in particular those in Malaysia, have been fortunate to witness Thomas announce his arrival on the big stage. He claimed his breakthrough PGA TOUR title at the CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur in 2015 and returned 12 months later to repeat successfully as champion.

His second title in Malaysia provided the launch pad

The power he generates propels the ball to incredible

to a stunning 2016-17 PGA TOUR campaign which saw him

distances for a guy who stands at merely 1.77 meters and

winning four other tournaments including a ﬁrst major at

is a lightweight 65kg.

the PGA Championship and culminating with the season-

The son of a PGA teaching professional, Thomas

long and prestigious FedExCup crown and the Player of

became the fourth youngest world No. 1 after Woods, Rory

the Year award. “To win two in a row (in Malaysia) ranks

McIlroy and Spieth in mid-May, thanks to an 11th place

right up there with my accomplishments,” said Thomas

ﬁnish at THE PLAYERS Championship, the PGA TOUR’s

last year.

ﬂagship tournament. Such was the thrill that he stayed up late into the

From initially displaying raw talent and tenacity – he’d bounced back from a double bogey with three straight

evening, waiting eagerly for the world ranking’s ofﬁcial

birdies on the back nine to win by one from Adam Scott

website to refresh with his name perched at the top. “I

in Malaysia in 2015 – to soaking up advice from golf great

Jack Nicklaus who told him it pays to play conservatively

Thomas’ ﬁrst reign was short-lived but the world ranking

when he does not have his ‘A’ game on given weeks,

is so bunched up that it can change real quickly. And

Thomas has become a complete golfer in his drive to

Thomas certainly has the ﬁre in the belly to stay in the

become the best golfer on the planet.

dogﬁght.

His triumph at the inaugural CJ CUP @ NINE

His father, Mike, told the Sports Illustrated in June

BRIDGES in South Korea last October was another huge

that his son was always determined to win. “He wasn’t

rubberstamp to his growing credentials and character.

afraid to succeed. A lot of people are. They like it back

Battling fatigue, he dug deep into his reserves and ran on

in fourth or ﬁfth place. It’s comfortable. Justin, he was

gas fumes to pip Marc Leishman in a playoff.

pissed when he was second. That’s stuff you just can’t

Thomas’ scorecard this season’s makes impressive reading too with a victory at the Honda Classic in Febru-

teach,” said Mike. UItimately, it is clear Thomas is unfazed to become

ary, four top-10s, four other top-20s and not a single

one of the greats in the game. Despite his celebrity

missed cut from 11 starts at the time of writing.

status, he remains as the guy next door – humble, ap-

He is also intent on chasing a small slice of history

proachable and respectful. Otherwise, why would he

as no FedExCup champion has repeated, not even Woods

respond to a fan’s request via Instagram to help in a

during his dominant years. “It’s something I would like to

marriage proposal marriage? “It all worked out great,”

do,” he said.

Thomas said.

Woods, a 14-time major winner, spent a record 683

Whether he is inside the ropes or outside, Thomas

weeks atop the world ranking before being dethroned

has surely proven he is No. 1 no matter which way you

in 2014 with Johnson’s reign lasting 64 weeks. As seen,

look at him.

GLS Asia Limited, 5/F., BOC Group Life Assurance Tower, 136 Des Voeux Road Central Central, Hong Kong. Tel. +66 (0) 3261 6200 Email. info@gls.asia Web. www.gls.asia

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Golf as an industry continues to grow in Asia and its growth is due directly to the continued investment and conďŹ dence showed in the game of golf by some of the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most powerful and inďŹ&#x201A;uential entrepreneurs. These are men and women who have collectively invested billions millions in the development of and maintenance of vast golf complexes and who continue to invest in the growth of golf. A lot is owed to these visionaries because if it was not for them, Asia will be not be in the fortunate position of having more than 5,000 golf courses.

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.

– MIKE SEBASTIAN

he recognition of these movers and shakers was ﬁrst launched by the Asia Paciﬁc Golf Group (APGG) in 2013. The primary objective

of the recognition programme was to shine the spotlight on these leaders with a view to creating a greater awareness for the role they play and the contributions they make towards golf. Popularly known as “The Power Hitters”, the 2018 edition of this prestigious programme will mark the sixth edition. For the 2018 edition, the Chu brothers of Mission Hills fame, Dr. Ken Chu and Tenniel Chu, lead the list of the most powerful and inﬂuential people in golf in Asia. The men and women who have made the 2018 Power Hitters list have been selected based on the criteria: Scale of involvement with golf; Measurable investments in golf projects; Commitment to grow the game of golf; These criteria have helped sharpen

the selection process and APGG (parent company of Asian Golf) is proud to unveil its list of the “Most Powerful People In Golf” for 2018. 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 are The Power Hitters of Asia for 2018.

TENNIEL CHU

DR. KEN CHU

VICE CHAIRMAN, MISSION HILLS GROUP

CHAIRMAN, MISSION HILLS GROUP

CHINA

oth the Chu brothers have gone onto to build what is 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.

We are reaching out to the best golfers in the golf club industry to come and do battle at one of Asia’s premier golf clubs – the award-winning Thai Country Club. The gem of Bangkok will be the host venue for the only golf tournament specially organized for golf club owners, operators and managers. The Asia Pacific Golf Group together with the Thai Country Club will be hosting the 2018 Asia Pacific Inter-Club Golf Tournament. The tournament will be staged in conjunction with the 2018 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. It will be played with two-man teams drawn from clubs within the Asia Pacific footprint. This tournament is all about good, clean fun and more importantly, it is about networking. It’s the fourth in the series. The tournament will be run on November 1, 2018. There is no entry-fee to participate in this tournament. To qualify, players need to register as delegates to attend the 2018 Asia Pacific Golf Summit and there are 80 slots available. Entry will be on a first-come-first-serve basis and a two-man team from each club can register on-line through the APGS website.

For more information please visit www.golfconference.org or email to Alice Ho at alice@asiapaciﬁcgolfgroup.com or call +65 6323 2800 for more details

anked as one of the top power players and billionaires in the Philippines, Enrique K.

Razon, Jr., is an avid golfer who holds key interests in the country’s top golf courses. He is actively engaged in the sports and entertainment business and serves as the chairman of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., which is the company behind The Philippine Golf Tour, the country’s premier golf tournament circuit. Razon’s grandfather began with a port in Manila in 1916. Razon’s dad rebuilt the business after World War II. Razon started out in the port business with his dad in Manila and trans-

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

formed it into a global giant. His hospitality ﬁrm, Bloomberry Resorts Co., includes its crown jewel, the Solaire Casino and Resort in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINES

autam Thapar is the Chairman and CEO of one of India’s leading business conglom-

erates, 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.

GAUTAM THAPAR PRESIDENT OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR OF INDIA

INDIA

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

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

KIM YOUNG-CHAN FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, GOLFZON YUWON HOLDINGS

SOUTH KOREA

the LPGA Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ cial golf simulator provider.

im Young Je has worked very hard to ensure that his companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

e Van Kiem is a top industry leader in Vietnam who has played a pivotal role in

growing golf in Vietnam. Already an owner of two mega golf complexes in Vietnam and Laos, he has embarked on development plans that include a large multi-billion dollar upscale development set on a stunning 800ha site with 5km of ocean frontage set on Cam Ranh Bay. The resort will feature multiple 4 & 5 star hotels, a world class entertainment zone, upscale marina, polo club, theme park, luxury villas and many more attractions including a Greg Norman designed 18-hole golf course.

LE VAN KIEM CHAIRMAN, KN INVESTMENT GROUP

VIETNAM

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

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

r. Pawan Munjal is a major ﬁnancial sponsor of golf events in India and has almost single-

handedly made professional competitions possible. A leading industrialist, he has ﬂexed his industrial muscle and has actively undertaken promoting the game all over the country. As a renowned industry leader, he has provided powerful leadership that is needed for golf course development to succeed against other sports such as the all-popular game of cricket.

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

INDIA

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

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

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 full-ﬂedged 27-hole golf course. Notlov has to be credited for singlehandedly placing the Thai city of Hua Hin ﬁrmly on the

STIG NOTLÖV FOUNDER, BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB, HUA HIN

THAILAND

global golﬁng map.

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

s. Yuko Tashiro heads the ten-year old company that serves more than 8 million

customers a year for the golf courses and driving ranges it operates at approximately 150 locations across Japan. Under her leadership, Accordia Golf has seen a transformation where all clubs under the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management have changed their positioning. According to Ms. Tashiro, she has led a major change to golf clubs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; changing from strictly a business and corporate setting to places where lifelong sport is enjoyed by all generations from juniors to senior citizens with their friends and familyy members. She is also leading the thrust to develop new markets aimed at next-generation golfers and female golfers. She is also being recognized for the key role that she is playing to changing golf in Japan.

YUKO TASHIRO PRESIDENT & CEO, ACCORDIA GOLF COMPANY LIMTED

J APAN

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

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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.

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For years, there has been a lot of talk about a global tour for the professional game. Some felt that the European Tour would lead the thrust in creating the tour while others felt that the giant PGA Tour (which is headquartered in America) would transform the dream into a reality. Then again, there was yet another school of thought that felt that the two tours would come together to make a mega tour happen. This was always a non-starter given the various agendas involved and we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even want to talk about the egos of some of the individuals who sit in the power seats of the two tours. Anyway, all that aside, it seems very obvious that the more muscled of the two, the organisation that operates across the pond, has emerged as the clear leader in the race to globalise the game of golf!

n a dramatic announcement at the beginning of June, the PGA Tour made a bold announcement about two giants coming together to create a titanic promotional platform for

golf. It was the coming together of the PGA Tour, without

stretch of the imagination and it

doubt the most powerful organisation in professional golf

comes at a point in time when golf is

and with deep pockets to match and the global communi-

in dire need of a much needed shot in the arm. And this

cations powerhouse, Discovery. Put simply, the marriage

strategic alliance delivers that massive dose of adrenaline

of these two organisations, both big potatoes in their re-

to the game!

spective spheres of operation have mixed their resources

This development, while not reported extensively

together to produce an exciting cocktail that is designed

in Asia, is very important for the growth of not just the

to deliver the sport’s most exciting moments, players and

professional game alone but also the game of golf in

championships to passionate fans around the world on

general. What is especially signiﬁcant about this massive

every screen and device. Note that without an effective

handshake between the PGA Tour and Discovery is that

broadcast platform, especially one that is global, the task

it comes just days after the chief executive ofﬁcer of the

of globalisation will be a back-breaking exercise! The alliance will seek to beneﬁt the game world-

R&A declared that golf was ﬂat and in urgent need of some urgent and drastic help. The PGA Tour’s announce-

wide, helping to drive golf’s fan base and grow the sport

ment could not have been better timed – it’s exactly

around the world. This is a mega development by any

what is needed right now to grow the game – a massive

promotional platform to promote golf globally!

THE ALLI-

ASIAN GOLF has always taken a stand that the professional game needed to go global and that the organisation best qualiﬁed to drive this would be the PGA Tour. Now, with the communications power of Discovery, there is no stopping the promotion and growth of golf

ANCE WILL SEEK TO BENEFIT THE GAME WORLDWIDE, HELPING TO

using the huge draw of the PGA Tour’s calendar of tourna-

DRIVE GOLF’S FAN BASE AND

ments and its bottomless reservoir of super-star talent.

GROW THE SPORT AROUND THE

The collaboration brings together two highly complemen-

WORLD.

tary global brands and storytellers with a rich heritage in

MENT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINA-

sports, uniting the Tour’s rich content, production assets, media rights and worldwide media partner associations with Discovery’s deep expertise and relationships in local media markets worldwide, as well as its proven record in

THIS IS A MEGA DEVELOP-

TION AND IT COMES AT A POINT IN TIME WHEN GOLF IS IN DIRE NEED OF A MUCH NEEDED SHOT IN THE ARM.

maximizing multi-platform engagement around the big-

THIS PARTNERSHIP ALIGNS VERY

gest and most watched sports events.

WELL WITH THE OPENING OF

The alliance will involve an unprecedented 12-year relationship, to begin in 2019 and carry through 2030. It will include global multi-platform live rights, outside the United States, to all PGA TOUR media properties totalling nearly 2000 hours of content per year, including the six Tours operating under the PGA Tour umbrella and more than 140

PGA TOUR OFFICES IN LONDON, TOKYO BEIJING IN RECENT YEARS AND WILL SUPPORT OUR LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES OF GROWING THE GAME OF GOLF. AND

tournaments annually, including The Players Championship, the FedExCup Playoffs, and the Presidents Cup. Jay Monahan, Commissioner, PGA Tour said: “This is an exciting next step for the PGA TOUR, which presents

opportunity to engage new and diverse audiences around the world.” The PGA Tour and Discovery alliance will build a

a tremendous opportunity to accelerate and expand our

world-class global platform and long-term distribution

media business outside the United States, better service

strategy to turn the vision of this partnership into a real-

our international broadcast partners, and drive fan growth

ity. The alliance has the unique opportunity to build an

with a deeply experienced strategic global partner.”

amazing product that will serve fans with the golf content

Monahan went on to add, “This partnership aligns very

they love on every screen.

well with the opening of PGA Tour ofﬁces in London, Tokyo

Well, the time for talking is over. It is now time for

and Beijing in recent years and will support our long-term

action. Let us all sit back and watch how the PGA Tour

objectives of growing the game of golf. It also will deliver

working with Discovery, transforms the game of golf into

more value to our sponsors as it presents a tremendous

a true global spectacle.

hen any deal is put together that is worth US$2 billion dollars, it is not only a big deal but it obviously brings a lot of value to those who are impacted by it. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the PGA Tour deal is going to entail in terms of an investment by Discovery â&#x20AC;&#x201C; US$2 billion! To make sense to our readers, this deal relates to the handling of all non-US television and digital rights of PGA Tour tournaments by the broadcasting giant Discovery. It is like the creation of a Netflixtype sports app. Through this deal golf will be reaching out to the digital generation with a large scale, direct-toconsumer service that will operate just like Netflix does for general entertainment. ASIAN GOLF has been given to understand that this multi-billion deal has been about six months in the making. What is significant about this coming together

is that the PGA Tour was quick to realise that an App is how people are increasingly watching video content. And with this App, and thanks to Discovery, the PGA Tour has jumped on-board the digital wave and is well on its way to creating a global golf tour! With this deal, Discovery will fix coverage of all PGA Tour-owned tournaments in over 200 countries. Discovery, as a global broadcaster is ideally positioned to increase the distribution of golf content and has committed to produce even more non-tournament material like behind the scenes content and with lots of supporting programmes. The bottom-line for the PGA Tour will simply mean more eyeballs watching golf which in turn will most definitely reach more new golfers (hopefully) resulting in more sales of equipment, merchandise and everything else that the PGA Tour has to offer. and all things PGA Tour and golf related.

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Streamlined shape increases speed throughout swing. Also available in G400 LST and G400 SFT.

G400 Max (460cc) compared to G400 (445cc)

Eye Appeal The Stealth ﬁnish inspires conﬁdence and improves ball interaction for added spin.

Find Your Grind Four sole options (SS, WS, TS & ES) to ﬁt your game.

Tour Look and Feel. Combining the soft, responsive feel of 8620 carbon steel, sharper grooves and a distinguished dark ﬁnish, the Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges will ﬁt the game and the eye of players for whom performance and appearance go hand in hand. Visit a PING Fitting Specialist or PING.com today.

PRECISION-

MILLED GROOVES

Face Innovation Precision-milled ½ groove low on the face improves engagement with the ball to greatly increase spin for precise control.

Looks like our resident golf guru has got his games confused. With the World Cup fever sweeping the world, he has become so inﬂuenced by the beautiful game that he has now decided to draw upon some of the mechanics and dynamics of football to help you improve on your golf game. To be speciﬁc, he has a great tip on how you can improve your golf swing with a basic tip from football. Without further ado, here’s Tony Meechai and another of his unique Black Hat golf tips:

am actually a native of Chicago and the football that I was brought up on is that of the American variety where we play with pigskin balls. However, over the years of living in Thailand, I have become a true aﬁcionado of soccer, the

world’s greatest sport! That said, I would like to honour the 2018 World Cup by using soccer to help improve your golf swing. This tip is a simple tip and golfers who are struggling with their swing can put it to work very easily. This is how it works. When you are experiencing difﬁculties with your swing just imagine kicking a soccer ball. The soccer ball is a lot bigger than the golf ball but you can just practice trying to kick it with a simple motion where you swing your leg back and kick down through the ball. You will notice that your kick does not stop short at the ball. Instead, the motion takes it through and past the ball.

It’s very similar to the swing motion for golf. Just take the back swing so that the club sets in an “L” position. Many coaches will refer to this as “cocking” the club on the backswing. Once you do this, try swinging your golf club through to the target! Here’s the simple drill: 1.

Setup to the ball with your club.

Make a backswing and create an “L” like move.

Make a forward swing bringing both arms and club “through” the ball

Perform this several times, taking the club back to the “L” and for-

Once you are ready and conﬁdent, follow-through and hold your ﬁnish.

swinging the club to the target. Don’t hit down at the ball. ward as a “kick” to the target. Immediately, you will begin to feel more confident and efficient. You will begin to understand the swinging motion and you will see your shots become more effective. Don’t be surprised by the power you generate through this motion – it will most definitely make your ball go further. Happy golfing and enjoy your soccer!

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.