NEW
SOFTEST. LONGEST. STRAIGHTEST.
AVAILABLE IN 7 COLORS
SOFTEST CLAIM: BASED UPON INTERNAL BALL COMPRESSION TESTING PERFORMED AT WILSON INNOVATION CENTER ON 3/14/17. DISTANCE AND SPIN CLAIMS BASED UPON INTERNAL FLIGHT TESTING PERFORMED AT WILSON’S RESEARCH TEST FACILITY IN HUMBOLDT, TN ON 5/20/17. (90 MPH DRIVER TEST)
ISSUE
219
DECEMBER 2018
This year’s 2018 Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) was unanimously perceived as a slamdunk success – and its ancillary Asian Golf Awards Gala Banquet that presents the coveted Best In Asia awards has become an iconic event in its own right. There can be no doubt that the highly valued awards are now well branded throughout the Asia region and competition for them grows more intense every year.
14
EQUIPMENT FOCUS 44 FINALLY, THE “BIRTH” OF A BRAINY DRIVER! After an 18-month crowd-sourcing search, Wilson Staff has announced the CORTEX, its newest driver born out of its Driver VS. Driver 2 campaign. The design was selected over hundreds of submissions featured on Driver VS. Driver 2 on Golf Channel. The winner received a grand prize of US$250,000 along with the opportunity to have his design brought to life under the Wilson Staff brand name.
56 LOOKING FOR A NEW PUTTER? CHECK OUT WILSON! The Wilson Staff Infinite putter line made its first appearance at the beginning of 2018 and the new models continue the tradition of being named after landmarks and neighbourhoods in the brand’s home city of Chicago.
12 62 PING RINGS IN THE SIGMA LINE!
44
Christmas is almost upon us and PING is giving all golfers an opportunity to treat themselves with a special gift. And speak about choice, the Phoenix-based manufacturer of award-winning golf clubs is offering its latest product in ten different options! The new product is the Sigma 2 putter series.
68 THE BIG LADY IS BACK! Callaway Golf has launched their new Big Bertha Irons and Big Bertha Hybrids - both are designed with advanced technologies to deliver long distance and easy launch.
Q REGULARS 4 EDITORIAL TEAM
|
6 SHARED THOUGHTS: FROM PUBLISHER | ASIA TO THE FORE – PART 2
56
SPECIAL FEATURE 10 ARIYA CROWNED LPGA’S “QUEEN” Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, aged 23 has been crowned the LPGA’s winner of the Race To CME Globe for 2018. Besides landing the prestigious title, the Thai phenom also banked in a check for US$1 million! This is her second CME Globe title having first won it back in 2016.
40 “SHUBBY’S” ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!
40
India’s Shubhankar Sharma has made the grade – he has been declared the European Tour’s Rookie of The Year for 2018.
76 THE GOLD STANDARD IN GOLFING EXPERIENCES With over 30,000 golf courses in the world, it cannot be said that golfers are not spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding where to play a round of golf. Although there are many to choose from, it always helps if there is a way to make a good decision and pick the right course to play at. Given this scenario, ASIAN GOLF has partnered with IMG which designs, operates and manages quality golf courses in Asia and elsewhere.
76
90 ZOZO! HOLY MOSES! THIS IS A BIGGEE!
94 THE “BIG EASY” IS PUMPED!
When the PGA TOUR does anything, it knows how to pull it off in grand style. As the year comes to an end, the world’s biggest and richest professional golf tour hit a massive home-run by announcing what is effectively the richest tournament in Asia. It’s a brand-new tournament and the prize money is for a staggering US$9.75 million! Speak about the “art of the deal” – these guys at the PGA TOUR are good!
With a year to go before the 2019 Presidents Cup clash takes place in Australia, the captain of the International Team, Ernie Els is already taking stock of the talent that he can tap to build a winning team. He had an opportunity of seeing some of the best young stars in action during the recently concluded “Asian Swing” of the PGA Tour, and he is most definitely inspired! The PGA Tour’s Chuah Choo Chiang reports.
62
84 PUTTING THE WOW FACTOR INTO YOUR MARKETING Far too much emphasis in the golf industry is put solely on the condition of the course, which for better or worse is usually about where it’s going to be. On invisible “service” or in creating an “experience” which in most places exists only as a word in their outdated websites!
4
6
10
FASHION TREND 50 THE BEST KEEP GETTING BETTER!
68
The newest from ECCO is tagged as the ECCO BIOM G3 which showcases an evolution of comfort, style and innovation – the best simply got better!
Mike Sebastian
INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR
Editor/Chief Executive Officer [mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Alan Campbell (China/Middle East) Correspondent
GLOBAL EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL
Angela Raymond
President [angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Gregg Patterson
President, Tribal Magic Inc.
Andrew Wood Founder/President, Legendary Marketing
James Prusa
Raquel Arcega
Executive Creative Art Director [raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
President, James Graham Prusa Associates
James Cronk President, Cronk Group
Digital Services
Alice Ho
Tech-Know Integrators
Business Executive [alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR
Tony Meechai (Black Hat Golf Tips -Thailand Myra Paras
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
Accounts Executive [myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Alice Ho
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
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 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.
I
t was a year ago when ASIAN GOLF stuck
game, most of them have matured into quality world-
its neck out to boldly declare that Asian golf
class players, ready to take on the best in the business!
professionals, both men and women, would be-
In the women’s game, the dominance has been
come a dominant force on both the PGA TOUR
most significant with the top seven spots on the Race To
and the LPGA Tour. This was no wild punt – it
CME Globe being occupied by Asian professionals. Two
was based on solid facts and form sheets that kept track
of the remaining spots are held by Asians also – Minjee
of some of the Continent’s best players.
Lee, playing for Australia and Lydia Ko representing New
Twelve months ago, most of the players were young and while they may not have had the all-round experience to play at the highest level of the professional
Zealand. By birth, both are South Koreans. So, for all intents and purposes, it has been a virtual sweep by Asia! The stand-out amongst this field of trail-blazers
IT’S TIME TO THROW SOME CORPORATE DOLLARS BEHIND THESE PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORT THEM TO THE HILT.
AFTER ALL, THEY
out of the top ranks of the women’s professional game. And the production lines are already busy lining up the future talent in Thailand, China, South Korea, Japan and even India. The performance of Asian men on the professional tour, especially the PGA TOUR may not be as stellar as
ARE PLAYING ON THE TOUGHEST TOURS
that of the Asian women, but it’s nonetheless remark-
AND THEY BRING HONOUR AND GLORY TO
able. Twenty years ago there were three full-time Asian
ALL OF
ASIA! ASIA TO THE FORE!
players on the PGA Tour when K.J. Choi of South Korea joined in 2000. In 2010, there were 8. In the new PGA
has got to be the 23-year old Thai super-star Ariya Juta-
TOUR season, there will be thirteen full-time players from
nugarn. Since she appeared in an LPGA event at age 11,
Asia. The Asian hotshots come from Japan, South Korea,
this naturally gifted young lady has risen to the absolute
Thailand, Taiwan, India and China. The new season has
pinnacle of her game.
created history because Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat
At age 20, she was declared the LPGA’s Player of the Year for 2016 and then went on to recapture the title this year. Ariya was also the top Money Winner in 2016 and she got that title back for 2018. As we close out 2018, Ariya has emerged to take
has earned his ticket to play on the PGA Tour and this is a huge achievement! The important point to note is that Asian professionals no longer have to play second fiddle to their Western counterparts. Our men and women are a whole
her place amongst the women golfing greats of the
new breed of fighters with skills to match. It’s time for
world. In so doing, she has thrown open the floodgates
all of Asia to get behind the Asian stars, especially Asian
for more aspiring young Asian women to follow her foot-
corporations.
steps to super-stardom on the LPGA Tour. As we see it, there are hordes of youngsters just
It’s time to throw some corporate dollars behind these professionals and support them to the hilt. After
raring to go and with this sort of commitment and pas-
all, they are playing on the toughest tours and they bring
sion, it’s going to be very difficult to keep Asian women
honour and glory to all of Asia! Asia to the fore!
Photo credit: LPGA Tour
She joined the LPGA Tour in 2015 and since then, there’s been no stopping her meteoric rise to the absolute pinnacle of the women’s game. Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, aged 23 has been crowned the LPGA’s winner of the Race To CME Globe for 2018. Besides landing the prestigious title, the Thai phenom also banked in a check for US$1 million! This is her second CME Globe title having first won it back in 2016. While wrapping up the year in grand style, Ariya was also declared the LPGA’s Player of The Year for 2018 and she capped it with the LPGA Tour’s Money Winner for the year 2018. She had previously won both these titles back in 2016. And she added the Rolex Annika Major Award that she had already clinched. Nobody had ever won all of those in a single season. Plus, Jutanugarn ends the season as the Rolex world No. 1. She is the first golfer, male or female, from Thailand to win a major championship.
An international event, especially in the golf industry, that has been able to stay relevant and keep raising the bench-mark year after year, has got to have very strong survival DNA built into its system. After a twelve year slog, the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) seems to have reached a state of maturity where industry players are now describing it as a “must attend watering hole”. This is a massive compliment to the event because it has never been an easy job to deliver especially with so many diverse interest groups and naysayers trying to dictate the pathway that APGS had to trudge along to earn universal support. As far as APGS is concerned, its one simple objective was to create an agenda-free platform that the industry could adopt as an opportunity to gather and network for the good of the entire golf industry. In this regard, putting aside all the battles and wars that APGS had to fight, the objective was met every year and after twelve years, broad industry acceptance seems to have arrived. This will serve as a strong source of motivation for APGS to keep doing what it does without fear or favour and to deliver the best of breed practices in lock-step with the golf club industry in the sprawling land-mass that is the Asia Pacific. For the final edition of ASIAN GOLF for the year 2018, we invited James Graham Prusa who sits on ASIAN GOLF’s Global Advisory Panel to share his thoughts and opinions on APGS 2018. As is so typical of Prusa, he pulls no punches and tells it like it is, warts and all!
T
his year’s 2018 Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS)
supports and serves our needs. The interests of golf courses
was unanimously perceived as a slam-dunk
are, by logic, pre-eminent above all others, including con-
success – and its ancillary Asian Golf Awards
flicted commercial interests that circle like carrion seeking to
Banquet that presents the coveted Best In Asia
greedily suck as much money as possible out of golf course
awards has become an iconic event in its own
enterprises to the economic detriment of golf clubs. Just
right. There can be no doubt that the highly valued awards
how does the APGS serve those who serve golf course and
are now well branded throughout the Asia region and compe-
clubdom interests?
tition for them grows more intense every year. On occasion I’ve been known to express a few personal
First off, and most significantly, only those who own, manage and operate golf course and clubs every day know
opinions and this writing will certainly be one of those
foremost the difficulties we face in actually producing
instances. So, hands down, the APGS has become the most
satisfactory experiences for our members and golfers. It is
prestigious gathering of ‘golf course’ and ‘club’ interests in
we who produce the real growth for all associated with
all of Pan Asia. I make no bones about saying it: golf courses
golf. Most fundamentally those engaged at golf
are my sole priority and I am not much interested in the
course enterprises are absolutely the
subordinate, golf industry interests beyond how they serve
most important people – all
golf courses.
others
The event is critically important to us folks who daily ply golf course operations making the game of golf exist and grow, because the APGS
AS PER ITS USUAL EXCELLENT STANDARD, THE 2018 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT ALWAYS MANAGES TO SCALE NEW HEIGHTS. I WOULD SAY THAT THIS YEAR’S EDITION WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE THE EVENT GARNERED BY WAY OF THE NUMBERS CLOCKED ON DELEGATES’ PARTICIPATION.
THE SUMMIT THIS YEAR WAS EXPRESSLY INSIGHTFUL FOR ME
PARTICULARLY ON SUBJECTS THAT COVERED ENGAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES IN CLUB MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND BEST PRACTICES IN GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE, RAISING THE BAR ON SERVICE EXCELLENCE, THE
‘WOW’
FACTOR ON EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGIES AND KEY ASPECTS IN ATTRACTING GOLFERS VIA GOLF TOURISM.
– TANG MENG LOON, DIRECTOR, CLUB OPERATIONS, KOTA PERMAI GCC & HORIZON HILLS GCC
are appurtenances that should subordinately support us.
aggrandizement. Thus, it is imperative that Asian owners,
The tail should not wag the dog! Furthermore, ‘golf course’
managers and operators have this annual opportunity to
leaders are the most knowledgeable and qualified people who
get together to communicate collegially and to renew our
have wisely developed golf throughout its history – no matter
relationships.
how highly other facets today may think of themselves with
After all, ‘Relationships’ are important in every business
APGS 2018 WAS AN
everywhere, but in Asian cultures anyone with a brain knows the importance is essential by a factor of ten! As was just strongly evidenced in Bangkok, over the last 12 years the APGS has grown its brand as the best opportunity in Asia to establish and nurture relationships – not an easy achievement either amongst such diverse national cultures. It is now what I call a ‘must attend watering hole’ where only the real Asian golf course industry gathers for everyone’s mutual benefit. Over the years I have watched so many good folks become great friends – most who did not even know one another existed prior to 2007. And the business bonds have also now grown into strong, personal comradeships, much like brothers-in-
EXTRAORDINARY EVENT OF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
FOR ME AS THE GLOBAL INSIGHTS MANAGER FOR PING,
IT IS AN INVALUABLE EVENT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SPECIFIC REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EQUIPMENT, EXPERIENCES AND GOLF IN GENERAL.
COLLECTIVELY THESE
INSIGHTS PROVIDE ME A VALUABLE
arms for those of us on the front battle lines of the golf course
SNAPSHOT INTO THE REGION.
and club business.
– DON HEIN, GLOBAL INSIGHTS MANAGER, PING
.
APGS speakers this year were a mix of familiar faces and some new, but each was passionately informing and I learned
to say, “If you want to learn a subject well — then first
many new concepts. Over the last 12 years I have also noted
teach it.”
much improvement in individual speakers as they gain more
Speakers at the APGS event are dedicated profes-
and more speaking experience too – another subtle benefit
sional people and not like those at all-too-common
that APGS has provided to the industry members! As I like
events in Asia where attendees are force-fed, baby-
pabulum information by commercial repre focused on the inept, lowest denominator
While a great APGS education progra
much value in what I call “Hall Time.” Ha
course people over a cup of coffee in the h
how I am introduced to new people and it’s real health of the golf course business all While the golf tournament pre-event
ing golf is a workshop – and it can be hard management tend to be conducting ‘benc
conditions against our own courses as we
fied when playing golf with other golf cour
Another distinctive feature of the APG
Nations‘ dimension of the event. I have tr
golf management conferences and there s
such a diverse cultural cross section, as d
it was a unique cross-pollination of differe golf courses. This wondrous mix of peopl
‘hybridizing’ improvements in how we all m
The APGS has become a catalyst for much people around the world are watching Asi
Each year the APGS triggers a ‘post-e
esentatives intent on selling products or by speakers
THE APGS 2018 WAS
people in golf course management. mme was conducted again this year, there was also ll time is the many little sidebar chats between golf
ANOTHER WELL PRESENTED
hallways or over a common meal. This is almost always
SUMMIT BY THE ASIA PACIFIC GOLF GROUP. TO ITS CREDIT, THE SUMMIT
s also an opportunity to pick up ‘stealthy intel’ on the round Asia. was certainly fun, for us golf course people even play-
d work and not simply ‘play.’ Most of us in golf course
HAS CONTINUED TO
hmarking’ when we visit a golf course while comparing
ATTRACT NOTABLE SPEAK-
play a round of golf. This ‘golf-work’ is much intensi-
ERS AND DELEGATES YEAR
rse colleagues at the APGS.
GS gathering of golf course leaders is the ‘United Golf
avelled the world over attending and also managing
simply is no other golf business event that represents
AFTER YEAR.
I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THE
SUMMIT FOR OVER A DECADE AND HAVE LEARNT
does the APGS. With 22 nations represented this year,
A LOT BY NETWORKING WITH THE LEADERS OF
ent ethnic and national approaches to the operation of
THE INDUSTRY AND FROM LISTENING TO THEIR
e, with a common love of the game, bodes well towards
EXPERIENCES.
manage the world’s golf courses on into the future.
h needed change – and you can trust that golf media
a’s APGS. How so?
event wave’ of education and information dissemina-
THE SUMMIT HAS BECOME A
MUCH AWAITED FORUM TO ATTEND EACH YEAR.
– AAKASH OHRI, SENIOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DLF HOME DEVELOPERS LIMITED, INDIA
tion via word-of-mouth, written articles, and cyberspace
present and it reminded me that continuing management
multimedia technology. This is already evidenced by the
education and incremental improvement of our hospitality
professional, broadcast-quality videos that are now posted
operations is a perpetual process.
to YouTube and available worldwide. No other event in
The ‘baton’ must constantly be passed on to new,
golf, large or small, even comes close to this superb re-
younger staff and APGS is helping to foster that process in
source that is made available to the people that count – the
a way that is raising the bar of success for golf in Asia.
ranks of managers and staffs at our golf courses every-
One of the most exciting things to come out of the
where. The old-establishment, ‘hot shot,’ golf manage-
APGS in Bangkok was the preemptive announcement to
ment associations ought to take heed from this technology
the attendees that the 2019 APGS will be held in none
use and learn a lesson from APGS in how to really deliver
other than India! Surely next year all of us will head off
service to the golf course industry -- but their bulging staff
to New Delhi for the world-class venue of the DLF Golf
bureaucracies just don’t get it! You can watch this APGS
Club in Gurgaon. I’ve been there and it is a must see. The
delivery for yourself here: https://www.youtube.com/user/
mystique of the Indian Subcontinent will now combine with
TA
AsiaPacificGolfGroup/videos?view=0&flow=grid&sort=dd
this overdue homage to the history of the first ‘golf course
AR
Another lessor recognized importance of this just concluded APGS is the ‘reality check’ that it provided to
location’ outside of the British Isles. This is going to prove to be a synergism that I predict
WH
all of us - that we all have a solemn obligation to Pass on
will realize a massive, record attendance for APGS in 2019.
TH
the Baton to successive generations of Asian golf course
It will be one event that you better book early! And I hope
AM
managers. There were a number of new, younger faces
that India will serve to remind all that our very existence
in attendance in Bangkok this year and they represented
depends most fundamentally on ‘golf courses’ to provide
a maturation of the golf course industry in Asia. Even
pleasure to ‘golfers’ that in turn organically drives our
multigenerational families of golf course operators were
business of golf.
TH
CO
AS A GOLF INDUSTRY CONSULTANT AND SPEAKER WHO IS FORTUNATE TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AROUND THE GLOBE, I AM EXCITED TO SEE THE ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM AND VALUE THAT WAS ONCE AGAIN DELIVERED AT THIS YEAR’S APGS IN BANGKOK. IN MY OPINION, AS THIS INDUSTRY IS FACING MORE CHALLENGES THAN EVER BEFORE, THAT APATHY IS UNFORTUNATELY INCREASING. THE APGS IS A BRIGHT LIGHT THAT DARES TO TACKLE DIFFICULT TOPICS AND FRANKLY, BRING ATTENTION TO URGENT ISSUES THAT FACE OUR INDUSTRY. CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS SUCH AS MEDIOCRE CUSTOMER SERVICE, A SLOW ACCEPANCE TO EMBRACE NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND POOR COMMITMENT TO TRAINING LOCAL STAFF
RE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF TOPICS OPENED UP FOR EXAMINATION BY THE INDUSTRY AS A
HOLE TO EMBRACE CHANGE AND MAKE THINGS BETTER.
THE APGS IS WILLING TO PUT
HESE TOPICS ON THE AGENDA, WHICH CREATES VALUABLE AND ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS
MONG THE DELEGATES.
ANY GOLF CLUB OPERATOR OR OWNER OWES IT TO THEMSELVES, HEIR STAFF AND THEIR CUSTOMERS TO ATTEND THIS EVENT. THEY WILL EASILY PAY FOR THE OSTS WITH NEW IDEAS TO HELP THEIR BUSINESS. – JAMES CRONK, PRESIDENT, THE CRONK GROUP
APGS 2018 WAS A VERY SPECIAL EVENT BEING IN MY ADOPTED HOME TOWN WITH A GREAT SELECTION OF PRESENTATIONS TO LEARN FROM.
THE THEME FOR APGS 2018 OF “ENGAGEMENT” WAS AN
EXCELLENT ONE AS THE PACE OF CHANGE IN THE WORLD IS SOMETHING THAT THE GOLF INDUSTRY NEEDS TO SEIZE AND ENGAGE WITH TO KEEP THIS BEAUTIFUL SPORT RELEVANT AND ATTRACT NEW GOLFERS AS WELL AS TO RETAIN THOSE WHO ALREADY PLAY.
GENERAL MANAGER, THAI COUNTRY CLUB
– JOHN BLANCH,
UNDER ANY MEASUREMENT, (VENUE, SETUP, CONTENTS, SUBSTANCE ETC) APGS 2018 WAS INDEED, A HUGE SUCCESS IN EVERY WAY. EXCELLENCE HAS BECOME YOUR TRADEMARK. CONGRATULATIONS! – JOSE DAGDAGAN, GENERAL MANAGER, SOUTHLINKS GOLF COURSE
THE 2018 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT WAS ANOTHER GREAT SUCCESS. ON BEHALF OF MISSION HILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK APGS FOR BRINGING THE GOLF INDUSTRY TOGETHER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ALLOWING US TO SHARE INFORMATION AND TACKLE KEY ISSUES THAT WILL SERVE TO STRENGTHEN GOLF IN THE REGION FOR THE LONG TERM.
GROUP VICE CHAIRMAN, MISSION HILLS GROUP, CHINA
– TENNIEL CHU,
THE APGS HAS COME A LONG WAY AND HAS GROWN FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH OVER THE YEARS.
AS AN INVITED PRESENTER OF THE APGS 2018, IT’S BEEN GREAT SHARING MY PROFESSIONAL VIEWS WITH FRIENDS IN THE GOLF INDUSTRY. IN RETURN,
I GAINED LOTS OF NEW INSIGHTS FROM THE SUMMIT; NOT TO MENTION MADE MORE NEW FRIENDS AND CONTACTS IN THE REGION.
PACIFIC GOLF GROUP!
EXCELLENT JOB TO THE TEAM AT ASIA – STEVEN THIELKE, CEO, TPC KUALA LUMPUR
GREG NORMAN REALLY ENJOYED THE ENGAGING ATMOSPHERE AT THE SHOW AND
I
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU DID TO MAKE EVERY MINUTE OF HIS TIME COUNT.
CONGRATULATIONS ON
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SHOW THIS YEAR AND THANKS AGAIN FOR MAKING US A PART OF IT. – CHRIS CAMPBELL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GREG NORMAN GOLF COURSE DESIGN
IT WAS A GREAT JOY AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN PART OF
APGS2018. I
HEARD SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS, WHO HAVE ATTENDED MANY MORE
APG SUMMITS THAN I,
MENTION THIS WAS THE BEST ONE YET.
THANKS FOR THE
AMAZING WORK YOU DO FOR THE GOLF INDUSTRY.
– JEFFREY BOSE, WINGOLF
THE ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT IS RADICALLY BOLD, FORWARD-LOOKING AND SETS THE PACE FOR CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN THE GOLFING INDUSTRY. APGS 2018 IS YET ANOTHER EYE-OPENER WITH A STRONG SHOWCASE OF NEW GOLF DEVELOPMENTS, AND INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE THAT AIM TO HELP PROPEL THE INDUSTRY TO A HIGHER LEVEL.
– CHOO WEE KHIANG, GENERAL
MANAGER, MARINA BAY GOLF COURSE
WHERE ELSE REALLY CAN WE NETWORK WITH GUYS LIKE TENNIEL CHU, GREG NORMAN, MADAM NGUYEN THI NGA ETC. YOU HAVE THE REAL DECISION MAKERS AT YOUR EVENT. OTHERS DON’T GET IT. YOUR EVENT IS THE CHERRY ON TOP FOR OUR 2018. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME ENGAGED. 12 YEARS STRONG. KEEP IT GOING. – BRAD BURGESS, FOUNDER/MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPORTS TURF SOLUTIONS PTE LTD
I HAVE N THREE A
CAN SAY WITHOUT THE EVENTS
I HAV P
INCLUDING THE
SHOW AND OTHER
LENGTHS TO INSU
IMPRESSIVE STAGI
BEVERAGES. IT’S A THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THE
ASIAN
ALONE IS WORTH THE LONG TRIP!
NOW HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING
ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMITS AND I T A DOUBT IT’S THE BEST RUN OF ALL
AVE SPOKEN AT AROUND THE WORLD
PGA SHOW, UKPGA, CNGCOA RS. THE APGS TEAM GO TO GREAT
URE EVERYTHING IS PERFECT FROM THE
ING AND LIGHTING TO THE FOOD AND
ALSO THE ONLY PLACE YOU WILL MEET GOLF WORLD AND THE NETWORKING
– ANDREW WOOD, THE LEGENDARY MARKETING GURU
THANKS T YOU FOR
PULLING EVERYTHIN TOGETHER AND BEING A DRIVING
FORCE BEHIND GROW ING THE GAME OF GOLF.
– MARK
SIEGEL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, GOLFASIAN
TO
NG
W-
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I
ndia’s Shubhankar Sharma has made the grade –
Sharma sealed his place in The 2018 Open Championship
he has been declared the European Tour’s Rookie
courtesy of his victory at Randpark Golf Club and added
of The Year for 2018.
a second European Tour title two months later after
The 22-year old Indian now joins Sir Nick Faldo,
carding a final round of 62 to win the 2018 Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia..
Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter,
Brooks Koepka and others to be named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.
He carded an impressive result at the WGC - Mexico Championship when he finished tied ninth, slipping with a 74 on the final day. His other top 10 finishes include
Sharma became the youngest Indian to win on the Eu-
the Indian Open (tied-7th) and the Volvo China Open (tied-
ropean Tour – by more than six years – when he won the
14th). He is currently 26th on the European Tour money list
Jo’burg Open title in December 2017, aged 21.
with season’s earnings of €1,152,832.
Photo credit: European Tour
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 Golf Link Hotli
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 Golf Links – Cam Ranh – opening soon for play. The game the way it should be played in the true traditions of links golf.
ks – Cam Ranh | Long Beach, Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh - Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. ne: (+84) 0989 797878 | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Camranhlinks/
Can you imagine a golf driver named after a part of the human brain? Now you can because the “Cortex” has arrived and very soon, golfers the world over will be placing this unique driver in their bags. The “Cortex” is the end product of an 18-month search by Wilson Staff, the oldest major golf brand in the world with 61 major wins under its belt. The hunt, aptly labelled as “Driver VS. Driver 2” followed the journey of aspiring golf equipment designers as they competed for the opportunity to develop the next world-class driver from Wilson. Out of the hundreds of concepts submitted, 14 finalists were selected to present their ideas to a panel of expert judges and experience the complex process of designing a driver – from concept sketches to functional prototypes. Throughout the series, their concepts were field tested and critiqued by some of the game’s best players on the PGA TOUR, along with celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment. Ultimately, one winner’s final design was picked and it is the “Cortex” which will hit shelves at golf retailers worldwide. The winner is Evan Hoffman who pocketed a grand prize of US$250,000.
T
he Driver VS. Driver initiative is a one-of-a-
features a titanium/ carbon ďŹ bre structure and intuitive
kind in the industry. It is unique in the sense that it brings together talented and gifted members of the public to work with the crack
weighting system to offer golfers worldwide the best in performance, adjustabtility and feel. The Cortex was designed by show contestant Evan
R&D team at Wilson LABS. This is really special because it brings together the best set of skillsets
Hoffman of San Diego, California. The driver features a titanium structure, carbon panels, and sliding adjustable
from outside the company and merges it with the tried and tested expertise of a winning team of R&D engineers. The programme was ďŹ rst launched in 2016 when industrial
weights to offer golfers premium performance, precise weight distribution and adjustability, and ultimate in forgiveness and feel.
designer Eric Sillies’ home-made driver design, the Triton was declared the winner The latest winner, the Wilson Staff Cortex driver
To evolve his original driver concept, Hoffman collaborated with Wilson LABS, the innovation hub at Wilson, where engineers perfected the design over an intense
18-month process. Hoffman’s design was selected over hundreds of submissions to be featured on Driver VS. Driver 2 on Golf Channel. As the winner, Hoffman received a grand prize of US$250,000 along with the opportunity to have his design brought to life under the Wilson Staff brand name. “Season Two of the show yielded two amazing finalists; the Cortex and the Rozwell,” said Tim Clarke, President of Wilson Golf. “Ultimately, the Cortex came out on top with
its clean, classic shape, overall consistent performance results from a wide range of player testers, and steady sound across the entire face of the club. We are excited to get this driver into the hands of players at all levels of the game.”
The Wilson Staff Cortex driver features Fast Cage Technology, which consists of a weight-tuned titanium internal structure with an impressive 44% of its surface area covered in Carbon Fibre Panels. This Ti –Carbon construction allows for extremely precise distribution of weight and frees up additional weight for maximum adjustability. The Cortex is highly intuitive when it comes to adjustability. For SPIN CONTROL, the Cortex features the Longest Slide Track Wilson has ever built with an 8g sliding adjustable weight down the centre of the club head allowing golfers to select their ideal spin rate and ball flight. For DIRECTION CONTROL, golfers can easily switch the positions of the interchangeable 2g and 8g weights and make effective adjustments to promote a neutral, draw or fade bias off the tee.
ABOUT THE WINNER An industrial designer who has a deep passion for the game, Evan Hoffman, aged 27, watched every episode of the inaugural season of Driver vs. Driver. When his brother texted him about season two, he immediately went to work. Beginning with sketches, he refined his concept while consulting with his brother, a golfer in his own right. His idea, the Cortex, utilizes a sub frame structure, allowing the weight to be taken out of the center of the club and strategically placed into the skirt, maximizing club head speed and flight control for longer and straighter drives.
ULTIMATELY, THE CORTEX CAME OUT ON TOP WITH ITS CLEAN, CLASSIC SHAPE, OVERALL CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE RESULTS FROM A WIDE RANGE OF PLAYER TESTERS, AND STEADY SOUND ACROSS THE ENTIRE FACE OF THE CLUB. For TRAJECTORY CONTROL, Cortex features Wilson Golf’s patented Fast Fit Technology hosel system. This system offers players six adjustable options to fine tune the loft of the driver in half-degree increments. The hosel is also backwards compatible, making Cortex adtapable for use with shafts from previous Wilson drivers. Finally, for LAUNCH CONTROL, Cortex comes equipped with premium Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec shafts In its second season, Driver VS. Driver has experienced a steady rise in popularity amongst Golf Channel viewers. The Show is designed to utilize the power of crowd-sourcing combined with Wilson LABS’ deep golf experience and expertise to create Wilson’s next innovative driver.
It was back in 2010 when the Danish footwear giant ECCO launched its revolutionary BIOM technology. Put simply, BIOM technology empowers rather than inhibit the foot’s own natural systems for absorbing impact. It results in improved comfort and performance, while strengthening muscles and ligaments. In a nutshell, it is natural motion at its very best. BIOM was introduced to ECCO’s line of golf shoes and in the years that followed, it introduced golfers the world over to a whole new experience that delivered a level of fit, comfort and performance that was unmatched. Its latest iteration, takes BIOM to a whole new level and this is embodied in ECCO’s offering to golfers.
T
he newest from ECCO is tagged as the
materials to form around an anatomical last, ensuring a
ECCO BIOM G3 which showcases an evolu-
finely-tuned balance of cushioning and rebound, while also
tion of comfort, style and innovation – the
creating an integral, flexible and durable bond without the
best simply got better!
compromises common with stitched or glued assemblies
The ECCO BIOM G3 for men utilises a range of
Q A BIOM NATURAL MOTION last that enables the foot to move more naturally, closer to the ground, forming like a
industry-leading technologies to deliver exceptional perfor-
second-skin around the foot
mance that will last round after round, while hard-wearing
Q ZARMA-TOUR spikes that use six flexible, anti-clogging
ECCO YAK leather uppers and a waterproof GORE-TEX®
comfort legs for superior traction. A rotation line on the
construction help to keep feet dry and comfortable in even
toe, and the addition of hybrid cleats, enhance agility on
the wettest weather.
the course
ECCO GOLF’s renowned BIOM NATURAL MOTION
Q A removable, washable Ortholite foam inlay sole that
technology combines low-to-the-ground stability with a
provides long-term cushioning and superior breathability,
glove-like fit that is built for natural motion. Uncompromis-
as well as the option of extra width when removed
ing traction is provided through ZARMA-TOUR spikes which
The uppers of the shoe are manufactured using
works together with hybrid cleats on the toe and rotation
premium ECCO TUMBLED TEXTURED YAK leather, from
line to offer optimal grip and a more stable footing right
ECCO-owned tanneries, that provides a supple, garment-
from the first tee to the last green.
washed look and feel. Bouncy and full, the leather has a
ECCO BIOM G3 further highlights ECCO GOLF’s commitment to crafting shoes with innovative comfort properties, including: Q ECCO FLUIDFORM Direct Comfort Technology which is a ‘state change’ process that uses specialised fluid
slightly raised grain and natural shine that highlights its eye-catching surface texture.
THE ECCO BIOM G3 FOR MEN UTILISES A RANGE OF INDUSTRYLEADING TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE THAT WILL LAST ROUND AFTER ROUND, WHILE HARD-WEARING
ECCO YAK LEATHER UPPERS AND A WATERGORE-TEX® CONSTRUCTION HELP
PROOF
TO KEEP FEET DRY AND COMFORTABLE IN EVEN THE WETTEST WEATHER.
NEW
PURE. FEEL. The new Glide Forged Wedge. A shot-maker’s wedge, made from 8620 carbon steel for a soft feel with a tour-inspired size and shape. Its compact head size and precisionmilled grooves ensure creativity and control around the green. Get fit today or visit ping.com.
CUSTOMIZE & PERSONALIZE. Design a one-of-a-kind Glide Forged wedge customized to your personal preferences. Various graphic, stamping and paint-fill options allow you to create a wedge totally unique to you and your game. Experience ping.com/glideforgedcustom.
CUSTOM GRAPHICS
PRECISION-MILLED, WHEEL-CUT GROOVES
CUSTOM STAMPING Scattered Mr. PING logo or 2 characters scattered.
Boomerang
Mr. PING
©2018 PING
Up to 3 characters in one of three locations (heel, center or toe). Flag
Desert
12 color choices
NEW
SOFTER FEEL
NEW
ADJUSTABLE LENGTH
8 OF 10 GOLFERS
A FEEL-GOOD STORY
*
are playing the wrong-length putter. Are you one of them? Our new adjustable length putter shaft is simple and intuitive, allowing you to customize a Sigma 2 putter to fit your stroke and posture. * PING research study
©2018 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071
32"- 36" RANGE
An innovative dual-durometer PEBAX insert provides a softer feel and a lively response to ensure consistency on short and long putts – giving golfers the precision and control they need to lower their scores. Ten options, including four new designs, ensure a putter to fit the eye and stroke type of every golfer. Get fit today or visit ping.com.
In case you are getting a tad bit frustrated with losing out on bets on the greens because your money-winning putts don’t listen to you, don’t despair. The century-old Wilson Staff brand has announced a new range of putters that may have just the solution you need to get all that money back! It has added a new line of putters to its award-winning Wilson Staff Infinite putter range for 2019 with three new models incorporating eyecatching design and game-changing technology.
T
he Infinite putter line made its first appearance at the beginning of 2018 and the new models continue the tradition of being named after landmarks and neighbourhoods in the brand’s home city of Chicago.
Here’s the ASIAN GOLF drill-down on the new flat-sticks,
starting with the Bucktown, a fang-style mallet. It features a double bend in the shaft towards the head to balance the face at impact. The next is the West Loop, a wide-profile blade-style putter with a straight-down shaft. And bringing up the rear is the ‘L’, a mallet-style putter with a square head and straight shaft. The three new putters, join the six other Infinite models, including the centre-shafted South Side mallet, which has been used exclusively by three-time major champion Padraig Harrington for the past four seasons. Other models include the ‘Windy City’, ‘Bean’ and ‘Bucktown’ models in a glacier blue and white-coloured women’s option. Doug Wright, Wilson Golf’s global commercial director, said: “We continue to expand and improve this popular Infinite putter range year-on-year and the 2019 range now has a better balance of blade and mallet style options.” All Infinite putters benefit from counterbalance technology, which combines a heavier head and grip weights to move the balance point closer to the hands for a smoother and more controlled stroke. A new oversized grip provides a more stable feel and limits rotation during stroke, while the 104g heavy grip further enhances the counter-balanced feel. A black anti-glare finish accentuates the sight lines that have been stripped back to improve alignment at address, while double-milled faces promote consistent impact, roll and distance control.
WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THIS POPULAR INFINITE PUTTER RANGE YEAR-ON-YEAR AND THE 2019 RANGE NOW HAS A BETTER BALANCE OF BLADE AND MALLET STYLE OPTIONS.
Christmas is almost upon us and PING is giv selves with a special gift. And speak about c award-winning golf clubs is offering its lates product is the Sigma 2 putter series.
I
n announcing the new Sigma 2 putter series, John K. Solheim, PING President said, “The Sigma 2 putters are engineered to bring a new level of performance and excitement to our putter line.” “As we do with every product, we combined our extensive technical knowledge gathered over our nearly 60-year history with the needs of the everyday golfer and in the Sigma 2, along with the new face design that’s both
ving all golfers an opportunity to treat themchoice, the Phoenix-based manufacturer of st product in ten different options! The new very soft and responsive, this approach includes providing golfers the ability to customize their shaft length by introducing a simple and intuitive adjustable-shaft-length technology that is a standard feature of every putter in the line,” Solheim explained. According to PING’s own research, the company discovered that 8 out of 10 golfers are playing the wronglength putters and losing strokes as a result. “That’s a
PUTTER TER MODEL DESCRIPTIONS staggering statistic to us and one we’ve made easy for golfers to solve with the Sigma 2. Golfers will see significant improvement in their putting consistency if they use a putter length customized to their game,” Solheim added. Let’s do a deep-dive into the adjustable putters the adjustable-length shaft is lightweight, easy to use and sleekly concealed beneath the grip, allowing golfers to customize length between 32” and 36” to fit their stroke and posture. The process is quick and intuitive through the use of an adjustment tool that inserts into the top of the grip. One full turn causes approximately a ¼” adjustment up or down, and the grip remains perfectly aligned during the adjustment process. “The adjustable shaft is just a really cool technology,” pointed out Solheim. “Our engineers took a very complex technical challenge and simplified it for the benefit of golfers. It allows you to experiment with various lengths and ultimately self-fit yourself. You’re no longer limited to a specific length measurement. You simply adjust it until you’re comfortable, ideally with your eyes directly over the ball. We call it ‘invisible’ technology but once you customize it to your length, the results will be very clear on your scorecard.” Coupled with the adjustable shaft is the DualDurometer Face. The softer front layer ensures the precision necessary for shorter, delicate must-make putts. The firmer back layer offers the solid feedback and distance control required for holing longer-range putts and improving overall consistency. Touch and pace are further improved with PING’s patented TR face pattern, which varies in depth and pitch to speed up off-centre impacts for consistent ball speeds. “Feel is difficult to quantify as there are a lot of opinions and preferences about how a putter should feel and the Sigma 2 has a very soft feel with a lively response, similar to a solid-face putter,” explained Solheim. He added, “It is designed for the golfer who prefers a putter on the softer side of the spectrum but with the response of a firm face, including more consistency on longer putts - by combining the two hardnesses of the PEBAX material and utilizing our TR face pattern, we’re providing a feel preference that appeals to a large segment of golfers while delivering the consistency golfers need to improve their ‘strokes gained: putting’ results.” All the new putters are available throughout Asia, here’s an in-depth look at each featured model:
Anser
The Anser is the winningest model in PGA Tour history, and its n traditional heel-toe ballasts that boost MOI, plus pleasing contou simple alignment line. The blade design and medium head weig ficient from any distance. The mid-hang balance targets players in their stroke, and thus fits a large percentage of golfers. Putter Type: Blade
ZB 2
The ZB with a modern twist. The deeper center cavity and heel-t moment of inertia by more than 25% in this new model and mak Anser. The heel-shafted weighting is engineered to fit players w stroke and those who have a pull tendency. This putter’s blade d weight provide versatility from anywhere on the green. Putter Type: Blade
newest iteration has the urs, a clean top rail and ght make this putter prowith a moderate rotation
toe weighting increase ase ke it as forgiving as an with more rotation in their design and medium head
Kushin shin C This center-shafted enter-shafted model with added emphasis emphasis to the toe and heel he visual symmetry and stabilballasts will appeal to golfers drawn to tthe ntt ball-width alignment features ity of a face-balanced design. Prominent o for easy alignment. The ow and micro-lines on the center cavity allow g keep the head very stable gn 360-gram weight and center-shaft design alanced design is optimized for on short putts in particular. The face-balanced stroke or a push tendency. players with very little rotation in their stroke Putter Type: Mid-Mallet
Arna Inspired d by the timeless design of the Anser, Anser this mid-mallet model features a flowstyle hosel that complements the head’s soft arc a shape and compact profile. The 360gram head weight ensures stability on shorte shorter putts while offering distance control on lag putts. The mid-hang balance fits golfers with w a moderate rotation in their stroke. Putter Type: Mid-Mallet
Fetch A distinctive golf-ball-size center hole in this new design n allows you to pick up the ball or remove it from the cup with the putter head and not have to bend down. This circular shape allows for efficient perimeter weighting, creating an extremely high MOI for a putter its size. Its 365-gram head is extremely stable on shorter putts. The e face-balanced design works well with players who have little rotation in their stroke or a tendency to push putts. Putter Type: Mallet
Tyne Boasts a PGA Tour-winning design, back by popular its stability and ease of alignment. New microdemand for it address provide added texture and a lines visible from f contrast that a amplifies the ball-framing and parallel align365-gram head stays extremely stable on short ment. The 365 putts and deli delivers ample feel for longer attempts. The Tyne can be custom c built as face-balanced or mid-hang to be optimized for straight or slight-arc stroke types. Putter Type: Mallet M
Tyne 4 The stability and ease of alignment of the original Tyne are re-created in this heel-shafted version. The heavier 370-gram head is optimized for a smoother stroke tempo and designed to improve consistency, especially on shorter putts. The short hosel offers a distinctive – and popular – look at address, and the heel-shafted balance is particularly effective for golfers with more rotation in their stroke or a pull tendency. Putter Type: Mallet
Wolverine H Wolver Its angular shape combines with ball-shape geometries and a long alignment line to simplify aiming for improved accuracy. To promote consistency, the heavier 370-gram mallet head provides a very high moment of inertia for extreme forgiveness, especially on shorter putts. The mid-hang balance ensures better all-round performan performance for a wide range of golfers. Putter Type: Typ Mallet
Valor V l A new model, this high-MOI mallet features a uniquely designed heel-toe ballast profile that contributes to its incredible stability and ease of aiming, with help from a long, contrasting alignment line. On shorter putts in particular, the added stability of the heavier 365-gram design offers a big performance advantage. This putter can be custom-built as either a face-balanced or midhang design to be optimized for golfers with almost any stroke type. Putter Type: Mallet
After having launched drivers, irons and hybrids under the catchy moniker “Rogue” what an encore? You’ve got to hand it to the folks at Callaway – they have an uncanny knack of ing themselves when it come to new products. They come up with highly unusual names even for the technology that they use. Remember “Jailbreak Technology” – a very revolut in driver technology. After having gone through a number of new product launches with a names, Callaway is back with a name that perhaps scored the biggest points in terms of b company – “Big Bertha”. It’s not exactly the sort of name that any lady would like to be gi did the trick for Callaway when the name was first launched in 1991. It’s back again and th stuck on two new product lines – a set of irons and a set of hybrids.
t does one do for f always re-inventfor golf clubs and tionary innovation attention-grabbing business for the ven but it sure he label has been
L
et’s first check out the Big Bertha hybrids. This newbie from Callaway combines the company’s Jailbreak Technology and Adjustability. It all started with the introduction of Callaway Hyper Speed Face Cup that completely redefined the category, and advanced it with its innovative Jailbreak Technology. With the Big Bertha Hybrids golfers have a groundbreaking combination:
Jailbreak ball speeds and adjustability for easy launch. The synergy of Jailbreak and Hyper Speed Face Cup promotes a level of power never thought possible in a hybrid. And to make it super-easy to launch, Callaway have introduced an entirely new OptiFit Hosel System that’s shorter and lighter, allowing to fully optimize the Centre of Gravity. A new progressive shape makes it easy to hit, and new premium Recoil shafts add to an appealing design that’s worthy of being called Big Bertha.
THE NEW BIG BERTHA IRONS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF INNOVATION SO FAR THAT IT TRANSFORMS AN ENTIRE CATEGORY. Next on deck is what Callaway is calling its “Our Easiest to Hit Distance Iron Product”. Carrying the proven track record owned by the Big Bertha moniker, the new Big Bertha irons have been designed to push the boundaries of innovation so far that it transforms an entire category. This franchise started with the Big Bertha Irons in 2014 led by the 360 Face Cup technology, and continued in 2016 with Big Bertha OS Irons led by the EXO-Cage. And it’s done once again with the new Big Bertha Irons, led by Callaway’s groundbreaking Suspended Energy Core. The Suspended Energy Core is a construction that’s never been achieved before in a golf club, featuring a revolutionary core design that delivers: Q Incredible sound and feel; Q Long, consistent distance; Q Easy launch. How is all of this possible you may ask? It starts with a Metal Injection Molded (MIM’d) Tungsten Floating Weight suspended within Callaway’s proprietary urethane microsphere material. Suspending the floating weight allows for the positioning of the Centre of Gravity deeper using a 3-piece iron construction. This creates higher launch while allowing a thinner, faster Face Cup construction. That combination promotes distance-enhancing launch conditions we’ve never been able to achieve before in an iron that’s also extremely easy to hit. All of this advanced technology is packaged with a stunning look. Don’t wait – rush out and check out the new hybrids and irons from Callaway. They look like winners alright!
I am PELLE
EDBERG and my life revolves around
Black Mountain. As a professional golfer, I have constant access to a world class golf course that helps me stay at the top of my game. I love life and Black Mountain offers the ideal setting for quality living in a perfectly managed and well-balanced environment. Black Mountain is safe and a perfect place to enjoy life. What more can I ask for? Come and be part of Black Mountain. Black Mountain Golf Club – a small piece of heaven on earth.
Black Mountain Golf Club – Asia’s Winningest Golf Club
Petchakasem Rd, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand Tel: +66 32 618 666 | Email: proshop@bmghuahin.com | www.blackmountainhuahin.com
With over 30,000 golf courses in the world, it cannot be said that golfers are not spoil when it comes to deciding where to play a round of golf. Although there are many to c
it always helps if there is a way to make a good decision and pick the right course to pl
this scenario, ASIAN GOLF has partnered with IMG which designs, operates and mana golf courses in Asia and elsewhere.
As part of this collaboration, ASIAN GOLF will review a number of golf courses in th Prestige stable every month. It is hoped that this will serve as a valuable guide to golfers w to have a wonderful experience playing golf in some of the best courses on offer in A
https://www.imgprestige.com
t for choice
hoose from, ay at. Given
ages quality
he IMG who want Asia.
CHEE CHAN GOLF RESORT C
hee Chan Golf Resort located just outside Pattaya is a fantastic new golf course that has a magniďŹ cent setting
next to the famed Khao Chee Chan (Buddha Mountain). The 18 hole championship course offers a great variety of holes and panoramic views to Pattaya and the surrounding landscape. Featuring exciting changes in elevation, the golf course is an enjoyable test for players of all skill levels. The fairways are wide but the greens complexes are undulating and testing. A world class driving range with a large grass tee and outstanding short game area add to the wonderful golf facilities. The impressive clubhouse is a match for anything in the region, and provides one of the most luxurious experiences found anywhere. IMG provide golf management services to Chee Chan Golf Resort.
http://cheechangolf.com
XIANG SHUI BAY GOLF CLUB X
iang Shui Bay Golf Club is a 27 hole golf course located in the city of Zhu Zhou, Hunan Province, China. The club is located close to the center of the city and is
regarded as Hunan’s leading golf course. The course offers a challenging but fair test of golf, and features interesting changes in elevation, spectacular lakes and numerous tree lined holes. Facilities include an excellent clubhouse with restaurant, locker rooms, VIP rooms and Pro Shop. There is also a very good driving range on site. The golf course is part of a world class residential community. IMG provides golf management services to Xiang Shui Bay Golf Club.
PURE. PRECISION.
©2018 PING
NEW The new i210 iron. Its softer insert ensures a feel you’ve never felt before with the distance and precision to play shots you’ve never tried before. It’ll change your entire approach to the game. Get fit today or visit ping.com.
PURE. DISTANCE.
TRUE INNOVATION. NEW The new i500 iron. Its massive distance and towering ball flight come from a forged face and metal-woodlike construction. Its look appeals to players who put a premium on performance. Get fit today or visit ping.com..
Far too much emphasis in the golf industry is put solely on the condition of the course, which for better or worse is usually about where it’s going to be. On invisible “service” or in creating an “experience” which in most places exists only as a word in their outdated websites!
I
bet you have had some of your most memorable days ever at some sheep in-
something different with a simple paradigm shift in the way you think and operate.
fested club in the Scottish Highlands, with awful weather, a colorful caddie and wee
At seminars when I ask the audience usually made up of course owners, managers and golf
dram of local whisky afterwards. The total sum of club membership, a nice day out at your local daily fee course or a weekend away at a resort
professionals what business they are in, the top three answers are always; Q The service business
includes far more than just the quality of the golf course. Some of it is tangible some of it not but the “experience” they get, whichever one it happens to
Q The people business Q And of course the golf business What few people realize is that the answer to
be, is what will bring them back or not! The more you do to make every step of that
this critical question fundamentally changes how an operation is marketed, sold and run and therefore
experience memorable for all the right reasons the more chance they will choose you. That does not mean spending a ton of money. That does not
changes the experience it provides to the customer. The customer shows up at the club, ultimately for the one key factor few ever mention. He is
mean trying to pretend your club is something that it is not. What it does mean is that you have to think out of the traditional, conservative golf
there to be entertained, by your course, range, staff, food, drink and the experience you provide by allowing him to interact with people of similar
box. It means transforming your operation into
interests.
Golf is the vehicle by which you entertain your members and guests
an iconic ad cam the actual comp
The more entertaining you make your marketing, emails, website, letters, social media posts, tournaments, social events and
squashed it as t film business. T
just the everyday experience of wandering around your clubhouse, the more value you will deliver. Therefore, the more people you will attract and the longer they will stay.
someone or som
If your customer is not entertained he will look for his entertainment not just at other courses but at the stadium,
members and g and guests are n
mall, bowling alley, movies and a million other places. Understanding that your competition is not just other clubs, but every other form of adult entertainment makes a profound difference to how you approach the creation of value at your club.
forgotten. Your goal sh
doing it right! This a conc
from your cours was rest rooms How can yo
in Florida has 18
Creating “Kodak Moments” The term a “Kodak moment” was part of
18th a Doral, St hole so special i
mpaign in the 70’s and 80’s so successful it survived pany. Who although they invented a digital camera hey thought it would damage their lucrative camera
Maybe it does not even need to be a compete hole perhaps just a special bunker? If they are taking pictures and sharing on social media, you are doing it right!
The phrase was used when taking a picture of mething at a particular moment that will never be
Green Monkey in Barbados
hould be to provide multiple opportunities for your uests to have “Kodak moments” If your members not taking pictures and sharing them you are NOT
Perhaps a few flowers could turn a boring par three into a masterpiece? You don’t have to spend a fortune to create a WOW Factor, You can attract people to your club in simple ways;
ept you can embrace at every level of your operation e all the way backwards to your restrooms in fact it that first alerted me to the value of this concept. u make one hole on the course really stand out? TPC 8 great holes but only one of them is famous. The Andrews or Pebble Beach also come to mind. One t defines the entire course experience.
Q Q Q Q Q
Unexpected ways Whimsical ways Fun ways Memorable ways Engaging ways Often ways they can’t or won’t articulate in surveys and questionnaires … But they will where it counts, with their wallets! Even very minor things can enhance the guest experience, for
as famous at the course! Pine Valley the number #1 rated course in the world is known for its Snapper Soup (turtle) at the National Golf Links (#13 in the world) for its lobster sandwich. There are lots of ways courses can make their ranges more interesting form targets to ship bells, to old cars and even aero planes as targets. Well I hope these ideas got your creative juices flowing on how you can create some additional “Wow factors” at your club. Engage and entertain your members and guests at a higher level. And create instant opportunities example this distance marker gave me a chuckle on a long second shot to a par five.
for people to click and share the excitement of your efforts with thousands
Negative signage on golf courses is one of my pet peeves. There were over 100 of these signs on this course, run by a major golf association telling you where, NOT TO GO. There are better more positive and en-
of people through their social media. In effect creating your own marketing army. Most important of all these little
tertaining ways to tell your guest what to do and maybe even make them smile in the process. This rest room at Gam’s golf course in Switzerland certainly gave me
touches will add up to an intangible bond with your club. No one that people mention in the surveys but one that will
cause to take a picture I have no idea why Spiderman is climbing up the clubhouse ubhouse wall at
lead to increased loyalty and long-term success!
Siam Country Club, Plantation course in Pattaya, Thailand and but I took a picture and shared it anyway, tagging the course se and promoting it to thousands of my fans and followers on social media! I have played golf around the world at over 1,000 0 courses and have yet to be offered anything but a green een or white, gray or blue standard golf cart! If a club had just ust five unique carts at a premium price would some players rs rent them? Take pictures of them? Share them on their social media? Enjoy their day just a little bit more? Remember ember the course? This may not look like much, but it was voted the #1 golf food item in the USA by Golf Digest and hass been served by the same family at the Olympic Club, b, in California for over 5 decades. This burger dog is almost most
ABOUT ANDREW WOOD Andrew Wood is the world’s leading expert on golf, resort and hotel marketing. Author of over 40 books ks including The Golf Marketing Bible. The Golf Sales Bible. The Hotel Marketing Bible, Cunningly Clever Entrepreneur, Legendary Advice and many others. He is CEO of Legendary Marketing and publishers of Golf Operator Magazine and World’s Best Golf Destinations. He speaks around the world on sales, marketing, leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development. He can be reached at 1-352-266-2099 or Andrew@LegendaryMarketing.com
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
A new deal, fresh out of the mint, has been brokered with the giant Japanese apparel company ZOZO. The PGA TOUR has inked a six-year contract that runs through to 2024. What’s stunning about this new tournament is that it will be the richest in Japan and without match anywhere else in Asia. The only other event that comes close, is another PGA TOUR tournament, the CJ CUP @ Nine Bridges In South Korea. This is truly historic in golf crazy Japan which is golf’s second largest single market in the world.
T
agged as the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, it will be co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), and it will be played at the Narashino Country Club the week of October 21, 2019 which will coincide with the opening segment of the 2019-20 PGA TOUR FedExCup Season. The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP will become part of the TOUR’s “Asia Swing” joining THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in Korea and World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China. At the announcement, Ty Votaw, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the first annual, official
When the PGA TOUR does anything, it knows how to pull it off in grand style. As the year comes to an end, the world’s biggest and richest professional golf tour hit a massive home-run by announcing what is effectively the richest tournament in Asia. It’s a brand-new tournament and the prize money is for a staggering US$9.75 million! Speak about the “art of the deal” – these guys at the PGA TOUR are good!
in Japan. The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP field will consist of 78 professionals, including 60 available players from the previous season’s FedExCup points list, 10 designated by the JGTO and eight special exemptions. The PGA TOUR, which opened an office in Tokyo in 2016, has a long history in Japan, starting with its involvement in the 1957 World Cup of Golf in Tokyo. After the first three editions of the event took place in Canada and the United States, the tournament was held outside North America for the first time in 1957 when the Kasumigaseki Club (which will host the 2020 Olympic golf competition) saw the U.S. team of Ben Hogan and Sam Snead take the title. Japan subsequently hosted the 1966 and 2001 World Cups. PGA TOUR Champions also has had a presence in Japan, starting with a team event from 1989-91 in which four Champions Tour players competed against counterparts VE BEEN INSPIRED BY GOLF from Japan. The Tour returned in AS A PLAYER AND AS A FAN FOR 2017 with a tournament at Narita Golf Club and will return to the NEARLY YEARS NOW PPORTUNITIES club in June of 2019 with the Mastercard Japan Championship. SUCH AS GOING ON ROUNDS WITH MY Every year since 1993, the YEAR OLD FATHER AND PRACTICING PGA TOUR has had at least one Japanese player on its roster WITH MY SONS WHO ARE NOW IN including two for the 2018-19 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALL CAME FROM Season: Hideki Matsuyama and MY LOVE FOR GOLF – YUSAKU MAEZAWA Satoshi Kodaira. Five players have accounted for 11 PGA TOUR victories over the years, led by “I am extremely grateful of becoming the title Matsuyama with five and Shigeki sponsor of this history-making and prestigious Maruyama with three. Isao Aoki, PGA TOUR tournament - the very first in Ryuji Imada and Kodaira each Japan and to be able to hold the event in have won once. Chiba prefecture, where our roots are.” Maezawa, an avid art collector founded “Start Today” in 1998 and launched the on-line fashion retail website Zozotown. It is now Japan’s largest on-line operation. Most recently, Maezawa introduced a customfit apparel brand the ZOZOSUIT, an at-home measurement system. He is estimated to have a net worth of US$3.6 billion and is said to be the 14th richest person PGA TOUR event to Japan through our partnership with ZOZO, Inc.” “Japan’s passion for golf is widely recognized and something our stars have experienced first-hand through various events held here and the support of standout PGA TOUR players like champion Hideki Matsuyama.” Votaw went on to add that the new tournament further strengthened the TOUR’s presence in Asia. “It certainly comes at an opportune time with golf set to follow its highly successful return to the Olympics in Rio when Tokyo hosts the 2020 Games,“ Votaw pointed out. In response, Yusaku Yusaku Maezawa, the billionaire CEO of ZOZO Inc. said, “I’ve been inspired by golf as a player and as a fan for nearly 10 years now. Opportunities such as going on rounds with my 73-year-old father, and practicing with my sons who are now in elementary school, all came from my love for golf.”
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#LIVEUNDERPAR © 2018 PGATOUR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Player appearance subject to change.
With a year to go before the 2019 Presidents Cup clash takes place in Australia, the captain of the International Team is already taking stock of the talent that he can tap to build a winning team. Ernie Els, the big South African Hall Of Famer will be leading the 2019 charge and he seems to be hell-bent on leading the International Team to victory. Els, who has featured in eight International Teams with scant success, is excited to see a fresh wave of talented and young international golfers coming through the ranks that he is prepared to unleash new blood into his 12-man squad. He had an opportunity of seeing some of the best young stars in action during the recently concluded “Asian Swing” of the PGA Tour, and he is most definitely inspired! The PGA Tour’s Chuah Choo Chiang reports:
SIWOO KIM
“T
hose are t
Els, who f
tory at Ro
The B
in the CIM
NINE BRIDGES in South Korea an
as Korea’s Siwoo Kim and Sungjae Aphibarnrat of Thailand, India’s S
Argentinean Emiliano Grillo, and C
With established team memb
Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Hidek
good form since the race to make
is quite anxious to see how his tea
“Leish (Marc Leishman) is a s and Grillo’s been knocking on the
backbone of the team. Cameron, h
very familiar with Royal Melbourn
team with a lot of Asian players an forward to going with some fresh
In Malaysia, Leishman claime
tournament record of 26-under-p – Grillo (T2), Abraham Ancer (T5), – finished in the top-10.
ERNIE ELS
Four internationals –Day (T5)
(T10) – featured in the top-10 at th
SATOSHI KODAIRA
the type of guys we want on the team,” said
(T4), Day (T11), Hatong Li (T11), Grillo (T14) and Scott (T18) finished in the top-
featured in the Internatioanl Team’s lone vic-
20 in the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.
yal Melbourne in 1998.
In Els, who is also remembered for the famous duel-in-the-dark with
Big Easy, as Els is fondly known, competed
Tiger Woods in the only draw of the series in 2003, the International Team will
MB Classic in Malaysia and THE CJ CUP @
look up to a leader who has been there, seen it and done it.
d kept a close watch on emerging stars such
In Korea, Els played nine holes in a practice round with 22-year-old
e Im, Australian Cameron Smith, Kiradech
Sharma, whom the South African had encountered during a golf clinic in New
hubhankar Sharma, Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira,
Delhi some 10 years ago. “Shubhankar has won twice in the last 12 months
C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei.
and he’s still only 22, so he’s another one to watch,” said the South African.
bers, Marc Leishman, Jason Day, Louis
ki Matsuyama and Adam Scott, all showing the International team began in August, Els
The captain also spent time speaking to other potential International Team members, including 20-year-old Im, who was the 2018 Web.com Tour Player of the Year following two wins. The powerful South Korean enjoyed a
am shapes up over the next 10 months.
top-five finish in his first PGA TOUR start at the Safeway Open in October, of-
superstar, Shubhankar is getting there
fering another glimpse of his immense potential.
door. These guys, they’re going to be the
Talent aside, Els ultimately wants his players to be hungry for success
he’s also world class now, Australian, and
in Royal Melbourne. “I just want them to be keen. I want them to be up for it.
ne. It could be a real different team, young
Obviously our team is not renowned like the U.S. team is. The U.S. team is a
nd a lot of international players. I’m looking
well-oiled team, they play Ryder Cups together, they obviously play very well in
troops.”
the Presidents Cup against us, so they’re a very mature team.
ed his fourth PGA TOUR victory by tying the
“We are going to be a young team, inexperienced, but that doesn’t scare
ar 262 while five other International players
me because I know the course very well down in Melbourne, I’ve played it
Oosthuizen (T5), Sharma (T10) and Kim (T10)
many, many times. I feel I have a very good game plan to play the golf course, strategy-wise, and I’m going to share that with my players. I just want players
), Smith (T7), Adam Hadwin (T10) and Scott
that want to be there, that want to play. I want players that want to get up and
he CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES while Kiradech
be shown.”
SHUBHANKAR SHARMA
Sharma is determined to make the squad. He said: “The next Presidents Cup is going to be huge with Ernie and Tiger being the captains. Playing the Presidents Cup would be a huge honour.” Leishman, who has played in three editions, is also up for the challenge, saying that home ground advantage could be key in the team’s hopes of turning the tide against the U.S. team. “I’m hoping I can continue this form, be a leader on that team. Hopefully we can give the Americans a bit of trouble,” he said. Former World No. 1 Scott intends to make it a ninth appearance in the Presidents Cup, especially when he has yet to taste victory in the team competition. “I want to go back and play in Australia … to play under Ernie would be fantastic. He’s very, very excited and enthusiastic about making a difference for this International Team, so I would love to be a part of that,” said Scott.
WE ARE GOING TO BE A YOUNG TEAM, INEXPERIENCED, BUT THAT DOESN’T SCARE ME BECAUSE I KNOW THE COURSE VERY WELL DOWN IN MELBOURNE, I’VE PLAYED IT MANY, MANY TIMES. I FEEL I HAVE A VERY GOOD GAME PLAN TO PLAY THE GOLF COURSE, STRATEGY-WISE, AND I’M GOING TO SHARE THAT WITH MY PLAYERS. I JUST WANT PLAYERS THAT WANT TO BE THERE, THAT WANT TO PLAY. I WANT PLAYERS THAT WANT TO GET UP AND BE SHOWN.
A First Class Tradition
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Lam Chih Bing
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The Asia PaciÄc Golf Group (APGG), the
Commenting on the award, CEO Mike
publisher of ASIAN GOLF and the owner/ producer of the highly regarded Asia PaciÄc Golf Summit (APGS) and the Asian Golf
Sebastian said, “It is indeed an honour to be recognised for the work that we do and
Awards has received an international award of its own.
it is a humbling experience to be selected for this award – if anything at all, this award will inspire and motivate us to raise the benchmark and try to do better.”
The British-based APAC Insider organization has recognised APGG as the “Most Dynamic Sports Growth Company 2018 – Asia”.
ASIAN GOLF was awarded the “Best Golf Publication In The Asia PaciÄc for 2017/2018” for APAC Insider also.
www.asiapaciÄcgolfgroup.com | www.golfconference.org | www.asiangolfawards.com