STS SPORTS TURF SOLUTIONS CO., LTD
290 Jareonpattana Rd, Bangchan, Klongsamwa, Bangkok, Thailand, 10510 Tel: +66 2-540-3180 | Fax: +66 2-540-3181 | e-mail: Brad@sportsturfsolutions.com | www.sport
tsturfsolutions.com
ISSUE
225
J U N E 2 01 9
The American market research guru Matt Powell of NPD Group has warned: “There are a lot of systemic headwinds for golf that are just not going away – in particular: Millennials are not picking up the game as quickly as Boomers are ageing out of it. The game needs young people to be playing it to reverse its fortunes. I don’t think a 43-year-old guy (Tiger Woods) winning a golf tournament is going to inspire young people to get out and pick up the game.” The challenge posed to golf by the Millennials is a serious one, but all is not lost, yet! ASIAN GOLF has been highlighting this challenge for a few years and with the 2019 Asia Pacific Golf Summit coming up in India (November 4 - 6), we have decided to grab the bull by the horns again and to grapple it down with the help of golf’s famed Legendary Guru, Andrew Wood. As always, Andrew has stepped up to the plate and he has offered a myriad of solutions, in his inimitable way by not pulling any punches. We hope what he has to say will help all of us who love the game of golf, do something to get us out of the rut.
12 EQUIPMENT FOCUS 38 TWO WINNERS FROM THE DESERT The R&D team at PING’s headquarters in Phoenix has been very busy and proof of this can be witnessed in the launch of two new products from the brand. The two new products that have hit the world stage g are the PING G410 LST T driver and the Blueprint forged blade irons.
30 FASHION TREND 30 THE FEATHER LIGHT TOUCH FROM ECCO!
38
If you y are a fan of golf shoes, especially shoes that look and feel light on your feet, ECCO may have loo come up with just the right shoe for you. What’s com really unique about the new line, the S-Lite is that rea it is made from leather and not some lightweight material. It’s the real McCoy and it’s crafted from ma high quality hide! hig
SPECIAL FEATURE 22 GOLF TOURISM: HAINAN TAKES A GIANT LEAP IN GOLF TOURISM
22
It is now official – in one fell swoop, the Hainan International Golf Alliance has been established with a great mission objective. The mission is to bring together government and golf tourism stakeholders from across Hainan Province to promote the tropical Chinese island as a global golf tourism destination.
48 HAS PUTTING GONE TO THE DOGS? Have you been paying attention to how professionals labour over putting these days? This trend is very prevalent on all of the major professional tours the world over and there’s got to be a good explanation for this. Based on an analysis of putting statistics on the PGA TOUR from 2003 to now, “the make” percentage is LOWER today than 2003! Check out what golf legend Barney Adams discovered and what he has to offer as a solution.
48
54 A CHAMPION TURF OF OLYMPIAN PROPORTIONS! This is the story about a miracle turf that answers to the name ZEON. It is growing exponentially in popularity in Southeast Asia and ASIAN GOLF places the focus on this turf grass because its importance is not supposed to appeal just to agronomists and golf course superintendents. It is intended to have universal appeal to all who play and enjoy the game of golf.
62 PGA TOUR: AN ODE TO ROYAL MELBOURNE
54 62
The countdown has commenced for the staging of the next installment of The Presidents Cup – the much-awaited clash between Team America, captained by the resurgent Tiger Woods and Team International led by “The Big Easy”, the South African golf legend Ernie Els. With interest in this mega clash building with the passing of every day, ASIAN GOLF thought that it would be timely to showcase a review on the venue for the big tournament. Read a special report by Jim McCabe of the PGA TOUR.
72 PGA TOUR: ASIAN SWING PRIMED AND READY TO ROLL
72
With almost half the year gone by, the PGA TOUR has cranked up its organisational machinery to start the process to roll out its 2019 “Asian Swing”. It’s that time of the year when a select group of PGA professionals put their game on show in Asia and for 2019, the star attraction will be the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan – the richest event on the Asian Swing. The following is an ASIAN GOLF preview written by the PGA TOUR’s Chuah Choo Chiang.
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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
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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.
We live in a strange world where scepticism rules the day! Getting people to accept something new is a challenge. Getting people to believe in something new is even a greater hurdle to clear. To be acknowledged needs something to be proven repeatedly. And when acceptance comes about, it is never total.
T
his was the sort of treatment that American professional golfer Brooks Koepka has been subjected to for the past two years even though he had three trophies representing wins in three Majors proudly displayed on his mantle-piece. He was never good enough and the media was always picking on him. Fortunately, Koepka was made of stronger stuff. He never allowed the criticisms levelled against him to upset his
game.
Over the last 20 months, he remained focused and stoic and just kept on winning. And the win that got him universal recognition was victory at the 2019 PGA Championship, the year’s second major in May this year. The golf world went ballistic! His critics were frothing at the mouth with praise – very remi-
niscent of the adulation that has always been reserved only for the “great one” – Tiger Woods. The win at Bethpage Black had officially christened Koepka as a very special star. A new
KOEPKA IS ALSO THE FIRST MALE GOLFER IN HISTORY TO HOLD TWO DIFFERENT MAJORS BACK-TO-
and becoming the only player under the age of 30 to have four major wins. These are stellar
BACK AT THE SAME TIME, AND THE FIRST
achievements which are
TO WIN HIS FIRST FOUR MAJORS IN LESS
monumental milestones in
THAN TWO YEARS AND BECOMING THE
star who would have his
ONLY PLAYER UNDER THE AGE OF
name etched in golf history
HAVE FOUR MAJOR WINS.
30 TO
old secured his fourth major victory - the 2017 and 2018
titles under his belt, Koepka is back at the top of the world and the Planet’s No.1 golfer
for eternity – as the player who kick-started a new era! With this win, the 29-year-
golf. And with the four big
again, his fourth stint at the top of the rankings. The muscular Koepka has finally cemented his status
US Open titles as well as the 2018 PGA Championship.
as the most dominant golfer at the majors since Tiger
Included among his many anointments is his achievement
Woods.
as the first player in history to win the US Open and US PGA Championship back-to-back in a career.
ASIAN GOLF would like to honour Koepka by declaring that with his four major wins, he has ordained a new
Koepka is also the first male golfer in history to hold
era in golf – the Order Of Koepka and we see this reign
two different majors back-to-back at the same time, and
remaining supreme for a while to come. Here’s to King
the first to win his first four majors in less than two years
Koepka!
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We are fast approaching a point when we are going to awaken from a glorious dream of the good confronted face-on by the impending nightmare of the hard charging age of the Millennials! Most of period; many of us have discussed it at length and then again, many more have just not given a ho from the Post War Generation of baby boomers to the emerging new market of Millennials. This lacka prevalent in the golf industry which is already paying the price of a global decline in its business. This American market research guru Matt Powell of NPD Group when he warned: “There are a lot of sys just not going away - in particular: Millennials are not picking up the game as quickly as Boomers are young people to be playing it to reverse its fortunes. I don’t think a 43-year-old guy (Tiger Woods) w to inspire young people to get out and pick up the game.” How profoundly stated by a man who ha and vision to see the writings on the wall! The challenge posed to golf by the Millennials is a serious GOLF has been highlighting this challenge for a few years and with the 2019 Asia Pacific Golf Summ 4-6), we have decided to grab the bull by the horns again and to grapple it down with the help of go Guru, Andrew Wood. As always, Andrew has stepped up to the plate and he has offered a myriad of not pulling any punches. We hope what he has to say will help all of us who love the game of golf, do
times of the post-war era and be us have read about the Millennial ot to the changing of the guard – adaisical attitude is perhaps most s nightmare was portended by the stemic headwinds for golf that are e ageing out of it. The game needs winning a golf tournament is going as the training, breeding, intellect one, but all is not lost, yet! ASIAN mit coming up in India (November olf’s famed Legendary Marketing solutions, in his inimitable way of something to get us out of the rut.
ANDREW WOOD
T
JUST THE SHEER SIZE OF THE MILLENNIAL MARKET IN ASIA IS
o start with, let’s get a read on the size of the millennial population in Asia. Statistics available point to 50 per cent of the population of the Asia Pacific being made up of Millennials by 2020 - those born roughly between 1981
ASTOUNDING AND THE GOLF INDUSTRY
and 1997 which means anyone between the ages of about
MUST WAKE UP TO THIS SIGNIFICANT
21 to 37. This group is huge by any stretch of the imagina-
MEGATREND AND PREPARE TO CHANGE
tion and they are already having a significant and disruptive
NOW SO THAT IT WILL BE READY TO
effect on life as it was known to baby boomers. Chinese and Indian Millennials are expected to be the most important generation of the global consumer market. According to a report by global investment bank Goldman Sachs, Chinese Millennials now number around 600 million
CHASE AFTER THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE NEW
MILLENNIAL MARKET-
PLACE.
and this is more than the working population of both the United States and Western Europe combined. They are expected
tising tactics, in fact they hate them. Instead, the development
to have a bigger impact on the global consumer market in the
of an authentic relationship is vital.
future as their average annual income will more than double
The Legendary Marketing Guru suggests that a good
from US$5,900 in 2014 to US$13,000 in 2024. Their combined
point to start in the exercise to reach out to Millennials would
income is expected to reach US$5.4 trillion by 2024, which is
be to look at what they don’t like. Based on his knowledge,
twice the GDP of the UK. India is one of the youngest countries with close to 600
Millennials don’t like:
million Millennials, which accounts for 40% of its population. “The sheer size of India’s youth paves the way for sustained
and where they can use their cell phones.
growth in purchasing power and makes India’s consumer story one of the world’s most compelling for the next 20 years,” Goldman Sachs noted.
They find old social customs bizarre. They hate to wait for anything including on the course. They are used to getting everything on demand. Now!
nificant megatrend and prepare to change NOW so that it will be ready to chase after the opportunities available in the new
They hate formality and love to poke fun at it at every opportunity. This includes food and dining.
Just the sheer size of the Millennial market in Asia is astounding and the golf industry must wake up to this sig-
Rules especially rules about how they dress or when
They have no loyalty to any of their parents’ “old” brands. Including clubs, clothing and drinks.
Millennial marketplace.
Many millennials are foregoing car ownership or leasing of a vehicle entirely and rely on a combination of
Collectively speaking Asian Millennials will have bil-
Lyft, Uber, public transportation and bike sharing.
lions at their disposal and they make up a CRITICAL pool of prospects for the future of every golf club. “But NO ONE in
We now know what Millennial hate. It’s only natural that
the golf business has the slightest clue how to reach them,”
we next find out what they want:
observed Wood.
Every generation is misunderstood at some point in time, but few have received more negative attention than Millennials. Spoiled. Entitled. Lazy. A “Me generation” culture. But
Millennials like information, blogs and authentic content marketing is far more effective than advertise-
“If golf clubs want to reach Millennials, they first need
ments of any kind.
izations to understand what makes them tick, then use that
They want opportunities to take pictures and share the highlights of your food, course, range, etc. on social
insight to create a connection.” Wood explained. According to him, Millennials are not easily fooled by marketing and adver-
They want to stay connected wherever they are - Wi-Fi is a must.
like most stereotypes, they really aren’t fair or accurate. to understand them. That means looking past the general-
They are very socially conscious.
media.
Social proof is huge - what do your reviews on Google,
IF GOLF CLUBS WANT TO REACH MILLENNIALS, THEY FIRST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEM. THAT MEANS LOOKING PAST THE GENERALIZATIONS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK, THEN USE THAT INSIGHT TO CREATE A CONNECTION.
Facebook and Trip Advisor actually look like? If you are not checking them fre-
Everything the golf industry is currently
quently and responding you are missing
doing is costing more and producing less! While
the boat!
it would make sense to improve what you are
They love good casual food.
currently doing with better sales copy, better
Although they drink less beer than other
content, more engaging emails, etc. it’s still a
generations, they prefer craft beers and
losing strategy long-term, so you better be do-
micro beers when they do. They like
ing something else at the same time. Marketing to Millennials is more compli-
wine.
technological magic bullet is fantasy.
They are more into experiences than
cated than ever because they tune out almost
owning stuff.
all marketing. That’s why you MUST start by
Do everything on-line - don’t make them
focusing on the product! A biker bar is not the
call for anything.
same as a sports bar, a martini bar or a hole in
They eat a lot of take-out food far more
the wall drinkers bar. All sell alcohol but all at-
than any other market segment.
tract a very different crowd with very little cross
There is definitely a trend away from
over. If your club is set up to appeal to a senior
pumping iron for bulk and more towards
crowd, like it or not it will automatically repel a
definition, aerobic, stretching, rock
Millennial crowd. To appeal to Millennials, one needs to
climbing and yoga.
create a product that they want to rave about. A There is absolutely no denying that Mil-
product that engages them. A product that en-
lennials are totally different to Baby Boomers
tertains them. A product that makes them feel
and this requires a whole new way of reaching
good about being there. A feeling that they want
out to this market segment. The old, tried and
to share with their friends via social media.
tested way that golf clubs once relied upon is passé. It’s over. It’s done with!
So how do you start? Wood fires back by declaring: “That’s why my strategy starts with
Everyone in the golf industry is looking for
the “one strategy.” The concept that you must
the magic silver bullet. That technological tool,
have one thing in every key touch point that is
that social media post, email, or YouTube video
outstanding.”
that is going to drive more Millennial business
The guru went on to explain, ”You don’t
with little effort. That shiny new POS system
have to be Pebble Beach or St. Andrews, but
that promises to do everything except have sex
you need to have one thing you do at every
with you.
touch point that people remember, com-
The wonderous app, that promised a new
ment on, take pictures of and share with their
level of sophistication and
friends on social media. You’re in the enter-
communication. The app
tainment business, and you must entertain
that immediately after
your members, guests, and players wherever
download, disappears into
possible by any means possible. If you’re not
an app black hole on some-
willing to take this step to brainstorm what
one’s iPhone along with a
you can do, and to deliver a “Wow” experience
hundred other
in multiple ways, on numerous levels, the rest
apps they never actu-
of the strategy doesn’t even matter. If you’re
ally use. Texting, marketing
just one of five, ten, twenty or even fifty golf
automation, autores-
courses that people can go play, and you have
ponders, sales funnels, all
nothing outstanding whether that’s your range,
good and all declining. The
pro shop a few significant holes or just the best
A STAGGERING 91% OF MIL
burger in town, you’re already behind the eight ball.” A club has to have the “WOW Factor” and Wood offers hundreds of examples any club could use - but let’s look at few key areas.
THE CLUBHOUSE:
Millennials don’t like clutter, they like clean and simple designs with lots of space and lots of charging stations. Think the Apple store or Starbucks.
They don’t like elevator music and they don’t like stock art prints. Since many Millennials don’t have cars would it make sense to have a club van pick them up and drop them off in the city?
FOOD AND BEVERAGE:
BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FRIENDS.
WHILE SCROLLING THROUGH BOOK NEWS FEED, PEOPLE ARE BOMBA ADS AND PROMOTIONAL CONTENT. MO SCROLL RIGHT PAST AND DON’T READ, CLICK ON THE CONTENT. WHAT GETS
TO STOP SCROLLING IS THE SIGHT OF I
CONTENT FROM THEIR NETWORK OF FR
Millennials are NOT the meat and potato crowd, they love tacos,
FAMILY.
THIS IS WHY IT’S SO CRITICAL
sushi, street food, Indian, Asian, Thai and vegan. In other words,
PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES AND SHARING
almost nothing on your menu! They really
content. What gets Millennials to stop scrolling
appreciate food from all over the world and
is the sight of interesting content from their
are definitely open minded when it comes
network of friends and family. This is why it’s so
to cuisine.
critical to get people taking pictures and shar-
They like fast and creative, small plates
ing,” explained Wood.
and tapas and they love food trucks!
Moving on, Wood takes a look at “service”.
Forbes magazine says Millennials are
According to him, it’s a factor that’s been miss-
willing to go to great lengths to find
ing from the golf industry for at least 10 or 20
fresh and healthy food. Whereas older
years. A factor that the golf industry used to
generations were loyal to specific brands,
pride itself on. “And that is good old-fashioned
Millennials are also more aligned with
customer service. Developing relationships
the food movement, which supports such
with your members, guests or players. Very few
establishments as organic farms, ethnic/
people are willing to admit that their service is
specialty foods and small-batch jams.
somewhere between alarmingly average and
When it comes to beer, the last beers
poor.”
in the world they want to drink are the
He attributes this to the decreases in staff-
heavily advertised rat piss you see on TV.
ing at most golf clubs, and it becomes apparent
They love craft beers and micro brews.
that providing excellent service is impossible.
Millennials consume energy drinks like
“When you have one guy at the counter, four
Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar.
guests waiting to check in and two phones ringing you can’t possibly give excellent service.
The one thing that Millennials want are
Millennials do not like to wait for anything and
unique experiences and they are glad to pay for
if you make them, they won’t be back!” Wood
it. Past generations have been focused on buy-
exclaimed.
ing “things.” Millennials are more interested in
LLENNIALS, BUY
S FROM
H THEIR
to make sure you have enough people in the
Taylor Smith told NBC, “We aren’t spending
pro shop to actually meet, greet and commu-
our money on cars, TVs and watches. We’re
nicate with your members, guests or players.
renting scooters and touring Vietnam, rocking
That person whoever it is will become the most
out at music festivals, or hiking Machu Picchu.”
important person in your operation. His or her
They are far more likely to spend US$1500
job is to make friends with everyone. To turn
on a backstage concert experience, a trip to
occasional players into frequent players and
Bunning Man or Coachella, than on a designer
frequent players into raving fans. That person
suit!”
must be trained in the art of communication,
A Millennial may never buy a US$5,000 set
FACE-
ARDED WITH
OST PEOPLE LET ALONE
So, what does the guru advise? “Staff up
buying experiences. As millennial entrepreneur
of PXG’s, but you can be sure they’d be glad to rent them and brag about doing so on social
sales, and hospitality, a cheerleader type would be ideal,” said Wood. Wood feels very strongly about this and
media! Renting a Golf Board or Fat Tire Scooter
extolls that clubs should “spend the money you
instead of a boring old Club Car is a much better
were going to spend on that worthless app, and
experience.
invest the money on quality staff instead.”
Another very important factor to consider
These are just some suggestions to golf
MILLENNIALS
is recommendations. “A staggering 91% of Mil-
clubs to wake up and tool up to go after the Mil-
INTERESTING
lennials, buy based on recommendations from
lennials. There is potential waiting to be tapped
friends. While scrolling through their Facebook
but as the Legendary Marketing Guru said, you
News Feed, people are bombarded with ads
can’t do it with the old template – you need to
L TO GET
and promotional content. Most people scroll
start from scratch and cater to the Millennials
G.
right past and don’t read, let alone click on the
with a customised package just for them!
RIENDS AND
GET THE APP
It just had to happen. The island of Hainan, squatting on the coastline of the mass Chinese mainland has finally decided to bring golfers of the world to come and ex ence what the tropical island has to offer in terms of golf. Referred to as the “Haw of the East”, Hainan has some of the finest golf courses in Asia and it is also hom Mission Hills Haikou, a cluster of 10 world class golf courses that come together t form the largest public course facility in the world.
sive xperiwaii e to to
I
t is now official – in one fell swoop, the Hainan International Golf Alliance has been established with a great mission objective. The mission is to bring together government and golf tourism stakehold-
ers from across Hainan Province to promote the tropical Chinese island as a global golf tourism destination. This is the way to go about promoting golf tourism on a national scale. It has to be an organised, focused and collective effort and the Hainan International Golf Alliance has made that happen. It includes officials from local government, including the Hainan Government Party Secretary, Ni Qiang, the Vice Mayor of Haikou, Deng Haihua and the Executive Chairman of the Hainan Golf Association, Wang Yangjun together with representatives from Boao Forum Golf Club, The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula and Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club, will also make up the alliance. Hainan is the first province in China to form such an alliance and promote golf as a vehicle for international tourism in this way. Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of the giant Mission Hills Group, owner and operator of Mission Hills Haikou, the world’s largest public golf resort with 10 courses in Hainan, will serve as Chairman of the alliance. Commenting on the formation of the Alliance, Chu said, “The Hainan International Golf Alliance is prepared to unite all members to extensively ex-
HAINAN IS THE FIRST PROVINCE IN CHINA TO FORM SUCH AN ALLIANCE AND PROMOTE GOLF AS A VEHICLE FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM IN THIS WAY.
pand contacts with similar organisations in other countries
ahead, the alliance will admit airlines, charter operators,
across the region and worldwide. We will continue to build
travel agencies, hotels and other travel-related companies,
the reputation of golf in Hainan and its appeal to overseas
as well as more high-quality golf clubs in Hainan. We
markets through tournaments, forums, exhibitions and
will drive Hainan’s inbound golf tourism through product
awards.”
launches, overseas promotions, international events, and
Chu, whose Mission Hills Group also operates 12 courses in Shenzhen on the mainland of China, making it a world-record 22 courses in total, added, “Looking
by attracting and training international golf professionals.” Sun Ying, Director of the Department of Culture, Radio, Television, Publication and Sports of Hainan Province said,
THE HAINAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF ALLIANCE IS PREPARED TO UNITE ALL MEMBERS TO EXTENSIVELY EXPAND CONTACTS WITH SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES ACROSS THE REGION AND WORLDWIDE.
WE WILL CON-
TINUE TO BUILD THE REPUTATION OF GOLF IN
HAINAN AND ITS APPEAL TO OVERSEAS MARKETS THROUGH TOURNAMENTS, FORUMS, EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS. – TENNIEL CHU, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE GIANT MISSION HILLS GROUP
V Ni Qiang (front right), Hainan Government Party Secretary and Tenniel Chu (front left) of Mission Hills Group are joined by other government officials and golf tourism stakeholders at Mission Hills Haikou resort on China’s Hainan Island to announce the Hainan International Golf Alliance.
“Inbound golf tourism has a promising future thanks to Hainan’s excellent climate, its abundance of quality golf facilities, a complete inbound transportation network and convenient entry
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ALLIANCE REFLECTS THE INTEGRATION AND UPGRADING OF THE PROVINCE’S TOURISM, CULTURE AND SPORTS INDUSTRIES.
policies. The establishment of the alliance reflects the integration and upgrading of the province’s tourism, culture and sports industries.” In the first quarter of 2019, Hainan received 319,100 overnight visitors, an increase of 20.06 per cent compared with the same period in 2018. The alliance will focus on major consumer markets in Japan, South Korea, Australia and Southeast Asia, plus other countries that have direct flights to Hainan, visa-free entry policies (currently 59 in total) and an enthusiasm for golf. The alliance will also strengthen cooperation with the golf industry in important foreign markets to attract business as well as leisure tourists. The alliance is already preparing to send a golf tourism delegation to countries including Japan and South Korea to publicise and promote Hainan’s golf offerings.
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A FEEL-GOOD STORY
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If you are a fan of golf shoes, especially shoes that look and feel light on your feet, ECCO may have come up with just the right shoe for you. What’s really unique about the new line is that it is made from leather and not some lightweight material. It’s the real McCoy and it’s crafted from high quality hide!
THE INNOVATIVE MULTI-INJECTION PRODUCTION PROCESS HAS ENABLED
ECCO GOLF TO DESIGN A BASE THAT’S 66% THINNER THAN ANY OTHER TPU OUTSOLE THAT THE COMPANY HAS PREVIOUSLY CREATED, MAKING IT THE PERFECT PACKABLE PLAYING OPTION FOR OVERSEAS TRAVEL, OR FOR AN AFTER-WORK TWILIGHT ROUND OF GOLF.
E
CCO, the top Danish footwear innovator has unveiled their latest revolutionary design which has been tagged as the ECCO S-Lite. ECCO describes the new release as “a
one-of-a-kind” hybrid shoe which sets new
ECCO GOLF’s Lead Designer, Andrzej Bikowski com-
standards as “the lightest leather golf shoe ever made” by
menting on the prestigious award said: “Winning a Red Dot
the brand.
award for Product Design is a recognition of our innovative
Commenting on the S-Lite, Carl Sahetapy, ECCO Asia Pacific’s Sales Manager for golf said, “We are taking a fresh innovative approach to golf shoe design and which blends
approach to golf footwear design, and it’s something our whole team can be proud of.” The S-Lite features lightweight two-tone Yak leather
cutting-edge engineering and comfort to ensure an ultra-
uppers lined with a soft textile which provides natural water
light on-course experience.”
repellent properties enhanced by ECCO’s HYDROMAX™
Besides its stunning cutting edge design and engi-
treatment which offers natural breathability. It is coupled
neering, the S-Lite has been recognised within the global
with the ground-breaking E-DTS™ LITE outsole which
design industry by winning an internationally-renowned
offers award-winning grip and unrivalled flexibility while
Red Dot Award, which pays homage to the very best prod-
packing rock solid on-course traction.
ucts created each year. The Red Dot Award is one of the world’s largest design
“The innovative multi-injection production process has enabled ECCO GOLF to design a base that’s 66% thinner
competitions. In 2019, designers and manufacturers from
than any other TPU outsole that the company has previ-
55 countries entered more than 5,500 products in the
ously created, making it the perfect packable playing option
competition.
for overseas travel, or for an after-work twilight round of golf,” said Sahetapy.
WE ARE TAKING A FRESH INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO GOLF SHOE DESIGN AND WHICH BLENDS CUTTING-EDGE ENGINEERING AND COMFORT TO ENSURE AN ULTRA-LIGHT ON-COURSE EXPERIENCE. One of the stand-out features of the S-Lite is the use of ECCO’s proprietary FLUIDFORM™ Technology that bonds the upper and outsole unit, creating a one-piece shoe without the use of glue or stitching. Benefits include flexibility, durability and a lightweight construction. Stylish diamond-shaped embossing on the upper increases comfort and breathability which is complemented with a soft textile lining that offers a more comfortable on-foot feel. Additional support is provided through a moulded leather heel counter and inside toe reinforcement to ensure stable footing throughout the swing. Continuing with the comfort feel, the S-Lite features a premium soft leather foot bed that offers a soft feel and natural moisture management. Like all shoes from ECCO, the S-Lite is crafted at company-owned factories.
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The R&D team at PING’s headquarters in Phoenix has been very busy and proof of this can be witnessed in the launch of two new products from the brand. The products come at a point in time when the industry is sort of quiet after the maddening frenzy of the PGA Merchandize Show. It’s certainly a great strategy to release new products when there is no noise in the marketplace. Well done PING!
G410 Plus and SFT drivers
T
he two new products that have hit
“It took us a little longer than planned but that was only
the world stage are the PING G410
because our first iteration didn’t out-perform the G400 LST.
LST driver and the Blueprint forged
We re-worked the design to meet our performance improve-
blade irons.
ment standards and are excited to get the G410 LST driver
First off, let’s do a deep-dive
into the G410 LST driver. It is a multi-material highMOI driver engineered to produce low, stable spin with the shot-shaping control provided by the company’s innovative movable-weight technology. “With the tremendous success of the G410 Plus and
into golfer’s hands.” According to Solheim, “The head size is slightly smaller than the Plus model and the CG is positioned to reduce spin several hundred rpm while still providing extremely high forgiveness.” “The combination of lower spin and more stability plus the ability to dial in the shot shape with our movable-
SFT drivers introduced earlier this year, we’re pleased to
weight technology greatly expands the types of golfers who
add the highly anticipated G410 LST model to the line-up in
can benefit from the technology of the G410 LST driver. As
time for the summer golf season,” said John K. Solheim,
always, we encourage golfers to undergo a thorough custom
PING President.
fitting with a trained PING Fitting Specialist to determine
THE HEAD SIZE IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE PLUS MODEL AND THE CG IS POSITIONED TO REDUCE SPIN SEVERAL HUNDRED RPM WHILE STILL PROVIDING EXTREMELY HIGH FORGIVENESS.” “THE COMBINATION OF LOWER SPIN AND MORE STABILITY PLUS THE ABILITY TO DIAL IN THE SHOT SHAPE WITH OUR MOVABLE-WEIGHT TECHNOLOGY GREATLY EXPANDS THE TYPES OF GOLFERS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE
G410 LST DRIVER. AS
ALWAYS, WE ENCOURAGE GOLFERS TO UNDERGO A THOROUGH CUSTOM
PING FITTING SPECIALIST TO DETERMINE WHICH G410 DRIVER MODEL BEST FITS THEIR GAME. – JOHN K. SOLHEIM FITTING WITH A TRAINED
G410 LST which G410 driver model best fits their game,” Solheim explained. The G410 LST shares the movable-weight technology introduced in the G410 Plus model. The CG position is slightly forward of the G410 Plus in all three positions (Draw, Neutral, Fade), leading to spin reduction of approximately 200 to 400 rpm, depending on shaft choice and a golfer’s launch conditions. Each weight position shifts the CG location by 1/10” in each direction from neutral, influencing left or right shot direction approximately 10 yards (20 yards of correction between Draw and Fade settings). “The addition of the movable-weight technology in our low-spin driver option allows us to fit a wider range of golfers,” said Solheim. “A perfect example is a high-swing-speed player who battles a miss to the right. In that case, the combination of placing the weight in the draw position and the lower spin greatly improves dispersion and leads to increased ball speed for more distance.”. At 450cc, the G410 LST driver features a more rounded, pear-shaped design and combines with more efficient Turbulator Technology for advanced aerodynamics, leading to increased clubhead speed. Its “Tour Square” face sits slightly open and the score-line pattern frames the impact area to aid in alignment. The creased crown design provides a clean and powerful look at address. The unique forging and patented heat-treatment process of the T9S+ face powers a
thinner, hotter impact area that is precision machined to
forged-blade iron sized and shaped to ensure the work-
elevate ball speed across the entire face for more flexing and
ability and confidence required to play with score-lowering
faster ball speeds. The forged face and the internal geometry
precision.
of the head are instrumental in producing the powerful feel and sound of the driver. The patented lightweight and aerodynamic adjustable
“As the name suggests, we’ve applied a Blueprint approach to the new irons,” Solheim. “Every detail is extremely precise and carefully calculated. The resulting design is
hosel expands from five to eight settings, offering loft (0, +1˚,
spectacular in every way for the elite player – performance,
+1.5˚ -1˚, -1.5˚) and lie adjustments (including up to 3˚ flat-
feel and looks. It’s a true shot-maker’s iron crafted with
ter than standard) to optimize ball flight.
precision, and for precision.”
“The expansion of the loft options is a tremendous
Solheim was quick to point out that, “We know the
benefit for all golfers, and the flatter lie angles add another
Blueprint iron isn’t for everyone. We encourage golfers
layer of opportunity for expert club fitters to really fine-tune
interested in the Blueprint to get fit and compare it to other
a golfer’s driver,” said Solheim.
PING iron designs to find the best solution for their game.
The PING Blueprint forged irons is aimed at the needs of highly skilled golfers who rely on pinpoint accuracy. It is a
The Blueprint is an extremely difficult iron to play, which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.”
Blueprint iron “I put them in play immediately once they arrived,” said PING pro Tony Finau, the 15th–ranked player in the world. “They’re workable, incredibly versatile and feel great. There
to excel in competition, the engineers began the prototyp-
isn’t a single shot I can’t hit with them, which gives me a lot
ing process to apply their learnings and gather additional
of confidence in pressure situations. The look at address is
feedback. After extensive in-house research with varying head
also perfect; the size and shape really fit my eye.” Fully forged from 8620 carbon steel, the Blueprint’s
sizes, the findings revealed the theory of “aim small, miss
small blade design appeals to the player who puts a premium
small” was validated by many of the highly skilled players
on workability and trajectory control. Shorter blade lengths,
in the test, who produced tighter stat areas when hitting the
less offset and narrow sole widths optimized to perform in
more compact head. That design was prototyped in limited
all conditions give elite players an iron to attack any pin with
quantities and released on tour nine months before the of-
confidence. A machined tungsten toe screw increases the
ficial introduction. “When we launched it on tour, a few players put it in
MOI for additional forgiveness and combines with an internal
play immediately and it wasn’t long before we had our first
heel weight to provide precise swing-weight tuning. Based on requests from several PING professionals for
win,” continued Solheim. “Based on a lot of their input, we
a blade-style iron sized and shaped to deliver more control
were able to deliver exactly what they were looking for while
and workability, PING’s engineering team took a scientific,
expanding our iron offerings into a new category. We’re very
methodical approach to the development and design of the
pleased with the development process we went through and
Blueprint iron. Through on-course observation sessions and
are looking forward to applying our learnings to future PING
conversations with the players about the shots they rely on
products.” “The feel is amazing,” reports PING
THE FEEL IS AMAZING, I LOVE THE FEEDBACK I GET
pro Louis Oosthuizen, who was the first player to put the new irons in his bag last fall and the first to win with them at the
AND HOW SMOOTHLY THEY GO
South African Open in December. “I love
THROUGH THE TURF FROM ANY LIE.
the feedback I get and how smoothly they
THEY’RE LIKE NO OTHER IRON I’VE EVER HIT. THE BLUEPRINT’S
go through the turf from any lie. They’re like no other iron I’ve ever hit. The Blue-
WORKABILITY GIVES ME THE
hit all the shots with the precision I need
CONTROL TO HIT ALL THE SHOTS
to win tournaments.”
WITH THE PRECISION TOURNAMENTS.
I NEED TO WIN
– LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN
print’s workability gives me the control to
Both the G410 LST driver and the Blueprint irons are available throughout Asia.
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Have you been paying attention to how professionals labour over putting these days? This trend is very prevalent on all of the major professional tours the world over and there’s got to be a good explanation for this. This is no wild exaggeration or a shot in the dark. In fact, this article is based on statistics provided by the ShotLink System, a revolutionary platform for collecting and disseminating scoring and statistical data on every shot by every player in real-time. The author of this article which you are about to read analysed putting statistics on the PGA TOUR from 2003 to now. Using putts made at specific distances, he discovered that “the make” percentage is LOWER today than 2003! Just did not make sense given the advances over the last 15 years especially with better, more consistent greens, millions of dollars invested in putter head designs, contour books showing every break, every grain pattern and not the least, the arrival of sophisticated putting instruction, the author came to the conclusion that “this can’t be right.” The author is someone who understands every aspect of the game and was the man who gave the world ADAMS Golf, Barney Adams. ASIAN GOLF decided to spend some time with the golf legend to understand why this is happening and the following report is a must read for all golfers:
THE BREAKTHROUGH GOLF TECHNOLOGY, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE STABILITY SHAFT HAS A GOLF LAB WITH PERFECT GREENS, A PUTTING ROBOT AND ADVANCED SOFTWARE FOR ANALYSIS. YOU MUST HAVE THIS KIND OF ENVIRONMENT TO ISOLATE AND MEASURE THE DISCREPANCIES.
WE TRACED HISTORY,
LIGHTER HEADS TO HEAVIER ON STEEL SHAFTS AND WATCHED THE FACE DEFLECTION INCREASE.
WHEN WE INTRODUCED THE STABILITY SHAFT INTO TESTING, THE FACE ANGLE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED REGARDLESS OF HEAD WEIGHT.
T
he chart below speaks for itself. Putting has declined. These are the averages for three early years and the last three years. All Shotlink data was taken from the PGA Tour. I recruited Jim MacKay as my expert data analyst. Jim is a golf industry veteran who has been working with tour players and these putting stats for 20 years. The data confirms that putting on Tour has declined. WHY? The numbers didn’t have lots of peaks and valleys indicating, one significant factor that was having a broad, negative effect on performance. Before I state my case, I have to observe two caveats. First, things are going to get a little technical, so hang in there. Second, I will be mentioning a product with which I’m involved. The first thought was green speeds. I asked several Tour players and instructors and the overriding conclusion was that green speeds have definitely increased and also dramatically improved. So, it was determined that this would not have been a broad enough factor to affect a widespread putting demise. Then why? As greens got smoother and faster over the years the philosophy behind the putting stroke developed into a smooth pendulum style. To augment this, putter design-
ers increased the MOI of their heads while adding weight. One thing changed dramatically and the other stayed the same and therein lies the answer. The steel putter shaft was introduced almost 90 years ago and I’ve been putting with them for over 60 years. How many things in this world have virtually been unchanged for 90 years? Over the years, quality instruction on the stroke coupled with the modern technology of heavier heads increased the stress factor which interfered with the face returning square at impact. So, we postulate; can weak steel shafts cause face oscillation? Yes! They are in direct conflict with the heart of today’s smooth stroke; they don’t allow the putter face to consistently return square at impact. We cannot stop here. The theory must be proven. This is where I get into my second caveat and it concerns Breakthrough Golf Technology, the manufacturer of the Stability Shaft. This organisation has a golf lab with perfect greens, a putting robot and advanced software for analysis. You must have this kind of environment to isolate and measure the discrepancies. We traced history, lighter heads to heavier on steel shafts and watched the face deflection increase. When we introduced the Stability Shaft into testing, the face angle problem disappeared regardless of head weight. We had Jim MacKay retest at his facility and he verified the results. We see players holing putts all the time on TV. Yes, it’s a selection process. TV executives aren’t going to gain viewers by showing a bunch of misses. How about when we read that someone has putted in an extraordinary fashion. The error factor discussed is slight, and short-term success happens, but it is negated over the long haul.
WORKING WITH TOUR PLAYERS IS CHALLENGING; THEY DON’T LIKE TO MESS WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT AND LIKE MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ARE INSULATED BY A TEAM OF COACHES, AGENTS, TRAINERS AND TOUR REPRESENTATIVES THAT OFTEN MAKE THEM UNAPPROACHABLE (ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DON’T PAY).
WITH THAT SAID, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE STABILITY SHAFT HAS DONE WELL, SINCE IT IS THE FASTEST GROWING SHAFT ON TOUR. NOT MANY REALIZE THIS BECAUSE WE DON’T ‘PAY TO PLAY’ AND CAN’T ADVERTISE THE NAMES. Am I trying to make a big deal out of something that’s very minor just to sell shafts? Do these tiny differences really cause a huge impact? I arbitrarily took six PGA Tour players around the mid-point of the money list and calculated what just one shot less in a tournament would be when translated into money earnings. The result astounded me; the average amount per player was over US$500k for the season! That was only ONE shot
better in a 72-hole event, so while the percentages don’t look huge, when you convert them to dollars on Tour it’s the kind of result that makes you double check the math. Working with Tour players is challenging; they don’t like to mess with their equipment and like many professional athletes are insulated by a team of coaches, agents, trainers and tour representatives that often make them unapproachable (especially since we don’t pay). With that said, the performance of the Stability Shaft has done well, since it is the fastest growing shaft on tour. Not many realize this because we don’t ‘pay to play’ and can’t advertise the names. Any golfer (tour or amateur) is welcome to visit our fitting lab at Breakthrough Golf in Dallas where they can go through a complete putter analysis. They will experience first-hand how the Stability Shaft fits any putter head and has proven performance over a steel shaft. Best of all no player adjustment. Yes, it’s the only putter shaft in golf that mitigates face movement without being super heavy or something causing a major player adjustment. NOTE: To all amateurs; the data used here is taken directly from the PGA Tour, who are considered the best putters in the world. Amateur improvement would be several factors greater. With all the industry attention to distance, an old line comes to mind “Drive for show, putt for dough.” While this article may be perceived as being a commercial plug, it is important to point out that it backs up its claims with proven statistics and at the end of the day, that’s what matters. Thanks for this insight Barney!
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For most golfers who started playing the game more than 30 years ago, the turf of choice that covered courses used to be “cow-grass”. This is a tough and rugged broad blade grass, native to most parts of Southeast Asia. Playing on “cow-grass” is a very different experience compared to the hybrid turf that cover the bulk of golf courses in Asia today. Most of these hybrids are those known in the turf industry as being Bermuda species which were introduced to the region in the 90’s, and followed later by other species like Paspalum grasses. These grasses are alien to the Asian environment as these have invariably been imported from North America and transplanted onto Asian courses. Suddenly, playing golf on courses featuring hybrid species took on a whole new meaning. It was fun because golf courses looked good and balls rolled further. Today, thousands of golf courses feature hybrids, and this has since become a mainstay with modern golf courses. However, while there are numerous hybrids available, there is one variety that stands out from the rest of the pack. It made its global debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics when golf returned to the games. Its name is ZEON, a derivative of the Zoysia strain of grass that originates from Asia. It was the turf of choice for the Campo Olímpico de Golfe and since then, ZEON ZOYSIA has gone on to become arguably the most sought-after turf for golf courses, especially in Asia.
T
he story that is about to unravel is not one that
Burgess has had a lot of experience working with Zoysia
is supposed to appeal just to agronomists and
grasses going back to the days when he found a strain of it
golf course superintendents. It is intended
while working on a golf course project in the mid 90’s in West
to have universal appeal to all who play and
Papua, Indonesia. “We struggled to get the imported Hybrid
enjoy the game of golf.
Bermuda Turfgrass to perform in the hot, wet and humid
ZEON (a hybrid belonging to the Zoysia family) has
conditions …… we were spraying insecticides literally for
proven to be a special grass that is fast proving to be the
eight hours a day. The Sod Army Worms (a pest) could liter-
favourite of golfers. “It is the turf that has a special “wow
ally destroy a hole overnight if we stopped spraying and the
factor”,” said Brad Burgess, managing director of Sports
lack of sunlight from the surrounding jungle caused shade
Turf Solutions Pte Ltd who went on to declare, “ZEON has an
problems and during the rainy seasons (up to over 10 metres
upright growth habit which results in a golf ball perching on
of rain annually) we had to endure up to three months with
the grass which provides for an improved lie.” Burgess who
minimal sunlight.” It was a nightmare, and this was when
is a big man plays a decent game of golf but whenever he
Burgess discovered that Zoysia performed 90% better
plays on a ZEON surfaced golf course, “I easily shoot a round
than the imported grasses. “And the course which now has
of 80 because, it gives me a great lie, I get excellent contact
Zoysia planted tee-to-green is fine all year round till today,”
and the ball goes further ….. it’s all about playability!”
Burgess pointed out.
Well, that about sums up why ZEON is being laid
As a firm believer in Zoysia and with years of field
down on so many golf courses in Southeast Asia at such
experience with the grass, Burgess kept close tabs on the
a cracking pace. Burgess is the man who single-handedly
further development of Zoysia by Dr Milt Engelke and David
brought ZEON out to Asia and in less than five years, he has
Doguet, the owner and president of Bladerunner Farms
successfully planted about 20 new golf courses with the new
in America. These were the people who were behind the
turf with many more expected to come on stream before the
creation of ZEON. Recalling that observation period, Burgess
year is out.
explained that there were approximately four or five different
Zoysia grasses that he was monitoring. “The
ZEON HAS AN
best variety that stood out from them all was ZEON Zoysia. So, we took on the ZEON license
UPRIGHT GROWTH
for South East Asia and have since established
HABIT WHICH RESULTS IN A
our own nurseries in Thailand and Vietnam,”
GOLF BALL PERCHING ON THE
Burgess added.
GRASS WHICH PROVIDES FOR
So, while ZEON has proven to be very play-
AN IMPROVED LIE.
able which is good for the growth of golf in Asia, it has a myriad of other fantastic qualities that
– BRAD BURGESS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SPORTS TURF SOLUTIONS PTE LTD
is causing golf course owners to sit up and take notice of the grass. ASIAN GOLF did a deep dive to ascertain precisely what these qualities were, and the following is a list of the plus factors which favour ZEON:
IT IS HIGHLY ADAPTABLE: ZEON thrives in extreme
sun to partial shade, requiring a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight.
DROUGHT TOLERANCE AND WATER MANAGEMENT: ZEON
heat as it is a warm-season grass that grows best in
survives drought conditions like no other hybrid turf and
hot climates. It stays green all year round.
in general, it will require up to less than 40% water than
SHADE TOLERANCE: ZEON performs great from full
other grass types. It will also tolerate and extract Sodium
LAEM CHABANG INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY CLUB
AN IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE IS THAT SPORTS TURF SOLUTIONS (STS) IS THE LICENSEE AND GROWER OF CERTIFIED ZEON ZOYSIA FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA AND IS ALSO A CERTIFIED GROWER UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL TURFGRASS GENETIC ASSURANCE PROGRAM (ITGAP). THE CERTIFICATION IS PROOF THAT ZEON IS GROWN AND SOLD UNDER A RIGOROUS SET OF RULES AND GUIDELINES TO PROMOTE ON-GOING QUALITY, PURITY AND UNIFORMITY. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY METHOD OF ASSURING THE CONSUMER IS RECEIVING THE VARIETY OF TURFGRASS PURCHASED.
from the soil, which is something the Paspalum
planted ZEON in the region have used Fungicides.
hybrid cannot do.
This is a huge cost saving and great for the environ-
WEED TOLERANCE: ZEON’s dense growth when wellmaintained will reduce the weed population be-
ment.
TRAFFIC AND WEAR TOLERANCE: ZEON golf courses
cause of its dense growth, no weeds can penetrate
in Asia typically allow golf carts on the fairways
it. It is tolerant of most herbicides.
whereas this is not the case with those planted with
INSECT TOLERANCE: ZEON is particularly tolerant of common insect pests.
DISEASE RESISTANCE: In ZEON, diseases are not
Paspalum and Bermuda grass-types.
REDUCED FERTILIZER USE: The low inputs required for ZEON allows golf course owners to have a better
really a problem unless water and/or fertility has
bottom line. A typical golf course can save up to
been mismanaged. So far no courses that have
30% or more on their maintenance budget across
HOIANA SHORES GOLF CLUB
IT MAKES LOGICAL SENSE TO GO WITH THE BEST, HASSLE-
the board. Up to 90% less chemicals, up to 50% less water and fertilisers.
LOW MAINTENANCE: ZEON results in other savings due to less mowing which means less fuel, less
FREE AND VERSATILE TURF ON THE
parts, less operators and maintenance machinery
MARKET
lasts twice as long.
MORE WAYS THAN ONE. IT IS THE
It is no wonder that ZEON’s acceptance is growing
– ZEON IS TRULY OLYMPIAN IN CHAMPION AMONGST CHAMPIONS.
at an exponential rate! “I dare say that this type of grass will be a real game-changer for the golf club industry,”
gram (ITGAP). The certification is proof that ZEON is grown
Burgess envisioned. As the most prolific supplier of Certi-
and sold under a rigorous set of rules and guidelines to
fied ZEON turf to an impressive list of world class golf
promote on-going quality, purity and uniformity. It is also the
courses in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and
only method of assuring the consumer is receiving the variety
Vietnam, Burgess said, “There’s no stopping ZEON – it is
of turfgrass purchased.
without doubt the Number One turf of choice of the best golf courses in the region.” An important point to note is that Sports Turf Solutions (STS) is the Licensee and Grower of Certified Zeon
ZEON has arrived big time in Asia and in the months and years ahead, watch this hybrid be adopted by more new golf courses and courses undergoing renovation. It makes logical sense to go with the best, hassle-free
Zoysia for Southeast Asia and is also a Certified Grower
and versatile turf on the market – ZEON is truly Olympian in
under the International Turfgrass Genetic Assurance Pro-
more ways than one. It is the Champion amongst Champions.
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The countdown has commenced for the staging of the next installment of T ed clash between Team America, captained by the resurgent Tiger Woods Big Easy�, the South African golf legend Ernie Els. With interest in this meg every day, ASIAN GOLF thought that it would be timely to showcase a revi ment. The following is a special report by Jim McCabe of the PGA TOUR:
The Presidents Cup – the much-awaits and Team International led by “The ga clash building with the passing of ew on the venue for the big tourna-
GEOFF OGILVY
T
heir feet were on hallowed ground,
and green shapes. You can kind of tell they’re distant
Augusta National Golf Club. But with
cousins, but they’re in the same family.”
prime vistas and sweeping views, they
As he tossed the question (Can you compare Au-
could easily close their eyes and be
gusta National to Royal Melbourne?) around in his mind,
taken to Royal Melbourne on the other
Ogilvy cast his perceptive eyes out on a vast sea of green
side of the globe. The aura of Alister MacKenzie, even 85 years after
grass. “What’s different are the environments, the whole aesthetics,” he said. “(Augusta National) is super green,
his death, remains that strong, said two of the game’s
southern America, tall pine trees, white sand, immacu-
most cerebral voices when it comes to the magnetic
late, almost fake-level conditioning.
attraction an iconic golf course has on the soul – Ben
“Royal Melbourne is a bit more rugged. The Sand-
Crenshaw and Geoff Ogilvy. They speak with passion
belt is more natural.”
not only about the vision MacKenzie provided, but with
OGILVY HAS COMPETED IN EIGHT MASTERS, SO HE HAS AN AFFINITY FOR AUGUSTA NATIONAL; BUT HE IS A TRUE AUSSIE WITH DEEP ROOTS TO MELBOURNE, SO HIS LOVE OF ROYAL MELBOURNE POURS FORTH. EACH RESONATES WITH HIM AND HE
reverence to what we still can learn from his brilliance. “He left a legacy in Melbourne that is still felt,” said Ogilvy, an Aussie who won the 2006 U.S. Open, seven other PGA TOUR tournaments, played three times for the International Team in the Presidents Cup and will serve as a captain’s assistant this year when the event returns to Royal Melbourne from December 9-15. “He changed the direction of golf in Australia.” A genius of a golf course architect, MacKenzie left the game monuments such as Cypress Point,
INSISTS YOU CANNOT BE MISLED BY DISTINCTLY CONTRASTING LOOKS.
Pasatiempo, Crystal Downs, The Old Course at Lahinch, and Palmetto Golf Club, but his two most
As if to refuel his thoughts, Ogilvy soaked in the
renowned courses are arguably Augusta National,
atmosphere of The Masters on this practice day. He
annual home to the Masters Tournament, and
paused, but there was more. Ogilvy has competed in
Royal Melbourne in Australia, host to the biennial
eight Masters, so he has an affinity for Augusta National;
Presidents Cup in December. That made the re-
but he is a true Aussie with deep roots to Melbourne, so
cent trip to the 2019 Masters an opportune time
his love of Royal Melbourne pours forth. Each resonates
to ask Crenshaw and Ogilvy to connect these
with him and he insists you cannot be misled by dis-
two heralded golf courses.
tinctly contrasting looks.
Crenshaw smiled, then drifted back to
but they play very similar. Big, slopey greens; big
tralian PGA, shooting a sizzling second-round
hazards; big bunkers; big hazards. If you’re close to the
65 en route to a second-place finish to Graham
hole on the wrong side, you’re screwed. If you’re a long
Marsh. “When you see Royal Melbourne for the
way away from the hole on the correct side, you’re in a
first time, it makes a profound impact,” he said. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
“The courses appear very different on the surface,
1982 when he made his debut there in the Aus-
Equally enamored with Augusta National from
good spot.” With a resume that includes plenty of experience at
Day 1 – which was in 1972 – Crenshaw confirms that
each of these MacKenzie gems (he was top 20 four times
MacKenzie’s influences are consistent. “The compart-
in the Masters, where he has never missed a cut, and
ments (are very similar), the bunkering, the green sizes
has played in a Presidents Cup among his many visits
to Royal Melbourne), Ogilvy is an expert witness, so to
bourne is the role of Alex Russell, a talented amateur
speak.
golfer of that era who won the Australian Open at
“Philosophically, you have to play the same style
Royal Melbourne in 1924. Russell was involved in
of golf to do well. They both make you nervous when
the plans at the West Course, then designed Royal
you hit into the greens, because you don’t want to be in
Melbourne’s East Course.
the wrong spot. That’s how they’re similar.” They are of the same era, too, at a time toward the end of MacKenzie’s life when he had been well-
Today, when elite competitions are held at Royal Melbourne, it is a composite of the two courses – usually 12 holes from the West, six from the East.
established as a veritable maestro. A Scotsman who
Well in tune with the story of MacKenzie and
was educated in England and spent much of his later
Royal Melbourne, Ogilvy suggests “he was there at the
life in the United States, MacKenzie was a prodigious
right three months in Australia golf history” and that
world-traveler. His list of credits includes golf courses
his understanding of how to make golf enjoyable is
in New Zealand, Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, Canada,
under-appreciated.
and, of course, Australia, where in the mid-1920s
“He didn’t use rough and hazards, he used big,
he made his first visit to Royal Melbourne. What
sloping greens to create interest,” said Ogilvy. “Normal
Crenshaw – the two-time Masters champ who is also
PGA TOUR courses we play use rough and hazards
heralded golf course designer – embraces about
and length. But both Augusta National and Royal
the MacKenzie legacy is that he had such vision and
Melbourne give you difficult shots from good lies, as
imagination, but also a great trust in people to carry
opposed to easy shots from bad lies.”
out his work. “He was only there a few months,” said Crenshaw.
What Ogilvy loves about Augusta is true at Royal Melbourne, too. There are wide fairways, but whereas
“His paperwork and skeleton are there, but the great-
many modern golf courses don’t give you choices off
est stroke of luck (for him) was to meet Mick Morcom.”
the tee, MacKenzie provides many, depending on how
A greenskeeper, Morcom is given great credit for constructing the West Course at Royal Melbourne
you plan on entering the green. “He lets you work out where the right spot (in the
in accordance to MacKenzie’s plans, a task that was
fairway) is,” he said. “It’s a more interesting way to
completed in 1931, right around the time the famed
challenge people, because sometimes you’re better to
Scotsman was getting involved with Bobby Jones on
miss the green than hit the green in the wrong spot.”
Augusta National, which would be his last course. Equally important to the legend of Royal Mel-
Wrote Tom Doak, the acclaimed architect: “Royal Melbourne, I think, is the course Augusta wants to
PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
be – wide enough for anybody, but brilliantly routed to make use of the topography and bunkered to reward bold play and bold decisions.” When the Australian majors arrived at Royal Melbourne, Crenshaw wasn’t the only American to make the
Watson, then 35, told reporters. Everything about Royal Melbourne appealed to Watson, a pure ball-striker. He had won two Green Jackets at the Augusta National and two AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Ams at a time, 1977-78, when Cypress Point was in the rota.
long trek. So, too, did Tom Watson for the 1984 Australian
“He built two totally different types of courses like Au-
Open, by which time he had piled up all eight of his major
gusta National and Cypress Point, from two totally different
triumphs. Still, a serious goal pulled him Down Under that
types of terrain,” said Watson. “After this week, I will have
winter.
played all the great MacKenzie courses.”
“To win an Australian Open at Royal Melbourne would be the same as winning a British Open at St. Andrews,”
After 72 holes and with a score of 281, Watson also had another win on a MacKenzie gem. To his sparkling resume,
he added the famed Stonehaven Cup, beating a field that included Greg Norman, Payne Stewart, Frank Nobilo, David Graham, Peter Senior, and Wayne Grady. Not to be denied, Norman followed with Australian Open victories at Royal Melbourne in 1985 and 1987, and Crenshaw earned his stripes at Royal Melbourne with a World Cup win alongside Mark McCumber in 1988. He cherishes that visit, but what Crenshaw said always impresses him about trips Down Under is how “Australians know how to keep golf courses; they’re brilliant landscape managers. It’s something to see.” Fortunately, officials at Royal Melbourne have opened the doors to world-class events so this MacKenzie jewel has been seen. It has hosted 16 Australian Opens, 14 Australian PGA Championships, four World Cups, two Australian Women’s Opens, and come December it will be Presidents Cup No. 3 when it’s likely that a new group of American and International players will see it for the first time. Should they derive a sense of Augusta National, that wouldn’t surprise Crenshaw or Ogilvy, for both are saturated in MacKenzie’s touches. “I love this course,” said Crenshaw back in 1982. “The bunkers are massive and so natural. That’s the essence. It’s not like a big cookie-cutter came out of the sky and put bunkers in.”
ROYAL MELBOURNE, I THINK, IS THE COURSE AUGUSTA WANTS TO BE – WIDE ENOUGH FOR ANYBODY, BUT BRILLIANTLY ROUTED TO MAKE USE OF THE TOPOGRAPHY AND BUNKERED TO REWARD BOLD PLAY AND BOLD DECISIONS. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
With almost half the year gone by, the PGA TOUR has cranked up its organisational machinery to start the process to roll out its 2019 “Asian Swing”. It’s that time of the year when a select group of PGA professionals put their game on show in Asia and for 2019, the star attraction will be the inaugural ZOZO Championship in Japan – the richest event on the Asian Swing. For a sense of how planning is coming along, ASIAN GOLF reached out to the PGA TOUR’s Chuah Choo Chiang for a preview. His report:
PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
All it took was one tweet to set abuzz what will be a ‘fun’ Fall season when the PGA TOUR’s juggernaut swings back to Asia for its annual odyssey, with a promise of raising the decibels and extending the game’s rising popularity in the Far East.
I
n 27 words, Tiger Woods informed his 6.5 mil-
Following years of dealing with debilitating knee
lion Twitter followers that he will play in the in-
and back injuries, his 81st PGA TOUR victory at Augusta
augural ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan, which
National, which put him one-win shy of matching the
is one of three lucrative PGA TOUR tournaments
winningest record held by Sam Snead, has cemented
in Asia in October.
Woods’ legacy in the sport. It also led him to becoming
The Asian swing, which offers nearly US$30 mil-
only the fourth golfer after Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus
lion in combined prize money, also features THE CJ
and Charlie Sifford to receive the Presidential Medal of
CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in South Korea and World Golf
Freedom from U.S. President Donald Trump in May.
Championships-HSBC Champions in China, delivering a true celebration of golf at the highest level in the region. This will be the first Tiger sighting at a PGA TOUR
With Woods committed to the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, the PGA TOUR’s newest showpiece in Asia in what is the world’s second largest golf market will undoubt-
tournament since his appearance at the now-concluded
edly complement an already all-star line-up of mega
CIMB Classic in Malaysia in 2012 and the first time in 13
events featuring the established WGC-HSBC Champions,
years that he will be in Japan following the 2006 Dunlop
the region’s lone World Golf Championships tournament,
Phoenix. Woods also played in the World Cup of Golf in
and THE CJ CUP, which has celebrated two successful
Japan in 2001. “I’m excited to play in the inaugural ZOZO Championship in October, and return to Japan, one of my favourite countries. It’s going to be a fun fall,” said Woods in a tweet that resonated around the world. In golf, they say timing is everything and organisers of Japan’s first official PGA TOUR tournament couldn’t be more pleased with Woods’ early commitment being made 11 days after he produced a Masters Tournament victory for the ages.
I’M EXCITED TO PLAY IN THE INAUGURAL ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP IN OCTOBER, AND RETURN TO JAPAN, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE COUNTRIES. IT’S GOING TO BE A FUN FALL. – TIGER WOODS
editions by heralding great champions in Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka. Unlike previously, the new generation of PGA TOUR stars have embraced the TOUR’s vision of going global as they have made a beeline to Asia that even without the omnipresence of Woods in recent times, tournaments here have thrived due to the strength in depth available on the PGA TOUR reservoir of talent which membership now includes 46 of the world’s top-50 golfers. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson has become a regular visitor to China after winning his first WGC-HSBC Champions in 2013. Past champions of the prestigious event include Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter and Hideki Matsuyama, indication of the calibre of the stars that it regularly attracts. “I’ve had a lot of success in China,” said Johnson, who was also runner-up in 2017. “I’ve played well there, and I like the golf course ever since the first time I went. I always go back … it’s a World Golf Championship and I enjoy playing in it.” With the number of Korean golfers competing on the PGA TOUR growing with each passing season, THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES is also beginning to create a legacy of its own despite its infancy. The tournament’s hospitality is first-class, the Korean culture is intriguing, and Jeju PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Island provides a stunning backdrop which the stars of the game enjoy. The Korean tournament has also built itself a nice reputation of crowning champions who are the reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year. Thomas won the inaugural CJ CUP just weeks after concluding a stunning 2017 season which saw him become the FedExCup champion. Last October, Koepka enjoyed a magnificent victory in front of massive Korean crowds after arriving as Player of the Year following a 2018 campaign which yielded two major victories. Koepka, triumphant by four strokes last year after final back nine of 29, said: “I enjoy Asia … it’s one of my favourite spots to go on vacations. I always feel relaxed, and I like the culture. It’s always a fun place to go and everyone is very respectful and it’s a fun place to play. I felt it was important to win in Jeju especially after a year that I had. I had to back it up and the way I did was special. It was a good way to start
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIGER SIGHTING AT A PGA TOUR TOURNAMENT SINCE HIS APPEARANCE AT THE NOW-CONCLUDED
CIMB CLASSIC IN
MALAYSIA IN 2012 AND THE FIRST TIME IN 13 YEARS THAT HE WILL BE IN JAPAN FOLLOWING THE 2006 DUNLOP PHOENIX. WOODS ALSO PLAYED IN THE WORLD CUP OF GOLF IN JAPAN IN 2001.
PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
the 2018-19 season. I like the place, and obviously I enjoy playing on the golf course.” With the Asian swing events counting towards the
KOEPKA, TRIUMPHANT BY FOUR STROKES LAST YEAR AFTER FINAL
29, SAID: “I ENJOY ASIA …
2019-20 PGA TOUR Season, accumulating early FedEx-
BACK NINE OF
Cup points during the Fall schedule is a key motivation
IT’S ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS TO GO ON
as well. The well-travelled Adam Scott expects to see more top guns like Woods to head full speed to the Far East this year. “They are great events,” said Scott. “I feel I have
VACATIONS.
I ALWAYS FEEL RELAXED, AND I LIKE THE CULTURE. IT’S ALWAYS A FUN PLACE
great fan support which is always fun when you go to
TO GO AND EVERYONE IS VERY RESPECTFUL
a place and they support you. The tournaments are
AND IT’S A FUN PLACE TO PLAY.
so good, they are smaller field and there are a lot of (FedExCup) points up for grabs. “It’s important this year as more players will have to play more events towards the back end of the year. I’m sure there will be a balance of the guys who like to come to Asia to play and those who like to stay home. It’s going to be a good thing with regards to the strength of field for the tournaments in Asia.” That said, October can’t come soon enough.
I FELT IT
WAS IMPORTANT TO WIN IN JEJU ESPECIALLY
I HAD. I HAD TO BACK IT UP AND THE WAY I DID WAS SPECIAL. IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO START THE 2018-19 SEASON. I LIKE THE PLACE, AND OBVIOUSLY I ENJOY PLAYING ON THE GOLF COURSE. AFTER A YEAR THAT
ERNIE ELS TEAM CAPTAIN
Tiger woods TEAM CAPTAIN
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