Issuu 175 single

JORDAN SPIETH

RICKY FOWLER

LYDIA KO

DANIEL BERGER

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

PATRICK REED

ANIRBAN LAHIRI

JASON DAY

BROOKS KOEPKA

RORY MCILROY

ISSUE

175

APRIL 2015

COVER STORY

There’s A Posse Of New Sheriffs In Town The professional golf scene is going through a major transformation.

What was once an arena dominated by mature players, we are now seeing younger players perculate through the ranks and boil up to the top. It’s all a showcase of youngsters – from Rory McIlroy to Patrick Reed to Anirban Lahiri. All very exciting and hopefully good for the growth of golf!

10

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

takes light-weight clubs to a whole new level. Meet Wilson Staff’s new D200 family of clubs.

32 Hey Dude – What’s The Hang-Time On Your Golf Ball?

38 The Master’s Back – It’s GOLO Time!

Introducing the brand new Mizuno JPX Golf Ball! Central to the new ball is the addition of “micro-dimples” located around each larger dimple on the ball. This effectively slows down the ball’s descent to extend airtime and therefore distance.

The legendary master craftsman Scotty Cameron has launched two new series of putters – the GOLO family and the Select range. Both families of putters have been tour tested and validated. If you have never played a Scotty Cameron putter, now’s the time to put these flatsticks to work for you!

34 More Great News From The “Right Light” Company

42 PING Point of View: Glide: A New Wedge Approach

Some years back, Wilson Staff introduced the revolutionary D100 series of clubs which heralded the arrival of lightweight clubs that were billed as the “Right Light”.

The company has followed this landmark change with a new light known as the “SuperLight”, a technology that

How often have you been told that the key to a terrific short game is all locked up in your hands.

It’s all about “soft” hands and “feel”. Many of golfers have difficulty understanding what soft hands and feel have to do with the short game. PING has the answers and the man who knows it all is John K. Solheim, PING’s vice president of Engineering.

46 The Road-Runner Speed Fest Has Hit Town!

46

Following the remarkably successful launch of the AeroBurner™ Driver in January, TaylorMade has launched a trio of new products - the AeroBurner Irons, AeroBurner Mini Driver, and AeroBurner Pro Golf Ball. These three products complete the AeroBurner franchise for 2015 and deliver to golfers speed, distance and power from tee to green.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI

14

ISSUE 175

STEVE GALE

24

APRIL 2015

58

62

64

SPECIAL FEATURES 14 Golf “Oscars” Fever Set To Sweep Asia!

The annual Asian Golf Awards poll for 2015 starts on April 1 and hundreds of golf clubs in the region are expected to start jostling for top results to score big in what is widely regarded as the most prestigious awards programme for the golf club industry in the region.

18 2015 U.S. Masters: Expect A Dogfight At Augusta!

April is when all the big guns of golf will prepare for the annual shoot-out and the hunt for the winner’s green jacket at the U.S. Masters begins. Current world number one, Rory McIlroy will be hoping to create history. McIlroy says his ambition for the first part of the golfing year is to become the sixth man to complete a career grand slam of all four current majors. For a preview of what to expect at Augusta, Asian Golf commissioned its special correspondent, Robin Barwick to conduct an exclusive interview with veteran champion golfer Bernhard Langer for a pre-tournament overview.

24 FootJoy – A Golf Powerhouse!

The DNA of FootJoy harks back to a rich pedigree based on quality, comfort and excellence in footwear. This is a 158 year old heritage and like an exquisite wine, the company has matured with age spanning three centuries. Today, it ranks as the world’s leading manufacturer of golf shoes and golf gloves. To understand what makes FootJoy endure the test of time, Asian Golf spoke with Steve Gale, the company’s Vice President for International Sales

GROW THE GAME

GAME-IMPROVEMENT

5500 Renovation - Time For Change!

Baffled? If you are a golfer, you shouldn’t be! A middle-aged golf course Baffled?

B i a facility that begins to sh is show its age and its fault lines – tell-tale signs lilike ke fairways that are aas hard as concrete, bunkers that have lost both b th definition and sand and greens that are infested bo with w th mutant sspecies of grass.These are the conditions wi on o a number of golf courses spread out throughout the Southeast geography. They are ready for renovaS utheast Asian So A tion t on and for ti fo an expert appraisal of the matter, Asian Golf G spoke with award winning golf course Go architect, Brian Curley, co-founder and princia pal p of Schmidt Curley Design.

5566 Non-Conforming No Equipment Gets Gets The Th Nod From USRGA TThee recen Th recent Japan Golf Goods Association (JGGA) decipermit the use of non-conforming golf clubs sion to pe has has received the full support of the United States Recreation Golf Association (USRGA). It’s founding president, re As Dave D ve Felker, in full support of the bold Japanese decision Da declared, to see that the JGGA has decided declared, “It is refreshing r tto o lead the charge cha of sensibility and encourage Japanese golf equipment manufacturers to develop non-conformg olf equipmen iing in g products.” Get the full details from this exclusive report.

6 Asian Golf Editorial Team

7 Shared Thoughts From Publisher

58 Can An Emotional Caddie Improve Your Golf Game?

The small, almond-shaped part of your brain called the amygdala is the troublemaker, pushing you around on the golf course and causing you to lose your cool. Even if you play like Rory McIlroy on one hole, an amygdala hijack can make you play like Charles Barkley on the next.

62 Black Hat Tips: Master The Bucket of Water Drill!

It’s hot and Thailand, once again, is celebrating Songkran Festival! An absolutely fun and exciting tradition of splashing water on each other. Think about it…over 60 million people using buckets filled with water and splashing it at each other!

64 Pro Tour Golf College: The 4 Golf Success Factors That Will Fast-Track High School and College Golfers to the Pro Tour (Part4) Well we’ve come to the final article in our 4 part series for high school and college golfers, and this is the last of our golf success factors which will put all other factors we’ve shared into perspective for you.

68 Next Issue

MIKE SEBASTIAN Chief Executive Officer/Managing Editor

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ALICE HO Marketing Executive

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SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher

I

The Game Of Golf Must Distance Itself From TAINTED SPONSORS

recently had an opportunity to attend a coaching session for junior golfers and what struck me was the importance attached to honesty and integrity in the game of golf. I was very impressed by the coach for stressing upon the youngsters the role that golf can and will play in developing and moulding their characters. Mind you, this was done well before the kids were even taken out to the range to begin their journey in learning golf.

How often are you reminded that the game of golf serves as the bedrock for great human values like honesty and integrity. It is the only game known to man where no referee is required to keep a player honest.

After what I witnessed at this coaching

session, I could not help but reflect on some of the shocking shenanigans that some major sponsors of the game are involved in when it comes to corporate honesty and integrity. I don’t have to point fingers in this instance because what is playing out with regard to massive tax frauds is not only shocking but it is also immoral, dastardly and shameful!

Imagine, while great pains are being taken to imbue strong moral codes in juniors through the game of golf, we as an industry welcome these rogues to support the game of golf through their sponsorship of golf events. What an oxymoron!

Just imagine what could be going through the minds of these youngsters when they start associating the names of these

tainted corporations with the game of golf.

What is even more shocking is the fact that the powers that be in golf remain absolutely quiet. There should be a code of ethics that safeguards the game from being scarred and tainted by corporations that have run foul by the law. To stand by and continue accepting support from these sponsors amounts to the game of golf condoning and supporting whatever despicable practices that are brought to light.

Alas, like so many things in life today, size, power and money can buy pardon and forgiveness. It’s a pity that golf’s good reputation as a game with a rich heritage and tradition should be dragged through the cesspool of disgrace by blemished sponsors. Golf deserves better!

“Money, it’s gonna ruin sports.”

– O.B. Keeler, a reporter for the Atlanta Journal

14

15 ASIAN GOLF

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It delivers distance with control, forgiveness with feel and shots that launch high and land softly. In other words, everything you need to hit more greens, more often. Get fit today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

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COVER STORY The Future Of Golf

Whether you like it or not, the era of Tiger Wood’s total dominance in golf is over.

Don’t expect the great super-star, perhaps the greatest golfer who ever lived, to regain his lofty position as the world’s number one player. Inasmuch as it is a sad fact of life, the pathway of sports history is marked by the decline and ultimate fall of sporting titans. It’s only human so let’s resign to accept that Tiger will remain as a unique legend in golf and let that memory stay on for as long as history wants to keep it under its spotlight.

W

ith the passing of the Woods era, golf is set to herald the dawn of a new era.

Many pundits are rooting for young Rory McIlroy to ascend to the majestic throne and take over the mantle from the man whom he once idolized. While his current performance indicates that he is the new north star of golf, one wonders if he has the qualities, endurance and pull power of Tiger Woods. Only time will tell. McIlroy is operating under different circumstances which will make it quite a struggle for him to stay at the pinnacle of the game for too long.

Remember that when Tiger roared onto the world golf stage, he was a powerful young stud with a game that struck fear in the hearts and minds of most of the guys who plied their trade on the professional tours.

A good many of them were in their late thirties and early forties. Many led life-styles that were not necessarily controlled by strict physical fitness regimens or diets.

Tiger changed all of that and in fact he set the standard by which professional golfers had to prepare themselves to be competitive week in and week out on tour. There’s no more tolerance for players who don’t meet the stringent physical and mental requirements.

In fact, Tiger threw open the door to younger players to enter the game and challenge for the game’s highest honours. He was single-handedly responsible to bring on board youngsters, all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and with no inhibitions or fear to take on the best in the world.

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11 ASIAN GOLF

A quick glance of the various professional tours will reveal that almost all players in the top ten rankings are aged below thirty five years old. McIlroy himself is still a tender 25 years old and then there are even younger upstarts like Jordan Spieth (21 years) and Patrick Reed (24).

If you glance over at the women professionals, age takes a huge beating – the current world number one, Lydia Ko is only 17 years and she has already rocketed up the ranks in under one year since she turned professional! Down the ranks of the top ten players on the LPGA leaderboard, all are young and under 30 years of age.

At this juncture, it may be worth understanding that the largest number of qualifying players on the US PGA and European Tours fall into the 30 to 35 years of age category.

This would seem to indicate, through sheer weight of numbers, that most golfers reach their peak in their early thirties. By virtue of their position at the head of the US PGA and European Tour money lists, these players are the best in the world. So the fact that a good majority of them are aged between 30 and 35 year of age is significant.

So, back to the thrust of this article – who are the new sheriffs in town? Well, we feel that these are the young guns who will be dominating the sport for the next few years.

RI

APRIL 2015

ANIRBAN LAHI

ISSUE 175

COVER STORY The Future Of Golf With the Presidents Cup coming up later this year, Nick Price, the Inter■ Rory McIlroy (no surprise) national team captain is said to be watching Lahiri with some intense inter■ Jason Day est. If Price picks him for the team, Lahiri will become the first Indian player to ■ Patrick Reed compete in the biennial event in South Korea. Commenting on Lahiri during the ■ Ricky Fowler recent WGC Cadillac Championship, Price said, “Looks like he can make a big putt ■ Jordan Spieth on a big occasion …. he’s very calm, collected, and I think he’s going to be an asset ■ Hideki Matsuyama to our team.”

■ Brooks Koepka Lahiri’s rise to the top has even resulted in the European Tour naming him as the ■ Daniel Berger golfer of the month for February 2015. In a statement, the tour said, “Anirban Lahiri However, we hasten to add that has been named The European Tour Race to Dubai Golfer of the Month following the no one should expect to see the sort incredible run of form that saw the 27 year old Indian win the Maybank Malaysian of strangle-hold dominance that Tiger Open and the Hero Indian Open in the space of three weeks.” It went on to add, had during his reign. The aforemen“Three months ago Lahiri was battling to win a place on The European Tour at the tioned youngsters will share moQualifying School Final Stage, but his extraordinary February exploits have cataments of glory and expect to see more pulted him to 34th place on the Official World Golf Ranking and guaranteed youngsters come forth to challenge for him a place at The Masters top honours. This will be the changing Tournament.” landscape on the professional tours and So, with Lahiri leadyouth with prevail always. ing a young brigade of It is worth noting also that last year, top stars, it is hoped more than 50 percent of the winners on that this will inspire the PGA Tour were under 30 years of age and more young Asians this trend will no doubt continue in 2015 and to aspire to shoot for beyond. the stars and aim for How about the Asian professional golf scene? top honours at the Well, with the exception of veteran Thai superstar highest level of the Thongchai Jaidee who is well over 40 years, the rest game of golf. of the field in the Top Ten Order of Merit are in their 30’s.

The current top dog on this ranking is India’s Anirban Lahiri who is 27 years old and is on a big winning streak at the moment.

Asian Golf first met Lahiri about four years ago and we were impressed with what we saw then. We recognized the young Indian as being the total golf package. He had a good game that showed tremendous promise. He had the right breeding that helped him display excellent manners, good personality and he possessed the flair necessary to be an international star.

Fast forward to 2015, and Lahiri is now poised to be the continent’s big super star. As the No. 1 player on the Asian Tour, he has already notched up four victories in the past 11 months, including the Malaysian and Indian Opens. He is currently ranked 35th in the world, and this places him two spots ahead of the 2013 Fedex Cup winner Brandt Snedeker who was once ranked 4th on the Official World Golf Rankings.

Why do we think that Lahiri is going to be Asia’s flag-bearer on the global golf scene? The answer is simple. He has an incredibly solid game and he is very marketable. Let’s not forget also that he is world class – he is ranked above Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen, Jason Dufner and Webb Simpson which says a lot for the young Indian professional.

The son of an Indian military doctor, Lahiri took up the game when he was 8 years old. He is following in the footsteps first blazed open by Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal. Both Singh and Atwal were India’s first two big stars who went on to build solid careers playing on the European and PGA Tours respectively.

In a recent report Atwal is reported to have told Lahiri: “You know, we have done all these things that everyone looks up to. You have the opportunity to do that at 27, 28. We did it at 35, 36. So you’ve got that much more time to outdo us and outdo yourself.”

The report went on to add that Lahiri was moved, and motivated, by Atwal’s words. He said he wanted to create a ripple effect that created greater participation in the game and higher expectations. “I’m getting the opportunities at a much younger age than they did, and for me, that is the greatest gift - time,” Lahiri said.

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13 ASIAN GOLF

ISSUE 175

APRIL 2015

RORY MCILROY

RICKIE FOWLE R

EED

R PATRICK

LYDIA KO

PIETH JORDAN S

DANIEL BERGER

JASON DAY BROOK S KOE

PKA

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

SPECIAL FEATUIRE 2015 Asian Golf Awards

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The annual Asian Golf Awards poll for 2015 starts on April 1 and hundreds of golf clubs in the region are expected to start jostling for top results to score big in what is widely regarded as the most prestigious awards programme for the golf club industry in the region.

A

s the longest established and most respected awards programme throughout the Asia Pacific, on-line polling is expected to be frenetic. If the polling last year is anything to go by, voting for 2015 is expected to smash the record set last year where more than 70,000 votes were cast.

The polls for the Asian Golf Awards are now open on-line and voting can be conducted at http://tinyurl.com/agmawards2015 The awards programme is jointly organized by the Asia Pacific Golf Group (APGG) in conjunction with the Club Managers Association of Asia (CMAA).

“This is the second year where APGG, the owner of the programme is collaborating with the CMAA and this collaboration is firm

testimony of the high regard and respect that the club industry in the Asia Pacific accords the Asian Golf Awards, “said Mike Sebastian, chief executive officer of APGG and concurrently president of the CMAA.

The voting for thirty-eight categories will go on for three months and will close on June 30. The results of the 2015 polls will be announced during the Asian Golf Awards Gala Banquet at the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit which will be staged in Singapore. The final date will be announced in mid-April.

“In keeping with tradition, we will honour and celebrate the awards at a grand gala banquet befitting its status as the “Oscars” of the Asian golf club and golf industry and the venue that we have selected to stage this spectacular show will be

The Asian Golf Awards is the most prestigious awards in the golf industry across the Asia Pacific Region. It brings honour to the award winning organization, and it especially encourages much more initiatives to be created to enhance the golf industry’s developments.”

SPECIAL FEATUIRE 2015 Asian Golf Awards

BANYAN GOLF CLUB AND RESORT , HUA HIN

THAI COUNTRY CLUB

It’s the “Oscars” of golf where excellence is recognised within the industry.”

– Stacey Walton director of Banyan Golf Club and Resort in Hua Hin

befitting of the grand occasion,” said Angela Raymond, executive director of APGG and the CMAA. There is no denying the regard and respect that the Asian Golf Awards enjoys in the Asia Pacific. Perhaps its value and importance is best summed up by the man universally considered as “Mr. Golf Asia”, Dr. Ken Chu, chairman of the Mission Hills Group.

This is how he views the awards: “The Asian Golf Awards is the most prestigious awards in the golf industry across the Asia Pacific Region. It brings honour to the award winning organization, and it especially encourages much more initiatives to be created to enhance the golf industry’s developments.”

Another strong proponent of the programme is John Blanch, general manager of the prestigious Thai Country Club in Bangkok who said, “The Asian Golf Awards are the pre-eminent awards for the golf industry in the region. Having been involved with many clubs in many different countries in the region I know that each one of those clubs holds success in these awards above all others. At Thai Country Club each award is cherished as the industry gold standard.”

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17 ASIAN GOLF

As interest in the Asian Golf Awards is getting more global attention, the organisers have decided that the gala awards banquet and the results of the 2015 awards programme will be telecast “live” via video stream worldwide.

Recognising the importance of the awards programme, Stacey Walton, director of Banyan Golf Club and Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand said, “It’s the “Oscars” of golf where excellence is recognised within the industry.

I was applauded by our owners, members, visitors, tour operators, colleagues and team at Banyan Golf Club when we made a big sweep of the awards last year.”

He continued, “The awards are extremely inspirational for owners and managers to invest in making quality improvements, implementing change by finding new and

innovative ways for a golf club to stand out and be unique. Providing a memorable golf experience to each member and every visitor will certainly result in gaining more well deserved votes!”

The nations that will be covered by this year’s poll will include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Middle East.

In scope and scale, the Asian Golf Awards is generally considered the biggest programme of its kind anywhere in the world. World renowned golf course designer and architect, Brian Curley, principal of the award-winning firm of Schmidt-Curley Design concurs: “The Asian Golf Awards have been very instrumental in our success and ability to showcase our talents to new clients and users. With what can be a fragmented and difficult exercise to identify multitude of courses and businesses in a large and diverse Asian market, the Asian Golf Awards help to identify the cream of the crop and give order to the vast array of choices made available to the end user.

We proudly showcase the awards for our

We proudly showcase the awards for our accomplishments and look forward to many more in the years to come.”

– Brian Curley principal, Schmidt-Curley Design

ISSUE 175

APRIL 2015

BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB

accomplishments and look forward to many more in the years to come.”

Harald Elisson, managing director of the award winning Black Mountain Golf Club and voted the Best Golf Club General Manager in 2014 looks upon the Asian Golf Awards very favourably and this is what he thinks about the programme, “We regard the Asian Golf Awards as the best and most credible in the region. The fact that they have been in existence for 15 years is testament to their importance and stature in the golf industry in Asia Pacific.

They provide a benchmark for golf clubs throughout the region. Winning or being placed in one of the categories is not only a great achievement and honour, but provides each recipient with great recognition that is of considerable benefit to their business.”

The Asian Golf Awards just does not recognize service standards. It recognizes a myriad of operational aspects of a golf club and the golf industry. One such area is the general maintenance of a golf course.

Last year, for the first time, the programme recognized the Best Golf Course Superintendent and the award went to Minachai Srichanya from Banyan Golf Club and Resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. “I was honoured to be given this award and I hope that this will start a trend where owners pay more attention to the general state of their golf courses,” said Srichanya.

The next ninety-days will be the measure of how well golf clubs in Asia fare. Now is the time to rally the support of club members and patrons alike to come together to vote for their favourites. Poll-

ASIAN GOLF AWARDS

EXPANDS The 2015 Asian Golf Awards is in a growth mode and this year will witness the addition of new award categories.

The total number of categories now stands at fortyfour and the new additions include the following: ■ Best Golf Club Experience in Asia Pacific ■ Best Managed Golf Club in Asia Pacific ■ Best Locker Room/Male or Female in Asia Pacific ■ Best Professional Golf Coach in Asia Pacific ■ Best Golf Equipment and Services Supplier (Agronomy) in Asia Pacific ■ Best Golf Club Equipment and Accessories Supplier in Asia Pacific

Winning or being placed in one of the categories is not only a great achievement and honour, but provides each recipient with great recognition that is of considerable benefit to their business.” – Harald Elisson managing director, Black Mountain Golf Club ing will only be conducted on-line. Kindly ensure that each vote comes fully documented with the name of the voter, e-mail and or telephone contact detail which are required for verification purposes. Voting is

now open and it’s time to show your support for the golf clubs of Asia and the men and women who work so hard at keeping everything humming like a well-oiled machine.

SPECIAL FEATURE 2015 U.S. Masters Preview

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ISSUE 175

H

ere is a Bernhard Langer statistic that will surprise some: in the 1985 Masters, over 72 holes, the German golfer totaled just a single threeputt on the lightening-fast, bent-grass greens of Augusta National. Putting of that consistency at Augusta is usually worth its weight in green wool and brass buttons, and that week Langer won by two from Seve Ballesteros, Curtis Strange and Raymond Floyd. The more senior readers among you might be disheartened to be reminded – apologies in advance - that Langer’s first Masters triumph was now 30 years ago.

Langer made a much less remarkable debut among the towering pines of Augusta three years earlier, in 1982, when the polar opposite of a putting performance sent the curly-

haired rookie heading the wrong way down Magnolia Lane on the Friday afternoon.

“When I first played at Augusta I had 11 three-putts in 36 holes,” recalls Langer with surprising clarity for a 33-year-old statistic you’d think he would want to forget. “That could have become 22 three-putts if I had played four rounds!”

Management of those Augusta greens can’t be achieved in a crash course.

“I had to putt better on those greens, and just as importantly, I had to figure out where to hit my second shots into the greens. I learned that lesson the hard way,” reflects Langer, who putted with a conventional blade in 1985, with regular length shaft, but with a cross-handed grip. The combination cracked Augusta’s code. “Just one

APRIL 2015

SPECIAL FEATURE 2015 U.S. Masters Preview I had to putt better on those greens, and just as importantly, I had to figure out where to hit my second shots into the greens. I learned that lesson the hard way,” reflects Langer, who putted with a conventional blade in 1985, with regular length shaft, but with a cross-handed grip.

The combination cracked Augusta’s code. “Just one three-putt was a huge improvement. I holed out well from six feet and in and that was key.” three-putt was a huge improvement. I holed out well from six feet and in and that was key.”

The Masters is famed for its exciting finishes, as the players navigate around the most famous back nine in golf, with Amen Corner its beating heart. Another final flourish was duly enacted in 1985.

“As I came off the ninth I saw that Curtis was four shots ahead,” recalls Langer, who partnered Ballesteros, with Floyd and Strange behind in the final pairing. “I had played the front nine in even par but I had lost ground by two shots. So I approached the 10th tee thinking I did not care if it meant I finished 30th, I was going to play as aggressively as possible and go for every flag.”

While Strange stalled, Langer accelerated.

He targeted the back-right pin position on 12, knocked his ball close and marched off with a two. More birdies flew in at the 13th, 15th and 17th, while Strange found water with his second shots at both 13 and 15.

“I was five under par from the 10th to the 17th, but then I bogeyed the last to come back in 32,” says Langer, 27 years old at the time, and now 57. “I went from four behind at the turn to two in front in the space of eight holes.”

A pair of 68s was the lowest weekend return in the field, and saw Langer – dressed from top to bottom in pillar-box red – slip his arms into the Green Jacket. “Someone quipped that I looked like a Christmas tree,” adds Langer. They never?

Another statistic you might not know: in 31 Masters appearances Langer has played 108 tournament rounds; more than any other European ever to tee up there, and 14th among all Masters golfers (he skipped over Byron Nelson’s 106 last year). At the age of 56 last year, he finished 8th. Win or lose, Langer continues to make his mark.

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Bernhard Langer’s Tour Around Amen Corner Amen Corner’ incorporates holes 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta National, which loop their way around the southernmost end of the course. American writer Herbert Warren Wind coined the nickname ‘Amen Corner’ in reporting on the 1958 Masters for Sports Illustrated magazine. They became the most famous two words he ever wrote.

“Amen Corner is a very special place,” says Langer. “The difficulty is that water comes into play on every hole. It is a crucial part of the golf course, where you could come out one or two under par, but you could also blow up and go three or four over.”

11 ‘White Dogwood’, par 4, 505 yards “The 11th has become such a hard hole,” starts Langer. “Augusta has planted many trees to the right so it is much more narrow, and lengthened it to 505 yards.

“You are also faced with water to the left of the green and behind it,” continues Langer. “I have to come into that green with a very long club, and there is often gusting wind to contend with. The wind seems to switch very often down there.

Often you see the flag on 11 blowing from left to right, yet 80 yards away you can see the flag on 12 blowing in the opposite direction. Then you throw some grass into the air and it comes back straight into you.

There is something weird about the wind at Amen Corner.”

12 ‘Golden Bell’, par 3, 155 yards “It is the way the green is angled on the 12th

that makes it such a hard hole,” explains Langer. “If the green ran straight across from one side to the other it would not be an issue, but the green is angled from front-left to back-right, and so is Rae’s Creek. If you pull your tee shot your ball flies over the green on the left or if you push the tee shot it will drop into the water on the right.

“Having made both of those mistakes over the years, I started to think Jack Nicklaus’s advice is the safest strategy: to play over the bunker [in front of the central section of the green], even though that is the narrowest part of the green. With the swirling winds that is a tough tee shot.”

13 ‘Azalea’, par 5, 510 yards “The 13th may be my favourite hole in

the world,” declares Langer. “It is a risk and reward hole. Ideally you want to hook the tee shot, to hug the left-hand side of the fairway, along by the creek, because that shortens the hole and gives you a flatter lie. No matter what, the second shot will be played from a hanging lie [above the right-hander’s feet], which means the ball should naturally hook. This means the line for the approach is to the right of the green and into the creek, and then you must wait for the ball to turn left into the green. That is something a lot of players don’t like to do – we don’t like aiming into a hazard – in case the ball does not hook. If you over-hook the approach there is more trouble waiting - maybe even an unplayable lie among the azaleas.”

Amen Corner is a very special place,” says Langer. “The difficulty is that water comes into play on every hole. It is a crucial part of the golf course, where you could come out one or two under par, but you could also blow up and go three or four over.”

LONG THANH GOLF RESORT, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2015

In Celebration Of Fathers And Sons Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tournament is back again. Fathers and sons or direct related members of a family will do battle to see who emerges as the best of the best in the region.

The tournament is open to any combination of family members – father, daughter, uncle/ aunty and nephew/niece. This arrangement provides for a wider family involvement and participation.

This prestigious tournament will be staged on The winning team will walk away with the November 1 & 2, 2015 and the host venue is Asia Pacific Father and Son Trophy presented the award winning Long Thanh Golf Resort in by Vietnamese philanthropist Le Van Kiem.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Come and Be Part of the Region’s Only Total Family Golf Event ...

The 2015 Asia Pacific Father and Son Golf Tournament!

Entry fee is set at US$450 per player and this will include: Daily two-way transfer from the Sheraton Saigon Hotel to the golf course.

Lunch, refreshment and dinner on both days.

Prizes and goodie bags.

One practice round on October 31.

The Father and Son Tournament is designed to promote greater family involvement in golf and clubs are encouraged to enter club teams to participate in what promises to be a fun tournament!

ONLINE Registration is open at: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt2015

DOWNLOAD PDF – RULES & REGULATIONS: http://tinyurl.com/fsgt-rr2015 For enquiries, please contact Alice Ho at alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com or call +65-63232800

ORGANISED BY: LONG THANH GOLF RESORT

SPECIAL FEATURE Focus On FootJoy

The DNA of FootJoy harks back to a rich pedigree based on quality, comfort and excellence in footwear. This is a 158 year old heritage and like an exquisite wine, the company has matured with age spanning three centuries. Today, it ranks as the world’s leading manufacturer of golf shoes and golf gloves.

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STEVE GALE S FootJoy’s Vice President for International Sales

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SPECIAL FEATURE Focus On FootJoy

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esides a dominant share of the golf shoe and glove markets, FootJoy has branched out with the launch of its apparel and outerwear range and it has rapidly risen to become one of the biggest players in the golf accessories and apparel business.

This is the mark of FootJoy – a company that is renowned the world over for its never ending quest for excellence in all of its pursuits and this push to be the best amongst the best manifests itself in the fact that millions of FootJoy golf shoes, gloves, apparel and accessories have been sold and this phenomenal demand continues to rise globally.

As part of its mission statement, FootJoy maintains that it is committed to enhancing a golfer’s on-course experience through the development of superior golf shoes, gloves, apparel, outerwear, socks and accessories. The company prides itself that its products exceed expectations in all weather and playing conditions through advanced technical innovation, performance, and supreme comfort.

Call it what you may, FootJoy is all about passion and this is reflected in everything that the company does. It has kicked off 2015 with what is arguably one of its most impressive milestones – the introduction of the revolutionary HyperFlex golf shoe. Not only is it a product of cutting edge technology, it is also a work of art.

The HyperFlex prompted ASIAN GOLF to request for an exclusive interview with the company and we got a chance to sit down and discuss the company’s exciting products and its future with Steve Gale, FootJoy’s Vice President for International Sales.

The following are excerpts of the interview:

ASIAN GOLF: FootJoy has launched itself into 2015 with a major game-changing trend – the launch of the revolutionary y HYPERFLEX g golf shoe. Whichever way y one

looks at this product, it is not only going to be a game changer for FootJoy but the industry in general. Can you talk to this?

STEVE GALE: We agree. HyperFlex is a great combination of function and athletic inspiration and a look that golfers haven’t seen from FootJoy in the past. The player that is interested in this look can now get it from FootJoy along with the performance we are known for.

AG: Over the years, we have witnessed numerous WYVK\J[Z MYVT -VV[1V` [OH[ LTIVKPLK HUK YLÅLJ[LK

TM

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panish cave drawings from more than 15,000 years ago show humans with animal skins or furs wrapped around their feet. The body of a well-preserved “iceman” nearly 5,000 years old wears leather foot coverings stuffed with straw. Shoes, in some form or another, have been around for a very long time. The evolution of foot coverings, from the sandal to present-day athletic shoes that are marvels of engineering, continues as we find new materials with which to cover our feet.

FootJoy – A Rich 158 Year Heritage Let’s take a time tunnel blast to the past – to be precise, let’s journey back 158 years ago to the year 1857. The trip back in time takes us to the town of Brockton, Massachusetts. The history books tell us that this was the birthplace of the company that is today known throughout the world as FootJoy. Back then the company was simply the Burt and Packard Shoe Company. Even then, it was widely known and respected for the high standards it set for both design and comfort. Some sixty-three years later, in the 1920’s the company changed and became known as Field and Flint. This was the company that developed a range of golf shoes that became to be called FootJoy. Because the shoes were so good that in 1927, it outfitted the U.S. team for the Ryder Cup and FootJoy was one of the first sponsors of this prestigious event. The man who picked FootJoy for the American Ryder Cup team was golf legend Walter Hagen.

Hagen was, of course, almost as famous for his clothes and appearance as he was for any of his exploits on, or indeed off, the course.

His endorsement was critical; soon more and more golfers were following his example and converting to FootJoy. By the time World War Two ended, FootJoy had become the number one golf shoe on the PGA Tour, a position which it has held ever since.

cutting edge technology. However, the excitement generated with the launch of HYPERFLEX has been exceptional. It’s like the company has discovered the elusive “Ah-ha” moment for golf shoes! It’s going to be a hard act to follow - that’s what we think? What are your thoughts?

SG: We thought the same thing last year after the introduction of DNA. That was an amazing new innovation in golf footwear and our thoughts were similar to what you say...”how do we follow that?” But our design and product teams were energized and immediately went to work with a clean slate. We didn’t want to come next with another version of DNA. The challenge was to create a brand new category geared at different consumer needs.....and the result....HyperFlex.

AG: FJ’s R&D team deserves to be given the highest respect for the development of HYPERFLEX. Who would have ever considered drawing inspiration from a bridge!

FlexGrid is amazing technology and how your R&D LUNPULLYZ ÄN\YLK V\[ OV^ [V PU[LNYH[L [OPZ [LJOUVSVN` PU HYPERFLEX is incredible. This is innovation taken to a whole new level! Must make everyone at FJ proud!

SG: That is the value in being the leader in golf footwear. We have amazing designers whose sole passion is to determine what players

SPECIAL FEATURE Focus On FootJoy

needs and desires are and then to match them with creative designs and the fashion preferences of our audience. It is amazing to see the variety of places they gather inspiration from; the Zakim Bridge being a great example.

AG: With HYPERFLEX, FJ has been quick to recognise [OL JOHUNPUN KLTVNYHWOPJZ VM [OL NVSÄUN WVW\SH[PVU While we see the younger demographics embracing this product with open arms, do you see the same response from FJ’s traditional market “sweet spot” - the older and more mature golfer? Do you see the traditionalist and conservatively minded accepting HYPERFLEX? In fact, what’s the market read from this demographic segment since the product was launched? Can you give us a sense of the acceptance level?

SG: This project started with a focus on the “younger minded” individual. The team focused on the types of products they prefer in all areas of their lives; professional and recreational. They then created a golf shoe in HyperFlex that matches extreme golf performance with those personal preferences. While the mind-set is definitely younger than many of our other shoe categories, it has been very interesting to see the broad range of players that have gravitated to it. Whereas 10-15 years ago, you would not have seen many 40, 50 or 60 year olds in this type of styling, today it is quite commonplace.

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Players are more athletic today in general and HyperFlex appeals to that mindset.

AG: Besides rocking the golf shoe world, HYPERFLEX has also given us an insight into how well connected FJ is to today’s marketplace and consumption trends. For a company that has its origins tracking back to 1857, it is demonstrating that it registers really high on the “COOL� barometer. While the classics that made FJ are still around, you have populated your landscape with golf shoes that cater to every demographic sector and taste. This shows tremendous versatility.

Can we assume that henceforth, FJ is going to be very sensitive to the younger demographics in the global marketplace?

SG: Our target audience is the avid player, regardless of age the player who takes their game seriously and wants to perform at a higher level. They expect all of their products - balls, clubs, gloves, footwear and apparel - to contribute to that experience.

And while all are interested in performance, their styling and fashion preferences run the full spectrum. We still offer the traditional patterns and colours for the players who prefer that look while now, more-and-more, expanding into brighter colours and more fashionforward looks.

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SPECIAL FEATURE Focus On FootJoy

AG: Golf shoes have now become more like fashion accessories. They are trendy and the colours are exciting.

With this as background, would it be fair to say that the release of new models will become more seasonal and more frequent going forward?

SG: I would certainly say that is true of colour and we will continue to bring a fresh flow of fashion and colour in all of our categories.

However, we will only make structural changes in categories when we feel we have something to add for the avid player. Change for the sake of change doesn’t do the player any good. I think the recent changes in many products are just superficial. When FootJoy brings a new product to market, you can be assured that there is a performance reason for the change.

AG: Related to the above question are changing trends in smart casual wear. We are seeing more people, golfers and 30

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non-golfers dressing up in golf apparel, shoes and accessories. It’s COOL to be seen dressed in these products. Again, do you see this trend growing as casual wear and comfort take on a paramount prominence both in and out of the VɉJL&

SG: We couldn’t agree more. Today’s players want products that help them to perform at their best on the course and then have the ability to transition into their work or recreational lives. With the wardrobe for many professionals moving toward more of a casual look, this highlights the need for products that can be worn across all environments.

AG: From being just a golf shoe company, FJ has grown exponentially. Today, you are major player in shoes, apparel and accessories – we notice that the apparel sector of FJ has become a major player. Range and quality and design have also expanded. Share with us your thoughts on the phenomenal growth your are L_WLYPLUJPUN HJYVZZ HSS VM `V\Y WYVK\J[ SPULZ&

SG: When we completed our entry into full-line apparel back in 2012, we had lofty expectations of where we could be by 2015. We actually eclipsed those numbers within 2 years and are well ahead of our original plan. With the player acceptance of our apparel products, we have gradually expanded our line and will continue to do so. With

the energy created in footwear by DNA and HyperFlex, the continued success of our glove range and the positive momentum for FJ Apparel and accessories, yes, we feel as if we are firing on all cylinders.

AG: FJ is already the #1 shoe and glove company in golf.

Looking ahead do you see the brand ascending to the top spot in the golf apparel and accessories business in the UL_[ ML^ `LHYZ [V JVTL& SG: That certainly would be nice but we really don’t get caught up so much in the market position. In apparel, many brands come and go. We want to provide the golfer with the types of performance products that will keep them coming back to the FJ brand for years to come. When a player goes to his closet every day and has to choose between all the brands he owns, we want him to choose FJ. That is what drives us!

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Mizuno JPX Golf Ball

The real function of the “micro dimples” kicks in as a golf ball peaks and slows by stalling the descent phase by a fraction. This is what results in the new JPX golf ball being able to increase its overall airtime.”

– Masashi Tamakoshi

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We’ve all heard about hang-time in basketball and in football. For the uninitiated, hang-time is the length of time a punted football remains in the air or the length of time a leaping athlete, as a basketball player jumping for a dunk shot, remains in mid-air.

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ut hang-time in golf? Jiminy cricket! You bet your sweet bippy! It’s for real and it’s awesome!

Now that we’ve done with the exclaiming and swearing, what’s the big deal about hang-time in golf? Well you see, the smart guys at Mizuno Golf have just come out after having been closeted for untold hours, days and months (three years to be precise), with a product that they believe will knock the socks of your feet.

All the excitement is centred on a revolutionary golf ball that takes the conventional golf ball dimple to new heights. Introducing the brand new Mizuno JPX Golf Ball!

This revolutionary golf ball comes hot on the heels of the high performance MP-S and MP-X golf balls from Mizuno.

Central to the Mizuno JPX Golf Ball is the addition of “micro-dimples” to the conventional dimple pattern on a golf ball. The “micro-dimple” concept came out of cutting edge research undertaken in collaboration with the Fukuoka Institute of Technology into the ‘descent’ phase of ball flight. This is a phase that Mizuno was quick to recognise as being the least optimised in terms of current dimple design.

Masashi Tamakoshi, Mizuno’s Head of Golf Ball Development explains that the addition of ‘micro-dimples’ located around each larger dimple on the ball effectively

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slows down the ball’s descent to extend airtime and therefore distance. That’s it! The extra-hang-time really works!

According to Tamakoshi the real function of the “micro dimples” kicks in as a golf ball peaks and slows by stalling the descent phase by a fraction. This is what results in the new JPX golf ball being able to increase its overall airtime.

Tamakoshi explains that the dimple cluster featured on the JPX ball really does its job towards the end of the ball’s flight. The micro dimples form part of a 512 dimple pattern wrapped around a three-piece construction that makes the JPX golf ball very soft and responsive.

Does the hang-time technology affect higher ball speeds at impact? Absolutely not according to Tamakoshi. “It’s all about keeping the ball in the air for s slightly longer time on its way down!” he emphasised.

Well, now that you have been introduced to the brand new Mizuno JPX golf ball, get out there on the course and show your golfing buddies how you can eke out a few more yards on your golf drive with hang-time technology!

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Wilson Staff D200 Series

One thing that no one can fault Wilson Staff is for being consistent. This one century old golf equipment manufacturer has lasted for 100 years by not being wishywashy about how it has gone about its research and development projects.

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few years back, Wilson Staff launched the D-100 family of golf clubs and the big buzz about these clubs centred on an engineering phenomenon that it called “The Right Light™ technology.

In simple terms, it’s all about infusing limited available mass to create a powerful, solid-feeling, balanced golf club, increasing club head speeds with the same swing effort for greater distance.

Since the introduction of this new technology, Wilson Staff has gone on to launch the D200 series which takes “The Right Light™ technology to a whole new level.

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In this special report, Asian Golf provides an exclusive insight to the revolutionary D200 series.

After the D100s, the natural progression for Wilson Staff was to take the next bold step which was to introduce adjustability features. What does this mean to a golfer, especially a slower-swinging player? Well, in a nutshell it means that golfers with a slower swing speed can now use a feature that heretofore was more or less meant for golfers with fast swing speeds without adding to the weight.

Michael Vrska, Wilson Staff’s Global Director of Innovation told Asian Golf, “The D200 driver technology is revolutionary - ultra lightweight (SuperLight) combined with adjustability has never been achieved before.” According to him, the company worked for over two years to get the adjustable components and the right materials to be as light as possible and to create a strong enough internal support structure to house those components. “The secret to making a Super-

The secret to making a SuperLight product is to use every available gram optimally so that you obtain a solid feeling, great sounding driver with the right launch and spin.”

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Wilson Staff D200 Series Light product is to use every available gram optimally so that you obtain a solid feeling, great sounding driver with the right launch and spin. That’s not easy, which is why the D200 driver is a game changer,” Vrska explained.

The D200 driver is a game changer alright – it can be set from 1° weaker to 1° stronger than the marked loft, and the club offers upright settings that produce a draw bias. At 268 grams, the D200 is one gram lighter than its predecessor, the D100. In the Asian Golf test, it was discovered that the D200 driver was not only easier to swing – it looks like Wilson Staff has ingeniously designed it to be a slice-buster, too. This is wonderful news for slow swingers!

“We discovered a way to make the D200 driver even lighter than the D100 while adding adjustability. The lightweight feel in these clubs allows the player to swing even faster with the same effort, providing uncharted distances,” said Doug Thiel, Wilson Staff’s Global Director of Marketing.

The advanced technology has also been applied to the D200 series of fairway woods, hybrids and irons. The woods and hybrids utilize 455 Carpenter Steel which produces higher CT and ball speeds than other types of steel and are high launching and very easy to hit.

The D200 irons are also loaded with cutting edge technology that Wilson Staff calls Speed Sole Technology. Essentially what the company has done is to remove the extra material

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We are challenging consumers to try Wilson Staff when they step into the fitting bay. We have always made great equipment but we are taking a stand behind our innovation with confidence; asking people to put our 7 iron up against any competitor out there, guaranteeing we’ll be longer and straighter.” behind the bottom of the face of the iron to create driver-like CT and deliver higher performance on shots hit low on the face. This innovation has resulted in more weight being moved to the heel and toe of the iron, resulting in higher MOI and more forgiveness.

Thiel also took the opportunity to inform Asian Golf about another exciting new product from Wilson Staff – the DUO golf ball. “We are maintaining our low compression leadership by launching the World’s Softest Golf Ball. The new DUO truly is a game-changer and the industry has taken notice. 2015 will be a very telling year for us.”

“Our key focus in 2015 is the D200 line of equipment – designed for the D, or Distance player – which accounts for the majority of the market,” said Tim Clarke, President of Wilson Staff. “We are challenging consumers to try Wilson Staff when they step into the fitting

bay. We have always made great equipment but we are taking a stand behind our innovation with confidence; asking people to put our 7 iron up against any competitor out there, guaranteeing we’ll be longer and straighter.”

Clarke who has led the progress of Wilson Staff for the past few years pointed out: “It is bold moves like these that will earn consideration of our brand. That and having tour-proven equipment. Led by Padraig Harrington’s win at The Honda Classic, our players are off to a strong start Wilson Staff ranks golfers in three distinct categories that lay focus on: Q Feel Q Control Q Distance As state earlier, the D200s are all about the “D” player – the player who wants distance. And these new clubs do just that – in play, they add some yards, are more accurate and inspire confidence.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Scotty Cameron: GOLO Family Of Putters

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The name Scotty Cameron is sacred in the game of golf. Golfers, both professionals and club players alike play with a special sense of confidence when they hold a putter that bears the Scotty Cameron name.

The living legend grew up making putters and his design philosophy is anchored on a simple belief that when a putter is finished, it should look like it melts into the ground. Herein lies the unique mark of distinction that makes a putter produced by Scotty Cameron the finest putters for the best players in the world.

Today, Scotty Cameron in partnership with the Acushnet Company (the parent company of Titleist) continues to produce the most sought after range of putters in the world.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS Scotty Cameron: GOLO Family Of Putters

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he genius of Scotty Cameron is back and this time around, it has manifested itself in an exciting range of putters labelled as the GOLO putter.

In describing the GOLO family of putters, Cameron declared, “Few sensory perceptions rival the satisfaction of a perfectly struck putt and with my innovative face-sole core technology engineered into each new GOLO putter, that sensation can be experienced with every roll.”

The master craftsman went on to explain: “The GOLO line has been around for three years now, and it’s won a lot of golf tournaments with some of the best players in the world - we’ve moved in today’s technology, machining and computer systems and taken everything we’ve learned on tour to create an even better GOLO.” According to Cameron, the new range of GOLO putters possess a better feel, better sound, better alignment and better overall performance. “It’s the next wave of construction technology – and it’s simply better. Nobody else has done what we’ve done with this line,” he confidently claimed.

The new GOLOs are Cameron’s most forward-thinking design thoughts merged into a line that offers a variety of putter shapes and configurations to fit any player’s game. Each model incorporates new multimaterial, aircraft-grade aluminum and precision milled 303 stainless steel construction for improved MOI, increased stability and unbelievable forgiveness.

The steel frame is seamlessly connected to the aluminum face-sole core at five key points with new vibration dampening technology that delivers the softest feeling Cameron putter in recent years.

The steel body has a Silver Mist finish that elegantly contrasts with the dark anodized aluminum face-sole core that pops through the top to create a sightline field

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The new GOLOs are Cameron’s most forward-thinking design thoughts merged into a line that offers a variety of putter shapes and configurations to fit any player’s game. Each model incorporates new multi-material, aircraft-grade aluminum and precision milled 303 stainless steel construction for improved MOI, increased stability and unbelievable forgiveness.” on the back flange for easy alignment. Fourway relief on the sole prevents snagging for a smooth takeaway.

The new GOLOs include four models: GOLO 3, a mid-mallet with a heel shafted flow neck; GOLO 5, an angled back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft; GOLO 5R, a rounded back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft; and GOLO 6, a B-back mallet with a crisp single bend shaft.

A new GOLO 5 Dual Balance model is available for those players who prefer the GOLO mallet head but need maximum stability in their stroke.

In reference to the design of the GOLO putters, Cameron said, “The goal of the design was to move the weight out of the midsection and enhance the perimeter weighting like a horse-shoe around the outside to create higher moment of inertia and increase the resistance to twist ….. so the more we can get a horse-shoe, getting the weight out and back, the better off we are on off-centre hits.”

The face-sole core is a single piece of dark anodized lightweight aluminum that comprises the GOLO’s sole and midsection, wraps up and around to create the face and pops through the flange to create the sightline field. The aluminum forms the entire putter face, as opposed to a traditional face insert that occupies only a specific centre section of the face.

GOLO putters utilize new vibration dampening technology to achieve a seamless integration of the aluminum core and steel frame. Internal vibration dampeners in five strategic locations preserve the benefits of the aluminum, providing golfers with a softer feel and sound across the putter face.

“We now have the softest feeling putter we’ve ever had in the GOLO line,” Cameron said. “With the new vibration dampening system, when we put the two pieces together the aluminum actually does not touch the stainless steel. It’s very slick.”

The soles of the new GOLO models are designed with enhanced relief in four directions, front-to-back and heel-to-toe. “This is quite unique. We now have relief all the way around the sole, so it sits on the dead centre,” Cameron said. “Hardly ever are you on a

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flat surface on a putting green, so we made the draft angles perfect in each direction, front-to-back, heel-to-toe, so that you’re not going to snag the ground.”

“We feel in this new line that we have developed innovative putters for all mallet fans,” Cameron explained. He added, “Whether you’re a line guy, a round guy, a square guy, a soft guy, a heel-shafted guy – we’ve got it.”

In conjunction with the release of the GOLOs, Cameron has also announced the launch of his high performance line of Select putters with the new Select Roundback, a modern mid mallet design with tourvalidated balance and stability.

“When we introduced them a year ago, the Fastback and Squareback instantly resonated with golfers at every level of the game …... alignment is a huge trend on

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tour, and having multiple sight lines on a head works to benefit many golfers especially if you have difficulty setting up to the ball and squaring the face at impact, this is a great option.”

The new range includes three modern blade designs.

Select putters use a deepmilled face to deliver tourvalidated feel and soft sound.

Select weights in the heel and toe are perfectly matched to the shaft length to provide balance and stability.

Select Roundback, Fastback and Squareback have a shorter blade length and extended back with a red anodized aluminum soleplate that allows for a thicker steel face for solid feel. Each is designed with a single bend shaft that promotes minimal toe flow for players that want, or need, less arc in their putting stroke.

Select Roundback, Fastback and Squareback models feature vertical and horizontal pop-through sight lines on the back flange that are positioned directly between a player’s eyes, providing a visual reference to help square the face.

“Whether you prefer a horizontal or vertical sight line, the crisscross makes it easier to square the face. If you set the putter too far forward, the crisscross will make the face appear closed. If you put it too far back, it will look open. Alignment is more and more becoming the talk of the tour and the feedback out there has been fantastic,” Cameron explained.

So, for all those of you, who want a really great putter, check out the new range of putters from Scotty Cameron. You’d do well to stick one in your bag – there’s nothing like a powerful weapon to help you lower your scores.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS PING’s Point Of View

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f you struggle with your short game as I have, you know how quickly strokes can add up around the green. Well, I’m happy to report that help has arrived for us in the form of PING’s new Glide wedges, which have brought dramatic improvement for me. Judging by the number of tour events they’ve been part of with pros like Bubba Watson, Billy Horschel and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, my experience isn’t new.

With the Glide wedges it’s remarkably easy to make solid impact. As a result, I’m hitting approach shots closer to the flag and I’m getting up and down from off the green to save par and, even better, convert birdies. Our exciting new technology will help you achieve similar success.

With the Glide wedges we took a hands-down approach, engineering the club from grip to sole for maximizing trajectory control from any distance on full swings and touch shots alike. The combination of a specialized grip, wedge-specific shaft and new head designs has produced PING’s most consistent and versatile wedge line ever.

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With the Glide wedges we took a hands-down approach, engineering the club from grip to sole for maximizing trajectory control from any distance on full swings and touch shots alike. The combination of a specialized grip, wedge-specific shaft and new head designs has produced PING’s most consistent and versatile wedge line ever.”

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Loft, sole width and bounce angle are among the important considerations in the “scoring clubs” to make sure you can impart maximum spin and control on shots into the green.

PING’s new Glide wedges are custom-engineered with multiple loft and sole combinations [V Ä[ HU` Z^PUN L_WSHPUZ John K. Solheim, PING Vice President of Engineering.

BY JOHN K. SOLHEIM PING Vice President of Engineering

THE DYLA-WEDGE GRIP: In creating this unique grip, we took our inspiration from observing tour players who are especially skilled with their wedges. A trait they all share: They grip down when executing shots requiring utmost precision. Our proprietary grip is ¾ of an inch longer to encourage gripping down to achieve a lower trajectory and “dial in” tighter control on touch shots. Also, grip-down markings at 1 3/8-inch intervals guide hand placement, and a softer tapering profile improves feel when utilizing the lower grip-down markings.

CFS WEDGE SHAFT: Optimized in weight, flex and balance, this 118-gram proprietary shaft promotes lower launch with enhanced control, feel and stability (CFS). Also, the swingweights get progressively heavier from the lower to the higher lofts, creating a heavier system weight to provide a more stable feel that further enhances control. w w w. p i n g . c o m

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EQUIPMENT FOCUS PING’s Point Of View The Glide wedges offer a specialized grip, shaft and head custom-engineered to deliver the trajectory control you need to attack pins and consistently knock the ball close.

So visit a PING custom fitter to determine which Glide wedges are the best fit for your swing and your game.

You’ll be better for it.”

IMPROVED TURF INTERACTION: Concerted effort was made to improve turf interaction by modifying the lead-edge radius, primary camber (or bounce), and trail edge/heel relief. The goal was to optimize performance on full shots in the lower lofts and maximize versatility in the higher-lofted wedges. A morerounded lead edge improves initial turf interaction at impact while trail edge/ heel relief unlocks versatility when opening the face.

FITTING BY SOLE TYPE: Three sole configurations – standard, thin and wide -- ensure the wedges will glide through the turf and allow golfers to be fit according to their attack angle and most common turf and sand conditions.

Standard Sole (SS) – A balance of versatility and playability, best suited for players with a moderate attack angle and divot depths, and when turf conditions vary.

Thin Sole (TS)– Maximum versatility. With the least amount of bounce it performs best from tight lies and a shallow attack angle and shallow divots. Heel relief enables golfers to keep the lead edge low when opening the face.

Wide Sole (WS) – Maximum forgiveness. This configuration is highly forgiving due to the large sole width. A good fit for softer playing conditions and a steep angle of attack because it prevents digging.

LOFT-OPTIMIZED GORGE GROOVES: We’ve engineered two groove designs in the Glide wedges to optimize their versatility. The radius and wall angles vary by loft in our Gorge grooves (which are precision-milled at PING) to ensure higher spin for consistent, predictable results.

In lofts 47° through 54°, grooves have a 16° sidewall for more groove volume to maximize spin consistency on full shots.

In the 56° through 60° lofts, a 24° sidewall and tighter radius help compress and “grab” the ball to maximize spin on short approaches and chip shots for added precision around the green.

MOISTURE-REPELLING FINISH: Another attribute that aids performance is the chrome-plated 431 stainless steel head. The finish repels moisture to create more friction for improved spin and consistency in wet conditions and lies in the rough.

We’ve all experienced the frustration of standing in the fairway with a wedge in our hands, in position to make par or better, only to misplay a shot or two and let the scoring opportunity slip away. The Glide wedges offer a specialized grip, shaft and head custom-engineered to deliver the trajectory control you need to attack pins and consistently knock the ball close. So visit a PING custom fitter to determine which Glide wedges are the best fit for your swing and your game. You’ll be better for it.

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EQUIPMENT FOCUS Taylormade’s AeroBurner Irons

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What do Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton, MotoGP’s Marc Marquez and Usain Bolt have in common? These are the fastest humans on four wheels, two wheels and on two human legs. They are all about speed, lightning fast, blinding speed! Now that we have put speed into proper perspective, let’s [HRL P[ PU[V H [V[HSS` KPɈLYLU[ YLHST ¶ [OL ^VYSK VM NVSM While many perceive golf to be a slow and time-consuming game, this is MHY MYVT [OL [Y\[O 6UL VM [OL TVZ[ WYVSPÄJ THU\MHJ[\YLYZ VM NVSM JS\IZ OHZ just launched a trio of new golf products that embody two special characteristics. The products generate incredible speed and outstanding distance!

I

nterested? OK – we’ll let the news rip right across our pages!

Meet the speed merchants of golf - Taylormade’s AeroBurner irons, the AeroBurner Minidriver and the AeroBurner golf balls.

AeroBurner irons is a brand new product line and follows in the footsteps of the AeroBurner metalwoods. The irons are built for distance through speed, and have been engineered to deliver unsurpassed stability and explosive distance.

TaylorMade reports that in designing the AeroBurner irons, it has stretched the limits of innovation. “The Aeroburner iron features an up-to-the-limit COR face design engineered to maximize ball speed off the clubface and a low centre of gravity generates high launch and great feel throughout the set,” said a company spokesman. Additionally, the high-MOI head design provides enhanced forgive-

ness and stability on balls hit across the clubface. This is user-friendliness and playability taken to its limit.

“The AeroBurner iron breaks the mold of the typical distance iron and brings distance to all golfers,” said Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s Director of Product Creation. “Never before has up-to-the-limit COR speed and distance been delivered in such an easy-to-play and confidence-inspiring package.

Distance has now come to all golfers.”

To create the ultimate distance iron, TaylorMade engineers have optimized loft and CG placement for consistent, powerful shot-making from any lie.

Incorporating TaylorMade’s revolutionary Speed Pocket™ technology to promote higher launch angles and more ball speed, AeroBurner irons protect ball speed on shots hit low on the face for more consistent distances all across the face.

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EQUIPMENT FOCUS Taylormade’s AeroBurner Irons Performance aside, aesthetically, the AeroBurner irons feature a brushed satin head finish similar to TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred irons. The satin finish reduces glare off the clubface while delivering a sleek look. A longer blade length, more offset and thicker topline give all golfers an inspiring, confidence-boosting appearance at address.

AeroBurner irons are available in 5-iron through sand wedge, equipped with TM7415 by Mitsubishi-Rayon graphite shaft (S, R), and a KBS C-Taper 90 steel shaft (S,R) options.

Complementing the AeroBurner irons is the AeroBurner Mini Driver, a 253cc metalwood equipped with a 43.5” shaft. For those who remember the revolutionary SLDR mini-driver, note that the AeroBurner version is designed to deliver even more speed and forgiveness than its predecessor. The Mini Driver is specially engineered for players who commonly drive with their 3-wood.

The Mini Driver is a new category from TaylorMade, delivering golfers 2 club options in 1; a driver alternative or a 3-wood replacement. Many of the same features engineered into the other AeroBurner metalwoods are now part of this new category.

Like all of the AeroBurner metalwoods, the AeroBurner Mini Driver is “Made of Speed”.

Taking everything they’ve learned from

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AeroBurner’s Mini Driver features the biggest open channel Speed Pocket of any TaylorMade metalwood in company history, increasing the size of the sweet spot while reducing spin. A larger hittable face area and decreased overall size promote improved playability in a confidence-inspiring shape.” the development of SLDR Mini Driver, TaylorMade engineers have taken AeroBurner Mini Driver to the next level, designing a product with a new aerodynamic shape, shallow face, raised centre crown and incorporated a new hosel fin, created to maximize clubhead speed during the downswing. With emphasis placed on low-forward CG, Mini Driver delivers driver-like launch conditions off the tee with remarkable accuracy.

Additionally, similar to the entire AeroBurner Mini Driver features the biggest open channel Speed Pocket of any TaylorMade metalwood in company history,

increasing the size of the sweet spot while reducing spin. A larger hittable face area and decreased overall size promote improved playability in a confidence-inspiring shape.

Aesthetically, AeroBurner Mini Driver comes with a crown with a new matte white finish, a black PVD face and linear crown graphic, features implemented to facilitate easy, accurate face alignment. The TP model is designed with a longer hosel, flatter lie angle and more open face angle.

“The SLDR Mini Driver captivated golfers on all skill levels by delivering better

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3-wood performance from the tee,” said Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Metalwood Creation. “With AeroBurner, we’ve now designed a metalwood that delivers even more speed and forgiveness to this new, popular club type.”

Rounding up the speed package from TaylorMade is the AeroBurner Pro golf balls. This is a three-piece ball engineered for high ball speeds off the clubface, designed to deliver speed and distance with pro-like stopping power.

Key to the performance of AeroBurner Pro are TaylorMade’s patented and proven technologies, including a new, softer REACT™ Core for greater ball speed on all shots for increased distance and Low-Drag Performance Aerodynamics (LDP™) 342 high-lift, low drag dimple pattern designed to launch high and sustained flight. The spin control and soft feel come from the interface of TaylorMade’s SPIN MANTLE™ and proprietary IOTHANE® cover.

So, what are you waiting for? Rush out and put the power package from AeroBurner to the speed test. It’s going to be one helluva scorching experience!

Rounding up the speed package from TaylorMade is the AeroBurner Pro golf balls. This is a three-piece ball engineered for high ball speeds off the clubface, designed to deliver speed and distance with pro-like stopping power a confidence-inspiring shape.”

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SPECIAL FEATURE Grow The Game!

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This article is being dedicated to the golf industry in Southeast Asia. For more than 50 years, golf course development has been experiencing steady growth in this region which is home to more than 600 million people, living in an environment that is rated to be one of the fastest growing regions in the world. Today, there are over 800 golf courses in Southeast Asia and more being added on every year.

While there is progress in the development of new courses, many of the existing courses have been around for between 20 and 30 years and a good percentage are beginning to show signs of wear and tear and some have been ravaged to an extent where the facilities are no longer playable.

SPECIAL FEATURE Grow The Game!

H

ow do you know if your golf course needs renovation? You first have to look at the game of golf as it is played today and the people playing it.

The game of golf is changing, and has been for some time. Recent trends in golf course architecture have had a tremendous impact on the playability and maintainability of golf courses. Technological advances in turf grass, irrigation systems, maintenance equipment, chemicals, and maintenance practices are all changing the face of the game. All of these things are inter-related and affect each other as they are applied to the golf course.

Against this backdrop, Asian Golf sat down with one of the biggest names in the business of golf course design in the world, Schmidt Curley Design. This company has received numerous accolades for its

award winning golf course developments including the Asian Golf Award for Best Golf Course Architect in the Asia Pacific for the past three years.

We spoke to Brian Curley, the cofounder and principal of the company and we now present excerpts of the interview where he shares his thoughts on the process of renovation:

ASIAN GOLF: Let’s look at the rich and diverse legacy that golf has created in the region over the last 30 years.

In this period of time, the population of golf courses in Southeast Asia in particular has ballooned to over 800 courses. Many of these courses are now fairly advanced in age and due for renovation. Do you think that this is a fair assumption?

BRIAN CURLEY: There is no question

these courses often need some help. Even the best construction efforts need help over time. Many of these were built with less than proper construction techniques to begin with so the need is much greater. In addition, the business often sees trends and attitudes in design change and the marketplace can be very fickle. Good owners and operators will understand the value of improvements on a long term basis. There has been a monumental movement in what is considered a proper course with less emphasis on perfectly manicured courses but more rustic and natural. This has been a very difficult sell in Asia especially but times have changed and the pendulum is shifting this way. Ultimately, owners will see that adjustments to the course will result in sometimes substantial reductions in operation cost and all the while pleasing the golfers with better visuals and, perhaps, better conditions and playability.

Good owners and operators will understand the value of improvements on a long term basis. There has been a monumental movement in what is considered a proper course with less emphasis on perfectly manicured courses but more rustic and natural.�

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There is a strong argument for a renovation that takes time, even a few years. There is no need to rush to a new product when the budget may prevent it. Better to take your time and do it right over a longer period as long as the course is somewhat proper.”

AG: As one of the most highly regarded golf course design companies in the world, give us a sense of how you view renovation. Age alone is not the only criterion to proceed with a renovation project. Correct?

BC: Correct. We have a couple of renovation deals that are very young but poorly designed courses that golfers hate and will not return to. Quite often this has been in the quest for difficulty over playability. Golfers will accept (and support) difficult courses where you can find your ball. But, as I have often said, losing your ball is tough and is no fun, even for the best players. Many courses that average players see as overly intimidating are seen in much the same manner by professionals. Many players (and owners) think a course must be tough to be considered great but this attitude is changing and the players that matter (the ones who do not play for free but are paying the bills) should have a louder voice. I believe you will see a drastic shift on an annual basis in the top rankings of courses in Asia over the years until the dust settles and the focus is on many factors much greater than difficulty.

AG: Many owners that we have spoken to feel that renovation is like adding a new room or toilet to an existing

home. How can this overly simplistic mindset be changed and why is it important to view a renovation project from a holistic perspective?

BC: Many of these owners have never had a qualified person give them a real analysis of their course and what the potential may be. I have opened the eyes of many owners who are now looking to ways to stay on top of a market and remain the best possible product for their users. I think many owners feel that the money spent will not be seen.

This could be the case but there can also be great strides in the proper direction on marginal budgets if the right person is giving a solution or suggestion.

AG: Another owner that we talked to

maintained that he was only interested in renovating his greens and was not interested in doing something about the fairways which, by our estimation had compacted over the years and was rock solid. Your advice?

existing traps are too shallow. Again, your thoughts?

BC: They must be really shallow! We have done many deep bunkers over the years but only if there was commensurate fairway width. The combination of deep bunkers and narrow fairways is a lethal recipe. I prefer less depth nowadays and, perhaps, more random placement.

AG: 0Z YL[YV Ä[[PUN VY WHY[PHS renovation advisable?

BC: Sure. There is a strong argument for a renovation that takes time, even a few years.

There is no need to rush to a new product when the budget may prevent it. Better to take your time and do it right over a longer period as long as the course is somewhat proper.

AG: Oftentimes, irrigation systems are totally out of commission. Given the fact that a golf course needs to IL LɉJPLU[S` HUK LɈLJ[P]LS` ^H[LYLK would it not make sense to invest PU H UL^ JVZ[ LɈLJ[P]L HUK TVKLYU irrigation system?

BC: Many factors and questions here. Is it walking only? Do carts add to the problem?

Is there a proper path system? A lot of problems are the result of another related issue.

BC: Absolutely, and this is quite often the

AG: Likewise, there is another who wants his bunkers only to be deepened because he feels that the

first step in the process to look at more work such as bunkers or turf changes. Many, many, remodels are the result of irrigation change.

SPECIAL FEATURE Grow The Game!

thinks players want but the Western markets have been very accepting of the look.

AG: Would you subscribe to the thinking that a renovation project would be an ideal opportunity for HU V^ULY [V THRL H KPɉJ\S[ JV\YZL friendlier and easier to play on which in turn would help grow the game and generate more operating revenue for the club?

BC: Certainly. This should be at the top of

AG: In a complete course renovation, would it make sense to minimize grassed areas along fairways to reduced maintenance cost?

BC: Only if there is a well thought out substitute for the reduction of turf. Many Asian climates would be difficult to introduce a sandy waste area as is often the case in many other climates. The amount of rainfall often dictates that you must keep a very maintainable surface. This is why so many courses just opt to plant out wall to wall turf rather than fight weeds and snake habitat.

AG: In a renovation project would you consider the utilization of native grass species on fairways – after all, these are rugged and robust species that will be naturally resistant to pest attacks, less demanding on water and totally capable of growing and remaining healthy without the use of growth enhancing chemicals and fertilizers?

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BC: It sounds great in concept but often hits a snag with the marketplace that demands good conditioning. I am hopeful that this will become more accepted as the concerns for the cost of playing drive players away from the game. If you study old footage of major championship golf, the courses were often less than mint in condition. I am hopeful this can change in time.

AG: One of the biggest challenges confronting the world today is the growing scarcity of fresh water.

Against this doomsday scenario, wouldn’t it make sense to factor this important consideration into any renovation project?

BC: Of course. Reducing turf from the beginning needs to be a given. The difficulty down the road is what to plant while maintaining playability and a good look.

The reality is that dry, hardpan areas can be very playable, maybe not what the owners

the list in any renovation. How do we drive more players as well as just a concern for rates increasing revenue? Many courses exist with small profit margins and a slight increase would be a huge impact to the bottom line. Again, the long term look may drive the acceptance of spending “now” money in search of long term revenues.

AG: Renovation would also be a great way to correct the mistakes made on H NVSM JV\YZL ^OLU P[ ^HZ ÄYZ[ I\PS[ Agree?

BC: No doubt. Asia has no shortage of courses that were poorly thought out, designed, and constructed. Too often the novice believes this is what a golf course should look and play like. I have long seen this as one of the barriers to the growth of the game. Players go from the range to a course that is poorly designed and unplayable resulting in a frustrated player that gives up. Too often these players go straight to the back tees of a difficult course rather than build up a skill level. Starting with proper experience could help immensely in growing the game.

SPECIAL FEATURE Grow The Game

T

It’s been a few weeks since the Japan Golf Goods Association (JGGA) announced its decision to permit the use of non-conforming golf clubs. In a statement, the JGGA said it “believes that it is desirable for the stimulation of the golf market to have a wide variety of golf equipment available in the marRL[ MYVT ^OPJO HSS [`WLZ VM NVSMLYZ TH` JOVVZL PU VYKLY [V ÄUK VUL [OH[ YLHSS` Ä[Z [OLPY YLZWLJ[P]L W\YWVZLZ HUK ULLKZ OVWPUN that more and more golfers will enjoy playing golf as a result of such improvement in the golf equipment market.”

his was all that was needed for the newly formed US Recreational Golf Association (USRGA) to swing into action.

It’s founding president, Dave Felker, in full support of the bold Japanese decision declared, “It is refreshing to see that the JGGA has decided to lead the charge of sensibility and encourage Japanese golf equipment manufacturers to develop non-conforming products so recreational golf consumers will finally have an expanded range of products to choose from, which is the norm in most other sports. We applaud the JGGA’s decision!”

Felker, a crusader for non-forming golf equipment and accessories has been leading the drive for a change towards nonconforming equipment. In fact, some years back, he launched the controversial Polara golf ball which is said to be a ball that goes straight but is non-conforming. He followed this revolution with the introduction of the Polara Advantage driver which is said to blast a ball to great lengths. Once again, it falls

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foul of the USGA and R&A because the driver does not conform to their respective rules.

“Once Japanese manufacturers start to develop more non-conforming clubs for the Asian market and it becomes a norm, it is not a stretch to expect them to begin to export the products to the US and Europe and we fully expect this to shift to happen soon,” Felker explained.

When asked how American and European equipment manufacturers will react to the Japanese affront, Felker said, “From what we have heard and seen, the major US golf OEMs have been afraid to move into the recreational golf equipment market because they still remember the USGA’s reaction when Callaway Golf Company introduced the ERC II driver.”

Fact From The Past: The ERC II Driver created a world-wide stir with its hot “ultra-thin” Forged Titanium face which was deemed illegal for tournament play by the USGA. According to Felker, he does not expect the USGA to say anything because they do not want to create any more ill will with the

recreational golf community and they now recognize that recreational golf is outside their jurisdiction. “Perhaps the bigger issue is, “How do brands like Srixon, Bridgestone, Callaway, Taylor-Made, Cobra, etc. market recreational products using their “pyramidof-influence” marketing model and their stables of highly paid Pro Tour players?”

Felker questioned.

In explaining himself, Felker gave the following example of what could happen on a TV commercial featuring a golf superstar endorsing a non-conforming golf club: “Even though I don’t play this driver on the Pro Tour, when I am playing with my buddies for fun and want to obsolete another golf course, I pull out the Callaway ERC-17 and then go on to eagle every par 5 on the course. You can do the same. I guarantee it”?

The USRGA believes that many major equipment manufacturers will create alternative brands as not to create brand identity confusion in the market (like Titleist and Pinnacle, from Acushnet and TaylorMade and Adams Golf from adidas) and will have

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All of these changes will undoubtedly lead to growth in the number of recreational golfers, many of whom will one day graduate to the ranks of serious competitive and serious tournament golfers – all great developments for the game of golf.” – Dave Felker non-Tour Players endorsing their recreational product lines.

“To help manufacturers who market recreational equipment that exceeds the performance limitations established by the USGA and R&A, the USRGA has developed an insignia that can be featured on products and marketing materials that states, “Conforms to USRGA Rules of Golf.” The insignia (shown below) is available to all partners/ sponsors of the USRGA. Felker pointed out.

The USRGA believes all the efforts to recognize and better serve recreational golf will have many positive benefits for the game of golf. This is how the fledging

organization argues its case: J Simply recognizing recreational golf is distinct and different from governing serious competitive golf and is not part of the USGA and R&A’s jurisdiction will eliminate all of the confusion and concern about having to follow rules that are not meant for recreational golf; J The USRGA Rules will still provide structure to the game but will enable golfers to have more fun.

J Offer golfers a wider range of high performance equipment that is only limited by the laws of physics that will make the game easier to learn for beginners, more fun to play for current golfers and will likely bring lapsed golfers back to the game, especially those that will benefit from the enhanced equipment.

J By removing the artificial limits on

equipment performance, this will open up new opportunities for all golf companies to reach new equipment performance levels and even expand the size of their golf equipment offerings.

“All of these changes will undoubtedly lead to growth in the number of recreational golfers, many of whom will one day graduate to the ranks of serious competitive and serious tournament golfers – all great developments for the game of golf,” said Felker.

Meanwhile, the USRGA has been very busy promoting “Grow the Game” initiatives to build momentum around the world.

“The USRGA will play an expanding role as more and more individuals and associations adopt the USRGA Rules of Golf and the more USRGA members, the louder our voice will be in the golf community and this will benefit everyone,” Felker concluded.

GAME IMPROVEMENT

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Eureka! The problem’s solved! This is what’s screwing up your golf game – it’s called the Amygdala, an almond shaped mass of nuclei (mass of cells) located deep within the brain. It is that part that is involved in many of our emotions and motivations, particularly those that are related to survival. The amygdala is involved in the processing of emotions such as fear, anger, and pleasure. The amygdala is also responsible for determining what memories are stored and where the memories are stored in the brain. If only you can gain control over your Amygdala …………

By John Haime

I

sat slumped on the end of my golf bag.

This time it was Melbourne, and I had just missed another cut. I was struggling, frustrated, and angry.

The future did not look bright for a 22-year old whose professional golf career was supposed to be full of promise.

My downward spiral had started weeks earlier, at another international tournament, when Australia’s Greg Norman, the world’s top golfer, changed the dynamic of my world.

I was standing on the first tee as the crowd favorite came into view—Norman’s group was playing right after mine—and the atmosphere became charged. There was more money, more people, more pressure.

For the first time in my professional career, my hands and knees were shaking at the first tee. After an embarrassing start and an uncomfortable first nine holes, the day drew to a miserable climax on the second nine as my score and my head both spun out of control.

Somehow I managed to hit a long, straight

drive off the eighteenth tee down the fairway lined with people from tee to the green waiting to catch a glimpse of “The Shark”, just behind me. I was very much aware that the crowd was not there to see me.

I set-up as usual for the second shot but, with my emotions racing, I lost focus. To my horror I screamed a low, wild shot right into the crowd, hitting an older gentleman squarely on the shoulder. The crowd cleared and made room for me to approach my next shot, an easy little 60 yarder I’d hit a million

GAME IMPROVEMENT The small, almond-shaped part of your brain called the amygdala is the troublemaker, pushing you around on the golf course and causing you to lose your cool.” times. What was supposed to be a simple little shot onto the green careened out over to the other side and into the grandstand, hitting a middle-aged lady in the leg.

“Are you done, mate?” one fan screamed at me from the top of the grandstand as the crowd’s hero came into view. I took my drop and made five more clumsy shots before the agony ended.

Can You Keep it Together?

How many times have you heard broadcasters say during a golf tournament, “If Tiger or Phil or Stacey or Michelle can control his (or her) emotions today, they can win this event.”

That applies to you and me too: If you don’t control your emotions, you won’t win.

If, too often, you find that you can’t, you can blame it on the fact that you are walking around the golf course with a brain that hasn’t made significant advancement in 10,000 years!

When survival was the every-day priority and reacting to threats was a constant reality, this brain was a caveman’s best friend. But you’re a golfer, not a caveman, and your brain can’t differentiate between a life-threatening situation and a four-foot putt for par and your best score of the year.

The small, almond-shaped part of your brain called the amygdala is the troublemaker, pushing you around on the golf course and causing you to lose your cool.

Even if you play like Rory McIlroy on one hole, an amygdala hijack can make you play like Charles Barkley on the next.

When the amygdala hijacks your brain and your emotions override your neocortex—the thinking, rational part of your brain—to respond to the threat, your ability 60

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to reason and think logically are reduced.

Your working memory becomes less efficient while your blood pressure, adrenaline and hormone levels rise. It can take 3 to 4 hours for the chemicals to clear your system, with the possibility of more hijacks being triggered along the way, during the exact period of time it takes to play a typical round of golf.

So an almond-sized piece of your brain can undo all of your preparation and sabotage your (and my) golf score.

Overcoming the Brain Hijack Most of us need help to identify our triggers for an amygdala hijack and to develop strategies to overcome the resulting surge of hormones that reduce control of our mood, motivation and fear. At one point in my professional golf career, I had the kind of help that could have turned my game around. I didn’t realize its importance at the time.

It was at a tournament in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. A caddie I’ll call Brian— which happens to be an anagram for the word “brain”—was assigned to me. As soon as I met him, I knew there was something different about this caddie.

Brian could tell I was frustrated from a long, unsuccessful year, and there were all sorts of things bothering me on the golf course—most of them beyond my control.

When I would get in a bit of trouble, or start ranting and raving about something I could do nothing about, his calm voice would point out the futility of complaining about the weather, the state of the rough, a poor lie, and get me to focus on my routine and my game.

Brian made a point of getting to know

me. When I started to dip emotionally after a poor shot or a bad bounce, Brian reminded me that things would balance out and that I needed to keep moving forward. He learned about my habits and my character, and he had some useful things to say when I needed help. I can remember very clearly what Brian said to me on the first hole during the last round. “Just play like John Haime and you’ll be fine!”

That week was my best result of the year. I started with reasonable scores of 71 and 68 in the first two rounds, to get into good position in the tournament. I slipped to a 73 in the third round. But before the final round, Brian inspired me on the practice tee with some insightful comments about what he thought had happened the day before. I went on to finish the tournament with my best round, a 67.

I never saw Brian again after that week, and my golf game continued the downward slide I had created. But the lessons of that week in Victoria stayed with me, teaching me that emotions run the show in golf.

Jack Nicklaus, the greatest player of all-time, says that golf is about emotions and adjustments. Brian understood my emotions and helped me make the adjustments—to my emotions, thoughts and game—that would enable me to play at my best.

How Do You Fare with Emotional Golf Hazards?

How would you have done in my place that day on the course with Greg Norman at your

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heels and the crowd anxious and excited to see him?

New York Times science writer Daniel Goleman and others have proven that intelligence about emotions is twice as important as technical competence and IQ combined in determining whether someone’s performance will be average or outstanding.

Emotional Control is Like a Muscle You Can Build Thousands of young elite golfers and coaches worldwide are building emotional muscle and seeing results in their golf game—and in all parts of their lives. PGA and LPGA Tour Coach Steve Bann has had impressive results with his students using tools like the Emotional Intelligence Sports Inventory (ESi). He says, “Both Stuart Appleby and Nick Flanagan had immediate tournament success as a result of implementing the recommended strategies after taking the assessment to measure their emotional muscle.”

So what’s keeping you out of the golf “zone”?

You know that you play better when you “play within yourself” or play within your own “zone” as experts call it. So, if you know this, what’s keeping you out of the zone so much of the time?

Why is it that, when you hit the ball great on the practice tee and leave with a feeling of “I can do this,” jitters and fear set in when you are arrive at the first tee? Why, when you hit a poor shot do the negative feelings stay with you for 3, 9 or even 18 holes? There are many examples of emotional hazards you need to be able to navigate in your golf game.

A lack of awareness can push you to do things you can’t do in your game. How many times have you tried to do things on a golf course you know you can’t do—but tried them anyway and ended up frustrated and frazzled?

Your Keys to Building Emotional Muscle Emotions are the engine in the vehicle of performance, and the skills associated with building emotional muscle are indispensable to achieving competitive advantage for golfers.

If you want to enjoy the game more, activate your potential to bring your game to the next level, and be more effective in everything you do, spend

some time building your emotional muscles.

While emotional muscle is built with time and practice, here are a few simple keys to get you started:

1. KNOW YOU! It is normal for a golfer who slices the ball to stand up on the first tee with water on the right and start the day with a wet ball! Clearly understand your own strengths, limitations and triggers in the game. What do you do well, what is not so comfortable for you, and what bothers you and triggers a negative reaction?

2. CREATE YOUR OWN EMOTIONAL CADDIE™. The most important voice in golf—and your life—is your own. Golfers can get personal with their own self-criticism. Instead of critiquing performance, you may choose to attack yourself personally with negative comments. This stirs negative emotion. Everyone knows how a great, supportive caddie, like Brian, who helped me in Canada, can help your game.

You need to create your own Emotional Caddie™ to go everywhere with you.

This voice inside you must be shaped to be your biggest supporter.

3. DOUSE THE FLAMES WHEN IT GETS HOT. Tame the amygdala with the 90-second rule. The ability to notice what’s going on as it arises, and to slow down before you respond, is a crucial emotional skill. Brain experts tell us you have about 90 seconds before emotion really bubbles up. So, when you feel the emotion building, step back, take a breath and give yourself a 90-second window.

This awareness will help you control your feelings and soften them before they damage your game or your life.

4. STAY IN THE MOMENT TO STAY CALM. The future and past are distractions for you and stir emotion. Unfortunately, on the golf course there is little you can do about either one. Your destiny lies in the present moment. While the future is where your goals and achievements live, you achieve them through playing in the present.

ABOUT JOHN HAIME John Haime is a world-class specialist in the area of performance and one of the world’s leading authorities in Emotional Intelligence as it relates to performance in sport. He is the Author of You Are a Contender! Build Emotional Muscle to Perform Better and Achieve More … in Business, Sports and Life – a bestseller in the U.S. and Canada.

APRIL 2015

GAME IMPROVEMENT

Black Hat Golf Tips

It’s hot and Thailand, once again, is celebrating Songkran Festival! An absolutely fun and exciting tradition of splashing water on each other.

Think about it…over 60 million WLVWSL \ZPUN I\JRL[Z ÄSSLK ^P[O water and splashing it at each other!

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I

’ve always liked this tradition because it serves two basic purposes. It’s simple to do and the body becomes cool!

With that said, I’ve had many messages from students that still use the bucket drill as a reminder on how to improve their golf swing!

With the Masters being played this month at Augusta National, I would like to encourage golfers to “Master” the simple teachings of the bucket of water! It can most definitely improve your golf game!

Here’s how.

Players are always enthused by the idea that learning the game of golf can be simplified. They immediately connect the idea of “simple” with success and faster learning.

Helping them see the continuity between

putting, chipping, and the full swing is a big step toward simplification.

When we toss a bucket of water, it teaches the golfer two simple lessons.

Firstly, when holding the bucket at an address position, the body is normally set up naturally. The player doesn’t stand too wide or too narrow. The bucket is in a very natural position. Taking this understanding with a golf club in hand, it’s very important to hold the club in a natural position without standing too wide or too narrow. Keep it simple and natural!

Secondly, when moving the bucket from right to left, the brain is focused on the bucket and moving the inanimate object backwards and forwards. The bucket is in a natural finish position that allows the water to be splashed towards the target. With a

APRIL 2015

golf club, it’s no different.

It is very helpful for a player to conceive of the swing as a motion that is circular and travels around them versus a motion that goes “up” on the backswing and “down” on the forward swing. We want a golfer to understand that the backswing and the forward swing is part of a circular motion just like when we toss a bucket of water.

If you can M-A-S-T-E-R this understanding and apply it to your golf swing motion with a golf club, you will avoid many hitting problems.

I highly suggest you become more aware of your swinging motion and focus on swinging the club to the target like you would when tossing a bucket of water!

Trust me! Your golf game will improve in no time!

ABOUT TONY MEECHAI Born and brought up in the United States, Tony Meechai won his first golf tournament at the age of nine. He began working in the golf industry when aged 15 and competed in various Mini Tour and PGA Tour qualifiers after turning professional in 1994. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University and a degree in Marketing and Professional Golf Management, he has made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which time he has served as Director of Instruction at Thailand’s Heartland Golf Schools and Springfield Royal Country Club as well as presenting tips on numerous region-wide golf television shows. Recently, he founded the Tony Meechai Golf Academy that combines a curriculum including academics and golf education for aspiring Tour professionals. Programmes are in conjunction with international institutions throughout the world. For further information, please visit www.tmggroupasia.com or email to tony@tmggroupasia.com

www.tmggroupasia.com

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

THE 4 GOLF SUCCESS FACTORS That Will Fast-Track High School and College Golfers to the Pro Tour (PART 4)

O

ver the past few weeks we have discussed at length the importance of developing the following characteristics to give you the best chance possible of becoming a successful professional golfer; „ Your self-belief and confidence „ Your high pay-off golf skills „ The zero point formula Now we arrive at the last factor, the factor that truly determines whether you will be able to make it to the professional golf tour and stay there.

But before we get to it, let me share with you a powerful and true story to set the stage.

The Tour Golfer Who Won’t Give Up

David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).

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Imagine that you are 21 years old and fresh out of college and you have your heart set on going to PGA Tour qualifying school because like many young golfers you have dreamed of one day playing for pay on the big stage with the world’s best.

And like many golfers before you with a similar motivation, you decide to enter qualifying school and go through the rigorous qualifying process to attempt to earn your card to play on the PGA Tour.

Justin Peters exemplifies the mental toughness and grit you need mm

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And just like many golfers before you, you don’t get through the qualifying process to final stage.

No big deal though, as many tell you that it’s doubtful that you gain your card in your first or even your second attempt. You know you are a good enough player and you feel that it’s only a matter of time before you earn your card to play on a major tour.

So you decide to play on the pay to play mini tours to gain the valuable tournament experience that you need, and you achieve quite a bit of early success.

In fact you even win the inaugural reality show The Big Break on the The Golf Channel, so your future in golf looks bright for you.

You go back to tour school again confident in the knowledge that you can get through, but again you fail to get to the final stage and the chance to earn your tour card.

Undeterred, you spend more time playing various mini tours and you start to play some excellent golf, you start to contend more often in mini tour events, and you also win some of them.

Tour school rolls around once again and

you enter more confident in the knowledge that you can get through this time, but once again you fail to make it to last stage.

Now this process goes on one year after another and finally after 10 years of trying to qualify, you finally get through to final stage, and then you play well enough to secure your card to play on the Web.Com Tour.

Finally you are now off and running.

Now you have your chance to get your ticket to the PGA Tour. You just need to play well enough over a season on the Web.Com Tour.

You play in 23 Web.Com tournaments and you make the cut in 15, pretty good for your first year out, and you earn just shy of 72,000 dollars for the season, but its not good enough to get your ticket to the PGA Tour.

You are reasonably happy with your effort, but you know that you will have to do a lot better the next season if you want to get onto to the PGA Tour.

But you don’t.

You play in 11 Web.Com tournaments the following season and you make just one cut, so its back to the mini tours for you.

Disappointed but not deterred, you

APRIL 2015

keep developing your skills with the help of your instructor to lower your score average, and also get your game ready for another crack at tour school when it comes around.

The time arrives and you enter tour school again, and yet once more you fail to get to final stage, and the chance to gain your card, so you go back to the mini tours, and also enter the Monday qualifiers to try to get back onto the Web.Com tour.

Now all the way along this journey your golf scores have been getting better, you are scoring lower more often, and you are winning more mini tour events, predominantly on the GOLFSlinger.com tour.

You also successfully pre-qualify a number of times through Monday qualifying tournaments to play some Web.Com and PGA Tour events.

Finally you have some hard earned success by qualifying to play on the PGA Tour

GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

of Canada, but yet again you face another setback as you play 11 tournaments on that tour, but make the cut in just 5 events and you earn fewer than 4,000 dollars for your effort.

Now at this stage it would be easy to listen to all of the detractors and critics sitting on the sidelines telling you to give up on your dream, and to go get a real job.

But you simply will not entertain the thought of giving up on your dream because you know that deep down inside that you are good enough, and you know that your time will come.

Tour school comes around again and history up to this point of time shows that you are now 37 years old, and you have been to PGA Tour and Web.Com Tour Qualifying School a total of 16 times, and up to this point of time you’ve made it to final stage just once.

But you have one thing going for you that many of the younger inexperienced competitors don’t; you have loads of professional tournament experience, and tons of determination.

You play well through the qualifying

stages and you finally make it to the final stage of tour school, and you are reminded that is only the second time in your career that you have achieved this feat.

But you are confident, calm, focused and very experienced, and so you set your sights boldly on a top 10 finish in the final stage.

After five rounds you sit at 10 under par and tied for 18th going into the final round, and you know that it would be easy to get ahead of yourself and imagine yourself with a card to play on the Web.Com Tour.

But you won’t fall for this type of thinking because you recognize from all your experience that the key to success when in this position is to stick to your process and just play each shot based on its merit.

And that’s just what you do, and after 16 attempts and only two times making it to final stage you earn the right to play once again on the Web.Com Tour in 2015, shooting a final round of 3 under par 68 to finish in a tie for 11th place, just outside your top 10 target, but a fantastic effort just the same.

After thousands of golf shots played at golf courses all over the country, many

thousands of dollars spent on the qualifying process, and thousands of hours of practice you make it back to the Web.Com Tour and get another chance to get to the PGA Tour.

Justin Peters proved at the 2014 Web. Com Tour School that with loads of grit, determination, skill and experience you can achieve goals that seem out of reach or unconquerable.

Keep in mind that there are many fine golfers just like Justin Peters playing the mini tours who are trying to play well enough to make it the PGA Tour.

Justin just keeps finding ways to keep turning up to play.

You can visit Justin’s blog to find out more about him and his fascinating career at www.justinpetersgolf.com Golf Success Factor 4. Just Keep Turning Up to Play Justin Peters exemplifies the type of character you need to become to become a successful professional golfer.

You simply have to have a ton of determination to keep turning up to play golf at the pro level, and to ultimately succeed at it.

Do you have many of these traits? You need them all if you want to make a career for yourself on the pro tour

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Justin Peters

Very few young golfers get straight to the main tour and achieve the level of success that Jordan Spieth or Lydia Ko have so early in their careers.

For most, you will have to play in the smaller lower tier tournaments gaining valuable tournament experience to develop your self-belief and confidence, and you must keep developing your high pay-off golf skills.

To keep turning up to play tournaments you have to have at least one clearly defined goal. Justin Peters wanted to get onto the Web.Com Tour first and foremost, and then play well enough to get to the PGA Tour.

He has a big reason to keep him moving forwards with his game, even with lots of setbacks.

And you will as well.

Very few high school and college golfers we have observed have the amount of grit and determination that Justin Peters displays, but you can develop some.

So what are the lessons you can take away from this story to help you to develop your grit and determination so you can keep turning up to play?

Turn Failure Into a Lesson You will have many set-backs along the way, no golfer is exempt from them. You need to develop the mind-set that failure is simply feedback and that something in your game is deficient and needs more work to achieve better outcomes.

After facing a set-back take the time to define the specific area of your game that most likely influenced the result you achieved, and do something about it.

Get Over it and Get On With it Justin Peters had lots of set-backs but he

kept moving forward. When you have a set-back it is very easy to stew over it, but this gets you nowhere.

You need to develop your positive self-talk so you can manage the negative thoughts and voices that can fill your mind with doubt.

Talk about what you will do, NOT what you will avoid doing. Focus on positive thoughts of successfully achieving your outcomes, and let the words that come from your mouth always be supportive of your efforts.

Lastly avoid hanging around negative golfers.

Break the Journey Up into Small Steps The key to making progress in golf is to have lots of small specific goals that help you get through each day. If your big goal is to make it onto a professional tour, then everyday focus on mastering the skills, and the behaviors that will help you to achieve this.

Become great at isolating each skill process and practice it with the attitude that it is the only thing that matters to you.

This will teach you to stay focused on the process of improvement, and to not get ahead of yourself or reflect on past poor efforts.

Last Thoughts Every high school and college golfer that achieved their goal of making it to a major golf tour was once where you are now. Most won’t make it, but then again, most won’t keep finding ways to improve.

And that is the key to your golf success; never stop finding ways to improve yourself and your game, and just keep turning up to play.

Because if you just keep knocking at the door of success for long enough, one day it will open for you.

Lawrie Montague and David Milne - Pro Tour Golf College

ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 176

Titleist – The Golf Ball Most Loved By The World An exclusive report on what keeps golf’s leading golf ball at the top year in and year out. This is an in-depth special report on a product that hundreds of the world’s best professional golfers swear by and thousands of amateurs trust to help them play a better game of golf.

The Presidents Cup, the clash between the U.S.A. and the rest of the world comes to Asia in October. This is the first time that Asia will be playing host to this major golf tournament and the city that will have the privilege to play host is South Korea’s Incheon city. The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, located in the Songdo International Business District has been selected as the host course. Asian Golf has a special preview of the Presidents Cup 2015 and what this will mean to golf in Asia.

The region’s top knowledge summit on golf is on again. This year will see the ninth in the series and will be staged in Singapore. In keeping with being future ready, the 2015 Asia Pacific Golf Summit will take on a new form and provide the industry with a platform to interact, communicate and share thoughts and solutions to help grow the game of golf in Asia. Get ready to unload at one of the world’s truly great knowledge events on golf!

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For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice!

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CONSISTENTLY VOTED AS THE BEST COURSE IN THAILAND

Owned and managed by The Peninsula Hotels and often voted as possessing the “Best Clubhouse in Asia” and “Best Course in Thailand”, Thai Country Club is less than 45 minutes from downtown Bangkok and is renowned for having the friendliest staff of professionals in the Kingdom committed to providing the Ultimate Golfing Experience.

For registered guests of The Peninsula Bangkok, We are happy to arrange a tee-time at a substantial reduction from our normal visitor’s rate.

Extend your business trip in Bangkok, or book a get-away golfing package.

When it comes to exclusive golfing with impeccable hospitality – we play off scratch.

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Thai Country Club www.thaicountryclub.com Tel: +66 (38) 570-234 inquiry@thaicountryclub.com The Peninsula Bangkok www.peninsula.com Tel: +66 (2) 861-2888 pbk@peninsula.com