Tee to Green March 2013

THE MASTERS Why it’s more than just a green jacket & what player to put your money on

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FATHERS AND SONS

TEE TO GREEN www.tee2green.co.za

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dennis Bruyns bruyns@icon.co.za teetogreen@ballyhoomedia.co.za PUBLISHER Eric Bornman eric@ballyhoomedia.co.za CREATIVE DIRECTOR Steven Macbeth FINANCIAL MANAGER Morgan Lufumpa CONTRIBUTORS Theo Bezuidenhout, Dave Edwards, Dr Rowena Thomson-Selibowitz, Jeff Clause PHOTOGRAPHY COVER: Warren Little/ Scott Halleran Getty Images/ Gallo Images, Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images Ballyhoo Media Company Reg No 2007/207595/23 14 6TH Street, Parkhurst, Johannesburg South Africa, 2193 PO Box 3125, Parklands, 2121 Tel: 086 111 4626 Fax: 086 6706429 Printed by Paarl Coldset Tee to Green is published monthly

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Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of either parties. No responsibility is accepted for errors as all information was believed to be correct at the time of print. Copyright subsists on all content within this publication. Any reproduction without consent is strictly prohibited and may constitute a criminal offence.

FORE WORD

L

ast month I had the pleasure of spending time with an old golf friend George Schwartzel and talk about his ties to golf and more specifically his golfing sons Charl and Attie. This got me thinking about golfing fathers and their sons, more particularly those I have known well and naturally the experience of playing golf regularly with my own father and brother.

The family that most epitomises the special relationship between golfing fathers and their sons is that of my good friend Dale Hayes. In fact I doubt if any golf family in the world can compare. Father to it all was Otway Hayes. A fine amateur and professional player in his day, Otway later became the model Club Professional, serving as Golf Professional at Zwartkop for over 50 years. But my story is about fathers and their sons. Otway’s sons, John, Brian and Dale would all become professional golfers. John and Dale excelling as players while Brian the one with a brain focussed more on business. Today Otway has passed on as has John, but Dale and Brian still carry on the family tradition, and if you visit Zwartkop you will almost surely bump into a Hayes, be it Brian or Dale or one of their sons. The family Hayes now own the club.

FOLLOW THROUGH Got something to get off your chest? Have something good (or bad) to say about the paper? Any feedback and ideas are welcome so go ahead and mail us on teetogreen@ballyhoomedia.co.za. The winning letter will receive a pair of Tag Heuer sunglasses.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NOVEMBER WINNERS Tag Heuer Eyewear: Darel Orkin, Brian von Sorgenfrei. Volvo Golf Champions: ProAm spot – Sol Morris, Hospitality tickets – Graeme Forbes, Access tickets – Khambule Mandla.

Brian’s son Ian, also a PGA Professional runs the Pro Shop at the club and Adam, Dale’s son helps with marketing of the club. A trip east of Zwartkop to Wingate CC will find another Hayes in the service of the game, this time Shane, son of John.

Now tell me any other sport or profession that has a family connection to match.

I was introduced to the game by my father, Denton. He was a player of some ability competing regularly in amateur tournaments all around the country. He started my brother Paul and me playing when we reached our teens and soon we were joining him at tournament. I clearly recall standing in front of the scoreboard at the 1966 SA Amateur Championship at Mowbray. We three had played and some local journalist thought it a good human interest story so took a picture and wrote a story about us. Wow - my first time in print. I missed the cut comfortably, but as I remember my brother and father both made the plate section for the Godbold Trophy. The winner of the Amateur Championship that year was Comrie duToit who beat Brian Lefson in the final. And again the father and son link in that Comrie’s sons are also fine golfers (Michael, a PGA member now for many years ) and Brian’s son is also a good player and an active administrator in the game in the Western cape.

This was really the start of a three or four year association with my father and the game for Paul and I. Each Saturday at 13:30 you could find us at Windsor Park Golf Club’s first tee and again at 8:30 on Sunday morning. The Sunday games were always a rush. My father, a good Catholic, insisted we go to Mass before playing golf. There was service

at 7:30 and depending on the length of the Priest’s sermon we would either be a little late or just in time.

Ours was the last time anyway and I still remember Jimmy Metcalfe, the club secretary, call our group to the tee – “and now the 8:30 time of Bruyns, Bruyns, Bruyns and no Bruyns”. The no Bruyns varied from time to time – a cousin Rudy Grobler and more often than not my school friend Gus Bonini. Three-and-a-half to four hours each Saturday and Sunday I spent with my older brother and my father learning as much about golf as about life itself.

How strange is it that as I write this, my wife Sharon is busy making final arrangements for a golf event down at Fancourt. As many of you may know Sharon does not play, but has for some time been one of the top golf event co-ordinators in South Africa. The event this weekend is an annual Father and Sons competition, which this year has drawn a field of over 80 players.

There is a question often asked as part of a golfing interview. If you could choose your dream golf fourball, who would it be and where would you play. Replies often involve playing at St Andrews or Augusta National in the company of a great golfer, entertainer of other celebrity. For me there is a simple answer. It would be to play with my father, my brother, and Gus at Windsor Park Golf Club at 8:30 on a Sunday morning.

So I end with the question, “When did you last play golf with your father or your son?”

Dennis Bruyns Managing Editor

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news

telkom pga cHampionsHip

Will Keith Horne defend his title at this historic event?

PG

H

unter Mahan had gone 169 holes over 11 matches without trailing in this wild tournament until Matt Kuchar won the fourth hole of their championship match with a par, and Mahan never caught up. Kuchar took advantage of a series of miscues to build a 4-up lead at the turn, and then held off a noble challenge by the defending champion.

There was never a dull moment on the back nine. Only two holes were halved, and those were with birdies.

But for all the great shots, the match ended when Mahan went from a tough lie in the bunker to a bush in the desert, and it took him four shots to reach the 17th green. Kuchar wound up winning, 2 and 1, when Mahan removed the stocking cap he used to fight the cold desert air and conceded Kuchar a short birdie putt.

It was the first World Golf Championship title for Kuchar, and it follows a year in which he won The Players Championship. Kuchar became the second player in the last three years to win the Match Play Championship without ever playing the 18th hole. He moved to No. 2 in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup standings with his win.

“It seems like each hole there’s so much momentum riding and so much pressure on every hole,” Kuchar said. “To come out on top after six matches of playing the top 64 guys in the world, it’s an incredible feeling.”

Mahan was trying to join Tiger Woods as the only back-to-back winners, and he gave it a good shot despite the big deficit halfway through the match.

“Just had a bad stretch against Matt on the front nine there that put me just a little bit too far behind,” Mahan said.

It was the first all-American final in five years at the Match Play Championship, and Kuchar’s win moves him to No. 8 in the world. He picked up $1.5 million for the win, and now has earned just over $3.2 million from his last two wins.

It was a disappointing tournament from a South African point of view.

Expectations were high when seven players made the starting line- up, with only the USA having more players in the field. A number of the South Africans had great early form going into the tournament but maybe the cold icy conditions did not suite the men from the sunny south. Tim Clark featured the best making it into the last 8.

In fact from a weather point of view the start to the week was

Kucher prevails in a strange week A freak snowstorm, biting cold, whipping winds and a late challenge from Hunter Mahan couldn’t stop Matt Kuchar at Dove Mountain.

A snowman hitting a golf ball is seen on the course as snow and rain caused play to be suspended due to weather during the first round

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bizarre. Wednesday’s first round of the elite global competition was halted three hours and 42 minutes after it began by stinging snow that blew sideways and eventually turned into big white flakes that blanketed the ground. Nearly two inches had accumulated by the time tournament officials made the decision to send everyone back to hot showers and resume play on Wednesday.

“I don’t think I have (ever seen anything like this) to be honest,” Ian Poulter said. “It’s absolutely remarkable to think one minute we’re playing golf, albeit it’s a little cool, and then within a space of 25 minutes, it turns from playable to cold drizzle to sleet and to snow. And within an hour and a half of all that starting, you’ve got two inches of snow plus on the ground. It’s just bizarre.”

The dramatic turn in the weather didn’t surprise everyone. Jason Day had four layers of clothing on at the start of the day -- two pairs of pants and socks, as well as a rain suit and a beanie.

It was another early exit for the two highest ranked players in the world as both Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were both first round casualties.

McIlroy has only played three competitive rounds so far this year.

4 news on tour

Sterne strolls to victory

R

ichard Sterne produced the best final round of his career to record a seven-stroke victory in the €1.3-million Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

Sterne won by the biggest margin in the history of this tournament, and also produced the lowest 72-hole total when he closed with a 64 to win on 27-underpar 260.

“That was probably the best final round of my career. It was quite special to finish the way I did,” said Sterne, who won for the first time in four years and 51 days since the 2008 South African Championship.

He defeated 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, took second place on 20-under with a 66, while Portugal’s Ricardo Santos matched Sterne’s 64 to finish in a share of third a further stroke back with Felipe Aguilar of Chile and South Africa’s George Coetzee.

How dominant was Sterne’s win? It was the first time since Tiger Woods won the 2002 WGC-CA Championship that a player has won on the European Tour while making

FicHaRdt wins windy aFRica open darren fichardt coped better with the wind on the final day as he managed his way around east london Golf club to a two-stroke victory in the €1-million africa open Golf challenge.

He beat south african compatriot Jaco van Zyl and France’s Gregory Bourdy with his 16-under-par, and Garth mulroy was alone in fourth, one stroke behind the secondplaced pair on 13-under-par after his closing 67 – the best round of the day. “i knew it was going to be a tough day playing with Jaco,” he said. “i know his game, i know he’s good, i know he can putt, i know he can get it up and down – and when i saw the wind was blowing like it was, i knew it was going to be a tough test.”

the victory gave Fichardt his 13th sunshine tour title and his fourth on the european tour. it was also the second year in a row that he has won a european

just one bogey for the tournament.

That came on the 52nd hole during the third round, “I was never in trouble and made the right putts when I needed to.”

It was an incredible performance from a player who all but disappeared from the game because of bulging discs in his spine. At one stage he never touched a club for eight months.

Sterne’s win moved him to the top of the Race to Dubai, the European Tour’s money list with €450,053, as well as to the top of the Sunshine Tour’s

Order of Merit with his cheque for R2,493,205.

He also climbed into fourth spot in the Race to the Investec Cup, the Sunshine Tour’s new series of events which will climax in March with a R1-million tournament for the top 30 players in that list, and they will also share in a R5-million bonus pool.

For Sterne, the win has opened possibilities for him ahead of the birth of his first child in June. “I’ve just got to kick on from here and enjoy the year now,” he said.

Result 1

260

Richard Sterne (RSA)

63

65

68

64

2,493,200

2

267

Charl Schwartzel (RSA)

68

65

68

66

1,808,950

3=

268

Ricardo Santos (POR)

70

65

69

64

836,836

George Coetzee (RSA)

67

64

70

67

836,836

Felipe Aguilar (CHL)

67

66

68

67

836,836

Keith Horne (RSA)

67

66

71

65

469,278

Thomas Aiken (RSA)

67

70

66

66

469,278

Trevor Fisher Jnr (RSA)

66

62

68

73

469,278

6=

269

tour title after he won last year’s saint-omer open, and it brought him his first european tour title on home soil. the victory also showed he can drive home an advantage when he gets it: He has a 100 percent record of winning his european tour events when he has led or shared the lead going into the final round. He led by three at the 2001 sao paulo Brazil open (reduced to 54 holes); led by three at the 2003 Qatar masters; five at the 2012 saint-omer open and two at the 2013 africa open. it’s time to aim higher for Fichardt now. “i want to move that one step further – i’ve won on the european tour four times now and i need to start getting into the majors and world events. i want to contend in those events; that will be my next step forward,” he said.

Result 1

272

Darren Fichardt (RSA)

69

67

65

71

1,886,150

2=

274

Gregory Bourdy (FRA)

70

67

67

70

1,095,990

Jaco Van Zyl (RSA)

66

67

68

73

1,095,990

4

275

Garth Mulroy (RSA)

72

67

69

67

584,290

5=

277

Andy Sullivan (ENG)

70

70

69

68

389,130

Desvonde Botes (RSA)

74

67

66

70

389,130

Mark Tullo (CHI)

69

69

68

71

389,130

Tjaart van der Walt (RSA)

70

68

68

71

389,130

spideRwoman SwediSh golfer daniela holmqviSt showed quick thinking after being bitten by a Black widow spider in competition. she was competing at the australian open, a qualifying event on the lpGa, when she was bitten on the ankle by the deadly spider on the fourth hole. while her caddy and others immediately called for assistance, a bite from the spider can be fatal within an hour, so daniela decided to show her macGyver skills. using her golf tee, she cut open her wound and squeezed out the venom. “a clear fluid came out, it wasn’t the prettiest thing i’ve ever done, but i had to get as much of it out of me as possible,” she told the media. not put off by the incident, Holmqvist carried on with her round, shooting a 74 that unfortunately saw her miss the cut.

news

Telkom PGA Championship

I

t is now generally accepted that the tournament today known as the Telkom PGA Championship had its origins in an event called the SA Professional Championship, which was first played for in 1923. It was a matchplay tournament, the format at the time for the PGA Championship of America.

The first SA Professional Championship was won by Bert Elkin in 1923 at Royal Cape. For the next decade the event was monopolised by Jock and Sid Brews and Charles McIlvenny, with Jock winning the Championship twice, Sid four times and McIlvenny four times. Sid Brews went on to win again in 1936 and again 1952 bringing his total number of victories to six. Only Bobby Locke with victories in 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1950, 1951 and 1955 has won more. Jock Verwey, father-in-law to the great Gary Player, won three times in the 1940s and 1950s with Gary winning the Championship in 1959, the last time it was played as matchplay. From 1956 to 1958 three Britishers won the event – Ken Reford, John Jacobs and Dai Rees.

For the next five years no event was held, then in 1965, an event, which is clearly recognisable as the PGA Championship, was born. The format was changed to strokeplay and the event was largely dependent in its first three years on prizemoney put up by South Africa’s leading players of the time – Gary Player and Harold Henning. This was not an ideal situation and in 1968 no event was held. In 1969 and 1970 the PGA Championship was revived thanks in the main to the efforts of Brenda Blumberg and Denis Hutchinson, who managed to arrange multi-sponsorship. Harold Henning had won in 1965, 1966 and 1967 taking the lion’s share of the prizemoney he so generously put up and fittingly Denis Hutchinson was champion in 1970.

2012 winner Keith Horne

In 1972 the PGA Championship was played for the first time at the Wanderers Golf Club. And so began an association that lasted 23 years.

Not only did the Wanderers play host to the PGA Championship, the club provided a home for the PGA, which maintained modest offices here for almost 20 years. Players from abroad always did well at the Wanderers, with American superstars Tom Weiskopf, Hale Irwin and Corey Pavin winning in 1973, 1978 and 1983 respectively.

Visitors from the other side of the Atlantic did not fare as well and only the name of Irishman David Feherty is found on the winner’s list.

With the exception of Nick Price, all of Southern Africa’s best players of the time won at the Wanderers. The names of Dale Hayes, David Frost, John Bland, Mark McNulty, Hugh Baiocchi, Tony Johnstone, Bobby Cole and Fulton Allem are all on the victor’s roll. But Price’s time was still to come.

Major changes for the event came in 1996, with a new sponsor in the form of luxury goods company Alfred Dunhill, a new venue at Houghton Golf Club and an association with the European Tour in terms of which the event was given co-sanctioned status.

Of the four tournaments held under the banner of Alfred Dunhill three were won Southern African players Nick Price recording his first victory in 1997 followed by Tony Johnstone in 1998 and Ernie Els in 1999. Sven Struver, the winner in the rainshortened 1996 event, became only the eighth foreign player to win.

AnChorinG sAGA ConTinues After the finAl of the Accenture matchplay PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem announced that the Tour has formally told the usGA and the r&A it opposes the proposed ban on anchored strokes.

Finchem said the Tour didn’t come to its decision without considerable consultation with its player advisory council and board of directors, as well as meetings with usGA officials to discuss the reasoning behind the proposal.

The key factors in the decision were the lack of evidence to support the contention that anchoring provides a competitive advantage, as well as the length of time the practice has been allowed – and previously approved on two different occasions. “essentially where the PGA Tour came down was that they did not think that banning anchoring was in the best interest of Golf or the PGA Tour,” Finchem said, adding

No event was held in 2000. In 2001 Telkom stepped in as broadcast sponsor and the event returned to the calendar. The PGA had taken up offices at the Woodhill Country Club, so it was fitting for the event to find a new home at this prestigious golf estate on the outskirts of Pretoria. In 2002 Telkom increased their involvement in the event taking over the full title sponsorship - a role they have played to today. The tournament moved back to Johannesburg in 2007, and was won by Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, to date the last foreign player to win. Since then the Woodlands course at Country Club Johannesburg has played host to this historic championship. Since that time as in its early years the championship has given a number of South African players the boost needed to break through on the international stage.

No one more so that Louis Oosthuizen, a winner in 2007 and 2008 and now ranked in the top ten players in the world.

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Grow Golf Zone As part of their commitment to the growth of the game the Professional Golfers Association of South Africa and Telkom Business will be hosting a fun and educational Grow Golf Zone at this year’s Telkom PGA Championship from the 14th to the 17th March at Country Club Johannesburg, Woodmead.

Kids will participate in a Cyclone – a series of activities aimed at improving physical literacy and golf skills, a net session for the swing and 6 holes of mini golf. The group/groups will be supervised by a PGA qualified pro or trainee.

Included this year is an adult learning where Teachers and/or Parents can book a (free) lesson with a PGA professional to improve their own golf.

Based on a the popularity of this event last year, booking a time slot is essential. Please call the PGA on 011 485 1370 for more details.

Telkom PGA ChAmPionshiP TriviA • When the 42-year-old Chris Williams returned to the top of the leaderboard to claim the 2002 Telkom PGA title it was seventeen years after winning his first South African PGA Championship. Yet as impressive the seventeen year span between victories in the second oldest professional championship in South Africa is, it is not a tournament record.

That distinction belongs to Sid Brews, who first won the Championship (played as match play in those days) in 1926 and then repeated the victory 26 years later in 1952.

• When it comes to longevity of golfing career few can compare with the great Gary Player and his PGA Championship record reflects this.

Player’s first victory in the Championship came in the 1956 when he defeated Harold Henning 3 and 1 in the final at Houghton Golf Club. This was the last time the Championship was played as match play. Player won again ten years later in 1969 and after another ten year gap, won the rain shortened 1979 Championship. His fourth and final victory came at the Wanderers in 1982, 23 years after he had first lifted the title. And when he won at the Wanderers that year in the field was another Player, his youngest son Wayne, who had turned professional earlier that year.

that both the PGA of America and the Golf Course owners Association came to the same conclusion. “i think there are a number of factors here ... but i think the essential thread that went through the thinking of the players and our board of directors and others that looked at this was that in the absence of data or any basis to conclude that there is a competitive advantage to be gained by using anchoring, and given the amount of time that

• Multiple winners of the Telkom PGA Championship include: Bobby Locke (7), Sid Brews (6), Harold Henning (4), Gary Player (4), Dale Hayes (3) and Ernie Els (3) Tony Johnstone (2) Chris Williams (2) Michiel Bothma (2) Louis Oosthuizen (2).

• Missing from the list of winners is one of South Africa’s finest ever players, two time US Open Champion Retief Goosen.

Louis Ooshuizen just misses Mark Mcnulty's record during the Final round of the 2008 Championship held at The Country Club in Johannesburg

anchoring has been in the game, that there was no overriding reason to go down that road.”

Finchem said he wanted to make it clear that this disagreement was not a “donnybrook” with the PGA Tour and PGA of America on one side and the usGA and r&A on the other. he noted the organizations have worked together repeatedly on rules issues, as well as partnered in the creation of the World Golf Foundation and World rankings Board, as well as in the olympic movement.

Pace of Play

I ONCE BITTEN...

THERE WAS A CHANGE of for the Australian PGA Championship this year and the reason behind the change in location could well be the presence of a giant mechanical T-Rex called Jeff.

For the last number of years, the Australian PGA Tournament has taken place at the Palmer Coolum Resort on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, a resort owned by billionaire Clive Palmer, who would appear to be something of an eccentric fella by the sounds of things.

Last year, the tournament attracted plenty of attention – not a whole lot of it positive – because of Jeff’s presence between the ninth green and the tenth tee, although in fairness to Palmer, he

did agree to turn off the movement sensors on the dinosaur so it didn’t flip its tail or open its mouth and roar while the tournament took place.

The unmistakable sight of Jeff, and the presence of more than 60 signs around the golf course promoting Palmer’s business interests – including his plans to build a replica of the Titanic – caused plenty of notoriety and have been blamed by many for the PGA’s decision to move the tournament this year.

The signs on their own were probably bad enough, but many of them were located in landing areas on the fairways and forced organisers to mark them as ‘ground under repair’ throughout the duration of the tournament.

GOLF’S €15.1 BILLION IMPACT GOLF IS WORTH €15.1 BILLION annually to Europe’s economy, a new study has revealed.

The report, produced by Sports Marketing Surveys, commissioned

by The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and supported by other leading bodies including the European Tour and European Golf Association, highlights the importance of the golf industry across the continent. The game’s impact is particularly significant in Great Britain & Ireland where it is valued at €6.1 billion – a total that accounts for 41 per cent of the European total.

Key economic findings across the 27 European Union nations plus Norway and Switzerland, which represent a combined population of 510 million, show the sport is responsible for a minimum

THE GAME’S IMPACT IS PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT IN GREAT BRITAIN & IRELAND WHERE IT IS VALUED AT €6.1 BILLION

of 180,000 full time jobs and employee wages of €4.4 billion.

And based on models employed by the Australian Golf Industry Council (2010) and Golf2020 in the USA (2011), the results show total expenditure per golfer throughout Europe of €1,911 which is in line with Australia (€1,917) and America (€2,007) golfing counterparts.

While the well-documented economic downturn has hit popular European golf destinations such as Spain and Portugal, golf tourism still contributes €1.5 billion of the annual impact.

PGA chief executive Sandy Jones commented: “Golf plays a significant role both in its economic impact and also in delivering social, behavioural and sporting benefits with the PGA professional firmly at the centre of the golf industry. “In addition golf is also a huge contributor to charitable causes in Europe and last year generated more than €85 million supporting a range of good causes.”

It must be time for another in depth survey of the South African golf market. It is some 5 years since the PGA of South Africa commissioned one and a follow up is overdue.

t is particularly pleasing to see that one of Golf ’s power brokers is looking seriously at pace of play issues. When considering threats to the integrity of the game, forget about anchoring and address the ongoing problem of slow play.

As part of its commitment to promote a more welcoming, enjoyable and sustainable game, the United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced that it will develop a broad set of initiatives to identify challenges and solutions regarding pace of play issues in the game of golf.

Speaking at the Association’s annual meeting in San Diego, USGA President Glen D. Nager outlined the main components of the multifaceted program, which will include: • Analysis of key factors known to influence pace of play • Development of a pace-of-play model based on quantifiable data • Creation of player education programs “The cry that pace of play has become one of the most significant threats to the game’s health has become only louder over the last year,” said Nager. “Industry research clearly shows that slow play and the amount of time it takes to play a round of golf detract from the overall experience and threaten to drive players away from the game. This problem touches every golfer, from the professional to the elite amateur to the collegiate player to the millions of recreational golfers at both public and private facilities.”

ANALYSIS OF KEY FACTORS: Factors known to influence pace of play include course design (overall length, green-to-tee walks, location and number of hazards); course management and setup (green speed, hole locations, height and location of rough); player management (most significantly, the proper distribution of starting times); and the effectiveness of player education programs.

RESEARCH TO PRODUCE PACE-OFPLAY MODELLING: A major study is underway at the USGA’s Research

NEWS

7

and TestCenter to create the first-ever dynamic model of pace of play based on quantifiable data – a model that will be applicable to both competitive and recreational golf. Previous models and programs addressing pace of play have been based largely on observations and anecdotal evidence, while the new USGA model will draw from large-scale real-world inputs, including data from the PGA Tour’s Shotlink system. Once completed, analysis of the model should greatly increase understanding of the key factors affecting pace of play and allow recommendations for improving pace of play on a course-by-course basis.

PLAYER EDUCATION PROGRAMS: Nager said the Association needs to “double down” on its efforts to educate players on the fundamentals of how to play faster. To this end, the USGA will use its communication channels to reach its Members and the larger golf community with messages on improving pace of play, such as picking up one’s ball on a hole once a player’s Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) limit is reached. Other efforts could include promotion of alternate formats such as match play, foursomes and Stableford scoring that are popular in other parts of the world and that take less time to play than the standard individual strokeplay format. The TEE IT FORWARD campaign, developed in conjunction with The PGA of America, will continue to be promoted as a way to speed play and provide more enjoyment..

“Progress in improving pace of play will come only when the entire golf community is committed to working seriously to address the issue,” said Nager. “In this regard, I am pleased that the leadership of the PGA of America shares our concern about this critical issue. As our program develops, we look forward to engaging with the 27,000 members of the PGA, who can play an essential role in supporting our efforts to educate players and facility managers on how to improve pace of play.”

8 BLAST FROM THE PAST

Golf’s Greatest Tournament? Maybe yes,

maybe no, but when it comes to traditions there is no comparison. Any tournament played over the same course for over seventy years will build up many traditions. And in golf there is only one such tournament. Yes, the one played in spring each year in Georgia – the Masters at Augusta National.

Everyone knows that the winner of The Masters receives the famous Green Jacket. So we won’t dwell on that here.

Rather let us look at some of the other traditions of this great sporting event.

THE MASTERS TROPHY The Masters trophy is a replica of the Augusta National Golf Club clubhouse. It is made of more than 900 pieces of silver, and rests on a pedestal around which are the silver bands bearing the names of the winner and runner-up at each Masters. The trophy was introduced in 1961 and is permanently housed in the Augusta National clubhouse. Since 1993 a sterling silver replica of the original has been presented to the Masters champion.

In addition to the trophy the winner receives the Green Jacket and a 2.3-ounce, 3.4-inch gold medal that includes the words “Augusta National Golf Club” and a rendering of Founders Circle.

ANTI-CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Masters Trophy - a replica of the clubhouse; Patrons watch play during the 1934 Masters; Player, Palmer and Nicklaus leave the first tee during the 2001 Masters; Sarazen’s double-eagle ball; The 2012 Champions Dinner Menu, courtesy of 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel.

OTHER PRESENTATIONS There are several awards presented to players who perform exceptional feats during the tournament. Lowest round of the day receives a crystal vase, while any player achieving a hole-in-one or an albatross (double eagle) will win a large crystal bowl.

For each eagle a player makes he receives a pair of crystal goblets. The winner of the par 3 competition, which is played the day before the tournament begins, wins a crystal bowl. Victory in the par competition is seen as a bad omen - no player winning on the Wednesday has gone on to win that year’s masters.

In 1952 the Masters began presenting an award, known as the Silver Cup, to the lowest scoring amateur to make the cut and in 1954 they began presenting an amateur silver medal to the low amateur runner-up.

THE GOLF COURSE AUGUSTA NATIONAL Bobby Jones hired Alister Mackenzie as the golf course architect for Augusta National Golf Club, and Jones and Mackenzie collaborated on the design (Jones would hit test shots from different spots to help Mackenzie calibrate the holes). Mackenzie was born in England in 1870 and worked with Harry Colt on courses in Great Britain before emigrating to the U.S. in the early 1920s.

Augusta National is one of three really famous designs, indeed masterpieces designed by Mackenzie.

The other two are Cypress Point in California and Royal Melbourne in Australia. All three are considered among the handful of the world’s very best golf courses. Augusta National Golf Club opened in December of 1932, although the formal grand opening didn’t take place until January of 1933.

Mackenzie died in 1934, the year of the first Masters.

THE CHAMPIONS DINNER Each year the immediate past Masters champion prepares a dinner for all former winners. The dinner takes place on Tuesday night of tournament week.

The man behind the Champions Dinner is Ben Hogan, who in 1952 arranged a dinner for all previous Masters Champions. That dinner was formalized the following year into the tradition we now know as the Champions Dinner.

The “Masters Club” - the group of men who get to attend the Champions Dinner - is limited in membership to past Masters champions (there have been a few exceptions over the years, among them Bobby Jones, Clifford Roberts and ensuing Augusta National club presidents).

The previous year’s champion gets to select the menu and serves as host for the dinner. At the dinner, he is presented with an inscribed gold locket as his welcome into the Masters Club. Incidentally he also pays for the dinner.

Over the years, the dinner fare has ranged from cheeseburgers to sushi to haggis. It’s difficult to find information on Champions Dinner menus from the early days of the event, but more recent menus are reported in the media in the weeks leading up to The Masters. Here are some of the selections: Tiger Woods (1998): cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries and milkshakes.

Charl Schwartzel (2012): An opening course consisting of a chilled seafood bar, which included shrimp, lobster, crabmeat, crab legs and oysters. The main course was a traditional South African braai, including lamb chops, steaks and boerewors. Desert consisted of vanilla ice cream sundae.

Phil Mickelson (2011): A Spanishthemed menu with seafood paella

9 of the draw. In truth with the field of stars that they have they don’t have much to worry about.

36 HOLE CUT Following the second round, golfers with the low 44 scores, plus ties, plus any golfer within 10 strokes of the lead qualify to play the final two rounds. Those outside the top 44 plus ties and not within 10 strokes of the lead miss the cut.

The Masters did not have a cut prior to 1957.

The 36-hole cut was instituted at the 1957 Masters, and was Top 40 plus ties and anyone with 10 of the lead. Top 40 was changed to Top 44 starting in 1961.

and machango-topped filet mignon as the entrees. Also includes a salad course, asparagus and tortillas as sides, plus ice cream-topped apple empanada for dessert.

Angel Cabrera (2010): An Argentine asado, a multicourse barbecue featuring chorizo, blood sausage, short ribs, beef filets and mollejas (sweetbreads).

Trevor Immelman (2009): Bobotie, sosaties, spinach salad, melktert and South African wines.

Tiger Woods (2006): Stuffed jalapeno and quesadilla appetizers with salsa and guacamole; green salad; steak fajitas, chicken fajitas, Mexican rice, refried beans; apple pie and ice cream for dessert.

Mike Weir (2004): Elk, wild boar, Arctic char (that’s a fish), Canadian beer.

Vijay Singh (2001): Seafood tom kah, chicken panang curry, baked sea scallops with garlic sauce, rack of lamb with yellow kari sauce, baked filet Chilean sea bass with three flavour chili sauce, lychee sorbet.

Nick Faldo (1997): Tomato Soup, Fish and chips.

Jose Maria Olazabal (1995): Paella and hake plus tapas.

Sandy Lyle (1989): Haggis, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips.

Bernhard Langer (1986): Wiener schnitzel.

MASTERS PAIRINGS The pairings for play are done by the committee of members of the club for the first two rounds. After that it is by score. They mostly follow a system to both please the fans and the television broadcasters with one traditional pairing - the reigning U.S. Amateur champion (if he’s still an amateur) plays Rounds 1 and 2 with the defending champion of The Masters.

They would normally split the number one and number two players in the world and put them in opposite ends

THE FIRST TWO YEARS

1934 – THE FIRST TOURNAMENT

Known initially as the Augusta National Invitational, co-founder Clifford Roberts wanted from the start to use the name “The Masters” for the event, but co-founder Bobby Jones, according to the official Masters Web site, thought the name too presumptuous. The first tournament was won by Horton Smith in 1934. Smith completed the 72 holes at Augusta National in 4-under par 284, one stroke better than runner-up Craig Wood. Only four players broke par that first year; in addition to Smith and Wood, there were also Billy Burke and Paul Runyan, each 2-under par.

It was played as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament through 1938, only in 1939 becoming officially named The Masters. Smith went on to win the 1936 Masters as well, while Wood finished second again at the 1935 Masters before winning the tournament in 1941. Bobby Jones finished tied for 13th, which was his

best showing in the 12 Masters in which he played.

1935 – AND THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD

The second Masters produced the first playoff in the event, that playoff being the result of one of the most famous shots in golf history: Gene Sarazen’s so-called “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.”

Sarazen’s career was beginning to wind down as the 1935 Masters arrived. Sarazen had won six majors by this point - three PGA Championships, two U.S. Opens and one British Open. He entered the final round trailing Craig Wood by three strokes. And Sarazen still trailed Wood by three strokes when Sarazen reached Augusta’s par-5 15th hole. Sarazen’s tee shot left him 235 yards to the green. That was a long carry back in those days,

Sarazen hit a 4-wood, the ball hit the green and rolled across to the flagstick, dropping into the cup for a double-eagle.

especially under the pressure of trying to win a tournament.

Sarazen hit a 4-wood, the ball hit the green and rolled across to the flagstick, dropping into the cup for a double-eagle. Sarazen caught Wood with one swing of the club. Wood and Sarazen finished tied at 6-under 282, and a 36-hole playoff was contested the next day. Sarazen won that playoff 144 to 149, claiming his seventh major championship and becoming the first golfer to win all four professional majors. We refer to that feat today as the “career Grand Slam” (although in 1935, The Masters and even the PGA Championship, which had been around since 1916, were not yet established as majors in the public’s minds).

As for Wood, he would lose playoffs at all four of what we now recognize as the major championships before finally breaking through by winning the 1941 Masters.

HONORARY STARTERS Since 1963 the custom in most years has been to start the tournament with an honorary opening tee shot at the first hole, typically by one or more of golf ’s legendary players.

The original starters were Jock Hutchison and Fred McLeod and they led the field off from 1963 until 1973, when poor health prevented Hutchison from swinging a club.

McLeod continued on until his death in 1976.

Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen started in 1981, and were then joined by Sam Snead in 1984. This trio continued until 1999 when Sarazen died, while Nelson stopped in 2001. Snead hit his final opening tee shot in 2001, a year before he too died.

In 2007, Arnold Palmer took over as the honorary starter. Palmer repeated the honour again in 2008 and 2009 and then was joined by Jack Nicklaus. Last year saw Gary Player join his good friends Arnold and Jack and so we have golf ’s “Big Three” doing the honours now.

10 cover story

11

SINK OR SWIM AND SOUTH AFRICAN GOLFERS SURE CAN “SWIM”

By Dennis Bruyns

12 cover story

cientists around the world, especially in the USA, Spain and Sweden are trying to find the special gene that South African golfers have that make them so good. Extensive studies into the diets of the players have shown nothing. Some thought it must be in the water. Jose Marie Olazabal suggested that it could be ‘biltong’ while others were convinced that boerewors had something to do with it. All they could conclude was that a traditional South African braai is something not to be missed.

So they turned to our coaching, sports science techniques, mental training, and the like, what squad systems and youth development we have and again nothing out of the ordinary. Yes we have great weather, good golf courses, excellent competitive structures, but so do they, so what could it be? Finally they have turned to our ‘scuba divers’ – there must be something in the DNA of these swimmers.

Seriously though the swimming analogy might have some substance to it.

Our players have always been known for their competitive toughness and there-in lies a clue. No mod codling of the best players. In golf there is only one measure and that is the score you put on the card. Once you have developed as a player and been given good basic technique, it is up to you.

There is the golf course, there are your opponents and now ‘sink or swim’.

Our guys swim!

And always have! A glance at the chart showing the world golf ranking of our players reveals how our players have developed over the years. Yes we always had champion golfers but in the early years we relied on the exploits of just a handful of players to bring back the glory. And they did – four Open Championships for Bobby Locke, nine majors for Gary Player, World Cup victories for Player and Harold Henning and a few years later for Bobby Cole and Dale Hayes. Right through the 80’s the number players winning tournaments around the world started increasing. This was bolstered by the Zimbabwe imports, Nick Price, Mark McNulty and Tony Johnstone, but then again they had refined their skills right here on the Sunshine Circuit anyway.

It is natural for us to remember the players of our particular era and think of them as that much better than today’s crop. We do this all the time when comparing the cricket team of the 70’s that whitewashed the Ausies herein SA to the current side. Or the rugby teams going all the back to the best rugby team to ever leave New Zealand – the ’37 Springboks under the captaincy of Philip Nel. Was Pete Sampras a better tennis player than Rod Laver? And don’t get started with the boxers.

The 80’s and early 90’s are my crop but I have to concede that the statistics don’t lie the current crop of South African golfers are as good as if not better that any we have had before. And well done to them.

Only two months into the year and Team SA are dominating the Race to Dubai list. Richard Sterne leads the list courtesy of his victory at the Joburg Open and runner-up placing at the Dubai Desert Classic. Third on the list

Some thought it muSt be in the water. JoSe marie olazabal SuggeSted that it could be ‘biltong’

is Louis Oosthuizen, winner of the Volvo Golf Champs, and just behind him Charl Schwarzel, winner of the Alfred Dunhill at Leopard Creek and second at the Joburg Open. Although played late last year the Alfred Dunhill was the first tournament counting for the “Race”.

And if that’s not impressive enough George Coetzee is there at tenth, with Branden Grace (13), Darren Fichardt (17) and Garth Mulroy (19) all in the top twenty.

That makes it seven South African players in the top 20.

This is a President’s Cup year and Captain Nick Price will be studying the form of the players from the Rest of World (outside of Europe) for the match against the USA in October at Muirfield Village in Ohio. If the team was chosen today (and if the criteria used for the selection was the player’s standing on the World Ranking) the team would look like this (World Ranking in brackets): • Louis Oosthuizen (5) • Adam Scott (7) • Charl Schwartzel (14) • Ernie Els (24) • Branden Grace (30) • Jason Day (35) • George Coetzee (42) • John Senden (45) • Hiroyuki Fujita (46) • Tim Clarke (48) • Mark Fraser (51) • Richard Sterne (52) That would mean seven South Africans, four Australians and one player from Japan. Whether the team would be competitive is questionable, certainly with the format of the event, which requires all players to play every round. If played to the Ryder Cup format I think it could. But the big question is would the team be that much weaker if it was South Africans only.

We would miss the class of Adam Scott, that’s for sure, and Jason Day is a fine player, but team SA would give a good account of themselves, especially with the added incentive of playing for the flag.

The Southern African PGA Tour must take some credit in all this. The various co-sanctioned tournaments give our players the opportunity to excel with the advantage of playing on home ground. But as I said earlier you still have to make the score. Sink or swim.

Here is team South Africa, twelve players, as is the norm for professional golf teams:

13

TEAM SA PLAYER PROFILES Louis Oosthuizen Born: 19 October 1982.

Turned pro: 2003.

Family: Wife: Nel-Mare (2007). Children: Jana, Sophia.

Career Highlights: Broke through for his maiden European Tour win at the 2010 Open de Andalucía and four months later won the Open Championship at St Andrews in only his ninth Major appearance. Subsequently broke into the world top 50 and reached the top 20 at the end of 2010. Five-time European Tour winner, including back-to-back Sunshine Tour co-sanctioned African Open titles in 2011 and 2012, and seven-time Sunshine Tour winner. 2nd in the 2012 Masters after a play-off with winner Baba Watson.

2013: Winner Volvo Golf Champions and T17 Accenture Match Play.

Charl Schwartzel Born: 31 August 1984.

Turned pro: 2002.

Family: Wife: Rosalind (2008).

Career Highlights: Won his first Major at the Masters in 2011. Has won eight times on the European Tour and six times on the Sunshine Tour. Won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit three years in succession in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Finished 2012 with victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.

2013: 2nd at the Joburg Open and then T33 at Accenture Match Play.

Ernie Els Born: 17th October 1969 Family: Wife, Liezl (m. 1998); Children, Samantha (1999), Ben (2002) Turned Pro: 1989 Career Highlights: One of the world’s truly global golfers with more than 60 victories worldwide, he won his fourth Major at The 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes, ten years after he captured the Claret Jug at Muirfield. Pipped Adam Scott to the title by one shot with a final round 68. Spent a record 758 weeks in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking. Won The European Tour Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004 but was denied a hat-trick in 2005 when he injured ligaments in his left knee in a sailing accident. Was unanimously accorded Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour in 1999 in recognition of his two US Open Championship wins and his unprecedented three successive World Match Play Championship wins (1994-95-96), a feat he went on to repeat in 2002-03-04 and then won for an incredible seventh time in 2007.

2013: T18 Volvo Golf Champions, T39 in Abu Dhabi. T33 at Accenture Match Play Branden Grace Born: 20th May 1988 Turned Pro: 2007 Career Highlights: Enjoyed a season beyond his wildest dreams in 2012, winning four times having earned his card at the 2011 Qualifying School Final Stage. Made a formidable start by capturing his maiden title in the Joburg Open on home soil, then won the prestigious Volvo Golf Champions a

week later, defeating his idols Ernie Els and Retief Goosen in a play-off.

Completed the hat-trick three months later at the Volvo China Open – winning by three shots from Nicolas Colsaerts – and then landed the biggest prize of the lot in capturing the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October.

2013: T7 Volvo Golf Champions, 5th at Abu Dhabi, T6 at Qatar Masters, George Coetzee Born: 18th July 1986 Turned Pro: 2007 Career Highlights: Might not have become a professional golfer had a rebellious streak not made him defy his father’s wishes for him to become a tennis player. Won his card at the 2009 Qualifying School but lost it in 2010.

However, regained it at the 2010 Qualifying School and did not make the same mistake in 2011, recording eight top tens to finish 26th in The Race to Dubai. Made it into a five-man play off in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles but despite staying in it for four holes, succumbed to Thomas Björn at the fifth. Improved on that by taking 21st place in The 2012 Race to Dubai, missing just three cuts in 25 events.

2013: T9 at Abu Dhabi, T2 at Qatar Masters, T3 in Joburg Open.

Richard Sterne Born: 27th August 1981 Turned pro: 2001 Family: Wife Lise-Marie (m. 2009) Career Highlights : Missed most of the 2010 and 2011 seasons on The European Tour because of a back injury, but returned in style, taking sixth place in the Africa Open in January 2012 despite not playing a competitive round for ten months. Enjoyed a fine spell in the spring, finishing sixth in the BMW PGA Championship, tied second in the ISPS Handa Wales Open and tied seventh in the Nordea Masters, helping him to 49th in The Race to Dubai. Won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit title for 2008.

2013: Winner Joburg Open, 2nd Dubai Desert Classic, T17 Accenture Match Play.

Tim Clark Born: 17th December 1975 Family: Wife, Candace Turned Pro: 1998 Career Highlights: Enjoyed a successful season on The European Tour in 2009, securing four top 20 finishes including tied fourth at the Sportsbet Australian Masters.

Holed out from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole to finish second in the 2006 Masters Tournament, his best finish in a Major Championship, two strokes behind Phil Mickelson. The previous season he won two European Tour titles, the South African Airways Open – a title he also won in 2002 – and The Barclays Scottish Open. In 2005, became the third South African winner of The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond – after Ernie Els and Retief Goosen – and ended the season with his second

appearance in the International Team in the Presidents Cup. Won the 2010 Players Championship on PGA Tour.

Divides his time between The European Tour and the US PGA Tour.

2013: T9 at Accenture Match Play.

Darren Fichardt Born: 13th May 1975 Family: Wife, Natasha (m. 2000); Children, Ethan (2005), Tristan (2007) Turned Pro: 1994 Career Highlights: Claimed his third European Tour title in the 2012 SAINTOMER OPEN presented by Neuflize OBC, having secured his playing rights for the season at the 2011 Qualifying School Final Stage. The win came eight years after the last one, in the 2003 Qatar Masters, where he beat fellow South African James Kingston and credited the help and advice of his wife Natasha, a trained sports psychologist. Two years before that, had made the most of his opportunity on The European Tour when he captured the 2001 Sao Paulo Brazil Open to earn a two year exemption.

Winner of the 1999/2000 Sunshine Tour Order of Merit and partner to Retief Goosen in representing South Africa at the WGC – World Cup that year.

2013: T29 Volvo Golf Masters, T25 Joburg Open, Winner Africa Open.

Jaco van Zyl Born: 23rd February 1979 Family: Wife, Jessica (m. 2005); Children, Cameron (2008), Oliver (2010) Turned Pro: 2001 Career Highlights: Started playing as an 11 year old and turned professional aged 21. Played on the US PGA Tour in 2007 but decided to return home to South Africa when his wife fell pregnant with their first child. Has spent the majority of his career so far on the Sunshine Tour but after coming through the 2010 European Qualifying School, enjoyed a fine rookie season on The European Tour, finishing 50th in The Race to Dubai to be the second-highest placed Qualifying School graduate in 2011.

Backed that up with another promising season in 2012, taking 64th place. Has won ten Sunshine Tour titles, including four in 2010. Was the South African Amateur Champion in 2000.

2013: T11 Joburg Open, T2 Africa Open.

George Coetzee

Retief Goosen Born: 3rd February 1969 Family: Wife, Tracy (m. 2001); Children, Leo James (2003), Ella Ann (2004) Turned Pro: 1990 Career Highlights: Two US Open victories - in 2001 at Southern Hills and 2004 at Shinnecock Hills – have secured his position among the golfing elite. A truly global golfer, won his 14th European Tour title with victory in the 2007 Commercialbank Qatar Masters after he eagled the final hole, and continues to win all around the world with victories in 2009 in the Africa Open on the Sunshine Tour and the Transitions Championship on the US PGA Tour. In 2001 became the first non-European to win the Order of Merit since Greg Norman in 1982 and the first South African to win the Harry Vardon Trophy since Dale Hayes in 1975.

Followed it up in 2002 – the year he was made an Honorary Member of The European Tour – by becoming the first non-European to retain the crown.

2013: T20 Volvo Champions, T84 Qatar Masters, T9 AT&T Pro Am(PGA Tour) Thomas Aiken Born: 16th July 1983 Turned Pro: 2002 Career Highlights: First picked up a club at the age of four when his brother taught him the grip. By the age of nine he was receiving instruction from the renowned coach Martin Witcher, who included Tony Johnstone and Mark McNulty among his pupils, and at the age of 14 joined his academy at Randpark Golf Club. Finally made his breakthrough on The European Tour with victory in the 2011 Open de España, which he dedicated to the legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, who died on the weekend of the tournament.

2013: T22 Qatar Masters, T6 Joburg Open, T12 Africa Open.

Garth Mulroy Born: 8th July 1978 Family: Wife, Cristina (m. 2005); Children, Ryan (2008), May (2011) Turned Pro: 2002 Career Highlights: Made his European Tour breakthrough at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa in November 2011. Held off Scotsman George Murray at Leopard Creek to win by two shots and become a full Member of The European Tour for the first time.

Took advantage by finishing 71st in The 2012 Race to Dubai, helped largely by a runner-up finish in the BMW Italian Open presented by CartaSi. Previously plied his trade on the Sunshine Tour, on which he won three times, and the Web.com Tour, the second tier tour in the United States.

Has a fine record on home soil, finishing third in the South African Airways Open at the end of 2007 and losing a play-off to Richard Sterne in the 2008 Joburg Open.

Finished second on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in 2008 before winning the title in 2011. Studied at North Carolina State University before turning professional in 2003.

2013: T40 at Qatar Masters, T15 at Dubai Desert Classic, T9 Joburg Open, 4th at Africa Open.

COVER STORY

15

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS The Official World Golf Ranking, which is endorsed by the four Major Championships and the six leading professional tours which make up the International Federation of PGA Tours (PGA TOUR, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour) is issued every Monday, following the completion of the previous week’s tournaments from around the world.

The official events from the six leading professional tours

together with the PGA TOUR Canada and Latinoamerica, OneAsia, Korean, Web. com, Asian Development and European Challenge Tours are all taken into account and “Ranking Points” are awarded according to the players’ finishing positions and are generally related to the strength of the field based on the number and ranking of the Top-200 World Ranked players and the Top-30 of the Home Tour players in the respective tournaments (event

“Rating Values”).

However, the four Major Championships are rated separately to reflect the higher quality of the events together with the Players Championship in the United States.

In addition, the BMW PGA Championship in Europe, the Australian, Japan and South African Open Championships and the Flagship events on the Asian, Web. com and European Challenge Tours are allocated higher minimum points levels to reflect their status.

The World Ranking Points for each player are accumulated over a two year “rolling” period with the points awarded for each event maintained for a 13-week period to place additional emphasis on recent performances – ranking points are then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the two year Ranking period. Each player is then ranked according to his average points per tournament, which is determined by dividing his total

number of points by the tournaments he has played over that two-year period.

The first official ranking appeared in 1986 and at that time was not universally recognised. Its genesis however was almost 20 years early when Mark H. McCormack, the founder of IMG (International Management Group), started producing what he referred to as a Proficiency Rating System – a method he devised to determine the best players in world golf. McCormack

would publish his findings in his annual review of world golf.

The principles he worked on all those years ago are still used today only in a far more sophisticated way. They basically are that (1) a span of more than a year is needed; (2) money lists and stroke averages do not provide accurate player-against-player comparisons; (3) the status of the tournaments and the calibre of the field must be considered; and (4) victories deserve extra credit.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS 1978

1986

1988

1993

2003

2013 (WEEK 8)

Tom Watson

Berhard Langer

Greg Norman

Nick Faldo

Tiger Woods

Rory McIlroy

Jack Nicklaus

Seve Ballesteros

Seve Ballesteros

Fred Couples

Ernie Els(2)

Tiger Woods

Hale Irwin

Sandy Lyle

Bernhard Langer

Bernhard Langer

Phil Mickelson

Luke Donald

Hubert Green

Tom Watson

Sandy Lyle

Ian Woosnam

Vijay Singh

Brandt Snedeker

Gary Player(5)

Mark O’Meara

Curtis Strange

Nick Price(5)

Retief Goosen(5)

Louis Oosthuizen(5)

Ben Crenshaw

Greg Norman

Ian Woosnam

Tom Kite

Sergio Garcia

Justin Rose

Graham Marsh

Tommy Nakajima

Payne Stewart

Jose M Olazabal

Davis Love 111

Adam Scott

Seve Ballesteros

Hal Sutton

Nick Faldo

Greg Norman

David Toms

Matt Kuchar

Lee Trevino

Corey Pavin

Ben Crenshaw

Davis Love 111

Mike Weir

Lee Westwood

Isao Aoki

Calvin Peete

Roger Davis

John Cook

Padraig Harrington

Ian Poulter

Denis Watson(31)

Mark McNulty(15)

Mark McNulty(14)

Nick Price(11)

Charl Schwartzel(14)

David Frost(39)

David Frost(22)

David Frost(22)

Tim Clark(42)

Ernie Els(24)

Nick Price(52)

Nick Price(46)

Tony Johnstone(23)

Trevor Immelman(49)

Branden Grace(30)

Mark McNulty(67)

Hugh Baiocchi(64)

Ernie Els(46)

Rory Sabbatini(90)

George Coetzee(42)

Fulton Allem(68)

Wayne Westner(49)

Mark McNulty(166)

Tim Clark(48)

John Bland(82)

Retief Goosen(109)

Hennie Otto(175)

Richard Sterne(52)

Denis Watson(84)

John Bland(124)

Brendon de Jonge(77)

Tony Johnstone(102)

Fulton Allem(146)

Darren Fichart(93)

Jeff Hawkes(157)

Ian Palmer(151)

Jaco van Zyl(104)

Wayne Westner(191)

De Wet Basson(157)

Retief Goosen(119)

Jeff Hawkes(190)

Thomas Aiken(122)

David Frost

Garth Mulroy(130) Jbe Kruger(178) Trevor Immelman

Rory Sabbatini(184) Hennie Otto(191)

16 rules

A Mixed Bag

Rule 6-6 The applicaTion of Rule 6-6 has prompted the most celebrated Rule’s controversies in the history of the game and none more so than the infringement of the rule by Roberto de Vicenzo at the 1968 Masters. De Vicenzo, the reigning Open Champion at the time, sank a metre and half putt on the par four 17th hole for a birdie three. A bogey at the last left the great Argentinean on an eleven under total of 277 in a tie with Bob Goalby. However his marker Tommy Aaron, although getting the total correct on the card, wrote down a four at 17. De Vicenzo did not notice the mistake, signed the card and rushed off for press interviews. Augusta founder Bobby Jones searched for a way round the ruling but none could be found. Once the scorecard was

It’s a bit of a mixed bag this month as dennis bruyns looks at ‘Rules’ that can help, ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ and with Club Championships coming up – the basic requirements of ‘Rule 6-6’

I

say it often but it is worth repeating. If applying a rule of golf gives you an advantage, accepted it, humbly I might add because somewhere down the line you know the Golf Accountant in the sky will square the books up by with a ruling that seems just plainly unfair.

Rough to faiRway In taking relief from an abnormal ground condition such as casual water or ground under repair the nearest point of relief is determined without regard for fairway or rough.

So if your ball is in the rough in such a relief situation, and the nearest point of relief is back onto the fairway, this is your good luck. But remember this can be a doubleedged sword – if your ball is on the fairway, the nearest point of relief might be in the rough or even under a bush. There is only one ‘nearest point’ and you can’t go looking for the best option. Relief is at the nearest point not the nicest point.

Don’t look foR oRiginal ball If you hit a great shot with a provisional ball, and/or you think your first ball might be in a truly awful place, you are not obliged to

look for the original ball. Once you play the provisional ball from the area the original ball is likely to be (or from a point nearer the hole than that place), the provisional ball becomes the ball in play, obviously under penalty of a stroke-anddistance. However, if somebody finds your original ball before your provisional ball becomes in play, you have to play the original. If on a short hole a player holes out with his provisional ball (a score of three taking into account the stroke and distance penalty) the provisional becomes the ball in play as soon as the player takes it out of the hole.

Again you do not have to go and look for the original ball. However, if the original ball is found before the

There is only one ‘nearesT poinT’ and you can’T go looking for The besT opTion. relief is aT The nearesT poinT, noT The nicesT poinT.

provisional is taken out the hole, then it (the original) is the ball in play.

Play fRom the PRevious sPot If you somehow skull an easy chip shot from a greenside position or hit a putt into a water hazard or an unplayable position on the other side of the green or hole, remember that one of your options is to return to the spot of your previous stroke, under penalty of one stroke. It could leave you in a better position. Always consider all your options. faiRway to Rough I am often asked if, when a Local Rule allowing ‘placing’ on fairways is in play, a player may place his ball from the fairway into the rough. If the original position of the ball was covered by the rule, and the distance that the player places the ball is within that which has been specified, then the player is quite within his rights to place from the fairway to the rough.

The same applies if in placing the ball the player gets some advantage in terms of his stance or line of play.

Again that is his good luck.

Remember that the R&A and the USGA are apposed to the introduction of placing and believe the ball should rather be played as it lies.

afTerwards de Vicenzo simply said, “whaT a sTupid i am.” signed and returned the higher score had to stand and Goalby was declared the winner. If De Vicenzo had signed for a lower score he would have been disqualified.

Afterwards de Vicenzo simply said, “What a stupid I am.” To compound matters the whole incident happened on de Vicenzo’s 45th birthday.

There is no getting around the application of this rule and the average golfer should be aware of his scorecard responsibilities when playing in a competition. Briefly they are: • Ensure that your name appears on the card.

• That your gross scores for each individual hole are correctly recorded.

• You and your marker must sign the card.

• And your correct handicap must be reflected on the card.

All it takes is an extra few minutes after play to get it right.

When playing in the Club Championship this year or indeed any competition take the extra care and avoid any potential controversy.

rules

FAQ’s Not surprisingly the same queries come up time and time again. Here are some ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ covering some of golf’s complex set of rules.

In the course of making a practice swing, a player accidentally hits and moves his ball. What is the ruling?

If the ball is not in play (i.e. if the incident occurred on the tee before a stroke had been played) there is no penalty and the ball must be replaced. If the ball was in play the ball must be replaced under penalty of one stroke.

What should a player do if his ball at rest is moved by a gust of wind?

If a sudden gust of wind moves a player’s ball there is no penalty and the ball must be played from its new position, whether this be to the player’s advantage or not. If however the player had addressed his ball, he is then deemed to have

17

caused it to move and the ball must be replaced and the player incurs a one-stroke penalty. The exception to this rule will always be hard to determine or apply. It states that if it is known or virtually certain that the player did not cause the ball to move then the rule does not apply.

Why can’t spike marks on the green be repaired?

This is contrary to the basic principle of playing the course as you find it and is in breach of Rule 16-1c. It is often difficult to determine what might be a genuine spike mark or just normal wear and tear to the green. If players were allowed to repair any and all blemishes on the putting surface this would definitely lead to an increase in slow play.

May a player, while holding the flagstick in one hand, putt with the other hand?

Yes, provided that the ball does not strike the flagstick. If it does the player would be in breach of Rule 17-3a.

Must a small coin or ball marker be used when marking the position of the ball on the putting green?

The note to Rule 20-1 referring to the use of a ball marker on coin is a

recommendation only and failure to comply is not a breach of the rules. It would be quite in order for a player to use a tee or even the toe of his putter.

Can a player be disqualified for an omission or error in adding his score or points on a score card?

The competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded on each hole. The committee is responsible for the addition of scores and points. If the total is incorrect the committee should correct the error without penalty to the player.

This takes us into the territory of marking the card and the

responsibilities of the player and his marker. Here in south Africa we play more strict competitive rounds than anywhere else in the golfing world.

There is always some competition on even if it is only a nine hole meat comp on a Friday afternoon.

Because of this we are nearly always required to submit a correctly completed card for competition purposes What are we as players responsible for and what not?

This is covered by Rule 6-2 and 6-6.

In my many years as a Rules Official a breach of these requirements has resulted in disqualification on more occasions than any other rule.

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19

MAJORLESS GREATS (1001) “I would rather take a win and miss ten cuts than to get into the top 10 every week for ten weeks”.

This statement, made by a young touring pro I consulted with, confused me.

The next question shot out of my mouth before I even had time to conceptualize it properly (like a psychologist is supposed to do). “Why would you take one moment of brilliance over consistency and earnings?” The reply came back just as swiftly and was delivered with a steely look in his eyes: “cos’ they don’t measure greatness by what is in your bank account.”

It took me a while to understand what the youngster meant and it was clearly displayed in the difference between my mindset and that of a top-performing athlete. Winning is all that matters and everything else, money included, is a secondary consideration, especially when it comes to professional golf. Even more so when it comes to the Majors.

Now this month’s Swing Thoughts is not a list of the best-players-never-tohave-won-a-major-and-what-theyneed-to-do-to-win-one…there have been enough of those.

Instead, by highlighting what you could learn from the predicaments of Messer’s Montgomerie, Donald and Garcia I trust that you will find something that has been lacking in your own mental game.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE I always try to remind professional players that even though golf is a job, it is still one that can be enjoyed. You get to travel to wonderful places, marvel at breathtaking scenery and enjoy things that most people can only dream of.

However, on the occasions I have had the chance to study Colin Montgomerie in person, I always get

the impression that golf is torture and that he is about to pass-out due to the pain it has inflicted upon him.

Some pain it must be: Monty is fourth on the all-time European Tour wins list with 31 career wins, he won the European Tour’s Order of Merit eight times and was also Player of the Year on the European Tour in four different years. Torturous indeed.

Colin Montgomerie throws his putter in despair after missing a putt during the final round of the inaugural Dunhill Links Championship.

The body language and behaviour that typifies a Monty round can be described as pensive at its best and downright sulky at its worst. So what can you learn from a moody Scot then?

By focusing on what (good) is happening around you, you shift your focus from an often, negative internal state to a more balanced external one.

Thus by suggesting you “smell the roses” we don’t always just refer to enjoying the game. It has a very important psychological role to play in your game as well.

LUKE DONALD He has more than R300 000 000 (yes

SWING THOUGHTS

By Theo Bezuidenhout

that is three-hundred-million Rand) in winnings on both sides of the Atlantic but even this has not lead Luke Donald to Major success. However if you look at what he has done with his game one could be forgiven for thinking that of all the players due a Major, Donald could be first in line.

Not only has he worn the crown of the best golfer in the world, he has also officially become the first man to be the leading money winner on the PGA and European Tours in the same year. He has achieved this by focusing and improving on his strengths instead of getting caught up in any perceived weaknesses.

This perceived weakness is Donald’s length, or lack thereof, off the tee. It is an open secret that Donald is not the longest hitter on tour but even in this day and age of distance-dominance Donald has taught us all a golfing lesson. Instead of focusing only on how to get more distance off the tee, Donald went in the opposite direction and focused on an inherent strength: his short game.

The lesson to be learnt from Mr. Donald’s rise and rise? Don’t always focus on what you don’t have in terms of your game. Sometimes worrying less about your inadequacies and focusing more on improving your strengths can be a game changer.

SERGIO GARCIA I have to confess a personal bias in two areas of Sergio Garcia Fernandez’s golf. Firstly, I absolutely LOVE his swing and how he has been able to keep it so natural since the beginning of his career. Secondly, lately I have started to hate his behaviour on the course.

I believe El Nino is better than throwing shoes into crowds, beating up on bunker lips with a sand wedge and I believe he truly deserves a Major. Even if it just a sentimental wish from my side.

So personal biases aside, Sergio Garcia is one strange psychological anomaly. He is affable, well spoken and well supported the world over. His

Ryder Cup exploits have made him the natural heir to Seve Ballesteros’s reign as Ryder Cupper extraordinaire for Europe.

Having said that he can also be petulant and emotional and is prone to blaming external factors for his failures. Garcia infamously blamed these factors for his loss in a play-off at The Open in 2007 to eventual champion Padraig Harrington by saying: “I’m playing against a lot of guys out there, more than the field”.

In this regard I have some bad news for Sergio and others with a blaming mind-set. As we all know you get good and bad breaks in golf that you neither deserve, nor plan for. By blaming these breaks for good or bad play you are simply communicating that you are not tough enough mentally to deal with the unexpected scenario’s golf throws at you. Isn’t that one of the many aspects that makes golf so much different to other sports?

If Sergio is to win a Major he will have to learn to back himself slightly more than statements such as: “In 13 years I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to play for second or third place.”

I trust after reading this you would at least be a bit more complimentary and kind to yourself on the links.

Please share your mental issues with us (and by that we mean Theo; we have enough to worry about!). The WINNING LETTER will receive a Titleist glove and one dozen Titleist Pro V1s.

PROFILE: Theo Bezuidenhout is a sport psychologist in private practice and consults with golfers of all abilities and ages. His clients include top juniors, amateurs and Sunshine Tour professionals. Theo has been a columnist for Tee to Green for over seven years. He is also an ambassador for Volvo South Africa and Volvo in Golf as well as a Titleist ambassador. He has a special interest in parental involvement in sport and has also been involved with the Glacier Junior Series for the last two years as a consultant. He refuses to divulge how often he gets to work on his own golf.

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20

INSTRUCTION

By Dennis Bryuns, Illustrations Dave Edwards

DON’T LOOK – LISTEN

Listen for the ball dropping into the cup.

Worst tip in golf – Keep your head down – that is on all shots except putting.

L

ooking up and following the ball as it rolls towards the hole is a sure way to derail an on-path stroke. And the nearer you get to the hole the more important it becomes. Those of you who can remember watching the great Gary Player in his heyday will recall how he made this his signature action for any putt under ten feet. And when you win 9 majors and over 160 tournaments world–wide there must be something in it.

What happens if you look? Most of us are naturally anxious over these putts. After all a three foot putt counts the same as a 300yard drive. And if the putt swings from left to right, even the slightest bit, we look up even more – and yes, the blade opens up, there is no solid stroke and the ball falls away to the right for another dropped shot.

To counter this and maintain a pure pendulum stroke, keep your eyes glued to the spot where the putter meets the ball, even after impact. Rather than looking up to see the ball drop into the hole “listen” for it RELIEVE TENSION Follow your normal pre-shot routine for putts. But just before you take the putter back lift the head and hover it above the grass. Just slightly mind you.

Then let it down again so that it is brushing the grass. Almost as if you are tapping the ground.

Now take it back smoothly and through smoothly.

After impact keep your eyes on the spot where the putter met the ball.

Take the putter back and through smoothly.

Tapping the putter softly at address will reduce tension in your hands and arms.

21 PULL OUT AND KEEP

I

Shoulders remain coiled

Arms drop in place

STARTING THE DOWNSWING The changeover from the backswing to the downswing is the most important movement in the golf swing.

Weight shifts to right

The “Snead Squat”

t is here that most problems start. And once you have started the downswing badly it is almost impossible to rectify it even for the best players in the world.

Top professionals will point out that the downswing is actually started by the lower body as it slides ahead of the ball with the weight shifting from the right side to the left. The club lags behind and then is released late in the downswing by an almost flip of the hands. This generates maximum club head speed. And this is fine for those talented athletes playing the Tours of the world who are spending hours and hours perfecting the timing of these movements.

Ideally we want the following to happen • The weight must shift from left side to right • The club must stay on plane • The path into and through the ball should be “in – square – in”.

• But this does not happen as three separate movements, so try and incorporate the following keys into your downswing.

• Try dropping the hands down into the nine o’clock position.

• While doing this keep the shoulders coiled.

• At the same time start sliding the weight towards the left side.

• At the half way down point think of your knees being at their widest apart in a semi-squat position.

In fact this position was made famous by “Slamming” Sam Snead and became known as the “Snead Squat”. By the way a good exponent of this in the modern game is Tiger Woods.

Remember that the arms drop down first before the shoulders uncoil. If you uncoil the shoulders first (probably the most common fault in the average player) the arms and hands will disconnect from the body resulting in a casting movement and an out to in swing path, causing slices and pull shots.

22 MASTERS PREVIEW

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE MASTERS?

23

WHAT IS IT that makes so many South African golf fans stay up half the night to see the drama first build up all week and then unfold on a Sunday night even if their favourite players are not in contention.

It is not as if they are cheering for their favourite rugby or football team.

It is not an International Team Match when patriotic fervour is at fever pitch.

Why most of the time it is just two or three non-descript PGA Tour players involved in the final duel, but still we watch riveted to the screen.

Consider this.

It is just at the right time each evening – not too early and not too late. Live coverage usually starts at 9pm by which time the family have seen their primetime soaps and/or reality shows. And at a stretch we can delay our viewing by half an hour on Sunday to allow the family to watch the Sunday night movie. Barring a protracted play off it should be all over by 12 or 12:30. Plenty of time for a good night’s rest and off to work on Monday knowing exactly what happened and how it happened.

And of course it is over six months since the last major so we are graving some major golf action. It is the first major of the year, time to check out the early form, time to see which players might be ready to break though into the big time.

After this our screens are bombarded with top quality sport not least of which will be the other three majors – the US Open in June, British Open in July and PGA Championship in August. And between all this you must find time for tennis from Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Super 15 rugby, other rugby and cricket internationals, the Tour de France (maybe give those druggies a skip this year just out of protest).

South African players always seem to be in with a shout at the death, and if they are not, a star from Europe will be looking to take the prized possession of the green jacket from the Americans.

But the best thing of all is we know the golf course. The fact that we have never been there , never played the course and never will does not matter at all. After 30 years of watching the action on TV and listening to comments from David Feherty and the like it is as if we are standing right there at the tenth as the leaders step onto the tee. The toughest hole on the course requires a right to left drive that pitches down the right half of the fairway catches the slope and rushes down the hill leaving just a medium to high iron

into the green. We know that.

Then at 11 we have the water hazard guarding the left side of the green with everything pushing the ball towards it. We can feel the relief of the players that have negotiated these two holes in level par. And what do they face now – the short 12th for most modern players only a nine iron, surely a birdie chance at this level – WRONG. Give the field a par and they would all take it. The green is wide but narrow, making distance control essential. There is a bunker through the green and one short between Rae’s Creek and the green.

Still with a nine iron in their hands – no problem.

Ah, but then there is the wind swirling its way through the Georgia pines. And as it swings and swirls we see more players back off the shot than any other in world golf. Take careful note this year as they take longer than usual discussing their club selection with the caddie, pick up and throw various bits of grass in the air, look up into the trees, select a club, go through their pre-shot routine, address the ball and are ready to hit. Ooops, a gust of wind, and they back off and go through the whole procedure again. And now there is doubt in the mind and that’s it, as I said earlier give me a par and let’s get out of here.

There are two “four and a half ” pars on the back nine at Augusta – the 13th and the 15th. Both are reachable in two and any player must play them in under par. Classic risk and reward holes. We have the rather non-descript 14 and 17 and squeezed in between the wonderful 16th hole surrounded by thousands of fans who

Players walk to the No. 16 green

IS THERE ANOTHER MAJOR FOR MICKELSON TO TAKE HIS TALLY OF MAJOR WINS TO FIVE? YES, AND THIS WILL BE WHERE HE DOES IT. have been sitting there all day watching each and every group play the hole.

So finally the prospective champion stands on the 18th tee knowing a par 4 is will probably be good enough to win. And he faces a drive through an alleyway that has just gone from two lanes to one, and the bunker in the distance has just doubled in size. Just get the ball on the fairway, my second somewhere on the green and two putts and let me get out of here.

Nine holes of golf that each year brings drama , ecstacy and tears. That is why golf fans wait each year for The Masters and will watch tune in on Sunday evening and not leave the screen until the last put is in the hole.

And who do we expect to be in the showdown over the back nine:

TIGER WOODS An early favourite with bookies, but he is not showing the most consistent form to date. He missed the cut in his season starter at Abu Dhabi, won at Torrey Pines and then a first round exit at the Accenture World Matchplay. Ignore all this and as a four time winner he must be the favourite and expect him to raise his game and put in a good showing. But win it, not this year Tiger.

BUBBA WATSON The defending Champion, but looks short on class required to win back-to-back Masters, which has only happened three times – Jack Nicklaus in 1966, Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 2002. The closest he will come to the winner’s Green Jacket in 2013 is when he helps the new champion put it on.

24 masters preview oosthuizen smiles after making a double eagle on no. 2 in the 2012 masters

Some maSterS factS and figureS

SoutHern african PlayerS at tHe maSterS this list covers all players from southern africa who have competed in the masters. it is interesting to note that four of these received invites while still amateurs – Bobby Cole, mannie zerman, warren schutte and trevor immelman. the list is in order of most appearances. name

Louis oosthuizen, CharL sChwartzeL and ernie eLs They will lead the SA challenge and my heart must be with Ernie on this one.

Ever since he won the 1994 US Open pundits have predicted that Ernie would win at Augusta. Everything is right for him. A big hitter’s course, requiring a deft touch around the greens. But will his rather suspect putting, even with the “advantage” of his new anchor style stroke, stand up to the pressure of greens running at 13 on the stimp. Louis and Charl both have great early form. They have the best golf swings in the game and both are good and solid around the greens. And of course they have been there before. an engLishman Again one’s heart must be with Lee Westwood as his chance of winning a major is diminishing as each one passes him by. Not this time Lee (your turn will come at the Open Championship).

Luke Donald – somehow not for me either and Ian Poulter, great Ryder Cup last year but a major winner? the irish One can’t deny the chances of world’s number one Rory McIlroy even if his early form is nothing to write home about. He lost the tournament once before when it looked all over after three rounds. His meteoric rise to number one in world golf speaks for itself but the game has a way bringing you back to earth with a bump and I think this could be the bump year for Rory.

PhiL miCkeLson The best Masters record outside of Tiger’s. Is there another major for Mickelson to take his tally of major wins to five?

Yes and this will be where does this it. Worst statistic going against him is can two lefties win in row? outsiders Too many to even mention, but wouldn’t it be great for Sergio Garcia to follow in the footsteps of countrymen Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, by winning and at the same time freeing himself from the label of a great player who has not won a major.

It would be faIr to say that Jack Nicklaus used to love playing at augusta.

He holds the record for most wins (6), most top five finishes (15), most top ten finishes (22), most career birdies (506) and most career eagles (24). as well as that he is the oldest ever winner (46 and 2 months in 1986), has finished in second place four times (a record he shares with Ben Hogan and tom Weiskopf) and recorded the second lowest score for 72 holes (271 – 1965) behind tiger Woods (270 – 1997). the GoldeN bear has played the masters 45 times, including a run of 40 consecutive appearances between 1959 and 1998, but both records pale in comparison to the number of total appearances - Gary Player (52) and consecutive appearances – arnold Palmer (50 – 1955-2004)

the course record for the masters is a nine-under par 63, held by nick Price (1986) and perennial augusta choker greg norman (1996).

the maN who has the dIstINctIoN of recording the worst ever round at augusta is poor Billy casper, who shot a 34-over par 106 as a 73-year old in 2005. His nightmare round included an 11-over par 14 at the par three 16th hole after, tin cup like, he hit three balls into the water. casper actually won the tournament in 1970. the hIGhest fourround total to win the masters is 289 (+1), shared by Sam Snead (1954), Jack Burke (1956) and Zach Johnson (2007). three-tIme wINNer Phil mickelson holds the record for the most birdies in a single masters tournament, having scored 25 birdies over four rounds in 2001. it was good enough for third place.

the masters wasN’t Played between 1943 and 1945 because of World War ii. during that time, hundreds of cattle and turkeys were raised on the course to assist the war effort while 42 german Prisoners of War worked on the grounds. desPIte all the hooPla about amen corner, the all-time toughest hole at augusta is the par-four tenth, followed by two of the holes on amen corner, the

no of events

Best finish

gary Player

52

3x winner

nick Price

20

5

ernie els

18

2

retief goosen

13

2

david frost

11

t5

tim Clark

11

2

trevor immelman

10

winner

rory sabbatini

10

2

harold henning

9

t11

mark mcnulty

5

t16

Louis oosthuzen

4

2 (t1st but lost play off)

Bobby Cole

4

t44

Bobby Locke

4

t10

Charl schwartzel

3

winner

denis watson

3

t27

dale hayes

3

t19

hugh Baiocchi

3

t22

retief waltman

2

m/C

denis hutchinson

2

m/C

Cobie le grange

2

m/C

mannie zerman

2

57 (both times as an amateur)

fulton allem

2

t38

richard sterne

2

t25

the players who played only once are, trevor wilkes, Brian wilkes, Bobby verwey, tony Johnstone, warren schutte, and trevor dodds. of these only Brian wilkes made the cut finishing in a tie for 44rd place.

par-three 12th and the par four 11th. former us PresIdeNt dwIGht eIseNhower (2nd from left above) had an intimate relation-ship with augusta. a top of the range cabin was built in his honour at the course in the

1950s. a tree located to the left of the 17th fairway is reportedly so called because old dwight hit it so often during his many rounds at the course. He unsuccessfully lobbied to have the tree cut down in 1956.

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26

HEALTHY GOLF

SUPPLEMENT YOUR GAME

By Dr Rowena Thomson-Selibowitz

WINNING LETTER I broke my foot years ago and suffer from stiffness and even pain after walking 18 carrying my own bag (Not so much when I get a caddie). Are there any products you can suggest that will help with this joint/bone pain? I often play in 2 or three day amateur events and it affects my play on day 2 and 3.

Rudolph Eriksson (Parktown North) Dear Rudolph, Weight on an already damaged joint can definitely result in pain and stiffness.

I would suggest supporting your joints by taking glucosamine and chondroitin to assist in preventing damage to joint cartilage and also improving the cushioning your joint needs to prevent pain and lack of flexibility. This is a long term approach and glucosamine and chondroitin would need to be taken on a daily basis.

Ensuring your foot is supported correctly is also important, perhaps consult a podiatrist who could recommend the correct foot wear to use or an inner sole to put in your shoes to support your foot.

You may also want to consider taking a natural anti-inflammatory when you participate in 2 or 3 day events. Solgar Cherry Turmeric Complex may be a good option or MSM. These are gentle on the stomach too!

Please can you help me with something healthy I can eat on the golf course to help me keep my energy levels up. I see myself as a fit person, cycling and gymming but I find myself, with this heat in Durban, losing energy and concentration on the second nine!! Is there anything you can recommend for us ladies to eat at the halfway house?

Mandy Hughes (Umhlanga)

Dear Mandy, The best and healthiest option to maintain energy levels during a golf game is to eat lean protein combined with a complex carbohydrate. Simple but good choices would be a chicken and lettuce sandwich on rye or whole wheat bread or a tuna salad. If you don’t have time for this have an apple or pear and a handful of raw almonds.

Make sure you stay hydrated by having small sips of water thoughout the game and make sure you do not eat sugary items (fizzy drinks or sweets) before or during the game as these will cause sugar spikes and ultimately sap your energy levels.

In terms of supplements to assist in maintaining energy try a B- complex containing additional magnesium such as Solgar Megasorb B Complex or some coenzyme Q-10 to assist in energy production in the body.

I play in a hardcore four ball every Sunday and we are usually a bit tender after the night before. The rounds starts off great but the wheels come off big time half way through. What is the reason for this and will a drink halfway help?

Rajesh Naidoo (Crown Mines)

Dear Rajesh, No, a drink half way through will not improve your round! A hangover generally results because of blood sugar imbalances and dehydration caused by consuming alcohol. More alcohol will just exacerbate the problem.

Your best option would be to have a high protein, low GI meal before your round begins and make sure you stay hydrated, for example, boiled eggs on low GI seed loaf and some yoghurt. This should prevent the “wheels coming off ” halfway though.

If halfway through you still feel a little off- centre, then rather have an apple or pear as a snack and some more water.

Thanks for a wonderful column. I have found your advice very useful. My sons play and like all boys they don’t need any encouragement to eat. They don’t always eat balanced meals though and being as active as they are, I feel I need to ensure that they do. Are there any meal supplements that I can incorporate in to their diet? I see a variety of shakes on the shelf but have heard some horror stories about certain supplements stunting growth and messing with hormonal balances. I am wary to simply give them something based on a manufacturer’s marketing promises so I need you help please.

Susan Hendericks (Krugersdorp)

Dear Susan, The best options for your sons would be a whey protein-based shake that is processed at low temperatures. Whey is the most bioavailable form of protein and so should assist in maintaining healthy muscle, immunity and energy. Make sure you read the label and ensure that the supplements are free of preservatives, colourants and artificial sweeteners.

Like most children, they probably don’t eat too many greens, in which case try a green food supplement like Solgar Greens and More Powder.

If they refuse to take a shake, then at least give them a daily multivitamin. If they are over twelve years of age, an adult multivitamin will be a good option.

Winter is around the corner and the change of season always brings very dry skin. Is there a product on the market that can lubricate the skin in preparation of this?

Les Miser

Dear Les, Winter skin is really awful, I can commiserate. The best thing to do is ensure you are consuming enough

essential fatty acids in your diet.

These include foods such as oily, cold water fish and walnuts. If you struggle to eat enough of these then consider an omega 3 fish oil supplement. Solgar Wild Alaskan Full Spectrum Omega is rich in omegas and has the addition of astaxanthin which is fantastic for skin health.

Try also to use creams and lotions that are free of petroleum products as these have a tendency to aggravate dryness.

Cape Town has wet winters and I always get sick. I am tired of it because I can’t play golf and need to boost my immune system this year. I am in the running for WP Schools so I can’t afford to lose out. Is there something safe and healthy (and legal) I can take to help me. I eat properly but it doesn’t seem to do the trick.

Claudio van der Merwe

Dear Claudio, We are all told it is important to be fit to be healthy but the great irony is that the fitter you are, the more likely you are to get colds and ‘flu.

There are several things you should be able to take in order to improve immunity before and during winter.

These include vitamin C, zinc and olive leaf and elderberry extract.

These are vitamins and botanical products that have been shown to improve various aspects of immunity.

I would also recommend that although you eat well, that you take a multivitamin as this will ensure that any gaps in your nutritional needs are met, thus limiting the possibility of poor immunity.

Good luck for WP Schools!

Send though your health related queries to teetogreen@ ballyhoomedia.co.za. The winning letter will receive a Solgar Product Hamper.

28

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COVERT PERFORMANCE PHILOSOPHY - Cavity back design redistributes weight into the corners to increase MOI in a traditional head shape. COVERT VISUAL PHILOSOPHY - Non-conventional, performance enhancing geometry on the sole. Conventional appearance at address.

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36 travel

UniqUe Holes

Double greens and waterfalls!

By Jeff Clause

37

In 1995, when Jack Nicklaus was designing and constructing SA’s first Signature course above the lagoon in Knysna, he made a trip to the dunes above St Francis Bay to see a piece of land he would later go on to say “…it may be the best I have seen”. The land above the Indian Ocean rolled from west to east between seven natural dunescapes, covered in fynbos, some varieties, unique only to the area. Nearly 10 years later he returned with a design that married the natural land to his vision for a great and rewarding test of golf.

When I was asked to come and see the course four months before completion, I was greeted by a course like no other in South Africa…as natural and raw as I had seen. By the time I walked from the third green to the back tee at four, I was already excited. As I walked onto the tee, the dunes that frame the estate to the west and north were in my face, filling the landscape. As my eyes panned to the right I picked the green at the base of the dune, with rough-edged bunkers left and right – a great view from this elevated tee. With no flags, I barely noticed the green on top of the dune, another 35m back – wow – two greens! The bottom green measured 157m from the back and 192 to the top. On opening day, Jack hit 7-iron to the bottom and 3-iron to the top.

Today when we set up the course we often play from the back tee to the bottom green and a forward tee to the top – keeping the difficulty relatively the same. One morning, early, my Superintendent at the time, Andre Gerber, and I were out for a morning ‘course inspection’ (if I am winning the course looks very good and if I am not, I usually find something to improve). We chose to play to the top green even though the green in play was the bottom one. Guessing where that last flag was, we took dead aim hoping to be the first to make an ace at the top; Andre was behind the pin about 6 feet away and I was to the right about the same distance – point of the story, that afternoon our first hole-in-one came as member, Hennie Ordel, found the hole. Our first ladies hole-in-one helped Helen Bridges win the Club Champs and our nearest ace followed a near-perfect 8-iron from Meyer DuToit, from Simola.

“Double Vision” St Francis Links, hole no. 4: Par 3 measuring 107m to 197m with five tee locations and TWO greens for targets!

38 travel

W

hen it comes to double greens or shared greens, St Andrews with her shared greens always comes to mind first.

When I played the 4th hole there a few years ago and my ball ended up on the 14th some 9 miles from the hole, My caddy calmly said, “Aye Laddie, you putt the first and then we’ll line up the next!”

There is another Nicklaus Signature course in America (one of my all-time favorites) that has gone beyond the shared greens of St Andrews and the double green we have here; they offered shared or double greens with multiple tees and two flags on every holes – you can play the course from back tee to back flag or from tee to front flag and all of the combinations in between. You could play golf for a month there and never play the same course twice!

Whether you are a Nicklaus fan or not, some of his designs are visually and mentally some of the “strongest” holes in the world…my all-time, all-time favorite is located in Texas, where I held my first PGA head professional position. The Hills of Lakeway featured a par-3

The 8Th hole aT Pine Valley

measuring only 135m from the Club tees – however, it was given a 10 slope rating (highest) for “mental” – meaning that your head is swimming on the tee and your ball often follows. The most amazing story I told while I was there was that we had a number of aces AND as many as 6, 3’s (ball in the water followed by a ball in the hole) made after you got over looking at the stunning waterfall that the green was placed above. In my day, it was one of the most photographed holes and painted holes in golf and still remains my best!

Pine Valley, in southern New Jersey, has long attracted superlatives. It is continually judged as the finest course in the world in large part because many would argue that a) it possesses more world class holes than any other course, b) the finest eighteen green complexes of any course, c) the finest collection of three shotters, d) the finest collection of two shotters (especially those under 370 yards), e) the finest collection of one shot holes, f) the finest three hole start and g) the finest three hole finish In addition to it being a famous test of golf, Pine Valley served as a central gathering point for architects to discuss and analyse specific design features during the Golden Age of golf course design. Starting in 1912 when George Crump acquired the property, a who’s-who of architects came, saw, and in some cases contributed to its design: Harry Colt, Hugh Wilson, George Thomas, William Flynn, Charles Blair Macdonald, Walter Travis, Robert Hunter, A.W. Tillinghast, Alister MacKenzie, Donald Ross, William Fownes, Charles Alison and Perry Maxwell. They all appreciated that Pine Valley raised the standard for golf course architecture and these same architects account for the majority of the great courses found in the United States.

Given Pine Valley’s fearsome reputation around the world, many first time players are surprised to find that they are likely to have a short iron approach shot into at least four holes (here at the 8th, the 10th, 12th and 17th). George Crump believed in testing the full range of shots and he also understood that a ticklish wedge shot played off a downslope to a tiny well- guarded green, in this case two well- guarded greens, could be just as worrisome/vexing as a full blooded wood or long iron shot.

The original 8th green on the left as you play the hole is very small, therefore a second green was built to relieve the pressure of too much traffic on the green - a much better alternative than reshaping and enlarging the original green.

Bryanston Country Club

EASTER FESTIVAL From 21st March to 1st April Member green fees for all visitors Thurs 21st Fri 22nd Sat 23rd Sun 24th Mon 25th

Betterball Stableford [Human Rights Day] Combined Stableford Alliance Stableford AM: Betterball Bonus Bogey PM: Easter Mixed Open Bryanston Junior Easter Challenge [36 hole Junior Tournament organised by CGGU.]

Tue 26th Wed 27th Thurs 28th Fri 29th Sat 30th Sun 31st Mon 1st

Senior Challenge [incorporating Tuesday School] Night Golf AM: Ladies Easter Open - Alliance PM: Interclub Challenge Invitational PM: BCC Pro Shop Day Betterball Stableford [Good Friday] Individual Medal Par 3 Challenge all day [Easter Sunday] Family Challenge. Betterball Stableford with any family combination [Family Day]

IFE BRING THE SW WING THAT WAY )

IF YOU (OR YOUR CADDHoY,use offer means that over the weekend, Our Spouse on the e for a room for two. you pay a single rat ng the m along! your partner and bri for e nic ng thi me so So do

For more information and T’s & C’s visit www.bryanstoncc.co.za Tel. 011-706-1361 or info@bryanstoncc.co.za The Bryanston Country Club

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40

humour Illustration Dave Edwards

Marriage probleMs A couple whose passion had waned saw a marriage counsellor and went through appointments that brought little success. Suddenly at one session the counsellor grabbed the wife and kissed her passionately.

“There” he said to John, the husband, “That’s what she needs every Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday”.

“Well,” replied the husband, “I can bring her in on Mondays and Wednesdays but Saturdays and Sundays are my golf days.”

Genie in a bottle

A husbAnd And wife were out enjoying a round of golf and about to tee off on the third hole which was lined by beautiful homes. The wife hit her shot and the ball began to slice.

Her shot was headed directly at a very large picture window. Much to their surprise, the ball smashed through the window and shattered it into a million pieces. They felt compelled to see what damage was done and drove off to see what had happened.

When they peeked inside the home, they could find no one there.

The husband called out and no one answered. Upon further investigation, they saw a gentleman sitting on the couch with a turban on his head.

The wife said, “Do you live here?”

“No, someone just hit a ball through the window, knocked over the vase you see there, and freed me from that little bottle. I am so grateful,” he answered.

The wife said, “Are you a genie?”

“Oh, why yes, I am. In fact, I am so grateful, I will grant you two wishes, the third I will keep for myself,” the genie replied.

The husband and wife agreed on 2 wishes...one was a scratch handicap for the husband, to which the wife readily agreed. The other

was for an income of $1,000,000 per year forever.

The genie nodded and said, “Done!”

The genie now said, “For my wish I would like to have my way with your wife. I have not been with a woman for many years and, after all, I have made you a scratch golfer and millionaire.” The husband and wife agreed and after the genie and wife finished, the genie asked the wife, “How long have you been married?”

She replied, “3 years.”

The genie then asked, “How old is your husband?”

To which she responded, “31 years old.”

To which the Genie remarked, “ A little old to still be believing in this genie stuff don’t you think?”

One lINeRS

What’s the difference between a bad golfer and a bad skydiver?

A bad golfer goes: WHACK... “Damn”!

A bad Skydiver goes: “Damn”!...

WHACK.

Two long time golfers were standing overlooking the river.

One golfer looked to the other and said, “Look at those idiots fishin’ in the rain.”

What are the four worst words you could hear during a game of golf?

It’s still your turn!

What if i died?

“Dear,” asked the wife. “What would you do if I died?”

“Why, dear, I would be extremely upset,” answered the husband.

“Why do you ask such a horrid question?”

“Would you remarry?” persevered the wife.

“No, of course not, love,” replied the husband.

“Do you like being married?” asked the wife.

“Of course I do, lamb.” he said.

“Then why wouldn’t you remarry?”

“All right,” said the husband on taking a different tact trying to end the conversation, “I’d remarry, then.”

“You would?” responded the wife, looking quite pained.

“Yes,” replied the trapped husband.

“Would you sleep with her in OUR bed?” asked the wife after a very long pause.

“Well, yes, I suppose I would.” replied her tiring mate.

“I see,” said the wife quite sternly and indignantly. “And would you let her wear my old clothes?”

“I suppose, if she wanted to,” stammered her mate, adding, “it would be a compliment to your exquisite taste.”

“Really,” replied the wife icily. “And would you take down the pictures of me and replace them with pictures of her?”

“I don’t know. But wouldn’t that be the correct thing to do?,” he replied.

“Is that so?” said the wife, leaping to her feet. “And I suppose you’d let her play with my golf clubs, too.”

“Of course not, dear. That would be impossible. She’s left-handed.” late tee off “Your late teeing off, Fred” “Yup, well, it being Sunday I had to toss a coin to see if I should go to church or to play golf” “But why are you so late?”

“I had to toss for it fifteen times!”