ARTICLES BY THE PGA s OF Europe and THE Ladies european tour. ALLISON DYER SETS UP YOUR PRE-SHOT ROUTINE INTERVIEW WITH GOLF COURSE DESIGNER KYLE PHILLIPS. PATRICK BRADY DEMONSTRATES THE GRASS ROOTS OF GOLF
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gU\S_]U It has been an exciting last couple of months here at EAT GOLF! and that has largely been down to you, our readers, giving us such a positive response. It seems that you are a wide cross section of the golfing world, male and female, from amateurs to professionals working in all areas of golf. Our inbox has been filled with kind comments and invitations from some of the most influential people in the game, and as a result we hope that this issue marks yet another step forward in our potential to bring you the most interesting articles and interviews from behind the scenes. It is especially fascinating to see how the popularity of golf is growing, with references to the sport appearing in so many unexpected places. Its universal acceptance is helping to demonstrate that golf is a lifestyle in itself, bringing together design, technology, ambition and integrity in a way that no other sport can.
Cover image courtesy of Charmaine Love at Kia Kaha Clothing Ltd for ‘Cambo’ range of golf shirts. Issue 3 - May / June 2006 GOLF! is distributed in golf clubs, golf outlets and luxury hotels from Sotogrande to Málaga & Almería, Spain; & the most prestigious golf clubs and golf resort hotels in the South East of England.
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Golf is a designers dream. Fashion wise it is possible to wear clothes that are equally in vogue on or off the course. In previous years golf fashion was a subject of ridicule, now it is the envy of most other sports. Demand for more golf courses is giving designers new projects and opportunities to create and build. The clubhouse requires an architect (a subject we will cover in a future issue), whilst golf club designers are continually striving to make the game more approachable and easier to play. By embracing design and technology golf is being thrust forward at a speedy pace.
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But this has provoked mixed feelings amongst the professional bodies. Technology in particular is a subject of concern in many new areas of the game, as Dennis Shaw points out this issue. Setting the boundaries on who the rules will affect puts the game in danger of going back to the days of golf being viewed as a fussy and intricately complicated game. A clear division of rules between professional competition and the amateurs enjoyment would surely assist these difficult decisions.
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Look out for the highly anticipated forthcoming album from the critically acclaimed Zero 7. The Garden is due to be released in May, and judging by the previews will surely live up to the standards set by their debut album ‘Simple Things’, and the follow up ‘When It Falls’. Blending beautiful harmonies in a modern pop style you’re sure to find a hit amongst their generous variation of tunes. On first listen to their single ‘This Fine Social Scene’ it was an instant hit with us!
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Dennis Shaw, PGAs of Europe www.pgae.com
Bethan Cutler, Ladies European Tour www.ladieseuropeantour.com
16. GOLF FASHION HILFIGER, DAILY & LINDEBERG
24. INTERVIEW MICHAEL CAMPBELL
Alfonso Pendás & Pedro Ocaña www.sotogrande.com
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36. THE MAJORS FEATURING ART BY LEROY NEIMAN
40. EYES IN THE SKY PGAs OF EUROPE
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44. GOLF AND GLAMOUR LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
54. INTERVIEW KYLE PHILLIPS
Golf ‘us Marbella www.golf-us.com Allison Dyer, Total Sport Psychology totalsportpsychology@fsmail.net
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Derek Brown www.valderrama.com
60. THE PRE-SHOT ROUTINE BY ALLISON DYER
64. GRASS ROOTS GOLF BY PATRICK BRADY
www.sanroqueclub.com Kyle Phillips www.kylephillips.com
Steve Marnoch www.golfmarnoch.com La Zagaleta www.lazagaleta.com
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78. INTERVIEW ROGER CLEVELAND, CALLAWAY
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Details Fabric: exclusively developed tightly woven outer fabric that is incredibly soft and silky, preventing material bulges and off-putting noise during the swing; plus stretchable micro-filament laminate lining (drop liner) that is waterproof and highly breathable for unparalleled freedom of movement and superior comfort. The winner can choose from either a jacket or playing top, including trousers. Colours: (Jacket) black/lime, black/ orange, black/red, black/cream, black; (Playing Top) lime/black, orange/black, red/black, cream/black, black Sizes: Jacket/Playing Top: S-XXXL. Trousers: S-XXXL; leg 29”, 31”, 33” Guarantee: three years
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ProQuip are generously offering a suit from their latest Silk Touch weatherwear to one lucky reader of EAT GOLF! in our exclusive competition. HOW TO ENTER Tell us how many years golf course designer Kyle Phillips spent working with Robert Trent Jones II - was it? (a) 14 (b) 16 (c) 18 The answer can be found within the pages of this issue.
Log on to our website - www.fairwaylife.com - to post your answer. The winner will be chosen at random, and notified by email. We will print the winner in the next issue of EAT GOLF! EAT
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He answered correctly that the other name for what EAT GOLF! PGA Professional, Patrick Brady believes is the foundation of the golf swing is the Grip.
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INTERVIEW WITH COURSE DESIGNER PERRY DYE. TEE-OFF FOR THE PERFECT CAREER... AS THE ALL PURPOSE GOLF PRO WE VISIT ALMERIA TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGING DESERT SPRINGS. PATRICK BRADY PUTTS YOUR GAME TO RIGHTS
Free - Issue 1 - Nov/Dec 2005
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THE POULTER APPROACH... EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH LEGENDARY GOLF COACH PETER COWEN. SEEING RED?.. SEEK HELP WITH SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY DENNIS SHAW MEETS FAMED COURSE DESIGNER DAVE THOMAS. PATRICK BRADY REVEALS THE SECRET OF DRIVING
Free - Issue 2 - Mar/Apr 2006
ARTICLES BY THE PGA OF EUROPE AND THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR. ALLISON DYER SETS UP YOUR PRE-SHOT ROUTINE INTERVIEW WITH GOLF COURSE DESIGNER KYLE PHILLIPS. PATRICK BRADY DEMONSTRATES THE GRASS ROOTS OF GOLF
Free - Issue 3 - May/Jun 2006
Nutritional Information: Digest news, reviews, fashion & interviews in the most stylish magazine designed to feed your golfing appetite
Nutritional Information: Digest news, reviews, fashion & interviews in the most stylish magazine designed to feed your golfing appetite
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Previous Pages Georgia wears: Top and knee length shorts by Daily Sports Watch by Girard - Perregaux Brad wears: Polo shirt, jumper and trousers by J.Lindeberg
These Pages Georgia wears: Top and knee length shorts by Tommy Hilfiger Watch by Girard - Perregaux Brad wears: Polo Shirt, Belt and Trousers by J.Lindeberg
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These Pages Georgia wears: Top, knee length shorts and peaked cap by Daily Sports Watch by Girard - Perregaux Brad wears: Polo shirt by Glenmuir Belt by J.Lindeberg Trousers by Tommy Hilfiger
Following Pages Georgia wears: Top, jumper and knee length shorts with chain by Tommy Hilfiger Watch by Girard - Perregaux Brad wears: Polo shirt by Glenmuir Trousers by J.Lindeberg
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michael
CAMPBELL Birth date: 23rd February 1969 Birthplace: New Zealand Height: 1.77m (5’10) Weight: 90 kgs (198 lbs) First joined golf club: Age 12 First represented NZ: Age 17 Turned pro: January 1993 Your upbringing and heritage are obviously very important to you. Can you explain to us what it means to represent New Zealand? I am a very proud New Zealander. We are not a big country in terms of population or area but we certainly punch above our weight, not only in sport but other disciplines too. It has always been very important for me not to forget who I am and where I’m from – and my family are the most important people in the world to me. They give me strength. When I holed my final putt at Pinehurst and looked to the skies, I was thanking all my ancestors for the strength they had given me to go out and win the tournament. It was very important to me to go back home to New Zealand after Pinehurst and share my victory with everyone and I am so happy we found the time in my schedule to be able to do that. 024
Kauri Cliffs was designed and built by David Harman of Golf Course Consultants, Orlando, Florida. The par 72 championship golf course measures 7,119 yards / 6,510 metres and offers five sets of tees to challenge every skill level. Fifteen holes view the Pacific Ocean, six of which are played alongside cliffs which plunge to the sea. The beautiful inland holes wind through marsh, forest and farmland. Golf course images courtesy of Kauri Cliffs. For further information visit: www.kauricliffs.com Photographs of Michael Campbell courtesy of Callaway Golf / Getty Images
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Hole 16. Par 4. Temptation A tee-shot on the right hand side of the fairway leaves a short downhill approach. Very long hitters may risk the hazards and drive the green.
What does your Maori logo mean? Is it belonging to a tribe or a modern interpretation of an historical design? I don’t have one specific Maori design. There are a variety of motifs and designs on my Cambo clothing range which Kia Kaha’s creative director, Charmaine Love, designed. The ‘Mangopare’ on the back of the shirt I wore when I won the US Open signifies the Hammerhead Shark, one of the hardest fish in the ocean to kill and one that will fight to the death until it is void of life. Because of this, the Mangopare is very sacred to the Maori of New Zealand. It is also a design that Maori will take into war with them. The new season range incorporates new Maori designs. Designs such as
the Manaia, Mangopare, Ta Moko and Kowhaiwhai all feature and I’ll be showcasing these new designs at the Majors this year. The designs all have unique meanings. The Manaia is a mythical Maori figure that is part man, fish and bird. It is seen as a guardian and protector over those who wear it and offers good luck. The new Mangopare design symbolizes strength, determination and a never give up attitude. Ta Moko is a traditional Maori Tattoo and this particular design symbolizes new beginnings. Kowhaiwhai are traditional Maori patterns and this contemporary design incorporates the koru frond and symbolizes new life. The range will be available throughout the year at www.cambogolf.com.
“The ‘Mangopare’ on the back of the shirt I wore when I won the US Open signifies the Hammerhead Shark, one of the hardest fish in the ocean to kill...”
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How and at what age did you get into golf? I got into golf through my father. He never pushed me to play, but he used to drag me along to our home course, Titahi Bay, whenever he went out to play and I ended up caddying for him at first. I’d go out onto the golf course to look for balls, which I’d sell to the members for about 50 cents. Then, all of a sudden, I got the golf bug when I was about seven or eight. Would you consider yourself a naturally talented golfer or do you have to work hard to achieve results? I would say that I am a naturally talented golfer but that said, I still need to put the time and effort in to achieve the results I want. I’ve said in the past that laziness is an easy habit to fall into, and I’ve been guilty of backing off and hitting cruise control when I’ve been playing well in the past. That’s something I’m all too aware of and I made the decision to refocus my goals soon after Pinehurst,
so I have targets to motivate me to keep achieving more. What has been your greatest golfing achievement, and how has it affected your attitude towards the game? Undoubtedly, it was winning the US Open. That win, and the success I had at other tournaments last year, has made me far more ambitious for myself. Take the Open last year at St Andrews. If you’d told me at the beginning of 2005 that I’d finish in 5th place at the Open Championship, I’d have taken it. But having won the US Open, I was playing the Open to win it. I was disappointed with 5th place. I want to win more Majors. Holing that winning putt at Pinehurst was such a beautiful feeling that I immediately wanted more. I don’t want to be one of those guys who wins one Major, and that’s it. I’ve always known, even since a kid, that I wanted to be a multiple Major winner. So winning has made me more ambitious for myself and opened my eyes to what I can achieve out there.
Hole 3. Par 4. Puriri A great “little” golf hole with a wide open fairway. The challenge on this hole is the short second shot to a well guarded, undulating green.
“...laziness is an easy habit to fall into, and I’ve been guilty of backing off and hitting cruise control when I’ve been playing well in the past.” 028
“I want to win more Majors. Holing that winning putt at Pinehurst was such a beautiful feeling that I immediately wanted more.”
How much do you rely on your caddie, and how do you think you would manage without his assistance? Mike (Waite) and I have worked together since the start of 1999. The caddy / player relationship is a lot like a marriage – he and I can spend ten hours a day with each other at tournaments, so it’s inevitable that we will
have occasional tiffs and off days, but we have similar personalities, and we understand the need to be patient with each other. At the end of the day, we get on really well. One of the most important roles of a caddy is to read his player and say the right things at the right time and Mike and I have worked together for so long that he knows when to do that.
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Hole 17. Par 4. Rainbow On the tee, don’t bite off more than you can chew. The large deep green will readily receive a long iron or wood.
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You play with Callaway equipment. Which range of their clubs are you using at the moment, and what benefits do they bring to your game? I’ve played Callaway Golf equipment for the past few years and really believe that there are no better woods, irons, wedges, putters and golf balls out there than Callaway’s. The technology and research and development that goes into every piece of equipment that makes it into my bag really is quite astounding. In my bag at the moment is the Big Bertha FT 3 driver, Big Bertha Heavenwood, X Tour irons, Odyssey White Hot putter and the new HX Tour ball.
What other assistance do Callaway give to you? Callaway have a team of guys on their truck that travel to most of the tournaments I play, so they are always there when I need them – to supply me with any product I need and service my requirements. I have also been to their state of the art testing facility in Carlsbad, California, where we test out all the latest technology and products.
It’s very important. I have both a physical trainer – Jay Kiss, and a sports psychologist, Paul Gagne in my team who have devised an extensive programme for me. We meet up a couple of times a year to see how I’m going and make modifications to the fitness programme and exercises they set me. I take my physical fitness very seriously and have just built a gym at my Brighton house – so no excuses!
How important is mental and physical fitness in professional golf today? What sort of time do you dedicate to working on these aspects of your game?
“The technology and research and development that goes into every piece of equipment that makes it into my bag really is quite astounding.”
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Hole 7. Par 3. Cavalli Club selection is crucial on this demanding par 3. Don’t let the views distract you.
“...I guess I do like the fact that when I’m out there, it’s just me and the course. I am in control of my own destiny and responsible for the score I sign for.”
You are connected with Kauri Cliffs Golf Club in New Zealand, a beautiful course in a dramatic setting. Can you tell us a bit more about it? Kauri Cliffs is on North Island in New Zealand, and I’ve been proud to be associated with them for many years now. It is one of the most beautiful spots in the world and the views are just sublime. The championship course was designed by Dave Harman, and is a par 72 course. Most of the holes view the Pacific Ocean, and run alongside the cliffs so the views are spectacular. It’s a championship course but I really believe players of any standard would enjoy playing it. Do you have a particular favourite hole at Kauri Cliffs, and what makes it so special? It’s got to be my hole - “Cambo’s hole”, which is the fourth hole at Kauri and a tough par 5. It’s 558 yards long and the green is perched on the peninsula, with the gorgeous Takou Beach in the background. It’s one of the best holes I’ve ever played.
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In which countries, courses or tournaments do you most like to compete? I am a global player and have played my golf all over the world for the past twenty years. I’m lucky that with the status the US Open win gives me, I can play tournaments in far off places and do my bit to expand the reach and build the popularity of this great game. I like most places I play. I’ve had quite a bit of tournament success in Ireland, but I’m also a fan of China, and it’s great to see the game developing there, and of course, New Zealand. Do you think that you make a good team player, or do you enjoy the individual challenge more? Professional golf doesn’t give us many chances to play as teams, but I’ve always enjoyed being part of a team. Being a non-European and non-American, I don’t get the chance to play in the Ryder Cup, which is probably the most celebrated team event golf has, but I have played in two Presidents
“The caddy / player relationship is a lot like a marriage – he and I can spend ten hours a day with each other at tournaments...”
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“Every year of my life I’ve played golf I’ve sat down and written out my goals for the year, and the one year I didn’t do it, I didn’t play well.”
Cups’ and I really enjoyed it. I loved playing with Angel Cabrera last year, and I think from the footage and photos, you can tell how focused we were on getting our points for the International team. But I guess I do like the fact that when I’m out there, it’s just me and the course. I am in control of my own destiny and responsible for the score I sign for. Which players do you most enjoy competing against and why? I don’t have any particular players I enjoy playing against more than others – I respect everyone out there. What is the best piece of advice you could give to an amateur golfer? It would have to be to focus on your goals, and to constantly go back to them and remind yourself of what you’re aiming to do. Every year of my life I’ve played golf I’ve sat down and written out my goals for the year, and the one year I didn’t do it, I didn’t play well. I didn’t have any direction and it showed in my results. Finally, do you have an amusing golfing story involving yourself that we may not have heard about? Sorry! None that I can share!
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Winged Foot. Plate-Signed Serigraph Image size 21” x 25” Winged Foot is host to the US Open, July 2006
majors THE
Artist: LeRoy Neiman © Knoedler Publishing
Room for one more? Next year will see the Players Championship at Sawgrass move its schedule to May in the hope that it can attain a higher profile and achieve the much coveted title of the fifth Major.
But what are the origins of the tournaments that constitute golf’s four Majors, and will it ever be possible for the affectionately known TPC to become one?
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Augusta Golf, 1990. Serigraph. Image Size 28 1/2” x 38”. A limited edition of 550 numbered impressions, signed by the artist.
In 1930 the great amateur Bobby Jones completed what was then dubbed the ‘Grand Slam’ of golf by winning the British Open, British Amateur, US Open and US Amateur in the same year. These were the most significant tournaments of the time and attracted the greatest players from around the world. By providing the opportunity to prove oneself as the best, they were known as the major championships. As golf has evolved and grown in popularity the Grand Slam now comprises The Masters held in April, the U.S. Open in June, The Open in July and the PGA Championship in August, and these are now considered to attract the best international players of the modern game. The youngest of the modern Majors is an annual event started in 1934 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts which became known as the Masters Tournament in 1939. Held annually at Augusta National, it retains its stature by 038
inviting the best players in the world to play on a course that always provides a stiff test of golf. The first US Open was held in 1895 on the nine-hole course of Newport Golf and Country Club. Having previously been overshadowed by the US Amateur, it wasn’t until 1913 that the US Open evolved into America’s most important golf event. Soon after spectator tickets were introduced for the first time in 1922, there were so many players seeking entry to the tournament that qualifying rounds were introduced. By 1954 national television coverage was helping to raise the profile even further, allowing everybody to tune in to the action. What is now simply known as The Open (formerly the British Open), is golf’s oldest national championship and the only one of the Majors that is played outside the USA. First held in October, 1860, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club chose a selection of seaside
courses to host the event which was to give a unique links course character among the Majors and attract the best competitors to take up the challenge. The first PGA Championship was conceived by the PGAs of America in 1916, and New York salesman Rodman Wannamaker provided the trophy and $2,580 purse for the matchplay event. In 1958 the format was changed to stroke play, and over the past eight decades, the PGA Championship has developed into one of the premier sporting events in the world, bringing together the strongest all-professional international field in major championship golf and over 10,000 spectators who line the fairways. What all of the Major championships have in common is a desire to find the best golfer in the world at that time. To root out the best ball strikers the courses are set up to play more demanding than the majority of events held throughout the year. Firmer playing
surfaces, more severe greens and pin placements make it vital for players to shape their shots and control the distance of their irons. The truth is that for a tournament to become a Major would now involve the decision of many people. The players themselves, the governing bodies of golf, the sponsors, the media and the public would all need to play a part in awarding such a title. The TPC at Sawgrass fulfils many of the criteria of a Major. With the largest purse of any event, moving the tournament to May could fill a gap between the other Majors. A new state-of-the-art drainage system, and the change of time of year should bring it in line with the requirements of a Major by playing harder and faster. Attracting one of the strongest fields in golf, it is also one of the most popular with the spectators. However the implications on what it would have on the Grand Slam of golf, and the
past champions at Sawgrass are what could prevent the TPC from ever achieving Major status, and time will tell whether the history of golf can be changed once more. GOLF! is happy to accept the TPC for what it is. Like the Ryder Cup, the World Golf Championships or the Volvo Masters, it is a classic tournament held on a great course with a premium field - and an event not to be missed.
“What all of the Major championships have in common is a desire to find the best golfer in the world at that time.”
About the artist Born June 8, 1921 in St. Paul, Minnesota, LeRoy Neiman is best known for his brilliantly coloured and stunningly energetic images of sporting events and leisure activities. Infusing the artistic styles of ‘action painting’ with ‘social realism’, Neiman has acquired many awards and citations throughout his life. In recent years illustrators, photographers and filmmakers have taken over the role of story tellers, and it is refreshing to find an artist daring to challenge the
established assumptions of modern art history. His striking portrayal of real life situations is perhaps what makes his art loved by millions of people throughout the world. “For me,” says Neiman, “communication is what it’s all about. Art is simply the means by which it happens. It’s something that just passes through me and on to them.”
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Our thanks to Knoedler Publishing for allowing us to reproduce these images. For more information visit the official website at: www.leroyneiman.com
Clubhouse at Old St. Andrews, 1987. Serigraph. Image size 27” x 36”. A limited edition of 375 numbered impressions, signed by the artist. The Open will see a move away from the home of golf to Royal Liverpool in 2006
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Those Eyes in the Sky Watching Over Golf
By Dennis Shaw PGAs of Europe
Most of us, if we’re honest, have a love-hate relationship with technology. We love it when it works. Hate it when screws up. Much the same attitude extends into golf.
While few sports remain untouched by the miracles of the micro-chip, golf has been transformed forever in a full frontal, technological assault. Hot-faced drivers, involving the mysteries of the co-efficient of restitution (or COR, as the scientific calculation is known), balls that find their way into new territory and putter heads that look like branding irons from a sheep-shearing farm in Sydney. Meanwhile, suffering from this near-frenzied outpouring of weapons to make golf balls fly like guided missiles are those traditional course designs with fairway bunkers and other hazards that no longer come into play as they were intended. No need to consider beyond the US Masters and Augusta National and the furore over the course lengthening carried out there, for confirmation of that particular fact.
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Broadly speaking, when the growing army of athletic young big hitters generate club head speed well in excess of 100 mph and strike a state-of-theart ball with the sweet spot of a trampoline-effect clubface, many par fours are driveable and most par fives are two-shotters. Love technology, or hate it, take your choice… but any authority, even the eminentlysensible R&A, trying to stop it would be like King Canute attempting to hold back the tide. Yet, strangely, while the debate about drivers and the necessity or otherwise of re-designing golf courses, has been played out in the newspaper and magazine headlines, the arrival, and the ready-acceptance of the GPS has been comparatively unnoticed. GPS, as I’m sure EAT GOLF!’s well-informed readers are aware, is
“Love technology, or hate it, take your choice… but any authority, even the eminently-sensible R&A, trying to stop it would be like King Canute attempting to hold back the tide.”
the acronym for Global Positioning System. Like the satellite navigation systems now becoming commonplace in motor cars - and unlike some of us! - the GPS always knows precisely where it is. Not only that but, when held by hand or installed in the facia of a buggy, it can tell you not only where just about anything else is, but how far away it is to the nearest metre or three. Centre of the green? One hundred and forty-two metres. The flag? One hundred and fifty-one metres. Greenside bunker? One hundred and thirty-one metres. Corner of the dogleg? Near side, one hundred and ninety four metres, far side two hundred and forty-one metres. OK, such information is of limited value only to a senior seventeenhandicapper like myself but to anyone with the semblance of control over line and distance,
this amounts to a completely new deal in course management.
practitioners ‘benefit’ from a similar degree of assistance ?
In terms of the legality of the GPS during a round, the R&A now allows golf course committees to introduce a local rule permitting the use of such ‘measuring systems’. If a local rule is not in place then they remain illegal. However, it opens the door to use by the professional bodies if they so desire.
One answer is that not everyone believes it is for the good of the sport. But then, I well remember back in what now seems another life, when not everybody in football thought the new-fangled floodlights would benefit the sport… or that substitutes should be allowed. (And AS for penalty shoot-outs… well, words failed many of the old stick-in-the-muds.)
Realistically, since caddies already measure the course and distances from landmarks by pacing it out, or by the use of a laser, there is not too much in it for the paid elite. For caddies though, a GPS can make the gathering of such information in advance eminently simpler. The main argument in favour of the use of a GPS is that since the professional players at the top end of the sport are provided with this information by their caddie, why shouldn’t we week-end, handicap
Now, of course, by giving the thumbs up to the GPS, golf has taken on board a level of technology that has its source up in outer space where a positive plethora of orbiting, extra-terrestrial eyes are circumnavigating the globe and relaying their ‘location’ messages to any golf course that chooses to pick them up. Talk about ‘new technology’! This particular version has its
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roots in the twelve billion dollar defence strategy launched in 1978 by the United States Defence Department and is still managed and maintained by them. There are 24 orbiting satellites 12,000 miles above the earth travelling at speeds in excess of 5,000 mph and transmitting signals at 186,000 mph, the speed of light, all computed so that any receiver on earth can ‘see’ at least four of them at any one time. Get your head around that, if you can, and link it up to golf. When you consider that Harry Vardon’s name is used to this day because he decided a century or more ago that it was a good idea to overlap the left forefinger with right little finger to create the Vardon Grip, you get a clue to the enormity of the advances brought about by GPS. Right out in front of this latest techno-revolution is a company called Elumina Iberica who market the World No.1 ProLink system and who, since joining the PGAs of Europe as Corporate Partners in the latter half of 2005, have been inundated with requests to have ProLink installed. The major attraction to clubs and resorts is not simply that it tells players how far it is to the green. It does so much more than that. When all the GPS receivers are linked to a control panel in the course manager’s office they flood the place with information right down to what the guy teeing off on the 16th intends to have for his tea! During tournaments of any description, each player sends his hole-by-hole score back to the office to an up-to-the-minute scoreboard… those who are playing
slowly are instantly identified… indeed, the total ‘population’ of the course and every player’s whereabouts is available instantly. Imagine the benefits for those who administer the course, especially at busy times, if they can find out at the flick of switch how many people are on the course at any one time, which groups are off the pace of play, which parts of the course are most likely to create hold-ups, and what the demands might be on catering. The club or resort’s entire admin system is thereby sent into orbit, along with those eyes in the sky. Anyone out on the course can order his pint of amber nectar and his bacon and egg sandwich via his GPS system and the catering staff will know, down to a few minutes, what time he or she will arrive to consume it. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but even in an age when one can communicate to anywhere in the world, from anywhere, in an instant, even when on the move, either verbally, by text or by e-mail via a mobile telephone, all this still fills me with a sense of awe.
“Anyone out on the course can order his pint of amber nectar and his bacon and egg sandwich via his GPS system...” More and more pay-as-you-play resorts will follow suit, that is as certain as it is that the satellites will continue to relentlessly encircle the earth and tell more and more of us, on screen, exactly where we are and where to find our destination. As Angela Catlin, of the Elumina team puts it : “We are now the ultimate company across Europe and the middle-east for both buggy and hand-held operations.” As this technical revolution unavoidably gains pace, most of us probably have a little voice in our heads asking whether real golf is not about walking the course, carrying our clubs, restricting the march of technology and judging club selection by experience and instinct.
Then, as if the systems needed a bonus, there is an on-screen advertising dimension as an income stream that will be sourced and administered by Elumina Iberica, along with an easy-payment system.
The same ‘little voice’ would then have to ask whether we could survive any longer without a mobile telephone, a computer and an Ipod. I can well recall a school teacher ordering me never to use a biro, because only a pen and ink would be acceptable for school work.
Unsurprisingly the response to Elumina’s GPS in their distribution area covering Europe and the Middle-east is similar to its impact in the USA where it quickly became the market leader. Leading clubs and resorts too numerous to list here are now either using the system, awaiting installation or are in discussions.
The fact is that, love it or hate it, new technology is having a major affect on the sport for all of us forever. So let’s not forget that those founding fathers whom we only see in good old fashioned sepia pictures, were responsible for the greatest ‘invention’ of all: GOLF. It was a modern, ‘new-fangled game’ at the time, no doubt….
For on-line reference about the Elumina Iberica ProLink system or the R&A rules on ‘measurement systems’ visit the LINKS page of www.pgae.com
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Danielle Masters
golf and glamour ON THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
The Tenerife Ladies Open marked the first stop in Europe for the Ladies European Tour in 2006 after two successful tournaments in South Africa and Australia. The LET’s players were cutting quite a figure on the fairways at the five star Abama Golf Resort, with their model-like good looks, personalities and sporting ability.
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“I’m not a good watcher of sports; I’d rather do something rather than sit and watch it.”
By Bethan Cutler, Ladies European Tour Pictures: Ady Kerry Players’ such as Danielle Masters from England, Australian Anna Rawson, German Anja Monke, Scotland’s Lynn Kenny and Spaniard Marta Prieto were the epitome of golf fashion and glamour and were attracting much media attention. On the Ladies European Tour, many players are fully aware of the importance of using their image to attract the interest of sponsors and professional women’s golf is following in the footsteps of tennis, where photogenic Russian star Anna Kournikova thrust the game into the spotlight following her first appearance at a US Open. The Kournikova effect, which revolutionised ladies tennis and put it up on the same level as men’s tennis, has set a successful model for golf to follow. On the Ladies European Tour, many of the young players are using their looks to maximum effect, capitalising on their earning potential with endorsements from huge international corporations.
Among the players competing on the European golf circuit, the promising new rookies Danielle Masters and Anna Rawson will be watched closely as they battle it out in their first year on Tour. These players have the games to earn victories and to make their mark on the New Star Money List. Masters, being European born, could even make it into The 2007 European Solheim Cup Team if she can produce the results over the next two seasons. Players such as Spaniard Marta Prieto, New Zealander Lynnette Brooky and French woman Gwladys Nocera have found a maturity in their games but at the same time are promoting their images to get the all-important attention of sponsors. Beauty, talent and glamour combined make an extremely marketable product and many of the players’ representatives are increasingly recognising this, allowing the LET’s best players to take on a dual role as advertising model and powerful competitor.
THE COMPETITORS...
Danielle Masters
Danielle Masters England Danielle Masters made a powerful entrance to the European circuit at the Ladies’ European Tour’s Qualifying School in November and it would not be surprising if she were to make a big impact in her rookie year. She is 23 and lives in Maidstone, Kent. Danielle, how have you found the start to life on Tour? I was disappointed after the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia because I had very high expectations, but
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I came back and worked harder, saw a few people and worked on a few things. It was so far away from home and I was travelling on my own so it was really, really lonely. I think it gave me an insight into how Tour life could be if you didn’t socialise. Although it’s always a different story if you play well. What are your main goals this year? To make the cut in each event and to have my first win in my first year would be great. Who do you hang out with on Tour? Well this week I’m sharing with
Becky Brewerton, a Welsh player. We get on really well and so do our families, which is nice because we can just relax in the evenings. It’s like having a sister on Tour because we just rip it out of each other all the time. What are your passions or hobbies outside golf? I have a hamster called Molly. Me and my boyfriend take turns looking after her when I’m away. I’m also learning Spanish, which is good because it gives me another focus and its something to do in the evenings.
Who are your sporting heroes? The golfer Ai Miyazato because she’s so young and she gets so much media attention but yet she handles it all so well. She always takes the time to stop and say hello, she remembers everything you tell her and asks you about it later. She’s so nice and I hope all the cameras and everything don’t change her. Are you into all sports? I like playing tennis, swimming, playing pool and I used to play football, hockey and go horse riding. I’m not a good watcher of sports; I’d rather do something rather than sit and watch it. 047
Anja Monke
Linda Wessberg Sweden Linda Wessberg is 25 and lives in Gothenburg. She is entering her third season on Tour and her goal is to win her first professional tournament this year. Why did you start to play golf? I was eight or nine years old and my parents brought me to the junior activities at my club. I often play with my family and I play matches against my uncle. How is your life outside the golf course? I like all kinds of sport and I play a lot of football and ice hockey.
I enjoy spending time with my friends and we go shopping a lot. On a perfect Saturday I am either at home with my boyfriend and a bag of chips or I am partying with my friends.
Anja Monke Germany
Who are your sporting heroes? I like Zlatan, the Swedish footballer who plays for Juventus because I like his attitude. The media don’t like him but he doesn’t care. Tiger of course is a hero. I mean I live his way of handling himself on and off the golf course. He is a sponsors’ dream.
Anja, what have you been doing in the off-season? I was in hospital for a week as I had to have my tonsils out and it took me six weeks to recover. Then I was practising in Phoenix for three months. I have a coach who is based over there. We changed my swing a bit and I’m hoping it will help me to play more consistently this year.
Who is your dream caddie? Bono in U2
Linda Wessberg
Anja Monke is a rising star on the LET. She is 28 and entering her third season on Tour.
Which events are you looking forward to this year? Well I’m looking forward to the BMW Ladies Italian Open because I love Rome. I would love to qualify for the British Open too. I’d also love to play in the Evian Masters. I played there last year and loved it. Why did you start to play golf? I started to play tennis but I followed my parents when they played golf and one day I really enjoyed it so I continued to practice. What is your best practice advice? Practice your short game. A lot of amateurs practice with the wedge but it is important to practice your putting and chipping. What is your favourite course? Fontana, Austria. It is located outside Vienna and it is beautiful.
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best. My main goals are to play in the Evian Masters and the British Open; that is my favourite tournament. It gives me goose bumps when I get there. What have you been working on? I did a lot of working out over the winter trying to get my body fit for the big tournaments. I worked with my coach Olivier Leglise on my swing, short game, putting. What do you do to relax? I enjoy having dinners with my friends with a good bottle of red wine. I spend a lot of time I San Sebastian. They have good tapas and good shopping. Marta Prieto
What is your dream vacation? The Maldives is my dream vacation but as long as the sky is blue, the sun is shining and there is a beach then I am happy. I do not want to take my golf clubs though! Marta Prieto Spain This Spanish player has great potential and was the best national player on the LET last year. Her brightly coloured knee length medical socks always cause a sensation in countries from Australia to Spain. Who taught you to play golf? It was a teacher at my club. I started playing the same year as my father, I was eight years old. What sort of a player would you say you are? I’m a mixture of Tiger and Seve Ballesteros.
What would you have been if you weren’t a golfer? I would have been a tennis professional. That was my dream when I was a kid.
Gwladys Nocera France Gwladys Nocera is 30 and live in Biarritz, France. She is one of the Ladies European Tour’s most outstanding talents. Although she has not yet clinched a victory, she posted seven top ten finishes in 2005 and was a runner up three times. She also beat American Cristie Kerr 2&1 in her singles match at The Solheim Cup in Indiana.
What is your favourite course in the world? Porthcawl is wonderful but Royal Birkdale has to be my favourite.
Gwladys, you came so close to your first win on Tour last season. Are you hoping to go one better this year? You know, I’m going to do my
What is the main focus this year? Of course I want to win a tournament but I think if you play well you will win a tournament. I think if you have the determination you will do it.
What car do you drive? An old car. I don’t really care about cars. I love rugby. My team is Biarritz and they were in the quarter final of the European Cup last week so I watched that.
Gwladys Nocera
Is fashion important to you? Yes, I mean we all try to make the best of ourselves. What is your best practice advice? It is about quality and not quantity. Also focus when you are on the driving range. What is your dream vacation? A long, white beach in the Caribbean. Who is your dream caddie? Miguel Angel Jimenez. 049
Lynn Kenny 050
Lynn Kenny Scotland
Lynnette Brooky
Lynn is 25 and from Stirling in Scotland. She is hoping to make a mark in this, her second season competing on the Ladies European Tour. Are there any venues you’re looking forward to visiting on Tour this year? I’ve always enjoyed Chart Hills and Sweden was amazing with all the crowds and support for women’s golf. They are mad for it over there. It was fantastic. Do you enjoy playing with the other Scots on Tour? There aren’t many Scots on Tour. There are a lot more up and coming amateurs. I don’t think I played with any Scots last year but I think that over the next few years you’ll have some excellent players like Carly Booth, Sally Watson, Heather McRae, there are loads who will be good Tour players. Who do you hang out with on Tour? Becky Brewerton is my buddy and Dani Masters is out on Tour this year and we were very good friends as amateurs. Are you happy with the way you’re playing? Well I made quite a few swing changes over the winter and it was quite hard work at the time but it all seems to be falling into place now. Who is your caddy? Craig Lee, my boyfriend. He’s from the Golf Swing Centre in Stirling. That’s his new business. My mum will caddy for me again for the rest of the season after my sister gives birth in a few week’s time.
“Well I made quite a few swing changes over the winter and it was quite hard work at the time but it all seems to be falling into place now.”
Lynnette Brooky New Zealand Lynnette Brooky from Wellington in New Zealand is a three time winner on the Ladies European Tour having won the 1998 Ladies Austrian Open, the 2002 and the 2003 French Opens. What is your main focus this year? Just winning a tournament. Every tournament is going to be important. I’m going to be trying my best to get into the Evian Masters. What sort of ranking would you be happy with this season? I’d definitely like to be in the top five. My aim is to be number one before I retire so I’ve just got to work harder and harder. How did you get into golf? You had to because of my father. He played all the time and he made me feed balls for him when he was practising. I think the most important thing I learned off dad was know what you’re doing and feel what you’re doing so that you can fix it. It’s all about trusting yourself and not looking up when you chip. Those are the things that I keep to. What advice would you give to an amateur? To get out of bed in the morning
thinking that if that’s what you want to do then you have to do it every day. If they take a day or two off that’s fine but they have to keep going out and practising. So the message is to put in the hard work? The most important thing with golf is you have to be patient and you have to have an attitude where you’re sort of standing higher than everyone else. It’s how you’re seen on a golf course and how you achieve your goals. A lot of people are great golfers but they have to have the right attitude. What is your earliest sporting memory? When I was sitting with all my friends, all boys, at the side of the rugby field and the ball came over and I caught it and kicked it back. All the boys stopped and watched and the coach came over and said do you want a go. I was the first female to play in a boy’s rugby team at my school as full back. I was about 13 in about form two and my father didn’t like it because I was telling him that I was always in the rucks. He didn’t like the fact that there were 15 guys jumping on top of me. So I gave it up and joined the soccer team. He said he couldn’t win; he couldn’t get me playing golf. I only really started playing golf when I was in my early 20s. 051
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Anna Rawson
“Although golf is my job, I love it and I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be for four hours than on a golf course.�
Anna Rawson Australia Anna Rawson, pro golfer first and foremost, is a successful cover girl who earned her card to play on the LET at La Cala last year. She is in her rookie year on the Ladies European Tour. Who is your favourite player? Annika Sorenstam is a model for any golfer because she has talent and is a hard worker. I also admire Michelle Wie because she has brought such a lot of attention to the sport. What are your goals for the year? To be the rookie of the Year and to play in the British Open and the Evian Masters. How would you describe yourself as a person? I think I am very confident but sometimes a bit silly. My heart leads my head. But I am very competitive and I can also be great fun. Who do you admire? My grandfather Ken Rawson was a model of success and I always respected him because he was always making an effort to be a great person. Why do you play golf? Although golf is my job, I love it and I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be for four hours than on a golf course. Golf courses are spectacular offices and I remind myself of that every day. Although golf is my job, it also defines me as a person and I love the classical aspect of the game. It is a game of style and a challenge. You can always improve but never achieve perfection.
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Kyle
PHILLIPS
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GOLF! interviews
Kyle Phillips, designer of The Grove in Hertfordshire, to find out more about him and the design of his course which is to host The World Golf Championships, American Express Championship from 28th September this year.
You spent 16 years working with Robert Trent Jones II. How great an experience was that? I could not have had a better place to learn golf course design. As vice president of the firm, I was involved in literally every part of the golf course design business. The international experience, particularly in Europe really allowed me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of golf and initiated my desire to design new courses that feel old. What influenced your decision to go it alone? It was simply a situation where I felt that if I did not force myself out of the nest and explore some new avenues in golf architecture that I wanted to explore, someday I could wake up and regret not trying. What particular skills do you think make a great golf course designer? A wide combination of skills are required. One must not only have a good understanding of the game of golf and design aptitude, but it is also necessary to have a practical knowledge of civil engineering (primarily grading and
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drainage), agronomy and graphic arts. I also did course work that included subjects from business law to terrain analysis. It is equally important to have the ability to visualize three dimensionally, which as I have learned over the years, not many people have. Of course, even with all of the proper training and design ability, you need to be able to communicate and sell your ideas to a broad range of people. Unfortunately, in the context of today’s high gloss design ‘firms’, the real design talent can be lost behind the ‘architect of record’ who is too often firstly a good salesman and promoter, with very little if any real experience or talent for design. Do you work to a particular style or theme when designing a new golf course from scratch, or does it entirely depend upon the site? Developing a style or theme from the onset is very important. We spend considerable time with the owner and project team to define the “story”. My goal is to give each of our clients a unique story that is in harmony with the total development.
“My goal at The Grove was to create a course embracing the richness and tradition of the great English designs of the early 20th century, whilst accommodating the strategy and dimensions of the modern game.�
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“Golfers should feel they’re walking on a natural landscape. I like to create courses that look and feel old even though they’re new.” What challenges do you face when designing a course to accommodate both professional and amateur golfers? The primary challenge is the growing disparity in length between players. While it seems as though holes can not be made too long for the pros today, the player who is not able to generate club head speed does not receive nearly the same advantage of the technology. We used to design with two or three sets of markers and now it is five or six. The ideal length of a golf course today is 10-12 percent longer than the ideal length as described by architects 75 years ago. If something is not done to control the equipment, then we will indeed see ideal course lengths approaching 8,000 yards by 2080. Which other designers are the biggest influences and inspirations when you create your courses? In general, I like to create courses that look and feel old - even though they are new. I like them to look and feel as though they have existed for many years. I am partial to the work of architects such as James Braid, Harry S. Colt, Tom Simpson, Alistair MacKenzie, and Albert Tillinghast. The Grove. Hole 6. 057
How was the site at The Grove to work with? Were there any particular problems or changes that you had to overcome? At The Grove, the site had two levels, but most of the site lacked the natural landforms that would typically be found on classic English courses. We also had to respect the considerable archaeology that existed, making several adjustments as we went. Where natural golf landforms existed I utilized them in my design, but where they did not exist new landforms were created to blend with the existing ones, so as to appear to be natural to the local landscape. What satisfies you the most about the way The Grove has turned out? Is it everything that you imagined it would be? At The Grove, it seemed only appropriate to design a course that would look and feel traditionally English. I visited several different English Style courses with the owner and shaper, so that we all were in sync with what we were striving to create - not only how the course would be designed and constructed, but also how the course would be maintained. We focused our efforts on giving The Grove its own unique identity, putting the emphasis on being better rather than just bigger.
The Grove. Hole 8.
Which are your favourite holes or areas of the course? This is like picking your favourite child! Using the numbering that will be in place for the World Golf Championships, the sequence of 12,13 and 14 is really strong. It will be interesting to see how the professionals fare through that stretch of holes. I really like the strategy on holes 3 and 8, particularly the green complexes. How do you feel about your course design being chosen to host the World Golf Championships this year? I find it particularly satisfying in
light of the fact that this is an ownership that has been rightly focused on a world-class golf product that fits with their hotel and conference market first, rather than strictly hosting championships. Out of that success, they have now been selected to host the top 60 players in the world. What advice or strategies would you give to Tiger Woods when playing The Grove? Tiger seems to know his business pretty well and does not need a lot of advice! But probably the best advice I could give any of the players would be to get familiar with the course before the tournament. This is a shot makers course, more than it is a power course, especially with them narrowing up the fairways for the tournament. The correct driving position is best determined by working back from the greens - in the same way that Tiger so masterfully played The Old Course during the 2000 Open Championship. Tiger should expect to see his challenge to come from players that know how to think their way around a course, are strong iron players and can recover well around the greens. …and your advice to us mere mortals? Just enjoy!
The Grove. Hole 15. 058
Contact: info@kylephillips.com / www.kylephillips.com Photographs courtesy of Mr. Iain Lowe
the pre-shot routine CREATING CONSISTENCY IN YOUR GAME!
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By Allison Dyer, BSc, MSc, C.Psychol, Total Sport Psychology Professional golfers are far less sporadic than the average golfer with their shot results. It is no coincidence that most, if not all professional golfers follow a pre-shot routine prior to the execution of each shot. A pre-shot routine works by preparing the golfer both physically and mentally to reproduce on the course the swing motions and rhythms they have developed and grooved in practice sessions. Using a pre-shot routine ensures that the sequence of events leading up to each shot are consistent. A consistent approach is likely to lead to a consistent outcome! Conversely, a lack of uniformity prior to a shot, or within a pre-shot routine itself, can lead to a lack of constancy in the swing and mindset and consequently the outcome. The average golfer will typically not exercise the discipline required of a pre-shot routine despite the fact that they could experience huge gains if they adopted and rehearsed a regular and consistent approach to their play.
What is a Pre-shot Routine? A pre-shot routine is a set pattern of rhythmic and repeatable cue actions that are employed prior to hitting each shot. The pre-shot routine is an individual way of gaining consistency when preparing to take a shot.
There are four key phases you can consider when developing your pre-shot routine:
How Does a Pre-shot Routine Work? Establishing and practising a pre-shot routine will work to accustom your mind and body to the swing motions and rhythms you develop and ingrain in your practice sessions. Through repetition and practice the pre-shot routine you use transfers to your sub-conscious where it becomes stored as a habit that you can utilise on the course.
Trigger - You could begin your routine with a triggering signal or cue to prompt yourself that your pre-shot routine has started and it is time to centre your attention on it. You can use a physical, verbal or visual cue or alternatively a combination of cues to direct your attention to the start of your pre-shot routine. Example Physical Cues Put on your glove. Adjust the Velcro on your glove. Take a deep breath. Pinch your ear. Example Verbal Cues - Say a cue word / phrase that means something to you e.g. “Let’s go”. “This is my time”. “Ready”. “Come on [INSERT SURNAME]”. Example Visual Cues - Visualising a bright blue box to step into. Focusing on the wording on your bag. Visualising a thick, glowing, gold line to step over.
What Are The Benefits Of Using A Pre-shot Routine? A pre-shot routine will take your focus away from irrelevant external and internal distractions by forcing you to focus on the shot at hand, whatever the circumstances. By following a routine, none of the vital components of proficient skill execution are excluded. A pre-shot routine will increase your trust and confidence in your shot by providing a sense of familiarity and security. How Do You Develop a Sound Pre-Shot Routine? The ‘four phase’ pre-shot routine framework outlined below should serve as a guide only. There is no such thing as an ‘ideal’ pre-shot routine. We are all unique and have our own style and preferences therefore every persons preshot routine will be different. You will need to work hard at developing and personalising a pre-shot routine that suits you. Be prepared to experience an initial decline in performance whilst you develop your routine. To reap the benefits of a routine you will need to invest patience, commitment and time into it. The best routines are short and simple.
- TRIGGER - PLAN - PREPARE - EXECUTE
In the trigger phase you should strive towards feeling that you are stepping into your own, personal vacuum or bubble – a private space or world where nothing can intrude on your focus. NB: You may find that you do not need to engage in the trigger phase at all. You may be the type of player who naturally finds focus at the ‘Plan’ stage. Plan - This phase begins when you arrive at your ball and ends when you select your club. You will need to consider the following variables to select the appropriate club: Gauge the distance - to the pin or a predetermined target. Ball flight - to identify what trajectory will work best. Wind - to identify how strong it is and in what direction. Lie of the ball - to identify whether there are any compensations you will need to make.
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Gauging these variables to assess how they influence your club selection can be straightforward, sometimes it isn’t! The most important factor to take on board here is that you are decisive. You must believe and trust that you have selected the most appropriate club. If you are unsure or unconvinced that you have selected the right club it is unlikely you will execute a confident and trusting shot. Prepare - You could engage in all or some of the following process: Grip your club Pick Target - It is vital that the target you choose is small and specific. Adjust if unusual or unfavourable lie - i.e. If the ball is on a down slope, up slope etc. align yourself next to it and take a couple of practice swings to establish the adaptations you will have to make to deal with the lie of the ball i.e. the tilt of the shoulders, direction of the hips. Visualise - You may wish to visualise the flight of the ball and picture it landing and stopping at the target. You may want to visualise the swing. The vision in your mind can work to gently stimulate the nerves and muscles you would use to physically execute the type of swing you are visualising. Visualising will help preprogram your subconscious into producing the shot required. Visualising helps your sub-conscious take over. However, it is not necessary to visualise. More importantly it is vital that you believe the ball is going to the target. Intermediate Target - You may find it useful to pinpoint an intermediate target a few feet in front of the ball to ‘cue in’.
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Practice Swing - You may want to take a practice swing. When, how many etc. is up to you. If you use your practice swing incorrectly you can unsettle your routine so be aware of the pitfalls of practice swings:
Give your pre-shot routine a chance to become a habit and do the job it is designed to do.
- Do not get fixated on executing a precise number of practice swings prior to each shot. If your last practice swing just doesn’t feel right take another one. Make sure you feel comfortable with the last practice swing you take. - Many golfers remind themselves of technical instructions as they take their practice swings. It is a challenge to expel those thoughts but you can train yourself to focus on the target. Save mechanical thoughts for when you are in your training mode in practice. On the course it is essential that you adopt a trusting mode of thought. If you have a tendency to think about mechanics, take at least two practice swings. The first practice swing can be in the technical mode, where you allow yourself to think about the mechanics. When you are comfortable with the mechanics take an additional practice swing in the trusting mode focusing only on the target and rhythm. You will need to practice switching between the training and trusting modes in your practice sessions.
In highly charged situations your preshot routine will turn the scenario into what the term suggests – a routine!
Swing thought - You may or may not use a swing thought. If you do have a swing thought it is recommended that you have just one swing thought per round. Shifting between swing thoughts can be very distracting. Keep it simple. Ensure your swing thought represents an uncomplicated process or motion e.g. “Smooth and slow”, “Target”. A trigger word can clear your mind by stopping other thoughts and also provide you with a rhythm. Check your alignment, posture and grip feel comfortable.
Execute - Look at the target, look at the ball, swing: This steady rhythm or tempo will help prevent unwanted thoughts and distractions from invading your mind. You will need to experiment. Find a tempo that suits you. Conclusion - Give your pre-shot routine a chance to become a habit and do the job it is designed to do. In highly charged situations your pre-shot routine will turn the scenario into what the term suggests - a routine!
To identify your problems on the golf course and work out effective strategies to improve your game or attitude contact: Allison Dyer, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Accredited Sports Psychologist and British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Psychologist works as the consultant sports psychologist at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy (La Cala), El Paraiso Golf Club (Estepona) and Positive Golf at Greenlife (Elviria). Email: totalsportpsychology@fsmail.net Telephone: (+34) 662 070 787
By Patrick Brady PGA Professional
grass roots When I was younger, I used to play golf by trying to ‘lift’ the ball with my irons. My game was inconsistent - with many topped shots, duff shots and a lack of power. A keen footballer as well as golfer, I would take a 6 iron with me to practice golf on the pitch after a match. It was in this most unlikely of places that I discovered something which was to revolutionise my perception of how to hit good iron shots.
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Special thanks to: Patrick Brady for his contribution. You can book private tuition with Patrick by calling (+34) 607827021.
Golf ‘US, Marbella for supplying irons from their extensive range. www.golf-us.com
Gomez & Molina Joyeros for supplying the Breitling watch. Benahavis Townhall for the use of their football pitch. www.benahavis.net
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impact A lot is written about the golf swing, but rarely is the impact position the focal point. Since all other movements are simply a means to get there, the position at impact is the only one that really matters. These pages are demonstrating what I learnt whilst practising on a football field by aiming to hit the ball underneath the cross bar from the penalty spot. Of course in order to ‘score a goal’ from such a short distance it is necessary to keep the ball down. My natural instincts told me to get my body over the ball and my hands in front of the clubface at impact. What I had not realised at the time was that this would result in the ball going higher. In fact the more I attempted to keep the ball down, the higher, straighter and further it went - the three things that we are all trying to achieve in golf! This is no secret to professional golfers, but for the vast majority of amateurs it stems from a lack of understanding of how the ball and clubface are designed to work together. The loft on the set of irons we each carry in our bag are there to assist us in achieving the necessary flight and distance we require.
“the more I attempted to keep the ball down, the higher, straighter and further it went!”
The football pitch might be the last place you would look to find the secret to good golf
If it were intended for us to use our body and hands to lift the ball in the air we might as well be carrying a hockey stick around the course rather than a 1,000 euro set of the latest irons. Hitting penetrating iron shots off the fairway always seems to impress my playing partners. But don’t be deceived as this is one of the easiest shots to play - once you get your head around it. Let’s take a look at a typical amateur golfers impact position, why it occurs and the effects it has on their game... Practising hitting low iron shots below the cross bar turns up some surprising results 066
don’t hit up Most of us treat the ground as our enemy, especially when we catch it before the ball. As you can see from the picture opposite, by trying to lift the ball my body, hands and therefore swing arc are making the game supremely difficult. The club is striking the ground well before the ball. With such a small margin for error, it takes a very skilled player and a lot of luck to manage to catch the ball first. When I do manage to avoid the ground, the club is already travelling upwards, and hitting the middle of the ball with the leading edge of the face. From here the only place the ball can go is low along the ground. The more we fail to get the ball airborne the greater the urge is to try and lift the ball even more. Whilst we may occasionally manage to pull off this almost impossible feat, the resulting ball flight is weak, and only travels a short distance. You can see the reason for this in the lower right picture. By ‘scooping’ the shot, the angle of the shaft is leaning backwards, effectively turning the 6 iron I am using into the strength of an 8 iron. Many golfers who play this way will have a grip similar to that in the lower left picture, where the right thumb is resting on the top of the grip, pointing straight down the shaft. Whilst it might feel comfortable at address, as you can see it is responsible for making things very uncomfortable at impact. In this position the thumb is helping us in trying to lift the ball.
The bottom of the swing arc is well before the ball, resulting in hitting it on the up
On hitting a bad shot I often have golfers tell me ‘I didn’t get under that one’, or ‘I looked up too soon’. The fact is that by trying to ‘get under the ball’ their swing arc has come up before the ball, causing them to lift their head. Understanding and implementing the correct methods will help to eradicate all of these problems... Right thumb resting on grip is a bad sign 068
The shaft of the club is leaning back, turning my 6 iron into an 8 iron
hit forward Until we can view the ground as our friend and that golf is a game of opposites, we will struggle with the concept of how to hit good iron shots. As the clubface travels down into the back of the ball it is actually trapping it between the clubface and the ground. It is this action which gets the ball in the air, by forcing the ball to run up the clubface, imparting backspin. The spin of the ball is what creates lift. I am a little uncomfortable with the description of ‘hitting down on the ball’, as this tends to encourage players to lunge into their shot, taking too much ground after the ball (resulting in too deep a divot) and not believe that what I am teaching them is going to help. Simply remember that the loft on the club is there for a reason, and that no assistance is required to get the ball in the air other than hitting forwards. It has very little to do with strength - it is all about technique. As you can see from the picture opposite, by getting the hands in front of the ball with a forward leaning shaft moves the bottom of the swing arc forwards, allowing us to naturally catch the ball first. Striking through the ball promotes a clean contact, with the bottom of arc after the ball
If you watch any professional golfer, you will see the angle of the shaft leaning forwards at impact, and this actually gives a much greater margin for error. We are now maximising the area of the clubface that can come into contact with the ball whilst reducing the chances of catching the ground first. The grip is critical in allowing me the freedom to get into the correct positions, as the angle in the right wrist is so important at impact. You can see that the right wrist has retained the arch, which makes a very powerful position. To get into the correct positions follow my rule of thumb... A good grip is the foundation of the swing 070
A forward leaning shaft at impact
rule of thumb Ben Hogan used to practice this way. John Daly is one of the best examples to watch in the modern game. Try making a swing without any contact of the right thumb on the grip. This encourages you to feel the left side hitting against the ball, stops you scooping and flicking, resulting in a more consistent and twice as powerful impact position. Your head will stay down and your weight will transfer naturally. The simple act of taking the right thumb off the shaft removes the link between our hands and brain telling us to lift the ball.
Widths can vary on the soles of irons
Removing the thumb from the grip encourages us to swing through the ball
wide choice Wider soled clubs are helping to get the ball in the air. This is a good thing because the golfer is concentrating on swinging through the ball rather than under it. The higher the ball naturally goes, the less the golfer feels the need to help lift it. If you are somebody who is catching the ground before the ball, try out a wider soled iron as they are a lot more forgiving. 072
Keep the right thumb off the shaft
Striking the ball prior to the bottom of the swing arc imparts backspin
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club fitting
My fitting process starts by assessing if the golfer I am fitting falls into Category 1 or 2. Category 1 golfer is: A golfer that plays purely for leisure, plays once a week, never takes instruction and never practises. Category 2 golfer is: A golfer that is striving to become better through instruction and continued correct practise. If you are a category 1 golfer you can be fitted for a club with a lie angle that breeds faults in your swing, as your only concern is a straight ball flight to get you around the course without ever improving your technique.
By David Poulton PGA Professional, KZG World Top 100 Club Fitter 2006 Companies in the golf industry are generally guilty of putting all golfers into the same category when it comes to fitting, especially with regards to lie angle. When you have a fitting by a professional club fitter from many of these companies - their job description does not normally include swing analysis - but it should.
Category 2 golfer will be encouraged to achieve the correct shaft angle at impact with a correctly fitted club.
If you are a category 2 golfer you must have a fitted club which encourages you to make the correct swing that you and your coach are working on. Hours of lessons and hours of practise with a club that is fitted incorrectly is a waste of precious time and money. When you are being fitted it is important that the fitter covers 4 basic areas: 1. GOLFER 2. CLUBHEAD 3. SHAFT (including grip) 4. BALL FLIGHT
Category 1 golfer will not achieve the correct shaft angle at impact if fitted as of the industry standard.
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A simple device that allows the golfer to find their naturally correct lie angle. Of course a system such as this can only be used in conjunction with a qualified professional who is able to monitor the golfers swing and resulting ball flight.
“Any fitting that does not take into consideration all relevant parameters is naturally unreliable.” In these times of launch monitors and other electrical devices companies have taken it upon themselves to develop fitting programs that are based solely on parameters such as swing speed, spin rates and launch angles. Fitting is a dynamic process that requires a combination of these electric devices and a careful eye for the golfers swing characteristics. Any fitting that does not take into consideration all relevant parameters is naturally unreliable. The most important parameter in the fitting process is the LIE ANGLE and this is where the golf industry as a whole is falling short. The way that the majority of golf companies fit for lie angle is only beneficial to category 1 golfers, which simply isn’t good enough for the rest of us.
www.kzg.com
David Poulton was selected by KZG, the world’s leading manufacturer of custom pro-line golf equipment, as one of the World’s Top 100 Club Fitters. He went through an exhaustive selection process designed by an elite panel of independent industry insiders. The top 100 represent those who are the most skilled, the most knowledgeable, and the most committed to the process of custom fitting golf equipment. Many of the golf industry’s equipment experts contributed to the process of establishing the selection criteria for the competition, from well-known club designers like Clay Long and Art Chou, to Gene Parente of the independent testing facility Golf Labs, and Ed Mitchell, the industry’s leading manufacturer of loft-and-lie machines. While input varied from panel member to panel member, there was an overall desire to find club fitters who could marry technical expertise with a distinctly personal touch.
Special thanks to David’s sponsors:
Miraflores Golf Academy & Driving Range Urb. Riviera del Sol Ctra. Nac. 340, km. 198 Telephone / Fax: + 34 952 939 381 e-mail: academy@sunshine-golf.com
Moneycorp www.moneycorp.com
Starting next issue David will take us through a series of fitting processes and the effects they have on our game. 076
Roger Cleveland CALLAWAY GOLF’S CHIEF OF GOLF CLUB DESIGN
Roger Cleveland is one of the world’s best known golf club designers. Starting out by designing replicas of the classic woods of the 1940s and ’50s, the first club he ever made, the RC85 Driver was the last persimmon club to be used in a professional tournament – the 1996 PGA Championship.
“Because of my experience, I have input in the shaping of the products from drivers and fairway woods to irons and even putters at times.” 078
Roger has designed clubs for many great players, including Byron Nelson, David Graham, Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin. In 1996, he joined Callaway Golf, where he has since played a key role in the launch of many successful products, including the X-Series Irons, the ERC Fusion Driver and the new Big Bertha Fusion Irons.
Tell us a little bit about your role as Chief of Golf Club Design at Callaway Golf. It is fairly wide-ranging in that I have varying degrees of involvement in the design of most of Callaway Golf’s woods, irons, putters and wedges. Because of my experience, I have input in the shaping of the products from drivers and fairway woods to irons and even putters at times. One of my first responsibilities, after I joined the company nine years ago, was to oversee the change from the original X-10 Iron to the X-12 Iron Series and its subsequent expansion. An additional role these days is to pass on my knowledge and experience to the younger designers, which allows me more time for other projects. What is Callaway Golf’s design philosophy heading into 2006? We’re investing heavily now in both technology and customer research. We’re trying to find out as much as possible about what golfers really want so that we can design products that precisely
Images courtesy of Callaway Golf 079
only borrowed - you never own it. The game challenges you in every way - physically, mentally and spiritually. It teaches you discipline, patience and virtue. It would be wonderful if more people could be touched by it. When did you get started in the golf club design business and why? I started around 1980. I was impressed greatly by the old persimmon woods and the forged blades of the time. There seemed to be such artistry involved in designing and making those golf clubs and I was just somehow drawn to it. The first club I ever made was called the RC85. It was the last persimmon driver to be used in a PGA Tour event – the 1996 PGA Championship.
“I grew up playing golf in southern California, which has always had great junior programs, so from a very early age I had plenty of opportunities to play competitive golf.” meet those needs. Callaway Golf has always made golf clubs that amateur golfers can benefit from, and we will continue to do that. But you will also see us designing for specific segments of the golfing public that have different needs. Fusion Technology is a really exciting area for us right now. The concept of being able to mix different materials to improve weighting and performance has opened up a whole new world of opportunities with literally endless possibilities. Take the Big Bertha Fusion Irons, for example. We went out and developed a totally new material to make that club happen. 080
We have experienced many changes within the company during the past few years, but we have come through it all and those changes have put us in a position where we will be very competitive in all of the key product categories. We have a few more things to do, but I think that the future looks very bright for Callaway Golf. When did you catch the golf bug? I grew up playing golf in southern California, which has always had great junior programs, so from a very early age I had plenty of opportunities to play competitive golf. As soon as I started golf at the age of 12, I fell in love with the game. Golf is so elusive, it’s
You are probably best known for your wedge designs. What made you focus on designing clubs at the short end of the bag? It was really nothing more than a commercial decision that I made when I started my own business. When you are a small company without a lot of spare capital, you can’t take too many risks – you need to go where the business is. In golf that means drivers, putters and wedges. They are the clubs that have the highest turnover and quickest replacement, so I concentrated on those three sectors of the market. I actually started out making drivers. Once I found that I could compete favourably in that market, I looked at wedges next and then, finally, putters. What special skills do you need to become a good clubmaker and designer? Well, for a start, you need to be a very visual person. I see things like shapes and balance. To me, the subtle differences between good and bad golf clubs are as clear as night and day. You also need an eye for art, symmetry and design. But, like any other skill, it is not acquired overnight. In fact, I’m still learning and will always be, I hope. What are the key differences in golf club design today to when you first started in the industry? Modern materials, technology and manufacturing methods have transformed the industry virtually beyond recognition during the past
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“When I first started out, designing and producing a golf club was about a seven month process.”
10 years. However, the design principles that applied in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s are still relevant today. The biggest difference, however, is speed. We build clubs so much quicker these days. When I first started out, designing and producing a golf club was about a seven month process. It would take you three months to get a decent prototype. Then you had to build a master, make a mold and then physically produce the club in the foundry, all of which added up to about another three or four months’ work. With the modern technology that we have available to us here at Callaway Golf today, you could design a clubhead on a computer, shoot a wax and, if everything in the production process goes smoothly, you could be hitting that club in three weeks. What is the function of the grooves on a golf club? The ideal finish and conditions for maximum backspin are a sand-blasted clubface with no grooves off a tight, dry fairway. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world like that. Some of the top tour pros do, but the rest of us need help. Grooves help you develop more control over the ball from the rough and from wet or imperfect lies. They channel water, grass and debris 082
away from the ball at impact to improve the friction, and therefore spin, and thus control. Do you miss the days of the persimmon woods? Many younger golfers will have never even seen a persimmon driver, let alone hit one or have any idea how difficult it is to actually make one. In total, there are between 60 and 70 steps involved in the process and if you make an error with any single one of them, you’ve no longer got a golf club. I obviously look fondly back on the persimmon era because that’s where I learned all about shape and balance and where I developed skills like grinding, sanding and polishing. I still get to indulge my passion, though, as I have a collection of classic clubs that dates back to the 1850s. What would happen if we put one of your finest persimmon woods on the launch monitor at the RCH Test Center and compared its performance against the ERC Fusion Driver? It would be brutal! The thing about persimmon is that you can never be 100 percent certain of where the center of gravity is actually located because wood is obviously a solid material and you can’t look inside to check its structure. You are also extremely limited in the size of the head. The ERC Fusion
Driver can be maximized for head size (460cc) and contains the very latest weighting technology. We know exactly where that center of gravity is located. Not only that, we can move it around to produce different types of performance for individual needs. Tell us about some of the tour pros that you have worked with. I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve always worked with a great tour staff. The tour was my test center and it still is today to a certain extent. I would spend a lot of time on the practice range at tournaments getting feedback from the players. My first staff pro was Bruce Fleisher, who as you may know, is one of our great Callaway Golf staff players. Ben Crenshaw and Tom Lehman were also great fun to work with. Byron Nelson once asked me to make him a set of irons with his name on them. At the time, I was known more for my woods, so I told him that woods would be the best place to start, but he insisted and so we made him a set of irons. Six months later, he called and said, “OK, now you can make me those woods!” It was a wonderful program that was started and the beginning of a cherished relationship that still exists today.
moving mountains STEVE MARNOCH
To be selected to design a golf course in such an exclusive situation as La Zagaleta is possibly the appointment of a lifetime - but not without its difficulties. The severe and demanding terrain requires great imagination and technical expertise to handle, a task begun by Gaunt and Marnoch Limited, with all the detailing and site supervision during construction being carried out by Steve Marnoch.
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“On our arrival Steve Marnoch is delighted to be able to illustrate the bold earth restructuring that has taken place...”
Photos courtesy of Steve Marnoch Golfmarnoch Limited Wicksop View, The Park Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1ET, UK www.golfmarnoch.com info@golfmarnoch.com Tel: +44 (0)161 408 4552
Now Steve has a new company, Golfmarnoch Limited and is completing the works under that name. EAT GOLF! was invited to meet with Steve at the new ‘Los Barrancas’ course for a tour behind the scenes of one of Spains’ most elite developments. On our arrival Steve Marnoch is delighted to be able to illustrate the bold earth restructuring that has taken place amongst these normally quiet and serene valleys. Standing at the new clubhouse
overlooking the 18th green and lake it is easy to appreciate the volume of soil and rock that must have been moved to build a course in such a dramatic location. The back nine winds its way around the hillside and is a delight to the eye, with greens and fairways carved out of the rock facia. Granted, in time this will weather away to form a more natural look, but at such an early stage of completion it is still possible to see the skeleton underneath.
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This is no bad thing however, as it is a reminder of the lengths we will go to in order to create a field on which we can play golf. Steve’s handy work is evident amongst the freshly carved rock, and we ask him what are the difficulties in designing a course in this type of terrain, and where do you begin?
“In construction some areas of the land were extremely unstable, making them impossible to work on.”
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“On this type of course it is essential to take a buggy. In that sense we had to make sure that each green and tee location was accessible with a buggy given the safety considerations. So you actually had to consider the design for the buggy tracks at the same time as the greens, tees and other features.” “For example, originally hole number 12 was sited at the top of the site with the best views over the entire course and landscape beyond. Unfortunately the ground was so unstable that we just couldn’t get there due to limitations on the steepness of the buggy tracks.”
“The observation of the existing course was that if you missed the fairways you were in big trouble. What I tried to do here was widen the fairways, within reason because it comes with a large cost. I then tried to have a transition between the fairway and the cliffs. Although you might be in deep rough, at least you haven’t lost your ball. In terms of seeding and how the course has been configured, that is what I have tried to achieve by introducing a fringe of native Tall fescue grass as the deep rough.” “I have tried to keep a relationship between the various greens and the lake which the clubhouse overlooks. This has a great effect on the slopes of the fairways and what we are able to achieve. It is tricky because there is such a large scale of earth movement involved, and balancing of the materials we have to move.” “I didn’t want this course to be ‘dropped in’ to the landscape. It had to look natural rather than like
a typical resort course, and bear a strong relationship to its rugged surroundings. I have tried to shape the course to echo the surroundings, and I had to work hard with the constructors to get the course to fit in. With some of the things I was asking them to do they probably thought I was drunk! I would say that my work does illustrate a links styling particularly in my greens so this site has posed a significant challenge, and although you can see elements of that styling in the putting surfaces this project proves that I can be flexible in any situation, even one as extreme as this.” “In construction some areas of the land were extremely unstable, making them impossible to work on. In some cases the rock was extremely hard, and others it was soft clay. This placed many restrictions on the original designs. However in some respects the flatter sites can be more difficult to design because there are no limitations and very few features to work with.”
“This is meant to be a fun course yet still full of challenge for players of all abilities, it was never intended to be a Championship Course although I would of course be delighted if it was considered in the long term to be a venue for such an event. This course is another great opportunity for the members to play enjoyable golf as well as fulfilling the desire of La Zagaleta SL to provide an additional attraction for purchasing a villa within the secure grounds.”
The back of the driving range falls away like an infinity pool leaving mountain vistas in the distance, and Steve has carefully placed rocks to link the relationship between the near and distant views. Every part of the design has obviously been intricately thought through, and whilst it may not be the normal brief that Steve would ideally work on, he has clearly become passionate about it.
Heading off towards the par 5, first hole we pass the driving range, a feature which was overlooked on the first course, as Steve points out. “The driving range was a very important requirement to the members, as on their existing range you can knock a 5 iron over the back. The range I have designed is 260 meters carry to the back, and contains two golf holes within it - including bunkers. From the tees players are able to practice driving onto a fairway, with two greens which recreate a par 4 and a par 3 hole.”
“The back of the driving range falls away like an infinity pool leaving mountain vistas in the distance.”
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“I kept saying to the green shapers that if it’s not sexy, if it’s not like a woman, then it’s not right!”
The second hole is a beautiful par 3. Almost hidden from view by the close and imposing valley walls and cork oaks at the rear, it is a gem that one would least expect to find here. This is probably the most natural yet most hidden hole on the course. A mid iron tee shot across water leads to a bunker-less green that could host numerous pin positions, and there is a curved wall dividing the water and green, which produced its own problems: “It is a nightmare trying to get engineers to build with sexy shapes. They don’t like curves, they want to build everything with straight lines. So it was a battle with them to get this serpentine shaped wall that mimics the facia of the rock behind and the shapes in the green.”
The contouring of the green is mesmerising in its detail and planning, and sets the tone for almost every hole that is to follow. On a links course these greens might look less significant, but seeing them in such different surroundings seems to accentuate the subtle beauty that their shapes create. Steve is most proud of his greens, and the detailing in various areas of the fairways which reflect the surrounding scenery. “If you asked me about what I consider to be a strength in my design work, I’d say the attention to getting the shaping right throughout but in particular the greens.” “I kept saying to the green shapers that
if it’s not sexy, if it’s not like a woman, then it’s not right! Also if the shapes are angular the course cannot be maintained properly, as the blades on the mowers can’t cut smoothly. You have to have a softness and blending.” So where does his inspiration come from when designing a green? “For me its the location and the individual character of that hole - and each one is designed individually. I don’t have a ‘library’ of greens that I refer to and think ‘that will do’ and drop it in. Every one is unique to its own setting, and is designed to work with that particular hole and will never be seen again or replicated.”
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“The mounding formed in the fairways fulfils many functions; aesthetic yes, but also emulating the mountainous backdrop...” We ask Steve if it is a contradiction to create a mountain course in a links style? “It is not a contradiction to create a mountain course in a links style. I do not believe that golf course design should have such boundaries and in this instance the styling on the greens and bunkers is, I feel, particularly well suited at Los Barrancas. I am also designing 9 holes in the foothills of the Dolomites in Sud Tyrol Italy and the Scottish styling is particularly well suited there - but more of a Gleneagles than a St. Andrews!” “I would say there is a links character in the design of the greens. The bunkers that I have 090
worked on are more pot bunkers than anything else. This is because I wanted them to act as ‘saving’ bunkers, and up here there simply isn’t the room to put large expanses of sand. Because we do not have the luxury of space due to the technical constraints of carving fairways out of the hillside, should the bunkers be bigger they would interfere with the playability of the course.” “For example the 18th, where there is water to the right has a very long, receptive green with saving bunkers. Due to the size of and relative difficulty to the hole, the green is fairly flat and straight
forward. By contrast at the par 3, twelfth I have tried to create a hole with similarities to that of the great ‘postage stamp’. After losing the opportunity of building a stunning hole number 12 in its original position I had to come up with something pretty special in its place, and the space that I was left with was limited. At only about 110 to 115 yards in length, this is a heavily contoured green which reflects the shortness of the hole.” And the mounds that are shaped into the fairways, are they there purely for aesthetic purposes? “The mounding formed in the fairways fulfils many functions; aesthetics yes, but also emulating the mountainous backdrop, creating interest and playability and controlling the flow of surface water towards the drains. They will also help to bounce the balls back into the fairways and in some instances, if your drive is long enough and bold enough, they will give that extra kick to enable the player to gain a few extra yards
so that perhaps approaching a par five in two is possible as in the instance of hole number 5.” “Rather than working and trying to shape the soil into a natural formation, in some instances I find that better results are achieved if the soil is roughly placed and allowed to fall and settle naturally without working it. I did this at the rear of the practice range and the 18th hole, and I am delighted with the natural peaked features which blend beautifully with the surroundings.” We move on through an excellent variation of holes whilst Steve explains what needs to be taken into account when designing in such a rugged mountain landscape. “It is not acceptable to have blind holes and I tried extremely hard to make sure that visibility from tee to landing area or to green is good. In the instance where visibility is not completely open I have had to use features like mounds and bunkers to create visual guides for
the players.” “I have tried to make it as playable as possible for the many different standards of player at La Zagaleta. It is very difficult without filling the valleys to avoid holes that require a long carry, but I have tried to accommodate all levels of golfer, and especially ladies. I think it will be challenging for the better players who will on occasion be enticed into ‘going for it’. There are definite elements of ‘risk and reward’ on many of the holes. You can drive the green on hole number 3 (carry from tee to green) but be very, very careful, OR you can play down the fairway for a par, the choice is yours”
At first glance the course looks daunting to play, however after driving around the course with Steve, and his explanation of how it was designed to be played, it is a pity that more people will not get to experience what is an undeniable masterpiece of creative and engineering skill. So how would Steve Marnoch sum up the experience of a round on the second course at La Zagaleta? “I have tried to build a lot of fun and drama into the holes, and make them playable for the majority. I think there is plenty of variety, and I hope it will be a highly enjoyable experience.”
“I have tried to build a lot of fun and drama into the holes, and make them playable for the majority.”
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cruising for fairways Only a few years ago it would have been hard to believe, but fashion and glamour are now words often associated with golf. Those with the time and dedication for style are always seeking new ways to express themselves both on and off the course.
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“Sailing around the island in the warm clear blue seas, selecting which golf course to play will be your only challenge.”
Whilst our focus remains on playing golf, if we can mix in a few thrills and improve our lifestyle whilst doing so then all for the better. Imagine having your own Fairline Phantom 46 along with crew so that you can travel to the golf course in style. Pull up to the jetty, golf clubs in hand and jump straight onto the first tee - this has to be the ultimate caddie! Welcome to Mallorca, where thanks to a new service offered by Blue Sky Cruising, it is possible to combine the greatest indulgence on the sea with some of the best golf courses situated within pitching distance of the dock. ‘Blue Ocean’ can be chartered for three or six
days at a time, and sleeps up to six in sumptuous staterooms, whilst a hostess is available to cater to your every need. Simply relax with an ice cold beer or gin and tonic and watch the sun go down from the luxury of your very own gleaming white and perfectly crafted yacht. Once on dry land, Mallorca is renowned for its first class golf courses. Sailing around the island in the warm clear blue seas, selecting which golf course to play will be your only challenge. With that in mind, we take a closer look at the Robert Trent Jones Jnr. designed, Alcanada Golf Club which overlooks the bay of Alcudia to the North of the island.
Image courtesy of Fairline Boats plc www.fairline.com
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There is plenty of variety on offer amongst the 19 golf courses on the island of Mallorca, which enjoys a mild climate and beautiful scenery. Club de Golf Alcanada was opened late 2003 and presents a par 72 layout measuring 6,152 meters from the yellow tees, and 5,241 meters from the reds. It is a classic Trent Jones design which is challenging but fair.
The hillside it occupies gently slopes towards the shoreline, allowing for marvellous views from almost every hole to the sea, the lighthouse on the island of Alcanada and the mountains of the Sierra de Lavante in the background.
“...a perfect mixture of left and right dog legs, well bunkered fairways and well guarded greens.�
On course there are a great assortment of holes, with a perfect mixture of left and right dog legs, well bunkered fairways and well guarded greens. The blend of pine, olive and oak trees give the impression of a course more mature than one would expect of such a young course.
For more information visit: www.blueskycruising.com www.golf-alcanada.com
Some demanding tee shots and subtle contours in the greens will test golfers of all levels. The par 5 seventh, measuring 561 meters, and the par 4 sixteenth at 420 meters will be a good test even for scratch golfers. Embedded in an environmentally sensitive area, you will find a wide variety of wildlife and rare species of birds to enhance what will be a fondly remembered and engaging round of golf.
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A different approach to hair training For Swedish, based in Marbella
Scandinavian Hair Training Centre opening in Marbella, Spain 2006
Students are approved by an international independent examiner Helsingborg: Hair training with extremely high standards. 9 months of international education. New courses start: 11 September, 2006. 12 March, 2007
Marbella: With the same high standard of education as in Helsingborg. Includes 13 weeks of Spanish studies in conjunction with the Ceele University in Marbella.
SHTC is one of Swedens most successful hair training centres. For more information call: 0046 (0) 42-21 99 69 or visit www.shtc.se
LIVING ON GREEN After playing La Reserva de Sotogrande golf course last issue, EAT GOLF! took note of the ‘cortijos’ in view on the beautiful last stretch of holes. With Sotogrande being our favourite area on the Southern Coast of Spain, we decided to take a closer look at what was on offer.
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“Clustered on both sides of the wide avenue leading towards the magnificent new clubhouse for the exclusive La Reserva de Sotogrande golf course”
‘Los Cortijos de La Reserva de Sotogrande’ is clustered on both sides of the wide avenue leading towards the magnificent new clubhouse for the exclusive La Reserva de Sotogrande golf course, and will be a selection of two, three and four bedroom luxury villas and townhouses. Some of these are semi-detached with their own private garden and the option to have a pool built at an additional cost. The townhouses have been cleverly arranged in small groups of terraced
houses with their own private garden which leads to communal gardens and shared pools. Although there are essentially thirteen different types of properties on offer, in reality each property has been individually designed and has its own distinctive features and facades. The complex is a magnificent example of a combination of traditional Andalusian architecture with modern high specifications offering the very best in comfort and style.
Now available for purchase off plan and priced from €500,000 to €1,400,000, these properties are situated on high ground, some offering south westerly views over the Cabell Robinson designed golf course, others panoramic views over the Sotogrande Equestrian Centre and towards the sea. For more information or for viewings contact: Sotogrande Office: +34 956 790 300 sotogrande@sotogrande.com London Office: +44 0 20 7736 1700 d.vaughan@sotograndeuk.com 097
How to take Relief Except when the ball is in a water hazard or a lateral water hazard, a player may take relief from interference by an immovable obstruction as follows: The player must lift the ball and drop it without penalty within one club length of and not nearer the hole than the nearest point of relief. The ball must first strike a part of the course at a spot that avoids interference by the immovable obstruction and is not in a hazard and not on a putting green. If the ball already lies on the putting green, the player must lift the ball and place it without penalty at the nearest point of relief that is not in a hazard. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this rule. Nearest Point of Relief This is the point on the course nearest to where the ball lies, where no interference would exist for the stroke the player would have made if the condition were not there. In order to determine the nearest point of relief accurately, the player should use the club with which they would have made their next stroke if the condition were not there. They must simulate the address position, direction of play and swing for such a stroke.
Thomas BjĂśrn calls for a ruling, as the cart path is interfering with his intended stance.
rules
Immovable obstruction in Bunker In a bunker the ball may be dropped back into a bunker without penalty. To drop outside the bunker the player must take a penalty of one stroke. Keep the point where the ball lay directly in line with the spot where the ball is dropped and the flag. There is no limit to how far behind the bunker the ball may be dropped. For further details on the rules visit: www.randa.org / www.usga.org
...taking a drop from an immovable obstruction...
The rules are there to make the game fair, but can be a little tricky to fathom at times! An Immovable Obstruction is anything on the course which is artificial (including artificial surfaces, and sides of roads and paths). This does not include objects defining out of bounds, such as walls, fences, stakes and railings; any part of an immovable artificial object that is out of bounds; or any construction declared by the Committee to be an integral part of the course.
Interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing. If the player’s ball lies on the putting green, interference also occurs if an immovable obstruction intervenes on their line of putt. In order to obtain relief, the interference must only occur through the players use of a normal stance, swing and the intended direction of play. He may take a free drop within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no nearer the hole.
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