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on them Atalaya Old Course (Par 72) is a classical parkland course formed by a series of superb, wide-open fairways with strategically-placed bunkers and elevated greens.
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Atalaya New Course (Par 72) is according to the experts, a genuine test; as much for beginners as for established players. Atalaya Golf & Country Club Ctra. de BenahavĂs Km 0.7. 29688 Estepona (Costa del Sol) Spain Tel: (+34) 952 882 812 - Fax: (+34) 952 887 897 info@atalaya-golf.com / www.atalaya-golf.com
3RD JUNE
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Open to amateur and professional golfers, the Fischer Open Golf Series 2007-8 is the highly anticipated second season of the acclaimed Costa del Golf Alliance, organised by PGA Professional Andrew Butler, in association with EAT GOLF! and Fischer Events.
OPEN GOLF SERIES 2007-8
A unique opportunity for both resident and visiting golfers to experience a higher standard of competition play, the Fischer Open Golf Series 2007-8 is a series of 12 events contested on the Costa del Sol’s finest golf courses. Participants are welcome on a per event basis with both pairs and singles play rewarded, whilst the coveted Fischer Order of Merit will go to the most consistent players of the series.
For entries & information contact Andrew Butler: (+34) 655 367 024 / golfcomplete@hotmail.com or Michaela: (+34) 952 799 260 / golf@mercedes-consulting.com Tournament schedule may be subject to change. Please confirm venue and date prior to the event.
EAT
GOLF! Issue 8
3rd of 5 editions for 2007
PUBLISHING S.L.
ERS REV DRIV IEW OT
C.I.F. B92673359
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EDITOR’S LETTER
For general inquiries / comments Email: postmaster@eat-golf.com
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The temperature is rising here on the Costa del Sol, and this issue we’ve brought some of that heat into the magazine in the form of our very first equipment test. With the cooperation of four PGA professionals we have put eleven of the hottest drivers on the market through their paces. The main objective of the exercise is to remove much of the confusion surrounding the many options available, and we have placed them into categories of golfer they are best suited to.
We feel it is important for us to stress that there are no manufacturers advertising the drivers reviewed in this magazine, and that the professionals testing the clubs have no affiliation with any of the major brands. David Poulton, a regular contributor to EAT GOLF! and professional club fitter, did encourage us to test two of the custom fit brands which he sells. On these two tests we have left David to build the clubs, and our remaining three professionals to evaluate them.
This is a very different way to handle driver tests. We have not tested the drivers on machines, but their real life counterparts who have the knowledge and expertise to understand the consequences of the way each is set up. A machine does not react to the look of a club, and therefore regardless of what statistics they generate are unable to take the ‘human factor’ into account. Likewise getting various handicap players to test the clubs has its disadvantages. Two players with a high handicap may have very different swing characteristics and swing faults which can make their observations much less reliable.
Once you have selected a new driver you’ll want to get the most out of it, and our special feature with Carmen Alonso in association with the Ladies European Tour is certain to help in this respect. We would also like to welcome our newest contributor - model turned professional tour player - Anna Rawson. We will speak with Anna in more depth in an exclusive interview next issue, but for now you can savour some of Anna’s fashion and golf tips from the tour. I hope you enjoy the issue! Nick Senior, Editor & Publisher.
Web: www.fairwaylife.com For editorial contributions / advertising information visit: www.eat-golf.com
GOLF! is distributed in golf clubs, golf outlets and luxury hotels from Huelva to Málaga & Almería, Spain.
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The articles appearing in this publication represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited manuscripts, pictures or artworks. Any reproduction, either in part or in full, of written or photographic material contained in this magazine is prohibited unless permission is given by the publisher. Printed by Jiménez Godoy S.A. Ctra. de Alicante, Km.3. 30160 Murcia Tel.: (+34) 968 851 650. Fax: (+34) 968 852 477
The French master disco genius Cerrone has been delighting his dedicated fans since 1976, and is set to celebrate in style with a New York dance party in Central Park on October 6th. Upbeat and uplifting, his ability to transfer this funky electro-disco style onto the live stage 30 years after the beginning of his career is reason for celebration indeed. For a taste of what to expect, his latest album Celebrate! is on sale now, recorded live at the Olympia, Paris ‘07. www.cerrone.net / www.nydanceparty.net
Back issues online at: www.fairwaylife.com
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16. GOLF FASHION MED STYLE & JAPANESE ART
EAT
GOLF! would like to thank:
24. FEATURES 26. A VISUAL JOURNEY THE OPEN & US OPEN
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36. PGAs OF EUROPE RULES NOT MADE TO BE BROKEN 40. LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR DRIVE LIKE ALONSO
Aloha Golf Club Hosts to the 2007 Open de Andalucia www.clubdegolfaloha.com
K I R K Russell Kirk Golflinks Photography www.golflinksphotography.com
44. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW CABELL B. ROBINSON. PART ONE 54. GOLF CLASS BY GARY FIRKINS
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www.golfriendshop.com Tel: (+34) 952 88 25 23
56. EQUIPMENT 58. BIG DRIVER TEST 68. YOUR GAME
Winter training ground for the PGA EuroPro Tour www.pgm.es
70. ANNA RAWSON TIPS FROM THE TOUR
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72. SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY BY ALLISON DYER 76. POWER TIPS BY PATRICK BRADY 80. CLUB FITTING BY DAVID POULTON 82. FITNESS & NUTRITION BY JUAN BARBERIS
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www.peakperformance.com
84. CARMEN ALONSO TIPS FROM THE TOUR
www.atalaya-golf.com
Golf’us, Marbella www.golf-us.com
88. ON COURSE 90. COURSE GUIDE www.tmplabs.com/lacala.html
94. LIFESTYLE 96. WHAT, WHEN, WHERE... 008
...and all of our contributors, see pages 10-12
NICK SENIOR l EDITOR & PUBLISHER After an extremely successful year working with Andrew Butler on the Costa del Golf Alliance, we are honoured that Walter Fischer has chosen to sponsor these unique and prestigious tournaments for the 2007-8 season. Re-branded as the Fischer Open Golf Series, I look forward to our continued participation, and hope that all who choose to play enjoy them as much as I do. MICHAEL DENKER l PUBLISHER & ACC. MANAGER Lots of fun and then some, this time around we choose the home of the Valle Romano Andalucia Open for our fashion shoot. Inspired by J. Lindeberg and perfectly complemented with pieces of Japanese art. It is great to be a part of this ever changing lifestyle - and to think that some people say that golf is only a game! Thank you all for making my job a pleasure. DENNIS SHAW l PGAs of EUROPE Currently Media consultant for the PGAs of Europe, having previously been UK sports writer for a number of national and provincial newspapers, including, for several years, Midland correspondent for The Times. A British Sports Journalist winner and also a Midlands Sports Writer of the Year. Author of two football books as a ghost-writer and formerly editor of Football Today. BETHAN CUTLER l LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR Media Manager for the Ladies European Tour. Bethan is the principal news and features writer for the Tour’s official website and responsible for the overall production of the Tour’s annual media guide. She also contributes to numerous publications as a photo journalist. Media point of contact for access to all players and officials. GARY FIRKINS l WRITER & BROADCASTER Gary is also a golf public relations consultant with more than 10 years experience working in the media. He wrote for national consumer magazines for seven years, focusing on special interest titles and was deputy editor of Golf World magazine. He also has experience as a freelance journalist, editing an industry magazine and writing for a variety of publications and newspapers, including The Sunday Times. 010
nick@eat-golf.com www.fairwaylife.com www.eat-golf.com
michael@eat-golf.com www.fairwaylife.com www.eat-golf.com
www.pgae.com info@pgae.com Tel. UK -44 (0)
www.ladieseuropeantour.com mail@ladieseuropeantour.com Tel. UK +44 (0)1625 611 444
www.landmark-media.com gary@landmark-media.com Tel. UK +44 (0)1780 752 790
ANNA RAWSON l PROFESSIONAL TOUR PLAYER Currently competing on the Ladies European Tour, Anna has a unique story - excelling in two very different careers - modeling and golfing. Now Anna combines all her passions, by wearing designer pieces such as Marc Jacobs, Chanel, Gucci and Tom Ford glasses while playing. She is a rarity in sports, with the perfect mix of femininity, raw athletic talent, and intelligence. ALLISON DYER l TOTAL SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY BSc MSc CPsychol, British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Accredited Sport Psychologist and British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Psychologist. Allison works as a consultant sport psychologist to the PGA EuroPro Tour, and Positive Golf (Elviria), the official winter training ground for players on the EuroPro Tour. PATRICK BRADY l PGA PROFESSIONAL Patrick is a modern and forward thinking golf professional with an enthusiasm and passion for teaching the game as much as playing it. It is a pleasure to have Patrick on board for his thought provoking and visual ideas which assist us all in improving our own game. This issue Patrick demonstrates some power tips to aid your driving. DAVID POULTON l KZG WORLD TOP 100 GOLF FITTER David 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. 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, marrying technical expertise with a distinctly personal touch. JUAN BARBERIS l FITNESS & NUTRITION EXPERT Juan works with amateur and professional golfers to improve their “golf shape”. He conducts thorough assessments and provides individualised fitness and nutrition programs that enable golfers to enjoy the game more by remaining pain and injury free and also by hitting drives further and more accurately on a consistent basis. 012
If you have any questions for Anna, you can email her at: AskAnna@annarawson.net She will answer a couple of questions a month, and post the answers on her website: www.annarawson.com
www.sportpsychologist.org.uk totalsportpsychology@fsmail.net Tel. UK +44 (0)7718 208 942 Tel. Spain (+34) 662 070 787
For private tuition telephone Spain (+34) 607 827 021 www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
Appears in association with www.golf-us.com
Tel. Spain (+34) 685 990 138 www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
www.mygolfadvantage.com service@mygolfadvantage.com Tel. Spain (+34) 670 565 590
Golf
Enjoy Santa Clara this Summer 2 Green fees including buggy, 110 â‚Ź
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Competitions every Saturday through July & August. Grand Final of the Santa Clara Golden Cup 18th & 19th August.
Visit the course or call: (+34) 952 850 111 reservas@santaclara-golf.com
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The new TaylorMade Performance Lab based at the David Leadbetter Academy, La Cala are generously offering the chance for 5 lucky readers to win a free driver fitting worth 60€ each, in our exclusive EAT GOLF! competition.
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Europe’s first TaylorMade Performance Lab at La Cala incorporates unparalleled 3-D visualisation for the ultimate custom fitting experience.
Just tell us how many high speed cameras are used to capture your swing in the TaylorMade Perormance Lab, are there?
Home to EAT GOLF! on-line, you can access the content of all our previous issues, as well as entering our competitions.
Nine separate high speed synchronized cameras capture the motion of reflectors placed on the golfer, and instantaneously produce a 3-D image which can be viewed in motion from any angle.
(a) 3 (b) 6 (c) 9
The system can measure every detail of your swing, giving you the most accurate information necessary to be fitted for the correct type of club to suit your game.
Log on to our website: www.fairwaylife.com to post your answer.
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This is a ‘live’ site, always being updated with as much useful information as we can find for golfers living on, or visiting the Southern coast of Spain. www.fairwaylife.com
The winner will be chosen at random, and notified by email. We will print the winner in the next issue of EAT GOLF!
WINNER
You will also receive a CD which shows all of your captured swings in 3-D. There is no obligation to purchase any equipment.
Fairwaylife is an on-line golf portal providing a full range of services to both golfers, and would be golfers alike.
For more information visit: www.tmplabs.com/lacala.html
The lucky winner of a 2 night stay with 2 rounds of golf at the PGA Golf de Cataluyna in our issue 7 competition was Karin Walther, who answered correctly that PGA European Tour Courses have a total of 9 member venues.
Models: Max Silver & Olivia
med style
Japanese art Hair & Make-Up: Sarah MacDonald & Rachel Jelley at the Sanctuary, Puerto Banus Tel: (+34) 952 907 083
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This Page Max wears: White Slipover and Polo Stusher Belt and Trent Pants Hat by Modern Amusement, from S8 Cherry Blossom putter cover by CC
Opposite Page Max wears: JL Black Polo Shirt and Zane Pants Stusher Belt Olivia wears: Jenna Rugby Polo Shirt & White Pants Rectangler Belt Red Riding Hood putter cover by CC On Table: JL Wise Red visor
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This Page Olivia wears: Nikita Polo, and Erica Pants Rectangler Belt Wise Red Visor Comera Putter Cover by CC
Opposite Page Max wears: Lymer True Grey Slipover Zane Grey Pants Comera Fairway Cover by CC Olivia wears: Jenna Rugby Polo Shirt & White Pants Comera Driver Cover by CC
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This Page Olivia wears: Hat by Modern Amusement, from S8 Jenna Rugby Polo Shirt
Opposite Page Max wears: Grey slipover and Polo Stusher Belt and Trent Pants Olivia wears: Kitty Polo and Sabrina Pants Rectangler Belt
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Clothing supplied by:
www.jlindeberg.com
Putter & driver covers supplied by:
www.comocome.com
Shot on location at:
www.clubdegolfaloha.com 022
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GREAT GOLF PHOTOGRAPHY 26. THE OPEN & US OPEN
Carnoustie Golf Links has certainly shown it’s teeth to golfers of all levels...
NEMESIS HOLES This issue we go on a visual journey with Russell Kirk, celebrating The Open and the US Open. The difficulty of the courses on which they are played have led to some spectacular disaster holes, with professionals racking up a ridiculous number of shots in relation to par. It is easily done in golf, and certainly something which all handicap golfers can relate to. Recent examples include Phil Mickelson’s finish in the 2006 US Open, and Jean Van de Velde in 1999. Needing to make only a 6 on the par 4 18th hole at Carnoustie Golf Links to secure the Open Championship on Sunday, Van de Velde squandered the championship in excruciating fashion, clanging one shot off the bleachers, dumping another into the water, and chunking yet one more into a bunker before finally making a triple-bogey 7. Which got us into thinking... There are plenty of nemesis holes out there, but which ones are yours? We would like to hear
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Russell Kirk Russell’s collection of images display both creative and stunning photography of some of the world’s most famous golf courses and people. www.golflinksphotography.com
from golfers who can’t seem to get past a particularly difficult hole with a score in the single figures! We would prefer that the hole be in Spain so that we can pay it a visit, and feature it in the magazine. Let us know what the difficulty is, and what causes you to score so heavily. Think of this like an ‘Agony Aunt’ page for golfers. In each case we’ll do our best to find out as much as possible about the hole, contact the designer, and try to offer as many helpful tips from the pros as to how you might be able to conquer your demons. We expect that the two main causes of high scores are likely to be hazards such as out-of-bounds or water, but maybe it is the green that’s the problem. Perhaps the hole has already been featured in EAT GOLF! Was it in our ‘Dream 18’? Have we reviewed the course? Don’t be afraid to get in touch. We don’t bite as much as the golf hole might! Email: postmaster@eat-golf.com
Aidan Bradley Aidan is regarded as amongst the best at his trade and is widely recognised for his ability to capture the excitement and mood of a golf course. www.golfcoursephotography.com
Evan Schiller Evan’s combination of experiences as a golf professional and photographer provides a perspective and eye, unique among golf photographers today. www.golfshots.com
K I R K
Av a i l a b l e f o r A s s i g n m e n t Wo r l d w i d e Stock and Golf Prints
R u s s e l l
k i r k / G o l f L i n k s P h o t o g r a p h y ( P ) ( 0 0 1 ) 8 0 0 . 313 . 2 0 6 6 w w w . g o l f l i n k s p h o t o g r a p h y . c o m
A VISUAL JOURNEY CELEBRATING
THE OPEN & US OPEN Golf course photography ŠRussell Kirk. www.golflinksphotography.com
Carnoustie Golf Links. Angus, Scotland. Tommy Armour from Edinburgh was the winner when Carnoustie first played host to The Open Championship in 1931. Later Open winners include the Englishman Henry Cotton in 1937, Ben Hogan (USA, in 1953), Gary Player (South Africa, 1968) and Tom Watson (USA, 1975). Paul Lawrie from Scotland won in 1999 after the epic collapse of French golfer Jean Van de Velde. The Open Championship returns to Carnoustie this year.
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St. Andrews. Scotland. Home to The Open no fewer than 27 times, most recently in 2005 when Tiger Woods claimed his second Open Championship title. His first was in 2000, also at St. Andrews, and saw him finish at 19 under par, the lowest aggregate ever in relation to par at The Open. His 8 stroke margin of victory has only been bettered by two others; Old & Young Tom Morris. The highest winning score in a US Open was 17 over par, by Walter Hagen at Brae Burn Country Club, West Newton, Massachusetts in 1919. The Open Championship, to give it’s full name, is golf’s oldest Major, having first taken place on 17th October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, who started the competition.
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Merion Golf Club. Ardmore, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Site of four US Opens, the first winner at Merion was Olin Dutra in 1934, with a score of 13 over par. Merion’s 1950 US Open was also the site of Ben Hogan’s comeback, after a head-on collision with a bus in 1949 which shattered his pelvis and nearly killed him. On the 72nd hole (and 36th of the day), in extreme pain and facing a shot of over 200 yards into the wind, Hogan needed a par to force a play-off. Hogan used a 1-iron to hit a superb shot which stopped on the distant green well within two-putt range, and made his par. Hogan then defeated Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio in an 18-hole play-off the following day to win the tournament. Other winners at Merion were Lee Travino in 1971 and David Graham in 1981.
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Royal Lytham & St Annes. Lancashire, England. Founded in 1886, Royal Lytham & St Annes has hosted ten Open Championships. There are 198 bunkers on the course, and is the only links course that starts with a par 3 hole. Bobby Jones was the first winner of the Open here in 1926, and has since been won by Bobby Locke (1952), Peter Thomson (1958), Bob Charles (1963), Tony Jacklin (1969), Gary Player (1974), Seve Ballesteros (1979 & 1988), Tom Lehman (1996) and David Duval (2001).
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Shinnecock Hills. Southampton, New York, U.S.A. Shinnecock Hills was founded in 1891 and originally laid out by William Dunn Jr., with the assistance of numerous members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation tribe. It was one of the five clubs which founded the United States Golf Association in 1894, and has hosted the US Open four times in three different centuries. It was the site of the second US Open in 1896, won by James Foulis on Even par. It returned in 1986 (Ray Floyd; -1), 1995 (Corey Pavin; Even) and 2004 (Retief Goosen; -4). The first US Open Men’s Championship was played on 4th October, 1895, on a nine-hole course in Newport, Rhode Island. It was a 36-hole competition and was played in a single day. Ten professionals and one amateur entered.
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Royal Birkdale. Southport, England. The Open Championship has been held at Royal Birkdale eight times since it was first staged there in 1954, and the Championship is also scheduled to be held there in 2008. Previous winners of the Open at Royal Birkdale are Mark O’Meara, Ian Baker-Finch, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Peter Thomson (on two separate occasions). Birkdale is the only course in the Open rotation that has never had a champion from the United Kingdom. Royal Birkdale is one of Britain’s finest golf clubs and amongst the best in the world, having hosted two Ryder Cups, the Walker and Curtis Cups and the Women’s British Open in addition to its eight Open Championships.
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Oak Hill. Rochester, New York, U.S.A. First hosted the US Open in 1956, when Dr. Cary Middlecoff outlasted Hogan, who missed a 30-inch putt on the 71st hole and ultimately lost by one stroke. In 1968 Lee Trevino won his first professional tournament here, becoming the first man in history to shoot four rounds of sub-70 golf in a US Open. Curtis Strange made history when he won the 1989 US Open at Oak Hill, becoming the first man to repeat as champion since Hogan put back-to-back victories together in 1950 and 1951.
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Bethpage Black. New York, U.S.A. Bethpage State Park was developed from an estate owned by the Yoakum family and is a mecca for public golf. Featuring five 18-hole regulation golf courses, including the world renowned Black Course which was the site of the United States Open in 2002. It will again host the US Open in 2009. Prize money for both Open Major tournaments is immense, the winners walking away with 720,000 pounds at The Open, and 1,225,000 dollars at the US Open in 2006. The greatest margin of victory was at the US Open, when Tiger won by a massive 15 strokes at Pebble Beach in 2000.
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Winged Foot. Mamaroneck, New York, U.S.A. A 36 hole course designed by A. W. Tillinghast, Winged Foot has staged the US Open five times, most recently in 2006, when Geoff Ogilvy won on 5 over par. Past winners are Bobby Jones in 1929, with a score of +6, Billy Casper (1959, +2), Hale Irwin (1974, +7) and Fuzzy Zoeller (1984, -4). Claude Harmon (father of Butch) was the head professional at Winged Foot G.C. when he won the 1948 Masters Tournament, and was the last club professional to win a major golf tournament. The two courses at Winged Foot are the West Course, a par 72 measuring 7,229 yards and the East Course, a par 72 measuring 6,750 yards.
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damaged as a or result of ematch 5-3]Best-ball fourplay [Rule 30-3d] celling [Rule 10-1c] [Rule 2-4]ground mceding outside teeing ed hole [Rule 2-2] ng from where previous ke played [Rule 20-5] uesting advice [Rule 8] ty considerations uette] ing ball14-4] more than e provisional [Rule ball e 27-2b]
rules that are NOT made to be broken... By Dennis Shaw, PGAs of Europe
Regular golf televiewers of the necessary vintage will still remember vividly the scene from the 1994 Volvo Masters at Valderrama. There’s Seve Ballesteros crouched at the foot of a tree. He’s staring at his ball in a position that even he would find to be unplayable.
Alongside him, near to the buggy cart that has transported him there as fast as its wheels could carry him, is John Paramor, the European Tour’s No.1 rules man. As the video clip rolls on, Seve is pointing at a small hole that he regards as the ‘scrapings of a burrowing animal’. If he can convince a rules official that his diagnosis of the situation is accurate, then he’s entitled to ‘relief’, to a far more user-friendly lie, well away from the roots of the tree. (A ‘free drop’ as we club golfers would tend to describe it.)
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“They ARE the scrape marks, of a burrowing animal aren’t they...?!“ He seems to be insisting, or words to that effect, having sought a second opinion after previously failing to convince the first official to arrive upon the scene. “I can take relief without penalty...?” “Er... No” replies JP (appropriate initials for a man of his particular calling!). And... “No... you play the ball as it lies, or take relief under penalty.” According to Rule 25-1 he needed to find ‘evidence’ that a ‘burrowing animal’, not a dog or a wild boar for instance,
“When it comes to fair play and consistency the fact that Seve is one of the sport’s all-time greats doesn’t, or shouldn’t, separate him from Auntie Martha playing off 48 in the Ladies Wednesday Stableford.”
was responsible for scraping the hole. No such evidence (droppings, I guess) was there.
are victory in a PGA European Tour flagship event, there are live TV cameras screening every move and into this intimidating scenario strides a rules official.
Seve, being Seve, probably doesn’t like the decision. And he no doubt questions it. But he has to accept the official ruling and get on with the game. That’s how it works in golf. This is one sport where the rules are NOT made to be broken...
HE’D BETTER GET IT RIGHT. AND HE’D BETTER KEEP HIS NERVE... because the decision cost Seve his chance to win.
When it comes to fair play and consistency the fact that he is one of the sport’s all-time greats doesn’t, or shouldn’t, separate him from Auntie Martha playing off 48 in the Ladies Wednesday Stableford. There could be few more outstanding examples of the precise manner in which the Rules of Golf are worded, and the total firmness with which Tournament Directors, Referees and Rules Officials apply them than the famous Seve incident though, in varying degrees, these things happen in every tournament. Let’s quickly recap on that famous episode: one of the greatest golfers of all time is striving to achieve a favourable decision. He’s stubbornly competitive and he’s attempting to impose his own way. The stakes
Recently I was fortunate to attend a three-day Tournament Organisation seminar at the Belfry, attended by PGA rules officials from nine different European countries and organised by the PGAs of Europe in conjunction with the PGA Director of Golf, Steve Cox and his staff. Among the speakers was Kevin Feeney who, since then, has moved to join Wentworth-based European Tour staff as a tournament administrator (referee). Kevin is from a Derbyshire-based family who are steeped in golf. His late father Leo, was a PGA pro, his brother Jim is one of the counties most-titled amateurs ever, and sister Rosemary was a PGA Tournament Director before him. Kevin was, himself, a Derbyshire county player. He’s about 6 feet 4 inches tall, not easily bullied, of cheerful disposition,
and armed with the experience of having already officiated at the highest level including three Ryder Cups, seven US PGA events, The Open Championship at Hoylake, the Ladies Open, the Solheim Cup, and in too many different countries to recall. During the course of accumulating this massive experience over a period of some ten years he has discovered that different countries can sometimes approach the business of golf tournament organisation in varying ways. So “The purpose of this seminar was to share information among PGAs of Europe member countries, and thereby unify our methods as much as possible to try to achieve parity and consistency throughout all of the PGAs,” he explained, an idea that was enthusiastically supported by Steve Cox and by Ian Randell, when he took up his duties as the new chief executive of the PGAsE. Along with colleagues Simon Higginbottom, another experienced PGA tournament Director, Andy Turner and PGA Director of Regions and Heritage, David Wright, this objective was tackled via talks on such topics as Education of the Rules of Golf, Practical Demonstrations
Artificialassistance devices [Rule 14-3 Physical [Rule 145 Ball damaged as a result of [Rule ball or four-ball match play [Rule Cancelling [Rule 10-1c] Conceding [Rule 2-4] From outside teeing groun Halved hole [Rule 2-2] Playing from where previou stroke played [Rule 20-5]
ball or30-3d] four-ball match Rule elling [Rule 10-1c] eding [Rule 2-4]ground outside teeing d hole [Rule 2-2] ng from where previous eesting played [Rule 20-5] advice [Rule 8] y considerations [Etiquette] ng ball moreball than once [Rule 14-4] provisional [Rule 27-2b] on the Rules of Golf, Tournament Regulations, Serious Complaints Procedures (Dealing with Cheating Allegations), Planning & Managing a Professional Golf Tournament, Pace of Play / How to introduce a policy and Tournament Related Computer Systems. Yes, I know it sounds all very academic and potentially dull, but laced in with descriptions of the nuts and bolts of it all there were some nuggets that could only be provided by those who’ve ‘been there, done it...’ Tip No.1 is to never go out as a rules official with a brand new copy of the R&A’s Rules of Golf, or the more detailed and weightier Decisions on the Rules of Golf. This gives the player the opportunity to exercise a spot of one-upmanship with the comment: “Ah! First day on the job, is it...?” Always have the dog-eared, well-thumbed version of someone who has been at it for a lifetime, even if you haven’t. Another tip is; “Listen twice as much as you talk. That’s why you have two ears but only one mouth.” Better to keep your mouth shut and look a fool, than open your mouth and prove it, as the old saying goes. Or as No.1 US tournament official Mike Shea once described it to Kevin, refereeing a top tournament match can comprise ‘hours of boredom punctuated by moments of terror...’. There’s nothing to do for, say, 16 holes then, for instance, a player’s drive has gone down a rabbit hole with an opening that’s just ‘in bounds’, but the ball has run two or three feet underground to ‘out of bounds’... “RULES OFFICIAL, PLEASE...’ It’s not enough to simply KNOW the ruling. Better still to be able
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to quickly PROVE it. Obviously, as you would expect, experienced officials, have a simplified version of how to find the decision they seek, simply by realising the common sense order in which they’re listed in the rulebook... He would quickly be able to show to the sceptical player that the out of bounds line applies down as well as up. “Sorry, but your provisional is now the ball ‘in play. You’ll be playing your fourth stroke...” But all that experience doesn’t prepare you for the arrival of armed robbers on the course... and it can happen, as Kevin explains. During the pro-am day of a Mastercard Tour event in Formby, Lancashire, UK, he was standing with two colleagues near the scoreboard at the 18th when a police helicopter hovered overhead and a voice on a loud hailer announced above the chopper din: “There are armed robbers on the golf course. Please be aware, for your safety...” The three officials looked at each other, did a ‘double take’ on the chopper, and the voice repeated the message. Simultaneously, police cars screeched into the car park and plain clothed officers appeared at the double, running between the professionals and the celebrity amateurs. No use reaching for your rule book this time, Kev... well-thumbed or not.! Later it was learned that the criminals had committed an armed robbery in Southport, had made their getaway out of town, abandoned the vehicle at the first opportunity in the woods, run through the trees... and then in
what could have been a scene from Carry On The Crime Wave, had run straight into a golf tournament that was being filmed by a TV crew, who duly caught the scene on camera. “Had witnesses been called when it went to court,” said Kevin, “they could have been Sandy Jones, Barry Hearn, Steve Davies, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Roy Evans and Stan Boardman.” During an entertaining chat that could be entitled ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ he listed how he had to deal with a player in the United States being badly stung on the back of his neck by a bee... (‘I found myself running 250 yards back to the tee for an ice bucket...’). During the same round Mr. Bee Sting’s opponent fell into a deep bunker when he was looking the other way as he walked, and disappeared from view. He emerged looking sandy and shaken. Kevin recalls. “It was at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, and the two players were Chris Riley and Stephen Ames. I called them together and told them: ‘Look, I’m here to apply the rules of golf not to keep you two fit and healthy... After that we had quite a fun round.’ On another occasion the appearance during play of army of protesters with drums and klaxons in an industrial dispute marched across the fairways and greens to repeatedly enforce delays and, ultimately, for the tournament to switch to another venue with all the disruption and reorganisation that such an outlandish happening entails. When you’re a tournament official, getting to know the rules, and how to apply them, is clearly only half the story...
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Drive like Alonso
By Bethan Cutler Ladies European Tour Photos ©Tristan Jones / LET
Chances are that if you are Spanish and your name is Alonso then you are going to be an awesome driver. While Fernando Alonso, the Spanish Formula 1 racing driver and two-time world champion, finished 2006 as the fastest driver in the world, Carmen Alonso, a charming 22-year-old from Madrid, finished the year as the longest driver on the women’s tours, (of a golf ball, that is, rather than at the seat of a Renault).
Carmen was the longest driver in women’s golf in 2006 with an awesome average driving distance of 300.04 yards. To put that statistic into perspective, she was just six yards shorter than Tiger Woods from off the tee and would have ranked in the top 20 if she had played with the men on the PGA Tour. Carmen not only out drove the biggest names in women’s golf including Annika Sorenstam
(Carmen was 40 yards longer) and Laura Davies, (who was an average of 20 yards shorter than Carmen), she was also 16 yards longer than Karin Sjodin, the US LPGA Tour’s longest hitter last year.
She says that it is a combination of natural ability, strength, flexibility and a smooth, rhythmic and repeatable golf swing, which she has spent hours grooving on the range and in front of a mirror.
What’s more, Carmen is a slim young woman who is just 168cm tall and 64 kilograms in weight. So how does she dazzle the spectators at the Ladies European Tour’s events with her prodigious distance off the tee?
She says: “To improve my rhythm and timing I practice swinging in front of a mirror with no ball for four or five hours a week, or approximately an hour a day, as well as hitting 100-150 balls a day on the range.”
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“Now that Carmen is a pro, she is yards beyond the pack in terms of driving distance and she is willing to share her skills.”
She admits that right from when she first picked up a club at the age of seven years old she was always a comparatively long hitter. However her driving secret these days, she says, lies primarily in her flexibility. “For me, the most important thing to do in the gym is the stretching, because if you have strong muscles and you are supple then you have power,” Carmen says. “I hit it further than my brother Agustin, who plays off a one handicap, because he is not as loose as he should be. “If you are flexible, you will start hitting the ball longer because you can get the extra width you need at the top of the backswing and at the same time you can twist your torso away from your hips, increasing torsion, hence power and distance. “I spend one and a half hours in the gym five times a week, from Monday to Friday and spend 30 minutes running, (which I don’t like but I have to do it!)
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“I enjoy the weights the most and I think the most important weights exercise for golf is the chest press.” Carmen has had a successful start to life as a professional. In her second year on Tour, she made all of the cuts bar two with her best finish joint seventh in both the Ladies English and Spanish Opens. She was joint third in the statistics for the total number of eagles with six and ranked eighth in birdies with a total of 176. She scored a hole-in-one during the 2006 Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Machynys Peninsula Golf and Country Club and to add to her distance, she is also fairly accurate off the tee, last year hitting almost 75% of fairways.
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her Tour caddy for the past two seasons. She admires her fellow Spaniards Jose Maria Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros and hopes to be as successful as female Spanish stars Raquel Carriedo and Paula Marti in years to come. However even the multiple tournament winners admire her tee shots, which some regard as the most important shot in golf.
It was 2005 US Open Champion Michael Campbell who encouraged her the most. Carmen spent a couple of years practising at the David Leadbetter Academy in Florida alongside him and it was he who convinced her to turn professional.
For Carmen, even being in the rough is not a problem as she usually finds herself only five to ten yards either side of the fairway with a short iron into the greens, which is a huge advantage over her fellow competitors.
Now that Carmen is a pro, she is yards beyond the pack in terms of driving distance and she is willing to share her skills. Follow Carmen’s advice to achieve long and accurate drives and you too can feel the satisfaction of ripping it perfectly down the middle...
The youngest of five children, Carmen has four older brothers including Agustin who acted as
Turn to page 84 to read Carmen’s tips for hitting it longer and straighter!
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Cabell B Robinson PART ONE A legend in the field of landscape architecture, Cabell B Robinson, has created some of the finest golf courses in the world. In the first of an exclusive two part interview, we learn about the warm American gentleman who worked with Robert Trent Jones before setting up his own design practice based on the Costa del Sol.
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You started your career with the renowned architect Robert Trent Jones. How did this come about? I graduated from college with a history degree but decided to become a landscape architect. I had no idea where to go, but somebody said that Harvard had everything, so I applied and got into the graduate school of design there.
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“...I’d given Mr. Jones 18 months notice of resignation, which was pretty fair, but he took no notice of my notice!“
The first day of class the chairman of the department, who was then a very well known landscape architect in America introduced me to Rees Jones (son of Robert Trent Jones). He said that we were the only two students in the class. We were in a sort of special situation in that Rees had a political science major from Yale, and I’d gone to Princeton and had my history degree. We knew nothing about design. So in the end we were taking undergraduate and a couple of graduate courses to prepare us, because Harvard had no undergraduate programme in landscape architecture. So Rees and I became very good friends.
Club de Golf Valle Romano Nearing completion, Valle Romano sees 60 hectares set aside for the golf course, occupying the least rugged part of the estate. 18 professional-level holes for the enjoyment of golf enthusiasts cover the gentle and undulating topography, and the course has been harmoniously adapted to the original landscape without having to make any drastic earth movements. www.valleromano.net
La Reserva de Sotogrande Santiago Luna, four times Spanish Champion and member of the European Tour for more than twenty years, makes the following suggestions of La Reserva: “This golf course requires players to use all the clubs in their bag, and is very entertaining. The course is very large featuring wide fairways and greens, in addition to being very well contoured”. www.sotogrande.com
Finca Cortesin Very near to the Mediterranean Sea and in a privileged area of Andalucia, Finca Cortesin has become a reference in the world of golf. At almost 7,000 meters from the back tees it is considered one of the longest courses in Europe. The natural environment and landscape are it’s most attractive features, including well manicured fairways and greens. www.golfcortesin.es
I took his invitation and called him at his fathers office one summer. He said that his father liked me, and that I had a job there if I ever wanted one. Of course back then I had no idea what I was being offered any more than I knew I was going to be a golf course architect. But I went on to the University of California at Berkeley, and got my second degree in landscape architecture. By then I knew I wanted to work in landscape architecture and began full-time employment in Robert Trent Jones’s office in New Jersey, October 1967. So that’s how I got into it, purely by luck. With so many people writing to me today and asking ‘how do you get into it’, ‘can I work with you?’ etc. it’s taken me a while to realise how fortunate I was to land in this particular field. So I worked with Mr. Jones for three years in New Jersey, but I didn’t like New Jersey though the town he lived in
was very nice, Montclair. All around it were industrial towns like Newark and Patterson, and sort of the unattractive parts of northern New Jersey. I decided I really wanted to go back out West. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but thought I’d be happier, and I’d given Mr. Jones 18 months notice of resignation, which was pretty fair, but he took no notice of my notice! It took a while before Robert finally believed me, and in the end said ‘look, we’re getting active in Europe, would you like to open an office for me in Europe?’. I had no interest in Europe whatsoever because I was a little naive and had my heart set on going out West. He put me on a trip, and I eventually agreed that, yes, I would stay at least two years with the intention of going back to the States. Thirty seven years on I’m still here, which makes me either stupid, or means that I
like it here! So in a nutshell that’s how I got to where I am today. He’d already done and opened Sotogrande by then, and Las Brisas was open. We were negotiating with a second course in Nueva Andalucia which was Los Naranjos. He was also talking about what became Valderrama. Those were the first two projects that I worked on when I got here. Mijas, Los Lagos, started very soon thereafter, as did La Manzanilla. And we’re still working on La Manzanilla! That’s my longest running project - 35 years and it’s still on hold! It’s close to Fuengirola, nearly touching the corner of Los Lagos at Mijas. At the time in 1972 we had five courses under construction here on the coast. I now work alone, and don’t need a whole lot of work to support myself. I don’t rely solely on Spain, though sometimes I work more here than elsewhere. I have a fair amount of work in Morocco, Cyprus, France and Italy.
La Reserva, Sotogrande
“If a course is good it’s going to stay good, regardless of the designer who created it.”
Do you think there is room for more golf courses here on the south coast of Spain? In a market sense, yes, so long as they don’t out price themselves. I think there’s always the demand for good courses, but there is very little land left between the mountains and sea until you get down to the Gibraltar area. The sites left available in the stretch from around Estepona to Malaga are extremely difficult, and I’ve worked on some of them. La Cala at the time was the most difficult site I’d ever worked on. If you’re not careful they can become borderline on what is a playable golf course. A course can be spectacular, but not necessarily play well for the average person. But nobody wants to be told that their land for building a course isn’t viable! The new course at La Zagaleta was an extraordinary piece of land. I and several other architects politely turned it down, but when I saw it I was awestruck at some of the things they did, or had to do there. I don’t do easy courses, but I like to think that if you play off the right
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tees, for the most part they’re pretty fair. They tend to be wide - I’m not a particularly good golfer and I like wide fairways off the tee. To me a fairway is anything that is maintained grass, and by maintained grass I mean anywhere you can find your ball. So I like very wide landing areas, because you can complicate life around the greens - but people don’t loose golf balls on the greens. I like to stand on a tee and feel fairly comfortable on the drive. It doesn’t mean you can hit it anywhere and have a good second shot, but you will have a second shot. There are courses for all sorts of different golfers. I have a reputation I guess of a certain type of course, and I’d like to continue doing that certain kind of course. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a demand for other types of courses, or difficulties. My way of seeing things are based on what I learnt from Mr. Jones. I really am a sort of disciple of his, and his belief was that golf should be a fair game, and I try and make the courses fair to the average player. The good player today is so good it’s almost impossible to make a course unplayable for them.
For example Augusta’s difficulty is not really in its length, but in the greens. I’ve played Augusta a few times, and the greens make it extraordinarily difficult. If you’ve ever played it you can watch the tournaments there and admire how well the pros putt - or you can certainly sympathise when they don’t putt well! Three and four putts are just so easy there. On the other hand Augusta has always been a reasonably easy course for the members in that they don’t play all it’s length, and the rough they have there is sort of insignificant, it’s more of a visual definition of rough. For the average player the greens aren’t set up so fast, and the fairways are very wide. But again if you’re in the wrong part of a fairway you might not have the best angle to the green, and it’s the greens that make Augusta such a challenging course. La Cala was you’re first project alone... Certainly it was in Spain, though I had re-modelled the Royal Golf d’Evian in France. I don’t remember the exact timings, but when I left Mr. Jones in ‘87 I got a call within a week from a lawyer in town who wanted me to meet the then promoter. So yes, that was my first project under my own name here in Spain. The one in Evian came about more-or-less the same time, but La Cala was a completely new course. I remember standing up on the hill the day before the machines started, and looking at this very difficult piece of land and thinking ‘I hope I know what I’m doing!’ But I’d worked on some difficult sites in the States and seen a lot of Robert Trent Jones’s work, and was pretty confident that I could handle it. I’d be the first to admit that I made some mistakes there that I wouldn’t have made today, but I’m still extremely proud of the course because I think at that time a lot of other designers would have made a real mess of the piece of land. By and large I’ve always been reasonably proud of what I created as my first job. How do you start the design process on such a site? Does it enable you to put your
Santana Golf Club, Mijas Costa
stamp on the course? I don’t know that I ever really look at a site with a type of course that I want to design in mind. On a difficult piece of land it is important that I have first choice over how it is used in order to make a playable golf course. I was allowed this freedom at La Cala, but I didn’t approach it with any preconceived ideas about the type of course I wanted to create. I had been working for twenty years or so with Mr. Jones, and I was sub consciously, or consciously, trying to do the same type of course I would have done for him. Apart from that I’ve rarely gone into a site where I say for example ‘I’m gonna do a desert type course’, because I’ve never really had a desert type piece of land. What is the secret to making a successful course? Marketing seems to play a big part in whether a course is successful, at least initially. I think that eventually the courses kind of speak for themselves, but I think that the problem we have now is ‘name’ designers. If a course is good it’s going to stay good, regardless of the designer who created it. The designers name
has some historic importance, but less overall importance because everyone is always looking for the newest, greatest thing. To me one example is the Middle East. I’ve done work and am doing work in Cyprus, but I’ve never done any over in the Middle East: Dubai, Abu Dhabi etc. But I think that virtually every course being done over there has a big name golfer associated with it. I’m never quite sure what I think of that - I’m sort of comfortable in my own situation. I’d love to do some work over there, but doubt that I’ll ever be asked to because I don’t have the name of a pro. I’ve often thought that if I were an extremely wealthy promoter I would be very tempted to get a big name pro for the simple reason that I could rub shoulders with them and maybe play a few holes with them. I could tell my friends that I played golf with Jack or Ernie or Gary... whoever. I understand it from that point of view, but I’ve lost some jobs in the past to name pros because the marketing people pushed the client to go down that route.
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I also have problems with some courses trying to push a course into being a par 72 when it should be a par 71. I try to explain that it just doesn’t matter. This is again something that I learnt from Mr. Jones who said that the sign of a good course is creating 18 good golf holes, not how long it is. We have some wonderful courses in the States that are par 70, 6,000 meters. Merion Golf and Country Club is a short course, and has held the US Open, the most important and prestigious tournament in golf along with The Open, it’s hard to tell which is more important. But it’s held the US Open four times because it is recognised as one of America’s great golf courses, even though it’s not that long!
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had to change them, adding two more stripes on the tree to make an N for no, don’t cut it! These marks stayed on there for about two years until the tree eventually went or the white wash came off! Valderrama has very few fairway bunkers because of that. The fairways were so narrow, and now after 25 or 30 years they’ve gotten narrower. The cork trees grow very slowly, but they not only go up, they go sideways. I think that’s what makes Valderrama difficult.
Do you think that Valderrama might be considered in that category also? It’s narrow. When we did Valderrama, I did the marking for the tree clearing. We do clearing
in two phases. We clear the center lines which are about 40-50 yards wide, and basically all those trees have to go out. We’re told if there’s anything special in that line and we’ll leave it for a second look. And then I go on and mark the outer limits for the second phase where we mark tree by tree. To me it’s very important as the wooded areas give fairways a different shape - you can’t just do it on paper. Well you can but then it has no personal feeling about it. And I marked all the trees for the second phase and Mr. Jones came over with the developer and looked at the markings. We had marked the trees with buckets of white wash and painted a vertical stripe on the tree which meant it was to be cut. The developer was a ‘tree hugger’, and rightly so, they were beautiful trees! But he kept saying ‘Mr. Jones we’re not going to cut that tree.’ They’d argue about it some and finally it was decided not to cut it. So we
Santana Golf Situated in Mijas-Costa, Santana Golf Course and Country Club lies with breathtaking views of the Mijas mountains, close to the Mediterranean sea. Set in a former avocado plantation, this magnificent course has wide open and well defined fairways on level terrain. Water features play an important albeit not excessive part in the overall design. www.santanagolf.com
La Cala Resort (America/Asia/Europa) The natural features of the La Cala terrain have been used to challenging effect by the architect, Cabell B. Robinson, with three courses that are carefully maintained to ensure they are playable all year round. The three courses offer different challenges to all levels of golfers and demand good course management in addition to a wide variety of shots. www.lacala.com
Mijas Golf, Los Olivos (Complete renovation) Originally constructed between 1983-1984, it was refurbished 2000-2001. Los Olivos lies in a smaller piece of land, and has different characteristics to its sister Los Lagos. The undulating greens are smaller and well protected by bunkers. A large number of olive trees are strategically situated around the fairways, and demands straight driving from the player. www.mijasgolf.org
We changed a few holes when Jaime bought it. Probably the biggest changes were lowering the landing area on what is now number 4, The Cascade. We had a double green there because it was felt that playing the third shot across a lake was going to be too difficult for a lot of the players. So short of the lake on the right side we built an alternate green. That was the thing about fairness. It’s a great hole, but originally you
4th hole, Valderrama
“...next to the 18th at Augusta it is one of the most difficult driving holes in tournament golf.”
couldn’t see the green from the tee. We moved the green on what is now the par 5, 11th to make it a little longer, and of course there have been many changes to the 17th to make an Augusta like finishing effect. We originally had the green on the banking where everybody now sits, but there was no water and no drama. So yes, again a course doesn’t have to be that long if they are narrow or have other aspects to it. It’s not really a short course, but it’s windy and the trees do create some difficult situations. I mean the 18th is not the longest hole,
but next to the 18th at Augusta it is one of the most difficult driving holes in tournament golf. If you try and cut the corner you can get stuck on the left. If you hit it straight you can go right through and get stranded behind a tree like Seve did a few years ago. Put it right and you’re in the trees. And length is reasonably important on the drive because it’s a pretty decent second shot. But you’ve got to be spot on in the middle of the fairway to have a clear shot at the green. The tee is in kind of a cut with spectators looking down on you in very close proximity; you’re really in a cauldron there. Standing on the 18th tee with a tournament on the line it’s a pretty tough shot! The 18th at Augusta is also that way because it’s so narrow. They’ve moved that tee way back now, around 50 yards, and it’s difficult to get around the corner. For a finishing hole, those two to me are the most challenging tee shots in tournament golf, which is good. Neither are excessively long but you can make holes difficult in any number of ways.
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My courses down here have a lot of bunkers, in part because there are few trees. I like the visual contrast, and one of the things about my bunkers is that I always like to see the sand. Again that comes back to Mr. Jones. He always wanted to see an obstacle, and he never liked blind water hazards, blind bunkers etc. He liked to see the white faces of the bunkers. The strongest visual contrast on a golf course is the sand and the grass. They kind of make a picture. People often say that bunkers should always be in a strategic place, and for the most part I would agree with them. But there are other uses for bunkers, one of which is for me that they are used to complete the given beauty of a golf hole. La Reserva, Sotogrande
“There is nothing which says that a good hole can’t be pretty, or shouldn’t be pretty.”
Without doubt you have achieved that at La Reserva... I think that’s my training as a landscape architect and looking at things and seeing balance and asymmetry. I hate symmetry because it’s something that you don’t find in nature. On the other hand you look at some of the bunkers at Carnoustie, it is very symmetrical. But that’s part of links land golf. For me golf holes should be inviting, and by that I mean they should be pretty. There is nothing which says that a good hole can’t be pretty, or shouldn’t be pretty. Sometimes that means an extra bunker to define a space, to direct your eyes. And I do rely on that, and yes La Reserva is possibly a typical example of how I try and use it. Again at Valderrama, with all the trees there was little chance of using that, albeit the bunkering around the green settings makes them pretty. People do complain to me about the cost of maintaining my bunkers, but I’m not trying to build the cheapest courses to maintain. I shouldn’t say that but it’s true! I don’t think that people hire me to build a ‘ho-hum’ golf course, and I try not to give them one! Part 2 of our interview with Cabell B. Robinson next issue.
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A summer competition with music and golf
For more information email ‘BGC’ to: postmaster@eat-golf.com
golf class
By Gary Firkins
EMERGING MARKETS
They say that you can ask anyone, anywhere in the world, seven questions and you will find something or someone in common. I once put this theory to the test in a taxi in Las Vegas on the way back from a golf lesson with Butch Harmon (more on this another time). My driver was a rather large and hairy chap around whom the smell of fast food lingered. Now, I’m partial to a bag of French fries myself, but I didn’t think this in itself would qualify as a meaningful connection with my fellow human in the desert. However, we talked and no more than five questions into our conversation, this ZZ Top look-a-like informed me that his mother was English, from Northamptonshire, and that he followed the results of the lowly Rushden and Diamonds Football Club, just a few miles from where I was living at the time. Extraordinary. So it is no surprise to me that wherever golf takes me - from the sandy ‘browns’ of the Fajara Club in The Gambia, West Africa, to a midnight round at Linna Golf Club in Finland - there are always people with whom one can hit if off, so to speak. Which is why the continued growth of golf into new territories and countries around the world offers 054
so much potential. This month, I will be playing my first round of golf in Hungary, at the Pannonia Golf and Country Club, Budapest. I’m there to attend the KPMG Golf Business Forum, an international conference focused on ‘Golf Development in the Emerging Markets.’ I went to Budapest last year and was mesmerised by the place. While cold remnants of the Communist era can be found in the odd gloomy corner, there is a vibrancy in the culture and economy that is bringing regeneration to this strikingly beautiful city on the Danube (Buda and Pest were originally two distinct districts, divided by the river). From bohemian restaurant chic to the splendour of Gresham Palace, a stunning art-nouveau landmark that has been transformed from insurance offices to a breathtaking hotel, recently ranked among the 10 grandest in the world, this is a hip and happening destination. But then, in golfing terms, Eastern Europe, where the authorities once banned golf, is very much an up-and-coming region. KPMG’s annual Golf Benchmark Survey in 2006 revealed that the number of players and courses in Eastern Europe had tripled since the beginning of the Millennium, with the Czech Republic and its 68 courses and 23,000 golfers leading the way. Poland, interestingly, now has 24 courses
and Slovenia has 7,500 registered players on its nine courses. The Survey, which covers the whole of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (you can read it for yourself at www.golfbenchmark.com), also revealed the extent of growth and success in other destinations. We all know about the transformation in the United Arab Emirates, but did you know that courses in Dubai, on average, are four times more profitable than courses in Portugal, the second most successful destination in business terms? What’s more, South Africa now has 456 golf courses and, with its unique natural environment and stunning beaches, is one of the fastest growing golf tourism destinations in the world. It’s also great value, which throws up challenges for established destinations like Spain where, incidentally, you will pay more to be a member of a golf club than any other country in the EMA region. It would appear that wherever you are in the world, no matter whether it is an established golfing country or a new, emerging destination, it is taking fewer questions to discover that golf is the common denominator. Now then, can you include a glass of Hungarian red and a plate of goulash with my green fee, please?
ACRONYMS
HEAD WEAR MOMENT OF INERTIA
Placing weight further back in the clubhead keeps it moving through the ball on mishit shots
Recent years have seen golf manufacturers using more and more acronyms to convey the fact that their product is better than their competitors. Although it may sound impressive to have as many letters after one’s name as possible, what use are they if nobody knows what they mean? Here we’ve compiled a quick list of popular acronyms and their definitions. MOI - Moment Of Inertia is the distribution of weight in the clubhead which maintains clubhead speed on off-center hits. Placing weight further back in the clubhead increases the MOI, and keeps the clubhead moving through the ball when the club tries to twist as a result of a mishit shot. COR - Coefficient of Restitution is a measurement of the clubface’s ability to rebound the ball, expressed as a percentage that is determined by a ball’s speed off the clubhead divided by the speed at which it struck the clubhead. The current USGA rule limiting the coefficient of restitution means that when the clubhead impacts the ball, there cannot be more than an 83-percent transfer of the energy of the head to the ball.
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CG - Refers to the Center of Gravity. This is the point within the head of a golf club at which it would be perfectly balanced. The position of the center of gravity within a clubhead can affect the trajectory of shots. A CG position that is low and toward the back of a clubhead will, for example, encourage a higher trajectory. Whether our explanations are of any use perhaps depends on your knowledge of golf club design, which let’s face it, for the majority of us isn’t that great. So why give us this information in the first place? All we want to know is ‘will this club work for me?’. And to that end we’ve done a driver test whilst trying to keep things as simple as we can - although you might want to read our explanation of lie angle and clubface angle on page 59 first. So now that’s all clear as mud, we would like to send our own loving acronym to the manufacturers obsessed with baffling us with theirs: KISS - Keep Information Simple & Straightforward!
Peak Performance Accessories Printed Headbands (pictured), belts, caps, bags, towels... available in the trend setting Peak Performance style. www.peakperformance.com
URBAN WEAR
Home of the Original Black Golf Ball Golf Refugees also offer a selection of T-shirts with humorous golf related prints. Safer to be worn off than on the course! www.golf-refugees.com
FOOT WEAR
adidas Golf TOUR360 II Eight distinct technologies designed to deliver a level of performance never before available in the sport of golf. www.adidasgolf.com
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BIG DRIVER TEST In a first for EAT GOLF! we wanted to test the new breed of drivers and find out who they are best suited to. We employed four PGA Professionals to demo the clubs,
ERS REV DRIV IEW OT ED
Demo clubs supplied by Golfriend’s Shop. Centro Comercial Mustang, Locales 11-13, Urbanización El Pilar, 29680 Estepona. Tel: (+34) 952 88 25 23. Web: www.golfriendshop.com
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and asked them “Which driver are they going to recommend to which pupil?”
P R O F E S SI O
N
EXPLAINED In this feature we refer to various club parameters. Two of the most important, but less understood aspects are Lie Angle, and Face Angle. Here we explain a little more about them. A more detailed explanation is available via David and Patrick’s articles, which can be read online at www.fairwaylife.com Lie Angle In simple terms, an incorrect lie angle can breed faults in a players swing, by not encouraging them to be in the correct positions at impact. If a lie angle is too upright, it will tend to tilt the clubs face plane to the left of target, resulting in a loss of distance due to the resulting reactions of the player.
Too upright, causing toe to point up. Grooves should be parallel to the ground at impact.
Face Angle The face angle is the way the club sits in relation to the target, be it Closed, Neutral (Square) or Open. A closed face is designed to encourage the player to draw the ball, but can again lead to loss of distance, blocks and hooks as they make compensations. A neutral or open face helps to encourage players to swing more freely.
Closed
Neutral
THE PROFESSIONALS
EAT
GOLF! Contributors
EAT
GOLF! Guest Reviewers
Patrick Brady, PGA Professional Shot type: Straight (Left handed) Patrick’s professional career began in 1991 at Sutton Coldfield golf club in Birmingham, UK. In 1996 he started working alongside David Poulton at Swingers driving range. At the time they had a trainee by the name of Rob Rock, who has now gone on to a successful playing career. After 5 years as a teaching pro and also working at Lavender Park golf center in Ascot, he moved to Holland where he worked in Drenthe coaching groups of people for the GVB exam. His dream to move to Spain was realised in 2003. www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
Sam Pleshette, PGA Professional Shot type: Slight draw Sam started his career as a golf professional in October 1999. A trainee at Abbotsley Golf & Country Club in Cambridgeshire, UK, he began his PGA training in September 2002. After passing his final exams in October 2005 Sam was elected to full membership of the PGA in May 2006. He has been working in Spain since October 2005 and set up his own academy in July 2006. Sam is an excellent golfer, recently shooting a 66 to win the final of the Costa del Golf Alliance by 9 shots at the challenging Marbella Club Resort. www.sampleshettegolfacademy.com
David Poulton, PGA Professional Shot type: Straight and long! David’s career began in 1986 at Walsall GC, just outside Birmingham. He grew up in South Africa and was a junior member of Mowbray GC in Capetown. Ambitions to be a tournament player gradually led to other aspects of professional golf, and he gained valuable experience working as the head pro at The Warwickshire Resort before moving to Swingers driving range. After 5 years at Swingers, he took the plunge and moved to Denmark where he began to focus on coaching top level golfers, responsible for ‘Elite Team’ coaching and representing the team as a player. Since then, he has become a highly qualified Club Maker and is the director of his own club fitting company. www.golfimprovementcenter.nl
Andrew Butler, PGA Professional Shot type: Fade Andrew is founder and organiser of the Costa del Golf Alliance following his desires to introduce to the coast a series of high standard golf competitions which appeal to both qualified professionals and keen amateurs. Following the successes of the first season Andrew has joined forces with the exclusive Fischer car dealership, and transformed the competitions into the Fischer Open Golf Series. The events reward both pairs and single play on the day, as well as the Fischer Order of Merits which run throughout the series finding the most consistent players. For more information, or to enter (open to all) email Andrew: golfcomplete@hotmail.com, or golf@mercedes-consulting.com 059
THE TEST The primary objective of the test is to remove the confusion surrounding drivers, and to identify what type of golfer each are suited to: Low, Mid or High handicap. Rather than give a number to define these categories, there is a short description of the type of player each might be. The most favoured driver in each category has been given our ‘Best On Test’ seal of approval, though others may also come Highly Recommended. It is important to choose a driver based on your golfing ability and your desire to improve, as selecting the wrong club can have a negative impact on your game - always seek advice from your local PGA professional. Note: Some drivers offer various configurations, and may therefore be able to cover multiple categories.
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
HIGH HCP CATEGORY
MID HCP CATEGORY
LOW HCP CATEGORY
HIGH HANDICAP CATEGORY Recommended for golfers with little to no interest in taking lessons. These clubs are designed as a ‘quick fix’ to your swing faults.
MID HANDICAP CATEGORY Recommended for golfers who take regular lessons, have a genuine desire to improve, and a reasonable grasp of their golf swing.
LOW HANDICAP CATEGORY Recommended for golfers with an ability to control their shots, have a sound understanding of their game, and may take regular lessons.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°, 16° Face Angle: Closed Lie Angle: Slightly upright Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: YES
Though not as extreme visually as the square Nike, the Hi-Bore XL is anything but a conventional looking driver. A large scoop has been taken out of the top and back of the clubhead giving it a quite unique appearance that has a certain appeal, and which claims to help on off-center hits. Initial comments were that it did not feel anywhere near as forgiving as it’s radical shape might suggest. Anything hit low on the face felt dead, and had an entirely different sound to a shot
struck off the top of the face, though it was easy to get the ball up in the air which will certainly help the high handicap player. Overall our pros were unconvinced by the Cleveland, describing it as lacking a feeling of power. It sets up reasonably, and could well find some loyal friends amongst golfers who normally slice the ball. There is a Tour Spec version available with a 3° open clubface and toe-biased internal weighting designed for the better player.
Hi-Bore XL
For
➲ Easy to get the ball up in the air ➲ Looks will appeal to some Against
➲ Mishit shots don’t sound good ➲ Lacking a feel of power Conclusion
➲ Other than the looks, which are certainly different, there is little to make this driver stand out from the pack.
www.clevelandgolf.com 060
SUMO²
For
➲ Reasonably forgiving Against
➲ The loudest driver on test ➲ Clubhead very distracting Conclusion
➲ A brave attempt to bring
something new to the market, the Sumo2 will have very limited appeal to golfers other than real beginners.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 13°, 16° Face Angle: Slightly closed Lie Angle: Very upright (60.5°) Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES (44”) Tour Version: YES
The Nike is most likely to appeal to a higher handicap player due to the large clubface and deep clubhead which promote confidence at address, but this driver divided the panel more than any other on test. The two major problems picked up on were that the head is extremely square, which is visually off-putting and doesn’t convince the better player that the head and shaft will be in line at impact. Also the top of the head is grey in colour, drawing the eye towards it rather than the ball.
Mix into the equation the rather shocking and extremely loud sound the club makes when the ball is hit and things aren’t looking or sounding too good. However the panel agreed that it was a fairly forgiving club, even though it was felt that anything struck on the lower half of the clubface didn’t fly. If you are new to golf, you may be able to overcome the faults of the Sumo2, but this is not a driver for accomplished golfers (which is also reflected in the upright lie angle).
www.nikegolf.com
Speed LD
For
➲ More forgiving than its peers ➲ Good performance ➲ Attractive clubhead design Against
➲ Sound could put many off Conclusion
➲ Far and away the best
driver we’ve put into the high handicap category, so long as you can live with the noise.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 9°, 10.5° Face Angle: Closed Lie Angle: Slightly upright (59°) Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: YES
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
HIGH HCP CATEGORY
The Cobra range is quite large and complex, but does allow for a multitude of options. The Speed LD version tested sits quite upright and closed, which makes it more suited to our high handicap category. (The Pro versions sit more open at address, and have a slightly flatter lie angle.)
The Cleveland, Nike and Cobra all have quite extreme shaped clubheads and a large clubface, presumably in the quest to produce maximum forgiveness on off-center hits. A common problem with the large face is a less solid feel at impact, but in this respect the Cobra performed better than its rivals.
This is an attractive looking club, with a large face and big, deep confidence inspiring clubhead, whilst the black colouring on top of the head helps to make it appear smaller than it really is.
Like the Nike this has a very loud sound when the ball is hit which could put some off. Regardless, it wins the high handicap category on the strength of feel, looks and solid performance.
www.cobragolf.com 061
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Face Angle: Slightly closed Lie Angle: Very upright Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: NO
The Z-Ti sat the most upright of all the drivers on test, promoting very high hands at address which will encourage golfers who normally slice the ball to hit it straight, or with a draw. In the hands of an experienced player such as our professionals however, it was almost unplayable - causing them to hit blocks and hooks, and loose distance. This is obviously not a club for the low handicap golfer as it stands. This is a pity, as the lie angle is the only real negative found in a
cosmetically attractive club, with a shaft that is better than the majority of off-the-shelf drivers. For the player in the high handicap category, there are better alternatives available, and for those in the mid handicap category the lie angle alone makes it unsuitable for players aiming to improve their game. Perhaps the introduction of their new W-506 which Srixon claims has a lie angle of 57.5 degrees will pave the way forward.
Z-Ti
For
➲ Good cosmetics ➲ Solid feel ➲ Good shaft Against
➲ Lie Angle ridiculously upright Conclusion
➲ No other driver on test proved
the effects more of putting an upright club in the hands of a good player. Let’s hope the new W-506 has truly addressed this problem.
HIGHLY RECOMENDED
www.srixon.co.uk
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°, 14° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Flat (58°) Shaft Length: Custom fit Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: YES
KZG claim that the Gemini II uses a revolutionary twin-face technology, which gives it unbeatable accuracy and forgiveness. At impact, the second titanium plate behind the hitting surface helps transmit energy to the perimeter of the clubface. The result is an effective sweet-spot literally spanning the entire face of the club, making off-center shots fly further and straighter than ever before. At address the Gemini II actually sits as flat as any of the clubs on test, and is quite
traditional in appearance despite all the technology inside. Performance was good, and as claimed, very forgiving on offcenter hits. Fitted with a top of the range shaft, feel and sound were also very pleasing. This driver will certainly appeal to accomplished golfers, and those who aren’t necessarily looking for a driver from the big name manufacturers. Not one to be overlooked, the Gemini II comes highly recommended.
The #1 Custom ProLine
Gemini II 460
For
➲ Excellent feel and sound ➲ Very forgiving ➲ Novel technology Against
➲ May look too traditional for some Conclusion
➲ With solid performance and
forgiveness, it would be a shame for golfers to miss out on this driver simply because it isn’t from a big name manufacturer. Highly recommended.
www.kzg.com 062
Burner
For
➲ Confidence inspiring looks ➲ Excellent performance Against
➲ Standard shaft a bit too long ➲ Sits quite upright and closed Conclusion
➲ An exciting driver that will
appeal to golfers who want to ‘grip-it-and-rip-it’. Recommended.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 13° Face Angle: Closed Lie Angle: Slightly upright (59°) Shaft Length: 46” Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: YES
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
MID HCP CATEGORY
The Burner is TaylorMade’s modern interpretation of a driver. Visually it has a lot of fun about it, but is not necessarily one for the purists. The length of the clubhead from front to back promotes a great deal of confidence.
on lie angle are a disappointment given that it is fixed at 59°.
In the standard set-up there are a variety of shaft and lofts available to choose from, but all have a closed face which will put the better golfer off. There is a TP version with a 1° open clubface to suit the lower handicap player, but TaylorMade’s lack of options
This was a popular club for our testers and certainly had that ‘onemore-go’ appeal. Perhaps a little cheap looking for some golfer’s tastes, this is a ‘grip-it-and-rip-it’ club in every sense of the phrase. And that is surely going to convince a great many golfers out there!
The club performed extremely well, with good results from off center hits, and a lot of carry. Feel was also excellent.
www.taylormadegolf.com
Fusion FT-i
For
➲ Innovative clubhead shape works ➲ Good lie angle ➲ Great sound and feel Against
➲ Standard shaft a bit too long ➲ Shape will not appeal to all Conclusion
➲ The design of this driver is a
brave step by the manufacturer, but is more than justified by it’s outstanding performance. Highly recommended.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 13°, 16° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Flat (57°) Shaft Length: 45.75” Ladies Option: YES (44.5”) Tour Version: YES
The FT-i came as a big shock to all of the testers, in that its quirky looks defy the clubs excellent performance. In fact the club does not appear to be so large or square at address, featuring a tapered shape from front to back which aids the player in their alignment. The shape of the head also helps to encourage the player to take the club away on the right path, leading to a solid swing plane and the correct positions at the top. The clubface sits well, without being so visible as to be distracting, and
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
EDITOR’S CHOICE 2007
gives both excellent feel and sound on impact. The only downside is that the shaft might be a little long for some, but with numerous options available the FT-i is more than capable of appealing to players of all handicap categories. Regardless of any preconceived notions you might have about where Callaway are taking club design, we would recommend that players of all levels take the opportunity to demo this driver. And for that reason, it receives a very special ‘Editor’s Choice’ award.
www.callawaygolf.com 063
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°, 13.5° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Slightly upright (58°) Shaft Length: 45.75” Ladies Option: NO Tour Version: NO
The Ping Rapture posed our professionals some problems in identifying what type of golfer the club is aimed towards. It’s traditional shape is somewhat detracted by a ‘spiders web’ pattern on top of the clubhead which may put off the better player. We have therefore placed it somewhere between the low and mid handicap categories. The club performed no better than average, and it was decided that this was largely down to the standard Ping shaft, which was poor.
This driver is going to appeal to the avid Ping fans out there, of which there are many, but it was noted that anyone considering purchase should look into a custom fit shaft in order to get the best performance out of it. The club sits well at address, gives good feedback as to where the ball has been hit on the face, but is not so forgiving. Like many of the drivers on test the ball needs to be hit at the top of the face for best results. Ultimately it lacked in the excitement department.
Rapture
For
➲ It’s a Ping! ➲ Sits well at address Against
➲ Standard Ping shaft is very poor ➲ Head stylings will put many off Conclusion
➲ If you are an avid fan of Ping and intend to purchase the Rapture, ensure that you are fitted for a custom shaft in order to get the best performance out of it.
www.pinggolf.com
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 9°, 10°, 11°, 13° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Flat (56°) Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES (44”) Tour Version: YES
It could be argued that the FT-5 was born from a lack of confidence in how golfers would react to the unusual looks of the FT-i; but the shape of the head combined with a slightly lower lie angle and shorter shaft are sufficient differences to warrant it’s existence. It was noted to be a significant improvement over its predecessor, the FT-3, but the panel were agreed that this club was not up to the standards set by the FT-i due to a somewhat soft feel from the face on impact.
This could be attributed to the shaft, and therefore a stiffer variant or the tour version may well solve the problem. A curved marking drawn on top of the club was also distracting, and the panel felt this would be better as a straight line in order to aid player alignment. Overall performance was good, but given that the FT-i was one of the best drivers on test made it difficult to recommend, and unimpressive in comparison.
Fusion FT-5
For
➲ Multitude of fitting options ➲ Flat lie angle ➲ Traditional looks Against
➲ Curved markings on head ➲ Slightly soft feel at impact Conclusion
➲ For those who want a more
traditional looking Callaway driver, but the fact our testers agreed that the FT-i is no gimmick means this comes a distant second choice.
www.callawaygolf.com 064
BANG GOLF® Maker of the Worlds LONGEST drivers
Bang-O-Matic
For
➲ Good feel and sound ➲ Reputation of long drive records Against
➲ Needs to be teed very high Conclusion
➲ One for the better player
seeking a solid alternative to the major manufacturers, and comes in a variety of set-up options.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 4.5° - 16° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Flat Shaft Length: Custom fit Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: N/A
The Bang-O-Matic by Bang Golf currently holds the World’s longest drive of 539 yards, and the Woman’s World long drive record of 362 yards.
R7 below, but has an extremely deep face which means that it needs to be teed up high. This could be off putting to some, and might take a bit of getting use to.
The manufacturer claims that their unique Flow Alignment System transfers 94% of the energy into directional energy, making for straighter and greater drives. Given their records who could argue with them?
A good quality shaft goes deep into the clubhead, which gives both excellent feel and sound.
At address the clubhead appears similar in size to the TaylorMade
A solid driver then, which is worth a look at if you are a skilled player.
Performance was also good, though our pros were unable to set any new long drive records!
www.banggolf.com
R7 Superquad
For
➲ Modern looks, traditional shape ➲ Extremely solid feel ➲ Easy to shape the ball Against
➲ May be too heavy for some ➲ No options for lie angle Conclusion
➲ Only the fact that this driver
is aimed towards the golf purist prevents it from getting our Editor’s Choice Award on this particular test. An excellent club.
Head Size: 460cc Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Face Angle: Neutral Lie Angle: Slightly upright (59°) Shaft Length: 45” Ladies Option: YES Tour Version: YES
A very different beast to the Burner offered by the same manufacturer, the R7 utilises their Moveable Weight Technology (MWT).
DRIVER ‘BEST ON TEST’
LOW HCP CATEGORY
Our panel agreed that the R7 had the most solid feel of any of the clubs on test, combined with extremely appealing looks. Of all the clubs on test, the R7 was also the easiest to shape the ball with.
not sit as upright as this might suggest, given that the R7 Superquad is obviously aimed towards the low handicap player makes it an important oversight on the manufacturers behalf. The club did feel quite heavy in comparison to the others, and therefore might not be suited to everybody (though tinkering with the MWT could help).
On the downside there are no options to adjust the lie angle, which is fixed at 59 degrees. Though in reality the club does
But despite these concerns, all of the professionals were extremely taken by this club, concluding that it is ‘a real golf club for real golfers.’
www.taylormadegolf.com 065
CONCLUSIONS
FOR LADIES King Cobra Speed LD M Women’s
Assuming that all golfers want more forgiveness, accuracy and distance from their driver, what did we achieve in this test? By taking into account the setup of each driver, it becomes quite clear that there is more of a divide between the clubs than looks alone. There are confidence benefits to be gained from the larger clubface drivers common to those in our high handicap category. But these clubs are influencing the players swing through the use of an upright lie angle and a closed clubface in an attempt to remove the sliced shot. Whilst this methodology works, this setup can only be recommended to golfers who play infrequently and are disinterested in improving their game. Put these drivers into the hands of a better player, and the result is unwanted reactions as the golfer adapts to the club, and the positions which it forces them into. What we find in the drivers selected for the mid handicap category is a more neutral setup. Callaway in particular have made a commendable decision to flatten the lie angle. Whilst it is disappointing that the major manufacturers are not yet offering the opportunity to change the lie angle, this flatter setup allows golfers to maintain good positions at impact, vital for long term player improvement. Meanwhile the low handicap category choices use their technology in slightly different ways, perhaps sacrificing some forgiveness in favour of maximum feel and giving the player ultimate control over their shots. Distance wise it was felt that the differences between all of the drivers tested was minimal, though the results from a mishit was better from the more forgiving clubs. Ultimately, to get the best out of any of the drivers featured it is essential to be fitted, and this combined with a good strike is where real distance can be gained.
066
GETTING FITTED... Some of the things that you need to be fitted for are: • Loft • Shaft flex • Shaft weight • Shaft length • Face angle • Lie angle • Swing weight • Grip Each of these aspects of fitting have an impact on the other, and cannot be looked at alone - getting the correct setup depends on many criteria including your swing characteristics. It is also vital that your club is built in accordance with the level of your game and hopes to improve. A badly fitted club can cause adverse reactions and have a negative impact of your swing.
13.5° loft, a 44”, 45 gram shaft, and a 58° lie angle make this an excellent choice for high handicap ladies.
RECOMMENDED DRIVER
HIGH HCP CATEGORY
Callaway Golf Women’s FT-i Lofts from 9-13°, a 44.5” ladies shaft, and a 57° lie angle will appeal to ladies of all handicaps, especially those in the mid range.
A good fitting will be done with a PGA teaching professional who understands your swing, as well as a qualified club fitter. RECOMMENDED DRIVER
Fitting Centers The leading manufacturers are making commendable headway into the club fitting market, with Callaway Golf’s OptiFit system, and TaylorMade’s revolutionary Performance Labs. Independent club fitters are springing up everywhere, but it is important to check their credentials. Davd Poulton, based at Positive Golf, Elviria comes highly recommended by EAT GOLF! David Poulton can be contacted by calling: (+34) 685 990 138.
WE HAVE ORGANISED THE CHANCE FOR FIVE LUCKY READERS TO WIN A FREE DRIVER FITTING AT THE TAYLORMADE PERFORMANCE LAB, LA CALA, SPAIN TURN TO PAGE 14 FOR DETAILS
MID HCP CATEGORY
TaylorMade Golf R7 460 Women’s Lofts from 8,5-11.5° and a variety of shaft options make this club ideally suited to accomplished lady golfers looking for maximum control.
RECOMMENDED DRIVER
LOW HCP CATEGORY
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ALHAURIN GOLF & HOTEL RESORT Ctra MA-426, Km 15.1, 29120 Alhaurín el Grande, Málaga Tel: (+34) 952 59 58 00 reservasgolf@alhauringolf.com
VOLVO MASTERS VALLE ROMANO OPEN DE ANDALUCIA
Co-hosts and promotors Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño and Miguel Angel Jiménez at Aloha Golf Club
TOURING THE COAST Our congratulations go to all concerned in making the Valle Romano Open de Andalucia such a spectacular event. The course proved itself perfectly suited to host a large European Tour tournament, and was immaculately presented. Title sponsors Valle Romano had made a supreme effort in transforming the normally serene parts of the clubhouse into areas for the many spectators and players to relax and enjoy the golf. The Valle Romano Open de Andalucia is one of five events in Spain on The 2007 European Tour International Schedule, joining the Open de España (held at the Centro National de Golf in Madrid), the Open de Madrid (11-14 Oct.), the Mallorca Classic (25-28 Oct.) and the Volvo Masters which returns to Valderrama from 1st-4th November. Club de Golf Valderrama will celebrate in style this year as the Volvo Masters commemorates its 20th anniversary, the longestrunning single sponsorship in
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European golf. A programme of special celebrations will be announced closer to the event, which is being staged at mainland Europe’s finest golf course for the 15th time. Said George O’Grady, Chief Executive of the European Tour, “In 1988, when we signed the initial agreement to stage the Volvo Masters at Valderrama, it would have been difficult to envisage that, in 2007, we would be celebrating this 20th anniversary and looking forward - thanks to the commitment of Volvo and Turismo Andaluz - to a minimum of another three years of the Volvo Masters at Valderrama, taking us through to 2010.” For those amateurs wishing that they could be a part of a high profile tournament, then we’ve got the perfect solution in the form of the Fischer Open Golf Series 2007-8. Get your entries in early for a chance to win some great prizes, and perhaps the coveted Fischer Order of Merit!
Starting the 20th anniversary celebrations early: (from left to right) Felipe Ortiz-Patiño President of Valderrama Golf Club José Vázquez Mayor of San Roque Sergio Moreno Advisor of Tourism, Commerce and Sports for the Junta de Andalucía Mel Pyatt President & CEO of Volvo Event Management Jaime Ortiz-Patiño Honorary President of Valderrama Golf Club Ángel de la Riva President of the Andalucian Golf Federation
AMATEUR EVENTS
Organised by PGA Professional Andrew Butler in association with EAT GOLF! the Fischer Open Golf Series is your opportunity to take part in a series of high profile events on the Costa del Sol. email: golfcomplete@hotmail.com
TIPS FROM THE TOUR
Anna Rawson FLAT FRONT v PLEATS... The Great Fashion Debate It is amazing how fashion changes... and sometimes not for the better! If you look back to the golfers in the 60s they all wore fitted flat front pants, and some even wore the crazy plaid designs. Nowadays there are so many people wearing pleats in their pants, although it’s very visually unappealing. Newsflash! The general consensus is that flat front pants are so much more flattering! I tell my fellow amateur partners that a pair of flat front pants will lose them 20 pounds. It is amazing how much slimmer they make everyone look. I am not sure who invented the pleat but the argument in support of them is that they are comfortable and give men more room. Well, I have news for all you men out there, do you think those 3-inch high heels women wear are comfortable? No they are not, but we sacrifice because it looks better. So you men out there that are still married to the pleat... toss them out, for the sake of making golf and all men look better!
ANNA’S FAVOURITE... Los Angeles Restaurants Best Italian Il Ristorante Di Giorgio Baldi Best Sushi Sasabune Best Gelato Al Gelato Best Steak Mastro’s Steakhouse Best Coffee and Desserts Urth Café 070
TIPS FROM THE TOUR
HOW TO PLAY... Wind Shots Finish with the club low and extended to keep shots below the wind We’ve all experienced playing a round when the wind is so strong that you have to add two to three clubs to get the ball to the pin. What makes playing in the wind so difficult is that it exaggerates missed shots. In the wind, a slight draw could end up being a hook out of bounds. The trick to scoring in the wind is keeping the ball low without a lot of sidespin. You first begin by taking one more club than you normally would from the distance. At set up you want the ball back in your stance, allowing your hands to move well forward of the ball. This de-lofts the club, which creates a lower trajectory. On the follow through I extend my arms toward the target resulting in a low finish, instead of letting them fold and finishing high. You can see the difference between my followthroughs in the two pictures. When dealing with the wind factor, you must work on accelerating the club through impact while extending you arms towards the target. Remember there should be no wrist re-hinge like there is in normal shots.
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imagery By Allison Dyer
BSc, MSc, C.Psychol
Total Sport Psychology
www.sportpsychologist.org.uk
Many of the golfers I work with shrug their shoulders and shake their heads when I ask them if they use imagery. It seems there is a common misconception amongst golfers that using imagery in golf has to involve “seeing� the flight path of a drive or a definite line from the ball to the hole when putting.
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Images supplied by www.peakperformance.com
“The golfer who learns to use imagery effectively gains a valuable skill for which there are numerous uses.”
For some this is indeed a natural process and can be an incredibly useful skill to utilise. For others, “seeing” a flight path or line is awkward and difficult. Having attempted to see some sort of line and being unable to do so, many golfers then go on to conclude that imagery is not for them!?! They miss out on an incredibly versatile technique that could be very useful for them. The golfer who learns to use imagery effectively gains a valuable skill for which there are numerous uses. The aim of my article is to give you some tips and ideas on how to use imagery in a way that suits you. What is imagery? ➲ Creating in our minds the information normally detected by our sense organs i.e. recreating pictures, recalling sounds and tastes, recapturing a feeling of movement and reliving emotions, almost as if they were really happening. ➲ Using your imagination to recreate performing or practising a sport related skill, or competing in a certain situation. What makes imagery effective? Imagery is powerful when you make it realistic and as close to real life as possible. Effective imagery is often vivid and controllable. ➲ VIVID - This aspect refers to the clarity and sharpness of the image. For example, the more you integrate each of your senses into your images, the greater the potential effects can be for influencing your physical performance. ➲ CONTROLLABILITY - This aspect refers to your ability to influence the content of the image. For example, the time taken to image an event should parallel the time it would take to physically complete the event.
What will I see when I image? When you image it is likely that you will see yourself performing either from an internal perspective or from an external perspective. You can use just one or both types of imagery. You may find you alternate between the two imagery perspectives as you recreate a golf scenario in your mind. The internal perspective is particularly suitable for the mental practice of specific skills e.g. a specific chip shot or your back swing. The external perspective is particularly useful for imagery sessions focusing on game plans or when reviewing your performance. There is no right or wrong way to image. You should use whichever perspective you feel most comfortable with. ➲ Internal Perspective As if you were looking through your own eyes. The internal perspective replicates exactly what you would see during a performance. ➲ External Perspective As you would see yourself if you were watching yourself on a video or on TV. How can you use imagery? ➲ To improve self-confidence Re-living past, positive performances on a regular basis can help you to face competition in a positive and confident frame of mind. During a challenging round, imaging previous successful performances on that course or on a specific hole can give you the motivation and confidence to repeat the same feat. ➲ To correct or practice skills After physically working to correct a skill, imaging the correct skills will reinforce that information. Combining physical and mental practice is the most effective way of refining a skill.
➲ As preparation for performance It is useful to image yourself performing well and sticking to your “mental toughness rules” throughout a variety of conditions i.e. bad weather, tough opponents, bad breaks, so that you are prepared and ready to take on the challenges that are thrown at you throughout the round. ➲ For game plan preparation Imaging your round prior to a competition will help you to store your game plan in your memory and help ensure you stick to your game plan on the day. ➲ During injury Imaging your swing, putting routine, past successful performances, game plans etc. when you are unable to physically practice will aid you in maintaining mental freshness. ➲ As part of a pre-shot routine You can visualise the flight of the ball and picture it landing and stopping at the target. You may visualise your swing. You can use a visual image to trigger into your pre-shot routine. ➲ To manage nerves and arousal Imaging relaxing scenes prior to a competition will work to calm your nerves. Try imaging lying in the sun on the beach to lower your arousal levels and perhaps image the Ryder Cup team and the sound of an upbeat piece of music to psych yourself up. ➲ For performance review Imaging can aid your Reflective Practice if you use it to review a round for strong and weak points. TIP: Make your images as ‘real’ as possible. Continued...
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Example Imagery Script: Preparing for the first tee shot of the day. Imagine yourself walking to the first tee. See the pathway and the trees and bushes that line the pathway and the buggies to the right. Hear the gravel crunching under your feet. Notice the tee box to your left. As you arrive at the tee put your bag on the floor and hear the jangle of the clubs as you set them down. Take in the view of this first hole. See the shape of the fairway, the varying colours, smell the grass! Now take your even breath and put on your glove. Now is the time to trigger into your routine, focus your concentration and start planning
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your shot. See yourself checking the distance you are working with, the wind, the lie of the ball. Choose the club you want to play. Hear the noise it makes as you pull it out of the bag. Now see yourself picking your target. Be specific with the target. See yourself lining up the writing on your ball with your short distance target. Picture the shot you want to play, the trajectory of the ball flight. Take your practice swing, feel the shot you are about to play. As you step up to the ball see yourself take your grip with your left hand.
Feel the club in your hands, its texture and weight. Step into the ball. See yourself square up as you grip the club with your right hand. Check your grip, your posture, your alignment. Feel yourself relaxing your grip. Visualise the shot. Feel the target. Look at the target, look at the ball. Feel the strength in your legs and arms as you swing the club. Feel the adrenaline and satisfaction that you experience as you strike the ball. Watch the ball land and rest. Now notice the sound of the club sliding back into your bag as you put it away. Now its time to trigger out of your routine!
let’s Play Golf!
With
Sam Pleshette Certified PGA Teaching Professional “My son Adam has never enjoyed a sport so much as golf and because the YMG Junior Golf Programme is so well structured, it ensures he always remains focused on the next challenge and there is always something new to learn.” Stephen Youngs - Parent “The game offers so much in the way of excitement and opportunity for kids and the YMG programme is fantastic.” Ian Woosnam - 2006 Ryder Cup Captain “For years the sport has been crying out for a comprehensive programme like this to get and keep kids involved in golf. I am delighted that YMG has done something about it.” Peter McEvoy - Former GB & Ireland Walker Cup Team Captain
➲ Practice incorporating the sensations of sound, smell, taste, sight, touch and feeling into your imagery training ➲ Your imagery training should focus on quality not quantity. ➲ Imagery efforts can also be enhanced through watching videos of yourself performing. Watching an ideal or near ideal performance of yourself will aid in creating an effective image to use during your imagery practice. Give It A Try! Now it is your turn to have a go at imaging! Don’t expect instant results. You will need
to systematically and regularly practice this mental skill as you would any physical skill. It is a good idea to make a place for imaging in your weekly schedule. To begin with, focus on completing short sessions on a regular basis. Imaging two to three times a week for about 5-10 minutes would be a good start. If you find your concentration breaking down and your attention faltering, take a break. Finally, persevere. It will take you a while before you get comfortable with this technique.
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For more information please contact Sam: Tel: (+34) 669 643 427 Email: sam.pleshette@ntlworld.com Web: www.sampleshettegolfacademy.com For more information about the ‘young masters golf’ programme please visit: www.ymg-golf.com
A STEP BACK IN TIME
power tips By Patrick Brady, PGA Professional
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Feature sponsored by Golf ‘US www.golf-us.com
I am often asked by ladies and senior golfers how they can get more distance with their drives.
GRIP Grip is usually the missing link when it comes to generating distance from our drives. To get into strong dynamic positions in the swing I’ve got to get you to feel the sensation of moving the ball from right to left in the air (hooking the ball). A golfer who spins the ball from right to left tends to compensate by bring the club from the inside, producing lag, and generating more power. In order to achieve this we’re going to make what is known as a strong grip. 1. To achieve a stronger grip, sit the butt of the club just outside the left hip pocket. Let the arms hang naturally, and pick the club up from this position.
To answer this question I think it is very useful to look at the way professionals used to swing the club in the 50s and 60s. Because their equipment wasn’t as powerful as it is today, they used a lot of leg action in order to get the most out of it.
1. Butt of the club sits outside left hip pocket
The sensations of power are a very difficult thing to get golfers to feel. If you look at sports where the players must throw an object, such as pitching in baseball or javelin throwing, you will notice that they all step forwards just at the moment of delivery in order to kick start the action.
2. When looking down at your left arm, it naturally sits with three knuckle showing. This is the position we want to take hold of the club. The left thumb should sit right of center on the shaft, and you should sense that the club is low in the fingers. 3. From this position raise the club up with your left hand to bring it in line with your left breast. Then bring your right hand over to the left. It is essential that you bring the right hand to the left, as otherwise you can end up with a bent left arm, where the shaft and arm are not in line.
Modern technology and fitness regimes have meant that the technique of today’s professional has changed. But most of us are not tour professionals!
2. Left hand grip with three knuckles showing
If I try to throw a golf ball as far as possible I can achieve some very powerful positions without even thinking about it. I use my feet on the ground efficiently and instinctively, causing a natural chain reaction through the body to generate power. These are the feelings that we need to bring to our golf game. To do this there are two main fundamentals we must follow, and I have explained these alongside the pictures which accompany this article.
From here you have an excellent opportunity to see the clubface and your grip. If the clubface looks closed, put the club down, and start again. Note: If you try and pick the club up from the middle of the body, your grip will naturally take a weaker position, and is a bad start.
“...it is very useful to look at the way professionals used to swing the club in the 50s and 60s.”
Tip: When you throw a ball, you will tend to hold it in your fingertips, as you can create a more powerful release of the wrists. The same is true when you hold a golf club. 3. Bring the right hand to the left
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“The ‘magic bump’ as Vijay Singh calls it, is the secret to a powerful and coordinated downswing.”
PLANT THE LEFT FOOT
The forward step of the throwing movement is what sets the rhythm that our body responds to, and in golf we can mimic this by planting our left foot. There are still many top professionals who use this technique, such as Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and John Daly, and this ‘magic bump’ as Vijay Singh calls it is the secret to a powerful and coordinated downswing. There are many things that prevent us from implementing these actions in golf. If we are a slicer, we release the club from the top of the backswing in order to try and get the ball to go straighter, as this is our main concern. Also many of us are still trying to lift the ball, and therefore not concentrating on the forward movement - we’re falling back.
1. From the grip position, with the club held in front of you, bend from your hips (not your waist), in order to find a more athletic posture when you address the ball. Get the clubface behind the ball, with the feet together, and only when you’re satisfied the clubface is aiming towards your target should you begin to find your feet position.
1. Press the arches of your feet into the turf
Do not position your feet first, as this can lead to faults such as bad posture. A good feeling is to press the arches of your feet down into the turf at address. The reason for this is clear in the picture 2, where you can see the pressure maintained in the right leg through the swing.
Golf can kill our ability to generate power because we are often mistaken in thinking it is a static sport. For those of us who are not as flexible as Tiger Woods, we need to find a way of generating more power. So trust your instincts, and go with the throw!
2. You’ll notice that the left heel has come off the ground, but the right leg is very resistant to the extra amount of turn that I’ve now been able to produce as a result. The shoulder turn is matching the angle of my right leg. This is a very common sight in all big hitters.
2. Shoulder turn matches angle of the right leg
3. This picture is what it’s all about. You can see the club lagging behind my body movements. Tip: If you are a player with a slower swing speed look for golf balls with a bigger and softer core, as they jump off the face faster and fly higher. Also consider more loft on your driver, i.e. 13-14 degrees. You might be surprised!
The secret to this movement is the ‘magic bump’; the point where we put the left heel back down on the ground. The earlier we plant the foot the better, even before the clubhead reaches the top of the backswing, as this will create a lateral movement towards the target before anything else. The chain reaction carries on, as the left hip moves to the left, followed by torso, chest, arms, hands and eventually the clubhead.
Photos taken at Atalaya Golf Club. For more information visit: www.atalaya-golf.com 078
3. The club lags behind my body movements
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ANNA RAWSON
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NEXT ISSUE ISSUE 9 - AVAILABLE JULY 2007 079
putter fitting By David Poulton, PGA Professional, KZG World Top 100 Club Fitter 2007
When Tiger Woods was just starting out as a professional he was playing with Ben Crenshaw, one of the best putters of all time. On the way around Tiger missed a couple of putts, putting after Crenshaw on a similar line. Tiger approached Ben’s caddie to ask the line that Ben had hit his putt on. The caddie said, “do not listen to us when we read putts because Ben hooks all his putts in”.
What the caddie meant by that was that Crenshaw’s putter moved to the inside going back and moved back slightly to the inside going through which is why he still uses the heel weighted putter (blade). He was still using it in the 2007 Masters. Tiger has a toe heel weighted putter because he has a different putting stroke which is much closer to straight back and through. Most of us appreciate the importance of the Length of the putter and the putters Lie Angle, but how do we choose a putter from the mine field of Putter Head Designs? The first thing is to get your stroke on video with a Professional or Professional Club Fitter and see if it is fundamentally sound. If your stroke is in good shape, choose a
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putter design that matches your stroke. Your stroke does not have to be straight back and straight through. The list of the worlds best putters are littered with strokes that moved in strange ways. If your stroke has some faults choose a putter that encourages the correct movement. There are a huge number of putters on the market which are faced balanced, which help the amateur golfer swing the putter in a straight line if you stand the correct distance from the ball. For beginner golfers this should be the choice, but for more experienced golfers this may not always be the case. Everyday somebody goes out and purchases a putter because it’s the new 2007 model without any thought of matching it to their
It is very easy to see where the weight is located in a putter head
The heel weighted putter will encourage the stroke to move to the inside
The face balanced putter will encourage the putter to swing in a straight line
The toe heel weighted putter works straight to slightly inside going back
stroke. If you watched the Masters recently you would noticed an array of different head designs. You would have seen Blade Putters (heel weighted), Ping Anser style Putters (toe heel weighted) and Big Ugly Putters (face balanced) all working in the hands of different
strokes. If you have a tendency on the course to take your putter back in a way that is not giving you results - choose a putter that fights that tendency. Lee Trevino did that for many years because he hated pulling his putts - so he chose a heel weighted putter to
keep it on the inside going back. If you look at the best putters over the last two decades, golfers like Ben Crenshaw, Loren Roberts, Brad Faxon, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, Jose Maria Olazabal, Phil Mickelson and Jack of course; non of them used face balanced putters. Just because the market is flooded with mallet style (face balanced) putters does not mean it matches your stroke. Marketing is a very powerful thing, just because it looks different does not mean its better than last years model. At the very highest level of Professional Golf (Majors) Jim Furyk is one of the only pros to have success with the mallet style putter which he uses to great effect with his cross handed grip (left below right). I believe this is the best way to putt with the face balanced putters. You are probably not going to see Jim using anything else but a face balanced putter in the future. Most of our putting strokes are unique - it is just a case of finding a Putter that matches a good stroke or helps a poor one.
Above is a demonstration of two highly contrasting putting actions. Each technique will require differing styles of putter in order to get the maximum from their strokes
Photos taken at Positive Golf, Marbella. Winter training ground for the PGA EuroPro Tour. www.pgm.es
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enjoying golf PAIN & INJURY-FREE By Juan Barberis Internationally Certified Golf Fitness Trainer
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Photo: Helena Alterby during the final round of the Estoril Ladies Open De Portugal 2006 ŠTristan Jones / LET
“I think that I pinched a nerve or pulled a lower-back muscle just when I was starting to play golf today. What do you recommend that I do?” I hear this statement almost on a daily basis from golfers who are on a golf holiday and even from those who reside on the Costa del Sol. What most golfers do not realise is that the golf swing is an unnatural movement of their bodies - a movement that places tremendous strain on their muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
In order for this unnatural movement to take place without pain or injury, golfers must be in ‘golf shape’. Achieving ‘golf shape’ is neither complicated nor boring. It simply requires the coaching of a personal trainer that has experience working with golfers and following a personalised program can be executed at a fitness facility, outdoors, or even at the comfort of a private residence. Within a couple of weeks, most golfers will experience greater flexibility and greater control on the golf course. The perception of fitness in professional golf has certainly changed in the past ten years with the advent of Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas, and most notably Tiger Woods. The sport is no longer seen as one where unfit individuals win. It is now clearly an arena where athletes, not just common individuals, win and they do so with a team comprised of a coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, and a psychologist. Gary Player, the godfather of modern golf fitness, was possibly the first to revolutionise the perception of professional golfers as athletes. His fitness regimen rivalled that of any athlete in the world at the time and allowed him to become the only man in history to win professional events in six different decades. In following suit to Gary Player´s legacy, Sergio Garcia hired a personal trainer and nutritionist a year and a half ago because he did not want to have
any injuries while on the tour. He now claims to feel much better and in difficult situations, such as having to hit the ball well from the rough, he says that his increased strength and flexibility have clearly benefited his game. Tiger Woods has been working with personal trainers, nutritionists, and psychologists for eighteen years - in most cases over six times that which his rivals have dedicated themselves to these important aspects of their game! Obviously he is a gifted athlete, but his father instilled in him at the early age of thirteen that fitness and mental training would be the keys to avoiding injury and becoming the best of all time. Now that Tiger has been a professional for ten years and his life choices been publicised, most recreational golfers and future professionals are taking note. Young athletes are choosing to become golfers and are hiring a team of experts to assist them. Older professionals, such as Vijay Singh, have now been working out for several years and are breaking championship records. Recreational golfers are undertaking fitness programs and playing golf regularly in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s! A recent research study conducted in the United States of 17 golfers (13 men and 4 women) showed the following cumulative results of a fitness program in just eight weeks: 56% increase in core muscle strength, 43% and 22% increase in hip extension and
“Within a couple of weeks, most golfers will experience greater flexibility and greater control on the golf course.” flexion, 25% improvement in balance, 6% increase in club head speed, and 5% decrease in blood pressure. These improvements in strength, flexibility, balance, and club head speed translate to less injuries and better golf - both from gaining driving distance and also from gaining better control in their game. A decrease in blood pressure typically results in an extension to one´s life and certainly improves one´s quality of life. The bottom line is that fitness training is very important for enjoying this wonderful game and for many, the difference from winning and losing! The answer that I have for those golfers that approach me with injury questions is to re-emphasise the need to rest and ice the injury to promote healing. In certain cases I recommend that they see a specialist, but most often after proper rest and healing, I encourage them to undertake a personalised fitness golf program. Once they experience the benefits of fitness, they are very thankful and wished they had begun sooner! Yours in health!
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TIPS FROM THE TOUR
Carmen Alonso Hitting it longer and straighter Photos ©Tristan Jones / LET
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Carmen’s Fact File: Born: 15/7/84, Valladolid, Spain Turned Professional: 2004 Career Earnings (Euro): 46,173.01 Tournaments played: 39 Top ten finishes: 2 Lowest Round: 66 Career Best Finish: T7 Hobbies: Football, basketball and cinema. Also a big fan of F1 driver Fernando Alonso and she says, “He is a legend!”
TIPS FROM THE TOUR
PREPARATION The first thing I do when on the tee is I look for my target. Before I hit the ball my caddy always asks me what my target is and where I am going to aim. Once I have chosen that point I choose a mark on the tee about half a metre in front of the ball, in line with the target and I use that to align myself when I address the ball. Then my caddy asks me how I am going to play the ball, be it a draw, a fade, a low shot or up high. It depends on the situation.
Once I have made my decision I just focus on the target, blanking out everything else. If you see the bunkers then your ball will more than likely land in them! I make sure that my grip is correct and I take a few practice swings on the tee until I feel completely comfortable. I focus on my rhythm because I think that having a beautiful flow and rhythm is essential. I try not to swing too quickly but to co-ordinate everything together so that my swing is easy, smooth and relaxed... but ultimately more powerful.
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TIPS FROM THE TOUR
BACKSWING Ensuring that my feet are aligned with the target, I address the ball and start my backswing. I take the club back with my hands, arms, shoulders and hips all moving in unison, which promotes a wide, circular arc. I do not lift - I turn my shoulders to the top and the result is a strong position with my right elbow hinged. It feels as though it is pressed into the right side of my torso. I get most of my weight loaded back onto my right side at the top of the backswing and I ensure that my knees are in a solid position. My right knee stays
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flexed and my lower body provides resistance to my upper body. TRANSITION To begin the downswing, I first move my knees forward ever so slightly with a lateral movement towards the target. This is the trigger before I bring my hands, arms and club down together in synchronisation with my torso. My weight is still all behind the ball at this point. To produce maximum power on the downswing I ensure that my right elbow is tucked into my right side as I bring my arms downwards
in rotation with my body, making sure that they stay connected. My wrists are hinged naturally. PHOTO FINISH I unwind my upper body and swing through the ball with a wide arc, sweeping all my weight through onto my left side to a balanced, photo finish! It feels as though I am just swinging through and the ball gets in the way. A balanced finish is normally the result of a balanced swing and means that you were not trying to hit it too hard. This should give you the perfect result - a long tee shot on the middle of the fairway!
WHAT TO WATCH
MOST PLAYED
US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Oakmont Coutry Club plays host to the second Major of the year, 14-17 June
EUROPEAN TOUR www.europeantour.com
US PGA TOUR www.pga.com
MAY 03-06
MAY 03-06
Wachovia Championship Quail Hollow CC, North Carolina
10-13
Valle Romano Open de Andalucia Aloha Golf Club, Marbella, Spain
10-13
THE PLAYERS Championship TPC Sawgrass, Florida
17-20
Irish Open Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort
17-20
AT&T Classic TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Georgia
24-27
BMW PGA Championship Wentworth Club, Surrey
24-27
Crowne Plaza Invitational Colonial CC, Ft. Worth, Texas
31-03
The Celtic Manor Wales Open The Celtic Manor Resort
31-03
The Memorial Tournament Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, Ohio
JUNE 07-10
BA-CA Golf Open Fontana Golf Club
JUNE 07-10
Stanford St. Jude Championship TPC Southwind, Memphis
14-17
US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Oakmont Country Club
14-17
US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Oakmont Country Club
21-24
BMW International Open Golfclub München-Nord Eichenried
21-24
Travelers Championship TPC River Highlands, Connecticut
28-01
Open de France ALSTOM Le Golf National
28-01
Buick Open Warwick Hills G&CC, Michigan
JULY 05-08
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Telecom Italia Open Castello di Tolcinasco G&CC
Smurfit Kappa European Open The K Club
JULY 05-08
Atalaya Golf. Two 18 hole courses offering very different challenges. Whichever you choose, a friendly reception is assured. www.atalaya-golf.com
MOST PRACTICE
Santa Clara, Marbella Boasting one of the finest practice facilities on the coast, and with a clubhouse and course to match. www.santaclara-golf.com
MOST PINES
The INTERNATIONAL Castle Pines GC, Colorado
12-15
The Barclays Scottish Open Loch Lomond
12-15
John Deere Classic TPC Deere Run, Illinois
19-22
136th OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Championship Course, Carnoustie
19-22
136th OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Championship Course, Carnoustie
26-29
Players’ Championship of Europe Gut Kaden
26-29
Canadian Open Angus Glen Country Club, Canada
El Chaparral, Mijas Costa The scent of the Mediterranean brush and pine make for one of most unique golfing experiences on the coast. www.golfelchaparral.com
1. HUELVA - GIBRALTAR
HUELVA
COURSE GUIDE
Islantilla Arcos Gardens
El Rompido
& DISTRIBUTION POINTS
1
CADIZ Montecastillo Meliá Sancti Petri
Benalup Montenmedio
Islantilla Golf Resort (27 holes)
High: 63 € / Low: 2 x G/F + Buggy 81 € ✆ 959 204 500 ➲ www.islantillagolfresort.com
GIBRALTAR
San Roque
SP
127
El Rompido (36 holes)
124,6
ISH DREAM AN
18
2
Alcaidesa
NN
I
Valderrama
La Reserva
ER, 14th So
ut
W
Real Club de Sotogrande
h
Almenara
High: 65 € / Mid: 50 € / Low: 39 € ✆ 959 024 242 ➲ www.clubdegolfelrompido.es
133 La Canada
SOTOGRANDE 143
Duquesa Golf
146
Doña Julia
SP
CASARES
W
IN
La Resina
166
4
Flamingos Golf
Atalaya
5
Marbella Club
BENAHAVIS
Guadalmina
Los Arqueros
SAN PEDRO
RONDA La Quinta
High: 100 € / Low: 80 € ✆ 956 151 200 ➲ www.montecastillo.com
La Zagaleta
6
Los Naranjos
Meliá Sancti Petri (Par 72)
Magna Marbella
NUEVA ANDALUCIA
Las Brisas PUERTO BANUS
Aloha
Marbella Golf School Monte Paraiso
185
7
Santa Clara
188
CALAHONDA
High: 58 € / Low: 40 € ✆ 956 491 200 ➲ www.solmelia.com
Rio Real
Benalup (Par 73)
Marbella G&CC Greenlife / Positive Golf
192
Cabopino
198
Miraflores / Golf Academy
IN
W
195
La Cala Santana
La Noria
TORREMOLINOS
Parador
Alhaurin Lauro
Torrequebrada Grupo Suite
Montenmedio (Par 72)
9
8
El Chaparral Mijas
222
Gaudalhorce
Fees: 82 € ✆ 956 451 216 ➲ www.monteenmedio.com
231 MALAGA
10
N-340 A-7
ALMERIA
Numbers represent the correct Kilometre markings on road signs
Desert Springs
Valle del Este
Note: This is a topological map and does not represent the correct scale or distances between locations.
©Eat Publishing S.L.
Antequera GRANADA
Alcaidesa (Par 72)
High: 79 € / Low: 58 € ✆ 956 791 040 ➲ www.alcaidesa.com
090
L
COIN
200 206
N E R , 1 st H O
Fees: 85 € incl. breakfast, drinks & lunch ✆ 956 424 928 ➲ www.benalupgolf.com
Calanova
FUENGIROLA
ISH DREAM AN
18
Santa Maria
E
Dame de Noche
MARBELLA
SP
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
169
O
Montecastillo (Par 72)
Monte Mayor
El Paraiso
168
R, 1 6th H
High: 63 € / Low: 60 € ✆ 956 704 131 ➲ www.arcosgardens.com
ESTEPONA 162
NE
LE
Albayt Conutry Club Estepona Golf Valle Romano
167
ISH DREAM AN
18
3
149 150
Arcos Gardens (Par 72)
El Cortesin
Golf Academy with Spa ✆ 952 804 702 ➲ www.albaytcountryclub.com
La Reserva de Sotogrande
Estepona Golf (Par 72)
NER
h
ut LE
IN
, 3rd H
O
High: 90 € / Low: 60 € ✆ 952 937 111 ➲ www.montemayorgolf.com Marbella Club (27 holes)
ISH DREAM AN
R, 1 7th H
O
High: 57,50 € / Low: 39 € ✆ 952 937 605 ➲ www.esteponagolf.com
High: 140 € / Low: 110 € ✆ 956 785 252 ➲ www.sotogrande.com Real Club de Golf Sotogrande (Par 72)
Valle Romano Opening Soon
W
LE
18
ISH DREAM AN
R, 1 5th H
O
High: 290 € (w/e) / Low: 260 € ✆ 956 791 200 ➲ www.valderrama.com
La Resina (Par 72)
Fees: Access restricted to members and residents ✆ 952 855 453 ➲ www.lazagaleta.com
ISH DREAM AN
18
SP
Flamingos Golf (Par 71)
W
NE
SP
High: 62 € / Low: 50 € ✆ 952 893 856 ➲ www.golfdonajulia.com
La Quinta Golf (27 holes)
High: 82 € / Low: 66 € ✆ 952 762 390 ➲ www.laquintagolf.com Los Naranjos (Par 72)
ISH DREAM AN
18
Doña Julía (Par 71)
O
El Paraiso (Par 71)
IN
High: 65 € / Low: 2 x G/F + Buggy 90 € ✆ 952 890 425 ➲ www.golfladuquesa.com
R, 1 0th H
Fees: 50 € ✆ 952 889 157 ➲ www.flamingos-golf.com
W
3. SOTOGRANDE - ESTEPONA
La Duquesa (Par 72)
La Zagaleta (36 holes)
High: 20 € / 9 holes ✆ 952 885 313 ➲ www.laresina.net
IN
Fees: 50 € ✆ 956 794 100 ➲ www.lacanadagolf.com
High: 77 € / Low: 40 € ✆ 952 784 600 ➲ www.losarquerosgolf.com
6. N. AND / PUERTO BANUS
La Cañada (Par 71)
4. ESTEPONA - SAN PEDRO
Valderrama (Par 72)
NE
Los Arqueros (Par 72)
First nine holes opening soon, 2007 ✆ 902 35 36 35 ➲ www.valleromano.net
Fees: 160 € ✆ 956 785 014 ➲ www.golfsotogrande.com
IN
Fees: 120 € ✆ 952 889 101 ➲ www.marbellaclub.com
LE
NE
LE
W
IN
LE
18
SP
SP
os
SP
High: 60 € / Low: 40 € ✆ 902 181 836 ➲ www.sotogrande.com
ISH DREAM AN
18
ag
Monte Mayor (Par 71)
W
, 7t h L
5. BENAHAVIS / RONDA
18
W
N ER
ER, 11th So
Fees: South: 125 € / North: 73 € ✆ 952 883 455 ➲ www.guadalminagolf.com
Albayt Country Club (3 holes)
ISH DREAM AN
IN
NN
O
Fees: 130 € ✆ 952 937 883 ➲ www.golfcortesin.es
Almenara Golf (27 holes)
SP
R, 1 3th H
SP
Old: 155 € / New - High: 90 € / Mid: 75 € ✆ 956 613 030 ➲ www.sanroqueclub.com
NE
LE
SP
O
w & 1 8t h
I
IN
W
Ne
ld
DR
R
h
ISH DREAM AN
18
ISH DREAM AN
W
M 18 WINNE EA
Guadalmina (36 holes)
18
Finca Cortesin (Par 72)
9t
2. GIBRALTAR - SOTOGRANDE
San Roque Club (36 holes)
N ER, th HO 6
High: 78 € / Low: 50 € ✆ 952 883 835 ➲ www.elparaisogolfclub.com Atalaya Golf (36 holes)
High: 80 € / Low: 60 € ✆ 952 882 812 ➲ www.atalaya-golf.com
Fees: 88 € ✆ 952 812 428 ➲ www.losnaranjos.com Magna Marbella (Par 29)
Fees: 2 x G/F + Buggy 50 € ✆ 952 929 249 ➲ www.magnamarbellagolf.com
091
Las Brisas (Par 72)
Fees: 150 € ✆ 952 813 021 ➲ www.lasbrisasgolf.com
High: 62 € / Low: 47 € ✆ 952 850 282 ➲ www.cabopinogolf.com
ISH DREAM AN
Golf Academy ✆ 952 939 381
, 2n d H
O
High: 140 € / Low: 90 € ✆ 952 907 085 ➲ www.clubdegolfaloha.com
High: 62,50 € / Low: 50 € ✆ 952 931 960 ➲ www.miraflores-golf.com
La Dama de Noche (Par 36)
LE
La Noria Golf (Par 33)
18 Holes: 40 € / 9 Holes: 25 € ✆ 952 587 653
Alhaurin Golf (Par 72)
High: 59 €, 2 x G/F + Buggy 135 € / Low: 36 € ✆ 952 595 800 ➲ www.alhauringolf.com La Cala Resort (54 holes)
Lauro 27 (27 holes)
R, 1 2th H
O
High: 105 € + Buggy / Low: 2 x G/F + Buggy 110 € ✆ 952 850 111 ➲ www.santaclara-golf.com
High: 70 € / Low: 45 € ✆ 952 669 033 ➲ www.lacala.com Santana Golf (Par 72) ISH DREAM AN
W
IN
High: 75 € / Low: 60 € ✆ 952 830 500 ➲ www.marbellagolf.com
High: 58 € / Low: 39 € ✆ 952 179 378 ➲ www.guadalhorce.com
SP
W
IN
18
ISH DREAM AN
Mijas Golf (36 Holes)
High: 70 € / Mid: 65 € / Low: 45 € ✆ 952 476 843 ➲ www.mijasgolf.org
Desert Springs (Par 72)
N ER, th HO 7
High: 70 € / Mid: 65 € / Low: 50 € ✆ 952 587 700 ➲ www.golfelchaparral.com
Santa María (Par 72)
10. ALMERIA
El Chaparral (Par 72)
Positive Golf Academy ✆ 952 839 605 ➲ www.pgm.es
High: 75 € / Low: 48,50 € ✆ 952 831 036 ➲ www.santamariagolfclub.com
N ER, th HO 4
High: 100 € / Low: 65 € ✆ 951 062 560 ➲ www.santanagolf.com
Greenlife Golf (Par 27)
18 Holes: 35 € / 9 Holes: 22 € ✆ 952 839 142 ➲ www.greenlife-golf.com
Guadalhorce (Par 72)
18
SP
Marbella Golf (27 holes)
High: 50 € / Low: 30 € ✆ 952 412 767 ➲ www.laurogolf.com
LE
NE
LE
W
IN
18
ISH DREAM AN
LE
SP
High: 100 € / Low: 53 € ✆ 952 765 733 ➲ www.rioreal.com
Fees: 42 € ✆ 951 701 900 ➲ www.golfantequera.com 9. MALAGA - COIN
N ER, th HO 5
8. FUENGIROLA - MALAGA
18
ISH DREAM AN
W
7. MARBELLA - FUENGIROLA
Rio Real Golf (Par 72)
SP
Antequera Golf (Par 72)
High: 70 € / Low: 49 € ✆ 952 593 591 ➲ www.calanovagolf.com
Santa Clara (Par 71)
092
High: 70 € / Low: 55 € ✆ 951 011 120 Web: www.parador.es
Calanova Golf (Par 72)
High: 34 € / Low: 26 € ✆ 952 818 150 ➲ www.golfdamadenoche.com
IN
Parador Malaga Golf (Par 72)
LE
W
N ER
Fees: 78 € ✆ 952 561 102 Web: www.golftorrequebrada.com
Miraflores Golf (Par 71)
18
SP
Aloha Golf Club (Par 72)
IN
Torrequebrada (Par 72)
Cabopino Golf (Par 72)
High: 90 € / Mid: 60 € / Low: 45 € ✆ 678 679 387 ➲ www.almanzora.com Valle del Este (Par 72)
High: 70 € / Low: 2 x G/F + Buggy 100 € ✆ 950 398 743 ➲ www.valledeleste.es
The biggest (and at the same time smallest) golfing craze to come out of Germany is now available on the Costa del Sol courtesy of
EAT
GOLF!
and Trä & Sten. This carefully crafted and beautifully styled executive toy combines a smooth pendulum action with a choice of driver, iron, wedge or putter to play miniature golf in a way you have never experienced before. Transform your office into your very own interactive golf course. 99 ₏
&KUVTKDWVGF GZENWUKXGN[ QP VJG %QUVC FGN 5QN D[
5VQEMKUVU
For more information contact: Michael Denker, Tel: (+34) 635 024 358 or Daniel Holm, Tel: (+34) 650 252 762.
DRIVE TIME CHUCURUCHO BEACH CLUB
“...perhaps it is time to find a more enjoyable way to experence the sand?” Big Bang All Black “Ayrton Senna” Swiss watchmaker Hublot begin a fusion between avant-garde watchmaking and motor sport. www.hublot.ch
TAKE A BREAK
BOND TIME If you’ve had enough of landing in numerous bunkers through the course of your round, perhaps it is time to find a more enjoyable way to experience the sand? Fortunately you’re in the right place to make this a reality, as the Costa del Sol has a whole host of luxurious beach clubs to relax and leave your scorecard behind. Catering for everything from sports and bathing to dancing and drinking, there is something to suit everybody, and most probably within pebble throwing distance of your doorstep. On the following pages we take a quick peek as to what’s out there, but to get the real experience you will of course have to visit them. And there are alternatives for those who wish to relax without getting sand in their feet. Try out one of the Spa treatments in some of the most exotic and world leading establishments.
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Beach Clubs Chucuruchu Beach Club ✆ (+34) 956 79 50 12 ➲ www.sotogrande.com Nikki Beach, Marbella ✆ (+34) 952 83 62 39 ➲ www.nikkibeach.com Puro Beach ✆ (+34) 951 31 66 99 ➲ www.purobeach.com Spas Elysium Spa, Sotogrande ✆ (+34) 952 18 18 36 ➲ www.hotelalmenara.com Selenza Hotel Thalasso Wellness ✆ (+34) 952 89 94 99 ➲ www.selenza.com
Seamaster Planet Ocean Big Size Precision and accuracy are the mark of the Omega James Bond watch complete with their exclusive co-axial movement. www.omegawatches.com
BRAZILIAN TIME
Albayt Country Club ✆ (+34) 901 12 03 61 ➲ www.albaytcountryclub.com Hotels Almenara ✆ (+34) 902 18 18 36 ➲ www.hotelalmenara.com NH Sotogrande ✆ (+34) 956 69 54 44 ➲ www.nh-hotels.com Husa Suites Duquesa Golf ✆ (+34) 952 89 04 25 ➲ www.laduquesahotel.com
Ebel Brasilia Collection Contemporary, vibrant and sensual, the new collection displays ultramodern lines in an timeless creation. www.ebel.com
HUSA SUITES DUQUESA GOLF Robert Trent Jones’ hidden jewel YOUR HOTEL ON THE 10TH TEE
Telephone Reservations: + 34 952 89 0425/ 952 89 1211/ 952 89 0725. Fax: + 34 952 89 3005 E-mail: info@golfladuquesa.com / reservas@laduquesahotel.com www.golfladuquesa.com • www.laduquesahotel.com
FRONT LINE GOLF IN A PRIVILEGED LOCATION WITH A MINIMUM 80% ON THE MORTGAGE Bahía Golf has created the dream scenario for golf enthusiasts seeking a property in Spain. Front line to the Doña Lucia Golf Course these beautiful homes are surrounded by nature with the ocean just a few hundred meters away. Situated between Estepona and Sotogrande, the area is becoming one of the most sought after locations in the region due to the close proximity of Estepona Marina, the Port of Duquesa, and the immense range of recreational facilities on the Costa del Sol.
Fabulous golf courses such as Finca Cortesin, Estepona Golf and Valle Romano are just around the corner, whilst the area also offers sporting attractions such as diving, water skiing, sailing and riding. Life at Bahía Golf will not only enable you to enjoy the wealth of international boutiques, sports, beauty and health centers, but you will also be only a stones throw away from one of the most naturally charming villages in the area, Estepona, and a short drive from Sotogrande.
The design of the homes plays with the concept of elegance, harmony and tradition, carefully blended with the unique beauty of traditional Andalusian architecture. The porticos, roofs, archways, fireplaces, balconies and travertine marble embellish each house, enchanting the most discerning tastes. The spellbinding coastal Mediterranean light reveals the spaciousness of the complex, where sub-tropical gardens, flowers and vibrant colours transmit peace and serenity.
096
Pop by to see for yourself all that Bahía Golf has to offer, including: (also available as a virtual tour on the web) - The 18 hole Doña Lucia Golf Course and Clubhouse - A health center with Jacuzzi, Turkish bath, gymnasium and heated swimming pool - Outdoor swimming pool - Concierge and 24-hour security service. - 80% on the mortage is available (+34) 951 31 84 16 / 618 69 65 52 comercialestepona@pallahnos.com www.bahia-golf.com
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR SPORT, SUN & RELAXING Situated on the shores of the Mediterranean, overlooking Gibraltar and the Port of Sotogrande, the ‘Cucurucho’ Beach Club is a unique place offering relaxation, sport and leisure facilities for the whole family. Outdoor, heated, indoor and children’s swimming pools, recreational area, lawns, restaurants, sauna and of course direct access to the beach are just some of the facilities on offer.
www.sotogrande.com
AN OASIS OF PEACE Elysium, the Spa of Sotogrande, offers a refreshing and relaxing reward for both body and mind, an oasis of peace where water and light are the protagonists. The center features the most innovative treatments and varied activities designed for your health and beauty, and you will be attended by professionals of only the highest quality. www.hotelalmenara.com
GET READY FOR A SIZZLING SUMMER AT NIKKI BEACH Nikki Beach is renowned worldwide as The Sexiest Place on Earth. This year, the brand which was founded in Miami, and is now a global beach club phenomenon, is celebrating 10 glorious years of success.
www.nikkibeach.com
098
Nikki Beach Marbella delivers a unique blend of glamour, style and hedonism under a sunny sky, or starry night, in one of the world’s most exclusive resorts. All of this, played out against a utopian backdrop of swaying palms, alcoves of tee-pees and exotic bamboo beds.