Golf & Travel Magazine - February 2021

TOP GOLF COURSES – BEST GOLF CLUBS – LUXURY STAYS - LUXURY TRAVEL

February 2021

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Welcome to the February 2021 issue

W

ell , what a year for golf! It’s been a mixed bag for us all, no matter where in the world we are. One of the hardest parts of not being able to get out there and swing a club in the open air has been the missed opportunity to take in the beautiful countryside of the world. Not to mention the opportunity to travel and meet fellow golf enthusiasts.

Grace Barnott Palin Editor in Chief Magazine Team

Negativity aside, using a little creativity, people have managed to bring the golf course to them. And whether they are practicing putting against a wall or have invented a mini golf obstacle course in their garden, people will not let the golfing spirit die. And this issue of Golf And Travel Mag proves just that! So, whether you are dreaming of a golfing adventure or you are reminiscing, sit down with an issue, enjoy the stories and remember that it won’t be long before you will be back swinging away!

Editor: Grace Barnott Palin T. +44 (0)207 097 5177 E. editor@bike-mag.com Production Manager: Jack Adams T. +44 (0)207 097 5177 E. jack.adams@bike-mag.com Account Manager: Kate Chesterman T. +44 (0)207 097 5177 E. accounts@bike-mag.com Publisher Webify Media Ltd 59 Jodane Street, London To advertising please visit https://bike-mag.com/advertise Sales Manager: Ana Santos E. ana.santos@bike-mag.com Sales Executive: Moeez Ali E. moeez.ali@bike-mag.com Sales Executive: Alexander Jameson E. alexander.jameson@bike-mag.com Sales Executive: Carlos Adams E. carlos.adams@bike-mag.com

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Contents

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Top International Golf Communitiy

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How to prepare for 2021

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8 Tips to Travel Safer & Smarter

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How Home Golf Practice

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David Short Golf

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Sunningdale Golf Club Golf & Travel Magazine

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Top International Golf Communitiy

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t the Bermudian masterplanned resort community of Tucker’s Point, the luxury starts with the location: It’s in the fashionable East End in Tucker’s Town, which is known as the Beverly Hills of Bermuda.

“It’s a playground nestled in one of the most prestigious areas, and it’s home to some of the most elite estates in the world,” said Alessandro Colantonio, executive vice president of Gencom, the owner and developer of Tucker’s Point.

The main attraction of the 200-acre community on the British island territory in the North Atlantic Ocean is the 18-hole, par70 golf course that was designed by Charles Banks.

In addition to the course’s undulating fairways and large landing areas, there’s a 10,000-square-foot practice center with a driving range and putting greens, a hilltop clubhouse overlooking Castle Harbour and a pro shop.

Residents, many of them golfers from the U.S., the United Kingdom and Europe, can buy a deeded fractional interest in the community’s Harbour Court residence club that guarantees them five annual weeks in their waterfront home plus an unlimited number of additional flex weeks and exchange privileges at resorts around the world.

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The Harbour Club homes, which are in the traditional Bermuda architectural style, feature white stepped limestone roofs that purify rainwater and deflect UV light for cooling, high-end finishes, open-floor plans and oversize verandas. Ownership rights include access to the amenities of the fivestar Rosewood Bermuda and Sense resort, private airport transfer, a GPS-guided golf cart and concierge service.

Prices for deeded fractional interests in these waterfront homes range from US$199,000 for a two-bedroom house to US$299,000 for a three-bedroom house, according to Mr. Colantonio. (The Bermuda dollar is fixed to the U.S. dollar and U.S. dollar is accepted at par.)

Residents also may purchase a homesite, whose prices start at US$800,000, and build their own custom house, he said.

The community is perched on the pink sands of the island’s largest private beach, which has two pools, a restaurant and bars featuring private cabanas and a separate, private owner’s area.

There are four tennis courts, and the Rosewood Bermuda resort has a 24-hour fitness center; two heated pools; a spa; a water-sports center for snorkeling, kayaking, jet-skiing, stand-up paddle boarding and fly boarding; and an explorers club for children.

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How to prepare for 2021

Reconsider the Past Before Conquering the Future 8

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he new year is already here (thank goodness), and avid golfers at every level of the game will be thinking about what they hope to achieve in 2021. The process, for some, will be so invigorating they’ll make a game-changing or life-changing resolution. And for many, it will mean a firm commitment to goals aligned with the golf of their dreams.

It’s great stuff, and it’s a mental effort that’s absolutely required if producing better results on the golf course is important in your life. But, as a mental specialist with decades of experience, here’s three words you need to hear before you start moving toward a future featuring better play and lower scores … not so fast.

Reconsider the Past Before Conquering the Future A burning desire to achieve your dreams is an essential aspect of success, but it’s not the whole equation. Before you envision becoming a more consistent ball-striker, carding the lowest rounds of your life, or see yourself holding a coveted trophy, it’s vitally important to take your eyes off the future long enough to establish an

empowering picture of your past.

Truth be told, I learned this the hard way. In my early days as a coach, I focused exclusively on the future. I was enthused about goal-setting, planning, and visioning. I’d help my clients map out their desires, identify obstacles on the path, and develop strategies for overcoming each. The results for my clients (and in my own life) were good … but not great.

Fortunately, having the opportunity to mentor pro athletes and senior executives inspired me to study the workings of the subconscious mind … the part of us that maintains our habits, filters our experience, and more to the point of this article, establishes boundaries on what we can be, do, and have in life. And from this study, I learned that the memories we prioritise — whether wittingly or unwittingly — shape our future efforts.

Here it’s helpful to think about memories as creating chapters in the ongoing book of your life. Whether it’s your personal life, your career, or your golf game, it seems important for the subconscious mind to have the next chapter logically follow the one(s) previous.

Now, if you’re like the rest of us, you made great shots,

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mediocre shots, and terrible shots last year. You had great rounds, mediocre rounds, and brutal rounds. You enjoyed a hot streak or two, and likewise, fell into a slump or two.

And like the majority of golfers, you’re probably inclined to emphasise your worst swings and your worst rounds. You’ll mentally highlight miss-hits more frequently, and feel them more intensely, than your best moments.

achieve this level of success … as if destiny was somehow at work. There will be obstacles and setbacks. You won’t suddenly go from consistently choking in tournaments to being as cool as Brooks Koepka under pressure. Yet somehow, someway, you’ll notice an internal shift in your attitude, and your efforts will bring you closer to, if not directly on, the bullseye of your desires.

It’s not your fault. Being quick to identify problems and threats is an evolutionary aspect of human nature that’s enabled us to survive and thrive. But the tendency to emphasise the negative and downplay the positive can make things difficult when it comes to achieving your most meaningful goals — in fact, it’s a genuine stumbling block — because the subconscious mind tends to make this year’s dominant emotions the ongoing themes in the next chapter of your life. And no matter how much you want things to be different, if most of your mental energy was given to disappointment, frustration, or anxiety on the golf course last year, your script will, in all likelihood, fundamentally remain the same in 2021.

Let me repeat: Before you decide on a future goal, it’s essential to manage your memories in a way that sets the stage for the improvement you desire.

I’m sure you’ve experienced it yourself or witnessed it in others. When we set a goal that’s outside the arch of our current story (or self-image, if you prefer), we invariably sabotage the achievement of that goal. We get injured at the wrong time, resurrect a bad habit or create a new pattern of behaviour that distracts from our best effort, or choke when the big moment is at hand.

But just as your future isn’t set in stone, neither is your past. You can, and should, shape your perception of what happened.

Manage Your Memories If you purposefully highlight your best moments from 2020, and you set goals aligned with the arch of that story (even if your new goal is a significant stretch), you’ll move forward with a deep feeling of confidence. You’ll feel as if you’re meant to

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I’m not talking about constructing a fantasy and hypnotising yourself into believing it. No matter how much editing I do with my story, I’m not going to qualify for the Champions Tour next year. And you won’t be sleeping in Butler Cabin on the eve of the Masters. So this isn’t about trying to convince yourself that you’re one of the best golfers in the world when you’re not the best golfer in your county. It’s about becoming deeply convinced — via the truth of your own experience — that you have what it takes to author a story about the future that improves upon, and perhaps dramatically improves upon last year’s results.

Here I want to be very clear. I strongly suggest that you actually do the following exercises. Don’t gloss over this work. As the old Nike slogan said, “Just Do It.” Simply reading the remainder of this article — even if you happen to agree with what I’m writing — will not yield anything beneficial for your game. Application is the key.

So grab

a pen and paper, set aside 30-60 minutes of undisturbed time, and give the following your undivided attention. Hey … it takes what it takes. And besides, your game is worth it!

sound of your ball on the clubface. See your ball flying toward its target. Hear the ball rolling around the bottom of the cup (or, in Covid times, perhaps softly hitting the flagstick).

Step One

Close your eyes, take your time, and inhabit each memory as if it was happening once more.

Make a list of your best golf moments of 2020.

You aren’t fabricating events or twisting the truth. But you are selectively highlighting your best memories.

~ 3 best rounds ~ 3 best holes ~ 3 best drives ~ 3 best par 3 tee shots

Give this exercise an honest effort, and you’ll convince yourself — at a deep level —that you have what it takes to hit great golf shots, make great putts, and play great rounds.

It’s the key to developing the confidence required to play your best golf when it matters most.

~ 3 best fairway woods/hybrids ~ 3 best irons

Step Two

~ 3 best recoveries ~ 3 best up and downs

Now, make a second list.

~ 3 best lag putts

~ 3 most difficult/disappointing moments

~ 3 best made putts

Everything in golf isn’t a bed of roses. If you played enough in 2020, there’s a chance you experienced a devastating moment where you blew an opportunity to achieve a meaningful milestone. Or perhaps you experienced a demoralising slump, and if it lasted long enough, you wondered if you’d ever get your ‘A’ game back. Such “negatives” are an unavoidable part of golf at every level.

But the real problem isn’t the fact they happened. It’s failing to learn from them.

~ 3 funniest moments ~ 3 best times with friends ~ 3 best courses/settings The secret here is letting yourself relive each moment.

Let your mind travel back in time. Be there once again. See what you saw. Hear what you heard.

Make things vivid. Notice the beauty of your surroundings. Call to mind your playing partners.

Hear the swish of your club and the

Let me make an important distinction: When I talk about learning, I’m not talking about gathering more information or increasing your understanding. I’m talking about using your imagination. It’s mental images, not ideas, that exert the greatest

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influence on personal performance. It doesn’t matter if you’ve analysed your mistakes enough to write a Ph.D. thesis. What matters, in terms of your future performance and results, is seeing yourself, in your mind’s eye, performing in a way that corrects your mental or physical mistake and re-writes the memory with a better ending.

The key here is reviewing pivotal memories still carrying a strong negative emotional charge.

Take the moments you just listed one at a time.

As you call each to mind, use your imagination to stand back from the memory and make sure you can see yourself in it. It should be like you’re watching a video on the YouTube of your mind — and you’re in it. This will help you detach from the negative feelings connected to the memory and allow you to edit it in the same way a director of a movie decides a scene must be re-done.

In this re-imagined moment, be sure to watch yourself execute golf shots. Notice how getting the learning in your bones changes your pre-shot routine, your in-shot routine, or your post-shot response. Notice how changing what you do also changes the results of each shot. Notice if the change improves your score on the hole and your final score for the round.

Whether the shift is subtle or dramatic, your mind needs to identify the change as something you’ve already accomplished.

Now that you’ve done this important inner work… well…congratulations are in order. By spending time with step one and step two, you’ve re-written last year’s chapter of your golfing life in a manner that can and will empower what comes next. Well done.

And speaking of next, tune in again next week, and I’ll share a process that will build on the work you’ve done here and further enhance your chances of playing your best golf in 2021.

Step Three Begin by taking a few minutes to relax your body and mind. Inhale slowly … and exhale fully. As you breathe deeply, consciously relax the muscles in your

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shoulders.

When you’re comfortable and at ease, close your eyes and let your thoughts move forward into the future … to a specific moment in time … an upcoming event/tournament/round that will be especially important to you this year …

See yourself playing a hole, from tee to green, as if you watched yourself in a YouTube video. It could be the first hole, the final hole, or any hole in between.

What’s important is this … ask your imagination to let you watch yourself playing the golf of your dreams.

Make a mental note of what you see. Notice your body language, gestures, facial expressions.

Watch yourself go through your pre-shot

routine, your set-up, and your swing. Watch how you respond to each shot and putting stroke.

Watch for as long as it takes to see yourself walking off the green with the hole completed.

Now rewind to the very beginning of the hole, and this time, step inside the image and live it as if it’s happening now.

Where does your attention go during your pre-shot routine?

Where does your attention go during your in-shot execution?

Where does your attention go during your post-shot response?

Note how it feels to be doing what you’re doing at this moment.

Finally, with your mind still connected to this imagery, ask yourself this question

The Left and Right Brain Basically, we think our thoughts in one of two ways; analytically or imaginatively. Perhaps you’ve heard the terms Left brain and Right Brain before … but the essential idea is this: We can think in a logical, analytical manner replete with rational arguments about why something’s right, or something’s wrong (the Left Brain), or, we can think in ways that are intuitive, imaginative, and deeply connected to emotion (the Right Brain).

Here’s what’s important for an avid golfer to know: Traditional goal setting is mostly an analytical activity. We logically choose a target, then plan a path to achieve it.

It’s good stuff, but it’s not great stuff because it doesn’t produce the passion and persistence required to create a breakthrough performance on a personal level. What I’ve found more powerful for my clients is a goalsetting process that’s mostly about imagining.

Please note I’ve used the word mostly twice in the previous paragraph because I want to underline this truth — we think analytically and imaginatively

simultaneously. I’m not telling you to disregard or discard logic and engage in a flight of fantasy. I’m saying this — to get the maximum from goal setting, place the majority of your mental effort on the intuitive, imaginative, creative side of the equation.

Here’s An Example Perhaps an everyday example will be instructive here. Let’s say you’re driving home one evening, and the idea of pizza for dinner pops into your mind.

You consider your options and choose vegetarian toppings instead of meat lovers because your partner prefers the former, and you’re good with both. The process only takes a few seconds, and while you rationally weigh your options, your mind will conjure up images. But the mental pictures will be fleeting, and you won’t immerse yourself in any of them. In the end, if there’s not enough feeling in your thinking, you won’t call home to make the suggestion, and your attention will quickly move on to a different topic. In such moments, you’re using both left brain and right brain thinking, but the weight of your mental energy is mostly on the side of your logical, left brain.

But what if you placed the majority of your energy into imaginative thinking and immersed yourself in the pictures unfolding on the screen of your mind?

What if you pulled into a parking lot and shut off your car, then closed your eyes and imagined yourself at home, reaching out to open the lid on a still-warm pizza box? And what if, in your mind’s eye, you separated a slice, gave it a close look, and brought it up to your mouth … pausing for a moment to savour the smell? And what if your mental imagery was so vivid you felt the heat of the crust in your hand … and as you taste that first bite … well … you know what pizza bliss tastes like, don’t you? Now that inner experience would feel different, wouldn’t it?

In the latter example, you’re giving most of your mental energy to imaginative thinking. And the more you create a sensory experience in your mind’s eye — as if it was actually happening — the more likely you are to call home with a strong recommendation for pizza tonight.

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Going Beyond Normal Goal Setting You see … what you rationally think influences what you do, but what you vividly imagine powerfully influences what you do. And that’s why I’m not helping you set a goal in the traditional sense of the word. Regular, run-of-themill goal setting isn’t intense enough to take you where you want to go.

Besides, in all likelihood, you already know how to set SMART goals. There’s nothing wrong with establishing goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. They make good common sense … and, in my experience, are well-suited to managing front-line employees in a business context. However, to fulfil your golfing potential, you’ve got to lean on your right brain. Just as you must be creative to get up and down from a tricky lie, you must creatively use your imagination — on yourself —if you want to be the best golfer you can be.

Here you might note that I’ve yet to ask you to identify your specific goal or goals for 2021. And you might be wondering … how can I accurately imagine a goal I’ve yet to set?

Well … good question. And here’s the answer. I don’t want you to begin this process using analytical thinking; I want you to end there.

You see … if you begin with left-brain logic, your ego will want to worm its way into the process. Chances are you’ll sell yourself short because of a fear of failure, or you’ll get carried away by some grandiose idea of who you “should” be. After decades of coaching clients, I’ve come to trust that imaginative, intuitive thinking will always surface a truer, more meaningful image of what you can achieve.

Therefore, let’s establish your primary

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goal for 2021 by relaxing, letting your thoughts drift imaginatively into the future, and discovering what your subconscious mind intuitively knows is possible for you. In the same way that you make more putts when you instinctively trust your line, and you’re not over-thinking the stroke required, I invite you to find a quiet, uninterrupted space and let your mind go where the questions lead.

Mental strength is comparable to physical strength. If you hired a worldclass trainer, and he/she designed the perfect fitness program, you wouldn’t do the workout once and never go back again. You know you’ve got to pay a price today to achieve something meaningful down the road. And the price, on the mental side of the game, is time and attention.

You don’t need to sit cross-legged, light candles, and put yourself into a trance for an hour. But you do need to take a few minutes — regularly — and imagine living inside the golf of your dreams. It’s a small investment because once you become familiar with the process, Step Three will take less than five minutes to complete. Yet, it can bring a gamechanging return.

Let me close by stating the obvious: As with anything worthwhile in life, transforming your golfing aspirations into reality isn’t easy or inevitable. And getting one thing right won’t be enough, on its own, to guarantee success. It really is comparable to baking. You’ve got to include all the right ingredients, in the right measure, at the right time … and you’ve got to set the oven at the right temperature and time things just right. It’s part science and part art. And with that said, all I can promise is this — commit to practicing the process I’ve described, and you can be absolutely assured you’ve added a quality carrot to your carrot cake.

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8 Tips to Travel Safer & Smarter When You Ship Golf Clubs

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s golf continues to grow in global popularity, the desire to play at top courses does, too. And with that, lies the necessary chore of traveling with your golf clubs. Instead of settling for rentals or leaving your sticks at home, we’ve found the ideal way to travel with your own set. This year, travel safer and smarter when you ship golf clubs ahead with Ship Sticks.

Subtitle: The Easiest Way to Travel with Golf Clubs

1. Invest in a durable travel bag For peace of mind when traveling with your golf clubs, invest in a durable soft travel bag or hard travel case. While you may spend a few extra dollars, the guaranteed protection is worth every penny. Soft travel bags tend to be lighter and easier to transport, while hard cases offer more protection. However, either option will save you the worry of a potential broken shaft or damage to the golf bag itself.

2. Pack your golf clubs properly To avoid any unwanted damage when you ship your golf clubs, it’s important to make sure they’re properly packed and protected.

If your driver allows, remove the head from the shaft and place the shaft tip down into your bag. Consider using golf towels, bubble wrap, or other protective materials around the club heads to keep them in place during transit. Lastly, add a stiff arm for the final

piece of protection. This will act as the tallest point in your bag and take the brunt of any hit to the top of your bag or if flipped upside down.

3. No more lugging heavy clubs through the airport Dragging your golf clubs to the airport, to the golf course, and back home again is a serious hassle. Why do the heavy lifting yourself on your dream golf vacation? With Ship Sticks, you can ship your golf clubs ahead of time for a stress-free trip to your destination. For entirely bag-free travel, you can even ship your luggage with your golf clubs.

4. Ship ahead for contactless travel Ship Sticks offers no-contact pickups and deliveries to or from your home, business, hotel, golf course, and more. Electing to ship your golf clubs ahead also allows you to reduce touchpoints at the airport, like crowded baggage claims and dreaded bagcheck lines. You’ll be able to breeze past long lines and security for easy and safe boarding onto your flight.

5. Avoid additional airline baggage fees Because airlines are always finding ways to make travel more expensive, knowing how to avoid oversized or overweight

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baggage fees is essential. Easily evade extra charges at the check-in counter when you ship your golf clubs and luggage ahead. With Ship Sticks, their upfront pricing is easy to understand with no hidden fees. Prices start as low as $44.99 and vary depending on how many bags you’re shipping and how quickly you want them delivered.

6. Save money on your rental car Traveling with friends and family means a lot of luggage. Add golf clubs into the mix and you’re left having to rent a massive van to accommodate everyone and their belongings. But, when you ship golf clubs and luggage ahead with Ship Sticks, you’ll be able to rent a smaller vehicle, saving up to $50 per day.

7. Simplify international travel Whether you’re teeing it up on the Scottish links or the coastal courses of Canada, traveling with golf clubs to your international destination is a hassle. But, when you enlist Ship Sticks to ship your golf clubs internationally, you’ll enjoy the benefits of working with international logistics experts. Ship Sticks will handle all customs paperwork on your behalf to ensure a swift

clearance into your destination. With service to more than 180 countries across the globe, their team is well-informed of countryspecific operating procedures and customs regulations.

8. Trust your golf clubs are in good hands Airlines mishandle more than 20 million bags each year resulting in damaged or lost golf clubs. Ship Sticks, however, understands the value of your clubs. That’s why they offer $1,000 of complimentary insurance on every golf bag shipment with the option to add up to $7,500 of coverage for a small fee.

Ship Sticks also includes an on-time guarantee with a dedicated tracking team that monitors your bag every step of the way.

For your convenience, you’ll receive real-time tracking updates by email and through push notifications with the Ship Sticks app. So, take the stress out of traveling to your next tee time and ship your golf clubs ahead.

With these tips, you’ll be traveling safer and smarter with your golf clubs for every round.

For more information on how to ship golf clubs ahead of your trip, visit shipsticks.com

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Megan Dresser

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Megan has played golf for more than 10 years, four of which were spent playing Division II Collegiate Golf at Converse College where she majored in English and minored in Psychology. This is her 2nd year working with Ship Sticks, the leading golf club shipping provider, and she loves continuing to explore her passion for golf through her work.

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How Home Golf Practice Can Supercharge Your Lockdown Game

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reviously it was just the weather and time which prevented enthusiastic golfers from practicing as much as they would like to, today it’s the repeated lockdowns. The United Kingdom has the largest number of golf courses in Europe.

With over 1800 courses this dwarfs the nearest country Germany, who have only 700 courses. The most recent statistics showed that in 2020 there were over 1 million registered golfers in the UK, and this doesn’t account for those not attached to a club. Therefore, as you can probably imagine the UK wide lockdown and closure of all golf courses will have a significant impact on many golfers. Not only will this place a huge strain on the finances of countless golf clubs and complexes, but also have a significant impact on a golfer’s ability to keep their game sharp with weeks of no golf. How can keen golfers, looking to improve their game ensure that they get the required amount of practice when away from the golf course?

Our answer is to set up a home golf practice facility.

Should I set up a Home Golf Practice Area?

There are so many options for the modern golfer in being able to practice at home, where do you start. I remember growing up simply being able to putt on the carpet at home, or chipping in the back garden.

However today, if you have the time, money, and inclination you can spend thousands setting up a home golf studio with a projector and some even include an integrated putting mat floor.

Most golfers don’t practice enough. You can’t simply turn up to the course each week without putting in any practice inbetween rounds and expect to see dramatic improvements on the course. However, this is what the majority of golfers do. According to Richard, ‘most golfers lack practice, and the awareness that the more you practice, the more you will improve, it’s as simple as that. Practice makes permanent, if you put the hours in off the course then you’ll see

I was keen to understand whether a home golf practice area was worth the time and energy to set up. I also needed to know where to start so I reached out to my local Golf Professional Richard Lally. Richard has been a PGA Teaching Professional for over 22 years.

Richardlally.co.uk Richard is currently Head Pro at the Aspley Guise & Woburn Sands County Championship Golf Club in Bedfordshire.

I was lucky enough to be able to recently speak with Richard on the details of practicing at home. He offered advice on how he would guide golfers of all abilities to ensure they keep sharp during winter and lockdown, and also some top tips so that they were ready for when courses reopened.

Practice Makes Permanent…

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the benefits on the course.’ This will be the same during lockdown. Richard was speaking to me from his state-of-the-art golf studio at Aspley Guise, here he provides detailed analysis of golfers’ swings. Richards students have seen amazing improvements by being able to see themselves on video. The instant feedback you can get from video analysis is eye opening for golfers, explained Richard. If you can set up a camera to be able to record your swing at home this would definitely help your game.

zero experience, and are new to the game when they join his academy, with expert tuition, they dramatically improve their game. This goes to show the benefit of golf tuition. If you’re local to Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire I would recommend looking for Richard and seeing how he can transform your golf, visitors are always welcome.

Does practicing at home lead to bad form on the course?

Lally Golf Studio Using this footage Richard has even provided remote video advice to his members and students. If they send him a short video, he’s able to review this and give them some pointers on their swing, along with opportunities to further improve. This is another great way to keep your game sharp during time away from the course.

In a recent national golf foundation report, it was estimated that in 2019 approximately 64% of regular golfers had reviewed some form of online golf instruction video. When discussing the increase in golfers turning to online tuition and YouTube videos to get golf advice Richard was in favour. ‘There’s so much great content available now, golfers have access to some of the top golf coaches in the world, you should definitely subscribe to some of these content producers online’.

However, he made a great point, their local club pro might know their swing better, and be able to provide more tailored golf advice.

So where possible golfers should reach out to their local club professional in the first instance and see if they offer online lessons.

Should golfers take a lesson?

Richard would encourage all golfers to take a lesson, this can have dramatic benefits to your game. Richard currently holds an extremely popular Women’s Academy from the golf studio and club’s practice facilities at Aspley Guise. This includes group sessions, and 1-2-1 tuition. During this academy he has seen a variety of students come through the doors. There are golfers who have

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Anything you can do when you’re away from the course will help your game, so no it won’t necessarily lead to bad form. In Richards opinion, every golfer should have a net or a practice area at home. If golfers are genuinely serious about improving, they need to put the effort in. However, golfers don’t need to spend thousands in setting up home golf practice areas, it can be the remarkably simple things at home that can improve your golf.

Richard even suggests basic exercises such as putting on the carpet at home and aiming for a penny on the floor, or in the back garden, chipping with a wedge towards a bucket.

What is the best home golf practice equipment?

So, now that we know home golf practice can really help your game let’s give you some tips for the five essentials you’ll need for a home practice area which will supercharge your lockdown game.

1. A good quality home putting mat is essential if you’re looking to improve during lockdown. We would advise buying one which can easily be folded or rolled up for easy storage. Be sure to choose one which is made of heavier material and has a non-slip base, this means it won’t move around on the floor when you’re putting.

2. Invest in a lightweight golf net which you can use in the garden. We would recommend choosing one which can be folded away easily, some come with carry bags. We would also advise buying one which is at least 2 metres wide, this way should you hit any stray

shots left or right they should still be caught by the net.

3. To compliment your golf net we would recommend a golf mat from which you can hit your golf shots. This is essential as not only will it protect your lawn from unsightly divots, it will also ensure you have a consistent lie for your ball each time you strike. Choose a mat which has a heavy rubber base and is able to grip or be pinned onto the floor.

4. A chipping net is a must for building your home golf practice area if you want to keep your short game in top condition when away from the course. Choose a model which is able to stand on its own and wide enough to catch off target shots. Some can be folded away and even come with sponge practice golf balls included. These are perfect should bad weather mean you have to move your chipping into the living room.

5. This one although essential to improving your game during lockdown it might only be suitable for the deeply committed.

We recommend investing in a good golf

swing monitor, like the Flightscope Launch Monitor or a Trackman. Although not cheap, these will give you an excellent understanding of what your ball is actually doing rather than just hitting into a net for hours.

Conclusion Anything you can do to keep yourself sharp in the winter, or during lockdown will be a benefit to your golf. If you put the effort into your golf during these winter months, you’ll reap the rewards in the spring.

However, if you simply want to sit at home and binge watch Netflix don’t be surprised when your game doesn’t improve to the standard you expect this year.

Also let’s not forget how your equipment can also dramatically improve your golf, so if you’re looking for the best advice on golf equipment be sure to check out fungolf. co.uk and read my guides for what you should know before making that important purchase.

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Craig Barnard I own the Fun Golf website. I’m a really keen enthusiastic golfer.

Golf should be fun and has always been my passion. Growing up if I wasn’t playing the game I was probably working at the golf club or on the course caddying.

I spent a lot of time working at Woburn Golf Club in my younger years. Although I’m not qualified, seeing how the team of PGA professionals helped so many golfers improve, and get so much enjoyment from the game, this inspired me to see how I could attempt to do the same.

This is where www.fungolf.co.uk came from, a desire to help golfers have fun and improve their game. Golf should be fun and this is what we aim to help you achieve through this website.

An Amazon best-selling ranked author for my Golf Tips books. I’m committed to helping you have more fun in golf. I will do this through providing the best in golf advice, golf news and golf equipment reviews.

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Volvo’s self-docking yacht To keep the yacht going in a straight line, the mechanism compensates for the tides and wind

Penta, the maritime subsidiary of Volvo, has announced the commercial arrival of its autonomous boat docking system.

Integrated Assisted Docking (AD) is designed to handle the complicated mess of driving a vessel into dock, making the pilot’s life a lot easier.

It was two years ago that Volvo Penta first showed off this system, during the Swedish leg of the Volvo Ocean Race in Gothenburg. The test-bed boat was positioned between two 72.6-foot racing yachts, and seamlessly managed to guide itself between them without any stress.

When you’re trying to steer into a dock, the endless fluctuations of the tide and wind make it that much harder.

Plus, you’re not just trying to keep your own boat from crashing, you’re also trying to not bump into anyone else’s, either. The cost of making a mistake could be substantial, not to mention the risk of getting kicked out of the yacht club.

This is relevant and important not just for the bougie types who want to show off, but for the future of maritime travel.

After all, being able to make a boat drive in a straight line — automatically compensating for the environment — should make sailing safer. And, of course, it’s another step on the road towards fully autonomous seagoing vessels.

Penta’s system that knows the boat’s location — using a combination of GPS, on-board sensors and dynamic positioning -- and makes adjustments on the fly. The vessel’s pilot just needs to grab the joystick and point in the general direction, and the system will make the hard yards.

If you’re the sort of person who has “new boat” money, you’ll be able to order the self-docking boat technology this spring. You’ll also be able to get the technology added to your existing Volvo Penta motor yacht if it’s sized between 35 feet and 120 feet, should you only have “upgrade your existing boat” money.

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Women It is a perfect time to start golfing!

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didn’t start playing golf until my early 30’s when I finally couldn’t say ‘no’ to an industry golf function any longer.

I was nervous. Golf seemed like some mysterious ‘thing’ to me that few women, especially my age, took part in. I got up to the first tee and, having never swung a club before, swung and missed the ball completely. Nothing in my previous sports experience with softball or volleyball gave me any help. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to swinging the club. While I played terrible golf that day, I became hooked. Between sun on my face, the casual networking, the challenge of this new sport where my only competition was really myself – I fell in love. I took some lessons; I kept playing and I got better at it. Golf is now my favorite pastime. I love to play, and I love to introduce other women to the game. And now is a perfect time for women to take up the game. Why you say? I’ll tell you.

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Carrie Abernathy Carrie Abernathy is a blogger at A Woman with Drive. She is a meeting planner by trade, and a professional speaker, leadership coach and often ties in her love of the game with business strategy.

She resides in Virginia, USA. You can find her reviewing courses and tying golf into leadership lessons at: www.awomanwithdrive.com

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The Business Case Business relationships are born, and deals do happen on the golf course.

According to Forbes, an estimated 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs play golf, and 80% of executives say playing golf enables them to establish new business associations. Golf provides a casual environment to network and relax with colleagues outside of the boardroom. An average game lasts between three and four and a half hours and provides plenty of time to learn more about your

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colleagues on a social level as well! Did I mention you get to be outside, not stuck in an office?

Business discussions can happen much more organically throughout the day as everyone relaxes and starts to have fun. Along with that, the golf course can be the great equalizer. At times, you might even outplay even the most high-level C-Suite executive. There is no hierarchy on the course. Someone playing for 30 years can be just as good (or bad) as someone playing for 3 years. Golf really is fascinating in that way.

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Passion & The Mental Game For me, golf is a mental game. It keeps me stimulated, intrigued, and focused more than any other activity I’ve experienced. To that end, golf can be whatever you make of it. When I am having a bad day, I golf. When I am having a great day, I golf. The most exciting thing about golf to me is the ability to leave it all on the course. If I have a terrible golf game, there’s no penalty (outside of my personal handicap changing). As an amateur, there are plenty of days that I don’t

even keep score so I can focus on technique or just releasing stress. Golf is flexible like that.

A Perfect Pandemic Pastime The last 12 months have been difficult for all of us, and many of our normal activities have yet to resume. In many places throughout the world, golf has been able to stay open. It is by nature a physically distanced sport.

Without sharing equipment, golf is the perfect way to get outside and stay

stimulated-mentally and physically!

Women often feel intimidated by the course, the rules, and the environment. Maybe you don’t want to be seen as a newbie or are afraid of not understanding all the rules. However, I ask that you give yourself an opportunity to discover the love of golfing. Looking for a new hobby? Need a stress-reducer?

Find your own reason (or no reason at all) and just take the plunge. Most courses and practice facilities are very accommodating to new players.

Beginners lessons are a great way to learn not only the fundamentals, but the basic rules and golf etiquette.

Golf can connect us and can bring us together. I’ve met so many incredible people on the course that I wouldn’t have met any other way (I’ve expanded my networking exponentially)! Golf is a sport of resiliency and connection, and we could also use a bit more of that right now.

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For over 30 years ‘David Short Golf ’ has been providing golf coaching holidays and escorted golf holidays all over the world.

F memory.

rom From all four corners of the UK to the far flung reaches of Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe, David Short and Barney Puttick, have hosted events that live long in the

David and Barney are two of the leading PGA Teaching Pro’s in the UK. David has been a PGA member for over 50 years. He began his golfing life at Stoke Rockford Golf Club in Lincolnshire, before moving to Sleaford Golf Club, when he turned Pro. In 1969 David moved to the Budock Vean Hotel and Golf Club in Cornwall and this introduced him to the golf holiday industry.

Whilst always in much demand for teaching, David also played tournaments breaking several course records along the way, but teaching was always his passion. His last main PGA Tournament was the 1978 PGA Championship at Royal Birkdale, Nick Faldo’s first victory!

As the Professional at Falmouth Golf Club, in Cornwall, for 21 years from 1973 to 1994, David started a series of Golf Tuition weeks and ran several Golf Weeks for the hotel, and other hotels in the County too. This led to doing similar overseas trips in the winter months.

‘David Short Golf’ developed from the above and commenced full time in 1996. Initially the Golf Schools were at the Staverton Park Hotel in Northamptonshire and in Cornwall during the summer, and then in the Costa del Sol in the winter. These gradually expanded to include the escorted long-haul events, which have now taken place over the past 30 years.

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David

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Barney turned professional in 1979 and became an Assistant Professional to Ian Connelly at Dyrham Park Golf Club. Ian Connelly was one of the most foremost teachers of the day, coaching many fine players and writing for a number of golf magazines. Ian was best known for being Nick Faldo’s original coach.

After his PGA training Barney decided to play full time and over a fiveyear period competed in PGA events at local and national level. He also played in some European Tour Events and even tried to qualify for the US Open.

His playing highlights were winning the Hertfordshire PGA Assistants and Order of Merit in one year. He also became the South of England Under 25 Champion and after that competed in events in France, Spain and Italy.

His favourite memory was tying Greg Norman for third place in a 36-hole tournament in Cannes, behind Corey Pavin.

After that, from a golfing perspective, they all went their separate ways! As with David, teaching is Barney’s passion, and he has excelled at it for years.

His CV reads as follows:

• Barney has given over 35,000 lessons and counting!

• Herts First Team Coach 1994 – 2006 • Involved in coaching at Boys U18, U16 and U14 levels in Hertfordshire since 1993 • Currently Hertfordshire’s Girls U16 Coach • Worked individually with over 150 County golfers and have had several pupils go on to play for their Country.

• Currently working with a dozen fellow golf professionals.

• Official Coach to Times Corporate Golf Challenge, 1999 – 2006 • Golf Monthly magazine teaching panellist since 2003 • Voted into Golf Monthly Magazine UK Top 25 Coaches in 2006 • Golf Schools in the UK and abroad • Putting clinics with putting guru and YES putter inventor, Harold Swash • Hosted Golf Psychology sessions with top man Karl Morris • Short game clinics with five-time Ryder Cup player, Ken Brown • Coach to the William Hunt Trilby Tour in association with Sky Sports

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When booking a ‘David Short Golf’ event, one is therefore in esteemed golfing company.

The ethos behind ‘David Short Golf’ is two-fold. Firstly, to provide a personal, structured and thorough evaluation of one’s golf game with the ‘Golf & Coaching’ events. Secondly, to experience wonderful golf courses and regions around the world with the ‘Golf Weeks’ and ‘Escorted Golf Tours’. Add to the above, David and Barney’s ever cheerful manner, down to earth approach and most professional teaching skills, and the wonderful social ambience of each event, and there can be few better environments to improve or enjoy one’s golf.

The ‘Golf & Coaching’ events take place in the UK and Europe. Recently, the UK events have moved to the Belton Woods Hotel & Golf Club in Grantham, Lincolnshire and take place at least once a month during the spring, summer and autumn. Typically, three-day events, with a maximum of 12 clients, attendees spend quality time with David or Barney finetuning their game, and then socialising in the evenings over dinner and drinks in the bar. The overseas events tend to take place in Portugal and Tenerife, with five days of intensive coaching and on-course tuition, with a day off in the middle of the week. With super Golf Resorts hosting the events, the ‘Golf & Coaching Weeks’ are the perfect opportunity to throw oneself into fine-tuning one’s game, whilst at the same time enjoying a golf holiday atmosphere. With all of the coaching events, technique, mental approach, game management, range and

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on-course tuition are all covered. And it is important to stress, that they are fine social occasions too for both single golfers and couples alike.

David and Barney’s take on the coaching events is as follows: “A golf swing is like a fingerprint, everyone different, therefore treat each one individually. However, I believe that the golfer needs to understand and instil a handful of sound basics and then let their game form around that, to the best of their ability and aspirations.”

David Short “I really enjoy our Golf & Coaching events as it really allows clients to immerse themselves in their favourite subject! I am always looking to enhance what a player comes with, rather than impose a rigid method. Using swing drills and constructive practice ideas, I feel every player can improve their understanding and then in turn, their game. Seeing this put into practice on the course is the key element to our events, as that is our goal, to improve your game when you play.”

Barney Puttick The ‘Golf Tours’ cover the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and have ventured as far as New Zealand. Each season there are a number of 3-night UK tours, exploring some of the finest healthland, links and parkland courses in the British Isles. The tours to Europe include Portugal, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Greece, France and more. Indeed, the Costa Navarino Golf Resort in Greece is a particular favourite with clients at the moment and look out too for the ‘Gourmet Golf Weeks’ in Gran

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Canaria. Italy too always inspires, and Portugal and Spain provide that ever present opportunity for quality warm weather golf. The tours take place throughout the year, with David or Barney as the host, providing plenty of opportunity for some winter golf, as well as guaranteed summer sunshine.

For the longer-haul tours, there is an annual pilgrimage by David to South Africa, regular tours to Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and China. Morocco is also popular and in recent years there have also been tours to Bermuda, America, Namibia and New Zealand. The tours present the opportunity to visit wonderful and unique locations, play great golf courses and stay in sumptuous hotels. Add to this a superb social experience for single golfers, couples and non-golfers alike, and you can see why ‘David Short Golf’ has stood the test of time.

Both David and Barney go to great lengths to stress that all of the ‘David Short Golf’ events are about enjoying golf in the company of like-minded golfers. To share the joy of the game, one’s own experience of golf and to create lasting memories together. Whether it is for a 3-day coaching event in rural Lincolnshire, or playing golf at Fancourt, one of the finest golf resorts in Africa, the approach is the same, for clients to saviour the moment and to thank golf for the opportunity to create so many wonderful opportunities and memories.

For further information on ‘David Short Golf’ please refer to www.davidshortgolf.co.uk, or alternatively email for further information on info@davidshortgolf.co.uk or by telephone on 01637 879991.

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A TERRIFIC WAY TO GENERATE MORE SWING SPEED!

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definitely want a higher swing speed! Each extra mph of swing speed equals about 3 yards more distance, so if you can gain an extra 3-7 mph, wow, that’s an extra 9-20+ yards!

I consider myself a short hitter, so I’m always trying to find products that will help me gain a few extra yards.

I would assume everyone would rather hit an iron into a long par 4, then a fairway wood or hybrid. Over the years, I’ve found some great stretching products out there for flexibility, and many that claim to add extra yards; however I found the product that was designed just for more swing speed, and it’s simple, easy to use, and works.

The product is called Aero Swing and it’s a very cool product. Aero Swing is a resistance device that allows you to achieve higher swing speeds, and you can also hit real golf balls while using it. It’s very simple to attach one or two of the Aero Swing tubes onto your current golf club shaft, and in just a matter of a few seconds you can start training with the Aero Swing indoors or outdoors. The Aero Swing is a tube shape (pictures below) with lots of holes in it for resistance.

I suggest after about 10 swings to turn the tube 90 degrees or so to change the resistance pattern of the tube.

I started with one Aero Swing to get a feel for it using an 8 iron (pictured below). I started just swinging back and forth without hitting any golf balls. You can hear a cool whoosh sound at the bottom of your swing. I swung my 8 iron with the Aero Swing tube about 15 times, then I took it off my club and my swing speed

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went up 2 MPH. I decided to try the same drill 2 days later doing the same 15 swings with the Aero Swing on the golf club and then taking it off. A little better result 3 MPH higher. A week later I tested it again doing the same as before and this time I was 4 MPH faster. I used a SkyTrak launch monitor to see the results each time, and I’m confident it is accurate.

Overall, the Aero Swing resistance tube works really well, and I am looking forward to my extra 10+ yards going forward. My goal is to use the one Aero Swing tube for the next 30 days, probably every other day, and then add on the second Aero Swing tube to get the maximum bennefit.

I am confident adding the second tube definitely will to help to increase my swing speed and overall distance. Bottom line….

Really great product!

The company website is www.aero-swing. com and the cost for a set of 2 is only $59.99, which also includes a carry bag if you want to take it to the range.

To learn about more unique and helpful golf products, please subscribe to our email list at www.nichegolf.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ nichegolf or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/nichegolf

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Best Gifts for the Discerning Golfer

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ooking for the perfect golfing gift? You’ve come to the right place From a super useful golf watch to a ball retriever, indoor putting green and chipping net, this list includes a gift for every budget. Let’s jump in!

Golf Watch – Garmin Approach S10 The Garmin Approach S10 is the perfect companion for the golfer in your life. The easy-to-use interface allows you to stay focused on your game.

It comes with 41,000 pre-loaded courses, which means it pretty much covers every major golf course in the world!

It also provides yardages to the front, back and middle of the green, which I find an incredibly useful feature.

Once you’ve completed a hole, the Garmin will automatically transition to the next hole as you make your way there.

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Gift Set – Callaway Starter Gift Set The Callaway Starter Gift Set contains all the novice golfer in your life needs to ensure that their round is the best it can be.

The premium velour pouch contains a multitude of useful tools and has a drawstring closure for easy access to the contents.

The kit includes a stainless-steel divot tool with magnetic ball marker and built-in putt alignment stencil (with included marking pen).

It also includes a premium club brush with carabineer clip to hang off your golf bag, as well as 3 Callaway performance tees that promote low-spin launch for that added distance.

The final piece included in the Callaway Starter Gift Set is 4 neon plastic ball markers with the Callaway logo to ensure that you never have to go hunting for another golf ball again.

Ball Retriever – Callaway Golf Ball Retriever There’s nothing as unpleasant as having to fish for your golf balls after a round of golf.

The Callaway Pocket and Ball Retriever makes retrieving those wayward balls a breeze with its ergonomic sure-grip and stainless steel retriever mechanism. It comes in two sizes, 15’ and 6’ length, and includes a dual zip head cover that helps it blend in with the rest of your golf clubs.

The retriever is made of high-quality aluminum alloy that reduces the degree of the bend when it is fully extended. The pocket-sized version of this product fits easily into most bag apparel pockets, making this a must-have in any golfer’s kit!

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Chipping Net – JEF World of Golf The JEF World of Golf Collapsible Chipping Net is perfect for the golfer looking to sharpen their skills off the green, and in the comfort of their own backyard.

The net features 3 chipping baskets to ensure the ultimate test and is perfect for both left and right-handed golfers of any skill level.

The net converts from a 23-inch to 7-inch diameter frame, and is easy to assemble and disassemble when you’re done!

Convenient for transportation and storage, the chipping net is fully foldable and portable meaning you can practice your skills anytime, anywhere. The chipping net is constructed of a sturdy spring steel frame and durable net that will prevent it from flipping over during windy days.

Golf Shorts – Three Sixty Six Dry Fit Golf Shorts Any experienced golfer will tell you about the importance of having a good pair of chino shorts for those hot days on the greens.

The Three Sixty Six Dry Fit Golf Shorts for Men boasts easy dry, moisture wicking fabric thanks their lightweight, breathable mesh fabric, keeping you cool during casual activities.

This pair of shorts also has a comfortable classic fit, with a generous 10.5inch inseam that are true to size.

They also have a four way stretch to allow for maximum mobility during that all-important swing, and come standard with an expandable elastic waistband to allow for the ultimate fit.

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Essential Extras – AllaQuix Golf Premium Gift Set With First-Aid Kit It can be difficult to get a gift for the golfer in your life that seems to have everything, however, the AllaQuix Golf Premium Gift Set is something they probably will get lots of use out of.

This set includes a 4-in-1 carabiner golf tool, first-aid kit and golf tees.

The 4-in-1 multi-tool includes a magnetic ball marker, divot repair tool, spike repair tool and a cigar cutter on an easy to find carabiner clip.

The Johnson & Johnson first aid kit included with the gift set comes in a perfectly sized durable plastic case and contains 12 essential items because you never know when accidents might happen.

Trunk Organiser – Atheltico Golf Trunk Organiser Storage Never lose an essential piece of golfing equipment in your trunk again with Athletico Golf Trunk Organiser Storage.

Made from ultra-durable 600D water-resistant Oxford fabric with ventilation grommets, this trunk organizer is large enough to keep most golf accessories stored away safely when not in use.

The versatility and durability of the storage organizer means that you can use it to store most of your golfing accessories including golf shoes, balls, gloves, tees, hats and more.

The ventilation grommets mean that the items stored in the storage container will get the chance to air out, preventing that all-too-familiar musty smell on your most loved items.

The golf locker comes with multiple removable dividers that allows you to customize it according to your personal storage needs, and can be folded flat for easy storage when not in use, and the side walls are reinforced for extra strength and support.

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Groove Sharpener – Bulex Golf Club Groove Sharpener and Cleaner Essential for keeping your golf club in mint condition, the Bulex Golf Club Groove Sharpener and Cleaner is a nifty little tool that will fit into your golf bag with ease.

This groove sharpener is easy to use, and is suitable for both U- and V- grooves, and grinds and cleans grooves in no time flat! It’s construction is made of high quality precision vacuum heat treated steel for maximum durability and cutting effectiveness which in turn will generate optimal backspin.

Instead of replacing your much-loved irons, simply restore them with this tool and is so lightweight, you won’t feel it in your bag.

Towel Set – Club Glove Golf Microfiber Caddy and Pocket Towel Set These waffle-textured microfiber towel set by Club Glove are perfect for those summer days spent on the green.

The unique design, and fabric of the towel set allows it to absorb 300% its weight in water, meaning you won’t need to worry about your towel becoming ineffective during a hot day because it’s soaked.

The caddy towel features an elongated center slit to fit over a club head, and a free 8’ x 12’ greenside pocket towel is included for maximum comfort and usability.

One of the great qualities of this towel set is that the fabric is virtually lint-free.

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Indoor Putting Green – SKLZ Accelerator Pro with Ball Return The golfer in your life will be ecstatic to receive an indoor putting green as a gift.

The SKLZ Accelerator Pro is a 9-foot indoor putting green with continuous automatic ball return that will help you develop accuracy and control without needing to leave the comfort of your home.

The green also includes alignment and squaring guides at 3, 5 and 7-feet to promote consistency in your game, while the automatic ball return allows for uninterrupted training.

The Accelerator Pro emulates putts found on actual greens with it’s true-roll surface and upslope at the cup. The total measurement of the green measures 9 feet x 16.25 inches which means that it’s perfect for home or office.

Portable Golf Launch Monitor – Voice Caddie It’s important to keep up with technology, and this is true even in golf. The Voice Caddie SC 200 Portable Golf launch monitor tracks stats for each club, and has a distance voice output with doppler radar sensor. It can measure from 30 to 320 yards, and is accurate within 3% of ball speed, and 5% of carry distance. The Voice Caddie comes standard with a barometric pressure calibration so there’s no need to manually recalibrate it when moving from one course to another.

Mark Whitman Mark fell in love with the game from a very early age – a passion that hasn’t diminished ever since. He earned provincial colors throughout his junior years, but by the time he reached University, the realization set in (thanks largely to some cold ales) that it was time to favor the pen rather than his clubs. He founded Golf Assessor as a hobby project.

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A view of the 18th Green and Clubhouse at Sunningdale Old Course, by kind permission of Kevin Diss Photography

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For most golfers and golf fans around the world, the US Masters Tournament is viewed as the ‘curtain raiser’ for the golfing season ahead. However, in the United Kingdom, golfing aficionados view the Sunningdale Foursomes, played annually in March, as the true ‘curtain raiser’.

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diosyncratic, Quintessential, Eccentric, Unique, British...just some of the adjectives that over the decades have been used to describe the Sunningdale Foursomes, which also has no sponsorship, no advertising, free spectator admission and negligible prize money.

Sunningdale Golf Club Sunningdale Golf Club is located in Berkshire, England and boasts two 18-hole championship courses, the Old and the New. The Old Course is frequently ranked amongst the world’s best golf courses. Designed by Scottish Professional golfer Willie Park Jr (the Open Champion in 1887 and 1889), the course was constructed over hills, heathland and woodland which at the dawn of the 20th Century was considered a totally unsuitable landscape mix for a golf course. The course measures 6329 from the white tees, very short by today’s modern championship golf courses, but when opened in 1901 the course was actually considered extremely long!!

The New Course was designed by the world-renowned golf architects Harry Colt and John Morrison and was opened in 1923 and measures 6444 yards from the white tees. Several years earlier, during his tenure as the first club secretary of Sunningdale Golf Club, Harry Colt actually redesigned a number of holes on the Old Course. And as for John Morrison...well, more about him later!!

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Tournament Format The annual Sunningdale Foursomes was first played in March 1934, which spookily is the same year as the inaugural US Masters, and is played on the Old and New Courses.

Amateurs, Professionals, Ladies & Gentlemen are eligible to compete in this straight knockout match play tournament, with any combination of pairings permitted.

Back in 1934, a total of 46 pairs entered. Today, the tournament is over-subscribed and thus entry is limited to 128 pairs, with entrants submitting a list of golfing achievements to support their application. The event is now played over 4 consecutive days with Rounds 1 and 2 played on the Old and New Courses and Rounds 3, 4, 5, 6 and the Final played on the Old Course.

Unique Handicap System The Sunningdale Foursomes is very much defined by its unique handicap system. There have been minor modifications over the years, with the system currently as follows: • Professional Golfers (Gentlemen) are allocated a handicap of +1 • Professional Golfers (Ladies) are allocated a handicap of 2 • Amateur Golfers (Gentlemen) are allocated a handicap of Scr • Amateur Golfers (Ladies) are allocated a handicap of 4 All competitors play from the same tees. All matches are played over 18 holes with sudden death if the match finishes all square. The number of shots given/received is the full difference between the combined handicaps of the respective pairs.

1934 As stated earlier, 46 pairs entered the inaugural Sunningdale Foursomes played on 29th, 30th and 31st March 1934. The Times newspaper reported: ‘It was a Foursomes Tournament of unusual interest’ ‘It has been a distinctly interesting meeting, apart from the novelty, and the matches have been, on the whole, very close’ Oh, how times have changed...

The winners were Miss D. Fishwick and E. N. Layton who defeated Miss M. Gourlay and Captain G.E. Hawkins 2&1 in the 18 hole final.

Diana Fishwick was one of the finest golfers of her generation whose achievements included winning the 1930 British Ladies Amateur Championship and

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Laura Davies and Trish Johnson, one of the teams at the 2020 Sunningdale Foursomes, by kind permission of Andy Crook Photography

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Sunningdale Golf Club Halfway House, by kind permission of Andy Crook Photography

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representing GB&I in the Curtis Cup.

1935/36 Several pairings and individuals have won the Sunningdale Foursomes on more than one occasion but only 2 pairs have successfully retained the Sunningdale Foursomes the following year. Ross Fisher (then an amateur, but now a Ryder Cup Player and 5-time winner on the European Tour) and his Professional partner Simon Griffiths won in 2003/04, but the first pairing to successfully defend the crown was Miss J. Wethered and Mr J.S.F. Morrison.

Joyce Wethered was one of the greatest amateur golfers of all time and about whom the incomparable Bobby Jones once said:

“I have not played golf with anyone, man or woman, amateur or professional, who made me feel so utterly outclassed” John Stanton Fleming Morrison DFC (or John Morrison as I referred to him earlier) was an incredibly talented sportsman...Cambridge Blue (Football, Cricket and Golf), represented England at football as an amateur and played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and Somerset!! He also flew bombers during WW1 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Roll of Honour Since those early years when golfers of the calibre of Diana Fishwick and Joyce Wethered were victorious, the winners roll of honour reads like a who’s who of British Professional and Amateur golfers from the past 85 years including Luke Donald, Michael Bonallack, Dai Rees and Max Faulkner.

Major Champions Herbert Gustavus ‘Max’ Faulkner won the Foursomes in 1950 and a year later he won the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, which after an absence of 68 years finally returned to the Open course rota in 2019. He also reached the final in 1968 with his son-in-law Brian Barnes, one of the great characters of British Professional golf who sadly passed away in 2019.

Other major champions who have participated in this event include Sandy Lyle, Laura Davies, Paul Lawrie and Georgia Hall.

As an amateur, Sandy Lyle reached the semi-finals in 1975 but the infamous British weather intervened with the semi-finals and the final abandoned due to snow.

Ryder Cup Players Over the years, many Ryder Cup players have played in

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the Sunningdale Foursomes, some of whom I have already mentioned...others include Tommy Fleetwood, Ronan Rafferty, Neil Coles, Brian Huggett and Paul McGinley.

This event is viewed by many of the players who participate as a fantastic pre-season competition. Whether that was the view held by Sam Torrance back in 1985, when he and John O’Leary won the final at the 25th I just don’t know, but a few months later he sank the winning putt in the Ryder Cup at The Belfry.

4-time Champion Jean Donald was a star golfer during the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, winning the Sunningdale Foursomes on 4 occasions. In 1951 and 1953 she was partnered by fellow Scottish golfer Tom Haliburton, who played in 2 Ryder Cups and was the Professional at Wentworth Golf Club for over 20 years.

She herself turned Professional in 1954 as at the time she was working for Dunlop and that brought her amateur status into conflict with the new rules governing amateur golf. As a Professional, she won this event in 1958 and 1961 with none other than the ‘voice of golf’, Peter Alliss.

Aside from the Foursomes, Jean Donald also won the Scottish Ladies Championship in 1947, 1949 and 1952 and the Ladies French Open Championship in 1947. And in 1948, she wore trousers at the Scottish Ladies Championship, which was deemed to be awfully controversial!!

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First All-Female Winners In 1982 Christine Langford and Mickey Walker, Professional golfers and founder members of the Ladies European Tour, created history by becoming the first all-female pairing to win this prestigious event. In the final, they beat the Irish amateur internationals Mary McKenna and Maureen Madill by 1up.

Amazingly, only two years later, the same pairings reached the final but this time Mary McKenna and Maureen Madill prevailed by 3&2.

Throughout the rich history of this event, several teams and individuals have established themselves as Sunningdale Foursomes specialists, none more so than McKenna and Madill. They reached a further two finals...in 1986 they lost on the 18th to Ronan Rafferty and Roger Chapman and in 1988 lost again, this time 5&3 to Carl Mason and Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler.

Halfway House In 2016 Golf Monthly published an article titled ‘10 of UK golf’s best halfway huts’ and the Sunningdale Halfway House was by some distance viewed as #1...ask any player or spectator why and they would all reply with something like:

“The sausage sandwiches at halfway are absolutely legendary!!”

Newspaper Coverage Whilst researching for this article I could not help but notice the amount of column inches that were afforded to Amateur Golf ‘back in the day’. As an example, for the inaugural Sunningdale Foursomes: • The draw was published in advance.

• All of the results were published on a daily basis.

• Selected highlights from each round on a daily basis.

• Almost a hole by hole account of the semi-finals and the final.

I was unable to pinpoint why or when the dilution of amateur golf coverage began in UK newspapers, but as a starter for ten, I believe there is possibly a direct correlation between press coverage declining and the exponential growth of Professional Golf, globally and commercially.

The Nineteenth I hope you have enjoyed reading an abridged history of the Sunningdale Foursomes.

To finish, and substantially modifying Colin Powell’s peroration when he addressed the UN Security Council in 2003: ‘Golf lovers, we have an obligation to future golfing generations to preserve the uniqueness of the Sunningdale Foursomes.

We must not fail in our individual and collective responsibilities to ensure it thrives in a world of everincreasing globalisation, technology and social media’

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[58] MARCH 2020

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