Golf Digest India - May 2018

VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 1

MAY 2018 `150

THINK YOUNG | PLAY HARD

PUBLISHED BY

PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

EDITORS’ CHOICE GOLF GEAR THAT WINS

RNI NO. HARENG/2016/66983

special report

rahil gangjee ends 14-year title wait in japan Exclusive Official Media Partner

INDIA GOLF EXPO GIA INDUSTRY AWARDS 2018 R&A SEMINAR ON SUSTAINABILITY PRIVATE GOLF PROJECTS IN INDIA

“THE SOFTER FEEL.” - RICKIE FOWLER

“IT’S THE DISTANCE.” - BROOKE HENDERSON

“IT’S THE CONSISTENCY.” - JORDAN SPIETH

“

“IT’S EVERYTHING.”

WHEN YOU PLAY ONE, YOU KNOW.

- IAN POULTER

“IT’S THE CONTROL.” - SO YEON RYU

”

“I’VE KNOWN SINCE DAY ONE.” - JUSTIN THOMAS

“YOU KNOW UNDER PRESSURE.” - ADAM SCOTT

“HOW IT FLIES THROUGH THE WIND.” - WEBB SIMPSON

“YOU KNOW WHEN IT SAYS THIS.” - HENRIK STENSON

©2018 Acushnet Company.

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how to play. what to play. where to play.

l l

Contents 5/18

ArgentinA l AustrAliA l Chile l ChinA l CzeCh republiC l FinlAnd l FrAnCe l hong Kong l IndIa l indonesiA l irelAnd KoreA l MAlAysiA l MexiCo l Middle eAst l portugAl l russiA l south AFriCA l spAin l sweden l tAiwAn l thAilAnd l usA analyzers: Our complete guide to the golf lifestyle.

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by the editOrs 88 66

Prospering At The Players

70

Kim’s No Kid: Si Woo Kim continues to grow after 2017 PLAYERS win

by kaylin skOvrOn

India Digest 34

Newsmakers

38

Junior Golf

40

Club Round-Up Updates from courses across India

42

MercedesTrophy GDI-Turkish Airlines International 2018

52

Lifestyle

58

59

Ra.Won - Rahil Gangjee ends 14-year title wait in Japan

60

Reed holds nerve to claim maiden Major at Augusta

An Exciting Start to the Second Quarter

63

The Masters:

By The Numbers

by JOsh burack

65

Saudi Arabia to host new European Tour event in 2019

Asian Tour Returns To Pakistan

72

travel Dominican Republic Style The trend in timepieces

hot list golf balls by mike stachura

102 Hank Haney on Tiger

Why Tiger can be great again. by hank haney

108 Undercover Tour Pro

A major champ speaks out on rollback talk. with max adler

109 Tee to Green

Score on a drivable par 4. by butch harmOn

Send It With Xander Power How a smaller guy like me kills it off the tee.

110 A Hands-on Approach

to Pitching

by david leadbetter

by xander schauffele 76

92

98

Features 54

swing sequence Sergio Garcia

by marty hackel

Corporate Digest 48

90

96

Grow The Game

44

5-Minute Clinic Fine-tune your game.

111 Tour Technique

Editors’ Choice: Golf Gear That Wins From golf bags to swing

My keys to becoming a consistent putter.

by Jessica kOrda

India Golf Expo 20

R&A Seminar Sustainability: What It Is And Why It Matters by steve isaac

21

Sustainable golf is producing desired playing conditions by micah wOOds

22

Sustainability is an opportunity, not threat to golf

by JOnathan smith

14

23

Private Golf Projects In India In Past 20 Years

27

GIA Industry Awards 2018

Corrigendum: In the article ‘Next Stop: Cascais, Portugal’ published in April 2018, we had wrongly mentioned Mr. Vinod Chinnappa’s designation as Superintendent - Central Excise. He is Honorary Secretary, Karnataka Golf Association (KGA). The error is regretted.

8 golf digest india | may 2018

Cover photograph: Asian Tour

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Editor’s Letter Dear Readers,

T

he press has widely reported that the Indian Golf Union (IGU) needs to amend their constitution to conform to the Sports Ministry’s National Sports Code guidelines. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had also urged the IGU to fall in line. The IGU has been aware of this directive (read modifying the governance structure and conducting timely elections for recognition as a National Sports Federation) for some time.

Hopefully with IGU’s funding from Sports Ministry in jeopardy, they will quickly complete all formalities. With the Asian Games in August and many other international tournaments Write to me at rishi@teamgolfdigest.com or lined up, we look forward to speedy redressal on Twitter @RishiNarain_ of the issues by the national body so that our top-ranked amateurs don’t miss out on any opportunities at a time when Indian golfers are enjoying unprecedented success around the globe.

April is the month of The Masters and Indian viewers were treated to full-fledged coverage courtesy DSport channel who agreed at the last minute to air the tournament for fans in this country when no other channel was interested. We are glad they did as once again everyone enjoyed the brilliance of the star-studded leaderboard over the iconic Augusta National!

The 7th annual India Golf Expo staged in Bengaluru by the GIA (Golf Industry Association of India) along with the GCS&MAI (Golf Course Superintendents and Managers Association of India) turned out to be a big success. The first day saw record 350 delegates register for the R&A of St. Andrews’ Seminar on Sustainability, while Day 2 witnessed unprecedented participation of 150 leaders from the real estate industry from 10 cities across India.

Our cover celebrates the latest international victory by Rahil Gangjee, 39, who is an amazing story in perseverance. We carry exclusive images from his win worth a whopping US$ 333,000 in total including bonuses.

As usual, enjoy our unmatched instruction articles, reviews, features and more.

Happy Golfing!

Rishi Narain

TEAM GOLF DIGEST INDIA Editor & Publisher Rishi Narain Managing Editor Rohit Bhardwaj rohit@rnsportsmarketing.com

Contributing Editor Karthik Swaminathan karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

Assistant Art Director Guneet Singh Oberoi

Marketing & Advertising Nikhil Narain nikhil@rnsportsmarketing.com +91-9999990364

Subscriptions Monika Chhabra, Gautam Chhabra subscribe@teamgolfdigest.com Phone: +91-9999868051

Krishna Kant Dubey kk@rnsportsmarketing.com

Published and Printed by Rishi Narain on behalf of Rishi Narain Golf Management Private Limited and Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18-35 Mile Stone, Delhi-Mathura Road, Faridabad-121 007, Haryana and published from 501, Sushant Tower, Sector - 56, Gurgaon - 122101, Haryana. Phone Number - 0124-2841370, 1371, 1372. Editor: Rishi Narain. Contains material reprinted by permission from Golf Digest® and Golf World®. Golf Digest India is a monthly publication of Rishi Narain Golf Management Private Limited.

10 golf digest india | may 2018

GOLF DIGEST INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS AND EDITORS-IN-CHIEF GD ArGentinA Hernán SimÓ, Jorge R. Arias AustrAliAn GD Brad Clifton GD Chile Rodrigo Soto GD ChinA Echo Ma GD CzeCh republiC Robin Drahonovsky GD FinlAnD Sami Markkanen GD FrAnCe Henry Trouillet GD honG KonG Echo Ma GD inDonesiA Irwan Hermawan GD inDiA Rishi Narain GD irelAnD Linton Walsh GD KoreA Eun Jeong “EJ” Sohn GD MAlAysiA Patrick Ho GD MexiCo Rafa Quiroz GD MiDDle eAst Robbie Greenfield GD portuGAl João Morais Leitão GD russiA Fedor Gogolev GD south AFriCA Stuart McLean GD spAin Óscar Maqueda GD sweDen Oskar Åsgård GD tAiwAn Jennifer Wei GD thAilAnD Chumphol Na Takuathung GD usA Jerry Tarde

GOLF DIGEST USA EDITORIAL ChAirMAn & eDitor-in-ChieF Jerry Tarde exeCutive eDitor Mike O’Malley CreAtive DireCtor Ken DeLago MAnAGinG eDitor Alan P. Pittman Deputy eDitor Max Adler

ARTICLES eDitoriAl DevelopMent DireCtor Craig Bestrom senior eDitor Ron Kaspriske senior writers Bureau Jaime Diaz, Dave Kindred, Tim Rosaforte, Ron Sirak, Guy Yocom AssoCiAte eDitor Stephen Hennessey AssistAnt eDitor Brittany Romano eDitor-At-lArGe Nick Seitz writer-At-lArGe Dan Jenkins ContributinG eDitors Dave Anderson, Peter Andrews, Tom Callahan, Bob Carney, Marcia Chambers, David Fay, John Feinstein, Peter Finch, Thomas L. Friedman, Lisa Furlong, Matthew M. Ginella, John Huggan, Dean Knuth, David Owen, Steve Rushin, Dave Shedloski, Roger Schiffman, Geoff Shackelford INSTRUCTION senior eDitor Peter Morrice senior writer Matthew Rudy plAyinG eDitors / pGA tour Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, Nick Price, Jordan Spieth, David Toms plAyinG eDitors / lpGA tour Paula Creamer teAChinG proFessionAls Rob Akins, Todd Anderson, Chuck Cook, Sean Foley, Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Hank Johnson, David Leadbetter, Jack Lumpkin, Jim McLean, Tom Ness, Renee Powell, Dean Reinmuth, Randy Smith, Rick Smith, Dave Stockton, Josh Zander proFessionAl ADvisors Amy Alcott, Dr. Bill Mallon, Gary McCord, Randy Myers, Judy Rankin, Lucius Riccio, Ph.D., Dr. Bob Rotella, Ben Shear, Ralph Simpson, Frank Thomas, Stan Utley EQUIPMENT senior eDitor Mike Stachura equipMent eDitor E. Michael Johnson AssistAnt eDitor Keely Levins teChniCAl pAnel John Axe, Ph.D.; Martin Brouillette, Ph.D.; Thomas E. Lacy Jr., Ph.D.; David Lee, Ph.D.; John McPhee, Ph.D.; Dick Rugge; George Springer, Ph.D. GOLF COURSES senior eDitor / ArChiteCture Ron Whitten ContributinG eDitor Topsy Siderowf GOLF DIGEST INTERNATIONAL GROUP senior DireCtor, internAtionAl Develop Ment & strAteGy Angela Byun ContributinG eDitor, internAtionAl Ju Kuang Tan

Service Plot No - 104, Sector 37 - 1 Pace City Gurgaon, Haryana - 122001 India, (+91) 9999 999 643

Our Contributors JACK NICKLAUS Regarded as the greatest player of all time Winner of a record 18 GRAND SLAMS

TOM WATSON World’s #1 ranked professional golfer from 1978 to 1982 8-TIME Grand Slam Champion

BUTCH HARMON Considered as the #1 rated golf instructor in the world Best known as TIGER WOODS’s coach (1993-2004)

DAVID LEADBETTER The most celebrated golf instructor in history Changed golf instruction for all future generations from guesswork to science

Golf Digest India is the exclusive official media partner to:

The World's Richest Tour 12 golf digest india | may 2018

Covers 27 countries, with approximately US$210 million in prize money

The region's pre-eminent Tour covering 21 countries, with around US$115 million in prize money

Business of Golf

L-R: GIA Board members Vineet Mathur, Col. Pravin Uberoi (Retd.), Vijit Nandrajog, Ravi Garyali, Phil Ryan, Karan Bindra, Deepali Shah Gandhi, Devang Shah, Mohan Subramanian, P.K. Bhattacharya, Anit Mehrotra and Rishi Narain

T

he 7th Annual India Golf Expo enjoyed great success in its first foray into Bengaluru. Close to 500 delegates attended the 2-day exposition on April 19 and 20 at Hotel Lalit Ashok along with 70 real estate developers and 50-plus golf clubs from across the country.

The exposition focused on golf ’s sustainability and touched upon key elements required to grow the sport in India and the world. The event included a seminar by a delegation from The R&A (The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland) – the global rules governing body – alongside presentations by other experts from different domains, drawn from across the globe to share knowledge and best practices for the development and sustenance of the sport in the country.

This year the expo was geared

14 golf digest india | may 2018

Outgoing GIA President Devang Shah addresses the members at the GIA Annual General Meeting

Business of Golf

Delegates attend the R&A seminar during the 7th India Golf Expo at Hotel Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru

30

SPEAKERS

Mohamed Farouk (Director - Ministry of Tourism)

The Ministry of Tourism has been actively promoting India as a significant golfing destination. We have supported professional men’s and women’s tour events, corporate events and expositions under our policy. The future holds tremendous potential for golf tourism.”

— Mohamed Farouk, Director, Ministry of Tourism

L-R: Dominic Wall (R&A Director - Asia-Pacific), Jonathan Smith (CEO - GEO Foundation), Mohan Subramanian (Marketing Manager - Golf Division, Rainbird), Steve Isaac (R&A Director - Sustainability), Dr. Micah Woods (Chief Scientist - Asian Turf Grass Center), Paul Jansen (Owner - Jansen Golf Course Design & Construction)

500

DELEGATES may 2018 | golf digest india

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Business of Golf towards raising awareness around golf among developers, tourism authorities and club managers. Golf course design and renovation, technology to minimise wastage and further recycling of natural resources, golf course maintenance, promoting the sport locally to encourage participation, the relationship between golf and real estate and the impact of golf on tourism were some of the topics covered at the expo. The GIA also recognised the leading contributors to the sport with the GIA Awards.

The golf industry in India is growing and the golf tourism industry worldwide is valued at US$ 4 billion a year. There are over 3 million golf tourists travelling in Asia annually. In the last 5 years the golf industry in India has attracted Rs. 5,000 crores of investment, and the India Golf Expo is aimed at giving a boost to the industry that has been hit by the real estate slump.

Currently, there are new golf projects being worked on in Mizoram, Naya Raipur and Hyderabad. India has in excess of 240 golf courses and there are an estimated 150,000 individuals playing golf across various age groups.

L-R: Karan Bindra (Director - K&A Golf), Guy Chapple (Director - WellPlayed), TV commentator Charu Sharma and RNSM MD Rishi Narain

“Golf is a global sport with certain prestige and standing and if India becomes a recognised golfing nation, it will give us a better global positioning. The largest land owner is the Indian government. So, the GIA should focus on lobbying the government on benefits of allocating more land for golf. In many sports the star players themselves get involved in promoting the game. Great Indian stars like Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and others must be involved when meeting government officials.� — Charu Sharma, TV commentator and avid golfer

Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell tries his hand at the simulator

Vinod Goyal (Agricare Corporation)

Phil Ryan (Principal - Pacific Coast Design) interacts with visitors during the India Golf Expo

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Col. Pravin Uberoi (Retd.)

(General Secretary, GCSMAI)

Business of Golf

52

EXHIBITORS

“The R&A delegation was very encourgaed by the excellent attendance and various discussions.

We thank the GIA for all their assistance in promoting and hosting the seminar.”

Sandeep Singh (MD - TATA Hitachi) at the Golf Digest India photo booth

— Dominic Wall, Director (Asia-Pacific), The R&A

Ravi Garyali (Toro IPI) shares a light moment with clients at the Expo

3500 WALK-IN VISITORS

Visitors experience a cart demo during the Expo

may 2018 | golf digest india

17

Business of Golf

Vineet Mathur (C) with his team during the Expo

Representatives of Pacific Coast Design

Dilip Thomas (L) (South Zone Council Member, IGU) hands over a memento to Dominic Wall of The R&A

Phil Ryan (R) presents a memento to Kalyan Sabrasheshan of Jacobsen India

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Representatives from StayPrime, Golf Centra and Star EV Carts

GIA Board member Anit Mehrotra (R) hands over a memento to Krishna Prasad of Bridgestone Golf

AG Horizon Director Rakesh Sharma (L) presents a memento to Vita Zinna from Toro IPI

AG Horizon representatives during the Expo

Ravi Garyali (L) presents a memento to A. Gopal from Ministry of Tourism

GIA President-elect Deepali Shah Gandhi hands over a memento to Anjani Kumar of Tee Ventures

Business of Golf

Members discuss pertinent issues of the golf industry during the GIA Board Meeting

GIA President-elect Deepali Shah Gandhi along with husband Anand Gandhi of Zaverchand Sports

Deepali elected new GIA president Outgoing GIA President Devang Shah (L) with GCSMAI President Arun Singh

T

Tarun Sardesai with wife during the gala dinner

L-R: Alok Vajpae and Shanu Kapoor from Standard Chartered Bank, P.S. Rathore (DIG, BSF), Krishna Kant Dubey (RNSM) and Vineet Kumar (DIG, BSF)

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GOLF CLUBS REPRESENTED

L-R: Indur Hirani, Vinod Goyal of Agricare Corporation and Rishi Narain

he Golf Industry Association (GIA) Board unanimously elected Deepali Shah Gandhi (Zaverchand Sports) as President for the 2018-19 season. The decision was made during the 7th India Golf Expo in Bengaluru.

Deepali takes over the reins of the association from Devang Shah, Managing Director of Navratna Group, who developed the Kalhaar Blues & Greens course in Ahmedabad.

Born in 1959, Deepali belongs to the family of Zaverchand Laxmichand of Vadodara, Gujarat. In the absence of her father, Late Vinay Shah of Baroda Rayon Corp., she was nurtured by her maternal uncle Ashok Krishnadas. On her paternal side, she is the granddaughter of Late K K Shah, Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu in the early 70s.

Zaverchand Sports Pvt Ltd. were pioneers in the field, having first developed golf head production in India. As the business grew, Deepali became involved in the distribution of golf brands such as Titleist, Footjoy, Club Car, Bagboy and Bushnell, which they continue to do today.

Based in Mumbai, Deepali travels across the country and has personally visited more than 100 clubs over the years.

She served on the Board of Directors of GIA, and was one of its founding members.

Expressing gratitude at being elected, Deepali said: “I am humbled to be elected President. My vision is to increase number of golfers through GIA’s initiative, India Learn Golf Week coming up in September every year and bring the industry plights to the forefront so that products become more affordable and create a larger platform for the industry to operate from.”

“The 7th India Golf Expo held in Bengaluru has turned out to be a spectacular success. The response in terms of attendance from over 50 golf clubs from all over the country and 70 real estate developers has been tremendous. The audience we have received has been beyond our expectation. There has been a lot of traffic and awareness generated and we will keep — Ravi Garyali, MD, Irrigation Products Intl. Ltd. attending this event in full strength.” may 2018 | golf digest india

19

Business of Golf

Sustainability: What It Is And Why It Matters The R&A’s view of sustainability for golf

Steve Isaac, Director - Sustainability, The R&A

G

olf is enjoyed by millions of people around the world, with 60 million golfers playing on more than 33,000 golf courses, and media coverage of Major golf championships reaching hundreds of millions of homes. Golf, as a significant land user, has responsibilities and opportunities to play its part in a more sustainable, resourceefficient future. It is fundamentally important for golf courses worldwide to assess what they can do to achieve environmental sustainability while continuing to

maximise the enjoyment of the sport. As sustainability concerns and expectations rise across all aspects of life, the golf community is well positioned to contribute more to the welfare of nature and communities, for the good of the game.

Sustainability is a much used, and abused, word. It means all sorts of things to different people. For golf, The R&A believes that sustainability is more than a concept or an idea. Sustainability covers an extremely diverse range of issues, as indicated to this word map: However, sustainability is tangible, it is applicable – impacting on our daily lives, it is measurable in economic, environmental and social terms and it relates to our own personal and organisational accountability and responsibility.

The R&A describes sustainability for the game of golf as: Golf ’s contribution to wider society and the effect the game has on nature and resources, delivered by enduring businesses which provide a positive sporting, environmental and social legacy for future generations.

Minimising the negative and maximising the beneficial impact of the design, construction, renovation and maintenance of the golf facility on nature, resources and communities is the key to operational sustainably in golf. In order to achieve this, over time, we need golf businesses that are adaptable, with a well-educated and informed workforce.

“We addressed sustainability- both the environmental issues and regulatory issues; a key issue to the development of the game across the world and not just in India. We have shared actionable and relevant information on sustainability issues alongside information on golf course design, construction renovation and maintenance and we hope that we leave the seminar attendees with fresh ideas and concepts for the future.”

—Steve Isaac, Director - Sustainability, The R&A 20 golf digest india | may 2018

Remaining sustainable is a life-long exercise. What we do at the golf facility to be sustainable today may not be enough in 10 years’ time. To remain sustainable, golf facilities need to be able to adapt to changing global, national and local circumstances; facing up to challenges under their control and those beyond their control, for example fluctuations in financial markets, legislation, climate change and societal behaviour.

For The R&A, sustainability is all about securing the future for the sport of golf.

It is an important issue for The R&A; as a global governing body we are committed to working for golf, supporting the sport internationally. This includes promoting the development and management of sustainable golf facilities.

A sustainable approach for any golf facility will deliver greater profitability. This will be achieved through reduced costs, increased income and greater efficiency.

However, greater profitability will only be achieved through the delivery of a quality product, commensurate with the cost of the service. The benefits that a sustainable approach brings will offer customers an enhanced experience every time they visit the golf facility. The experience reflects the ambience of the golf course; a relaxing venue in an attractive setting – providing both physical and mental well-being.

Golf needs to work on its image. The opinion of government, environmental lobbyists and the public is important and golf has to be seen to be delivering positive value with regards to its impact on nature, resources and communities. Golf’s sustainability agenda also needs to be aligned with government policy, and The R&A’s global positioning is probably best reflected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: For more information, go to http:// www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ sustainable-development-goals/ Golf is a high-profile sport, through televised tournaments and tourism. The R&A is the organiser of The Open, the oldest of the four golf Majors. We, and other influential bodies, need to persuade those within the sport to follow a more sustainable path.

We need to use the evidence provided by golf facility operators to convince those outside the sport that have some control over its development that golf is worthy of their support because it is a responsible land user and that it contributes positively to the environment and society.

The R&A is taking a lead by implementing a sustainability programme for The Open, which is known as GreenLinks. Its aim is to deliver an increasingly sustainable championship through its venues, staging

Business of Golf and legacy. The Olympics in 2016 and 2020 will be another great showcase for sustainable golf. The International Golf Federation (IGF), which represents golf at the International Olympic Committee, has its own statement on sustainability.

More information on The R&A’s sustainability initiative and the GreenLinks programme can be found at http://www. randa.org/ and http://www.theopen.com/ GreenLinks Sustainability is measurable. Golf is leading sport in this area, with its own standards, online reporting and independently verified certification for new developments, existing facility operations and tournament staging. The GEO Foundation, an international non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability in and through golf, working closely with and supported by industry associations, has developed a credible and practical sustainability system for golf.

Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) have been collaboratively developed to ISEAL Codes of Practice, and reviewed at regular intervals, spanning all key elements of golf’s Nature, Resources and Community (sustainability) agenda.

OnCourse® is a modern and multi-functional online platform that enables grass roots facilities to: access the latest best practices, guidance and resources; record,

analyse and track their performance; share and promote their activities and highlights; and gain credible recognition through accredited third-party certification. OnCourse® also tracks and stores all facility and industry KPI’s to create a database of reportable sustainability metrics for golf – locally, nationally and internationally. More information on the OnCourse® platform can be found to Appendix 1 and visit www.getoncourse.golf GEO Certified® provides third party verified and transparent certification scheme

for golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, based on detailed policies and procedures and in line with ISEAL Codes for Assurance and Monitoring and Evaluation of Impacts. The OnCourse® platform should be the starting point for any golf facility interested in sustainability in and through golf, and in their own sustainability performance, and is the ideal platform from which to achieve certification. For more information on GEO Certified, visit http://www.golfenvironment.org

Sustainable golf is producing desired playing conditions

Micah Woods, Chief Scientist at Asian Turfgrass Center

S

ustainability is about managing the course in the right way. I look at this from two points of view — that of the golf course operator, and that of the golf-playing customer. As a customer, I want to play a well-conditioned golf course. As a golf course operator, I want to produce a well-conditioned golf course with a minimum of inputs.

But as any golfer knows, and as any

golf course operator knows, those desired conditions don’t just happen by accident.

If you are a golfer, you will have played courses that did not have the desired conditions. Maybe the ball didn’t bounce or roll the way it should; perhaps there have been patches of ground with no grass on them. An important part of sustainable golf is producing the desired playing conditions. From the golf course operations side, a lot of work goes into producing the golf course that is presented to the customer every day. How can those desired conditions be produced, with a minimum of inputs? That, too, is sustainable golf.

I used to dislike the word sustainability. The reason for my dislike? The word seemed too vague. I didn’t know what it meant in concrete terms. Some years ago, I came across this definition from The R&A: optimising the playing quality of the golf course in harmony with the conservation of its natural environment under economically sound and socially responsible

management. That is a concrete definition for sustainable golf. One can strive to optimise playing quality. One can conserve the natural environment. One can be economically sound. One can be socially responsible. All of those can be measured to some degree, that measurement can be tracked, and one can evaluate performance over time. After I became aware of that definition, I warmed to the term sustainability, because I realised that it was definable, and in reality it is how one wants to manage a property anyway. Sustainability is not something exceptional; it is (or should be) the standard.

The information in this program is all related in some way to that definition from The R&A. Some of it pertains to optimising the playing quality of the golf course.

Some of it is about conservation of its natural environment. And related to conservation is economic soundness; that is, from a golf course maintenance perspective, don't waste money.

“One can strive to optimise playing quality. One can conserve the natural environment. One can be economically sound. One can be socially responsible. All of those can be measured to some degree, that measurement can be tracked, and one can evaluate performance over time.

After I became aware of that definition, I warmed to the term sustainability...” may 2018 | golf digest india

21

Business of Golf

Sustainability is an opportunity, not threat to golf

Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, GEO Foundation

G

olf started as a local community recreation played over land that naturally suited the game. Today, golf is a significant global industry, with 33,000 courses in over 200 countries, 700 new courses in planning and construction and thousands more forecast in emerging markets across Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South and Central America. Golf has an estimated gross worth of $150 billion, fuelled by increasingly diverse business interests such as real estate, tourism, merchandise, media and sponsorship.

During the same period that golf has grown and spread, a powerful movement in environmentalism and sustainability has emerged - driven by a growing body of scientific evidence that shows the pressures society and business are placing on the earth’s finite resources.

This ‘sustainability movement’ now cuts deeply across businesses, governments and society – as we strive to live, work and play in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the future.

Within this context, it’s no secret or particular surprise that people in government, environmental groups and communities have valid concerns about the future development of golf, in the same way as there are concerns about the sustainable future of farming, forestry, fisheries, eco-tourism, automotive and transportation etc.

For golf, key questions that we hear governments and environmental groups ask include: How many courses will there be?

What type of land-use and ecosystems will they replace? How much land and water will they consume? Will they pollute? Will they close off access to land for others? Will they damage or destroy sensitive habitats?

What happens if a lot of courses are built in

Today, golf is a significant global industry, with 33,000 courses in over 200 countries, 700 new courses in planning and thousands more forecast in emerging markets

one area? And so on.

While some argue that golf will automatically have a negative impact across these areas, wasting land and resources that could be put to better use, there is much evidence to the contrary. Done well, and development and managed with a close attention to fostering nature, conserving resources and supporting communities, golf facilities can return long-term social, economic and environmental benefits to the people and the places they touch.

There are many examples of this around the world, grass roots facilities and new developments that deliver ‘net positive’ social and environmental benefits to local communities. In recent years, an increasing number of facilities have re-doubled their environmental and sustainability efforts – to enhance their courses, find new cost savings, make wise investments in energy and water solutions, improve their profile, attract new sponsors – some of the benefits linked to integrating sustainability into decision making and communications.

The question now is how can this movement spread more widely across more facilities, beyond the early adopters and leaders, so that sustainability and great, profitable golf become synonymous – not just in the industry, but out across public, government and corporate circles. In this way sustainability becomes an opportunity, not a threat to the future health and vitality of the sport.

For more information go to http://www. golfenvironment.org/

Wg. Cdr. Pradeep Kantilal Bagmar (C) receives his certificate from Dominic Wall (L) and Steve Isaac of R&A

Sandeep Trehan (R) of Karma Lakelands receives his certificate from Dominic Wall

Sachin Chauhan of Royal Jaipur GC (R) receives his certificate from Dominic Wall

Vishal Bharti of DLF GCC (C) receives his certificate from Dominic Wall (L) and Steve Isaac of The R&A

22 golf digest india | may 2018

Business of Golf

Private Golf Projects In India In Past 20 Years <2008

Eagleton Golf Resort, Bengaluru Panchkula Golf Club, Chandigarh Karma Lakelands x9, Gurgaon

Aamby Valley GC, Lonavala DLF GCC (Arnold Palmer), Gurgaon Royal Springs GC, Srinagar, Kashmir

Classic GCC, Gurgaon Golden Greens GC, Gurgaon Qutab GC, Delhi

Gulmohar GC x9, Ahmedabad

2008

Boulder Hills GCC, Hyderabad

2009

Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida Oxford Golf Resort, Pune Tarudhan Valley Golf Resort x9, Gurgaon

2010

Kensville GCC, Ahmedabad Clover Greens, Bengaluru

2011

Zion Hills Golf County, Bengaluru Kalhaar Blues & Greens, Ahmedabad Pahalgam Golf Club, Kashmir

2012

Unitech GCC x9, Noida Prestige Golfshire, Bengaluru Blue Ridge GC x 9 / P3, Pune

2013

Kovai Hills GC, Coimbatore The Edgewater GC, Chennai Jaypee Wishtown GC, Noida

2014

MTC Jaipur Golf x 9, Jaipur Kimmane Resort GC x 9, Shimoga DLF GCC (Gary Player), Delhi Lodha Navi Mumbai x9 / P3, Navi Mumbai Belvedere GCC, Golf x 9, Ahmedabad Crossings Republik x 7 holes, Ghaziabad Imperial Golf Estate x 18, Ludhiana Leh Golf Club, Leh Chikmagalur GC x 18, Karnataka

2015

Greentech City GC x 9, Kolkata Indus Golf, Bengaluru Prestige Augusta x 9 / P3, Bengaluru Skytop Golf Village, Mysore Bahri Beautiful GC x 9 / P3, Kodaikanal Glade One GC x 9, Ahmedabad

2016

Golf City Savroli x18 / P3, Navi Mumbai Calcutta Riverside GC x 9, Kolkata Poona Club GC x 18 (redesign), Pune

2017

Eagleburg GC x 18, Mysore M3M Golf Estate x9 / P3, Gurgaon Lakeview GCC x 18, Naya Raipur

10

1 3 2 Kaziranga Golf Resort x 18, Assam

4

CIDCO Kharghar Valley GC, Navi Mumbai HGA x 18, Hyderabad Ambience GC, Gurgaon

Palace Greens GC x9, Chennai Lodha Belmondo GC x9 / P3, Pune Mohali Hills GC x9 / P3, Chandigarh

6

CIAL GC x 18, Kerala

Kashmir GC x 18 (redesign), Srinagar Vooty Golf Resort x 18, Hyderabad Qutab GC x 18 (redesign), New Delhi

Sidhra Jammu GC x 18, Jammu Naval GC x 18, Cochin Uplands GC x 9 / P3, Ahmedabad

Sunray Beachfront x9 / P3, Vizag Sushant Golf City x 9, Lucknow

The Other Side GC x9 / P3, Ahmedabad

11

10

6 Adoshi Hills x 9 /P3, Khandala

New golf courses are the lifeblood to grow the game. Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design (Course Architects) has been tracking such developments for the past 25 years in India.

Prior to 2008, Delhi NCR got the championship layouts of ITC Classic, DLF Golf & Country Club, Golden Greens GC and Jaypee Greens. Since then the activity has spred across India with Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Pune being most active.

7

RESEAR CH

BY

Thenzawl Golf x 18, Mizoram Godrej Golf Links x 9 / P3, Greater Noida Beyond 5 Golf x 9 / P3, Ahmedabad

7

Phil Ryan, Principal, Pacific Coast Design, Australia

may 2018 | golf digest india

23

Business of Golf

Golf Township Projects Can Generate Better Returns SOURCE: PACIFIC COAST DESIGN, KPMG (SUPPORTED BY GOLF INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION)

TYPICAL TOWNSHIP

GOLF TOWNSHIP

LAND COSTS/SQ.FT.

` 637.7

` 637.7

SITE MAP & INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS/ SQ.FT. ` 255.1

` 274.2

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COSTS/ SQ.FT. ` 700

` 1000

GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE COST/ SQ.FT. NIL

` 62.1

` 1,592.8

` 1,974.0

COST PRICE PER SQUARE FEET

COST PRICE PER SQUARE FEET

REVENUE FROM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT/SQ.FT. ` 1,911.3 REVENUE FROM GOLF COURSE/SQ.FT. NIL

` 1,911.3

` 2,581.1 ` 135.8

` 2,716.9

REVENUE FROM TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT/SQ.FT.

REVENUE FROM GOLF TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT/SQ.FT.

20%

37.6%

PROFIT MARGIN PER SQUARE FEET 24 golf digest india | may 2018

PROFIT MARGIN PER SQUARE FEET

Business of Golf

The Cost of Building a Golf Course

SOURCE: PACIFIC COAST DESIGN, SILVERGLADES GOLF DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD.

GOLF COURSE CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATE

ITEM RATE (Rs)

QUANTITY FOR 18 HOLES M2 OR M3

TOTAL COST FOR 18 HOLES (Rs LAKH)

QUANTITY FOR 9 HOLES M2 OR M3

TOTAL COST FOR 9 HOLES (Rs LAKH)

1

BULK EARTHWORKS/FAIRWAYS

326.70

2,00,000

653.4

90,000

294.03

2

GRASSING (INC MAINT TO OPEN)

64.13

1,80,000

115.43

90,000

57.72

TURF NURSERY

9,68,000

1

9.68

0.6

5.81

GREENS

3,321.00

11,200

371.95

6,160

204.57

BUNKERS

1,960.00

14,000

274.4

5,400

105.84

TEES

1,043.00

10,100

105.34

5,500

57.37

LAKE

496.00

14,550

72.17

10,000

49.60

3

4

GOLF FEATURES

LAKE & NULLA WORKS NULLA WORKS

188.00

5,200

9.78

3,000

5.64

5

DRAINAGE

655.00

22,000

144.1

14,000

91.70

6

ROUGHS

102.00

2,50,000

255

1,10,000

112.20

7

IRRIGATION

6,00,00,000

1

600

0.8

450.00

8

LANDSCAPE

40,50,000

1

40.5

0.6

24.30

9

CART PATH

1,458.00

7

31.36

4

17.92

10

SHAPER

448,000

7

31.36

4

17.92

TOTAL GOLF CONSTRUCTION

30.35 CRORE

16.68 CRORE

11

CONTINGENCY & MISCELLANEOUS @ 5%

1.52

0.83

12

PROJECT MANAGEMENT @ 6%

1.82

1.00

TOTAL GOLF PROJECT COST

33.69 CRORE

18.52 CRORE

may 2018 | golf digest india

25

Business of Golf

Attending Clubs S.NO.

CLUB NAME

CITY

1

ARMY GOLF CLUB

AHMEDNAGAR

2

ARMY GOLF CLUB

JODHPUR

3

ASC KARNATAKA

BENGALURU

4

BENGALURU FC

BENGALURU

5

BANGALORE GOLF CLUB

BENGALURU

6

BELGAUM GOLF CLUB

BELGAUM

7

BHUBANESHWAR GOLF CLUB

BHUBANESHWAR

8

BOMBAY PRESIDENCY GOLF CLUB

MUMBAI

9

BOULDER HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

HYDERABAD

10

BSF GOLF COURSE CHHAWLA

GURGAON

11

CLOVER GREENS GOLF COURSE

BENGALURU

12

COCHIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED GOLF CLUB COCHIN

13

COIMBATORE GOLF CLUB

COIMBATORE

14

DELHI GOLF CLUB

DELHI

15

DLF GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

GURGAON

16

EAGLETON GOLF COURSE

BENGALURU

17

ECO PARK GOLF ARENA

KOLKATA

18

GLADE ONE GOLF CLUB

AHMEDABAD

19

GOLDEN SWAN COUNTRY CLUB

THANE

20

HYDERABAD GOLF ASSOCIATION

HYDERABAD

21

ITC CLASSIC GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

MANESAR

22

ROYAL JAIPUR GOLF CLUB

JAIPUR

23

KALHAAR BLUES & GREENS

AHMEDABAD

24

KARMA LAKELANDS

MANESAR

25

KARNATAKA GOLF ASSOCIATION

BENGALURU

26

KARNATAKA STATE CRICKET ASSOCIATION

BENGALURU

27

KASHMIR GOLF CLUB

SRINAGAR

28

KAZIRANGA GOLF CLUB

KAZIRANGA

29

KENSVILLE GOLF CLUB

AHMEDABAD

30

KHARGHAR VALLEY GOLF COURSE

NAVI MUMBAI

31

KODAIKANAL GOLF CLUB

KODAIKANAL

32

KRISHNAPATNAM PORT

NELLORE

33

THE LALIT GOLF & SPA RESORT

GOA

34

MEG KARNATAKA

BENGALURU

35

NOIDA GOLF CLUB

NOIDA

36

OOTY GOLF CLUB

OOTY

37

OXFORD GOLF RESORT

PUNE

38

PAHALGAM GOLF COURSE

PAHALGAM

39

POONA GOLF CLUB

PUNE

40

PRESTIGE AUGUSTA

BENGALURU

41

PRESTIGE GOLFSHIRE CLUB

BENGALURU

42

RAMBAGH GOLF CLUB

JAIPUR

43

RIVERSIDE GOLF COURSE

NASHIK

44

ROYAL CALCUTTA GOLF CLUB

KOLKATA

45

ROYAL SPRINGS GOLF CLUB

SRINAGAR

46

RSI GOLF COURSE

PUNE

47

SHIVALIK ENVIRONMENTAL PARK & TRAINING AREA

CHANDIMANDIR

48

SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA GOLF CLUB

BENGALURU

49

TAMIL NADU GOLF FEDERATION COSMO GOLF CLUB

CHENNAI

50

VOOTY GOLF COUNTY

HYDERABAD

51

ZION HILLS COUNTY

BENGALURU

26 golf digest india | may 2018

This year the expo was geared towards raising awareness around golf among developers, tourism authorities and club managers. Golf course design and renovation, technology to minimise wastage and further recycling of natural resources, golf course maintenance, promoting the sport locally to encourage participation, the relationship between golf and real estate and the impact of golf on tourism were some of the topics covered at the expo. The GIA also recognised the leading contributors to the sport with the GIA Awards.

Business of Golf

2018 GIA Industry Awards Riverside Golf Course, Nashik

2018

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOLF PROMOTION EAST ZONE

GI

GI

GI

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOLF PROMOTION EAST ZONE

DS

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

DS

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOLF PROMOTION WEST ZONE

DS

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

Eco Park Driving Range, Kolkata

2018

Kaziranga Golf Club, Jorhat

2018

L-R: Neil Law and Suman Neogi receive the prize from Vineet Mathur

Representatives of the Kaziranga Golf Club receive their prize from Ravi Garyali (2R)

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

Tarun Sardesai (TSGA), Bengaluru

2018

GI

GI

GI

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOLF PROMOTION NORTH ZONE

DS

DS

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR GOLF PROMOTION SOUTH ZONE

DLF Foundation, Gurgaon

2018

DS

Wg. Cdr. Pradeep Kantilal Bagmar (L) receives his prize from Devang Shah

BEST HERITAGE GOLF COURSESOUTH

Kodaikanal Golf Club, Kodaikanal

2018

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

GI

BEST HERITAGE GOLF COURSENORTH

Kashmir Golf Club, Srinagar

2018

Nuzhat Gul (L) receives the award from Phil Ryan of Pacific Coast Design

PROMOTION OF GOLF IN INDIA

CIDCO Kharghar Valley Golf Course, Navi Mumbai

2018

CIDCO representative receives the award from Vijit Nandrajog (R) of Golf Design India

GI

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

GI

DUSTRY AWAR A IN

BEST PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP GOLF COURSE

DS

Kodaikanal GC representatives receive their award from Deepali Shah Gandhi

DS

P.K. Joseph (L) of DLF receives the award from Rakesh Sharma of AG Horizon

DS

Tarun Sardesai (L) receives his prize from GIA Board member Mohan Subramanian

CIAL Golf Club, Cochin

2018

CIAL representatives receive their award from Col. Pravin Uberoi (Retd.) (2R)

OTHER AWARDS GIA LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO GOLF OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AS A PLAYER IN 2017 STATE TOURISM SUPPORT TO GOLF GOLF COURSE RESTORATION

K. Rajagopal (posthumous) Shubhankar Sharma Karnataka Golf Tourism J&K Bank, Srinagar, Kashmir may 2018 | golf digest india

27

Business Of Golf

Builders’ Cup Debuts In Bengaluru

L-R: Builders’ Cup Winning Team of Kush Jawhar (Featherlite), Vijit Nandrajog (Golf Design India), Harish K Reddy and Rampramukh Reddy (MD, Shriram Builders)

T

he inaugural Builders’ Cup invitational golf tournament, exclusively for real estate developers, architects and interior designers, teed off at Bangalore Golf Club on April 20. The event saw 90 golfers participate in a four man Texas Scramble format.

B e n g a l u r u’s r e a l e s t a t e promoters were joined by 50 other golfers from the fraternity, the likes of whom flew in from Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolhapur, Jaipur, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata and Mysuru.

Competition was intense, and play went right down to the wire. The quartet comprising Kush Jawahar, Vijit Nandrajog, Rampramukh Reddy and Harish K Reddy emerged victorious with a team score of 23-under par, while the team of Sunil Bhathija, D S Sumanth, Surajeet Thakur, and Kamlesh H Thakur finished runner-up with a team score of 22-under par.

There were exciting on-course contests too. Mukesh Panchal, who landed the ball within 1 foot of the line, won the Tata Hitachi Straightest Drive. Krishna Prasad drove a mighty 294 yards to clinch the Sanctum Longest Drive. M K Satyaprasad won the StonaSand Closest to Pin by landing the ball 9 inches from the cup.

In all, it was a fine opportunity for real estate developers to interact with peers – all of whom were also in attendance at India Golf Expo.

28 golf digest india | may 2018

Sunil Bhathija (Partner, Esteem Developers)

Surajeet Thakur (Partner, Ultimax)

Rajiv Arora (Director, StonaSand) hands over the StonaSand Closest to Pin award to M K Satyaprakash (Chairman, Protech Engineers Bangalore)

L-R: Asheesh Mohta (MD, Blackstone), Sreenivas Murthy (Hony.

Secretary, Bangalore Golf Club), H C Kishore Chandra (IPS, DGP & CMD, KSPH & Infrastructure Development Corporation) and BM Karunesh (Director, Adarsh Developers)

Sudhir Kumar (CEO, HRC Ventures Pvt. Ltd.)

Business Of Golf

L-R: Runner-up D S Sumanth, GIA President-elect Deepali Shah Gandhi, outgoing GIA President Devang Shah and runner-up Kamlesh Thakur

L-R: Gopal Das Bagri (Marketing Associate & Channel Partner, Bhartiya City Developers) and Hitesh Joshi (Managing Partner, Greater Bangalore Builders and Developers)

L-R: RNSM MD Rishi Narain, Mahender Karle (MD, Karle Developers), Indur Hirani, Sunil K Vasant (Chairman, Vasants Group), MK Satyaprasad (Chairman, Protech Engineers ) and Prateek Pant (Co-Founder, Sanctum Wealth Management)

L-R: Krishna Prasad (Director Prop. Pin High/Distributor, Bridgestone), Jawahar Gopal (Director, Featherlite Developers), Sandeep Singh (MD, Tata Hitachi) and Prabhakar Bothireddy (MD, Japcon)

L-R: Col. TP Sharma (Capt, MEGEPTA), Mukesh Panchal (MD, Kaveen Infra Solutions Pvt. Ltd.), Gurmej Singh (MD, Sadhbhavana Construction Company) and Rajeev Arora (Director, StonaSand)

K Prithvi Reddy (CEO, Vooty Golf County)

K Shashidhar Reddy (Director, Meena Reddy Construction)

Latha Shivanna (Executive Director, EXD Projects Pvt. Ltd.)

Sushant Khosla (Director, Krom Infradevelopments Pvt. Ltd.)

L-R: OP Modi (MD, Sagar View Hotels & Resort Pvt. Ltd.), Srikanth Rao, (Director, MyHomes), Pushpendra Singh (BSF, Dy Inspector General) and RK Sachdeva (Commandant in MEG & Centre)

may 2018 | golf digest india

29

Business of Golf

NIKE JOINS TEAM SHUBHANKAR

W

asserman, the Los Angeles-based sports marketing and talent management company, signed India’s No. 1-ranked golfer and Asian Tour top money winner Shubhankar Sharma and negotiated a long-term shoe and apparel deal for him with Nike.

Ian Keenan, Wasserman’s director of golf for Europe, the Middle East and Asia, is leading the team representing Sharma.

The 21-year-old was previously without representation.

Sharma, who competed at The Masters last month, became the fourth Indian to play in the prestigious tournament.

“As a first order of business, Sharma has penned a multi-year agreement with sportswear giant Nike as a global golf ambassador, which will see him wearing Nike apparel and footwear,” said Keenan, who is based in Wasserman’s London office.

As of now, Sharma does not have a club

deal. “He uses a mix of brands and is in no rush to change at this point,” Keenan said.

Prior to the Masters, Sharma was ranked 72nd in the world – a result of a string of successes on the European and PGA Tours.

He won two European Tour events, the Joburg Open in South Africa last December and the Maybank Championship in Malaysia in February. In March, Sharma tied for ninth after being in the lead at the WGC-Mexico, a PGA Tour event.

According to Keenan, Sharma — who leads the Asian Tour money list and is second in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai (behind The Masters winner Patrick Reed) — aspires to play on the PGA Tour.

Not only does Sharma have global appeal, Keenan said, he has the personality to be a great brand ambassador.

“Shubhankar is incredibly engaging and is good company to be around,” he said. “He is mature beyond his years.”

Golf Inside Flipkart’s swanky new office

Tech firms are known for their stylish offices with several amenities for the comfort of employees.

Joining the bandwagon now is India’s largest e-commerce company Flipkart, which recently moved into a large consolidated campus in Embassy Tech Village, Bengaluru.

The campus has all basic amenities including a gymnasium, day-care and food courts. It also has indoor recreation rooms with VR games and a golf simulator. Conceptualized, designed and created

by Bengaluru-based Tee Time Ventures — leaders in niche recreational and sports infrastructure solutions — this action-packed terrace features

32 golf digest india | may 2018

some innovative recreational solutions. The outdoor space on the terrace has a multi-game playing surface for futsal, basketball and cricket.

Human foosball, mini-golf, climbing wall and bocce ball are also available for recreation.

Spread across 8.3 lakh square feet, the new office premises comprise three buildings interconnected by bridges. There are 30 floors in total that can house 7,387 employees.

The launch event of the new campus was attended by all Flipkart employees along with the leadership team, including Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal.

SPORTS MINISTRY DERECOGNISES INDIAN GOLF UNION The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports decided against renewing its recognition to the Indian Golf Union (IGU) with effect from April 1, 2018. The decision, which followed the IGU’s failure to implement the National Sports Code and conduct elections, comes with the Asian Games less than four months away.

T h e m i n i s t r y h a d re n e w e d recognition to several NSFs (national sports federations) for the year in January but in the case of IGU, as reported by Hindustan Times, the recognition was till March 31, 2018, “which would be reviewed depending on the action taken by [IGU] to comply with various provisions of the National Sports Development Code of India 2011”. As a result, the IGU is ineligible for receiving funding and cannot send teams for international tournaments either. Furthermore, given the current time frame, it seems extremely unlikely that fresh elections will take place and that the body will become Sports Code compliant. It therefore seems inevitable that Indian golfers aiming to compete at the Asiad in Jakarta will have to do so under a banner other than the IGU’s.

Besides the ministry, the Indian Olympic Association had — back in September — also urged the IGU to fall in line with the policies.

Golf Digest India’s request for a comment went unanswered by IGU.

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Newsmakers

PLAYERS IN THE NEWS

Consistent Aaron begins season on decent note

I

ndian-origin Englishman Aaron Rai’s rise has been steady as a pro golfer, to say the least. From qualifying for the European Challenge Tour to pocketing 3 titles in their 2017 season to earning an automatic entry on the European Tour, Rai has done the unthinkable in a very short span.

Born to English father Amrik Singh and Kenyan mother Dalvir Shukla, he finished fourth on the 2017 Road to Oman Rankings.

In the 33 events he played on Challenge Tour since May 2016, he missed only three cuts. He finished in the top-10 on 11 occasions, including three victories, and made almost €230,000 in a season-and-a-half on the Road to Oman – impressive numbers whichever way you look at them.

Now, in his rookie season on the European Tour, Rai has already posted two top-20 finishes, including tied 12th at Euro 1.5 million Open de Espana and a tied ninth finish at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open two months back in Delhi NCR.

LAHIRI FINISHES TIED-58 AT TEXAS OPEN Anirban Lahiri fired four birdies in last five holes to manage an even par 72 which helped him finish tied-58th at Valero Texas Open.

Lahiri had 2 bogeys and 2 birdies on back nine where he began the final round play. He was even with two birdies and two bogeys. On the front stretch, Lahiri double bogeyed first and bogeyed the 3rd and the 4th at which stage he was 4-over for the day. He birdied from the 5th to 8th to get back to even for the day.

Andrew Landry won the event for his first PGA Tour victory. The 30-year-old Texan parred the final seven holes for a 4-under 68 and a two-stroke victory over Trey Mullinax and Sean O’Hair.

MEMORABLE OUTING FOR SENIORS IN DOHA

RECENT PERFORMANCES Tournament

Finish

Prize Money (€)

Open de Espana

T-12

€ 21,788

Hero Indian Open

T-9

€ 28,637

Qatar Masters

T-19

€ 15,644

World Super 6 Perth

T-26

€ 10,262

Andalucia Valderrama Masters

T-8

€ 42,900

Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

T-25

€ 36,142

Made In Denmark

T10

€ 32,265

34 golf digest india | may 2018

L-R: Pawan Singh, Manav Prakash, Gangesh Khaitan, cricket legend Kapil Dev, Rishi Narain, Deepak Gupta and Fazal Qazi at the Qatar Seniors in Doha

Newsmakers Professional Golf Tour of India

TOP-10 ON THE PGTI ORDER OF MERIT AFTER DELHI-NCR OPEN POS

Golfer

Play

Win

Cut

Top-10

Total Prize (`)

1.

HONEY BAISOYA

7

2

6

5

17,02,535

2.

N THANGARAJA

7

1

6

4

12,04,310

3.

UDAYAN MANE

4

1

4

2

9,55,510

4.

SHAMIM KHAN

8

0

7

5

9,22,383

5.

VEER AHLAWAT

8

0

7

5

8,43,745

6.

SYED SAQIB AHMED

8

1

4

1

6,82,560

7.

SHANKAR DAS

8

0

6

3

6,67,275

8.

OM PRAKASH CHOUHAN

6

0

4

3

6,39,113

9.

M DHARMA

7

0

6

4

6,37,160

10.

MITHUN PERERA

6

1

3

1

5,98,063

Baisoya posts consecutive wins in two weeks

THANGARAJA CRUISES TO THUMPING SIX-SHOT WIN

Sri Lankan N Thangaraja scripted an emphatic six-shot win in the BDT 50 lakh City Bank American Express Chittagong Open. Thangaraja, the overnight leader by two shots, bagged his third PGTI title as he ended the week with a record total of 22-under 266, including a 6-under 66 in Round 4, at the magnificent Bhatiary Golf & Country Club (BGCC) in Dhaka.

India’s Veer Ahlawat carded a 3-under 69 on the final day to finish runner-up at 16-under 272.

Among the Bangladeshi golfers, Md Sajib Ali had the best finish as he clinched fifth place with a total of 11-under 277.

N Thangaraja (65-67-68-66), who was in contention in the last two PGTI events before slipping on the final day on both occasions, managed to set the record straight this time around.

“I’m just delighted that I kept my focus and got the job done unlike the previous two events where I missed out on converting my opportunities in the final stages. It’s great to win a title after such a long gap and that too with my best ever four-round total of 22-under.

This really lifts my confidence for the rest of the season. I’m glad that I’ve come back well after recovering from my knee injury,” the 36-year-old said later.

Delhi’s Honey Baisoya continued his domination of the 2018 PGTI season with a second win in two weeks on the tour. The 21-year-old Baisoya followed up his win in Pune last month with a thumping four-shot victory in the inaugural Paramount GolfForeste Delhi-NCR Open Golf Championship at the Noida Golf Course.

Honey came up with a determined two-under 70 in the final round to total 11-under 277 for the week. Baisoya’s sixth professional title helped him extend his lead in the PGTI Order of Merit.

With season’s earnings of Rs. 17,02,535, Baisoya is now almost Rs. 5 lakh ahead of second-placed N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka in the money list.

Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow and Delhi’s Shamim Khan, the overnight leader, struggled in round four with scores of 74 and 75 respectively to finish joint runners-up at 7-under 281.

Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta

finished fourth at 6-under 282.

Pradeep Kumar had the best finish among the professionals from Noida. He took a share of 15th place at 1-under 287. Noida’s Simarjeet Singh, the only amateur to make the cut, ended the week in tied 19th at even-par 288.

“My final round began to take flight with the excellent par-save on the par-4 seventh where I landed it within a few inches of the flag after finding the hazard with my first shot. I feel the turning point then came with the birdie on the 13th. The long birdie conversion there helped me make a quick recovery from my double-bogey on the previous hole.

“I really enjoy playing here at the Noida Golf Course. Its tree-lined fairways ensure that a lot of players end up making mistakes. That makes for an exciting contest and keeps everyone in the game. I made a few mistakes today but still managed to win. It was the same story when I won here the last time.”

“I FEEL THE TURNING POINT THEN CAME WITH THE BIRDIE ON THE 13TH. THE LONG BIRDIE CONVERSION THERE HELPED ME MAKE A QUICK RECOVERY...”

— HONEY BAISOYA

may 2018 | golf digest india

35

Newsmakers Women’s Golf Aditi Ashok

ADITI FINISHES T-19 IN LOS ANGELES Aditi Ashok struggled in the final round as she hit five bogeys against

three birdies in her 2-over 73 to finish tied-19th at the LA Open at Wilshire Country Club. 20-year-old Aditi had three bogeys in the first eight holes and then had birdies on the 8th, 13th and 14th, but he also bogeyed 12th and 17th and ended at a 73 to slip from overnight tied-9th.

Six years after joining the LPGA Tour and being named Rolex Rookie of the Year, Moriya Jutanugarn captured her first win Sunday as the 23-yearold posted a final round 3-under par 68 to win at 12-under par, 2-strokes ahead of rookie Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park.

Gwladys Announces Pregnancy And Retirement Gwladys Nocera

MOROCCO EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS Moulay Rachid, The 45th Hassan II Golf Trophy and 24th Lalla Meryem Cup were once again hailed as a great success after two new champions were crowned at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the Moroccan capital of Rabat last month.

Sweden’s Jenny Haglund won on 285 (-3) on the Blue Course, while Frenchman Alex Levy boosted his Ryder Cup hopes with a winning score of 280 (-8). Among Indians, Vani Kapoor finished 66th with an unimpressive 21-over 309. Countrymates Sharmila Nicollet and Amandeep Drall missed the cut.

Speaking at the prize giving ceremony, LET chairman Mark Lichtenhein said: “On behalf of the Ladies European Tour, it is a huge pleasure to be here to celebrate a truly exceptional week of golf… We are indebted to His Royal Highness, Prince

for his vision in bringing the Lalla Meryem Cup and the Hassan II Trophy, along with the two Tours, together in this unique celebration of men and women’s golf. In the past eight years, this vision has led to numerous initiatives to bring our respective members together under one roof and this year we have three other events this year on the LET schedule where our ladies will play alongside their male counterparts.”

European Tour CEO Keith Pelley said: “This event is truly a testament to the legacy of His Majesty the late King Hassan II… I have fallen in love with Morocco and my family loves coming here, I brought them out to Marrakech.

It’s a special place and it’s quickly becoming a world golf destination.”

AMONG INDIANS, VANI KAPOOR FINISHED 66TH WITH AN UNIMPRESSIVE 21-OVER 309.

COUNTRYMATES SHARMILA NICOLLET AND AMANDEEP DRALL MISSED THE CUT

France’s Alexander Levy with Jenny Haglund of Sweden

Gwladys Nocera, a titan of the Ladies European Tour for the last 15 years, chose to announce her retirement from tournament golf ahead of the Lalla Meryem Cup. Nocera, a 14-time champion on the LET, who made four Solheim Cup appearances between 2005 and 2015, has a strong affection for Morocco, where she won the Lalla Meryem Cup in 2007 and 2015.

The 43-year-old from Moulins in France also announced that she is four months pregnant and expecting her first child on September 20, 2018. Wiping tears from her eyes, she told a packed media room at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam: “I have decided to end my career this week. It’s been 15 years on the LET and 15 years that I gave everything I had. I worked really hard and gave all my passion for the game to achieve what I did. My goal when I started to play golf was just to grow as a better person and I hope I achieved it…

“I had coaches around me who helped me to learn a lot and I want to thank Olivier Leglise, Benoit Coulombier, Ian Triggs and my dad, who helped me as my first coach.”

36 golf digest india | may 2018

Gursimar Badwal

Junior Golf

Mistry simply majestic in Nomads SA Rose Bowl

I

ndian-origin amateur Kajal Mistry wrote the next chapter of her blossoming career when she won the Nomads SA Girls Rose Bowl Championship in wire-to-wire style last month.

In a show of sublime mental fortitude and composure, the 17-year-old Randpark junior was in a class of her own over 54 holes at Royal Cape Golf Club as she produced three well-constructed rounds to celebrate an uncontested eight-shot victory on 10-under 212.

“I’m really pleased with my performance this week,” said the Gauteng golfer, who was suffering from chest cold during the week. It’s my matric year, so I’m playing a limited schedule this season and I have to make every start count to maintain my senior and junior rankings. I put myself in a good position on day one and I had a target of 12 under in mind for the tournament.

“I felt a four-under 70 in the final round was doable, because there was barely any wind. Unfortunately I dropped a couple of shots, but I managed to birdie four of the par fives and made a few more birdies to finish in double figures. That’s really satisfying.”

Kajal Mistry

GIRLS SHINE IN SEHER DAZZLES IN INDIAN US COLLEGE GOLF SINGAPORE MEET Delhi girl Seher Atwal continued her rich vein of form in US college golf, carried from her junior days in India. Playing for Rollins College in Florida (USA), Seher won the Buccaneer Spring Classic at Memphis, Tennessee, on March 13. India’s No. 1 junior from 2008 to 2013, Seher maintained her golden run to claim the Harvard Invitational with scores of 74, 74 and 70.

Seher Atwal

Sifat Alag

SIFAT SECURES TITLE DESPITE SLIP

Sifat Alag claimed the IGU Southern India Ladies title despite shooting a final-round 76 at Clover Greens in Bengaluru last month.

Alag, who signed for a three-day total of 212, finished two shots ahead of Gurjot Badwal and Kushi Hooda in the overall standings.

The scores (top five overall): 212: Sifat Alag (69, 67, 76); 214: Gurjot Badwal (71, 72, 71), Kushi Hooda (68, 74, 72); 216: Diksha Dagar (73, 68, 75); 218: Rakshita Singh (73, 75, 70).

38 golf digest india | may 2018

The Indian women’s amateur golf team, comprising Mysuru golfer Pranavi Urs and Delhi duo Diksha Dagar and Anika Varma, won the overall title in the Open Team Event in Singapore Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship held at Raffles Country Club, Singapore, from March 20 to 23. Teenage sensation Diksha won the overall title with scores of 69-75-71.

Diksha Dagar

Junior Golf

SINGH, SARAVANAN QUALIFY FOR US MEET Bishmadpal Singh and Rhea P. Saravanan qualified for the p r e s t i g i o u s To u r n a m e n t o f Champions (TOC) to be held at Grand Cypress Orlando, Florida, this month after winning the IJGA-Albatross National Qualifier at Chandigarh Golf Club on March 29-30.

The IJGA (International Junior Golf Academy at Hilton Head, South Carolina) qualifiers are organised every year in association with the Albatross Junior Tour with the aim of lending international exposure to top juniors from India. The competition is held in 36-hole stroke play format with 2 boys and 2 girls gaining an all-expenses paid trip to USA for participating in the Tournament of Champions. IJGA is the only Golf Academy in the world to be running a golf academy (IJGA), an academic school (Heritage Academy) and a golf tour (IJGT).

WINNERS Cat. A Boys - Bishmadpal Singh Cat. A Girls - Rhea Purvi Saravanan Cat. B Boys - Vasu Sehgal Cat. B Girls - Hunar Mittal

Promising Junior

Akshay Bhatia

AKSHAY BHATIA WINS JUNIOR INVITATIONAL

Amateur of Indian origin, Akshay Bhatia, gladly added the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville to a résumé that already includes the Junior PGA Championship and first-team AJGA Rolex All-American honours. The 16-year-old lefthander from Wake Forest, N.C., hung on to win by one stroke over Frankie Capan in what has become one of the premier boys’ tournaments in the country. This despite a final-round 76 that included bogeys on his final three holes.

“I told myself all day that I’m still in control of this golf tournament no matter how many bogeys I made,” said Bhatia, who started the round four strokes ahead of his nearest competitor. “That’s how you have to think about this. Any time you’re leading like this on this big a stage, it’s hard to keep it going. I’m definitely proud of myself.”

During the opening round, Bhatia did what he often does in junior and amateur tournaments and pulled out his rangefinder to lock in a yardage for his approach (turned out he was 40 yards away). However, this tournament stipulated that distance

measuring devices were not permitted.

Bhatia realised his rangefinder mishap quickly but was assessed a penalty for his mental lapse. Last August, Bhatia impressed when he broke the PGA of America scoring record with his 22-under total to claim the Junior PGA title.

“I told myself I’m still in control of this tournament no matter how many bogeys I made. That’s how you have to think about this...

I’m proud of myself.” may 2018 | golf digest india

39

Across The Country

CLUB ROUND-UP

To share news on your club or updates from across the country, please email karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

Manesar

Spreading The Rub Of The Green

To promote the game of Golf and to encourage aspiring golfers from India, Classic Golf & Country Club, in conjunction with Indian Golf Union, introduced a new tournament in April called Classic Golf Junior-Amateur Championship 2018.

The 5-day competition witnessed participation from the top upcoming talent in the country with over 75 participants vying for the title. The response was overwhelming with multiple under par scores. The Club intends to make this a yearly affair that aspiring golfers and golf enthusiasts can look forward to.

Gurgaon

Ahmedabad

Junior Tour Hosts Inaugural Caddy Tournament

Kalhaar to host first South Asian Golf for Amateurs

Little Master Junior Golf Tour held its 1st Caddy Tournament on March 26, 2018 at Golden Greens Golf Club. Invitations were sent to golf clubs in Delhi and the National Capital Region and as many as 12 clubs participated. Juniors of the tour were at the forefront in helping conduct the tournament, which attracted 38 entrants. All players did their best to overcome the challenging course conditions and produced good scores.

Nett (Main tournament) 1st: Irfan Khan, Golden Greens Golf Club 2nd: Vinod, DLF Golf & Country Club 3rd: Shahid, Golden Greens Golf Club Inter Club Team Event 1st: Golden Greens Golf Club 2nd: Delhi Golf Club Irfan Khan (extreme left) collects the winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trophy while Vinod receives his prize for 3rd: Qutab Golf Course finishing second

40 golf digest india | may 2018

2017 World Golf Awards winner Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club, in association with Incredible India and Gujarat Tourism, will stage the 1st South Asian Golf for Amateurs from November 12 to 17. Interested individuals can register for the tournament in advance at an inaugural offer of US$ 800, which includes 3 rounds of golf (2 practice rounds and 1 tournament) at the Ahmedabad course, 5-night stay at Hotel Crowne Plaza, hotel-to-course and airport transfers, welcome gala dinner besides numerous prizes.

Across The Country

Noida

KEY RESULTS FROM 2017

Rishi Narain (L) with Gangesh Khaitan

Jaypee To Host All India Seniors and Mid-Amateurs 2018

Mid-Amateurs (Age 30-49) 293 - Gagan Verma (77-73-73-70) 297 - Simarjeet Singh (75-75-74-73) 305 - HS Kang (72-79-76-78) 307 - Sanjay Lakra (78-79-74-76)

The All India Seniors and Mid-Amateur Golf Tournament is scheduled to be held at Jaypee Greens Golf Course, Greater Noida, from July 10 to 13, 2018.

The aim, as suggested by Indian Golf Union (IGU), is to field the best players to represent the country at international seniors’ events, beginning with the best players participating in the All India Seniors.

Besides selecting a team of seniors (55 years and over) to represent India at the APGC Seniors Championship in Japan (dates to be confirmed), a 4-member team from Mid-Amateurs (30 years and above) and from Seniors (50 years and above) to represent the country against South Africa in Bengaluru (later this year) will also be identified during this event.

Some prominent players who will be teeing off at Jaypee Greens include Arun Murugappan (MD, Murugappa Group), Devang Shah (MD, Navratna Group), Kapil Dev (1983 Cricket World Cup winning captain), Manish Jaitha (Director, R-pac) and Rishi Narain (Asian Games gold medallist) among others.

Seniors (50 & above) 232 - Gangesh Khaitan (76-75-81) 234 - David D’Souza (77-77-80) 240 - Rishi Narain (80-83-77) 242 - Anil Jule (81-79-82) 55 Years & above 232 - Gangesh Khaitan 240 - Rishi Narain 55-59 Years 240 - Rishi Narain 249 - Capt. KS Cheema 60-64 years 232 - Gangesh Khaitan 242 - Anil Jule 65 years & above 262 - Lakshman Singh (88-84-90) 269 - Dr. VT Date (91-84-94)

THE AIM, AS SUGGESTED BY INDIAN GOLF UNION (IGU), IS TO FIELD THE BEST PLAYERS TO REPRESENT THE COUNTRY AT INTERNATIONAL SENIORS’ EVENTS Bengaluru

Pranavi, Yashas Reign At Eagleton

Pranavi Urs completed a treble at the IGU Rotary Karnataka Amateur Golf Championship on April 13. Held at Eagleton Golf Resort, the 14-year-old won the Ladies, Category A (15-17 years) and Category B (13-14 years) titles firing an impressive 216 (75-73-68).

Winning the Men’s Amateur was fellow Mysurean, Yashas Chandra. The 23-year-old carded a tournament tally of 13-under-275 (68-69-69-69) to secure his first title of the season and his best-ever score in India.

The event marked the first time that the Indian Golf Union (IGU) had conducted the Men’s and Ladies rounds simultaneously, thereby not only saving expenses but also increasing participation.

Noida

Noida Stadium Range Sees Improved Practice Facility Aided by reputed coach Amandeep Johl, Noida Stadium Range is set to offer an improved practice experience for all and sundry. Johl and his team have taken over the stadium range and have equipped the space with new golf balls and mats. The facility also offers players to hit off natural turf, which is unique to the club.

Gurgaon

Karma Lakelands installs sewage treatment plant

A sewage treatment plant (STP) helps preserve natural environment against pollution and installation of STPs reduces risk to public health and the environment.

Karma Lakeland’s STP will reportedly clean up half a million litres of sewage per day that will be piped from the massive National Security Guards (NSG) Campus next door, Karma Lakelands residences, Klub Karma and the areas surrounding Karma Lakelands. It is in advanced stages and expected to be commissioned later this month. Treated water will be used for horticulture and irrigation of the entire campus, along with their 9-hole golf course, and for ground water recharge. In so doing, not only is water saved, but it also helps protect the surroundings because otherwise, and usually, tankers which collect sewage from neighboring areas discard the waste next to the highway. may 2018 | golf digest india

41

Grow The Game

IJGA-Albatross Junior National Camp

BY JON AT H

‘I SEE A MAJOR WINNER FROM INDIA IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS’ WOOD YAR AN

Jonathan Yarwood is Director of Instructions at International Junior Golf Academy

T

his is my first visit to India and I enjoyed the exposure to the culture.

It’s a very interesting place I think. It’s slightly developed as per golf perspective in the last 5 years as there are encouraging signs. I liked the fact that a lot of kids have taken up the game and interestingly lot of girls are involved as well. Even the social system seems to have changed as it once used to be the pursuit of the wealthy but now it is kind of filtering down and is getting more open to the masses, which is good to see. What I have done is that I brought in a modern twist to the game and threw out some old-fashioned methods.

Traditionally, instruction is based on opinion but my methods are based on facts. Some of the methods propagated earlier like swing low and slow are factually incorrect. You do not swing slowly as you want to create a ballistic in order to hit the ball longer. At IJGA we study the science side of it, use devices like Trackman and sports-based studio for measuring swing, posture, movement, pressure and energy in the ground, 3D biomechanics, body track in order to get to the facts behind our training methods. So, I try to pass on the modern/scientific ways to children to help them improve in their game. At the end, golf is a problem-solving game in an ever-changing environment. Your practice needs to reflect that.

If you are practicing just the traditional way, which is just dragging balls across to 150200 yards that’s not practicing in a challenging environment,

that’s just block practice.

We bring new ways – we do challenge point practice, interleave practice, spacing practice, random practice, to build a bridge between technical improvement and make that transition to the conditions on a golf course. How many people do you meet who are great range players but are never seen on the course? You need to be focused on skills and if you do that, the outcome takes care of itself.

It’s about taking different modes to practicing at different times. We, at IJGA, have got a brilliant training program in America, a summer camp and a full-time camp. Kids all over the world are welcome.

Elsewhere, people take 4 years to progress to the next level, while they progress to that level in an year at IJGA. They are treated like Tour players. We value three major things at the academy – first is golf, second one is academics and the third is character. I enjoy educating the people I am working with.

The Indian people are lovely,

WHAT I TELL THESE KIDS IS BASED ON SCIENCE AND FACTS. ONE CAN’T ARGUE WITH FACTS... AT THE END, GOLF IS A PROBLEM-SOLVING GAME IN AN EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

42 golf digest india | may 2018

laidback but also driven.

Parental expectations put immense pressure on the kid that’s why we bring them to some of our sessions. We need to educate parents as well. If you are focused on outcome, you would put pressure on the kid. If you are focused on skill acquisition and mastery, you will hold hands throughout the journey to success. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

In the modern era, practicing for 9 hours in blazing heat is not going to fetch results. It’s about practicing in concentrated cells. Practice for an hour then finish a job at home and return for another hour. This helps as the concentration level changes if you are continuously practicing. So, the answer lies in intelligent practice.

To help Indian kids, we have already got a satellite academy here. India has got a lot of talent. A lot of them are held back due to lack of proper knowledge. I see a Major winner from India in the next 10 years, there’s no doubt about that.

The more top quality coaching and instruction is available to Indians, they are bound to improve exponentially. Part of my mission is to promote better quality coaching in emerging nations as that will help nurture talent. Our motto is to achieve success by design not luck.

(As told to Rohit Bhardwaj, Managing Editor, Golf Digest India)

NATIONAL CAMP FOR JUNIORS World-renowned coach Jonathan Yarwood conducted the IJGAAlbatross Junior Coaching Camp in India from March 31 to April 5 in association with Albatross Junior Tour and International Junior Golf Academy (IJGA), Hilton Head, South Carolina (USA).

The coaching camps were held at Chandigarh Golf Academy, Hamoni Driving Range (Gurgaon) and Siri Fort Driving Range.

Yarwood, who has coached Major winner Michael Campbell of New Zealand, imparted IJGA’s training methods to talented juniors. The coaching program has been a regular feature in India since 2012, being facilitated by Albatross Junior Tour. IJGA is the only academy in the world that combines training, academics and competition. About 50 Albatross juniors have done, or are doing, fulltime golf programmes at IJGA with 60 amateurs part of their Summer Camp since 2012.

To share news about initiatives to promote golf across the country, please email karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

Corporate Digest

MercedesTrophy National Final

MercedesTrophy Ends On A Dazzling Note

BY DANNON MARTIS

C

handigarh’s Bhavkaran Singh (Cat. A), Gurgaon’s Aman Sawhney (Cat. B) and Mumbai-based Rajesh Natarajan (Cat. C) emerged victorious at the MercedesTrophy National Final in Pune on April 6, 2018. The trio scorched the Oxford Golf Resort greens to qualify for the World Final. The MercedesTrophy, which had commenced in Pune on January 4, travelled across 12 cities before returning to Pune for the National Final.

The final witnessed 46 golfers battling for a spot in the World Final to be held in Stuttgart, Germany. The finalists participated in three categories, Cat. A (Handicap 1-9), Cat. B (10-17) and Cat. C (18-24). The scoring pattern for the National Final was modified stableford against 3/4th handicap. Cat. A winner Bhavkaran Singh scored 41 points, Cat. B winner Aman Sawhney scored 35 and Cat. C winner Rajesh Natarajan scored 44. Aman Taragi from Mumbai, Dinesh Gogna from Chandigarh and Hyderabad’s Akram Mehdi finished runners-up in Category A, B and C respectively.

Prior to the National Final, Mercedes-Benz India organised a welcome dinner and a factory visit, for the participants to experience the production and assembly of Mercedes-Benz cars, along with an S-Class offroad drive experience. These initiatives helped the finalists interact with each other and have a good time before the Final. Also, to become familiar with the course conditions, a practice round was held a day prior to the National Final for the participants to spend some time on the greens, study the course and plan their strategy.

The Straightest Drive Grand Lucky Draw was won by Rohit Mittal of Chandigarh. As part of the reward, Mittal will travel to the British Open Championship in July and get a chance to play the Royal Birkdale course the day following the oldest Major, as a guest of Mercedes-Benz India.

The noble initiative taken

L-R: MercedesTrophy National Final winners — Mumbai’s Rajesh Natarajan (L), Bhavkaran Singh (C) of Chandigarh and Aman Sawhney of Delhi pose with their trophies at the Oxford Golf Resort in Pune

Sachin Gangal, National Finalist from Pune

Kapil Dev tees off at Oxford Golf Resort

Bhavkaran Singh, Aman Sawhney and Rajesh Natarajan emerged victorious at the MercedesTrophy National Final

L-R: Rishab Mann, Cat. A winner Bhavkaran Singh, Sankeerth Nidadavolu and Amit Luthra

44 golf digest india | may 2018

Sunil Sharma hits his shot out of a bunker

MercedesTrophy National Final

Corporate Digest

Participants and their spouses had a great time at Oxford Golf Resort

Strategy in the making

Practice makes perfect

Sankeerth Nidadavolu, National Finalist from Hyderabad An aerial view of Oxford Golf Resort

may 2018 | golf digest india

45

Corporate Digest

MercedesTrophy National Final

Manav Sardana in action at Oxford Golf Resort

Great spirit of sportsmanship potrayed by Rishab Mann (L) and Bhavkaran Singh

L-R: Cricket legend Kapil Dev, Akshay Bajoria, David Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Souza and Mahipat Shekhawat

46 golf digest india | may 2018

Particpants were treated to an off-road experience, courtesy Mercedes-Benz Inida

Mahipat Shekhawat, National Finalist from Jaipur

L-R: Amit Thete, Vikas Kumaria and Alex Thomas

MercedesTrophy National Final

Corporate Digest

Roland Folger (MD, Mercedes-Benz India) addresses the National Finalists at the Center Of Excellence

Roland Folger (MD, Mercedes-Benz India) presents a cheque to Kapil Dev (L) on behalf of Laureus Foundation and Havovi Wadia (C) of Magic Bus

Brij Mohan was felicitated by Mercedes-Benz India for his generous contribution to the Laureus Foundation

Roland Folger (MD, Mercedes-Benz India) and Michael Jopp (VP - Sales and Marketing, Mecedes-Benz India) have a chat

by Mercedes-Benz India and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to raise funds for educating and empowering the lives of underprivileged kids saw total proceeds of INR 60 lakh.

While INR 30 lakh was donated by MercedesTrophy participants, the remaining amount was matched by Mercedes-Benz India.

More than 3,000 golfers participated in the MercedesTrophy this year over a span of 91 days.

The initiative taken by Mercedes-Benz India and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation to raise funds for educating and empowering the lives of underprivileged kids saw total proceeds of INR 60 lakh

All smiles at the Mercedes-Benz India Center Of Excellence

Aman Sawhney (L), Amit Luthra (C) and Manav Sardana pose for a picture upon their arrival for the MercedesTrophy National Final

may 2018 | golf digest india

47

Corporate Digest

GDI-Turkish Airlines International

Golfers Savour Turkish Delight

T

urkey, in recent years, has become a prime destination for golfers – professionals and enthusiasts alike.

For starters, it offers travellers great weather, historical high, delectable cuisines and extraordinary courses to play on.

Not only does Turkey have a plethora of golf courses to attract both players and tourists, it has also been the backdrop of some premier tournaments such as the US$ 7 million Turkish Airlines Open, a European Tour Rolex Series event, held at the highly acclaimed Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort.

Continuing with the tradition of offering

48 golf digest india | may 2018

a world-class golfing experience, RN Sports Marketing hosted Golf Digest India - Turkish Airlines International 2018 in Antalya last month.

Close to 30 golfers from cities such as Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad participated in the golf retreat in Belek. The participants enjoyed three rounds of golf across scenic courses such as PGA Sultan, Montgomerie Maxx Royal and Carya Golf Club.

Pleasant weather welcomed the players into the venues while they enjoyed the hospitality, beaches, food and drinks.

“A big thank you for all your efforts!

Every thing was perfect... From the hotel to the choice of golf courses.

One also made many new friends.

The team was very helpful and full of energy. Look forward to another fun-filled golf outing soon!”

— Vikram Bakshi, Director, Connaught Plaza Restaurants

GDI-Turkish Airlines International

Corporate Digest

L-R: BS Shantharaju, Suresh Shetty, Asokan S and Sunil Goyal

Kishore Talukdar (L) and Raghuvinder Singh

L-R: Kesar Singh, Raghuvinder Singh, Mukesh Sharma and Prabhkaran Lalli

Dhruv Pal Singh of Jaypee Greens emerged as the overall winner with a combined score of 221.6 while Subhash Rajak with overall nett of 225.6 bagged the runners-up prize. Individual day winners were Ravikanth Konteti (Day 1; Nett Score – 71.4), Sanjay Kumar (Day 2; Nett Score – 72.8) and Joydeep Nayar (Day 3; Nett Score – 73.6).

Participants were also treated to some exciting contests and lucky draws.

Joydeep Nair of Noida said, “I have played tournaments all over the world but this was the best experience; the quality of hotel, courses, weather and hospitality was better than anyone could have hoped for. “ Added Nagesh from Mumbai “This was an unbelievable experience for our gang of golf buddies. Everything was world class in every aspect. I’m looking forward to the next Golf Digest International event” L-R: Ashwani Khurana, Rishi Narain, Sanjay Kumar and Vikram Bakshi may 2018 | golf digest india

49

Corporate Digest

GDI-Turkish Airlines International

Prithviraj Batra

L-R: Kishore Talukdar, Raghuvinder Singh and Kesar Singh

Dolly Manghat

“Very well organised tournament, great courses and a fantastic experience overall.”

— Ravikanth Konteti, Managing Director, JP Morgan

“It was a pleasure to spend one week in Antalya. Very nicely organized trip, especially the hotel and golf courses. Looking forward to next year!”

— Vipin Jain, MD, Jain International Designs Pvt. Ltd. Joydeep Nayar

50 golf digest india | may 2018

Mukesh Sharma (L) and Prabhkaran Lalli

GDI-Turkish Airlines International

Ashwani Khurana (L) and Diki

Corporate Digest

“My non-golfing partner Diki & I attended Golf Digest India-Turkish Airlines International 2018 at Maxx Royal Hotel in Antalya. It was one of the best managed events that we have ever attended. The hospitality of the team at RN Golf and the choice of hotel and golf courses were awesome and value for money. Cheers people, we are coming again.”

— Ashwani Khurana, President, Karma Lakelands

Vinod Vohra practices his putting game

Nagesh V

Overall Runner-up: Subhash Rajak

L-R: Nagesh V, Subhash Rajak, Vinod Vohra and Ravikanth Konteti

Overall Winner: Dhruv Pal Singh

“I’m happy I decided to participate in the Golf Digest - Turkish Airlines International 2018 Golf Tournament.

It was a unique experience to play three different courses with different character in a span of four days. The administrative arrangements were excellent and I could not have asked for more. RN Golf surprised us with expensive gifts for prize winners. Overall, for me, this tournament will stay among top rung golf outings!”

— Asokan Sattanathan, Director, Beta Solutions Pvt. Ltd. may 2018 | golf digest india

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Hi-Life Lifestyle

To share news on your products or updates on new launches, please email karthik@rnsportsmarketing.com

GADGET

SAMSUNG STEPS UP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

Samsung India launched a new interactive digital display, Flip, on March 20. The innovative signage facilitates collaborative digital engagement by alleviating the most prominent challenges businesses face when conducting meetings.

The Flip display is completely customisable and can configure to portrait or landscape orientations to suit unique meeting needs. Since its portable, the Flip can maximise writing space as per users preferred positions. If a meeting requires more centralised, roundtable-style discussion, users can connect the Flip display to a compatible wall mount.

While maintaining the familiar feel of traditional writing, Samsung Flip reimagines the way collaborative activities can be done.

Additionally, the Flip’s portable, wheel-based stand transforms any location into a huddle room, meaning added flexibility to businesses with limited conference space.

This continuous, rolling stream avoids the lost time and interruptions that often result as participants have to search through multiple sheets of paper or lines of notes to locate a specific detail. Samsung Flip is not just perfect for office goers, entrepreneurs and business professionals but can also aptly find ample use cases in the academic sector.

52 golf digest india | may 2018

“We are excited to launch the Samsung Flip in India, and we look forward to building upon this technology to help businesses work better, smarter and quicker.

Flip’s intuitive interface is specifically designed to be user-friendly and allow for timely, uninterrupted conversation. Convenience is our overarching promise.”

Mr. Puneet Sethi, Vice President Consumer Electronics Enterprise Business, Samsung India

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Diagonal Size - 139.7 cm (55”) Panel Type - edge LED Resolution - 3,840 x 2,160 (4K UHD) Contrast Ratio - 4,700:1 (without glass) Connectivity HDMI In - 1 USB - 2 (Side, Sensor Assembly) RS232 In, RJ45 In - Yes WiFi - Yes Price - INR 3 lakh onwards

Lifestyle

Lexicon Professional Bellevue Price: Rs 21,980

Lexicon Professiona Lexington Price: Rs 24,260

TRAVEL GEAR

COMBINING CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY

Protection is key for the new Lexicon Professional Collection. It shields belongings from rough handling as well as the elements both inside and out and thus provides peace of mind to the user. Devices are equipped with water-resistant zippers and accessory compartments with lockable sliders offer extra security. On the inside are padded pockets and an innovative Swissengineered laptop protection system made of Lanidur, an ultra-strong fibre, to absorb impact. Detailed with genuine Napa leather corner patches and luggage handles, these stylish elements work in unison with the highly durable Isynetic ballistic nylon thereby corroborating the claim that the new series is well-designed to meet the needs of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professionals.

Lexicon Dual-Caster Boarding Tote Price: Rs 27,820

Lexicon Professiona Reforma Price: Rs 8,030

Lexicon Dual-Caster Large Price: Rs 44,190

FASHION

EMBODYING ELEGANCE

Lacoste unveiled a brand-new polo shirt which borrows the style codes of traditional shirts. A stylish collision between fashion and sport, The Paris Polo is emblematic of a new contemporary chic.

Designed as an alternative to the everyday shirt, The Paris Polo frees the outline of the body and blends different styles. This shortsleeved polo presents a slim straight fit, reduced length at the hips and no comfort slits on the sides. It has a collar band and a thin concealed button placket to allow easy combination with a blazer or a casual jacket and sculpt the outlines of a resolutely urban and relaxed look.

Available in 15 colours, this new polo is produced in stretch cotton mini piquĂŠ, a flexible and light material which provides complete freedom of movement without creasing and guarantees an impeccable outfit throughout the day.

The Paris Polo will be available in all LACOSTE stores and in the e-shop.

Price: Rs 4,800 onwards

may 2018 | golf digest india

53

Ra.WON

On the Asian Tour

RAHIL GANGJEE, FONDLY CALLED ‘RA’, GETS BACK TO WINNING WAYS AFTER 14 YEARS BY CLINCHING THE PANASONIC OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN

Meet Rahil Born: October 2, 1978 (Kolkata) Residence: Bengaluru Family: Maithreyi (wife) Turned pro: 2000

Prize money won

$333,018re)

(approx. 2.21 cro

Wins: Asian Tour - 2004 Volkswagen Masters China, 2018 Panasonic Open Championship PGTI – 2008 Players Championship (RCGC), 2013 Players Championship (Chandigarh) Web.com Tour (best finish) – T11 (2011 Rex Hospital Open)

54 golf digest india | may 2018

On the Asian Tour

T

he amiable Rahil Gangjee waited 14 years to win his second Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship and it came at a time when Indian golf is at

its peak.

At the age of 39, Gangjee, who is well liked for his bubbly character and is fondly addressed as ‘Ra’, sank a clutch birdie on the 72nd hole to return to winning ways since his breakthrough win in China in 2004.

After his first Asian Tour victory, he watched his friends and other young Indians rise through the ranks but Gangjee remained resolute and finally reaped the rewards of his hard work in Japan.

“It has been 14 years. I’ve been in such situations a few times but obviously have not been able to convert my chances. It has been a very hard 14 years and the thing that surprises even myself is my will to keep going,” said Gangjee, who pocketed US$ 283,018 for the win plus US$ 50,000 as bonus for finishing second on the Panasonic Swing Series.

It is still early in the 2018 season but Gangjee is currently the oldest Asian Tour

DID YOU KNOW? • Gangjee became the third Indian after Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh to win a Japan Tour title • Prior to his second Asian Tour win at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship, Rahil Gangjee did not make the cut in all three events he played in. He was forced to retire in Singapore and Myanmar because of a stomach upset.

• Besides a two-year winners’ exemption on the Asian Tour, Gangjee will also earn a two-year exemption on the JGTO • Gangjee was in 84th place on the Panasonic Swing at the start of the week but finished second at 2850 points to earn US$ 50,000, just behind compatriot Shiv Kapur (2922.90), who claimed US$ 70,000 for his effort • Gangjee jumped 665 places from 1037 to be ranked 372 in the Official World Golf Ranking • Gangjee’s last win on the Asian Tour came in 2004 in China where he beat a top field that included Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes Phillip Price, Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo • He had several close finishes since then, most notably at the Panasonic Open India in 2014 when he lost in a play-off to countrymate S.S.P. Chawrasia

may 2018 | golf digest india

55

On the Asian Tour Sihwan Kim

winner in a year which has been dominated by the young guns, most notably by his compatriot Shubhankar Sharma who is almost half his age.

Despite watching the younger Asian and Indian stars excel in the world of golf, Gangjee’s hunger for success never wavered, thanks largely to the strong support from family and friends.

“Golf is an individual sport and you need friends to help you through the bad times.

This win will sink in. When you do not deliver after so many times, you start to doubt yourself and when you finally deliver, it’s a very big thing.

“Everyone will play their part in helping you out, the caddie, the mother, the father, the wife, friends. But more than anything else, you have to want it. And that has kept me going. I have a lot of close friends who have been there for me and have always supported me. Having mates on Tour supporting you is a big thing as golf is a very competitive sport,” he added.

Gangjee grew up with the ambition of becoming a race horse jockey but his father, a tea trader, told him to quit the sport as he felt it was dangerous. The only danger he faced on Sunday was nervousness which he superbly overcame.

“My heart rate was up especially when I got to the (18th) green and I knew I had to get up and down. That’s where my heart started racing and my mind started going all over the place. That was the chance I had to convert and I did,” he smiled.

Shiv Kapur of India, who sealed the Panasonic Swing Ranking to win the top bonus prize of US$70,000 and an exemption into an event on the European Tour this year, was delighted to be part of a successful week

56 golf digest india | may 2018

Hyungsung Kim

LEADING SCORES: 270 - Rahil Gangjee (IND) 69-65-68-68 271 - Junggon Hwang (KOR) 71-67-67-66, Hyungsung Kim (KOR) 66-68-67-70 274 - Sanghee Lee (KOR) 66-73-70-65, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 73-67-68-66, Shugo Imahira (JPN) 72-68-68-66, Masahiro Kawamura (JPN) 66-70-71-67, Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 70-67-70-67, Sihwan Kim (USA) 70-67-68-69 275 - Yuki Inamori (JPN) 69-69-71-66, Ben Leong (MAS) 67-67-72-69, Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND) 69-69-68-69, Rikuya Hoshino (JPN) 64-68-73-70 276 - Nicholas Fung (MAS) 69-72-69-66, Toshinori Muto (JPN) 70-68-70-68, Kyungnam Kang (KOR) 68-73-67-68, Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 70-68-68-70, Yuta Ikeda (JPN) 73-68-65-70, Shingo Katayama (JPN) 64-70-70-72

PANASONIC SWING SERIES

for Indian golf.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate points system earned by players at five selected tournaments and Kapur collected the most points thanks largely to his win at the Panasonic Open India last November.

“It is amazing. Rahil is a close friend and I told him I was feeling the pressure standing on the 18th green. I’m so happy for him. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” said Kapur.

“On a personal note, winning the Panasonic Swing ranking was a big goal for me. Coming into this week, I carried a lot of pressure trying to win the Panasonic Swing and it showed in my result. I’m really proud to be able to win the first ever Panasonic Swing,” he added.

With the victory Gangjee moved to third place on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$283,018. Sharma leads the rankings on US$548,125 while Matt Wallace of England, who won the Hero Indian Open, trails in second place on US$291,660.

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (US$251,173) and Paul Peterson (US$215,758) of the United States sit in fourth and fifth place respectively.

POS

PLAYER

SCORE

1.

SHIV KAPUR

2922.90

2.

RAHIL GANGJEE

2805.00

3.

RATTANON WANNASRICHAN

2380.50

4.

GAGANJEET BHULLAR

1238.64

5.

SCOTT VINCENT

1180.50

Poom Saksansin Micah Shin

Gavin Green

Daisuke Kataoka Gaganjeet Bhullar

Jeunghun Wang

2018 IN NUMBERS:

TOP PLAYERS FROM MORE THAN 35 NATIONS OVER 30 TOURNAMENTS PLAYED ACROSS 21 COUNTRIES Miguel Tabuena

Bowen Xiao

Hung Chien-yao

This is #whereitsAT Web Partners

Feeder Tour:

Tour Sponsor

Media Partners

asiantour.com Tour Partners

Affiliate of:

On the Asian Tour

AN EXCITING START TO THE SECOND QUARTER Shubhankar Sharma

BY JOSH BURACK Asian Tour CEO

T

he second quarter of 2018 is officially here, with the Masters Tournament in early April followed by our East Asia stretch of tournaments with back-to-back events in Japan, China and Korea.

During the quieter month of March, I appeared as a guest on MoneyFM, a radio station in Singapore, for a live interview that focussed on the business of professional sport. I used the opportunity to share our plans for the Asian Tour and the steady growth that we experienced in 2017.

In March I also attended the Sportel Asia conference where I met with many of our Asian Tour broadcast partners including CCTV, Astro Malaysia, StarHub Singapore, Sportcast Taiwan,

JTBC Korea, PCCW Hong Kong together with our partners from IMG. On a different type of media front, we will be embarking on the next phase of our #whereitsAT campaign. This time, we will be focusing on the up and coming players of the Asian Tour. Gavin Green, Shubhankar Sharma, Bowen Xiao and Daisuke Kataoka are a handful of the players that will be featured in the new campaign that is scheduled to be launched later this year.

The Volvo China Open, which will be underway from April 26 to 29 at the Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing, is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, China Golf Association and the European Tour. This is the first time the event is featured on our schedule since 2008! The field will comprise of at least 30 stars

Money FM hosts Elliott Danker, Yasmin Yonkers, Asian Tour Director of Communications Ong Cheow Eng and Asian Tour CEO Josh Burack

THIS TIME, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE UP AND COMING PLAYERS OF THE ASIAN TOUR. GAVIN GREEN, SHUBHANKAR SHARMA, BOWEN XIAO AND DAISUKE KATAOKA ARE A HANDFUL OF THE PLAYERS THAT WILL BE FEATURED IN THE NEW CAMPAIGN 58 golf digest india | may 2018

On the Asian Tour Kiradech Aphibarnrat

Habitat for Humanity Standings After Panasonic Open

from the Asian Tour, including inform players Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Shubhankar Sharma. The duo has achieved tremendous success over the past few weeks and we are confident that they will do well at China’s National Open.

Thailand’s Kiradech had an amazing run at the two previous World Golf Championships events that were played by the world’s best golfers. He finished tied-fifth at the WGC-Mexico Championship and reached the quarterfinals at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play before losing to the eventual champion, Bubba Watson. Our 2013 Order of Merit champion already has a victory under his belt this year, having won the ISPS HANDA World

Super 6 Perth in February.

India’s rising superstar Sharma also has an equally impressive lead up to the Volvo China Open.

He currently tops the Habitat for Humanity Standings after winning the Maybank Championship, grabbed the 54-hole lead before settling for tied-ninth at the WGCMexico Championship and broke the course record with a sizzling 64 at the Hero Indian Open en-route to a tied-seventh finish.

We wish them and our Asian Tour players all the very best in the upcoming tournaments.

And, as always, we would like to thank you for your continued support of the Asian Tour. #whereitsAT

POS

PLAYER

EARNINGS (US$)

1.

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA (IND)

548,125

2.

MATT WALLACE (ENG)

291,660

3.

RAHIL GANGJEE (IND)

283,018

4.

KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT (THA)

251,173

5.

PAUL PETERSON (USA)

215,758

6.

SIHWAN KIM (USA)

175,010

7.

DANIEL NISBET (AUS)

150,863

8.

BERRY HENSON (USA)

131,983

9.

HIDETO TANIHARA (JPN)

123,306

10.

SHAUN NORRIS (RSA)

118,284

11.

KHALIN JOSHI (IND)

103,730

12.

TERRY PILKADARIS (AUS)

102,539

13.

SCOTT VINCENT (ZIM)

93,508

14.

PROM MEESAWAT (THA)

89,369

15.

RATTANON WANNASRICHAN (THA)

85,328

16.

JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND (THA)

84,462

17.

JARIN TODD (USA)

83,945

18.

MASAHIRO KAWAMURA (JPN)

83,243

19.

DANTHAI BOONMA (THA)

82,712

20.

PANUPHOL PITTAYARAT (THA)

67,131

ASIAN TOUR RETURNS TO PAKISTAN FOR CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF OPEN The Asian Tour will make a welcome return to Pakistan after an 11-year hiatus for the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Open Golf Championship which will be staged from July 24 to 27.

The CNS Open Golf Championship will attract a talented cast of Asian Tour stars to the US$300,000 event which will be played at Karachi Golf Club, the country’s oldest golf course.

The CNS Open Golf Championship has been staged on the local circuit since 1995, making it the longest running professional golf event in Pakistan. By joining the Asian Tour, the tournament will receive Official World Golf

Hamza Amin

Ranking (OWGR) points and give local golfers an opportunity to play alongside some of the re-

gion’s leading players.

The Chief of Naval Staff was delighted to bring the CNS Open

Golf Championship on the Asian Tour. The last time an Asian Tour event was staged in Pakistan was in 2006 and 2007. Last year, the Asian Development Tour (ADT) sanctioned a tournament in the country for the first time.

“This is great news for golf in Pakistan. We are thrilled to welcome the Asian Tour and its talented members to our beautiful country. It has been 11 years since we last staged an Asian Tour event and we are proud to work together with all sponsors to make this tournament a huge success,” said the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi.

may 2018 | golf digest india

59

On the European Tour

Patrick Reed of the United States celebrates with the trophy during the green jacket ceremony after winning the 2018 Masters Tournament

Reed holds nerve to claim maiden Major at Augusta P

atrick Reed held off a charging Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth to win the Masters Tournament after a dramatic final day at Augusta National.

The American entered round four with a three-shot lead but engaged in an enthralling battle with his two countrymen on the back nine, signing for a 71 to finish at 15 under and beat Fowler by a single shot.

It looked like 2015 champion Spieth would be winning a second Green Jacket as he surged through the field in stunning fashion but he bogeyed the last in a 64 to set the target at 13 under.

Fowler birdied four of his last seven holes in a 67 but Reed showed nerves of steel down the stretch to win a first Major Championship and a second European Tour title.

Spaniard Jon Rahm finished at 11 under

60 golf digest india | may 2018

“ONE OF MY HUGE GOALS THIS YEAR WAS TO NOT ONLY CONTEND IN MAJORS BUT ALSO GET BACK IN THAT WINNING CIRCLE. TO DO IT IN THE FIRST MAJOR AND FINISH OFF THAT DROUGHT, IT JUST MEANT SO MUCH TO ME.” after a 69, two shots clear of Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Cameron Smith and twotime winner Bubba Watson.

Reed did not achieve a single top ten in a Major in 15 attempts after making his debut at Augusta in 2014 but he has now put his name in the history books, following on from a tie for second at the US PGA Championship last season.

“It’s almost impossible to put into words,” Reed said before being presented with his Green Jacket in the Butler Cabin. “Just to make the par on the last and watch the ball go in the hole and know that I’ve won my first Major.

“One of my huge goals this year was to not only contend in Majors but also get back in that winning circle. To do it in the first Major and finish off that drought, it just meant so much to me.”

On the European Tour Patrick Reed of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament

PATRICK AIMING FOR THE VERY TOP AFTER MASTERS VICTORY

P

atrick Reed is often remembered for proclaiming himself as one of the top five golfers in the world but he has his sights firmly set on Number One after winning his first Major Championship at the Masters Tournament.

When the American - then ranked 44th in the Official World Golf Ranking - declared after becoming the youngest ever winner of a World Golf Championship in 2014 that he was one of the world's best, some in the golfing world were sceptical and even critical about his claim.

He has not yet made the top five but his dramatic one-shot victory over Rickie Fowler at Augusta National on Sunday means he is a member of a more elite club - he has a Green Jacket.

The 27-year-old is now aiming for more

“GROWING UP, EVERYONE ALWAYS DREAMED ABOUT WINNING AUGUSTA, WINNING THE MASTERS. EVERY TIME YOU THINK ABOUT IT AS A KID GROWING UP, IT’S ALWAYS, ‘THIS PUTT IS TO WIN A GREEN JACKET...” glory as he looks to get to Number One and continue to prove the doubters wrong.

"I feel that I've played some golf that I need to play in order to get to where I want to be, and that's to be the best golfer in the

world," he said. "The way you're going to do that is perform in these big events and to win these big events.

"Growing up, everyone always dreamed about winning Augusta, winning the Masters.

Every time you think about it as a kid growing up, it's always, 'this putt is to win a Green Jacket, this putt's to win the Masters'.

"I think that's just because of the history and everything that's gone on here at Augusta National and how special it is to all the golfers and special it is to just golf in general around the world."

Reed's ability to handle pressure has never been in question and he now has the title of Major champion to go alongside WGC champion and Ryder Cup talisman. Will he one day add World Number One to that list? You'd be a brave person to bet against him. may 2018 | golf digest india

61

On the European Tour Jon Rahm of Spain lines up a putt on the sixth green during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament

RAHM EAGER TO KEEP LEARNING

J

on Rahm achieved his best finish (fourth place) at a Major Championship at the Masters Tournament and is hoping to use it as a springboard to even greater success in golf’s four biggest events.

The Spaniard has already proved he can perform on the big stage, claiming two Rolex Series wins last season en route to finishing third in the Race to Dubai.

Those two victories helped propel the 23-year-old to third in the Official World Golf Ranking but he still believes he has a lot to learn and hopes that his fourthplaced finish at Augusta National can stand him in good stead.

“I didn’t panic, which is the one thing I really want to learn about myself,” he said. “It’s one thing to win a Tour event but a Major is very different. I didn’t panic at all. I felt really comfortable. I loved the situation, I loved that hunt.

“Hopefully, next time I go into the back nine in a Major I’m the one in the lead and get to experience that.

“Hopefully I have proved to myself that I learn fast and I keep learning and learning. I learned from last year’s mistakes and I always try to learn from my mistakes so, hopefully, next year I’ll have a good showing here and I have another chance to win a Major this year.”

After back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th, Rahm was still in with a chance of victory but finding the water on the 15th led to a bogey that ended his hopes.

“There weren’t many downs,” he said.

“The only down I would say is the second shot on 15. You know, it’s sad. It’s sad too because I played so good the last three days and that one shot, one shot where I feel like I made a perfect swing and wound up in the water. It’s just hurtful.

“It’s actually two of them, 13 yesterday and today on 15. Besides that I think I handled myself really well. I played good golf, gave myself plenty of opportunities.

I wish I would have made a couple more putts, but it is what it is, it’s hard to win a Major Championship.”

“HOPEFULLY I HAVE PROVED TO MYSELF THAT I LEARN FAST AND I KEEP LEARNING... I ALWAYS TRY TO LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES SO, HOPEFULLY, NEXT YEAR I’LL HAVE A GOOD SHOWING HERE...”

62 golf digest india | may 2018

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland waves on the tenth green during the final round of the 2018 Masters Tournament

On the European Tour

THE MASTERS: BY THE NUMBERS Most golf fans could tell you that Tiger Woods has four Masters Tournament titles to his name, or that Jack Nicklaus was 46 years old when he won his sixth Green Jacket in 1986. Here are some of the more obscure numbers associated with the first Major Championship of the year.

11

ONLY 11 MEN HAVE WON THE MASTERS AND THE PAR 3 CONTEST BUT NEVER IN THE SAME YEAR. THOSE MEN ARE SAM SNEAD (WON THE MASTERS IN 1949, 1952 AND 1954), ART WALL JNR (1959), ARNOLD PALMER (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), GAY BREWER (1969), TOM WATSON (1977, 1981), TOMMY AARON (1973), BEN CRENSHAW (1984, 1995), RAYMOND FLOYD (1976), VIJAY SINGH (2000), SANDY LYLE (1988) AND MARK O’MEARA (1998)

12 15 17 50 69

AUGUSTA'S PAR-3 12TH HOLE WITNESSED THE LOWEST CUMULATIVE SCORE OVER ONE WEEK BY SCOTT VERPLANK. THE AMERICAN BIRDIED EVERY DAY IN 2003

1.50

A Pimento Cheese sandwich, a staple of any patron’s lunch options at Augusta National Golf Club, costs just $1.50

Scott Verplank

4

Only four albatrosses have been made at the Masters – Gene Sarazen in 1935, Bruce Devlin in 1967, Jeff Maggert in 1994 and Louis Oosthuizen in 2012

5

There have been five wire-to-wire winners - Craig Wood (1941), Arnold Palmer (1960), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Raymond Floyd (1976) and Jordan Spieth (2015)

Jack Nicklaus

95

DOUG FORD IS THE OLDEST-LIVING MASTERS WINNER (1957) AT THE AGE OF 95.

JACK BURKE (1956) IS ALSO 95, BUT WAS BORN FIVE MONTHS AFTER FORD

88

JACK NICKLAUS HAS 15 TOP FIVES AT THE MASTERS THERE HAVE BEEN 17 PLAY-OFFS IN MASTERS HISTORY. THE FIRST WAS IN 1935, IN JUST THE SECOND EDITION OF THE EVENT, WHEN GENE SARAZEN BEAT CRAIG WOOD ARNOLD PALMER MADE 50 CONSECUTIVE MASTERS APPEARANCES (1955-2004), MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING, NO MASTERS WINNER WAS RANKED LOWER THAN ANGEL CABRERA WHEN HE WON IN 2009. THE ARGENTINEAN WAS WORLD NUMBER 69 WHEN HE RAN OUT A WINNER AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL TIGER WOODS IS 88 UNDER PAR FOR HIS 20 APPEARANCES

▶ MEMORABLE ACE

7

Between 1960 and 1966, all seven editions of the tournament were won by either Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus or Gary Player

Tiger Woods

1934

32

The average age of a Masters Champion is 32

Ross Somerville

Ross Somerville made the first holein-one at the Masters in 1934. The amateur used a mashie niblick from 145 yards.

2005

Tiger Woods is the last man to open with an over par score (74) and win the tournament. He did so in 2005, when he ended up beating Chris DiMarco in a play-off. may 2018 | golf digest india

63

On the European Tour

Watson cruises to World Match Play glory

B

ubba Watson claimed a thumping 7 and 6 victory over Kevin Kisner to win a second World Golf Championships title at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play.

The difference was six at the turn and while Kisner got the biggest cheer of the day as he won the 11th with a lengthy putt, Watson birdied the next to complete a comprehensive victory.

Alex Noren finished third with a 5 and 3 win over Justin Thomas, whose loss to Watson in the last four prevented him from moving to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

In adding this victory to his 2014 WGCHSBC Champions title, two-time Masters Tournament champion Watson becomes just the fifth player after Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to win multiple Major Championships and WGCs. “It’s crazy to think about it,” he said. “I’ve got two World Golf Championships, counting this one, and two Majors.

“It’s unbelievable to think about that.

Giving my mom a hug, six years old, having one golf club for a year, no lessons. I can sit here and make up stories all day but it’s absolutely remarkable that I’m able to lift a trophy like this.”

He added: “Kisner is a great player. He’s played great all week and you can just tell the energy was gone with the tough match this morning. I made some putts coming down the stretch and that kept me going and kept me up front.”

Bubba Watson of the United States celebrates with the trophy

WATSON BECAME JUST THE FIFTH PLAYER, AFTER MCILROY, ELS, WOODS AND MICKELSON, TO WIN MULTIPLE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WGCs Alexander Noren plays his shot from the 11th tee during his semifinal match against Kevin Kisner in the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play

Aphibarnrat wins Hilton Golfer of the Month for March Kiradech Aphibarnrat has been named Hilton Golfer of the Month for March after his 2 top five finishes in the month’s World Golf Championship events.

The Thai star received 36% of the votes from the fans to earn the accolade for March, ahead of Sweden’s Alex Noren who polled 33%. Aphibarnrat finished tied fifth at the WGC-Mexico Championship on 13 under par – three shots behind winner Phil Mickelson. Three weeks later, at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, the 28-year-old dominated his group with three victories; beating Chez Reavie 3 and 2, defeating Keegan Bradley by one hole and clinching a 4 and 3 victory versus Jon Rahm.

He progressed to the quarter final stage with a one-hole win over Charles Howell III but could not defeat eventual WGC-Dell Technologies winner Bubba Watson, as the American beat him 5 and 3.

Sweden’s Noren was runner-up for the March award after finishing third at the Dell Technologies Match Play. Matt Wallace came third with 18% following his victory at

64 golf digest india | may 2018

the Hero Indian Open, while South African George Coetzee earned 13% after he won the first tournament of March at Tshwane Open in South Africa.

As the latest recipient of the monthly award, Aphibarnrat will receive an automat-

ic upgrade to Hilton Honors Diamond Status, Hilton’s award-winning loyalty program.

The Hilton Golfer of the Month award recognises and rewards the best performances of European Tour members each month.

On the European Tour

SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST NEW EUROPEAN TOUR EVENT IN 2019

T

he European Tour will continue to expand the boundaries of global golf next year when it brings the professional game to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time. His Royal Majesty, Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia used his visit to London earlier this year to confirm the full-field event that will play a key part in the European Tour’s early-season Desert Swing in 2019.

The tournament, the first in a three-year partnership, will take place from January 31 to February 3, 2019, and will be staged at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). Designed by London-based European Golf Design, the course plays to a par of 72 and stretches along the Red Sea coastline.

The venue, which aside from the Championship golf course boasts a state-of-the-art clubhouse, world class practice facilities and other stunning residential and recreational facilities, has already been used as a training base for the Saudi national golf team.

The Royal Greens Golf and Country Club focuses on families, community, charity and junior development as the Kingdom looks to develop its golfing pedigree. It will also be one of the key ingredients in delivering Saudi Arabia’s much lauded ‘Vision 2030’ – the plan to showcase the Kingdom’s desire to expand its business, leisure and tourism industries.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Arabia General Sports Authority, said: “This landmark agreement is a defining moment in the development of professional sport in the Kingdom and a clear signal that the country is ready to compete at the very highest level. As we seek to increase the number of young Saudis participating in regular exercise as part of our National Transformation Plan, events such as this help encourage people to build sport into their lives and their careers.”

The formal announcement of the tournament, including details of the official event title and prize money, will be made in Saudi Arabia this month.

RORY MCILROY TO RETURN TO BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Rory McIlroy has confirmed he will return to the BMW PGA Championship – the first of eight Rolex Series events on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai in 2018 – with the four-time Major Champion set to join Paul Casey and 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood in the field at Wentworth Club, from May 24-27. The former World Number One, who won the prestigious title in 2014, will get his first chance to take on the revamped West Course after being forced to miss last year’s event due to a recurrence of a rib injury.

After a strong start to the European Tour season with consecutive top three finishes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it will be McIlroy’s first appearance on European soil in 2018. “I’m looking forward to going back to Wentworth,” said McIlroy. “I haven’t played there in a couple of years but from what I’ve seen, with the new grass that they’ve put in, it looks a much better golf course, a much more playable golf course.”

McIlroy will be hoping to add to his current haul of 13 European Tour titles when he returns to Wentworth.

RAS AL KHAIMAH TO HOST EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR GRAND FINAL The European Challenge Tour announced that its season-ending tournament will move to a new location, when the Ras Al Khaimah Challenge Tour Grand Final takes place at Al Hamra Golf Club, in the United Arab Emirates, from October 31 to November 3. Ras Al Khaimah has hosted the penultimate event of the Challenge Tour season for the past two years at the stunning Peter Harradine-designed Al Hamra Golf Club, but its significance will increase to a whole new level when the Grand Final moves to the emirate following the signing of a three-year deal. The Grand Final (prize fund: €420,000) is the last event of the tour’s global 29-tournament season, where the 45 highest-ranked players will battle it out for European Tour graduation by finishing inside the top 15 in the season-long Rankings.

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On the PGA Tour

Prospering At The Players International players ready to continue recent dominance at TPC Sawgrass

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PC Sawgrass is home to arguably the finest collection of challenging holes on the PGA Tour schedule, and the assemblage of PLAYERS Championship winners over the last decade or so is reflective of how much of a difficult test the golf course can be, as it’s produced victors from all over the world.

The list of champions in the last decade and a half reads like a who’s who

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of international stardom. And with golf becoming more and more of a global game each passing year—and with the level of parity on the PGA Tour reaching a point unmatched at any point in history—it seems as if the trend of international champions is showing no sign of slowing down.

“It’s not really a surprise,” says 2011 winner K.J. Choi, from South Korea. “If you look at the field, and all of the 280 players on

the PGA Tour, you see a lot of diversity from a lot of countries. Every single one of them has a chance at winning. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.” THE PLAYERS field for 2018 is already shaping up to be one chock-full of international flare, as 43 golfers who are qualified for this year’s tournament are from countries outside the United States.

Choi’s countryman, Si Woo Kim, won THE PLAYERS in 2017 by three shots over South

On the PGA Tour

Jason Day of Australia runs across the 17th green as he watches his putt during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2016

African Louis Oosthuizen and Englishman Ian Poulter. It was his second win on the PGA Tour, but the one that truly catapulted him to international stardom.

At just 21 years old, he was the youngest winner of THE PLAYERS in the tournament’s history. “I understand that this is the fifth major and it’s a huge tournament. Entering last year, I noticed that all the players in the field were ranked higher than me, so I did keep that in mind,” Kim said. “But it’s just unbelievable to think that I won a tournament this big, and it’s a very big honor.”

When asked on why international golfers have won seven of the last 10 PLAYERS Championships, Kim specifically said the layout of the course reminded him of some of those back home in South Korea, which

K.J. Choi of South Korea reacts after making a birdie on the 17th hole during the final round of the 2011 edition

proved beneficial to him—it’s a layout, however, that requires golfers to hit it long and straight.

The challenge remains in the golf course.

Although the layout just had a recent renovation, the scoring conditions—or lack thereof—make for a difficult test.

“I just think it’s one of the best designed golf courses I’ve ever played,” said Justin Thomas, the reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year. “When it gets firm and fast it’s a place that if you’re hitting the fairways it’s a place

AT JUST 21 YEARS OLD, SI WOO KIM WAS THE YOUNGEST WINNER OF THE PLAYERS IN THE TOURNAMENT’S HISTORY

you could go hit 64, 65, 66 but when it gets a little windy and the pins get tucked, it’s hard to shoot under par, and I think that truly makes a sign of a great designed golf course.”

THE PLAYERS has never produced a repeat winner, but Kim says he hopes to buck that trend and continue the one of international players having big-time success at THE PLAYERS Championship.

If Kim were to defend, it would mark a run of three straight winners from outside the U.S., which has happened just once before, when Garcia, Stenson, Clark and Choi won four straight from 2008 to 2011. Even if he doesn’t, the opportunity for a golfer from outside the U.S. has a great chance to take his place in the winner’s circle—if history is any indication. may 2018 | golf digest india

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On the PGA Tour

TPC SAWGRASS PREPARES FOR THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

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A look inside the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., golf course

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On the PGA Tour

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It doesn’t take visitors long to spot the vibrant, terracotta roof of TPC Sawgrass as they make the walk up PGA Tour Boulevard. The elegant, Mediterranean-style clubhouse remains one of the must-see sites each year on the PGA Tour schedule.

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A timeless elegance greets guests as soon as they step into the foyer of this 77,000-square-foot clubhouse, constructed just before the start of the 2007 PLAYERS Championship.

To the left of its grand staircase rests various pieces of this tournament’s iconic history, while a turn right will take passersby into the West Gallery, which focuses on architect Pete Dye’s original outline for the course—drawn on the back of a local restaurant placemat—and the $1 bill used to purchase the property.

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THE PLAYERS Championship would be nothing if not for its proud volunteers, who are forever enshrined at TPC Sawgrass.

Each year, the tournament chairman overseeing the event’s army of volunteers will don the coveted Red Coat, a tradition that’s continued ever since THE PLAYERS first began in 1974.

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Just outside the doors to the private champions locker rooms of PGA Tour players sits the former barber chair of Sawgrass Country Club, which hosted THE PLAYERS from 1977 to 1981. The chair, moved by former commissioner Deane Beman upon construction of the original TPC Sawgrass, was often used for more therapeutic purpose

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following bad rounds than getting a fresh trim.

Only the game’s best are able to prop their feet up in this room. These leather chairs, flat-screen TVs and ping-pong table are reserved for PGA Tour golfers.

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While any golfer lucky enough to carry a PGA Tour card may be able to rest up in the TPC Sawgrass players’ lounge, only a select few can rest their belongings in these exclusive quarters. The mahogany lockers seen here are reserved only for past champions of THE PLAYERS Championship.

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Each PLAYERS champion donates a winning club to TPC Sawgrass for display just outside its restaurant, with icons like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods all contributing precious woods, wedges and winners to this awe-inspiring collection.

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To reserve their spot in the TPC Sawgrass annals, PGA Tour players must prove their mettle on the vaunted Stadium Course. Here, Rory McIlory is spotted outside the clubhouse walls during the first round of the 2017 PLAYERS Championship. .

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The unforgiving island green on the pressurepacked No. 17 has claimed many a golfer as its victim. The infamous par-3 hole is no stranger to drama: It’s the home of Tiger Woods’ “better than most” putt to win in 2001, Fred Couples’ hole-in-three in 1999 and Rickie Fowler’s birdie in 2015 to win in a playoff.

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Under the shadows of TPC Sawgrass, fans will soon flock to No. 18 green to see the next PLAYERS champion. Who will Si Woo Kim hand the crystal obelisk to?

Or, will he become the first golfer in PGA Tour history to win back-to-back titles in Ponte Vedra Beach?

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Photos by Stan Badz, Logan Bowles, Chris Condon and Brad Mangin/PGA TOUR.

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On the PGA Tour Si Woo Kim of Korea tees off on the 18th hole during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship 2017

KIM’S NO KID: SI WOO KIM CONTINUES TO GROW AFTER 2017 PLAYERS WIN 22-year-old aims to become first repeat champion at TPC Sawgrass

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ostalgia litters the champions’ dining room at TPC Sawgrass, where framed portraits of Si Woo Kim adorn dark wood walls and mementoes of his highest achievement sit proudly atop mantelpieces.

“It’s my first time [coming back] since lifting up the trophy last year,” he said. “Coming back to this course has been so amazing. To see my pictures up on the wall, to drive up to this course, it brings back a lot of memories.”

Kim was the youngest winner in PLAYERS’ history when he captured the 2017 event at age 21. He returned to the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., club to unveil his signature TPC Sawgrass menu item— Korean barbeque short ribs—and donate his championship-winning driver to the club, alongside other past winners’ clubs like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

The two-time PGA Tour winner looks every bit the part of a seasoned veteran.

“My first win at (the 2016) Wyndham (Championship), I was actually very nervous, because I didn’t have any experience winning,” he recalled. “But entering PLAYERS, I was going for my second win, so I felt a little more comfortable in that sense. But going

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into that season, I was battling back injury, and I was feeling nervous just being at the fifth major.”

That nagging back injury was merely one part of Kim’s challenging adjustment to life on the PGA Tour.

“I think coming to the States, and living in the States, has helped me really mature as a person,” he said. “The first couple of years I had a really hard time adjusting. I was really lonely a lot of the time, but I think living here and fighting through that has helped me really mature and grow as a person.

“I think food was a tough part for me, and also transportation,” he added. “In Korea, when you’re done [playing] you drive, but here, since the country is so big, you have to fly everywhere. So for me, that was really

“I THINK FOOD WAS A TOUGH PART FOR ME, AND ALSO TRANSPORTATION... YOU HAVE TO FLY EVERYWHERE. SO FOR ME, THAT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT, AND NOT HAVING A LOT OF FRIENDS...”

difficult, and just not having a lot of friends here.” Now, more than five years later, his steady growth and maturity both on the course and off appear to be on full display.

By capturing THE PLAYERS last year, Kim became one of only four PGA Tour golfers in the last 25 years to have won 2 titles before his 22nd birthday, joining Woods, Sergio Garcia and Jordan Spieth.

Any title defense will not come easy. No PGA Tour player has ever won The PLAYERS in consecutive years.

“I actually heard that after I won last year,” he said. “Someone told me that there haven’t been any back-to-back champions.

I’ve noticed a lot of champions that come back don’t play well. I would like to change that, and I’m preparing hard to come back and defend my title this year.”

Kim will carry an air of confidence with him into this year’s PLAYERS Championship.

He understands how to navigate the vaunted Stadium Course, has experienced the adrenaline that comes with a Sunday round atop the leaderboard and now knows what it feels like to return as a champion.

It has all the makings of a repeat performance.

On the PGA Tour

TOUR SNIPPETS PGA TOUR INTRODUCES LIVE AUGMENTED REALITY APP The PGA Tour has introduced PGA Tour AR, a new augmented reality (AR) app (available for free exclusively in the App Store) bringing live AR tournament coverage to life for fans around the world on their iPhone and iPad. Live AR coverage on PGA Tour AR began with the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in midMarch earlier this year.

“Exploring unparalleled technologies like AR helps the PGA Tour reach new audiences around the world,” said Rick Anderson, PGA Tour Chief Media Officer. “… The PGA Tour takes pride in bringing new technology to the sports world as a way of communicating to a large, diverse audience.”

PGA Tour AR allows fans to interact with 3D featured holes and live 3D shot trails on any flat surface right in front of them. On featured holes

throughout the season, fans will be able to select their favorite player on the golf course, compare shot trails from each round and compare the shots of different players. Later in May, THE PLAYERS Championship will feature Nos. 16, 17 and 18 live and in AR, while East Lake Golf Club’s No. 18 will be highlighted at the season-ending TOUR Championship. The PGA Tour plans to add more holes from other tournaments leading up to the TOUR Championship and ultimately plans to feature at least one hole at every tournament on the PGA Tour schedule.

An update to the PGA Tour AR app will enable an on-course AR experience where fans at a golf tournament can hold up their device in front of any hole and the technology will display shot trails for selected players live or during a past round of the user’s choosing.

PGA TOUR AND ISPS HANDA PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA ANNOUNCE COOPERATION AGREEMENT The PGA Tour and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia signed a cooperation and golf-development agreement, with the two golf organizations collaborating to strengthen professional tournament golf in the Australasian region and globally as well.

The organizations have long enjoyed a strong and healthy working relationship as members of the International Federation of PGA Tours, jointly sanctioning, with other governing bodies, the four World Golf Championships events and the World Cup of Golf.

The two golf tours will bring the World Cup of Golf to The Metropolitan Golf

Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Nov. 21-25. With the World Cup of Golf headed to Australia for the sixth time, this will move the country ahead of China and Spain in hosting the secondmost number of World Cups. Only the United States, with 11, has hosted the tournament more often than Australia.

“We have always valued our association with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, as numerous significant events in our history have occurred in Australia,” said PGA Tour Executive Vice President and Chief Global Officer Ty Votaw. “Australian players have also been pivotal in the history of the TOUR.”

Rickie Fowler of the USA tees off during day four of the World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club on November 27, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia

ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS BECOMES FIRST PGA TOUR EVENT WITH WALK-UP MUSIC Zurich Classic of New Orleans became the first PGA Tour event to feature walk-up music. Each two-man team selected a walk-up song played on the first tee at TPC Louisiana as they were introduced for the final two rounds of play on April 28 and April 29.

“We are continuously looking for fun and innovative ways for our players to connect with fans,” said Tyler Dennis, Chief of Operations, PGA Tour. “Zurich and the Fore!Kids Foundation have been great leaders in bringing new elements to the game of golf.”

Last year, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans introduced the two-man team format, which features two rounds each of Foursome and Four-Ball competition. The pairing of Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt won with a birdie on the fourth hole of sudden death against Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown, winning the TOUR’s first official team event since 1981.

“Our fans and the players have enthusiastically embraced our team format,” said Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the Zurich Classic. “This innovation will try to further enhance the concept and the team atmosphere,” Worthy added.

PGA TOUR BOLSTERS CONTENT LINEUP WITH FIRST AD-SUPPORTED SMART TV CHANNEL ON XUMO

The PGA Tour has partnered XUMO, the premier live and video-on-demand (VOD) over-the-top (OTT) service for the digital age, to bolster its growing lineup of diverse channel offerings.

This marks the first ad-supported PGA Tour “OTT channel” available on smart TVs and will provide viewers live and VOD programming, direct from the leading OTT platform across the connected television ecosystem. The PGA Tour’s channel on XUMO will feature highlights/recaps, player interviews, tournament previews and live Featured Holes coverage from PGA Tour LIVE, starting with the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

“The PGA Tour continues its quest to serve golf fans wherever they are, and however they want to consume our content,” said Luis Goicouria, the PGA Tour’s Senior Vice President of Digital Platforms and Media Strategy. “The PGA Tour channel on XUMO is our first distribution platform native to Smart TVs. XUMO’s audience is highly engaged, and we are excited to bring daily highlights and our PGA Tour LIVE Featured Holes coverage to this segment of fans.”

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Photographs by Dom Furore

HARD BALL How a smaller guy like me kills it off the tee by x a n de r sch au f f e l e

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schauffele, the 2017 pga tour rookie of

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t h e y e a r , i s av e r a g i n g 3 0 4 ya r d s i n d r i v i n g d i s ta n c e ( a l l d r i v e s ) this season. he’s ranked ninth on tour.

ver since my early teens, I’ve tried to swing the driver very fast. Back then, it was as fast as I could. But now that I’m 24, I’m working to dial back some of that speed, knowing I have an extra gear if needed. The goal is to protect myself from injuries down the road—especially to my back. That being said, I’ll always swing my swing. My hips will always lead in the downswing, and I’ll always fire off my right foot. I know Tiger and other big hitters keep their right foot down and mainly use their bodies to power through the ball, but I’m not Tiger’s size. ▶ Some TV analysts have said that Justin Thomas and I generate big drives the same way. I’m 5-10, 175 pounds. Justin is similar. We’re small compared to many other long hitters, so we have to push off our right side—use the ground as much as we can—to hit big drives. He kills it. And I’d like to think I’m pretty long, too. When I outdrive someone much bigger than me, it proves that my motion is more efficient, more “in-tune.” ▶ The point I’m trying to make is that no matter what your physical limitation might be, you can always find some extra yardage if you know where to look. Let me point you in the right direction with a few things from my game plan. These are feels and drills that my father and only coach, Stefan, taught me as a junior, and I still use them. I think they’re universally applicable to hitting it farther.

Give them a try, and see if they don’t boost your distance numbers. ▶ may 2018 | golf digest india

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the position o f yo u r h a n d s o n

address it to launch it

the club helps determine how m u c h e n e r gy yo u c a n d e l i v e r into the ball .

‘AS YOU NEAR THE TOP OF YOUR BACKSWING, FEEL LIKE THE GLUTE MUSCLES ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE ARE REALLY FIRING. THEN YOU’LL KNOW YOU’RE LOADED UP FOR A BIG DRIVE.’

before i help your setup, here’s a good analogy for understanding how to put more power into your drives. When I was a kid, my dad would give me a hammer and tell me to drive a nail into a wooden block with a single strike. To do that, I had to swing the hammer fast but also deliver that power into the back of the nail at just the right moment, or I’d do some damage—to my hand or the block. I learned to hold back the speed until the last moment. Think about doing the same when you swing your driver into the ball. ▶ One thing that will help you unleash that power at the right moment is your grip.

Mine is neutral. For a stock shot, I see only one knuckle on my glove hand when I look down. This grip allows me to hit draws or fades when I want to. It also lets me release the clubhead into the ball like I’m hammering that nail. If your grip is too strong, you can’t fully release the clubhead, typically resulting in a loss of speed. And a grip that’s too weak makes it tough to square the clubface at impact, so you lose control. ▶ Another thing to pay attention to at address is shaft lean—especially if you’re setting up for power. When you hold the club with your glove hand, check that the shaft points at least at your left shoulder bone near the armpit (left). With a ball position just inside your left heel like I have it here, the shaft will be perpendicular to the ground. To really launch a drive, I play the ball slightly farther forward than that, so I can strike it more on the upswing. Hitting the ball on the way up decreases backspin and helps increase carry distance. But playing the ball too far forward is not advisable, as it will inevitably lead to compensation moves and an overall loss of balance.

s w i n g i n g t h e c l u b f o r w a r d b e f o r e s w i n g i n g i t b a c k m a k e s t h e ta k e a w ay f e e l m o r e f l u i d .

‘YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT HOW TO HIT THE BALL HARDER FROM THE MECHANICS OF AN ATHLETIC THROWING MOTION.’

xander’s step-out d r i l l s ta r t s w i t h h i s

swing like you throw my father was a track-and-field athlete, and he taught me that the biomechanics in throwing can be directly applied to hitting sports like golf—specifically weight transfer and the sequence of motion of the body, arms and club. My step-out drill works off that principle. ▶ I start with my feet close together, my left foot pulled back, and the clubhead about a foot behind the ball (left).

I then start my swing, but as my upper body and club are still turning away from the target, I step toward it with my left foot, plant it firmly, and swing through. At times, I actually play entire practice rounds doing this. It helps reinforce the feeling of a good weight shift forward in the downswing, leading with the lower body. It also trains the synchronization of movement from the ground up (legs, hips, torso, arms and, finally, the club). This is the drill I think will benefit you the most. Get your weight onto your front side, and you can put a lot of energy into the ball. In fact, you’ll hammer it.

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feet close together a n d h i s b o dy a n d club set up well behind their normal address positions.

xander schauffele (pronounced “Zander Shoufullay”) won the 2017 Greenbrier Classic and the Tour Championship. He was 23rd in the World Golf Ranking in early March.

improve your turn remember a few years ago when Tiger said his glutes shut off? I know he wasn’t kidding because when I reach the top of my swing, like Tiger, I want to feel my right glute muscles firing. You don’t drift off the ball or simply turn away from the target if you want to crunch one—you load (right).

And you’ll know you’re doing it right if the glutes on the trail side of your body are flexed. ▶ Try this drill: Get into your setup, and swing the club forward like you’re rehearsing a follow-through, then immediately make a backswing from this spot (photos, left). Even if you do this without a club, you’ll sense you’re loading more into the trail side. Why does this matter? If you load up on the backswing, your forward swing will be that much more potent. may 2018 | golf digest india

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▶ You want the best things in golf; we want the best things in golf. Here you’ll find the best of the best in Year Three of the Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Awards. ▶ We all love gear, and this year’s winners offer everything from bags and training aids to the latest technology in swing and game analyzers. ▶ We’ve also got you covered on health and fitness, and beyond that, apps, drones and even “recovery sleepwear,” which is now a thing. ▶ Online, there’s plenty more: a total of 297 winners in 42 categories, including resorts, teaching academies, club shippers, cruises and fashion, plus food and drink to get you through your round. We’ll even teach you the keys to a good golf cigar. Get it all by visiting g o l f d i g e s t. c o m / b e s t - i n - g o l f .

▶ Here’s an alternative: Streetrod’s LUX model is fully customizable.

our complete guide to the golf lifestyle

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▶ electric carts Club Car Tempo Connect with Shark Experience ▶ gas carts Yamaha Drive2 QuieTech EFI ▶ l u x u ry c a r t s Streetrod Vintage/Lux ▶ a lt e r n at i v e Phat Scooter Phatty HD/Sport HD

raingear

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club transport

▶ Galvin Green reigns in raingear.

Each design is intelligently crafted to ensure the technology doesn’t add weight, hinder the swing or create further discomfort. Typically this category offers a heavy-duty and a lightweight option, but this year the Galvin Green Alon jacket offered the ultimate combination of rain coverage and wearability. The shell of the Alon jacket is tightly knit so it’s softer and quieter. Underneath, the Gore-Tex membrane provides total waterproofing and wind protection. The C-Knit backer inside, a new Gore-Tex technology, makes it lightweight and breathable while minimizing friction. The Axel pant uses the same Gore-Tex fabric with C-Knit backer, so they’ll slide over garments with ease. They’re designed to release excess heat and moisture from the inside while blocking any additional water from the outside. These pieces are made to last, so don’t let the prices scare you off.

▶ Golf bags used to be so easy to understand—it was a cart or carry bag, and that was pretty much it.

Today, there are a number of subcategories designed to address the needs of pretty much any golfer. One thing our 13 Editors’ Choice bags (spread over six categories) have in common, however, is practicality for the segment of golfer they were intended for. A new category this year: Waterproof.

▶ Second only to the regular tee time, the golf cart is probably the most reliable part of the game.

But transporting your clubs is far more than a choice between electric or gas. Those wishing to ride want goodies such as USB ports to power up their phones,

▶ f u l l-z i p j a c k e t Galvin Green Alon (Gore-Tex C-Knit), $695 ▶ pa n t Galvin Green Axel (GoreTex C-Knit), $680

▶ l i g h t w e i g h t/ u lt r a l i g h t w e i g h t Callaway Hyper-Lite Zero (2018), $230 Sun Mountain 2.5+, $220 ▶ c a r ry Ogio Cirrus (2018), $180 Ping Hoofer (2018), $180 Sun Mountain 4.5LS Supercharged, $250 ▶ c a r t Sun Mountain C-130 Supercharged, $280 ▶ hybrid Callaway Fusion 14, $230 Datrek Go Lite, $150 ▶ s ta n d l e s s / s u n d ay Jones Golf Utility Rover, $170 ▶ wat e r p r o o f Callaway Hyper Dry Cart, $330 Ping Hoofer Monsoon, $230 Sun Mountain H2NO Lite, $290 Titleist 4UP StaDry, $245

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pushcarts ▶ If you’re unfamiliar with the Big Max brand, it’s likely because you didn’t grow up playing golf in Europe. The popular European company continues to integrate its pushcarts and bags into the American golf market. The Blade

Previous Pages: DaviD Brinko • raingear: Courtesy of galvin green alon • sungl asses: Courtesy of oakley

quality speakers to play music, and GPS systems to help with yardages. This is in addition to standard-issue elements that make up a good golf cart, namely a suspension system that doesn’t make you feel like you’re riding over moguls, a steering wheel you don’t have to wrestle, and comfy seats. We also want well-positioned holders for divot mix and a windshield that’s easy to put up or take down. For gas carts, a quiet ride with no noisy, smelly backfires is a must. Our choices in Club Transport check all those boxes and a few others.

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▶ Galvin Green’s Alon jacket is soft—no more swishing sounds during your swing.

IP, its newest pushcart, features the fourth generation of Big Max’s flatfold technology. Aptly named, because you’ll see that these pushcarts really do fold down flat, to a slim five inches high. Sun Mountain’s newest pushcart was built for ease of use—the opening and closing of just one latch is required to fold and unfold the Pathfinder 3.

Bungee cords are positioned to secure your bag to the cart, and the supports that the bungees are attached to are adjustable so you can fit a wide range of different-size bags. ▶ Big Max Blade IP, $350 ▶ Sun Mountain Pathfinder 3, $200

▶ Not just any pair of golf eyewear will suffice. Most quality shades have the standard UVA/UVB protection, comfortable face grips and a stylish design, but they lack golf-specific lens color and shape. Brown- or

▶ golf performance Oakley Prizm Dark (Targetline Frame), $153 ▶ s p o r t/c a s u a l Electric Knoxville Pro (Matte Black with OHM Grey Lens), $120

▶ The DJI Phantom 4 Pro can approach 50 miles per hour.

like something you’d see in a documentary. The Spark is the Phantom’s smaller cousin, just over one third the size. It’ll fly for about 15 minutes to a range of about a mile and reaches 31 mph with obstacle avoidance and automatic stabilization for its 1080p video camera and a highdefinition video link that lets you watch from your smartphone.

drones DJI is the dominant force in the drone market for a reason. Its birds are well-executed and user-friendly, and the Phantom 4 Pro is the latest and best iteration of the company’s mainstream drone. It’ll fly for a half-hour approaching 50 miles per hour, and you can send it more than four miles away. The 4k video it produces from the onboard camera looks

▶ enthusiast DJI Phantom 4 Pro, $1,429 ▶ h o b b y i s t DJI Spark, $349

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eyewear

amber-tinted lenses offer better visual acuity on the course, and longer, frameless styles provide uninhibited views as you swing.

Oakley’s Prizm lens technology remains the best in golf. The newest iteration, Prizm Dark, is optimized for especially sunny days. The light filtering is more precise for stronger visual contrast. Newcomer Electric knows how to make a stylish pair of sunglasses that will stand the test of the sunniest rounds.

The Knoxville Pro frame is made with Grilamid, a material known for its extremely high bending strength. It adds durability without any extra weight.

They’re anti-slip, comfortable and frameless for a barely-there feel. The OHM grey lens’ focus is superior clarity and depth, but they’re also great for daily use.

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▶ Oakley’s Prizm Dark filters light for stronger visual contrast.

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sunscreen/lip balm

▶ Arccos 360 with Arccos Caddie, $300 ▶ Game Golf Pro with Smart Caddie, $300

▶ The Impact Snap gives feedback for good (and bad) swing motions and can make changes in three or four swings.

The Orange Whip Wedge uses a super-flexible shaft and heavy head to encourage a better sequence of motion in the downswing. PuttOUT Golf’s trainer is a ramp that sits above the green. The ramp returns the ball the distance it would have gone past the hole, and it rewards a perfectly weighted putt by snaring the ball in a tiny depression midway up the ramp.

▶ First things first: Anything that protects your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is better than going commando. That being said, not all sunscreens are created equal. Sunscreens fall into two main categories: those that contain mineralbased active ingredients that physically block the sun’s rays, and those that contain chemical ingredients that absorb the sun’s rays. Golf Digest endorses only mineral-based physical blockers. The ingredients to look for are zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. If you see active ingredients such as oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate or octisalate, it’s a chemical-based sunscreen that has been linked to harmful side effects such as reproductive issues, allergic reactions and organ-system toxicity. Another ingredient to avoid is retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A that might speed the development of skin

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• IN G O L F B E ST I N

EDITORS’

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▶ Impact Snap, $99 ▶ Orange Whip Wedge, $119 ▶ PuttOUT, $30

▶ PuttOUT’s ramp returns the ball the distance the putt would have gone past the hole.

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Puttout: CouRtESy of thEREfoRE dESign • ARCCoS 360: CouRtESy of ARCCoS

training aids

O LF • BEST I N GO

▶ Arccos 360 with Arccos Caddie picks clubs and offers strategy tips.

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▶ It’s time to embrace real game analysis that used to be reserved for players on the PGA Tour. Coupled with scoring, GPS capabilities and gaming options, we suggest you add Arccos 360 or Game Golf Pro to your game. Both systems require you to put small sensors into the ends of your grips.

What really is setting this technology on a game-changing path is artificial-intelligence features like Arccos Caddie and the just-released Game Golf Smart Caddie. Using your historical playing data and an ever-expanding universe of other player and course statistics, your phone becomes the smartest caddie that has

ever existed, giving you club selection and strategy guides for every hole. The sensors in these devices continue to get smaller and lighter, and the need for carrying a phone in your pocket isn’t even required for Game Golf Pro. Meanwhile, Arccos 360 uses a high-frequency transmission instead of Bluetooth to communicate with your phone, so your battery life will be better throughout the round. These systems automatically track each shot and keep your score, and the tens of thousands course databases give you yardages from anywhere on the course. Both systems give you a score for each part of your game: driving, approach, short game and putting. These devices also give your teacher access to assess your progress and dial in your lessons.

GOL

game analyzers

tumors. There’s no reason to buy anything with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) higher than 50. The blocking ingredients will work for only a few hours, max, before you need to reapply, so SPF higher than 50 is overkill.

▶ Recovery sleepwear that provides a non-sweaty sauna? Tom Brady helped develop Under Armour’s line.

sunscreen ▶ Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Drytouch SPF 30, $12 for three ounces ▶ Skin Sunscreen SPF 30+, $14.25 for 3.4 ounces ▶ Thinksport Sunscreen SPF 50+, $13 for three ounces ▶ Z Blok Clear Zinc SPF Stick 45+, $11 for .5 ounce lip balm ▶ Beyond Coastal Citrus Grove SPF 15, $3 ▶ Skin Suncreen SPF 30+, $5 ▶ Z Blok with Clear Zinc SPF 30, $4

recovery sleepwear ▶ It’s not news that sleep is a crucial part of any training regimen, but Under Armour is taking that idea a step further with a line of recovery sleepwear.

The pajamas have a special raised print inside that uses your natural body heat to essentially

SLEEPWEAR: CouRtESy of undER ARmouR

j o r da n s pi e th p u t th e s e ja m m i e s i nt o th e r o tati o n j u s t b e fo r e h i s 2 0 17 o pe n c h a m pi o n s h i p w i n at r oya l b ir k da le . create a non-sweaty sauna overnight. Far Infrared heat is reflected off the pattern to relieve inflammation, ease pain and promote better sleep. Know that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady helped develop this line and swears by it. We’ll admit it’s a bit pricey, but a single Infrared sauna session typically starts at around the same price, and these won’t make you feel like you’re drowning in sweat. The pieces are available in a henley, T-shirt, short and jogger. ▶ Under Armour Athlete Recovery Sleepwear, $50 and up

fitness equipment ▶ Focus your training on three main areas: Things that improve flexibility so you can make a fluid swing, things that make your body stronger and more stable, and things that protect your joints and soft tissue. For the most part, every product that made our list can be used to achieve at least two of those goals, if not all three. ▶ c o m m e r c i a l gy m Life Time Fitness, $29-$179 a month

▶ dumbbells Bowflex SelectTech 552, $260 ▶ e l l i p t i c a l Sole E95, $1,800 ▶ foam roller TriggerPoint Grid X, $50 ▶ m e d i c i n e b a l l (h a r d) SPRI Dual Grip Xerball, $49-$95 ▶ m e d i c i n e b a l l (s e n s o r ) Assess 2 Perform Ballistic, $525-$550 ▶ m e d i c i n e b a l l (s o f t ) Rogue, $65-$119 ▶ m i n i b a n d s SKLZ MultiResistance Training Set, $20 ▶ p lyo b ox e s Rogue Foam, $175-$965 ▶ r e s i s ta n c e b a n d s SuperFlex Golf Fitness Kit, $70

▶ s ta b i l i t y t r a i n e r Bosu Elite, $200 ▶ s tat i o n a ry b i k e Peloton, $2,000 ▶ stretching aid True Stretch 800SS Pro, $2,200 ▶ suspension tr ainer Redcord Mini, $198 ▶ s w i n g -t r a i n i n g b a n d s Instant Replay, $109 ▶ s w i n g -t r a i n i n g c l u b WeckMethod RMT, $95-$112 ▶ t r e a d m i l l NordicTrack Commercial 2950, $2,300 ▶ weighted bar ActivMotion Bar, $85-$136 ▶ e d i t o r s ’ c h o i c e items were reported and written by Joel Beall, Peter Finch, Stephen Hennessey, E. Michael Johnson, Ron Kaspriske, Keely Levins, Ashley Mayo, Brittany Romano, Matthew Rudy, Mike Stachura and Ron Whitten, with input from our international affiliates. may 2018 | golf digest india

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All Aboard

m y s h ot • 2 5 o n a p r i l 7 • j u p i t e r • f l o r i d a

DANIEL BERGER

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ON NEVER WATCHING THE MASTERS, DELETING TWEETS THAT MISS THE CUT, AND WHY TIME ON A BOAT CAN BEAT PLAYING GOLF. WITH GUY YOCOM

Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

AB ARD

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ALL

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I G♥LF

as much or more than anybody, but I’ve never watched it on TV except out of the corner of my eye. Not one round of the Masters, or even an episode of “Golf Central.” I’ve never seen the Feherty show. If I’ve watched a couple of hours of golf, total, I’d be surprised. I did watch a few highlights of Justin Thomas winning the PGA Championship last year, because he’s a buddy, and I was curious how he did it. But that’s about it. I follow golf through Twitter, Instagram and the PGA Tour app. I’m very weak on golf history, because you pick up a lot of that on TV. I know Jack Nicklaus has 18 majors, and that Tiger has 14, but I have no idea who’s third. I’m not trying to shock you. It’s just how it is. ●●●

you seem fascinated by this, so here’s a

little more: When I played in my first Masters, in 2016, I knew nothing about Augusta National except what I’d seen playing the Tiger video game. I had a couple of invitations to play the course in advance and appreciated them but was like, “Thank you, but I’m good.” Not knowing what a big deal it was is probably why I didn’t play a full practice round. I walked the front nine on Tuesday with a wedge and putter and played the back nine on Wednesday. I tied for 10th that first year. I think it’s a hard course. Very hilly. ●●●

not being a golf junkie who reads and

watches golf on TV constantly maybe taught me to look at the game a little differently. Remember when Jordan Spieth holed that bunker shot on the first playoff hole to beat me at the Travelers last year? When something like that happens, you’ll hear announcers say things like, “That must really be a shock to his opponent,” but I don’t see it that way. Even a great shot like Jordan’s, experience has taught me that it’s sort of random whether it actually goes in. It would have been a bad time to react to a golf shot.

I still had a long putt from just off the green to tie Jordan, and I almost made it. I’m proud of how I took the emotion out of it. If I’d let Jordan’s shot affect me, I probably wouldn’t have come close. ●●●

hanging out with tiger and the team at the last Presidents Cup, I heard stories about how he used to “will” the ball into the hole.

It implied he could steer the ball with his mind. That’s getting too far out there. What Tiger did was hit putts with perfect speed on a perfect line. There’s nothing else to it.

Next time I see Tiger, I need to ask him if he can bend objects with his mind. I’m guessing he’ll laugh at the idea. ●●●

am i the only one who erases nine out of

10 tweets before hitting the send button? A couple of years ago, I used to lob tweets at my buddies in the golf and tennis world.

84 golf digest india | may 2018

Nothing too controversial, but little digs that probably would have made them laugh if I said them in person. But seeing how the comments looked online made me worry if people thought I was making fun of them.

It made me a lot more cautious. Most of my tweets these days [@danielberger59] don’t make the cut.

it’s true—to a point. If Rickie Fowler has a 10-foot putt to beat me, his good friend Bubba Watson is going to be rooting for Rickie.

But if Bubba had a 10-foot putt to beat Rickie, you can bet he’s trying to make it without mercy. From what I’ve noticed, the friendships are sincere until it comes to the actual competition. Then it’s ruthless. ●●●

timing is so important. At the 2013

Web.com Tour qualifying school, I squeezed onto the exempt list by two shots. If I’d missed, you never know how long it might have taken me to get to the PGA Tour, because tour players’ games aren’t hot all the time. At that same Q school, Justin Thomas finished 66-65 to also get his card by two shots. You have to figure Justin would get to the PGA Tour eventually, but what if he hadn’t had that hot finish? It’s not like either one of us would have been given any shortcuts. ●●●

my two pga tour wins were back-to-back at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, in 2016 and ’17. You hear about horses for courses, but I ●●● i’m not the most outspoken guy on tour, swear that isn’t the case for me. St. Jude is at but I try to speak from the heart. There’s the TPC Southwind, a course I like a lot but don’t comment I made when I came off the course love as much as others. It’s not tailored for on Saturday at the Presidents Cup last year. my game exactly. Other TPC courses suit me [“I hope that we close them out today, and better—TPC River Highlands and TPC Louiwe go out there tomorrow and beat them siana come to mind. So again, it comes down even worse.”] I stand by that. I to timing. It’s played the week know it rubbed the last-placebefore the U.S. Open, which is ‘BEFORE I COULD FINISH, deserves-a-trophy crowd the a good time to be peaking. wrong way, probably because PHIL SNAPPED BACK, ●●● when jordan, Rickie, Justin we had a big lead and they “DON’T EVER APOLOGIZE and Smylie posted the videxpected us to feel sorry for FOR MAKING A GUY PUTT.” ’ eos from their #SB2K16 trip, them. But I was being honI thought, That looks like a est how pros think. Not just blast, because I’ve never done a cool spring in sports, but in business. There’s no doubt break. But then I saw them playing golf, and in my mind the Internationals would have all my envy went away. When I’m on vacathought the same thing if the tables were tion, I leave my clubs at home. A boat looks a reversed. I wouldn’t have a problem hearing lot better to me than the golf course. them say what I said. ●●●

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wants to bury you? On the second hole of my match against Phil Mickelson at the 2016 WGC-Match Play, Phil had a one-foot putt for a halve. I didn’t give it to him. It was no big deal; I just wanted him to putt it. He knocked it in. A couple of holes later, Phil sidled up to me. He said, “So how about that putt on No. 2?” I started to feel a little sheepish, because Phil’s a veteran and I respect him.

I said, “Well, I’m sorry about that. I was just . . . ” Before I could finish, Phil snapped back, “Don’t ever apologize for making a guy putt.”

That was a cool move on his part and a good thing for a kid to hear. He beat me, 1 up, not conceding many putts, if I recall correctly.

reliever for me. I grew up with my dad and brothers doing a lot of water sports and still do to this day. Diving, wakeboarding, saltwater fishing—we did it all. My boat, a Pathfinder, is my special place when I’m not on the road, and I spend lots of time on it. I love the post-dinner sunset cruise or even heading out in the dark to catch some snook.

what’s a tough competitor, if not one who

●●●

there’s been a lot made about players rooting for and supporting each other, and

spending time on the water is a big stress

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music is huge among players on the PGA Tour. The younger guys especially. One guy I really like is Justin Bieber. I’m not a diehard fan or anything and probably have only five songs of his in my library, but I like his music. I respect how he’s evolved since his teen-heartthrob days, how his music has gotten better. I like the sheer fact he’s created something that other people enjoy. At the

PGA Championship last year, I got out of my courtesy car, and there he was, hanging out.

I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of influential people, but this was a notch above. It was like, Holy crap, it’s Justin Bieber! ●●●

but for pure golf music , I gotta go with

reggae. Bands like Iration, Slightly Stoopid and Stick Figure add a great chill, almost like the music was purposed expressly for golf.

But I don’t want any music around when I’m playing competitively. Part of the beauty of tournament golf is the way it sends different thoughts and emotions into your head. It’s fun listening to those thoughts, good and bad.

I wouldn’t want music drowning that out. ●●●

that said, some music on tour could be fun.

A couple years ago, during a Q&A with some folks from the tour, I was asked what I’d do if I were commissioner for a day. I said I’d introduce walk-up music on the first tee as a way for players to show a little personality.

I think I’d choose “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. That one always puts me in a good mood. ●●●

my dad, jay berger, played pro tennis for several years in the late 1980s. He won some tournaments and got to the quarters of the U.S. Open and French Open in 1989. After he retired because of injuries, he became a very good coach, and until last year he was head of player development for the United States Tennis Association. My dad’s biggest thrill— the thing that fulfilled him most—was playing Davis Cup for America. When I was little, he’d tell me how there’s nothing like playing for your country. His patriotism filtered down to me, because playing in the Presidents Cup has been the biggest thrill of my career so far. When Patrick Reed talks about the excitement of wearing the red, white and blue, I know where he’s coming from. ●●●

patrick got a lot of attention for doing the shushing gesture in the 2014 Ryder Cup. In my Presidents Cup singles match against Si Woo Kim, I had a 2-up lead playing the 11th hole and then chipped in for birdie. The crowd went nuts. When Si Woo made a seven-footer to tie, he did the shushing move.

I loved that. He’s a tough competitor, and I liked how he brought everything to the table, tried his best to bury me and invited me to try to do the same to him. ●●●

all my energy is going into making the

Ryder Cup team this fall. It’s my biggest immediate goal. My dad said that when he beat Jimmy Connors in the second round at the French Open in 1989, there were four people in Roland Garros Stadium rooting for him—the three people sitting in his box, and him. It’ll be like that in France, almost every-

body pulling for Europe. I’d love to be in the middle of that. ●●●

in my dad’s day, tennis courts were full. Not

craft. I took that to heart. I wore out clubs and grips. I’d hit balls until I literally was limp and couldn’t swing anymore. That’s another thing about not watching golf on TV. I was so busy playing, being a fan had no appeal to me.

anymore. There’s a concern that golf could go the way of tennis, that participation will dry up. I don’t see it. See, tennis takes effort.

You’re going to get sweaty, and you might be sore for three days after. It’s harder to compete across age groups. You aren’t really hanging with your buddies; it’s usually you and another person. Golf, you get to hang out and drink beer. You can be lazy at it if you want; there are even little things to get the ball out of the hole for you. It’s a lot more social, a little less intense. It has all these options and dimensions, with courses, equipment, instruction and watching the pro game. I don’t see golf ever going away. It’s the most awesome leisure sport and always will be.

during those early years , I played in a junior tournament in Connecticut. When I finished my first round, I ran into Ivan Lendl, a family friend. “How’d you do?” he asked. “Not very good,” I said. “I shot 78.” I was moping, feeling sorry for myself. Ivan looked at me, then grabbed me by the shoulders. Not hard and not mean, but sharply, to get my attention. “You must go out and do better tomorrow,” he said, and then he gave me a lecture on what I needed to do. It actually woke me up. He cared. I had support outside of my immediate family.

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the way to get good, fast, is to play with tennis made was the focus the ATP put on people who are better than you are. When the four majors. Wimbledon and the I was in high school, Ivan helped us make an Australian, French and U.S. Opens way arrangement with Joe Webster, the owner overshadowed the regular tournaments. of The Dye Preserve here in Jupiter, Pro golf has handled its whereby I could product differently. It play and practice in ‘I WAS MOPING, FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF. exchange for picking emphasizes its majors but has made regular IVAN [LENDL] LOOKED AT ME, THEN GRABBED the range, cleaning tour events important. carts, caddieing ME BY THE SHOULDERS. NOT HARD AND NOT Winning a PGA Tour MEAN, BUT SHARPLY, TO GET MY ATTENTION.’ and whatever else event has the potential needed to be done. I to change a player’s life, started playing on a and there are enough really good players to regular basis with tour players like Steve generate interest every week.

Marino, Will MacKenzie, Richard Johnson and Marc Turnesa. We always played for ●●● my dad sent me to a golf summer camp something, and they never gave me shots. when I was 11, and I came away knowing I Their skills rubbed off on me, and so wanted to be a pro golfer. During the school did their attitudes and competitiveness. year, my dad would drop me off at CranThey had a mind-set of improving all don Golf Club in Key Biscayne at 6 a.m. I’d the time, and the takeaway for me was, I practice for two hours, then he or my mom wasn’t going to let anything stop me from would drive me to school. At 12:30, my mom getting better. or older sister would pick me up and drive ●●● at florida state , where I played for two me back to the course, and I’d play or pracyears, I got to a point where I had to move tice until dark. I played both weekend days on. I won some tournaments and was a firstpractically from sunup to sundown, and durteam All-American. But in school you can’t ing the summers, I was out there every single do everything. There was no way I could day. The moral of my story at that point is study six hours for a math test and also get my family. Looking back on it, the amount up at 6 a.m. to work on my game. Something of schedule disruption on their part was had to give. So I turned pro after my sophostaggering. When it came to golf, they nevmore year, when I was 20. er said no. Even when I misbehaved, like blowing off homework assignments, the ●●● i’m not into stats much. My coach, Jeff punishment never involved depriving me Leishman, is more into them than me. I of golf. It’s hard to fail when you have that have a TrackMan, but I see it as just a really much support. expensive tape measure. I don’t watch my ●●● and it’s about the hours. Another thing swing on video, either. Maybe it comes from my dad said: Every minute I wasn’t practiclearning the game a lot on my own when I ing, there was a kid in China or South Amerwas a kid at The Dye Preserve, and playing ica who was. He believes in the 10,000-hour pretty much by feel. But to me, the only stat concept, the idea that really accomplished I look at hard is number of wins. That’s the people totally immerse themselves in their one I want to improve. as a spectator sport, the mistake

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The Distance Debate Are golf’s ruling bodies preparing a rollback? by mike stachura erhaps it was just a coincidence, but when the United States Golf Association and Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews jointly introduced their most worrisome report on driving distance to date, it came the day after the field average at the WGC-Mexico Championship soared to nearly 306 yards, 13 yards longer than the tour average for 2017 and the ninth event this season to surpass last year’s record-setting driving average of 292.5 yards.

This new report, together with comments officials have made in public and private, suggests golf’s rules-makers are inching closer to an equipment rollback, rules bifurcation or some combination. The report doesn’t explicitly say that, only a desire for “a thoughtful conversation” and “an open and inclusive process.” Still, the specter of change looms: Distance, the ruling bodies are saying, is officially an issue.

Almost immediately two of golf’s chief organizations disputed the report, and it’s important to note that without PGA Tour consensus, a rollback isn’t possible. In a letter to players, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said: “We do not believe the trends indicate a significant or abnormal increase in distance since 2003, or from 2016 to 2017. We will continue to collaborate and share data with the USGA and the R&A . . . and are hopeful our perspectives will align.”

Pete Bevacqua, CEO of the PGA of America, which has a membership of 29,000 PGA professionals and conducts the PGA Championship and Ryder

P

Cup, was more direct: “We are highly skeptical that rolling back the golf ball in whole or part will be in the best interests of the sport and our collective efforts to grow the game.”

Reasonable minds looking at the same numbers and reaching different conclusions suggests that the “thoughtful conversation” period could be

86 golf digest india | may 2018

protracted and contentious.

For reference, the rancorous groove-rule debate took five years from proposal to implementation. An equipment rollback would have many more obstacles to overcome.

The distance report’s March release had been preceded by increasingly forceful expressions of concern. A year ago, USGA Executive Director Mike Davis questioned the time constraints, rising costs and resource shortages that golf’s expanding footprint has caused, wondering, “Has that been good for the game?” But at that same meeting, Davis also said: “We don’t foresee any need to do a mandatory rollback.”

Then at the USGA’s Annual

Meeting in February, Davis bluntly questioned golf’s effect on the environment and said the increase in driving distance “does compromise the architectural integrity of some marvelously designed golf courses.”

A week later, R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers was more pointed, suggesting the report would show that driving distances had gone from a “slow creep” to “quite a big jump,” something he said the USGA and R&A’s 2002 Joint Statement of Principles had vowed to guard against.

“When you look at this data, we have probably crossed that line in the sand,” Slumbers said.

“A serious discussion is now needed on where we go.”

lou beach

Play Your Best Special Report

R&A chief: The recent “slow creep” has become “quite a big jump.”

That discussion has no doubt been going on behind the scenes. The appointment of Hall of Famer and three-time major champion Nick Price to the USGA Executive Committee last fall was no mere honorarium. Price, the highest-profile player to serve on the Executive Committee, is a longtime proponent of reining in distance.

Two weeks before the distance report was issued, Jack Nicklaus, perhaps the game’s leading rollback proponent, intimated that he had been assured by Davis that something was in the works to restrict driving distance. “ ‘We’re going to get there,’ ” Nicklaus said Davis told him over dinner. “ ‘I need your help when we get there.’ ”

Bolstered by Fox’s $1.2 billion television contract, the USGA perhaps thinks it doesn’t need as much help to push for a rollback, especially against a golfmanufacturing community fighting for its respective bottom lines in a down market.

But Acushnet, maker of Titleist golf balls, isn’t staying quiet. For decades, Acushnet was led by Wally Uihlein, the eloquent anti-rollback attack dog.

If the ruling bodies thought the report’s timing would meet less resistance with Uihlein’s recent retirement, they were wrong.

David Maher, Uihlein’s replacement, took up the cause with the same fact-based skepticism.

“Any movement as in 2017 is not suddenly indicative of a harmful trend,” Maher said.

He cited what he said was a discrepancy in the report: A surge in driving distance at three of the four majors in 2017 accounted for a third of the gain in driving distance on the PGA Tour for all of 2017. This included a 20.4-yard jump for the U.S. Open, 8.1 yards for the Open Championship and seven yards for the PGA Championship. Conversely, when comparing events played on the same courses year to year, Maher said the gain from 2016 to 2017 was only half a yard.

“A closer look into the numbers in the report underscores the complexity of making any meaningful year-to-year comparisons,” he said. “There were several contributing variables in 2017, including course selection and setup, agronomic conditions and weather, which need to be considered when assessing the data.”

The USGA’s first two reports on driving distance, in 2015 and 2016, showed only modest gains. But 2017’s numbers revealed a distinct and unexplained increase. The average distance gain for the seven professional tours was more than three yards (compared to 0.2 yards per year since 2003).

This included a nearly sevenyard jump on the Web.com Tour

in 2017, the first major professional tour to average more than 300 yards (302.9).

There’s another way to look at the numbers, especially those on the PGA Tour. With the nearly three-yard average gain in 2017, driving distance since 2003 has increased just 6.6 yards. That’s an average of less than half a yard per year.

Conversely, in the decade leading up to 2003—a decade that inspired the ruling bodies to say distance was a problem—the driving-distance average increased nearly 20 yards, about two yards per year and more than four times the growth rate seen in the past 14 years.

Interestingly, the 2017 report also collected the average driving distances of regular male golfers since 1996. This figure went from 200 yards in 1996 to a high of 217 yards in 2005, then down to 208 yards in 2017.

On the PGA Tour, however, the distance boom has continued into the 2018 season: By mid-March 69 players were averaging more than 300 yards off the tee, easily an all-time high.

It’s unusual for the USGA and R&A to take a single year’s data, like the jump in 2017, and build a case for change. The groove rule, for example, came about by studying more than two decades’ worth of numbers. And, in fact, the growth in driving distance on the PGA Tour has been less so far this decade than any other decade since 1990.

The rules-makers haven’t offered a timetable for making a decision on a potential rollback, but they have been studying shorter-flying prototype golf balls since 2005. Golf Digest obtained samples of one of the prototype balls and tested it at four swing speeds: The ball lost 22 to 32 yards at 120 and 105 miles per hour and seven to 10 yards at 90 and 75 mph.

With all the talk of sustainability, it’s not clear that the ruling bodies have pinpointed the problem with distance. A survey by the American Society of Golf Course Architects found

more interest in building tees to allow for a shorter course than building more tees for a longer course. Any debate about a rollback will likely be about “if” or “how” equipment should be limited. The distance report’s preamble stresses “the effect of increasing distance on the balance between skill and technology” and that “maintaining this balance is paramount to preserving the integrity of golf.”

Although the golf ball gets most of the attention, it’s getting harder to separate the ball’s effect on driving distance from the club. Drivers, for example, have become larger, lighter and more stable, with centers of gravity increasingly fine-tuned to produce high-launching, low-spinning shots. And what about the highly conditioned athlete or the launch monitor, which can elevate our understanding of ideal trajectories and spin rates? How close are we to the limits of human potential when it comes to distance? Furthermore, at what level would any rollback be implemented, and how would that level not be affected by every level below it?

History shows that golf’s rules-makers don’t initiate a “conversation” like this without a rule waiting in their back pocket. It was that way with driver faces, with grooves and with anchored putters, changes that, though disruptive, did not significantly alter the relationship among the game, its pros and the paying public.

But an equipment rollback could test those relationships.

In its distance report, the USGA and R&A extended an offer of collaboration to analyze the issue, a more collegial approach than what officials have sometimes expressed in public.

It calls to mind the words of French essayist Joseph Joubert, whose thoughts were formed during the French Revolution.

“It is better to debate a question without settling it,” he said, “than to settle a question without debating it.”

may 2018 | golf digest india

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Play Your Best Basics

5-Minute Clinic

Simple ways to adapt to play from any lie by kaylin skovron

he thing I hear the most from golfers who come to me for a lesson is that they want a more reliable swing. I get it, but to play your best golf, it’s more important to understand what adjustments you need to make for the many scenarios you’ll face during any given round. Knowing how to adapt provides you with more latitude to make a less-than-perfect swing and still get a decent result. Your good shots get better, but more importantly, so do your bad ones. That’s why knowing how to change up is the quickest way to lower your scores. Let’s work on how to modify your game. —with matthew rudy

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kaylin skovron, a Golf Digest Best Young Teacher, is based at Jeff Isler Golf in Southlake, Texas.

‘THE BEST PRACTICE SESSIONS ARE ONES WHERE YOU TRY TO MIMIC REAL ONCOURSE LIES AND SHOTS.’

1 better driving

Change your ball position for better tee shots ▶ To get the best launch and spin with a driver, play the ball forward in your stance and hit up on it. But if you have it aligned with your front heel (above), and you’re still hitting it too low (and often crooked), play it even farther forward so the ball is lined up off the toes of the front foot (left). Address it with your feet together, and then step away from the target with your trail foot.

Now you’re set up to launch it higher—and hopefully straighter.

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The average drive on the Web.com Tour (302.9 yards) is about 10 yards longer than on the PGA Tour.

2 better iron shots

Know how your curve fits the environment ▶ Whether or not you’re happy with the way your shots curve, the main thing is knowing how your typical shot shape with irons meshes with what the hole is asking you to do. A big, open range makes it hard to pick small targets, aim at them, and see the way your ball needs to move to reach them. So for a better perspective, put an alignment stick in the ground 10 yards downrange on your target line. Then hit shots, paying attention to how the ball has to curve in relation to that stick to hit your target.

This will narrow your focus.

3 better recoveries

Beat bad lies with brains and experience ▶ Unless you’re a member at Augusta National, you’re probably not playing every shot from a perfect lie. When it’s in a bad spot, instead of hacking at the ball and hoping for the best, have a plan. Start by assessing the lie. If you can get the club on the back of the ball, you want to make sure you make a swing that contacts the ball first. To help make that happen, address it slightly back of center in your stance, and when you swing, focus on hitting down on the ball. If you take the club back steeper with more wrist hinge than normal, you’ll pre-set a good angle of attack. Remember that these shots usually fly lower and with more roll than normal. The major mistake here is trying to lift the ball out of the hole by straightening up. You have to keep your posture. If you spend 10 minutes intentionally hitting shots from bad lies when you practice, you’ll feel a lot better about your chances of recovering when you play.

4 better bunker play

A good setup makes bunker shots almost automatic ▶ A lot of players try to gouge the ball out with a hard swing that digs with the leading edge, or they hang back and try to scoop it out. Neither is a reliable technique. Instead, open the face, set your grip, and open your stance slightly while keeping the ball position just forward of center. This combination will let you make a regular pitch swing on the line shown here and get the club sliding through the sand at a depth just under the ball.

Photographs by J.D. Cuban

Play Your Best Swing Sequence hen you think of golfers whose swings stood the test of time, players such as Sam Snead and Tom Watson come to mind. But as Sergio Garcia defends his title at the Masters in April, it’s becoming increasingly clear that his action should be mentioned among the all-time greats.

“There’s real genius to the way he swings,” says Golf Digest Teaching Profes-

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Sergio Garcia Nitpick if you must, but there’s very little to dislike about this swing

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sional Rob Akins. “He might be the best ball-striker in the game today. That’s not just my opinion. Ask guys out there on tour.”

Akins has been watching Garcia since his pro debut in 1999 and says only the most discernible eyes can recognize variance in Sergio’s swing over the years.

“He’s not as laid off, meaning the shaft doesn’t flatten as much in the downswing,”

Akins says. “But what’s more important is what he still does.”

Garcia’s swing has always been dictated by his body pivot, Akins says. This might sound odd, but his arms and hands don’t do much more than come along for the ride.

“There’s no steering or stalling,” he says.

“He just pivots his body, stays behind the ball, and compresses it.” —ron k a s p r i s k e

PREP WORK

PIVOT PERFECT

SUPER SHOULDERS

Crucial to Sergio’s swing is keeping his body behind the ball through impact.

He prepares for that at address, says instructor Rob Akins.

“Like Snead and Nicklaus, his left eye and cheek are aligned with the ball,” Akins says. One critique: “Ball position; It could be farther forward.”

He takes the club back with his body, not his arms.

“The classic one-piece takeaway,” Akins says.

“I tell my students, never move your arms with your arms and never cock your wrists with your wrists. Let it happen naturally by virtue of pivoting. And that’s what he’s doing.

That’s the move you want to copy.”

As he gets to the top of the swing, the right shoulder has moved closer to the target than the left.

“He’s turned way past 90 degrees and, yet, look at where his arms and club are [top row, fourth photo],” Akins says. “This shows that his arms and hands aren’t doing anything.

They don’t need to.”

“When he swings, it’s a lot like he’s cracking a whip.”

—Rob Akins

THE SERGIO LAG A misconception about the noticeable distance between his hands and clubhead in the downswing is that he’s consciously trying to create that lag, Akins says. “It’s actually caused by the looseness in his wrists as his body changes direction. It’s a lot like he’s cracking a whip,” Akins says.

BACKING UP

KEEP ON TURNING

PRO-FILE

As the clubhead reaches the ball, Sergio’s torso has tilted farther away from the target than it was at address. Not only did he stay behind the ball, Akins says, he’s still got some weight on his back foot—just like a home-run hitter. “His feet are very stable, too,” Akins says. “It’s controlled power.”

He keeps pivoting well past impact, letting his arms and club fully extend toward the target. “Notice how little the feet, knees and hips have moved compared to the shoulders,” Akins says. “If you can quiet down your lower body through impact and keep rotating your upper body, I think you’ll like the result.”

sergio garcia 38 / 5-10 / 180 pounds Castellon, Spain driver Callaway GBB Epic ball Callaway Chrome Soft X

Photographs by J.D. Cuban

edited by ron kaspriske

Playa Grandeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s par-3 17th, photographed in January by Carlos Amoedo.

SWEET SPOT

Grande Entrance The Dominican Republicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest seaside course is ready for play

may 2018 | golf digest india

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Rees Jones reworked his father’s original 1997 design. laya Grande is paradise rediscovered. Stretched along three miles of jagged coastline on the north shore of the Dominican Republic, with 10 of its holes perched 100 feet above the turbulent Atlantic (as turquoise as the Caribbean in this locale), Playa Grande is as stunning to look at as the most outrageous fantasy golf calendar, and perhaps more thrilling than your favorite golf video game. It’s real and surreal; heartthrob and heart-stopper; hardly new, yet brand new.

Conceived by a legend, Robert Trent Jones, in the mid-1970s, it wasn’t built until 1997, just three years before his death, and is considered by many to be Trent’s last and greatest design. But it had flaws, some holes that merely occupied space near the ocean, too many shots played with one’s back to the deepblue sea, a serviceable hotel jammed between fairways with an access road that put you in harm’s way of errant shots.

When Dolphin Capital Investors bought the property, it invited Aman Resorts, that exotic made-of-gold hotel chain, to establish a flagship operation, Amanera, beside the course, and hired Rees Jones, younger son of Trent, to reimagine the layout. Gone are the weak links, some sacrificed to make space for Amanera’s $950-$6,500-a-night casitas (you’ll likely have to stay there to play the course), others reversed to pile on the drama. It’s close to perfect now, its sole mar being the par-4 16th and par-5 18th, lookalike fishhook fairways embracing ocean coves. Then again, because both pose gambling routes that mimic the daunting approach shot of the eighth at Pebble Beach, duplication isn’t such a sin. Who doesn’t want a do-over in paradise? —ron whitten

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The Golf Life

need to know course

Playa Grande

location 65

miles northeast of Cibao International Airport in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

cost to play

$325 for guests of the Amanera resort

architect

Robert Trent Jones.

Redesigned by son Rees Jones in 2015.

par/yardage 72/7,259

Clockwise: Don’t miss left on the par-4 eighth; the resort’s infinity pool; Playa Grande beach; an aerial view, including 36 casitas; the Amanera resort’s main pavilion. may 2018 | golf digest india

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The Golf Life Style

Say goodbye to big, clunky watches and hello to crisp and uncomplicated. â&#x2013;ś rolex oyster perpetual, $5,400

Less is More The trend in timepieces is simple, clean and elegant by marty hackel

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Photographs by Victor Prado

▶ audemars piguet royal oak extra thin, $22,700

▶ hublot classic fusion, $7,200

▶ panerai luminor due, $15,700

▶ mondaine sbb essence, $175

▶ movado bold, $395

▶ breitling transocean, $5,240

Play Your Best Equipment Slug by Firstname Lastname

Am, tempor atestibus apel im eatatem senimet debit

hen we asked golfers to evaluate golf balls for this year’s Hot List—during testing at Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort in Orlando—our overarching guidance was: “Rate these balls based on how much you would want to play them compared to your current ball.” Turns out they found an expanding universe of golf balls highly acceptable for full shots, and many that felt soft on full and partial swings. But as we got closer to the green, certain balls separated themselves with higher spin on chips and pitches.

In most cases these balls had a urethane cover (see page 46) and tended to be more expensive. Does that mean you have to make compromises with less-expensive models?

Probably, but depending on your skill level, those compromises might not matter as much. (For example, a more expensive ball that spins a lot on chips might not be the wisest choice if you’re losing a sleeve or two a round.) So decide which part of your game—full shots, short game, feel, price—is most important in terms of what you’re looking for in a golf ball.

Then review the 32 entries on this year’s Hot List. The results might open your mind to a new world.

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Finish What You Started A simple way to stop steering it

Hot List: Golf Balls gutterben balls: credit walton tk

An expanding universe of possibilities by mike stachura

98 golf golfdigest.com digest india| |month may 2018 2018

Photograph Illustration

by First

by Lastname John Ritter

Slug by Firstname Lastname Equipment Play Play Your Best

Balls withjacket urethane covers spin A good windproof % is comfortable a lot more and on short shots. functional.

▶ OVER $35 ▶ $26 TO $35 ▶ $25 AND UNDER

bridgestone tour b x/xs/rx/rxs

callaway chrome soft/x

srixon z-star/xv

taylormade tp5/tp5x

titleist avx

$45 The only tour ball with four options is divided two ways: Better players should stick with the firmer, lowerdriver-spin X or softerfeeling XS. All others who struggle with mis-hits should choose between the RX (less driver sidespin) or the RXS, the softest of all four.

$45 What can micro-

$40 These tour balls focus on distance with the longer clubs. The Z-Star’s soft, single core spins less on tee shots, and the XV’s harder outer core has more velocity for golfers with fast swing speeds. A special cover coating enhances friction on shorter shots.

$45 These five-layer balls get their greenside control from a soft urethane cover, but it’s the inner layers that are the most intriguing. The firm mantles surrounding the core help produce higher flight and lower spin on shots hit with long and middle irons for optimal distance.

$48 This three-piece design has the lowest compression for a Titleist multilayer, tourcaliber ball. It has soft feel and high-energy for distance off the driver, long and middle irons. There’s also a new urethane cover material for shortgame spin that also comes in yellow. p er fo r m a n ce ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

scopic and superstrong graphene do to improve a golf ball?

Callaway uses it to strengthen a thin outer core that boosts distance and short-game spin. That leaves room for a large, soft core that reduces driver spin. The X is firmer for faster swingers.

photographs by dom furore gutter credit tk

Finish What You Started A simple way to stop steering it

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titleist pro v1/x

wilson staff duo urethane

honma tw-g6

volvik vivid soft

wilson staff fg tour

$48 These flagship tour favorites were slightly redesigned last year. The Pro V1’s traditional softerfeeling core has been reformulated to boost distance, and the Pro V1x’s dimple pattern has been reworked for higher and more consistent downrange flight.

$38 The ultra-soft compression rating (55) might make some two-piece balls jealous, but Wilson didn’t stop there. To ensure golfers don’t suffer off the tee, there’s a resilient mantle to boost distance.

Finally, a urethane cover provides shortgame spin, durability and optimal feel.

$80 Designed for golf-

$43 Known for its color options, Volvik expands its line of urethane-covered balls to include a matte-finish in yellow, pink, green and white. Beyond the aesthetics, this model is for golfers with slow-to-average swing speeds looking for higher flight and greenside control.

$45 Wilson has developed a reputation for soft-compression golf balls for slower swingers, but this model has a construction meant for golfers with fast swing speeds. The two firm, resilient mantles help boost distance off the driver, and the urethane cover offers short-shot spin.

ers with fast swing speeds, this six-layer ball features a soft core surrounded by highly resilient ionomer layers to improve energy transfer for more driver distance.

For all the firmness on the inside, the urethane cover is there to provide soft feel.

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Play Your Best Equipment Slug by Firstname Lastname

% ▶ OVER $35 ▶ $26 TO $35 ▶ $25 AND UNDER

bridgestone e6 soft

snell mtb black/red

srixon q-star tour

taylormade project (a)

titleist tour soft

$30 Traditionally, dis-

$32 This direct-to-consumer brand expands its multilayer, urethane-cover ball lineup with two new versions: The Black, similar to the original, is a lowcompression model that reduces driver spin. The Red features an extra mantle layer to enhance spin on approach shots.

$30 Its soft core is de-

$35 The update to this average-golferfriendly, urethanecover ball includes ideas taken from the company’s tour-played TP5. This includes a firm mantle layer for more energy transfer and better greenside spin, and the same dimple pattern to power a higher flight.

$35 The extra-large core for this two-piece model fuels distance on all shots, but it does so with low compression for less spin, higher flight and soft feel. That large core means the ionomer cover is unusually thin to provide shotstopping control on full wedge shots. p er fo r m a n ce ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

tance balls meant sacrificing feel. But this perennial three-piece favorite lets a firmer outside work with a low-compression inside. The result is what average golfers need: high launch, soft feel, less spin for distance and less dispersion on all shots.

signed to provide golfers with average swing speeds more control because the ball is easier to compress for less spin on full shots.

The soft urethane cover features a new version of Srixon’s high-friction coating for maximum spin on the shortest shots.

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vice pro/soft/plus

callaway superhot

titleist velocity

volvik vivid lite

wilson staff duo soft spin

$35 These three tourstyle balls, which get cheaper the more you order, include the four-piece Pro Plus (high swing speeds) and the low-compression, three-piece Pro Soft (average swing speeds). The urethane cover is thinner, softer and more durable than past models.

$30 If you think the Superhot’s 15-ball pack and multiple colors scream distance, you’d be right. The three-piece ball’s core and mantle layer provide the energy, and the hexagonal dimples enhance the aerodynamics. All that said, the soft cover helps with spin and feel.

$27 The update to this popular distancefocused two-piece design features a lower-compression core for a softer feel and a firmer cover for more initial speed and higher flight on full shots. Color options include pink, orange and two kinds of white.

$33 The latest in Volvik’s color-filled lineup of mattefinished balls features a dual core interior.

The firmer center and softer outer core work together to increase energy transfer (more distance) for middle- to high-handicap players while providing a soft feel.

$27 This softer-feeling distance ball uses an ultra-low compression core. How low? It’s so soft it measures as a negative number.

That leads to low spin off the driver for a straighter flight.

Meanwhile, the soft mantle and firm cover help short-iron shots spin more.

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Slug by Firstname Lastname Equipment Play Play Your Best

Survey: jacket Distance and feel are A good windproof is comfortable what golfers most. andvalue functional.

▶ OVER $35 ▶ $26 TO $35 ▶ $25 AND UNDER

about urethane

callaway supersoft

maxfli softfli

snell get sum

srixon q-star

$22 It features Callaway’s lowest compression to reduce spin.

$22 The super-lowcompression core gets an energy boost.

$21 The large, soft core aims to produce higher flight and feel.

$25 A cover coating adds friction for more spin on wedge shots.

photographs by dom furore gutter credit tk

Finish What You Started A simple way to stop steering it

▶ A multilayer golf ball with a urethane cover can provide a distinct advantage. That’s why it’s the only kind of ball tour players use. In our Hot List player testing, evaluation scores were universally higher for balls with urethane covers than balls with non-urethane (ionomer) covers. Balls with urethane covers spun more on short shots.

We tested 54 balls with good players hitting 50-yard shots and had a GCQuad launch monitor to measure the results. In some cases, balls with urethane covers spun as much as 69 percent more. On average, the difference was more than 1,000 revolutions per minute.

That means more stopping power on chips and pitches. Some balls with ionomer covers reached urethanecover spin, but they weren’t as consistent.

But playing short shots with maximum spin might not be that important to you. According to a Golf Datatech survey, only 7 percent of golfers said spin was a priority. Then again, you might not know what you’re missing.

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srixon soft feel

taylormade project (s)

titleist dt trusoft

top-flite gamer urethane

$20 The core is soft but resilient. A thin cover adds feel.

$15 A soft, flexible mantle layer keys distance and better feel.

$22 The large core and flexible cover optimize spin on all shots.

$20 A new core design adds distance to this urethane-cover model. p er fo r m a n ce ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

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vice tour

wilson staff duo soft

cut 4u

pinnacle soft

$22 This three-piecer’s low-compression core helps average golfers.

$20 The soft core and mid-firm cover offer distance and low spin.

$20 Four layers with

$20 How soft? It’s the lowest-compression Pinnacle core ever.

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“I SEE SOME FAMILIAR ELEMENTS, AND SOME NEW ONES THAT WORK BETTER FOR A GOLFER WITH A FUSED SPINE.” —hank haney

HANK ON... ▶ From 2004 to 2010 I had a front-row seat while the best player of all time hit thousands of balls—on practice ranges from Florida to China and at major championships from Augusta National to St. Andrews.

I’m proud of the record Tiger Woods accumulated during that time. From July 2006 to May 2010, he won 47 percent of his starts, and finished inside the top 10 85 percent of the time. I’ve seen him hitting the ball as well as anybody who ever played, like in the 2006 British Open at Hoylake, where he hit only three less-than-perfect shots the entire week. And I’ve watched him grind out wins when he didn’t have his best stuff.

The stats don’t lie, and I’ve spent a lot of time studying them. They’ve gotten more comprehensive in the years after we worked together with the addition of the strokes-

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gutter credit tk

“WHAT I SEE WHEN HE REACHES THE TOP OF HIS SWING MAKES ME BELIEVE HE CAN BE GREAT AGAIN.”

gained categories in relation to the field (total strokes, tee shots, approaches, putting, etc.). When applied retroactively to the seasons from 2004 to 2010, they verify what I experienced: Tiger led the tour in the strokes gained/total stat every full season—and he had three seasons with a strokes-gained total of more than 3.0. To put that in perspective, no leader has been better than 2.41 strokes since 2010. At his best, Tiger was 12 shots better than the field average in any given tournament. That’s really impressive.

Tiger has always been determined to improve his weaknesses, and the driver is one place he has focused a lot of attention over the years. Following the strokes gained/offthe-tee statistic from 2004 until now traces a very realistic path of how he has felt about that club. From 2004 to 2009, he had three seasons where he was eighth or better in that stat, and the lowest he finished was 41st. But over the years, his fear of the big miss has caused him to get more conservative, less confident and hit driver less often. By 2013, the last full season he played (16 PGA Tour events), he ranked 127th in strokes gained/ off-the-tee while averaging 293 yards per drive. That was five yards shorter than his average in 2000, when he was using a much smaller driver (260 cubic centimeters) and still led the tour in total driving.

This history lesson of Tiger’s performance with the driver is relevant because of the way he’s swinging now. Granted, he’s only a handful of tournaments into this comeback, but it has been very interesting to study Tiger’s latest competition swings.

I see some familiar elements, and some new ones that work better for a golfer with a fused spine.

For starters, he has made two adjustments that have really helped. One is that his grip isn’t as strong as it was over the past few years. It’s closer to neutral, a better match for the swing he’s making now. I also like that he has turned his right foot out a little at address (swing-sequence photo 1, previous pages). He used to have it almost perpendicular with the target line. He’s now able to make a little lateral shift away from the target, and his backswing turn isn’t restricted.

Another thing I like is his one-piece takeaway (photo 2). Everything is working together.

Combined with that move off the ball, his upper body is turning and his arms and club are going back as one unit. The club is moving up (photo 3), and the face is opening slightly—but it’s a natural movement.

What I see when he reaches the top of his swing makes me believe he can be great again. His left arm is much higher than it was over the past few years, and the shaft is pointed left of the target line (large photo, left)— which is where it should be because the club’s shaft stops short of parallel (swing sequence photo 4 ). In recent years, Tiger’s left arm was lower, his left wrist was cupped, and the club went across the line at the top and pointed to the right of the target. From there, he would always struggle with two-way misses left and right of the fairway. But here, he’s getting to the top in position to get the club down in front of him with some good body motion.

I watched him do that for six years when he was dominating.

Another important change from recent years can be seen in the downswing. Before this last surgery, he tended to lose his level,

meaning his upper body noticeably dipped from its height at address. But the downswing I see in these photos says a lot about how much his driver swing has improved.

His head has lowered here, but it’s mostly just ducking (photo 5). His upper body isn’t scrunching down like it did when he was really struggling off the tee. This same photo shows another big recent difference. I’ve always been interested in where Tiger’s eyes are looking at this point. Here, he’s looking 10 to 12 inches behind the ball—which is appropriate when you’re trying to hit slightly up on a driver. When Tiger’s club comes from too far inside, his head tilts back more at impact, as much as three feet behind the ball—which also produces more of a reverse-C finish with his spine noticeably curved. Here his finish is a lot more upright (photo 6). Whether he’s doing this to protect his back or he’s forced to finish upright because of the fusion, it’s a positive change.

As I write this in March, it has been more than five years since Tiger won a tournament, and he wasn’t able to practice without pain until last fall. Add in the various surgeries Tiger has had on his back and knees, and the fact that he’s now 42, and it’s easy to understand why so many people were skeptical about whether he would be able to seriously compete with the game’s best.

I wasn’t one of those people.

When I saw Tiger’s first full-speed swings late last year, I said he could win again. And he nearly did, at the Valspar Championship. He clearly has enough distance to compete, and his swing seems to be easier on his back and more conducive to consistently keeping it in play.

I’m excited to see what happens next.

—with matthew rudy

...TIGER Photographs by J.D. Cuban

The Golf Life Mr. X

Undercover Tour Pro A major champ speaks out on rollback talk eople have been talking about the golf ball going too far since the 1930s, but recently it has reached a crescendo. Half the golf world thinks the game is fine, and the other half thinks it’s a disaster. Wisely, most of my fellow pros with endorsement contracts have stayed fairly mute or politic around conversations about equipment rollbacks. But I feel like it’s necessary for one of us to speak the truth. So forgive my anonymity, but it’s just easier this way.

You can know that I’m a major champion, in case that lends more weight to what I’m about to say.

First, forget any numbers you’ve read about driving distance. They’re all nonsense.

The PGA Tour doesn’t tell us which holes they measure. They say they choose holes where most players hit driver, but for all we know they could be uphill, downhill or to tighter fairways where not everybody truly lets out the shaft. Statistics can be made to show anything. Governing bodies, in golf and every aspect of life, have used statistics to justify predetermined decisions since the dawn of time. Why sift through decimals when the reality is so obvious?

Yes, we’ve gotten a lot longer. Anybody who’s been inside the ropes the past two decades can tell you that. A drive that went 300 yards used to be every element coming together—a strong guy nailing the sweet spot with good timing and getting a nice, firm first bounce. Now a guy can neck one, turn away in disgust, and the ball flies 320.

So what? Distance is all relative. If you hit it past your playing partner, you’re happy.

If you don’t, you’re sad. The feeling is the same whether the drives go 200 yards or 400 yards.

This big jump was inevitable. Sports science has led to a lot of world records across many sports. Athletes are bigger, stronger, faster and armed with more tools to help them improve. A rep for a shoe company out here told me the average size of their tour staff has gone from 9½ to 11½.

So when the Olympic record for the 100 meters was broken, did they change the race to 105 meters? And then again to 107 meters? Of course not. But that’s exactly what has happened in golf, and I think it’s been a huge mistake.

P

108 golf digest india | may 2018

The courses are golf’s most valuable asset.

Because they’re shown on TV, the courses we play have an undue amount of influence on other courses. Every time we add tee boxes, pinch fairways, grow rough so high that balls can barely be found, tuck pins two paces from the green’s edge—all in the name of getting us to shoot the same scores as Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus—the original intent of a golf course is distorted.

What they’re doing to Shinnecock Hills this summer for the U.S. Open is grotesque. Ultimately, we showcase a sport that doesn’t look like much fun.

Golf wasn’t meant to be a contest of who can hit it the longest and straightest. The real fun is in the middle. Banging another ball a mile down the fairway doesn’t compare to the thrill of pulling off a risky recovery shot or getting a good bounce, or seeing your opponent shake over a four-footer. But the game will always evolve to the grounds on which it’s played. If the PGA Tour played a course like Harbour Town every week, we’d gravitate to a golf ball that flies shorter, spins and curves more, and is better around the greens. But the reality is, we play more courses that are stretched, and so we must make a living figuring out how to hit the ball as far as possible.

For argument’s sake, let’s disregard all the economic and logistic ramifications of an equipment rollback. We’ll pretend viewers would still tune in to watch Dustin Johnson smash it 265, and that running a state father/ daughter championship wouldn’t involve a thousand sad and unwitting disqualifications. Would I be interested in making the ball go shorter? Sure. I’d probably suggest going back to the smaller, steel-shafted drivers I used when I fell in love with the game as a teenager. Everyone has his or her idea of when golf was best. Twenty years from now, people will be pining for the clubs and balls that are new on shelves today. The point is, golf never had and never will reach its perfect moment. Why people love this game runs much deeper than what can be observed.

Despite some gloomy reports about golf’s health, the vibe on the PGA Tour has never felt better in my career. There are lots of popular young players, and 10 guys who could be No. 1 in the world two months from now.

Let’s not fiddle unnecessarily with the ball or clubs. All we have to do is protect golf’s most valuable asset—its courses—and the rest will fall into place. How do we do that?

I say let’s abolish par. Remember, scoring in relation to par was introduced at the Masters in 1960. Yes, it made the various standings of an array of players scattered around a golf course comprehensible, and it was a boon for TV broadcasting. But what has it wrought?

Par is an arbitrary number that skews our perception of what’s a good golf course. Par at Oakmont often feels like 76, but if that’s what it was on the scorecard, the winner would shoot 20 under and the world would say it’s a crap course.

The most interesting holes on the PGA Tour—and in golf generally—are the ones where par is most nakedly irrelevant anyway.

The 10th at Riviera, the 18th at Torrey Pines South, the 15th at TPC River Highlands—the list goes on and on. Golf’s most exciting format, match play, also sheds par as a concept of any importance.

We could play the Masters from the member tees and it would be a heck of an exciting golf tournament. Because Augusta National is a great course. Yes, we’d have a lot more wedges in—but so what? Pros are good. Seen with the right eyes, there’s more potential for nuance and shotmaking with the wedge than any other club in the bag.

I know this sounds radical, but it’s actually a simple idea. Lowest score wins.

— with max adler

HugH KretscHmer

“I feel like it’s necessary for one of us to speak the truth.”

Tee to Green by Butch Harmon Play Your Best

From 1980 to 2017, the cycling world record for one-hour distance improved 14 percent. Average driving distance on the PGA Tour improved the same.

Looks Easy, Plays Hard Don’t let a short par 4 ruin your day hen a hole lacks distance, you can bet there’s something else that makes up for it—like a brutal green. The 315-yard 10th at Riviera Country Club (above) is a perfect example. It might be the toughest drivable par 4 in the world, with a very narrow green that tilts severely to the left. If you miss it right, you can’t hold a pitch shot on the surface. Most pros try to drive the green during the Genesis Open—Dustin Johnson is going for it here with a fairway wood—but because of that green, it seems we see as many bogeys as birdies.

W

When you face a short par 4, you have a choice between trying to drive the ball as close to the green as possible or laying back with a more conservative shot. If you have the length to get near the green, driver might be the play. But before you swing away, consider the shots you might leave yourself, given the shape and slope of the green.

You might decide you’re better off coming in from 70 or 80 yards than trying to pull off a miracle lob or bunker shot.

If you opt to lay up from the tee, don’t just slap the ball out there with your driver. Pick a club that you can make a good, solid swing with, and set up your favorite wedge yardage in the fairway. Do that, and you’ll probably make the drive and the second shot a lot easier.

Last thought: If you have a short par 4 on your course, next time you’re standing on the green, look back and play the hole in your mind. From this perspective, you’ll see the shots and angles that make the hole easier. Is the green receptive to pitch shots, or is it better to have a full wedge with some height on it? Are the greenside bunkers manageable? Is there a better side to come in from? Remember this analysis the next time you step up to that hole. butch harmon is based at Rio Secco Golf Club, Henderson, Nev.

▶ The feature that makes a lot of short par 4s so difficult is deep greenside bunkers. They present shots where you have to get the ball up fast and stop it quickly on the green.

To add loft to a bunker shot, I’m not a big fan of turning the clubface way open at address.

That looks too weird to most people.

Instead, try playing the ball a little farther forward in your stance and dropping your hands back a touch so they’re behind the ball at address. This is a better way to increase loft than laying the face open.

For the swing, make your normal pitching motion. You don’t have to take a big cut across the ball from out to in— again, there’s no reason to change your technique that much.

You’ve put more loft on the face with your setup, so make your normal swing, and hit a couple inches behind the ball.

RivieRa: Paul Mounce/Getty iMaGes • HaRMon: doM fuRoRe

how to hit a touch shot from sand

Play Your Best Golf Made Easy by David Leadbetter

“The hands should be passive?

Then why do they call it touch?”

Improve Your Feel A hands-on approach to pitching olfers are often told to keep their hands passive when hitting shots— even I’ve been guilty of saying it from time to time. But what does having passive hands mean?

Your hands are the only thing holding the club. They have to do something! Instead of passive hands, think control the hands.

Here’s one example: Certainly when hitting pitch shots, the hands might feel passive during portions of the swing. The club is moving as a result of the body pivoting. But as the ball is being struck, let your dominant hand move under the glove hand. For righties, that’s the right moving under the left through impact (right). Just keep the body turning toward the target, and this controlled hand action will loft the ball up with a good amount of spin.

Never forget that your hands are what give you touch around the greens.

G

getting a grip on grip pressure ▶ This might sound like golf’s version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but it really is a great way to figure out how hard you should be holding the club. Start by gripping the handle as lightly as you can for a second or two. Then squeeze the life out of it. I mean, grip it as hard as you can. Now relax your grip, so the amount of pressure is somewhere between really hard and really soft. You know the fairy tale: This porridge is juuuuust right. Seriously, you never want to grip the club too hard or too soft. Hold on tight, and you won’t be able to release it through impact. And if your grip is too relaxed, you’ll have no control over the clubface.

110 golf digest india | may 2018

Photographed by J.D. Cuban at the Concession Golf Club

Ted Baker shirT, panTs • royal alBarTross shoes

david leadbetter is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional.

Tour Technique Play Your Best

Maude-Aimee Lablanc led the LPGA Tour in driving distance in 2017 (279.3 yards), and would’ve led the PGA Tour in 1980.

Transform Your Game Success starts with improving on the green by jessica korda

changed a lot during the offseason—and not just from the surgery I had that left me with 27 screws in my jaw to correct an overbite. I also improved my putting.

The two main things I focused on were better posture and practicing more purposefully. With posture, the goal should be to create a stance that makes you as stable as possible during the stroke. If you’re steady over the ball, you can hit all of your putts with a square face in relation to the putting line. One way to improve stability is by following the saying: Get your eyes over the ball. That means standing closer to it. The key is to bend from the waist, not

I

just hunch over more with your neck and shoulders. You want your spine to be pretty straight.

When it comes to practice, try to simulate what it’s like when you’re out on the course. A lot of amateurs think that practice means getting on a green and making as many putts as you can from one spot. But when you’re on the course, you’re never going to get the same putt twice. That’s why you should constantly vary the distance and location of your practice putts.

There are a lot of ways you can upgrade your putting practice. One of my favorites is doing this drill: Grab eight tees and stick them in the green surrounding a hole. Alternate

putting the tees four or six feet from the hole. Start at a fourfoot tee marker and go around the circle clockwise. Once you can complete the circle without missing from any of the markers, go around again counterclockwise. Make all eight putts once more and you’re done.

That’s what I mean by practicing with a purpose.

If you doubt whether it’s effective, remember that I shot a tournament-record 25 under par at the LPGA Thailand in February. In the second round, I had a 62 with 21 putts.

—with keely levins jessica korda is a five-time winner on the LPGA Tour.

LILLIAN SuwANrumphA/AFp/Getty ImAGeS

Finish What You Started A simple way to stop steering it

The Golf Life Golfers We Like carry on: “If I don’t know it by now, I’m not going to know it,” says Willie McRae.

ay marks the 75th anniversary of Willie McRae’s debut as a caddie at Pinehurst No. 2. He has caddied for tour pros, celebrities, four U.S. presidents and thousands of everyday golfers.

Now just shy of 85, he cut back his work schedule last October, but he remains a Pinehurst legend. We recently talked with McRae about his days in the sandhills. —ryan herrington

M

●●●

how did you get started?

My daddy talked to the caddiemaster and said, “What about my son? He knows a lot about the game and plays a little bit, too.” And in my first few days, I caddied for Donald Ross and Richard Tufts [whose family owned Pinehurst]. It was just a lot of fun. It was kind of like love at first sight.

A whole lot of players. Tiger Woods is probably the biggest name. A lot of them I believe I could have helped.

you’re somebody. That’s one of the greatest things. You meet so many nice people. You would never meet the people if you were on a [regular] job.

He always was right down the middle of the fairways. Had a light bag, which I appreciated.

Now they put everything in the bag but the kitchen sink.

●●●

●●●

●●●

No. You see, the only thing about caddieing, you’ve got to remember he’s got to get in his clothes like you do. He doesn’t hang them up and jump in them. If you think about it like that, you’ll never worry about nothing.

what is the thing most golfers get wrong about pinehurst no. 2? It all depends

where the pin is. You’ve got to know what part of the greens to hit to. A lot of them holes, you’re better off hitting short of the green and chipping up. I love hearing people say, “Oh, Donald Ross got me.” Well, Donald Ross didn’t get you. He’s been dead for years. It’s you that did it. ●●●

ever use a range finder?

I did for a little while, but somebody took it, and I’m not going to spend $375 for no range finder. If I don’t know it by now, I’m not going to know it.

●●●

●●●

Well, it makes you feel like

was a nice guy, good golfer.

what’s the most satisfying thing about caddieing?

any player you wish you had a chance to caddie for?

what was it like to caddie for donald ross? Donald

112 golf digest india | may 2018

how about ben hogan?

The greatest ball-striker in the world. They say he hit it left to right. He hit it, and it moved about that far [barely separates his fingers]. Down the middle of the fairway every time. ●●●

johnny miller? He’s one

you’ve caddied for presidents truman, eisenhower, nixon and ford. ever intimidated by any of them?

●●●

who was the best player of the presidents? Probably

of the greatest ball-strikers, and a nice man. I’ve always been impressed with how he stayed calm on the course.

That served him well.

Ford. But you know, the guy nobody liked, Nixon, he was really pretty nice, actually.

●●●

Well, I’m just retiring in name.

I’m still going to caddie for some people who are asking for me. A guy I’ve caddied for for 30 years said to me, “I don’t want to play golf here unless you’re on my bag.” I said, “That’s good. I just hope I keep living so you can keep playing.”

arnold palmer? The greatest.

When he died, I felt like I was mourning one of my brothers.

I caddied for him when he was at Wake Forest. We used to have a lot of fun. You could say about anything you wanted to him, and he’d say anything to you.

●●●

are you really retiring?

Gately Williams

The Pride of Pinehurst Looking back on 75 years of caddieing

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