GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE MAY 2010
TRAVEL / PROPERTY / GOLF LUXURY / WELLBEING / FASHION / MOTORING / MEMORABILIA AND MORE...
It’s all about timing – see page 104
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SPORTS SCIENCE AT THE PGA TRAINING HQ
Ben and James are 19-year-old first-year students at the University of Birmingham. Both are low single-figure handicappers and on the Applied Golf Management Studies degree, hoping for a career in the golf industry, with Ben in particular looking forward to a placement at Penha Longa in Portugal this summer. But today they could be anyone – Joe Handicapper. They are guinea pigs in a live case study for third-year PGA Assisants at the National Training Academy of the Professional Golfers’ Association at The Belfry. The group of 16 future club professionals split into two groups to quiz Ben and James about the state of their games – on their handicap, normal ball-flight, typical bad shot(s), previous coaching and ambitions in the game – and huddle over laptops to pore over videos of their swings, which in true Blue Peter fashion were filmed on the range earlier. Nothing unusual so far. But today’s focus at the week-long residential course is not on coaching (that comes a couple of days later) but on sports science. In this session, the Assistants are being encouraged to take a wider, more holistic view of their “clients”. So Ben and James are also asked about any injuries they have suffered in the past and put through a series of simple flexibility, strength and stability tests, gauging the range of movement and limitations in various parts of the body. “In the past, a PGA Pro would diagnose a fault with someone’s swing and suggest a golf-specific drill to put it right,” explains Ben Langdown, the PGA’s head of sports science. “But if the drill didn’t work, they had nothing else to offer. Perhaps their client had a physical issue which prevented them getting the full benefit of the drill and which needs to be corrected first. By teaching our trainees to take a more holistic view of their client’s game, they can offer a more complete and effective service.” After the assessments, today’s guinea pigs find out what they should be working on in presentations before the whole class. Ben (the guinea pig) has issues with his weight transfer and a nasty pull-hook is often the result. The flexibility tests suggest he work on a specific exercise to strengthen his hips, while the students also make a small change to the position of his feet at address. James, whose poor shot is a block, had a lower back injury three years ago which has left him with little flexibility in the area. The major fault diagnosed, however, is that he is standing too close to the ball – something that developed after previously being told to stand taller. Standing slightly further back, he is told, would also make him less tense at address. The drill he is advised to try involves standing next to a low wall, leaving a couple of inches clearance from his behind, and then swinging 2 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 2010
Holistic approach is the PGA’s route to success
Andy Farrell reports on a week-long residential course at The Belfry aimed at helping future young PGA-trained club pro’s further their knowledge with a grounding in the increasingly vital area of sports science
normally. If he continues to lean in too far, it tours are littered with mental gurus as well as will become obvious as the gap between backswing coaches – a far cry from when Nick side and wall grows. Faldo admitted he used to see a psychologist Today’s sessions come just days after Ian in secret in case people thought he was a head Poulter wins the Accenture World Match Play. case. Unlike his compatriots who went to college in Fitness is something Tiger Woods made the States or had the advantage of the EGU’s fashionable an the game is increasingly popuElite Performance squad, Poulter is a fully lated by players (and coaches) who underqualified PGA professional and even now does stand that higher levels of fitness equate to not have a coach. He simply videos his swing better performance and greater resiliance to and then analyses it pressure. There is nutrithanks to his formal tion and the role of diet training. and hydration in main“We have developed a His achievements taining the right energy series of over 90 exerare naturally levels. There are technolcises all based on the embraced by the PGA ogy aspects, and in golf and, perhaps, among that means taking screening tests we teach today’s group of advantage to the full our Assistants to perAssistants the odd with custom-fitted clubs, one still harbours for example. Students form on our clients. So dreams to making the also learn about motor if you find you are weak big time. But most are control and skill acquisinow looking for a tion, effectively how the in a particular area, career in coaching body controls movethere are specific exerand the training proment and the different cies you can do to fix it” gramme reflects that. ways in which people “In the first year we learn. Ben Langdown focus the residential “We are not trying to Sports Science Executive, PGA sessions on the make our Assistants Assistants as playexperts in all these ers,” said Langdown. areas,” Langdown adds. “In the second, it’s a “But being aware of mixture of player and coach. Now, in their them makes them better coaches. It is about third and final year, we treat them like coachbeing able to diagnose different problems and es. suggesting a client sees an expert in that area, “This is helpful in the area of sports science such as a nutritionist or fitness instructor. because in year one we show them everything They can also work with those sorts of people that can help their own game. By year three, to make sure they understand the golfing they appreciate that the same things can help requirements of their client.” everyone else.” When Poulter did his PGA training, sports But what is sports science? Basically it is science did not feature on the curriculum. everything outside of what an athlete specifiInitially a two-hour slot was found but only in cally does in his sport that can make what he the last five years has it taken equal billing as does better. It is the extra few per cent that a core subject alongside coaching, business, can make the difference between winning and and equipment technology. “Golf has been losing. Sports psychology is an obvious area slow on the uptake, but more recently it has and now the practice ranges of the world’s been established as a core principle of our
SPORTS SCIENCE
So, do golfers really have to be fit?
training and now we are one of the leading programmes in the world. Other sports now come to look at what we are doing and the success we are having. “At first the course was a bit more theorybased, lots of long scientific words, and it did not go down well. So we asked, ‘What does a PGA pro need to know?’ They need to understand what movements are taking place. They need to understand what the body can achieve through the muscles, bones and joints, but not necessarily remember all the names. What does a player need to fuel themselves for 18 or 36 holes? What training do they need? What equipment? How can they apply all of that into their coaching? We switched to a more applied approach, and we now get very good feedback.” “You are not just a golf coach any more, you’ve got more to give,” said Sarah Jane Eves, from Portugal. “It helps you coach players of all abilities. If you get to the stage where you are working with someone at the elite level, who is looking for that little bit extra, you know what they need and can either help them or point them in the right direction.” Qualiftied PGA Professionals also have the opportunity to learn via access to all the information in the training programme thanks to the PGA’s continuous professional development scheme. Langdown admits that traditional PGA Pros were wary of sports science and its
impact on such a technical game as golf. “We are never going to change everyone’s views because there are always going to be some old school pros who only believe in their method and that’s fine. But gradually it is changing. Our current graduates have come through the best programme the PGA has ever had.” Now a PGA Pro will work alongside a sports science tutor at all the residential courses – four days a week for over 15 weeks a year. The sports science tutors only come in for a week at a time and getting ones also versed in golf was another initial problem which has been overcome. “At first we had some who did not like golf, let alone understand it,” Langdown said. “But that has changed now. We have tutors who are recent graduates of the training programme and others who are, at the very least, keen golfers.” One such is Adam Kerr, whose day job is being a fitness adviser for Professional Game Match Officials, who provide all referees and assistants for professional football leagues in England. His take, as an outsider to the world of professional golf, is revealing. “People look at tournaments on television and often there is a big lad on the leaderboard who is not the fittest,” he said. “So people think you do not have to be fit to play golf for a living. But it is never the same guy twice. The best players who are up there every week are the ones who are the fittest.”
As the sports science executive for the PGA, as well as a private fitness adviser to a number of golfers, Ben Langdown is frequently asked a question he is doing his best to make redundant: “Do golfers have to be fit?” “Whenever I say Iʼm a sports scientist with the PGA, I get asked that a lot,” Langdown said. “Or if I say Iʼve just come from a fitness session with a golfer, people canʼt believe it. People think why do you need to do cardiovascular work for golf? But if anybody comes off the course feeling tired, there is either something wrong with their nutrition strategy, or they are simply not fit enough. “If you have just walked up a hill and you are standing over a putt and you are out of breath and the heart is pounding in the chest, you are wondering if you can relax to take the putt, rather than concentrating on the putt itself. Any pressure putt, in fact any putt, will be a lot easier to complete successfully if your resting heart rate is lower. Plus, exercise is a stress reliever, so the fitter you are, the less stress you should feel on the course.” The gym at the PGA headquarters features top of the range equipment from Technogym, including treadmills, bikes and cross-trainers, but no rowing machines. “Rowing can lead to a poor posture for golf so is best avoided,” advises Langdown, who also suggest using interval training, repetitions of short but high intensity work followed by brief rest periods, rather than working at a steady heart rate. But the advantage for the PGA of working with Technogym – whose other partners include Chelsea FC and Porsche – is the access to the companyʼs expert fitness consultants. “Together we can develop exercises that are highly specific for golfers,” explained Langdown. “We use some of the latest hi-tech equipment, like the kinesis machine which uses a pulley system to allow movement in any direction and twisting and so is particular relevant for golf, as well as simpler devises like the wellness ball and resistance bands which golfers can use at home and while travelling. “We have developed a series of over 90 exercises all based on the screening tests we teach our Assistants to perform on their clients. So if you find you are weak in a particular area, there are specific exercises you can do to correct it. Weʼve now filmed all the exercises and these will be available on-line so both the professional and their client can easily access them.” For more information about Technogym visit: www.technogym.com
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FASHION
(Clockwise from left)
Stromberg has increased its portfolio once again, introducing 18 new designs this season, which include five Exclusive Limited Editions plus a new diversification of three Junior styles. The entire range of innovative designs are made from European fabrics and are crafted at the company's Yorkshire mill, with lasting performance being foremost in its philosophy in creating trousers for the discerning golfer. At various online retailers, including www.4golfonline.com
One of the official 2010 Official Licensee's, Tommy Hilfiger has produced a special collection for both men and women bearing the 2010 Ryder Cup logo. The Midnight ivy jacket with madras check lining is likely to be a popular item in the men's collection, and retails at ÂŁ130. www.trendygolf.com
Need A Suit That Fits? The bespoke tailoring service can cater for all tastes and help you stand out at the 19th www.aSuitThatFits.com
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ALL ABOUT TIMING
Temptation comes in many forms – as revealed here in a collection of a latest models from the world’s leading watch-makers 1
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OMEGA (1) CONSTELLATION DOUBLE EAGLE The Constellation Double Eagle watches have long celebrated OMEGAʼs close relationship with the Royal and Ancient Game of golf. The Double Eagle is a robust watch for all seasons, with its screw-in case helping to guarantee water resistance to 100 metres – but it is as fashionable as it is sporty. Guide: £3,210 • www.omegawatches.com
RAYMOND WEIL (2) NABUCCO VA PENSIERO Named after the famous Verdi chorus, The Va, Pensieroʼs classic design is complemented by a saddle-stitched crocodylus niloticus leather strap with double push-piece security. Guide: £3,395 • www.raymond-weil.com
3 AUDEMARS PIGUET (4) ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE CHRONOGRAPH As worn by AP ambassador Rory Mcllroy, the Royal Oak Chronograph is a self winding chronograph with date display and small seconds at 12 oʼclock. Stainless steel case and bracelet. Protected against magnetic fields and waterresistant to 100 metres. Guide: £19,000 (approximately) • ww.audemarspiguet.com
BREMONT (5) SUPERMARINE DESCENT Bremont are releasing the Limited Edition ʻSupermarine Descentʼ, an all black DLC coated marine watch. For clarity the bezel is being made of sapphire which covers the Superluminova C5 numbers, and the sapphire crystal covering the dial will be coated on both sides with Bremontʼs usual 9 layers of anti reflective coating. Guide: £3,195 • 0845 0940 690 • www.bremont.com
RALPH LAUREN (6) SPORTING CHRONO 39mm Stainless steel chronograph on cobalt blue alligator strap. Mechanical self-winding movement, made by JaegerLeCoultre for Ralph Lauren, with 48-hour power reserve. Water resistant to 50 metres. Guide: £5,050 • 020 7535 4600 • ww.ralphlaurenwatches.com
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PATEK PHILIPPE (3) NAUTILUS Incorporating the Patek Philippe 324 S QA LU 24H movement, the Nautilus is the first Patek model with an Annual Calendar. It comes in a stainless steel case and is worn on an alligator strap. Its black dial, sleek and casually elegant, is designed for optimized legibility. Guide: £22,420 • 0207 519 6763 • ww.davidmrobinson.co.uk
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WATCHES SEIKO (7) SPORTURA KINETIC DIRECT DRIVE Taking its energy from the wearer¹s movement, and converting this Kinetic energy into electricity, Seiko Kinetic has always been the perfect platform for sports watches, where long-term reliability and precision timing are vital. Guide: £750 • 01628 770 988 • www.seiko.co.uk
HERMES (8) CLIPPER 44mm MECHANICAL CHRONOGRAPH Mechanical self-winding chronograph with 13 1/4-lignes Valjoux calibre and 46-hour power reserve. Features a steel and titanium case, water-resistant to 200 metres, glass glare-resistant sapphire crystals on either side. Guide: £3,895 • 020 7499 8856 • www.hermes.com TAG HEUER (9) AQUARACER 500M CHRONOGRAPH Black or silver dial with three counters, polished hands with luminescent markers, steel case domed sapphire crystal with double-sided antireflective treatment and water resistant to 100 metres. Guide: £ 1,995 • 0800 037 9658 • www.tagheuer.com
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CITIZEN (10) BZ0016-50E GRAND COMPLICATION Featuring Eco-Drive technology, a solar cell beneath the dial converts any form of light into electrical energy to power the watch – recharging itself for a lifetime of use. RRP: £995 • 0800 015 7670 • www.citizenwatch.com
ROLEX (12) OYSTER PERPETUAL SUBMARINER DATE Timeless and impervious to the elements, the classic Submariner model features a 40mm case crafted in 904L steel, synonymous with robustness, waterproofness and corrosion resistance. Guide: £4,610 • 020 7024 7300 • www.rolex.com
BREITLING (11) BENTLEY SUPERSPORTS SPECIAL SERIES Crafted in steel and issued in a worldwide limited edition of 1,000, this watch carries a bezel adorned with an elegant raised and knurled motif evoking the characteristic design of Bentley on-board controls. Guide: £6,220 • 020 7637 5167 • www.breitling.com
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BREGUET (13) TYPE XX11 3880 ST For its 60th anniversary of the famed Type XX watches, Breguet is introducing this technically updated reinterpretation of that legendary chronograph, the Type XXII design. Guide: £12,100 • 0845 273 2400 • www.breguet.com
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VERDURA GOLF & SPA RESORT, SCIACCA, SICILY
A swanky Italian job Given the effect that volcano’s have had on travel plans recently, Tim Smith was somewhat relieved that Scicily’s best-known landmark – Mount Etna – did not disrupt his trip to visit Sir Rocco Forte’s latest development, Verdura The eighty-minute drive from Palermo airport to the Verdura Golf and Spa Resort provides a glimpse of just how beautiful and seemingly unspoilt Sicily is. Quiet roads took me through a largely rural landscape of citrus groves, olive trees and vineyards which, added to the sublime coastline, explained Sir Rocco Forte’s delight in securing oceanfront property upon which he instructed noted architect Kyle Phillips (Kingsbarns, The Grove) to create a golfing experience worthy of its location. Having scoured the area, Sir Rocco eventually settled on a flat piece of agricultural land near the ancient town of Sciacca, on the south coast of Sicily, which he particularly liked for its “away from it all” seclusion. A keen golfer himself, he explained to me at a brief meeting in London, prior to my visit, that he liked and shared Phillips’ philosophy on course design, feeling that it mirrored his own approach to hotels. What he wanted was an original idea – one that would provide something unique for this part of the world. Phillips duly obliged, carving out two courses that closely intertwine as they play through the Sicilian landscape. In keeping with design principles that ‘emphasise the use of contours to create strategy’, Verdura features gently undulating fairways and has a pleasing linksy feel. The strength of both layouts rests with a series of holes running hard by the sea – given a half-decent wind you might even feel the sea-spray on your face standing on the green at the par-four 8th on the West Course. There’s no doubting the quality of the golf, although at times it’s easy to lose track as to exactly which courses you are playing. Sharing the same piece of property, holes seem to be continually mingling, and if I were to find any fault at all it would be that neither of the two layouts have their own character. This, in part, I’m told was intentional, as the aim is to create a com8 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 2010
CONTACT Verdura Golf & Spa Resort Tel: +39 0925 998180 www.verduraresort.com
GOLF Two championship 18 holes and a fun 9-holer, by leading architect Kyle Phillips, renowned for his work at Kingsbarns and The Grove
GETTING THERE Tim Smith flew to Palermo, via Milan, with Alitalia. Ryanair fly to Trapani from various locations, Easyjet fly from London Gatwick to Palermo and BA fly direct to Catania. For further information on golf in Sicily, visit: www.italiantouristboard.co.uk
posite 18 holes that will very shortly be hosting professional tournaments. The overall philosophy, according to Sir Rocco, was to create a “proper” golf resort, where guests would be warmly welcomed as if members of a private club. This he has undoubtedly achieved. The moment you arrive at Verdura you are made to feel very special, and the facilities are exceptional. I was also very pleased to discover that both courses are designed with walkers in mind, and while buggies are available they’re not obligatory or indeed necessary.
All this attention to detail, of course, comes at a price. In addition to paying around 420 euros a night for a double room (and that’s during low season), golf is extra and green fees are set at around 100 euros per person per round. Starters on the menu at one of the resort’s eight stupendous restaurants will set you back in excess of 20 euros! That said, you may get to meet Fulvio Pierangelini, an acclaimed Michelin starred chef who often insists on delivering the food to your table himself! Now that’s service.
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ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE
Four doors, but one glorious, unfettered soul Somewhat ironic, isn’t it, that the new Rapide is the first Aston Martin for 25 years to offer four-door ingress and a respectable luggage capacity, yet it is accompanied to the launch pad by not one whiff of the brand baggage that blights so many of its competitors? Gi’s motoring correspondent Anthony Ffrench-Constant reports
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ou don’t have to cast the prejudicial net too wide to find someone with a bad word to say about a Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini, particularly if they’ve never driven one. And, through either envy or vegetarian politics, even the entirely venerable Bentley has come to be disparaged as a fatcat conveyance by some. Meanwhile, however, each successive Aston Martin sails regally by, entirely unbesmirched by bad karma of any kind; the latest iteration of the only extant automotive marque to have no ‘side’ whatsoever. So just what is it, then, about an Aston? Ask any Briton under 60 this question, and he will invariably cite a childhood encounter, further crystallised by some Kia-Ora sugarrush enhanced, James Bond antic or other as the moment when the marque first indelibly imprinted itself upon his psyche. It’s certainly no mere coincidence that DB7, Vanquish and DB9 designer Ian Callum, to whom – although he has since jumped ship to Jaguar – the current crop of Astons undoubtedly owe the continuity of their stunning, catwalk-worthy couture, is of precisely this pedigree. For Callum, growing up in Britain in the 60s, Aston Martin was the exotic marque. “Thanks to Thunderball, I grew up with the DB5 plugged into my memory banks,” he
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told me. “So penning Astons felt very natural from the word go. And there were two or three in the Dumfries of my childhood; I saw a silver gold DB4 twice a week. Wonderful. That car has always had a special place in my mind. When I started work at Aston Martin, it was all about trying to capture what those encounters meant for me then; power blended with restrained elegance, an understated confidence... Rather than overt and pretentious, an Aston has to be just right. You need to understand the restraint of the British psyche to do a car like this,” he averred. “What is it about an Aston? It's a lack of vulgarity...” Properly gorgeous from every angle in the flesh, the Rapide effortlessly fulfils Callum’s criteria. You’d probably expect no less from what is essentially the achingly pretty DB9 stretched to over five metres in length to accommodate four doors within the wheelbase. But just one look at rival Porsche’s gently unfortunate Panamera – which resembles nothing so much as a bloated, spoiled brat 911 that’s holding its breath until it gets what it wants – serves as a salutary reminder of just how hard someone has worked to ensure that, despite enlargement, the Rapide retains an air of true beauty rather than that of badly-in-need-of-lancing boil. Given that traditional Aston packaging has always presented an ideal excuse to tell the
Gorgeous from every angle, the fourdoor Rapide extends Aston’s legacy of blending power with elegance and understated confidence
MOTORING
missus that there’s no room for the children on board this weekend and, indeed, that herluggage allowance must conveniently be restricted to toothbrush and lingerie, I must admit to an initial concern that the Rapide might not constitute entirely the most rewarding way of parting with a cool £139,950. Nonetheless, the four door format works pretty well. Separated by a large console, there are just two rear seats; a needs-must arrangement dictated by the presence of the gearbox astern. Full sized, the seats are designed to allow a six-footer to sit behind himself. This I can just manage, ultimate comfort being hampered more by an inability to shove your feet under the front seats than by a lack of head or shoulder room. Fine for a trip to airport or restaurant, less wholesome for the long haul. Clever use of boot space allied to a pop-up bulkhead allows for the stowage of almost equal quantities of luggage via rear door or tailgate. And at the push of a button you can even fold the rear seats flat to turn the whole ensemble into a close approximation of a rather rapid, leather-lined transit van. Albeit somewhat shackled by the dreadful, mercifully options list-avoidable dark brown leather and real wood finish of my left-hand drive specimen, life on board is almost wonderful. The driving position is comfortable
“I can think of nothing else with four doors that so artfully combines quietness and subtlety with on-demand din and entertainment. This car really is an extraordinarily competent compromise” and ergonomically faultless, though – as with other Astons – the dashboard instrumentation remains hard to read and the additional, digital speedometer is essential. Other than this, Aston’s switchgear evolution is coming on apace, though it really is time the company ditched the Ford Fiesta steering column stalks and Mondeo sourced steering wheel controls; this car feels far too special to be blighted by such blatant cheapskatery. More satisfying is an immensely powerful, bespoke, Bang & Olufsen stereo, which boasts a pair of so called ‘acoustic lenses’ that rise from the upper corners of the dash as you switch on the system. Cleverly, it automatically adjusts the epicentre of the 1000W sound to suit the number of people in the car by monitoring the seatbelt sensors. Less cleverly, rear seat passenger hip
and elbow locations exactly replicate door speaker placings, haplessly muffling the intended effect. However, having established that Elgar will indeed come through sufficiently loud and clear to make your ears bleed, the stereo barely got a look in, inevitably playing second fiddle to the 6.0 litres of meticulously machined V12 that is the only sound track worthy of true consideration here. With 470bhp and 443lb.ft of torque available through a six-speed automatic transmission sporting flappy paddle override, pace is predictably brisk. 60mph comes up in just 5.1 seconds, and the Rapide will thump on to an athletic snail’s pace short of 190mph. However, that which really sets the car apart is not its undeniable capacity for hard charging but its ability to schmooze along in a high speed cruise; the hallmark of a proper Gran Turismo machine. In this guise, the Rapide can be remarkably quiet. 90mph equates to a V12 merely ticking over at 2500rpm, so – given that the exhaust valves that access the full aural delights of the engine don’t flop open until 3500rpm – it’s entirely possible to live with the car hearing nothing from the engine except an unavoidable, ignition sequencesponsored, head-turning bark on start up. The ride, too, is something of a revelation. Firm enough never to encourage the stabbing of the adaptive damper adjustment button, it’s a delicious blend of the supple and informative and, allied to perfectly weighted steering elicits the feeling of flowing down a sinuous A road with all the casual insouciance of a blob of mercury on a mirror. Ironically, so adroit is the Rapide in ultra-fast cruise mode that occasional hankerings after slightly less information through the helm and slightly less road noise from the front tyres become an unfortunate side effect. Then again, I can think of nothing else with four doors that so artfully combines quietness and subtlety with on-demand din and entertainment… This car really is an extraordinarily competent compromise. Lob in that complete absence of brand baggage and, as Rowan Pelling, erstwhile editor of the Erotic Review once explained to me, the Rapide makes a compelling ownership argument: “When you're strolling across a pedestrian crossing and you look down and see a Ferrari, somehow there’s a quiet corner of your brain that just can’t help thinking ‘w****r’” she mused. “But an Aston introduces itself so subtly... Like a beautiful woman who walks into the room and no one notices at first; no false tat, just a simple black dress. Anyone driving one has great sex appeal bestowed upon them...” Well, almost anyone Rowan. JUNE 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 11
What are these worth? Kevin McGimpsey answers more of your letters, this issue identifying the provenance of a sterling silver vesta case, a jolly ceramic figurine, an original course map of Archerfield golf course and a Victoria Vase Medal
STERLING SILVER VESTA CASE
This little silver case has been in our family for many years. It belonged to my great grandfather. It has a neat hinge that enables the case to open…I am not sure what it held? Ken Bicknell, Wye Valley Smoking and drinking golf related paraphernalia remain popular collecting themes and there are plenty of diverse items to collect such as cigarette cases often with embossed golfing decoration; cigarette boxes in silver and other metals (these are popular today as trinket boxes); ashtrays often enhanced with an attached golfer or caddy and as is the ‘case’ here, golf themed vesta cases (also known as a match safes) that are usually crafted in silver or silver plate and sometimes are decorated with an enamel golfing scene. Our reader’s sterling silver vesta case is beautifully enhanced with a mustached Edwardian-dressed golfer at the top of his backswing and there are eight other golfers and caddies in the back ground. It measures 2 inches across and is hallmarked as having been assayed in Chester in 1906. There isn’t a maker’s mark. The reverse of the vase is smooth but hopefully you can see in the photograph the serrated ridge that the match struck to get a light. The condition of the case appears to be good with only minor signs of wear on the smooth reverse surface. If there hadn’t been some wear, then alarm bells would have rung! VALUE: Very collectible and at auction it would fetch between £250 and £300
CERAMIC FIGURINE
Could you please value this china golfer. It measures 10 inches high and there are several stamps under its base. Mrs Shelly Robinson, Hants This rather strange looking ceramic golfer or caddie was made by Amphora of Turn-Teplitz in Bohemia during the 1920s and 1930s. Amphora was an Austrian ceramics manufacturer and one of their more obscure ranges was of golfers and their caddies. They often sported inane grins and wore inappropriate rain or trench coats and outsized boots. Sometimes these figurines can be found without clubs in the bag and with variations in the decoration 12 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 2010
Our readerʼs sterling silver vesta case measures 2 inches across and is embossed with a view of an Edwardian golfer – between £250 and £300 at auction. This rather unusual but highly colourful Amphora figurine of a caddie was made in Bohemia in the 1920s, and would attract great interest at auction, fetching up to £1,000
and colours of the caddy’s coat. These all add to fun in assembling a collection of Amphora golf figures. If you do come across one, please do check it for cracks or defects. Cracks can be detected by black light/light bulb held near to area suspected of being damaged or repaired…the glazed area cannot be replicated. If you are suspicious then lick the suspected area and if repaired it will feel cold. VALUE: Again, very popular with collectors and at auction it would fetch between £700 and £1,000
VICTORIA VASE MEDAL
We have owned this Victoria Vase medal for many years. We were told that it is made out of silver gilt. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a winner’s name engraved on it. Can you give me a value please? Arthur Lights, Clapham, London
Basically, a medal is a piece of metal usually in the form of a coin, struck or cast with an inscription to commemorate an event. Medals come in all shapes, sizes and materials from precious metals to base metals. Usually gold is reserved for the winner, silver for the runner-up and bronze for other places. Behind each golfing medal there is usually an interesting story waiting to be told; it just needs research and time. Always though, the medal represents one man’s triumph over a fellow opponent, or the whole field of players or the course itself. Our reader’s Victoria Vase medal is quite beautiful, featuring on the obverse a superb engraving of Queen Victoria in her 1887 Jubilee guise. The Victoria Vase is an annual competition at Prestwick Golf Club and the winner receives the gold medal. The reverse (not shown) also features Victoria, but as a much younger woman, and there’s an area beneath the legend with the words ‘Won By’ for the recipient’s name. It weighs a chunky 41½ grams and is two inches in diameter. It is hallmarked ‘M & B’ (Marples & Beasley, of Albion Street Birmingham) 1911, it is marked on the obverse as having been made by Edward & Sons
MEMORABILIA
(Above): The original 1899 map of Archerfield is an exciting find – particularly as it features a notation of Frederick Tateʼs course record. (Right): The Victoria Vase is a medal played annually at Prestwick Golf Club, and although our readerʼs example does not feature on it the name of the winner, it is in fine condition and could fetch between £500 and £800.
Glasgow. On the reverse it is stamped ‘A. Fenwick & Co’. I am pleased to say that the metal used is, in fact, 15 ct. gold, and not silver gilt (i.e. a mere wash-over of gold over silver). I have seen several of these medals, all having been cast in 1911. It is most likely that Prestwick Golf Club had a batch of the medals struck to last them for several years to come. Maybe with hostilities starting in 1914, the winner of our reader’s medal just never got round to having his name engraved on the medal? Prestwick Golf Club memorabilia seldom comes to public auction. Prestwick founded in 1851 is important in golf’s history because the first Open Championship was held there 150 years ago in 1860. There are indeed collectors of just Prestwick Golf Club related golfing antiques and mementos. VALUE: Certainly if the medal had had the name of the winner, it would be much more valuable. Even so, it is a very desirable and attractive golfing medal. It would probably not be of interest to Prestwick as they will most likely own several named examples already. At auction, I would expect it to sell for between £500 and £800.
ARCHERFIELD PLAN OF COURSE
My family owned Archerfield Estate from 1946 to 1962 and this framed map hung on a wall in the Estates’ office in the north wing of the Archerfield mansion house. It measures 14 x 7 inches. Has it much value? M. Mitchell, East Lothian Scotland, via email This is an exciting ‘find’; an original ‘Plan of Archerfield Golf Course’ (East Lothian) with a notation of Frederick Tait’s course record, the year after his second Amateur Championship win in 1898 and two years after his 3rd place
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in the Open. The map was drawn in July 1899. Archerfield Links is situated on a magnificent estate between Gullane and North Berwick in East Lothian. It received its rather unusual name because King Edward I’s long bow archers pitched their tents on that land during the English invasion of Scotland in 1298. It is generally agreed that golf has been played over Archerfield for over 500 years. Certainly golf was played there during the second half of the 19th century on the original 13-hole course. Indeed, it was such a desirable place to play that golf writer Reverend John Kerr wrote in 1896 that, ‘...No snugger, cosier, more delightful links can be found anywhere... for pure, unalloyed enjoyment of a summers day play give us Archerfield...’ The course, we are told, was extended to eighteen holes in the early 1900s and was later described by Bernard Darwin, ‘...as the most enchanting short course in the world.’ It is commonly believed that the extension occurred in 1910, but in the light of this map, that date is wrong. Could Archerfield been extended in 1895 or so? VALUE: There would be several parties interested in the map ranging from collectors of Frederick Guthrie Tait (11 January 1870 - 7 February 1900), who was tragically killed in the Boer War, to Golf Clubs in East Lothian such as Archerfield’s Links and even the nearby Renaissance Club situated right next-door to Muirfield. At auction I would expect the map to fetch at least £500.
Please send your letters and best photographs to Kevin McGimpsey at this address: PO BOX 120, Deeside, Flintshire, N. Wales or email with jpegs: kevin.mcgimpsey@bonhams.com
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California dreamin’ Peter Swain looks at changes made to the famous Californian links ahead of this year’s US Open Championship in June – and also at what else the surrounding Monterey peninsular has to offer visitors golf-wise... Pebble Beach, the USGA and NBC television are breathing a collective sigh of relief that Tiger’s back and Phil’s on fire. At least they were until the World No. 1 walked off the 7th fairway during the final round of the TPC at Sawgrass citing a mysterious neck injury (mysterious in that it was the first time he’d mentioned it and, well, apparently it has been causing him some jip for weeks). Hey ho. The last time the US Open was held here on the Monterey peninsula, in the year 2000, Woods – then coached by Butch 14 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 2010
Harmon – won by a staggering 15 strokes. Fingers crossed, Tiger will be fit and well to return, no doubt in the hope that memories of his performance 10 years ago might rekindle the spark that has been missing since his return at the Masters. Speaking of which, local hero Phil Mickelson will, of course, be looking to add a second US Open to his increasingly impressive resume, while Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy will front a strong contingent of British players making their way to California in serious form.
This is the fifth time America’s most famous public golf course has hosted the tournament, the other past winners being Jack Nicklaus in 1972 (with a score of +2), Tom Watson in 1982 (who could forget that magical chip-in at 17 on Sunday en route to a winning score of –6) and Tom Kite in 1992 (–3). Tiger’s procession in 2000 remains, in the eyes of many, his greatest performance – 12 under par, he won by no fewer than 15 shots. With all that has happened these last few months, the prospect of watching him attempt to repeat that historic victory – a feat watched by the largest US Open television audience in two decades – is a tantalising one indeed. Like the Old Course at St Andrews, Pebble Beach is a set-up that encourages the cream
PEBBLE BEACH
Golf’s ultimate seaside setting: the short 7th at Pebble Beach (main photo left) may be one of the shortest holes in major championship golf, but it’s also one of the toughest; (top) known locally as the ‘poor man’s Pebble’, Pacific Grove boasts some dramatic seaside holes of its own, and at around £25 a round is the best value in town; (below) the 17th green at Pebble – where Tom Watson sealed his 1982 victory
to rise to the top, and for worldwide TV audiences, the sight of the Pacific surf pounding the rocks beyond immaculate fairways and greens puts it right up there with Augusta National as one of golf’s truly great sporting arenas. 1919 was the year founder Samuel Finley Brown Morse, a distant cousin of the eponymous telegraph-inventor, officially opened the Jack Neville and Douglas Grant-designed Pebble Beach Golf Links, a 90 minute drive south of San Fransisco. The intervening years have seen numerous changes, and this year’s field will find that Arnold Palmer’s recent modifications have brought the ocean into play more than ever before. “I didn’t try to change the golf course. I tried to do some additional things that JUNE 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 15
would play better for the Open,” says Palmer. “We added a couple of hundred yards, but you need to respect the traditions of these great courses.” In total, four greens and 16 bunkers have been rebuilt, altered or installed, 11 tees have been enhanced or lengthened, six holes have seen new trees planted and the total length of the figure-of-eight course has been extended to a still modest 7,040 yards. Head Golf Professional at the course, Chuck Dunbar, gave me the tour. The first is a shortish and relatively friendly dogleg right to a new green – a definite birdie opportunity for this US Open field. Despite Palmer’s extra length, this is not a course that penalises shorter drivers of the ball such as Accenture winner Ian Poulter. “Driver may only be used once on the first five holes: on 2 to reach the pin at about 502 yards,” suggests Chuck. “The next drive is on 6, not 8, then 9, so most players may only use driver three times on the front nine.” The tee on the third has been moved 25 yards back and left, requiring a lay-up with a 3-wood for most players. With trees down either side, a driver only puts the bunker in play. The first hole with the ocean in play is the fourth. “On the outward oceanside par 4s and 5s, the philosophy of the changes is to bring the Pacific into play wherever possible,” says Dunbar. “Fairways will be narrow and the rough cut short next to the hazard, so rather than being saved by the longer grass, expect to see a few balls tumbling over the edge towards the ocean.” On hole 6, for instance, five new bunkers have shifted the landing area much closer to the rocks. The short par-three 7th, just 106 yards from an elevated tee towards the surf crashing onto the rocks below, is one of the most photographed holes in golf. Depending on the wind, it requires anything from lob wedge to five-iron. 16 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JUNE 2010
Jack Nicklaus rates the approach to the par-four 8th hole (above) as ‘the toughest second shot in golf’. The dramtic rise in elevation at the 6th is revealed in this great shot by lensman Mark Alexander
There’s another way to play the hole. “Sam Snead once putted down the cart path when the wind was howling during a Bing Crosby Pro-Am,” explains Dunbar. “He took relief at the bottom of the hill and got up and down for a par.” From the eighth hole on, the going gets tough. “The first seven holes allow offence,” he suggests, “the next 11, at least for most amateurs, need defence.” According to Jack Nicklaus, the eighth has the most difficult second shot in golf. A 240yard drive puts the player on the edge of a deep chasm overlooking the ocean. The green is 180 windy yards away and slopes severely from back to front. Not for the fainthearted. Holes 9 and 10 have been lengthened, and at 11, the course turns back inland. At the AT&T this February, Paul Goydos was leading the tournament until he came to the par-five 14th. The small contoured green is protected by a bunker front left and strategically placed Cypress trees, so most players lay up for their approach. Goydos was in perfect shape after his second but still managed a quadruple-bogey nine. With a brutal pin position, expect more excitement here on Sunday afternoon. The pot bunkers at about 280 yards on 15 are so deep, a stepladder is helpfully provided to get out of them. Around and about, the ankle-deep Scottish links-style fescue rough is penal. “The way I define a great golf course, is that it builds to a crescendo,” says Chuck Dunbar. “You can score on 1, 2 and 3, then you get to the heart of the story, the ocean holes, dramatic and unbelievably beautiful settings. Then we come back away from the
ocean, a slight lull, then once you turn the corner back to 17, 18, boom – this fantastic climax to your story.” The par-three 17th saw Tom Watson win, and Jack Nicklaus lose the Championship in 1982. One down, Watson’s two-iron drifted into the rough left of the green. With a sand wedge, he holed from 16 feet. It’s a great hole with late drama guaranteed. The majestic par-five 18th is quite simply one of the best, if not the best finishing hole on the tour. The classic risk/reward fairway hugs the ocean in a gentle right to left arc. Two new Cypress trees and a fairway bunker have been added in the landing area, forcing longer hitters to aim left towards the Pacific, but most players will lay up and pitch over the front bunker protecting the final green. In 2002, at considerable cost, the large pine tree front right of the green was replaced by a huge mature Cypress, providing a picture perfect climax to the round for the galleries and worldwide TV audience.
PEBBLE BEACH
That Pebble Beach is called a ‘public course’ is slightly deceptive. True, anyone can play, but the green fee is currently $495 (£335) and can only be booked together with a two-night stay costing a minimum of $595 (£400) per night per room. So even if you share a room, look to spend at least £735 for the privilege of walking in the spikemarks of champions. The other caveat is that the course is so heavily booked throughout the year by players of all abilities, rounds can take five and even six hours. Still, with a seascape like this, what’s the hurry? The other three courses operated by Pebble Beach are Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay and Del Monte. Opened in 1966, the Robert Trent Jones Snr. designed Spyglass Hill takes its inspiration from Treasure Island, with holes named after characters in the book. From the tournament tees, it’s consistently rated one of the toughest courses in the world with a slope rating of 147, even higher
“For many golfers, a visit here is a once-in-alifetime experience, so not surprisingly, the standard of service and organisation that you encounter on each course and every clubhouse is exemplary” than Pebble Beach itself. Spanish Bay is modelled on a Scottish links, with wind and bristling grass the biggest challenges to good scoring. The inland Del Monte opened in 1897, making it the oldest course west of the Mississippi. It’s a tad easier than the others so ideal for the first game of a golf package. Three Pebble Beach-owned hotels service
heavy-hitters playing locally. The most exclusive is Casa Palmero where rooms start at $845 (£570). Next is the Lodge at Pebble Beach which has suites overlooking the Championship’s 18th hole, with rooms from $695 (£470). The hotel and clubhouse have good food, charm, history and great views. The Inn at Spanish Bay is the most reasonable, with rates starting at $595 (£400). The fire pits behind the clubhouse are perfect for that post-game cigar, and the clubhouse bar, Roy’s, serves delightful East-meets-West fusion food – the unfiltered Dreamy Clouds sake is lethal. At sunset, a lone piper in full Scottish kit appears playing, after my round, a wholly appropriate lament. Pebble Beach has been owned since 1999 by a consortium that includes Clint Eastwood, Arnold Palmer and LA Olympics maestro Peter Ueberroth. For many golfers, a visit here is a once in a lifetime experience, so not surprisingly, the standard of service and organisation that you encounter on each JUNE 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 17
course and in every clubhouse and hotel is quite exemplary. There are, however, a number of other outstanding courses in Monterey County, eight on the five-mile square peninsular alone. The best is probably Cypress Point, but it’s a private club with play limited to the 250 members and their guests only, so difficult to get onto. The tree-lined Bayonet and hilly Black Horse have just had a $13 million makeover, and, when I played them recently, were in quite stunning condition. With weekday afternoon green fees at just $75 (£50), these two courses probably represent the bestvalue quality golf in the area. Winding through the Del Monte Forest inland, Poppy Hills is inside the Pebble Beach estate but independently owned. The Robert Trent Jones Jnr. set-up has vast greens, partly to accommodate the huge number of rounds played here each year. It’s tricky but fun – an ideal warm-up for more difficult local challenges. The local joker in the pack, right on the point of the peninsula, is Pacific Grove. The ‘poor man’s Pebble Beach’ has stunning views of the ocean on the back nine. It’s a short ‘muni’ or municipal course, not in the same class as some of the others, but at about £25 a round, friendly enough for mid and high handicappers. There are plenty of good local hotels outside Pebble Beach itself, of which the best is probably the Monterey Plaza on the main drag in Cannery Row. Rates start at about $220 (£150) a room, and dinner at the Duck Club restaurant is pretty special. The more modestly priced Portola Hotel and Spa is smack in the middle of Monterey itself, specialises in golf packages and is nearer the £100-a-night mark. It’s a confer-
While Monterey County is stacked with high-end golf clubs, do your homework and you will find a number of terrific alternatives at sensible prices, such as Poppy Hills (above) and Pacific Grove (below)
ence hotel so a little frayed around the edges but well-placed for the brilliant eateries on Fisherman’s Wharf. As well 20-odd other hotels including a Hyatt Regency and an InterContinental, there is a host of smaller inns and bed-and-breakfasts, perfect for short oceanside breaks. Monterey is as good a destination for ‘golf widows’ as players. The area is hip-deep in spas, while shopping on the strip in colourful Cannery Row or in up-market Carmel-bythe-Sea could easily cost much more than a round of golf. Carmel is still home to its onetime mayor, Clint Eastwood, who can often be seen pottering around town. The Dirty Harry star has even built his own private golf course, Tehama, rumoured to have cost $80 million-plus. Proud to be a ‘dog-friendly’ community,
Carmel has some wonderfully quaint bylaws including a ban on high-heeled shoes. It’s also home to more than 50 art galleries and some particularly ritzy restaurants. Just out of town, the romantically situated Highlands Inn is popular for honeymoons, its brilliant Pacific’s Edge restaurant good for seafood, local Californian wines and celeb-spotting. The whole district prides itself on its locally produced fine food and wine. Wineries in the Carmel Valley such as the Chateau Julien Wine Estate, Bernardus, Robert Talbott and the Joullian Vineyards make for an interesting and bibulous day out, with Pinot Noirs a speciality. After all the gastronomic excess, wild and rugged Big Sur, a truly beautiful 90-mile stretch of coastline south of Monterey, is perfect for hiking, cycling and whale-watching. With over 20 courses, the Pacific Ocean, amazing beaches, and terrific food and wine, Monterey County is more than just Pebble Beach. But come the third week in June, all eyes will be on the most famous US Open venue of them all. For the golf, hotels and spas at Pebble Beach: www.pebblebeach.com For a Monterey County overview: www.seemonterey.com Other golf: bayonetblackhorse.com www.poppyhills.com Pacific Grove – pggolflinks.com Wineries: bernardus.com chateaujulien.com www.joullian.com talbottvineyards.com
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