GOLF INTERNATIONAL
98
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ISSUE NO. 98 • £4.25 NOV/DEC 2010
MAGAZINE
ESSENTIAL READING FROM THE BEST IN THE GAME
UNITED IN
GLORY Monty’s inspired team and captaincy get Europe’s hands on the Cup again
INSTRUCTION The Plane Truth
SEASONAL EQUIPMENT Latest from Munich’s autumn show & waterproofs for this winter
Discover how the teaching of Jim Hardy could transform your golf
The Mind Factor Tour coach Karl Morris on how to make practice more effective
MONTE DA QUINTA // LEADBETTER &THE NINTENDO WII // MOTORING // PROPERTY
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GOLF INTERNATIONAL
RICHARD SIMMONS
FIRSTUP
MAGAZINE
ESSENTIAL READING FROM THE BEST IN THE GAME
10, Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HX Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 3003 Editor:
Richard Simmons richard@golfinternationalmag.com
Editor in Chief:
Robert Green robert@golfinternationalmag.com
Design:
Tony Seagrave design@golfinternationalmag.com
Equipment Editor: Dominic Pedler dominic@golfinternationalmag.com
Professional Teaching Panel: Robert Baker, Tim Barter, Peter Cowen, Jim Christine, Andrew Hall, Simon Holmes, Paul Hurrion, Stuart Morgan, Denis Pugh, Stuart Smith, David Whelan & Jonathan Yarwood Regular Contributors: Clive Agran, Peter Alliss, Colin Callander, Jeremy Chapman, Tom Cox, Richard Gillis, Anthony ffrench-Constant, Michael Flannery, John Hopkins, Tony Johnstone, Kevin McGimpsey, David Purdie, Ronan Rafferty, Sarah Stirk, Paul Trow & Jake Ulrich Photographers: David Cannon, Peter Dazeley, Ross Kinnaird, Andrew Redington, Getty Images, Charles Briscoe-Knight, Matthew Harris, Eric Hepworth, Steve Read
I make no excuses whatsoever for the indulgent coverage of the Ryder Cup that you are about to enjoy within this celebration issue – forget the rain and the mud and all of that tedious hanging about, the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor will be remembered as one of the greatest sporting events of all time and it illustrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that team golf, at this level, is unrivalled in its capacity to generate sporting theatre. As more than one reader has observed – who needs the Olympics? That mainstream tournament golf is inherently so selfish may just be one of the reasons why wall-to-wall coverage of the professional game does relatively little to spark the curiosity of casual observers and thus fails to attract the seedbed of new players golf desperately needs. In contrast, the emotion, the drama and the sheer unpredictability guaranteed in a Ryder Cup reveals to the biggest audience of the season (by a margin) the true compelling nature of our sport in its finest form – the very essence of the game that long ago seduced you and I. Let’s just hope that Sir Terry Matthews’ investment and the stirring exploits of Monty and his team returns golf at large the result it deserves in the long run. As for that deciding singles match, can you even begin to imagine the pressure Graeme McDowell was under as he made for those last three holes at Celtic Manor? As was widely reported in the run-up to the event, this was a stage built precisely for such a purpose, although not even Sir Terry could have imagined the final scene would be so dramatic as it played out on that electric-blue Monday afternoon. If you haven’t stood on the 16th tee on the Twenty Ten Course you won’t fully appreciate the scale of the task that meets you – 499 yards, a par-four, supposedly, with thick rough either side of a snaking fairway and a green that tilts menacingly from left to right. Right on cue, with the score at 13.5 apiece – and with his body so numbed by the pressure he could barely feel his hands – GMac produced two of the finest swings of his life followed by a pace-perfect putt to effectively settle things. It was spell-binding. Celtic Manor can lay claim to witnessing one of the greatest birdies the game has ever seen. And 10, minutes later, one of the nuttiest celebrations a golf match has ever produced. I still get nervous watching the re-run on Sky Plus. But if there’s ever a piece of footage that gets me fired up for a game of golf, that closing stretch will do it. For all the glory Monty & Co deservedly enjoyed as a winning team, their gift to all of us was a reminder of just how great a game it can be. Enjoy the issue.
Overseas correspondents: Austria Karl Ableidinger Jan Kees van der Velden Holland Spencer Robinson Hong Kong Italy Mario Camicia Andy Brumer USA
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ISSUE 98 • NOV/DEC 2010
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Essential reading from the best in the game ISSUE #98 // NOV/DEC 2010 // RYDER CUP REVIEW The morning after the riot before: Monty savours the Tuesday morning headlines at Celtic Manor
REGULARS
COLUMNS / FEATURES
12 LETTERS
Do you have an opinion youʼd like to share? Why not email us? You could win a custom-fitted Odyssey putter
16 PLANET GOLF
38 ANOTHER THING... ROBERT GREEN
No sooner is this one over... The 2010 Ryder Cup might be remembered for its grim weather and it certainly will be for its dramatic denouement. The next question for the great competition is where to next?
Off the beaten track: Tom Watson fell in love with St Enodoc, and so will you...19th Hole Q&A with Sky Sportsʼ Tim Barter.... Brilliant on all angles – introducing the new Tour Proven Titleist 910 Driver Series... An Extra 20 Yards....more advice from Dr Felix Shank..Jayne Story and Chi-Power Golf
40 ON THE AIR PETER ALLISS
The GolfMark scheme has more than doubled the number of junior members at Roehampton Club...Gary Wolstenholme autobiography...results and news
42 AT THE 19TH CLIVE AGRAN
For his sheer consistecy from tee-togreen, no one would deny Lee Westwood the No.1 spot in workl golf...Olazabal in the frame to be Europeʼs next Ryder Cup captain... Jim Furyk is golfʼs £7million man at the FedEx...Michelle Wie in stunning form...tournament results
163 THE LAST SHOT JOHN HOPKINS
128 THE AMATEUR SCENE
154 WORLD TOURNAMENT NEWS
WIN
Men in a bed... er, in the news Cabinet minister William Hague received much adverse publicity recently for doing something that many years ago was commonplace for a touring golfer
La vie sans golf – cʼest rien Holidays in France are all very good and well but what if you donʼt have your golf clubs with you? In that case, the prospect is a load of boules The memories will come flooding back: Why Wales and Celtic Manor will ultimately pay the price for the late scheduling of the Ryder Cup
SET YOURSELF UP FOR WINTER WITH GREAT PRIZES FROM SUNICE PAGE 136
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A LUXURY HOLIDAY FOR TWO AT MONTA DA QUINTA PAGE 92
RYDER CUP 2010 REVIEW
50 GMAC HITS THE SPOT
Can you even begin to imagine the pressure? For Europe, US Open champion Graeme McDowell was the right man in the right place at the right time, as Andy Farrell reports
60 HOW MONTY REIGNED IN THE RAIN
The man behind one of the most thrilling Ryder Cup triumphs ever brought all his attributes to the job while managing to keep his foibles hidden. Robert Green reports
66 EUROPE ESCAPE TO VICTORY
Europeʼs victory was anything but convincing and the US are favourites to win back the cup in Chicago in 2012. Jeremy Chapman gives the bookiesʼ perspective
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68 WATER-GATE!
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84 A WALK IN THE BLACK FOREST
112
ʻMay the team with the best waterproofs winʼ ran the marketing message from the official suplier to the US team. Rarely has a piece of marketing spin turned out to be so accurate, reports Richard Gillis
Equipment editor Dominic Pedler travelled to Munich for the traditional autumn trade show, and found much to report on whatʼs heading your way for the new season
94 THE GI INTERVIEW
During a stay in London for the launch of his new instruction DVD, Tom Watson found time to sit down and shoot the breeze with Giʼs Dominic Pedler
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Innovations in technology and the widespread use of the Gore-Tex fabric has seen the humble waterproof elevated to the status of ʻmust-haveʼ performance gear. We line up the best
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138 JUST ADD WATER
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TECHNOLOGY Now Wii are serious: Dominic Pedler reports on his own home experiences testing one of golfʼs most anticipated game-improvement devices – the Nintendo Wii My Personal Golf Trainer
RESORT SPOTLIGHT Quinessentially Quinta: The Monte da Quinta resort is at the heart of one of the original and indeed very best destinations in southern Europe. Peter Swain checks it out PROPERTY La dolce vita: If you like Venice, Prosecco and golf, Peter Swain has just the place for you. As well as the original Lido course, there is great golf and property in the surrounding Veneto, within 30 minutes of La Serenissima MEMORABILIA Who will start the bidding: Auctionroom expert Kevin McGimpsey identifies and values more of our readersʼ collectibles MOTORING Extending the reach of the Mini proves a problem: Giʼs motoring correspondent Anthony ffrenchConstant is left somewhat underwhelmed at the latest incarnation of one of motorings alltime iconic brands
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8 ISSUES OF GOLF INTERNATIONAL delivered direct to your door
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Probably the best instruction on the Planet! ISSUE #98 // NOV/DEC 2010 // RYDER CUP REVIEW INSTRUCTION
WITHIN PLANET GOLF 28
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Chi-power GOLF: Jayne Storey reveals how practising exercises developed in the martial arts can help you improve your body rotation
34
Perception v reality: Dr Paul Hurrion challenges you to take a simple putting test that will reveal whether or not you are seeing a true straight line to the hole...
Alignment revolves around the clubface Stuart Morgan with a practice-ground routine that will get you firing the ball at the flag
46 MIND FACTOR GOLF
European Tour Mind Coach Dr Karl Morris questions whether or not your practice habits are actually effective? They can be, if you follow the advice he gives to some of the gameʼs greatest players, Ryder Cup hero GMac included
70 PLANE TALK WITH JIM HARDY
A former student of the great John Jacobs, one of Americaʼs hottest teachers, Jim Hardy, has revolutionised the way many of the gameʼs leading coaches think about technique with his distinction between ʻOne Planeʼ and ʻTwo Planeʼ swings and comprehensive ʻmatrixʼ online system of fault diagnosis. Dominic Pedler found out more, while Hardy disciple Chris OʼConnell analyses the swing of Matt Kuchar – perhaps the most successful OnePlaner in the game today – and also shares a quick lesson on how to cure a slice
120 MAKE YOUR PRACTICE COUNT!
On the basis of his extraordinary holing-out at Celtic Manor, we thought it worth re-visiting this putting story with Ian Poulter. After all, heʼs more than proved his ideas work...
146 SILENT MIND GOLF – WHAT MAKES A WINNER?
In the sixth and final part of this series of extracts from his book, Silent Mind Golf, Robin Sieger takes a look at three legends of the game – Jones, Hagen and Hogan – in his search to find the common characteristics that determine a winner
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PLANET GOLF
JUST A CRACKING SHOT
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PLANET GOLF A picture-postcard view of the par-five 16th reveals the charm of St Enodoc, a James Braid-designed links blessed with one of the finest of coastal settings
St Enodoc Golf Club (1890) Rock, Wadebridge, Cornwall Tel: 01208 863216 www.st-enodoc.com
TELL ‘EM TOM SENT YOU...
Tom Watson's love of links golf is well documented, and inside this issue, in a far-ranging interview with Gi's Dominic Pedler the five times Open champion talks about the moment the penny dropped as far as his 'getting' the whole raw links thing: "I had an epiphany at Royal Lytham in 1979," remembers Watson. "You have to accept the bounces, the conditions, use your imagination to visualise every shot and work the ball around the golf course." Accepting the bounce is something you certainly have to do at the glorious St Enodoc Golf Club, overlooking the Camel Estuary on the North Cornish coast. The James Braid Church Course features terrific dune structures that not only frame and identify individual holes but offer stunning views out to the Atlantic. Watson played here in 2003 with close friend Tuck Claget, then a year in the job as General Manager at one of the South West's undoubted gems. "To tell you the truth Tom was a little delicate on the morning of the match we had arranged," says Claget. "The night before we'd all piled over to Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant, just across the water in Padstow, and Tom had ordered a full-on seafood dish with all sorts going on – well, let's just say h was still feeling it first thing the next day!
But he absolutely loved the golf course. The weather was just as it was the day photographer David Cannon dropped in earlier this summer – stunning. We halved our match with the captain and club pro, Nick Williams. The next day we travelled up the coast to Royal North Devon – he was feeling a little better and shot 67, first time out." Claget and Watson went to school together in Kansas and played a lot of sports, including golf. "We've remained pretty close down the years and I'm determined to get Tom back down here again soon," says Claget. "I'm biased towards St Enodoc, naturally, but there really are some truly stunning golf courses in these parts. Unfortunately, finding time in Tom's schedule doesn't seem to get any easier." St Enodoc is a part of Atlantic Links, an initiative to market the best of the links courses in Cornwall, Devon and North Somerset (Trevose, Saunton (East & West), Royal North Devon, and Burnham & Berrow, and the website details a number of attractive packages to experience golf good more than good enough to rival anything in Ireland and Scotland.
Take a look for yourself at www.atlantic-links.co.uk You'll find the Tom Watson interview from page 94.
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 9
PLANET GOLF
TIM BARTER
19th Hole Q&A – TIM BARTER
“Monty? To say he was exceptional is an understatement... GI TURNS THE TABLES ON SKY SPORTS ON-COURSE ANALYST AND INTERVIEWER TIM BARTER. Gi: You were the first to get to Captain Monty – have you ever felt anything like that emotion on a golf course? Tim Barter: Yes, Darren Clarke’s reception at the K Club on the 1st tee in 2006 – that was about as emotional as it ever gets. Darren himself actually told me he didn’t think anything would ever get close again and yet this did. It was so tense, so dramatic and they wanted victory so badly. As for Monty, well he was emotional all week but he tried not to be centre of attention. He almost went over the top in that respect, I think. Whenever I asked him about the week he repeatedly stated that “This means nothing to me personally – it’s all about the European Tour and the players....” I think he left the 17th green celebration early once GMac had secured the vital point because he wanted the team to enjoy the moment, and he may well have just gone into the team room and had a good old blub. Gi: Monty seemed to play it perfectly from the start – what did make of his performance through the week? TB: I thought Monty was...to say exceptional is an understatement. He falls into the mold of Tony Jacklin and Sam Torrance. I think he handled everything as well as he possibly could. By all accounts the speech he gave to his team after the second series was something to behold. They were 6-4 down. When I asked him what he’d said he told me that he couldn’t say, as it was rude, but ‘They are in a fight and I think you will see a reaction’. The invaluable advice Monty learned from Sam Torrance is that the Ryder Cup is all about momentum. And once Westwood and Donald got ahead of Stricker and Woods it gave the rest of the team that momentum. That third series decided it. Just incredible. From two points behind to three ahead. Gi: The crowd played their part – superb given the conditions they had to endure. 10 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
to Cink. It was just incredible. When Monty appeared at one point they all started singing ‘M. O. N. T. Y.’ in the disco tune. Totally mad.
TB: The crowds were incredible all week and the atmosphere around the 1st tee was just phenomenal. We had a camera on a line running above the walkway to the tee and when the camera appeared the crowd knew a player was coming....and the reception for every match was just amazing. Some of the banter was hilarious. You had Jim Furyk in the fog on Monday morning, he’s peering down the fairway and someone shouted out ‘Follow your nose, Jim’. A favourite chant was ‘Rory, Rory, show us your hair!’ – to which Rory duly takes his hat off. Then they sing the same song
Sky Sports' Tim Barter feels the force of the European celebration following GMac's heroics at Celtic Manor. "Monty was amazing," says Barter, "and totally accommodating. Sheer class."
TB: Did you expect Monty to be such a fantastic captain? The one thing I didn’t expect...but I ended up getting...was if Europe didn’t lead, if things started going really badly, would the other side of Monty that we all know about (and he knows about) come out. Like it does in his own game when things start going against him? Will we see the other side of Monty? And we didn’t. He was amazing – I would interview him a lot, at the start of matches, in the middle of matches, and even when his team were losing he was totally accommodating. I've done six Ryder Cups for Sky, and when things are not going well the captain might knock you back. Monty spoke to me whenever I asked him. That was class. Gi: In contrast, Corey Pavin was criticised in certain quarters for not seeming to be particularly bouyed up by the occasion – at least on TV. Was that your impression? TB: Absolutely. I could not believe the public face Corey Pavin was putting on. His knickname is ‘Bulldog’ for good reason. He is one of the most
PLANET GOLF
passionate, feisty golfers you could get, with an incredible mental attitude. I was constantly amazed that every time I interviewed him he was calm, there was no passion visible at all. In Paul Azinger at Valhalla two years ago, you could see the emotion in him. With Pavin, he just basically said that he wanted his players to have fun, to enjoy the series and play well. It seemed like Monty always had a goal – to get ahead, to lead, to win. Pavin did not seem to have any sort of agenda. And that carried on the whole week. When it was all over I told him I’d been very surprised that the passionate, feisty Pavin hadn’t been visible in front of the camera – he said his ploy all week was to be the calming influence and that in the team room he was a very different Corey Pavin. What I will say is that like Monty, he was brilliant in terms of access. He couldn’t have done more for me. Gi: What were the key stand-out moments for you that defined Europe's win? TB: Luke Donald & Lee Westwood trouncing Woods and Stricker 6&5 in the lead foursomes in the rearranged third session. That was absolutely crucial to get the momentum. And then obviously McDowell and McIlroy following that up with another point. The Molinari brothers getting their half-point, which made a massive difference. It was obvious to all that Francesco’s putter was giving him trouble all day and yet he holed a very missable putt at the 18th to get that half-point. The other one was Rory’s up-and-down for par at the last in his singles with Cink on Monday. As early as it was on that final day, having Rory coming up the last – with Westwood already having lost to Stricker – and to recover after leaving his first sand shot in the trap, well that was huge. There were a lot of matches at 1 up, and my gut feeling when he holed for a half with Cink was that it was crucial. Gi: Is there anyone even remotely as positive as Ian Poulter? TB: No. Poulter was incredible. When I spoke with him on the Monday morning it was just ridiculous: he guaranteed a point, playing against someone who was unbeaten [Kouchar]. I could barely believe a player could have that
als on the European team, who do you think will have most benefitted from this experience? TB: You’d have to say Graeme McDowell. His quotes at the end were just staggering, I thought. To say that winning the US Open at Pebble Beach was like playing the back-nine on a Sunday afternoon at Royal Portrush with his dad!. He now knows he can cope with anything that’s thrown at him – no situation will phase him. I think McIlroy, in the end, will get a lot out of it, because he came through with that crucial half-point in the singles and he won his match in series 3. It’s all part of the learning curve. Rory now knows what the Ryder Cup is all about – in his own words the most special event in the world and the best week of his life.
positive mindset. He did it at Valhalla, went out and was leading scorer, and he did it again at Celtic Manor. He’s a bit like bit Monty; I firmly believe if he can get that mindset going in a major he can win one. Gi: Monty has said he couldn’t have won without his five vice-captains – adding Olazabal was a masterstroke... TB: That was a key inclusion for Europe. As Monty explained to me, when they changed the format there were six matches due out – and he only had four vice captains and himself. Olly was at Celtic Manor as ambassador for a coffee company, and I thought Monty’s line was quite superb: “I immediately thought he was under-utilising his experience and skill,” is what he said. So Olly was drafted in and he spent a lot of time with the Molinari’s – they both told me that having his experience and knowledge was huge. And they went on to win a crucial half-point in that third session while Edoardo also secured a half-point on Monday. Gi: Were you able to judge exactly how much pressure Padraig was under during the week? TB: I interviewed him before it all started and there was no doubt he was feeling the pressure. He told me as much. But he also told me that his contribution was not just going to be on the golf course. It would be in the team room and that, too, could be crucial. Which it was. In his partnership with Fisher, well, Ross may have played well but he also holed every putt he looked at and Padraig lined them all up. So Harrington’s contribution was more than his play and justified Monty’s faith in him. Gi: Looking at the players as individu-
After Jeff Overton holed his second shot at the 8th hole in the opening foursomes, his celebration with Bubba Watson provided one of the moments of the week. Pavin – known as 'Bulldog' – was notably subdued in front of the camera
Gi: Did you get any insight behind closed doors, in the team room? TB: The thing I will remember is the note pinned above the door of the team room to remind the players this is no done deal – something along the lines of ‘Remember Brookline, they will come back at us. They will come out fast – let’s get at them faster’. Those who were at Brookline reminded the other players of that. And Monty’s speech at 6-4 down was, I’m told, something to behold. I got the impression that McIlroy was hurting pretty badly after messing up the 18th hole twice, and the players rallied around him and said, ‘Right, let’s sort this out’. It galvenised them. They went out to avenge that hurt. Getting Seve on the phone on the Tuesday night was an incredible boost for the team, too. To a man the players said that listening to Seve was just inspirational. They had him on the speakerphone and the players asked questions and there is no better pep talk you could get. Monty had to cut him off in the end he had so much to say. Major Rooney couldn’t really compete with that. Gi: Few other golf courses could have withstood that amount of rain and remained playable – says a lot for Celtic Manor that the matches were finished by Monday? TB: Celtic Manor’s head greenkeeper Jim McKenzie told me they had 120 staff working virtually around the clock to keep the course playable. NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 11
PETER ALLISS
ON THE AIR
Men in a bed... er, in the news Cabinet minister William Hague received much adverse publicity recently for doing something that many years ago was commonplace for a touring golfer ver the past few weeks, two events in particular made me sit up and take notice, albeit for very different reasons. The first concerned William Hague, a politician who has held some of the highest offices in the land. The story in question was the fact that he had been naive or foolish enough to have shared a bedroom with one of his staff, a (dare I say) physically attractive young man of relatively immature years. This created the most tremendous furore. For a period, Hague was virtually demonised. That set my mind awandering to when I first started out on my golfing life, before my brother and I became joint professionals at Parkstone Golf Club. It was then the 'done thing' to have a travelling companion and since we didn’t spend all that much time on the golf course, twin-bedded rooms were the order of the day. In most modest hotels the bathroom was down the corridor, so you travelled with a dressing gown, pyjamas, a little plastic box containing a bar of soap and a decent towel. You tried to get to the bathroom first, and hoped the person who had been in before you had left it relatively neat. If not, you would spend ten minutes tidying it up, just in case someone was standing outside the door and thought what a disgusting person you were for leaving things in such a mess. No one thought anything about such arrangements. I only once had a poor night’s sleep, which was when David Thomas and I shared a bed in some modest establishment in South Wales on a hot night in August. We had been competing in a tournament at the splendid Hollinwell Golf Club in Nottinghamshire. The tournament finished on the Friday, that weekend was a bank holiday and two exhibition matches had been arranged for us, one in South Wales and the other at Trevose on the North Cornwall coast, both in aid of the Lord Roberts Workshops and the Forces Help Society. In those far-off days there were hardly any good roads between Nottingham and South Wales. We eventually reached our destination at about 11 o’clock at night, only to find the hotel was bat-
O
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tened down tight, not a light showing. We banged and banged on the door and eventually a head appeared from an upstairs window. “Hello, we’re here – Alliss and Thomas.” “Oh, come in, come in!” Thank God he played golf and wasn’t too put out but, after all, it was only just gone 11. He took us to our room and there, lo and behold, was one three-quarter size bed. Now, at the time, David was relatively slim, but he still checked in at about 16½ stones. I was some three stones less. What to do, what to do? Well, as neither of us fancied the other, we thought it was safe to climb in. I remember facing outwards, perched on the very edge of the bed and terrified of any physical contact. His night attire consisted of a lightweight jacket and shorts, rather reminiscent of the French knickers that ladies wore in the 1930s. Mine was a good, solid blue and white striped winceyette number. I don’t think either of us slept for more than 35 minutes and at one stage our rear ends ‘bumped’ and we both leapt out of bed as if we’d been electrocuted. The next morning we saw the funny side of it, had a huge breakfast, got in our cars, arrived at the club and both of us proceeded to break the then course record. So my view, essentially, is poor Mr Hague. Haven’t we all done it? Goodness, even Morecambe and Wise did! On television! The second story was the ‘controversial’ appointment of Bob Diamond as head of Barclays Bank worldwide. I have known him for eight years or so and in all my modest dealings he has been an absolute delight. Of course, he loves the game of golf and it was mostly at sporting occasions that we met, but I like to think I’m a good observer of people and the Bob Diamond portrayed unfavourably in the newspapers in September bore no resemblance to the man I have got to know reasonably well. In fact, I even know of a few occasions he feels, indeed knows, that he was lucky in some transactions which, if they had gone the other way, might have made things very different, but they didn't and that’s the story of life. But then if you don't go to the Himalayas, you’ll never climb (or fall off) Mount Everest.
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Practise
FEATURE DR KARL MORRIS
European Tour Mind Coach Dr Karl Morris has worked for several years with US Open Champion and Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell – and rarely has the test of a player’s nerve and resilience under pressure been so thoroughly examined as GMac’s was at Celtic Manor. “It has been a huge thrill to see GMac become a truly outstanding world player,” says Morris. “One of the things that I always admired about him was his diligence and willingness to work on all aspects of his game including his mind. A good part of that time we spent together focused on making his practice more efficient and game specific. He does not play well when he gets to bogged down with swing mechanics. A naturally competitive individual, GMac just love to play and practice in some of the ways that I am going to share with Gi readers in this second article.” So here’s your opportunity to apply the same methods and techniques used by the world’s top golfers to achieve the mind-set that leads to ultimate performance. Pay attention!
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I CAN ASSUME WITH A FAIR DEGREE OF CERTAINTY
as a golfer, you will spend a lot of your time practicing in one form or another. You may not be on the range all the time but my definition of practice is any time you are on the course or range in a non competitive situation. The question I want you to ask yourself and to answer very truthfully is this: ‘Is the practice you are currently doing making you a better golfer?’ Now, if you are like most people, you have probably answered with ‘Of course it does!’ Just dig a little deeper though. Can you honestly say that as a result of the way you practise you have continued to improve at your game? If you can truly say ‘Yes’ then you are almost unique! However, I think if you are honest and you are like most people, you would probably have to say your game has stagnated – it may not have got much worse, but chances are your improvement is now fairly minimal. Once you are pretty good at a sport, the amount you can improve is, of course, going to reduce incrementally. However, I think there is a concept in practice which is so profoundly important, but so few golfers really take the concept to heart and practice it on a daily basis. A while ago, I was asked to do a series of lectures and workshops in Australia about the subject of Mind Coaching. Now, as a generalisation, your average Aussie is (a) pretty mentally tough and (b) just absolutely loves sport, any sport. During the series of talks, I heard a wonderful story about Sir Donald Bradman, the legendary cricketer. To put Bradman into some kind of perspective, if you average 50 as a batsman in Test cricket, you are regarded as one of the game’s greats. Well, Bradman averaged 99.94 and would have finished his career averaging 100 if he hadn’t been out for a duck in his final test innings. 99 is so incredible as to defy belief. The next best Test average by anyone else that has ever played the game is in the low 60’s! The
THE MIND FACTOR
equivalent in golf would be someone who came along who had a scoring average of 64! As a statistic in sport, Bradman’s average is simply off the scale! Anyway, back to the story. I was intrigued to hear how part of Bradman’s practice ritual was to work on his batting with a golf ball and a cricket stump. He would throw the golf ball at a wall then defend it with his cricket stump. Just imagine the speed the ball would come off the wall and the difficulty in defending himself with a stump which was not much bigger than the ball itself. Hour after hour Bradman would practice in this way. Just to make things even more interesting it was also said he would try to find a wall that was completely uneven just to make the exercise even more difficult. There are many other examples of great sporting legends who had their own approach to perfecting their art. Michael Jordan, when at his peak with the Chicago Bulls, always played a game in practice whereby he would get 3 defensive players to mark him so tightly, when he played for real it seemed easier. Ernie Els practices occasionally on the range with a Persimmon-headed driver. The old fashioned club has a much smaller head and a reduced sweet-spot compared to the typical modern-day metal wood. After a few minutes hitting balls with his wooden driver, Ernie says he finds hitting the modern club so much easier. The challenge of swinging accurately to find the sweetspot with the old persimmon head effectively makes his swing better and more repetitive. It is said that one of the reasons Tiger Woods is so mentally strong is that his father, Earl, used to have Tiger hit balls while he would do his best to distract him. Seve Ballesteros learnt to play golf with just a 3-iron. I can still remember standing open-mouthed at a clinic he gave when he displayed his skills with the long iron, hitting high lob shots over a trap with the narrow blade. How simple must using a traditional sand wedge seem after hours working on your skills like that? Nick Faldo used to set himself targets playing a 2-ball scramble – but not in the conventional style that you and I might enjoy. Faldo would play two balls off the tee and then have to play the next shot from where the poorer of those two shots finished. When it came to putting, if he holed a 6footer for a birdie, he then had to hole it a second time for the score to stand. And so on. Just consider on a fairly basic level (in terms of human beings) if you give a human being a task to do and he succeeds in that task, if that task is difficult and challenging he will grow as a result of responding and overcoming that challenge. There is a mountain ‘nobody’ can climb it, it’s too high!
Yet, someone says ‘I will find a way to climb it’. You can’t put a man on the moon but we did! If I go into a gym and lift a weight heavier than yesterday, I will stress the muscle. It will break down, repair and then be stronger than it was before. In comparison, if my eyesight is failing, I will need to wear glasses, which is fine but, unfortunately, my eyes will get progressively weaker and weaker. The key point I’m making here is that in sport, if you want to train your brain at the same time as your body and build mental toughness, you need to make a portion of your practice more difficult than the real game. Some examples of ‘harder practice’? On the green, try putting to a tee and not a hole. Stick a peg in the green and challenge yourself to see how many putts in succession you can hit into that tee from 2-feet, 3feet and so on. From short range, by putting to a tee your perception of the size of the hole changes. When you then revert to holing out short putts into the hole it will seem ridiculously easy. Follow Nick Faldo’s example and play 9 holes of ‘Worst Ball’. Hit two shots off the tee, take the worst shot and continue in this vein until you have completed nine holes. This will reveal how bad your ‘bad’ really is – and you will set yourself a target over nine holes that you can then set about beating next time.
Practice time or wasted time? Rather than just hitting balls, you have to create gamespecific challenges to make your practice efficient and effective
MANY COACHES TALK ABOUT WORKING HARD, BUT IT IS usually judged in terms of time by the number of balls hit and standing on the range for hours. Well, anyone can make their hands bleed or get blisters on their feet by spending too much time practising. The concept of hard practice here is making the specific task more difficult than the game itself, just as Bradman did with his golf ball and wicket, not just the time spent practising. In other words, for the time you have available to work on your game to be truly effective, you need to move away from this archaic interpretation of what good practice is. Far better we have a short practice session which is difficult in the way it is appropriate to your own golf, but builds mental and physical toughness by stretching the system in a way which leads to genuine self-confidence. Just consider now how you could make a portion of your practice more difficult than the game. One of the players I have worked with for many years is Darren Clarke who loves to play a short-game drill called ‘Par 18’ The simple short game drill which has you playing 9 partwos from differing locations around the green but (and this is the most important part) you must write down your score at the end of the session.
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 15
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FEATURE RYDER CUP REVIEW
G-MAC HITS
THE SPOT
Europe lost three of the four series of matches played at Celtic Manor and yet – ultimately thanks to Graeme McDowell – emerged victorious by the slimmest of margins and in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. Andy Farrell reports
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CELTIC MANOR 2010
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 19
FEATURE CAPTAIN MONTY
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CAPTAIN MONTY
HOW MONT’S TEAM
REIGNED IN THE RAIN Colin Montgomerie went to Celtic Manor prepared, for either success or disappointment. He had speeches ready for both winning and losing. Critics saw the latter strategy as a possible sign of defeatism. But once at the course, even early on when Europe trailed the United States, Montgomerie’s only thoughts were of victory. The single issue was how his team would go about achieving it. On Saturday evening, his side in arrears on the scoreboard but ahead in all six matches in play when darkness necessitated a halt, the captain was at his Montyist. His opening remarks went on so long that it seemed this could be the first-ever press conference at which there hadn’t been time for anyone to ask anything. After a few minutes, during which he had somewhat discursively discussed the day’s play and the prospects for the morrow in a lengthy, sometimes rather rambling, monologue, he observed, to much laughter: “I’m answering all your questions here.” Indeed – the ones he’d put to himself. “I felt there wasn't enough passion on the golf course [this morning],” he stated at one point. “We have plenty of other ways of winning this, but passion we didn't have. We didn't have the passion. I felt that with the team, I felt with the spectators, who, believe me, have done a hell of a job out there.” Pause. “For those of you who haven't been out [referring to the mud underfoot], you've made the right decision.” Cue more laughter. Phew, for a second there we were wondering if Monty might be suggesting that the crowd lacked passion; that he might be about to demand that new fans be drafted in – professional fans, perhaps? “I mean, we’re all professionals,” one could almost imagine him saying. But no, that wasn’t the case. “I do feel for them,” he said later. “They have done bloody well, the crowd, they really have.” Certainly better than he felt his team had done by that stage. Trailing 6-4 heading into what would be a weather-interrupted series of two foursomes and four four-
The man behind one of the most thrilling Ryder Cup triumphs ever brought all his attributes to the job while managing to keep his foibles hidden. Robert Green reports balls ending on Sunday (from which his team would emerge with a three-point lead), Monty’s lunch-time team talk had apparently been more of a bollocking. “I can't explain what I said,” he declared. “I was just trying to inform them to get up early [in the matches], and that's what we did. But I can't repeat what I said.” Was that because it was a secret? “Well, it’s quite rude.” Now and again through the week, Monty displayed an apparent flair for slapstick. Questioner: “I know you’ve been asked this question before but…” Monty: “I'll try and give you the same answer then.” OK, maybe it’s not Michael McIntyre, although his comic timing was perfect when he insisted on taking a last question at one press conference. “Sorry, there’s another question.” Pause. “Provided it’s about golf.” What’s this? Monty sending himself up in defiance of the lurid stories the Sunday tabloids have allegedly been cooking? In the biggest week of his career? You couldn’t make it up. Of course, to suggest to Monty that this was the biggest week of his career would be to invite either 100% agreement or 100% disagreement, depending which way the wind was blowing. “I didn’t hit a shot so it wasn’t much of an achievement,” he said when it was over, “but at the same time it’s a proud, proud moment for me personally.” It’s a self-debate that has long been characterised by his previous assertions along the lines of
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 21
PLANE FEATURE PLANE TALK WITH JIM HARDY
TALK WITH
JIM HARDY Revered US coach, best-selling author and all-round golf guru, Jim Hardy has transformed our understanding of the swing plane while developing arguably the world’s most comprehensive system for analysing ‘faults and fixes’ available through his international network of teaching pros and soon through a remarkable new online venture. Dominic Pedler talks to the visionary instruction expert 22 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
Gi: For those not familiar with your instruction philosophy, please summarise the basics of your One Plane and Two Plane approach to the golf swing. JH: It stems from the basic premise that there are two motors in the golf swing. The arms and club are one motor, and the body is the other. The body doesn’t move the arms – but nor do the arms move the body. They are independent. The key point is that these two motors either move in different planes – what I call a Two Plane swing, or somewhat in the same plane – a One Plane swing. Which category a player falls into depends, I believe, on how they see the challenge of the game of golf. The Two Plane player intuitively sees golf as an aerial game with a swing that needs to get the club ‘down, under and up’ to get the ball in the air. But One Planers don’t see it that way. They see golf as a ‘side-on’ game, like baseball, where they swing the club around their body to propel the ball forward. [See Sidebar 1 for typical characteristics of each category] Gi But you don’t necessarily favour one of these swing plane types over the other? JH: There is no correct way, as shown by the success of different swings at the highest level. The contrast in the One Plane swing of Ben Hogan and the Two Plane swing of Tom Watson is just one of many examples; and within each of these two categories there are probably ten variations that are all good enough to get you into the Hall Of Fame! Gi: So there is no ‘Jim Hardy swing’? JH: Absolutely not. Instead, my philosophy is that it is vital for all players – and their coaches – to understand the distinction between plane types because, for any golf instruction to be effective, it must be tailored in the context of that particular player’s swing plane. If not, the advice could actually be disastrous for your game. Gi: Your approach finally explains the existence of so many swing tips that golfers have heard down the ages that seem to
PLANE TALK
At home on the range – Jim Hardy has won international acclaim for his ‘One Plane’ or ‘Two Plane’ swing theories
totally contradict each other. JH: There are indeed many tips that appear to be the exact opposite of each other and yet which are in fact both correct – but obviously not in the same swing! The relevance depends entirely on the type of swing plane. For example, “Keep your head still” is wonderful if you have One Plane swing, while “move your head behind the ball” is great if you are a Two Planer. Similarly we’ve all heard “Shift your weight onto your right leg [Two Plane]” but also “don’t shift your weight onto the right leg”. Then there’s: “Shift and turn your hips [One Plane]” and “Don’t shift and turn but slide and thrust your hips [Two Plane]”. “Keep your arms in front of you [Two Plane]” versus “let your arms swing around you [One Plane]”. “Turn your body hard on the downswing [One Plane], “Don’t turn your body hard [Two Plane]”. We could go on. Gi: You’ve refined your approach to include a system of moves that are either ‘Pluses’ or ‘Minuses’ which you teach to pros at your seminars. What do they refer to? JH: These relate to the angle of attack and the width of the swing through the impact area. Both of these are initially dependent on the length of club, but a Minus move would be a move that encourages a shallower angle of descent, while a Plus would be something promoting a steeper angle of descent. I like to use an airplane analogy. The short irons are like the small light aircraft that have a steeper descent and need only a short runway, or impact area. The driver is like a commercial airliner that requires a longer, shallower flight path and a longer runway. Gi: The Matrix and My Profile online instruction programmes [see sidebars overleaf] are very impressive new ventures. Can they really deliver the instant improvement they are designed for? JH: In general, if your golf instructor – of any technical persuasion – is not delivering a marked improvement in your impact and ball flight fairly quickly, and you feel you executed his instructions, then you should be questioning him and his information. In our system, based on your impact and ball flight mistakes and considering your method, one plane or two plane, your coach will create an individual profile for you and, using The Matrix, he will be able to pinpoint very precisely some practical faults and fixes that are designed to work immediately if you apply them correctly. He selects the relevant videos and drills for you to work on and e-mails you the links for you to view and work on anytime, wherever you are in the world. Gi: You dedicate your second book to the legendary John Jacobs who you worked with early in your career. How much were you influenced by him? JH: John was my mentor. He was the first golf coach to take a logical approach that started with the golfer’s mistake: the ‘bad shot’. He focused on ball flight and traced it back to what was happening at impact; then to what the swing was doing that caused the bad impact; and then finally to what the player was doing that prompted that type of swing. Before John, golf coaching was the other way round. Instructors looked at a golfer’s swing against as an ‘ideal’, and if any part of it was unorthodox they would jump in and try and change it. Whether it was the grip, the stance or whatever. I appreciated John’s scientific logic which helped me venture out and develop my model. Gi: But John was also primarily known as a Two Plane NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 23
FEATURE SWING ANALYSIS BY CHRIS O’CONNELL
MATT KUCHAR NATURAL-BORN ONE-PLANER
I started working with Matt Kuchar in 2006. Back then he was a Nationwide Tour player and he came to see me on the recommendations of another student, Matt Weibring. The two of them had played college golf together and Kuchar liked to swing shape and ball flight he saw in Weibring. As a young player Matt [Kuchar] always swung his arms around his body – that was his way – but he had a tendency to swing more down the line and let his hands ʻroll overʼ, causing him to hook the ball. So, when we started working together in 2006, we initially worked on steepening his swing (and I know that will come as a surprise to a lot of you looking at this sequence!), focusing on ʻarms in, club outʼ at the start of the motion. His left arm has always wanted to work tight across the chest, which I like. Iʼve heard Butch Harmon commentating on Sky Sports say that Matt is 6ʼ 4” swinging at 5ʼ 9” – and heʼs on the money. Mattʼs swing appears to be extremely flat, partly because he is so tall. Frame 1: A good set-up position. Heʼs bent over from the hips and the arms just hang comfortably, all pretty good and not much more you can say about that. Given his height, Matt needs to bend over to reach the ball. Frame 2: To make the first move we focus on the arms swinging in with the right arm still on top of the left (ʻarms in, club outʼ). Looking at the clubface some people would regard this as being shut, but actually itʼs square to the plane of the swing. [Matt used to swing the club to the inside a lot more in the early stages, rolling the forearms and getting the shoulders too flat. Hence we work on keeping the left arm low and tight, right arm on top, so the shoulders stay steep. Proof of that is clear in frame 3, where you can see how steep the shoulders are – you donʼt see that shoulder angle with most guys.] Frame 3: His left arm is simply moving further across his chest, the club is starting to rotate a little bit and in frame 4 we see the left arm is low and tight, his right elbow up and behind him. If the right elbow stays low and in front it holds the right shoulder down and makes it too flat. Frame 5: is just beautiful – a pure one-plane with the left arm in the same plane as his shoulder angle, right elbow is behind him. His hands are well behind his shoulder – compare with a classic Two Plane swing, like Tom Watsonʼs, and you will see the hands are on top of the right shoulder. So his hands are way behind him and the clubface is a slightly closed due to Mattʼs strong grip. We have worked a lot on the way his hips move in the backswing to influence the way they then react in the downswing. We are trying to get the right hip to move back behind so that the shoulders go steep. In the downswing we then work on pulling the left knee and the left hip back, which allows him to stay in his spine angle (before the left hip would remain static as he thrust with the right and the spine would come up). He keeps his body angles very well, especially when you consider this is a a driver. In
24 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
1
2
‘Arms in, club out’ gets the first move taken care of. The upper left arm is on the chest, while the clubface is square to the plane.
Matt is 6’ 4”, hence the need to bend from the hips to achieve a good set up position
6
7
Left knee and left hip re-rotate and pull back and out of the way to allow Matt to turn through while maintaining his posture.
Clubface remains square and stable to the swing arc all the way through the hitting area – hence Matt’s consistency
MATT KUCHAR SEQUENCE
3
4
Note that while he makes a full coil, turning his shoulders through a full 90 degrees, the lower body is resisting
Matt has always swung his left arm low and around his chest – he could do that in his sleep!
Shoulders, biceps and forearms all in parallel planes
frame 7 the left leg is leaning back – itʼs not perpendicular. From the top of his backswing heʼs taken that left knee, thigh and hip and aggressively moved it behind him. Look in frame 5 you can see his left leg – in the very next frame it has disappeared and then, all of a sudden, in frame 7, itʼs behind him! The clubface is very stable to the arc through frames 6 and 7 (i.e. up to and including the hitting area). In frame 8 itʼs rolled over – once he gets past hip high in the through-swing itʼs going to roll over on the way to the finish, which he holds in perfect balance. I wouldnʼt say Matt Kuchar is a model ʻOne-Planerʼ – our style of teaching doesnʼt recognise a model, as such. But what makes Matt a true One-Planer is the fact that he sees golf as a game where you swing your arms around your body. At the top of his backswing, the left arm is right in the same plane as his shoulder plane. The question you have to ask yourself is are you naturally someone who likes to swing around or are you a more upright hands and arms swinger, like a Colin Montgomerie? A One-Plane swing is more difficult to learn, but requires less maintenance; a Two-Plane is easier to learn, but relies on timing requiring more maintenance.
5
8
9
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 25
EQUIPMENT
MUNICH SHOW REPORT
A Walk in the Black Forest The recent Golf Europe show in Munich offered a sneak preview of some of the new equipment bound for your pro shop in 2011. Among the latest technologies are shaft length adjustability, ‘dual groove’ wedge systems and exotic new driver head materials. Dominic Pedler reports. Maybe it was just coincidence that the piped music in my hotel lobby kept playing A Walk In The Black Forest, the self-styled Bavarian signature song by German pianist, Horst Jankowski. But it was certainly appropriate given the forest of black golf clubs greeting visitors to almost every stand at last month’s Golf Europe Show at the Munich Order Centre. Black is most definitely the must-have colour scheme for golf gear in 2011 - not just graphite shafts and driver crowns but, increasingly, clubfaces to match. Of course, black, gunmetal and other dusky finishes are not new, but what started out with a few anti-glare wedges has turned into a fully-fledged fashion statement available standard next season on a flood of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons and putters. ‘PVD’, standing for Physical Vapour Deposition, is the industry buzzword now in every catalogue, referring to the method of applying the tall, dark and handsome effect which some companies even incorporate into the name of the club itself. Among Callaway’s new drivers is the Diablo Octane Black, soon to be joined by Nike’s rival SQ Machspeed Black and Adams’ Idea Super Black hybrid. You could complete the set with Cleveland’s Black Pearl irons, the latest Odyssey Tour Series Black putter and a sleeve of the new Maxfli C3 Black balls (even if they’re actually white). Throw in a black Motocaddy S3, or the sinister-looking, all-carbon push trolley from German company Ti-Tec, and you have golf kit fit for Darth Vader. As for the shot itself, mine’s a Smirnoff Black. Even it’s not in the name, other dark drivers for 2011 include the Titleist 910, Adams 9064LS and MacGregor M85 Tourney, all set to challenge TaylorMade’s equally dark R9 Super Tri, already a major winner in the hands of Martin Kaymer. Of course, it’s not all style over substance and, as we highlight below, some fascinating new technology underpins the cosmetic craze. But with Wilson Golf having started the Spinal Tap sayings in Munich with their “These Go To 11” marketing mantra for the new Dx11 irons, the question is how much more black can this get?.....None. None more black.
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EQUIPMENT
DRIVERS: adjustability goes to new lengths... Adjustability continues to be a flagship feature for many of the latest big sticks. While moveable weights started the trend, the fashion has shifted strongly towards adjustable face angles, as well as loft and lie angles, usually by means of a high-tech hosel that you ‘turn and click’ with a supplied wrench. The most novel variation on the theme is the Adams Speedline 9064LS (£249) where the shaft length can be varied by sliding different sized metal spacers into the hosel section (and compensating for the change in swingweight by switching a colour-coded sole screw). You can only go between 45, 45.5 and 46 inches, but that should be enough to find your ideal tradeoff between the speed advantages of a longer shaft, and the control benefits of a shorter one. Meanwhile, the new Titleist 910 series impresses for the way it truly separates the adjustability of the driver’s loft and lie angle. In rival models the two parameters cannot be set independently due to the way the shaft enters the hosel at a single angle. Titleist’s technicians have got round this with a nifty SureFit ‘dual angle’ hosel quite apart from a new face insert and a
thinner crown which look set to surpass the success of the excellent 909. Those looking for face-angle adjustment should also consider what amount of variation they might need. For example, while most models offer a onedegree difference as you go between open, neutral and closed, the MacGregor M85 Tourney (£249) provides a bolder, twodegree panacea for more extreme hookers and slicers. It’s early days, but perhaps the most notable driver development is in the area of exotic head materials with Callaway ditching graphite in favour a special forged composite material that is more malleable and efficient for concentrating weight to the corners of titanium clubheads. The famous Fusion sub-brand has been dropped, with this new marriage of materials debuting in the (European only) Diablo Octane Black driver (£249) and a new range of aerodynamic RZR Hawk metalwoods.
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 27
COMPETITION MONTE DA QUINTA
WIN
a luxury trip for two at the Monte da Quinta resort in Portugal Four nights’ accommodation for two people in a one-bedroom suite Daily breakfast Two rounds of golf per person on a choice of the 3 Quinta do Lago courses Two return flights with Monarch Just answer this simple question... Q. What is the name of the newest course that vistors can play at Quinta do Lago? (A) Laranjal (B) South (C) North
To enter: visit www.golfinternationalmag.com or send your answer on a postcard to ‘Monte da Quinta Competition’ Golf International, 10 Buckingham Place, London, SW1 E6HX COMPETITION ENTRIES CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT ON NOVEMBER 26, 2010.
Competition terms and conditions: Prize to be taken by Mar 31, 2011 Not valid in UK school holiday periods and subject to availability at the time of booking. The winner must be aged 16 years or over The prize is non-transferrable and there is no cash alternative The prize includes one pair of return flights with Monarch to Faro from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton or Manchester airports Flight extras are not included in the prize (flight extras include, but are not limited to, pre-allocated seats and the carriage of hold/checked-in baggage)
28 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
READER COMPETITION
Monte da Quinta Resort offers the best new accommodation options in the Algarve with some of Portugalʼs finest courses on the doorstep.
Located on the prestigious Quinta do Lago estate, the resort provides guests with three first-class layouts to experience, the celebrated North and South courses plus the much-lauded new Laranjal design.
Monte da Quintaʼs collection of 132 self-catering design suites include one, two and three-bedroom options, with each providing a tranquil, spacious environment for guests to enjoy during their stay.
The resort also has a range of two- and three-bedroom townhouses and spacious villas, which can be booked with golf, and all guests can enjoy access to the luxurious new spa complexʼs gym, heated indoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and Turkish bath.
Award-winning low fares airline Monarch offers flights to Faro from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton (summer season only) and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, starting from £46.50 one way (£83.99 return). For more information visit www.monarch.co.uk.
See Gi LifeStyle page 126 for Peter Swainʼs report on the Monte da Quinta resort
Gi READER OFFER Golf International readers can enjoy 25% discount on accommodation in Monte da Quintaʼs luxurious suites when staying for seven nights or more and get a free dinner for two including selected drinks. To take advantage of this fantastic offer, all you have to do is quote Golf International when booking. For more information, or to book a stay, call 00 351 289 000 300 email mqreservas@mqclub.com or visit www.mqresort.com
[Offer valid for stays between September 1 and November 14, excluding school holidays and subject to availability.]
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 29
FEATURE TOM WATSON
THE
WATSON
WAY
The eight-time major champion met with Gi during his recent visit to the UK. As well as his inspiring new instruction DVD and the story of the “secret” swing move that rejuvenated his career, Tom spoke candidly on his love-hate relationship with links golf, his outspoken views on equipment and his contrasting fortunes at those two Turnberry Opens. Dominic Pedler interviews the legend. Eternal youth: Watson’s love of the game of golf and the obvious enjoyment he derives in playing it endears him to generations of fans worldwide
30 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
THE GI INTERVIEW
SEPT/OCT 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 31
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GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2010
NINTENDO WII / GOLF PROPERTY / MONTE DA QUINTA / MOTORING / MEMORABILIA & MORE...
Excess all areas, but is the Mini Countryman true to the brand ethos? See page 116
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 33
La dolce vita
W
If you like Venice, Prosecco and golf, Peter Swain has just the place for you. As well as the original Lido course, there is great golf and property in the surrounding Veneto, within 30 minutes of La Serenissima
ith all those water hazards, you might think playing golf in Venice would be a risky proposition. In fact, the course on the Lido, the 7mile long sandy island just across the lagoon from San Marco, has everything except canals. The story goes that Henry Ford, an epic golf nut, arrived in Venice in 1928 wanting a game. Finding nowhere to play, he persuaded Count Volpi to buy some land and build a course. The club’s early claim to fame was the first meeting in 1934 between Hitler and Mussolini at the Circolo del Golf di Venezia, as it became known. Rather more recently, it hosted the Italian Seniors Open in 2004. The course is tight, quite heavily wooded, in immaculate condition and probably the driest patch of land in the city. Sean Connery plays here when he’s attending the Venice Film Festival, also on the Lido. Unfortunately there are no houses for sale, but if you like the area, known as the Veneto, there’s plenty
34 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
of property, very reasonably priced, at two clubs 30 minutes away. The charming medieval town of Asolo sits on a hilltop surrounded by prosecco vineyards and olive groves. Forty-five minutes from skiing in Cortina, “the city of a hundred horizons” has Palladian villas, Renaissance frescoes and divine restaurants. In the 1990s, the Benetton family of three billionaire brothers and a sister created a clothing empire, a very successful Formula One team, and a golf club with 27 very scenic holes at Asolo. The three 9-hole circuits are hilly, quite long and feature plenty of water. Practice facilities are excellent. Around the course, 187 properties have been built over the past 10 years. Prices start at just €135,000 (£112,000) for a studio; twobedroom apartments go for €220,000 (£183,000), and larger townhouses for €400,000 (£333,000). The look owes something to the ski lodge – plenty of wood and stone, stylish shutters
and underground parking. Owners get substantial golf discounts, and pay about £1,500 annual service charge. And as this is a mature scheme, there are always resale properties available, often sold at a sizeable discount to new build. This being Italy, the heart of the whole setup is the stylish clubhouse. The fresh pasta in the bar – I recommend the pumpkin ravioli – is the perfect end to any round. For dinner, the formal restaurant is spectacular. Golf widows can use the wellness centre, heated outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts, and there are always apartments for rent as well as a small guesthouse, ideal for short breaks. Most buyers are Italian, with Brits in this part of the Veneto region relatively thin on the ground – either good or bad, depending on your perspective. One who has made the move, to a second golf development nearby at Castelfranco, is 39-year-old Archie Cochrane originally from North Berwick in Scotland. “I first came here 14 years ago to work as a golf pro. It’s just a brilliant area – skiing at Asiago, the Adriatic beach at Jesolo, plus golf, all within an hour’s drive. The locals are friendly, very family orientated and quite metropolitan. They work hard and play hard – plenty of long dinners.”
PROPERTY
Peter Swain flew to Venice on BA, Momentum Travel: golfitalia.co.uk Golf courses: Asolo: asologolf.it Castelfranco: golfcastelfranco.it Venice: circulogolfvenezia.it Condulmer: golfvillacondulmer.com Menaggio: menaggio.it Villa D’Este: golfvilladeste.com. Tourist boards: visitvenice.co.uk Property: www.asologolf.it www.caamata.it www.cluttonsresorts.com Local golf tour operator www.amazingvenicegolf.com
(Top): The history of golf in Venice can be traced to the creation – at Henry Ford’s behest – of the Lido course in 1928. The tight, tree-lined layout has played host to the Italian Open and welcomes visitors year-round; originally from North Berwick, golf pro Archie Cochrane (above) made the move to the new development of Castelfranco (above right) 14 years ago; (below, l-r) houses at Asolo and computer generated images of property at Castelfranco
The 18-hole parkland course at Castelfranco has just finished a major overhaul. The site is flat with large bunkers and several lakes the major challenges. The big plus of the set-up is the nearby cultural, culinary and winter sporting attractions. “All my friends want to see Venice when they come over – it’s only half an hour away,” says Archie. Access is easy with Ryanair flying into Treviso, a 20-minute drive away from both Asolo and Castelfranco. Archie, his Italian wife, Tiziana, and their two young children, are moving into a new three-bedroom apartment overlooking the course built around the graceful Cà Amata. The region specialises in these Palladian mansions, built by rich Venetians as summer houses.
Just 20 apartments and ten houses are being built in the first phase of the Residence Cà Amata development. The styling is modern with oak floors throughout and a home automation system controlling the air conditioning, heating and electric blinds, plus broadband, satellite TV and a video intercom. The two-and three-bedroom apartments range in price from €300,000 (£250,000) to €400,000 (£333,000); the houses start at €690,000 (£575,000). These are the ‘shell’ prices so do not include the cost of fitted kitchens. Although there are 13 courses in the Venice region, golf here is still in its infancy. Having said that, standards are rising all the time but they’re not yet on a par with the Algarve.
Further west, in the foothills of the Alps, the Italian Lakes have even better courses. Lake Como is so stylish, George Clooney, Sting and Richard Branson have palazzos on its shores. With golf courses at Menaggio and Villa D’Este close by, it’s also the site of a new boutique development, Residenza del Lago Azure. With magnificent views over the lake, the gated resort has 28 villas and apartments with a choice of one, two and three bedrooms. “Occasionally we come across a development that ticks every box,” says Robert Green of Cluttons Resorts. “This will appeal to the British second-home market both as an investment and as a lifestyle purchase.” The chic interiors of the properties, built in local stone, feature large picture windows to maximize the views. The development has a private leisure club with a sauna, gym and jacuzzi plus onsite concierge and private underground parking. A glass walled lift takes residents up the hillside to their homes. Prices start at €398,500 (£331,000). The par-70 course at Menaggio has a traditional British feel, while the club at Villa D’Este is as famous for its restaurant as its course. Both are over 80 years old. By far the best way to see this lot is to take a golfing holiday in Italy. Momentum – Golf Italia organize bespoke trips to the best courses throughout the country from Puglia in the south to the Lakes and the Veneto in the north.
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM
MINI COOPER S ALL4 COUNTRYMAN
Extending the reach of the Mini proves a problem Ironic, really. But in its attempt to reach out to young couples looking to accommodate an expanding family, BMW’s latest iteration of the MINI – the four-daoor Countryman – is something of a problem child. Anthony Ffrench-Constant reports
C
onsider, if your teeth can stand it, Coca Cola, still stealing a march on even the likes of Google and Facebook as the planet’s most familiar, instantly recognisable and, let’s face it, profitable brand. I bet the hungriest of marketing mongrels think of little else, undoubtedly substituting the traditional bedside table family snap for a soft-focus portrait of the world’s most iconic can as an inspirational aide memoire… Brand, if such people are ever to be believed, is everything. And no more so than in today’s automotive industry, wherein frantic niche marketing wrings the last drop of sales blood out of once respectable brands with increasingly ill-considered frenzy. However, what seems to have been forgotten in this orgy of identifying sub-sections of society which, hitherto, didn’t know they existed is that brand is built on quality of produce. The trouble with marketing folk is that they tend to overlook the fact that people actually drink Coca Cola because they like the taste. As Coke itself once
36 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
The Countryman is taller, wider and 400mm longer than the Mini hatchback it replaces. The wheelbase gains 120mm and occupants sit 70mm higher. On board, the new ‘car-as-gadget’ genre is confirmed in the multi-function wok-sized speedo
discovered through a disastrous decision to change the uber-fizzy formula, if the product doesn’t cut the mustard you will, ultimately, be found out. In this context, and with 70 years of consumer reverence to rely on (albeit the best of it nothing whatsoever to do with today’s name copywritecustodians, BMW), MINI is currently flogging the brand for all it’s worth. On paper, the company’s latest variant, the four-door Countryman, makes a good deal of sense. MINI is fed up with losing sales to young couples who, though completely sold on the brand, have nowhere to turn with the arrival of children. The wet gymkhana grass giving access to Jocasta’s aspirations for a clear round on her long-suffering pony, Mr. Noodles, is clearly an
issue to boot, because the Countryman is also the first MINI to sport four-wheel drive, albeit in association with a ground clearance increased by no more than the width of your little finger. The Countryman is taller, wider and 400mm longer than the extant MINI hatch. The wheelbase gains 120mm and occupants sit 70mm higher off the ground. All of which begs the question: Just how much air can you pump into a beach ball before it, a) becomes unfit for purpose or, b) simply bursts? Given that the three-door hatchback is already vast in comparison to its illustrious forebear, it’s amusing to note that the company’s head of design, Gert Hildebrand, has already talked Issigonis’ subsequent offering, the Austin/Morris 1100, into the Mini stable to justify the Countryman’s even greater, Mini-as-Hummer, size. This isn’t the first time that a British car company now under German ownership has been subjected to a little light rewriting of history to suit brand ambitions, but it is the first time a tug boat and the Titanic have been lumped together
On paper, the company’s latest variant, the four-door Countryman, makes a good deal of sense. MINI is fed up losing sales to young couples who, though completely sold on the brand, have nowwhere to turn with the arrival of children in the same category merely because they both float on water… Truth is, where carefully crafted proportion serves to admirably disguise the heft of the hatch, the new four-door struggles. I’m reminded of the classic B movie horror, Attack of the 50ft Woman: Everything’s still where you expect to find it, but a certain degree of desire is lost as a result of the sheer scale of what you’re confront-
ed by (Dear Diary: Day 3, and still no sign of the inner thigh). On board, the story’s the same. All feels somehow bigger, evoking toddler memories of the dashboard towering above you the first time you were allowed to sit in the front. Beneath that wok-sized speedometer, now flanked by circular air vents to create the unfortunate impression of Walt Disney sponsorship, the new, BMW-black centre console has been tidied for the better. Sadly, however, all that much smartened instrumentation has now migrated so far south it largely hides behind the gear lever. The Countryman being a prime example of the new genre of car-as-gadget, the speedo needle has been relegated to the peripheral status of drop of blood captured in ultra-slow motion at the point of impact, and the centre of the massive dial given over to a screen accessing a now vaguely rational version of BMW’s once famously counter-intuitive iDrive stereo/sat nav/car set-up control system. The most prominent new toy, however, is a smart, aluminium central rail, running the length NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 37
INSTRUCTION IAN POULTER
MAKE YOUR
PRACTISE
COUNT There is no secret to what it takes to hone a good short game: practice. But it has to be effective practice. To make a real difference in this department, you need a purpose, and you need to be able to measure improvement and success. When I go out to work on the tour player’s putting green at Lake Nona, the one humble gadget I always take with me is a builder’s chalk line – that’s my main source of reference when it comes to checking the key elements of alignment and the path of the stroke. A decent builder’s chalk may cost you a fiver at
38 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
By Ian Poulter MEMBER OF THE WINNING 2010 EUROPE RYDER CUP TEAM
your local DIY store. I urge you to get one and use it regularly. The beauty of the routine I work on to hone my putting technique is that it is simple and easy to repeat. And it’s the hours that I spend working on this element of my game behind the scenes that enables me to make the pressure putts when it really matters – and I certainly made my share over those four pulsating days at Celtic Manor.
PUTTING
Poults guaranteed he would deliver a full point for Europe – and he did so in style, holing this eight-footer for his sixth birdie of the day and a 5&4 win over Matt Kuchar
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 39
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Junior Golf makes its Mark AMATEUR GOLFMARK
Following a new survey by the English Golf Union confirming the widespread success of the national GolfMark initiative, Dominic Pedler revisits our case study, Roehampton Club, to see the impact on the junior section – and the club as a whole – in the 12 months since its accreditation into the scheme.
W
42 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
ria that has given the scheme such credibility, with each club required to complete an official assessment covering some 70 areas from coaching procedures, playing opportunities and environment to ethics, child protection and duty of care. Forward-thinking clubs keen to bring their attitudes to junior golf into the modern age (and, by extension, their membership drives) have recognised the potential of the scheme, with even such high-profile clubs as Royal Birkdale among the latest to receive the award. For a first-hand look at how the GolfMark scheme can be such a force for change, we revisited Roehampton Club which, 12 months ago, had just successfully completed the grueling assessment process. “GolfMark has proved a resounding success for everyone concerned with the club,” confirms Head Professional, Richard
Harrison, who oversees the club’s thriving junior section. “The number of juniors has doubled over the year [from 150 to 300] and includes a much broader base of children in terms of age range, gender and ability. But it is the atmosphere and the sense of pride encouraged at every level – from coaches and pupils to parents and club members – that is particularly noticeable.” While GolfMark is a golf coaching programme, it is conceived within an overall structure based on a sense of values and personal responsibility that goes well beyond on-course etiquette. The coaches don’t just teach golf, they are qualified to take an interest in the child’s welfare for the whole time they are on site. This gives parents a sense of security that their child is joining an education system rather than just being dropped off at a golf crèche. It also clearly manages their expectations about
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM HOWARD
ith the golf industry looking increasingly to the next generation in the challenge to grow the game and raise participation rates, the inspiring GolfMark programme stands out for the effect it is having at grass roots level and in transforming the whole culture of junior golf. As we first reported back in Issue 89, GolfMark is a joint initiative by the English Golf Union and the English Women's Golf Association that establishes a comprehensive plan for the safe and structured development of junior golf at participating clubs that sign up to strive to make the grade. The figure of 170 GolfMark recognised UK clubs and driving ranges cited 12 months ago has now more than doubled to 371, according to the EGU’s latest figures, with another 589 currently working towards full status. Meanwhile, the survey reports that 87% of clubs regard the scheme as having been beneficial beyond just the junior section, with over half enjoying increased membership and 75% creating new links with schools, colleges and the wider community. It is GolfMark’s rigorous all-around crite-
THE AMATEUR SCENE
their child’s development within the format. “While we want the best players to come through, the point of the scheme is not to turn every child into Tiger Woods. It is as much about behaviour, respect and healthy competition as it is about winning,” says Harrison, who uses the phrase ‘Corinthian spirit’ in the club literature to reinforce the theme of fair play, gentlemanly conduct and moral values. “We want them to grow into good citizens of the club,” he adds, explaining how the values underpinning GolfMark have helped in overcoming the resistance to juniors typically associated with a private club. But the depth of the EGU and EWGA’s vision is further illustrated by its require-
ment that GolfMark clubs work 'for the greater good' and give something back to the local community, whether through relationships with local schools or charities. Wealthy private clubs are not exempt, as Roehampton itself illustrates. Building on their links with the underprivileged and partially-sighted children of south-west London’s Linden Lodge (which first contributed to the club’s accreditation), Roehampton is now also involved with the On Course golf coaching programme for the rehabilitation of injured war veterans. “There has been great support through-
out the club for both our OutReach schemes,” reports Harrison, explaining how On Course was set up by John Simpson, Nick Faldo’s former manager, and whose patrons include Arnold Palmer and HRH Prince Andrew. “Ultimately, there is an important message for everyone that golf is a fantastic game which we are lucky to play and which should not be taken for granted. It’s important to be involved with people in the community who don’t have that same opportunity.”
Participation in the GolfMark scheme has seen junior numbers double at Roehampton Club – surely a trend other clubs would want to follow?
(Above) Sgt. Mick Smith of the On Course war veteran rehabilitation programme presents the trophy to junior champion Jeremy Paton, with Roehampton Head Pro, Richard Harrison (right).
NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 43
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NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 47
WORLD NEWS EDITED BY ANDY FARRELL • PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTYIMAGES.COM
The dream is nigh For his sheer consistency from tee to green, no one will deny Lee Westwood his position atop the world rankings should his numbers come up. Andy Farrell has this and other stories from the professional game
By the end of the month Lee Westwood will be the world’s No 1. There is a caveat that if in the meantime Tiger Woods has added a raft of tournaments to his schedule, Tiger will hang on to the top spot but he is not due to tee up until the HSBC Champions in November. Westwood is certainly not teeing up away soon, having to pull out of the defence of his Portuguese Masters title as he tries to let his calf injury heal once and for all. After pulling out of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational after two rounds, Westwood had seven weeks of intensive physiotherapy to be able to play a starring round at Celtic Manor. Westwood finished the Ryder Cup as the world No 2 but the calf flared up against at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. A top-two finish would have made him No 1 but he slipped back to 11th place, only continuing because he was partnering event founder Johann Rupert to third place in 48 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
Whether or not he plays again this season, Lee Westwood – who has confirmed he will remain in Europe – could end the year as World No.1. Meanwhile, GMac will be clocking up the air miles following the announcement he is to join the PGA Tour in 2011.
the team pro-am section of the event. Westwood’s promotion comes in strange circumstances but is reward for his ultra consistent performances over the last year to 18 months, including run-
ner-up finishes at both the Masters and the Open. “I’ll take it any way,” Westwood, the first English world No 1 since Nick Faldo in 1994, said. “I’ve had a great year up until getting injured, look at all of the
world ranking points I’d won by then. “But I’m not allowing myself to think about it until it happens. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of and it would be great if it happened. But I haven't been able to put in the proper practice sessions since the week before the French Open. You don’t expect to maintain the same level and improve if you don’t practise, so you won’t see me coming back until I can practise fully and do myself justice out here.” Westwood said he was not going to take up a PGA Tour card next year. “Why would you take up membership in the States when you’ve been the most successful player in the world this year?” Westwood said. “When you’ve come in second in two major championships, you must be doing something right. Why not stick to the same schedule? “I don’t want to get into a situation where I have to play events in America just to make up 15 needed for tour membership. Plus, the FedEx Cup sits right in the middle of the kids’ summer holidays, and I like going on holiday with them for a couple of weeks.”
Graeme McDowell, however, will rejoin the PGA Tour after an aborted campaign in 2006 which was shortened by injury. “I won’t be playing as many events in America as, say, Luke Donald and Justin Rose, but I am taking up my card,” he said. “I want to give it a real try.” Rose, meanwhile, has resigned from the European Tour with a view to rejoining next year. It will save him from being banned from the circuit for not playing the minimum 12 events. Rose concentrated on the US tour in order to get back into the world’s top-50 (and hence the majors and the WGC events). The policy worked so well he won twice and was a possible wild card selection for the Ryder Cup. He was planning to make up his events in Europe through October and November but an injury niggle would not allow for that.
Ollie’s in the frame With Colin Montgomerie immediately confirming he would not seek a second Ryder Cup as European captain, Jose Maria Olazabal is now tipped to be his successor. Montgomerie, his vice-captains and many of the European team all supported Olazabal after the Spaniard was drafted in as a last-minute assistant during the narrow victory at Celtic Manor. Olazabal was in Wales as an ambassador for coffee-machine company Nepresso. “We thought that was a waste of his talent, expertise and experience,” said Monty. “So we drafted him in.” With the second and third sessions extended to six matches, the European back-room decided they needed an extra pair of hands and Ollie was the obvious man. Even parachuted in on the Saturday, Olazabal impressed all in the team room by instantly being up-to-speed on what was what, what needed doing, what needed saying. Naturally his passion for the event goes without saying. Darren Clarke described the scene in the locker room after the match to Scotland on Sunday: “None of the players were there, only Jose Maria. He was sitting with his head in his hands. I put my arm round him. He was crying because we had won. And that set me off too. That’s how much the whole thing means to him. And that’s why he should be the next captain.”
It was a welcome reminder of the Spaniard’s qualities as he has been absent from the tour virtually all year with his arthritis problem. He hopes to play more next year and, after Sir Nick Faldo’s reign, the Tournament Committee is keen for a captain to be as close to the players as possible and it was feared if Ollie cannot compete regularly it might effect his chances of getting the captaincy. Olazabal said as much. “There is just one issue, my health. Time will tell,” he said. But if asked? “There is only one answer – yes.” All Montgomerie’s vicecaptains deserve a crack at the top job, although Sergio Garcia might have to wait a decade or so. The line of succession might pan out something like this: 2012, Medinah – Olazabal (who will be aged 46 at the time); 2014, Gleneagles – Paul McGinley (47); 2016, Whistling Straits – Clarke (48); 2018, TBC (continent of Europe) – Thomas Bjorn (47). But Clarke also raises the prospect of Miguel Angel Jimenez becoming captain, and, at 46, Jimenez is older than any of the assistants at Celtic Manor. Perhaps Olazabal and Jimenez would make a joint application. They complement each other perfect. Jimenez is still playing at the highest level having won three times this year (this is assuming he does not qualify in 2012), while Olazabal is as articulate in English as any native speaker (more so in some cases). NOV/DEC 2010 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 49
JOHN HOPKINS
LAST SHOT
The memories will come flooding back Thanks to the intransigence of those running the PGA Tour, the scheduling of the FedEx Cup bumped the Ryder Cup into the rainy season. It’s an insult to all those who worked so hard to stage golf’s greatest event here were magnificent scenes at Celtic Manor on Monday 4th October. Remember it? The last day of the rain delayed Ryder Cup? Choruses of support for Europe. Pockets of colour for the US. Glorious skies overhead. Soggy, sticky mud underfoot. And then the nail-biting finish that saw Graeme McDowell bring home the bacon for Europe – just – and start a party that justly celebrated Europe’s victory in an immense Ryder Cup, one of the best ever. Yet if an iconic image from soccer’s recent World Cup is of the Green Point stadium in Cape Town, and an iconic image of the US Open last June was the stunning seaside setting of Pebble Beach, then the abiding memory of the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor is of mud, rain, and suspensions of play. This is a shame for Celtic Manor, for Wales and for Sir Terry Matthews. The event that Matthews had poured so much money into, that all Wales had wanted to host and for which the 2010 course was deliberately built, was marked permanently by bad weather as a result of the intransigence of those responsible for staging the Ryder Cup. October is the second wettest month of the year in Newport, Gwent. The authorities knew the dangers of bad weather. They thought it might be foggy in the mornings in that particular part of the Usk valley where Romans once roamed. In fact it was wet. More than one months’ rain fell in 12 hours on Thursday night and Friday morning. Seven hours were lost on Friday, more on Saturday and more again on Sunday. Why were such risks taken? Because the authorities are pig-headed in believing it would be all right on the day and that what the weather Gods threw down would be erased from the memory by the sheer drama of the event. How unfair that attitude is to Wales. It’s like saying to someone, “you put up the money to stage the event, you do all the work and we'll take the glory. Don't worry, it’ll be all right on the night.” Water torture: on The Ryder Cup is owned 50-50 by the PGA of Friday over 7 hours America and Ryder Cup Europe, driven by the of play were lost as PGA Tour in the US with the compliance of the the course came European Tour. In other words no one body is under deluge. Only solely in charge. The PGA of America, which the extraordinary also owns the PGA Championship, provides the efforts of the greenkeeping staff made stage but the players – the actors - are conplay possible over trolled by the PGA Tour of the US. When that the weekend body chose to inaugurate the FedEx Series of four playoff tournaments starting in late August and including a one week’s break, then the possibility of staging the Ryder Cup in September, which is when it has traditionally been held, went out of the window. The PGA of America cannot stage the Ryder Cup or raise a team without players any more than a production of Hamlet can go on without the Prince. Besides, players from Europe as well as the US were happy to participate in the hugely lucrative FedEx Cup series. So, to a degree, both the PGA of America and the European Tour agreed
T
50 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
with this scheduling. The Ryder Cup is the third largest sporting event in the world, transmitted to 100 countries and watched by more than 700m people. More of those people are outside the US than inside. Do their opinions and views count for nothing? On the Sunday at Celtic Manor Joe Steranka, chief executive officer of the PGA of America, tried to limit some of the damage that had been done. Steranka, a gentle man who has a penchant for jazz, said there was no guarantee that the weather would be worse at the start of October than the last week in September or indeed mid-September.
That may be so but at least the chances of it being better are better. Steranka confirmed that starting in 2012 the Ryder Cup will be held in the last week of September, and said he hoped it will become a firm a fixture on those days. That is good news. But for Wales, Sir Terry Matthews, Celtic Manor and the people of Wales who like nothing better than to welcome visitors to their country and show it off, it is too late. No matter what happens from now on, the 2010 Ryder Cup will forever be known as the “Waterlogged in Wales” one. This is an image directly opposite to the intended one, to promote Wales as a country of beauty and a golfing destination. It is a shame, an insult to the players and to the people who worked so hard to put it on and it must never happen again. As Lynne Truss, the author and sportswriter, wrote in a column in The Times: “What is too horrible to contemplate is the effect of all this on the reputation of Wales. In the future people will ask: “Shall we go to Wales on our holidays, love, or shall we just hose each other with cold water in the back garden until we get pneumonia?” Wales’s name will be mud, and I’m so sorry.
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