GOLF NEWS JUNE 2021

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A BUSHNELL LASER RANGEFINDER I FEEL EPIC! Callaway’s new EPIC SPEED drivers in the spotlight

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Phil Mickelson stuns golfing world with PGA success at 50

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As golf clubs in England opened up again at the end of March, after the latest in a long line of lengthy closures caused by the pandemic, club committees and management up and down the country were faced with a dilemma – what to do for their members who have been unable to play for 130-plus days out of the last 12 months?

On the face of it, many members may feel that they are entitled to some form of money back for a fee they have paid while their club remained closed. However, on the flipside, a lot of golfers have played more rounds than they would normally have done in a given year, while member-owned clubs have little room for manoeuvre after a year when many normal revenue streams, such as green fees, society bookings and hospitality, were severely curtailed while maintenance of the course – which usually accounts for around 50 per cent of a club’s cost base – still had to continue.

Some clubs have offered their members financial incentives, giving rebates off the 2020 fees or offering 10%-20% reductions on renewal fees for 2021. I know of other clubs that have changed their subscription year from Jan-Dec to April–March, while others have put credit onto bar cards to be used for discounted food and drink.

Elsewhere, I’ve heard of clubs that have passed motions to make course or clubhouse improvements rather than give members their money back. However, at a small number of clubs there has been a certain level of pushback among members, and even threats of litigation, after some increased subscription fees for

2021 due to the addition of a Covid levy.

It’s a tricky issue, and one that clubs are having to deal with at a time when most saw membership numbers increase last year but are now unsure of how many of those new members will be retained in the years ahead as the world begins to return to something resembling normality.

Most clubs in the UK are reporting renewal rates upwards of 90 per cent for 2021, which paints a pretty healthy picture, but, with a wider reopening of society on the cards in early summer, retention figures in the long term may not match the boom seen last year, particularly at smaller clubs in remote areas.

As previously mentioned, members are, on average, playing far more often than they once were, which also creates the issue of tee time availability for visitors and guests. Providing as much of the timesheet as possible to members over the rest of this year will be a priority for clubs, but that then continues to eat into the green fee and society revenue, which many clubs may have previously relied on to keep the club in profit and keep membership fees down.

All told, it’s a difficult balancing act which will require plenty of consultation and open channels of communication in order to ensure a happy medium is reached. As we saw with the wholesale rejection by football fans of the European Super League, customers and consumers hold a lot more power than they once did, and many will simply vote with their feet if they don’t like the way they are being treated. Loyalty, it seems, can only buy you so much time these days.

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TEL: 01273 381794 EMAIL: info@golfnews.co.uk WEBSITE: golfnews.co.uk FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @golfnewsmag INSTAGRAM: golfnewsmagazine MANAGING DIRECTOR Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk

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A BUSHNELL LASER RANGEFINDER I FEEL EPIC! Callaway’s new EPIC SPEED drivers in the spotlight

THE HISTORY MAKER

Phil Mickelson stuns golfing world with PGA success at 50

SPIKELESS SHOES Step out in the latest summer footwear

SPECIAL 12 PAGE CBD SUPPLEMENT

INTERVIEWS Christiaan Bezuidenhout Annabel Dimmock Bernard Gallacher

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JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

InBrief SOUTH WINCHESTER SOLD TO PROPERTY DEVELOPER ★ Crown Golf has sold South Winchester Golf Club to a property company, sparking fears that the Hampshire-based club will be developed into a housing estate.

The club has been sold to Bloor

London Club to host English Open London Golf Club is to stage a European Tour event for the first time since 2014 when the English Open swings into the Kent venue for the final event of the European Tour’s ‘UK Swing’ this summer.

The Brands Hatch-based club will host Europe’s leading male golfers from August 12-15, with the tournament being held on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Heritage Course.

The club staged the European Open in 2008 and 2009,,while in 2014 the club’s International Course hosted the Volvo World Match Play. It has also been a popular stop on the senior tour in recent years, having hosted the PGA Seniors Championship in 2018 and 2019.

Stephen Follett, the club’s chief executive, said: “The entire team at London Golf Club are delighted to be hosting the English Open this

year on our Heritage Course. Our courses have played host to many events throughout our club’s history, and we look forward to testing the Heritage against some of the best players in the game. It will be a joy to welcome everyone in August for what will certainly be a great show of championship golf.”

Under the UK government’s planned relaxation of Covid restrictions, spectators are expected to be allowed in to watch the action. For details about tickets, visit www.europeantour.com.

Homes, which also recently bought Basingstoke Golf Club with a view to building 1,000 new houses in the site. The club’s 18-hole course, which was designed by Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss, first opened in 1993 and was built on former farmland.

The course is subject to a deed of covenant which prevents development of the site until 2026 at the earliest, ensuring the club’s short-term future, although after that time Bloor Homes will be free to do with the land at it sees fit, subject to receiving the necessary planning permissions.

YOUNG BAGS ROSE LADIES SERIES WIN AT WINDY WOBURN ★ Liz Young secured a maiden Rose Ladies Series title with a two-shot victory in the second event of the season at Woburn. Young, who had the original idea of setting up a tournament during the pandemic last summer before the series received the backing of Justin and Kate Rose, was the only player not to finish over par on a tough day for scoring on the Duchess Course.

The Ladies European Tour player mixed three birdies with as many bogeys on her way to a level-par 72 on Thursday and a clubhouse target that was not matched, securing her the £10,000 first prize ahead of Meghan MacLaren and Chloe Williams.

Birchwood Park opens new high-tech range Birchwood Park Golf & Country Club in Kent has completed a £750,000 redevelopment of its driving range with the installation of TrackMan Range technology and new food and drinks facilities.

The new facility boasts a remodelled range with 30 TrackMan touch-screen bays, as well as two VIP areas. The new range has seating in each bay and will be open every day between 11am10pm.

TrackMan technology measures each shot, giving instant feedback on overall distance, ball speed, carry distance, launch angle and more. Information is then either displayed on an in-bay monitor or via the free mobile app which records all shot data in a player’s profile to review later. Golfers can use the technology to set various practice

and game play challenges and play simulator games on a wide range of world famous courses.

In addition to the upgraded practice facilities, a new bar has been installed which features wood-fired pizza ovens and a grill area that will be serve range users with drinks and hot food.

Stephen Norton, the club’s general manager, said: “We are excited to be able to offer this brand-new, state-ofthe-art facility to our members and visitors. This vastly upgraded range will allow guests with all levels of golfing ability to enjoy their time us, whether playing games socially with friends or having a serious practice session. With an array of new food and beverage options also available, we are looking forward to providing the ultimate entertainment experience.”

Clear out and cash in with GolfClubs4Cash’s £100 challenge Pre-owned golf club retailer GolfClubs4Cash is challenging golfers across the UK to see if their collection of pre-loved golf gear is bigger than the average, by turning their old kit into hard cash in the GC4C £100 challenge.

GC4C, the UK’s biggest supplier of pre-owned golf equipment, has extensive data that shows the average golfer has at least £100 of equipment simply gathering dust, which is why they have launched golf’s ultimate ‘Spring Clean’.

Any golfer who breaks the £100 trade-in target will get free home collection for their gear and GC4C will even supply a free box if required.

Murray Winton, co-owner of GC4C, explains: “This is the perfect time for golfers to clear out and cash in to make space for the new season’s equipment. Our first-time customers trade in on average £100 of pre-loved or unused golf products.

We then help them turn their products of the past into investments for the future. We think that there will be a lot of golfers out there who are ready to take on the challenge and I’m excited to see if anyone can set a new standard for the biggest clear out cash in!”

As well as accepting major brands’ golf clubs dating back around 25 years, GC4C also takes golf bags, shafts, and GPS

devices. Once golfers have gathered all their unwanted products up, all they need to do is visit www.golfclubs4cash. co.uk and fill in the ‘quote’ form to get their equipment valued.

If it’s worth over £100 GC4C will collect for free from UK mainland addresses and because it’s not easy to get packaging for golf clubs right now, they will send you a free box to make turning those old clubs that have been gathering dust into money in the bank just a few days from now.

■ TURN YOUR UNWANTED CLUBS INTO CASH

Bland ends 25year wait for European Tour win Hampshire’s Richard Bland claimed an emotional first European Tour victory in his 478th appearance after the 48-year-old from Southampton overcame Italy’s Guido Migliozzi in a play-off to win the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry.

In a dramatic final day on the Brabazon Course, Bland showed incredible bravery twice over to clinch the victory – first at the 72nd hole where he holed a monster birdie putt to finish 13 under par courtesy of a closing 66. Then, after Migliozzi had forced a play-off thanks to a 68, Bland once again showed his mettle. Having found a tricky lie from his drive in the first play-off hole, he pulled off a stunning 5-wood approach to leave a makeable two-putt. Migliozzi pushed his second shot to the right of the green. Bland rolled his birdie deftly to within three feet, while his Italian counterpart raced his own birdie putt past the hole on the middle tier of the green. When Migliozzi missed his par putt, Bland knocked in for his four and for a career-defining triumph.

“It’s what I’ve worked for for 20 years,” said Bland, whose only previous professional win came at the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2001. “I’ve had a few close calls, and I assume someone up there was looking down on me quite favourably – it was just my day.”

“Finally I can get my name off that list of players with the longest losing run. One of my career ambitions was to play 500 tour events, so this win will allow me to do that, which I’ll be hugely proud of. To play 500 events on tour is a pretty good career.’

“Losing my card a couple of years ago was one of career low points. It took a lot of guts to go back to the Challenge Tour at the age of 46. I was probably old enough to be most of the other players’ dad, but I got my head down, and stuck at it, and this is the reward.”

NEWS | JUNE 2021

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JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Prince’s completes renovation of Himalayas and Shore nines

Linksnet tees up summer of great golf As lockdown restrictions begin to ease for golfers across the UK, there is now plenty to look forward to as Linksnet, the unique online golf network, gets ready to host an exciting series of network golf days across the UK. Visiting prestigious venues including Royal Ashdown Forest, The Belfry, Moor Park, Wallasey, Woburn and Fairmont St Andrews, the events offer members a fantastic opportunity to build their golfing network, while also competing for some superb prizes from the likes of Titleist, Stewart Golf, Bushnell and Skechers.

Linksnet is a sophisticated online platform which provides golfers with the ability to organise their golf calendar with fellow users at the click of a button. It is free to join, but to unlock additional benefits including access to the exclusive network golf days members can upgrade to either Birdie membership (£3.99 per month) or the premium Eagle membership (£119 per year). The Eagle membership represents incredible value for money and includes three dozen Titleist balls, an exclusive Linksnet polo shirt, member’s bag tag and more.

Aside from the network golf days, members can compete on leader boards to win great prizes throughout the season, together with fun monthly competitions that not only reward good golf but also celebrate the fun side of the game we all love. There is also a Ryder Cup style team Final to aim for in the Autumn which is being held at the historic links of Prince’s Golf Club in Kent.

To find out more, visit www.linksnetgolf.com.

Whitstable & Seasalter unveils new clubhouse Whitstable and Seasalter Golf Club in Kent is ready to meet the demands of a growing membership and increased visitor numbers following the official unveiling a stylish and spacious new clubhouse.

The new building was actually finished in February last year but was forced to close almost as soon as it opened due to first lockdown. It reopened on May 17, when government restrictions on indoor hospitality were lifted.

The new clubhouse houses a bar, lounge, restaurant, event facilities and new changing rooms.

First opened in 1911, Whistable & Seasalter’s well-bunkered links course boasts a 5,300-yard layout, played in two loops of the same nine holes, and the club currently boasts 400 members.

Prince’s Golf Club in Kent has completed the next stage of developments across the 27-hole facility.

Concentrating primarily on further improvements to key holes on the Himalayas and Shore nines, the works started in November last year and was finished ahead of the club’s reopening on March 29.

Central elements of the programme include the establishment of a surrounding dune to the right of the 9th Himalayas, which will encircle a green that is set to be significantly enlarged due to the fact it will be blended into the recently upgraded largescale putting green to the clubhouse’s rear.

Thirteen of the holes 27 will be enhanced at some level, with other particularly notable alterations including the creation of significant sand scrapes to border the 1st Shore and 7th Himalayas. Furthermore, the 2nd Shore will be altered dramatically with the removal of scrub vegetation to the left of the hole, the extension of the fairway’s width, the reinstatement of a large approach bunker and finally the creation of

new open sand scrapes to the right of the approach, split by a grass path towards the 3rd tee.

“We’re on a path of continuous improvement and we’re keen not to rest on our laurels, despite the fact that we’ve completely changed the face of the entire golf course over the past three years,” said Rob McGuirk, general manager at Prince’s. “With the support of Martin Ebert, we are always keen to wipe the slate clean and take a critical look at the entire course, just to see how we can make it even better each year. The changes will undoubtedly elevate the experience of playing at Prince’s even further and we’re delighted to have them completed in time for golfers to return in just a matter of days.”

Stockwood Park enjoys stay of execution A proposal to close Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Hertfordshire provoked such an angry response from club members and the local public that Luton Borough Council has backed down on its immediate plans to sell off the facility in order to help balance the financial hole caused by the pandemic.

Luton Borough Council announced plans to close the golf centre back in February in order to make up a shortfall in income from other areas, including Luton Airport, which has suffered a significant drop in revenue during the pandemic. But a huge public outcry – including an online petition to save the centre which attracted over 9,400 signatures – led to the council announcing that it was withdrawing its plan to shut down the course, although its medium to long-term future remains uncertain given its drain on the public purse.

A statement from the council read: “We have had a huge response to our initial plans with a wide range of passionate views put forward. The golf course and the park are clearly valued by a large number of people. We have therefore agreed to undertake a long-term planning exercise for the whole of the park to explore how we can best use it for the benefit of the wider community.

“In the meantime, the golf club will continue to operate as it is now. For the avoidance of doubt, there have never been any plans to build houses or any other similar development on the park. Our key priority is about ensuring that we maximise the recreational benefits of the park for the whole of the community.”

Paul Hulme, golf club captain at Stockwood Park, said: “I was disgusted that during a pandemic, when golf participation is on the rise and we need green space more than ever, that the council should even consider closing such a valuable asset to the people of Luton. Stockwood Park Golf Centre has over 250 members and attracts business from many golfing groups and casual players from a wide area. It provides a public course accessible to all ages and backgrounds, where tens of thousands have taken up the sport over the last 50 years.”

Sarah Jolley, who organised the online petition to save the course, said: “Last summer, when many were struggling with the physical and mental health because of COVID, the golf course was fully booked every day, bringing in substantial revenue and providing enjoyment and physical exercise to the local community during a difficult time. This is a public golf course and is enjoyed by all ages, as well as many walkers and runners who also use this space for exercise. Stockwood Park is a gem in our town, and it should not be taken away from our community.”

■ STOCKWOOD PARK WILL REMAIN OPEN WHILE THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS ITS OPTIONS

NEWS | JUNE 2021 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

St George’s prepares to host rescheduled Open Championship The 149th Open Championship is set to go ahead at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent from July 15-18, although the question as to how many spectators can attend remains in the balance.

After being postponed last year due to the pandemic, when the three other Major championships went ahead, the R&A is determined that golf’s oldest Major should return this summer.

“We are certainly planning to stage The Open, but clearly there are multiple possible scenarios,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers. “We remain hopeful that spectators will be permitted at Sandwich, but only if healthy and safety protocols allow.

“We are currently working with the government and health authorities, and it’s certainly a lot more complex than staging a normal Open Championship, but we are going to do everything we possibly can to put on a great championship.”

He added: “I think there’s a very good possibility we will be able to have spectators, but we will have to wait and see how many. We are balancing the health and safety of everyone involved, but I strongly believe The Open needs spectators. It will be really important to have

some, but we want to make sure we do it safely.”

Over 12,000 spectators were able come through the gates at Augusta for each day of the Masters in April, while 10,000 fans per day were on site for this month’s US PGA Championships at Kiawah Island.

The UK government has recently run a number of test events for various sports, including football matches and snooker tournaments, but none for golf, with this month’s British Masters at The Belfry held behind closed doors.

The government has said that it plans to drop social distancing measures on June 21 as part of the final roadmap out of lockdown, which would point towards Royal St George’s being able to host a capacity crowd.

The field for last year’s Open Championship had reached 106 before the pandemic forced a 12-month postponement, and all those that qualified last year have retained their place in this year’s. With International Open Qualifying Series having been cancelled, a total of places will be up for grabs via the numerous Open exemption categories, while Regional and Final Qualifying is scheduled to take place in June.

■ THE GRANDSTANDS ARE IN PLACE AT ROYAL ST GEORGE'S BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW MANY SPECTATORS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND

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JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

InBrief

New-look Chart Hills ready for June re-opening

ROSE LADIES SERIES EXPANDS SCHEDULE

Chart Hills Golf Club in Kent will be officially reopening on June 1 following an intensive year-long redevelopment.

Led by Director of Golf Anthony Tarchetti and Course Manager Neil Lowther, the club has been subject to a total renovation.

Ramac Holdings purchased Chart Hills in December 2019, with a significant task in front of them as they looked to restore a golf course that had suffered for some years. The result is the restoration of a playable, yet challenging layout that will be presented to championship standards year-round, set among some of the most picturesque countryside in the southeast.

“We have made enormous strides and are hugely proud of the product we will be presenting,” commented Tarchetti. “While the work has been significant, we absolutely will not rest on our laurels. This is just the beginning of a road of continuous improvement at Chart Hills, with plans already in place to continue developments over the coming years. We are extremely excited to welcome our members and their guests back to the club in the coming months.”Initial planning indicated that a complete redevelopment project would take more than two years to finish, with the hope of a late summer opening in 2022. However, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the resultant forced closures due to government restrictions, presented an opportunity to dramatically accelerate the timeframe.

The decision was made to officially close the golf course in July last

★ The Rose Ladies Series has unveiled an expanded 2021 schedule, with 11 one-day events taking place across the UK this year.

The first ten events of the 18-hole shootouts will see the winner take home £10,000, double what was on offer last year, while the Grand Final prize has also increased to give a guaranteed £20,000 to the winner.

This month has seen four 18-hole events held at West Lancs, Woburn, Brokenhurst Manor and The Berkshire to offer UK-based players opportunities for some tournament practice ahead of the start of the Ladies European Tour season in mid-May. The Series then returns in August with four tournaments in six days from August 2-7, starting with back-to-back events in Lancashire at Hillside and Royal Birkdale.

The final three events then take place at North Hants on September 20, Buckinghamshire Golf Club on September 23, before the Grand Final takes place at Bearwood Lakes on September 25.

BROOME MANOR UNVEILS PLANS TO EXPAND FACILITIES ★ Broome Manor Golf Complex in Swindon has applied for planning permission to expand its leisure offering through the construction of a new driving range, an adventure golf course, eight astroturf football pitches, a petanque pitch, and a high ropes climbing course. The extensive plans to broaden the 27-hole venue’s attractions have been submitted by Twigmarket, which has leased the complex from Swindon Borough Council since 2014. Under the new plans, the current 33-bay one-storey driving range would be extended and have two further floors added as well as new food and drink facilities put in. A pirate-themed adventure golf course and high ropes course would be constructed to the south of the driving range.

LIONEL PLATTS 1935-2021 ★ Former Ryder Cup player and respected PGA Professional Lionel Platts has passed away at the age of 86. Combining a career as a tour player and a club professional, Lionel represented GB&I in the 1965 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale. A winner of the PGA Assistants’ Championship in 1961, his best finish was in the Open Championship that same year, when he came tied 12th. He made the cut at the US Masters in the following year and two of his five tournament victories were achieved at the start of the next decade. He won the Portuguese Open in 1971 and the Uniroyal 72-hole strokeplay tournament a year later. He went on to compete on the European Seniors Tour and served as head professional at Three Rivers Golf & Country Club in Essex from 1975 until 1993. He was granted Honorary PGA membership the following year and continued to play in tournaments well into his 70s, most recently in 2014, when he competed in the PGA Super 60s Championship at Thorpeness.

■ CHART HILLS HAS BEEN COMPLETE LY RENOVATED OVER THE LAST 12 MONT HS

year, with no reopening scheduled until all 18 holes had been renovated.

The focus of the project was to completely relay the fairways, to produce carpet-like surfaces that are playable year-round. Every fairway was completely stripped, exposing the bare soil. The maintenance team then laid thousands of metres of irrigation piping down before more than 30,000 tonnes of sand was shaped onto the holes to produce a four-inch capping. The finishing team spread Creeping-Rye seed on each fairway area before the watering and fertilisation processes began.

Off the course, the entire venue has been refurbished, with a completely redecorated clubhouse, new club shop, modernised bar area, improved car park and signage, and upgraded practice facilities that include a stateof-the-art simulator room.

US retains Walker Cup after close-fought match The United States won the Walker Cup for the third consecutive time after beating a gallant GB&I team 14-12 in an exceptionally tight series of matches at Seminole Golf Club in Florida.

With a steady breeze off the Atlantic Ocean making life difficult for both teams on the final day, especially on and around the greens, the players faced a stern mental and physical test. The USA entered the day with a 7-5 lead, which was trimmed to 8½–7½ after the GB&I team took 2½ out of four points in the morning foursomes session.

The 10 afternoon singles matches would therefore decide the first Walker Cup match played in Florida, and the final result was in doubt nearly to the end. The USA eked out a 5½-4½ advantage in those matches to retain the cup.

Both teams had their preparations for the match hit by a mystery stomach bug that resulted in many players missing practice sessions and others having to sit out the early matches due to feeling unwell.

England’s Joe Long, the reigning

Amateur champion, was left out of all the matches bar the Sunday singles due to illness, but the 23-year-old Englishman earned a hard-fought 1-up victory over John Pak. “It was quite tough sitting in bed most of the week. I just wanted to play one match,” said Long. “I was glad I was able to do that and get a point for the team.”

Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of European Tour star Matt, didn’t enjoy the best of weeks. The only GB&I player with previous Walker Cup experience, he finished the weekend without recording a point in four matches. The foursomes pairing of Mark Power and John Murphy proved GB&I’s most successful partnership, winning both their matches, but both lost their Sunday singles matches.

GB&I Team captain Stuart Wilson, was proud of his player’s effort, despite the disappointing result. “It’s been a great weekend of golf,” he said. “It’s the Walker Cup after all. The guys have come out fighting and tried to acquit themselves as best they can. But hats off to the USA Team for pulling the victory off.”

■ THE US TEAM CELEBRATE ITS 14-12 WALKER CUP WIN

Scope for improvement as post-lockdown golfers see scores shoot up!

Last month’s return to golf following a three-month lockdown absence saw some extremely rusty golfers hitting the fairways – or rather missing them – in rather uncertain fashion.

Data gathered by Shot Scope, makers of a range of GPS and automatic shot-tracking devices, recorded more than 446,000 shots on the very first day of golf’s return on March 26 – a figure that represents its largest amount of tracked shots on a single day in England.

This correlated to 4,788 rounds played in England, eclipsing the previous daily record in the country by over 2,500, while a Shot Scope watch was used to track performance at over 75% of courses.

Rather predictably, the majority of golfers were somewhat short of match fitness after their time on the sidelines, with the average score coming in at +21.71, compared to an average of +14.35 last year.

This resulted in a score average +/- handicap of +5.23.

First tee nerves clearly got the better of many players, with only 30% of Shot Scope users managing to find the first fairway, down 18% on the average, while a staggering 39% appeared to have suffered from a dreaded first tee slice.

Using its new ‘strokes gained’ platform, Shot Scope was able to determine that while the majority of users found trouble from the tee more often in comparison to last year, it was on the greens that they saw the biggest dip in performance. Golfers lost over 40% more shots due to poor putting against the Shot Scope average for 2020, with strokes gained putting against a scratch golfer dropping from an average of -3.52 to -5.08.

NEWS | JUNE 2021 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Berkhamsted goes ‘back to front’ for golf’s return The members at Berkhamsted Golf Club in Hertfordshire are going about their business back to front this season after the club decided to temporarily reverse the nines of its historic heathland course in order to strengthen the start and finish to their rounds.

The reversal is the only major change to Berkhamsted’s 6,683 yard, par-71 course since James Braid last redesigned it in 1926, upgrading the course from Willie Park Jnr and Harry Colt’s original designs.

Only Berkhamsted members can experience the re-routed golf course for now, although guest rounds started at the end of April, while from July 5 all golfers will be able to book a game on the heathland course.

Berkhamsted’s first hole is now a 194-yard par-three over water to a well-guarded green – a much stiffer test than the gentle par-four opener the club used to have. The famously bunker-free Berkhamsted thus joins a short list of other notable English courses with par-three starts, including Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, Walton Heath (Old), Southport & Ainsdale, Liphook,

North Hants and Hayling Island.

From the 15th there is now a four-hole closing stretch finishing with a dog-leg par-four from an elevated tee which affords a view of the clubhouse.

Club captain Ian Carlile said: “For those of us who have been here for years, playing Berkhamsted ‘the wrong way round’ did initially feel strange, but our old 18th used to end way out of sight of the clubhouse, whereas the new routing now creates the proper amount of drama and atmosphere. Not only can people now enjoy a drink and some food at Berkhamsted while watching others end their rounds, but also our final four holes are now highly distinctive, much more so than the original Braid routing from 1926.”

Following the completion of a recent irrigation project, visitors to Berkhamsted will also enjoy better playing surfaces, including improved greens and approaches. Additional touches of quality

■ TEE TIMES IN PEAK PERIODS HAVE BEEN HARD TO COME

BY SINCE GOLF'S RETURN

Clubs report record tee bookings as golf boom returns If anyone needed convincing that the golf boom is truly back, new data on the number of tee times booked at UK golf clubs in April has, unsurprisingly, revealed a staggering upsurge compared with the same period in 2019.

According to tee time booking service BRS Golf, which collated the data, UK golf clubs saw 4.1 million rounds booked in the first four weeks of April, representing a 60% increase for the same period two years ago.

This helped clubs generate more than twice the revenue from their golf courses compared to the same 30-day period two years ago. Almost all UK golf clubs were closed during the first Covid lockdown in April 2020, hence the need for a two-year gap in the statistics.

Even in March, when golf courses were only open for three days, over 2.5 million rounds were booked through BRS Golf, representing a 19% increase on rounds booked in March 2019.

“We have experienced soaring demand across the member booking website, app and visitor booking engine, as UK golfers book online to get back on the course,” said a spokesperson for BRS Golf. “The reopening of clubs in England, Northern Ireland and Wales for the first time in more than three months has resulted in another boom for the sport, with 6.6 million rounds booked by members and visitors via BRS Golf since restrictions were eased.

“A longer notice period for the return of golf meant clubs could open up their tee sheets in advance, meaning we have experienced a sustained period of growth in online visitors and bookings throughout March and April, unlike the flurry of last minute bookings that accompanied the quick return of golf in May 2020.”

March 29, the first day golf courses in England were allowed to re-open, was also a busier day than any day during the summer boom of 2020, as more than 13,000 people visited the online tee time booking platform GolfNow on that day alone.

GolfNow reports that its app was downloaded more than 17,700 times in April and more than 76,000 rounds were booked during that month, generating over £1.8 million in revenue for course partners – a 108% increase in booking value compared with April 2019.

Many private clubs were only allowing members golf during the first weeks back from lockdown, and are only now letting members’ guests and visitors book tee times.

such as new growth around the tees, and all-new signage to help newcomers find their way around, also contribute to the new welcome at Berkhamsted this summer.

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[10] JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Speedgolf Championships Springs into action!

The British Open Speedgolf Championships is set to return in 2021 with a 36-hole championship due to be held at The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire from September 19-20.

The fast-growing sport, which combines the number of shots with the time it takes to complete the round for a final score, will see competitors pick up the pace round the venue’s course as the contenders battle it out for the titles over two rounds.

Champions will be crowned in the elite, amateur and women’s categories. The last tournament was held at Foxhills in 2019 – no event last year due to Covid – when New Zealand’s Jamie Reid took the title. He shot 81 in 40 minutes and 57 seconds for a Speedgolf Score of 121.57. Chris Benians (GB) and Mikko Rantanen (Finland) both shot 74 to take second and third place respectively. Benians, defending his men’s amateur title after claiming the honours at Piltdown in 2018, shot 80 in just 43 minutes and 41 seconds to win the amateur title, while ladies champion Liz McKinnon shot 76 in 50.41 minutes for a speedgolf score of 126.41.

Scorers in golf buggies will track the field, which set off at

intervals as they complete their round on foot, jogging between holes and saving time by eliminating time consuming practice swings and other rituals associated with the regular game. Speedgolfers also carry fewer clubs – up to 7 – but often this means they have to be more creative with their shots.

Ashley Pheasant, Head of Golf at The Springs, which is

owned by Darwin Escapes, said: “We are very much about delivering venues that are modern and exciting and we believe Speedgolf does this too and is definitely blazing its own trail. It will be a thrill to watch the best in their field tackle our fantastic golf course in a very different way.”

For details about how to compete at this year’s championship, visit www.britishspeedgolf.co.uk.

phil mickelson US PGA CHAMPION. THE OLDEST MAJOR CHAMPION HIT A 366 YARD BOMB WHEN HE NEEDED IT. CONGRATULATIONS ON AN EPIC PERFORMANCE

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Tommy Fleetwood launches Junior Golf Tour European Tour and Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood has launched a new junior tour aimed at providing an encouraging and competitive environment for junior golfers in the UK aged between five and 15.

The Tommy Fleetwood Junior Tour begins this summer with a series of events held at the 9-hole Woodhey Dunes Course at Formby Hall in Merseyside, which is the home of the Tommy Fleetwood Academy.

Golfers will compete in the different five age categories – 7 and under, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14+, and players will play from staggered tees determined by their age on January 1. Prizes will be awarded for the first 3 places in each category decided by gross score.

More events for 2021 will be added soon and a full tour schedule is planned for 2022. For more details, visit www. tommyfleetwoodacademy.com.

Wombles take over at Ealing!

The members of Ealing Golf Club in West London have tackled the growing problem of litter finding its way onto its golf course by setting up an action group to help keep the fairways and boundaries free of rubbish.

The inner-city club is bounded by Pitshanger Park, several public footpaths and flows alongside and through the River Brent, and, as a result, suffers from fly-tipping, casual littering and occasional flooding, creating a significant environmental and pollution challenge.

The club was initially approached by a local community litter picking group – the Litter Action Group for Ealing Residents – to help clear up areas of the course that either border onto public pathways or are visible from Pitshanger Park. Jane Branch, an Ealing Golf Club member, volunteered to liaise between the two groups and together with fellow club member Mark Partridge, who had already started litter picking on the 17th hole, formed the ‘EGC Wombles’ WhatsApp group. The first official litter pick took place with five club members and three local community members.

Branch said: “From humble beginnings the ‘EGC Wombles’ have gone from strength to strength, focussing on all areas of our golf course. We have also forged a good working relationship with St Benedict’s School and together have

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cleaned up the Brent tributary running between their playing fields and our 10th hole. Golfers are enjoying playing on our pristine course, while people walking in Pitshanger Park have commented on how lovely it looks.”

The group has now grown to 29 volunteers and has already collected over 380 bags of rubbish during 300-plus hours of litter picking. Some of the more unusual items of rubbish to turn up so far include car registration plates, car bumpers, tyres, a roof rack, several road signs, mattresses, an electric sewing machine, a flat-screen TV, an ironing board and an oven.

Another benefit of the clear up has been the discovery of over 1,000 lost golf balls, which Ealing’s club professional, Ricky Willison, is using for coaching, as well as donating them to junior members, while over 800 have been distributed to local charities and clubs that Ealing works with.

NEWS | JUNE 2021

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Foxhills boosts family credentials with £7m leisure centre

Fisher and Plant share the wealth

Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey has opened a new £7m leisure centre as part of its continuing investment in family-friendly facilities.

The Pavilion will feature indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools; a crèche; art studio; playroom with soft play; dance, fitness and group cycling studios; a games room, and a new restaurant and two terraces – all set within a Victorian walled garden overlooking one of the club’s two 18-hole golf courses.

Open just before the government’s easing of Covid-19 restrictions on May 17, The Pavilion boasts an air exchange system to improve ventilation, while the design has also made the most out of outdoor space with two terraces – the larger with heaters and an awning for year-round dining. More classes will also take place outdoors with yoga, boot camps and power walking on the 4km woodland trail on the estate, as well as the opportunity for most of them to be livestreamed or on demand so they can be enjoyed at home.

Marc Hayton, Foxhills managing director, said: “The Pavilion will not only help to cement our place as a family club, but also as a valued business at the heart of the local community and will give a well-needed boost to the local economy. We want to give our members and guests the facilities they deserve – even more so after the tough year everyone has had.”

Two of the South East’s leading tour pros have received the backing of a financial firm in the City as they bid to move forward with their golfing careers.

London-based wealth management company Connor Broadley has announced a multi-year brand ambassador partnership with European Tour players Oli Fisher and Alfie Plant. Both players will be wearing the company’s logo while competing on their respective golf tours this season.

Essex-born Fisher, 32, who turned pro in 2006, recently became the youngest player to play 400 tournaments on the European Tour and is famous for being the only player to have shot 59 on that tour, which he achieved at the Portugal Masters in 2018.

Plant, 28, who hails from Bexley in Kent, is embarking on his first full season on the Challenge Tour following an illustrious amateur career which saw him playing in the 2017 Walker Cup, winning the European

Amateur Championship and picking up the Silver Medal at The Open Championship in 2017 for the lowest amateur score.

James Connor, Connor Broadley’s CEO, said: “As an ex-professional footballer, I am excited about our expansion into the golf sector. Drawing on our experiences in the sports, media and entertainment industries, we feel very well equipped to help golfers who, like Oli and Alfie, share our longer-term principles and value a personal relationship when it comes to the management of their financial affairs as their careers develop.”

Fisher, who won the Czech Open in 2011, said: “I am delighted to represent Connor Broadley and the values that we share. I look forward to working with James and the team at Connor Broadley with my financial management for both myself and my family.”

■ NINE NEW TEES HAVE BEEN BUILT AT LECKFORD TO CREATE AN 18-HOLE EXPERIENCE

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24/05/2021 16:25

Trio of top Home Counties courses to host Senior Open qualifying Three of the South East’s finest golf courses have been named as qualifying venues for this year’s Senior Open Championship, which is being held at Sunningdale Golf Club in July.

Hindhead, Bearwood Lakes and Burhill will all play host to hopefuls in their bid to secure a spot in Europe’s only Senior Major Championship when it returns to the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club from July 2225, a year after the 2020 renewal was cancelled due to the pandemic.

A number of spots will be available for players hoping to tee it up alongside some of the world’s greatest over-50s players at the stunning Berkshire venue.

Burhill’s New Course was opened in 2001 and hosted Regional Qualifying for The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, while Bearwood Lakes, which opened in 1996, is set amidst 200 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside and was one of the host venues for the Rose Ladies Series in 2020. Hindhead Golf Club, which was founded in 1904, is a true Surrey heathland course and hosted Regional Qualifying for The Open from 2000-2005.

The qualifying events in England are planned to be held on July 19, with official practice days taking place on July 17-18. The qualifying event at Firestone CC in America will take place on June 21.

■ HINDHEAD GOLF CLUB WILL HOST REGIONAL QUALIFYING FOR THE OPEN ON JULY 19

[12] JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LocoPro launches online community for golfers and coaches Two Hampshire-based golfers have set up a new webbased business that is designed to help golf coaches and golf fitness instructors connect with their local golfing community.

LocoPro was created by golfing friends Jack Vickery and Tyler Everitt, who came up with the idea of launching a website where golfers could find out where they can book golf lessons near to home, or even at home, and where golf coaches could reach out to local golfers who are looking to book lessons, whether they are members of a golf club or not.

The website has a search engine which golfers can use to find LocoPro registered golf coaches or golf fitness instructors that are nearest to their home, as well as to search for specific coaches throughout the UK and Ireland. Each coach is able to upload a biography and details of their qualifications, training facilities, specific areas of expertise, and their hourly rates for lessons. Golfers can then contact the coach directly via email or telephone for further enquiries and to set up a session, whether it be a one-off lesson or a whole course.

Many coaches have also set themselves up to offer lessons virtually, so golfers who are unable to meet the coach in person can have online lessons. This has proved especially successful during the pandemic, where local and national lockdowns have prevented coaches and players from meeting up, but it is also a useful option any time that a player wants to check in with a coach but hasn’t got the time to meet up face to face. Once they’ve had a course of lessons, golfers can choose to leave a review about their coach, which will then act as a referral for future golfers that visit the site.

“We wanted to create a platform where golfers and golf coaches can connect, and where coaches can receive honest and valuable feedback from their clients, whilst allowing them to advertise to a wider audience,” says Jack, whose professional background is in marketing. “On top of that, it’s important for us to build a fun and competitive golfing community. We are looking forward to launching our LocoPro Golf Coach of the Year competition and hope it can bring a new social aspect to our website.”

LocoPro currently has over 180 professional coaches registered on the site located throughout the UK and Ireland, with more joining every week. Coaches can either register a basic profile for free, or upgrade to a premium profile for as a little as £9.99 a month, which offers a host of benefits to attract more customers, including options to include image galleries, video links, and social media links; feature throughout LocoProgolf.com’s ‘highlighted’ areas; access to

■ JACK VICKERY AND TYLER EVERITT SET UP LOCOPRO TO HELP GOLFERS FIND A LOCAL COACH

a private Facebook group of other premium coaches; feature in posts on LocoPro’s social media platforms, plus exclusive invites to LocoPro events.

LocoPro is hosting its first Pro-Am event at the Welcombe Golf Club in Stratford Upon Avon on October 6-7. All LocoPro coaches are invited to take part in the 36-hole tournament which will also include dinner, bed and breakfast and evening entertainment from Billy Flywheel.

To register for free, visit www.locaprogolf.com. If you are a professional coach who would like to become a LocoPro member, email contact@locoprogolf.com.

An iconic performance.

Phil’s 6th major.

And the 94th major for Odyssey Putters.

ODY PHIL WIN - Golf NEWS STRIP - 120x560mm.indd 1

Trilby Tour set to return under new ownership

The Trilby Tour is poised to return to the UK golfing calendar after being acquired by leading golf and leisure business Darwin Escapes.

The original Trilby Tour was launched by Savile Row tailor William Hunt in 2007 and ran for 12 years, with thousands of amateurs from across the UK competing at a series of regional 18-hole tournaments for the chance to qualify for an International Grand Final.

The new-look Trilby Tour is set to be relaunched later this year, with its new owners promising a revitalised format and a series of events that are “bigger and better than ever”. Under its new guise, the Trilby Tour will be open for the first time to both male and female amateurs, with three events planned later this year in the south of England, north of England and Scotland.

Darwin Escapes currently operates three golf courses – Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, The Springs in Oxfordshire and Kilnwick Percy in East Yorkshire. Ashley Pheasant, head of golf for Darwin Escapes, said: “The Trilby Tour has a very loyal following and to have the chance to create the next chapter in the event’s history is something that we’re relishing. Having hosted a number of the events at our golf courses in recent years, our team have developed lots of exciting concepts to take the tour forward, while still retaining its unique identity. We want to make the event bigger and better than ever before and as inclusive as possible, and we’re looking forward to sharing our plans in the coming months.”

More details on the relaunch events are set to be announced by Darwin Escapes over the coming months, along with the full 2022 schedule, with a new overseas world final included in the future plans of the new owners.

To register your interest, visit www.trilbytour.co.uk.

England Golf updates WHS app Golfers can now post scores from general play rounds at any rated course in England via England Golf’s updated ‘My England Golf’ App. The new function is available to all members of affiliated clubs in England who hold a WHS Handicap Index. Golfers can now enjoy the flexibility of recording scores for handicap purposes from either 9-hole or 18hole social rounds played in accordance with the Rules of Handicapping.

By allowing scores to be easily added to a player’s record from general play rounds at any rated venue on the England Golf platform, it will create a more complete and accurate record of a golfer’s actual playing ability. All golfers need to do is download the App, activate their account, and then pre-register a round at, or near, the venue of choice, before inputting a final score.

Commenting on the updates, Gemma

24/05/2021 16:27

Hunter, England Golf’s Head of Handicapping & Course Rating, said: “This is an important update for the WHS and should make it far easier for golfers who mainly want to play socially at their clubs to keep track of their Handicap Index. The new updates are designed to make the process of preregistering a round quicker and easier for golfers, whilst also allowing us to protect the integrity of the handicap system.

“We are confident that these updates will make the transition to the new system a much smoother process. As well as preregistering and posting general play scores, the App also allows golfers to calculate their Course Handicap, link up with friends and track their scores throughout the year.”

NEWS | JUNE 2021

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Stoke Park sold to Indian billionaire for £57m Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire has been sold to Asia’s richest businessman, Mukesh Ambani, for £57 million.

The luxury hotel, spa, golf & country club, which is located seven miles from Heathrow, was bought by a subsidiary of Ambani’s company, Reliance Industries. Ambani, 64, has built up a fortune of over $70 billion through energy and telecoms businesses after inheriting the company from his father in 2002.

Stoke Park has been in the hands of the King family since 1988. The estate was put up for sale in 2018 and was originally expected to sell for more than £100m. Although there was interest from buyers from China and the Middle East, Ambani’s bid was successful despite being almost half that value. Announcing the deal, a spokesperson for the new owner said that Stoke Park would remain a private members’ club and

that it would look to carry on the King family’s commitment to enhance the sports and leisure facilities for its members and guests.

Chester King, managing director of Stoke Park, said: “It has been a great honour for my family to have been the owners and custodians of Stoke Park over the past 33 years. I am delighted that the new owners share the same respect for the club’s incredible heritage, its values and longer-term vision and I look forward to working closely with them. As soon as we met with Reliance it was clear that this represents ‘business as usual’ for our members, customers, and the local community.”

In addition to the 27-hole golf course, facilities at the 300-acre estate include a 49room five-star hotel, a spa and leisure centre, three restaurants, bars and lounges, 13 tennis courts and 14 acres of private gardens.

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Lutterworth clubhouse destroyed by fire Lutterworth Golf Club’s historic clubhouse has been raised to the ground by a fire that ripped through the building on May 1.

Over 40 firefighters were called out to tackle the blaze that ripped through the 117-year-old Leicestershire club’s clubhouse last weekend.

According to local reports, the single storey building was already well alight by the time the first fire crews arrived on the scene and there was little that could be done to save the building and its contents, which included many irreplaceable historic artefacts.

The cause of the blaze is now under investigation by Leicestershire Police and the Leicestershire Fire Service, with footage from recovered CCTV cameras expected to shed more light on how the fire started.

The course is currently closed until further notice, while the fire investigation take place.

Speaking about the tragic incident, in

24/05/2021 16:27

which thankfully nobody was hurt, Toby Deas, Lutterworth’s club captain said: “We are completely devastated. We have lost so much history, so much memorabilia, so many treasured photographs in this fire. Buildings can be replaced – but our history and heritage is totally irreplaceable – it’s priceless.

I don’t know where you’d start trying to put a financial value on what has been lost.”

He added: “We will rebuild and we will bounce back. We have had so much support already from our members, other local golf clubs, and the general public. We have been overwhelmed by the numbers of calls, texts and messages we’ve had from people. I also want to say a massive thank you to the fire service and the police.

“The club’s directors and officials have already to put the recovery plans in place to ensure that our loyal members can continue to enjoy playing the course while we work with our insurers on providing temporary facilities as soon as possible and a permanent replacement in the longer term. The directors and club officials are all fully committed to the mammoth task ahead to replace our clubhouse and facilities.”

[14] JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Grove receives major lockdown makeover Golfers looking to stay and play at The Grove this summer will be able to take advantage of host of new and upgraded facilities which have been carried out the luxury Watford-based resort during the enforced closure due to the pandemic.

The hotel’s redesign incorporates renovations of all three restaurants – The Glasshouse, The Stables and The Lounges – as well as the lobby area and all 189 West Wing guest rooms.

The Glasshouse, has been entirely reimagined with the ultimate vision of bringing the outside in. The striking glasshouse exterior, which overlooks a courtyard and the grounds beyond, provides plenty of natural light. The Glasshouse offers a theatrical gourmet dining experience, with seating arranged around the restaurant’s open kitchen and

live cooking stations.

Also part of the total design overhaul are The Grove’s lounges, a series of characterful drawing rooms at the heart of 18th century mansion, while The Stables restaurant, currently the setting for Alpine-style pop-up restaurant ‘Jimmy’s Lodge at The Grove’, has also received a complete refresh, with warm tan leather seating and equine artwork as a nod to the late George Stubbs.

Perhaps one of the largest projects for the hotel since its opening, all 189 of the West Wing bedrooms have been completely refurbished with handwoven wall hangings sourced from Italy framing king size beds and velvet soft furnishings.

Three Locks to reduce to nine holes to make way for holiday park Three Locks Golf Club in Buckinghamshire is to downsize from 18 holes to nine holes in a bid to ensure its long-term future viability.

The club’s owners have lodged a planning application to use the recovered holes to build a holiday park for 119 lodge-style holiday caravans, with landscaping and ancillary works.

The 18-hole course, which first opened in 1992 and is built alongside the Grand

Union Canal and the River Ouzel, would be reduced to nine-hole venue, so golfers could still be provided with an 18-hole experience, with three additional holes used for a short course.

WS Planning, which lodged the planning application on behalf of the Milton Keynes-based club, said that there has been a steady decline in the number of golfers visiting the club in recent years and a subsequent reduction in turnover.

PHIL MICKELSON  CHAMPION  PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

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Belsham & Riddell make course knowledge count to claim ‘Prince’s 27’ title Mark Belsham and Rob Riddell put their wealth of course knowledge to good use to win the PGA South Region’s ‘Prince’s 27’ competition held over the Sandwich Bay links on May 3.

Belsham, from Sholden in Kent, and Riddell, who lives in West Sussex, were among 52 pairs of PGA Pros and amateurs who teamed up for the event and with a combined age of 120 – Belsham is 61 and Riddell 60 – they were the oldest pairing in the 27-hole competition, which took in all three of the ninehole courses at Prince’s – and with a different format for each section. The opening foursomes over the Shore course was followed by a greensomes over the Dunes, with a four-ball betterball to finish over the Himalayas.

■ MARK BELSHAM

Belsham, who is a former Prince’s club pro and Riddell - a three-handicap member of the club - recorded a total of 105 strokes over the three nine to pick up the £500 first prize, plus some G4 shoes and Titleist balls. They finished one shot in front of Essex pro Rob Coles and his amateur partner Saul Saywood.

Belsham, who is opening a new coaching academy at Manston later this year, said: “I coach Rob and he used to caddie for me when I was playing on the Seniors Tour, and we’ve been playing together for years. The Prince’s 27 competition’s unique format is great fun, but you’ve certainly got to keep focussed, especially as we had a strong wind to cope with as well. I putted well on the Shore and Dunes sections and then Rob found his touch on the Himalayas’ .greens to just give us the edge at the end.”

Hilden Park unveils lockdown renovations

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The owners of Hilden Park Golf & Leisure Club in Kent made the most of the lockdown closures to undertake significant improvements to its facilities, including the installation of Toptracer in its driving range.

Owned and run by Pauline and Danny French since 2010, Hilden Park’s clubhouse has benefitted from an £80,000 internal refurbishment, including the renovation of the changing rooms and the creation of a large dance studio space with sprung flooring, air conditioning, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and ballet barres.

The 27-bay driving range has also now received a major refurbishment, with new targets, mats and range balls, LED lighting and the installation of Toptracer technology, which enables range users to compete against each other, play virtual courses, and receive instant shot feedback on interactive game screens.

Danny French said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer Toptracer Range to our clients. Using the most up-to-date technology, the ball is tracked by cameras, giving ball speed, distance, spin rates, height and side spin and converting this information onto screens in each bay. It also offers the chance to virtually play some of the best courses in the world and has fun games for families and friends to enjoy playing competing against each other. We’ll be displaying leaderboards, enabling people to take part in some friendly rivalry, plus we’ll be taking part in the Toptracer global events as they happen and running some some great monthly competitions.”

NEWS | JUNE 2021

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Early bird tickets go on sale for BMW PGA Championship Golf fans will be given the opportunity to be first in line to attend the 2021 BMW PGA Championship should the reopening of outdoor golfing events to spectators in England return later this year.

There remains cautious optimism that a certain level of spectator attendance will be permitted and therefore the European Tour has released a range of flexible Early Bird ticket options for the event, which takes place at its traditional Wentworth venue from September 9-12.

Fans who purchased tickets for the 2020 edition but could not attend due to COVID restrictions, as well as those who register their interest for tickets in advance, will have 24-hour priority access to a package which includes guaranteed access to the 18th green grandstand.

A percentage of the tickets available for the BMW PGA Championship will be donated to key frontline workers in recognition of their dedicated work throughout the pandemic.

All tickets for the September showpiece will be subject to UK Government health guidelines, with a comprehensive refund policy in place should spectators not be able to take up their place on the West Course due to on-going COVID restrictions.

The spectacular West Course will once again host some of the biggest stars of world golf in the final counting event for qualification to Padraig Harrington’s European Ryder Cup team, who will attempt to retain the famous trophy against the United States, two weeks later at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Last year saw home Tyrrell Hatton capture the coveted BMW PGA Championship title after shooting a final round 67 for a four-shot win over Frenchman Victor Perez. The Buckinghamshire-based player, who is currently ranked eighth in the world, will be aback to defend his title alongside a host of other leading European Tour players.

Early Bird ticket prices begin at £12 for Tuesday's practice

round, while prices for Wednesday's Celebrity Pro-Am Day start at £18. Early Bird tickets for Thursday's opening round start at £35, rising to £47 for Friday and Saturday, while tickets for Sunday's final round start at £52. Concessions are available for OAPs and students. For more ticket details visit www.europeantour.com or www.eventbrite.co.uk.

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Shifting sands force Gorleston to re-route course Gorleston Golf Club in Norfolk has been forced to move several of its tees further inland after sand dunes supporting the course collapsed over the winter due to coastal erosion.

Although erosion has been an issue for the Great Yarmouthbased club for many years, the cliffside supporting part of the course began to break away in March, forcing the club to take immediate action before golf courses reopened in England on March 29. Club captain Fred Simeons said: “The safety of our members and visitors is paramount. We have already planned for this situation by introducing new tees and a fairway approach to the 16th hole, which will be away from the cliff, and will utilise the old practice ground. On the 5th hole there’s greater difficulty as we cannot move the fairway away from the cliff, but the management committee are looking at the safest way to play the hole.”

He added: “The course is very much in play. The cliff erosion on these two holes in particular is continually being monitored by the committee and actions will be taken to ensure golfers can continue to play safely.”

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■COASTAL EROSION HAS WORN AWAY SOME OF THE HOLES AT GORLESTON GOLF CLUB

[16] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

BUSH HILL REACHES NEW HEIGHTS Boasting a classic James Braid course and a stunning clubhouse, Bush Hill Park Golf Club has been providing golfers with a welcoming home from home for over 125 years and looks set to do so for many generations to come

W

hile last year’s 125th anniversary was sadly not able to be collectively celebrated as it might have been at Bush Hill Park Golf Club – for all too obvious reasons – the members at this popular Middlesex venue can look proudly back on a long and storied past while also projecting forward to an even greater future.

Nestling in just over 100 acres of serene parkland a few minutes’ walk from Winchmore Hill, and a short drive from the M25, Bush Hill Park is a green oasis in a genteel suburban setting. Once entering the club’s gates, the first-time visitor can’t fail to be impressed by the sweeping driveway that leads through beautiful grounds to the majestic clubhouse, the Old Park Mansion, a listed building that has been home to its members since 1922. Winner of Golf Club of the Year Club Mirror awards in 2019 and shortlisted for England Golf’s Club of the Year for 2021, Bush Hill Park is certainly more than the sum of its parts, and despite its long history, prides itself on being a modern and inclusive club where everyone is made to feel part of the club’s extended family.

As you’d expect for a club of such standing, the membership is thriving here, and even more so at a time when golf courses have provided a safe haven to escape the stresses of the pandemic, while also allowing members to enjoy the camaraderie and friendly competition that is at the core of the club’s ethos.

Although the course itself is not long by modern standards, measuring 5,776 yards from the competition tees, its par of 70, and a sextet of tricky short holes and four lengthy par fives, ensures that players must bring their ‘A game’ to score well here. Some of the fairways are narrow, tree-lined affairs, although it broadens out in places to enable big hitters to open their shoulders on the par fives, three of which are well over 500 yards. The closing stretch of holes from 13-18 is especially memorable, with water coming into play on the par-three 13th and par-four 17th.

All in all, it’s an entertaining mix that will provide a challenge to all elements of your game in delightfully peaceful surroundings.

The enforced closures over the first three months of the year due to Covid enabled the club’s greenkeepers to continue to work to raise the standard of the course and the general facilities. Despite two of the fivestrong team being furloughed, a bunker renovation programme has been successfully carried out, a new practice putting green and short game area beside the first tee has been created, while five new undercover practice nets have also been installed.

The club continues to invest in its James Braid-designed golf course, and the timely installation of a new irrigation system in 2018 not only saved the course from that summer’s heatwave, but also the unseasonal dry spells that the UK has experienced since then, and ensures that quality playing conditions are

■ BUSH HILL PARK IS LOCATED JUST A FEW MINUTES FROM ENFIELD BUT IS A TRANQUIL SPOT TO ENJOY A GAME THE CLUBHOUSE'S IMPRESSIVE FACILITIES ARE HOUSED IN THE ESTATE'S HISTORIC MANSION

maintained throughout the season.

The clubhouse provides an impressive venue for all occasions, with function rooms of various sizes, three bars, a restaurant and spacious changing rooms. The main bar has recently been given a contemporary design makeover, while further improvements to many of the public spaces have ensured that everything was looking its best when golfers finally returned at the end of March. The outdoor spaces came into their own during April and May, with a large patio at the front of the building, overlooking the 18th green, and a veranda at the rear overlooking the first tee, providing great places to sit outside with a drink in the sunshine, and make the club the perfect place to spend time whether or not you’re playing golf.

The club celebrates its heritage as a private members’ club, and welcomes visitors and societies to enjoy its fantastic facilities, with pre-bookable tee times available from £30 during the week and £40 at weekends, while society packages start from £55pp.

The dress code is very relaxed, with a spike bar where golfers are able to come in off the course as they are, while jeans are allowed throughout the clubhouse.

For those looking to raise their game, whether it be through coaching and/or new equipment, the pro shop is run by experienced PGA Professional Danny Hill and ably assisted by Senior PGA Professional Nicola Bennett. Both are experienced coaches and can offer lessons to all levels of player. Nicola been hugely successful in increasing women’s participation through the club’s Women Driving Forward Programme, a two-year beginners’ affiliate programme

■ THE 18-HOLE COURSE OFFERS SUPERB YEAR-ROUND PLAYING CONDITIONS

that currently has 30 women signed up and another 20 plus on beginner roll-up course.

The club offers a new state-of-the-art swing studio, which boasts advanced swing analysis technology, including Foresight Sports’ GCQuad launch monitor, to create a top-quality teaching and practice facility.

The studio is mainly used for lessons and club fittings but is also available to hire by the hour for individual practice or group games on a simulator.

The club has a wide range of membership options for those wishing to join and the inclusive and friendly approach that the club adopts means joining and getting involved is quick and easy. The club has a very active junior section, with membership costs £150, along with a structured coaching programme of group and individual lessons.

Members also have the added bonus of enjoying reciprocal playing rights at over 40 golf clubs around the world that are signed up to the 1895 Club, a collection of venues that were also founded 125 years ago. Close to home, that includes the likes of Goring & Streatley, Crowborough Beacon, Reigate Heath and Frinton, while those willing to jump on a plane for 24 hours can also enjoy a courtesy round at Royal Perth in Australia, should the fancy take them. In addition to the 1895 Club, Bush Hill members can also enjoy reduced rates at more than 250 other James Braid designed courses, and three other nearby North London clubs, making membership an even more attractive proposition.

All told, Bush Hill Park has all the right ingredients to create a very special golf club and a very happy membership, and that looks set to continue for many years to come.

To discuss membership opportunities, please call Stewart Judd on 020 3146 9890, or email stewart@ bhpgc.com. For all other details, including tee time and society bookings, visit www.bhpgc.com.

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2021 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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[18] JUNE 2021 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

InBrief

Walton Heath to host Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship

■ THE JUSTIN ROSE TELEGRAPH JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP ATRACTS THE UK'S BEST YOUNG TALENTS

NINE HOLE ROUNDS ON THE RISE ★ The number of people playing nine-hole rounds has surged over the last 12 months, with the figure having doubled from 1.5m rounds in 2019 to 3.5m in 2020. The 125% increase, which was reported by online tee booking platform BRS Golf, is mainly due to more 18-hole courses offering 9-hole rounds in order to cope with the increase in demand for tee times after the three national lockdowns.

BUCKINGHAM EARNS SAFEGOLD AWARD ★ Buckingham Golf Club has achieved SafeGolf club accreditation from England Golf after demonstrating the club’s commitment to safeguarding children and young people, as well as adults.

TIDWORTH EQUINE CHARITY GOLF DAY ★ A charity golf day in aid of Tedworth Equestrian, the armed forces equine charity, is being held at Tidworth Garrison Golf Club in Wiltshire on July 23. A four-ball team, with breakfast, lunch and drinks included, costs £480, or £120pp. There will be prizes for best team, individual scores, nearest the pin and longest drive. For tickets, or details about sponsorship opportunities, call Chrissy Carswell on 07786 023255 or email chrissy@ pemberleyevents.co.uk.

WEXHAM PARK IMPROVES RANGE ★ Wexham Park Golf Centre in Buckinghamshire has enhanced its practice facilities with the opening of a refurbished 32-bay driving range that also includes a state-of the art ball-tracking system.The Inrange system consists of radar sensors placed in and around a driving range that track a golf ball's entire flight in real time. The resulting data, which includes ball speed, trajectory, path, landing point and many other details, is relayed either to an in-bay touchscreen or via an app on a golfer’s smartphone.

Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey is set to host some of the best junior golfers in the UK when the club stages the final of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship for the first time from October 5-8 this year.

Organisers decided to move the climax of this year’s event, which is once again being hosted and sponsored by Justin Rose, from Quinta do Lago in Portugal to Walton Heath to avoid any potential complications arising from coronavirus restrictions.

Walton Heath and Rose already have a close affiliation, as the 2013 US Open champion selected the Surrey venue to stage the British Masters on the European Tour in 2018, where he served as host.

The Telegraph Junior Golf Championship is supported by The R&A, the European Tour and Golf England, and the host club will welcome the 12 best junior boys and girls at the 54-hole stroke play event after a series of qualifying events hosted by clubs across the UK – including one at Walton Heath – throughout the early part of the summer.

Open to anyone aged under 18, the competition has helped to identify major stars including Rose, Melissa Reid, Tommy Fleetwood, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Matt Fitzpatrick and Walton Heath’s own Ben Taylor.

The 2019 winners were Ben Schmidt and Mimi Rhodes, while last year’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Justin Rose said: “I’m delighted that the Championship

Get ready for Ready Golf!

A new online golf club, Ready Golf, has been launched to provide nomadic golfers in the UK access to a range of high-quality courses for a single membership fee With the pent-up demand for golf triggering green fees hikes and more waiting lists at clubs, the launch of Ready Golf, a new online scheme that offers the chance to play different golf courses around the country for a one-off payment, is looking like a timely idea and great value option for thousands of golfers throughout the UK. Without having to pay multiple green fees, Ready Golf members can play as much golf as they like over a group of different golf courses in return for an annual subscription, negating the need to have a home club.

Ready Golf’s list of affiliated golf clubs is currently concentrated in the South East of England, with dozens of clubs to choose from in Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Essex, although it has ambitious plans to expand its portfolio of clubs on a national basis as it establishes itself in the golfing market.

With quality venues such as Littlestone, The Warren, West Kent, Broome Park, Bletchingley, Gatton Manor, Mill Green, Pyrford, Hampton Court Palace and Cowdray Park on board, golfers are spoiled for choice, whether they enjoy rolling parkland venues or seaside links.

Another key attraction for golfers not affiliated to a club is that Ready Golf tracks scores played at its member courses, which it then uses to offer members an accurate handicap index, in accordance with the new World Handicap System (WHS), which members

COWLEY WINS ROSE SERIES EVENT ★ Hertfordshire’s Gabriella Cowley won the opening event of the new Rose Ladies Series at West Lancs Golf Club on April 29. The Hanbury Manor player was the only competitor to finish under par as she pipped Gemma Clews and Michele Thomson to the £10,000 first prize with a one-under-par 71.

Cowley, who won at JCB Country Club last season, fired five birdies in her round. The second event held at Woburn was won by Liz Young with a level-par 72 around the Duchess Course. The Brockenhurst player was responsible for setting up the Ladies Series last year.

■ READY GOLF MEMBERS CAN TAKE THEIR PICK OF MANY OF THE SOUTH EAST'S FINEST COURSES INCLUDING LITTLESTONE'S LINKS IN KENT AND COWDRAY PARK IN WEST SUSSEX (INSET)

is returning in 2021, and it is great to stage the final at Walton Heath, where I hosted the British Masters three years ago. After the 2020 postponement, I’m planning to bring it back with a real boost, having more net category winners in both the boys’ and girls’ sections, increasing the grassroots opportunities for a place at the final.”

He added: “Quinta do Lago hosted an amazing final in 2019, providing us with two great champions who I got to meet and see play first-hand. I can’t wait to see what the class of 2021 has to show us. Good luck to everyone taking part.”

Stuart Southall, chairman of Walton Heath, said: “We are immensely proud to host the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship in 2021.

The combination of Justin and junior golf on our wonderful heathland course promises to provide an exciting three days of competition.”

Details on how to enter can be found at www. telegraph.co.uk/juniorgolf.

can use when playing with other members. Playing statistics for each member will be recorded and displayed online, as will each member’s current playing handicap, which will be managed by the Ready Golf team.

Tom Bishop, Ready Golf’s founder and director, said: “As a keen golfer, I have always enjoyed playing a variety of courses every month and, over the last couple of years, I realised that there was a significant number of golfers like me who want to experience playing different courses throughout the year. So I looked into a way of providing access to quality golf courses on a regular basis without having to spend a lot of money on rising green fees and came up with the Ready Golf concept, which delivers by giving golfers the opportunity to play a range of good courses for a reasonable annual fee. And, of course, right now, it’s an excellent way to get back into golf immediately after it has been off the agenda for several months.”

Ready Golf membership, which costs £895 per year, is ideally suited to anyone who plays 20 or more rounds per year at courses with green fees that range from around £30 to £80. Ready Golf also allows members to bring guests at special rates to any of the member clubs, while individual members also can link up with each other on existing bookings and meet fellow golfers and potentially, make new friends. Further down the line, once Covid restrictions allow, Ready Golf is planning to host social events and membersonly competitions.

“During lockdown we have worked hard to extend our reach and add to the number of clubs in the Ready Golf family,” added Bishop.

“With the new clubs now on board and dozens of others keen to join, we believe we have a great golf offering for nomadic golfers who like to tee it up at a range of different courses.”

For more information, visit www.readygolf.co

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2021

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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[20] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

T

he global pandemic put a spanner in the works for a lot of people, but what has the last year or so been like for you? The last year or so has obviously been very hard for a lot of people, so I’m not going to sit here and pretend that not being able to play golf for a few months was a huge hardship, but it’s not been easy, especially for those just starting out in the professional game. From purely a performance point of view, it was difficult to get any momentum going last year with the stop-start nature to the season and the lack of events. Our schedule had just started out in Australia when the pandemic hit back in early March last year, so we came back from that and had no tournaments until June, when the Rose Ladies Series was launched, and then events began to trickle back in the autumn and then we ended the season quite strongly.

The Rose Series was a real bonus for UK-based tour players last summer. How pleased were you that those tournaments went ahead and has returned again this year?

It really was a godsend for all of us British players on the Ladies European Tour, and I don’t know how I would have coped without those events.

After months with very little to do, it gave me a renewed purpose, firstly to get up in the morning to practice, and then to actually play in them was amazing.

It worked out really well for me, based in Sunningdale, as many of the courses were pretty near to where I live, so I didn’t have to travel too far and I knew most of the venues. It was also great to play at some fantastic courses, including Royal St Georges, as we don’t get to play many links, so that was a fantastic experience and kind of took me back to my amateur days when we played more links courses. I’m now back playing in the second season of the Rose Series, and it’s amazing that Justin and his wife Kate and all the other sponsors have made that happen again.

“I’m probably not the stereotypical image of a professional woman golfer” Golf News Editor Nick Bayly catches up with Ladies European Tour player Annabel Dimmock, who has just started her sixth season on the professional circuit. In a wide and varied conversation, the 24-year-old from Sunningdale talks about life on tour and in lockdown, the growth of the women’s game, and her personal ambitions to get more girls playing

How did you find playing and staying in tournament bubbles?

Travelling abroad, getting tested all the time, and playing in tournament bubbles is a very odd experience, and not everyone is comfortable in that situation. I certainly found it tough. At some events you weren’t allowed to leave your hotel room between rounds, and had to have meals in your room, so it wasn’t ideal, although we were obviously pleased to be playing again. I really missed being able to socialise with my friends on tour and sometimes I felt a bit like a caged animal!

It’s obviously quite early to tell how 2021 will pan out in terms of the pandemic, but on paper the LET schedule looks quite strong, especially towards the latter part of the season. It’s been a slow start, but things start to get going about now, and then it really picks up towards the end of the year – by which time the pandemic will hopefully be under control and the vaccines will have been fully rolled out – although nothing is certain.

It was such as shame that so much of the LET’s 2020 season was written off, as at the beginning of the year the schedule was looking strong for the first time in many years. The LET has gone through its well-publicised struggles, but hopefully it can get back on track this year. I was hoping to go somewhere warm in January and February to tune up for the new season, but the third lockdown put paid to that, so it was back to practicing at home and trying to keep fit until golf courses re-opened in March and gyms came back in April.

What is your practice set up at home?

In the first lockdown, in March and April last year, I was staying at a friend’s house in a bubble, and he had an artificial putting green and a proper practice net in the garden, so I was able to do a

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2021

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

fair amount of golf-specific work.

Ironically, with all that time on my hands I was able to do some really good work on my swing and I came out of it feeling in a good place with my game. I was able to groove in some of the swing changes that I might not have had the chance to do if I had been competing, and it showed up in my results in the Rose Series. I also read a lot of stuff about the mental part of the game, and that is something I wouldn’t have had much time to think about during a normal season.

I think the lockdowns gave a lot of players the opportunity to work on some of the things that they might have been putting off, so it was pretty competitive when tournament golf started back again. As soon as we were allowed back to golf courses again in May, I was straight back to the range at Wentworth, where I’m attached, and then again in December. The first three months of this year were pretty hard, but hopefully we won’t have to go back to any more lockdowns.

How did you first get into golf?

My dad played golf, not to any great standard, but he took me to the range with my sister when I was a kid and I kind of enjoyed it from the start. I competed in the HSBC Wee Wonders and US Kids Golf competitions, and then, when I was 14, I was awarded a place on the Wentworth Scholarship Programme. The club has been very supportive throughout my career. I had access to all the superb practice facilities and obviously the three great courses there, so I was, and continue to be, very lucky to use them.

I didn’t much enjoy studying at school – the only subject I was ever on time for was PE - so I left school at 16 and played golf full-time for year while I weighed up my options of either going to college in America, as a lot of English girls do, or whether to turn professional and see how I got on in the UK. I decided not to go to America and turned pro in 2015 and don’t regret that decision for a minute.

You won your first LET event at the Jabra Ladies Open in 2019. I’m guessing the next goal is to win again?

Most definitely, it’s been a goal ever since I turned pro, and although I’ve had some ups and downs, and a few near misses, I knew that I would get over the line eventually. It would obviously be great to win again, but I really want to improve my performances in the Majors too. Winning is great, don’t get me wrong, but professional golf is about turning in consistent performances, and playing well in the big events against the world’s best players.

A lot of top European players have gone over to the States now. Is that your ultimate goal?

Yes, it is. I actually won a card for the Symetra Tour – which is one below the LPGA Tour – but I decided that I wouldn’t go over to America unless I had my full LPGA Tour card. I was due to go over for qualifying school at the end of last season, but it got cancelled because of the pandemic. Everyone has kept their cards from 2020, so there is no promotion or relegation, but I’ll definitely give it another go this year.

Can you talk me through the current equipment set up in your bag?

I’m a TaylorMade staff player now and have their equipment through the bag. Having their performance centre at Wentworth has been great if I need to make any changes to my set ups. I’ve just changed my irons to the P770s – they are the most gorgeous irons I’ve ever seen. I’ve got the new

■ ANNABEL IS LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING A FULL SCHEDULE ON THE LET THIS SEASON BEFORE HAVING A TILT AT EARNING AN LPGA TOUR CARD

SIM2 driver in the bag, which carries about 240250 yards – that added about seven yards to my driving distance over the previous SIM driver, which doesn’t sound much, but has made a big difference. I’m one of the longer hitters on tour, so as long as I’m hitting it straight I can be more aggressive when it comes tackling pins. I’ve also got TaylorMade’s Milled Grind wedges, a Spider putter and I’m using the latest version of the TP5x ball.

GOLF CLUBS NEEDS TO BE LESS STUFFY AND MORE WELCOMING, AND BECOME MORE OF A PART OF THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY

You’re also sponsored by adidas, which is always looking to push the boundaries when it comes to performance golf wear. What do you feel most comfortable playing in?

I have such a good relationship with adidas, they’re definitely one of the more forwardthinking brands. They really understand my style and listen to what I like. I always like everything they make, it’s so sporty and modern and just my kind of thing. I love that they’re eco-friendly and making clothes out of recycled plastics as well.

Tyrrell Hatton caused a bit of stir when he wore an adidas hoodie at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last year. What did you think of the reaction to that?

I thought he looked really cool. It obviously didn’t affect his swing, and it looked comfortable, so why not? It won’t go down well at every club, but people need to move with the times.

I turn up at the range and the golf course in so many different things. They’re used to me now at Wentworth, so they’re not shocked. The thing is, we play golf to have fun and I think sometimes people forget that. Of course, you shouldn’t turn up looking scruffy, but there should be no issue with people being fashionable.

We are starting to see more and more golfers who dress really well. Danielle Kang is so cool and she wears adidas like I do.

Michelle Wie wears such edgy outfits and stuff that some people might be afraid to wear – like all the high-top shoes and matching socks. It stands out and she really makes a statement.

What do you think golf needs to do to get more women playing the game?

Golf needs to change its image, be less stuffy and more welcoming. It’s got so much going for it as a sport, in that it’s really

WHAT’S IN ANNABEL’S BAG? DRIVER TAYLORMADE SIM2 MAX (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TAYLORMADE SIM2 3 (15°), SIM2 5 (19°) IRONS: TAYLORMADE P770 (4-PW) WEDGES: TAYLORMADE MG2 (50°, 54°. 58°) PUTTER: TAYLORMADE SPIDER EX SINGLE BEND BALL: TAYLORMADE TP5X

good for physical and mental health, as has been shown during the pandemic.

Golf is also a brilliant way to socialise with your friends, so the industry needs to get this message out there and get more people trying the game – I think concepts such as TopGolf and Putt Shack are great. When I was younger I don’t think I told many people I played golf because it just wasn’t deemed to be a cool thing to do. But now I’m older I’m really proud of being a golfer. I love being able to walk into a room and tell people what I do. Some people can be really taken aback by it when they first meet me. They’re like “you play golf?” I like it and I know I’m probably not the stereotypical image of a professional golfer.

Golf clubs can be a little intimidating to walk into, and I feel they could be more of a part of the local community, for somewhere that people might want to go and meet for coffee or do a yoga class. More clubs could offer family memberships, like Wentworth do.

There’s been a growth in mixed events on tour, have you played in any and, if so, what was the experience like?

Yes, I played in The Vic Open last year, a joint event between the European Tour and the Ladies European Tour, which was great. I was due to play in The Mixed Sweden Open, which was going to be hosted by Annika Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson, but that unfortunately got cancelled due to the pandemic. I really enjoy teeing it up against the men, it’s good fun and they are usually surprised how far women hit the ball.

Overall, I am excited for women’s professional golf and how it is growing, I am looking forward to seeing if we can get to a point where there is equal pay for men and women, like there is in tennis. Even if we could get to a place where there are an equal number of tournaments would be a start.

[22] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

ONWARD CHRISTIAAN SOLDIERS Following in the footsteps of a long line of world class South African golfers, Christiaan Bezuidenhout is quietly carving out a successful career of his own after overcoming a childhood trauma that left his young life hanging in the balance

C

hristiaan Bezuidenhout, who is currently ranked the 40th best golfer in the world, has no memory of the childhood incident that changed his life, which is entirely understandable given that he was just 16 months old at the time.

While out on a shopping trip with his parents at a hardware store in Delmas, a small town in Mpumalanga in his native South Africa, baby Christiaan – who had started walking before his first birthday – darted off down a different aisle in search of adventure.

He was gone for not much longer than ten seconds when his parents turned around to see he had disappeared. They went looking, turned a corner, and saw Christiaan lying on the floor, barely conscious, and with a blue foam frothing from his mouth. Christiaan’s father, Conrad, knew immediately that his son had swallowed rat poison. It had been sitting on a low shelf in a Coke bottle that Christiaan had taken a sip from.

They immediately rushed Christiaan to the nearest hospital 20 miles away where his stomach was pumped to try and get rid of the damaging substance. He remained in intensive care for 12 days, and doctors said that they were only able to save his life thanks to a mixture of quick treatment and a large slice of luck.

The accident was to have a profound impact on Christiaan’s life, causing a series of medical and psychological complications that still continue to affect him to this day. The most notable one surfaced when Christiaan was nine or ten years old, when he began having trouble with his speech at school. Typically, he’d be in the classroom trying to respond to a teacher’s question. The answer would be on the tip of his tongue, but no words would come out. Sometimes he’d begin to stutter, other times he was just mute. Classmates laughed and teachers didn’t know what to make of it.

“It was only midway through primary school when I started to have more awareness of the stuttering,” Christiaan recalls.

“A teacher would ask my name or where I was from and I would go blank. It felt like something inside was grabbing my throat and words couldn’t get out. Not being able to speak is a weird feeling. A good few times people made fun of it, thought it all was funny. It wasn’t smooth sailing.”

Although he went to see various speech therapists and took regular medication, but no-one seemed to be able get to the bottom of what was causing his stutter, and in the end he

simply decided to just get on with his life.

Being a shy teenager with a speech impediment led Christiaan to retreat in on himself. “I was pretty much a loner growing up, most of the time I was just doing my own thing every day,” he recalls.

But then golf came to his rescue. “I grew up in a golfing family and was introduced to the game as soon as I was able to walk. Growing up, the main reason I liked golf so much was because it is an individual sport and I was on my own most of the time. I practised on my own, and I took myself away from people and places with people there. Golf was like an escape from my circumstances.”

After endless hours of practice, Bezuidenhout soon caught the attention at regional and national level, and he gained a place in Ernie Els’s academy and became as good as any boy of his age in South Africa. Rising up the amateur ranks, aged 20 he took part in the 2014 Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush, which proved another big turning point in his golfing ambitions.

He was routinely drug tested while competing at the tournament and two months later the news came that he’d tested positive for prescribed beta blockers. He was 20 and had no idea that beta blockers contained a banned substance. For five years he’d taken it and no-one at the South African Golf Association or anywhere else had spoken about anti-doping.

He was initially handed a two-year ban from all golfing activities, which was subsequently slashed to nine months on

the basis it was not performance enhancing, but the incident still left its mark.

Under the terms of his ban, Bezuidenhout could not go to a golf club or even the practice facility at a club, so during his suspension he would leave the house at 7.30am with his bag of balls and go to the rugby fields at his old school and hit balls all day. He did that for seven days a week for seven months.

“After the ban, I actually just accepted it,” Bezuidenhout recalls. “I said: ‘This is who I am and if you don’t like it then so be it. But this is me.’ There was quite a lot of negativity and people talking about me taking medication to get an advantage or improve my game. I was determined to show those people that I can play well without that. I took those nine months and worked really hard then came back stronger.”

At his first tournament back from the ban he played an event on the satellite Big Easy Tour in South Africa. An amateur against pros, he won it by seven shots. He turned pro that same year, and after several seasons on the Sunshine Tour and the Challenge Tour he earned his promotion the European Tour in 2018. Taking time to find his feet, he kept his card that year, squeaking under the cut mark at 105th in the money list.

The following season his breakthrough victory came at the 2019 Andalucia Masters, where he held off Jon Rahm in the final round to win by six shots. Last year he achieved the rare feat of winning back-to-back events, the Alfred Dunhill Championship and South African Open and his status as one of the game’s up-and-coming stars was confirmed. “It’s any South African golfer’s dream to win a national tournament.

It was unreal to win two events on the bounce in my home country. It was an incredible few weeks,” he recalls.

Three victories saw him finish seventh in the 2020 Race to Dubai money list and saw his world ranking surge to a career high 36th, which led to a coveted invitation to the rescheduled Masters last November.

“To have had that call from Augusta was a really big bonus and something positive,” says Bezuidenhout. “Going into 2020, I was ranked 92nd in the world, so the Masters wasn’t really in my mind. I was thinking about being in the top 50 by the end of the year in order to qualify for next year’s Masters, but I kind of fast tracked myself and ended up paying in two Masters in the space of six months.”

Like many Masters debutants, Bezuidenhout struggled to make much of an impact on his first visit to Augusta, with the unusually slow pace of the greens proving a particular challenge, however he still comfortably made the cut after opening rounds of 69 and 73, and finished a very creditable 38th. “My short game is usually my strength, but I had expected the greens to be faster and just couldn’t get the ball to the hole in the slower conditions,” he says.

Coming back just five months later, the young South African enjoyed the firmer, faster conditions that presented the players in April, but ended up finishing tied 40th. “I was much happier with the conditions in April. I knew that if I missed a green, I could get up and down most times where other guys were making bogey. I felt that my game is on a level where I can compete here and give myself a good chance at having a really good finish.”

Blessed with a decent power game and a good touch around the greens, Bezuidenhout can contemplate an exciting future, which currently looks like being mainly based in America given his high world ranking and a schedule that now includes WGC events and major championships.

The pandemic put paid to his hopes of gaining a PGA Tour card last season, but with his world ranking, he gets more than his fair share of invites, and a card looks assured for 2022.

“I saw it as a time to rebuild and give myself another shot at it. My coach and I decided to make a few changes in my swing so I could be ready for 2021. The way I’m playing now I can definitely see myself in the top 30 in the world in the next year.”

WHAT’S IN BEZUIDENHOUT’S BAG? DRIVER: CALLAWAY EPIC SPEED (8.5°) FAIRWAY WOOD: CALLAWAY EPIC FLASH SUB ZERO (15°) HYBRID: CALLAWAY MAVRIK PRO (19°) IRONS: CALLAWAY X FORGED ’18 (4-PW) WEDGES: CALLAWAY MACK DADDY FORGED WEDGES (50°, 54°, 60°) PUTTER: ODYSSEY WORKS BIG T #5 BALL: TITLEIST PRO V1

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

THE SOCIETY MASTERS Registered charity Get Golfing is transforming the golfing experience for members and visitors alike at its collection of seven popular clubs in the South of England, all of which have benefitted from significant investment in recent months

S

et up three years ago by former England amateur Edward Richardson, Get Golfing is a charity that aims to encourage greater participation in golf and deliver a positive impact on the physical and mental health of those who play. It also brings much-needed operational discipline to previously struggling clubs to reverse the worrying trend of course closures and invests in the golf courses, clubhouses, catering operations and staff to ensure that they not only offer the best possible experience for members and guests, but also create a sustainable, long-term future for all the clubs in its growing portfolio.

Richardson says, “I have personally benefited so much from golf. I have travelled the world working within the industry and playing the game. I have met some amazing people and had so many amazing experiences. It’s a game that has so much to offer anyone of any standard. The health benefits are obvious, but the opportunity to meet new people from different walks of life and the friendships that come from the game are immense. The idea was that members and visitors could enjoy excellent facilities and be served by staff with a proactive, can-do attitude. The vision was to encourage friendship and positive experiences and avoid stifling people with arcane rules.”

Richardson, who has a degree in Turfgrass Management, is also fanatical about course conditioning: “Get Golfing’s number one objective is to ensure that golfers play a course in the best shape possible. Our philosophy is to make sure we invest properly in the staff and machinery, so that they have the tools to deliver. The course always comes first!”

Flexible membership Get Golfing offers a range of membership options at all of its clubs, including a points-based Flexible Membership category for golfers who do not want to commit to full membership of a club. Flexible members can choose between Gold and Silver options, which include 10% discount on food, drink and in the online pro-shop, 14 days advance booking and free group golf lessons with PGA professionals. They also get a referral member bonus when they introduce a

friend to membership at the club. Just like a full member they get a club handicap and can play in club competitions (affiliation fee to England Golf is required). Points are deducted based on the day, time and holes played and expire after 12 months.

GOLF SOCIETIES In addition to serving members and visitors, Get Golfing is passionate about supporting friendly. competitive golf. All of its sites are specialists when it comes to organising golf days, whether a regular society, a corporate day or a fund-raising charity event. Each club provides a dedicated host to make sure the organiser is fully supported all the way through the event. This includes organising welcome goody bags to all visitors and support for larger groups with prizes.

And, as a way of saying thank you, each Get Golfing site invites its golf day organisers (and a friend) to play in its Society Masters Day. Organising a society day at any golf club is often a complex headache of late pull-outs, payment chasing and trying to agree dates with participants and clubs. That work deserves recognition, so Get Golfing invites the organiser of any society that has booked a day with us in the past 12 months – plus a friend – to a grand day’s competitive golf at the relevant club.

The complimentary day not only includes food and golf, but also a goody bag and the chance to win some amazing prizes. In addition, the winners on the day receive an all-expenses-paid trip, including, travel, accommodation and golf, to play in our Society Masters Grand Final in October.

This is held at Le Touquet Golf Resort, which offers three courses ranging from pure fun to a thrilling challenge, including France’s No. 1 links, La Mer. Entries are limited to 36 teams (72 players) per venue and priority is given to those societies with the largest number of golfers in their party.

To learn more and enquire about booking a day at a Get Golfing venue, please go to www.thesocietymasters.co.uk.

For more details or visit www.getgolfing.org

REDLIBBETS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB www.redlibbets.com; Golf Manager Albert Sinfield (albert@redlibbets.com); Tel: 01474 879190; Address: Redlibbets Golf and Country Club, Manor Lane, Ash, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7HT Get Golfing’s story began with its takeover in 2018 of Redlibbets. Since taking over the course has been completely renovated and now has an excellent reputation (TripAdvisor 4.5/5). It is an 18-hole, par-72 course where risk and reward play a significant role in how you score. The large clubhouse features a spacious balcony overlooking the course and is loved as a suntrap. Get Golfing has massively improved the condition of the course and recently renovated the clubhouse to offer all visitors a wonderful day’s golf.

FEATURE | JUNE 2021 [25] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

ARKLEY GOLF CLUB

THE CLUB AT MILL GREEN

https://arkleygolfclub.co.uk/; Golf Manager Ollie Young (membership@arkleygolfclub.co.uk) Tel: 020 8449 0394; Address: Rowley Green Rd, Barnet EN5 3H

www.millgreengolf.co.uk; Golf Manager Gary Walsh (gary@ millgreengolf.co.uk); Tel: 01707 276 900; Address: Mill Green Golf Club, Gypsy Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4TY

A must for fans of golf history — it's a James Braid course with Harry Colt additions — Arkley is a fun day out for Society golfers and anyone looking for a proper golfing challenge.

A 6,032-yard, par-69, 9-hole course that features tight, tree-lined, undulating fairways and fast sloping greens. Eighteen distinct tee complexes provide variations in lines and approaches across the course, creating a markedly different front and back nine.

Nestled between Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City, Mill Green is a fabulous 27-hole facility. The Peter Alliss designed 18-hole main course measures 6,500 yards and features an excellent mix of woodland, parkland and lakeland holes that will interest golfers of all abilities. Get Golfing has recently invested in a major bunker renovation programme that has seen some relocated and all brought up to a high standard. The clubhouse has also been renovated to offer a delightful space to relax before and after golf.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE GOLF CLUB

WARLEY PARK GOLF CLUB

www.hamptoncourtgolf.co.uk; Golf Manager David Harris (david@ hamptoncourtgolf.co.uk); Tel: 0208 977 2423; Address: Hampton Court Palace GC, Home Park, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 4AD

www.warleypark.co.uk; Golf Manager Paul Fileman (Paul@warleypark. co.uk); Tel: 01277 224891; Address: Warley Park Golf Club, Magpie Lane, Little Warley, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 3DX

Set in the beautiful Royal Park and inhabited by Her Majesty’s deer, Hampton Court Palace GC has benefitted from a major renovation of its clubhouse and course. Designed by the famed architect Willie Park Jnr, the course has recently seen major improvements to the drainage of its greens and is being fitted with a high-spec irrigation system to further improve its fairways and approaches. It also boasts the largest grass range in the London area and two large practice putting greens.

With 27 holes cutting through numerous lakes and mature trees on a naturally free-draining site less than 10 minutes from the Dartford river crossing, the stunning views across the Thames estuary provide a perfect backdrop for a day’s golf. Get Golfing has transformed the maintenance of the courses, with new machinery and extra staff to turn it into one of the best sites in the area. The clubhouse has recently benefitted from a major refurbishment programme and offers great views across the course and beyond.

PYRFORD LAKES

SHERFIELD OAKS GOLF CLUB

www.pyrfordgolf.co.uk; Golf Manager Dan Lucking (Dan@pyrfordgolf.co.uk); Tel: 01483 723 555; Address: Pyrford Lakes Golf Club, Warren Lane, Pyrford, Woking, Surrey, GU22 8XR

www.sherfieldoaksgolf.co.uk; Golf Manager Luke Welham (luke@ sherfieldoaksgolf.co.uk); Tel: 01256 884 100; Address: Sherfield Oaks Golf Club, Wildmoor Lane, Sherfield on Loddon, Hook, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG27 0HB

Recently renamed to reflect the 23 acres of lakes that characterise the course, Pyrford Lakes is an Alliss & Clark design that could easily be mistaken for a links course by the sea. Get Golfing has been busy restoring the bunkers and lake banks to their former glory and has further added to the challenge by turning a huge waste bunker into a lake at the par-3 6th hole. Less than five minutes from the A3/M25, its rolling landscape and sleepy setting make it one for the discerning golfer’s bucket list.

With two 18-hole courses to choose from, Sherfield Oaks is a terrific venue for any society or visiting golfer. Both courses feature gently rolling parkland and challenge both the experienced golfer and beginners. Get Golfing has invested significantly to bring the courses up to scratch and has transformed the clubhouse into a high-quality setting for a post-round drink and meal. It also boasts a superb range of practice facilites.

[26] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

STORY BEHIND THE PIC ELY CALLAWAY AND THE CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA DRIVER • 1991

E

very golfer who has ever failed to find the centre of the clubface on a regular basis should say a small prayer to Ely Callaway and Richard Helmstetter, the men behind the creation of the Big Bertha driver, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2021.

Callaway was a textile magnate whose passion for golf developed from an enjoyable hobby into the creation one of the most successful golf businesses the world has ever seen. Helmstetter was a former billiard cue maker who had a knack for industrial design. Together they made history.

It’s hard to believe that three decades has elapsed since this space-age looking piece of metal was first launched upon an unsuspecting golfing public.

Named after the World War I German howitzer gun that was capable of launching a 3,000lb shell over 30 miles behind enemy lines, the Big Bertha arrived in our pro shops in 1991 like some alien craft. It not only looked like something out of this world, all steel and shiny, but also performed like it too, offering the promise of something previously unavailable to the modern golfer: forgiveness – otherwise known as the opportunity to hit a bad one and still get away with it.

The Big Bertha helped instil confidence into a generation of golfers who had never known what it felt like to stand on a tee and not be scared out of their wits. Up until then, golfers had been relying on delivering a miniscule sliver of wood to the ball in the vane hope that some part of the gnarled, screw-filled face would make contact with a scrap of balata. But all that changed with the arrival of the Big Bertha.

Although not big by modern standards – its head volume was a piffling 190cc, compared to the 460cc beasts that are around today – the ground-

THE BIG BERTHA HELPED INSTIL CONFIDENCE INTO A GENERATION OF GOLFERS WHO HAD NEVER KNOWN WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO STAND ON A TEE AND NOT FEEL A BIT SCARED

■ ELY CALLAWAY IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE MAN BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE MODERN DRIVER

breaking physics of its perimeter-weighted, thinface construction made it a cinch to hit the ball long distances, even from the extreme edges of the clubface.

Its simple, lightweight, sleek design proved an instant hit with tour pros and club players alike, designed as it was, to put the maximum amount of force onto a golf ball, while still maintaining control and accuracy.

These players became the large and loyal customer base that Callaway had been longing for, and gave the company the opportunity to develop Big Bertha into the ‘brand within the brand’ that still exists today.

Subsequent driver launches included Great Big Bertha, Biggest Big Bertha, Great Big Bertha II, Big Bertha C4, Big Bertha 454, and the current range of Big Bertha B21 drivers. The company also launched Big Bertha irons in 1994, and they remain very much in line-up today courtesy of the Big Bertha B21 irons.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Ely Callaway’s death in 2001. No doubt he’ll be watching down over the celebrations for Big Bertha’s 30th birthday party with a mixture of pride and wonder.

COMPETITION INTERVIEW | JUNE 2021

[27]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

BUSHNELL PHANTOM 2 GPS The feature-packed Phantom 2 is one of most compact yet powerful Golf GPS devices on the market. Small enough to slip in your pocket, clip onto a belt, or lock onto your golf trolley or buggy with its built-in magnet, the Phantom 2 comes preloaded with more than 38,000 course and offers GreenView distances with movable pin placements for even more accurate distances to the flag and Dynamic Green Mapping, which provides front/centre/back distance measurements no matter which direction the golfer approaches the green.

The easy-to-read screen, which offers 40% bigger text than the previous model, also provides up to six hazard/ layup distances per hole, ensuring you have all the information you need at your fingertips to hit every shot with confidence. Phantom 2 also integrates the Bushnell Golf Mobile App, which provide all course updates so that you know you’re playing the very latest course set up.

Offered in a choice of black, neon orange, bright royal blue and grey camo, and priced at just £139, the Phantom 2 is a vital tool in every golfer’s armoury.

BUSHNELL GOLF RANGEFINDER AND GPS DEVICES TO BE WON! By answering the question below correctly, you can have a chance of winning either Bushnell’s all-new Tour V5 Shift laser rangefinder worth £359, or one of two of the brand’s new Phantom 2 GPS units, each worth £139 BUSHNELL TOUR V5 SHIFT RANGEFINDER The Tour V5 Shift laser rangefinder is used by many of the world’s top professional players and caddies when preparing for tournaments and boasts a host of industry-leading technologies to help you nail down distances to flags, bunkers, hazards and other points of interest on the golf course.

The latest model offers a range of game-changing features, including ‘PinSeeker with Visual JOLT’ technology, which displays a flashing red ring on the screen as the handset vibrates to let you know when you’ve locked onto the flag.

Offering six-times magnification, the V5 Shift can pick out a flag from

400 yards and can measure distances up to 1,500 yards. The screen is twice as bright as previous models to make it easy to view in gloomy conditions, while the V5 Shift takes the change of elevation into consideration when the engaged into that mode, enabling you to club up or down to suit the change in height to your target.

The unit, which is designed to fit comfortably and securely in your hand, also boasts a powerful built-in magnetic mount, which enables the unit to be attached securely to a golf buggy or other metallic surface when not in use.

TOUR V5 SHIFT FEATURES • New, improved slope algorithm • Slope-Switch Technology • PinSeeker with Visual JOLT Technology • Built-in BITE Magnetic Cart Mount • Accurate to within one yard • 5-1,300-yard range performance (400+ yards to a flag) • 6x magnification • Bright, clear optics • Fast Focus System • Rain proof • Premium carry case and threevolt battery included • Two-year warranty

Phantom 2 features • Front/ Centre/Back distances • Green view with moveable pin placement • Dynamic Green Mapping • BITE Magnetic cart mount • New BITE cradle – clips to bag or belt • Up to 6 hazards per hole • 38,000 preloaded courses • Auto-course recognition • Auto-hole advance • Shot distance calculator • 18+ hour battery • FREE Bushnell Golf mobile App included • Colours: Black, Neon Orange, Bright Royal Blue and Grey Camo

n QUESTION

FROM WHAT DISTANCE CAN THE BUSHNELL V5 SHIFT RANGEFINDER PICK OUT A FLAG? A) 300 YARDS B) 350 YARDS C) 400 YARDS

TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning the V Shift rangefinder or the Phantom 2 GPS unit, simply answer the question above and email it info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Bushnell Competition’ in the subject line. Please include your name, email address, contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News, or if you read it online. The closing date for entries is July 15, 2021.

For more information on the extensive range of distance measuring devices available from Bushnell Golf, visit www.bushnellgolf.com

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[28] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

A CHAMPION FOR THE AGES Fifty-year-old Phil Mickelson reveals how he defied his age, and his recent form, to secure a record-breaking victory at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island

Your career will be remembered for a lot of achievements, but one them is currently being the oldest player to win a Major championship. What does that mean to you?

It’s certainly something I’ll cherish for as long as hold that honour. I don’t know how to describe the feeling of fulfilment in achieving something of this magnitude when very few people thought that I could. But the people I know believed in me – my wife, Amy; my brother Tim; and my coach, Andrew [Getson]. Those are the people that continued to inspire me to get the best out of myself.

I’ve believed for a long time that I could play at this level again. I didn’t see why I couldn’t, but I wasn’t executing the way I believed I could, and with the help of a lot of people that I’ve just mentioned, I’ve been able to make progress and win another Major championship.

tournament I ever win, but it’s also possible that I may have had a little bit of a breakthrough and I might be able to go on a little bit of a run, I don’t know. But the point is that there’s no reason why I, or anybody else, can’t perform at a later age. It just takes a little bit more work.

Is age just a number to you, then?

It is, in many ways. Today’s 50, for a lot of people, isn’t what 50 felt 20 or 30 years ago.

People stay active for longer, eat better things, exercise more and try to stay in shape. That’s what I’ve tried to do, to a certain extent.

I’ve just had to work harder physically to be able to practice as long as I wanted to, and I’ve had to work a lot harder to be able to maintain focus throughout a round. That’s been the biggest challenge of late. My desire to play is the same. I’ve always been intrinsically motivated because I love to compete, I love playing the game. I love having opportunities to play against the best at the highest level.

That’s what drives me, and the belief that I could still do it inspired me to work harder. I just didn’t see why it couldn’t be done. It just took a little bit more effort.

WHAT’S IN PHIL MICKELSON’S BAG? DRIVER: CALLAWAY EPIC SPEED TRIPLE DIAMOND (6°)

You looked very calm and focused out on the golf course at Kiawah. Is that something you’ve been working on?

Yes, it’s very exciting because I’ve had a few breakthroughs on being able to stay more present, being able to stay more focused, and physically, I’m striking it and playing as well as I ever have, so having those things come together has really made the difference.

It’s very possible that this is the last

FAIRWAY WOODS: CALLAWAY MAVRIK SUB ZERO 4-WOOD (16.5°) UTILITY: CALLAWAY X21 UT PROTO (20.5°, 25°) IRONS: CALLAWAY APEX MB ’21 (6-PW) WEDGES: CALLAWAY PM GRIND ’19 RAW (50°, 55°, 60°) PUTTER: ODYSSEY MILLED BLADE PM BALL: CALLAWAY CHROME SOFT X TRIPLE TRACK

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2021 [29] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GOING THE EXTRA DISTANCE Phil Mickelson has left no stone unturned in his search for further success, and that extends to his golf equipment, which he finetuned ahead of his PGA Championship victory. We talk to Callaway Golf's R&D performance analyst Gerritt Pon about working with Mickelson and how certain clubs make it into his bag

How has Phil managed to keep his distance up as he has got older?

Phil has been pursuing distance through the combination of speed, launch and spin while trying to get a head that doesn’t feel like he has to flip at it to hit it straight (i.e. he doesn’t want to feel like he making a hook swing to see the ball go straight). He has taken ownership of the speed mostly through his commitment to fitness and training for speed, as well as employing physics (longer shaft, lighter head, less loft). This process started with the Epic Flash line and has been evolving ever since.

]You mentioned your swing coach, Andrew

Getson, as one of the reasons why you’ve been able to get your game back in shape and compete as long as you have. In what ways has he helped you?

Andrew is just a tremendous instructor because of his ability to simplify things. He has helped get my swing on plane from parallel to the ground. Obviously, I have a long swing, but rather than try to change that when it’s halfway down, it’s on a track and he helped me get there and develop and refine my feel and touch and simplify it.

His guidance has been invaluable in getting me back to playing at the highest level because I was striking it very poorly when we started working together years ago. He’s really helped me get my ball striking back and focusing a little bit better. I’m starting to see the results now, but he has been getting my swing there for some time now.

I LOVE HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY AGAINST THE BEST AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. THAT'S WHAT HAS INSPIRED ME TO WORK HARDER And your brother, Tim, how important is he to have on the bag?

I’ll give you an example of how Tim is able to get the best out of me and what makes him a great caddie. Today I’m walking off the 6th green after I had made some uncommitted swings over the first six holes, and he pulled me aside and said, “If you’re going to win this thing, you’re going to have to make committed golf swings.”

He was spot on. I had to swing committed, and the first proper, committed swing I made was the drive on 7, which gave me a chance to get down by the green and make birdie. From there on, I hit a lot of really good shots because I was committed to each one – and for that I have Tim to thank.

When you holed out from the bunker on 5, did you allow yourself to think that it might be going to be your day?

It was certainty a momentum builder, that’s for sure, but it was also a little bit early in the round

to start getting ahead of myself. My aim on that shot was to simply to get up and down, as I just didn’t want to throw away another shot. So, it was bonus that it went in, and it helped me get my round back on track, but I didn’t see as it some apocryphal moment.

Can you describe the scene on 18 when you got swallowed up by the crowd?

It was an incredible experience. I’ve never had something like that happen to me. It was a little bit unnerving, but it was exceptionally awesome, too. So that was kind of a special moment. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the way that people supported me during the entire tournament.

What sort of momentum does this give you going into the US Open and The Open?

I’ve believed for some time now that I could play at my best and compete in major championships, but until this week I haven’t proven it to myself or anyone else. But I do believe that I believe that if I stay sharp mentally, I can play well at Torrey Pines. I’ll take two weeks off before that and go out to Torrey and spend time on the greens and really try to be sharp for that week, because I know that I’m playing well. This could very well be my last really good opportunity to win a US Open, so I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.

When you watched Greg Norman and Tom Watson have opportunities to win the Open Championship in their 50s, did anything in the back of your mind think that, yeah, you know what, it will be normal competing for major championships when I get to that age?

I didn’t see why not. I thought Tom Watson’s performance at The Open in 2009 was one of the greatest sporting performances of all time. It’s inspiring to see people do things like that, and it certainly inspired me. And I hope that what I’ve managed to do here inspires others to go on to achieve things in whatever part of their lives.

There’s no reason why you can’t accomplish your goals at an older age. It just takes a little more work.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve had to give up or miss out on in recent years in order to be able to compete at this level?

Food! Yeah, I’ve got to eat a lot less and I’ve got to eat better. I just can’t eat as much, and I have to let my body kind of recover. But it’s also been a blessing for me because I feel better and I don’t have inflammation and I wake up feeling good. It’s been a sacrifice worth making.

How did the idea of going to a longer driver shaft start?

Phil called me up and asked about switching to a 47.5-inch shaft just before his Champions Tour debut in August last year. That worked well for him, and he felt that switching to 48 inches could be even better.

And that’s where we’re at now. Because of the shift in the set up, he had to change the 3-wood to a 2-wood – essentially a second driver that can hit the occasional off-the-deck shot and be more accurate. He also had to add a strong 4-wood, which almost works like a 3-wood, but is more versatile from the rough. We had to add ¼-inch to the 4-iron shaft and strengthen the loft half-a-degree to hit a gapping target.

Was switching to Callaway’s Chrome Soft LS ball a consideration?

Phil loves to try any new gear we create, so I know he did try the LS but ultimately the Chrome Soft X is a ball that holds this whole package together. The versatility of that ball, with its speed and spin platform, gives Phil an all-in-one ball that leaves zero on the table.

The new Chrome Soft has been vital to this whole process, especially when we got him dialled into the Epic Speed. The draws stay in the air at an optimal spin rate (1,900-1,950rpm) and the fade spin stays around 2,300-2,400rpm. That is incredibly efficient at 175mph+ ball speed.

Keep in mind this ball also gives a ton of versatility from 180 yards and in. Phil is a player that likes to play with spin and to have a ball that launches like that off the driver and still gives him what he needs around the greens is phenomenal.

Chrome Soft’s Triple Track technology is something that Phil relies on for the long game more than anything, can you give us some insight as to how he utilises it exactly?

Phil will use Triple Track to line up off the tee in many cases, at the speed he goes at it, alignment is obviously key. Having those three lines creating a track to his target leaves little doubt.

Phil has interesting gapping in the middle of his bag, especially with his utility clubs. Can you explain what adjustments he makes to the X21 UT 19° and 25° to fit his gapping? Why not use a 22°?

The 19° utility is lofted weak a little bit to become his 4-iron loft, and because he needs the 4-iron a little longer for gapping, this loft is better for swing weight than using a 22° utility iron and bending strong. And his 5-iron loft is historically a little on the strong side, so the 25° X21 UT is a natural fit.

[30] JUNE 2021 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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“His charisma lit up golf courses around the world – he was a truly special player” Leading the many tributes paid to Seve Ballesteros on the tenth anniversary of his tragically early death, former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher offers his own personal recollections of the man who changed the face of European golf and who many consider to be the greatest European golfer of all time

C

an you remember when you first met Seve and what your impressions of him were?

I first met Seve in 1974 at The French Open at Chantilly. I was drawn to play with him the first two rounds, and his older brother Manuel introduced us to each other the day before. He was 17 years old, and it was one of his first professional tournaments. He was slim and athletic with a long loose swing. He hit the ball with abandonment but completely lacked the course management skills needed to score. However, even back then, I saw plenty of potential, and I also knew his brother Manuel – who was a good swinger – would refine his swing and teach him how to score. The rest, of course, is history.

How would you summarise Seve’s impact on the Ryder Cup, and, as a captain, how did it feel to have Seve on your team?

Tony Jacklin was fortunate because, during his captaincy of the Europe Ryder Cup team, Seve was at the peak of his powers and the best player in the world. When you think back to the European team’s victory over the US at The Belfry in 1985 and Muirfield Village in 1987, Seve was instrumental in these victories and inspired the whole team. I was Tony’s vice-captain, and our feeling was Seve would play five times and win five points, so the rest of the team ‘only’ need to win 9.5 points for us to win! It was said in jest but with a hidden meaning, or double entendre.

Regarding the story that Seve persuaded you to let the team wear blue instead of green clothes on the final day of the 1995 Ryder Cup – what did this say about Seve’s mentality?

I was mostly happy to accept Seve’s advice, but Seve wanted to wear blue on the final day, so we all fell into line! That was ok, because the team – including me – didn’t think it was a big issue. This was the kind of golfer he was – he’d always look to gain some sort of advantage.

He even had his celebration from the 1984 Open tattooed on himself when he was going through a bad spell in his late 40s. He thought that if he had the tattoo, his fortunes would improve because he was very superstitious like that.

Seve took over from you as captain of the European team that retained the Ryder Cup at Valderamma in 1997. What do make of the job Seve did as captain?

The European Tour wanted to take the Ryder Cup to Spain to thank and honour Seve for his outstanding contribution to the success of the European team. The worry was that Seve would want to play all the shots for his players – he was never going to be a touchline type of captain.

There were some tense moments, especially when Colin Montgomerie had to ask him to back off and let him play his own game. But Seve was passionate, and at the end of the day, that passion neutralised his hands-on approach.

When Seve smiled, the whole world smiled with him because he had such an infectious personality.

What’s your favourite Seve moment?

There’s quite an amusing story from 1997. When Spain was nominated as the host country for the Ryder Cup, and Seve was unanimously chosen as captain, the Ryder Cup Committee still had to pick a course. This was an important decision because it would be the first time the Ryder Cup was played outside the UK, and a successful Ryder Cup couldn’t be taken for granted.

Valderrama was everyone’s choice because it was the number one course in Europe and one of the best courses in the world. The European team also played their flagship end-of-season tournament, The Volvo Masters, there for many years, so success was guaranteed.

However, Seve disagreed vehemently. He felt it should have been played at Real Novo Sancti Petri Golf Club near Cadiz. This was a new public course in a part of Spain that had never hosted a tournament, and to suggest that we’d have been taking a chance on its success would be an understatement. But Seve was adamant that the Ryder Cup should be played there.

It transpired Seve designed the course, so there was a huge personal interest there. The Ryder Cup Committee pointed out that he would lose credibility if he continued to push for his own modest course and insisted the Ryder Cup was held at Valderrama. He doesn’t know it, but we helped him not make a fool of himself!

Another standout Seve moment would have to be his

victory at the 1984 Open. That putt he holed at the 72nd hung on the edge for a second, and his celebration was an immortal moment.

What was Seve like away from the course?

Seve was always tense and on edge during a tournament due to his Latin temperament, but after the event, he was very relaxed, especially if his wife Carmen was with him. I got to know him through the Ryder Cup and when he played at the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, where I was the professional. So, I met him quite a lot, and my wife Lesley and I were friendly with Seve and Carmen.

After winning the 1991 World Match Play Championship, he asked me if he could come to my house and watch his football team, Barcelona, play on TV. Along with his Carmen and his young daughter, he spent a nice evening with my family. That’s the kind of guy he was away from the course.

No-one would ever get too close to Seve – he was his own man. It’s no secret that he was quite stubborn and difficult to get on with at times, but above all, he was very passionate about golf and desperately wanted to win. We all enjoyed his success with him.

What is Seve’s enduring legacy?

Seve will also be remembered for popularising the game in Europe – before he came along, golf wasn’t a popular sport in Spain. But he not only popularised golf in Spain, but across all of Europe, whether it was France, Germany, or Switzerland. We also shouldn’t forget that Seve had humble beginnings – his whole family were caddies – so he didn’t have the same advantages growing up as his contemporaries had. He wasn’t even allowed to play at his local golf club in Pedreña because of how exclusive it was – he learned how to play golf on the beach.

All of these examples contextualise just how impressive Seve’s achievements were. His charisma lit up courses around the world, and he was a truly special player.

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CBD SPECIAL 12-PAGE SUPPLEMENT FEATURING ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CBD DARREN CLARKE JOINS THE CBD REVOLUTION CBD PRODUCT SHOWCASE CATRIONA MATTHEW ON CBD

[34] JUNE 2021

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[36] JUNE 2021 | CBD SUPPLEMENT FEATURE GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

CBD: THE

COMPLE TE BUYER ' S GUIDE FOR GOLFERS In a sport where three-letter acronyms are as common as double bogeys on a hacker’s scorecard, the hottest compounded trifecta of letters currently doing the rounds on the golf circuit are CBD.

B

arely mentioned in dispatches as recently as two years ago, interest in CBD, which is short for cannabidiol – the extract derived from a hemp plant – has increased almost exponentially.

Over the last few years CBD has risen to popularity in both pop culture and alternative medicine circles.

It has been claimed to reduce anxiety, inflammation, sleeplessness and alleviate chronic pain. Athletes have begun using CBD to assist with muscle recovery and pain management, and the product is also said to help regulate the immune system and suppress inflammatory responses, which can both help prevent and treat injuries.

After the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its banned substance list in 2018, it wasn’t long before PGA Tour player Scott McCarron became the first professional golfer to endorse a CBD product, and since then a growing number of higher profile tour players, including Major champions Bubba Watson, Charley Hoffman and Lucas Glover, and PGA Tour winner Scott Piercy, have actively started using it.

CBD products, many targeted specifically at golfers, have flooded the market, with Major champions Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Darren Clarke being among the older generation of players that have given their ambassadorial support, and, in Norman and Clarke’s case, even their names, to entire CBD product ranges, that claim to offer a wide range of benefits previously described. Solheim Cup Catriona Matthew, who still competes on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, is another recent convert to CBD after undertaking extensive research and trialling various products.

“I must admit, I was slightly nervous until I researched it all,” said Matthew, 51, who will be reprising her Solheim Cup captain’s role in the US this autumn. “My first reaction was that it was cannabis, but it’s not. In all my conversations, I obviously had to be absolutely certain that it is an approved substance across all the medical community and golf’s governing bodies.

“I started using CBD products about six months ago and, so far, it’s been very beneficial for me. I’ve been doing a lot of fitness work lately and recovery-wise, it’s been working great for me in that respect, but there are the mental benefits, too. Anyone at the top level of sport will tell you that they do feel that anxiety and nerves in certain situations, so anything that can help alleviate those negative feelings must surely help.”

Another player who has even more reason to be thankful for the healing powers of CBD is former European Tour player Chris Bibby, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2015. After briefly playing on tour in the late 1990s, Chris went on to become a successful club teaching professional before he began to suffer severe joint pain. The illness got so bad that he was in constant pain and confined to a wheelchair.

Chris says: “It had got to a stage where was I was just in

In what forms can I take CBD? There are several ways to take CBD or hemp oil, but the majority are either through rubbing directly onto skin or through ingestion.

Oils and lotions, which take the longest to be absorbed, but have longer-lasting effects, are the easiest to start with and are known for calming skin and muscles, reducing agony. How could I teach golf if I couldn’t show people how redness and relieving pain. to do it? I look back on my darkest time when I was in an Ingesting CBD in the form of pills, sprays, droplets or electric wheelchair and just wanted to end it all.” gummies is increasingly popular, especially for those Chris was put onto the idea of taking CBD to treat people without specific skin issues or acute muscle pain. his condition by a close friend and began taking it in Edible oils can also be added to food or drinks for a December last year. Within just a few weeks he noticed simple integration, but typically take a few hours to a significant reduced joint inflammation, while his kick in but are among the most effective. spasms all but stopped and his psoriasis Some oils are designed to be placed under effectively cleared in the space of a few weeks. the tongue to diffuse into the bloodstream He said: “I heard about CBD and felt I had faster. Plain oils tend to have a slight dry nothing to lose. I noticed an improvement herbal taste, which many find a little within a couple of weeks and now I’m even unpleasant, so fruit flavoured options, such back running and hitting golf balls again. as cherry or orange, can help with that, I know some people will not believe it can although not entirely. make this kind of difference, but it has to Inhaling CBD will get the compound into me. There is no new treatment or any other your system fastest but its effects will also last medication or change in lifestyle – it’s down to CBD and nothing else. It has given me a new ■ CBD CAN HELP EASE JOINT PAIN the least amount of time. This can come in the form of vaping oils or e-cigarettes that heat lease of life and saved my career.” the CBD liquid to be inhaled. Many companies offer disposable CBD vape products. These What is CBD? products typically have a slight cannabis Cannabidiol (CBD) is an extract from scent despite the lack of THC. the hemp plant. There are lots of other Regardless of how you take CBD, always cannabinoids, each having varied impacts start with small doses and build up. Some on the body’s endo-cannabinoid system. products may take up to three hours to CBD is an extract taken from particular take effect, so don’t overdo it early on. Also, hemp plants that is then pressed into an always check with your doctor first to clear oil. That oil is blended with a wide range of any medical interactions. other products to form tinctures, soft gels, drinks, cosmetics, hand sanistisers, it has even ■ PHIL MICKELSON USES CBD OIL How strong should the dose be? been added to loo roll. Since it first shot to The quantity of CBD in each dose is typically fame within the sphere of child epilepsy, it expressed in milligrams (mg). Depending has found to offer a wide range of additional on the product type, this amount can vary benefits, ranging from improved sleep to antiwildly. Also, if you see terms like ‘total anxiety aids. cannabinoids’ or ‘whole plant’ products, the company is telling you they’ve added What are the most common something other than pure CBD to the misconceptions about CBD? product. Always follow the recommended CBD has carried a stigma for many years dose and keep a track of what and how much for being associated with Marijuana. you’ve taken.

Unadulterated cannabis contains high levels of THC. This is another constituent part of the ■ CHARLEY HOFFMAN USES CBD plant. That’s the part that gets you high and is still, by and large, illegal. CBD products that are CBD USERS GUIDE sold in the UK cannot contain THC or any of its derivatives.

Slow and Low – Start slow and maintain a low dosage.

Give it Time – Commit to taking CBD for 14-30 days to see Why are golfers using CBD products? what does or doesn’t work.

Pain management and relief have been some of its most Log On – Maintain a daily log to keep track of types, regular use among golfers. It has also been seen to reduce dosages, and results so you can determine the best course inflammation around muscles and joints. One of the most of action. interesting uses for CBD products is to combat anxiety Temper Expectations – CBD isn’t a magic pill or panacea. symptoms, be that first tee jitters or simply managing For many, there are clear and lasting benefits, but everyone symptoms across a given day. It has also been documented is different. to improve the quality and duration of sleep.

[38] JUNE 2021 EQUIPMENT & GEAR [38] JUNE 2021 | CBD SUPPLEMENT

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MAJORPLAYER D

arren Clarke CBD, an exclusive partnership between major winner Darren Clarke OBE and Sana Lifestyle - distributor and licensee of CBD and other plant-based wellness products - will be launching a range of premium oils that are set to take the golf CBD market by storm this June as golfers increasingly look to CBD to help improve their game through a range of mental and physiological benefits.

CBD products have been used by golfers in other markets for some time now but, in the UK, the benefits that CBD can bring to the game are perhaps still underappreciated.

Darren Clarke CBD will provide golfers with a credible, premium product which acts on the body’s endocannabinoid system; a network of receptors that interact with various cannabinoids to maintain vital functions and improve sleep quality, reduce pain, and lessen anxiety levels.

On the course, CBD oil helps golfers to sharpen focus and has been reported to reduce nervousness, be it on the first tee or putting for the match on the 18th green. Post-round, CBD can be a vital part of a golfer’s wellness routine and has been seen to speed up muscle recovery and relieve joint aches.

Setting Darren Clarke CBD apart from its competitors, the products are not only of the highest quality, but are comprehensively tested by third-party regulators and assured to contain 0% THC, meaning that they are safe and ready for consumption.

So how has this helped Darren with his game, and how does he envisage Darren Clarke CBD making its mark on the golf CBD market? We asked the man himself.....

Why did you decide to launch Darren Clarke CBD? Launching Darren Clarke CBD was a no-brainer. As Sana Lifestyle are such a credible company with a track record of creating quality CBD products, it made perfect sense to form a partnership and start Darren Clarke CBD alongside them.

After using the products yourself, what benefits have you seen to your game?

I’ve always looked to find marginal gains when it comes to my golf, and as humans we are always searching for ways to improve our personal wellness. Darren Clarke CBD aids recovery during and between rounds and will allow you to compete for longer during three or even four-round golf tournaments, as well as improving sleep. There are many different factors in how you react to CBD oil, and my personal experience has been very positive.

What benefits can the regular golfer expect to see?

I believe that amateur golfers will see noticeable improvements in their concentration on the golf course, particularly in high pressure situations.

CBD is known to help with certain aspects of stress relief and reduction in anxiety levels, which is something I know that a lot of amateur golfers struggle with, particularly when faced with a situation or shot they’re not comfortable with.

Professional golfers learn to combat nerves and are usually very good at forgetting bad shots. Amateur golfers I speak to often ask how to stay calm over an important putt; this is where Darren Clarke CBD will help the wider golf community the most.

How successful do you believe the brand can be in an evergrowing market?

The CBD market is a fast-growing category within health and wellness, and the golf CBD market in the UK is no different.

We are looking to cut through the noise surrounding CBD for golf, and provide consumers with clear, honest information surrounding the product. We know that our CBD oil is efficacious and rigorously tested and certified to be safe for the consumer. We hope to prove to consumers that our oils are worth their time!

What sets DC CBD apart from the other CBD brands?

Our products are third-party tested and regulated and are proven to be consumer safe. These are claims we are confident in making, because we are committed to providing products that work. We have also made sure that both the Orange and Forest Fruits flavours taste great. It’s important to me and to the rest of the team at Darren Clarke CBD that we create products that can become a permanent fixture in our customers’ golf bags.

The oils come in a couple of flavours, do you have a favourite, and how involved were you in creating the range?

Precision Orange is 100% my favourite! At the moment, we have two flavours on offer in two different strengths. To start off, we’re sticking with a fairly small range, in order to provide our customers with a no-nonsense, clear catalogue.

Further down the line, I’m sure we will branch out into further flavours and products, and I’m looking forward to conceptualising those.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR JUNE 2021 [39] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Darren Clarke CBD oil, the result of an exclusive partnership between the 2011 Open Champion and wellness company Sana Lifestyle, looks set to prove a big hit with golfers when it launches this month. In an exclusive interview with Darren, we find out why he got involved and how it can help your game and your wellbeing

Darren Clarke CBD is initially launching two flavours of premium CBD Oil; Precision Orange and Precision Forest Fruits. These two flavours will be available in two strengths: 1000mg and 2000mg, with a recommended retail price of £49 and £69, respectively.

Golfers can rest assured that Darren Clarke CBD Oils are rigorously tested by third-party regulators, and are assured to contain 0% THC. As such, every user can purchase knowing that Darren Clarke CBD products are safe for consumption. Darren Clarke CBD will be available to purchase online from June at www.darrenclarkecbd.co.uk and available in American Golf stores nationwide.

Darren Clarke CBD is a partnership between the 2011 Champion Golfer of the Year and Sana Lifestyle; a licensee and distributor of plant-based wellness products.

ABOUT SANA LIFESTYLE: To create a best-in-class CBD product range, Darren Clarke has teamed up with industry expert Sana Lifestyle to bring true market expertise to the development of the range.

Sana Lifestyle are one of UK’s premier wellness distributors and, alongside their sister company, Sana Healthcare (an MHRA and Home Office licensed medicines importer), are one of the UK’s most credible distributors of cannabisbased products. They aim to bring trust, transparency, and expertise into a complex industry often surrounded by stigma. Heading up the company is Managing Director Ben Hamburger, himself a keen golfer.

Commenting on Darren Clarke CBD, Hamburger said: “With the modern golfer living a busy, active lifestyle, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen golfers – especially in the USA - turning their attention to the benefits of CBD-

based products as a convenient, natural solution to aid their physical performance and recovery. CBD has many misconceptions regarding its use and its impacts, and we’ve developed this range to provide complete transparency to everyone.

Our UK-based research and manufacturing team has deep expertise and knowledge, and has developed a range of high quality, safe products using pure CBD isolate. At

I BELIEVE AMATEUR GOLFERS WILL SEE NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR CONCENTRATION ON THE GOLF COURSE, PARTICULARLY IN HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS Sana Lifestyle, we are committed to ensuring we provide our consumer with maximum confidence in our range, so we only work with suppliers that are in constant compliance with the ever-changing regulations, and ensure all products are tested multiple times to guarantee their safety and efficacy. I believe taking responsibility for your personal wellness is important to consumers from all walks of life, and our mission is to help people do that responsibly, safely and conveniently.’’

Commenting on the upcoming launch, Hamburger added: “We have a proven history of providing safe and

effective products across both the healthcare and wellbeing industries, including recognised consumer brands such as FourFiveCBD and Pureis. As such, we want to show golfers that our CBD truly can improve their game.

“Everyone at Sana Lifestyle is extremely excited to launch Darren Clarke CBD; this is a fantastic opportunity to cut through the noise and help golfers and the golf industry truly understand the benefits of using CBD. Darren is one of the most popular golfers worldwide and an ideal partner for us given his genuine experiences with CBD products and his belief in the benefits we can provide. “ On the partnership, Darren Clarke, whose recent return to form has seen him claim victory twice on the US-based Champions Tour, concluded: “I’m thrilled to have teamed up with Sana Lifestyle to launch a trusted range for golfers keen to actively explore CBD-based wellness products. Sana Lifestyle was an obvious choice for this partnership, and we have developed a fantastic product which meets golfers’ needs. Darren Clarke CBD will give golfers of all levels a better state of mind to remain calm under stress, allow them to deal with disappointment, and keep the focus on the game ahead.

“Personally, I have seen improvements across my general wellness and my golf. I’m always searching for marginal gains, especially in such a technical, focus-driven sport such as golf. At Darren Clarke CBD, we have created a product that not only can I rely on, but golfers across the UK can rely on too. Our CBD oils are of the highest quality and I can’t wait to share our product with the golfing community.’’

For more details about the Darren Clarke CBD range, and to buy it online, visit www.darrenclarkecbd.co.uk.

[40] JUNE 2021

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[40] JUNE 2021 | CBD SUPPLEMENT

PURITY CBD

DARREN CLARKE CBD OIL

SWISS ORIGINAL CBN NIGHT

Sourced from organic farms in Holland, British-based Purity Hemp Company's range of high quality CBD products are offered in a variety of forms, including oil drops (from £35); sugar-free gummy bears (£18) and domes (£26); roll-on gels, and hemp flower-infused teas that provide a relaxing way to enjoy the natural health benefits of CBD. purityhempco.com

Offered in an easy-to-take oil, droplets of which are placed on the back of the tongue for more effective results, Darren Clarke CBD helps golfers to sharpen focus improve sleep quality, reduce pain, lessen anxiety levels, and boost immune system responses. It comes in two flavours – orange and forest fruits – and two strength levels. £49 (1000mg), 2000mg (£69) darrenclarkecbd.co.uk

CBN Night is a natural dietary supplement containing CBN oil with added terpenes from cannabis indica that will help you fall asleep faster and more heavily, yet still feel fresh and recharged the next day. It comes in a 30ml bottle with a 1000mg strength and ingested by squirting 1-2 drops under the tongue before swallowing. £103, swissoriginalcannabis.com

sh owcase CBD

GOLFER’S CBD GUMMIES This handy pouch of 20 sweets will fit snugly in any golf bag to provide a mid-round boost. Designed as a supplement for players who want to produce their best golf, with significant positive impact on anxiety, focus, concentration, rest and recuperation. £6.99 for a pack of 10 x 10mg, £23.99 for 20 x 20mg golferscbd.co.uk

Whether you’re looking to boost your concentration levels, improve sleep quality or soothe aching muscles and joints after a round, there’s a CBD product out there that can benefit you and your game

REAKIRO CBD PRO FORMULA CAPSULES

REAKIRO CBD PRO FORMULA MUSCLE RELIEF GEL

Available in packs of 30, each easy-to-swallow capsule contains either 25mg or 50mg of premium CBD extract, depending on whether you choose the 750g or 1500g product. Designed help you stay alert, while also remaining calm, Pro Formula capsules include over 100 cannaboids, terpenes, flavanoids and essential oils, which work together to improve their overall therapeutic benefit. €71.99/€39.99 (1500mg/750mg), cbdreakiro.com

Available in a choice of cooling or warming gels, CBD Muscle Relief Gel penetrates deep into your skin to reduce inflammation, release tension and encourage muscle recovery. Ideal to use after a round, rubbing the warm gel in areas of discomfort will enhance and encourage circulation, while the cooling version contains menthol for a cooling sensation. Offered in 100ml bottles, it contains 500mg of CBD. and is recommended to be taken in 3ml doses €34.99 (1500mg/750mg), cbdreakiro.com\

CBD GURU CBD Guru offers a wide range of natural oral drops, gummies, capsules, skincare creams and massage oils.

Packed with an array of beneficial cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, the CBD Oils come in six strengths, ranging between 2.5% (£9.99) and 40% (£99), all of which are available in a choice of citrus, mint, mixed berry and natural flavours. A pack of 30 fruit flavoured gummies, with a 20mg dose per sweet, starts from £19.99. cbd-guru.co.uk

REAKIRO FULL SWING CBD PRO FORMULA SPRAY Available in peppermint and blood orange flavours, Reakiro’s Pro Formula spray harnesses the power of hemp in a handy 30ml bottle, a measure of which can be squirted under the tongue for quick and easy ingestion.

Offered in 1000mg strength, it’s ideal for when you need a quick boost during your round to aid concentration. €59.99, cbdreakiro.com

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CBNnight is a natural dietary supplement and sleepn Ja ing aid. It is sleep-inducing and helps you fall asleep, se cqu e li n e C l a u sleep more heavily, and feel recharged the next day. Just like a sleeping pill, but without any chemicals.

Better than sleeping pills “I have a really tough time sleeping. And when I finally do calm down, it’s as if it’s too peaceful and the quietness becomes noisy,” explains Jacqueline Clausen, who was recommended sleeping pills by her doctor due to her sleep disturbance.

And she took the sleeping pills until she heard about CBNnight from Swiss Original Cannabis.

“For me, the biggest difference between CBNnight and a sleeping pill is the way I feel the next morning. With CBNnight I don’t feel affected in any way – I just wake up and feel fresh.

But with sleeping pills my head feels both heavy and groggy,” she says.

So, the effect is the same, she explains. She gets tired, falls asleep easier, and sleeps through the night, but with CBNnight she doesn’t feel groggy the next morning and most importantly, she avoids consuming medication: “I don’t like stuffing myself with all sorts of medications, and I was of course sceptical of these drops, because when you hear cannabis, you immediately think of drugs and getting high. But then I learned, that wasn’t the case at all with this, and therefore I decided I had to try it.”

Fast effect CBNnight is a sleeping oil for oral consumption before bedtime. The oil is extremely effectful, and Swiss Original Cannabis recommends starting with 2-3 drops and adjusting as needed thereafter.

“With 3-4 drops I feel within half an hour that I am getting cozy-tired, you know, where you feel like you want to just lie down for a few minutes and then boom suddenly its morning,” says Jacqueline Clausen.

Sleep all night The first two weeks Jacqueline Clausen tried CBNnight, she took 3-4 drops every night before bedtime, but gradually she felt it was not necessary every night.

“I felt that I also felt naturally tired in my body without the drops. Therefore, I switched to 3-4 drops every other day, and today I only take them a few times a week or as often as I feel I need it, and that’s enough for me to sleep through all night every night,” she says.

The body stores the oil in its depots and therefore it works for longer.

And the effect is noticeable, explains Jacqueline Clausen.

Before CBNnight she woke up several times a night, but that is water under the bridge today: “With CBNnight I sleep all night, completely undisturbed – it is fantastic.”

Read more on swissoriginalcannabis.com/ campaigns/cbnnight-en/

[42] JUNE 2021

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“I have started to use CBD and I can feel the difference with aches and pains, as well as playing golf, I seem to have more energy already.

Thank you so much.”

cbd-guru.co.uk

CBD SUPPLEMENT | JUNE 2021 [43] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

is passionate about empowering others beyond the realms of professional sport. He offers amateurs the opportunity to learn from his expertise at the 360 Academy in Weybridge, where club professionals and coaches can also learn how to reduce injury risk in their players and enhance skill development.

“Around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s even more important that individuals protect their physical and mental health and make informed decisions when it comes to using CBD to enhance performance on the golf course,” said Justin.

“In recent years, clients wanted to know where they can get high quality CBD products and after spending time researching and testing various products within the sector, we found that the PURITY HEMP Company product range delivers the most effective and consistent results. Focused on science and traceability, PURITY HEMP Co. applies the most advanced technologies to ensure each product can help and improve the mental and physical wellbeing of every customer,” he added.

THE PURE S T CBD IS BA SED ON SCIENCE

■ XGOLF STARTER PACK

Just like golf swings, not all CBD products are the same – and the science proves it.

I

n fact, very few CBD products are extracted from the hemp plant grown organically in a transparent way, certified by anti-drug authorities to be entirely THC free, or approved by the UK Food Standards Authority as

having met each of its stringent consumption tests with flying colours. Even fewer brands can point to long term case studies involving sporting personalities who continue to benefit from the best CBD products on the market.

But over the past decade, one premium brand has invested in each of these areas to ensure that anyone taking CBD products for the first time can have total confidence in the many benefits of its wellness products – the PURITY HEMP COMPANY based in Virginia Water.

Founder Michael Walker explains why his range of CBD products are gaining rapid acceptance among fellow golfers and other sportsmen and women – including Olympic athletes aiming for medals in Tokyo this year. “Since the beginning, we’ve ■ MICHAEL WALKER been determined to set the highest standards in the CBD industry as we control the entire production process. Fortunately, word of mouth about the quality of our products and the impressive results they’ve achieved has carried us to more and more regular customers in recent years.

“Anyone thinking of using CBD to improve their focus and concentration on the golf course or need a natural alternative to help manage pain during the round - plus benefit from improved heart and cardiovascular health, whilst reducing anxiety and helping the body recover faster - should first investigate the origins of the product and understand what you’re buying. As the market value for CBD in the UK has more than doubled in the past two years, sadly there are still products being fraudulently sold across the country in High Street retail shops and on social media platforms that are not regulated or have the basic health standards or testing credentials to back up their products, leading to all kinds of potential dangers to your health.”

Illustrating what sets the PURITY HEMP Co. apart, customers are taken to hemp farms via live videos on its website to highlight the importance of product traceability and connect the customer to the plants, while explaining why nutrient rich soil, clean water and consistent weather

are so incredibly important to get the best organic plant growth. Each one of the organic farmers has more than 12 years of experience in cultivating, testing and harvesting the best strains of hemp, with a proven yield and quality profile. They work alongside Mother Nature during the growing cycle, testing plant clippings regularly at on-site labs to ensure the cannabinoid, terpenes, and flavonoids profiles are maturing as expected and allowing them the opportunity to harvest at the optimum time. By using the most advanced Hemp farming equipment, they ensure the integrity of the plant and bails are prepared and stored in climate-controlled warehouses to thwart harmful bacteria, moulds, and pest infestation.

The final and by far the most critical stage of product preparation involves the extraction process. Applying the most advanced and environmentally friendly option, they extract using Co2, which protects the plant profiles - resulting in the purest Broad-Spectrum CBD with the highest concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes found across the UK and European markets. To finish, the extract is then infused into pure organic Hemp Oil or MCT (pure form of coconut extract) carriers to create a chemical free, THC free, vegan friendly, non-GMO organic product created to improve life as nature intended.

WHAT THE WELLNESS EXPERT SAYS As a respected performance consultant to Justin Rose and Georgia Hall while holding a Masters degree in Personalised Nutrition, Justin Buckthorp MSc knows something about the value ■ JUSTIN BUCKTHORP of premium CBD products that can help golfers perform at the game’s highest levels.

Since founding 360 Health & Performance in 2012, the wellness expert has been providing high profile golfers with personalised advice that translates into better results.

He has supported five European teams in Ryder Cup contests since 2008 and sat on the European Tour Medical Advisory Board since 2009.

As a core member of Team Rose, he helped Justin Rose climb the world rankings from 70 in 2009 to No.1 in 2019 and has supported 12 different Tour winners to achieve 39 victories.

Despite his impressive track record with elite golfers, he

NEW CBD GOLF STARTER PACK To coincide with the lifting of travel restrictions to popular golf destinations like Ireland and Portugal, PURITY HEMP Company has introduced a Golf Starter Pack offering CBD in three practical forms to help golfers perform at their best and recover quicker.

A jar of the famous Jelly Domes provides an excellent option for those looking for a convenient way to take CBD. They are guaranteed THC and GMO free with a full certificate of analysis and the perfect fit for your golf bag. Consistency is key for optimal wellness, so have them 2-3 times a day or before, during and after your round.

A 10ml bottle of 10% medium strength CBD with MCT Oil provides quick absorption and easy digestion and is the most popular in the range to improve sleep, calm anxiety, improve focus and address any muscle of joint pain during or after your round.

A compact CBD infused Heat Roll-On provides the perfect way to target and treat areas of discomfort. The healing powers of Tea Tree Oil and Ginseng combine to heat the area and increase circulation and reduce inflammation, while the CBD oil penetrates deep into the tissue to aid healing and recovery.

“To get the best results from our CBD collection, we always suggest that users stay on the products for a minimum of a week to really start to feel the benefits,” said Michael Walker. “After the first week, we can start to look at the dosage which is key to fully optimising the health of the user and then provide the necessary guidelines.”

The Golf Starter Pack can be ordered at www. purityhempco.com/bundles/golf and by quoting the GOLF25 code you can obtain a special 25% discount.

[44] JUNE 2021

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CBD NEWS JUNE 2021 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MATTHEW TURNS TO GOLFER’S CBD IN PURSUIT OF FURTHER SUCCESS SOLHEIM CUP CAPTAIN CATRIONA MATTHEW has experienced the benefits of Golfer’s CBD and believes it could play a vital role in her future success.

The highly-decorated former Women’s British Open champion has risen to the physical and mental challenges of elite-level golf throughout a long and illustrious career which spans more than 25 years on the Tour.

But the 51-year-old’s ambitions still burn brightly and she intends to use Golfer’s CBD range of products both in regular tournaments and when she resumes the captaincy for Team Europe for the Solheim Cup defence later this year in Ohio.

Matthew, who is an official brand ambassador and product development adviser, explained: “I’ve been using the salve and the Golfer’s CBD oil and it has been great for recovering more quickly, without a doubt.

“I’ve also noticed that my heart rate doesn’t zoom up so much when I’m golfing. I’m looking forward to putting it to the test under tournament conditions.

“Players are talking about CBD more and more. It’s becoming the norm.

“I must admit, I was slightly nervous until I researched it all. A first reaction was that it was cannabis, but it’s not. In my conversations, I obviously had to be absolutely certain that it is WADA-approved.

“But I think it will become more and more mainstream. Most athletes take protein shakes these days and 25 years ago, nobody did fitness as they thought it was bad for the golf swing.

Everything evolves as people gain a better understanding.

“I started using the products about a year ago and it’s been very beneficial for me. I’ve been doing a lot of fitness work and recovery-wise, it’s been working great for me but there are the mental benefits too.

“There have been instances in the past when I’ve been nervous over a putt and not put my best stroke on it or not been able to control those nerves in a particular moment. These products will help.”

After the lack of competitive action in 2020, Mathew is relishing the prospect of a return to a hectic schedule for this season and a chance to test herself in those vital moments.

She said: “Thankfully, things seem to be moving in the right direction for 2021 and with so many tournaments and a lot of travel, I’m expecting to see some real benefits.

“It’s something I will definitely use going forward in tournaments. You sometimes think back to those occasions where having that extra bit of control over those nerves on a shot here or a shot there might have made a big difference.

“Anyone at the top level of sport will tell you that they do feel that anxiety and nerves in certain situations. The ones who do the best are the ones who cope with it the best.

“So much of golf is between the ears and it doesn’t matter what level you are playing at.

You could be feeling nervous in your monthly medal or you have a putt to break 90 for the first time. I think this can definitely help.”

‘GOLFER’S CBD IS THE ROLLS- ROYCE OF THE CBD WORLD A QUALITY PRODUCT COMES with some extra care, attention to detail and an understanding that no corners have been cut and no safety measures have been ignored.

For professionals, the risk is simply not worth taking when it comes to CBD and the trust in the product has to be total. Any risk is simply too much.

Most Tour professionals would simply not endanger their livelihoods by taking a product which had even the slightest risk of containing a banned substance With increasing awareness of the many benefits of CBD among the playing community, Golfer’s CBD’s stringent production methods and safety standards ensure there is zero possibility of failing a drugs test and no hidden secret ingredients.

CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of 113 cannabinoids identified by scientific research into the cannabis plant. The health benefits are a result of the broad spectrum extract used in Golfer’s CBD products. In addition to cannabidiol, their products contain other beneficial cannabinoids and compounds which reduce the risk of disease and boost the immune system. The combined benefits on and off the golf course makes Golfer’s CBD the perfect supplement for players who want to feel healthy and produce their best golf with significant impact on anxiety, focus, concentration, rest and recuperation.

Golfer’s CBD director, Andy Dixon, said: “We can’t afford to take any risks working with European Tour and LPGA Tour professionals and we don’t want to put any of our customers at risk of failing a roadside drug test or an employment drug test.

“There are other CBD products out there on the market, which could result in someone failing a drug test. In an unregulated market, it’s down to the producer and some people may not understand what they are buying. We have full transparency of our products from plant to shelf and can effectively provide the result of a drug test before it happens – others cannot do that.

“We like to think of ours as the ‘Rolls-Royce’ product. We start with a premium extract and work with an experienced manufacturer to get the finished product. It’s the best of the best.”

The specific process of extracting the ingredients for the various products also utilises combined knowledge and expertise, which has been through years or painstaking research and continues to evolve as new benefits are discovered.

Amateur golfers can also gain significant benefits too – even by feeling less anxious over that first tee shot – reassured by the extensive process which has brought the product to the shelves.

Dixon said: “We have that unique link between the chemists at our disposal and all levels of players so we can tailor our products, specifically to help on the golf course.

“We’ve known the benefits of CBD on the golf course for a couple of years so we are now focusing our research into the other beneficial cannabinoids and compounds which can help with a range of golf issues from nerves and anxiety when you play through to preparation and recovery processes.

“We’re not attempting to compete with all the CBD companies coming into the market, we have a unique understanding of common issues amateur players face from our own experience and several elite players out on tour. This enables us to study golfers of all levels and feed the results back to our expert chemists at LH Botanicals to develop our range and target specific issues using new formulas.

“As things stand you can put anything in a bottle and label it CBD. We know of isolate products that don’t contain anywhere near the stated level of CBD, through to full spectrum products that contain illegal levels of THC. I wouldn’t consume any CBD product without knowing exactly what’s in the bottle, which is why we have QR codes on our products. This enables our customers to track the product from seed to shelf and view the certificate of analysis to see exactly what’s in the product they’ve purchased.”

TRAVEL & BREAKS

JUNE 2021 [45]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JUNE 2021 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/EQUIPMENT

PRO SHOP

All the latest launches for the new season

SUMMER SHOES Spikeless shoes in the spotlight

GEAR EFFECT

What's the hottest equipment on Tour?

G425 Meet Ping’s game-changing new range

PRO SHOP Latest launches from golf’s biggest brands

FEELING THE NEED FOR SPEED? FIND OUT WHICH CALLAWAY SPEED DRIVER SUITS YOUR GAME

[46] JUNE 2021

EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

THE GEAR EFFECT INSIDES THE BAGS OF RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR PHIL MICKELSON US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond (6°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Mavrik Sub Zero 4-wood (16.5°) UTILITY: Callaway X21 UT Proto (20.5°, 25°) IRONS: Callaway Apex MB ’21 (6-PW) WEDGES: Callaway PM Grind ’19 Raw (50°, 55°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey Milled Blade PM BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft X Triple Track

RICHARD BLAND BETFRED BRITISH MASTERS DRIVER: TaylorMade M2 (10.5°) FAIRWAYS: TaylorMade SIM Max (15˚) UTILITY: Titleist U500 (3, 4) IRONS: Honma TWorld Proto (5-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (54˚, 58˚) PUTTER: Odyssey Tank Crusier 7 BALL: Titleist Pro V1

RORY MCILROY WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: TaylorMade SIM2 (9°) FAIRWAYS: TaylorMade SIM (15°, 19°) IRONS: TaylorMade P730 Rors Proto (3-9) WEDGES: TaylorMade MG (48°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast BALL: TaylorMade TP5x

EQUIPMENT NEWS PING HITS THE TARGET WITH NEW PUTTER RANGE Ping’s new range of 11 putters focuses on maximizing forgiveness through the use of multi-material designs.

The three Anser versions – Anser, Anser 2, Anser 4 – combine a stainless-steel head with tungsten heel and toe weights to raise MOI to its highest ever level in a Ping putter.

The Kushin 4, DS 72 and Tyne 4 models introduce a steel weight in the heel and tungsten in the toe to optimize the CG location for increased stability, while the malletstyle Fetch and Oslo H join a stainless-steel body with an aluminium sole plate to position mass around the entire perimeter to create a highly forgiving design.

In the new CA 70, a dense stainless steel sole weight lowers the CG of the aluminium body for more forgiving results. The Harwood delivers the highest MOI in range due to its aluminium body and 93g of tungsten weight distributed to all four corners of the head.

A dual-durometer face insert delivers responsive feel, with softer front layer of the insert delivering precision for delicate short putts, while the firmer back layer offers the solid feedback and distance control required for holing longer range putts and improving overall consistency.

The heads boast a black PVD finish, while a black chrome shaft that can be custom built between 32 and 38 inches.

PING’s adjustable shaft is available as a custom upgrade.

All models are priced at £250, with the exception of the Harwood, which is £375.

TRIED & TESTED Equipment Editor Dan Owen slips on a pair Ecco Biom H4 shoes and becomes an instant convert to the new streamlined look and built-in comfort Try buying new pair of golf shoes with wide feet.

It's a nightmare. OK, some brands offer them as a special order, but it's not that easy to find them in stock as you’d hope.

Ecco's Biom hybrids have always been a bit of a godsend personally. Designed to allow your feet to move naturally, they have always been wider in the forefoot, as well as having removable insoles to allow for half-size adjustments. They've always been comfortable, and my feet always feel less tired after 18 holes than with other golf shoes.

Much sleeker on foot than previous Biom versions, the new H4 has a more sporty, streamlined look and is all the better for it. The Biom last has been updated too, and while it still offers the same philosophy of natural movement, it is a little snugger at the front of the shoe. And this is a good thing, as the shoes are much more appealing both on the shelf and on foot.

The big slabs of colour on the midsole look great and remind me of trainers I’ve worn away from the course. But they’re not just there

for looks, these TPU chunks hug your feet for stability. Unseen, but not unfelt, X-Tensa Invisible Technology links the sole unit to the laces to really lock your feet into the shoe.

I’ve never suffered from slipping while wearing a pair of Ecco shoes. The MTN Grip outsole offers great traction on the course and is more than up for the drive to and from the course if you can’t be bothered to change your shoes.

Like nearly all Ecco shoes, these are fully waterproof with a Gore-Tex lining. GoreTex is still the yardstick when it comes to waterproofing, so not only will your feet stay dry from the rain, but any sweat will pass out through the fully breathable membrane.

So if you like the styling, which we do now more than ever, and especially if you can benefit from the Biom last, there really is no good reason not to invest in a pair of H4s.

Offered in four colours for men (black, white, silver grey and white/concrete), and four for women (white, limestone, hibiscus and white/ silver grey), they have an RRP of £160. To buy online, visit gb.ecco.com.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR JUNE 2021

[47]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

SMITH CHIPS IN TO BEAT BREAST CANCER

MACGREGOR GETS BACK IN THE SWING WITH NEW V FOIL DRIVER

PGA Professional Stuart Smith is chipping in to help Breast Cancer UK by giving the charity a percentage of the proceeds from sales of the latest addition to his range of Heavenly Hybrid clubs.

Smith, an advanced PGA Professional based at Thetford Golf Club in Norfolk, has invented a club that is designed to help golfers when their ball is just short of the putting surface.

Known as the Chipper, the club comes in Breast Cancer UK's orange and grey livery – the grip and clubhead is orange and the shaft is grey. In addition, the charity’s logo is featured on the shaft and the clubhead cover.

“Many golfers struggle around the greens and even more so when there is a bunker in the way,” Smith said.

“Most other chippers out in the market have a 37-40° loft, which is perfect for little bump and runs. But the Heavenly Hybrid Chipper has a 50° loft, which allows you to chip over bunkers and mounds with ease. The Chipper, like the others in the range is also 100 per cent shank-proof.

It costs £79 and can be purchased from www.heavenlyhybrid.com.

MacGregor Golf is hoping to grab a share of the demand for new golf equipment this summer following the introduction of its new V Foil Speed Driver.

Boasting a matte black 460cc titanium head, the driver is designed to inspire confidence at address. The ultra-thin face delivers significant ball speed and distance gains while the expanded sweet spot, premium lightweight graphite shaft and high MOI design offer the perfect combination of distance, control and forgiveness off the tee.

Designed for golfers with medium to slow speeds, making it ideal for beginners and established golfer, the V Foil Speed driver is paired with a soft compound MacGregor grip that has been designed to provide comfort and a secure connection to the club.

It is offered in 10.5° and 12° options and is priced at an extremely reasonable £144.99.

YONEX HITS THE SPOT WITH EZONE RANGE Japanese brand Yonex have unveiled a new range of EZONE Elite 3.0 equipment.

As an innovator in graphite technology, Yonex use their graphite materials in both the head and the shafts to save weight. Unlike most companies, Yonex are firm believerS in designing the head shaft and grip of the golf club in-house, and that the three elements work together holistically.

Targeted at mid-handicap golfers, the clubs feature In-Core Groove Technology, which allows the face, crown, and sole fo the club flex more at impact to produce more ball speed.

OCTOFORCE Technology moves wit from the crown and high in the face to lower the centre of gravity for a higher launch.

Prices are extremely competitive, with the driver retailing at £239, and the irons at £639 with graphite shafts.

BABOUCHE GOLF UNVEILS NEW ACCESSORIES RANGE UK-based golf accessory business Babouche! Golf has added a new range of Moroccan-inspired golf head covers, towels and other accessories to its catalogue that are designed to appeal to all golfers.

Babouche offers a range of premium handmade leather headcovers for drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and putters, and colourful towels that come in multiple patterns and designs. From sugar skulls to flags to camouflage and polka dot patterns, their accessories are handmade to stand out.

The business also makes custom head covers that can be personalised with a favourite photograph or logo. The custom and personalised side of the business boasts a minimum order quantity of just one head cover. No order is too small because all of their products are handmade in the UK. One of its signature products is a swing alignment towel (£19.95), a unique design that serves as a simple training aid to ensure perfect practice with set-up, stance, alignment and ball position. Leather clubhead covers cost between £26.95-£29.95.

[48] JUNE 2021

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WHICH EPIC SPEED DRIVER IS RIGHT FOR YOU? Callaway’s trio of new Epic Speed drivers are the fastest drivers they’ve ever built. Really fast. But all three models are fast in different ways. Which one will be fastest for you?

Callaway set the bar at a fairly lofty height last year with its Mavrik drivers, but now it has its own internal rival with the launch of Epic Speed and Epic Max for 2021, which replace Epic Flash, but run alongside Mavrik.

All three drivers in the Epic Speed range feature AI-designed Jailbreak Speedframes. Where the original Jailbreak added vertical stability, the Speedframe stiffens it vertically and torsionally too. The whole head is stiffened for a better energy return.

They also all feature an AI-designed Flash Face, designed specifically for each model and loft from a super strength titanium. Ball speeds are faster across the face, and spin rates are more robust, which means that you’ll get more consistent results whichever part of the face you hit the ball from.

Epic Speed

The use of Triaxial Carbon material on the crown and toe saves over 16g of weight compared to a titanium crown. Saving weight to use elsewhere is what every golf club engineer strives to do.

Visually at address the three models look very different, but not how you might expect. It’s customary for the ‘low spin’ model to also have the most compact profile, appealing to the better player that likes to shape the ball, but this crown in fact goes to the Epic Speed. The Epic Max LS (low spin), by comparison, has a more stretched out look, which becomes even more exaggerated in the Epic Max. The slimline look of Epic Speed may be intimidating for some, but all three are easy to align and undoubtedly strike an ideal balance of catching your eye without looking over the top.

Epic Speed Max

Epic Speed Max LS

TRAVEL & BREAKS EQUIPMENT & GEAR JUNE 2021 [49] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

EPIC SPEED: THE REALLY FAST ONE THE EPIC SPEED not only has a fast face, but the head is designed to be easier to swing fast too. The head features what Callaway term a Cyclone Aero shape. It’s got a flatter crown and tall fins on the sole for improved aerodynamics which help it cut through the air faster and more efficiently. The toe features a carbon crown insert which makes the head slightly draw-biased. The Epic Speed offers mid launch and spin with plenty of forgiveness in a compact head shape.

BUY THIS ONE IF YOU WANT TO… SWING THE CLUB FASTER.

EPIC SPEED MAX: THE ADJUSTABLE ONE THE SPEED MAX is designed for players who want to hit the ball long and straight, with technologies built in to achieve maximum ball speed and maximum forgiveness.

Also boasting the AI-designed Jailbreak Speed Frame and remodelled Flash Face, the crown design displaces 19g of weight to the rear of the clubhead to promote higher launch and more forgiveness, with a slight draw bias to deliver tighter dispersion and straighter drives.

Slightly draw-biased as standard, it features a 16g sliding rear weight which allows player to alter shot shape correction of up to 20 yards.

Featuring a larger footprint than the Speed, the Max offers high launch and mid spin and is the most forgiving driver in the range.

BUY THIS ONE IF YOU WANT TO… HIT THE BALL FURTHER, MORE CONSISTENTLY.

EPIC SPEED MAX LS: THE LOW SPIN ONE THE MAX LS is aimed at mid- to-low handicappers who want more speed, a neutral ball flight and forgiveness in a lower spin, high MOI package. Boasting the same frame and face technologies as the other two models, the crown design displaces 13g of weight to encourage a fade-biased shot shape, and also features a sliding rear weight which offers up to 13 yards of shot shape correction.

Featuring a similar look at address to the Epic Speed Max, the Epic Speed Max LS offers almost as much forgiveness, while being low launch and spin. Unlike the brand’s Sub Zero drivers, you don’t need to sacrifice forgiveness if you need low spin.

BUY THIS ONE IF YOU NEED TO …

LOWER SPIN TO MAXIMISE YOUR DRIVER DISTANCE.

Callaway Customs can customise your Driver to appeal to you. With five different areas to customise, in a choice of 12 colours, as well as a new clean crown option, it gives you over a million different possible combinations.

TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST OR FITTING CENTRE, VISIT CALLAWAYGOLF.EU.

[50] JUNE 2021

TRAVEL & BREAKS

PHIL MICKELSON

'WE HAVE WORKED ON THINGS UNTIL I FOUND ONE I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH. IT’S A GREAT DRIVER, LONG AND FORGIVING AND THE STATS SHOW IT'

‘IT’S GIVING ME BALL SPEED WITH A HIGHER FLIGHT, A NICE DRAW BIAS AND IT’S A BEAUTIFUL LOOKING CLUB’

‘IT WAS AN EASY SWITCH. IT’S A LOVELY CLUB. THE NEW HEAD IS BRILLIANT, IT IS SO CONSISTENT. IT HAS BEEN AN EASY CHANGE’

‘I LOVE IT,GOLFNEWS.CO.UK IT’S A GREAT SHAPE AND VERY USABLE. IT HAS IMPROVED MY LAUNCH AND I AM NOW CARRYING IT FURTHER. THE MAX IS ALSO SO CONSISTENT, IT GIVES ME THE CONFIDENCE TO HIT IT REALLY HARD AND IT WILL STILL GO STRAIGHT’

US PGA CHAMPION 2021

JON RAHM

DANNY WILLETT

GUIDO MIGLIOZZI

JAMES MORRISON

'I JUST LOVE HITTING BOMBS WITH MY EPIC SPEED DRIVER'

MEET THE SPEED GOLFERS The engine room behind Callaway Golf's new Epic Speed drivers is the AI-designed Speed Frame. These top tour pros love what it has done for their game, and so will you

OLI WILSON

CALUM SHINKWIN

STEVEN BROWN

ADRI ARNAUS

ADRIAN OTAEGUI

‘TO BE HONEST, IT’S BEEN GREAT. THE MISHITS ARE VERY GOOD, I HAVE SO MUCH MORE CONTROL WITH THE EPIC SPEED, THE BALL FLIGHT IS SO MUCH MORE STABLE. MY DRIVING STATS THIS YEAR HAVE DEFINITELY IMPROVED’

“ IT’S VERY GOOD. MORE BALL SPEED AND I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH IT STRAIGHT AWAY, THE SOUND IS GREAT AND THAT REALLY HELPS ME FEEL COMFORTABLE. IT WENT STRAIGHT IN THE BAG’

‘IT’S REALLY GOOD ON MY MISHITS. SOMETHING THAT REALLY STOOD OUT IS NOT ONLY THE SPEED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE FACE, BUT ALSO FROM MY MISHITS. IT’S A BIG IMPROVEMENT ON LAST YEAR'S DRIVER’

‘IT’S BEEN AN EASY CHANGE, ANOTHER UPGRADE FROM CALLAWAY. I AM HITTING IT MILES, CREATING MORE SPEED AND MORE DISTANCE’

‘THE FEEDBACK FROM THE DRIVER IS GREAT, THE SOUND, FEEL AND SPEED IS VERY GOOD. FOR ME THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING’

ALAN HOCKNELL, CALLAWAY'S VICE PRESIDENT OF R&D, EXPLAINS THE BENEFITS OF SPEED FRAME TECHNOLOGY Artifical Intelligence (AI) has become a big part of our design process, and we wouldn’t have come up with Flash Face without it.

With the Epic Speed range we used A.I. to design the Flash Face and the Jailbreak at the same time. It let us come up with much more complicated designs for Jailbreak, but also optimise them for the ultimate performance. Our drivers now feature a Jailbreak A.I. Speed Frame.

The Speed Frame adds stiffness vertically and adds more points of contact to the sole and crown of the driver. This helps add torsional stiffness to the design of the driver head. This reduces wasted impact energy across the face in different impact positions. This means

faster ball speeds more consistently wherever the ball is hit across the face.

Each driver model features a different face design to optimise them for that golfers needs. Flash face SS21 has been designed to feature more emphasis on faster ballspeeds for misshits.

Fairway woods use Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades. Fairway Woods are used differently to drivers, shots are hit lower on the face generally.

So why should a fairway wood have the same design as the driver?

Set further apart than the Speedframe or older Jailbreak designs, they add vertical stiffness but allows the cup face to flex for faster ball speeds across the face.

TRAVEL & BREAKS EQUIPMENT & GEAR JUNE 2021 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Six reasons to choose a

Wishbone Zero Trolley

1

STYLE

Golf trolleys do not get much better looking than the Wishbone Zero. With an organic flow influencing the design and a simple fold mechanism not found in other trolley models, the Zero is eye catching with its unique no-fuss design certainly making it stand out in a crowded category. Zero is offered with a black frame and a choice of three colour trims – charcoal, orange or blue. Our favourite is the understated black and charcoal combo, which looks classy and refined and matches most golf bag colour themes.

2 3

PRICE

At £159.99, you will struggle to find a better value trolley than the Zero, especially given all the features and accessories included in the price.

MATERIALS

The frame is made from high quality aircraft grade aluminium and designed to be robust, yet super lightweight. The Wishbone Zero is exceedingly simple to operate with its single-action folding design, elasticated bag straps, foot brake and magnetic fasteners which are all easy to use whilst being super stylish. The durable, wide EVA tyres are made to last and will provide confidence and stability on hilly terrains.

4

WEIGHT

At just under 4kg, the Zero is 40% lighter than many of its competitors in the same category.

Easily manoeuvrable and lightweight, the Zero saves your energy for your golf and will leave you feeling fresher and less fatigued after a round.

5

ACCESSORIES

Golf trolleys often seem good value until you realise you need to spend another £50-plus on accessories to get them set up how you want. The Wishbone Zero comes standard with an umbrella holder, magnetic score card holder, and a ball and tee holder.

Other accessory options include a frame and wheel cover bag, a useful accessory case, and matching golf towels.

6

COMPANY ETHOS

As a new quality brand to the market, Wishbone is a breath of fresh air. New thinking, new approach and new products that will enhance your golf, not hinder your game.

Wishbone believe in simple, lightweight, no-nonsense designs that are functional, stylish and innovative.

Golf should be the focus of your game, so with a Wishbone you can put your effort into your golf swing and not have to worry about your trolley.

www.skymaxsport.com www.wishbone.golf

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JUNE 20212021 TRAVEL & BREAKS [52][52] JUNE EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ PING'S NEW G425 IS ITS BEST-PERFORMING DRIVER EVER

G425 MAX, LST, AND SFT FAIRWAY WOODS £299 Like the drivers, there are three models of fairway wood, LAX, LST, and SFT. All three fairway models have dropped the turbulators for a cleaner look at address as they didn’t offer a significant aerodynamic advantage at the smaller size. All three models have a maraging steel Facewrap that increases face flex for faster ball speeds, and a tungsten weight increases the MOI for forgiveness. These together help create what PING term Spinsistency The idea is that shots hit across the face will spin more consistently and fly closer to the same distance, and it’s especially effective on shots hit low on the face. The LST features a more compact head and a more forward tungsten weight for lower spin. The SFT features a larger head and is heel weighted to help encourage a draw.

G FORCE

Pushing performance boundaries to the max, the all-new PING G425 range is set to be the brand’s best-selling clubs yet, says Golf News Equipment Editor Dan Owen

PING's new G425 range is proving a massive hit with golfers following the re-opening of golf retailer last mont, with demand for custom fittings going through the roof.

Its most comprehensive range ever, there is a driver, fairway wood and hybrid for everyone, while the G425 iron is

super forgiving option in a more compact head.

As an added bonus they all come with Arccos Smart Grip as standard, with a free trial of the Arrcos Caddie App, so as well as helping you hit better shots, they can tell you what you’ve been doing wrong on the course. Which G425 model is right for you? Read on to find out.

G425 HYBRID £249 Featuring a similar design to the fairway woods, the G425 hybrids feature the smooth crown, a Facewrap maraging steel face insert for fast ball speeds, and the same 'Spinsistency' design to help improve consistency on shots hit across the face, especially low in the face.

G425 CROSSOVER £225 PING know that some golfers just don’t get on with a hybrid, but still need help with that transition from fairway woods into their irons. For them they’ve designed the Crossover. Designed to hit high-flying, soft-landing shots from distance, tungsten weights in the toe and hosel increase the MOI 6.5% from previous Crossover models. The maraging steel face helps bring the heat to increase ball speeds.

IRONS £129 STEEL, £139 GRAPHITE The G425 irons are smaller than the G410 irons they replace, yet they’re more forgiving. Who could say no to that combination? A tungsten toe screw and hosel weight expand the MOI. The Hyper 17-4 Stainless Steel variable thickness face takes lessons learnt from their metal woods to deliver more ball speed across the face.

Finally, the cavity design features a cascading sole, and a top rail undercut that work like a hinge, launching the ball faster and higher, while still holding the green.

DRIVERS G425 SFT £450

G425 LST £450

G425 MAX £450

For some golfers, the biggest thing holding them back off the tee is a massive banana ball. The SFT is a slice killer that can help them hit the ball longer and straighter. A 23 gram weight fixed in the heel helps promote a right to left shot shape of 25 yards compared to the G425 MAX. That’s the difference between a drive in the fairway, and a lost ball in the woods.

One driver doesn’t fit all. Some golfers need a lower spin driver head to maximise their potential distance. The G425 LST is set up for them, with a smaller 445cc head, and a lighter 17g centre of gravity shifter. While lower in MOI, it’s much more forgiving than most drivers marketed as low spin.

The G425 MAX is the most forgiving driver that PING have ever designed with over 10,000 in total MOI. By saving weight with the Dragonfly crown, Ping was able to add a 26g tungsten movable weight that is placed low and back in the head.

Three settings allow it to be set up to encourage a draw, fade, or neutral flight.

Other changes include refined Turbulators for improved aerodynamics, a forged TS9+ face for fast ball speeds, and improved more satisfying acoustics.

For more details, and to find your nearest PING stockist and fitting centre, visit www.ping.com.

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EQUIPMENT NEWS MOTOCADDY ADDS CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY TO RANGE-TOPPING M-TECH TROLLEY Headlining a major update of Motocaddy’s M Series range, the top-of-the-range M-TECH is the world’s first cellular-enabled power trolley. Also available with the new M5, this new technology takes GPS to another level with access to more advanced course mapping, real-time updates and performance tracking data directly from the trolley’s display screen.

The new cellular features will be available through an annual subscription that unlocks a host of extra features, including full hole mapping, depiction of greenside hazards, scoring statistics and a round summary that uploads onto the Motocaddy app to allow

UNDER ARMOUR UPDATES SPIETH SHOE The fifth generation of Under Armour’s Spieth signature shoe, the Spieth 5 SL, claims to offer the comfort and feel of a spikeless model combined with all the traction and power of a spiked shoe.

The latest model adds what Under Armour is calling the ‘fourth dimension of traction’ – Interior Traction. This is achieved through the introduction of a new 3D-moulded footbed that features an additional wrap over the medial side and top of the foot. This wrap is said to eliminate the gap between your foot and the shoe from the inside to create a fit that is tailored to the golfer’s specific foot shape, reducing undesirable movement.

The new spikeless outsole design uses a durable and lightweight TPU with injected rubber spikes for enhanced traction. The outsole also features flex channels that increases the transfer of power from the ground into the swing. A new flex point in the toe area allows the forefoot to remain grounded longer into the swing and improve balance and stability Boasting UA’s HOVR cushioning platform for enhanced walking comfort and energy return, the Spieth 5 SL has an RRP of £170.

COBRA ROLLS OUT VINTAGE PUTTERS With names inspired by classic cars, Cobra’s new range of King putters includes six models in four head shapes – two blades (Sport-45, Sport-60), a mallet (Torino), a fang (Nova & Nova-40) and an oversize mallet (Stingray & Stingray-40).

The putters feature a steel chassis, simple sightlines, and a black and yellow colour scheme, while the faces boast an aluminium insert which was designed with help SIK Golf, whose patented Descending Loft Technology features four descending lofts on the face - 4°, 3°, 2° or 1° – to produce the most consistent roll trajectory for different putting strokes and angles of attack.

Each model is fitted with sole weight ports that can be adjusted between 10g, 15g, 20g and 25g to fine tune preferred head weights, while the lightweight polyurethane Lamkin Sinkfit CONNECT grip features an embedded sensor which can be paired to the Arccos Caddie app for in-depth putting data.

All models have an RRP of £199, except for the Nova, which is £249.

SKYCADDIE LX5 BRINGS TOUCHSCREEN TECHNOLOGY TO GPS WATCH MARKET SkyCaddies LX5 GPS watch borrows many of the best features of the brand’s top-of-the-range SX500 handheld unit and shrinks them into watch form.

Boasting a 1.4-inch, colour touch screen – which is 17% bigger than most GPS watches, although it is no thicker in depth – the LX5 offers a full screen image of each hole and boasts SkyCaddie’s Dynamic HoleVue – which gives a full look at the fairway with trees, water and other hazards. It also offers front-centre-back distances based on your angle to the green.

The touch screen offers a sliding cursor and a zoom-in feature, which you operate with your fingers, while SkyCaddie’s unique Intelligreen technology accurately maps the green and shows swales, false fronts and other major features.

Users can swipe from mode to mode using the touch screen to bring up scoring and stat-tracking options, while the LX5 also offers health-monitoring features such as steps, miles and heart rate. It can also connect to a smart phone and provide alerts to calls, texts and emails. A free three-year worldwide subscription to SkyCaddie’s membership programme is included in the purchase price, offering detailed foot-mapped courses and course updates. RRP: £299.

golfers to analyse their performance.

Other features include a 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen display; leather handle grips; polished chrome and carbon-fibre styling; downhill control technology, electronic parking brake; 36-hole lithium battery; USB charging port; 60-metre range Adjustable Distance Control; shot measurement; score tracking; adjustable handle height, and nine speed settings.

A new compact folding system, including inverted wheels, enables it to fit into the smallest car boots, while the EASILOCK bagto-trolley connection system removes the need for a lower bag strap. RRP: £1,299.99

TITLEIST EXPANDS TSI DRIVER FAMILY The TSi4 is aimed at golfers seeking ultralow spin with the same distance gains that have made the TSi2 and TSi3 drivers the most played models on the PGA Tour.

The centre of gravity is the lowest in the TSi range and it is also the most forward, delivering less dynamic loft and less spin at impact. A higher MOI also contributes to a higher launch and overall trajectory. With a head volume of 430cc, it is also the most workable of the TSi drivers.

Boasting a thin, titanium face that launches the ball with added speed, improved aerodynamics reduce drag by 6% compared to the previous TS4 driver, allowing faster clubhead speed for the same effort. It is offered in 8°, 9°, 10° lofts, while a SureFit hosel enables 16 independent loft/ lie settings, plus headweight adjustability in 2g increments (-4g to 4g), to create consistent ball flight through precision fitting. RRP £519.

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EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

SRIXON ZX4 IRONS £899, SRIXON.CO.UK Srixon has built a solid reputation for producing quality irons and players using them currently hold two of the major championships. The ZX4 is an all-new more forgiving model than they’ve offered in recent years. Featuring a midsize head with an unsupported hollow body and thin forged face, the ZX4s are designed for forgiveness and ball speed.

Importantly though, they still look very playable behind the ball, and are designed to blend with Srixon’s other irons to produce the perfect blended combination set for your game.

BIG MAX AQUA STYLE 3 £249.99, BIGMAXGOLF.COM Big Max is the biggest selling golf bag brand in Europe, with its combination of waterproof fabrics, feature-laden models and bold colours proving a winning formula. The Aqua Style 3 is a fully waterproof cart bag that combines minimal branding and modern functionality.

Features include a 14-way organiser top and 10 waterproof and generously sized pockets.

The bag weighs just 2.2kg, which is very light for this category.

ODYSSEY 2-BALL TEN TRIPLE TRACK £299, ODYSSEYGOLF.COM If you struggle with lining up your putts, Odyssey might just have the answer. By combining the 2-Ball alignment with the Triple Track Vernier Hyper Acuity blue and red lines, this putter is the ultimate in positive reinforcement. Add to that its graphite/steel composite shaft which helps with consistency, high MOI head for forgiveness, and Microhinge Star insert for a solid feel and improved roll, this is the culmination of all of Odyssey’s best technology rolled into one superb package.

PRO SHOP

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR

HONMA T//WORLD WEDGE £149, HONMAGOLF.COM The new T//World wedge features precisely engineered centre of gravity locations for optimal distance and spin control on shots around the green. The clubface, which is made from mild soft steel with a satin, half-mirror finish, incorporates the brand’s unique CNC milling process to deliver exceptional spin on finesse shots, while aluminium back inserts alter the location of the centre of gravity for more consistent performance. The reverse taper blade design in the 56°, 58° and 60° lofts gradually increase in thickness horizontally and laterally to ensure the ball grips to the clubface longer, especially on high face strikes, while a flat blade in the 48°, 50°, 52° and 54° lofts projects constant thickness throughout for a mid-low CG, optimal spin and precise distance control on full shots. Three grinds deliver versatility in varying turf conditions and angles of attack into the ball.

CALLAWAY APEX 21 IRONS £1,099/£1,399 (ST/GR), CALLAWAYGOLF.COM The Apex has become the marquee model for Callaway, offering plenty of forgiveness, great looks, loads of distance and a excellent feel. To update it, they’ve taken their AI flash face cup face and added it to a forged iron for the first time, increasing ball speed and adding spin robustness to the design. The irons use a super heavy tungsten energy core – which features five times the tungsten used in the previous Apex irons – to perfectly place the centre of gravity for added forgiveness.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR JUNE 2021 [55] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TAYLORMADE SIM 2 MAX DRIVER £449, TAYLORMADEGOLF.EU One of the hottest drivers on tour, the SIM 2 has been used successfully already this season by Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. Taking much of what made original SIM a success last season, the innovators of adjustability actually dialled it back this season due to the performance gains they were seeing with the Forged Ring Construction.

The strong lightweight aluminium is precision milled and saves weight that can be used elsewhere in the head. The weight track has been removed and a heavy 16g steel rear weight is placed for optimum forgiveness and low spin.

POWAKADDY FX7 GPS £799.99, POWAKADDY.COM How do you make the market-leading trolley even better? Add a new, simpler one-click frame design that folds 20% smaller than previous Freeway models; utilise a 3.5-inch colour touch screen with full GPS capability to know how far your next shot is, while also counting your calories; and drop in a strong compact lithium battery that will be more than enough for 18 holes, while also offering an extended 36-hole option for those masochists that like to slip in two rounds in a day.

CALLAWAY CHROME SOFT X LS £39.99, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM A new addition to Callaway’s golf ball range, the Chrome Soft X LS is designed for low-spin bombs for players who want to hit it hard and watch the ball fly true. A four-piece design features a larger SoftFast core and a Dual Mantle design for high speeds and low launch, while a thin urethane cover ensures the ball still spins around the green.

BUSHNELL V5 TOUR SLIM RANGEFINDER £299/£359 (SHIFT), BUSHNELLGOLF.COM Bushnell’s new V5 Tour Slim Edition rangefinder, which is also offered in a slope-adjusted Shift model, is, as the name suggests, a slimmed down version of the V5 Tour. The unit has been redesigned so it fits more snugly into the palm of the hand to make it easier to hold steady. Boasting Jolt technology to let you know when the laser is locked on to the target, the V5 Slim features a built-in magnet with a 7lb pull strength which enables it to be secured to any magnetic surface, such as the strut of a golf buggy.

CALLAWAY APPAREL X COLLECTION CALLAWAYEUROPEAPPAREL.COM Callaway Apparel’s X Collection is its most stylish, with an athletic fit and fashion forward prints. Worn by the Callaway Apparel Tour Staff, Callaway is also the official on-course apparel brand for the European Tour. The all-over Geo Print Polo (£60) is soft to the touch and features Opti-Dri and Opti-Stretch technologies to keep you fresh and comfortable on the course. The Classic Merino Crewneck Jumper (£75) is 100% Merino wool and adds a classic look while featuring Opti-Dri moisture management to keep you feeling fresh for the whole round.

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EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FOOTJOY XP FLEX

ECCO BIOM H4

£109, FOOTJOY.CO.UK

£170, GOLF.ECCO.OM

£119.99, PAYNTR.COM

The sporty-styled Flex XP with Versa-Trax spikeless traction provides golfers with greater support through the swing via enhanced mesh ribbing, whilst offering a soft and supportive EVA midsole cushioned ride, outstanding breathability and waterproof reliability. A bootie-fit construction provides a sock-like fit for trainer-like comfort. They are offered in white, blue and a new grey camouflage design.

The BIOM Hybrid has been Ecco’s most successful model.

They’ve started afresh with the H4, rebuilding it from the ground up. Featuring the BIOM 2.0 last, the shoes are designed to let your foot move naturally offering support around the heel and movement around the toes. Fully waterproof thanks to their Gore-Tex lining, the shoes stand out thanks to the TPU sections that wrap around the midsole for stability.

PAYNTR has transitioned from cricket into golf with a design team that has produced performance footwear for some of the world’s best cricketers. With a focus on 3D traction, a TPU outsole is designed to prevent rotational slipping. A dual durometer midsole helps support the weight shift during the swing, while a graphite Power Plate transfers energy from the ground up to help generate more power.

DUCA DEL COSMA TOMCAT

SKECHERS GO GOLF MAX BOLT

£159.95, DUCADELCOSMA.COM

£89, SKECHERS.COM

Showcasing a new direction for the Italian footwear brand, the Tomcat is a modern athletic shoe unlike anything they've produced before. The upper, midsole and outsole are all recyclable, while the OnSteam microfibre lining is fully waterproof and breathable, regulating your feet's temperature while offering the soft feel of leather.

With their distinct 3D printed breathable textile patterned upper, you won’t mistake the Max Bolt for any other shoe on the market. Using GOGA MAX technology combined with ULTRA FLIGHT, the shoes have both high rebound cushioning, and ultra-lightweight cushioning, exactly where you need it.

UNDER ARMOUR HOVR KNIT

STUBURT EVOLVE 3.0

PUMA IGNITE FASTEN8

£115, UNDERARMOUR.COM

£59.99, STUBURT.COM

£100, PUMAGOLF.COBRAGOLF.CO.UK

Under Armour has improved its footwear every year since it first launched into the market in 2016. The new HOVR Knit might be their most interesting shoe yet. While the monochromatic design, with its bold branding won’t be for everyone, the lightweight styling is super comfortable thanks to its HOVR Foam cushioning and sock-like knitted upper.

Not everyone wants to spend over £100 on a pair of golf shoes. It doesn’t mean they don’t want a comfortable, high performance shoe though. Stuburt have the answer with the Evolve 3.0. A fully waterproof leather upper utilising Stuburt’s DRI-Back technology, the midsole and insole are designed for comfort, while the spikeless outsole guarantees great traction.

Puma’s IGNITE foam is one of the most comfortable materials you will find in pair of golf shoes. Soft underfoot, but fully supportive, the Fasten8 design is connected to the laces, and ensures a supportive fit, wrapping around the midfoot to lock it into place. It’s also available in a disc option for golfers who prefer not to bother having to tie their laces.

SOFT SHOE SHUFFLE

PAYNTRX 001 F

If you’re looking for the ultimate in on-course comfort this summer, then look no further than these new spikeless models

TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JUNE 2021 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/TRAVEL

LISBON RESORTS WELCOME BACK UK GOLFERS ORIZONTE, Portugal’s leading golf management company, is rolling out the red carpet at its Lisbon-based venues to UK golfers after Portugal was listed on the government’s green list for foreign travel.

World-class golf, upgraded sports and leisure facilities and one of the Portuguese capital’s most chic new hotels form the centrepiece of the enticing menu that ORIZONTE has put together to welcome golfers back after lockdown eased on May 17, with four-night, three-round packages available for €353 per person.

Bookable until September 30, the stay-and-play breaks feature golf Aroeira Golf Resort and Ribagolfe, as well as a choice of hotel and self-catering accommodation options, including the recentlyopened Aroeira Lisbon Hotel.

Nestled amid tranquil natural pine forest, Aroeira – 25km south of Lisbon – is rated among Europe’s top 50 golf resorts and features two 18-hole championship courses – Aroeira I, a two-time host of the Portuguese Open, and Aroeira II. Located on the stunning Aroeira estate, the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel provides the ultimate in chic modern design, including 68 bedrooms and suites, an outdoor pool, a spa and a choice of five bars and restaurants, and offers easy access to the many golden sandy beaches in the Costa Azul region.

Alternatively, golfers can enjoy a break in one of Aroeira’s choice of villas and apartments with stay-and -play packages also including access to the resort’s refurbished swimming pool and chill-out area .

A short drive from Aroeira, Ribagolfe boasts two of the finest layouts in the Lisbon region – Ribagolfe I and II. Both courses have also been the subject of a winter upgrade while a new hotel partner for 2021, the Four Points by Sheraton Sesimbra, offers the ideal base to play the club known as the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’.

For more details, visit www.orizontegolf.com.

■ AROEIRA BOASTS TWO SUPERB COURSES AND A GREAT CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATION

NEW-LOOK NAIRN LAUNCHES SPECIAL SUMMER RATE NAIRN GOLF CLUB in Scotland is giving UK golfers the opportunity to book a break with confidence this year with the introduction of a specially reduced fourball rate on the historic club’s newly renovated Championship Course.

Renowned as a true test of Scottish links golf and located close to Inverness, Nairn has undergone a major two-year course redevelopment that has elevated its already lofty reputation as one of the best courses in the country. And golfers can now enjoy the full ‘Nairn Experience’ for themselves for the discounted fourball price of £380.

Available now, the offer represents the perfect opportunity for golfers to enjoy a golf break without the difficulties currently associated with foreign travel. The special rate is fully refundable if circumstances mean that golfers are unable to travel.

Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive of The Nairn Golf Club, said: “There are understandable difficulties with foreign travel at present, so our special fourball rate means that golfers can still enjoy a golf break while experiencing everything that our club has to offer, including the wonderful highland hospitality.”

In addition to the 18-hole Championship Course, Nairon also offers the 9-hole Cameron Course and well-equipped practice facilities. To find out more, visit www.nairngolfclub.co.uk.

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Johnny Herbert The 56-year-old former Formula 1 racing driver enjoys the fast life on and off the racetrack, but has been known to slow it down for a round of golf

Travel with

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in was...

The Oberoi in Lombok, Indonesia.

My most memorable holiday meal was… the hotel food at The Oberoi. The Thai food was spectacular.

My favourite city in the world is... London.

It’s my hometown and I always love coming back to it when I’ve been away. I’ve visited so many cities for work, but one I really enjoyed was Delhi because it was just so diverse and absolutely mad!

My first ever golf holiday was to… I’ve not had time for a specific golf holiday, although I’ve played golf on holiday and also managed to get a few rounds in during F1 trips.

My next holiday is to... Austin, Texas. I tend to tack on the occasional holiday at the end of a Grand Prix, so I’m looking forward to that trip in October if things pan out with the pandemic.

My worst holiday experience was... in St

■ BEAVERBROOK GOLF CLUB, SURREY

My favourite golf course in the UK is...

Lucia on the Caribbean. We had an awful hotel where nothing worked in our room. We didn’t even have any water.

My top travel tip is ... always check-in early online, otherwise your seat may have gone by the time you get to the airport. Double-booking is not as uncommon as you might think!

Beaverbrook Golf Club in Surrey.

My dream holiday fourball would include... Muhammad Ali, former F1 driver Jim Clark and Tommy Cooper .

My most memorable round was at... the municipal course at the centre of the F1 ring at Monza in Italy. It’s a beautiful 18-hole parkland layout and I had I one of those rare magical rounds where everything came together. I was chipping it close from everywhere and seemed to hole every putt I looked at.

■ THE OBEROI RESORT, LOMBOK

shooting in the 90s.

My worst ever round was… when I was

When I’m on holiday, I never … put sun cream on. It’s a big mistake I know, but I’m so lazy. Do not follow my lead on this one.

about 15 and I shot 110, which even at the time I thought was pretty lousy, as I was used to

I always travel with... my headphones.

SEAHOLM OFFERS HOME FROM HOME FOR SCOTTISH GOLF TRIPS WITH OVERSEAS GOLF TRIPS off the menu for most of us this summer, there is no better time to check out the golfing delights much closer to home. And there is no better place to do that than Scotland’s East Lothian coast, which is home to some of the world’s finest championship links courses, as well as some lesser-known layout that charm and challenge in equal measure.

With tourists from America unable to visit the UK on holiday this

summer, now is the time to tick off those must-play Open Championship venues, such as St Andrews, Muirfield and Carnoustie, which will all be uncharacteristically quiet, while qualifying courses such as North Berwick, Craigielaw and Dunbar should also be considered essential components in any ■ SEAHOLM BED & BREAKFAST IS IDEALLY PLACED FOR AN EAST LOTHIAN GOLF BREAK

golfing itinerary to the region.

Throw in high-class Scottish Open venues such as Gullane and Archerfield, and the delightful courses to be found at Kilspindie, Luffness , Longniddry and The Glen, and you have all the makings a golf holiday to remember.

While golfers are spoiled for choice when it comes to courses to play in East Lothian, finding somewhere comfortable and convenient to stay that doesn’t involve a long drive out from Edinburgh isn’t quite so easy, but there are some hidden gems out there if you know where to look.

The stunning seaside town of North Berwick is ideally located to provide to a central base for any golfing trip to the region, and the splendid seafront Seaholm Bed & Breakfast offers the perfect accommodation option for those looking to hole up in absolute comfort between rounds.

Overlooking the seafront at North Berwick, and handy for all the town’s array of facilities, including a great selection of local restaurants, bars, cafés and shops, the Seaholm offers high quality accommodation, and is ideal for golfing groups of all sizes, with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, and all at very competitive rates.

Guests can choose from the Courtyard and Bass Rock View rooms, which have private bathrooms, while the Quadrant View and White Room share a bathroom. Each room is elegantly furnished and offers all mod cons, and can be set up a single, double and twin rooms.

All rooms are steam cleaned and disinfected between stays, and all health and safety rules regarding Covid-19 are complied with to ensure your stay is as safe as possible.

Guests who want the privacy of their own self-catering accommodation should look no further than the East Sands Holiday Home, which looks out onto the famous Bass Rock, home to the largest gannet colony in the world. This magnificent self-catering holiday home is beautifully presented and is situated close to the town centre, the golf courses and fine walks along the East Lothian coastline. The property offers bright and spacious accommodation with retained period detail For bookings and details on the latest availability, visit www.seaholm.co.uk or www.eastsandsnorthberwick.co.uk.

TRAVEL & BREAKS

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Come and play golf in LISBON Portugal Landscape of ocean, beaches, rivers, cliffs, dunes and lakes make this a truly exhilarating experience, Lisbon is a capital city like no other, in a truly magical setting • Daily flights all year around • Mild weather all year around • High standard of golf courses • Mediterranean atmosphere • Combination of golf with culture, entertainment, winery and gastronomy • Value for the money • Service quality and golf friendly services

Lisboa top golf courses 1. Clube de Golf Qt. Marinha 2. Golf do Estoril 3. Oitavos Dunes 4. Belas Club de Campo 5. Lisbon Sports Club 6. Penha Longa Resort 7. Pestana Beloura Golf Resort 8. Aroeira I and II 9. Montado Golf 10. Qta. Peru Golf & Country Club 11. Troia Golf Course 12. Ribagolfe I and II 13. Guardian Bom Sucesso Golf 14. Dolce Campo Real Lisboa Golf 15. Praia D´el Rey Golf Resort 16. Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort 17. West Cliffs Golf Course 18. Golf Aldeia dos Capuchos

www.visitlisboa.com Over 20 golf courses to suit every kind of golfer.

TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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Engineered to perform like the putter it’s inspired by, the Frequency polo shirt features the sound wave made at impact by the original PING 1-A putter – the iconic model engineered by PING founder, Karsten Solheim, in 1959 – to create a modern and completely unique design that celebrates PING’s heritage.

AND SENSORCOOL® ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF KARSTEN MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS.

[60] JUNE 2021