GOLF NEWS JUNE 2022

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ISSUE 296 | JUNE 2022

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EDITOR'S LETTER

NICK BAYLY

Royal Portrush proved a tipping point from which there is no turning back. Just as there is for Wimbledon, there is now a ballot entry for tickets to the Open, where you put your name forward months in advance and hope for the best. With over 1.3 million people applying for around 200,000 tickets for the 150th Open at St Andrews, many have been left disappointed.

In many ways, the R&A’s stance is perfectly understandable. St Andrews, which always attracts the biggest crowds, was always going to be a sell out, especially after the last two years of stay-at-home golf, but the attendance in 2015, when The Open was last held at the Home of Golf, was 239,000, and that was quite a squeeze I can tell you.

And next year’s Open at Royal Liverpool will be a similarly hot ticket.

The R&A can talk about traffic management, logistics and ordering in enough lager and bacon butties, but the real reason is down to pure cash. Who wouldn’t rather have £20 million in advance ticket sales in the bank six months before the event takes place? Especially if the weather turns nasty, and all those fair-weather golf fans decide to stay at home.

But like any event where demand outstrips supply, we now have the issue of ticket touts to contend with.

A casual search on the internet sees tickets for this year’s Open on sale for pretty hefty prices. Want to catch the action on the final day’s play? That’ll be £525 please. How about all four days? Erm, no change from £1,300. None of that money will be going to the R&A, well, only the original price of the ticket when it was sold in the first place, which was around £80. The rest goes to line the pockets of a tout or some chancer who never wanted the ticket in the first place. The R&A has created a platform on its website for people with tickets who can’t now attend to sell them on to others on the waiting list at face value — but there are plenty more who’d rather make a fast buck on websites for touts.

It’s a depressing thought that makes you long for the days when unheralded club pros or teenage amateurs would make it through final qualifying and 30 or 40 members would instantly make plans to drive hundreds of miles to follow their man all the way.

Those days are now over. No wonder they say progress always comes with a price.

■ THIS YEAR’S OPEN AT ST ANDREWS IS A COMPLETE SELLOUT

When was the last time you casually rocked up at your favourite local restaurant on a Saturday night and were able to get a seat at your favourite table, or even a table at all? When did you last wander up to the box office at your local theatre the week before Christmas and bag a couple of tickets for that night’s performance of a pantomime? Would you even consider going to the 8pm screening of the latest Marvel Avengers film without having pre-booked your seats?

The answer to these three questions will probably have been ‘never’ and ‘no’.

I even have to book a slot at my local tip – sorry, recycling centre – if I want to so much as drop off a bag of rubbish or hand over some unwanted clothes. And don’t get me started on booking a Tesco home delivery for a Saturday morning.

Given all that, should we be at all surprised that the R&A, in all its wisdom, decided to end its buy-yourticket-on-the-door policy for the Open Championship in 2019 and turn its marquee event into a pre-booked only affair? For 147 years golf’s oldest major had happily trundled on with its turn up on the day policy, which enabled the casual golf fan to take a quick look at the weather forecast before deciding to rock up at the turnstiles, safe in the knowledge that they could pay their money and see the world’s greatest golfers in action on some hallowed piece of links turf.

Sadly, or not sadly, depending on your point of view, that option is no longer on the table. And it never will be again. The popularity of golf in Ireland – which sells out a tournament any time Rory is within a million miles of the first tee – ensured that tickets for The Open’s return to Northern Ireland in 2019 – for the first time in 68 years – were always going to be in high demand.

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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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SPRING 2022

HOW THE OPEN BECAME A CLOSED SHOP

as worn by GEORGIA HALL

[4]

JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

InBrief BOMBS AWAY AT DULWICH & SYDENHAM ★ Two unexploded World War II bombs that were found in the back

Centurion set to host top women pros as Aramco Team Series swings into town

garden of a house in south London were detonated on the course at Dulwich & Sydenham Golf Club on the evening of May 18. The course was the nearest open space to the site where the bombs were found in Camberwell, and the bomb squad detonated the two devices without the permission on the club due to the urgent nature of the incident. The club’s bar staff witnessed the controlled explosions which are understood to have caused minor damage to one of the course’s bunkers.

CUTCHIE & CLARKE DOUBLE UP AT SPRING CLASSIC

Georgia Hall and Lexi Thompson and will be among the stars of women’s golf competing in the Aramco Team Series – a new event introduced to the Ladies European Tour last year – the second leg of which is taking place at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire from June 18-20.

The tournament, which takes just a week after the conclusion of the LIV Golf Invitational held at the same venue from June 9-12, will give a chance to the world’s top female golfers to shine on the UK stage.

Swedish double-major winner Anna Nordqvist and Denmark’s 2020’s LET Race to Costa del Sol champion Emily Kristine Pedersen are also confirmed for

the three-day event, which has a $1 million prize fund, one of the biggest sums on offer during the season.

As with last year’s format, each team consists of three professionals and one amateur, with the 26 team captains chosen based on their world ranking. But this year the captains will pick in reverse order. with the 26th ranked team captain picking first. A third professional is picked at random, while an amateur is also then assigned to each team to complete the team line up.

There has also been a slight tweak to the

format, with the individual competition still being 54 holes, but the team event is now 36 holes. This means that the players play in their respective teams for the first two days – best two scores from four – and the winners of the team event will be decided at the end of the second round. After the second round, there will be a cut to the top 60 professionals and ties and the draw for the final round of the Individual competition on Saturday will be purely based on the pro leaderboard.

Hall is excited about the tournament and playing on hole soil again following a busy few months on the LPGA Tour. She said: “The Aramco Team Series has been a really great addition to the Tour that I think most of us can’t wait to get playing in again. The format is fun and it’s different – and is a real force for good in women’s golf. Investment like this is fantastic to se. As an English player, having the event back in London makes it extra special.”

Advanced tickets for the tournament cost just £5 per day or £10 for all three days.

For more details, visit www.aramcoteamseries.seetickets.com

Get Golfing steps in to save North Downs

★ Colchester GC professional Chris Cutchie and his amateur partner Phillip Clarke made it back-to-back victories in the Searles PGA Spring Classic, staged this year at Hunstanton and King’s Lynn. The pair mounted a successful defence of the title after combining to score 79 points, winning by a solitary point from Andrew Coleman (Millbrook GC) and Chris Thornhill.

HOOPER WINS WATSON TROPHY ★ Joe Hooper (Wrotham Heath) won Kent Golf’s Watson Trophy

The future of North Downs Golf Club has been secured after the popular Surrey venue was sold to a private buyer who has in entered into a long-term lease agreement with Get Golfing, the specialist charitable golf operator.

In 2018, the members of the 123-year-old club agreed to sell the facility to property development Safegolf after many years of trading losses. Safegolf proceeded to make a series of planning applications that would have seen the course given over to housing, but the application was rejected by Tandridge District Council and, as a result, the future of the club looked uncertain.

To further complicate matters, the local parish council, motivated by a fear of further planning application, started crowdfunding within the community to acquire Safegolf with the intention of closing the club and starting

a rewilding programme in conjunction with Surrey Wildlife.

Edward Richardson, chief executive of Get Golfing, which has a portfolio of nine clubs in the south east, said: “The employees of Get Golfing and the members of North Downs are delighted to announce the acquisition and lease agreement. The club has been through a traumatic period of uncertainty and for it now to have gone into the safe hands of Get Golfing will lead to greater stability and a bright new chapter in the club’s long history.”

Richardson added: “I first came to North Downs to play a junior open when I was probably 14 years old, so it is a lovely feeling to now be able to come back some 40 years later and, along with others, work to re-establish the club having taken it from imminent closure.

“We would like to think we have started to build a reputation for investing in our

■ NORTH DOWNS

properties, improving the playing surfaces and broadening their appeal. With 5,500 active members and over 100,000 unique visitors to our sites in the past 12 months, we believe we have the skills to improve the club and increase the amount of golf being played there.

“Since Get Golfing was set up in 2018, we have invested £3.8 million of operating surpluses back into our clubs and this will continue. For us, the location of North Downs between Redlibbets and Pyrford fits well within our nine-club portfolio.”

after shooting an impressive gross 69 at Dartford Golf Club. He finished two shots of Christopher Beard (Shooters Hill) and Lee Carew (Chelsfield Lakes), with Beard taking second on countback.

Michael Evans (Upchurch River Valley) won the nett competition with a 68. The Watson Trophy, which is competed for by Kent club champions, was back after a twoyear break due to Covid, resulting in champions from both 2020 and 2021 being invited to take part.

SCOTT REIGNS AT PRINCE’S ★ Lewis Scott (Paultons Golf

Golf boom shows no sign of slowing as ‘rounds played’ remains buoyant

Centre) won the PGA South Region’s Prince’s 27 competition after shooting 96 over the Kent links’ venues three nine-hole layouts. Scott shot rounds of 29, 33 and 34 to beat Prince’s own Jordan Loft by three shots, with Kane Finbar (Barton-on-Sea) back in third on 101.

The boom in golf participation experienced across England, Scotland and Wales over the last two years shows no sign of slowing, according to the latest industry research.

Data gathered from Sports Marketing Surveys’ ongoing ‘Rounds Played’ monitor shows that rounds played across the

nations that constitute Great Britain in the first three months of 2022 rose by 7% against pre-pandemic figures.

The major growth came in March, which, as well as having the highest number of average rounds, also recorded the fastest growth, seeing a 22% surge against 2019 figures. In regional terms, the north was the first best performer of the first three months of the year, up 27% against 2019. Other regions enjoyed strong performances, with only the Midlands seeing rounds down, although only by one per cent.

The finding is the latest in a long line of statistics indicating the sustained rise in appeal of golf and follows the news that 4.8m people played golf on a full-length course in Great Britain in 2021, the second highest figure on record.

‘Rounds played’ comparisons with 2021 and 2020 are not comparable with 2022 because of the widespread lockdowns and course closures in the first months of last year and the second half of March 2020.

Commenting on the latest figures, SMS Director Richard Payne said: “Yet again, the data indicates what we have seen throughout the pandemic, that golf is in a strong position. A lot of commentators

expected the appetite to dwindle fast, but, knowing golf well, we were always confident and we are again delighted to see that the data keeps showing that the game has thrived since the pandemic began.

“Golf is delivering so many great benefits that people want from sport – access to fresh air and natural beauty, low impact healthy exercise, socialising, intergenerational play. It will be a real shame if rising living costs destabilise that in the months to come, forcing people to give up some of the things that keep them happy and healthy.”

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said: “It is very encouraging to see again the positive data for rounds played in Great Britain in the first quarter of 2022. This builds on previous insight which showed that golf was on the rise pre-pandemic and continues to be a sport attractive to golfers across all levels of the game – including the use of full-length courses, driving ranges and alternative golf venues. Golfers are enjoying the wonderful physical and mental health benefits the sport provides and taking up a wide range of participation initiatives on offer. It is vital for the sport to maintain this momentum.”

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JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Justin Rose and American Golf join forces to roll out junior academy programme American Golf and global golfing star Justin Rose have joined forces to unveil a new world-class golf academy as they embark on a mission to get more people into golf.

The new Justin Rose Academy is part of American Golf’s drive to make golf accessible to all, irrespective of age, gender social background and ability.

Led by a team of highly trained PGA Professional coaches, and working with golfers of all levels, from complete beginners to elite players, the Justin Rose Academy will operate from American Golf’s leisure sites, including its flagship Golf Kingdom Leisure Park in Essex, as well as at Barnehurst Golf Club in Kent, Cheshire’s High Legh Park, Rossendale in Lancashire, Hemingford Abbots in Cambridgeshire, and Wythall Driving Range in Birmingham.

The Academy will have a firm focus on community engagement, taking the sport off the golf course and into new territories via social media and influencer activities,

■ JUSTIN ROSE AND 12-Y

EAR-OLD RIA PRABHAKAR

AT THE JUSTIN ROSE ACA

DEMY

events and a dedicated schools programme that will introduce children to the wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits of golf.

In its first five years, the Academy aims to bring 18,000 young people onto the Justin Rose junior programme, with more than 5,000 free lessons for school children given away during the first year.

Speaking at the launch, Justin Rose said: “It’s an extremely exciting time for golf in the UK. Not only is participation up, but the average age of players is coming down, and more than 400,000 women have taken up the game for the first

time since 2020.

“Encouraging young people to play golf will protect the future of the sport and schools are a crucial part of our outreach. It’s our vision to have golf on the PE curriculum. The Academy will enable more people to benefit from the social and health benefits of golf, as well as us uncovering future champions. Linking with American Golf to launch the Academy makes complete sense given its vast network of golf ranges and stores across the UK.” Gary Favell, CEO of American Golf, said: “This is a landmark development for golf in the UK. Justin is an extraordinary player and a hugely inspirational ambassador for the sport. Our Justin Rose Academy has huge ambitions to accelerate golf participation, while changing the perception of the sport for good and making sure it’s accessible to all.

“The Justin Rose Academy is for everyone, from beginners to aspiring tournament professionals, our aim is to inspire, educate and show people the real joy that comes from golf – whether that be a round with friends, a trip to the driving range or participation in a school tournament.”

Attracting more minority groups into the game is a key focus for Kate Rose, Justin’s wife and founder of the women’s golfing event, Rose Ladies Series, who’s also leading the charge in her role as Inclusivity Ambassador at the Academy, ensuring every minority group is able to participate in the sport.

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Hopkins claims Hampshire Hog Hertfordshire’s Max Hopkins etched his name on the prestigious Hampshire Hog trophy with a one-stroke victory at North Hants Golf Club.

The 19-year-old from Bishops Stortford GC shot rounds of 68 and 69 for a three-under-par winning score of 137, and finish ahead of Joe Harvey (The Kendleshire) and Freddie Macarther (Ullesthorpe Court).

A series of impressive wedge shots and tidy approach play throughout a glorious spring day at the Fleet venue took Hopkins clear of the field – with all but one of eight birdies coming from simple tap-ins – and despite two late dropped shots, Hopkins could not be caught.

In winning the 64th Hampshire Hog, Hopkins joins a star cast of former champions which includes Walker Cup and Ryder Cup players, Tour winners and Major champions. including Justin Rose, who won the title in 1995 aged 14.

“It’s good to know I am on the same route as those players you see on the board who have gone on to make

it on the biggest stage,” said Hopkins. “It’s nice to add my name to that list.”

Having won the Daily Telegraph Junior Masters in 2017 and represented England Boys in the European Team Championships and Home Internationals, Hopkins’ progress stalled over the last two years during the covid pandemic. However, success in Hampshire Hog provided a timely boost for his career as he chases a dream of competing on the professional circuit with his older brother Jon, also a +4 handicapper, who is currently playing college golf in the US. “There have not been many brothers competing at the top level, so that would be pretty cool,” said Hopkins, who is coached by former European Tour player Simon Khan.

The Hampshire Salver, awarded for the best combined score over 72 holes with two rounds at Blackmoor Golf Club for the Selborne Salver and then the two rounds at the Hampshire Hog, went to England International Jack Brooks.

The 31-year-old from The Mere in Bolton followed rounds of 67 and 71 at Blackmoor with 72 and 67 at North Hants for a winning total of 277. Brooks is targeting a place in the US Mid-Amateur in September, and his win marks a solid step towards that goal.

NEWS | JUNE 2022

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Kipp keeps his cool to win G4D Tour’s British Masters’ title

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Kent’s Kipp Popert became the first winner on the G4D Tour, a new tour specifically designed for golfers with a disability, after defeating Kurtis Barkley and Chris Biggins in a play-off at The Belfry, taking home the G4D @ Betfred British Masters title.

The 23-year-old started the final round on the iconic Brabazon Course two strokes back from Barkley, but carded a final round 73 to sign for a three-over par total as he was joined on that number by Barkley and Biggins.

Biggins was eliminated on the first play-off hole after a bogey, while bogey was good enough for Popert to secure victory on the second play-off hole.

Popert, who studied at the University of Birmingham and had lectures at The Belfry, was delighted to win the first G4D Tour event at a venue which holds so

much significance.

“I went to university here a few years ago, so it’s really nice to win here in Birmingham,” said Kipp, who is a member at Wildernesse Golf Club near Sevenoaks. “I was always aware of what was going on out on the course. I like feeling the pressure, I look forward to it and it’s why I practice, it’s my favourite part of what we do.

“I played okay this week, I struggled with a few starting lines and not hitting it as tight as I’d like. I made a few mental errors, going for shots I shouldn’t have. I had a triple on my card on the fourth hole, which could have easily been a bogey. My caddie, Hugo, made me lay-up on 18 on the second play-off hole, so I have a lot to thank him for, as it took a big number out of play.”

“At the EDGA Dubai Finale last year I missed a short right-to-left putt that I should have made, so I’ve been practicing really hard on those,” he added. “It was a really nice putt, so I’m really pleased it dropped.”

He added: “This Tour is only going to get bigger. It’s given me a platform to play golf after university. I’ve got high aspirations and want to keep pressing on. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that have been offered by the DP World Tour and the European Tour group, it’s just been brilliant.”

26/05/2022 13:46

Rustington resubmits plan to build homes on par-3 course Rustington Golf Centre in West Sussex has resubmitted plans to convert its par-three course into housing.

The Angmering-based venue says it plans to keep its 18-hole, par-70 course and an 18-hole adventure course if the plans to build 167 new homes and apartments are approved.

Arun District Council refused a larger plan submitted by developer Barratt David Wilson Homes to build 191 homes at the site last year. In addition to the 167 homes, the revised plan includes 396 parking spaces, 253 cycle spaces, open space and a new access road.

A spokesperson for Barratt David Wilson Homes says it will appeal

last year’s refusal, but the new plans include a smaller combination of oneand two-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom detached and semi-detached houses.

Of the new homes, Barratt David Wilson Homes says 30 per cent would be classified as ‘affordable’, but the council said 106 homes had been allocated for the site in total and would be a ‘more acceptable’ number.

Rustington Golf Centre, which also features a driving range and a large American Golf retail store, first opened in 1997, and has a proved a popular venue for generations of golfers to learn the game before progressing onto other clubs in the area.

The Grove enhances practice facilities with TrackMan Range

Golfers playing at The Grove in Hertfordshire can tune up their game with the help of the very latest technology following the installation of TrackMan Range at its tourquality driving range.

The state-of-the-art golf ball tracking system goes live on the range from June 6 and will be available to all golfers using the facility providing they have access to a smart phone or tablet. To use the system, golfers need only download the free TrackMan app, and unlock a wealth of game-enhancing features, including detailed shot analysis, interactive experiences and entertaining games.

TrackMan’s radar technology precisely measures each shot, giving instant feedback on ball data, including ball speed, carry and total distance, launch angle, launch direction and more. Information is then displayed on the app which records all shot data in a player’s profile to review instantly or at a later date. 3D rendering within the app also replicates the finest details and features of The Grove’s practice range, making a more realistic player experience.

Brad Gould, Director of Golf at The Grove, said: “By installing TrackMan Range, we are taking an already premium customer experience and moving it to the next level. We receive incredible customer feedback from golfers who love our all-grass practice facilities, but now with the added attraction of TrackMan Range, a new level of enjoyment, impactful warm-up and analysis is on offer to everyone.”

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JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

New Mindset creates extra benefits for London Golf Club members London Golf Club in Kent is further enhancing the benefits it offers to members after forming a new partnership with MindsetCaddy, a private golfcoaching service with a focus on high performance mindset.

This pioneering partnership will look to pave the way in member benefit offerings for all golf clubs.

As a service that is more commonly available to pros and high-level athletes, London Golf Club members and visitors to its academy will be able to access MindsetCaddy skills and techniques to help better understand their mental golf game and aid their performance.

MindsetCaddy is a leading force in performance mindset and the mental game of golf. Focusing on three key areas – ’performance-enhancing behaviours’, ‘mental strength and resilience’, and ‘focus and motivation’, golfers benefit from an improvement in concentration, enjoyment and improvement in their ability to cope with pressure, nerves and setbacks.

Offered on a one-to-one basis, sessions encourage the

■ MINDSE TCADDY COACH NICK TAY LOR

participant to identify their focus, ambitions and understanding of what they are looking to get out of the game. Suitable for all club golfers, the sessions are flexible and can take place in a number of formats, from playing lessons and driving range tuition to indoor coaching and conversational techniques where performance behaviours and attitudes are assessed and developed.

Nick Taylor, owner of MindsetCaddy, said: “It is a privilege to be working with London Golf Club and its members. As such a well-known venue for its golf courses having hosted European Tour events, I am really interested in understanding

what the members are looking to achieve with their golf. My main goal is to help clients reach their potential by working to realistic targets, developing purposeful behaviours and achieving tangible results.”

He adds: “The mind is such a huge part of the golf game. I believe that it is so important for golfers to understand their ‘self’ and be realistic when creating golf plans and targets. I look forward to meeting the members and providing them with the support and techniques they need to better their game.”

Stephen Follett, chief executive of London Golf Club, said: “We are excited to be working with Nick at MindsetCaddy and offering this brand new service to our members,” said “We are always looking for new and innovative prospects to bring to the club and this was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.

“Being able to provide this type of service to our members and guests is of great value. By working with Nick, not only are we are able to help develop and aid our members golf game, but we are also able to boost our member offering and support our retention programme.

It is a very exciting partnership for us, and I look forward to hearing how the members are progressing in their golf game!”

Members can book sessions with Nick directly on info@ mindsetcaddy.com. For more information, visit www.mindsetcaddy.com or www.londongolf.co.uk.

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Manor House rolls out new high-tech buggy fleet The Manor House Golf Club in Wiltshire has investyed in a new fleet of 50 electric golf buggies that will enhance the playing experience at the popular Castle Combe-based venue.

Each of the lithium battery-powered Club Car Tempo buggies can be driven for 36 holes on a single charge and include a full Visage GPS touch screen, which provides accurate distance measuring and location services.

The buggies are also fitted with dual USB ports so that golfers can keep their phones and devices charged, while a retractable rain cover provides added protection for clubs when out on the course during bad weather.

In a further bid to reduce its use of electricity and enhance its sustainability credentials, the club is planning to fit solar panels onto the roof of the buggy store to recharge the fleet when not in use.

Future plans for the new buggies include

allowing golfers to order food from the clubhouse via the Visage touch screen during their rounds.

Golfers will be able order food and drinks towards their end of the front nine and collect their order from the club’s Airstream half-way house.

Club manager Andrew Ryan said: “We are excited to offer golfers more choice when it comes to on-course refreshments during their round. We are trialling this now and aim to launch the service fully in the early summer months.

“This new fleet of buggies has been a great investment for our club. We are always looking for ways to boost the golfing experience here and become more sustainable. These buggies enable us to improve all of that.”

■ CLUB MANAGER ANDREW RYAN ON BOARD ONE OF THE NEW BUGGIES

NEWS | JUNE 2022

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Ping continues support of disability golf as official club supplier Europe Managing Director. “We will also work with EDGA to host the inaugural PING Open for Golfers with a Disability at Thonock Park Golf Club in Lincolnshire on June 13-15, a key tournament in this season’s EDGA Tour that spans 12 countries. During the event, PING and EDGA will reach out to new and existing players in the area and promote the health and social benefits of the game.”

EDGA focuses on boosting awareness of the inclusive nature of golf and providing opportunities for golfers with a disability throughout the player pathway. PING’s three-year commitment will help EDGA’s recent progress in providing professional coaches and volunteers with the expertise to reach out to more golfers with an impairment internationally. EDGA-trained coaches are able to deliver outreach sessions in both traditional and nontraditional golf venues, including hospitals

and rehabilitation centres, supporting the player journey from sampler to competitor.

Tony Bennett, EDGA President, said: “EDGA is very proud to be entering our seventh year with PING as a partner in our journey to make golf accessible for people

with all kinds of impairments. The values that PING demonstrates resonate and are a perfect fit with the aspirations that EDGA has as we work with the game’s leading bodies to create a supportive, inclusive, and accessible golfing landscape.”

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EDGA, formally known as the European Disabled Golf Association, has announced that equipment manufacturer PING is extending its support of golfers with disability by becoming EDGA’s official Golf Club Supplier.

As Golf Club Supplier, PING will provide three years of funding to grow the game, including helping EDGA to reach more people with disability who are brand new to golf, and more women and girls.

A number of EDGA golfers have been supported by PING in recent years and this partnership will create further opportunities for golfers of different levels of playing ability, from early entrant to elite player.

“We are proud to have been a supporter of EDGA over the past six years and are delighted to extend that relationship by becoming the organisation’s official Golf Club Supplier,” commented Lisa Lovatt, PING

Donnington Grove put up for sale for £10m Donnington Grove Hotel & Golf Club in Berkshire has been put up for sale with a guide price of £10 million.

The Newbury-based venue boasts a 40-bedroom hotel set within 250 acres and includes an 18-hole championship golf course which was designed by Dave Thomas and first opened in 1993.

The main manor house, which dates back to the 1750s, has a restaurant and bar and four meeting rooms, while there is lapsed planning consent for an additional 26 bedrooms.

Max Davies, chairman of the club’s current owners Sandtrend, said: “Since we acquired the hotel and golf course in 2005, we have substantially invested and improved the asset for the members and its customers. After 17 years of ownership it is now the right time for a new owner to come in and realise the fantastic potential which lies within this

property and take it to the next level.”

Henry Jackson, head of hotel agency at Knight Frank, which is handling the sale, added: “Donnington Grove provides a blank canvas for an incoming purchaser to develop a prime country house hotel. With its attractive approach, and mature grounds and lakes, it has considerable potential to develop further and we look forward to bringing the hotel to the market.”

Get Golfing launches summer Junior Pro-Am Series Golf Golfing, the operator of nine golf courses across the south-east of England, is launching a summer series of junior Pro-Ams that will see youngsters teaming up with some of region’s top PGA Professionals to take part in a series of 18-hole tournaments.

Free to enter, and open to junior golfers with or without a handicap under the age of 18, the competition will see three juniors joined by a PGA Professional for the day. The pros will be competing for an individual prize fund of £3,500 at each event, with the winner bagging a first prize of £1,250.

Competitors will be treated to breakfast on arrival, a goodie bag, 18 holes of golf, followed by lunch and a prize giving ceremony, where there will be prizes for the top three teams, as well as nearest-the-pin, longest drive and straightest drive prizes.

Tournaments, which will feature two-tee

26/05/2022 13:46

■ PYRFORD GOLF CLUB

starts, will begin at 10am, with registration from 8.30am.

The schedule of tournaments will take place throughout August at the following venues and dates: August 11, Mill Green Golf Club, Surrey; August 12, Sherfield Oaks Golf Club, Hampshire; August 15, Redlibbets Golf Club, Kent; August 18, Hampton Court Palace Golf Club, Surrey; August 22, Pyrford Lakes Golf Club, Surrey; August 30, Warley Park Golf Club, Essex.

No handicap is required, however the maximum handicap is 54, and club pros will be asked to give players an unofficial handicap as part of the condition of entry.

To enter a team, visit www.getgolfing.org/ junior-pro-am-series-2022/

[10] JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPION STEPHEN JENSEN

Jensen claims English Senior Amateur crown after dramatic comeback Surrey’s Stephen Jensen won the inaugural English Senior Men’s Amateur Championship after a holing a dramatic 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th green at The Leicestershire Golf Club to clinch a dramatic victory.

After five days of intense competition featuring over 100 of the country’s top seniors, the 56-year-old from The Wisley emerged victorious in a thrilling match against Andrew Smith representing Royal Ashdown Forest.

It was a stunning win in more ways than one. After eight holes of the final, Smith led by three holes and looked firmly in control of the match. However, Jensen rallied to draw level by the 12th and after four halved holes, took an important step towards the title by winning the short 17th with a par.

The real drama, however, was reserved for the final hole. Smith – with nothing to lose – drained a 35-foot putt across the slope on the final green for a birdie. And with the crowd edging towards the first tee and the expected play-off, Jensen took a deep breath and promptly canned his effort from 25 feet to match Smith’s birdie three and win by a hole. It was a fitting way for the final to be decided and for Jensen it was a moment of real emotion.

In the morning semi-final against Rupert Kellock, Jensen twice found himself trailing by three holes before fighting back to win on the final green. That rally was repeated in the final and it left Jensen drained and excited.

He said: “I’m very proud – to win national titles is every amateur golfer’s dream. I think it’s probably the most exciting game of golf I’ve ever been involved in. I got off to a good start, but I let a few holes slip and found myself three down. I felt as if I was playing good enough golf to get back in it and I did. It was nip and tuck right to the very end and I’m pleased that I was able to pull through. It was very exciting, very dramatic, and I was delighted to walk off the 18th green as the inaugural English Senior Men’s Amateur champion.”

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Cave digs deep to secure Berkhamsted Trophy Seb Cave won the 61st Berkhamsted Trophy after shooting a five-under-par total 0f 208 over three rounds at Berkhamsted Golf Club in Hertfordshire.

The big-hitting 17-year-old from Coxmoor Golf Club in Nottinghamshire finished three shots clear of Harley Smith from The Rayleigh Club in Essex in a tournament affected by rain, snow and high winds, which resulted in the final day’s planned 36-hole finish being cut to a single round after heavy frost delayed the start of play.

The England Boys teammates were the only two players to break par in an event where the weather sorely tested the 108 competitors, including – for the first time in 63 years – several female golfers following Berkhamsted Golf Club’s decision to open up the UK’s traditional season-opening elite men’s tournament to both sexes.

Cave, who was one of the early starters in the worst of the week’s weather on for the opening round, had two key elements in his game plan which ultimately paved his way to victory. “I knew the playing conditions would be extremely tough, so I got myself into the right mental state from the first tee” he said.

“I knew that I would beat half the field just by accepting the

weather.”

He also outsmarted the international field by developing a special tee shot to counter Berkhamsted’s famously intricate, bunker-free challenge. “Most players were hitting long irons off the tee to stay on the fairway, but I had practised a knockdown low-running tee shot with my driver which kept the ball under the wind, and meant that I was hitting more wedges into the greens than everyone else.”

In the final round, a superb five-iron to five feet on the 14th for birdie gave the Blackburn-born Cave, who was playing in the final group, the smell of victory, and he learnt about his threeshot lead as he walked to the 17th tee. Two solid pars later he finished with a closing 68 and lifted the Berkhamsted Trophy.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to win, and the greens at Berkhamsted were the best I’ve played on so far this year,” said Cave, who has a college place at the University of Alabama waiting for him in the autumn of 2023. “As there are no bunkers you don’t get your normal spin control from the hazards around the greens, but my short game held up – and it had to, as I know how low Harley Smith can shoot!”

Olivia Lee from Gerrards Cross, who finished tied 68th and was one of four female golfers to play in the tournament, said: “The level of competition in men’s golf is extremely high, and the event was good experience. It’s the first time I’ve played a golf course without bunkers, which is harder than you’d expect, but Berkhamsted was in great condition and I shall definitely be back next year!”

NEWS | JUNE 2022

[11]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Guildford Alliance celebrates centenary in style

■ PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE WINNER SAM HUTSBY

©2022 Callaway Golf Company. Callaway, the Chevron Device, APEX are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company.

The Guildford Alliance, the popular Surreybased Pro-Am Series, has just completed it centenary season in style after staging its first full schedule of tournaments since 2019, following a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic.

The 2021-22 season, which was played between October and April, featured 19 tournaments, with more than 250 amateurs and 80 professionals taking part. The enduring success of the series was underlined by the fact that nearly all of the events were fully subscribed and many had a reserve list.

The season began last October with a special centenary tournament held at Walton Heath Golf Club, where 43 teams took part in one of the biggest days on the schedule, and ended

back at the 36-hole Surrey heathland venue in April for the end-of-season championship event.

Alliance captain Roy Bailey (Liphook Golf Club) kindly donated the Centenary Trophy, which was played at Liphook and won by Ron Commans (The Wisley) and amateurs Clive Talbot and Len Busch.

Other venues on the schedule included Hankley Common, Blackmoor, North Hants, Swinley Forest, Liphook, Sunningdale Heath, New Zealand, Hayling, Liphook, West Hill, Prince’s, Royal Cinque Ports and The Berkshire.

The end-of-season championship event at Walton Heath, which was played over both Old & New Courses, and the Professional Challenge Trophy, was won by Sam Hutsby (Hedge End Golf Centre) with a superb 12-under-par total for 36 holes. The Amateur Scratch Trophy was won

by Philip Clarke (Hankley Common) on six over.

The season-long Professional Order of Merit was won by Craig Sutherland (Poult Wood), while Jason French (Langley Park) took the amateur honours.

For more details about next season’s Guildford Alliance, email davidgalliance@hotmail.com.

Srixon opens new flagship fitting centre at The Hertsmere Srixon has opened a new Centre of Excellence at The Hertsmere in Hertfordshire which is designed to cater for all levels of golfers looking for the most comprehensive Srixon, Cleveland Golf and XXIO custom fitting experience in Europe.

Located in Elstree, The Hertsmere is committed to growing the game across all generations and, along with its broad range of facilities, represents the perfect location for Srixon to partner with.

Joe Miller, Srixon Sports Europe’s European Product Manager, said: “The Centre of Excellence at The Hertsmere will allow us to get closer to theconsumer, as well as provide our retailer partners in the south of England with a facility that they can bring their customers to receive the ultimate fitting experience.

“In our fitting room we have 38 wood, iron and wedge heads complemented by

210 wood, iron and wedge shafts, thus delivering thousands of combinations to accommodate every type of golfer. It really is an Aladdin’s cave of golf components and technology which anyone can utilise to take their game to the next level with the best equipment on the market, fitted by specially trained PGA Professionals.”

Stuart Ritchie, Director of The Hertsmere, said: “The Centre of Excellence will not only allow our golfers to receive the best fitting experience in the game, but it will also attract more people to our facilities who are seeking to take advantage of the best custom fitting experience in the region. We are proud to be the first Centre of Excellence to open in the South of England and look forward to harnessing the opportunities a facility like this will naturally bring to our business.”

Custom fitting appointments at the centre for can be booked via www.srixon.co.uk.

26/05/2022 13:47

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[14] JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Team USA claim inaugural Cairns Cup The Cairns Cup, a week-long festival of disability golf held at The Shire from May 7-13, saw the visiting USA team run out convincing 21-2 winners over their European counterparts in the main event after three days of matchplay competition at the North London venue.

Each teams comprised 16 players, with 12 only players taking part in any one of the competition days, which involved six fourballs, six foursomes and 12 singles matches.

The reserves came in handy, as both teams had players withdraw in the run-up to the event, and during the tournament itself.

The USA enjoyed a 6-0 clean sweep in day one’s fourballs, with only two matches making it to the 18th hole, but the second day was a much closer affair, with Europe securing three valuable half-points and two of the other matches going the full distance before three USA wins were recorded. The singles matches were dominated by the visiting team, with only Chris Foster in the opening game securing a 4&3 win against a tide of USA wins that were only interrupted by a half-point secured

by Frans Harmsen.

Tracey Ramin, the winning USA captain, said: “We came here with one aim, to win. Of course, we are also here to promote disability golf, but ultimately we wanted to both exceed our own expectation, but also celebrate all that is good in disability golf. This event will not only raise the profile of all the

impaired golfers around the world but also act as a touch paper for the next generation of adaptive golfers everywhere.”

Kevin Booth, European Team Captain, added: “Obviously we are ■ PLAYERS FROM THE hugely disappointed EUROPE AN AND USA CAIRNS CUP TEA MS UNITED TO RAI with the final score SE AWARENES S OF DIS ABILIT Y GOLF and while on paper the event looks like a mismatch, but the golf played Michigan in two years’ time.” was far from one sided with both Booth added: “I have dedicated teams playing some outstanding the last four years of my life to golf. While we took a pasting on day getting this event off the ground one, all of day twos matched went and I could not be prouder of to the 18th hole, so we could easily everyone involved – the players, have gone into the singles matches the volunteers, all the sponsors, all square. However, that doesn’t and the staff at The Shire London. matter now, the real winners are We showed the world that a the next generation of impaired competition for disabled golfers golfers for whom now have a bar with differing disabilities is not only to aim. We are hurting right now, needed, but it is wanted by the but we will be back fighting in golfing community as whole.”

The week-long festival included a fundraising day and gala dinner, which raised over £7,000 for The Cairns Cup, while another day saw the two teams host a golfing clinic with the kids from Hendon Reach Mencap in Barnet, the RFU injured players Foundation and golfers with special needs from Gibraltar.

The week ended with a presentation dinner where Tracy Ramin and the USA team were presented with the Cairns Trophy by the late Bill Cairns’ daughters, Cheryl and Heather.

Maas defies links inexperience to claim Brabazon glory

South Africa’s Christiaan Maas conquered a golf course he once thought was ‘impossible’ to win the Brabazon Trophy by five shots from England’s Arron Edwards-Hill.

After the 18-year-old first played the links at Saunton Golf Club in North Devon during a practice round in driving rain and howling wind, he thought he’d struggle to make an impact in his first major event on English soil.

Fast forward four days and after racking up 25 birdies in 72 holes, the young golfer from Pretoria was crowned the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play champion.

After impressive opening rounds of 65 and 70, Maas started the final day one shot ahead of Edwards-Hill and three clear of defending champion Sam Bairstow. However, it soon became clear that the pressure of leading going into the final round was not going to weigh down the teenager. In fact, he seemed to thrive on it.

In the end, Maas carded a final round 68 for a total of 270 (-14) and a five-shot victory over Edwards-Hill, with Ireland’s Matt McClean in third spot a further shot back

Costa Navarino awaits Linksnet members Linksnet Golf, the online golf network, is in full swing for its first full season and members up and down the country are competing to win an incredible array of prizes over the coming months.

Although Linksnet is available for free to everyone, it’s the premium memberships which offer both incredible value for money and the excitement of big prizes at the end of the season.

On signing up to TOUR or TOUR PLUS membership, members receive an exclusive bundle of golfing goodies, including Titleist Pro V1 balls, Glenmuir polo shirts and zip tops, Titleist caps and personalised bamboo bag tags. But the premium memberships are so much more than exclusive gifts.

The entry fee discount received from over 18 Network Golf Days across the British Isles, including a superb trip to the west coast of Ireland, easily covers the cost of membership alone and there’s even an opportunity to attend an exclusive meet and greet tuition event at a day later this year with former world trick shot champion Geoff Swain.

The additional opportunities to compete for some big prizes is another benefit of the premium memberships. The end of Season Final is a twoday residential Ryder Cup-style event at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent and paying members get more opportunities to qualify through the online leaderboards where all your golf throughout the season counts towards your points total.

At the Final TOUR and TOUR PLUS members will get a minimum 1-in-16 chance of being drawn the winner of a 5-night holiday for two people to the 5-star Costa Navarino Resort in Greece with flights included, courtesy of Golf Escapes.

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

after closing with a 68. Defending champion Bairstow had to settle for fourth after shooting a closing 73.

Clutching the famous gold trophy and draped in the South African flag, Maas said: “I’m proud to win this tournament – a big one and I don’t really know what to say.

I’m just glad I pulled it off. The first practice round on this golf course – well, it seemed impossible with all the wind and the rain. The weather was then perfect for me all week, so I got lucky on that. It has to be the best golf, ball-striking wise, I’ve ever played. Off the tee this is the first tournament that I haven’t lost a ball!”

For Edwards-Hill from Chelmsford, it was a disappointing end to what had been a good week’s work. The England men’s squad member said: “I struggled on the firmer greens with distance control and my pace putting wasn’t getting the ball close enough. It was a shame not to get the win, but I’ll move on and take this week’s performances into the next few months. I think a win is coming and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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M A G I C B U L L E T After winning his first European Tour event, a breaking a world record, and making a big impression at last year’s US Open, Yorkshire’s Marcus Armitage is ready to take on all challenges that the game has to throw at him

D

uring the spring of last year, as the UK emerged from the final of its three national lockdowns, there can’t have been many golf fans with an internet connection that didn’t tune in to YouTube at some point to see a professional golfer trying to hit a golf ball into an open-top sports car travelling at 80mph down the runway at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire.

Filmed as part of the European Tour’s on-going series of stunts and wind-ups designed to drive up digital clicks and hits, the world record for ‘the longest drive ever hit into a moving car’ was eventually achieved when Marcus Armitage’s 303yard effort with a Callaway Epic driver rattled into the back of a BMW M8 Convertible driven by touring car champion Paul O’Neill.

It beat the previous record by 30 yards, which was some achievement in itself, but the star of the show was definitely Armitage, whose child-like enthusiasm for the task, and the sheer joie de vivre that he showed once he had chalked up the record – which initially involved him taking off his shirt and running bare-chested down the runway – made him an instant internet sensation, with over 115,000 views in just a few days after it aired in mid-April.

The European Tour’s media team definitely found the right man for the job in Armitage, as the 34-yearold from Huddersfield is a natural born entertainer, as well as being a pretty handy golfer.

Just two months after entering the Guinness Book of World Records, Armitage, who goes by the nickname of ‘Bullet’ on tour – it’s a long story – added another important addition to his CV when he recorded the first European Tour win of his career at the 2021 Porsche European Open in Germany. It was a well-deserved and very welcome reward for a man who has progressed through golf’s ranks the hard way after a very tough start to his life.

While most 13-year-olds are breezing through life without much of a care in the world, Armitage was dealing with the death of his mother, Jean, from cancer. For any child to lose a parent at such a young age is devastating, but it hit young Marcus hard, and he lost all interest in school and learning.

Already a decent golfer, with a handicap of 10, Marcus turned his attentions to the driving range and the golf course, where he passed the hours that he should have been spent studying textbooks, mastering the arts of driving, chipping and putting at Oldham Golf Club instead. Golf proved an allconsuming distraction from the sadness he felt from the loss of his mother. It became his sanctuary where he, and he alone, was in control of his destiny.

Looking back on those days, Marcus says: “After mum died, I left school because I couldn’t focus in the classroom. The only place I could focus was on the golf course, hitting shots and trying to get better. It took my mind off what had happened with my mum. Golf just became my answer. I mean, I know there are no answers in life, but it was my answer at the time. Everything was golf.’’

As his game progressed and his handicap came down, Armitage joined Howley Hall Golf Club and soon started winning on the local circuit. For Armitage there was no smooth transition from the amateur ranks to Europe’s top tour with a few months of sponsors’ invitation, as is often the case for the game’s elite amateurs. He had to carve out a different path and after turning professional in 2012, he joined the EuroPro Tour, the third tier of professional golf in Europe. He proved an instant success on the UK-based circuit, winning three times during the 2013 season en route to being named rookie of the year and earning promotion to the Challenge Tour.

After three relatively successful seasons on the second-tier tour, a victory in the Foshan Open in China in 2016 helped to earn his European Tour card through the end-of-year rankings for the 2017 season. The big time beckoned. But, like many before him, Armitage found the step up to the top tier a tough one, and he dropped straight back down to the Challenge Tour after finishing 152nd in the 2017 Race to Dubai ranking. Playing the tour when you’re not making cuts is an expensive business and Armitage soon found himself £100,000 in debt and running out of funds to pay for flights and entry fees. After winning his European Tour

FACTFILE AGE: 34 LIVES: Huddersfield, Yorkshire TURNED PRO: 2008 WORLD RANKING: 171 EUROPEAN TOUR APPEARANCES: 96 CUTS MADE: 62 WINS: 1 (2021 Porsche European Open) TOP 10S: 13 PRIZE MONEY: €1.33m RACE TO DUBAI RANKING: 37 (42nd in 2021) DRIVING DISTANCE: 312 yards DRIVING ACCURACY: 48% GREENS IN REGULATION: 71% PUTTS PER GIR: 1.71 STROKE AVERAGE: 70.31

card back through qualifying school at the end of 2019, Armitage was facing the prospect of preparing for the 2020 season without the funds to pay for flights or hotels and the future looked bleak. Help, thankfully, came in the shape of fellow European Tour player Robert Rock, who leant him £5,000 to cover his expenses for the first few tournaments of the year and enable him to continue to follow his dream.

Rock’s faith was soon repaid – along with the debt – when Armitage finished third in the South African Open in early January, enabling him to get back on his feet both financially and professionally.

The rest of the season yielded five top-10s and a further €260,000 in prize money after he made 18 cuts from 23 tournaments, and his career was back on something resembling the right track.

With his financial worries well and truly behind him, Armitage gently moved up a gear in 2021, making 19 of 25 cuts, bagging six top-20 finishes and securing his long-dreamed of first win at the aforementioned European Open in June, where a closing 65 in the rain-shortened 54-hole tournament was good enough for a two-shot win and a €180,000 winner’s cheque.

The emotion of it all came to a head at the trophy presentation in Germany when a tearful Armitage opened up about the thoughts that were going through his mind as he lifted the trophy, including the debt he owed to his mother. Those humbling words touched a chord with many who were there on the day and those that watched on television.

The European Open win led to a significant rise up the rankings for the Yorkshireman and qualification for his first major championship on US soil, the US Open at Torrey Pines, and then later that summer a second stab at the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s, having made his debut at the 2018 renewal at Carnoustie, where a dislocated shoulder caused by an indoor sky-diving accident put paid to his chances of doing himself justice.

Armitage’s doctor had advised him not to play at Carnoustie, but having waited all of his life to be given a chance to play, he was damned if playing with one working arm was going to stop him from taking part. He duly bunted his way around to an opening 80. The next day he managed 11 strokes better, a respectable 69, courtesy of a red hot of a putter. He missed the cut, of course, but he had had his first taste of the Open and was eager for more.

He had to wait four more years for that opportunity to come around again. Opening rounds of 69 and 72 at St George’s saw him advance to his first Open weekend, while a pair of even-par 70s on Saturday and Sunday kept him at one over for the championship, well back from winner Collin Morikawa, but with an experience he won’t soon forget in a hurry.

“It was magic,” he says, recalling his week on the famous Kent links. “Major golf is everything that I’d imagined as a kid, and even more so at the weekend. I’m a fast learner, but it has taken me a bit of time to feel comfortable in these bigger events. Some people take to it straightaway, like your Rorys, but it’s taken me a bit longer. I’m slowly getting the gist of it, and hopefully I can break through next year with something bigger.”

For now, Armitage is happy being one of the underdogs, and flying under the radar, but it might not be for much longer.

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[18] JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

WIN A £500 VOUCHER TO SPEND ON YOUR SUMMER WARDROBE WITH OSCAR JACOBSON! Golf News has teamed up with premium golf apparel brand Oscar Jacobson to offer one lucky reader a £500 voucher to kit themselves out with a complete golfing wardrobe ahead of the summer golf season.

With a real eye on fashion and performance the Oscar Jacobson range is packed with bespoke fabrics and smartly tailored garments in a choice of contemporary and traditional designs.

The winner can take their pick from the entire range of performance golf wear from the stylish Swedish brand’s spring/summer collection, which can be viewed online at www.oscarjacobsongolf.co.uk.

■ RICHARD BL AND Worn on Tour by the likes of DP World Tour winners Richard Bland, Sami Valimaki and Richard McEvoy, Oscar Jacobson has a rich history of creating golf apparel that performs as good as its looks. This season’s range embraces its heritage with classic tones of navy, white and grey with playful seasonal updates of aqua, ochre and teal that bring a freshness and vibrancy that all golfers will enjoy.

The winner can take their pick from 12 polo styles, including mixed textures, jacquard, striped and colour block designs. This fully co-ordinated collection comes with midlayers and gilets, including quarter-zips and premium, lightweight knitwear designs in luxurious merinos and cotton.

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To finish the look, Oscar Jacobson offers an outstanding array of accessories range, including luxurious socks, stylish belts and a fantastic headwear collection.

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TO ENTER For your chance to win a £500 voucher to spend on Oscar Jacobsen gear, simply answer the following question correctly and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Oscar Jacobson Competition’ in the subject line.

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NEWS [20] JUNE 2022 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JUSTIN’S TIME A dramatic final day’s play at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills resulted in Justin Thomas winning his second Wanamaker Trophy after a play-off with fellow American Will Zalatoris As a past winner of the PGA Championship, you know how hard it is to win these things, but starting out on Sunday, seven shots back, and with six players in front of you, how much of a chance did think you had of lifting the trophy?

When I looked at the leaderboard on Saturday night I could see that there were a lot of good players ahead of me, but I also knew that none of them had won a major before, and some hadn’t won a PGA Tour event, so I knew there would be some nerves out there, just as I felt them back in 2017.

I hadn’t won in a while, and it had been five years since my PGA win, so I while I wasn’t feeling out of it, I knew that it would take a pretty good round from me and for others to fall back for me to have any kind of chance. To be honest, I only really thought I had a chance to win once I found out I was in a play-off. Up until that point my fate was kind of in the hands of others. I posted a score, but I didn’t think it would be a winning one. I thought six or seven under was doable, so when I missed that birdie putt on 18 in regulation I felt like it could have been an important one.

So what was your gameplan going out there on Sunday?

I was trying not to play the field or think about what others were doing. I just went about my business, trying to execute each shot as well as I could, and then wherever it ended up, I just gave my club to Bones [his caddie, Jim McKay] and then moved on to the next shot and so on. Bones did an unbelievable job of keeping me in the moment and keeping me patient. Southern Hills is a very hard golf course, so you had to be patient, and I just hung in there, tried to stay positive and got the job done.

Did you feel that chasing from behind gave you the opportunity to play with more freedom than the leaders?

I didn’t look at the leaderboards on Sunday, so I didn’t know where I necessarily was. When I made the birdie on 12, it felt like there was a different energy from the crowd and I got a sense that I might have been in the mix, but I didn’t know where I was at, but I’m in striking distance.

You were the only player in the last seven groups who broke par on Sunday. How much of that would you

attribute to the difficulty of the conditions and how to the pressure felt by those in front of you?

I would say the golf course and the wind probably 80 per cent, and I would say the difficulty of winning a golf tournament and a major, 20 per cent, if I had to put a number on it. I mean, it was tough. The wind kept switching and it was easy to second guess yourself. A lot of potential birdie holes could turn into bogey holes and worse if you got things slightly wrong, and that’s kind of what we saw happen out there. Southern Hills is a great major championship venue, and it tests all facets of your game.

When do you think your experience of having ‘been there and got the t-shirt’ came into play during the final round?

It definitely came into play during those last three or four holes. I played the back nine beautifully. The holes I didn’t make birdie or had birdie putts I had really good looks, and I hit great putts that just didn’t go in. And the holes I missed the green I was able to salvage a par, which is what you have to do to win a major. I kept telling myself I’ve been here before. Although it’s been five years, it was somewhere down in there, and that really helped.

Is it possible to feel a bit of sympathy for Mito Pereira, with the wheels coming off like that on 18?

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, in ideal circumstances you want to win a golf tournament, you don’t want someone to lose it, but that’s golf. There have been many times in my career when I feel like I’ve let a tournament get away. It’s brutal.

It’s not fun. But at the same time, I’m sure Mito will be able to look back at it later and reflect, and he’ll be able to learn from it and be better from it. There’s no reason for him to hang his head - he played unbelievable golf this week.

The weather changed so much over the course of the four rounds. How differently did it play from day-to-day?

I don’t think I’ve ever played in a major – outside of the Open Championship, of course – where we’ve had such a severe change in conditions during the course of the tournament. When I played on Friday morning, the wind was howling out of the south, and then on Saturday it was

cold and blowing out of the north. That doesn’t happen often, let alone in a major championship and at a place like this. It just brought out another side of everybody. It challenged us, but I was also excited, because although I would have loved to have seen this place in a north wind, I hadn’t before. But at the same time, I’m sure a lot of guys hadn’t either. It probably helped that I hadn’t been here that often because it was a lot easier to throw the past two rounds of memory out and just almost take each hole from scratch for what it was. It was very tough, but everybody had to deal with the same kind of stuff.

Given that your father and your grandfather were both PGA Professionals, can you talk about how special it is to win the PGA of America’s Major Championship?

Yeah, it’s very, very special. I’m pleased. At this point any of them is great; I don’t care which one it is. As Tom Brady always says, your favourite Super Bowl is your next one, and that’s what my favourite major is. And at this moment, it’s definitely the PGA. I know somewhere up there, grandpa was watching and pulling for me. It’s very, very cool to be able to share this victory with my family.

In what ways are you a better golfer now than when you won the PGA back in 2017?

Five years is a long time, especially at this stage of my life, so I’ve definitely matured quite a bit a player and as a person. I would like to think that everything has just gotten a little better, although I couldn’t put my finger on anything specific element of my game, but it those 1% increments that can make the difference. There is nothing that is monumentally better than it was five years ago, but it’s all improved just a little bit and it all came together this week. It feels like it’s a lot harder to win on tour than it did five years ago, as the strength in depth feels much deeper than it did when i first started out. My world ranking had fallen without me thinking that I was playing any worse, and that just shows how quickly you can drop when you’re not winning.

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2022 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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[22] JUNE 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Rose Ladies Series schedule provides welcome boost to rising female stars The Rose Ladies Series, which was launched in 2020 by LET player Liz Young to provide an opportunity for up-and-coming Ladies European Tour players to compete in the UK in between breaks in the LET schedule caused by the pandemic, has completed its five-tournament series for 2022.

All five of the one-day tournaments took place during a time where playing opportunities were limited on both the LET and the LET Access Series, with no European-based events on either schedule during April. The LET had back-to-back mixed events in Thailand, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour, before heading to Australia for successive tournaments, while the LET Access Series didn’t have anything scheduled until mid-May. With a generous £10,000 first place prize on offer at each event, the fields for the truncated series were full, with many of the game’s lesser lights given the opportunity to gain some great tournament experience and bank some early cheques.

Lauren Horsford claimed a play-off victory against Billie-Jo Smithin the season opener at West Lancashire Golf Club on April 5, while Georgina Blackman won by the same margin the following week, beating Inci Mehmet at the first hole of a play-off on the New Course at Sunningdale Golf Club after both played tied on level par.

Hayley Davis triumphed at Brokenhurst Manor in the third event on April 20, finishing five shots clear of the field with four-under-par 68, before teenage amateur Rachel Gourley birdied four of her final five holes to claim a two-stroke victory at Walton Heath on

■ RACHEL GOURLE Y

■ RACHEL GOURLE Y (CENTRE) WITH LAURA DAVIES AND TRISH JOHNSON April 25, with a four-under 69. Being an amateur she was unable to claim the £10,000 prize money, but she wasn’t downhearted. “Of course, the prize money would have been nice, but it was such an honour simply to play alongside Dame Laura [Davies] and Trish [Johnson] - they have 20 Solheim Cups between them,” she said. “It’s fair to say Walton Heath is one of my favourite courses.”

Rose, himself, was impressed, saying: “It’s great to have our first amateur winner of the Rose Ladies Series and it’s even more special that Rachel won the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship at Walton Heath last October. She is an exciting talent.”

Hayley Davis then secured a second win of the season with a one-shot victory in the season finale at Bearwood Lakes on April 28, where Justin Rose was on hand to present the trophy, as he was at Sunningdale.

Davis, 29, who is currently ranked 567 on the Rolex rankings, said: “I can’t believe I’ve managed to take home a second win from this year’s Rose Ladies Series – I’m overwhelmed! This season is shaping up to be fantastic. My confidence is up and I’m focused more than ever on bringing my A-game onto the Ladies European Tour.”

Liz Young said: “I never thought the Rose Ladies Series would go for three years. And every year, it seems to be bigger and better. The courses that we’ve played are fantastic. Our thanks go to Justin and Kate Rose, and all our sponsors, for keeping the series going, and to all the players for supporting it, and the clubs for hosting the events.”

Woodham’s win the day at Mothers & Daughters

TIE DYE POLO AS WORN BY CAMERON SMITH

The sounds of women congratulating each other for good shots and commiserating over missed putts rang out across the Pam Barton course at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club earlier this month as the popular Mothers and Daughters competition returned to the Surrey venue for the first time since 2019.

Following a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, the historic foursomes tournament, which has been played since 1932, returned on April 9 with a field of 50 mother-and-daughter pairings drawn from 39 different golf clubs.

This year’s competition attracted an impressively strong field, with several players off plus handicaps competing alongside higher handicap pairings. The age of the players was equally wide ranging, with the oldest mother being 85 years old and the youngest daughter just 12, with both players featuring on the list of prize winners.

The main 27-hole scratch competition for the Judy Trophy was won by first-time entrants Jo and Lottie Woodham from West Hill Golf Club with a score of 117.

Past winners Ann and Alex Peters from Shifnal Golf Club took second on a countback from Angie and Charlotte Brook from Parkstone Golf Club in Dorset, both with an aggregate gross total of 120.

The Woodhams also won the Rabbidge Salver for

■ THE WOOD H A M S W ON THE SCR ATC H PRIZE

the best 18-hole scratch score (76) and the Frankland Moore Bowl for the best 18-hole handicap score (67).

In the handicap competition, the RMS Trophy for the best net aggregate 27-hole score was won by competition regulars Vi Dolton and her daughter Diane Oram from Basingstoke Golf Club with a total of 102.

The Meg Kent Trophy for daughters under the age of 16 was won by Holly Justice of Walton Heath, playing with her mother Jenny.

Tournament organiser Sheila Stirling said: “We were thrilled to have such a strong entry for the return of this great event after a two-year gap. Many regulars returned, but we were also delighted to welcome 12 new pairings. The Mothers and Daughters is such a unique day, with so many old friendships re-kindled and new ones made. It is a lovely way for mothers and daughters to spend time together. Happily, the sun shone all day, which made it all the more enjoyable for everyone, even those who didn’t play so well!’

The 2023 Mothers and Daughters competition will take place at Royal Mid-Surrey on April 22.

THE LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL LONDON CE NTU RION

CLU B ,

J U N E

9 -11 ,

2 022

48 PLAYERS 3 DAYS 54 HOLES 1 WINNER UNMISSABLE FAN EXPERIENCES

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

AEROBATIC ENTERTAINMENT

LUXURY HOSPITALITY

FOOD & DRINKS FESTIVALS

CONCERTS, DJS + LIVE BANDS

GR AB A SLICE OF THE ACTION AT GOLF ’S NEWEST A N D M OS T E XCITI N G TO U R N A M E NT E X PE RI E N CE !

[24] JUNE 2022

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LIV FOR THE MOMENT! The stage is set for a new force in golf, the LIV Golf Invitational Series, which promises to shake up the game for players and for golf fans around the world with its unique format and focus on offering fast and furious entertainment on and off the golf course

T

he LIV Golf Invitational Series is coming to the UK this month, with the London leg of the groundbreaking eight-tournament series being held at the exclusive Centurion Club in Hertfordshire from June 9-11, when a field of 48 elite international players will be coming together to create a new slice of golfing history.

The players, including a host of Major champions, Ryder Cup heroes, tour winners and rising stars of the game, will be competing over 54 holes for a record-breaking prize fund of $25m for the inaugural event of the series, with $4m being awarded to the winner, $16 million shared among the remaining competitors, and $5m being split among the top three teams.

This same prize structure will be repeated at six other tournaments around the world over the next five months, three being held in the USA, one in Bangkok and another in Jeddah, before a team final is held at Trump National Doral in Miami at the end of October, where $50m will be up for grabs.

To add to the spectacle, a draft system will be in operation at each event, which will see 12 designated playing team captains take turns in picking three players to make up their four-man squad, with the best two scores from the first two rounds and the best three from the final round being added up to deliver an overall team score.

With a shotgun start on all three days of the tournament, and no cut, the action on the golf course promises to fast-

paced and high octane, all culminating in a gripping final afternoon’s play on Saturday, where the players will be competing to grab a slice of the richest prize in the history of professional golf.

Before the golfing action tees off each day, fans will be treated to an air show featuring The Blades and Warbirds aerobatic teams, while iconic London black cabs will transport the players to their respective starting holes. It all adds up to a show that you won’t want to miss.

ELEVATED FAN EXPERIENCES Golf fans visiting the LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament at Centurion are set to enjoy a visitor experience unlike anything offered at a golf event before, with a range of immersive activities, entertainment and hospitality options that will provide fun for all the family, as well as ensure a memorable experience, whether you’re there for just one day or all three rounds of the tournament.

Grounds passes will allow fans to walk the course, watch the tournament from select viewing platforms and grant entry to the Fan Village, which will feature a Londoninspired food and drink market and feature Covent Gardenstyle street performers.

Ticket holders bringing young children will be catered for with a specially designed Kids Zone featuring kids’ entertainers, face painting, soft play equipment for climbing, crazy golf putting challenges, and a range of fun

educational activities.

Also in the Fan Village, a Performance Centre manned by professional coaches will enable guests to test their skills on swing simulators and a Zen Green Stage with PuttView surface, recreating the challenging slopes featured at the world’s most iconic courses. Meanwhile, gamers can try their luck in the Metaverse Tent, where Esports and handson virtual reality experiences will take fans inside the game through friendly competition.

There is also an Eco Village, where all items will have a sustainable life cycle, including a hydration area, mobile recycling unit, eco retail store, power bikes, and recycled furniture.

After the conclusion of the golfing action, which will be around 6.30pm, fans can look forward to entertainment from a series of free concerts, featuring live bands and DJs, plus open admission to the Birdie Shack hospitality experience.

“LIV Golf is about more than just hosting a new golf tournament. It’s about creating an event experience,” said Greg Norman, chief executive and commissioner of LIV Golf. “We want players and fans to feed off a unique energy rarely encountered through this game, while engaging new audiences that will help golf grow. From intense competition on the course to entertainment that caters to fans of all ages, there will be something for everyone at Centurion.”

CARD OF THE COURSE 7,064 yards, par 70 HOLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

PAR 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 34

YARDS 492 178 432 511 169 488 406 416 492 3,584

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

4 3 4 5 3 5 4 3 5 36

384 203 422 538 208 525 486 138 559 3,463

■ THE PAR-4 7TH OFFERS A DECENT CHANCE FOR A BIRDIE

■ THE OPENING HOLE IS TESTING 492-YARD PAR 4

■ THE PAR-4 3RD HOLE FEATURES A SHARP DOG-LEG RIGHT

■ THE GREEN AT THE PAR-4 12TH IS PROTECTED BY A LARGE POND

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL JUNE 2022 [25] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS Thursday June 9 to Saturday June 11 11am Gates Open Fans are free to experience the Fan Village (see below for details), watch the players practicing on the range and short game area, and enjoy the wide range of hospitality on offer before play starts.

2pm Shotgun Start The entire 48-player field, playing in groups of four, tee off at the same time, offering an all-action 4-5 hour passage of play.

CENTURION COURSE GUIDE With its combination of tree-lined holes, water hazards, fast greens and hard-to-reach pins, Centurion Club’s 7,064-yard course looks sure to test every facet of the pro game’s top players

W

hile the LIV Golf Invitational, with its 54-hole format, 48-player field, team element and shotgun start, is new concept for tournament golf, the course that this exclusive group of players will be taking on is certainly no stranger to testing the game’s elite.

It was perhaps fitting that the European Tour chose Centurion to stage the revolutionary GolfSixes event in 2017 and 2018, which not only introduced the golfing world to a faster, more exciting alternative to 72-hole stroke play tournaments, but also alerted the world to the quality of the venue, with many of the players that took part in those events coming away wanting more tournaments to be held at the club in the future. And now they have their wish.

While many courses lay their claim to fame on a handful of good holes, it’s as hard as it is unfair to single out any one hole at Centurion, given the quality and variety of the challenges on offer. First opened in 2013, the Simon Gidman-designed course was built to host tournament golf and provides a stunning mix of woodland and parkland holes that will examine every shot in a golfer’s armoury.

With the back tees stretching the course to 7,047 yards, and having a par of just 70 for the tournament, it has enough length to test the best. With plenty of opportunities to open the shoulders, the layout requiring careful course management in order to be able to attack some of those tucked-away pins.

The course begins in an attractive area of pine woodland on the western edge of the 250-acre site, where the opening five holes cut a green swathe through the tree line. A sweeping 492-yard right-to-left par four opens up proceedings nicely, before switching into a stunning par-three, where a raised green protected by bunkers provides a tricky target from 180 yards. This is followed by a superb 432-yard par four, which swings right to

left, with a greedy bunker guarding the corner of the dogleg.

After the beautiful par-three fifth – a 169-yard downhiller to a flat green with little margin for error on all sides – the course opens out over more rolling terrain, although thanks to sizeable mounds between the fairways, a sense of individuality is maintained for almost every hole, while offering excellent viewing grounds for fans.

The 488-yard sixth is a really testing par four, with a big drive required to bring a flag that is hidden behind a raised bank into play, while the 492-yard ninth, which will play as a par four this week, introduces the first of four significant water hazards, although the toughest of them is probably the 12th, a 422-yard par four which features a pond fronting the putting surface to catch under-hit approaches.

The 208-yard 14th is as testing a par three as you’ll find, playing uphill all the way to a raised green that has trees back, right and left, and bunkers at the front, while the 138-yard 17th is another stunning short hole, with two trees standing like sentries behind the green, while water lurks to catch anything hit long and left.

The holes have all Latin names, such as Alma Mater, Pro Forma and Hydro, to reflect the Roman history of the local area, and the course closes with the aptly named Ad Infinitum, a 559-yard, par-five whose green is protected by a large lake bounded by a stone wall to the right. Played right in front of the clubhouse, it’s a fitting finale to a thoroughly entertaining course that will offer plenty of thrills and spills for players and spectators alike.

Prepared to tournament specifications, the course boasts arguably some of the best putting surfaces to be found anywhere in the country. Built on sand, the bent grass surfaces are like carpets – fast, true and firm, yet receptive to the right kind of shot.

6.30pm Après Golf Introducing a lively post-round hospitality experience in the Birdie Shack bar, with nightly entertainment from local bands and DJs.

GROUNDS PASSES & HOSPITALITY PACKAGES

■ JASON ATHERTON

Aligned with LIV Golf’s mission to provide more fun and entertainment for fans, the ticket and hospitality packages offer an immersive and elevated spectator experience.

Grounds Passes Grounds Passes allow fans to watch the action from select viewing platforms on the course, and grant entry to the fan village, as well as live entertainment before, during and after play.

1-day grounds pass cost £67.67; 3-day grounds pass £179.13.

Hospitality packages THE GALLERY CLUB View the tournament action from a private venue by the 15th green and 16th tee, and enjoy all-inclusive food and drinks. (£246.80pp/per day).

CLUB 54 DINING BY JASON ATHERTON Enjoy a premium fan experience at a private viewing terrace, offering luxury food and beverage options prepared by award-winning chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton; exclusive access to players on the practice range, access to two exclusive hospitality venues, and reserved greenside seating. (£1,962.49).

CLUB 54 PREMIUM This elite tier includes all of the options in the Club 54 Dining by Jason Atherton package, plus the exclusive opportunity to walk inside the ropes with players and caddies and enjoy front row seating round the course. (£8,323.69 for any 2 days).

Discount & Free Tickets There are special ticket offers are available for select groups, including free entry for children aged 15 and under attending with a ticket-holding adult, and 25% discounts for students, teachers, doctors, nurses, and members of the emergency services. Free tickets are also on offer to those currently serving in the Armed Forces.

All discounted tickets must be ordered in advance by emailing discounts@livgolftickets.com.

ORDER YOUR TICKETS TODAY! To book your grounds passes or hospitality packages visit tickets.livgolf.com EXCLUSIVE GOLF NEWS TICKET OFFER Enter code: golfnewslondon22ga25 at the checkout to receive 25% off ground passes, with the first 100 tickets ■ THE FAN VILLAGE WILL PROVIDE IMMERSIVE ACTIVITIES AND HOSPITALITY OPTIONS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER PLAY

being free for Golf News readers

P L AY W I T H S T Y L E A L B A R T R OSS .CO M

LUXU RY G O L F S H O E S & ACC E SSS O R I E S

STORY BEHIND THE PIC ALF PERRY AND FRED PERRY • LEATHERHEAD GOLF CLUB, SURREY, 1935

O

f all the long shots to have one The Open Championship over the years, few can match the rags to riches story of Surrey club professional Alf Perry, who sprung from nowhere to win the Claret Jug in 1935.

Forget Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis, Perry actually had to beg for time off from his day job as the head professional at Leatherhead Golf Club in order to take part in the Open at Muirfield.

Perry, who is pictured here meeting the 1935 Wimbledon champion Fred Perry (no relation), was a completely self-taught player who possessed what has been rather unkindly described as ‘a hooker’s grip that might have startled the Boston Strangler’. A two-club golfer at the age of six – his father had given him only a driver and a niblick – he had learnt early to improvise. The leading golf writer of the day, Bernard Darwin, thought his swing ‘a little bucolic’, but noted that the ‘eccentricity of his grip so riveted the eye as to detract from the dash and roundness of his action’.

Given his unorthodox background – and swing – Perry teed off at Muirfield as an unconsidered 66-1 outsider. His odds might have been longer had the bookies looked into his golf bag, which contained an assorted miscellany of steel and hickory-shafted clubs. Yet four days later he won the coveted Claret Jug after compiling rounds of 69, 75, 67 and 72 over Muirfeld’s fearsome links to beat Alf Padgham by four shots.

The modern champion may well have a private plane waiting to take him to his next destination, but Perry had to rely on a lift to the train station at Drem from the deposed champion, Henry Cotton. The very next morning, at 7.30am sharp, he was back on duty at Leatherhead, taking green fees and repairing clubs.

Beyond his Open heroics, Perry achieved only

PERRY TEED OFF AT MUIRFIELD AS AN UNCONSIDERED OUTSIDER, BUT FOUR DAYS LATER WALKED OFF THE 18TH GREEN AS THE OPEN CHAMPION

■ LEGENDARY TENNIS PLAYER FRED PERRY CONGRATULATES ALF PERRY ON HIS VICTORY IN THE OPEN IN 1935

moderate success in his career, with his best year coming in 1938, when he won three events on the fledgling professional circuit. However, following his exploits at Muirfield, Perry was selected to play in the 1935 Ryder Cup and brought the entire team – which included Cotton and Padgham – to play at Leatherhead prior to their departure from Southampton for the boat trip to New York. Perry played his part in the matches at Ridgewood Country Club that year, finishing all square in his singles game with US Open champion Sam Parks, although the team lost 9-3.

Perry was also a member of the Ryder Cup teams in 1933 and 1937, but because with the matches were restricted to eight players, with just four foursomes and eight singles, he played in just two matches, losing both of them.

Perry served as Leatherhead’s club professional for over 40 years, finally retiring from his post in 1972, aged 68. He died two years later. His achievements were honoured by the Professional Golfers’ Association in 2001, with the planting of a tree beside the 18th green at Leatherhead, which, although a feather in the club’s cap, probably didn’t please the members too much with the arrival of yet another hazard to negotiate.

played that well there in the past, so I thought I’d mix things up this year and see how I fared with a different schedule. I also skipped the KIA Classic in California because I don’t enjoy the course at Aviara. And it kind of paid off, as I won in Saudi the following week at a course that I know that I like and generally play well on.

Do you feel that as you’ve got more experience under your belt you’re in a better position to make decisions about where to play and where not to play?

Yeah, I think it takes a few years to know what schedule suits you and what courses you perform best on. And living in the UK, but playing predominantly on the LPGA Tour, makes things a tiny bit harder travel-wise. So, I it’s taken some time to learn what courses I like and how many weeks I can be away from home. I’ve never really done that well in Asia, but I’m sure I will be back there soon, but I figured it would be ok to take a break from it for a season and see how things go.

You’ve been a global player from the outset of your professional career, but how hard was it to adjust from playing the LET to the LPGA Tour?

The LPGA Tour is a big change from the LET – the pins are often in tougher spots and the courses are a lot longer than in Europe. And, of course, the fields are stronger. There can also be some big distances between venues, and time differences, so you have to factor all that in too.

We obviously play for a lot more money in America, but it also costs a lot more to get out there and stay out there. If you are not playing well and missing a lot of cuts, it is extremely expensive. You have to pay for a visa to get over there, flights are even more expensive nowadays, and if there is a week where there isn’t a tournament, you still have to pay for accommodation. It is expensive, but if you do play well, the rewards are there.

MA JOR AMBITION

After bagging her first win as a professional at the British Open back in 2018, England’s Georgia Hall is looking to take her career to the next level after recent victories on both sides of the Atlantic

Y

ou kicked off this year with a win at the Saudi Ladies International in March. How important was it to get a ‘W’ in the book so early in the season?

It was fantastic to win in March, which was early in the season for me, and to do so at such big event.

Both my previous big wins have come in the second half of the year, so I was really pleased to get off to good start this year.

I love the course at Royal Greens, it seems to suit my game, so to lead from the first round and to keep my head in front was something I was very proud of. I had a five-shot lead going into the final round, and sometimes those big leads are the hardest to defend, as you can start playing safe and get into trouble, but I was really happy with the way

I coped with the pressure and kept my lead intact. I put a lot of work in at the start of the year, so I’m in a good place at the moment, and I’m very happy with my golf.

You adopted a different schedule at the start of the year compared to previous seasons, playing in a couple of tournaments in the US, but no play at all in Asia. What was the thinking behind that?

I love playing golf tournaments anywhere in the world, so a lot of the time I would just play in a certain tournament just to play, but this year I’ve kind of set out my stall to play in the events I specifically enjoy playing and the golf courses I know I play well on.

Travelling to Asia takes a long time and I haven’t

It’s a record-breaking season in terms of prize money on the Ladies European Tour, with €30 million up for grabs across the season. How does it feel from a player’s perspective to have those purses to play for and for women’s golf in Europe to getting that kind of support following what has been a rocky time for the tour?

I think it’s fantastic. It’s definitely what the LET needs, and it’s such a more positive situation to be in than was the case just a few years ago. The tie-in with the LPGA Tour has been a really great move, and that’s why you get LPGA players coming over here, because they want to compete in these events and play on this Tour.

How much are you looking forward to teeing it up at the Aramco Team Series event at Centurion in June?

The Aramco Team Series has been a really great addition to the Tour and one that I know the girls enjoying playing in. Having that team element is different and makes it a little more interesting – and is a real force for good in women’s golf.

Any time you get to tee it up on home soil is very special indeed, so an opportunity to win individually or with my team in London at the Aramco Team Series is something that would obviously be a massive season highlight.

I love the concept and a chance to play and win with a range of different players with some good memories from last year. Women’s sport and UK golf is booming at the moment, so fun and exciting events like this on the LET provide a massive opportunity for more women and girls to get inspired to play.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, what are some of your immediate goals?

My main goal is to win more tournaments, and I think I’m ready to do that now. I have a better understanding of my game, I have a better understanding of my schedule and where I can play my best, so hopefully that will lead to some

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2022 [29] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ HALL SAYS HER DRIVER IS THE FAVOURITE CLUB IN HER BAG

■ HALL HAS HAD BOYFRIEND HARRY TYRRELL ON THE BAG FOR SEVERAL SEASONS

positive results and hopefully some more wins. I just want to take it to the next level, and I feel like I’m ready to do that.

One of my other goals is to get back into the world’s top 10. The top players in the world are super consistent and it’s tough to get there, so I have to play good golf week-in, week out. Being more consistent in the majors is also important, but putting in strong performances across the board will be the key to getting my ranking up.

we travel and how much time we spend away from home. It can get very lonely if you are on your own, so it is great to have Harry with me, not just as a boyfriend and a caddie, but also as a travelling companion.

He definitely helps me be more relaxed on the course. We are still boyfriend and girlfriend, but we just stay focused on the golf. He is someone I can speak to about everything and anything, as I do get a bit stressed at times. He can be a bit too laidback, but I think I can be a bit too much the other way, so we balance each other out well.

As a caddie, he does all the yardages with me, double checks that we have the right number of clubs, all that kind of stuff, but in terms of the green reading, I have always done that myself.

We had fans back the Women’s British Open when it was held at Carnoustie last year and will do so again when Muirfield hosts the tournament for the first time this year. How much of a boost does it provide to play in front of a supportive crowd?

I do feel very calm when I am playing the British Open. It is just so nice to play in front of the crowds

THIS YEAR I'VE TRIED TO SET OUT A SCHEDULE TO PLAY IN EVENTS HELD ON COURSES THAT I KNOW I CAN PLAY WELL ON that are generally getting behind you. We missed that in 2020, and to hear them cheering my name at Carnoustie was a lot of fun. Hopefully there will be a few people pulling for me at Muirfield. It certainly made a huge difference when I won at Lytham in 2018.

Going back to that win in 2018, how much pressure did having your first professional win being a major put on on you in terms of expectations in the immediate aftermath?

To be honest, I felt like the win gave me a big confidence boost, rather than putting extra pressure on me. I had an OK year after that, nothing amazing, but the second half of the 2018 season was strong. I certainly didn’t feel any external pressure – we don’t generally get that kind of attention in women’s golf, say, like they do in tennis or some other sports, so the only pressure was coming from me and what I wanted to achieve.

I’ve won a major, I’ve won on multiple tours, and I’ve had a decent run in the Solheim Cup, so I feel like I’ve done ok for someone who is still only 26.

You’ve had your boyfriend, Harry [Tyrrell] on the bag for some time now.

How important has he been not only in his professional role, but also being there to support you?

Playing professional golf is a team effort – people forget sometimes how much

Slow play has been an issue in professional golf, and women’s golf in particular, in recent years. What more do you think needs to be done to speed things up? Are you in favour of harsher penalties?

If someone is being slow and holding up play, then I believe that they should get penalised, whether it’s a warning, as a first-off, or some sort of penalty for habitual offenders. I don’t think it should matter whether it’s the last round or the first, if someone is being slow, they need to be told to hurry up or face a penalty. I don’t think there necessarily needs to be a change in policy, but players do need to be told more often by officials to get a hurry on. It doesn’t make for great viewing on TV or help the other players when players are extremely slow. It can be hard when the weather’s bad and the wind’s blowing, but otherwise there are no excuses really.

■ HALL WON HER FIRST LPGA TOUR EVENT AT LAST YEAR'S PORTLAND CLASSIC

What advice you would give to any young girls out there thinking of taking up golf?

I started when I was seven years old, and I just really enjoyed trying to make contact with the ball and try to hit it as hard as I could. The key when starting out is to have a lot of fun with it and try not to focus on the end result too much. Everyone is different, some find it easier than others, but the essential ingredient is to have fun.

WHAT’S IN GEORGIA’S BAG? DRIVER: CALLAWAY GBB EPIC (9°) FAIRWAY: CALLAWAY EPIC FLASH SUB ZERO (15°) HYBRID: CALLAWAY MAVRIK (19) IRONS: CALLAWAY APEX PRO 19 (3-9) WEDGES: CALLAWAY MACK DADDY 5 JAWS (50°, 54°, 58°) PUTTER: ODYSSEY WHITE HOT RX ROSSIE BALL: TITLEIST PRO V1X

GEAR TALK WITH GEORGIA “The GBB driver is my favourite club in the bag, Driving has always been the best part of my game.

When I play well, people often say it’s because of my putting, but I’m much more consistent with the driver.”

“Besides driver, I only carry a 3-wood. I go straight from my 3-wood to my hybrid. I’ve never even hit a 5-wood. For me, the gap between hybrid and 3-wood is fine.

I don’t feel like I need anything between. However, for the British Open, I’ll often switch out the hybrid for a 3-iron.”

“I’ve had the Apex Pro irons in the bag for three seasons now and I’m really happy with them. I’m more about the look of the club and feeling comfortable with it than focusing on the numbers when I test, but I always take yardage into consideration. If I like it, and it doesn’t go shorter, I’ll start using it. The Apex Pros are forged and the feedback of the face is superb and I won’t change until something better comes along that works for me.”

“Callaway does cool custom stamping on wedges, and they’ve done some nice ones for me, They put my logo on one, the British flag on another, and they made me one when I won the British Open in 2018.”

“My Odyssey White Hot RX Rossie is the oldest club in my bag,” says Hall. “I’ve used it for the past six years, and it was old when I first got it. I’ve tested other putters, but I always come back to this one. You don’t hit the putter far, but I think it’s the hardest club to test. Putting is so personal. The only change I’ve made over the years is putting a SuperStroke grip on it, which takes a lot of the tension out of your hands and enables a smoother release.”

[30] JUNE 2022 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LOOKING TO BO • D E TA I L E D D E S C R I P T I O N O N E A C H C LU B • T H E L AT E S T PA C K A G E S • G R E AT I M A G E R Y • V I D E O F O O TA G E ( O N S E L E C T E D C LU B S ) • EVERY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW

INTERVIEW | JUNE 2022

[31]

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JUNE 2022 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/EQUIPMENT

i

Pro Shop

Your guide to what's new in store

Polo Players Summer shirt showcase

Tried & Tested Motocaddy's S1 trolley

NEW HEIGHTS Reach for the skies with Callaway Golf's range of Apex irons and hybrids

[34] JUNE 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

THE GEAR EFFECT A LOOK INSIDE THE BAGS OF RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR MAX HOMA

EQUIPMENT NEWS

WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (10°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Titleist TSi2 3 (15°), 5 (21°) IRONS: Titleist T100S (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 620MB (6-9) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46°, 50°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Phantom X T5.5 BALL: Titleist Pro V1

JON RAHM

MEXICO OPEN DRIVER: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond LS (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Epic Speed 3 (15°), 5 (19°) IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW) WEDGES: Callaway JAWS Forged (52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie S BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft X

THORBJORN OLESEN

BETFRED BRITISH MASTERS DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (9°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Stealth 3 (15°), 5 (18°) IRONS: TaylorMade P770 (3), TaylorMade P7MC (4-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade MG3 TW (56°, 60°) PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Prototype BALL: Titleist ProV1x

ADRI ARNAUS

CATALUNYA CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Epic Speed 3 (15°) UTILITY: Callaway X-Forged UT (18°) IRONS: Callaway Apex Pro (4), Callaway Apex MB (5-9) WEDGES: Callaway Jaws MD5 (46°, 50°, 55°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot Pro V-Line BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft X

SAM HORSFIELD SOUDAL OPEN

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (8°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M6 3 (15°), 5 (18°) DRIVING IRON: TaylorMade P7MC (4) Srixon ZX5 (4) IRONS: TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50°, 56°) Vokey 2022 Proto (60°) PUTTER: Bettinardi Dass BBZero Tour BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

KH LEE

TRIED & TESTED

MOTOCADDY S1 TROLLEY AND PRO-SERIES CART BAG The S1 is Motocaddy’s entry-level electric trolley. It may be the cheapest, but it is also arguably its best-looking model. The design reminds me of a US Air Force B-2 Stealth Bomber with all of it angles and its shadowy black outline, although the pop of red gives it a sharp look. But looks aren’t necessarily the deciding factor with trolleys. They need to be easy to use.

And it doesn’t get much simpler than this.

With its one-touch folding mechanism, the trolley can be up or down in a matter of seconds, with nowhere to go wrong. While it’s not the smallest trolley when folded, it still fitted comfortably into the boot of a Toyota Aygo alongside my golf bag.

While it is easy to love the Click ‘n’ Connect battery, as it means no cables, it’s the new auto disconnect feature that I really liked. The battery automatically disconnects when the frame is folded down, so there is no chance of the trolley being set off accidentally.

The colour LCD screen is clear and lets you know your speed and battery life, but that’s pretty much it. Which is pretty refreshing for a Luddite like me. Trolleys have become so complicated, with GPS, shot tracking, pedometers and phone alerts, that it’s a nice change of pace before the round to not have to worry about anything other than connecting the battery before you play.

The Pro-Series golf bag, which is offered in

ARRCOS UPDATES SMART SENSORS AND LINK

AT&T BYRON NELSON DRIVER: Callaway Epic Speed Max LS (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Rogue ST LS (15°) HYBRID: Titleist TS3 (19°) DRIVING IRON: Callaway Apex 19 (4) IRONS: Callaway X Forged CB (5-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot 2 Ball MarxMan BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

JUSTIN THOMAS

US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (10°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist TS3 (15°), Titleist 915 Fd (19.5°) IRONS: Titleist T100 (4), Titleist 621.JT (5-9) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (47.5°, 52.5°, 57°), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60°) PUTTER: Scotty Cameron X5 Tour Prototype BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

black, grey and red, is a perfect match for the S1. With the Easilock connection, the bag and trolley fit together securely without the need for straps. And because the bag is designed to work with the trolley, the pockets are all easily accessible and offer more storage than you could ever reasonably need. The jumbo putter well is useful on the course, especially if you use a putter with an oversized grip.

It’s a cohesive package that looks like it belongs together, but more importantly, works in perfect harmony. You can’t ask for much more than that.

Motocaddy S1 trolley £599.99, Motocaddy Pro Series Bag £209.99.

For more details, visit motocaddy.com.

Arrcos has updated its popular shot tracking hardware with the introduction of new Gen3+ Smart sensors and a Gen2 Link.

The latest Smart Sensors feature new automatic shot tracking technology powered by A.I. machine learning to pinpoint a player’s shots more accurately than ever before. The advanced technology has been developed over the past three years after analysing more than 500 million shots hit using Arccos sensors in 194 countries worldwide.

The new sensors feature a sleek new design, plus an all-new P3 Putter Sensor that is 40% smaller and 20% lighter than its predecessor. The putter sensor fits most standard grips for a seamless shot tracking experience on the greens. The new Smart Sensors (£179.99) offer extensive battery life and deliver hands-free, fully- automatic shot capture for every club in the bag. All purchases include the first-year membership – billed annually thereafter at $12.99 per month.

For golfers who don’t like to be attached to their phone during the round, the new Link Gen2 (£134.99) is the answer. Designed to be worn on a player’s belt, waistband or pocket, it automatically records shots without having to carry a phone on the course. Using the Link also has the advantage of extending phone battery life by up to 25%.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JUNE 2022

[35]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

ORIGINAL PENGUIN LAUNCHES FIRST WOMEN’S APPAREL COLLECTION Original Penguin Golf has launched its first collection for women. Designed with a clean, mid-century modern aesthetic, it takes inspiration from the classic Earl Polo to create a modern look with a retro edge.

The brand’s iconic prints and patterns remain true to the company’s heritage by staying quirky, fun and, at the same time, chic and stylish. Fabrics are made of recycled materials like an amazing luxe, high-gauge performance blend with flexible-stretch, and ultra-soft pima cotton blends.

The collection also includes a host of crossover pieces including leggings, track jackets, jogger silhouettes, and biker shorts.

To view the entire range and to buy online, visit www.originalpenguin.co.uk.

CREW GETS INTO THE SWING WITH DEBUT GOLF RANGE

ADIDAS UNVEILS ‘MADE TO BE REMADE’ POLO adidas has launched a new range of polo shirts that are specifically designed to be able to be recycled and repurposed into making other adidas products once the shirt has reached the end of its wearable life.

The Made to be Remade Polo will be offered in two limited-edition designs and will come with a special QR code tag located near the hem.

Once this code is scanned, it will take the wearer to adidas’s Made To Be Remade website, where they can organise its return once they feel like the shirt has worn out. Customers will have to have owned the shirt for at least 100 days before they can return a shirt, but we’re guessing it will be several years before most people will consider this option.

Offered in navy or salmon pink, the Go-To Made to be Remade Polo costs £45 and be purchased online at adidas.co.uk.

Crew Clothing has launched its first golf-specific apparel collection with pieces that blend the British brand’s signature approach to design with performance innovation, encompassing a range of sportwear designed for casual and serious players alike.

Available for both men and women, the new spring-summer range features an array of polo shirts, half-zip tops, lightweight gilets, knitwear, waterproof outerwear and accessories.

Many of the pieces feature four-way stretch, COOLMAX moisture-wicking technology and UV protection, while DuPont Sorona, a plant-based wadding that combines built-in warmth while remaining lightweight, features in the range of quilted gilets.

Speaking about the new range, Crew’s brand director, Georgina Clark, said: “Our signature crossed oars logo has long been spotted at golf clubs around the country, so moving into the space felt like an authentic progression for the brand, especially as a partner of the Legends Tour.

The collection is a testament to our admiration for the game, featuring all the technical innovations a player needs to give it their very best shot.”

Crew Clothing’s golf apparel collection is available to buy online at crewclothing.com and from a limited selection of its high street stores.

[36] JUNE 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

A

P E X I R O N S

TO THE POWER OF 5 Callaway has all bases covered with its Apex irons, from the club golfer who wants to hit the ball further, to the tour players looking for a precision tool. Whatever your demands, there’s an Apex iron that will help take your game to new heights

APEX 21

APEX DCB

The Apex has been a fantastic line of clubs for Callaway for one main reason. It’s not that they look good, although they do; it’s not that they are easy to hit, although they are; and it’s also not because they’re long, although boy do these irons pack a punch.

It’s down to them doing all of this with a forged feel.

Forged carbon steel is used in the body of the club, while the A.Idesigned Flash Face Cup increases ball speed all over the face, with what Callaway calls ‘spin robustness’. The club face isn’t only designed to deliver faster ball speeds across the face, but also to give consistent spin rates wherever the ball is struck. This helps to eliminate a thinned flyer, for example.

And to make sure they feel as sweet as a fully forged iron, urethane microspheres are used in the clubhead to soften the sound and feel even further.

The Apex 21 iron also features tungsten gravity cores, which ensure that the centre of gravity is in the correct position for every club, with five times as much tungsten as previous Apex irons. The weight is positioned to increase launch and forgiveness.

The Apex DCB or Deep Cavity Back, is one of the most forgiving irons Callaway has ever produced, but with that sweet, forged feel that only an Apex can deliver.

It utilises the same technology as the Apex, including the forged body, AI-designed Flash Face Cup, and urethane microspheres, but the iron heads are larger, with more offset, while the soles are wider, and there is up to 50g of tungsten used in each iron.

Super easy to hit, these fit a broad spectrum of golfers who want their shots to fly further while also feeling fantastic.

APEX PRO The Apex Pro is Callaway’s first hollow iron designed for the better player. They offer a classic look at address, with minimal offset and a relatively thin topline, but the hollow construction and AI-designed flash face combine to give faster ball speeds than a typical player’s iron. The soft forged steel body helps with the feel, but also allows them to be bent easily for loft and lie, essential for a good custom fit.

It’s also the first time Callaway has used its Tungsten Gravity Core design in a player’s iron, with up to 90g of tungsten suspended precisely where you need it for high launch and optimum spin.

APEX MB

APEX TCB

Muscle backs aren’t for the faint-hearted. But what these thin blades lack in forgiveness they make up for with feel and precision. Forged from 1025 stainless steel, the MBs feature a central weight which moves the centre of gravity to the middle of the clubface.

While forgiving would be the wrong word, it’s fair to say these will feel super solid at impact.

The irons also feature 20V grooves to reduce fliers.

There’s not a lot of technology involved in these classic muscle-back irons, but as a club for the shotmaker, they are perfect.

While most golfers need all the help they can get when it comes to ball speed, better players generate enough power themselves. For them feel is more important, the Apex TCB (Tour Cavity Back) features a one-piece face and body for that solid connected feel at impact, but there is added help from the Metal Injection Molded tungsten weighting.

While these are a compact low offset iron, that extra help offers a forgiveness advantage over similarly sized irons. This is the most popular iron with Callaway’s tour staff.

For more information about the entire Callaway irons range, plus to find your nearest Callaway stockist or certified fitting centre, visit eu.callawaygolf.com

[38] JUNE 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

APEX 21 HYBRID The Apex hybrid is designed for the broadest selection of players. It’s arguably the most important hybrid in Callaway’s line up for one very simple reason – it’s the only one to feature an adjustable hosel.

With the importance of custom fitting, fine-tuning for loft, lie, and face angle can be paramount in hitting better shots. While that’s a big feature in its own right, the Apex 21 is loaded with tech to help you hit and hold greens from distance.

An AI-designed Flashface brings maximum ball speed to the Apex 21 Hybrid. Each loft has a uniquely different design to maximise performance for that individual club, with a focus increasing ball speed on miss-hits as well as perfect strikes.

Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades are Callaway’s latest way of vertically stiffening the clubhead. This is important in a hybrid design as it allows the bottom of the clubface to create more ball speed, which just happens to be where most golfers strike the ball on the face with their hybrid.

Forgiveness comes from the huge amounts of Tungsten placed low in the head. The low centre of gravity helps launch the ball high and land soft. There is also weight in the toe of the club, to counteract the weight of the adjustable hosel. This really helps iron out the left miss that many golfers suffer with hybrids.

The Apex 21 Hybrid is offered in 3 (19°), 4 (21°), 5 (24°) and 6 (27°) models. The 6H is offered in RH only. They are fitted with a 70g UST Mamiya Recoil Dart graphite shaft as standard, with a choice of light, regular and stiff flexes.

FIND YOUR PERFECT

A P E X Take your golf to new heights, figuratively and literally, with help from Callaway Golf’s latest range of Apex hybrids and Utility irons. Golf News Equipment Editor Dan Owen looks at the model options and finds out which one could be right for your game

APEX PRO

APEX UTILITY WOOD

The Apex Pro is aimed at mid to low handicappers and features compact shaping for added control and workability.

Ideal for use off the tee, or to reach long par fours and fives with the second shot, The Apex Pro is a close cousin of the Apex Hybrid, and utilises much of the same technology, including the A.I. designed Flash Face and Velocity blades.

But some key differences include the smaller, more compact head. Being smaller the centre of gravity is farther forward, which lowers the launch angle compared to the Apex. Unlike the Apex 21 hybrids, the hosel on the Pro model is fixed, giving it a more iron-like appearance at address. The 455 Carpenter steel Face Cup gives them a great feel, as well as improving spin consistency. The Apex Pro hybrid also features a flatter lie angle, a design element that is preferred by better players.

Callaway ripped up the rule book with the Apex UW to create a club that its tour staff was asking for. Neither a true hybrid, nor a fairway wood, they’ve taken the best attributes from both to create this impressive bit of kit.

While many of the technologies utilised are the same, including tungsten weighting, A.I. designed Flash Face and Velocity Blades, plus a C300 Maraging Steel Face Cup, it’s the way the ingredients have been put together that’s different.

The UW is designed to launch higher and spin more than a hybrid, but lower than a 5-wood. It is also designed to hit and hold greens from a distance for better players, which is key as golf courses get longer.

Callaway 5-woods tend to have more draw bias, but the Apex UW was designed with a very neutral centre of gravity to stop the hook many better golfers fear with a hybrid. Plus, the unique sole design makes it more versatile from a bad lie than most fairway woods.

Used on tour by Sam Burns, Kevin Kisner, Ryan Moore, Adam Hadwin, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Oliver Wilson, they are a serious option for all strong ball strikers and those looking for softer landings from distance.

The Apex Pro 21 Hybrid is offered in 2 (18°), 3 (20°), 4 (23°) and 5 (26°) models in LH/RH. They are fitted with a 70g Mitsubishi Chemical graphite shaft with a choice of light or regular flexes, or an 80g Mitsubishi Chemical graphite shaft in stiff or extra stiff.

The Apex UW is offered in 17°, 19° and 21° lofts. They are fitted with a choice of 60g, 70g or 80g Project X graphite shafts in regular, stiff and x-stiff flexes.

For more information about the entire Callaway irons range, plus to find your nearest Callaway stockist or certified fitting centre, visit eu.callawaygolf.com

EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JUNE 2022 [39] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TAYLORMADE RE-SIGNS RORY AND STRENGTHENS TOUR STAFF TEAM

FOOTJOY JOINS FORCES WITH SNYDER

Although Rory McIlroy may not have added to his tally of major titles since he joined TaylorMade in 2017, he’s still won plenty of tournaments and stacks of cash, so the 32-year-old is obviously pretty happy with his equipment judging by the recent renewing of his tour staff deal with the brand.

The world no.7 is currently carrying TaylorMade’s new Stealth driver, SIM 3-wood, Stealth 5-wood, P-790 irons, MG 3 wedges and Spider X Hydro Blast putter in his bag and gaming the latest TP5x ball.

The Stealth driver is proving a bit of a beast off the tee in the hands of the the Northern Irishman, with McIlroy currently ranked third in the PGA Tour driver distance stats with an average wallop of 320 yards. Although that is tempered by the fact that he’s 109th in fairways hit, with just 60% of drives finding the short stuff, which is a 10% below that of the tour’s straightest hitters. That being said, the ‘driving for show’ maxim is borne out by the fact that Rory is topping the tour’s scoring average charts at 69.15 per round,

American fashion designer Todd Snyder has teamed up with FootJoy for the second time on a new golf apparel and footwear collection.

Inspired by vintage golf styles from the 1960s and ‘70s, Snyder has designed a capsule collection of polos, windbreakers, hoodies, cardigans, shorts, joggers, caps and shoes with the performance golf ootwear company.

Called the ‘Blue Collection’, key patterns for the latest FootJoy x Todd Snyder collaboration include both blue camouflage and a vintage FootJoy logo, with key fabrics including a proprietary pique and performance blend for polos and a stretch seersucker that shows up in drawstring trousers and shorts.

As for footwear, the FootJoy x Todd Snyder Premiere Series Shoe is based on the brand’s Packard and Tarlow styles, utilising advanced lightweight materials and the proprietary VersaTrax+ traction technology. The style is available in both the Tarlow style (£199.99) with brogueing on the toes and blue around the laces, and in the Packard style (£189.99) featuring a white leather upper with a blue camo pattern saddle.

According to Snyder, both golf and FootJoy have been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. “When I was little, I caddied for my dad and my grandpa,” said Snyder. “I never had golf shoes until I was big enough to wear my dad’s, and he wore FootJoy. So I associate them with family time and comfort. I still remember how comfortable my dad’s shoes were.”

The FootJoy x Todd Snyder Blues Collection is on sale at selected stores and online at footjoy.co.uk.

putting him just ahead Cam Smith and Shane Lowry.

TaylorMade’s tour department has also been busy with the recent signing of last month’s British Masters winner Thorbjørn Olesen to a full bag deal. The talented 32-year-old Dane put the Stealth Plus driver in his bag at the beginning of the season and has already seen an increase in his average distance by eight yards versus 2021. He also has the brand’s P·700 series irons and MG3 wedges in play and is currently testing TaylorMade putters and balls as he makes his transition into a full bag of the brand’s equipment.

TaylorMade has also inked an staff contract with two-time DP World Tour winner Haotong Li. The 27-year-old from China, who won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2018, is currently using a Stealth Plus Carbonwood driver and fairways alongside a set of P·7MC irons. He also has MG3 wedges and, like Olesen is trialling a series of TM putters and balls ahead of making the full switch.

TRAVISMATHEW TOUCHES DOWN AT THE HOME OF GOLF

TITLEIST ROLLS OUT NEW TOUR SOFT AND TOUR SPEED BALLS ■ XXXXXX

XXXXXXX

TravisMathew and St Andrews Links have announced a partnership that will see the US apparel brand become the first company to have an outlet at the site of the historic Old Course.

As an official supplier, the shop window of the iconic St Andrews Links Shop will feature TravisMathew clothing including a range of St Andrews Links cobranded apparel.

Although TravisMathew has previously been sold in the St Andrews Links Shop, this will be the only brand-specific store at St Andrews Links to date.

The store, which is located next to the historic Royal & Ancient Golf Club’s clubhouse, is due to reopen under its new guise in August, immediately after the 150th Open Championship.

“This is truly an iconic moment for TravisMathew,” said Ryan Ellis, CEO of TravisMathew. “To have the opportunity to associate our brand at the Home of Golf with a retail store just footsteps from the famed Old Course is something we couldn’t be more excited about. We can’t wait to introduce exclusive product that will bring together the rich history of St Andrews and the modern, lifestyle performance foundation of TravisMathew. We look forward to building on this relationship for years to come.”

Following the Open Championship, co-branded products will also be available online at travismathew.com.

XXX

Titleist has launched updated versions of the Tour Soft and Tour Speed golf balls that it first launched several years ago.

The original Tour Speed was the first multi-layer ball to feature Titleist’s proprietary urethane cover, which is retained in this model. A reformulated core delivers high speed, while a high flex casing layer maintains low long-game spin.

A 346 quadrilateral dipyramid dimple design generates a penetrating, consistent flight, and optimised greenside spin for short game control.

Responding to golfer feedback, the latest version of the Tour Soft ball features a new aerodynamic design for longer distance off the tee combined with a large, fast core for a responsive soft feel. Such a large core requires an extremely thin cover, and Titleist developed the thin 4CE grafted cover which helps generate reliable greenside spin for short game playability.

Offered in white and yellow, the Tour Speed has an SRP of £38 per dozen, while the Tour Soft costs £32 per dozen.

[40] JUNE 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MGP NUTRITION BERRY BOOST HYDRATION

CLEVELAND LAUNCHER XL HALO IRONS £499/£599 (ST/GR), CLEVELANDGOLF.CO.UK One of the easiest hitting irons on the market, the Launcher XL Halo irons boast a hollow-bodied hybrid construction throughout the set. The HiBore Crown Step drops the centre of gravity low and deep to make them launch nice and high. To help turf interaction, the longer irons feature a glide rail design that transitions into a V-shaped sole in the short irons. While you can still hit fat shots, these are as ‘anti-duff’ a set of irons can be.

£24 FOR 12, MGPNUTRITION.COM While new golf equipment might help our games, looking after yourself will probably help you hit the ball better than any new driver could ever do. Keeping hydrated on the course is key to playing well, especially on the back nine.

This Berry Boost contains vitamins B, C. And D, as well as 150mg of added caffeine to help increase alertness, strength and endurance.

PRO SHOP

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR

HONMA TW757 FAIRWAY WOODS

FUJIKURA VENTUS TR SHAFT

£329, HONMAGOLF.COM Premium Japanese brand Honma designs classic-looking equipment that performs superbly. And fairway woods don't get any better looking than the new TW757. The traditional shape at address looks great behind the ball, with just a subtle flash of the carbon fibre on the crown.

Ball speed comes from the 455 steel cup face, while a sole slot helps maintain distance on slight miss hits.

£300, FUJIKURAGOLF.COM Fujikura's Ventus shaft range dominates the PGA Tour usage every week and can be spotted in the bags of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth among many others. The shafts VeloCore technology and Spread Tow Fabric helps the clubface get back to the ball more consistently, effectively making it more forgiving than other shafts. The Ventus TR is the latest version and is designed for a mid-launch with low spin.

OCEANTEE PACIFIC CAP £29.99, OCEANTEEGOLF.COM Each of Oceantee’s Pacific caps is made using exactly three recycled plastic bottles collected as part of the Waste2Wear Ocean Plastic Project. The company collects plastic waste from oceans and shorelines around the world and turns it into high-quality fabric. And, if you scan the QR code in the inner seam you can track the entire journey from the ocean to your hand.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JUNE 2022

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POWAKADDY MICRA PUSH TROLLEY £239.99, POWAKADDY.CO.UK PowaKaddy, despite the name, doesn’t just make electric trolleys. The new Micra is a lightweight and compact push trolley with a simple two-touch folding mechanism. Perfectly suited for golfers looking for a battery-free club transportation solution, the three-wheel design and wider wheelbase make it virtually effortless to push around the course. Equipped with a foot-operated parking brake, as well as offering plenty of storage, this is one of the best push offerings on the market.

ODYSSEY TOULON DESIGN DAYTONA £379, ODYSSEYGOLF.COM Odyssey's Toulon range of putters has picked up a lot of steam on tour, with players enjoying the feel from their milled heads. The Daytona Beach is a high MOI mallet design that combines that milled putter feel with ease of alignment. The midnight black finish is stunning, while the single alignment aid makes it easy to get the face lined up to the target.

XXIO 12 IRONS £879, XXIOUK.COM XXIO equipment is designed to help players with slower swing speeds to get the absolute maximum out of their game. The XXIO 12 irons feature a titanium face for fast balls speeds and nickel tungsten weighting for forgiveness. They also feature Weight Plus technology which places mass under the grip to help the golfer find the top of their backswing, start the downswing more consistently, and to swing just a little faster.

FOOTJOY PRO|SL SPORT £159.99, FOOTJOY.CO.UK Inspired by streetwear trends, the new Sport model introduces a new material that combines mesh and textiles with a membrane layer to ensure breathability and waterproof protection. Below the upper, the Sport boasts many of the same performance features from the other models in the Pro|SL range, including an Infinity Outsole, StratoFoam cushioning and an FTF outsole unit. It is offered in white/grey/orange and white/blue fog/ navy for men and white/navy/pink and white/grey for women (£134.99).

TAYLORMADE STEALTH HYBRID £229, TAYLORMADEGOLF.EU Hybrids don't always get the attention other clubs in the bag do. They're the workhorse that gets you out of trouble, they aren't clubs you need to be chasing extra distance with.

Despite that, the new Stealth Hybrid is one TaylorMade’s very best. Using a carbon crown for the first time, the Stealth hybrids save weight that can be used in the heavy V-Steel soleplate, making them incredibly easy to get the ball in the air and landing softly on the greens when needed.

[42] JUNE 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LYLE & SCOTT AVIEMORE

ORIGINAL PENGUIN SOFT FILTERED TIE DYE

CALLAWAY APPAREL FILTERED FLORAL

£54.99, ORIGINALPENGUIN.CO.UK

£55, CALLAWAYEUROPEAPPAREL.COM

Guaranteed to turn heads on the first tee, the Tiu Dye polo is made from a lightweight blend of 30% recycled polyester and elastane and offers four-way-stretch and easy-care handling. It features a three-button placket, self-fabric collar.

The Penguin logo on the left chest completes the look.

Made with moisture wicking dri-release fabric to help keep you comfortable as you hone your swing, the material has added stretch and Swing Tech technology to let you move freely around the course.

TRAVISMATHEW FINALLY HERE

PING THE 1A PUTTER

£74.99, EU.TRAVISMATHEW.COM

£60, PINGEUROPE.COM

The holidays start with the FINALLY HERE polo. Your day will get a little brighter with an all-over print featuring textured palm trees that deliver a subtle style and an elevated look.

Taking inspiration from Karsten Solheim’s original idea for the 1A Putter, this ey-catcging polo features a premium graphic print of this unique sketch on the shoulder.

GALVIN GREEN MACK

FARAH GOLF FRANKSTON

OSCAR JACOBSON DODMAN

£69.99, GALVINGREEN.COM

£49.95, FARAHGOLF.COM

£59.99, OSCARJACOBSONGOLF.CO.UK

The stylish MACK shirt offers a premium feel and performance. The highly breathable VENTIL8 PLUS fabric provides UV 20+ protection and incorporates Quickdry stretch material for a comfortable fit.

Made from a four-way stretch fabric and featuring a repeat ‘F’ pattern the Frankston polo combines style and performance with an ultra-soft hand feel.

Made from a durable, lightweight, four-way stretch fabric that offers unrivalled freedom of movement and exceptional breathability. The fine details and premium quality are what we’ve come to expect from Oscar Jacobson.

£55, LYLEANDSCOTT.COM Offered in navy, cranberry, cactus green and acid blue, this stylish polo boasts plenty of detailing, including a colour contrast chest pocket and collar, and the brand’s famous Eagle crest on the chest. Boasting four-way stretch for easy swinging comfort, it has a soft hand feel and is breathable.

PICK UP A POLO Sun’s out, guns out. It’s time to bag yourself a short sleeve golf shirt

JUNE 2022 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/TRAVEL

ROMAN HOLIDAY Thrills and chills on the menu at Italy's Argentario Resort

IT HAS TO BE ASHBURY!

DARTMOOR RESORT OFFERS FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

ME & MY TRAVELS

WITH RUGBY LEGEND GAVIN HASTINGS

[44] JUNE 2022 | TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LA FINCA FINE TUNES ITS FIVE-STAR FACILITIES

■ THE HOTEL'S ROOMS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY RENOVATED

LA FINCA RESORT IN SPAIN Reopened its doors to domestic and overseas visitors last summer following a €6 million renovation project which has seen the golf courses and restaurants undergo major redevelopments.

The significant investment at the luxury Costa Blanca venue includes the introduction of three new restaurants and a winery.

The venue’s three golf courses – La Finca, Villamartín and Las Ramblas – have also undergone an extensive enhancements, including the renovation of all the bunkers on La Finca and Villamartín, and the green complexes on all three courses, as well as a restoration of the 16th hole of La Finca.

Forty rooms at the resort’s hotel have been renovated to ‘club’ level, while a new hotel bar and terrace, The Hub, offers guests a leisurely environment in which to relax and dine throughout the day, while the revamped Citrus restaurant serves the very best in Mediterranean cuisine.

Adding to the dining options, a new Mexican and Italian fusion restaurant, Frijolino, opened last summer, as did the new La Finca Bodega Winery. Ideal for group or individual wine tastings, it serves a wide range of wines from local, national, and international markets.

Among the current range of stay-and-play packages includes a four-night, three-round deal for €483pp, staying in a double room at the five-star Finca Hotel and including daily buffet breakfast.

For details on the latest breaks offers, visit www.lafincaresort.com.

■ THE BODEGA WINERY

INFINITUM UPGARDES COURSE FOR TOUR SCHOOL INFINITUM LAKES COURSE, which recently hosted the DP World Tour’s ISPS Handa Championship in Spain, is to undergo extensive maintenance work this summer with the layout’s fairways upgraded from Rye grass to the more sustainable Bermuda Tifway 419.

The planned work - which will see all 18 fairways renovated - is due to last four months with a re-opening date scheduled for mid-September. The changes will be made as INFINITUM prepares to welcome the return of the DP World Tour’s Final Stage Qualifying School from November 11-16 following a three-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The six-day qualifying showpiece will be played over both the water-strewn Lakes and the more mature, treelined Hills course. Improvements on the former will be seen as another step on the INFINITUM journey to being one of Europe’s premier golf destinations with two championship courses of the highest quality, along with the highly regarded and beautifully maintained nine-hole Ruins course.

Bermuda Tifway 419 is one of the most durable species of grass due to it being heat and drought-resistant ¬– able to subsist through the summer conditions of the Costa Dorada.

The grass is noted for its quick regrowth, which helps the surface to recover from any injuries. However, despite the extra maintenance needed to counter its rapid growth in high summer months, the grass requires 60 per cent less mowing in the winter, which will help ensure the reduction of fuel consumption.

To add to this, Bermuda Tifway 419 has a high tolerance to high-salinity stress – where abnormal levels of salt water can have severe impairments on grasses - and brings a 15 per cent reduction in irrigation needs. Once installed, the Lakes course will also see a further 30 per cent reduction in the use of fertilizers.

Agustín García Pascual, chief business officer at INFINITUM, said: “Despite the Lakes Course hosting our first DP World Tour event last month with the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain, we felt it was important to make these substantial changes now as we look to build for the future.

COMPETITION

WIN A GOLF BREAK TO THE ENGLISH RIVIERA!

STAY at the five-star cary arms & spa PLAY at historic teignmouth golf club

■ THE CARY ARMS & SPA

■ THE BEACH HUTS

Golf News has teamed up with the renowned Cary Arms & Spa in Babbacombe and nearby Teignmouth Golf Club, to offer one lucky winner and a guest a luxury 2-night beach hut golf break on Devon’s stunning south coast

■ THE BEACH HUTS OFFER STYLISH INTERIORS

■ TEIGNMOUTH GOLF CLUB

STAY Owned by Peter and Lana de Savary, the award-winning Cary Arms & Spa combines the personality and values of a traditional English inn and the luxurious style and facilities of a boutique hotel. Couples, families and even dogs can enjoy a relaxed getaway with breathtaking views of Babbacombe Bay and miles of seascape along the Jurassic Coast.

With 10 elegant sea-facing rooms and suites at the inn, four restored fisherman's cottages, and eight deluxe beach huts & beach suites, the Cary Arms is the perfect place to unwind and relax. Straddling the water’s edge, each beach hut – where the winner will stay – boasts a spacious mezzanine bedroom with a porthole window overlooking the water, a sitting room with a stylish modern fireplace, and wall-to-wall glass doors that fold back onto a sunbathing deck.

Other facilities on site include a luxury spa, which offers massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, and a superb restaurant which features a stunning menu serving fresh, local produce, including Devon beef, Lyme Bay lobster and line caught seafood.

PLAY After a relaxing nights’ sleep and a hearty breakfast, the winners can take the short drive to Teignmouth Golf Club, where 18 holes await on a course that was designed by the legendary Dr Alister MacKenzie.

Opened in 1924, some nine years before he completed his most famous work at the Augusta National, Teignmouth boasts a 6,082-yard heathland track that offers spectacular views of the sea and nearby moors. MacKenzie’s signature multi-tiered greens are much in evidence on a course that has changed little since it first opened.

The yardage may be modest, but par is a lowly 69 from the whites, and with wind almost a constant factor on this exposed layout, birdies are not always easy to come by, especially on the six par-three holes. After your round, guests can relax in the supeb clubhouse which offers fine views out over Teignmouth.

TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, visit www.caryarms.co.uk/golf-news-competition and answer the question provided. Alternatively log into the competition on your smartphone using the QR code on this page.

THE PRIZE The prize includes an overnight stay for two people in a beach hut at the Cary Arms, with one dinner (plus a bottle of house wine) and daily breakfast, one spa treatment per person, and two green fees at Teignmouth Golf Club.

(Accommodation and tee times are subject to availability).

For more details about the Cary Arms & Spa, visit caryarms.co.uk or call 01803 327 110. For information about Teignmouth Golf Club, visit teignmouthgolfclub.co.uk.

TRAVEL & BREAKS | JUNE 2022 [45] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

ASHBURY ON COURSE FOR SUMMER OF FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

■ THE FOUR 18-HOLE COURSES OFFER STUNNING VIEWS OVER DARTMOOR

THE ASHBURY RESORT IN DEVON is gearing up for another busy summer of fun, with a range of great value packages on offer at the popular Dartmoor-based venue, which lays claim being Europe’s biggest golf resort, with 103 holes on golf on offer across its 500-acre site.

Ashbury is a golfer’s paradise, whatever your skill level or age, with four 18-hole golf courses to play on, plus a par-3 course and a 9-hole academy course. With differing combinations of nines creating even greater variety of playing options, the courses all offer stunning views over Dartmoor and utilise the natural features of the landscape, making the most of mature trees, hedgerows and ponds to provide truly breathtaking holiday golf.

Built-on fast-draining soil, all the courses are presented in superb condition all year round. There are no temporary greens, even after the heaviest downpours, while purpose-built cart paths enabling the fleet of 450 buggies – including 100 enclosed buggies – to be hired throughout the year.

All golf breaks are full board and include a minimum of 27 free holes of golf per night of stay, so there are no extra costs involved above the all-inclusive package.

For guests looking to sharpen up the

■ THE NE W CO

game before hitting the links, there are a wide variety of practice facilities, including an eight-bay covered driving range, an Explanar swing trainer, six practice nets, four practice greens, a chipping green, and an indoor golf simulator with a choice of world-famous courses to play. PGA Professional Connor Jenkins has recently been appointed as golf manager at the resort, and he and his qualified team are on hand to offer personalised coaching and provide equipment custom fittings using the latest Foresight GC Quad technology in the resort’s state-of-the-art golf studio.

There is plenty of non-golfing entertainment on offer to keep families occupied. The sports complex, which comprises four huge halls, houses four badminton courts and a 5-a-side football pitch, two halls for archery, pistol and rifle shooting, and laser clay pigeon shooting, while a fourth hall is used as a gym and there is also a table tennis room. A 21m x 7.5m swimming pool can be used free of charge, alongside two saunas and two spa

baths. Ashbury also offers a range of sports massages and beauty treatments.

Other sports facilities include a 18-hole adventure putting course, a 15-table snooker hall; a bowls hall with three indoor rinks, four lanes of 10-pin bowling and a kids’ games room with pool, table football, air hockey and Sony Playstations.

There are a total of 426 rooms available for guests to stay in across the two sites (Ashbury 222, Manor 204), all of which feature TVs, tea and coffee-making facilities, hair dryers, free Wi-Fi and telephones. Full board catering is offered, including a buffet breakfast with cooked and continental options, hot and cold lunch options, and a four-course evening buffet meal with additional a la carte choices. Elsewhere, there is a choice of bars and lounge areas, including the Coach House Bar, which offers Sky TV for watching live sporting events, while

ACHING AND FI

TTING STUDIO

evening entertainment is also offered every night, with tribute bands and cabaret acts.

Children’s entertainers are also part of an extensive programme designed to keep all members of the family amused.

With all breaks are full board, offering free golf, free leisure facilities, and generous group discounts, making the Ashbury Resort the perfect destination for your next golf break.

Call 0800 458 3026 for more details or visit www.manorhousehotel.co.uk.

10% OFF WHEN YOU BOOK NOW FOR 2022*

18 Holes of FREE Golf Every Day Extensive Practice Facilities Multi-Sport Simulator Lounge Europe’s Largest Buggy Fleet & All Weather Cabbed Buggies

Y R Y! DA FO UR LI S HB HODGE AS LO AT LE SA

FULL-BOARD PRICE INCLUDES:

PLUS! Over 70 Sport, Craft & Leisure Activities

Vast Range of Leisure Facilities

Multi Sports Simulators

Buffet-Style Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Hydro Spa

For more information, please email lodge.admin@manorashbury.co.uk

THE WORLD’S 9TH LARGEST GOLF RESORT - 103 HOLES ALL ON ONE SITE! *

Book online at

QUOTE ‘GN10’ TO RECEIVE 10% OFF ANY 2022 BREAK (Expires 31/07/22)

manorandashburyresorts.co.uk | Alternatively, call us on

0800 135 7536

JUNE2019 2022 |TRAVEL TRAVEL&&BREAKS BREAKS [46] MAY

T U S C A N

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s t h g i l e D

Boasting Italy’s only PGA National championship golf course and a luxury hotel and spa, Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort provides a relaxing retreat on Tuscany’s unspoilt coastline, yet remains within striking distance of Rome’s world-renowned attractions WITH ALL EYES in the golfing world turning to Italy next year as host nation of the 2023 Ryder Cup, it seems like a good time to get in an early sighter of what is on offer for the visiting golfer when it comes to places to play and stay before, during and perhaps after the biennial clash of continents takes place next September.

While the Ryder Cup matches are being held at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in the northeastern suburbs of Rome, my trip took me slightly up country to a golf resort 90 miles north of Italy’s capital that has been quietly building a reputation as a haven for Romans and overseas visitors looking for a bit of R&R amid olive grove-lined fairways since it first opened in 2006.

Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort – the ‘wellness’ element has recently been added to the name to reflect the diversity of spa and leisure activities that are on offer – is located on Monte Argentario, a blob of land connected to Tuscany’s mainland by two lagoons and a narrow bridge. A 90-minute drive from Rome, the resort occupies a secluded valley floor location which looms into view like a baddie’s lair in a James Bond movie as you drive up the long and winding entrance. The hotel, which is cut into the side of the valley, is said to resemble a dragonfly from the air, with the 78 bedrooms and suites representing the four wings located either side the lobby area’s body.

As you enter the vast reception area and move

through the main public spaces, the overall design style is probably best described as minimalist chic, with high ceilings, acres of glass and statement artwork, presented in monotone palette of black and white, creating the feeling that you’re in a carefully curated space.

The four floors of the hotel are all home to a different room category. First-floor rooms offer a minimalist contemporary design with white resin floors. On the second floor, rooms have hardwood floors and colourful design items that evoke a 1950s feel. The third floor is home to the Travel Club suites, which combine dark parquet floors, safari-style furniture and freestanding stone baths. Exclusive Master and business suites, as well as a wellness suite with private gym, are situated on the fourth floor. Is that enough talk of floors? I think so. All the rooms, apart from featuring floors (doh!), also have private balconies and terraces offering fabulous views out over the 18-hole golf course and across the valley to the Orbetello Lagoon and the Tyrrhenian Sea beyond.

If you are visiting with a large family or a group of friends, then the resort’s choice of luxury rental villas located on the hillside overlooking the golf course are well worth considering. The most impressive of these is Hills Lodge, which includes five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living room, kitchen and patio.

The villas offer the exclusivity of being away from the main hotel, yet you still have the convenience of

hotel service, along with complimentary use of a golf buggy. For those looking for a holiday home, there are some new villas currently being built that are for sale for those with deep pockets.

The resort has access to its own private beach, with a free shuttle service available to guests to take them on the short journey. Alternative water-based activities can be enjoyed in the hotel’s two large swimming pools, one heated and indoors and the other unheated and outdoors, the latter of which I’m sure is much in demand during the height of the Italy’s hot summers, but not so much in late March, when I visited.

The resort’s extensive, 2,700 m² spa boasts a fitness centre with Technogym equipment, bio-sauna with chromotherapy, Kneipp circuit, heated indoor swimming pool with saline water, six massage cabins and tanning showers, while the Espace Wellness Centre focuses on relaxation and pampering with its

■ THE HOTEL BOASTS STYLISH INTERIORS

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many massage and treatment rooms.

Other leisure facilities include two tennis courts, a five-a-side football pitch, and, somewhat incongruously, a polo field, although I forgot to bring my horse, so that ruled me out of a quick chukka or two. There are also miles of walking and jogging trails around the 80-hectare estate, but if I’m going to do any walking it will only be a with a golf bag in tow.

And, thankfully, they cater for that too, in the shape of the 6,218-metre championship course that enjoys PGA National status.

Having the letters ‘PGA’ attached to a golf course – there is only one allowed in each country – no doubt adds a certain caché, but it also implies a level of difficulty, and that is definitely the case here, as the par-71 course, which measures a terrifying 6,803 yards off the very back tees – and 6,449 off the competition tees – looks and plays like it has been designed to challenge the very best. Let’s just say I was glad that our hosts generously dished out a sleeve of balls as we set out for the first tee, as the moderate stock that I smuggled into my hand luggage didn’t last much beyond the turn.

Given the land on which the course was built was previously used as the island’s rubbish dump, it must have taken golf course designer David Mezzacane no small amount of imagination – and millions of tons of earth moving – to create the layout that meets golfers today. First opened in 2006, the course is one

■ THE PAR-R THIRD HOLE OFFERS STUNNING VIEWS TO THE ORBETELLO LAGGON

■ THE PAR-3 17TH FORMS PART OF A TOUGH CLOSING STRETCH

THE SOUND OF SWEARING AND GOLF BALL ON TREE ECHOED AS WE ZIG-ZAGGED OUR WAY TOWARDS THE GREEN ON WHAT MIGHT BE THE TIGHEST PAR-3 IN WORLD GOLF of contrasts, with some holes winding their way up and down though densely wooded areas, where cork trees and oaks threaten to stymie you at every turn, while there are also far more open expanses, where wide fairways bisected by ditches and large ponds serve to keep you honest.

I won’t submit you to a detailed hole-by-hole description, but early highlights for me included the par-5 third and the par-3 fifth, both of which offer views out to the sea. The former is played from a raised tee to a crumpled fairway on the valley floor below that snakes its way up to a distant green, while the latter features a green protected by no fewer than seven bunkers.

The par-five 6th is a cleverly constructed threeshot hole that doesn’t allow you just fire off a driver and hope for the best, as two sections of water intersect the fairway at different points to ensure that you have to plot your way carefully to the green.

The 7th was a slightly odd 240-yard par-4 with a lake guarding the direct line between tee and green and only a narrow sliver of fairway to aim at to the right.

A 5-iron and a wedge would do the job, but it wasn’t my idea of what makes a decent short par four, as your options off the tee are too limited.

The 8th is arguably the tightest par three in world golf, with a tunnel of trees barely the width of a B road separating the tee from the green. The sound of swearing and golf ball on tree echoed throughout the 10 minutes it took our group to complete the task, and I was personally delighted to sign for a bogey.

After steading the ship around the turn where the course opens up a bit, things get more testing over the closing stretch, especially at the 17th, a 180-yard par three that features a green fronted by water and a ‘bail out’ area to the right features two bunkers.

My tee shot found one of the traps and left me with a knee-knocking bunker shot back towards the pin with water behind. The closing hole is another potential card wrecker, with the fairway split by a group of trees, while the approach shot is tough too, with the green being small and well protected.

My overall impression was this was a course that demands multiple plays to appreciate its nuances and learn where to attack and where to defend, but also one that requires that all elements of your game

■ THE HOTEL OFFERS 78 ROOMS AND SUITES, PLUS A RANGE OF PRIVATE RENTAL VILLAS, WHILE THERE EXTENSIVE LEISURE AND SPA FACILITIES

to be on point. Less than perfect shots will be punished, and often punished hard, so whether that makes for a fun round of holiday golf, I’m not so sure, but it was certainly never dull.

Playing in late March, after what I was told was an unusually dry winter, I was somewhat disappointed with the condition of the tees and fairways, which were parched in places and somewhat lacking in grass in others, but there was no faulting the greens, which were well presented, evenly paced and rolled out well.

On the food front, which comes a close second to the golf course for me when it comes to the demands of a memorable golf trip, the hotel offers two restaurants and a breakfast room. Dama Dama – which is the scientific name for the fallow deer that can be found roaming freely in the woods that surround the resort – is the fine dining option, but sadly it was closed during our off-season visit, so I can’t testify to its quality, but the menu looked interesting, with a focus on fresh seafood and reinterpretations of rustic Tuscan classics such as tagliatelle with wild boar ragu and rabbit-filled ravioli, while the wine list offers a good choice of red and whites from local producers in southern Tuscany at decent prices. The restaurant flows outside to an expansive terrace, which, I imagine, would be an amazing spot to enjoy a meal

on a warm summer’s evening.

The Clubhouse Restaurant, where we ate all our meals, serves light lunches and evening meals, with an emphasis on freshly caught fish and shellfish, pasta dishes, steaks and salads. It, too, boasts a large terrace overlooking the golf course which was a particularly enjoyable spot to relax after a challenging round with a chilled glass of Sangiovese. I should also add a shout out to the mixologist at the hotel’s Aper Bar, who certainly knows his way around a cocktail list and has plenty of his own creations up his sleeve.

Away from the resort, there is much to explore, including Monte Argentario itself, with the views from the very top stretching to Elba and Corsica, while the pretty coastal towns of Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole are also well worth a visit with their bustling marinas and collection of seaside restaurants and cafés. And, of course, you can also factor in time to spend in Rome on your return journey, visiting some of the world’s most famous sites.

ARGENTARIO GOLF & WELLNESS RESORT GOLF PACKAGES Three nights’ B&B in double superior room, including three rounds of golf, starts from €1,032pp. For more information, visit argentarioresort.com, call 00 39 0564 810292, or email booking@argentarioresort.it.

[48] JUNE 2022 | TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MACHRIE AND ARDFIN OFFER UNMISSABLE HEBRIDEAN GOLF EXPERIENCE Two of Scotland’s leading clubs, The Machrie and Ardfin, have joined forces to bring visiting golfers a unique Hebridean golfing experience. For the first time, golf enthusiasts can combine a two-night stay at The Machrie on Islay, with an overnight stay at Ardfin Estates, on the neighbouring island of Jura. The twin-centre trip includes 36 holes on The Machrie Links and 18 holes at Ardfin.

Golf has been played at The Machrie since 1891, with the original design by Scottish professional Willie ■ THE MACHRIE Campbell, the former Prestwick assistant who finished second at The Open in 1886. The iconic 18-hole championship course has since been fully modernised by course architect DJ Russell, who Played on unique dunelands bordering the magnificent Laggan Bay and set against the stunning backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean, The Machrie has an unrivalled location.

The inspired run-offs and revetted bunkers provide an array of shot selections, while the contoured greens demand plenty of imagination to find the right line to the cup Meanwhile, Ardfin, located on neighbouring Jura, boasts an 18-hole course designed by legendary architect Bob Harrison. Sculpted into the shoreline at the island’s southern tip, the course has been devised to minimise interference with nature.

The Machrie and Ardfin Estates package is available from now until October 31, and includes 36 holes on The Machrie and two nights’ accommodation with breakfast, followed by 18 holes at Ardfin, and one night’s accommodation. Return transfers from The Machrie to Ardfin are included, with prices starting from £1,930 per person based on two people sharing a twin or double room. For more details, visit themachrie.com.

■ ARDFIN GOLF CLUB IS LOCATED ON THE ISLE OF JURA

■ THE CLUBHOUSE WITH ITS NEWLOOK TERRACE SEATING AREA

LA CALA PUTS GOLFERS IN THE SHADE AHEAD OF SWINGING SUMMER SEASON LA CALA, SPAIN’S LARGEST GOLF RESORT, is ready to welcome British golfers back to its 54 holes of championship golf this summer after undertaking some significant improvement to its on- and off-course facilities during the pandemic.

Situated in the foothills of the Sierra de Mijas, with breathtaking views of the Andalusian countryside and distant Mediterranean, La Cala has long been a golfing mecca for UK travellers, with the resort being handily placed 30 minutes from Malaga Airport.

The three championship courses – America, Asia and Europa – present unique challenges and slot seamlessly into a natural, undulating backdrop of trees and flowers, rich with birds and wildlife. Although America has come to be regarded as the resort’s premier layout, all three Cabell B. Robinson-designed courses serve up spectacular mountain vistas, great playability and views to the coast.

The Europa course is the latest of the layouts to be renovated, with the course now benefitting from Bermuda grass greens to more consistently high quality putting surfaces, while the bunkers have also been renovated or remodelled to bring them up to the same high standards offered on the America and Asia courses.

The resort also boasts a 107-bedroom four-star hotel, Spain’s leading hydrotherapy health sp, and four award-winning restaurants. The resort’s superb clubhouse has also enjoyed a refresh over the winter, with an extension to the terrace and the creation of new shaded areas and new seating, enabling golfers to sit and relax in total comfort before and after a round.

Four-night stay-and-play packages, which offer the chance to enjoy all three courses (including free buggy hire), daily use of the health spa and a double room (including breakfast), start from £703pp. Green fees can be exchanged for spa treatments for non-golfers.

For more information and bookings, visit www.lacala.com.

GRAB A SLICE OF THE GOLF LIFE WITH SOTOGRANDE PROPERTIES GOLFERS LOOKING FOR GUARANTEED sunshine and access to one of the best golfing regions in Spain, are being offered the chance to grab their own slice of golfing heaven with the sale of a superb pair of villas in the heart of Sotogrande in the Costa del Sol. The two properties, which are on the same plot of land, were built by a British builder in 2010, who is now selling them on due to imminent retirement.

Located 12 miles from Gibraltar and with easy access to dozens of world class courses, including San Roque, Almenara, Valderrama, Alcaidesa and the two courses at Sotogrande, the air-conditioned villas are separate, making them ideal for guests, rental income from long and short lets. Facilities include a 10m x 5m swimming pool, four private patio areas for dining and entertaining and parking for up to a dozen cars.

Priced at only £695,000, interested parties should email john@colomendy.co.uk or call John on 07785774590 for further details.

■ LA CALA BOASTS THREE 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES

TRAVEL & BREAKS | JUNE 2022 [49] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Travel with

Gavin Hastings Scotland’s record-breaking full back is happiest when hoofing a howitzer down the fairways at La Manga’s South Course My first holiday memory is... going to Mallorca as a kid and having a ball with my brothers. We stayed in a multi-storey hotel and we all thought it was fantastic as there was a big pool which we were in all day. I have a feeling though that my parents hated it!

My most recent golf trip was to… The Grove in Hertfordshire as a guest of Crew Clothing. I joined the brand to celebrate the launch of its new golf apparel collection. Crew is a partner to the Legends Tour and I had the pleasure of meeting their team in Mauritius earlier this year. The brand is a big supporter of British sport and it’s been fantastic to spend more time with them in the past few months. The Grove was in fantastic nick and I’m delighted to say that our team won the competition – so a great day all round!

My favourite golf course abroad is... Shek O Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong. It’s a really superb test and one that I have enjoyed whenever I’ve been out there for the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.

It’s a short course, measuring well under 5,000 yards, and with no par fives, but its clifftop location, with the front nine overlooking the Tathong Channel, is breathtaking.

My ideal holiday fourball would include... my three brothers – for the banter and the competition. We are aiming to have our first game since pandemic somewhere in Scotland this summer. Needless to say, there will be a lot of family bragging rights at stake!

My most memorable ever round of golf was at... the Old Course at St Andrews. Aged about 14 or 15, I needed a par on the 18th hole to break 100. I got up and down from in front of the green and felt like I had won The Open Championship!

My favourite golf resort is... La Manga in Spain. I have been there every year – barring Covid - for 20-plus years and the three courses are terrific.

I have so many memorable times playing there with friends and always having a laugh. I used to

■ SHEK 0 GOLF CLUB IN HONG KONG

■ LA MANGA

play in the Wooden Spoon Celebrity Rugby Golf Classic there, which was always great fun.

I always travel with... my Apple iPad. It’s so light and convenient on the plane or in the hotel. I use it to keep up with emails, stream TV shows, podcasts and listen to music.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in was... Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. It is like catching up with an old friend and the staff are fantastic, as is the service and quality of food. The Captain’s Bar is a must visit.

My memorable meal while on holiday was at... the Hong Kong Hilton in 1990. Lunch lasted from midday until about 8pm. The food and drink we consumed was just mind-blowing and it just kept on coming.

My holiday reading/playlist would include... anything to make me relax. I am a big fan of Jo Nesbo thrillers.

I’m planning a golf trip to... the USA, hopefully sometime later this year. The West Coast beckons, hopefully Pebble Beach, as it’s been on my bucket list for ages.

My top travel tip is... to set your watch to the time zone of the country you are visiting before you leave home. That way you’re straight into their time and you forget about jet lag. Just go with the flow!

To check out the new golf apparel range from Crew Clothing, visit crewclothing.co.uk

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