Golf News July 2017

ISSUE 266 | JULY 2017 | TWITTER: @GOLFNEWSMAG | INSTAGRAM: GOLFNEWSMAGAZINE | WEB: GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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boy for the powers that be to attract a new generation hile there doesn’t feel like there’s much to be of players into the game. He’s also a nice lad. Grounded, proud of politically and socially on the UK front as they say, and plays an aggressive, go-for-the-flag right now, at least we can say that we are living in game that is fun to watch. times when our homegrown professional golfers are Another breath of fresh air on the professional circuit enjoying a profitable run of form, as we enter a new is the ‘phenom’ that is Jon Rahm. The swashbuckling phase in our golfing history.

22-year-old Spaniard, whose golfing education took With my childhood heroes having long since turned place in America, announced himself on the world their careers towards commentating, and my own age stage when winning the Farmers Insurance Open back group of players now contemplating one last shot at in January with a typically outrageous 40-foot putt to the big time before they switch gears onto the senior secure victory, while over in Europe for the summer, he tours, the future of Home Nations’ golf looks to be in destroyed the field at this month’s Irish Open, winning safe hands, judging by the number of St George’s flags in a hack canter currently occupying by six shots after lofty positions inside laying waste to the world’s top 100 Portstewart. He male players. bullied the course With eight Britons into submission, inside the world’s top shooting 24 50 – McIlroy (4), Rose under par, playing (12), Fleetwood (14), like a man who Casey (16), Hatton (23), looked like he’d Fitzpatrick (38), Willett grown up playing (40) and Ross Fisher rain-sodden (46) – and five more links courses, inside the top 100, as opposed we’re at the very least to the pristine fighting at the correct point-and-shoot weight when it comes courses that were to our place in the his playgrounds PLAY FOUR global game.

■ GOLF'S NEW YOUNG GUNS: TOMMY FLEETWOOD AND JON RAHM when studying at With the Ryder Arizona State University.

Cup just over 12 months away, the European picture is A bull of a man, with the forearms of a farmhand, also looking pretty healthy, with nine ‘Euros’ inside the Rahm has more than a touch of Seve about him, most world’s top 20, all of whom will be keeping an eye on readily apparent in the way that he wears his heart on the various money lists as the countdown to Paris 2018 his sleeve, and his fiery temperament, all backed up by begins in earnest over the next few months. immense talent.

And it’s not just the stats that make for good reading.

I don’t know about you, but I like my sportsmen and I also like the way our new generation of players goes women to show emotions. Given me Alex Higgins over about the game. Tommy Fleetwood – the very name Steve Davis; give me James Hunt over Niki Lauda, and if seems straight out of a Boys' Own Annual from the we’re talking about football managers, I’ll take a jumping 1950s – is currently flying the St George’s flag highest Antonio Conte over a straight-faced José Mourinho all and most vigorously, following his two wins on the day long.

European Tour this season, and his strong showing in Throw in the likes of selfie-loving Andrew ‘Beef’ last month’s US Open.

Johnson, who engages with fans often to the detriment With his flowing locks sprouting in all directions from of his own game, and there is plenty of evidence that beneath his Nike hat, and his liking for an elasticated pro golfers are finally wising up to the fact that they trouser bottom, Fleetwood is rocking a look for the are in the entertainment game, and that doesn’t simply generation that feels most disenfranchised from golf’s meaning hitting great shots. hallowed corridors, and will hopefully prove a poster

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JULY 2017 | NEWS

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PGA CUP TEAM FINALISED FOR FOXHILLS SHOWDOWN MID HERTS HITS 125 Mid Herts Golf Club is teeing off its 125th anniversary celebrations with a week-long festival of golf. The golfing action gets underway on July 23, while the social calendar culminates in an Anniversary Ball on July 29. Club captain Albert Scurfield and ladies' captain Jenny Hicks, along with vice captains Sue Hailey and Simon Best, are hosting a number of events throughout the year to mark the historic milestone, including a monthly 125 Challenge.

MARSHALL SWOOPS AT WEST ESSEX WITH DOUBLE EAGLE ROUND Bawburgh professional Andy Marshall bagged two eagles on the back nine to help claim a one-shot victory in the West Essex Pro-Am. The 43 year old chipped in from 40 yards for a three at the par-five 10th, before back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14 helped him reach four under par. But the Norfolk-based pro still found himself a shot back from fellow former European Tour player Ray Russell as he came to the closing hole – an uphill par five. Needing an eagle for victory, Marshall hit a three-wood off the tee, before cutting a rescue club 20 feet from the flag, and calmly holing out for 64 to capture his first victory on the PGA in England (East) schedule.

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he Great Britain and Ireland team to take on the United States in the 2017 PGA Cup was announced last month, following the conclusion of the PGA Professional Championship.

The make up of the ten-man team for the biennial match was revealed on June 21, after the final round of the PGA Professional Championship at at Luttrellstown Castle in Ireland. The match takes place at Foxhills Resort in Surrey from September 15-17.

Greig Hutcheon, Matthew Cort and Robert Coles had already booked their places in the team after finishing in the top three at the PGA Play-Offs back in October last year, but they have now been joined by Christopher Currie, Phillip Archer, Christopher McDonnell, Garry Houston, Andrew Raitt, David

Higgins and Damien McGrane.

“I feel that we are formidable and robust,” said GB & Ireland team captain Albert MacKenzie, who will be assisted in Surrey by vice-captains Martyn Thompson and Cameron Clark. “I could not be more pleased with the ten players that have made the PGA Cup team this year. We have a team of strength, a team of experience and we’re going to be seriously competitive in September.”

The team includes a solid mixture of experience and youth, with Houston, Archer, Raitt Coles, McGrane, Cort, Higgins and Hutcheon, all enjoying successful European Tour careers, while Currie, the youngest member of the team at 35, will head into PGA Cup high in confidence having finished

COTTON’S FORMER HOME RECEIVES HERITAGE STATUS

'ROYLE' RESULT AT MILL RIDE Castle Royle’s Tim Shin and Harrison Arnold joined forces to win the BB&O 2017 Club Foursomes title at Mill Ride.

Despite perfect scoring conditions, none of the pairs was able to break par on the day, with the winner’s round of 72 and 78 being good enough to capture the title by two shots from the Ellesborough pair of Luke Richardson and Phil Cuthbert.

The net competition was won by Peter Davidson and Simon Warren (Sonning), who shot net scores of 77 and 75.

CROWTHER CLAIMS SENIOR WELSH CROWN Lancashire’s Ian Crowther won the Welsh open senior championship after shooting rounds of 71, 78 and 70 at Maesdu Golf Club. The England International from Royal Lytham & St Annes birdied two of the last three holes to secure the title, and finish ahead of England senior teammate Mark Stones (Boyce Hill) and 2015 champion Ian Attoe from Worplesdon. Weather conditions were challenging at the tournament, with strong winds and rain squalls making it tough for the players, especially in the second round, when the average score was around 80.

GAINER GRABS MATCH PLAY GLORY Berkshire’s Cara Gainer won the English Women’s Open Match Play Championship at Royal Mid-Surrey. The 21-year-old from Castle Royle, who has recently committed to playing golf full time after graduating from Cardiff University, beat England international Lizzie Prior 3&2 in the final. She made her move on the 10th, winning four holes in a row, and captured the title when the par-three 16th was halved in par.

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he childhood home of Henry Cotton, one of England’s most pre-eminent pre-war golfers, has been recognised by the nation following the unveiling of an English Heritage blue plaque.

The ceremony took place on July

11 at 47 Crystal Palace Road in East Dulwich, with broadcaster Peter Alliss unveiling the plaque, after which a lunch reception was held at Aquarius Golf Club in nearby Honor Oak, where Cotton first learned to play the game.

■ HENRY COTTON Speakers at the unveiling ceremony

■ EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE 2017 PGA CUP TEAM

runner-up in the PGA Professional Championships.

The second youngest player is McDonnell, also 35, who won the PGA Professional Championship at Blairgowrie. McDonnell, who runs the academy at Golf At Goodwood in West Sussex, narrowly missed out on qualification for the biennial PGA Cup by half a point, so was understandably delighted to have made the cut this time.

He said: “The target for the PGA Professional Championship was

to finish in the top six, so I would qualify for the PGA Cup. There was a chance of winning, especially after I shot a course record 65 in the second round, but once I knew the win wasn’t possible, it was all about making sure I qualified.

“Winning the PGA Club Professionals Championships and qualifying for the PGA Cup are the highest achievements a PGA Professional can achieve. I’ve been lucky enough to do both now, so I’m unbelievably happy with myself!”

included Dennis Lomas, chairman of The Edward Alleyn Golf Society and Jim Halliday, secretary of Aquarius Golf Club.

Golf Foundation president Sandy Jones was also in attendance, and spoke in praise of Cotton, who, along with friend Gerald Micklem, helped set up the Golf Foundation in 1952.

Although born in Cheshire in 1907, Cotton lived in Peckham as a teenager, and attended Reigate Grammar before winning a scholarship to Alleyn's School in Dulwich. He took up golf aged 13, and played at Aquarius Golf Club, a nine-hole course which first opened in 1912. He played in the Boys Amateur in 1921 and 1922, and won the Aquarius club championship aged 16 in 1923. He left school later that year and started his golf career as an assistant professional at Fulwell Golf Club in Middlesex, where his brother Leslie was also an assistant. The following year he moved to Rye Golf Club in East Sussex, and two years later, aged just 19, took on the head professional’s job at Langley Park in Kent, where he stayed until 1932.

During this period he won the Kent Professional Championship five times between 1926-30.

Cotton achieved international fame during the 1930s and 1940s, with the highlight being his three victories in the Open Championship in 1934, 1937, and 1948. His record round of 65, made during the 1934 Open at Royal St George’s, led to Dunlop issuing the famous 'Dunlop 65' ball. He went on to win over 30 titles on the European circuit, including three German Opens and three News of the World Matchplay title, with his last victory coming at the Penfold Tournament in 1954. He was a member of four British Ryder Cup teams, and served as captain in 1947 and 1953.

After retiring from the game in the late 1950s, he became a successful golf course architect, with Penina in Portugal being his most famous creation. He was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s honours in 1988, but died before the official ceremony took place, aged 80.

CROYDON GOLF SHOP CLOSURE SIGNALS END OF AN ERA

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South Croydon golf shop visited by a US Masters champion and popular with legendary comedian Ronnie Corbett has shut down after 50 years of trading.

The Golf Shop, on Brighton Road, held a closing down sale before it shut down, giving regular customers an opportunity to grab a few lastminute bargains.

PGA professional Barry Davies opened the shop in 1968 as the first specialist off-course store in the whole of the south of England. He decided to sell up to an investment company after the downturn in the number of rounds being played impacted on sales, and he now plans on retiring and spending more time playing golf at Reigate Heath Golf Club, where he is a member.

Davies said: "I opened the shop at a time when golf was booming in popularity, there were more people wanting to play the sport than clubs would accept as members. Tony

■ BARRY DAVIES IN HIS CROYDON SHOP

Jacklin was dragging the sport to new levels in this country at the time.

He had the look of a Beatle and won two majors in quick succession.”

He added: "I was a professional at Kingswood Golf and Country Club at the time, and saw a gap in the market to open a specialist golf shop, offering expert advice as well.”

Davies said he thoroughly enjoyed running the shop over the last five

decades, during which time he has sold thousands of people their first ever sets of clubs, and offered endless advice to people about the game.

He added: "This shop has become well known over the years. Ronnie Corbett, who lived nearby in Shirley, was a huge golf fan, and he would pop in to have a chat about the sport and look around every now and then. Once we even had the Masters

and US. Open winner Angel Cabrera come into the shop. He had been at an event nearby and called in to look at our selection. It was an experience to have a player who had won the biggest tournaments in the world walking through the shop."

Davies said that although golf clubs in and around Croydon have been trying to get more junior members and women playing, but he has still seen a drop in custom at the shop during the last 10 years.

"I could see this situation coming," he said. "Golf had its moment in the 80s and late 90s, when players such as Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods brought extra attention to the sport. As far as equipment sales are concerned, the creation of metal woods also had a big impact on shops like this one. I used to have two people employed full time to make and repair woods, but when metal clubs came about that side of the business ended."

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charities and impoverished communities throughout the world, will use the day to raise much-needed funds for Depaul, a worldwide charity that supports homeless children, with over $63 million raised to date. Last year’s tournament at Wentworth raised over £150,000.

In addition to tournament host Gary Player, competitors from the men’s game will include Fred Couples, Branden Grace, Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Martin Kaymer, Tom Watson, Trevor Immelman, Thomas Björn, Charl Schwartzel, Jamie Donaldson, Matteo Manassero, Padraig Harrington, Tom Lehman, Sandy Lyle and Jonathan Thomson.

From the women’s game, Georgia Hall, Maria Parra Luque, Joanna Klatten, Emma Cabrera Bello, Carly Booth, Olivia Cowan, Maria Verchenova, Caroline Martens, Alex Peters, Annabel Dimmock and Caroline Masson are also taking part in the event, which is being played over Wentworth’s Edinburgh Course, which Player himself helped design.

Each team will comprise two amateur guests, a pro and a celebrity, competing in a team medal competition where the two best scores on each hole count. Player said: “Through our series of global events, the Player Foundation continues to raise much-needed funds for children's causes and I look forward to welcoming many friends from the game, and VIP guests, to come together for such important, charitable giving. I am confident our union of golf and giving will positively affect the lives of many vulnerable young people.”

WORLD-CLASS FIELD ASSEMBLES AT WENTWORTH FOR

GARY PLAYER INVITATIONAL A n all-star field has been announced for the Berenberg Gary Player Invitational – which is being held at Wentworth on July 23-24 – including 15 Major winners and 2016 Masters' champion Danny Willett.

Black Knight International and title sponsor Berenberg will bring together stars from the men’s and women’s game, following the Open at Royal Birkdale.

The Player Foundation, which supports children’s

MANNINGS HEATH PREPARES TO HOST RISING STARS OF THE EUROPRO TOUR

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and restaurant will be serving meals throughout the tournament. Amateur golfers are invited to enter the Pro-Am event on August 1, at a cost of £400 per team of three. The price includes a full English breakfast, 18 holes on the Waterfall course with a professional, mid-round refreshments, and a threecourse gala dinner with prize giving, hosted by the PGA.

Close House is the official venue of the 2017 British Masters and boasts two magnificent 18-hole golf courses, the superb No.19 clubhouse and restaurant and twelve sumptuous Courtyard luxury suites.

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est Berkshire’s Paul Simpson and Pyecombe’s Mark James overcame swirling winds, a tough heathland challenge, and the presence of European Tour star Matt Fitzpatrick, to win the West Hill ProAm with a pair of 68s.

However, while a long week at Erin Hills for the US Open may well have explained why Ryder Cup star Fitzpatrick was unable to repeat his 2016 West Hill Pro-Am victory – firing a four-over-par 73 – it still underlined the profile of the West Hill Pro-Am and the man behind it, PGA head professional Guy Shoesmith.

Starting off the 10th, Simpson made the event his third win of the season so far, while James made it his second in five weeks. As one of the southern schedule’s top earning Pro-Ams, despite splitting the top prize, both players took home cheques for £1,630.

After eight holes Simpson was three under par, and although he bounced back from a bogey at the 18th with a birdie at the very next hole, two more dropped shots brought him back to a creditable 68, although the bogey at his final hole was to prove expensive.

Also off the 10th, James was one under par at the turn. Another birdie at the second was to put him in the lead, but a bogey at the sixth left him prospectively tied with Simpson, and with two tough par threes in his last three holes, one more birdie proved too elusive.

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annings Heath Golf Club in West Sussex is gearing up to host one of the most high profile events in its long history, with the Horsham-based club set to welcome the rising stars of the EuroPro Tour next month.

The club, which came under new ownership last summer, is staging the 54hole Nokia-sponsored tournament on its championship Waterfall course from August 2-4, with a Pro-Am scheduled to take place on August 1.

The tournament boasts a £50,000 prize fund and is one of 16 events on this year’s EuroPro Tour schedule, the highlights of which are shown on Sky Sports after each event.

“We are delighted to be hosting the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Mannings Heath for the first time,” said general manager Adam Streeter. “It’s also great to have Nokia on board as headline sponsor at what promises to be a high quality tournament. This year’s EuroPro Tour schedule is packed with top quality venues, so to be among those is a real boost to the club.”

He added: “Mannings Heath is no stranger to top-class golf and quality golfers, with the late great Seve Ballesteros drawing huge crowds when he played in a Pro-Am here in 1987, while Gary Player named the 11th hole in his top 18 holes in the world. The course, whose design was influenced by Harry Colt, is both challenging and exciting to play, and I’m sure it will prove a worthy test for today’s up-and-coming tour players.”

Entry and parking is free of charge for spectators, and the clubhouse’s bar

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[12] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GROWING THE GAME THE FAMILY WAY From Northolt in west London, to Barnet in north London, we take a look at five examples of how The Shire London’s owner, Tony Menai-Davis, and his family have spent the last decade bucking the trend to create success, jobs and new experiences for golfers around the capital

■ THE MENAI-DAVIS FAMILY WELCOMES RYDER CUP CAPTAIN THOMAS BJORN AS THE SHIRE LONDON'S NEW HONORARY CAPTAIN

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ust north of Barnet in Hertfordshire, two minutes off the South Mimms junction of the M25 and the A1, Tony and Anne Menai-Davis and their sons have been creating a quiet golfing revolution for the last ten years, from their base at The Shire London.

Last month saw the family launch its latest golf attraction – Lost Jungle London, a spectacular 36-hole Miami-style adventure golf kingdom, created in partnership with industry specialist Oliver Mahoney, and which also features a 9-hole FootGolf course on a site just north of Edgware.

Incredibly, it is the fifth original Menai-Davis golf initiative to be created in the last ten years, all within a 30-mile stretch of north London. In an age where golf participation is coming under pressure from all sides, here is a refreshing tale of the sport expanding, not contracting, involving large-scale new golf course building, brave new initiatives, and huge numbers of newcomers drawn to hit their first ever golf shot.

The Shire London was the first to open for play, in July 2007, having achieved instant national awareness by attracting Seve Ballesteros to design the 7,028-yard golf course. It was to be the ■ THE NEW LOST JUNGLE ADVENTURE GOLF COURSE IS PROVING A BIG HIT WITH KIDS YOUNG AND OLD!

Spaniard’s only full design in the UK, and when the maestro passed away in 2011 the world of golf felt significantly poorer.

Ballesteros’s personality is all around you at The Shire London – from the striking statue at the entrance, capturing his fistpumping victory salute at the 1984 Open Championship, to the design of the golf course itself, which stands testament to Seve’s individuality and why-not attitude.

We’ve all seen the video of Seve smacking a four-wood towards the green at the Trophée Lancome in 1997 from a kneeling position under a bush. He played the sort of golf you want to watch, with imagination, bravado, and a visible desire to win.

He was a man of strong opinions, which frequently led him into controversy. So perhaps it is fitting that if a golf course can be politically incorrect, then Seve’s design at The Shire London is that golf course.

Starting with a tough par three to a near-island green – that’s very Seve, daring you to find your A-game from the off. Finishing with a blistering par four, which demands a precise mid-iron approach across not one, but two arms of an S-shaped lake to find a narrow green – highly Ballesteros. Drama, spectacle, adrenaline.

But it’s the after-golf experience at The Shire London which is perhaps the key factor in the club’s success over its first decade.

The stylish single-storey clubhouse is open plan, so everybody sees everybody; there are no committee rooms; it’s a place to mingle. Unlike most British golf clubs, there is a refreshing lack of signs saying ‘don’t do this, don’t do that’. Small wonder then that under the highly successful operational guidance of Ceri and Cae Menai-Davis, The Shire London has quickly become one of the South’s leading hosts for company golf days and societies, and in 2016 was voted London’s No.1 overall golf experience by users of Golfshake.com.

In late June this year, Ceri Menai-Davis organised the fourth annual Trevor Nelson Swing in conjunction with the award-

winning DJ. The event, which was a sell-out, offered a typically Shire-like mix of serious competitive golf and rules-relaxing atmosphere, which this year featured a jerk chicken stall, a well-stocked on-course bar, and golf to the sound of Nelson’s trademark soul music, pumped across the golf course by giant speakers.

That spirit of inclusivity was taken to a high level in 2012, when Cae Menai-Davis and Frank Harrington launched The Golf Trust at The Shire London to unite the UK’s various disabled golf associations in a single charity, which, in spring this year, finally achieved official recognition by the UK Charity Commission. Since its launch, the Golf Trust has engaged with well over 200,000 people – almost all complete newcomers to golf – for a minimum of four hours’ golf coaching per person. While the Trust is still highly active in disabled golf, with over 50,000 individuals given specialist long-term coaching to date, it has also broadened its influence into a huge inner-city schools and communities programme, and in January it became the first UK partner for the global Els For Autism initiative.

In December 2012, the family opened the West London Golf Centre on the outskirts of Northolt. The large driving range and golf superstore there were soon joined by a Dinosaur Escape adventure golf facility, and an attractive full-length 9-hole course, which poses a real challenge even to experienced golfers. In spring of this year, the WLGC opened its Dino Soft Play facility for families with young children, and, with its on-site Coffee House, has become a haven for the local community, whether or not they play golf.

And across the road, another golf course – the championshiplength West London Links – is being built and prepared for a public opening expected before the end of the decade. The Menai-Davis family is not revealing much about their fourth major golf project, but you can expect it to set golfers an authentic inland links challenge.

In March this year The Shire London signed its first major player-representation deal, revealing that 2018 European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn would become the club’s honorary captain for 2017-18. And just one month later, in April, the family made even bigger news when their fifth golf development – The Dye London – was granted planning permission. A spectacular 18-hole Tour-style golf course will soon emerge north of Edgware, bringing the skills of world-famous golf architects Dye Designs – known for Sawgrass, Kiawah Island and Harbour Town – to the UK for the first time.

The planning decision is being seen as a key moment for golf development in the UK, and with The Dye London set to mimic the successful formula established by The Shire London – high quality at an affordable price to a small membership with seven-day access to the general public – it looks likely that the Menai-Davis family is set to continue to make headlines in the years to come.

CONTACT LIST

■ THE SHIRE LONDON, WHICH FIRST OPENED IN 2007, IS SEVE BALLESTEROS’S ONLY FULL UK DESIGN

www.theshirelondon.com www.westlondongolfcentre.com www.thedyelondon.com www.thegolftrust.org www.lostjunglelondon.co.uk

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

ACES HIGH AT SUNNINGDALE HEATH!

T

THE RIDGE CHANGES HANDS

here were plenty of high fives, although sadly not too many drinks bought at Sunningdale Heath Golf Club last month, when two of its junior members bagged hole-inones when playing together in the same two-ball.

Charlie Brennan and good friend Jack Humpish secured the rare feat on June 9 at the Berkshire venue. Charlie nailed his first ever ace at the 155-yard 15th, while playing partner Jack saved the best until last, holing out at the 148yard 18th in front of the clubhouse.

SUPER CIPA WINS LONDON OPEN S

[13]

T

he Ridge Golf & Country Club in Kent was sold last month to FSF Leisure Limited.

The Maidstone-based venue, which first opened in 1993, boasts an 18-hole, 6,242-yard parkland course, a 10-bay driving range, and a spacious clubhouse.

It was acquired by the previous owner in 2008, and was placed on the market last year for £1.75 million, although a final purchase price is not known.

The club had a 230-strong membership as of last summer, with full membership costing £890 per year.

■ THE RIDGE IS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

SMART CART

outh Essex Golf Centre’s Steve Cipa showed that he’s still a class

act with a gutsy one-shot victory in the London Open at West Essex Golf Club.

The evergreen 57 year old birdied the final hole to edge out two European Tour winners, Simon Khan and Raymond Russell.

After a final day in which blustery winds caused the field plenty of problems, the ultra-experienced Cipa was the only player to break par for the tournament, as he finished on a one-under total after rounds of 69 and 70.

He said: “It’s been a long time since I’ve figured in an East region Order of Merit event – the last I won was at Bishop’s Stortford in 2010.

So, it’s a fantastic feeling. I’ve been in very steady form for the last few months – nothing spectacular, but I’m in a good place mentally. It has been a tough few years, but I

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seem to be just taking everything as it comes, rather than getting too emotional on the golf course – so maybe that’s the secret!”

Khan, who returned to the European Tour for the BMW International Open the following week, was upbeat despite two costly three-putts at 16 and 17. He said: “I enjoyed coming back and playing.

We don’t play courses like this much on tour. You’ve got to be straight, you’ve got to be in position. Some

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holes, you miss it by a yard or two, and you are in trouble.”

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NEWS | JULY 2017

[15]

WILDWOOD CLOSES DOWN

W

ildwood Golf & Country Club in Surrey ceased trading with immediate effect last month.

The 27-hole facility, which first opened in 1992, had been owned by a group of private investors led by Simcha Green, a 52-yearold property developer based in London, while the day-to-day operations at the Alfold-based club were managed by PGA Professional Philip Harrison. Green had bought the club in October last year from majority shareholders Edmund and Charles O’Reilly Hyland of Translloyd Developments. Harrison had been a director and minority shareholder at the club up until it changed ownership last year.

The club closed on May 26, although members were still allowed to play the course for several weeks afterwards, despite the fact that maintenance had long since stopped.

Harrison posted a message to

members on the club’s Facebook page at the end of May, which said: “It is with regret that I must inform you that the club will be closed for the immediate future due to the fact that we are unable to supply a well maintained course and cannot provide a suitable service in the club house. We are hoping that this is a temporary measure as the current owner, Mr Simcha Green, has suggested that he intends to sell the business. Members are still welcome to play on the course, but I must advise that it has not been maintained for several weeks and the condition is deteriorating quickly.”

When Green had purchased Wildwood, the futre had looked promising, with a £35m development plan to build a 84-bedroom hotel and for the PGA to move its south east headquarters there, but things took a turn for the worst since the new year.

There were reports that many

COPTHORNE CLUB CHAMPIONS

■ WILDWOOD HAD BEEN OPEN FOR 25 YEARS BEFORE IT CLOSED LAST MONTH

staff had not been paid for three months at the time of the closure, while many had long since been given notice to quit. As soon as the closure was announced, the gates were locked, phones disconnected, and the club’s website shutdown.

Greenkeeping equipment has been re-possessed and food, drink and various other suppliers have not been paid. Weddings and events planned throughout the year have been cancelled, with no likelihood of refunds on deposits.

Despite repeated attempts

to contact the owners for an explanation, club members have been left in the dark, and, while many have been able to claim back the cost of their memberships through credit card providers, others are faced with the prospect of losing their money altogether.

According to Companies House, Wildwood Country Club Ltd registered to enter into receivership on March 30, and a petition to wind up the club under the Insolvency Act was presented to the High Court on April 10.

DISABLED GOLFERS TURN UP THE HEAT AT POULT WOOD

E

ighteen disabled golfers braved the hottest day of the year so far to compete in the first Southern Disability Open, which was held at Poult Wood Golf Centre in Kent.

Organised by Tonbridge & Malling Leisure Trust, in conjunction with Kent Golf, the tournament was divided into three categories according to disability, with a separate prize for the overall Southern Disability Open champion.

Councillor Pam Bates, Deputy Mayor of Tonbridge & Malling, was on the first tee to greet the participants at the start of the competition.

After a hot, but rewarding day out on the picturesque parkland course, Steve Crocker, from Horne Park Golf Club, was the winner of the men’s 0-24 handicap section, with an impressive 38 points, while Phil Meadows was 25 handicap and above category with 37 points. Hannie Harris from The Shire London Golf Club captured the women's section with 33 points. This left Crocker crowned the 2017 Southern Disability Open Champion.

David Copsey, head professional at Poult Wood, said: “It was a truly wonderful

Louis Gurr won Copthorne Golf Club’s prestigious Frost Deane club championship trophy with gross scores of 73 and 71 – 144 – which was level par for the 36-hole competition. Ollie Watts who won the Haven Trophy for the West Sussex-based club’s men’s championship with a nett 139, which was five shots better than his handicap of 11. Karen Smith won Division 1 of the ladies’ club championship, while Carole Hayward won Division 2.

TOP MARKS FOR BROWN AT BURHILL Yorkshire schoolboy Barclay Brown swept all before him and picked up a brand new electric trolley at the recent Independent Schools Golf Association HG Trophy event with a stunning four-under round at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey. The talented 16 year old, who plays off a handicap of plus two, won the tournament by five shots and also played his part in the team prize going to Sheffield’s Birkdale School for the first time. The event featured 87 young golfers drawn from 25 schools across the UK.

WALLIS IS KING OF THE HILL!

day. The golf course was in fantastic condition, and it was extremely inspiring to see the level of golf played by all the competitors. The Southern Disability Open is a new event in the golfing calendar that we are extremely proud to be a part of, and we are looking forward to hosting the tournament again in 2018.”

Richard Wallis shot a course recordequalling 63 to win the Kings Hill Pro-Am by four shots. The Canterbury professional dropped a shot at the final hole, but managed eight birdies and an eagle to finish clear of the chasing pack led by Cooden Beach’s Paul Nessling Littlehampton’s new PGA Head Professional Lewis Parker. Wallis also picked up the nearest-the-pin competition, and took his three amateurs to a five-shot victory in the team event.

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[16] JULY 2017 | NEWS

FULL SPEED AHEAD AT WEST KENT

■ GEORGE BOXALL WON THE DAY WITH A SCORE OF 118.30

West Kent became the latest club to be bitten by the need for speed last month, when it hosted its first ever Speedgolf Open.

S

unday morning rounds at the Orpingtonbased venue of West Kent Golf Club are normally quite sedate affairs, with fourballs completing the picturesque course in a steady three-and-a-half to four hours, but the rulebook – and the record book – was ripped up on June 25, when 15 golfers set out to try and play the hilly parkland layout in the shortest time possible, and in the least amount of shots, with the winner being the one with the lowest combined total.

Although there were several professionals in the field, and a couple of scratch players, it was amateur George Boxall who won the day, taking 79 strokes in 39 minutes and 30 seconds, for a speedgolf score of 118.30.

Boxall has finished third at the British Speedgolf Open Championships for the last two years, and is hoping to bid for the top spot at this year’s finals, which takes place Piltdown Golf Club in East Sussex on September 17.

Equally impressive was Ben Greenhalgh, a golf professional but a complete novice to Speedgolf, who shot an impressive three-over-par 74 in just over 45 minutes to take the runner-up spot, while

■ WOMEN'S CHAMPION MARIETTE HILBOURNE

■ BORN TO RUN: 15 GOLFERS TOOK PART IN THE SPEEDGOLF DAY

third-placed Steve Jeffs completed his round carrying just two clubs, shooting 82 in 46 minutes.

The top 10 men all completed the 18 holes in under an hour, playing off the yellow tees.

The women’s section was won by Mariette Hilborne, who took 95 shots in 64 minutes.

Current British Speedgolf champion Rob Hogan shot 77 in just 34 minutes, for a UK record score of 111.03, when winning the 2014 British Speedgolf Open Championships at Boars Head Golf Centre in Crowborough.

Piltdown, which boasts a 6,000-yard, par-68 heathland course, will be hosting a taster event ahead of the championship on the morning of July 23, where newcomers to the sport will be welcome.

To register your interest in taking part in the 2017 British Open Speed Golf Championships, or to find out where other Speedgolf events are taking place throughout the UK this summer, email pam@ britishspeedgolf.co.uk or visit www.britishspeedgolf.co.uk.

■ GREG BULL

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[18] JULY 2017 | COURSE REVIEW

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

COURSE REVIEW

STOCK BROOK MANOR ESSEX

Boasting 27 holes of entertaining and affordable parkland golf, and a wide variety of family-friendly facilities, Stock Brook Manor, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next month, is a shining example of the modern face of golf

W

hile most marriages are doing well to last 25 years – especially in the era of pre-nups and quickie divorces – the same could be said of golf clubs in these hard-working times in which we live.

Back in the mid-1990s, the R&A, in its esteemed wisdom, issued a report that said that the UK needed 700 more golf courses to keep up with demand for the game, which was enjoying an unprecedented boom on the back of Europe’s Ryder Cup victories and numerous major triumphs. This resulted in every scrap of land that couldn’t benefit from a European Union farming subsidy – and many that could, being turned into 'golf courses'.

I use quote marks because many barely classified as golf courses, given that they were often simply grass-covered fields dotted with flags. To say that some were poorly conceived, and even more were poorly executed, is an understatement. Over the last two or three decades, many of these ‘golf courses’ have been converted back to farmland, or, as is more often the case, sold off extremely profitably for housing. And while it’s a shame to lose any golf facility, some of these venues were simply never meant to be.

Located deep into the countryside, where the chimney pot count was meagre from the

outset, and the income from casual green fees pretty slim, they were always living on borrowed time. And when the inevitable crunch came, and fair-weather golfers decided to take up cycling and yoga instead, it was only a matter of time before the bailiffs were called in, or, if they were lucky, the property developers came knocking.

On the flip side, there were a handful of clubs that heeded the R&A’s call for golf facilities with a more thoughtful, circumspect attitude, doing their homework on the local market, before constructing courses that would not only meet demand, but offer something palpably different. One such venue was Stock Brook Manor, which first

opened in 1992.

Located on the outskirts of Chelmsford, the club enjoyed a sizeable catchment area from the start, and one that has grown significantly over the last quarter of a century, with the great exodus from London ensuring a steady stream of newly enriched families setting up home in rural Essex.

While there already existed a few established private members’ clubs in the area, the man behind Stock Brook, Terry Peachey, saw the potential in creating a family-friendly venue that did away with the pretensions of those old-style clubs, and offered a more welcoming and accessible golfing experience.

■ MEASURING 220 YARDS OFF THE VERY BACK TEES, THE 13TH IS A TOUGH PAR THREE

■ THE IMPRESSIVE CLUBHOUSE IS BUILT ON THREE LEVELS

■ THE GREEN AT THE PAR-THREE 7TH IS PROTECTED BY A LAKE BEHIND AND A DITCH IN FRONT

Purchasing around 270 acres of land on the outskirts of Billericay, Terry commissioned local golf architect Martin Gillett to construct a parkland layout that would appeal to the new generation of golfers that were looking to enjoy a round with like-minded people in unstuffy surroundings.

But rather than stick 18 flags in the ground and call it a golf course, Gillett carefully fashioned three excellent nine-hole loops – the aptly named Stock, Brook and Manor – making clever use of the natural rolling landscape to offer local golfers a challenging variety of holes. It proved an instant hit, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Peachey family still runs the business, with Terry now into his 80s, at the helm as managing director, working alongside daughter Jane overseeing

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

COURSE REVIEW | JULY 2017

■ THE VIEW FROM BEHIND THE GREEN AT THE 422-YARD PAR-4 8TH HOLE

the day-to-today operations. Terry’s son, Gary, runs the successful fruit business and looks after the building side of the operation, including the newly-refurbished Manor House, a boutique 14-bedroom converted stable block that is available for exclusive hire.

Adding tennis courts, five-a-side pitches, a swimming pool, gym, numerous function suites, a crèche, and the aforementioned accommodation, has seen Stock Brook develop into an all-singing all-dancing leisure hub, and a go-to venue for weddings and birthday parties, school proms, trade fairs, corporate golf days, and many more events besides. With over 3,000 members – 700 of which are golfers, including 140 women and a growing junior section – it’s a thriving operation that provides a popular

sporting and social focal point for the local community.

The impressively proportioned clubhouse is built across three floors, while the gym facilities are below stairs, and the function suites spread across the ground and first floors. All the different sections seem to rub along harmoniously, ensuring brides don’t meet up with golf groups in the bar, and gym members don’t encroach on the golfers’ changing rooms.

And what of the golf? Surrounding the clubhouse on all sides, the courses enjoy subtle changes of elevation, while the numerous streams and ponds that criss-cross the estate ensure that many tee shots and approaches have to be carefully placed to avoid trouble. While the greens are large and heavily contoured in parts, the fairways are generous, and an absence of too many fairway bunkers, or punishing rough, ensures that rounds are not only reasonably quick, but also won’t cost you too many balls – providing you stay out of the water, of course.

The hundreds of trees that were mere saplings when the course first opened, are well on the way to maturity, and have helped add definition to the holes, giving it a less open-plan feel, and adding significantly to the beauty of the course, which is improving with each passing year.

The Stock and Brook nines are considered the championship layout, which can be stretched to over 7,000 yards off the black tees, although the whites, at around 6,600, and the yellows at 6,300, ensure that the showcase course is playable for all standards.

Boasting five par fives and five par fours, there are plenty of opportunities to test your long and short game over the par-72 layout, while the Manor course, which is the shortest of the three loops at just under 3,000 yards, has a par of 35. The latter is no mere add on, and is an excellent layout in its own right, providing a welcome option for society and corporate packages, as well as giving members more bang for their buck.

From a pick of memorable holes, the

160-yard 4th is widely regarded established as Stock Brook's signature, with players required to hit over water to a semi-island green where anything hit short or left will find a damp end.

The same stretch of water comes into play on the 153-yard 7th, only here the water is behind the green, while a ditch just short of the putting surface serves to make it a tough target to find.

Other notable holes include the 9th, a 512-yard par five which plays around a pond before setting out on a gradual climb towards the clubhouse, while the par-four 12th is a potential card wrecker, with its uncharacteristically narrow fairway bordered by a steam all the way down the left side and out of bounds on the right. That’s followed by the longest par three on the course, the 203-yard 13th, which plays to a shallow green that slopes heavily from right to left, and features numerous swales to direct your ball away from its intended target. The 18th, a

[19]

465-yard uphill par five, offers a solid chance of finishing off your round with a birdie, but a cross bunker 50 yards short of the green ensures that lengthy approaches will have to take the aerial route to offer up the chance of an eagle putt.

The Manor nine offers no let up in quality, with the 20th and 21st particular highlights; the former being a 176-yard par three played over water, while the latter, 340-yard par four, requires a precise drive over the corner of another pond to set up a short pitch to a well-protected green. The round finishes off with another ‘death or glory’ hole, a 150-yard par three, where anything hit short right will find a pond.

Director of Golf Craig Laurence, a former England international who enjoyed a spell on the European Tour, runs an efficient ship, and knows how the courses should be presented to ensure maximum enjoyment for members and visiting guests. The courses are always offered in excellent condition, with a dedicated team working tirelessly to ensure they not only play the part, but look the part too, with neatly shaped fairways and surrounds, tidy bunkers, and consistent putting surfaces. Essex’s clay-based soil can make golf courses notoriously challenging to maintain in the winter months, but excellent drainage ensures that Stock Brook remains open for play except in the worst of deluges.

Key management staff and machinery are shared between Stock Brook and its sister club, Three Rivers Golf & Country Club, located 12 miles away in Cold Norton, which ensures a consistent approach to course maintenance, while members enjoy reciprocal playing rights at the venues, adding further value to the seven-day package.

Laurence and his team pride themselves on offering a warm welcome to all-comers, no matter what brings them to the club.

“As soon as someone drives through the gates at Stock Brook, everyone gets treated the same, no matter what activity they are doing,” said Craig, who has been at the club for 17 years. “Whether you’re a casual visitor or a fully signed-up member, our customer service is designed to ensure that everyone has a fantastic experience – one that they’ll hopefully want to repeat, and also tell their friends about.”

So whether you’re after a relaxing round of golf in pleasant surroundings, a leisurely swim, or a lung-busting gym session, a game of tennis, attending a wedding, or just sampling the delights of the bar and restaurant, the Stock Brook experience is not to be missed.

MEMBERSHIP TO ENQUIRE ABOUT MEMBERSHIP ACROSS FULL, FIVE-DAY AND INTERMEDIATE CATEGORIES, CALL 01277 650400 OR EMAIL. FULL MEMBERSHIP ALSO INCLUDES SEVEN-DAY MEMBERSHIP AT THREE RIVERS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB. FOR MORE DETAILS, VISIT ■ THE HEALTH CLUB BOASTS A HIGH-TECH FITNESS SUITE

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[20] JULY 2017 | NEWS

ELLIS WINS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP H

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ampshire's Harry Ellis battled back from four holes down with five to play to win the 36-hole final of the British Amateur at Royal St George’s. he 21 year old from Meon Valley followed in the footsteps of his former Hampshire teammate Scott Gregory to lift the famous trophy, after defeating Australia’s Dylan Perry in a dramatic match that went to the 38th hole.

Ellis, who became the youngest player to win the English Amateur aged just 16 in 2012, secured a place in the Open at Royal Birkdale, next year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills and an invitation to the Masters in 2018.

The match was extremely close for most of the day, with neither player managing to go more than one hole up in the first 18 holes. And, although Ellis won the 20th hole with a birdie to move ahead, it was the Australian who subsequently seized the initiative.

Perry won four consecutive holes from the 22nd to go three up, before winning the 27th with a par to give him a commanding four-hole lead with nine to play.

He then maintained his lead as the pair approached the 32nd hole, and with only five holes to play, Ellis’ second shot came within inches of going out of bounds. Perry, however, found trouble in a bunker, and Ellis grasped the opportunity to hole a putt for par and win the hole.

That gave Ellis a lift and, after halving the next, he kept his nerve to win the following two holes with pars. On the 36th green, Perry missed a ten-foot par putt to claim victory ,and the match went to extra holes.

Stepping up to the first tee at Royal St George’s for the third time, both players played cautiously and halved the hole in par, but the match was brought to a dramatic conclusion on the next when Ellis was through the green in two and chipped to four feet, while Perry, after hitting his second shot into a deep swail, was on the green in four. When the Australian missed his eight-foot putt for bogey, Ellis had two putts for the championship, but required only one to seal a memorable comeback victory.

"It just shows that you should never give up," said Ellis. "I just kept giving myself chances down the stretch, and somehow it was good enough to take it to a playoff. I didn’t think I was

FULL HOUSE AT LONDON CLUB FOR CANARY WHARF GOLF DAY

O

ver 220 golfers took to the tees at London Golf Club for a dual shotgun start as part of the Canary Wharf Contractors Fund annual charity day.

This was the fourth consecutive year that the company, part of the Canary

Wharf Group, had chosen the world-renowned venue to host the event, and it was once again heralded as a huge success.

“London Golf Club is a natural choice for us. It’s a fantastic venue with two beautiful courses and the club’s ability to accommodate and cater for such a large party, both on the course and in the clubhouse, with immaculate attention to detail, is what keeps us coming back each year,” commented Thomas Kelly at Canary Wharf Contractors.

The players tackled the

ever out of it, even after I missed the par on the 13th to go four down. The 14th was pivotal, and then I needed to hit a good chip on 15, and I did; a good bunker shot on 16, and I did.

Luckily, I hit those shots first and kept putting the pressure on."

Ellis became the youngest-ever English Amateur champion after triumphing at Silloth-on-Solway five years ago, aged just 16 – breaking Sir Nick Faldo’s record, which had stood since 1975, by some two years.

“My life tried to change at 16, when I won the English Amateur, but I think at 21 I’m ready for it now,” Ellis said. “I understand what is going to be ahead. I just appreciate life a lot more now, especially after my mum passed away four years ago. Golf gives you some really bad times, and it gives you some really good times, and you've just got to take the rough with the smooth.”

Victory at Royal St George’s has also almost certainly nailed down Ellis’s selection for the GB&I Walker Cup team that takes on America in August. Although he had been on the fringes of selection earlier in the season, it would be unthinkable for captain Craig Watson not to take the reigning Amateur Champion to Los Angeles.

Ellis had harboured hopes of making the team in 2013, after winning the 2012 English Amateur, but ultimately failed to make it. “I learned from the previous time that if you keep thinking about it, you don't perform as well,'' said Ellis. “Maybe that has been the case for some of the people in this year's squad. I don't know. However, what I do know is there’s a lot more pressure if you keep thinking about it, and that's certainly not going to help you earn a place on the team.”

The stroke play rounds of the Amateur Championship were held at both Royal St George's and neigbouring Prince's Golf Club, which was presented in superb condition for the 288-strong field. The cut came at one under par, with 77 players qualifying.

The leading strokeplay score came from Northern Ireland's Coalan Rafferty who was 10-under par for 36 holes, after shooting 70 at St George's, and following it up with a course record 10-under-par 62 at Prince's. The previous record of 64 was set only a day earlier by Sweden's Gisli Sveinbergsson. Ellis finished third of the strokeplay qualfiers, with rounds of 69 and 65.

■ LONDON GOLF CLUB HOSTED A SHOTGUN START FOR 220 PLAYERS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

[21]

VENTOR CELEBRATES 125TH ANNIVERSARY

V

entnor Golf Club on the Isle of Wight is marking its 125th anniversary by hosting a charity day on September 9 in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

Entries are invited from all golfers with valid handicaps for the day, which includes a 9-hole Texas Scramble in the morning, a buffet lunch, and a 9-hole team Stableford in the afternoon. Each team of four costs £100, with the winners presented with commemorative trophies.

Founded in 1892, Ventnor is the oldest golf club on the Island and boasts a classic downland course designed by Tom Dunn. Set on Rew Down, above Ventnor, the 5,700-yard layout enjoys magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and the English Channel.

It is unique among UK clubs in that it is a 12-hole

MAIDENHEAD SET FOR £12m WINDFALL TO MAKE WAY FOR HOUSING

M

ore than 1,500 new homes are to be built on the site of Maidenhead Golf Club, following a multi-million pound deal between the club’s board and the Berkshire County Council.

Members of Maidenhead Golf Club are to meet next month to discuss the council’s offer to surrender the course’s lease early in order to make way for the new homes on the 150-acre site.

The club will receive £12 million to give up the lease, which expires in 2039, within seven years, rising to £16.25m if the club leaves within three years. In addition, it will no longer have to pay the council rent, which

course with six of the holes being played twice. With four par threes, 12 par fours and two par fives,alternative tee boxes on two of the holes provide a marked variation to the way they are played.

currently costs the club £115,000 a year.

The club will also receive a payment of £300,000 to cover costs, expenses, and as a consideration fee, if and when it exchanges contracts with the council.

With the proceeds of the sale, the club aims to buy an alternative site – either a greenfield location or existing golf club.

Club president Ron Stuart said members voted unanimously in favour of the deal, but admitted there had been "a lot of sadness and frustration."

"We have opened initial talks with one or two locations and we'll just have to wait for the next eight months before we can finalise anything," he added. Prior to the deal Stuart said emotions at the club had "run very high".

"There's a lot of sadness and frustration - people are unhappy - but there's an overwhelming sense of reality.

We are in a location where we were always going to be vulnerable to building projects. In a way, we now have a second life and we can move on."

club’s two championship courses, The Heritage and The International, both of which boast a rich tournament pedigree and have played host to the European Open in 2008 and 2009, the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2014, and the 2016 Brabazon Trophy.

Over the course of the day, players took part in beat the pro challenges, as well as putting competitions in aid of the charity. The players were able to enjoy a drink in the clubhouse after their round, before being

entertained by a trick shot show by Kevin Carpenter.

They were then directed to the events marquee for an evening meal, prize presentation, auction, Q&A session and live music.

“It was a pleasure to once again host the Canary Wharf Contractors Fund Annual Charity Event,” commented Stephen Follett, chief executive of London Golf Club. “We’re proud to be the first choice of venue for the group and look forward to welcoming them back time and time again in the future,” he continued.

TO SPAIN OR PORTUGAL FOR £78 ROUND TRIP

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[22] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FELDON VALLEY BEGINS £6.6M REDEVELOPMENT Construction is under way of a £6.6 million redevelopment programme at Feldon Valley Golf Club in Oxfordshire countryside. The project involves the extension of the existing clubhouse, and the construction of a 13-bedroom hotel, as well as four woodland lodges.

The transformation of the clubhouse includes the redesign of the interior layout and the building of a new terrace overlooking the course. The new twostorey hotel and single-storey lodges – linked by an elevated boarded walkway - will provide rooms for up to 60 guests, allowing the club to provide overnight accommodation and attract a greater number of visitors. The new facilities are set for completion next summer.

WESTGATE OXFORD TO OPEN JUNKYARD COURSE I

t's not just shops and restaurants that will find a new home at the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford, as the site is set to get its very own ‘crazy’ golf course.

Following its successes in Manchester and London, Junkyard Golf Club will open its third UK venue at the new £440m shopping centre, which is due to open in the city on October 24.

The club will feature three nine-hole courses all inspired by the scrapyard, along with no fewer than five cocktail bars, providing pit-stops for thirsty golfers along the courses.

Chris Legh, co-founder of Junkyard Golf Club, said: “We’re really excited to join Westgate Oxford, giving local

SUTHERLAND AND CALLAWAY DEADHEAT AT EPSOM

C residents a completely unique day and night out, which is on a par with our leading cities. We have a huge space to play with, so we’re going to fit in three courses, with crazy installations, like the Nicholas Cage-themed Lions Den and Clown holes, and some awesome bars. Look out for slides, cars, boats, and, of course, the usual UV and jungle madness that has made our venues famous.

Our mission in life is to keep making crazy golf epic.”

Junkyard Golf will form part of a new leisure venue called Westgate Social, which will also include a number of cutting edge food outlets, including Dirty Bones, Polpo, Pho, Benito’s Hat, Indian street food vendor Rola Wala, and Shawa Lebanese’s Grill.

JOHN O’GAUNT DUO SEAL LOMBARD FINALS PLACE Bedfordshire amateur Neil Oram paid tribute to his playing partner, PGA professional Lee Scarbrow, as John O’Gaunt Golf Club came out on top in a four-way tie to reach the Lombard Trophy Final following a qualifying event at Thetford Golf Club. They carded a seven-under-par 65 along with Scott Rusbridge and Tom Smith (Colne Valley), Kerr Page and Peter Vintner (Gedney Hill) and David Clifford and Neil Redding (Wellingborough). But the John O’Gaunt pair won on countback.

The Sandy-based club will now head to Portugal for the £41,000 National ProAm grand final, which is being held at the Vila Sol resort between September 21-22.

Hennerton Golf Club

herry Lodge’s Craig Sutherland and West Hill’s David Callaway both shot 65 to tie for victory in the Epsom Pro-Am. With a morning tee time, it was Sutherland who set the early pace, with four birdies on the front nine seeing him reach the turn in three under par. Another birdie at the first, his 10th, was offset by a dropped shot at the third, but the Kent man bounced straight back with another birdie at the fourth to go to four-under. Pushing all the way, one more came at the eighth, his 17th, and a par at his last put him in pole position in the clubhouse.

Setting off in the afternoon, Callaway was unaware of Sutherland’s low score, but having played the course several times before, knew good course management was key to posting

CLUB COMPANY BUYS WITNEY LAKES

T

he Club Company has expanded its portfolio of UK golf clubs to 13 following the purchase of Witney Lakes Resort in Oxfordshire.

Located on the edge of the Cotswolds, Witney Lakes Resort opened in 1993, and boasts an 18-hole Lakeland course, along with swimming

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

[23]

RICHARDSON COMES OF AGE AT CROWBOROUGH UK WINS FOOTGOLF ‘RYDER CUP’ The United Kingdom has triumphed in what was billed as the ‘Ryder Cup’ of

R

a competitive total at Epsom. One shot off the lead with just the 18th hole to play, Callaway holed out from five feet to secure the birdie he needed to tie Sutherland’s total.

“I played pretty well, but a couple of three-putts from long distance on the fourth and fifth

meant I was chasing at least one more birdie,” said Callaway. “The course was in great condition, the weather was ideal, and the lovely members I played with simply added to what proved a very enjoyable day.”

In the Pro-Am team event, which

saw 38 teams take part, Callaway led his three amateurs, which included Epsom chairman Brian Dodson, Julie Burgess, Cameron Morris, to a -24 victory, while Sutherland was edged into third spot by Benn Barham (Pentland Golf) and his team with -21.

ye’s Ed Richardson won the Sussex Mid Age Championship after shooting rounds of 70 and 71 around a rain-drenched Crowborough Beacon.

With the afternoon round played amid heavy downpours, Richardson, who finished runner-up in the Sussex Amateur last month, braved the waterlogged greens and flooded fairways to finish one shot ahead of Scott Nightingale (Worthing), with Steve Watts four shots further adrift in third.

The winner of the handicap section was Gavin Park (Seaford) with rounds of 71 and 73, which saw him finish two strokes ahead of Crowborough’s Dale Harrinson with Gary Brockwell (Royal Eastbourne) in third.

Footgolf, after winning the inaugural Jansen Cup in the United States. The competition took place at Desert Willow in California, where 24 players from the UK and the US took part in two days’ of mixed Footgolf events.

The three-day competition was held on a specially prepared golf course, with the format requiring competitors to kick footballs into 21-inch golf holes.

The UK team comprised 16 men, four women and four ‘veteran’ over 45s, and included two former professional female footballers, Natalie Richardson and Sophie Brown, and a PGA professional, Paul Oliver, who helped the visiting team to a 29.5-18.5 winning scoreline following the three rounds consisting of foursomes, doubles and singles.

pool, spa, gym and various health and beauty facilities. The site also has protected planning permission for an 86-bedroom hotel.

The acquisition of Witney Lakes by the Club Company, for an undisclosed sum, follows the purchase of Wharton Park in Worcestershire at the end of 2015, and Woodbury Park in Devon in November 2016.

Commenting on the move, Thierry Delsol, chief executive of The Club Company, said: “We are delighted to announce the purchase of Witney Lakes Resort. This acquisition fits

perfectly with our expansion strategy, in pursuing organic and external growth. We are really excited about the addition to our portfolio and are looking forward to working with the team and the members there.”

The Club Company owns numerous clubs across the south east, including Benton Hall and Castle Royle.

SAPEY SHUTS UP SHOP

STEVENS CRUISES TO CUDDINGTON VICTORY

A

The Ridge Golf Club’s Scott Stevens shot

Worcestershire golf club that was put up for sale last year with a guide price of £1.25 million is to close next month.

Sapey Golf Club, which opened in 1990 and boasts two 18-hole layouts, closed its Oaks Course on June 30, while its Rowans Course will shut in mid August.

A statement on the club’s website issued by owner Stuart Preece said: “It is with great regret that we inform our visitors past and present that Sapey Golf Club will be closing its doors for the final time on August 11. We would like thank you all for your support over the past 27 years.”

The club was put up for sale last year, with the owner wishing to pass on the club in order to retire. However, no buyer has come forward. The club turned over £600,000 in its last reported accounts.

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a four-under-par 67 to take the top spot in the Cuddington Pro-Am and claim the generous £2,000 first prize. Stevens fired five birdies in his winning round, with his only blemish coming the testing 18th hole. Michael Lowe, Royal Richard Edginton and Paul Nessling all fired 68s to share third place. In the team event, Brad Skeates led his amateurs to victory with a 19-under-par total, edging out Max Williams’s team by a shot.

[24] JULY 2017 | Q & A

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GALLACHER’S BACK ON HIS GAME Golf News catches up with Bernard Gallacher, and finds the 68-year-old former European Tour star and Ryder Cup captain fully recovered from his heart scare and full of opinions on the current state of the game

I’m officially retired from the game from a competitive point of view, but I play at Wentworth once or twice a week, which keeps me active. I hit a few balls on the range and play most Thursdays. I also have a place in Spain, and whenever I’m there I try and play nine holes every day. Thanks to modern equipment I can still get the ball out there, although my swing isn’t quite as fast as it once was.

Y

ou suffered a heart attack in 2013, and were lucky to be saved with the help of a defibrillator. How do you feel now?

I was back to full fitness quite soon after, to be honest, and now I feel better than I did before the heart attack.

I’m eating properly, and going to the gym a lot, and generally watching my health. The cardiac arrest came completely out the blue. One minute I was standing up about to give an after-dinner speech at a hotel in Edinburgh; the next I was waking up after being in a coma for five days in a hospital. My heart stopped beating three times, and if the hotel hadn’t have had a defibrillator on hand, and someone who knew how to use it, I would most probably have died. I was very lucky. I now have a defibrillator fitted to my heart, so if it stops beating, or beats out of rhythm, it kicks in to keep it going.

You launched a campaign in 2014 to encourage UK golf clubs to buy a defibrillator machine. How effective was the campaign?

The campaign was only supposed to last a year, but it went on for two.

It was my wife Lesley’s idea, and she was really the driving force behind it. Before the campaign was launched, just 30% of golf clubs had a defibrillator. I don’t know the exact figures now, but there is certainly a much higher percentage, and I know from first-hand conversations that I’ve had, that many lives have been saved over the last three or four years as a direct result of clubs purchasing AED equipment.

Ironically, one of the first examples of it saving a life happened at Bathgate Golf Club in Edinburgh, which was my home club when I was growing up. A 42-year-old man suffered a cardiac arrest on the course, and they were able to rush out to him with a defibrillator and save his life. They had only bought it a few weeks earlier, so it just goes to show how important it is to have one.

They only cost about £1,000, which is not a small sum for many clubs these days, but it’s a small price to pay for someone’s life. We were encouraging clubs to run charity competitions, with part of the entrance fee going towards raising funds to buy one. Now that the campaign is over, we’re supporting a charity called Arrhythmia Alliance, which provides fundraising support, information, advice and guidance to help make communities safer in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.

Are you still playing much golf?

Speaking of Wentworth, as a past head pro at the club, what do you make of the changes that have been made to the West Course, and the general reaction to the course following the BMW PGA Championship?

I didn’t have a chance to play it before the tournament, but I’d been out there with the course manager, Kenny Mackay, and had a look at the changes, and I think they’ve done a marvellous job. I think Ernie Els got a lot of unfair criticism for the initial set of changes that were made several years ago, as they were not his ideas, so I’m glad he was given the chance to put that right. The bunkers were deeper than they needed to be, and the greens had been rather hastily re-turfed and didn’t really work.

So after last year’s PGA they closed the course for 11 months, and completely renovated all the bunkers and greens, and changed a few of the contours and slopes. The new type of grass, 007 bent grass, grows very quickly and makes for a superb putting surface. The greens also have a sub-air system beneath the surface, which acts like a giant hairdryer to manage the moisture content. They were playing quite firm at the PGA, which is rather unusual for a UK course in May, but that’s how they want to present them for tournament conditions.

The course is playing much easier now – they’ve taken out 27 bunkers for starters – so the greens are some of the course’s main defences now, as you have to be able to control your spin to get it close. If you’re in the semi-rough or the rough, you’ll find it harder to get the ball to stop.

The players I spoke to during the tournament had nothing but compliments and praise about the condition of the course, which proves that they’ve got it right now. Wentworth might not be everyone’s cup of tea as a layout, but there’s nothing to complain about now in terms of its set up and presentation.

The European Tour launched the Rolex Series at the BMW PGA Championship. It was a strong field, but do you think that is a sustainable level of prize money to put up for other events that don’t get quite so much publicity or interest from players and crowds?

The Rolex Series is definitely a bit of a gamble by the European Tour. As we know from past experience, big prize funds don’t always have the effect that people think they will. It all depends what tournaments they’re going up against. I don’t think we should really be trying to compete in money terms with the PGA Tour.

For instance, last month’s Memorial Tournament had a $9 million prize fund for a run-of-the-mill event.

They get bigger crowds, there’s more TV money – it’s just bigger all round. You’ve got to admire Keith Pelley [the European Tours' chief executive] for his ambition, but I’m not sure prize money is the long-term answer.

It’s a free market, and the players will play where it suits them best. If the players don’t come back in the numbers that they hoped, then it [the Rolex Series] might be a gamble that doesn’t pay off.

Part of the thinking behind the Rolex Series was to encourage players to come back and earn more Ryder Cup points in Europe. What are your thoughts on the changes to the Ryder Cup qualification system?

I think there has been a slight knee-jerk reaction to our defeat at Hazeltine. We were always going to lose one at some point, and I think Darren Clarke got a bit unlucky really. I didn’t think we needed to make any wholesale changes, but that’s what has happened. I could see the logic behind adding more weight to events played closer to the matches to ensure we get

■ THE 1969 EUROPEAN RYDER CUP TEAM AT ROYAL BIRKDALE

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Q & A | JULY 2017 [25]

■ GALLACHER (RIGHT) MADE HIS RYDER CUP DEBUT IN 1969

two vice captains to having half a dozen. I’m not sure it really helps to have so many voices, but it worked well for them last time, so I expect it will continue along those lines.

Do you think the days of captaining the side more than once, as you did, are over?

Yes, I expect they probably are. It’s become a very time-consuming job now, and I don’t think anyone would want to do it more than once.

The original template was that the captain served two terms, one home and one away. Eric Brown and Bernard Hunt did that, and so did John Jacobs. So two was the norm. I got the captaincy for longer than expected, because it was in the changeover period between our team being purely a GB&I team, which is was up until 1977, to being a European one from 1979 onwards. There was a feeling that the continental players needed more experience of the matches as players before one could be considered for the captaincy, so I captained in ‘91, ‘93, and ‘95, and then Seve [Ballesteros] became the first continental captain in ‘97. I was a safe option, I guess.

ONE MINUTE I WAS STANDING UP

ABOUT TO GIVE AN AFTER-DINNER SPEECH, THE NEXT I WAS WAKING UP AFTER BEING IN A COMA FOR FIVE DAYS IN A HOSPITAL. MY HEART STOPPED BEATING THREE TIMES, AND IF THE HOTEL HADN’T HAVE HAD A DEFIBRILLATOR ON HAND, AND SOMEONE WHO KNEW HOW TO USE IT, I WOULD MOST PROBABLY HAVE DIED in-form players, but I wasn’t in favour of Race to Dubai points being taken away from the WGC event in America that clashed with the French Open. WGC are the strongest fields in the entire season, and we surely expect our best players to compete in them, so I would definitely ensure all those events carried full points.

And I wasn’t in favour of reducing the number of events to qualify for European Tour membership. It’s not a lot to ask.

Have you spoken to Thomas Bjorn about the captaincy?

I saw Thomas at John Jacobs’s memorial service last month, and I wished him all the best, but we’ve not spoken in any depth about the captaincy. I’m sure he’ll surround himself with good people, and he knows his own mind and has a huge amount of experience as a player and a vice captain, so I’m sure he’ll do a great job.

When I was captain for the first time, I never sought out advice, I just wanted to do my own thing. I learned quite a bit from watching Tony Jacklin when I was a vice captain, but then just put my own stamp on things.

Europe seems to have developed a continuity to the captaincy now, with vicecaptains serving an apprenticeship, if you will, which works well. The American team seems have to learned from that and have gone from having maybe one or

■ GALLACHER CAPTAINED EUROPE THREE TIMES IN THE RYDER CUP, LOSING TWICE, BUT WINNING IN 1995

The Open returns to Royal Birkdale this month, the same venue where you made your Ryder Cup debut in 1969. What is your abiding memory of that week and how do you rate as it an Open venue?

I have a huge soft spot for Birkdale – as you say, that is where I made my Ryder Cup debut – and I played in the Open there in 1971, 1976 and 1983 and never missed the cut, so there must have been something about the course I liked. It’s really one of our best Open venues. It’s a very fair course, not tricked up in any way, but it’s very long and demanding. Harrington won it with plus three in 2008, so it can be tough when the wind blows. It was a par 73 when I played in ’71, and it’s now a par 70.

As for my Ryder Cup memories, I was 20 years old at the time, the youngest ever Ryder Cup player, so I was very green. I remember playing in the morning foursomes with another rookie, Maurice Bembridge, and we beat Lee Trevino and Ken Still 2&1, which was a huge result.

It all got a bit niggly, and I remember Ken standing very close to Maurice on the green when he was putting, which wasn’t very sporting. I also beat Trevino in the final afternoon’s singles matches, 4&3, which was a feather in my cap, but we ended up drawing 16-16 – the first time the matches had ever been tied.

However, there is no comparison between what I experienced on my debut and what my nephew, Stephen [Gallacher] went through at Gleneagles in 2014.

I think there were maybe 400 accredited media at the matches, while in my day you walked into the press room to find that Jock McVicar and Norman Mair were about the only two reporters there. The whole event is almost unrecognisable from the ones that I played in.

You turned professional 50 years ago. What’s been the single biggest change in the paid ranks since 1967?

The money. These days you can be a top-100 player in Europe and make a decent amount of money. Where as in my day, only the top 20 or so were making a decent living. The money filters down a lot further these days. I’m not saying it’s a good or a bad thing, but it’s just the way it is. There are bigger sponsors prepared to support the game, more money from TV rights, etc. I would certainly like to be playing now, that’s for sure.

For donations to the Heart Rhythm Alliance visit, www.heartrhythmalliance.org Bernard Gallacher is ambassador for GolfCare Insurance.

For more details, visit www.golfcare.com.

[26] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

CAMERON CLINGS ON AT SAUNTON TO CLAIM SENIOR CROWN

GLENDALE LAUNCHES NEW LOYALTEE MEMBERSHIPS

O

xfordshire’s Doug Cameron won the English Senior Men’s Championship after surviving a late wobble and then battling through a three-man playoff at Saunton.

The Henley player was four shots ahead of the field with just five holes to play at the Devonshire venue, and looked to be cruising to an easy win, but a bad drive on 14 triggered a run of five dropped shots over the next three holes.

Cameron then bogeyed the 18th to hand a lifeline to former winner Steven East and championship low-scorer Michael Jarvis, who shot final rounds of 71 and 68 respectively to close the gap on Cameron, who then slumped to a closing 74, after earlier rounds of 72 and 71.

However, Cameron had an excellent play-off record and, despite a tee shot which drifted right onto an uphill lie, he held his nerve to reach the

■ GLENDALE GOLF HAS LAUNCHED A LOW-COST MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMME

A

new era of low-commitment golf membership, offering the maximum in affordability and flexibility, has begun at Glendale Golf, operator of seven golf centres across the UK, including Richmond Park, Tilgate Forest, Portsmouth, Edwalton, Castle Point and Duxbury Park.

At the core of the change is one membership – LoyalTee – which offers three distinct categories to suit a variety of playing habits, plus a choice of payment options.

LoyalTee 1 Month is a one-month golf membership, which offers unlimited golf at a Glendale Golf venue up to seven days a week, plus rewards, special offers and golf events to play in. The one-month product is designed to be a stepping stone into full membership for those looking to join for the first time. It also suits the fair-weather golfer seeking maximum value for money during the summer months.

Two other products – LoyalTee 12 Month and

LoyalTee Pay & Play – have been launched at the same time. There are also new LoyalTee Junior and LoyalTee Intermediate options available for the younger golfer.

All of the new LoyalTee memberships offer an optional upgrade, which gives access to club competitions and handicaps. This enables pay-and-play golfers and those on short-term one-month memberships to feel more like club members, with competitive golf and handicaps on offer at their local Glendale Golf centre without an up-front commitment.

“This is the easiest way yet to join a golf club,” said Tom Brooke, managing director of Glendale Golf. “You just can’t make a golf membership simpler or less intimidating than this. We trialled LoyalTee 1 Month last summer and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Our new LoyalTee membership with its three options represents the start of a new era of golf membership for Glendale Golf, and we think it will attract a lot of

newcomers to the sport.”

From now on, casual green fee golfers at Glendale’s venues will be offered LoyalTee Pay & Play membership for free, receiving 5% off all standard green fees (10% if booking online), plus guaranteed lowest rates, and access to LoyalTee promotional offers through the year.

The LoyalTee 12 month membership gives all of the benefits of LoyalTee 1 Month membership, but at a lower monthly price – and with the additional benefit of free golf at all Glendale Golf venues around the UK on either a five-day or seven-day basis.

LoyalTee 12 Month members will also pay lower prices for their food, drinks, buggy hire and range balls, as well as receiving discounts in Glendale Golf pro shops. Their membership also includes a free LoyalTee Junior membership for one family member, a complimentary gift upon renewal, and the option to pay annually or via monthly direct debit.

CROYDON WORLD OF GOLF SAVED FROM HOUSING PLANS

P

lans to bulldoze a well-used driving range and crazy golf course in Surrey, in order to make way for 100 new homes and a public park, have been rejected by Croydon Council.

The Hyde Group housing association submitted a planning application to transform Croydon World of Golf in Addiscombe into a large housing development with green space.

But the plans were rejected on several grounds; the first being that the land was protected against development by its Metropolitan Open Land status, and secondly, that the developer had failed to provide enough evidence that homes built on the site would be safe from flooding, and also not add to the flood risk.

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NEWS | JULY 2017

[27]

EVANS CAN’T WAIT FOR LONG DRIVE FINALS!

■ DOUG CAMERON

B

ig-hitting Bedfordshire-based amateur David Evans has earned a place in the final of the American Golf UK Long Drive Championship after smashing a tee shot over 400 yards in a regional qualifier held in Manchester.

The monster drive leaves the 20 year old from Bedford just one step away from the national title, and a place in the World Long Drive Championships in America.

Evans, who is a member at Woburn, was one of over 5,000 budding long drivers who entered the event that is run by nationwide golf retailer American Golf. After finishing second in the 2016 event, he came in as one of the pre-tournament favourites.

He won his first stage qualifying event at his local American Golf store in February, progressing to regional qualifying, where he sent out a 412-yard drive to secure a spot in the final.

He now lines up against the best long drivers in the UK at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire on August 4, where he will battle it out for the national title and the only UK Under 45 qualifying spot for the World Championships in Oklahoma.

"I've set the second best distance in qualifying, so am in good shape, but I'll be working hard over the next few months to make sure I can

green in three and then rolled a long putt up to the hole-side for a par, while his rivals found trouble in the greenside bunker and could only manage bogeys.

“The back nine was a bit of a car crash, but I’m delighted to win,” said Cameron, whose victory earned him a recall to England’s Senior team.

Former European senior champion Clive Jones took fourth place, with Tim Whittaker (Beaconsfield), Gary Byrne (Clitheroe) and senior international David Niven (Newbury & Crookham) in tied fifth.

go one better this year and have another shot against the best in the world," said Evans, who went to the World Finals last year after UK winner Lucas Dornan had to pull out at the last minute.

After watching qualifying come to a close at the American Golf Manchester Golf Show, Daniel Gathercole, director of marketing at American Golf, said: "The standard of qualifying this year has been amazing. To make the final from over 5,000 entrants is an incredible achievement. This championship really has brought together every type of golfer, from professionals to big-hitting club golfers, and we can't wait to find our three champions who'll go on to represent the UK and American Golf at the World Championships."

MILLHAM TAKES PAUL CASEY TROPHY professionals, and an 18-hole Dragon Quest Adventure Golf course.

Councillor Andrew Rendle had voiced strong opposition to the proposal, and said that 95 per cent of residents he had spoken to were against the housing plan.

"The land is protected against development and it is not as though we are talking about a plot of land that has been neglected. There is a good business based there, employing local people, and it is always busy whenever I pass by. I wouldn't want to see this go. The crazy golf course was recently named among the best in London, so I don't want the area to lose such a successful and popular business,” he said.

W

ith a record entry of 61 players, the Surrey U12 County Championship, the Paul Casey Trophy, took place recently at Chobham Golf Club. With players as young as seven years old taking part, it showed the strength of Surrey junior golf at this time.

The format for the championship was 18 holes of stroke play, and in addition to the main competition, there were handicap prizes and a putting competition. Lucas English (Hindhead) won the putting

competition.

After the 18 holes in the championship there was a tie, with two players on 8 over, Aiden Millham, the reigning champion from 2016, and Albert Newman, who is just nine years old.

As the spectators and other competitors gathered at the par-four first hole for the playoff to begin, the two boys stood on the tee with neither showing any nerves.

Millham was first to tee off, and both hit good drives straight up

the fairway. Newman then hit a super shot onto the green that

finished about 20 feet past the pin, which was at towards the front of the green. Millham then hit his second shot long, finishing in the rear greenside bunker, but played a great bunker shot pin-high, seven feet to the left for his third.

Newmanhad a real go at the hole, but overran hit putt by five feet.

Millham then sunk his putt for a fine sandy par, while unfortunately Newman missed his putt for par by a whisker.

Millham is only the second player in the history of the championship to retain the Paul Casey trophy, which was presented by Terry Casey.

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[28] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

PLANT WINS EUROPEAN AMATEUR AND SEALS OPEN SPOT

K

ent’s Alfie Plant won a dramatic three-way playoff with a birdie on the fifth extra hole to become the European Amateur champion at Walton Heath Golf Club – and book his place in the Open.

“It’s going to take a few days to sink in, but this couldn’t have happened at a better place. It’s brilliant,” said Plant, who saw off the challenge of defending champion Luca Cianchetti and Lorenzo Scalise, both from Italy.

Plant was loudly cheered off the green by a large gallery which included the sizeable contingent of ‘Team Alfie’ – the band of family and friends who enthusiastically follow the 24 year old from Sundridge Park.

“I’ve got great family support,” said Plant, who revealed his great grandmother had passed away at the start of the week. “This is a good way to put a smile back on everyone’s faces.”

Plant produced two crucial birdies to secure his victory. The first was on the 18th in regulation play, which took his score to 15 under and, after Scalise and Cianchetti both finished with bogeys, put

■ ALFIE PLANT

him in the play-off.

The trio set off on a circuit of holes one, two and 18, which left Plant and Scalise deadlocked on level par, while Cianchetti, who was one over, was eliminated.

The pair returned to the first, and Plant almost snatched the win when his 25ft birdie attempt lipped out. But his par was matched

by Scalise, and they marched on to the second – where the Englishman scored his second crucial birdie, rolling in a 12ft putt for victory.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a year,” said Plant, who won the 2016 Lytham Trophy and secured England’s silver medal at the world championships, but has recently endured a run of disappointing results. “You’ve got to take the highs and the lows, and I know I’ve been playing really good golf, so it was only a matter of time.”

The championship had been intensely close from the first day – with a play-off confidently predicted by many of the spectators – and the competitors guaranteed the excitement continued throughout the final round, when a host of players made a charge up the leaderboard. Ireland’s John-Ross Galbraith returned a 65, Jack Singh Brar (Remedy Oak) shot 66, and Germany's Matthias Schmid 67, to all finish on 12 under. Matthew Jordan (Royal Liverpool) finished on 13 under with his 66, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and Spain’s Victor Pastor also shot 66s for totals of 14 under.

Out on the course, however, Plant, Scalise and Cianchetti were responding to the scoreboard challenge with superb golf, trading birdies and swapping the lead. Cianchetti made a break with an eagle three on 14 and a birdie on 15 to get to 16 under. But Scalise quickly joined him with an eagle of his own on 16. Plant, meanwhile, was trailing the Italian pair by two - but it all changed on the 18th where the scores were levelled.

Plant’s victory earned him a place in the Open at Royal Birkdale – and saved him an early outing at final qualifying on the Tuesday, where he had a start time of 6.45am. He will be joined in the field

by Luca Cianchetti, who takes his place as a result of his win in last year’s European Amateur.

LITTLESTONE PUTS ARTHUR ON THE ROAD TO SAN DIEGO GLORY

L

ittlestone Golf Club in Kent is continuing its long and proud tradition of supporting junior golfers in the county.

In addition to running a comprehensive junior academy, Littlestone PGA professional Bruce McDonald has been visiting local schools to offer coaching to junior golfers and introduce newcomers to the sport.

Over the last few months, McDonald has visited three local schools with fantastic feedback from the youngsters, as well as the teaching staff, and two schools signing up for a full term of lessons.

McDonald also runs the weekend junior academy at Littlestone, where all abilities and ages are more than welcome to just turn up, even if trying the game for the very first time. All participants need is a

pair of trainers – the club provides all the equipment.

As part of its support for junior golf, Littlestone has set up a fund to support young golfers from the area, with the money going towards providing the clubs, gloves and golf balls needed to get kids started in the game.

One example of the success of Littlestone’s junior programme is Arthur Saunders. At just six years old, he qualified to go the IMG World Junior Championships in 2015 in San Diego, where he won the Under 6s World Putting Competition. After a fantastic season, Arthur has qualified for the IMG World Championship finals in California again this year, after winning the 7-8 year-old Super 6 Grand Final at Redbourn Golf Club in Hertfordshire in May. Now aged eight, and coached by McDonald,

Arthur has lost none of his enthusiasm for the game, and is already looking forward to flying to San Diego later this month for the final , with his dad, Kevin.

“Sometimes I forget Arthur is only eight,” said McDonald. “He has such a mature attitude when it comes to practising, and is so focused that he puts many adults to shame. He now has a handicap of 20 and plays from the men’s tees and, being physically stronger, he is hitting the ball 25 to 30 yards more than he was two years ago.”

In order for Arthur to return to the IMG World Championship, the members at Littlestone Warren held a golf day for him and raised over £2,000.

“There is no doubt that without the Littlestone members’ support we wouldn’t be able to take Arthur to San Diego,” said Kevin Saunders. “Their generosity has once again meant Arthur can compete with the best juniors in the world and his mum and I are enormously grateful.”

■ ARTHUR SAUNDERS

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NEWS | JULY 2017 [29]

HUMPHREYS AND JONES TAKE HENRY COOPER HONOURS

E

■ JAMES HEATH

HEATH REGAINS WINNING THREAD AT WOODCOTE

ngland junior internationals Lily May Humphreys and Ben Jones were runaway winners at the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters held at Nizels Golf Club in Kent.

Jones was 18 under par for 72 holes at the Tonbridge venue, with scores including an exceptional nine-under 63 in the third round. He finished 10 shots clear of the runner up in the boys’ event.

“I was really pleased,” said 18year-old Jones, who is a member at Northamptonshire County. “It’s my

first big win, and I’ve been waiting for a long time, so it’s nice to get over that hurdle.”

Jones’s bogey-free 63 was a personal best, and he added it to three 69s. “I hit the ball really well all week, and holed a lot those midlength putts from 10 feet that you sometimes miss,” he said.

He recently represented England in the German boys’ championship, having been fourth in the Peter McEvoy Trophy and tied 10th in the U21 Bernard Darwin Salver.

Humphreys, from Stoke by Nayland in Essex, marked her return after injury with a 12-shot win in the girls’ competition, ahead of runners up Carys Worby of Wales and Hannah Screen, another England girls' squad

player from Hertfordshire. She fired rounds of 71, 75, 75 and 68 for a oneover-par total.

She also teamed up with Harry Goddard (Hanbury Manor) and Conor Gough (Stoke Park) to win the Nations Trophy for England. Their team score of eight under par put them six ahead of runners up Wales.

Humphreys, 15, who had to pull out of a recent tournament with a foot injury, said: “My goal for the tournament was to try and show myself that I can shoot good scores again. My last round, a 68, really proved that, and I’m really delighted to have won, and by such a big margin.”

E

uropean Tour player James Heath took time out from his schedule to win the Woodcote Park Pro-Am by one stroke.

The 34 year old from Worcester Park, who has only made one cut on the European Tour this season, bounced back to form with fourunder-par 68 at the Surrey venue to beat Silvermere’s James Ford by a single stroke, with James Ablett and Jon Barnes a further shot back in tied third.

Playing on the warmest day of the year to date, Heath made an unusual start by bogeying the first, eagling the second and then bagging a birdie at the third. Two more birdies at the sixth and ninth got him to four under, but bogeys at the 11th and 13th threatened to take him out of contention.

Suitably inspired, he produced two more birdies in the last three holes at the 16th and 18th to snatch victory from Ford and claim the top prize of £800.

Ford was full of praise for the Woodcote Park course and its greens, saying: “The course was in excellent condition, and the greens were top notch, but I couldn’t quite find enough putts to join James at the top of the leaderboard. All the same, second’s a fair result, and I’m sure I’m due a round or two soon when it all comes together!”

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ity boys (and girls) looking to impress their clients and potential employers on dd the around the the fairways are being invited to take part in golf at round of thegolf 2017at Banks and Brokers Golf Championship, as it is which enging as it takes is place at London Golf Club in Kent 4e,course par 34 course on October 19. ond shop and First launched in 2006, the tournament aims to provide sporting competition and high level oles. or nine holes. networking opportunities for city professionals 0mited for unlimited and the UK's financial community. ends de weekends As previously, the format is team pairs Stableford, with 18 holes on the London Club’s International course, followed by dinner, a 828 622 or 767828 or charity auction and prize giving. o book to book e.co.uk The winning team will receive a trophy and a three-night golf break to Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus, while a three-night break to Palacio Estoril in Portugal is also up for grabs.

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[30] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FRILFORD GOES BACK TO SCHOOL TO FOLLOW IN PEPPERELL'S FOOTSTEPS

GLENDALE PUTS FUN BACK INTO FAMILY GOLF

G

F

rilford Heath Golf Club went back to school last month to mark the second year of the Frilford Heath Junior Academy, which is supported by European Tour pro Eddie Pepperell.

In 2016, Pepperell handed over his sponsorship money for representing the club to support junior golf, and this year the club has taken the academy into schools, looking for boys and girls who perhaps aren’t golfers, but could benefit from the academy.

During the past couple of months Derek Craik, Frilford Heath’s professional has visited five schools and coached over 400 youngsters. Each session kicks off with a taster session at the school, which gives children the opportunity to try golf.

Following the taster sessions, the children are invited to sign up for a subsidised five-week course of golf lessons at Frilford Heath, securing the next wave of golfing talent in Oxfordshire.

■ STUART BROWN

I

Alistair Booth, Frilford Heath’s chairman, said: “Of the 52 juniors who joined last year, the majority have re-joined for a second year.

Most were total beginners, or players who hadn’t played the game for very long, which shows they have obviously enjoyed it and stayed with it.”

He added: “It shows that Eddie’s generosity has resulted in more youngsters getting involved in the sport – exactly what he and the club set out to do. He has such a profound impact on youngsters with this academy, and he is a perfect role model.”

For more information about the Frilford Heath Junior Academy, or to sign up, call 01865 390864.

■ GLENDALE IS PUTTING THE FUN BACK INTO GOLF

BROWN IN SEVENTH HEAVEN AFTER BENTLEY SHOOTOUT

t took Thorpe Wood’s Stuart Brown no fewer than seven extra play-off holes to shake off the attentions of Sprowston Manor’s Chase Davis and clinch victory in the latest Essex Order of Merit

■ EDDIE PEPPERELL WITH FRILFORD ADACEMY STUDENTS

Series at Bentley.

It took a birdie on the Essex layout’s 200-yard, par-three 17th for Brown to finally break the deadlock and secure the third Order of Merit victory of his career.

It proved a dramatic finale to two superb days at the magnificently prepared Bentley course.

Davis thought he had the tournament won when chipped in for a birdie at the 36th hole from just in front of the green, but Brown stood tall to sink a 15-foot downhiller from 15 foot for his own birdie to force a play-off after both players finished on 10 under par.

The extraordinarily high standard continued throughout the playoff, and it wasn’t until the seventh time of asking that Brown managed to close out the match, when he fired a 6-iron to eight feet at the 17th and holed the putt for his fifth birdie in seven holes.

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lendale Golf has unveiled a range of innovative family-friendly golf facilities at its seven UK-based venues, all of which aim to attract first-time golfers and young families.

All of its venues that boast par-three courses – Duxbury Park in Chorley, Tilgate Forest in Crawley, and Edwalton in Nottingham – have been re-named ‘Fun Courses’, featuring two tees and two different-sized holes. Forward tees play to FootGolf-sized holes for the easiest-possible golf experience, while the tees further back play to special 8-inch holes – almost twice the size of the standard 4¼-inch hole. Easy-to-use SNAG Golf equipment is also available for free hire at Tilgate Forest and Edwalton.

Lancashire venue Duxbury Park has gone a step further, and has also created a Golf & Games Family Park, which mixes golf with other ways for a family to spend their time. As well as a four-hole Pitch & Putt course, with giant holes and SNAG Golf targets, the Fun Park also contains giant-scale versions of familiar games, such as Snakes & Ladders and Connect 4, plus a large sandpit complete with pirate ship.

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timely reversal of fortune on a hole that had caused Brown all sorts of problems in regulation play during the tournament.

Brown said: “I’d played 17 in three over for the two days – a double-bogey on the first day and a bogey in the second round. So I was trying to claw them back to the 10th tee and take my chances there, rather than 17 "Five-under through seven holes in the play-off – it’s just nice to know you can come up with the goods and deliver.

There’s nothing better than that feeling.”

The Order of Merit series takes a break now and returns in September with a doubleheader at Bishop’s Stortford and then The Rayleigh Club.

Family Fun Zone, with brand-new colourful targets and a special points-scoring system which drives a variety of fun games. Food and drinks are served directly in the bays, which have been enlarged to enable safe dining while people are playing. And instead of paying for a bucket of balls, Tilgate Forest’s Family Fun Zone charges for the time users spend in the bay, with unlimited balls during that time.

Glendale Golf’s managing director Tom Brooke described why the changes have been made. “We took a step back and looked hard at how families with children, as well others new to golf, were interacting with our centres, and realised that we needed to take further steps to encourage more participation. We’re making the sport easier, and emphasising enjoyment. Golf needs much more of a fun element if we really are to break down the barriers to entry.”

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

GOLF AFFORDABLILITY SURVEY REVEALS REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

G

olfers have long known that the cost of golf club memberships and green fees varies wildly from region to region in the UK, but precisely which parts of the country offer the best value for money in terms of relative affordability have been less well publicised.

However, a new piece of research published by online equipment retailer Golfsupport.com has provided a clearer picture of how far your money goes when it comes to getting your golfing fix.

GolfSupport calculated how long residents in 18 different towns and cities outside of London would have to work in order to buy a golf club membership, based on the weekly wage for that area.

After investigating the average cost of a club membership in Newcastle, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Swansea, York, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Oxford, Norwich, Coventry, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, Leicester and Southampton, and factoring in the corresponding weekly wages for residents using data from the Office of National Statistics, GolfSupport was able to present a league table of golfing affordability.

Just as it topped the Championship table this football season, Newcastle came out on top in the golfing stakes, with Geordies having to work just 41 hours and 36 minutes to pay for their golf club memberships.

Sitting in second place was Aberdeen, where residents of the Granite City have to work slightly longer, for an average of 43 hours and 13 minutes, to attain membership. Staying north of the border, the citizens of well-heeled Edinburgh, which has the highest weekly wage at £696, would have to work 44 hours and 47 minutes to afford membership at their respective golf clubs.

On the other end of the spectrum was Southampton, which has the least affordable golf clubs for residents, who have to work a hefty 79 hours and 42 minutes to pay for membership – the equivalent of 10 working days. Residents of Leicester, which has the lowest weekly wage at £521, would have to work marginally less – 79 hours and 24 minutes – to gain membership.

Overall, golf clubs in half of the towns and cities reviewed would require residents to work more than 60 hours in order to afford membership.

Additionally, GolfSupport.com found in a survey of 560 residents in the reviewed towns and cities, that 72% believed that current membership prices at their local golf club did not offer value for money.

Gary Swift, managing director of GolfSupport. com, commented: “This research is certainly fascinating, as golf clubs have repeatedly been criticised for their membership price, with many often stating they are either too high or realistically only attainable for certain groups in society. If clubs considered taking into account the general earnings of the local population in their area, they would be in a better position to adjust their prices to provide greater value. Consequently, genuine interest and intention to join from local residents could significantly increase, improving the reputation of golf as an inclusive sport for all.”

ROSBERG WINS LONG DRIVE SHOWDOWN AT WINDSOR

S

weden’s Emil Rosberg won the UK leg of the Long Drive World Series at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in Windsor, after narrowly edging out home favourite Joe Miller in the final.

Hundreds of spectators witnessed Rosberg, just 20 years old, edge a close contest with a winning drive of 395 yards – the longest of the night – beating Miller by just six yards to take the lion’s share of the £60,000 prize funds. Rosberg also scooped a £10,000 bonus for the longest drive of the night, which helped him secure the title.

Prior to the hotly-contested final, 16 of the biggest hitters in the world battled it out in Windsor, including two-time world champion Tim Burke, Will Hogue, Ryan Steenberg, Maurice Allen and Lucas Dornan.

The final eight were made up of James Tait, Tommy Hug, Scott Beaven and Sebastian Forslov, alongside Hogue, Dornan, Miller and Rosberg.

Over the course of the evening, the players – each using OnCore Golf’s ELIXR tour balls, specifically developed for the long drive game using revolutionary technology – competed in a series of rounds and were slowly whittled down to just two players. Four wild cards, who entered open qualifying and successfully showcased their skills to make it through to the competition, also took part in what was the debut event for the Long Drive World Series in the UK. Following the win, Rosberg commented: "It feels amazing. To come out here in front of all the people screaming, this is just the best feeling ever. My swing felt good all day, so to come out

[31]

on top against such a strong field is incredibly satisfying.”

Runner up Miller, from North London, said: "Emil is still very young, and he's coming through fast, and he's very dangerous. I just couldn't quite catch the ball I needed. I was pleased to reach the final, but Emil was great and found the middle of the club better than I did."

As well as the long drive action, spectators were treated to a live DJ set from Ashley James, and an array of food and drink. Martin Westney, CEO of Long Drive World Series, said: “We knew the UK public were crying out for a more entertaining and re-energised form of golf and their reaction tonight, as well as during the build up to the event, has been incredible. All the competitors - the professionals and wild cards alike - put on a great show for the people of Windsor, and we couldn’t have asked for better spectacle in our debut UK event.”

■ EMIL ROSBERG

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[32] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FOSTER RETAINS SENIOR CROWN AT HARPENDEN

H

ertfordshire’s Jackie Foster successfully defended her English Senior Women’s Stroke Play title after a commanding performance at Harpenden Golf Club.

Foster fired a three-underpar 69 in the final round – the lowest of the championship – to win by four shots over playing partner and fellow international Julie Brown.

The pair put on a show of quality golf, with Brown

(Trentham) going round in levelpar 72. Third place was shared by two-time former champion Janet Melville (Royal Birkdale) and second round leader Aileen Greenfield (Pyecombe), with Woking’s Felicity Christine in fifth.

Foster was one shot off the lead as she set out on a highly competitive final round, with the top of the leaderboard packed with international players. They jostled for position over the

OSBORN FINISHES ON HIGH NOTE AT FARNHAM

W

est Hill’s David Osborn made a spectacular return to form, shooting a four-under-par 68 to win the Farnham Charity Pro-Am by one shot.

After a series of mediocre results for the 2017 season to date, he was delighted to finish in pole position and claim the winner’s cheque of £1,150.

But as he explained, after going so well for 14 holes, he then made a couple of unforced errors through the 15th and 17th,

but secured her par with a nearperfect chip.

“I am just really shocked and pleased,” said Foster, from Bishops Stortford, who was three over par for 54 holes. “It was one of those days when everything seemed to work. It’s fantastic and I am just so happy.”

She added: “Julie played great, and it helped that we both played so well, we definitely encouraged each other. I didn’t look at the scoreboards – I just kept going. Anyone could have won with a good round – but I’m glad that it just happened to be me!”

opening holes, but it was Foster who gradually edged ahead, after reaching the turn on oneover par.

Once in front, there was no looking back. Her game moved up a gear on the back nine, as she came home in 32, with the help of three birdies and a superb eagle three on 14, where she reached the green with a drive and a six-iron.

Her only bogey of the back nine was on the short 16th, but she came straight back with another birdie on the long 17th, again hitting the green in two.

She just missed the green on 18,

and needed a birdie down the last to come out on top.

Off last, Osborn didn’t know James Ford had by then posted a three-under-par 69, but was aware that Hindhead’s Ben Clayton had shot two under, so he had an idea of the target. A birdie at Osborn’s opening hole augured well, but he had to wait patiently until the eighth for the next one. Then came two more at the 10th and the 11th to get Osborn to four-under and into the lead. Another at the 14th, things were looking even better with just four holes left.

But after top quality golf for 14 holes, a dropped shot at the 15th and then the 17th put Osborn back into a tie with early clubhouse leader Ford. As he commented: With one hole left, the par-five 18th offered the prospect of the birdie Osborn needed to win, but he pulled his drive, had to punch the ball out to around 70 yards of the green and wedged to 15 feet. “My team were getting very excited at that point,” he said, “as I think they knew exactly what the situation was, but I was trying to remain as calm as possible.”

The West Hill star then settled over the uphill, dead straight putt and holed it to secure his first win of the season.

Osborn commented: “I haven’t played or practiced much this year, having taken on more responsibilities at West Hill, so I’ve not been in top form this season. It was all going well, until deep into the back nine, when it turned into a bit of a cliffhanger!

I’ve played Farnham many times, and the 15th’s simply one of my bogey holes, while the 17th isn’t one of my favourites either. Thankfully, I managed to recover on the 18th and keep up my record of winning an event every year I’ve been a PGA Professional.”

GANE AND BARNES BAG BETCHWORTH HONOURS

C

hris Gane and Jonathan Barnes shot rounds of two-under-par 67 to share victory in the Betchworth Park ProAm, supported by Downs Solicitors.

Making his tally three wins so far in 2017, plus a start in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Gane was happy with his game. As he explained: “Wentworth was an amazing experience, but my trip to Luttrellstown Castle for the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship ended with two disappointing rounds, so it’s great to come here, find some form, and be back in the mix.”

On a day when cool and blustery weather prevailed, the two players took very different routes to their sub-par scores. In a shotgun start starting on the 15th, Barnes opened with a bogey on the par three but then had three birdies at the second, fifth and 11th for his 67.

After coming so close in the Be Wiser PGA in Hampshire Strokeplay Championship at the Army the day before, Barnes was delighted to come out on top and share the winner’s pot with Gane, especially after Gane had won the Pro-Am at Barnes’ home club, Lee-on-the-Solent, at the beginning of June.

Starting on Betchwork Park’s sixth hole, Gane made an eagle at the ninth to jump into an early lead. Despite pushing for more birdies, nothing but pars went down on his card for a flawless 67.

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

[33]

GOLF MAKES YOU HAPPY: IT’S OFFICIAL! M

issing two-foot putts might make your blood boil, and losing the monthly medal to a bandit doesn’t always create a sense of social bonhomie, but getting out on the golf course has never been better for your mental wellbeing, according to a report commissioned by England Golf and the Professional Golfers’ Association, which looks at the benefits for society of the sport.

The research concluded that you really can put a price on happiness, at least as far as golf is concerned, with the sport creating an overall social value of £1.8 billion, and every £1 spent on golf generating £1.17 worth of social benefits.

Conducted by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, the research takes into consideration the total social value of golf participation, measured through factors such as subjective wellbeing, health and social capital, and divides this by total inputs into the sport from golf players, volunteers, funders of the game, and the delivery bodies.

The total input for golf was £1.55 billion (£1,362 million from golfers, £179 million from volunteers, and £4.7 million from golf funders and delivery bodies).

Enhanced wellbeing is by far the most striking reward for

golfers, equating to £2,380 per person, or a total of £1.2 billion. But the report also found that you do not even have to play the game to benefit, as a further 10%, or £178 million, is found in the positive emotions generated by volunteering.

Improved health is the second biggest benefit (22% of total social value), with players aged 55 and upwards recording the most significant rewards, including a reduced risk of dementia and coronary heart disease. Other health benefits include a reduced risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and type 2 Diabetes.

All ages benefit from being involved in golf, from youngsters who play at university – who typically have a higher starting salary than their non-sporting counterparts – through to the older generation who receive the health benefits detailed above.

Nick Pink, chief executive of England Golf, said: “Until now, golf-related studies had only been able to consider the economic value brought about by the sport. By exploring the associated social benefits, it has become clear that the sport’s overall impact extends far beyond just financial rewards and that

EUROPE HITS GB&I FOR SIX AT VAGLIANO TROPHY

T

he Continent of Europe won the Vagliano Trophy match with a 15-9 victory against Great Britain and Ireland at Circolo Golf Bogogno in Italy.

It was the sixth consecutive victory for the European side and capped a very strong second day performance in the foursomes and singles.

Starting the day level at 6-6, the home side won all four of the morning foursomes matches to establish a commanding 10-6 lead going into the afternoon’s singles.

Facing an uphill challenge, GB&I needed to get off to a good start in the afternoon singles, and they secured the first point. Sophie Lamb, the 2016 Ladies' British Amateur Stroke Play champion, defeated Linnea Strom 3&2 to reduce the deficit to three points.

Europe maintained a grip on the match, however, when Virginia Elena Carta defeated Leona Maguire by one hole.

That left the home side requiring just one point to retain the trophy they won at

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Despite Olivia Mehaffey giving GB&I their eighth point, after her one-hole victory over Matilda Castren, confirmation

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that the trophy was staying with the Continent of Europe quickly followed when 2016 Ladies’ British Open Amateur champion Julia Engstrom

there is a powerful argument for continued investment in golf participation across young and old alike. We are keen to highlight the importance of golf to the older generation, whether new or existing players.”

He continued: “We’re delighted to have the facts that show that not only is playing golf good for you but, importantly, it can positively influence the wider community. We urge lapsed or current players to ensure golf is part of their weekly lives, and new players to get involved in our Get into Golf campaign, which is presently in full swing and available at clubs across the country.”

defeated Alice Hewson by one hole.

Outright victory was secured when Puk Lyng Thomsen completed a 3&2 victory over the youngest member of the GB&I team, Annabel Wilson.

India Clyburn recorded the final point for GB&I, with a one-hole win against Morgane Metraux, but defeats for Maria Dunne (2&1 by Dewi Weber) and Gemma Clews (by two holes to Albane Valenzuela) enabled the Continent of Europe to claim a 15-9 victory.

GB&I captain Elaine Farquharson-Black said: "We are all disappointed in the GB&I camp, because we know

we have the potential to play better than that. We peaked too early on the first day, and for some reason we were not firing on all cylinders on the second day. We just could not get any momentum going.

"The golf overall was of a very high standard, higher than I can remember in the winning Vagliano Trophy teams in which I played. There were a lot of birdies, and we had our fair share of them, but not enough to turn the tide our way on the final day."

In the Junior Vagliano Trophy match, the Continent of Europe achieved a comfortable 15-3 victory over GB&I.

[34] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LEWIS PULLS RANK AFTER SALVER SUCCESS

■ ALEX LODGE

S

LODGE TOPS THE CLASS AT LINDFIELD C alcot Park’s Alex Lodge fired a second round 63 to come from behind to win The Golf College Challenge at Lindfield Golf Club in West Sussex, edging out home club amateur Lewis Hinton at the first extra play-off hole.

The second event in The Crown Inn PGA South Assistants & Trainees Order of Merit 2017, Lodge’s impressive effort earned him a cool £650. This is in obvious contrast to the Surrey-based amateur Hinton who gained a wealth of valuable experience, including the unique memory of holing his 90-yard shot at the 36th hole to force his way into the playoff.

With two other victories this year, and claiming the 2016-17 Titleist & FootJoy PGA South Winter Series Order of Merit, Lodge’s performance underlined his growing maturity.

Yet even he was surprised at the way things turned out: “Starting with a 69 left me some way down the field, but I was learning my way around the course," Lodge said. "I made a much better go of things on the second day, and as I was starting from the 10th, four birdies on my front nine certainly helped matters.”

Played over two rounds on what were the

two warmest days this year, the first round was dominated by Golf College students. Familiar with the tight Lindfield course, Hinton shot a fine opening 67, but peers Gemma Allman and Jack Finch delivered even more impressive cards, both shooting 66s to set the pace.

The event attracted 116 players, with the top 20 PGA Professionals and ties making the cut after day one to reduce the field to 60, while Golf College students made up the remaining places in score order.

On day two everything changed, and apart from Hinton, the final leaderboard’s top 10 places was a roll call of PGA Professionals led

by Lodge, whose 63 to finish on four-under-par 132 would eventually be the winning score.

Summing up for the performance of his students, Golf College Director Paul Lyons said: “This event demonstrates the calibre of golfers we’re now attracting to The Golf College. I was really delighted that so many young PGA Professionals came to compete, and in the end it was one of their number that came from behind to win. It’s all helping to show that our educational approach works for those who are thinking seriously about a career in golf.”

urrey teenager Martha Lewis has given her world ranking a boost with an overall win in the combined Critchley and Astor Salvers.

The 17 year old from St George’s Hill had a six-under-par total for the two events and beat Hampshire’s Kerry Smith by two shots.

This is the first time the prestigious scratch events have been paired, creating a 72-hole tournament which attracts world ranking points.

The result has helped Lewis improve her ranking by almost 200 points.

In the Critchley Salver at Sunningdale, Lewis was in a three-way tie on six under par with Durham’s Jessica Hall (Bishop Auckland) and Yorkshire’s Rochelle Morris (Woodsome Hall). Hall won the salver by virtue of her second round 69 on the Old Course.

In the Astor Salver at The Berkshire, the trophy was won by Lily May Humphreys (Stoke by Nayland) on six under par. Lewis, a fellow member of the England Golf girls’ squad, was level par for the two rounds and placed fourth.

Kerry Smith (Waterlooville) was fourth in the Critchley Salver on and tied fifth in the Astor Salver.

Lewis’s success continues her good form of 2017, which has seen her finish fourth in the Scottish U18 girls’ championship and runner-up in the Doral Publix tournament in Florida.

MASTERFUL MAGUIRE WINS LADIES’ BRITISH AMATEUR

I

reland’s Leona Maguire won the Ladies’ British Amateur at Pyle & Kenfig, defeating Spain’s Ainhoa Olarra 3&2 in the 18-hole final on the South Wales coast to seal the biggest amateur win of her career.

In capturing the title, 22-year-old Maguire, who is number one in the world amateur ranking, became the first Irishwoman to win the championship.

After seeing off Lisburn's Paula Grant (4&2) in the quarter-finals and Anna Backman of Finland (3&2) in the semi-finals, Maguire got off to a flying start in the final after firing four birdies on the front nine to set up a commanding three-hole lead.

Olarra, who won the Spanish Amateur in 2013, reduced the deficit at the 10th, but the three-hole gap was restored on the 11th, when Maquire notched up her fifth birdie, and she went four up with a par on the 12th.

Olarra halted Maguire’s momentum by winning two of the next three holes, producing a vital birdie on the 15th, however the match was decided on the following hole when the Spaniard found trouble off the tee, leaving Maguire a par putt to win the championship, which she duly rolled in for a comfortable 3&2 victory.

"It doesn't really get much bigger than the Ladies' British Amateur," Maguire said. "There was a world class field here this week, and there was some great golf played. I'm just delighted to come out on top.

These are the sort of days that you practise for and make all the early starts and hard work worthwhile."

Be Driven...

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Prizes will be awarded to the winners of all categories – Entry is available online at our website or via Golf Empire.

THE COMPETITIONS ARE: Monday 11th – 4BBB: Men’s, Ladies or Mixed Teams. Tuesday 12th – Seniors (Over 55) Singles Stableford.

Wednesday 13th – 3 Ball Alliance. Thursday 14th – Foursomes: Men’s, Ladies or Mixed Teams. Friday 15th – Singles Medal.

Saturday 16th – “The Raven” – 18 Hole Men’s Scratch Open. Sunday 17th – Am-Am – Any combination of players.

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FEATURE | JULY 2017

Experience must count for something, judging by your recent return to form?

Yes, 2016 was by far my best year on tour since turning pro in 1996, which was very satisfying. I didn’t do anything really outstanding – every part of my game was just in really good shape all year. You have the odd blip here and there – of course you do, that’s golf. But you try and replicate that, and improve on it, and just hope the next season will be another good one.

You finished 2016 just outside the world top 100 too…

Yes, I think I was 102nd or 103rd - something like that. There’s just so much to play for if you have a good start to the year. I was delighted to play well in the early rounds of my first ever WGC event in China in October last year, and I had six top-tens in some good events to finish 28th on the Race to Dubai – a big improvement on my previous best of 65th.

As you say, you were very consistent in 2016, but without winning.

Are you more pleased with that consistency or more frustrated that you didn’t quite manage to convert?

A bit of both really. I had a couple of opportunities – probably the British Masters at The Grove was my best opportunity, and the 15th hole kind of swung it for me there. Alex Noren was making a bit of a mess of it, and I was in a really good position - yet he ended up making birdie and I didn’t! I know that was only one shot, but suddenly you go from one to two behind with just a few holes to play, so that was huge. He walked on to the 16th tee feeling a whole lot better than I did, and that probably won him the tournament.

RICHARD BL AND NOW IN HIS 22ND YE AR A S A PRO, HAMPSHIREBA SED RICHARD BL AND TALKS ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH THE YOUNG GUNS , HIS RECENT NE AR MISS IN GERMANY, AND HOW HE’ S NOT YET GIVEN UP HOPE OF BAGGING A LONGED -FOR WIN ON THE EUROPE AN TOUR

It’s quite fine margins out on tour, isn’t it?

Yes, just look at Graeme Storm in South Africa at the start of this year. A few months earlier you just felt for him on the 18th green in Portugal, thinking that one of your mates had just lost his card. You could see that in his face – he knew it. Then suddenly he gets the nod because Patrick Reed wasn’t going to meet the minimum European Tour requirements. Stormy moves back up a spot, keeps his card, and then comes out and wins in South Africa at the start of the year, beating Rory McIlroy in a play-off. Golf’s a funny game!

Do stories like that motivate you to keep persevering?

Yes, Stormy’s made the most of it and fair play to him. He’s a lovely lad, who’s had his struggles on and off the course over the last couple of years. It couldn’t happen to a nicer fella, so it shows what can happen in golf. You can feel like you’re right at the bottom one week and the next week you’re holding the trophy. So we’ll keep working and keep trying hard and hopefully it will come off.

Until last month’s BMW International in Germany, this year hadn’t been so good for you…

[35]

No, it hasn’t quite gone to plan! I had six or seven weeks off over Christmas, and came back thinking my game wasn’t a million miles away, but then ended up having a really poor run until the BMW. How frustrating was it to come so close again there without winning?

I was pretty gutted, but I gave it a good run. I just got caught in between clubs on 17 and it was the only shot I didn't commit to all day. Even the poor shots that I hit, I was committed to them, and that was the only one I just didn't commit to. I’m proud of the two shots I hit in to the last though, but just didn't quite hole the putt.

It must have given you some encouragement for the rest of the season?

Yes, the form I’d been showing over the last three or four months, if someone had offered me second place, or a putt to make a playoff on 18, I'd probably have snapped their hand off! It was a big step forward for me, and I've just got to make sure that I finish the year strong, keep my card, and take my chances.

You’ve been on tour for over 17 years now – is the motivation and desire still as strong as ever?

Probably more so, because I’m 44 now, and I’m one of the older guys out here. Being realistic, I'm in the late autumn of my career, so I want to make the most of the time I've got left, however long that might be.

Do you work more on the fitness side now than when you first came out on tour?

Yes, but more to try to stay supple than anything, because you are getting a bit older, and there are a few more aches and pains now! I do some cardio work as well, as you have to try to keep up with the youngsters, but I’m never going to be a marathon runner! I just want to be able to play 18 holes and feel fairly fresh at the end of it all. In places like Malaysia, you’ve got to be fit and healthy, as it’s a sweat bath out there, and you don't want to find your tank’s running empty with four or five holes to play. There’s no part of the game you can leave unturned nowadays – you have to work on everything because if you’re not, someone else is, and they're going to go past you. It’s not getting any easier!

Finally, do you get back to your old home club at Stoneham much?

I played once over Christmas with some mates, but I live up near The Wisley now and I’m a member there, so I don’t get down there that much. But it’s always nice – I’ve got lots of friends there, so I try and get back there when I can. The members are always great with me, and have treated me so well. So I do enjoy getting down there when I can.

[36] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JOHNSON WINS FIRST SENIOR LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP

T

rish Johnson won the inaugural US Senior LPGA Championship after finishing three shots clear of the field at the French Lick Resort in Indiana.

The 51-year-old former Solheim Cup star, who lives in Wiltshire, shot a finalround 73 on the Pete Dye Course, to go with earlier rounds of 67 and 72, to finish on four under par for the 54-hole event.

Johnson finished three shots clear of America’s Michele Redman, while Laura Davies shot a final round 68 to finish in a tie for third with Helen Alfredsson and Wendy Doolan.

Johnson won 19 times on the Ladies European Tour, with her most recent victory on the main circuit coming at the Ladies Scottish Open in 2014, although she has tasted success at French Lick before, having won the Legends Tour Championship there in 2016.

“Hopefully, this is the first of many,” said Johnson, who won three times on the LPGA. “This is so well deserved, because all those girls playing for $2 million on the LPGA right now is because of these people here. This is huge and very special.”

Asked about the key to her 26th professional win, which came with a $90,000 first prize, Johnson said: “I hit my driver so well all week. I was quite long, so I was hitting a lot of short irons in. Some of the greens were pretty wicked, so hitting short clubs in to them was a major advantage.”

Davies was delighted to back in the heat of competition, said: “Although none of us are quite as good as we used to be, it is still quite competitive.

It is fun to see how good everyone still is and people still want to win tournaments. I never give up. Sometimes it may look like I’m slupping around, but I’m always trying to get the extra shot out of the round. I hate to walk away from a tournament knowing I left something out there. Six-under on the weekend is never a bad thing.”

■ TRISH JOHNSON

HANBURY WELCOMES SENIOR STARS FOR WILLOW CLASSIC

H

anbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club is gearing up to host the European Senior Tour’s Willow Senior Golf Classic for the second time next month.

The event is partnered with Willow, a charity that provides experiences for young adults living with lifethreatening conditions, and will take place from August 25-27, with a star studded line up of golfers vying for the £360,000 prize fund.

The Willow Senior Golf Classic was added to the Senior Tour’s schedule last year, offering amateurs the unique opportunity to play in a European Senior Tour event. Once again, qualifying amateur players will be paired with a professional player over 54 holes, giving them the experience of putting beside their idols.

And unlike other pro-am tournaments on the Tour, applications are open to all club golfers, and all teams will be drawn at random, meaning those who play are in with the chance of teeing-up alongside some of the best players on the European Senior Tour.

Entries for the main tournament costs £4,000 per team, and there will also be the chance to play in two pro-am days preceding the tournament at £1,250 per team. Gary Marks, winner of the inaugural Willow Senior Golf Classic in 2016, is looking forward to playing alongside amateurs once again as he prepares to defend his title.

“The Willow Senior Golf Classic is a great event which boasts one of the year’s strongest fields, giving amateur

The

East BErkshirE

Golf Club

golfers the opportunity to get inside the ropes with the professionals,” said Marks.

“I was lucky and found my best form at the right time last year and became champion, my first win on the Senior Tour. That week holds some incredible memories for me, and I’m sure some incredible memories for last year’s amateur golfers too. The staging of the event, the hospitality, the course, and the work done for the Willow Foundation makes for a truly special week.”

Marks will tee it up alongside twotime Senior Major champion Roger Chapman, who won both the Senior PGA Championship and US Senior Open in 2012, as well as former Ryder Cup captain Mark James, and Ryder Cup players Barry Lane, Costantino Rocca and Des Smyth.

Willow was set up by former Arsenal legend Bob Wilson and his wife Megs, in memory of their daughter Anna, who lost her battle to cancer, aged just

■ BOB WILSON AND HIS WIFE MAGS

31. The charity has a strong sporting heritage, with sporting special days a popular choice with beneficiaries, enabling them to spend time with family or friends enjoying their shared passion.

This year’s tournament will be free for all to attend and there will be a dedicated kid’s golf zone supported by the Golf Foundation and Paradise Wildlife Park, so that all the family can get involved and enjoy golf.

Willow Life President Bob Wilson said: “Willow is pleased to continue this partnership with Hanbury Manor which, like our own Special Days, offers quality time, bringing smiles to people’s faces. It’s looking set to be a unique opportunity for the whole family to enjoy some top-level golf at the impressive grounds of Hanbury Manor. We are honored to benefit from the Willow Senior Golf Classic again this year. The funds raised through sponsorship, player entry fees and donations will help provide many more uplifting and fulfilling Special Days for seriously ill young adults and their loved ones.”

For more information on taking part in this year’s Alliance tournament and Pro-Am, call 01707 259777 or email sarahjane.thompson@ willowfoundation.org.uk.

R E M M SU R E L Z Z I S

Golf Days 2017

Coffee and Full English Breakfast 18 Holes of Golf • Lunch

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East Berkshire Golf Club Ravenswood Avenue, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6BD Telephone: 01344 772041 • Fax: 01344 777378 • Email: office@eastberkshiregolfclub.com

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COMPETITION | JULY 2017

[37]

WIN A FOUR-BALL AT WOBURN & TICKETS TO THE TRAVIS PERKINS MASTERS The Travis Perkins Masters returns to Woburn Golf Club for the 17th consecutive year from September 3-5, and Golf News has teamed up with the organisers to offer you the chance to win a round on the magnificent Duke’s Course, with lunch for you and three friends, plus four season tickets to see the stars of the European Senior Tour in action.

Pairs of season tickets to the Travis Perkins Masters are also being offered to five runners up.

THE TRAVIS PERKINS MASTERS AT WOBURN:

ORDER YOUR TICKETS NOW

A CHAMPIONSHIP VENUE WHERE CHAMPIONS COME TO PLAY With crowds of more than 20,000, the Travis Perkins Masters remains one of the most popular on the schedule, and is also one of the Senior Tour’s longest-running tournaments.

Travis Perkins plc, which is in its 10th year as headline sponsor of the event, has offered an increased prize fund of £340,000 for this year’s edition – a £20,000 rise from last year’s total.

As part of the sponsorship, Travis Perkins is donating a Variety Club Sunshine Coach to Blanche Neville School for deaf children to enable them to go on school trips and days out. The company has provided buses to a range of schools across the region for each year of its sponsorship of the tournament.

John Carter, CEO of Travis Perkins, said: “We are incredibly proud to be celebrating our 10th year at Woburn as sponsor of the Travis Perkins Masters. We started life as a family business more than 200 years ago, and upholding family values is one of our cornerstones. In this anniversary year, we are hoping to encourage more families and young people to come along and find out more about golf from the professionals, watch them in action, and spend time enjoying the atmosphere at Woburn.”

Last year, Switzerland’s André Bossert denied Ian Woosnam a sixth Senior Tour victory when he won his maiden title at Woburn. Bossert will be defending his title this September, when he will be joined by a host of top European Senior Tour stars, including several past winners.

Discounted daily tickets for the Travis Perkins Masters can be purchased in advance from www.europeantour.com/ tickets for £10, while season passes are available for £25. Tickets can be purchased on the gate for £15 per day, or £30 for a season pass. Under 16s are admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult.

Following on from last year, spectators can again reserve on-site car parking for just £10 per day (Friday-Sunday), which can only be booked in advance and must be for a specified day.

The offer ensures a parking space adjacent to the first fairway, within a 250-yard walk of the first tee, the 18th green, tented village and practice putting green. It also includes a free event programme and daily drawsheet.

COMPETITION ENTRY For a chance to win a midweek fourball on the magnificent Duke’s Course, plus lunch (excluding alcoholic drinks), or one of five pairs of season tickets to the Travis Perkins Masters as a runner up prize, please answer the question below, and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Travis Perkins Masters Competition’ in the subject line. Please include a contact telephone number and an address. The closing date for entries is August 11, 2017.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Entrants must be 18 or over. The winner will be notified immediately after the closing date of the competition. The midweek fourball round must be taken before December 31, 2017 and must be booked in advance with the club.

QUESTION: THE 2017 TRAVIS PERKINS MASTERS WILL BE PLAYED OVER WOBURN’S DUKE’S COURSE, BUT WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE CLUB’S OTHER 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE? A) THE DUCHESS B) THE PRINCESS C) THE MARQUESS

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www.weald-of-kent.co.uk

[38] JULY 2017 | COLUMN

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TYRRELL HATTON

Despite a recent run of missed cuts, Tyrrell is confident that a good performance is just around the corner

IT’S FAIR TO SAY that it’s been a bit of a disappointing month on the golf course, after missing cuts at the French and Irish Opens. I got off to slow starts at both events, which is something you just can’t afford to do on any professional tour these days, as there are just too many good players out there to have to play catch up on day two.

I had some reasonable course form at Paris National, having finished 33rd and 12th in my last two visits so I arrived in France feeling pretty confident.

Unfortunately I bogeyed three of the first six holes in the first round, doubled the 15th, and walked off with a 74.

I battled back early on Friday and birdied three of the first four holes to get back to one over, but I then gave a couple of shots back at five and seven.

I managed two more birdies coming in, but bogeyed the difficult last hole to miss the cut by a single shot. It was a very frustrating way to miss the weekend.

I was hopeful of getting back into my rhythm at the Irish Open at Portstewart, as I’m a big fan of links golf, and don’t mind playing in the wind. And, after top fives in my previous two Irish Opens, I had high hopes of going well again. I didn’t know much about the course, as it was the first time that it had hosted a European Tour event, but it was the same for most of the field barring the Irish lads.

The weather blew hot and cold throughout the week, but conditions were generally good for scoring on the rain-softened greens. I bogeyed the

■ TYRRELL IS LOOKING TO RECAPTURE HIS EARLY SEASON FORM HEADING INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

second after almost losing my ball in the rough off the tee, doubled the 7th, and then ground out the back nine in level par for a 75.

With the scoring being so low, I knew I was going to have to improve my game in the second round to have any chance of making the cut. Although I managed three birdies on the front nine, a double bogey at the par-three 12th effectively ended my

chances of playing the weekend. Even so, I fought hard until the end bouncing back with a birdie and an eagle at the next two holes, but I still ended up missing the cut by five. Not many tournaments have a cut mark at four under, but with the greens so soft, it was always going to be a lowscoring day.

Jon Rahm – who won the tournament by six shots – is clearly a great golfer and

I’M PRACTISING HARD AT THE MOMENT, AND MY SWING FEELS AS GOOD AS IT HAS DONE FOR A WHILE ON THE RANGE, BUT I JUST DON’T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THOSE FEELINGS OUT ON THE COURSE

■ TYRRELL TOOK PART IN THE PAR-3 HERO CHALLENGE AHEAD OF THE SCOTTISH OPEN AT DUNDONALD

I look forward to seeing more of him over in Europe.

I’m practising hard at the moment, and my swing feels as good as it has done for a while on the range, but I just don’t seem to be able to translate those feelings out on the course. It’s frustrating, but I’ve got to keep moving forward and hopefully everything will fall into place soon.

In between events I’ve had a few coaching sessions with my dad, and been practising hard at Stoke Park.

I’m really enjoying the great facilities there, and the course is in good shape following the recent changes to the course.

Just before the Scottish Open at Dundonald Links I took part in the Hero Challenge, a par-three competition that was first launched at last year’s British Masters at The Grove. Having seen how that came across on TV, I was really excited to be invited to take part in the second staging, where I teed it up alongside seven other players, including

Henrik Stenson, Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Anirban Lahiri and Russell Knox. There were great crowds for what was normally a quiet Tuesday night before a tournament, and there was a really great buzz around the hole.

I managed to win my first two matches to make it through to the final against Patrick Reed, but he virtually stiffed it, even though I hit mine closer than my first two attempts. I was unlucky to miss my putt and he holed out for the win. It was great fun, though, and hopefully it’s something the tour will continue to offer the fans at future events, as it brought a much younger crowd to the tournament.

By the time you read this, The Open will have finished and we’ll be moving into the second half of the season. I’ve got two more events in America, the WGC at Firestone at the beginning on August, and then US PGA the following week, and then that’ll be it stateside for the year. For the rest of the season I’ll be concentrating my efforts on the European Tour and hopefully challenge for my second win on tour.

YOU CAN FOLLOW TYRRELL ON TWITTER @TYRRELLHATTON PARTNERS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GOLF TUITION HOLIDAY | JULY 2017 [39]

TUITION HOLIDAYS

SHARPEN UP YOUR GAME UNDER SUNNY SPANISH SKIES! May saw leading PGA coach Stuart Smith host yet another successful Golf News Tuition Holiday at the stunning Spanish resort of Valle del Este, where a select group of readers enjoyed of week of world-class tuition and top quality hospitality

I

t’s hard to build up much enthusiasm for working on your game when it’s pouring with rain or when you’re shivering in the cold, so it makes perfect sense to change up your environment if you want to change up your game.

That was the thinking behind the launch of Golf News Tuition Holidays, whose third group of ‘students’ have recently returned from a week’s fun – and plenty of hard graft – under sunny Spanish skies.

Hosted by short game guru Stuart Smith, a qualified PGA professional with over 20 years’ experience of working with all levels of players, the trip saw a group of 18 players, of varying ages and handicaps, enjoy a seven-night stay at the superb Valle Del Este Resort in Almeria.

All arrived with a common purpose: to improve their game, whether it be driving, iron play, pitching, chipping and putting – and, of course, to have a relaxing holiday at the same time.

The trip featured morning tuition sessions with Smith, followed by five rounds on Valle del Este’s desert-style 18-hole championship layout. Golfers could play as little or as much golf as they liked, but very few missed a minute of the lessons,

with many putting in hours of overtime on the range – to which they had free access to unlimited balls – as they sought to put Smith’s tips into practice and play.

The trip covered all aspects of the short game, from putting and chipping, to bunker play and pitching, while all students came away with personal report on areas for future development, along with a free short game booklet explaining the drills, how to practice, and advice on developing pre-shot routines.

After a morning on the range and an afternoon on the golf course, guests were able to relax and unwind at the 4-star Hotel Valle del Este Resort, whose spa proved an extremely popular destination for all those aching muscles and bones, while the resort’s restaurants and bars were also a popular haunt for discussing the day’s activities, and swapping stories of successes and failures!

The next Golf News Tuition Holidays are scheduled for 2018 in Fuerteventura in February and Costa Ballena in May, so if you’re looking to sharpen up your all aspects of your game ahead of the new golfing season, then make sure you book up today!

GOLFER’S REVIEWS….

“We have just returned from a great trip away at the Valle de Este Resort. Stuart managed everything from beginning to end. The flights were at sensible times of the day, the transfers were seamless and the facilities at the resort were excellent. I will definitely be booking again.”

“Great golfing holiday! First-timers on one of Stuart's short game improvement holidays and came away with so much more understanding of all aspects of chipping, pitching and putting.

Everything was so well organised – from arrival at the airport to saying our goodbyes when we got back home. I’ve already rebooked for next year.”

“A great week with a great crowd. All abilities in the group, from beginners to single figure handicappers were well catered for. The tuition was well paced, with plenty of time to practice what you had learned. I took a lot more from this week than I thought I would. The gripping of the club for bunker shots, in particular, has finally sunk in!”

“The balance between coaching, practicing, and playing was superb, and Stuart’s short game group lessons were brilliant. He breaks down his teaching into manageable chunks, so that you’re not overloaded with information. He’s also a great motivator, extremely patient, and has wonderful sense of humour.”

GOLF NEWS TUITION HOLIDAYS FOR 2018 ELBA CARLOTA, FUERTEVENTURA FEBRUARY 14-21, 2018 • 7 nights’ half-board accommodation at the 4* Elba Carlota, Fuerteventura • Unlimited Golf at the 18-hole Fuerterventura Golf Club (host of the 2004 Spanish Open • Free trolleys and range balls • All tuition • Free trolley hire and range balls

• Fee shuttle to golf course • Return flights on British Airways from Gatwick to Seville, plus all transfers.

The total cost for the trip is £1,045pp* for two people sharing a twin room, and £1,195* for a single room. *subject to change according to flight availability.

COSTA BALLENA, CADIZ MAY 6-13, 2018 • 7 nights’ half-board accommodation at the 4-star Barcelo Costa Ballena Hotel, Cadiz • 5 rounds at Costa Ballena Ocean Course; 5 rounds on Costa Ballena’s 9-hole, par 3 course • free pull trolley • All tuition • Use of the driving range with unlimited balls

• Return flights on British Airways from Gatwick to Seville, plus all transfers.

The total cost for the trip is £920pp* for two people sharing a twin room, and £1,060* for a single room. *subject to change according to flight availability.

BOOK NOW! Spaces are limited to just 28, so for bookings and all other enquiries, visit www.stuartsmithgolfacademy.com, email stuart@stuartsmithgolfacademy.com or call 07766 733560.

SIGN UP FOR SMITH’S SHORT GAME MASTERCLASS Golfers looking to put some serious work into their short game over the summer should consider signing up to a four-day intensive workshop being run by Golf News’ expert short game instruction coach PGA Professional Stuart Smith.

Smith, who currently runs two successful golf academies at Heydon Grange in Hertfordshire and Thetford Golf Club in Norfolk, has developed a fresh and innovative approach to the often troublesome areas of pitching, chipping and putting, and has helped hundreds of amateur golfers transform their short game and dramatically improve their scores, and is confident that he can do the same for Golf News readers through his recently-launch academy training camps which take place in the UK and abroad.

The next intensive short game tuition course takes place from August 7-11 at Thetford, and will focus on all aspects of chipping and pitching techniques, including how to chip with four different spins for complete control around the pin; how to pitch from a variety of lies and, the holy grail for all golfers, how to achieve back spin.

On August 9, golfers are invited to take part in a special Breast Cancer charity Pro-Am at Thetford Golf Club, which will help raise funds for Breast Cancer Research and Smith’s coaching assistant, Brad Smith, who has recently been diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 22.

The short game course can either be booked for individual days for £25 per day, and the Pro-Am entry fee is £60, to include 18 holes, a post-match BBQ and prizes. Spaces are limited, so for bookings and all other enquiries, visit www.stuartsmithgolfacademy. com or call 07766 733560.

[40] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Ultimate

CLUB WHERE TO PLAY

GUIDE

CHOBHAM GC SURREY

This superb 18-hole, par-69 golf course, which opened in 1994, was designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clarke. It is laid out on naturally undulating parkland set amongst mature oak woodland, giving the impression that it has been around for many years. The course provides an excellent challenge to the skills of low and high handicap players alike. Built to championship standards, with USGA greens, the course has automatic irrigation, and a drainage system designed to provide excellent year-round play.

SWEETWOODS PARK GC EAST SUSSEX/KENT This stunning par-72, 18-hole parkland course is set in the Wealden Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and boasts outstanding views.

Located on the A264 between Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead, It has recently introduced 10-minute interval tee times and a new fleet of Club Car buggies, offering all visitors an enhanced golfing experience. Enjoy a round of golf this summer and benefit from £5 discount when you book online at sweetwoodspark.com, using the promotion code ‘ONLINE’.

Web: chobhamgolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01276 855584 Email: sarah@chobhamgolfclub.co.uk

Web: sweetwoodspark.com Tel: 01342 850729 Email: golf@sweetwoodspark.com

BLACKMOOR GC BLACKMOOR GOLF CLUB HAMPSHIRE

BLOXWICH GC WEST MIDLANDS

TORQUAY GC DEVON

One of Hampshire’s premier courses, Blackmoor was designed

Boasting a mature parkland course, Bloxwich makes full use of

including the Selborne Salver, which attracts the country’s top

are two par fours over 450 yards. Visitors are welcome, with green

Located just three miles from Torquay’s stunning harbour, and enjoying far-reaching views of the Devon and Dorset coastline, Torquay Golf Club’s historic parkland course offers a challenging yet rewarding test of golf in beautiful surroundings. Although measuring 6,138 yards from the white tees, there is only one par five on this entertaining James Braid-designed layout, ensuring that the par of 69 is hard to match. Visitors are welcome seven days a week, while society packages start from just £27.

Web: blackmoorgolf.co.uk Tel: 01420 472775 Email: secretary@blackmoorgolf.co.uk

Web: bloxwichgolfclub.com Tel: 01922 476593 Email: secretary@bloxwichgolfclub.com

..... the best course in secretary@torquaygolfclub.co.uk Hertfordshire Web: torquaygolfclub.co.uk Tel: kept 01803 314591 Email:

LITTLESTONE GC KENT

LONGNIDDRY GC EAST LOTHIAN, SCOTLAND

WELWYN GARDEN CITY GC HERTFORDSHIRE

One of Hampshire’s premier courses.

Designed 1913 by the renowned golfits natural hazards to provide a testing round for all. The 18-hole in 1913 by Harry Colt and is situated deep ininthe countryside, yet accessible from both London Home Counties.

The and yetlayout measures 6,296 yards off the white tees, and features an architecteasily Harry Colt and situated deep inand thethe Hampshire countryside, course host to many amateur and professional tournaments, interesting mix of five par threes and four par fives, while there easilyisaccessible from both London and the Home Counes.

The course is host to many amateur and professional tournaments, including the amateurs seeking to secure world ranking points. Many of the past fees starting from £30pp, while society packages for groups of Selborne Salverincluding which aracts the country’s top amateurs seeking winners, Andy Sullivan and Matthew Fitzpatrick, have to secure16+ are available from £25pp. world - ranking Many of the past winners including , Andy Sullivan and gone onpoints. to become golfing stars.

Mahew Fitzpatrick go on to become golfing stars of the future.

This England Golf Championship venue, and Open Championship regional qualifying course (1998-2003) is a must to play.

Welwyn Garden City Golf Club

● Excellent year-round course with superb drainage and greens ● Friendly welcome awaits all visitors ● Now booking summer 2017

● Winter Packages available November to March ● Play the course where Sir Nick Faldo and Tom Lewis learnt their golf ● Quote GOLFNEWS17 for special green fee offer

Designed by Harry Colt in 1921, Longniddry’s unusual mixture of links and woodland holes will get your strategic golfing brain thinking. There are special four ball rates for Golf News readers - – £160 after 1pm on Tues/Thurs and £240 after 2pm at weekends.

Quote ‘GN COLT’ when booking.

325243 Shop: 01707 325525 Welwyn GardenOffice: City 01707 enjoys a rich Pro heritage, having been designed Web: www.wgcgc.co.uk Email: denise@wgcgc.co.uk

by Fred Hawtree, and been the club where Sir Nick Faldo learned Mannicotts, High Oaks Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 7BP to play the game. Measuring 6,112 yards off the back tees, the undulating parkland layout remains a challenge for all, thanks to some lengthy par threes, long par fours, and a 600-yard par five. With year-round playability and superb greens, a friendly welcome awaits all visitors, with green fees starting from £25.

Web: littlestonegolfclub.org.uk Tel: 01797 363355 Email: golf@littlestonegolfclub.org.uk

Web: longniddrygolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01875 852141 Email: secretary@longniddrygolfclub.co.uk

Web: welwyngardencitygolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01707 325243 Email: denise@wgcgc.co.uk

LAUNCESTON CORNWALL

WATERLOOVILLE GC HAMPSHIRE

ROMSEY GC HAMPSHIRE

Boasting two unique courses, the Championship and the Warren, Littlestone offers visitors the chance to play on superbly presented links layouts located on the natural undulating land between Romney Marsh and the Channel. Boasting free-draining fairways and superb greens, the contrasting courses make for a superb day’s golf at any time of the year. Visitors and societies are welcome every day, with summer green fees from £50 and society packages from £73 on The Championship and from £15 on the Warren.

Renowned for its friendly atmosphere, Waterlooville Golf Club boasts a picturesque par-72 parkland layout. Designed by Sir Henry Cotton, the 6,550-yard course provides a fair and enjoyable test for all levels of player. Always presented in excellent condition, the club welcomes visitors during the week, and at weekends subject to availability, with green fees starting from £35 for midweek afternoon rounds, while society and group packages are avialable from £31.50.

Situated in rolling countryside less than a mile from junction 3 of the M27, Romsey Golf Club is an oasis of beauty on the edge of Southampton. The course makes its way through undulating ground with tree-lined fairways, raised greens and deep bunkers. Although not a long course – 5,718 yards, par 69 – its tight lines will provide a test of golf for all levels of player. The signature hole is undoubtedly the downhill par-four 6th, which comes in the middle of Romsey’s own Amen Corner, and offers stunning views of the countryside.

Web: launcestongolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01566 773442 Email: secretary@launcestongolfclub.co.uk

Web: waterloovillegolfclub.com Tel: 02392 263388

Web: romseygolfclub.com Tel: 023 8073 4637 Email: secretary@romseygolfclub.co.uk

Boasting two unique courses, the Championship and the Warren, Littlestone offers visitors the chance to play on superbly presented links layouts located on the natural undulating land between Romney Marsh and the Channel. With free-draining fairways and superb greens, the contrasting courses make for a superb day’s golf at any time of the year. Visitors and societies are welcome every day, with peak-time summer green fees from £80 and society packages from £70.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

[41]

RAHM BAGS FIRST EUROPEAN TITLE AT IRISH OPEN

J HARROGATE GC NORTH YORKSHIRE

THE BRADFORD GC NORTH YORKSHIRE

One of North Yorkshire's finest, having opened in 1892, Harrogate boasts a long and rich history. Its 18-hole, 6,198-yard heathland/ parkland course, designed by the legendary Alister MacKenzie, is not long by modern standards, but its par of 69, with Mackenziestyled greens, well-placed bunkers and tree-lined fairways, makes this little gem a true test of golf. The clubhouse offers a warm welcome, with excellent food, and visitors to the area can book a midweek fourball for just £120 (£30 per player).

Located 10 miles from Leeds, The Bradford Golf Club’s 18-hole course, which first opened in 1923, is one of legendary architect Herbert Fowler’s finest designs. Offering stunning panoramic views across Baildon and the Rombalds Moor, the layout has recently benefitted from a thoughtful re-discovery of its heritage, enhancing the original Fowler design, with trees now forming more natural groups. The 16th and 17th holes form part of a quartet of finishing holes that are arguably the hardest in Yorkshire.

Web: harrogate-gc.co.uk Tel: 01423 862999

Web: bradfordgolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01943 875570 Email: secretary@bradfordgolfclub.co.uk

CRAIGMILLAR PARK GC EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

FRILFORD HEATH GC OXFORDSHIRE

Boasting fantastic views across the city of Edinburgh and the Firth to Fife, Craigmillar’s par-70 course was first established in 1907. It expanded from nine to 18 holes in 1927 at the hands of James Braid. Laid out over the undulating slopes near the Royal Observatory, the 5,828-yard layout will test all elements of your game. Green fees start from £25pp, and society packages from £32pp.

Founded in 1908, Frilford Heath is one of the few clubs in England to boast three 18-hole courses – the Red, Green and Blue. The 6,912-yard Red is the championship layout, having been designed by JH Taylor and hosted numerous top-class professional and amateur events, while the 6,728-yard is the newest, having opened in 1994. Visitors are welcome seven days a week, with a summer all-day golf package costing £100/£130 (wd/we).

Web: craigmillarpark.co.uk Tel: 0131 667 0047 Email: manager@craigmillarpark.co.uk

Web: frilfordheath.co.uk Tel: 01865 390864 Email: events@frilfordheath.co.uk

on Rahm captured his European Tour title in swashbuckling style at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, as the Spaniard put on a masterful display at Portstewart Golf Club to close out a six-shot victory.

The 22 year old was confidence personified in front of the supportive Northern Irish fans, and his round took off in spectacular fashion at the fourth, where he holed out for an eagle three to move two shots clear of the pack.

Six more birdies, as well as another eagle at the 14th, were enough to launch Rahm into an insurmountable lead, and even two bogeys in the final three holes could not dampen his spirits on the rainy north coast of Northern Ireland, as he carded a final round 65 for a 24 under par total.

“I know the trophy is right next to me, and my name is going to be there for ever now, but it seems hard to believe that it's happened,” said the clearly delighter winner. “It's somewhat surreal. I just look at it [the trophy] and I see Nick Faldo, I see José Maria Olazábal, I see Nick Faldo again, I see Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam, Seve. That's a list of the greatest European Tour players ever, and to have my

name next to it, and the last one - Rory McIlroy – it's so special.

“To shoot 24 under and win by six - that is not something I would have believed I was capable of. I learned a lot about myself and it's a really, really special day.”

Richie Ramsay shared second place on 18 under with Essex’s Matt Southgate, but they both left Northern Ireland with huge consolation prizes, the former earning a spot alongside Rahm in the Open, and the latter virtually securing his playing privileges on the European Tour for 2018.

Justin Rose finished with a 68 to share fourth on 17 under par alongside David Drysdale and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox – both of whom also secured their place in the Open.

MICKELSON PARTS COMPANY WITH CADDY ‘BONES’

BOWOOD, SPA AND GOLF RESORT WILTSHIRE Voted Wiltshire’s No.1 golf course, Bowood’s 18-hole championship course was designed by the late Dave Thomas and is an exciting prospect for all levels of golfer who have a passion for the game.

With easy access from the M4, the meticulously maintained course winds through the beautiful Wiltshire estate and blends perfectly with the wooded and undulating countryside. Visitors and societies are welcome all year round, and summer green fees start from as little as £35. Midweek Society Golf Days are available from £40.

MANNINGS HEATH WEST SUSSEX

Mannings Heath boasts 27 holes of top quality golf divided between the 18-hole Waterfall Course and the 9-hole Kingfisher Course. The former, which is ranked inside the UK’s Top 100, measures 6,683 yards off the tips and offers woodland golf at its finest, while the 3,314-yard Kingfisher is slightly more forgiving. The beautiful clubhouse features the Benguela Brasserie and a new wine tasting bar. Summer green fees are from £65 on the Waterfall and £15 on the Kingfisher.

Web: www.bowood.org/golf Tel: 01249 823 881 Email: proshop@bowood.org

Web: manningsheath.com Tel: 01403 210228 Email: info@manningsheath.com

TORWOODLEE GC GALASHIELS, SCOTLAND

BURNHAM BEECHES GC BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Located 30 miles south of Edinburgh, Torwoodlee welcomes visitors from around the world to sample its majestic 18-hole course and experience the warmest of Scottish Borders hospitality. The picturesque 6,021-yard parkland course is set in a valley amongst mature trees, flanked by the River Gala. Golf News readers can book a special rate for a four ball of £80 (£100 including buggies fitted with GPS).

Founded in 1891, Burnham Beeches is located in the Thames Valley in South Buckinghamshire and provides a challenging 6,458-yards, par-70 golf course that is presented in superb conditions and laid out in a beautiful woodland setting. The clubhouse serves an excellent choice of beers and home-cooked food. Visitors are welcome on weekdays, with summer green fees set at £60 per round, while society packages start from £70pp.

Web: torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01896 752260 Email: torwoodleegolfclub@btconnect.com

Web: bbgc.co.uk Tel: 01628 661448 Email: enquiries@bbgc.co.uk

T

he longest and one of the most famous player-caddie relationships in the history of the game came to a surprising and sudden end last month, after Phil Mickelson and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay announced they were parting ways.

In a statement released on June 20, Mickelson said: “After 25 very rewarding and memorable years, Bones and I have mutually decided to end our player-caddie relationship. Our decision is not based on a single incident. We just feel it’s the right time for a change.”

Mickelson added: “Bones is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated caddies in the world. He is always prepared, and has the ability to make decisions in pressure-packed situations.

Bones is without a doubt one of the most thoughtful people that I have ever known. The next player to work with him will obviously be very lucky.”

The pair had been together for 25 years, with Mackay carrying the bag on each of Mickelson’s 48 professional wins, including his five major triumphs. The 47-year-old left-hander’s last victory came at the Open Championship in 2013.

Mickelson missed last month’s US Open to watch his daughter’s graduation, giving up the chance to become only the sixth player in history to win the career grand slam. Mackay turned up at Erin Hills on the off chance that there might be a weather delay, and Mickelson could play after all, but those turned out to be Mackay’s final duties for Mickelson.

Mickelson’s brother, Tim, the former head coach at Arizona State University who is now Jon Rahm’s agent, will take over as caddie for the rest of the season.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

[42]

OPEN QUALIFYING ROUND-UP

There were five regional Open qualifying tournaments held in the South East on June 26, with nine others being held at other venues throughout the UK. Those who qualified progressed to final qualifying on July 4, which took place at Gailes, Hollinwell, Hillside, Woburn and Royal Cinque Ports.

F

rilford Heath amateur Oliver Huggins was among the seven qualifiers through to final qualifying after shooting a one-under-par 71 at his home course. Also scoring one under was Henley’s Narendra Yonjan, while four players shared top spot on ■ RAYMOND RUSSELL two under, including former FROM CENTURION CLUB European Tour player Van SHOT A 68 TO QUALIFY Phillips (Stoke Park) and Ricky Brackenbury (Orsett).

Dartford’s Michael Saunders topped the leaderboard at the Wildernesse, qualifier, shooting a four-under-par 68 to win by one shot from a quartet of players that included three professionals - Michael Lowe, Craig Sutherland, Tom Muchmore – and amateur Jack Dyer (Rochford Hundred). The remaining three places went to Chris Croucher (Singing Hills), Dan Brown (Littlestone) and Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach).

There were just five qualifiers from at Luffenham Heath, with tour pro Tom Whitehouse taking the top spot with a three-under-par 67, one shot ahead of amateur Michael Pask (Royal Wimbledon). Jack Gaunt (Drayton Park), Kevin Crossland and Neil Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire) took the remaining

■ MAX BRACKLEY FROM MANSTON SHOT A 68 AT BURHILL

qualifying spots with 69s.

Eight players were successful at Sandy Lodge, with Milbrook amateur Jack Hawksby leading the qualifiers with a three-under-par 67, which saw him finish one shot ahead of Rob Watson (The Shire), Luke Goddard (Hendon), James Ruebotham (Welwyn) and Raymond Russell (Centurion).

■ AFTER A LONG BREAK FROM THE GAME The remaining three spots went to GARY EVANS MISSED OUT ON A SPOT AT BURHILL Harry Casey (Enfield), Eillot Crue (Sandy Lodge) and Rob Sutton (Dunstable Downs), who all shot 69s.

Over at Remedy Oak in Dorset, South Africa’s Martin Rohwer finished on top with a five-under-par 67, narrowly beating Josh Hilleard (Farrington Park), with Sean Whiffin (Hertfordshire) and Sam Boyes (Corhampton) tied in third on two under.

Matt Mumford (Wrag Barn), amateurs Noah Hessey (Long Ashton) and Jamie Clare (Long Sutton) were the final qualifiers, along with ■ A JOURNEY WORTHWHILE FRANCIS Haydn Reay (Army).

MCGUIRK FROM PRINCES TRAVELLED 400 MILES TO QUALIFY AT WEST LANCS The best round of the day came at Burhill, where Chart Hills’ Conor Fletcher topped the ■ PAUL NESSLING FROM COODEN scoring with a six under par 66 saw him finish BEACH QUALIFIED two shots ahead of Max Brackley (Manston) AT WILDERNESSE to book his place at final qualifying. Woking amateur Peter Jackon took third with a 69, while the remaining four places went to Abs Mawji, Richard Wallis (Canterbury), Xabier Gorospe (Spain), Chris Rodgers (Richings Park) and Jacob Oakley (Styal).

Prince’s Golf Club’s Francis McGuirk made the long trip to West Lancs to take part in his ■ LUKE GODDARD FROM qualifier, and the 400-mile journey paid off HENDON QUALIFIED when he finished tied second on one under.

AT SANDY LODGE For the full list of scores visit www.theopen.com.

Seaford Head Golf Course WE ARE OFFERING SOME GREAT SOCIETY AND ■ ALVARO QUIROS WON BACK HIS EUROPEAN TOUR CARD WITH VICTORY IN SICILY GOLF DAY PACKAGES PAR ● ●

Full English Breakfast,Coffee &18 holes £26.00 pp Midweek ● £29.00 Weekend & Bank Holidays

BIRDIE ● ● ●

Coffee, Bacon Roll &18 Holes Selection from Society lunch menu £30.00 pp Midweek ● £33.00 pp Weekend & Bank Holidays

EAGLE ● ● ●

Full English Breakfast, Coffee &18 Holes Selection from Society lunch menu £32.50 pp Midweek ● £36.50 pp Weekend & Bank Holidays

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FEATURE | JULY 2017 [43]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

1. CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

REASONS TO

Founded in 1890, Burnham & Berrow Golf Club boasts one of the finest links courses in England, which

VISIT

has hosted many of the game’s leading amateur championships, including the British Ladies Amateur, the Brabazon Trophy, the Tillman Trophy, the British Boys, and, this month, the McGregor Trophy. It has also hosted Open Championship qualifying. It was designed by a collection of architects that included Herbert Fowler and Hugh Alison, while Alister

BURNHAM & BERROW GOLF CLUB

4. FIRST CLASS HOSPITALITY The focal point of the clubhouse is the spacious and comfortably furnished lounge and bar, which overlooks the course. With doors opening onto a covered terrace, golfers can watch the sun set behind the dunes as the last players complete the 18th hole. The clubhouse is a treasure trove of golfing memorabilia, with original maps of the course and period photos of past competitions. There is also a spacious restaurant and a full-size snooker table.

Mackenze and Harry Colt also played significant roles in the way the course looks and plays today. Its first

5. NEW PRO SHOP AND PERFORMANCE STUDIO

club professional was five-time Open champion JH Taylor.

A new pro shop and golf performance studio

2. CLASSIC LINKS LAYOUT

opened at the club just six months ago. The £250,000 renovation resulted in the creation of a

Set among the towering sand dunes on the Bristol

state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor swing studio

Channel coast, the 6,725-yard, par-71 Championship

featuring the very latest swing analysis systems

course presents a classic out-and-back test, with

and launch monitors. Custom fitting for all the

the front nine skirting the sand dunes and coastline

top brands of equipment is also offered, while the

northwards, while the back nine turns inland and

entire operation is staffed by a team of five fully-

southwards to follow the coast road through Berrow,

qualified PGA professionals, headed up by David

past the church and back into Burnham.

Haines and Graham Coombe.

It’s a challenging layout, with tumbling fairways laid out in narrow valleys, protected by deep bunkers and

6. 9-HOLE CHANNEL COURSE

thick rough. The greens are small, fast and notoriously undulating, requiring precision approach shots to

One of the hidden jewels of the South West,

score well. The par threes are particularly memorable,

the 9-hole Channel Course offers a wonderful

while the 18th, a dogleg par four, is one of the

introduction to links golf to everyone from absolute

strongest finishing holes you’ll ever come across.

beginners to seasoned professionals. With 18 tees, it

The Championship Course, which is ranked 31st

can be played as a 5,852-yard course, or as a 9-hole

in Golf Monthly’s Top 100 UK & Ireland courses,

course for a quicker experience. Either way, the

has recently benefitted from a major renovation

course is always presented in excellent condition, and

programme which has seen new tees constructed on

is playable all year round.

the 6th, 9th and 11th, which has not only extended the length of the course, but created spectacular

7. ATLANTIC LINKS

panoramic views of the course and the north Atlantic coast.

3. B&B AT B&B Burnham & Berrow’s Dormy House, a self-contained detached property located within walking distance of the clubhouse, is the perfect golfers’ retreat.

Featuring four twin rooms and a spacious lounge, it can accommodate groups of eight. There are precious few dormy houses left in England, but Burnham & Berrow is proud to uphold a uniquely British tradition.

■ THE NEW INDOOR STUDIO

Burnham is the gateway to England’s Atlantic Links – a tantalizing trail of the six premier championship

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links courses in south-west England that has quickly established itself as one of the premier golf destinations in the UK. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the north Atlantic Coast, this cluster of golfing gems comprises Burnham & Berrow in Somerset, Royal North Devon and Saunton in North Devon, and Trevose and St Enodoc in Cornwall.

[44] JULY 2017 | INTERVIEW

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

FOCUSED FLEETWOOD After winning twice on the European Tour this season and finishing fourth in the US Open, Lancashire’s TOMMY FLEETWOOD has moved in the world’s top 15 and has Majors on his mind

I

Winning in Abu Dhabi was just the culmination of a long period of improvement. It was a massive goal. At one point last year I was just trying to make cuts to make any money, but as everything came together we started targeting the top 60, the DP World Tour Championship, thinking that would be a decent outcome, considering my struggles.

By the time we got into the start of the 2017 season, I was already thinking about winning. Thinking, hoping, it would just be a matter of time – which it turned out to be.

Getting over the line in Abu Dhabi was just the final piece in the jigsaw.

’d never contended in a major before last month’s US Open, so it was all a bit a learning curve. I wasn’t sure how I’d react to being in the final groups over the weekend, but I felt fine and actually enjoyed the whole experience. Saturday was brilliant, and I played fantastic, and I was really proud of myself. It didn’t quite all go to plan on the Sunday, which was a bit scrappy, but I shot level par without playing that well, so there were lots of positives to take away. I definitely feel like I’ll be in a better position to handle myself if I ever get into that situation again.

Brooks Koepka was very impressive. I played alongside him on the final day, and although I was focusing on my own game, it was hard not to be impressed by the way he played, and the way he kept his composure. It was good stuff to watch, but I wished it had been me.

Golf is a funny game. Before things came back together last year, I was definitely in a bit of a slump. I peaked at 47th in the world at the Open in 2015, when I shot a good first round, and literally the very next day had a terrible round, and my game never came back for a year, and I dropped down to 188th. I was properly struggling. I had the odd top-20, but it was mostly missed cuts, and firing it all over the golf course. Practice sessions would sometimes go ok, but when I got out on the course it was always hard

■ FLEETWOOD HAS STRUCK UP A PROFITABLE PLAYER-CADDY PARTNERSHIP WITH LONG-TIME FRIEND IAN FINNIS

work. My main strength has always been my driving, and I couldn’t even do that.

I tried to change my swing to become a world-class player, but I couldn’t make it work. Looking back, I was really naïve, as I didn’t understand that all golfers have a way of swinging it, and it’s very hard to change that, or go against what you have been born with. So I went back to my old coach, Alan Thompson, who has known my swing since I was 13, and he knows better than anyone what it takes for me to play my best golf. In a sense, I’ve gone back to my basics, but also added a lot, too, and it seems to have paid off.

I know everybody talks about my ball striking when it's good, but I felt like my short game was equally impressive during the French Open. I had to rely on my short game a lot to get out of trouble, and I had to remain patient enough to stay in the tournament when I wasn't playing well. Paris National is such a tough track, especially those holes down the stretch, and the shots you have to hit. I was really proud of the way I managed to execute those shots under that pressure. I hit a great 3-wood off the final tee, and then was just pleased ot find the green with my second. I left myself a five-footer to win, inside left lip, and in she went. To win on that golf course, in a Rolex Series event, was a massive bonus.

I wish the points tally for next year’s Ryder Cup could have started a few months go, given the form I’ve been in. I won

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

INTERVIEW | JULY 2017 [45]

I PLAYED IT A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH MY DAD AND THERE WERE POSTERS ADVERTISING THE PLAYERS WHO WERE GOING TO BE THERE. ONE OF THEM WAS ME AND I SAID, ‘DAD, THAT’S WEIRD!’ I GUESS I’LL HAVE TO GET USED TO BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT THERE NOW at Gleneagles the year before the 2014 Ryder Cup was held there, and didn’t manage to get in the side, but hopefully the omens will be different this time. Winning in Paris, and showing good course form, certainly won’t harm my chances, and hopefully I can keep up my form and get there next year.

My sights are definitely set on winning the Race to Dubai points list. It's going to be tough. I was a long way ahead before Sergio won the Masters. You can't control what other people do. With how strong the Tour is, there's no reason why people can't win majors. It might be me; it might be someone else. But it's great to be leading the Race to Dubai. It is something that I'll look at now and, no matter what happens, come the last event, I'm going to have a chance of winning it. It's something new, something I've never done, but its very exciting. Not a lot of people get the chance to win it - it’s a very exclusive club.

I’m really excited about The Open being held at my home course, Royal Birkdale. I tried to qualify when it was held there in 2008. I was 17 and, out of nowhere really, I got to the final of the Amateur Championship. When anybody wins the Amateur the first thing they’re told is, ‘You’re going to Augusta’, but the night before, lying in bed, I wasn’t that fussed about the Masters. It was all about Birkdale. I ended up losing the final and have basically waited since then. My dad walks the dog past the course every day, and when I was seven or eight we used to sneak on and hit a few shots when nobody was looking.

It’ll be nice to go to Birkdale in form, and having contended in a major for the first time. I played it a few months ago with my dad and there were posters advertising the players who were going to be there. One of them was me, and I said, ‘Dad, that’s weird!’ I guess I’ll have to get used to being in the spotlight there now.

My caddy, Ian Finnis, and I have been mates for a very long time. He caddied for me when I was an amateur, and when I first turned pro, and we’ve got a great friendship. He started caddying for me again in July last year, and it’s been great having somebody who has worked with you and trusted you during all the dark times, and then, a few months later,

■ FLEETWOOD HAS BEEN A MODEL OF CONSISTENCY ON TOUR THIS SEASON AND CURRENTLY LEADS THE RACE TO DUBAI RANKINGS

■ FLEETWOOD PLAYED ALONGSIDE BROOKS KOEPKA IN THE FINAL ROUND OF THE US OPEN

when you’re coming down the stretch, and you’ve got your best mate next to you. There’s no-one better to have on your shoulder at those moments.

A lot of players who used Nike clubs have switched to using other brands, since they stopped making new clubs, but right now I’m happy with what I’ve got in my bag. I've been with Nike since I was 13, and always used their equipment. I’ve switched ball brands, but I still love my Nike irons. My Nike 5-wood is my favourite club in the bag. I could never change that. And the driver, I've just not found anything that is better yet. The time will come eventually. I'm sure I'll make a change, but at the moment, it's the best equipment for me. It’s hard to change just for the sake of changing – I've just not found anything better yet.

I got a bit of stick for wearing those Nike joggers at the BMW at Wentworth. I really like them – I genuinely think they are great – but it’s not everyone’s style. I asked Keith Pelley if it was ok to wear them, and he said ‘I love them'.

I wear them all the time at home and when I'm going out, so I might as well wear them on the golf course. I like trying new things and try anything that Nike throws at me.

I'm playing lots of event this summer because my fiancée Clare and I are expecting our first baby in October, so my schedule will slow down a bit in the autumn. It would be nice to still be challenging for the Race to Dubai title, but my family will come first.

FLEETWOOD FACTS AGE: 26 TURNED PRO: 2010 LIVES: SOUTHPORT, LANCS WORLD RANKING: 15TH RACE TO DUBAI: 1ST (2017), 41ST (2016) EUROPEAN TOUR APPEARANCES: 172 WINS: 3 (FRENCH OPEN 2017, ABU DHABI GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2017, JOHNNIE WALKER CHAMPIONSHIP 2013) CAREER PRIZE MONEY: €8.1M BEST MAJOR FINISH: 4TH US OPEN 2017 SCORING AVERAGE: 69.43 (4TH) DRIVING DISTANCE: 303 YARDS (56TH) DRIVING ACCURACY: 75% (13TH) GREENS IN REG: 80% (2ND) PUTTING AVERAGE: 30.8 (205TH)

WHAT’S IN TOMMY’S BAG? DRIVER: NIKE VAPOR FLY PRO (9.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: NIKE VAPOR FLY (15°, 19°) IRONS: NIKE VR PRO COMBO (4), VR PRO BLADES (5-9) WEDGES: CALLAWAY MACK DADDY FORGED (48°, 52°, 56° & 60°) PUTTER: ODYSSEY WHITE HOT PRO #3 BALL: TITLEIST PRO V1X

[46] JULY 2017 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MY FAVOURITE...

Belgian tour star Thomas Pieters reveals a few of his favourite things, and there isn’t a waffle in sight

Favourite career highlight?

My Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine, along with winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 golf championship in 2012. I was in my second year at Illinois University, and the tournament was at Riviera Country Club.

My three European Tour wins also are special in their own way.

Favourite shot?

An 8-iron into the final green at last year’s Czech Open. Even though I had a two-shot lead, it was my first time under that level of pressure to win a tournament, and to pull it off gave me a lot of satisfaction.

Least favourite shot?

Another 8-iron, this time into the 17th in the Spanish Open in 2014, when I lost to Miguel Angel Jimenez in a play-off. I just hit a terrible shot and didn't get up and down.

Fovourite course in the world?

Pebble Beach. The views are just amazing.

Favourite course in the UK? I like Carnoustie – it's really tough, and you need to hit really good golf shots. I love links golf.

Favourite European Tour venue?

Leopard Creek in South Africa, no doubt. The views on that course are amazing. The Old Course at St Andrews comes a very worthy second place.

Favourite hole?

The par-3 5th at Pebble Beach. Nobody really talks about this hole – it's hugely underrated.

Favourite club in the bag?

My Callaway Epic driver, of course. It goes miles. Having said that, my wedges are pretty special also. Roger Cleveland made them specifically for me.

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

NEWS | JULY 2017

[47]

STORY

BEHIND THE PIC • BEN CURTIS • OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ROYAL ST GEORGE’S • JULY 23RD 2003

Favourite mid-round snack?

A healthy nut mix, banana or apples, a sandwich and the occasional handful of Haribo when I’m low on sugar.

Favourite sports team?

The Chicago Bulls basketball team.

Favourite sportsman?

Roger Federer.

Favourite films?

Space Jam, Columbiana, and The Dark Knight.

Favourite TV show?

I like Suits, The Office, and Californication.

Favourite book?

Andre Agassi’s biography – Open.

Favourite restaurant?

Frituur de Vijfhoek in Nijlen, Belgium.

Favourite band?

Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Favourite holiday destination?

Lake Como in Italy.

I’ve been camping there a few times, which might surprise a few people.

Dream fourball?

Michael Jordan, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods.

PLAYING IN HIS FIRST MAJOR championship, and ranked 396 in the world, Ben Curtis’s victory at St George’s in 2003 was the first by a rookie since Tom Watson’s triumph in 1975.

The 26 year old from Ohio had never set foot on a links course before he rocked up in Kent to play the biggest tournament of his life.

His trip to the Open was only the result of a high finish at the previous week's tournament in the States, a result he had needed more to boost his hopes of retaining his PGA Tour card than setting him on the road to golfing history.

Staying with his girlfriend in a B&B in Wingham, Curtis was among the first players to turn up at St George’s, getting there a week ahead of schedule to acclimatise to the conditions and play a few practice rounds.

Without time to organise a caddy, a local man from Maidstone, Andy Sutton, was given the job, after he put in a call to a few of the management companies to see if there was a bag going spare.

There was, and Sutton, who was John Bickerton’s caddy at the time, soon had his work cut out teaching his new employer the ways of links golf. One crucial piece of advice was to chip with an eight iron around the greens instead of the American's preferred wedge – a tip which

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paid dividends.

Making the cut with two oneover-par 72s, a Saturday 70 saw Curtis enter the final day’s play in third place, two shots behind the leader, Thomas Bjorn, while Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia all lurked within striking distance.

Curtis left the best until last, shooting 69 to take the clubhouse lead. He was six under for the day after 11 holes, and limited the damage coming home, making a 10-foot putt on 18 to save par, after dropping four strokes in the last six holes.

Bjorn, meanwhile, who had topped the leaderboard for much of the final round, imploded on the

par-3 16th, taking three shots to get out of a greenside bunker en route to a championship-ending six, and leaving Curtis to be crowned champion in front of a stunned St George’s crowd.

Now aged 40, Curtis won twice on the PGA Tour in 2006, and managed top 10s in the Open in 2007 and 2008. He also finished second in the US PGA Championship in 2009, and played in the 2008 Ryder Cup. Sadly, he’s only made four cuts on tour in the last three years, but he’ll always have St George’s, and he has an invitation to play in the Open until 2042. A second Claret Jug would be unlikely, but then again…

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[48] JULY 2017 | Q & A

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LEAN, MEAN,

PUTTING MACHINE After 45 years as a professional, Bernhard Langer has won it all, but the 59 year old German shows no signs of slowing down, and later this month will be the hot favourite for his third victory in the Senior Open Championship, which returns to Royal Porthcawl in Wales, where he demolished the field by 13 shots in 2014

Y

ou won the US Senior Players Championship last year, and then won last month’s Senior PGA Championship to capture the grand slam of five Senior major titles.

What does that mean to you, in light of your past achievements?

Well, it means a great deal to win two Majors at the age of 59. I'm not sure many people have done that.

And to surpass Jack Nicklaus’s record of eight senior Majors is also pretty neat.

I'm a good friend of Jack's, and I think very highly of him, and whenever you can do something just similar or close to what he's achieved, you've done something pretty special.

So I'm excited at where my game is at this point, and looking forward to hopefully a couple more good years competing, and then we'll see where it takes me. I’ve just got to try and stay healthy and keep a strong mind.

To win back-to-back Majors is very unusual, and I've done it twice now, so I’m very fortunate. I knew my game was in pretty good shape coming into the PGA, after winning by four or five shots the previous week, but I truly didn't expect to pull it off again. I was fortunate to make a couple of very important putts, and then I got my nose in front of Vijay [Singh] and never looked back.

It’s been a whirlwind of couple of weeks for me, and hopefully this is encouraging for people that are my age that they can still improve their game, that they can still play good golf, and get better even at age in the late 50s or early 60s.

How much are you looking forward to returning to Royal Porthcawl this month to defend the Senior Open you won by 13 shots in 2014?

I would be thrilled to be in the hunt for the championship coming down the last nine holes and to win the trophy again, but I doubt anyone is going to win by that margin this year.

It’s always nice to distance yourself from the field, but 13 shots was a bit of a freak result. That kind of form only happens once in a blue moon. Everything came together that year, I drove the ball extremely well in the firm conditions, and I putted well, making a number of long putts, and I’m not sure I three-putted all week.

Combined with a decent iron game, it allowed me to move ahead of the field and build up a comfortable lead. It won’t happen again like that, but if you asked me where I’d like to try and win a third consecutive major, then Royal Porthcawl would be a solid choice.

■ OLD STYLE TECHNIQUE

■ NEW STYLE TECHNIQUE

I WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED THAT THEY INTRODUCED THE BAN. I REALLY WAS. AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF ALLOWING LONG PUTTERS TO BE USED IN THAT WAY, IT SEEMED LIKE RATHER A LATE DECISION TO MAKE

Seven of your nine senior Majors have come in the second half of your 50s. Have you surprised yourself at how you’ve managed to improve your game as you’ve got older?

A little bit, yes. When I came on the senior tour, my aim was to be one of the top-five or 10 players out here. And I think that I've achieved that. When you look at the statistics, most guys have the most success from about 50 to 54, and then the performance curve goes down. Well, I'm trying to change that. I’ve been inspired by the likes of Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead, Bob Charles and Gary Player – those guys that have lasted longer than most. And so I'm trying to be a part of that group, and so far I'm doing ok, but the future will tell how that goes.

As you've said, you’ve suffered from the yips on and off throughout your career, but how are you able to putt so well now, especially in light of the anchoring ban?

I'm pretty comfortable with the way I'm putting now, because I've been practising with this putter for 17 or 18 years. It was tough for me to go from being anchored to non-anchored, I would be lying if I said it was a piece of cake, it wasn't. It took several months of very hard work and dedication to get comfortable with not anchoring it. I tried all sorts of putters, different lengths, different grips. I probably tried 25 to 30 different models. I tried a regular grip, cross‑handed, claw, and some of them worked ok. But I've found a way that I feel reasonably comfortable with most of the time, not always. Last year, I putted pretty well and this year it's been all right, too. So it's encouraging for me to see that even under pressure I can still make some putts.

You came in for some public criticism during last month’s US Senior Open, when TV footage appeared to show the top of your putter touching your shirt. How did you react to those comments?

During my 45-year career as a professional golfer, I have called penalties on myself. I believe in honesty and integrity, and I could not live with myself if I broke a rule and did not incur the penalty. I’m certain that I am not anchoring the putter, and that my putting stroke is not violating the Rules of Golf. On several occasions, I have been in contact with the USGA and rules officials on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, and each time I have been assured that my putting stroke is within the Rules of Golf. I will remain open and honest with rules officials and the governing bodies, and I will continue

to play with the same integrity that I’ve displayed throughout my career.

You're arguably part of the greatest generation of golfers to come out of Europe over the last 30 to 40 years. And out of all those players, you're the only one that's still competitive at all levels. Is there any reason why you have been able to do that, where most of your contemporaries haven’t?

Well, that's not quite true. A lot of older guys are still playing well competitively, but I can’t speak for them.

Everybody has different plans for their lives. I can only speak for myself – I enjoy competing, I enjoy playing golf. It's a big part of my life. But I have lots of other interests, so I'm very happy playing golf for half the year and have the other half to spend time with my family doing things that I enjoy doing.

I turned pro when I was 15. I'm 59 now. So I've been a pro for coming up to 45 years. That's a lot of wear and tear on the body. I have my aches and pains, and there's not a day that goes by where not something is hurting. But I still love it. I Iove to be in the heat of competition, and that's what drives me on.

Do you see a time coming soon when someone over 50 will win a Major?

I think it can only be a matter of time. Tom [Watson] almost did it at Turnberry. He was extremely unfortunate not to win that tournament. But sooner or later, it's going to happen. Guys like Davis Love, Vijay Singh and Fred Couples are still long enough to compete on any golf course. The guys are staying fitter for longer. They are taking care of themselves. We see it amongst the young guys – as they get older they are going to be in better shape, so it's just a matter of time.

Do you have a year in mind for your retirement?

I don't talk a lot about that because I'm still fairly healthy and I still enjoy what I'm doing. I've just probably had the best year in my life as a golfer in terms of consistency and performance, so unless my health goes really south in a hurry, I don't see a reason to retire. I still I love competing, and I’m able to balance my life where I play some events, but also have other things, which makes me eager and hungry to come back for more. Sorry to say, but I not giving up just yet!

The Senior Open Championship takes place at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales, from July 27-30. For tickets, visit www.senioropenchampionship.com.

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EQUIPMENT NEWS

THE GEAR EFFECT WHAT THE WINNERS WERE PLAYING ON TOUR

POWAKADDY ROLLS OUT BUILT-IN GPS TROLLEY POWAKADDY HAS UNVEILED its first power trolley that comes with fully-integrated GPS technology.

The FW7s GPS has GPS technology built in to a 3.5inch digital screen that offers distances to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as to hazards, at over 30,000 golf courses worldwide.

The GPS automatically locates the course where the golfer is playing, meaning there are no annual fees or subscriptions required, while any course updates are handled by connecting the FW7s GPS to PowaKaddy’s website via a USP port located underneath the handle.

by PowaKaddy’s compact Plug’n’Play battery system, which avoids wires or connectors, with a choice of an 18- or 36-hole lithium battery and a 230-watt motor.

It also includes a built-in digital scorecard, with every round saved to build a performance history for the owner, while the screen even reacts to the golfer’s final score by displaying different emojis based on whether they break their handicap or not. A demo mode enables potential buyers to get a preview of the trolley’s GPS capabilities before purchase, while once bought, the trolley is backed by a three-year warranty.

“We’re really, really excited about our integrated GPS technology and what it means for the performance-focused golfer,” said PowaKaddy marketing manager Mei Tierney. “Golfers can manage their game from their trolley handle without the need for getting any other device out of their bag or pocket – a real landmark moment for the electric trolley industry. As the GPS is built in to the trolley handle, we believe it offers a reliable source of distance measurement that is irrespective of mobile signal, battery or internet data.”

Like the FW7s, the GPS model boasts adjustable distance control, which sets the trolley off independently on a range of distances, a USB charging port, and a calorie counter. It is powered

The FW7s GPS is available with a gunmetal silver frame, and a choice of brushed silver or carbon graphite trims, and costs £79.99. For more details, visit www.powakaddy.co.uk.

PING HITS THE MARK WITH NEW CLOTHING COLLECTION PING’S MEN’S APPAREL range for spring/summer 2018 features an array of new designs and colours to help get you noticed on and off the golf course.

At the heart of the new polo shirt collection are three new colour choices - ‘Disruption’, ‘Drift Away’ and ‘Purple Haze’.

Punchy and bold, ‘Disruption’ makes an impression by pairing vibrant imperial blue with pops of orange burst. This combines with core navy and white to create a striking on-course statement. ‘Drift Away’ features a cool seafoam green as the lead colour, for a modern and contemporary look, while ‘Purple Haze’ combines shades of rich plum with cool blue and navy.

JORDAN SPIETH

TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Titleist 915D2 (9.5°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist 915F (15°) HYBRID: Titleist 816H2 (21°) IRONS: Titleist 716 T-MB (4), Titleist 716 AP2 (5-9) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (46°, 52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Scotty Cameron 009 Prototype BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

KYLE STANLEY

QUICKEN LOADS NATIONAL DRIVER: TaylorMade M1 (10.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M2 (15), Nike Covert VRS 2.0 (19) IRONS: TaylorMade PSi (4), Nike Vapor Pro Combo (5-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (52, 54), TaylorMade TP EF (58) PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Prototype BALL: Titleist Pro V1

XANDER SCHAUFFELE GREENBRIER CLASSIC

DRIVER: TaylorMade M2 (9.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade M1 (15) IRONS: TaylorMade UDI (2), TaylorMade P750 (4-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 Raw (53, 57, 61) PUTTER: Odyssey Works Versa Big-T #5 BALL: TaylorMade Tour Preferred X

Incorporating Sensor Cool technology, the Harper, Quinn and Theodore polo shirts combine moisture movement performance, quick drying, stretch and crease-resistant properties, with a tailored fit.

Complementing the new Spring/Summer collection is the introduction of Tekfit waistband technology to the Bradley trouser and Hendrick short. This innovation provides up to two inches of additional waistband stretch for increased comfort, flexibility and freedom of movement.

The Knowles sweater is engineered from soft-touch merino and comes in a heather-coloured block fleck design. Its technical benefits include natural thermal and moisture moving properties.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD

New for outerwear is the Delta jacket. Engineered for optimum performance in windy conditions, this lightweight, windproof garment also offers superior water resistance. Advanced stretch fabrics and additional venting, for enhanced breathability, make this an essential, year-round jacket.

FRENCH OPEN

DRIVER: Nike Vapor Fly Pro (8.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike Vapor Fly (13, 19) IRONS: Nike VR Pro Combo (4), Nike VR Pro blades (5-9) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy Forged (48, 52, 56, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot Pro #3 BALL: Titleist ProV1x

KEEP YOUR VALUABLES IN CHECK WITH TILE MATE ABSENT-MINDED GOLFERS who are in the habit of losing keys, wallets and even golf bags, can find salvation in the Tile, a simple tracking device that helps you locate precious items in your life.

Available in two sizes, Tile Mate and Tile Slim, users simply attach the device to the item they want to keep track of, and then pair it up with the Tile App on a mobile phone.

If you’re late for a tee time and can’t find your car keys, you simply log on to the Tile App, then listen for the Bluetooth-activated ring alert from the Tile’s built-in speaker, or check the on-screen map on your phone for the Tile’s last known location. If you have your keys, but can’t find your phone, you simply press a button on the Tile itself and your phone will ring – even if it’s on silent.

Users must be within Bluetooth range – around 100 feet – of whatever they’ve lost to make a connection with the Tile, but if other Tile users are near your lost item, the Tile can still chime and update its location on the map.

Tile Mate (£25) is ideal for car keys, house keys or for attaching to golf bags, luggage, or even a pet’s collar, while Tile Slim (£30), which is 2.4mm thick, is perfect for putting into wallets, handbags and passport holders.

JON RAHM IRISH OPEN The ringtone is 90 decibels, which is loud enough to be heard in all but the noisiest environments, while battery life is around one year, depending on usage. There is no option to replace the battery, although discounted replacement Tiles are offered on the company’s website.

Tile Mate and Tile Slim are available from many high street stores, including John Lewis, Argos, Curry’s PC World, and Carphone Warehouse.

For more details, visit www.thetileapp.com.

DRIVER: TaylorMade M2 (10.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M1 (15, 19) IRONS: TaylorMade RSi TP UDI (4), TaylorMade P750 (5-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind (52, 56, 60) PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider Limited Red BALL: TaylorMade TP5x

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EQUIPMENT | JULY 2017

[51]

FAST & FORGIVING

MEET PING’S NEW G400 SERIES

Ping’s fastest and most forgiving driver, and an iron that delivers tour-level distance and ball flight, are the headline acts in the company’s new G400 Series, which hits pro shops this month

B

reaking tradition with the G Series’ traditionally small number increases – the series has progressed from 2 to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 over the last 14 years – Ping’s new G400 range of clubs marks yet another dramatic shift forward for the brand that has successfully annexed a large chunk of the game improvement market.

Comprising drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons and crossovers, the G400 Series is engineered to help golfers improve their consistency, manage their ball flight, and hit it further – all of which, throwing in a hot short game for good measure, should hopefully lead to lower scores.

strong flight. Hyper 17-4 stainless steel makes the face 40% stronger than traditional stainless steel and allows for a thinner face and 18% more flexibility. A composite backcavity badge creates a powerful sound and feel at impact, while a hydropearl chrome finish improves turf interaction.

G400 DRIVER

G400 HYBRID

The G400 driver, which saw the fastest and largest take up by Ping’s tour staff ahead of last month’s US Open, breaks the trend for big headed drivers, with its head shrunk to 445cc, against a maximum permissible volume of 460cc.

This small but significant decrease in overall size improves aerodynamics for faster clubhead speed, while raising the MOI higher than any previous Ping driver.

Available in standard, LST (low spin), and SFT (straight flight) heads, which can be loft adjusted +/- 1 degree, each features a titanium forged face, which is 6% thinner than that used in the G30 driver, 9% lighter, and flexes 16% more to increase ball speed by up to 2mph.

Weight removed from these areas is repositioned low and back in the sole using a high-density tungsten weight. This increases MOI, and results in tighter shot dispersion. A more streamlined crown, with more prominent turbulators, reduces drag by 15% to further boost clubhead speed.

The standard shaft offering boasts a counter-balanced design which features more mass in the head end to increase energy transfer, while a copper paint finish transitions to nearly black to reduce distractions at address.

Loft options: 9° & 10.5° (std), 8.5° & 10° (LST), 10° & 12° (SFT) RRP: £389

G400 FAIRWAY WOODS The G400 fairways feature many of the same technologies as the drivers, including a thin, lightweight crown for optimised CG and increased MOI, an adjustable hosel, and a backweight that further boosts MOI and stability.

To maximise distance, Ping has used maraging steel in the faces, which is 28% thinner than the G30, and provides a combination of strength and flexibility to create faster ball speeds and launch shots farther and higher.

The range also includes a 9-wood and three SFT (Straight Flight) choices (3, 5, 7), while a Stretch 3-wood is available in 13° and features a 43-inch shaft, larger clubhead and slightly forward CG location for lower spin.

Lofts: 3W (14.5°), 5W (17.5°), 7W (20.5°), 9W (23.5°), 3 SFT (16°), 5 SFT (19°), 7 SFT (22°), Stretch 3W (13°) RRP: £240

G400 IRONS The G400 iron is designed to offer tour-level distance combined with forgiveness and control. Its COR-Eye technology combines with a new top rail undercut to increase face flexing in a catapult-like fashion for faster ball speeds that launch shots higher and farther with low spin for a

Lofts: 4-9, PW, UW, SW, LW RRP: £110 per iron (steel), £120 (graphite)

The G400 hybrids feature the same technologies as the fairway woods, including clubfaces that are 11% thinner than the previous G model, which increases face flex by 35%, and adds about 1.5 mph ball speed.

Progressive CG locations enable golfers to gap their sets more easily.

The 2- and 3-hybrids shift weight to the toe to minimise a left bias, while the 4-, 5-, and 6-hybrids are designed to launch the ball higher with added forgiveness.

G400 Hybrid: Lofts: 2H (17°), 3H (19°), 4H (22°), 5H (26°), 6H (30°) RRP: £200

G400 CROSSOVERS Designed for players who prefer a more iron-like design to their hybrids, the G400 Crossovers feature a forward CG placement that creates straighter, longer shots and 20% higher launch than the previous G model. Other features include a hydropearl chrome finish that reduces friction through the turf, thin steel faces for faster ball speeds and improved sound, and 20g tungsten toe weights for higher MOI and more stability.

Lofts: 3 (19°), 4 (22°), 5 (25°) RRP: £200

[52] JULY 2017 | EQUIPMENT

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FOOTJOY DNA HELIX £175, FOOTJOY.CO.UK FootJoy’s new DNA Helix shoes, which go on sale this autumn, offer a blend of stability and flexibility in a lightweight, athletic design. A reworking of the DNA 2.0 shoe, they feature ChromoSkin leather uppers and a new NitroThin 3.0 TPU outsole, which is 23% lighter than the previous model. It also boasts a 13% wider heel area, with the cleats spread further apart, increasing balance and traction throughout the swing.

Other features that increase in-shoe comfort and cushioning include a foam collar, a stretch tongue, an extra-thick fitbed, and low-profile SoftSpikes Pulsar cleats. They come with a one-year waterproof warranty, and will be available in three colours for the laced model (white/red/blue, white/silver and black), and white/black only for the Boa closure model.

PRO SHOP

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR

LYNX PARALLAX RANGE

LYNXGOLF.CO.UK Although the original Lynx Parallax irons were used by Fred Couples and Ernie Els to win the 1992 Masters and the 1994 US Open respectively, the latest incarnation of the brand’s iconic irons are aimed at club golfers with slightly higher handicaps.

The old school Parallax irons were among the most sought-after one-piece, cast steel cavity backs of their generation, and the 2017 model retains much of those qualities – with a modern spin.

Features include a wide sole and a generous cavity back, which combine to minimise ‘fat’ shots, as well as providing high levels of forgiveness on off-centre strikes, and easy launching. The 17-4 stainless steel head has a double chrome plate finish and features CNC milled grooves for consistent distance control and spin.

A set comprises 5-PW, plus an optional 4-iron, while stock shafts are KBS 90 steel or Mitsubishi Bassara graphite, although full custom fitting options are available.

The iron is joined by a matching Parallax driver, fairway woods and hybrids.

The driver boasts a two-piece cast 460cc head and features a BiTitanium construction, with a power channel behind the clubface designed to deliver optimum ball speed and distance. The head is fully adjustable from 8.5 to 12.5 degrees, while the crown offers a high gloss mirror finish.

There are two fairway woods – 3 (15) and 5 (19) – and two hybrids (17, and 20 degrees), both of which feature the same design and technology developed in the driver.

HUGO BOSS PADDY PRO 1 £109, HUGOBOSS.COM Made from a cotton and elastane mix, the Paddy Pro 1 polo offers built-in stretch for easy-swinging comfort.

The colour-block design, which is also featured on the collar and cuffs, gives it a stylish twist, while the BOSS logo is located on the left chest and back neck. It is available in grey or white.

MIURA CB-2008 IRONS £1,800, PREMIUMGOLF.CO.UK The latest in Miura’s range of game-improvement irons, the CB-2008 is a midsize design that incorporates one-piece forging but mixes in forgiveness elements in the multi-material long irons.

The long irons (5-8) feature a single-piece forged face and neck made of soft carbon steel, combined with a stainless steelcomposite piece which adds a wider sole, extra mass to lower the centre of gravity, and additional perimeter weighting for improved stability on off-centre hits. While the face is just 4mm thick at its centre, the sole on the 7-iron is 20mm from leading to trailing edge – the widest ever offered in a Miura forged iron.

The four long irons are joined by single-piece forged cavity-back short irons in the 9-iron and pitching wedge to create a six-piece set. Muira irons are availale for custom fitting at Premium Golf, whose fitting centre is based at Worplesdon Golf Club in Surrey.

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EQUIPMENT | JULY 2017

NIKE COURSE CLASSIC £74.95, NIKE.COM Nike's latest summer offering for golfers is inspired by the brand's iconic Tennis Classic sneakers.

The new shoes, which come in white, black or navy, sport a waterproof upper with subtle Swoosh detailing, a foam midsole, and a spikeless outsole. They are made from a combination of real and synthetic leather, and feature a pull-tab on the heel. "Golf and tennis are similar in many ways with regards to time-honoured tradition, sportsmanship, heritage, as well as being classic in every way," said Nike’s footwear design director James Arizumi.

G/FORE SHAKA UMBRELLA £85, GFORE.COM G/Fore's latest umbrella is set to make positive waves in even the most miserable weather. The Shaka - a hand gesture which originated in Hawaii and has become a surfers' favourite - is the latest addition to the Italian brand’s ey-catching range of golfing accessories, which started out with a range of colourful gloves, and has also extended into footwear.

The custom 62-inch Haas-Jordan design features wind vents on all eight panels, solid fibreglass ribs, a black braided fibreglass shaft, slip-resistant ergonomic handle, and an epoxy dome handle medallion.

Golfers have three versions to choose from a thumbs-up, a peace sign, and a middle finger gesture, which should hopefully tell those rain clouds where to go.

CALLAWAY EPIC HYBRIDS £279, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM The new Callaway Epic hybrid borrows technologies and materials from the Epic ranges of drivers and irons to create a club intended to maximise distance, versatility and forgiveness.

Like the Epic drivers, the Epic hybrid has a crown made from a triaxial carbon-composite material that weighs just 5g. By using this material, instead of stainless steel, substantial amounts of weight can be redistributed to strategic areas of the head to dramatically increase MOI, lower the centre of gravity, and make the Epic more powerful, forgiving and easy to launch.

As with the Callaway Epic irons, there is a heavy tungsten internal standing wave shape inside the sole (35g), which also helps increase forgiveness and power.

To help produce more ball speed, the Epic hybrid featues an updated variable-thickness stainless steel face cup. Unlike hitting surfaces that are flat, this one has a ridge around the perimeter that helps broaden the sweet spot and protect ball speed over a larger area. The hyper speed face cup is thin and flexible – especially towards the bottom where most miss hits occur – to maximise ball speeds and carry distance.

The Epic hybrid is available in lofts of 18, 20 23 and 26 degrees, and comes with UST Mamiya Recoil 760 ES graphite shafts.

CALLAWAY STEELHEAD XR FAIRWAY WOODS

BIG MAX DRI LITE BAGS £199.99, BIGMAX.COM Bag and trolley specialist Big Max has launched three new golf bags under its popular Dri Lite range for 2017 – the Prime, Lite G and Lite 7. All three are designed to keep the rain at bay, with waterproof zips and tear-resistant waterproof fabric. The Prime cart bag weighs just 2.9kg, yet boasts plenty of features, including 14-full length dividers; 9.5-inch top; an oversize putter well; and nine pockets, including oversize cooler pocket and a valuables pocket.

The Lite G (£149.99) is a full-size stand bag featuring 14 full-length dividers and seven pockets, and can be carried or attached to a trolley, while the Lite 7 (£89.99) is ideal for more casual summer carrying rounds, featuring four dividers, a 7-inch top, and a double strap.

£229 PER CLUB Callaway's new Steelhead XR Fairway Woods are a modern interpretation of the iconic shape that made the original Steelhead one of the best-selling fairway woods of all-time.

Engineered with a modern Hawkeye Sole - re-contoured to increase versatility and smooth turf interaction to promote a clean, square contact from every type of lie - Steelhead XR features a steel face, a 6g carbon crown (20g lighter than the previous XR Fairway crowns), and a low and forward CG, promoting easy launch and low spin.

It features Hyper Speed Face Cup technology, which incorporates an extremely thin and flexible boundary area, which encourages faster ball speeds across a larger area of the face for long distance. Speed Step Technology also improves the head’s aerodynamics to promote faster head speed for more distance.

A wide variety of lofts are available, including 3+wood (13.5), 3 (15), 4+ (16), 5 (18), 7 (21), 9 (24) and Heavenwood (20.5).

Women’s Steelhead XR Fairways are available in 3, 5, 7, 9 and Heavenwood models. The stock shaft is a Mitsubishi Tensei CK.

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LOCK & LOAD

DIAL IN YOUR DISTANCES & LOWER YOUR SCORES WITH THE LATEST LASER RANGEFINDERS

GOLFBUDDY LR7 £249.99, eu.golfbuddyglobal.com Weighing 218g, the LR7 provides accurate distances to +/- 1 yard. With 6x magnification, it boasts four modes – standard, scan, pin and pin finder. Scan continuously measures for 10 seconds, showing distances to varying targets; pin mode scans for 10 seconds, before displaying the distance to the closest target; while pin finder mode repeats the function of pin mode, but adds in a vibration function for confirmation of an acquired target. Additional features include automatic shut off after 10 seconds, default to last used settings, an eyepiece adjustment for varying visual requirements, and a battery indicator.

NIKON COOLSHOT 80 VR £379.99, nikon.com

BUSHNELL PRO X2 £449, bushnell.eu

Nikon’s latest rangefinder will prove a boon to golfers afflicted with shaky hands whenever the flag comes into view, thanks to a new feature which blocks out the effects of external movement. The VR80, and its slope-adjusted partner, the VR80i (£419.99), both feature vibrationreduction technology, which results in a clearer picture and increased accuracy.

A new ‘distance-priority mode’ indicates when the rangefinder is locked on to the correct target and isn’t taking a reading from something further away in the background. An additional model, the 80i, incorporates ‘ID’ technology, which reveals slope adjusted yardages for use during practice rounds.

The Pro X2 boasts Slope-Switch Technology, which allows the user to toggle between normal and gradientadjusted distances at the sliding of a button on the side of the unit, so golfers can use it for both practice and competition. Housed in a robust rubber armoured metal case, it can measure up 1,300 yards, and pick up flags up 450 yards away. Distances up to 125 yards are measured in 1/10th of a yard for greater accuracy. It also offers JOLT Technology, which provides a short vibration to let you know when it has locked onto a flag.

It has both red and black digital display for varying light conditions.

CALLAWAY HYBRID £269, brandfusion.co.uk

CALLAWAY 300 PRO £269, brandfusion.co.uk

Combining the precision of a laser rangefinder with the added convenience of GPS course mapping, the Hybrid offers comprehensive distance information in a compact device that weighs 220g. Offering x6 magnification, Pin Acquisition Technology locks on to flags up to 300 yards away, with accuracy to within a single yard, while multiple targets can be measured up to 1,000 yards. The GPS function is preloaded with more than 30,000 golf courses, without any download or subscription fees, and offers distance measurements to the front, centre and back of greens, plus layup and carry yardages to hazards and doglegs, making is ideal for use when the pin is out of sight.

Offering x6 magnification, the Pro laser has an overall range of 1,000 yards and is capable of picking out a flag at up to 300 yards with the help of Pin Acquisition Technology, which seeks out the nearest target. Also offering slope distance adjustment, the device ‘chirps’ like a bird to let you know when its locked on to a target. It weighs just 215 grams and is compact enough to seat nearly into the palm of the hand. Waterproof and with a fog-resistant lens, it comes with own protective case with a loop for a bag strap, and is powered by a CR2 lithium battery.

BUSHNELL TOUR V4 £269, bushnell.eu

LEICA PINMASTER II PRO £499, leicagolf.com

Appreciably faster at hunting down those all-important numbers than the Tour V3, the V4 is also 30% smaller, and more ergonomically designed, making it even easier to slip into your golf bag or your hand when duty calls. Capable of measuring up to 400 yards to a flag, it features Jolt technology, which lets you know when the laser is locked onto the target via a short vibration. Boasting x5 magnification, it is available in standard and slope versions (£315), with the latter providing yardages that compensate for elevation changes. It is powered by a 3v battery and comes with a carry case, and a two-year warranty.

Leica’s Pro takes the slope of the terrain into consideration when measuring distances, and also locks onto the first target sighted, ignoring distant objects such as trees. Offering 7x magnification, it is accurate to within one yard at distances of up to 400 yards. Automatic brightness regulation ensures easy reading of the digital display, while the lens is protected by a water-repellant coating. An adjustable rubber casing ensures no distracting light enters the eyepiece during use, while the entire unit, which weighs 220g, is housed in a durable carbon fibre shell, and comes with its own protective carry case. 2,000 measurements.

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EQUIPMENT | JULY 2017 [55]

EQUIPMENT NEWS HEAVENLY WAVE GOODBYE TO THE SHANKS WITH

HYBRIDS

HUGO BOSS BECOMES OFFICIAL OPEN APPAREL SUPPLIER WORLD-RENOWNED luxury fashion house Hugo Boss has become the official outfitter of the Open Championship through a new sponsorship deal with the R&A.

W

hile most golfers have at least one or two hybrids in the bag these days, the Heavenly Hybrid set is entirely made up of them, on the basis that some players will benefit from their distance-enhancing and forgiveness qualities through the bag.

Designed by golf professional Stuart Smith, Heavenly Hybrids give golfers of all abilities greater distance, improved ball flight, and better control from every lie and every situation the golfers face in the course of a round.

The unique design of the Heavenly Hybrids, with their rounded soles and straight leading edges, makes those scorecard-wrecking shots from around the edge of the green as simple as putting, while the sand wedge makes escaping from bunkers similarly easy. And you can say goodbye to those painful shanks with the longer clubs too, as the widefaced head design makes it all but impossible to catch the hosel, while encouraging a high, yet penetrating ball flight for great distance and softlanding approach shots.

Tests have shown that Heavenly Hybrids hit the ball nine per cent further than equivalent irons, and are 10 per cent more accurate from inside 20 yards. Their easy-to-use design also makes them equally adept at finding the putting surface from the rough, with tests resulting in 70% of shots ending on the green when pitching from the rough near to the green.

Short-sided yourself in front of a

trap? Don’t worry – tests also showed that 77% of first shots using a lofted Heavenly Hybrid iron finished on the green when chipping over a bunker.

Smith, who has been a golf professional for over 20 years, says: "I wanted to produce a complete set of hybrids which would enable golfers of all abilities to improve their game, and get more enjoyment from playing, without having to change their swing. The response from people who've tried or bought the Heavenly Hybrids has been fantastic. We truly believe that hybrids are going play a bigger part in everyone’s game for the foreseeable future.”

Available in sets for men and women, and seniors, the 10-piece Heavenly Hybrid range comprises 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 irons, plus a hybrid pitching wedge, sand wedge and a gap wedge, which gives even more control for shots around the green.

Heavenly Hybrids are available for full custom fitting, with a variety of shaft flexes and lengths offered at no extra cost.

The complete set of Heavenly Hybrids costs £545, with clubhead covers included, while a long iron package (3, 4, 5) costs £195; a mid-iron package (6, 7, 8, 9) is priced at £255, and the short iron package (PW, GW, SW) costs £195. Individual clubs cost £67 each.

For more details or to place an order, visit www.heavenlyhybrid.com or call Stuart Smith on 07766 733560.

The R&A has agreed a five-year deal with Boss that will see a new specially-designed apparel range, ‘The Open Collection by Boss’, go on sale in the build-up to the 146th Open, which is being played at Royal Birkdale from July 20-23.

The special capsule collection, which features an embroidered official Open logo, is now available at the Open website, and will be on sale at the championship, and in a selection of Boss stores across the UK. To celebrate the new partnership, the first 25 customers who spend more than £150 on items

TAYLORMADE LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION

from the new collection will receive an 18th pin flag signed by current Open champion and Boss brand ambassador Henrik Stenson.

Under the agreement, Boss will outfit all officials and staff members at the Open, as well as having a pop-up shop in the merchandise pavilion, where Boss Green, the brand’s premium golf collection, will be sold.

Prices for cotton polo shirts start at £75.

Boss has been involved in golf since 1985 and currently sponsors a range of tour players, three of whom are confirmed to play in The Open.

For more information about The Open Collection

by Boss, visit TheOpen.com/shop.

TO CELEBRATE THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP’S return to Royal Birkdale, TaylorMade Golf has launched a range of bags and headcovers inspired by England’s famous flag colours.

Drawing additional insight from the philosophy of the course’s clubhouse architect, the Tour staff bag (£399) utilises intricate art deco patterns and features the famous red and white colours of the St George’s cross.

A total of 12 pockets allows for excellent storage whilst a 6-way velour top divider keeps the clubs organised.

Complete with umbrella sleeve, towel clip, rain hood and zip off belly panel for embroidery, the bag provides everything you’d expect from a Tour level staff bag.

This bag will be used by all of the TaylorMade staff professionals during the Championship week.

The FlexTech Stand Bag (£189) features the same nod to the St George’s cross, with the red/white colour scheme and the Union Jack lining. The patented FlexTech base ensures clubs don’t stick, through a smooth collapsible base and full length dividers. A water-resistant microsuede lined pocket keep valuables safe whilst a large internal cooler pocket will keep drinks cold Rounding off the theme, the headcover (£30) features the same red detailing as seen on the bags, with a full Union Jack lining and a Velcro closure. White piping finishes off the synthetic leather putter cover that is a must for the patriotic golfer.

BLOODLINE UNVEILS FREE-STANDING BLADE PUTTER GOLFERS who need help finding the bottom of the cup more often may want to take a look at a new self-standing putter, the Bloodline R1-J, which allows players to walk behind their putt to check alignment.

Used by a number of PGA Tour pros, the R1-J conforms to the rules of golf and is able to stand upright due its low balance point.

Weight has been removed from the oversized carbon fibre shaft and grip, and placed at strategic points in the stainless steel sole plate, which prevents it from tipping over. The head also features a CNC-milled aluminium face.

“We’ve been working on the R1-J Blade since we started the company,” said Bloodline Golf’s chief executive Brad Adams, who is the grandson of TaylorMade founder Gary Adams. “We’ve received feedback from tour players and have made refinements to the blade that can meet the demands that pros have. However, the technology is not just aimed at elite players, as all skill levels can lower their scores with improved alignment.”

■ THE HH1 DRIVING HYBRID

He added: "Our goal was to design a putter that golfers would choose to play regardless of whether it stands up on its own or not,” added Adams. “As a blade, it is surprising how stable and solid it feels at impact, as well as how well it stands on its own, despite it’s relatively compact footprint.”

Available in blade and mallet-shaped heads, the R1-J has a retail price of $499 and can be ordered online at www.bloodline.golf.

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WATCH & LEARN GPS IS ALL IN THE WRIST THESE DAYS, AS THESE SPORTY WATCHES SHOW

GARMIN APPROACH S60 £399, garmin.com Featuring a colour touchscreen display, the S60 is preloaded with course data on over 40,000 courses, including precise yardages to greens and hazards.

AutoShot technology allows users to chart and analyse all of their measured shots from a given round. It also records swing tempo, and, when paired with Garmin's TruSwing sensor, will also provide information on club path. It works with Garmin’s Connect mobile app for fitness tracking, and is available with interchangeable rubber straps to fit your personal style, while a premium version with a ceramic bezel and a black leather strap is available for £479.99.

GOLFBUDDY WTX £199.99, eu.golfbuddyglobal.com

SKYCADDIE LINX VUE £169.95, skycaddie.com

Weighing 62g, and boasting a slim body and a brushed steel bezel, the WTX offers smartphone-style touchscreen navigation, and provides distances to front, centre, back of greens, as well as hazards to over 38,000 courses worldwide.

It also offers full-colour overhead hole layouts, plus dynamic green view, pin position selection, and shot distance measurement. Smartphone compatibility enables free map updates to be downloaded automatically via Bluetooth, while it also offers fitness watch features such as an odometer and GPS tracking.

When not in GPS mode, the face can be switched to look like an analogue or a digital watch, to suit your style.

The LinxVue watch wirelessly pairs with SkyCaddie’s mobile GPS app to deliver the convenience of a GPS watch and the easy-to-view screen of a smartphone.

Pre-loaded with 35,000 courses, and featuring auto course and hole recognition, it offers SkyCaddie’s groundmapped hazards, doglegs, layup points, greens shapes, along with pin placement targeting, shot measurement, odometer, scoring and statistics.

It is Bluetooth enabled and can be paired with a smartphone to enable full colour course maps to be viewed. Users can sync rounds to a SkyGolf 360 account through the app for details stats and analysis.

TOMTOM GOLFER 2 £199, tomtom.com

SKYCADDIE LINX GT £269.95, skycaddie.com

TomTom has upgraded its original GPS watch to include activity tracking for those who want to use it as a fitness tracker as well as a golf GPS. The Golfer 2 captures steps, active minutes and calories burned, while out on the golf course, it offers hazard and green distances on over 40,000 courses worldwide.

Other features include automatic shot detection for post-game analysis in the TomTom Golfer App, including shot patterns, putts and hole-by-hole reviews.

An additional model, the Golfer 2 SE (£169), offers all the same features minus the activity tracking, and comes with a sporty strap in grey and orange, or black and green.

The Linx GT features a shot-tracking element alongside the mobile app. SmartTags, which are attached to each club, allow golfers to track the location and distance of each shot, which is overlaid on the mobile app’s HoleVue screen. With yardages for over 35,000 courses provided by SkyCaddie’s TrueGound maps, the GT can be paired wirelessly with SkyCaddie’s mobile app to provide expanded HD views of each hole on a smartphone. Users can tap the mobile screen to measure to any point on the hole and get information needed for lay ups, or zoom in to reveal up to 40 targets. Each shot is synchronised in real time with the SkyGolf 360 Cloud, avoiding the need to connect to a computer after the round.

CALLAWAY ALLSPORT £249, brandfusion.co.uk

SKAYCADDIE SW2 £129.95, skycaddie.com

The Allsport is designed specifically for golfers, but also incorporates fitness tracking features, including a step counter, calorie tracker, and training tracking features for running, cycling and swimming. It can be synced via Bluetooth to the free Callaway smartphone app to receive calls, texts and email notifications directly to the wrist. On the golfing front, it offers yardages to the front, middle and back of greens on 30,000+ pre-loaded courses, as well as giving lay-up and carry distances to hazards and doglegs.

It measures shot distance and has a scorecard that tracks total shots, GIR and putts per round.

Slimmer and lighter model than its predecessor, and offering an improved 14-hour battery life, the SW2 is preloaded with 35,000 golf courses which have been precision mapped on foot, including 99% of courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Features include distance measurement to the front, centre and back of greens; auto course and hole recognition; shot distance measurement, and an odometer and pace of play timer. It also offers Bluetooth connectivity to enable easy data syncing and score tracking.

EQUIPMENT | JULY 2017

YOUR GUIDE TO GOLFING TRIPS AT HOME AND ABROAD

LOVING THE LAKES

[57]

TRAVEL AND BREAKS

JULY 2017 WEB: GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/TRAVEL

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IRELAND SUPPLEMENT

THE GREAT LAKES USA GIVE YOU THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DESTINATION

ALSO IN THIS MONTH'S TRAVEL:

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Set in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park, Devon.

The Ashbury Hotel is the ideal venue for your golf break.

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At least 27 holes of FREE golf with each night of stay!

Kigbeare 15th 415 yards, Par 4

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• FREE Sport, Craft, Leisure & Spa Facilities Pines 17th 442 yards, Par 2

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TRAVEL | JULY 2017 [59]

TAKE A TRIP TO TUNED-UP TEWKESBURY G

olfers looking for a relaxing break in the Gloucestershire countryside should head for the tranquil surroundings of the Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Golf & Country Club, which offers an 80-bedroomed 18th century manor house hotel with enviable views over the historic town of Tewkesbury.

The resort, which has recently come back under family ownership, has been the subject of a £4m renovation, with every element of the venue enjoying substantial improvements.

Improvements inside the hotel include nine new luxury suites, two meeting rooms, two new spa treatment rooms, an orangery, and a new cocktail lounge. Luxuriously appointed by interior designer ADS-Design, the new bedrooms draw upon the historical connections of the venue, which overlooks the site of the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Besides the multi-million pound new additions, the renovation programme saw all 85 guestrooms receive a complete refurbishment with new

■ TEWKESBURY PARK HAS RECENTLY BENEFITTED FROM A BUNKER RENOVATION PROGRAMME

interiors, new Hypnos beds and 40-inch Smart TVs. The 18-hole, 6,579-yard course, which was originally designed by architect Frank Pennick, has recently benefitted from a complete bunker renovation programme by Peter McEvoy, and

features plenty of interesting and testing holes, with wooded areas and water hazards appearing early in the round before it opens up onto spacious fairways on the back nine.

Guests have a range of dining options, including the Garden Room, which serves traditional English and French cuisine, while The Place offers a range of light snacks and meals. Guests’ leisure needs are taken care of by an indoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, gym, and squash and tennis courts, all of which are free to use.

Nearby attractions include the cathedral city of Worcester, the surrounding Malvern Hills and Cotswolds, and the races at Cheltenham.

The hotel is currently offering one nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast, two rounds of golf, and full use of the leisure facilities, for £115pp Mon-Thurs, £119 Fri/ Sat, or £99 for Sunday.

For more details call 01684 272320 or visit www.tewkesburypark.co.uk.

2017 04 Golf News - Golf Breaks.qxp_166mm h x 145mm w 05/04/2017 10:57 Page 1

■ THE HOTEL FEATURES 80 ROOMS, INCLUDING NINE LUXURY SUITRES

Whittlebury Hall

Stay & Plays:

from £59.00 per person, includes unlimited golf with bed & breakfast included.

For up to date offers please visit www.whittleburyhall.com Spa & Leisure breaks also available email: golfevents@whittlebury.com or call 01327 850065

Corporate Days:

Looking to get ahead in business this year? Let us take care of your special day leaving you to concentrate on making sure your customers/employees have a fantastic day.

Packages tailored to your requirements.

Lets mix things up and get everyone involved - add a little something different by adding an activity like clay pigeon shooting to get the non-golfers involved! email: golfevents@whittlebury.com or call 01327 850065

Wish you were here

Ufford Park Woodbridge

1 night Golf & Spa Breaks from only £95* per person

includes complimentary use of the Health Club with it’s gym and pool.

Looking for the perfect all year round venue for your golf break?

Set in the heart of Suffolk and located just off the A12, our 18 hole, par 71 course is ideal for the beginner or the experienced player.

Book your tee time online, visit the on-site AmericanGolf superstore and practice your swing on our 2 tier floodlit driving range, all before you even set foot on the lovingly cared for, award-winning, top winter course.

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YEARS 7

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Try one of our most popular winter days for only £20.00 which includes Tea/Coffee with Full English Breakfast and unlimited golf. email: golfevents@whittlebury.com or call 01327 850065

1

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[60] JULY 2017 | TRAVEL

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

DARTMOUTH OFFERS THE PERFECT TONIC G

olfers who enjoy a bit of post-golf pampering should check in to the Best Western Dartmouth Hotel, Golf & Spa in Devon, which boasts an £850,000 spa facility, where a number of relaxing treatments are available for weary limbs.

The spa features an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and fully-equipped gym, and also includes three treatment rooms, a dual treatment room for couples, manicure and pedicure areas, and a relaxation room.

Among the treatments on offer is the unique Rasul experience - renowned for its detoxifying properties – that involves specially formulated muds, infused steams and a dedicated Rasul bathing chamber.

Away from the spa, the 18-hole Championship Course is designed to challenge the most proficient golfer, with strategic

SPORTING BREAKS ON OFFER AT COWDRAY

positioning of tees, meandering streams, 12 water features, and undulating greens. An additional nine-hole layout, the Dartmouth, is built to the same high standards as its sister course. Measuring 2,252 yards, with a par of 33, it is guaranteed to test players while they enjoy a more relaxed round.

Weekday golf breaks during September, comprising two nights' accommodation, three rounds of golf, a three-course evening meal and

breakfast the following morning, cost from just £185pp, while the same package at the weekend costs £215.

Situated in 225 acres of south Devon countryside, just outside the beautiful town of Dartmouth, the three-star resort offers a

For a short break, the club offers a converted 18th century lodge, which can accommodate up to 16 guests. The Lodge comprises of four individually furnished en-suite double rooms, the Polo Suite with its double bedroom and separate sitting room overlooking the polo fields. The Cowdray Suite boasts double and twin rooms and includes a sitting area. New

for 2017 is the delightfully romantic ‘Bothy’ which features a roll-top bath in the bedroom, with wonderful views across Cowdray Park. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms and satellite television, and all meals are provided in the nearby golf club.

Guests can create their own itinerary, playing as much or as little golf as they like, combined

■ COWDRAY PARK ENJOYS STUNNING VIEWS OVER THE SOUTH DOWNS

S

et amid the spectacular rolling Sussex Downlands, the award-winning Cowdray Park Golf Club is considered to be one of the most beautiful courses in southern England. A past host of the Southern Pro Championship, the parkland layout offers a true test of golf, with 18 holes on a par-70 course measuring 6,212 yards.

Cowdray Park is also the perfect place to stay for a relaxing country break, whether you want an action-packed weekend or a peaceful refuge from modern life.

variety of accommodation split between luxury self-catering cottages and a 35-bedroom hotel, which also offers the Bar & Bistro restaurant.

For bookings, call 01803 712686 or visit www.dgcc.co.uk.

■ THE LODGE

with all the other sporting activities on the estate, including clay-pigeon shooting, fishing and polo.

For longer stays, the club also offers four luxury cottages near the scenic Benbow Pond in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The four-star rated cottages have been converted from old farm buildings using Sussex stone and larch from the estate, and each has its own unique interior.

For the latest rates and bookings, call 01730 813599 or visit www.cowdraygolf.co.uk.

2017 Golf Breaks from £85

Make yourself at home in the heart of Gleneagles Rentals at Glenmor The Gleneagles experience is one of a kind – you can now enjoy it from the comfort of a Glenmor luxury holiday home, located in the heart of Gleneagles.

On your stay you can enjoy complimentary golf for one person, plus access to all of the leisure, dining and pursuits of the 5 star Gleneagles estate.

CORNWALL GOLF BREAKS Summer 2017

1 Night Golf Break including Bed & Breakfast plus 2 Rounds of Golf starts from just £85pp!!

Book NOW for 2017 with only a 10% deposit For further information, please call Club Reception on 01566 86903 or email: reservations@trethornegolfclub.com

A main season 2 bedroom rental starts from £2,720 for 7 nights.

Trethorne Golf Club Kennards House Launceston Cornwall PL15 8QE

01566

86903

www.trethornegolfclub.com

Find out more Visit gleneagles.com Call 01764 694 321 Email own@gleneagles.com The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulation 2010 requires Gleneagles to provide you with certain key information in relation to the proposed seasonal ownership contract. A standard information form which contains this key information in relation to that contract may be obtained by contacted us via the above methods.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON FORMER OPEN CHAMPION PICKS HIS TOP 5 COURSES

HIDDEN GEMS COURSES THAT YOU MUST PLAY

TOP DESIGN MANY OF THE WORLD’S BEST ARCHITECTS HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK ON IRELAND

NORTHERN IRELAND A PUBLICATION

THE CLASSIC LINKS ALONG THE CAUSEWAY COAST ■ WATERVILLE LINKS

picture

the most spectacular experience in golf

Old Head Golf Links, Kinsale, Co. Cork, P17 CX88, Ireland.

Telephone (+353) (0)21 477 8444

Email reservations@oldhead.com

www.oldhead.com

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

IRELAND | JULY 2017 [63]

IRELAND, HOME OF CHAMPIONS IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR TOP QUALITY GOLF AND HOSPITALITY TO MATCH, THERE’S NOWHERE ELSE TO GO BUT IRELAND, SAYS NICK BAYLY

W

ith over 400 courses to choose from, including a third of the world’s natural links, and a selection of exceptional layouts in some jaw-dropping locations, it’s no wonder that Ireland has long been one of the most popular golf holiday destinations in the world.

Although just a 50-minute flight from London – or two hours across the Irish Sea if you’re travelling by ferry from Holyhead – Ireland, both Republic and Northern – is a world away in almost every respect.

Blessed with a gentler pace of life that is uniquely suited to getting in the holiday mood, yet possessed with an intoxicating party spirit that is hard to resist, Ireland is my kind of place.

And with a population of just six million, there is plenty of space to move, yet lots of lively cities to visit and natural wonders to explore. While the weather may not always be conducive to sunbathing, as golfers, we don’t tend to worry about such trivialities – why else were waterproofs and umbrellas invented? It’s all about the golf here, and, of course, the warmth of the welcome, and the ever-so-slightly chilled Guinness.

But enough of the blarney, golf’s a serious business in Ireland, and there’s some seriously good golf to be enjoyed within its 85,000 square miles. From the fabulous links layouts on its Wild Atlantic Coast and along the North-East coast, to

■ PORTSTEWART GOLF CLUB, HOST VENUE OF THIS YEAR'S IRISH OPEN

the parkland gems around Dublin, Ireland ticks all the golfing boxes. And they’re all within easy reach – as you can drive the entire length of the island in eight hours, given a fair wind and not too many tractors.

While a carefully-planned itinerary, with pre-booked tee times, hotels and restaurants is all but essential for those playing the top courses in the peak summer months, there’s also a lot to be said for a less structured trip when playing out of season, where the flow is gone with, and you let the craic be your guide. This

more laissez-faire attitude might result in you stumbling across those hidden gems that don’t appear in all the top 100 lists, and discover what golf in Ireland is all about.

Whatever the size of your group, be sure to try and team up with a couple of members if you can, as it’ll considerably enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the course, and will always result in a better night out with some local recommendations!

While Ireland has produced its fair share of golfing champions in recent years

– take a bow Padraig, Graeme, Darren and Rory – it’s also not shy when it comes to top-flight tournament golf either, with the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup and Open Championship all being part of its rich and long golfing history.

And with the Open returning to Royal Portrush in 2019, and Portstewart having already successfully hosted this year's Irish Open, it’s fair to say that Ireland’s status as a golfing powerhouse has never been higher.

So forget Brexit, pack your bags, and prepare for the trip of a lifetime.

[64] JULY 2017 | IRELAND

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ PORTMARNOCK GOLF LINKS, DUBLIN

BETTER BY

DESIGN FROM THE FLAMBOYANCE OF ARNOLD PALMER AND SEVE BALLESTEROS TO THE CONTROLLED PRECISION OF COLIN MONTGOMERIE, NICK FALDO, BERNHARD LANGER AND JACK NICKLAUS, THEY'VE ALL LEFT A LASTING MARK ON THE IRISH GOLFING LANDSCAPE

N

othing stirs the golfing senses like touching greatness, and you can feel even closer to some of golf's greatest minds by playing the courses they built in Ireland.

Clubs rich and poor called on the greats of their day to create golfing playgrounds from Old Tom Morris, Harry Colt and Dr Alister MacKenzie to the superstars of the modern game.

Big name designers have always been with us, even if the fees they were paid varied wildly from the modest to

the generous. According to the club's history, Old Tom Morris was retained

by Royal County Down in 1889 for a fee ‘not to exceed £4’, whereas Dr Mackenzie redesigned the Old Course at Lahinch in 1927 for £2,000. Those who have come since might have cost a little more, but, as they say, quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.

For example, if you haven 't played Bernard Langer's wonderful Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links for a while, a return visit is long overdue. Langer's desire to improve

■ LOUGH ERNE BOASTS A NICK FALDO-DESIGNED CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE

■ 2011 SOLHEIM CUP VENUE KILLEEN CASTLE

CLUBS RICH AND POOR CALLED ON THE GREATS OF THEIR DAY TO CREATE GOLFING PLAYGROUNDS FROM OLD TOM MORRIS, HARRY COLT AND DR ALISTER MACKENZIE TO THE SUPERSTARS OF THE MODERN GAME his links game took him to Ireland many times, and early in his career he travelled as far as County Sligo to play at Rosses Point and ended up heading to Enniscrone, where he spent longer than he had planned – staying for a whole week, rather than the single day he had originally set aside.

By 1993 he was a three-time Irish Open and two-time Masters champion, so when IMG were called in to develop a course on land once owned by the Jameson family of whiskey fame at Portmarnock, adjoining the famous Portmarnock Golf Club, Langer was their man.

As part of the ancestral family estate, the Jameson family had a 12-hole golf course, which stretched as far as the current 15th at the more famous links. In the mid-1990s, Langer was appointed to design the new course that was to become Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links, in conjunction with landscape architect Stan Eby, renowned for his work at PGA Catalunya in Spain and the Faldo Course at Sporting Club Berlin. With Eby's help, Langer incorporated some of the original holes into his new masterpiece and the course opened to great acclaim in 1995.

It has moved with the times too, undergoing major renovations in 2011 and again in 2016, making it a regular stop for many Irish tour pros seeking perfect conditions all year round, including threetime major winner, Padraig Harrington.

The death of Arnold Palmer in late

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

IRELAND | JULY 2017 [65]

■ TRALEE IS ONE OF THREE COURSES IN IRELAND THAT WAS DESIGNED BY ARNOLD PALMER

THE DEATH OF ARNOLD PALMER IN LATE 2016 WAS A SAD DAY FOR GOLF WORLDWIDE AND HIS LOSS WAS NOTED WITH PARTICULAR SADNESS IN IRELAND, WHERE HE DESIGNED THREE GREAT COURSES. THE FIRST WAS THE NEW LINKS AT TRALEE GOLF CLUB Woods won the first of them, hailing the perfect greens as the best he had played on all year, and the course is regarded as one of the most manicured in Ireland, as well as a great strategic test.

Killeen Castle is similarly spectacular, as the top women in the game discovered in 2011, when it hosted the Solheim Cup. The expansive, par-72 course can play 7,677 yards from the back tees to 6,118 yards from the forward markers. Yet that is not all that Killeen Castle has to offer. The stunning Dave Pelz Scoring Game School – the first of its kind outside the United States – was designed by the former NASA scientist, who has helped Phil Mickelson capture five majors since they started working together in 2004.

Mickelson is a short game wizard, but even the lefthander would admit that Seve Ballesteros was in a class of his own.

The Spaniard was much loved in Ireland, winning three Irish Opens between 1983 and 1986, and his Irish design, the Heritage Golf & Country Club at Killenard in County Laois, is superb.

Set on over 300 acres of prime farmland in the shadow of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, no expenses were spared in the creation of this Jeff Howes collaboration. Year-round playability was one of the principal objectives at the planning stage, and with 80 miles of sand-slitting, 25,000 sqaure metres of water is in play on 10 holes, no more so than the twin ninth and 18th, which so entertained the best in the game during the 2007 Seve Trophy matches.

Carton House, the ancestral seat of the Earls of Kildare and Dukes of Leinster, situated less than 40 minutes from Dublin City centre on the Kildare-Meath border, offers not one but two signature courses. The Mark O'Meara Course is a sumptuous parkland design in the magnificent, walled demesne, with the stretch holes along the River Rye sure to add some Killeen drama to your day.

The O'Meara's sister course is the inland links Montgomerie, designed by eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie. Opened in 2003, and host of the Irish Open in 2005, 2006 and 2013, its deep pot bunkers provide a challenging test for the best players in the world.

If you are heading northwest from Dublin to play the links of Donegal and Sligo, why not stop off at the five-star splendour of Lough Erne to play its Nick Faldo-designed championship course which opened in 2009. Set on the shores of the Iough, it's got some spectacular holes, with the peninsular green at the 10th one of Faldo's personal favourites.

"The 10th is a stunning part of the golf course," the six-time major winner said at the course’s opening. "It has all the aspects that you are looking for in a great golf hole – memorability and a little bit of the wow factor.”

That, in a nutshell, is what you get when you involve the legends of the game in course design – a little bit of stardust, which, hopefully, rubs off on all those fortunate enough to play their creations.

■ CARTON HOUSE BOASTS TWO CHAMPIONSHIP LAYOUTS

2016 was a sad day for golf worldwide, and his loss was noted with particular sadness in Ireland, where he designed three great courses. The first was the new links at Tralee Golf Club, which opened at Barrow in 1984, after moving from its nine-hole course at Mounthawk, near Tralee. Measuring just under 7,000 yards from the championship tees, it was Palmer's first European design and it has stood the test of time, with the King once commenting: ‘I have never come across a piece of land so ideally suited for the building of a golf course. I am happy that we have one of the world's great links here’.

Arnie’s second Irish course, the Palmer Course at the K Club, opened in 1991 and quickly became known as one of the best parkland courses in Europe, famously

hosting the Ryder Cup in 2006. In 2003, the Palmer-designed Smurfit Course – a spectacular inland links – opened on the south bank of the River Liffey at the K Club, to make the venue one of Ireland’s must-play resorts.

Of course, Jack Nicklaus has also got a significant presence in Ireland with two great courses, Mount Juliet in County Kilkenny and Killeen Castle in County Meath, both hosting several major international events.

Mount Juliet first opened in 1991 with a friendly match between Nicklaus and Christy O'Connor Senior. Since then, the course has established itself as a premier venue for top professionals from around the world, hosting three successive Irish Opens and the WGC American Express Championship in 2002 and 2004. Tiger

■ THE HERITAGE GOLF AND SPA RESORT, VENUE FOR THE 2007 SEVE TROPHY

[66] JULY 2017 | IRELAND

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TR ACKS OF MY

YEARS… THREE TIME MAJOR CHAMPION PADRAIG HARRINGTON PICKS HIS FAVOURITE COURSES FROM HIS HOMELAND

PORTMARNOCK, DUBLIN The historic Old Course is a serious links layout and a real test. There's no trickery attached to it whatsoever, and it's all laid out in front of you. The fairways and greens are relatively flat, which is unusual for a links course.

GREEN FEES: €200, PORTMARNOCKGOLFCLUB.IE

EUROPEAN CLUB, COUNTY WICKLOW

BALLYBUNION, COUNTY KERRY

ROYAL PORTRUSH, COUNTY ANTRIM

A traditional, yet slightly quirk links course that demands every shot – and club – in the bag. You definitely want your thinking cap on to play this gem, as you need to plot your way around carefully to keep your score going.

The Dunluce is spectacular links golf course that gives you the opportunity to score as well as punishing you for being wayward. It’s great that the Open is coming back here again, and I hope I’ll still be competitive in 2019! The atmosphere and the crowds are going to be amazing.

GREEN FEES: €190, BALLYBUNIONGOLFCLUB.COM

GREEN FEES: £190, ROYALPORTRUSHGOLFCLUB.COM

WATERVILLE, COUNTY KERRY

A relatively new links course in a spectacular setting. It's so outstanding that many of the holes would make it into most golfers' best 18. I played here quite a few times as part of my preparation for my Open wins in 2007 and 2008, so I have a lot to be thankful for about this course.

What a challenge and what a location.

A big tough links course where you feel at the edge of the world as you are out there on the South West coast of Ireland.

It has a host of unique holes and the location will take your breath away. Tom Fazio updated it a few years ago, and made it even better.

GREEN FEES: €200 THEEUROPEANCLUB.COM

GREEN FEES: €200 WATERVILLEGOLFLINKS.IE

Waterville House & Golf Links

Waterville House & Golf Links, Waterville, Co. Kerry, Ireland Tel: 353 (0)66-9474102 Email: info@watervillegolflinks.ie Web: www.watervillegolflinks.ie

Stay

& play

5 STAR RESORT • 103 LUXURY BEDROOMS • 42 LODGES • HEALTH CLUB & SPA 30 MINUTES FROM CORK AIRPORT • BUGGY HIRE • CLUB HIRE • PGA TUITION

Castlemartyr Resort is an impressive 5 Star Resort featuring 103 luxury guest rooms, 42 self catering lodges, offering 4 dining options, an award winning Spa and Leisure centre and the Links Golf Club has an 18-hole 6,728 yd, Par 72, unique inland links style course, designed by world renowned golf course architect Ron Kirby. Here you will find a captivating tapestry of picturesque landscapes, intertwined with a beautifully restored 18th Century Manor House that forms the entrance to the main hotel.

We have devised some attractive packages to suit your budget and every need is catered for when you book your next outing at Munster’s hidden gem, that is Castlemartyr Links Golf Club.

We welcome STAY AND PLAY GUESTS, PAY AND PLAY GUESTS, CORPORATE GROUPS and GOLF SOCIETIES along with keen golfers looking for private golf tuition with our Club Professional, Alan Gleeson.

+353 021 421 9001 • GOLF@CASTLEMARTYRRESORT.IE • WWW.CASTLEMARTYRRESORT.IE

[68] JULY 2017 | IRELAND

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ CARRICK-A-REDE ROPE BRIDGE

NORTHERN LIGHTS IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR CLASSIC LINKS GOLF AND TRADITIONAL IRISH HOSPITALITY, THEN NORTHERN IRELAND’S ‘CAUSEWAY COAST’ IS HARD TO BEAT WORDS BY PAT MOONEY

N

orthern Ireland’s status as a world-class golfing destination has taken a huge step forward in recent years. Aided by a trio of homegrown major champions – take a bow Graeme, Darren and Rory – and the successful staging of the Irish Open at Royal Portrush in 2012, the country’s star is very much in the ascendency. And with half a dozen courses that deserve to be on every serious golfer’s must-play list, combined with traditional Irish

hospitality, and some stunning places to visit away from the links, the hour-long flight from London seems just too short for the complete change in pace that a trip here offers.

Royal Portrush, venue for the Open Championship in 2019, and Royal County Down are undoubtedly the top two reasons any links enthusiast beats a path to this corner of the United Kingdom.

Both are permanent fixtures in the world’s top 20, and make for arguably the finest short break destination in the

■ ROYAL PORTRUSH, VENUE FOR THE 2019 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

PORTSTEWART TOOK BOLD STEPS IN BECOMING A MUSTPLAY LINKS BY ADDING SEVEN NEW HOLES TO ITS STRAND COURSE IN 1992, WHICH ARE SET ALONG SOME OF THE CAUSEWAY COAST'S MOST STUNNING DUNESLAND

world. Throw in Portstewart, a 54-hole venue located a mile around the bay from Portrush, whose Strand course hosted this month's Irish Open, and you have yourself a cracking trio to tackle.

Due to its proximity to Portrush, Portstewart has perhaps never got the attention it deserves, but that will no doubt change following the action that took place between July 6-9. Tournament host Rory McIlroy used all of his native charm to attract a strong supporting cast list to the event, which included Olympic champion Justin Rose, 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett, Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood, and Spanish sensation Jon Rahm, who went on to win the tournament by an impressive six shots. There were also a number of top Americans in the line up, who, like many in the field, were playing in the tournament as part of their preparations for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

And what a test it proved. Portstewart took bold steps in becoming a must-play links by adding seven new holes to its Strand Course in 1992, which are set along some of the Causeway Coast's most stunning dunesland. It features one of the best opening tee shots in Ireland, an elevated shot overlooking the beach and town to a fairway tucked behind a sand wall. Only after you turn the corner, about 240 yards out, is the green finally revealed to the right. The second is no less spectacular, with a 100-foot dune wall framing the left side of the fairway in menacing fashion, and the green also tucked away in a guarded corner. And so it goes on.

The back nine is slightly less thrilling, but still presents a stiff challenge, with the two short holes – 12 and 15 – being a particular highlight, hitting from elevated tees to well-guarded greens. Running

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■ DUNLUCE CASTLE

three to 62 in total, still leaving Portrush with the fewest bunkers of any of the courses which host The Open.

The tournament is expected to be the biggest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland, and could generate more than £70 million in revenue. It will certainly provide a welcome boost to the local economy, which is currently propped up by tourists visiting the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO world heritage site that is notable for its jawdropping hexagonal basalt columns.

The distillery trail is also a big draw around these parts, and only two miles from the causeway a nip of whiskey awaits at the Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest whiskey production site, while other attractions include the dramatic ruins of the historic Dunluce Castle and the caves of Cushenden,

■ THE VIEW FROM BEHIND THE 8TH GREEN AT PORTSTEWART, VENUE FOR THE 2017 IRISH OPEN

fifth, known as ‘White Rocks’, enjoys a stunning backdrop, with the sloping green tethered on the edge of the cliffs, while on the back nine, another stand-out hole is the 14th - the 16th in the Open – Calamity Corner. A 200-yard par three, which features a deep chasm to the right of the green, it certainly makes for a nervous tee shot for handicap golfer, as weak tee shot will see your ball from at least 50 feet below the hole – providing you find it.

In advance of the Open, two new holes were created from land reclaimed from the club’s other 18-hole course, the Valley.

The seventh is a new par five, which plays down into the valley encompassing that course’s sixth hole - and includes the recreation of the fearsome ‘Big Nellie’ bunker. The eighth is a par four, playing back over its fifth hole into some splendid dunes land.

In order to accommodate the new holes, the 17th and 18th holes, which were frankly rather poor, have been reclaimed for the tented village, and the course’s 15th and 16th will now close out the round, with the 15th featuring a new back tee and a new fairway bunker, while the 16th has also been extended. The overall length of the course has been increased by just under 200 yards to 7,337 yards, and the number of bunkers increased by

■ THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY IS A UNESCO SITE

alongside the River Bann, the holes have been lengthened and tweaked and, as well as delivering stunning views, provide a tough, but fair test of links golf. Indeed, the final three holes - all par fours - will test your stamina, as much as your skills with the clubs at your disposal.

Portstewart has played host to several major amateur and professional events over the years, including the Amateur Champiosnhip in 2014, the British Girls in 2006, and the Irish Amateur in 1992, but its hosting of the Irish Open eclipsed all those events by some distance, and will undoubtedly result in an increase in visitor numbers in the years ahead.

Attracting visiting golfers has never been a problem for neighbouring Royal Portrush, whose pre-eminence as one of the world’s leading links was established from the moment what is now called the Dunluce course first opened in 1888.

Designed by Harry Colt, the Dunluce’s place in golfing history was further secured when it hosted the Open Championship in 1951.

It says something about the challenge of the course that throughout that entire

0NLY TWO MILES FROM THE CAUSEWAY, A NIP OF WHISKEY AWAITS AT BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY, THE WORLD’S OLDEST WHISKEY PRODUCTION SITE where several scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed.

For those looking for somewhere to rest up between rounds, there can be no stronger recommendation than a few nights at the award-winning Bushmills Inn – a charming hotel and restaurant housed in an old coaching inn and mill house. The building dates back to the 1600s, and visitors are greeted by glowing peat and coal fires, and even warmer hospitality. There are 41 spacious rooms to choose from, while the hotel’s Gas Bar has been the scene of many a lively night’s entertainment.

With such sublime golf and warm hospitality, a golf trip to Northern Ireland should be at the top of your golf holiday bucket list.

STAY & PLAY ■ BOOK IN A VISIT TO THE BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY

tournament, only two players, including winner Max Faulkner, managed to break 70, although standing on the first tee, it’s not hard to see why. Although the landscape isn’t quite as intimidating as Royal County Down, with the dunes generally set back from the fairways, the rough is just as brutal, and anything slightly offline will be severely punished.

The views over the Atlantic and inland to the mountains are as unforgettable as some of the holes, the pick of which are those down by the shore. The par-four

THREE NIGHT’S B&B (BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING) AT THE BUSHMILLS INN AND THREE ROUNDS OF GOLF AT ROYAL PORTRUSH, PORTSTEWART AND ROYAL COUNTY DOWN, COSTS FROM £829PP. VISIT WWW.GOLFBREAKS.COM

FLY AER LINGUS OPERATES A REGULAR SERVICE FROM HEATHROW AND GATWICK TO BELFAST CITY AIRPORT FROM £50 RETURN. VISIT WWW.AERLINGUS.COM. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GOLF BREAKS TO IRELAND, VISIT WWW.IRELAND.COM

[70] JULY 2017 | IRELAND

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DOOKS GOLF LINKS, KERRY Offering a premium links test without the premium green fee, Dooks is situated in the panoramic corner of Dingle Bay, and serves up some of the most spectacular views that Irish links golf has to offer, with the McGillycuddy’s Reeks to the east, the hills of Glenbeigh to the west, and the Dingle Mountains and Slieve Mish to the north.

Founded in 1889 – which makes it one of the oldest clubs in the country – the 18 holes at Dooks are set out on one of three stretches of sand dunes at the head of Dingle Bay. Measuring just over 6,300 yards off the white tees, it’s shorter than most of its more revered links neighbours, but presents a more equitable challenge for the holiday golfer.

Redesigned by Martin Hawtree in 2002, the front nine features some tightly laid out holes, where accuracy is paramount. Most notable is the par-4 7th, which is almost impossible to reach in two if the wind is against. The 150-yard 13th has been described as a throwback to the time when golf began, with the approach playing into an amphitheatre-style green. The closing hole, a long, slightly uphill par four to a guarded green, provides a tough ending to a wonderful track.

Web: dooks.com Green Fees: €120 (May-Sept), €80 (Apr/Oct), €50 (Nov-Mar)

ENNISCRONE, SLIGO

■ ARDGLASS

IRELAND’S

HIDDEN GEMS THESE FIVE UNLAUDED STUNNERS SHOULD BE ON EVERYONE’S GOLFING BUCKET LIST

Set on a beautiful promontory, which juts out into Killala Bay at the mouth of the Moy Estuary, Enniscrone started out in life in 1918 as a modest nine-hole course. It wasn’t until the mid-1970s, when prolific Irish architect Eddie Hackett got his hands on it, that it became an 18-hole layout and began to earn a name for itself. It now offers 27 holes, following the addition of a further nine designed by Donald Steel, which makes for a superb full days’ golfing.

The main course, Dunes, plots its way through the gigantic dunes and across folded rippled links land offering panoramic ocean views from raised tees. Numerous holes feature raised greens protected by deep valleys and ravines, while other putting surfaces nestle at the feet of high dunes.

Stretching out to more than 7,000 yards from the tips, it calls for some solid driving, especially when the wind gets up, as it is prone to do here. The new holes on the front

PLAY AND STAY in Ards and North Down

Home of Rory McIlroy and Ireland’s oldest Golf Club Minutes from Belfast 12 clubs, 14 courses Society Discounts 5 Tourism NI accredited clubs 5 star luxury to budget accommodation Golf clubs: Ardminnan, Bangor, Blackwood, Carnalea, Clandeboye, Donaghadee, Helen’s Bay, Holywood, Kirkistown Castle, Mahee, Scrabo and The Royal Belfast.

Ards Visitor Information Centre 028 9182 6846 Bangor Visitor Information Centre 028 9127 0069

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IRELAND | JULY 2017

nine attract most of the plaudits and rightly so, but there are plenty of good things to admire on the flatter holes, like the wonderful sets of cross bunkers that lie short of the green at holes 7 and 9.

On the inward half, the 12th is a brilliant dog-leg par four, requiring two very precise shots to reach a green that's benched into the dunes, while there's a green/red traffic light on the downhill 13th, which is triggered by golfers crossing a beam in front of the hidden green.

Web: enniscronegolf.com Green Fees: €115 (mid-March-Oct), €35 (Nov- mid-March)

CONNEMARA GOLF LINKS, CONNEMARA Located on the rugged and unspoilt coastline at Ballyconneely, on a peninsula that juts accusingly out into the Atlantic, Connemara Golf Links is a relative youngster among Irish links, having been founded in 1973.

Designed by the aforementioned Eddie Hackett, there are 27 holes on offer in three loops of nine. The longest combination, A and B, measures more than 7,200 yards from the back tees, and is a brutal challenge when the wind is up. The course is littered with craggy rocks, further adding to the rough and ready nature of the links.

There are no sand dunes to provide protection from the elements, but the upside is that there are uninterrupted panoramic views of the coastline, with its glorious white sandy beaches, and to the north east, the austere Twelve Bens mountain range, which provide a dramatic backdrop.

The outward nine is much shorter and flatter than the inward half. But the back nine possesses the best and most memorable holes. Brace yourself for the challenging 210-yard par-three 13th, with its raised green. It's regarded as Connemara's signature hole and this is where the lunar landscape kicks in and stays with you for the closing holes.

Web: connemaragolflinks.com Green Fees: €100 (Apr-Oct), €60 (Nov-Mar)

ROSAPENNA HOTEL & GOLF RESORT, DONEGAL Delightfully undiscovered Donegal is rapidly becoming one of Ireland's best golf destinations, and the ultra-secluded Rosapenna is the reason why. A triumvirate of former British Open champions - Old Tom Morris, James Braid and

Harry Vardon - created the original 18-hole Old course, but it was Pat Ruddy, the man behind the European Club, who put Rosapenna firmly on the map when he opened a new nine-hole layout, Sandy Hills, in 2009.

Unlike the Old, Sandy Hills carves straight through the dunes rather than skirting around them. The original back nine of the Old is now played as a separate course, while the original front nine is now the back nine.

Right from the off, you are in a lunar landscape, amongst the gigantic dunes. Measuring 7,183 yards from the back tees, Sandy Hills will test the very best. Each hole has precise definition, with the hummocked fairways framed by the dunes, so the immense challenge is always clearly visible from the tees.

Five years ago the resort, which boasts a four-star hotel on site, bought the adjacent 36hole Patrick’s Golf Links, so there are now 81 holes to play here – more than enough for an extended single destination break.

Web: rosapenna.ie Green Fees: €95 (Apr-Oct) €75 if booked online

ARDGLASS GOLF CLUB, COUNTY DOWN Often played as a warm up by those tackling nearby Royal County Down, Ardglass will always suffer by comparison, but it’s well worth a minor detour, if only for the opening five holes, which hug the most spectacular stretch of coastline to be found in all Ireland.

With dramatic elevation changes that offer stunning views of the Irish Sea from every hole, as they wind their way from the clubhouse out along the cliffs to a craggy headland then back again, it’s breathtaking stuff.

The signature hole is played early – the 167-yard par-three 2nd, ‘Howd's Hole’, where the tee shot is played across a rocky inlet to a seemingly small, distant putting surface.

Once you reach the sixth, the course swings inland, and the next few holes are somewhat meadowy in nature. That changes with the start of the back nine, beginning with another downhill par three at the 10th, while the 11th is an exceptional par five, with a fairway lined with gorse left and a parallel sea wall to the right. Another thrilling short hole is the 12th, which is played from an elevated tee above a green located almost 200 yards away on the edge of the rocky headland.

After the 13th, you play a series of fairly pedestrian holes before you reach the final trio, where there is a rapid return to quality. The 16th slides uphill, the green elevated above the fairway, while the 17th is a fine short par four, with another elevated target. The final hole is a quality closer, a 350-yard downhill par four that will tempt big hitters to go for it, although trouble lurks around the green, meaning that it’s a toss up between a birdie and a double bogey.

The clubhouse is a bit special too - a 14th century castle that was once the home of the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Kildare - where you find the atmosphere relaxed and friendly.

Web: ardglassgolfclub.com Green Fees: €80 (Apr-Oct) €50 (Nov-Mar)

Ring of Kerry Golf Club

Te l n o : 00 353 64 66 42000

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em a i l : reser vat ions@r ingofker r ygolf. com

Webs ite: w w w.r i n g o fke r r yg o l f.co m

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THE

GREAT LAKES THE GREAT LAKES STATES – WISCONSIN, OHIO, MINNESOTA, MICHIGAN AND ILLINOIS – COMBINE GREAT GOLF ANDF GREAT HOSPITALITY TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY DESTINATION The Great Lakes region of the Unites States is a destination that celebrates the great outdoors and is ideal for playing golf, with literally thousands of courses to choose from.

The sheer number of courses, combined with their quality and affordability, and warm summer climate, make the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, a mecca for golf.

Known as ‘Ryder Cup Country’, due to the number of times the region has hosted the popular team golf competition, Wisconsin will host the event in 2020 at Whistling Straits, Kohler.

In 2004, the competition took place north of Detroit, Michigan at Oakland Hills Country Club. The Ryder Cup returned to the region in 2012, when Medinah Country Club in Chicago entertained the two teams, While Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota was the competition venue in 2016. Never before has one region of America staged all the US team’s matches in a single decade.

WISCONSIN

Whatever it is you’re seeking in a golf course, Wisconsin has it. Maybe it’s the 500 public courses, the fairways designed by major champions like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, or that the state is playing host to the 2020 Ryder Cup or that Wisconsin was named the No.1 golf destination for 2017 by Golf Advisor.com.

But no matter where you are in the great state of Wisconsin, there is always a fun, challenging golf course within your reach, along with attractions such as the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Great River Road, a 250-mile roadway along the Wisconsin bank of the Mississippi River which is rich in history, ecology, small-town character, recreation and natural beauty.

When the best players in the world came to the rugged and windswept Straits for the PGA Championship in 2004, it only added to this course’s already impressive pedigree. Whistling Straits hosted the championship in 2010 and 2016, and will host the Ryder Cup in 2020. Pros and amateurs alike will enjoy the spectacular views on this walking-only course.

Thornberry Creek is located just outside of Green Bay, America’s football capital and Titletown USA. Their Original Iroquois 9-hole course is distinguished as one of only ten official PGA Family Courses in the state of Wisconsin.

Sand Valley Golf Resort is Wisconsin’s newest golf resort with lodging and amenities that feel like a world of its own. Huge, exposed sand dunes tower above the 1,700 acres of heathland vegetation.

Just a short drive from Milwaukee and Chicago, Sand Valley strives to bring a seaside vibe to America’s heartland.

Heading down south to Dane County, the home course of the University of Wisconsin Badgers men’s and women’s golf teams, University Ridge, is an absolute must-play. The 18-hole beauty offers a front nine with minimal trees and a back nine within a forest.

Door County has many great courses to offer to the public, but one of the most beautiful is Alpine Golf Course. The course offers one of the most spectacular views in all of Door County. The glaciercarved natural hazards make the course challenging, and with 36 holes instead of a fixed 18-hole round, you have double the options of which nines to play.

Home to the recent US Open, Erin Hills features a championship links-style golf course offering five sets of tees – plus two new sets of combination tees – to challenge golfers of all abilities. Erin Hills is proud to join one of golf’s environmentally responsible trends: going green. The fine fescue fairways and roughs require little water and have the ability to go dormant during dry weather.

WISCONSIN: ERIN HILLS GOLF COURSE

OHIO: ELKS RUN

WISCONSIN: WHISTLING STRAITS

WITH MORE THAN 800 GOLF COURSES IN THE STATE, OHIO IS DEFINITELY A GOLFER’S PARADISE. CHALLENGING TERRAIN, BRILLIANTLY GREEN FAIRWAYS, SINISTER SAND TRAPS AND WATER HAZARDS

OHIO Ohio is the home of one of golfing’s biggest legends – Jack Nicklaus, who was born in Columbus. Besides being one of the game’s greatest players, Nicklaus has emerged as one of golf’s best course architects, and has designed more than 200 courses over the last three decades.

At the Jack Nicklaus museum in Columbus, visitors encounter the history of golf and its greatest practitioner, take an immersive journey through Jack's brilliant career, including trophies, photographs and various mementos from his unparalleled 20 major championships and 100 worldwide professional victories, and discover the many facets of this remarkable man who has added so much to the history of golf.

Ohio is also known for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the world's foremost museum devoted to the celebration and preservation of rock and roll music and record-breaking theme parks. Cedar Point on Lake Erie boasts the most rides of any theme park in the world, while Paramount’s Kings Island is home to the

MINNESOTA: THE PINES AT GRANDVIEW RESORT

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USA MINNESOTA: LEGEND AT GIANTS RIDGE GC

MINNESOTA

MINNESOTA: STONEBROOKE GOLF CLUB

LOCAL HERO: JACK NICKLAUS WAS BORN IN OHIO

longest wooden coaster, the Beast.

With more than 800 golf courses in the state, Ohio is definitely a golfer’s paradise.

Challenging terrain, brilliantly green fairways, sinister sand traps and copious water hazards put Ohio courses in all the top lists of where to play.

In northeast Ohio, golfers can match their mettle against Avalon Lakes Golf Course in Warren, which has been ranked one of the best in the country. Mature trees line many a fairway, while 12 holes sport water hazards and a whopping 150 bunkers blanket the course.

Golfers will have to draw on their serene surroundings to surmount the wickedly difficult Black Diamond Golf Course in

OHIO: EAGLESTICKS

Millersburg. This par-72 layout tests golfers’ mettle right from the first hole.

Etched into the hilly countryside near Zanesville, EagleSticks Golf Club is off the beaten path. As soon as golfers tee off from the first box, the entire course is then spread before them, among undulating hills.

Elks Run Golf Club, located in Batavia, sprawls across 163 acres in the gorgeous hill

MICHIGAN: FOREST DUNES IS ONE OF AMERICA’S PREMIER GOLF DESTINATIONS

country east of Cincinnati. This 6,833-yard Greg Norman-designed course opened in 1999 to rave reviews. Players must be at the top of their putting game to score well here.

The sloping, ridged greens require accurate and precise positioning. And as soon as they get used to the open, flat front nine, the back nine assaults golfers with its narrow fairways and hilly terrain.

Minnesota hosted the 41st Ryder Cup in September last year, when the United States beat Europe 17-11, giving them their biggest margin of victory in 35 years.

Sandwiched between the Great Lakes and the Great Plains on the Canadian border, the state boasts an impressively rich golfing pedigree, having the honour of being the only one of America’s 50 states to have hosted all 13 USGA sanctioned tournaments.

There are over 450 public courses catering to the beginner who wants to try golf for the first time, to seasoned golfers looking for new challenges. The season can stretch from April to November, depending on the weather, and visitors to the state delight in the diverse attractions offered throughout, ranging from outdoor activities to the theatres, galleries and museums in the international gateway of Minneapolis Saint Paul. Bloomington in Minnesota is also home to the Mall of America with over 500 stores, an aquarium, themed restaurants, movie theatres and even an indoor amusement park plus tax free shopping on clothes and shoes.

Summer is the most popular time to play golf thanks to the long days and warm air, and autumn brings the added bonus of changing colours, smaller crowds and mild temperatures. One common theme that joins Minnesota's golf courses is that they are all set in beautiful, natural terrain and are always presented in superb condition.

On top of that, they offer extremely good value for money, with green fees starting from as a little as $30 (£22) at public courses, and rising to no more than $100 (£80) for top championship courses at semi-private venues. With so much choice, it’s easy to plan a trip to suit all budgets.

The wide variety of places to tee off ranges from city and suburban courses to rugged north woods terrain, and sweeping

ILLINOIS: CONWAY FARMS GOLF CLUB, 14TH HOLE

➼

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MINNESOTA: THE WILDERNESS AT FORTUNE BAY

➼ Mississippi River Valley vistas. Some areas have

large concentrations of courses that draw both serious and casual golfers to their greens, while resort courses combine golf with comfortable lodging and other amenities.

The Brainerd Lakes area, in the centre of the state, is dotted with exquisite, family-run resorts such as Craigun’s, offering three Robert Trent Jones Jr. designed courses, all with the prestigious Audubon International Signature Sanctuary designation for being environmentally responsible in design; Grand View Lodge, the most award winning resort in Minnesota, with three championship courses to choose from; and Madden’s whose Classic is one of Golf Digest’s ‘100 Greatest Public Courses’.

CARVED BY GLACIERS MORE THAN 12,000 YEARS AGO, THE MICHIGAN LANDSCAPE IS UNIQUE. WITH THREE NATIONAL FORESTS, TWO NATIONAL PARKS AND TWO NATIONAL LAKESHORES

MICHIGAN: THE LOOP AT FOREST DUNES, DESIGNED BY TOM DOAK, BOASTS A ‘REVERSIBLE' DESIGN

MICHIGAN: BAY HARBOR OFFERS 27 HOLES ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN Michigan golf is better than ever. From golf magazine rankings to People’s Choice Awards, Michigan is consistently named among the best places in the USA to play golf. Top designers have coaxed championship courses out of the woods and farmlands, incorporating hills and valleys, natural water features and incredible views – including sweeping vistas of the Great Lakes. With more than 650 public golf courses in Michigan, this golf mecca has a course for every level of play.

Carved by glaciers more than 12,000 years ago, the Michigan landscape is unique. With three national forests, two national parks and two national lakeshores, it is home to 103 state parks offering hiking, biking, camping,

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ILLINOIS

Illinois is located in the heart of the Great Lakes region and is known for the city of Chicago, deep dish pizza, the Cubs baseball team, home of presidents and world class museums. Just outside the city, among the rolling hills and plains of the suburbs and beyond, lies 339 public golf courses waiting to challenge and test any golfer’s skill. Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, TPC Deere Run in Moline, Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Conway Farm Golf Club in Lake Forest, Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton and Medinah Country Club all provide golfers with a true taste of Illinois!

The gateway city, Chicago, offers renowned jazz and blues, shopping on the Magnificent Mile, 26 Michelin star restaurants, the start of Route 66, a stunning beach on Lake Michigan and impressive museums. Route 66 begins in Chicago and runs for more than 300 miles in Illinois. Cruise down ‘The Mother Road’ and see the famous sites on your way to Springfield, the state capital and home to Abraham Lincoln.

Premier golf destinations in Illinois include Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa, Galena. No other golf resort in the region so perfectly incorporates the surrounding natural landscape into such a challenging and rewarding test of golf.

From the very first tee, the rolling fairways, immaculate greens and tranquil woodland surroundings of northwestern Illinois allow you to enjoy a challenging yet supremely relaxing round of golf.

Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, situated 30 miles southwest of Chicago in Lemont, has been the site of the PGA Tour's Western Open (1991-2006) and the BMW Championship (2007, 2009-2011).

Conway Farms Golf Club, located in Lake Forest, hosts the 2017 BMW Championship.

Formally known as the Western Open, the BMW Championship is the second oldest tournament in the United States and is the penultimate event in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs.

Conway Farms Golf Club opened for play on August 3, 1991 and is a private club.

Springfield, the capital of Illinois, has ten excellent public courses including the Piper

ILLINOIS: CANTIGNY GOLF

canoeing, fishing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and other great recreational activities. Plus Michigan is also home to the Motown Museum, the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation, Shinola luxury goods, Founders beer, McClure’s crisps and the beautiful Mackinac Island. This 19th century resort, where no motorized vehicles are allowed, is fixed firmly in the Victorian era – dominated by an 18th century fort and the famed Grand Hotel.

Golf in Michigan offers everything, including Golf Digest’s Best New Public Course in 2016 – The Loop at Forest Dunes. This course, located in Roscommon, features 18 greens that can be played two ways – the Black Route clockwise and the Red Route on the same greens off a different set of tees counterclock-wise.

New in 2016, Stoatin Brae in southwest Michigan is a dramatic departure from the other five courses that are part of Gull Lake View Resort near Kalamazoo. Stoatin Brae, which means ‘grand hill’ in Scottish Gaelic, cuts through the trees and hills on the area’s natural rolling land and sits atop an open grassland bluff overlooking the Kalamazoo River valley.

Gull Lake View serves up virtually every attribute that defines a premier golf experience: majestic landscapes, spectacularly rolling topography, and design features that challenge players but does not overwhelm them.

Other leading golf experiences in Michigan include: Bay Harbor Golf Club, incorporating the state’s diverse terrain including water, dunes, woods and even a quarry; Shepherd’s Hollow in Detroit, with its 27 sprawling tree-lined fairways that meander over a mile; and, Arcadia Bluffs which features spectacular views from all 18-holes that meander through rugged dunes, fescue grasses, and along the cliffs. A trip across the Mackinac Bridge into the remote Upper Peninsula has its own golf escape with top courses like Greywalls in Marquette, Timberstone near Iron Mountain, and Sweetgrass.

And, with temperate weather and long summer days, there's plenty of time to get in a few extra rounds.

ILLINOIS: EAGLE RIDGE

FOR FREE TOURIST GUIDES AND MAPS: CALL 01295 722816 OR EMAIL: INFO@CELLET.CO.UK

CONTACT DETAILS TO BOOK YOUR BESPOKE GOLFING HOLIDAY CONTACT YOUR GOLF TRAVEL AT WWW.YOURGOLFTRAVEL.COM, EMAIL INFO@YOURGOLFTRAVEL.COM OR CALL 0800 193 6629.

Glen, Bergen Golf Club and Illini Country Club. Medinah Country Club offers three world-renowned golf courses and the highest quality facilities and family-oriented amenities. The famed Course No.3 has played host to numerous major championship and prestigious international golf events throughout the club's history including the US Open (1949, 1975, 1990), US Senior Open (1988), PGA Championship (1999, 2006) and Ryder Cup (2012).

[76] JULY 2017 | TRAVEL

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■ VERDURA RESORT

SCINTILLATING

SICILY

Enjoying a superb Mediterranean climate, a collection of world-class resorts, and some of Europe’s most scenic towns and coastlines, Sicily should definitely be on your golfing radar, says Nick Bayly

I

t has been quite a start to 2017 for Sicily. As well as hosting the world’s most powerful political leaders at the G7 Summit, the Mediterranean’s largest island was also the setting for many of the European Tour’s leading golfers when they competed at the Rocco Forte Open.

For many decades, Sicily has been a popular destination for tourists eager to soak up its fascinating mixture of history, art and culture. Little wonder, with the island having been a Greek colony, a Phoenician settlement, a Roman province, a Byzantine region, an Arab emirate and a Norman Kingdom on its way to the eclectic culture that is apparent today.

■ DONNAFUGATA GOLF RESORT & SPA

It’s an intoxicating combination that many people have found hard to resist, and the same can also now be said about its golf offering. With a varied range of quality courses and a temperate climate, matched by a growing choice of direct flights to its four airports and a plethora of historical, cultural and gastronomic delights, Sicily has everything needed for a golf break. Offering outstanding courses and that little bit more, it is fast establishing itself among Europe’s top golf destinations.

There are five golfing venues on the island featuring seven 18-hole courses: Verdura Resort (45 holes); Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa (36 holes); Il Picciolo ETNA Golf Resort & Spa; Allegroitalia Siracusa Golf Monasteri,

■ DONNAFUGATA GOLF RESORT & SPA

GOLF IS JUST ONE OF AN EXTENSIVE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE ENJOYED IN SICILY, MAKING IT ARGUABLY, THE TOP DESTINATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN FOR GOLF, HISTORY, AREAS OF NATURAL BEAUTY, ART AND GASTRONOMY, TO NAME JUST A FEW

and Le Saie Golf Club.

Situated in the valley of the River Verdura, 40km from Agrigento and on Sicily’s south-west coast, Verdura Resort is a luxury oasis and features two 18hole championship courses – the East and West – as well as an inviting ninehole executive course, all designed by Kyle Phillips.

Host venue for the 2017 Rocco Forte Open – won by Spain’s Álvaro Quirós – Verdura also staged the 2012 Sicilian Open and boasts an array of other five-star facilities including a golf academy and double-ended driving range, 203 hotel rooms and suites – all with a sea view – six tennis courts, a 4,000sqm spa complex, and a choice of four restaurants and five bars.

History lovers will enjoy a visit to the nearby Valley of the Temples, one of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island, while a trip north along the coast leads to a series of stunning small bays and some of Sicily’s most beautiful beaches.

Donnafugata Golf Resort & SPA has also enjoyed the privilege of hosting European Tour action, with Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin taking top honours at the 2011 Sicilian Open.

Situated in the cultural heart of the island, and a 30-minute drive from the historic city of Ragusa, the resort features two 18-hole

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■ ENJOY SICILY’S MAGNIFICENT HISTORY

INFORMATION VERDURA RESORT: +39 0925 998 180, ROCCOFORTEHOTELS.COM DONNAFUGATA GOLF RESORT & SPA: +39 0932 914 200, DONNAFUGATAGOLFRESORT.COM IL PICCIOLO ETNA GOLF RESORT & SPA: +39 0942 986384, ILPICCIOLOETNAGOLFRESORT.COM ALLEGROITALIA SIRACUSA GOLF MONASTERI: +39 0931 941 470, ALLEGROITALIA.COM

■ MOUNT ETNA

LE SAIE GOLF CLUB: +39 095 832 0291, LESAIEGOLFCLUB.IT

while its convenient location to Etna and its orchards, vineyards and typical Mediterranean vegetation makes Il Picciolo a popular base to explore one of the island’s main attractions.

Forty-five kilometres to the south of Catania sits Allegroitalia Siracusa Golf Monasteri resort. Designed by David and Vincenzo Mezzacane, the 18-hole, par-71 course features lush, green fairways and meanders through a combination of traditional Sicilian citrus, prickly pear, carob and olive trees.

Comprehensive practice facilities include a 60-bay driving range and short game area while the resort – set in a typical Benedictine monastery that later became the home of several noble families – offers 102 spacious rooms, as well as a spa, several swimming pools, and a restaurant featuring a menu inspired by typical Sicilian recipes.

Le Saie Golf Club is located in the beautiful Gulf of Catania, close to the Simeto Oasis Natural Reserve. Featuring an 18-hole, par-72 course designed by renowned Italian course designer Franco Piras, Le Saie also offers excellent practice facilities while plans are in place for a 230room hotel to open next summer.

Situated nearby is Mount Etna, Catania,

■ ALLEGROITALIA SIRACUSA GOLF MONASTERI

championship courses – the Gary Playerdesigned Parkland and the Links – as well as extensive facilities away from the fairways including a 202-room hotel, luxury spa and health club, two swimming pools, a private beach, and three restaurants offering a broad selection of locally-sourced food.

Located just 15 minutes from Comiso airport and set in the beautiful area of Donnafugata, a natural reserve and famous tourist destination known for the imposing castle which bears the same name, the resort boasts a number of historical cities to explore nearby, including Val di Noto, Ragusa Ibla, Modica, Siracuse, Noto, and Scicli, while fans of TV detective Inspector Montalbano

can visit famous landmarks made popular by the cult BBC series.

Located 65km from Catania, Il Picciolo ETNA Golf Resort & SPA sits on the slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, and was designed within the lava fields produced after the volcano erupted in 1921.

Measuring 5,780m and offering breathtaking views of Etna from the vast majority of holes, the par-72 layout is notable for its tree-lined fairways and an abundance of wild flowers, placing the premium on accuracy rather than length off the tee.

Complementing the golf is a 98-room four-star hotel and range of leisure facilities,

■ IL PICCIOLO ETNA GOLF RESORT & SPA

Acireale, Acitrezza, Acicatena and Syracuse, as well as the Mediterranean.

Golf is just one of an extensive number of activities that can be enjoyed in Sicily, making it, arguably, the top destination in the Mediterranean for golf, history, areas of natural beauty, art and gastronomy, to name just a few.

The food is typically Mediterranean but there are strong hints of Arabic and Spanish flavours. Sicilians notoriously have a sweet tooth and are among the best dessert–makers in Italy. Try cannoli, granita, and its most famous export, cassata.

As for the drinks, Sicilians enjoy a fruity lemon liqueur called Limoncello. The island is also home to more vineyards than any other Italian region and has one of Italy's most progressive wine industries.

The number of direct flights from the UK is increasing every year, with services to Catania operating from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester, in addition to flights to Palermo from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and direct to Comiso from Stansted and Birmingham.

[78] JULY 2017 | COLUMN

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Although the eponymous spring water at the French resort town of Evian is world-renowned, so too its golf resort, whose hosting of ‘The Evian’ provides a thoroughly fitting end to the women’s Major season

SITTING OUT ON THE TERRACE of the Hotel Ermitage at the Evian Resort, sipping on a glass of something cold – although not the water – it’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place to be.

Set in beautiful flowering gardens, with glorious views in every direction, including the fabulous Lake Geneva, it’s La Belle France at its finest.

As host venue for the Ladies European Tour’s flagship event, the Evian Championship, since 1994, the Evian Resort has been on the golfing map for many a year, but its status was racked up several further notches when it was given official Major status by the LPGA Tour in 2013 – and in doing so became the fifth and final Major of the season.

It’s hard to think of a more perfect spot for the world’s best women golfers – and all the top players do come – to finish off their Major season, after what for many has been a long and exhausting year. With spas and pampering opportunities aplenty, it’s a great place for the girls to let their hair down a little, even though they are all competing for a prize fund of $3.25m, which is one of the biggest purses in the entire calendar.

It’s a sure sign that the golf course is up to the job of challenging the best players in the world when the best players in the world come out on top.

Since it gained full Major status in 2013, the Evian’s roll call of winners comprises Suzann Pettersen, Kim Hyo-joo and Lydia Ko, while before that, Inbee Park and Ai Miyazato, both former world No.1s, had lifted the title to further underline the tournament’s Major credentials.

Originally created in 1904 as a 9-hole course, Evian’s layout was only extended to 18 holes in 1988 by American architect Cabell B Robinson.

And although he did a fine job, his work been ■ THE ROYAL HOTEL

■ THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP ALWAYS ATTRACTS BIG CROWDS AND THE BEST PLAYERS

superseded by that of European Golf Design’s Steve Smyers and Dave Sampson, who completed a major remodeling of some key holes at the beginning of 2013.

The new-look design was well received by the players and fans alike, as the revamped course was changed as much to make it a more spectator-friendly design, as it was to ramp up the challenge for the players. The last four holes, known collectively as the ‘Evian Puzzle’, were all remodelled to increase the drama over the closing stretch, and offer better viewing for the galleries, with raised grass banks providing natural seating areas from to watch the action unfold. Despite the banking, the 6,428-yard course has quite an open feel to it, with a number of holes offering stunning views across Lake Geneva.

Although the majority of the previous routing remains in place, the fifth hole is now a picturesque par-three played over water, as opposed to a par four, while the tee at the 13th has been moved back to make it a par five.

A new par-three 16th plays over an attractive water feature with three ponds, while the 17th is now a par-four, played in a similar position to the old 16th hole. The final hole is now a 442-yard

■ THE RESORT ENJOYS STUNNING VIEWS OVER LAKE GENEVA

THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THE NEW-LOOK COURSE HAS THE DRAMA THAT IS REQUIRED OF A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP VENUE

■ THE REDESIGNED FIFTH IS A TESTING PAR 3 PLAYED OVER WATER

par-four, which features a large lake protecting the right side of the green. It’s a demanding finish, and one worthy of deciding a major title.

On first play, there’s no doubt that the newlook course has the drama that is required of a Major championship venue, while the large, undulating greens – which have been enlarged by up to 40 per cent – give plenty of opportunity to introduce a variety of pin positions. They are also extremely undulating, placing a heavy premium on being on the right side of the hole if you’re to have a run at an eagle or a birdie. The water features ramp up the excitement, while the breathtaking views all add to make a round at Evian an extremely memorable experience.

The course is only open from March through to November, depending on when the snow arrives, so you need to time your visit right to enjoy the best playing conditions. And while the bulk of male-orientated British golfers have perhaps been reluctant to avail themselves of the resort, given its more feminine attractions – luxury hotels, spas, shops and mineral water – for golfing couples I can’t think of a better place for a relaxing short break, with Geneva being just a 75-minute flight from London.

And with not one, but two luxury hotels on site, both of which have also been refurbished, and a dizzying choice of restaurants and bars to choose from, I can’t urge you more strongly to come and dip your toes into this most beguiling of French resorts.

[80] JULY 2017 | TRAVEL

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

SAVOURING

SOTOGRANDE Matt Nicholson visits the southern Spanish sporting retreat of Sotogrande, where world-class golf courses rub shoulders with luxury hotels and yacht-filled marinas under warm Mediterranean skies

■ LA RESERVA CLUB HAS STUNNING VIEWS OVER THE MEDITERRAEAN

S

andwiched between the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz, in the south-west corner of Spain, where the continents of Europe and Africa are separated by just the slender Strait of Gibraltar, Sotogrande is the largest privately owned residential development in Andalucia.

Situated in the province of Cadiz, around the Guadiaro river estuary, it occupies an area spanning 20 square kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea to the foothills of the Sierra Almenara.

Boasting a population of over 7,000 in peak season, it is one of Europe’s leading sporting destinations, with five championship golf courses, and facilities for yachting, sail racing, water sports, tennis, and international polo.

Its air of exclusivity has long attracted the celebrity crowd, with numerous A listers enjoying holiday homes here, along with families from all over Europe who relish the privacy and seclusion that Sotogrande is famous for.

Golf first began here in 1964 after Sotogrande’s founder, industrialist and philanthropist Joseph McMicking, commissioned Robert Trent Jones Senior to create the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande as the centrepiece for the estate’s ambitious residential plans. Top-level golf quickly arrived on the Sotogrande scene, with 1967 Open champion Roberto de Vicenzo claiming the Spanish Open here in 1966.

More recently, it is Valderrama that has taken centre stage in Sotogrande, first as the long-time host of the European Tour’s season-ending Volvo Masters, and most famously as the venue for the 1997 Ryder Cup, when Seve Balleteros led Europe to a memorable 14.5-13.5 victory as the epic transatlantic tussle visited Continental Europe for the first time.

On my recent visit to the region, though, I was there to take in the golfing delights of 21st-century newcomer, La Reserva Club, which opened in 2003, and Almenara, where we also stayed.

La Reserva Club enjoys a glorious elevated location and plays over some of Sotogrande’s highest golfing terrain. The course is the handiwork of American architect Cabell B Robinson, who worked with Trent Jones before going it alone and creating an extensive portfolio of fine courses across Europe and North Africa, including Las Colinas and Finca Cortesin in Spain and highly ranked Praia D’El Rey in Portugal.

Robinson believes that golf course architecture is more of an art form than a science, and this is in evidence from the start at La Reserva Club, with the downhill opener perhaps encouraging you to bite off more of the dogleg than is perhaps wise for your first blow of the day. Mind you, there’s no excuse for it being your first blow of the day, for the range here enjoys a glorious mountain backdrop and the practice facilities are second to none.

The 3rd and 4th play down and up over the same valley, with the latter significantly harder for you’ll be left with a very long shot in if you don’t make it to the crest of the hill. The 5th is then the first of a very strong quartet of mostly downhill par threes, with Robinson creating tee boxes in two very different locations so the angle can be varied from one day to the next.

The 6th is a real treat, a par five from a hugely elevated tee, where the narrow green is flanked menacingly by water on the right should you get the perfect drive away and be tempted to take it on in two. If the pin is at the back, that target just gets narrower and narrower.

The 10th offers little margin for error

■ THE LOS LAGOS NINE AT ALMENARA HAS A FEW SIGNATURE HOLES

either side of a must-hit fairway, though mercifully the stakes flanking the short grass are red rather than white. After successfully negotiating the sea of sand staring back at you on the par-five 13th, you face a testing run for home, with the longest of the par threes coming at the 15th – a 222-yarder with water tight left that may well require the removal of a headcover. After your round, L’Olive Restaurant is the perfect place to relax and reflect on the excellent course you’ve just played, over a fine Andalucian lunch.

It seems that La Reserva Club is destined to only get better too, with further investment

seeking to elevate its status to one of Southern Europe’s most exclusive, elegant and stylish destinations. Future plans include a world-class spa and wellness centre, lagoons for swimming and watersports, beach clubs, and additional dining experiences.

Our second Sotogrande round took us back to where we were staying, the 27-hole golf and hotel complex at Almenara, home to three loops of nine – Los Lagos, Los Pinos, and Los Alcornoques – all the handiwork of the late Dave Thomas in the 1990s. We played Los Lagos first and Los Alcornoques second, with the ‘lakes’ nine opening up with a

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TRAVEL | JULY 2017

[81]

■ SOTOGRANDE MARINA

BOOK YOUR TEE TIME LA RESERVA CLUB LARESERVACLUBSOTOGRANDE.COM GREEN FEE: €235-€270 PER ROUND COURSE: PAR 72, 6,448 METRES ALMENARA HOTELALMENARA.COM GREEN FEE: €55 PER ROUND (INCLUDING BUGGY) COURSE: LOS LAGOS/LOS PINOS: ■ THE CLUBHOUSE AT LA RESERVA CLUB HAS RECENTLY BEEN RENOVATED

friendly dogleg to the left before heading on down the valley.

If you tend to miss right, you’ll have much to think about on the 4th and 6th, where the trademark lakes lurk adjacently, especially on the 6th. No-one can then get away from the water on the signature par-three 7th, where a large expanse stands between you and the green nearly 180 yards away off the back tees.

There’s much water in play again on the Los Alcornoques nine, but which starts with a dramatic par four along the top before plunging down into the valley via the 2nd and 3rd, and not climbing back up again until

a steep ascent on 18.

A typically Mediterranean post-round lunch on the terrace looking back over Los Pinos nine was an enjoyably sociable affair, while Hotel Almenara’s other dining options range from the elegant Gaia dining room, where authentic Mediterranean fare is a speciality, to the contemporary Pentagrama Bar, which offers a relaxed dining experience on into the early hours, with outdoor tables an option.

The hotel itself offers a range of wellequipped rooms, suites and villa-style bungalows, with some featuring balconies or terraces that gaze out over the golf course.

Away from the fairways, there are excellent health facilities to enjoy, whether the pool, the luxurious spa or the Finnish or Turkish baths.

Finally, when in town, it would be remiss not to take a short drive down to Sotogrande’s Alto Marina to dine al fresco by the water, and gaze longingly at the boats and yachts that could just be yours one day if your lottery numbers come up.

Sotogrande changed hands in 2014, when it was bought by Cerberus Capital Management and Orion Capital Managers from its previous owner, NH Hotel Group, for €225m. The new owners are already embarking on a series of investments in the resort, with La Reserva Club earmarked for transformation into a private residential community, with properties designed by some of the world’s leading architects, while new facilities will include a world-class spa and wellness centre; lagoons for swimming and watersports; beach clubs; dining facilities and kids’ clubs; as well as a concierge. This is in addition to the existing golf facilities and clubhouse, and the new tennis club, of which the first courts were completed last year.

PAR 72, 6,277 METRES

STAYING IN SOTOGRANDE

■ THE ACCOMMODATION AT ALMENARA BOASTS 145 ROOMS

PRIVATE VILLAS & PROPERTIES FROM A MARINA-SIDE PROPERTY IN RIBERA DEL MARLIN TO THE COMPELLING SPLENDOUR OF LA RESERVA, SOTOGRANDE HAS A PLETHORA OF BEAUTIFUL VILLAS, RANGING FROM TWO-BEDROOM CABAÑAS TO SPACIOUS CONTEMPORARY SIX-BEDROOM HOUSES TO RENT. FOR DETAILS EMAIL CONCIERGE@SOTOGRANDE.COM OR CALL 00 34 663 030 277.

VILLA OASIS LOCATED BETWEEN MARBELLA AND THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR, VILLAS OASIS BOASTS SIX DELUXE SUITES, SPACIOUS LIVING AREAS, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR POOLS, SPA AND GYM FACILITIES, A 4K CINEMA, AND A FULLY-STOCKED WINE CELLAR. THERE ARE VIEWS OF THE SIERRA DE LAS NIEVES MOUNTAINS AND THE MEDITERRANEAN FROM A SELECTION OF TERRACES. FOR BOOKINGS, VISIT WWW.VILLAOASIS.ES.

ALMENARA HOTEL THE HILLTOP ALMENARA HOTEL OFFERS STUNNING VIEWS OVER SOTOGRANDE AND IS SURROUNDED BY SOME OF THE BEST GOLF COURSES IN EUROPE. ENCIRCLED BY THE 27-HOLE ALMENARA COURSE, THE HOTEL OFFERS 145 ROOMS, TWO RESTAURANTS, A GYM AND THE ELYSIUM SOTOGRANDE SPA. PRICES START FROM £150 PER NIGHT AND ROOMS CAN BE BOOKED AT WWW.HOTELALMENARA.COM.

NH SOTOGRANDE NH SOTOGRANDE SITS AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY CLOSE TO THE GOLF COURSES AND RIDING SCHOOL, AND LESS THAN A 10-MINUTE DRIVE TO SOTOGRANDE MARINA. THE 106 ROOMS AND SUITES ARE LAID OUT IN A SERIES OF LOW-RISE, WHITEWASHED BUILDINGS WITH ROOMS DECORATED IN WARM COLOURS WITH TILED FLOORS. VIEWS ARE OF THE GARDEN AND LA CAÑADA GOLF COURSE. PRICES START FROM £130 PER NIGHT. FOR DETAILS VISIT WWW.NH-HOTELS.COM.

HOTEL CLUB MARITIMO THIS 41-ROOM BOUTIQUE HOTEL SITS IN THE MARINA, WITH EACH ROOM ENJOYING PANORAMAS OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN AND GIBRALTAR. GUESTS CAN CHOSE FROM TWO IN-HOUSE RESTAURANTS, WHILE THERE IS A WEALTH OF MARINA-SIDE CAFES AND BARS TO EXPLORE ON THE HOTEL’S DOORSTEP. PRICES START FROM £105 PER NIGHT. FOR DETAILS VISIT WWW.CLUBMARITIMODESOTOGRANDE.COM/EN.

For more details visit www.sotogrande.com

[82] JULY 2017 | COMPETITION

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

A GOLF HOLIDAY TO SPAIN

COURTESY OF CLUBSTOHIRE! Golf News has teamed up with golf club rental company ClubstoHire and Bonalba Golf Resort to offer one lucky reader a golf break for two to sunny Southern Spain The prize comprises a three-night B&B stay at the fourstar Bonalba Golf Resort in Alicante, with two rounds of golf, free golf club rental from ClubsToHire’s extensive range, as well as a dozen free TaylorMade golf balls.

The premium brands on offer at ClubsToHire’s handy outlet at Alicante airport include TaylorMade, with its latest M1 and M2 woods and irons, as well as its Rocketballz range, while Mizuno’s JPX 825 wood and irons are also available. Normally costing £55 per week to hire, these top-notch clubs, along with a stand bag, will be yours for the duration of the trip at no extra cost.

ClubsToHire currently boasts 23 club rental outlets throughout the world, including at Malaga, Murcia, Tenerife, Palma, Madeira, Faro, Lisbon, Dublin and Edinburgh in Europe, while Cape Town, Marrakech, Orlando and Scottsdale are among those located in longer-haul destinations.

With right and left-hand options, and a choice of men’s and ladies’ clubs in a wide variety of shaft flexes, ClubsToHire is the no-hassle choice for golfers who don’t want the inconvenience and expense of taking their own clubs abroad, but still want to play with the very best equipment at a far more competitive rate than that offered at golf resorts.

Golfers can go online to pre-select sets of their choice of clubs, which are then either collected from shops in airport terminals, or delivered direct to hotels or

TO ENTER

golf courses for even greater convenience. For more information, visit www.ClubstoHire.com.

The winners will stay in a twin or double room at the Bonalba Golf Resort, a four-star resort located 10 minutes' drive from central Alicante in Mutxamel, and two miles from the beaches of Campello. The spacious rooms all enjoy private terraces, flat screen TVs and free WiFi, while facilities include outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a spa, a hamman, a buffet-style restaurant and a choice of bars.

The resort’s excellent 18-hole course features five large lakes, which come into play on seven holes. The fairways are generous in places, but there are plenty of bunkers in the fairways and around the greens to reward accurate shotmaking.

Southern Counties

HEATHLAND GOLF TOURS

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the question below correctly, and email your name, address and contact details to info@golfnews.co.uk with ‘ClubsToHire Competition’ in the subject line.

Please include where you picked up your copy of Golf News.

Normal competition rules apply, and no cash alternative is available.

The winner will have to arrange his or her own flights to Alicante and airport transfers. The closing date for entries is August 15, 2017.

The booking must be made by December 31, 2017, with travel from August 31, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Subject to availability.

QUESTION:

ClubstoHire has 23 outlets worldwide, but can you name three of their Spanish locations?

To enquire call:

01822 618181 Website:

Email:

schgt.co.uk

info@exclusivegolfbreaks.com

Five of England’s finest heathland courses have joined forces as Southern Counties Heathland Golf Tour Blackmoor, Hankley Common, Hindhead, Liphook and West Sussex Staying at top quality hotels and Inns.

Packages start from just £339 playing three rounds of golf and two nights B&B at a top venue

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TRAVEL | JULY 2017 [83]

ZIP OVER TO ZAFIRO TO SAMPLE THE BEST OF MALLORCAN GOLF T

he newest five-star hotel on the holiday island of Mallorca is offering autumn stayand-play golf packages with its near neighbour, Club de Golf Alcanada.

The Viva Zafiro Alcudia & Spa, which opened in 2015, sits in an unrivalled location just 300 metres from the sea at Alcudia Bay, and a few minutes from Alcanada's golf course.

The Zafiro has 369 suites, five restaurants, three bars, 10 swimming pools, a gym, a spa and wellness centre, a solarium, and a myriad sports facilities. And, close by, are the pleasant streets of Puerto de Alcudia, one of the oldest towns

MIX IT UP IN MAURITIUS WITH CHAKA TRAVEL

G

olf travellers looking to benefit from the very best local knowledge on

their next golfing break should consider booking up a guide golf tour with one of the most experienced operators in the business.

Established in 1995, Chaka Travel is widely recognised as one of the UK and Ireland's leading luxury golf tour operators, providing bespoke golf holidays to far-flung destinations such as Mauritius, South Africa, Thailand, Mexico, the USA, Morocco and Dubai, as well as golfing nations closer to home, such as Spain, Italy and Turkey.

The company has expanded its portfolio of holidays by offering escorted tours, led by a team of expert golf professionals, to help guide guests on the course. Exploring new destinations, while sharing experiences with likeminded travelers, escorted tours offer the luxury of being accompanied by a golf professional who will be on hand to not only offer golf tuition, but also share firsthand knowledge of the local sights to enhance the overall holiday experience.

Chaka Travel’s next escorted tour is being held in Mauritius from September 24 to October 7, when South African professional Jacques Gous will be hosting a 12-night trip to take part in Chaka’s 17th Mauritius Mixed Pairs Tournament.

The holiday will take in five tournament rounds on the two championship courses at the Constance Belle Mare Plage Golf & Spa Resort – the Legend and the Links – which are regular hosts of the Mauritius Open. There is unlimited golf available in between competition rounds, while Jacques will be on hand to offer swing tips and course management throughout the trip, as well as provide one-to-one tuition.

Guests will also attend five group dinners on tournament days.

Prices start from £3,150pp, including return flights on Virgin Airlines from London, and 12 nights' accommodation at Belle Mare Plage.

For more details, visit www. chakatravel.com, or call 028 9023 2112.

in Mallorca, where there is a wide selection of restaurants, bars and shops.

The resort is offering three-, four- and sevennight breaks from €147pp/pn. The three-night

‘Wedge' break, with B&B accommodation in a junior suite, free access to the Balneum Spa, and two green fees at Alcanada, costs €442 per person, based on two sharing.

The four-night ‘Eagle' package offers three green fees at Alcanada and costs €621, while the seven-night ‘Albatross' includes five rounds for €1,038. The prices are valid from October 3 to November 14.

Alcanada's 7,108-yard, Trent Jones Jr-designed course has won a steady stream of awards since opening 12 years ago. Enjoying a breathtaking location overlooking the Bay of Alcudia,

the course blends naturally into the typical Mallorcan terrain and takes its name from an island with a lighthouse, situated just offshore, which can be seen from most of the holes.

In addition, the club boasts a centuries-old Mallorca clubhouse that offers guests the opportunity to sample regional specialties in its first-class dining facilities. A golf academy, including a short-game area and covered driving range, is also available.

For reservations, call 0034 971 897 008, email infogolf@hotelsviva.com or visit www.hotelsviva.com.

the new mauritius resort! c palmar by constance opens november 2017

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Join us on one of our popular escorted tours. Suitable for golfers and non-golfers alike, our PGA pro, Jacques Gous, will be your guide throughout. Make new friends on the trip of a lifetime!

12 nights from £3,150 pp Return flights & Five group dinners Five tournament rounds of golf Unlimited golf & Golf club carriage 2 championship courses One to one golf tuition 24th September - 7th October 2017

12 nights Half Board Or All Inclusive supplement from £660 PP Unlimited Golf on 2 courses incl. flights & transfers

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call our specialists

028 9023 2112

TRAVEL | JULY 2017 [85]

LA MANGA CLUB’S TOP 10 SUMMER ATTRACTIONS

S

ummer at La Manga Club offers a huge range of activities for all the family. Some of the highlights for this summer include…

1

Enrol your kids into one of the many sports academies for expert tuition – La Manga Club offers football, cricket, golf, tennis, rugby and dance (all Summer).

2

Sip cocktails to Balearic beats at the hotel’s new Chill-Out Terrace overlooking the South Course (all Summer).

3

Get cool on the beach at the White Night parties at La Manga Club’s private La Cala beach cove (21 July and 11 August).

■ JUNIOR TENNIS

4

Enter one of the weekly golf competitions and experience our three stunning golf courses (all summer).

5

Hire a carbon road bike and ride out in the evening with the ‘La Manga Club peloton’ on a guided group ride (twice per week, all summer).

6

Sip a glass of sangria at the tennis centre and watch the evening exhibition match including pros and ex pros (every Friday).

■ WHITE NIGHT PARTY

7

Sample exotic spices at Dharma – tastes from India and Lebanon – with wonderful views across the resort (Wednesday to Sunday).

8

Enrol kids into the incredible Junior Club, open every day and complete with its own pool and loads of daily activities.

9 10

Splash around at the family pool party with BBQ, games and music (11 and 18 August).

Pyjama Movie Nights for 4-13 year olds with popcorn, etc (every Tuesday evening).

LA MANGA CLUB TO HOST WORLD GOLF AWARDS W

orld Golf Awards has revealed that the five-star La Manga Club resort will host its Gala Ceremony 2017 at the end of this year.

The most prestigious awards programme in the golf tourism industry will take place at the famous venue in Murcia, from 23-26 November 2017.

Attendees will be welcomed to Spain’s flagship resort for three action-packed days of unrivalled networking events, dinners and exclusive golf experience activities.

The highlight of the event will be the red-carpet World Golf Awards Gala Ceremony on Saturday 25 November, where golf tourism figureheads and market leaders from North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Central and

South America and Australasia will gather together at La Manga Club’s Hotel Principe Felipe for the 2017 winners to be announced.

“The team and I are beyond excited to be bringing the World Golf Awards to Spain for the first time,” commented Chris Frost, World Golf Awards managing director. “We look forward to welcoming industry leaders and luminaries to La Manga Club, Spain’s most exclusive sports and leisure resort, in November and I know it will be a weekend to remember.”

José Asenjo, general manager of La Manga Club, said: “It’s a great honour and privi-lege to be chosen to host the World Golf Awards for the first time, in what is a landmark year for the resort as we celebrate

LA MANGA CLUB’S LONDON NIGHT AT THE THEATRE MARKS 45 YEARS

L

eading names from the past and present teamed up to help Spain’s world-famous La Manga Club resort celebrate its 45th anniversary in style in London earlier this month.

Former British tennis star Jo Durie and exArsenal and Republic of ■ JO DURIE AND TERRY MANCINI Ireland defender Terry Camahort, and,,, to give the evening Mancini were among guests from the sporting world and key an added Spanish flavour, the figures from the UK travel industry guests were was treated to a mouthand national media, who attended watering selection of traditional the resort’s ‘Theatre of Dreams’ Spanish dishes and refreshments. evening at the Cervantes Theatre in “This year is a landmark year in Southwark. the history of La Manga Club and Hosted by La Manga Club we wanted to do something special general manager José Asenjo, to celebrate it,” Asenjo said. “Right and the resort’s non-executive from the very beginning, La Manga chairman PY Gerbeau, the event Club has been at the forefront of – which was compered by BBC sports and leisure resorts across TV presenter Georgina Burnett – the continent, and it’s a pleasure offered guests the chance to not for us to be able to welcome people only celebrate the award-winning from all walks of life and of all ages. venue’s historic past, but also learn The resort is unique in so many more about its plans for the future ways – it has enjoyed an amazing via a 10-minute video shown on the past and we want to create a new ‘big screen’. history over the next 45 years Entertainment was provided by to ensure that we maintains a acclaimed Spanish guitarist Maria position at the very top.”

■ LA MANGA CLUB RESORT

our 45th birthday.

“Every year the event attracts some of the most respected figures in the golf industry, and we’re very excited to have this opportunity to showcase our numerous world-class golf and leisure facilities to a key global audience and look forward

to welcoming everyone here in November.”

Voting for the World Golf Awards is now open and will conclude on 1 October 2017.

For nomination information, please visit www.worldgolfawards.com.

‘APPY’ DAYS AHEAD V

isitors and guests to Spain’s La Manga Club will be able to further enrich their stay with a new resort app offering easy access to the latest information, services and promotions on offer at the world-famous venue.

Free to download to iOS and Android users, the new software allows individuals, groups and families to plan their stay, and also acts as an invaluable reference guide when in the resort.

Available in both English and Spanish, the app provides comprehensive details on La Manga Club’s extensive range of sports and leisure facilities including three award-winning golf courses, a 28-court tennis centre, a luxury spa, more than 20 bars and restaurants and a choice of four and fivestar hotel and self-catering accommodation.

As well as featuring up-to-minute weather forecasts, it enables guests to view the latest news and updates on the resort, reserve services, explore the activities’ schedule, and receive resort promotions, while the app also includes a section allowing La Manga Club members the chance to take advantage of exclusive offers and discounts.

One of the app’s most innovative features is its golf section, which allows players to not only record their scores and view previous rounds, but also access detailed information on how to play each hole when out on the course, including yardages to the centre of every green using real time GPS tracking technology.

Eduardo Ruiz, director of golf at La Manga Club, commented: “The new bespoke golf section makes it one of the best golf apps on the market, and is essential for any golfer that comes to play at the resort.”

FOR THE LATEST OFFERS AT LA MANGA CLUB GO TO LAMANGACLUB.COM

[86] JULY 2017 | TRAVEL

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LODGES ADD LUXURY APPEAL TO LOFOTEN LINKS L

ofoten Links in Norway, one of the world’s most northerly courses, has opened a range of luxury accommodation in the beautiful setting of the Lofoten Islands.

Managed by Troon, Lofoten

Links sits 95 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and can provide every visitor with an experience of a lifetime, whether golfing under the midnight sun or enjoying the Northern Lights, which are visible from late August until April.

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Guests can choose between a range of lodges and apartments. The lodges, which are set next to Hov Beach, have three or four bedrooms, kitchens, spacious lounges with fireplaces, and terraces with sea views. Prices start from around €58 per person per night, based on six people sharing a four-bedroom lodge. The apartments range between one and three bedrooms, start from around €52pp, based on two people sharing.

Lofoten Links has recently been expanded from nine to 18 holes

by English architect Jeremy Turner, who borrowed five holes from the existing course and created 13 completely new ones. Several holes on the 6,600-yard layout play alongside the ocean, while one,

TAKE ON VIETNAM’S GRAND SLAM TOUR D

espite being slightly off the traditionally beaten track, as far as golfers are concerned, Vietnam is making a strong case for being the Far East’s next hot golfing destination on the back of a quartet of top tracks located on what is being called the ‘Golf Coast Vietnam’.

Throw in an inviting climate, high quality accommodation, stunning beaches, a safe environment, interesting local food, culture and history, friendly people, and sensibly-priced green fees, and the result is a country that has seen

■ LOFOTEN LINKS

the par-3 second, juts out into the sea promontory, with the green surrounded by water on three sides.

Other holes occupy land slightly further from the shore, including area around Viking graves, while

■ BA NA HILLS

its golf visitor numbers rise from virtually zero five years ago, to more than 250,000 rounds to date, and counting.

Encompassing the coastal cities of Danang, Hoi An, Hue and Lang Co, all of which are accessible from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the Central Coast offer over 35 miles of white sandy beaches which are dotted at regular intervals with luxury resorts operated by the likes of Intercontinental, Hyatt and Accor, many of which offer exceptional golf courses that are already ranked highly in the world top 100 lists.

Mount Hoven provides a spectacular backdrop. Though the site is natural linksland, some areas are extremely rocky, especially on edges of fairways.

For more details, visit lofotenlinks.no.

Luke Donald is the latest among a growing list of tour players to turn their hand to golf course design following the opening of his first project at Ba Na Hills Golf Club, near Danang, where Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman already have courses in play. Located away from the sea, Bana Hills enjoys a typically cooler, less windy setting.

Golfers wishing to test themselves on all four signature courses, including Faldo’s Laguna Lang Co, Montgomerie Links at Danang, and Greg Norman’s The Bluffs at Grand Ho Tram Strip, should consider booking up the Grand Slam Tour package currently being offered by tour operator Golf Asian. The eight-night, nine-day tour takes in all four venues.

For package prices and more details email inquire@golfasian.com or visit www.golfcoastvietnam.com.

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TRAVEL | JULY 2017

[87]

ME&MYTRAVELS

Andrew Strauss, the former England cricket captain and current Director of England Cricket, likes to unwind on holiday with his family, preferably with golf clubs in tow

is up there, too. To be perched on the edge of a cliff, listening to the sounds of the waves, with great service and fantastic food, is pretty special.

■ ZIGHY BAY IN OMAN

Sunningdale and will never tire of playing either the Old or the New Courses. .

My dream golfing four-ball would be....

Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. Three of the best golfers of all time, and those guys in their prime took the game to a new level.

My best piece of travel advice… is to keep your sense of humour. My wife and I always try to have a pact that when we're travelling with the kids we're going to try as hard as we possibly can not to lose our rags, which can be pretty difficult sometimes. It is possible to simply accept that there will be logistical difficulties, so we just try to be as calm as possible.

My best meal abroad… was at a restaurant called El Tinars in Girona. Some friends recommended it and the quality of the food was outrageously good. They served tapas and authentic Spanish food.

Everything about it was fantastic. In terms of a location, The Cliff in Barbados

My worst holiday experience… was in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. I managed to contract some sort of bug while I was playing golf, and for two or three days, I've never been so ill in my life. We had to stop every 10 minutes so I could throw up on the side of the road.

■ QUINTA DO LAGO

home in Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

With so much time spent touring, home is a pretty good place to be.

My first holiday memory is… going to the Kruger National Park. I lived in South Africa as a child and we went on safari in our car. The thing I remember most is looking for wildlife out of the window. If either my sisters or I spotted anything, we would get a prize.

The best hotel I've stayed in is… the Oyster Box in Umhlanga, South Africa. It's an old

colonial building that has been refurbished in a style that's true to its roots. It's on an outstanding beach, the food is great, the pool is amazing and the rooms are bright and spacious.

Zighy Bay in Oman is also an incredible place. I stayed there with my family after a tour in Pakistan. I knew nothing about Oman before we went there, but it was a very special resort with the most amazing service.

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My favourite holiday was to… the Phinda game reserve in South Africa, with my family.

We had our own guide and it was just an incredible experience, staying in a beautiful safari lodge with a pool. The kids loved going out looking for insects and we all saw incredible wildlife. We had breakfast by the lake one morning and just over the other side of the waterhole, we spotted some lions, which was a special

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thing to be able to do with my kids.

My favourite UK holiday destination is… the Scottish Highlands. I haven't done a huge amount of travelling in the UK – summers in England were usually spent playing cricket – but I do love the Highlands for the beautiful remoteness of it. In the summer, it stays light so long and you get beautiful colours.

I also love being at

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My favourite holiday golf destination is…

Quinta do Lago in Portugal, which has great courses and is also good for the kids.

My favourite golf course in the UK is…

Stoke Park Golf Club in Buckinghamshire. I’m biased, as I’ve just taken on the role of president of the club from Sir Matthew Pinsent.

I’ve played there is numerous charity days over the years, and always enjoyed the golf courses, but it also has lots to offer the family.

I’m also a big fan of

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