Winter 2020 Issue

THE UK’S NO.1 GOLF NEWSPAPER

ISSUE 284 | WINTER 2020 | TWITTER: @GOLFNEWSMAG | WEB: GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

COMPETITION

TRAVEL

Win a golf day for 12 + Riley sunglasses

LISBON Special 8-page travel supplement LET’S GO USA! North America’s hottest destinations

EQUIPMENT LOFTY AMBITIONS Premium wedge showcase New gear from Ping, Callaway, Honma and Wilson

MAJOR PLAYER Matt Fitzpatrick eyes up golf’s biggest prizes

D E C A D E O F D O M I N A N C E RORY MCILROY LOOKS BACK ON 10 YEARS AT THE TOP

BACK FROM THE BRINK COMPLIMENTARY COPY Est 1994

DANNY WILLETT REVEALS THE HIGHS & LOWS

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WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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Could ultra-lightweight fabric technology used by NASA really improve your game?

NEWS | WINTER 2020

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

EDITOR'S LETTER

NICK BAYLY

GOLF NEEDS 2020 VISION Back in the mists of time, when I first started out as a golf writer, when Tiger Woods was a gangly teen and Nick Faldo was sporting a bowl haircut, the questions I was most often asked at social gatherings when people discovered my job were generally along the lines of 1) Can I be your caddy? 2) What’s your favourite course? and 3) What’s Monty really like?

The answers were ‘No’, ‘Sunningdale Old’, and ‘It depends whether he’s just won the Ryder Cup or handed the US Open to Geoff Ogilvy.’

These days, when I divulge my profession to strangers, I’m often met with a similar set of questions, but usually with a curveball or two thrown into the mix.

These often include: ‘How much discount can you get me on a new driver? Does anyone read magazines any more?’ Is Peter Alliss still alive?’ and ‘Isn’t golf supposed to be on its ar**?’ To which I give the answers ‘No’, ‘More than you think’, ‘Yes’, and ‘Hmm, a bit, but it’s not that straightforward. Let me explain...'

The quick answer to that final question, of course, is, yes, golf isn’t quite as popular as it once was. We know there are fewer golfers than there were a decade ago. We know that shrinking memberships has forced many clubs to close over the last five years, while others have sold off parts of their land in an effort to keep the course open. But is there a future for the game of golf?

Absolutely.

Even with the recent decline in participation, millions of people still play golf. Some may only dust off the clubs a couple of times a year, while others play three or four times a week. But golf, in all its glorious forms, and I include Adventure Golf and TopGolf, although not The Golf Club 2019 on Xbox, is still being played across this great land by young and old, men and women, boys and girls.

■ GOLF IS A GAME FOR LIFE, AS THE UK'S BABY BOOM GENERATION IS SHOWING

While many efforts are being made to stem the tide of declining participation, with women and girls' initiatives, junior programmes, shorter formats and more relaxed dress codes, there is also the idea that as people get older, they might reconsider golf, a game they perhaps didn’t care for when they were in their 20s or 30s and desperately trying to climb the career ladder and raising children.

Looking back to my callow youth, I never imagined visiting a garden centre or taking pleasure from a visit to a National Trust property. These days I’m hammering on the doors at opening time. The same is true of golf.

Those four-hour rounds are great time stealers for those with empty diaries and a bit of disposable income.

Is the future of golf as robust as it was ten or 15 years ago? Probably not. The ‘Tiger Woods Effect’ was a real thing, but it faded as Woods did himself for several years. Courses were built and people who never cared for the game started playing because of Woods and the hysteria around his incredible success. Given the fragmentation of the media, and Generation X,Y and Z’s self-obsession, it’s hard to imagine something like that happening again and giving the game a growth jolt.

However, maintaining the game at current participation levels, and keeping existing golf courses open, is an attainable goal. Doing that provides a secure future for the game. And it could be a platform for future growth, perhaps not like the growth of the 2000s, but growth nonetheless.

So yes, in answer to the question ‘Does golf have a future?’ I say a resounding 'Yes'. But it’s a future it must fight for. There will be some battles lost, with fewer courses and perhaps fewer players, but it’s a future worth fighting for. There, after all, are only so many National Trust properties you can visit….

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

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EDITOR Nick Bayly editor@golfnews.co.uk

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PUBLISHED BY BlueGreen Media REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Stirk, Clive Agran

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InBrief TOMLINSON TAKES TOP JOB AT ENGLAND GOLF ★ England Golf has appointed Jeremy Tomlinson as its new chief executive. A former managing director of Acushnet Europe, where he was responsible for the Titleist and FootJoy brands, Tomlinson replaces outgoing CEO Nick Pink, who has left to take up a similar role with England Hockey. A trustee of the Golf Foundation, Tomlinson has experience in the amateur game both as a county player for Wiltshire and as a volunteer at his home club of Marlborough.

ROYAL CINQUE PORTS & PRINCE'S TO HOST BOYS AMATEUR CHAMPS ★ The R&A has announced that Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s Golf Clubs are to jointly stage the Boys’ Amateur Championship from August 10-15 in 2021, in what will be the 100th anniversary staging of the event. The 2020 Boys Amateur is being jointly held at Moortown and Alwoodley.

LITTLESTONE PLAYS IT SAFE ★ Littlestone Golf Club in New Romney has achieved SafeGolf club accreditation from England Golf and becomes the first club in Kent to do so. SafeGolf is a partnership of UK golf bodies committed to promoting a safe and positive environment for all those participating, working and volunteering in the sport of golf. Littlestone’s Director of Golf, James Cunliffe, said: “Littlestone is a friendly and forward-thinking club that has a great attitude towards promoting junior golf. This award helps us to spread that message and to tell people that children and vulnerable adults are safe and secure here.”

The club’s Championship course is hosting the R&A's 2020 Junior Open.

ABLETT HOLES OUT AT HAYLING ★ Lee-on-the-Solent PGA Pro James Ablett got his Titleist & FootJoy PGA South Winter Series campaign off to a winning start when firing two eagles and two birdies at Hayling Golf Club en route to securing a matchwinning 40 points. Competing against 46 other pros, Ablett dashed the hopes of Warren Harmston, who was a point behind in second, although the Sunningdale Heath pro did have the consolation of winning a ball, glove and shoe contract from the sponsors. Jack Coulbert (Swanmore), Peter Tarver-Jones (West Hove), Harry Worner (Rustington) and Bertie Chambers (Betchworth Park) shared third with 38 points.

Tree claims tour card Sussex tour professional Toby Tree earned full playing rights on the 2020 European Tour after winning one of the 28 cards on offer at Final Stage Qualifying in Spain.

The 25-year-old from Horsham, who is a member at Golf At Goodwood, got off to a fast start in the 108-hole marathon at Lumine, opening up with back-to-back 67s to take a share of the lead.

And, as the competition progressed, Tree knuckled down admirably to the task, with scores of 72 and 68 in rounds three and four seeing him comfortably make the secondary cut. He then closed out his life-changing week with rounds of 69 and 72 to finish in 24th place, making the mark with a single stroke to spare.

Tree, who has been playing on the EuroPro Tour and Challenge Tour since turning professional in 2014, commented: “Playing on the European Tour has been something I’ve dreamt about since I was a kid, so to have finally achieved that ambition, and be standing here with a card, is amazing. Last

after Q School success

season was a little disappointing. I had a great start to the year, but things fell apart towards the end, especially when I picked up an injury playing in Ireland. So to get a place on the 2020 European Tour means an enormous amount.

“It was a strange week really, as although I felt comfortable and confident when I was out on the golf course, it was real struggle when I was between rounds. The stuff that goes through your head is ridiculous – I found it hardest to fill my time in the evenings and just wanted to get back out on the course.

He added: “I am planning to celebrate this moment for sure. There have been so many up and downs in my career, that I know it’s important celebrate the good times when they happen.”

A regular player of both championship courses at Goodwood, Tree can often be found practicing at the West Sussex-based club, and takes pleasure in passing on his skills and knowledge to the junior members as part of his ambassadorial role for the club.

Wall adds Tour appeal

Wallis leaves it late

to Foxhills’ coaching team

to grab Sandwich spoils

Canterbury's Richard Wallis captured the PGA Sandwich Links Championship Pro-Am after shooting an eight-under-par total to bag the £1,000 top prize.

Playing the first round at Royal St George's and then Prince's on the following day, Wallis pipped Lee-on-the-Solent's James Ablett by a stroke, with Tom Jordan (Langley Park) six strokes back in third.

Wallis matched Ablett's opening 68 around Royal St George's, but the fireworks really started on the back nine at Prince's. Starting on the 10th, Ablett went out in one-under and made pars until he made four birdies on the trot in his last five holes for his 67.

Snap up ‘early bird’ tickets to watch senior stars in action at Sunningdale Discounted tickets are now on sale for the 2020 Senior Open, which is being held at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire from July 23-26.

Fans have until February 26 to purchase ‘Early Bird’ tickets for Europe’s only Senior Major, with single day tickets starting at £10 for juniors and £18 for adults.

Thousands of fans flocked to Royal Lytham & St Annes in July to see Bernhard Langer win a record fourth Senior Open, and even bigger crowds are expected at Sunningdale, where major champions Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk are among several world-class players who will be eligible to compete at this level for the first time.

Sunningdale has hosted the Senior Open on two previous occasions, with American Marco Dawson enjoying a one-shot triumph in 2015, while compatriot Loren Roberts lifted the title in 2009 after winning a play-off against Argentine Eduardo Romero.

Jamie Birkmyre, championship director of the Senior Open, said: “We are delighted to

begin ticket sales for the Senior Open, which proves annually to be one of the most iconic tournaments on the global golfing calendar.

The Old Course at Sunningdale will provide a fitting test for the world’s best senior golfers, and we look forward to welcoming players and fans alike to the spectacular venue.”

Golf fans will also be able to catch some of the UK’s top seniors in action at Senior Open qualifying events being held at Burhill Golf Club, The Berkshire, Camberley Heath and Foxhills on July 20. The top six finishers at each venue will earn a place in the starting line up at Sunningdale on July 23.

Former European Tour player Anthony Wall has joined the coaching staff at Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey.

The 44-year-old, who came through the junior ranks at Foxhills in the early 1990s, has returned to where it all began at the Surrey club after an impressive 20-year career on the European Tour.

Wall said: “Nothing replaces playing and competing with the world’s best, but I always wanted to stay in the game in some capacity – and I love the thought of continuing that journey after I came through myself as a kid at Foxhills. There is a certain pleasure in helping people improve. It’s pretty special seeing someone’s face when they hit a draw, when they've never been able to do it before.”

Wall was part of the Foxhills Foundation from 1987-91 – as was fellow graduate Paul Casey – which provides coaching and guidance for talented youngsters. Wall believes his Tour expertise can be applied to any level of golfer as they bid to improve.

Wall added: “I was playing off 10 when I was 12, and by the time I left there I was off plus-two and an England international. Paul was a year behind me, but I would say we were the two golfers who worked the hardest when we were there. He did more putting that me, whereas I hit more balls. In my experience, it’s the people who put the most work in who tend to go on to really achieve things.

“When you are on Tour, everyone has that same level of knowledge. But when you step away from that, you realise not everyone has had the same sort of experience. Making changes to someone’s game is not easy, there are no shortcuts, but there are ways of doing things and I’m really looking forward to it.”

One-hour lessons with Anthony cost £90 for members and £100 for non-members, while youth rates are £70 per hour. For bookings, email proshop@foxhills.co.uk or call 01932 704465.

NEWS | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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InBrief

■ SIR NICK FALDO WITH ALL THE WINNERS OF HIS 2019 EUROPE SERIES

PRINCE’S PGA PROAM RAISES £10K FOR CAPTAIN’S CHARITY ★ PGA South Region captain Anthony Tarchetti’s annual golf day at Prince’s Golf Club helped raise over £10,000 for the PGA Benevolent Fund. Attended by a full field of 144, players enjoyed a round on the Kent club’s recently renovated Himalayas-Shore layout. Tarchetti, who is Director of Golf at Prince’s, teamed up with amateur partner Mike Dunderdale to score 36 points, but that total was eclipsed by Prince’s general manager Rob McGuirk, who combined with Richie Woodham to notch up 39 points to win the day. After golf, players and invited guests enjoyed a post-round curry, prize giving, raffle and auction.

BBO FUTURES TOUR’S FRILFORD FINALE ★ The BB&O Futures Tour Finale held at Frilford Heath saw the end-of-season honours claimed in the U12, U14 and U16 categories. In the U12s competition, Boyd Price (Newbury & Crookham) won the nett prize with a 71, while Billy Wood (Stoke Park), who clinched the gross prize, won the U12 Order of Merit. In the U14s, Toby Pressey (Castle Royle) won the nett prize with a 70, while Connor Jacob (Frilford Heath) won the gross prize with a 75 and the U14 Order of Merit title.

Harry Gale’s nett 70 put him at the top of leaderboard in the U16 nett category, while Luke Perkins’ sixth-place finish saw him top the Order of Merit.

CORBEN’S A SURREY MASTER ★ David Corben (Hindhead) won the 2019 Surrey Masters after shooting a stunning 64 at Walton Heath. The superb eight-underpar round saw him finish well clear of Edward Keep (Clandon Regis) and Jacob Aaholm (Reigate Hill), although the latter had the honour of retaining his Surrey Golf Order of Merit title, with Corben taking second and Frankie Boylan (Woodcote Park) in third in the season’s points list.

ENGLAND QUARTET SET FOR CHILE START ★ Four of England’s brightest young talents are heading to Chile next month to take part in the South American Amateur Championship. Gloucestershire’s Caley McGinty and Somerset’s Mimi Rhodes will fly the flag for England’s women, while Wiltshire’s Jake Bolton and Gloucestershire’s Joe Long will represent the men’s team. The tournament is being held at Los Leones Golf Club, near Santiago, between January 8-11.

Edwards-Hill claims Faldo Series crown

Essex’s Arron Edwards-Hill has been crowned the 23rd Faldo Series Europe champion at Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.

Edwards-Hill, 20, who is member at Chelmsford Golf Club, overcame a four-shot deficit on the final day to win the coveted title by two shots from South African junior Dylan Melville.

The Essex junior showed experience beyond his years in navigating the tricky Al Ain course, shooting three rounds in the 60s, and starting his final round back nine with five straight birdies to shoot a scintillating 64. His overall win meant he also captured the Under-21 age category.

Max Kennedy (Ireland) won the Boys’ U18, while Melville, the overall runner-up, won the Boys’ U16 title. In the girls’ category, Faldo Series Asia champion from earlier in the year, Chang Hsin Chiao of Chinese Taipei, won the Girls’ U21 category, with England’s Louise Burke winning the U16 category.

Sir Nick Faldo, who was at Al Ain throughout the week, hosting clinics and offering advice, said: “I continue to be impressed by the quality of these guys and girls coming through. Meeting the competitors this week really brings the Faldo Series to life for me and makes me proud of how it’s grown in 23 years to be the standout event in junior golf. We hope the kids this week have had fun, whatever the results, and will continue to work hard when they get back to their respective countries.”

Juniors looking to sign up for the 2020 Faldo Series, should visit www.faldoseries.com.

Bushey Hall sells off clubhouse to save club from closure

Bushey Hall Golf Club in Hertfordshire has been shut down for two years while its clubhouse is converted into 32 residential flats.

The owner of the Watford-based club sold off the clubhouse to property developers Preston Bennett on the proviso that a replacement single storey clubhouse will be built nearby to allow the club to continue operating. However, with the 160-strong membership unable to access the golf course during this period, and with many already joining other venues, the long-term future of the club is in doubt.

New indoor studio proves a hit at Royal Eastbourne

Membership numbers were over 500 in the 1990s, but that total has dropped by 70 per cent in recent years, forcing the owner to sell the clubhouse to ease financial pressures.

Club secretary Russ Ball said: “ Hopefully the owner will honour his commitment to reopen this great club, so we can carry on the traditions that has been here for more than 100 years. It is the end of an era. Bushey Hall is more of a family than it is a golf club. We’ve all gone to different courses, but hopefully we’ll be able to return and to continue as we were. We have lots of good memories here.”

Bushey Hall first opened in 1889, and is one

■ THE CLUBHOUSE IS TO MAKE WAY FOR FLATS

of the oldest golf clubs in Hertfordshire. Its first captain was Conservative party leader Arthur Balfour, who went on serve as Prime Minister between 1902-05. Originally opened as a nine-hole course, it was extended to 18 holes by 1893. The freehold of the course and club was sold to London-based hotel group Veladail Leisure in 1986.

Carswell closes down ■ THE NE W STUD IO IS IDEAL FOR LE SS SONS AND CUSTOM FIT TINGS

Members at Royal Eastbourne Golf Club are enjoying the benefits of being able to work on the games whatever the weather thanks to the opening of a brand new indoor academy at the club.

Set up by Head PGA Professional Anthony Killik and his assistant Mark Packard, the state-of-the-art facility opened in the autumn and is already proving a positive investment with a steady stream of members and clients from further afield making use of the facilties.

Killik, who joined the club 15 months ago, said: “ When I started at Royal Eastbourne in September last year, we saw the potential and the need for an indoor facility due to the location of our practice area in relation to the shop, and, of course, the vagaries of the weather.

“We initially looked at creating an indoor studio within the existing clubhouse, but that turned out to be more expensive than our budget allowed, and that’s when we started to look at the possibility of bringing in a standalone structure.

The club had an old practice grass putting green that wasn’t getting much use, so we came up with a plan to make better use of this space by replacing it with an indoor performance centre and an outdoor all-weather putting surface.

Our plans met with the approval of the club, and once the decision was made, and planning permission submitted, the building of the structure took around six weeks to complete. It was quite stressful at times, but we now have a facility we are proud of. It’s the centre of our business and it has significantly enhanced the service we can offer to our members and guests.”

The studio is kitted out with the latest TrackMan4 launch monitor, which can be used for coaching, club fitting and simulator game play, all of which has proved popular with members. Killick added: “Mark and I have both been delighted with TrackMan4. Our coaching has never been more in-depth, and it’s amazing how the numbers help beginners and higher handicappers, as well as better players, understand their swing, as they can relate to numbers on the screen and the ‘feel versus real’ swing changes we try to produce.

To book a lesson, please call 01323 744041 or email proshop@regc.co.uk

Carswell Golf & Country Club in Oxfordshire closed down last month after its owners called time on the lossmaking venue, which first opened in 1993.

Visitors to the club in early October were greeted with a sign that said the private members club would ‘re-open as a pay-and-play venue’, but that promise failed to materialise, and the club has now closed for good.

In an email to the club captain, Kevin Howe, club director Geri Lisi explained that the club was no longer financially viable and that all staff had been dismissed and that the company was working with liquidators to settle terms with outstanding creditors.

Howe said: “As captain and a long-time member with many friends at Carswell, I am gutted that our friendly clubhouse and loyal members will no longer play there, but we move on. I know some members intend to form Carswell Nomads and play at different courses through the winter, while others clubs in the area, including Witney, Drayton, Shrivenham and Bicester, have been in touch to offer good rates to play their courses.”

NEWS | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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InBrief LANGDON HILLS PLANS RETIREMENT VILLAGE ★ Langdon Hills Golf and Country Club in Essex could be transformed into a major new residential and leisure development if plans are given the go-ahead by Thurrock Council. Langdon Hills’ owners Rishco Leisure, which bought the club last year, have announced its intention to enhance the Stanfordle-Hope venue with the addition of a new golf academy, health spa, swimming pool, gym and restaurant. Also included in the plans is a new high tech ‘care village’, including a 64-bed residential care home, 84 supported living bungalows and 42 independent living apartments. As well as offering a 27-hole course, which is divided into three nine-hole loops, facilities at Langdon Hills also includes an eight-bedroom hotel.

O'HANLON WINS GOLF ESCAPES ABU DHABI PRO-AM ★ St Kew Professional Peter O’Hanlon powered to victory in the inaugural PGA North & South Golf Escapes Abu Dhabi Pro-Am held over three championship layouts in the United Arab Emirates. Keeping his cool in temperatures touching 40 degrees, O’Hanlon fired rounds of 67, 66 and 72 at Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach and Yas Links respectively, with his 11-under-par total leading to a two-shot victory over PGA North Order of Merit winner Gareth Davies, with Peter Appleyard (Sittingbourne) a further shot back in third. In the team competition, East Herts assistant Ash Smith and his three amateurs pipped Gareth Davies’s Abbeydale team by virtue of a better final round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Ping overturns girls’ competition ban at Thonock Park ■ CRAIG COWPER AND PETER CROWE

Surrey Downs pair

rise to Pro-Captain Challenge

Surrey golfer Peter Crowe has earned himself the nickname ‘Captain Cool’ among his fellow members at Surrey Downs Golf Club after holing a four-foot putt to win the SkyCaddie PGA Pro-Captain Challenge in Italy.

The successful putt ensured he and the club’s PGA Professional, Craig Cowper, signed off with a nett birdie to pip Stoneham Golf Club to the title and complete a remarkable turnaround.

Starting the final round six points behind leaders County Louth Golf Club captain Paul Riley and PGA pro Enda Macguire, the Surrey pair also had to contend with the attentions of Stoneham club professional Adam Hickling and captain Mike Earney.

And with the latter pair signing off with 82 points courtesy of a birdie at the 18th, Surrey Downs needed to match that score to claim the trophy and the £5,000 winner’s cheque on offer to the winners.

Crowe, who plays off 10, found the green with his approach to the final green, and although his putt for a nett eagle stopped four feet short, he wasted no time in holing out the next one to complete a memorable victory.

“This is the highlight of my golfing life, without a shadow of a doubt,” said Crowe, while Cowper added: “I’ve played on many tours, but this is the biggest win.”

■ MOOR PARK HAS INVESTED IN A MAJOR BUNKER RENOVATION

Shannon shoots the lights out

R&A RELAXES HOLEIN-ONE PRIZE RULES ★ The R&A has relaxed the rules on prize limits an amateur golfer may win when making a hole-inone outside a round of golf (e.g. on a driving range, golf simulator, or putting green) provided that shot is at least 50 yards long. The change of Rule 3-2b of the Rules of Amateur Status, which regulates hole-inprizes, is designed to promote the game to new audiences, as well as eliminate unnecessary restrictions for event organisers. The R&A is currently conducting a review of the entire Rules of Amateur Status to make them easier to understand and apply. A modernised set of Amateur Status Rules is espected to pe finalised by late 2021, with the goal of implementation by January 1, 2022.

HUNSTANTON TO HOST WOMEN'S AMATEUR’ ★ Hunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk has been chosen to host the 118th Women’s Amateur Championship from June 8-12, 2020. It will be the sixth time the famed links has hosted the event, but the first since Mickey Walker’s triumph in 1972. Attracting a 144-strong field, the winner earns a place in the Women’s British Open, US Women’s Open, the Evian Championship and Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.

A decision to ban junior girls from playing in ladies competitions at Thonock Park Golf Club in Lincolnshire was overturned last month when the club’s owner, Ping Europe, stepped in at the 11th hour.

Junior girls were set to be banned from entering ladies’ competitions after ladies at the club voted to restrict them to competing among their own age group. The decision caused outcry on social media, which was brought to the attention of the club’s owners, equipment brand Ping, whose UK and European headquarters are based nearby.

Thonock Park, previously known as Gainsborough Golf Club, has two 18-hole courses, Thornock and Karsten Lakes, with the latter named after Ping founder Karsten Solheim.

In a statement on the company’s decision to revoke the vote, John Clark, Ping’s European managing director, wrote: “A ladies’ meeting was held at Thonock Park and a proposal was voted on to change the criteria used to determine eligibility to play in ladies’ competitions. The proposal would have prevented junior players from entering ladies’ trophy and cup competitions Upon hearing news on the result of this vote, Ping immediately revoked the proposal and have it very clear that it goes completely against the values, principles and philosophies of Ping and would never permit this to go ahead. " He added: "At a time when golf clubs need to reach out and welcome new golfers, a change of this nature could only serve to impede Thonock Park’s ability to remain strong and continue offering a first-class membership package to all golfers.”

at Cuddington Ladies Pro-Am

Moor Park to host Open qualifier

Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire has been chosen to host a Regional Qualifying event for the 2020 Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

The tournament, which takes place on June 22, adds to the long history of top-class professional events held at the 36-hole venue. The High and West Courses have hosted numerous professional tournaments over the years, including the 1981 Bob Hope British Classic, which was won by Seve Ballesteros, and the 1985 Ladies British Open, which was won by America’s Betsy King.

The club has invested significant sums in recent seasons to ensure that it remains a strong test for pros and elite amateur golfers, with the completion of a major bunker refurbishment programme on the High Course. Last year saw the opening of a new short game area.

Spectators are welcome to attend the Regional Qualifying event to watch the aspiring Open competitors in action, as well as experience the first-class facilities that Moor Park Golf Club has to offer.

Amy Yeates, chief executive of Moor Park said: “We are incredibly proud to be one of only 13 courses in the UK to be selected to host a regional qualifying event. It is an enormous recognition for the outstanding golf facilities and experience the club offers.”

Silvermere's Shannon Flynn Hanly shot an impressive 67 to win The Ladies Pro-Am at Cuddington, notching up 42 points for a two-stroke victory and a £550 first prize.

Her six-under-par round included five birdies, one eagle and just the one bogey, a scoring rate that edged Maria Tulley and Hannah Ralph into second spot, and left the rest of the field trailing. Commenting on her round, Hanly said: "Everything came together really well, and I have to say that I was inspired by the changes at Cuddington. It's so much more open and natural, and I'm sure it's now back to how it was originally meant to be played.

The greens were in terrific condition and that really helped my putting."

She added: "It's great that this all-ladies event has been made to happen again, and everyone had a brilliant time. So I'd like on behalf of all of us who played, pros and amateurs, to say a big well done and thank you not only to the PGA and Cuddington Golf Club, but also to Julie Walker, who was yet again the real driving force behind this event."

NEWS | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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Tee up your colour in Mauritius www.tourism-mauritius.mu

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■ BARRY LANE WON HIS EIGHTH SENIOR TITLE

Evergreen Lane

Countdown to World Handicap EXCLUSIVE GOLF launch begins

lifts Madagascar title

Barry Lane bagged his second Staysure Tour title of the season when winning the inaugural MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar held at International Golf Club Du Rova.

Lane, who turns 60 next year, hit a final round of 69 to clinch his eighth victory on the over-50s circuit and his second of the year, having won the Senior Italian Open in June.

The Henley-based former Ryder Cup player began the final round four shots behind overnight leader Clark Dennis, but the American could not follow up on his impressive second round 65, as Lane seized the opportunity to win the first stage of the three-event MCB Tour Championship by one stroke.

Lane made a steady start to his final round with six successive pars, before his first birdie of the day came at the par-three 7th. After dropping a shot on the ninth he

2020

TOU R DATES

Representatives who attend workshops on behalf of their clubs will be sent a copy of the slides, while copies of the videos will also be shared with clubs as part of the on-going education programme around WHS. The new system, which launches in several countries under the R&A’s jurisdiction in early 2020, and in the UK on November 2, will unite the six current handicap indexes in operation around the world into one global system. It aims to provide a more fair and equitable system of calculating a player’s handicap by taking their best eight rounds from 20. These can include scores from competitive or social games played over either 18 or nine holes.

The handicap will also take into account the slope index and course rating of the venue where they are playing.

Mike Greener, handicap and course rating co-ordinator with England Golf, said: “England Golf is committed to working alongside our affiliated clubs throughout this process and will continue to provide support, resources and guidance during the transition to the new system.”

For details on where to find your nearest WHS Workshop, visit www.englandgolf.org.

COMPETITION HOLIDAYS

made the turn in level par, but regained his focus on the back nine with birdies at 13 and 15, while a par at the last saw him clinch a memorable one-shot victory over Spain’s Juan Quiros and Frenchman Jean-François Remesy.

“It feels amazing,” Lane said. “I knew I was one ahead coming down 18, and I still tried to hole the birdie putt, but I knew I could two-putt to win, which is always nice. I got off to a slow start, but putted beautifully on the first four holes and then started to play quite nicely. Clark had a nightmare on the 15th and that changed things. Having won the Senior Italian Open earlier in the year when I was 58, I’m very happy to win at 59, and may it continue for another few years!”

Willingdon greens hit by vandals

The countdown for the introduction of the World Handicap System in the UK next year has begun with a series of nationwide workshops hosted by England Golf.

The first WHS session took place at Alnmouth Golf Club in Northumberland in October, which drew representation from around 40 local clubs, and the information road show will continue around the English counties over the coming months.

Attendees were treated to a slide presentation showing a step-by-step guide to the WHS, as well as videos provided by the R&A explaining the practicalities of the new index, which is being introduced under the joint auspices of the R&A and the USGA. This was followed by a question-and-answer session with county and England Golf officials.

extreme and premeditated.”

The incident, which happened on October 9, between the hours of 10pm and 5.30am, resulted in three greens being dug up with a spade or shovel, with four to five square metres of damaged turf on each putting surface. “They have come equipped to do it, and they have walked almost a kilometre to get to the greens in questions.

It took about– 255th hoursDec to get2020 the surfaces repaired enough play 1stto– 8th February 2020 28th Nov on again, but to get it back to the required high standard it will take 72 hole Pro-Am 72most hole Pro-Am of the winter and into the spring.”

So far it has cost around £1,500 to repair the damage, and has put the greenkeeping team at the club behind schedule with their other work on the course.

Turner added: “It affects our visitors and‘The Greatest Show Home of the PGA Tour’s Watch members that come to play here. We work so the greens are in ■ THREE GR on Grass.’

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Vandals dug up several greens at Willingdon Golf Club in East Sussex last month what has been described as an ‘extreme’ 21stin– 28th November 2020 and ‘premeditated’ attack.

72 hole Pro-Am Course manager Luke Turner described it as the ‘worst vandalism’ TOU R DATE S TOUR DATE S he’d experienced in his decade at the club, and said it could take until early next year to fully repair the damage.

Speaking to Play the Eastbourne Herald,courses Turner said: “We put in a lot of the finest work and time and effort into creating excellent surfaces and some in Phoenix. person decides to come along and vandalise and create damage.

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2020

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NEWS | WINTER 2020

[11]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Canterbury's luxury cabin

Sudbury delivers the Mail

at Slaley Hall

A pair of single-figure handicappers from Sudbury Golf Club in Middlesex emerged victorious in the prestigious Daily Mail Foursomes after surviving a late scare in the final held at Slaley Hall in Northumberland.

Daniel Jeffries, who plays off one, and three-handicapper Nick Avery appeared to have the title wrapped up at the turn in their clash with defeating Alsager Golf Club’s Justin Powell and Alan Griffiths, having gone six up at the ninth.

But the plucky Cheshire club-mates had already rallied from four down after eight holes in the semi-final to earn their place in the final, and drew on that experience to fight back as they came down the home stretch on the testing Hunting course at Slaley Hall.

However, after pegging back Sudbury’s lead to two up at the 16th, the Alsager duo just ran out of steam at the next hole, finally succumbing 3&1 to the more experienced pair, who had also battled through ten rounds to reach the final.

Jeffries, a former Middlesex county player, said: “Winning this tournament is my biggest achievement as a golfer. We had lots of support from fellow club members and we were determined not to let them down as they all routing for us. We were giving four shots around the turn and three at the end, so the Alsager boys were always going to come back at us, but I’m delighted we were able to hold on.”

■ SUDBURY'S DAN JEFFRIES AND NICK AVERY

puts other starter’s huts in the shade Canterbury Golf Club can lay claim to being home to one of the smartest starter’s huts in the country following the opening of a new structure which wouldn’t look out of place on Grand Designs.

Built by Sittingbourne-based firm Garden Rooms Kent Ltd, and sponsored by Pentland Homes, the impressive cabin is designed to blend into its surroundings, with a cedar wood wrap and a decking made from a recycled material. Inside, the ceiling features a treeline canopy relief designed to bring a sense of the outdoors, while the hut is kitted out with a smart new kitchen which will act as a focal point for players before their round begins.

Speaking at the official opening, Canterbury Golf Club’s general manager, Roger Hyder, said: “It’s fantastic news that Pentland Homes has chosen to sponsor our new starter’s cabin. Over the years we’ve invested heavily in the course, as we strive to continually improve our facilities, offering our members an unrivalled experience.

The new starters cabin fits in perfectly, and I look forward to seeing many of our members enjoying this new facility. It will be a perfect starting spot for competitions or for members just looking to enjoy a round.”

Karrina Oki, Sales & Marketing Director at Pentland Homes, added: “Pentland Homes is deeply rooted in the Kent community and we have been building high-quality homes here for the past 50 years. We are delighted to sponsor the new cabin at Canterbury, a beautifully maintained course at the heart of the local area, and we look forward to seeing members, visitors and some of our nearby homeowners enjoy the cabin and all that the wider course has to offer.”

■ CANTERBURY PRESIDENT KERI-MATHIAS WILLIAMS WITH GENERAL MANAGER ROGER HYDER AT THE OPENING OF THE CLUB'S NEW STARTER'S HUT

Winter Links Golf 1 night Bed & Breakfast, 2 rounds of Championship links golf, 2 course Dinner From £109.00pp

Available from 1 November 2019 to February 2020 Available 7 days a week (Friday & Saturday from £140.00pp)

(Based on 2 people sharing a room)

Please contact the Golf Office:

T: 01304 611118 E: office@princesgolfclub.co.uk W: www.princesgolfclub.co.uk

@Princesgolfclub

Prince’s Golf Club, Sandwich Bay, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9QB

[12] WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Six Reasons to Stay and Play at

The Cave Hotel & Golf Resort Kent’s newest and most luxurious stay-and-play destination

offers mix of Korean fried chicken and delicious smoked meats.

1

LUXURY ACCOMMODATION

Guests can take their pick for a choice of 41 luxurious accommodation options, from double rooms and family rooms, to Junior, Bridal and Signature suites and the stunning Penthouse Suite (see below).

All rooms feature walnut-paneled walls and superking size beds as standard, which are topped with high quality Harrison Spinks mattresses, bespoke Microfibre bed linen and feather pillows offered in a range of firmness.

Each air-conditioned room boasts adjustable pre-programmed Lutron scene lighting to create the perfect ambience, while the curtains can be operated from the comfort of your bed.

All rooms feature 65-inch HD TVs, a rainfall shower, coffee machine, hair dryer, cotton robes and complimentary slippers, toiletries and refreshments.

Each room is fitted with bespoke furniture sourced from around the world, and also feature a private balcony or terrace.

Junior Suites feature free-standing baths, while the Signature Suites include a lounge area and a private terrace. Standard double rooms rates start from £125 per night.

2

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

The Cave Hotel & Golf Resort, which was formerly known as Boughton Golf Club, offers 27 holes of golf divided between the superb 18- hole Championship course, and an entertaining 9-hole par-three academy course.

The Championship course measures 6,591 yards and offers four par threes, ten par fours and four par fives arranged in two loops of nine. Designed to challenge golfers of every standard, with tall trees and two large ponds to negotiate, it is laid out over 160 acres of naturally undulating terrain and takes full advantage of its picturesque setting, offering fine views over the Kent countryside.

The 9-hole Academy Course, which is set among 25 acres of orchards, offers a unique opportunity for beginners to practice and play, as well as giving more experienced golfers an opportunity to sharpen their short game.

Those looking to hone their skills further, or warm

4

CHILL OUT AT YOUR LEISURE

The Cave boasts a wide range of leisure facilities to relax body and mind, including a swimming pool, an 8-seater Jacuzzi, and sauna and steam rooms. There is also a chilled out lounge area, where guests can relax in front of Opti-Myst fireplaces.

For those looking to work up a sweat, there is a fully-equipped gym, which boasts ‘WaterRower’ equipment which promotes more natural exercise.

up before a round, can make use the excellent driving range and practice putting green, while there are two PGA-qualified Professionals on hand to offer expert tuition.

One-night, mid-week golf breaks start from £105pp for dinner, bed and breakfast and 36 holes of golf, rising to £209 for two night’s accommodation and 54 holes.

3

FANTASTIC FOOD

The Cave Resort’s on-site can Firepit restaurant offers a fine-dining, sharing-plate experience, with international flavours fused to create an ‘indulgent, re-imagined menu’.

Smoky barbecue aromas of the American Mid-West combine with the delicately spiced tastes of the Far East to create ambitious dishes that excite the taste buds and showcase the finest in global cooking.

From smoked barbecued beef ribs and pork chops, to spiced lamb cutlets and smoked duck, it’s a meatlovers paradise.

The drinks menu is equally inventive at the Firepit Bar, which boasts an extensive range of local ales, fine wines, Champagne and spirits, and an eclectic cocktail menu featuring a mixture of old classics and new inventions infused with fresh juices, homemade syrups, herbs and spices. The bar also serves up a delicious Afternoon Tea. Guests can also make the short journey into Canterbury, where the Korean Cowgirl restaurant

■ LUXURY FITTINGS, DARK WOODS AND MOOD LIGHTING GIVE THE CAVE HOTEL A FIVE-STAR BOUTIQUE HOTEL VIBE

5

WEDDINGS, PARTIES AND FUNCTIONS

The Cave is the ideal venue to host a wedding, private functions or business meetings, with functions rooms and boardrooms to suit group sizes from 10 to 200 guests. A substantial decking area also provides an additional outdoor space which is perfect for mid-meeting breaks.

Exclusive-use wedding packages start from £15,000 (excluding the Penthouse Suite), while a team of dedicated events planners are available to help you every step of the way.

6

YOUR VERY OWN PENTHOUSE

For golfers looking to really push the boat out, The Cave offers a 2,700-square foot luxury Penthouse Suite which is kitted out to the max, including a wraparound balcony with panoramic countryside views, a fully-equipped kitchen, a separate dining area and breakfast bar, a boardroom table to seat 12, a freestanding bath and a cinema screen. A private butler is also provided for all stays. Prices start from £895 per night. Prices start from £895 per night for the Penthouse Suite, although during January 2020 it can be booked for £595 (Sun-Thurs) and £695 (Fri-Sat).

THE CAVE HOTEL & GOLF RESORT Brickfield Lane, Boughton, Nr Canterbury, Kent ME13 9AJ For bookings and enquiries, call 01227 752277, email enquiries@cavehotels.com or visit www.cavehotels.com.

NEWS | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

[13]

[14] WINTER 2020 | INTERVIEW AUTUMN 2018 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

DRIVE TO

WILLETT FINDS A WAY After suffering a number of injuries and battling with his form following his Masters victory in 2016, Danny Willett is back at the top of his game and challenging for his place at golf’s top table and a spot in Europe’s 2020 Ryder Cup team

INTERVIEW | WINTER 2020

[15]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ WILLETT IS ENJOYING HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH CADDY SAM HAYWOOD

ranking was so poor that there was no point really paying attention to it. It’s how the rankings work. It’s easy to drop a long way down when all your points come off from when you were playing well, but it’s also easy to jump up pretty quickly. Lee Westwood fell all the way down and then came back to no.1, Henrik Stenson has had a couple of topples in his career and has come back, Sergio Garcia’s the same. And now of course, Tiger fell all the way down, and came back up to the top. Now I just feel that if I keep doing the right things, inevitably something good will come of it.

■ You’re switching your time between Florida and Sheffield these days. How have you and the family settled in to life in the States?

Yeah, it’s all pretty good. We’ve bought a place in Windermere, near Isleworth. It’s 80 degrees every day and the kids are enjoying it, playing in the pool every afternoon. We’ll be doing a six-month stint at home and six months back in the States, so we’ll see how it pans out in the long-term, but while the kids are young it makes sense to base ourselves for longer chunks wherever I’m playing.

■ What goals have you set yourself for 2020?

■ Winning in Dubai last year was obviously a big

turning point, but what was it like to win the BMW PGA Championship in front of all those fans at Wentworth?

As you say, any tournament win is important, but winning at Wentworth was extra special. Most of my wins have come in big events against pretty stellar fields, so be able to win the PGA on such an iconic golf course, and against one of the strongest fields the tournament has had in recent years, was very rewarding.

■ The last 12 months have seen a dramatic turnaround in

your fortunes, with your win in Dubai last December and the victory at the BMW PGA Championship catapulting you back up the world rankings. How pleasing has it been to get back to where you feel like you belong?

Yeah, it’s certainly great to start playing the kind of golf that I know I can play. More than anything, it’s been great to be playing pain-free, and that’s what’s made the difference. Playing with an injury is just the hardest, soul-destroying thing you can imagine.

Everything’s a battle, just getting up in the morning, getting out to the range and then teeing it up at a tournament knowing that you’re not in a position to do yourself justice. So to put all that behind me, and to play as well as I have over the last year or so, has been amazing.

I know the results have been a bit mixed this year, but a lot of that is because I moved out to America full-time with the family, and I’m playing on the PGA Tour and trying to find my feet. It’s a bit of a learning phase, trying to find which courses I like, and how to go about things, so hopefully next year will be more consistent.

■ How bad did things get with the injury?

I had to literally roll out of bed. It wasn’t just painful to play golf, it was painful to sit on the floor with my kids. I also had a couple of little muscle tears in my shoulder, so I couldn’t even pick the kids up. The first thing I’d do each day would be to pop a few painkillers with the morning coffee. That’s not a way you want to keep going.

I was on painkillers when I won the Masters. Back then it was becoming an issue, but not a huge one. And then I played a lot more than I’d planned in America and Asia, and the body didn’t cope great with it. In the back of my mind, I knew that there’ was an underlying problem, and any moment it could spring up and hinder my performance. So I was competing and almost waiting for something bad to happen, instead of being completely clear of thoughts, and just actually enjoying the game.

I got to a point where I was feeling like there was almost no point in playing, because I wasn’t going to play well. I wasn’t living to up to the status I’d created for myself. It’s embarrassing when you pitch up at golf events, and people are expecting you to play pretty well, you’re a Masters champion, and you don’t perform. I was just taking spots and making up the numbers, which is never a good thing if you’re trying to be a professional golfer.

You’ve not been afraid to switch things up with regards to your support team, dropping your coach and your caddy.

What difference has Sean Foley made to your game?

I think anyone who has ever met Sean knows that he’s a charismatic guy. The time when we first got together, I was in a pretty low place, and I needed a lift. Foles just brings a different energy to the table in how he does things with his work and backs it up with a lot of science and facts to get to the bottom of things. He’s an incredibly intelligent guy, and I like the fact that he’s always wanting to get better and to increase his knowledge.

I’m the same in what I’m trying to do. The work with Foles has improved me technically, so now that I’m injury-free I can work for longer and better. Being more technically sound has allowed me to think much clearer when I’m out on the golf course.

Having my best friend, Sam [Haywood], on the bag has been great. Travelling as much as we do, you need a mate to keep you sane on and off the golf course, and Sam does that.

The Ryder Cup is definitely on my radar. Having lost the away leg at Hazeltine last time, it would be nice to have another crack at it.

I might be the guy that plays every Ryder Cup away from home, which will be great fun for me.

As far as long-term goals go, I just want to be able to carry on playing and see where it takes me. Now my body is in good shape, I think I’ve got maybe another 15 or 20 years of golf left in me, which is a pretty long time. This is my tenth year of being a pro, and I want my career to be as long as it possibly can and as good as it can possibly be.

■ DRIVEN TO SUCCEED: WILLETT WON THE BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP IN SEPTEMBER

I GOT TO A POINT WHERE I FELT THAT THERE WAS ALMOST NO POINT IN PLAYING, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WASN'T GO TO PLAY WELL ■ WILLETT'S FAMILY HAS HELPED HIM GET THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIMES

■ How hard was it to see your world ranking taking a tumble?

There were times I’d look at it and I’d just have to giggle because I know the player that I can be. But it got to a stage where my

WHAT'S IN DANNY'S BAG? DRIVER: CALLAWAY ROGUE (9˚) FAIRWAY WOOD: CALLAWAY ROGUE (15˚) UTILITY: CALLAWAY X FORGED UT (18˚, 24˚) IRONS: CALLAWAY X FORGED (5-9) WEDGES: CALLAWAY MACK DADDY (46˚, 50˚, 56˚, 60˚) PUTTER: ODYSSEY STROKELAB TUTTLE BALL: CALLAWAY CHROME SOFT XV

DANNY WILLETT BY NUMBERS AGE: 32 WORLD RANKING: 29 PGA TOUR RESULTS APPEARANCES: 19 CUTS MADE: 12

TOP 10s: 2 PRIZE MONEY: $1.28m FEDEX CUP: 85th EUROPEAN TOUR RESULTS APPEARANCES: 7

CUTS MADE: 5 WINS: 1 (BMW PGA Championship) TOP 10s: 2 PRIZE MONEY: €1.48m RACE TO DUBAI: 15th

[16] WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Singh Brar takes route 66

to retain Tour card

Pachesham hosts disability coaching workshop

Hampshire tour professional Jack Singh Brar held on to his European Tour card for next season by the narrowest of margins after finishing 110th in the Race to Dubai rankings, just five places inside the cut-off mark of 115th.

Singh-Brar, who graduated from the Challenge Tour last season, played in 29 tournaments during a busy season in which he earned just over €300,000 in prize money.

Despite missing 12 cuts, he managed four top-20 finishes during the season, saving his best result for the all-important final event, the Portugal Masters in October, where a gutsy final round 66 earned him an eighth-place finish and secured the vital points to keep

his card for the 2020 season.

The Hampshire star’s biggest win in terms of prize money came at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January, where a tied 15th earned him €44,000, while the same placing at the Andalucía Masters in June saw him pocket a healthy €40,000.

“I’m over the moon,” Jack said. “It’s hard when you know how much is on the line, but I’m just so glad to have done it. Trying to control my emotions, even coming down 18, I could barely hold the club. I struggled to get comfortable all year – hence my results. Now I feel like I can push on.”

He added: “The year has been full of ups and downs, but I’m chuffed to have got the job done. Bring on the 2020 season!"

Bramshaw Juniors

The team will head off to Morgado Resort in Portugal in February, where they will compete against national winners from Wales, Ireland and Scotland to battle it out for the Home Nations Championship.

Nev James, junior organiser at Bramshaw said: “This squad have now been together for a few years and they are impressive young golfers. I am very proud of the way they played, their etiquette and their ability to cope in pressure situations. Every player gave a very solid golf performance and they are a genuine team, working with and supporting each other superbly.”

crowned National Champions

Bramshaw Golf Club’s junior team added to its impressive roll call of honours when winning the England division of the Home Nations Championship at Mannings Heath Golf Club in West Sussex.

The Hampshire club’s junior squad won its county junior league to qualify for the knock-out rounds of the championships and earn a place in the National Final and compete against five other English clubs – Thirsk & North Allerton, Hexham, Huddersfield, Windlesham and Wrag Barn – for the national title.

Played in wet conditions, Bramshaw’s team, which won the title in 2017, proved the most consistent performers on the day, beating Windlesham by four shots to take the title, with team captain Joe Buenfeld leading the way with a one-under-par 71. Buenfeld was backed up by Elliot Thomas, Ciaran Simpkin, Ryan Archer, Danny Coombs and Jake Barney.

Pachesham Golf Centre in Surrey hosted a training workshop designed to help coaches and volunteers grow the game among players with a disability.

The popular Leatherhead-based game-improvement facility was selected by the European Disabled Golf Association as the prime site to fine tune the role and skills of these ‘introducers’ to the game for players with a disability.

The four-hour training session communicated the key philosophies needed to increase global participation among players with a disability, while the practical elements of how the coaching can be delivered were demonstrated on the centre’s driving range.

“Pachesham was proud to be able to contribute to the development of such a programme, aiming to enhance the community of disabled golfers’ involvement in the sport and grow the game,” said PGA Professional Richard Shaw, who organised the event. “The feedback we received for the session and the facilities was overwhelmingly positive and we’re delighted to provide an ideal venue that makes the game more accessible and forms part of the local community.

Pachesham Golf Centre offers Surrey’s longest floodlit driving range, in addition to a six-hole academy course and a large practice area. It also features an indoor Sam Lab putting studio.

■ GOLFERS IN ACTION AT THE EDGA TRAINING WORKSHOP

Host of the 2020 Junior Open Championship

L

C

Championship Links Since 1888

ocieties Course

Instgram:littlestonegolfclub Twitter & Facebook: @littlestonegc

COMPETITION | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

WIN A GOLF DAY FOR 12 WITH ALTONWOOD!!

We’ve teamed up with the Altonwood Group to offer you the chance to enjoy a complimentary golf day at a choice of three golf clubs in the South East for you and 11 of your friends, family members, colleagues or clients.

The Altonwood Group operates five clubs in the Surrey/Kent region – The Addington in Croydon, Westerham in Kent, and three Surrey-based venues at Woldingham, Surrey National and Godstone.

This generous prize, for up to 12 golfers, offers a golf day at Westerham, Surrey National or Woldingham, with the winner being able to choose the venue that suits them (terms & conditions apply). The day will tee off with a tasty breakfast in the clubhouse, followed by 18 holes of championship golf, and concluding with a delicious post-round lunch. All of the Clubs will have a new fleet of EZGO lithium buggies in place in time for the new season.

WESTERHAM Set in mature woodland, with stunning views across the North Downs, Westerham’s tree-lined fairways give the 6,329-yard layout a maturity far beyond its years, and with the added test of three water features and strategically-placed bunkers, it’s no surprise that it has become a firm favourite with visitors and golf societies. The course is complimented by a stylish clubhouse, which has recently benefitted from a two-storey extension. With its spacious Valence suite, spike bar, sun terrace and 300-yard driving range, Westerham is a superb choice for any golf day. westerhamgc.co.uk

■ WE STERHAM

SURREY NATIONAL Also designed by David Williams, Surrey National is a great choice for a golf day, with its superb 18-hole championship course meandering through dramatic rolling countryside, populated by thousands of mature trees.

Measuring 7,000 off the back tees, and a more playable 6,300 from the yellows, the contours of the site are dramatic, although the vast majority of the holes are played on the level or downhill. Visitors, corporate days and societies can enjoy the course and the hospitality in the magnificent clubhouse, which offers first-class catering and excellent service in either the spike bar or Fountain Suite. surreynational.co.uk WOLDINGHAM Nestling into the picturesque Halliloo Valley near Caterham, Woldingham’s 18-hole championship course can justifiably claim to be one of the best winter courses in the area, and excellent natural drainage and USGA-specification greens allows golfers to enjoy superb playing conditions all year round.

Located close to the A22 and M25, and just 15 miles from central London, the club is well-placed to host corporate and society golf days, while its stately clubhouse features a welcoming spike bar and patio and a superb function suite and bar on the upper floor with commanding views of the course. woldinghamgc.co.uk

TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the question below and email it to mitch.dowling@altonwoodgroup.co.uk with ‘Golf News Competition’ in the subject line.

Please include your name, email address, contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News. n QUESTION HOW MANY CLUBS DOES THE ALTONWOOD GROUP OWN? A) 3 B) 4 C) 5

■ SURREY NATIONAL

■ WOLDINGHAM

For more information about the courses within the Group, membership options or society/green fee packages, please visit www.altonwoodgroup.co.uk or call the Club of your choice.

“The Club on the Cliffs” www.kingsdowngolf.co.uk

Affordable golf just 7 miles from the 2020 Open Championship at Sandwich Play when you visit The Open for just £250 per tee time or £300 at weekends from July 11-21 inclusive

To book during The Open, or for details of our special winter offer at this fast-draining, year-round clifftop course, contact the General Manager on 01304 373256 or info@kingsdowngolf.co.uk Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club, The Leas, Kingsdown, Deal CT14 8EP

[17]

[18] WINTER 2020 | FEATURE GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MATT

FINISH After moving up to a career high 25th in the world rankings, Matt Fitzpatrick is going places fast, but he’s doing it while keeping his feet firmly on the ground

Now that the dust has settled on the 2019 season, how do you think you performed this year?

It’s been very good. Technically my best year, in terms of world ranking points and my play in general – strokes gained stats and stuff like that. The only thing that was missing was a win. It’s a kind of a shame that the season had to end when it did, as I felt like I was coming into my best form towards the end.

There’s no doubt that I had a disappointing season last year, and didn’t kick on to where I would wanted to be, so hopefully I’ve gone a long way to putting that right this year. I did a lot of soul-searching last winter and put in a lot of work on different aspects of my game, and the results this season have been good, although, as I said, I’m disappointed not to have anything to show for it in terms of trophies.

What have you done differently to previous seasons?

I deliberately played fewer events this year, and that really helped to keep me fresh throughout the season. When Billy [Foster] came on to my bag, he stressed the need to take more breaks.

Looking at my schedule in years gone by, I was playing as many as 32 events, and this year I think played 28 or 29. It doesn’t sound like a big difference, but it is. It’s an extra week or two to work on the game, and it’s an extra week or two of rest. It all adds up over the course of a season, and it certainly made a big difference to my performances. I’m seeing the benefits of a more structured approach to my practicing and I feel more prepared for tournaments.

Billy [Foster] described you as ‘the ultimate professional’ and ‘Bernhard Langer’s love child’ following your runner-up finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I guess you’ve got to take that as a compliment?

It was nice to hear that, but I guess what he really means is that I might be prone to over-analysing things and get overly obsessed with details! I’m very lucky to have Billy. He’s got so much experience, and has been there, done it and got the T-shirt.

You have had great success at a young age, winning the US Amateur, being low amateur in both The Open and US Open, and reaching number one in the world amateur rankings, and now, a five-time European Tour winner aged just 24.

What do you put your successes down to?

I think I probably owe a lot to my mum and dad, not only for the values they’ve instilled in me, but also taking me all over the UK and Europe when I was a teenager. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take up the game and compete at a good amateur level, which was really the stepping stone to where

■ PERFECT TIMING: ROLEX AMBASSADOR MATT FITZPATRICK HAS SET HIS SIGHTS ON MAKING THE 2020 RYDER CUP TEAM AND BREAKING INTO THE WORLD'S TOP 20

I'M SEEING THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A MORE STRUCTURED APPROACH TO MY PRACTICING AND I FEEL MORE PREPARED FOR TOURNAMENTS I am now. I also think they brought me up on decent values and always said to me that if I worked hard, and kept my head down, things would usually work out, and that’s kind of the philosophy I’ve stuck to.

What are your goals for 2020 and beyond?

I would like to be competing in all the Majors over the next few years and would obviously like to try and make the Ryder Cup team next year. I would also like to keep enjoying my time on the European Tour and climbing the world rankings – cracking the top 15 or 20 would be nice in the next season or two.

What do motivates you to keep on pushing?

No matter how good your achievements are, I think you can always be striving for more. There will always be guys that are having success and I suppose that competition is what motivates me. With so many players out there playing well week-in and week-out, you can never be content with your own game, no matter how good it is. I really want to be the best golfer I can possibly be, and if I give 100 per cent – there isn’t much more I can ask of myself.

Who first got you into golf?

It was my dad who got me into the game. He has played most of his life and when I was nine he took me up to my local club, Hallamshire in Sheffield. I got the bug and the rest is history really.

I was actually more into football at the time and was enjoying that, but there came a time when my golf was picking up some momentum, so I ended up dropping the football and taking golf a bit more seriously. My brother is also playing to a decent standard in college, so ours is a golfing household for sure.

Where there any specific players that inspired you?

Tiger Woods was definitely my main inspiration. When I was a kid I used to stay up late with my dad and watch him on the weekend of the Masters. He is such a great player to watch and always provides so much excitement. Being from England, I have a lot of admiration for Sir Nick Faldo and what he’s achieved. Six Majors,

countless worldwide wins, and one of the top point scorers in the Ryder Cup – he’s had an incredible career, and one I wouldn’t mind emulating.

Where’s your favourite tour destination?

We go to so many great places on the European Tour over the course of a season, but I like events such as the Hong Kong Open, which is hosted in one of the best cities in the world, and I love the golf course at Fanling. It’s nice to come away from the venue and have a look around the major cities and forget about golf for a few hours. I also like Italy, so the Italian Open is another favourite tournament of mine. I also enjoy my time in America. The way of life over there, the weather, the golf courses, it always adds up to an enjoyable time for me.

How do you like to relax aaway from the golf course?

For the most part I like relaxing with friends, going for dinner, heading to the gym or jumping on my Playstation. I find it hard to get away from golf, but if I do, that is what I’ll usually get up to.

You’ve been a Rolex ambassador for a few years now. How did that come about and which is your favourite watch?

I think the relationship officially started at the Masters in 2016. I know there had been some discussions going on and I was so keen to just get it done because I wanted to be associated with the brand. Being with Rolex has surpassed my expectations and I couldn’t have wished for a better partner to be involved with.

It’s hard to pick a favourite, but I currently have the Platinum Daytona, which was the first Rolex I bought. I wanted my first one to be really special, and one that I really loved. I also have a Submariner ,which is kind of my everyday watch. I also recently purchased something a little different to those, which was the rose gold Yachtmaster Oyster Flex. That’s really nice and I have been wearing that a lot since I bought it last year.

I was also lucky enough to receive a Rolex during my 2016 Ryder Cup appearance, which is engraved with the Ryder Cup logo, and I also received one when I won the DP World Tour Championship in 2016.

FEATURE | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

15th October 2019 – 31st March 2020

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Available Sunday to Thursday (Sunday limited tee times only, £89 per person).

From 1st – 31st March 2020, this offer is £89 per person (Sunday limited tee times only, £99 per person).

Excludes Bank Holidays. Tee times subject to availability.

Can be booked 30 days in advance.

Valid for bookings up to 8 players. golfreservations@londongolf.co.uk | Tel: 01474 879899 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

[19]

[20] WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Littlestone gears up for a momentous year Littlestone in south east Kent, one of the finest championship links in England, is gearing up for one of the most momentous years in the club’s rich and varied history in 2020 when it stages The Junior Open in the same year that The Open Championship returns to Kent for the 18th time.

Testament to the quality of the course, The R&A chose Littlestone as the venue for one of golf’s most prestigious junior championships which is traditionally played on a nearby course in the same week in July as The Open.

Indeed The Junior Open will be held from July 13 to 15 just days before The Open takes place at Royal St George’s just along the coast and several weeks before The Seniors

Amateur Championship tees off at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal in late July.

With the golfing spotlight firmly focused on the county with this series of highprofile competitions, the club has already experienced a surge in interest from golfers from all over the world and is looking forward to one of its busiest years on record.

Though closed during The Junior Open, Littlestone still has a number of fourballs priced at £450 available all day on the Thursday, July 16, and Friday, July 17, and from 7 am until 10 am on July 18 & 19 for those wishing to combine 18 holes of golf over a course in championship condition with attendance at The Open Championship in Sandwich.

Things however will really start to gear up for Littlestone much earlier in the year as, thanks to a unique micro-climate making it one of the driest places in Britain, the club is able to start its season as early as February.

During that month it will host its Ladies Open, Men’s Senior Open and Team Opens at a time when many clubs are still enduring

unplayable winter conditions.

Founded in 1888, Littlestone can be found on a stretch of land between the famous Romney Marsh and the English Channel in the south west corner of Kent. Laid out on its

own set of dunes ideal for links, the resulting terrain offers hard and fast fairways that are beautifully defined from natural dunes, thick and wild rough and classic links deep, pot bunkers. The temperate climate allows the greenkeepers to maintain a well-manicured course all year round with firm, true and well-paced greens known as some of the best in the country.

Little wonder that this championship links is recognised as one of the top 100 courses in England and one of the premier links in Great Britain & Ireland.

And nor should the club’s second course be underestimated; Littlestone Warren offers a shorter but no less challenging round of golf and is a popular course for golfers of all abilities. Extended from its original 9-hole layout to a full 18 holes in 1993, it is a naturally-rugged links

that complements the Championship Course and is ideal for any golfer that is after a genuine links experience at a highlycompetitive price.

Like the main course, The Warren is maintained to the highest possible standards all year round and boasts superb practice and teaching facilities that include a driving range as well as two short game practice areas.

Whilst an established and traditional club, Littlestone has always been known for the warm welcome it gives its visitors who are rarely disappointed by the atmosphere of this friendly club and the superb quality of its courses.

Littlestone is a member of the Golf in Kent Partnership (www.golfinkent.co.uk) between Visit Kent and some of the county’s premier golf courses and accommodation providers, that promotes the Garden of England as a golfer’s paradise, thanks to the excellence of it courses and off-course attractions.

For more information or to book a tee time, visit www.littlestonegolfclub.org.uk

■ LITTLESTONE WILL BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT IN 2020

Book your society package and play one of Kent’s most picturesque courses

We have packages available for a minimum of 10 players on Prices either the 9 or 18 hole course from: £17.00 with a selection of food.

Find out more at: lullingstonegolfcourse.co.uk

Per Person

Function Band Golf Clubs looking to get their next dinner dance or party off on the right note should consider booking the talented London-Based vocal/instrumental Band “INFLATION”.

They have a big repertoire of popular hit songs, from the 1950’s to the present day, covering a wide range of styles, to suit the occasion.

The Band has a wealth of experience providing top quality entertainment at Golf Clubs, Hotels, Private Functions and Weddings.

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NEWS | WINTER 2020

[21]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Sunningdale goes to court

Groves in the groove at Dubai final

George Groves, the world’s top-ranked disabled player, topped off an amazing season by winning the inaugural European Disabled Golf Association’s Dubai finale.

The 36-hole event, which featured some of the world’s best golfers with disability, took place alongside the European Tour’s end-ofseason DP World Tour Championship held at Jumeriah Golf Estates in Dubai.

Groves shot rounds of 77 and 82 for a 15-over-par total to win by three shots from America’s Chad Pfeiffer. The eight-man field also included top-ranked disabled golfers from all over the world, including Christopher Biggins (USA), Charles-Henri Quélin (France), Brendan Lawlor (ireland), Geoff Nicholas (Australia) and Joakim Bjorkman (Sweden).

Groves, who has Erb’s Palsy, a condition which left him with 20% strength in his left arm after a medical accident during birth, was delighted with the win, having finished second at the EDGA Scottish Open this summer.

“To win this event is incredible,” he said. “I’m

going to go home very proud of myself, and celebrate with my friends and family. The EDGA Tour has really changed my life. It’s not only changed me as a golfer, but also as a person. It’s been great to get disabled golfer involved alongside mainstream events and to show other people with disabilities how transformative playing golf, or any kind of sport, can be. It provides you with the confidence get out there and show what you can do.”

Groves, who works at Horne Park Golf Club in Surrey, won the English Disability Open by five shots earlier in the year, and has no doubts that he has chosen the right career path after dabbling with football as a teenager. He said: “When I was younger I played football, but I was told I needed to do exercises for my arm, so my parents suggested I gave golf a go. I went to the local driving range one day and really enjoyed it. Now that I’m world No.1, I’m pretty sure I made the right choice.”

over member’s playing rights Sunningdale Golf Club is fighting a legal battle with a former member after it revoked his international membership because he was playing more than 30 rounds a year.

John Cawood, a retired Australian lawyer, who spends part of the year in the UK, had his membership cancelled when it was discovered he was among the most active golfers at the club, even though he was paying a reduced subscription as an international member. The 72-year-old is now seeking damages from the club and an injunction to reinstate his membership.

Thomas Croxford QC, representing Sunningdale, said that several longstanding members had lodged complaints going back several years about Mr Cawood’s alleged abuse of the system, leading to the club suggesting in 2011 that he should upgrade to a full membership,

which he declined.

Sunningdale currently charges £3,750 a year for full membership, and a one-off joining fee of around £60,000. Prospective new members need support from six existing members and have to play a round with a committee member before their names are proposed to the wider membership.

Milestone to launch golf networking site Leading golf event management agency Milestone Event Management has enjoyed a busy and successful year in 2019, organising golf days, charity events and golf programmes for thousands of golfers all over the UK and United States.

Founded in 2002, Milestone has a proven track record working for a diverse range of clients, including Virgin Atlantic, DP World, Michael Page and Miele, as well as exciting new start-ups, tech firms and charity organisations.

Next year is set to be another milestone year for the Surrey based company as it launches Matchbook – an online golf network for like-minded golfers.

Director Luke Parry commented: “We are very excited

about the launch of Matchbook in the spring of 2020.

Building on our experience of golf event management and online golf programmes, we have developed a unique golf networking programme which allows golfers to search, connect and arrange golf with other like-minded members in their community, social and business networks.

“Sharing their same passion and love of golf, members will have the opportunity to take part in some exclusive events throughout the year and compete for some great prizes at some of the UK’s finest venues – watch this space!”

For further information on Milestone or the Matchbook network, visit www.milestone-event.com or call 01372 204057.

■ MILESTONE EVENT MANAGEMENT ORGANISES VIRGIN ATLANTIC'S SWINGERS' CLUB EVENTS

EPSOM GOLF CLUB EPSOM GOLF CLUB EPSOM GOLF CLUB EPSOM GOLF CLUB EPSOM GOLF CLUB EPSOM GOLF CLUB

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BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE & 18 18 HOLES BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE & HOLES BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE &18 18HOLES HOLES BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE &&18Friday-Sunday HOLES BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE & BACON ROLLS TEA/COFFEE 18 HOLES Monday £22.50 Tuesday-Thursday £32.50 £37.50 Monday £22.50 Tuesday-Thursday £32.50 Friday-Sunday £37.50 Monday £22.50 Tuesday-Thursday £32.50 Friday-Sunday £37.50

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2281-Essex-Golfer-Summer-Golf-News-123x160mm-AW.indd 1

11/12/2019 16:02

[22] WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

New performance academy opens

■ THE NEW STUDIO AT BEXLEYHEATH IS KITTED IT OUT WITH THE LATEST SWING TECHNOLOGY

at Bexleyheath Golfers of all skill levels in Kent looking to sharpen up their game over the winter months should book into to new coaching facility that opened at Bexleyheath Golf Club earlier this year.

Founded by PGA Professionals Paul Elvin and Mark Curtis, the London Golf Performance Academy boasts an air-conditioned indoor swing studio, which is kitted out with all the latest swing and ball-tracking monitors, including SkyTrak.

The studio also boasts an HD simulator for playing thousands of virtual courses from around the world.

Open from 7am-9pm, the studio can be booked on a payas-you-go basis for £25 per hour.

Kent boys Claim inter-county title Yorkshire’s James Freeman won the second Faldo Series Europe south qualifier after beating Arron Edwards-Hill and Tiger Adams in a play-off at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.

The 54-hole event was played over Brocket Hall’s 7,080-yard Palmerston Course, presenting a stern test for the best young golfers in the country.

Freeman, from Owston Hall in Doncaster, started the third and final round tied for the lead alongside Chelmsford’s Ben Humphrey, but while Humphrey fell away with a closing 76, Freeman, who made eight birdies across the three rounds, remained in total control, shooting a level-par 72, to match the totals of EdwardsHill and Adams, who both closed with 71s.

The coaching team, which also includes Class A Professional Fabio Carminati, is so confident of its ability to transform your game that it is currently offering a free 30-minute lesson to all new clients by way of an introduction to what the academy can offer. Subsequent lessons cost from £30 for half-an-hour, up to £320 for a course of eight one-hour lessons over six months.

The academy also makes use of the excellent outdoor practice facilities available at Bexleyheath, including the club’s putting green and superb nine-hole course, which Paul and Mark can use for one-on-one playing lessons.

For more details, visit www.londongolfpa.com.

Adams was eliminated during the first playoff hole, allowing Edwards-Hill to win the U21 category, while Freeman won the second hole to secure the U18 category and overall tournament victory, which can with the added prize of a year’s free membership at Brocket Hall.

Freeman, who will now tee it up alongside other qualifiers at the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final in Al Ain in November, said: “This is the first year I’ve played in the Series and only my second attempt to get to the Grand Final after finishing 12th at Royal Ashdown Forest in April. The course was in excellent condition and to win membership here for a year is amazing – I can’t wait to make use of the two courses and practice facilities to sharpen up my game before November.”

Rohan Miah, who is a member at Mannings Heath in West Sussex, won U16 category and secured a safe passage to the Grand Final with impressive rounds of 75, 71, 74 (+1), to beat Charlie Gilgenkrantz (West Hove) by a shot.

Prince’s Open for business in 2020 Following the recent renovations to the 27-hole layout at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, there has never been a better time to test out your links game at one of the few clubs ever to have hosted The Open Championship.

Throughout 2020, Prince’s will be hosting open events for seniors, mixed pairs, men and junior golfers, with a well-struck balance between hard-fought competitive tournaments and relaxed, fun events with innovative formats. One of the highlights of the Prince’s schedule each year, Prince’s Open Week will entice a wide array of golfers to discover the beauty of links golf on the South East coast.

With a range of mixed and team events in exciting formats and some excellent prizes up for grabs, Prince’s Open Week consists of five different daily events and gets underway on August 10.

Entries are also being invited for the 2020 Laddie Lucas Spoon, which is being held at Prince’s on April 8. The tournament is a scratch competition open to juniors aged between eight and 13 years old, and is held in honour of the late Laddie Lucas, who was co-founder of the Sandwich-based club.

As an avid patron of junior golf, Lucas established the competition as a legacy to provide a great event to encourage youngsters to have fun, learn and play in the spirit of the game. Junior golfers from around the UK compete for the hickory-shafted Spoon, which was the first prize Lucas ever won in a competition.

Although primarily an 18-hole scratch stableford competition, there are several handicap and age-related prizes to be won, with entry costing just £15 and lunch included on the day.Discounted accommodation packages are also available for the event at The Lodge at Prince’s, and in addition to the Laddie Lucas Spoon, there is also an adult and junior pairs competition on April 7.

Rob McGuirk, general manager of Prince’s, commented: “We are extremely proud of our open events, which offer keen players from around the country and world the opportunity to come to Prince’s for a fantastic links golf experience. We can’t wait to welcome all visiting golfers in 2020.”

For details, or to register for a competition, visit www.golfgenius.com/pages/2231606 or call 01304 695569.

Dawson aims to help old swingers stay the course Former Ryder Cup player and renowned coach Peter Dawson has written a book aimed at senior golfers looking to get the most out of their game.

‘Now for the Back Nine’, which was written with the help of Simon Hawkins, one Dawson’s many satisfied pupils, is a timely gift for the older player.

Dawson, 69, who is a PGA Master Professional, got the idea for writing the book after struggling to swing the way he used to in the 1970s after suffering from arthritis, two titanium knee replacements, and a bad back.

As he explained: “Generally speaking, I couldn’t do half of the things modern golfers – who are usually much younger and far more flexible than me – are being taught. As I adapted my swing to work within the limitations that come with age, I began to realise no-one was offering senior golfers like myself ways to swing and turn more easily, despite the restrictions imposed by bad backs and so on. That idea became my book.”

He added: “It’s all about helping you adapt your swing using simple little tips like pointing your left foot more to the left to make it easier to extend through the hit into the follow through. And the same applies to the other foot for an easier backswing too.”

‘Now for the Back Nine’ features contributions from Tony Jacklin and Peter Alliss, and includes tips and advice on ways senior players can adapt their game and rediscover some of those yards lost with age. It is more than just an instruction book, though, as it is interspersed with insightful quotes and anecdotes from Dawson’s time on the European Tour, including while playing in the 1977 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where was teamed up with Neil Coles in a foursomes match against Ed Sneed and Lanny Wadkins.

“I met and played with some of the best known golfers of all time, so the book is full of anecdotes I gathered along the way,” says Dawson, who won his singles match against Don January 5&4 during GB&I’s 12.5-7.5 defeat at the hands of a US team that included Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Ray Floyd.

Dawson explains his teaching in an easy-to-understand, style with numerous photographs and diagrams to reinforce the theory.

Each chapter is interspersed with various quotes from famous people through the ages, not just golfers, which are both profound and inspiring.

Dawson himself is also offering golf clubs the opportunity to run one of his clinics and promote his book alongside supporting their preferred charity with a contribution of £5 per book sold, as has already happened at Chippenham GC with the UK Sepsis Trust, and Donnington GC with the Pelican Trust.

Signed copies of ‘Now for the back nine’ are available from www.nowforthebacknine. co.uk. It is also available to buy on Amazon for £20.

NEWS | WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Bullen bags BMW spot Sussex club professional Mike Bullen can look forward to teeing it up alongside Europe finest tour players at Wentworth next season after he qualified for the BMW PGA Championship by winning the PGA Play-Offs at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey.

Victory at the home of the PGA National Turkey, which came with a £3,500, also booked the 26-year-old PGA Assistant Professional from Rustington Golf Centre a ticket to the European Tour’s showpiece event in Surrey, which offers a prize fund of

■ UFFORD PARK

Ufford Park up for STRI

Environment Award Ufford Park Hotel, Golf and Spa has been shortlisted for the finals of the 2019 STRI Golf Environment Awards, after impressing judges with its bird, bee and bug-friendly policies.

The Suffolk-based club is down to the last four for the Operation Pollinator Award, which recognises golf clubs across the country that ‘consistently deliver the outstanding creation and management of ecological habitats’.

Tarnia Robertson, Ufford Park’s managing director, said: “To have been named a finalist in this category for the second time in three years is a fantastic achievement.

Our dedicated team of greenkeepers work hard to be as environmentally friendly as possible. The golf course is teaming with wildlife thanks to the bird boxes, beehives and bug hotel that have been built to provide a habitat for nature. We have also built a reservoir for irrigation and we only use organic feeds to feed our greens to minimise the use of chemicals.”

She added: “Since being awarded the runner-up award in 2018, the golf team have taken the judges feedback on board and I’m very proud of the hotel’s achievements. We hope this time we will take the crown!”

Ufford Park will face competition from Cumberwell Park, Banchory Golf Club and the St Andrews Links Trust for the award, the winner of which, along with three other categories, will be announced at a ceremony being held during the British Turf Management Exhibition in Harrogate on January 22.

with PGA Play-Off win

$7 million.

The PGA Play-Off success capped off a superb season for Bullen, who also won the PGA Assistants’ Championship and Australia’s National Futures Championship earlier in the year.

Trailing by two shots with three holes to play, the Rustington player’s hopes of securing a third title looked slim, with Colm Moriarty and Jason Levermore at the head of affairs. But birdies at 16 and 17, coupled with some costly errors from his rivals saw the Sussex man steal the prize at the death.

“I’ve had a really nice year and I’m proud of my achievements. The PGA has opened some doors – I’ve been to Australia through winning the Assistants’ Championship and now Turkey. Qualifying for the BMW PGA Championship is a brilliant way to finish the year and I’m delighted.”

In addition to booking his place in next September’s BMW PGA Championship Bullen also qualified for the Betfred British Masters at Close House, where he will be joined by Levermore and Moriarty, plus Craig Lee and Andy Willey, who finished fourth and fifth respectively.

[23]

[24] WINTER 2020

TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Brighton’s council-owned courses

Kent leave it late to claim County Champion’s crown

face uncertain future Two council-owned golf courses in Brighton & Hove are up for sale following a decision to explore alternative uses for the historic layouts.

The number of people playing the 18-hole courses at Hollingbury and Waterhall has dwindled in recent years to such an extent that the local council has approved plans to advertise the 25-year leaseholds of the land to be used for other leisure activities, such as camping or public events, although retaining them as golf courses is still an option if a private operator is willing to take one or either of the sites on.

The council is also exploring letting the land return to natural habitat. Housing is not an option, as both sites fall within the South Downs National Park.

Stephen Garrioch, who is currently serving as captain at Hollingbury, said: “There’s been a golf course here for more than 100 years, but there is great concern that it might be taken back for re-wilding, or some other purpose than golf. We currently have 450 season ticket holders and on top of that lots of people who just come and play on a casual basis. It’s one of the only courses around here that stays open all year round. It would be a huge loss to the community if it was to close.”

A petition to save Hollingbury has received over 400 signatures, and its future is to be discussed at a council meeting on January 16.

The courses are currently managed externally

by MyTime Active, which has not issued a comment on its future plans for either facility.

Hampstead pro completes

marathon challenge Hampstead Golf Club PGA Professional Luke Willett is enjoying a well-earned rest after cycling 830 miles around the UK in his quest to play all 14 Open Championship venues in just 10 days.

The physically and mentally exhausting journey – which at times saw him playing 36 holes in a day and cycling 100 miles along busy roads in complete darkness – was all to raise money for the Golf Foundation.

Willett said that cycling between the courses with a golf bag containing four clubs on his back was so tough that his play on some of the world’s most famous courses felt ‘like a rest for his body’.

He started his epic journey at Carnoustie in Scotland on October 18 and finished at Royal St George’s in Kent on October 27.

Willett had to endure the worst of the weather in Scotland, where he had to cycle

■ LUKE WILLETT AT THE START OF HIS JOURNEY

on flooded roads in the dark on the 60mile journey between Carnoustie and St Andrews. After playing in testing conditions at Muirfield and Musselburgh, better weather reached him as he played Troon and Prestwick, before completing his Scottish odyssey in sunshine at Turnberry. After playing Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, and enduring a 64-mile ride to catch the ferry back to England, Willett played Lytham & St Annes and Birkdale, before cycling to Hoylake, with a ferry across the Mersey, for a round at Royal Liverpool. After a 58-mile ride to Market Drayton, Willett then rode 146 miles to London, before cycling another 119 miles to play Cinque Ports, Prince’s and St George’s in Kent. To support Luke, visit www. justgiving.com/fundraising/greatbritishopen.

Kent won the men’s county championship for only the second time in its history after a dramatic finals weekend held at Huddersfield Golf Club in Yorkshire.

A 4-3 victory over Northumberland in their final match was enough to earn captain Danny Curtis and his team the trophy for the first time since 1978.

Bearsted’s Ben Quinney was mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after holing the putt which earned Kent their title-clinching victory, after they had earlier beaten Nottinghamshire 4.5-2.5 and tied 3.5-3.5 with Somerset.

With Northumberland only needing a half against Kent to win the title the odds were in their favour, but Kent got off to a flier with Tom Sherreard, Liam Burns and Joshua Bristow all winning their matches to put Kent 3-0 up. Sherreard, in particular, was on fire with five birdies in a row to close out his match 5&4 against Andrew Minnikin.

But Northumberland then hit back with three wins of their own to level the match score at 3-3, and so leave the outcome down to the final game where, with two holes to play, Quinney was one up. But he then lost three-putted the 17th to allow Sean Heads to level the match and set up a dramatic finale, with Quinney holing a 10-foot birdie putt to bring Kent victory.

It meant that Kent topped the leaderboard with five points from their three matches and afterwards a delighted Curtis said: “You couldn’t write it, winning the title with the final putt of the last match, but these boys deserve it. Benn Barham has been brilliant as coach and our team of volunteers have also played their part. We’ve waited a long time to get back to his position, and I’m thrilled for everyone associated with the Kent set-up.”

After being swamped by his team-mates Quinney emerged from the scrum and said with a wide smile: “I knew it was important, but I didn’t know it was to win the championship. Even so, that’s the most pressure I’ve ever been under because you just want to win a point for the team and for Danny.”

The Kent team, which had an average age of 24, comprised Tom Sherreard (Kings Hill), Ben Quinney (Bearsted), Josh Bristow (Canterbury), Liam Burns (Chislehurst), Jacob Kelso (Kings Hill), Mason Essam (Dartford), Jensen Hull (Hever Castle).

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NEWS | WINTER 2020 [25] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Shadbolt shines on Pro-Am Tour’s Desert Swing

The Pro-Am Tour visited California and Arizona last month, and produced its usual mix of great courses, closely fought competitions and superb apres-golf activities.

The popular tour, which was visiting Arizona for the 24th year, teed off proceedings in the stunning surroundings of Scottsdale, which combines amazing golf, buzzing nightlife and superb restaurants with an idyllic climate for winter golf.

Teams from the UK, France, Austria, Germany and the USA joined the Tour, giving it an international feel, with each team of three amateurs supported a PGA professional.

The Arizona Classic kicked off at Troon North Pinnacle Course for a Challenge Day, where Hampshire’s James Ablett’s oneunder-par score secured him a two-shot victory from four others. Following this gentle warm up, the 72-hole tournament was played over Desert Highlands, Blackstone, Grayhawk and We-Ko-Pa, with another Challenge Day at TPC Scottsdale.

Hertfordshire’s Tom Shadbolt, who was last year’s joint winner, won at TPC by one shot on three under par, and took this form to Grayhawk the next day to lead the field by two shots on -16 from former European Tour Player James Heath and Simon Lilly.

In the team event, five teams were separated by just three shots going into the final round at We-Ko-Pa.

Cranleigh investments

Shadbolt’s level-par 72 opened the door for both Heath and Lilly, and they both dually obliged, joining Shadbolt on 16 under for a three-way tie. In the team event, Heath’s team of Malcolm Wager, Jon Sheffield and his father, Robert Heath, representing The Wisley, combined for an impressive 52-under-par total to take took the title by a single shot from Craig Cowper’s team.

Next came a drive across the desert to Palm Springs in California, home of the PGA Tour’s Desert Classic.

Shadbolt continued his fine form with a superb seven-under 65 on the Welcome Challenge competition at Indian Wells. The tournament rounds were played on both courses at PGA West, Nicklaus and Stadium, along with the picturesque Classic Club and SilverRock.

The tournament was won by France’s Julien Gressier, who amassed 23 birdies and an eagle across the four days. Going into the final round leading by one from Jason Kelly and Shadbolt, Gressier’s 66 saw him clinch a first Pro-Am Tour title by two strokes from Kelly.

Paul Nessling, fresh from competing at the PGA Playoffs in Turkey, combined with Mike Morris, Paul and Elaine Greenaway to win the team event.

The Pr-Am Tour heads back out to Phoenix in February to follow the PGA Tour at Scottsdale, before a sell-out event at TPC Sawgrass following The Players Championship, then back to Pebble Beach at the end of May. For information about how to take part in future events, visit www.pro-amtour.com or call 020 8050 2969.

Cranleigh Golf & Country Club has spent over £250,000 over the past two years on improving the facilities which has been the catalyst for a boost in membership numbers.

This year has seen upwards of £70,000 invested in new greenkeeping equipment to keep the Surrey club’s 18hole parkland course in pristine condition. The machinery is already being put to good use with a winter project to renovate tees, bunkers and paths and will see the level of maintenance raised to an even higher standard at a course that already boasts a reputation for the quality of its greens.

The club has also renovated its driving range, with six indoor bays and four outdoor bays now available for members and visitors to use, while a further £70,000 has

pay dividends

■ JAMES HEATH AND TOM SHADBOLT (RIGHT) WITH THE PRO-AM TOUR’S CRAIG TROWER (CENTRE)

■ THE PRO-AM TOUR’S DESERT SWING TAKES IN SOME OF ARIZONA’S TOP COURSES

been spent refurbishing the steam room, sauna and shower area. Elsewhere, the club’s spin studio has been kitted out with the latest MyRide VX system, which offer a virtual reality cycling experience.

Cranleigh general manager Nick Hughes said: “Our highest priority is making sure our membership have everything they need to get the maximum enjoyment and benefit from the club. We want to give them the top facilities and an experience that they would struggle to find elsewhere.

“Of course, there are costs involved, but we feel they are worth it as we aim to improve our overall experience. Naturally, we also hope that having the very best facilities also attracts visitors and new members to the club. Our ethos is to provide a welcoming, friendly environment for everyone to enjoy.”

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[26] WINTER 2020 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

is a more modern design, which hosts regional Open qualifying every year.

ASHLEY NORTHRIDGE, HEAD OF GOLF OPERATIONS AT BURHILL GOLF CLUB n HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PGA PRO? I turned professional in 1988, so just over 30 years. n WHAT HAS YOUR CAREER PATH BEEN? I started out as a PGA trainee in Derbyshire at Chevin Golf Club, before taking up roles at Royal Mid-Surrey and Wentworth, where I worked my way up to the position of shop manager and head teaching professional. For the last 18 years, I have spent time working abroad in Spain and Canada, and over my career I have filled many roles, from teaching to retail management and golf operations. I joined Burhill Golf Club in October 2018.

n HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND TEACHING? I don’t spend nearly as much time teaching as I used to, as my role is predominantly operations and overseeing the golf activities at the club. I do still see some clients; however, it only really accounts for 10-15% of my time.

n WHAT IS YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ROLE? I oversee all golf-related operations, including the professional shop, the driving range, our golf events, and the day-to-day management of our two championship courses. n WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT YOUR JOB? The best part is the variety. I love interacting with our members and being out and about on my feet all day. Having experienced the more administrative side of running a golf club, it makes me appreciate being active and hands-on at work.

n WHAT IS THE CLUB DOING TO ATTRACT JUNIORS AND WOMEN GOLFERS? Burhill has a thriving junior section, which actually attracts even more juniors to join, and the team recently won the Home Nations Junior Team Championships in Portugal. We have a well-run Junior Development Programme, through which we provide a lot of coaching from our team of professionals. We ran an Open Day in May to encourage kids from the local area to come and give Burhill a go. We run a range of memberships, which encourages women to come together as a group at clinics and have fun experiencing golf. It also acts as a springboard to joining the club and we have a very proactive and welcoming ladies section already in place.

n WHAT’S SOLD WELL IN THE PRO SHOP? The new Taylormade M5 and M6 clubs sold very well at the beginning of the year. We offer free custom fitting to our members and only really sell equipment which we have fitted to ensure our golfers get the most from their purchases.

■ BURHILL BOASTS TWO 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES - THE OLD AND THE NEW

n WHAT’S THE BEST SWING TIP YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? I once received a very strange tip from Gary Player that had nothing to do with golf, but my own personal top tip would be to ignore anyone who tells you to keep your head down when your swinging. Your head should be kept up, allowing you

to take an athletic stance, but make sure you keep it still when you swing.

n WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT AS A PLAYER? I have played a lot throughout my career, and I still consider myself a competitive professional. My playing highlight came at the PGA Championship at Wentworth when I played as a marker for the final two rounds. Seve was only two groups behind us, so the crowds were enormous, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous over a ball. I did shoot level par in the final round, which I’m quite proud of. n IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE RULE IN GOLF, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE? I would limit the length the ball goes nowadays. It’s such a shame in the professional game to see classic courses rendered obsolete by the length the best players hit the ball now. n WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COURSE IN THE UK, AND THE WORLD? My favourite in the UK would be Sunningdale Old, but in the world, it might be Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. A Tom Fazio design, it is an incredible feat of engineering and has amazing quality throughout.

n AND THE WORST? There’s no real negative aspect to what I do, however, I will say that because there is always so much going on at the club, you can make a list of things to do in a day, but sometimes never get through half of it!

n WHO IS YOUR GOLFING HERO AND WHY? Ben Hogan. Throughout my life I’ve always been fascinated by the legend of his swing and the way he could strike a ball. I’ve read all of his books and would love to have met him.

n WHAT THREE WORDS WOULD YOUR COLLEAGUES USE TO DESCRIBE YOU? I’d like to think they would say that I’m reliable, organised and determined.

n WHO WOULD BE IN YOUR DREAM FOURBALL? Ben Hogan, Morrissey and Pablo Picasso. I would love to hear the way he would describe reading a putt, and the post-round chat between the four of us would be very interesting!

n WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FACILITIES AND THE PLAYING EXPERIENCE AT BURHILL? The fact that there are two great golf courses of equal quality and presentation offers our members a fantastic choice for their golf. The Old Course is more of a traditional Surrey heathland course and the New

n WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE IF YOU HADN’T BEEN A PRO? I always thought I would get into sports management of some kind, but as a kid I did harbour ambitions of becoming an artist, but that never materialised.

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FEATURE | WINTER 2020

[27]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Fresh face in charge at Farleigh Farleigh Golf Club’s new general manager is set put his own stamp on Surrey after making the move back from the Middle East.

James Ibbetson overcame stiff competition to be appointed to the top job at the Surrey club, fresh from his role as director of golf at the prestigious Yas Links in Abu Dhabi.

It’s been an impressive career path for the PGA professional, who, after graduating from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Applied Golf Management Studies, was trained by Marriot and was then promoted to golf operations manager at the Forest of Arden. His next role was golf director at Tudor Park, before making

the switch to the United Arab Emirates.

Ibbetson said: “I am honoured to be able to join the fantastic team at Farleigh and build on the great work they have done over the past few years. The opportunity to be part of such an exciting, modern and progressive golf club was too good to miss and I can’t wait to continue driving it forward and see what we can achieve.”

Marc Hayton, owner of Farleigh, and its sister club Foxhills, said: “The volume and quality of the candidates to be our general manager shows how far the club’s reputation has spread. James is a fitting successor to Adam, and I am confident he will take Farleigh to new heights.”

Hurtmore pro’s

a jolly good ‘Fellow’ Hurtmore Golf Club teaching professional Kat Chaszczewski has been awarded ‘Fellow’ status by the Professional Golfers’ Association.

Chaszczewski, who joined Hurtmore at the beginning of 2019, was awarded Fellow status through the PGA’s Accreditation of Professional Achievement and Learning programme.

Chaszczewski turned pro in 2008 and started her three-year Foundation Degree while working at Mid Sussex Golf Club, before moving on to coach full-time at Cranfield Golf Academy in Rustington in her third year as a trainee.

As well as county academy coach for Sussex’s U14 girls’ squad, and a

development coach for the U18 Boys, Chaszczewski has also served as the South East Regional U16 girls’ manager and National U18 girls’ manager, and has introduced more than 500 new golfers into the game in the last five years.

Commenting on her PGA Fellow Professional status, Chaszczewski said: “I am delighted to have been awarded Fellow of the PGA and to be recognised for my contribution to golf. Throughout my career I have continuously aimed to improve my knowledge and the quality of service I offer. I’m pleased to have worked with some fine elite young players and feel very lucky to be able to make my living involved in a sport I love.”

Gary takes charge at Goodwood Golf At Goodwood has appointed Gary Beves as its new general manager following the departure of Stuart Gillett, who has taken up a post with European Tour Destinations after 11 years at the West Sussex club..

Beves, who is well known at the West Sussex course, began his career at Goodwood in 2007 when he completed his PGA training.

A keen golfer, he continued to hone his skills on and off the green gaining valuable experience in other businesses before returning to Goodwood as membership manager in 2016.

His recent role as assistant manager to Gillett involved working on the operations and

the day-to-day running of the courses, while supporting the Golf At Goodwood Academy.

Beves is known for his commitment to members, having enhanced the membership experience across the two-championship courses – the Downs and Park course. He was also an instrumental member of the team that won an England Golf Award for the most welcoming golf club in 2018.

Speaking about his appointment, Beves said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to take on the role of general manager.

Goodwood is a very special place to me, having been part of the business for a long time. I am looking forward to establishing more memorable experiences for members, while continuing to drive the quality of our golf courses.”

West Hove lady captain digs deep for local charity

The lady captain of West Hove Golf Club in East Sussex succeeded in raising more than £30,000 for a local hospice during her year in the role.

Megan Bibby, the former general manager at West Hove, raised £31,528 for her chosen charity, St Barnabas House, after a year of charitable efforts, which included a bake-off, clothes sale, bridge evening, tea party, and numerous golf days.

In addition to hosting fundraising events, Bibby encouraged club members, friends and family to gather items to donate to St Barnabas House charity shops, which resulted in 402 bags of clothes, accessories and other items, which were valued at more than £14,500.

“St Barnabas House has touched the hearts of many West Hove members, looking after their close friends and family by providing the best end of life care possible,” said Bibby, who served as general manager at the club from 2001 to 2009. “Being lady captain gave me the opportunity to repay St Barnabas by selecting it as my chosen charity. I would like to thank all the members, especially the ladies section, my family, friends, and golfing and bridge colleagues for all their help and

support. I was delighted with the final sum we managed to raise together, and I hope that it will help many more families in the future.”

Mary Bye, community fundraiser for St Barnabas House, said: “We are absolutely thrilled and so grateful to Megan for her wonderful fundraising throughout the year. The money raised will make a huge difference and will go directly to caring for local patients and their families.”

■ cHAMPION FUNDRAISER MEGAN BIBBY

■ KAT CHASZCZEWSKI AND HURTMORE’S CLUB MANAGER MAUREEN HARMAN

28th

27th April - 30th April 2020

[28] WINTER 2020 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

STORY BEHIND THE PIC WORLD ICE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP • UUMMANNAQ, GREENLAND

G

iven the way that winters are going in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a scene that golfers in the UK might well have to get used to in the coming years, as we begin to experience more extremes in our climate.

With so many courses shut under blankets of snow or flooded under water for large chunks of the year, it’s really high time we adapted to suit the conditions, rather than expecting to play in shirt sleeves.

Golf clubs need to adapt too, and embrace the opportunity to be a little bit creative when there’s six feet of the white stuff preventing ‘normal’ play for continuing.

In fact, we need to get rid of the whole concept of ‘normal’ when it comes to playing conditions.

Iceland, a country which has more than its fair share of snow, has the highest density of golf courses per capita than any other country in the world. Do they complain about the lack of grass? No, they put a flag in the ice, use orange balls and get on with it.

Ice golf, which traces its roots back to 17th century Holland, is very much alive and well in the Arctic Circle. The World Ice Golf Championship has been played for since 1999, and goes from strength to strength, drawing a field more international than the Open Championship itself.

Played in April on a small island called Uummannaq, off Greenland’s North West coast, the 36-hole tournament has been supported by Drambuie in recent years (it goes well with ice apparently), and sees golfers regularly hitting the links in temperatures below minus 50 degrees. The greens are ‘whites’, with the surfaces smoothed down to a fine sheen in order to aid precision putting, while towering icebergs are an integral part of the layout, as are roving polar bears.

Because the glacier on which the 9-hole course is built is constantly moving, the greens have to be cut just a few days in advance of the tournament so that they don’t crack. Off

BECAUSE THE COURSE IS BUILT ON A MOVING GLACIER, THE GREENS CAN ONLY BE CUT A FEW DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THE TOURNAMENT

the greens, the playing surface is variable, shall we say, with 2cm of frozen powder snow lying over a much harder ice sheet, so it pays to shallow out your angle of attack unless you want to break your wrists.

But even ice golf has it weather worries, with the 2007 and 2008 championships had to be cancelled because the ice wasn’t thick enough to guarantee player’s safety – a sure sign that global warming is more than a figment of David Attenborough’s imagination. Talk about putting on thin ice….

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NEWS | WINTER 2020 [29] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Sky wins exclusive TV rights

Poult Wood unveils new all-weather tees Golfer visiting Poult Wood Golf Course in Kent this winter can look forward to teeing off in pristine conditions after the 27-hole facility invested in a new set of all-weather tees.

Huxley Golf has supplied the Tonbridgebased venue’s two courses with allweather tees for the past 20 years, and such is there hard-wearing design that they only need replacing every decade.

The most recent renewal took place last month ahead of the winter season.

Head Greenkeeper Stuart Crowley

St George’s moves to mats ahead of hosting The Open Golfers hoping to experience the challenges that await the world’s best players at next year’s Open Championship will have to do so with their ball teed up on a mat after Royal St George’s implemented a ‘mat-

St George’s Hill Pro-Am raises £40k for hospice

said: “It’s safe to say that the Huxley Golf winter tees have been a real return on investment. We first installed all-weather tees with Huxley Golf 20 years ago and we’ve never looked back.

"With virtually no maintenance requirement, the use of these winter tees not only delights our customers, but it also frees my team up to ensure that the remainder of the course remains playable in increasingly challenging seasonal conditions.”

only’ policy eight months ahead of its hosting of the 2020 season’s final major.

The ban on playing off the fairways and the first cut of rough came into play in November and will be extended up until the end of June. The 149th Open Championship takes place on the famous Kent links from July 16-19.

Visitor green fees have been reduced to reflect the playing experience, with rounds costing £150 until February, rising to £175 in March and £230 from April to June.

The annual Nelson Trophy golf day held at St George’s Hill Golf Club in Surrey succeeded in raising over £40,000 for the Esher-based Princess Alice Hospice.

Generous donations and support from stars

The BBC will not show any live golf next year for the first time since 1955 after the public service broadcaster lost the rights to live coverage of the Masters.

Sky Sports will be the sole broadcasters of next year’s tournament from Augusta, which takes place from April 9-12.

The BBC lost the rights to The Open in 2016, ending a 60-year run with golf’s oldest major championship, while the corporation’s live Masters coverage was pared back to two days in 2011. From next year terrestrial viewers will be able to watch only highlights of the season’s first Major, the timings of which have yet to be announced.

Sky Sports live coverage from Augusta in 2020 will include all four rounds live; supplementary coverage of featured groups, Amen Corner and at the 15th and

16th holes. They will also offer live coverage of the Par 3 contest, and a daily show featuring interviews and analysis from the tournament practice area.

Sky Sports managing director, Rob Webster, said: “The Masters has provided some spectacular moments on Sky Sports, and we look forward to broadcasting many more at one of the most iconic global sporting events.”

Schmidt storms to victory in Telegraph junior title Rising amateur star Ben Schmidt blew away the opposition at the 2019 Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship, winning the prestigious title by 15 shots – a record in the 34-history of the tournament.

The 17-year-old from Rotherham shot rounds of 68,69 and 69 at Quinta do Lago’s North Course for a 10-under-par total.

Fellow Englishman Max Hopkins and Northern Ireland’s Aaron Marshall finished a distance back in a tie for second.

Dropping only one shot in the final two rounds, Schmidt, who won the Brabazon Trophy, the Carris Trophy and the Henry Cooper Masters earlier in the season, was delighted with his performance.

from the world of stage, screen and sport helped raise the vital funds, which now exceeds over £500,000 since the Nelson Trophy began in 1994.

The pro-am tournament saw a total of 124 players take part, with star guests including

“To win this title at any stage in my career would’ve been a huge honour, but to do so in the year when Justin Rose has first put his name to it, and sponsored the championship with his own money, makes it extra special,” Schmidt said. “It’s been a fantastic year for me, and this really tops it off. It gives me so much confidence going forwards. I’m in the top 10 in the world amateur rankings and my immediate aim is to become No.1. As soon as I do that, I will look to the next stage.”

Neil Coles, Willie Thorne, Mark Austin and Ben Shepherd. A post-round lunch was held, after which comedian Bobby Davro provided the entertainment, which was followed by a charity auction hosted by Thorne.

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[30] WINTER 2020 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Roaring

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With four wins and a rapid rise up the rankings, the world has witnessed a resurgent Rory McIIroy in 2019, with the promise of bigger things to come

The 2019 season has been one of your best yet, with four wins, the FedEx Cup title, and some pretty consistent form. Where does it rate for you compared to previous seasons, and how does it stack up against your own expectations for the year?

The four wins this year have been wonderful. The Players Championship, Canadian Open, the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup, and the WGC in China. It’s definitely been a good season.

Wins are, of course, what we’re out here for, but more than that, I think it is the consistency that I brought week-in, week-out that has pleased me most about this year. I think I’ve had 19 top-10s this year. Even when I’ve got off to a slow start, or not been in contention, I’ve often managed to find something after a couple of days and go on to produce a high finish – so that’s been pleasing.

As far as comparisons with other years go, it’s hard to say.

I’ve had some great seasons. I won five times in 2012. That’s still the most I’ve ever won in a calendar year. I won four times in 2014, four

■ RORY MCILROY RETURNED TO HIS BEST FORM IN 2019, ALTHOUGH HIS PERFORMANCES IN THE MAJORS HAS CAST DOUBT ON HIS ABILITY TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE WHEN IT REALLY COUNTS

times in 2015. I won my first FedEx Cup in 2016.

I had a couple of injuries in 2017 and 2018, and went through some equipment changes, but for the last 18 months, I’ve felt very settled. I’ve been comfortable with everything – my game, my equipment, my body has been healthy, or healthier, I should say. I struggled with some back problems in my early 20s, and, touch wood, my body feels as good as it ever has at 30.

I’m excited for the future. I feel like this year compares to 2014 and 2015, but I don’t see any reason why I can’t go ahead and have an even better year next year.

Apart from feeling more settled with your equipment, is there anything else you can point towards that has helped your upward trajectory?

My concentration is better and my mental capacity on the golf course is better than it ever has been, and I think that’s been a big key to why I’m able to play more consistently.

I giving 100 per cent to every shot – that’s probably the difference between what I’m like now and perhaps when I first

started out on tour. I’m hardily an old timer at 30, but I know that I only have a finite window in which to play my best golf, so even if I’m having a bad day, I’m trying my best over every single shot now. It may sound odd, but that’s not always been the case.

Another change from previous years is that I’ve not been working with my coach at tournaments.

Michael [Bannon] and I have done all our work between events. He’ll come in for three or four days of intensive work with me in Florida, and then go off again. At this point in my career the last thing I want to think about when I get to a tournament is my swing. I just want focus on planning my way around the course and focusing on what I’m going to do that week, rather than working on technical issues, so that’s been another positive change from previous seasons.

Obviously you’ve not had results go your way in the Majors of late. Is that beginning to play on your mind?

Winning golf tournaments is not easy, and winning majors is even harder.

I don’t think any of us need reminding how hard it is to win on tour. It’s difficult. As golfers, we accept that if you win one out of every ten tournaments you play, that’s going to add up

INTERVIEW | WINTER 2020

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■ MCILROY WILL BE HOPING TO REIGNITE HIS MAJOR CAREER AT THE 2020 MASTERS

quite always work. Everyone’s got their own priorities. Some sports feed off the anticipation created by having large gaps between their big events, and longer off-seasons, while others are more ‘bang, bang, bang’. Time will tell what will work best for golf.

What did it mean to you to be voted PGA Tour player of the year?

I think that it’s one of the greatest compliments you can receive; for your peers to feel like you’ve done something pretty special, so I was very honoured to receive that award.

I think it says a lot about what I’ve put into this year, and it kind of vindicated some of the decisions that I made at the beginning of the season. I had to make some tough choices about where and when I was going to play, and I know had to let down a lot of tournament sponsors and a lot of fans, but I knew that I had to make those decisions if I was going to give myself the best chance of playing my best golf.

So do you think that playing the majority of your season in the States helped improve your consistency?

■ MISSING THE CUT AT THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT PORTRUSH HIT MCILROY HARD

to a pretty successful career. And in the majors, we get four chances a year. I play around 25 tournaments a year, so I think if I continue to play the golf that I’m playing, I’ll have more chances to win majors.

It’s about how you play that given week, and perhaps about having a couple of things going your way, breaks here and there. I don’t feel like you can pinpoint certain weeks to play well. You try and play consistently well every week that you tee it up, and some weeks it’s going to fall your way, and some weeks it isn’t.

I think if I continuing to play this good standard of golf I’ll have plenty of chances to win more majors. I’ve certainly got a lot of great memories to draw on, so hopefully that will put me in a better position to take advantage of if and when I’m in contention.

Apart from winning some more majors, is getting back to world No.1 going to be a priority for you in 2020?

Yeah, look, I started this year eighth or ninth in the world, so to see that progress, and to play so well, and get myself back up to No.2, has been satisfying. I have a great platform going into next year, but I’m going to take a couple months off in December and January to reset my goals, assess

MY PERFORMANCES THIS YEAR HAVE VINDICATED MY DECISION TO BASE MYSELF IN AMERICA FOR LONGER PERIODS where I’m at, and then we go again.

How do you think you adjusted to the new schedule, with the majors coming along in a four-month stretch?

It’s been quite tough. I’m not used to playing that much golf in such a short period of time. I used to play a couple weeks, take a couple of weeks off, play another couple weeks, but I think I played 13 tournaments in a 16-week stretch during the middle of this year. So it’s a lot of golf, and it’s something we’re going to have to get used to.

That’s going to be even more compacted next year, when you throw in the Olympics and the Ryder Cup. The schedule is by no means perfect, but there are so many different stakeholders in the game that’s it not surprising that some things won’t

Yeah, I do. Basing myself in Florida, where I now live, for the majority of the time and not having to travel too far from there definitely helped for the first few months of the year. It’s certainly a schedule that works for me, and I’ll be more or less sticking to that next season, give or take a few events. I don’t want to miss the Irish Open for two years running, so now that that has moved to the end of May, I’ll definitely be making the trip back over to play at Mount Juliet.

Schedule aside, I set out this season to treat every week the same, and I didn’t want to feel like I was putting less importance on some events and more importance on others. I treated every event like it was the biggest week of the year for me, and I think that’s why you’ve seen the improved consistency. I’ve never been there to make up the numbers or satisfy anyone but myself, and that has really helped focus my performances.

Were you disappointed that you didn’t have a chance to win the Race to Dubai title?

No. I’ve won it three times. It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to do it, but I hadn’t played enough counting European Tour events to have a chance. When look at someone like Bernd Wiesberger, who played 25 or 26, whatever it is, those are the guys that deserved to be up there with a chance to win.

[32] WINTER 2020 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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TOURNEWS

RAHM SCOOPS €5M DUBAI DOUBLE Jon Rahm was crowned the 2019 Race to Dubai champion after a dramatic victory in the DP World Tour Championship, as the European Tour’s season-long contest came down to a single shot.

The 25-year-old Spaniard held off a determined late charge from Tommy Fleetwood to seal his second DP World Tour Championship title in three years and his fourth Rolex Series victory.

Rahm went into the final round in a share of the lead with Mike Lorenzo Vera, but he pulled six shots clear after seven holes. Rahm

LADIES PRO TOURS JOIN FORCES The LPGA and the Ladies European Tour have formed a partnership that aims to offer increased playing opportunities for both its members in Europe and around the world.

The LET’s 2019 schedule offered 20 tournaments in 13 different countries, with only eight of those events in Europe. The partnership aims to immediately increase playing opportunities for women in Europe, grow prize money levels, and provide a pathway to the LPGA

dropped consecutive shots on the eighth and ninth holes and his lead was further eroded on the back nine when Fleetwood finished with five birdies in his final seven holes to sign for a 65 and set the target of 18 under par.

That meant that Rahm had to birdie the last hole for victory to avoid a winner-takes-all play-off with Fleetwood to decide both the tournament and the Race to Dubai. He duly held his nerve with a superb bunker shot to four feet before rolling in the putt for a 68 to finish on 19 under par and claim the €3 million first prize.

for the LET’s top performers.

Next year’s LET’s Order of Merit has been renamed the Race to Costa del Sol from 2020, and will offer a bonus prize fund of €250,000 to the top three finishers in the season-long ranking. This means that whoever tops the money list at the end of the year will receive an additional €125,000, with the second highest finisher receiving €75,000 and €50,000 for the third placed player.

The Andalucia Costa del Sol Open, the final event of the season, will also see its prize money doubled from next year. The prize fund for the event in 2020 will be €600,000, up from €300,000.

HATTON WINS SIX-MAN PLAYOFF IN TURKEY Tyrrell Hatton parred the fourth extra hole under the floodlights to win a dramatic six-man play-off at the Turkish Airlines Open.

The 28-year-old from Buckinghamshire edged out Matthias Schwab after Erik van Rooyen, Kurt Kitayama, Victor Perez and Benjamin Hebert had earlier fallen by the wayside.

It is the first time in professional golf that a play-off has been finished under floodlights after they were required on the 18th hole at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Antalya.

Hatton, whose last win came at the Italian Open in 2017, picked up a first prize of

LARRAZÁBAL HOBBLES TO VICTORY IN SOUTH AFRICA Pablo Larrazábal produced a remarkable comeback to win his fifth European Tour title after a dramatic finale at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

The Spaniard started the day three shots clear of the field, but struggled with blisters throughout the final round at Leopard Creek, carding six bogeys and a double bogey to fall three shots behind at one stage.

However, the 36-year-old regrouped to make three birdies in his last four holes to seal victory with a 75 and eight-under-par total. That was one better than Sweden’s Joel Sjöholm.

“I woke up this morning and I didn’t think I was going to play,” said Larrazábal. “I couldn’t put my shoe on, I couldn’t walk to the buggy. I really struggled on the back nine, as I had a big blister on my right toe. I said to myself ‘If Tiger can win a US Open with a broken leg…’ and I just fought hard.”

LET REPLACES ORDER OF MERIT WITH ‘RACE TO COSTA DEL SOL’ The Ladies European Tour Order of Merit will be renamed the Race to Costa del Sol from 2020 and offer a bonus prize fund of €250,000 to the top three finishers in the season-long ranking.

Whoever tops the money list at the end of the year will now receive an additional €125,000, with the second highest finisher receiving €75,000 and €50,000 for the third

placed player.

The Andalucia Costa del Sol Open will also see its prize money doubled from next year. The prize pot for the event in 2020 will be €600,000. The tournament is being backed with the support of the Ministry of Tourism of Andalucía, Turismo Costa del Sol, and the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Costa del Sol Occidental.

WOODS DRAWS LEVEL WITH SNEAD AFTER JAPAN WIN Tiger Woods secured a record-equalling 82nd PGA Tour title when winning the Zozo Championship in Japan.

Woods, making his first PGA Tour start since undergoing knee surgery in August, held a three-shot lead with seven holes remaining when play was suspended due to darkness on Sunday evening. The former world No.1 returned on Monday morning to close out a threeunder-par 67 at Narashino Country Club near Tokyo.

Victory was Woods’ first since winning the Masters in April, and moved him alongside Sam Snead’s all-time number of PGA Tour titles, with the win also lifting him to sixth in the world rankings.

“This is big,” Woods said.

“It’s been an awesome year. But it’s just crazy.

Eighty-two wins – it’s a lot. I’m just thankful that I’ve been able to be consistent most of my career.”

£1.57m. After finishing 46th at the DP World Tour Championship, he finished ninth in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai points list after playing in 17 qualifying tournaments.

QUALIFYING SCHOOL DELIVERS HIGH DRAMA Denmark’s Benjamin Poke completed an emphatic six-stroke victory at the final stage of the European Tour Qualifying School as 28 players earned European Tour cards for the 2020-21 season.

Poke, 27, who led from the second round at Lumine Golf Club in Spain, was in complete control throughout the marathon test, breaking 70 each day to post a 25-under-par total and seal victory ahead of Frenchman Greg Havret. Poke has just completed his rookie season on the Challenge Tour and will be joined on the top tier by his 18-year-old countryman Rasmus Højgaard, who shared fifth on 16 under.

The promise of a thrilling conclusion to Final Stage was fulfilled again on the Lakes Course as American Sihwan Kim carded a closing 63 to jump 38 places and finish in a share of 17th. Fellow American Johannes Veerman also completed an impressive turnaround, and after opening with a pair of 74s, the 27-yearold came storming back to close with rounds of 67, 67 66 and 66 to finish on 14 under, booking his ticket to the European Tour with a tied 13th finish. The greatest excitement was delivered by Rikard Karlberg, who holed a 50foot putt on the final hole to finish in a tie for 25th, picking up the last card.

Other players to earn their cards included Laurie Canter, Aaron Cockerill, Garrick Porteous, Jake Mcleod, Marcus Armitage,, Bradley Dredge, Dave Coupland, Toby Tree, Dale Whitnell and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet.

EUROPEAN TOUR TO STAGE MIXED GENDER EVENT Major winners Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam are to host a new mixed gender event as part of the 2020 European Tour schedule.

The Scandanavian Mixed will take place in Sweden next June, with 78 male and 78 female players competing at the same event for the same $1.5m prize purse.

Stenson will compete in the event over the next three years, while Sorenstam, who retired from playing in 2008, will play in the event’s pro-am, which takes place before the start of the tournament.

The Scandanavian Mixed will see world

ranking points on offer for players from both men’s and women’s tours, plus Race to Dubai and Ryder Cup points for European Tour members and Order of Merit points for competitors on the Ladies European Tour.

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ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP

EQUIPMENT NEWS

DRIVER: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero (15°, 18°) UTILITY: Callaway X Forged UT 24° IRONS: Callaway X Forged 18 5-7 irons; Apex MB 8-PW WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 4 (48°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft X Triple Track

JON RAHM

DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Taylormade M5 (10.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Taylormade M5 (15°, 19°) IRONS: Taylormade P750 (4-PW) WEDGES: Taylormade Hi-Toe (52°, 56°), TaylorMade MG2 (60°) PUTTER: Taylormade Spider X Copper BALL: Taylormade 2019 TP5

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NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE DRIVER: TaylorMade M5 (7.75°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M6 (14.25°, 18.5°) UTILITY: TaylorMade GAPR Lo (18.5°) IRONS: Srixon Z785 (4-5), TaylorMade P7TW (6-9) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey (48°, 52°, and 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey #3 White Hot Pro BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

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TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN DRIVER: Ping G410 Plus (8.4°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M6 HL (15.7°), Ping G410 (20.5°) IRONS: Ping i210, (4-PW) WEDGES: Ping Glide Forged (50°), Titleist Vokey Design SM7 Raw (54°, 60°) PUTTER: Ping Vault Oslo BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

RORY MCILROY

WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS DRIVER: TaylorMade M5 (7.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M6 (15°), TaylorMade M5 (19°) IRONS: TaylorMade P750 Tour Proto (4), TaylorMade P730 (5-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade MG (52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider X Copper BALL: TaylorMade TP5 (#22)

SKYCADDIE UNVEILS COMPACT SX400 GPS SkyCaddie’s new SX400 handheld GPS offers the same features found in the Tour-proven SX500 model in a more compact size.

Boasting a four-inch HD touchscreen – an inch smaller than the SX500 – it fits neatly into the hand, pocket and golf bag, while offering the same performance features, Pre-loaded with 35,000 ground-verified course maps – rather than using Google maps, which are often out of date – the SX400’s intuitive interface uses IntelliGreen technology and Dynamic HoleVue to

LYNX GOES TO NEW LENGTHS WITH AI JUNIOR RANGE Lynx Golf has launched a new range of junior clubs that are proportionately resized to better suit young players than ever before.

The set offers completely different clubhead sizes and

automatically show the golfer’s current course position, with distances to hazards and other relevant points of interest also adjusted accordingly.

For laser-like accuracy on approach shots, users are required to enter the day’s pin position to receive precise distances to the flag. It also offers stat tracking and scoring options, while data can be transferred to a laptop or app via the wirelessly connected SkyGolf 360 platform.

Because the device uses Wi-Fi, it does not

weights in each of six heightcoded sections. For example, a 6-iron in its smallest Blue section of clubs is 7% lighter and 7% shorter than in the next size Red section. Similar levels of difference continue through the remaining Orange, Green, Black and Silver sections, with clubs getting progressively larger, longer and heavier.

Even the issue of ball size and weight has been addressed, with the launch of smaller, lighter balls that are

CALLAWAY LAUNCHES PRE-OWNED WEBSITE Callaway Golf has launched a new website where golfers can purchase fully certified and guaranteed pre-owned Callaway and Odyssey equipment.

The site, eu.callawaygolfpreowned.com, gives golfers the opportunity to buy a host of high-quality, previously owned drivers, woods, irons, putters and accessories, including the Epic and Rogue range of products.

Consumers can shop safe in the knowledge that the condition and authenticity of every product is fully guaranteed by Callaway, and comes with a 14-day trial and a 12-month warranty.

The new site will offer high quality, previously-owned

clubs up to and including the Epic and Rogue lines, with big savings to be had. The full product inventory is categorised into ‘Like New’, ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’ and ‘Average’ condition, to ensure there are products for every budget.

In addition, the online outlet offers a trade-in function, where golfers can trade-in their old Callaway and Odyssey equipment in return for credit against a new pre-owned order, based on the site’s rate card.

Original clubs in perfect working order are accepted across the site up to a maximum trade-in value of £2,500 per year, per customer. total combined purchase value.

have to be set up with a computer, but you can use it to update course maps within seconds once you get to the course. The hardware has also been improved, with the addition of a faster charging USB-C cable, while the battery life is around 20 hours, or at least three rounds of golf.

The SX400 has an RRP of £299.95 and comes with a free one-year Birdie membership, which gives hundreds of exclusive groundmapped course updates each year. The price for subsequent annual membership is £29.95.

easier for younger players to get airborne.

Stephanie Zinser, one of the two owners of Lynx Golf, explained the rationale behind the innovative new range. “Golf clubs for juniors, while made often with smaller clubheads and shorter shafts, are not proportionately as small and as light as the young golfer actually needs them to be. We have utilised a proven mix of sports science, physiology, advanced computational methods to create the new Ai clubs to be absolutely in the correct

proportions for young golfers. Not only that, the entire range grows with them, proportionately, as the child progresses into their teens and adulthood. W It’s a perfect model for scaling up to adulthood, and one which takes account of the child’s developing strength and slowly increasing swing speeds as he or she gets older, stronger, more confident and more able.”

The Lynx Junior Ai Range is being sold on a single club basis, with individual clubs costing from £22.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR WINTER 2020 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

COBRA PLAYS WEIGHTING GAME WITH NEW F-MAX RANGE Cobra has unveiled a new range of F-Max drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons that are designed to maximize distance and forgiveness for players with moderate swing speeds.

At retail from January 24, the F-Max Airspeed range is the lightest collection of clubs that the brand has ever produced, resulting in increased clubhead speed and overall yardages for players with slower swings.

In the driver (£269), a new carbon fibre crown replaces the titanium one used the F-Max Superlite range to save 10g of discretionary weight that has been moved low and back in the clubhead to maintain a MOI of 5,000, delivering a clubhead that is 2g lighter without sacrificing stability and forgiveness. Additionally, a 5g lighter shaft and 6g lighter grip reduces the club’s overall weight to 285g. The driver also features a new PWR Ridge design on the crown to assist with alignment and improve aerodynamics, while internal heel-weighting encourages straighter shots with a higher trajectory.

The F-Max Airspeed fairway woods (£179) employ similar weight-saving technologies, including the light carbon crown and lighter shaft. They also feature a shallow face design for a lower centre of gravity to deliver higher launch, while heel weighting creates draw bias.

The F-Max irons (£669/£549 gr/st) lighter overall weight results in an average 1mph increase in clubhead speed, which leads to shots that fly both farther and higher, the latter helped by an undercut cavity that positions the iron’s weight low and wide across the sole.

ZOOM ADDS ‘STYLE’ TO WINTER GLOVE OPTIONS Golf glove brand Zoom is bringing some colour to the course this winter with its Weather Style range, which feature the brand’s unique ‘One Size Fits All’ weather glove.

Featuring Zoom’s unique Flexx-Fit technology, the Weather Style uses a mix of Lycra flex zones that fit the contours of a golfer’s hand and feel like a second skin whatever the player’s usual size. Combined with a honeycomb nylon pattern on the palm for enhanced grip.

The gloves, which feature a honeycomb nylon pattern on the palm for enhanced grip, are available in a choice of ten eye-catching colours – stone, red, white, grey, navy, royal, lime, orange, fuchsia and sand.

HONMA AIMS HIGH WITH BERES RANGE Honma Golf’s new Beres range is targeted at the slower swingers who want incredible performance with a high-end luxurious finish.

The Beres range features drivers, fairways, hybrids and irons, with the clubs optimised for swing speeds around the 90mph mark in the men’s range, while they’re tuned for 80mph in the women’s range.

Produced in Honma’s own factory in Japan, the attention to detail in

the clubs is second to none. Woods feature a maximum speed slot and radial face design to promote high launch, and the maximum legal ball speeds. The irons feature an L-face cup design, and a thinner face for fast ball speeds, while weight is low and deep for for ease of launch.

Uniquely in golf, Honma hand roll its shafts from premium materials in a process that takes craftsman five years to master. The Beres range is available in 2-5 Star options. As

the star rating increases, additional high elasticity M40X and T1100G materials are added which transfer energy more efficiently, increasing the cost but also the performance potential, while the clubs have luxurious gold and platinum embellishments added for a totally unique set.

The irons cost from £329 per club for a 2-star finish, rising to £4,199 for the top of the range 5-star version.

TESTED

KJUS PRO 3L 2.0 JACKET Golf News equipment editor Dan Owen gives the Kjus Pro 3L 2.0 jacket a run out as winter takes hold Waterproof jackets have come along way over the years. Gone are the squareshouldered blousons of our junior days that made you look like a sack of potatoes, were impossible to swing in, and often didn’t even keep you dry. The modern waterproof jacket is a different animal. And the Kjus Pro 3L 2.0 is one of the most advanced I’ve ever tried.

Kjus was founded by former Norwegian Olympic Ski Champion Lasse Kjus, and the technical challenges winter sports have been learnt from to create the ultimate waterproof jacket.

The first thing I noticed about the Kjus jacket was how it didn’t scream ‘golf’. These jackets are expensive, so it would be a shame to you only want to wear them on the golf course. The second thing I noticed was how incredibly lightweight it was. The three-layer design features a Dermizax membrane to keep you dry, while being totally breathable. While Dermizax may not be the household name Gore-Tex is, it works and keeps you dry, which is the vital thing.

The other huge difference with modern waterproof jackets is their comfort. The Pro 3L 2.0 features X-Stretch panels on the back that enable it to move with the swing and not hinder it at all. Be careful with sizing though, as despite the stretch, the jacket does come snug and slim fitting, so be sure to try it on first with a jumper underneath before committing to a purchase. Also be aware that there are also leftand right-handed versions available, and while the differences aren’t obvious to the naked eye, the jackets are tailored to twist and stretch in the right places according to your dexterity.

At £349, this is without question a premium jacket, but it also delivers premium performance and you get what you pay for.

WILSON UNVEILS STAFF MODEL UTILITY IRON Wilson Golf has launched a new utility iron that was first used by Gary Woodland during his US Open victory at Pebble Beach earlier this year.

Designed to deliver a combination of distance, reliability and forgiveness, the Staff Model Utility features a 7g weight positioned low in the clubhead for increased launch angle. A high-strength maraging steel face – which also

features in the brand’s C300 irons – delivers greater ball speeds across the entire face for improved distances, plus a hollow body long iron has been refined for better feedback on miss-hits.

Available in three lofts (18˚, 21˚, 24˚), the Staff Model Utility iron is fitted with a KBS Tour Hybrid shaft and a Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip and has an RRP of £169.

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[38] WINTER 2020

EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

PETER MILLAR MERGE STRETCH FULL-ZIP

ODYSSEY STROKE LAB PUTTERS £269, ODYSSEYGOLF.COM The high-MOI Black Ten and Black Bird of Prey putters feature Odyssey’s innovative Stroke Lab weight distribution to improve performance dynamics for a more consistent stroke.

The Stroke Lab design improves stroke tempo and consistency through a change in weight distribution in the multi-material shaft, with 10g added to the head in the form of two sole weights, and 30g to the grip-end via a 10g-lighter grip and 40g end-weight.

Both models, which go on sale from January 31, feature a multi-material head construction that promotes high MOI for more stability, while a new microhinge star insert creates a firmer feel, while providing the same roll characteristics of Odyssey’s Tour-proven White Hot Microhinge.

£145, PETERMILLAR.COM Finding layers that will keep you warm without hindering the swing is the holy grail of winter golf wear.

In recent years, quilted jackets have become the norm on the golf course, but this is one of the most stylish that we’ve seen.

The Merge Stretch Full-Zip is constructed from a premium performance fabric that’s lightweight and designed for comfort. A windproof, waterresistant front panel provides ultimate protection, while a brushed jersey interior is soft and comfortable, while keeping you warm.

PRO SHOP

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR

POWAKADDY WINTER WHEELS £79.99, POWAKADDY.COM “Here, dad, I’ve got you a new set of wheels” might provoke some excitement around the breakfast table, and although the old boy might be a tad disappointed to discover that they’re for a golf trolley, rather than a brand new Ferrari, he won’t be too unhappy once he’s fitted them to his Powkaddy.

Featuring an open tread, the winter wheels create minimal ground contact and evenly distribute weight over a smaller surface area, thus avoiding compacting soil and denting fairways. A small crown on the front and rear of the tyre reduces dragging while turning, without loss of traction.

CALLAWAY STORMGUARD RAINSUIT £264, (JACKET £149, TROUSERS £115) CALLAWAYGOLF.COM Callaway Apparel’s new StormGuard rain suit features a 15K waterproof rating, which guarantees to keep you dry in pretty much any conditions shy of a monsoon. Swing Tech shoulder construction and a mechanical four-way stretch fabric means golfers can make a full swing without restrictions. The matching trousers are made from an ultra-lightweight material that also enables maximum movement without sacrificing the waterproof rating.

WILSON STAFF LAUNCH PAD IRONS £549/£645 (ST/GR), WILSON.COM The Launch Pad irons are designed to be as easy as possible to hit a long way. With wide soles and large hollow bodies, these are as forgiving as anything you will find out there, but with their high contrast topline design, still manage to look reasonable at address. The wide soles make them 73% less likely to be hit fat and are an ideal option for anyone looking for extra height and distance.

The range also features a driver (£269), fairway woods (£149) and FYbrid (£129). Featuring extra weight in the heel, the woods are designed to help rotate the clubface through impact to elminiate slices. The fairway woods also feature a thin steel face for added distance, while the FYbrid is designed to make that transition from woods to irons as seamless as possible.

EQUIPMENT & GEAR WINTER 2020 [39] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

OGIO FUSE STAND BAG £159.95, OGIO.COM Ogio has always made great golf bags, especially if you don’t want to hang your hat on any one specific club manufacturer. It’s the neutrals choice.

This new Fuse Stand 304 model features a lightweight design and its innovative Fit Disc strap technology will keep your clubs nicely balanced, spreading the weight across your shoulders. It boasts a myriad of pockets, including an insulated drink pocket which is easily accessible while you’re walking.

CLEVELAND LAUNCHER UHX IRONS £499/£599 (ST/GR), CLEVELANDGOLF.CO.UK The hollow design of the new UHX irons help launch the ball higher with less spin, while the thinner faces increase distance. The long irons (3-7) feature a fast face insert and hollow construction, while the shorter irons (8-SW) feature a cavity back design that focuses on control. The long irons are also available separately for golfers only looking for more help at that end of the bag.

RILEY EDGE SPOTLIGHT SUNGLASSES

PING BOBBLE HAT

£199, RILEY-EDGE.COM While it is easy to think of sunglasses as something purely for the summer, it’s often the low winter sun that causes golfers most problems. And what we need from a pair of glasses changes depending on the time of year, whether it’s just a little bit of help protecting their eyes in the wind, to the midday sun of a summer’s round. Rather than make you choose, Riley Edge has included five pairs of glasses in the box, featuring a variety of lenses, from clear to smoked grey to handle any situation. Lightweight, flexible, and importantly, scratch resistant, the Spotlights also come with a prescription insert that can be worn under the main lens, allowing them to be worn by glasses wearers.

£18, PING.COM Now that the bobble hat is a mainstream high street trend, it’s safe to pull on yours on the golf course without fear of offending the fashion police, while keeping your ears toasty when out the temperature drops. This classic Ping version, in on-trend black and white, does the job nicely.

MOTOCADDY HOT MITTS £44.99, MOTOCADDY.COM Motocaddy’s Hot Mitts incorporate an electric element within its fleece-lined insulation that evenly distributes heat over both hands. A centre button controls three-heat settings, enabling golfers to adjust the temperature setting to suit the conditions.

Designed to fit onto any Motocaddy trolley handle using Velcro straps, it can be plugged into any M-Series Trolley featuring a USB charging port, while other models can also be powered by a Motocaddy power bank (£29.99, sold separately), which offers five hours of continuous use.

EASYGREEN 1300 RANGEFINDER £179, AMAZON.COM Ready to use out of the box, the lightweight and compact EasyGreen rangefinder is accurate to within a yard on targets up to 400 yards away. Boasting six times magnification, it delivers slope-compensated distances (which can be turned off for competition use), while the handset vibrates to let you know you’ve locked onto the target.

[40] WINTER 2020

EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

CALLAWAY JAWS MD5

PING GLIDE 3.0

TAYLORMADE MG2

£149, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM

£130, PING.COM

£149, TAYLORMADEGOLF.COM

Callaway’s Roger Cleveland-designed wedges are some of the most popular on tour, combining classic looks with a soft feel. The Jaws MD5 adds incredible spin to the mix too, courtesy of JAWS groove design which is milled into the face and features a super sharp edge radius. Combined with Groove-in-Groove technology, which provides more friction, these are the most aggressive Callaway wedges ever. Manufactured from carbon steel, they look beautiful at address, with a more compact shape in the lower lofts to help them blend into a set of irons. The are offered in 23 combinations of sole grind and loft, as well as two finishes.

Glide 3.0 wedges boast a cavity back design that offers much more forgiveness than a typical specialty wedge, while still looking like a classic wedge at address. This helps with consistency, with more shots ending up closer to their intended target. The larger elastomer custom tuning port provides a soft feel, while the wheel-cut grooves have a sharper edge radius and an extra half groove at the bottom of the clubface to help with more spin, especially around the green. A Hydropearl 2.0 finish repels water, helping to retain spin in wet conditions.

The MG2 wedges have been an instant success on tour, with Tiger Woods using them for his recent win in Japan.

They retain the milled sole grind introduced in the original Milled Grind wedges, but with the addition of a raw face.

This creates more friction with the ball, which creates more spin, as well as reducing glare at address. Elsewhere, weight has been redistributed in a ‘thick thin’ head design, which improves the sound, feel, and ball flight. They are available in two finishes and two grind options.

TITLEIST VOKEY DESIGN SM7

CLEVELAND CBX 2

£150, TITLEIST.CO.UK

£119, CLEVELANDGOLF.CO.UK

While there is a prototype SM8 being tested on tour, the SM7 is still Titleist’s current model for the rest of us. One of the reasons for their popularity on tour is the dizzying array of sole/grind/bounce combinations. With six sole grinds options for fine-tuning your wedge play, there are a total of 23 different combinations of loft and bounce available, not forgetting four separate finishes. A progressive centre of gravity design helps control trajectory, while the Spin Milled grooves are the most aggressive yet, and are even cut differently depending on the club’s finish.

Most wedges are designed for the tour and filter down to club golfers, but the CBX 2 was designed with the average golfer in mind. It features a hollow cavity chamber in the heel and a heavy toe weight maximises MOI for forgiveness, while the wedges still retain a classic look at address. Rotex Face Technology and Tour Zip grooves bring the spin, while Feel Balance technology and the Gelback TPU insert moves the centre of gravity towards the toe for a more solid feel.

MIZUNO T20

HONMA TW-W4

COBRA KING MIM

£140, MIZUNOEUROPE.COM

£149, HONMAGOLF.COM

£119, COBRAGOLF.CO.UK

Mizuno is known for its soft-feeling forged irons, and it has carried that over into its most recent wedge line. Forged from boron-infused carbon steel, the T20s boast a soft feel, while the boron adds durability to the grooves. The heads are ‘spin weighted’, putting weight higher in the head to lower the trajectory and increase spin. Hydroflow Micro Grooves are vertically etched on the face to help release moisture and maintain spin in damp conditions. Three finishes, including Blue Ion and Raw are available, plus there are three grind options, and lofts from 45-62 degrees.

Justin Rose wouldn’t have switched clubs if they didn’t perform, and in recent MyGolfSpy testing the TW-W4 won its Most Wanted Wedge award. A forged carbon steel design, the wedge features a cross-milled face for increased spin, and a progressive blade that moves the centre of gravity lower in the lower lofts for a solid feel and raises it in the higher lofts for a more controlled ball flight. Loft-specific sole grinds help make these wedges suitable for a wide spectrum of golfers.

Cobra has employed a unique construction method for its latest wedges, which sees stainless steel powder injected into a mold at a higher temperature than forging, which produces a club with fewer inconsistencies and gives them an ultra soft feel. The heads, which are polished by robots – the first clubs to undergo this process – look great, with a classic profile at address, while CNC-milled grooves and a versatile Tour grind completes the performance package that have seem them earn a place in Rickie Fowler’s bag.

SPIN MACHINES The latest high performance wedges feature a host a new sole designs and more precise grooves for ultimate control around the greens

NEWS | WINTER 2020

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

THE POWER OF XP Equipment Editor Dan Owen casts his eye over Honma Golf's all-new T//WORLD XP-1 range, which promises measurable performance gains for the mid-to-high handicapper

H

opefully you’re familiar with Honma these days after they signed Justin Rose to their books earlier this year. The high-quality Japanese brand is making huge moves in the club-making industry by meticulously manufacturing their clubs with the finest craftsmanship that make their own shafts to create a superior product.

Its latest release, the XP-1 range, are game-improvement clubs dressed up in tour clothing to give higher handicapper all the tools they need to shoot lower scores.

Designed and engineered by master craftsmen at the brand’s Sakata factory in Japan, the beautifully crafted T// WORLD XP-1 range is aimed at golfers looking for confidenceinspiring game improvement performance, as well as stylish design features and top-quality build.

Featuring drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons, for both men and women, the XP-1 range features easy-to-square, draw-biased designs that consistently deliver greater distance and outstanding forgiveness.

In addition to the striking profiles of the clubheads, the ultra-lightweight Vizard shafts are engineered to provide more swing speed, a high launch trajectory and offer responsive feel.

T//WORLD XP-1 DRIVER Two key technologies power the XP-1 driver. First

up, the Double Slot Sole design is used to increase face flex, which in turn increases ball speed across the face. The double slot flexes more in the heel and toe to reduce side spin for straighter drives. Five Fang Technology places three ‘fangs’ under the crown, and two on the sole, to strengthens the thin walls of the club, allowing the clubface to flex more at impact, especially on shots caught low on the face.

Elsewhere, a carbon crown saves weight that is used to increase draw bias, while a 15g weight is positioned to provide an optimum launch. The driver also features the eight-setting adjustment of Honma’s non-rotating hosel, where the spine of the shaft stays fixed in the same position while the sleeve spins to the required setting to deliver greater impact consistency. This takes another variable out of the equation, so you know you are only changing the effects of the loft or face angle change, and not any variance from moving the shaft. The shaft itself is a 43g Vizard, which has a soft but responsive graphite fibre to generate faster swing speed and effortless distance.

RRP: £559 T//WORLD XP-1 FAIRWAY & HYBRID Both the XP-1 fairway woods and XP-1 hybrids feature the same Double Slot Sole as the driver for a high launch, long

carry and more consistent strike. The fairway woods (15°, 18°, 21°) feature a low and deep centre of gravity design that incorporates a carbon crown, a precision high strength steel body, and a thin, fast face with a heavy internal sole weighting.

The hybrids (19°, 22°, 25°) use a hot steel face design to increase ball speeds. Both clubs are designed to get the ball airborne easily, as well as being draw-biased.

RRP: Fairway Woods £309, Hybrids £269 T//WORLD XP-1 IRONS The XP-1 irons feature a hollow cavity and a tungsten weight in the longer models (4-7) that launches the ball high and straight, while the shorter irons (8-11) have a slightly different deep cavity, which helps to deliver the perfect launch angle to attack pins with confidence and offers plenty of forgiveness, as well as control.

A thick sole helps minimise cutting into the turf, so you can sweep the ball off the grass and escape danger easier.

From address, they inspire confidence for you to be able to hit the ball as straight as possible, even if you do not make that perfect contact. The soles also provide a high launch, which helps attain high ball speeds when combined with the thin faces qne allows for maximum distance and a soft-landing control around the greens.

RRP: £1,179 for six irons (6-11)

To find more about Honma’s entire range, and to locate your nearest Honma stockist, visit www.honmagolf.com

[42] WINTER 2020

EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TITLEIST ROLLS OUT TRUFEEL BALL Titleist’s new TruFeel golf ball is designed to deliver longer distance and excellent control for golfers who prefer a softer compression ball.

Boasting a new core and new aerodynamics for more distance with the driver and in the long game, the new ball features a proprietary cover which provides ultra-soft feel and excellent control on shots into and around the green.

A new sidestamp has been designed to

double as an alignment aid, providing golfers the option for easy alignment without having to mark a line on the ball.

The design was inspired by the most popular alignment aid available through the My Titleist customiser website since alignment options were offered to consumers in February last year.

TruFeel balls are currently available in white and optic yellow, with a new matte red option coming in January. SRP: £23.

TAYLORMADE SHINES A LIGHT ON PATINA PUTTERS TaylorMade’s new TP Patina putters get their name from the finish that combines black nickel and copper that oxidises over time.

There are seven models in the range – three blades (Soto, Juno and Del Monte) and four mallets (Ardmore 1, 2 and 3 and Dupage).

Replacing the TP Black Copper collection, Patina putters feature a black sightline and a thicker aluminium Pure Roll insert which improves sound and feel off the face, while also optimising roll.

Each model comes with two sole weights, which can be moves to fine tune feel, and are fitted with a Superstroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip as standard, as well as a KBS CT-Taper Stepless Chrome shaft, which reduces twisting at impact.

The TP Patina Collection is available in 34- and 35-inch shaft lengths in both RH and LH models, with an RRP of £239.

GOLF PRIDE ROLLS OUT PRO ONLY PUTTER GRIPS Golf Pride’s new range of Pro Only putter grips come in three distinct Tour-inspired shapes, offering the highest degree of responsiveness and feel.

The heightened feedback is created by the use of a proprietary tuned rubber material with offers a new level of precision feel for better distance control on greens of all speeds.

The 72cc Pro Only Red Star weighs 74.5g and boasts a horseshoe shape with an arched paddle front for thumb placement and a slight pistol kick in the back for hand heel pad placement. The 81cc Blue Star model (82g) features an angled profile with a wide, flat paddle front and an angled back, while the 88cc Green Star model is the heaviest at 86.5g and offers an oval shape with an arched paddle front and a slight upper hand flared back.

“Many people find it surprising that 70% of the top 30 putters on Tour prefer a smaller size putter grip,” said Bruce Miller, Golf Pride’s product manager. “They prefer it because it allows them to gain greater feedback and control. The Pro Only models deliver those Tour-preferred shapes with three uniquely optimised performance options.”

WIN A SET OF RILEY EDGE SPOTLIGHT SUNGLASSES Golf News has teamed up with Riley, the new name in sports eyewear, to give away two sets of its all-new Edge Spotlight sunglasses.

T

he new Riley Edge Spotlight glasses set includes five high-tech frames, each with a distinctive lens tint designed to superb clarity and depth of vision in all light conditions. By selecting the right lens for the right light conditions, golfers can enjoy a host of benefits, including reduced brightness and glare, improved contrast, depth perception and sharper colour recognition.

In addition to the vision benefits, all of the lenses across the Riley Edge Spotlight range incorporate a Tecton 400 lens coating, which makes them scratch resistant and stop them from fogging up. They are also coated on both sides with a UV400 treatment to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays.

For those that already wear glasses, there is also a prescription lens option available, with the

interchangeably lens clipping easily into the lightweight wraparound frames, which can also be tailored to individual face shapes for a highly comfortable fit.

Cheshire-based Tour professional Max Penney is one of a growing number of elite golfers who have been impressed with the Riley range of performance eyewear, and specifically the new Edge Spotlight range.

“I’ve got a range of clubs to deal with different conditions, so it’s great to now have a set of sunglasses to do the same,” said Max. “The lens options really make a difference out on the course – particularly with changing weather conditions. The Amber lenses are also ideal for around the greens – you can see every undulation, which really helps you read them.”

TO ENTER To be with a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the question below correctly and email your name, address and contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News from, to info@golfnews.co.uk, using ‘Riley Edge Competition’ in the subject line. The closing date for entries is February 29, 2020. No alternative cash prize is offered.

Riley Edge Spotlight glasses are available to buy online for an RRP of £199.95 (including neck cord, carry case, and prescription insert).

To find out more, visit www.riley-edge.com.

n QUESTION

HOW MANY DIFFERENT FRAMES AND LENSES COME WITH EACH SET OF RILEY EDGE SPOTLIGHT GLASSES? A) 3 B) 4 C) 5

TRAVEL & BREAKS

WINTER 2020 [43]

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WINTER 2020 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/TRAVEL

USA,USA,USA! SPECIAL FOCUS ON NORTH AMERICA’S HOTTEST GOLFING DESTINATIONS

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ME & MY TRAVELS

FOOTBALL LEGEND TEDDY SHERINGHAM REVEALS HIS FAVOURITE HOLIDAY VENUES

WINTER GETAWAYS

BOOK YOUR GOLFING BREAK IN THE SUN

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[44] WINTER 2020

TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MAKE A BREAK FOR THE MANOR If variety is the spice of a golfer’s life, then you should book your next golfing break at the Manor House and Ashbury Hotel in Devon, a delightful Dartmoor-based resort that boasts no fewer than seven 18-hole courses

I

f you’re looking for quality and quantity from a golfing break, then the Manor House and Ashbury Hotels in Devon, which lays claims to being the largest golf resort in the UK, should tick all the right boxes.

The popular Okehampton-based venue boasts a staggering seven 18-hole courses – adding up to a whopping 99 holes – all on the same 600-acre site. This unique complex offers four full-length 18-hole courses (6,528yard Kigbeare; 6,400-yard Pines, 5,765-yard Beeches, and the 5,502-yard Oakwood), and a further 18-hole par-3 course, the Willows.

The courses, which all offer stunning views over Dartmoor, utilise the natural features of the landscape, making the most of mature trees, hedgerows and ponds to provide truly breathtaking holiday golf, while the region’s free-draining soil ensures playing conditions are perfect throughout the year.

And with so much great golf on offer, it requires more than a weekend to tackle all the holes on offer, so three or four-night breaks are ideal if you want to get the full Manor House experience. The golf break packages on offer are stacked with extras, including free 27 holes of golf per day throughout your stay, and golf buggies for as little as £5 per round, so that guests can play all seven layouts without fear of running out of puff.

Away from the golf, there is plenty to keep couples, groups and families occupied, with many facilities available free of change to guests, including 11 tennis courts, 12

The Manor & Ashbury Hotels

■ THE OAKWOOD COURSE IS ONE OF FOUR FULL-LENGTH 18-HOLE LAYOUTS ON OFFER

■ THE BEECHES COURSE

■ THE 18-HOLE ADVENTURE PUTTING COURSE IS IDEAL FOR FAMILIES

badminton courts, 13 bowls rinks, 30 snooker tables, 10 lanes of ten-pin bowling, three swimming pools, five target ranges, team sports, and numerous exercise classes.

Guests also enjoy free use of two hydro spas, and with saunas, steam rooms and relaxation loungers also on offer, it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day of activities. Visitors can also pamper themselves with a choice of over 20 health and beauty treatments, including hot stones massage, facials and manicures – all at great value prices.

There is also an 18-hole adventure golf course to test putting skills on free of charge, while a children’s games room features pool, table football, air hockey and games consoles.

For the more artistically-minded guests, two craft centres offer 17 tutored crafts, including pottery, glass engraving, hot press printing and woodwork.

Accommodation is spread across the Manor House Hotel, which offer 203 en suite rooms, and Ashbury Hotel, which boasts a further 222 rooms, all of which feature TVs, tea and coffee-making facilities and hair dryers. With all packages offering full board, guests can indulge themselves, with the buffet style breakfast proving a big hit with golfers looking to build up their energy levels before a full day’s golfing.

For bookings and enquiries, call 01837 53053, email enquiries@manorhousehotel. co.uk or visit www.ashburygolfhotel.com.

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ashburygolfhotel.com

0800 389 9892 follow us @manorashbury

TRAVEL & BREAKS

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ST MELLION ENJOYS BOOM IN GOLFING STAYCATIONS CORNWALL’S 36-HOLE ST MELLION INTERNATIONAL RESORT is soaring after reporting a 20% rise in group golf in 2019, as an increasing number of golfers take their holidays on home soil during a time of Brexit uncertainty.

This year, groups who would normally book golf trips to Spain or Portugal have instead been turning to St Mellion, a ‘bucket list’ destination for many golfers because of its famed Nicklaus Signature Course, as they looked for value with the pound falling to a ten-year low against the Euro in summer 2019.

“With two European Tour courses and an award-winning hotel,, more golfers than ever before have simply been coming to St Mellion, parking the car, and enjoying a worry-free golf break for a few days” said David Moon, the resort’s Golf Manager. “Like all of us, I’ve had countless conversations about Brexit this year and the message from our golfing guests has been coming through loud and clear. As the debate rages on about the EU, they know

they’ll have a great time and get good value here at St Mellion, especially now their money doesn’t go as far over on the continent.

“With Cornwall firmly established as the UK’s no.1 holiday destination, location-wise we are sitting pretty. But you can’t rely solely on politics or the economy to help you out.

We have been rewarded by a sharp rise in the number of golfers heading down here in 2019 after a lot of hard work by our amazing staff.”

Similar increases in rounds, food, accommodation and retail sales have made 2019 a banner year for St Mellion, a decade on from a £20m revamp in 2009, which saw its new 80-room four-star resort hotel open to universal acclaim.

With a second AA Rosette awarded to its An Boesti restaurant in 2019, and ongoing upgrades to its bedrooms, fleet of golf buggies and bunkers, the resort’s general manager, Ian Davies, has overseen a successful period at St Mellion since he arrived in 2018.

“St Mellion’s reputation has been earned over many years, with The Nicklaus celebrating its 30th anniversary last summer and our hotel celebrating its 10th anniversary this year,” he said. “But it is incredibly rewarding to see our popularity continue to soar..”

For details of the latest golf breaks, visit www.st-mellion.co.uk.

B OWO O D PA R K HOTEL AND GOLF CLUB 2 DAY GOLF BREAK 1 Night Bed and Breakfast 1 Three Course Evening Meal Two Rounds of Golf (unlimited Nov-Feb)

3 DAY GOLF BREAK 2 Night Bed and Breakfast 2 Three Course Evening Meals Three Rounds of Golf (unlimited Nov-Feb)

4 DAY GOLF BREAK 3 Night Bed and Breakfast 3 Three Course Evening Meals Four Rounds of Golf (unlimited Nov-Feb)

1st Oct - 31st Mar £109pp 1st April -30th Sep £119pp

1st Oct - 31st Mar £179pp 1st April -30th Sep £209pp

1st Oct - 31st Mar £229pp 1st April -30th Sep £279pp

A dozen Taylormade or Titleist balls for groups of 12 or more, 2 dozen if 24 or more. Also a £50 pro shop voucher if 16 or more visit.

All packages available midweek or weekends.

For all enquiries, to check availability or make a reservation, please call the reservations team on 01840 213017.

H OT E L | G O L F | E V E N TS | H O S P I TA L I T Y BOWOOD PARK HOTEL AND GOLF CLUB, LANTEGLOS, CORNWALL, PL32 9RF. TEL: 01840 213017. EMAIL: GOLF@BOWOODPARK.COM. WEB: WWW.BOWOODPARK.COM

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CHARLESTON: THE GATEWAY TO GREAT GOLF If you’re looking for an American golf holiday with authentic Southern hospitality, a dose of culture, great food, and a collection of some of the world’s finest courses, then the charming harbour city of Charleston in South Carolina has all the bases covered

T

here is good reason that cars carrying South Carolina license plates are emblazoned with the slogan ‘First in Golf’. The first golf club, golf course, and golf clubs imported into the United States all originated in its oldest city, Charleston, and it’s hard to drive a few miles in any direction without seeing a sign post for a country club or a golf resort of some description.

Today, the Charleston area boasts more than 24 courses, including many designed by some of the game’s most notable architects, such as Pete Dye, Tom Fazio and Jack Nicklaus.

Visitors to the city are spoilt for choice for golfing experiences in a region that is generically called the ‘Lowcountry’, which takes in the coastal counties of Charleston, Berkley and Dorchester. Thousands of travelling golfers make the pilgrimage to the region’s showcase resort, Kiawah Island, where the Ocean Course and no fewer than five other worldclass tracks could occupy the first week of any

■ KIAWAH ISLAND MUST BE ON EVERY VISITOR'S MUST-PLAY LIST

golfing vacation, but there are plenty of other top quality tracks on which to test your skills.

The two stunning layouts at Seabrook Island – Ocean Winds and Crooked Oaks – should definitely be on your golfing checklist, while there are two more stunners to be played at Wild Dunes, where the Fazio-designed Links and Harbor courses continue to earn rave reviews.

Elsewhere, and at more affordable rates, there are tee times to be booked at Dunes West, Patriots Point Links, RiverTowne Country Club, Shadowmoss Plantation, Wescott Plantation, and for those with a taste for American history, The Links at Stono Ferry, which is sprinkled with relics from the Revolutionary War, many of whose battles were fought around this region.

Charleston, which was recently voted the best small city in North America, boasts a rich history and a vibrant contemporary culture. Offering a great choice of hotels, restaurants, lively bars, and a buzzing

nightlife, it’s a place to savour. Foodies will delight in discovering the smoky, slow-cooked BBQ for which the region is famous, while hanging out in one of the numerous rooftop bars on King Street, and sipping on a Bourbon-laced cocktails or locally-brewed craft ale, is an easy way to pass a few lazy hours of an evening.

Shoppers can hunt out bargains at the infamous Charleston Market, soak up the city’s history on a carriage ride through the West side, or perhaps learn the dance which got its name from the city where it all began.

Music is central to Charleston culture, and there are no shortage of jazz clubs and bars in which to listen to live bands and impromptu gigs, while architecture fans can marvel at the unique design of the multi-coloured stucco houses that line the city’s streets and avenues. Bike-friendly, and easy to walk, you’ll only need a car when heading out of town for golf.

And what golf awaits....

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PLACES TO VISIT

■ DUNES WEST

CHARLESTON CITY MARKET

RECENTLY VOTED THE BEST SMALL CITY IN NORTH AMERICA, CHARLESTON BOASTS A RICH HISTORY, A VIBRANT CONTEMPORARY CULTURE, AND A GREAT CHOICE OF HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND LIVELY BARS Ocean Course, Kiawah Island (KIAWAHRESORT.COM, GREEN FEES: $281-$387) Since its hosting of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the Ocean Course has been on every golfer’s bucket list, blowing away visitors with its lethal blend of tidal marshland carries, scrub-covered coastal dunes and wildly undulating greens.

While toned down from the version that hosted the 2012 US PGA Championship – which it will do again in 2021 – the 7,356-yard layout is still relentlessly tough, yet it reels you in with its tranquil Lowcountry environment, and a finishing stretch of holes along the Atlantic that offers a second-to-none mix of beauty and brawn.

Wild Dunes, Links Course (WILDDUNES.COM, $145-$155)

a No.2 ranking at Kiawah Island Resort. Opened in 1988, it starts with its own clubhouse, then tosses into the mix four large natural lakes, inlets of saltwater marsh and maritime forests of old live oaks, pines, palmettos and magnolias. Short, strategic par 4s, water on 15 holes, and a network of wooden bridges that link one hole to the next, mark out Osprey Point as another ‘must-play’.

Cougar Point (KIAWAHRESORT.COM, $130-$221) Arguably Charleston’s most underrated track, Cougar Point is a reworking of an original Gary Player design. Stretching to 6,875 yards, it boasts a handful of holes routed along the Kiawah River, with graceful shaping, along with beautiful woods and marsh backdrops, making for a very entertaining round.

The hole, and the course, that put Charleston on the golf map was the 18th at Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms north of the Charleston National city. The year was 1980, and Tom (CHARLESTONNATIONALGOLF.COM, Fazio’s first major solo design set $62-$81) tongues wagging thanks to a Plenty of forced carries over rolling landscape draped with marsh characterise this Rees marshes, ancient oaks and Jones design in Mt. Pleasant, scrub-covered dunes that Fazio just north of Charleston, but called ‘an architect’s dream’. Its handsome Lowcountry vistas par-5 18th, with the Atlantic hard of Hamlin Sound, Bulls Bay and ■ CHARLSESTON by the left edge, quickly became the Intracoastal Waterway will NATIONAL one of the most photographed in make the sting of losing a few balls golf. somewhat more palatable.

Also on the same resort, the Harbor Course, another Fazio design, measures up pretty Dunes West well with its older sibling, with nearly every hole (DUNESWESTGOLFCLUB.COM, $52-$96) encountering lakes, salt marshes or the Intracoastal Arthur Hills carved out this 6,859-yard course Waterway. in 1991 from land that was once part of the historic Lexington Plantation. Ancient oaks, tidal marshlands and Bermuda-topped dunes are all part Turtle Point of the challenge and beauty that serve as powerful (KIAWAHRESORT.COM, $130-$221) enticements. The unusual closing hole is a 456-yard At most resorts this layout would take centre stage, par four that skirts the marsh. but on Kiawah Island it’s just a terrific test that’s understandably overshadowed. Designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1981, and refurbished a couple of years The Links at Stono Ferry ago, Turtle Point is a treat, with tight fairways and (STONOFERRYGOLF.COM, $55-$88) shallow greens – often set on the diagonal and This Ron Garl design is sprinkled with relics from usually fronted by trouble – making it a solid test. the Revolutionary War. An appealing front nine Holes zigzag through lush vegetation and meander twists through the forests, but things heat up on along marshes and out to the ocean. The most the back nine, owing to a handful of scenic holes memorable holes are in the stretch from 14-16, along the Intracoastal Waterway. The all-carry, 159which are closer to the Atlantic than any on the yard par-3 14th and the 343-yard, par-4 18th, with Ocean Course. an island green, are standouts.

Osprey Point (KIAWAHRESORT.COM, $130-$221) This Fazio creation makes a compelling case for

Despite a recent renovation, the city’s 220-year-old market, which is built in a Greek-revival style, remains an iconic building in Charleston history. Home to the Confederate Museum, the main section is occupied by an eclectic mix of stallholders selling anything from hats and handbags to jewelry and arts and crafts.

For more information on holidays to the Charleston area, visit www.explorecharleston. co.uk or call 800 774 4444.

HISTORIC DISTRICT

These cobblestoned streets are lined with row houses, and you’re likely to spot more horse-drawn carriages and cruiser bikes than cars.

WATERFRONT PARK Elegantly landscaped with fountains and boardwalks, the park leads out to White Point Garden, by the Battery on the tip of the peninsula, where the flower-filled lawns offer fine views across the water.

GETTING THERE British Airways offers two direct flights per week (Thurs/Sun) from Heathrow T5 to Charleston. Return fares in World Traveller start from £600, World Traveller Plus from £928, and from £1,920 in Club World.

To book, visit www.ba.com.

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CHAKA TRAVEL LAUNCHES VIP IRISH GOLF TOUR PACKAGES BESPOKE GOLF HOLIDAY COMPANY Chaka Travel has expanded its portfolio of destinations to include VIP tours of Ireland, following the development of a commercial partnership with ç Ireland.

Chaka Travel, which has built up a reputation as a luxury holiday specialist in Mauritius over the last 25 years, has previously expanded to include personalised trips to South Africa, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Oman and wide range of long-haul destinations. However, with this new partnership with G Golf Ireland it will be able to offer

exclusive golf holidays to the Emerald Isle’s finest courses.

Golfers can now book a golf holiday in Ireland with Chaka Travel to include a G Golf ambassador, an elite level golfer who will act as a full-time concierge on- and off-course guide, hosting clinics and delivering a highly personalised service.

Commenting on the new partnership, Mark Marais, Chaka Travel’s managing director, said: “I am delighted to welcome G Golf Ireland as a commercial partner to Chaka Travel. I am particularly excited to have added G Golf Ireland’s decades of golf expertise in the British Isles to the Chaka Travel Group. I have no doubt that G Golf Ireland’s unique offering will be of tremendous benefit in developing our golf business within the British Isles and Europe.”

For details on the latest golf breaks with Chaka Travel, visit www.chakatravel.com

Drive somewhere different

SLIEVE RUSSELL AND LOUGH ERNE HOST 2020 CHALLENGE PGA NATIONAL IRELAND Slieve Russell has teamed up with Lough Erne to launch the inaugural Lakeland Golf Challenge 2020 – a new competition offering amateurs the chance to play two of the finest inland courses on the Emerald Isle.

Taking place from June 17-18, the 36-hole event is open to men and women and features a round of golf on the Faldo Course at the Lough Erne Resort and at PGA National Ireland .

Costing €99/£90 per person, the competition will be played with a Stableford format with thousands of euros of individual prizes to be won across the two days, while special accommodation rates are available at both Lough Erne and Slieve Russell by quoting ‘Lakeland Golf Challenge’.

For more information, visit www.slieverussell.ie.

Spring Play & Stay

from just

Play & Stay in France this spring Play at some of the finest golf courses in Brittany and Normandy this spring, all withing an easy drive from our arrival ports. With this great value offer, you can experience crowd-free courses and immaculate fairways from just 134 per person*.

Our Golf Desk will look after all the travel, hotel and tee-time arrangements – all you have to do is pack your clubs in the car, at no extra cost, and enjoy your break!

Call 0330 159 5418 email golf.desk@brittanyferries.com or visit brittanyferries.com/golf *Price based on people 4 people in a standard car, with 2 twin/double rooms and tee off times.

Price may vary based on travel dates. For full terms and conditions, see website for further details.

£134

per person*

• Return sailing with your car • 1 night’s B&B hotel accommodation • 2 rounds of golf • Freedom to mix and match courses and ferry routes to suit you

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LISBON'S Golf Coast

PRAIA D’EL REY Photography Peter Corden

Europe's new golfing capital

If you’re looking to combine a relaxing golf break with a visit to one of Europe’s most vibrant capital cities, then Lisbon’s Golf Coast is the place to go

S P E C I A L

S U P P L E M E N T

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■ THE STUNNING PAR-THREE 14TH AT OITAVOS DUNES

CAPITAL CHOICES

■ GOLF DO ESTORIL

Drive just a few miles along the coast west of central Lisbon and you’ll discover half a dozen excellent golf courses to enjoy, as well as the must-visit towns of Sintra and Cascais 1. QUINTA DA MARINHA Located close to the pretty coastal town of Cascais, a 35-minute drive from Lisbon, Quinta da Marinha has featured prominently on golfing itineraries to the region ever since it first opened in the mid-80s, thanks to its firstclass accommodation and quality golf. Originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, the course hosted numerous tournaments in its early life, including Senior, LET and Challenge Tour events, although it is eminently playable for the holiday golfer, with generous fairways and receptive greens mixed in with the odd water hazard and some wonderful views over the seas.

Re-routed in 2016, the course features cleverly located bunkering, raised greens with tight, sloping shoulders, and several fiendish dog-legs.

After a round, golfers can relax in the five-star, on-site hotel, which offers 198 rooms and suites and 40 villas, and an excellent choice of bars and restaurants. quintadamarinha.com

■ QUINTA DA MARINHA IS A MUSTPLAY COURSE ON ANY TRIP TO LISBON

2. GOLF DO ESTORIL Estoril’s superb 18-hole course is located in one of Europe’s oldest established tourist resorts and boasts wonderful views out to the Atlantic.

A masterpiece of design by Mackenzie Ross, the layout makes good use of the surrounding pine trees and eucalyptuses. Although a short course, at 5,808 yards, its par of 69, coupled with uneven terrain and tight fairways, demands accuracy and good course management to score well. clubegolfestoril.com 3. OITAVOS DUNES Providing a hybrid experience of both links and woodland golf, Oitavos Dunes enjoys one of the most dramatic settings on the Lisbon Coast, with magnificent views of the Sintra Mountains, Atlantic Ocean and Cabo da Roca.

Host of the European Tour’s 2018 GolfSixes event, precision rather than power is the order of the day over the opening holes, as anything hit off line will almost certainly require a chip out. Once safely negotiated, the course opens up as you rise out of the woodland, with an opportunity to open the shoulders on the par fives at 7 and 8. Moving to the back nine, the pick of the holes are 14, 17 and 18. The 14th is a wonderful par three that plays over ravine, while the final two holes are both par fours measuring over 450 yards. The 17th is slightly easier, as it has a downhill approach, but the green is tricky and the bunker front left must be avoided. The 18th is a classic finishing hole – a long dogleg left with a narrow fairway, and trees and dunes bordering the rough on both sides.

The course is largely flat, and a good walk will set you up nicely to enjoy the excellent food on offer in the stylish clubhouse or the five-star hotel. oitavosdunes.com

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4. BELAS

LISBON CITY GUIDE Located at the mouth of the River Targus, Lisbon is connected to the south by two iconic bridges, the 25th April and the Vasco da Gama. The former is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and is overlooked by one of city’s most famous landmarks – Cristo Rei – a 260ft statue of Christ, similar to the one found in Rio de Janeiro.

The city is very walkable, although living up to its name of ‘The City of Seven Hills’ it’s advisable to make use of the extensive tram system or take a ride on one of the many threewheel tuktuk taxis. Don’t miss a tour around St George’s Castle, which overlooks the whole city, while the streets of the trendy Chiado district will find yourself amid beautiful boutiques and a mix of bohemian cafés and bars, where a glass of Ginjinha – a sweet cherry liqueur – will set you up for an evening of listening to famous Fado singers in a local restaurant.

3. OITAVOS DUNES

5. LISBON SPORTS CLUB

1. QUINTA DA MARINHA 2. GOLF DO ESTORIL

■ BELAS OFFERS A NUMBER OF DROP HOLES THAT WILL TEST YOUR CLUB SELECTION AND DISTANCE CONTROL

4. BELAS Set in the beautiful Carregueira Mountains, a short drive from Lisbon, the Rocky Roquemore-designed Belas is a demanding championship course that offers fantastic views of the surrounding hills and valleys beyond.

The 6,700-yard layout features gently mounded fairways – several of them set in deep valleys – large scalloped bunkers, plenty of significant rises and falls, and a liberal number of streams and lakes to avoid.

There is a great variety of holes on offer, including an attractive selection of par threes, including a couple of drop holes, while the closing stretch is both challenging and memorable, with the downhill par-5 15th, the par-4 17th, with water on both sides of the green, and the par-4 18th, which requires a carry over a U-shaped lake with your approach, all adding to the drama of an entertaining round. belasclubedecampo.pt 5. LISBON SPORTS CLUB One of the oldest clubs and most traditional clubs in the region, having been founded in 1922, Lisbon Sports Club is a little gem that is well worth searching out during any trip to Portugal’s capital city.

Tucked away in the forests of Sintra, 20km from the city centre, the course measures just under 5,300 metres, with a par of 69. A Fred Hawtree design, it is characterised by tree-lined fairways flowing through a peaceful valley setting. Raised tees and greens add to the challenge, while clever bunkering places an emphasis on distance and direction control, rather than brute force. The greens are sloping and fast. Some of the holes criss-cross each other, so it’s advisable to keep your eyes peeled for balls coming from all directions. lisbonclub.com

HOST OF THE EUROPEAN TOUR'S GOLFSIXES EVENT IN 2018, PRECISION RATHER THAN POWER IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY AT OITAVOS DUNES OVER THE OPENING HOLES, AS ANYTHING HIT MARGINALLY OFFLINE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY REQUIRE A CHIP OUT SIDEWAYS

■ LISBON SPORTS CLUB IS ONE OF PORTUGAL'S OLDEST CLUBS, BUT ITS OFFERS A THOROUGHLY MODERN TEST OF GOLF

SINTRA Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992, Sintra is a charming hilltop town located 25km west of Lisbon that demands a visit between rounds.

Don’t miss a tour of the Pena Palace, a former royal summer residence whose mixture of architectural styles will amaze and surprise, while the region’s Moorish influences can be seen most impressively at the Castelo dos Mouros, a mist-enshrouded ruined castle that looms over 400m above the surrounding forest, which can trace its history back to the 10th century.

CASCAIS The historic and beautiful coastal town of Cascais lies on the Estoril coast, just 30 minutes from Lisbon. The pretty harbour town boasts a yacht-filled marina and lots of great fish restaurants, while its small, sandy coves are ideal for swimming and water sports.

Take a tour around the Palácio da Cidadela, which was commissioned as a summer palace in 1870 by King Dom Luís I. This captivating museum remains the official residence of visiting heads of state in Portugal.

If walking gets too much, hire one of 1,200 bikes offered through the BiCas free bike-hire scheme, which are available from 76 points between Parede and Estoril, and hit the cycle path that runs the entire 9km stretch from Cascais to Guincho. For a bit of nature in the raw, stop off at the Boca do Inferno to watch the Atlantic waves pummel the craggy ‘Mouth of Hell’, 2km west of Cascais.

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10 THINGS TO DO IN LISBON • Take a trip on one of the five tram routes that criss-cross the city. The most scenic tram route is 28, which travels through the Alfama district, while 12E is also popular, climbing from the Baixa to the Castle.

• Hop on one of three funicular railways to climb Lisbon’s steepest hills, or take a ride in the Elevador de Santa Justa, a 150ft tall vertical lift built in 1902 which offers fine views of the city from the top.

• Visit the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) and Gulbenkian museum and gardens.

• Visit the historical quarters of Chiado and Bairro Alto, which are packed with avant-garde boutiques, lively bars and buzzing restaurants.

• Reserve a table for dinner in one of the many Fado houses in Alfama and Bairro Alto which offer this melancholic, but extremely moving musical art form while serving a traditional Portuguese menu.

• Visit The Pilar 7 Bridge Experience - an interactive exhibition overlooking the April 25 Bridge which combines virtual reality technology with a panoramic viewing platform over the bridge and the city.

• Take the 15 tram out to the Belém monumental area and discover the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Jeronimos Monastery, where Vasco de Gama is buried, and visit the architecturally impressive Belem Tower. Take in an exhibition at the Centro Cultural de Belem, and don’t forget to stop off at the iconic Pasteis de Belem café for coffee and a Pasteis de Nata – a custard pastry treat to die for.

• Walk through the Parque das Naçoes - the exhibition grounds for Expo ‘98 – and visit the Oceanarium, which is home to over 8,000 different aquatic species, including sharks, penguins, rays and sea dragons.

• Visit the Time Out Market. Boasting a dizzying choice of 32 restaurants and food stalls, eights bars, a dozen shops, a cookery school and a live music venue, the market brings together all of Lisbon’s finest culinary traditions under one gigantic roof.

• Catch a football match between Lisbon’s two Primeira Liga teams, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. Tickets are like gold dust for this fiercely competitive derby, so book ahead for the games on January 18 and May 17, 2020.

6. PENHA LONGA RESORT Located 30 minutes east of Lisbon, Penha Longa (‘Long Rock’) boasts 27 holes of championship golf set against a spectacular and ever-changing backdrop of beautiful countryside and stunning coastal views to Estoril and Cascais.

Home to a five-star Ritz-Carlton Resort, it’s a peaceful spot in which to test your skills on the famed Atlantic North Course. With its requirement for bold drives, courageous approaches and artful putting on the fast greens, Robert Trent Jones Jr’s design is both an adrenaline rush and a soothing journey through one of Portugal’s most inspiring landscapes.

With half the holes framed by trees, and several lakes to contend with, straight hitting is required to score well, although there are plenty of birdie opportunities out there on an undulating course which is not long by modern standards. The Atlantic South Course is a less challenging, but still entertaining option, with its nine holes winding through some of the most historical parts of the estate.

The Ritz-Carlton hotel boasts 194 guest rooms, six restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a spa and fitness centre, jogging track and a children’s activity centre. penhalonga.com 7. PESTANA BELOURA RESORT Located between Sintra and Estoril, 30 minutes from Lisbon, Pestana Beloura boasts a pleasant parkland course set among the verdant foothills of the Sintra mountains. Featuring mature, tree-lined fairways, six lakes and several streams, there are plenty of natural hazards to contend with on the 5,573-metre, 18-hole course, which was designed by Rocky Roquemore and first opened in 1993. Full irrigation ensures the course is always presented in great condition year-round, while the bentgrass greens are a please to putt on. The welcoming clubhouse features an excellent restaurant and bar with a terrace overlooking the course in which to enjoy a post-round meal.

The course is located next to the Pestana Sintra Golf and Spa Resort, which boasts air-conditioned rooms and offers two restaurants, a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and tennis courts. pestanagolf.com

WITH ITS REQUIREMENT FOR BOLD DRIVES, COURAGEOUS APPROACHES, AND ARTFUL PUTTING, PENHA LONGA IS BOTH AN ADRENALINE RUSH AND A SOOTHING JOURNEY THROUGH ONE OF PORTUGAL'S MOST INSPIRING LANDSCAPES

■ FADO CAN BE ENJOYED IN A WIDE RANGE OF RESTAURANTS AND BARS THROUGHOUT LISBON

■ PESTANA BELOURA'S 18 HOLE LAYOUT FEATURES NO FEWER THAN SIX LAKES

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

■ DOLCE CAMPOREAL

14. DOLCE CAMPOREAL

SILVER SERVICE There is a wonderful collection of championship layouts to enjoy on Portugal’s Silver Coast, an hour north of Lisbon, with the new links at West Cliffs being a dazzling highlight

■ PENHA LONGA'S ATLANTIC NORTH COURSE

■ DONALD STEEL'S BOM SUCESSO IS ACLASSIC RESORT GOLF TEST, WITH GENEROUS FAIRWAYS MIXED IN WITH PLENTY OF WATER AND SOME DRAMATIC ELEVATION CHANGES

13. BOM SUCESSO Occupying a spectacular site alongside the Lagoa de Obidos, the 18 holes at Bom Sucesso first opened in 2008 and were designed by Donald Steel. It is the very epitome of resort golf – offering generous fairways, a smattering of water, and some interesting changes in elevation.

After a gentle opener, the course quickly gets into it stride at the second, a very strong par-5 which sweeps downhill to a green protected by a lake on the right. The same lake is then carried to the par-3 third. The back nine kicks off with a pretty par three, while the 12th is a testing 400-yard par four with water to the right with the hole turning left to an off-set green.

The closing two holes are show stoppers, with the tee on the par-5 17th commanding the best view on the entire estate, although this demanding 580-yard dogleg will require all of your attention. The 18th offers a similarly inviting view from the tee, although the drive requires a little more thought, as a stream crosses the hole twice before you reach the safety of the green. bomsucesso.net

6. PENHA LONGA RESORT

7. PESTANA BELOURA RESORT

14. DOLCE CAMPOREAL A 45-minute drive north of Lisbon will take you to the championship course at CampoReal, a Martin Ebert design which first opened in 2005 and blends serenely into the surrounding countryside, while providing an enjoyable and interesting round. Blind shots, steep inclines and wooded valleys create a series of hazards that will test all of your shot-making skills on this charming layout, which hosted the Ladies Portugal Open in 2010 and 2011.

The on-site hotel coasts 155 well-appointed rooms and suites, while there is also a range of private apartments, town houses and villas which are ideal for families and larger groups. The hotel boasts four restaurants and two bars, the Southeast Asian-themed Mandalay Spa, while other leisure facilities include tennis courts, bike hire and a children’s activity club. dolcecamporeal.com

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WEST CLIFFS IS SPREAD OUT AMONG 200 ACRES OF ROLLING SAND DUNES AND COASTAL VEGETION, OFFERING SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN FROM EVERY HOLE

15. PRAIA DE’L REY RESORT Situated less than an hour north of Lisbon, on Portugal’s magnificent Silver Coast, Praia D’El Rey enjoys a well-earned reputation as being one of Europe’s top golf resorts. A firm favourite with golf groups and families thanks to its extensive array of five-star facilities, which include a 177room Marriott hotel, a wide selection of rental villas, five restaurants, tennis academy, multi-sports court, luxury spa, health club, and two championship golf courses - Praia D’El Rey and West Cliffs.

The former is a par-73 championship course is set amidst a combination of extensive pine forests and undulating dunes, and features spectacular views over the Atlantic and the Berlengas Islands beyond. Designed by Cabell Robinson, it deserves its reputation as one of the continent’s top layouts. While the front nine flits between the ocean and some inland holes, the course gets into its stride on the back nine, especially on the three-hole stretch from 13-15 that runs along the coast. All are superb tests, with the signature par-3 13th and the 15th, a demanding 400-yard par-4 with a big dip short of the green, being personal favourites. praia-del-rey.com 16. ROYAL OBIDOS SPA & GOLF RESORT Royal Obidos was a stunning addition to the golf offering on the Silver Coast when it opened in 2011. Well known as the last course ever designed by the late Seve Ballesteros, it provides a superb lasting legacy, with the 7,320-yard layout being one of the great man’s best works.

With views over the Atlantic and the Obidos Lagoon, its presents a serious challenge to all levels of golfer, especially on the eight holes that feature water, while the numerous run-offs around the greens offer the chance to practice your Seve-style up-and-downs.

Opened in 2014, the boutique-style Evolutee Hotel sits in splendid

■ ROYAL OBIDOS SPA & GOLF RESORT

■ THE DRAMATIC COURSES AT WEST CLIFFS (ABOVE) AND NEIGHBOURING PRAIA D’EL REY (LEFT) HAVE TURNED PORTUGAL’S SILVER COAST INTO ONE OF EUROPE HOTTEST GOLF DESTINATIONS

isolation overlooking the golf course. Boasting just 39 rooms – make sure you bag one with an ocean view – the five-star venue features an Elemental spa, two swimming pools, a restaurant and bar. More importantly, it’s just a short walk down the hill to the clubhouse. royalobidos.com 17. WEST CLIFFS Voted one of the most exciting new course openings of 2017, the stunning links at West Cliffs, located on Portugal’s dramatic Silver Coast an hour north of Lisbon, deserves to be on everyone’s list of must-play courses in 2020.

Designed by Cythia Dye, niece of the legendary golf architect Pete, it took 14 years to create West Cliffs from start to finish, and her first layout in Portugal has been well worth the wait. Occupying a privileged location high above the sea, the spectacular par-72 clifftop links has been created over 200 hectares of natural landscape, rolling sand dunes and coastal vegetation, and offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean from each hole.

Not overly long – it measures barely 7,000 yards off the back tees –its clever design features a number of carries and an array of outstanding holes that have to be negotiated if you’re to score well.

The experience is enhanced by stylish, eco-friendly clubhouse, which was built using natural and certified materials, and offers exclusive panoramic views of the course and the Atlantic from three sides of the glass-fronted building.

West Cliffs is managed by Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort, which is situated less than a 10-minute drive away and provides the ideal base for a golfing break. westcliffs.com

EQUIPMENT & GEAR WINTER 2020 [55] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

16. ROYAL OBIDOS SPA & GOLF RESORT

SOUTHERN STARS

17. WEST CLIFFS

Photography Peter Corden

Head south across Lisbon’s two iconic bridges to sample yet more superb golfing treats 8. AROEIRA I & II Tucked away in a 900-acre private estate 30km south of Lisbon, Aroeria’s two championship layouts, named I and II, cut a swathe through a dense pine forest. Aroeira I, which was built in 1972, some 30 years before II came along. Despite its numbering, the lower numbered course is not the first string, as it perhaps lacks the stadium setting, and the length, of its younger sibling, although they both enjoy similarly elevated positions in the various European course rankings.

Designed by Frank Pennink, Aroeira I plays 6,650 yards off the back tees and requires unerring accuracy off the tee to score well. The round kicks off with a gun-barrel straight par five, but the pressure soon ramps up at the testing 400-yard, par four second, which gently turns right off the tee around a large pond, before rising to a well-protected green.

Water comes into play at the first par three – the 170-yard fourth – and reappears besides the green at the 340-yard par-four sixth, where a 3-wood off the tee leaves you a short iron to a large, but undulating green.

Arguably some of the best holes can be found on the back nine, with the par-3 14th, with the green fronted by water all the way from the tee, and surrounded by a canopy of majestic pines behind, being a highlight. The par-four 17th and 18th provide a strong finish, with the former requiring an accurate tee shot to set up an approach to this sharply angled dogleg, while the 18th is as straight as you like, but is uphill all

■ MONTADO HOTEL & GOLF RESORT IS SURROUNDED BY VINEYARDS

■ AROEIRA BOASTS TWO CHAMPIONSHIP LAYOUTS THAT THREAD THEIR WAY THROUGH DENSE FORESTS

15. PRAIA D’EL REY RESORT

8. AROEIRA I & II

10. QUINTA DO PERU

9. MONTADO

the way to green and requires two good whacks to reach the heavilysloping green.

Aroeria II is more of a championship layout than I, and it’s easy to see why it enjoys a reputation as being the ‘Wentworth of Lisbon’. Built at the turn of the century, there is plenty of maturity to the pine-tree lined layout. Measuring just under 7,000 yards from the back tees, water comes into play on no fewer than nine holes, and there are many pot bunkers and large, undulating greens to negotiate. Although wider off the tee in places, it’s grown up golf, and is more demanding than your average holiday golf course. orizontegolf.com 9. MONTADO Located close to Setubal, a 30-minute drive south of Lisbon, Montado Hotel & Golf Resort is surrounded by famous muscatel vineyards that were planted more than a century ago, and offers a quiet retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

The par-72, 6,380m course, which opened in 1992, and was redesigned in 2005, enjoys a pleasant rural setting, with easy-walking fairways laid out between lines of old oaks and younger olive trees, chestnut and pines, winding around creeks and natural lakes.

There are plenty of interesting holes on which to test your skills, but there’s no doubting that the par-three 18th, which requires a tee shot to a island green, is among the highlights, especially if the match is all-square.

On-site accommodation is offered in a four-star hotel, which boasts 90 rooms, two restaurants and a spa. montadoresort.com 10. QUINTA DO PERU Just a 30-minute drive from the centre of Lisbon, the enchanting tree-lined course at Quinta do Peru is framed by the Arrábida Natural Park with its 18 finely-crafted holes meandering gently through avenues of tall pines. First opened in 1994, it was designed by American architect Rocky Roquemore, the 6,640-yard layout has matured nicely over the last 25 years, and is tidy without being pristinely manicured, and the greens are devilishly quick, so its vital to be below the hole if you want to give it anything more than a nudge with the putter. Although the tree-lined fairways are generally not too narrow, big and astutely-placed bunkers, and rapid putting surfaces, ensure that Quinta do Peru is a solid test off the back tees, and most holiday golfers will have more fun off the yellows, which take the course down to a more manageable 6,175 yards. clubgolfquintadoperu.com

■ QUINTA DO PERU

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12. RIBAGOLFE I & II

18. ALDEIA DOS CAPUCHOS GOLF & SPA

■ RIBAGOLFE OFFERS TWO SUPERB LAYOUTS EAST OF LISBON

11. TROIA Located an hour south of Lisbon, and accessible via a lovely short ferry crossing from Setubal, Troia offers a magical setting for Robert Trent Jones Senior’s magical, yet significantly underrated, seaside course, which first opened for play in 1980. Jones utilised his trademark bold bunkering, raised greens and doglegs on the par-72, 6,317m layout, which stretches along the beach and sweeps between pine trees, offering panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Arrábida mountain range. Although too short and tight for modern tournament play, Troia hosted the Portuguese Open back in 1983, when Sam Torrance was the only player to break par for the championship, telling everything you need to know about the course’s challenge. It’s recent rise to No.8 in Golf World’s Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe ranking shows a club that is not resting on its laurels. troiaresort.pt 12. RIBAGOLFE I & II Set within a nature reserve 40km east of Lisbon, Ribagolfe offers Portuguese golf at its most rural and tranquil. Boasting two courses, I and II, Ribagolfe I, a monstrous 7,300-yard layout that we thankfully reduced to a still not inconsiderable 6,600 yards by hitting from the yellow tees. Played in early spring, the course was lush, green and visually stunning, and with no villas or houses to interrupt the views or the flow of the layout. Each hole is sheltered from the next, and requires your utmost concentration to make par. Deep bunkers will halt progress up the fairway, while sheer length will prove most players’ undoing. The huge greens are even paced and excellent to putt on, although finding the right level was never easy.

Hole highlights include the 7th, a 448-yard par four which is framed by a lake all the way down the right side. Although the water is barely in play, it provides a stunning view from the green at this testing stroke index two.

Ribagolfe II is a shorter test than its sibling, but still measures more than 6,800 yards. It’s a more forgiving, but equally appealing course, with wider fairways and more generous landing areas, while large, contoured greens make it a stiff test, especially if the wind blows. orizontegolf.com

■ TROIA IS A JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF LISBON GOLF, RANKED 8TH IN GOLF WORLD'S TOP 100 COURSES IN EUROPE

TROIA OFFERS A MAGICAL SETTING FOR ROBERT TRENT JONES SNR'S MAGICAL, YET SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERRATED SEASIDE COURSE, WHICH FEATURES HIS TRADEMARK BOLD BUNKERING, RAISED GREENS AND DOGLEGS

11. TROIA 18. ALDEIA DOS CAPUCHOS GOLF & SPA Located in the historic town of Vila dos Capuchos, on the Costa Caparica, 20km south of Lisbon and 3km from the sea, the 4-star Aldeia dos Capuchos Resort boasts a aparthotel, a full-service spa, three swimming pools and a 9-hole golf course. There is a driving range, practice putting green and pro shop. Eating and drinking options on site include two restaurants, a café and two bars. golfaldeiadoscapuchos.com

BOOK YOUR GOLFING TRIP TO LISBON For more details on Lisbon and its many attractions, visit www.visitlisboa.com, where you will find details on hotels, transport, restaurants, sightseeing and shopping, sport and leisure activities, music festivals, art and design exhibitions and much, much more.

You can also call +351 210 312 700.

■ ALDEIA DOS CAPUCHOS

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BANISH THE WINTER BLUES IN MADEIRA GASTRO GOLF UNVEILS NEW DESTINATIONS AND GREAT SAVINGS BESPOKE GOLF HOLIDAY COMPANY Gastro Golf has expanded its offerings to golfers with a passion for quality golf and fine food by bringing online some new and exciting destinations and an early booking discount for 2020.

The Cheshire-based tour operator, which is a member of IAGTO, provides golf holidays with a ‘gastronomic twist’ – combining the opportunity to play on some of the world’s top golf courses, stay in luxury hotels, and enjoy exceptional culinary and cultural experiences.

With superb offers on winter golf in the sun and new destinations, including Mauritius and Argentina, Gastro Golf’s worldwide reach continues to bring golfers exciting choices for their next golf holiday.

New digital destination guides have also been added to Gastro Golf’s website.

These informative guides will help golfers understand in more detail about what a Mauritius, Argentina or South Africa golf holiday can involve, the best hotels and the amazing choice of quality golf courses, which can all be added to a Gastro Golf Holiday.

Gastro Golf founder John Sullivan said: “2020 is an exciting year to look forward to for our customers. We have established great relationships with a host of quality destination partners all over Europe and beyond, providing first-class golf and hospitality to our clients, and we continue to work closely with all of our golf resorts, hotels and tourism partners to bring golfers superb rates on packages golf breaks With an early booking discount of up to 20% available on most packages, now is a great time to enquire about your winter sun or spring/summer 2020 golf break.”

For information, visit www.gastrogolf.co.uk, call 0161 612 3319, or email enquiries@ gastrogolf.co.uk.

MADEIRA IS THE PERFECT PLACE to head to avoid the winter blues - and it has some amazing long-stay packages for golfers who feel frost should be limited to the outside of a beer glass.

Two Funchal hotels, the Dorisol Mimosa Hotel and the Dorisol Florasol Hotel, are offering 28-night stays - with unlimited golf at both Palheiro Golf and Santo da Serra - from just €61pppn.

The four-week breaks, available until April 30, 2020, are available on a room-only basis, with both hotels - located centrally in Madeira’s capital providing a complimentary shuttle service to both golf courses.

The Dorisol Mimosa Hotel enjoys privileged views over Funchal Bay, and is within walking distance of both the seaside promenade and the city centre.

It has an indoor pool with health club, sauna and Jacuzzi; a gym; spa; tennis court; games room; and a terrace bar and Europa restaurant - shared with two other hotels in the Dorisol complex.

Golfers will stay in the recently renovated studio apartments, containing a fully equipped

kitchenette; cable TV; free wifi; bathroom with bath or shower; and a private balcony. The cost is €1,699 per person, based on two sharing.

The Dorisol Florasol Hotel is located just a 20-minute walk from Funchal city centre, close to the promenade, with great views over the ocean. Nearby are restaurants, bars and all the facilities required for a self-catering break.

Accommodation is provided in recently renovated one-bedroom apartments, with a fully equipped kitchenette; cable TV; bathroom with shower and bath; and a private balcony. The four-week break costs €2,035pp, based on two sharing.

The 6,656-yard course at Palheiro Golf is situated within the Palheiro Estate. At nearly 1,640ft above sea level, the location enjoys dramatic views of Madeira’s mountainous skyline and the ocean, as well as the island’s capital, Funchal.

The original course at Santo da Serra, dating from 1937, was redesigned in 1991 by Robert Trent Jones Snr, who created a new and spectacular 27-hole complex, with views of the bay of Machico.

For details, visit www.madeiraallyear.com & www.dorisol.com.

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BAG YOURSELF A RINGSIDE SEAT AT THE MASTERS WITH YGT

LA SELLA RESORT REOPENS AFTER RENOVATION EL PRAT LAUNCHES STAY-AND-PLAY PACKAGE WITH LA MOLA Denia Marriott L a Sella Golf Resort & Spa in Spain has reopened following a full-scale renovation.

Located on the Costa Blanca, 10 minutes from the coastal town of Jávea, La Sella’s facilities include 186 guest rooms, a 1,200 square metre spa, nine conference suites, three restaurants and 27 holes of championship golf designed by José Maria Olazabal.

The resort, which first opened in 2003, closed it doors last December to carry out a six-month renovation of all its facilities and services. Many of the internal and outside public spaces have been completely remodeled to introduce a more contemporary, open-plan feel to the resort, while the bedrooms were all refurbished, as was the gym and indoor pool.

For details on the latest golf break deals, visit www. marriotthotels.com.

LA CALA LAUNCHES WINTER PACKAGES PLAYING WORLD-CLASS WINTER GOLf has never been easier or better value following the launch of two exclusive off-season packages at the spectacular La Cala Resort in southern Spain.

Spain’s largest golf resort, situated in the foothills of the Sierra de Mijas with breath-taking views of the Andalusian countryside and distant Mediterranean, is a golfing mecca only 30 minutes from Malaga Airport.

GOLFERS CAN NOW ENJOY a complete resort experience by playing the exclusive Real Club de Golf El Prat, a 10-time host of the Spanish Open, while staying in La Mola, the perfect base to enjoy one of Europe’s most highly-rated golf courses.

The new exclusivity agreement between the two has further strengthened El Prat’s portfolio of hotel partners and has made it easier for visitors to enjoy its Tour-proven facilities by partnering with the onsite hotel.

Guests can take advantage of La Mola’s semi all-inclusive board, including breakfast, daily aperitif with wine, cava and and snacks, as well as unlimited beer, soft drinks and tea/coffee throughout their stay.

The four-star hotel boasts 185 bedrooms, three bars, restaurant, spa, infinity pool, steam baths and fitness centre.

GOLFERS LOOKING TO JOIN the patrons at Augusta for the 2020 Masters Tournament can secure their booking with just a £200 deposit with Your Golf Travel.

With over 13 years’ experience of taking UK golf fans to Augusta, YGT took over 1,000 clients to attend last month’s Masters, where Tiger Woods claimed his 15th major title.

Customers are able to select a range of holidays which include both practice day and weekend tickets, the Ladies Amateur event, plus experiences including direct return flights, accommodation, new five-star luxury hospitality, star-studded parties and flawless on-site concierge services with access to all local courses.

Your Golf Travel packages for the Masters 2020 start from just £1,895..

For further information, visit www.yourgolftravel.com/usmasters, email info@yourgolftravel.com or call 0800 043 6644.

A three-night stay on a semi all-inclusive basis per person in a double room, two green fees starts from €384. Five nights with three green fees costs from €618, while a seven-night stay with five rounds is priced at €918. For bookings, visit www.realclubdegolfelprat.com.

La Cala features three championship courses designed by world-renowned architect Cabell B. Robinson, a newly-renovated 107-bedroom four-star hotel and Spain’s leading hydrotherapy health spa.

With four award-winning restaurants, La Cala sets the standard for comprehensive golf holidays in the Costa del Sol. The three championship courses – Campo America, Campo Asia and Campo Europa – present unique challenges and slot seamlessly into a natural, undulating backdrop of trees and flowers, rich with birds and wildlife. Although America has come to be regarded as

the resort’s premier and most requested layout, all three courses serve up spectacular mountain vistas, great playability and views down to the coast. An additional six-hole, par-3 course and world-class golf academy complete the La Cala offering.

Four-night and three-night winter stay-and-play packages offer the chance for two guests to enjoy all three courses (including free buggy hire), daily use of the health spa and a double room (including breakfast) for €143 per night.

For more information, visit www.lacala.com.

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Teddy Sheringham Ex-England, Spurs and Man Utd striker Teddy Sheringham rarely leaves the country these days without his sticks packed

Travel with

My most memorable/best ever round was at... San Lorenzo in Portugal. When it’s in great nick, I just love the course and have been lucky enough to play quite well there.

My favourite golf destination is... Dubai.

It’s got a nice array of different golf courses, world class hotels, and obviously the weather is always great over there.

I always travel with... my golf clubs! I’ve My first ever golf holiday was to…Portugal, and I’ve been going ever since. I love it.

My most recent golf holiday was to…

Ireland. I played Old Head, which is a stunning golf course with amazing views.

been playing for nearly 30 years – pretty much from the time when I started playing professional football. Luckily as a footballer you get a bit of free time in the afternoons, so I used to go down to the local course with one of my mates from Millwall. It was playing with him that I caught the golfing bug.

My favourite golf course is... Valderrama.

It’s the toughest course I’ve ever played, but it’s also my favourite. I must like a challenge!

My ideal holiday fourball would be...

Tiger Woods, Bobby Moore and Jessica Alba.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in was... the Arts Hotel in Barcelona. It’s a five-star hotel located right on the beach overlooking the sea, and is a perfect spot for relaxing, as well as enjoying the city.

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

It can be a bit manic, but it’s a beautiful city. I love Italy – the food, the culture, the relaxed way of life, and, of course, the weather.

■ PARILLA RESTAURANT, NEAR QUINTA DO LAGO

My most memorable

■ ABOVE: VALDERAMMA; BELOW LEFT: THE ARTS HOTEL,BARCELONA, AND SAN ROQUE (BELOW)

holiday meal was at… Parrilla Natural Restaurant on the edge of the Quinta de Lago Resort in Portugal. I got married there three years ago, so it will always have a special place in my heart.

My worst holiday experience was... in the Maldives, with my now wife Kristina. We booked it for 10 days, but after five days of non-stop horizontal rain, we flew to Dubai for the other five days and enjoyed bright sunshine.

My bucket-list golf course… Augusta. Isn’t it on everybody’s list?

My top travel tip is... always take your golf clubs. You never know when the next round might crop up!

B ES P O KE H OLI D A Y S • S H OR T BR E AKS • E XCU R SIONS • M AJOR S • TOURNAMENTS • CORPORATE GOLF EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT

SAVE 20% UP TO

PLAY AND STAY AT THE GREATEST VENUES IN PORTUGAL AND AROUND THE WORLD MAURITIUS

ARGENTINA

SOUTH AFRICA

CANARIES

[60] WINTER 2020 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

n i g n i v i r D

D A Y T O N A B E A C H

Idyllic weather and outstanding courses lure golfers to Daytona Beach

As winter descends, Daytona Beach golf scene heats up FLORIDA IS HOME to 1,055 courses, so deciding where to play in the Sunshine State can be challenging, but Daytona Beach, a surging destination, has risen to the top of the list for savvy golfers.

The Central Florida hotspot has everything UK golfers are looking for in an international destination. Daytona Beach is home to LPGA International, one of the state’s flagship facilities, a pair of Donald Ross designs, and Victoria Hills, one of Florida’s top 15 layouts – and that’s just scratching the surface.

Daytona Beach’s appeal off the course equals the quality of its golf offerings. From Daytona International Speedway to the 'World’s Most Famous Beach', Daytona Beach is full of eco, high-adventure and cultural activities.

Throw in a vibrant culinary scene and the Daytona Beach Ale Trail, a collection of 21 local craft breweries, distilleries and tap houses, including Ormond Brewing Company and Daytona Beach Brewing Company, and it’s easy to understand the area’s popularity.

With a wide choice of international airports to fly into, Daytona Beach’s winter and spring season is awaiting the arrival of discerning international travellers in search of an unforgettable golf trip.

While the beach and speedway continue to attract much of the attention, here are the top five reasons Daytona Beach should be part of your itinerary.

1.

The appeal of the area’s idyllic winter weather can’t be overstated, and from January through May, the heart of the winter and spring golf seasons, it’s perfect. The average high temperatures in Daytona Beach over the next five months are (degrees C): 20 (January), 21.6 (February), 23.8 (March), 26 (April) and 29 (May). Those are temperatures that scream: “Take a golf trip now!”

■ IT'S WELL WORTH COMBINING A GOLF TRIP WITH A VISIT TO THE ICONIC DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

2.

Throughout February, Daytona Beach will be in the news as the Great American Race approaches. Golfers planning a late January, early February trip know courses don’t close for DAYTONA Speedweeks. In fact, some of the events surrounding the DAYTONA 500 can enhance a golf trip as the buzz accompanying the nation’s premier car race brings even more life to an already vibrant destination.

3.

The weather does more than guarantee your comfort. Daytona Beach’s mild winters allow courses to be in great shape throughout the year, meaning players don’t have to fret about conditions.

4.

Okay, enough about the ancillary reasons to take a Daytona Beach golf vacation; at the heart of any golf trip is the on-course experience.

The Daytona Beach area is home to more than 20 layouts that deliver quality, value and conditions, the holy trinity on a golf trip leader’s checklist. LPGA International, home of the Jones and Hills courses,

■ DAYTONA IS FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER FOR THE QUALITY OF ITS BEACHES

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■ RIVEIRA COUNTRY CLUB

■ VICTORIA HILLS

■ AQUI OMNISINT QUE SAPELLO RITAQUE ET IN PARUM QUIAE SEQUAM RESTE POSTRUM ET UNTI UT QUAM AUT A DOLESTEM IMINT. RAESEQUATIUM ATIOREPE LACCUSA PISTIUS AMETUR

■ LPGA INTERNATIONAL IS ONE OF DAYTONA BEACH'S MOST HIGHLY RATED LAYOUTS

leads the way, but Spruce Creek Country Club, home of the nation’s largest private fly-in community, Riviera Country Club, Victoria Hills, Venetian Bay and Daytona Beach Golf Club’s South Course, a Donald Ross design, are all outstanding layouts. Options are plentiful and appealing in Daytona Beach.

WITH DOZENS OF GOLF COURSES, A VIBRANT NIGHTLIGHT, WATERFRONT DINING, AND GREAT SHOPPING, THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN DAYTONA BEACH

5.

Daytona Beach is easily accessible via car, directly off Interstate 95 and Interstate 4, or flight into Daytona Beach International Airport, located within minutes of the beach. Other major airports in Orlando and Jacksonville are within an hour’s drive. The convenience of getting here, combined with everything else, makes a Daytona Beach golf trip a no-brainer in 2020.

TRAVELLING WITH FAMILIES

OFF-COURSE EXPLORATION The main event of a golf getaway may seem fairly obvious, but what happens off the course matters - a lot. With a wide range of natural excursions, a vibrant nightlife, an array of waterfront dining, and shopping, you’ll have no trouble finding a way to fill the hours after you wrap up your round.

Whether you want a quiet corner to relive the day’s best shots, crave a bustling beachfront bar scene where you can unwind, or seek a little more solitude paddling along the waterway, there’s something for everyone in Daytona Beach.

■ YOU CAN CLIMB THE 175FT LIGHTHOUSE AT PONCE DE LEON INLET

With plenty of oceanfront accommodations, and over 10 beachfront parks, along 23 miles of beautiful coastline you’ll find a variety of options and activities to have an amazing beach day. Spend an afternoon looking for shells, or grab a bite to eat and take a walk along the beautiful shoreline as you enjoy the tranquil sounds of the waves.

Let the kids run around and have fun at the oceanfront splash parks and enjoy lunch with the family at one of the many pavilions overlooking the ocean. Family-friendly attractions like Daytona Lagoon waterpark, Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Marine Science Center and the Museum of Arts & Sciences are fun for all ages off the beach, too.

Daytona Beach is an international destination, attracting vacationers to attend NASCAR races and take a drive on the area’s famed beaches. What people are less familiar with is Daytona Beach’s rich golf history.

Golfers know the area as the home of the LPGA’s headquarters and, of course, LPGA International, a highly acclaimed 36-hole facility, but Daytona

Beach has been attracting players for more than 100 years.

Here are three things you likely didn’t know about Daytona Beach’s long-standing ties to the game: 1.) Donald Ross, who was born in Scotland before later becoming an American citizen, is widely regarded as America’s most important golf course architect. He designed Pinehurst No.2, Oakland Hills, East Lake and Seminole, among many other high profile layouts. Ross also left his mark in Volusia County, designing the South Course at Daytona Beach Golf Club and New Smyrna Golf Club. Like many Ross designs, the South Course is relatively open off the tee, but the challenge lies in the greens complexes. New Smyrna, which opened in 1953, is the 'new' Ross course. Boasting outstanding year-round conditions, it is one of the area’s hidden gems.

2.) When it comes to competitive golf, Daytona Beach is, understandably, closely associated with the LPGA Tour, but did you know the area is home to golf’s longest running mini-tour event - the Riviera Open? Riviera Country Club has hosted the tournament since 1960 and future PGA Tour champions are among the event’s past champions, including 7-time Tour winners Bert Yancey, Morris Hatalsky, and Billy Hurley III. 3.) Spruce Creek Country Club isn’t just a quality William Amick-designed golf course, it’s the centrepiece of America’s largest fly-in community.

That’s right, Spruce Creek is built around what used to be a US Navy landing strip during World War II. Playing the eighth and ninth holes you might have a plane just a couple hundred feet over your head, adding an adrenaline rush to your quest to make birdie. The Great American Race and the World’s Most Famous Beach are Daytona Beach’s calling cards, but the area has plenty to offer golfers in search of a memorable trip.

More information is available at DaytonaBeach.Golf

SPECIAL PACKAGE • Return flights with BA including free golf club carriage • 5 nights in a twin/double share room at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort • 3 Rounds of golf with cart (including the 2 courses at the LPGA Headquarters) From £949pp www.eaglegolftours.com 01273 419111 subject to availability

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Kick your carefree spirit into high gear in Daytona Beach - where fun runs as deep and wide as the shoreline. Play where the pros play at LPGA International and other challenging courses, dive head first into a new water sport, feel the rush of the raceway or explore a piece of history at the ballpark. With a 500-foot-wide sandy backdrop, there’s plenty of elbow room to be yourself.

Plan your getaway today!

DaytonaBeach.Golf

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So close to the south… … with the Alpe-Adria Golf Card.

Golfing south of the Alps, surrounded by spectacular scenery, has many attractions. Including the tantalising taste of three different countries. 12 months a year. You can pop across borders and play over 20 golf courses in Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli Venezia Giulia. With one single card.

The Alpe-Adria Golf Card – available exclusively from your golf hotel or the participating golf courses.

Your card bonus: early* and late** in the season the Alpe-Adria Golf Card is even worth twice as much – your partner plays free of charge. www.golflust.at www.alpe-adria-golf.com *from the start of the club’s season up to and including 30 April 2019 on all participating golf courses, excluding Dolomitengolf, GC Jesolo, GC Venezia, GC Otočec, Royal Bled. All rights reserved. Subject to change. **from 7 October 2019 until the end of the season on all participating golf courses, excluding Dolomitengolf, GC Jesolo, GC Venezia, GC Otočec, Royal Bled. All rights reserved. Subject to change.

EXPERIENCE Southern USA Charm

E

njoy the ideal vacation setting 365 days a year with two destinations just 50 kilometres (31 miles) apart from one another. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, offer all you need for one unforgettable holiday including an average of 241 days of sunshine per year.

Getting Here Boston Chicago

Philadelphia

New York

Washington, DC

Charlotte Atlanta

SAVANNAH/HILTON HEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 8-9 hour flight from the United Kingdom & Ireland

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia are located in the southern region of the United States. The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport provides easy access to both destinations with year-round non-stop flights from Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

Hilton Head Island and Savannah have everything you could possibly imagine including beaches, golf, history, culinary, culture, arts, biking...and so much more. Your next adventure awaits you!

Come explore, relax and recharge in these one-of-a-kind travel destinations.

HiltonHeadIsland.org

Surrounded by historical ambiance, Savannah, Georgia, offers endless Southern charm. From colonial architecture to a famed cocktail and culinary scene, you’ll savor all that Savannah serves. Snuggle up on a carriage ride over centuries-old streets, shop countless local boutiques and art galleries, or unwind on the green at one of several golf courses. Whatever you choose to do, Savannah is sure to provide an unforgettable getaway. Plan your next trip!

VisitSavannah.com

TWO DESTINATIONS,

ONE UNFORGETTABLE

HOLIDAY

For more information, contact VVV Global at jo@vvvglobal.com or +44 (0) 133-070-0101. You can also visit hiltonheadisland.org or FlySAV.com to learn more.

Escape

Find your simply brilliant holiday by the sea on charming Hilton Head Island, ideally situated close to the historic cities of Savannah, Beaufort and Charleston. A warm and relaxed island attitude welcomes you to this beautiful ecofriendly and culturally distinctive sea island.

Home of the PGA TOUR event, the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, the island offers 24 world class golf courses which are played year round thanks to the pleasant mild climate. There is something for everyone to experience with 19 kilometers of pristine beaches, 350 tennis courts, over 250 restaurants, 97 kilometers of leisure paths, 6 marinas, biking, kayaking and shopping.

Fun, romance and adventure await - on sunny Hilton Head Island.

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TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TAYLOR WIMPEY ESPAÑA LAUNCHES BOUTIQUE DEVELOPMENT AT LA CALA LEADING SPANISH HOME BUILDER Taylor Wimpey España has announced the launch of its latest development - 23 two- and three-bedroom apartments at the boutique Sun Valley site at La Cala Golf in Mijas, on the Costa del Sol. The homes will be built on top of the hill overlooking La Cala’s America course, providing panoramic views of both the golf course and the sea.

Due for completion in 2020 and available from €241,000 plus VAT, the homes are located close to the golf resort’s clubhouse, hotel and spa, and are the ideal choice for families looking to buy a holiday home with added extras, as well as for investors looking for a well-located golf property to rent out.

Buyers at Sun Valley can also receive discounted use of La Cala’s golf, tennis, football, spa and restaurant facilities with resort’s residential privilege card.

“Sun Valley delivers the whole package when it comes to what buyers are looking for in a Costa del Sol property, and at a fantastic price,” said Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director of Taylor Wimpey España. “This style of affordable quality on such a well-known golf resort is an exciting prospect for both holiday home buyers and property investors.”

Sun Valley’s apartments are spread over three independent plots.

The 23 apartments, which are already under construction, are split across two four-storey buildings. The 12 three-bedroom and nine twobedroom homes will be topped by two three-bedroom penthouses with wraparound terraces, priced at €425,000 plus VAT. Each home comes fully equipped, with fitted wardrobes, air conditioning and fitted kitchen with appliances. Ground floor apartments come with private gardens that offer views of the pool, communal gardens and golf course.

Sun Valley at La Cala Golf is 40km from Malaga Airport and 7km from the coast.

BAG A BREAK WITH BRITTANY FERRIES IN 2020 BRITTANY FERRIES GOLF BREAKS brochure for 2020, feature a great selection courses and hotels in western France and northern Spain, is out now.

With Brittany Ferries, your holiday starts when you check-in. Just drive aboard and relax while enjoying a wide range of facilities – a choice of bars and restaurants, cinemas, live entertainment and great value shopping. By taking your own car you’ll be free to try an assortment of courses. Plus there’s no need to endure airport parking, long check-ins and excess baggage charges, simply pack all the gear you need in the boot and off you go.

Dinard Golf Club is one of northern France’s most popular coastal courses France is a world apart from the UK and yet it is only a short hop across the channel. With its outstanding cuisine, wine, cheeses and unique ambience, the après-golf is part of what makes a golf break in France so memorable.

Northern Spain remains largely undiscovered, where a combination of the spectacular Picos de Europa mountains, lush countryside and colourful vineyards create a breathtaking backdrop for some beautiful and

challenging golf.

But if long crossings are not for you, there is a high-speed service to whisk you from Portsmouth to France in just three hours. Here are a few sample tours: Brittany – One night on board, two nights’ B&B and three rounds from only £340pp. Sail out overnight from Portsmouth to St Malo with a cabin; Stay 2 nights at Hotel Univers in St Malo and play 3 rounds of golf at St Malo, Dinard and Val Andre; Return on a day sailing from St Malo to Portsmouth.

Normandy – One night on board, two nights’ B&B and three rounds from only £383pp Sail out overnight from Portsmouth to Caen with en-suite cabin, arrive the following morning; Stay two nights at Hotel du Vallon in Trouville and play golf at Deauville, Champ de Bataille and St Julien; return on a day sailing from Caen to Portsmouth Northern Spain - Two nights on board, three nights’ B&B and three rounds from only £337pp. Sail on a Tuesday from Portsmouth to Santander with cabin included; Stay three nights at Hotel Villa de Laguardia and play rounds at Rioja Alta, Logroño and Izki Urturi; Sail to Portsmouth from Santander on Saturday with cabin included.

For more information, visit www.brittanyferries. com/golf or call 0330 159 5418.

For more information, visit www.taylorwimpeyspain.com.

Fancy a holiday Our rental property expertise is based upon Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club and is within minutes of Puerto Banus and Marbella, close to many golf courses, beaches and amenities, and giving you a service specialising in short term holiday rentals.

NEW ATALAYA BEACH VILLA This great Villa by the beach is ideal for families Holiday’s, Birthday Party or Golfing Holiday’s.

With 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, Sleeps 12, heated swimming pool, BBQ and bar area.

We can arrange catering service, maid service and airport transfers.

To view the wonderful properties and great holiday deals available, please visit www.fancyaholiday.com Tel: 0034 663 804 778 Email: info@fancyaholiday.com

TRAVEL & BREAKS

WINTER 2020

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

TEE UP COLOUR Mauritius has an historical golfing pedigree which is clear to see in the wide range of highest quality golf experiences set on lush green fairways against stunning ocean and island backdrops.

Tee up your colour in Mauritius www.tourism-mauritius.mu

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TRAVEL & BREAKS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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