GOLF NEWS APRIL 2023

A new face design leads to increased flexing for faster ball speeds that generate longer, more accurate tee shots.

Three custom-fit models: G430 MAX, SFT (straight flight) and LST (low spin).

FASTER. GOFURTHER.

When you’ve earned the reputation as the game’s most forgiving driver that also ranks as one of the longest, the next step is obvious: You make it longer. So we did, by engineering a new facedesign optimisation that produces faster ball speed for our biggest distance gains to date, with a sound that is music to your scorecard.

As someone who pays monthly subs to quite a few sports clubs and leisure centres – not all for myself, I must add – I was heartened to hear about the recent case of the golf club member whose legal bid to get a partial refund on his annual subscription due to enforced course closures caused by the pandemic had his case – and it must have been a man –thrown out by the court.

Well, it wasn’t thrown out as such, but the judge ruled in favour of the golf club and no refund was deemed necessary. You can read more about the story on page 4, but, needless to say, the result no doubt caused a huge collective sigh of relief in the manager’s office of golf and sports clubs and leisure centres across the country, many of whom quite rightly feared that had the case been successful it would have opened the legal door for millions of other members to make similar claims, inflicting further financial misery on many venues that are still reeling from the impact of Covid losses, and are now currently suffering under the impact of sky-rocketing energy prices and runaway inflation.

Quite why someone who clearly enjoys their golf – or at least I hope they do – should want to claim back what could only have been a few hundred pounds at most, in the knowledge that it could have ended up costing his club hundreds of thousands of pounds, is quite beyond me, but I’m sure he had his reasons. I, for one, am hoping the club refunded his entire annual subscription and sent him on his way, as he clearly doesn’t have the greater good front and centre of his mind.

While, with the massive benefit of hindsight, it was ill-judged of the UK government to shut down a sport that could, as was later so ably proved, be played safely without transmitting Covid by making a few simple adaptations to normal behaviour, the temporary closure of golf clubs seemed more a show of solidarity with those who took part in contact sports and in enclosed venues, where there was a very real prospect of a mass transmission, than it was about the dangers of playing golf.

Having just emerged from one of the wettest March’s on record, and a pretty frosty January and February, which enforced the closure of golf courses up and down the country for many days, I’m sure that if you are a member of one of these clubs your first thought wasn’t “Hmmm, I wonder if I can claw back some of my subs

this month because of the rain/fog/snow/frost’? If it was, you probably need to take up another game or better still, move to another country where the winters are less inclement, but where it’s also probably too hot to play in the summer. You win some, you lose some.

While I will readily – if not happily - admit to being something of a fair-weather golfer – I don’t often choose to play if its lashing down when I’m leaving the house and the forecast for the rest of the day is miserable – I, like most golfers in the UK, pay my annual subs on the basis that I know that the course isn’t going to be in tour-level condition over the winter – although the majority, I might add, are still in brilliant nick thanks to tireless work from greenstaff and the wonders of modern drainage and course machinery. But I also know that I will still be able to get more than my money’s worth come spring/summer/autumn, when the warmer and longer golfing days more than compensate for my self-enforced winter hibernation. Golf has its own way of levelling itself out. A bit like when you tear it up on the front nine, you always know that you’re going to finish 6, 7, 6 and lose two balls.

For those of you who don the waterproofs and windbreakers and head out on the course in all weathers, and in all seasons, I salute you, but I also know that you’ve probably experienced some of the best rounds of your golfing lives on those damp winter days when the sun is low on the horizon, the tee sheet is sparsely filled, there are no leaves on the trees to prevent your ball from getting caught up in the foliage when you try to find a way back to the fairway, and the frosty fairways give you an extra 50 yards of run. You can’t put a price on that, can you? Hopefully most of you reading this have already renewed your subs for the coming season. If not, crack on. Pound for pound, it’s the best money you’ll ever spend.

Nick Bayly

InBrief

CLARIDGE TAKES BERKHAMSTED TROPHY

★ England squad player James Claridge won the Berkhamsted Trophy after shooting the lowest score in the tournament’s 62-year history.

The 20-year-old from Enville Golf Club in Somerset fired rounds of 67, 66 and 69 for a recordbreaking 11-under-par total to finish three shots clear of West Herts Golfer Zach Little, and a shot further ahead of Gog Magog’s Jake Plumb.

The event had to be cut to 54 holes from its traditional 72 after the second round was ruled out with heavy rain, but the fastdraining Berkhamsted course recovered quickly overnight to enable two rounds to be played on the final day.

Claridge, who won last year’s Walton Heath Trophy, was having his second crack at winning the Berkhamsted Trophy. He said: “Since being picked for the England squad I have learnt to play with more aggression but less recklessness. The way Berkhamsted plays, with gorse frequently crossing the fairway, makes you think defensively, but I tried to bully it a bit. Thankfully it worked!”

WALLIS IN COMMAND AT PRINCE’S 27

★ Canterbury GC professional Richard Wallis combined with amateur partner Barry Langford to win the PGA South Region’s Prince’s 27 tournament. Held over Princes Golf Club’s Shore, Dunes and Himalayas courses in very wet and windy conditions, the winners held off the challenge of Precision Golf’s Paul Nessling and amateur partner Nick Hill by the narrowest of margins, with Paultons Golf Centre’s Lewis Scott and amateur partner Stu Hayward taking third.

BLOXHAM BAGS HERTS SCHOOLS SCRATCH CHAMPS

★ Welwyn Garden City GC’s Louie Bloxham won the Herts Schools Scratch Championship after shooting a gross 73 in testing conditions at Harpenden Common Golf Club. Played in high winds, often gusting to 50mph, Bloxham, representing Richard Hale School, won on countback from Harpenden’s own Josh Robinson, who was representing Sir John Lawes School. Louie also won the U16 section and the overall best score, ensuring he left with two trophies. The girl’s overall winner was Tala Clarke of Knebworth Golf Club representing Marriotts School, who fired a gross 79, while AIxie Akpan of John O’Gaunts Golf Club, representing The Highfield School, won the under 16 trophy with a gross 83. The tournament attracted a field of 48 boys and 11 girls.

McIlroy set to tee it up at Wentwo h

Rory McIlroy has con rmed that he will be in the starting eld for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September.

After opening 2023 with a win in Dubai, the Northern Irishman, who is currently ranked no.3 in the world, is aiming to further enhance his impressive BMW PGA Championship record, with a victory in 2014 and four further top tens – including two runnerup nishes – to his name.

McIlroy was in scintillating form when he made his last

appearance at Wentworth last September, having sealed his third FedExCup title after a 2021/22 PGA TOUR season which included three victories and seven further top-10 nishes.

And following a thrilling nal day duel with Ryder Cup teammate and eventual champion Shane Lowry around the famous Surrey venue, he went on to top the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings for the fourth time, becoming European no.1, world no.1 and FedExCup champion at the same point for the rst time in his career.

McIlroy started the new campaign in the same vein, winning his rst events of the 2023 season on both sides of the Atlantic, with the prospect of a seventh Ryder Cup appearance approaching in September.

“I always love playing at the BMW PGA Championship, and I’ve had some great results and performances round the West Course in the past,” said the 15-time DP World Tour winner. “I started 2023 with a win in Dubai, and Wentworth is a place where I would like to add another title.”

For tickets to the 2023 BMW PGA Championship, which is being held from September 12-17, visit etg.golf/ bmwpgatickets.

Club member loses case for fees refund during Covid closure

A golf club member who took his club to court because it didn’t refund part of his subscription when he couldn’t play golf due to the various Covid lockdowns has lost his case.

The landmark case will come as a welcome news to clubs who may have feared that it would have opened the oodgates to similar claims should the claim have been successful.

The golfer was a member of a club –neither of which have been named – that was forced to close three times: from late March to mid-May 2020, most of November 2020, and the rst three months of 2021, due to the pandemic. The club received a claim in breach of contract from the member for a refund of his subscriptions for the three periods.

According to the National Golf Clubs’ Advisory Association, which advised the club throughout the lockdowns and represented it in court, the nancial value of the claim was fairly low but, had it been successful, it could have devastated the club if other members had then requested the same refund.

At the hearing, the claimant argued for a pro-rated refund of subscriptions under the membership contract, essentially saying that he had not been able to play golf on every day that he chose to do so and that the club, by following the national lockdown restrictions imposed by the government, had breached that membership contract.

In its defence the club said its constitution did not give any guarantee of golf for 365

days of the year and that while the course was closed for play, the member still received some bene t from his membership as, for example, the clubhouse and course were maintained during that period.

The court agreed that the club constitution also vested power in the club’s committee to manage the club and course, including being able to restrict entry to the course and premises in any circumstances, provided that it did so lawfully and fairly. The judge also agreed with the club on its contention that any member joining prior to the lockdowns would have a reasonable expectation that they may miss some days of golf each year as a result of bad weather, dangerous conditions and tournaments.

Alistair Smith, CEO of the NGCAA, whose barrister defended the club in court, said: “Any golf member re-joining at the start of 2021 would be likely to have a reasonable expectation of further lockdowns, in addition to those which they might have had already given the state of the pandemic at that point and the history of lockdowns and restrictions up until that point. We now have a rst and valuable judicial interpretation of the

proper response by clubs to the challenges presented by Covid.”

Rather than o ering direct refunds, some clubs in the UK o ered extensions to membership fees during Covid, o ering 15 months’ membership for the price of 12, while others o ered a batch of green fee vouchers to use for guest rounds. Around 80% of club managers surveyed during the pandemic said that they had received requests for refunds on membership fees, but none had said that a refund had been issued, indeed some had added an extra levy to the membership fees in order to help keep the clubs a oat.

■ SHANE LOWRY WILL BE BACK TO DEFEND THE TITLE HE WON IN 2022, WHILE RORY MCILROY (INSET) WILL BE HOPING TO REPEAT HIS HEROICS FROM 2014

The All-New CT Range

The all-new 2023 ultra-compact PowaKaddy CT8 GPS with Simple 2-Fold™ system folds 20% smaller than previous PowaKaddy CT models.

Featuring a large, intuitive 3.5” touchscreen display and a fully integrated GPS system with access to over 40,000 courses around the world.

A host of built-in features ensure the CT8 GPS is the World’s smallest, most intelligent touchscreen GPS trolley.

Peter James Golf Classic set for a thriller at The Dyke

The Peter James Golf Classic, one of the most popular events on The Dyke Golf Club’s competitive season, returns this autumn after a three-year absence caused by the pandemic.

The charity tournament, which was last held at the East Sussex-based club in 2019, is named in honour of bestselling crime novelist Peter James, whose books form the basis of hit ITV police drama Grace, which is set in Brighton.

James, who lives locally, is a keen supporter of the Martlets Hospice in Hove, to which all proceeds raised on the day are given.

James (pictured left) said: “Martlets is where my mother died in 1999, surrounded by love, laughter and the kindest imaginable care. I made a promise that, for the rest of my life, I would do all I could to help support this wonderful institution which is local to so many of us. It is a charity, so it depends on fundraising for its survival. I know so many of us in Sussex who have relatives and friends who have been given great support during immensely difficult and sad times by the truly dedicated and caring team at this hospice.”

To date, members at The Dyke have raised over £150,000 for this vitally important respite care home, which is celebrating its 25th year in 2023, and which club captain Kevin Wetherill and lady captain Mel Boyse have also named as their charity for their year in office.

The Peter James Golf Classic is being held on September 15. For details on how to enter a team, visit www.dykegolfclub.co.uk or call 01273 857296.

Walton Heath hosts inaugural Women In Golf Summit

Walton Heath Golf Club, venue for the 2023 AIG Women’s Open, hosted its first Women In Golf Summit on March 31, with the gathering bringing together women from across the UK golf industry with four keynote speakers.

The summit, which was set up by Walton Heath Golf Club Chief Executive Officer Alex Woodward, was hailed a great success by more than 75 women who attended. Woodward said: “While the overall number of women in the golf industry is still too low, the number of leaders in our industry who just happen to be women is very healthy. This summit served to highlight these leaders, network and showcase them formally to as many more women as possible with the goal of facilitating a bigger wave of involvement in the future.”

In attendance were women from club management, event management, player management, TV & broadcasting, golf architecture, agronomy, greenkeeping, sales & marketing, sustainability, county governing bodies, national governing bodies, international governing bodies, golf tourism, golf professionals, golf fashion, golf club manufacturing, golf nutrition, insight collection, journalism, charities, professional tours and more.

Zoe Ridgway, R&A Championship Director of the AIG Women’s Open, was one of the summit’s keynote speakers. With a career spanning 20 years, Zoe shared stories about her time working in the golf industry, highlighting the importance of women progressing into senior leadership positions.

The audience also heard from Vicky Cuming, Vice-President and Head of Golf Clients at IMG EMEA; Sky Sports Golf presenter Inci Mehmet, and Nicole Wheatley, founder of marketing and public relations company Medi8 Golf, with the entire proceedings presented and hosted by The Jazzy Golfer. Ridgway said: “Walton Heath’s Women in Golf Summit was an excellent opportunity for women working across the golf industry to come together. It really highlighted what opportunities are possible within golf and I hope that it inspired those in attendance to continue to aspire towards long and successful careers.”

Vicky Cuming, who has guided the careers of Laura Davies, Catriona Matthew, Georgia Hall and Charley Hull, shared some of her experiences from managing professional golfers. She said: “Although there is a gradually increasing number of women working in the golf industry, we need to focus on attracting more, and then enable them to climb the ladder to become leaders. Everyone was keen to contribute and talk about how we keep the momentum going and how to set up a support network for women who work in the golf industry.”

The Women in Golf Summit is one of a number of initiatives Walton Heath Golf Club is delivering ahead of the AIG Women’s Open. The club has become the host club for the AIG Women’s Corporate Academy, and it has also instigated a formal invitation program to involve more professional female greenkeepers to help deliver the course during the AIG Women’s Open in conjunction with The R&A and BIGGA.

■ THE DYKE GOLF CLUB’S DOWNLAND COURSE OVERLOOKS BRIGHTON & HOVE

R&A rolls out quick guide to Rules of Golf to ease newcomers into the game

The R&A has released a new ‘Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf’ video to help new golfers become familiar with the basics of the rules.

The video covers 16 key themes, including what to do before starting your round, understanding the different areas of the course, and how to proceed when you can’t play the ball as it lies.

The 13-minute video, which is voiced by golf commentators Iona Stephen and Kit Alexander, provides the essential information a golfer needs to get round a course and assumes the viewer has very little knowledge of the game or the Rules. The combination of video, diagram and verbal explanations are aimed at making the Rules easier to understand for on-course golfers.

Grant Moir, Executive Director of Governance at The R&A, said: “We want golfers at all levels to feel confident in playing by the Rules, particularly those who are new to

the game. The Quick Guide video has been developed to provide easy-to-watch explanations of the most common situations golfers face on the course and to make the game more appealing and inclusive by showing that the basic Rules are actually very straightforward.”

The Quick Guide –which features short animations and footage from The Open and the AIG Women’s Open to explain the Rules – is aimed at the player transitioning from being a learner golfer to gaining a handicap, while also assisting more experienced golfers.

It has been produced with a voiceover with minimal text on the screen to make it easier for national associations to translate it and allow for the inclusion of subtitles. Subtitles are already available in 15 languages and will be accessible on the online and App versions of the video.

The release of the Quick Guide will further expand the resources available in the Official R&A Rules App which was revamped earlier this year. The Rules App provides more visual aids, diagrams and videos to explain the Rules and Scrum down for a Twickenham tee time!

The 82,000-seater stadium at Twickenham, the home of English rugby, is to host a new kind of golf experience this summer that combines elements of a range-style experience in the unique setting of one of sport’s most iconic stadiums.

Through a collaboration with US-based golf company Stadium Golf Tour and sports marketing agency Maverick Sports + Entertainment, a new tour has been created that gives golfers the chance to play in some of the most iconic stadia in the world, including now, the home of England Rugby.

The tour will take place throughout the summer and include five other sports venues. Twickenham will host upwards of 7,000 golfers when the tour arrives there between June 8-11. On those dates, the stadium will be transformed into a 9-hole golf course, however

Instead of just walking around the pitch, the nine tees will be situated on specially constructed platforms situated around the stadium bowl. Golfers will then hit shots onto greens situated on the pitch, with a self-scoring system from eagle to double bogey, depending on how close your ball lands to the hole. If a golfer’s tee shot doesn’t make it onto the pitch, the shot is scored as a triple-bogey. A shot that lands on the field, but not on the green, is a bogey. A shot that lands on the green is a par, and a shot that lands in the circle around the flag is a birdie. And, yes, there are cups for each hole, so a hole-in-one is possible.

Tickets are being sold indiviudally, but golfers will be bunbled into groups of eight at time. In addition to the 9-hole course, golfers will receive access to ‘The Clubhouse’ and booking options will offer access to golf simulators, a putting and chipping challenge, hitting platform and tours of the England changing rooms.

Michael Wiggins, president of the Stadium Golf Tour, said: “We wanted to kick off the UK tour by going to some amazing stadiums with great fan bases, so Twickenham Stadium is right on top of the list.”

The Stadium Golf Tour, whose first event took place Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium last month, has scheduled four other events in the UK in addition to Twickenham, with the UK leg, teeing off at Sheffield United’s Hillsborough stadium from May 25-28; Leicester City’s King Power stadium from June 1-4; Crystal Palace FC’s Selhurst Park stadium from June 15-18, West Ham’s London Stadium from October 12-15,

To buy tickets, which start at £90pp for 18 balls, visit www.stadiumgolftour.com.

■ THE VIDEO GUIDE USES COVERAGE FROM TOUR EVENTS TO ILLUSTRATE HOW TO FOLLOW THE RULES OF GOLF CORRECTLY

Joy for Humphreys in Joburg!

Essex tour professional Lily May Humphreys claimed her first Ladies European Tour title at the Joburg Ladies Open in South Africa.

The 20-year-old began the final day at Modderfontein Golf Club a full six shots behind overnight leader Moa Folke, but got off to a good start with two birdies in her first two holes. After dropping a shot at the third, she then got on a roll with birdies on five, eight, 13 and 14, which put her into a share of the lead. The 2021 LET Access Series Order of Merit winner then rolled in a birdie on 16 to reach a total of 12-under-par which proved to be enough to win her first LET title.

“I’m pretty speechless,” said Humphreys after the winner, which came with a €45,000 first prize. “I felt so nervous playing 18 and I just can’t believe I’ve done it. I stuck to the same game plan. I wasn’t as aggressive as other people on a few holes, it was what I felt comfortable with and what I felt was best for me and it obviously paid off for me this week.”

“On 15 I had a putt for a par when I saw that I was tied for the lead. Luckily, I holed that and then followed up with a birdie on 16 and then I didn’t know I had a two-shot lead until I was putting on 18. The nerves properly kicked in then!”

Humphreys, who is attached to Royal Norwich Golf Club, added: “I love it here in South Africa. I have loved playing the Sunshine Ladies Tour. To be where I am now is incredible. I’m excited about the rest of the season, and I’m really looking forward to what’s to come!”

Humphreys secured her first win in only her 26th event on the Ladies European Tour, and his since gone on to finish 24th in the South African Women’s Open and 19th in the Aramco Team Series in Singapore.

Lullingstone Park temporarily closes as council seeks new operator

Lullingstone Park Golf Course in Kent has been forced to close with immediate effect after the company that operates the venue went into liquidation.

Staff at the golf course received notice on March 16 that Sevenoaks Leisure Limited, the parent company of the firm that manages the facilities, Sencio, went into liquidation in the next few weeks, with workers promised they would receive further information on their situation within a fortnight.

Lullingstone Park Golf Course, which first opened in 1967, is home to two courses, the 18-hole Castle, which was designed by Fred Hawtree, and the 9-hole Park. It charges £820 for 7-day membership and £24 for weekday green fees.

As well as the golf club, Sevenoaks Leisure Centre and the Edenbridge Leisure Centre have also been closed, which are also managed by Sencio, although Sevenoaks District Council is confident that new operators will be found so that the golf course and the leisure centres can re-open in the near future. The decision puts at risk the jobs of 180 full-time staff and 30

self-employed trainers and instructors, although there is a good chance that many of the staff will be taken on by a new operator if one can be found.

Sencio received a£300,000 bailout from Sevenoaks District Council during the pandemic closures to tide it over and another £235,000 from Sport England, but the council took the decision in July 2021 to decline further requests for financial support. Instead, it said it would take the management of the centres back in-house when the firm’s current contract expired. Since then, the not-for-profit organisation has been hit again with soaring bills due to energy crisis which are high for all leisure centres.

Jane Parish, chief executive of Sencio Community Leisure, said: “In recent weeks it has become clear to us that the

financial challenges we face are now insurmountable. This is a combination of the fall-out from COVID, soaring energy prices, a winter that hasn’t been kind to golf revenues, all of which have conspired against us. We’ve strived repeatedly to try and put the business back on a secure financial footing. This, we are sorry to say, has not been possible. “

Laura Trott, the MP for Sevenoaks, said: “I am hugely disappointed, but I want to reassure everyone that the golf course and leisure centres will reopen, as Sevenoaks District Council already has plans in place to bring in a new operator. While the timescale for re-opening will rest with Sencio’s insolvency partner, rather than the council, the council is doing all it can to make sure the golf club and the leisure centres re-open as quickly as possible.”

■ IT IS HOPED THAT LULLINGSTONE PARK WILL REOPEN AS SOON AS A NEW OPERATOR IS FOUND

Practice makes perfect at Test Valley

Test Valley Golf Club in Hampshire has been given planning permission to carry out some major improvements to its practice facilities. The club will demolish its existing practice facilities as part of a three-phased project that will see a new building housing two teaching studios, 12

practice bays, an office and a pro shop. Out on the club’s downland course, the first hole will be swapped with the location of the current driving range due to health and safety reasons, while the short game area will be redesigned and reconfigured to increase the size of the green and include bunkers.

mounds, hollows, swales and ridges will all also be installed to make the golfing experience more challenging.

In other ancillary changes, the car park will be increased to offer 60 more spaces, taking the total up to a capacity of 171, while six electric vehicle charging ports are being installed. The club’s initial planning application also proposed the construction of eight lodges to offer on-site accommodation, however these have since been withdrawn.

LEGENDARY PERFORMANCE

Prince’s tees up partnership with Callaway

Prince’s Golf Club in Kent has joined forces with leading equipment company Callaway Golf to offer an enhanced retail experience for members and visitors in relation to its portfolio of brands, including Callaway, Odyssey, Toptracer, Travis Mathew and OGIO.

As part of the new agreement, the Sandwichbased 27-hole links venue will benefit from the installation of Toptracer Range at the club’s outdoor practice range. The technology enables players to track their shots via their own mobile devices on the Toptracer Range App, allowing them to gain valuable insights with each visit to the driving range.

As part of the High Performance Partnership, Callaway’s premium range of Chrome Soft balls will be exclusively available on the range for members and guests to hit during warm up and practice sessions, and Callaway rental sets will also be provided for visitors.

Elsewhere, a state-of-the-art Odyssey putting studio is also in development

as a result of the partnership, providing the perfect location to fit members and guests into the latest line of Odyssey putters, while a new shop-in-shop offering from US apparel brand TravisMathew will showcase the latest collection of the brand’s stylish clothing and accessories.

Commenting on the new partnership, Neil Howie, president of Callaway’s European operations, said: “As a long-time supporter of our brand, I’m thrilled to welcome Prince’s as one of our High Performance Partners. Their commitment to continuous improvement is evident for all to see, and we are excited to play our part in the next phase of this and cement our partnership for years to come.”

Rob McGuirk, general manager of Prince’s Golf Club, added: “This enhanced partnership with Callaway and associated brands provides our members and guests with an elevated experience at almost every touch point that we offer at Prince’s. We’ve always enjoyed a strong relationship with Callaway, and to be able to elevate that by utilising their full roster of brands is fantastic. We’re particularly excited by the addition of Toptracer technology, which has transformed the way in which our golfers can work on their game.”

Host of the 1932 Open Championship, Prince’s has successfully established itself as a top-100 golf course after significant investment throughout the facility in the past four years. The club has hosted Final Open Qualifying since 2019 and provides a strong and varied test of golf over 27 championship holes.

RAHM WIN ODY DPS AD Strip 280x120 GolfNews.indd 2

Golf News launches premium network days with Linksnet

This summer will see the launch of four Golf News Network events run in conjunction with Linksnet Golf, the UK’s leading online golf network.

The exclusive days will be limited in numbers to ensure all guests receive the best personal service and the opportunity to network in a fun and relaxed golf event whilst playing some of the country’s top courses.

Each day includes a sleeve of Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, breakfast, lunch and the opportunity to compete for

around £1,000 worth of prizes from the likes of Stewart Golf, Bushnell, Castore, Skechers, Hayman’s Gin and Merser Rum. What’s more there’s an order of merit where you could win a spot in the Linksnet Season 4 Final in Spring 2024.

The venues are: Bearwood Lakes 5th June £229; Walton

Heath 4th July £189; Delamere Forest 8th Aug £159; West Hill 21st Sept £159

There are just a few spaces remaining at each day and spaces are reserved for bronze, silver or gold Linksnet members. It’s easy to sign up, however. Just visit www. linksnetgolf.com to register your free account and then upgrade from just £29.99 for the year. Not only do members get access to the days, but they get free entry to the Match Play Singles and Pairs Tournament which culminate in a final at Centurion Club, and you get the chance to compete on the live leaderboard where all your scores from your club golf across the season count towards more great prizes and more opportunities to qualify for the final. There are also exclusive offers for members from the likes of Bushnell, Castore and Golf Escapes and you can build up your network online and arrange golf with new friends at all those venues you’ve wanted to visit in the UK and worldwide.

For more details, visit www.linksnetgolf.com.

Hall pipped to LPGA Tour title in play-off

Georgia Hall narrowly missed out on capturing her third LPGA Tour title when losing out in a playoff with France’s Celine Boutier at the LPGA Drive on Championship held at Superstition Mountain Golf Club in Arizona.

Boutier forced extra holes with Hall by making a birdie at the par-5 18th to close out a 4-under 68, matching Hall – who fired a final round 65 – in the clubhouse on 20-under in what was the LPGA Tour’s first full-field event of the season.

Playing the 18th hole again, neither player found the green with their second shot of the playoff. Boutier, chipping from nearly the same spot as she did in regulation short and right of the green, pitched to about four feet, while Hall, who hit her second shot into a greenside bunker, blasted beyond the hole and failed to convert her birdie effort. That set the stage for Boutier’s winning birdie putt.

Boutier had mixed feelings about facing – and beating – Hall, a former Solheim Cup teammate in the play-off. “I was honestly not looking forward to it,” Boutier said. “It’s a bittersweet feeling because you obviously want to win, but at the same time Georgia is a really good friend of mine and a really great player. I’m competitive, so I definitely wanted to win, but it’s not the greatest feeling.”

With the victory, the 29-year-old Boutier claimed her third LPGA victory and became the most successful ever French player on the LPGA Tour, moving past the achievements of Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Anne-Marie Palli. Boutier had previously won the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open and 2021 ShopRite Classic.

Hall, who was looking for her first win since the 2020 Cambia Portland Classic, which followed a victory at the Women’s British Open in 2018, tried to find some consolation in her near miss. “Obviously it was fantastic to get to the position I was in,” the 26-year-old major winner said. “I knew I had to shoot low today, and I’m pleased I was able to do that, but I’m obviously gutted about the result. I had a lot of adrenaline flowing through me on that second shot approach during the play-off and it went a very long way. But overall I’m proud of how I played this week. I just have to keep putting myself into contention.”

Motocaddy rolls out support for British Junior Golf Tour

Leading trolley brand Motocaddy has become headline sponsor of the British Junior Golf Tour, which hosts more than 30 events for talented boys and girls across its nine-hole, 18-hole and Order of Merit categories from next month.

The sponsorship will see Motocaddy on-course banners at every event staged over a seven-month period at pcourses such as Woodhall Spa, Frilford Heath, Sunningdale Heath, Pyle & Kenfig, and culminating in the Tour Championship at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey in October. Motocaddy prizes will also be on offer for competitors at selected events.

Offering youngsters an Approved Golf Development Programme backed by the DP World Tour, the BJGT is the leading junior golf tour in the UK with 17 years’ experience of delivering fun, quality junior golf competitions for junior golfers of all abilities aged 5-18 years. Many boys and girls who have gained valuable experience on the BJGT have gone on to represent their national teams at amateur level, while some have even filtered through to the professional ranks onto the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour.

The BJGT provides young golfers with high level playing opportunities both at home and abroad, including offering UK qualifying places for the largest junior golf championship in the world – the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego, California, that counts Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els among its previous winners.

“The British Junior Golf Tour is delighted to welcome a global leading brand such as Motocaddy to be headline sponsor,” said Tour Director Neil Randall.

“Their support enables us to continue to provide superb playing opportunities to junior golfers, who will once again experience top venues in the UK and compete for fantastic trophies and prizes, while making new friends and cementing existing friendships. We’ve always been driven by a passion for junior golf and in 2023, we look forward to being powered by Motocaddy.”

To find more details of this year’s tournament schedule and how to enter, visit www.juniorgolftour. co.uk.

Oxfordshire’s oldest club celebrates Colt centenary

Flat caps, tweed and patterned socks were the order of the day at Oxfordshire’s oldest golf club to mark 100 years since its redesign by one of the sport’s great architects, Harry Colt.

Based in Cowley, members and staff at Oxford Golf Club stepped back into the 1920s for one day only by hosting its traditional ‘baffy match’ as part of the centenary celebrations. The annual two-team tournament between the club’s members and its staff, directors and committee has been a mainstay in the course’s calendar since the 1950s, with a twist from seasons of yesteryear.

Founded in 1875, Oxford Golf Club’s course is one of 300 in the world which Colt designed or renovated, alongside more celebrated venues such as Wentworth, Sunningdale, Royal Liverpool and Muirfield.

Bragging rights went to Oxford Golf Club’s members this year, who won 4½-3½ in a keenly contested tie which was followed by a meal and a centenary presentation. Among those who took to the course were former club secretaries Michael Blight and Colin Whittle, who worked at the club between 2004-07 and 2008-13 respectively.

Present day general manager Steve Greenwood was delighted with the day’s positive turn out. He said: “Our ‘Baffy match’ is always a real highlight in the Oxford Golf Club

calendar,” said Steve. “It brings together our loyal members and hard-working staff who all contribute to the club’s success.

“This year was particularly special as we marked the centenary of our redesign by legendary architect Harry Colt. His impact on the sport remains present in the modern-day game and we feel very fortunate to be one of the few courses in the world to be shaped under his influence in the early 20th century. We couldn’t not mark such a major anniversary without asking participants to dress accordingly and try their hand at playing our course using traditional equipment including some vintage wooden drivers off of the first tee. Results were mixed, but contributed to the day’s enjoyment and it was our privilege to host members, staff and those on our committee both today and in previous seasons.”

In winning the tournament, Oxford Golf Club’s members were presented with a historic baffy – an old-fashioned wooden golf club used by players on their approach to the green. Baffies were commonplace on the course during the sport’s Colt era, but today have been replaced by high-tech carbon fibre alternatives. It’s not the only change to happen on the fairways in the last century at the club.

Upgrades in recent years include substantial

investment into the course’s greens, bunkers and fairways, a new irrigation system and the installation of a waste-towater facility which recycles up to half-a-million litres of water each year.

Greenwood added: “Golf has experienced a significant shift in how the game is played, regulated and followed since the redesign of our course. Not only do we pride ourselves on being Oxfordshire’s oldest course, but also an inclusive club which makes golf accessible to all via tuition, an active social calendar and engagement with players of all ages, backgrounds and experiences. Golf has experienced an uptick off the back of the pandemic and it’s great to see so many people embracing our sport.”

Wallace puts caddie fall-out behind him to secure first PGA Tour title

Matt Wallace produced a stunning back-nine charge to win his maiden PGA Tour title at the 80th attempt and land his first trophy in over four years.

The 32-year-old Londoner claimed a one-shot victory at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic after four consecutive birdies from the 13th hole to card a six-under 66 and end on 19 under par.

Wallace, a four-time winner on the DP World Tour, most recently at the Made in Denmark in 2018, finished clear of Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard on 18 under. The Englishman was one shot behind Hojgaard heading into the final round and that gap remained as both players went out in 34, courtesy of three birdies and a bogey on their respective front nines. But Wallace then reeled off four birdies coming home, while Hojgaard was only able to manage two as he carded a closing 68.

Wallace had missed the cut in six of his previous seven PGA Tour events prior to finishing seventh at last week’s Valspar Championship, where he hit the headlines when having an on-course argument with his caddie, Sam Bernard.

He said: “Everyone knows I’m a feisty character, but that got me through in the final round. I was calm, I was determined. I kind of felt like I had it in me all week. I really felt like I was playing some really good stuff and I that I was going to be up there at the end of the week, no matter what.”

Speaking about his final round, and the mended relationship with is caddie, Wallace added: “I didn’t get off to the start I wanted but kept at it and Sam was brilliant, so positive, and the way I finished was exactly how I feel like I can play golf. That was awesome down the final few holes and I’m really proud of myself. I knew I was playing some good stuff, I just had to let it come out because that’s the hardest bit sometimes – you stop yourself from playing good golf.”

The win ensures that Wallace will retain his PGA Tour card for next season, as well as guaranteeing entry into this season’s PGA Championship and next season’s Sentry Tournament of Champions event in Hawaii.

Eliie Goulding set to take centre stage at Women’s Open at Walton Heath

Chart-topping singer Ellie Goulding is to headline a one-off concert being staged during the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club this summer.

Following the success of similar concerts held during the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, Goulding’s set will take place after the third day’s play has finished on Saturday, August 12.

Goulding said: “I’m honoured to be the first music artist to perform at the AIG Women’s Open. The elevation of women’s sport is something I’m a huge champion of, so I can’t wait to be surrounded by inspiring women in August. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there!”

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, which stages the tournament, said: “We and our valued partners in AIG have been clear that our ambition is to elevate the AIG Women’s Open as a world-class sporting event. We have made important strides in recent years to enhance prize money, championship venues and facilities for the benefit of the world’s best women’s golfers, but we also see the spectator experience as crucial to increasing the appeal of the Championship and encouraging more fans to attend.

“Our research shows that fans would like to see live music and entertainment feature as part of their event experience and so we have developed an enhanced offering that aims to attract new and diverse audiences into attending the Championship and supporting women’s golf at the very highest level. We are excited by

what we have to offer them and look forward to welcoming fans to Walton Heath this summer.”

Along with the live music, fans can expect a new look festival village, with areas given over to interactive events, Q&As with players and celebrities, a new street food market and range of fun golf-themed activities, including AR and e-sports events. There will be relaxed seating areas with big TV screens to watch the golf and other sport, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is being held at the same time in Australia and New Zealand.

The AIG Women’s Open takes place at Walton Heath, Surrey from 9-13 August that will include the top-50 players in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings.

Tickets for the AIG Women’s Open, which is being held from August 10-13 are now on sale now. Adult tickets cost from £20, with Saturday tickets, including entry to the Ellie Goulding concert priced at £55. Children under 16 are being offered free entry on all days except Saturday when accompanied by a paying adult. Junior and youth tickets for Saturday are £20 and £40 respectively.

For tickets, visit via www.aigwomensopen.com.

London Golf Club launches ‘The Race to Al Zorah’

Members of the London Golf Club in Kent has been offered the chance to win themselves a luxury fivenight holiday to the United Arab Emirates as a prize for a season-long series of competitions being held at the Brands Hatch-based venue.

The club has teamed up with Al Zorah Golf Club, which is located in the UAE state of Ajman, to offer the generous prize to the member who performs the best over a series of 10 competitions held at the London Club between May and November. ‘The Race to Al Zorah’ will see cash prizes awarded to the top three at each event, while the overall Order of Merit winner will be sent on a five-night holiday to the UAE with unlimited golf.

The entry fee for the tournaments is £10£15, depending on the events, which will be a mixture of Stableford and Medal competitions.

Both London Golf Club and Al Zorah are part of the Nicklaus Design network, which features 425 courses across the world designed by Jack Nicklaus’s course design firm.

Stephen Follett, London Golf Club’s chief executive, said: “Here at London Golf Club, we are always looking for ways that we can continue to enhance the member experience by offering our membership even more. ’The Race to Al Zorah’ competition and the amazing prize on offer is another example of just this,

and we are grateful to Al Zorah Golf Club for their support in sponsoring our 2023 order of merit.”

Managed by Troon Golf, Al Zorah Golf Club has established itself as one of the Middle East’s best golf courses since opening in 2015. Set within a stunning natural environment, the course provides golfers with a unique golf experience with water levels shifting with the tides throughout the day.

Philip Henderson, general manager of Al Zorah, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the London Golf Club by sponsoring The Race to Al Zorah. Good luck to all members taking part in the event and we look forward to welcoming the deserved winner and a plus one to Al Zorah Golf Club for what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

■ THE LONDON GOLF CLUB’S HERITAGE COURSE

STAY | PLAY | DINE

Summer golf breaks

Available from 1 April to 23 October 2023

27 holes of reimagined Championship links golf

Golf Break

£275.00pp Sun-Thur / £310.00pp Fri-Sat

1 night, 2 rounds of golf, 2 course meal & breakfast

Based on twin sharing rooms / Single room supplement £45

We can build any bespoke packages for guests

BUILDING A NEW FUTURE FOR BASINGSTOKE

Golf

GN: For those that aren’t aware, can you provide a little bit of the backstory behind Basingstoke Golf Club and how it came to find a new home at Dummer Golf Club?

Scott Patience: There has been much talk of Basingstoke Golf Club moving to a new site since property developer Charles Church was interested in purchasing it in the 1980s. Finally, as part of the local plan, Basingstoke Golf Club agreed to sell the Kempshott Park site in 2018. A sale was agreed with Bloor Homes in 2020. There were a number of other options considered before purchasing Dummer Golf Club in 2021, which is less than a mile from the old site on other side of the M3 at Junction 7. The club moved across in June 2021 before starting the full course works in July 2022.

The Dummer site is currently undergoing a major renovation. What does that involve and what is the timescale for completion?

There has been a full redesign of the course by Bruce Weller of Weller Designs. There will be 18 new tee and green complexes which will be built using the latest creeping bent grasses and although the fairways generally stay as they are nearly 50% will be newly seeded with fescue.

Conor Walsh of CJW is the course contractor and subcontractor Ocmis are putting in a state-ofthe-art irrigation system under the watchful eye of Roger Davey of Irritech. O&D Construction have been assigned to build the new clubhouse, greenkeepers’ compound and driving range.

Provisional works started in February with the clubhouse due for completions in summer 2024 and the full project in early 2025.

The course build is going well, with 13 greens

having been seeded and germinated before the site shut down for winter. The major works on the course are due to be completed by June this year, with the aim for it to be fully open for member play in the summer of 2024 and visitor play in 2025.

The ambition for the club, going forward from 2024, will be to be considered one of the premier golf facilities in the south of England. We will have a state-of-the-art clubhouse, driving range with all the modern technology, and a superb golf course for all to enjoy.

What has been the reaction from members at Basingstoke and Dummer been to the project? Overall, I think the reaction has been that of excitement from members. The new course is now taking shape and looks fantastic. We currently have an interim 9-hole course, so members can see all of the work being done as they go round. Along with that, we created flyovers of the course works and shared these on our YouTube channel and on TVs around the clubhouse. This takes the members on a journey, as the project develops, and we can compare the works over time.

Where do you see the club fitting into the local provision for golf in the area. What kind of golfers will the club appeal to?

We would like to be the best in class and plan to appeal to all ages and abilities of golfer, sitting alongside this will be state-of-the-art clubhouse and practice facilities with an inclusive feel where members come first.

What membership opportunities will be available to golfers who weren’t already members at Basingstoke or Dummer?

We currently have a waiting list of over 80 people who are poised for when the new club is up and running. Some of these are in our “prospective” category, which enables them some playing rights and the use of the bar and catering facilities. Although not technically members, they are part of the experience and can see the new course being built and what we will have to offer in the future.

News Editor Nick Bayly talks to golf course consultant Scott Patience (pictured inset) about the construction of Basingstoke Golf Club’s new course at the site formerly occupied by Dummer Golf Club and looks at what golfers can expect to find when the newlook venue fully re-opens in 2025

WIN £350 WORTH OF OFFICIAL PGA TOUR APPAREL!

To celebrate the launch of its new PGA TOUR golf clothing and accessories range, Perry Ellis Europe is giving one lucky Golf News reader the chance to win £350 worth of new gear to overhaul their golfing wardrobe ahead of the new season.

The new PGA TOUR collection is a stylish new offering of shorts, tops, trousers and headwear, designed specifically for golfers to perform and look their best both on and off the course.

From caps to classic-fit trousers, hats to gloves, it has your full outfit covered. Designed to balance style with the latest product innovation such as moisture-wicking technology and Airflux mesh ventilation, to keep golfers cool and comfortable from the first putt to the 18th hole. With a range of classic and contemporary designs, there’s something to suit every player. The PGA TOUR collection is available to buy at www.amazon.co.uk.

subject line. Please include your name, email address, contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News, or if you read it online. The closing date for entries is May 15, 2023.

Surrey gets new season off to a flier at Sunningdale

The Surrey men’s first team kicked off their 2023 season in style with a hard fought 8-4 win over Sunningdale in a match held at the famous Berkshire venue.

After a week of frost and fog, the teams arrived on a pristine day with both courses in immaculate condition. After an excellent breakfast we set out onto the New course, this year celebrating its 100th anniversary, for the morning foursomes.

Max O’Hagan and Cameron Bell, both now back from America, led off and after a short game masterclass managed to seal victory at 16th, 3&2. Terry Nicholls and Oscar Lent continued where they left off from the League Final last October with a 4&3 victory, while the Will Dugdale and Monty Holcombe were also in solid form, finishing their match with a birdie two at the 17th to win 3&1. The final morning foursomes also went the way of Surrey with the tried and test pairing of David Corben and Harry Uzzell running out 3&2 winners.

Sunningdale came out fighting in the afternoon singles over the Old Course, with early victories for the host side in the second, third and fourth matches bringing them back to within striking distance. Sent out in the top match, O’Hagan got Surrey on the board by completing a 2&1 win by virtue of holing his second shot at the 17th.

Experienced hands Nicholls and Dugdale rolled back the years with strong performances, for the former winning 2&1 and the latter shooting a sublime 66 to win 4&3. With the final two matches being shared with a win to either side, Surrey ran out 8-4 winners.

The Social Golfer launches new membership tiers

The Social Golfer, the popular online golf network and golf society, has relaunched its membership tiers for 2023 with three new options available to nomadic golfers.

It has introduced a new free tier to give occasional golfers the options to track up to eight rounds a year at no cost. In addition, the site has introduced a secondtier Handicap membership, whereby users can submit unlimited rounds and get a printable handicap certificate.

The Social Golfer handicapping analysis system allows member to calculate their golf handicap after every game. In addition, those scores entered automatically get

added to their monthly TSG league table.

The bespoke handicapping system tracks a member’s best eight scores from their last 20 rounds. This takes into account the player’s current Handicap Index, Course Rating and Slope. The handicap tracker also calculates a Course Handicap and the Playing Handicap using Score Differential after every round.

The TSG team has retained the Social membership tier, while Pro membership allows golfers to post games and events in their area or anywhere around the world. In 2022, the site saw its members arrange more than 650 events.

Members can also join The Social Golfer’s Major events, with golf day guests playing for The Golf News Magazine Guest Trophy. These include the TSG Masters, TSG Par 3 Championship, TSG OPEN Championship, and the TSG Matchplay tournament which are played from April to September. For more details, visit thesocialgolfer.com.

Northwood celebrates centenary of female membership

Northwood Golf Club in Middlesex has marked a centenary of having female members with a special lunch attended by over 100 past and present women members.

Founded in 1891, Northwood Golf Club is the second oldest golf club in the county, having been founded just four weeks after West Middlesex, however it didn’t allow women to become members until a vote was taken in favour in 1923.

Dawson strike gold at Roehampton

Ana Dawson, a 22-year-old professional from the Isle of Wight, won the 94th Roehampton Gold Club after shooting two rounds of 67 for a 10-under-par total of 134 in damp and cold conditions at the Surrey course.

With winter rules in force and the course playing long due to the recent wet weather, 45 players took part in the event, which was once again sponsored by Russell-Cooke Solicitors, but it proved very much a one-horse race, with Dawson, who had never played Roehampton’s parkland layout before, finishing nine shots clear of her nearest challenger, Horton Park’s Lauren Horsford, who took second place on countback from Ladies European Tour player Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth).

Amateur honours were taken for the second year by Matilde Santilli from Foxhills on 147 (68, 69), with Alice Barlow from Bury St Edmunds Golf Club taking second with 149 (74,75). Barlow went on to win the Hampshire Rose the following day, and thus the Gold Rose Trophy, which is given to the player with the best combined results of the Roehampton and North Hants events.

In celebrating the milestone, there were 10 tables at the lunch representing a decade of women in golf. Radhi Nanalal, the current women’s captain, welcomed everyone and two of the club’s legends, Pam Severn and Jenny Simmons, both being former captains, shared their memories of joining the club and the changes they had been witness to over a number of decades. They reflected on the journey the women’s section had been on and looked ahead to the bright prospects for the next 100 years.

The lunch was punctuated by professional dancers taking to the dance floor and demonstrating dances from some decades. A compere shared explanations of each dance and members were also invited to the dance floor to try a few moves.

The lunch has provided a launch pad for a number of events planned for the centenary year. At the Middlesex County Dinner Awards evening on March 4, a Silver Salver was presented to the women of Northwood in recognition of their 100 years.

Last year saw Northwood join up to the R&A’s Women’s Golf Charter and the club is continuing to work hard towards developing opportunities for everyone at Northwood. With 100-plus women members across all categories, the club is looking forward with confidence to its next 100 years.

Northwood Golf Club was famously the subject of a Channel 4 TV documentary that was aired in 1994 called ‘The Club’. The board had hoped that the film would provide a positive spin on the activities of the club, but it only served to expose some of the outdated attitudes the existed among a small minority of the club’s more outspoken male members at the time, including one who famously said: “Women have to make the breakfast and clear up. How any of them are here before nine in the morning puzzles me.” It led to an extraordinary general meeting which resulted in the entire board resigning.

■ GOLD CUP WINNER ANA DAWSON

■ AMATEUR WINNER MATILDE SANTILLI (LEFT)

Bennett grateful for ‘new experiences and opportunities’ provided by PGA captaincy

Sarah Bennett stepped down from her role as Captain of the PGA last month following an extremely busy 12 months in office.

Bennett, 53, the head teaching professional at Three Rivers Golf & Country Club in Essex, followed in the footsteps of Bernard Gallacher in the role in March 2022, and last month passed it on to Tim Rouse, the 63-year-old head PGA Professional at Northamptonshire County Golf Club.

“Being asked to captain The PGA was the proudest moment in my golfing career,” said Bennett, who holds Fellowship status of The PGA. “The news came totally out of the blue and was a complete shock. I was preparing to play in the WPGA Championship when I found out. I received a voicemail from PGA Chairman Alan White. I returned his call immediately, my initial thought was it was tournament-related, he then told me the news. I was stunned, but I will be forever honoured, humbled and immensely proud to have

captained this historic association.

Reflecting further on her 12 months in office, which has taken her all over the UK and several overseas trips, most recently to the PGA Show in Florida, Bennett added: “My term as PGA Captain certainly took me out of my comfort zone, of which I am now hugely grateful. The situations have provided me with new skills, experiences and opportunities to help develop golf as a whole, whilst trying to promote the Association, our membership and introducing new ideas.

“I have been totally overwhelmed and humbled with the support I have received from my fellow PGA Members and PGA staff, not only in the UK, but worldwide. It is this connection which I believe is vital within our industry. I would like to wish Tim Rouse all the very best during his term. Tim will certainly lead The PGA forwards in a professional manner which will connect with our membership in all areas. He will be the perfect role model.”

Women to the fore at Cairns Cup 2024

The names of the captains to lead the American and European teams at next year’s Cairns Cup, a bi-annual team match play event for golfers with a disability, which is being held at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Michigan, have been announced.

Indiana’s Kim Moore (pictured right) is the lead the home side, while Tineke Loogman from The Netherlands will lead the European team. Both are two outstanding female golfers who have overcome their disability and been an inspiration to many in the game. Both Kim and Tineke played at the inaugural event at The Shire London in 2022 and have already begun their duties of picking their team for next year’s

competition.

Kim was born without a right foot and a severely clubbed left foot, as well as a slight case of spinabifida. However, she grew up in a very sports-oriented family and participated in many sports and was introduced to golf at the age of 16, and it quickly became her passion. She played college golf at the University of Indianapolis and played professionally on the Futures Golf Tour before getting her Class A PGA Teaching Professional certificate in 2012. Currently the Head Women’s Golf Coach at Western

Gibbons in seventh heaven after winning World Junior Golf Championship

Seven-year-old Elijah Gibbons from Kent is on top of the world after winning his age group category at the World Junior Golf Championship held at Amendoeira Golf Resort in Portugal.

Michigan University, Kim has participated in many adaptive tournaments around the world and is the 15-time US National Amputee Women’s Golf Champion and just recently won the 1st USGA Adaptive Open at Pinehurst. Commenting on her appointment, Kim said: “Being selected to participate in the 2022 Cairns Cup was such an honour. Any time I get the opportunity to represent my country means a great deal to me. The cameraderie and competitiveness we had in London was a testament to the abilities of all the participants on both teams. This world-class event is such a thrill to be a part of and I can’t wait to be the captain of Team USA!” Tineke, who hails from Amsterdam, is a latecomer to the game, having first started playing when went to Florida on holiday aged 40. She is involved with the EDGA and owns a 9-hole golf course and academy in Amstelveen, where she runs a Handi golf group. Commenting on her selection as a Cairns Cup captain, she said: “The prospect of being the first female Captain of Europe is very humbling, but I want to win!”

Details of the event can be found at www.thecairnscup.com.

Elijah, who is a junior member at Prince’s Golf Club, beat 16 of the best 7-year-old golfers from all over the world. Played over three 9-hole rounds, Elijah’s total score of 126, which included a best-of-the-week 38 in round two, saw him finish two shots ahead of Christian Boris from Slovakia. Tied with Boris going into the final round, Elijah produced a fantastic round of 40 to take the title, with Thailand’s Sean Wilding finishing third. Sam Gibbons, Elijah’s father, said: “It was an amazing experience for Elijah and, of course, we are so proud of him. Now he has been invited to the Callaway World Championship and the Future Champions of Golf International, both of which are being held in San Diego in July. Fingers crossed he can go and do just as well out there!”

The World Junior Golf Championship attracted over 200 players from 36 countries competing in seven age categories from seven to 18, with separate events for girls and boys. Ellie Lichtenhein, who is a member at The Buckinghamshire, won the Girls 13-14 championship by 11 shots, with a 54hole total of 227.

To check out all the result, visit www.worldjuniorgolf.co.

■ SARAH BENNETT WITH INCOMING PGA CAPTAIN TIM ROUSE

STORY BEHIND THE PIC

MARGARET HAMILTON • 1929 LADIES’ BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP • OLD COURSE, ST ANDREWS

Although women have always enjoyed the same rights as men to play at the St Andrews’ Links Trusts many courses at the Home of Golf, it has been something of an anachronism that, up until 16 years ago, no competitive professional women’s event had been held on the Old Course for almost 80 years.

Until the Women’s British Open was staged on the Old Course in 2007, it was a rare occasion indeed to find a female golfer playing in a competitive event at St Andrews, let alone seeing one sitting casually on a rather scraggy-looking Swilcan Bridge smoking a cigarette.

The woman in this picture is Miss Margaret Hamilton, a debonair young lady who was taking a quick drag on a Capstan Full Strength while playing the 18th hole during the Ladies’ British Open Championship in 1929.

While Miss Hamilton failed to make much of a name for herself in the pro ranks, the tournament went on to go down in golfing folklore, as it saw the return of the legendary Surrey champion Joyce Wethered, who beat long-standing rival Glenna Collett in what is widely regarded as the greatest ladies’ match ever played. With over 3,000 spectators watching on, Wethered was five down at the turn, but battled back strongly on the back nine to win 3&1.

It was Miss Wethered’s fourth British Ladies title (‘22, ‘24, ‘25), with victory in St Andrews coming four years after she had supposedly retired from the game. Amazingly, her career only spanned nine years in which she also picked up five

English Amateur Championships.

After her famous triumph at the Old Course she retired from competitive golf and became the golf manager at Fortnum & Mason’s in London. Earning a living from golf brought her amateur status into question with the R&A, however Wethered settled the issue when she played a series of paid-for exhibition matches in the US in 1935, where she took on, and beat, numerous male professionals. In the course of her three-month trip in the US she travelled 15,000 miles, competed in 53 official matches, and broke the women’s course record at 34 different clubs.

Wethered aside, Lorena Ochoa’s victory 16 years ago at St Andrews in the Women’s British Open has yet to fully herald a new era of the women’s game at the Home of Golf, with the Old Course having only hosted the tournament there once since that time, when Stacy Lewis won in 2013. However, the R&A did take the long overdue step of admitting women members to its ranks in 2014. A change that Mary Queen of Scots, who was a regular visitor to St Andrews in the 16th century, would have been delighted about, as, no doubt, would Margaret Hamilton. Sadly, with the rules on smoking in public places have been considerably tightened since 1929, and it won’t be too long before lighting up on the Swilcan Bridge will also become a thing of the past.

The 2023 AIG Women’s Open is being held at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey for the very first time.

To get tickets to the championship, which takes place from August 10-13, visit www.aigwomensopen.com

LORENA OCHOA’S VICTORY

16 YEARS AGO AT ST ANDREWS IN THE WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN HAS YET TO FULLY HERALD A NEW ERA OF THE WOMEN’S GAME AT THE HOME OF GOLF

US Amateur champion Sam Bennett looks to have the world at his feet after becoming the second highest amateur finisher in the Masters since 1961, when tieing for 16th at Augusta. Here, the 23-yearold from Texas relives the experience of going toe to toe with the world’s best and what he hopes to achieve in the years ahead

How do sum up a week that saw you play as an amateur alongside the likes of Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka at the world’s most famous golf tournament and perform in the manner that you did?

I’m going to need some time when I get back home to decompress and really look back at what I’ve done and enjoy it. To walk up the 18th fairway, and to get the reception that I did, was by far the coolest experience of my life. If you told me when I was a kid that one day I would be walking up the 18th fairway at Augusta with the galleries cheering, I’d have thought you were crazy.

I didn’t play how I wanted to over the final two rounds, but the experience of playing the weekend at Augusta is definitely going to help me be the golfer I want to be. And to be able to play the Sunday pins was just incredible.

It’s strange to say it, given how young I am, but I kind of ran out of puff over the weekend. It was a tiring week, and my body wasn’t moving how it should by the end. My legs kind of gave out. I wasn’t turning properly and started missing my drives left. I’ve seen how the top dogs play now and what they’re made of. I think I can hang in with them, and I think my game was good enough to compete, but I probably just need to get down the gym and get fitter.

From all the times you’ve watched the Masters on television and dreamed of playing there, what was the reality like?

It’s better than the dream, and it’s better than how it looks on TV for sure. Just the people, the property, the hills, the slopes, the scoreboards, I mean even the food. It was everything I could imagine and more. I really hope to be back some day.

It’s got to be nerve-racking to step up to the first tee as an amateur for the first time and you’re playing with the reigning champion. Talk about that experience as they called your name to the tee.

It was a long wait. This morning I was anxious. I was fiddling around. I couldn’t really sit still. I was ready to get off that box. I just tried to enjoy it. That’s where I want to be, to be able to hit those shots with the crowds and the pressure. I loved it. Like I’ve said multiple times, I’m experienced. I feel like I’m ready for this stage. I haven’t played my best in

college golf, but when the pressure is on, I tend to play pretty well.

You started the tournament birdie, eagle and only dropped one shot in your first 36 holes. Could you believe this was happening?

I couldn’t have dreamed of a better start. I had these bad thoughts going through my head about what if i bogey the first or make a double, and the wheels come off. Thankfully I got out of the gates hot and then made a birdie on 6, and from then on I played steady golf. Hit a lot of good shots, gave myself some looks, kept it under the hole. Bogey-free, that’s something I love probably the most out of my experience here. To go around Augusta bogey-free is pretty cool.

You obviously sealed the Low Amateur prize by making the cut, but what was goal over the week, to try and stay in the top 12 to earn an invitation back next year?

Yeah, that was the goal coming in. I wanted to put up a good round, and finish as high as I could, but I knew if I hung up there in the top 12 I might get some sort of exemption for next year, but I wasn’t entirely sure. After I bogeyed 12, I knew that I needed at least two more birdies to get back into that spot. I wanted to make something happen on 15. I hit a good second shot in there, but just went brain dead on the putt and miss-hit it and ended up with a three-putt par.

Bogeying the last was annoying, but not the end of the world.

Along with Rahm and Koepka, you also played with Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa and pretty much went toe to toe with them every day. I know they have the experience, and the strength and stamina, but what did you see in their game that isn’t in yours quite yet?

Augusta played really long for me with the ball not bouncing or rolling out much, especially when it was cold. So I definitely could do with gaining some weight and getting a little more clubhead speed into my drives, but apart from that I think I’m in a pretty good place with my game.

Amateurs are embraced at the Masters in a way that they aren’t at the other Majors. How did it feel to part of amateur history at the Masters and to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Jones? That was cool. I learned a lot about Bobby Jones at the amateur dinner, what he’s done for the game and what he did at Augusta. They love amateurs at Augusta and I felt it all week. Five of us amateurs were able to stay in the Crow’s Nest in the clubhouse and I was a little late in registering, so they gave me a private room overlooking the 18th, which was pretty cool.

How about having your college coach, Brian Kortan, on your bag? Did he help you out with any reads?

For sure. All credit to Brian. He helped me get around this place good. We were smart, dialled in with our numbers, knew where we wanted to be. I had a lot of stress-free pars, which is what you want around this place.

Can you tell the story about the tattoo on your left arm, how you came to get it and what it means to you?

My dad died in 2021 from early onset Alzheimers, aged just 45, and one of the things he told me before he died was ‘don’t wait to do something’, so shortly after he died I got those words tattooed on my left arm, so I see it every time I’m gripping the club, You know, I thrive on it. I use it for some motivation. I know how happy he would have been seeing me out here at Augusta National doing what I’m doing. I’ve used it to just stay focused and really be locked into that one shot.

What do you think your father would have made of what you achieved at the Masters? He never really cared about my golf score or anything like that, as long as I was doing the right things and treating people the right way. I’m sure he’d think what I have achieved was cool, but more than anything, I think he would be proud about the person that I’ve become.

THE

SAM’S MAN

I’VE SEEN HOW THE TOP DOGS PLAY AND WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF.

■ BENETT PLAYED ALONGSIDE EVENTUAL WINNER JON RAHM IN THE THIRD ROUND AT AUGUSTA

Alternatively,

New survey reveals sexist attitudes still rife in golf

A new study has revealed the extent of the negative attitudes that still exist among the UK population when it comes to women’s involvement in golf at all levels of the game, with one-in-seven men arguing that women shouldn’t be allowed to play the sport at all.

Golf insurance company Golf Care has published details of a survey that it has conducted with over 2,000 adult UK residents, both men and women, with questions covering topics related the professional and amateur game, TV viewing, participation and competitive events.

When asked whether gender inequality exists within UK golf, almost a quarter said they don’t believe it’s an issue. The study found significant bias in TV viewing habits, with 28% of men saying they have watched men’s golf in the past, compared to just 11% who have watched the women’s equivalent. Just 58% of survey respondents agreed that women’s golf should have equal TV coverage to men.

When asked about major golf tournaments, 55% of those surveyed said there should be a female version of The Masters. However, one in 10 men disagree, arguing that The Masters should remain a men’s only golf competition.

In addition, when asked about the gender pay gap in sport, a quarter of people said that male players deserve to be paid more than their female counterparts. This rose to 35% amongst male respondents. The world’s highest paid male golfer is Phil Mickelson, who earned $138m (£114.6m) in 2022. The highest paid professional female golfer in 2022, meanwhile, was Minjee Lee, who took home a total of $7.3m (£6m).

Finally, it’s not just women out on the fairways who are discriminated against. Almost one in 10 people said that the opinions of female pundits are less valid than that of their male counterparts. This view was most prevalent among survey respondents aged 55 and over, whilst younger age groups were less inclined to agree.

John Woosey, founder of Golf Care, said: “Although some progress has certainly been made to encourage female participation in golf, this data shows just how pervasive sexism is – both within golf and more widely throughout society. For too long, golf clubs and the professional game have been seen as a ‘boys club’ and this needs to urgently change if golf is to have a place in the future of sport.”

Sign up for the Aussie Spoons!

The Drift Golf Club in Surrey is to host the southern regional final of this year’s renewal of the Australian Spoons, a popular ladies’ foursomes competition open to members of clubs in Surrey, Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex and Sussex.

Open to pairs with handicaps between 15 and 54, clubs should host a qualifying competition for their ladies, although it can be run concurrently with a previously scheduled foursomes event.

It costs £3 per play to enter a club qualifier, with entry fees to be forwarded to the regional organiser. Clubs then send in their entry form with their best scoring pair to Surrey Golf, where 64 pairs will progress through to each regional final. The closing date for entries is May 24.

The winning pair from every county will be invited to play in the Australian Spoons Grand Final to be held at England Golf’s headquarters at Woodhall Spa on August 18. For entry forms, visit www.englandgolf.org.

World Championship triumph for English blind golfers

Two Sussex golfers have returned from South Africa feeling on top of the world and rightly so. John Eakin, from Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club in East Sussex, and Andy Gilford, from Ham Manor in West Sussex, both won world titles at the ISPS Handa IBGA World Blind Golf Championships held at Milnerton Golf Club in Cape Town, South Africa.

Eakin took first place in the 36-hole men’s net stroke play competition whilst Gilford

won the 36-hole gross stroke play in the B2 category contest for men golfers with no more than 5% vision.

After the tournament Gilford said: “As a child growing up with sight loss I struggled to come to terms with my condition. As a junior playing golf with my friends guiding me at Shaw Hill Golf Club in Lancashire I would dream about being a world champion. To actually do it with my wife Mel acting as my guide made it even more special.”

Both Eakin and Gilford hope that news of their success will encourage visually impaired people of all ages to consider the benefits of playing golf as well as the possibilities of competing at the highest level at prestigious venues.

Qualifiers for the championships ranged in age from 20-year-old Tyler Cashman from New Jersey, USA to 85-yearold Danny Daniels from Swaffham in Norfolk, and also included a women’s section.

Gilford, who is secretary of the England and Wales Blind Golf charity, added: “Danny can inspire so many people at that age who are thinking

of giving up the game as they lose sight later in life. Tyler Cashman’s story is equally incredible and the boy is gold dust to blind golf. I played with him in the last round of the championship and it was so special to feel the bond of a grandson playing with his grandad as his guide. It shows that blind golf is something a family can really share and enjoy.’

Overall, the tournament, which ran over five days and included two days for the ISPS Handa South African Open, was a triumph for EWBG players. Eakin finished runner-up in both the SA Open’s overall men’s net and B3 gross categories, for players with not more than 10 per cent vision, behind lefthanded Keifer Jones of Calgary, Canada, who plays off a handicap of one. In turn, Gilford finished third in the World Championship net competition just ahead of EWBG captain and Blackmoor GC member in Hampshire, Jason Bastable, in fourth. Finally, Owen Robinson, of Ramsdale Park Golf Centre in Nottingham, came third in the South African Open B2 net score category.

“It has been a fantastic week,” said Gilford. “But I must say a special thanks to the members and Jon Nicholas, the pro at Ham Manor. for all their support over the years. I just hope I can use this title to inspire more children with sight loss to take up the game with the work the charity is doing in partnership with The Golf Foundation.”

Fairmont St Andrews to host Asian Tour event

The Asian Tour is set to make history by staging an event for the first time in Scotland at Fairmont St Andrews from August 24-27. The inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship will take place at the venue’s Torrance Course, a 7,320-yard layout that was designed by Sam Torrance and offers views over St Andrews Bay towards the town of St Andrews.

The course is no stranger to hosting top-class events, having previously hosted the DP World Tour’s Scottish Championship in 2022, the European Seniors Tour on six occasions between 2009-14, as well as Open Qualifying when The Open is held at St Andrews.

St Andrews Bay Championship will feature a 156-strong field who will be competing for a $1.5m prize fund in the sixth event of the Asian Tour’s new International Series schedule, and will be held a week after the International Series England, which is being staged at Close House in Northumberland from August 17-20.

Callum Nicoll, Head of Golf at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be staging another world class event at Fairmont St Andrews, and to be making history as the first Scottish host for the Asian Tour. The Torrance course offers a challenging test for the players this summer, blending the principles of links golf with a more modern style.”

He added: “The elevated nature of The International Series with generous purses, strong international fields, and the reward of a place for the Series winner in next year’s LIV Golf League all makes for a very exciting tournament in the summer.”

■ ANDY GILFORD WITH HIS TROPHY

Seven flex zones in the multi-material cavity badge allow more free bending to increase ball speed.

Jon Rahm confirmed his status as the hottest golfer on the planet with a dominant victory at the 87th Masters , where the Spaniard’s combination of powerful ball-striking and a delicate touch on and around the greens at Augusta National made him an unstoppable force. Here Rahm describes his journey to his first green jacket, his second major title, and what it means to follow in the footsteps of the late, great Seve Ballesteros

RAHMBO STRIKES AGAIN

Exactly 40 years after Seve’s second Masters victory, and what would have been his 66th birthday, you became the fourth Spaniard to win the green jacket. Can you walk us through your emotions the moment you sealed the victory?

It’s hard to put it into words. Obviously, as players, we all dream of things like this happening, and you try to visualize what it’s going to feel like, but you just never know how you’ll will react when the time actually comes. When I hit my third shot onto the green on 18, I could tell it from the crowd’s reaction that it was close and I knew the job was done. I just felt a wave of emotion overtake me. I never thought that winning a golf tournament was going to make me cry, but I got very close on that 18th hole, I can tell you.

And a lot of it is because of what it means to me, and also to what is means to be a Spanish golfer. It’s the 10th major win for a Spanish player, a fourth Spanish player to win the Masters, my second major championship – so it’s all pretty incredible.

And to play the way I did on Sunday, making only one bogey in difficult conditions, and to win by four shots, makes me very proud. I was proud of the way I handled myself and what I have achieved. This one was for Seve. He was up there helping me for sure.

You’re also the first European player to win the Masters and the US Open. What does that mean to you?

Really? I find it hard to believe that I’m the first one, but I’ll definitely take it! Wow. I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know. You know, making history is something very few people get to do, so that’s a very humbling feeling to know that I’m the first European player to do that. It’s a pretty good pairs of majors to have. The US Open is about as hard a test as you’re ever going to

nd, but if I was ever going to win one it had to be at Torrey Pines. All I asked for was a chance, and I got it.

How important was it that you were playing in the same group as Brooks [Koepka] in that nal round?

It wasn’t not match play, but early on it kind of felt like it, especially before others further back started making all those birdies. After my birdie on 3, I think we were ve shots clear of the pack, so it felt like a matchplay situation. I wasn’t expecting Brooks to play badly, so I knew I need to bring the ght to him. So when I took the tee shot on 4, the goal was to keep giving him something to look at, keep putting the ball in the fairway and keep making good swings for him to feel more of the pressure rather than me. I always wanted it to be me who was doing the pushing.

And I felt like I did that really well. And even at the end when things changed, when he was the one that started pushing and made those birdies on 15 and 16, even at that point the dynamic changed a little bit as well.

As you say, you spent the best part of 60 holes chasing and 12 holes being chased. Did that change the way you approached the back nine at all? It didn’t really change. I still like to stay aggressive, as I showed on 13 and 16. The second I try to play for pars is when I think a big number comes into play, so I always try to stay aggressive whenever I have a lead. If I have a three-shot advantage I’m trying to make it four. If I have four, I try to make it ve. That’s the goal. That’s the intention, just so you can go to 18 and mess up and still have a pretty good chance of winning the tournament. Kind of like I almost did, like Scottie [Sche er] did last year. You want to have as big a lead as you can.

You looked in the zone all week at Augusta. Did you feel as calm as you looked?

What is going on on the inside is not always re ected on the outside, that’s for sure. But I was calm. I never got frustrated, and I never felt like I wasn’t in control. Obviously, I was nervous and there was tension out there, but for the most part I managed to keep everything in check.

and nish as high as I can, whether that’s fourth, tenth, or whatever, it’s always going to be better than settling for less than 100% e ort. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t try my hardest on every shot, so maybe that’s where it comes from.

Although Seve and José’s achievements are well documented at Augusta, as a Spanish player how much belief did Sergio’s win in 2017 give you, given that you were there to witness it in what was your rst Masters?

I think having all those three of those players having won this tournament gives any Spanish player a feeling like they have a connection with it. I played pretty well in 2017, in fact I’ve played well every time I’ve been here, but it was when Sergio won that I got the feeling that I could do well here. There’s got to be something about having a Spanish passport, I don’t know, there’s something about the grounds at Augusta that transmits into all of us [Spaniards].

Did you sense that the fans were more behind you than in past years?

Not throughout the entire round, because obviously early on there was a lot of options, and Brooks was in the lead and the people supporting Brooks made themselves known. But I think it was around my birdie on 8 when I took a twostroke lead is when things turned a little bit. Even with that bogey on 9, the support was pretty incredible all throughout, and I kept hearing, “Seve! Seve! Seve! Do it for Seve!” I that heard that the entire back nine. That might have been the hardest thing to control – the emotion of knowing what it could be if I were to win; that might have been the hardest thing.

Can you just describe what you were thinking as you reached for a provisional ball on the 72nd hole?

Nothing bad really. I had a four-shot lead, so I was con dent with that. But I think that was karma. I was just telling Adam [my caddie] how great I hit a low fade the entire week. I the fairway all four days on 17, which I’ve never done before, and I was bragging about it a little bit, and, of course, on 18, that happens, right, which was maybe two feet from missing that tree. But it will be a good story in the future, I guess. I won the Masters and didn’t even make it to the fairway with my drive on the nal hole!

That bogey on 9, timing-wise, was bad because Jordan [Spieth] and Phil [Mickelson] were both making birdies and on a bit of a charge, so there was a chance that my lead could disappear very quickly. That made the holes around Amen Corner much harder, and I was de nitely nervous out there, but I’m glad that I looked calm and collected. That’s what you strive for, right? You don’t want to panic, and I never panicked. I felt comfortable with my game, and I had a plan to execute, and that’s all I can do.

that my lead could disappear very

MAKING HISTORY IS SOMETHING VERY FEW PEOPLE GET TO DO, SO THAT’S A VERY HUMBLING FEELING

The only time I was a little bit upset at myself was on 16 during the third round. I three-putted 13 and 15, and then I hit a terrible tee shot on 16 and made a bogey, and I felt like at least one of those shots was avoidable.

That’s the only time I ever felt like I was truly upset at something. But, you know, I reeled it back in and made two good pars on the last two holes to put myself in the nal group, which is all I needed to do. All I asked for was a chance. It was a tough day out there. It was windy, and all those wind gusts are not easy. You can hit good shots that are going to end up in bad spots, and it happened to everybody.

A lot of people describe you as a bit of a street ghter, in the most positive sense. What does that drive come from?

I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a determination to be the best that I can be. When I’m out there, I have a job to do and I put in a lot of e ort to try to beat the best guys in the world. So maybe that level of intensity and that determination is what you see and that’s why I’m characterized as a ghter.

I’m also never going to give up. Even if I’m out of contention, I’m always trying

Finally, how exciting is it to be halfway towards the career grand slam? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I mean, it would be amazing. It would be great. But there’s a lot of people who have won one or two and gone no further or won a bunch of the same major. Winning all four takes something special, to perform across all those di erent types of courses and di erent conditions. When you consider that Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson haven’t managed it, it puts it into perspective.

COLT’S CLASSIC COURSES

STAND THE TEST OF TIME

Despite many of his golf courses being well over a hundred years old, it is a measure of the timeless quality of Harry Colt’s skill as an architect that his work continues to enchant and challenge every new generation of golfers, whether it be over the classic heathland courses at Sunningdale, Swinley Forest and St George’s Hill, or the championship links at Muirfield, Portrush and County Down and many more less heralded layouts besides

Although christened Henry Shapland Colt, most golfers worth their salt will know the surname ‘Colt’ is one to be uttered in reverential tones whenever it crops up in discussions about the provenance of a golf course’s quality. To have his name connected with your club is to infer a certain level of built-in quality, and one that has stood the test of time.

Clubs that had the foresight – and the money – to take on his valuable design services around the turn of the 20th century are rarely backward in coming forward about their connections to the man who is widely regarded as having laid the groundwork for the Golden Age of golf course architecture that followed. He is also championed as being arguably the most influential golf course architect of all time, with many modern golf course designers drawing on his design philosophies in their work to this day.

Born in Highgate in north London in 1869, the young HS Colt spent many hours of his early childhood summers at Worcestershire Golf Club, where he learned the game from Douglas Rolland, uncle of the legendary James Braid. Like many of those that went on to become great golf course architects, Colt was a more than decent player himself. He captained the Cambridge University golf team between 1891-93 and won the R&A Jubilee Vase while still a student. After he graduated, Colt practiced law in Hastings in East Sussex, and in 1884 became a partner in the firm of Sayer & Colt, which was based in the town.

With his background, education and burgeoning legal career, Colt seemed destined to become a respectable member Britain’s upper class, but golf already had a hold on him. In 1895, Colt joined his mentor Rolland in the design of a new golf course at Rye in East Sussex. That same year, he became honorary secretary of the club. From this position, he developed his earliest philosophies of design as he gradually tweaked the course over the next six years.

In 1901, Colt shifted more decisively towards a career in golf when he applied for the position of secretary at the recently established Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire. Over the ensuing years, he made updates to the course, especially after the introduction of the rubber-core ball. He also began to build up his design portfolio, with demand for his design services growing to such an extent that he soon had to take on more staff.

Colt teamed up with Charles H Alison in 1906 and together they worked on Kingsthorpe in 1908, Northampton County in 1909, Denham in 1910, St George’s Hill in 1912, and Camberley Heath in 1913. In 1909, Colt’s masterpiece, Swinley Forest Golf Club opened, the Surrey heathland layout immediately becoming one of England’s finest courses. In 1914, just before the start of World War I, Colt finished construction on the fourth course at St Andrews, the Eden, which many astute observers say is still the best of the Home of Golf’s links tests.

In 1907, Colt travelled to Leeds to provide a second opinion on the newly completed Alwoodley

Golf Club. There he met club secretary and course designer Dr Alister MacKenzie. Colt felt that the course embodied his own design ideals and spoke glowingly of it at a meeting with the club’s committee. His relationship with MacKenzie led to the formation of the firm of Colt, MacKenzie & Alison in 1919. After MacKenzie struck out on his own in 1923, Colt and Alison brought on John Morrison. Demand for Colt’s expertise soon expanded beyond his home shores, and in 1911 he visited North America, where he laid out the Country Club of Detroit and the Toronto Golf Club.

On that same trip, he also spent a week advising George Crump on the routing of the holes at Pine Valley. After Crump died, the club hired Colt to see the project to completion. His work at Pine Valley, as part of what many historians consider to be the most collaborative golf course design in history, likely inspired several significant American architects.

All told, Colt and his firm designed more than 300 courses on six continents. But the lingering effects of the World War I on Britain’s economy and society, combined with the onset of Great Depression and World War II, meant that the 1920s and 30s were slower for Colt than in the two decades before, and his work all but dried up. Colt died in 1951, at the age of 82, to little fanfare, but his legacy lives on across the world in the form of dozens of golf courses that feature his signature work.

THE DESIGNER OF A COURSE SHOULD START OFF ON HIS WORK IN A SYMPATHETIC FRAME OF MIND FOR THE WEAK, AND AT THE SAME TIME BE AS SEVERE AS HE LIKES WITH THE FIRST-CLASS PLAYER.

COLT’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Colt was a master of lending man-made features a natural look and believed in allowing his designs to become part of the land.

In routing his courses, Colt tried not only to blend the holes into nature, but also to create great variety. He incorporated distinctive landforms that rendered holes instantly memorable. He strove to find par 3s of differing lengths and to avoid successive par 4s or similar length or direction. Ultimately, Colt wanted the golfer to walk away not only feeling that the course had arisen naturally from the terrain, but also remembering each hole on its merits.

Colt was an early proponent of the idea that a golf course should challenge the advanced player while making room for the casual golfer. To achieve this, he often placed hazards strategically to defend the ideal line of play, but leave longer, more circuitous routes to the green less guarded. Many of Colt’s holes therefore have centre-line hazards with safe paths on either side, using fairway width to create angles and options. In addition, sometimes his designs employ diagonal cross-bunkers, where a heroic carry opens an ideal path to the green. Colt’s ability to force decisions through the clever placement of fairway bunkers is one of his trademarks.

At most of Colt’s designs, you will rarely find greens surrounded entirely with bunkers. Instead, you will find avenues for run-up shots, often played from and over sloping, undulating ground. This emphasis on the ground game allows inexpert players to make do with their lowertrajectory flights but at the same time requires better golfers to hit a variety of shots. Colt’s green-side bunkers tend to be small and deep to force players to think on their approaches and to penalise them for poor planning or execution.

On the putting surfaces themselves, variety is again the name of the game for Colt. His greens present a mixture of slopes, some severe, others more benign and subtle. These graceful contours – which both feed and reject, depending on your angle – create delicate pin positions and make for entertaining chips and putts. Specifically, Colt often used variations of the plateau-style green, which he believed rewarded an elite player’s ability to hit a high-lofted shot.

NOTABLE COLT COURSES

Pine Valley, Sunningdale (Old and New), Swinley Forest, Rye, Royal Portrush, Wentworth (West), St George’s Hill, St Andrews (Eden Course), Muirfield, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal County Down (enhanced design), Hamilton, Royal Liverpool (redesign), Woodhall Spa.

COLT’S COURSES

ABERDOVEY GOLF CLUB was founded in 1892 as a championship links golf course consistently rated in the Top 100 Golf Courses. It has a traditional, out and back design, and a regularly hosts the Welsh Seniors’ Championship. The clubhouse offers full catering facilities, TV lounge, and onsite B&B accommodation. Green Fees start from £40.

01654 767493 | aberdoveygolf.co.uk

BROADSTONE GOLF CLUB is set in the Dorset countryside and is a fine example of an unspoilt heathland course, sitting in the Top 100 golf courses in the UK. Within 250 acres of rolling terrain, the fairways feature natural heathland with swathes of heather, pine, gorse and rhododendrons with magnificent views for miles around.

01202 692595 | broadstonegolfclub.com

BROKENHURST MANOR is situated in the heart of the New Forest. This woodland course features a hint of heathland, and an abundance of wildlife provides a wonderful setting. The course has four testing par 3’s and undulating greens that provide a fine test of golf for all.

01590 623332 ext. 3 brokenhurst-manor.org.uk

CANTERBURY GOLF CLUB has matured into a fine parkland layout rightly reckoned to be one of Colt’s finest designs in England. Adam Lawrence, Editor of the international publication Golf Course Architecture magazine said “Sitting on some great ground, and with a typically brilliant Colt design, Canterbury Golf Club is a true hidden gem”

01227 453532 | canterburygolfclub.co.uk

GORING & STREATLEY GOLF CLUB is an 18-hole Award-Winning Course in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Established in 1895, designed by Harry Colt and JH Taylor, it measures 6355 yards from the white tees par 71, set in an area of outstanding natural beauty in West Berkshire with panoramic views of the Thames Valley. 01491 873229 opt. 6 | goringgolf.co.uk

HAM MANOR GOLF CLUB is located in Angmering, West Sussex between the South Downs and the South Coast lies the excellently presented 18-hole parkland golf course, with the 9th and 18th greens located next to the Grade II listed Clubhouse. The course offers an enjoyable experience for any ability of golfer.

01903 783288 hammanor.co.uk

SANDWELL PARK GOLF CLUB has worked tirelessly to preserve it’s rich history, after being re-designed by Harry Colt in 1911. The picturesque 18-Hole course offers a tranquil retreat in the busy surrounds of Birmingham and all18 holes provide a different challenge making Sandwell Park truly memorable for all.

0121 553 4637 sandwellparkgolfclub.co.uk

■ THE 8TH HOLE AT ST GEORGE’S HILL

BURNS BABY BURNS

like, you never want to be out of the hole in your pocket. I always want to try to have a chance, whether it’s making a long putt or chipping in or something like that. So I think really just fighting for every shot. You never know when you’re going to make a 40-footer and kind of flip it on someone. So that’s kind of it, really.

You’re currently no.10 in the world – among the game’s elite. Do you feel like you belong in that club?

I think, for me, I just try to put in the hard work, try to improve my game every day, every week, look at stats and see what areas I can get better at and then my team and I try to attack those areas. That’s all I can control. And so while it’s nice to see that those things are paying off in terms of my world ranking, the number gives me the knowledge that we’re working on the right things and provides the motivation to carry on trying to get better.

You played in the Presidents Cup last September and are long way to qualifying for the Ryder Cup. As a match play champion, how would you fancy being on the team being in Rome?

Arguably one of the least well-known players currently occupying a place in the world’s top-10, American Sam Burns has quietly gone about the business of winning five titles since joining the PGA Tour in 2018, with has latest coming at the WGC Match Play in Texas, where the 26-year-old from Louisiana showed the type of battling qualities that will surely serve him well when he makes an expected Ryder Cup debut for Team USA in September

You took down some big-name players to win the WGC Match Play in what was your first appearance in the event. How much confidence does it give you going forward to have beaten the likes of Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Scottie Scheffler and, of course, Cameron Young in the final?

I didn’t really know what to expect coming into the week given that it was my first time playing in the event. I feel like I gained a little bit more confidence as each match played out. I knew it was going to be a tough match against Scottie [Scheffler] in the semi-final, but I got off to a great start and then got lost a little bit halfway through the round, before I was able to make a few birdies coming down the stretch and ultimately took it to extra holes. I feel like I carried that momentum into the final, and while Cameron didn’t have his best stuff, I was happy to get the job done.

It’s a mentally and physically exhausting week – seven matches over five days – but it definitely gives me confidence to know that under the gun, and when the pressure is really on, I have the game to get me through some tight spots. Match play often comes down to a missed putt here or a mistake there, it really is fine margins, so you have to concentrate 100% otherwise things can quickly slip away.

How come you hadn’t played in the WGC tournament before?

I haven’t played te event in the past because in 2021 and 2022 I had won Valspar Championship the week before and took some time off, and then the year before that I was battling a back injury and there was no way I could potentially play that many holes in a week.

You admitted that you haven’t played your best golf for the first half of this season, so how important was it for you to break the cycle with a win?

Yeah, it was huge. Professional golf is hard. It’s not easy at times, and I’ve been really struggling with my golf swing of late. I just didn’t quite have the control that I wanted, and I wasn’t able to hit some of the shots that I am usually able to. But I think the important thing to remember is that your game is never as far off as sometimes you feel that it is, so I think just continuing to do the hard work and continuing to stick to my process has been vital. I knew that at some point it would click and everything would come together, and thankfully that has happened sooner rather than later. I have a lot to thank my coach, Brad Pullin, for helping that to happen.

Do you adopt a different approach to match play than you do for stroke play?

No, not really. I think the most obvious thing is you don’t really want to give an opponent a hole. For me, what that kind of means is,

WHAT’S IN SAM’S BAG?

DRIVER Callaway

Paradym Triple Diamond (9°)

FAIRWAY WOOD

Callaway

Paradym Triple Diamond (16°)

HYBRID Callaway Apex

UW (21°)

IRONS

Callaway Apex

TCB (4-PW)

WEDGES Callaway Apex

TCB (52°), Jaws

Raw (56°, 60°)

PUTTER Odyssey

O-Works 7S

Black BALL

Chrome Soft X

Oh, it would be a dream come true. Being on the Presidents Cup team and having that experience was unbelievable. It’s such a fun experience being on a team with those guys, who are all worldclass players. It was incredible to be able to learn from them and have that experience with them. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to win a match outright, but I had a couple of half points, so I’m keen to put that record straight. Hopefully I’ll get the chance in Rome.

You put Callaway’s new Paradym driver in the bag ahead of the Match Play. You must have had had a lot of confidence in how it would perform?

I had Callaway’s Rogue driver prior to that, which I really liked, and then the USGA tested the face in California last month and it failed by one point. I don’t really know what that means, as they don’t really give you a lot of information, so I had to find a new driver, and I put Callaway’s new Paradym driver in the bag a few weeks ago and have managed to build a lot of confidence with it. It played a huge part in my win at the Match Play.

As one of the longer drivers of the ball on tour, what is your view of the planned roll-back of golf balls for pros?

Personally, I think it’s pretty silly. If you look at the last few years, I think the game of golf has grown tremendously. At the end of the day, we’re an entertainment business and I don’t think people necessarily want to come out here and watch guys hit it shorter. They enjoy watching guys go out there and hit it 350 yards. I don’t see what the problem is with that. I think that’s a skill in itself and I don’t really agree with trying to take that away.

SAM BURNS STATS

AGE: 26

BORN: LOUISIANA, USA

TURNED PRO: 2017

WORLD RANKING: 10 (highest 9th)

PGA TOUR APPEARANCES: 121 (joined in 2019)

CUTS MADE: 81

PRO WINS: 6 (1 WEB.COM, 5 PGA TOUR) Valspar

Championship 2021, 2022, Sanderson Farms

Championship 2022, Charles Schwab Challenge 2022, WGC World Match Play 2023

TOP 10s: 26

PRIZE MONEY: $19.9m

AVERAGE DRIVING DISTANCE: 308 yards (20th)

FAIRWAYS IN REG: 57% (127th)

GREENS IN REG: 63% (175th)

PUTTS PER ROUND: 27.94 (11th)

PUTTS HOLED INSIDE 10FT: 91% (11th)

BACK TO THE FUTURE

ODYSSEY'S ON A ROLL WITH LATEST RANGE OF PERFORMANCE PUTTERS

FRESH TREADS

NEW SEASON, NEW SHOES

TRIED & TESTED

CALLAWAY PARADYM DRIVER

PXG FITTING EXPERIENCE

DAN OWEN PUTS PXG'S GEN6 RANGE THROUGH ITS PACES

MILLED TO PERFECTION

PING'S NEW PLD PUTTERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

ALL THE LATEST LAUNCHES

EQUIPMENT NEWS

THE GEAR EFFECT WHAT’S IN THE BAG OF WINNERS ON TOUR

THE GEAR EFFECT

INSIDE THE BAG OF THE RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR

KURT KITAYAMA

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Stealth 2 HL (16.5, 21°)

IRONS: TaylorMade P7MC (4-6),

TaylorMade P7MB (7-PW)

WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 (52°, 56°), Titleist Vokey WedgeWorks Proto (60°)

PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast

BALL: TaylorMade TP5x

TAYLOR MOORE

VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP

DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (10.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G430 Max (15°, 21°)

IRONS: Ping i230 (4), Ping S55 (5-PW)

WEDGES: Ping Glide Forged Pro (50°, 54°, 60°)

PUTTER: Ping PLD Oslo 4 prototype

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus+ (8°)

FAIRWAY: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15°)

UTILITY: Srixon ZU85 (3, 4)

IRONS: TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM8 (50°, 56°)

Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60°)

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Special Select

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

SAM BURNS

WGC MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

DRIVER: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (9°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Paradym

Triple Diamond (16°)

HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW (21°)

IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)

WEDGES: Callaway Apex TCB (52°), Jaws Raw (56°, 60°)

PUTTER: Odyssey O-Works 7S Black

BALL: Chrome Soft X

MATT WALLACE

PUNTA CORALES CHAMPIONSHIP

DRIVER: Titleist TSR3 (9°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST Max (15°)

HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW (19°)

IRONS: Callaway Apex X Forged CB (4-PW)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50°, 54°, 60°)

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron P5 GSS Tour Proto

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x 2023

COREY CONNERS

VALERO TEXAS OPEN

DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (9°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G430 Max (15°)

HYBRID: Ping G425 (20.5°)

IRONS: Ping iBlade (4-PW)

WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 56°), Titleist

Vokey Design SM8 (60°)

PUTTER: Ping PLD Prime Tyne H

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

JON RAHM

MASTERS TOURNAMENT

DRIVER: CALLAWAY PARADYM TRIPLE

DIAMOND (11.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: CALLAWAY PARADYM

TRIPLE DIAMOND T 3 (15°, 5 (18°)

IRONS: CALLAWAY APEX TCB (4-PW)

WEDGES: CALLAWAY JAWS RAW (52°, 56°, 60°)

PUTTER: ODYSSEY WHITE HOT OG ROSSIE S

BALL: CALLAWAY CHROME SOFT X

EQUIPMENT NEWS

TRIED & TESTED

CALLAWAY PARADYM TRIPLE DIAMOND DRIVER

Equipment Editor Dan Owen has a run out with the new Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver, which has been ripping up the professional tours since its launch at the beginning of the year.

It’s been a busy month testing golf clubs. Follow a fitting session with PXG, I’d already had a full bag session booked with Precision Golf. If you haven’t heard of Precision Golf, it is arguably the number one independent custom fitting centre and build shop for golf equipment in the UK, which can be found on an industrial estate somewhere near West Byfleet in Surrey.

As a brand agnostic independent fitter, Precision Golf founder and master fitter Simon Cooper took me through the whole gamut of 2023 driver heads in our session.

Finding the best shaft for my game first, Simon honed in on an Accra TZ6 as the shaft that timed most consistently with my swing.

With the shaft in place it was time to find the correct driver head. The Mizuno ST-Z felt amazing but spun too high. Cobra and Ping heads didn’t gel with me, while I liked the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus, but couldn’t get launch high enough. The PXG 0311 GEN 6 was a good fit for my game, and I could happily play that driver. But Simon kept going back the first driver we tried, the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond.

On paper it wasn’t one I’d expect to work for me. It’s a 450cc head designed for stronger tour-level players looking to lower their launch and spin. It’s the driver Jon Rahm has been using to great success this season. But it allowed to Simon to optimise my numbers.

Because it lowered my spin, Simon was able to loft me up into a 10.5° driver. If you can launch the ball higher while keeping the spin low you will hit the ball further.

While other drivers may have looked better behind the ball and felt better at impact, when paired with the correct shaft for my game, the Triple Diamond was a clear winner. With a very solid impact feel, the head has a smaller slightly triangular shape at address. The two-tone blue and grey crown is quite distinctive, but I love that it has no alignment aid at impact, something I have always preferred dating back to an old Callaway FT Tour driver I used to play.

Like most premium drivers these days, the Paradym doesn’t come cheap, with little in the way of change from £600, and a little bit more if fitted with an aftermarket shaft. And while this was definitely the best driver for me, the Precision Golf process was yet more proof that there is a perfect driver out there for every golfer providing you’re willing to put in the time and effort. To find your nearest specialist Callaway club fitter, visit eu.callawaygolf.com.

STEWART POWERS UP NEW APEX REMOTE

Stewart Golf has expanded its electric trolley range with the launch of the APEX Remote, a new model that boasts a new operating system designed to give the user ultimate control of their trolley on any course, no matter how challenging its landscape.

Active Terrain Control enables the trolley to the terrain and redistribute power independently between its twin motors depending on the gradient of the course. Unlike basic downhill

breaking, ATC will automatically keep the APEX travelling at the desired speed and direction uphill or downhill. The new system will also adjust to different golf bag weights, allowing smoother responses for those who use a lighter bag.

Boasting a 100-yard remote control range, other features include an integrated stabiliser which

automatically deploys and retracts when the trolley is folded or unfolded. When the trolley approaches a steeper gradient, it simply tilts back and uses the stabiliser continues driving up the hill.

A plug-and-play lithium battery is offered in 27 and 45-hole option and golfers can monitor battery capacity via Stewart Golf’s smartphone app. Offered in black or carbon the Apex Remote has an RRP of £1,249.

WELL PLD PING!

When it comes to finding a putter, tour players are a notoriously picky bunch. They need to find the best putter for their stroke, to use on some of the fastest, more technically challenging greens in the world. While some golfers swap putters regularly, PING created the PLD line-up to help craft each of their tour staff the perfect putter for them. The PLD Milled line-up are the closet you’ll get to a tour-crafted putter without having one custom designed for you.

When the putters first launched last year, PING chief executive John K Solheim had this to say about the line-up. “We’ve identified a couple of our most popular models from the past and some newer designs that have attracted a lot of attention in the last couple of years. We’ve given the new putters a very clean, premium look to emphasise the precision process they undergo before they are ready for play. As we collaborate on new designs with our engineers and tour

staff through the PLD programme, we’ll add new models to bring golfers the latest in tour-proven performance on the putting green.”

These are those new models. “We’ve been very pleased with the results and feedback across the entire program”, explained Solheim. “It allows us to bring golfers more of what we do best – design and build the highest-performing putters in the game. In the case of the PLD Milled line, we’re continuing to add tour-inspired models to bring golfers the latest in score-lowering performance on the green.”

PLD stands for ‘PING Lab Design’, and all of these putters have been produced after countless sessions refining the designs in PING’s Putting Lab in Phoenix, Arizona. All seven designs in the family are fully machined from forged stainless steel. Each model features Deep AMP (Aggressive Milling Pattern) face technology, precisely milled for tour-preferred sound, feel and speed. These putters are super soft, yet extremely responsive. More than four hours of milling time are required for every model, precisely shaping every surface and radius to achieve the high quality and premium look expected in a precision-milled putter.

The three new PLD Milled models (RRP £399) join four tour-validated models introduced last year, which represent a combination of standardsetting favourites like the Anser and Anser 2, plus newer, tour-inspired models like the DS72, the choice of multiple winner Viktor Hovland and the Prime Tyne 4.

ANSER D

A fresh take on the classic Anser, the winningest putter of all time, and it’s fair to say the most copied putter of all time. Designed with tour pro input, in particular Bubba Watson, as a hybrid between the classic blade and a mid-mallet.

Tony Finau has found a lot of success on the PGA Tour with its added forgiveness. The single white alignment line contrasts against the matte-black head, which in combination with the deeper (D) profile makes it easier to line up. More mass in the head (365g) helps stabilise the stroke and assists in delivering more consistency. The putter features a PING black graphite shaft.

ANSER 2

The matte-black head contrasts against the short, single white alignment line to draw the eye forward, eliminate distractions and make aiming easier. It differs from the classic Anser with its longer, slimmer profile that appeals to the eye and inspires confidence at address. It shares the Anser’s heel-toe weighting to provide stability and forgiveness.

OSLO 4

A favoured mallet shape of tour pros, the highly forgiving Oslo is equipped with an Anser 4-style hosel to make it a good fit for strong-arc stroke types. The putter was produced in collaboration with current world no.17 Tyrrell Hatton. The fulllength alignment line contrasts with the matteblack head to form an appealing address profile and draw the eye forward.

SUPER SOFT, YET EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE, PLD PUTTERS HAVE THE PREMIUM FEEL AND LOOK DEMANDED BY THE WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS

Equipment Editor Dan Owen casts his eye over the latest additions to Ping’s high-quality range of premium PLD Milled Putters and finds out why they are one of the most popular models on Tour

PXG 0311 GEN6 DRIVERS

PXG’s new drivers feature a strong titanium alloy face, a material that has an exceptionally high yield strength and a low elastic modulus that helps generate significant face deflection to create ultra-fast ball speeds. They also feature a carbon crown to save weight that can be positioned elsewhere in the head. The feature adjustable weights.

Offering the two models, the 0311 and 0311 XF, PXG has tried to create two drivers that really cater for different types of player.

The 0311 features a classic shape at address, with a noticeably deeper face and shorter heel to toe than many current drivers. It looks mean behind the ball. Aerodynamic shaping to the crown is really pronounced in comparison to the The 0311 XF features a flatter, more symmetrical driver head, designed to maximise forgiveness and raise launch. If you’re looking for a driver that wants to find every fairway, rather than one that can be hammered an extra 10 yards occasionally, this is the driver you’re looking for. Adjustable weighting in both drivers can be used to create a shot bias or create more forgiveness as well as be utilised for finding the perfect swing weight. Internally, sound has been improved by the use of a new rib structure, while a variable thickness face helps generate more ball speed across the face.

RRP: £469RRP: £469

PXG: TAKING PERFORMANCE TO THE MAX

In what seems like the blink of an eye, PXG is celebrating ten years in golf this year. I remember hitting the company’s 0311 Gen 1 irons at Urban Golf many moons ago, and despite the high prices knew I had hit something fundamentally different to any equipment on the market at the time.

I also have a very clear memory of getting fitted for a driver by the company’s founder and driving force Bob Parsons, with Bob flying in by helicopter to the fitting session, like a scene from HBO’s hit

rich-kid drama Succession. As I said, PXG is fundamentally different to all other golf companies.

Parsons, who made his many millions setting up GoDaddy, the world’s large website domain name registrar, has been a golf nut for many years and he founded his eponymous golf equipment brand, Parsons Xtreme Golf, in 2013 with the single aim of maximising the performance of his golf equipment without the traditional constraints caused by the pressures of time or the cost of materials. At their

heart, PXG products would be golf clubs without compromise.

It didn’t take long before Parson’s project, is you can call it that, caught the eyes of the world’s best players, and by 2015 the company had several tour players gaming their clubs, including former Masters champion Zach Johnson and PGA Tour winner Ryan Moore. Pat Perez, Jason Kokrak, Danny Lee, and Luke List soon followed, and Lydia Ko had a set in her bag at one time.

And while the company’s commitment

PXG says that its all-new 0311 GEN6 range is its best yet. Golf News Equipment Editor Dan Owen headed over to The Drift Golf Club in Surrey to find out whether it lives up to the promise with a private custom fitting session

■ DAN OWEN UNDERGOES A CUSTOMFITTING SESSION AT PXG’S STATE-OF-THE-ART STUDIO AT THE DRIFT GOLF CLUB

to quality remains largely the same as it was 10 years ago, there is no getting away from the fact PXG clubs are no longer as bank balance breakingly expensive as they once were. In fact, given the hike in costs of the other premium golf brands, PXG clubs are almost in danger of entering the almost affordable’ category, well, in relative terms, at least.

THE PXG CUSTOM FITTING EXPERIENCE

Club fitting has come a long way in the near 20 years I’ve been in the golf industry. We don’t find the secret in the dirt anymore – it’s shown clearly to us on a projector screen. A launch monitor is essential for a proper club fitting. Having the data is one thing, but how to change the equipment to improve those numbers to create better performing golf equipment for a golfer is a whole other thing. The team at PXG understand the importance of personalised club fitting better than most.

PXG has its south-east fitting hub at the stunning new practice facility at The Drift Golf Club, near Leatherhead. With the black padded walls, I felt like I’d finally found the asylum for the golf insane, and in the best possible way, I probably had. Brandon Bassett was my PXG Master Fitter for the session. After enquiring what I wanted from a new set of clubs, and measuring my current equipment, we set to work.

My current irons are hot, but they are on the low side for spin and launch and I’m not consistent with them. Brandon hand me a PXG 0311 GEN6 P 6-iron and performance was night-and-day improved. Ball speed remained close, but launch and spin both went up. The irons had weaker lofts and ultimately didn’t fly as far as my current set, but this was actually a good thing. Raising the launch and spin would allow me to hit and hold greens far more often, and I’d only lost a few yards of total distance. My dispersion was also far tighter. Switching to firmer Aertotech Steelfiber i95s shaft helped me deliver the clubhead far more consistently to the ball. And while we did try other shafts, nothing came close to the performance of this combination.

An advantage PXG has over other brands is its ability to customise the swingweight the set with each iron featuring a large adjustable weight right in the centre of the head. It’s amazing how a tiny weight difference can help you deliver the club to the ball even more consistently.

Firstly, we tried a slightly heavier weight, and it threw off my timing. and when I say heavier, I’m talking just 2g. Next, we tried a lighter weight. Taking the irons down to a D0.6 swing weight, my ball speed went up and my strike got better. Along with adjusting the lie angle and length of the irons, you could hear the difference in the quality of the strike and consistency of the ball flight. With the irons dialled in we moved

over to the driver. In theory a longer driver shaft should help generate more clubhead speed. However, more clubhead speed doesn’t automatically translate into more ball speed. After some initial shots, Brandon gave me a 45-inch driver shaft to try, half-an-inch shorter than standard. I started hitting the ball straighter. I was also making better contact. And I actually started swinging the club faster, as I had more confidence.

Switching to a Project X HZRDUS RDX Smoke Blue shaft created even better launch conditions. And while we tried both models of driver head, the lowest spin of the standard 0311 GEN6 driver was better to maximise performance for my game. Some fine tuning of swing weight with an extra 2g in the heel, plus turning the loft down to 8.25° helped tune launch and spin. On average I was hitting the driver 15 yards further than my current driver, while hitting it straighter more consistently. Whether PXG equipment performs better than other brands is totally up for debate. However, the detailed nature of their fitting process definitely allows them to fine tune your custom fit to a much greater degree than most of their competitors. And that is more than half the battle.

PXG 0311 GEN6 IRONS

One of the other founding principles of PXG is that it won’t launch a new club unless it outperforms what came before. While this commitment puts a lot of pressure on the company’s R&D team, it also gives consumers the added confidence that they are not being sold a pipedream whenever PXG launches new a club.

PXG first burst onto the golf equipment scene with its show-stopping hollow bodied irons. The secret to PXG irons is they have the thinnest face in golf. So thin, in fact, that if they weren’t filled with XCOR2 polymer, the face would collapse on impact with your very first swing.

So, when I tell to you that the company’s new Gen6 irons are 15% thinner than any other iron PXG has created before – measuring just 1.27mm – then you know that they are thin, almost paper-like thin. And while that helps produce super high ball speeds off the face, the XCOR2 material in the head makes them feel as soft as a toasted marshmallow at impact. Power Channel milling in the back of the face helps transfer more energy, as well as raising launch angle and increasing ball speed on miss hits.

The 0311 irons feature a five-times forged body for a tighter grain structure for greater consistency and is also the only way to create the required head shape. While the hollow design helps bring the centre of gravity back for easier launch, PXG’s engineers have also left some mass at the top of the head to help improve MOI up and down the face on an iron design that is already built for forgiveness across the face. Some clever shaping keeps the irons looking slim at address.

While some boutique manufacturers extol the virtues of the craftsman at the grinding wheel, PXG has a very different outlook to the way their clubs are finished. As Mike Nicollete, Senior Club Designer at PXG, and a former PGA Tour winner, says: ‘If you hand polish, you’re at the discretion of how that polisher is feeling that day’. By going with a robotic method every club will be finished exactly the same and feature the same sole geometry.

The finishing touch to PXG irons are the adjustable weights. While tungsten weights in the heel and toe help with lowering the centre of gravity, it’s the adjustable centre weight that allows the fitter to fine tune swing weight. Getting that perfect swing weight for each golfer helps improve their timing and find the sweetspot more often.

Split into two models, the 0311P is for low to mid-handicap golfers looking for more power and forgiveness without sacrificing a classic look at address. The 0311XP is built for mid-to-high handicap golfers who are looking for more forgiveness and extra distance as well. RRP: £209 per club

To book a fitting with PXG or to find out about its complete range of equipment, visit pxg.com

■ DAN TALKS THROUGH THE NUMBERS WITH PXG’S EXPERT FITTER BRANDON BASSETT

■ PXG OFFERS CLUBHEADS TO SUIT ALL LEVELS OF GOLFERS WHICH CAN THEN BE DIALLED IN AT A FITTING

■ DAN’S SHOT DISPERSION TIGHTENED SIGNFICANTLY WITH AN EXPERT FITTING

CELEBRATING ODYSSEY MONTH

Odyssey dominates putter usage on tour and is the clear #1 with club golfers as well. Jon Rahm’s Masters victory has been the exclamation point on a dominant start to the season from Odyssey. But how did they get to this point?

Odyssey was founded in 1991 and first came to the market with a range of milled mallet putters. But it wasn’t until it came out with the Dual Force line in 1996, featuring a Stronomic onsert, that golfers really started paying attention.

The putter’s legendary status was confirmed when Nick Faldo won the 1996 Masters using an Odyssey Rossie 2. Overnight, Odyssey received over 30,000 orders and went from a niche manufacturer to the next big thing. By using an insert, designers were able to make the putters more forgiving by redistributing weight, but the added bonus was the soft feel.

White Hot was the next blockbuster for Odyyssey. The White Hot insert has gone on to be the most successful insert in golf, being used by countless pros both on Callaway’s tour staff and across the world’s tours. Despite many technological advances throughout the years, it’s the White Hot that tour players keep

ODYSSEY TIMELINE

1991: Odyssey Golf was founded. The original putters had no inserts and were made from Stronomic metal

coming back to, so much so that Odyssey reintroduced it into its putters in 2021.

Over the years the brand has brought many models to market. What we really appreciate is that Odyssey has never been afraid to experiment. The 2-Ball was ground-breaking when it first launched, and it went on to become one of the biggest-selling putters of all time. But do you remember Backstryke, with its shaft connecting to the rear of the putter head? Or Toe-Up , which is balanced, as the name suggests, toe up? Or the Flip Face with its double-sided insert to be changed depending on how fast the greens are that day? Probably not, because they weren’t huge successes. But it’s great to swing for the fences and innovate in a product category that can be quite reserved.

In 2016, Odyssey acquired Toulon Design. While it had produced fully-milled, non-insert putters before, the Toulon purchase gave them a foothold in the market. It also gave Odyssey an option

1996: Nick Faldo wins

The Masters with a Dual Force Rossie 2 putter.

Odyssey get 30,000 putter orders

without an insert and has proven popular with Callaway’s worldwide tour staff. They’ve also been able to mill modern, high MOI designs for a fantastic feel that are still easy to use.

Of the many stats I found researching this article, the fact that half of all the scores of 59 or better on the PGA and LPGA Tour were completed with the help of an Odyssey putter, is the one that really stands out. Only 12 players have signed for that career-defining score, and six of them were with an Odyssey putter.

This year the Odyssey line-up is made up of three legendary returning lines, – White Hot OG, Tri-Hot 5K, and White Hot Versa, plus Toulon Design. By embracing the past and reimagining it for 2023, Odyssey has its most comprehensive range of putters ever. With Rahm holing the winning putt at Augusta with a White Hot OG Rossie, it’s a lovely callback to the Faldo victory that set the ball rolling for them to become the #1 putter in golf.

1997: Bought by Callaway 2000: Odyssey launch the White Hot Insert, using the same urethane material as a

#1 PUTTER IN WINS IN 2023

# 1 PUTTER ON EVERY TOUR IN 2022

# 1 PUTTER IN WINS IN 2022

# 1 PUTTER ON TOUR FOR LAST 12 YEARS

# 1 PUTTER IN GLOBAL TOP 10S IN 2022

# 1 PUTTER IN GOLF

2001: Annika

Sornestam shoots the only 59 in LPGA Tour history using an Odyssey Dual Force Rossie 2

2001: The Iconic 2-Ball was released

2001: Paul Lawrie was the first winner with the 2-Ball at the Dunhill Links in

2007: The #7 is released and becomes

ODYSSEY ICON’S

ROSSIE 2

The one that started it all when the brand was still trying to make a name for itself. Nick Faldo reeled in Greg Norman at Augusta in 1996 using the Odyssey Rossie 2. And it was that victory that sent Odyssey off to the races, with 30,000 orders overnight. With its symmetrical half-moon shape, the Rossie 2 is a small mallet by modern standards, but its looks were palatable for players who have had more success using a blade in the past. One of the unsung features on most versions of the Rossie 2 is the alignment aids on the top line and the flange. Aligning both together ensures your putter lie is consistent shot after shot. A slightly modified version is in the bag of world #1 and Masters champion Jon Rahm.

#7

As a company, you’ve created the most iconic mallet putter shape of all time. How do you follow it up? With the second-most iconic mallet putter shape. While it’s officially a #7, most people call this shape the ‘Fang’, for its resemblance to Dracula’s gnashers. In a lot of ways, it does a lot of the same things as the 2-Ball but inverses them. Two long, protruding fangs create a void a ball’s width apart that extend back around the same distance as two balls might. Where the weight is more centrally located with the 2-Ball, it is in the extreme heel and toe of the #7. And while the 2-Ball inspired other putter designs, competitors have been much more blatant in taking the theme of the #7 to their respective brands.

2008: Colin

Montgomerie won

2010: Stuart Appleby shot a 59 using an Odyssey White Hot XG 330 at the Greenbriar

ODYSSEY 2-BALL

Odyssey’s most iconic design, the 2-Ball has remained a staple since it first appeared on tour in 2001. By utilising two ball-sized discs on the top of the head for alignment, the putter is for many far simpler to line up than a putter with lines. While many putters have been inspired by the 2-Ball, none have captured the magic of the putter that started the wholesale move from blade putters to mallets at every level of the game. There has been a myriad of variations released since its inception, from different inserts, necks, head shapes and even the admittedly less successful 3-Ball. Odyssey has sold millions of 2-Ball putters since its inception, and it’s safe to say they will sell millions more.

STROKE LAB SHAFT

2016: Acquired Toulon Design, experts in milled putters

DOUBLE WIDE

Maybe not as iconic as the 2-Ball, nor as recognisable as the Rossie 2, but the Odyssey Double Wide is an absolute mainstay of the line-up. With Anser-style blades, such as the Odyssey #1 and Toulon Madison and San Diego, still incredibly popular on tour, it’s easy to be tempted by the traditional shaping. but they aren’t as easy to use as a modern, high MOI putter. Enter the Double Wide. Featuring a bladestyled head, but with a double-width front to back, it increases forgiveness, it’s easy to align, while retaining that classic appeal behind the ball.

WHITE HOT INSERT

We know it’s not a putter design, but with the Stroke Lab putter shaft Odyssey has changed the game when it comes to finding that extra percentage to improve your putts. The composite graphite and steel shaft design does a bunch of things that help improve your stroke. Modern putters have got heavier in the head for more forgiveness at the detriment of feel. The Stroke Lab improves the balance of the putter by lightening the overall weight, and then concentrating that weight towards the head and the butt of the shaft. This rebalancing gives the modern putters more feel. Secondly its stiffer. By making the shaft stiffer the putter head is delivered more consistently to help you hole more putts. Introduced in 2019, no one takes a second glance at a graphite shaft in a putter now, because Odyssey has made it ubiquitous.

Again not a putter, but the insert that really solidified Odyssey’s position as the #1 putter in golf. Ely Callaway wanted an insert that felt like a golf ball. So Callaway engineers made an insert out of urethane, using the same material as the cover of Callaway’s Rule 35 golf balls at the time. While it feels incredibly soft, it also has better energy return properties than Callaway’s original Stronomic insert so it rolls off the speed to a similar pace as a milled face putter. Despite many technical improvements to Odyssey putter inserts over the years, tour players still preferred the White Hot insert. In 2021 Odyseey returned it to the line in the Odyssey White Hot OG line. Now, 23 years later, it still performs.

2016: Jim Furyk shoots a 58 using an Odyssey Versa Wide #1 at The Travellers Championship, three years after shooting

2017: Adam Hadwin shoots 59 using an Odyssey Tank Cruiser V Line at the CareerBuilder Challenge

2018: Brandt Snedker shoots a 59 using an Odyssey White Hot XG Rossie

Four putters and two technologies that have changed the face of putting. One of them literally.

2 at the Wyndham Championship

2021: Odyssey bring back the iconic White

2021: Phil Mickelson wins his 6th major and

ODYSSEY GET WHITE HOT WITH THE VERSA

Odyssey has released the White Hot Versa line of putters ten years after it originally released Versa. Why have they done it and what has changed? Dan Owen finds out

PHIL KENYON TOUR PUTTING GURU

World-renowned putting expert Phil Kenyon explains why he is such a big fan of of Odyssey’s new Versa line.

“Versa, for me, was a gamechanger when it came around the first time. The unique alignment approach really allowed people a different frame of reference on their alignment which helped them align more accurately.

Odyssey has been on a roll revisiting classic product lines and updating them with modern technology. First, the reintroduction of the legendary White Hot insert brought a focus back on feel, and then the updated Tri-Hot 5K line showcased how Odyssey can maximise putter forgiveness. Bringing back the Versa rounds out the trio, and this time it concentrates on improving alignment.

“One of the things that we know is that golfers struggle with their alignment, but we know that one of the best ways that we can help players get better more quickly is if they can aim more consistently,” says Luke Williams, senior director of product for Odyssey. “They’re just

going to be better putters. They are going to have a better chance of starting the ball on their intended line and assuming they can read their putts, of making more putts.”

On a ten-foot putt, one degree off with your alignment will miss the hole. The high contrast alignment technology highlights the proper face angle from address to impact, allowing you to keep the putter aligned throughout the putting stroke. The black and white contrast lets your eyes key in on the linear designs while highlighting face angle, for a design that can benefit any level of player.

While some golfers benefit from perpendicular lines in their alignment, as Phil Kenyon has found, the parallel lines created by the

THE FIVE MODELS

67% of golfers aim the putter better with a Versa putter.

73% of golfers are more consistent with their face angle at impact.

contrasting black and white portions in Versa really help golfers who focus on lining up the putter face.

Williams adds: “As soon as we signed Phil Kenyon as an ambassador he almost immediately asked us to bring back Versa because for some players that he works with, whether they’re tour players or average golfers, it’s the best alignment system period. It doesn’t matter what else we’ve brought out we can’t beat it for certain players.”

Sean Toulon, General Manager of Odyssey Golf, explains: “When you use a Versa putter, and the putter is misaligned by only a degree or two, it’s really obvious. It’s great for players, but especially coaches as it’s so easy to see when the putter is aimed incorrectly.”

Odyssey has focused on five key head designs that complement Versa technology. These aren’t just the same as the original Versa putters, they are the first Versa models to feature the White Hot insert. They also come standard with a Stroke Lab shaft and adjustable weighting. All models retail for £279.

Three T is a modern small mallet, featuring a slant neck for golfers with an arc stroke.

mallet built for forgiveness and ease of use. It’s available in face-balanced and slant-neck options.

Twelve is a new head design inspired by the Seven with a filled central section.

This is the one model that uses the Versa 90 perpendicular alignment. It’s available in face-balanced, centre-shafted, and slant-neck options.

Removing the lines from the putter, and creating a different visual, can be really powerful for certain players. Odyssey Golf changed the game when they created the Versa. I see the Versa style so beneficial for lots of players.

Versa is going to help a lot of people. Alignment is so important. A lot of people automatically think that by adding lines to a putter it’s going to help them in their alignment. Often it can make it worse.

The Versa range adds an extra dimension to any fitting for me now because we’ve got this perpendicular feature. The high-contrast band, when you put that putter down for a lot of people that is going to stand out more in this axis rather than when you’ve got additional sight lines. A lot of people naturally square the putter better when they’re using more of a perpendicular reference, whether you’re using a line on the ball or a blank golf ball.

I’ll see a lot of players who would have a left-aim bias. As soon as they use Versa itcan correct that bias, so it can dial in alignment quickly. It’s a great option obviously you’ve got different head shapes but the common feature is this high contrast Black and White Band because with this, for many players it’s a lot easier to align than a line or a dot. I notice it with a hell of a lot of players on tour. I know myself, I’ll align poorly, but when I use a Versa my alignment improves.”

One is the traditional blade style still preferred by many on tour.

gains in distance with added forgiveness.

These award-winning clubs were recently put through their paces in Today’s Golfer’s ‘Most Forgiving Golf Irons 2023: Best for High Handicaps’ testing, and ranked number one in distance dropoff, reaffirming the forgiving nature of these clubs.

The reviewer said: “Eleven produced masses of spin and height; exactly what slow speed players need to hit irons effectively. For our pro that meant it produced the shortest carry distance of our test, but that wouldn’t be the case at slower speeds. Throw into the mix the model offering up the smallest ball speed difference between on and off-centre hits, the smallest carry distance dropoff (nine yards) and hitting shots into our smallest dispersion area (184.5 square yards), and the idea warrants serious investigation if it fits your game.”

Eleven Golf Hybrids are available 5-PW in regular and senior graphite shafts from £420 for the set, and as individual clubs from £75 per club. To place your order now, visit www.elevengolf.com.

TAKE YOUR GAME TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH ELEVEN GOLF HYBRIDS

Hybrids have long been widely available as a replacement for hard-to-hit long irons, but Eleven Golf has taken the revolutionary step of replacing the whole iron set of irons with hybrids.

Eleven Golf’s inception was brought about with one goal in mind – to provide the best game improvement iron in golf.

While hybrid irons aren’t for everyone, Eleven Golf firmly believe that if your game needs improvement, and your swing speed is slipping away, these are the irons for you. They offer the benefits of having higher launch angle, higher peak height, a steeper descent with a softer landing, resulting in tangible

ECCO FRESHENS UP S-THREE RANGE

ECCO has updated its popular S-Three shoe with host of new colours and closure options, as well as redesigned tongue that is thinner, lighter, and more fitted to the wearer’s foot.

SHOT SCOPE CLOCKS UP NEW GPS WATCH

Shot Scope’s all-new X5 GPS watch is probably the first model that you could conceivably consider wearing off the golf course thanks to a significant design upgrade.

The feature-packed watch records every shot hit on the course via new and improved tracking tags and features a full-colour touchscreen and ceramic bezel. With access to over 100 performance statistics, the X5 offers front, middle and back distances to all greens, hazards and doglegs on 36,000 preloaded courses worldwide. Green view technology has evolved to display the shape of the green and allows the pin to be dragged and dropped to the show the correct location for the day.

With a new digital scorecard function, players can now keep track of their scores, while Shot Scope’s power-sense technology works behind-the-scenes to ensure that the X5 accurately tracks every shot, allowing golfers to play uninterrupted. Available in seven colour combinations – including black, grey, blue and white, the X5 has an RRP of £279.99.

KBS SWINGS INTO GRAPHITE PUTTER SHAFT MARKET

Graphite putter shafts have blown up over the last few years. Odyssey players on tour have made the Stroke Lab shaft a staple that is seen week in week out on tours worldwide, while the BGT Stability and LA Golf putter shafts have also become sought-after options.

The KBS GPS is a low-torque shaft designed to minimise the deflection produced by traditional steel putter shafts on longer putts. Kim Braly, Director of R&D at KBS, explains the idea behind the new shaft. “The GPS is stiff without adding increased weight as graphite putter shafts can help the face from turning when a putt is struck toward the heel or toe. That will increase any putter’s moment of inertia making putting more controlled on miss-hits.”

The shafts are available in eight colours through KBS’s Custom Plus department and will retail for around £140. For more details, visit www.kbsshafts.com.

As with the original model, the S-Three features a moulded midsole which offers three distinct zones of softness. The heel is engineered for medium softness to ensure the right amount of cushioning and comfort, while the central part has higher levels of rigidity to enhance lateral stability throughout the swing, while the forefoot section is the softest of the three zones for increased walking comfort.

The shoe’s uppers are made from thicker leather which are fully waterproof and feature breathable GORE-TEX technology that keeps feet dry and comfortable in all conditions. A double layer of neoprene in the collar and heel provides increased padding, while the midsole features an internal reinforcement system that connects the midsole to the lace section of the shoe to provide extra stability. The outsole features more than 100 traction bars and 800 traction angles for excellent grip in all playing conditions.

With an RRP of £180, the S-Three will be available in 13 colours across the men’s and women’s collections. Both feature the BOA Fit lacing options.

■ ELEVEN GOLF HYBRIDS ARE DESIGNED TO HELP SLOWER SWINGERS REGAIN LOST DISTANCE THROUGH THE BAG

BLUE TEES SERIES 3 MAX RANGEFINDER

£199,

SKYMAXSPORT.COM

MGP NUTRITION BARS

£22 PER BOX OF 12, MGPNUTRITION.COM

This new protein energy bar is designed to provide golfers with a delicious and nutritious snack to fuel their performance on the golf course. The Apple & Cinnamon Protein Bar is made with plant-based protein, jumbo oats, juicy raisins and warm cinnamon to provide golfers with sustained energy throughout their round. The bar is also low in sugar, making it a healthy snack option for golfers of all levels.

SRIXON ZX UTILITY £229, EU.DUNLOPSPORTS.COM

Higher-lofted fairway woods, expecially 5-woods, have become massively popular on tour, while many club golfers enjoy hitting hybrids. But for some golfers, they need more help than a long iron, but need to hit it on a flat controlled trajectory. The Srixon ZZ Mk II utility is the perfect option. A hollow, iron-like design features a fast forged SUP10 face that brings metalwood-like ball speed, while the forged steel body allows it to be bent for loft and lie to fit with your irons.

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR PRO SHOP

Laser rangefinders have traditionally been pricey affairs, but Blue Tees are offering a great option at a fraction of the price of some other brands, without skimping on the tech. 7X magnification helps you find your target from long range, while Adaptive Slope helps account for any changes in elevation, but can be turned off for tournament play. Active Flag Lock quickly locks onto the actual target. It comes with three batteries in the box, as well as being available in a selection of four colours – white, pink, navy blue and black.

CLEVELAND CBX FULL-FACE 2 WEDGE

£159,

EU.DUNLOPSPORTS.COM

We aren’t all tour players, yet most of the wedges club golfers play are the same unforgiving, bladed wedges used by the world’s best. Cleveland recognised that most golfers actually need some more help with forgiveness around the green. Featuring tour proven tech such as HydraZip milling, ZipCore to aid forgivness, and UltiZip grooves, the CBX2s feature an oversized cavity back design that offer plenty of forgiveness. Wider soles help with the dreaded fat shot, while the high toe full face grooves help shots hit across the whole face.

Golf News Equipment Editor Dan Owen offers the inside track on the latest golf gear

PING G430 LST

£575, EU.PING.COM

One of the hottest drivers on tour this year, the G430 LST is the low spin offering in the G430 family, and features a Carbonfly Wrap, a lightweight composite that covers the crown and wraps into the head to save weight and lower the CG for more ball speed, less spin and higher MOI. The smaller 440cc head features an adjustable weight to help fine tune shot direction. It might just be the best-feeling PING driver ever as well.

PAYNTR X 004 RS SPIKED

£169.99, PAYNTR.COM

Originating as a cricket brand, Payntr expanded into golf a couple of years ago and have created some of the comfiest golf shoes we’ve ever tried. This is their first spiked model, featuring the latest Softspikes Tour Flex Pro spikes for the ultimate on-course traction, while the carbon fibre propulsion plate helps golfers maximise ground forces to generate more clubhead speed.

ORIGINAL PENGUIN ALL OVER ORIGINAL CHECK

PRINT POLO

£55, ORIGINALPENGUIN.CO.UK

BETTINARDI QUEEN B

£429, BETTINARDI.CO.UK

Milled at its Chicago headquarters, Bettinardi putters are known for their craftmanship and are used by US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick among many others on tour. This Queen B 15 model is a unique take on the traditional shape, a touch smaller heel to toe, but with a wider blade. The Mini Honeycomb face is the softest honeycomb design Bettinardi has milled while the Caramel Copper PVD finish is gorgeous.

TAYLORMADE STEALTH 2 PLUS FAIRWAY WOODS

£379, TAYLORMADEGOLF.CO.UK

Adjustable golf clubs are nothing new, but we’ve never seen a club with this much adjustable weight in the head. This is the closest we’ve got to transforming golf club! A 50g sliding weight moves from front-to-back, which totally changes the launch and spin of the head. Place it forward for low spinning bombs and put it in the back of the head if you need your 3-wood to launch high and land soft. A 2-degree adjustable hosel helps dial in launch and spin even further. And did I mention the titanium face and carbon crown?

MOTOCADDY PRO-SERIES CART BAG

£220, MOTOCADDY.COM

Bringing some BBC Test Card feels to the fairways, we accept that this is a love it or loathe it polo shirt. We’re on the side of love, but we do recommend you bring your A game to the course when you wear it if you want to avoid sledging. The moisture-wicking shirt features at least 30% recycled polyester, so you not only look good on the course, but you’re doing your bit for the planet as well.

PXG XTREME GOLF BALLS

£44.99 PER DOZEN, PXG.COM

PXG Xtreme golf balls are designed to offer a combination of explosive distance and control, which the company says has been achieved through a three-piece construction, featuring a high COR polybutadiene core, a firm ionomer mantle layer, and a soft urethane outer cover. The dimple pattern is engineered to maximize distance with the driver while producing a high trajectory with optimal spin with irons and wedges, while an alignment aid helps players line up their ball on the green.

If you use an electric trolley, we highly recommend using a bag that’s fit for purpose rather than just using a stand bag. Take this latest Pro Series model from Motocaddy. It looks great and can colour co-ordinate with your trolley. It has plenty of storage, plus a jumbo putter well to help find your putter quickly. But most importantly, it features the brand’s EASILOCK system that locks it in place securely on a Motocaddy trolley without the need for another strap.

FOOTJOY HYPERFLEX CARBON

£189.99, FOOTJOY.CO.UK

Is this the best-looking athletic golf shoe FootJoy has ever made? I think so, and I love the blue and pink colour pops. The Hyperflex Carbon is designed for stability and comfort. The carbon plate maximises stability during the swing. The two layers of foam in the midsole offer walking comfort while helping with swing stability. The knit upper features a bootie construction with a padded heel, keeping your foot feeling secure throughout the swing.

G/FORE MG42X

£190, GFORE.CO.UK

Always at the cutting edge of golf fashion, G/Fore’s M442X model looks as good off the course as it does off it. The stretch knit upper is both breathable and waterproof and is designed to move in all the right places, while the chunly sawtooth sole provides your swing the traction it needs in all underfoot conditions. G/FORE’s triple density foam footbed feels like nothing else I’ve tested out of late, massaging your feet as you walk the course.

UNDER ARMOUR CHARGED PHANTOM SL

£100, UNDERARMOUR.COM

This latest model from Under Armour introduces the Phantom, Under Armour’s most popular trainer, into the golfing realm for the first time. The Charged cushioning in the midsole proves a soft, but stable base to swing from while the bootie design gives a sock-like fit. Directional rubber nubs provide plenty of traction while still enabling the wearer to move seamlessly from course to clubhouse.

CALLAWAY LUX

£180, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM

A stunning throwback design, with stylish modern touches, the Callaway Lux boasts full leather uppers, a rarity in modern golf shoes, and is lined with the same cabretta leather as the finest golf gloves for a beautiful soft feel. The Crush Foam midsole provides shock absorption and energy return to keep you feeling tip-top though from the first tee shot until sinking your last putt, while Ortholite moulded footbed is ultra-comfortable, anti-microbial and machine washable. Offered in black, white and white/navy.

ADIDAS ZG23

£160, ADIDAS.CO.UK

ZG stands for Zero Gravity, and while the ZG23s are one of the lightest golf shoes out there, you certainly won’t be in danger of floating into space should you put them on. The ZG23 boasts Lightstrike foam – borrowed from adidas’s running and basketball shoes – that features a lightweight foam midsole that is firm for stability during the swing, while a softer foam provides added comfort when roaming the fairways. The outsole features six traditional spikes as well as plenty of secondary traction in the form of lugs placed between the spikes.

SOLE PROVIDERS

Equipment Editor Dan Owen checks out the latest performance footwear to keep you comfy on the course this season

NEW BALANCE CONTEND

£124.99, AMERICANGOLF.CO.UK

New Balance are new to the UK market this season and are exclusively available at American Golf. The Contend is designed to be one of its most comfortable models in the range. The Fresh Foam midsole, inspired by NB’s running shoes, provides plush, cloud-like comfort on the course. The unique geometric pattern alters in size, providing perimeter stability to support the foot during the rotational forces of the golf swing.

ECCO BIOM H4

£190, ECCO.COM

The BIOM Hybrid range has long been the Danish footwear brand’s most popular golf shoe. The H4 has been updated this season, with some refinements to the design to make one of the most comfortable shoes in golf feel even better. A reworked toe produces a slimmer look on foot, while a new tongue is designed for greater comfort. Importantly, the BIOM H4 continues to use the BIOM 2.0 last, which is designed allow your foot to move naturally while remaining close to the ground.

CUATER THE RINGER

£150, EU.TRAVISMATHEW.COM

Cuater isn’t a footwear brand everyone may have seen just yet, but if they are good enough for Jon Rahm, then they should be good enough you. Designed with a clean, simple look, the Ringer is designed for comfort with its Sweetspot foam cushioning enhancing in-shoe comfort as well providing a springy platform on which to traverse the fairways. Boasting waterproof and breathable uppers and Softspikes Pivix cleats all-round grip, they are offered in white, navy and black.

SURF 'N' TURF

DAYTONA BEACH – EVERY GOLFER'S MUST-VISIT DESTINATION

RAS AL KHAIMAH WHERE GOLF MEETS MIDDLE EASTERN ADVENTURE

ME & MY TRAVELS WITH STRICTLY’S ANTON DU BEKE

TRAVEL NEWS

MAKE A DATE WITH DAYTONA BEACH

1TEE TIME TEMPERATURES

Florida is home to over a thousand golf courses, so deciding where to play in the Sunshine State can be challenging to say the least, but Daytona Beach has risen to the top of the list of golf destinations for true lovers of the game.

The Central Florida hotspot has everything UK golfers are looking for in an international destination. For starters, Daytona Beach is home to LPGA International, one of the state’s agship 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 o the course equals the quality of its golf o erings. From Daytona International Speedway to the ‘World’s Most Famous Beach’, Daytona Beach is full of eco, highadventure 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 golfers and non-golfers alike.

With a wide choice of international airports to y 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 ve reasons Daytona Beach should be part of your itinerary.

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 ve months are: 20°c (January), 21.6° (February), 23.8° (March), 26° (April) and 29° (May).

2PERFECT PLAYING CONDITIONS

Daytona Beach’s mild winters weather does more than guarantee playing in short sleeves – it also ensures the golf courses are great shape throughout the year, meaning players don’t have to fret about conditions, with the greens running fast and true and pristine fairways where the ball sits up perfectly and ready to be hit – although in which direction is up to you!

With dozens of world class golf courses, a vibrant nightlife, waterfront dining, great shopping – and not forgetting that famous car race – there’s something for everyone in daytona beach

■ DAYTONA BEACH IS BLESSED WITH MILES OF UNSPOILT WHITE SANDY BEACHES

■ THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY AND ITS FAMOUS NASCAR RACES IS A MUST-VISIT FOR ALL PETROL-HEAD GOLFERS

3QUALITY IN QUANTITY

At the heart of any golf trip is the on-course experience. The Daytona Beach area is home to nearly 20 layouts that deliver superb quality, undeniable value and unparalleled playing conditions – the holy trinity on a golf trip leader’s checklist. LPGA International, home of the Jones and Hills courses, leads the way, but Spruce Creek Country Club, home of the nation’s largest private y-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.

4FLY ‘N’ DRIVE!

Daytona Beach is easily accessible via car, directly o Interstate 95 and Interstate 4, or from ights 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.

5THE NEED FOR SPEED

Throughout February, Daytona Beach will be in the news as the region gears up for ‘The Great American Race’, the Daytona 500, a 200-lap showdown that tees o NASCAR’s season and is one of the biggest sporting events of the year. 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 world’s premier’s stock car race brings even more life to an already vibrant destination. Fans of that other popular form of motorsport, Formula 1, can also get their x in Florida this year, with the Grand Prix circuit coming to Miami’s International Autodrome from May 4-7.

OFF-COURSE ACTIVTIES

The main event of a golf getaway may seem fairly obvious, but what happens o 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 nding a way to ll 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.

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

With plenty of oceanfront accommodation options, and over 10 beachfront parks, along

SPECIAL GOLF HOLIDAY PACKAGE

7 nights’ B&B in a twin/double room at Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort • Return BA ights to Orlando from the UK • 3 rounds of golf • 18 holes at LPGA International, Rees Jones Signature Course • 18 holes at LPGA International, Arthur Hills Signature Course • 18 holes at Victoria Hills.

Prices from £1,349pp (depending on travel date).

For more details visit yourgolftravel.com or call 0800 043 6644.

DAYTONA

23 miles of beautiful coastline, you’ll nd a variety of options and activities to have an amazing beach day with all the family in Daytona Beach. 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 o the beach, too. Daytona Beach is an international destination, attracting visitors to attend NASCAR races and take a drive on the area’s famed beaches.

10 COURSES TO PLAY IN DAYTONA

LPGA INTERNATIONAL features the Hills Course and the Jones Course. Named after their two designers, Arthur Hills and Rees Jones, the LPGA International has been the home course and headquarters of the LPGA Tour since 1994, when the Jones was built. While the 7,025-yard Jones will appeal to big-hitting fans of links golf, as well as testing your wedge play on the small, circular greens, the slightly shorter Hills provides a classically Floridian wetland and pine-forested examination.

DAYTONA BEACH GOLF CLUB is located less than a mile from the beach, Daytona Beach GC also o ers two courses, the South and the North. The former is an original Donald Ross design and is one of the oldest layouts in the region, having rst opened in 1921. Built on largely at and open land, most holes are quite straight and bunkerless, giving it a decidedly old-fashioned feel, while the North Course, which was redesigned in 1990s, o ers a more tree-lined, dog-leg experience, with ponds and prominent bunkering. Both are short by modern standards, at under 6,300 yards, but are no less enjoyable for it.

RIVIERA COUNTRY CLUB is not to be confused the club of the same name in Los Angeles, Daytona Beach’s Riviera Country Club rst opened as a nine-hole course in 1930s, before expanding to the 18 holes in the 1950s. Although given several facelifts since, the family-owned club prides itself on the presentation of its beautifully-

manicured, parkland-style championship course, which o ers ideal holiday golf in stunning surroundings.

The Club at Pelican Bay o ers 27 holes divided among the Club, Pelican and Bay nines. Making the most of the natural landscape, including the lakes and ponds, while o ering sculptured fairways, elevated tees and other visually appealing elements, golfers enjoy warm Gulf breezes and the sight of shorebirds such as pelicans and herons, as they go about their rounds.

A 30-year-old Arthur Hills design, which was tweaked in 2015, CYPRESS HEAD weaves its way through a mixture of woodland, wetland and small lakes, with many of the latter hazards lurking alongside the subtly undulating greens. Bunkering is kept to a minimum, ensuring approach shots aren’t too tricky, although light mounding provides welcome de nition to the fairways. Highlights include the back-to-back par3s at 6 and 7, and the par-4 14th, which curves around a large pond, with water a constant threat for anything hit left.

CRANE LAKES underwent a redesign to its 18-hole course in 2014, as it installed Bermuda grass to the greens. The 5,186-yard layout features eight par3s, eight par-4s and just two par-5s.

SPRUCE CREEK was built around an aircraft landing strip used by the US Navy during World War II, golfers playing Spruce Creek are still likely to get buzzed by private aircraft taking o and landing at this y-in community, especially around the 8th and 9th holes, adding an adrenaline rush to your quest to nish the front nine in style. The two attish

■ VICTORIA HILLS SHOULD BE ON YOUR CHECK LIST OF COURSES TO PLAY IN THE DAYTONA BEACH AREA

loops weave their way gently through a residential community, which is largely hidden behind tree-lined fairways, while a high number of small lakes and ponds ensure you need to pick your way carefully around the course to avoid a re-stocking trip to the pro shop.

Nestling alongside the Bulow Creek and Ormond Tomb State Parks, HALIFAX PLANTATION’S 30-year-old course cuts a swathe through century-old oaks and tall pines. Featuring elevated tees and undulating, well-bunkered greens, the two nine-hole loops provide a constantly shifting backdrop as you progress through this attractive layout which forms part of a wider residential development.

Located three miles of the I4 between Orlando and Daytona Beach, DEBARY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB opened in 1990 and has hosted US Open Qualifying on several occasions, with its 6,776-yard layout proving a solid test for top-level golfers. With water only coming into play the 9th and 18th, and little in the way of rough, the course is otherwise defended by expansive bunkering and treelined fairways.

While proper hills are in short supply in this part of the world, VICTORIA HILLS de nitely has some gently rolling slopes. Occupying a wonderfully undulating, wooded terrain, the course has a very natural feel to it, with some swampy wetlands also adding to the interest, especially at the par-3 second. The nger-style bunkering also catches the eye, as it does golf balls, while natural sand areas and to the feeling of being at one with nature.

BEACH’S IDLLYIC WEATHER, OUTSTANDING GOLF COURSES AND WORLD-CLASS HOSPITALITY PROVIDES A COMPELLING MIX

■ DAYTONA BEACH BOASTS 37KM OF BEACHFRONT, INCLUDING DOZENS OF LUXURY HOTELS AND SUPERB RESTAURANTS

RAK-ING UP THE MEMORIES

Matt Nicholson enjoys a whistlestop tour of Ras Al Khaimah , the northern most region of the United Arab Emirates, which not only hosts a new tournament on the DP World Tour and is home to two world-class golf courses, but it is also proving an attractive destination for thrill seekers thanks to a range of outdoor experiences that are designed to set the pulses racing

Keen observers of the DP World Tour will most likely have noticed that Europe’s top tier tour takes in a quartet of Middle Eastern venues during the early part of the season. The European Tour, as it was once known, has been hosting events in Dubai for over 30 years, dating back to the first Desert Classic in 1989, but over the last decade or so the investment in golf has led to the Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman hosting tournaments on both the European and Challenge Tour, while the fast-growing Asian Tour is also expanding its horizons in this part of the world.

While Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been the frontrunners as far as tournament-hosting venues are concerned in the UAE, there is another Emirate just an hour’s drive north of Dubai that has recently joined the pro tour schedule. Ras Al Khaimah, which borders Oman, has lived in the shadow of

patch of grass.

Host of three Challenge Tour events between 2016-18, Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Hamra Golf Club first joined the DP World Tour’s schedule in 2022, when it was given the rare honour of hosting back-toback events in February due to the cancellation of the Qatar Masters due to Covid restrictions. First staging the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, and then having just enough time to roll the greens and repair the divots for the following week’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic, both tournaments were well supported by members of the tour, with Ryder Cup hopeful Nicolai Hojgaard winning the Championship and rising Kiwi star Ryan Fox taking the spoils in the Classic.

My trip coincided with Al Hamra’s hosting of the 2023 Ras Al Khaimah Championship, which also attracted a decent field, with both Fox and Hojgaard back to defend their honours, while a whole host of stars, including former Ryder Cup player Thorbjorn Olesen and three-time major champion and former Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington, were also in the starting line-up.

For the duration of our trip we stayed in the fivestar Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, which is just a drive and a pitching wedge from the golf club, and also happened to be where the players were being hosted, so it was quite something to not only be invited to attend the preevent party with all the players, but also to sit down at breakfast every day and be surrounded by golfing greats. Taking a courtesy buggy to the course on practice days I shared a ride with Thomas Bjorn and Padraig Harrington at separate times, which is not something you get to do a most tournaments! I was also lucky enough to be invited to play in the Pro-Am for the event, and was paired with

rising German star Yannik Paul, who was not only great fun to play with but also a seriously good ball striker. Our group enjoyed a memorable round on Al Hamra’s excellent course, which, as you’d expect for a Tour-level venue managed by Troon Golf, was presented in superb condition.

First opened in 2008, Al Hamra was designed by Peter Harradine, who is responsible for many of the Middle East’s top tracks, including the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Located on a largely flat swathe of land, the holes are laid out around a series of lagoons, and as such water features heavily on many of them, most notably either side of the fairway on the par-5 third. The 6th and 7th are the first two ‘dry holes’ – a strong par 4 and a lovely short hole, and these opening seven, along with 17 and 18, also have floodlights for evening golf and make a perfect 9-hole loop.

A very long par 5 and a maximum-distance par -4 take you to the turn before the back nine begins with a trio of very scary holes. The 10th and 12th are probably the two hardest par 4s on the course, both with greens perilously close to the lagoon, and they sandwich a very scenic par 3 with

a green that juts out into the water. There is some respite from the water over the next five holes and hopefully the chance to pick up a shot or two on the card. The round finishes with the extremely intimidating par five, where water threatens all the way down the right side of the hole to the very edge of the triple-tiered green. It reminded me of a mirror image of Pebble Beach’s 18th, where water is omnipresent down the left.

Sadly, despite our best efforts, our group didn’t win any prizes, but we thoroughly enjoyed the day. Yannik just missed the cut in the main tournament, but has since gone on to finish second in events in India and Thailand, and is riding high in the DP World Tour rankings, so thankfully his time with me didn’t harm his future prospects!

I spent the next two days shipping back and forth on the shuttle between the luxurious surroundings of the Waldorf Astoria and the golf course, watching the pros in action. If you’ve not been to a tournament before, or even if you have,

STAY

Rooms at the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah start from £217 per night. For bookings, visit hilton.com

PLAY

Al Hamra Golf Club, Green fees from £110 for 18 holes, alhamragolf.com

Tower Links Golf Club, Green Fees from £70 for 18 holes, towerlinks.ae

ATTRACTIONS

Check out all the adventures and attractions at rasalkhaimah.com

FLY Emirates offers flights from the UK to Dubai International Airport (emirates.com).

From there it’s an hour’s drive to Ras Al Khaimah

the players on such an intimate level.

England’s Dan Gavins won the event with a score of 17 under, and with the cut coming at 4 under, it shows just how good these guys are.

The Waldorf Astoria was none too shabby either, with 346 spacious and luxurious rooms and suites overlooking the Arabian Sea, eight stylish dining options, including a buffet and seafood, steak and Japanese restaurants, as well as a pool and beach bar. There are two big outdoor swimming pools and you’re less than a minute’s walk away from the 350-metre private beach overlooking the azure waters.

Being only an hour’s drive north of Dubai, you could easily slip in a game at Al Hamra and a stay at the Waldorf Astoria as part of an extended trip to the UAE, but I’d strongly advise giving over a couple of extra days to explore what this unique area has to offer. As well as another 18-hole championship course at nearby Tower Links Golf Club, there are lots of memorable activities to do in ‘RAK’, as it is known by Emiratis.

Among personal highlights was a trip to the nearby desert for a sunset dinner at the beautiful Sonara Camp. Located the heart of the sand dunes, it had everything you could ask for, including some fun activities to keep you entertained before dinner. Whether that be a short camel ride, feeding a falcon, sandboarding or live music - it had it all as you watched the sun go down. When the camp lit up it was time for a decadent three-course dinner, accompanied by some unique live entertainment including a captivating fire show and acrobatics. A Harvester this wasn’t.

While it was an extremely peaceful end to the night watching the sun setting over the dunes, the same couldn’t be said for the adrenaline-fuelled activities I experienced the next day. About an hour’s drive away from the Waldorf Astoria sits the spectacular Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the Hajar Mountain range which provides breathtaking views right from the very top. It’s also home to the world’s longest zipwire experience, and in the bus on the way over, our group began to sound a little nervous as what lay ahead of us came into view.

The zipline, Jais Flight, measures 1.8 miles from top to bottom – or rather side to side –soaring across the jagged mountain peaks and swooping through the deep ravines and roads below. Standing at the top platform, it’s certainly a daunting prospect, but it is simply an unmissable experience. If travelling horizontally in a tangerine jumpsuit while strapped to face down to a gurneystyle harness at speeds of up 80mph for almost three minutes is your idea of fun, then be my guest. It’s breathtaking in more ways the one, but once you get over that initial fear and open your eyes, the views across the vertiginous valleys are incredible, while the adrenalin rush is off the charts.

Once our heart rates had settled down and our stomachs returned to somewhere close to where they should normally be, we enjoyed a superb lunch at 1484 By Puro, a mountain-top restaurant named after its height in metres above sea level which offers more of those majestic views and some fabulous food – although I gave the oyster platter a miss while I waited for things to settle down in the tummy region.

As if the zipline wasn’t enough adrenaline for one day, after lunch was somewhat digested, it was time for the final activity, the Jais Sledder. It’s effectively a bobsled on a monorail that reaches speeds of 30-40mph – although it feels much faster as you’re sat so close to the ground – which hurtles you down the Hajar mountain range on a 1.8km winding track. While it may not be as heartpounding as the zipline, it’s still a definite must-do if you like seeing the whites of your knuckles as you hold on for dear life as your cart flies around hair-raising hairpins. And just like the zipline, it only takes a couple of minutes before it’s all over, but the memories will stay with you for far longer. One of the other fascinating experiences on my trip, although slightly less stressful than the high wire, was a visit to a local pearl farm. Located in the old fishing village of Al Rams, about 20 minutes from our hotel, we boarded a traditional pearl fishing boat and headed out into the lagoon to learn about the innovative scientific techniques used in modern-day cultured pearl farming and learn about how Emiratis used to dive for natural pearls. We explored the Suwaidi Pearl farmhouse, which was located on a floating pontoon, while our knowledge guide helped us to harvest a handful of oysters and opened them to find out whether there were any Arabian pearls inside –which there were! All told, it was a brilliant few hours on the water and an wonderful insight into a centuries old business that still thrives today in Ras Al Khaimah.

Although it has long been a popular weekend retreat for Dubai’s stressed-out citizens, ‘RAK’ looks destined to attract adventurous travellers from all over the world thanks to its unique combination of natural wonders and man-made excitements both on and off the golf course. And that looks sure to be fast-tracked by the imminent opening of a new island off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah. Due to open in 2026, the island will be one giant entertainment and hospitality complex operated by the Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, featuring a 1,000-room hotel, 10 restaurants, and, according to latest reports, the region’s first licensed casino. If that comes to fruition, it really will be a gamechanger for Ras Al Khaimah and its future on the world stage.

For more information on holidays to Ras Al Khaimah, check out visitrasalkhaimah.com

I’d strongly recommend coming to this event, as I’ve not been to one where you’re able to get closer to the action or where you can engage with

■ HIGH WIRE ACT: THE 1.8 MILE JAIS FLIGHT ZIPWIRE IS ONE OF THE MANY THRILLING EXPERIENCES ON OFFER TO VISITORS TO RAS AL KHAIMAH

■ MATT PLAYED ALONGSIDE RISING GERMAN STAR YANNIK PAUL IN THE PRO-AM AT THE RAS AL KHAIMAH CHAMPIONSHIP

IF YOU ENJOY TRAVELLING AT 80MPH ABOVE A DEEP RAVINE WHILE STRAPPED TO A GURNEY, THEN BE MY GUEST!

Thieves target unsuspecting golfers in Majorca

Golfers playing in Majorca are being warned to take extra care of their personal belongings after a spate of thefts from golf bags have been reported by golfers while playing rounds on the Spanish island.

According to reports in the local media, crooks are moving the cups to the edge of the greens on certain holes close to roads and fences in order to make it easier for them to steal golfer’s belongings without being seen and to make a quick escape.

The theft are said to be a ecting golf courses in and around the capital, Palma, as well as the municipality of Calvia, which includes Magaluf, Santa Ponsa and Andratx.

One popular golf club on the holiday island is putting clients on guard by handing out lea ets warning them to be on the lookout for thieves and to keep a close eye on their belongings while playing.

Thieves stole a £16,000 Swiss watch and more than £1,300 in cash from the bag of a distracted golfer earlier last month as he focused on his putt and took his eyes o his clubs and other belongings, according to local newspaper reports.

Vall d’Or Golf on the island’s east coast is handing out lea ets in Spanish, English, French and German to golfers before they start playing. It stated: “Dear clients, given the wave of thefts that are taking place in the golf courses of Majorca, we remind you to keep an eye on your belongings.”

Israel Rodriguez, director of the club, said: “It might not be a very commercial solution, but it’s been the most e ective because after the theft has taken place all we can do is advise victims that they should report it. Better to advise them before and not after they nd their watches and money has gone missing.”

Las Colinas is calling

Argentario tees up Ryder Cup course package

To celebrate the staging of the Ryder Cup in Italy for the very rst time, Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort has launched a range of special Ryder Cup stay-and-play packages for golfers that would like to play the host course at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club before or after the matches between Europe and the USA.

With the gol ng spotlight rmly on Italy in the build up to the match, which takes place from September 29 to October 1, Argentario is the ideal base from which to access the Marco Simone as it is just two hours away by car. And thanks to a partnership with its distinguished neighbour, guests staying at Argentario will be o ered a reduced green fee at the Marco Simone layout.

Prices start from €1,095 per person for a

ve-night stay in a double superior room, based on two people sharing, which includes B&B, three rounds of golf at Argentario, a welcome dinner and daily access to the Espace Wellness Centre. The packages are available from June until the end of October with some blackout dates before and during the staging of the Ryder Cup.

For those looking for a more exclusive experience, there are a collection of independent luxury villas overlooking the golf course available to rent that bene t from access to all the facilities and services on the ve-star property.

Argentario is 90 minutes by car from Rome Fiumicino Airport and two hours from Rome Ciampino Airport.

For bookings, call +39 0564 810292 or email booking@argentarioresort.it.

Clubstohire launches Race to Monte Rei

Clubstohire, the golf equipment rental company that has dozens of outlets across Europe, Africa and Asia, has launched a unique competition that is open to golf’s dedicated amateur enthusiasts.

Open to all golfers in possession of an o cial world handicap, Race to Monte Rei aims to reward players who manage to reduce their handicap by 10% from the time they enter the competition during the course of the year.

Of the players that achieve this impressive feat, just 12 names will be drawn at random to win a trip to Portugal in November to play at the magni cent Monte Rei Golf & Country Club near Faro, where the winners will be treated to round on the Algarve venue’s superb Jack Nicklaus designed championship course and an overnight stay at the club’s luxury on-site residences. The grand nalists will also be treated to a goodie bag, a pre-match breakfast, and will be invited to attend a post-golf gala dinner and prize giving ceremony. Flights to Faro are not included in the prize.

The competition is free to enter online and is open to all golfers who hold an o cial handicap. All entries must be submitted by September 30 and will be checked by the organisers with the golfer’s home club. Regular updates on quali ers will appear during the year.

To enter Race to Monte Rei, visit www.clubstohire.com. For more information, email therace@clubstohire.com.

Las Colinas Golf & Country Club, one of Continental Europe’s Top 100 golf courses, has unveiled a range of exclusive stay-andplay packages for golfers looking to escape to the Spanish Mediterranean coast.

From its privileged position just south of Alicante in the region of Valencia, the stunning resort provides a perfect combination of championship golf and rst-class leisure facilities.

The Troon-managed resort provide guests the opportunity to tailor their holidays to suit their requirements, with wide range of options are available incorporating golf and accommodation in the lavish self-catering apartments and villas, each sleeping from four to six people. A host venue for the European Tour Qualifying School, Las Colinas lies along a picturesque valley of citrus trees and Mediterranean woodland surrounded by hills, accessed through a spectacular canyon entrance. The practice facilities are also top class, with natural grass hitting areas, manicured putting green and short game area, which can be used to hit a complimentary pyramid of TaylorMade practice balls.

The sports facilities at Las Colinas include tennis and paddle courts, a gym, swimming pools, bicycle hire and a nature trail. Visitors also have access to the private beach club on the seafront at La Glea beach in Campoamor – a hideaway with in nity pool, sun loungers and café bar. For the full range of packages, visit lascolinasgolf.com.

Travel with

My earliest holiday memory is... going on long car journeys to Europe. My mum is Spanish and my father is Hungarian, so when we were young, we would take it in turns to visit their parents – one year to Galicia and the next to Budapest. The downside was the journey, in dad’s Vauxhall Viva, which could last for two days; on the plus side, we were staying in a foreign country with family. In those days not many people went to Hungary, which made it really exciting. These days they are both reachable via short flights, which makes life a lot easier.

My first holiday without my parents... was when I was 17. I went with a mate on my one and only package holiday. We went to the Costa Blanca, not far from Benidorm. I just didn’t get it. In the hotel, by the pool, in the restaurants, on the beach, and especially in the bars, we seemed to be surrounded by people who wanted everything to be as English as possible. Why not stay at home and go to Blackpool instead?

The best hotel I’ve stayed in is...  The Ritz in London. It has an old-fashioned charm, with waiters wearing tails and white gloves. The dining room is exquisite, with immaculate service and ornate details. You can’t have dinner unless you’re wearing a shirt, tie and jacket, but that suits me.

My favourite golf course in the UK is... Wentworth’s West Course. It’s my home course and is like a little piece of heaven. I play off five and I like to get out on the West Course as often as I can, especially in the

Anton Du Beke

middle of the week. Playing in the BMW Pro-Am is the highlight of my golfing year. I also use the gym there, and play a lot of tennis, so it’s got everything I need. It always seems a bit naughty to be strolling the greens and breathing in all that fresh air on a weekday, but everything else I do is indoors, whether it is working in theatres or in rehearsal studios, and the great thing about golf is you are outside for four hours. I’ve been playing golf as long as I’ve been dancing, since I was 13 or 14, when me and my mates used to sneak onto the second hole at Lullingstone Park in Kent, which was naughty. Golf is an incredibly sociable game, and I really miss the regular rounds I used to enjoy with Bruce Forsyth at Wentworth – we always used to have such competitive matches. Apart from Wentworth, my other favourites courses in the UK are Loch Lomond and Turnberry, which couldn’t be more different, but are equally stunning.

My favourite golf course in the world... has to be Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, which is breathtaking. My wife Hannah and I played there together – or rather she caddied for me – a couple of years ago when we were doing a road trip around California, and we’d both love to go back one day. Hannah has started having golf lessons now, and so have the kids, so hopefully we’ll have some family golf holidays together soon!

My ideal holiday involves... immaculate service, a wonderful hotel, sun and a fabulous golf course. In

contrast, I once spent New Year in the Arctic Circle, which was remarkable. We stayed in a log cabin and we went dog sledging, ice fishing and skidooing. It was wonderful, but very cold.

I always take... a handheld clothes steamer to take care of the jackets. I also take a shirt and tie and a panama hat – I’m never knowingly under-dressed!

My top travel tip is to... embrace the culture of the country you are visiting. I hate people who moan about not being able to get a decent cup of tea. If that’s what you’re after, stay at home. The other tip is not to go back to the same place twice. We’ve had lots of amazing holidays, but we never go back – life’s too short.

The 2023 Anton du Beke Golf Day is being held at Brocket Hall’s Melbourne Club in Hertfordshire on July 8. Tickets for a team of 4 cost £1,000, with proceeds being donated to The Sick Children’s Trust. For more details, or to book your team, visit sickchildrenstrust.org/events or email specialevents@sickchildrenstrust.org.

Anton also appears in BBC travel show Anton & Giovanni’s Adventures in Sicily, with all three episodes now available on the BBC iPlayer.

‘The Magnificent Seven’ James Braid Highland Golf Trail

The James Braid Highland Golf Trail has been initiated to enhance the experience of golfers wishing to visit a wonderfully picturesque part of Scotland whilst benefitting from the enjoyment and challenge of playing over our Braid designed golf courses.

20% off Full Green Fees when quoting JBHGT if you book at any of these seven courses via telephone. More information may be found online via the web addresses shown below.

Boat of Garten Golf Club

18 completely individual holes, cleverly and sensitively shaped fairways lined by birch trees, heather and broom producing one of Scotland’s finest tests of golf. Ranked 28th course in Scotland by NCG 2019.

Inverness Golf Club

Located in the heart of the Highland Capital, Inverness Golf Club has a splendid parkland course with tree lined fairways and generous well manicured greens. An enjoyable and challenging test for any golfer.

Muir of Ord Golf Club

An award winning golf club, set in an area of outstanding scenery with the hills of the Great Glen to the south and Ben Wyvis to the north. The course features tight fairways and one of the finest par 3’s in Scotland.

Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club

A true Scottish links golf course and national championship venue. Voted Scotland’s Best Golfing Experience (Value for Money) at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards 2017 & 18, it is ranked in top 50 courses in Scotland (Golf World)

Golspie Golf Club

Situated an hour’s drive north from Inverness, the small Highland village of Golspie hosts one of the hidden gems of Highland golf. The Par 70 course offers an excellent golfing experience whether you are an advanced golfer or beginner.

Recognised as one of James Braid’s finest pieces of work, the green staff work tirelessly to preserve its original beauty This course reflects the perfect balance between challenge and fun in a truly breathtaking setting.

A traditional links course on the scenic north coast of Scotland. It nestles in Sandside Bay with the North Atlantic Ocean visible from every hole. Reay is far north, but certainly worth the distance.

The 56-year-old Strictly Coming Dancing star is never happier than when he is able to swap his dancing shoes for a pair of golf shoes, whether it be at home or abroad

■ PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS

■ WENTWORTH IS ANTON’S HOME CLUB

Brora Golf Club

Reay Golf Club