GOLF NEWS MARCH 2023 (ISSUE 300)

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

Nick Bayly

MEASURING THE TRUE COST OF VALUE

With the clocks about to spring forward, and the days getting longer and ever so slightly warmer, golf feels very much like it is about to click back into full swing as we emerge from our various caves like hibernating bears looking for the first signs of a thaw.

‘Full Swing’ has been on a lot of golfers’ minds in recent weeks, well, it has for those of us golf nerds who have Netflix, whose eight-part documentary series dropped on the streaming platform a few weeks ago. Some of you will, like me, have binge-watched the whole thing, which ran to about four hours viewing, in a couple of sittings, while some never started or, like my wife, lost interest after the Brooks Koepka episode, which, for those that haven’t watched it, features a grown man with many millions in the bank huffing and puffing around his massive Florida mansion – with speedboat parked by the jetty outside – after missing the cut at last year’s Masters. ‘Check your privilege, man baby!’ we all shouted from the sofa.

While the series failed to reveal very much about anything, apart from the fact that Tony Finau loves his kids, Dustin Johnson isn’t quite the full shilling, and Rory McIlroy isn’t sending Christmas cards to Patrick Reed any time soon, it did show, through the endless scenes filmed on private jets, the ever-widening gulf that exists between the professional game’s top players and those operating at every other level of the sport. That gap, of course, has been further widened by the dizzying sums of cash currently being thrown about by LIV Golf, and as a direct consequence, also by the PGA Tour.

Once a professional tournament gets under way, most of us distant onlookers are able to forget about the pay cheques on offer and focus on the competition, but even then money never seems to be very far removed from the conversation, in a way that it isn’t in any other sport you may care to think of. That, more than anything, was my abiding takeaway from the Full Swing series. Everything seems to revolve around the folding stuff. Money lists, prize funds, Player Impact Programmes, appearance incentives – it’s all about the money, honey.

McIlroy, the lead spokesperson for maintaining golf’s status quo [not the band], had it about right when he was caught by the Netflix cameras telling a PGA Tour bigwig that PGA Tour players had ‘gone a bit soft’ when it came to deciding where and when they should play, given that with the exception of tennis players, there

were very few other professional sportspeople who got to decide their own schedule. But then again, that’s easy to say for a man who had just pocketed $18m for winning the FedEx Cup.

Closer to home, money, or lack of it, may also have been dominating the conversation in your household in recent months, as the cost-of-living crisis begins to take hold and winter heating bills hit the doormat. Value for money is something that we’re all searching for these days, and there’s no reason why that shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to deciding what golf club you join and where you choose to pay and play.

While most golfers I know would happily swing their clubs in a ploughed field and still derive some sort of enjoyment, what makes one golf course value for money and another not, is many respects, subjective. But as membership rates and green fees rise, it’s something that many golfers will be considering when they come to renew their subs or book their next tee time, whether it be a £25 round at the local muni or that a £200-plus round at an Open Championship venue. Both can offer poor value or represent the best money ever spent, depending on your experience on the day.

Some of my most enjoyable golf outings in the UK have been on golf courses that wouldn’t rank in the top 1,000, let alone the top 100, while I’ve also had some very forgettable rounds – and not purely on the basis of my score – on courses that have held professional tournaments. That, at its very essence, is what makes golf so appealing to so many of us. The journey into the unknown, or to the very familiar, can yield similar and also very different results, while it’s also game that can be enjoyed in the company of friends or among a group of complete strangers. What you paid to be there bares little or no relation to the fun that there is to be had. So here’s to cherishing the value of everything and the cost of nothing.

In the meantime, enjoy this issue – which happens to be our 300th – and here’s to many more to come. Time flies when you’re having fun…. or so I’m told!

The world of golf lost one of its most popular figures when Barry Lane, a Ryder Cup player, five-time European Tour winner and eight-time Legends Tour winner, died on December 31, at the age of 62 following a short illness.

Lane made 693 starts on the European Tour – now known as the DP World Tour – and is fourth on the Tour’s all-time appearance list.

Born in Hayes, Middlesex in 1960, Lane first took up golf at the age of 14. Two years later, aged 16, he joined the Downshire Golf Club near Bracknell as an assistant professional, where he worked for eight years. He first joined the European Tour in 1982, following three failed attempts at getting through Qualifying School. The first of his 20 career professional successes coming in the 1987 Equity & Law Challenge in 1987, an approved special event held at Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club. His first official win came the following year when he he won the 1988 Scottish Open at Gleneagles.

Lane’s next victory came at the 1992 German Masters, which was the catalyst for a run of form which saw him finish no lower than 11th place on the European Tour Order of Merit between 1992-95. Victory at the 1993 European Masters preceded his Ryder Cup appearance at The Belfry as one of four rookies in Bernard Gallacher’s side and his fourth Tour success came the following year at the Turespaña Open de Baleares. He would then have to wait more than ten years for his fifth and final European Tour victory when he triumphed at the British Masters at Forest of Arden in 2004.

Additionally, Lane won the first edition of the World Championship of Golf in 1995, the precursor of the WGC Match Play event now played annually played in Texas. He also won a $1million first prize after defeating South African David Frost in the final.

As a team player he represented England four times at the Dunhill Cup and twice at the World Cup, and also played for the Rest of the World side in the UBS Cup three times.His one and only Ryder Cup appearance came in Europe’s defeat at The Belfry in 1993, where he lost all three of his matches.

After turning 50 in 2010, Lane found immediate success on the then-European Seniors Tour. Just as he did on the European Tour, he won his first event in Scotland at the Scottish Senior Open, which he successfully defended in 2011. He finished runner up on the Senior Tour Order of

Luton Hoo launches bid to host Ryder Cup

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa is bidding to end the almost 30-year absence of the Ryder Cup from England after launching a bid to host the biennial matches in 2031 or 2035.

Located just a short train ride from central London and a few minutes’ drive from the M1 and Luton Airport, the estate is set in over 1,000 acres of parkland, woods and lakes in Bedfordshire.

The estate is already home to an 18-hole championship course, but the Arora Group plans to build a completely new course as part of its bid to host the Ryder Cup.

Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Group, which owns the venue, commented:

Merit in his first two full seasons, 2011 and 2012, winning three times. In 11 full seasons on Europe’s over-50s circuit, he finished seventh or higher on the season-long standings seven times, winning eight titles. His last victory came at the MCB Tour Championship in Madagascar in 2019.

Lane was in Mauritius in early December for the Legends Tour’s season-ending MCB Tour Championship, where he presented the renamed Barry Lane Rookie of the Year Trophy to Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva.

Keith Pelley, European Tour group chief executive, said: “We are deeply saddened at the passing of Barry Lane. To have seen such a level of success across both the European Tour and the now Legends Tour shows his dedication to the game of golf and he was a much-loved figure on both Tours. The renaming of the Legends Tour’s Rookie of the Year Trophy in his honour is a fitting tribute, and I’m delighted he had the opportunity to present it in December. The thoughts of everyone at the European Tour group are with his wife Camilla, the Lane family and his many friends throughout the golfing world.”

Ryan Howsam, chairman of the Legends Tour, said: “This is a very sad time for all at Legends Tour. Barry’s achievements throughout his impressive career are well documented, but on a personal level he was a wonderful man. I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Barry and Camilla over the last few years as Barry played Legends Tour events with Camilla often by his side as caddy, winning eight Legends Tour titles, most recently the Senior Italian Open and the MCB Tour Championship in Madagascar, both in 2019.”

Former dual major champion and Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin were among the many legends of the game to pay tribute to Lane on Twitter, writing: “Barry Lane was a prince of a guy. He will be missed. RIP”, while fellow Legends Tour player Simon Khan wrote: “So sad. Was lovely seeing him and Camilla in Mauritius. What a player and an even better guy. RIP Baz x.”

As he had once been a deputy professional who instructed members and repaired their clubs, Lane never took for granted being able to make a good living from the game, which took him all around the world. He once reflected: “There’s plenty of logistical hassle, the downtime is sometimes tricky to fill and it can just be bloody hard work sometimes. But it’s what I’ve always done, seeing the world, playing golf. What a wonderful way to live a life.”

“Our acquisition of Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa was always with the intention to curate a luxury leisure and hospitality experience on the existing estate. We want to continue building on the already rich history of Luton Hoo and to ensure that any future investment into the estate will bring economic benefit to Bedfordshire and surrounding areas.

“Hosting the Ryder Cup, potentially in either 2031 or 2035, would raise the profile of the area to a global audience and the opportunity to bid to host a Ryder Cup at Luton Hoo is a very real and realistic ambition.”

Cllr Richard Wenham, leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “The Ryder Cup is an iconic sporting event celebrated and enjoyed across the globe. Arora’s aspirational plans to take the superb Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa complex set in its beautiful surroundings to the next level, have the scope to put Bedfordshire on the world stage. Securing the Ryder Cup would be an enormous boost to our thriving economy, bringing many new tourists and supporting more new jobs.”

The Arora Group, the UK’s largest private hotel owner-operator, purchased Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa from Elite Hotels in December 2021. Its championship course previously hosted the Bridgestone Challenge 2017 and 2018, and the EuroPro Tour in 2017.

Originally known as a specialist airport hotel owner operator, the Arora Group also bought The Buckinghamshire Golf Club in 2018.

Luton Hoo’s Ryder Cup bid is likely to come up against a rival English bid from Hulton Park in Bolton, which has announced plans to build a new course to accommodate the matches, as part of a major new property development.

Barry Lane

‘one of the good guys’, dies aged 62

■ BARRY LANE WON THE WORLD MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP OF GOLF IN 1995

Gough’s a master Down Under!

England Men’s squad player John Gough has made history by becoming the first Englishman to win the prestigious Australian Master of the Amateurs title.

The 2021 English Amateur Champion produced a stellar performance across the four days at Southern Golf Club in south-east Melbourne to finish four shots clear of the field on 15 under par.

The competition has previously featured future stars such as Tommy Fleetwood, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler and Gough will now proudly wear the tournament’s famous green jacket following his outstanding success.

Still conditions on the first day in the Melbourne Sandbelt helped Gough to make the dream start as he shot a course record score of 64 (-8) in a round which included nine birdies.

An afternoon start in gale-force winds on day two

proved tricky as The Berkshire golfer dropped back following a two over par round of 74 but that wasn’t to be the end of the story.

An impressive third round of 67 pushed Gough back to the top of the leaderboard as the heat intensified on and off the course and he held his nerve in the final round to shoot 68 and finish four shots clear of Scotsman Gregor Tait.

The commitment to make the journey to Melbourne was a big one for Gough but he was thrilled to get his rewards at the end of such a long trip.

“It was obviously great to come to the other side and get the win,” he said. “It was a challenge not only to travel as far as I did but to play in the conditions I did so I’m delighted to get the win over here.

“Before coming over here my dad said that you do see all four seasons in Melbourne and I can completely agree with that now!

“I managed to get sunburnt and windburnt and we’ve seen some rain as well but obviously to have a completely still day on the first day and to shoot the course record, I was delighted with that.

“Day two was a completely different day, I teed off at 1.30pm and with all the wind we had, it was absolutely brutal. I managed to battle the elements though and it turned out good.

“I know I can play good golf around the world and this is a long way from home so I can tick the box that I’ve come out here and played well.

“I’m most proud that I’ve managed to battle the golf courses and some outstanding players in the field in tough conditions - the only things we didn’t see were snow and kangaroos!”

UNPARALLELED DISTANCE

NOW COMES WITH 15% TIGHTER

DISPERSION

The industry’s first 360° Carbon Chassis redistributes weight to maximise speed in the front and forgiveness in the back. The result is an exceptionally long driver that now delivers 15% tighter downrange dispersion.* A true Paradym shift has finally eliminated the tradeoff between distance and forgiveness.

Golf beats ‘power walking’ hands down when it comes to improving your health

Golf is often described as ‘a good walk spoiled’ – although never by Mark Twain – but playing 18 holes on foot may have the edge on a ramble through the countryside when it comes to health benefits, according to the latest scientific research.

A study has found that the sport is better for you than Nordic walking, which uses upper body power and walking poles to provide extra exertion. Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland analysed data for 16 men and nine women who were golfers, healthy and aged 65 and over. The team looked at three aerobic exercises – an 18-hole round of golf, 3.7 miles of Nordic walking, and a 3.7-mile regular walk – and measured the effects on blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids (such as cholesterol).

The results, which are published in the BMJ’s Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, showed that all three types of aerobic exercise improved cardiovascular health in older adults, including by lowering blood pressure. However, the study suggested it was golf that seemed to have the biggest effect on blood fats and the metabolism of glucose, which keeps blood sugar levels stable.

The researchers concluded: “Despite the lower exercise intensity of golf, the longer duration and higher energy expenditure appeared to have a more positive effect on lipid profile and glucose metabolism compared with Nordic walking and walking.”

Arrow’s on target at Mid Kent!

Kent golfer Ian Arrows was the toast of the clubhouse at Mid Kent Golf Club last month after bagging two hole-in-ones in the same round.

Living up to his surname, Arrow, who plays off a 14 handicap, found the bullseye at the club’s fourth and ninth holes in what statisticians have calculated to be a 67 million-to-one occurrence.

The first ace was at the 166-yard, par-3 4th to which he hit a 5-iron to the front of the green, before watching the ball run round left to right and drop in. Just 30 minutes later, Ian followed that up with an 8-iron from 145 yards, which again landed on the front of the green before drifting left and unerringly finding its way to the bottom of the cup.

Celebrations for the second ace were delayed, however, as it was only when 68-year-old Ian and his playing partners, Danny Underwood and George French, looked in the cup that they discovered that it had actually gone in.

Ian, who had already achieved two aces at the Gravesend-based club, said: “As I was stood on the 9th tee, George said ‘Come on then Arrows… let’s have another one. I jokingly replied ‘OK, I’ll see what I can do’. Anyway, I hit it well again, but it was going about two metres to the right and I said ‘OK, well that’s the second hole-in-one done with’ and just walked back towards my bag. At which point Danny started shouting ‘Arrows! Arrows! ARROWS!’ He then said ‘It’s gone down the hole, Ian. It’s gone down’. At that point I was convinced it had gone through the green. The green does slope from right to left, but I thought it had to have been travelling too fast to break quickly enough. George and Danny kept saying it had gone in and then I eventually looked in the hole… and they were right. It was insane.”

Sadly, Ian’s two aces failed to help him win the Saturday Swindle, with the rest of his card yielding four blobs and only two pars, resulting in a 30-point haul for the round.

■ JOHN GOUGH WITH THE AUSTRLALIAN MASTER OF THE AMATEURS TROPHY

St Andrews smooths over Old Course ‘Patiogate’ debacle

A right old ‘hoo-hah’ broke out at the Home of Golf last month when it was revealed that the Swilcan Bridge, an iconic feature of the 18th hole of the Old Course at St Andrews for over 600 years, had, according to some observers, been ‘desecrated’ with the construction of a new concreted area on the tee side of the bridge. According to the St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the Old Course, the circular stone paved area – which was likened to a patio extension by some commentators on social media – was installed as a way of protecting the entrance to the bridge from excessive wear and tear caused by the thousands of golfers and visitors to the course that

area, commentator and former Ryder Cup player Brown tweeted: ‘The Swilcan Bridge – now serving food. A table for Fore please’, while six-time major champion Faldo asked: “If you’ve travelled halfway around the world for your bucket list round at St Andrews, would you rather leave with a bit of historic dirt on your shoes or a few cement mix scraps?”

After initially issuing a statement that the stone paving was the ‘only viable alternative’ to having to constantly replace the turf or use synthetic grass to repair worn areas in front of the bridge, the Trust eventually backed down in the wake of a stream of negative comments, saying: “We have taken on feedback from many partners and stakeholders, as well as the golfing public, and we would like to thank everyone who has been in touch for their contribution to the issue. We believe we are unable to create a look which is in keeping its iconic setting and have taken the decision to remove it.”

The diggers moved in the following day and returfed the area to return it to its original state. The statement from the St Andrews Links Trust, which emphasised that no work had taken place on the bridge itself, added: “The

all four Home Nations.

Feedback from 2022 indicates that GolfSixes League is more popular than ever among young juniors new to the game. Thanks to backing from the Home Nations and PGA professional coaches there was a 47% increase in affiliated membership across the 542 participating clubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

After a strong year in 2021 despite the issues of Covid-19, the easy-to-learn six-hole team format, where beginner golfers play in a league with other local golf clubs, was expanded last year with 6,992 youngsters taking part across 93 local leagues (25.5% of the players were girls).

GolfSixes is expanding in 2023, with plans in place to support more than 750 golf clubs

■ THE PAVED AREA WAS LAID TO PREVENT WORN AREAS APPEARING AROUND THE SWILCAN BRIDGE

TITANIUM A.I. FACE WITH JAILBREAK A.I.

Get Golfing invests £1.5m in Pyrford renovation

Get Golfing is to carry out a £1.5m renovation of the clubhouse at Pyrford Lakes Golf Club in Surrey in order to bring the already high quality of the off-course facilities in line with the outstanding experience offered on its championship golf course.

Having seen significant investment to the golf course in recent years, Get Golfing expects the new and improved clubhouse to make Pyrford an all-round destination, with a golf, casual dining and events facility like no other for people in Surrey and the surrounding region to enjoy.

With a complete interior renovation already under way, the new clubhouse will be the home of exciting new Player’s Lounge. A model recently tried and tested at another Get Golfing venue, Redlibbets Golf Club in Sevenoaks in Kent, the Player’s Lounge is set to become the social hub for golfers. With a contemporary food menu and stylish furnishings, the Player’s Lounge will also allow people from the community the chance to relax with friends and family in an engaging, lively atmosphere.

Events are at the forefront of the new design. There will be a fully customisable space capable of hosting up to 200 guests for weddings, parties and corporate events. The build also includes a new separate entrance for functions, with full bi-fold doors allowing for indoor/outdoor access with views of the lakes.

The clubhouse renovation is not limited to just the building’s interior. A completely remodelled patio and wedding pier will allow for casual dining outside when the weather allows.

UP TO 7 YARDS LONGER WITH

BATWING TECHNOLOGY

We reimagined the fairway wood to create a complete Paradym shift in how it performs. Paradym delivers up to 7 yards more distance with Batwing Technology and the all-new Forged Carbon sole*. We sacrificed nothing when we constructed Paradym, so you can gain everything.

Blind golfer numbers surge in England and Wales

England and Wales Blind Golf, the charity that provides visually impaired people with the opportunity to train and compete in golf, is seeing a surge in membership, with the charity reporting that its numbers have grown by more than 10 percent since the start of the year. A key factor in attracting new members has been two open days the charity has run at Trafford Golf Centre and The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club, which were both well attended, said charity.

Andy Gilford, secretary of England and Wales Blind Golf, said: “The crucial thing now is to get the message out to all sectors of the golf industry that we still need help and financial support. This is in order to ensure that we can host a full season of competition, as well as meeting hotel costs for both players and guides. When all the Trafford pros and director Paul Styles are offering their services for free, to everyone from complete beginners to those looking

to get back into the game despite their disability, you can’t help but have a terrific day. Everything from morning coffee to lunch and prizes was donated by the centre, and we had an equally great time at The Warwickshire.”

Gilford added: “About 250 people suffer from sight loss of some kind in the UK every day. The opportunity to help by introducing people of all ages to golf has assisted many to come to terms with their disability through taking outdoor exercise, meeting others and making friends rather than feeling isolated and useless. It allows the family to take part too. Be it those who already play golf or simply help by guiding when on the course or practice range. A 14-year-old boy joined the charity last year and has taken to the game so well that he regularly goes and plays with his father at his father’s club despite being totally blind from birth.

“We have great contacts around the country with some of the teaching pros refusing to charge a penny to help a visually impaired person learn the game,” Gilford added. “We know it’s a sacrifice for them, but the rewards are massive when they see how they can help transform a person’s life. We are always looking for more.”

The charity is planning further open days in the south-west and Cambridgeshire shortly.

For more details, visit ewblindgolf.co.uk or email enquiries.blindgolf@gmail.com

John Lewis puts Winter Hill Golf Club up for sale

The new owners claim to have rewilded the former golf course to create a ‘scrubland savannah’. This includes introducing longhorned cattle and Exmoor ponies to roam free around the site.

John Lewis Partnership has put the golf course that it owns in Berkshire up for sale as part of the department store and supermarket chain’s efforts to reduce costs and pay down debts. Winter Hill Golf Club, which is located in the village of Cookham, near Maidenhead, said it was in advanced talks with John Lewis over the sale of the site.

The 200-acre site was bought by John Lewis founder John Spedan Lewis in 1938, but the club was not opened until 1976. John Lewis staff have been able to get a discounted rate on annual membership subscription fees, which are currently £1,450, although the club is also available to outside members. Around 20% of the current members are current or former John Lewis staff and their families.

The retailer has already informed staff the club that it would be closing down the club by the end of April, with plans to sell the course, the clubhouse and two residential properties.

A statement from John Lewis said: “This isn’t a decision we took lightly. However, the golf club is no longer used as the employee benefit it once was, with just one in five members now having a link to the partnership. With a high level of investment required, for a very small internal audience, we have decided that Winter Hill is no longer the best use of our resources.”

John Lewis is understood to be in talks with nearby Maidenhead Golf Club, which is considering moving to the Cookham site. Maidenhead has until the end of 2025 to leave its site after it relinquished its lease to the local council for a reported nearly £16m in order to enable the development of up to 1,800 new homes.

Golf boom maintains momentum despite cost-of-living crisis

A survey of 82 golf clubs in the UK has found that 23% of clubs - less than 20 - have seen a drop in membership over the last 12 months, while the remaining 77% have seen numbers either remain stable or have increased during that period, pointing to a mixed picture in relation to the direction that golf club membership is heading in the UK in coming year.

The annual ‘Members and Proprietary Golf Clubs Survey 2022/23’, published by accountants Hillier Hopkins and produced in partnership with the UK Golf Federation, also discovered that 64% of golf club members were aged 50 and over, with 21% of members aged over 70. The gender split remains firmly on the male side, with 76% of clubs populated by adult men, and just 15% by women, with junior boys and girls making up the remaining 9%.

The clubs surveyed reported fewer members joining in 2022, falling from on average 90 new members in 2020 and 2021, to 70 in 2022. Just under a quarter (23%) of the 82 clubs surveyed reported more members leaving than joining last year, while the number of clubs with waiting lists has

fallen to 52% in 2022 from 60% in 2021. The average number of people on waiting lists stands at 61.

The cost of golf has, like almost all leisure activities and household outgoings, risen significantly over the last 12 months, with 92% of the clubs putting up their membership fees this year, with 74% charging annual subs fees of more than £1,000 a year, while the number of clubs with memberships exceeding £1,600 a year has increased by 36%.

Matt Bailey, a director at accountants Hillier Hopkins, which commissioned the survey, said: “Golf clubs and their members are not immune to the tightening economic picture, with new memberships falling and some clubs reporting more members leaving than joining. Social

Stonelees pro bags

PGA award for coaching golfers with a disability

Gary Bason, a PGA Professional working at Stonelees Golf Centre in Kent, has been presented with the PGA South Region Toby Sunderland Award in recognition for the work and coaching he has done with people with a disability, including the Kent Golf Approved Disability Academy.

“It is always nice to receive some recognition from the PGA for doing some-thing I love doing,” said Gary. “I thoroughly enjoy the coaching sessions with the Kent Golf Disability Academy, they are always good fun, and it’s nice to know that I am helping the juniors enjoy an opportunity they may not have otherwise had. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children makes it all worthwhile and a very rewarding experience for me.

He added: ”A massive thank you should go to Kent Golf, and especially Kim Brusadelli for her initial vision and tireless work in organising the Disability Academy sessions. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the children and parents when I say that she has definitely made a difference to their perception of what golf has to offer.

“Without Kent Golf and Kim I wouldn’t have been nominated for this award, so I see this as a joint victory, and I’m sure the Disability Academy will continue to grow and go from strength to strength over the next few years.”

memberships are also falling, with just 17% of clubs in our survey having 100 or more social members.

“It comes at a time when costs are rising. The average wage spend of clubs has increased from £154,000 in 2021 to £198,000 in 2022. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that 92% of clubs say they plan on increasing membership fees in 2023 alongside the cost of a round of golf.”

Yet there continue to be positive signs that golf remains as popular now as it was during the pandemic, with the number of rounds played in clubs contributing to this survey having increased slightly to 29,500 in 2022. Clubs, too, are on a firmer financial footing, with 19% of participating clubs having reserves of £1m or more.

Hever scoops sustainability award

Hever Castle Golf & Wellbeing in Kent has won the Sustainable Project of the Year Award at the 2023 Golf Environment Awards, which were held during the British Turf Management Exhibition in Harrogate.

The golf club, which is located a mile down the road from the historic Hever Castle & Gardens, beat competition from St Andrews Links, Royal Mid-Surrey and Pannal golf clubs to win the award in a category which is designed to recognise clubs who have successfully put in place a sustainable project to ensure a better environment, with clear goals and objectives.

The winning of the award is largely down to the efforts of Hever Head Greenkeeper Rob Peers, who sought to sustainably access an extra water supply during increasingly drought-hit summers whilst providing a wonderful habit for flora and fauna. Peers has created lagoons to recycle waste water, boosting water supply and also habitats.

Last year Hever was a runner-up in Environmental Golf Course of the Year award and a finalist in Outstanding Environmental Project of the year award for its work creating an area conductive to wildlife. Worn tyres from mowers used on the greens were used to create a bug web and more fertiliser drums were transformed into a snake chamber. The club also undertook several other sustainable initiatives including installing solar panels, the use of hybrid mowers and the recycling of waste water.

Golf mourns the passing of legendary tour referee John Paramor

John Paramor, the DP World Tour’s former chief referee, whose career spanned six decades, died last month aged 67.

John, who retired from his duties as the tour’s lead rules official in 2020, had been suffering from cancer.

A competent golfer in his own right, John was a former Surrey amateur champion, but his natural interest in golf’s rules book led him to specialise as a referee and the sight of him on the fairways soon become commonplace at European Tour events and Major Championships around the world throughout his storied career.

John joined the DP World Tour as an administrator in 1976, having previously spent a year working as a caddie for Peter Butler. He went on to become the tour’s chief referee in 1989 and through his work with the R&A and USGA became a central figure in changes to the Rules of Golf over the years, as well as the Tour’s own policies, including its updated approach to Pace of Play in 2016.

In a statement released shortly after his death, the DP World Tour said it was “deeply saddened by the passing of John Paramor, one of the most respected rules officials in the history of golf and a hugely popular figure across the entire tour family.”

John’s passing was marked with a minute’s silence during the third round of the

in 2020 that `legend’ is a word used too often in sport, but in terms of golf, and the administration of the rules of our sport, it perfectly describes John Paramor. Quite simply, he was a leader in his field, the guru of referees, and someone who commanded the absolute respect of the players and of his peers. When I arrived at the Tour in 2015, I had the privilege of working closely with JP, who took time to walk me through the intricacies of all the rules and regulations of golf - I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for that. He was a big character in all senses - his physical stature, his stature in the game and his popularity with anyone who shared a dinner or a social occasion with him. He had a strong personality but had passion for his job and the Tour as a whole which shone through whenever you spoke with him.”

Tiger Woods, speaking on hearing the news after the second round at the Genesis, said: “John was one of the all-time best rules officials. He was around when I first turned pro and had been a staple obviously on the European Tour and all the WGCs. Just a great guy.

Rory McIlroy added: “Even before I came on Tour, John was a beloved character within the game. He was always a friendly face to see out on Tour and I always loved my conversations with him. It’s a sad day but he’ll be very fondly remembered by the whole

Prostate Cancer UK is calling on golfers across the UK to grab their clubs, round up their friends and colleagues, and take on The Big Golf Race, the charity’s flagship 72hole in a day golfing challenge, to raise money to help beat the most common cancer in men.

This year, the leading men’s health charity is urging golfers to join them and to help save dads, grandads,

Golfers willing to take on The Big Golf Race have three options: for the more adventurous, the Marathon - which consists of four rounds and 26 miles of walking in a single day – may pose a worthy challenge, and for a more relaxed day of fundraising, the Half Marathon (two rounds) is an option. But, for those who really want to push themselves, the Ultra Marathon – 100 holes and 35 miles of walking – is a new, challenging addition for 2023.

Players are encouraged to ditch their buggies and tackle the challenge on foot, either in pairs or a four-ball, with a prize of an overnight golfing break at The Belfry, including

two rounds of golf for four people, up for grabs for the top

Since 2020, over 7,500 golfers have answered Prostate Cancer UK’s call, raising an incredible £2 million to date, with a clutch of celebrities and the sport’s biggest names supporting the challenge.

As well as recruiting golfers across the country, Prostate Cancer UK will be working alongside partners such as The PGA and The London Club, encouraging them to host Big Golf Race challenges for their members and visitors this summer. The London Club is teeing off their season of support by hosting its own 36-hole half-marathon golfing challenge on its International course this April for their members and visitors taking on The Big Golf Race.

Nicola Tallett, Director of Fundraising & Supporter Engagement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re delighted with how many golfers, clubs and partners have embraced The Big Golf Race and helped to build it into a fun yet challenging way of helping to beat prostate cancer.

It’s a disease killing one man every 45 minutes – roughly the time it takes to play three holes of golf – and it sadly exists in every golf club. But with the support of golfers like Rob, his friends and the thousands of others like them who have conquered The Big Golf Race, we’re able to continue to fund research into better tests and treatment for prostate cancer and keep men in the game for longer.”

To join Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race, visit prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/golf/the-big-golf-race.

Sign up for The Big Golf Race and help beat prostate cancer

■ JOHN PARAMOR WORKED FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR FOR 44 YEARS

HOLLOW BODY WITH SPEED FRAME CONSTRUCTION

A.I. DESIGNED FORGED 455 FACE CUP

■ THE RECENTLY REFURBISHED SPORTS BAR HAS A CONTEMPORARY AND RELAXED FEEL TO IT

THE HILL IS ALIVE!

Boasting a classic James Braid-designed parkland course and a stunning clubhouse, Bush Hill Park Golf Club has been enjoying a new lease of life in recent years, with the 128-year-old north London venue buoyed by a new generation of golfers that have been attracted to the club by a continuous period of investment in the facilities and a new emphasis on inclusivity, first-class hospitality and a family-friendly ethos

Like many golf clubs in the UK, Bush Hill Park enjoyed a significant uptick to its membership ranks during the pandemic, with the leafy North London club, which is located near Enfield, less than four miles from junction 25 of the M25, being fairly inundated with enquiries from men and women of all ages looking to find somewhere to play during those strange times when golf was just about the only activity allowed besides dog walking.

Fortunately for many of those enquirers, Bush Hill Park had the capacity to cope with some extra members, as the historic club, which was founded

in 1895, had, also like many other golf facilities in the UK, experienced a dip in membership over the last decade or so. While the pandemic brought pain and suffering to many people, one of the few positive by-products was a renewed appreciation of the great outdoors, and in golf in particular, largely due it being sport that, although extremely sociable in normal times, is also easy to do while remaining socially distanced. With visitor play suspended during the early months of Covid back in 2020, the only way you could get a game at Bush Hill was to join.

Fast forward three years, and the club’s membership has swelled to a new high of 650, and a waiting list has been introduced for the first time in over 30 years. Sevenday membership is full, while a new six-day membership, which allows play on every day except Saturday, and the five-day membership, are also close to capacity.

It all points to a very rosy picture for a club that not that long ago was on its proverbial uppers, with income from golf activities barely enabling the club to break even, let alone invest for the future. Now, with the bank balance back firmly in the black, and those who have joined in the last few years appearing to be in it for the long haul, the club has been able to carry out some long-awaited renovations to both the course and the clubhouse, bringing it firmly into the 21st century and beyond.

WE ARE ALL ABOUT CHAMPIONING INCLUSIVITY AND WELCOMING EVERYONE

Stewart Judd, the club’s general manager, who has been in role since 2017, is justifiably proud that Bush Hill Park has become one of the most progressive golf clubs around, and he, and his fellow board members, are determined that the club’s future fortunes are permanently turned around based on the quality of the facilities and the member experience, rather than being a flash in the pan caused by a global health disaster.

“Golf clubs can get a bit caught up with tradition and tradition is often a reason not to change, whereas we try to celebrate our heritage, but keep looking forward,” he says of the club which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2020. “We are all about championing inclusivity and welcoming everyone, be they are single figure competitors, new golfers, groups of friends, or social members who simply want to enjoy our new hospitality facilities.”

The club’s progressive attitudes have captured the attention of several major awards in recent years, with England Golf dishing out Bush Hill Park with ‘Golf Club of the Year’ in 2021, while the venue also picked up the highly coveted Club Awards’ Club of the Year title in 2020 and again in 2022. The judging panels were clearly impressed by what has been going on at the club in the last few years, most notably in the area of women’s golf development, with Nicola Bennett, the club’s Senior PGA Professional, and a Golf Foundation Ambassador, helping to set up a pathway to golf that has seen over 70 women golfers come through the sessions, leading to over 20 taking up full membership.

“We’re trying to achieve more of a balanced membership profile,” says Stewart.

“Within the Women in Golf Charter we’ve set ourselves a target of another 50 female members between now and 2025. We’ll continue to drive that and we want to continue to improve things in the clubhouse. We refurbished our bar the year in 2019, and made it much more contemporary and modern looking. We want to try and keep that rollout going in the clubhouse – with potential to improve changing rooms and our restaurant area, which is currently being renovated.

“It’s just carrying on improving things in the clubhouse and developing the golf course. We want to keep improving our practice facilities too. We’ve put the new bays in and practice green and chipping area, but we’ve got a space where we can put in some more holes and the aim is to have an academy course.”

The 18-hole course, which is neatly contained in just under 100 acres of parkland, is not long by modern standards, measuring 5,776 yards from the competition tees, but its par of 70, and a sextet of tricky par threes and four lengthy par fives, ensures that players must bring their ‘A game’ to score well here. Some of the fairways are narrow, tree-lined affairs, although it broadens out in places to enable big hitters to open their shoulders on the par fives, three of which are well over 500 yards long. The closing stretch of holes from 13-18 is especially memorable, with water coming into play on the par-four 17th. All in all, it’s an entertaining mix that will provide a challenge to all elements of your game in delightfully peaceful surroundings.

The installation of a state-of-the-art irrigation system back in 2018 has proved a life saver as far as the course is concerned during a series of hot summers, most notably in 2022, when many courses burnt to a crisp, and it’s more than paid its way in ensuring that quality playing conditions are maintained throughout the season.

Once entering the club’s gates, the first-time visitor can’t fail to be impressed by the sweeping driveway that leads through beautiful grounds to the majestic clubhouse, the Old Park Mansion, a listed building that has been home to its members since 1922. The clubhouse provides an impressive venue for all occasions, with function rooms of various sizes, three bars, a restaurant and spacious changing rooms. There is a large patio at the front of the building, overlooking the 18th green, and a veranda at the rear overlooking the first tee, both of which provide great places to sit outside with a drink in the sunshine, and make the club the perfect place to spend time whether or not you’re playing golf.

Although the club upholds the traditions of a private members’ club, it also welcomes visitors and societies to enjoy its facilities, with pre-bookable tee times available during the week and at weekends, while society packages are also available. The dress code is very relaxed, with a sports bar where golfers can come in off the course as they are, while jeans are allowed throughout the clubhouse.

The club offers a wide range of membership options, with the full categories offered with discounts for families and age-related concessions for members aged between 18 and 30. A credit-based Lifestyle membership, offering seven-day access to the course and full member benefits, can be used to book tee times and play in all club competitions, and is a good option for those wanting to give the club a try before committing to full membership, as well as those who might only play once a month or so. The club also has a very active junior section and offers a structured junior coaching programme of group and individual lessons.

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

■ THE CLUB HAS ATTRACTED MANY NEW FEMALE MEMBERS THANKS TO A PATHWAY PROGRAMME SET UP BY PGA PROFESSIONAL NICOLA BENNETT

To discuss membership opportunities, please call 020 3146 9892 or visit www.bhpgc.com.

■ BUSH HILL PARK'S SUPERB PARKLAND COURSE HAS NEVER LOOKED IN BETTER CONDITION

FERNDOWN PREPARES TO HOST ENGLAND’S TOP AMATEUR TALENTS AND OPEN HOPEFULS

Ferndown Golf Club’s traditionally fast-running fairways are set to see a bumper season of competitive golfing action this summer, as the south Dorset club prepares to host the English Amateur Championship and a Regional Qualifier for The Open Championship.

The historic club, which opened for play in 1914, has long been a stage for the game’s biggest names, with Nick Faldo, Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman all having graced the heathland Old Course during their careers. Indeed, this is the club where Peter Alliss learnt his trade, while his father, Percy, was the professional here for more than a quarter of a century.

The course, which was designed by former Open champion Harold Hilton, has hosted countless top amateur and professional events, with the British Women’s Open being staged here in 1989.

Ferndown will be welcoming the next generation of

golfing talents at the 2023 English Amateur Championship, which is being held from August 1-6, with the event being shared with nearby Broadstone Golf Club. The championships begin with 36-hole stroke play competitions for both men and women. In the men’s event, the leading 64 players progress to the knock-out match play competition, while in the women’s event, the top 32 from stroke play proceed to the knockout stages, both of which will be held at Ferndown.

Previous winners of the English Women’s Amateur include Lily May Humphries, Bronte Law and Ferndown’s own Hayley Davis, who has been a member at the club since she was a junior. Previous

men’s winners of the English Amateur include last year’s champion Joe Sullivan, Tommy Fleetwood and Ferndown Golf Club’s Head of Coaching, Scott Godfrey.

Before that, golfers hoping to win a place at the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool in July will be taking part in 13 regional qualifying events up and down to country, with Ferndown hosting its 18-hole qualifier on June 26.

By today’s standards, Ferndown’s 6,530-yard course –which was recently rated as no.1 in England for ‘playability’ in Golf World’s Top 100 ranking – is fairly short, but the heathland layout, with its steeped-lipped fairway and greenside bunkers, will challenge the very best golfers and will enthral the average handicapper with its inherent beauty. Always presented in championship-level condition, it’s heathland golf of the very highest order.

The club also boasts the wonderful 9-hole Alliss Course, making it an ideal choice for a full day’s golf for societies, corporate outings, and golfers visiting from further afield.

The club also hosts an annual Festival Week, where a mix of competitions are open to visitors, including the Men’s Individual Open on August 20, a Fourball Better Ball on August 25, and the Mixed Open on August 27. With entry fees from £95, compared to the standard summer green fee of £160, competition tee times are selling out fast, so call 01202 653953 now to reserve your place!

For all the latest green fees and society packages, visit www.ferndowngolfclub.co.uk

■ FERNDOWN PRESENTS A CLASSIC HEATHLAND EXAMINATION

WIN A CUSTOMFITTED CALLAWAY PARADYM DRIVER!

To celebrate the launch of Callaway Golf’s new range of Paradym clubs, we’ve teamed up with Callaway to give one Golf News reader the chance to get their 2023 golf season off to a flying start with a brand-new Paradym driver, worth £599.

The Callaway Paradym Driver – which is offered in three models – Standard, X and Triple Diamond – features an industry-first construction in the 360° Carbon Chassis, which promotes unprecedented weight redistribution for maximised distance, with a Triaxial Carbon crown and Forged Carbon sole that are 44% lighter than a titanium chassis. This massive weight saving is repositioned both forward to enhance ball speed, and toward the back of the clubhead for increased forgiveness.

To further increase ball speeds, Callaway’s industryleading A.I.-designed Jailbreak system enhances stability for faster ball speeds, while an all-new A.I. face optimisation enhances speed, launch, spin, and now downrange dispersion. Paradym is the first driver to utilise Callaway’s industry-leading Face Cup technology. The face cup is paired with a powerful, forged titanium face, a combination that provides higher energy transfer to the ball than a standard driver face insert.

TO ENTER

For your chance to win, simply answer the question above, let us know where you picked up a copy and email info@golfnews.co.uk with the subject line ‘Callaway Paradym Competition’. The winner will be selected at random and have the option to be custom fitted for the driver or select a Paradym model of their choice. The closing date for entries is April 10, 2023.

If you would like to learn more about the full Paradym range from Callaway, head over to eu.callawaygolf.com.

TWINS READY TO PEAK

It’s not uncommon for siblings to enjoy success at the very top levels of the same sport. Bobby and Jack Charlton, Gary and Phil Neville, Gavin and Scott Hastings, Rory and Tony Underwood, Serena and Venus William, Andy and Jamie Murray, Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, Steve and Mark Waugh, Francesco and Eduardo Molinari, Jessica and Nelly Korda – sporting history is littered with pairs of brothers and sisters who have achieved international accolades while playing in the elite echelons of the same game.

What is rarer, indeed of that list, only the Waugh brothers fit the bill, are twins who have reached the top of their sporting trees. But thanks to the exploits of a pair of young Danish identical golfing twins, you can now also add the names of Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard to membership that rarified club.

And while it might be more than a trifle premature to be burdening either player with the tag of greatness, or even putting them in the same ballpark as the record-breaking exploits of the Waugh boys, the achievements of the 21-year-old Danish duo to date have so far marked them out as seriously talented and certainly ones to look out for.

Golf, and winning, has been a key part of Nicolai and Rasmus’ lives from an early age, both competing at the Danish National Championships in the U10 junior category, claiming first and second places. In 2016, Rasmus went on to become Danish Amateur champion and, two years later, Nicolai became the European Amateur champion. They were also both members of the Danish side that won the European Boys’ Team Championship in 2017 and competed for Europe in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup in Paris, where both won their singles matches in a narrow one-point defeat to the US. Later that same year the twins, who are hard to tell apart in their golf gear, finished 1-2 in the Toyota Junior World Cup, with Rasmus finishing four shots ahead of Nicolai to maintain bragging rights over his elder sibling.

Since turning professional at the beginning of 2019, aged 18, the brothers, as you might perhaps expect, given the similarity of their early amateur performances, have gone on to achieve almost matching arcs in the paid ranks. Both players made a few early forays in Nordic Golf League, before switching to Challenge Tour. Rasmus was

WE ALWAYS WANTED TO BEAT EACH OTHER AS KIDS, AND NOW WE GET TO DO IT ALONGSIDE 154 PLAYERS EACH WEEK

runner-up in his second event, the Challenge de España, and although he had six further top-10 finishes, his 21st position in the Order of Merit wasn’t quite enough to earn automatic promotion to the European Tour. Undeterred, Rasmus took fifth spot at Qualifying School in November to gain a place on the top tier tour for the 2020 season.

Just two events into his rookie season on what is now the DP World Tour, Rasmus won the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, taking the title after three-man playoff against Renato Paratore and Antoine Rozner. In doing so, he became the first player born in the 21st century to win on the Tour. Seven months later he doubled his winning tally, when capturing the ISPS Handa UK Championship after beating Justin Walters in a play off at The Belfry, while almost exactly a year later, in August 2021, he bagged his third tour win when firing a final round 63 to win the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Not to be outdone, Nicolai was also quick off the professional blocks, finishing second behind Sergio Garcia in the European Tour’s KLM Open in September 2019, and going on to finish 140th in the Order of Merit after competing in just seven events through invitations. However, while Rasmus was ripping it up in 2020, Nicolai had a more difficult time of it on his first full season on

Good things often come in pairs, especially when their names happen to be Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard, the 21-year-old Danish twins who are fast becoming the hottest properties on the European circuit following fast starts to their professional careers

the top tier, making the cut in just seven of 18 events, and failing to win his card after finishing 206th in the money list with just €35,000 in seasons earnings. After winning his card back at Q School, he bounced back in 2021, bagging a couple of early top-10 finishes before breaking into the winner’s circle with victory in the Italian Open, making a birdie at the final hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood and Adrian Meronk by a single shot. That win came the week after Rasmus had won in Switzerland, completing a remarkable fortnight for the Hojgaard family.

WHAT’S IN RASMUS’ BAG?

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (8.5°)

Fairway Wood: Callaway Paradym HL 3 (16.5°)

Utility: Callaway UW Raw (21°)

Irons: Callaway MB Proto (4-10)

Wedges: Callaway JAWS MD5 Raw (50°), Callaway JAWS Full Toe (56°, 60°)

Putter: Toulon Design Le Mans Tour

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

Nicolai followed up his breakthrough win with a runnerup finish in the Portugal Masters and a fourth at the DP World Tour Championship, and ended his first full season on tour in a heady eighth place in the money list with over €1.2m in prize money. Last year, saw him slip back in the rankings to 71st, with 11 missed cuts from 23 outings, but a second tour victory, this time at February’s Ras Al Khamirah Classic in the UAE, where he shot a -24 total to win by four, meant that the brothers had combined to win five events in the space of just two-and-half seasons on tour.

Asked if one’s performance spurs on the other, Nicolai says: “One hundred percent. We’ve been competitive with each other ever since we’ve been able to swing a club, right from our the junior days at club and national level, and now into the international professional ranks. We always wanted to beat each other as kids, and now we get to do it alongside 154 players each week. We definitely fire each other on, and while we always support each other 100%, we’ll be out there trying to beat each other every week. He got a few wins under his belt quite fast, and we’ve had some good competition going on, so it has been good to get a couple back on him.”

Rasmus adds: “We share each other’s experiences from winning and from those tough moments. I learned a lot from Nicolai because he was struggling quite a bit in 2020, while I was playing pretty well. I knew that was tough on him, but he got past that, and we’ve spoken a lot about it. There were definitely a lot of things I could take from that, and it’s nice to share both the good times and the more difficult times together.”

This season has so far pointed to further improvement from the pair, with Nicolai having yet to miss a cut from

NICOLAI BY NUMBERS

AGE: 21

World Ranking: 141 (highest 67)

DP World Tour appearances: 79

Cuts Made: 42 (53%)

Wins: 2 (Italian Open, Ras Al Khaimah Championship)

Major Appearances: 3

Average Driving Distance: 318 yds

Greens in Regulation: 66% (‘22), 72% (‘23)

Scoring Average: 71.31 (‘22), 69.91 (‘23)

Career Earnings: €2.17m

five events, including two top10s; while Rasmus, who finished the 2022 season in 16th place in the DP World Tour rankings, has bagged top-20 finishes from both his starts in 2023 – he missed the early part of the season after injuring his shoulder playing Padel tennis – and also looks set to build on what has already amounted to an impressive start to professional life, especially given that their early seasons were played under Covid restrictions.

One person who will certainly be keeping a close eye in their performances over the next six months will be Luke Donald, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, who has the unenviable task of trying to muster 12 men to take on the collective might and power of an American team that is bristling with major champions and top-ranked talent. With both teams likely to have to soldier on without the addition of LIV Golf players, the door to the European camp has been swung widely open with the potential absence of stalwarts such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter. And it’s a door that both Hojgaard brothers would love to walk through should their performances earn them an automatic pick or one of Donald’s six captain’s picks.

With Rasmus currently 105th in the world rankings, and Nicolai slightly lower down the pecking order in 142nd, both players still have some way to go to be considered absolute shoe-ins for Donald’s team, but Rasmus is currently eighth in the European team points list, just two places outside of automatic selection, while Nicolai is just a couple of decent performance away from being a form choice. Notions that either would be offered a slot in the team just to create a bit of golfing history are fanciful, and it’s something neither player would benefit from considering the pressures that have historically been exerted on those who fail to earn their place in the team by rights.

Nicolai, perhaps the outsider of the two in Ryder Cup terms, did his chances no harm when stepping in as a late replacement for his injured brother at January’s Hero Cup – a Europe v GB&I team match play event that took place in Abu

RASMUS BY NUMBERS

AGE: 21

World Ranking: 105 (highest 63)

DP World Tour appearances: 68

Cuts Made: 49 (72%)

Wins: 3 (Mauritius Open, ISPS UK Championship, European Masters)

Major Appearances: 2

Average Driving Distance: 321 yards

Greens in Regulation: 69% (’22), 70% (’23)

Scoring Average: 70.23 (‘22), 69.92 (‘23)

Prize Money: €2.97m

Dhabi by way of a Ryder Cup warm-up – and winning his singles match against Ireland’s Seamus Power in a highquality match that went the full distance. Given the quality of their ball striking, and length off the tee – both average almost 320 yards with the driver – it’s not hard to imagine that the Hojgaards would make for a pretty strong pairing should the captain come calling.

Talking about their hopes of perhaps one day, if not this year, representing Europe together, Rasmus, who is the younger of the brothers by a few minutes, said: “There’s a long way to go and there’s a lot of golf to be played, so it’s easy to get too far ahead, but I think I’ve got a good chance if I keep focusing on the right things and do the right work, so it’s definitely a big goal of mine.”

“Especially having Thomas [Bjorn] as a vice-captain,” Rasmus adds. “Nic and I have a good relationship with him, and he obviously wants us on the team as well. That would be a cool experience to share with Nicolai as well, maybe play a foursome together.”

The performances of the brothers over the last three seasons on tour has also caught the eye of the marketing team at Callaway Golf, with the company splashing out over Christmas break on multi-year contracts for both Rasmus and Nicolai to join its growing roster of global tour stars. Both players are currently packing a full bag of Callaway and Odyssey equipment, including the newly launched Paradym driver and the company’s Chrome Soft ball.

WHAT’S IN NICOLAI’S BAG?

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5°)

Peter Harrison, Callaway’s Director of Tour Relations, is no doubt that they have bagged two of the most exciting talents to emerge on the European scene in some years. He said: “Rasmus and Nicolai join us at a hugely significant time in their careers. They are undoubtedly both superstars of the future, already proving they are born winners, and their Tour victories in recent years are just the beginning. We are thrilled to welcome them both to Callaway and offer them the very best equipment and technology to take their games to the next level, whether that’s on the DP World Tour, competing in the Majors, or playing in future Ryder Cups.”

Fairway Woods: Callawaay Rogue ST Triple Diamond HL (16.5°), Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (18°)

Irons: Callaway MB Proto (4-10)

Wedges: Callaway JAWS Raw (50°), Callaway JAWS Full Toe (56°, 60°)

Putter: Toulon Design Chicago

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

Whether all three of those things happen to both brothers remains to be seen, but it will be fun finding out. Just make sure you get the right initial if you’re having a bet on it!

■ HEAVY HITTERS NICOLAI (PICTURED) AND YOUNGER BROTHER RASMUS BOTH AVERAGE OVER 315 YARDS WITH THE DRIVER

■ TRIPLE THREAT: RASMUS HAS WON THREE TIMES ON THE DP WORLD TOUR SINCE HE JOINED IN 2020

InBrief

FLOYDD BAGS ALPS TOUR TITLE

★ Sussex-based pro Jack Floydd claimed the first victory of his professional career when winning the Alps Tour’s seasonopening event, the Ein Bay Open. The Haywards Heath player fired rounds of 65, 69 and 65 to finish on 17-under-par at Sokhna Golf Club in Egypt and win by two shots from Italians Andrea Romano and Cristiano Terragni. Players finishing in the top five on the Alps Tour Order of Merit at the end of the season will graduate to the Challenge Tour for 2024.

JOY FOR JACOB IN ATLANTIC YOUTH TROPHY

★ BB&O junior Connor Jacob won the Junior Golf Atlantic Youth Trophy after shooting an +8 total over 54 holes at Penha Longa Golf Resort in Portugal. The 18-year-old Goring & Streatley member shot rounds of 80, 68 and 76 to win by two shots. His second round 68, which included six birdies, was the lowest of the week from the 54-strong field. Sam Epstein from Maylands Golf Club in Essex finished in seventh place on +19.

Centurion set to host summer of top pro golfing action

A decade after it opened its doors for the first time, Centurion Club in Hertfordshire is preparing for another big year in its relatively brief history when it plays host to the LIV Golf League’s only tournament in the UK in 2023 and the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series – London.

After last year’s successful staging of the very first event on the LIV Golf Invitational Series schedule, the tournament returns from July 7-9, with a slightly new name and an expanded cast list of stars for the 48-player field, including Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Louis Ooosthuizen, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Patrick Reed.

■ THE LIV GOLF LEAGUE WILL RETURN TO CENTURION IN JUNE

Last year saw former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel fight out a large charge from fellow South African and teammate Hennie du Plessis to take the $4m individual title and combine with Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace to win the team prize for Stinger GC.

This year’s LIV Golf League event will follow the same 54-hole format as last year, including a shotgun afternoon start which ensures action will be taking place all over the course for a four-hour period over the three days.

Just a week later will see Centurion host the third edition of the Aramco Team Series – London, with the Ladies European Tour event taking place from July 14-16. Offering a prize fund of $1m, last year’s tournament attracted a high-quality field and saw England’s Bronte Law carry off the spoils after holing out from 55 feet for an eagle at the final hole to beat fellow countrywoman Georgia Hall.

As well as an individual prize, the tournament is also run as a team event, with the three best scores from each team of four counting towards a team total over the three rounds. Last saw year saw 36 teams of four, comprising three pros and one amateur, take part, with the quartet comprising Kelly Whaley, Madeline Stavnar, Nicole Garcia and amateur Mia Baker take the top prize.

LIV CEO and commissioner Greg Norman said: “We received tremendous feedback from fans throughout our first year, with one

BEARSTED GOLF CLUB OPENS 2023

resounding theme: LIV Golf’s team format, innovations, and festivallike events are delivering a one-of-a-kind golf experience. Last year helped lay the foundation for the future of golf at extraordinary courses that have hosted some of the world’s top competitions. LIV Golf’s schedule features fantastic venues and championship sites for our official league launch that will carry the sport into a new era.”

■ BRONTE LAW WILL BE BACK TO DEFEND THE ARAMCO TEAM SERIES EVENT SHE WON IN SUCH DRAMATIC STYLE AT CENTURION LAST YEAR

Steven Orr takes charge of England boys’ team

Former tour professional Steven Orr has been appointed lead coach for England’s Boys team following nine years as a regional coach on the pathway programme.

Orr, who runs his own golf academy at Rustington Golf Centre in West Sussex, takes over the role from Rob Watts following his appointment as the national men’s lead coach at the end of last year.

Since 2013, Orr has developed an exceptional track record in coaching elite players who have gone on to win the English Amateur Championship and The R&A British Amateur Championship, as well as others who have represented their country at the highest level. This impressive shortlist includes 2021 British Amateur Champion Laird Shepherd, England boys’ squad player Jack Lee, and one of the world’s leading golfers with a disability Kipp Popert.

In addition to his success in the amateur game, Steven has also coached professionally on the DP World Tour, Challenge Tour, Europro Tour and Ladies European Tour. He was voted the England Golf Coach of the year in 2016, and was the youngest ever PGA Professional to achieve Master status.

Away from coaching, Orr, has recently completed a seven-year doctorate in Skill Acquisition, with research focused on how elite-level golfers change technique effectively, something he believes will be a big asset as he settles into his new role.

Nigel Edwards, England Golf’s performance director said: “We are thrilled that Steve has agreed to succeed Rob in what are exciting times for boys’ golf in England.

“Rob has really created an excellent culture, work ethic and attitude in the boys’ squad and this will allow Steve to continue the good work. Steve will certainly bring his own skills to the table; he is an excellent coach and will be prepared and ready to support the players.”

Motorbike vandals target Canterbury

A golf club in Kent has said bikers have caused possibly tens of thousands of pounds-worth of damage in at least four recent incidents.

Canterbury Golf Club’s chairman Steve Eeles says, in the latest attacks, motorcyclists drove onto the club’s course twice in the space of two days.

“A couple of motorbikes came along the public footpath that crosses our 7th and 9th holes and proceeded to deliberately drive across the 8th and 9th greens,” he said. “Fortunately our general manager and course manager were on site and managed to get out on the course to prevent any further damage.”

The bikers then fled, leaving a scar in the green on the course, which had to be cut out and replaced. However, the next day two bikes rode onto the fairway on the 18th hole – while golfers were playing on the course. Some golfers confronted the riders, who in return became abusive and pulled doughnuts on some of the greens and tees.

It left yet more expensive damage to be fixed on the course, which is in a conservation area and designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

“The second incident was much more serious as the motorbike riders had a total disregard for golfers’ safety,” added Eeles. “They have caused thousands, if not tens of thousands of pounds of damage and have left members, staff and local golfers feeling threatened.”

The club boss added members were feeling frustrated with the lack of support given by the authorities. “Despite reporting at least five such incidents to the police in the last two to three months, nothing appears to have been done,” he added.

General manager Roger Hyder said he was worried future incidents may result in violence between golfers and the bikers. “Our overriding concern is that members will take matters into their own hands in protecting themselves and what they feel is their property should they feel threatened,” he explained. “Obviously we discourage any such action from our members and visiting golfers, but in the heat of the moment you do worry.”

■ STEVE ORR WORKS OUT OF HIS ACADEMY AT RUSTINGTON GOLF CENTRE IN WEST SUSSEX

Bognor Regis relocation plans rumble on

Plans to relocate Bognor Regis Golf Club to an alternative site nearby in order to make way for a new housing development are moving forward, despite local opposition.

The West Sussex club, which was founded in 1892 and moved to its current site in 1922, is planning to a new 130-acre venue just north of Elmer, where developers Hallam Land Management have said it would make for a ‘cultural and recreational asset’. Meanwhile the club’s venue in Felpham could be converted into a 480-home property development occupying a third of the land currently occupied by the golf course.

The club’s landowner, Nick Adames, plans to use the money from the sale to build a brand new 27-hole facility to ensure the long-term future of the 130-year-old club. A statement on the club’s website says the current course, which measures just over 6,200 yards from the back tees, is too short by modern standards, while the site’s clay subsoil

Ceri Menai-Davis honoured with PGA award for charity work following family loss

Ceri Menai-Davis, a director at The Shire London, has been named as the 2022 recipient of The PGA’s Toby Sunderland Award in recognition of his outstanding charity work following the death of his six-year-old son, Hugh.

In October 2020, Hugh was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft-tissue cancer where tumours can develop in any part of the body. Over the following six months he bravely underwent extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. In May the following year, he rang the bell at Addenbrooke’s Hospital to signal the end of his treatment as an inpatient. Tragically, Hugh suffered

has made drainage an issue in recent years, with heavy rain causing the course to be closed during prolonged wet periods.

“Our current site has many limitations which are holding the club back from growing and improving the facilities we can offer our members,” the statement says. “The club currently enjoys a full membership, but with an ever-growing number of applicants on the waiting list to join, more capacity is needed. Our current site is only 97 acres, which is extremely small for an 18-hole course, while the driving range is only 180 yards long. The land on our boundaries is not available to facilitate expansion.”

It added: “The original barn part of our clubhouse is over 150 years old and is no longer operationally fit for purpose. Energy efficiency is very low and with sustainability and ongoing price increases, the facility is becoming very expensive to run. The interior design is extremely dated and not suitable for a modern, progressive facility.”

The club has taken on the services of leading golf course design company European Golf Design to build the new 18-hole course, with Gary Johnston, who designed Dubai Hills, winner of the Best New Course in the World in 2019,

an aggressive relapse in late summer and died on September 18, less than three weeks after his sixth birthday.

It was the worst of times for Ceri, his wife Frances and their family. And yet out of such sorrow, the Hertford couple have created something very special. They established a charity called ‘It’s Never You’, which supports parents of children with cancer. The charity has already raised over £200,000 and at its hub is an app (The Children’s Cancer Platform), promoted in a growing number of children’s hospitals, which has assisted in growing a community of parents just like Ceri and Frances. And for the Menai-Davis family, It’s Never You is acting as a powerful legacy for Hugh through which his courage and kindness live on each day.

“I am humbled and thrilled to have been named as the winner of the 2022 Toby Sunderland Award,” said Ceri, who was presented with his award at a recent Regional

leading the project. A 9-hole, par 3 course is also planned for the new site, along with a 15-bay driving range with ball tracking technology, and a new purpose-built clubhouse.

“The new facilities we are hoping to build will be the benchmark for clubs in the local area and beyond,” the club’s statement concludes. “They will be built to such a high standard that they will attract visitors from all around the country to our local area and we will be proud to continue to operate them under the name of Bognor Regis Golf Club.”

Members’ Meeting for PGA Professionals at Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club. “It was a nice surprise when I learnt that I had been nominated for it by the PGA in England, East region. But to find out that I am the overall recipient of the award is a little overwhelming. It’s also correct to say that this feels like a joint award because my wife Frances has been every bit as involved in driving forward ‘It’s Never You’, since we decided to start it. We wanted to create something positive that could provide support to families when they needed it most – and also to serve as a legacy to Hugh’s heart and courage.” More than 100 families have downloaded the It’s Never You app, and Ceri wants others to help raise funds and awareness. He added: “It has been so uplifting to be part of ‘It’s Never You’ as it’s grown and see the great impact it is having up and down the country. If any PGA Member knows of any child or any parents going through cancer, please get in contact with us. We can be that supportive rock for them that they need.”

COMPETITION

WIN MOTOCADDY’S NEW M7 GPS POWER TROLLEY

QUESTION

How many courses are pre-loaded into the M7 Remote’s super-fast GPS system?

a) 10,000 b) 20,000

c) 40,000

Launched this month, the new M7 GPS offer golfers the ‘ultimate caddie’ experience by blending responsive control with performance enhancing features, including a fully-integrated, super-fast GPS system with accurate green visuals; front, middle and back distances; plus hazard information across more than 40,000 preloaded courses worldwide.

In another ground-breaking move, Motocaddy is also offering a 12-month, no obligation free trial on its exclusive cellularpowered Motocaddy Performance Plan, allowing you to unlock a selection of stunning hi-tech game management features. These include access to full-hole mapping with the ability to move the target for ultimate shot planning; a detailed dynamic Green View showing the shape of the green and greenside hazards with drag and drop pin positions; score and statistic tracking; performance analysis through the free Motocaddy

TO ENTER

GPS App; real-time course updates to ensure access to the latest mapping; and notifications of software updates with ‘on-the-go’

The M7 GPS includes a super responsive, crystal-clear 3.5” LCD touchscreen display usable in all weather conditions and all the benefits of the award-winning M7 REMOTE, including rechargeable handset, removable anti-tip rear wheel and the brand’s cutting-edge Downhill Control technology.

Other features include a clock and round timer, an indication of the par and handicap of each hole, shot distance measurement, automatic hole advancement, score tracking and a battery indicator. Potential life-saving defibrillator locations at the course can be found on the screen, as well as crucial CPR instructions.

For your chance to win this fabulous prize, simply answer the question above and email info@golfnews.co.uk with ‘Motocaddy Competition’ in the subject line. Please include your name, email address, contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News, or if you read it online. The closing date for entries is April 10.

If you would like to learn more about Motocaddy’s full range of trolleys, bags and accessories, visit motocaddy.com.

We’ve teamed up with the world’s biggestselling electric trolley brand to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an all-new M7 GPS electric trolley, an all-new remotecontrolled model with touchscreen GPS worth £1,499!

SILVERMERE HITS THE GOLD STANDARD

With its stunning 18-hole golf course, top class practice facilities, huge retail outlet, and superb hospitality, Silvermere Golf & Leisure in Surrey is the perfect all-round family golfing venue at any time of the year

Occupying a leafy spot half-way between Cobham and Byfleet, Silvermere has been part of the golfing landscape in this corner of the country for nearly half a century.

Offering a superb 18-hole course set among mature woodland and parkland, Silvermere is one of the best-maintained and most challenging public courses in the country. In addition to the quality of the layout, the superb practice facilities, the renowned Golf Store, and the wonderful hospitality on offer at the Inn on the Lake, it is the personal service and attention to detail that makes Silvermere such an attractive destination for golfers of all skill levels, from beginners to tour professionals.

If it’s been a while since you’ve played here, you’ll be surprised at how much the challenging 6,406-yard layout has matured since Neil Coles and Brian Hugget first designed it over 45 years ago. The trees that were little more than a nuisance back then are now extremely mature and make for a solid, yet fair, test of all aspects of your game. High handicappers often find the first six holes quite tough, as distance and accuracy off the tee are crucial, and although the fairways are quite generous, the rough and the rhododendrons are not quite so forgiving.

The first tee, a nervous place for even the most seasoned golfers, has been raised in recent years to give players a better view of this tricky opening par five,. As you cross the road, the holes open out a bit, but still require a good long game to score well here, especially on the par fours, such as the 8th and the 10th, both of which are over 440 yards off the back tees. The two finishing holes are legendary. Both feature water, and have the potential to make or break a round. The par-three 17th, which, at 175 yards off the whites, looks further than it is, while the notorious 18th requires little more than a mid-to-long iron for placement, but it's your approach shot that has to carry the water to the island green. Once the lake has been safely negotiated, you can breathe a sigh of relief and hope to two-putt for a well-deserved drink and a bite to eat at the Inn on the Lake.

The greenkeeping team have, as ever, been busy out on the course over the winter, and are currently part-way through a major bunker renovation

programme that will see every single sand trap redesigned. There has also been plenty of work to improve the drainage, while water has also been added in the shape of a new pond on the par-five 14th hole, which significantly ramps up the risk and reward on the approach. The greens on the 6th and 11th hole have also been remodelled to create a wider of choice of pin positions, while the 18th tee has also been rebuilt to further enhance the quality of this memorable course.

As well as its golf course, Silvermere also attracts plenty of golfers for the quality of its practice and coaching facilities, which have been the subject of continued investment in recent years. The superb two-tier, 52-bay driving range is one of the best in the country, with the well-kept outfield providing plenty of targets to aim at for focused practice. The range offers Power Tees in the ground floor bays and Srixon two-piece balls, is floodlit, and is open early every day and up until 9.45pm at night, making it ideal for practice before or after work. Technology has long been forefront of the Silvermere range experience, with 48 bays fitted with the latest Toptracer system, which tracks the ball in flight for real-time feedback. The technology sees a digital screen located inside each of the bays enabling golfers to see the flight of every ball they hit and receive instant feedback on distance and trajectory. A free downloadable app also lets users store their data on a smartphone for later analysis. The Toptracer system offers a variety of game formats, where golfers can challenge each other to hit targets which reward shots hit closer to the flag at different distances. Golfers can also now purchase golf balls via The Golf More app, which enables users to top-up and dispense balls all via their mobiles, eliminating the need for printed tokens. Range users have further reason to extend their practice time following the recent opening of new café on the range, where golfers can stock up on snacks and drinks while playing Toptracer games or working on their swing. For regular visitors, The Golf More app offers up to 30% extra credit on range balls top-ups.

Besides being a place to practice, Silvermere also provides the opportunity to enjoy first-class teaching, with the facility’s team of 20-plus PGAtrained professionals on hand to offer a range of

IT IS THE PERSONAL SERVICE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL THAT MAKES SILVERMERE SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION FOR GOLFERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS

■ SILVERMERE'S SUPERB PARKLAND COURSE HAS UNDERGONE A NUMBER OF RECENT RENOVATIONS INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW LAKE IN FRONT OF THE 14TH GREEN

■ THE FREE-TO-USE PRACTICE PUTTING GREEN

lesson packages either in groups or one-on-one. There is a new Full Swing Lounge which combines infrared light waves and high-speed cameras to offer an immersive experience.

Golfers of all ages looking to hone their putting skills – and have a bit of fun – can head over to the club’s free-to-use nine-hole astroturf putting course that is laid out in front of the clubhouse. For users of the putting green, the club are currently raising funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, so a voluntary contribution can be made via the donation posts. There is also an enlarged grass practice putting green next to the first tee.

If you’re after some new clubs, or looking to splash out on a fresh golfing outfit for the new season, there’s no better place to shop than the legendary Silvermere Golf Store – an 8,500 square foot retail space which stocks all the major equipment brands, including TaylorMade - which is hosting a special Tour truck fitting event here from April 5-8 – Ping, Callaway, Cobra and Mizuno, as well as some of the more to hard to find ones, such as Evnroll putters and XXIO. The clothing rails are filled with all the latest apparel collections. Alongside established brands such as Under Armour, Galvin Green, Adidas and J.Lindeberg, more recent additions to the store include apparel collections from brands such as G/Fore, Travis Mathew, Original Penguin and Forelson, while Planet FootJoy stocks the largest range of shoes in Europe from golf’s leading footwear company. The store is currently undergoing a refit ahead of the new season, making it even easier and more enjoyable shopping experience.

For a well-deserved drink and a bite to eat, visitors can head over to the Inn on the Lake, Silvermere’s bar and restaurant, where its variety of private function rooms – including the ground floor Waterside Suite – provides the perfect setting to relax, unwind and celebrate, whether it be with golfing partners, family or business colleagues. And with a number of meeting rooms and conference facilities, it also makes an ideal venue for a business meeting or company away day.

If you want to make Silvermere your home –in a golfing sense – although there are 60-odd retirement flats close to the 17th green – the current range of membership packages remains extremely popular. Seven-day membership, which offers unlimited golf, are currently sold out due to overwhelming demand, but there are a limited number of Monday to Friday memberships available at £1,119, while a pay-andplay membership, which costs £269, provides an official handicap and offers access to competitions, advanced bookings, and reduced green fee rates,

Winter green fees are a very reasonable £29 during the week and £38 at weekends, while Silvermere is also the perfect location for groups and societies, with summer packages (AprilSeptember) designed to cater for all sizes of golf days starting from just £46 per person. With spring finally upon us, and the longer, warmer days of summer just around the corner, there really has never been a better time to pay a visit to Silvermere.

For tee bookings and membership enquiries, call 01932 584314 or for online bookings and further details on the latest offers, society packages and other news, visit www.silvermere-golf.co.uk.

■ THE INN ON THE LAKE OVERLOOKS THE 18TH GREEN AND IS IDEAL FOR PRE- AND POST-ROUND DINING, AS WELL AS FOR HOSTING SOCIETIES AND PRIVATE FUNCTIONS

THE 52-BAY FLOODLIT DRIVING RANGE BOASTS

TECHNOLOGY

ENHANCED

■ SILVEREMERE'S 8,500 SQ FT GOLF STORE STOCKS ALL THE MAJOR EQUIPMENT, FOOTWEAR AND APPAREL BRANDS AND IS STAFFED BY A KNOWLEDGEABLE TEAM OF PGA PROS

SCAN IN THIS QR CODE TO DOWNLOAD SILVERMERE'S FREE GOLF MORE APP AND START MAKING SAVINGS ON RANGE BALLS AND COLLECTING DATA ON YOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS

Alternatively,

Foxhills sets out £1.5m course renovation plans

Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey has appointed Sean Graham as its new director of golf, with the 29-year-old set to oversee a major golf course modernisation project which has seen the club already invest more than £1.5 million.

Having spent almost five years working at Foxhills as head of golf operations and retail, Graham’s promotion has come at an exciting time for the club as he leads the golf team through the significant golf course improvements.

Following the opening of a dedicated short game area, The Practice Den, and significant driving range enhancements, the Surrey venue has committed to major investment in its Longcross and Bernard Hunt courses over the next five years which will see the biggest structural changes in the layouts since they were designed by Fred Hawtree and opened for play in 1975.

As part of the significant upgrades, best-in-class greenkeeping equipment has been purchased from leading suppliers, Toro and John Deere, which will elevate the conditioning and maintenance to even higher standards. Work on several holes on the back nine of the Longcross is already underway. European Golf Designs, which redesigned 2023 Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone G&GC and the West Course at Wentworth, was selected for the work following a full review of both championship courses with agronomy experts Turfgrass. The assessment highlighted where playing conditions can be improved and how the courses can better challenge the modern style of the game.

Bunker shape and positioning, green size, shape and contouring, as well as herringbone drainage and irrigation upgrade work on holes 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Longcross will take place over the coming months, while tee positions will also change on several holes to bring hazards more in play and encourage more strategy and creativity throughout the round.

NEW-LOOK MANOR HOUSE READY TO HOST RISING STARS

But it is on the 16th hole where the most complex part of the renovation project will take place, with work already having begun to transform the par-three into a signature hole. A pond, which currently sits too far away from the green to influence club selection, will be extended to the putting-surface edge to create a more dramatic hole. The size of the green will also be increased to provide room for additional pin locations and a new bunker will be built on the left side of the green to remove the temptation of bailing out.

Phase two is scheduled to begin in summer 2023, with attention turning to improvements across the rest of the back nine on the Longcross before moving onto the Bernard Hunt in 2024.

Graham, who joined the Surrey venue in 2018 after time spent working in the Middle East, said: “Being given the opportunity to become director of golf here at Foxhills Club & Resort is a really proud moment for me. It’s reward for how hard I feel I’ve worked since joining Foxhills five years ago and it’s also hopefully a reflection of my relationship with the members. I feel like I have a real connection with the club, so it’s a really gratifying moment for me and I can’t wait to get started.

“This is an extremely exciting time for golfers at Foxhills. The course changes are going to make a big difference to the playing experience. It’s important to us that the courses are enjoyable for all levels of golfer, from low handicappers to mid-high and the masterplan for this project was designed with this at the front of our mind.”

The Manor House Golf Club will be the destination for some of golf’s rising stars this summer when the Wiltshire venue plays host to Europe’s leading development tour for the first time.

The club’s par-72 parkland course will welcome the 2023 Mizuno Next Gen Series, presented by Clutch Pro Tour, from June 5-7. The official feeder tour to the Challenge Tour, the Clutch Pro Tour Tier One event will visit the Castle Combe venue for the first time ever. On June 5, The Manor House will host a pro-am where amateurs will have the opportunity to play alongside a Clutch Tour player in tournament conditions before the pros take centre stage to compete over 36 holes the following two days. The Manor House’s tree-lined course will provide a tough challenge for the next generation of tour golfers as they compete in the sixth Tier One event of the season for a prize fund of at least £60,000.

The event will arrive at the Wiltshire course following a year of investment. A major sustainable bunker renovation project is currently underway as BunkerMat technology is introduced on the majority of its 80 bunkers to improve sand retention on the steep slopes. Club manager Andy Ryan said: “We are delighted to be hosting the Mizuno Next Gen Series are looking forward to welcoming everyone for what promises to be a great few days. After recent course investment, and with further improvements set to take place ahead of the event including the completion of bunker work, the course will be in an excellent condition and will provide a real test for the game’s next stars.”

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Nick Bayly checks out the contenders for this year’s Masters Tournament , and finds himself weighing up the merits of some in-form favourites competing on the PGA Tour against a handful of potentially ring-rusty, but talented LIV Golf campaigners in the battle for green jacket glory

While the Masters is always one, if not the most eagerly anticipated tournaments of the year, coming as it does, after eight Major-free months, this year’s renewal has more than a certain extra frisson to it.

The arrival of LIV Golf, the well-publicised and equally well-funded Saudi-backed tour, in the spring of last year, set the professional tours on a collision course that has seen long-standing friendships torn apart and bitter rivalries created. The schism that now exists between those that stayed ‘loyal’ to the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, and those 50-plus players that chose to follow Greg Norman into battle, seems wider than ever, and with many LIV golfers having seen their world rankings drop faster than Liverpool down the Premier League table in recent months, this may well be the last time we see some of them teeing it up at the Masters, or any others of the major championships, for some time to come. While the Masters Tournament committee issued a statement earlier this year outlining that they were in no mind to rescind invitations to LIV golfers for this year’s renewal, who knows

what the situation will be next year. Will future LIV tournaments qualify for world ranking points? Will the organiser of the majors be forced to fall in line with the established tours and ban LIV golfers from competing? Will LIV Golf even exist next year? Will the PGA Tour be forced to back down in the face of anti-trust litigation? So many questions, with so few answers, but it all adds up to an intriguing backstory that continues to bubble beneath the surface at pro tournaments around the world.

What isn’t in doubt is that the Masters, for now, remains professional golf’s biggest draw outside of the Ryder Cup, and all eyes will be on Augusta on April 6 when the first round gets under way, signalling the beginning of four days of glorious golfing action at one of the most visual stunning courses in the world.

This year, more than in past years, we have a tantalising mix of players arriving at Augusta in superb form. The battle for world no.1 status looks set to be a leading theme throughout the 2023 season, and the battle will come into even sharper focus when Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm tee it up at Augusta.

Scheffler, the current no.1 and defending Masters champion, will feel like he may currently have the upper hand, but both McIlroy and Rahm come in the tournament in good form, with the Spaniard having won four of his previous nine tournaments, and the Northern Irishman winning in Dubai and seemingly brimming with confidence.

As PGA Tour loyalists, that high quality trio will be fighting out of the red, white and blue corner alongside the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Colin Morikawa and, of course, the limping Tiger Woods, while over in the black-

THIS YEAR, MORE THAN IN RECENT PAST YEARS, WE HAVE A TANTALISING MIX OF PLAYERS ARRIVING AT AUGUSTA IN SUPERB FORM

and-white corner – go with it, they’re the colours of the LIV Golf logo – we have former Masters champions Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel ready to rumble for LIV alongside reigning Open Champion Cameron Smith, who, lest we forget, finished third at last year’s Masters, and four-time major champion Brooks Koepka.

With the course having changed little, barring the much-talked about extension to the 13th hole, which will now measure 545 yards off the back tee – some 35 yards longer than last year – Augusta’s twists and turns still very much play into the hands of the longer hitter.

When it comes to picking a winner, it often pays to stick with a combination of experience and current form. While that sounds obvious, the Masters is a tournament that rewards experience perhaps more than any other, with Augusta being the only major venue that never changes location, thus giving regular players the chance to unlock the key to its intricacies and subtle borrows after repeated play. On that basis it will come as no surprise that there have been just three first-time winners since the Masters began in 1934, with Fuzzy Zoeller’s triumph way back in 1979 being the most recent triumph by a debutant. So scratch through any player making their first trip up Magnolia Drive and concentrate on those with course form and a hot putter.

Taking all that into account, here is a quick overview of the main contenders for the season first major...

RORY MCILROY 7-1

Still waiting to complete the career major grand slam some nine years after winning the third of the quartet in 2014, Rory McIlroy must be starting to wonder if he will ever get that feeling of a green jacket being slipped over his shoulders. After finishing second to Scottie Scheffler last year, and having bagged seven top-10 finishes in the last 10 years, Rory certainly knows how to knock it around Augusta, but his history of finding a couple of players too good must be creating more of a mental block than anything that is lacking in his physical game, which is as good, if not better, than it has ever been. Does he represent good value at 7-1? Probably not, but then he hasn’t been good value to win a major for over a decade, although every winner must seem like good value when they actually win.

JON RAHM

8-1

With three wins already in the bank this year, and five victories in his last nine events, Rahm is clearly the hottest golfer on the planet at this moment in time, and the world rankings finally refelct that with his win at the Genesis Invitational fuinally returning him to the number one spot he reliquished last year. Having bagged top-10 finishes at Augusta every year between 2018-21, last year’s disappointing 27th will rankle with Rahm, with a third round 77 being especially damaging. However, with a scoring average of 70.3 from his preiovus 20 rounds at Augusta, points to a player that is comfortable around the Georgia course’s twists and turns, that will make more determined than ever to add a second Major to the 2020 US Open title, although it feels like his best chances of increasing his tally will come at other venues.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER 11-1

The reigning Masters champion is bidding, like every other player who has won at Augusta in the last 20 years, to become the first player to win back-to-back green jackets since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. The fact that consecutive Masters have also only been won by Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), would suggest that Scheffler is going to have his work cut out to follow in such illustrious footsteps, but the dominant nature of his win 12 months ago, and the fact that he seems to be starting off 2023 in the kind of form he finished 2022, points to the 24-year-old making a bold bid for a repeat.

CAMERON SMITH 12-1

A lot of people will be writing off the 2022 Open Championship winner’s chances of adding to his major tally at Augusta

following his switch to LIV Golf last year, right after his triumph at St Andrews, but to do so would be foolish. Belying his laidback beach boy looks, Smith is a serious competitor and seriously good at golf, and he also has some course form around here, having finished second in 2020, 10th in 2021 and third behind Scheffler last year. With three LIV events scheduled to take place before the Masters, Smith will have just nine rounds of ‘competitive’ golf under his belt, but he should be fresh and ready to go.

DUSTIN JOHNSON 25/1

Johnson may have gone to the dark side as far as PGA Tour fans are concerned, following his flip to LIV Golf in May, but the winner of the 2020 Masters still remains a force to be reckoned with judged on his performances over 54 holes with no cut last year. He won the individual prize and shared the team prize on the Saudi-backed circuit and banked over $35m from just eight tournaments. Although his world ranking has now slipped outside the world’s top 50, that bares no relation to his ability as a golfer, which remains largely undiminished, with a sixth-place finish at last year’s Open Championship being the last four-round form we have to go on.

In addition to his win in 2020, Johnson finished sixth at Augusta in 2014 and fourth in 2016, and with his ridiculous length off the tee and solid wedge play, it’s hard to see South Carolina’s smoothest swinger not featuring on Sunday at what will be his 13th appearance. Lucky for some? Only time will tell whether this particular DJ is capable of laying down some more serious tracks at the Masters.

PATRICK REED 50-1

Like Smith and Johnson, Reed will come into the season’s first major with limited match practice, but his impressive showing at last month’s Dubai Desert Classic, where he literally went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy before going down by a single shot, shows that the 2018 Masters champion has lost none of his competitive edge since switching to LIV Golf. Long painted as golf’s bad boy, he’s seemingly taken his reputation even lower by getting his lawyers to hand deliver a subpoena to McIlroy’s Florida home on Christmas Eve, but pro golf’s biggest villain boasts a decent record around Augusta since his win five years ago – with top-10 finishes in 2020 and 2021, before slipping back to 35th last year. Likely to be as friendless in the betting market as he is with PGA Tour fans, he can be backed at long odds for a top-6 finish and he’s hard to rule out of a win should he rise to the occassion.

For all the latest Masters odds, visit paddypower.com.

■ THE INVIATION THAT ALL PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS DREAM OF RECEIVING

The Masters will air on Sky Sports Golf from April 6-9. For the full schedule, visit skysports.com

WILY FOX EYES UP GOLF’S BIGGEST PRIZES

A sensational 2022 season on the DP World Tour has seen Ryan Fox move firmly into the world’s top 50 and ready to play in his first Masters. We find out what the 36-year-old New Zealander puts his late bloom down to and how he thinks he’ll fare on the world’s biggest stages

Anyone who has shown a passing interest in the final leaderboards on the DP World Tour of late can’t have failed to notice how often the name ‘Ryan Fox’ pops up on or near the top of the pile come Sunday afternoon.

The 36-year-old New Zealander, the son of All Blacks rugby legend Grant Fox, has been an impressively consistent performer on the European circuit since he joined the tour full-time in 2017, but he has really took it up several gears over the last 12 months, with his Race to Dubai ranking rising from 82nd in 2021 to the point where only Rory McIlroy’s victory in the DP World Tour Championship stood between him and topping the ranking for 2022.

His meteoric rise came on the back of two wins – the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February and the Alfred Dunhill Links in September – four runnerup finishes (Dutch Open, Irish Open, Nedbank Golf Challenge, Soudal Open), and four other top-10s, all of which added up to a prize fund haul of €3.36m in 2022.

It’s the measure of Fox’s fortunes, and his popularity among his peers, that he capped 2022 by being voted DP World Tour Player of the Year. Voted for by the players, Fox polled 50% of the votes, leaving McIlroy and US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick in his wake. Being the first Kiwi to win the Seve Ballesteros Award since Michael Campbell received the honour in 2005 also meant a lot to Fox, given the inspiration that the 2005 US Open champion has been to a generation of golfers from New Zealand, while to be given award in Seve’s name, was also beyond comprehension.

“It’s probably not something that I ever expected to win in my career,” he admits. “I would like to say it’s something I dreamed of, but if you look at the names on the trophy and I probably don’t count myself as in that league. Seve is such an icon of golf. I knew what he achieved in the game, but growing up in New Zealand, I didn’t fully understand or appreciate the influence he had in Europe, but to have my name on the Seve Ballesteros Award is a bit surreal, but it’s pretty cool to be a small part of golfing history.”

WHAT’S IN FOX’S BAG?

DRIVER:

Srixon ZX5 Mk II, (9.5°)

FAIRWAY

WOOD:

Srixon ZX5 Mk II

3-wood (14°)

UTILITY:

Srixon Z U85 (20°)

IRONS: Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-PW)

WEDGES: Cleveland RTX ZipCore, (50°, 56°, 60°)

PUTTER: Fine Tuned Prototype

BALL: Srixon Z-Star XV.

While it’s hard to drag yourself up the world rankings solely on the back of European performances these days, Fox’s points haul was enough to rocket from 211th in February 2022 to his current position at 29th, down slightly from a career high 24th in October following a runner-up finish at the Nedbank in South Africa.

Ask the man in question where his sudden flurry of form has come from, and he is at pains to find a definitive answer. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what clicked last year, because my game didn’t feel a whole lot different than previous seasons,” Fox admits. “But for the most part, my putting has been really good, and that was probably my Achilles heel during my first few years on tour. I knew if I could just putt OK, I would be able to contend more and that has proved the case.”

With the stats bearing out his improvement with the putter in hand, ranking 14th in ‘Putts Per Greens in Regulation’ among his DP World Tour peers, Fox is also no slouch off the tee either, with the Kiwi averaging 317 yards with his driver in 2022, while his stroke average was an impressive 69.85, well under the tour average of 71.14. This season has already yielded some impressive returns, with his first four events resulting in three top-20 finishes and no missed cuts.

With a high ranking comes invitations to play in golf’s biggest tournaments, starting with a longawaited debut in next month’s Masters, as well as automatic spots in the three others majors providing he can maintain his position inside the world’s top 50. Unfortunately, he missed out on securing a coveted PGA Tour card for this season despite finishing second in the DP World Tour rankings, as the top-10 players in the standings won’t earn spots under the new ‘strategic alliance’ until next year. But thanks to his incredible leap in the world rankings, Fox now holds enough status to qualify for several PGA Tour events on top of the majors –including The Players Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational – a position which gives him everything to gain and nothing to lose following

his breakout season. Not bad for a self-proclaimed journeyman who didn’t turn professional until he was 25.

Fox, who grew up in Auckland, but now lives in London, says: “With how I played this year, I feel like I can definitely compete with the best players in the world, but majors are a different kettle of fish. I’ve always heard Augusta is a pretty tough course to go to first time around, so I’m not expecting fireworks, but just to be there and experience it, and be a part of the major history, is going to be really cool.”

Speaking about the draw of the big dollars on offer in the States, he adds: “If you’d have asked me two years ago, I would say I was more than happy playing in Europe. Although the dream was always to play on the PGA Tour, I thought that dream had passed. But you look at it all now, and it’s all within touching distance. It’s going to be a cool year. I can get some experience playing the tournaments that I grew up watching like Bay Hill and The Players. If it works great, if it doesn’t then I’ve got a second chance.

“I’d love to get a card and do it the way it’s been done the last few years – get in the top 50, get in the majors, get in some of the bigger PGA Tour events, then play well enough to play my way on. That would be the ideal scenario. So that’s the goal this year.”

The fox, as they say, is on the loose.

Pro-Am Tour’s Scottsdale trip proves a classic!

The 2023 Scottsdale Classic saw the Pro-Am Tour return to the Arizona desert for the ‘Greatest Show on Grass’ once again that culminates in the Pro-Am teams playing TPC Scottsdale with the stands up in the final round.

The Tour started at Blackstone Country Club, where Simon Lilly from Wellingborough Golf Club posted a 67 to win the Welcome Challenge Day from Stoneham’s Adam Hickling. The best amateur score was 39 Stableford points from Ian Bullions of Kirby Muxloe.

The main event began with a wonderful pre-tournament breakfast at Grayhawk. The first round was played on the Raptor course and proved to be a challenging day for all. Simon Lilly led the way with one-under with former PGA Cup player Craig Goodfellow three shots back.

The second round was at We-Ko-Pa, a true desert Master on the Cholla course, which once again saw Lilly and Goodfellow rise to the top, with Lilly extending his lead by four, with the top four teams separated by eight strokes.

The third round on Saguaro saw another former PGA Cup player, this time Chris Gill from Newquay Golf Club, move up the leaderboard into third before the final day’s play on the Stadium Course at TPC.

At TPC the greens were super quick, stimping at 12. This made for an intriguing final day. From what seemed un an assailable lead, Lilly faltered and Goodfellow flourished. What was a 10-shot gap, closed to just three, but Lilly held on to that margin and became the 2023 Scottsdale Classic champion. The team event was an equally rollercoaster event, with a six-shot sway on the final day making things interesting, but the team from Kirby Muxloe held on to win by four, with Bruce Whipham, Ian and Simon Bullions and Robert Bache running out deserving winners from Adam Hickling’s Stoneham team.

Scottsdale offers such an amazing balance of fantastic, manicured golf venues and amazing fun nightlife. It caters for every eventuality on and off the course and it trumps the weather in the UK in February.

For more information on the Pro-Am Tour, head to pro-amtour. com or call Craig Trower on 020 80502969.

Sandown duo bag England Golf volunteer award

Being new to the game has been no barrier for Surrey golfers Sonia McCarthy and Kirsty Joly as they scooped the Volunteer of the Year award at the England Golf Awards, the winners of which were announced at a special ceremony held in Manchester on March 2.

The duo began their golfing journey in 2022 at Sandown Park Golf Centre and have not looked back since, taking the club’s offering to female players to new levels with their enthusiastic and encouraging nature.

They have helped almost 100 women achieve handicaps in fewer than ten months and thanks to their hard work, Sandown has also become a social hub which provides women with a safe environment with benefits to their mental and physical health.

Sonia and Kirsty have introduced roll-ups, away games at other clubs and even set up matches and competitions with the men’s club. As a result, the men’s section has become totally supportive of the new women’s programme and both sections have integrated well.

Described as the perfect volunteer pairing, Sonia and Kirsty’s warmth and friendship made everyone at the club feel welcome and worthwhile and restored many people’s confidence following the tough Covid pandemic period.

After picking up their award, Sonia said: “It is truly unbelievable. We came here hoping we might win, but I don’t ever think we believed we would! We were so grateful for the nomination so to win the award is just amazing. The ladies who take part in our programme are phenomenal and this award is for them just as much as it is for us. We started the programme but literally picking women out of the car park, so we’ve come a long way.”

Kirsty added: “We wanted to show women that they could get involved and enjoy golf as a social sport. We started the programme from nothing and now we have over 100 ladies playing and now nearly 40 of them have got an official handicap, so we’re absolutely delighted.”

■ TEAM WINNERS AT TPC SCOTTSDALE

Having won FIVE of his last NINE tournaments, Jon Rahm is the hottest golfer on the planet right now. And with the Major season just around the corner, and a Ryder Cup on the horizon, the 28-year-old Spanish star is hoping he can maintain his impressive form in the important months that lie ahead

THE FAMILY GUY

With two wins at the back end of last year and three titles already in the bank by the middle of Febuary, do you feel like you’re playing some of the best golf of your career right now?

It’s been a heck of few months that’s for sure. My swing has been feeling really good, and my body is feeling great, and when everything is firing at the same time then I know that I can shoot some good scores. Golf is a game of fine margins, but right now the margins seem to be tilted a little bit in my favour, so I’m in a good place and I’m feeling in command of my game. It’s important to acknowledge moments like these, as they don’t come around all that often, so I’m just trying to ride the wave as long as I can.

Do you feel like it’s a question of just maintaining this form or do you think there are more improvements to come?

In my mind I feel like I can get a lot better. I feel like that’s the mentality I should have. Again, I work very hard to do what I do. I could find mistakes in every single round I’ve played. Very few times I would say I’ve played a flawless round, but that isn’t possible in a game like golf.

Even though there have been a massive number of positives - my wedge game, in particular, has been very good these last few weeks – I know I can get better. Again, it’s my job to try to do the best I can, but so far I think I’m doing a pretty good job.

What is the difference between a good round and a great round for you these days – is it just about getting the putts to drop?

Yeah, I feel like I’m striking my driver and my irons great, and I’m hitting it close with my wedges, so often it comes down to putting – reading the greens, getting the pace right and hoping that you get you feel for the surfaces. We play alot of different types of courses, with different speeds, so it’s a question of getting comfortable early on and trusting your stroke. Sometimes the hole looks as big as a bucket and you don’t feel like you can miss, and then are times when it feels the opposite, and you just keep finding the edge. Usually, it evens itself out somehow.

It seems like you have to shoot very low scores to win on tour these days. Does that put extra pressure on you at the beginning of the week, knowing that you’re probably going to have to shoot four 68s or sometimes better to be in a with shout?

I mean, I shot a combined 54-under in two tournaments this year and won by a combined three shots. It’s competitive out here. Even if you have a decent few rounds, there’s every chance that someone is going to come out and shoot a 63 or a 64 and make a charge. No lead seems to be big enough these days. We’re not shooting these scores because the courses are easy. It’s just that average level of player keeps gets higher and higher. I would like to know in years past if you shoot 27-under how many of them you win by one shot. Not many. Most of the time you’re winning by a comfortable margin, so it goes to show how good everybody is getting.

It’s a really good time for spectators and fans of the game. Because what’s more fun than to seeing people making eagles and birdies and having an exciting game?

Rory McIlroy has spoken about how it can be almost easier mentally to chase wins from behind than leading from the front. What’s your reaction to that and how does it feel when you’re chasing a tournament as opposed to when you’ve been trying to stay in front?

There’s a definite difference. When you’re chasing, to an extent it’s almost easier because you have one option – and that is to make birdies and play aggressively. When you’re leading, yes, you want to make birdies, but you don’t want to make stupid mistakes that are going to cost you a bogey. So, it’s

obviously a little bit more difficult. I enjoy the chase and being chased – it’s why we compete out here. While it’s great to have a lead and hold on to it, those comeback wins are fun, no question. When you go on a roll and get those birdies and then, all of a sudden, bam, you’re leading the tournament and you close it out – there’s no feeling like it. But, overall, if I had to choose, I would rather lead, if that doesn’t sound contradictory!

Before your win at the Genesis Invitational took you back to world no.1, you were ranked no.3, behind Scottie Scheffler and Rory. Was that a source of frustration given your four previous victories?

Earlier last year clearly Scottie was in the best form, and then Rory was that player, and I feel like right now it’s me, and probably has been since August. It’s all down to the OWGR’s new points system, which I think is pretty laughable right now, as it has been changed to reflect that quantity of higherranked players at an event rather than the quality of players on show. I understand what they are trying to do with the depth of field but having the best players in the world automatically makes the tournament better. I don’t care what their system says. I think they have made a mistake. I think some

You switched into Callaway’s new Paradym driver from the Rogue driver during the off-season. It’s clearly been working well for you, along with all your other Callaway equipment, but what specifically is it about the Paradym that are you enjoying the most?

I’ve loved every driver I’ve had from Callaway since I joined the family tour staff in January 2021. Driving is the strongest part of my game, so if anything can make it better, I’m going to try to make it better, and that’s certainly the case with the Paradym driver.

It’s a different look to what Callaway has done in the past, but I can’t tell you how good it feels at impact – it feels amazing. Even when I mishit it, the feeling at impact is still so good and I don’t know why. I can’t really get into the engineering and technology that goes into it, but I can imagine that it’s very, very hard to find ways to improve performance for someone who has been hitting the ball pretty well off the tee for the last two years, but Callaway has done that. The only logical conclusion for me is that they have managed to enlarge the size of the sweet spot, so it’s more forgiving on shots that aren’t hit out of the centre of the clubface, which is a great thing, even for good players. I don’t necessarily need the extra distance – although I’m getting that too – but it’s the consistency of strike that’s most important, so when I get that on slight mis-hits, it’s going to really help my game.

aspects of it might be beneficial, but I think they have devalued the value of the better players. Would you rather win a tournament when you have the No.1 player in the world there or because you have the 30th or 6th there? I think it’s more valuable if you’re beating the best players in the world. I think a lot of people would agree and I think it should reflect that. Quantity has been overvalued against quality.

It’s obviously a contentious subject, but would you be happy to see players who are currently on the LIV circuit able to play alongside you on the European Ryder Cup team?

I always try to think from the point of view of what’s best for golf and what’s best for the fans, and everyone wants to see the best players playing in the Ryder Cup. There are some people that have made the European team what it is today – Seve being one of them, but we’ve also great talismen like Faldo and Monty, and I think Sergio [Garcia] is one of them too, and Ian Poulter likewise.

Sergio is the greatest Ryder Cup player in history, statistically speaking, so when you’ve been part of the team, and you’ve made the team what it is, to not be allowed to be involved in any way, I don’t necessarily agree with it. Plus, it’s Europe against the US, it’s not the PGA Tour or the European Tour against LIV. So, to me, you should give those players the opportunity to be part of the team. Having said that, we can’t have a situation where one team allows LIV golfers to play and one not –there has to be a level playing field. I don’t know what the answer is, but none of what I’ve seen so far seems to be for the greater good of the game as far as the fans are concerned.

■ DRIVEN MAN: RAHM HAS GAINED EXTRA DISTANCE AND IMPROVED HIS DISPERSION RATES SINCE SWITCHING TO CALLAWAY’S NEW PARADYM DRIVER

Your win at the Genesis Invitational took your career tally of PGA Tour wins – including Majors – to ten, done more than Seve [Ballesteros]. How does it feel to have eclipsed his achievement and how much of an inspiration has Seve been in your career?

Seve never played full-time PGA Tour, so the fact that he had four tournament wins in addition to his five major championships, is pretty spectacular. I’ve been fortunate to tie a lot of things he’s done, so for me to surpass some of those things is incredible. My dad started playing golf after going to watch the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama and Seve’s captaincy, so that’s basically why I’m here, and that’s why I take representing golf in Spain so seriously and why Seve’s legacy is so important to me. When Seve first started playing I think there were less than 30,000 people with a golf license in Spain. When he died in 2011 there were over 350,000. I would love to be able to carry on his legacy and take those numbers even higher. I know it will be hard to take it beyond the level that he did, but if I can increase that number even a little bit, and play a part in making golf more popular in Spain, and with Spaniards in general, I’ll be a happy man.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond (10.5°)

Fairway Woods: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond HL (16°, 18°)

Utility: Callaway Apex UT (21°)

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB (4-PW)

Wedges: Callaway JAWS Raw (52°, 56°, 60°)

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

WE’RE NOT SHOOTING THESE SCORES BECAUSE THE COURSES ARE EASY. IT’S JUST THAT AVERAGE LEVEL OF PLAYER KEEPS GETS HIGHER AND HIGHER.

WHAT’S IN JON RAHM’S BAG?

FOWLER’S LASTING LEGACIES

Herbert Fowler is responsible for creating some of the UK’s finest courses, from heathland marvels such as Walton Heath and The Berkshire to majestic links like Saunton and Royal North Devon and many more besides

As with most successful second careers, Herbert Fowler came to be one of England’s most celebrated golf course architects quite by accident. Born into a wealthy Somerset textile family in 1856, Fowler eschewed the traditional university education route followed by his peers, and started out his working life in banking, becoming a partner in a Wellington-based firm, while, somewhat unusually, also playing first-class cricket for Somerset, where his prowess as an big-hitting allrounder saw him finish his career with a batting average of 20 from 49 innings and a bowling average of 22 from 23 wickets.

Unfortunately for his career prospects in banking, Fowler’s figures weren’t quite as impressive when it came to finance, and his firm went bust in the late 1890s, with Fowler up to his elbows in debt and with no obvious means of paying them off.

He joined Royal North Devon Golf Club in 1879 and got his game to a level where he managed to make the last 16 of the Amateur Championship in 1891 and finish 26th in the Open Championship in 1900 – Fowler’s move from playing golf to designing golf courses came about when his wealthy banker brotherin-law, Sir Cosmo Bonsor, proposed that Fowler pay off his banking debts by helping him to build a golf course on a large parcel of land that he owned in Walton-on-the-Hill in Surrey. Thus the seeds of Fowler’s second –and most important – career were sown.

By the standards of the day, the creation of what is now known as Walton Heath’s Old Course was a slow process, with the course, hewn from 600 acres of heather – taking over three years to build and not opening until the summer of 1904.

With a big budget at his disposal, Fowler was painstaking in his preparation of the land, and spent precious time, and money, laying down a system of pipes that brought water to each green and tee to create what was one of the first examples of modern-day irrigation. That the course measured 6,424 yards was most likely down to Fowler’s own length of the tee, but it was a prescient move as the arrival of the Haskell ball soon demanded that championship courses be of a similar yardage.

Fowler built a second course at Walton Heath, the New, in 1907, although it started out life as 9-holer and it wasn’t extended to full 18 until some six years later. By this time Fowler was a major figure in golf. He had become a member of both the R&A and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and was listed as one of the R&A’s representatives on the St Andrews’ Green Committee in 1903. And with word of his excellent work at Walton Heath soon spreading, Fowler was soon being offered course development and renovation projects all over the British Isles, with the redesign his own golfing alma mater, Royal North Devon, being one of his earliest commissions. With business booming, Fowler was happy to be joined at his busy practice by Tom Simpson in 1910, and between them laid out or modified another eight courses, including Delamere Forest in Cheshire and the RAC in Surrey, before the outbreak of war in 1914 brought an immediate halt to all course work.

On the resumption of work following the end of World War I, Fowler was given the task of rebuilding Saunton Golf Club’s East Course, which was first laid out in 1897. It was clearly a huge success, as legendary golf writer Bernard Darwin, writing about Saunton in The Game of Golf, said: “Saunton is potentially one of the finest courses in the world. This is not merely my own opinion, for I never heard a more unanimous chorus of delight than that poured out by the daily batch of returning

explorers. Rarely have I seen such golfing country on such a gorgeous scale, so that it hardly seems real, but made rather out of the fabric of a dream..”

The following year, 1920, saw Fowler and Simpson set up a partnership with JF Abercromby and Arthur Croome for a few years and by the end of the decade the quarter were responsible for creating, adding to modifying a multitude of courses in Britain and Continental Europe. While Simpson worked mainly abroad, Fowler travelled far and wide at home, remodelling courses such as Aberdovey, Cruden Bay and Royal Lytham & St Annes, along with the construction of the Blue and Red courses at The Berkshire. The latter is a typical example of Fowler’s creativity, with the layout boasting six wildly differing short holes, six par 4s and six par 5s, all of which make use of the land’s natural slopes, with holes that fit naturally and comfortably into the landscape.

Discussing Fowler’s design style, Canandian golf course architect Ian Andrew said: “His architecture was not full of grand flourishes and would be best described as ‘understated’. He kept his tee sites simple, and used his bunkers sparingly, concentrating on key strategic locations. He let the land become the challenge when he had great natural terrain to work with and the rolls and undulations stood out more than the features that he created. His greens were often simply extensions of the fairway. Others were carefully placed on small rises to add some additional difficulty.”

Fowler retained his ability as a golfer until late in his life, making his best ever score round St Andrews’ Old Course, a remarkable 70, when he was 68. He died in 1941, aged 84, leaving just £325 in his will. A small amount to show for a life that has positively affected so many others and will do for centuries to come.

COODEN BEACH The course has dykes, ponds and strategically placed bunkers to catch a wayward shot. Nine holes exceed 400 yards and present a different challenge from which ever tee you chose to play from. Being relatively flat the course is easy walking but the climb up the 9th hole takes you to the highest point of the course where you

ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB With two exceptional downland golf courses in the beautiful surroundings of the Epsom Downs, members and their guests can enjoy the perfect golfing experience. Sweeping down towards Epsom Racecourse, the tree-lined grounds make for a dramatic backdrop for a round of golf at any time of the year.

Tel: 0114 2360763 ext 1 | Web: abbeydalegolfclub.co.uk

Tel: 01424 842040| Web: coodenbeachgc.com

Tel: 01372 229243 | Web: royalautomobileclub.co.uk

SHIRLEY PARK GOLF CLUB Shirley Park is five minutes’ drive from East Croydon station, yet it is a hidden oasis of 130 acres of Surrey countryside. The course was officially opened in July 1914 by the then Lord Mayor of London and still today, it is regarded as one of the finest courses in the south London area, with an extremely warm welcome.

Tel: 020 8654 1143 | Web: shirleyparkgolfclub.co.uk

MARLBOROUGH GOLF CLUB Set on the edge of the historic town of Marlborough, it offers tree-lined fairways on the front nine holes followed by a back nine played on 130-yearold, wonderfully springy turf. The unique clubhouse sits at the high point of the course with a bar, restaurant, and veranda on the first floor providing opportunity to enjoy the panoramic scenery.

Tel: 01672 512147 | Web: marlboroughgolfclub.co.uk

WEST KENT GOLF CLUB

Founded in 1916, West Kent is a well established and highly respected private members’ club. The 6427 yard course has a challenging mixture of undulating features based on woodland, downland and parkland holes to test all abilities and is the longest ladies course in Kent at just under 6,000 yards.

Tel: 01689851323 | Web: www.wkgc.co.uk

can take in the stunning views.

ABBEYDALE GOLF CLUB is set on the southwest side of Sheffield only a few miles from the city centre, enjoying beautiful views over the Derbyshire countryside. Recognised as a ‘must play’ if visiting Sheffield, it truly is a hidden gem. An excellent Herbert Fowler design, with gently undulating fairways and greens that demand a precise approach!

STORY BEHIND THE PIC

The 1980s was a decade to remember for European golf, especially when it came to the Masters. A green jacket would be placed around the shoulders of a European on five occasions, as players from Spain, West Germany, Scotland and England celebrated victories at Augusta. The trailblazer was, of course, Seve Ballesteros, the Spanish genius who won Europe’s first Masters in 1980 and proved the catalyst for the many triumphs that followed.

Coming off the back of a third-place finish in the Players’ Championship at Sawgrass, Seve arrived at Augusta in good form in April 1980 and was in bullish mood the day before the tournament, his 23rd birthday, saying his game was ‘getting better all the time’ and that he was ‘ready to go’, although he had expressed worries over a niggling back injury.

The reigning Open champion had a point to prove too, his appearances limited on the PGA Tour due to his reluctance to commit fully to America, and the barbed comments of a ‘car park champion’ still ringing in Seve’s ears since his Lytham win.

The bookies had installed Tom Watson as favourite and it was easy to see why. Watson had already won twice that year, and had a good Master pedigree, having won in 1977 and finished runner-up in 1978 and 1979. Ray Floyd, Lee Trevino and defending champion Fuzzy Zoeller, were also hotly tipped.

If there were any doubts surrounding Seve’s fitness, he swiftly put them to bed with a stunning first round 66. Adopting a take a slightly safer path around the course, Seve posted seven birdies in his six-under-par round, with his new strategy involving laying up at the water-guarded par fives and using his superb short game to bag three birdies in the process. “Only one bogey today. You like this new Seve?” he joked after his round. “I used my head more and my muscles a little less.”

Ballesteros was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Australia’s David Graham, then the reigning US PGA champion, and little-known Texan Jeff Mitchell. But it was a disappointing opening day for America’s big guns. Zoeller carded a solid 72; Watson’s 73 involved a paddle in the water at 15, while Nicklaus and Trevino both went round in 74, Floyd hit a 75, and Crenshaw a 76, while Tom Weiskopf ensured he wouldn’t be around for the weekend when

taking 13 shots on the par-three 12th on his way to an 85.

The American contingent enjoyed a slightly better day on the Friday. Rex Caldwell’s 66 was the best round of the day, although more notably Watson (69), Zoeller (70), Floyd (70), Crenshaw (70), Trevino (71) and Nicklaus (71), proved that not all was gloom and doom for America’s stars. They were all left trailing in Seve’s wake though. A stunning finish of four birdies in the final six holes helped Ballesteros shoot a 69, for a half-way total of nine-under-par.

Any American hoping for a collapse from Seve during the early stages of round three must have been encouraged,

as he only parred two of the opening seven holes, meaning his four-shot lead had been quickly cut to two. His eagle at the eighth restored his lead, and birdies at 13, 14 and 15, stretched his lead further.

A dropped shot at 16 was soon regained at 18, and as the galleries drifted away from Augusta, the green jacket was Seve’s for the taking, with the Spaniard holding a seven-shot lead over American Ed Fiori, with Andy North, Jesse Snead and Newton a further stroke back.

With such an imposing lead, Seve chose his words sensibly before the final round. “I’ll concentrate on playing the course, being careful. They will have to play very well to beat me. I won’t take any silly chances,” he assured the media.

Seve kept his foot to the floor in the early part of his final round Sunday, making birdies at three of the first five holes and reaching the turn with a massive 10-shot lead. It looked like Seve was aiming to beat the 72-hole Masters record of 271, and to beat Nicklaus’ record of a nine-shot winning margin. But the final nine holes of a major are rarely that straightforward, as Seve was to prove.

A three-putt at the 10th was slightly irritating, and when Newton birdied 11, Seve’s lead had been cut to eight. But come holes 12 and 13, Ballesteros was trying his best to inject as much drama into proceedings as possible, finding water on both holes, dropping three shots in the process, and watching on as Newton completed his birdie hat-trick through Amen Corner to cut the lead down to three.

The bad news kept on coming for Seve, as American Gibby Gilbert birdied four holes in a row, and in what seemed like the blink of an eye Seve’s double-digit lead was down to just two. Speaking after the event, Seve didn’t try to hide his state of mind at this time: “Now you are in trouble Seve. Maybe you are going to lose. You must try very hard.” Luckily he listened to his own advice, his birdie at 15 calming his nerves and quashing any hopes of a dramatic comeback by Gilbert or Newton.

Panic over, Seve was able to play the last few holes in relative comfort, his 72 giving him a 13-under -ar total, finally winning by four shots from Gilbert and Newton. As Fuzzy Zoeller presented Seve with his first green jacket, the youngest ever to do so before Tiger Woods in 1997, the world now knew that a star was here to stay, and European golf would never be the same again.

SEVE BALLESTEROS • THE MASTERS, AUGUSTA NATIONAL, APRIL 13, 1980

I USED MY HEAD MORE AND MY MUSCLES A LITTLE LESS

TOURNEWS InBrief

FALDO TO HOST BRITISH MASTERS AT THE BELFRY

★ Six-time Major champion Sir Nick Faldo has agreed to become the new long-term host of the Betfred British Masters which will return to The Belfry this summer and be held there until 2026. Sir Nick has a long connection with the club, having played three of his 11 Ryder Cups at the Midland’s-based resort. This year will mark Betfred’s fifth year as title sponsor of the British Masters since coming on board in 2019 at Southport and the event has moved to a new summer date of June 29-July 2.

CONTINENTIAL EUROPE CLAIM HERO CUP VICTORY

★ Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe team defeated Tommy Fleetwood’s Great Britain & Ireland 14½-10½ to win the inaugural Hero Cup after collecting six points from the Sunday singles session at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The event, which was launched to players from Europe a chance to experience a team matchplay event ahead of this autumn’s Ryder Cup, saw 10 players line up for each team.

Rahm returns to world no.1 after Genesis Invitational win

Jon Rahm reclaimed his place as world number one with victory at the Genesis Invitational in California, which marked his fifth win in a run of nine tournaments.

The Spaniard carded a two-under 69 in his final round to finish 17 under and beat American Max Homa by two strokes to win his 10th PGA Tour title.

The win takes Rahm above American Scottie Scheffler, who was nine shots adrift, at the top of the rankings. It is the 28-yearold’s third PGA Tour victory of 2023. Rahm now has one more PGA Tour win than compatriot and idol Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm, who was last ranked at number one in March last year, held a three-shot lead going into the final round at the Riviera Country Club but trailed Homa with six holes remaining. However, two birdies on the par threes at 14 and 16 moved the Spaniard ahead and pars on the final two holes secured the win.

Homa scrambled a par at the last to retain solo second ahead of Patrick Cantlay,

who posted a final-round 67. Will Zalatoris carded a round-of-the-day 64 to finish in fourth spot ahead of Keith Mitchell.

“That was a tough week and a tough Sunday,” Rahm said. “Beating Seve, I know he didn’t play full time on the PGA Tour, and I know five of those wins are majors, but still, to reach that milestone of double-digit wins is pretty incredible. And to do it at a golf course with this legacy, this history and hosted by the man himself, Tiger Woods, it’s a true honour.”

Speaking about taking back the world no.1 ranking, he added: “I’ve won five out of my last nine starts. I haven’t finished worse than top seven, and I’ve won three tournaments already. I don’t need a ranking to validate anything. I’m having the best season of my life and hopefully I can keep it going.”

Scheffler lost his place as world number one only a week after winning the Phoenix Open to replace Rory McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 29th after a closing 71.

Pieters among six new recruits to join LIV Golf

Thomas Pieters is among the latest recruits to the LIV Golf League, which has announced its full line up for the 14-tournament season.

Pieters, who has won six DP World Tour events and won four points for Europe in the 2016 Ryder Cup, is among six new signings announced for the 12-team, 48-player field set to compete all season in the LIV Golf League. The other five new recruits to be announced were Brendan Steele, Danny Lee, Dean Burmester, Mito Pereira and Sebastian Munoz.

Pieters, who won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2022, has joined Bubba Watson’s Range Goats team, where he will play alongside Harold Varner and Talor Gooch. The Belgian replaces Hudson Swafford in the team, who is taking six months out from the game to recover from impending hip surgery. Speaking about his decision to join the Saudi-backed league, Pietersen said: “It was a difficult decision, but I had to weigh up the needs of supporting my young family and being around for them more. This way I get to spend more time with them, as well as have a secure income.”

He added: “I have been wanting to join LIV Golf since last summer, but the opportunity only came around when Hudson [Swafford] had to give up his spot. I would still like to play in the Ryder Cup, as I had an amazing experience in 2016, but I fully accept the consequences of my choice, whatever they turn out to be.”

PETTERSEN RETAINS SOLHEIM CUP CAPTAINCY

★ Suzann Pettersen has been named captain of the 2024 European Solheim Cup team for next year’s competition at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia from September 13-15. Pettersen, who is already preparing to lead the European team in the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesín in Spain this September, will continue in the role for a second term following the rescheduling of the matches in order for future renewals not to clash with the Ryder Cup. Stacy Lewis, the 2023 US Solheim Cup team captain, will also continue in her role in 2024.

Langer ties Champions Tour record with win no.45

Bernhard Langer matched Hale Irwin’s PGA Tour Champions victory record of 45 after winning the Chubb Classic for the fifth time.

The 65-year-old German matched his age with a closing 7-under-par round for a three-stroke victory over Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington.

Langer finished at 17-under 199 on Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course. At 65 years, 5 months, 23 days, the German star extended his record as the oldest winner. He holds the top three places on the list. Langer also won Chubb titles in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2022.

“It’s extremely special because we’ve been talking about it for so long, it seems now,’’ Langer said. “When I first came out here, I thought, ‘This is never going to happen.’’’

Right now, I just feel relieved and grateful and thankful for everybody that’s been on my team and helping me through these years,’’ Langer said. “Like we said, for a German kid from a village of 800 people and starting as a caddie to do what I’ve done, it takes a lot of people to do that, not just one.’’

Rose rolls back the years to claim Pebble Beach win

Justin Rose ended a four-year wait for his 11th PGA Tour victory with an impressive three-shot win at the weatherdelayed AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.

The 42-year-old took a two-shot lead into Monday’s fifth day at Pebble Beach Golf Links, with eight players separated by three shots, only to pull clear of the chasing pack with an excellent back-nine display.

Rose resumed on the 10th hole and made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 11th, before closing out a six-under 66 to end the week on 18 under and comfortably ahead of Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu.

The victory was his first since the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, with

LIV Golf’s 2023 league includes a return to five venues that hosted tournaments in 2022, including Centurion Club, England (July 7-9), Trump National, New Jersey (Aug 11-13), Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois (Sept 22-24), Trump National Doral in Florida (Oct 20-22) and Royal Greens G&CC in Saudi Arabia (Nov 3-5).

In addition, fans in the US will see LIV Golf events staged at Orange County National in Florida from March 31-April 2, and at Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC from May 26-28.

Other events in the series are being held at The Gallery in Arizona (March 17-19), The Grange in Australia (April 21-23), Sentosa GC in Singapore (April 28-30), Cedar Ridge Country Club in Oklahoma (May 12-14), Valderrama in Spain (June 30-July 2) and The Greenbrier in West Virginia (August 4-6).

LIV Golf events can be watched in the UK on new the newly-launched LIV Golf Plus app and the new LIV Golf Plus website, livgolfplus.com.

his latest success earning him a spot at The Masters in April and boosting his hopes of qualifying for Europe’s Ryder Cup team this autumn.

Rose’s victory lifts him inside the top 10 of the FedExCup rankings and follows top-30 finishes in his previous four PGA Tour starts, with the success also elevating him back to 35th in the world. The victory also marked the first time that a European had won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

“I feel like I have been fortunate enough to win at some great venues, but Pebble’s right up there,” Rose said after his win. “My only goal these days is really to play well enough where I can win majors. And the No.1 rule is, you’ve got to be in them. I haven’t been playing enough great golf of late, but when I do play half-decently I do give myself chances to win. Obviously, a win does give you a lot of belief. We always know we can do it, but sometimes you’ve got to see the proof.”

GOING THE DISTANCE

2023'S HOTTEST DRIVERS TRIED & TESTED PING G430 HYBRID

SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP ALL THE LATEST LAUNCHES FOR THE NEW SEASON

UNLEASH THE POWER OF PARADYM

Find yourself farther down the fairway & closer to greens with Callaway Golf's new Paradym range of clubs - 4-page feature

THE GEAR EFFECT

INSIDE THE BAG OF THE RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR

RORY MCILROY

DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (9°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°, 19°)

IRONS: TaylorMade Rors Proto Irons (3-PW)

WEDGES: TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast

PUTTER: Titleist Vokey SM9 (54°, 58°)

BALL: TaylorMade TP5x

JUSTIN ROSE

AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

DRIVER: Callaway Paradym (8.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M6 3 (15°), 5 (18°)

IRONS: Cobra KING Tour (4-PW)

WEDGES: Titliest Vokey Design SM9 (52°, 56°), TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (60°)

PUTTER: Axis 1 Rose

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

OCKIE STRYDOM

SINGAPORE CLASSIC

DRIVER: Callaway Paradym (10.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Rogue ST LS 3 (16.5°), Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond 5 (18°)

IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB (4-6), Apex MB (7-PW)

WEDGES: Callaway Jaws Raw Mack Daddy

5 (52°, 56°, 60°)

PUTTER: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

PHOENIX OPEN

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (8°)

3-WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15°)

IRONS: Srixon ZU85 (3-4), TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (50°, 56°), WedgeWorks Proto (60°)

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron GSS tour

prototype

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

MAJA STARK

LALLA MERYEM CUP

DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (9°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G430 3 (15°)

HYBRID: Ping G400 3 (19°)

IRONS: Ping i230 (4-PW)

WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 54°, 60°)

PUTTER: Ping Fetch

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

JON RAHM

GENESIS INVITATIONAL

DRIVER: Callaway Paradym TD (10.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Paradym TD (16°, 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

THORBJORN OLESEN

THAILAND CLASSIC

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5°)

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade Stealth (15°, 18°)

IRONS: TaylorMade P790 (3), P7MC (4-5), P7MB (6-PW)

WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind Hi-Toe 3 (56°, 60°)

PUTTER: TaylorMade TP Juno TB1

BALL: TaylorMade TP5x

EQUIPMENT NEWS

PING G430 HYBRID

TRIED & TESTED

Equipment Editor Dan Owen puts the new Ping G430 Hybrids through their paces.

As a mid-handicap golfer, I realised a long time ago that a 3-iron, and then a little later, a 4-iron, were not going to be the best options for my game. Historically, I have never got on with high-lofted fairway woods, but I have found a modicum of success with hybrid clubs. I used to favour smaller more tour-inspired designs, such as the original Adams Idea Pro, but I’ve learned to lean into the forgiveness and have played the last couple of generations of Ping hybrid.

Ping’s G425 hybrid looked incredible behind the ball, was powerful and easy to hit from any lie, and offered a lot of forgiveness. However, on the course, I had a horrible habit of hitting them a little thin (a combination of poor swing, and

not quite right shafts), and I’d suggest its sound was a bit noisier than other similar clubs I’d tried.

The brand’s G430 is an improvement in nearly every way. The biggest change is the visible CarbonFly Wrap crown that saves weight to lower the centre of gravity, Elsewhere, the Facewrap technology connects the face to the crown and sole for faster, while a variable roll radius face, with lower loft lower on the clubface creates what Ping call ‘Spinsistency’.

To my eye the G430 hybrid is ever slightly smaller heelto-toe than the G425, and while the shape is very similar, there is a touch

better than the G425, and I think a lot of that is a more suitable shaft for my swing in the Mitsubishi Kai’li white.

But if feel is a key metric for you then go ahead and buy these straightaway. The Carbonfly Wrap dulls the sound at impact for a powerful precise strike. It’s incredibly nerdy to say, but the feel was addictive. At the range I couldn’t

the feel, and partly because every shot where it was intended. One other thing to offer these in six lofts, from a 2-hybrid (17°) all the way up to a 7 (34°). When you add in the adjustable hosels, and the new HL lightweight options, these clubs can be used by any standard of golfer, and I can see them being in my bag for a couple of

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD WITH OGIO

Ogio has launched an eye-catching new collection of golf bags that will help you stand out on the fairways this season.

The bags are offered in seven different designs, including the blue-and-yellow ‘Bananarama’ model and a bright orange and red ‘Day of the Dead’ inspired Sugar Skulls design, both of which have proven popular on Ogio’s travel cover range.

The All Elements Silencer (£299) features OGIO’s patented Silencer Club Protection System and returns to the cart bags range due to demand from previous users. The 15-way moulded top delivers a more efficient way to organise your set by easily locking each club into place, preventing noisy rattling and damage. The latest version has been improved to work with oversized grips.

The All Elements Stand Bag (£269) is being produced in a fully waterproof and geometric rip-stop fabric, with full-seam seals to ensure the contents of your bag remain dry all year round.

SRIXON

LAUNCHES NEXT-GEN Z-STAR BALLS

Srixon golf balls are trusted by some of the very best players in the world, including Shane Lowry, Hideki Matsuyama and Brooks Koepka. The Z-STAR is the pinnacle of the range and is available in three models to suit a variety of golfers.

Made with an extra thin, urethane cover that provides tour-level stopping power around the greens, the Z-STAR Series gives players more bite for more spin. Paired with the new Spin Skin+ to increase the cover’s friction to enhance approach shots and greenside spin on every shot, Srixon claims this new generation will offer unmatched performance and feel.

Inside the Z-STAR is the new FastLayer DG Core, which is soft at the centre and gets firmer from the inside out. The design of this core is intended to maintain a satisfying feel, while also providing ball speed. All three models feature a 3-piece design.

The Z-STAR features a thin midlayer and softer compression to prioritize softer feel and approach shot spin, while Z-STAR Diamond has a firmer compression to optimize iron spin and distance. The Z-STAR XV, which is aimed at faster swings, features a core with a soft centre that increases dramatically in hardness with an evenly distributed hard outer edge, which boosts ball speed for increased distance and enhanced iron spin. Srixon is also offering the Z-STAR Divide, which features a two-tone, yellow-and-white cover that provides a strong visual cue as to how the ball is rolling on the green. All four balls are priced at £48 per dozen.

ODYSSEY BRINGS BACK THE VERSA

Returning a decade after its original release, Odyssey has brought back the Versa putter. The black-and-white extreme contrast alignment helps golfers with their aim at address and through the stroke, really highlighting face angle.

World-renowned putting expert Phil Kenyon has been instrumental in bringing back the concept. “Versa for me was a game changer when it came around the first time,” he says. “The unique alignment approach really allowed people a different frame of reference on their alignment which helped them align more accurately.”

The original White Hot insert is a two-part urethane design that creates incredible feel, sound, and performance. Odyssey has updated the Versa design to feature weights towards the face, to improve the roll, like their successful Tri Hot 5K line. The latest Stroke Lab Red shaft features a shorter steel section to save weight while making it even stiffer for better performance. There are eight models in the Versa line-up, with the Twelve being arguably the flagship model with its new crowned winged mallet design. All putters retail at £279.

LET CHERVÒ PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP!

Italian apparel brand Chervò’ is bringing a sharp style to the fairways this season, with its latest Spring/Summer collection set to brighten up any grey day with its bold hues and clean lines.

Available in a vast array of colour and prints, the brand’s Anyone Polo (£112) features several technologies the premium Italian brand has become famous for. Dry-matic fabrics ensure the polo absorbs and evaporates moisture quickly, guaranteeing constant freshness even in scorching heat out on the course, while the same technology also ensures the polo dries quickly after light rain and washing. SunBlock technologies also offers exceptional protection from harmful UV rays.

If you’re looking for a pair of trousers that tick all the boxes for the summer golf season, Chervò’s Speaker trousers (£155) are just what you’re looking for. These smart jogger-styled trousers have been made from advanced elastic fibres for a perfect fit. This guarantees freedom of movement while an elasticated ankle cuff further enhances comfort. Also featuring SunBlock and Dry-atic, the stylish Speaker trousers look set to do the talking on the course this summer!

To check out the complete Spring/Summer range, visit chervo.com

POWAKADDY ROLLS OUT RX REMOTE TROLLEY

PowaKaddy’s new RX Remote range includes its first touchscreen remote-controlled GPS trolley.

The RX1 and RX1 GPS utilise a slimline remote-control handset that has a 50-metre range, giving golfers complete control of their electric trolley from the palm of their hand. Additionally, the swivel front wheel offers smooth manoeuvring in all conditions, while the Slope Traverse Assist helps to keep the trolleys stable on all terrains.

The RX1 has a 3.5-inch, full-colour widescreen display, while the RX1 GPS features a 3.5-inch touchscreen OCA display, which is pre-loaded with over 40,000 courses worldwide – with no annual fees or subscriptions required. The trolley also benefits from a Bluetooth-connected App for iOS and Android that allows for quick golf course updates.

Both models feature twin powerful 30v 230w near-silent motors, a Smartphone/GPS device USB charging port, an anti-tip rear wheel, a height-adjustable soft touch handle, the low-profile PowaFrame Chassis, and come with a two-year warranty.

Both models are powered by a next-generation Lithium 30v Max Plug ’n’ Play XL-Plus battery, which is 40% smaller than the previous model and 20% more powerful.

On sale now, the RX1 costs £1,199.99, while the RX1 GPS is priced at £1,449.99.

GO LOW WITH SUB 70’S NEW 699 IRONS

The next generation of Sub 70’s awardwinning 699 irons represent a three-year journey in research and development that culminated in the holy grail of improved distance, forgiveness, and playability.

The new 699 retains the original 699’s successful two-piece, resin-injected, hollow body design in stainless steel. However, the newly designed 699 now has a reactive 1.7mm thin VFT face composed of aerospace grade steel, which not only results in improved distance, but also more consistent distances across the entire face. This means that even when struck imperfectly, on the toe or heel of the club, distance loss is minimized, resulting in more greens hit. While the original 699 excelled in forgiveness, the new iteration is a true game changer in that regard. The channel back of the original 699 irons has been expanded in the new model, which provides further improvement in forgiveness on off-centre

strikes. Moreover, two reinforcing ribs have been placed within the head to reduce body deformation at impact, thus allowing for maximum energy transfer and higher ball speeds even shots that don’t find the centre of the club face.

The new 699 iron, which boasts a classy stain finish, also shows off improvements in playability, with a squared leading edge grind for easier alignment, as well as an attractively thinner top line. Moreover, the sole now sports a four-way camber, allowing it to set up perfectly at address as well as provide improved situational playability.

The updated 699 also offers set-matching in pitching, gap and sand wedges. The sand wedge face is CNC milled for additional spin and control around the greens. Setmatching long irons and utility clubs are also available.

For more details head to www.sub70europe.com.

GET YOUR HANDS ON A PAIR OF FRESHGRIPS

With a mission to ‘enhance the golf experience and inspire self-expression’, UK-based golf brand FreshGrip has launched a new range of gloves that aim to offer a fresh and vibrant alternative to the traditional golf glove.

Unlike most other gloves available in the UK, FreshGrip gloves are designed with unique patterns and bright colours, making them a standout accessory on the course.

Since its inception, FreshGrip has received overwhelming support from golfers of all levels. With thousands of satisfied customers, the brand has quickly become known for its refreshingly different products and exceptional customer service.

“I’m thrilled to bring our unique offering to the UK golf market,” said Matt Pinsent, the founder of FreshGrip. “I believe golf is a fun and enjoyable experience, and our gloves reflect that philosophy. These gloves not only look great, but also offer the comfort, quality and performance needed for a successful round of golf.”

Explaining why he launched the brand, Pinsent said: “I wanted to wear something different to the plain white or black gloves that most traditional brands offer – something with a bit of colour and pattern. Something that I could match with my outfit. I realised that the humble golf glove is often overlooked considering it’s arguably the most used item in the bag. It’s ripe for innovation and change. We’re proud to be at the forefront in the UK, and excited to see golfers express themselves and make a statement on the course with FreshGrip gloves.”

With prices starting at £13.99 for a single glove, or £33 for 3, golfers can purchase FreshGrip gloves online, with a variety of styles and sizes available for both men and women at www.freshgrip.co.

HORAN TEAMS UP WITH CALLAWAY TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES

Callaway Golf has announced a multi-year partnership with former One Direction band member Niall Horan that will see the famed Irish singer-songwriter collaborate with the equipment brand to celebrate their shared passion for the game, while also connecting with a wider, younger audience.

In addition to being one of the most prolific musicians in the world, with number one albums, sin-gles and millions of fans to his credit, Horan is an avid golfer who is involved in prominent golf ini-tiatives. He formed Modest! Golf, a golf management company that represents professional players, in 2016. Since 2021, his company has also worked with the R&A to design and develop a series of grassroots programmes. Horan has also competed in numerous Pro-Am events, including at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

“I am proud to partner with Callaway on activations that will engage with golfers around the world,” Horan said. “Golf is an amazing game, and we’re committed to making it more accessible, inviting and fun, especially for younger players. I’m excited to work with the Callaway team on con-tent, experiences, and other fun ideas to bring more visibility to golf, and more enjoyment to those who play it.”

“We are so fortunate to have Niall Horan as a part of our Callaway Team,” said Chip Brewer, Presi-dent & CEO of Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp. “He loves golf and has proven to be a true global am-bassador, with a focus on creating new opportunities and access to the game. We look forward to working with Niall on a range of new ideas that we believe will help further broaden the appeal of golf.”

SOFTSPIKES INTRODUCES TOUR FLEX PRO

Softspikes has launched an all-new cleat featuring a myriad of new technology designed specifically to meet the needs of the best players in the world. On sale now, the Tour Flex Pro features the brand’s exclusive centre stinger post to deliver the perfect combination of traction, comfort and performance. With three degrees of traction and ten points of contact, this game-changing spike is engineered to deliver incredible control and unmatched stability.

Buying a rangefinder or a golf GPS watch can be a pricey purchase for something you would only ever use on the golf course. The latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 5G edition offers all the GPS capabilities of a golf watch while being a fully featured Android smartwatch.

It comes pre-installed with a lifetime subscription to Smart Caddie worth £76 and offers access to over 40,000 golf courses worldwide, with distances to the front/centre/back of the green. Other features include a course guide with touchtargeting and shot history, shot tracking and an easy-to-use scorecard feature.

The Wear OS watch features a beautiful amoled display and puts smart features on your wrist to make everyday tasks easier. Leave your phone in your golf bag and answer calls, texts and social media updates from your watch. It’s easy to pay for your post round drinks from your wrist with Samsung Pay.

Wearers will be able to monitor their health and wellness whilst out on the course, tracking steps they’ve walked, calories burned, plus more detailed info such as tracking body composition, heart rate and blood pressure readings, all designed to monitor your health habits on and off the course.

Three size options are available, a 40mm (£319), 44mm (£339), and the larger and tougher 45mm with digital bezel (£479).

Tour Flex Pro also boasts Dynamic Traction Technology, which provides enhanced control of ground forces to help golfers create a stable base and a more efficient transfer of power. The firm material in the leg allows more backswing and more consistent impact but remains flexible enough to absorb each step to maintain comfort throughout the round. The design is also green friendly, with the weight of the golfer dispersed by multiple contact points to minimise surface damage.

SAMSUNG’S GALAXY WATCH IS OUT OF THIS WORLD

SHIFTING GEARS

Equipment Editor Dan Owen offers a deep dive into Callaway Golf’s new Paradym family of clubs and finds out what is driving the performance gains being experienced by tour players and club golfers alike

PARADYM DRIVERS

The overriding concept behind Callaway’s Paradym family of three drivers is quite simple. Save as much weight as possible so it can be moved to where it is needed most. It is the same story every manufacturer tells you year after year, but the science behind what Callaway has done, however, is much more interesting. It’s club designers have not just shaved off a few grammes here and there, they’ve created a body of the driver that’s 44% lighter than the titanium it has replaced. That’s not Epic. It’s a Paradym shift, if you’ll pardon the intended pun.

Callaway calls it the 360° Carbon Chassis. Due to the properties of traditional carbon fibre, where layer upon layer of carbon is used to create lightweight parts, it is not always possible to create the intricate shapes that a club engineer would like to. Callaway created a new material, Forged Carbon Fibre, in collaboration with Lamborghini, when they created the Diablo driver back in 2010. They’ve revisited that material to create the sole of the Paradym drivers.

Carbon fibre particles are mixed with resin and then forged into the required shape. It’s lightweight and strong. The crown is a more traditional triaxial carbon fibre weave, and then the two have been bonded together without the need for a titanium body or frame. It’s a ground-breaking process that no other manufacturer can replicate.

We’ve heard Callaway designers term it as ‘uncaging’ the driver.

Callaway has refined existing technologies too. The new A.I. designed face is specific to each loft and model. But now the Jailbreak system is designed with A.I. to complement the face design. The new A.I. Designed Jailbreak system provides stability in the head design by connecting the crown and the sole, helping create faster ball speeds across the face, while being 33% lighter than previous versions.

PARADYM

The Standard Paradym driver provides a refined shape with high MOI and adjustable perimeter weighting. Engineered for players of all skill levels, this club promotes high launch and low spin characteristics along with a neutral ball flight to deliver the best combination of distance, forgiveness and adjustability. The 460cc head features 15g sliding weight which enables players to experience an average of 12 yards of shot shape correction. . There isn’t a loss in MOI like previous drivers incorporating a weight track, where compromises must be made to accommodate the extra weight.

Loft options: 9°, 10.5°, 12° RRP: £599

PARADYM X

The Paradym X driver is built for a high launch with high MOI, along with a generously stretched profile at address. This model is best suited for golfers seeking extreme forgiveness and a slight draw bias from their driver. A 5g rear weight is positioned to increase launch and lower spin for maximum carry distance.

Loft options: 9°, 10.5°, 12° RRP: £599

TRIPLE DIAMOND

The Paradym Triple Diamond model boasts a compact, 450cc head shape designed for better players who want to work the ball. It’s the lowest spinning and lowest launching Paradym model with a neutral ball flight. A 14g back weight can be positioned in the front of the 460cc head for lower spin and maximum workability.

Loft options: 8°, 9°, 10.5° RRP: £599

HUGE & IMMEDIATE TOUR SUCCESS

The Paradym driver has enjoyed instant and widespread success on the global tours in 2023, with players using a model having secured nine wins from just 14 events.

Callaway staff player Jon Rahm has had the Paradym driver in the bag since the new year and has already achieved three wins in only five starts on the PGA Tour – The Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express and Genesis Invitational – all of which has catapulted the Spaniard back to No.1 in the world ranking.

Rahm has been playing a Paradym Triple Diamond driver, as well as Paradym Triple Diamond fairway woods. In off-season testing Rahm found an extra 4mph of ball speed with the Paradym TD over his previous Rogue driver and wasted no time in putting it straight into his bag for the new season.

Callaway had 25 drivers in play at the Genesis Invitational, 20 were being used by non-contracted players. 82% of Callaway staff tour pros currently have the Paradym in play.

There was another big win for the Paradym driver at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am when Justin Rose, who does not currently have an

equipment deal in place, used one to win his first event in four years. Speaking about the Paradym driver, Rose told his Instagram followers that “It’s been a nice addition to the bag this year – I’ve been driving the ball nice and straight.”

There was also a double-win weekend at the end of February when Chris Kirk won his first event in eight years at the Honda Classic, while Marcel Siem won his fifth title at the Hero Indian Open, just two

weeks after playing his 500th DP World Tour event. Both players has a Paradym Triple Diamond driver in the bag for their life-changing wins.

Another highlight was the DP World Tour’s Singapore Classic where Paradym drivers were in the bags of the first, second and third-placed golfers, while Si Woo Kim also won on the PGA Tour using the Paradym Triple Diamond driver at the Sony Open.

THE IMPACT THROUGH THE BALI, EVEN WHEN I MISS HIT, IT IS SUCH A GOOD FEELING. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL CALLAWAY HAS DONE, BUT IT FEELS AMAZING

– JONRAHM

■ THE 360 CARBON CHASSIS IS ONE OF THE KEY DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES BEHIND THE POWER AND STABILITY OFFERED BY THE PARADYM DRIVER

PARADYM TRIPLE DIAMOND HAS BEEN GREAT FROM THE MOMENT I PUT IT IN PLAY.

I’M SEEING TIGHTER SPIN RATES ALL OVER THE FACE, AND THAT’S THE KIND OF THING THAT KEEPS DISPERSION TIGHT. IT’S EASILY THE MOST CONSISTENT DRIVER I’VE USED DURING MY TIME WITH CALLAWAY – XANDERSCHAUFFELE

■ WORLD NO.1 JON RAHM HAS WON THREE PGA TOUR EVENTS IN 2023 WITH THE PARADYM DRIVER AND FAIRWAY WOODS IN THE BAG

■ WORLD NO.6 XANDER SCHAUFFELE PUT THE PARADYM TRIPLE DIAMOND DRIVER AND FAIRWAY WOODS STRAIGHT INTO HIS BAG

PARADYM FAIRWAY WOODS

The Paradym fairway woods also feature a forged carbon sole. What is new is the Jailbreak with Batwing Technology. The adjustable hosel creates stiffness in the heel of the club, the batwing design stiffens the toe side, creating a new form of jailbreak requiring the fixed hosel of the Rogue ST fairway woods.

A forged face cup features a A.I face optimisation. With the fairway woods, it’s designed to increase ball speed low in the face, as that’s the most common miss.

An adjustable hosel traditionally puts weight in a bad location for clubhead design, as it raises it high, but because of the Paradym’s forged carbon sole, this can be counteracted, so the club can perform to its maximum potential. From a fitting point of view this leads to a much more versatile product, and it’s easier to fine tune a club for your game.

A Tungsten speed cartridge is put as low and close to the face as possible – this moves the centre of gravity towards the face. It improves ball speeds, especially on hits low in the face, it lowers spin, and it provides more spin robustness, or consistency, across the face.

PARADYM

The Standard fairway model features progressive shaping in the head, and it’s the model that fits the widest range of player types, especially those who want a high launching fairway wood with a neutral ball flight.

Lofts: 3 (15°), 3HL (16.5°), 5 (18°), Hvn (20°), 7 (21°), 9 (24°), 11 (27°) RRP: £379

PARADYM X

The X model will fit players looking for the most forgiving shape with a high launch and a slight draw bias. A forged carbon toe patch redistributes weight to the heel to make this fairway easy to turn over to encourage a draw. It is built with a more upright lie angle and a neutral face at address. An adjustable 3W gives the golfer the ability to even further dial in launch.

Lofts: 3 (15°), 3HL (16.5°), 5 (18°), 7 (21°) RRP: £379

PARADYM TRIPLE DIAMOND

The TD model offers the most compact head with a deeper face. It is best suited for stronger players who are looking for a penetrating flight with lower spin. The Triaxial Carbon crown creates a low and forward CG, while an adjustable hosel allows trajectory to be further dialed in. Because it’s a

smaller head there is no need to use carbon in the sole, and the screw makes it even lower spin.

Lofts: 3+ (13.5°), 3 (15°), 5 (18°) RRP: £379

PARADYM HYBRIDS

Callaway has had more success with iron-shaped hybrids of late, with high toes and iron-like faces. But a substantial portion of golfers prefers a more wood-like hybrid. So there was another shift with the Paradym family, creating a new versatile family of hybrids.

Much of the technology is the same as the fairway woods. The Jailbreak with Batwing Technology, and the Tungsten Speed Cartridge, and the adjustable hosel have been brought across. What is new is the Cutwave sole. By removing some material, the club can get through poor lies better a more traditional solid-soled design. It’s designed to get downlow behind the ball.

The Paradym features a smaller head, and they’ve removed the top groove for an alignment look preferred by better players. The Paradym X is a larger head shape with more forgiveness. With the adjustable hosel, Callaway can offer a hybrid all the way up to 32 degrees.

Lofts: Standard/X: 18°, 21°, 24°, 27°, 30° (X only). RRP: £279

Callaway’s Man on Tour

We chat to Callaway Golf’s Director of Tour Relations Peter Harrison about the reaction to the Paradym driver on tour and about his favourite players down the years

Of all the many Callaway tour professionals you’ve dealt with over the past 29 years, who comes to mind first?

Seve Ballesteros is always high up on that list – he was a great guy, when I got to know him, He was a down-to-earth family man with a great sense of humour. Just a top, top guy.

Who has been the biggest tinkerer of their equipment?

Alvaro Quiros by a mile, I remember him saying he never wanted to be one of those players who hung around the tour truck, but ended up being that pro. His tinkering was very difficult to manage and he worked on his own shaft vibration.

Obviously you played a big part in Colin Montgomerie’s success in capturing the eight European Order of Merits. What was he like to worth with?

PARADYM IRONS

The Paradym irons are designed for distance but also offer an exceptionally high level of feel. Callaway’s Paradym Shift Construction combines a forged 455 face with the all-new Speed Frame, providing the best of both worlds.

Offered in two designs, the Paradym Irons are aimed at those looking for a players’ distance iron with a refined shape and premium forging. A pre-worn leading edge is designed to cut through the turf more efficiently for even more forgiveness.

Th e Paradym X Irons are designed for golfers who are looking for an iron that’s incredibly long with premium forged feel. It features a thicker topline than the standard irons and a forgiving sole, with a pre-worn leading edge.

RRP: £1,199/£1,299 (4-PW, st/gr)

A.I. Designed Forged 455 Face

A.I. face technology is applied to a high-strength forged face, which is optimised for more speed, higher launch, and increased spin consistency.

PARADYM IRONS ARE AIMED AT THOSE LOOKING FOR A PLAYERS’ DISTANCE IRON WITH A REFINED SHAPE AND PREMIUM FORGING.

Forged Face Cup and Hollow Body

The Hollow Body design features Speed Frame construction for added stiffness and support for the high strength forged Face Cup. This unique construction istabilises the thinner face for incredibly fast ball speeds.

Forged Face and Urethane Microspheres

A forged face and Urethane Microspheres deliver the ultra soft feel and a premium sound.

Improved Launch via Dual Tungsten Weighting

Up to 67g of tungsten weights (79g in the X) are placed precisely to enhance launch conditions and improve speed on miss-hits. This increase in forgiveness is the difference between hitting the green and coming up short.

For more details on all Callaway Golf equipment, or to find your nearest fitting facility, visit eu.callawaygolf.com

Monty was great to work with, although he never practied much. I remember giving him the latest set of irons and he took a couple of swishes with a 6-iron and off he went.

How excited are you with the new Paradym range?

Paradym is incredible. We’ve been talking about it with my team, genuinely we feel it’s the best driver we’ve had for a long, long time, it’s so easy to fit. Stick the right shaft in for the player and it’s ready to go if you have the right loft. It’s been that easy. Paradym has been tremendously well accepted by the players so far.

What players are you seeing the biggest gains with Paradym? Gains is just the ease of hit. It’s an easy driver to use, the dispersion rate is incredible. It’s much tighter down range and the gain in ball speed, which is very difficult to do now with the restrictions imposed by the R&A and USGA, are incredible. It’s by far and away our most forgiving driver.

Are you seeing gains with the Paradym fairway woods?

Yes, in fact the 3-wood is one of the most difficult clubs to fit these days, as they go so far and the tour pros don’t want them to go that far, so you have to throttle back or find something that gives it a little more spin to take a little bit distance off. Once they find one it’s in the bag for a long time, but the Paradym fairways have gone straight in the bag for most of our tour players.

What are you hearing regarding the new Chrome Soft golf ball?

The Chomre Soft has to be the most consistent ball in play today and the tolerances we work with makes us industry leaders. You can tell that by the amount of wins it has had. We have non-contract players put it in play, which says everything about the ball.

What new signings are you excited about for the 2023 season?

The Højgaard twins, Rasmus and Nicolai, are very exciting signings. They are undoubtedly both superstars of the future and already proving they are born winners, and their victories in the recent years are just the beginning of their potential.

■ THE PARADYM AND PARADYM X ARE PLAYER’S DISTANCE IRONS THAT OFFER BUILT-IN FORGIVENESS AND ULTRA-SOFT FEEL OFF THE FACE

■ THE PARADYM‘S HOLLOW BODY DESIGN AND FORGED CUP FACE DELIVER FAST BALL SPEEDS FOR INCREDIBLE DISTANCE

ODYSSEY TRI-HOT 5K MALLET PUTTER

£429, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM

Odyssey has added two mallet designs to its Tri-Hot 5K range in the shape of the Rossie and 7. Both putters feature tungsten weights behind the face to increase the MOI to over 5,000, while moving the centre of gravity forward for improved roll. A White Hot insert gives the feel that golfers love, while a new lighter weight and stiffer Stroke Lab shaft helps improve distance control and consistency.

SRIXON ZX5 MKII IRONS

£167/£184 (ST/GR), EU.DUNLOPSPORTS.COM

The ZX5 MKII irons feature MainFrame technology, which translates as a variable thickness pattern of grooves, channels and cavities carefully milled into the back of the face to maximise flex at impact. It boosts ball speed and repositions mass away from the face and into the toe and sole for a lower centre of gravity. It has a classic look at address, but the combination of the high-strength steel face provides superfast ball speeds, tungsten helps provide forgiveness, while a forged steel body helps with feel and adjustability.

TITLEIST PRO V1 BALLS

£50, TITLEIST.CO.UK

The Pro V1 family of balls have been updated for 2023. Taking inspiration from the Pro V1 Left Dash, a popular model on Tour, the latest generation of the top-selling ball feature a gradient core that goes from soft in the centre to firmer at the edge. This design maximises driver distance without sacrificing feel and spin on iron shots into the green. The Pro V1 is the softer feeling, lower-spinning model designed for more distance. The Pro V1x is firmer

YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR PRO SHOP

MIZUNO S23 WEDGE

£185, MIZUNOGOLF.COM

Mizuno’s new S23 wedges combine the precision and playing profile of a player’s bladed wedge with the aggressive performance of a toe-weighted design. Featuring a shorter hosel and a heel-orientated cavity, the design allows more weight to be pushed towards the toe to create a centred sweet spot which contributes to longer impact time, less head deflection and higher spin from both full and partial shots. Made from a single block of forged carbon steel for added feel and durability, the S23s are offered in a brushed chrome or copper cobalt finish, and boast a loft-specific profile, with stronger lofts featuring a tear-drop straight edge, flowing into a more rounded lob wedge, with grinds to suit different ground conditions and swing types.

Golf

New Balance is one of the hottest trainer brands on the high street, so it’s quite a coup for American Golf to become the exclusive retail partner for NB’s launch into the golf shoe market in the UK. They offer a full selection of shoes from casual sneaker inspired models to technical pro-level spiked shoes for both men and women. Our favourite pair is this Augusta-inspired golf version of the iconic 997 running shoe, which comes in Masters green, as well as a grey/white option.

MOTOCADDY M7 GPS TROLLEY

£1,499, MOTOCADDY.COM

Motocaddy has launched its first trolley to feature GPS and remote control. With over 40,000 preloaded courses in its database, viewable on its 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen, the M7 GPS also comes with a one-year subscription to the cellular-powered Motocaddy Performance Plan. This add-on gives full-hole mapping, dynamic green view, and score tracking. Featuring all the same tech as the M7 Remote, the remotecontrolled trolley features a wider wheelbase and all-terrain tyres for greater stability.

CLEVELAND RTX6 ZIPCORE WEDGE

£159, EU.DUNLOPSPORTS.COM

Bursting with tech, the RTX6 ZipCore hides it in a classiclooking wedge design. ZipCore is a low-density material used in the core that widens the sweet spot, as well as moving the centre of gravity to the centre of the face. They’ve used even more in the RTX6 to make them more forgiving. The other big addition is HydraZip. A new type of face blasting and laser lines maximise friction, to produce 43% more spin with a wet clubface than previous Cleveland wedges. Available in every loft from 46°-60°, with four different grind options, and three different finishes, there is a suitable set of wedges for everyone in the range.

PING G430 IRONS

£150 PER IRON, PING.COM

The G430 irons are suited to a huge selection of golfers. A heat-treating process creates Hyper 17-4 stainless steel, which strengthens the face and allows it to flex more for faster ball speeds. A PurFlex badge helps control the sound and feel, without impacting ball speeds.

Tungsten weights in the toe and shaft tips create extreme forgiveness, while the irons have 1° extra bounce to help with forgiveness through the turf. If you’re a mid-handicap golfer looking for a new set of irons, you’re doing yourself a disservice not to give these a spin.

TAYLORMADE SPIDER GT MAX

PUTTER

£379, TAYLORMADEGOLF.CO.UK

The Spider GT Max is maybe the most user adjustable putter we have ever seen. Two 40g sliding tungsten weights can be easily positioned to influence centre of gravity, toe hang and face rotation. Why you ask? For players who tend to miss putts to the left, placing the weights in Position 1 (farthest back) slows down the face rotation. For players who miss to the right, Position 3 (farthest forward) helps the face close faster. While it is obviously designed to be fitted and then left, for the golfer who likes to swich putter regularly, they can give find a new feel using the same putter.

TITLEIST TSR2

£529, TITLEIST.CO.UK

The TSR driver has been the most popular model on tour since its introduction last year. Another all-titanium design, the TSR family boasts four designs for different types of players. The TSR1 is the latest addition, a lightweight option to help generate more clubhead speed. The TSR2 (pictured here), is the driver for the majority of golfers with a high MOI design, offering high launch and low spin. The TSR3 is the most popular option on tour, a more compact head with a Speed Ring VFT face design that is designed to help golfers with regular centre-face contact. The TSR4 features a smaller 430cc head and is designed for lower spin bombs.

WILSON DYNAPOWER

CARBON £420, TITANIUM £370, WILSON.COM

Wilson has brought back the legendary Dynapower brand name. Made famous nearly 70 years ago, and played by some of the most historic names in the game, including Arnold Palmer, Dynapower is the pinnacle of Wilson’s recent designs. Fully adjustable, the drivers use A.I to create PKR2 technology for fast ball speeds across the face.

The Carbon version features a low and forward centre of gravity for a low spin, neutral to fade biased design, while the Titanium model features a 16g rear weight to create a high MOI, high launching, drawbiased driver.

TAYLORMADE STEALTH 2

STEALTH & HD £499, PLUS £529, TAYLORMADEGOLF.CO.UK

Stealth 2 Carbonwood drivers feature up to 75% more carbon in the heads than the originals. TaylorMade have used this to create what they have coined ‘Fargivness’. By saving weight by using more carbon, it has been able to increase the MOI of the heads by 9% without losing any ball speed. Visually there is some change with the gloss crown, but the red 60X Carbon Twist Face remains front and centre.

The Plus model features a 15g movable weight to shift mass and aid shot shaping.

The standard model features a more forgiving design, with a 25g weight in the Inertia Generator to boost forgiveness, while the HD is designed to help create a draw for golfers that struggle with a slice.

CALLAWAY PARADYM

£599,

CALLAWAYGOLF.EU

It’s been a fast start on tour for the Paradym, with seven wins already on tour at the time of writing, with Jon Rahm earning three of them. Callaway has removed as much weight as possible by creating a 360-carbon chassis that is 44% lighter than a traditional titanium chassis. This allows more weight to be place where it is needed. In the Paradym that is a movable rear weight track to fine-tune flight, while the Triple Diamond model has switchable front and back weights to fine-tune low spin, and the Draw model it is in the heel to help you – yes, you guessed it – hit a draw.

PXG 0211

£199,

PXG.COM

Is this the best value driver in golf right now? At £199, I think so. A full titanium design, it features a high-speed variable thickness Ti412 face for fast ball speeds. The hosel can be adjusted 1.5 degrees in loft either way, which, along with the many shaft options PXG offers, means the driver can be fit for nearly anyone. And despite the low price, PXG’s engineers have spent a lot of time on modal analysis to ensure the driver sounds and feels great and not like a value option.

PING G430

MAX & SFT £525, LST £575, EU.PING.COM

PING always produces incredibly forgiving drivers. This year they’ve created incredibly forgiving, long-hitting and great sounding drivers. The G430 lineup features an improved Optimised T9S+ Forged Face featuring what it calls ‘Spinsistency’. It’s designed to generate faster ball speeds and has lower loft low on the face to cut spin and create more consistently spinning shots wherever they are hit on the face. The G430 MAX is the most forgiving and will suit the majority of golfers. The SFT is designed to help golfers who battle a slice, while the LST features a smaller 440cc head and carbon crown to lower the centre of gravity for lowerspinning drives.

SRIXON ZX MKII £499, EU.DUNLOPSPORTS.COM/SRIXON

The Rebound Frame is the key piece to the new Srixon ZXMKII drivers. Rather than just the face flexing at impact, a second area further back from the face also flexes, allowing for more ball speed at impact wherever the ball is struck on the face. The Star Frame crown saves weight comparable to carbon by thinning it out strategically while maintaining strength. A variable thickness helps ball speed across the face. The ZX5 MKII features a higher MOI design, the ZX7 features a more compact head with adjustable weights for fine tuning, while a ZX5 LS MKII features the same profile as the ZX5, but with the weight forward for low spin drives.

DRIVING FOR SHOW

MIZUNO ST-230

£499, EMEA.MIZUNO.COM

Mizuno has been making really great drivers for the last few years. The ST-230 series is the pinnacle of that journey, and they feel they have found the missing piece – high ball speeds – with the new CORTECH Chamber. The CORTECH Chamber encases a dense stainless steel weight with elastomeric TPU – taking stress from the clubface and creating an additional energy source while also locating weight closer to the clubface to reduce spin rates. The drivers feature a carbon crown and sole plate to save weight. The ST-230 X is a more workable design that is a little more draw-biased. The ST-230 Z is designed for a straighter flight.

Equipment Editor Dan Owen casts his expert eye over this season’s new big sticks

COSTA NAVARINO

SPECIAL FEATURE ON EUROPE'S NO.1 GOLF DESINTATION

DESERT DELIGHTS

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF DUBAI GOLF

SUN, SEA & SARDINIA RESORT FOCUS ON BAJA HOTELS IS ARENAS

ME & MY TRAVELS WITH HAZEL IRVINE

SPOTLIGHT ON SICILY WHERE TO PLAY & STAY

BONNY SCOTLAND

THE BEST COURSES NORTH OF THE BORDER

HOME TO RORY MCILROY AND IRELAND’S OLDEST GOLF COURSE, THE ROYAL BELFAST

After the success of Northern Ireland hosting the Open Championship in 2019 and the confirmation of its return in 2025, coupled with Irish Opens and PGA events being held here in recent years, it shows how highly the country is viewed in golfing circles.

The quality of courses, regarded as some of the best in the world, alongside a guaranteed Northern Irish welcome, makes us a must stop for any golfing traveller.

Ards and North Down is at the heart of this offering. Golf in the area dates back over 125 years, when The Royal Belfast became Ireland’s first club, in 1881. Boasting 12 diverse courses, designed by the likes of H.S. Colt and James Braid and with five Tourism TNI “Quality Assured” clubs, it sums up the quality on offer. Alongside stunning scenery including views of breath-taking Lough’s and even Scotland, most courses are located within 15 minutes’ drive of each other making playing two clubs in one day accessible.

As an added bonus, we are situated on Belfast’s doorstep, with easy access to the ports and airports. Bangor City Centre, Northern Ireland’s newest City, is only 20 minutes from Belfast by car or 30 minutes by train.

With award winning accommodation, from 5* luxury to B&B’s, award winning eateries and great craic plentiful, Ards and North Down is the perfect destination for your next golfing break.

PLAY AND STAY

The Royal Belfast Golf Club, Holywood

Ards and North Down

Aroeira Trophy shines a spotlight on Lisbon golf

A memorable experience on and off the course at one of Portugal’s most iconic golfing venues awaits players competing in the 2nd Aroeira Trophy, which will take place from May 24-28.

Organised by ORIZONTE – Lisbon Golf, tournament packages for the 2023 Aroeira Trophy cost €517 per person, based on two people sharing a room, and include four nights’ bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the chic Aroeira Lisbon Hotel and three rounds of golf on Aroeira’s two championship courses –Pines Classic and Challenge. A welcome cocktail, free golf shuttles and a prize-giving dinner are also included – with a two-night stay for two people at the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel including two rounds of golf on offer to the winner of the 54-hole competition.

Designed by Frank Pennink and meandering through tall avenues of pine forest and surrounded by wildlife and nature, Pines Classic plays to 6,650 yards and demands accuracy and placement off the tee if you’re to score well.

Opened in 2000 and designed by Donald Steel, Aroeira’s Challenge course compliments its older sibling well and visitors will discover a course that possesses a few more thrills and spills along the way. At more than 7,000 yards from the tips, the course bares its teeth with water in play on nine holes and large, undulating greens testing the putter to the max.

Alongside the courses on the stunning Aroeira estate, the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel provides the ultimate in chic modern design, including 68 bedrooms and suites, an outdoor pool, a spa and a bar and restaurant, and offers easy access to the sandy beaches of the Costa Azul region.

ORIZONTE provides golfers with the opportunity to play five of the leading courses in and around Lisbon, together with exceptional value for money on a wide range of accommodation options.

For more details about the 2023 Aroeira Trophy and to book a place, email booking@orizontegolf.com or visit www.orizontegolf.com.

Play the Golf Lottery to tee up your chance win a 7-night European cruise with Ryder Cup tickets

UK golfers can win the ultimate holiday in 2023 by playing the Golf Lottery, with tickets to the Ryder Cup alongside a seven-night European cruise. Launched in 2022, the Golf Lottery is an initiative where players can support a diverse range of charities while competing for some amazing prizes. Charity partners include the Alzheimer’s Society, Prostate Cancer UK and the Golf Foundation.

In association with Costa Cruises, the Golf Lottery’s latest exclusive prize –with a RRP of €3,700 – will see the winner and their plus one enjoy a week-long cruise from Barcelona on Costa Smeralda this autumn.

The prize includes an oceanside cabin room with a balcony that has a private bathroom and shower, adjustable air-conditioning and 40-inch TV. Home to an aqua park, a nextgeneration spa and gym, 11 restaurants and snack bars, and 19 bars and lounges, the cruise will depart Barcelona on September 25 as it begins its seven-night journey around Europe.

Costa Smeralda will dock in both Palma de Mallorca and Palermo before arriving in Rome on September 29, the opening day of the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Once in Rome, the lucky winner will receive two tickets to the first day of action as Europe, led by captain Luke Donald, look to win back the famous trophy they lost at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Golfbreaks tees up more equipment giveaways with Callaway partnership

Golfbreaks and Callaway Golf have announced a continuation of their longstanding partnership that will enable golfers to get their hands of some of Callaway’s award-winning equipment as part of their next golf holiday booking.

The partnership with Callaway and OGIO will continue to allow Golfbreaks, which is celebrating 25 years’ of providing customers with industry-leading service and world class golf travel in 2023, to thank their customers for their loyalty with competitions and giveaways throughout the next two years, along with collaborative content highlighting the latest equipment and travel news.

The partnership kicked off in January with the hugely successful ‘Group Golf Giveaway’ which allows Golfbreaks clients the opportunity to earn a complimentary Callaway driver with their booking.

Golfbreaks CEO Andrew Stanley commented: “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Callaway and OGIO for another two years, especially as we celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2023. We’re looking forward to being able to offer their fantastic products to our customers and share their industry-leading content with golfers to excite them ahead of their break.”

Chris Gregg, Head of Marketing at Callaway Golf EMEA, commented: “Golfbreaks continues to be an important partner for us, and we are delighted to extend this valuable collaboration across our Callaway and OGIO brands. The game of golf is growing globally, there is a strong resurgence in post-pandemic travel, and Golfbreaks’ innovative approach to make golf more accessible is perfectly aligned to our own goals and objectives.”

Transits to and from the ship for the Ryder Cup will be included before Costa Smeralda departs the Italian capital at 9pm. The ship will then visit Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, before stopping in Marseille prior to returning to Barcelona on October 2.

Devised by Ryan Howsam – majority owner of the Legends Tour and chairman of the Staysure Group – the Golf Lottery is a non-profit organisation licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission in Great Britain. Its primary aim is to raise funds for good causes every week and in turn support local and national charities across the UK through player interaction.

Simple and easy to play, once signed up for £5 per calendar month or an annual subscription with a direct debit of £52 per year, players have the chance to win some fantastic weekly prizes, which included a championship pro-am spot at last year’s end-ofseason Legends Tour MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius, as well as a year’s supply of Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls.

For more information, visit www.golflottery.org.uk.

To get an understanding of how committed Dubai is to attracting tourists, and entertaining its residents, you only need ski down the real snow on the city’s giant indoor ski slope. No matter that it hasn’t snowed in this part of the world since the last ice age – if people want to ski when the outside temperature is over 90 degrees, it shall be so.

The same principal has been applied to almost every other aspect of human existence in the United Arab Emirates, including golf. Which partially explains why, in a country where fresh water is just as valuable a commodity as the oil that has funded all the development, golf courses have been built at such an incredible rate. If people want to play golf on holiday, then Dubai’s rulers would rather you played here than anywhere else in the world. You want to see the Pyramids or climb the Eiffel Tower? Don’t bother going to Egypt or France, just book a flight to

DUBAI DOES IT BETTER

Matt Nicholson escapes the dreary depths of an English winter to enjoy the top-class golf courses and five-star hospitality on offer in Dubai, where the sun always shines, the sand isn’t restricted to bunkers, and it occasionally snows – but only indoors

Dubai. Want to eat in a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, drink vodka in an ice bar, sleep underwater, skydive over a man-made island, or watch Beyoncé in concert opening up the latest five star hotel? You’ve guessed it, come to Dubai.

Golf’s growth in Dubai over the last 30-odd years has mirrored that of the expat community, which currently represents around 88 per cent of the total population of nine million. There are over a dozen top quality golf courses in Dubai, survive for most of the year on a steady supply of expat golfers and corporate outings mixed in with a few local members, but they now enjoy a significant boost from travelling golfers, especially during northern Europe’s winter months. Those coming from that part of the world can jump of a plane and be playing tour-standard golf under cloudless skies just five or six hours later. Last year saw over 23 million tourists visit the city, which goes a long way to explaining why you need to book your tee times, hotel rooms and restaurants well in advance to avoid disappointment, especially from late November through to early March, when the temperature hovers around 25°c and is ideal for golf at any time of the day.

SPOILT FOR GOLFING CHOICE

While Dubai is very popular with Tour pros, due to its location at the point where east meets west, and its superb playing and practice facilities, there is no shortage of amateur golfers looking to sample the Dubai golfing experience for themselves. And there is no shortage of places to do it, with the city limits offering more than dozen courses, including old favourites such as the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club, to the stunning 18 holes on offer at Dubai Creek, and relative newer kids on the block such as the Greg Norman-designed Earth and Fire Courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Montgomerie Course at Emirates Hills, The Els Club, and the two most recent openings, Trump International and Dubai Hills.

Our short trip coincided with the staging of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club, so while that venue was off-limits from a playing

perspective that week, it enabled us to sample a couple of the other city’s top courses, while also getting the chance to watch the pros in action over the superb Majlis Course.

Before that I had a chance to shake off my winter cobwebs on the Championship course at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, which first opened in 1993 and at the time was only the second course in the city. Occupying a stunning spot beside the creek and offering fine views over the city skyline, the course features more than its fair share of memorable holes, with the par 4 2nd, a superb risk/reward affair that ask how much distance you’re prepared to risk off the tee to shorten the approach over water to the green, being an early highlight. The 5th is a beautiful par 3 with the full Dubai skyline framing the green, while the 6th demands a drive taken from a floating tee with the yacht club in full view.

On the back 9, the par-5 13th requires a brave approach into a small island green, while the 16th is another cracking short hole to test your mettle. The 17th is a wonderful par 4 with a narrow fairway guarded by the

■ THE MAJLIS COURSE AT EMIRATES GOLF CLUB IS HOME TO THE DP WORLD TOUR’S DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

creek on the left and bunkers on the right, which demands careful plotting, but the 18th asks for sheer power, as if you can avoid the creek with your drive, a fairway wood or long iron will be required to get over the water and land on a sloping green. It really is a fabulous finishing stretch. With fast-running greens and fairways like billiard tables, it’s golf of the very highest order. Dubai Creek also offers an entertaining 9-hole, par-3 course, which is fun to play in the daytime, but even better at night when they turn on the floodlights and your ball is easy to spot against the night sky.

The Emirates Golf Club, home of the aforementioned Desert Classic, which is also under Dubai Golf’s ownership, is another must-play venue, with its two courses, the Majlis and the Faldo course, being among the city’s most famous tracks. The Majlis, which weaves around seven lakes, is a proper tournament challenge whichever tees you chose to play off. When it first opened in 1987 it was surrounded by nothing but desert, but these days it feels very much downtown, with the course overlooked by towering skyscrapers from almost every angle. With tees from 7,300 yards to 6,300, it’s vital to play off handicap-appropriate tees if you’re not to get into cricket score territory here.

In terms of holes to look out for, the three-hole run from the 7th is superb. Seven is a lovely par 3 over water before the famous drive on 8 which, even if you successfully navigate the desert, leaves to with a tough uphill shot to an undulating green. The 9th is a par 4 which plays tough even the best drive leaves a nerve-jangling approach over water. The back 9 ramps up the challenge, and the last two holes are particularly notable - the almost reachable par 4 17th, and the 18th, which, like 9, requires an approach over water - whether for your second or third.

Our trip coincided with the Dubai Desert Classic, and it’s certainly worth considering combining a golf holiday with some top-class tournament action, as it’s a really great opportunity to get close to the players in a way that you never would at tournaments in the UK or at an Open. There is no problem getting around the course to watch every shot and the atmosphere is great, make sure you book at slot at TopGolf Dubai next door, a driving range experience you don’t want to miss.

Also in the same Dubai Golf stable are the Greg Normandesigned Earth and Fire courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The season-ending DP World Tour Championship is held on the Earth, which features 102 bunkers, 20 lakes and treacherously sloped greens. The final four holes

measure over a mile long, while the 651yard 18th, whose fairway is split by a rocklined stream, always provides a stunning climax to the tournament. With the course having grown in nicely since its opening 10 years ago, and mature vegetation softening its visual appeal, the Earth course is impossible to fault in terms of its presentation and conditioning, if you make a birdie at the last, all will be forgiven, and you’ll have stories of how you ‘conquered the earth’ to tell your friends for many years to come.

LUXURY LODGINGS

Dubai boasts a vast array of luxury accommodation options, including the iconic 7-star Burj Al Arab, and the wonder of the world that is Atlantis The Palm. Our trip included a three-night stay at the superb Park Hyatt Dubai, a five-star hotel which is part of the Dubai Creek Resort and backs directly on to the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, making it the perfect haven for a golf escape.

Voted the ‘World’s Best Golf Hotel’ at the 2022 World Golf Awards, the 93-acre resort offers a wide range of spacious rooms and suites, all of which overlook the creek, while guests can also take advantage of an impressive array of hospitality and leisure facilities, including 14 award-winning restaurants, a spectacular marina with 122 berths, world-class spa facilities, and a stunning Lagoon beach. All of which makes the Park Hyatt the perfect base to sit bit and relax, as well to explore the delights of the city, while also being within a pitching wedge of the golfing action.

OFF-COURSE ATTRACTIONS

Away from those evergreen fairways, Dubai presents a heady mix of Middle Eastern and Western offcourse attractions, from its glittering shopping malls packed with luxury brands and the aforementioned ski slopes, to Legoland, IMG’s World of Adventures (the world’s largest indoor theme park) and the recently opened Museum of the Future, which showcases technological development and innovation, especially in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence.

Those with shopaholic tendencies can get their retail fix in the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest ‘shopping, entertainment and leisure’ destination. A temple to different ways of parting you from large amounts of cash, the mall boasts over 1,200 shops, including two department stores stocking all the latest luxury and fashion brands. There are also a wide range of leisure attractions for families, including a multi-screen cinema, an aquarium, an ice rink and a vast children’s play zone called KidZania.

PLAY

To find out green fee rates, book tee times, and discover the latest golf holiday packages to Dubai, visit www.dubaigolf. com or www.viyagolfholidays.com

STAY

Park Hyatt Dubai at Dubai Creek Resort has room rates in a standard double starting from £175pn in summer and £330 per night in winter (Nov-Feb). For enquiries, visit www.hyatt.com

DESERT SAFARI

Platinum Heritage www.platinum-heritage.com

DINING

TIME OUT MARKET DUBAI

www.timeoutmarket.com/dubai/eat-anddrink/ EXPERIENCE

Visit the world’s tallest building www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/

FLYING EMIRATES FLY FROM MANY UK AIRPORTS Including London Gatwick www.emirates.com

CARROSSA HOTEL & SPA

Mallorca has well and truly cemented its reputation as a destination for luxury holidays and world-class golf breaks in recent years, and not just being a party island. Leading the way is Carrossa, a five-star hotel and spa in the east of the island that has been drawing eyes with its glamour and gastronomy.

Encircled in a moat of rural countryside, Carrossa is far from the bustle of the island’s busier areas while still being connected enough to make getting around simple. Drives of 15 to 45 minutes will take you to four of the golf courses nearby – Club de Golf Alcanada, Capdepera Golf, Pula Golf Resort and Club de Golf Son Servera.

Club de Golf Son Servera, which exudes a relaxed atmosphere, with a wide mix of nationalities in their members, has a junior section that is recognised throughout Spain for producing many national champions and winners on the international stage.

The course there also includes the challenging “Pine Trap”, a well-renowned combination of four holes that are cut into the original pine forest, where it uses extra narrow fairways and huge elevation changes to test even the most accomplished of golfer.

As a further challenge for the more experienced players, Club de Golf Alcanada and Pula Golf Resort have both been the host of numerous high-profile professional and amateur events, with a prestigious list of winners.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr, Alcanada – host venue of the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final, supported by the R & A – offers players spectacular views of the lighthouse from almost all of the 18 holes on the course, as well as housing a terraced restaurant which basks in the sea breeze of Alcúdia Bay.

For Capdepera Golf, the club prides itself on offering an experience for players of all skill levels, comprising a mix of easier holes down in the valley and more challenging holes that go up into the beautiful hills of the Mallorquin Llevant mountains. The signature hole is the 15th, which offers panoramic views of Mallorca, and has been continuously voted the most beautiful hole on the island by Mallorca Magazine.

Offering hotel rooms in the restored manor house, all the way up to superior suites overlooking the nearby bay of Alcúdia, Carrossa is an impeccably designed hotel with an expansive spa. The treatments themselves come in an extensive menu – from massages

to beauty treatments, each performed by a virtuoso therapist. To complete the spa, an indoor pool lined with loungers sits beside multiple saunas and steam baths, and outside a spacious infinity pool gives access to sunshine and cabanas.

But perhaps the other thing Carrossa is known for is its cuisine; the flagship Carrossa Restaurant is recognised among the finest eateries in Mallorca. New head chef Kim Toro has weaved his signature French-inspired style with Mediterranean flavours at the restaurant, which comes complete with panoramic terrace views across the land. For a lighter experience, Bistro Badia is an ambient alternative that is open seasonally.

There is drink to match the food: Bar Oro serves expertly mixed cocktails until early in the morning and a traditional Bodega stocks an eclectic collection of wines from around the world. Or, new for the summer season this year, a pop-up outdoor bar promises to serve up some uniquely devised drinks alongside the classics.

Golfers can enjoy five-star relaxation and play all four golf courses in 2023 by booking Carrossa’s Premium Golf Package. Prices start from £1,435 per person and include seven nights’ gourmet half-board accommodation and four 18-hole green fees.

Explore more golf packages at Carrossa and book online at carrossa.com/rates-packages/packages

■ Club de Golf Alcanada

TEEING UP A SCOTTISH FLING

Golf News editor Nick Bayly extols the virtues of a golf break to Scotland, where stamina-sapping Open Championship links venues rub shoulders with 9-hole parkland courses and everything inbetween

With a population of just five million and a total of 587 golf clubs, it’s fair to say that the citizens of Scotland are spoilt for choice when it comes to where to play the game they claim to have invented. From the five Open Championship venues with three-figure green fees, to the nine-hole courses with honesty boxes, there are few countries in the world that can match Scotland for the diversity of its golf offering.

Despite the embarrassment of riches on their doorstep, the Scots are a generous lot – forget the lazy stereotype – and generously welcome all and sundry to share the wealth of links course, parkland tracks, and cliff-top beauties that are to be enjoyed in its wonderfully unpopulated countryside.

I’ve had the good fortune to play quite a few them in my two score years of golfing, including all the major championship layouts, a Ryder Cup course, a Solheim Cup venue or two, and many an amateur championship host, but perhaps the ones I cherish the most boast far less exalted histories.

For instance, I’ll never forget the rounds I used to enjoy with my late mother at Kemnay Golf Club back in the early 1980s. Then, aged 13, and living just outside Aberdeen, we would drop a few pounds in the honesty box and play nine holes in glorious isolation. Mum, bless her, never liked to be rushed on the golf course, and never enjoyed having a group of stuffy old men watching her tee off, so midweek rounds on deserted courses like Kemnay suited her down to the ground.

While Kenmay might not qualify as a hidden gem, it’s certainly part of the overall fabric of what makes golf in Scotland such a unique experience. And although the championship layouts are all worth ticking off your bucket list, you can have an equally enjoyable, and, dare I say it, cheaper time, by straying off the well-beaten tracks, and searching out some of the courses and clubs that don’t have their own Twitter feeds or Facebook pages, but will leave just as many lasting golfing memories.

With over 150 nine-hole courses to choose from alone in Scotland, you can rack up three or four clubs in a day if you plan your itinerary properly, especially during those glorious summer months when 18 hours of daylight allows the serious golfer time to tick off 72 holes in a day, and still leave time for a pie and a pint.

So whether you have £20 or £200 to spend on a green fee, whether you’re a scratch golfer or struggle to break 100, and whether you’re looking for five-star luxury, and or a simple B&B for the night, there is something for everyone in Scotland – and you won’t have to look too far to find it.

HOME IN ON THE HOME OF GOLF

With the dust having just about settled at St Andrews following its hosting of The 150th Open last year, there has never been a better time to start planning a visit to the Home of Golf.

Although Old Tom Morris would probably spin in his grave at the thought of St Andrews being called a ‘golf resort’, the ancient town on Fife’s east coast is one in all but name, with golf tourism being its main source of income almost since the game was first played here 400 years ago.

The fabled Old Course is clearly the sun around which all the other courses in the town draw their heat, and getting a tee time on the ‘Auld Lady’ seems to be as hard as ever, with no let up in demand for a chance to walk in the footsteps of the great champions that have graced this course at 30 Open Championships since 1873, the most recent of which saw a mullet-wearing Australian by the name of Cameron Smith walk off with the Claret Jug.

The Old Course remains the ultimate bucket list course, and is a must-play for

■ MACRAHANISH DUNES IS GOLF AS GOD INTENDED, WITH MINIMAL DISTURBANCE OF THE NATURAL LAND

WHETHER YOU’RE A SCRATCH GOLFER OR STRUGGLE TO BREAK 100, THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE IN SCOTLAND – AND YOU WON’T HAVE TO LOOK TOO FAR TO FIND IT

any golfer with a pulse. Half of all of the starting times are selected through a daily ballot, so there’s a fair chance of getting on if you haven’t pre-booked, but there are any number of tour operators that will be able to offer guaranteed tee times, taking out all of the luck of the draw, and allowing you to plan your trip with absolute certainty. And what a treat you will have in store. Offering the most nerve-wracking opening tee shot in golf, despite possessing one of the widest fairways in the world, the Old Course sets up iconic shot after shot. From your approach over the burn to the first green, to the drive over the corner of the Old Course Hotel on the 17th tee, and that putt up the Valley of Sin at the closing hole, it’s a beguiling journey through golfing history that will have you wanting to do it all over again as soon as you walk off the 18th.

St Andrews is long on quality and quantity, with the Links Trust offering no fewer than seven other superb layouts on which to test your mettle, with the New Course being the pick on those in the immediate vicinity. Less quirky than the Old, it shares many of its qualities, including several double greens, but the holes are more defined. If you’re looking for more thrills and spills, then I’d recommend a game at the Castle Course, a 6,759-yard cliff-top layout which enjoys stunning views over St Andrews from around the bay.

Talking of bays, Fairmont St Andrews Golf Resort & Spa, located in St Andrews Bay, is also popular luxury stopover, with its two championship courses, Torrance and Kittocks, providing 36 holes of cliff-top golf with a linksy feel, while the five-

■ FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS OFFERS TWO CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES AND MAGICAL VIEWS TOWARDS THE HOME OF GOLF

star hotel offers 209 guest rooms, a spa, and new fewer than six dining options. For golfers looking to stay more centrally in St Andrews, the MacDonald Rusacks Hotel, which sits half way up the right-hand side of 18th fairway, is perhaps the more authentically Scottish venue, although the Old Course Hotel, which is situated on the dogleg of the Road Hole 17th, with the fabled Jigger Inn within its grounds, is the popular and obvious choice, with its course-facing suites providing a suitably luxurious vantage point from which to soak up the golfing atmosphere.

MONARCHS OF THE GLEN

Moving away from St Andrews, no five-star visit to Scotland should miss out on the chance to visit Gleneagles, the self-styled highland playground of the rich and famous down the years. Golfers have been queuing up to play the resort’s PGA Centenary Course ever since it hosted the Ryder Cup in 2014 and the Solheim Cup in 2019. Although not a classic Scottish course by any stretch of the imagination, you’d be mad not to want to follow in the footsteps of the European and American teams, although make sure you also play the resort’s other two more mature layouts, the century-old King’s and the Queen’s, both of which have benefited from significant renovations, returning them to challenge that James Braid first intended.

Whichever courses you play, you can be guaranteed a good night’s sleep in the AA Five Red Star Gleneagles Hotel, which is luxury at its most Scottish. Guests can

choose to stay in either a range of rooms and suites in the hotel – including the ten ultra-luxury suites that occupy the top floor of the hotel – or rent one of the two, three and four-bed private lodges that are located on the estate.

If Braid courses float your boast, then the journey up to Brora Golf Club on Scotland’s north west coast is a must, with the traditional links widely regarded as one of his finest designs. Regularly ranked inside GB&I’s top 100, five-time Open champion Peter Thomson described Brora as ‘the most natural links course in the world’, and who are we to argue.

For those visitors flying in or out of Edinburgh, a stop off for a round at the Renaissance Club has much to recommend it. Located between Gullane and North Berwick, and only a 30-minute drive from the airport, Renaissance opened as a private members’ club in 2008 on the Archerfield Estate, a pitching wedge away from

■ THE PGA CENTENARY COURSE AT GLENEAGLES, VENUE FOR THE 2014 RYDER CUP AND 2019 SOLHEIM CUP

■ CRUDEN BAY IS ONE MANY FINE LINKS TO BE FOUND ON SCOTLAND’S NORTH EAST COAST

■ THE CARPET-LIKE GREENS AT BRORA BLEND SEAMLESSLY INTO THE CRUMPLED FAIRWAYS

Muirfield, but with far better views over the Firth of Forth. Tom Doak, the creative genius behind Pacific Dunes in Oregon and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand, has created a series of compelling holes several carved out of the coastal pine forest, and others stretching along the coastline high on the cliff tops above the Firth. After a round, guests can relax in the comfortable surroundings of the palatial clubhouse, while the quality of the accommodation, which comes in the form of 23 suites within a lodge, is well above par.

BEST OF THE WEST

After tackling the Open Championship courses at Carnoustie and Muirfield, golfers looking to test themselves on something altogether newer, but no less challenging,

should head over to Trump Turnberry, where a renovation of the iconic Ailsa Course has been drawing rave reviews since it re-opened in 2019. The most controversial change is to the par-4 ninth, which has been converted to a long par three that relocates the entire hole closer to the lighthouse, while several other seaside holes have been pushed closer to the water, to add further to the drama.

Elsewhere, a new Trumpified clubhouse offers diners the chance to chow down on lobster mac ‘n’ cheese or one of numerous cuts of Scottish-reared steaks cooked on an open grill in the Duel in the Sun restaurant, while the hotel itself has received a similarly spectacular renovation, although thankfully Trump’s interior designers has gone easy on the gold leaf.

Golfers looking to play the only course in the country to be built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest should make the pilgrimage to Machrihanish Dunes, which transports visitors back over 120 years to a time when golf was at one with nature. Amazingly, only seven of the 260-odd acres of the site have been disturbed to make way for the rumpled fairways and punchbowl greens of the David McLay Kidd-designed 7,082-yard course, which makes for a truly unique links experience, and one that requires pinpoint accuracy to score well, especially when the wind gets up, as it often does on this remote outcrop on Scotland’s most westerly coast.

It’s fair to say that it would take a good chunk of your lifetime to play all the great golf courses that Scotland has to offer, and while it may seem overwhelming at first, taking that first important step will take you on a golfing journey of discovery the likes of which you would struggle to find anywhere else on earth.

GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY GOLF CLUB

is situated in the Cairngorms National Park. The Club was established in1890 as a nine-hole course and by 1921, it had grown to 18 holes with the help of Willie Park and James Braid. The course is a traditional Scottish resortcourse designed to appeal to all levels of golfers. The Club has all the facilities you would expect from a Club in the top 100 in Scotland.

Tel: 01479 872079 | Web: grantownonspeygc.co.uk

MONIFIETH is home to two fantastic 18 hole links courses, The Medal and The Ashludie. These courses have been enjoyed by every level of golfer – from seasoned professional to happy amateur – and even Tom Watson who a member! 18 hole and 36 hole packages are available with bookings/information available via the website along with green fees and other information.

Tel: 01382 532767 | Web: monifiethgolf.co.uk

TAIN GOLF CLUB in Ross-Shire, is a classic 18-Hole Scottish Highland links course designed by Old Tom Morris. If you would like to play golf while in Scotland you are guaranteed a warm welcome at Tain where you can experience a great course which is suitable for all standards of golfer. Tain Golf Club is a Scottish Golf Championship venue and will be hosting the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship this August.

Tel: 01862 892314 | Web: tain-golfclub.co.uk

TORWOODLEE GOLF CLUB features an 18hole course that is a stunning picturesque rolling parkland paradise just outside Galashiels in the beautiful Scottish Borders countryside. The course is set in a valley amongst mature trees, flanked by the River Gala and divided by the Borders Railway line. Green Fees start from just £40 a round, with golf and food packages available and EZ-GO electric buggies.

Tel: 01896 752260 Web: torwoodleegolfclub.co.uk

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF LINKS

embraces mile after mile of spectacular Aberdeenshire coastline. Against a dramatic North Sea backdrop, our awardwinning championship course offers breath-taking scenery and an unparalleled test of golf. Experience the unrivalled beauty, atmosphere and Scottish hospitality of Trump Internationalthe ultimate golfing destination.

Tel: 01358 743300 | Web: trumpgolfscotland.com

WEST KILBRIDE GOLF CLUB lies on a beautiful strip of links land and raised beach adjacent to the coastal village of Seamill, and is the most northerly of Ayrshire’s true links courses. With magnificent views of Arran, Bute and Cowal it makes a wonderful venue for the game and a fine test of golf. The course follows an anti-clockwise route with a loop at the far end around the turn.

Tel: 01294 823911 | Web: westkilbridegolfclub.com

■ CARNOUSTIE’S CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE SHOULD BE ON EVERYONE’S GOLFING BUCKET LIST

■ THE NO.1 COURSE, HOST OF THE 2018 SCOTTISH OPEN, IS ONE OF THREE 18-HOLE LINKS ON OFFFER AT GULLANE GOLF CLUB

■ TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF LINKS, JUST NORTH OF ABERDEEN, IS A SUPERB TEST

Travel with

My first holiday was… around Scotland with my mum, dad and brother. We were very much an outdoors family and loved camping, caravanning and hill walking. I remember some great times and great places all over the West Coast of Scotland and, yes, I remember a lot of sunshine, as well as rain too!

My most recent holiday was to… New Zealand to reaquaint our daughter with the rellies Down Under.

HAZEL IRVINE

The 58-year-old BBC sports presenter returns to her Scottish roots for golf and pleasure, and never leaves home without her trusty travel steamer

My favourite golf course in the world is… Well, obviously, it has to be my home course, Cardross Golf Club, which about 20 miles north-west of Glasgow. Running it close would be the New Course at St Andrews, and the Queens Course at Gleneagles. I was born in St Andrews, and lived in Fife until I was five, so golf has been in my DNA from the start.

I first started playing when I was seven, when my dad gave me a cut-down 7-iron to hit about when he was playing at Cardross. I was hooked from the start and my summer holidays basically consisted of playing two rounds a day – every day.

I came back to St Andrews as a student and played for the University team, and spent most of time outside of lectures playing golf. My halls of residence was at Hamilton Hall, overlooking the 18th hole of the Old Course. You’d pay alot for that room now! I’m lucky enough to be a member of the R&A, so I get back to play the Old Course as often as I can.

My ideal holiday fourball would include… My husband, my dad and Nancy Lopez to even up the numbers!

My most memorable ever round was at… Pebble Beach, where we could only get a late-afternoon tee time, practically ran round it whilst soaking in the views, hit at least two balls over the cliffs, but still managed to finish the 18th by playing a luminous ball in the semi-darkness. Magic!

My favourite golf resort is… Gleneagles. Tranquility, peace, and golfing gorgiousness.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed at was… not really a hotel, but a wilderness camp in the Namibian desert.

My favourite city in the world is… Hong Kong. I love its energy and excitement. I’m not sure I could live there though, as it would burn me out pretty quickly!

The thing I hate about travel is... security checks, but I’m also glad they’re there.

I always travel with… photographs of my family, my laptop and a travel steamer. I hate ironing! I also always pack a pair of thermal socks. My feet are the first part of my body to get cold, and I have to do an awful lot of standing around waiting to do interviews. Once they get cold, it’s very difficult to warm them up again.

The worst holiday I’ve ever had was… whilst hiking in the Alps. Got food poisoning half-way along the route. Very dodgy!

My top travel tip would be… always take a cache of Dioralyte powders in your wash bag. See above.

‘The Magnificent Seven’ James Braid Highland Golf Trail

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.

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.

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.

Brora Golf Club

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.

Reay Golf Club

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.

■ GLENEAGLES

■ CARDROSS GC, SCOTLAND

GOLFING IN THE LAP OF THE GODS

Matt Nicholson embarks on an epic voyage of discovery to Costa Navarino in Greece, one of the world’s first eco-resorts, where four championship golf courses and a choice of four luxury beachside hotels, have made justifiably made it the no.1 rated destination in Europe

While most visitors to Greece head straight to its majestic collection of islands to enjoy two weeks in the sun in the well-trodden hotspots such as Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini, my own Greek odyssey took to me to the often-overlooked region of the Peloponnese, the small peninsula located in southern Greece which is connected to the mainland by the Rio-Antirrio bridge, and is about a three-hour drive from Athens.

Despite its unspoilt beaches, azure waters, ancient sights, olive groves and idyllic villages, it has never been high on the list of tourist destinations, but that all changed in 2000 when Greek shipping magnate Vassilis Constantakopoulos began buying up huge plots of land around the coastal region around Navarino Bay. His ambition to boost the economy of his homeland while preserving and honouring its natural beauty has resulted in the resort that now goes by the name of Costa Navarino.

Sadly, Constantakopoulos died in 2011, soon after the first stage of the project opened in 2010, but the baton has been passed on to his son, Achilles, who, along the rest of the family, has continued to develop the luxury resort into the sprawling mini town that it is today, which is currently formed of three hotels – the Westin, the Romanos and the W Costa Navarino – with another, the Mandarin Oriental due to open this summer – four 18-hole championship golf courses, and a

myriad of restaurants, bars, spas, a marina, and countless other leisure and sporting facilities.

72 HOLES OF CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF

The first golf course to be open here was the Dunes in 2010, which was fashioned by Bernhard Langer in collaboration with Ross McMurray of European Golf Design. The following year, the Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed Bay course debuted at nearby Navarino Bay, around 10km south of the main resort. At the start of 2022, two new 18-hole courses – the International Olympic Academy course and the Hills course – were unveiled on top of the higher ground that lies immediately south-east of the Navarino Bay development, with all 36 holes laid out by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend José Marίa Olazábal and his team at Olazabal Design. Managed by Troon Golf, all four courses are presented in superb condition, without a blade of grass out of place.

Stretching out across 500 acres of rugged terrain, the 6,351-yard Olympic Course and the 6,280m Hills layout offer panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the historic Bay of Navarino, which, if you’re into your naval history, was the scene of a decisive sea battle in 1827 which saw the allied forces of Britain, France and Russia defeat those the Ottoman and

Egypt fleet, which ultimately consolidated Greek independence. Thankfully, the only battles taking place here these days are firmly on dry land and mainly involve sun-kissed golfers wielding drivers, irons and putters with varying degrees of success.

I had the good fortune to play the Olympic, Hills and Dunes courses during the inaugural Olazabal & Friends Charity Pro-Am, a three-day event which was hosted by the man himself and held last November. Featuring 14 teams, with each team comprising one pro and three amateurs, the tournament attracted an impressive line-up of professionals, including Miguel Angel Jimenez, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, Santiago Luna, José Manuel Lara, Emanuele Canonica, Christian Cevaer, Stephen Dodd and Phil Price, who, along with Ollie, had won 68 tour titles between them.

Between rounds, social events included two dinners, a prize-giving lunch and post-event party and a golf clinic, with all proceeds being donated to Sport Mundi, the Spanish non-profit organisation chaired by Olazábal, which supports children in need.

Our first round on the Olympic course was easily the golfing highlight of the week, with the course possessing the ‘wow’ factor in spades. I lost count of the number of times I just stood on a tee, a fairway or a green and said ‘wow’. At

■ THE SPECTACULAR INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COURSE AT NAVARINO HILLS

■ JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL DESIGNED THE TWO NEW COURSES AT NAVARINO HILLS

■ BEACHSIDE DINING AT COSTA NAVARINO

times the views were almost distracting, but I’ll take it any day over staring down the barrel of a tree-lined with fairway with only the green to look at. Measuring almost 7,000 yards off the very back tees, it’s a proper championship test, so it’s important to play off the right tees for your driving ability in order to ensure maximum enjoyment.

The Hills course is slightly shorter than the Olympic, measuring 6,827 yards off the back tees, but is no less challenging. Overlooking the rural landscape of Messinia with a backdrop of rugged mountains and small villages, the course occupies higher ground and threads its way through gently rolling hills.

The Dunes Course, as its name suggests, has been shaped to create the feel of a links with tall ‘dunes’ shaped to separate the holes closest to the sea. Undulating greens and steep-faced pot bunkers emphasize the links feel, but as the 6,580yard course moves inland, the character softens to fit in with a typical Greek landscape of olive trees and citrus groves. There are a great variety of holes and each has its own particular character. There is a nice mixture of lengths, with three or four short par fours, at least one of which – the 6th – is drivable, so there are lots of birdie opportunities, but there some longer, testing par fours, like 4, 11 and 12, to test your game. The par threes are pretty strong too, with the 187-yard 8th, which plays slightly downhill to split level green, being a highlight, while 12 and 17, which are played in opposite directions along the edge of an escarpment overlooking Navarino Bay, are also pretty special short holes.

With wide fairways and large greens, the Dunes is very playable for the holiday golfer off the appropriate tees, however the bunkering is very strategic and there is a lot of movement on the putting surfaces, so there’s plenty of interest and excitement to be had. Many of the greens are divided into plateaus with some quite steep slopes between the different levels, so although their size makes the greens relatively easy to hit, if your approach shots don’t find the right part of the green then you are going to be looking at a few three-putts.

Sadly we didn’t have time to play the 6,139-yard Bay Course, which opened shortly after the Dunes, but with its stunning views and fun mix of six par 3s, the par-71 course looks like the perfect foil to the more challenging other three layouts, and adds up to 72 holes of glorious golf – perfect for a weeklong tournament among friends.

HOTELS, HOTELS, HOTELS

The resort’s three five-star hotels, the Ramanos, Westin and W, provide guests with an excellent choice of luxury accommodation, while the new Mandarin Oriental, which opens in April, will provide guests with another 99 rooms, including 48 villas, all with outdoor terraces and sea views, along with five restaurants and bars, and a spa, fitness centre and outdoor pool.

We stayed at the Westin, which is set among the olive groves, and is targeted at the family market. Each room boasts varying idyllic views of private

pools that look out over olive groves or sweeping views of the vivacious Ionian Sea. The beds are so comfortable you won’t want to get up.

All amenities at the various hotels are shared between guests, so we had more than a dozen restaurants to choose from, with a dizzying 15 more eating venues due to open this year. Don’t miss breakfast at Pero, which offers an incredible selection of local Greek dishes such as sausages, cheese pies, tomato and rusk salads, and freshly baked bread. Have lunch at Barbourni, a stylish restaurant that sits on the beach, serving delicious seafood, or if you’re after a dazzling sunset and jawdropping views, head to dinner at Flame, which specialises in locally sourced meats, with classic cuts of lamb, beef and pork served on wooden platters complemented by delicious salads.

The resort itself is large, but a quick call to reception will ensure the arrival of a chauffeured golf buggy or a minibus to take you to wherever you want to go. The service here is top level – staff are friendly and warm with plenty of personality and knowledgeable about the area and its traditions.

WATERSPORTS, WINE & WORLD HERITAGE SITES

For those for whom golf holds no interest – I know, who are these people? – there are plenty of other activities to while away the time if lying by the pool or on the beach loses its appeal. A new market-style venue, Navarino Agora, is due to open in April, while a new Watersports Hub is opening on the Navarino Waterfront, which will offering a wide range of water sports such as windsurfing, waterskiing, kayaking and stand-up paddling, furthering add to Costa Navarino’s diverse sporting appeal.

Elsewhere, there are astronomy courses where you can spend a night stargazing into the region’s dark skies, there are ‘Farm to Table’ cooking sessions where guests learn about local dishes and cook their own dinner; there are olive oil and winetasting sessions, while even the resort’s fitness activities nod to local culture, with traditional Greek dancing classes or yoga on the beach at sunset. For those in need of even more relaxation, the award-winning Anazoe spa offers indoor and outdoor treatments, as well as multiple baths and salt-water pools which are ideal for soothing weary golfing muscles.

For visitors looking to explore the wider area, the resort is within easy driving distance of a range of UNESCO World Heritage List sites, including Olympia, Mystras and the Temple of Apollo, as well as ancient Messini and the Palace of Nestor.

I think it’s appropriate that I leave the last word on Costa Navarino to Senor Olazabal, who, knows a thing or two about what makes a decent golf resort. He told me: “The hotel facilities are secondto-none and of the highest quality. The people are very friendly, the food is great, and you’ve got four wonderful golf courses with wonderful scenery. It doesn’t matter how good your golf is, you’re going to be able to come here and have a good time. That combination, I think, is going to be fantastic for any golfer.”

HOW TO GET THERE

Kalamata airport is a 40-minute drive from Costa Navarino and has seasonal direct flights from London, Birmingham and Manchester. Athens airport is 3-hour drive away and has direct flights from London, Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh throughout the year. The flight time from London is 3hrs 45mins.

STAY & PLAY

To find out about the latest golf holiday packages, visit www.costanavarino.com.

■ THE HILLS COURSE BOASTS STUNNING COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS

■ ONE OF THE MANY SWIMMING POOLS THAT GUESTS CAN ENJOY ACROSS THE RESORT

■ A DOUBLE ROOM IN THE WESTIN

■ GUESTS HAVE 17 RESTAURANTS TO CHOOSE FROM

SICILY SUN, FOOD & GOLF

With a varied range of quality golf courses and temperate climate matched by a growing choice of direct flights to its four airports and a plethora of historical, cultural and gastronomic delights, Sicily has everything needed for a golf break offering outstanding courses and that little bit more, and is fast establishing itself among Europe’s top golf destinations.

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s nearby location to Africa means that it basks in sunshine nearly all-year round. Being situated so close to the African coastline presented a few problems in the past but all that is now a distant memory, with its long history of invasions and ancient civilisations all part of what makes it so fascinating.

Sicily is simply bursting with history and culture and, for many decades, has been a popular destination for tourists eager to discover many ingredients that makes it so fascinating.

Little wonder, with the island having been a Greek colony, a Phoenician settlement, a Roman province, a Byzantine region, an Arab emirate and a Norman Kingdom on its way to the eclectic culture that is apparent today.

One of its many joys is its ability to surprise you when you least expect it. As you stroll along the streets, you will come across the works of contemporary street art: it is intense, immediate and universal. Looking out over the infinity of the Sicilian hinterland, you will see a mystical and ancestral place while a visit to the numerous artisan workshops will unearth working traditions handed down from father to son over the centuries.

Italy is renowned as a nation for delivering some of the best gastronomy in the world, with each region fiercely proud of its culinary traditions, and Sicily is no exception.

The food is typically Mediterranean but there are strong hints of Arabic and Spanish flavours. Sicilians notoriously have a sweet tooth and are among the best dessert–makers in Italy. Try “cannoli”, “granita” and their most famous export “cassata”. Visitors should also take the chance to

sample a glass or two of the island’s fruity lemon liqueur “Limoncello” after a meal.

Whether it be the history, architecture and culture; the legendary gastronomy and wines; or simply taking the chance to wander around the plethora of fishing villages and hilltop towns with picture-postcard Baroque cathedrals, even the most fussy of travelers will struggle not to find something to love in Sicily.

VERDURA RESORT

Nestled in the valley of the River Verdura, 40km from Agrigento and on Sicily’s south-west coast, the deluxe Verdura Resort features two 18-hole championship links-style courses – the recently redesigned East and West – as well as a ninehole executive course, all designed by acclaimed architect Kyle Phillips.

Home of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, Verdura boasts an array of other five-star facilities including a golf academy and double-ended driving range, 203 hotel rooms and suites – all with a sea view –20 new private villas, six tennis courts, a 4,000m² spa complex and a choice of four restaurants and five bars.

Stunning coastal scenery and challenging holes await golfers at Verdura – it’s no wonder it is listed as Italy’s number one golf venue in Golf World magazine’s renowned ‘Top 100 Resorts in Continental Europe’ ranking.

Off the golf course, guests of the hotel can expect modern design with luxury furnishings, inspired by 19th century Sicilian tile. Enjoy time in the Irene Forte Spa, where local botanicals harvested from Verdura’s Organic Farm are used the range of sensory experiences, therapies and skincare products. In addition, visitors can enjoy an array of cultural and culinary experiences including

visit

VERDURA WEST

There is no gentle opening on the West Course, with three lengthy par-fours to start the round, before the first of five par-threes puts your accuracy to the test. Challenging greens will examine the putting skills at every turn and as the front nine winds its way up through the estate, the back nine makes its way down to the Mediterranean with some exceptional views of the ocean. A dramatic finish to the round also awaits, with the outstanding closing holes all hugging the spectacular coastline.

Length: 6,547 metres / 7,160 yards

PAR: 70

Sicilian cooking lessons, a

to the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento or a day trip to Palermo.

EVEN THE MOST FUSSY OF TRAVELERS WILL STRUGGLE NOT TO FIND SOMETHING TO LOVE IN SICILY

■ MOUNT ETNA DOMINATES THE LANDSCAPE IN NORTH EAST SICILY

VERDURA EAST

The subject of a recent redesign by Kyle Phillips, Verdura’s East Course provides plenty of unforgettable moments throughout the round. Darting away from the clubhouse, highlights later in the round include the sixth hole, which requires a carefully placed tee shot to avoid water on the left and right, while a fairway bunker lurks on the right side. Once that is safely negotiated, an undulating green is guarded by two bunkers and more water at the front – and all with the beach and the lapping waves just a few steps away at the back of the green.

Length: 6,763 metres / 7,396 yards

PAR: 73

IL PICCIOLO

Located 56km from Catania, Il Picciolo ETNA Golf Resort & SPA sits on the lower slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. This beautiful golf course was designed within the lava fields produced after the volcano erupted in 1921.

As Sicily’s first ever 18-hole golf course, the location is unrivalled. Measuring 5,870m and offering breathtaking views of Etna from the vast majority of holes, the par-72 layout is notable for tree-lined fairways and an abundance of wild flowers, placing the premium on accuracy rather than length off the tee.

Designed in 1989 by renowned architect Luigi Rota Caremoli, the course has been fashioned using lava stone from Mount Etna, with the intention of creating terrain obstacles and a natural landscape.

The course has hosted four European Ladies Tour events and one Seniors Tour event over the years, further enhancing it as a course not to be missed

on your visit to the island.

Complementing the golf is a 104-room fourstar hotel and range of leisure facilities, while its convenient location to Etna and its orchards, vineyards and typical Mediterranean vegetation makes Il Picciolo a popular base to explore one of the island’s main attractions.

Guests of the hotel can enjoy spacious and sophisticated style across a range of rooms and suites, overlooking the golf course and Etna. The surrounding area has become very famous for wine production over the past few years, so golfers can look forward to tasting local flavours.

Sticking with the volcanic theme away from the golf course, a visit to the hotel’s Rubia Spa offers

ONE OF SICILY’S MANY JOYS IS ITS ABILITY TO SURPRISE YOU WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

lava stone massages and a range of innovative wellness and beauty treatments for guests.

Length: 5,870 metres / 6,420 yards

PAR: 72

I MONESTERI

Forty-five kilometres to the south of Catania sits Borgo di Luce I Monasteri Golf Resort and Spa.

Designed by David and Vincenzo Mezzacane, the 18-hole, par-71 course features lush, green fairways and meanders through a combination of traditional Sicilian citrus, prickly pear, carob and olive trees. Bask in the intoxicating fragrance of the orchards and sunshine while you make your way around the course.

Surrounded by white limestone hills, the course extends over a flat, yet highly variable terrain, to provide golfers with a challenging round while taking in the breaktaking Sicilian landscape.

Comprehensive practice facilities include a 60-bay driving range and short game area while the club house provides an oasis of Sicilian architecture.

Set in a typical Benedictine monastery that later became the home of several noble families – the main hotel offers 102 spacious rooms as well as a spa, several swimming pools and restaurant featuring a menu inspired by typical Sicilian recipes.

Length: 6,520 metres / 7,130 yards

PAR: 71

■ MONESTERI BOASTS AN 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE THAT WINDS IT WAY THROUGH A TRADITIONAL SICILIAN LANDSCAPE OF OLIVE TREES AND LIMESTONE HILLS

■ VERDURA’S WEST COURSE

■ IL PICICOLO ETNA GOLF RESORT & SPA

■ VERDURA’S EAST COURSE

IS ARENAS RESORT

MEMBER OF BAJA HOTELS

The spectacular Mediterranean island of Sardinia is one of the least densely populated regions of Italy, making it an ideal holiday destination for those looking to get away from the crowds that often blight the more touristy regions to be found on the mainland.

With just 1.5 million people spread throughout its 9,000 square miles, you’re unlikely to have to fight for space on its beautiful beaches or queue for a table at a seaside restaurant, or, thankfully, for golfers at least, worry about getting a tee time on one of the dozen or so golf courses that are spread across the island.

Golfers seeking to combine a relaxing beach break with a few rounds on one of Europe’s finest courses, and certainly the best in Sardinia, should make their way to Baja Hotels Is Arenas, a five-star hotel and golf resort located in half-way up the island’s beautiful western coast. Recently brought into the Baja Hotels’ portfolio of luxury resorts, Is Arenas boasts the most recent tour-standard course to open in Sardinia, having welcomed its first golfers back in 2000. Carved out of a pine forest close under the guidance of renowned American architect Robert von Hagge – who also designed the 2018 Ryder Cup venue in Paris and the ultra-exclusive Les Bordes – the par-72, 18hole course, which is located on the Baja Hotels Is Arenas Resort, is a cut above in all senses.

There’s no doubt that von Hagge has done some of his very best work here, with juniper and pine trees framing every hole as the course winds its way intuitively over a gently undulating landscape. With no two holes the same, the design, while definitely favouring straight hitters, also ensures that you don’t come across other golfers during your round, adding to the feeling of splendid

STAY & PLAY

For golfers staying at the hotel, there are a wide range of great value golf holiday packages, ensuring discounted green fee rates and guaranteed tee times throughout the season. To find out more, visit isarenashotel. it/ For bookings, please email booking@ isarenashotel.it

isolation. Built on sandy soil, the fairway lies are always perfect and the ball sits up invitingly to be hit into pristine greens.

Speaking of what it takes to produce a course of such quality, von Hagge said: “All the natural elements that it offers – sand dunes, forest, water and an exceptional climate – are a perfect combination for a unique experience. Is Arenas is an unlimited carpet of colours, fragrances and vital energies.”

While there are any number of memorable holes, from the par5 second, to the stroke index 1 par-4 14th, the signature hole, if we had to pick one, is the par-four 17th, which play from a raised tee offering views of the see, down a long, downhill dogleg that bends left to a green that is heavily protected by bunkers short right and long left. A par here will feel like a birdie in most player’s books, while a birdie is worth celebrating in the clubhouse providing you haven’t made a mess of the 18th!

With six tees to choose from, the course can play a lengthy 6,900 yards for the men’s pro tees, down to the just under 5,000 yards from the very front

tees, ensuring that it can accommodate every level of player, from tour pro to those just starting out in the game.

Other golf facilities on site at Is Arenas include a three-hole par-3 course, a 30-bay driving range and a practice putting green, all of which combine to give golfers plenty of opportunities to sharpen up all elements of their game before tackling the main course.

The adjacent Baja Hotels Is Arenas Resort is set back from a white sandy beach that stretches as far as the eye can see in either direction, giving it a very private, exclusive feel. The five-star hotel boasts 136 rooms and suites with either ground floor patios or first floor terraces. Other facilities at the hotel include a full-service restaurant offering a wide range of Mediterranean-inspired dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients; three bars; an outdoor swimming pool; a private beach club with a bar and restaurant; a gym, wellness centre, a kids club and a shop. With 24-hour concierge, and friendly and helpful staff, your stay at Is Arenas is guaranteed to see you return home feeling rested and relaxed.

DISCOUNT

Enter special discounted code isarenasresortspecialuk when booking for 10% opening discount on all bookings made online or via email from 28 May until 30 July and again from 15 September until closing time (which appears on the booking system)

San Roque (Cádiz)

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.