GolfNews July 2015

Issue 234 | July 2015 Web golfnews.co.uk

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MARTIN KAYMER WIN A FOURBALL AT WOBURN USPGA PREVIEW KEVIN PIETERSEN TOM LEWIS GPS WATCHES OPEN REVIEW COMPLIMENTARY COPY

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Editor’sComment

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Issue 234 | July 2015 Web golfnews.co.uk

THE UK’S NO1 GOLF NEWSPAPER

Twitter @golfnewsmag

Est 1994

MARTIN KAYMER WIN A FOURBALL AT WOBURN USPGA PREVIEW KEVIN PIETERSEN TOM LEWIS GPS WATCHES OPEN REVIEW

BY NICK BAYLY

HERE BEGINNETH THE LESSON….

So what did we learn – apart from the fact that Zach Johnson is the Champion Golfer of 2015 – about golf following the five long days of this year’s Open Championship?

Here are a few thoughts.

1. That the BBC’s days of covering golf are well and truly over. While I am sad at the imminent passing of live coverage of this already exclusive game to a subscription channel, for true golf fans it is a merciful release. Yes, the ads will be annoying, and yes, one of Denis Pugh’s swing analysis sessions might get a tiny bit technical, but Sky will treat the Open with the respect it deserves, and will have an understanding of the players that are actually taking part based on watching them for the 364 other weeks of the year. Sky will also devote an entire channel to it for a week, and not cut to Homes under the Hammer during the final round.

2. That slow play remains the scourge of the game. It filters down from the very top, and the endless farting about on the tees, fairways and

Ticket prices have spiralled out of control at The Open

8. That Dustin Johnson would be a multiple major champion if they reduced these four tournaments to 54 holes. I think he loses interest after three days, which doesn’t help when they sometimes take five.

Weekend rounds of 75 and 75 spoke of someone who’d rather be somewhere else.

3. That four-hole playoffs rob a tournament of any tension that has been built up. Let’s have a one-hole shoot out and be done with it.

4. That the Old Course needs a

few more tweaks before the Open comes around again in 2021. I don’t mind low scores, but too many bunkers were irrelevant. Fill ‘em in and move ‘em I say.

5. It rains in Scotland. And it is sometimes a bit windy. Deal with it.

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9. That £80 for watching a day’s golf, let alone a few hours, is too much, and sends out all the wrong signals. I know kids go free, and the R&A sends money around the world for golf’s development, but there are limits. Charging for grandstands is an insult, and the fans voted with their feet, as was witnessed by the less than full stand behind the 18th during the final moments of the tournament.

6. That one or two measly shots cost Jordan Spieth the chance of going for the first grand slam since Bobby Jones in 1930. Golf desperately 10. I’m sure there are plenty of needed a story like this to other lessons, but I’ve run shire-ad-139x160:Layout 1 17/7/15 13:37 keep it on the front pages, out of spa…

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and he came oh-so-close.

7. That Tiger Woods has lost it.

Full stop.

greens turned one of the greatest golfing spectacles into a snoozefest. Fines for time wasting are rarely dished out at tournaments, and are meaningless for multi-millionaires. Two-shot penalties dished out like tickets at an NCP car park would do the trick.

Longdown Lane South, Epsom Downs, Surrey KT17 4JR. t: 01372 741867 / e: stuartwalker@epsomgolfclub.co.uk

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Golf News, Maple House, The Spinney, Hove, BN3 6QT Tel: 01273 381794 Email: info@golfnews.co.uk Website: www.golfnews.co.uk Follow us on: Twitter@golfnewsmag

Managing Director Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk Editor Nick Bayly editor@golfnews.co.uk Production Kath Perry ads@golfnews.co.uk For advertising enquiries please contact Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk Design www.yotedesign.com Photography Getty Images Kevin Murray Published by BlueGreen Media Regular contributors Jeremy Ellwood, Sarah Stirk, Paul Mahoney, Clive Agran, Tom Lewis, Alistair Tait, Matt Ford. © Copyright Golf News 2015. No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in anyway or means, either by recording or otherwise, without permission of the publishers in writing.

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JULY 2015 | NEWS

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Members’ shock as previous owner buys back struggling Mentmore

SCOTLAND RULES AT ROCHESTER European and Challenge Tour player Zane Scotland (Woodcote Park) provided a masterclass in sub-par golf, shooting a sevenunder-par 64 to snatch victory in the Rochester & Cobham Pro-Am. Two eagles and four birdies were enough to outclass his nearest rivals, Jordan Godwin and Chris Gane, who both carded 66s to share second place.

WATSON WINS HANTS OPEN Billy Watson followed in the footsteps of Richard Bland, Matt Blackey and Neil Raymond by winning the Hampshire Open title. The North Hants amateur shot rounds of 71 and 66 at Alresford for a one-under-par total to finish five shots clear of Stoneham’s Adam Hickling, the top-placed professional.

Ryan Harmer (Brokenhurst Manor) was the second placed amateur, with Lawrence Cherry (Stoneham) in third.

MEW RETAINS NETTELL TROPHY Stoneham’s Alan Mew successfully defended the John Nettell Trophy at Brokenhurst Manor after shooting rounds of 70 and 72 to win by seven shots from John Cox (Rye Hill). Mew won the Hampshire County Seniors Championship in May and is defending his England Golf Champion of Champions title at Woodhall Spa in September.

APPLEBY’S ASCOT MARATHON EFFORT Darren Appleby of Royal Ascot Golf Club completed 100 holes on June 23 to raise £1,141 for Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust. The ninehandicapper, who was an impressive three-under par for his five completed rounds, started at 4.30am and finished at 9pm, with the final holes played as part of the Famous Grouse tournament that is held at the club every year to mark the return to the course after partial shutdown during Royal Ascot week.

A Bedfordshire golf club that closed suddenly at the start of June has been bought back by its old owner.

Mentmore Golf & Country Club has been sold out of administration to a newly-formed company backed by the previous owner Simon Halabi. The club ceased trading due to financial difficulties on June 7, after which administrator Grant Thornton was appointed to seek a buyer.

A bid on behalf of Mentmore’s own members was submitted, but the club was sold shortly after being placed into administration on July 3.

Precise details of the deal are unclear, as are the arrangements for creditors, debenture holders and members, but it is known that the new holding company is called Mentmore Golf Corporate Limited.

Club captain Martin Cowling, who led the members’ buy-out bid, is keen to ensure that the interests of past members are recognised under the new ownership. He said: “Many members have paid out considerable sums in five-year membership deals – some as recently as last September, and they could be left high and dry by this potentially controversial deal. While we are naturally pleased that the ownership of the club has been resolved, we are keen to hear the owner’s plans, as it is essentially the same people running the club as under the previous regime.”

Ladies’ captain Anne Bridges expressed similar concerns, saying:

“We are very keen to engage with the owner as soon as possible to understand his plans for the club, both from a golf and also a health and fitness perspective, where the club has enjoyed strong membership over recent years. Unfortunately many members have already joined alternative golf clubs and gyms, and with the summer nights drawing in, time is running out to retain what loyalty remains.”

A round robin email sent out to members by one of the directors of the club, Matthew Bees, said that the business was ‘no longer sustainable following years of falling revenues’. In the written statement, Bees revealed that the club had been one of many clubs that had suffered as a consequence of the economic downturn. “I have tried my upmost to sustain this club on the clear instruction from the Halabi Family Trust, as it was their wish to keep this club open, after many years of injecting capital and maintaining expenditure,” the email stated.

“It has become clear, however, that the business is no longer viable. The golf club industry has suffered immensely in the last few years, since the financial meltdown.”

The Leighton Buzzard-based club locked its doors on June 7, leaving some 50 staff without jobs and hundreds of members without a golf course to play. The new holding company has yet to reveal how it intends to overturn its current financial difficulties and the extent to which it will honour current memberships.

F1 legend Hill among star names on course for Par 3 Championship Former Formula One world champion Damon Hill is one of a host of stars from the world of sport and entertainment scheduled to be in the starting line up for next month’s Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship, which takes place at Nailcote Hall Hotel and Golf Resort in Warwickshire from August 14-16.

The champions of the 1996 F1 season will be joining a strong cast list of sporting greats in the Celeb-Am tournament, which takes place over Nailcote Hall’s par-three Cromwell Course on August 14, including rugby legends Austin Healey, Neil Back and Martin Corry, and football’s Peter Schmeichel, Alan McInally, Ron Atkinson and Peter Shilton. Other sporting icons on show include Olympians Derek Redmond and Mark Foster, and former top jockeys Bob Champion and John Francome.

As always, the Pro-Am will be a closely fought contest between some of the biggest names from the world of golf.

Nailcote Hall’s Cromwell Course

Sky’s the limit as British Masters pulls in the crowds The opening round of the British Masters at Woburn has completely sold out, with more than 15,000 spectators taking advantage of a free ticket deal offered to Sky Sports’ subscribers.

Golf fans quickly snapped up the entire allocation for round one of the European Tour event, which takes place at Woburn Golf Club from October 8-11.

However, spectators can still ensure they get to see watch some of the European Tour’s leading players, including tournament host Ian Poulter, with discounted advanced tickets still on sale for the remaining three rounds.

Jamie Birkmyre, championship director of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports, said: “We are obviously delighted with the huge demand for the free tickets, and we are looking forward to a superb atmosphere for the opening round to mark the tournament’s return to the European Tour’s schedule. Following the incredible response, there will be no admission on the gate for round one, and all ticketholders must produce their electronic-ticket to ensure entry.” ian Poulter One-day tickets, which can be used from Friday October 9 to Sunday October 11, cost £25 (£15 concession) if bought before October 4. The full gate price is £30. Adult season tickets (Fri–Sun) cost £65 (£35 concession) before October 4, saving £10 off the gate price.

Woburn will also host the Travis Perkins Masters on the European Senior Tour from September 4-6, and spectators can purchase combined tickets for both events by visiting www. europeantourtickets.com or www.sky.com/tickets.

Golfers celebrate West London GC’s first birthday

Damon Hill

West London Golf Centre celebrates first year Leading the field will be host and two-time Major winner Tony Jacklin. Last year’s champion, Eddie Pepperell will return to defend his title, along with some other former champions, including Peter Baker, DJ Russell, Carl Mason, Robert Rock, Mark Mouland and Andrew Sherbourne. Other stars due to playing include Former Open Champion Paul Lawrie and former Ryder Cup stars Brian Barnes, David Gilford, Tommy Horton and Des Smyth.

For tickets and more information, visit www.nailcotehall.co.uk.

West London Golf Centre has marked its first anniversary by introducing free golf for children.

The Ruislip-based facility, which opened its 9-hole golf course in July last year, has introduced the free golf offer – which applies if the child is accompanied by an adult – in response to the high number of families which regularly take advantage of the facilities.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the praise the golf course has received in its first year,” said the centre’s director, Ceri Menai-Davis. “And with the driving range and Dinosaur Adventure Golf also here, it’s no real surprise that local families have enjoyed having something new to do in the area.

“Hopefully, making our golf course free for youngsters to play on will prove popular with the local community, and well beyond. We’re trying to make it easy for young people to play golf. Our course is great for juniors, if they play from the forward tees, and it’s proving to be quite a challenge for the adults too!”

Other first-birthday presents for visitors include new short game facilities, an expanded coffee bar and the addition of two large TV screens.

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Penge delivers knockout blow to Henry Cooper Masters rivals

ALLEN CLAIMS ESSEX CHAMPS

Marco Penge and Emma Allen

James Allen won the Essex Amateur Championship after firing rounds of 72, 65, 70 and 67 at Colcheter GC for a six-under total. The Chelmsford man’s score was matched by Jay Beisser (Rayleigh), with Allen beating him in a play off to take the title.

WRIGHT MAINTAINS EUROPRO FORM Hampshire’s Darren Wright kept up his run of good form on the EuroPro Tour after bagging his eighth consecutive top-10 finish at the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters. The 24 year old finished second after shooting rounds of 67, 69 and 68 at Montrose Golf Club, while a fifth place finish at the Paul Lawrie Foundation Classic in Aberdeen has seen him rise to second in the Race to Desert Springs rankings.

Oosterhuis reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis

ALLEN CLAIMS ESSEX CHAMPS James Allen won the Essex Amateur Championship after firing rounds of 72, 65, 70 and 67 at Colcheter GC for a six-under total. The Chelmsford man’s score was matched by Jay Beisser (Rayleigh), with Allen beating him in a play-off to take the title.

Former Ryder Cup player and retired TV commentator Peter Oosterhuis has been diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s disease.

Oosterhuis, 67, who was born in London but lives in North Carolina, said he was first diagnosed with the illness in July last year, and that he and his wife decided not to tell anyone at that time. However, Oosterhuis decided to make his diagnosis public last month in a video posted on YouTube.

“As human beings, it took a while to come back to ourselves,” said Oosterhuis’s wife, Roothie. “But now, even though we don’t like the cards we have been dealt, we are ready to play them, because we

are basically happy people, and we can still have happiness.”

Oosterhuis won 18 professional tournaments in his career, including one on the PGA Tour at the 1981 Canadian Open. His best performance in a major was runner up in the Open in 1974 and 1982, and he played in six consecutive Ryder Cups between 1971-81, during which time he famously beat Arnold Palmer in a singles match.

He moved to working as a TV golf analyst after his playing days finished, commentating on PGA Tour and European Tour events for the Golf Channel, CBS and the BBC for over 20 years before retiring in January.

Marco Penge added to his growing reputation as one of England’s best young amateur stars with an impressive seven-shot victory in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters held at Nizels Golf and Country Club in Kent.

Penge, from Horsham in West Sussex, was in seventh place after two rounds of the 72-hole event, and three shots off the pace, but spectacular rounds of 66 and 67 on the final day, including a hole-in-one at the 16th during the third round, saw him finish on 14 under par, and run out a comfortable winner from Scotland’s Joe Bryce, with Nathan Longley four shots back in third.

Penge’s performance was all the more impressive given the testing conditions over the weekend, with strong winds and fast greens making life hard for the 156-strong field, which comprised 128 boys and 28 girls from all over Europe.

In the girls’ event, which was staged over a specially-lengthened course measuring 6,015 yards, Meon Valley’s Emma Allen ran out a convincing winner, finishing on one over par to beat Chloe

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Frankish (Chart Hills) and pretournament favourite Lizzie Prior (Burhill) by eight shots.

In the Nations Cup event, the winners were the England A team of Will Enefer (Wrekin), Matty Lamb (Hexham) and Lizzie Prior (Burhill). England B, represented

by Toby Briggs (Dunston Hall), Billy Spooner (Woodhall Spa) and Emma Allen (Meon Valley) came third.

This year saw the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters begin a partnership with the Teenage Cancer Trust. The Who’s lead singer, Roger Daltrey (pictured below), who is a patron of the charity, was at the course during the tournament to meet players.

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Chipstead 100-hole challenge raises over £3,000

Six golfers from Chipstead Golf Club in Surrey have helped to raise over £3,000 after taking part in a 100-hole charity challenge.

Two groups, comprising club captain Mike O’Brien, Steve O’Brien, Peter Yates, Kevin McGuigan, Sue de Souza and Nikki Williams, teed off at the Surrey venue shortly before 4.30am on June 13, and came off the 18th green for the fourth and final time just after 7pm, completing the marathon challenge in just 14 and a half hours, with no round taking more than three hours.

After playing the first 27 holes on their own, de Souza and Williams were joined by pairs of ladies throughout the day to play nine- or 18-hole matches, with all winnings and other pledges going to the captain’s charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, and the lady captain’s charity, MERU Bugzi, which provides wheelchairs for disabled children.

[7]

Lowe and Gane duel for Kingswood crown Leatherhead-based Michael Lowe’s victory roll continued at the Kingswood Charity Pro-Am, where he shot a four-under-par 68 to match the impressive card of Chris Gane (pictured). An equally impressive £20,000 was also raised for charity on the day, adding to the lustre and profile of the event.

Gane has some form at Kingswood, having won the PGA Surrey Open there last year by six shots. After a string of top-ten placings in the last few events, he was very satisfied with his first win of the season. “I’ve been close to winning a few times this year,” he said, “but there has usually been some phenomenal scoring that’s edged me out of pole position - until today!”

Both Gane and Lowe dropped just one shot each and made five birdies each on their way to carding their 68s, edging out the chasing pack of Peter Appleyard, Scott Stevens, Rob Gowers and Tom Fleming three shots behind, after they all carded 71s.

A winner at the recent Betchworth Park and West Hill Pro-Ams, Lowe was not expecting to make three wins in a row within 10 days, but following the news that his back injury had completely healed, Lowe’s delight was clear.

“I’m back playing some of my best golf and after all the time out with that injury, it feels great to be at the top of my game. Kingswood was in terrific condition and I made the most of the opportunities when they presented themselves.”

Maidenhead forced to evict travelling community A large group of travellers that set up camp on land owned by Maidenhead Golf Club was successfully evicted from the site last month following a two-week stand off.

A fleet of 17 caravans moved onto land owned by the club on June 7, after breaking into the property through a locked gate, which was found off its hinges with the padlock broken.

James Pugh, Maidenhead’s general manager, said the club had to go to the

county court to get an eviction notice requiring the travellers to leave the following week.

“It was obviously an inconvenience to our members,” said Pugh.

“Members go over there to practise and our club professional, Steve Geary, takes lessons over there, which he has had to postpone. We’ve also had reports of

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When the travellers finally left, a tweet on the club’s website reported that the practice ground had been left in poor condition. “I can’t begin to tell you the amount of rubbish and mess they have left on our practice ground, it’s shocking.” the tweet stated.

NEWS IN BRIEF WEST CHILTINGTON RAISES £3K FOR AIR AMBULANCE Members at West Chiltington Golf Club have raised over £3,200 for the Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance following a year-long series of charity events. Men’s captain John Stevens and lady captain Jane White organised a number of special fundraising activities over the last 12 months, including a 24-hour golf challenge, a black tie gala dinner and a raffle to win a hat signed by a number of top tour pros, including Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els.

CUNNINGHAM NICKS LEATHERHEAD WIN Nick Cunningham (Bedford & County) birdied the last two holes at Leatherhead Golf Club to win his first title on the Jamega Tour. Trailing the leaders by four shots with nine holes to play in the 36-hole event, Cunningham racked up four birdies and an eagle on the back nine to storm to the top of the leaderboard and finish on six under par. Reece Phillips (The Warren) finished second, following a second round 66.

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Harry Casey is enjoying a rich vein of form on Europe’s Alps Tour

THE RIDGE OPENS NEW-LOOK RANGE The Ridge Golf Club in Kent has revamped its driving range. The Maidstone-based club has invested in new tee mats, new yellow range balls, and put target nets, tyres and splash pools at 30, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 yards to improve the practice experience. A bucket of 50 balls can be bought for £3.50.

AINSWORTH BAGS MIDDLESEX TITLE Liam Ainsworth (West Middlesex) won the Middlesex County Championship after beating David Ryan (Ealing) in a very close final that was decided on the 18th green at Fulwell Golf Club. The match was always close with high quality golf being played by both players. Both players had gone to the last green in their morning semi-finals with Ryan defeating Oliver Chesterman (Highgate) and Ainsworth overcoming James Ellis (Hendon).

BAYLISS BAGS US AMATEUR SPOT Kent’s Tom Bayliss qualified for the US Amateur Championship after winning a qualifier held at Hobe Sound Golf Club in Florida by an impressive four shots. The 19-year-old from Dartford fired a final round 66 for a seven-under par, two-round total of 137 to beat Gary Nicklaus, son of 14-time major winner Jack. The US Amateur is being held Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago from August 17-23.

ROYLE RESULT AT 4SOMES CHAMPS Castle Royle fended off the challenge of 47 teams to win the scratch section of the BB&O Club Foursomes Championship at Calcot Park.

Tim Shin and James Harper posted two scores of 71 to beat the Gerrards Cross team of Craig Buttivant and Jack Haines by four shots. The winners were pipped to the top prize in the handicap section by one shot by home team Calcot Park, who were represented by Darren Gatward and James Darvall.

CASEY BAGS SECOND ALPS TOUR TITLE Fast-improving tour pro Harry Casey carded four rounds in the 60s en-route to a one-shot victory in Open International de la Mirabelle D’or on the Alps Tour.

Following his victory on the Europeanbased developmental tour in Austria last month, Enfield-based Casey catapulted himself to the top of the Alps Tour Order of Merit mid-way through his first season as a professional.

Casey travelled to France in a confident mood, following three sub-par rounds in Italy the previous week, and his second consecutive top-five finish. Having carded rounds of 67 and 65 in the opening two rounds, the 22 year old shot a third round 69 in breezy conditions to take a one-shot lead going into the final round.

Despite admitting to feeling a little nervous on the first tee, Casey contained his tension to hit every green on the front nine and go out in 33 to maintain his slender lead, despite several players charging ahead of him on the course.

Playing the par-five 12th, Casey was just one shot ahead of playing partner Eduardo

Larranaga, but a majestic 5 iron to 10 feet set up an eagle, and with the Spaniard finding trouble, extended Casey’s lead to four shots.

Having the comfort of a two-shot lead on the 18th, Casey showed his growing maturity by laying up short of the water in front of the green, before a pitch and two putts were enough to claim the title.

Speaking after picking up the impressive trophy, Casey said: “I have to admit I did not sleep well before the final round, I was very nervous. Even coming in with the lead at the end of the third round, I did not feel totally comfortable, but I was hitting good shots. On the last hole, I missed the fairway and I had a bad lie, so I had to lay up because of the water. But now I feel excited and happy.”

Among Casey’s sponsors is Italian clothing brand Chervò, which also enjoyed tour success last month following Danny Lee’s win on the PGA Tour. Chervò’s co-founder and CEO, Manfred Erlacher, said: “Here at Chervò we are pleased to be able to support such young talents as Harry. He’s a young player with exciting prospects ahead. We wish both he and Danny continued success.”

Prior pursues American dream in Vegas Leading female amateur Lizzie Prior is heading off to the United States next month to take up a full golf scholarship at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

Prior, who is a member at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, has already won three times this year, with victories at the Sunningdale Critchley Salver, Roehampton Gold Cup and Fairhaven Trophy.

While her impressive form earned her a rare invite to play in the otherwise all-male field in the recent men’s EuroPro Tour event held at Burhill last month.

Her string of top results also booked her a place in the England team at the recent German Girls Championship, where she finished in a tie for 16th, as well as the upcoming European Girls Team Championship.

“I’m beyond excited about the prospect of starting at UNLV in August. It’s been a dream of mine for a while now to go down the collegiate route in the US, and I look forward to making the most of the great facilities that playing college golf will offer me,” said Prior. “Being given the opportunity to play on the EuroPro Tour recently was a fantastic experience, and to play at my home club with all my friends and family supporting me was amazing,” she continued.

Prior, who plays off plus three, faced probably the biggest test of her golfing career at the Ladies British Amateur Championship in Northern Ireland at the beginning of June. Competing against arguably one of the strongest fields in women’s amateur golf, she held her own to make the cut in the stroke play portion of the event, only to narrowly lose out in the second round of matchplay.

Mike O’Connell, acting general manager at Burhill, commented: “We are extremely proud of Lizzie and everything she has achieved up until this point. She is a great ambassador for junior golf here at Burhill, and it speaks volumes about the commitment that the entire membership here has shown towards junior golf as whole.”

Richmond prepares for DJ’s golf day proves 125th celebrations a record breaker

The Richmond Golf Club in Surrey is looking ahead to its 125th anniversary next year with a busy schedule of events planned to mark the momentous milestone.

Located nine miles from central London, next to Richmond Park, The Richmond offers an outstanding golf experience. The club provides members and visitors with one of London’s most challenging parkland courses set in the grounds of Sudbrook Park.

A continual programme of renovation, upkeep and improvement sits at the heart of the club’s success today. In advance of its anniversary next year, there is much to celebrate in terms of the opportunities to prospective members. The Richmond offers both members and visitors an enticing blend of an award-winning golf course, with grounds that boast a rich and

interesting history, a historic clubhouse and a very active and inclusive membership community.

Club captain Jeremy Williams commented: “As we approach our 125th anniversary next year, it is timely to reflect on the fascinating history of the club and course. Originally laid out by prolific course architect Tom Dunn back in 1891, the course has been continually enhanced and improved to provide a more demanding test for today’s golfers.”

He added: “Everyone at the club is proud of its history and excited to mark the milestone anniversary next year. We will be launching our programme of celebratory events later in the autumn, and look forward to welcoming guests and visitors during the year ahead.”

DJ Trevor Nelson’s annual golf day once again proved a smash hit, as over 130 golfers took to the Seve Ballesterosdesigned course at The Shire London.

The event was hailed by many as their ‘best-ever golf day’, with Nelson’s playlist rocking golfers Trevor Nelson with winner Justin James on loudspeakers placed around the Barnet-based course, while a relaxed dress code, and an on-course bar helped create a party atmopshere throughout the day.

“We set out to beat last year’s total of 90 players, and we smashed it,” said Nelson. “We played Marvin Gaye at the start, to ease people into the day, and by the end we were pumping out bassheavy music from my albums as the event hotted up. It was a brilliant atmosphere, and full credit to The Shire London for hosting the event. But most of all, thanks to everyone who turned up to play!”

In the evening, the club provided soul food and an after-golf party, as the host awarded the individual prize to local golfer Justin James, with a four-man team from The Shire winning the group prize.

NEWS IN BRIEF HOOPER ‘TWO’ GOOD AT GROVES Mark Hooper (The Rayleigh Club) returned to winning ways with a two-stroke success at the Manor of Groves Pro-Am. The Essex man shot a three-under-par 68 to beat David Salisbury (Three Rivers) and Mark Stokes (Rayleigh Golf Range).

FINDLATER ON TOP AT MUSWELL HILL Alan Findlater (Pinner Hill) won the Middlesex Mid Amateur Championship win rounds of 72 and 76 against a 60-strong field at Muswell Hill.

He finished one shot ahead of Sean Maxwell (Northwood) with Mick McCormick (West Middlesex) a further shot behind in third.

Northwood won the gross team event with Pinner Hill winning the nett team prize.

PLANT DIGS DEEP AT THE DYKE Paul Plant won the Sussex Seniors Championship after firing rounds of 71 and 74 at The Dyke. His 145 gross total saw him finish two shots ahead of Martin Galway (Brighton & Hove), with Malcolm Cawte (Selsey) a further five shots back in third.

[10] JULY 2015 | NEWS

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Allen masters European rivals at fast-running Buckinghamshire Beth Allen ended her long wait for a maiden Ladies European Tour title as she clinched a dramatic oneshot victory over young Irish star Leona Maguire at the ISPS Handa Ladies European Masters.

The American, who had former European Solheim Cup star Sophie Gustaffson on her bag at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club, closed with a fiveunder 67 which gave her the clubhouse lead on 12 under par.

A play off looked imminent when Maguire, the world amateur No 1, rolled in her sixth birdie putt of the day at the penultimate hole to claim a share of the lead with Allen.

But Maguire’s tee shot at the par-three 18th bounded over the green and into a bunker, and she splashed out to eight feet before her putt for par grazed the edge of the cup on the low side.

With overnight leader Caroline Masson out of the running after an erratic day, Allen was confirmed as champion when Nontaya Srisawang

failed to make the hole-inone she needed to force extra holes.

“I’m so happy,” said Allen, who finished second in the same event three years ago after carding a triple-bogey on the penultimate hole.

“I did not have a lot of expectations, because I got my heart broken here in 2012 and had not made the cut since.

“I am just so pleased.

I was never sure if it was going to happen. Sophie really kept me grounded and I ended up getting it done.”

English legend Dame Laura Davies had earlier lit up the final round with a superb hole-in-one at the 171-yard seventh, using an eight-iron to record the 11th ace of her glittering professional career.

The 51 year old went on to card a commendable 67 to earn a share of seventh place on eight under with fellow veteran Trish Johnson, who returned a flawless six-birdie 66 to post the low round of the final day.

But the tournament belonged to Allen, who

America’s Beth Allen jumps for joy following her first win on the Ladies European Tour

surged into contention with a superb front-nine 31, which featured four birdies in five holes, and she picked up another shot at the 14th before making her only mistake of the day at the next.

Allen held her nerve to negotiate the final three holes in level par and remain at 12 under, while Maguire had to be content with outright second after mixing six birdies with three bogeys in her third 69 of the week.

Maguire revealed misjudging the wind had

proved costly on the 18th, saying: “I knew it was tight coming up 18 and we didn’t really know where the wind was coming from. I thought it was downwind, dad thought it was into the wind and it was probably the wrong club off the tee but I’m very proud of the way I played all day.

“Going out at the start of the day I would have taken that so it’s been a great day.”

Srisawang’s level-par 72 was good enough to give her third on 10 under, but it was a poor day for

Masson as her excellent form of the first three rounds deserted her.

The German led by two overnight, but she bogeyed two of the first five holes which set the tone for an error-strewn three-over 75 which left her three strokes off the pace.

Meanwhile, Charley Hull’s miserable weekend continued as she followed Saturday’s 77 with a 78 that included a doublebogey at the 13th and a triple-bogey at 15 leaving her outside the top 40 on two over par.

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NEWS | JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

[11]

Kent pros’ dreams sink at Cinque Ports Qualifying for the Open Championship proved a bridge too far for Kent’s golfers following the conclusion of local qualifying for the game’s oldest Major.

Among a field of 72 at Royal Cinque Ports were several of the county’s top talents, all hoping to finish in the top three and book their place at St Andrews.

Steven Tiley, playing at his home club, made a strong start to final qualifying when he carded 69 for his first round on the east coast. He followed that up with a 71 to finish two under par for the day, but it wasn’t enough to see him through, with the top three players, amateurs Alistair Balcombe and Ben Taylor, and Challenge Tour player Gary Boyd, all scoring five under.

Rounds of 73 and 71 saw Pentland Golf’s Benn Barham finish two-over-par, while North Foreland’s Max Orrin was three shots further back after going round in 71 and 76.

Chart Hills hopeful Tom Sherreard, who enjoyed his finest hour at Lytham in 2012, when he won the low amateur, ended up on six over, one shot better off than Deangate Ridge’s Jack Colegate.

Matt Ford has so far enjoyed an impressive debut season on the European Tour, but the 37-year-old from Bearsted couldn’t translate that form into a winning formula at Cinque Ports. He shot 76 and 74 to finish a disappointing eight over par, the same score as Thomas Muchmore (Ashford) and Matt Haines (Rochester & Cobham Park).

Further down the leaderboard were Knole Park’s Andrew Butterfield (+11) and Mark Collins from Chart Hills (+12).

Steve Tiley was one of the Open hopefuls that came up short at Cinque Ports

NEWS IN BRIEF GODDARD STRIKES SUSSEX COLTS TITLE

Tilgate Park is among seven Glendale vnnues taking part in next month’s festival

Glendale targets 700 new golfers with August festival One of the country’s leading golf centre groups is putting on a monthlong festival across its UK venues to forge links with local communities and introduce hundreds of first-timers to the game.

At seven Glendale Golf centres across the UK, from Portsmouth in the south to Chorley in the north, teams of golf centre staff will be encouraging local residents to visit their centre for the first time. Each centre’s goal is to interact with at least 100 first-time visitors during August, whether for a golf lesson, a fun golf-themed event, or a session on the driving range.

The seven Glendale centres are Tilgate Forest, West Sussex; Richmond Park, Surrey; Beckenham, Surrey; Portsmouth GC, Hants; Castle Point, Essex; Edwalton, Nottingham; and Duxbury Park in Chorley, Lancs.

Each centre will also invite local community leaders to discuss how golf can spread through the area – whether through schools, youth clubs, community centres or at a Glendale Golf centre itself.

Golf camps and free rounds for youngsters, free beginner golf lessons, FootGolf events, Ladies’ days, and fun days for the family are being lined up,

while each centre will be emphasising the social benefits of being involved with a golf centre for older players.

“One hundred people per golf centre may not sound like a large number,” said Tom Brooke, operations director of Glendale Golf. “But if it’s a young person, then family members will probably help them get to the golf centre, and once they are there, there’s a good chance they will be inspired to have a go themselves.

“Each person who tries golf for the first time at a Glendale golf centre in August will almost certainly share the experience with at least six others – if we make it a good experience. That’s the local snowball effect we are trying to create at each of the seven locations.”

He added: “What matters is that people feel welcomed by a Glendale Golf centre, and our teams are determined to meet people from all walks of life at their place during the festival.”

As examples of next month’s activity, Tilgate Forest has partnered with Crawley Wellbeing, the Golf Foundation, UK FootGolf, Tilgate Park and Crawley Borough Council to put on a series of golfrelated activities for its local community.

To find out more about the Glendale Golf Festival visit www.glendalegolf.co.uk.

George Goddard took full advantage of a home draw to win the Sussex U15 Colts Championship at West Hove Golf Club after shooting a course record 64.

The championship, which attracted a field of 28 players, had to be reduced to just one round after a lightning storm caused the second round to be suspended. Goddard, who plays off scratch, won by four shots from Royal Eastbourne pair Jordan Baker and Nick Ward.

WHITEOAKS TAKES TILLMAN TROPHY William Whiteoak ran away with this year’s Tillman Trophy, after shooting rounds of 66, 69, 66 and 69 at Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire. Whiteoak, from Shipley Golf Club in Yorkshire, was 15 under par for his four rounds over the West Course, which saw him finish five shots clear of four players – Matthew Fieldsend, Josh Hilleard, James Walker and Nick Watson. The lowest round of the week was a 64 scored by Matt Kippen from Enmore, but he faded to finish tied 20th.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

[12] JULY 2015 | NEWS

Sheila’s double ace delight Surrey amateur Sheila Farrell achieved a rare golfing double last month, when she aced the second hole at Chobham Golf Club twice in the space of just five days.

The 66 year old from Ash, who have never previously achieved a hole-in-one, bagged the brace at her home club by using a driver on the 143-yard par three.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Farrell. “It was the first hole-in-one I’ve had. I’ve been playing 36 years, and then two come along at once! It’s something like 67 million to one to get two aces in one round, but to get two in five days on the same hole – you’ve more chance of winning the lottery than doing that!”

Following her first ace, Farrell made sure that she did not waste her good fortune, and went on to win the club’s midweek Stableford competition with a total of 37 points.

“The hardest thing that day was to try to hang on and capitalise on the fact I’d scored eight points on the first two holes – you don’t want to have a hole-in-one and then have a rubbish round.”

Her dramatic double will put her in golf’s record books, while the first ace also earned her a Hugo Boss watch from the golfers’ website HowDidiDo.

BUTTERWORTH DISHES OUT PENFOLD TITLE Harewood Downs’ James Butterworth won the BB&O’s Penfold Trophy after shooting rounds of 76 and 72 at Maidenhead, and in doing so joined his brother Tom to become the only pair of brothers to take the title since its inception.

James finished three shots clear of Callum Kirby (Stoke Park), with Ben Platt (East Berkshire) in third.

RAMPANT RAITT CLAIMS SOUTHERN OPEN GLORY

St George’s Hill’s Andy Raitt delivered a spectacular 11-under-par performance at East Sussex National to win the PGA Southern Open Championship, the second tournament in the 2015 Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit schedule.

Blessed with ideal weather around the past European Open venue, Raitt shot a total of 205 for the three-round event around the East course to take home the trophy and the winner’s cheque of £2,500. Benn Barham finished second on five under par, with Tim Spence was a further shot back in third.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Trainee Webber wins Weston Homes Classic Jamie Webber

First-year PGA trainee James Webber holed an 18-foot birdie putt at the second play-off hole to clinch victory in a thrilling renewal of the Weston Homes Bishop’s Stortford Classic.

Webber (Three Rivers) showed great composure to win his first Order of Merit title, pipping the more experienced Rob Leonard (Harpenden Common) in a play off after the pair had finished with identical scores in regulation play, firing rounds of 70 and 71 for respective one-under-par totals of 141.

A long birdie on the second extra hole, the par-three 17th, sealed the win.

Golf Show tees up enticing Pentland green fee offer The 2015 London Golf Show, which returns to Glow at Bluewater Retail Park in Kent in November, has teed up a number of commercial partnerships that look sure to entice more visitors to the attend the threeday event.

The show, which welcomed over 13,000 visitors following its move to Europe’s busiest retail park last year, has joined forces with a number of golf companies to attract yet more golfers through its doors from November 13-15.

This includes a partnership with

Pentland Golf, owners and managers of five golf clubs across the UK, which will be offering no fewer than five free rounds of golf for each visitor as part of the entry ticket price. Pentland’s venues include Pedham Place, Boughton and Etchinghill, all of which are located in Kent. Advance tickets to the London Golf Show cost just £10, and the rounds of golf could be worth up to £160.

Simon Jones, sales director of the show’s organsier, The Golf Show Group, said: “We are extremely

excited to be working with Pentland.

To be able to offer visitors to the show five free rounds of golf is fantastic – this will be our headline offer for booking tickets to the show.”

Johnathan Callister (pictured right), CEO of Pentland Golf, added: “We are delighted to be working alongside The Golf Show Group at this year’s London Golf Show, and we are looking forward to supporting the event at Bluewater and helping in the successful deliverance of the London Golf Show.”

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NEWS | JULY 2015

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[13]

Royal Household Golf Club hosts On Course’s fifth anniversary celebrations On Course Foundation, the charity that helps transform the lives of wounded, injured and sick service personnel through golf, celebrated its fifth anniversary this month against the beautiful backdrop of the Royal Household Golf Club and Windsor Castle.

Gathered together to mark the occasion were some of the charity’s most dedicated supporters, along with some of the 450 men and women who have been helped through the Foundation. Guests and members enjoyed a 9-Hole Texas Scramble on this most exclusive of courses, use of which was kindly pemitted by On Course Foundation’s patron HRH The Duke of York. Also in attendance were

members of the RAF aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, one of the latest high profile organisations to throw the weight of its support behind the charity.

On Course’s founder and president, John Simpson, commented on the significance of the day. “I am genuinely honoured to have helped so many of our beneficiaries recovery with the power of golf,” he said. “From those with physical injuries to those suffering mental health illnesses, from those injured in the last year to those injured thirty years ago; I am so humbled by their strength, courage and determination. To know that alongside such a great team we have been able to provide

NEWS IN BRIEF PLAY-OFF AGONY FOR STRICKLAND IN MCGREGOR TROPHY

a real path to recovery, and more than that, help these inspiring individuals find meaningful roles in the industry, means more than I can ever attempt to articulate. I know we have so many more to help, but we can get there with such incredible support from our beneficiaries and supporters.”

Jason Evans, a beneficiary of the Foundation, reinforced those words as he received an award for outstanding contribution at

the anniversary event, “I love being able to help the Foundation spread the word about recovery through golf. John and his team are incredible with what they do, taking injured guys and girls who lack confidence or miss the camaraderie, and introducing them to a great sport that, without question, brings back that selfbelief. As an ambassador, I’m so very proud to champion the cause.”

On Course beneficiary Jason Evans tees it up in front of Windsor Castle

Sussex’s Charlie Strickland lost out in a play-off for the McGregor Trophy held at Wallasey in Cheshire. Leading the 72-hole tournament for the U16 Boys’ Championship at the half-way stage on seven under par, the 15 year old from Ham Manor slipped back with the third round 77, before rallying with a final-round 73 that put him into a three-way play off with fellow Englishman Toby Briggs (Dunston Hall) and Spain’s Ignacio Puente.

The Spaniard, who closed with rounds of 72 and 68, won the title with a birdie at the first extra hole. Strickland and Briggs, together with Jake Benson (Beeston Fields) won the Nations Cup for England, with their best two scores seeing them finish on 14-under, 17 shots clear of Ireland.

BRONTE LAYS DOWN LAW AT HUNSTANTON Cheshire’s Bronte Law won her second English Women’s Amateur title by an impressive 16 shots after finishing on 13 under par for four rounds at Hunstanton. Rochelle Morris was a distant runner up, with Burhill’s Lizzue Prior in third on three over par.

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[14] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Matt Nicholson revisits one of Surrey’s newest and most highly-rated layouts, the New Course at Burhill Golf Club

BURHILL’S NEW COURSE STANDS TEST OF TIME

A

s the publisher of a golf magazine, I am, perhaps not surprisingly, luckily invited to attend the opening of new golf courses from time to time. Some are in far flung corners of the world, where golf is in its early stages of development, while others are much closer to home, requiring neither a passport nor a trip to the nearest airport to find the first tee.

In the 1980s and 90s, this was an almost weekly occurrence in the UK, as golf sought to build the 700 or so venues that the R&A, in its infinite wisdom, thought were required to keep up with public demand.

But as the supply and demand curve has levelled out, so too has the number of invitations.

One of the invitations that came my way at the turn of the 21st century was from Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, which was opening a new 18-hole course – appositely called the ‘New’ – to supplement its existing 18-hole layout, the equally well-named ‘Old’.

An original Willie Park design which first opened in 1907, the Old Course has always been one my favourite tracks, so I was intrigued how a newcomer would stack up against its more mature neighbour. The land on which the New Course was built wasn’t a complete stranger to golf, having formerly been occupied by the club’s South Course, which sadly had returned to farmland during

The par-three 18th sits just in front of the majestic clubhouse and provides a challenging finish to Burhill’s New Course

World War II. As a consequence, I remember being distinctly impressed with the quality of the playing surfaces for such a new track, and although, like all new layouts, the fairways and greens needed time to properly bed in, I recall being impressed by the imagination and creativity of the layout on what was essentially quite a flat piece of Surrey heathland.

Fourteen years after my initial visit, I returned last month to take part in a golf day, and I was really interested to find out how the New Course had matured in the intervening years.

What hadn’t changed since my last visit was the superb hospitality on offer to any visitor to Burhill. After driving slowly up the mile-long driveway, which offers tantalising glimpses of the Old Course, you arrive at one of most impressive clubhouses in the country, an imposing Georgian mansion, where I joined my fellow golfers on the terrace that overlooks the 18th green of the New Course.

Suitably carbo-loaded after a delicious full English breakfast, we adjourned to Burhill’s excellent golf academy and driving range to hit a few balls

and generally loosen up before heading over to the first tee, where PGA Head Professional Michael Evans was on hand to help us with taking a line on the tricky opening dog-leg par four.

It didn’t take long to notice how much the 6,597-yard course had matured over the last decade and a half, and while the saplings that divide some of the fairways still have a few more years to go before they rival the trees that line the Old Course, there’s no doubting the quality of the layout, which tests every facet of your game.

The course is deceptively open

off the tee, but with numerous strategically-placed bunkers and a fair smattering of dramatic water features to contend with, course management is at a premium if you want to score well.

As a regular venue for the EuroPro Tour over the last five or so years, there is also no doubting the quality of the playing surfaces, with the huge greens running fast, smooth and true, and the fairways in pristine condition.

There are many interesting holes on the largely flat course, with one of my favourites being the 15th, a 410-yard par four, which requires an accurate drive and a very long carry over water for those brave enough to go for the green in two.

The round reaches its climax at the signature 18th, a stunning 160-yard par three – 190 off the very back tee – that requires a solid tee shot over the River Mole towards the clubhouse, where a two-tier green waits in front of the terrace which is usually full of golfers, many of whom are happy to offer their polite and not-sopolite reactions to your tee shot.

After missing the putting surface on our nearest-the-pin hole, I enjoyed a relaxing lunch in the superb clubhouse, and made plans to ensure that I won’t be waiting another 14 years to play the New Course again.

Burhill Golf Club, Burwood Road, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 4BL. burhillgolf-club.co.uk Tel 01932 227345

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Milford shares spoils at Betchworth

Tim Milford shared victory in the Betchworth Park Pro-Am with James Ablett and Michael Lowe, after all three players shot 68s at the Dorking-based venue.

Milford is something of a Betchworth specialist, as he’s played in the Pro-Am three times, won twice and placed second on the other occasion.

“The conditions were virtually perfect and the course was in great shape, so I was expecting someone to come in with a much lower score,” he said. “I haven’t played many competitive events this year, as my main focus is on managing and teaching at Pedham Place, but the results I’ve enjoyed have been very rewarding and sharing the podium today with two of the region’s top players is a great result!”

Milford and Ablett both made five birdies and four bogeys on their way to their 68s, while Lowe’s card was the most consistent of the three, with just the one mistake at the second and two birdies at the ninth and the 11th.

Aldred captures Herts Colts’ title at Moor Park Brocket Hall’s William Aldred won Hertfordshire Colts Championship at Moor Park Golf Club with an impressive seven-under par 36-hole medal total on a day of low scoring.

Moor Park’s High course was playing fast and firm in the morning round, but lunchtime showers softened the greens for the second round, which the competitors made full advantage of, with many posting good scores on one of the more difficult courses in the county.

After the morning round, Moor Park’s Jordan Bass led with a superb 67, which included no fewer than nine birdies. Jordan led by one from Aldred on 68, who was a further three shots ahead of the junior pair of Harry Goddard (Hanbury Manor) and Luke Hynes (Porters Park).

In the afternoon, Joe Brooks (Hanbury Manor), Colts Champion in 2012 at Porters Park, shot a best-of-the-day 66 to surge through the field and post a clubhouse lead of five under par.Bass added an afternoon 72 to tie that total, but Aldred came home with another sub-70 round to take the title by two shots.

JULY 2015

[15]

Hot-shot Gane lowers Richmond record Low-scoring lefthander Chris Gane shot the lights out at Richmond Park on July 16 en route to winning the South Region PGA’s Pro-Am event.

Gane, who represents LeftHandedGolf at Silvermere, shot an eight-under par 62 to take the top prize of £800 and lower the course record at the historic Surrey club. James Ablett (Lee-onthe-Solent) was four shots adrift in second, with Kevin Tilbury (Hazelmere) a further shot back in third.

Gane, who has enjoyed top-10 finishes in every event he has played in since May, said: “It was one of those rounds where everything went right. There’s something about the Richmond BB5-TRADE-15-trims-A4bleed:Layout 1 10/3/15 15:14 Page 1 course that I really like, and with fast-running

fairways and receptive greens, I only needed irons to reach the greens at the four par-fives.”

In fact Gane used a four-, eight-, seven-, and seven-irons to set up birdies on three of Richmond’s four par fives, with birdies on three other holes, the first, second and a deuce at the 14th. Starting at the 18th, Gane finished in flamboyant style with an eagle at the 17th when he was already six-under-par, to finish way out in front.

Gane added: “Low scoring isn’t something that clubs need to get protective about. In fact, I think it pays a huge compliment to the course, because to achieve a really low score, the tees, fairways and greens have to be top notch.”

[16] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

MATT FORD’S

TOUR DIARY SWING TROUBLES PROVE COSTLY FOR MATT, AS HE REACHES THE HALFWAY POINT IN HIS FIRST SEASON ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR

T

he last few weeks, from the Nordea Masters through to France, haven’t been great for me in terms of results, and the main reason is that my swing has got a little off plane, so everything is a bit out of sync.

I’ve had three sessions over the last few weeks working on it with my coach, Stuart Dowsett from Sundridge Park in Bromley, and I’m hoping things will start to improve soon. He was at Wentworth with me, but it’s quite difficult to change anything at a tournament. I saw him again in my week off before the BMW International in Munich, and we felt we were making a bit of progress.

But the work I’d been doing hadn’t really been paying off, so I’ve just got a couple of new drills and a few other things to work on now. It seems to be working in practice, so I’m doing more work on it now to get myself back in play, and hopefully start hitting those all-important fairways and greens again.

My arms have been getting a little bit ‘deep’ – as Stuart calls it – in my takeaway. They get a bit behind me and then go up, so my arms are going in two directions on my backswing,

which just throws everything out you’re going to struggle – and of sync. I’ve been hitting a few that’s definitely what I did in the shots left off the tee as a result, second round. My first round was and it’s making it very hard to be pretty steady at one over par, but consistent. on Friday I was out of position At the BMW in Munich, it too often, and round that course clicked a bit, and I played really that makes it really tough. nicely in the second round, after I’m now halfway through my a good back nine in my first first full season round. But it didn’t go so well on the European over the weekend, and I slipped Tour, and overall away with a few miss-clubs, and a it’s been great – few mistakes thrown in too. apart from not With Open Qualifying at Cinque hitting the ball Ports and the French Open, there so well over the wasn’t much time to practise, so last month or so.

I missed the cut in France; but at People are always least that allowed me to do some talking about more work ahead of the Scottish how much more Open at Gullane, where I’m you need to earn heading as I write. to be safe, but I Le Golf National, venue for the try not to look at French Open, is always a tough test. It was the third consecutive My arms have been getting a year I’d little bit deep in my takeaway, played there, so I knew the and they are going in two course and directions on my backswing, what was which just throws everything all about. If you go there out of sync missing fairways and a few too many greens,

it that way. I just want to keep improving and keep performing.

I want to finish off the year with some top 10s, some top fives, and put in some good performances. That’s my goal really, and I feel very positive that I can do that before the end

of the season.

As I say, I’m en route to Gullane right now, so I hope that will prove a good week, as I love links golf. It’s certainly nice to be back in the UK for a few weeks as, among other things, it means no mobile phone charges, so you can just use your phone as normal for a couple of weeks!

Gullane is my last chance to get into the Open at St Andrews, but there are a few things pencilled in the diary if it isn’t to be.

Either way, I’m still optimistic for the remainder of the year.

I’ve got a few weeks off and a bit of holiday in August, which will be nice, plus a bit of time to practise too, which will be good before my final run of tournaments.

As for my schedule, I wasn’t sure if I’d get into the Omega European Masters at Cranssur-Sierre, but it now looks as though I will. I’m not sure about the British Masters at Woburn, as it’s a smaller field because of the daylight hours in October; and then obviously the last four events are only for the top 60 or so. I’m around 80th on the Race to Dubai at the moment, but I’ve still got plenty of opportunities to get myself into that top 60, so that’s my main goal now.

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JULY 2015

WIN The Travis Perkins Masters returns to Woburn Golf Club for the 15th consecutive year from September 4-6, and GolfNews has teamed up with the organisers to offer you the chance to win a round on the Duke’s Course, with lunch, for you and three friends, plus four season tickets to see the stars of the European Senior Tour in action. A pair of season tickets is also being offered to three runners up.

The Travis Perkins Masters is one of the biggest tournaments on the European Senior Tour with a prize fund of £320,000, representing an increase of £20,000 on last year’s event. The 2014 renewal attracted crowds of nearly 25,000, as Colin Montgomerie successfully defended the title he won in 2013 by marching to a tenstroke victory over Woburn’s Dukes Course.

The three-time senior Major winner will be back to defend his title again in September, where he will be joined in the battle for top honours by an impressive field of former Ryder Cup players and European Tour winners, as he seeks to become only the second player to win a Senior Tour event three times in a row, after Carl Mason (English Senior Open 2004-2006).

“It’s always special to come to the Travis Perkins Masters, especially as reigning champion,” said Montgomerie. “I’ve had fond memories round here ever since I won the British Masters in 1998, and it

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was fantastic to get my first Senior Tour win here in 2013 as well. The course always looks perfect, and the way it is set up seems to suit my game well. Plus we always have great support, some of the best crowds of the season, which all adds to the occasion. I’ve been playing well for the last couple of years now, and I’m happy to be able to play competitive golf and challenge for titles. I hope that can continue in September.”

With easy access from all over the country, the Woburn showpiece has become one of the most popular events on the Senior Tour with both players and spectators alike, and it always makes for a great day out for golf fans of all ages.

Woburn will be in the spotlight again from October 8-11, as the British Masters supported by Sky Sports returns to the Marquess Course for the first time since 2002, with the tournament back on the European Tour’s schedule after a seven-year absence.

Combined tickets are available, allowing spectators substantially discounted entry to both the British Masters and the Travis Perkins Masters if purchased before September 1.

Tickets for both events can be booked online at www.europeantourtickets.com or via the European Tour ticket hotline 0800 023 2557.

Colin Montgomerie is bidding for a hat-trick of wins

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Terms & Conditions: Entrants must be 18 or over. The winner will be notified immediately after the closing date of the competition. The midweek fourball round must be taken before December 31, 2015 and must be booked in advance with the club.

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

AN

JULY 2015

Never one to be late for a tee time, Matt Nicholson reviews the latest timepiece from English watch brand Etiqus, which is proving a hit with golfers and watch aficionados alike

INSTANT CLASSIC A

s a keen amateur collector of watches, I was interested to discover that there is a new English brand that is giving its European neighbours a run for their money in the ultra-competitive mid-price sector of the market.

With its first collection launched last year, Etiqus, which is based in Staffordshire, has specifically targeted the golf market with a set of 24 quality timepieces that combine beautiful designs with Swiss-made movements.

The brand name is derived from the word ‘etiquette’, golf’s written and unwritten rules of the game, while the collection features numerous subtle details that will be appreciated by golfers, from the unique dimple patterned face that gives the 3D effect of a golf ball, to a unique bezel that highlights your pace of play.

While Etiqus’s Sport Pro model is a chunkier style of watch that fits

the current trend for bulkier cases, I opted for the Classic Tour, a slightly more subtle design that would look equally at home off the golf course as it would on it.

Using the company’s easy-tonavigate website, I was able to choose the colour of the face (white) and the type of strap (brown leather), thus adding the essential personal touches that we all demand these days.

After putting my order through, I instantly received a confirmation email, and pretty soon after a text that told me to the exact hour my watch would be delivered the following morning. And sure enough, the delivery van pulled up outside my house a minute before the allotted slot. So far, so impressive.

Packaged in a box worthy of housing a Rolex, the Classic Tour came with a message from Etiqus founder Gary Butler, which welcomed me to ‘a club with a growing

membership’.

After wearing the watch for a week or so, the key design features that I particularly liked included the thinness of the case, which is streamlined enough to fit perfectly under your cuffs when you’re wearing a long-sleeved shirt or jumper. It’s also got a nice weight to it – heavy enough to know it’s on your wrist, but not so heavy as to weigh you down. The finish is a nice mix of brushed and polished stainless steel, and the quality of the finish itself is top notch.

The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face features a reflective coating which makes it easy to read the time in bright light – especially with the white dial. Black and grey backgrounds are also available, with the latter being a nod to the colour of the stones in St Andrews, apparently.

The dimple effect on the dial is subtle and not immediately obvious

to the casual glance, while still marking it out as watch that a golfer would wear. It works best on the white background, which replicates the colour of a golf ball.

The numbers on the dial are thin and precise, while the date window has a nice raised polished border to it. All in all it was a pleasure to wear and use, with the leather strap being very comfortable, soft and obviously high quality.

With the ethos of Etiqus suggesting that ‘you can tell he’s a golfer by the watch he wears’, I’m not sure what the Classic Tour says about my skills as a nine handicapper, but it certainly looks the business, and attracted plenty of positive comments from friends who know that I change my watches as often as I do my putter!

For details on all the models in the Etiqus watch range, which cost from £179, visit www.etiqus.co.uk, where an online shop is also available.

[19]

[20] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

LOST COURSES

CULVERDEN GOLF CLUB THE LATEST IN OUR SERIES ON GOLF COURSES THAT ARE NO LONGER WITH US HAS SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR JEREMY ELLWOOD, AS CULVERDEN GOLF CLUB IN TUNBRIDGE WELLS ONCE STOOD JUST HALF A MILE FROM HIS CHILDHOOD HOME

Image: Historic England

I

lived in Tunbridge Wells until my mid thirties, but it was only towards the end of my time there that I discovered there had once been a golf club half a mile from my home.

I lived at the St John’s end of town, from where a road called Culverden Down headed down to Tunbridge Wells Football Club’s stadium and Bennett Memorial School, where both my wife and sister went.

Only very recently, I saw my first photo of the former Culverden Golf Course – which survived from 1896 until the 1950s – and finally got a better idea of exactly where it once stood. A little further along Culverden Down, the roads take on a Lake District theme – Coniston Avenue, Derwent Drive, Rydal Close – and these streets and houses now occupy what were once the closing holes – houses to which I delivered many a paper in my youth, blissfully unaware I was walking on Culverden’s former 16th, 17th and 18th fairways.

The club started out as a nineholer, but had grown to 18 before the start of the Great War, with the new 18-hole layout formally opened on May 22, 1909. The new holes were laid out in rapid time by club professional JT Coleman, with the assistance of Royal Ashdown Forest

THEN professional J Rowe, who also played an exhibition at the opening against five-time Open champion JH Taylor.

Lord Hardinge hit the ceremonial opening drive, and Taylor eventually pipped Rowe by a shot with a strong back nine.

At the time of closure in the 1950s, the course measured just under 5,000 yards, with a par of 68. There were five par threes, and just one par five, with all the par fours ranging from 232 to 361 yards.

There was a degree of criss-crossing, with the 12th hole, for example, traversing both the 13th and 15th fairways traversing both the 13th

and 15th fairways. The photo

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suggests a well-bunkered layout, with the approach to the short par-4 16th flanked by bunkers, and the short par-3 finale protected by a ring of five at the front.

When I originally found out about the course, people told me you could still make out some of the bunkers in the grounds of Rose Hill School on Coniston Avenue, which was developed over parts of the former course in the 1960s.

One local resident who went to Rose Hill remembers bunkers still dotted around the grounds in the 1970s, with a number of man-made ridges still visible now.

The club never had much of a clubhouse, as the former Rose Hill pupil explained: “It was simply a

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large wooden shed at the top of the hill at the entrance. It was used

by Mr Ashdown, the groundsman, to keep tools in and to teach us carpentry. It has since gone.”

Shortly prior to World War II, the club was still stable financially, with green fee revenue and clubhouse takings on the rise. But, as with so many courses at that time, it seems the war was ultimately its undoing. A large part of the course was apparently used for growing vegetables during wartime, and when hostilities ceased, things were never quite the same. Part of the Rusthall side of the site – where the Artisans had their clubhouse – was lost straight after the war, and with pressure for more housing in the growing spa town, much of the rest of the course eventually succumbed to that estate where I once spent many an hour delivering Telegraphs and Mirrors.

Would I have taken to the game earlier than my 20s had a golf club still existed so close to home? Who knows, but I’d really like to find out as much as possible about the former Culverden Golf Club in the months and years to come.

Do you have any more information or memories about Culverden? If so, please email editor@golfnews.co.uk.

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GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JULY 2015

[21]

WIN

3 PAIRS OF SUNWISE SUNGLASSES GolfNews has teamed up with British eyewear company Sunwise to offer readers the chance to win one of three pairs of its top-of-the-range golf sunglasses.

No professional golfers steps out onto the golf course without a pair of sunglasses to hand these days, and nor should you. As well as improving visibility, sunglasses protect golfers from a number of hazardous health conditions, including cataracts and pterygia, while also protecting against eye strain and hayfever, which are often the result of a long day spent on the golf course.

Designed for golfers, Sunwise’s extensive range is lightweight and hard wearing, featuring impact-resistant, wrap-around lenses to block out peripheral light, and molded arms and adjustable rubber nose pads to keep them stable and secure during all phases of the swing.

One of the key features of its award-winning line up is Chromafusion 2.0 technology, a photochromic lens system that offers 100% protection against sun glare and UVA rays, which include fantastic colour balance in all viewing conditionand s.

The lenses are offered in Wellington White and Wellington Black (£79.99), and Waterloo Blue and Waterloo Chrome (£69.99). All four models are ideal for playing in all light conditions, as the fast-reacting lenses, which come with anti-

fog capabilities, adjust to the amount of sun available within seconds, so that clarity is always maintained.

Sunwise also offers a range of sunglasses with multiple lens options to suit tint preferences, with the Shipley Yellow and Shipley Green available with interchangeable polycarbonate gradient lenses. And with over 50 affordable styles to choose from, there is a pair of Sunwise sunglasses to suit every serious golfer.

To see the complete range and visit the online shop, visit www.sunwise.co.uk. Facebook & Twitter: Sunwise.HQ TO ENTER For your chance to win a pair of Sunwise Wellington White sunglasses, worth £79.99, simply answer the question below correctly and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Sunwise Competition’ in the subject line, including your name, address and contact telephone number. The closing date for entries is August 21, 2015.

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[22] JULY 2015 | STORY BEHIND THE PIC

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

STORY BEHIND THE PIC JOHN DALY | 1991 US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, CROOKED STICK, INDIANA | AUGUST 11, 1991

J

ohn Daly has a lot of people to thank for a portion of the fame that he enjoys today.

Chief among their number are Mark James, Lee Trevino, Gibby Gilbert, Paul Azinger, Bill Sander, Mark Lye, Brad Bryant and Nick Price.

For it was these eight players that were unable to take up their places in the 1991 US PGA Championship at Crooked Stick.

Their absences – the reasons for which included back injuries, ear infections, family crises, lack of practice, an expected baby, and, in James’s case, the need to chase Ryder Cup points in Europe – opened the door for the freshfaced Daly – then aged 25, and in his rookie season on the PGA Tour – to take up ninth and final reserve place for the season’s final major.

With the call from the PGA coming through just a day before the tournament started, Daly jumped into his RV and drove through the night from his home in Arkansas to the course in Carmel, Indiana, which was some 550 miles away.

Without the benefit of a practice round, but with the benefit of Nick Price’s caddy, Jeff Medlin, on the bag, Daly shot rounds of 69, 67, 69 and 71 to beat Bruce Lietzke by three shots and stun the entire golfing world.

It was not the margin of victory that catapulted Daly into instant

global stardom, but the manner in which it was achieved. Playing with the kind of fearless abandon that only comes from being a late invite to the party, the previously unknown Daly unleashed his 360-degree swing on a totally unsuspecting world.

With his booming drives – some of them struck with a 1-iron – flying many yards past his awestruck playing partners, Daly turned par fives into fours, while fours became a drive and a mere flick with a wedge.

A full two or three clubs longer than his rivals, Daly brought Crooked Stick’s 7,295-yard layout to its knees, carrying all the fairway bunkers with ease, flying water hazards, and reaching pins with high-flying wedges that stopped within inches of the cup.

His putting was equally fearless, with six-footers slamming into the bottom of the cup, often at breakneck speed.

His no-holds-barred power game went completely against style of the era, but instantly won a generation of new fans to a game that had previously been reserved for old guys in spikes. With his mop of blond hair, southern drawl, fag on the go, and gunslinger’s attitude, ‘Dalymania’ was born overnight, and the golfing world would never be the same again.

In the weeks and months afterwards, any tournament Daly

attended attracted thousands of extra fans, many of whom waited feverishly behind the tee to watch him dispatch another poor unsuspecting golf ball into the blue yonder. A practice round at the International Open in Denver, the week after the PGA, drew over 7,000 spectators alone to watch Daly in action – unheard of in PGA history.

Just four years later, lightening struck again when, aged 29, Daly won the Open at St Andrews after a four-hole playoff with Costantino Rocca. Victory at the Home of Golf turned him from a

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playing rights in both America and Europe, he has spent the last five years or so of his career relying on sponsors invitations to top up his income selling t-shirts and brightlycoloured trousers from the back of his winnebago at tour events.

Today, aged 49, a muchslimmed down Daly – he lost over 80lbs thanks to the intervention of a gastric band – is on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions Tour, and the possibility of second wind to his career. The world is waiting to see if the ‘Wild Thing’ can rediscover his magic touch, or whether it’s gone for good.

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PAR

one-off winner into one of those rare animals of the golfing world, a dual major champion.

Despite those major successes, and three other PGA Tour wins, Daly was never truly accepted into golf’s upper circle, failing to win a longed-for Ryder Cup wildcard in 1991, and being overlooked again in 1993.

Sadly, Daly’s was a talent that burned bright and, like a speeding comet, burned up all too fast.

His well-reported struggles with drink, drugs, weight and wives eventually took their toll on his game, and after losing his

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NEWS | JULY 2015 [23]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Giant holes ‘would save golf’ says master greenkeeper Royal St George’s becomes first Open venue to scoop environmental award Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent has become the first Open venue in England to be awarded the Golf Environment Organisation’s Certified status.

The certification is administered and assured by the not-for-profit group, GEO, which is dedicated to sustainability in the golf industry. The standard is independently verified and publicly reported, making it the most credible and significant ecolabel in the world for golf courses.

Royal St George’s, which last hosted the Open Championship in 2011, is situated in a landscape of high conservation value, with multiple designations and diverse species of flora and fauna, many rare and unique to the area. These are carefully looked after by the greenstaff and the GEO Certified accolade recognises this environmental stewardship plus a commitment by the club to resource efficiency and community value.

Some of the highlights of the Royal St George’s sustainability achievements include regular ecological, habitat and landscape surveys; no phosphorous or potassium applications to turf in the past three years; a 20% reduction in the useof inorganic nitrogen; the creation of an organic herb garden within the club grounds which provides herbs for the clubhouse kitchen, investment in fuel-efficient technology, which has resulted in a 50% reduction in diesel consumption.

The club has a 30-year plan to upgrade and improve facilities in an efficient, environmentally beneficial manner. Also looking to the future, plans have been approved for the construction of an irrigation reservoir, which will provide a selfsufficient supply of water for the course, while also creating new wetland and open water habitats.

One of the most respected golf course consultants in the country has become the latest high profile figure to state that increasing the size of the holes would be help increase golf’s popularity.

Laurence Pithie, Europe’s first ‘master greenkeeper’, has said that increasing the size of the holes would attract more golfers and be better for the environment.

“Golf is not as popular as it once was, and there needs to be a viable alternative,” he said. “Making golf more fun, more affordable and take up less time to play, has to be the key objectives. Increasing the size of a hole to around eight inches on ‘entry level’ nine-hole or short-hole courses would result in faster play and lower scores for less experienced golfers, while better golfers playing full-length courses could continue to putt on greens with regularsized holes.”

He added: “New and young golfers love to hole putts, but under current hole dimensions, that is a difficult task at the best of times, so it would also add more fun to the game, and be less intimidating for golfers starting out in the game, if they were enlarged.”

Pithie added that bigger holes would also have a number of environmental benefits, including less stress on turf through few putts; a higher cut of grass allowing more options of grass species and a lower level of general maintenance.

Pithie also said that increasing the size

Sergio Garcia is a fan of offering bigger holes on entrylevel courses

Giant holes have been trialled as a way of speeding up golf for beginners and kids

of the hole would be in keeping with golf’s links with tradition, as it used to be common for greens to incorporate ‘giant holes’.

“Interestingly, the size of the golf hole at 4.25 inches was only determined by the R&A in 1894 – over 30 years after the first Open Championship was contested on Prestwick links. Prior to then, holes were of no pre-determined size and could even vary within the same course,” he said.

Among other high profile figures within the golf industry to have expressed their support for increasing the size of holes include Ted Bishop, the former president of the PGA of America; Mark King, chief executive of TaylorMade-adidas; and leading tour players Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia.

Rose said the difficulty of golf had turned his young son off playing, but was hopeful novelty versions of the game could get more kids on board. “Lately, I’ve been having a hard time getting him to pick up a club,” Rose said. “An eight- or 15-inch hole could help juniors, beginners and older golfers score better, play faster, and like golf more.”

Investment pays off at South Buckinghamshire While many publicly-funded golf clubs in the South East are struggling to attract support from local government and from golfers, one venue in the region is bucking the trend by investing in its on and off-course facilities, resulting in increased numbers of golfers flocking to its two courses.

The South Buckinghamshire Golf Course, which includes an 18-hole course and a nine-hole academy course and driving range, is enjoying one of its most successful seasons following a series of significant improvements.

With an emphasis on value for money, the Stoke-Poges-based facility offers 27 holes of golf, comprising the stunning Colt/ Hawtree 18-hole layout, which features a memorable selection of holes that would grace even the finest championship layout, and a 9-hole course which is maturing into a rewarding test for the beginner and intermediate golfer.

Both courses welcome visitors

Course conditions have never been better at South Bucks

From Left: Paul Frost (Course Manager) with Dan Davy (Deputy Course Manager)

at all times and provide affordable golf, with a round on the main course starting from just £13, while a game at the academy course costs from £8.

Last year saw the opening of a brand new £2 million clubhouse that features two function rooms,

providing the perfect setting to host society days and corporate and private events, while the Birches Bar offers panoramic views of the course, offering an ideal place to relax before or after a game.

Improvements have not only been made off-course, but on

the courses too, with a dedicated team of greenkeepers working hard throughout the year to maintain and improve playing conditions. Back in 2006, South Buckinghamshire was one of five courses chosen by the Sports Turf Research Institute to take part in a six-year study into creating more sustainable and improved playability of the greens, and through the use of the latest maintenance procedures, fewer fertilisers, improved irrigation systems, and the introduction of finer grasses, the playing surfaces are consistently among the best in the region.

Following the opening of the new clubhouse, and a change in management structure, the number of rounds played at the 18hole course has already increased by 10% on last year’s figures, and with the facilities continuing to improve, the future of this forwardthinking venue has never looked better.

NEWS IN BRIEF KEECH CAPTURES MATCHPLAY TITLE Dorset’s Sophie Keech birdied Trentham Golf Club’s 18th hole to beat Emily Coleman in the final of the English Women’s Open Amateur Match Play Championship. The 19-year-old Parkstone player, who won the English girls’ championship in 2013, and shared the Astor Salver with Dulcie Sverdloff earlier this season, added: “It’s nice to win something for myself.” In the semi-finals, Keech defeated Sverdloff (Orsett) 2&1, while Coleman saw off Lianna Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) two up.

LAW BRUSHES OFF CLUB RIVALS AT BROOME MANOR Wiltshire’s Tom Law followed in the footsteps of a prestigious roll call of former champions when winning Broome Manor Golf Club’s club championship by an impressive 15 shots. The 18-year-old carded rounds of 65 and 67 to finish on 10 under par and put his name onto a trophy twice won by Swindon’s two-time Ryder Cup star David Howell. Law also won the nett competition by seven shots, with Bill Stretton in second and Freddie Titcombe in third.

WATTERS ENJOYS WONDER STRIKE AT HAM MANOR Bob Watters, a member at Ham Manor for over 20 years, joined the elite band to have achieved a hole-inone, when his tee shot at West Sussex-based venue’s fourth hole found the bottom of the cup last month. The 17-handicapper finally bagged the longed-for ace with a 19-degree hybrid at the 182yard par three, which is widely regarded as the toughest of the course’s short holes.

Watters, who achieved the magical feat during a midweek Stapleford competition, said: “I knew I had hit a pure shot, but to go into the hole was just a bonus. I never thought I would ever achieve a hole-in-one, but I will always have a smile on my face every time I walk onto the fourth tee for now on!”

SAUNDER WINS ESSEX SENIORS

Romford’s Keith Saunders won the Essex Seniors Championship on countback from Mark Stone (Boyce Hill) after both players matched each other stroke for stroke in the 36-hole event, both returning two 77s, for 154 totals at Bentley Golf Club.

[24] JULY 2015

UNDER THE

RADAR

With two majors on his CV by the age of 29, Martin Kaymer is one of the finest golfers of his generation, but the German’s reluctance to play the fame game has meant that the former world No.1 is able to walk the fairways and streets virtually unnoticed

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JULY 2015 [25]

Y

our eight-shot victory at last year’s US Open was one of the most dominant performances in modern major history. Twelve months on, what are your thoughts on that achievement?

It’s very rare that you lead a Major by more than five shots going into the final round. I think only Rory [McIlroy], Louis [Oosthuizen] and Tiger have done it in the last 15 years or so. I had a seven-shot lead at Pinehurst, so the tournament was mine to lose. I told myself that I just had to get through the first five or six holes on Sunday without inflicting too much damage and everything would be OK. I knew it was unlikely that I would shoot four or five over, so instead of worrying about what the other players were doing, I focused on remaining positive and seeing how low a score I could shoot. It worked out fine in the end.

With four more years’ experience under your belt, were you able to enjoy winning the US Open more than you did the PGA in 2010?

It was certainly a little bit less stressful then when I won the PGA Championship after a play off. After that win, it was a very strange feeling for me being in the spotlight so much.

I was just not used to that level of interest or expectation. Last year was a lot different. I kind of knew what to expect, what things you have to do, and I was able to enjoy it.

I also really noticed how much respect you get from players, from the fans, from people who are involved in golf, when you win a tournament like the US Open.

I kind of forgot about the other tournaments in between. I practiced a lot, and did a lot of fitness work, so by the time I got to Augusta I felt tired, so it was poor planning on my part and it took me two or three weeks to recover from that. When you put all of your efforts for two or three months into playing well for one tournament and it doesn’t work out, it’s very disappointing. After ten years doing this, you would think I’d know what I am doing, but clearly I don’t!

You seem to relish playing tough golf courses, why is that?

I enjoy playing difficult golf courses because it’s not about making eagles and birdies – it’s not about a putting competition. It’s a mental challenge as much as it is a physical challenge, and I enjoy both those parts of the game.

All the talk right now is of the rivalry between Rory and Jordan Spieth. As a dual major winner yourself, are you happy flying under the radar in some respects?

I feel like I’m under the radar most of the time, which is fine with me. Obviously Rory and Jordan should get a lot of credit for what they have achieved. What Rory has done over the last three or four years is obviously outstanding, while what Jordan has achieved this year has been equally impressive. They’re both four or five years younger than me, and their wins have been

it’s you and your caddie. And really that’s how you have to approach Sunday at the Ryder Cup, and not worry about what the other players are doing.

Winning your point is all that matters.

You arrived at Medinah in 2012 on the back of a pretty poor run of form. How did it feel to turn up under a bit of a cloud and leave as the hero?

There was a lot of luck involved to get me into that situation where I could make the all-important point for Europe. I will always be thankful for getting that opportunity. The way I was playing at the time, there was a lot of negative stuff going around, then all of a sudden, you have the absolute ultimate – nothing is bigger than that. I saw it [having the putt to win the Ryder Cup] as a privilege.

How did your experience at Gleneagles compare to Medinah?

Gleneagles was pure fun. Everything about it was amazing – from the team, to the captain and the vice captains – everything was so well organised. We all knew what we had to do. The fans in Scotland were incredible. There was passionate support, but not in a pressurised way. The mood was fun, and I have to say it was the best Ryder Cup I’ve ever played in.

In 2010 I was overwhelmed by everything; in 2012, I didn’t play well, but Gleneagles one was the best yet. Paul [McGinley] figured out each individual character in the team and took time to understand how they feel, who each player wanted to play with, and how many matches they wanted to play. An outsider might say he overmanaged things, but it didn’t feel like that to us. He gave us a lot of freedom to make our own choices. Paul did a brilliant job to draw that fine line between allowing us to be individuals and managing us as a team. We had an even stronger spirit than in 2012, because everybody was more secure with the success we’d had.

Two years ago, the Americans were the favourites and this time, we accepted that role of favourites, because there was a reason for it. Sir Alex Ferguson told us that. He said: ‘Don’t be scared of being the favourites; use it to your advantage, because you’ve earned it and you deserve it.’

Of course I want to win golf tournaments, but you also have to take the time to appreciate what you have achieved, so there always going to be highs and lows

KAYMER

You didn’t seem to like all the attention that came with being world No.1 – why was that and how do you think Rory is coping with it?

It’s tough to explain to people how difficult it is to go from one tournament to another and continue to put in 100 per cent and be fully on your game, when you’ve got that level of interest in you. It was interesting to see at the Ryder Cup how Rory embraced the fans. He has a celebrity status now that he uses in a positive way on the golf course. For me, being in that position was more difficult to deal with. I admire Rory a lot for being able to deal with everything that goes on. He plays golf very aggressively, and if you drive the ball that long and that straight, and have the short game that he has, there’s not a whole lot that can go wrong. I’m not too caught up with being world No.1 any more. For me, it’s just about Majors – I want to win as many as possible.

The same goes for World Golf Championship events. If that takes me back to No.1 then fine, – but right now Rory is the best player in the world and he deserves

BY NUMBERS to be up there.

Age: 30 Lives: Düsseldorf, Germany and Scottsdale, Arizona Turned Pro: 2005 World Ranking: 21st Tour Events Played: European Tour 171 (€16.7m), PGA Tour: 91 ($8.5m) Professional Victories: 22 (3 PGA Tour, 11 European Tour) Majors: 2 (US PGA 2010, US Open 2014) Ryder Cup record: 2010 (2.5), 2012 (1), 2014 (2)

Could you assess your overall play over the last 12 months?

Obviously I’m not a hundred percent satisfied with the way I’ve performed in certain tournaments.

Looking back on what happened in February, March and April, I was perhaps guilty of focusing too much on the Masters, and

more recent, while mine are in the past, so it’s no surprise that they are grabbing the headlines. It’s as it should be.

Do you see yourself as a player that blows hot and cold?

I think it’s very difficult to keep going and to keep your motivation levels up to win every single week. I got on a bit of a roll after I won the PGA Championship in 2010. I think I won four events on the bounce – if you include the Ryder Cup – and then last year I won the Players and the US Open in a fiveweek stretch. It was very much like when Rory won four times last summer, I think you just keep going – you don’t have time to really notice what you’re doing – but you have to come down to earth at some point. Of course I want to win golf tournaments, but at the same time you want to take time to appreciate what you’ve achieved, so naturally there are going to be some lows after so many highs.

Have your experiences in the Ryder Cup helped you cope with pressured situations in normal tour events?

For me, to play the Ryder Cup has been a huge help in handling myself in those tough situations, because the emotions you experience that week are at another level. When you’re playing a Major you do have support, but if you end up letting your fans down, it’s a shame, but not the end of the world. But at the Ryder Cup, they feel pain, and we feel their pain, and that’s the difference. It’s very difficult to compare, but basically the Majors are egocentric –

How involved are you in supporting Germany’s bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2022?

We are ready to host a Ryder Cup and I think we have a very strong case. I haven’t been officially approached yet, but I know two guys who are involved in the project, and I’m sure I can help somehow. I don’t have much time off, but I’m more than happy to do it, because the Ryder Cup means a lot to me, and it would do a lot for golf development in Germany. I think quite a few Germans were tuned into the coverage at Gleneagles, and as a nation we have gained a better understanding of what the Ryder Cup is all about and it’s important that we maintain that momentum. There were a lot of Germans at Gleneagles, and I’ve never really seen them being so outgoing. In football it’s a lot easier; 55 million people rooting for Germany – it’s different.

We need to make Germans understand that golf can be exciting too.

What are your thoughts on golf’s re-introduction to the Olympics next year? What would winning a gold medal in Rio mean to you?

Winning an Olympic gold would, for me, be as big, if not bigger, than winning a green jacket or a Claret Jug. Why? Because it’s for your country. If you win a Major, it’s only for yourself, your caddie and the people close to you. But the Olympic Games is for all the other athletes, and your entire country. Just to carry the German flag for that opening ceremony would be an unbelievable experience. And with golf, it’s the first one in 100 years, which makes it even more special. I would love to be the first player to win an Olympic Gold in golf since it was reintroduced.

NEWS IN BRIEF ANY WYCH WAY BUT LOSE FOR HINTON Craig Hinton became the first player to win twice on this year’s Jamega Pro Golf Tour with victory at The Wychwood Golf Club near Chipping Norton. The Thame golfer produced rounds of 68 and 69 to finish on seven under par, one shot clear of Liam Crawford.

WALLIS RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS AT PRINCES Richard Wallis returned to winning ways with victory in the PGA Prince’s 27 with Tony Adams, his amateur partner from Prince’s. The local pair shot a 9-under par total over Prince’s three nines to claim a three-stroke victory, There was a three-way tie for second, but Paul Nessling (Cooden Beach) and amateur partner Gary Begbe took the runners-up honours on countback from James Sharp (Waterhall) and Jake Williams in third.

[26] JULY 2015 | NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Dame Laura holds out for 13th Solheim appearance Laura Davies remains determined to earn an unprecedented 13th Solheim Cup appearance for Europe when Carin Koch’s side defend the trophy in Germany in September.

The 51-year-old dame faces a race against time to secure a place on merit, as she currently stands 10th in the qualifying standings, and she feels she needs to win one of her next three tournaments to make the team, including the Ricoh Women’s Open at Turnberry.

Ascot-based Davies, who played in every Solheim Cup since its conception in 1990, before missing out for the first time in her career in 2013, hopes to put herself ‘on the radar’ in the hope of impressing Koch before the Swede names her four captain’s picks for the contest.

“I’m 10th on the points list at the moment, and I didn’t finish in the top-10 in Holland a couple of weeks ago, so I didn’t pick up any points there,” said Davies, who finished tied seventh in the European Masters held at Buckinghamshire Golf Club earlier this month.

Despite a creditable performance at was a home draw, Davies was not happy with her result, especially her putting during the earlier part of the tournament. “I wanted to show Carin that I’m still playing well

and could be an asset to the team. Tied seventh is not good enough. You’ve got to be in the top three, but I’ve still got three or four tournaments left, so I’m not done for yet. It was nice to hole some putts in the final round, because I’ve played well.

I had 37 putts in the third round and it was the most miserable I’d been leaving a golf course for a long time. I played really well, hit two par fives, and drove the 17th green, but four three-putts was miserable.”

She added: “I just have to win one of the next three events to get in the team.

If I don’t do that, then I can’t see myself getting a captain’s pick – but if I have a good run leading up to the Solheim Cup, then you never know. I just hope I can put myself on Carin’s radar.”

RAITT TURNS UP HEAT AT STOKE PARK PRO-AM

Andy Raitt and David Osborn shared the honours at the annual JDRF Pro-Am Golf Tournament held at Stoke Park Golf Club in Buckinghamshire after shooting six birdies apiece in the format that rewards under-par scores. The tournament’s unique format means that players only earn money with birdies (£75) and eagles (£150). The entire event helped raise over £90,000 for diabetes charity JDRF.

WILDERNESSE PROVES TOUGH TEST Kent golfers led the way at this year’s Open Regional Qualifying held at Wildernesse Golf Club in Sevenoaks. A total of 113 pros and leading amateur golfers teed up at the club on June 22 as part of the Regional Qualifying for this year’s Open Championship. The Wildernesse course proved a tough test, with only 11 scoring par or better.

Richard Tinworth, a professional from Tonbridge, topped the leaderboard with a three-underpar 69. Automatic qualification was also secured by two local golfers, Michael Day from the London Club (70) and Thomas Jordan (71) from Langley Park, while Mark Collins (Chart Hills), Andrew Butterfield (Knole Park) and Tom Sherreard (Chart Hills) qualified after an eight-man play off.

Gleneagles sold to Ennismore Gleneagles, host of last year’s Ryder Cup, has been sold to a London-based hotel brand.

The five-star, 232-bedroom hotel in Perthshire has been bought by Ennismore, owner of growing boutique hotel brand ‘The Hoxton’, which currently has five properties

in London, Paris and Amsterdam.

Gleneagles was put up for sale shortly after the 2014 Ryder Cup, with a guide price of more than £200 million. In its last set of published accounts, the resort turned over £43.5m, with an operating profit of £2.6m.

Ennismore is believed to

have outbid rivals, including KSL Capital Partners, owner of The Belfry, to secure the property, which has been bought from drinks giant Diageo for an undisclosed sum.

Diageo acquired the 91-year-old property in 1984 for £10 million. It was previously owned by British Rail.

Fighting fit: Rory McIlroy spends as much time in the gym as he does on the practice range

‘Fitter tour pros will attract new, young golfers’ says McIlroy Rory World No.1 Rory McIlory has said that more children will be encouraged to take up golf if the world’s best players have more athletic bodies.

McIlroy, who recently announced that he has added 20 pounds of muscle to his body and reduced his body fat percentage from 24 to 10, since working out for 90 minutes a day, said that the image of professional golfers is what will inspire children to take up the game.

“I think golf has become more of an athletic sport,” he said. “When you look at some of the moves guys make at the ball, you need to be strong in certain areas. You don’t need to be built like a linebacker, but you need to have stability and strength in certain areas of your body. If more golfers look athletic, it portrays a much better image for the game and encourages kids to maybe pick up a club and maybe it encourages parents to get them into golfing as well.”

The world No.1, who is currently nursing a torn ligament following a football-related accident, said: “Fifteen to 20 years ago the image of golf wasn’t athletic. It wasn’t the way it is now and Tiger has changed that. If you look at some of the younger guys, the look is much different, and I think that is a great thing for golf.”

Not everyone agrees though. Legendary coach Butch Harmon said he is concerned about how much work McIlroy is doing in the gym. “The only caution I would give Rory is, I see a lot of pictures of him lifting a lot of very heavy weights, and I think, in a way, you can almost hurt yourself in the gym if you get too bulky,” he said.

He added: “Hopefully, he will keep his body tone down, more like a Dustin Johnson, who’s in absolutely perfect physical shape to play golf.”

Sweetwoods Park unveils new swing studio Sweetwoods unveils new practice facilities The practice facilities at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club in Kent have received a significant boost, following the opening of a brand new swing studio and a major renovation of its driving range.

The all-new iswing studio at the based venue has been kitted out with all the latest swing analysis technology, including Foresight Sports’ GC2, which cannot only be used for coaching, but also for custom club fittings and for simulator game play. The spacious indoor studio is also protected from the elements, ensuring yearround use, whatever the weather.

Club fitting are priced at £40, the cost which will be refunded from the price of equipment

purchased on the day, while an-hour long session of the course simulator costs £30 per hour for up to four people. With a wide variety of championship courses to play on, including

Ryder Cup venues such as Medinah, The Belfry and Celtic Manor, it’s great place to enjoy a fun, yet competitive game with friends.

The practice range has also benefitted from an upgrade, with new mats, balls, flags, baskets and target nets, and a new covered area, all of which will make improving your game more enjoyable at Sweetwoods.

The pro shop has also been freshened up, with a wide number of new golfing apparel ranges in stock, including the latest collections from Nike, Under Armour, Green Lamb, Oscar Jacobsen, FootJoy and Tommy Hilfiger, while there are demo sets available for golfers to try from all the major brands.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JULY 2015 [27]

MEET THE PRO

ANDREW RYAN, THE MANOR HOUSE, WILTSHIRE How long have you been a PGA professional? Four years.

What has been your career highlight as a player? I was lucky enough to qualify for the finals of the Powerade Assistants Championship at The London Club. That was my first true taste of professional golf and I loved every second. I also hold the old course record at The Manor House, which I am still incredibly proud of.

When did you join your current club and how long have you been there? I arrived here in September 2003, so coming up to 12 years.

What are the most significant changes you have seen in that time? The golf course has improved year on year.

We relaunched the course in 2006 with a new routing and competition tees, lengthening the course to 6,500 yards. Last year saw investment in the clubhouse, with new locker rooms, renovations to the lounge and bar area, and continual investment for the greenkeeping team.

What is your day-to-day role? Each day has its unique challenges. If you could compress it down I suppose it would be Make sure the business is well staffed and guests are being looked after to our high standards, encouraging ‘wow’ experiences along the way.

Tell us something about the facilities… Great golf course, designed and threaded through the beautiful Bybrook valley by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark. A wellrehearsed corporate golf team with 46 buggies at their disposal, plus a five-star hotel with the Michelin-star Bybrook restaurant.

We also offer a modern clubhouse with three meeting rooms, one

If you could change one rule in golf what would it be? I think that you should be allowed a free drop from a divot

of which is a large baronial hall in the centre - an outstanding venue for wedding or private functions.

Who is your golfing hero? When I was young, I always looked up to Gary Player. I suppose that he was the first to really focus on the fitness side of golf. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy and a model golfer in my eyes.

What is the club doing to attract junior and female golfers? We hold a coaching session once a month for juniors around the area to get involved and give the game a try. James Broughton is launching ladies introductory lessons, which will be expnded if successful.

What would stimulate more people to take up golf? I think that the time element is the biggest block to more people taking up golf. We are lucky, as we have two separate loops of nine holes, so there is always the option to play if time is short. It is impractical to design any courses that are 18 holes until you head back to the clubhouse. Three loops of six seem the way forward to me.

And how should clubs go about

Who inspired you to take up golf? My Granddad chopped down a couple of his clubs and started me off at the age of 5. I never looked back. retaining existing members?

Retention is all about looking after the members once they join.

Mark Sealey, our membership manager, is very good at making sure new members are integrated into club life as soon as possible. The shop and bar team are instrumental to member retention. They are tasked with learning members’ names and their preferences, whether that

be a latte or how they like their eggs cooked.

What’s the most common swing fault you have to correct? The usual over the top fade-come-slice.

What’s been selling well in the pro shop? Members are snapping up FootJoy polo shirts with the club crest, hoping for a long spell of hot weather!

The detached cabin built in 2007 to our design offers luxury accommodation comprising, open plan lounge/dining/ kitchen and a double bedroom with en suite shower, a twin bedroom with ensuite Jacuzzi bath/shower, laundry room also with WC. Built on site as a timber framed construction to building regs NOT your typical caravan/lodge brought on to site in two halves.

Free life time golf club and gym memberships for two people is also included to the stunning Bridlington Links Golf Club Price

£125,000 sensible offers considered.

Contact Malcolm Clubley 01262 228622/07790 522115

Which three other people would be in your dream fourball? I would love the opportunity to play golf with my late Granddad, he didn’t really get the chance to see my potential which is a real shame. Rory Mcilroy from the present and Tiger Woods from around 2000.

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What’s your favourite course in the UK? Swinley Forrest in Surrey.

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[28] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

ZACH ATTACK

T

he longest Open Championship of all time proved an epic tale characterised by glorious triumph and noble failure. Spread over five days and culminating in a four-hole play-off involving three players, it was American Zach Johnson who prevailed to claim the Claret Jug and join an illustrious list of golfers who have won The Open at St Andrews and the Masters.

The gritty 39-year-old from Iowa birdied the 18th to set the clubhouse target and then birdied the first two holes of the play-off as well to outlast Australian Marc Leishman and South African Louis Oosthuizen.

As he lifted up famous Claret Jug on the Old Course’s iconic 18th green, in front of a polite, yet slightly deflated St Andrews crowd, it may have seemed uncharitable to wonder what might have been. That overriding sense, though, was unavoidable to everyone who witnessed the closing stages of five days of periodically frantic action at the

A ruthlessly professional display by Zach Johnson may have robbed the 144th Open Championship of a hatful of dramatic storylines at a stormy St Andrews, but it gave the quiet American his second major title home of golf.

The back stories were endless.

The 144th Open Championship could have been the third step on the ladder to golfing immortality for Jordan Spieth. There was the potential for an emotional outcome involving Australian Marc Leishman, who missed the Masters in April while his wife battled a life-threatening illness; while South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen was aiming to join an elite band by winning a second Open at St Andrews, following his seven-shot triumph five years earlier. A young amateur, Paul Dunne, could have become the first non-professional to win the Claret Jug since 1930.

Instead, a different script was written. Spieth, who had been doing a passable impression of superhuman cyber golfer for the last few months, suddenly appeared fallible, while Johnson, always someone who seems happiest flying under the radar, flew above it and beyond., coolly prevailing in the play-off after the trio tied on 15 under par.

A man of faith, Johnson has a history of pointing towards the heavens when it comes to golfing matters, and following his second major triumph in an otherwise inconsistent career, he certainly seems to have someone upstairs on his side when it comes to the big events.

In 2007, he was victorious in one of the coldest Masters in history, when the winning score was a joint record highest total of one over par. Eight years on from that victory, the 39-year-old from Georgia seemed to relish the vagaries of the weather, and St Andrews’ uneven bounces, more readily than most, opening and closing with a pair sixunder par 66s, sandwiched either side of 71 and a 70, to add another of golf’s four big titles to his CV. It was perhaps only fitting that a tournament that was plagued by delays – including fours hours lost to rain on the second morning, and 11 hours to wind on the Saturday – was to offer an enduring climax. Johnson was the first to make a telling move on the final day, reaching 16 under as early as the 12th. He handed a shot back at the following hole, and dropped another at the fiendishly difficult 17th. On his last hole of regulation play, Johnson holed out for birdie from 30 feet to set the clubhouse target. Even with so many of the world’s best players having holes in hand, Johnson’s putt instantly looked significant, and he too

HOW THEY FINISHED AT ST ANDREWS 1 Johnson

66

71

70

66

273

2 Leishman

70

73

64

66

273

Oosthuizen 67 4 Day Spieth 6 Garcia Niebrugge

70

67

69

273

66

71

67

70

274

67

72

66

69

274

70

69

68

70

277

67

73

67

70

277

Rose

71

68

68

70

277

Willett

66

69

72

70

277

10 Koepka

71

70

69

68

278

Scott

70

67

70

71

278

sensed it, going down on one knee and uncharacteristically pumping his fist in the manner of someone who knew that he had might have one hand on the Claret Jug. Leishman’s lofty position on the leaderboard caught many observers off guard, given that he’d only made the cut by one shot, but weekend rounds of 64 and 66 saw him rise swiftly to the top, before it ended so cruelly in the playoff.

Spieth’s never-say-die attitude, while never in doubt, was further underlined by his back-nine performance. After inexplicably four-putting the eighth for a double bogey, he fell back to 12 under, seemingly out of contention. But rather than let it drag him down into despair, the world no.2 instantly repaired the damage with back-to-back birdies. Despite bogeying the 17th, he would have made the play-off with a birdie on the last, but agonisingly for the brilliant young Texan, he watched an approach shot spin back into the Valley of Sin, from which there was to be no redemption. For Spieth to be in this position at all was somewhat remarkable, but just like Arnold Palmer 55 years ago, his quest to win three majors from three came up just short.

On the 72nd green, Jason Day left a 20-foot putt that would have seen him safely into the play-off pull up inches short, leaving the gutsy Australian with another story to tell of what might have been in a major championship. He, like several others, may well look back on that fateful Saturday morning, when the R&A sent out those with second rounds to complete into the teeth of a gale. During those 32 minutes, 21 shots were dropped in 52 holes, two of which belonged to Day, and ultimately the difference between defeat and victory.

But by such small margins are tournaments, and majors, won and lost. As Zach Johnson knows only too well.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

I

JULY 2015 [29]

f you’d been told 15 years ago that you’d have a Green Jacket and a Claret Jug in your possession, what would you have said?

I would have said ‘Whose jacket am I trying on and whose trophy am I looking at?’ These are the things you can only dream about when you first turn professional. These are the things you’ve worked to get to. To win at Augusta and to win The Open Championship at St Andrews, it’s hard to put it into words. I’m not a great golfing historian, but I know that the Old Course is the birthplace of the game and I love playing it. I’ve said it many times – The Open is probably my most fun golf tournament inside the ropes. The Ryder Cup is the Ryder Cup, Augusta is Augusta, but I just appreciate what this tournament is all about – it’s the best.

and I had a good round going. I guess I could have won it there or lost it there, I didn’t have any expectations. I did all I could do, and fortunately it went my way.

How does it feel to have come up against such a strong group of players, and such testing playing conditions, and emerge the winner?

As far as the weather went, I think I probably got the better end of the wave. I didn’t hit a shot on Saturday.

I had a day off to relax. I didn’t make a great start on Sunday, but I managed to make some birdies coming in to get my round under par. It was a bunched finish, and I told myself that I could get a little bit of early momentum going, I had a chance. I made some good putts early on. I made one on the 2nd from 25 feet that really kick started my day, and one from one off the green at the 4th, but I missed a 15-footer for eagle on the 5th, and a 12-footer on the 6th. I put myself in a position to make birdies and make a run. I knew a lot of the guys in front of me were major champions, and they were not going to back down. So I knew had to be aggressive early on in the day, because those outward holes are the ones you’ve got to take advantage of.

What is it that you like most about links golf, and the Open specifically?

You just never know what’s going

For someone who doesn’t often show much emotion on the golf course, you showed plenty after that birdie at the 72nd hole?

Yeah, there was lots of emotion there, because it was the last hole

What was the key moment for you in the playoff?

I really only hit one errant shot in the play-off, and that was obviously my second shot to 17. But I still came away with a five at what felt like a par five to me. Outside of that, I hit two good putts on 1 and 2, and made the best of the opportunities that came my way.

Apparently you were reciting a passage from the bible during the playoff. Can I ask what line that was?

I was repeating Psalms 24:17, which was, “Be patient, wait for the Lord. Be courageous, be brave.

Yes, be patient, wait for the Lord.”

to come about with the conditions and the factors presented. I feel like mentally I’m in a place that I can combat whatever comes my way. You’ve just got to enjoy the ride and embrace it. I don’t know if my game suits links golf that much, but I can keep the ball below the wind when it’s gusty, and for the most part I’m a better-thanaverage putter.

Do you think you came in a bit under the radar here because people seem to forget that you were very close to beating Jordan Spieth last week?

I feel like I’m always under the radar, but maybe that’s just me.

I’m not saying I deserve anything more or less, but I’ve had some decent results in the Open over the years, three or four top-10s, I’m not even sure. But I love the game over here. I love this tournament. I just embrace the week. It’s just tremendous golf. I mean, as a competitor and as a professional golfer, I know Augusta is Augusta, and some of the other

tournaments are tremendous, but this is just pure.

Do you think you might be a little more above the radar now?

I guess that radar is going bonkers right now. When my game is good, I certainly surface on the radar, but I don’t know if it’s ever really beeping on me. But, as I said it back in 2007 when I won the Masters, I feel like God gave me the ability to play a game. I try to take it very seriously.

I realise it’s just a game, but I’m just a guy from Iowa that has been blessed with a talent, and this game provides great opportunity. I don’t want to make it any bigger than what it should be. This isn’t going to define my career – at least I hope it doesn’t. It’s not my legacy. Granted, as a professional athlete golfer I’m going to relish this, but my kids and my family are my legacy.

What did Jordan say to you after the playoff?

He said congratulations and that he was proud. Jordan is a really good friend of mine, and to have

“I’M JUST A GUY FROM IOWA THAT HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH A TALENT”

a champion like him take the time to give me best wishes, speaks volumes as to what he is. Of course he’s a phenomenal talent, but he’s a better person than he is a golfer.

People often see you as the expressionless man hiding behind a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Does that bother you?

I’m not the most charismatic, emotional, fun-packed individual on the golf course – I get that. But I’m just so into what I’m trying to do. I appreciate the crowd and I appreciate that we play a great sport that provides a lot of drama.

Fortunately we’ve got a lot of great personalities in the game and a lot of great talent. As for the sunglasses, I know there wasn’t much sun out there, but I’ve I wear an Oakley lens that works best in dusky conditions. It enhances light, and helps me see the greens better. I’ve had surgery on my eyes, so from a protection standpoint, I can play without them, but it’s very uncomfortable. And has for the hat – I’m hiding my bald patch!

Zach Johnson shows a rare display of emotion after holing a 20ft birdie putt on the 72nd hole

Open champion Zach Johnson explains what it feels like to have won Majors at two of golf’s most iconic venues

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[30] JULY 2015

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STRAIT SHOOTING

The par-three 17th at Whistling Straits is one of the hardest short holes on the major rota

Next month sees the US PGA Championship return to Whistling Straits on the shores of Lake Michigan, where the world’s best players will battle for honours at the season’s final Major

A

ffectionally known as ‘Glory’s Last Shot’, the US PGA Championship represents the last chance for golf’s elite to grab a slice of silverware as the curtain falls down on another Major season.

Organised by the Professional Golfers Association of America, and dating back to 1916, the championship boasts not only the largest prize fund of the four majors – this year’s is just over $10 million – but is also contested by far the strongest field, with no amateurs or invitations allowed in the year’s only all-pro Major.

Despite boasting big money and the best players, the PGA’s status within the ‘impregnable quadrilateral’ has suffered from a lack of good PR, mainly as a result of a string of unheralded winners a few years ago – Rich Beem (2002), Shaun Micheel (2003) and YE Yang (2009) – which seemed to undermine its pre-eminence.

However that has been turned on its head in recent renewals, with champions of the calibre of Rory McIlroy (2012, 2014), Martin Kaymer (2010) and, of course, four-time winner Tiger Woods, helping to elevate its status back to where it belongs.

While previously restricted to a coterie of old-school venues such as Winged Foot, Oak Hill, Hazeltine, Medinah, Atlanta and Baltusrol, the PGA has spread its wings in recent years, first venturing to the newly-built Whistling Straits in 2004, and then onto Kiawah Island in South Carolina for McIlroy’s win three years ago. Now, however, it seems

to be stuck inside some sort of revolving Herb Kohler-designed revolving door and is now returning to the Wisconsin-based venue owned by the bathroom tycoon for the third time in just 12 years for next month’s renewal, while the Ryder Cup also goes there in 2020.

Staging the same tournament at the same venue in such a short space of time brings the vital component of experience into the equation, with some of the older players in the field having already played a dozen competitive rounds around Pete Dye’s masterpiece on Lake Michigan, although newcomers like Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler have yet to properly set eyes on it.

Providing he recovers from his football-induced ankle injury in time, McIlroy looks sure to mount a stout defence of the title he won 12 months ago in such thrilling fashion at Valhalla. Boasting a third-placed finish behind Kaymer in 2010, the world number one clearly enjoys the layout, which isn’t a million miles away from the challenge offered by Chambers Bay during last month’s US Open, where Spieth bagged his second consecutive Major title and lit the touchpaper on what could still turn out to be one of the most impressive seasons in the history of the game.

With the pressure of going for the Rory-slam ending at the Masters in April, McIlroy believes he is well placed to win back-toback PGA titles on a course where he has both experience and form.

“This year I’m not putting pressure on myself to repeat. I put

TWO KEY HOLES 17th, 223 yards, Par 3 223 yards, Par 3 One of the most intimidating par threes you’ll ever see, the green on ‘Pinched Nerve’ is guarded on the left by monstrous sand dunes and bunkers that fall 20 feet below the level of the putting surface. If the bunker doesn’t capture the tee shot, Lake Michigan certainly will. Right over the bunker is usually the safest play, although shots straying too far right will find sand dunes and bunkers on a steep hillside, leaving an almost impossible up and down for par.

18th, 500 yards, Par 4 Aptly named ‘Dyeabolical’, the 18th provides a fitting climax to the round, with this lengthy par four offering two equally challenging routes to the green via a spilt fairway. A well-struck tee shot down the right will leave a mid to long iron approach to the green, while a more aggressive line to the left leaves a shorter approach, but demands at least a 300-yard carry over sand dunes and bunkers. Even though the approach is downhill, swirling winds surrounding the green force players to play an extra club to clear Seven Mile Creek, which guards the front side of the huge green.

fair. Pete [Dye] likes to intimidate you with his designs, and forces you to be confident in your game.

But he also likes to give you a chance to save your par if you misfire. Earlier on in my career, I’d get into a tee box on a par four or par five and just grab the driver to hit it as far as I possibly could.

These days, I’ve figured a way to play his course and find my spots.

Discipline is the key to play Dye’s golf courses, and I believe I’ve got that in my game now.”

With a crowd of over 220,000 expected to pile into the lakeside venue next month to watch the two hottest golfers on the

planet going head to head, the 97th PGA Championship promises to provide a fitting bookend to a thrilling 12 months of major championship golf.

The US PGA Championship takes place from August 13-16 at Whistling Straits, with live coverage on Sky Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live Extra throughout the championship.

pressure on myself to play my best, and, if I’ve done that and I don’t win, it’s out of my control,” he said at a media event held at Whistling Straits last month.

He added: “Whistling Straits is as close to a links-style course as you’re going to find in America. I enjoy the set-up of PGA Championship courses; I find them very

WHISTLING STRAITS CARD OF THE COURSE HOLE YARDS PAR

1 2 408 593 4 5

3 181 3

4 493 4

5 598 5

6 355 4

7 221 3

8 507 4

9 449 4

10 361 4

11 618 5

12 143 3

13 404 4

14 373 4

15 518 4

16 569 5

17 223 3

18 500 4

TOTAL 7514 72

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JULY 2015

TomLewis

TIPS FROM THE TOUR HOW TO ADAPT YOUR SET UP WHEN PLAYING FROM TRICKY INCLINES

COPING WITH SLOPES

T

his month I want to give you some simple advice on how to hit shots from the sort of uneven lies you encounter every time you go out on a golf course.

It all starts with getting your address

1

[31]

Pattingham, Nr Wolverhampton WV6 7HR Tom Lewis is a brand ambassador for Marriott.

The photographs were shot at Marriott Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire. For details visit www.marriott.co.uk or download the Marriott app from iTunes.

position correct, which is the key to all these shots; although I’d also recommend you widen your stance a bit for extra stability, and swing at no more than about 75-80 percent, because anything more might adversely affect your balance.

1 UPHILL LIES The key to hitting good shots from an uphill lie is to make sure that at address your shoulders are parallel to the slope you are standing on.

For a shot from an uphill lie, my ball position remains the same as normal, but I will probably aim a little right of my target, because the ball has a tendency to fly a right to left off this sort of lie.

I would also take one or two clubs more than usual, depending on the severity of the slope, because (a) the ball is going to be launched a bit higher than normal, and (b) it’s harder to transfer your weight onto your left side when you are on an upslope. You should feel that you are leaning into your right side a little bit more than usual to try to match the angle of the slope you are playing from.

2 DOWNHILL LIES

2

The most important thing to remember for this shot – just as from an uphill lie – is to address the ball so that your shoulders are parallel to the slope. This means I will have a bit more weight on my front foot than I would on a flat lie.

From this position, I’m going to be hitting down on the ball a bit more than normal, so I would probably address it with the ball a fraction further back in my stance, and I’d also take one or two clubs less, because the slope effectively de-lofts the clubface and turns a 6-iron into a five or a four. Shots from downhill lies tend to go left to right, so I’d also aim a little bit left to compensate.

3

3 BALL BELOW FEET The hardest challenge for this sort of shot is to get down to the ball and stay there through impact, so the key thought here is to try to maintain the flex in your knees throughout the swing.

You will also be further away from the ball than normal, so I’d recommend you squat down a bit and feel as if you are leaning your backside into the slope, to lower your centre of gravity.

4 In this position, your swing will be restricted and will be more of a hands-and-arms movement than usual, and you will need to aim left of your target, as the ball will have a tendency to go right.

4 BALL ABOVE FEET This sort of lie brings the ball a bit closer to you than normal, so you need to stand a fraction taller and maybe grip down the shaft a little.

I’d also recommend you address the ball with a bit more weight on your toes to counteract gravity, which in this case will pull you onto your heels. From this more upright position, your swing will be flatter – or more round your body – than it would be from a regular lie. You are very likely to hit the ball left, so you need to aim right to compensate.

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[32] JULY 2015

T

here was a time when virtually every golf club in the land had somewhere where you could put your feet up and enjoy a reviving cup of coffee (or something stronger) and a bacon sandwich at the mid-point of a round. But the pressure to pack in the punters, and the need to get golfers to spend far bigger sums in the fancy new clubhouse restaurant, rather than snacking on Mars Bars and fizzy drinks, has signalled the death knell for many halfway houses.

Purists might argue that golf is meant to be a non-stop route march from one to 18, but for those whom a day out playing golf means precisely that, then the 10-minute stopover at the halfway house is as sacred a ritual as going to church on Sunday.

Footballers stop for Lucozade, cricketers remove the bails twice a day to take in a three-course lunch and a cream tea (and drinks in between), while snooker players even down pints while they play, so why is it so wrong for golfers to stop for a few minutes to tuck into a pork pie and a cuppa?

It not only gives the unfit amongst us a window of opportunity to recover from the exertions of the front nine, but it also gives the scorer enough time to add up the Stableford points and to divvy up the profit and loss account from the early betting action.

Halfway houses come in all shapes and sizes. From Portakabins and tatty caravans, to flimsy wooden huts and the impressive permanent brick-built temples to snackdom that put other venues clubhouses to shame.

So what makes a good halfway house? Being open for business is perhaps the main priority. How many times have you eagerly trotted off the ninth green to find the windows of the hut boarded up and a sign saying ‘Open from May 1 to August 30’, or ‘Closed on Mondays’? It ranks right up there with arriving at McDonalds at 11.01am and being told that breakfasts are no longer available – even though you can still see an Egg McMuffin gently warming on the hotplate.

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Regardless, you try the door in the vain hope that they’ve left the cooker on and there’s a tray of sausages gently sizzling in the oven. To add insult to injury, the water fountain only manages to splutter a brown trickle of rust before it gives up altogether.

Suddenly, that soggy half-eaten packet of Fisherman’s Friends you found in the bottom of your golf bag begins to take on the look of a Happy Meal for one.

Being at the halfway point helps purely for the balance, but is not essential in my book.

I’m particularly fond of halfway huts that defy the description and make an appearance earlier or later on, and I’m even more delighted with those that interrupt play more than once during the course of a round.

Richmond Park’s infamous static caravan allows peckish players to grab a hotdog or a burger on at least three different occasions, while Goodwood, my own home course, sees Ken’s infamous tileroofed hut welcome you to its serving hatch after the 6th and the 15th, firstly ensuring that you’re just had time to walk off breakfast, and then leaving you fully energised and refreshed for the final three holes – a time when many players are beginning to suffer dangerously low sugar levels, which can never help in the push for those final points in the monthly Stableford.

Huts aren’t always found at clubs where the ninth green is located in the outer reaches of the course. Foxhills, in Surrey, which offers one of the better clubhouse catering experiences in the country, has a halfway house that is only a few yards from the clubhouse itself. The same is on offer at Sand Martins and at Stoke Park, ensuring players don’t waste time nipping into the clubhouse when they’re in need of quick sustenance.

When the smell of sizzling sausages wafts across the fairway the temptation to stop is often hard to resist. To bypass the tradition may not only cause friction in your fourball, but it can throw out the pace of play for all the other players on the

course. Playing through, while clutching a steaming plastic cup of tea with ketchup dribbling down your chin does have its drawbacks, especially when you’re three down at the turn.

Technology, as in many walks of life, has made life easier for the hungry golfer and halfway hut staff, with many clubs installing phones at huts so that golfers can order their hot food in advance, ensuring that waiting times are kept to a minimum. In the days before mobiles, many clubs had phones installed on the 8th tee, while many of the latest buggies have an food ordering feature that operates alongside the GPS.

As for the hut itself, it’s a point of some fierce debate as to whether – space permitting – tables and chairs should be offered inside, thereby encouraging the golfer to tarry yet further, or whether garden furniture should be scattered outside for a more casual al fresco experience. Or should they just go without, and let diners fend for themselves. Toilets for men and women are also essential. It’s really no longer acceptable for men to disappear into the bushes in the 21st century – women don’t have the option, so it’s time to show some bladder control chaps.

HEAVEN IS A HALFWAY HOUSE

A lifelong devotee of halfway houses around the world, Nick Bayly asks what makes the perfect recipe for a mid-round stopover and pleads with golf clubs to retain this important culinary tradition

And what of the dining experience itself? The menu should reflect the eclectic tastes of the average membership, but the key is a really classy bacon butty. Bacon should not be fatty – dry cured and smoked is a bonus – and bread should be thick, white and sliced (no pappy floured baps on my watch, please). Butter, never margarine or Benecol, and proper branded sauces (red and brown, natch), and certainly none of that watered down stuff in generic squidgy bottles.

The sausage sandwich is just as vital, and once again, forget Richmond’s pink fingers, organic and locally sourced pork is the only way to go. Leave the chorizo and red pepper options for family BBQs. A fried egg, although a welcome addition to any sandwich, can only end badly when eaten on the golf course, with yoke drippings on your finest cashmere jumper not a good look at any time of the day.

Drinks must include hot builder’s tea, freshly-brewed coffee (no frothy lattes), Bovril, a choice of under the counter spirits (Port, yes, Kummel, no) , chilled lagers and a wide choice of sweets, chilled chocolate, and the odd bit of fruit for wierd healthy types. Homemade cookies, pies – Carnoustie’s are worth the green fee alone – and any other quirky snack foods (a Scotch egg is food of the golfing gods) are also a bonus.

In these action-packed days we live in, I say it’s time to embrace and cherish the halfway hut and all that it stands for – a short pause for thought on the treadmill of life. A time to reflect on what has gone before and look forward in hope to what lies ahead. The halfway hut, in all its glorious forms, I salute you.

Where is your favourite halfway house? Email your choice, with photos, if possible, to editor@ golfnews.co.uk and we’ll publish a selection on the GolfNews website.

Goodwood’s halfway house

The halfway hut offers the chance to reflect on what has gone before and look forward in hope to what lies ahead

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE | JULY 2015 [33]

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Caption

GREAT SUMMER SAVINGS ON SRIXON GOLF BALLS W

Srixon is offering golfers sizeable savings on its best-selling Z-Star XV, Z-Star and AD333 Tour balls as part of fantastic summer-long promotion

ith the sun shining and the fairways running fast and firm, there has never been a better time to hit the links for a round.

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So whether you’re buying three sleeves and getting one sleeve free, or buying the maximum of three dozen balls and getting one dozen free, that’s three times the reason to stock up on Srixon golf balls this summer to help raise your game and lower your scores.

The promotion is available throughout the UK and Ireland, but only while stocks last at participating stockists, so hurry down to your local pro shop to make sure you don’t miss out.

Srixon’s UK and Eire brand manager, Ben Davis, said: “We believe our three-piece tour balls are the best in the business, and we want to make sure as many golfers as possible have the opportunity to play them. We’re sure this offer will prove very popular, so we’re making sure all our outlets have plenty of stock available.”

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JUST THE JOB

[34] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

After ditching his role at a club pro, following 15 years on the European Tour, Surrey-born Nick Job has found a new lease of life on the European Seniors Tour, winning five times and becoming the tour’s second highest-ever earner

H

ow long were you out on tour for originally?

I played from 1968 through until 1983 on the European Tour. I was still exempt in 1983, but with two kids and no money I decided I needed the security of a club professional’s job. I joined Richmond Golf Club in Surrey in 1985 and was there until 2003.

Unlike many of us, you must have been looking forward to turning 50?

Yes, I was. When I left the tour in 1983, I’d lost my game completely because of the pressure of playing with kids to feed, a mortgage to pay, and things like that. And the money was tough. I got my game back through being a club pro, and doing the things I was telling my pupils to do!

Did you come close to winning in your early tour career?

I should have won a couple of times. I lost a play-off to Brian Barnes in the Greater Manchester Open in 1978, and I made the Hennessy Cognac Cup team in 1980, and I had a good career. I was mainly exempt all the way through, so I played consistently, but it was a tough old business in those days.

How did your game stack up against the big guns?

It was okay. I was never the most positive person – never that confident, I’m afraid. But my game was good. I now have

lessons with Gary Torbett from Chipstead, and he’s gradually changed my swing into the modern game, because sadly, the way we were brought up to play the game then is not the same as it is now.

So you’ve had to relearn the swing?

Certainly, and it’s working. The equipment has made it easier.

We were brought up with balls that ballooned and spun much more sideways than they do now.

The ball is now an airborne one, whereas we used to keep it as low to the ground as possible.

Did you have to qualify for the Senior Tour when you turned 50?

I was exempt for my first year and played a few tournaments, but my category was only for a year. So I went back to Tour School in Turkey in 1999 and finished third. In those days it was great, because there were lots of tournaments.

But you’re now a tour winner…

Yes, five times. I’m very lucky, and it’s been a wonderful thing.

When I left the main tour, my wife had to push me onto the first tee! I’d lost confidence in my game completely, but with a bit of practice and a few lessons I came back on the senior tour and won in my second year. So it’s been a dream come true.

Are club pros made welcome, or do some tour pros think you’re raiding their pension pot?

You’re absolutely right – that is a feeling. And with the way the

European Seniors Tour is going to run next year, I would think that’s where it is being pushed, because they’re cutting the fields.

Tour school graduates are now quite low down the rankings, and it’s tough for them to then play enough tournaments to become exempt for the next year.

Nick Job with the Scottish Seniors Open trophy he won in 2005

What are you doing now without much of a tournament schedule?

I’m possibly one of the luckier ones, in that I’ve got another business, so I’ve got something else to do. I feel very sorry for the guys who came off the main tour and expected the senior tour to be there for them. It was part of a pension plan as such, because the Tour would never allow pros to have pensions on the European Tour – although seemingly every other tour managed to do it. It was very annoying because I Ieft the tour completely skint! Even in my best year on tour, which was in 1980, I won less than £20,000 in prize money from 19 events.

So the ‘club pro to senior tour pro’ route could be sealed off a bit?

The club pro route or the amateur route, for that matter.

Were you accepted more because of your main tour career?

Yes, because I knew the guys.

By the time you get to 50, you tend to have got rid of all the animosity and jealousy about people doing well. If guys play well and win tournaments, good for them. I believe people like Paul Wesselingh, and the younger guys who have come from the amateur ranks or the club pro ranks, actually do as much, if not more, to promote the senior tour than if it was structured purely around ex-tour pros.

So you would prefer to see it carry on as is?

The European Senior Tour has major, major issues. It’s lost its way. It’s struggling for tournaments. It’s been struggling for quite a few years for tournaments, because I don’t think it’s run in the correct way. I don’t think it’s promoted for what it actually is, which is corporate entertainment. I think they’ve missed the boat, and although it

might sound a bit controversial, I think it’s been badly managed.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS Age: 65 Born: Haslemere, Surrey Lives: Thames Ditton, Surrey Turned Pro: 1965 European Tour appearances (‘68-‘83): 239 (€144,787) Best Open finish: T14 (1981) European Senior Tour appearances (‘00-‘15): 262 (€1.596m) Senior Tour wins: 5 (Weston Homes PGA International 2008, The Gloria Classic 2007, Scottish Seniors Open 2005, Lawrence Batley 2001, Elf Seniors 2000)

Did you blow your first big senior cheque on something?

No. I’m still second in career earnings on the senior tour, so we’ve done very well, but there’s not much money in the bank at the end of the day, after taxes and expenses. We don’t have sponsors and things like that, so it’s not all profit, I’m afraid.

And the ones lower down the pecking order?

It’s very tough, isn’t it? But it’s the call of the wild. We all believe that we can do it!

Catch Nick Job in action at the Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale from July 23-26 and at the Travis Perkins British Senior Masters at Woburn from September 4-6. For tickets visit tickets.europeantour.com.

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NEWS IN BRIEF SPIETH CLAIMS JD CLASSIC Jordan Spieth’s decision to play in the John Deere Classic, rather than the Scottish Open, was rewarded with a play-off victory over fellow American Tom Gillis.

The 21-year-old led by two shots with 18 holes to play, following a career low round of 61, but was overtaken

by Gillis half-way through the final round, after the 47 year old shot 64 to finish on 20 under. But a birdie from the Masters and US Open champion on the 17th, then a par at the last, took him into a play-off with Gillis.

Spieth clinched victory on the second extra hole for his fourth PGA win of 2015.

DANNY’S DELIGHT AT GREENBRIER South Korean-born Danny Lee won his first title on the PGA Tour at The Greenbrier Classic after edging through a fourman play-off. The 24-year-old sealed his maiden success by beating David Hearn at the second play-off hole, after Americans Robert Streb and Kevin Kisner were both earlier eliminated.

IN GEE CHUN WINS WOMEN’S US OPEN South Korea’s In Gee Chun won the US Women’s Open by one shot at Lancaster Country Club. The 20-yearold shot 66 in the final round to finish eight-under par and win her first major title. She beat compatriot Amy Yang, who had led going into the final round, but carded a 71.

Defending champion Michelle Wie finished 11th, while Charley Hull was the best placed Briton, tied for 42nd.

STALLINGS GIVEN THREE-MONTH DRUG SUSPENSION American Tour player Scott Stallings has been handed a three-month doping suspension by the PGA Tour after he admitted to inadvertently taking a supplement that was on the banned list. The 30-year-old American, who is ranked 154th in the world, is only the third player punished since the Tour adopted the anti-doping policy in 2008.

He will be able to return to competition on October 7.

[36] JULY 2015 | TOUR NEWS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Football injury puts McIlroy’s PGA defence in doubt After missing out on defending the Open Championship at St Andrews, following his football-induced ankle injury, Rory McIlroy is hoping that he will be fit enough to play in the US PGA Championship, which tees off at Whistling Straits on August 13.

The world No.1 was forced to miss the Open after rupturing a ligament in his left ankle during a game of football with friends on July 5. The 26-year-old Northern Irishman initially said he was still hoping to defend his title on the Old Course, but it was quickly apparerent that the injury was more severe than was first thought, and he

is currently focussing his attentions on his rehabilitation.

“I’m taking a long-term view of this injury and, although the rehab is progressing well, I want to come back to tournament play when I feel 100 per cent healthy and 100% competitive,” McIlroy wrote on his Twitter feed.

McIlroy has resisted giving a date for his return to action, but speaking at the Open, his manager, Sean O’Flaherty said: “Rory is positive, happy, and looking forward to working through the process of getting back, but until he can have the relative movement, he won’t be going near a practice ground.”

Fowler bags first win in Europe A brilliant late birdie burst helped Rickie Fowler secure his first European Tour victory in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

Despite strong winds and cold temperatures at Gullane Golf Club, Fowler rose to the occasion late on with three birdies in his final four holes – including a tap-in at the last, courtesy of a wonderful wedge shot.

A round of 68 for a 12 under par total saw him leapfrog fellow American Matt Kuchar, who had previously set the clubhouse target on 11 under par, after he too signed for a 68.

Raphaël Jacquelin, playing alongside overnight leader Daniel Brooks in the last group, needed an eagle on the 72nd hole to force a play off, and the Frenchman almost pulled off the unlikely feat when his approach stopped within a foot of the cup.

That tap-in birdie set the seal on a level-par round of 70, and his tied runner-up finish earned Jacquelin a place in the Open Championship.

Brooks struggled in a round of 73, but the 28 year old from

Basildon took consolation from earning a place at St Andrews, along with Sweden’s Rickard Karlberg, who closed with a 64 to claim the third and final Open berth.

Speaking after his win, Fowler said: “It was nice to be back in contention again, and I’m excited about where my game is

at. Probably the only thing that would be more special than this would be winning the Open next week. But winning on a links golf course in Scotland is a special thing. I didn’t see many scores being under par with the way the wind was blowing, so it was a tough test of golf and I’m proud of how I finished.”

More events and prize money increases shows European Tour on ‘stable footing’ After losing many of its top players to the PGA Tour in recent years, the European Tour has issued a statement highlighting the financial success of the current tournament schedule.

The tour reported that players are competing for total prize money of €166 million in the current season – representing an 18.5 per cent increase on last year – mostly due to the addition of seven new tournaments to the schedule.

Three new events – the Paul Lawrie Match Play, the British Masters, and the European Open – have contributed to a combined prize fund of €51 million for the 21 events held on European soil, while there are four new events taking place outside of Europe – the Thailand Classic, the Indian Open, the Shenzhen International, and the Mauritius Open.

The rise of €26 million from 2014’s figures has also been helped by prize fund increases

Boosted prize funds and more events have helped the European Tour remain competitive in the global market

for four tournaments, including the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which had a record purse of €5m.

This year’s Race to Dubai consists of 48 tournaments played in 27 different countries.

Excluding majors and WGC events, the 40 regular events contribute €97m to the overall prize money total – an increase of

11.8 per cent on last year.

Keith Waters, the European Tour’s chief operating officer, said: “It is clear from these positive figures that the European Tour is currently on a very stable footing.

Our aim is to give all our members playing opportunities in events around the world, and our robust schedule gives them the chance to do just that.”

Trump loses PGA Grand Slam event following Mexican slur

The PGA of America has pulled out of hosting its traditional end-of-year tournament between the season’s major champions at Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles as a result of Donald Trump’s statements regarding illegal immigrants earlier this month.

The Grand Slam of Golf had been scheduled to take place at Trump’s course in Los Angeles in October, but following comments aired on television, in which Trump claimed that Mexican immigrants were responsible for a lot of crime in America, the PGA of America has decided to take the tournament to an alternative venue.

After his initial comments sparked outrage, Trump said that he had received ‘tremendous support’ from the golf world because ‘they all know I’m right’.

The four major governing bodies later released a joint statement distancing themselves from Trump’s remarks.

Trump, who is running for the Republican nomination in the US presidential elections, has been widely condemned for his comments, resulting in a number of sponsors withdrawing their support for his organisations. There have also been calls for all of the tournaments that are due to be hosted at Trump venues to find alternative locations.

The US PGA Championship is due to be held at Trump National in New Jersey in 2022, while the US Women’s Open is to be played at his New Jersey course in 2017.

The PGA Tour stages a World Golf Championship at Trump National Doral outside Miami each year.

Next month’s Women’s British Open is being held at Turnberry, which is owned by Trump.

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[38] JULY 2015 | PROSHOP

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PING i IRONS

NIKE METHOD CONVERGE

RRP: £124/£112 PER CLUB (GR/ST) CONTACT: PING.COM Those of us expecting the next keenlyanticipated model in Ping’s i range to be the i35 or i40 have been thwarted with the launch of the simply-named ‘i’ iron.

This no-frills nomenclature is particularly suitable in this case, as the latest generation of the series is arguably the most stripped down of all Ping’s i irons to date.

Made from 431 stainless steel, which offers a high strength-toweight ratio and softer feel, the i delivers workability and trajectory control in a set that features progressively larger heads and a lower, deeper centre of gravity as you move from the short irons to the long irons.

A custom tuning port placed deep in the cavity allows for expanded perimeter weighting, which will ensure that players will benefit from plenty of forgiveness from occasional miss-hits, without losing the precision and distance control for which the series is known.

With a thin top rail, minimal offset, and a soft feel off the face, the i iron will appeal to a wide section of mid-double digits and high singlefigure handicappers.

It is available in 3-9 iron, PW, UW with Ping CFS Distance steel shafts or Ping CFS Graphite shafts, as well as a variety of after-market shafts at no extra cost.

TRIED + TESTED

RRP: £129.99 CONTACT: NIKEGOLF.COM Nike has unveiled two new families of putters that both feature an innovative self-fitting system to help golfers find the best putter for their game.

The Method Converge is focused on feel, roll and forgiveness, and comes in four distinct styles (B1-01, M1-08, S1-12, S2-12). Method technology features the same RZN material used in Nike’s RZN balls. Nike club designers utilised some of the findings from the golf ball team and applied them to the face of the putter to give it a softer feel and faster forward roll.

A RZN layer between stainless steel actively manages forgiveness, resulting in 10% tighter dispersion, while a ‘T’ shaped alignment aid helps find the proper address position.

The Method Matter (£99) putters also feature a Tour-proven RZN groove insert, which softens feel and delivers faster forward roll, while a stainless steel body further softens feel and allows for more adjustability. The Matter is available in four head shapes (B1-07, B2-01, M4-12, M5-12), while length-specific head weights ensure optimal perimeter weighting and a low centre of gravity for enhanced stability and less spin.

VOICE CADDIE SWING CADDIE SC200

Given that launch monitors such as Trackman and FlightScope are out of the financial reach of most club golfers, getting reliable swing stats is often confined to a custom fitting or a lesson with a pro. That was until last year, when Voice Caddie launched the Swing Caddie SC100, which offered key data such as swing speed, ball speed and carry distance, all for under £200.

While impressive as a first attempt, the second generation Swing Caddie, the SC200, adds the ability to enter your own club lofts. So rather than simply inputting ‘7-iron’, you can enter the club number and its loft angle, which helps when fine tuning gaps in your club set up or experimenting with different sets of clubs or testing a new driver.

Like Trackman and FlightScope, the SC200 is a Doppler radar-based launch monitor, which sits behind you on the floor of the range. It’s battery powered and is no bigger than a smartphone. It takes a few swings to find the exact location to pick up your swing, but once locked on it’s very consistent. It also speaks its mind, verbalising your yardages so that you don’t have to turn around to read the display, although you can turn the volume down so as not to distract your fellow range users.

It also comes with a remote control, so you don’t have to pick it up or bend down whenever you want to switch clubs or modes.

Pitted against FlightScope, it proved to be remarkably accurate, consistently coming within 1-2% throughout the bag. It missed most shots with a lob wedge, but that’s

RRP: £249 CONTACT: VOICECADDIE.COM

a common problem with the more expensive systems, as the flight path is too steep to capture.

While its lack of spin rate, launch angle and swing path data make it a non-starter as a fitting tool, it provides more than enough information for golfers looking to dial in their yardages, tweak lofts for gapping, or to work out the impact of a lighter or heavier shaft, or a different brand of club, on head speed or carry distances.

However, the SC200 really comes into its own as a training aid. Three different modes – Practice, Target or Random – ensure that time spent on the range is both varied and efficient, with a unique scoring system used to monitor carry distance accuracy and consistency. The ability to track statistics for each club enables distance control to be fine-tuned.

In Target mode the user simply selects a club and is given an adjustable set of distances and swings away trying to match that distance.

In Random mode the SC200 adds randomisation to Target mode.

These modes come with a game, where users are rewarded points the closer they are to their yardage goal.

This feature is a valuable tool to force you to take the time to pause and focus on what you’re doing during your practice sessions. A shot count and time display allows practice sessions to be monitored – another useful feature.

All in all, the SC200 offers a whole lot of fun for under £250, and provides plenty of useful data for equipment geeks and those who are looking to add a bit of focus to their range sessions.

ADAMS GOLF BLUE RRP: £399-£599 CONTACT: ADAMSGOLF.COM Each piece in the Adams Blue range has been designed to help golfers get the ball in the air more easily and more consistently. This is achieved with its Easy Launch System, which combines three key technologies to make it easier for high handicapper to hit pleasing iron shots.

The first feature is a cut channel on the sole, which allows the face to flex at impact for faster ball speeds. The second is a low and back centre of gravity in the clubhead, which encourages higher launch, more spin, and more airtime on all shots.

And the third element is the SlimTech shaft, which offers a narrower tip diameter – 0.35mm ­– to promote lower kick points and high launch. Blue irons are sold as either a combination set, including two hybrids (3,4) and six irons (5-PW), or as irononly sets (5-PW).

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

PRO SHOP

PROSHOP | JULY 2015 [39]

UNDER ARMOUR TIPS POLO

RRP: £60 CONTACT: UNDERARMOUR.COM The Tips Polo contains Under Armour’s most advanced cooling system to date, including a mesh ventilation system that delivers breathability in a light, stretchy, fast-drying fabric.

Under Armour’s trademark moisture transport system wicks sweat away from the body, while anti-odour technology keeps the garment smelling fresh. Coldblack technology features built-in UV protection and reflects heat rays away from the fabric, so that even dark colours stay cooler for longer. It is available in black, white, graphite, red, and pale blue.

TAYLORMADE DADDY LONG LEGS+ RRP: £199 CONTACT: TAYLORMADEGOLF. COM

PING DLX II RRP: £199 CONTACT: PINGGOLF.COM If your carrying days are over, then look no further than Ping’s DLX bag to cart all your golfing clobber in chauffeur-style comfort.

The second generation DLX was inspired by the bags used by Ping’s tour players, and is stacked with design features to make life easier for all trolley users. Key features include a 15-way top (including an over-sized putter well); 10 pockets (seven of which are zippered, including an insulated drinks pocket and a velour-lined valuables pocket); integrated umbrella slot; soft, molded lift handles; and a rubberised bottom. The bag is made from a polyurethane vinyl materal, which is not only durable, but looks superb. It is available in black or white.

PING GMAX IRONS RRP: £108/£96 PER CLUB (GR/ST) CONTACT: PING.COM The latest generation of Ping’s award-winning G Series irons promises to deliver ball speeds up to 3mph faster than any previous Ping iron. In a world where small margins make big differences, and where increase gains are becoming harder to come by, this is a significant step forward in pure performance terms.

The gains have been achieved through what Ping calls COR-Eye Technology, which simultaneously activates the sole, face, and top rail to create faster ball speeds across the entire face, not just on those rare centre strikes. A new cavity structure houses a concealed custom tuning port that connects to the sole. With this deeper position and wider sole, each iron’s centre of gravity is moved lower and further back to increase the MOI for more forgiveness, accuracy and consistency.

The faces on the long and mid irons have been heat treated to create an alloy that is 40% stronger, which in turn allows the face to be thinner for greater flexing and faster ball speeds.

Longer blade lengths and increased offset maximise forgiveness and ensure a higher shot height, while an enhanced leading edge, with more trailing edge relief and refined bounce, helps the iron cut through the turf.

Available as a nine-piece set, comprising 4-9 irons and three wedges, GMax irons come with Ping CFS Distance steel shafts or Ping CFS graphite shafts, with other stock shaft options including Dynamic Gold and Project X models.

TaylorMade has expanded its range of counter-balanced putters with the launch of the Daddy Long Legs+. Featuring a SuperStroke XL 2.0 grip with a 125g counter weight in the top of the shaft, the DLL+ puts 200% more weight above the hands to raises the balance point two inches to allow greater control of the heavier head. With the 8,856 MOI of the head, the DLL+ is the most stable putter TaylorMade has ever created. Other tour-inspired design features include a matte black finish and a new non-glare tour satin grey finish with contrasting alignment lines, while a new deep-milled 13g aluminium insert is engineered to deliver a crisp feel off the face and smooth, accurate roll.

CALLAWAY MACK DADDY 3 MILLED WEDGES RRP: £109 CONTACT: CALLAWAYGOLF.COM Callaway’s new range of specialist wedges, the Mack Daddy 3 Milled, offer unique grinds and groove combinations for every condition, every swing and every shot.

Crafted by Callaway’s chief wedge designer Roger Cleveland, the new MD3 Milled Wedges offer a choice of three different grinds (S, W and C) and a progressive groove optimisation system which employs three different groove patterns to increase spin as loft increases. Loft options will include 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°, 58° and 60°.

Available in either satin chrome or a new matte black finish, all MD3 wedges have been engineered with milled Mack Daddy grooves and laser micro grooves for the ultimate in control.

Commenting on the new range, Cleveland said: “By increasing each groove’s wall angle, and therefore the aggressiveness, as you move higher in loft we can now give players better control and the ability to stop the ball more efficiently. Typically, a player will create most spin with around a 50° wedge, and their spin will then drop off as they go higher in loft.

However, thanks to Progressive Groove Optimisation, our MD3 wedges generate greater spin as the loft increases, giving maximum control when and where the golfer needs it.”

The new MD3 Wedges, which go on sale in early September, comes with True Temper Dynamic Gold wedge shafts and Lamkin UTX grips as standard.

[40] JULY 2015 | SHOWCASE

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

GARMIN APPROACH S6 RRP: £349.99 CONTACT: GARMIN.COM The Approach S6 offers a hi-res colour touchscreen with a host of innovative features, including Swing Tempo and Swing Strength, which are measured by a built-in accelerometer. Loaded with over 30,000 courses, the S6 has Garmin’s GreenView technology, which shows the exact layout of the green, and PinPointer, a feature that offers blind shot assistance, allowing you to line up your shot, even if you are in the woods or deep in the rough.

CourseView allows users to preview hole details like doglegs, bunkers and water hazards. It can be paired with a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer via Garmin’s Connect app, which allows golfers to download rounds for a wide range of scoring options and statistical analysis tools.

The S6 can also receive texts, emails and call alerts and promises 10-hour battery life in full GPS mode.

BENEFITS: Aerial hole maps; touchscreen zoom; statistical analysis; course coverage; handicap scoring, swing tempo tools.

BUSHNELL NEO XS RRP: £159 CONTACT: BUSHNELLGOLF.CO.UK Bushnell’s Neo XS comes with over 33,000 preloaded courses around the world, and with no membership fees, the device works straight from the box, and instantly recognises courses and holes as you move through a layout. It also offers distances on up to four hazards per hole – up from two on the previous model – and has a tee time start mode, so you don’t waste any of its 14hour battery life, which is good for at least three rounds.

It also provides shot tracking, and the normal functions of a watch, including timer, alarm, and odometer. It’s waterproof and is available in a choice of three colours: black/yellow, charcoal/ orange, or white/ cobalt.

BENEFITS: Light and comfortable; easy to operate; four hazards per hole; competitive price.

Dial in your distances with the latest GPS watches

RRP: £159.99 CONTACT: GOLFBUDDY.EU In addition to the usual front-back-centre of the green readings, the WT5 features a button that offers distances to targets and hazards such as water and bunkers. Its 1.26-inch colour screen also has a dynamic green view and pin placement function, and it allows you to move the pin to nine points on the green for more precise yardages.

Much thinner and more comfortable to wear than the previous WT3 watch, the WT5 is pre-loaded with 40,000 automatically-recognised worldwide courses, with no annual fee or charge to download additional courses. It also offers a digital scorecard.

Battery life is good for at least two 18-hole rounds (eight hours), while in ‘watch-only’ mode it is good for a month on a single charge.

BENEFITS: Hazards yardages; dynamic green view; moveable pin placement; strong course coverage; large number display; very light.

RRP: £179 CONTACT: VOICECADDIE.COM An update on its popular T1, Voice Caddy’s T2 provides yardages to the front, middle and back of greens, and automatic hole recognition. It is preloaded with 30,000 courses, and there are no annual fees. New for the T2 is a ‘Smart Scorecard’ feature that detects how many shots you’ve taken on each hole, as well as the ability to analyse rounds by using the aerial map view mode. It also has a swing tempo analysis feature that enables the wearer to measure the ratio of backswing time to downswing time. As well as offering time, date, alarm and stopwatch functions, it also has a fitness mode that measures distance, average speed, and calories burned. Water resistant up to a depth of 30m, the battery provides 10 hours of continuous GPS use, or six weeks of watch use.

BENEFITS: Swing tempo measurement; battery life; post-round analysis; fitness mode.

WRISTY BUSINESS GOLFBUDDY WT5

VOICE CADDIE T2

SKYCADDIE LINX RRP: £199 CONTACT: SKYCADDIE.COM In addition to the standard front, centre and back of the green yardages, the Linx has the capability to offer SkyCaddie’s groundmapped hazards, doglegs, layup points and greens, along with pin placement targeting, shot measurement, odometer, scoring and statistics. Some of these extras come at an addition cost. The basic SkyGolf 360 plan costs £14.95 per year, while the Pro package, which also includes Intelligreen and TrueGround Targets Lists, costs £39.95.

Pre-loaded with 35,000 courses, and featuring auto course and hole recognition, the Linx is Bluetooth enabled and can be paired with a smartphone to enable call and text alerts. Users can sync rounds to a SkyGolf 360 account through SkyCaddie’s mobile app. The battery offers eight hours’ GPS use. For those that want to style up their watch, the bezel and strap are available in a variety of colours.

BENEFITS: Distances to hazards and layup points; statistics tracking; courses mapped on foot ensure accuracy.

TOMTOM GOLFER RRP: £199.99 CONTACT: TOMTOM.COM Given the popularity of its in-car navigation systems, it was only a matter of time before TomTom attempted to bag a slice of the GPS golf market. It has kicked things off with a water-resistant watch that has access to over 34,000 courses and provides distances to the front, centre and back of the green, hazards and layups. It also offers score, distance and time functions, while course updates are delivered wirelessly via a smartphone app. Users navigate the controls via a 4-way button bolted on to the bottom of the watch body, which does away with the need for buttons on the side.

BENEFITS: Simple set up; clear display; intuitive interface, stylish.

SCORE INDUSTRIES 35 RRP: £129.95 CONTACT: JSINT.COM Although not a familiar brand in the UK, Score Industries GPS devices are gaining popularity in the US. The SI 35 is an entry-level model that offers distance to the front, centre and back of the green. It also measures shot distance; distance to hazards; and offers a digital scorecard. It comes with more than 30,000 pre-installed courses, which are loaded automatically when you arrive at each course. Waterproof to 30 metres, it promises a battery life of 8-10 hours in GPS mode and 10 days in powersaving mode.

BENEFITS: Inexpensive, clear display numbers screen.

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

JULY 2015

POWAKADDY LAUNCHES CART BAG PROMOTION

JORDAN SMITH BAGS NIKE STAFF CONTRACT Wiltshire-based tour professional Jordan Smith has been signed up by Nike Golf for a full staff contract.

The 22-year-old former Walker Cup player, who is attached to Bowood Park, has agreed a multi-year, 14-club, head-to-toe deal with Nike. His bag comprises a Vapor Pro driver, Vapor Speed fairway woods, Vapor Pro irons, Engage wedges and a Method Core putter. He will also be playing Nike’s RZN Black ball and wearing Lunar Control 3 shoes and Nike Golf Performance apparel.

“Becoming a Nike Golf athlete is a recognition of the success I’ve already achieved so far in my career, but also my future potential, and I know there is lots of hard work ahead to achieve what I want in the sport,” said Smith, who turned professional at the end of last year.

Smith’s golfing career began later than most, as he didn’t pick up a club until the age of 13. However, after enrolling in the scholarship programme at Bowood, the Englishman progressed through the junior ranks and enjoyed a successful amateur career, during which he won the Brabazon Trophy before going on to represent GB & Ireland at the 2013 Walker Cup. After recording impressive finishes at the Lyoness Open and Russian Open on the European Tour in 2014, Smith turned pro at the back end of last year. He got through to the second stage of European Tour qualifying in November, but is currently plying his trade on the EuroPro Tour.

Leading trolley brand PowaKaddy is giving away a free cart bag to anyone who buys one of its FW7 electric trolleys between now and August 17.

Golfers can take their pick from the PowaKaddy’s Premium Cart Bag (£149.99), which is available in silver/white and features seven storage pockets, or PowaKaddy’s Deluxe Cart Bag (£99.99), which feature 14 full-length dividers.

The new FW7 electric trolley (£399) is the most advanced electric trolley the brand has ever made. As well as improvements to the frame and its 3-fold closing system, the FW7 features a Plug ‘n’ Play battery and a host of digital features, such as automatic distance and distance measurement functions.

“We have seen a huge surge in sales since first launching the

FW7 back in the spring of 2014, and this has only increased with the enhanced and updated 2015 FW7 model,” said PowaKaddy CEO, David Catford. “Our cart bags have been equally popular, so we are delighted to bring this promotion to golfers, allowing them to complete their brand new trolley purchase with either the Premium or Deluxe models, absolutely free of charge. We are confident that it will encourage more golfers than ever before to realise the many benefits that a PowaKaddy electric trolley can bring to their game.”

Bushnell backs Europe’s leading ladies Bushnell, maker of the mostused laser rangefinder on the professional tours, has announced the continuation of its partnership with the Ladies European Tour as official rangefinder.

As part of the deal, Bushnell will provide the leading players with access to its latest products, including the new Tour X, which will prove the perfect tool for the players’ tournament preparations and ensure accurate yardages.

Bushnell’s rangefinders enjoy almost total domination on the men’s professional tours, with 99% of players and 94% of caddies using one of the company’s models while preparing for this year’s Players Championship, including the eventual winner and Bushnell Golf ambassador, Rickie Fowler.

As well as supplying the LET with product, Bushnell will look to educate tour players and the golfing public to the benefits of Bushnell products; from the versatile GPS range, including the new NEO Ghost, to the marketleading line of laser rangefinders, led by the Tour X. This agreement follows Bushnell’s partnership with the EuroPro Tour which was announced earlier this year.

Ecco supplies limited edition footwear to Solheim Cup team Danish footwear company Ecco has been named official footwear supplier to the 2015 European Solheim Cup team and will create special-edition shoes exclusively for the squad’s players, captain Carin Koch and her assistants.

The company will also provide shoes to the defending champions’ caddies and team staff. The competition will be held from September 18-20 at St Leon-Rot in Germany.

Jesper Thuen, global marketing manager at Ecco Golf, said: “This truly unique event has proven to be an exceptional showcase for the Ecco Golf collection and our company’s commitment to the women’s game. With our side looking for its third-straight win, golf fans throughout Europe will be tuned in and rooting them on.”

Get your distance back with Heavenly Hybrids While most golfers have at least one hybrid in their bag these days, Heavenly Hybrids offers sets that are entirely made up of them, on the basis that some players will benefit from their distance-enhancing and forgiveness qualities throughout the bag.

Designed by Suffolk-based golf pro Stuart Smith, Heavenly Hybrid’s give golfers of all abilities greater distance, improved ball flight, and better control.

Tests have shown that Heavenly Hybrids hit the ball nine per cent further than equivalent irons, and are 10 per cent more accurate from inside 20 yards.

The latest Heavenly Hybrid set comprises five clubs – 6, 8, PW, GW and SW – and is aimed at those golfers for whom long irons no longer offer appreciable distance gains.

Smith, who has been a golf professional for over 20 years, said: “Our tests show that most golfers cannot hit the distances required to warrant a full set of irons, and as you get older and your swing slows down, you need even fewer irons, making this the perfect set for those types of player.”

He added: “These clubs have been designed to be lighter in the head, and have a much softer shaft to offer greater clubhead speed and bring much wanted distance back.”

Available in men’s and ladies’ models, the new five-piece Heavenly Hybrid set costs just £199 (plus postage).

Clubs can also be bought individually for £40, and clubhead covers are included. For details, visit www. heavenlyhybrid.com or call Stuart Smith on 07766 733560.

[41]

THE GEAR EFFECT

WINNERS’ BAGS ON TOUR

BUBBA WATSON Travelers Championship DRIVER: Ping G30 (9) FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G30 (14.5), Ping G30 (21) IRONS: Ping S55 (4-PW) WEDGES: Ping Glide SS prototype (52, 56, 60) PUTTER: Ping Anser Milled Anser 1 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x PABLO LARRAZABAL BMW International DRIVER: Callaway XR Pro (9) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway XR Pro (16), Callaway ZR Pro (18) IRONS: Callaway XR Pro (3-5), Callaway RAZR X MB (69) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47, 54, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey Works #7 BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft JEFF MAGGERT US Senior Open DRIVER: Ping G30 (8.5) Fairway WOOD: Ping G30 (14.5) HYBRID: Ping G30 (18) IRONS: Ping S55 (3-SW) WEDGES: Ping Glide SS (54, 58) PUTTER: Ping Anser Milled Anser BALL: Titleist Pro V1x DANNY LEE Greenbrier Classic DRIVER: Callaway XR (9) Fairway WOODS: Callaway X2 Hot (15), Callaway RAZR Fit (18) IRONS: Callaway Apex Utility (3-4), Callaway RAZR X Muscleback (5-PW) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (52, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey Works Versa #9 BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft BERND WIESBERGER French Open DRIVER: Titleist 915D3 (7.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist 913 F.d (13.5) IRONS: Titleist 712U (3), Titleist CB 714 (4-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM5 (51, 56, 60) (60) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron X5 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x JORDAN SPIETH John Deere Classic DRIVER: Titliest 915D2 (9.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: Titliest 915F (15) HYBRID: Titliest 712U (3) IRONS: Titliest AP2 (4-9) WEDGES: Titliest Vokey Design SM5 (46, 52, 56, 60) PUTTER: Titliest Scotty Cameron BALL: Titleist Pro V1x RICKY FOWLER Scottish Open DRIVER: Cobra Fly Z+ (10.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: Cobra Fly Z+ (14), Cobra Bio Cell+ X2 (18.5) IRONS: Cobra Fly-Z Prom MB (4-9) WEDGES: Cobra Tour Trusty Rusty (47, 51, 57, 62) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

[42] JULY 2015 | BREAKS

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

It’s a family affair at The Grove this summer Golfing families looking for some quality time out on the golf course this summer are invited to enjoy a free round of golf at The Grove in Hertfordshire.

The special summer offer, which includes complimentary club hire, covers a child to play with a paying adult any time after 3pm. The offer runs until October 31 and provides children under 16 with the opportunity to experience golf on a course, which remains the only UK venue to host a World Golf Championship event.

With four different teeing options, The Grove ensures golfers of all ages and Kids can play for free with a paying adult at The Grove this summer

abilities can enjoy its tournament-quality course, which continues to rank highly in all the top 100 lists.

Anna Darnell, Director of Golf at The Grove, said: “The Grove is widely known for its championship-quality course and award-winning hospitality, but we are keen to also put it on the map as a venue set up to encourage more juniors into golf and hopefully inspire the next generation to take up the game. This offer provides an ideal venue for junior golfers to enjoy a memorable experience, while learning the game and enhancing their skills in a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.”

The Grove is also home to the UK’s only Dave Pelz Golf School, a premier instruction experience inspired and directed by one of the modern game’s finest short game coaches. Adult green fees after 3pm at The Grove are £99 until October 31.

Further details on the junior golf offer are available at www.thegrove.co.uk.

Forest Pines

JOIN THE QUEUE FOR GREAT VALUE BREAKS The QHotels Group has grown to incorporate 10 UK-based golf resorts within its 27-strong hotel portfolio, offering golfers a wide choice of destinations throughout the country at which to enjoy great value breaks.

Golfers can choose from Aldwark Manor, Belton Woods, Cameron House, Dunston Hall, Forest Pines, Hellidon Lakes, Oulton Hall, Mottram Hall, The Westerwood and Telford Hotel.

Forest Pines is one of its most popular venues, with the Lincolnshire-based club featuring a superb 27-hole championship layout, with three loops of nine holes meandering through a mix of majestic pine forest and

open heathland. The most challenging combination is the Forest and Pines layout, which measures 6,859 yards. The shorter Beeches loop, with its three par threes, provides an ideal warm-up. The course, which was among the unsuccessful bidders to stage this year’s Solheim Cup, is always presented in top condition and is an easy walk.

After a round, guests can relax in the four-star hotel, which offers 188 bedrooms, a luxury spa, three restaurants and two bars.

The majority of QHotels boast spa and leisure clubs, offering treatments that include massage, manicure, pedicure, aromatherapy, detoxifying wraps and reflexology. The leisure

Amazing Golf in North Wales

clubs offer state-of-the-art fitness gyms, indoor heated swimming pools, saunas and steam rooms, and many also feature thermal suites, incorporating aroma steam rooms, ice fountains and experience showers.

All the hotels offer deluxe rooms, junior suites and large suites for those in search of absolute luxury.

Each of these rooms are individually designed, with options such as spa baths or walk-in double showers.

Two nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast, and two rounds of golf at Forest Pines costs from £195 per person. For more details on the complete range of QHotels golf packages, visit www.qhotels.co.uk or call 0845 0345 777.

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BREAKS | JULY 2015 [43]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Enjoy a beach break Bag yourself luxury lodgings at Bridlington near London!

Bridlington Links

Lodge interiors are very high spec

A typical lodge at Bridlington Golf Links

One of the hot UK holiday trends of the last few years has been the growth of the luxury log cabin break, where families and friends get the chance to get away from it all at a variety of locations, from remote woods to seaside hideaways.

This style of living has also proved popular at golf clubs, with venues up and down the country investing in sustainable and eco-friendly accommodation to offer visiting golfers.

While renting for short breaks is obviously a popular option, there are a number of venues that also offer cabins for sale, as is the case at the Bridlington Golf Links & Leisure Estate in East Yorkshire, where 43 luxury two- and three-bedroom lodges have been built in the grounds of one of the most glorious 18-hole cliff top courses in the country.

Overlooking the rugged east coast, the lodge development is adjacent to Sewerby Hall, Bridlington’s historic harbour, and sits among some of the most captivating scenery around Bridlington Bay. For golfers looking for the ultimate holiday home or weekend retreat, the lodges create the ideal living space. Cool, light and airy in summer, yet cosy and snug in winter, they provide the perfect yearround holiday destination.

The estate currently has one of the lodges for sale, with an asking price of £125,000 o.n.o. for a two-bedroom log cabin comprising an open plan lounge/kitchen area; double bedroom with en-suite shower; twin bedroom with en-suite Jaccuzzi bath/shower; laundry room with WC; raised decking area; and parking for two cars.

Lodge owners have the option to sublet the property when they are not using it, and also receive two free lifetime golf and gym memberships.

As well as the 18-hole, 6,719-yard links course and the gym, the park has its own restaurant and bar onsite.

For sales enquiries call Malcolm Clubley on 01262 228622, or for more details visit www.pureleisuregroup.com.

TheManor House

& Ashbury Hotels

- The Only Sport, Craft & Spa Hotels in the UK

Autumn to Spring Specials 08/10/15 - 27/04/16

Whether you are after a relaxing weekend away or want to exercise the mind and the muscles out on the picturesque parkland golf course, London Beach Country Hotel & Golf Course is the perfect place to leave all your troubles behind.

Situated in 97 acres of beautiful Kentish countryside, London Beach has been designed to provide the latest facilities whilst making the most of its stunning countryside.

Although the club can’t promise a beach, there is plenty of sand in the numerous bunkers that protect the 6,000-yard, par 70 course. It’s a beautiful, mature parkland design, which offers a good test of skill for the club golfer. Alternatively, if you fancy sharpening up your short game, there is a testing 9-hole, par-3 course, as well as a well-maintained putting course on which to hone your skills.

Once you’ve finished your round there’s no need to rush home, as the 42-bedroom hotel provides the perfect excuse to make a weekend of it. All rooms are equipped with satellite TV and Wi-Fi, and the majority of them have patio doors opening onto large balconies overlooking the golf course.

The hotel currently has a number of excellent value summer breaks on offer – including £90pp for Friday and Saturday nights, which includes a two-course evening meal in the brasserie, one night’s accommodation in a luxury double room, full English breakfast, and 18 holes of golf in the morning. This same package is reduced to just £80pp if you opt to stay on Sunday to Thursday nights. For bookings call 01580 766279 or visit www.londonbeach.com.

FREE GOLF at

“I’ve never played such fantastic courses”

The UK’s Largest Golf Resort

Stephen W - Trip Advisor

Set in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park, Devon.

The Ashbury Hotel is the ideal venue for your golf break.

At least 27 holes of FREE golf with each night of stay!

Pines 17th 442 yards, Par 4

Oakwood 16th 172 yards, Par 3

Beeches 5th 419 yards, Par 4

Kigbeare 15th 415 yards, Par 4

• FREE Unlimited Golf • ½ Price Buggies • 20% OFF Health & Beauty

October Bargain Breaks: Midweek Breaks from £50pppn FULL BOARD!

PLUS unique Craft Centre featuring 17 tutored crafts, including Pottery, Woodwork, Glass Engraving & Hot Press Printing

0800 389 9892

Par 72 Par 72 Par 69 Par 68 Par 69 Par 71 Par 54

6528 6400 5803 5502 5775 6111 1939

ashburygolfhotel.com

• All prices per person • All rooms en-suite • Full board • Party discounts •

a!

EE Sp FRro yd

Sports Racket Sports Leisure Ranges Family Bowls Swimming Funhouse Tennis Archery Table Tennis Badminton Spa & Sauna Gamezone Air Pistols 5-A-Side Snooker Waterslides Air Rifles Squash Basketball Short Tennis Ten-Pin Lasers Play Area

Kigbeare Pines Beeches Oakwood Ashbury 9 + Pines Front 9 Ashbury 9 + Pines Back 9 Willows

H

Additional Facilities FREE to residents of our hotels

[44] JULY 2015

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

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

A

lthough they say that good things come in small packages, when that package refers to golf courses, I’m firmly in ‘the bigger the better’ and the ‘more the merrier’ camp.

And there are few more enjoyable places to play – and no venues in the UK with a wider golfing menu – than the Manor House and Ashbury Hotels in Devon, which claims to be comfortably the largest golf resort in the United Kingdom.

The popular Okehampton-based resort boasts a staggering seven 18-hole courses – adding up to a whopping 99 holes – all on the same 600-acre site.

This unique complex offers four fulllength 18-hole courses (6,528-yard Kigbeare; 6,400-yard Pines, 5,765-yard Beeches, and the 5,502-yard Oakwood), and a further 18-hole par-3 course, the Willows. And if that wasn’t enough golf to be going on with, two further different 18-hole loops can be made from combining two of the nine from either the Pines and Ashbury layouts.

The golf courses, which all offer stunning views of Dartmoor and across the rolling Devon countryside towards Exmoor, utilise the natural features of the landscape, making the most of mature trees, hedgerows and ponds to provide truly breathtaking holiday golf.

The Kigbeare is the longest and arguably best of the courses on offer.

Starting and finishing outside the clubhouse on two of the original holes built in 1991, 14 of the holes have been constructed on the Kigbeare Estate and include some of the finest holes on the complex. Over 8,000 large, mature trees give the course a feel beyond its years, while providing the tree-lined fairways that define many of the holes.

It would be unwise to think that the lack of yardage on other layouts means they are easy courses. With lakes, bunkers, ditches, hedges and the occasional blind shot to contend with – not to mention the huge greens, many of

The Kigbeare’s 15th hole

Two hydro spas are available for guests

which are tiered – you really do have to plot your way round to score well.

And with so much great golf available, it requires more than a weekend to tackle all the holes on offer, so 3-4 night breaks are ideal if you want to get the full Manor House experience.

The golf break packages are stacked with extras, including 27 holes of golf per day, and golf buggies for as little as £5 per round, so that guests can play all seven layouts without fear of running out of stamina.

Away from the golf courses there is plenty to keep couples, groups and families occupied, with many facilities available free of change to guests, including 11 tennis courts, 12 badminton courts, 13 bowls rinks, 30 snooker tables, 10 lanes of ten-pin bowling, three swimming pools, five target ranges, team sports, and numerous exercise classes.

Guests also enjoy free use of two stateof-the-art hydro spas throughout their stay – and with saunas, steam rooms and relaxation loungers also on offer, it’s the

The resort offers stunning views over Dartmoor

WHAT GUESTS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MANOR HOUSE AND ASHBURY HOTELS ON TRIPADVISOR “Just came back from my first visit, and all I can say is that I will definitely be returning. The food was fantastic and the staff were very efficient.

Accommodation was very nice and the golf was absolutely fantastic. The six courses I played were beautifully manicured and the attention to detail is sublime. Thanks to all the staff at Ashbury Manor. I had a fantastic week and we will be seeing you again very soon.”

“Just returned from a four-day golf trip to Ashbury Manor with a group of 19. Facilities at this venue are second to none. Very nice golf courses, food, service and all other facilities.”

“The seven golf courses are fantastic, with greens and fairways kept in excellent condition and plenty of buggies for all. The views over Dartmoor from the tees and greens are beautiful. We played the adventure golf course twice and thought it good fun, with each of the 18 holes based on a selection of real holes from the courses at Ashbury.”

perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day of activities. Visitors can also pamper themselves with a choice of over 20 health and beauty treatments, including hot stones massage, facials and manicures – all at great value prices.

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

For the more artistically-minded, two craft centres offer 17 tutored crafts, including pottery, glass engraving, hot press printing and woodwork. All tutoring is offered free of charge, with guests only required to pay for minimal material costs.

Accommodation is spread across the Manor House Hotel, which offers 203 comfortable en suite rooms, and Ashbury Hotel, which boasts a further 222 rooms, all of which feature TVs, tea and coffeemaking facilities and hair dryers.

With all packages full board, guests can indulge themselves, with the buffet style breakfast proving a big hit with golfers looking to build up their energy levels before a full day’s golfing.

Perfectly set up to accommodate golfing groups of all sizes, as well as couples and young families, The Manor House and Ashbury Hotels should be high on your list for your next golfing break.

For the latest packages, call 0800 389 9892 or visit www.ashburygolfhotel.com.

Championship golf courses, nationally acclaimed restaurants and Southern hospitality.

The Charleston area is home to 20 of the finest golf courses in the United States, including The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Every hole features unique designs that test one’s ability and challenge the will. But most significantly, Charleston golf will remind you of why you play the game.

CharlestonAreaGolf.com

[46] JULY 2015 | TRAVEL

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Rosengarten offers feast of Tirolian gourmet golf

Alcanada Golf Club

Brand-new Zafiro resort hosts luxury golf breaks to Mallorca Golfers who enjoy the pleasures of fine food, fresh air and fabulous fairways should consider taking part in the Rosengarten International Golf Open, which gets under way in the Austrian resort of Kitzbühel next month.

Hosted by the Relais & Châteaux Rosengarten Resort, located in the Tirolian village of Kirchberg, the tournament is being staged on the Kitzbüheler Alpen Westendorf championship course from August 27-30.

The price for the tournament package, based on two people sharing a room, is €598, including accommodation, green fees and gourmet dinners (€498 for non-golfing partners).

Boasting just 26 rooms, the boutique Rosengarten Hotel offers contemporary flair and modern features, with cosy rooms furnished in a stylish design. Facilities include a spa with sauna, steam room, and a wide range of massage and beauty treatments. It also boasts a fine-dining restaurant, where renowned chef Simon Taxacher serves up a selection of gourmet treats.

The Rosengarten offers a wide range of golf

Rosengarten Hotel

breaks, starting from €435 per person for a twonight stay, which includes a six-course gourmet dinner at Restaurant Simon Taxacher, one fivecourse dinner at the hotel’s Rosengarten Light restaurant, one 18-hole green fee (choose between four local courses) and one 50-minute spa treatment. There are 3-, 4-, 5-night and one-week holiday options enabling beginners, improvers and experts to enjoy the 30-plus courses that are within 60 miles of the resort.

For reservations visit www.rosengarten-taxacher. com or call 00 43 5357 420150.

Bag yourself a Bavarian golf break Golfers looking for elegantly designed, yet challenging courses in a bucolic highland setting will find Germany’s Bavarian Alps hard to beat.

The epic film The Sound of Music was shot in these mountains, and the fairways of the Schloss Maxlrain and Mangfalltal golf courses might well have you breaking into songs of your own.

Occupying the sprawling 19th century grounds of a Renaissance castle, the Schloss Maxlrain course is very reminiscent of the English countryside, with gnarled oaks fringing fairways and a medley of ponds, woods and watercourses that perfectly fit the landscape, offering a sporty challenge to players of all skill levels.

Meanwhile, the golf club at Mangfalltal is ensconced in the picturesque Mangfall Valley south of Munich. Built around a 19th century farmhouse, the expansive, rolling grounds offer a relatively gentle first nine out in the open, before posing some

GolfClub Mangfalltal

The newest five-star hotel on the holiday island of Mallorca is offering autumn stay-and-play golf packages in association with its near neighbour, Club de Golf Alcanada.

The new Viva Zafiro Alcudia & Spa, which welcomed its first visitors a month ago, sits in an unrivalled location just 300 metres from the sea at Alcudia Bay, and a few minutes from Alcanada’s golf course.

The Zafiro has 369 suites, five restaurants, three bars, 10 swimming pools, gymn, spa and wellness centre, solarium, and myriad sports facilities.

And, close by, are the pleasant streets of Puerto de Alcudia, one of the oldest towns in Mallorca, where there is a wide selection of restaurants, bars and shops.

The resort is offering three, four and seven-night breaks from €147pp/pn.

The three-night ‘Wedge’ break, with B&B accommodation in a junior suite, free access to the Balneum Spa, and two green fees at Alcanada, costs €442 per person, based on two sharing. The four-night ‘Eagle’ package offers three green fees at Alcanada and costs €621, while the seven-night ‘Albatross’ includes five rounds for €1,038. The prices are valid from October 3 to November 14.

Alcanada’s 7,108-yard, Trent Jones Jr-designed course has won a steady stream of awards since opening 12 years ago. Enjoying a breathtaking location overlooking the Bay of Alcudia, the course blends naturally into the typical Mallorcan terrain and takes its name from an island with a lighthouse, situated just offshore, which can be seen from most of the holes.

In addition, the club boasts a centuries-old Mallorca clubhouse that offers guests the opportunity to sample regional specialties in its first-class dining facilities. A golf academy, including a short-game area and covered driving range, is also available.

For reservations call 0034 971 897 008, email infogolf@hotelsviva.com or visit www.hotelsviva.com.

Alpenclub Hotel

Fun for all the family on offer at Quinta

tactical challenges with a more intricate back nine.

The award-winning Alpenclub Hotel is within easy reach of both these courses, offering the perfect base for a Bavarian golfing holiday. It’s also breathtakingly beautiful, set on the shores of Lake Schliersee, at the foot of the Wendelstein mountains.

With a wide choice of comfortable rooms and selfcontained apartments, AlpenClub provides a wonderfully informal home from home. All the apartments are kitted out for self-

catering, with kitchenettes and dining rooms.

Away from the golf courses there is much to see and do, from exploring the markets and beer gardens of Munich – home to the ‘Big Six’ breweries – to visiting baroque churches, parks and platzes.

A variety of golf break packages is available from as a little as £219pp for two nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast at AlpenClub Schliersee, and two rounds of golf, rising to £299 for three nights and two rounds, with an organised day trip to Munich included in the packages. The prices also include a €20 drinks voucher per person, which is useful when the beer and wine tastes so good.

For details on golf packages visit www.alpenclub.de, call 00 80 26 6080 or email info@alpenclub.de.

Portugal’s Quinta do Lago Resort has unveiled an extensive calendar of events to suit the needs of all the family this summer.

Europe’s leading luxury family destination has something for everyone to enjoy over the coming months, with a schedule of more than 30 different events covering golf, sports, food and entertainment.

Following the opening of a host of new facilities, guests at Quinta now have ten bars and restaurants to choose from, as well as three championship golf courses, including the recently reopened Quinta do Lago North Course – and numerous other five-star leisure facilities.

And with an outstanding programme of events to match – including regular live music evenings and the return of its popular ‘Picnics in the Park’ and

‘Movies in the Park’ – the resort is catering for all tastes and ages throughout the summer holidays.

For keen junior golfers, the Paul McGinley Golf Academy will again be running its popular Junior Golf Schools throughout the school holidays, while the Paul McGinley Junior Cup is again expected to attract a strong field of boys and girls when it is staged on Quinta do Lago’s North Course on July 30.

As well as having the chance to relax by the waterfront with live music every Thursday afternoon, guests can enjoy an evening to remember with the return of The Shack’s popular ‘Sunset Parties’ each Wednesday until the end of August.

For further information on golf packages, call 00 351 289 390 700 or visit www.quintadolago.com.

TRAVEL | JULY 2015 [47]

GOLFNEWS.CO.UK

Me&MyTravels My best holiday was… my honeymoon. We went to the One and Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico, and I loved everything about it. My perception may have been enhanced by the fact it was my honeymoon, but I don’t think so. The food, beaches, drink and the way we were looked after were all excellent: I can’t speak highly enough about it. I’m pretty well travelled and have stayed at top places around the world, but this was extra special.

The best hotel I’ve stayed in was… at Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve in Sabi Sands, near Kruger National Park in South Africa. I went with my wife in 2009 and we had an amazing time. Each suite is glass fronted, overlooks the African bush and manages to be luxurious but simple at the same time. Every day on safari is different, and every day you see at least one of the Big Five – leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino – they are all there. What I like about being on safari is that you’re truly away from it all: early starts in the morning, no mobile phones, no television, just you and nature.

My favourite golf course the UK is… Wentworth, of course! Last year we moved into a house that is located just off the 13th hole on the West Course, and I’ve probably played it more than 50 times already. Having three great

FORMER ENGLAND CRICKETER KEVIN PIETERSEN SHUNS THE LIMELIGHT WHEN ON HOLIDAY WITH HIS FAMILY AND IS MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME ON THE GOLF COURSE

Pamilla, Los Cabos, Mexico

Houseboat in Zimbabwe

courses to chose from on your doorstep is incredible. I love it.

My best round so far is an 80 on the East Course. I’m currently playing off 16, but I’m hoping to get that down soon – although it’s more important that I just enjoy it, as it doesn’t pay the bills!

My favourite golf course abroad is… the Green Monkey course at Sandy Lane in Barbados. I wasn’t into golf at all when I was playing for England, so when all the other guys used to go out and play when we were on tour, I missed out. But I’m making up for lost time, and had the chance to play the Green Monkey last month and was totally blown away by it.

My dream holiday would be… staying on a houseboat on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, going on a tiger safari in India, or a gorilla trail in Africa. I have a long list of things I’d like to do, but I want to leave certain places until I retire from cricket.

Sandy Lane’s Green Monkey

My worst holiday experience was… a trip to Italy with a former girlfriend. I asked a travel agent to recommend somewhere; I wasn’t fussy, my only requirement was that it was in a resort that had a good beach. We ended up in a resort in half way up a steep winding cliff, full of old people, with not a beach for miles. I’d broken the bank to get there and it was so disappointing.

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

My perfect holiday involves… family, friends and sunshine. It used to be activity – I always needed to be doing things – but the older I’ve got, and the busier my life has become, the simpler I need my holiday to be.

I always pack… sweets! When I was on tour I used to take my own coffee and loads of sweets.

I have an incredibly sweet tooth.

I eat sweets all day – especially sour sweets – so they’re a must

when I pack. I’m not a particularly good packer, but I’m easy-going about it. If I realise I don’t have something I need then I buy it.

My best piece of travel advice is… to relax. I don’t understand why people get so uptight travelling; I’m always chilled and easy. If you’re travelling with a baby or young child, then it’s much better to travel during the day so as not to disturb their sleeping pattern.

Kevin Pietersen is hosting a charity golf day at Wentworth on August 25. For details of how to enter a team, visit www.kp24foundation.com.

we’re the golf holiday experts

travel

MAURITIUS

The thing I most dislike about holidays is… travelling long distances with a baby. We went to South Africa a few years ago, and it was a nightmare. My son’s sleeping pattern at the time was all over the place, so naturally he was crying. If I didn’t feel bad about this, I soon did with the looks people were giving us. I find it highly offensive, so I end up being very defensive.

www.chakatravel.com

FLORIDA

from £1,695 PP

from £1,730 PP

5* Marriott Marco Island

5* Belle Mare Plage

12 nights Half Board from £1,695 PP 12 nights All Inclusive Package from £2,235 PP unlimited golf, incl. flights & transfers

1 week b&b, $200 resort credit per room

MEXICO

SOUTH AFRICA

5* Moon Palace Resort

4 rounds of golf including buggy Incl. flights & 4 evening meals

from £1,875 PP

2 weeks Garden Route & Cape Town

2 weeks All Inclusive Unlimited golf on 2 courses

12 nights b&b 6 rounds of golf on 6 courses

Incl. flights & transfers

ABU DHABI

from £1,895 PP

Incl. flights & car hire from £1,295 PP

4* Crowne Plaza Yas Island

ESCORTED TOURS & TOURNAMENTS 2015 / 2016

Incl. flights & transfers

Join us on one of our popular escorted tours to South Africa, Mauritius, Turkey, Mexico, Morocco and beyond...

7 nights b&b 4 rounds of golf

MADEIRA

SEYCHELLES

DUBAI

SPAIN

www.chakatravel.com enquiries@chakatravel.com

ITALY

IRELAND

MOROCCO

CALL OUR SPECIALISTS

028 9023 2112

TURKEY

THE NEW

IRON

LONGER AT ITS

COR.

INTRODUCING COR-Eye TECHNOLOGY TM

In the new PING GMax iron, we’ve created our longest iron ever through COR-Eye Technology, a revolutionary design that increases ball speed across the entire face. Consistent with PING’s commitment to engineer without sacrifice, the GMax iron provides everything you need to hit more greens and, just as importantly, hold more greens. Get fit today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

HIT THE GREEN. HOLD THE GREEN. The simultaneous activation of the sole, face and top rail creates a diving board-like effect that springs the ball off the face up to three miles per hour faster than previous PING models.

©2015 PING P.O. BOX 82000 PHOENIX, AZ 85071

MAXIMUM DISTANCE MAXIMUM FORGIVENESS