Golf News November 2014

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Issue 238 | November 2014

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Issue 238 | November 2014

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Editor’sview Chart Hills Golf Club

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t’s all change at the top of golf’s leadership structure next year, following the departure of Peter Dawson from his position as chief executive of the R&A, and George O’Grady’s decision to step down from his stewardship of the European Tour.

Although the timing of the two departures is completely coincidental, and resignations were tendered after long and largely successful periods in charge of their respective institutions, I can’t help but feel that their moving on signals not only a changing of the guard in two of golf’s leading institutions, but a change in the very firmament of the sport and how it chooses to project itself to the wider public in future.

Dawson’s replacement at the R&A is a former merchant banker, Martin Slumber – let’s hope he doesn’t fall sleep on the job – perhaps signalling the overtly commercial nature of the job in the 21st century, while O’Grady’s successor is yet to be announced, but will surely need to be someone who is as comfortable negotiating contracts and rights agreements as they are hosting endless dinners and business lunches.

The European Tour has a history of appointing from within its ranks, but now could be a golden opportunity to look outside of the golfing greenhouse, and find someone who can see the bigger picture and has experience beyond the sheltered corridors of Wentworth.

These are changing and challenging times for amateur and professional golf alike, with dwindling membership at golf clubs threatening the very existence of a growing number of venues, while sizeable gaps in the tournament schedule for the rank and file pros that make up the bulk of the European Tour’s number are also a cause for concern.

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Yesterday’s men: Peter Dawson and George O’Grady

Chart Hills Golf Club, never had it so good, with tournaments being played all over the world 52 weeks of the year, but as O’Grady and his team have discovered, finding sponsors to cough up for prize funds for Europeanbased events is increasingly difficult. This is has resulted in a discombobulated schedule that flits from continent to continent in no particular order chasing sponsors’ cash. Rather than flowing neatly across continental Europe, players are now required to dash across multiple time zones, and it’s no wonder so many of them are talking of fatigue and burnout.

OK, they may not be working down the mines, but many top players are turning up to events ill-prepared to perform at their best.

And in the face of the growing lure of the United States and Asia, the world’s top players are deserting the European Tour in their droves, resulting in weak fields, which are even harder to pitch to potential sponsors.

The Race to Dubai continues to lurch on, but has had to be

reformatted in order to allow the best players in the world to take part, although even then you feel it is without much enthusiasm. Rory and Tiger’s absence from events in China must have been felt more keenly than ever this month, as one battles with injury to his bank account, and the other with more physical ailments, and golf desperately needs both players to be back doing what they do best in 2015 if the picture is not to become even more gloomy.

THE POSTMAN DELIVERS On a brighter note, among the great features in this month’s issue is an fascinating excerpt from Ian Poulter’s new biography, No Limits (see p24-25). Never backwards in coming forwards, Poults is undoubtedly one of the ‘Marmite’ personalities in world golf, but there’s no denying his passion for the game, and all that his success has brought him, from fast cars to big houses.

In a chapter that arguably says more about the kind of person he really is than any of his chest-beating appearances in the Ryder Cup, Ian reveals the routines that he has to go through every time he steps out of the house, as well as onto the golf course. There’s attention to detail, there’s OCD, and there’s Ian James Poulter. Truly a one off.

Which might be a blessing, as can you imagine 12 Ian Poulters in a Ryder Cup team?

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News in Brief WILDWOOD WIN FOR WALLIS Richard Wallis shot a seven-underpar 65 to win the Wildwood Invitational Pro-Am and beat a strong field of southern stars.

The North Foreland pro took the £900 first prize, pushing Matt Ford (CK Group) into second place by two shots, with Jordan Godwin (Barnehurst) shooting a 68 for third. Commenting on his victory, Wallis said: “Wildwood was in great condition considering all the rain we’ve had, and the greens were the best I’ve seen them, which really helped the low scoring on the day.

I missed just two greens, and it was very much target golf – controlling the flight and spin, and grabbing the opportunities when they came.”

LIZZIE PRIOR IMPRESSES AT QUINTA Surrey’s Lizzie Prior finished third in the final of the 2014 Telegraph BMW Junior Championship girls’ event held at Quinta do Lago in Portugal. The Burhill youngster shot rounds of 74, 83 and 75 to finish seven strokes behind the winner, English Amateur girls’ champion India Clyburn, in the 54-hole competition, which saw just 12 boys and nine girls qualify for the finals.

November 2014 / Issue 238

Synonymous with hosting top-flight men’s tournaments since it opened in 1920, Wentworth could soon see the world’s elite women professionals in action on its iconic West Course if the ambitions of the club’s new owner are realised.

Following Wentworth’s purchase by Chinese company Reignwood Group last month for a reported £132 million, the new owner is keen to raise the Surrey club’s profile on the global golfing stage.

Wentworth has a long history of hosting high profile tournaments, going back to the Ryder Cup in 1953, the World Match Play between 1964 and 2007,

and the PGA Championship, which has been played at the club continuously since 1984. However, the World Match Play moved away seven years ago and England’s showpiece venue is arguably under-utilised as a tournament venue.

A senior executive of the Reignwood Group has indicated that the Surrey club’s new owner is considering a variety of opportunities to bring more events to the club, among them the possibility of an additional women’s tournament to complement the Reignwood LPGA Classic, which was held at Pine Valley Golf Club in Beijing last month, attracting a stellar field and a $2.1

ENGLAND GOLF LAUNCHES ‘GOLF WEEK’ FESTIVAL England Golf will stage a weeklong festival of golf next year to create a national grand finale for a host of handicap and team championships. Golf Week 2015 will take place from August 10-14 at Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire, and will include the national final of a new, mixed Club Team Championship. Other events during the week will include the Junior Champion Club competition; the women’s Grand Medal Final; the men’s Fuller’s London Pride Gold Medal; and the national final of the England Golf Captains tournament series.

million prize fund.

Alex Ho, vice president of the Reignwood Group, said the company is in the process of putting together a strategy for the staging of professional tournaments at its three golf properties – Wentworth, Pine Valley and Princeville in Hawaii.

“We’re dedicated to both ladies’ and men’s tournaments,” said Ho. “Because we have acquired Wentworth and Princeville, we have a bigger global golf map now, so we have a bigger choice of venues at which to stage events. The tournaments should fit into our overall global strategy of developing golf, but it is possible we will have three LPGA events at the three properties.”

Dame Laura Davies, Britain’s most successful female golfer of the modern era, has been elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The 51 year old from Ascot will be inducted into the sporting pantheon at a special ceremony held at St Andrews during next year’s Open Championship in July.

Davies, who was awarded a damehood in this year’s Queen’s Honours list, said: “It’s just the icing on the cake for a very long and obviously quite a successful career. Actually I can pretty much match the two awards up. They’re on a level playing field to be honest with you. They’re both great honours and something I never really thought about almost 30 years ago when I turned pro.”

Davies has won 84 career titles since 1985, including major crowns at the 1987 US Women’s Open, the 1994 and 1996 LPGA Championship, and the 1996 du Maurier Classic. She also won the British Open in 1986, before it was considered a major championship. Apart from her impressive individual record, Davies has played in 12 Solheim Cups, winning 25 points from 46 matches.

Two other players, David Graham and Mark O’Meara, will join Davies in the Hall of Fame, as will the late course architect A.W. Tillinghast, whose most famous course designs include Baltusrol, Bethpage State Park, and Winged Foot.

Horsham opens Oaks Course

OLD THORNS CAPTURES SEVENS’ TITLE Old Thorns won the Fullers Hampshire County Sevens’ Final after defeating Stoneham 4-3 in a closely-fought final held at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. The tournament attracted entries from 69 clubs from Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands.

Laura to join Hall of Fame

Wentworth hint at hosting ladies’ event

Postman Poults delivers Ryder Cup flag to Chesfield Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter couldn’t make it to the annual Help For Heroes charity golf day held at Chesfield Downs Golf & Country Club last month, but the 38 year old made sure that he contributed to the day at his former club by donating a valuable auction prize.

Taking Ian’s place at the popular event was his father, Terry Poulter (pictured second left) who brought with him a flag from the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles which had been signed by the entire European team. As if to prove that his son’s magic touch was genetic, Terry’s team won the overall competition.

The flag alone raised £540 towards the day’s charity total of £11,000, in another successful fundraising event at the Gravely-based club.

“We had a record entry this year,” said event organiser and captain Phil Chester. “With 132 people playing, thank goodness the weather was perfect. The club and its members were magnificent in support, as usual, and we were proud to raise such a lot of money in the presence of our two guests of honour – flight sergeant Bill Darlison from RAF Wyton and squadron leader Dave Morris from Henlow Camp.”

Chesfield Downs’ general manager, Tim Hudson, added: “After five years, our annual Help For Heroes charity day keeps on growing. So far we have raised over £45,000 and we’re determined to make it even bigger next year!”

Horsham Golf & Fitness has unveiled the first nine holes of its new 18-hole championship Oaks Course to its members.

The popular pay-and-play club west of Horsham closed its old 9-hole course over 18 months ago in order to begin the first phase of its transformation into a 27-hole facility, so members have had to live without a course to play during that time. But their patience finally paid off earlier this month, when the first nine holes of the new layout were opened to limited play.

The current routing involves the first six holes of the layout as it will eventually be played, and three other holes, the 12th, 14th and 15th, which will create a temporary nine-hole loop with a par of 38. Once finished, the Oaks Course will have a par of 70, and measure 6,119 yards off the white tees, 5,605 yards from the yellows, and 5,023 yards from the ladies.

The bulk of the new course, which has been designed by experienced architects Phil Sparks and Richard Myers, has been reclaimed from adjoining woodland and

The opening hole at Horsham’s new Oaks Course

the fairways on the opening holes carve their way through picturesque, tree-lined avenues before opening up into more of a parkland feel in the middle section of the course. Water comes into play on five holes in the form of ponds and small lakes, with the water feature fronting the par-three 13th green being the visual highlight for golfers as they drive into the club.

The large USGAspecification greens have already bedded in well, and are already rolling smoothly, despite the wet winter, while an extensive drainage system will ensure that the course avoids the squidgy conditions that are common on Sussex’s clay soils. The fairways themselves have been beautifully sculpted by Contour Golf, with owner Phil

Reeve’s experience of having worked on projects such as Irish Open venue Fota Island and closer to home, The Wisley, being seen to great advantage.

Horsham Golf & Fitness director Neil Burke, said: “It’s great to finally have something for our members, and, in time, visiting golfers, to play. We’re really pleased with the way the course is shaping up, and I think it will prove hugely popular with all local golfers once all 18 holes are fully open for play next summer. We are currently allowing a limited number of member rounds, and the feedback so far has been tremendously positive. In the meantime, we are happy to offer guided walks of the course for any prospective members over the winter.”

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News in Brief

November 2014 / Issue 238

Ilonen claims Match Play crown

KINGS HILL HITS THE MARK

Kings Hill Golf Club in Kent has become only the 19th club in the county to be accredited with GolfMark, a national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities to proven high quality clubs, who are also recognised by Sport England as Clubmark facilities.

WOKEFIELD RETAINS HILLMAN TROPHY Wokefield Park became the first club in BB&O history to successfully defend the Hillman Trophy title when they overcame Beaconsfield 5-2 at Harleyford. Around 100 clubs from the region took part in the competition, which sees clubs restricted to three players in the 6-9 handicap range and four from 1018. The Wokefield squad comprised Steve Cooper (captain), Colin North (vice-captain), Neal Stanley, Jon Sturgess, Tony Stanley, Syd Patel, Mick Purvis, Ryan North, Mick Denny and Neale Connor.

TAUNTON VALE SHUTS UP SHOP Taunton Vale Golf Club in Somerset has been sold to a buyer who plans to return the land to agricultural use. The club, which was bought for £1.8m, opened in 1991 and boasts a full-length 18hole course and a 9-hole academy course. The members launched a campaign to raise funds to buy the course, but ran out of time before the final offer had to be made. The club will officially close on November 30, with the loss of 13 full-time jobs and four parttime positions.

SUTHERLAND TOPS TP TOUR Craig Sutherland, head professional at Cherry Lodge in Kent, fought off strong competition to win the TP Tour’s 2014 order of merit. The Biggin Hill-based pro was top of the table going into the tour’s championship event, held at Walton Heath on October 23, and fired a solid 73 in a 60-strong field to secure a further 100 points – enough to win the title and an expenses-paid spot in the AfrAsia Masters, which takes place in Mauritius next month. The Walton Heath tournament was won by George Parker (London Club), who fired a superb 66 to beat Ben Nash (Cooden Beach) by two shots.

Mikko Ilonen hailed 2014 as the ‘best year of my career’ after becoming the first Finnish player to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship with a hard-fought victory over top seed Henrik Stenson at the London Golf Club in Kent.

Despite windy conditions at the Brands Hatch-based venue, Ilonen carded five birdies to win 3&1 and secure the first prize of €650,000 – almost double his previous biggest payday from winning the Irish Open in June.

Stenson, who had not led at any stage of his morning semi-final against George Coetzee before making a birdie on the 18th to win, claimed an early lead in the final with a birdie on the fourth. However, the world number five then bogeyed the

fifth and hit his tee shot into the water on the eighth, before birdies on the 10th and 12th took Ilonen three up.

Stenson, still seeking his first win since the DP World Tour Championship in November last year, fought back with a birdie on the par-five 15th, but was unable to birdie either of the next two holes as Ilonen – who had beaten Joost Luiten 2&1 in the semi-finals – secured the biggest win of his career.

After winning the Irish Open in June, Ilonen revealed he was into the final year of a three-year plan he had set for himself while sidelined for eight months after undergoing ankle surgery. His goal was to climb high enough in the world rankings to be able to qualify for all the biggest tournaments and this win had taken him from 52nd to inside the top 40.

“Last year was a good one for me and 2007 was a good year also,” added Ilonen, who is now on course to qualify for his first appearance in the Masters since 2001, when he was reigning British Amateur champion.

“I’ve had a few of them, but if you look at all the world rankings and the tournaments I’ve won, obviously this year is on top.”

The future of the World Match Play – which is now without a title sponsor following Volvo’s decision to reduce its golfing commitment – remains in doubt,

although the European Tour and tournament organiser IMG have pledged to bankroll it for one more year at least. A venue for next year’s renewal has yet to be announced.

This year’s World Match Play attracted just one American player, Patrick Reed, while Stenson, defending champion Graeme McDowell, and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson were the only three players inside the world’s top 20 took part in the tournament, which saw the 16-strong field compete in three days of roundrobin leagues before the knockout stages over the weekend.

World Of Golf opens UK’s most advanced teaching facility The World of Golf in south-west London has opened the most advanced golf teaching facility in the UK to help golfers of all abilities take their game to the next level with the very latest game-improvement technologies.

The new performance centre is the only facility in the UK that boasts a GC2 launch monitor, Trackman, Flightscope, Science & Motion putting, and the Bernard Gallacher hits the opening shot latest Swing Catalyst technologies all under the one roof. enjoyable and easy to understand. To Designed to improve the games mark the launch of the Performance of all golfers, the new six-bay facility Centre, golfers who book 12 lessons was opened by former Ryder Cup in the facility will get four of the captain Bernard Gallacher, and is sessions for free.” part of a £750,000 investment which The New Malden-based facility has includes the provision of nine PGA also introduced Protracer technology coaches, including three of the UK’s to 20 of its 60 driving range bays. This top 100 golf tutors, John Woodroffe, allows golfers to sync a smartphone Duncan Woolger and Ian Clark. or tablet device to trace the flight “We’re very proud to open the of their ball and receive instant most advanced practice facility feedback on distance. There is also for regular golfers in the UK,” said a ‘competition’ mode that awards Grant Wright, CEO of World of Golf. points for each shot depending “In particular, we’ve made a serious on how close it finishes to the flag, investment for serious golfers, with the best scores going up on a who we hope will take advantage leaderboard in the main shop. of the latest game-improvement World of Golf also offers one of technology used by the world’s best the largest American Golf stores players. In addition to the fantastic in the country, a dinosaur-themed facilities, the expertise of our adventure putting course, practice coaching staff is second to none, and putting and bunker areas, and a promises to make lessons even more Costa Coffee outlet.

The par-four 11th at Littlestone isn’t an obvious chance for an ace

Kent fishmonger nets UK’s longest hole-in-one Kent fishmonger Peter Vickerman is aiming to hook a new record for Britain’s longest ever ace, after his tee shot found the cup on a 408-yard par-four hole at Littlestone Golf Club.

Vickerman produced his moment of magic during a club competition at his home course to not only win the opportunity to cement his name in the record books, but also receive a limited-edition BOSS watch to commemorate the achievement.

The 48 year old from St Mary’s Bay achieved the monster ace with his driver on the course’s feared par-four 11th - and, if corroborated, the 12-handicapper’s ace is set to dwarf the record currently held.

The R&A Golfer’s Handbook quotes the existing UK record as having been set in 1972 by assistant professional Peter Parkinson at West Lancashire, on the 393-yard seventh hole, while the longest hole-in-one was set by an American student golfer, Bob Mitera, at the 447-yard 10th at Miracle Hill golf course in Omaha in 1965. However, the records stipulate that a hole must be predominantly straight in order to be eligible cutting the corner of a dog-legged hole is not considered to count.

Mr Vickerman said: “It was an extremely windy day, and I knew I’d caught this particular drive out of the screws, and with a gradual draw it flew towards the green. After despairingly looking around the green area for my ball, my opponent went towards the flag and said that there was a ball at the bottom of the cup. He asked me what I was playing with and I told him it was a Titleist Pro V1X with my initial’s ‘P.V.’ just above the logo.

Of course, I didn’t really care what happened after that, but still went on to win the Coronation Cup.” Mr Vickerman had scored two aces previously, both at Littlestone: he scored his first on its 278-yard, par-four 13th; his second on its 182-yard, par-three 17th.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

News in Brief SOUTHERN STARS EARN ENGLAND U18 CALL UP Surrey’s Sammy Fuller and Hampshire’s Emma Allen have been named in England Golf’s girls’ U18 training squads for 2014/15.

Roehampton-based Fuller was a member of the successful 2013 team at the Girls’ Home Internationals and has also represented GB&I, while Allen, from Meon Valley, helped Hampshire win the Women’s County Finals last month.

SUNDRIDGE CAPTURES FOURSOMES’ TITLE

Surrey golfer wins ‘Bag Amnesty’ trip to Grenada Surrey golfer Peter Jackson is celebrating winning a holiday to the Caribbean island of Grenada, after taking part in Crown Golf’s golf bag amnesty campaign, as featured in Golf News this summer.

The 61-year-old management consultant from Haslemere will be taking the 8,500-mile round trip with his wife next March 2015 as the climax to this year’s ‘Golf Bag Amnesty’ charity appeal, which saw over 3,000 golf bags and over 15,000 golf clubs donated by golfers at 24 Crown Golf clubs across England.

This summer Mr Jackson was one of thousands of

golfers who responded to the charity appeal by donating some old golf bags and two sets of spare clubs at Milford Golf Club, near Guildford, where he has been a member since 2005.

“They’d been kicking around the garage for ages,” he said. “I play once or twice a week at Milford nowadays, but with a newer set of clubs. I was glad to have the opportunity to donate my old equipment to a good cause, but I never expected it to lead to this.

I was completely stunned when I got the call, and I still can’t quite believe it now. I have visited the Caribbean several times for work over the years, but never Grenada,

Sundridge Park pairing Tom Beaumont and Luke Spooner combined to win the 2014 London Amateur Foursomes after beating Royal Wimbledon in a closelyfought final held at Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire. The teams were all square after 18 holes, but the Kent pair birdied the first extra hole to take the title.

Peter Jackson with the Golf Trust’s Cae Menai-Davis

and I am looking forward to discovering more about the island, and the impact of the bag amnesty campaign, when I travel there next year.”

The Bag Amnesty was organised by Crown Golf, along with charity The Golf Trust, which promotes inclusivity in the sport.

All who donated were entered into a prize draw to win the Grenada trip - provided by the Jason Roberts Foundation, which was set up by the former Premier League footballer to encourage youngsters in the UK and Grenada to take part in organised sport.

Golf Trust founder Cae Menai-Davis said: “Bag Amnesty equipment is also now in use by hundreds of schoolchildren in the UK, and the donated equipment we send to places like Grenada, Uganda, Romania and India will have a significant impact on the sport in those countries. The campaign produced an astonishingly generous response from golfers, and we now have more than enough equipment to run our projects for years to come.”

Burhill to host Senior Open qualifying Burhill Golf Club has been selected to be a qualifying venue for the 2015 Senior Open Championship next summer.

The Surrey-based club will be one of four venues used for qualifying, which is expected to attract 400 players, competing for a coveted place in the main tournament on July 23-26, 2015.

Burhill will host the qualifying stage on July 20 on its 7,000yard New Course, which has held an annual PGA EuroPro Tour event since 2007.

The announcement follows news that Burhill will also host a regional qualifying stage of the 2016 Open Championship.

David Woodward, Burhill’s general manager, said: “For Burhill to be approached to host the events is testament to the quality of the courses. Players from across the globe participate in the qualifying stages for both events, and we look forward to welcoming them as they bid to compete in two of the most important tournaments on their respective tour’s calendars.”

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Sporting Nielsen shines at Stoke by Nayland

Collins charts route to county champion title

Denmark’s Daisy Nielsen can look forward to playing on the Ladies European Tour next season after winning the WPGA International Challenge held at Stoke by Nayland in Essex.

The 21 year old tied with France’s Melodie Bourdy on nine-under-par after 54-holes, but prevailed in a play-off to claim the €4,800 winner’s cheque.

The biggest prize in Nielsen’s short career was eclipsed by the coveted Tour card she earned by finishing third in the Letas Access Series Order of Merit.

Her win was not without

Mark Collins became the first Kent golfer in 24 years to win the English Men’s County Champion of Champions Tournament, when he upstaged his more fancied rivals over the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa. The 19 year old from Chart Hills carded a four-under-par 69 in the second round for a five-under-par tally of 141, finishing two strokes ahead of Durham champion Richard Aisbitt and Martin Young from Hampshire.

It was Collins’s second major win of the season, following his victory in the Tillman Trophy at East Sussex National “This win means all the hard work I’ve put in has paid off, and hopefully will lead to bigger things,” said Collins. “It’s been a while since a Kent player won this title, and I’m glad it was me to do it. I have been working with professional Jason Barnes at my club, and I have beaten him a couple of times, so I came the tournament full of confidence.”

Daisy Nielsen

controversy, however, as the youngster called a penalty stroke on herself during the final round when she thought the ball had moved

as she lined up a putt on the 10th hole. Although neither of her playing partners said they had seen anything untoward, Neilsen penalised herself despite not having seen the ball move.

Speaking about the incident, she said: “I addressed my putter, looked at the hole, and then looked at the ball again.

It looked as though it had moved, but I didn’t see it move. I wasn’t sure, but it wasn’t in the same place.

The referee said it was up to me to decide whether to penalise myself or not, so I thought it was best to give myself a penalty. I would have felt bad if I hadn’t.”

Lamberhurst’s blooming marvellous!

Lamberhurst Golf Club in Kent is well known locally for its lush fairways, fast greens and stunning views, but it is fast gaining a reputation for its wildflower meadows, which have received rave reviews from members and visiting golfers this summer.

Following on from the

successful wild flower planting initiative launched by the club’s ladies section in 2012, the greenstaff allocated an area near the club’s halfway hut to create a wild flower area this spring. After carefully clearing an area of approximately 1,000 square metres, a spectacular display

of wild flowers, including cornflowers, zinnia, cosmos, marigolds and some handsown poppies, first appeared in June and continued a rich display until the end of September.

A spokesperson for the club said: “Lamberhurst wants to encourage biodiversity

on its course by providing good cover and a source of insects and wildlife, as well as providing a beautiful space for golfers to enjoy. The plan will be to continue sowing

these areas over the next two to three years to build up a natural seedbank, as well as highlighting three more areas which will be sown in the coming years.”

News in Brief WALTON CLAIMS CHRISTIES CUP Walton Heath’s junior team won Surrey Golf’s Christies Cup after beating Camberley Heath by one stroke in the final played at Windlesham Golf Club on October 31. They now go on to represent Surrey at Frilford Heath in August next year in the English Junior Club Championships.

BROTHERS CLAIM BB&O JUNIOR TITLES Brothers Kristian and Sebastian Tannum-Donaldson won the BB&O’s U14 and U12 Orders of Merit respectively, following the final event of the Nike Futures Tour held at Frilford Heath on October 30. Kristian ran away with the U14 title after scoring an excellent 67, while younger brother Sebastian pipped Thomas Gregory (Stoke Park) to the U12 title after beating him by one shot at Frilford to overhaul his rival in the season’s points list.

CAMBERLEY HEATH 2015 GOLF DAYS Camberley Heath Golf Club, one of Surrey’s finest golf courses, is proud to be a Senior Open Qualifying Venue for 2015.

This Harry Colt classic, set in 135 acres of heathland, is a true test. Renowned for its mature fairways and subtle greens, the course still remains faithful to Colt’s early vision.

The challenging 6,400 yard, par 71 course has many demanding holes requiring accurate and thoughtful shots, through avenues of pine and acres of heather.

The superb course is complimented by a fantastic Clubhouse with large function rooms, perfect for delicious meals before or after your golf.

The combination of an excellent location, outstanding course and wonderful hospitality makes Camberley Heath a venue that you will want to return over and over again. Dates are now available for the 2015 golf season.

Society prices start from £55 per person.

To book your golf day call: 01276 23258

“I was enthralled with what Camberley Heath delivered in terms of the shot making values and the landscape it is laid out over. This is a tremendous course that will get even better.”

Edward Battye, Golf Empire Summer 2014

Camberley Heath Golf Club, Golf Drive, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 1JG Tel: 01276 23258 Fax: 01276 692505 CAMBERLEY HEATH

info@camberleyheathgolfclub.co.uk www.camberleyheathgolfclub.co.uk

/ 11

November 2014 / Issue 238

News in Brief

Golf courses ‘not the answer’ to housing shortage says PGA chief Government minister Vince Cable lost a few votes from members of the golfing community last month when he suggested that the country’s housing crisis could be solved by building on golf courses.

The business secretary’s controversial comments came in relation to research by the London School of Economics that showed more of Surrey is devoted to golf courses than to housing, with a total of 103 courses in the county.

In a meeting held at the Liberal Democrat’s party conference, Mr Cable said that if he were in a middle income family in Surrey struggling to find a suitable home, he would ‘ask himself is a golf course sacred, or are

MP Dr Vince Cable

there better uses of the land?’

Dr Cable, who is MP for Twickenham, said it was a cliché to rely on brownfield land for new developments and insisted there must be a focus on using up agricultural land. He told the meeting: “Most people do want green, but they would rather have it outside their own house than sitting 20 miles away where they have

Camberley begins renovation of classic Colt course Camberley Heath Golf Club has started work on a three-year renovation programme that aims to preserve the traditions of its classic Harry Frank Pont has drawn up the plans Colt-designed for Camberley Heath’s renovation heathland course, while improving the playing experience for golfers of all abilities.

The historic Surrey venue, which Colt designed in 1913, began the first phase of its renovation programme earlier this month, with work beginning on the course’s four par-three holes – the second, eighth, 11th and 14th.

While the greens will remain untouched, other changes such as bunker reconstruction, tree removal and heather replanting will improve the general playing conditions.

The club has enlisted the services of leading course architect Frank Pont and his company, Infinite Variety Golf Design, to carry out the work. Pont’s company has developed an unrivalled reputation for renovating Colt designs, with recent projects successfully completed at Broadstone, Swinley Forest and Tandridge. Pont’s team will be assisted by specialist bunker shaper George Waters, whose previous projects include Pinehurst’s No 2 course and Pasatiempo Golf Club in California.

Speaking about the decision to renovate the course, club chairman John Molan said: “Camberley Heath is one of Surrey’s finest golf courses, and when it was built back in 1913, it was the most expensive course of its time. Naturally, changes have taken place throughout this time to modernise the course, with bunkers having been added and removed.

“The club set up the Harry Colt Foundation at the end of our centenary year to ensure that the renovated course is consistent with Harry Colt’s original philosophy. The first project will be to look at all bunkers and the current layouts for each hole on the course, which will improve the experience for golfers of all abilities.”

Throughout the winter programme there will be no more than one par three out of action, while the fifth hole will be made into two holes – a par four and a par three – to ensure that there are always 18 holes in play for members and visitors.

no access to it.”

According to analysis by Inside Housing, 150,000 hectares – or one per cent of England’s 13.4m hectares – is covered is by golf courses.

Mr Cable’s comments were dismissed by Sir Paul Beresford, Conservative MP for Mole Valley in Surrey, whose constituency is the venue of the golf resort currently being developed at Cherkley Court. He said: “The employment golf clubs provide for Surrey people is enormous, and so too is the money it brings to the county.”

Zac Goldsmith, MP for neighbouring Richmond Park and North Kingston, said despite the need for more homes, Dr Cable’s proposals to build on green

Cherkley Court will be Surrey’s 104th course when it opens

spaces was ‘crazy’. He said: “There are more than 250,000 plots of brownfield land available to be built on in the south-east alone right now, and hundreds of thousands of officially empty homes that can be forced back onto the market. That’s where the focus should be.”

Professional Golfers’ Association chief executive Sandy Jones was quick to point out the economic

and social benefits that golf brings to local communities.

“Golf plays a significant role both in its economic impact and also in delivering social, behaviour and sporting benefits,” he said. “The 100-plus courses in Surrey generate hundreds of jobs across the community and millions of pounds of revenue, so I don’t think the contribution golf makes to the community should be underestimated.”

More room at Old Thorns Golfers looking to book a break to Old Thorns Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Estate in Hampshire have a wider choice of accommodation to choose from following the opening of a further 70 bedrooms in the newly-built Shaw Wing.

The new accommodation takes the total number of rooms available at the Liphookbased resort to 166, providing ample scope for its growing number of society, corporate and wedding guests.

Tucked away in 400 acres of Hampshire countryside just off the A3, Old Thorns is one of southern England’s most picturesque country-house-style hotels, and in addition to luxury accommodation,

it offers health spa facilities and a 6,581yard, 18-hole championship golf course designed by the BBC’s ‘Voice of Golf’ and the club president, Peter Alliss.

The resort has also recently received planning permission to extend its sports bar, which will provide an enlarged and improved venue for guests to enjoy.

Magnolia unveils hotel plans

Former ladies’ Tour pro takes charge at Oak Park Oak Park Golf Club in Surrey has appointed former Ladies European Tour professional Sarah Heath as its new general manager.

The 32 year old from Shropshire joins the club from nearby Pine Ridge, and has pledged to make Oak Park the most desirable members’ club in the area, and to boost the amount of female golfers playing at the Farnham-based venue.

Heath, who turned pro aged 20 and enjoyed 10 top-20 finishes on Tour, said: “The members here have already been incredibly welcoming – Oak Park is such a friendly club. The staff have been great too, and I’m looking to getting to know the place as we approach Christmas. I’ve played against tough opponents like Laura Davies, Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb, I am sure that the members at Oak Park will throw me some of their own unique challenges!”

Tony Jacklin (centre) with Magnolia Park GM Paul Bird and owner Alan Pither

Magnolia Park Golf & Country Club is replacing its existing nine-hole course with a par-three facility designed by Tony Jacklin, and it is building a fitness centre and spa, an air conditioned gym and aerobics studio, a swimming pool and spa treatment rooms The club has also submitted planning permission to build a number of two- and four-bedroom lodges.

At the heart of the redevelopment is the 30-room Best Western hotel, which is scheduled for completion later this year.

The club is also to become the base for the new Tony Jacklin Golf Academy, which will host the qualifying rounds of the ISGA Schools Cup. Jacklin commented: “I have been a passionate advocate of par-three golf for many years, and I believe it is the future for golf. Alan and the team at Magnolia Park have a great vision for the club going forward, and want to provide its members. I can’t wait to get started.”

CHELMSFORD RETAIN THORNTON CUP Chelmsford held onto the Thornton Challenge Cup it won last year after beating Romford 10.5-4.5 in 2014 renewal held at Wanstead Golf Club. The morning foursomes matches were tied 2.5-2.5, but the cup holders romped to an 8-2 win in the afternoon singles, winning the last five matches to retain the title.

SUSSEX GOLF SEEKS JUNIOR ORGANISERS Sussex Golf is looking for four volunteers to take up the role of junior regional organisers for next season. Acting under the direction of the county junior manager, the regional organisers will be required to work with regional and club professionals, organise regional events, and select teams for inter-regional matches. Applications should be made to county secretary Anup Vasant at Eastbourne Downs Golf Club by December 1.

GANE WINS AT WILDERNESSE Chris Gane bagged his tenth win of the season with a superb sixunder-par 66 in the Wildernesse Club Pro-Am. The Silvermerebased lefthander edged James Jones into second place, while Richard Wallis shot 68 for third spot. Gane’s latest win took his season’s earnings on The PGA in England (South) prize money list to over £22,000.

HUNTER JOINS PRINCE’S PGA Professional Alex Hunter has joined the pro shop staff at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, where his duties will include taking responsibility for all the Open competitions at the links venue, including the popular Open Week in August. Hunter has come to Prince’s from Royal Cinque Ports, where he recently completed two years of his PGA training. Hunter will complete his training in 2015, and continuing with his teaching at Prince’s. To contact Alex regarding Open competitions, email proshop@ princesgolfclub.co.uk.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Bigbury ladies bare nearly all for cancer charity Ten years after the hit film Calendar Girls wowed cinema audiences across the world with its touching story of a Women’s Institute group’s brave attempt to raise money for charity, an equally brave group of women golfers from Devon have ditched their golfing attire and hit the course ‘au naturel’ in a bid to raise money for worthy causes.

Earlier this year, 13 brave ladies from Bigbury Golf Club in South Devon swapped their traditional golfing garb for a more naturalistic look, as they posed naked on various parts of the parkland course, which overlooks the sea at Kingsbridge.

The idea for the calendar came from the club’s junior section treasurer, Sandra Westlake, who contacted a local photographer, Lorna Yabsley, who had done

something similar in the past for the town’s help support Bigbury’s junior golf section. rowing club, to raise funds for a new boat Bigbury’s Director of Golf, Nigel house.

Blenkarne, said: “This is a superb effort by all Four evenings were selected in June concerned. The end product is outstanding, – when the course was quiet – for the and I hope lots of people buy one and calendar shoot, which Yabsley describes as enjoy it!” ‘showing the course and girls in a lovely light’.

Those interested in purchasing a calendar can send a cheque to the club directly for £9.99, made payable to ‘Bigbury Golf Club Calendar’. Two calendars cost £15, or three for £20.

All profits from sales will go to National Cancer Research UK, the Kingsbridge Triangle Bunker babe: Bigbury’s ladies had to wait for the course to clear before shooting the racy charity calandar Support Centre, and also to

Zane Scotland has enjoyed a fine run of results during his forays on the Middle Eastern Tour in recent seasons

Scotland mops up on MENA Tour The Middle East’s MENA Tour has proved a happy ground for Zane Scotland in recent seasons, with seven wins to the Surrey star’s name, and the 32 year old showed he had lost none of his touch on its courses after winning back-to-back events on the tour which gives golfers from the region a chance to experience tour-style competition conditions.

Scotland won the Ghala Valley Open in Oman at the end of October, and followed up the very next week with victory in the Golf Citizen Masters in Abu Dhabi.

The double victory took him into second place in the MENA Tour’s Order of Merit, behind leader Luke Joy from Broadstone Golf Club in Dorset – although the gap proved too big to bridge with just one event left in the current season.

Scotland came back from a four-shot deficit on the final day at Al Ain to force a play-off against fellow Englishman and long-time leader Josh White, while his win in Oman was more comfortable, with three shots separating him from the rest of the field after rounds of 68 and 69.

Following his most recent win, Scotland said: “It wasn’t easy out there because of the wind, but I had a good start when I eagled the third and birdied the fourth. That kind of put me in the mix. When I birdied the 16th, I knew I had a chance to win if I stayed focused on the job. In the end I was happy to get the job done.”

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FootGolf kicks off at Sunbury on Sundays West London now has its first FootGolf equipment: namely, your feet. course, after the October opening of a new “Hundreds have already played our new attraction at Sunbury Golf Centre.

FootGolf course in its first month,” said The 27-hole pay-and-play golf centre Sunbury professional Karl Hodge. “FootGolf is located between Sunbury-on-Thames and growing fast across the UK, and no wonder – Shepperton has created a permanent, fullit is ridiculously good fun, anyone can play it, length 18-hole FootGolf course around its and you can wear what you like. It generally existing nine-hole short course.

FootGolf can currently be played there after 1pm each Sunday, although the centre plans to increase availability in 2015.

FootGolf, as the name suggests, is a hybrid of the football and golf, in which size five footballs and 21-inch cups replace normal golf balls and holes.

Just as in golf, players attempt get the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible but, unlike golf, the human FootGolf has a growing following in the UK body provides the only permissible

takes just over an hour, and anyone who can kick a ball is welcome to come and have a game. It’s especially good for families and groups of friends.”

“We’re delighted that Sunbury is the latest golf centre to embrace our sport,” said Mike O’Connor, President of the UK FootGolf Association. “It means that FootGolf is now available to a very large new catchment area west of London. It’s a great way to spend time on a Sunday afternoon, so if you haven’t yet tried it, I urge you to try it at Sunbury.”

Footballs are supplied, and a round costs £14.50 (£10 for under-16s).

Sunbury is the third Crown Golf venue to open a FootGolf course, with Addington Court Golf Centre near Croydon, and South Essex Golf Centre near Brentwood also offering the fast-growing sport.

Brucie bonus boosts South Bucks charity day Legendary entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth added some star appeal to the inaugural chairman’s charity golf day held at South Buckinghamshire Golf Club last month.

The veteran star official opened the event, which saw 54 golfers take part in an 18-hole team Stableford competition, which was won by ITW Construction with 84 points, with South Buck’s own team taking second with 82 points.

The day helped raise over £4,000 for the chairman of South Bucks District Council’s two chosen local charities, Padstones and South Bucks Citizens Advice Bureau, while an auction raised a further £1,000, with prizes including an exclusive tour of Pinewood Studios.

Chairman Santokh Chhokar, said: “The golf day was a huge success, and is a wonderful way to bring the community together and have fun while raising money.

I am delighted that so much money was raised for our charities and would like to thank event sponsors Berkeley Homes Ltd, Sir Bruce for opening the event, and also to everyone who generously donated auction prizes.”

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The last event of the 2014 Jamega Pro Golf Tour, the Tour Final, saw Essex professional Ricky Brackenbury come out on top at Gatton Manor to secure a start in next year’s Madeira Islands Open on the European Tour.

Brackenbury (pictured), who is attached to Orsett Golf Club, fired a six-under par 66 around the testing Surrey tree-lined layout to win the £2,000 first prize – the biggest of his career – and book his ticket to Madeira.

He finished one shot clear of Liam Crawford (Foxhills) and Simon Griffiths (Wentworth), while four players – Mark Laskey, Dale Whitnell, Elliot Saltman and Laurie Canter – shared fourth place.

Despite less than ideal playing conditions, organiser Gary Harris praised the staff at Gatton Manor for presenting a course worthy of the Tour Final. “Our unequivocal thanks go to course manager Rob Sebbage and his team for getting the course in a playable condition, despite the horrendous weather that prevailed during the two days of the tournament.

Throughout the delays, all the staff coped with the situation with good humour and professionalism – and we are looking forward to working with them again in 2015.”

At the end of an action-packed season, Swindon’s Martin Sell won the Jamega Pro Golf Tour’s 2014 Order of Merit, with five wins and 14 top-10 finishes helping to build up his total winnings for the season to over £27,000 – twice that of his nearest challenger.

The Jamega Tour will return to Gatton Manor next summer, with a Pro-Am followed by a oneday tournament.

Amateurs looking to take part in the Pro-Am on June 30 can register their interest by emailing golfmanager@ Ricky Brackenbury gattonmanor.co.uk.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

News in Brief AFIA WINS MIDDLESEX HANDICAP CHAMPS Highgate’s Robert Afia won the first ever Middlesex Handicap Championship after scpring 38 points at Pinne Hill Golf Club. The runner up, on countback, was Michael Williams (Pinner) with 37 points, with Michael Griffin (Trent Park) in third.

STANMORE WIN ROWSE TROPHY Stanmore defeated Pinner Hill in the Rowse final held at Crews Hill by 7.5–4.5. The match was virtually decided by lunchtime, as Stanmore took a healthy lead into the singles having won three of the foursomes and halving the other game. The singles were shared 4-4 all. The Stanmore team comprised Mark Lambert, Sunil Patel, Paul Punia, Suraj Patel, Ben Wilkins, Alex Persuad, Andy Richards and Daniel Cowley.

Clayton comes good at Guildford shoot-out Hindhead professional Ben Clayton grabbed a grand off James Ablett and his southern professional rivals Nick Redfern, Rob Edwards, Alan Lovelace and Callum Scott, following a thrilling three-hole shoot-out at Guildford Golf Club.

Attended by over 200 spectators, the new pro-am event offered a ‘par is your friend’ scoring format, which encouraged players to go for birdies and eagles at every opportunity.

After 18 holes, Clayton was one of a group of five players lying in second, having scored four under par, and lying three

shots behind the leader Ablett on seven under. All six went forward into a three-hole play-off around Guildford’s first, 17th and 18th holes, which saw Ablett get to the 17th and make bogey, before Redfern drove out of bounds by two feet on the final hole, leaving The PGA in Surrey Captain, Clayton, to land the top prize of £1,000.

Clayton, a new member of the coaching staff at The Golf College, as well as head assistant at Hindhead, was delighted with his result.

“It’s an unusual, yet fun format, and it adds a lot of excitement to the event for the club and all those watching. James and Nick were very generous when they hit shots that took them out of contention, but it certainly made for a good day at the office for me!”

Guildford’s PGA Professional, Andy Kirk added: “This new pro-am format definitely worked from the club’s perspective, and really increased the fun factor for players - which is the what the game needs.”

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Stoke Park scholars raise their game Stoke Park Golf Club is to announce the successful candidates for the 2015 intake of its innovative scholarship programme after hosting three try-out days over the past few months.

The programme, which first began in 2012, is open to boys and girls aged between nine and 15, and offers the successful candidates a year-long series of free coaching, fitness training and mentoring sessions by Stoke Park’s team of PGA professionals. The cost of the programme is met by donations frm Stoke Park’s members, and it is open to children from all over the region, not just the club.

Stuart Rank, Stoke Park’s

head of instruction, is delighted with the progress that all the players have made since the programme started. “The results have been fantastic over the past two years, with juniors reducing their handicaps significantly, representing club teams, winning at county, country, and even European and worldwide level,” he said. “It has only been through the club’s vision and generosity that we’ve been able to deliver such a comprehensive syllabus, which will one day produce a star of the future – home grown at Stoke Park.”

Speaking about the selection process, Rank added: “We don’t necessarily chose the

most talented players from the try-out days, but those who have the right personal attributes to be ambassadors for Stoke Park, and whom the members will be proud of.”

He added: “November will kick start the busy yearly programme, which includes of one group class and one individual lesson a month, along with physical screenings, which are delivered in the gym thorough Titleist Performance Institute, and golf-specific fitness programmes tailored to each junior. Each scholar will receive a golf bag and uniform to wear with pride whenever representing the club or playing in club events.”

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Tilgate targets next generation

Tilgate Forest Golf Club in West Sussex is one of a growing number of public venues serving up new ways to encourage more people to take up the game.

The Crawley-based facility, which is run

by Glendale Golf, has launched a golf academy that is offering weekly coaching sessions for the next generation of young talent. The club is also working with local schools and community groups to offer free sessions for

students and people with learning difficulties.

Dan Lucking, centre manager for Glendale Golf, said: “It’s our hope that the coaching sessions and the improved facilities will make golf less intimidating.

One of the difficulties with taking up golf as a new sport is that you can’t really teach yourself, and often people will give up when they don’t see any improvement.

The coaching sessions aim to tackle this and the

academy will develop talent in youngsters to keep them interested.”

Last year saw Tilgate Forest open a brand new £1 million clubhouse, which features a pro shop, function suite, bar and restaurant. A new driving range has also been opened, with introductory offers aimed at beginners, while larger holes have been installed on the parthree course to make the game more appealing to children and families.

News in Brief

Royal return for Prince Richard at Sandwich Four-time PGA South Order of Merit winner Richard Wallis won the first PGA Sandwich Links Championship ProAm sponsored by Callaway and Shepherd Neame by a stunning six shots.

The North Foreland pro finished on six under par after 18 holes at Prince’s and a further 18 holes at Royal St George’s.

Starting at Prince’s, Wallis kicked off with a flawless twounder-par 70 despite constant rain. The following day he notched up seven birdies on his way to a superb four-underpar 66 around the wind-lashed course.

Speaking after his win, Wallis said: “I was very happy with the way I played out there, despite all the rain on the first day and the strong winds, so this win is a massive boost for my prospects. It’s been a tough year in terms of my results, but things change when there’s a new baby around! This year I haven’t practiced anything like the last four, but the practice I put in over the past two weeks showed Richard Wallis out on the course.”

HENDON WINS MIDDLESEX SIXES Hendon won the Middlesex Sixes for the first time in the club’s history following a closely fought 2-1 victory against Grims Dyke at Mill Hill, with the last match decided on the 18th green. The Hendon team comprised John Delaney, Gareth Murcutt, Les Parker, Rav Ahluwalia, John Daly and Ian Wallace.

NIGHTINGALE ON SONG AT ROYAL ASHDOWN Scott Nightingale shot a recordbreaking 63 over Royal Ashdown Golf Club’s West Course en route to winning the Sussex Mid-Age Championship by 10 shots. The 38-year-old Worthing amateur also returned a three-under par 69 on the Old Course to record an eight under aggregate – also a record for the 18-year-old event.

Nightingale, who plays off plus three, also won Worthing’s club champiosnip for a record seventh time last month.

Leaderboard’s internet TV channel proves ratings hit A web-based television channel launched by Leaderboard Golf, owner and operator five topflight clubs in the south, has proved a big hit with golf fans in the region.

Leaderboard TV features exclusive video tutorials and coaching tips from the clubs’ PGA professionals, reviews of new equipment launches, and video tours around the five

Leaderboard venues: Chart Hills, Dale Hill, The Oxfordshire, Sandford Springs and The Leaderboard Golf Centre at Reading.

The channel also features a series of exclusive interviews and tips from Ladies European Tour professionals Trish Johnson and Becky Brewerton, who signed up as brand ambassadors for the Leaderboard Group earlier this summer. The two

players represent the group on tour, and are helping to develop ladies golf at the venues, and pass on their expertise to club members.

Viewing figures for the channel, which forms part of Leaderboard Group’s impressive website, ¬leaderboardgolf.co.uk, are up 70% over the last 12 months, with more and more golfers enjoying the exclusive content and up-to-date club news.

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16 /

November 2014 / Issue 238

GALLACHER’S

BACK ON HIS GAME What were practice facilities like for a golf-mad boy growing up in Edinburgh in the 1960s?

We didn’t have a driving range as such at Bathgate Golf Club when I was growing up. We used to just sneak onto the side of fairways on the course, far away from the pro shop, and practise chip shots to the green. I was a junior member, so it wasn’t like I was jumping over the fence for free – but in those days I found the course was the best place to practice, as they were real situations.

Do you think facilities like the ones at World of Golf will uncover the next generation of stars?

The way golf is going, with fewer people becoming members of clubs, and fewer people having the time to play a full round, it’s becoming increasingly likely that future generations’ only experience of golf will be at facilities like these. Families can come here for an hour or two, practise their putting, chipping and general play, have a lesson, check out all the new equipment, play a game of crazy golf, have a snack, and generally have a fun few hours together. It’s certainly a great way to get started in the game, so when players do, hopefully, manage to experience a proper golf course, they won’t feel quite so intimidated.

Talking of game improvement, what is your view on the PGA of America’s decision to create a task force to raise the standard of America’s performances in the Ryder Cup? It’s all a massive over-reaction. It will swing back America’s way if they don’t panic, but that’s exactly what they seem to be doing. America lost the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles because they lost the foursomes matches 7-1. How’s a task force going to help on that?

Was Tom Watson the fall guy, or did he make some bad decisions?

The appointment of Tom Watson didn’t work – full stop. There was clearly a generation gap between Tom and his players, and it made for a marked contrast with Paul McGinley, who was one of the boys and the European players really wanted to play for him. The US was looking for a inspirational figure to break their losing run, but what they really needed was someone who the players could relate to, and who knew their games, not a guy whose playing days on tour were decades ago.

What did you make of Phil Mickelson’s outburst after the US defeat?

Phil is a lovely guy, but it surely needed someone to tap him on the

opportunity in jeopardy if he ends up spending weeks in court fighting his legal dispute with his former management company. Rory’s sole focus should be on peaking for that second week in April. He is 25, the best player in the world, and he’s been unstoppable this summer. He wants to be out on the course or practicing, not having meetings with lawyers.

In these austere times, the sight of multi-millionaire golfers arguing over the percentages of lucrative contracts does not portray the sport in a good light. I just hope any court victory is not at the expense of the one we want to see at Augusta.

Golf News catches up with Bernard Gallacher at the opening of the new performance centre at World of Golf in Surrey, and finds the 65-year-old former Ryder Cup captain fully recovered from his heart scare and full of opinions on the current state of the game shoulder and say, ‘We all appreciate your passion and you’re trying to help, but your timing is completely wrong’.

I would have been very disappointed if one of my players had done that.

Phil must surely regret his actions in the cold light of day. Of course, he had some valid points, but it was the wrong time and the wrong place to start pointing fingers.

What would you do to improve the US team’s chances?

I’d certainly get rid of the wildcards.

I don’t know why they copied the Europeans on that one. We had to do it because a lot of our players were competing in America, but the Americans should just take the top 12 off their order of merit after the FedEx Cup. That way you’re letting every player know exactly what he needs to do to make the team. They also need to stop over-reacting. The American college system is too strong not to turn out more great golfers. They were without key players in Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Jason Dufner.

What a difference they would have made. And look at Medinah, where they lost by a whisker, or Celtic Manor in 2010, where they won three of the four series of matches. They’re acting

like they’re a million miles away, which they’re plainly not.

Your nephew, Stephen Gallacher, made his Ryder Cup debut at Glengeagles. How do you think he coped with playing in front of a home crowd?

The whole family was obviously enormously proud of what Stephen achieved in getting picked for the team. He put in a lot of hard work, and had to cope with numerous illnesses and injuries, and he got the reward for all his efforts. The Ryder Cup is an incredibly difficult event to play in at the best of times, but doing it in front of a huge crowd in your own back yard piled on even more pressure. Obviously his matches didn’t go the way he would have liked, but we’re all still tremendously proud of what he achieved. It was brilliant for him personally, but also brilliant for Bathgate Golf Club, which now boasts three Ryder Cup players, in Eric Brown, myself, and now Stephen. It’s amazing that such a wee club could produce one Ryder Cup player, let alone three.

Who would you like to see captaining Europe in 2016?

There seems to be a strong call for

Darren Clarke to take it on, and I see no reason to look beyond him.

Miguel Angel Jimenez is obviously another potential candidate, but I look at Darren’s Ryder Cup record over Miguel’s, and his general standing in the game, and I think Darren is perhaps the stronger candidate. He also played a lot more golf in America than Miguel, which also tips the balance in his favour for an away leg.

Do you think Rory Mcilroy has a good chance of bagging his career grand slam at Augusta?

Rory may never have a better chance to win the Masters than next April.

But he is putting that

How’s your own game these days after your health scare last year?

I’m officially retired from the game now, from a competitive point of view, but I’m fine. I’m back playing golf, going to the gym, and driving again. I practise down at Wentworth every week and I am as fit as I’ve been in a long time. Thanks to modern equipment I can still get the ball out there, although my swing isn’t quite as fast as it once was!

You’ve launched a campaign for all UK golf clubs to invest in defibrillator machines and train How’s the campaign going?

I consider myself incredibly fortunate that a defibrillator was on hand to resuscitate me following my cardiac arrest. Without early intervention, an individual has just a 5% chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, so my wife Lesley and I felt it appropriate to try to ensure others are equally fortunate should they collapse in or around a golfing venue in future. Currently, just 30% of golf clubs have a defibrillator and our aim is to try to raise awareness of the importance of having an AED close by in case of emergency, and to increase that figure considerably by encouraging every club or driving range in the UK and Ireland to have at least one public-access defibrillator by the end of 2014.

/ 17

November 2014 / Issue 238

Southgate leads the way at Q School

BBC Radio 2 ‘Super Swing’ package raises £375k for Children in Need European Tour players Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell have helped raise a staggering £374,000 for BBC Children in Need through the Chris Evans BMW PGA Championship 2015 charity auction.

Evans held the fundraising auction for a third consecutive year on his popular BBC2 Breakfast Show on November 10, offering listeners the chance to bid for the stunning ‘Super Swing Golf Package’, which included the chance to Chris Evans will team up with Graeme McDowell at next play with one of the two Ryder year’s BMW PGA Championship to raise funds for CiN Cup players at the European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth Club in May. Sunningdale with the BBC Radio 2 presenters, Four generous benefactors parted with five nights’ accommodation, a full set of £273,000, including one person who bid custom-fitted clubs and shoes courtesy of £101,000 for the chance of a lifetime golf Titleist and FootJoy, and hospitality at all four package. This winning bid was then fund days of the tournament. matched by a mystery Children in Need Chris Evans said: “Never in our wildest donor, which took the grand total raised by dreams did we imagine our golf package the Super Swing Package to £374,000 – a would raise such a huge amount of money record amount for the annual auction. for Children In Need. We are genuinely blown McDowell will once again partner Evans in away. Thanks to everyone involved.” the Celebrity Pro-Am before the BMW PGA Jamie Birkmyre, championship director for Championship on May 20, when they will the BMW PGA Championship, added: “This be joined by two of the successful bidders. year’s appeal has been truly incredible and Donald, a two-time winner of the BMW PGA has surpassed everyone’s expectations, raising Championship, will be joined by two other £180,000 more than our 2014 total, so we are successful bidders in his team with Breakfast extremely grateful to our generous bidders, Show sports presenter Vassos Alexander. and we look forward to welcoming them to The package also includes a round at Wentworth Club in May.”

VISIT CALL

Essex professional Matthew Southgate and Sussex’s Toby Tree scored a combined total of 43 under par for 144 holes en route to qualifying for the finals of this year’s European Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

Horsham-based Tree lead the field after rounds of 66, 67 and 65 at Panoramica Golf & Sport Resort, but he was leapfrogged by Southgate in the final round, after the man from Thorpe Hall fired a 67 to Tree’s 69 to win the second stage qualifying event by a single shot.

The top 17 players from four venues all qualified for the final stage, which takes place at PGA Catalunya from November 15-20.

Other successful players from the south included Surrey’s Jamie Elson, who finished fourth at Las Colinas, while Kent’s Matt Ford fired a scintillating final round 62 to race from 40th to 10th at Lumine Golf & Beach Club to progress to the final.

Of those from the south to miss out, the closest was Surrey’s Adam Gee, who was just one stroke shot of the qualifying mark at Panoramica.

Matthew Southgate is just one step away from bagging his European Tour card after winning a stage two event

News in Brief HENLEY LADIES WIN NATIONAL GOLF CLUB CHALLENGE Five ladies from Henley Golf Club in Oxfordshire withstood the twin challenges of playing Turnberry’s Ailsa Course in storm force conditions to win the 2014 National Golf Club Challenge Final, which was sponsored by Your Golf Travel. The Henley team took the title ahead of Brickendon Grange Golf Club, with Royal Club du Hainaut in third.

DISABLED GOLFERS BATTLE IT OUT AT BURHILL

Disabled Berkshire-based golfer Kevin White was crowned the winner of the 2014 ‘Race to Burhill’ title after beating 14 other players at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey. White, who suffers with spinal arthritis, chalked up 35 points over the venue’s New Course to take the title by a single shot from Cornwall’s Ben Bowen, with third place going to junior talent Bobby David, also from Berkshire.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

/ 19

NIGHT OF THE STARS! The great and the good of the golfing establishment in the South East swapped their polo shirts for penguin suits and ball gowns for the 2014 PGA in England (South) Awards Dinner

Getting People into Golf: World of Golf New Malden’s Jon Woodroffe – Coach of the Year

With an invited audience of over 200 PGA Professionals, sponsors, members of the media and guests, the achievements of the PGA in England (South) region’s members were celebrated at a glittering black tie event at Wentworth Club on November 5, which followed a team pro-am competition held around the West Course, which was sponsored by Virgin Atlantic.

There were half a dozen gongs handed out at the end of the evening, many of which were keenly contested. However there was little argument over the recipient of the coveted player of the year award, which went to the all-conquering Benn Barham from

PGolfCoaching at Pedham Place. Barham has notched up no fewer than nine wins throughout the year, and among his many highlights was victory in the PGA Southern Professional Championship at Kings Hill, where the Kent man won with a 54-hole score of 19 under par. He shot an impressive 31 rounds in the 60s, and amassed 267 birdies en route to becoming the first new winner of the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit for four years, and sealing his place in this month’s Titleist PGA Playoffs in Turkey.

Advanced Fellow of the PGA Jon Woodroffe, the golf development manager at World of Golf in Surrey picked up the coach of the year award. Responsible for over 24 PGA Pros at the busy New Malden-based

venue, he has just overseen the opening of the new performance centre, which has turned it into one of the best practice and coaching facilities in the country. Jon has introduced over 16,000 people to golf, and a conservative estimate is that he has given over 50,000 lessons so far in his career.

A few miles down the A3 at Silvermere, staff celebrated the awarding of professional of the year to the legend that is Doug McClelland. One of only 36 PGA Master Professionals in the UK, over the last 30 years Doug has turned Silvermere into a place with an unrivalled reputation for service and quality in his eponymous store, while the superb new 52-bay two-tiered range and custom-fitting centre, which opened earlier

2014 PGA IN ENGLAND (SOUTH) AWARD WINNERS

Sponsor’s address by Virgin Atlantic’s sales and marketing team

The Player of the Year and Order of Merit winner Benn Barham with PGA Regional Secretary Sam Smith

Calum Callan, Captain The PGA in England (South)

this year, is just one example of his desire to continue to innovate.

The ladies didn’t leave the night empty handed either, with Alex Mollin of Les Mielles Golf & Country Club in Jersey bagging the assistant of the year title, in what was a hotlycontested field. Mollin graduated from the PGA in May, having won the leading assistant award in each of her three years of study, as well as the Ladies European Tour Award in honour of her hard work and dedication.

After a sumptuous dinner, guests were treated to after dinner entertainment provided by Jamie Raven and Adger Brown, before carriages arrived at 12, to bring down the curtain on another action-packed season on the southern professional circuit.

Retail King: Doug McClelland from Silvermere – Professional of the Year

Player of the Year: Benn Barham (Pedham Place)

Coach of the Year: Jon Woodroffe (World of Golf, New Malden) Special Recognition Award: Peter Battle, Titleist southern sales manager Top Trainee: Alex Mollin with the Whitcombe Cox Trophy and Rob Edwards, Chairman of The PGA in England (South)

Special Recognition Award winner: Former Southern Area Titleist Rep Peter Battle

Professional of the Year: Doug McClelland, Silvermere

Pro-Am winners Team KRL drew lots to decide who made the speech

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORPORATEEVENTPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

Assistant of the Year: Alex Mollin (Les Mielles)

20 /

News in Brief STURMINSTER HITS THE NEW GOLFMARK Sturminster Marshall Golf Club in Dorset has become the first club in the country to achieve England Golf’s new GolfMark award. GolfMark, which was originally started in 2006, has been updated to make it more relevant in today’s challenging commercial landscape, with an extra focus on steps taken to retain and recruit members, as well as coaching standards. A total of 766 clubs achieved the award under the previous system, and over 200 are already working towards the new award. “It’s always nice to be first,” said Sturminster’s owner and PGA professional Mike Dodd. “We are a pro-active club working at grass roots to get people into golf, and this award underlines that we’re doing everything the right way.”

PARSONS RETAINS GOWLAND TROPHY Daniel Parsons (Sudbury) won the Gowland Trophy for the third year in a row after defeating Simon Westgarth (Fulwell) in the final.

The winner is undefeated in his last 16 games in this knockout competition.

NEVILL CLAIM COVEY CUP The Nevill Golf Club’s junior team won the Alan Covey Cup after beating Chartham Park 3.5-0.5 in the final held at Ifield Golf Club.

GOODWOOD ON TOP IN JUNIOR PRO-AM Ryan Fenwick lead a team from Golf At Goodwood to victory in the Junior Pro-Am. Competition held at Nevill Golf Club on October 29.

The Sussex professional combined with Johno Beadles, Leonardo Ruggieri and Yasmin Hang to score 130 points and win the event by three shots from Tim Cowley’s Royal Ashdown team, with the Nevill taking third place.

HERNE BAY PLANS VETOED Plans to turn land that was formerly home to Herne Bay Golf Club into a sports hub for the Kent town’s hockey, cricket, football and tennis clubs, as well as 570 new homes, have been voted down by local councillors.

November 2014 / Issue 238

Southern stars rise to the Challenge Peter Egypt, while TarverLancashire’s Jones, Jack Senior, James Watts who is already and Stiggy ranked 70th on Hodgson and the Challenge can all look Tour, finished forward to runner up in the playing on the EuroPro order of Challenge Tour merit. next season Tarver-Jones, Stiggy Hodgson after finishing who is attached inside the top to Worthing five in this year’s EuroPro Golf Club in West Sussex, Tour money list. has enjoyed a stunning first The trio finished third, season on tour, winning the fourth and fifth respectively EuroPro’s Rookie of the Year in the order of merit to earn award and enjoying wins at their places on the second The Oxfordshire and Prince’s tier of professional golf in in consecutive weeks this Europe next season. summer.

The final placings were Stevenage-based Watts resolved at the conclusion shot into the top five, thanks of the Visit Egypt Tour to a win at Royal Burgess in Championship at El Gouna July, and some consistent Golf Club, which was peformances throughout the won by Scotland’s Elliott season, while Hodgson, who Saltman, who was given is attached to The Wisley in a three-month ban from Surrey, narrowly missed out the European Tour in 2011 on progressing to the final for consistently incorrectly stage of qualfying for the marking his ball during European Tour, after finishing the Russian Open. Saltman 34th in second stage of also earned a return to qualifying school at Lumine the Challenge Tour due to in Spain, where he was five the £15,000 first prize in shots off the mark.

Shergo’s set for Tour debut in the desert!

Not many adults get the opportunity to play against tour pros, but Surrey rising star Shergo Kurdi has gone one better, having been invited to take part in the pro-am for the Dubai Desert Classic in January.

The talented 11 year old from Chertsey, who has lowered his handicap by 10 shots this season to a current Shergo Kurdi mark of nine, received the invitation to tee it up alongside the stars of the European Tour from Golf in Dubai, the body which promotes the sport in the United Arab Emriates.

A member at Foxhills in Ottershaw, Kurdi has continued his upward curve to stardom this season, with a succession of excellent results in club, national and international competitions. Earlier this year he won Foxhill’s club match play knockout competition after beating assistant professional Richard Daly 3&2 in the final. Other impressive results included a sixth in the US Kids European Championships in May, which he followed up by finishing second at the Oceanico World Kids Championships held in Portugal in July.

Playing in the U13 section of the Surrey Nike Rookie Tour, he won the order of merit for both gross and nett scores, which had never been achieved before.

Kurdi’s father, Antonio, is delighted with his son’s progress this season, which has also been helped by regular sessions with a physical trainer to boost his fitness. “Shergo’s not tall for his age, but he has been working with fitness trainer Richard Clarke at TopGolf in Addlestone to improve his physique,” said Antionio. “His game has literally gone from strength to strength, with the golf-specific programme helping him to improve his core strength and stability, which has increased his club head speed and distance off the tee.

All of which should come in handy if he gets drawn to play alongside Rory McIlroy in Dubai!”

Host Peter Alliss with John Virgo and the rest of the Alliss Challenge’s winning team

Alliss rises to the Challenge Over 20 teams took part in this year’s Alliss Challenge, an annual charity event hosted by legendary golf commentator Peter Alliss at Old Thorns Hotel and Golf Resort in Hampshire.

The day’s activities helped raise over £10,000 for bowel cancer charity G.U.T.S. The winning team, PG events, featured ex-Snooker player John Virgo, while other

celebrity golfers taking part included Steve Ryder, Jimmy Tarbuck, Jess Conrad and Ed Stewart, along with former cricketers Tim Tremlett and Pat Pocock.

Epping appoints youngest manager Epping Golf Club in Essex information to make the holds the honour of having staff’s lives easier. I’ve Britain’s youngest golf club updated the database, manager, following of the and in recognition of the appointment of 23-year fact that we have a young -old Ellie Green to the role membership who are earlier this year. confident with email and Ms Green was appointed smartphones, I use the to the position by club latest technology to keep owner, and former them up to date. We also secretary, Neil Sjoberg, have a newsletter so that whose son Will is Ellie’s everyone is kept informed.

Epping manager Ellie Green partner.

“We have a new cook, “When Neil decided to and together we have retire as club secretary Neil and Will introduced new menus, adding lunches to suggested I take on the role,” she said. “It the existing all-day breakfasts. We’re also works very well with Will as the course offering more ‘fun’ food such as burgers manager, while I look after the clubhouse and hot dogs.” and hospitality side of the business.”

She suggested that one benefit of being Green had studied anthropology at a young manager was that she was more the University of Central London, gaining open-minded and willing to try new ideas. a first, and was considering a career in “I have had a lot of support from the advertising, marketing or events, but members, although I appreciate that it says the job as a golf club secretary helps to be part of the family business,” encompassed all three. she said. “I have attended a number of “I’m still on a learning curve, and there industry events with Neil, and most people are so many aspects to get to know. I’m appreciate that I am still learning. I’m keen now trying to put systems in place so to try out new initiatives and that seems to that there is much more recording of be welcomed.”

Surrey’s young stars shine at Wentworth Fifty-four of Surrey’s finest juniors recently finished off another great season on the Nike Rookie Tour by playing their final event at Wentworth.

The ‘Race To The Stars’ comprised an invited field who played in five competitions: U14 scratch and handicap, U12 scratch and handicap, and U14 girls.

Played over Wentworth’s East Course, the finale produced some spectacular results, with Enrique Dimayuga from Cuddington winning both U14 scratch and handicap events with 31 and 37 points respectively.

The girls’ competition was won by Surrey National’s Salysa Mason with 40 points.

In the hotly-contested U12 competitions, the scratch event was won by Joe Wood (West Hill) with 28 points, while Christian Gadd (Wentworth) won the handicap division with 41 points.

With four wins to his name this season, Aadam Syed (Foxhills) won the Rookie Tour’s U14 scratch Order of Merit, while the U14 handicap title went to Sam Allen (Surrey National),

who won twice this year.

Salysa Mason cemented her place at the top of the girls handicap Order of Merit with victory at Wentworth, while the U12 scratch Order of Merit was won by Shergo Kurdi (Foxhills) by 1.5 points from Luke Stock (Farleigh).

Shergo also won the U12 handicap section – the first time both divisions have been won by the same player.

November 2014 / Issue 238

/ 21

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TIGHT LIES AND GHOST SLOT TECHNOLOGY As the maker of the No.1 hybrid on Tour, Adams has long been recognised for game-changing innovation and delivering easy-to-hit equipment, and its new Tight Lies fairway woods and hybrids enhance that reputation still further.

Both clubs feature the company’s fifth generation of its award-winning Slot Technology. Like last year’s model, Adams’ new Tight Lights fairway woods and hybrids have two slots — one on the crown and one on the sole — but they look completely different at address thanks to the new ‘Ghost Slot Technology’, which covers the slot on the crown of the clubs for a more traditional look. The concept behind slots is that they help the clubface flex more at impact. That allows more energy to be transferred to the ball, especially on off-centre hits, creating faster ball speeds for more distance and consistency.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Storybehindthepic Alf Padgham, News Chronicle Tournament East Brighton Golf Club, Sussex, August 25th, 1937

I

n a game that saw the 97th best player on the PGA Tour earn over $1 million last year, it’s easy to think that golf, as a professional sport, has always been awash with cash.

It’s certainly been the case since the arrival of Tiger Woods in 1997, which, almost overnight, elevated golf into a global sport whose top players could start to earn the kind of sums that even professional footballers would take notice of.

While the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player did very nicely out of the game during the 1960s and 70s, their bulging bank balances owe more to their off-course business acumen than any great accumulation of prize money. But rewind a hundred years or so and you’ll find a world where club pros taking part in the Open Championship used to squeeze in two rounds on the final day, just so that

they could rush back to attend the needs of their members over the weekend.

At the turn of the 20th century, the winner of the Open received just £90, and it took a near strike by the players the following year for the top prize to be raised to the princely sum of £115. The paucity of prize money on offer through the main tournament channels led the game’s top players to take part in a number of special events backed by private sponsorship, which brought together a select group of top players in a modern version of Pro-Celebrity Golf, where local businessmen stumped up large sums to see the game’s greats play on local courses.

Such was the case with East Brighton Golf Club in East Sussex, which hosted a number of high-profile tournaments during the inter-war period.

In 1933, the great Walter Hagen teamed up with fellow

American Densmore Shute to beat Alf Padgham and Charlie Parsons 6&5 in an exhibition match which saw huge crowds turn out to watch their heroes in action in such unfamiliar surroundings.

The club also staged the

Sponsored by

News Chronicle Tournament between the great wars and for several years after, with the £1,000 prize pot – equivalent to over £45,000 in today’s money, and twice what was being offered to that year’s winner of the Claret Jug – not surprisingly

attracting some of the game’s leading stars, including Padgam, and other Open champions, such as Henry Cotton and Reg Whitcombe.

Padgham was serving as head professional at Sundridge Park Golf Club in Kent at the time, and was the reigning Open champion when this picture was taken, having won at Hoylake in 1936.

Like many top players of the era, Padgham lost what might have been some of his best competitive years due to World War II, so had to play in events like these in order to supplement his income.

He eventually succeeded in winning the News Chronicle Tournament in 1939.

In addition to famous players, East Brighton, which was founded in 1893, boasts an impressive cast list of highprofile connections, with the Downs-based club enjoying many celebrity and royal

members during its 120-year history. One of its first vicepresidents was Billy Butlin, founder of the eponymous holiday chain, while the Duke of Norfolk was president for more than 30 years. Among famous former members was Prime Minister Lloyd George, who joined in 1911, along with foreign secretary Arthur Balfour, and Field Marshall Earl Haig, who lived in Brighton during the 1920s.

Widely regarded as one of the finest tests in Sussex, East Brighton’s heyday might well be behind it as far as famous members are concerned, but plans to restore the clubhouse to its former glory – notwithstanding the grandeur of its famous old Oak Room – are currently being drawn up, which will ensure that future generations of Sussex golfers will get as much enjoyment from the club as their illustrious predecessors no doubt did.

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Downshire Golf Complex Easthampstead Park, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 3DH Tel: 01344 302030 Fax: 01344 301020 Email: downshiregc@bracknell-forest.gov.uk Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/downshiregolf Facebook: www.facebook.com/downshiregolf

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01622 890866 Maidstone Road, Headcorn, Kent TN27 9PT Email: proshop@weald-of-kent.co.uk www.weald-of-kent.co.uk

November 2014 / Issue 238

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NickBayly

GNeditor reveals what has caught his eye in the golfing headlines in recent weeks

Has Luke Donald had his day?

In a game increasingly dominated by big hitters, Luke Donald, the man with the third best individual record in the history of the Ryder Cup, is at something of a career crossroads.

After being left out of the victorious Ryder Cup team, and suffering a slump in form, there are questions being asked about whether he has what it takes to elevate himself back to the top of the game.

While it was always going to be a tough decision to leave out Ian Poulter or Stephen Gallacher, Donald, like all the other players up for consideration, was in charge of his own destiny, and by playing badly – by his own high standards – for most of the past two years, he was always going to leave himself open to such a decision.

Donald’s many fans can only hope that being omitted from the guest list at Gleneagles will provide the necessary kick in the delicate areas to get his game back into the shape that saw him win money lists on the PGA and European Tour in 2011, and, let’s not forget, wear the mantle of world number for over a year.

Of course, it’s possible that he’ll come roaring back, with his newly-rebuilt swing working like the well-oiled machine that

it was when he first burst onto the scene back in 2001, but something inside me says that it is unlikely that we will ever see the best of Luke Donald again.

Known as ‘ATM’ for his consistent money making over the years, the 36-year-old from Beaconsfield has won plenty of tournaments – 12 in 14 seasons – but far fewer than a player of his immense talent deserves. Some say that with all that money in the bank, he lacks the determination to get back into the world’s top 10, but the truth of the matter is that in the current era of tee bombers, Donald no longer hits the ball far enough to contend in the big events.

His 278-yard average off the tee places him 167th on the PGA Tour this season, which simply won’t get the job done. Hitting long irons into greens puts pressure

on all parts of a player’s game, and while Donald has an enviable short game, he doesn’t hole enough putts to put himself into contention like he used to.

It’s a crying shame that graceful swingers are being squeezed out of the game, but those are the facts. Lengthening courses to combat equipment innovations has been the death knell for players of Donald’s ilk, and unless we find a way to magically turn back time to the days of hickory and balata, that’s the way it’s going to be from here on in.

Pros seek profits from pouring pints While it has long been fashionable for tour pros to get into the restaurant game and the wine trade, news has reached Golfnews Towers that a three ball of big-name players have decided to cut out the middle men and set themselves up in the beer-making business.

In partnership with a Florida brewer, Graeme McDowell (pictured), Freddie Jacobson and Keegan Bradley have launched the GolfBeer Brewing Company (like what you did with the name there, lads). The fledgling master brewers are to produce three varieties of craft beer – G-Mac’s Celtic Style Pale Ale, Freddie Jacobson’s Scandinavian Style Blonde Ale, and Keegan Bradley’s New England Style Lager.

Created to meet each golfer’s tipple style of choice, the beers will initially be available on draft and in 12-ounce cans and bottles at select golf courses, restaurants and country clubs in Florida, so golfers on this side of the pond are going to have to make a 5,000mile round trip in order to get a taste of these craft lagers.

The threesome’s choice of beer names got me wondering what other pros might call their products if they were ever to get into the brewing business. Anyone for a pint of Nick Watney’s Pale Ale, Rory’s Raspberry Rispsnorter, or Darren Clarke’s Used To Be Stout?

Or what about a half of Phil Mickelson’s Ryder Cup Bitter, which is best served warm and leaves a slightly sour taste in the mouth.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

In a fascinating extract from his new autobiography, No Limits, Ian Poulter details the obsessive behaviour and personal idiosyncrasies that bring order to his activities on and off the golf course

ME+ MY OCD

November 2014 / Issue 238

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My obsession with detail is everywhere in my personal life and in my career. There are a million ways it manifests itself. If I walk past the table in the dining room at home and one of the chairs has been left at a slightly crooked angle, I have to straighten it. I like all the labels on the tins and packets in our cupboards to be facing the right way, too. I don’t have time to do that all the time, but we have a nanny/helper and, luckily, she’s detailorientated too, so she does it for me.

When I’m out on the course, I have to have a full bag of tee pegs. It stresses me if there aren’t enough. But I will only carry three tee pegs in my right-hand pocket when I’m playing. I don’t know why, because I usually don’t like the number three.

I can’t use a No.3 golf ball, for instance. That’s a legacy of my friendship with Lee Scarbrow. When I worked with him at Leighton Buzzard, he used to tell me to make sure I took all the number threes out of a pack of a dozen balls if he was going to use it. That was his stupid superstition that fed its way into me.

I asked him once why he refused to play with a ball with the number three printed on it and he said it was because he would three-putt with it. That was it, then. I was infected with that superstition, too. So I had to sift all the number three balls out of every box of Titleist I ever used. When Terry Mundy started caddying for me, it used to drive him mad. In the end, he hit on a solution. He asked me if I’d got any objection to balls with five, six, seven or eight printed on them. I said I hadn’t, so we switched to the higher numbers. Problem solved.

Then there’s the coin that I used to mark my ball with. I used to use a regular ten-pence piece, but when I marked my ball, I always made sure that the Queen’s head was facing upwards to the sky.

Not just that; her head could not be at an angle to the hole. It had to be aligned so that her head was facing the hole. That was a trait I couldn’t get rid of. I used to spend ages twisting it and moving it on the green so it was at exactly the right angle.

I thought I’d kicked it when I commissioned a special ball-marker with my kids’ names on it. But I made a critical error. I added the IJP Design logo to

Poulter is committed to encouraging youngsters to take up the game

“It has got to the point now where GMac and Justin dump their bags on the tarmac when they arrive because they know I like to pack for them”

the coin, and pretty soon I found myself up to my old tricks again. Instead of the Queen’s head, I became obsessed about making sure the logo was lined up correctly when I marked my ball.

My golf shoes have to be clean all the way through my round. If I’ve been in the bunker, I make sure all the sand is off them when I get to the next tee. I like cleaning my golf shoes myself. But that’s nothing new. When I was a kid, I turned the act of cleaning my football boots into an art form. I’d clean them of dirt, stuff newspaper inside them to make them dry evenly and then polish them up the next day. I always had perfect football boots. I took great pride in all my possessions back then, and I still do today.

I have to have all my clubs in order in my golf bag, too. All the irons have to be in number order. I arrange them so they’re all neatly aligned, but then, when Terry picks the bag up and walks off down the fairway with them, they get all jumbled up again, so I have to sort them out on the next tee.

I arrange things for other people, too. When I go into the scorer’s hut, there’s always a row of pencils on the table where other players have signed their cards and then just discarded their pencil. There are often 10 or 12 pencils lying there. I can’t leave them like that. I have to line them all up neatly and make sure the erasers on the end are all the right way up and that the sponsor’s name on the pencil is facing outwards so you can see it. Some of the other lads know I’ve got a thing about it and they’ll swish them across the table when they come in, just to wind me up.

When GMac, Justin Rose and I fly back to Orlando in a private jet, I’ve perfected a way of packing our clubs into the luggage area. I like to pack the back of the plane efficiently. I can’t stand it when people leave their suitcase or their clubs on a seat in the plane. I often have to unpack the back of the plane and then pack it up again more neatly. It has got to the point now where GMac and Justin dump their bags on the tarmac when they arrive because they know I

like to pack for them.

What I worked out was that, if you take the woods out of the golf bags, you can pack the bags standing up and then load the suitcases around them to keep them upright.

What else? Well, I iron the snooker table at home before I play to make sure the baize is absolutely perfect. And when I park my car in the garage, the wing mirrors have to be lined up exactly the same as the other cars beside it. Some of them are on lifts at the moment, but I want to get to a point where I can have them all spaced out neatly on the same level. I’d like them lit nicely, too. Having those cars – that’s my art.

When I go into the pro shop at Woburn, I like to straighten the shirts and arrange them in size order, just like I did at Chesfield Downs in the old days. In fact, any shop that I go in, if I ever take an item of clothing off a shelf and then decide I don’t want it, I have to make sure that I fold it up neatly and put it back exactly where it came from. You see some people just put stuff back loosely and unfolded. I can’t do that.

I do take an awful lot of time over my yardage book, too, particularly if it’s a Major. I normally get there on the Monday before the event and I draw in my green lines (the paths I think putts will take) during my practice rounds. I’ll draw them on grid lines, like a little sketch. But then things get way more complicated. I have a routine I like to go through where I mark out a space in yellow highlighter pen in the top right-hand corner of each of those boxes so Terry can write in where the pin is on each day, on each hole.

I measure those pages practically to the millimetre. I measure from the top of the page and the lines have to be parallel. Look, graphic design was the only thing I was good at when I was at school. I have to use it somewhere.

Terry adopts a long-suffering attitude to all this.

He’ll come up to me at the start of the week to get my yardage book and he’ll open it and look at the detail. If it’s the full Monty, the yellow highlighter pen and everything, he’ll look at me and say, ‘It’s a Major this week then, is it?’

My OCD tendencies certainly don’t make life easy for Terry, or for me.

No Limits, Ian Poulter’s autobiography, is published by Quercus and can be bought from all good bookshops priced £20 in hardback.

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SLUMBERS TAKES HELM AT R&A

Brighton-born Martin Slumbers has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

The 54-year-old former merchant banker, who is a member at Worplesdon Golf Club in Surrey, will join the organisation next March, then shadow Peter Dawson for six months until he retires in September after 16 years in the post.

ORRIN ON TOP IN OMAN

Kent professional Max Orrin ended the Challenge Tour season on a high after winning the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic. The 20 year old from North Foreland clinched a two-shot victory over fellow Kent player Jason Palmer after a final round 71.

He climbed 51 places in the Challenge Tour rankings, from 68th to 17th, to secure his place in the season-ending Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final, although he subsequently failed to win won of the top 15 places required to gradute to the European Tour.

Roehampton hosts third Junior Masters

Kelsall defies hurricane winds to land London Beach title

Over 50 of the South East’s brightest talents took part in the Roehampton Junior Masters, which was held at Roehampton Golf Club on September 21.

Open to the best under 16 year olds in the region, the 36-hole scratch medal tournament attracted 40 boys and 12 girls, each of whom had been invited to take part by their county to compete for the Boys and Girls Toro Trophies.

Despite some bad weather leading up to the event, the players enjoyed dry conditions throughout the tournament, resulting in some excellent scoring over Roehampton’s testing parkland layout, which was watched by a group of county officials and England selectors.

The boys’ winner was

Battling gale force winds courtesy of Hurricane Gonzalo, Kyle Kelsall shot a stunning two-underpar 68 to claim victory in the new London Beach Pairs Pro-Am, snatching a handy winner’s cheque for £525 from runner-up Paul Nessling.

Thanks to the brutal wind, the Tenterden-based course proved a different scale of challenge to the competitors, but with five birdies on his card, Kelsall mastered the conditions to see off the one-under-par performance of Nessling, a five-time winner in 2014.

Underlining how difficult conditions were, they proved to be the only players to break par, with Greg Haenen, Charlie Wilson and Thomas Muchmore all tying for third place on one-over-par.

In the team event, 18 PGA Professional and amateur pairings battled it out on the wind-lashed London Beach course, with Greg Haenen (Boughton) and his amateur partner Ryan Jones winning

14-year-old Aadam Syed from Foxhills (pictured), with impressive rounds of 69 and 72 giving him a one-shot margin of victory over Charlie Strickland (Sussex) and Harvey Byers (Surrey), with Strickland taking second place on count back.

Despite having a smaller field, the girls’ event also produced some outstanding golf, with Stanmore’s Gemma Allman (pictured) prevailing with rounds of 77 and 75. She finished three strokes clear of Kate Mackworth-Praed (Hampshire) and five ahead of Sharna Dutrieux (Kent).

Barnes digs deep in Dubai to secure European card

STEVE BARDENS GETTY IMAGES

News in Brief

November 2014 / Issue 238

Kyle Kelsall coped with windy conditions best at London Beach

the team prize with an impressive nine-under-par total.

Pentland Golf’s Benn Barham and Bruce McDonal d (Etchinghill) were the driving force behind the new profile-raising event.

“It started out as an idea a few months earlier as part of our plans to get London Beach on a lot more golfers’ radars,” said Barham.

“It’s a very good regional golfing facility, and besides the Parkland nine-hole course, London Beach has some unique coaching and practice features, like the nine-hole par 3

Richmond to host ‘Loyaltee’ Golf Day

FRILFORD’S KO CUP VICTORY

Frilford Heath Golf Club picked up its first league silverware for five years with a 2-1 victory over Tadmarton Heath in the final of the Shaw & Co Oxfordshire Foursomes League’s Knock-out Cup at Chiltern Forest. Frilford’s Ashley Walton and Paul Dolton secured the victory in the final hole.

BURFORD TOP 4SOMES LEAGUE

Burford won the Oxfordshire Foursomes League Division 1 crown for the third time in four years, despite losing its final fixture 2-1 at bottom club Feldon Valley.

STAUNTON STEALS TYLNEY TITLE

Kieran Staunton won the Tylney Park Classic Order of Merit Finale after edging out East Berkshire’s Paul Newman in a thrilling play-off at the Hampshire venue.

The curtain fell on the Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South Order of Merit season with a dramatic three-hole shootout, with Staunton’s par at the third playoff hole being good enough to snatch the title and take the £2,500 top prize, while Newman was consoled with a runners up cheque for £1,250.

Jason Barnes

Former Kent county player Jason Barnes secured a coveted European Tour card by the skin of his teeth following the Challenge Tour’s Grand Final in Dubai.

The 30-year-old from Ashford, who is attached to Charts Hill Golf Club, finished 15th in the money list to take the final spot to guarantee a place on the European Tour in 2015.

Barnes finished 18th in Al Badia to take his season’s total earnings to €77,793 – €1,900 ahead of Spain’s Antonio Hortal in 16th. After closing with a one-over par 73 in the Challenge Tour’s final event, Barnes didn’t think he had done enough to qualify for the top tier, especially when he put his drive in the water off the 18th tee.

“When I came off the course, I told my girlfriend and caddie ‘Let’s forget it, it’s gone’. Then, when I was in the scoring room, I said to them ‘Put me out my misery, let me see the projected rankings’, and that’s when I saw I was still in the top 15. So I went to the bar and thought to myself ‘Eighteen’s easy, you’re still in trouble’. But as the afternoon went on I was still in. It was the best and worst time of my life, and I never want to go through that ever again!”

Whilst completing his par on 18, Bsrnes thought he had no hope of a card and yet, in retrospect, it was the best par he ever made because, having found water from the tee, he had to hole a knee-knocker for the five. “If you’d given me that putt, with that pressure, telling me I had that putt for a tour card, it wouldn’t have even hit the hole!”

When the final scores were in, his phone ‘went mental’, but said he only truly believed it when he was told that he would be the first golfer called on stage in the photo shoot for the 15 graduates.

Following the success of ​its summer open day, Richmond Park Golf Course ​is h ​ osting a​second open event ​​ on November 28.

The VIP Loyaltee Open day consists of an 18-hole competition, with opportunities to win plenty of prizes, including a Skycaddie GPS unit in a nearest-the-pin competition.​​ Everyone attending the day will also receive a ‘Round for a Pound’ voucher to play any Glendale Golf course for just £1. Complimentary range balls and entry to the academy course will also be on offer all day. Golfers can register on the day or join online at www.glendalegolf.co.uk.

Barnehurst opens new range Last month saw the opening of a new driving range at Barnehurst Golf Course in Kent. The Bexleyheath-based facility opened the 15-bay floodlit range as part of an open weekend, during which all the activities were free for guests and visitors.

The driving range was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Bexley, Councillor Howard Marriner, at a launch ceremony on October 25, following significant

investment by social enterprise Mytime Active.

The nine-hole facility not only boasts a new driving range, but enhanced car parking space, as well as refurbishments within the clubhouse. The new range has replaced the site of the old first hole and incorporates features that offer a wide variety of shot options as well as sculptured areas between targets that encourage better practice routines.

Championship Chipping Course, the Prestige Putting Course and a ten-bay driving range, combined with the ideal clubhouse facilities for societies, corporate entertaining and casual golfers.”

McDonald added: “A lot of hard work went into getting the condition of the course as good as it could be. Everything was going to plan, and then we had all that rain within a few days of the event, but thanks to Simon and his greenkeeping team, the course and greens were in terrific condition on the day.”

Goodwood to host winter fitness workshops

England coach Ryan Fenwick (pictured above) and Olympic strength and conditioning coach Steve Gent are hosting a series of workshops at Goodwood this winter to keep golfers in shape during the off-season.

‘Physically Fit for Golf’ started earlier this month, but there are further sessions on January 21 and February 25. Each session will include elements of theory and practical, and will cover topics such as the fundamental movements for golf, flexibility, power, tips to avoid common injuries, and advice on nutrition and hydration.

The price for each session, which take place at The Kennels from 7pm8.30pm, is £25 per person.

For bookings, email ryan. fenwick@goodwood.com.

November 2014 / Issue 238

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MEET Patshull Park THE PRO Golf and Resort Hotel

Andrew Jones talks about his role as head professional at Littlestone Golf Club in Kent How long have you been a PGA professional?

I turned pro in 1991 and played on the Challenge Tour MasterCard Tour. I began my PGA training in 1993, and qualified in 1996 at Royal Cinque Ports. My first head pro job was at Lydd Golf Club, then I moved to Littlestone in 2001.

What is your day-to-day role at the club?

As club professional, I have to wear many hats!

Retailer, coach, psychologist, mediator, manager and mentor to name but a few! My team and I manage a busy 36-hole facility – 18 holes on championship links and 18 on the Warren course. I am also kept busy with Kent County squad coaching and equipment custom fitting commitments. Captain and Pro matches also form part of my rather hectic working week.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Being able to interact with the huge variety of characters that walk through our door every day.

You never know what to expect. It’s also taken me to some great places over the years.

And the worst?

Having to work when everyone else is off at weekends and holidays. It’s tough on my family.

Tell us something about the facilities and the playing experience.

We are proud of our two excellent courses. The Championship course offers one of the toughest, yet fairest links experiences, with some of the finest greens I’ve ever played on. Although not one of the longest championship courses, it offers everything you would expect from a quality links venue. Some great par threes, and a classic finishing stretch that would test any scratch golfer. The Warren course offers a slightly less challenging test, yet with its smaller greens, can sometimes require more accuracy than its big brother. Both are maintained to the highest possible standards. Our driving range, coaching studio and short game areas offer the workers among us an opportunity to sharpen our skills.

What have you done to keep existing members and attract new ones?

To maintain and grow our business we are constantly looking to improve the quality of the experience, both on and off course, ensuring we offer great golf, excellent food, first class service at value for money prices. We have looked at offering new more affordable memberships on both courses to come into line with many of our competitors and to suit the lifestyle of the next generation of member.

What is the club doing for juniors?

Junior golf has been tough in the last few years, competing against so many other sporting initiatives following the London Olympics. We have put in place regular coaching development programmes which run on Saturdays and Sundays. These are based around the golf passport scheme with our own spin on it. We have also opened a four-hole academy course for the youngest children to enjoy, develop their skills and understanding of playing the game in real time. It has its own par, we manage

Pattingham, Nr Wolverhampton WV6 7HR

handicaps and run an order of merit through the summer.

How much time do you spend teaching?

I tend to spend more time on the business side of things these days, but I have two great assistants who share many of my philosophies. I do still coach and love doing so, it’s been part of my life for the past 21 years.

What’s selling well in the pro shop?

Callaway seems to have got a lot of things right this year with the re-launch of Big Bertha and a great advertising campaign earlier in the year .

What’s the best swing tip you’ve ever received?

I’ve never really been one for quick tips – I’ve always believed in hard work, regular attention to detail, and sound fundamentals. But if I were to offer one tip it would be to swing in balance at a pace you can control.

What has been your highlight as a player?

As an amateur I represented Wales twice in the Home internationals and the European Team Championships, won the Welsh Open Amateur Strokeplay and the order of merit twice. I also won the silver medal as the leading amateur in the English Open in 1990.

If you could change one rule, what would it be?

No free drops – play it as it lies!

Who is your golfing hero and why?

My fellow Welshman Ian Woosnam. He came from a modest background and worked his way through the ranks the hard way, eventually winning the Masters in style.

Who inspired you to take up golf?

My father started me off back in 1984 at Warwick racecourse municipal course using hire clubs. The best thing he did for me was buy me a course of six lessons with the pro. I’ve never looked back.

Perhaps the most inspirational moment was watching Jack Nicklaus win the 1986 Masters with a blistering back nine.

We are pleased to announce the following Autumn and Winter offers:

Winter Golf Breaks

January Offer from just £29.50 per person

including bed, breakfast and 1 round of golf on our glorious parkland golf course.

Golf Society Days from £24 per person

Includes hot refreshments, bacon roll, golfers goodie bag, 18 holes of golf, homemade soup and sandwiches, and friendly staff.

Sporting Weekend

Friday February 6th and Saturday February 7th 2015 from £139 per person for two night golf break Dinner, bed and breakfast, use of fitness club plus a Sportsmans Dinner with ex- Lions player Gareth Chilcott and Comedian Jed Stone.

Dinner only £39.50 per person (£370 for a table of 10)

Great facilities, comfortable surroundings and friendly staff. Close to Jct 3 M54, with easy motorway access.

Look us up on Trip Advisor

What’s your favourite course in the UK? Muirfield. Not only an exceptional links course full of history, but it was backed up by one of the finest golf club lunches I have ever had.

Who would make up your dream fourball?

Ian Woosnam, Jack Nicklaus and my dad.

What would you have done if you hadn’t have been a pro?

From the age of 16, I never had visions of doing anything else – it was always going to be golf.

T:01902 700100 E:sales@patshull-park.co.uk

w w w. p a t s h u l l - p a r k . c o. u k

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November 2014 / Issue 238

5//HUGO BOSS BOXER & SOCK GIFT PACK These are not just boxers and socks – these are Hugo Boss boxers and socks. Made from the finest soft cotton, the set features a contrast coloured Boss logo on the boxers, with a contrast stripe design running through the sock.

Who’s the boss now? £35

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1//WOLSEY UMBRELLA Despite its camouflaged design, you can’t fail to get noticed on the golf course with this double canopy umbrella made in conjunction with Gustbuster.

Unflippabble, unflappable and unleakable, it features Wolsey’s trademark fox logo on both sides, with a camouflage print and a comfortable handle. £49

2//HUGO BOSS ZELCHIOR

3//KJUS SEVVE JACKET

This luxurious quarter-zip knit comes from the Hugo Boss Pro Collection and is ideal for wearing on and off the golf course. The fabric features a special Teflon coating to repel water and protect the wearer during a light shower. A contrast coloured block panel goes down both shoulders and is separated on the arm by a contrast coloured four-stripe design with contrast tipping on the zip closure.

A Hugo Boss tour logo features on the left chest and centre back.

Choose from black or black. £159

Available in sapphire/white, this ultra-light windbreaker is made from a four-way stretch material that provides the ultimate in freedom of movement, while folding away neatly into any golf bag when not in use. £159

4//J LINDEBERG JARVIS SWEATER The Jarvis T-Neck is a long sleeve, half-zip sweater featuring moisture management to keep the wearer feeling dry and fresh. It’s made using a four-way stretch material, with colour block design and two-stripe detail on the left shoulder. £99

6//G/FORE GALLIVANTER SHOE

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HAVE YOURSELF A

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7//WOLSEY LEATHER BELT Handmade in England, Wolsey’s take on the classic leather belt features red stitching either side of the leather belt loop and a galvanized brass buckle. Belting. £59

As stylish as it is comfortable, the new Gallivanter golf shoe combines an athletic fit with water-resistant performance.

Boasting a lightweight, shock-absorbing sole, its raised logos are positioned to provide maximum traction throughout your swing while the tuned grooves give additional flex where it’s needed most. It also features a washable, quick-drying footbed, an extra-cushioned blown rubber outsole and a non-slip tongue. £149

9//LYLE & SCOTT PULLOVER

10//RLX RALPH LAUREN JUMPER

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A stylish piece that will work on and off the course, Lyle & Scott’s crew neck argyle sleeve pullover is made from a wool and acrylic mix that makes it both warm and extremely comfortable.

Available in Duke Blue, it features an argyle pattern on the sleeves, with the company’s signature Green Eagle logo on the left chest. £99

This lightweight crew neck jumper is made from a technical cool wool fabric and features nylon patches under the arm, down the sides of the body, and on the shoulders. An RLX logo appears on the top right shoulder and back left shoulder, with a contrast logo on the lower left sleeve. It is available in navy blue. £169

This convertible windbreaker perfectly blends function with fashion, as it features zip-off sleeves, which allow it to be worn as a jacket or a vest. The sleeves are stretchy for complete freedom of movement, while an elastic drawstring closure on the bottom hem ensures no excess material gets in the way of your swing. £215

8//WOLSEY SCARF

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Wrap up the one you love one this Christmas with this luxury 100% cashmere scarf which features Wolsey’s on-trend camouflage print design. £99

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All these items, plus the complete range of stock, are available to order by visiting trendygolf.com or by calling 0845 680 6479.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

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It took him 10 years and 228 tournaments, but Oliver Wilson finally claimed his first European Tour victory at last month’s Dunhill Links Championship, when close rivals were happy to see the popular Midlander end his record-breaking run of second-placed finishes Words by Nick Bayly

A BRIDESMAID NO MORE

In a sport as self-centred as professional golf, it’s not often that the losers at a tournament are the first to congratulate the champion. Most winners are left to celebrate with their caddie and close family if they’re lucky, while rivals manage a polite handshake and a muttered ‘well done’.

But all selfish thoughts were put firmly to one side when Oliver Wilson finally managed to get his head in front at last month’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

As Wilson holed out on the iconic 18th green of the Old Course at St Andrews, players who had stayed on to watch the action came flooding out of the clubhouse to wish him well, while Wilson’s mobile went into meltdown as his Twitter feed and messaging service struggled to cope with the sheer number of people sending him congratulatory tweets and texts.

They say you find out who your true friends are in times of crisis; well Wilson knows only too well that that feels like, after struggling over the last three years to find the form that saw him earn a place in the 2008 Ryder Cup team, and finish seventh in the money list the following season.

Just days before he received his last-minute invitation to play in the Dunhill, Wilson readily admits that he was on the verge of quitting the game for good, after plummeting down to 792nd in the world rankings. Struggling to make anything resembling a living on the Challenge Tour – he had won just €22,000 from 20 events – Wilson’s game was in such poor shape that he was considering trying something else to pay the mortgage.

“When you can’t break 80 on the Challenge Tour, and can’t get close to making a cut after being among the top 50 players in the world and playing in the Ryder Cup, your drive drops, and last year I was very low,” Wilson says. “It costs up to £2,000 a week to play on tour, and it goes fast when you’re not making anything.

I genuinely considered finding something else to do, as whatever I was doing wasn’t working.”

After 10 years on tour, many of which were extremely successful, the 34 year old from Mansfield fortunately

WHAT’S IN OLIVER WILSON’S BAG

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha V-Series (9) Fairway Wood: Callaway X2 Hot Pro (15) Utility Irons: Callaway X Utility (2-3) Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (4-9) Wedges: Callaway X Tour Forged Vintage (48, 54, 60) Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG Sabertooth Ball: Callaway Speed Regime 3

had resources to fall back on, and armed with an inner belief, he soldiered on in search of the man who had famously banked no fewer than nine runner-up finishes.

Despite missing 17 cuts in 2013, Wilson felt he had turned a corner heading into this season, but while his form in practice was good, his results continued to offer little in the way of encouragement that brighter things lay ahead, with less than £15,000 banked from 18 events in the run up to his life-changing week in Scotland.

“I kept thinking ‘We’re going to do something soon’, but I just didn’t. It was missed cut after missed cut,” he recalls. “It was rough. Everybody had written me off and you have conversations with all kinds of different people, and they’re all sort of talking down to you a little bit. A lot of them meant well, but I was left trying to prove to them that I was all right. But I kept believing, and I knew that I was capable and got the odd glimpse that it was still in there.”

The turning point game in September, when Wilson decided to enlist the help of tour professional Robert Rock, a fellow Midlander who is carving out a second career as a coaching guru.

Wilson’s old caddie was now working with Rock and had suggested he may be able to help.

“I sent Robert some images of my swing and he sent them back with some tips during

the week I was playing in Kazakhstan on the Challenge Tour. I was 10 under through 17 holes, so I thought to myself ‘This might work’. Then I worked with him in the week running up to the Dunhill, and things seemed to click into place. For him to take the time out of the tournament to spend so much time with me before and after the rounds was incredible. You don’t get many people like that in any other sports, and I’ll be eternally grateful to Robert for that.”

Wilson teed up his breakthrough win with an opening 64 at St Andrews, and followed that up with rounds of 68 and 65 at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns repsectively, before returning to the Old Course for the final round, where a hard fought 70 – the worst score of the top 16 players – was good enough to secure the €625,000 first prize, one of the biggest of the European Tour’s schedule.

“When you get an invite to play in a tournament, you want to make the most of it, but as long I’ve been a pro it’s never happened to me,” says Wilson. “So for me to come to St Andrews, and play as well as I did, was amazing. I ‘manned up’ a little bit, stood up on some tee shots, and committed myself.”

Apart from the life-changing winnings, Wilson’s overdue victory also brings a two-year exemption to the European Tour and changes his future schedule quite dramatically. Rather than having to prepare himself for the grueling prospect of Qualifying School, his placing inside the tour’s top 40 means he can now look forward to mixing it with the continent’s elite once again.

“I’ve said over the last few years that I will be so much better when I get back,” he says. “Whether I genuinely believed I would get back, I don’t know, but I’m certainly a lot more appreciative of the life we lead on tour, and what we get given, than I ever was before,” says Wilson, with the air of a man who knows what its feels like to have the toys taken away.

Add this sense of perspective to a swing that has proven it genuinely can hold up under pressure, and you get the feeling that the days of battling in golf’s doldrums are hopefully over – although Wilson will be first to acknowledge that the war is never won.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Hailed as Europe’s ‘next superstar’ by Graeme McDowell, following his stunning debut in the Ryder Cup, enigmatic Frenchman Victor Dubuisson has the golfing world at his feet

VICTOR LUDORUM It’s taken some time for golf commentators on both sides of the Atlantic to learn how to pronounce his name properly, but any fans of the game are in danger of forgetting what Victor Dubuisson looks like, and – far more importantly – how good he is at golf, following his barnstorming debut in the 40th Ryder Cup. Partnered with former US Open champion Graeme McDowell in the foursomes for his first appearance in the biennial matches, the pair proved a somewhat surprising, yet extremely effective force, earning maximum points over Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on Friday afternoon, and then dumping out Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler on the Saturday.

The emphatic margins of victory – 3&2 and 5&4 respectively – underlined the dynamic duo’s superiority, and playing the last match on both afternoons, they

shored up Europe’s recordequalling shut out of the American team in the alternate shot format of the matches.

The 24-year-old Frenchman also served as captain Paul McGinley’s anchorman in the Sunday singles, going out last against the previously pointless Zach Johnson, in what can only be regarded as a vote of confidence, rather than any attempt to hide him out the back. As it turned out, the Frenchman’s point was thankfully not needed, and he ended

up tying his match with Johnson a full hour after the result of the matches had been decided – a dead rubber where only pride was at stake.

Described by McDowell as the Ryder Cup’s ‘next superstar’, Dubuisson certainly has a lot to live up to, but there is plenty to suggest that he has the talent, and the temperament, to become one of the game’s top players, and certainly the most successful to come out of France.

It appears to have become obligatory to describe Frenchmen as enigmatic, but there was certainly nothing mysterious about Dubuisson’s quiet determination to seize his first Ryder Cup by the scruff of the neck. He played some sensational shots in the match against Mickelson and Bradley, racing with McDowell to a three-

hole lead by the fifth hole. There is already a YouTube page devoted to the swashbuckling Frenchman’s more dramatic offerings this season – including a chip from underneath a cactus during February’s Accenture World Match Play final – and he added another to the collection on the par-four third at Gleneagles, lofting a shot from the deep rough to within 10 feet of the pin.

While not the kind of player to try and whip the galleries into a frenzy, Dubuisson pays tribute to the ‘positive energy’ he gleaned from a crowd that included its fair share of tricoleurs. “It was amazing. It’s a very different experience from playing in the Majors,” he says. “At the Ryder Cup, everyone in the crowd is cheering for you – you only get positive energy. When you’re about to hit a shot, you really want to hit it well to really please the crowd, rather than yourself.”

By nature a private person, the glare and glitz of a Ryder Cup is not a natural environment for the softly-spoken Frenchman, but his quiet-man approach seemed just as effective as the chest-thumping, look-at-me antics of Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson. McGinley, who made it his job to get to know all his team over the last two years, said he found it took a bit longer than anticipated for his message to get through to Dubuisson – but got through it did. McGinley paired him up with McDowell a full two months before the matches, so the duo had time to get used to each other’s style of play.

It was one of many inspired decisions by the captain.

Shy and uncomfortable talking about his life away from golf, Dubuisson will always remain something of a mystery, despite his protestions. “I’m just a normal guy, and I do things normal young men do,” he said in the run up to the matches when journalists sought to find out what makes him tick. “That’s it. I don’t mind being alone. Golf is a sport where you’re alone, and I just like to play for myself.”

Golf proved an ideal outlet for the self-confessed loner during his early years growing up in Cannes. Brought up by his uncle, Herve Dubuisson, France’s finest ever basketball player, he first picked up a club aged seven, inspired after watching Tiger Woods win his first green jacket at the Masters in 1997. The young Dubuisson enjoyed the countless hours spent practicing on his own, and, unusually, he left school at 12 so he could spend more time working on his game.

“I was young and it was hard to do both,” he says. “I had some school lessons at home, but mostly I played golf. I only watched Tiger – I wasn’t interested in anyone else. I wanted to play like Tiger, so I watched him all the time.”

Dubuisson made steady progress through his teens, representing France at junior level and earning selection for the European Junior Ryder Cup team in 2006. With the backing of the French Golf Federation to play in amateur competitions worldwide, individual success followed in 2008 at the Mexican Amateur Championship, and in 2009 he claimed the prestigious European Amateur Championship, helping him reach number one in the world

amateur rankings.

He turned professional the following year, and did not have to wait long until he was clutching a ticket to the big time, having negotiated all three stages of the European Tour Qualifying School. That turned out to be a one-way ticket, as the 2011 season yielded three top-10 finishes to retain his playing privileges, and he improved to 52nd in the Race to Dubai rankings the following year.

What happened in 2013, however, exceeded even Dubuisson’s own lofty expectations. Having spent the season ticking along, he exploded onto the world stage in the penultimate event of the season, winning the Turkish Open, a star-studded event that was part of the European Tour’s new Final Series. Ironically, the quality field he held at bay to claim the €848,930 first prize featured none other than his idol, Tiger Woods.

His incredible rise did not stop there.

Three months later Dubuisson made his World Golf Championships debut in February’s Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona, where he dispatched Kevin Streelman, Peter Hanson, Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell and Ernie Els, before going down fighting in the final against Jason Day, losing in a play-off after being two down with two holes to play.

The skill and nerve under pressure that he showed in Arizona was served up for all to see at Gleneagles, and future appearances on the worlds’ biggest stages look assured. In four year’s time, the Ryder Cup comes to Paris, and Dubuisson will be just 29 years old – his golfing prime. Only this time, we will know what to expect – and so will the Americans.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

TOM LEWIS TIPS FROM THE TOUR

WARM UP

WITH A

PURPOSE European Tour professional Tom Lewis advises using your pre-game practice sessions to replicate shots you might face out on the course

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.

The number of amateurs who think they can play well without warming up properly beforehand never ceases to amaze me.

It makes no sense, and you would certainly never see a Tour

professional stepping onto the first tee without first going through a fairly lengthy warm-up routine.

Almost all my warm-up sessions start with a few stretching exercises. Once that’s done, most Tour professionals will start out by hitting a few soft wedges before going

1 GROUP BALLS FOR DIFFERENT SHOTS

2 FIND YOUR RHYTHM 3 NINE BALLS, NINE By this stage, I have a good mental SHOTS

When I arrive on the range, my caddie, Chris Donald, will already have my practice balls laid out is groups of four, five and six ready for me to hit. We are using a total of 58 balls at the moment, although the exact number changes from time to time.

My routine is a bit complicated, and I do not propose to go through exactly what I’m trying to do with each individual group of balls. Suffice to say it is all aimed at preparing me for what I’m likely to encounter in the round ahead.

I always start with a pitching wedge, and I like to begin by hitting full shots, so that I commit to the shot. Once I have hit four balls with my pitching wedge, I will switch to my 54-degree wedge, and then my 60-degree, and finally my 8-iron – all the time concentrating on both on strike and line.

picture of what I want to do on the course, so I will move onto the groups of five balls. My focus here is on my rhythm. It’s very hard to work on rhythm, but the way I do it is to give myself time at the top of the backswing. On the first of these groups of five balls, I will try to pause for a second at the top of my backswing, and then for the second and third groups, I will change that to twoand three-second pauses.

through the bag, and I do much the same – albeit with a few extra elements added in.

My routine is not something I suggest you copy to the letter, but I hope it gets over the message that your warm up is important, and can play a pivotal role in how well you play on any particular day.

That takes care of my rhythm for the day, so I will then move on to the three sets of three balls, which I will use to hit a series of different shots I might have to play during the round. There are nine balls here, and nine shots in golf. I use a five-iron for this exercise and start by hitting a high fade, a high draw, and a high straight shot before moving onto a low fade, a low draw, and a low straight shot, and then a medium fade, draw and straight shot.

The idea is to shape all nine shots the way I want, and then I move onto the last group of balls, which I hit focussing on the key things I have been working on in recent practice sessions.

I use my driver for this final part of my warm up, and once I’ve done that, I will hit a few pitches and putts, before heading to the first tee ready for the round.

/ 33

November 2014 / Issue 238

EQUIPMENT NEWS

Poulter switches to Titleist Ian Poulter took to social media channels to announce that he will be playing with a full bag of Titleist equipment next season.

The 38-year-old Ryder Cup star has been with Cobra-Puma Golf for the last eight years, but he will be putting Titleist’s new range of 915 woods and hybrids into play for 2015, as well as Titleist’s 714 CB and MB irons and Vokey SM5 wedges. He was already using a Titleist Pro V1 ball, but is expected to wear FootJoy shoes and gloves.

It is expected that

the new deal, which officially begins on January 1st 2015, will allow Poulter to wear his own IJP Design clothing range.

Titleist seeds new Pro V1 The seeding process for the next generation of Titleist’s Pro V1 franchise began last month at the PGA Tour’s Shriner’s Open, where blank white boxes containing the next generation of the top-selling balls were discreetly handed out on the driving range at TPC Summerlin.

Titleist tour reps took 24 dozen of the new Pro V1s and 120 dozen of the new Pro V1x for players to test ahead of their expected consumer launch early next year.

The Pro V1 is about to enter its 15th year on tour, and in that time players using versions of it have won 25 majors and over 2,200 professional events.

Ping unveils new custom fitting technology Ping has teamed up with SkyPro to launch a new custom-fitting tool, which can deliver driver-fitting specifications for golfers after only three shots.

Using Ping software in conjunction with a SkyPro Golf Swing Analyzer, nFlight Motion graphically depicts fitting recommendations on an iPhone or iPod Touch. The SkyPro device attaches to the shaft directly below the grip and records a range of swing variables, including clubhead speed, transition, and shaft lean at impact, which are analysed through the nFlight Motion software to make loft, shaft flex and shaft model recommendations.

After an initial recommendation for loft and shaft, fitters can use Ping’s Shaft Visualisation Chart to consider additional

R&A to open new test facility The R&A has unveiled plans to build a new equipment testing centre at Kingsbarns Golf Club in Scotland.

Utilising the latest technology, the 22,750 square foot facility will provide a world class testing and research facility that will house the R&A’s equipment standards department under one roof.

The department is currently responsible for regulating equipment on behalf of over 150 affiliated organisations around the world, testing thousands of golf clubs and balls to ensure they conform to the Rules of Golf.

The new centre will incorporate an indoor test range to evaluate golf balls, while a separate biomechanics testing bay will be equipped with golf ball tracking radars and a marker tracking system capable of producing three-dimensional videos of golfers’ swings.

Two golf robots, which are used for both research and the testing of clubs and balls, will also be housed at the centre.

Mickelson renews Callaway contract Phil Mickelson has renewed his contract to represent Callaway Golf and play its equipment.

The world No.11 joined Callaway’s tour staff in 2004, and has since won 19 tournaments, including four majors.

“When I joined the team at Callaway 10 years ago, I knew I was making the best decision of my career,” 44-year-old Mickelson said. “And I feel even stronger about that decision today. Backed by innovative technologies, industry-leading products, and the outstanding R&D group that works so closely with me, I honestly believe that these next few years will be the best of my career.”

Callaway Golf CEO Chip Brewer said: “We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Phil. He has meant so much to Callaway, and he continues to inspire us to develop the most innovative equipment in golf.”

Mickelson’s bag currently contains an 8.5-degree Big Bertha Alpha driver, a 13-degree X Hot 3Deep fairway wood, a 19-degree X2 Hot Pro hybrid, X Forged irons, Mack Daddy 2 wedges, and an Odyssey White Hot XG putter. He also uses Callaway Speed Regime 3 golf balls.

Oscar Jacobson launches footwear collection Swedish fashion brand Oscar Jacobson has taken its first steps in the golf footwear market with the launch of a new range of golf shoes.

The company has joined forces with Lottusse, a Mallorca-based footwear company that has been handcrafting shoes since 1877, to come up with the new range, which features three styles – plain-toe, full brogue and contrasting saddle.

Handcrafted using high-quality leathers, which undergo a special hydration treatment to repel water, the Lottusse range is complemented by a lightweight PU and TPU sole unit that incorporates the company’s shock absorber and flexion system to maximise comfort. The range will be available from a select number of pro shops and retailers next spring, priced at £250.

THE GEAR EFFECT WINNERS’ BAGS ON TOUR KSANG-MOON BAE Frys.com Open

shafts from Ping and other manufacturers.

Dr Paul Wood, Ping’s director of engineering, said: “SkyPro’s swing analyser is a highly-accurate device that allows us to bring our nFlight software into a wireless fitting environment. It is easy to use and produces the reliable data needed to make precise custom-fitting recommendations in a short amount of time. This first-of-its-kind fitting software gives us one more way to ensure that golfers receive the most accurate fittings in golf.”

Webb Simpson is looking to switch to a short putter

DRIVER: Callaway Big Bertha V Series (9) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Diablo Octane (15) HYBRID: Callaway X Hot Pro (18) Callaway RAZR X Muscleback (4PW) WEDGES: Callaway X Forged (52, 56, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey Damascus Grand BALL: Callaway Speed Regime 3 ALEXANDER LEVY Portugal Masters DRIVER: Titleist 915D3 (9.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist 913F (13.5) IRONS: Titleist AP2 714 (3), Titleist MB Forged (4-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM5 (52, 58) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron BALL: Titleist Pro V1x BEN MARTIN Shriners Open DRIVER: Titleist 910D3 (8.5) FAIRWAY: Ping i25 (15) HYBRID: Titleist 913H (17) IRONS: Titleist CB 714 (3-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM5 (50, 54, 58) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron GoLo 5 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x MIKKO ILONEN Volvo World Match Play DRIVER: TaylorMade SLDR (10.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway X Hot (15) HYBRID: Callaway X Hot Pro (18) IRONS: Titleist 712U (3), Titleist AP2 714 (4-PW) WEDGES: Cleveland 588 RTX (54, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey Versa #1 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x THORBJORN OLESEN ISPS Handa Perth International

Anchoring away for Simpson American Ryder Cup player Webb Simpson is preparing to ditch his belly putter as the deadline for the ban on anchoring putters in competition draws ever nearer.

Simpson began using a belly putter a decade ago in college, and has used the longer version in all four of his PGA Tour victories, including the 2012 US Open, and his matches at the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles.

However, the 34-year-old is expected to use a standard-length model in play at this month’s Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan, with a view to permanently switching next year, in the run up to the implementation of the ban on anchoring, which begins in 2016.

Simpson has practised with a traditionallength putter in recent seasons, and has been using one in about half his practice at home and during casual rounds, although he hasn’t yet settled on a special type or model.

Simpson’s US Open victory came in a cluster of major wins by players using long putters, including Keegan Bradley at the 2011 PGA Championship, Ernie Els at the 2012 Open, and Adam Scott at the 2013 Masters. Players will still be allowed to use a long putter post 2016, as long as they don’t press it against their body to create a hinge effect.

DRIVER: Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Tour (9.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Nike Vapor Speed (15); Nike Vapor Speed (19) IRONS: Nike Vapor Speed (2); Nike Vapor Pro (3-9) WEDGES: Nike VR Forged (46, 54, 59) PUTTER: Nike Method 001 BALL: Nike RZN Black RYAN MOORE CIMB Classic DRIVER: TaylorMade JetSpeed (9.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 (14.5), TaylorMade RocketBallz (19) HYBRID: Adams Idea SUPER 9031 (20) IRONS: Miura PP-9003 (4-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade TP (54, 58) Putter: Yes! Sandy-12 BALL: Titleist ProV1X MARCEL SIEM BMW Masters DRIVER: TaylorMade SLDR (8) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade RBZ (13, 18) IRONS: Wilson Staff FG Tour V2 (4-PW) WEDGES: Wilson Staff FG Tour TC 50, 52, 60) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron Futura X Dual Balance BALL: Titleist Pro V1x BUBBA WATSON WGC-HSBC Champions DRIVER: Ping G30 (8.25) FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G25 (15) IRONS: Ping S55 (3-PW) WEDGES: Ping Prototype SS (52, 56), Ping Prototype TS (60) PUTTER: Ping Anser Milled Anser 1 BALL: Titleist ProV1X Prototype

34 /

November 2014 / Issue 238

TOUR NEWS

PGA of America sets up Ryder Cup ‘task force’ Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be part of a task force set up to examining the state of the US Ryder Cup team.

The American team’s sixth defeat in the last seven contests prompted the hastily-gathered group of former and current players, captains and officials to be convened in an attempt to find a solution to America’s poor run of results.

Mickelson and Woods are both on the 11-man panel that will explore all areas, including team and captain selection, management style, preparation and performance. Former

captains Raymond Floyd, Tom Lehman and Davis Love are also on board, although Paul Azinger, who captained the US to its last victory in 2008, has chosen not to be part of the process at this stage.

In a press conference held immediately after the loss at Gleneagles, Mickelson criticised captain Tom Watson by stating his support for Azinger’s winning formula at Valhalla in 2008.

Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler, who both played at Gleneagles, are also included in the group, along with veteran tour player Steve Stricker, PGA vice-

president Derek Sprague, PGA chief executive officer Pete Bevacqua and PGA secretary Paul Levy.

Also debated will be the qualifying system, the dates by which the team is determined, and the timing of wildcard selections.

Woods, who has not played in a tournament since August because of injury, said: “I think this is a great step by the PGA to accomplish what we all want – to win the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup is very important to every player who has the honour to represent his country. I’m excited to be part

Mickelson is on the PGA of America’s Ryder Cup task force

of this group.”

Jack Nicklaus was one of several senior figures in the game to suggest that the PGA of America was pressing the panic button rather too soon.

“I feel the task force is overkill,” said the 18-time major winner.

“We’ve had 70 years of the Ryder Cup and it’s gotten along just fine. The pendulum will swing back without making a monumental thing about it. The Europeans just played better. It doesn’t make any difference how much planning you do, if the other team plays better, they’re going to win.”

Ted Bishop was sacked for making sexist comments on Twitter

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PGA president sacked for Poulter Twitter jibe Ted Bishop, the president of the PGA of America, has been sacked from his post after calling Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter ‘a little girl’ in a message written on his Twitter feed.

Bishop, who appointed Tom Watson as the US Ryder Cup captain, had been angered by Poulter’s criticisms of Sir Nick Faldo in his recently-published autobiography, No Limits, and by his declaration that Watson’s decision-making ‘completely baffled’ him.

Bishop took to social media to launch a series of disparaging remarks about Poulter. “Used to be that athletes who had lesser records or accomplishments in a sport never criticised the icons,” Bishop wrote.

“Tom Watson (eight majors and a 10-3-1 Ryder Cup record) and Nick Faldo (six majors and all-time Ryder Cup points leader) get bashed by Ian James Poulter.

Really? Sounds like a little school girl squealing during recess. C’MON MAN!” After removing Bishop from his post, PGA chief executive Pete Bevacqu said: “The PGA of America removed Ted Bishop from his office for insensitive gender-based statements posted on social media.

The board deemed the remarks to be inconsistent with the policies of the PGA. The PGA of America understands the enormous responsibility it has to lead this game and to enrich lives in our society through golf. We must demand of ourselves that we make golf both welcoming and inclusive to all who want to experience it, and everyone at the PGA of America must lead by example.”

Poulter, who saw the tweets before they were deleted, said: “The comments were pretty shocking and disappointing – especially coming from the leader of the PGA of America.”

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05/11/2014 10:48

November 2014 / Issue 238

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TOUR NEWS

Rory misses Chinese events to prepare for court battle Rory McIlroy’s legal dispute with his former management company has interrupted his end of season schedule, with the world No1 missing the two opening events on the Race to Dubai’s Final Series, the BMW Masters and WGC HSBC Champions, in order to prepare for a trial that is expected to take place in February.

The case between McIlroy and Horizon Sports has been running for over year, with the player suing the Dublin-based firm on the alleged basis he was coaxed into signing an ‘unconscionable contract’, which included ‘excessive commissions’. Horizon is countersuing by claiming

breach of contract and loss of commissions against McIlroy, who was to set up his own management firm, Rory McIlroy Inc. When signed to Horizon, McIlroy agreed an equipment deal with Nike worth $100m.

A plea for an out-of-court settlement came last month from Mr Justice Brian McGovern, after it became apparent that the detailed financial business of another golfer and a close friend of McIlroy, Graeme McDowell,

may have to enter the public domain. McDowell was also a Horizon client, and McIlroy’s lawyers claim their client was on ‘markedly inferior’ terms to his compatriot, despite assurances to the contrary.

McIlroy faces the prospect of two weeks in the witness box in a Dublin court in February, which could severely hamper his preparations for the Masters in April. He will next play in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai from November 20-23. He currently has a lead of over €3 million over nearest challenger Sergio Garcia in the Race to Dubai, and is almost certain to win the money list.

Laura goes close in Japan Laura Davies narrowly missed out on becoming the oldest player to win an LPGA Tour event, after finishing fourth at the Mizuno Classic in Japan.

The 51 year old started the final round in a three-way tie for the lead, but finished one shot adrift of a leading trio who contested a play-off.

Davies carded a one-under-par round of 71 to share fourth with eight other players on 10 under. South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee won with a birdie at the fifth extra hole. She beat Japan’s Kotono Kozuma and compatriot Ilhee Lee, who dropped a shot on the 17th.

Davies mixed two birdies with two bogeys in her opening nine holes, before knocking in a birdie on the 13th to keep her in contention. However, she was unable to find a fourth birdie of the round in her closing holes.

America’s Beth Daniel holds the record for the oldest winner. She was 46 when she won the Canadian Open in 2003.

Shark injured in chainsaw accident Greg Norman is expected to make a full recovery after injuring his left arm in a chainsaw accident at his home in Florida last month.

The 59-year-old Australian underwent surgery to repair nerve damage after his arm got caught in the chain while he was cutting wood on his estate on Jupiter Island. The chain was slowing down at the time, the saw having been placed on the ground, which prevented a more serious injury.

Specialists predict there will be no permanent ill effects, and the former Open champion will be able to return to playing golf shortly. In a statement on his website, Norman said: “Thank you to everyone for their well wishes. I look forward to getting back out there to attack that tree like I planned. No tree is going to keep me down.”

Asian events boost Tour’s early season schedule HIGH MOI DESIGN The low, deep CG location delivers forgiveness, preserving ball speed for more distance, more often.

RADIAL SPEED FACE The high speed face insert, with a radially thin perimeter in the heel and toe, increases ball speed on off-centre hits.

ACTIVE RECOIL CHANNEL The wide sole channel delivers distance by actively flexing at impact to launch the ball off the face with higher speed and lower spin.

Join Team Titleist at titleist.co.uk

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05/11/2014 10:49

Next season’s European Tour schedule sees a significant increase in tournaments held in the Asian sub-continent, with new events in Thailand and India signalling the arrival of this region as the driving force in world golf.

Taking place from February 12-15, the inaugural Thailand Classic joins The Race to Dubai for the first time, eight years after the Tour last visited the country for the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic. A week later, the Hero Indian Open will also make its debut on The Race to Dubai, with the European Tour co-sanctioning both of these new events with the Asian Tour. They form part of a three-week run on Asian soil, with the Maybank Malaysian Open moving from April to the earlier slot of February 5-8. The 2015 season officially begins at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, from December 4-7, followed by the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek from December 11-14, and the South African Open in Johannesburg from January 8-11.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

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SOFT SOFTER LONG JUST GOT

JUST GOT

LONGER Introducing the ALL-NEW Srixon Soft Feel

Available in white and yellow

Available in white and pink

CG BLACK: LIGHTER, FASTER, LONGER Cleveland Golf’s all-new CG Black range promises uncompromising distance for golfers with slower swing speeds Understanding that the average golfer doesn’t possess the Tour-level swing speeds that many modern day golf clubs are built for, Cleveland Golf set out to engineer clubs that would make slower-swinging golfers more efficient, focusing on many factors which inhibit such players from hitting the ball further.

On average, amateurs swing the club at least 15mph slower than tour professionals. Understanding this, and looking at the faults that make an amateur’s swing less efficient than that of a tour player, Cleveland Golf developed CG Black to help maximise a golfer’s swing’s potential.

Cleveland’s R&D team has achieved this by lowering the swing MOI for the average golfer.

Where professional golfers cock their wrists, keeping the arc of their swings close to their body to generate tremendous amounts of club speed, many amateur golfers have trouble properly cocking their wrists, and in turn don’t utilise an efficient swing arc. This pushes the arc further from the centre of rotation,and greatly decreases club head speed, resulting in loss of distance.

This key factor means that CG Black products promote a pro-like swing, resulting in higher head speed and greater distance with the same swing effort.

CG BLACK DRIVERS, FAIRWAY WOODS & HYBRIDS The CG Black driver (£229) is the lightest driver on the market, designed to boost club head and ball speed for increased distance. Available in standard and adjustable options, both feature the same performance benefits and technological innovations.

The CG Black Custom Driver (available February 2015, £279) features an adjustable hosel, allowing golfers to alter loft and face angle. It also utilises Variable Face Technology to reduce distance loss on off centre hits and features a lower, more forward centre of gravity to promote a higher launch angle for increased carry and distance.

CG Black Fairways (£159) and Hybrids (£129) utilise lower swing MOI and a lower centre of gravity in the club head to increase launch angle and carry for both Seniors and Women. Both are offered in a comprehensive number of loft options.

CG BLACK IRONS Instead of making a pure distance iron, Cleveland Golf’s new CG Black Irons boast improved accuracy over its competitors.

Combining a number of factors to make it Cleveland Golf’s most accurate iron to date, CG Black irons are the company’s lightest irons ever, making it easier to swing faster without any extra effort.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

CG Black irons are offered in two different models – CG Black (£649) and CG Black CB (available from February 2015, £700).

In the CG Black irons, a thin, high-strength steel face creates a larger area of maximum ball speed, as well as allowing more perimeter weighting to give increased accuracy and consistency. A 20% larger high COR area gives more consistency throughout the club face, helping make this not only longer, but more accurate than other clubs on the market.

CG Black irons are designed to enable senior and women golfers carry the ball longer. This progressive combination set of irons is designed for higher launch and longer carry for golfers with swing speeds less than 90mph, with the four- and fiveirons featuring a hollow hybrid chassis construction to move the centre of gravity lower and towards the back of the club, making it easier to launch the ball higher.

The six- and seven-iron utilise a lower centre of gravity by making the face thinner to achieve higher launch, making them easier to address and improving workability.

CG Black Cavity Back irons are designed with the better amateur golfer in mind. Players with swing speeds between 85-105mph who prefer to work the ball towards the flag, but still want plenty of forgiveness, will gravitate towards these irons. >>

November 2014 / Issue 238

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

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WAKE-UP TO THE NEW SRIXON SERIES GRAEME

McDOWELL #JOURNEY TO BETTER

In a wake-up call to serious golfers, Srixon is announcing the launch of the new Z Series clubs, delivering tour-inuenced performance, genuine innovation and stunning design. Discover why you need to take the Z Series with you on your journey at www.srixon.co.uk

>> To view the full range, loft and shaft options, and find out where you can be custom fitted for the new CG Black products, please visit www.clevelandgolf.com.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

Skycaddie Touch RRP: £329.95 Contact: skygolf.com SkyCaddie’s new Touch GPS handset can be linked to the internet via Bluetooth to the SkyGolf 360 app on a smart phone to instantly download the very latest course maps before each game. This ensures users can play a round secure in the knowledge that they are always using the very latest maps. Pre-loaded with 35,000 courses, including 99% of those in UK, the Touch lives up to its name by offering glove-friendly touch-screen navigation with a high-definition colour display. Features include IntelliGreen technology, which gives yardages from the angle of attack and highlights major contours on the putting surface; Target List (listing hazards and carries), HoleVue (full hole views);RangeVue (shows yardage arcs) and PinPoint (add pin positions); and digital scoring and stats. It can also measure club distances, steps, time and scores for multiple players.

Purchasers also recieve a free box of Bridgestone B330-RX golf balls, worth £47.99.

Big Bertha Alpha 815 Driver

Srixon Z F45 Fairway Woods RRP: £229 Contact: srixon.co.uk Matching Srixon’s recently-launched Z45 driver, the F45 fairway woods have a mid-size design to maximise launch conditions from all lies, and are fully adjustable, with 12 settings for loft, lie, face angle and centre of gravity, while an ultra-hot maraging steel cup face raises the COR by 15 points for maximum ball speed.

The accompanying Z H45 hybrids (£190) retain the same hot steel face, but feature redesigned shapes for smoother turf interaction and a more confident look at address. The centre of gravity has also been moved lower to promote a higher, more penetrating launch.

SHOP

RRP: £399/£379 Contact: callawaygolf.com Callaway completes its trio of Big Bertha driver launches this year with the arrival of two 815 drivers – the 815 and the 815 Black Diamond. The former is designed to appeal to a wider spectrum of golfers than the original Alpha driver, while the latter is aimed squarely at more skilled players.

Gravity Core technology, which alters the centre of gravity along a vertical axis, has been retained in both models. The adjustable core, which has a heavier and lighter end, changes spin rate and boosts ball speed off the face. In a change from the Alpha, the two ends of the core are now visible through a hole in the sole to show what position it’s in. Silver denotes the ‘low’ position, black is the ‘up’ setting.

Like the original Alpha, the 815 is constructed from eight different materials, including a forged cup face and composite crown, and features adjustable heel and toe weights, and an adjustable hosel. It has a 460cc head, which increases MOI, and offers less spin, with more forgiveness. The centre of gravity is also slightly higher and further back, while the clubhead is lighter and has more draw bias.

Another new feature is the RMOTO face, which stands for ‘rib motion control’, and removes weight from the face via internal ribs to control the motion of the face and lower the centre of gravity. That weight is then redistributed for more off-centre hit stability than the Big Bertha Alpha.

The Black Diamond is named after the hardest available ski run, and is the lowest-spinning driver in the Big Bertha range. The head is still 460cc, but it’s shorter from frontto-back and has a taller face. It also has more draw bias and a longer gravity core to generate 100rpm less spin in the low position.

The standard 815 is available in 9°, 10.5° and 12° lofts, with a 53g Fujikura Speeder Motore 565 shaft as standard, while the Black Diamond comes in 9° and 10.5° lofts with a wide choice of custom shafts.

TomTom Golfer RRP: £199.99 Contact: tomtom.com Given its popularity as a means of navigation for millions of drivers, it was only a matter of time before TomTom attempted to bag a slice of the GPS golf market. It’s kicked things off with a water-resistant sports watch that has access to over 34,000 automatically recognised courses and provides distances to the front, centre and back of greens, hazards and layups.

It also offers score, distance and time functions, while course updates are delivered wirelessly via a smartphone app, so golfers are always playing with the most up-to-date course information. It is available in white/ green or dark grey/green.

New Balance Minimus Sport RRP: £75 Contact: newbalance.com Better known for its curved-sole running shoes and eye-catching trainers, New Balance has entered the golf market this year with an impressive range of performance footwear, headlined by the ultra-lightweight Minimus Sport. Tipping the scales at a mere seven ounces, it features a water-resistant mesh upper, a cushioned mid-section, and a choice of spikeless or cleated soles for traction.

Available in silver/lime or black, it’s a superb summer shoe that will leave you feeling spring-healed after 18 holes.

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Scotty Cameron Futura X5 RRP: £279-£315 Contact: titleist.co.uk Scotty Cameron has added three new models to its popular Futura putter range, with the launch of the X5, X5R and X5 Dual Balance. The X5 model is angled in the back, while the X5R features a more rounded shape. The counterbalanced X5 Dual Balance combines the X5 head style with Cameron’s dual balance technology to provide maximum stability for golfers who struggle to make a consistent stroke with a standard-length putter. It features a 400g head, which is counter-balanced by a 50g weight in the butt of the shaft. The shaft is 38 inches long and has a 15-inch grip that allows the player to grip down below the counterweight for a more stable stroke. All three models feature a milled stainless steel body and aluminum soleplate, while a lighter aluminum centre section aextends down the wings. Heel-toe weights directly under the face contribute to solid feel, while increasing forgiveness.

TRIED &

TESTED

Cobra Golf Fly-Z XL Driver RRP: £199 Contact: cobragolf.co.uk Available in pro shops now, the Fly-Z XL driver is the most game improvement-orientated of Cobra’s new range of Fly-Z drivers, the remaining two of which are being launched in March next year. An offset hosel offers significant draw bias – up to 18 yards through the air – to help eliminate the dreaded slice, while the 460cc, all-titanium head features a slightly lower profile face to deliver the high trajectory required by high-handicap golfers and slower swingers. A Speed Channel Face with forged E9 face weighting saves weight and helps deliver a back centre of gravity position that increases forgiveness and encourages a draw, while also maintaining distance. It comes with a Matrix graphite shaft in 9.5°, 10.5° and 11.5° lofts and in stiff, regular or lite flexes.

TaylorMade RSi Irons Rating: RRP: £699/£829/£949 Contact: taylormadegolf.eu TaylorMade’s face-changing new RSi irons are born out of data gathered from its custom fitting operations around the world. The stats from thousands of golfers revealed that over 75 per cent of all shots hit with an iron are struck by an area of the face that could be considered outside of the ‘sweet spot’ – the central area of the face that generates most ball speed. Therefore, three out of every four strikes are essentially mishits.

This discovery led TaylorMade’s designers to develop a new technology designed to improve consistency and distance on those all too regular offcentre hits. Meet the Face Slot.

Found in the 3-8 irons – the clubs we mishit the most – the two slots are positioned vertically at the toe and heel, just outside the score lines. The slots, which are cut all the way through the face and filled with an epoxy compound, allow the face to flex and retain ball speed for more consistent distance across a wider area of the face.

Face slot technology has been used in three different head shapes, each designed to appeal to the needs of different players. The RSi 1 (£699) is the most forgiving of the three, featuring a deep undercut cavity, as well as an improved Speed Pocket, which protects ball speed, launch angle and spin rate, especially on shots struck low on the face; the RSi 2 (£829) features cast long and mid irons 3-7), and forged short irons (8-PW) to offer a progressive combination of forgiveness and feel; and the RSi TP irons (£949) are aimed squarely at better players, and feature forged carbon steel faces welded to a stainless steel back.

My own test with the RSi 1 irons using some impact tape across the face revealed just what I’d feared – almost three-quarters of my shots come out of the toe, explaining why my irons often fall short of the target. The rare shots that I did manage to middle flew off the face, and I was delighted to get my 5-iron out to the 200-yard marker (the pro I was testing with managed to get his 7-iron close to 220, which shows how hot these are off the centre of the face). Irons hit off the toe naturally lost some distance, but nothing like what I’m used to. While they may look slightly gimmicky, I’d suggest that, if nothing else, the face slots serve to focus the mind on the sweet spot, which is where these irons really perform.

Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Wedges RRP: £99 Contact: clevelandgolf.com While Cleveland has always offered multiple bounce and loft options in its wedges, the new 588 RTX 2.0 represents the first time the company has offered a range with specific bounce and sole grinds so players can optimise their wedge set up based on course conditions and playing preferences.

Cleveland’s decision to widen its choice is based on its research showing that increased distance off the tee for golfers at every level of the game means that 65% of all shots now take place from 125 yards and in. As a result, golfers need to carry a more wedges to hit accurate shots from close to the green.

Using feedback from some of its top tour staff, Cleveland has developed three distinct sole grinds in two different head designs, and multiple loft options, to give golfers up to 120 different configurations to maximise performance based on turf conditions, playing preference, and skill levels.

With the bounce expressed in dots, one dot offers low bounce and is ideal for players with a shallow angle of attack that typically play courses with firm conditions. Two dots is a standard bounce that offers all-round playability for most playing conditions, while three dots is a high bounce option with full sole width, making it ideal for players with a steep angle of attack, as it will stop the club digging.

Players can choose from cavity or blade designs, both of which are made from carbon steel, and feature Cleveland’s Rotex face technology, which enhances the surface roughness for added spin.

They are available in a range of 10 lofts from 46-64 degrees, with either True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shafts or Rotex graphite wedge shafts as standard.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

1.Adidas Climaproof 2.Mizuno Hyper

3.Sunice Bishop

RRP: £249 Contact: adidasgolf.co.uk

RRP: £169 Contact: mizuno.eu

RRP: £199.99 Contact: sunice.com

Worn by adidas staff players at this year’s Dunhill Links, the Climaproof Puremotion GORE-TEX jacket is made from a two-layer stretch material and is designed to offer total protection from the elements without sacrificing comfort or range of motion during play. With a fully seam-sealed design, it also features a double centre-front storm flap with a zipper and Velcro enclosure, double cinch at the waist and hem, and adjustable cuffs. It comes with a three-year waterproof guarantee.

The Hyper jacket features Mizuno’s highest grade of Japanese engineered fabric – taking storm-busting protection to a new level of comfort and fit. An Impermalite membrane responds to colder conditions – retaining a greater proportion of body heat when most needed – and offers 10,000mm water protection, as well a breathable barrier from the wind. It also features three seam-sealed pockets and adjustable cuffs, and is available in a choice of fire/black, royal/ black, black/ black in sizes S–XXL.

Featuring a GORE-TEX membrane, which comes with a lifetime guarantee, the outer layer of the Bishop jacket is made from a robust spiral woven fabric, which is designed to cope with the wear and tear associated with carrying a golf bag. Stretch linings allow the wearer to swing with total freedom, while other features include a lock down front zipper; V-Collar channels water away from the neck; chin guard; waist-cinching mechanism, and an inpocket ball cleaner. Paclite materials make it easy to fold away into a golf bag without crumpling.

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4.Footjoy DryJoys Tour XP RRP: £200 Contact: footjoy.co.uk

This Tour-proven rain jacket features a three-layer bonded fabric construction which reduces weight and improves mobility, while a four-way stretch shell and 20,000mm waterproof, breathable barrier guarantee ultimate protection against the elements. Other comfort features include a brushed liner, and seam-sealed zippers. Available with a three-year waterproof warranty, it comes in black, black/charcoal/orange, or black/ white, with a matching pair of XP rain trousers (£175).

WINTERS WARMERS

Defy the elements with these stylish jackets

5.Peak Performance Heriot GoreTex RRP: £209 Contact: peakperformance.com The Gore-Tex Paclite Shell makes the Heriot jacket completely waterproof and windproof, whilst keeping it ultralight and breathable. Features include a full zip, two contrast colour zip pockets, velcro adjustors at the waist and cuff, drawstring adjustment at the hem and ventilation panelling on the back. Hard wearing and long lasting, it is machine washable and comes with a lifetime waterproof warranty.

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6.Proquip Ryder Cup

7.Abacus Walton

8.Ping Altitude

9.Galvin Green Apex

RRP: £200 Contact: proquip.com

RRP: £179 Contact: abacussportswear.com

RRP: £145 Contact: pingcollection.co.uk

RRP: £349 Contact: galvingreen.com

If you’re looking for a jacket that will be comfortable to swing in, the Walton can stretch to two-and-a-half times its original size, courtesy of the elastic fabric used in its construction. Designed to keep out the heaviest rainfall, the Walton scores impressively in the Moisture Vapour Pillar test, ensuring that it will keep you warm and dry, without overheating. It is available in red, navy, black and cobalt in S-XXL.

The Altitude is made from a four-way stretch fabric which allows the wearer to swing with complete freedom and in total silence. A water repellent finish has been added to help bead water away from surface and keep it dry to touch. Other features include waterproof zips and sealed seams; offset pockets; zip-off sleeves; and a scorecard pocket. It comes with a three-year waterproof guarantee in black/ asphalt, sizes S-3XL.

The Apex features Galvin’s mesh-lined ‘Performance Shell’, which is waterproof, windproof and breathable. Gore-Tex stretch inserts maximise freedom of movement, while key design features include a drawstring bottom; cuffs which channel rain away from the hands; back pocket; two inner pockets; tab closure on chest; and water repellent zippers. It is available in four colours in S-4XL sizes.

Worn by the European Ryder Cup team – although not needed in competition – this exclusive jacket features a microfibre polyester outer fabric with a ground-breaking hydrophilic membrane that comprises millions of tiny pores, each significantly smaller than a water droplet. The pores allow air to escape without water getting in, delivering the highest levels of breathability and waterproofing.

Lightweight and super soft, the jacket features an extended one-piece seam from underarm to collarbone and adjustable side panels.

November 2014 / Issue 238

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ANYTHING BUT SOCKS Remember, golf is not just for Christmas. Give generously.

Douglas Laing Special Reserve Whisky

Direct Golf Voucher RRP: various Contact: direct-golf.co.uk

RRP: £44.99 Contact: douglaslaing.com

Abacus Knitted Hat

For the golfer that likes to drink and drive – and we don’t mean behind the wheel – Douglas Laing’s golf club-shaped whisky decanter is the ideal present. Launched to commemorate the Ryder Cup, the 500ml decanter is filled with 43% ABV whisky matured in three types of wood: first and second-fill bourbon casks and oloroso sherry butts. We’ll drink to that.

RRP: £19.99 Contact: abacussportswear.com

RRP: £39.95 Contact: titleist.co.uk No Christmas would be complete without the reassuring rattle of a dozen Pro V1s emanating from a rectangular-shaped box under the Nordman Fir. Gift givers can pimp up their spherical offerings by having the balls engraved with a personal message. ‘Massive Bandit’ is one idea for a marking for the winner of your club’s singles knockout, but you may have other more cheery epithets. Last orders for this service is December 8. Each order includes a free Titleist ball marker.

You can’t go too far wrong with a bobble hat. Available in pink, orange, green, begonia, blue, red and black, Abacus’s version could also double up as a clubhead cover – so it’s a win-win.

Mobile Warming Heated Golf Vest RRP: £195 Contact: mobilewarming.co.uk Golfers will find it hard to resist the lure of the links this winter once they put on Mobile Warming’s heated golf vest.

It’s a lightweight, gilet-style, waterresistant body-warmer that feature three heating panels – two in the chest and one in the back – to keep the wearer warm for up to 10 hours on a single charge of the built-in lithium battery.

A push-button temperature control is located on the chest logo, which allows the heat to be adjusted to a comfortable level. It is available in black, in sizes M-XXL, and there is also a women’s version.

Titleist Pro V1 balls

If you’d prefer to let the golfer in your life select their own present this Christmas, rather than foist another pair of wrong-sized socks on them, then why not give them a gift voucher for Direct Golf? From polo shirts and accessories, to putters and full sets of clubs, Direct Golf stocks it all – and it’s all just a click away.

Vouchers of £10, £25 and £50 are available to order online at direct-golf.co.uk or from your local store.

Voice Caddie VC300 RRP: £119 Contact: voice-caddie.com Weighing just one ounce, and no bigger than a ball marker, the stylish VC300 is the world’s first voice-guided GPS range finder, which provides spoken yardages to the centre, front, and back of the green for over 30,000 pre-loaded and automatically recognised courses straight from the box. Other useful features include shot distance and a swing tempo function, both of which are handy training tools for golfers of all skill levels. Available in black and white, the VC300 can be clipped on to a belt, cap or golf bag and comes with a USB cable, adapter, user manual and ball marker.

Nite-Hawk Ball Predator RRP: £17.90 Contact: nite-hawk.net While looking suspiciously like a torch, the NiteHawk is actually a golf ball locator. Working best in low-level light, it emits short-wave light that gives golf balls a luminous glow. Ask permission before heading out to your local course, as balls lost on golf club property are owned by the club. It is available in gold, blue and black.

Footjoy MyJoys Contact: footjoy.co.uk/myjoys Let your imagination run wild with FootJoy’s MyJoys programme, which offers up to eight million possible style and colour combinations, including bespoke Italian leathers and patent finishes. Go online, choose any shoe from the range, design your uppers, add some colour flashes, initials, a flag, or a name, and your order will be processed in time for Christmas, providing you email it before November 30. The total price depends on the choice of shoe, leathers and details required.

Bunker Mentality Santa T-Shirt RRP: £20 Contact: bunker-mentality.com Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a tasteless Santa-based outfit under the tree – so trust Bunker Mentality to step up to the plate with this 100% cotton T-Shirt with a highly amusing ‘Santa is my Caddy’ chest print and ‘Ho! Ho! Hole-in-One’ logo on the back. Anyone who wears this is destined never to bag an ace.

Seve The Movie RRP: £19.99 Contact: amazon.co.uk Despite being blocked at almost every turn in pursuit of the sport he loved, Seve Ballesteros fought against adversity to become the most spectacular and charismatic golfer to ever play the game.

Seve combines dramatic recreations with archive footage to tell his incredible rags to riches story; from humble beginnings on the beaches of Spain – where aged six he taught himself the game with a broken 3-iron strapped to a stick – to becoming world number one and the greatest golfer of a generation. Whether you’re a golf fan or not, this one is guaranteed to get the family blubbing around the flatscreen this yuletide.

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November 2014 / Issue 238

BREAKS

Mouth-watering offers at The Manor Golfers are set for a treat at The Manor House Golf Club this winter with the popular Wiltshire venue’s latest stay-and-play packages including the chance to experience fine-dining at its Michelin-starred restaurant.

The popular venue in Castle Combe, near Bath, is offering exceptional value to visitors this autumn and winter – with a one-night break and two rounds of golf available from just £99 per person.

As well as including 36 holes on its highly-regarded Championship Course, the Waterfall Lodge breaks feature one night’s bed and breakfast, a three-course dinner in the Michelinstarred Bybrook restaurant and unlimited use of the driving range.

Packages are available until the end of March 2015, with one person in every eight able to stay and play for free, and accommodation is provided at the club’s Waterfall Lodge, overlooking the 18th green, where guests can relax and unwind after a hard day on the course –

The Waterfall Lodge overlooks the 18th green

The Mannor House’s Championship course

helped by a chilled bottle of lager that awaits each guest on arrival.

In addition, golfers seeking an extra bit of luxury can enjoy a similar length stay in the award-winning adjacent Manor House Hotel with the same golf privileges from £149 per person.

Dating back to the 14th century, the hotel was described as a ‘real gem’ in the most recent official AA Hotel Services rating, and its five-star facilities include a collection of 48 bedrooms and suites.

For more information call 01249 782206 or visit www. manorhousegolf.co.uk.

Trump’s Scottish hotel earns five-star status MacLeod House & Lodge, Donald Trump’s new luxury 19-bedroom hotel at Trump International Golf Links, Scotland has been awarded five-star hotel status by VisitScotland.

The historic Scottish baronial mansion and lodge has been carefully restored to offer the highest level of guest accommodation, dining, bar and lounge facilities.

Located in the heart of the Trump estate, MacLeod House l is brimming with period features and provides opulent superior and grand deluxe guest rooms with spacious four- and five-piece Italian marble en-suites. Each room is exceptionally well-appointed with lavish furnishings, silk bedspreads, 48-inch flat screen televisions with full Sky TV packages, Trump-branded

robes, slippers and many more hallmark Trump touches.

The lounge, whisky snug, bar and dining facilities are open all year round to residents and guests, and provide a wide selection of wines and beverages.

Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International, said: “We’re delighted to be awarded five-star hotel status by VisitScotland. Quality and service are at the core of everything that we do, and this is great recognition for our team.”

Winter season bed & breakfast rates start from £225 per room per night, while stay-and-play packages and exclusive use of the facilities are also available.

For bookings visit trumpgolfscotland.com.

Trump’s MacLeod House

CORNISH CREAM

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2 NIGHTS B&B at The Royal Sportsman DAY 1 Porthmadog G.C 18 holes DAY 2 Nefyn & District G.C 18 holes DAY 3 Royal St Davids G.C 18 holes

2 NIGHTS B&B at Woodhall Spa Hotel 3 DAYS 1 x Hotchkin Course*

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Weekend supplement: £17pp extra

To discuss your exclusive golf package call 01822 618181

We have over 15 years experience of organising golf breaks throughout the UK and Europe

November 2014 / Issue 238

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BREAKS

Experience The Belfry’s ‘Ultimate’ break Sweet dreams at Lytham’s dormy delight

Bag a winter bargain with Golfbreaks The clocks may have gone back, and daylight seems to be in short supply, but that doesn’t mean that it’s time to consign the golf clubs to winter storage just yet.

The crisp, clear days are perfect for golf, and with peak season but a distant memory, now’s the time to secure yourself a greatvalue deal at some of the UK’s best golfing venues with leading golf travel company Golfbreaks.com.

Among its best short breaks on offer this winter include one night’s B&B at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, home of the 2010 Ryder Cup, where £69

will secure two rounds of golf (Roman Road, and Montgomerie courses) and room in the Manor House.

Over in East Sussex, £99 is all you need to spend one night at the four-star East Sussex National Resort in Uckfield, with dinner, breakfast, and rounds on the venue’s superb East and West courses included in this great package.

Moving north to Scotland, golfers can stay for one night at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire, and enjoy rounds on the iconic Ailsa and Kintyre courses for £180pp.

For bookings, or more details, visit www.golfbreaks.com or call 0800 279 7988.

TheManor House

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Ashbury Hotels

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FREE GOLF At The UK’s Largest Golf Resort Set in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park, Devon.

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

Oakwood 16th 172 yards, Par 3

Ashbury 6th 410 yards, Par 4

Kigbeare Pines Beeches 9/10/14 - 29/4/15 Oakwood • FREE GOLF Ashbury 9 + Pines Front 9 • £5 BUGGIES Ashbury 9 + Pines Back 9 • 20% OFF HEALTH & BEAUTY Willows

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

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Pines 17th 442 yards, Par 4

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“I’ve never played such fantastic courses.” Stephen W - Trip Advisor

Early 2015 Midweek Breaks from: £40pppn! !

A range of options is available, depending on the length of stay and preferred golf course. For example, starting from just £89, golfers can enjoy one night bed & breakfast and two rounds of golf - one each on the PGA National Course and The Derby. Prices are based on two people sharing for stays on Sunday.

For those who want to push the boat out, ‘The Ultimate Belfry Golf Experience’ includes a two-night stay, full English breakfast each morning, and 18 holes on all three courses, including the Brabazon, use of leisure facilities, and entry to the Bel Air Club & Lounge.

To book any of these packages, call 0844 980 0600 or visit www.thebelfry.co.uk for more details.

Additional Facilities FREE to residents of our hotels Sports Family Racket Sports Leisure Bowls Funhouse Swimming Tennis Table Tennis Badminton Spa & Sauna Gamezone 5-A-Side Waterslides Snooker Squash Basketball Short Tennis Play Area Ten-Pin

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yd FR ro EE Sp a

Four-time Ryder Cup host venue The Belfry has unveiled an array of special golf breaks exclusively available throughout the winter.

With two championship golf courses, the worldfamous Brabazon Course and PGA National Course, plus a further 18-hole course known as The Derby, as well as Europe’s largest customfitting centre and PGA National Golf Academy, The Belfry has something to offer players of all ability and budget.

The 324-bedroom resort, which has recently benefitted from a multi-million pound makeover, is supplemented by a host of enviable off-course amenities, such as a relaxing spa, diverse food and beverage outlets, plus an award-winning pro shop.

H

The Belfry’s new-look bedrooms

Golf groups looking for the ultimate ‘stay and play’ break at the venue of the 2012 Open Championship, can book in at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s’ iconic Dormy House, which is just 30 yards from the first tee.

The house, which sits directly behind the practice putting green, boasts 16 single rooms, and is the perfect place for large groups to stay when playing at Lytham and the stunning array of other courses to be found on this stretch of coastline. Loved by generations of golfers who make the annual pilgrimage here, it is not plush by any means, with guests required to share bathrooms and toilet facilities, but what it lacks in luxury fripperies., it more than makes up for in its character and charm. The breakfast – which is served in the clubhouse – is better than anything you’ll find at a boutique hotel. There’s also a small lounge with comfy sofas and a big TV to relax in front of after a round on the links, although most guests head to the club’s upstairs bar, where the friendly staff will keep your glasses topped up while you gaze out over the links in wonder and trepidation. After a night of fine food and frothing ales – and a few frames of snooker – you only have to stumble back to the house, before waking up just a few hours later to stumble even less assuredly to the first tee, where one of England’s finest links awaits.

Dormy House packages are available from £240pp, which includes dinner, bed, full English breakfast, one round, and a soup and sandwich lunch. For bookings call 01253 643790 or email bookings@royallytham.org.

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

“The food in the restaurant was good quality with a great choice.” ARH0lland -Trip Advisor

0800 389 9892

ashburygolfhotel.com

All rooms en-suite • Full board • Child rates • Party discounts

44 /

November 2014 / Issue 238

SarahStirk The Majors and the Ryder Cup have been standout weeks during my work with Sky Sports this year, but one tournament that always has a special place in my heart, despite the rare deluge experienced this year, is the Portugal Masters.

I normally stay locally with family, the weather is typically good, the food incredible – I make particular reference to Willies in Villamoura if you haven’t been – and the Portuguese people exude warmth with their welcoming hospitality.

This year I went out a few days early for the opening of Quinta do Lago’s redeveloped North Course, which has cemented the prestigious Algarve venue’s position among the best and most exclusive golf resorts in the world.

Days after leading Europe to a memorable Ryder Cup victory against America, McGinley was in Portugal to perform the official opening ceremony of the new €9.6m layout, alongside renowned American architect Beau Welling, Quinta do Lago owner Denis O’Brien, and the resort’s chief executive John Dwyer.

In one of the most talked-about design projects in Europe in 2014, McGinley has redeveloped the course in close collaboration with Welling, and it has the remarkable distinction of being completed in the space of just ten months. I was among the first to put the new-look layout to the test during the official opening day celebrations, and firmly believe that McGinley and Welling have a huge hit on their hands, with the North having the quality and potential to replace the famous neighbouring South Course as QDL’s top track.

Among the changes introduced on the par-72, 6,776yard course, all greens, tees, bunkers, irrigation, drainage systems and cart paths have been rebuilt using the latest state-of-the-art technology. One of the key factor’s lies in the multiple sets of tees introduced on each hole to accommodate players of all levels, as the Ryder Cup skipper noted. “A lot of people find the game very difficult so the aim with the golf course was to make it as playable as possible for golfers of all levels. We are trying to encourage people to play the game in a beautiful place, and the aim is not to intimidate ,but to encourage.

We didn’t change the template or routing of the course, but upgraded it and brought it into the modern world, making it as visual as possible. We want people to go out there, have fun and enjoy the course and its challenge, so much that they want to come back and play it again. The course is a challenge, but also very fair.”

The redevelopment is the first design project that

Sarah Stirk is impressed by the new-look North Course at Quinta do Lago, which has received a magical makeover by Paul McGinley and Beau Welling

NORTH COURSE RAISES THE BAR AT QUINTA

There’s barely a blade of grass out of shape on the stunning North Course

“I firmly believe that McGinley and Welling have a huge hit on their hands, with the North Course having the quality and potential to replace the famous neighbouring South Course as QDL’s top track”

Denis O’Brien (QDL owner), Beau Welling, John Dwyer (QDL CEO) and Paul McGinley open the North Course

The 18th hole has been redesigned to make it a less severe test for the holiday golfer

McGinley has collaborated on with Welling, who worked with Tom Fazio for more than ten years, and is also the main consultant for Tiger Woods Design.

Welling, who has worked on more than 90 projects worldwide, including the redesign of the famous PGA Tour course at Quail Hollow and Waterville in Ireland, added: “We are proud that we have created a golf course that all golfers will enjoy in the months and years to come, and I have really enjoyed working with the resort,” he commented.

The redevelopment is part of a major €29 million investment programme that was started by Quinta do Lago in 2009, with a further €21 million set to be spent on improving its facilities over the next three years.

In line to become the new number one course at the prestigious family resort, the North Course has been revamped with the emphasis firmly on precision and strategy. While many modern-day developments tend to focus on length, Welling and McGinley were keen to create a golfing experience where accuracy and course management were the key factors.

Dwyer added: “What Paul and Beau have achieved in such a short space of time is amazing and we’re very excited about the future. Golfers will be blown away by the redesigned layout, and I’m sure it’s a course that they will want to play time and time again. The North Course is part of the new face of Quinta do Lago and is the latest significant investment we have made to ensure that the resort remains the most family-friendly venue in the Algarve.”

As well as golf, the culinary experiences are really starting to set Quinta apart. We had the evening celebration dinner at the lakeside Casa Do Lago Restaurant, with seaside shabby-chic interiors and gorgeous seafood, and many of you frequent Algarve visitors will have no doubt enjoyed numerous long, lazy lunches at the fabulous Gigi’s on the beach. If you haven’t already, do check out the Pure Boutique Café run by John’s charismatic wife Ursula – it’s a superb place for breakfast or a healthy lunch after visiting the gym! A new high-quality steak restaurant is next on the agenda to complement the existing gourmet offering.

For me, Quinta wins hands down when it comes to upmarket resorts in Portugal, and things are getting even better with the vast amounts being spent on redevelopment. The ambition is clear, the service remains first class – all in all good news for golf fans, many of whom choose the Algarve as the number one destination in Europe.

November 2014 / Issue 238

/ 45

TRAVEL

Lumine launches winter getaways

Golf breaks market doubles in five years

From now until May 31, 2015, packages are available for one night’s bed and breakfast and one round of golf for €99pp; three nights and three rounds for €295pp; or seven nights and five rounds for €575pp.

Accommodation is available across four contemporary four-star hotels, each just a short transfer from the resort. Hotel Estival Park and Hotel Magnolia are situated on the beach at the seaside town of Salou, while Hotel Tryp Port Cambrils and Hotel Monica are in the heart of the picturesque

port of Cambrils.

Lumine includes the Greg Normandesigned Lakes Course, which plays host to the European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2, and the more traditional Hills Course, which runs through pine and olive trees with spectacular views of the nearby coastline. There is also the nine-hole Ruins Course, another Norman design, which weaves its way through Roman archaeological remains.

For more information, visit www.lumine. com or email travel@lumine.com.

Investment opportunity Direct Sale

Golfers in four key European countries are taking twice the number of golf holidays than they did in 2009, according to new research.

The survey, commissioned by the organisers of the International Golf Travel Market, questioned keen golfers in the UK, France, Germany and Sweden.

The research found at least 50% of golfers in France (54%) and Germany (50%) take more golf breaks now than in 2009, while the figures for Sweden and the UK were 47% and 40% respectively.

The findings also indicate that Spain continues to be the first choice of golf destination, with at least 30% from France (30%), Sweden (42%) and the UK (36%), having been to Spain for a golf break in the last 12 months.

The second most popular destination for golfers surveyed in the UK and Sweden was Portugal with 23% and 13% respectively, while for the French it was Morocco (18%) and for Germans it was Austria.

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It is the virtuous combination of antique and modern that makes the Chervò Golf Hotel Restaurant Spa & Resort San Vigilio so unique. Our efficient services and features work in partnership with nature, comfort and enhancement of your body and spirit on your quest for wellness and relaxation. Our resort is in Pozzolengo, just south of Lake Garda, between Sirmione and Desenzano, in the center of the most important cities in northern Italy.

Discover & Check availability offers on the web site.

Practice makes perfect at Penina Golfers looking to get their game into shape ahead the new season should snap up the last remaining places on a week-long coaching trip to Portugal being hosted by a PGA professional from Horsham Golf & Fitness in West Sussex.

The annual trip is taking place from March 5-12 at the Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort in Portugal, with the package including five rounds of golf; full use of all the practice facilities; free range balls; free trolley hire; three evening meals; and bed and breakfast for seven nights in Penina’s five-star hotel.

The trip, which costs £1,055pp and includes flights, is being hosted by Horsham’s PGA Professional Matt Haines, who will be coaching all areas of the game during the week. For more information call 01403 271525 or email secretary@ horshamgolfandfitness.co.uk.

Lumine Golf Club, located on Spain’s Costa Dorada, has launched a trio of stay-and-play packages to suit those looking for a golf break in warmer climes this winter.

Catering for short and longer stays, the packages offer travellers the chance to enjoy 45 holes of championship golf, as well as the cultural and historical attractions abundant in the surrounding region, including the ancient Roman town of Tarragona and bustling streets of Barcelona.

At its heart is the ancient Benedictine abbey of San Vigilio built in 1104. New buildings and historic residences have been constructed around the abbey in a harmonious fusion of line and form, providing facilities for the hotel, restaurant, spa, resort and the 36-holes golf course.

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46 /

November 2014 / Issue 238

Orizonte scores with Lisbon Derby Golf Break

La Cala calls for golf groups

La Cala Golf & Spa Resort in southern Spain has established itself as a popular destination with discerning golfers from the UK. With stunning views over its three championship courses and the mountains beyond, discreet five-star service, excellent cuisine and a peaceful atmosphere, La Cala was the first golf resort in the Costa del Sol to offer 54 holes, and it now also boasts a six-hole, par-three course.

Built in traditional Andalucian style over three floors, the hotel commands a central position on the estate, with each of its rooms offering superb views of the Campo Asia.

One of the original courses designed and built in 1989 at La Cala, and the longest and possibly the toughest of the three, Campo America (North Course) enjoys spectacular views of the Mediterranean and the Sierra de Ojén mountains. Although the relatively few bunkers and wide fairways make this a slightly easier driving course, it is quite hilly and the various

water hazards present a challenge to beginners and experienced golfers alike. Five par threes place an emphasis on good iron play.

Campo Asia (formerly the South Course) is narrow and short, where correct club selection and accuracy are vital, and a testing round of golf is always guaranteed.

Campo Europa, which opened in 2005, features more generous fairways and slightly larger greens than its neighbours, although the scenery is no less spectacular, with lavender, eucalyptus and olive trees lining the course.

The Ojén river features on eight holes, requiring players to cross several bridges during a round.

After golf, guests can relax

in the Caracala Spa or the heated swimming pool, or enjoy the many bars and restaurants on site.

Your Golf Travel is currently offering three-night packages to the resort, including three rounds of golf, for £195pp for groups of eight staying between now and January 29th, 2015.

A seven-night, four-round package costs from £275pp.

The price does not include flights and is based a two people sharing a twin room, and includes breakfast.

Anyone booking this trip for 24 or more golfers qualifies for a free pair of G/FORE Gallivanter golf shoes, which are worth £149.

For more details visit www. yourgolftravel.com.

dubbed the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’.

Three nights’ bed and breakfast hotel accommodation is also included in the package, together with transfers to and from the golf courses, with prices based on two people sharing a twin room.

Launched earlier this year, Orizonte–Lisbon Golf offers the chance to play some of the leading courses in close proximity to Portugal’s capital with exceptional value for money on a wide range of accommodation options across the region.

In addition to Quinta do Peru and Ribagolfe, other venues include Aroeira, which features two championship layouts, and the 7,000-yard challenge at Santo Estevão. For a full list of packages, visit en.orizontegolf.com or email info@orizontelisbongolf.com.

Onyria Palmares offers three nine-hole loops

La Cala boasts three 18-hole courses

Play and stay packages to Palamares

Make a date for La Manga Pro-Am La Manga Club’s International Pro-Am will make its return to the PGAs of Europesanctioned events line-up from February 17-19, 2015, with up to 30 teams from across the continent set to contest an overall prize fund of €30,000.

The inaugural tournament took place at the award-winning venue in Murcia, southeast Spain, in March and was hailed as a huge success for the club resort, which has enjoyed significant growth during 2014, including the opening of a new Leadbetter Golf Academy as part of a €1m renovation of its practice facilities, with the first phase of the redevelopment taking place at the same time as the competition.

The 2014 edition of the tournament was won

by Dutch PGA professional Joost Steenkamer, who completed a stunning comeback on the back nine of his final round to finish level par for the tournament, three shots ahead of Swedish professional Mikael Lundberg.

Golfers with a passion for football can kick off the 2015 season in style with a Portugal golf break to remember, including the chance to see the Lisbon derby between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica – one of the biggest club rivalries in world football.

Orizonte–Lisbon Golf is offering lovers of both sports the chance to enjoy a three-night stay in a four-star hotel in the city, two rounds of golf around the Portuguese capital, and a ticket to the Derby de Lisboa for €345 per person.

One of the most famous derbies in the game, the Sporting Lisbon versus Benfica rivalry dates back to 1907, and there will be the chance to see a galaxy of international stars when the match takes place on Sunday, February 8.

In addition to watching the game, the break features 18 holes of golf at two of the finest courses in Lisbon’s Costa Azul region, Quinta do Peru Golf and Country Club – host of several European Challenge Tour events – and Ribagolfe,

Ribagolfe

The four-star Marina Club Lagos Resort in Portugal has joined forces with Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort to offer a range of breaks this winter.

Three-, four-, five- and seven-night breaks are now available at the waterfront resort, which include between two and five green fees. Prices start at €254pp, for a three-night B&B break with two green fees, while a seven-night break with five green fees starts from €574pp. The resort

offers accommodation in studios to threebedroom apartments. Facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, a restaurant and a bar.

Onyria Palmares offers three nine-hole loops – the Alvor, Lagos and Praia courses – all of which enjoy panoramic views across the Bay of Lagos.

All three layouts have recently been re-designed

by Robert Trent Jones Jnr at a cost of €10 million.

To book, or for more details, visit www. onyriapalmares.com.

Turn your golfing pipe dreams into reality with Xclusive Golf

Pro-am packages for teams of one professional and three amateurs are available at €950 per amateur (free for professionals), and golfers can take advantage of an early-bird offer of €899 when booking before December 15.

Packages include tournament rounds on La Manga North and South courses; one practice round; daily lunches; welcome cocktail reception; prize-giving gala dinner and accommodation. For more details visit lamanga.com.

If you harbour dreams of playing some of the world’s top private courses, teeing it up with your favourite player, having a lesson with a famous instructor, or gaining entry into one of the most prestigious Pro-Am tournaments in the world, then it’s time to turn those dreams into reality.

Xclusive Golf specialises in delivering bespoke, ‘money can’t buy’ golfing experiences around the world for its discerning clients. With connections with many of the

game’s best courses, leading players, and top coaches, the company is able to open doors that simply aren’t available to the average golfer in the street.

Whether it’s for business or personal pleasure, Xclusive Golf creates a wide range of customised experiences, including access to tee times on strictly members-only courses; the chance to play championship venues with golfing heroes and Ryder Cup stars; private golf lessons with top coaches such as Hank Haney; taking part in a Pro-Am

at a tour event, or an insidethe-ropes experience at a major championship.

All the experiences can be arranged as part of a complete package, including accommodation, chauffeur transfers and private jet/ helicopter transport. The packages can also be combined with other leisure pursuits, such as shooting, fishing and gastronomy.

To take the next step towards fulfilling your golfing dreams, visit xclusivegolf.com or call 0844 504 9914.

November 2014 / Issue 238

/ 47

Me&MyTravels Six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo has a natural affinity with links courses, but is just as happy with a fishing rod in his hand as he is a pitching wedge My favourite golf course in the UK is… St Andrews, Old Course. That’s always an easy choice, given my history with the place.

My favourite golf course abroad is…

Royal Melbourne in Australia, although all of those sandbelt courses, such as Kingston Heath, Huntingdale and Metropolitan, are fabulous. I love so many aspects of Melbourne’s design: the way it plays firm and fast; the way the bunkering frames the greens; the contours of the putting surfaces; the challenging mix of holes; and the everchanging wind. In the States, I’d say Pine Valley in New Jersey, and Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles – both of which are classic designs.

Ballyliffin’s Old Links

My holiday hidden gem course is… Ballyliffin Old Links in Donegal.

I first played there in the 1990s, and instantly fell in love with the place.

The movement in the fairways is exceptional. I have a great relationship with the club and did some remodelling work for them a few years ago, which focused on the bunkering and some of the tee placements.

I’d like to play… Bandon Dunes in Oregon. It’s one spot I’ve not got around to yet. I didn’t use to play golf on holiday when I was playing, because I was too competitive.

Anytime I picked up a club, I went into tournament mode. But it’s different now. I’ll take the clubs wherever I go and have a couple of games. It’s just nice to go out and play, which I normally do with my son or friends.

My dream holiday four ball would be…

Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Lee Trevino and me.

My favourite hotel is…The Crown Towers Crown Towers in Melbourne.

It has really great suites, and the views are incredible. I like the Ritz-Carlton a lot too. I’ve stayed in many of them, and they’ve all been excellent. The service is superb and the staff really makes an effort to make you feel welcome.

They’re good at remembering names as well, which is nice.

My favourite holiday meal is… ideally anything Japanese or Italian, but I like anything with more than 1,000 calories and a dangerous sauce!

My favourite holiday tipple is… a nice glass of red wine. I also love a rare whisky, a chilled Russian vodka, or simply a lime and soda.

Royal Melbourne

My favourite holiday destinations… all include water, the river or the sea.

I enjoy fishing and jet skiing and seascapes; just the peace of being waterside. I love to stand in a river waiting for the rise of the trout or quietly stalk the flats for bonefish.

My favourite airline is…Virgin Atlantic. I like their beds, which are long enough for me to fit into comfortably. Emirates and Cathay Pacific are also very good, as, of course, is British Airways.

I always travel with… my orthopaedic pillow, my Blackberry, and an iPod with portable speakers. I

must have had my pillow for at least 10 years. It’s really good for sleeping on planes. My Blackberry keeps me in contact with family and business.

I’m a tweeter, like so many players on Tour. It is really a great source of news and entertainment, and I can always snap a picture to share with my kids. I always set up my iPod and speakers in my hotel room or wherever I’m staying and put on relaxing music.

I’m currently listening to… all the old stuff, like Genesis and Elton John. The Verve is great too, as is Coldplay. Of the girls, I like Sade and a few others. I like all sorts: stuff that energises me, as well as more mellow songs too.

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Indian Wells Players & Celebrity Courses, The Classic Club, SilverRock Resort and PGA West TPC Stadium Course, plus an optional day at Stone Eagle Golf Club

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