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EDDIE’S READY Pepperell sets his sights on first European Tour title
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THE UK’S NO1 GOLF NEWSPAPER
Issue 247 | September 2015
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BY NICK BAYLY
NINE CAN BE JUST DIVINE The clamour for nine holes to be the new 18 seems to grow ever louder. Almost everyone I talk to in the industry these days, as well regular club golfers, speak of the need to speed up the game, whether it be through promoting more 9-hole competitions, creating more user-friendly ninehole layouts from existing 18-hole courses, or simply encouraging everyone to get a move on. One course I know of, Wycombe Heights in Buckinghamshire, attempted to speed up the pace of play this summer by offering a free pint of beer to anyone who finished their round in under four hours. Those who managed the feat also had their names put into a prize draw to win a free golf day for themselves and three friends.
By all accounts the incentive worked a treat, with plenty of players claiming their free pints – although there must have been a few rushed putts over the closing holes. While free drinks might not give every the bum’s rush, anything that gets people to think more about the pace of play can only be a good thing. I was minded of this after receiving a copy of a book written by John Timpson – he of Timpson shoe repairers and key cutting fame – entitled ‘How to Play Golf Quickly’. A member at Delamere Forest Golf Club in Cheshire, Timpson self-published the book after 30 years spent playing in time-consuming corporate golf days. Sadly, sales of this helpful guide plummeted after officials
deemed his advice for all golfers to abandon power trolleys in favour of stand bags went against current health and safety policy for juniors. ‘Head’ and ‘brick wall’ spring to mind. Despite taking much of his advice on board ‘play when ready’, etc, it’s still only possible to shave 20-30 minutes off an 18-hole round, not the two hours that would really make a difference, and that is why nine-hole rounds are proving an increasingly popular option for time-pressed golfers. The club at which I’m a member has its ninth out in the country, so I rarely play the shortened version of the game, and nearly every golf day I attend for work is of the ‘breakfast, 18 holes and gala
Pepperell sets his sights on first European Tour title
JORDAN SPIETH LYDIA KO TONY JOHNSTONE PING RAINWEAR REVIEW PAUL BROADHURST NEW IRONS
dinner’ variety that takes 14 hours and has my wife thinking that I have some alternative family. Thankfully, my local club, Horsham Golf, is currently in the throes of building a new 18-hole course, only nine holes of which are currently open. I had the pleasure of playing there last month with my dad, a sprightly 74 year old, and the nine holes proved perfect for our needs. Two hours of rather too competitive golf on a full-length course, a spot of lunch, and I was back in time to pick the kids up from school. There will be some people for whom only 18 holes will ever do, but for many of us – including those who, like me, love the game as much as life itself – nice things often come in small packages.
Golf News, Maple House, The Spinney, Hove, BN3 6QT Tel: 01273 381794 Email: info@golfnews.co.uk Website: www.golfnews.co.uk Follow us on: Twitter@golfnewsmag Managing Director Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk Editor Nick Bayly editor@golfnews.co.uk PR and Marketing Director Melanie Evans melanie@golfnews.co.uk Production Kath Perry ads@golfnews.co.uk For advertising enquiries please contact Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk Design www.yotedesign.com Photography Getty Images Kevin Murray Published by BlueGreen Media Regular contributors Jeremy Ellwood, Sarah Stirk, Paul Mahoney, Clive Agran, Tom Lewis, Alistair Tait, Matt Ford. © Copyright Golf News 2015. No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in anyway or means, either by recording or otherwise, without permission of the publishers in writing.
More nine-hole golf courses, like the one on offer at Nailcote Hall, could be the answer to criticisms of golf being too time-consuming
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SEPTEMBER 2015 | NEWS
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Southern stars shine in memory of Seve
TALBOTT ON TOP AT BERKHAMSTED Thorpe Hall professional Mark Talbott shot a flawless eight-under par 63 to land a six-shot success in Berkhamsted Golf Club’s 125th Anniversary Festival Pro-Am. Jason Levermore (Channels) and Noel Quinn (Whipsnade Park) both shot 69s to share second. Andrew George (Ely City) had a holein-one at the 205-yard, parthree 15th hole. It came just holes after he’d registered an eight in a rollercoaster round of 72, which left him tied eighth.
FITT’S PERFECT FOR GOODWOOD Chris Fitt has been appointed the new golf operations manager at Golf At Goodwood. He joins the West Sussex-based club from Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, where he oversaw the 36hole golf operations. He has also enjoyed spells working at golf facilities in Florida and Saudi Arabia. Goodwood’s general manager, Stuart Gillett, said: “We are thrilled to have Chris joins us, he brings with him a wealth of experience in five-star golf operations and I am excited to have him join our excellent team. He will enable us to continue our determination to provide great service and a great golf experience for our members.”
SMITH ON A HIGH AT WEST HOVE Royal Ashdown Forest’s Ollie Smith won the Sussex County Under 15 Golf Championship held at West Hove Golf Club by four shots. His fellow Ashdown junior, Harvey Evans, finished runner-up. Smith, 14, who plays off a handicap of five, celebrated a double triumph, as earlier this year he also won the county’s U14 division.
THIEF TARGETS FOXHILLS SHOP Foxhills Golf Club’s pro shop was burgled last month, with thieves making off with 40 brand new sets of clubs following a break-in during the early hours of Wednesday, August 19. A man was caught on CCTV at 2.45am at the Surrey club, covering his face with a hooded top and scarf. He has a tattoo on his left hand. Surrey Police tweeted the image and have appealed for information.
New-look London Golf Show tees up enticing offers The 2015 London Golf Show, which returns to Glow at Bluewater Retail Park in Kent from November 13-15, has teed up a number of new features that look sure to entice more visitors to attend the three-day event. The show, which attracted over 13,000 golfers from all over the South East following its move to Europe’s busiest retail park last year, has outlined a series of changes that will make it a more immersive experience, as well as unveiling of number of commercial partnerships that will result in some superb value offers for ticket holders. Organisers have broadened the scope of the show to include specific zones for women, juniors, equipment and gadgets, apparel and accessories, and coaching and travel. The dedicated Women’s Zone sees a much bigger focus on the ladies’ game, and as such the team has announced a partnership with Felicity Dunderdale from FORE!Women, a ladies’ online social network based in Kent. The partnership will see Dunderdale present a bespoke area for ladies to shop for a wide range of specialist womens’ brands. In addition, all women registering for tickets before September 30 will be given free entry to the show – as will kids under 16, accompanied by an adult. Ian Mullins of MC2 Marketing, consultant for the London Golf Show, said: “The new zone strategy is about giving visitors a better experience and will encourage them to stay longer. As well as new areas, and over £250 worth of ‘golf’, each ticket holder will receive in terms of offers, giveaways and tuition,
we have also focused on giving the visitor unparalleled value.” Among the free extras on offer to visitors include green fees with Pentland Golf, owner and manager of five clubs across the UK, which will be giving away five free rounds of golf for each visitor as part of the entry ticket price. Pentland’s venues include Pedham Place, Boughton and Etchinghill, all of which are located in Kent. Advance tickets to the London Golf Show cost just £10, and the rounds of golf could be worth up to £160. In another change to the show, equipment retailer American Golf is to be the official retail partner, offering top golf brands the chance to feature in a new area where they will receive a stand space to retail through America Golf. The partnership with American Golf means there will no longer be a large retail store, but instead more intimate and better stocked stands, where suppliers can engage more easily with visitors, while still offering a superb shopping experience. Ticket holders will also be able to enjoy free coaching following the signing of a partnership with P Golf Coaching, one of the South East’s leading coaching providers. Led by Director of Golf Development Benn Barham, P Golf Coaching has team of highly experienced PGA-trained coaches. For no extra cost, every visitor to the London Golf Show will have the chance to be coached by a P Golf coach, who will be showcasing their skills to players of all abilities.
The spoils were shared between Benn Barham and Chris Gane at the 6th Seve Ballesteros Foundation Pro-Am held at Foxhills in Surrey. One of the highlights of the PGA South Region’s calendar, the tournament has helped raise over £250,000 in aid of a cure for brain cancer, and to provide opportunities for underprivileged children to play golf. Brendan Reynolds is the driving force behind the high profile Pro-Am and a long-time friend of the Ballesteros family. He and his guests’ special day saw Gane and current Order of Merit champion Barham tie with nine birdies each for their rounds of 63. The pair edged Jordan Godwin’s 64 into second spot, and finished three strokes ahead of the 66s of Michael Lowe, Chris Croucher, Nico Els and Bradley Harris. With Gane (pictured above) playing in the group in front of Barham, both started on the 18th, so the two players were constantly in sight of each other’s birdie barrages. Delighted with his performance, Gane commented, “It was great to watch Benn behind me, knowing that he could see my score on each hole and then try to match it!” Gane continued: “I know I speak for all professionals in the PGA when I say that this is a very special day in any golf pro’s season, as it is for all the amateurs who come along to support it. It’s a great cause, and one in particular that we all feel allows us to remember the great man himself. “So both Benn and I are delighted to have played our best in memory of Seve, our hero and the man who not only gave so many professionals the belief that we could aspire to his achievements, but also gave every other golfer the pleasure of seeing one of the greatest characters in the history of the game.”
For advance tickets for the London Golf Show 2015, visit londongolfshow.com.
North Foreland hosts tour stars ’behind the ropes’ day
North Foreland proved a excellent choice of venue for an appearance by two of the South East’s leading Tour stars last month. The popular Kent links, which stages local qualifying when the Open is held at Royal St George’s, played host to rising young star Eddie Pepperell and the more experienced former BMW PGA Championship winner Simon Khan in a day organised by TaylorMade Golf. The two players, who are both part of TaylorMade’s tour staff, took part in a special ‘behind the ropes’ day for invited guests and club members. Guests were treated to a golf clinic by the pair on the driving range, and a question-and-answer session, before a sixhole exhibition match. Two North Foreland juniors had the honour of caddying for the players as the members who attended were split into two teams, Team Pepperell and Team Khan. And it was 24-year-old Pepperell, currently ranked 36th in the Race to Dubai, who emerged victorious on the day, bagging a par on the 15th hole to beat his more experienced rival. All those players who took part received a discount on all TaylorMade products at a demo day that started at the end of the match.
Monty picks up Senior gongs Colin Montgomerie’s outstanding 2014 season was celebrated earlier this month when the annual European Senior Tour awards dinner took place at Woburn Abbey before the start of his successful defence of the Travis Perkins Masters over the Duke’s Course. The 52-year-old Scot collected two of the principal awards when he received the John Jacobs Trophy and the Rolex Player of the Year Award. Montgomerie, who has claimed three Senior Major titles since turning 50, said: “I am honoured to receive this award. I was fortunate enough to win eight Order of Merit titles on the main Tour, and I will look upon this one every bit as fondly as the others in my cabinet. The standard on the Senior Tour is very high and this means a lot to me.” Carl Mason accepted the Lawrence Batley Award for the most successful player in the over 60s category, after finishing in 19th on the money list.
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SEPTEMBER 2015 | NEWS
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Piltdown has rebuilt 14 greens
HAMPSHIRE SENIORS BAG FINALS SPOT Hampshire’s seniors’ team defeated Kent at Alresford to win the South-East Counties Seniors League (South). The Hampshire team remained unbeaten throughout the season, following earlier wins over Sussex, Surrey and Dorset. The team now goes forward to play in the SE Counties Final at Knole Park in Kent on October 15.
PORTER CLAIMS GOODWOOD TITLE Dave Porter won Golf at Goodwood men’s championship after shooting a four-over-par total for 36 holes over the Downs Course. Rounds of 76 and 71 were good enough to see him finish four shots ahead of Stuart Probee and seven clear of junior club champion Leonardo Ruggieri.
PORTELLI PICKS UP CROMER CLASSIC Hertfordshire pro Glen Portelli won the Weston Homes plc/ Royal Cromer Classic to lift him into contention for a place in the PGA Play-Offs in Turkey in November. The 24 year old from Verulam finished on three under par for the 36-hole event, to finish ahead Chris Cutchie (Colchester).
‘Rory’ drops in at Wildwood charity
Piltdown unveils new greens following £400k investment Members at Piltdown Golf Club in East Sussex are enjoying improved playing conditions this autumn following significant investment in the historic course, which was founded in 1904. A two-year course improvement programme has just been completed, during which time over £400,000 was spent on re-laying the greens with new drainage to ensure year-round play. While the work was carried out, the club’s director of greens, Philip RussellVick, took the opportunity to make some design changes to the 6,072-yard, par 68 layout, including remodelling some of the greens, adding some strategically-placed, heather-topped banks, and creating runoff areas around some of the greens. The latter was a particularly vital addition, as Piltdown features no bunkers. The club’s general manager, Phil Bonsall, said: “The members are very excited about the changes, and we‘ve had lots of very positive comments. The golf industry is very competitive at the moment, and we
know we have to offer the best possible experience to our members and guests. “Our catering and hospitality has always been the envy of many, and we needed to improve the greens to make them playable all year round. This is now complete, and the fact that we have invested over £400,000 into the course, and built a new driving range, with state-of-the-art teaching facilities, shows just how serious we are.” He added: “There’s no doubt that it has been a tough couple of years managing the expectations of golfers, especially visitors, while the course improvement work was going on, but I believe it will all prove worthwhile, as we are now in an extremely strong position for the future. Until the end of 2015, we are continuing to offer a 50 percent reduction on joining fees, so anyone joining between now and the end of the year will only pay £500 instead of the usual £1,000. There really has never been a better time to join Piltdown.”
Guests at the charity golf day held at Wildwood Golf and Country Club in Surrey could be excused for making a double take or two when it looked as if world No.1 Rory McIlroy had taken a break from his punishing international schedule to take part in the ‘Go Wild Golf Day’. Despite his deep love of animals, sadly the Ryder Cup star couldn’t make it in person for the Born Free Foundation’s annual golf day, but professional Rory lookalike Damien Power made a fine job of fooling a few of the guests from a distance. With or without the Irish megastar, the golf day proved a huge success, with 19 teams taking to the 27-hole layout as part of the charity day to raise over £8,000 for the Horsham-based wildlife charity. Although the real McIlroy was absent, the day was attended by Born Free’s founders, legendary actress Virginia McKenna and her son, Born Free’s president Will Travers. McKenna presented the team from VVB Engineering with the team prize, while Glyn Davies was awarded the coveted ‘Pride Jacket’ for the highest individual score. A raffle and auction also took place, with some fantastic prizes on offer, including a signed Rory McIlroy photo (an authentic one) and trip to Kenya courtesy of Kenya Airways. Born Free’s events organiser, Joanne Bartholemew, said: “It was a great day, and we are tremendously grateful to all the players, sponsors, and the staff at Wildwood. It was wonderful to be able to welcome so many teams this year, as well as Virginia and Will, who enjoyed meeting the players and hosting the post-match meal. We are especially grateful to Damien for coming along – he was a great addition to this year’s event and I hope he didn’t put too many of the players off their swing!”
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HISTORIC • PICTURESQUE • INSPIRING
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Ferndown Golf Club gave Peter Alliss the honour of renaming its nine-hole course after him at a special ceremony held during the annual charity pro-am event hosted by the legendary commentator at the Dorset-based club. Guests joined Alliss at an unveiling of a new sign renaming the Preisdent’s Course as ‘The Alliss Course’ in recognition of Ferndown’s long association with the Alliss family. Percy Alliss, Peter’s father, was the head professional at the club from 1939 to 1967, while Peter began his career at Ferndown prior to becoming a tournament professional. Speaking at the ceremony, which was filmed by the BBC for a broadcast later in the year, the 83-year-old former Ryder Cup player said: “It is a great honour, and a lasting legacy, to have the Alliss family name associated with
WOODMAN’S IN FRONT AT ROYAL ASCOT
the 9- hole course and tribute to the family’s long association with Ferndown.“ The Peter Alliss Invitational Charity Am-Am has been in existence for almost 30 years, with last year’s event breaking through the £1million-bound barrier for funds raised for providing powered wheelchairs to local disabled children, as well as for the club captains’ various chosen charities. This year’s event was won by the host sponsor, JM Scully Ltd, whose team of Martyn Thompson, Jacqui Byrne, Jackie Mantle and Derek Mantle, had a score of 89 points. After golf, guests enjoyed a gala dinner with Alliss as host, while former BBC golf presenter Steve Rider was the guest speaker. After dinner, an auction and raffle raised over £43,000 for the Peter Alliss Wheelchair Charity and the Ferndown captain’s chosen charities.
Guy Woodman continued his fantastic run of success with a double win at the Royal Ascot pro-am and The PGA in BB&O Professional Championship at Oxford Golf Club. A fourunder-par 66 secured the individual honours at Royal Ascot, where he finished in front of Paul Simpson (68), with Sam Jarman and Dan Seymour rounding out the top three with 69s. He then took his great form to Oxford, where he carded a 69 followed by 65 to win the professionals’ championship in fine style.
HEWSON BAGS DEBUT WIN IN AMERICA England international Alice Hewson made a superb start to her American university career with a win in her first tournament. The 18 year old from Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, who is studying at Clemson University in South Carolina, was six-under par for the 54-hole Cougar Classic, with rounds of 71, 65 and 74. She also set a college scoring record with her bogey-free second round 65, which vaulted her into the lead.
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hole, but Halley three-putted, handing victory to McCullen. “It feels great to get the first professional win.” said McCullen, who took home £10,000, a Motocaddy trolley, Bushnell Tour X range finder, Bollé sunglasses, and £500 to spend at HotelPlanner.com. “I knew I needed to play well this week, because I was only just inside the top 60 for getting into Tour Championship. That’s what I have done; I only made one bogey in the entire tournament. It is satisfying to know I can do it when I have to.” Runner-up Wright said: “I feel unlucky not to have got the win, because I felt I was playing well enough, so to then lose in a play-off is disappointing. But I am number one on the rankings now, and I know I am taking good form into the Tour Championship and European Tour Qualifying.” The top 60 on the Race To Desert Springs will now be invited to October’s seasonending Matchroom Sport Tour Championship at Desert Springs in Spain.
FERNDOWN HONOURS ALLISS BY RENAMING 9-HOLE COURSE
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Cheshire’s Haydn McCullen claimed his first professional win with victory in a six-hole play-off in the HotelPlanner.com Championship at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent. The 19 year old from Delamere Forest carded a final-round 67 to finish on 12 under par, the same score as James Frazer (Pennard), Chris Halley (Malton) and Darren Wright (Goodwood). That forced a four-way suddendeath play-off on the ninth hole at the famous Kent links. Wright made bogey five on the first extra hole, while the other three players made par. However, the £3,666 Wright collected for a share of second saw him to rise to the top of the Race To Desert Springs, from which the top five at the end of the season earn Challenge Tour cards for 2016. It took until the sixth extra hole for the play-off to reach its conclusion. Frazer had been eliminated on the fifth, after a bogey, to leave Halley and McCullen in a head-to-head. Both found the green in regulation on the sixth play-off
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NEWS IN BRIEF BOXALL RISES TO THE CHALLENGE Surrey Golf vice president David Boxall completed a 50km walk around 18 golf courses in Surrey on September 6 to raise funds for a local charity. The route took in The Addington, Shirley Park, Croham Hurst, Woodcote Park, Oaks Park, Banstead Downs, Cuddington, Chipstead, Coulsdon Memorial, Coulsdon Court, Purley Downs, Selsdon Park, Farleigh, Addington Court and finished at Addington Palace. Boxall was joined by Addington Palace’s lady captain, Jo de Silva, and some members to raise money for her charity, Challengers, and to promote golf in the area. Donations can still be made at mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ apgc50kchallenge
ABBOTT LORDS IT AT DUNSTABLE John O’Gaunt professional Phil Abbott shrugged off an opening bogey to fire a fourunder-par 66 and clinch the Dunstable Downs Pro-Am by a stroke. The host club’s Darren Charlton shot 67 to finish alongside Noel Quinn (Whipsnade Park) in a tie for second.
[10] SEPTEMBER 2015 | NEWS
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Record-breaking Whiteoak Morrison checks out with captures Tillman Trophy 62 at St George’s Hill Yorkshire’s Will Whiteoak joined some illustrious company in winning the Tillman Trophy, which was held at Moor Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire. The 20 year old from Shipley in West Yorkshire shot rounds of 66, 69, 66 and 69 to record a bestever total of 270 for the amateur event, winning by five shots from a quartet of Matthew Fieldsend, Josh Hilleard, William Whiteoak receives the trophy from Bill Tillman and Moor Park captain Paul Bollinghaus James Walker and Nick Watson. The tournament, which win it. However, I won it by attracted a full field of 132, on 15 under and was quite was played over both the West surprised how big the margin Course and the High Course on was. I expected it to be closer.” the first day. Perhaps even more thrilling “I shot a 66 over the West for Whiteoak was to have his Course, which I played ‘blind’, name on a trophy that also which was perhaps just as well, contains those of four-time as I didn’t know where all the major winner Ernie Els (1988), hazards were,” said Whiteoak. Ryder Cup players Ross Fisher “It was quite short and tight, (2001) and Peter Baker (1985, whereas the High Course is 1986) and European Tour the championship course, and players Simon Wakefield (1996) I played them both steadily and Phil Parkin (1982). and ended day one five shots “It is nice to have a trophy at behind the leader.” home with Els’s name on it,” The early leader was Walsall’s confessed Whiteoak. “It looks Freddie Sheridan-Mills, who a bit like the World Cup, and I shot 67 and 63, but then fell don’t have to hand it back until away with two 73s to finish in a next May.” tie for sixth, whereas Whiteoak The previous best score in the made his move on day two with event – which was started by another 66 and another 69. Bill Tillman in 1980, and is open He added: “I was 12 under to young amateur boys with a after three rounds and leading handicap of plus one or better by four, as the others fell away. – was the 271 achieved by My caddie and I reckoned I current European Tour player needed to finish 16 under to Dave Coupland in 2010.
Spanish Open champion and European Tour star James Morrison showed his class at the Nelson Trophy Pro-Am, shooting a dazzling eight-under-par 62 around St George’s Hill to win the invitational event by four shots. Walking away with the winner’s cheque for £800, Morrison was in a league of his own around the Red/Blue layout, while second place went to current leader of the Virgin Atlantic PGA South Order of Merit James Ablett (Lee-on-the-Solent), who carded 66. Morrison, who lives close to the course, was delighted to get an invitation to play in the event at what is widely regarded as one of Surrey’s best courses. In turn, the club ensured the course was at its very best, with firm and fast greens, while for once the weather dealt a good hand with dry conditions all day long. Morrison’s score demonstrated how high the standard on Tour is these days. Starting on the 12th, he opened with a birdie and made one more at the 16th. He then birdied the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh to reach seven under par. Reaching his last hole, the 110-yard 11th, he produced his final flourish and made his second deuce of the round. Even if Ablett had kept his card bogey-free, his seven birdies weren’t going to be enough to out-do Morrison, as he commented: “For what is generally regarded as one of the great heathland courses and a fine test of golf, I’d say James Morrison’s the other James class showed at put on a bit of a St George’s Hill masterclass! I’m still happy with my form, and while I should have kept the bogeys off my card, a 66 at St George’s Hill and a nice cheque makes for a great day out!” The long standing Pro-Am on the PGA South and St George’s Hill calendars again raised funds for local charity, The Princess Alice Hospice in Esher, which has now received over £250,000 pounds in total.
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NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2015
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Farleigh launches junior scholarship programme
Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey, home to the 2015 PGA in Surrey Masters, is launching a foundation designed to encourage young people to discover and improve at golf. The Croydon-based club has set up the Farleigh Foundation to help people reignite their passion for the game and to encourage youngsters to take it up. Aimed at encouraging those aged six to 18 years, the foundation will select four founding members for its inaugural year, and is calling on local junior golfers to apply for a place on the programme. An interactive selection process, including an interview with the club’s professionals and skills challenges on the 27-hole course, will take place on October 3, with the players selected on a combination of their performance and their passion for the sport. The successful candidates will receive a one-year honorary membership; a selection of clothing; monthly individual coaching sessions with a PGA coach; a complimentary golf club fitting, and several other valuable benefits. Members will also represent Farleigh at local junior golf competitions. Steve Stiller, Head PGA Professional at Farleigh, said: “Golf is increasing in popularity with young people, with the world’s top players proving inspirational role models. The Farleigh Foundation is not just about ability, but has been designed to help develop juniors who have a passion for golf and want to be an integral part of Club life.” For more information, or to register for the Farleigh Foundation selection day on Saturday 3 October, call 01883 627711 or email steve@ farleighfox.co.uk.
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WIMBLEDON SHOWS THE WAY TO WIN OVER WOMEN A golf club that was male-only just 10 Roche agreed with the need to get out years ago has set up a ladies’ golf academy there and play, rather than focus on the that is being showcased as an example of range. “You feel like you are playing a best practice when it comes to attracting proper game; you are learning as you play, women to golf. and it’s a lovely experience. When you go Wimbledon Common Golf Club in out on a course you realise what fun golf London was a men-only club until 2005. is.” Today it is driving business through The club’s approach reflects the findings increased female participation. of Syngenta’s market research report The academy was set up in 2014, and ‘The Opportunity to Grow Golf: Female resulted in nine of 10 new golfers signing Participation’, which gives clubs insights up as full members. Fourteen new golfers and tips on how to attract more female have now joined the 2015 programme and players. there is already a waiting list for 2016. Syngenta spokesman Simon Elsworth Lindy Ratner, ladies’ academy organiser said: “Our research shows that active at the club, said: “Thanks to the women are interested in golf, and introduction of the ladies’ academy, which Wimbledon Common Golf Club is an offers a blend of professional coaching, outstanding example of how clubs on-course mentoring and social activity, can appeal to and engage prospective the club has a thriving female section, customers. Its ladies’ academy focuses on which is growing year on year. The high the fun aspects of playing, empowering conversion rate has been credited to the the new golfers through coaching and scheme’s focus on active play. Academy on-course mentoring. The club also offers members receive two one-hour lessons a welcoming, social and female-friendly a month and are able to play the course atmosphere that appeals to golfers and three times a month with a mentor, non-golfers of all ages.” typically an Carin Koch, 2015 existing member.” European Solheim She added: Cup captain and “The feedback Syngenta golf we got very ambassador, who quickly from the visited the club in academy players April to help launch was that they National Golf were so glad Month, said: “What they weren’t just they’ve done here getting lessons; at Wimbledon they needed to Common is go out on the wonderful. To course straight change in that away to practise short period of what they’d time and get so learned.” many women Solheim Cup captain Carin Koch with Wimbledon Common’s ladies’ Ladies academy involved is academy organiser Lindy Ratner player Pamela impressive.”
NEWS IN BRIEF WALTERS WINS BY A WHISKER AT WEST BYFLEET
Keith Walters won the Surrey Senior Amateur Championship after shooting rounds of 70 and 71 for a combined oneover par total of 141 at West Byfleet. Making the most of home advantage, Walters won on countback from Worplesdon’s Ian Attoe, who fired the only sub-par round of the day with an opening 69. The pair finished four shots clear of third-placed Julian Brand from Walton Heath.
ADDINGTON PAIR QUALIFY FOR PRO-CAPTAIN FINAL Addington duo of club captain Ravi Patel partnered club professional James Marshall have reached the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge final after winning a qualifying event held on their own course. Marshall and Patel carded a five-under-par 64 to tie with Jonathan Barnes and Peter Fletcher of Lee on Solent Golf Club in Hampshire. But it was the Addington pair who won on countback, after making four birdies on the back nine. They will now play in the £25,000 showpiece final to be held at the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club in Turkey between November 25-26.
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NEWS IN BRIEF BARHAM’S KING OF THE HILL Benn Barham successfully defended the Samsung PGA Southern Professional Championship after shooting rounds of 68, 67 and 67 at Kings Hill in Kent. The Pedham Place-based pro underlined his consistency with just two bogeys in the 54 holes. Barham’s performance edged out Craig Cowper (Surrey Downs), who fired a course record ten-under-par 62 in the first round, while Silvermere’s Chris Gane finished third following a final round 64.
DYER THIRD IN BOYS’ CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS Two poor holes cost Essex’s Jack Dyer the chance of winning the English Boys’ County Champion of Champions tournament held at Woodhall Spa. The youngster from Rochford Hundred opened up with a 74 on the Hotchkin Course to lie two shots off the lead, but threw in a double bogey and a triple bogey during a final round 76 to finish just three shots behind winner Chris Handy from Durham.
[12] SEPTEMBER 2015 | NEWS
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The Grove to host first ever Ladies Open
Magic Monty makes Tour history
Caption
Colin Montgomerie became the first player to win the same title in three consecutive years on both the European Tour and Senior Tour, when he beat Ross Drummond at the second extra hole of an epic climax to the Travis Perkins Masters at Woburn. The 52 year old birdied the 18th hole in regulation play to squeeze into the play off, and then rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt at the second play-off hole to win a trophy that the sponsors decided he could keep to commemorate his achievement. It was a historic moment for Montgomerie, who won the PGA Championship three times between 1998 and 2000, but the cruellest of conclusions for Drummond, who had had victory within his grasp before three putting the final green to record a closing 69. After 490 starts on the European Tour and a further 125 on the Senior Tour, it had appeared that Drummond would finally win a Tour title at the age of 58. However, that fatal glitch on the final hole provided the chink of light that his rival needed. Montgomerie stood on the 18th tee knowing that nothing less than a birdie would suffice, and the wily Scot smashed it 270 yards to the front of the green, from where he chipped to two feet and holed out for a round of 71. The first play-off hole was halved in par, with Montgomerie taking a conventional route and Drummond holing from five feet after over-shooting the green. Back the pair of protagonists went to the
18th tee and Drummond had to pitch from behind the green once more to make his par. However, Montgomerie needed no second invitation, and his 18-footer found the centre of the hole. Drummond’s shoulders slumped and even the three-time winner seemed almost apologetic at ending his countryman’s title dream after 28 years on the European and Senior Tours. Montgomerie, who picked up £48,000 for the win, was generous in his praise for the runner-up, who had played brilliantly all week. He said: “How can you not feel sorry for someone who played the difficult holes so well? You have to feel sorry for him getting so close, but I am sure this will give him a lot of confidence going forward.” Despite having numerous entries in the record books, the three-time Senior Major champion was overwhelmed by his latest effort, achieved in front of a final day crowd of 7,174, which brought the total for the week to 17,416. He said: “I always thought my performance at Wentworth in 1998, 1999 and 2000 was the best I could do. Winning three times in a row was really hard on the European Tour, so that was probably the ultimate accolade in my career. But I have to say this comes extremely close to emulating that. I came to Woburn with a lot of pressure on me as the defending champion, and it’s sometimes harder to achieve when something is expected of you.”
The Grove is to host its first ever Ladies Open on October 20. The Watford-based resort’s inaugural ladies-only event will be a betterball pairs competition, open to any golfer from across the UK with an official LGU handicap of 36 or below. Prizes will be awarded to the top three pairs, along with nearest the pin, longest drive and the winning individual score on the day. Sponsored by TaylorMade, Natura Bisse, Chervo and Molson Coors, the event’s winning team will each enjoy a one-night stay for two people at The Grove and a Chervo voucher. Anna Darnell, The Grove’s Director of Golf, said: “The relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere of The Grove means we are ideally suited to meet the requirements of female golfers and get them more involved in the game.” The entry fee is £160 per pair, including a two-course lunch, and a gift bag. To enter, visit www. thegrove.co.uk/golf.
The winners of the Ladies’ Day will bag an overnight stay at The Grove
NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
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Byers leads Boys U16s to international glory Foxhills secures Senior PGA for next five years Surrey resort Foxhills has been chosen to host the Senior PGA Professional Championship for the next five years. The Ottershaw-based resort, which boasts two championship layouts, the Longcross and Bernard Hunt courses, staged the tournament earlier this year, having first played host to the PGA’s grandees in 2014. PGA professional Chris Reeve, golf operations manager at Foxhills, is relishing the next five years, given the players compete for the Bernard Hunt trophy over the course named after the former PGA and Ryder Cup captain. “We could not be more pleased to get the tournament signed up here until 2020,” he said. “It’s fantastic that the Bernard Hunt trophy will continue to be competed for over the course that bears his name. I know from speaking to everyone here, and at the PGA, that everyone wanted to keep the tournament here. It’s great for us to showcase our facilities, including both of our courses, and for us to stage one of the PGA’s biggest events.” He added: “Our members are certainly happy to welcome the seniors here, and to both watch and get involved with the tournament as volunteers. We have done a lot of work on the courses and will do more over the remainder of the year to make them better and better. The Longcross has just got into a list of the UK’s top 100, and to secure this championship is the icing on the cake.” A field of almost 200 players competed over Foxhills’ two courses in May, with Scotland’s Fraser Mann (pictured above) lifting the title. Past winners of the championship, which was first competed for in 1995, include two-time Ryder Cup player Tommy Horton and European Senior Tour Order of Merit winner Paul Wesselingh.
Surrey’s Harvey Byers was unbeaten in his three matches as England secured a narrow 11-9 win over Wales in the annual U16 boys’ international at Radyr Golf Club. England won the final singles session 4½-3½ to seal the two-point victory against a strong Welsh side. The team comprised Byers (Walton Heath), Angus Flanagan (St George’s Hill), Harry Goddard (Hanbury Manor), Luke Kelly (Ashton-under-Lyne), Thomas Plumb (Sherborne), George Saunders (Meon Valley), Taylor Stote (Burnham & Berrow), and James Wilson (Tyneside). England’s team manager, Nick Over, remarked: “Fifteen of the 20 matches went to the 17th or 18th hole, which reflected the closeness of the match. Overall, I was extremely pleased with the way the boys battled to the end to eventually overcome a spirited Welsh team in a match that could have gone either way.” England had gone into the final session with a one-point lead, after winning the opening singles 5-3, and taking 1½ points from the four foursomes. The result was in doubt until the last two matches finished on the 18th, where Stote won his point with a par and Byers also parred the hole to halve his game. In the first day’s matches, Flanagan was unbeaten, playing very well to win his singles and battling with Saunders to gain a half in the foursomes. Byers was also unbeaten, and was perhaps unlucky not to win both his points. His approach shot struck the flag on the last in the singles, and the ball finished further away than it otherwise would have done. He had to settle for a par and a halved match. He teamed up with Goddard for a convincing win in the foursomes after Harvey Byers being down on the front nine.
WANTED: UNDERCOVER GOLF CLUB REVIEWERS Golfers in Kent are being offered the chance to go undercover to assess the customer experience at golf clubs in the county. 59Club, a company which sends in ‘secret shoppers’ to review service standards in golf clubs throughout the UK, is seeking volunteers to take part in market research studies at venues in Kent. The research analyses all aspects of a golfer’s experience at a club, from the quality of the golf course, to the levels of service and food quality in the clubhouse before and after the round, and the friendliness and professionalism of staff. Simon Wordsworth, a fellow of the PGA and chief executive of 59Club, Europe’s leading golfspecific mystery shopper service, offered a brief overview of what the process involves and the people who carry it out. “We recruit testers in all regions and, if they
Stoke Park has won several 59Club awards
fit the criteria we’re looking for, we arrange for them to visit selected venues within the 59Club test programme to provide a comprehensive report on the golf club,” he explained. “If indepth evaluations are desired, the assessment may encompass the complete experience, starting with a first call or contact and resulting
in a stay-over of several days or even a half-year membership. It all depends on how in-depth the club wants to look at itself. Some of the larger resorts want absolutely every aspect covered, while smaller clubs may require the golf course and clubhouse analysed.” Wordsworth continued: “Our testers are experienced and diligent golfers, men and women, with a knowledge of – and an eye for – what makes a good, or bad, golfing experience. The visits are carried out by golfers with handicaps ranging from scratch to 25, with testing opportunities available all year round. We currently have a test team made up of people from all walks of life, from managing directors and business owners to university students.” If you’d like to register an interest in becoming a 59Club mystery tester, visit www.59club.com.
NEWS IN BRIEF SAUNDERS SECURES KENT DOUBLE Dartford’s Michael Saunders carried off two of Kent’s most prestigious titles in double quick time when winning the Kent Cob and the Bishops Bowl on consecutive days. He shot a new course record 64 at Knole Park on his way the winning the 36-hole Kent Cob from Liam Burns (Sundridge Park), and maintained his fine form the following day at Wilderness, where he once again saw off Burns to win the Bishops Bowl. Saunders was also awarded the Roberts Salver trophy for the overall winner of both events
GB&I RALLY TO RETAIN JACQUES LEGLISE TROPHY Great Britain & Ireland retained the Jacques Leglise Trophy after overcoming a two-point deficit to level the scores 12½-12½ with the Continent of Europe at Royal Dornoch in Scotland. Peter McEvoy’s side held a onepoint lead at the start of the final day, but Europe won the morning foursomes 3½-½ to open up a 9-7 lead. But the home side rallied to win the afternoon singles 5½-3½, which resulted in the first tied match since 1978.
AMER BAGS AMERICAN GOLF JUNIOR TITLE Swindon’s Joseph Amer has been crowned American Golf Junior Champion after winning the national final held at the Ping-owned Gainsborough Golf Club in Lincolnshire. Playing off 14, he came home three shots ahead of his closest rival with an impressive 40 points. As well as the title and the trophy, Amer also won a Ping G30 driver and Ping Cadence putter courtesy of the event sponsor.
NEWS IN BRIEF CHANNELS DUO BANK LOMBARD TROPHY HONOURS Jason Levermore and his amateur partner Ben Steed from Channels Golf Club won the Lombard Trophy at Gleneagles, after beating Nottinghamshire’s Bulwell Forest duo of Andrew Willey and Mick Disney. An eagle at 16th hole during the final round proved decisive for the Essex pair, as they posted a second successive sevenunder-par round of 65 to finish on 14-under par for the week. Levermore picked up a £12,000 cheque for winning what is widely regarded as Europe’s largest pro-am.
[14] SEPTEMBER 2015 | NEWS
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Visitors to London Golf Club in Kent can look forward to getting around its two championship courses in style, following the club’s decision to upgrade its existing fleet of buggies with 50 of Club Car’s new Precedent i3 vehicles. The flagship buggy in Club Car’s range provides golfers with on-board GPS, offering precise shot and distance information, as well as flyover video graphics of each hole. The host venue for the 2014 Volvo World Match Play Championship has stated the importance of a shared European Tour heritage as the key factor behind its contract renewal with Club Car, the world’s largest manufacturer of electric golf cars and an official supplier to
London Club upgrades buggy fleet
Tudor Park to host Festival of Golf Teens dominate Ping Fourball final
WORTHING LIFT SUSSEX TITLE Worthing won the Sussex Women’s Interclub Championship for the 13th time in the 115-year history of the tournament after beating The Dyke in the Division 1 final held at Royal Ashdown Forest. The winning team, which was captained by Emma Bullock, comprised Penny Brown, Paula Carver, Karen Sykes, Sam Morfee, Megan Edwards, Suzanne Harmsworth and Anya Olsen. The Division 2 title was retained by Haywards Heath, after a close match against West Sussex, while Crowborough secured Division 3 honours after a play-off in the final match against Chichester that resulted in a 4-3 victory. West Hove beat Lewes to secure the Division 4 title.
GODDARD CAPTURES NORTHERN TITLE Hertfordshire’s Harry Goddard powered away from the field to win the North of England U16 championship by four shots at Heswall Golf Club. The 15 year old from Hanbury Manor shot a four-under par 68 in the final round to make up a three-shot deficit and pull away from his rivals.
MUSE LIFTS LIPHOOK CUP England Internationals Hollie and Sophie Keech claimed top honours at the 24th Liphook Scratch Cup held at the Hampshire-based club. Muse, 15, from West Lancashire, won the cup with rounds of 68 and 70 for a 36-hole total of 138, while 19-year-old Keech from Parkstone finished three shots back in second after rounds of 71 and 70.
the European Tour. Austen Gravestock, London Golf Club’s chief executive, said: “We pride ourselves on our ability to offer our members and guests an unrivalled service and attention to detail, so it is critical that we work alongside the leading companies in the industry, and the prestige of Club Car’s brand, along with its European Tour heritage, ensures our high expectations continue to be met.” He added: “The club hosts a large number of corporate golf days, and the feedback we have already received from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive, and underlines why it was such a straightforward choice to renew our contract with Club Car.”
Durham teenagers Briony Bayles and Shannon O’Dwyer birdied their way to victory in the 10th anniversary Ping Fourball Betterball Grand Final. The pair, from the Wynyard Club, birdied the first two holes and the last two holes on the Karsten Lakes course at Ping’s Gainsborough Golf Club and notched up 43 points to win by one from sisters Carys and Kimberley Parker from Gloucestershire. “We played well apart from three holes, where we had a bit of a struggle to get one point,” said 18-year-old O’Dwyer. “We were all over the place on the 16th, but we managed to scrape a point – and then we thought we needed to birdie the last two.” O’Dwyer duly obliged, hitting her tee shot on the par-three 17th to four feet before holing out for a birdie, then rolling in a 20-footer on the 18th to clinch it. The fast-improving pair both play for Durham, and are regular foursomes partners. O’Dwyer has cut her handicap from six to four this season, while 15-year-old Bayles has come down from six to five. The winning pair came through an initial entry of over 16,000 players from almost 850 clubs in the tournament, which is run by England Golf. Dave Fanning, Ping’s marketing manager, commented: “Each year we have seen how many people enjoy this tournament, and how much support we get from the clubs. What’s so special about this is that it is open to women golfers of all handicaps and ages.”
Marriott Tudor Park in Kent it is to host a week-long festival of golf in October, which will be made up of five competitions ranging from a ladies’ open to a mixed pairs open. Spanning six days, the festival at the Maidstonebased club begins with a senior men’s pairs event on October 13, which is open to players aged over 55 with a handicap of 28 or less. A ladies’ open takes place on October 14, followed by the ‘Tudor Twos’ on October 15. A men’s open is scheduled for October 16, with the festival ending on October 18 with a mixed open. “We’re really excited about the prospect of hosting the inaugural Festival of Golf, and look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages, abilities and both genders
to compete in the various competitions,” commented Tudor Park’s director of golf, James Ibbetson. “When putting together a schedule of events for the Festival of Golf, we wanted to ensure that there was something for everyone. Hopefully all those competing will enjoy both the wonderful course and the range of facilities on offer here.” All five events include tea/coffee and bacon rolls on arrival, 18 holes, prize vouchers for the top three finishers and nearest-the-pin competitions on all par three holes. Full details on all of the events can be obtained by calling 01622 739 412 or by visiting tudorpark.intelligentgolf.co.uk/ tudor_park_festival_of_golf
Drive for show at Westerham’s new range Big hitters will have a field day at Westerham Golf Club’s new full-length driving range, which is designed to accommodate the longest of tee shots. The Kent-based club has recently unveiled a redesigned 350-yard range, which compliments its pre-existing short game area to create a practice paradise for all golfers. The long-game range features eight bays, and a teeing area featuring a strip of Huxley all-weather tee matting, so that golfers can make use of the facility all year round. A new target green has been constructed at 150 yards, while range users will be able to really open their shoulders following the extension of the range to 350 yards. As well as being available for general practice, the range will used by the club’s team of PGA professionals to offer individual or group lessons, while the academy will soon be complemented by a new 9-hole course which is set to open next summer.
Goodwood revivalists turn out in style Golf At Goodwood turned back the clocks on September 11 as the ‘Revival Golf Challenge’ transformed the Sussex course with its vintage clothing and hickory golf clubs. The event has become one of the highlights of the Goodwood calendar, with many competitors returning year on year to relive history. The players left their distance measuring devices, graphite shafts and belly putters at home in favour of carrying stick thin bags filled with brassies, spoons and niblicks with whippy shafts and small persimmon heads. Being far less forgiving than the modern day equivalents, the hickory clubs, kindly provided by the South of England Hickory Golf Society, proved a real challenge, especially for those in the field who were using them for the first time. On a stunning morning on the Sussex Downs,
more than 60 golfers arrived in a range of costumes to take part in the 18-hole event played on the James Braid-designed Downs Course. Braid was famed for his panache, Norfolk jacket and idiosyncratic tweed cap that were always accompanied with a collar and tie. Revival golfers embraced the fashion of the Edwardian era, with waist-coats, bow-ties and
flat caps out in full force. Despite the old-fashioned clubs and handicaps being three-quartered, the standard was remarkably high. Playing together, Goodwood’s general manager Stuart Gillett and England Boy international Marco Penge managed a highly respectable 37 points; however they were beaten by Geoff Bleasby and Boris Lietzow, who finished with 42 points to win the Revival Golf Challenge for the second consecutive year. Gillett said: “Revival Golf is such a unique and nostalgic day. To witness golfers in such authentic outfits at Goodwood makes us all very proud. The history of the game is very important here, so to be able to hold a competition that brings golf back to its roots is truly inspirational.”
NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
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Dan’s the man at American golf’s first long drive championship Dan Konyk in action during the finals at High Legh
London’s newest 9-hole course to host charity tournament West London Golf Centre, the capital’s newest ninehole facility, is to host a special charity tournament next month with the proceeds from all entry fees going to charity. The event, called the London 9 Hole Championship, is to be held on Friday, October 23, and it has been created jointly by England Golf and West London Golf Centre, which is located near Northolt in north-west London. The inaugural all-day event is open to men, women and children, with a maximum entry fee of £10. Half of the fees will go to the Breast Cancer Care charity, and other half to the charity of the winner’s choice. “Is nine holes the new 18? I think it might be,” said the West London Golf Centre’s manager, Cae Menai-Davis. “People certainly seem to be busier than ever, and maybe that’s why we have seen so many play here in the year since we opened our nine-hole course. We devised the event in discussion with England Golf, who share our belief that golf is currently undergoing an image change for the better, and we hope that it will become a regular fundraiser.” Jason Mitchell, Middlesex county golf development officer for England Golf, added: “This is the first event of its kind in the area. We are breaking down the stereotype that golf is a segregated sport – it simply isn’t, any more. This new tournament is for anyone who can swing a golf club, and it will showcase how diverse golf has become. If you can manage nine holes this October, then please play in this event, and help us to raise valuable funds in the fight against breast cancer.” As well as the charity donation, the event’s winner will take home a free year’s membership at the golf centre, plus a £100 voucher to spend at American Golf superstores. The runner-up will receive a fourball voucher to play The Shire London, plus a £50 American Golf voucher. For details of how to enter the London 9-hole Championship, visit www.westlondongolfcentre. com, or call the club on 020 8845 5350.
Yorkshireman Dan Konyk was crowned American Golf’s long drive champion for 2015 after he smashed his winning drive over 330 yards during the final held at the American Golf National Academy at High Legh Park Golf Club in Cheshire on August 21. Despite torrential rain and strong winds, Konyk, an experienced peformer in long drive events all over the country, beat tough competition from 14 other finalists to claim the title, whose prize included a trip to the USA to take part in the World Long Drive Championship, and an ambassadorial role with American Golf and event sponsor Garmin. Konyk, who hails from Huddersfield, used a Callaway Hyper X driver with a Fujikura shaft and a Titleist Pro V1 for his winning drive. The competition attracted more than a
thousand golfers from across the UK. After the knock out stages, the finalists in the three categories – over 45s, under 45s and ladies, had six attempts to stake their claim. After picking up the coveted title, Konyk said: “This is one of the most satisfying titles I’ve won. I was laid up with a cold when I qualified at my local American Golf, and the tough conditions and quality competition in the final pushed me all the way. I struggled to get loose early on, but managed to rip one in the final that was just enough. This has been a great event, and I’m really excited to go on and represent American Golf and Garmin at the World Long Drive Championship.” The over 45s’ winner was Steve Kent of Caerphilly Golf Club with 328 yards, while the ladies’ winner was Rebecca McGinley of Weirside Golf Club with 279 yards.
Day takes on England girls’ coaching role Mark Day, the head professional at Whipsnade Park Golf Club in Hertfordshire, has been appointed as the national coach for the England Golf girls’ squad. Day, a PGA Fellow Professional, has been tasked with developing and managing the national girls’ coaching programme and supporting England girls’ teams at specific events throughout the year. Having been coach to the England Golf Thames Valley U16 girls’ squad for the past two years, Day Mark Day described the post as his dream job. “This role will challenge all my coaching skills and push me to be better tomorrow than I am today, which is the mindset I want to instill in all my players,” he said. “I can’t wait to meet the team so that we can start planning and preparing for
next season and agree goals for 2016 worthy of the talents of the girls in the squad. “Personally, I’m an ambitious person and have always aspired to perform at the highest level, and will relish this opportunity to support England Golf in producing national and international amateur champions and team winners.” Day was one of five coaches who were recognised by England Golf last year and who received new awards to mark their outstanding contribution. He has been the Hertfordshire county coaching co-ordinator since 2010, helping to create a junior talent pathway for girls and boys. Among his individual pupils is Harry Bigham, who won the 2014 English U14 boys’ championship.
NEWS IN BRIEF EARL LORDS IT OVER PRO RIVALS England amateur Rebecca Earl enjoyed back-to-back wins over her professional rivals last month, after winning two events on the WPGA One Day Series. The 15 year old from Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire started her winning run at South Herts Golf Club, where she scored a four-under 68 to win by three shots from Sian Evans and Danielle Anderson. The following day she won the Prince of Wales amateur challenge trophies at Woburn, scoring two-over par total over two rounds to take the U21 girls’ event by a stroke. Then it was back to the WPGA series, this time at Three Rivers in Essex, where, despite bad weather, she shot a levelpar 74 to win by a shot from Sian Evans.
MURRAY DEFENDS SUPER 60S TITLE The Centurion Club’s Murray White made history after becoming the first professional to successfully defend the PGA Super 60s Championship title. Hertfordshire-based White, partnered by sevenhandicapper Glyn Radcliffe from Mill Hill, sealed his place in the record books after the pair claimed victory on the first hole of a sudden death play-off at Caldy on The Wirral.
SCOTLAND RETAIN SENIOR TITLE AT CROWBOROUGH Scotland retained the Senior Men’s Home International title after the tournament ended in a three-way tie at Crowborough Beacon in Sussex. Scotland, England and Ireland had each won two of their three matches, but Scotland, as holders, kept the trophy.
[16] SEPTEMBER 2015
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TOP-OF-THE-RANGE POWERBUG TROLLEYS TO BE WON! GolfNews has teamed up with PowerBug, the fastest-growing golf trolley brand in the UK, to offer two lucky readers the chance to win their very own top-of-the-range trolley, with a first prize of PowerBug’s premium electric model, the ProTour Sport, while the runner up will win the brand’s superb new Push 2.0 trolley POWERBUG: BETTER BY DESIGN
Launched just over a decade ago, Windsor-based PowerBug has become one of Europe’s biggest golf trolley suppliers by volume in a very short space of time. The brand’s burgeoning reputation has been built on innovative design, rugged build quality, reliability, customer support, value-for-money pricing, and an industry-leading fiveyear warranty programme. PowerBug’s range of trolleys comprises two electric models, the Pro Tour and the UltraV, and one push trolley, the Push 2.0.
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NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2015
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GolfBoard trial proves popular at Crown venues The opportunity to rent a new skateboardstyle motorised golf cart proved a popular attraction for golfers visiting three Crown Golf-owned golf clubs in the South East this summer. The Hertfordshire, Paultons Golf Centre and Sherfield Oaks each took delivery of a small fleet of GolfBoards, an innovative new battery-powered vehicle that is capable of carrying a golfer and their golf bag at speeds of up to 12 mph. Invented by 81-year-old fitness tycoon Don Wildman and surfing legend Laird Hamilton, the GolfBoard has been proven to dramatically speed up pace of play, with rounds of golf averaging under three hours. Each GolfBoard costs just over £4,000 to buy, but can be rented out for as little as £15 per round. “Early feedback from our golfers is that ‘golfboarding’ is a lot of fun, and I have to say that I agree,” said Crown Golf CEO Stephen Towers (pictured) after taking a GolfBoard for a spin. “Yes, you can play much faster, which is good for everybody, but even more importantly, GolfBoards are creating more smiles, more laughter, and more enjoyment whenever golfers jump on and start to ride.” The GolfBoard trial at all three venues lasts three months, and if it is successful, the group plans to roll out GolfBoards across more of its venues in 2016.
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Shoe repair boss offers tips to end slow play The chief executive of high street shoe repair business Timpson has offered to supply golf clubs with a free book he has written on how golf clubs can reduce slow play. John Timpson, the former captain of Delamere Forest Golf Club in Cheshire, blames slow play for falling participation in the game and the decline in memberships at clubs over the last decade. After enduring numerous ‘particularly tedious’ corporate golf events, the 74-year-old entrepreneur wrote a book called ‘How to Play Golf Quickly’. “Today a corporate golf invitation may be less welcome than you hope,” said Timpson, whose chain of shoe repair business operates over 800 shops throughout the UK, with an annual turnover of over £150 million. “Many people now feel golf takes up too much time. Once you’ve driven from the first tee, you are committed to spending the next five hours with three people you may not have met before. After taking two and a half hours to play eight holes, you will be praying for a big bird to swoop down and drag away from your misery. But there is no escape – back in the clubhouse you may wait two hours before the last four finish and dinner can commence, and another two hours before speeches and prize-giving. Only then are you free to go, arriving home 12 hours after you left.” Timpson claims that this scenario is financially damaging golf clubs. “Fewer people now play the game, membership is down by
more than 20 percent since 2004, and lots of clubs are desperately trying to recruit new members,” John Timpson he said. “I’ve no doubt a big factor is slow play. Golf, in my view, should take up a morning or an afternoon, but, at clubs where a four-and-a-half hour round is par, golf blocks out a whole day.” He added: “I tried to help when I was captain at Delamere Forest by writing ‘How to Play Golf Quickly’. It worked; I offered a Timpson trophy to anyone who completed a competition round in less than three hours during the month of May, and handed a cup to 54 different members. “I printed sufficient books to make them available to a generation of junior golfers, but my plan was thwarted by officialdom. One of the quick techniques I quote is to carry your bag – but custodians of the junior game said that stand bags can cause back problems and banned my book on health and safety grounds. As a result I still hold a substantial stock, which, while stocks last, I am now offering free to golf clubs and anyone with a golfing friend who needs speeding up. To order a copy of ‘How to Play Golf Quickly’, send an email to askjohn@telegraph.co.uk with your postal address.
Boote follows in the footsteps of champions Walton Heath’s David Boote is treading a wellworn path to golfing success as a student at Stanford University in California, the stamping ground of major champions Tiger Woods and Tom Watson during the earlier parts of their careers. Boote, 21, is hoping some of the Stanford stardust will rub off on him, as he continues to impress in the amateur ranks. The Surrey-born Welshman has enjoyed another impressive season, culminating in the victory in last month’s Welsh Amateur Championship, where the former Epsom College pupil prevailed in a tight contest against 16-year-old Elis Lewis. Boote went into the final as the firm favourite, given his greater international experience, and he went on to clinch a 4&3 success over the links course at Prestatyn. “It was special to get this win, as it was the biggest of my career so far,” said Boote, who pinned his colours to the Welsh mast with his father Colin hailing from Wrexham. “We both played well in the final, but I improved a bit in the afternoon and that was key. I felt under a bit of
Surrey’s David Boote is thriving at Stanford
pressure going into the final. Elis had done so well to get there, but you just have to treat it like any other match. I felt if I could play my own game then I had a chance.” He added: “I have worked really hard over the last two years and that was definitely key from the start of the week. I have learned so much in college studying in Stanford, and I felt this win
had been coming for a while. I have been playing in the Wales men’s internationals for the last five years, so I have been climbing up the rankings.” But whereas Tiger Woods quit Stanford after picking up his third successive US Amateur crown for a life of private jets, luxury yachts and in excess of $1.3billion career earnings around the globe, Boote will plough on for the third year of his Human Biology degree and put any thoughts of joining the millionaire golf set on the back burner. And it’s not surprising, he is the first European in more than a decade to earn a scholarship to the university that also set Watson on the path to fame and fortune after turning down a glut of offers elsewhere. And on walking through the same university corridors as Woods, Boote added: “There are a lot of pictures of Tiger in his Stanford days all over the university, it is pretty cool to be there. One player broke his scoring record last year, and then another has improved on it this year again. It is nice to be in the team with players like that – I am learning a lot over there.”
NEWS IN BRIEF ARMY PULLS RANK AT HAYLING’S ADDISSON BOWL Hayling Island Golf Club’s Addisson Bowl was won by the three-man team representing the Army Golf Club. The Army’s second team of Simon Pitcher, Kim West and Hayden Reay-Inter finished second, seventh and ninth respectively in the gross competition, and combined to shoot a score of 434 (10-over par) for two rounds in breezy conditions at the testing coastal course. However, that score was matched by Blackmoor Golf Club’s Mark Burgess, Stuart Kinge and Chris Burgess, with the Aldershot-based Army team only prevailing on countback. Scratch player Mark Burgess shot 72 and 68 to finish on two-under par and win the individual title, with Pitcher, who plays off one, finishing second following rounds of 72 and 71. Such were the conditions that only five players in the 53-strong field managed to break par over two rounds, and there were many scores in the high 80s and 90s, despite the highest handicap being seven.
SURREY CLUBS LAUNCH CHARITY FOOTGOLF LEAGUE
A FootGolf league hosted at four golf clubs in Surrey has been launched to help raise funds for a prostate cancer charity. Throughout September and October, Footgolf centres at Hoebridge in Woking, Top Golf in Addlestone, Horton Park in Epsom, and Egham Leisure Centre will be hosting competitions. Each player taking part in the league simply plays nine holes and records their score. Each venue has agreed to donate 25% of all green fees back to people who register to play midweek, Monday to Friday, as part of the league.
[18] SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
EUROPE’S NEW POWER BROKER
W
ith major sponsors hard to come by in Europe, and tournament fields increasingly drained of top stars by the dollar-laden charms of the PGA Tour, it needs a brave man to take on the role of leading the European Tour into the next phase of its 40-year history. From outward appearances, it’s hard to know how brave Keith Pelley is – apart from the confidence required to wear bright
blue-framed glasses – but one cursory look at his CV shows that he certainly has the necessary business acumen to push forward the development of a game that, at the very top at least, is all about players, performance, promotion and pay. Although he doesn’t have a golfing pedigree beyond a five handicap, and a life-long love of the game instilled by his father, Pelley appears well qualified for his new role, with an impressive background in sports administration and, just as significantly, the way that it is covered. Formerly president
of a media conglomerate in Canada, with responsibility for 51 radio stations, 12 national TV stations, 56 publications, and 300 digital properties, Pelley is no stranger to the concept of spreading the word and, more importantly in the modern age, the images. He was responsible for all the television production, programming, marketing, sales and sponsorship for Canada’s staging of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, while earlier in his career, he was chief executive of the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts, as well as Canada’s only major league
baseball team, the Toronto Bluejays – so it’s fair to say that sport is in his DNA. Asked what enticed him to travel 3,574 miles across the Atlantic to the leafy surburbs of Surrey with his young family to take on such a challenging role, Pelley replies: “There’s no question that it was a big decision to come over here, but once I’d seen the passion and the vision that David Williams [European Tour chairman] and his team had, combined with my passion for the game, and the opportunities that exist within the European Tour, the Challenge Tour and the Seniors Tour, it was
impossible to say no. Add to that, it’s also a wonderful journey for my family.” With just three other predecessors in job over the last 40 years, he adds: “It is a real privilege to be only the fourth chief executive of the European Tour, and have the opportunity to build on the legacy of John Jacobs, Ken Schofield and George O’Grady. Sport has been a big part of my life; to work within golf is a dream come true.” As someone who has worked closely alongside athletes in both baseball and football during his career, Pelley is acutely aware that
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
He’s Canadian. He’s 51. He plays off five. He wears colourful glasses, and he knows a thing or two about promoting sport to global audiences. Meet Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s new chief executive Words by Nick Bayly
SEPTEMBER 2015
it is important that the interests of the players are at the forefront of every decision he makes. “European Tour players have special skills,” he says. “Some of the shots you see on the tour make you shake your head and wonder ‘How did they pull that off?’ The players are the magic, the recipe for success, and their passion and personality for the game is unmatched anywhere else in the world. I definitely have a ’players first’ philosophy. The European Tour has so much potential globally, with diversity that no other tour can match, and I’m excited about turning that potential into a reality.” There’s no denying that Pelley is taking the helm at the European Tour during one of the most important periods in its history. With players pushed and pulled in all directions, and a schedule that relies increasingly on long-haul trips to South Africa and the Far East for large chunks of the season, it’s easy to see why the Tour needed to find the right man for the job to fight the European Tour’s corner in an increasingly competitive global golfing marketplace. Pelley has certainly wasted no time in putting his personal stamp on the job, with the European Tour’s media department issuing a flurry of press releases in the wake of his official first day in the job on August 3. One of the first statement coming from Wentworth HQ was a rare and timely flexing of the European Tour’s muscles over the scheduling of next year’s Bridgestone Invitational, a World Golf Championship event that is regularly attended by the majority of the world’s top 100 players. A change of date for the tournament by the PGA Tour meant a clash with the French Open, one of the European Tour’s flagship events, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, while its host club, Le Golf National in Paris, is the venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup. To ensure Europe’s elite players know where their priorities should lie, the European Tour has withdrawn its sanctioning of the Bridgestone, resulting in all money earned from the tournament being ignored for purposes of the Race to Dubai and the Ryder Cup. It was a bold move by Pelley, and one that must certainly have ruffled a few feathers on the other side of the
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events in order to qualify for the Race to Dubai Final Series. Under current rules, players must take part in at least 13 events during the season in order to qualify for the four cash-rich tournaments that provide the climax to the season. Although leading the money list by over £250,000, McIlroy’s unfortunate footballing injury forced him to miss a sizeable chunk of the summer, including The Open, and his subsequent curtailed schedule has meant that he has only managed to play 12 events – one short of the required total. To make matters worse, only two of those tournaments were pond. in actually in Europe “The Alstom Open – the BMW PGA The European Tour has so de France is the Championship and much potential globally, oldest national Open the Irish Open – and Championship in he missed the cut in with diversity that no other Continental Europe, both. and has been a fixture Without its tour can match, and I’m on the European Tour headline act, excited about turning that schedule since the Tour’s the Final Series formation in 1972,” said would have been potential into reality. Pelley. “Furthermore, something of a next year’s tournament lame duck, so Pelley at Le Golf National is not bent the rules only in the week of the ever so slightly, in calendar occupied by the benefit to all European Tour players. the manner of a Open de France since 2009, it is [Joining with the Asian Tour] will seasoned sportsman, in order to also the 100th staging of the event. reinforce the current strengths ensure his star man was able to take We are confident that next year’s of the two Tours by maximising part. event, with an increased prize fund, global opportunities, as well as “These were an exceptional set of alongside the current renovations to increasing playing opportunities circumstances, and I have taken this the golf course, will properly reflect and prize funds for the respective situation and the resulting decision the importance of the tournament.” memberships.” very seriously,” Pelley explains his Fighting a war on two fronts First sighted at the BMW PGA reasoning for allowing the world is never easy, but Pelley decided Championship in May, shortly No.1 special dispensation. “After to go all out in his next strategic after his appointment was first speaking with Rory and numerous move, which earlier this month announced, Pelley has been jetting independent medical experts, I am saw the European Tour announce all over the world to get his face convinced that he could not commit a partnership with the Asian Tour, known, especially among the to any further tournaments without which, among other things, will players. risking further injury, therefore result in an increase in the number “Over these past three I gave him approval to play a of co-sanctioned events. Although months I have travelled to lots to minimum of 12 European Tour both tours are still in the early tournaments and spoken to many events this year.” stages of hammering out the finer people involved with the European Keeping the game’s top player, details of the agreement, Pelley is Tour, and I have been encouraged and Europe’s leading marketing tool confident that securing a stronger to find that the Tour already has happy, is clearly all part and parcel foothold in the fast-expanding east a highly regarded reputation of Pelley’s role, and as the events of is the way to go. worldwide,” he says. “Naturally I will the last month alone have shown, “We have enjoyed a wonderful be seeking to build and expand on he is going to have to draw upon relationship with the Asian Tour for that in the years ahead, using my all of his diplomatic and marketing many years, and the announcement previous experience in both media skills if he is to successfully juggle is the first step in the next stage of and sports to ensure it remains at all the balls required to maintain, that partnership,” said Pelley. “I am forefront of the game across the let alone grow, the European Tour’s excited about the prospect of what globe.” status in the world game. Regardless is to come and the opportunity On the subject of players, one of of the outcome, it won’t be for that it presents. Over the next few Pelley’s first tough decisions was a lack of passion – a word that months we will work through all to decide how to handle the issue trips off his tongue with surprising the specific details of what I believe of Rory McIlroy’s failure to play the frequency, but with the knowledge will ultimately provide significant mimium number of European Tour that he has it in spades. The main attraction: Encouraging Rory McIlroy to play more events in Europe will be on top of Keith Pelley’s agenda
Friday 13th 10am-6pm Saturday 14th 10am-6pm Sunday 15th 10am-4pm
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[20] SEPTEMBER 2015
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After a supremely consistent, if ultimately unsuccessful, season in the majors, Justin Rose is looking to learn from his mistakes as he bids to add to his 2013 US Open title next year Words by Nick Bayly
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
I
f Justin Rose had been told at the start of the season that he would play the Masters, US Open, Open and US PGA Championship in a combined total of 34-under par, he would have widened the trophy cabinet and prepared himself to become a multiple major champion instead of a mere major champion. Instead, the nearest the 35-year-old Englishman came in a campaign when it rained birdies was a four-shot runner up to Jordan Spieth at Augusta in April. That is despite posting the fourth best accumulative total to par in the history of the majors.
In truth, that figure is skewed somewhat by four of the top six coming in 2015. With his 17-under-par second place at Whistling Straits, Jordan Spieth finished at 54-under-par for the year, and knocked off Tiger Woods’s incredible 2000 season from the top by a single shot. Of course, the relative strengths of the layouts in 2015 and 2000 are crucial to deciding who enjoyed the better season, and the fact that Woods won three majors to Spieth’s two, and two of those by a combined total of 23 shots, make it almost impossible to favour the current world No 1. Yet, at the very least, the stats of this year show how
low the players have to go to cross the finishing line in first place. And nobody is more aware of it than Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, who finished six shots behind Jason Day in fourth at the US PGA. “Definitely the craziest stat of the year is that Rose has shot 14-under in two majors – and lost by a combined total of 10 shots,” Webb Simpson, the 2012 US Open champion, said. For his part, Rose believed that it would be enough, before watching two young men pull off into the distance. “Somebody said I was the senior member battling it out with the youngsters, but you don’t look
at it like that when you are in contention,” he said. “Going into the US PGA, I thought 14 under par would be great. Actually, it’s ironic that’s what I finished on, but I thought that would be a winning score. Even in the final round, I was surprised. It’s quite tough to keep track of the totals on the leaderboard.” The game is changing – rapidly. Rory McIlroy thought ‘10 to 15 under would be the number’, but then deduced ‘you have to think of a total and go lower nowadays’. There were three double bogeys on Rose’s scorecards at Whistling Straits, but if any area
let him down it was once again on the greens. Rose switched to an old putter, and although his performance was improved from his sixth place at St Andrews, he known he needs to find an answer. For now, however, it is a time for the world No.5 to lay low in his Bahamas’ home. “I played good golf in the majors this year, but it just wasn’t my week in any of them. But I’m not disappointed; it won’t change my life. Winning changes your life. But the year’s no over for me by a long stretch. There is a lot of golf to be played still. No majors, but there are alot of rewards to be won at the end of the year, so I’ve got to keep my focus up.”
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MATT FORD’S
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TOUR DIARY
A COUPLE OF LOOSE SHOTS HAVE COST MATT DEARLY AS HE BIDS TO CREEP UP THE MONEY LIST TO CLAIM A SPOT IN THE RACE TO DUBAI’S FINAL SERIES
M
y last two events – Made in Denmark and the Czech Masters – have at least seen me making cuts again. My game’s coming back, and I’m striking the ball a lot better, so I’m happy with that, although a little disappointed with how the weekends have gone (71st in Denmark and 73rd in the Czech Republic). But I feel I’m moving in the right direction again. In Denmark, I wasn’t hitting the ball great, but playing okay, and although disappointed with the weekend, I didn’t feel I was ever going to be in contention. Not that I was in Prague either really, but I was hitting the ball quite nicely there, and just a few poor shots at the wrong time proved really costly. In Denmark I had doubles on both nine and 18 on Friday – one was a bit of bad luck and one a poorish shot. That kind of sums up my last two weeks – the odd poor shot at the wrong time, for which I’ve been severely punished. On one of those double bogeys, I was in a fairway bunker, and the ball came out a bit clean, so I went long. I was only seven or eight yards from the flag, but my
then missed a couple of little putts mid-round and lost a bit of momentum. That last hole is quite tricky, with water down the left, and I just turned a fairway wood over off the tee. I dropped out, and, like I said, it came a little out of the top of the club twice and just dropped out of the air into more water. I ended up shooting 80.
I came off a bit dazed. It was almost like a bad dream, and I had to keep asking myself, “Did that really just happen?”
ball was about a yard away from a picket fence. I couldn’t make a backswing, and because it was a boundary fence put in for the tournament, I had to take relief. That meant a penalty drop in more heavy rough, from where I could only just get it on to the edge of the green. One poor shot that cost me two! A yard the other way, and I would have had a decent chance of getting up and down for par. But the atmosphere and the fans in Denmark are fantastic – right up there with the PGA at Wentworth and the Irish Open. For a hole that’s only 100 yards long, the 16th at Himmerland is one of the best out there because
of the spectators and the banking around the green. If you followed my scores online, you will know that I closed out the Czech Masters with a quintuple bogey nine on the 72nd hole. How? Well, I hit three balls in the water – one from the tee, and two from the semi-rough. One poor tee shot, then a 5-iron from the semi-rough slightly out of the top of the club… twice! So there you go – three penalty drops on one hole! The beginning of the round was a bit like that too. I dropped four shots in the first four holes, and only really hit one poor shot. I regrouped a little, but
It was a strange round, and I came off a bit dazed. It was almost like a bad dream, and I had to keep asking myself, “Did that really just happen?” But sometimes things just don’t go your way, and you’ve just got to take it on the chin and move on. I was probably only about 50th or 60th in the tournament anyway, and if I’d been in contention it would have been harder to take. Overall, though, my game’s in quite good shape – that’s the frustrating thing. You strike the ball as well as you’ve done for a good few weeks, then finish like that! Looking ahead, obviously I’ve got a lot of work to do if I’m to get into Final Series, but I’ve potentially got seven events in a row now. The only one I’m still not sure about is Woburn. I should get in the rest, although it’s not guaranteed, because the last few events are smaller fields. If I have some good finishes in the next three or four weeks that may change slightly, as I may take the odd week off. But I’m excited about those seven good opportunities. My game’s coming back, I’m putting nicely, my short game’s pretty solid, and it’s just a case of cutting out the silly mistakes… and avoiding those quintuple bogeys!
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[22] SEPTEMBER 2015 | LOST COURSES
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DUNWOOD MANOR GOLF CLUB JEREMY ELLWOOD RECOUNTS THE STORY OF DUNWOOD MANOR GOLF CLUB IN HAMPSHIRE, WHICH HAS BECOME A SANCTUARY OF A DIFFERENT KIND SINCE CLOSING THREE YEARS AGO
S
outhampton Football Club’s Welsh striker Ron Davies enjoyed a prolific season in 1970, achieving his fourth ‘top goal scorer’ honours in five years, with his goal tally of 21 helping the Saints achieve a respectable seventh place in the old top flight. That November, he also struck the very first tee shot at the brand new Dunwood Manor Golf Club, as the undulating parkland layout in Awbridge, near Romsey, opened for business. Forty two may be the answer to life, the universe and everything, but sadly not for Dunwood Manor, for whom the doors, fairways and greens would close for the final time 42 years later, in May 2012. But the clubhouse’s new role does offer an alternative answer to life, the universe and everything – more of which in a moment. The fledgling Dunwood Manor fared well, attracting plenty of members and visitors to its picturesque layout, which was flanked by mature woodland. The course was never long, stretching to 6,021 yards in the early 1980s, although a few hundred yards would be shaved off the total
yardage over the next couple of decades. In 2004, it was down to 5,655 and the par was 69, with the course comprising six par 3s, three par 5s, and nine par 4s, from 271 to 451 yards. Visitors often commented on the excellent playing conditions, the beauty of the surroundings, and several challenging holes, despite such a modest overall yardage. There were a number of blind shots, with the eighth tee serving up one of the most testing drives on the course. The 210-yard 12th also posed a stiff examination, playing steeply downhill to a relatively small target guarded by left and right front bunkers and a run-off to the rear. The club was seemingly successful, with 2009 English Mid-Amateur champion Katie Mundy coming up through the junior ranks, and even by the time of closure, it still boasted a
relatively healthy membership of 460. Sadly, that was not enough to encourage its owner, Brook Enterprises Ltd, to keep it going. Indeed, back in 2007, the club had
THEN
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been put up for sale at a guide price of £3.25 million for the entire 160-acre site, which also included a period four-bedroom farmhouse, a modern bungalow, and four holiday lodges. At that time, membership was still in excess of 600, but no interested party could be found to take the complex on as a going concern. The club continued for five more years, but finally, in early 2012, members and staff got the letter they had been dreading from John Crosthwaite-Eyre, chairman of Brook Enterprises, advising them of his ‘tough decision’ to close the club for good.
The old clubhouse is now used by a christian charity
While its days as a golf club were over, Dunwood Manor enjoyed a ‘new life in abundance’ when the clubhouse, pro shop, locker rooms and a small piece of the golf course (the 15th hole) were purchased by Sozo Ministries International, a Christian healing organisation founded by Marion Daniel and her family in 1983. Sozo Ministries moved into their new premises in July last year, having transformed what was once a lively golf club bar into a place of quiet prayer, worship and contemplation. The rest of the golf course was sold off in parcels to local homeowners, with one, Sir David Plastow, the former chairman of Rolls Royce, buying the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th holes to enlarge his back garden. As the refurbishment project gathered pace in 2013 following the sale, Ms Daniel enthused, “This is such a lovely place to be working for The Lord. We’re so blessed to be here.” The latter part of that sentiment was no doubt shared by many a Hampshire golfer over the course of Dunwood Manor’s all too short life.
NH_midland_golfer.qxp_a4 01/08/2015 16:49 Page 1
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[24] SEPTEMBER 2015
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PEPPER’S ARMY With a loyal following on and off the course, Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell is hoping to give his fans something to cheer about with a first victory on the European Tour Words by Nick Bayly
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
SEPTEMBER 2015 [25]
E
ddie Pepperell has always had an old head on young shoulders. When he was a columnist for this magazine, I quickly came to understand that Eddie was a man who was a good deal sharper than the other pencils in box generally marked for professional golfers, with a fine turn of phrase and an intelligence that marked him out as a ‘thinking man’s golfer’. Some say that ‘thinkers’ like Eddie tend to overcomplicate what is essentially a fairly straightforward game, but between Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo, and John Daly and Colin Montgomerie, there seems to be plenty of different ways of playing this fascinating sport quite successfully. A voracious reader of books on sports psychology and swing mechanics, it’s no wonder that Pepperell’s pen name of the ‘Wise Old Owl’ on his popular online blog, which he started writing three years ago, seems so apt. Now in his second season on the European Tour, after turning pro in 2011, the 24 year old from Frilford Heath seems to be completely at ease on the European stage and, following his debut appearance in last month’s US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, seems set to make his mark on the world stage in the years that lie ahead. Long considered a future star, following a hugely successful amateur career, Pepperell is now enjoying the fruits of his labour, and currently sits well inside Europe’s top 50 – 31st at the time of writing – with over €700,000 banked in prize money, and a place in the lucrative Final Series guaranteed. While that all-important first European Tour victory remains elusive, the signs that he is about to remove that particular monkey from his back are becoming more evident with every passing tournament. In his 16 starts so far this season, he has bagged three topfive finishes, including a narrow play-off loss to Soren Kjeldsen at the Irish Open, and an impressive fourth in the Scottish Open, where three rounds in the 60s saw him finish just two shots behind winner Rickie Fowler. Having missed just three cuts in 2015, Pepperell is keen to push on to the end of the season, especially with so much money still to play for and big trophies to be won. And while run-of-the-mill European Tour events are becoming a comfortable hunting ground for Pepperell, this season has seen him step up to the major stage with aplomb. He enjoyed plenty of airtime at the Open Championship, where he shared the lead with Dustin Johnson during the latter stages of third round, after eight birdies in his first 16 holes had put him on 10 under par. But St Andrews has a habit of biting back, especially at the infamous par-four 17th, and Pepperell won’t be putting the Road Hole among his favourites in world golf any time soon, after he crashed his tee shot into the side of the hotel, and ran up a double bogey six to finish with a six-under par 66 that could have been so much better. “Obviously I knew I was in a good position, but I didn’t care where I was at on the leaderboard,” says Pepperell, who stood on the penultimate hole needing two birdies to set a new record for the lowest round in major history. “I felt very confident with the tee shot on
17, and maybe didn’t focus on one or two things that would help me into the left-to-right wind that I tend to struggle with. You could argue there was a bit of complacency there, but I did not want to bail out left, because that’s admitting defeat on a tough hole. To finish double bogey-par, and then to come out and shoot 76 on the final round was very disappointing.” Just three weeks later, Pepperrell was boarding a plane to Chicago to take part in his first US PGA Championship. The experience, although valuable, was an all too shortlived one, after rounds of 78 and 75 left him four shots over the cut mark. Always one to take the positives away from any event, Pepperell felt the numbers he posted did not reflect the way he played. “Overall, it was a good experience playing at Whistling Straits. My score didn’t really do me justice, but I’m not too fussed about that. I hadn’t played since the Open, so although I didn’t score as well as I would’ve liked, it was enjoyable being out there in that sort of atmosphere. I hadn’t experienced much of that before.” Now back on home soil, the globetrotting youngster is looking forward to a run of events nearer to his Abingdon home, including the Dunhill Links Championship back at his favoured St Andrews, and the British Masters,
EDDIE PEPPERELL BY NUMBERS AGE: 24 TURNED PRO: 2011 WORLD RANKING: 80th 2015 RACE TO DUBAI RANKING: 31st (49th 2014, 76th 2013) EVENTS PLAYED: 73 TOP 10s: 12 TOUR WINS: 2012 Allianz Open (Challenge Tour) CAREER EARNINGS: €1,750,453 BIGGEST PRIZE: €217,135 (2nd, 2015 Irish Open) STROKE AVERAGE: 71.61 (110th) DRIVING AVERAGE: 286 yards (134th) DRIVING ACCURACY: 56% (148th) GREENS IN REGULATION: 66.3% (109th) PUTTS PER ROUND: 29 (27th)
tedium of tour life that compelled him to start writing his blog in the first place, as well as a sudden conviction that expanding his mind might make him a better golfer. “Once I started reading books – I didn’t read one until I was 19 – it opened my mind completely, I started to see the world from different perspectives, as well as myself,” he says. And while Pepperell isn’t angling for anybody’s sympathy, he is keen that they are at least offered a few insights into the world of professional golf, which at its heart is a grim struggle for survival. “To succeed on tour, it’s important to be good, but it’s infinitely more important to be tough,” says Pepperell. “If you’re not tough enough, you’re going to fade away. The only thing that makes most golfers happy is playing good golf. If you’re struggling with the lifestyle and playing badly, you’re really in trouble.” He adds: “On any given day, maybe 10 players out of a field of 100 will be happy. Some guys are financially secure, but if they’re playing badly it will still affect their mood. Other guys have no money and are battling their game. You see so many guys on tour pulling their hair out. People have this idea that because we’re playing for all this money, that makes us upbeat. It’s nice to have money, but it doesn’t pull you through the moments when you’re alone and stressed and things are going wrong in a foreign country.” While not expecting any sympathy from people who see how much money the top golfers earn, Pepperell says that like all jobs, playing golf for a living can be boring at times. “When I read that Rory McIlroy doesn’t enjoy the game like he used to, I wasn’t at all surprised,” he says. “I don’t think many top golfers actually enjoy what they do. I don’t think many top sportspeople enjoy what they do. They’re constantly scrutinised and it becomes stressful and pressurised. People think being famous is great. But being that famous can be the worst thing in the world. I want to be the best I can be, but if being the best I can be means winning majors, becoming famous and all the stuff that comes with it, it’s like making a pact with the devil.” If Pepperell’s career should ever reach those heights, expect any pact with the devil to come with clauses – because Pepperell is too self-aware and conscious of the dangers to go all in. “There’s no sense I’ve made it,” he says. “I’d never want to feel like that. You have to always feel vulnerable, have people around you reminding you of your frailties, your insecurities and your weaknesses. Once you start feeling invincible, something bad inevitably happens. Golf is tough like that. Life is tough like that.”
I don’t think many top golfers actually enjoy what they do. They’re constantly being scrutinised and it becomes very stressful and pressurised
which is being held just down the road at Woburn, where he can expect his growing following, known as the ‘Pepper-Army’, to be out in force. A three-week break after the PGA has allowed him to spend time at his beloved Frilford Heath Golf Club, which has supported him throughout his career. He gives as much time to the club as his busy schedule allows, and took time out last month to give a coaching clinic to a number of youngsters involved with the BB&O Partnership. “I want to give back when possible, and fortunately I’m in a position where I can, both with my time and financially,” says Pepperell. “Hopefully I can improve the lives of some young golfers and get more kids playing golf locally. There are some things I’d like to do moving forward. I would certainly like to subsidise memberships, if I could, for juniors to come, but it’s something which would need to be talked about with the club.” Pepperell also used the downtime between tournaments to enjoy a sporting experience of different kind, when he made his debut on the BBC’s A Question of Sport, which went out on air on September 16. “I was not a tenth as nervous standing on the first tee on the final day at St Andrews as I was going into the studio,” he admits. “TV is completely new to me, but it was a boyhood dream to go on the show.” While looking very much at ease with himself on and off the golf course these days, Pepperell is one of the few professional golfers to have spoken openly about less glamourous aspects of his profession – namely the endless hours spent travelling, hanging around airports, and holed up in hotels between rounds. It’s hardly working down the mines, but Pepperell is one of the first to admit that golf is a very isolating sport at the top level, and It was what was he describes as the ‘mind-destroying’
Follow Eddie Pepperell’s online blog at eddiepepperell.wordpress.com
[26] SEPTEMBER 2015 | STORY BEHIND THE PIC
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
STORY BEHIND THE PIC TERRY WOGAN AND JIMMY TARBUCK | BOB HOPE BRITISH CLASSIC | MOOR PARK GOLF CLUB, HERTFORDSHIRE | SEPTEMBER 24, 1981
A
s the stars of sport, screen and, somewhat inevitably, business, prepare to gather at St Andrews to take part in the game’s ultimate Pro-Celebrity event, the Dunhill Links Championship, it is worth recalling the event that first laid the foundations for the melding of famous faces with famous golfers that has proved such a winning combination with golf fans the world over – the Bob Hope British Classic. The tournament had five different titles during its 11-year run from 1980 to 1991, starting out life as the Bob Hope Classic, before becoming the Four Stars National Pro-Celebrity in 1985, and then the Wang Four Stars in 1988. The inaugural event was held at the RAC Golf Club in Epsom, before Moor Park took over as host for the next nine years, with the final event, the European Pro-Celebrity, being held at Hoylake in 1991. The professional winners included a role call of top stars, including José Maria Canizares (’80, ‘83), Bernhard Langer (‘81), Gordon Brand (’82), Ken Brown (’85) and Roger Davis (’88, ’90), while Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst was the last champion in 1991, when he picked up €58,000 for his
efforts over four rounds at Royal Liverpool. In its first year at Moor Park in 1981, a 24-year-old Langer finished five shots clear of Peter Oosterhuis, with Ewen Murray in third and Brian Barnes in fourth, while Tony Jacklin, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Lee
Trevino were also part of a classy field that most fully-fledged European Tour events would have been proud of. Bob Hope’s influence in drawing in the players certainly helped, as did the promise of being put up in swanky hotels in central London. When Hope
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gave up his hosting duties after the 1983 renewal, the tournament was headlined by a quartet of homegrown celebs in Henry Cooper, Ronnie Corbett, Jimmy Tarbuck and Terry Wogan. Their connections to the sporting world and the comedy circuit ensured a steady
supply of celebrities eager to play alongside the pros, and the tournament enjoyed huge crowds that were eager to watch Tarby giving some unwanted advice to Trevino, catch Mike Reid topping a tee shot, or marvel as Sean Connery recreated one of his Goldfingerinspired recovery shots. These days, Pro-Celebrity events like the Dunhill Links, and more recently, the Wednesday of the BMW PGA Championship, are altogether more serious affairs, with most of the celebrity/amateur players having honed their handicaps down to low single figures following early retirement from whatever sport they made their millions in. There is also a new breed of player, the wealthy businessman-turned-sponsor, who few outside of the ropes have any clue about. These players are generally errant hackers that hold up play, but everyone is either too polite or too scared to tell them to pick up their ball and walk to the next tee. That’s golf. The Dunhill Links Championship takes place at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie from October 1-4. For ticket details, email tickets@europeantour.com. DOWNSHIRE
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NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2015 [27]
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O’Brien rolls back the years… and rolls in the putts! It’s every golfer’s dream to beat their age for a score over 18 holes, but few ever achieve it. However, one man who beat the odds – and his age – is Surrey amateur Tony O’Brien, a 67-year-old member at Wyke Green in Isleworth, who last month managed to knock it around his home course in one fewer blow than his years on this planet. An eight handicapper, who has been a member at Wyke Green for 30 years, O’Brien even slipped in two bogeys in his impressive round, with his score saved by an astonishing 14 one-putt greens. The Middlesex Seniors County player, who plays three times a week, described his round as ‘simply the best thing I have ever done’.
Mullen stars as GB&I reclaims Walker Cup of the afternoon to earn three and a half points from a possible four. Niebrugge lost all three of his matches, two months after finishing sixth at St Andrews in the Open, two shots ahead of Chesters. Sharvin then beat 52-year-old Mike McCoy 4&3 before Mullen, from Devon, beat Denny McCarthy to become the first GB&I player to have a perfect 4-0 record since Paul Casey and Luke Donald at Nairn in 1999. “It didn’t matter if I won all of my games, as long as the team won. That was the main thing,” said Mullen, from Royal North Devon, at Westward Ho. “To win all of my games was just the icing on the cake.”
Great Britain and Ireland beat the USA to regain amateur golf’s Walker Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The hosts won 16½-9½, securing victory with six matches to go and finishing with their best-ever points tally. Leading 10-6 after the morning foursomes, they needed only 3½ points from 10 singles matches. Victories for English pair Ashley Chesters and Jimmy Mullen, Cormac Sharvin, and a half from Paul Dunne, secured GB&I’s ninth Walker Cup win. Shropshire’s Open Championship hero Chesters, at 26 the oldest member of the team, beat Jordan Niebrugge 3&1 for the first points
Finlays triumph at Chislehurst’s Brothers’ Open Stephen and Robert Finlay lived up to their billing as one of the pre-tournament favourites when winning the 37th National Brothers’ Amateur Foursomes Open held at Chislehurst Golf Club in Kent. The brothers, who also won the tournament in 2011, beat fellow Chislehurt members Phil and Dave Matthews in a closely contested final, with the Finlays prevailing on the 16th hole. The tournament attracted a field of 25 pairs of brothers, with entrants from as far afield as Monmouth and the Isle of Wight. A stableford event sorted out the seeding for the event, with the top eight pairs going through to the knockout stages. Defending champions Phil and Dave Matthews carded an impressive 40 points to earn top seeding, with the Finlays just a point behind in second. Chislehurt’s short, but tricky layout showed its teeth, with greens stimping at almost 11, resulting in 31 points
was good enough to earn a top eight place. The Plate final saw Jack and Max Norwood from Harleyford overcome Lydd’s Craig and James Alford in a battle of the younger generation, while the subsidiary 27-hole competition, witnessed a further triumph for Steve and Paul Sharkey from Redlibbets, with the 18-hole competition being won by Dave (West Kent) and Alan (The London Club) Berryman. Next year’s Brothers’ Amateur Foursomes Open will be held at Chiselhurst from June 9-10.
MY FAVOURITE . . .
Rusacks to offer more rooms with a view A 44-suite extension to the Rusacks Hotel, overlooking the 18th green at The Old Course in St Andrews, has been given the green light. The £7m extension to the 128-year-old hotel will also include a rooftop restaurant, bar, terrace and glass-fronted suites. Gordon Fraser, Macdonald Hotels’ deputy chairman, said: “This is a tremendously positive announcement for our company and for St Andrews, which will give visitors to the town world-class ‘5 Red Star’ accommodation. “This development will set a new benchmark for luxury in St Andrews, attracting many new visitors every year from all over the world, and bringing new jobs and major benefits to the local economy. “We’ve owned the Macdonald Rusacks since 2001, and are especially conscious of being custodians of one of golf’s most famous locations, so we will be developing the site with the utmost sensitivity. Many of the world’s most famous golfers have stayed with us when playing the Old Course, and only this summer US Open winner Justin Rose described his suite as ‘the best room in golf’. Work is due to start on the project next year.
Wood doubles up at Shirley Park Talented teenager Joe Wood became only the third player to win the Surrey U13 and U14 championship in the same season after shooting a one-over par 73 at Shirley Park. The five handicapper from West Hill’s nett 68 saw him finish tied with Burhill’s Peter Cole, but Wood prevailed at the first extra hole of a play off to take both titles after none of the players in the U14 category were able to match his score. The tournament, which attracted a record 56 entries, was played in wet and windy conditions, making Wood’s capture of the Olga Mills Cup and the Usmar Salver all the more impressive. Despite heavy
rainfall, the course held up well and was a credit to Shirley Park’s greens staff. With Wood and Cole taking the top two places in the U13 and U14 events, third spot in the U13s’ event went to Fergus Jacobs (Roehampton), while Lewis Brown (Surbiton) took the same position in the U14s section. The U13 handicap competition was won by William Loughlin (Burhill) with a gross 81 off an 11 handicap, while 18 handicapper Benoit Buffet-Yamanaka (Malden) took the U14 handicap title with a gross 87.
BARRY LANE, European Senior Tour player and winner of the 2015 Farmfoods British Par 3 Championships, reveals a few of his favourite things
MEAL: My mother-in-law’s roast dinners
GOLF COURSES: Pebble Beach and Royal Zoute in Belgium
DRINK: Château Talbot wine
SPORT: Fishing
MUSIC: All genres except rap
CLUB IN BAG: I like them all – when they behave
BAND: M People
HOTEL: The Peninsula, Hong Kong
SINGER: Nina Simone
FILM: The Matrix
KARAOKE SONG: George Benson’s Give Me The Night
ALTERNATIVE CAREER: Airline pilot
HOBBIES: Reading and DIY
The Peninsula, Hong Kong
HOLIDAY DESTINATION: Mauritius SPORTING HERO: Sir Ranulph Fiennes GOLF MEMORY: Playing with Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros GOLF PARTNER: My wife
Pebble Beach
[28] SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
PaulBroadhurst’s
SENIOR TOUR DIARY
PAUL BROADHURST OFFERS AN EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT INTO HIS FIRST OUTING ON THE EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR, WHICH RESULTED IN A THRILLING PLAY-OFF VICTORY AT THE SCOTTISH SENIOR OPEN
W
ith it being three and a half years or so since my last big tournament, the prospect of returning to high level golf had given me a few nervy moments, so you can imagine how pleased I was to get off to such a great start with my maiden win at the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open at Archerfield Links. Coming into the tournament, I knew that I’d been shooting good scores in pro-am events and invitationals, but the nagging question remained – could I still do it when it really mattered? My first round started well, and I settled down, but I played a very poor tee shot on the 14th and ended up with a double bogey. I was disappointed to have dropped those two shots after a solid start, taking me from two under par to level in the clubhouse, but I was only two shots off the lead and had built confidence for the next day. Come the morning of the second round, I couldn’t have dreamt of a better start, with seven birdies inside the first eleven holes. With no scoreboards around the course, I couldn’t tell where I was in the standings, but that unbelievable start told me I must have put myself somewhere in the mix. It should have been a case of just playing out the round, but I managed to scupper myself by dropping four shots on the last four holes. I didn’t do too much wrong to be honest. I hit a very good drive down six but it disappeared into the trap. I wasn’t trying to be cute, but it caught the lip and the ball came back in. It was a hell of a good six in the end. On seven, I hit a bad drive off the fairway down the right. It was tight to the trees. I tried to hit a low cut iron, but it cut too quickly and hit a tree full in the middle, and bounced straight back beside a cone. I had no shot then. I was lucky to get back to the fairway. It was almost as if everything went wrong over the last four holes, but I suppose that’s golf for you. If somebody had said at the start of the week that I would be tied for the lead with a round to go I would have taken that, but obviously dropping four shots over the last four holes was disappointing, as I’d let 15 or 20 other guys back into it. I knew I had to play well in the last round and, thankfully, I did. The problem was so did Gordon Manson. The pair of
DREAM DEBUT KILLS THE NERVES
Throwing darts: Broady had his
To get my maiden win is more than I could ever have expected going into my first tournament
us swapped the lead putting boots on at Archerfield around the front nine – me dropping a shot here, Gordon dropping one there – but he managed to keep a shot ahead of me through the back nine and, as I stood on the 18th tee, I was under a little pressure. As luck would have it, I stuck it in a fairway trap off the tee, but happily rescued the situation with a really good third shot, and held my nerve to hole a long putt to force the play-off with Gordon. I’ve got a terrible play-off record – two from 12 to that point – I was a little bit shocked to have but I just tried to stay confident won, and it had been a long time and play sensibly. I managed to since I last tasted vicotry, so I’ll do that, and on the second green admit to feeling quite emotional. Gordon’s putt horseshoed out of My heart does go out to Gordon, the hole. All of a sudden, I’d gone though, as he pushed me hard on to three in 13 and bagged my first that last day, and didn’t get the European Senior Tour victory – rub of the green when he needed not bad for a debutant, I have to it. say! To get my maiden win is more
than I could ever have expected going into my first tournament, and I will draw confidence from it. The nerves have disappeared and I’m relishing the chance to push on for the rest of the season. I have another goal in mind after I’ve played at the French Riviera Masters in October. I’m flying out in mid-November to try my hand at the US Champions Tour qualifying school. If I can get my hands on a card for that tour, I’ll be a very happy man indeed. Looking ahead, after bagging the first win, my aims remain the same. If I play well, I will compete with the best on the tour, so I’m focusing on establishing a good level of consistency and being as professional as I can. With just three rounds on the Senior Tour,
you’ve got to get it right. The shorter event format means bad starts are absolutely out of the question – you have no time to make up for errors, and you’re always going to struggle. Senior Tour events might be smaller in scale than on the European Tour, but the facilities are every bit as good – what else could you expect from places like Archerfield and Woburn? With so few senior tournaments played in this country, the great British public seem eager to come and watch and they’re very appreciative. I am too. It’s going swimmingly well so far, and although there will inevitably be ups and downs, I’m enjoying the opportunity and making the most of seeing so many old friends, like Sam Torrance, Mark Mouland and Gordon Brand Jr, among many others. And long may that continue!
SEPTEMBER 2015 [29]
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TomLewis
TIPS FROM THE TOUR
TOM LEWIS SHOWS HOW TO GET YOUR BALL BACK IN PLAY AND GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE OF SAVING PAR
THE GREAT ESCAPE
N
o matter how accurate you are off the tee, there will always come a time when you have to escape from trouble, and how successfully you are able to achieve this will have a huge bearing on your score. As the old saying goes, never compound an error with an error. In this scenario, I’m badly out of position, with a low-hanging tree between myself and the green. I could easily hit the ball out sideways, or nudge it down to the bottom of the hill, but with a bit more imagination I could also shape a shot to leave a simple approach into the green.
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.
1 LINE UP YOUR CLUBHEAD The first step in playing this shot is to line up your club head so that it is aiming at where you want the ball to start. In this instance I am aiming at the right hand tree in the cluster of three small trees just off the left side of the fairway.
2 ADDRESS THE BALL Once my club head is in the correct position, I will address the ball in such a way that I can slice it round the tree in front of me. To do that I need to line up my feet, hips and shoulders well left of the target, as this will mean I will be cutting across the ball from right to left and imparting left-to-right spin. The idea is to start the ball on the tree and slide it from there towards the right hand side of the fairway, leaving a simple wedge into the green. If I were attempting a similar escape shot from the trees on the left, I’d start by lining up my club head at my intended target and then aim my body well right of that target in order to impart right-to-left spin. In both cases, I would grip down the club a little to increase control, and if the obstructing tree were closer to me, I would move the ball back in my stance to ensure it came out a bit lower than normal under the branches.
3 LOW THROUGH IMPACT The secret to hitting shots like this successfully is to make sure your set up is correct. From there, it is simply a case of committing to the shot and ensuring you stay as low as possible through impact. I can’t stress the word ‘commit’ enough. You’ve got to have the courage of your convictions. Get yourself set up for the shot and then swing as normal. You don’t have to try to manipulate the ball with your hands or body, and you certainly don’t want to panic and decelerate into the ball, as that will invariably lead to a lot more trouble.
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[30] SEPTEMBER 2015 | TOUR NEWS
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McIlroy gains medical exemption for Final Series
PGA CANCELS GRAND SLAM Nearly two months after pulling the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from Trump National Los Angeles, the PGA of America has scrapped the event altogether for 2015. The PGA announced that the tournament, which pits the past four major champions against each other in stroke play, would not be held in 2015 ‘due to the timing and logistics needed to stage the PGA Grand Slam of Golf to the highest standards’. The event was originally scheduled to take place October 20-21 at Trump National LA, but was moved from the course in the wake of Trump’s comments regarding Mexican immigration.
SCOTLAND AND SWEDEN BID TO HOST 2019 SOLHEIM CUP Scotland and Sweden are competing to host the 2019 Solheim Cup, after becoming the only two countries left in the bidding process. Scotland’s bid, which is backed by the Scottish Government and VisitScotland, is planning to stage the match at Gleneagles, while Sweden’s preferred venue is Bro Hof Slott near Stockholm, which has previously hosted the Nordea Masters on the European Tour. The final meeting to decide the winning bid will be held on October 29.
Fowler capitalises on Stenson stumble Rickie Fowler took advantage of a late mistake from Henrik Stenson to snatch victory in the Deutsche Bank Championship. Stenson was in control for the majority of the final day in what was the second leg of the FedEx Cup series, and maintained a one-shot lead over Fowler until a dramatic turnaround at the short 16th, where the young American knocked his tee shot to 20 feet before Stenson’s ball stalled in the wind and found water. Stenson’s ensuing double-bogey five handed Fowler the lead for the first time in the tournament, and two closing pars proved enough to earn him his third win
of the season, lifting him to third in the FedEx Cup standings. “I definitely want to be the best player that I can be, and I want to be the best player in the world at some point,” said Fowler, who moved up to fifth in the world rankings on the back of the victory, one place above Stenson. “I’ve been playing very well for the last couple of years and it was just a matter of time before I knocked down the door.” Further down the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy rallied with a final round 66 to finish inside the top 30, but handed Jordan Spieth back the top spot in the world rankings.
Ko becomes youngest major winner It was Ko’s last opportunity to beat the age record, as she would have been too old by the next major, the ANA Inspiration, in April. “It has been such an unbelievable experience,” said Ko. “Now everybody won’t ask me when I will win my first major because it is done. It is definitely one of the top rounds of my whole life.” Ko had started the day in third place, two shots behind overnight leader Lee Mi-hyang of South Korea. Lee’s challenge faded and she finished tied for fourth place, nine shots behind Ko, after carding a three over par 74. Charley Hull shot a disappointing final round 77 and finished tied for 38th place, while Republic of Ireland amateur Leona Maguire was tied for 34th.
Martin Kaymer has lost his PGA Tour card for next season after he failed qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs. The two-time major champion is required to compete 15 times in the US, and was banking on making the play-offs, but fell short after a poor season. The 30 year old cannot rejoin the PGA Tour until the 2016-2017 season, when he will be limited to 12 events, including majors and World Golf Championships.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has become the youngest winner of a major with a six-stroke victory at the Evian Championship in France. The world number two is 18 years, four months and 20 days old. The previous record was held by American Morgan Pressel, who was 18 years, 10 months and nine days old when she won the Kraft Nabisco in 2007. Ko shot eight birdies in a final round of 63 to finish on 16 under par, with American Lexi Thompson on 10 under. In February, aged 17, Ko became the youngest player to reach the top of the rankings, and she also holds the record for the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour after her Canadian Open victory as a 15year-old amateur in 2012.
KJELDSEN REACHES TOUR MILESTONE
Hartø bags birdie and a bride!
Søren Kjeldsen became the first Danish player to play in 500 European Tour events following his appearance at the US PGA Championship. The 40-year-old took 18 years and 189 days to reach the milestone, and made the cut in 358 of the 500 tournaments. During that time he has amassed €11,351,076 in prize money, with four victories, including July’s Irish Open, and 56 top-ten finishes.
Danish tour player Andreas Hartø finished the famous par-three 16th hole at Himmerland Golf Club in Denmark with a birdie and a bride, after the 27 year old proposed to his girlfriend in front on 3,000 fans during the second round of the Made in Denmark tournament. The three-time Challenge Tour winner started his day at two over par, and knew that he wasn’t going to be around for the weekend by the time he reached the 16th. And despite
KAYMER LOSES PGA TOUR CARD
Rory McIlroy is being allowed to take part in this year’s Race to Dubai Final Series, despite failing to take part in the minimum number of tournaments set out by the European Tour. The European Tour has announced that due to the ‘exceptional circumstances’ caused by McIlroy’s injury, and the impact this has had on his playing schedule, the world No.1 will be allowed remain in the Race to Dubai rankings and be automatically eligible to compete in the Final Series, despite not meeting the minimum ‘13 tournaments per season’ rule. McIlroy, who is currently leading the 2015 rankings, was poised to meet the minimum number of events rule until an accident ruled him out of a considerable part of the summer. The 26-year-old was playing football with friends in July when he went over on his left ankle, the resulting ligament damage causing him to miss the Scottish Open, the Open Championship, and the WGCBridgestone Invitational. As a result, McIlroy, who has so far played nine tournaments on the European Tour schedule, will not be able to compete in 13 tournaments, given his current his recovery programme, which strictly limits the number of weeks in a row he can play. McIlroy has agreed with European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley that he will play a minimum
the pressure of playing the most famous hole in Denmark in front such a large crowd, and knowing he was going to propose, Hartø hit a wedge to five feet and made a birdie two. He then took off his cap, turned his girlfriend Louise in the crowd and invited her onto the green. With the crowd cheering, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a ring and asked for her hand in marriage. Luckily for everyone in attendance, she said yes. “I couldn’t say any words and
I didn’t hear her say yes, so I had to ask her afterwards, and luckily she did want to marry me, so I’m a lucky man. I just had the ring out and I was crying and she was crying.”
of three more tournaments before the end of the year, bringing him to his revised minimum obligation of 12 events. Pelley said: “These are exceptional circumstances. I have spent the last two weeks examining every possible solution, and I have spoken with Rory and his team, as well as independent medical advisers and some prominent players. After reviewing all the medical reports and recommendations from doctors, I am convinced that he could not commit to any further tournament participation without risking further injury to his ankle. Therefore, after lengthy discussions, I have given him approval to play a minimum of 12 European Tour events this year.”
Slattery revives season in Russia Lee Slattery claimed a second European Tour victory after clinching the M2M Russian Open by one stroke. The Lancashire-born 37 year old, whose only previous title came at the Madrid Masters in 2011, and who didn’t have a full tour card for this season, held a slender advantage heading into the final day, but three birdies on the back nine helped him over the line, finishing the tournament on 15 under par and one shot ahead of Estanislao Goya. Slattery, who is now back inside the world’s top 200 after picking up the €166,000 first prize, was relieved at bagging his first title in almost four years, and earning an exemption for next season’s European Tour. “It has been a difficult year, so it’s just nice to be able to finish the season off like this, knowing that I can plan next year now and hopefully get myself going again to where I belong,” he said.
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SEPTEMBER 2015
[31]
MEET THE PRO PAUL CREAMER
PAUL CREAMER PROVIDES THE INSIDE TRACK ON LIFE AS HEAD PROFESSIONAL AT FOXHILLS CLUB & RESORT IN SURREY
When did you join Foxhills? I joined in July 2012, so I’ve been here just over three years. What are the biggest changes you have seen in that time? We had a shop refit from Millar Brown this year which has been very well received by our members and visitors. Our two 18-hole championship courses – Longcross and Bernard Hunt – have improved drastically in the time I’ve been at the club, with fabulous work by our greenkeepers and investment in maintenance equipment and new course management strategies. This year saw Longcross break into Golf World’s top 100 courses, with Bernard Hunt in the ‘Next 100’, and we have also hosted the Senior PGA Professional Championship in 2014 and 2015, with a new five-year deal securing the event at the club until 2020. This is testament to the great work done on the courses and around the club. What is your day-to-day role? My main aim is to ensure an optimal experience for our members and visitors. Running the pro shop is a key responsibility; we have a diverse customer base at the club with activities reaching beyond golf, and in the last three years I have introduced gym wear, swimwear and – coming very soon – tennis wear, ensuring that golf is still well represented with leading brands available. As Head Professional, I organise a schedule
new ‘Tee for Two’ package which encourages people to try golf with an hour lesson for two people, followed by afternoon tea with a glass of bubbly in the Manor Restaurant. It’s important that golf is not viewed as a stuffy, old-fashioned sport, and Foxhills places a lot of emphasis on blending the traditions of golf with a social, relaxed approach.
The 6th hole on Foxhill’s Bernard Hunt Course
of free member clinics, helping introduce people to the game and refine their skills. We have a team of three additional PGA staff, plus two full-time teaching pros. Tell us something about the facilities…We have two fantastic championship courses, both different in what they offer, as well as a 9-hole par 3 course which is great fun, as well as very challenging. Away from the golf, we offer a 70-bedroom hotel, 11 tennis courts, a spa, gym, four swimming pools, and three restaurants, including The Manor Restauran , which has two AA Rosettes. What’s the best thing about your job? Working at a beautiful resort with a great team. Our members are passionate about making the most of their leisure time, and it’s been delightful to watch people
improve their skills and fall in love with the game. What is the club doing to attract junior and female golfers? We have a Junior Foundation which has seen the likes of Paul Casey and Anthony Wall pass through. However, it’s not just about finding the next superstar – we aim to encourage juniors to develop their game and their love of the game through fun and relaxed clinics. In addition to private lessons, we also offer school holiday golf activities, including a summer camp which partnered with tennis to give youngsters exposure to both games. Female golfers are a growth market for us. As we offer so many different facilities, we often see female members join the club for the spa facilities and then try golf with one of our monthly clinics before discovering a love for it. We have also launched a
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What do you think would stimulate more people to take up golf? More youngsters enjoy crazy or pirate golf. FootGolf is another avenue that will familiarise people with golf complexes. If we can get courses to be seen as fun places, then more people will visit. People also love to share their successes online, so getting figures in golf involved in social media is important – whether it’s videos of trick shots, or top tips for the more seasoned golfer, keeping the game front of mind and showing its modern side is key. What’s the most common swing fault you have to correct? Poor posture. People can get comfortable with how they play and slip out of a good stance without even realising it. It’s always a good idea to have your swing reviewed, as your posture changes with age, weight and more. What’s been selling well in pro shop? Our Foxhills branded
products are selling well. We changed our logo about a year ago, and are celebrating our 40th anniversary this year, so the range has increased to include accessories like putter covers and golf bags, while special anniversary line of clothing is selling well among our members. What was your career highlight as a player? I once played in the Madeira Open, and won the Surrey PGA Matchplay, beating a current European Tour player in the final! Who is your golfing hero and why? Seve – his attitude is still an inspiration to me. He never gave up and there was no shot he couldn’t do. What’s your favourite course in the UK, and the world? Sunningdale Old Course; you have to think your way round and avoid the heather. It has beautiful scenery and is a lovely walk. Globally, you can’t look past Augusta – it is heaven on earth. Which three other people would be in your dream fourball? Seve Ballesteros, Ben Hogan and Rory McIlroy. If one of them couldn’t make it, I’d draft in Happy Gilmore as my back-up! To book a round at Foxhills, visit www.foxhills.co.uk or call 01932 704465
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[32] SEPTEMBER 2015
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LOOKING AFTER NUMBER ONE
H
ow would you describe what you have achieved in the six months since your emphatic win at the Masters? It’s been a fantastic year. I pretty much built my whole season around peaking for the majors, and by and large I managed to do that, so in that respect it’s gone as well as I could possibly have hoped.
You said it was a lifelong goal to get to number one at some point in your career, so what does it feel like to have achieved that by the age of 22? It seems funny to be talking about lifelong goals at my age, but winning the Masters and getting to number one in the world were both things that I dreamt of doing when I was a kid. Sure, it’s all happened a bit sooner than I maybe pictured it back six or seven years ago, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and now that I’ve achieved those things, there are plenty more records to try and break. There are plenty of guys who have been No.1 for a few weeks or months, so my goal is to try and hang onto it for a little longer than that.
And I don’t know exactly what that entails. I don’t know the feeling of trying to hold onto the No.1 spot, because now you’re the one with the target and everyone else is chasing you. It’s a cliché, but you can only play one tournament at a time. If you win each week, you’re going to stay No.1, so the goal is to try and win each tournament and hopefully I’ll keep this position for a few years. But again, it could all change next week, so I’m aware of that. And that bit of fear is enough to get me going and to keep working hard. After missing out on the third leg of a potential Grand Slam at St Andrews, what was your frame of mind? It was disappointing and frustrating to finish those last two holes off in the way I did. After the magic of what happened on 16, it was all set up to make par on 17 and give myself a chance of making a birdie on the last to give myself a chance to win, but the exact opposite happened. I wasn’t so much bothered by the thought of losing the grand slam, more that I’d let The Open slip away. I felt like I had a chance to control the outcome of a major and I didn’t manage to do that.
You didn’t seem to do a lot wrong at the PGA Championship – you just came up against a better man on the day in Jason Day. Is that how you saw it? Yeah, it was by far the best loss I think I’ve ever had! It seemed like no matter what I threw at Jason, it still wouldn’t have been good enough. And sometimes there’s not much you can do. Typically in a major you’re looking for somebody in Jason’s position to miss a couple of shots and feel some nerves, but he went about it like a seasoned veteran – it was almost like it was his fifth or sixth major. I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I was amazed that he kept pulling driver and kept hitting it in the right spots. I probably would have hit 3-wood just to keep it in play, but he just kept finding the middle of the face and I knew it was his time. You came in for a lot of praise for the way you handled your defeats at St Andrews and Whistling Straits, and the sportsmanship you showed to Zach Johnson and Jason Day. Is that just part of your make up? Obviously I was upset at the way I finished off those two tournaments, but at the same time
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SEPTEMBER 2015 [33]
these other guys that you’re fans of do. The guys before me have done such a great job. I’ve learnt a great deal from them, so hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard to follow their lead.
Dream Team: Caddy Michael Greller has been integral to Spieth’s success over the past two seasons
After winning the Masters and the US Open, and going so close in the Open and the US PGA Championship, Jordan Spieth reflects on his incredible year, his rapid rise to world No.1, and what it will take to stay there
How has your life changed in the last few months? I suppose the main difference is that I’m starting to get noticed outside of the normal parameters of my hometown. It used to be just around Dallas and Austin, but now pretty much everywhere I go in the States, people are stating to recognise me. It certainly makes it harder to go out to restaurants and things like that, so we often find ourselves looking for corner booths, side entrances and back alleys to get in and out. It’s not a negative, it’s something that’s really cool, it’s a great problem to have. I wouldn’t want it any other way, I really wouldn’t. But there are certain things you can and can’t do that I maybe could before. But also great new opportunities have opened themselves up that I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of having. So, it’s mostly all good. If I want to have a quiet dinner, I just have to have it at home. With all talk about you and Rory [McIlroy] battling for majors and the No.1 spot, is there any part of Rory’s game that you wish you had in yours? I wish I could hit it as far as he does! I’ve got a little bit longer each year, and hopefully can continue to do so, but the way he hits, when he’s driving the ball well, just like Dustin [Johnson], just like Bubba [Watson], when they’re hitting the ball straight as far as they do, they’re playing a different golf course. I certainly envy that. There’s not much I can do about it right now, except try to hit my approaches even closer, and make a few more putts. But, yeah, Rory’s an inspiring player, and I enjoy playing with him. It’s fun when you can feed off incredible golfers, but that’s kind of everyone that we play with week-to-week now.
SPIETH’S MAJOR SEASON
There are plenty of guys who have been No.1 for a few weeks or months, so my goal is to try and hang onto it for a little longer than that
you just want to be happy for a friend. Zach and Jason both happen to be buddies of mine. It’s nice when the good guys prevail, and they happen to be your friends as well. Of course, I’d like it to have been me, but you can’t win them all. At the final round of the PGA, that was my fourth or fifth round with Jason this season, so I’ve seen what he’s been through this season and how well he’s played, and I knew how close he’d come in the past and what it meant to him. There was no luck involved in his win, and I gave him a thumbs-up as way of acknowledging how special I knew that that was. You often refer to ‘we’ rather than ‘I’ whenever you discuss your game. Is that just a way of explaining the role that your caddy and the team around you has in your performances? Michael [Greller] is always with me on the course, he’s a part of each decision that we make as far as preparing for what we do. Then I’ve got a coach, a fitness trainer, a sports chiropractor, a manager,
1ST 1ST 4TH 2ND
US MASTERS -18 US OPEN -5 THE OPEN -14 US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP -17
a whole team of people. I’m the one hitting the shots and hitting the putts and getting the credit, but at the same time I believe that we’re a team; we’re competing together all for the same goal. And I try to align myself with the best at what they do in the world, because then that will free me up, and I won’t have to worry about any other parts of my life on and off the course, and it seems to be working. I’ve got a great team and no one’s been scared of the next level, and that’s why we are where we are right now. So, I believe that on and off the course it’s not just me. Has it sunk in yet how popular you have become – that you are one that youngsters are now looking up to? That’s a tough question for me to answer about myself. I guess I’ve started to recognise the position I’m in now, and the responsibility that comes with it. If you’re going to be one of the faces of your sport, then you have to carry yourself the right way on and off the course, like
How hard has it been to get yourself up for the FedEx Cup after having achieved so much? It’s been a long year, no doubt about it. I’m taking it easier in the gym, and I’m not hitting too many balls out on the range. I’m just trying to keep my energy levels up through the playoffs as much as possible. Last year I wore myself out a bit, but I’m confident I can take it a bit easier and still play my best golf, given the amount of time I’ve put in throughout the year. With two majors in the bag, and more experience in team events under your belt, what kind of role do you think you might play in the upcoming Presidents Cup? I’m not sure yet. I’ll be interested to see. The Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup were two very different experiences. They’re both huge, but we were over in Scotland and we were on away soil, and we were playing against different opponents. The Presidents Cup felt more like a PGA Tour event, because it was on a course we normally play against an international field, guys from all over the place. So I’ll interested to see what it feels like this year, because we’re going somewhere unique, and I obviously feel like I’m in a different position in the team standings than I was on Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup before. You’re clearly going to be a shoe-in for the US Olympic golf team next year. How excited are you at the prospect of becoming an Olympian? In my mind, I haven’t made the team yet. American golf has been unbelievably strong recently, so I don’t know if I’m in for sure. I think that next July is the cut-off point, so we’ll have to see where things stand then. But if I were to make that team, that would be incredible. When I was really young, I always thought of the people that took part in the opening ceremony were the greatest athletes in the world. And once I chose golf, I didn’t think I would ever get the chance to take part in the Olympics, so to be a part in the most-watched sporting event in the world would be awesome.
[34] SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
LYDIA, OH LYDIA GolfNews catches up with New Zealand-born wonderkid Lydia Ko, who, at 18, became the youngest ever women’s major champion following her six-shot victory in the Evian Championship
H
ow special does it feel to not only have won your first major, but to have done so earlier than anyone else in the history of the women’s game? Winning a major at any age is amazing, but to say that I’m the youngest winner in history, for now, is so cool. But the big thing for me is that I won’t have to be asked the question of when I’m going to win a major ever again. If I hadn’t have won here, I couldn’t have broken the record, as I would have been too old by the time the next major comes around, so it’s great that I can put my name in the history books. How good was it to play the 18th hole with a five-shot lead? Jason – my caddy – told me just to enjoy the moment. It’s rare in any tournament to come down the 18th with a five-shot lead, so to do it in a major was an even better feeling. You looked very emotional after holing the final putt? Were they tears of joy or relief? There were certainly a few tears, but I wasn’t in floods or anything. I was a little overwhelmed, and I could feel tears coming when Jason said, ‘Enjoy the moment’ coming down onto the green. But
in a way I was relieved. Relieved that the putt went in, and that it was all over. Your final round 63 was the lowest in a women’s major by the eventual winner. How does that round rate in your career? It’s probably my best round ever. To shoot eight-under par on any day is a pretty solid round, but to do so in the last round of a major feels awesome. I was the same under par for the previous 54 holes, so it felt like three days’ worth of work in one. More importantly, I didn’t make any mistakes. I made one bogey over the last 36 holes. I think that’s a bigger thing, because it meant that whenever I was in trouble I managed to get myself out of it, and when I had the opportunities, I was able to take them. So it’s definitely one of the top rounds of my life, and I’m sure it will be when my career is over. You were three shots behind to Lexi [Thompson] towards the start of the final round. When did you feel like things were turning around? I reached the turn in three under, and made a good two-putt on 10, and then I made two good birdies in a row, and I think that’s where I started to get into a good rhythm. Then Lexi made a double bogey
on the 14th, which gave me a little bit more breathing space, and then I finished with those two birdies. There were a lot of fans out on the course supporting you throughout the week. How much were you aware of that, and were you able to draw on it? Yeah, there were a lot of people out here, and a lot of people supporting us, which was amazing. There was one little boy, he could only have been 10 or 11, who came out and followed me for the last two rounds, and pretty much after every hole he would say, ‘Hey, good job, you can do it’, and gave me a high five. It kind of pumped me up, because it felt like it wasn’t only me that was out there, it was like a team thing. I gave him my ball after I made a switch to thank him for his support. So now that you’ve got that first major, where do you go from here? When things have calmed down a bit I will probably just go back to square one – do my basic practices and work my way towards the Asia Swing. I know that I’ll have to take time to appreciate what I’ve achieved, and enjoy it, but I’ve also got to prepare for what’s coming up next.
As far as longer-term goals go, I think one of my big goals is the Olympics. It’s less than a year from now. I think the first time it was announced, I was like, man, I really want to be playing in the Olympics. To play for your country on the international stage would be an amazing experience. I’ve met some Olympians, and they say that nothing comes close to matching it. Do you have the same attitude to majors as other events, or are you able to ramp it up for the majors? I guess my goal, and I think it’s the same for every player, is that we’re all trying to peak at the majors. Major courses are tough, and the scores aren’t crazy low. It shows that you need a lot of concentration, a lot of focus, and one poor shot could lead to dropping two or three shots. I’m not sure if I get more focused, but majors are definitely tournaments where you need your focus to be 100 percent.
How would you rate your season overall? You know, it’s been a pretty awesome season. I had my first two wins earlier in the year, and have had quite a few top 10s during that time. After Swinging Skirts, I didn’t really play well for a month and a half, but I started getting my feel back at Wal-Mart, which gave me a lot of confidence. It’s only my second season on tour, but it’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve been enjoying all the travel.
A DV E RT I S I N G P R O M OT I O N
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
SEPTEMBER 2015 [35]
MEET SRIXON’S NEW AD333 –
THE UK’S FAVOURITE TWO-PIECE BALL REDEFINED f the adage good things come in small packages is true, then it certainly applies to the new Srixon AD333 ball. The UK’s favourite two-piece ball was relaunched earlier this month with a technical makeover. When the Srixon AD333 was originally introduced in 2004, it had some stiff competition in the two-piece ball market, but it quickly became a favourite of the UK golfing fraternity. Within a couple of years, it was the UK’s top selling two-piece ball, and has remained as the UK Number 1* for the last nine years.
Srixon’s latest Spinskin cover, featured in the premium Z-Star range, has been deployed to improve greenside performance without compromising distance.
The new Energetic Gradient Growth Core has a harder compression factor by 1 point, increasing ball speed.
WHAT’S CHANGED, AND WHY? The seventh generation of the AD333 isn’t a total reincarnation. Srixon has simply taken advantage of three key technical improvements in the core, cover and dimple pattern. Srixon’s objective is to make the ever popular AD333 even better, thus keeping it in line with its game improvement strategy across all abilities.
Energetic Gradient Growth Core
Firstly, the ball has benefitted from technical improvements made to Srixon’s patented Energetic Gradient Growth (E.G.G.) core. These changes improve the ball speed but also reduce spin off the driver face, resulting in longer straighter drives.
The new 324 dimple pattern has equal-sized dimples that cover a larger area of the surface, producing the least amount of drag.
The AD333 continues to redefine game improvement, giving the perfect combination of distance off the tee and spin control around the green. Coupled with superior soft feel and the visual performance of both Pure White and Tour Yellow, this is our most advanced two-piece golf ball to date Srixon Sports Europe
The AD333 has taken advantage of Srixon’s 2nd generation spinskin cover that incorporates a blend of highly resilient and soft RABALON®HR+ and PANA-TETRA®. The new coating increases the frictional force at impact by 18% compared to the previous version. The result is more greenside spin, more control, and a softer feeling off the club face. Latest Spinskin Cover Technology The 2nd generation spinskin cover provides a more fluid molecular structure. The skin achieves a greater groove depth that results in additional spin RPM.
Original Ball Cover Technology The previous cover was more of a uniform and rigid structure. This resulted in a less shallow groove depth when struck.
324 Speed Dimple™ Pattern
Srixon has reduced the number of dimples to 324, giving a higher dimple uniformity and surface coverage to create a more aerodynamic design. This results in less drag, which in turn promotes a longer, truer, and more consistent ball flight in any wind condition.
There is little doubt, at the suggested retail price of £30 per dozen, the AD333 will continue to offer UK golfers with premium performance and feel at a competitive price. Visit www.srixon.co.uk to find your nearest stockist.
*Sources: SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC & GOLF DATATECH RETAIL AUDITS
[36] SEPTEMBER 2015 | EQUIPMENT NEWS
THE GEAR EFFECT WINNERS’ BAGS ON TOUR JASON DAY PGA Championship & The Barclays DRIVER: TaylorMade R15 (10.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade AeroBurner 3HL (16.5) IRONS: TaylorMade RSi TP (4-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade TP EF (47, 52, 58) PUTTER: TaylorMade Ghost Spider Itsy Bitsy BALL: TaylorMade TP X DAVIS LOVE III Wyndham Championship DRIVER: TaylorMade SLDR (9) FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Tour (13) IRONS: Mizuno Fli-Hi (2), Ping S55 (3), Titleist MB 714 (4-9) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM4 (50), Titleist Vokey 400 Series (54), Titleist Vokey 2014 (60) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron Tour Rat BALL: Bridgestone B330 LYDIA KO Evian Championship DRIVER: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 Double Black Diamond (9) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 (14), Callaway Big Bertha (18) HYBRIDS: Callaway X2 Hot Pro (20, 23, 25) IRONS: Callaway Apex Pro (6-PW) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Tour Grind (54, 60) PUTTER: Odyssey Tank Cruiser 330 BALL: Callaway Speed Regime 3 DAVID HORSEY Made in Denmark DRIVER: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 815 (9) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway XR Pro (14) HYBRID: Callaway XR Pro (18) IRONS: Callaway Apex UT (2), Callaway Apex Pro (4, 5), Callaway Apex MB (6-9) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47, 54, 58) PUTTER: Odyssey ProType PT 16 BALL: Callaway Speed Regime 3 THOMAS PIETERS Czech Masters DRIVER: Callaway Great Big Bertha (9) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway XR (3) HYBRID: Callaway XR Pro (19) IRONS: Callaway RAZR (3-9) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 3 (47, 54, 58) PUTTER: Odyssey Lucky 777 #7 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x RICKIE FOWLER Deutsche Bank Championship DRIVER: Cobra Fly-Z+ (10.5) FAIRWAY WOODS: Cobra Fly-Z+ (14), Cobra Bio Cell+ (18) IRONS: Cobra Fly-Z Pro MuscleBack (4-9) WEDGES: Cobra Tour Trusty (47, 51, 57, 62) PUTTER: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 BALL: Titleist Pro V1x
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
FootJoy takes bold approach with Autumn/Winter apparel collection
Golf God Clothing proves heaven sent Borne out of a perceived absence of genuinely fashionable golf gear for the younger, more styleconscious generation, new golf brand Golf God Clothing is proving a cut above the competition. The Reading-based company launched its first collection this summer, comprising an eye-catching range of polo shirts and tops that focus on high performance materials, meticulous design and superior craftsmanship. Golf God Clothing’s managing director is Eduardo Battifora (pictured above), a former chef from Peru, who only took up golf properly four years ago after being ‘dragged out’ for round at Hennerton Golf Course in Wargrave by his now business partner Clint Hagen. “I grew up in Peru, where people don’t really play golf until they are retired. Young people mainly play football, surf or skate,” says Eduardo. “Back in 2013, I noticed that there weren’t any golf brands in the UK that really connected with young-minded golfers. Most of my mates and I were wearing
non-golf branded polo shirts and trousers when they were out on the course. And that is when I came up with the idea of creating an alternative golfwear brand that didn’t conform to stereotypical idea of golf clothing.” He added: “I contacted legendary skateboarding artist Chris Dyer from Positive Creations and talked about a logo that identifies closely with me, my cultural background, and the people we wanted to cater for. After two years of hard work researching manufacturers, fabrics, making samples and raising capital, we finally went live with the website in June.” With polos in the Guerrilla and Clubhouse collection starting from £36, the aim is to provide quality clothing at affordable prices, with the eye-catching Golf God logo looking sure to grab the attention of style-conscious golfers of all ages. To see the current Golf God clothing range, and buy online, visit www.golfgodclothing.com, and follow the brand on Facebook @Golf God.
SkyTrak brings launch monitor technology to the masses Skycaddie has teamed up with digital technology company SportTrak to produce a new launch monitor and golf simulator. Called SkyTrak, the new device is aimed primarily at golf club professionals and custom-fitting specialists, but with a price tag of £1,695, it will also appeal to the amateur golfing community. SkyTrak combines the accuracy of a professional-grade golf launch monitor, suitable for custom fitting, with the high definition visuals of top-end golf simulator software. The system uses photometric
technology to measure ball speed, launch angle, backspin, sidespin and side angle immediately after impact. It also displays carry distance, offline distance and total distance to simulate practice and play. SkyTrak accurately projects ball flight on a 3D practice range and virtual golf courses, and also offers various game-improvement challenges and mini-games, along with shot history tables, performance by club, and other helpful data. The device comes with a basic version of the SkyTrak App, which displays a driving range and basic shot data on a laptop or tablet, although a premium upgrade, which costs £79 a year, unlocks its launch monitor capabilities and gaming potential. For more details email sales@ skycaddiegps.co.uk or call 01844 296350.
FootJoy’s new Autumn/Winter apparel collection features a host of new pieces and trusted favourites across all sections of the apparel market to get you prepared for winter golf. The outerwear collection is headlined by the DryJoys Select rain suit (jacket £295, trousers £200), the most technologically-advanced waterproof category the brand has ever created. Constructed from Japanese fabrics, it offers 25,000mm waterproof protection, but remains incredibly lightweight, while features include bonded seams, laser-cut pockets, and waterproof zippers. A key feature of both DryJoys Select and the updated DryJoys Tour XP (£200 rain jacket; £185 rain shirt; £165 rain trousers) is the addition of a StaDry Collar, which has been shaped and heightened to ensure it does not interfere with the swing, while also preventing rain from entering the garment. FJ’s tour-proven DryJoys Tour XP and HydroLite suits (£140 rain jacket; £135 rain shirt; £120 rain shirt S/S; £95 rain trousers) each feature fresh patterns and new colour options. DryJoys Tour XP’s threelayer bonded construction and the HydroLite 2.5 layer fabric each provide 20,000mm WP and allow the golfer a full range of motion. For details of the full range visit www.footJoy.co.uk.
Scott keeps faith with broomhandle Former Masters champion Adam Scott is to stick to using his broomhandle putter next year, despite the introduction of a ban on anchoring coming into force from January 1, 2016. The 35-year-old Australian has successfully trialled a slightly shorter version of the broomhandle model he used to win the green jacket in 2013, which he will use with a pendulum-style stroke where the grip is not anchored to the chest. Scott experimented with a short putter earlier this year, but it only stayed in the bag for just three events, before he reverted to the longhandled version that he used so effectively at Augusta two years ago. “I like the long one with the same action I’ve been using. I just have to shorten the putter a few inches and everything else stays the same,” he said. “The putter is so good, if there was any concern of it not being stable when it’s un-anchored it’s gone.” One thing that will change for the former world No.1 is his caddie. Scott coaxed Tiger Woods’s former bagman Steve Williams out of retirement for the final three majors of this year and hopes to have Williams on the bag again next year. “At the end of the FedExCup season I’ll try to make a plan for next year and see if it’s going to suit everyone,” Scott said. “It’s a bit up in the air at the moment.”
Galvin Green bags Ryder Cup rainwear deal Galvin Green has been chosen to supply outerwear for the European Ryder Cup teams for the next two renewals of the Ryder Cup. The Swedish brand will supply waterproofs to all of the members of Darren Clarke’s team at Hazeltine next year, as well as to the side that competes in France in 2018. Galvin Green’s Ryder Cup collection was made available for the public to buy prior to Europe’s success at Gleneagles last year and it will do the same again to mark 2018, with the collection scheduled to be released before the tournament next September. The clothing to be worn by the players is currently undergoing a rigorous testing process, which involves subjecting items to at least 50 hours of different playing conditions. Galvin Green’s head designer, Mats Lundqvist, said: “Our ambition is to create a thoroughly modern-looking, standout rain suit that has all the hallmarks of a traditional Galvin Green outfit in stretch fabric that offers great playability. It will be a little bit different in appearance to anything seen before at the Ryder Cup, while remaining a jacket and trouser combination that makes the wearer feel good out on the course and able to play well in less than perfect weather.”
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The original Rotex technology changed the face of spin, and we engineered Rotex 2.0 to take spin control to the next level. It starts with sharper Tour Zip Grooves for better channeling of debris and moisture, creating cleaner contact. Our enhanced 2-pass micro milling pattern is strategically designed to add more friction and even more spin. The final step is Laser Milled Technology to fine-tune surface roughness across the face. It all adds up to more spin and better scoring than ever before, no matter the conditions. This is Spin 2.0.
tour zip grooves
laser milling
rotex 2.0 MILLING
BUY ONE, GET ONE HALF PRICE
and get the wedges you need for every shot! clevelandgolf.com/588RTX2.0 *Source: Units sold in the UK market, on & off course channels according to Golf Datatech Europe retail audit January to December 2014. Cleveland Golf, Cleveland, CG logo and Rotex are registered trademarks of Cleveland Golf / Srixon. WHERE SCORING MATTERS and 588 are trademarks of Cleveland Golf / Srixon.
When you buy a new 588 RTX 2.0 wedge we’re offering you a second 588 RTX 2.0 wedge at 50% off the price in your Pro Shop so you can start to close the gaps in your bag! See our website for details. Promotion starts 1st June 2015 and ends 30th September 2015.
[38] SEPTEMBER 2015
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
CALLAWAY GREAT BIG BERTHA DRIVER TEST VENUE: Prince’s Golf Club, Kent FITTER: Chris Wainright, PGA Assistant Professional TEST PROTOCOL: After a lengthy warm up, each player hit six shots with their current driver, with the data recorded on a Trackman launch monitor. Each player was then custom fitted for Callaway’s new Great Big Bertha driver, trialling different lofts, face angles, weight set ups and different shafts until an optimum performance was achieved. Six shots were then hit with the selected club, with the average result recorded.
GREAT BIG BERTHA:
MORE DISTANCE. LESS EFFORT
In Callaway’s most comprehensive ever study, club golfers using the new Great Big Bertha averaged a 1.44 smash factor, a launch angle of 11.3 degrees, and 3,326rpm backspin, resulting in average distance gains of 21.4 yards. Here’s how they did it. R•MOTO TECHNOLOGY Internal ribs add strength to the perimeter of the clubface, promoting faster ball speed and more distance on high and low impacts, while Variable Face Thickness technology expands the area in the middle of the face that delivers faster ball speed. OPTIFIT TECHNOLOGY OptiFit Technology allows the loft to be adjusted to promote the proper launch angle. The result is a high launch angle and low spin rate which promotes maximum distance. ADJUSTABLE PERIMETER WEIGHTING APW allows 10.5g of weight to be shifted along the rear of the clubhead. This changes the club’s virtual centre of gravity of the club, which influences the amount of gear effect. The result is a reduction in sidespin of up to 400rpm, which delivers up to 18 yards of direction-correction, tightening dispersion and promoting more distance.
Callaway’s new Great Big Bertha driver is packed with new technologies that promise distance and accuracy gains for a wide range of golfers. To test that claim, we gave it to three members at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent to measure its performance against their old Callaway drivers
NAME: Saul Saywood AGE: 46 HANDICAP: 11 SHOT SHAPE: Straight
NAME: Rob Riddell AGE: 54 HANDICAP: 5 SHOT SHAPE: Slight fade
NAME: Peter Card AGE: 63 HANDICAP: 16 SHOT SHAPE: Fade
CURRENT DRIVER: CALLAWAY FT3 LOFT: 10° SHAFT: Aldila 55g regular flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 212/229 yards SWING SPEED: 94mph BALL SPEED: 134mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.43 LAUNCH ANGLE: 11.8° SPIN RATE: 3,577rpm
CURRENT DRIVER: CALLAWAY RAZR XTREME LOFT: 10.5° SHAFT: Project X 60g stiff flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 218/238 yards SWING SPEED: 100mph BALL SPEED: 146mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.44 LAUNCH ANGLE: 9.4° SPIN RATE: 3,332rpm
CURRENT DRIVER: CALLAWAY HYPER X LOFT: 11° SHAFT: Fujikura Blur Lite flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 161/178 yards SWING SPEED: 86mph BALL SPEED: 125mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.41 LAUNCH ANGLE: 12.3° SPIN RATE: 4,478rpm
CALLAWAY GREAT BIG BERTHA LOFT: 9.5° WEIGHT SET UP: Neutral SHAFT: Matrix Ozik 60g stiff flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 224/247 yards SWING SPEED: 97mph BALL SPEED: 140mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.44 LAUNCH ANGLE: 12.0° SPIN RATE: 2,610rpm
CALLAWAY GREAT BIG BERTHA LOFT: 10.5° WEIGHT SET UP: Neutral SHAFT: Project X 64g stiff flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 236/262 yards SWING SPEED: 102mph BALL SPEED: 150mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.45 LAUNCH ANGLE: 12.5° SPIN RATE: 2,205rpm
CALLAWAY GREAT BIG BERTHA LOFT: 10.5° WEIGHT SET UP: Draw SHAFT: Matrix Ozik White Tie 55g regular flex DISTANCE (CARRY/TOTAL) 201/227 yards SWING SPEED: 92mph BALL SPEED: 133mph SMASH FACTOR: 1.45 LAUNCH ANGLE: 12.6° SPIN RATE: 2,689rpm
DIFFERENCE DISTANCE: +18 yards SWING SPEED: +3mph BALL SPEED: +6mph SMASH FACTOR: +0.01 LAUNCH ANGLE: +0.2° SPIN RATE: -967rpm PRO’S COMMENT: Saul’s launch angle was very good, but we needed to reduce his spin rate and tighten his dispersion pattern, as he hit a few shots to the left with his current set up. By fitting a stiff matrix Ozik shaft we tightened the dispersion pattern and significantly reduced his spin rate. Combined with extra swing speed, he managed to add an average of 18 yards, which will translate to at least one fewer club on approach shots. SAUL: I instantly loved the feel and ease of hit with the Great Big Bertha, with no extra effort required to get the ball out there, and despite its large head, I was surprised that I was able to crank out some extra clubhead speed, which combined with the reduction in spin rate, meant that I managed to get out some impressive distance gains. I was also impressed with the variety of shaft options, and quickly learned how important it is to have the correctlyweighted shaft, and not just the right flex. The only problem I have now is that it’s still three months until Christmas!
DIFFERENCE TOTAL DISTANCE: +24 yards SWING SPEED: +2mph BALL SPEED: +4mph SMASH FACTOR: +0.01 LAUNCH ANGLE: +3.1° SPIN RATE: -1,127rpm PRO’S COMMENT: Rob’s trajectory with his current driver is on the low side – 9.5° – and when combined with high spin, his drives tend to stall a bit, denying him the kind of distances someone with his swing speed should be capable of. So we fitted him with a shaft that offered him more dynamic loft and less backspin, so that he was launching it at 12° and over 1,000 less revs, which added up to improved accuracy and significant yardage gains. ROB: Having hit some shots with my current driver, and then switched to the GBB, it was quickly apparent that not only was the technology far superior in the new club, with the ability to adjust lofts and face angles, but the choice of shafts, with the different kick points and launch conditions, brought about significant performance improvements. The ball seemed to really fly off the face, and that was borne out from the Trackman data, which showed more clubhead speed and more distance. Overall, the GBB driver has a nice look and balanced feel to it, and although the head is big, it’s unfussy at address and easy on eye. The adjustable perimeter sole weight is a great bit kit, and made a noticeable difference to my shot shape.
DIFFERENCE TOTAL DISTANCE: +49 yards SWING SPEED: +6mph BALL SPEED: +8mph SMASH FACTOR: +0.04 LAUNCH ANGLE: +0.3° SPIN RATE: -1,789rpm PRO’S COMMENT: The shaft in Peter’s current driver had been cut down from the tip, making it short, light and stiff, which was not helping with length or shot shape, which was a weak fade. The shaft was also too stiff for Peter’s swing speed, so I switched him into a longer, slightly heavier shaft with a regular flex. We also moved the weight on the sole of the Great Big Bertha to a full draw setting, which made a huge difference to his shot shape, resulting in a slight draw. Swing speed was up by 6mph and he gained almost 50 extra yards. PETER: I liked the overall look and feel of the Big Bertha, and the sliding weight rail made it possible to really fine tune shot shape, and with the weight set on ‘draw’ my fade has now been eradicated. The distance gains were really impressive, and will give me much shorter shots into the green, so I will certainly be tempted to update my equipment in the near future, and hopefully bring down my handicap!
BOOK YOUR GREAT BIG BERTHA DRIVER CUSTOM FITTING
To get the most out of the technology offered in the new Callaway Great Big Bertha driver it is essential to be professionally custom fitted. To find your nearest Callaway fitting centre, visit callawaygolf.com or call 0800 026 4653.
CONSISTENT I M P ROV E M E N T ...IN SPIN AND CONTROL N ext G e n e ra t i o n t ech n ol og y d e l i ve rs 18 % g re a t e r f r i c t i on a l f orce f or m o re g re e n s i d e s p i n a n d i m p roved con t rol .
. . . I N A E RO DY N A M I C S N ew c on s i s t e n t e q u a l s p a c i n g of ou r 3 24 p a t e n t e d S p e e d D i mpl es ™ m a kes a hu g e d i f f e re n c e t o f l i g h t p er f orm a n ce.
...IN SOFT FEEL AND SPEED N ew E n e rg e t i c G row t h G ra di ent ™ Co re d e l i ve rs ext ra c o m p re ss i o n ( f or i n crea s ed b a l l s p e e d ) w i t h o u t c o m p ro m i si n g Sof t Feel .
I N T RO D U C I N G T H E N E W 2 0 1 5 S R I XO N A D 333 By c ons i s t e n t l y i m p rov i n g o ur w inni ng f o r m ula , we ’ ve ke pt th e AD 333 t h e U K’s t o p - s e llin g 2 - pi ec e b a l l f o r t h e l a s t 9 co n secu tive yea rs. A nd the re f i n e m e n t s we ’ ve m a d e t o o u r la t e s t vers i on m e a n s t h e AD333 i s se t to c a r r y o n c o nsi ste ntl y im p rov in g yo u r g a m e .
CE L E B R A T IN G O V E R
9YEARS*
* Sports Marketing Surveys inc & Golf Datatech Retail Audits, June 2006 to July 2015.
[40] SEPTEMBER 2015 | PROSHOP
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
OGIO SILENCER STAND BAG RRP: £189 CONTACT: OGIO.COM Ogio’s latest range of stand bags is packed full of performance-driven technology desgined to take the strain out of carrying your kit. Among the key features in the range-topping Silencer bag are a unique club management system that locks the grip end of the club securely in place at the bottom of the bag, and a molded polymer top with separate club bays at the top, which combine to prevent the heads, shafts and grips from rattling together as you walk. Also a boon for carriers is the new shockabsorbing SHOXX X4 shoulder strap, which eliminates weight shift and equalises the load. Other stand bag models include the Ozone (£169) and the Grom (£149) both of which feature SHOXX X4 straps and zipless external ball pockets.
SRIXON AD333 BALL RRP: £26 FOR 12 CONTACT: SRIXON.CO.UK The latest incarnation of the UK’s best selling two-piece ball is aimed at players with clubhead speeds of 80mph or greater who are looking for a combination of distance and feel at a working man’s price. The seventh generation of the AD333 features the Energetic Gradient Growth Core found in all Srixon balls, whose soft-to-firm stiffness configuration allows the ball to produce high ball speed and low driver spin. A new, more equally-sized dimple design, with higher surface coverage, promotes longer distance by reducing drag, while a new SpinSkin coating on the cover generates up to 20% more spin around the green.
TRIED + TESTED
PING GMAX IRONS
RRP: £108/£96 PER CLUB (GR/ST) CONTACT: PING.COM
Ping’s G series irons have never been miserly when it comes to distance, so when the marketing blurb says that its new GMax irons are all about ‘extreme distance’ then they really must mean business. Sitting solidly at the game improvement end of the market, the GMax is like the G30 on steroids, boasting a supersized head and with a sole as wide as sections of the M25. What sets it apart from Ping’s other super game improver set, the Karsten irons, is the deep cavity, which features a circular weight pad that will have fans of the Eye 2 irons going all dewy eyed. The COR-Eye, as the weight pad is called, is slotted into the cavity and is designed to deliver 3mph faster ball speeds, which will be a boon to slower swing speed players (75-85mph) – like me – at which the club is aimed. Hitting shots on the trusty Trackman, I achieved a jump of 4mph on my swingspeed over the G30 (despite the fact that I’ve got graphite shafts fitted in them), which translated into yardage gains of between eight and 15 yards pretty much through the bag. The 4-iron didn’t go a whole
lot further than the 5, but at that point in the bag most players are moving into hybrids or fairway woods anyway. Even more impressively, for someone who doesn’t always find the centre of the clubface with metronomic regularity, the GMax performed superbly on toe and heel strikes, so much so that it was hard to tell whether I’d miss-hit one or not, as the sound and feel across the extended face was extremely consistent. That won’t please the purists who believe in punishment and eternal damnation for less than perfect shots, but it’s a win-win in my book. The ease of strike is aided by a cambered trailing edge, which allows the sole to move through the turf unhindered – ideal for ‘sweepers’ like me – while the progressive design, where the offset increases as you go up the set, will have customary faders drawing the ball with nonchalant ease. If you like ‘em chunky, as I certainly do with my KitKats, then the GMax could be the game improvement iron you’ve been looking for. A refined blade it is not, but if you need plenty of help getting the ball in the air, and staying there for a very long time, then the GMax ticks all the right boxes.
COBRA KING CB/ MB COMBO IRONS RRP: £749 CONTACT: COBRAGOLF.CO.UK Aimed squarely at single figure players, Cobra’s new cavity back and muscleback King forged irons are made with a five-step forging process than produces tighter tolerances and enhanced feel at impact. Tungsten toe weights place the centre of gravity directly in line with the centre of the clubface for improved consistency and accuracy, while milled faces and grooves further enhance spin and shot control. The combination set is comprised of cavity-back mid and long irons (3-6) and muscleback short irons (7-PW), all of which come standard with a diamonised black metal finish, KBS Tour C-Taper steel shafts and Lamkin UTX grips. Full sets of MB irons can also be custom ordered for those who want the full-on blade experience. A chrome finish will be available early next year.
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PROSHOP | SEPTEMBER 2015
PRO SHOP
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TAYLORMADE M1 DRIVER RRP: £429 CONTACT: TAYLORMADEGOLF.EU
PING BENEDICT ZIP TOP RRP: £90 CONTACT: PINGCOLLECTION.CO.UK Ping’s Sensor Warm technology means this highperformance top is great for autumnal golfing days. Wind-resistant, water-resistant and well insulated, the woven overlay on its front, body and shoulders keeps the body warm, while the knitted sleeves allow a free swing. It features a full-length zip and two pockets, and is available in deep sea blue/black and petrol in sizes S-XXXL.
The M1 driver, which goes on sale in December, marks a significant sea change in design for TaylorMade, with the clubhead made from a combination of titanium and carbon composite. With titanium stretched to its thinnest in most current drivers, the only way to further reduce weight and lower the centre of gravity is by using carbon fibre. Marketed as being ‘unmetalwoods’, the melding of the two materials makes for a multi-coloured head, with the titanium portion painted white and the carbon element retaining its natural black colour. The M1 range, which also includes fairway woods (£249) and hybrids (£199), promises more ball speed, more forgiveness and more distance, while shot-shaping capability is delivered via two sliding rails on the sole. The front rail houses a 15g weight that can be moved laterally from a draw to a fade position and all points in between, while the secondary rail features a 10g weight that can be shifted from front to back to adjust spin rates (by up to 300rpm) and launch angle (by up to 0.8°). An adjustable hosel has 12 positions to offer four degrees of loft adjustment. The M1 comes in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees, while a smaller headed M1 430 is offered in 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5. They both come with a choice of three stock shafts – Fujikura Pro 60, Kuro Kage Silver TiNi 60, or Aldila Rogue 70 110 MSI – as well as an additional 25 premium custom shaft options at no extra charge.
COBRA KING LTD DRIVER RRP: £349 CONTACT: COBRAGOLF.CO.UK
MICROSOFT BAND RRP: £169 CONTACT: MICROSOFTSTORE.COM Microsoft has enhanced its popular fitness wristband with a new GPS golf function. The device comes loaded with GPS yardages to the front, middle and back of the green, a digital scorecar, and biometrics such as calories burned, steps taken, heart rate and duration of the round. A summary of the player’s round can then be found on the Microsoft Health phone application or the Microsoft Health web dashboard. Microsoft has also partnered with TaylorMade, which has recently launch MyRoundPro, a stand-alone analytics platform that can be used in conjunction with the band. MyRoundPro analyses golfing statistics in further detail, including data such as strokes gained, proximity to the hole, fairways hit, and greens in regulation.
Taking design inspiration from companies that operate in the space technology sector, the Cobra King LTD driver breaks new ground in several eye-catching ways. The first is a translucent portal on the sole, which resembles the window of a space capsule, and lets players actually see inside the head of the club. By removing the port, you can visually access all the technology that would normally be hidden away, such as the inside of the 811 Titanium E9 Face, Low CG Hosel, and Textreme Carbon Fibre Crown. The SpacePort consists of a 16g aluminium weight, which is locked in place by the use of Spiralock thread technology. Before it’s locked, however, players can choose to alter the swingweight with a choice of tungsten weights, the heaviest of which weighs 12g. Other key features include a crown made from TeXtreme carbon composite, a material frequently used in space technology that is 20% lighter than standard carbon fibre, as well as a thin titanium face with next generation E9 zoning that removes 10g from the face structure. All of these weight-saving technologies combine to give the LTD the lowest centre of gravity of any driver currently on the market, which will help launch the ball into the stratosphere and beyond. Lofts options are 9, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 and 12 degrees, while the stock shaft is Aldila’s Rogue Black 60g.
BIG MAX Z360 RRP: £199.99 CONTACT: BIGMAXGOLF.COM The Big Max Z360 takes push trolley manoeuvrability to the next level with a front wheel that rotates through 360 degrees. This means you no longer have to lift the front wheel off the ground in order to make a rapid change of direction, although the wheel can be locked in place if you like. With dimensions of just 49cm x 38cm x 55cm, the Z360 is ultra compact, and folds down to easily fit in most car boots, along with a full golf bag. Other features include a handbrake, adjustable handle, and a organiser panel. It is available in black, white, black/red and black/yellow to match Big Max’s range of Aqua bags.
[42] SEPTEMBER 2015 | SHOWCASE
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BLADES OF GLORY
Check out the latest score-lowering irons
PING I IRONS RRP: £124/£112 per club (gr/st) CONTACT: ping.com Made from 431 stainless steel, which offers a high strength-to-weight ratio and softer feel, the i delivers workability and trajectory control in a set that features progressively larger heads and a lower, deeper centre of gravity as you move from the short irons to the long irons. A custom tuning port placed deep in the cavity allows for expanded perimeter weighting, which will ensure that players will benefit from plenty of forgiveness from occasional miss-hits, without losing the precision and distance control for which the series is known. With a thin top rail, minimal offset, and a soft feel off the face, the i iron will appeal to a wide section of mid-double digits and high single-figure handicappers. It is available in 3-9 iron, PW, UW with Ping CFS Distance steel shafts or Ping CFS Graphite shafts, as well as a variety of after-market shafts at no extra cost.
CALLAWAY XR IRONS RRP: £549/£699 (st/gr) CONTACT: callawaygolf.com Featuring a ground-breaking two-piece construction, the cavity-back XR irons bring together the 360 Cup Face technology more traditionally found in Callaway’s fairway woods and hybrids, and combine it with an internal standing wave that precisely positions the centre of gravity for improved playability and more accuracy. The face cup wraps the face over the crown and the sole, and acts like a trampoline on shots that are hit low on the face – a popular area for miss-hits – to increase ball speeds. Vibration dampening technology in the head softens the feel off the face, and while the topline is not as wide as you’ll find on most distanceorientated irons, there is still some workability built into the design.
SRIXON Z 355 MIZUNO MP-25 RRP: £115 per club CONTACT: golf.mizunoeurope.com Following the success of the JPX 850 Forged irons, Mizuno is bringing the proven ball speed advantages of boronfuelled technology to its MP line-up for the first time with the MP-25, a compact forged iron boasting a tour-inspired design, that will appeal to low and mid-handicap amateurs. Rather than seeking to cram distance technology into the smaller head that better players prefer, the MP-25 starts from a pre-determined tour-dictated profile, with engineers then adding in ball speed via the Boron forged technology. The heads are grain flow forged from boron steel, with the injection of boron allowing a micro-slot pocket cavity to be engineered into the longer irons (3-6) for greater ball speeds, while still delivering the feel and touch that good players demand.
COBRA KING FORGED TEC IRONS RRP: £699 CONTACT: cobragolf.co.uk Aimed at players looking for a combination of traditional looks and forged feel with the addition of enhanced distance and forgiveness, the new King Forged Tec irons. The feel of the multi-material irons comes from the combination of a forged carbon steel body and thin, forged stainless steel clubface along with a TPU and carbon fiber cavity insert that dampen vibration at impact. Tungsten weights in the heel and toe areas of the clubhead lower CG and increase MOI for added forgiveness and stability at impact while the thin, flexible clubface increases ballspeed and launch angle for longer overall carry distance. Stock shafts include KBS C-Taper light 110g steel and UST Recoil 95 graphite.
NIKE VAPOR SPEED RRP: £699 CONTACT: nikegolfeurope.com Nike’s Vapor irons contain a design feature called Modern Muscle, which is a modification of a standard muscle-back head that moves the iron’s centre of gravity to the centre of the clubface, resulting in more efficient ball striking. The long irons (2i-7i) are built with a hollow, metalwoodinspired construction that features FlyBeam technology, while the 8-iron through to sand wedge incorporates a modified version of the RZN material found in the core of Nike’s RZN golf balls in the cavity, which delivers Tour-inspired feel and sound with added stability. Moderate sole widths with a bevelled leading edge make it easier to hit through the turf, while precision-machined X3X grooves deliver spin control and shot-toshot consistency.
TAYLORMADE RSI 1 RRP: £699 CONTACT: taylormadegolf.eu Borne out of data gathered from thousands of club golfers that revealed that over 75% shots hit with an iron miss the centre of the clubface, the RSi irons feature two face slots that are designed to improve consistency and distance on those all-too regular off-centre hits. Found in the 3-8 irons, the face slots are positioned vertically at the toe and heel, just outside the grooves. 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. The RSi 1 features a deep undercut cavity, and is ideal for higher handicappers who struggle to make consistent contact.
RRP: £549/£499 (gr/st) CONTACT: srixon.co.uk Sitting alongside the Z 545, Z 745, and Z 945 irons that were launched last year, the Z 355s are designed to promote maximum distance while maintaining forgiveness. Action Mass Technology sees more weight shifted into the head to increase kinetic force in the downswing, while the balance point of the shaft has been raised. Featuring a mid-width topline, it boasts a cavityback profile that encourages a mid-high trajectory. Cast from high-strength stainless steel, the face increases COR for higher ball speeds in the mid-tolong irons, while a high MOI design aids forgiveness and creates a more stable ball flight. Srixon’s Tour V.T. Sole, which features increased bounce on the leading edge and decreased bounce on the trailing edge, tightens shot dispersion and increases shot consistency by reducing drag through the turf.
ADAMS GOLF BLUE RRP: £399-£599 CONTACT: adamsgolf.com Each club in the Adams Blue range has been designed to help get the ball in the air more easily and more consistently. This is achieved with the brand’s Easy Launch System, which combines three key technologies to make it easier for high handicappers to hit pleasing iron shots. The first feature is a cut channel on the sole, which allows the face to flex at impact for faster ball speeds. The second is a low and back centre of gravity in the clubhead, which encourages higher launch, more spin, and more airtime on all shots. And the third element is the SlimTech shaft, which offers a narrower tip diameter – 0.35mm – to promote lower kick points and higher launch. Blue irons are sold as either a combination set, including two hybrids (3,4) and six irons (5-PW), or as iron-only sets (5-PW).
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
E
ver since Karsten Solheim fashioned the first Ping putter in his garage in California back in the 1950s, the company he founded has constantly sought to break down barriers, rail against the norm, and challenged the status quo. An obsession with advancing technology, and applying scientific principles to the game of golf, has seen Ping create some of the most ground-breaking innovations the sport has ever known, from the Anser putter to Ping Eye2 irons, and the ‘L’ on the lob wedge to the all-conquering G Series of woods and irons that dominate the market place today. So it should perhaps come as no surprise that when Ping finally decided to bring its apparel business back under its own control last year – it had previously licensed out the brand – it came up with a collection that put technology and performance-enhancing properties at the forefront. “At Ping, we never stop thinking about golf,” says Andy Solheim, vice president of brand development, grandson of Karsten, and son of Ping chairman and chief executive, John Solheim. “That allows us to concentrate solely on engineering our products for golfers and only golfers.” Ping’s 2015 Autumn/Winter apparel range adheres to that aim, and is aesthetically pure, performance driven, and tailored for the modern game. “We’ve engineered each garment to meet the challenges of our game head on,” says Solheim. “The resulting performance, combined
SEPTEMBER 2015 [43]
with a refined visual appearance and cut, has produced a very exciting line.” Worn on the professional tours worldwide by stars such as Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, improving performance and enhancing comfort are the guiding principles behind the new collection, whether it be through stretch fabrics that hug the contours of the body, while allowing complete freedom of movement, or crease-free, moisture-managing materials that ensure wearers are able to keep cool under the white heat of competition. As with last season’s Autumn/ Winter collection, the 2015 range features Ping’s Sensor platform of performance fabric technologies, designed for serious golfers keen on combining protection against the elements with clean and refined style on and off the course. Comprising Sensor Cool, Sensor Warm, and Sensor Dry, the performance fabric technologies maximise playability, whatever the conditions – from base layer to outerwear, the on-course performance needs of the serious golfer are addressed. Standout designs in the Autumn/Winter 2015 line incorporating Sensor Dry technology are the Tour Eye 2 waterproof suit and the Zero Gravity jacket (see below), both of which guaranteed to be waterproof for three years. Within the Sensor Dry category, Ping has partnered with Pertex, a brand with a proven track record in fabric technology in the outdoor clothing industry, that will help Ping continue to push the boundaries of performance further still.
PING KEEPS YOU SWINGING IN THE RAIN
PING TOUR EYE RAINSUIT
Ping’s new Autumn/Winter Collection features a range of groundbreaking technoligies, including the new Pertex Shield for ultimate waterproofing protection.
Ping’s new Autumn/Winter Apparel Collection combines hi-tech materials with sharp, tailored designs to create products that look great and perform even better
At the heart of the Autumn/Winter collection, and incorporating Sensor Dry Technology with Pertex Shield+, is the new Tour Eye lightweight waterproof jacket. This offers the ultimate combination of guaranteed waterproof protection, exceptional breathability, and stretch properties for complete freedom of movement within the swing. Developed with Ping staff player Louis Oosthuizen, who was involved throughout the design process, the Tour Eye rainsuit has excelled through testing at the highest level in all playing conditions. Constructed from lightweight Pertex Shield+, the Tour Eye jacket combines a three-layer, tightlywoven stretch fabric to the front, and a back body with a Pertex polyurethane laminate. This produces a highly waterproof and breathable fabric that is extremely durable and resists abrasion. A Pertex Shield+ three layer waterproof knitted fabric at the sleeves offers guaranteed waterproof protection and exceptional stretch performance, while further protection from the elements is provided with full seam seals throughout. Other standout features include a vent detail
to the chest for additional breathability, and adjustable cuffs. The Tour Eye jacket (£200) is available in both full and half-zip models in a choice of black or ash marl, with matching black waterproof trousers (£150).
PING ZERO GRAVITY JACKET
Another key piece in the Sensor Dry range is the ultra-lightweight Zero Gravity waterproof jacket. Constructed from lightweight Pertex Shield+ 2.5 layer fabric, and weighing just 258g, it is guaranteed to be waterproof for three years and is ideal for playing in showery conditions. It can also be folded up into the tightest of pockets, ensuring your golf bag remains light. The jacket (£150) is available in Petrol or Deep Sea Blue, while a sleeveless vest option comes in black (£120). Ping’s 2015 Autumn/ Winter Collection is available to buy in store and online at pingcollection.co.uk
[44] SEPTEMBER 2015 | BREAKS
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More golf for less at the Manor House FREE GOLF ON TAP WITH The Manor House and Ashbury Hotels are set in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, and form one of the largest golf complexes in the UK. There is an unrivalled Choice of seven 18-hole course options all on one site, with courses ranging from the Kigbeare at 6,528 yards, through to the Oakwood at 5,502 yards, plus an 18-hole par-3 layout. With 27 holes of golf, per night of stay, included free of charge, all visitors are guaranteed great value. All the golf courses have been beautifully designed, using the natural features of the landscape, with mature trees, hedgerows and ponds integrated into the layout. All are maintained in peak condition, allowing for spectacular golf all year round. Other facilities available to guests free of charge include 13 tennis courts; 12 badminton courts; 13 bowls rinks; 28
snooker tables; 10 lanes of ten pin; three swimming pools; five target ranges featuring archery; air rifles, air pistols and laser shooting, team sports, dance and exercise classes and much more. Two craft centres offer 17 tutored crafts, including pottery, glass engraving, hot press printing and woodwork. All tutoring is free, with guest only paying for minimal material costs. Guests are also able to make use of the resort’s state-of-theart hydro spas. With saunas, steam rooms, hydro pools and relaxation loungers, it’s the perfect place to unwind after a busy day of activities. There is also a choice of over 20 health and beauty treatments including hot stones massage, facials and manicures. All golf breaks are full board, and there are generous savings on offer for larger groups. For bookings, call 0800 389 9892 or visit www.ashburygolfhotel.com.
Stay and play at a Surrey gem
QHOTELS’ WINTER BREAKS
QHotels, the UK’s largest golf resort operator, is serving up a treat for golfers this autumn and winter, with a range of attractive drinks promotions and group incentives available on stay-and-play packages for the remainder of 2015. Players across England and Scotland can take advantage of savings of up to 20 percent on drinks and free golf places when they take a one, two or three-night golfing break at any of QHotels’ 11 golf resorts between now and December 31. The drinks discount is available for groups of any size, while QHotels is also giving guests the chance to stay and play for free for the rest of the year, with one golfer in every 12 going free at Hellidon Lakes Golf and Spa Hotel, Telford Hotel & Golf Resort and The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort, and one player in 16 receiving a complimentary stay at all other venues. The likes of Mottram Hall, Belton Woods, Forest Pines and Slaley Hall are all included in the promotion, with prices starting from £75 per person for one night’s dinner, bed and breakfast, including two rounds. Two-night, three-round packages including dinner, bed and breakfast are available from £165. QHotels has also announced a price freeze on selected 2016 stay-and-play packages booked before the end of November. For bookings, call 0845 2411 320 or visit www.qhotels.co.uk.
The Lodge at Kingswood Golf Club is proving a real hit with golfers visiting the popular Tadworth-based club. The attractive facility offers 18 stylish guest rooms, which are ideal for visiting groups and societies, as well as golfers travelling to take part in the numerous events that the club stages on a regular basis. Featuring en-suite facilities, and a chic and contemporary design, the luxury lodge offers boutique hotel accommodation located in the peaceful surroundings of the Surrey countryside. The twin and double rooms feature everything you’d expect to find in a top-class hotel, including Sky TV, Wi-Fi, mini bar and espresso machines, as well as 24-hour room service. After a restful night’s sleep and a full English
breakfast in the clubhouse, guests can head to the first tee of the championship golf course. Built in 1927, and designed by legendary architect James Braid, Kingswood has recently completed a major renovation programme that has seen the course updated to maintain its status as one of the finest in the region. The result is a 6,916-yard layout that is now punctuated with exciting risk-and-reward tee shots and daunting approaches, making the course both memorable and challenging. Stay and play packages are available from £145pp, including two rounds of golf, B&B, based on two people sharing a twin or double room. For enquiries, visit kingswood-golf. co.uk or call 01737 832188.
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There are savings to be had on early bookings to La Manga
Golfbreaks rolls out ‘early birdie’ savings Golfbreaks.com has once again launched its popular ‘Early Birdie’ promotion that gives early bookers cash discounts, loyalty Breakpoints worth up to £600, and even new Callaway equipment. The Early Birdie promotion rewards groups of four or more who book their 2016 golf trip before September 30. In addition to Callaway Big Bertha drivers, and Breakpoints that can be used on future bookings, the promotion also gives golfers extras such as room upgrades, airport transfers, free buggies, range tokens and exclusive drinks offers. Booking early enables customers to secure their preferred tee-times and the very best rates, as well as access to existing Golfbreaks.com discounts, including free places for group organisers on certain bookings. Keith Mitchell, Marketing Director of Golfbreaks.com, said: “We know that many golfers will already be planning their group trip for next year, so we’re delighted to once again recognise and reward our loyal customers with great offers and a range of high-value extra incentives. And with our ‘Best Price Promise’, golfers can be sure they will always receive the lowest prices.” With both old favourites and new destinations on offer there is more choice than ever for 2016, including seven nights’ self-catering at Kiawah Island, including four rounds and free buggies, from £555pp, to three nights and two rounds at La Manga Resort in Spain for just £159pp. For more details call 0800 279 7988 or visit www. golfbreaks.com/early-birdie.
TheManor House
& Ashbury Hotels
- The Only Sport, Craft & Spa Hotels in the UK
Autumn to Spring Specials 08/10/15 - 27/04/16
Ramside unveils new luxury golf and spa breaks Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club, County Durham’s only 36-hole golf resort, has launched a range of new golf and spa break packages following the opening of an £11m luxury spa facility. Guests at the four-star resort can now combine golf on two championship courses, the Prince Bishops and the Cathedral, with relaxation in the spa and restorative treatments created exclusively for golfers. The Cathedral Course opened in September 2014, and winds it way across a broad hilltop plateau and down through a picturesque wooded valley. Facilities at the spa include a 25-metre swimming pool; gym and exercise studios; outdoor vitality pool; hydrotherapy and infinity pools; herbal sauna and Himalayan salt steam room; a sunken amphitheatre sauna; sleep sanctuary and thermal suite with soundwave therapy beds. The spa also has 14 treatment rooms offering a range of treatments using ESPA products. Jill Russell, spa director at Ramside, said: “Ramside Hall is excited to welcome golfers who like to combine playing great courses with wellness, rest and relaxation. Our new golf and spa breaks offer a perfect opportunity for couples and groups of friends who want to escape and unwind, either on the golf course, in a hydrotherapy pool or in the care of an expert beauty and wellness therapist.” Visitors to the resort can now choose from a golf and spa overnight break, a one day golf and spa experience, or a wellness treatment called Golfer’s Tonic, designed to relieve the physical stresses of playing golf. Prices start from £325pp for a one-night stay, including dinner, breakfast, a round of golf or spa day. For more information visit www.ramsidehallhotel.co.uk. Ramside’s Cathedral Course
FREE GOLF at
“I’ve never played such fantastic courses”
The UK’s Largest Golf Resort
Stephen W - Trip Advisor
Set in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park, Devon. The Ashbury Hotel is the ideal venue for your golf break. At least 27 holes of FREE golf with each night of stay! Pines 17th 442 yards, Par 4
Oakwood 16th 172 yards, Par 3
Beeches 5th 419 yards, Par 4
Kigbeare 15th 415 yards, Par 4
• FREE Unlimited Golf • ½ Price Buggies • 10% OFF Health & Beauty
November Bargain Breaks: Midweek Breaks from £45pppn Full Board!
PLUS unique Craft Centre featuring 17 tutored crafts, including Pottery, Woodwork, Glass Engraving & Hot Press Printing
0800 389 9892
Par 72 Par 72 Par 69 Par 68 Par 69 Par 71 Par 54
6528 6400 5803 5502 5775 6111 1939
ashburygolfhotel.com
• All prices per person • All rooms en-suite • Full board • Party discounts •
a! EE Sp FRro yd
Sports Racket Sports Leisure Ranges Family Bowls Swimming Funhouse Tennis Archery Table Tennis Badminton Spa & Sauna Gamezone Air Pistols 5-A-Side Snooker Waterslides Air Rifles Squash Basketball Short Tennis Ten-Pin Lasers Play Area
Kigbeare Pines Beeches Oakwood Ashbury 9 + Pines Front 9 Ashbury 9 + Pines Back 9 Willows
H
Additional Facilities FREE to residents of our hotels
[46] SEPTEMBER 2015
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SarahStirk
WHILE CENTRAL PARK IS BIG ENOUGH TO HOUSE SEVERAL 18-HOLE LAYOUTS, SARAH STIRK SAYS THAT YOU NEED TO TRAVEL SLIGHTLY BEYOND FIFTH AVENUE IN ORDER TO FIND AFFORDABLE GOLF COURSES TO PLAY IN NEW YORK
TAKING A SWING AT THE BIG APPLE O
n a recent trip to the States to cover the Barclays, I stayed an extra few days to take in my favourite city in the world – New York. A night at the tennis at Flushing Meadows, and a few hours spent shopping on Fifth Avenue in between gastronomic delights – there are so many ways to spend your time in the Big Apple! But let’s not forget golf; there is an abundance of great courses near the city, and many more famous ones in close proximity. Some of the best layouts are located on the fabulous stretch of land known as Long Island, with gorgeous coastal views. The likes of Shinnecock Hills, Sebonack and National Golf Links are on many bucket lists, but they are also super exclusive, so getting a tee time is a challenge. So here is my idea of the best public courses in the New York area that are well worth a visit should you find yourself at a loose end in the city that never sleeps. Bethpage Black, Farmingdale As the host of two US Opens (2002 and 2009), Bethpage Black is one of the most well known public golf courses in the world. Golfers are willing to camp out overnight in the car park to get a tee time, and it’s not hard to see why. The sign at the gate says it all, ‘The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we The Ballyowen Course at Crystal Springs Resort
recommend only for highly skilled golfers.’ Needless to say, the Black is an experience like no other, with a succession of mind-boggling long holes (it measures 7,366 yards from the back tees and involves eight miles of walking), knee-length rough, and huge raised greens protected on all sides by vast, dazzling white sand-filled bunkers. Although rounds can take six hours at busy weekends, it’s time well spent immersing yourself in the Bethpage experience. Fees: $130/$150 nysparks.com Bethpage Red Course For those who head to Bethpage looking to do battle with the Black Course but can’t get a tee time, there’s good news, the Red Course is much better value and just as entertaining. It’s certainly doesn’t lack for challenges, but the obstacles are more beatable than those found on the Black. The conditions are pristine, and the 7,104-yard layout is fun, memorable and imaginative. With doglegs dragging you right and left, you’ll need a fade and a draw in your bag – and you’ll need your driving boots on, especially at the first, a brutal 492-yard uphill par four. Architect A.W. Tillinghurst doesn’t let up over the next seven holes either, before delivering his knockout punch on the ninth, a par four measuring 466 yards and ranked the toughest on the course. Fees: $86/$96, nysparks.com
The 18th at Bethpage Black
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx ‘Vannie’ claims to be America’s oldest public golf course, having opened in 1895. It may be old, but it’s not outdated. Stephen Kay enhanced Tom Bendelow’s original design in 2001. Van Cortlandt features two intimidating par fives, measuring 625 and 605 yards respectively, among the longest holes in New York City. Fees: $48/$56 nycgovparks.org Dyker Beach, Brooklyn The corner of 86th Street and 7th Avenue may sound like a line out of Goodfellas, but this address is home to Dyker Beach Golf Club. Designed by Tom Bendelow in 1897, Dyker Beach’s tight fairways are its real defence. Fees: $48/$56, dykerbeachgc.com High Bridge Hills, New Jersey Don’t be fooled by the spectacular terrain and views of the Spruce Run Reservoir. High Bridge Hills is a true Mark Mungeam links layout, which requires golfers to bring their A games. There’s no shortage of elevation changes, the most prominent of which is on the par-3 8th hole, where there’s a tee-to-
green drop of nearly 100 feet over a natural Pound Ridge gorge. Fees: $59/$79 highbridgehills.com La Tourette, Staten Island Considered the gold standard of golf in the five boroughs, La Tourette’s open fairways appear as warm and inviting as a slice of New York pizza. However, the real challenge of this busy 6,692-yard layout is found on the greens, which are small and elusive. The atmospheric clubhouse is a restored historic manor house. Fees: $49/$58 latourettegc.com Ballyowen, Crystal Springs Resort, New Jersey Roughly an hour from New York City, but ask anyone who’s played here and they’ll tell you it’s a can’t miss. This Irish-style links course has received numerous accolades, including being ranked among the top 50 public courses in America by the US publication Golf World. Fees: $110/$140 crystalgolfresort.com Hudson Hills, Ossining Hudson Hills is the best public course in Westchester – although it is managed privately by Billy Casper Golf, hence the steeper
green fee. Leaving your driver in the bag might be difficult considering this par-71 layout stretches out to 7,000 yards from the tips, but with water in play on more than 70% of the holes, and several blind tee shots to contend with, accuracy over distance is required to score well. The course leaves its mark with a picturesque trio of closing holes, From the elevated tee box at 16, a short downhill par four, you get a stunning panoramic view, with the hills and forest in the background, while the finishing hole is a gorgeous, straightaway par four, featuring a tight fairway squeezed in by bunkers. To your left are beautiful mountains, while the clubhouse sits directly ahead. Fees: $85/$115 hudsonhillsgolf.com Pound Ridge Golf Club, Bedford Accuracy is at a premium here, with players needing to navigate rocks, boulders, and the occasional wetland at this stunning Pete Dye design. The famous holes are the par-5 13th, home to ‘Pete’s Rock,’ where a giant boulder rests in the middle of the fairway; and the par-3 15th, dubbed ‘Headstone’, flanked on the right by a large rock, which protrudes into the elongated, 9,000-square-foot green. Fees: $120/$165 poundridgegolf.com
TRAVEL | SEPTEMBER 2015 [47]
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
THE ZIMBABWEAN SENIOR TOUR PRO AND POPULAR GOLF COMMENTATOR, TONY JOHNSTONE, HAS HIS HEART IN AFRICA, HIS HEAD IN SUNNINGDALE, AND HIS EYES ON THE NEXT DOUBLE DECKER
Me&MyTravels My earliest holiday memory is... going to Hwange National Park in what was then Rhodesia. That’s when I fell in love with wildlife. The highlight of my year is when we play golf in Leopard Creek. I just love wildlife. My best holiday was to… Le Paradis in Mauritius. I’ve taken my family there for the last 15 years at Easter. Oh yes, we play golf. My son has me on the first tee every morning at 6.30am and then we often play a four ball in the afternoon – my daughter and I against my son and my wife. Mauritius is a great place – the people are so friendly. My favourite golf course in the British Isles is... home, which is Sunningdale. If you want somewhere that isn’t home, then it has to be St Andrews. Both places are really special. Does that make me sound like a golfaholic?
Eagles Crag
The second hole at Durban Country Club
My fantasy holiday four ball would be... my son, John Bland and my late father. My favourite holiday golf hole is... the second at Durban Country Club. It’s a par three and an absolute gem. Sunningdale
Le Paradis, Mauritius
My ideal travelling companion is... me! I really don’t like travelling with anyone else. It’s always so much easier on your own. I have my routine and like to stick to it. My greatest travel luxury is... Double Decker chocolate bars. I absolutely love them. If I’m going to be away for a week, I normally take a pack of five. And they never last the week!
Adrenaline junkie or beach bum? Adrenaline junkie. When I go on holiday to Zimbabwe, for example, I start at about five in the morning and go up and down several mountains. I take my rifle, do some shooting, and don’t get back until about seven in the evening. When on holiday I always take...my own pillow. I have done so for the last 30-odd years, ever since I stayed in a hotel in Paris and had to suffer
The best hotel I’ve stayed in is... Eagle’s Crag at the Ghamwari Game Reserve. The setting is unbelievably beautiful. My dream trip would be to… Okavango Delta in Botswana. It’s the most amazing wildlife reserve.
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