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Issue 203 | SEPTEMBER 2011

The London Golf Show moves to Earls Court

sh wtime See pages 4 & 5

Long before we custom build your irons, we’re focused on your game. It’s called custom engineering.

And it’s never been more evident than in the new PING G20® irons. They deliver the perfect blend of distance, forgiveness and feel. From the long irons through the wedges, you’ll be longer, straighter and more consistent. All you need is a custom fitting. We’ve taken care of everything else.

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BEFORE WE FIT IT TO YOUR SWING, WE ENGINEER IT FOR YOUR GAME

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Every day we are inspired by those around us to innovate, improve and perfect what we do. At London Golf Club we continually strive for perfection on behalf of our members and guests.

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London Golf Club, Stansted Lane, Ash, Nr Brands Hatch, Kent TN15 7EH

September 2011 / Issue 203

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Managing Director Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk Editor Nick Bayly editor@golfnews.co.uk Advertising Production Kath Perry ads@golfnews.co.uk

Design www.71degrees.com Photography Kevin Murray (kevinmurraygolfphotography.com) Action Images, James Cheadle Published by BlueGreen Media

Contributors Paul Mahoney, Clive Agran, Ewen Murray, Denis Pugh, Alistair Tait, Luke Donald

The London Golf Show moves to Earls Court

SH WTIME See pages 4 & 5

Follow us on: Twitter@golfnewsmag

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Golf News, The Studio, 14 Deanway, Hove, East Sussex BN3 6DG. Tel: 01273 556377. email: info@golfnews.co.uk. Website: www.golfnews.co.uk

East Sussex National & Singing Hills Winter Fourball Packages

BEFORE WE FIT IT TO YOUR SWING, WE ENGINEER IT FOR YOUR GAME Long before we custom build your irons, we’re focused on your game. It’s called custom engineering.

And it’s never been more evident than in the new PING G20 irons. They deliver the perfect blend of distance, forgiveness and feel. From the long irons through the wedges, you’ll be longer, straighter and more consistent. All you need is a custom fitting. We’ve taken care of everything else.

To find your perfect fit, visit ping.com

© Copyright Golf News 2011. 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.

OLIVER FISHER P10 | BRIAN DAVIS P18 | NICK PRICE P24 | COMPETITION P28 | EWEN MURRAY P32 | PRO SHOP P38 | TRAVEL P45

Editor’sview email: editor@golfnews.co.uk

Has Tiger lost his stripes?

My personal jury is still out when it comes to the ‘Is Tiger Woods washed up?’ debate. I’m not normally given to fence sitting, but in this instance it’s surely too early to make a rational judgment on the evidence we’ve seen since The Great One’s return to competitive action.

He kicked off at the Masters with no great expectations, then came within a few missed putts of winning a fourth green jacket, but since then it’s been pretty much all downhill, with little evidence that the swing changes that he has been working on are going to be the answer to his wayward driving. He hasn’t won a tournament for over two years, and a major since 2008. It’s a slump, whichever way you look at it.

With the changes in the rules governing wedge grooves, Tiger’s control from the rough – from where he is playing an increasing number of his shots – isn’t what it was, while his ability to hole out from 10 feet is also not the reliable tool of old.

His touch will surely return when he gets some more miles under his belt, but by choosing to play

such a limited schedule, he is not helping himself.

The game has moved on during Woods’s enforced absence, with a generation of new ‘bombers’ arriving on the scene who play with the same carefree attitude that the young Woods once displayed when he was fresh out of college.

Oh, how he wishes he could roll back time. It’s unlikely that Tiger will ever be able to dominate the game like he once did, but there’s no doubting that he still has the ability to win tournaments.

Unfortunately, it’s majors that Woods is after. Five of them, to be precise. Failure to achieve that will mean that Tiger will be consigned to the history books as the second best golfer that ever lived.

Admittedly, he is only 35, and has potentially six or seven years to bag those five wins that will take him past Nicklaus’s total, but I will be looking for some more positive evidence that he has come to terms with his new status in the world – and the world rankings – before parting with any cash at my local betting shop. I’m not writing off Tiger just yet, but my pencil is definitely being sharpened.

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September 2011 / Issue 203

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Golfers looking to try out some of the latest equipment, get expert tips from the game’s top coaches, and take part in skills challenges to win big prizes, should make a beeline for the Earls Court Exhibition Centre from November 11-13, when the 2011 London Golf Show will be taking place.

The show, which is now in its seventh outing, has moved venues for this year’s renewal, relocating several miles across London from its original home in Dockland’s Excel Centre, to what is regarded by the organisers as the more accessible exhibition centre at Earls Court in West London.

Colin Brunton, chief executive of the Golf Show Group, Colin Brunton told Golfnews : “Many of our exhibitors have been pressing for a change of location to tap into the new markets that are best served by Earls Court.

We have been excited by the operational possibilities afforded by the site, which is excellently served by the underground and rail network.”

The show has not only moved locations, but it has also been revamped to offer a more interactive and entertaining day out for

visitors, as Golf Show Group managing director Damian Benstead explained: “The re-launch of the London Golf Show involves much more than just a change of location, and the show will regenerate excitement in the event by offering many more interactive features, competitions, and by offering specialised coaching from top professionals in dedicated putting, short-game, swing, ladies’ and junior areas, with the latest technology that the golf industry can offer.”

He added: “This year’s show is designed to provide a truly interactive experience

for golfers of all ages, with informed expert advice, PGA tuition, trick shows, celebrity guests, driving ranges, custom fitting, club testing, simulators, and the latest golf gadgets.

With the show supported by some of the biggest and best household names in golf, visitors will be able to test and buy the newest equipment, including Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Cleveland, Yonex, Wilson and Mizuno via the show retail partner The Internet Golf Store. And, of course, our exhibitors will be showcasing an array of golfing equipment, venues, holidays and fashions, all under one roof.”

Longtime sponsors Monarch Airlines and Your Golf Travel are joined this year by car manufacturer Lexus, in what marks an upward trend in the backing of the show.

Benstead commented: “When the London Golf Show launched in 2005, it was hugely popular within the industry, as there was nothing else like it. Then we began the NEC Golf Show in 2007,

Barry’s ‘brave britches’ insp Inspired by his love of all things Scottish, including his somewhat brave choice of final round tartan trousers, Barry Lane produced a brilliant final hole eagle to put the seal on a successful defence of the Scottish Senior Open, sponsored by Cleveland Golf/Srixon.

After a thrilling final round battle with six-time PGA Tour winner Gary Koch at Fairmont St Andrews, Lane stood on the 18th tee one shot clear of Koch, knowing he would have to produce a special finish to put an end to the challenge of his American rival, who also works as a commentator for NBC television.

A brilliant drive was

followed by a crisp five-iron to 18 feet, and when Koch’s own eagle effort drifted by the hole, Lane rolled his putt in to give the final round the finish it truly deserved, as

he signed for a final round 66 for a winning total of 14-under par.

Lane finished two clear of Koch, whose own 67 ensured second spot ahead

September 2011 / Issue 203

Show stage

rt in November

and now we believe the new location at Earls Court will make for easier access than Excel, and that the new venue will attract even more visitors.

Also, there are a lot of golfers close to the west side of London that have not been to one of our show! As an additional incentive for visitors, everyone buying advance tickets, which are on sale now, will receive a £50 voucher from Your Golf Travel to spend on an overseas golf holiday.

TICKETS: Daily tickets for the show cost £12 per person, or £9 each for two or more people. The ticket hotline number is 0844 858 6749.

OPENING TIMES: Friday, November 11: 10am5pm; Saturday, November 12: 10am-5pm; Sunday, November 13: 10am-4pm For more information on The 2011 London Golf Show please visit www.londongolfshow.com, call 01732 836100 or email info@golfshowco.com.

/ 05

Centurion Club set to open in 2013 The Centurion Club, the eagerly-anticipated new private members’ club located near St Albans in Hertfordshire, is set to open its door in the summer of 2013.

The course, which will measure over 7,000 yards from the championship tees, has been designed by respected architect Simon Gidman and will include Southern Golf as construction consultants.

Troon Golf, whose current portfolio includes Bearwood Lakes, Prince’s, The Grove and Turnberry in the UK, has been charged with overseeing all golf course conditioning.

The original owners of the club hit financial difficulties last year, forcing the sale of the club to a new management team that includes managing director Scott Evans, who has

been involved in the set-up and running of many high-end golf clubs, including Troon Golf Club in Arizona, Loch Lomond, and Bearwood Lakes. Other members of the board include Graham Wildish and Bert Pronk, both of whom have extensive experience in a wide range of industries.

The original concept of the first owners was to create a private club along the lines of Golf at Goodwood, where play was limited to members and their guests, with members paying an annual fee from which green fees are deducted and then topped up if the quota of rounds has been used up.

Details of the proposed membership structure under the new owners have yet to be announced.

Penge bags third Sussex Boys’ title Sussex teenager Marco Penge continues to break new ground on the golf course this summer.

Last month saw the 13-year-old from Worthing win The Dyke’s club championship, scoring a one-over par total of 141 over the 36-hole competition, which was especially impressive given that the second round was played in winds in excess of 35mph.

Not surprisingly, Penge was the youngest player in the club’s 105-year history to win the club championship. Marco has played in The Dyke’s scratch team this year and is currently the club’s highest points scorer.

He took his hot form back to his own age group later in the month, winning the Sussex Under 15s title for the third consecutive year, having first won it in 2009, aged 11. His oneover par 73 total at East Brighton was good enough to secure a four-shot victory over Ham Manor’s Charlie Strickland.

Penge now plays off a one handicap, but is hoping to be scratch by the end of the season. Marco’s father, Angelo, who first put a club into his son’s hand aged six, said: “Marco’s ambition is to be a pro, of course. His immediate aim is to be scratch before his 14th birthday, just like Sergio Garcia.”

RELAX...

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pire Scottish Open reprise of current order of of merit leader Peter Fowler and Des Smyth, with the Senior Tour’s most prolific winner, Carl Mason, taking fifth place.

For 51-year-old Lane the defense of his title could not have been sweeter, as he picked up the trophy and the winner’s cheque for €42,920.

“It’s great to retain the title, and to do so by playing as well as I did,” he said. “I think I had my first three-putt of the week on the tenth hole during the final round and even that was for par. But it was nip and tuck all the way round, and even when I went three clear I stood on the 14th tee and told myself to stay aggressive and stay focused, because you

never know what is going to happen. I managed to do that, and then to hole the putt at the last was great.”

He added: “My third win in Scotland feels good. I don’t know what it is about the place, but I just love playing here. Maybe it’s the air and the golf courses. Certainly the Torrance Course suits my eye. I just love courses where you have to use your imagination to get it round.”

Speaking about his lucky tartan trousers, Lane said: “I have no idea what the tartan is, because I am not a Scotsman. I actually bought them in China a few years ago. I saw the tartan and liked it and had them made.

I have never been brave

enough to wear them until now, but I’m glad I did!”

Victory in Scotland, and a runner-up finish in the Travis Perkins Senior Masters at Woburn has moved former Downshire assistant Lane up to second place in the Order of Merit, after his prize money elevated his season’s earnings to €196,218, leaving him €34,000 adrift of leader Peter Fowler.

The ever-youthful Lane is continuing to combine his Senior Tour schedule with forays on the European Tour, with his most recent performances including 44th at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and an impressive 17th in the Irish Open at Killarney.

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September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 07

The section winners from this year’s Disabled British Open

Duncan delivers dramatic disabled double at ESN Surrey’s Duncan Hamilton-Martin recovered from an opening hole quadruple bogey eight to win the 2011 Disabled British Open at East Sussex National, with 35 holes of outstanding golf.

The 54-year-old independent financial advisor from Esher, who plays off a three-handicap, fought back to record a remarkable first round gross 74, two over par. And his title-clinching second round one-under-par 71 was enough to give him the championship by an impressive nine shots from second-placed Robert Paul, from Kent.

It is the second time Hamilton-Martin, a member at St George’s Hill in Weybridge, has won the title, following his success at Old Thorns in 2009. And his poor start did not prey too long on his mind, as he explained.

“On the first hole I hit a pretty good drive, and hit a

good second shot at the pin, but it was just a bit short and spun back into the hazard.

Then I hit it a bit long and it was impossible in the long grass. I eventually hacked it out, chipped and two-putted and it was an eight – but I hadn’t played really badly.

“After that, I thought I would just aim to break 80, and ended up two under for the rest of the first round.

Nothing fazes me on the golf course. I adopted the pros’ approach: I played it one shot at a time, not getting too excited or depressed about it. It’s all about the next shot. I also had my wife, Frances, on the bag on the final round, which was very calming, and helped me to regroup.”

Hamilton-Martin, who aims to have a crack at next year’s able-bodied English Seniors’ title, was full of praise for both the golf course and the overall event. He said: “It was

great. The course was set up superbly; the greens were quick, but not scarily quick, which made it very playable. They still put the pins in some tasty places though. On that course, a five shot-lead with three to play is not something you feel comfortable about. I dropped 10 shots there last year – it’s a fantastic course and the last four holes can really get into your head.”

He added: “The Disabled British Open is a brilliant allinclusive event. I’ve only lost a leg, below the knee; I don’t consider myself disabled – it’s only a scratch in disabled terms. But this is a brilliant all-inclusive event; everyone can play and everybody has a great time. I’ll certainly be back next year, if, as Henry Longhurst used to say, ‘I should be spared.”

The inaugural Junior Disabled British Open, also played over two days, was won by 13-year-old Frankie Jones, from Welshpool, who has cerebral palsy. The 28-handicapper recorded Stableford scores of 42 and 41 points for a two-round total of 83, one point ahead of his nearest rival, Kent’s Jack Holland, aged 12.

Clayton clinches Cleveland Invitational Hindhead Golf Club assistant professional Ben Clayton sealed his 17th professional career win with victory in the 2011 Cleveland Golf/Srixon Invitational held at the Fairmont St Andrews.

Clayton shot a 36-hole total of six under par to clinch the title by a solitary stroke and take home the £2,000 first prize, as well as a Tag Heuer watch.

The event had a pairs format, which allowed each professional to treat one club member to two competitive rounds, with the best stableford score from the pair counting on each hole.

After his victory, Clayton said: “Winning this event is a wonderful feeling. It is an event that many people want to play in and the fact that I have also won in St Andrews makes it extra special. I got off to a

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tough start and had some shaky holes along the way, but was proud about how I managed to come back with

a birdie at the 18th to win.

Hopefully I can keep this form up throughout the rest of the summer.”

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08 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

News in Brief

Ian Golding and James Carter

Lexden Wood up for sale Lexden Wood Golf Centre in Essex has been put up for sale for a guide price of £895,000 after it was placed into administration in May. The 113-acre Colchester-based facility offers an 18-hole course, a 9-hole pitch and putt course, clubhouse, 24-bay floodlit driving range and a large pro shop, which is currently let to retailer American Golf. Although the club operates on a pay-and-play basis, it also has a membership of 700. The sale is being handled by Savills.

Head wins Duke of York Ashford Golf Club’s Melvin Head’s patience finally paid off at last month’s Duke of York Trophy at St Andrews, when the six-handicapper from Kent won the prestigious title some 17 years after he first entered the competition. First played over 90 years ago, the Eden Tournament for gentleman golfers became one of the most important events in the Scottish calendar.

Golding shines at Goring Banstead Downs Golf Club’s Ian Golding admitted he was happy to be back in the Skins PGA Fourball Championship after a four-year absence. Golding teamed up with PGA assistant James Carter to tie at the top of the leaderboard in the South qualifier held at Goring & Streatley Golf Club.

The Banstead pairing shot a 10-under-par round of 61 along with Lambourne’s David Hart and Scott Marshal, who will be playing in their second successive final. They will be among the eight qualifiers at the £28,750 final, which will be held at the Forest Pines course in Lincolnshire on October 5-7.

Golding said: “We haven’t been involved in this for a few years now; Fulford in 2007 was the last time we played, so we’re happy to be back. Everything seemed to fall into place; we started well, which is important so you’re not playing catch up all the time. We both made three birdies in a row to make sure we kept it going. The only disappointment was the only five on the card at the 17th, but then we finished with a birdie to make up for it.”

Banstead Downs is also the home of European Tour professional Ross McGowan. And Golding says he offers valuable support to the club. “He’s had a bad year with injuries on Tour, but he only lives around the corner, and we see quite a lot of him. He’s a good guy to have around the place.”

Thai fighter battles Wo weather to claim Maste Woburn Golf Club played host to Europe’s best over50s golfers last month, with bumper crowds enjoying the opportunity to see legends of the game such as Ian Woosnam, Mark James, Sam Torrance, Barry Lane and Constantino Rocca competing in the Travis Perkins Senior Masters over the Buckinghamshire club’s famous Duke’s Course.

And it was crowd favourite Torrance who shared the early lead with Lane, who is enjoying a hot run of form since being the highest-placed British player at last month’s British Senior Open at Walton Heath.

Torrance, who has been suffering with a knee injury in recent weeks, put his health issues aside to lead in the clubhouse after the pair fired opening 67s.

However, last year’s Rookie of the Year award winner, Boonchu Ruangkit, was lurking ominously just one shot off the pace, and it was the 55-year-old from Thailand who kept his head

Woburn winner Boonchu Ruangkit

while all around him were losing theirs to emerge triumphant at the end of the four days’ play.

Ruangkit stunned the European Senior Tour when he burst onto the scene with four victories in his debut season last year, but hadn’t quite performed to the same level this year, with a respectable five top ten finishes but no victories.

That is, until now, as he emerged from a dramatic final three ball comprising Gordon Brand Jnr and

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Ruangkit started steadily in the rain-delayed final round in Buckinghamshire, negotiating the front nine on level par after following up a birdie on the course’s signature third hole with a bogey on the fourth.

He remained level par with nine consecutive pars until he stole an outright lead when Brand Jnr bogeyed the 13th, before they both carded a birdie at the 14th, the hole that effectively ended Lane’s title hopes in the twisting

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September 2011 / Issue 203

and turning story of the final group.

The Englishman, who was joint leader going into the final round, saw his hopes of securing back-to-back Senior Tour victories dashed by a triple bogey on the 537-yard par five. While he did birdie the 18th, it was too little too late for the man who won the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open two weeks ago.

“I am very happy to have played well. The main thing I wanted to do was stay straight, and keep safe, and I did that,” said Ruangkit after his closing 71.

Ruangkit, who claimed the 2010 John Jacobs Trophy, the 2010 Rolex Player of the Year Award, and the 2010 Rookie of the Year Award at the Senior Tour’s Awards Dinner on the eve of the tournament in Woburn Abbey, added: “It was great to get those awards and I am very thankful. While it was cold out on the course for me sometimes, it has been a fantastic week.”

Goddard gets his nose in front at Lingfield Middlesex’s Luke Goddard bagged the first win of his professional career when he won the EuroPro Tour’s Lingfield Park Championship.

Goddard clinched victory after firing scores of 68, 66 and 70, with his final round score good enough to finish two shots ahead of runner-up Jamie Howarth and claim the valuable £10,000 winner’s prize.

“It feels great to finally get rid of the monkey off of my back and win my first tournament as a professional, I would also like to thank Lingfield Park for having the course in great condition.” said Hendon-based Goddard.

Jennifer Hanratty

oburn ers title

/ 09

“This gets me a step closer to the Challenge Tour, and I’ve got a very good chance if I carry this form on.

“My putting has improved

over the last few weeks. All season I’ve been hitting it solidly, but not putting the scores together, but in the last few weeks that has changed.”

He added: “The Challenge Tour is the main step for me now and I think I would do very well there. I’ve led on the European Tour before, and it suits my game at a higher level.”

Victory at Lingfield catapulted Goddard up to third in the Order of Merit, where a top-five finish at the end of the season would see him advance to the Challenge Tour.

It would be a quick rise for Goddard, who only turned professional in October 2009 after representing Great Britain and Ireland in the 2009 Walker Cup.

Goodwood to host Southern PGA Championship Jamie Spence

The best professionals in southern England will converge on Goodwood for the crucial end-ofseason C&K Group Southern PGA Championship from October 17-19. Sponsored by healthcare cleaning specialist C&K Group, the new £15,000 tournament will be open to the top 80 players on the Order of Merit, and will be played over 54-holes on the 7,104 yard championship Downs Course. Among those who will be chasing the title will be several former European Tour stars including Jamie Spence, Michael McLean and Gary Stubbington. However, considerable attention will focus on Kent professional Richard Wallis, who has led the Order of Merit for most of the season, securing six outright victories to open up an impressive gap on his rivals.

Goodwood’s general manager Stuart Gillett is delighted with the relationship between the PGA and Goodwood and hopes this latest event will cement the course’s reputation as one of the country’s leading venues. “Last year’s exciting English PGA Championship proved how good a challenge the Downs Course has become for the best players,” he said.

Amateur golfers looking to enjoy a slice of the action have the opportunity to take part in the pro-am event that takes place on October 17, which offers the chance to form a team of three to play alongside the professionals. The pro-am includes breakfast, 18 holes, range balls and a three-course prize-giving dinner at Goodwood House.

News in Brief wright move for darren Hampshire amateur star Darren Wright has announced his decision to turn professional.

The 20 year-old from Rowlands Castle was in the squad for last month’s Walker Cup, but failed to be picked for the final 12-man team. He will kick off his professional career on the Alps Tour later this month, before taking part in the first stage of the European Tour’s Qualifying School.

dibden up for lease Dibden Golf Centre, one of Southern England’s busiest municipal venues, is available to lease following the New Forest District Council’s decision to hand over the management of the 27-hole facility to a specialist golf course operator. With annual rounds in excess of 60,000, and an annual turnover of £900,000, Dibden is one of the most profitable public golf courses in the country.

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10 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

After enduring a nightmare run of missed c finally call himself a winner, following victor charts the rollercoaster career of one of En

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When Oliver Fisher turned professional five years ago, at the almost ridiculously young age of 17, he seemed to have the golfing world at his feet.

In claiming fifth place at the 2006 European Tour Qualifying School – where he played as an amateur – he became the youngest British player to ever win a card to play on Europe’s elite tour.

Unable to buy an alcoholic drink and probably not in the possession of a razor, let alone a driving licence, Fisher was precociousness personified.

But Oliver James Fisher is used to doing things earlier than most other people.

Coached by Crowlands Heath’s club professional, Chris Jenkins, since the age of nine, Fisher had star quality stamped on him from the moment he lifted his first cut-down driver.

Representing his club (West Essex), county (Essex), and country (England) at all levels, the Chingford-born youngster rose to wider fame when winning the Faldo Series Final in three consecutive years from 20032005, bringing himself to the attention of the six-time major winner in no uncertain fashion, and in the process cementing a relationship that has carried on to this day.

Later in 2005, aged 16, Fisher became the youngest ever competitor in the Walker Cup, where he went unbeaten in his two singles matches in a narrow 12.511.5 defeat for GB&I. As soon as he walked off the course at Chicago Golf Club – and no doubt several months before that time – the battle between the equipment companies to sign him to a professional contract began.

That particular race was won by Nike, which, like Fisher, was only just establishing itself in the eyes of golfing world. Having a young and talented British player on its books was a key part of its marketing drive in Europe. Little did Fisher or Nike know, that it would be a full five years before his immense ability would turn itself into a winning combination.

Like many talented youngsters before him, Fisher’s first full season on tour in 2007 was a challenge, but one he completed, finishing a respectable 76th in the Order of Merit after making the cut in two-thirds of the 25 events in which he took part in. Jetting all over the world in search of experience took its toll, but it was all good experience for the mental bank, if not the

FISHER PRIZE one on the high street.

The following season, Fisher began to turn that promise into results, and came agonisingly close to claiming his first victory at the Open de Andalucia.

After tying the lead with Thomas Levet over 72 holes, the pair went into a sudden play-off. Fisher chose to hit what he hoped would be a conservative 3-iron off the tee on the dangerous 18th

title, while Fisher was left to rue a missed opportunity.

The winner was full of praise for his young rival, referring to him as ‘the next Nick Faldo’ and in possession of ‘an unbelievable game’.

That compliment meant much to Fisher, whose early career was influenced by Britain’s finest-ever golfer, and he was sufficiently solid in the rest of the 2008 season to finish 51st in the Order of

“There I was, working my butt off, and asking myself over and over, “Why isn’t anything happening?” hole, which featured water down the right-hand side, but the adrenalin coursing through his veins led him to flush it off the middle, and he watched in horror as the ball bounced through the fairway and into the lake. The wily Levet took advantage to claim his umpteenth career

Merit, with five further top15 finishes cementing his position on golf’s elite circuit.

Those performances made Fisher’s showing in 2009 all the more inexplicable, when he imploded in spectacular fashion with 21 missed cuts. From a position of semi-security, Fisher ended

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 11

cuts, Essex tour pro Oliver Fisher can ory in last month’s Czech Open. Nick Bayly ngland’s most highly-touted talents

FISHER’S

up losing his card. He also struggled at Tour School, slipping back onto the Challenge Tour with alarming alacrity. It was a lesson – if it needed learning – that nothing in golf is guaranteed.

With the easy transition into the professional game made by contemporaries such as Rory McIlroy and Matteo Mannesero, it’s easy to think that top amateurs can simply take the step up to the pro game in their stride, but Fisher is under no illusions about how hard it is. “There are players like Rory and Matteo who have glittering amateur careers and move straight into glittering professional careers, but you have to be realisitic,” he says. “It’s not something that happens very often. Myself, I have my share of hiccups.”

The reason for Fisher’s ‘hiccup’ was actually rather straightforward. Respected coach Pete Cowen was approached at The Open in 2009 to have a look at Fisher’s swing, and he admits he was shocked at how bad the young man’s technique had become.

“He’s a tremendous player, but unfortunately he was going down the wrong

road, and the harder he worked the worse he was getting,” explains Cowen.

“There’s nothing more soul-destroying than that, but I think it was a case of misinterpreting information, rather than getting wrong information, and he had to understand what he was trying to achieve.”

Most of the rebuilding of Fisher’s swing was done by Mike Walker, one of Cowen’s assistants, and a rise of 170 places on the world rankings over the following six months told its own story.

He bounced back in 2010 by finishing 81st in the Race to Dubai, with the highlight being a threeweek spell in the spring when he was runner-up at the Madeira Islands Open, seventh at the Volvo China Open and fourth at the Ballantines Championship, all but securing his card for 2011 before the season’s first major.

But then it all went wrong again. Fisher missed another 20 consecutive cuts from last December, until the 22-year-old showed a spark of form at the Nordea Open in early August, and then bang, like the proverbial bolt from the blue, he popped up from nowhere and won the Czech Open – making only his fourth cut of the year in the process.

Although he would have loved to have won by 10 shots in a canter, the reality was slightly more nervewracking. “I kind of tiptoed over the line,” admits Fisher, who lost a three-shot lead with three bogeys over the back nine at the Prosper Golf Resort, before rallying at the finish to hold off Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg by two shots. “I was guilty of getting ahead of myself, and thinking about winning, rather than the shots in hand. It all goes through your head. It’s massive to win out here. It’s so hard to do, so I’m just overjoyed.”

Pocketing £250,000 for his efforts, Fisher now finds himself 80th in the Race to Dubai, and challenging for a place at the Dubai World

Championship if he can bag a vital top-60 finish.

With two missed cuts since his win, Fisher is certainly not in a position to become complacent, despite the obvious joy of bagging his first win.

It’s a measure of Fisher’s popularity that, with the exception of Darren Clarke’s win at the Open, there hasn’t been a more celebrated win on the European Tour this year. His victory was greeted with a good deal of backslapping from players and caddies alike, and the Champagne that doused him on the final green was drunk in even larger quantities in the bars of Prague later that night, as the tour made its way back to the airport. Some even missed their flights home as the celebrations ran long into the night.

Fisher’s popularity has much to do with his refusal to moan about his misfortune during those dark days and the positive attitude he has shown in the face of such adversity. “You’ve got to dig down and find a few positives, whatever your situation,” he says. “However bad things were, I was always able to switch off, to go out for a meal with friends, or to go home and enjoy time with my mates.”

Although he confesses to having thought about giving it all up during his lowest ebb, golf is pretty much all he knows, so there was nothing to fall back on – there was no Plan B. “The more I thought about it, the more I realised there was nothing else I could do,” he says. “It was a terrible time.

There I was, working my butt off, and asking myself over and over, ‘Why isn’t anything happening?’” he says.

The answer was to believe in his abilities, and to trust that the spark that Nick Faldo, and so many other knowledgeable observers had seen during his early career, was still there. The good news is that it was – all he has to do now is to hold onto it. It could be the biggest challenge of them all.

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Fisher with mentor Sir Nick Faldo following his Faldo Series win

12 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Month of ‘motorway madness’ ends in success (and pain)

Residential teaching packages soon to be released, call for information Take your game to the next level at the Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club. The par 72, 18 hole course is 6511 yards and offers a state of the art academy and training facility.

Society packages include tea, coffee & bacon rolls, 18 holes of golf and a one course meal.

Longest drive and nearest the pin competitions can also be arranged. Bespoke packages can be tailored to your individual requirements.

Society Packages from £45 per person Terms and conditions apply. Rates are per person and subject to availability.

For more information please call 01342 830917 or visit LingfieldPark.co.uk

A Kent golfer has achieved his ambition to play a golf course near all 31 junctions of the M25 during the month of August and succeeded in raising over £8,000 for Cancer Research. Inspired by the recent death of Seve Ballesteros, who was his golfing hero, 59-year-old Trevor Sandford, a 12-handicapper from Maidstone, set out from Mid Kent Golf Club on August 1, and played 18 holes every day for 31 days, taking in some of the South East’s top tracks along the way, including The London Club (Jct 3), Walton Heath (Jct 8), Foxhills (Jct 11), Stoke Park (Jct 16), and The Grove (Jct 19), finishing up at Orsett on August 31.

Recording his efforts via a blog on the social networking website, The Social Golfer, Sandford clocked 210 miles on foot, played 558 holes, and took a total of 2,789 shots. The irony of all this golf was that his handicap went up from 12.4 to 13.4, although tiredness and lack of course knowledge played a big factor in his small increase!

Among the many highlights, he picked out meeting Olympic javelin champion Steve Backley at the London Club, playing in a Bond-style trilby hat at Stoke Park, catching sight of Gary

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Fluke’s return to Hill Barn is no accident!

Hill Barn Golf Club in Worthing has appointed David Fluke of South Coast Golf as its new head teaching professional.

Fluke is no stranger to Hill Barn, having played his first ever round at the Sussexbased club back in 1992, aged just 14. For that game he borrowed some clubs from a friend, with leather grips and hickory shafts, and a bag that was in such poor condition he had to carry it in his arms to stop the clubs falling out, but this was the start of his golfing dream.

Fluke went on to represent Worthing in national and county amateur golf tournaments, with notable success at both levels, before switching to coaching on a professional basis.

Man down: Trevor Sandford suffered numerous injuries during his marathon charity effort

It’s all over: On the final green at Orsett

Barlow and the X Factor film crew at The Grove, having lunch in the magnificent clubhouse at Moor Park, and taking a double-bogey seven on the last at The Shire (which was designed by Ballesteros). The lowlights included painful blisters, a strained thumb, multiple bee stings, and a crooked knee.

He also never wants to see another bacon roll in his life!

Playing through mini heatwaves, and torrential downpours, Sandford was met with welcoming arms by all the clubs that took part, many of them offering free four balls, so that supporters could join him along the way.

Speaking after completing his marathon effort, Sandford said: “We called this challenge ‘a month of madness on the M25’, and it very nearly was! It’s been a fantastic month, exhausting but exciting, draining but dramatic. The weather hasn’t been wonderful, but it’s turned out fine in the end. It’s been a dream come true, and I’d just like to thank all the clubs that kindly let us use their facilities, with many of them offering free lunches, and showed us all sorts of kindnesses, including organising collections from their members. I’m now taking a family holiday – and I won’t be taking my clubs!”

Alliss tees up Croham celebrations

Peter Alliss got Croham Hurst Golf Club’s centenary celebrations off to the best possible start, by taking time out from his commentating commitments to launch the Surrey venue’s year-long schedule of special events.

The veteran broadcaster, who has a long association with Croham Hurst, dating back to his formative years in the game, began the Croydon-based club’s centenary celebrations by unveiling a speciallycommissioned book chronicling its history.

It has been to be a year to remember for the club so far, having hosted the Surrey Amateur Championship in June, while a series of special events have taken place throughout the summer to commemorate its anniversary, including

the Straker Salver – a special centenary medal to be awarded to the player with the best four-round nett aggregate from eight medal rounds.

The club was formed in 1911, after a small group of local businessmen decided there was a need for an amenable ‘golf club for gentlemen’ in the countryside, near to Croydon, but also handy for London.

After mature reflection, this was amended to include ladies as well. A lease was negotiated with the owners, the Whitgift Foundation, and two courses, a nine-hole and a full 18, were constructed from old agricultural land

by James Braid and Fred Hawtree, who had just started his company as a golf club architect. The nine-hole course was quickly abandoned after the main

and present 18-hole course was opened in October 1913.

Over the years, Croham Hurst has been played by some of the leading professionals of their generation. Ex-Ryder Cup player Harry Weetman was the club’s professional for six years during the 1950s, while Welsh star Dai Rees first played there in 1951 and said he was ‘surprised by the hidden difficulties’.

More recently, victorious European Ryder Cup-winning captain Colin Montgomerie described it as ‘one of the nicest courses in the south east’ following a visit.

Situated in gently rolling countryside, Croham Hurst is an enchanting parkland course with densely wooded areas, and being built on chalk ensures the course drains well, offering the opportunity of all-year-round golf. From the south-facing clubhouse terrace, the course extends up the valley in a series of gently-undulating loops, with lush, springy fairways fringed by silver birch, beech and ancient oak.

Like many of Surrey’s courses, the layout rewards accurate driving, and the undulating greens provide an interesting challenge to golfers of all standards.

14 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

With two stunning 18-hole golf courses, racetracks for both horses and cars, a luxury hotel and spa, and even its own airfield, it’s no wonder that the Goodwood Estate has been described as ‘England’s playground’ The highly-rated Downs Course provides a stern test for all levels of golfer

The Best of British With just under 400,000 people flocking to the Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival each year, and thousands more packing into the tenttopped grandstands to watch Glorious Goodwood and the numerous other race meetings that take place at this stunning venue, it’s easy to miss the fact that the 12,000-acre Goodwood Estate contains not one, but two championship golf courses.

Add in a 91-bedroom hotel, a stylish private members’ club, its own organic farm supplying ingredients to its wonderful restaurants, an airfield and all manner of country sports on top, and Goodwood presents a truly compelling product for both its members, casual visitors and, of

course, the corporate market.

It is of little surprise then that the great and the good of British industry have caught onto the fact that Golf At Goodwood is a venue that offers something over and above the usual corporate golf day held at any number of other excellent courses. Moet, Marsh and Coutts all regularly hold golf-based events at Goodwood, with the Head of Sponsorship and Events at Coutts & Co, Gillian Chimes, commenting after a golf day at Goodwood that she has ‘hosts and clients beating down my door to come back next year.’

Goodwood is indeed a playground, where clients are treated to a whole host of luxury experiences, ensuring that even the most exacting of diaries will make room for a golf day at Goodwood. With this in mind,

the West Sussex estate has recently launched a number of unique golf packages offering event organisers the opportunity to treat their clients to 36 holes of golf, coupled with a choice of any number of unique sporting experiences; from a day at the races, a spin around the racetrack in a fast car, a day shooting clays in breathtaking scenery or an unforgettable flight over the Sussex Downs in a Cessna Skyhawk. Goodwood is clearly more than the sum of its parts, and although each activity has its own following, the crossovers are obvious and make for a thrilling experience whichever tickles your particular fancy.

They do things differently at Goodwood – in a good way – and nowhere is its quintessential English eccentricity displayed than in its golf offering; From the idiosyncratic Woody buggies, with their wicker Champagne baskets and chintzy bench seats, to the unique Ralph Lauren pro shop and even its unique membership concept.

The idea of making golf more affordable, while at the same time refusing to compromise on quality, is what Golf At Goodwood is all about, for casual visitors as well as loyal members. When Lord March took the decision to rip up the rule book when it came to the running of Goodwood Golf Club back in 2006, little did he know that he was creating a template for the way golf looks certain to be played in the future.

As a man not overly-enamoured with the stuffy structures associated with most clubs, Lord March did away with traditional practices by establishing a membership fee structure based on a system of credits, whereby you paid a nominal annual subscription fee and purchased a bundle of credits that are used every time you play.

The benefits of being charged

The Park Course is open for visitor rounds

a more modest sum based on the golf they did play, rather than subsidising the costs of those who played five times a week, proved an instant hit, and five years later the membership of the club that arose from the ashes now stands at nearly 2,500 – which is testament to how well a more flexible approach to membership has been received.

The minimum annual outlay for membership is just £380, which includes the annual subscription fee of £225 and 25 credits, which offer Members up to eight rounds of golf, depending on which course you play and at what time of the day/year you play. Members also receive a host of other benefits, including access

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 15 The Downs Course offers wonderful views to Chichester and the south coast

The second hole on the Downs requires accurate club selection

The stylish dining room at The Kennels

The ‘Woody’ buggies are all part of Goodwood’s unique charm

The tricky par-three 17th hole on the Downs Course

to The Kennels clubhouse and two complimentary tickets to the Festival of Speed, among others.

Mindful of the need to encompass those who like to play more often, extra credits can be purchased and the larger the bundle of credits bought, the better value offered.

Described by Ewen Murray as being ‘the finest Downland course in Britain’, The Downs Course at Goodwood celebrates its centenary in 2014.

Designed by five-time Open champion James Braid, The Downs enjoyed a £2 million renovation in 2006, including the creation of six new holes so that the historic layout provided a challenge for the modern game, while retaining the essential character of Braid’s original concept.

Recently voted 77th in Golf World’s Top 100 English courses, the 7,104yard Downs played host to the English PGA Championship in 2010, and this year hosted the southern qualifier for the Trilby Tour, an event for which Goodwood seems tailor-made – even if the panama is the regular choice of headwear for racegoers. This event will be televised on September 26th on Sky Sports 4 – so why not tune in

to see for yourself what all the fuss is about. In fact, last year’s final was won by a Goodwood member, Chris Dyson, showing that anyone who can master the Downs Course is a match for any championship venue.

The course has running fairways, undulating greens and the dramatic changes of level in the Downland valleys and hills. Stunning views can be had over the Chichester Plain, the cathedral and beyond to the Isle of Wight from many of the fairways. The challenge is in the elevation changes and the wind, and it helps to be able to flight your ball, to keep it under or to ride the wind. The quality of the turf is superb - links like, quite tight, but springy, while the bunkering is excellent too - very strategic and on a number of holes quite tight. The greens are superb and the chalky downland soil ensures the course is playable at all times of the year.

Although quite a challenging walk, a round on the Downs can always be enlivened by using one of Goodwood’s Woodies – custom-built buggies which were inspired by a design by Lord March’s grandfather.

The clubhouse facilities are

second to none, with the luxuriouslyappointed Kennels providing a home-from-home for all members of Goodwood’s golf, horseracing, motor racing and flying clubs. Housed in a magnificently-proportioned Grade I listed Victorian building, it offers the very best in hospitality and comes complete with a glass-walled Ralph Lauren pro shop and a covered allweather practice putting area.

The Park Course, which is open to the public, as well as members, offers a welcome respite from the rigours of the Downs Course. Located next to The Goodwood Hotel, the 6,650-yard course is 20-years-old and was designed by leading architect Donald Steel. The course, which is built on largely flat terrain, is impressively overlooked by towering 18th century cedars and boasts quality greens and tees, as well as benefiting from stunning views of Goodwood House.

After a round, golfers can drink and dine in style in The Goodwood Hotel’s award-winning Bar & Grill, which offers lovely views over the course, with a terrace right behind the 18th green.

The hotel itself has 91 rooms, and has recently benefitted from a stylish refurbishment with a fresh contemporary feel to the rooms, while both restaurants and bars have a new look and new menus, creating two distinct and exciting places to eat and drink.

The good news for golfers travelling from London and other parts of the South East is that Goodwood is that much easier to get to following the recent opening of the Hindhead Tunnel, which will cut journey times down to Goodwood by approximately 20 minutes to just under an hour from south west London.

For a venue so closely connected with speed, it’s the final piece of the jigsaw that makes Goodwood the complete sporting paradise.

Golf At Goodwood Experience

Package 1 Tea/Coffee and Goodwood Bacon Roll Complimentary Range Balls 18 Holes on The Park course Lunch in the Goodwood Bar & Grill £35 per person Package 2 Tea/Coffee and Kennels Bacon Roll Personalised Locker & Goodwood Shoe Bag Complimentary Range Balls and Swing Analysis 18 Holes on The Downs Course Woody Buggy 2 Course Lunch in The Kennels Dining Room Personal tour of the Goodwood Estate, including Motor Racing Circuit, Aerodrome, Racecourse, Farm Shop and Goodwood House. £85 per person Both packages are valid for up to four people, Mon - Fri subject to availability – to book please contact Stuart Gillett on 01243 755171 or at stuart.gillett@goodwood.com For details on all Golf At Goodwood activities, including membership enquiries, green fee bookings, Kennel memberships, and corporate packages, please visit www.goodwood.com/golf, email golf@goodwood.com, or call 01243 775537.

16 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Mannin funds fo

Hayling Golf Links A superb links course nr. Portsmouth

Drift hosts PowerPlay event Over 40 golfers at The Drift Golf Club in Surrey tested their course management skills to the maximum last month, when taking part in a PowerPlay Golf event at the East Horsley-based club.

The tournament, which was held in the early evening, and followed by a post-match barbeque, proved a big hit with the club members, who rose to the challenge of the ‘two flag’ format with varying levels of success. The club’s greenkeeper set up some testing pin positions over the specially-created 9-hole course for the format which requires golfers to pre-select holes, where they chose to take on ‘hard’ or ‘easy’ flags, with more points on offer for scoring well on the more difficult pin locations.

After all the jokers were played, and all the scores added up, the winner of the event was Jim Hartley with an impressive total of 31 points, 22 of which were scored on his four PowerPlay holes, including a chip in for a nett eagle on the last hole, which secured him a vital eight points.

‘Rated 63rd best in England in 2010’ by Golf Monthly

Society & green fees welcome

Golf enthusiasts from all over southern England are encouraged to take part in a unique golf tournament being held in West Sussex that aims to raise money for underprivileged children in Romania. The venture is being organised

by Mannings Heath Golf Club’s resident teaching professional, Carl Watts, and will be played over Horshambased club’s Waterfall Course on October 4.

Proceeds from the Stupini Kids’ Golf Day will be used to help educate children living in a rundown suburb of the city of Brasov, a cause which is dear to Watts’s heart, after he visited the area earlier

COUNTRY MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE (50m distant – just £560pa)

Hayling Golf Club, Links Lane, Hayling Island, Hants, PO11 OBX

Q G uot N e 4

Contact: ian.walton@haylinggolf.co.uk.

Tel: 02392 464446.

Website: www.haylinggolf.co.uk

the ridge

Left, right, left, right: The Army Golf Club is looking to expand its links with the local golfing community

golf club

Army on the march for new members

WINTER SOCIETY PACKAGEs 1st November 2011 - 31st March 2012 (minimum of 12 players on each package)

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With so many of its members on active service abroad, and unable to find the time to indulge in the favourite sport between sorties to war zones around the world, the Army Golf Club in Aldershot has decided to move its focus away from being a sporting spin-off of a military organisation to more of a conventional golf club, where members from all walks of life are made welcome.

Club captain Colonel Ron Rowley, who recently teamed up with club professional Graham Cowley to take part in a Lombard Trophy qualifier at Effingham Golf Club, said it was vital that the club became more involved with the local community if it was to continue to thrive as a club.

Rowley explained: “We’re 128 years old, but at the same time, we’ve only been a members club for four years, after buying land from the Ministry of Defence.

We still have the traditions we’ve always had, and we’re proud of our military connections, but we’re now making those standards

available to the community where we are based.”

He added: “I’m ex-military myself and we still have military members – there are two Gurkha regiments based here. But many of the military players are called away on tours of duty. We’re still squirreled away to a certain extent, in that the club isn’t that easy to find, but we hope to change that.

We looked at ways at which we, as a private members’ club, could be part of golf in Hampshire. We looked at the Lombard Challenge and decided this was an event we should be taking part in. So for the first time, The Army will be represented.”

Situated on 160 acres of undulating woodland between Farnborough and Aldershot, the 6,550-yard course is one of the longest in the area, although its flat terrain makes it a comfortable walk for players of all ages.

First known as Aldershot Divisional Golf Club, the club was founded in 1883

by Lieutenant Colonel E H Sartorious, with the first courses offering just 10 holes

in the area of the Duke of Wellington Statue.

As one would expect for a club built on militaryowned land, the course was requisitioned during World War II, with only five holes remaining open.

In 1947 a new 9-hole Course was laid out and this was extended to 18 in 1967.

The course was redesigned in the early 1970s and the clubhouse as it stands today was completed.

The course is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque in the county, with the mature trees and rhododendrons that border many of the shaped fairways providing a blaze of colour in the spring.

Bridges, each bearing the cap badge of the regiment which sponsor their upkeep, span ditches that provide attractive features or hazards on many holes. These ditches ensure, particularly in the winter months, that surplus rainfall is dispatched efficiently allowing the fairways to remain firm and playable.

The club welcomes societies, corporate days and casual green fees, although advanced booking is always required, while membership vacancies exist across all categories.

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 17

ngs pro bids to raise for Romanian charity Carl Watts during his visit to a Romanian orphanage

in the year and decided something should be done to help young children there.

The golf day aims to raise £15,000 towards the running

costs of a homework club that provides teachers and food for the youngsters, many of whom live in dilapidated apartment blocks. In addition,

Watts is hoping the day will raise another £10,000 to provide a much-needed mini-bus for the club.

The format for the day will involve 60 pairs playing fourball better-ball over 18 holes, with an entry fee of £65 per person. As an added bonus, the club and event sponsors will donate £35 from each entry fee to the fund.

The leading 20 pairs will receive prizes, and the day will conclude with a meal, followed by an auction and a raffle, whose lots including a US Open flag signed by Rory McIlroy.

For more information visit www.carlwattsgolf. co.uk/golf-day or call 07930 365866.

‘Great Golf Days’

With no temporary tees or greens Broke Hill is open for play regardless of the weather

Hazelmere hosts future female stars Some of Europe’s top young women professionals were in action at Hazelmere Golf Club in Surrey last month, when the club hosted the LETAS Ladies Open, a tournament which forms part of a series of events designed to provide competitive experience for aspiring Ladies European Tour players.

The tournament, which was the only one of its kind to be held in the UK this year, attracted a strong international field, including Italian Sophie Sandolo and Australia’s Karen Lunn, as well as over 40 players from the home nations, including Hertfordshire’s Charlie Douglass, Maidenhead’s Victoria Harris, and the Hampshire-based pair of Elizabeth Bennett and Danielle Montgomery.

The 54-hole event was

Henrietta Zuel

won by 21-year-old Henrietta Zuel (nee Brockwway) from Bath, who claimed her second title on the 2011 LET Access Series, after beating South African Ashleigh Simon with a par on the first play-off hole.

After opening up with rounds of 65 and 70, a final round 71 was enough to tie at four under par with Simon, who shot 68 on a final day of changeable

weather conditions featuring sunshine, showers and periods of heavy rain.

Zuel, who moved to the top of the LETAS order of merit following her earlier victory at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open in Southern France in March, said: “I really enjoy the LETAS events. They are really well organised and friendly. It’s really nice to keep playing and keep the flow going, and it’s really nice to be able to play at home in England. It’s more relaxed and I enjoyed the golf course and the whole week.”

The top two players on the 2011 LETAS Ranking earn automatic membership of the Ladies European Tour for the 2012 season, while players in third to tenth positions progress directly to the final stages of the LET Qualifying School.

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Buckinghamshire to host 25th Golf Foundation Pro-Am

Team places are available for the Golf Foundation Pro-Am, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year on October 10 at Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

Teams of three amateurs will be supported by a Tour professional for a Stableford competition that features a

range of prizes and oncourse challenges.

The atmosphere on the day is always very friendly as amateurs are joined by European Tour, European Senior Tour and Ladies’ European Tour players.

Attractions include a Champagne breakfast, dinner,

and a charity auction and raffle, with all money raised on the day going to the HSBC Golf Roots programme, the Golf Foundation’s national strategy to make the game more accessible to children from all backgrounds and abilities.

Sarah Tennyson, Marketing Manager of the Golf Foundation, said: “As our Pro-Am is supported by The European Tour and held at the excellent venue of Buckinghamshire Golf Club, it has become a highlight of the season for many business people, offering an opportunity to network while supporting a good cause.

To find out more about booking a team, call 01992 449830 or see www.golf-foundation.org.

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18 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Golf’s history books are littered with the names of professional golfers who have gained notoriety for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Doug Sanders and Jean Van de Velde are perhaps the two players that immediately spring to mind, while Greg Norman and indeed, Rory McIlroy, also suffered spectacular meltdowns when faced with the prospect of winning a major title.

Of course, some get the chance to erase those memories, but there are those who will be forever known for what might have been, rather than what they actually achieved.

One person who knows what that feels like is 37-year-old Brian Davis.

Admittedly, his final hurdle fall occurred in a regular PGA Tour event, and came about through no poor play on his behalf – but for someone operating just outside the top tier, the effect was every bit as costly.

The cold hard facts are that Davis lost a sudden-death play-off against Jim Furyk at last year’s Verizon Heritage Classic.

The tournament had gone to extra holes after Davis had rolled in a 20-foot putt at the 18th to tie the scores. Back to the 18th tee they went and, after a good drive, Davis pulled his approach onto the adjacent beach, where his ball found a decent lie among the barnacles. Furyk putted to six feet, while Davis played out to 20 feet. So far, so textbook.

But advantage Furyk quickly became game, set and match, when Davis called the referee over and told him that he thought his club had brushed against a stray reed on his backswing.

Davis requested a slow-motion

THE LIFE OF BRIAN Just over a year after cruelly losing the Verizon Heritage Classic in a play-off, London-born PGA Tour player Brian Davies remains sanguine about the missed opportunities caused by his unfortunate brush with the beach Words by Nick Bayly

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September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 19

replay to determine his fate. When the verdict came that he had indeed touched the loose impediment, it meant a breach of rule 13-4 and a twostroke penalty – game over.

Davis could quite easily have moved on to his putt and no-one would have been any the wiser. At stake was not only a possible first American title, but a difference in prize money of a cool half a million pounds. Never mind that it is a stupid rule when applied to his set of circumstances, it is still a rule, and Davis did what he knew he had to do.

He is adamant that most other professional golfers would have done what he did in those circumstances, whether they knew the TV cameras were on them or not. “It was one of those things,” he says, having had more than enough time to reflect on events. “I thought I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. I thought we’d check on TV, and indeed there was movement. I want to win a PGA Tour event more than just about anything, but I play by the rules, and no victory would be worthwhile if it had a cloud hanging over it.”

“It’s what makes golf the sport it is,” he continues. “We abide by a code of conduct and a level of behaviour that is almost unheard of in modern competitive sports these days, but it is what is it is. Of course, it was a terrible way to lose out on potentially my first win in the US, but hopefully I’ll have other chances.”

What followed in the hours and days after the tournament was almost as extraordinary as the manner of Davis’s defeat. Within seconds of Davis walking off the 18th green, the emails came pouring into TV networks and

radio stations across America, while even Davis’s manager, former tour player Gary Evans, was bombarded with heartfelt messages of goodwill for his client. The emails came in from all walks of life: from lawyers and teachers, to policemen and parents

“I play by the rules and no victory would be worthwhile if it had a cloud hanging over it” trying to teach their young children the concepts of right and wrong.

As well as paying a high price in financial terms, defeat also came with its own price in terms of the progress of his career. “Friends said to me, ‘That penalty cost you $400,000,’” Davis recalls. “And I said, ‘No it probably cost me more like $2 million.’ A win would’ve got me into the 2010 Masters, and my endorsement bonuses would have kicked in. A win opens so many doors. All of the sudden, I’d be in the World Golf Championship events, with guaranteed money. It cost me $400,000 on that Sunday, but how much did it really cost me?

Who knows? But winning the Verizon Heritage would certainly have been a life-changing event.”

Currently ranked 58th in the money list – he finished 43rd in 2010 – Davis secured a place in this seasons Fed Ex Cup, and is currently ranked 33rd going into the final two events.

Making the switch to playing and

living in America has clearly been a profitable move for Davis, who lives with his wife and children in one of Florida’s smartest addresses. Nine seasons on the European Tour earned him two victories (the Peugeot Open de Espana in 2000 and the ANZ Championship in 2004), but little in the way of riches.

He joined the PGA Tour in 2005, after becoming the first Englishman to win the Qualifying School finals, and has never looked back, banking some huge cheques – to the tune of over $7 million – without quite managing to get his head in front. “It’s possible to earn a very good living on the PGA Tour by finishing in the top 25 every week, but it’s never been about the money for me. I just want to win, and to show I’m the best at what I do.”

“I’m playing pretty well tee to green,” he adds, “but I just need to get something going with the putter. It’s ironic really, as my putter used to be my rescue club, but these days it’s all about how your perform on the greens.”

With the growing strength of the European Tour, and the increasing number of events in the Middle and Far East, might he think about returning to England? “No. I’m happy where I am right now, my family is settled, and we enjoy the weather and the lifestyle out here. Three of the four majors and most of the WGC events are still in the US, so if my ranking improves, I’ll still be on the doorstep.”

And there’ll be no one more ready to grab that chance, should it come, than Brian Davis.

Brian Davis has become one of the PGA Tour’s most consistent money earners since joining the tour in 2005, but he would dearly like a victory

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Late starter Rutter bags Vegas trip A Sevenoaks amateur who took up golf only three years ago has booked a trip to Las Vegas by winning the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship qualifier at Hadley Wood in Hertfordshire.

Colin Rutter teamed up with Cherry Lodge’s PGA professional Craig Sutherland to clinch victory in a close finish.

Rutter, 32, and Sutherland shot a nine-under-par round of 63 at the Barnet course and tied at the top of the leaderboard with the East Herts Golf Club pairing of Daniel Field and his amateur partner Mario Aresti.

Now the pair will play in the Grand Final of Europe’s biggest Pro-Am event, which will be held at the Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort in Nevada from December 5-6.

They will make their appearance in the 36-hole final - supported by SkyCaddie and BMW - which is being staged over the Jack Nicklausdesigned SouthShore course.

Rutter, who works in investment management and plays off a handicap of 23, admitted he is a relative newcomer to the sport. But in the end, it was his putt at the 18th that earned him and Sutherland seats on the aeroplane to Vegas.

“I’ve only been a member at Cherry Lodge for about a year and I’ve only been playing for three years. My partner’s from South Africa, and whenever I go out there it’s either go shopping with the ladies or play golf. So I chose golf. I’m an old starter, but they say you peak when you reach your 30s in this game, don’t they!”

Join Geraint Jones at Prince’s to help raise vital funds for charity

The annual Geraint Jones Golf Day in support of Martha Trust is being held at Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich on October 28, and golfers wishing to take part are being asked to submit entries as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The day will kick off with coffee and a bacon sandwich ahead of 18 holes of golf on the Shore-Dunes layout of the 27-hole facility, which recently staged final qualifying for the Open Championship. Golf will be followed by a two-course dinner and charity auction.

Holidays begin Discover the beautifully uncrowded fairways of France and northern Spain with Brittany Ferries. Choose from over 80 courses and a selection of hand-picked hotels. And with a choice of civilised sailings, you’ll arrive refreshed and ready to play the best golf of your life!

September 2011 / Issue 203

ones olf day All proceeds will go towards the work of Martha Trust, which cares for people with profound disabilities across Kent and Sussex.

Geraint Jones, the former England and current Kent County cricket star, will be leading a team and this year, for the very first time, there will be an opportunity for players to join him.

The cost of the event is £250 for a team of four (£160 for members) or £70 per individual (£40 for members). For those wishing to play alongside Mr Jones the price is £400.

There are also a number of sponsorship opportunities for local companies, including the sponsorship of auction prizes and individual holes.

For more details call Dee Murphy on 01304 610 448, email or visit www. marthatrust.org. uk/golfday.

/ 21

Volvo Tour gains CONGU status Turnberry: venue for the Volvo Final

The Volvo Amateur Golf Tour has been granted CONGU status and all competitions are now handicap qualifying.

The Tour is a series of events open to all club golfers who

have a CONGU handicap.

The events are played at top-class venues, the majority of which are rated in the Top 100, and several of which are not normally

accessible to club golfers.

The Volvo Order of Merit links the events throughout the season and approximately 60 golfers qualify for the UK Final, which this year is being played at Turnberry in October.

The Order of Merit winner, along with the leaders in Turnberry, will then go on to play in the Volvo World Golf Challenge in South Africa in January 2012.

Gilroy sets up Lindfield putting studio Putting guru Jason Gilroy has moved his putting studio from its previous base in Egham in Surrey, to a new state-of-the-art facility at Lindfield Golf Club in Haywards Heath. The relocation coincides with the Gilroy’s recent affiliation to the Sussex College of Golf, where he has been working alongside the coaching team that also includes Denis Pugh. Gilroy’s Golf has supported the college over the past two years with its putting services, and will continue to do so on a more regular basis, involving more structure and regular check-ups.

This is a step back in time for Gilroy, as it was at Lindfield (formerly known as Paxhill Park) that he took his first steps to becoming a golf professional at the age of 11, and at the age of 15 won the club’s championship. He later went on to earn his PGA status under Clive Tucker at Mannings Heath Golf Club.

Gilroy has worked with leading players in the professional game, including Michael Campbell, Simon Khan, Benn Barham (pictured inset), Robert Rock, and various other Challenge Tour and Europro Tour players. As well as coaching the students on the course, Gilroy also gives lessons to the general public, with a putting analysis programme that has proved exceptionally popular with all levels of player. His latest programme includes sessions on green reading, pace control, pre-shot routines and short game coaching. To book a visit to Gilroy’s Golf email info@gilroysgolf.com or call 01444 450637.

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22 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

NickBayly

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

Di finally gets her man!

The syncronised chipping event got off to a damp start

Although I don’t think he’s starving or in any way finding it hard to pay the mortgage – if he even has one – I can’t let this month pass without handing out a big virtual high five to Nick Dougherty, who finally managed to make the cut in a European Tour event this season.

After crashing out at the

halfway stage in his previous 21 starts, the 29-year-old from Liverpool opened the Omega European Masters in Switzerland with an eightunder par 63 to lead the field by two shots. Sadly, looking every inch the startled rabbit in the headlights, he wasn’t able to build on that impressive start, and ended up finishing 45th.

On the plus side, his first round performance was good enough to earn him an interview on Sky

Sports with his new wife, Di Stewart, who must have been getting rather fed up with him hanging around the house at weekends, even though they’ve only been married for eight months.

“I had two things in my head - the tournament and getting the monkey of not making a cut off my back,” he told his missus, who must also have been delighted that the joint account is shortly to be credited with €10,600, after an income-free period stretching back to last November’s Singapore Open.

For richer or for poorer, and all that….

So near(ly), so spa Spot The Ball Competition

Silly PR Stunts (Series 1, Episode 74): This column has previously visited the subject of strange things that professional golfers get asked to do in the name of promotion for tournament venues, but my hard hat definitely comes off to these plucky girls, who managed to force a smile while standing in front of a muddy building site in rather unflattering toweling robes.

Carly Booth, Lynn Kenny and Mhairi McKay, all hardy Scots, may well have imagined getting their feet wet when they signed up to play in the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield Links, but perhaps when out on the golf course, rather than in the clubhouse car park. All three deserve free lifetime memberships of the spa that they were promoting, which is set to open at the luxury venue near Edinburgh later this year. Seaweed wraps all round, ladies.

Half-a-dozen Titleist ProV1s to the person who comes up with the wittiest place the ball might be in this picture.

Email your thoughts, with a brief explanation, to editor@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘STB’ in the subject line.

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24 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Golf News caught up with 1994 Op as he took time out during a rare a at last month’s British Senior Open

Hoo & Sin How does it feel to be playing back in the UK again? It feels great.

It’s been a while, and the British weather doesn’t really agree with me as I get older, but it’s great to see some old friends again and be back competing.

Can you talk about your plans to play in The Open at Lytham next year?

I’m really hoping to be there at Lytham.

Don’t hold me to it, but I’m going to try. I’ve missed coming to the Open, but I got to a point where I felt that if I didn’t stand a chance of winning, then I’d rather give my place up to somebody who could. I came really close to playing at Sandwich this year, but I just didn’t think I could play four tournaments in a row, on two different continents. So I decided to skip it.

Why have you not played in it for the last six years? Family reasons, really. I used to drag my kids around the world in June, July and August.

It wasn’t much of a summer for them – I remember seven years ago my son saying to me: ‘I don’t think I want to come with you to the tournaments this summer’, and it suddenly dawned on me that staying in hotels and walking around golf courses wasn’t much of a summer holiday for them.

So I decided to take that time off to give them back my time, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I’ve missed coming to the British Open. I think I played 25 Opens, but I do still watch it, wherever I

am in the world. It’s still the world championship of golf.

Did watching Tom Watson’s finish at Turnberry in 2009 inspire you to come back? What Tom did two years ago was nothing short of miraculous.

Save for what I thought was a really bad bounce on the 18th, he would have won the Open. And to me, that would have been one of the greatest achievements in sport.

Tom is probably hitting it longer than he was when he was at the height of his powers, so experience counts for a lot more now we have the help of modern equipment.

It took you over two years to bag your first senior win. Were you getting bored of people asking you when it was going to happen?

My answer was simple: ‘When I start playing well’. My game simply wasn’t good enough to win in 2007 and 2008. It took me a lot longer than I thought to get my game back in shape, and to build up the self-belief and the confidence that I could still be competitive. I remained patient and the wins came. Of course it was a relief, but I knew it would come eventually. It was just a question of not forcing it.

Were you surprised by the depth of talent on the Champions Tour?

No. These were guys that I played with for years. Guys I respected and admired. I knew how well the likes of Hale Irwin and Jay Haas were playing, so it wasn’t a surprise at all.

When it was going badly, did you think about putting the clubs away?

No. You’re hoping when you’re playing poorly that that’s the bottom, but you never know. The thing that made it harder is that there was a lot of excitement about me joining the Champions Tour. Then I played so poorly. I knew in my heart that I had to get my game going. People were saying that once I got out there I’d be fine, but these guys can play. But you

“If I had used a belly putter when I was 25, I think I would have won a lot more tournaments than I did” never really know when you hit the bottom. For me it was 2006 and 2007.

Where was it going wrong for you?

I lost my game in an effort to hit it farther. My swing went awry, and it took a while to get it back to where I was. You adapt in this game or you die, especially as you get into your 50s.

Is winning the only thing that still motivates you on tour?

Winning is everything. When you’ve had a career like mine, or any of those guys who’ve had a reasonable level of success on tour, it’s not about finishing second, third or fourth. In fact, it’s really hard. Now, when you can’t win, you

kind of lose your focus. I used to be more professional than that. But now, second or third, that really doesn’t do it for me. Nobody’s going to care how many top-fives I’ve had on the Champions Tour. Nor will I. Having said that, if someone had told me at 34 that I’d be having as much fun playing golf as I am now, I would say, no way. I’m enjoying playing golf now as much as I ever have.

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 25

pen Champion Nick Price appearance on UK soil n

ok, Line nker Price’s playing opportunities have been curtailed by his growing course design business

I noticed you’ve switched to the belly putter. Is it de rigeur for all senior pros now? Putting has always been my Achilles’ heel, but when I do putt well, I putt really, really well. The belly putter made a big difference to my game last year. It made me putt a little bit more consistently. That’s been the difference.

I wish I had found this putter when I was 25, because I think I would have won a lot more tournaments with it!

Where do you stand on modern equipment and its effects on the game? I think everything needs to be rolled back – the driver, the ball.

Here’s a stat: From 1930 to 1996, the ball averaged a foot-per-year increase in distance. Twentytwo yards in 66 years is pretty manageable. From 1995 to 2003, it increased the same amount!

There’s your answer.

How much do you think fitness has contributed to distance improvements? Gary Player, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman were all physically fit, and they didn’t hit the ball significantly past the other guys.

Fitness does contribute, but the main factors are that the sweet spot is so big now, and the ball’s not going to fly off line. If you look at an old persimmon driver, the sweet spot was about the size of a pea. Now it’s bigger than the ball. The art of driving is swinging the club through an arc 20-plus feet and returning it to that point. That’s what made great drivers, and that’s where you would find cracks in a guy’s swing. Especially when they’re under pressure. That’s no longer the case.

You were world No.1 for most of 1994. What do you remember of that time, and how do you think it compares to the pressure being heaped on players today to reach that point? I think it kind of caught up with me a little bit in 1995. I may have bitten off more than I could chew there for a while. I remember it being a very difficult period in terms of managing my time. You just have so many people asking you to do things and be in certain places.

All I tried to do was stay focused on golf, and if it interrupted my golf and my schedule, I said no. But you have a lot of responsibilities as the No.1 player, and you also have a lot of commitments that you just can’t say no to. It was difficult for me then, but I’m sure it’s worse now, because there’s a lot more focus on the top players. Especially now that Tiger has dropped down the rankings and opened the door to a whole new generation of players. If I have one word of advice for those guys, it’s don’t let it interrupt your schedule.

Sit down at the beginning of the year and make your game plan, and try to stick to it as much as you possibly can.

Going back ever further, what do you remember about your famous battle with Seve at Lytham in 1988?

It was a very exciting time – going head to head with one of the greatest players of your generation. I was convinced I was going to win... but Seve had other ideas.

Where does Lytham rank for you among the Open courses? Sad to say, it’s not even in my top three, which are Muirfield, St Andrews and Turnberry.

I’m surprised they haven’t gone to Turnberry more often. On a beautiful day, with a gentle breeze and the sun shining, I don’t think there’s a prettier golf course to play. It’s exquisite.

How pleased are you that golf has become a truly global game?

It’s really healthy for the game, it really is. For players and fans it’s a much smaller world. You can switch on the TV day or night these days and you can watch live golf happening somewhere around the world. It’s a global game, with global stars. It has made golf almost recession-proof in a way, because even in times of recession, some countries are thriving.

Professional golfers will go and play anywhere for money, as that’s what we do, so the game can only carry on growing, especially in the Far East.

Have you had any contact with Charl Schwartzel since his Masters win?

I know his dad better than I know him.

His dad was a really fine amateur back home in George. We played quite a lot of golf together. I had met Charl over the years, but I got to know him a lot better in the beginning of this year. I took him and Louis [Oosthuizen[ quail shooting in the spring, and we played a bit of golf together and spoke about the transition from South Africa to Europe, and coming over to America – you know, the differences, what I had struggled with when I came over. Charl is very astute young man, who has a wonderful golfing brain, very analytical. None of us who know him were surprised when he won the Masters, although we were surprised that Louis beat him to it. I think that’s the greatest compliment I can pay him.

Do you have any dates in your mind for your retirement or is that not an issue? It’s always been a moveable goal post for me. Four years ago, I said I’d pack it in at 54 and go fishing, but I’m 54 now, and I’m still here. I’ve said I’ll probably play for another two or three years, but if I am still playing well then, and I still have a chance to win, then I’m going to keep playing. It’s too much fun out here.

After a slow start to his Seniors’ career, Price has won several times and is eager to play in next year’s Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes

26 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Storybehindthepic Solheim Cup: Loch Lomond, 2000

Y

ou only need to look at the smiles on the faces of Laura Dsvies and Helen Alfredsson to know how much the Solheim Cup means to women’s golf.

In the constant grind of winning prize money and counting every shot, the opportunity to play for your country (or continent) and above all, for your teammates, who are your rivals for the rest of the year, comes as welcome relief all round.

The joy etched on both these players’ faces masks a feeling of utter relief, as back in 2000, the European team almost grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory during a tense final day at rain-sodden Loch Lomond.

As the top lady golfers of Europe prepare to go into battle at Killeen Castle in Ireland for the 12th renewal of the Solheim Cup, it’s worth reminding ourselves that ‘we’ have only won these matches on three occasions since they were first instigated in 1990.

The first European victory came in just the second installment, at Dalmahoy in 1992, giving rise to the

belief that the matches could be the start of some serious competitive match play golf between these two great continents. However, Europe had to wait another eight years before it could taste victory again, suffering some heavy defeats in the three intervening matches, including a 17-11 whipping at St Pierre in 1996.

Thus Europe arrived on the decidedly damp shores of Loch

Lomond with the weight of the world, or at least North America, on its collective shoulders, and with the prospect of a fourth consecutive defeat in danger of taking the matches into the realms of uncompetitiveness.

Led by Dale Reid, and packed with a trio of experience English girls in Laura Davies, Trish Johnson and Alison Nicholas, and no fewer than six

Swedes, including world No.1 Annika Sorenstam, Helen Alfredsson and Lotte Neumann, Europe looked strong on paper, but so did the US squad, which included powerhouses such as Juli Inkster, Dottie Pepper, Meg Mallon, Rosie Jones and Sherri Steinhauer.

The home side got off to the perfect start, winning the opening foursomes matches 4-0, with Davies and Nicholas setting the tone with a 4&3 win over Pepper and Inskter. The tables were turned slightly in the afternoon fourballs, but Europe ended the first day comfortably up 51/2-21/2.

The following day’s fourballs were interrupted by heavy rain, which flooded the low-lying course to the extent that it was impossible to complete the matches that day, and lead to a heated dispute between the two teams with regards to the playability of the course.

The fourballs were completed early on the final day, with Europe’s 4-2 win taking the overall tally to 9.5-4.5, meaning that Europe needed just five points from the 12 singles matches to win. As ever, that proved a monumental task. At one point, the US had won the first two matches, and

was up in the remaining 10, making a whitewash a nightmarish possibility.

But Alfredsson bagged a vital win against Beth Daniel in the third match, while Nicholas and Neumann grabbed gutsy halves in the middle order, to leave Europe needing three points from the final four games, with the pressure heaped on rookie Karin Koch, Katrin Nilsmark and Scotland’s Janice Moodie.

Nilsmark survived a nervy finish to see off Rosie Jones one-up and edge Europe to within a point of victory, and after Moodie came back from four holes down to win one up against Nancy Scranton, it fell to Koch to hole the winning putt, making birdies at 16 and 17 to come back from three down to beat Michele Redman.

The matches were soured by a bit of gamesmanship, which saw Sorenstam reduced to tears after losing a hole after playing out of turn.

“It looked like we had blown it, it looked like we had buckled,” said Davies, as the tears began to fall.

“No individual championship can top this. It’s the US Open and British Open rolled into one.”

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28 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

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TO ENTER: To be in with a chance of winning a custom-fitted TaylorMade R11 driver, simply answer the question below correctly and email it to info@golfnews. co.uk, with ‘TaylorMade R11 Competition’ in the subject line, together with your name, address, and contact telephone number. The winner will be required to visit Silvermere Golf & Leisure Complex in Cobham to be fitted for their driver.

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For more information about Doug McClelland Superstore please call 01932 584325 or visit www.silvermere-golf.co.uk.

September 2011 / Issue 203

Francis McGuirk won last month’s PGA Kent Open Championship in dramatic style, beating Jamie Harris in a play-off after the pair proved unseparable around the magnificently renovated Shore-Dunes course at Prince’s.

With matching cards of 70, 67 and 70, the two leaders finished five shots ahead of nearest rival Michael McLean.

Conditions were brutal on the Kent links, with strong coastal winds, long rough and strategic bunkering combining to make the 7,204-yard layout one of the toughest tests in the UK. Harris got the ideal start in the final round when birdieing the first. Bogeying the fifth, he repaired the damage immediately with a terrific birdie at the sixth.

Dropping a shot at the 13th, Harris made two priceless birdies on the 15th and 16th to stay level with McGuirk at nine-under-par for the championship.

Playing with Harris for the

/ 29

McGuirk crowned Prince of Kent!

final two rounds, McGuirk made the most of a last minute sponsor’s invitation and local knowledge. Having birdied the seventh to stay level with Harris, he dropped a shot at the par five 12th, but charged home with birdies on the 14th and the 16th to force a play-off down the 10th.

With around 100 people watching, both players found

the fairway at the first extra hole, but Harris’s 3-wood second missed the green to the right, while McGuirk just missed on the left. Harris’s chip left an eight-foot putt which skirted the hole, but after chipping to six foot, McGuirk found the middle of the hole to win the title.

McGuirk said: “It was fantastic to play together and match each other shot for shot. With so many watching the play-off, the atmosphere was electric. Jamie played brilliantly, but his last putt was just a fraction out and left me with the opportunity I’d been dreaming of all week!”

Harris was magnanimous in defeat: “I played my best golf out there and Francis matched it each time. He was a deserving winner, and Prince’s is a great home for the PGA Kent Open.”

Wallis is the king of the hill Boyce Hill pair reclaim their Super 60s title Former PGA Super 60s champions Graham Burroughs and Robbie Hubbard from Boyce Hill Golf Club in Essex were left stunned after they rediscovered the winning formula to regain the title they won in 2009. The duo, winners at Blackwell two years ago, found their touch over the Lakes Course at Lincolnshire’s Belton Woods as they carded a final round 64 to ease to a tournament-winning 12-under par total.

They took the title, which is open to pros and amateurs aged 60 and over, by two shots from Chesterfield PGA pro Michael McLean and partner Jack Wheeldon, who shared second place with PGA chairman Phil Weaver (Coventry) and PGA chief executive Sandy Jones at 10-under-par.

The win saw Burroughs pick up £1,250 from the £10,000 prize fund. “It’s such a surprise, I can’t believe it,” said Burroughs, who has been head PGA professional at Boyce Hill for 36 years.

“To win this again is a dream come true, especially as I haven’t played my best the past couple of days. Robbie told me a couple of weeks ago that he was playing so badly he thought I’d get another partner and he came good.”

Walmer & Kingsdown professional Richard Wallis produced seven birdies and an eagle to card his lowest score this season, an eightunder-par 64, and win the PGA South’s Kings Hill Pro-Am. Wallis’s majestic performance, his 11th win of the season, took the winner’s cheque for £800, and he was closely followed by Larry Batchelor (Hilden Golf Centre) with a superb sixunder-par 66 to take second spot ahead of Phil Beever (Redlibbets) who bagged an impressive five-under-par 67.

“Kings Hill is a class course, very American in style and set up, and this is win number 11 for the 2011 season so far, with ten in the PGA South Region events,” said Wallis. “Now I want to see if I’ve got enough in the tank to overtake the 13 wins I bagged in 2010!”

Sophie stars in Faldo qualifier Essex teenager Sophie Madden won the eighth Faldo Series UK Championship with a recordbreaking nine-under-par total at The Grove Resort in Hertfordshire. The 14-year-old from West Essex Golf Club is only the second girl to claim the overall title at a qualifying event and is the youngest winner since the 36-hole format was introduced in 2009.

Madden posted rounds of 68 and 67 for a score of 135, a Faldo Series record under the current format. The teenager also defeated the largest ever field in a Faldo Series Qualifier, all of whom had high praise for The Grove’s presentation and layout.

“It feels amazing that all the hard work I am putting into my golf is paying off,” said Madden, who qualified for the 15th Faldo Series Grand Final at Lough Erne. “One of my long-term goals is to turn professional, so I’m really looking forward to picking up some tips from Sir Nick Faldo at Lough Erne.”

Other age-group winners included 2008 finalist Ben Stow from Rushmore, who was the lowest boy with rounds of 66 and 73; Kettering’s Michael Campbell (Boys’ U18 winner); Jerome Forster from Lea Side (Boys’ U16) and Old Ford Manor’s Stephanie McEvoy (Girls’ U21).

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/ 31 Com plim

Birdies ahoy at piratethemed putting course!

Golfers of all ages are readying themselves to don eye patches and striped golf shirts in preparation for the opening of a new pirate-themed adventure golf course at Abbey Hill Golf Centre in Buckinghamshire.

The Pirate Island Adventure Golf Course, which is scheduled to open at the Milton Keynes-based club later this autumn, is designed to appeal to all age groups and club officials at the pay-andplay facility are hoping that it will encourage youngsters and families to enjoy the sport.

The course is based around the mini golf concept, with players requiring only a putter to navigate their ball around an 18-hole theme-park course festooned with obstacles.

Located in a dedicated section of the club, the course boasts an array of fun features, including a huge signature ship, waterfalls, lakes, streams and islands, with rafts, treasure chests, cannons, crocodiles

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43

and swords adding to the pirate-themed landscape.

The attraction has been developed at a cost of £775,000 – the largest investment in the 39-year history of Abbey Hill Golf Centre – and will provide the local community with the ideal introduction to golf.

Colin Mayes, Chief Executive of Burhill Golf & Leisure, which owns Abbey Hill, said: “Pirate

Pepperell signs with TaylorMade was named in Great Britain & Ireland’s 23-man training squad for the matches against USA at Royal Aberdeen, but ruled himself out of appearing in the ‘amateur Ryder Cup’ by prioritising his future.

Pepperell’s long-term

Island Adventure Golf will provide families with an ideal introduction to the sport – and we would like to extend our appreciation to Milton Keynes Council for recognising our attempts to provide the local community with a healthy and fun way of enjoying golf.”

To cater for the expected increase in visitor numbers, the club’s spike bar and patio area have also been upgraded.

endorsement contract will see him use TaylorMade’s R11 driver, R11 fairway woods, a full set of the Tour Preferred irons, and the Penta TP ball.

He will also be wearing adidas footwear and clothing.

Commenting on the signing, Ian Watts, director of marketing for TaylorMade Europe, said: “We are delighted to be signing such a talented individual.

Eddie is an exciting young player and we are confident that he will go on to achieve great success and we look forward to working with him.”

Pepperell, who is a member at Drayton Park Golf Club, and is currently playing the Challenge Tour on invites, said: “I am very excited and pleased to be joining TaylorMade’s team of tour professionals. I am confident that with the support of the No.1 brand on Tour behind me, I can achieve all of my goals in golf.”

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32 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

EwenMurray

Sky Sport’s voice of golf speaks out on issues of the month

Time to sweep away those beastly brooms S ince Keegan Bradley became the first winner of a major using a long putter, the bitter subject of whether they should be allowed in the game has risen once again.

I’m sure you all have your own views on the matter, and my opinion is that they should have been banned the moment they first surfaced on the professional tours.

Many senior amateur golfers have prolonged their enjoyment on the course by switching to the long putter, as have the equivalent in the professional game, but in recent months a fair percentage of younger players have enjoyed success using both the broomhandle and belly versions. Because of the increased usage on tour, it will be interesting to see whether this trend filters down into club golf, as so many golf fashions do.

I had my reservations when the size of the driver heads increased several years ago, and also when the 60-degree wedge was born, as well as the introduction of square grooves. They were passed

Keegan Bradley’s USPGA victory will not have pleased golfing purists

without much trouble by the governing bodies of golf both here and in America, as have been long putters.

I believe anything that improves the performance of

The game’s in good hands It’s not often Sky Sports’ presenter Rob Lee and myself have days off at the same time, but such an occasion happened early this month, and we took ourselves off to Pulborough for 18 holes at West Sussex Golf Club.

Any time is a good time to play one of our old jewels, and in September, with the heather in full bloom, the course looked outstanding. Behind us was a junior match between the club and Royal Ashdown Forest.

Now, we were round in just under three hours, but we had two young lads on our tails pretty much all the way round. Having finished, they changed into club attire and waited for their teammates.

We soon got talking to them, and they told us about the junior sections at both clubs, how they are run, and the matches they play at various clubs throughout the season.

All of this is organised by volunteers, who are members of the two clubs.

To those who run these events for the youngsters, well done and continue the good work, for they are the future of your respective golf clubs and, from our experience at West Sussex, you are all doing a grand job.

a player who plays golf for a hobby is a good thing. Tennis rackets and fishing rods are unrecognisable from 25 years ago, as is the ball that football teams play with, so why not

‘go with the flow’ I ask myself?

The problem I have with the long putter is the fact it changes the way the game is played. The new rackets, rods and football have improved with technology, but the execution of the serve, cast and kick remains the same.

The long putter is anchored in the body, so a totally different action is used to a normal putter of say, 35 inches secured and supported only by two hands. The first to make a stand on this issue has been the EuroPro Tour, which bans the use of long putters in its events.

I don’t blame anyone who uses one, I do myself, because if you have experienced the ‘yips’, or just had putting difficulties, the long putter is certainly worth a try and, at the end of the day, it’s legal.

Many club golfers buy equipment on the basis of having seen the top players using it, so it’s hard to say there should be one set of rules for tour professionals and then another for amateurs. If that was the case, would you want to give up your oversized driver, and go back to one half the size? Probably not.

I never doubted reborn Thomas What a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Thomas Bjorn.

Only two years ago, Thomas was down in the dumps, his game faltering, and his self-belief at a low ebb.

Since turning forty, he has played some wonderful golf, and his wins in Qatar, Scotland, and more recently, Switzerland, have been one of the highlights in the game this year.

Thomas underwent a complete change in lifestyle two years ago when he and his family moved from West London back to Scandinavia. Sometimes we expect top players to perform well every time they play, but in the end they are the same as all of us.

They have lives to lead off the course and face the same problems we do. Having made the move to a different culture and language for his three children, schools had to be found and they had to settle into a new environment.

Bjorn is now in a peaceful place, and that has been reflected in his play over the last six months.

Thirteen wins is a fine record in Europe, and add to that two wins in Japan, along with two winning Ryder cup appearances, and you can see why Thomas has been touted as a future captain of Europe in the bi-annual contest – but his second wind on the fairways may mean that will have to wait a while.

Saddened by Harrington’s split While in Killarney for the Irish Open, it was sad to see the split between three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and his coach of more than a decade, Bob Torrance.

When they joined forces at the turn of the century, Padraig was an average tournament professional who looked like he would make a decent living playing golf. Their work together turned the Irishman into one of the game’s top players.

He was fortunate to win at Carnoustie, when he found the Barry Burn twice on the 72nd hole, but there was nothing lucky about coming home in 32 in the final rounds the following year at Royal Birkdale and Oakland Hills to win his second Open and his first USPGA Championship.

I should not be surprised that this split happened, because it does all of the time to many players and coaches, but I thought these two individuals were different. Harrington was technically poor in the early days, and he went from there to having

a swing that was admired by all students of the game. It was also a swing he had complete trust in, and that is like having an assured companion alongside you when the pressure is at its

height coming down the stretch.

Nick Faldo had the same belief during his hugely successful years. Both of these players may look back and think, why did I not leave things alone after all of the

work was done?

I understand that the reason for change is to get better, and I commend that, but changing takes time, and there is no guarantee that the changes will bear fruit. The original changes they made, which in both cases were required, gave them nine majors between them. The rest of their careers should have centered on adding more, as what they had acquired was a winning formula.

Bob has had a wonderful life in golf, and at 79 years of age is still going strong. To see him gaze over Loch Leane after hearing the news from Padraig tugged at my emotions. I have known Bob since I was seven years old.

Every cloud, however, has a silver lining, and two weeks later, I spied the teaching doyenne on the range in Scotland with Welshman Rhys Davies. A future major winner? Perhaps. I know he has the best teaching brain in the country standing beside him, passing on a lifetime of knowledge. I wish them both well.

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34 /

News in Brief

September 2011 / Issue 203

It’s Björn again!

American Webb Simpson was the unlikely winner of the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston after things slipped away from Luke Donald for the second year in a row.

After charging to the turn in 30 to lead the second of the FedEx Cup play-off events by one shot with seven holes to play, England’s world number one double-bogeyed the 12th and dropped another stroke on the short 16th. Even with a closing birdie he was left in joint third place with Jason Day, while Simpson beat compatriot Chez Reavie at the second hole of a play-off.

Simpson trailed by two shots on the tee at the par five last, but made a 25-footer for birdie, and then saw Reavie, ranked only 169th in the world, run up a bogey six to join him on the 15-under par mark.

Both started the sudden death with birdie fours, and Simpson

Birkdale to host 2013 Senior Open Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport has been selected to host The Senior Open Championship from July 25-28, 2013. The Lancashire links will become the seventh venue to host both an Open and a Senior Open, following Turnberry, Lytham, Portrush, Muirfield, Troon and Carnoustie.

hat-trick heaven Frenchman Benjamin Hebert secured his card for next year’s European Tour after completing a hat-trick of victories on the Challenge Tour this season.

After capturing the Credit Suisse Challenge and the English Challenge in successive weeks, the 24-year-old’s latest win came at the Rolex Trophy in Switzerland, where he won by one shot after a final round 67.

Matthew on target Scotland’s Catriona Matthew enjoyed a 10-stroke victory at the Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield Links. The 41-yearold, who fired a course record 65 during the second round, finished on 15 under par to capture her first victory in Scotland since the 1998 WPGA Championship of Europe at Gleneagles.

Hedwall BAGS THIRD TITLE Swedish rookie Caroline Hedwall landed her third Ladies European Tour title of the season when she came from seven strokes behind third round leader Kaisa Ruuttila to triumph at the UNIQA Ladies Open in Austria. The 22-yearold from Barsebäck, who is in Europe’s Solheim Cup team, fired a closing round 64 at Föhrenwald to take the title, and in doing so became the first rookie to win three events in the same season since Trish Johnson in 1987.

Donald misses out at Deutsche Bank

Thomas Björn matched the lowest round of his European Tour career to grab a second successive victory in blistering fashion in Switzerland.

The 40-year-old Dane fired a nine under par 62 to turn a three-stroke deficit into a four-shot win over Martin Kaymer at the Omega European Masters.

Björn had also been three behind with a round to go in the previous week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. There he was involved in a marathon five-man, five-hole play-off. This time he left the rest behind - Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood included - with a stunning closing burst.

Kaymer missed a two-foot putt on the long 14th that would have taken him two

followed his 15-foot putt there with an eight-footer for another birdie on the next to take the title. It was the former Walker Cup player’s second victory of the season and he said: “I told somebody that winning for a second time might be easier, but it was tough.”

At least Donald’s hopes of the $10million FedEx Cup jackpot are still alive.

Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell were knocked out at the halfway stage of the series.

Harrington was nowhere near making it into the top 70 who advance to the third leg in Chicago after a closing 75, while McDowell paid a huge price for bogeying the 17th and missing a six-foot birdie putt on the last for a 71.

Bubba Watson, who was leading the tournament by two shots after the third round, suffered a final round meltdown, carding a 74 to drop down into a tie for 16th.

in front, but Björn made him pay for his mistake. He was almost in water with his approach on the same hole, but birdied it to draw level, made another ten footer for eagle on the next and then put the icing on the cake with two closing birdies.

After going five under for the last five holes, he said: “The way I finished was special and it’s been an amazing two weeks.

I started hitting my wedges so well last week and kept it going. At the end you think nothing can go wrong. Golf seems easy sometimes and you have to remember that when you are not playing well.”

With a third win of the year – he also won the Qatar Masters in February – Björn is now back in the world’s top 30 and leads the 2012 Ryder Cup race, which started in Switzerland.

Loved-up McIlroy snubs Seve Trophy US Open champion Rory McIlroy pulled out of Great Britain and Ireland’s team for this month’s Seve Trophy after citing a need to take some time off from his hectic schedule. The 22-year-old was part of the winning side two years ago and cup captain Paul McGinley had said he wanted to see as many big names as possible play. But McIlroy said he wanted some time off before he began a run of 12 weeks on the road.

“I want to try to get two weeks at home and do a few things before I head off on that big run,” said McIlroy, who injured his right arm at last month’s US PGA Championship, and returned to action with a runner-up finish in the Omega Masters. “Now it’s not painful,” he said of his injury. “It’s more like a numb sensation, like when someone gives you a dead arm. It’s nearly 100% and I’m happy with it.”

McIlroy has spent the majority his recovery time in the United States with new girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki, the current world number one tennis player. The pair are understood to have met when they attended the David Haye and Wladimir Klitschko fight on July 2 and McIlroy believes their new relationship can inspire him to top golf’s world rankings.

“It’s a big goal of mine. I want to become the best player in the world,” said McIlroy.

“I think we definitely spur each other on.

She’s number one in the world and I’ve got a major, and we sort of both want what each other has. She’s got a great work ethic and it’s something I can probably learn a lot from.”

Porthcawl to host Wales’s first Major The famous links at Royal Porthcawl have been chosen to stage the first ever major championship to be held in Wales, following the R&A’s decision to stage the 2014 Senior Open Championship there.

The links course, on the Bristol Channel coast, has previously staged the 1995 Walker Cup, the 1961 British Masters and the Welsh golf classic in the early 1980s, but nothing as big as a Senior Open, which can expect to attract a stellar field.

Peter Dawson, chief Executive of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, said:

“Royal Porthcawl is one of Britain’s finest links courses, with a rich history of staging events at the highest level.

We can be confident of an enthusiastic welcome when the Championship comes to Wales for the first time.”

George O’Grady, chief executive of The European Tour, added: “The European Tour has a strong affinity with golf in Wales - Brian Huggett, Dai Rees and Ian Woosnam have all been Ryder Cup captains. And we are delighted that history is again in the making with the Senior Open Championship coming to

Wales for the first time.

“Each year the field strengthens in depth - and with players like Colin Montgomerie and Davis Love III soon becoming eligible, we are confident the event will continue to grow in popularity for the players and spectators alike.”

Welsh golf fans are likely to welcome the event after the Ladies, Wales Seniors and Challenge Tour events were scrapped in 2011. However, the Wales Senior Open will return in 2012 at Conwy Golf Club, before resuming at Porthcawl in 2013.

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 35

GB&I claim surprise Walker Cup victory at wind-lashed Aberdeen Amateur dramatics: The GB&I team celebrate a famous win

Getty Images

Great Britain and Ireland won the Walker Cup for the first time since 2003 with a stunning 14-12 victory over America at the wind-blown Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland.

Handling the conditions far better than their highly-ranked rivals, the home side took an early advantage in the opening morning foursomes, leading 3-1 in the alternate shot format. The eight singles matches in the afternoon saw an American fightback, with Peter Uihlein, Jordan Spieth and Harris English winning the first three games to take the US into a 4-3 lead, before the home nations fought back with four consecutive wins to end the first day with a slender 7-5 lead.

GB&I were equally quick out of the box on the second day, which saw winds gusting up to 35mph.

The pairings of Jack Senior and Andy Sullivan, Paul Cutler and Alan Dunbar, and James Byrne and Rhys Pugh all proved successful, thanks in large part to their superior iron play and putting around the greens.

The most significant blow was struck by Byrne and Pugh, who beat world No.1 Patrick Cantlay and Chris Williams 5&3, giving the home side a commanding 10½-5½ lead, and ensuring that the afternoon session

became something of a formality, with just three more points required from ten singles matches.

The singles largely went the way of the US team, but Pugh and Michael Stewart crucially won their matches, while Cutler, Senior and Steven Brown also halved their

holes to ensure a glorious victory for GB&I against their star-studded counterparts. The best individual performance came from Rhys Pugh, a 17-year-old Welshman who won all three points from his matches, and got the GB&I’s 13th point with a 2&1 win over reigning US Amateur

champion Kelly Kraft.

“It was a tremendous job by the lads,” said GB&I captain Nigel Edwards. “I had a lot of faith in them and they are enjoying it and that’s the way it should be.”

US team captain Jim Holtgrieve was left blaming the wind as a

reason for his side’s failure, although he did concede that his men had been outclassed on the course’s tricky greens. “Obviously, they are used to playing the wind,” Holtgrieve commented. “But we were out-performed around the greens, and their putting was exceptional for a day and half.”

The matches did not pass without controversy, after it emerged that Jack Senior’s caddy – his brother Joe – had contravened the rules with his status as a professional golfer.

Though professionals are allowed to caddie in the Amateur Championship, the Walker Cup regulations forbid it.

Had the matter come to light during the contest, won 2&1 by Senior and partner Andy Sullivan, the breach would have cost the pair a two-hole penalty. As the matter was raised following the match, the score stood.

Chairman of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, Peter Dawson, described the regulation as a bit strange, and hinted that the R&A would be looking at it. Dawson said: “It’s unfortunate, but I spoke to the captain of both teams, and everybody is happy with the outcome. After speaking to Jack we are satisfied that he was unaware of the stipulation. Apart from the embarrassment he feels, no harm was done.”

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36 /

P R OMOT I ONAL

E T A M I T L U E TH E C N A M R O F R UR PE

TO

E SS ESPONSIVEN R , N IO T A R E L RY, ACCE SPIN, TRA JECTO

F EAT U R E

September 2011 / Issue 203

As the 2011 golfing season approaches its co a year of breakouts, with four golfers from al maiden major championship victories. Here, by the winner of the final major of 2011, USPG and see if there is anything amateurs can lear

KEEGAN SCORES CLEVELAND/SRIXON 1 Driver Cleveland Golf Launcher UltraLite TL 310 (10.5°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 61 shaft.

The Launcher TL 310 comes with a 440cc head, offering excellent workability for good players. This gave Bradley close control over his tee shots to go with his awesome power.

The Miyazaki shaft provided excellent stability for Bradley, as his swing speed naturally increased under the pressure of trying to win his first major championship.

Graeme ‘G-Mac’

McDowell

2 Fairway Woods Cleveland Golf Launcher FL (14°) with a Miyazaki Kusala 83 shaft. The stronger loft of the Launcher FL 3-wood allowed Bradley to gain control without losing distance on tight holes – as his tee shots down the notorious 18th hole all week testified. The Launcher FL 3-wood is built with a lighter head, however the slightly heavier shaft that comes with it gave Bradley perfect control.

PIECE

4

PIECE

3

3 Hybrids Cleveland Golf Launcher DST (18°) with a Project X XHB6 shaft; Mashie TM3 (20.5°) with a Miyazaki C Kua 105 shaft.

Carrying hybrids has become a necessity for successful golf in the USA, especially around courses such as the Atlanta Athletic Club, where water is seemingly ever present in front of the greens. Bradley replaced his 2-iron with a Launcher DST hybrid with 18 degrees of loft, and his 3-iron with the Cleveland Golf Mashie with 21 degrees of loft. The consistency in loft gaps between Bradley’s driver, 3-wood and two hybrids helped him attack the par fives with confidence.

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AL INTERNATION

09/02/2011 11:16

4 Irons Cleveland CG7 Tour (4-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shaft.

Although Bradley’s game is built on raw power, major championships aren’t won without incredible control. Bradley’s CG7 irons are built with workability in mind, once again complimenting his massive length. His CG7 Irons were fitted with extra heavy shafts to compensate for his extra high swing speed allowing Bradley to control his direction and distance perfectly- as his crucial birdie at the par 17th in the final round showed.

September 2011 / Issue 203

P R OMOT I ONAL

F EAT U R E

/ 37

onclusion, there is no doubt that it has been ll different parts of the globe clinching their , we take a look at the equipment used GA Champion Keegan Bradley, arn from the clubs he carries

SCORES WITH SRIXON

ONE WEDGE IS A START, TWO IS BETTER, BUT THREE IS A

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Z-STAR and Z-STAR XV are designed for players who are looking for a premium ball that offers maximum distance and consistent spin on every shot.

Both balls are available in Pure White and Tour Yellow.

What can be learned from Bradley’s bag?

There are two main lessons that can be learned by the way that Keegan Bradley arranged his golf bag for his USPGA win. The first is that there is clear consistency in the lofts of his clubs, from his driver to his lob wedge, meaning that controlling the distances of his irons would have been easy.

The second is that Bradley chose his equipment based on the golf course that he was going to play, as the inclusion of two hybrids was key to carrying hazards and landing softly on the firm Georgia greens. The use of a strong 3-wood gave him extra distance with tight tee shots, of which there are plenty in any major championship.

Next time you are getting ready for a big competition, take some time to think about the golf course you are playing, and try to come up with ways to help yourself by adjusting the equipment you carry.

For more information on Cleveland Golf, Srixon or Never Compromise, please contact www.clevelandgolf.com – www.srixon.co.uk – www.nevercompromise.com.

my LoFTs aRE 52°, 56°, 60°

Cleveland and the CG logo are registered trademarks of Cleveland Golf / Srixon, CG16 and Zip Grooves are trademarks of Cleveland Golf/Srixon

Cleveland CG14 (52°, 58°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue shafts.

With his standard pitching wedge carrying 46° of loft, Bradley carried a 52° mid wedge and a 58° lob wedge to keep the lofts between wedges consistent.

This makes distance control easier and gives Bradley a range of options when deciding upon which shot to play at certain times. The CG14 wedges provide a balance between feel and forgiveness, allowing Bradley to get up and down consistently from the thick rough that all major champions must overcome.

TO FIND OUT WHAT WEDGES YOU SHOULD PLAY, GO TO YOUr LOcAL PrO SHOP AND

TELL THEm G-mac sEnT you! www.clevelandgolf.com

38 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Yonex EZONE SD Driver RRP: £199 Contact: www.yonex.co.uk Yonex’s new EZONE SD driver features Core Centre of Gravity, a revolutionary technology developed in Japan that micro-adjusts the centre of gravity of the club to achieve an unprecedented expansion of the sweetspot, providing players with maximised distance, power and control.

The combination of a carbon graphite crown and an inner weighting system creates the optimum centre of gravity and, in partnership with the Muscle Power Face, produces distance-enhancing drives.

Yonex’s expertise in composite graphite technology has led to the creation of the new

Mizuno MP-59 iron

RRP: £120 per club Contact: www.mizuno.eu One of three new Mizuno irons models hitting the shelves this month – the others are the MP69 and JPX 800 HDs – the grain flow forged MP-59 replaces the MP-58 in the company’s line up for 2011-2012, and will suit those players who like the workability of a blade combined with the forgiveness found in a cavity design.

The thickness of the weight pad behind the impact zone is provided by a lightweight titanium insert, which is forged directly inside the clubhead for a one-piece feel. With weight saved from the middle of the clubhead, the MP-59 takes the characteristics of a full cavity design, offering high levels of stability from off-centre strikes. The centre of gravity also remains close to the clubface, with less offset than in its predecessor allowing ball strikers to produce controlled draws and fades. A thinner top line and weightier sole are complemented by a new sole grind, while the finish is a durable double nickel mirror chrome.

The MP-59 is available in any combination from 3-PW, with MP Fli-Hi (2,3,4) available as long iron replacements.

Nanospeed 200 shaft, which incorporates Elastic Ti at the kick-point to provide faster head speeds and reduced shaft deformation.

The driver is available in 9°, 10° and 12° lofts in stiff, regular and superlight flexes, with a 10.5° option in regular flex for left-handers.

Forgan iHY hybrid/iron set

RRP: £179.99 Contact: www.forgan.co.uk The iHy is Forgan’s first-ever combination hybrid-iron set, which replaces difficult-to-hit 3-6 long irons with high-quality hybrid rescue clubs. The top grade stainless steel 7-SW irons all feature ultra-forgiving deep cavity backs and wide soles, designed to get the ball in the air even on off-centre hits and give the golfer extra power, accuracy and consistency. And with advanced perimeter weighting and high MOI, the set is the most forgiving ever made by the company, which has been at the forefront of golf club manufacturing innovation since 1860.

The 3-SW Forgan iHy set is available in right-hand and left-hand models with a huge range of custom-fit options. Golfers can choose from the stock premium Apollo steel shafts to a higher-grade Forgan SL Superlight 58gram or Dynamic Gold shaft, select from four shaft flexes, 10 different length settings and three grip options - including a matching green and black Golf Pride MCC grip.

Big Max Smart Cart RRP: £199.99 Contact: www.bigmaxgolf.co.uk

Adidas 360 ATV RRP: £119 Contact: www.adidas.com The new ATV shoes feature forefoot flexibility and zonal traction elements to deliver high levels of grip, comfort and stability throughout the swing. They also feature the same technology seen in previous Tour 360 models, including full-grain leather uppers with a 360WRAP to promote maximum_stability around the midfoot. Inside, a FitFOAM molded polyurethane insole provides cushioning and heel-to-toe comfort, while the platform utilises THiNTech low-profile technology to bring the foot closer to the ground for improved stability, power transfer and balance.

With the most basic of power trolleys costing as little as £180 these days, quite why you’d want to shell out £200 on a trolley that you have to propel with your own muscle power is a little unclear, but the chaps at Big Max think that the Smart Cart is worth the layout on the basis that you can open it up with ‘one shake’ and that it folds down to the size of a postage stamp – OK, something quite small – with equal ease, making it the thinking man’s trolley for those that have small car boots and don’t mind pushing their clubs around.

A handbrake and a holder for all your golfing gadgetry are welcome accessories, but a five-year warranty is surely overegging the pudding on something so basic. It’s like offering a guarantee with a loaf of bread. It’s available in white, black, red or silver, if you’re interested.

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 39

Nike TW Free shoe RRP: TBC Contact: www.nikegolfeurope.com Worn by Tiger Woods on his rather unimpressive comeback to competitive golf last month, these new space-age looking shoes aren’t to be launched until 2012, but we couldn’t resist giving them an early viewing.

Originally developed in 2004 for other sporting uses, Nike Free is a natural motion technology that is designed to mimic the movement of the foot, coupled with the protection and traction of a lightweight performance shoe. The majority of the upper consists of a polyurethane-coated stretch fabric used in Nike’s Basketball’s Hyperfuse shoes, while part of the heel is created from recycled Air Max units melted into thread and

then woven together to create a strong, breathable material. The outsole is taken directly from Nike Sportswear’s Special Field Boot. This model also has a half heel counter in both shoes to give more stability on the lateral side, particularly in follow through. The shoe also incorporates Nike Flywire attached to each lace loop, which, when pulled tight, envelopes the foot for maximum comfort and stability.

Ping Anser putter RRP: £239 Contact: www.pinggolf.com

TaylorMade R11 driver Rating: RRP: £329 Contact: www.taylormadegolf.eu

Ping G20 Hybrids RRP: £139 Contact: www.pinggolf.com Ping hasn’t previously been able to settle on a hybrid shape since it first came out with one six or seven years ago, but the latest version looks one of the best yet, with a slightly more compact head than previous incarnations. A shorter heel-to-toe length ensures playability from all lies and provides a flatter lie angle and softer crown shape, while additional bounce and camber on the sole make it easier to cut through the grass, especially when the ball is sitting down.

A slightly offset hosel produces shots with high launch, low spin, and a straight trajectory, while a large weight inside the stainless steel head provides added forgiveness and distance. It is available in 17, 20, 23, 27 and 31-degree lofts, with TFC 169H graphite shafts (L, Soft R, R, S and X flexes).

Part magic wand, part light sabre, part blind man’s cane, the eyecatching R11 has pulled off one of the most dramatic marketing coups of the century, with all manner of top players, regardless of overall brand allegiance, seen swatting it from tees around the world, such is the all-persuasive power of its whiteness.

Cynical marketing ploy, or technological masterpiece, I don’t really know, what I do care about with a driver that retails at close to £300 is whether it performs, regardless of its fancy paint job.

I expected to be at odds with the white crown, but on sitting it behind the ball I found its matt finish – gloss would have been too glary – perfectly acceptable. The head, which is 440cc, rather than the 460cc found on most drivers, is almost as deep as it is wide, allowing less room for horizontal miss-hits, but offering plenty of forgiveness on a diagonal/vertical plane. Either way, there are no issues with its ability to bomb it out there, with drives busting the range – OK, my local range is only 240 yards long, but that will do for me with a twopiece range ball – and flying in a powerful mid-tohigh trajectory, without dropping out of the sky like a pheasant on the Glorious 12th.

Although the adjustable hosel and adjustable weight lodged in the soleplate allow for some 30 yards of variety in shot dispersion – the face angles and loft can be independently adjusted – the R11 worked best for me as a straight shooter, producing gun-barrel shots when my swing allowed it. Because the club is so adjustable, the R11 driver is only available in only two lofts — 9° and 10.5° – but that is sufficient to cover all the bases.

The sound at impact is more ‘thwack’ than ‘bling’, but is still very loud, although that is combined with a softish, almost cushioned feel off the face, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

I’d strongly advise anyone considering buying this club to get a proper custom fitting, to ensure you are able max out its undeniable potential.

Either way you’re still going to need a bit of bravado to pull this baby out of the bag, and when you do, you’d better hope that you don’t nobble one off the first, otherwise people will think you’re a soft touch for a lick of paint.

Precision milled from high quality 303 stainless steel, the new Milled Series features seven models that are designed to reap the best results according to your stroke pattern. Each model features subtle variations to the toplines, heel-toe length, toe radius, alignment aids, and hosel design to make them distinct from each other. The one constant is the satin nickel finish, which provides a non-glare look at address, and the head weight, which is 345g. Choose from the Milled (slight arc), Milled 1 (slight arc), Milled 2 (slight arc), Milled 3 (slight arc), Milled 4 (strong arc), Milled 5 (straight), Milled 6 (strong arc).

John Letters Master Model Beta Ti driver

RRP: £249 Contact: www.johnletters.com Aimed at low handicap golfers, the Master Model driver is a sinister-looking club, featuring an all black PVD finish to the head, with a black shaft and grip to match. The 460cc head, which is a classic pear shape, features a plasma welded hot Beta Titanium face, which, combined with a feel cell sole bar, aims to offer explosive distance without any loss of feel.

The crown features no alignment aids for a clean look at address, while the face is set at one degree open, which is designed to appeal to good players who don’t like to see a shut face. The standard graphite shaft is Aldila’s RIP BETA shaft, and the driver is available in 8, 9, 10 and 11-degree lofts in R, S and X flex shaft options.

40 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

1

Cleveland Tour Stand

2

Titleist SX6

3

Sun Mountain SuperLite

RRP: £129.99 Contact: www.clevelandgolf.com

RRP: £119 Contact: www.titleist.co.uk

RRP: £119 Contact: www.sunmountain.com

10-inch, five-way top with full-length dividers; 10 pockets (including rangefinder pocket); suspension shoulder straps; molded hip pad; magnetic marker holder; Velcro glove holder; rubber foot pads; weighs 2.6kg.

Six-way padded top with three full-length dividers; integrated top-cuff handle; four-point adjustable double strap; four pockets, including two zippered accessory pockets; wide stand with rubber tripod feet; available in five colour options.

Four-way top with full-length dividers; three integrated top handles; seven pockets, E-Z Fit dual strap system; cart-friendly base; triangular non-slip foot pads. Six colour options.

OVER THE SHOULDER

HOLDERS Spread the load with a lightweight stand bag

6

TaylorMade R11 Pure-Lite

RRP: £119 Contact: www.taylormade.eu Six-way top with full-length dividers; integrated handle, seven pockets, including velour-lined valuables pocket; ergonomic dual shoulder straps, weighs 2.2kg;

7 4

Wilson Staff Elite Tour

RRP: £99.99 Contact: www.wilsonstaff.com Five-way top with five full-length dividers; six pockets, including one waterproof pocket; weigh 5.5lbs; available in White/Red, Black/Red, Navy/Silver or Red/Silver.

5

Ping Latitude V2

Mizuno Aerolite X

RRP: £110 Contact: www.mizuno.eu Limited edition bag featuring five unique design options: Diargyle (pictured), Cosmic, Finster, Winged Skull and Winged Shield. ‘Divide and Slide’ top cuff organiser; pre-curved padded strap; airmesh hip pad; matching waterproof rainhood.

8

Nike Performance

RRP: £109 Contact: www.ping.com

RRP: £140 Contact: www.nikegolfeurope.com

Six-way top; six dividers, plus putter well; retractable dual sliding straps; seven pockets; insulated drinks pouch; cushioned hip pad; weighs 2.4kg.

9.5-inch oval top; 14-way, full-length dividers; 10 pockets; revolving double strap system; zip-off ball pocket.

Available in red or black colour options.

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

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42 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Play where the stars have played From e30 (£27)

1996-2009

...Arras Golf Club Hotel & Golf Club l 18-Hole Championship Course Par 72 - 6692 yards l Societies and visitors welcome reservation advisable l Luxurious 3 stars Hotel 64 rooms and 4 suites l Cosy Clubhouse with Bar and Brasserie l Driving range and Practice facilities

Golfers looking to bag themselves a great value golf break in the UK this autumn, should try out a quartet of stunning courses on the Hampshire Surrey border.

Experienced golf holiday company Exclusive Golf Breaks has put together a superb package for stay-athome golfers this autumn, combining a collection of wonderful courses with quality hotels, to offer an unbeatable three-course, two-night break.

Golfers can chose between the delights of Hindhead, Hayling Island, Stoneham and Liphook, while staying at either the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth or the Lythe Hill Hotel & Spa in Haslemere, for as little as £259 per person, based on guests playing three courses and sharing twin rooms.

The only problem with this break is deciding which course to leave out, as they

Classic tracks on your doorst are all classics that you’ll want to play again and again.

Hindhead is a delightful Open qualifying course set over two valleys, and is in superb condition all year round. The front nine meanders majestically through Neolithic valleys guarded by tall pines before finally emerging at the hillside plateau of the

l Golf Shop l Buggy and Trolley Hire l Easy access from Calais by motorway A26 (Calais/Reims) l 5 mins drive from the centre of historic town

of Arras (Pas de Calais) l Special rates for parties of 12 or more l Societies packages and Stay and Play packages on request Arras Golf Club rue Briquet Taillandier, 62 223 Anzin Saint Aubin-France Tel: 00 33 3 21 50 24 24. email: golf@golf-arras.com www.golf-arras.com

The 9th hole at Hindhead

For more information please contact us Tel: 00 33 3 21 50 24 24. Fax 00 33 3 21 50 29 71 email: golf@golf-arras.com or visit our website

www.golf-arras.com

FREE GOLF At The Ashbury Golf Hotel

Stay & play in the

Garden of England Play one of the best courses in Kent while enjoying the very comfortable 4 star Ramada Hotel 1 night Bed & Breakfast, 2 Rounds of Golf

The UK’s Largest Golf Resort

£85 £129

per person

Set in over 600 acres of rolling Devon countryside in the foothills of Dartmoor National Park, the Ashbury Golf Hotel boasts seven 18 hole golf course options plus extensive sports and leisure facilities - all free of charge to guests staying at the hotel. Guests may also take advantage of the sport, craft and leisure activities available to them at the Manor House Hotel.

Beeches 5th 385 yards, Par4

Ashbury 6th 410 yards, Par 4

2 nights Bed & Breakfast, 3 Rounds of Golf

per person

1 night dinner, Bed & Breakfast, 2 Rounds of Golf

£98 £155

per person

2 nights dinner, Bed & Breakfast, 3 Rounds of Golf

per person

Contact us today on: 01622 844382 www.theridgegolfclub.co.uk

Kigbeare 8th 403 yards, Par 4

The Ridge Golf Club, Chartway Street, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, Kent ME17 3JB

Oakwood 16th 172 yards, Par 3

Autumn to Spring Specials

Tenterden

3 Night weekend £177/£237 4 Night midweek £203/£264 Full board, Group Discounts Including

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with all breaks taken between October 10th 2011 and April 29th 2012 NEW for this winter, All Season Fully Enclosed Buggies. £2 per day. Subject to availability.

7x 18 hole course options – yards KIGBEARE PINES FOREST ASHBURY BEECHES OAKWOOD WILLOWS

Par 72 Par 72 Par 71 Par 69 Par 69 Par 67 Par 54

White 6528 6400 6140 5804 5765 5502 1939

Yellow 6126 6076 5854 5534 5400 5299 1939

Red 5334 5327 5211 4918 4826 4630 1939

In addition there are extensive practice facilities and a driving range.

Pines 4th 270 yards, Par 4

Forest 8th 442 yards, Par 4

Freephone: 0800 389 9892 www.ashburygolfresort.com

Golf breaks with tuition Day 1

Day 2

Swing Health Check with Pro (1hr) l Breakfast l 9 Hole Playing l 18 Holes of Golf Lesson with the Pro l Full Unlimited use of Golf Facilities l 18 Holes of Golf l Full Use of our Luxury Spa l Full Use of Golf Facilities l 2-Course Dinner l Full Use of our Luxury Spa l Accommodation (up to 5pm) Variety of Spa Treatments available on request l

Price £190 per person (based on 2 sharing) London Beach, Hotel Club & Spa, Ashford Road, Tenterden, Kent. TN30 6HX. Tel: 01580 766279. Fax: 01580 763884. Email: offers@londonbeach.com

www.londonbeach.com

back nine. Peter Alliss is a member here, so you might be lucky to catch ‘The Voice of Golf’ swapping stories in the atmospheric clubhouse after your round.

Just down the A3, Liphook is similarly spectacular, with the classic heathland course always presented in pristine condition, and boasting some of the best greens in the country. Although the course measures just 6,200 yards, its par of 69 and the prevalence of trees and heather will keep your score honest. With each hole enjoying its own sanctuary, and the sandy turf a pleasure to hit off, there are few more enjoyable settings for a day’s golf.

Pushing on down to the coast, the A3 takes you almost to the doorstep of Hayling Island Golf Club, arguably one of the most under-rated links courses in the country. Enjoying stunning views of the Solent, the Isle of Wight and Langstone Harbour, the free-draining links is the perfect autumn golfing venue, with springy turf and consistent greens making it pure golfing pleasure. The easywalking course is no pushover, with the occasional blind shot, and a succession of testing, wellprotected par threes making this a challenge for the best golfers, especially if the wind whips in off the Solent, as it is prone to do on this exposed outcrop. After a round, golfers can relax in the stylish Art Decostyle clubhouse, where the panoramic views never cease to inspire.

Moving further west along the coast, the final link in this particular chain is Stoneham Golf Club, an undulating heathland/ parkland classic located just outside Southampton. Much underrated, except by those who know it, Stoneham offers a serious test, with the only truly level lies found on the tees, making club selection and shot execution a challenge.

With cross bunkers to avoid, gullies to negotiate and streams to cross, a round at Stoneham is never dull, with brain rather than brawn being required to score well around this thrilling 6,392-yard layout.

And if your golf isn’t up to scratch, you can at least enjoy the variety of wildlife to be seen on the course, from deer walking through the woods to kestrels circling above.

Golfers can choose to base themselves at two very distinct

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 43

The 11th hole at Hayling Island

step hotels for their two night break, with the Marriott Portsmouth offering easy access to major routes, as well as being a convenient location for popular sights like the Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays and the historic naval dockyard.

The hotel offers newlyrenovated spacious rooms, with cable TV, wifi and all the usual services of a quality hotel, including 24-hour room service.

Alternatively, guests can stay at the Lythe Hill Hotel and Spa in the delightful market town of Haslemere.

To book this package, which costs £249pp for three rounds of golf and two nights’ B&B accommodation (a £10 supplement is payable for weekend breaks), visit www.exclusivegolfbreaks. com or call 01822 618181.

Golfers looking to keep in the swing this winter can take advantage of Dartmouth Golf & Country Club’s autumn and winter group deals.

For groups travelling between November 1 and February 29, one in every four golfers will be able to stay and play at the South Devon resort for free when taking a two-night break.

The packages include three days of unlimited golf , one evening meal, and, with the complimentary place, cost as little as £110 per person.

Those wanting to extend their stay can add a further night and extra day of golf for as little as £30. One night’s accommodation and two day’s unlimited golf is available from £69 per person.

Unlimited golf comprises

Dartmouth’s winter deals

one round per day on the Championship course and unrestricted use of the Dartmouth course.

Guests can also enjoy free use of the Lakeside Health and Leisure Suite, while non-golfers can exchange their rounds for selected spa treatments.

Situated in 225 acres of

‘Modest’ fee rise for Old Course St Andrews Links Trust has announced the visitor green fees for 2012 for the seven courses at the Home of Golf. There will be a slight increase in the Old Course high season green fee by £10 to £150, while the green fees on the other courses will remain the same. The Old Course’s mid and low season fees will increase by £5 to £105 and £75 respectively.

The application forms for making advanced reservations for 2012 on the Old Course, The Castle Course and the other St Andrews Links courses are now available to download from www.standrews.org.uk.

From January 7, 2012 the ballot on the Old Course will change from being drawn one day ahead to being drawn two days ahead. The aim is to make it easier for golfers to plan their schedules in St Andrews and to book golf on other courses if they are unsuccessful in the ballot.

and

Golf & Leisure Breaks 2011/12 3 Day Golf or Spa Breaks FROM ONLY

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c Winter

ather

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FREE GOLF Air-conditioned clubhouse facilities l Restaurant offering an extensive menu l On site accommodation in the Dorset Golf Hotel 16 twin rooms l From £57.95 pppn including Dinner, B&B and FREE GOLF l

e l b a v e i l e b n U

Milder W

south Devon countryside, just outside Dartmouth, the resort boasts 27 holes of golf.

The mild winter West Country climate means closures or temporary greens or tees are a rarity.

For more information, or to book your stay, call 0800 043 3669 or email reservations@dgcc.co.uk.

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l

Autumn Special Offer

Coffee & Bacon Baguette on arrival Basket of Driving Range Balls l 18 Holes of Championship Golf l Two Course Dinner l Coffee & Mints l l

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All you need to do is book a golf break before 30th September for a group of 8+ De Vere Oulton Hall 4★ Nr Leeds, Yorkshire 1 in 16 stay

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20% off food & drink for groups of 16+ 1 night's dinner, b&b, 2 rounds was £125

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was

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Le Manoir Hôtel 3★ Le Touquet, France

2 nights' b&b, 3 rounds

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Includes 1 dinner

2 nights' b&b, 3 rounds was

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2 nights' dinner, b&b, 3 rounds was £335

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La Cala Golf Resort & Spa 5★ Mijas, Costa del Sol, Spain

+ 1 in 8 stay FREE

£219 £489

Up to 20% discount on Hotel F&B outlets

La Manga Club 5★ Los Belones, Murcia, Spain

+ 1 in 8 stay & play FREE

Hotel 3 nights' b&b, 3 rounds

£245 7 nights' b&b, 4 rounds fr £485

3 nights' b&b, 2 rounds fr

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Las Lomas 7 nights' b&b, 5 rounds was

Play golf on the Asia, America or Europa courses

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InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Hotel 5★ Paphos, Cyprus 5 nights' b&b, 3 rounds

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46 /

September 2011 / Issue 203

Check out all the magic of Prague

La Manga Launches Unicef Tournament Golfers can escape the British autumn and enjoy some competitive warm-weather golf, while supporting a great cause, with La Manga Club’s new UNICEF golf tournament.

The five-star Spanish resort is extending its work with UNICEF to deliver the charity’s first golf event at the venue on October 8.

The Stableford competition will be played over the par-73 South course, one of three premier golf courses at La Manga Club. Prizes will include luxury golf and lifestyle breaks at the prestigious resort, as well as spa treatments and green fees.

Entry to the event costs just €60 and competitors can take advantage of special accommodation packages. For just €50 per person per night, golfers can enjoy a two-night stay in a double or twin room at Las Lomas Village, with breakfast in the Deli Café. In addition, all guests can enjoy free entrance to the saunas, steam rooms, indoor pool and gym at Spa La Manga Club For more information or to book a stay at La Manga Club call 00 34 968 17 5577 or visit www.lamangaclub.com.

While Prague has long been a favourite with UK visitors in search of stunning architecture and its legendary nightlife, golf has been something of a well kept secret to most British golfers.

However, all that has changed following the rapid development of the game in the Czech Republic, highlighted by successful stagings of the Czech Open at the Prosper Golf Resort in Celadna, while last month saw the first Ladies European Tour event, the Prague Golf Masters, held at Albatross Golf Resort.

With a superb choice of worldclass resorts to choose from, the country is now well placed to offer golfing holidays to rival any of its European rivals.

The architecturally-stunning city of Prague is understandably the first choice of base for visitors, as most of the low cost airlines offer regular flights there. With a number of top quality golf courses on the doorstep, including the championship layouts at Karlstejn and Albatross, it’s a great place to stay for a weekend break.

Those wishing to stay longer should look beyond the

organise your trip here. With highly-efficient Englishspeaking staff, the company can manage all airport and golf transfers, as well as book accommodation and arrange convenient tee times.

Packages based on four golfers sharing two twin rooms start from just £299pp for threenight breaks, which comprise three rounds of golf, all Celadna Golf Resort

Ostrava is one of a host of top-class courses in the Czech Republic

capital and take advantage of the beautiful scenery on offer at countryside resorts such as Karlovy Vary and Ostrava in North Moravia, and Austerlitz Golf Resort in South

Golfers looking to combine a bit of competitive action with a holiday to the stunning Mediterranean island of Cyprus, should sign up to take part in the Korineum Golf & Country Club Festival of Golf, which takes place from September 30 until October 4, 2011.

Situated on the coast, near the town of Esentepe, Korineum is the first 18-hole golf resort in Northern Cyprus. Carved from a natural forest of pines and olive trees, the 6,600-yard course offers stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea on one side, and the famous Five Finger Mountain range on the other, making for a truly memorable experience.

The club’s inaugural festival of golf comprises a week-long series of tournaments, starting with Mens’ and Ladies’ Open events,

Holidays begin

with the perfect course Pack your clubs in the car and sail to over 80 uncrowded courses, and a selection of hand-picked hotels in France or northern Spain.

Moravia, where the courses are equally memorable.

Whatever your golfing needs, Czech Republic specialist Abante Golf, which is based in Prague, is well placed to

transfers and accommodation at a four-star hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

More extensive breaks start at £349, to include five nights’ accommodation in Prague and four rounds of golf, with minibus transfers to all the courses.

For more details of the latest offers and packages for 2012, visit www.abante-golf.co.uk.

Korineum to host festival week and includes Mixed Opens in various formats, making it an ideal break for golfing couples.

With gala dinners and numerous social events, the festival provides an ideal environment to relax among like-minded people, while enjoying the island’s famous hospitality and the luxurious Korineum resort, which boasts a

spa and wellness centre, and two stunning restaurants.

Three-night half-board packages, including three rounds of golf, plus gala dinner, prize giving and entertainment, start from €175 per person.

Flights are not included.

For more details call 0090 392 600 1500 or visit www.korineumgolf.com.

Play this course: Dinard Golf Club, Brittany

Just a short drive from the port of St Malo, this fantastic links course offers outstanding views and challenging holes.

Why not try it for yourself with one of our great value Play and Stay packages, including your return sailings and hotel.

Golf’s best 2 for 1 membership

2 nights and 3 rounds from £266 per person* Call 0871 244 0665 or visit

brittanyferries.com/golf

where holidays begin *Price based on 2 sharing, travelling in a standard car. New bookings only, subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

Huge savings on over 200 golf clubs www.golfnews.co.uk/greensaver

September 2011 / Issue 203

/ 47

Me&MyTravels

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with Phil de Glanville – The former England and Bath rugby captain has fond memories of Loch Lomond and ripping it up at Castle Combe with his old teammates My most recent holiday was to… North Western Spain – a region called Galicia – with beautiful white beaches, fresh seafood galore, and stunning countryside. We had lots of long lunches with my wife’s Spanish relatives!

My favourite golf course in the world is… Connemara in Ireland. My best man has a holiday home over there, as his dad is Irish. I haven’t been for 20 years, but have fond memories of playing into a gale, followed by stunning food at the Renvyle House Hotel and plenty of Guinness and singing in the bar.

My ideal travelling golf partners are… Jon Callard, Matt Perry and Mike Catt (all former rugby players). Full-on competition during the match, but with plenty of banter to try and put people off. Always followed by some liquid refreshment and a hearty meal. I also love playing with my dad in Devon.

Connemara Golf Club in the west of Ireland

Saint Geran in Mauritius

to Kenya and Egypt. We had all our valuables stolen, got stomach upsets on the plane over, altitude sickness climbing Mount Kenya, and lost our rucksacks off the bus in the middle of the desert in Egypt – very character-forming!

My best ever round was at…

The Manor House Course at Castle Combe, near Bath. When I was in the Bath squad, we used to play there a lot in the summer – I think I shot about eight over par.

My favourite golf course in the UK is… Loch Lomond. I played there once with BBC commentator Ian Robertson, who is a member. The greens were like billiard tables, and there was a great Scottish welcome, impeccable service, and beautiful scenery, with the loch as the backdrop.

My most memorable meal was… The fellows’ dinner at Kings College, Cambridge – my father-in-law is a fellow there, and there were six courses of the most delicious food, all matched with wine especially chosen for that particular course – heavenly.

The best hotel I’ve ever stayed at was… The Saint Geran in Mauritius – top-notch service, lovely food and a white beach on your doorstep. One of those places you can only go to once!

My favourite city in the world is… Rome – stunning architecture, beautiful buildings and historic sites, and great food and wine. The weather is usually pretty good too.

The stunning view from Loch Lomond Golf Club

My worst ever holiday was…

The first one my girlfriend (now wife) and I took after university

I’m planning a trip to…

Canada. We promised our three children we would go there, and we might actually have the funds do to it within the next three years!

My top travel tip would be… leave plenty of time, relax, and go with the flow. Walk and cycle when you get there – you don’t see anything in a car or a bus.

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