>> FITNESS FILES [STRONGER IS THE NEW LONGER] Ser ving South | West | Central Ontario
My HIDDEN GEM
Vol u m e 1 5 | Issu e 1 | S prin g 2 0 1 4 | gol fscen e. c a
a slightly different perspective on the life & career of Graham DeLaet (a Ruby’s true worth)
DEMO DAY
PLACES TO PLAY
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
SOCIAL MEDIA
C E C H O I
G A B E H T N I
R ’ S E D I T O
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS | SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS OVER THAT TIME
NEW GEAR PRO ADVICE
EVERY SHOT COUNTS
DESTINATIONS & more
HIT RZN CORES INSTEA ALSO DRIVE A CAR IN
Nike’s newest ball is longer, faster and more stable thanks to a game-changing technology we call the Speedlock RZN core. You can call it progress. Giddyup.
MORE STABLE FROM THE CORE
AD OF RUBBER CORES. NSTEAD OF A HORSE.
A GOOD SLICE rAnDOm Stuff wE StumbLE ACrOSS whILE LOOkInG fOr Our bALL
shaking things up ... Appears a couple of Canadians (and we're pretty sure it's more than two) find the current game a tad too slow and conservative to watch. They would like to see it 'crossover' through the creation of a hybrid style event - an experience that combines the great elements of golf with the louder, crazier, and more high energy side of action sports. Could work, we'd check it out, but we'll have to wait and see whether they can get it off the ground. @RippedLinks It is on! The first RippedLinks competition event will be held Saturday Sept 6 in downtown #Vancouver. Working... May 20th, 2014 - 7:13pm
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GolfScenery »
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SPRING 2014
CELEBRATING 50 In July, Cambridge Golf Club will celebrate a milestone. Great course, even better people ... never a surprise when a reader tells us how much they enjoyed the experience playing there. And they're always improving something - probably doing that right now. All the best on your 50th!
CAMBRIDGE GOLF CLUB - PHOTO: Brent Long
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GolfScenery »
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SPRING 2014
LAST GROUP OF THE DAY After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains. - Walt Whitman -
Kingsbarns | Fife, Scotland
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GolfScenery »
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SPRING 2014
DOwn thE mIDDLE Because it's the stuff we just can't measure that really matters. A single pure shot transcends everything. #JUSTGETOUTANDHITIT
ANYWHERE & EVERYWHERE
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GolfScene TM
SPRING 2014
VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 1
CONTENTS
PAGE
nOtEbOOk
COVEr StOrY
mY hIDDEn GEm :
SuStAInAbILItY :
ShE'S A rubY
& numbErS
A pair of personable billy goats join the maintenance staff at Copetown Woods while we humans keep busy charting ways to optimize distance ... page 18
LOCAL knOwLEDGE
StAtuS QuO : hIDDEn LAkE JOInS CLubLInk
Now part of the ClubLink family, Hidden Lake remains a public play facility; best of both worlds for area golfers - story by Brent Long - ... page 48
Interesting peek into the life of the PGA Tour's Graham DeLaet as told primarily by his wife Ruby - story by Ian Hutchinson - ... page 26
fItnESS ... page 50 (stronger is longer) CHATTER ... page 42 (with Jennifer Kirby) PRO-TIPS ... page 57 (a 'feel' good drill)
PrO-SPECtIVE
ADVICE : frOm twO On OntArIO'S bESt
Nick Starchuk (2013 PGA of Canada Teacher of the Year) and Doug Lawrie (2012 PGA of Canada Junior Teacher of the Year) share
GEAr
nEw Stuff : EQuIPmEnt & APPArEL EtC
26
a few thoughts on the game and 'getting better' ... page 54
A look at some of the 'even' longer drivers out there - plus a gander at some of the new footwear hitting the fairways - and a few extras that have caught our eye thus far ... page 18
PAGE
SOCIAL StrEAm â—„ we follow the media stream online and do our best to fish out what's interesting - page 52
DEmO DAY
testing out the new #SPEEDLOCK powered RZN ball from Nike - page 39
GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
ON THE COVER: GRAHAM DELAET - PHOTO COURTESY OF PUMA GOLF CANADA -
12
SPRING 2014
and I'm back as well ... just like my tee shots, all over the place
24
Natalie Gulbis
Warm weather. Hot competition. Summer is just around the corner, and that means the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic is coming back to Waterloo. See the best women golfers in the world, including Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr, Canada’s own Jennifer Kirby and more compete for the title at one of their favourite stops on the LPGA Tour. Proceeds to benefit official charity partner, St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation. Purchase your tickets today. Children 15 and under admitted free.
Join us on the green June 4–8 Grey Silo Golf Course Waterloo, ON Visit www.manulifeclassic.ca or manulife.ca.
In support of
GolfScene
GOLFSCENE.CA
TM
SPRING 2014 : VOLUME 15 : ISSUE 1
>> FITNESS FILES [STRONGER IS THE NEW LONGER] Ser ving South | West | Central Ontario
My HIDDEN GEM
Vo l u m e 1 5 | Is s u e 1 | S p ri ng 2 0 1 4 | g o l f s ce ne. c a
a slightly different perspective on the life & career of Graham DeLaet (a Ruby’s true worth)
DEMO DAY
PLACES TO PLAY
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
SOCIAL MEDIA
C E C H O I
IN THE BAG
R ’ S E D I T O
NEW GEAR PRO ADVICE
EVERY SHOT COUNTS
DESTINATIONS & more
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS | SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS OVER THAT TIME
COVER: Graham DeLaet (back issues can be difficult to find so we do maintain a digital archive - golfscene.ca) THIS PUBLICATION IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ITS FOUNDER, NORM WOODS
GEAR
PL AY I T W HE RE I T L I E S
The latest and greatest in equipment. Drivers, fairways, irons, wedges, hybrids, putters, balls and more. And from the runways to the fairways, we chase down what's fashionable on the greens and around the clubhouse - for him and her. Plus, this summer we'll be building a set of clubs from scratch ... a multi-part series that begins with the fitting process and ends with a custom finish.
PUBLISHER: GolfScene Inc TRUSTED CADDIE: Linda Woods CART VALET: Steve Woods CONTRIBUTORS
NEWS
Ian Hutchinson | Brent Long
A S I T HA P P E NS ...
As always, we'll be doing our best to keep our online readers up to date all season long with regional news and events. Easiest way to stay current? Sign up for the GolfScene INSIDER as we package up the important stuff and deliver it right into your inbox wherever you are and on whatever your device of choice.
STYLE & STUFF
DID NO T K NO W Y O U NEEDED ... Golf is a lifestyle; we recognize that. There's far more to this game than that lip out on twelve. So we toss in a few non-golf specific items that we think fit perfectly into a golfer's life. It's that stuff you never knew you wanted ... thank us later.
PLACES TO PLAY
Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author only and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts are invited, but their return cannot be guaranteed. Letters to the Editor may be edited for legalities and only signed letters will be considered for publication. SUBSCRIPTION & ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 416 548 4143
© GolfScene Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher. The reading of this magazine does not require a wifi connection, nor is it password protected, and its pages can be conveniently turned without any impending fear of a video automatically starting up without permission. The fixed screen size is for usability.
FIN DI NG T HE F I RST T EE Because this is what it's all about - right? We're committed to getting out on the courses more often this season. And we'll be featuring our travels online - no reviews, no ratings - just our own 5 star experiences ;) - there's no bad day on a golf course.
PLEASE RECYCLE
212 Harvest Drive | Milton | Ontario | L9T 4T3 Phone: (416) 548 4143 | info@golfscene.ca www.golfscene.ca USE THE HASHTAG #GOLFSCENE - AND WE'LL SHARE THE GAME
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enough with this crazy weather, let's waggle
Live Where You Play RiverBend Golf Community
. Beautiful 28,000 sq. ft clubhouse . 18 hole championship golf course . On-site pro shop and golf pros . Social activities and events Now selling villas and detached homes on The 13th Green! It’s all waiting for you at RiverBend Golf Community, featuring award winning homes by Sifton Properties Limited.
519.657.4333 Singles from the low $330s Villas from the $290s 2200 Jack Nash Drive, London Open daily 12:00 – 5:00 pm riverbendgolf.com
Sifton.com
NOTEBOOK [ holding onto a smartphone while jotting down things with pencil ]
Club Speed (mph)
Attack Angle (deg)
Ball Speed (mph)
Smash Factor
Driver
112
-1.3°
167
1.48
3 wood
107
-2.9°
158
1.48
5 wood
103
-3.3°
152
1.47
Hybrid
100
-3.5°
146
1.46
3 iron
98
-3.1°
142
1.45
4 iron
96
-3.4°
137
1.43
5 iron
94
-3.7°
132
1.41
6 iron
92
-4.1°
127
1.38
7 iron
90
-4.3°
120
1.33
8 iron
87
-4.5°
115
1.32
9 iron
85
-4.7°
109
1.28
PW
83
-5.0°
102
1.23
interesting to see the PGA Tou r average at 10.9 - not quite in sync with mu ch of the loft u p discussions however when compa red to the slower swing speeds of the ladies the benefit of higher la u nch a ppea rs evident
Club Speed (mph)
Attack Angle (deg)
Ball Speed (mph)
Smash Factor
Driver
94
3.0°
140
1.48
3 wood
90
-0.9°
132
1.47
5 wood
88
-1.8°
128
1.47
7 wood
85
-3.0°
123
1.45
4 iron
80
-1.7°
116
1.45
5 iron
79
-1.9°
112
1.42
6 iron
78
-2.3°
109
1.39
7 iron
76
-2.3°
104
1.37
8 iron
74
-3.1°
100
1.35
9 iron
72
-3.1°
93
1.28
PW
70
-2.8°
86
1.23
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PGA TOUR AVERAGES Launch Angle (deg)
Spin Rate (rpm)
Max Hieght (yards)
Land Angle (deg)
Carry (yards)
10.9°
2686
32
38°
275
9.2°
3655
30
43°
243
9.4°
4350
31
47°
230
10.2°
4437
29
47°
225
10.4°
4630
27
46°
212
11.0°
4836
28
48°
203
12.1°
5361
31
49°
194
14.1°
6231
30
50°
183
16.3°
7097
32
50°
172
18.1°
7998
31
50°
160
20.4°
8647
30
51°
148
24.2°
9304
29
52°
136
FACTOR EASE Perhaps the easiest way to begin to understand something that tends to be too complex and complicated for comprehension is to start with some form of baseline. So seeing as most golfers tend to look to the pros as a measurement (something we really shouldn't do); here's a chart of the averages. And if you know your numbers feel free to question, compare and contemplate.
LPGA TOUR AVERAGES Launch Angle (deg)
Spin Rate (rpm)
Max Hieght (yards)
Land Angle (deg)
Carry (yards)
13.2°
2611
25
37°
218
11.2°
2704
23
39°
195
12.1°
4501
26
43°
185
12.7°
4693
25
46°
174
14.3°
4801
24
43°
169
14.8°
5081
23
45°
161
17.1°
5943
25
46°
152
19.0°
6699
26
47°
141
20.8°
7494
25
47°
130
23.9°
7589
26
47°
119
25.6°
8403
23
48°
107
Factors like club speed and attack angle are essentially inherent to the player. Smash factor is how pure you make contact (closer to the centre being better) and ball speed the product of club speed and smash factor. Launch angle then becomes the average of factoring in the true loft of the club and the attack angle. (Interesting that even with a driver most PGA pros hit down on the ball) Spin rates will have a lot to do with the angles of impact in addition to the ball being played. And that all so important final column 'carry' becomes the net result of the combination of variables in font of it. Clear enough for you?
EDITORIAL ASIDE: It's always informative and a little entertaining to hear the differences in opinion when it comes to translating what the manufacturers are 'selling' and what the fitters are actually 'seeing'. THERE IS NO HOLY GRAIL TO DISTANCE. In fact there's no real secret to gaining yards at all; just a pretty substantial list of factors which in various combinations translate into trajectory, spin rate, smash factor, etc. The science becomes trying to match swing characteristics with available technology. Which is sort of like hitting a moving target.
tha nks to Modern Golf a nd Tra ck ma n for the gra phic GOLFSCENE.CA
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NOTEBOOK [ holding onto a smartphone while jotting down things with pencil ]
FUTURE FRIENDLY Meet Brock and Lee. Not exactly your average couple of regulars out at the Copetown Woods Golf Club. The personable billy goats are in fact part of the maintenance crew and work as weed whackers at the Flamborough area course. Brought on board in 2012, the pair are part of Copetown’s eco-friendly initiatives, which also involve recycling, composting, and the use of organic fertilizer. Owner Gordon Forth got the idea from another Ontario course (Settlers’ Ghost in Barrie) which
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was the first course in Canada to employ goats; a practice common in Scotland and Ireland. Their day starts at 4:30 am when a maintenance worker drops them off in an area of fescue that needs some weeds removed. One is tethered and one is not, but Forth says they never wander. A bucket of water is also left for them — and they go about their business - spending the day munching through the weeds. And adding a smile or two to the passing golfers.
SPRING 2014
Brock (right) - Lee (left) when not busy working as pa rt of the grou nds crew, the two billy goats have a good ti me ha nging out with the golfers a nd have become pseu do cele brities - a nd no, they a ren't on twitter ... yet
photo courtesy: COPETOWN WOODS
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2014
GEAR STYLE & STUFF
The crisscross alignment feature makes it easier to square the face while Cameron’s stringent attention to detail and unyielding attention to ‘how the putter looks’ at address make the new Select and GoLo series putters literal eye-candy for the discerning player. We like the return to the silver and red colour scheme – sort of synonymous with the brand. And let’s not forget the Pistolero and new Pistolini grips; because feel starts and stops where the hands contact the club.
GEAR
www.SCOttYCAmErOn.COm
It’s no secret that Canadian Bob Vokey is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet in this game. And it’s also common knowledge that he knows his way around the grinder; building and shaping some of the finest wedges in the game. His newest designs are based on the same custom grinds he’s crafted in the van for the pros while out on tour. All TVD wedges now feature the new, deeper Spin Milled TX3 grooves, delivering more spin for precision trajectory and distance control and improved greenside performance.
www.OAkLEY.COm
Here’s a nice way to show a little chirp worthy patriotism and, most likely, be the envy of the group. Kikkor Golf, in a cool collaboration with Asher Gloves, has brought to market a limited ‘Oh Canada’ edition. We know it’s made our list of gear to get into the bag sooner than later. Constructed using the finest AA Premium Cabretta Leather, this glove is nothing short of premium luxury.
www.tItLEISt.CA
The boxes for these drivers nowadays really should read 'some assembly required'.
GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
The high-performance Turnpin pants from Oakley are equipped with sweat-wicking, four-way stretch UV-shielding fabric for a comfortable fit and protection from the sun. Multiple pockets keep essentials close and vented hems create a clean break over shoes. Add some vertical pinstripes and you have a classic look that's equal parts slimming and cool.
www.kIkkOr.COm
20
SPRING 2014
GEAr | 2014
Maximum comfort, cool zones, legs that don’t ride up; there’s something to be said for a pair of underwear that do exactly what their supposed to do … keep things in place, secure, and comfortable. We discovered Mack Weldon online and can ‘comfortably’ state first hand (well torso) that they are every bit as functional as they say. While not specifically designed for sport we can attest they were equally comfortable coming up 18 as they were heading down 1.
One the more interesting adaptations in apparel this year is Nike’s decision to fuse the properties of a windshirt with the comfort, warmth, and flexibility of a sweater. We had the chance to test a version of this hybrid style cover-up late last year and can attest that the protective qualities of a lightweight wind and weather resistant material worked extremely well with the warmth and inherent elasticity of the sweater material. And this is definitely not your grandma’s sweater material.
www.mACkwELDOn.COm
- coming soon to a fairway nearest you -
FOR MORE NEW STUFF IN REAL TIME VISIT US AT GOLFSCENE.CA
www.nIkEGOLf.CA
UP
Ever since Phil Mickelson’s ‘implementation’ of the Phrankenwood – essentially using a strong 2/3 wood in lieu of a driver – there’s been some serious conversation around a qualitative method to the madness. Enter the Rapture from Ping; a 13-degree 3-wood for golfers looking for a versatile driver alternative or hotterfaced 3-wood. After all, the new distance credo is all about higher launch and increased control right?
Recently purchased by adidas, Adams remains a respected niche brand with an exceptional pedigree in the hybrid category. The new PRO 20 line features a high MOI upside-down head shaping, velocity slot technology on the crown and a cut-thru slot on the sole making it easier to catapult the ball online towards its intended target.
www.PInGGOLf.COm
www.ADAmSGOLf.COm
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The nice thing about these neon outfits is the ability to tell a guest at the club to aim for the clown in the yellow slacks. Yep, that's a good line, I say.
DIFFERENT FOR
LONGER’S SAKE The first thing you notice about the VR_S Covert 2.0 is how different it looks. But that’s the last thing that matters. Only performance does. That’s why we made the VR_S Covert 2.0 even better than the original. All-new Fly-Brace technology combined with a larger, hotter NexCOR face increases stability and delivers more forgiving distance. The result lets you hit longer, more accurate shots.
2014
GEAR STYLE & STUFF
FASTER LONGER Improved materials, better weight ratios, lower CG, increased MOI, f le xibility through adjustability … yada yada yada. It’s almost as if ever y manufacturer is working from the same blueprint nowadays. Bottom line, drivers are ver y, ver y good these days – no doubt – but the trick remains to differentiate oneself from the rest.
GEAR
- for more detailed specs and perspective visit us at golfscene.ca
NIKE COVERT 2.0
COBRA BiO CELL Cobra removed weight from the crown and face and repositioned it lower and further back to deliver higher MOI and effectively enlargen the sweet spot. The result is a more forgiving driver built to produce longer and straighter drives.
Last year Nike Golf introduced cavity back technology. Building upon that, the new VRS Covert 2.0 drivers incorporate Fly-Brace technology which increases overall stability, delivering improved feel and even faster ball speeds.
TAYLORMADE SLDR A lower and more forward centre of gravity promotes hotter launch, less spin and faster ball speeds. They've also reinvented the method of adjusting their movable weight technology with a more user friendly sliding mechanism.
GEAr | 2014 GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
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SPRING 2014
PING i25 A high strength-to-weight ratio (stable body joins variable-thickness face) ensures maximum energy transfer and generates faster ball speeds.
CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA The Big Bertha returns and debuts 'Adjustable Perimeter Weighting' technology, an innovative sliding weight that can be moved around the perimeter of the driver head to help produce longer, straighter drives.
2014
GEAR STYLE & STUFF
LACE EM UP
It's a 'shoecase' of sorts. First look at some of the newest styles set to hit the fair ways this season. - we've got the technical details on all of these shoes and more over at golfscene.ca, but 9 out 10 golfers surveyed agreed - "if it doesn't look good why bother trying them on"
NIKE LUNAR CONTROL
FOOTJOY FJ CITY
ADIDAS ADICROSS
G/FORE GALLIVANTER
PUMA MONOLITE
ADIDAS ADIZERO
FOOTJOY DNA
KIKKOR AIRSTRIP
NIKE LUNAR CLAYTON
GEAr | 2014 GOLFSCENE.CA
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GrAhAm DELAEt
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SPRING 2014
COVEr StOrY
MY HIDDEN GEM They say that behind every great man there stands a great woman; for Graham DeLaet, that gem just so happens to be a Ruby story by Ian Hutchinson
Earlier this year, Graham DeLaet was discussing the formation of the charitable foundation that will bear his name and be led by his wife Ruby, although at the time she had no official title. DeLaet hollered to Ruby, asking what she thought her title should be and a voice, inaudible on the other end of the phone, replied ... “She says Master of the Universe,” he relayed with a chuckle.
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- GRAHAM DELAET | CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE -
- GRAHAM DELAET | CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS -
There are politicians who would claim that title and dispute her declaration, but there are very few conversations with DeLaet in which Ruby’s name isn’t mentioned at least once. She may not be master of his universe, but she is a big part of the core around which his world revolves. Yet there was a time not that long ago when such importance in DeLaet’s life seemed unlikely, with his focus locked on his career, with no room for outside distractions. However, this Ruby is a gem, according to DeLaet, who had no doubt about who he’d pick to lead the Graham DeLaet Foundation, a charitable cause close to his heart. Last year, for example, DeLaet reacted to the flood in Southern Alberta by donating $1,000 for every birdie and $2,500 for every eagle he made at the Travelers Championship. DeLaet compiled nine birdies that weekend for a total of $9,000, but Saskatoon businessman David Dube, PGA Tour Canada and ATB Financial matched his contribution for a total of $36,000. His tournament in his home province of Saskatchewan has also raised funds for junior golf and hospitals, so the Graham DeLaet Foundation is the next step in those charitable efforts. Ruby will guide those steps in the same caring way she helped her husband over rough patches in his career. “Three years ago when I was laying on the couch (following back surgery) and couldn’t get up to now starting a foundation like this, she’s excited about it as well. It’s amazing how fast things happen and hopefully, we can continue to keep moving forward,” says DeLaet. “There’s not one person that either us would rather have. I think she would like to be in charge of it because, first of all, it gets her involved and she can kind of be mastermind and use her imagination to things that we can do and what it can become,” he adds. “For me, there’s not one person I’d rather have running it. There’s not a person in the world I trust more,” he says. Gossipy reports of a rumoured break-up and subsequent engagement of Rory McIlroy and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, the engagement of Dustin Johnson and Paulina Gretzky, the daughter of the NHL icon, and the relationship between Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn seem to overshadow the game these days. - GRAHAM DELAET | CONTINUED ON PAGE 31 -
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SPRING 2014
GrAhAm DELAEt
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Planning your golf vacation should be stress free. That’s why you’ll love the New York Golf Trail. We reserve your tee times, arrange for lodging (at reduced rates) and provide special discounts at each course – all with just one call or e-mail. So the only thing you have to worry about is your game. And the hecklers. Get a free Quick Quote today at NYGolfTrail.com or call 1-800-614-7450.
Choose one of our popular travel packages including: Finger Lakes, Central NY, Lake Placid and Saratoga or design your own. Packages start at $245 per person.
COVEr StOrY - GRAHAM DELAET
| CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 -
On the other hand, a tour wife such as Ruby DeLaet can provide insight not captured in the glitzy, paparazzi stuff, but instead offer a behind-the-scenes look at what a player values, the crabby times that her husband admits he has, the times when there is concern for his career and the good times, as well. Yet, her good intentions of trying to support her husband’s career can be met with resistance, admits DeLaet. “I guess there’s a little bit of trial and error involved in that,” he says. “There were a couple of times when maybe she’s said something and because I was shorttempered or whatever at the time that I probably wasn’t superfriendly about her comments,” he added. “I think she just kind of learned throughout the years that there’s times when she can kind of be a shoulder to lean on and other times, it’s better to just not really say anything,” says DeLaet. “She just can read me well and that’s kind of what makes her special to me,” he says, adding that his wife keeps him organized, allowing him to focus on his career. “I said, `What would I do without you?’ She said, `You’d probably pay somebody to do exactly what I’m doing, but way more than you’re paying me right now,’ and I’m like, `Yeah, you’re probably right,’” says DeLaet. “I’m sure the majority of people would think that being a tour wife is just all this and that or an easy life or whatever, but she works really, really hard,” he says. As much as he appreciates her now, Ruby didn’t fit into his plans in the beginning. While Weyburn, Sask., Graham’s home town, is just over 10,000 people close to the Can-
ada-U.S. border, Ruby grew up in an even-smaller town after being born in Seattle, Wash., where she only spent a year of her life before her family moved to St. Maries in north central Idaho. With just under 2,500 people in St. Maries, Ruby and her sister Lily, who is three years younger, grew up on a sheep farm about 20 miles outside of town with their parents, Doug Fawcett and Lisa Jensen. Ruby took part in ballet and was a cheerleader for several years, but began playing golf with her dad at the age of 14 for fun. That was about her only connection with Graham, who was growing up in Saskatchewan. “I had never heard of it in my life. I didn’t grow up too far from it Long before they met Ruby DeLaet (the either, but I was not Rubes as she's now familiar at all with better known) took the province,” says part in ballet and was a cheerleader for several Ruby, who spent years, but began playing a year at North golf with her dad at the Idaho College, beage of 14 for fun. That was about her only fore moving on to connection with Graham, Boise State, about a who was growing up in six-and-a-half hour Saskatchewan. drive away from St. Maries, where she was a marketing major. While she was at Boise State, she worked as a bank teller across the street from the university and one of the frequent visitors was her future husband. “He would come in and cash his scholarship cheques. I knew kind of who he was and I always thought he was cute and I always tried to make him use my teller window, but he was always very, very shy and never really said much,” she recalls. “We always joke about how he would bring his scholarship cheques in and deposit them so he could take his account out of the negative. I knew he had a reCONTINUED NEXT PAGE
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GrAhAm DELAEt
ally strong financial foundation there,” she says with a laugh. They ran with the same crowd, knew who each other were, but didn’t really connect until September of 2005 after Ruby had graduated. The connection came when Graham earned an exemption into the Albertsons Boise Open, an event on what was the Nationwide Tour. “I enjoyed the game and so I went out with a friend of mine to watch him play. I was just kind of looking at him and thinking about how cute he was. I really didn’t know as much about the score or what was happening,” says Ruby, who had to leave after nine holes. As Graham was walking between the ninth and 10th holes, she saw that he noticed her. “My friend and I were standing there and watching him walk away. I didn’t even know he knew I was there watching and he gives me this big grin with those big dimples and I just fell in love him right then and there,” she says. “I told my friend, `That’s it. I’m done. He’s it.’ I’m going after that guy. That’s exactly what I did. It was kind of hard work. He didn’t really want to be in a relationship or have anything to do with a girlfriend,” she says. Graham called Ruby later to thank her for coming out to watch, even though he “played like a donkey,” in his words. They ended up running into one another later that evening in downtown Boise. “We had a pretty instant connection and I think we both knew that there was something that could really turn into a pretty serious relationship and go somewhere,” says Ruby. However, Graham reiterated his concerns not long into their relationship.
“We had been hanging out, for like two or three weeks and we were just hanging out one night and he said, `You know, I really like you and I would love to be in a relationship with you, but here’s the deal. I am going to be a professional golfer. I’m going to be gone a lot. Is that something you can handle?’” says Ruby. For his part, Graham wanted to be fair with her. “One of those things that’s disappointing about being a professional athlete is that you have to be selfish and if you really want to take your career to where you want it to go, outside interference can hold you back,” he says. “I thought she was a great girl. We’d been hanging out for a little while, but I’m like, `This is not part of my plan over the next two years,’” he adds. “I wasn’t going to have a girlfriend or anything like that, but she was on board with what I was doing and wanted to be part of it, not because she had big eyes that I was going to make it to the PGA Tour because at that time, I don’t think she really understood what was going on with golf and whether I was going to make it or not,” he says. “We liked each other and she thought it would be an interesting way to spend life and here we are,” says Graham. Ruby, then 23, didn’t have to think twice, she says. “I would just so much rather really love someone and miss them than not have that at all,” she says. “I just knew it was something special and I wasn’t really willing to give that up for anything, so I said, `Yeah, let’s do this. “I told my friend, `That’s it. I’m done. He’s it.’ I’m going after that guy. That’s exactly what I did.
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I’m on board. Game on. Let’s go,’” adds Ruby. “I don’t really remember sitting down and thinking to myself, `I hope this works out. I really hope he makes it.’ I think he was just so confident and believed in himself enough that I never questioned it, even if he was having a bad stretch,” she says, adding that he consistently proved to her the work ethic she had heard a lot about. “I think because I could see that and I could really see that he was doing everything it took, I was just there to support him and believe in him and I wasn’t going to do anything other than that, whether it was golf or whether he decided to move on from golf and do something else,” she says. “As his partner, I just wanted to support him,” says Ruby, who soon discovered first-hand what Graham was talking about. “When he was traveling, I never made him feel guilty for being away. Even
MASTERS MOMENT though we missed each other like crazy, we never let on,” she adds. “There were times when I would drop him off at the airport and I wasn’t going to see him for five weeks and it would be like, `Okay, see you later,’ and he’d leave and I would just spend the next five minutes crying by myself in the car and then, I’d get over it, have a little talk with myself,” says Ruby, who married Graham on June 14, 2008. There were more tests to come. Graham had won Canadian Tour rookie of the year honours the year before he married Ruby, but “we got married and he stopped making cuts,” she says. There were also financial challenges and his good friend, Mark Head, floated him a loan to get by. “Mark was just a huge part of Graham’s success on the Canadian Tour and he’s such a dear, dear friend,” says Ruby. When a tour player is gunning for his first win, even the slightest mistake can lead to failure and it’s being in the position to win enough times that allows that player to learn the subtleties that takes him to the ultimate goal. Likewise, Ruby was being tested. Even the most wellintentioned comment can compound the frustration of not playing up to potential. “Throughout the years, I’ve gotten better at knowing when to say something, what to say, how to say it, how he’s going to respond, so I don’t make him more mad or make him more sad,” she says. “I cannot even fathom ever asking him, `What’s going on? Why are you not playing well?’ I never asked him about it. We knew he wasn’t playing the way he wanted to. He didn’t need me reminding him,” she adds. “The only time I ever remember saying anything was actually when he was home for one or two weeks before he went back on the road and it was kind of getting to the point where he was running out of money and really wasn’t sure what he was going to do,” says Ruby. “We just had a really good talk about, `Whatever happens, happens. This isn’t the end of the world and you’ve just got to make sure that we both keep our heads down, working as hard as we can together,’” she says. “There’s just nothing else we can do right now. “Then, he went out the next week and won,” she adds. Ruby was selling insurance and was in Las Vegas on business as Graham birdied the final hole of regulation, then won the Desjardins Montreal Open on the first playoff hole. “I got a text from his buddy that Graham had won and I was like, `What the heck?’ I look at the scoreboard on my phone and then I found out it had gone into a playoff. I was crying when I found out he won,” says Ruby. It was not only a relief, but a pivotal point in his career as her husband continued to roll through the 2009 Canadian Tour season with wins at the ATB Financial Classic and the Players Cup and he was named Player of the Year. CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
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rubY DELAEt ISn’t PLAnnInG AnY COuP tO rEPLACE JuLIEn truDEAu as her husband’s caddie after handling those duties at the Par 3 Contest at the Masters, where Graham finished even par and in a tie for 21st. “It was really cool just to be a part of something. We’re always there with him and supporting him, but it was really neat on such a big week to be with him, even though it was inside the ropes of the Par 3 course,” she said. “I just kind of cleaned the clubs and put them in the bag,” she said, adding that she gives full credit to Trudeau for keeping her husband’s staff bag organized at regular tournaments. Ruby actually carried a smaller bag for the Par 3 Contest and, as caddie, she never plans to get involved in club selection again after trying that once in the middle of the round when she suggested to Graham that he use a pitching wedge. “I made one club decision and he hit it into the crowd. That was my only suggestion and it didn’t work out too well,” she said. What did work out well for her was the entire experience. The Par 3 Contest is intended to be a fun family affair before the serious business of the Masters gets underway the following day. Ruby says she enjoyed being with the other wives and seeing toddlers in the white full-piece caddie suits and their green caddie caps. She also enjoyed meeting former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, one of two women who were the first to become Augusta members two years ago, along with venture capitalist Geoff Yang, who had played with her husband at Pebble Beach. “Different members of the course stand on the first tee and greet everybody,” said Ruby, who says the Augusta experience extended beyond the Par 3 course. Members of Graham’s and Ruby’s families stayed in one house and friends of her husband, “Graham’s Gangsters” as they’re known, stayed in another. Ruby’s dad even brought salmon, crab and shrimp from the Pacific Northwest to enjoy Graham’s first appearance at the Masters. Ruby says it was indeed an experience from the get-go. The DeLaets left the house they were staying in at about 7:15 a.m. the first day, but “we ended up sitting in traffic for almost 30 minutes,” said Ruby, adding they finally arrived about 8 a.m. “I think the first thing is the amount of people who were there on Monday morning when the gates opened. It was pouring rain. They actually ended up calling it. I just was thinking the whole time about all those people who didn’t buy their tickets through the Masters people and didn’t get refunds,” she said. Once inside the gates, she was impressed with both the beauty and the size of the golf course and the way the first major of the year on the PGA Tour operates. “I know it seems weird that this is my first impression, but the system for the concessions and the merchandise, they know how to pump people in and pump them out and get them what they need and everything is so quick,” she added. “Every single employee on that golf course was so friendly and happy. You can tell they really go out of their way to create an overall experience,” she said. GRAHAM MISSED THE CUT IN HIS FIRST AUGUSTA EXPERIENCE, BUT IT’S A GOOD BET THAT THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DELAETS TO GET USED TO THE SURROUNDINGS.
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“At Q-school, I really, He also won the BMG truly had no doubt that Classic in South Africa, that was it, he was going which was among sevI got a text from his buddy that Graham to make it. Everything eral impressive interhad won and I was was where it needed to national showings that like, 'What the be and I think he kind of year, including a win at a heck?' I look at the scoreboard on my felt the same way. It was World Cup qualifier with phone and then I a different vibe, a differteammate Stuart Anderfound out it had gone ent player going into that son in Estonia, which set into a playoff. I was crying when I found final Q-school,” she said. them up for an appearout he won. In 28 events in his ance in China, where rookie year, Graham had they finished 25th. three top-10 finishes and From China, he had to rush back to the final stage of Q-school at eight top-25s, but missed 13 cuts to finBear Lakes Country Club in West Palm ish with $954,011. As the season wound Beach, Fla., where his roll continued and down, however, he was experiencing he tied for eighth to make the rare direct problems with his back. “I remember once instance in particujump from the Canadian Tour to the PGA lar. We were in Georgia at Sea Island (McTour. Ruby knew of Graham’s potential. She Gladrey Classic),” recalls Ruby. “He was getting ready to go out and observed his work ethic and heard their friends talk about him, but as he caught play that final round. He had been playfire in 2009, potential was increasingly ing pretty well. He was in a good position and he sneezed and he kind of buckled. turning into reality for her. At that point, he was like, `I don’t even “When he started playing well around know if I can play,’” she adds. “He went into the fitness trailer and got the world, I think that was when I started to understand how good of a player worked on and he started to loosen up a he was and what he could be,” she said, little bit, hit some shots and went out and adding that both his and her confidence played anyway,” she says. “During the round, I would see him hit reached a peak at Q-school. a shot and sort of catch his breath or he would buckle a little bit or was stretching on every tee box. You could just tell,” says Ruby. “I just kind of waited for him to tell me how he was feeling and what he was going to do because I knew he was in pain,” she adds. “I can’t even fathom the amount of pain that he went through. I just know what I saw and I knew it was really bad, but wouldn’t know unless you were experiencing it. It’s really awful not being able to do anything about it,” she says. In January, Graham underwent surgery for a herniated disc that was pinching a nerve and concern was not only for his golf career, but his quality of life. “At the time, all I was really thinking about was doing whatever it took to make the pain better. Thinking about his golf career would have made things more depressing because I never had a clue what
I CAN’T EVEN FATHOM THE AMOUNT OF PAIN THAT HE WENT THROUGH. I JUST KNOW WHAT I SAW AND I KNEW IT WAS REALLY BAD, BUT WOULDN’T KNOW UNLESS YOU WERE EXPERIENCING IT. IT’S REALLY AWFUL NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
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was going to happen or if it was going to get better.” says Ruby. “We had talked to a few people who had had herniated discs, bulging discs and we saw them upright and moving around and having a normal lifestyle, but that’s when you you work at a desk, not as a professional golfer,” she adds. “We just had no idea what to expect and so, we tried not to think too much about whether or not he was going to have a golf career, but more about whether he was going to have any kind of quality of life,” she says. “The worst thoughts run through your head, so we mostly just tried to work on making sure he was taking his meds on time, making sure he was heating and icing every 20 minutes, making sure we were working on muscle knots every couple of hours and running to doctor’s appointments and just taking it one day at a time,” says Ruby. Her mom asked her at one point how she was coping and she broke into tears. “I just didn’t realize how draining it would be emotionally and physically,” she says, adding that she gained perspective from a friend who had battled through cancer and survived. As a result, she knew Graham could get through his challenge and did quite nicely, but she says the experience still affects her. “I still cringe every time he sneezes. Every time, I can’t not think of him just dropping to his knees. It’s just a little thing I can’t quite get over,” she says. “I can’t personally feel it. He knows it’s no big deal, but I know last time I heard that, it turned into a big deal and I’m trying not to dwell on it,” she adds. For his part, Graham says her care during his most vulnerable time grows in importance every time he thinks about it. “I was basically helpless and she would do anything I ever needed,” he says. “I remember a lot of times, I would wake up with these really, really bad leg pains in my right leg, just really terrible, like two, three, four in the morning and she would rub my leg for 20 minutes when I’m sure she would rather have been sleeping,” he adds.
“She’s just got such a big heart and would do anything for me, especially during times like that. I felt so helpless and I appreciated everything that she did, but I didn’t really notice how much she really did until I reflected back on it,” he says. DeLaet may have been rushing things when he played three times in mid-June in 2011 and later in the year at the Albertsons Boise Open, where it all started with Ruby, but he followed up with a 2012 campaign that saw him go over the $1-million mark for the first time in his career.
"HE WOULD COME IN AND CASH HIS SCHOLARSHIP CHEQUES. I KNEW KIND OF WHO HE WAS AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS CUTE AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO MAKE HIM USE MY TELLER WINDOW, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS VERY, VERY SHY AND NEVER REALLY SAID MUCH. WE ALWAYS JOKED ABOUT HOW HE WOULD BRING HIS SCHOLARSHIP CHEQUES IN AND DEPOSIT THEM SO HE COULD TAKE HIS ACCOUNT OUT OF THE NEGATIVE. I KNEW HE HAD A REALLY STRONG FINANCIAL FOUNDATION THERE,” SHE SAYS WITH A LAUGH. After seven top-10s, an eighth place finish in the FedEx Cup playoffs and an outstanding first appearance at the Presidents Cup in 2012, more changes have taken place off the course for the DeLaets. As Graham was preparing to head out on the road to kick off 2014, he and Ruby were settling into their new home in Scottsdale, Ariz. “More than anything, I think we kind of felt to really take the next step in my career, being in great weather year-round and playing at golf courses where there are other tour pros or you can always find a game, great practice facilities,” he says.
“It’s basically to try to take the next step in my career. I think that we just kind of had to do that,” he says, admitting that it will be a big change from their days in Boise. “We’re definitely going to miss it, We’ve got a lot of great friends. That’s kind of our home now and always will be, I think,” he says. “We’re still going to keep a place there and when it’s really hot in Phoenix in the summer, we’re going to take our offweeks up there, so we’ll still be there from time to time, just a little bit less than we have been the last few years,” he adds.
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They will miss bowling at Big Al’s or watching Boise State football games, all the things that have become familiar since their days at their alma mater. “Canada, for Graham, is always what feels like home more than anything,” says Ruby, adding that Boise still has a place in her husband’s heart. “Every time when we get back to Boise or we’re there, we always end up going bowling, It’s a lot of fun. We have a really good time with our friends,” she says. “We try to catch Boise State games if they’re happening when we’re home, the football games. Downtown Boise turns into crazy town every time there’s a Boise State game,” she says, adding that camping is another favourite pastime as is fishing for Graham. “Downtown Boise is amazing. They have a wonderful farmers market on Saturday mornings. The city itself is really, really neat. We love it there. There’s just lots to do,” says Ruby, who took charge in setting up the new place, just as she does in keeping her husband organized. His concern that she might not buy into his schedule and career has vanished. The Master of the Universe for the Graham DeLaet Foundation has become a foundation for Graham DeLaet and it will remain that way when his playing days are over. “She’s there for me in good times and bad,” he says. “When things start going downhill, you’ve got to lean on the people who really, really love you.”❤
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DEmO DAY PR ESS R ELEASES AR E SPAM
because the stuff that ends up in the mailbox over the inbox tends to get more 'play'
BIG
IT'S THE LITTTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE There was little doubt when Nike first unveiled its new core (RZN) technology that not only were they onto something, but knowing Nike’s obsessive work ethic it was only the beginning … fast forward a few years, add a few iterations, and they have a ball that is significantly improved in both directions – softer around the greens and faster off the clubface. We had a chance to test it out down in Las Vegas and, all bets being equal, it’s the real deal.
golf balls tend to fall into two categories; DISTANCE & FEEL (HARD & SOFT) The challenge for golf ball designers is to try and achieve measurable gains on one side without sacrificing too much on the other - no easy task which is why traditionally there has always been the divide
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DEmO DAY | nIkE rZn bALL
THE RZN FACTOR Recently, we had the opportunity to visit the Nike Global Headquarters … aka The Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike Golf invited the global media to attend a few days of product information sessions plus a quick stop-over in Las Vegas for a chance to test out the latest and greatest in swooshiness. The Nike line of products, particularly when you include the apparel side of things is simply far too large to fit into a few days … so they decided to focus on a few key technical advances. It’s a lot of information, but then again there's a crazy amount of research and development that we as end users tend to take for granted. And as quick aside, the Campus really is an extraordinary place. Thousands of minds obsessed with sport and a single goal to make things better. Faster, higher, straighter, whatever-er. Success is measured in very small increments at Nike. Because they believe if it’s measurable at all, it makes a difference.
PErhAPS thE bIGGESt tAkEAwAY – the wow moment if you will – was the technology inside the next generation of the RZN golf ball. Building upon what was, in its time, a radically new core material and production process (2011); the designers at Nike have leveraged the flexibility of the latter further to effectively alter the shape and characteristics of its resin core. In doing so, they’ve made it lighter (less material) and simultaneously faster (speedlock). A lighter core means that more weight can be moved to the perimeter of the ball making it increasingly stable. Add to that the low slip speedlock – gear effect between materials – and less energy is lost upon impact. The tech was certainly interesting enough and the physics made sense, but the proof is always in the playing.
We had the opportunity to put the ball through its paces; and under some very un-Vegas like, windy, cool, and wet weather conditions. (which worked well for us seeing as we're used to playing in Ontario weather). AND
....
it’s definitely softer. It’s noticeably tackier (both to the touch and around the greens). It’s longer (at least by their numbers – as it was too cold and wet to get any accurate launch monitor numbers). And it’s super stable. Remember – lighter core pushes weight to the perimeter while the speed lock tech reduces energy loss.
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a nd we're lu cky enou gh to get to play the m all ;)
Six straight 3/4 wedges to a 75 yard pin with a fairly formidable cross wind to within a few feet equals bold - or sold. OPINION: The new ball now feels and flights as good as any other ball we’ve played. And big plus, the RZN ball is now available in more (4) variations – so there's a ball for all swing speeds and performance needs.
THE TECHNOLOGY SPEEDLOCK - proprietary RZN core technology features an interlocking core design – the inner surface is similar to a waffle iron – this interconnects with the compression layer to form a tighter bond. This increases the energy transfer through the layers at impact. + similar to the way aggressive treads on snow tires bond with a road surface, the SPEEDLOCK core’s interlocking geometry helps eliminate the slipping that normally occurs between a traditional, smooth-surface core and the outer layer. When a core slides or slips on impact, the ball loses energy, speed and distance.
OPTIONS
● the RZ N ball is now availa ble in 4 options to better a ccomodate different swing speeds a nd preferences
SPIN OPTIMIZED COVER - a new spin-optimized coating on the outer surface of the ball helps grip the grooves for better control on wedge and iron shots. The coating also helps provide improved sound and feel.
SOFTER COVER
● a new spin-opti mized coating on the outer su rfa ce of the ball helps grip the grooves for better control on wedge a nd iron shots. This was by fa r the biggest ta ngible cha nge a nd the softer compression in the core provides i mproved sou nd a nd feel especially on the greens. Y ou r putting will love it.
HISTORY - it's taken the better part of 600 years WOODEN BALLS - original ball with 'unique' characteristics FEATHERY - leather wrapped balls stuffed with feathers GUTTY - dried tree sap that took on a rubbery like feel once heated and shaped RUBBER - (or composite) - which is the core found in the modern day ball - core has been solid or wound and covers have gone through various material and dimple iterations
SPEEDLOCK
● by incorporating a waff le pattern into the RZ N (resin compou nd) core, Nike was a ble to not only ma ke the core lighter, but it also allowed the m to 'lock' the core to the su rrou nding materials via something those mu ch wiser tha n us dee m the 'gea r effect'. This combination ma kes the ball faster in two directions; lighter core plus less energ y loss.
RZN - and now Nike has resin which is proprietary and in the modern world of patent protection ... ? - we'll have to wait and see what type of magical formula is out there next. ◄ But for now the Play In The Now spots seem to have the first 600 years covered.
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JENNIFER KIRBY ChAt rOOm
- interview by Ian Hutchinson -
PGA Tour Rookie Returning Home
Jennifer Kirby gets a bonus during her rookie year on the LP GA Tour with two tournaments to be played near her home town of Paris.
Manulife Financial LP GA Classic Grey Silo in Waterloo, June 5-8. C anadian Pacific Women’s Open London Hunt, Aug. 21-24. Kirby, who finished fifth at Q-school to play on tour this year, was looking for ward to both as she chatted with GolfScene .
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COmInG hOmE (twICE): The girls on tour just
rave about the Canadian events; how well they’re run and how good the courses are. The sheer number of volunteers and fans that are out there. Now I can see first-hand that we definitely have the best fans. It’s a lot of fun. And makes me really appreciate the Canadian events.
LASt YEAr In wAtErLOO: I really enjoy when a bunch of people that I know can come out and watch me. I think I play better. It's always nice to be the local player and have so many people recognize and support you. It’s also nice to be able to stay at home during the week. I like that aspect. Last year was a really good event for me because it was the first time that I made a cut (T41) on the LPGA Tour playing as a pro. wOrkInG wIth SEAn fOLEY (bEfOrE tIGEr): When I was 13, me and my brother (Patrick) were playing a lot of CJGA events and were between coaches, so my mom starting asking around and Sean’s name came up a bunch. So we went and saw him in the winter and then started getting lessons.
wELCOmE tO thE LPGA, rOOkIE: Experience on the tour is the key - I’m definitely finding that out. I’ve been up and down. Obviously you’re not playing to make the cut, but in the back of your mind, there’s still a cut. It’s especially hard on us rookies, not knowing the golf courses and having that sense of comfort. Everything’s brand new. There’s a lot of adapting and finding the right balance of practice and taking time off. I told my mom we need to get a book and start writing everything down every week for next year. You just have to experience it and learn from it. I am saving yardage books and pin sheets. mAnuLIfE/GOLf CAnADA YOunG PrO PrOGrAm EASInG fInAnCIAL AnxIEtY: Obviously,
I’m thrilled. Manulife jumped on board as soon as I got through final stage of Qschool. It’s very nice of them to support me and have faith in me as a rookie. It’s not every day that rookies get really solid corporate sponsorship - I’m very fortunate to have that. Not having to worry so much about finances week in and week out helps a lot. You already have so much pressure
to perform and you don’t need that extra factor weighing on you. (With the Young Pro program): I didn’t know I was going to be chosen, but I knew they (Golf Canada) were trying to put a program together, so I’m very happy to be chosen.
It's really nice to be the local player and having so many people recognize me. [AT THE CANADIAN EVENTS] There is so much support.
thE QuEStIOn Of Q-SChOOL: I never went to Q-school before. I made that decision because I didn’t want to take that much time away from school. I wasn’t going to turn pro and not finish college. So it was kind of scary going into Q-school (2013) not knowing what it was like, but after I won and placed third at the CN (Canadian Women’s Tour) event, I got to second stage, which made things a little better. It’s hard when you don’t have any status anywhere (which was the case after Kirby first turned pro last year). Obviously, I feel like I’m good enough to play on the LPGA Tour, but you just never know. I mean, it’s one week and you never know what can happen. thE 2012 nCAA ChAmPIOnShIP AnD rOLLInG wIth thE CrImSOn tIDE: College golf is
so separate from professional golf. It’s so much different than an individual sport. I wouldn’t have changed that experience for anything. I never think I should have turned pro earlier. Those years were some of the best years of my life, spending time with the girls and traveling together. When you go to school and play college golf, that’s what you want to do (win a national championship). I got everything that I could have asked for going to Alabama. Whenever we were playing in a tournament, we were playing against the best college players in the country. We were obviously a good team and we were playing against the best amateurs in the world.
thAt
mAGIC mOmEnt whEn COLLEGE/LPGA
bECAmE rEALIStIC: I always wanted to play
professionally, but when I was younger I was also thinking, 'Okay, I want to get a golf scholarship. I want to play well enough GOLFSCENE.CA
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to be able to go to a good school.’ Probably after 2009 (she won the Canadian Amateur and Junior crowns, among six victories that year), is when I thought, 'Okay, maybe I’m better than I thought.' Sometimes, you go through peaks and valleys and you don’t really know if this is for you, or if you’re good enough and I think that was kind of a breakthrough year for me.
GOLfSCEnE tOur GrADuAtE: I think it’s great for younger children to have that opportunity to play a local tour without having to pay a lot of money or travel really far. We were really lucky that the GolfScene tour was around. We never had to drive much more than an hour to attend any of those events. It was a lot of fun. In thE bEGInnInG: I used to go (to events) with my brother a lot. He was really into golf when he was younger. He would always want to go play, so my mom would either have to get a babysitter or bring me along. So I started getting lessons at the Oaks of St. George. Once you get better, it gets contagious, so I started working harder. When I was 10, I think I played in my first event. It was just really local stuff. There were CJGA events, GolfScene, the Ian Leggatt Tour. It’s nice when kids can get tournament experience without any pressure on them. You’re still young at that point. It wasn't until I was about 15 or 16 that I started playing in the States. That was really good too because that’s where I got exposure for college.
SEE THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYERS Manulife Financial LPGA Classic Grey Silo in Waterloo, June 5-8. Canadian Pacific Women’s Open London Hunt, Aug. 21-24.
outside of "do you have a ny tees?" or "did you see my ball?" a nd "what was pa r a gain?"
OnLInE SErIES •
If there's one question we get asked more than any other, it has to be ... what equipment do we recommend and / or what are we using?
a fair qu estion seeing as it's exa ctly what we'd ask of someone con nected to a n industry
• • C E C H O I
IN THE BAG
R ’ S E D I T O
And our stock answer is, "everybody is a little different - there's a lot of great stuff out there - test it out - and use what works for you." But honestly, many of the clubs in our bag are getting old - some have been there for over a decade - so maybe it's time we took some of our own advice and updated a few things everything; after all technology really has come a looooooooooonnnnnng way.
• • •
THE IPHONE IS THE CAPTURE DEVICE (IMAGES / VIDEO / ETC) THE GOPRO ALLOWS US TO DOCUMENT POV WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE SUNCREEN IN THE BAG BOSE'S SOUNDLINK PROVIDES THE PORTABLE SOUNDTRACK SPITZ? CHECK IT'S JUST A START ... KNOW SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE / MIGHT NEED OR JUST WANT TO RELAY WHAT WORKS FOR YOU ... FOLLOW ALONG AND INTERACT WITH US - IT'S A JOURNEY OF BETTER. SHOULD BE MORE FUN AND INFORMATIVE THAN ANOTHER 'HERE'S THE CLUB AND HERE'S THE SPECS PIECE'.
THEN WE THOUGHT this question is best answered in the first person and in a series so ... here's what we're thinking, playing, and a the things we're looking to change ... (consider this the foreward)
thErE'S nO SECrEt SAuCE. Nope, none. And we get more access than most when it comes to the latest and greatest technology. What we do know is that if you're serious about your game, then you have to be properly fit for clubs. That's step one and it involves time. All of the major maufacturers have very good fitting facilities and they spend a lot of time making sure that their fitters are current, knowledgeable and competent. Only problem lies with the fact you'll encounter some bias. That's human nature. So, we're going to visit a facility that's brand agnostic. In our opinion that gives us the best chance to achieve the results best for us. We'll also go one further - to satisfy our own curiousity - and check whether the brands themselves can outperform what's being suggested on the street. Sort of like letting the fitters compete which is really what this 'game' should be about.
thE numbErS DOn't LIE. We'll factor in a bunch of variables and go through a driver fitting. Fairway metals (right now we only carry one and don't see that changing). We'll get fit for irons and believe going in that we'll be building a split set of sorts (but we'll see). We're also going to test the theory of whether or not long irons are relevant anymore ( we've never been very comfortable hitting hybrids off the ground, but are willing to revisit). Then we'll address the wedge side of things; restablish where our gaps are and entertain the types of bounce and grinds that are conducive to the swing, in addition to the conditions in which we play. This will be an outdoor fitting where we can hit a number of shots. Last but not least the putter. Ours is archaic by today's standards and we're moving from a blade style to a mid-mallet as per the advice from a few different putting gurus.
FOLLOW ALONG ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA AS WE GO THROUGH THE FITTING PROCESS AND ULTIMATELY CREATE A COMPLETELY CUSTOM SET OF CLUBS (PRETTY SURE WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT ALONG THE WAY | #JOURNEYTOBETTER ) GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
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ArtS AnD CrAftS. The process inevitably starts with an idea of what we'd like. Brand loyalty and comfort are two very important factors when it comes to making changes. So we have a 'mood board' of sorts and we'll let you 'read' into it if you think you can. It's just a few things we have added to the wishlist we suppose - stuff we've tried out - and others we're looking forward to spending more time with. A few will definitely be along for the ride as we document the process - which returns us to the original genesis of this feature and leads us to an important point; we're sourcing and building the stuff that works for us because personal preference and sense of style play an important role in all decisions. Our driver will not be white for example. Not a condemnation by any means - just a personal preference. We're going to build what will be IN OUR OPINION the coolest bag of tricks out there. Our key to lower scores, greater enjoyment, the envy of our playing partners. Yep, we said it. Just wait until you see the headcover we're going to make ;).
sh ou ld be a be ca us e th e baugr sty le ... yo u yo of n tio ref lec a re wh at yo u ca rry
R ’ S E D I T O
C E C H O I
IN THE BAG
GET OUT AND PLAY
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GOLFSCENE.CA
A Triple Bogey hAs never Been so eAsy To swAllow! Angus Glen Golf Club
Nobleton Lakes Golf Club
Arrowdale Municipal Golf
Northridge Municipal Golf
Barrie Country Club
Oakville Golf Club
Baxter Creek Golf Club
Oakwood Resort
Beacon Hall Golf Club
Oviinbyrd
Black Diamond Golf Club
Peninsula Lakes Golf Club
Brooklea Golf & Country Club
Pine Valley Golf Club
Bushwood Golf Club
Port Carling Golf & Country Club
Caledon Country Club
Port Hope Golf & Country Club
Cambridge Golf Club
Redtail Golf
Cayuga Golf Club
Rockway Vineyards
Cedar Brae Golf and Country Club
Smuggler’s Glen Golf
Deer Ridge Golf Club
Springfield Golf and Country Club
DeerHurst Resort
St.Catherines Golf & Country Club
Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club
St. Thomas Golf & Country Club
Guelph Golf & Country Club
Stone Tree Golf & Fitness Club
Grand Niagara Golf Club
Stratford Country Club
HorseShoe Resort
Summit Golf Club
Ingersoll Golf & Country Club
Taboo Resort Golf and Spa
Kawartha Golf & Country Club
Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club
Ladies Golf Club of Toronto
The Briars Golf Club
Lake St.George
The Rock Golf Course
Legacy Ridge Golf Club
The Sands Golf Club
Legends on the Niagara
The Toronto Hunt Club
Listowel Golf Club
Tarandowah Golfers Club
Lookout Point Country Club
Thornhill Golf and Country Club
Meadowbrook Golf & Country Club
Twenty Valley Golf
Midland Golf & Country Club
Westhaven Golf & Country Club
Mill Run Golf Club
Westmount Golf & Country Club
Muskoka Bay Club
Weston Golf and & Country Club
Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club
Wildwinds Golf
Niagara On The Lake Golf Club
Windermere Golf & Country Club
*Courses listed at time of publication.
LE!
B VAILA A W O N
www.triplebogey.com .com
/triplebogey
/triplebogeyco
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@triplebogey
#betterhitanother #
Please enjoy responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age. Courses listed at time of publication. Visit www.triplebogey.com/19th-holes/ for complete listing. SPRING 2014 GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
A GOOD rEAD
Columbia Business School professor Mark Broadie’s paradigm-shifting approach that uses statistics and golf analytics to transform the game. Foreword by Sean Foley
The first time I became familiar with Mark Broadie’s work was when I browsed the PGA Tour website one day and saw this thing that said “Strokes Gained Putting.” Golf isn’t a team sport, it’s an individual sport, so using statistics to help improve a player’s perception of himself, or to figure out what he needs to spend time working on, was fascinating. Using these stats, we see how a guy putted today, and how it helped him gain or lose strokes against his competitors. I thought: This is kind of a noble idea. My next step was to wonder if the numbers could be used to evaluate driving and iron play. It wasn’t long until I reached out to Mark. I’m not really a math guy, but as he sent me the strokes gained stats, I started noticing a massive difference. A guy could be number one in total driving, when under Broadie’s strokes gained driving he is number 27. At first I thought that was strange, but then it was obvious: The stats showed that the old adage “drive for show, putt for dough” just isn’t true when it comes down to these guys’ earning revenue. The thing is that the math doesn’t lie. Strokes gained driving shows that distance is more valuable than accuracy. You look at strokes gained driving, look at the top five guys, and the one thing they all have in common is that they bomb it. They hit it forever. Sometimes these guys don’t hit many fairways. Obviously their misses are going to be exaggerated compared to a guy with a slower swing speed. Still, Bubba Watson or Dustin Johnson or Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy coming out of the rough with a 9-iron, they have an advantage over most players hitting a 5-iron out of the fairway, because they’re closer to the hole. We’d always been taught that the important thing is hitting it in the fair-
way and hitting it on the green, but my intuition had told me long iron shots were important. Everyone’s always telling me, “Your guys should be practicing a lot more wedges,” but I just don’t see them hitting many 80-yard wedge shots in a round. I’ve always wanted my guys practicing a lot of 190- to 230-yard shots. And here were the strokes gained numbers to support that.
It becomes obvious how important it is to spend your time in the right place. Typically it’s easy to practice what you like and what you’re good at. I’m not against working on your strength, because if something is a strength you want to keep it that way. But it’s also important to work on your weakness. In the past, guys would fight me on that, but it’s tough to resist when you see the numbers right out in front of you. The numbers approach also helps me tell my guys, “Look, you’re in this to win tournaments, you’re in this to earn money, so you need to use more of your time doing what the numbers say you need to work on, not just whatever you feel like doing.” And they have to agree. They see the numbers and they’re just, like, “Yeah, I get it.” GOLFSCENE.CA
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Another way it works is psychological. Justin Rose once told me, “My wedge play has to get better. I’m not happy with it, we have to work more on it.” I said, “That’s funny, because Mark Broadie has you as number one on the PGA Tour in wedge play.” As soon as he saw that, he played with more confidence, standing over a shot thinking, “Man, I’m the best, this is a great opportunity,” rather than, “I’m not really comfortable with this.” There’s not a psychologist in the world who could do a better job convincing a guy that he’s good than those numbers. They are just too reasonable, there’s too much logic. I’m going to lift every rock possible to figure out how to maximize these guys’ earnings and world rankings, and that’s why I value Mark’s information. Because why would I guess about what I can measure? So much of what we believe in life comes from what we’ve been told over and over, and we never really question it. The value of the numbers approach for a coach is that it’s not belief, it’s fact. Traditional golf stats today are like a plane that’s circling the airport until it runs out of gas. It’s going to either land or crash. People are in a comfort zone, and they’re not willing to go through the pain or doubt that goes with developing a new way of thinking. But at some point, Mark’s approach will become how people determine golf performance. They’re just going to have to accept it, because it makes too much sense. l
REPRINTED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH GOTHAM BOOKS, A MEMBER OF PENGUIN GROUP (USA) LLC, A PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE COMPANY. COPYRIGHT © MARK BROADIE, 2014.
LOCAL knOwLEDGE
A NEW CHAPTER FOR HIDDEN LAKE ClubLink welcomes its newest member to the family
STATUS QUO STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRENT LONG
B
urLInGtOn’S buSIESt PubLIC ACCESS GOLf CLub is starting a new chapter in its history now that it is a proud member of the ClubLink family. During the off-season, Canada’s largest golf course operator purchased the ultra-popular 36-hole layout at Hidden Lake Golf Club as it looks to continue to expand beyond private clubs and become a major player in the green fee business in the Greater Toronto Area. ClubLink has operated The Club at Bond Head, Highland Gate GC in Aurora, Rolling Hills GC in Stouffville and its flagship facility at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville for years, so the addition of Hidden Lake GC shouldn’t come as a surprise. “We have had a profitable business model here for 30-plus years at Hidden Lake and when it came to purchasing the club, I think ClubLink really appreciated the solid business model
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that we have,” says John Cormier, who has been at Hidden Lake for 27 years and has stayed on as Director of Operations to ensure a smooth transition. The club originally opened in 1962 as the 18-hole Lake Medad Golf and Country Club and was renamed Hidden Lake GC in 1979 under new ownership, which added the second championship course. “People might hear the name ClubLink and think things are going to get more expensive, but that’s not the case. In many ways we become more efficient and we can give our guests and members better pricing because ClubLink has better buying power,” adds Cormier. “We price match Golf Town all the time and we can beat their pricing all the time.” While many people have been calling the club and asking 'what’s up' since the sale was announced earlier this year, Cormier says it is business as usual. At least 75 per cent of the 74,000 rounds played at Hidden Lake last year came from SPRING 2014
Burlington's Hidden Lake becomes a public access ClubLink Silver level club. The facility is home to two very different 18 hole courses and is a great place to play for players of all levels.
EDITOR'S ASIDE: the two cou rse setu p works really well for a 36 hole day with the boys (or the gals) a nd a mini-type tou rney - two different style cou rses, one stop, tally u p the scores on the patio afterwa rds .... perfect
green fees, while the club’s 500 members and tournaments made up the balance. Greens fees have remained the same for 2014 as they were a year ago and tee times can now be booked by using ClubLink's central reservation system, LinkLine at 800-276-9542. “We are primarily a public access golf club that relies heavily on green fee play. As part of the ClubLink network we’re also seeing additional tournament bookings that we have not had in the past,” says Cormier, noting that in the past they’d hit 85,000 rounds a year, so there is room to grow. “At Hidden Lake we have worked very hard over the years to create an atmosphere where we try to be all things to all people,” says Cormier. They host tournaments like the Mandarin Tour, The Great Lakes Tour, the Golden Horseshoe Tour, but they will also coordinate everything from a small corporate event or a child’s birthday party on the range with a professional, to a major charity fundraiser or stag for a bunch of guys. “ClubLink is a great brand and they know how to operate golf clubs, so I fully expect they’re going to take the club to another level when it comes to creating a terrific golf experience,” Cormier says. Hidden Lake had the distinction of being the first ClubLink club to open its doors this spring on April 10th and hundreds of ClubLink members dropped by throughout April to get their fix, while waiting for their home clubs to open. And Hidden Lake will probably be the last club standing when it comes to staying open in the fall because that's just the way it has been done over the years as they've developed a loyal following of hardy golfers. If you appreciate a more traditional tree-lined course then play the Old Course at Hidden Lake. The greens are small and flat and water is non-existent. If however, you prefer more generous fairways, plenty of water, and large undulating greens, then the New Course is for you. The Old Course can be stretched to 6,712 yards from the tips while the New Course is 6,743 yards from the back. And while they are two very different courses, neither one is better or more popular than the other. They are rated roughly the same so you will want to do what a lot of our golfers do - play the Old Course one day and the GOLFSCENE.CA
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ClubLink is a great brand and they know how to operate golf clubs, so I fully expect they’re going to take the club to the next level when it comes to creating a terrific golf experience.
New the next! Right along with the two championship courses, Hidden Lake features a complete practice facility and one of the the largest, best-stocked golf shops in the area. “I think the No. 1 reason people keep coming back or become members is that both courses are very playable and fun to play,” Cormier says, noting they put in a silver set of tees measuring 4,500 yards a couple of years ago to make the course easy to get around for juniors, seniors and novice players. “You can play from the forward tees and not get into a lot of trouble, but if you want to go play the blacks they’re a true test and a grinding challenge.” There are five sets of tees on both courses. As a family oriented facility, youngsters, newcomers and families are all welcomed and encouraged to take up the game at Hidden Lake. As an example, for Family Night a parent can bring the kids out to play after 6 p.m. for a total cost of $20 and they can walk and enjoy the outdoors for two to three hours. There are also a lot of half and full day junior golf camps that sell out each summer – 400 kids took part in a camp last summer alone. Hidden Lake becomes a public access ClubLink Silver level club with memberships selling for $3,669 for a principal membership and $3,359 for a spousal membership. There are also a variety of other membership opportunities ranging from seven days restricted and weekday to junior, adult pre-twilight and even a range plan. fOr mOrE InfOrmAtIOn ChECk Out www.CLubLInk.CA
fItnESS fEAturE
FITNESS
FEATURE
PART 1 OF A MULTIPART SERIES - VISIT US AT GOLFSCENE.CA
STRONGER IS THE NEW LONGER fItnESS
Seems to us that the absolute best way to hit it farther and, more importantly, play this game longer is to adjust and optimize the most incredible piece of equipment you'll ever own - you.
THE FLAW
[ COMING OVER THE TOP ]
OVER-THE-TOP IS POSSIBLY THE MOST COMMON SWING FLAW AMONGST AMATEUR GOLFERS. IT OCCURS WHEN THE UPPER TORSO IS TOO ACTIVE IN THE GOLF SWING. RESULTING IN THE CLUB BEING THROWN (OUT AND AWAY FROM THE BODY) ABOVE THE DESIRED PLANE. THE RESULT IS AN OUT TO IN SWING PATH. THE SHOT SHAPES CREATED BY THIS SWING FLAW ARE PULLS AND SLICES. THE REASON WHY GOLFERS SWING OVER-THE-TOP MAY BE DUE TO POOR MECHANICS BUT THERE IS ALSO A LARGE ROLE PLAYED BY THE BODIES ABILITY TO MOVE PROPERLY. A GOLFER MUST BE ABLE TO SEPARATE THEIR LOWER AND UPPER TORSOS DURING THE GOLF SWING AND ALLOW BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BODY TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF ONE ANOTHER.
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SPRING 2014
Want To Hit Farther - ADD ROTATIONAL POWER - Part 2 in the Series - Available Online
1
2
STAND TALL WITH CLUB ACROSS CHEST
LUNGE FORWARD ON ONE LEG
SIDE VIEW
3
FRONT VIEW
THE FIX
TWIST SHOULDERS INDEPENDENT OF LOWER BODY
Give this exercise a try to help remove the over-the-top move from your game EXERCISE: LUNGE WITH TWIST THIS EXERCISE WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO STABILIZE YOUR LOWER BODY AND INDEPENDENTLY ROTATE YOUR UPPER BODY WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR A STABLE AND REPEATABLE GOLF SWING.
SIDE VIEW
ABOUT ADAM Adam Holt is the founder of Get The Edge Sports Performance a strength and conditioning company working with athletes from a variety of sports and abilities. Adam was a touring golf professional and is now bringing his unique knowledge of both golf and conditioning to help golfers unlock their true potential. adamholt88
HighPerformanceGolf@me.com
GOLFSCENE.CA
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SOCIAL StrEAm
'CAUSE AFTER ALL - IT'S A SOCIAL GAME
WE'VE GOT A BOARD DEDICATED TO 'PINS WE WANT TO PULL' ALSO HAVE ONE FOR GREAT PLACES TO PLAY IN ONTARIO (and we need more)
#GETOUTANDPLAY
doesn't care about #distance THERE'S LOTS OF FUN GOLF STUFF BEING SHARED ONLINE #GROWTHEGAME
F OLLOW U S ON INSTAGR AM @GOLFSCENE
MARCH 2, 2014 - 2:34pm
TAG IMAGES #GOLFSCENE WE'LL SHARE THE GOOD ONES
SNEAK PEEKS AT COOL NEW STUFF BEFORE IT'S EVEN AVAILABLE #NEEDTHOSE #WANTTHAT
GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
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FOLLOW US ONLINE
@GOLFSCENE golf 's version of a #selfie MARCH 16, 2014 - 1:39pm
NEAT GEAR FROM NICHE BRANDS #STUFFYOUNEVERKNEWABOUT LOOK GOOD, PLAY WELL #APPAREL & #FASHION
CURATING IMAGES AND INFO ON GREAT GOLF COURSES IS JUST PART OF WHAT WE DO ONLINE ...
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS AND WE DO OUR BEST TO COVER THEM ALL AT GOLFSCENE.CA
STUFF WE #BUILD (AND YOU CAN TOO)
#CUSTOM #CANADIAN
LASTING #IMAGES
THE GEAR WE NEED IN #ONTARIO
WHILE WE VERY MUCH ENJOY THE EXPRESSIVE AND TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO BEING IN PRINT - WE ALSO ENJOY SHARING THE STUFF WE GET TO SEE AND COME ACROSS ONLINE WITH OUR THOUSANDS OF ONLINE READERS AND FOLLOWERS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
We're on INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, TUMBLR, AND TWITTER @GolfScene.
PLUS A LITTLE #CLOWNING AROUND
TIPS AND TRICKS #HOWTOTHROWYOURCLUB
GOLFSCENE.CA
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a nd ou r a pologies to those who wish we'd do more with FACEBOOK, but we just don't really like or trust those guys
GET OUT AND PLAY
PrO (SPECtIVE)
game CHANGERS WHEN IT COMES TO AREA TEACHING PROS AND COACHES NICK
STARCHUK AND DOUG LAWRIE ARE TWO OF THE
BEST & THE BRIGHTEST
Burlington’s Doug Lawrie and Oakville’s Nick Starchuk have each spent thousands of hours on the range teaching and hundreds of hours attending seminars and clinics learning about the intricacies of the golf swing that few of us will ever even imagine. The things they share in common are an unrelenting passion for teaching/coaching, the desire to seek out knowledge, and the communicative skills to be able to translate all of this information and pass it to along clearly to students. We caught up with the two of them on the range (where else would they be) and got talking golf. Always good fun. Super smart guys. And we always end up leaving knowing something more about the game, our swing, or just life in general. Here's a little more about them ... from them. NICK STARCHUK is the Director of Instruction at Mississaugua G&CC where he’s been busy building all teaching programs and revitalizing the club’s junior program. The 2013 PGA of Ontario Teacher of the Year fondly remembers duking it out on the range at Glen Abbey in 2005 and 2006 with the likes of Reggie Millage, Connor O’Shea, Sean Casey and Sean Foley as they fought to find their place in the golf teaching/coaching landscape. When he’s not at Mississaugua G&CC, he splits his time between the Golf Lounge in Richmond Hill, The Golf Lab in Vaughan and The Oakville Indoor Golf Center. - www.nrsgolf.com or on Twitter @nickstarchuk -
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DOUG LAWRIE is the Director of Instruction for the Focus Golf Group in Burlington with a strong focus on junior golfers. Earlier this year, the 2012 PGA of Canada Junior Leader of the Year, was the only Canadian to be named Top 50 Kids Teacher of the Year by U.S. Kids Golf. He’s just launched the very cool Focus Golf Group University for Junior Development. Doug runs programs out of Tyandaga Golf Club in Burlington, Trafalgar G&CC in Milton, Within Range Golf Centres in Burlington and Markham and a winter academy at Burlington Fitness & Racquet Club. - find Doug at www.focusgolfgroup.com or on Twitter @FocusGolfGroup -
DOUG LAWRIE NICK STARCHUK JOInED thE PGA of Canada in 2004 in the Ottawa Zone. They have different rules out there so I had to jump through a few hoops just to be accepted as a pro! OVEr thE COurSE Of A YEAr, I
probably do about 1600 single private hourly lessons, and with our club programs, day schools, juniors, and a couple of summer camps, it makes for 10 full months of coaching.
tO DESCrIbE DOuG in three words, I'd say committed, persistent, and exuberant. The Exuberant Golf Group was already taken on twitter so he went with Focus [laughter]. bESt ADVICE for parents of
young kids taking up the game is to encourage. A parent can be a parent or a coach, not both. Support their golf game and hire help to instruct and coach. The best development for a young player is the environment they have to learn. Get them in a group and allow them to challenge themselves in their own way.
bEEn A mEmbEr of the PGA of Canada for 22 years. EASILY In ExCESS of 500 lessons over the course of the year.
tO DESCrIbE nICk in three words ... talented, knowledgeable and networked. ADVICE fOr PArEntS is easy ... let them (the child) decide how they want to proceed in golf and let them do it. A tEAChEr IS someone who works on fixing or improving the mechanics of the swing. A coach is a mentor, leader, instructor, inspiration; someone who can build a relationship with the golfer. mY fAVOurItE tEAChInG tOOL is a $5 squishy, nubbed football from WalMart. I use it with a lot of my students to create a better connection between their arms and body through the swing. It is primarily used between the forearms and when kept in place during the swing students immediately start making better connected, on-plane swings.
- CONTINUED NEXT PAGE -
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- CONTINUED -
DOUG LAWRIE
NICK STARCHUK A GrEAt tEAChEr EVOLVES into a coach. I find that the general public is confused with the word coach because it could mean high school teacher coaching a team, a provincial or national coach, a guy who teaches tour players or, this is new, fitness trainers calling themselves coaches. All valid, but as an instructor I adopted the term Golf Coach 10 years ago only because I found I was 'coaching' competitors more than 'teaching' beginners. Nowadays it seems you can become a highly accredited golf coach without a background in teaching golf lessons. This scares me a little. mY IPAD has become my best
teaching aid. It allows for all sorts of communication, video, and applications including the Flightscope app - which would be the most used piece of golf tech I own.
JunIOr GOLfErS should get seri-
ous about the game when they are ready. If they participate in camps and show great promise, try it out. The kids will tell you, just be open to the signs.
I LIkE wAtChInG PhIL mICkELSOn because he can hit it anywhere and then make the impossible recovery shot.
I'D tEE It uP wIth Mark Cuban, Robin Sharma, and Sean Foley. They all bring something that I admire and could talk about forever. We might even golf too. SEAn fOLEY has had the the biggest
influence on my career. I think I've voiced this many times but he's the same today as he was in November 2004 when walked into Glen Abbey, almost unannounced, and walked away with a new career. He was doing what I thought was unique - technical plus physical plus mental for juniors.
I StArtED whEn I wAS 13; Cordova
Bay Golf Club in Victoria B.C. back
when it was a par 3 course. I had a 5 iron a sand wedge a putter, 5 balls and a bike. We would ride to the course, play until we ran out of balls, and then ride home. Par on each hole was 5 in our world and we were scratch golfers almost immediately.
muSkOkA bAY, bIGwIn Or rOCkY CrESt. They are all similar in that Muskoka style, yet unique in their surroundings. Those would be my favourites in Ontario.
mY fIrSt GOLf LESSOn was by my junior sponsor at Kanata Golf Club. I liked to play with him when I could because he built clubs and I loved to tinker so we would chat all the time. His lesson to me was kicking my butt everyday and then telling me about it. I never had a technical lesson until after I graduated university. mY GO-tO CLub IS a 56 degree, tour version TaylorMade ATV sand wedge with no rear-tail-fin diving board. A friend at TaylorMade laughed when I said I didn't like the back of the wedge so he brought me a tour model. The 2014 Taylor Wedge looks just like this one. I like wedges because there are so many shot options that it keeps practice creative. I would love to play a 75 yard course everyday. Maybe I should add the Short Course at Lake Joseph Club to my fav's list. If I hAD tO LAY Out A bLAnkEt AnSwEr, all poor golfers over-lag
something in their swing, so rhythm is the biggest issue to amateurs. This may not go over well with those who think lag is the holy grail and the main separator between pros and amateurs. It's not. It's the ability to keep that lag tight. There are so many types of lags in the swing that almost all golfers could benefit from practicing shots with straight arms and no wrist bending. Learn to find a rhythm with this and then start adding some arm bends into it. This goes double for those who hit it with plenty of curve. GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
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SPRING 2014
I bELIEVE thAt EACh ChILD has a different motivation for playing in competitions. Discover this by asking them if it is something they want to try (some have no idea what they are getting themselves into). With tours starting as young as 7 there are lots of options out there. It would also help if the parents would take a course on what to expect. So many of them don't know the rules, etiquette, or how to score a golf game. LOtS Of fun Stuff happens on the range. Two seasons ago, I was giving a lesson at Within Range and we were inside my Performance Centre standing in the doorway of the back rollup door watching my student hit balls. They made a mighty swing and 'toed' the shot directly off of the metal door-jam of the front roller door causing the ball to ricochet backwards at about head high. I stuck my hand out and tried to catch it but the ball flew past and completely cleared the pathway behind me rolling down the hill and eventually into the parking lot 50 feet away. Needless to say my student couldn’t hit another shot, and I was too busy laughing inside to really even attempt to have them try. I rEALLY DO LIkE wAtChInG tIGEr, but I also enjoy the passion of Sergio. Those two would top my list of pros to watch. mIChAEL JOrDAn (my basketball idol grow-
ing up), Greg Norman (just so much swagger) and Jimmy Fallon ('cause I always need to laugh) - that would be my ideal group.
JIm CArLISLE has had the biggest influence on me - my business coach. And the one who shone the light on this wonderful path I’ve been on. I PICkED uP thE GAmE at the age of 21 while
on a date with my wife back in college. My first game was a week later at Centennial Park Golf Course in Etobicoke. I think I shot under 100 but it was only a par 63.
thE tOrOntO GOLf CLub is hands down the best drive into a club, an easy walk, eclectic clubhouse, great course and incredible history. Every day - any day - all day… just say the word.
mY fIrSt LESSOn was by Bob Cunningham.
It was indoors at Dynamic Golf on Dundas in Mississauga. The lessons were a Christmas gift from my sister. I think it was 1990.
thE DrIVEr … always has been. If I could hit all my shots with it I could be GOOD!
GAmE ImPrOVEmEnt
After a long crazy winter, the good weather is finally here! Time to get out and really get started with our golf! I find the toughest thing to get back in the spring is my feel and touch on the greens. Those of you that know I have been a long putter user for 25+ years may laugh and say I never had good putting pace and tempo. But since using the long putter I feel I have become a good pace putter. One of the drills I encourage my students to try in order to improve feel on the greens is to simply take 3 balls and putt around the green not trying for any holes. I have them stroke putts from varying lengths and try to reproduce the same length, pace and feel of the stroke so to have all 3 balls end up in the same place. Doing this will allow you to focus on the stroke and its tempo, instead of trying to get the ball in the hole all the time. This should improve your lag putts and limit those costly 3 putts.
2014 GOLFER’S RED BOOK
DAVE SMALLWOOD PGA of Canada Director of Instruction ● 28 Year member of the CPGA ● Ontario Tournament Director Maple Leaf Junior Tour ● Swing Coach University of Waterloo Mens Golf Team ● Head Coach - Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team
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44.95
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• Over 500 Great Golf Deals in Southwestern Ontario • Over $20,000 in Green Fee Savings ORDER YOURS TODAY! www.golfersredbook.ca
1396 DICKIE SETTLEMENT ROAD CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO
GOLFSCENE.CA
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WE'RE NOT KEEPING SCORE but we do have a few spots where we'll be teeing it up at this season .... and they've got more than a few good reasons that you might too ... 'cause the only number that matters is rounds played.
"I play too much golf," said nobody. Ever.
GOLFSCENE.CA
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KING'S FOREST GOLF CLUB
hAmILtOn, OntArIO
LOCAtED In thE hEArt Of thE PICturESQuE rED hILL VALLEY at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment, King's Forest Golf Club is one of the premier public golf facilities in the country having been ranked among the top 100 courses in Canada by SCORE Golf magazine in 2010. It’s the only municipally owned and operated course to ever make the list, an accomplishment we’re very proud of here in Hamilton. While it’s a walkable golf course players of all abilities can enjoy from three sets of tees, it also hosted a regional qualifier for the 2012 RBC Canadian Open. King's Forest measures 7,150 yards, par-72 from the tips with a rolling layout that features several terrific elevated tee shots, including one of the best in the country on No. 11, lots of challenging doglegs and six holes cross the treacherous Red Hill Creek. New cart paths completed in 2013 also make for a smooth ride and a great experience.
... the only municipally owned and operated course to ever make the list. GREAT JUNIOR, NINE-HOLE AND TWILIGHTS DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT GOLFHAMILTON FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE ROUND OF GOLF IN JUNE
WWW.GOLFHAMILTON.CA
905 546 4781
VISIT US ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA FOR UP TO DATE INFO ON OUR PLACES TO PLAY
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100 Greenhill Avenue
PLACES tO PLAY
CARDINAL GOLF CLUB
kInG, OntArIO
CArDInAL GOLf CLub hAS SOmEthInG fOr EVErYOnE. Their four 18 hole public courses cater to a variety of skill levels. RedCrest opened in 2009 and is Cardinal's premium course geared to golfers who are looking to challenge their game. RedCrest features a separate post and beam clubhouse that offers public dining during the golf season along with a meeting room, and wedding and event facilities. The East Wing course and West Wing course are intermediate courses. With the "Tee It Forward" program now in place for the second year, these two courses are suitable for all levels of play and great for tournament play. Kettle Creek is Cardinal's 18 hole executive course consisting of par 3’s and par 4’s and is perfect for families and those who are new to the game of golf or golfers who want to practice their short game. A highlight for many golfers and golfers-in-training is the extensive practice facility at Cardinal. It is the best and largest public driving range in the area with 66 mats/tees to hit from and a large chipping and putting green. Add their 18 hole mini-putt and that's 90 holes of golf to enjoy!
... Canada's largest golf facility. HAVE YOU BEEN TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE? LIKE US & GET A $10 F&B VOUCHER TO USE THE NEXT TIME YOU GOLF! OUR LOYALTY PROGRAM AS WELL AS OUR PREPAID GOLF CARDS ARE A GREAT WAY TO SAVE $ AND WORRY ABOUT THE WEATHER, OUR REALLY COOL NEW RAIN CHECK POLICY HAS YOU 'COVERED'.
WWW.CARDINALGOLFCLUB.COM
905 841 7378
2740 Davis Drive West
VISIT US ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA FOR UP TO DATE INFO ON OUR PLACES TO PLAY GOLFSCENE.CA
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COPETOWN WOODS GOLF CLUB OPEnED In JunE Of 2003, Copetown Woods Golf Club represents not only one of the newest championship courses in Southwestern Ontario, but also one of the finest. The rolling landscape and naturally sandy soil made the location a logical choice for a golf course. The meticulous condition of the course, and the yesteryear beauty of the Victorian-style clubhouse disguise the fact that Copetown Woods took only fourteen months to build. Copetown Woods is consistently ranked among the top golfing values in all of Ontario. And for our golfers, friends, neighbours and anyone wishing to enjoy an earth to table inspired meal in a country setting, the 4th Course Bistro offers a wide variety of menu selections made from only the best local ingredients. The Bistro is open seven days a week during the golf season for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended.
COPEtOwn, OntArIO
'FLEX PASS'
A GREAT WAY TO ENJOY ALL OF THE AMENITIES AT COPETOWN WOODS. EVERYTHING YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, WITHOUT THE ADDED COST! 30 & 15 ROUND OPTIONS. UNLIMITED USE OF PRACTICE FACILITIES. ALL GREEN FEES ARE FULLY TRANSFERABLE.
WWW.COPETOWNWOODS.COM 905 627 4653
1430 Concession 2 West
CROSSWINDS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB CrOSSwInDS IS A hIDDEn GEm, framed by the rugged beauty of the Niagara Escarpment. The championship course layout and elegant Clubhouse are designed to harmoniously blend with nature's grand design. With standards of excellence traditionally found only at the most exclusive private clubs, the public are invited to come 'Discover the Crosswinds Experience'. Crosswinds features an 18-hole course that extends across 200 serene acres. Five sets of tees provide every golfer with the test they’re looking for in a memorable round of golf. Ponds and sand bunkers are strategically placed, and the greens putt true. Living up to its name, Crosswinds suits players who hit closer to the ground due to the ever-changing wind conditions and gentle contouring of the fairways and green approaches. Crosswinds Golf & Country Club’s natural setting takes you away from the hustle and bustle pace of today.
burLInGtOn, OntArIO
10 YEARS SPECIALTY NIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK: SUNDAY: NINE & DINE | 9-HOLES + CART + 3-COURSE DINNER $120 PER TWOSOME
MONDAY: LADIES NIGHT | 9-HOLES + DINNER + PRIZES $45 PP WEDNESDAY: COUPLES/BUDDIES NIGHT | 9-HOLES + CART + SHARING PLATES $99 PER TWOSOME
WWW.CROSSWINDSGOLF.COM
FRIDAY: TGIF | 9-HOLES + CART + PUB GRUB $45 PP
905 319 5991 VISIT US ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA FOR UP TO DATE INFO ON OUR PLACES TO PLAY
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6621 Guelph Line
PLACES tO PLAY
CHEDOKE CIVIC GOLF CLUB
hAmILtOn, OntArIO
nEStLED PEACEfuLLY IntO thE SCEnIC LAnDSCAPE Of thE nIAGArA ESCArPmEnt, Chedoke Civic Golf Club dates back to 1896 and remains one of the oldest municipal golf courses in Canada. It features two rolling 18-hole layouts with strong Stanley Thompson influences. The Beddoe Course is a wonderful parkland layout defined by rolling terrain, beautiful treelined fairways, hazardous Chedoke Creek & the lingering escarpment. It has three sets of tees ranging from 5,464 to 6,084 yards, par-70. The Martin Course has always been that "small town" public course people love to play time and again with family and friends. There are two sets of tees - 5,505 & 5,745 yards, par-70, to play from with mature trees to be avoided, while the putting surfaces are small & challenging to read. If you’re looking for great value for your money, you’ll find it here with new bunkers and cart paths upgraded in 2013.
... two rolling 18-hole layouts with strong Stanley Thompson influences. GREAT JUNIOR, NINE-HOLE AND TWILIGHTS DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT GOLFHAMILTON FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE ROUND OF GOLF IN JUNE
WWW.GOLFHAMILTON.CA
905 546 3116
563 Aberdeen Avenue
VISIT US ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA FOR UP TO DATE INFO ON OUR PLACES TO PLAY
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50th!
Y R A S R E V I ANN
CAMBRIDGE GOLF CLUB
CAmbrIDGE, OntArIO
CAmbrIDGE GOLf CLub is an inviting, golfer-friendly, 18 hole facility that is always well managed and manicured to ensure a consistently great golf experience. Come in and check out the renovations to the clubhouse. At Cambridge, we are always finding ways to improve the facility and make your next round even more enjoyable. Tournaments, weddings, special events and more. Cambridge can handle groups of all sizes. There is something for everyone at the Cambridge Golf Club. A Semi-Private facility we offer memberships for individuals and couples as well as junior and intermediate players. Cambridge Golf Club has a very active membership and we strive to ensure that every member is receiving the most out of their membership and enjoying our facilities to the fullest.
... be part of our 50th anniversary celebrations. CAMBRIDGE HAS NUMEROUS MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS AS WELL AS PACKAGES AND EVENTS. FAMILY PACKS, RANGE PACKS, DATE NIGHTS AND MORE ... INCLUSIDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL - $50 AFTER 11AM WEEKDAYS - ALL SEASON!
WWW.CAMBRIDGEGOLFCLUB.COM
519 621 5491
1346 Clyde Road
VISIT US ONLINE @GOLFSCENE.CA FOR UP TO DATE INFO ON OUR PLACES TO PLAY
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thE bACk ShOP Rooted in the very quiet tradition of the game itself, and in respect of its time honoured customs, the
G P
h
3
The O rO ErO features video resolutions up to 4K, 12MP photos up to 30 frames per second, built-in Wi-Fi and impressive low light modes. Waterproof to 131’/40m, the GoPro is enabling people to capture and share life experiences in a way that was never before possible. An available Blackout Housing (pictured) keeps things low profile thanks to its matte black finish. Perfect for capturing footage without drawing attention.
idea and innovation of G/fOrE is a simple evolution: colour. A brand that delivers style naturally, an essential accessory, without disrupting the tradition. Not only are G/Fore gloves available in a number of different colours, there is also the option to create a custom glove @ www.gfore.com/gfore-you
www.GOPrO.COm
www.GfOrE.COm
The nEO xS GOLf GPS watch caters to the ever-increasing demand for wristmounted devices, provides golfers with additional perks as it comes preloaded with over 33,000+ courses in more than 30 countries, features market-leading battery life and can be used as an odometer on the course or while exercising off the course. The NEO XS is an easy-to-use GPS rangefinder, with instant measurements for golfers in a simple, lightweight and comfortable form-factor.
CAMELBACK GOLF CLUB, SCOTTSDALE
Jw mArrIOtt - SCOttSDALE
www.buShnELLGOLf.COm
The JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa has unveiled its long anticipated Ambiente golf course. Spanish for the word 'environment,' Ambiente, was designed with a detailed eco-friendly focus and culminates a seven-year, $70 million Marriott renewal project at the resort. From the stylish renovation of the Inn’s 453 casita-style guestrooms and a new 20,000 square-foot hi-tech grand ballroom, to the debut of BLT Steak, Laurent Tourondel’s modern American steakhouse, the renewal project involved virtually every aspect of the historic resort.
DEStInAtIOn GOLf
www.CAmELbACkInn.COm
JACK NICKLAUS DESIGNED GOLF COURSE AT THE FOUR SEASONS COSTA RICA
GOLf In COStA rICA
DAVIS LOVE III DESIGNED DIAMANTE
With a total of 12 golf courses, including those designed by renowned golf architects Ted Robinson and Robert Trent Jones II, Costa Rica’s world-class golf courses, long considered undiscovered jewels known only by golf insiders, are becoming increasingly more popular with travellers. Several notable golf courses in Costa Rica include the par-72 championship La Iguana Golf Course on the central Pacific coast, the par-71 championship course at the Reserva Conchal Golf Club in the Guanacaste province and the Arnold Palmer-designed Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica golf course. While enjoying a round on one of these courses or in the Central Valley of the country, one can also take in spectacular views of tropical rainforests, glistening beaches, active volcanoes as well as towering mountain ranges that provide picturesque backdrops.
GOLf LOS CAbOS Situated at the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula and home to Mexico's most top-shelf golf offerings, Los Cabos has established itself as a coveted, world-class golf getaway over the past two decades; and now with the announcement of three new courses on the horizon Los Cabos will continue to ascend as a global golf and tourist destination. Boasting nearly a dozen courses designed by the game's leading architects, Los Cabos commands a unique ocean-mountain-desert ecosystem found nowhere else in the hemisphere. This unusual combination of environments has sparked the imagination of developers-and resulted in the creation of the 'Next Great Place' for international golf travelers.
www.VISItCOStArICA.COm
www.VISItLOSCAbOS.trAVEL GOLFSCENE.CA
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thE LASt ShOt
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE CANADIAN GOLF HALL OF FAME
Came across this image in the social media stream ... The most obvious change from 100 years ago is the prize money; to be expected based on inflation etc. What we thought was of more interest is a topic that we'd just been discussing debating with a few friends over an extra round at the 19th hole ... the fact that only the top 5 actually earn any money. Hence the importance placed on winning and on taking risks versus the modern day mindset of the majority of today's players which is play it safe, make the cut and collect some money. Too much money. Our take is that the interest in the pro game is waning, due to a variety of reasons, not the least of which is this slow, monotonous 'let's-not-lose-it' mentality which has replaced the desire (requirement) to win.
Absolutely nothing I do is below par. Nothing. GOLFSCENE MAGAZINE
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