Golf World December Issue

slow play is driving you mad why it’s ruining golf & how we can fix it december 2011, issue 13 VOL 52

complete guide to wedges

westwood & cowen’s consistency tips n slow play survey n complete guide to wedges n harrington, pugh, olazabal

how to get the best lofts and bounce + SIX NEW wedges december 2011

consistencY issue

MAKE YOUR swing REPEAT

BY lee westwood & coach pete cowen > set-up > backswing > impact plus

+ hole MORE six-footers i v er sd r d w e + bubbA’s n s teosfte p g & ind power basics t + how r igh t the ft + butch’s tips sh a for pure irons

harrington, PUGH, foster & olazabal

£4.20

A new era for golf

post-tiger game investigation

scoring wisdom ...TO break 100/90/80

The

s ta r t e r

Padraig HarringtoN

‘I CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS UNTIL EVEN I’M GETTING BORED’

THE THREE-TIME MAJOR WINNER ON TALKING, A BRUSH WITH DEATH AND SINGING. Words BY PETER MASTERS

What would your superpower be?

To be able to go back in time whenever I wanted. That would be a very handy skill to have. Just think of all the things I could do?

Funnily enough, I wasn’t thinking about golf.

What’s the closest you have come to death?

I was in quite a serious car accident when I was about 14. My dad was driving and, like all good fathers, he was going quite slowly. A guy hit us and he must have been doing 80mph when he lost control (Padraig points to a tiny scar on his finger). That’s all I’ve got to show for it now. Fortunately, this guy hit two walls before he hit us, otherwise it could all have been over. Also, we had an old car that was very well built, though we didn’t have seatbelts.

Ever said ‘I love you’ and not meant it?

I’m sure, I’ve said it in jest. Yes, 100%. But I’ve never said it to fool anybody no.

What does love feel like?

If I could tell you that in a single sentence then I’d be a literary genius. I’m not capable of explaining such an overpowering emotion with words.

What is your oldest memory?

Golfing-wise, I can remember at five years of age helping to level out the 12th green at Stackstown Golf Club. We had to do it with our feet and that’s probably my oldest memory generally. I remember taking lots of tiny little steps to compact the sand. My older brothers had to pick up stones, but I didn’t.

What has been your greatest kiss?

The first one. Oh, I remember that all right…

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

Wait a minute, I should say the first kiss with my wife, that’s what I actually meant.

What is your worst trait?

Procrastination. Absolutely. I can talk about things until even I get bored. And I can follow that with not paying attention when people are talking to me. Not being present. Maybe being on the phone and trying to write a text while watching TV all at the same time. I’ll fail to do all three successfully.

What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?

I found out when I was 10 years old – I’m not sure this is the worst, but it’s stuck with me – and I was trying out for the school choir and I didn’t get in. I was told that I couldn’t sing. I had the intelligence to understand that if you can’t make the school choir then you can’t sing. So I haven’t sung a single note since, which is a terrible shame. I’d like to have sung. They should have stuck me at the back or something. I can’t even sing now at a football match.

When did you last cry and why?

A movie can bring a tear. But the last time I cried? Well, that would be around Christmas when I went to see my dad’s grave. That’s always quite emotional and it’s not far at all from where I live in Dublin.

You’re in contention playing the last in a Major and you hit a drive which heads at a spectator. Do you hope it hits them and bounces back onto the fairway or misses them and goes into the bushes?

I don’t want to hurt the guy, but I’m certainly looking for a favourable bounce. I’d definitely

Short &

sweet If you could edit your past what would you change?

Nothing. Not at all.

Dog or cat?

Dog. I’ve never had a pet though.

Cremated or buried?

Buried.

What trait do you most dislike in others?

Jeez, we haven’t got time...

Dishonesty.

Who would you like to say sorry to and why?

I think I’ve said sorry every time I’ve needed to. At least I hope

shout ‘fore!’, he’d then turn away and the ball would hit him on the backside and rebound into the fairway.

Is there anything that frightens you?

Not really. I’m not worried about snakes or anything. I worry about the kids if they’re not well, but I don’t obsess about it.

Would you rather be clever and ugly or thick and attractive?

Why not have both like me. No, I don’t mean thick and ugly. Alright, if I had to choose, I’d go clever and ugly because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

I don’t really think there’s been anything.

Maybe I wouldn’t do it if I thought it was hard. I know loads of things that I think are hard, but I don’t do them. The best thing I ever did was win an Open. I was captain of my school football team. I was good at Gaelic football. But I’m not someone who you’d say ‘he could have been good at lots of other sports’.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

I think there’s a guy in EastEnders who’s supposed to look just like me, I’d pick him.

If you had a time machine would you go forward or back?

Definitely back. I’m not sure to when, I’d have to think about that. I’d see the old golfers, but that wouldn’t be a priority, I’d have to be allowed to go back as often as I liked to do that. n

news bare my soul

‘I understand that if you can’t make the school choir then you can’t sing’

quick tips

swing thoughts

good lie With the ball perched up, the chipping motion is like playing the chimes.

bad lie With the ball sitting down, think of thumping a bass drum.

sound out the shot

By NICK BR ADLEY Strike the right chord on YOUR chips and pitches.

The correct image can be an incredibly powerful tool in learning to hit different shots. This is especially true around the greens, where you can make the right swing simply by trying to create a certain musical sound.

Check out the two greenside shots above. At the top, the ball is sitting up on the grass, so a level, sweeping swing works best. This action is like what you’d use to play the chimes: It’s long and smooth and equal in length on both sides. Depending on how much green you have to work with, use an 8-iron to a pitching wedge, and imagine running your finger across those chimes.

In the bottom image, the ball is deep in the grass. This lie requires a steeper, harder swing to get the ball out. It’s a high-energy motion in which you don’t make contact with the ball; it’s like swinging into a pillow and trying to propel something on the other side.

A good image is pounding a bass drum: Make an abrupt hit, and leave the clubhead down in the grass. Use your most-lofted wedge, open the clubface and give it a brisk thump.

Try these out, and you’ll see how effective a good image can be. You might even start creating some of your own.

N I C K B R A D L E Y IS a brit now based on north carolina who has written ‘the seven laws of the golf swing’.

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

HOW TO PURE YOUR IRONS AND HIT MORE GREENS B y B u t c h Har m o n

© Golf digest

try these three drills for crisper irons.

Do you really think you’re going to start magically hitting it 280 off the tee? Then stop trying. Assuming you’re playing from the right tees and not at 6,800 yards, you just need to put the driver in play, then it’s all about making good, consistent contact with your irons. That comes from swinging under control and hitting down on the ball instead of flailing away and trying to scoop it into the air – that’s the biggest fault in iron play. Amateurs who hit their irons flush know they can shoot really good scores without bombing it off the tee.

That’s where you need to be.

GET SET OVER THE BALL

Your ball position should be the same for every iron shot: in line with the logo on your shirt.

When your weight drives towards the target on the downswing, you’ll be in position to catch the ball solid with the club still moving downwards.

Stance width is also important. For irons, the middle of each foot should be directly below the shoulder. That gives you a good foundation for the weight shift back and through.

SWING WIDE TO THE TOP

Many golfers lose their width going back, meaning their arms collapse and their hands get close to their head. That makes it hard to hit down because you have to throw the club away from you, which leads to hitting on the upswing.

Here’s a drill: Take your set-up, drop your left hand off the club, and swing to the top. Then put your left hand back on and feel that stretch in your left arm. That’s the width you want.

GO DOWN AND THROUGH IT

Start the downswing from the ground up, shifting your weight left. This will drop your hands and arms into a good hitting position as your body starts to rotate. The big fault is starting down with the arms. To learn to hit down, take your set-up with a middle iron, then lift the clubhead a few inches off the ground. From there, make your normal swing. You’ll instinctively hit down, because if you don’t, you’ll miss the ball.

B U T C H H A R M O N is one of the best coaches in the game who works with many pga tour winners. www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

t h e b i g i n t e rv i e w

‘The highlights of my tour career sum up my life. they were all about survival’ Denis pugh had to overcome personal tragedy to carve out a career as one of the world’s top coaches and analysts on televised golf.

A

Words by john huggan PHOTOGRAPHy by howard boylan, getty

proud citizen of what he jokingly calls “the people’s republic of Essex”, Denis Pugh is one of golf’s nicest and most popular people. A long-time coach to a host of tour players, notably Colin Montgomerie, the Molinari brothers and Ross Fisher, Pugh has a wellearned reputation for excellence among his peers and clients.

He was even a player himself at one time, though any descriptions he offers of his career inside the ropes are characteristically modest: “I was never that good.”

Pugh’s life away from the links has also been marked by tragedy. The sudden and early death of his first wife – leaving him with two small children to raise alone – is one defining moment; as is his second wife’s recent and happily successful battle with breast cancer. These days, having cut back on his coaching commitments, he is perhaps best known for his recurring role as a studio analyst on Sky television, where his combination of ‘cheeky-chappie’ persona and astute swing analyses make him one of the more watchable members of the team.

Are all good coaches frustrated players?

Everyone starts out as a player and everyone wants to be a good player. But if you can’t be a good player it’s usually because you don’t have enough talent. When I was playing I went to see Phil Ritson in America. He told me, “whatever ‘it’ is, you don’t have ‘it,’ but what you do have is whatever it takes to be a great coach.” That was a huge influence on me; when someone

you respect says something that nice.

Was he right? (laughs) He was definitely right

about me as a player! Great coach? Well, I haven’t done too badly! The word ‘great’ is overused, but I’ve certainly been good.

So what makes a good coach? Probably the ability to get inside the player’s head, to think like they do. Then being able to apply what they need. Sometimes, communication isn’t about what you say, it’s more how you say it. And the manner in which it is delivered. Some of the best coaches don’t necessarily have the most knowledge, but they have enough knowledge to get the message across. That’s the key, getting players to believe in themselves.

Doesn’t the player have to believe in the coach though? I think the coach is the conduit –

there’s a posh word for an Essex boy. He’s not as important as some people think, but without him it doesn’t work. The coach is like the fuse in the fusebox: without it the lights don’t come on. That’s the key I learned early on. The player is the key to whether the coach is hired or fired. And all they care about is playing better. I know plenty of players who barely understand what their coaches are telling them. But they will forgive that if they get results.

‘The coach is like the fuse in the fusebox: without it the lights don’t come on’

When did you hit the wall as a player and decide to be a coach? I started working with Ritson

in 1979. I was 25 and had been playing in European Tour events since I was 19. I’d had varying degrees of success. I was able to pre-qualify regularly – maybe 50 per cent of the time. And when I did that I would make the cut maybe 50 per cent of the time.

That might be good enough to make a living these days, but it wasn’t back then.

What were the highlights of your playing career?

I’ve often joked about those! The highlights probably sum up my life; they were all about survival. My best finish was probably between 20th and 30th, nothing to be bragging about. It is so bad I honestly couldn’t tell you. I’d have to look it up.

What was your game like? I was a shorthitting, wild driver who hit too many iron shots fat, but could seriously wedge the ball and had enough gumption to hole the odd putt. I can still be competitive with my wedges against a Tour pro, but not with my chipping. And my putting has long gone down the road of “shall we try a belly putter or a long putter?”

What would your handicap be now? I’m probably between scratch and four, depending on how many mulligans you allowed me. And how many short putts you conceded.

When the decision to stop was made, what did you do? I got the club job at Wanstead, where

I had been an assistant. The club was great to me. And the head pro there before me was best man at my second wedding. I got known pretty quickly as a teacher. I wasn’t really into retailing. I had quite a nice lifestyle. Club life suited me. I got along with ➨

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

‘we all have to recognise that the game has been stagnant for a number of years’

jack nicklaus

What is your handicap?

0-5 4%

6-10 16%

11-15 28%

21-28 26%

16-20 26%

What type of course do you mainly play?

Public 27%

jack NICKLAUS PIONEERS fast 12-HOLE FORMAT New, easier and faster forms of golf are cropping up all over the world. One of the most intriguing is backed by Jack Nicklaus, who has hosted 12-hole tournaments at the PGA Tour course he designed, Muirfield Village in Ohio (above).

At these events, people are encouraged to play one tee up from where they’d normally play, the hole was almost double the size it normally is and participants were penalised for slow play.

“I love the game of golf and believe we have a unique opportunity right now to grow our sport,” Nicklaus said. “But we all have to recognise that the game has been stagnant for a number of years, and actually has lost a significant number of golfers. There are few bigger traditionalists than me, but I realise we need to start thinking out of the box. So I ask all the traditionalists to be tolerant while we try something new, something fun to hopefully help us grow the game. It’s too important for us not to try.”

Nicklaus has encouraged clubs to occasionally expand the hole once a month or even once a week in an effort to entice some people who might have been reluctant to try the game because they fear it’s too difficult. And to encourage faster play, he wanted players to complete their 12 holes in two-and-a-half hours, and they were penalised a stroke for every five minutes over the allotted time limit.

He added: “The traditions and integrity of the game will always be respected and honoured, but golf has to be cutting-edge. The time has come for the golf community to make a fresh start for the benefit of the future of the game.”

In the UK, ideas like PowerPlay golf have also taken off.

Is slow play a problem at your course?

Yes, some of the time 90%

Yes, all the time 7%

COMMENTS

Never 3%

Ageing membership means groups of old folk are, as you would expect, a bit slow. It seems to be the same couple of fourballs each weekend.

When is slow play the biggest problem?

Weekdays 48%

Weekends 37%

the vegas solution Private 65%

Municipal 8%

COMMENTS We don’t have tee times as we have four starting points. Visitors really slow things up.

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

They’re beating slow play with an ‘express lane’ at Las Vegas’ Angel Park GC, where players must sign a contract agreeing to play in three hours 45 express minutes or less to get the best, early tee times. lane Staff reserve the right to make groups skip holes or GOLF move to the other course if they’re not on pace. So far that hasn’t been a problem, according to Angel Park director Greg Brockelman. “They’re averaging less than 3.30, and the record is a foursome that finished in 2.48.”

During competitions 10%

Other times 5%

slow pl ay

how we’d beat it...

Would you say you’re a slow player?

No, I’d say I’m fast 32%

No, I’d say I’m average 66%

Yes 2%

Could your course and its staff do more to speed up the pace of play?

No 38%

Yes 62%

COMMENTS The course Marshal does come round and where a group are slow they are asked to speed up.

Cut rough back or make semi rough bit more manageable.

When I was Captain on my day I asked members who did not want to play to be marshals. I also informed players there would be penalties for slow play. The marshals would take names if needed. We all finished on time.

A time guide printed on the score cards.

We need a full time marshal at weekends.

Have time boards at certain holes showing the average time to get to that hole.

Give the ladies certain slots throughout the day.

Nick Price

ERNIE ELS

“Fines. Fines.

Fine them.

Penalties, two-shot penalties, a fine. A warning, a fine and then a penalty. That’s the only way they’re going to stop it. I don’t know how they’re going to enforce it, but the only time any guy is going to pay attention is when you penalise him for slow play because it’s such a disease.”

“I’d get the lasers out. I’d make fields a bit smaller.

And I’d get the officials to officiate the play instead of us as players. I feel it’s kind of uncomfortable to tell your playing partner, hey, you’re playing slowly, let’s move on.

I think the Tour officials should do that, and fields should get smaller.”

LEE TREVINO

TOM WATSON

“You’ve got to be consistent.

When I went out on Tour, they gave you two shots automatic.

Nicklaus got two shots in 1960 up at Portland. He still won!

You’ve got to do the two shots. Now they give you a fine. These guys are making $10m a year. What the hell is a fine? I don’t care if it’s a $10,000 fine, that’s not anything.”

“The only thing you can ask of somebody is to be ready to play when it’s your turn. If you are second to hit, you ask your caddie, ‘What’s the yardage?’ You should be thinking about it. Watching the other guy hit and having your yardage in mind, and watching his ball fly, what he hit, that gives you information of what you should be doing. Be ready.”

colin montgomerie

TIGER WOODS

“Five hours is an hour too long. There’s no reason we can’t get round any course in the world in any conditions in four.

The deterrents have got to be tougher – that works in any walk of life. If there is a serious one it’s amazing how quick it could be. I think we are all working together on it and it’s a matter of trying to make it fair for everybody. I’m a quick player and there’s no doubt that the slow play of others has hurt me over the years.”

Does your course let too many players out?

No 69% Yes 31%

COMMENTS We have fewer than 200 members; it’s the skill level and age gaps.

Pace would be improved if twoballs were paired up rather than having several twoball groups pushing from behind.

Recently the club has changed tee times to every 10 minutes which has worked well.

It’s a municipal – or should that be a moneypool?

Not enough time is allowed between groups going out.

In the quest to gain more revenue, too many societies are crammed in to the detriment of the members.

Online bookings sometimes clash with over-thecounter bookings and the extra match is squeezed in – resulting in slow play!

The number of players is not the problem, it’s their etiquette and ability.

They just never pair people up. Put as many groups in foursomes instead of two and threes.

Would you back a handicap limit to play at busy times?

“It’s been an ongoing problem on the PGA Tour for a long time. I honestly believe the pace of play is faster in Europe and Japan. It has been suggested offenders be penalised with strokes. The problem is, you may get one guy that slows down a group for playing at a snail’s pace and gets them all put on the clock, which isn’t fair. I know this is a complicated issue.

Hopefully, it can be addressed in the near future.”

Yes 23%

No 77%

88 per cent SAY A ROUND SHOULD TAKE FOUR HOURS or less How long do you think you take over a tee or approach shot?

5 seconds 10 seconds 20 seconds 30 seconds 40 seconds More than 40 seconds

1% 27% 45% 23% 3% 1%

How long do you think you take over a putt?

5 seconds 10 seconds 20 seconds 30 seconds 40 seconds More than 40 seconds

3% 29% 40% 21% 5% 2%

How long should it take to play an average 18-hole course as a fourball?

3 hours 3.5 hours 4 hours 4.5 hours 5 hours 5+ hours

1% 38% 50% 10% 1% 0%

On average, how long does it take your fourball to complete 18 holes?

3 hours 3.5 hours 4 hours 4.5 hours 5 hours 5+ hours

1% 22% 44% 27% 5% 1%

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

The science of

putting

I

By D r Pau l H u r r i on

f you thought that launch angles and spin rates were the sole territory of woods and irons, then think again. Even when it comes to the humble putter, faults and fixes become clear when dipping into the world of science and technology. Dr Paul Hurrion employs both via his Quintic system, used to help many of today’s tour players sharpen up their skills on the greens.

What is Qu i ntic ?

It’s a software system that will track the ball as it comes off the putter’s face, recording sidespin, launch angle and forward rotation. Using that data, it is possible to pinpoint any problems in the putting stroke and set about correcting them.

One degree of loft is ideal at impact, but if that varies by over half a degree either side, then you could be looking

at a problem that will cause you to miss putts.

More than 20rpm of sidespin – and consistently striking your putts more than 5mm outside the centre of the clubface – can also cost you strokes.

Hurrion has hundreds of tour players’ statistics logged into his computer. The ones displayed here offer a typical cross section of the problems that are found in all standards of golfer.

ACCURATE Once the system is calibrated then you can go ahead and putt balls from the same spot on the green. Some other systems require you to attach a measuring device to the putter shaft, which changes the balance of the club and alters the stroke. It’s just not as accurate.

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

PUT TING SCIE NCE

Oliver Wilson

P u tte r t o o m uch l o f t

With Oli we quickly found that he was launching the ball too high. He played the ball too far forward in his stance which added loft to the putter and made the standard 3° more like 4° or 5°.

S a m Wa l k e r s t r i k i ng t o o h i g h o r l ow on the face

Com mon c ause s of high launch angle n n n n n

too much dynamic loft at impact breaking the lead wrist (flipping) just before impact swinging the putter on an excessive upward arc through impact having the ball too far forward in the stance putter with too much static loft

This is how Oli addressed the ball with the putterhead in front of the sternum and the hands behind the ball.

This example shows a putt that has been struck very close to the bottom of the putter, striking the ball on the upswing... so much so that on some putts, contact was made with the metal rim and not the soft insert.

Causes of high or low strikes: n n n

breaking the wrist (flipping) just before impact (low) ball too far forward in the stance (low) hitting down on the ball (high)

LEANING This is much better. The butt of the club needs to be in front of the ball, giving you a very slight shaft lean towards the target. A bit more weight on the left is good. If you have a forward press like Phil Mickelson, then you need much more loft on your putter. Some players don’t like to lean the shaft, so the alternative is to take some loft off the putter to compensate.

If you hit the ball too high or low on the face then you are not going to get a consistent roll or distance control. If you are using a soft insert putter and occasionally, hit the ball off the surrounding metal, you will send the ball much further than intended.

If you strike the putt too high on the clubface, then this drill can be very useful.

Put a tee peg in the ground and rest your putter on top. Now try and complete a stroke without getting the putter snagging on the peg. This way you are ensuring that the club will not come into the ball too low.

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

‘Seve will be with us in the team room’ Jose Maria Olazabal

less than a year away from the ryder cup at medinah, europe’s captain tells us about his preparations.

Words BY paul mahoney PHOTOGRAPHy by james cheadle, getty

T

he first person Jose Maria Olazabal called when he was appointed captain of Europe’s 2012 Ryder Cup team was Seve Ballesteros. The apprentice and his sorcerer: forever linked by this biennial tussle with the Americans.

Seve was at home in Pedrena fighting the cancer that would finally defeat him. They chatted about the great times they had had together and laughed about Seve’s hyperactive leadership at Valderrama in 1997. It is as impossible to mention the Ryder Cup without thinking of Seve and Ollie, as it is to mention the football World Cup without thinking of Brazil.

When Olazabal made his Ryder Cup debut in 1987 at Muirfield Village in Ohio, who was there to ease the way? Seve: his mentor and soul mate. Here they forged the Ryder Cup’s greatest and most feared partnership: 15 matches, 11 victories, two halves and just two defeats.

Olazabal recalls that virgin appearance.

“I was really nervous,” he says. “He said ‘Try to play your game, enjoy the moment, and I will take care of the rest.’ You knew, standing on that first tee, you were going to win: the way he talked, the way he moved round the greens, the way he looked at you, the way he looked at the opponents, the way he looked at the crowd. Every second spent with him was special. The way he played,

the way he approached every shot, the intensity of everything around him, the way he fought. And he did that every single day.”

That is why the Ryder Cup is so important to Olazabal. For all those memories shared with Seve under the glare of the game’s most intense spotlight.

That debut was special for Europe, too, as they won in the States for the first time and Olazabal dared to dance a victory flamenco. “I’m ashamed,” he laughs. “I’m not a very good dancer.” Maybe so, but it displayed his passion and his joy and his instant love affair with the Ryder Cup. Next year will be the first Ryder Cup of the modern era without Seve. Olazabal is already emotional. “Obviously I miss him,” he says. “I miss his desire, his passion, his will, his determination – all those elements that made him so special. He never gave up and he always believed we could turn things around, whatever the situation. The last time (at Celtic Manor), he spoke on the phone the night before the match and it lifted the whole team. I’ve never experienced so much energy around another player. I’ve seen great players – Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods – but Seve was extra special. There was an aura around him.

And it was as fun as you could imagine playing with him. We all know how important he was for European golf and I’m sure his spirit will be with us in the ➨

‘I have a perpetual case of chapped Let your heel come up

Don’t follow the trend on tour of keeping your leading heel glued to the ground. The “resistance” could cause you injury and actually cost you distance. Let the heel rise.

You’ll make a bigger move behind the ball.

KISS the SHOULDER If I turned my shoulder under my chin like some teachers say, my swing would be too upright. My swing thought is “kiss the shoulder”. I have a perpetual case of chapped lips from friction with my shirt, but it’s worth it. It guarantees a full turn and serious clubhead speed through the ball.

© Golf digest

BUBBA WATSON Bio: 32, 6ft 3in Driver: Ping G20 (pictured G15), 7.5 degrees Ball: Titleist Pro V1X Driving distance: (2nd) 314.1 yards Percentage drives: 300-plus (2nd) 58.5% Longest drive: (2nd) 415 yards Driving accuracy: (143rd) 57.8%

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

tou r tuition

lips from friction with my shirt’

Keep the face square

During 2011, I’ve hit exactly one draw off the tee. A fade is more accurate and goes almost as far. The key to a monster fade is to not let the clubface rotate closed through impact.

Try to keep the face looking at the target after the ball is gone.

FORGET BALANCE My followthrough is often less than picture-perfect. In this photo, I’m hanging back on my rear foot, which is unconventional but shows that I tried to stay behind the ball to hit it high. Because I hit a lot of different shots – big fades, high balls, low screamers – I make some unusual finishes. As long as I hit the ball solidly, I’m OK with a weird-looking finish.

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

The

equipment

THE SPIN ON SPIN eliminate gaps in your bag and make more of your wedges.

W

edges have more options than any other club. However, elite and average golfers rarely take the time to get fitted for them. With loft, bounce angle, sole grind and finish, the decisions you need to make when buying a wedge can make your head, well, spin. But that doesn’t have to be the case. We asked our experts to answer the questions that matter most.

Their responses aren’t obvious, but the results will be.

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

NEW WEDGES

Callaway Forged £99

The carbon-steel head has 21 thinly spaced grooves for more spin. (Six models, two finishes) callawaygolf.com

Q A

I carry two wedges; do I really need to add any more to my set?

Yes. Because equipment companies are making iron lofts stronger, we’re seeing significant gaps between a golfer’s pitching wedge and sand wedge. If today’s standard pitching wedge has 45 degrees of loft (pitching wedges used to have 48 degrees), and your next lofted wedge is a 56-degree sand wedge, then you have an 11-degree gap between your pitching and sand wedge. Ten degrees of loft equates to about 30 yards in distance, so an 11-degree gap is too large and means you’ll likely be taking a lot of partial swings. Ideally, you would have no more than 5 degrees of separation between your wedges. Using a TrackMan or similar launch monitor, a quality clubfitter can identify where the gaps in your wedge game are and show you how having the correct loft-spacing will give you more full swings into greens. That’s important because you’re not as good as you think you are with that three-quarter swing.

© Golf digest

Q A

I’ve never changed the shafts in my wedges.

Should I? Probably. A lot of golfers buy drivers and irons off the rack, then spend time and money to

Mizuno MP-R12 £115

The computer-milled process matches different groove designs to specific lofts.

(Nine models, two finishes) mizunoeurope.com

get fitted for the correct shaft. But most don’t question the stock shafts in their wedges. The vast majority of stock shafts are extra-stiff and heavier, designed for high-swing-speed players. These shafts promote a low trajectory and low launch angle. At the least, make sure the shaft in your gap wedge matches the shafts in your irons. For example, if your 9-iron or pitching wedge has a 70g graphite shaft, your gap wedge should have the same 70g graphite shaft, not a 128g steel one.

(Your sand and lob wedges can have stiffer and heavier shafts because you’ll hit fewer full shots with them.) By ensuring the shafts in your wedges are the right weight and flex, you’ll notice a higher, longer and more accurate ball flight.

Q A

Are the new grooves really worse than the old grooves?

Yes and no. The old, aggressive grooves will outperform the new grooves in heavy rough or moisture, says David Llewellyn, manager of research and development at Mizuno. But the old grooves tended to shear golf balls, a sign of inconsistent spin. “Shots are more predictable with

Nike VR Pro Forged Dual-Sole £89

Cross-hatch lines are lasered between 20 grooves to increase control and consistency. (Three models, one finish) nikegolf.com

the new groove,” he says.

TaylorMade’s Bret Wahl, senior director of iron development, says the R&A’s rollback helped make designers smarter. “The rule forced us to engage deeply,” he says. “The amount of energy we spend on grooves now is far more than before.” As a result, Wahl believes even without the rule change most players on TaylorMade’s staff would opt for the company’s new prototype groove over the more aggressive old groove, particularly on shots from the fairway.

One other thing: The new grooves might have less volume and softer edges, but they might be more precisely manufactured. Example: Titleist’s new SM4 wedges will have every single groove on every club electronically measured. “It doesn’t matter whether we’re building it for a pro or for the consumer,” said Bob Vokey, Titleist’s lead wedge designer.

Q A

Can you ever have too much loft? People tell me I shouldn’t be using 60 degrees off 15. “ Yes,” says Roger Cleveland, Chief Designer, Callaway. “A 60-degree wedge (or even a 64-degree wedge like Phil Mickelson has used) could help you hit some amazing shots, but you’ll

Cleveland 588 £119

The 1025 carbon-steel forging’s texture lines are milled between each groove to increase friction. (10 models, two finishes) clevelandgolf.com

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011

i n co r p o r at i n g The

The

top 100

cou r se s

courses

n e w s / r e v i e w s / d e s t i n at i o n s

monthly

t o p 10 0 w e e k e n d s

the weekend guide to:

south-west ireland

This corner of the Emerald Isle is home to more superstar courses than any other area in Britain and Ireland.

Words chris bertram PHOTOGRAPHy david cannon, getty

DECEMBER 2011 // www.golf-world.co.uk

south-west ireland

I

f the courses of south-west Ireland were a football club, they’d be Real Madrid. If they were a rugby side, they’d be the All Blacks. If they were a cricket team, they’d be Australia in the 1990s. This area of the Emerald Isle is littered with star-studded names, arguably to a greater degree than any other part of Great Britain and Ireland.

Some areas – such as Fife, East Lothian or Merseyside – might have as many topclass courses as this corner of Ireland, but nowhere can match the seemingly endless list of truly world-class venues.

Such is the number of golfing galacticos that we have had to include only the very, very best in this feature; so, no room for perfectly attractive courses such as Ballybunion’s Cashen, Cork, Skellig Bay, Castlemartyr or Bantry Bay. This concentration of elite courses means, you probably won’t be surprised to learn, that the cost of playing here requires

one of the higher budgets of our Top 100 Weekenders to date.

Many courses cost over £100 to play and those that don’t aren’t much below. Let’s describe them as reassuringly expensive.

Indeed, you will have to make two or even three long weekend trips to take in all these fabulous courses. Or, if budgets allow, play the whole lot it in one week.

As well as the high number of courses which demand you play them, the other reason for this 'Weekender' requiring more than two or three days is that the courses are fairly well spread out. However, it is far from a slog, helped enormously by the fact low-cost airlines fly into lots of airports in the area. Shannon is the key one, allowing access to most of the courses within an hour or so. But Cork is also extremely handy with a view to playing Old Head.

On Golf World’s most recent trip to the South West of Ireland, we flew in to Shannon from Liverpool and returned to

Merseyside from Cork. Stansted’s flight routes also allow you to do this and it really does work phenomenally well.

Our accompanying map of the courses gives you a good idea of how to divide your trips up. Whichever way you do it, we are confident they will be visits to remember.

We start in Doonbeg, one of the modern embellishments to Ireland’s golfing portfolio in the south west. Greg Norman was invited to lay out the course here and admits he was extraordinarily fortune to have been asked to do so, such was the idyllic nature of the land.

On completion he proclaimed this was the most natural of courses and insisted he had done little more than run a lawnmower over the ground to cut a few fairways.

That is clearly being overly modest because even on such prime golfing land it requires a keen eye to turn it into something truly special, for that is what Doonbeg is.

It is a wonderful experience as soon as ➨

Wild Atlantic: Check. Huge dunes: Check. Fabulous course: Check. Tralee typifies the world-class golf of the area.

www.golf-world.co.uk // DECEMBER 2011