HK Golfer - March 2019

HK GOLFER MARCH 2019

ISABELLA’S BIG BREAK / RYO’S RESURRECTION / NG GOES PRO ROSE BLOSSOMS / A MUSCAT JEWEL / CLASSIC CLUBBERS

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CONTENTS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH 2019

8

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

22

ON THE COVER: READY FOR THE PRO RANKS

10

HKGA HAPPENINGS

14

THE 852: ISABELLA’S BIG BREAK

Isabella Leung, a member of the HKGA National Squad, secured her playing status on the China LPGA Tour by finishing tied 9th at the Q-School back in mid-January. She flew to Seoul, South Korea straight from China to participate in the shooting of a Korean reality show called ‘Cinderella Story of KLPGA’.

HK Golfer talks to the future local star about her rookie season and her experience of being in a TV show.

18

ASIA ACTION: WEDDING JOKE RUINED

Af ter winning his third Hong Ko n g M e n ’s Cl o s e A m a t e u r Championship title over the Lunar New Year holiday, Terrence Ng is ready to battle for playing status on the professional tour. The Tuen Mun native talks to HK Golfer before heading to Guangzhou to play the PGA Tour Chan-Series First Global Qualifying Tournament.

36

INSIDE THE ROPE: CHANGING THE FACE OF GOLF The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is the only tournament in professional golf that features an innovative stroke play and match play format. It remains as the only event that has the unique format which combines 5 4 holes of traditional stroke play across the first three days with an exciting knockout match play format for the fourth and final round.

38

CHAMPION TALK: ROSE BLOSSOMS

28

LIVE UNDER PAR: RYO’S RESURRECTION Once known as Hanikami Ōji, or the Bashful Prince, Japan’s pin-up golf star Ryo Ishikawa is ready to reignite his stuttering career which shone ever so brightly before being dimmed by a back injury.

32

THE TOUR: ASSESSING THE PLAYERS

The career to date of Justin Peter Rose could hardly be described as either ‘pre-determined’ or ‘straightforward’. At the age of 38 and now at the peak of his profession, he believes, and few would disagree with the sof tspoken Englishman, that the best may be yet to come.

44

GEAR UP

20

GLOBAL GLANCE: CHOI STEALS THE SHOW

6 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

As The Players Championship moves back to March on the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2006, the pros debate what changes may be in store for TPC Sawgrass.

Edwardo Delgado Barcena looks at the new M5 and M6 driver series by TaylorMade and the latest Evnroll putter.

46

THE VIEW: A MUSCAT JEWEL Muscat, the Middle East’s best-kept secret, serves up a very different of fering from its ostentatious and ex travagant neighbour s .

Oman’s understated capital and its gracious people haven’t gone all in for swanky tower blocks and skyscrapers.

52

RETROSPECTIVE: CLASSIC CLUBBERS

Golf has been swinging across Hollywood’s silver screens almost since the inception of film. In the second part of an ongoing series, HK Golfer brings you a selection of some classic still images.

60

BESPOKE: BEST FOOT FORWARD Since we first used leaves or animals skins to protect our feet, man has had an enduring relationship with footwear. Bespoke shoemaking has made a comeback after years of being overshadowed by mass production.

66

THE TABLE: A FEAST FOR THE SENSES Three key components of the Moroccan culture are eating, drinking and being hospitable.

HK Golfer travels to the country’s gastronomic city of Fez, where a veritable treasure trove of culinary delights awaits.

72

THE NINETEENTH: LEAVE IT IN OR WHIP IT OUT?

CONTRIBUTORS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH 2019

Edwardo Delgado Barcena

A cl u b f i t t e r a n d t e a ch i n g profes sional with 16 year s of exp e r i e n ce. Ed w a r d o w a s a TaylorMade Golf Performance Lab Motion Analysis Expert and PGA Tour China Series Tour Rep. He is the current Managing Director of Golf Gears in Central, Hong Kong.

Louie Chan

Louie is the Editor of HK Golfer and also writes extensively for the magazine, its website and digital platforms. He continues to work hard to lose the distinction of the golf editor with the worst swing!

Chuah Choo Chiang

Senior Director of Communications at the PGA Tour, Chuah Choo Chiang is HK Golfer’s storyteller for the PGA Tour events in Asia.

Chris Cox

A full-time journalist now residing in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Chris co-ordinates international custom content for the PGA Tour.

Zachary Fu

Zachary Fu recently relocated to Hong Kong following a period of living and working in Shanghai where he established the East Lee photography studio. Zachary makes his HK Golfer debut with his portraits of Isabella Leung and our cover subject Terrence Ng.

Calvin Koh

Calvin heads the press operations and media partnership for the Asian Tour. With over a decade of experience in sports PR and communications.

Jason Kwok

Ja s o n i s a H o n g Ko n g P GA Prof e s s i o n al , h a s p lay e d o n the Asian Tour and was Head Professional of the Discovery Golf Club for many years.

Timothy Low

T imothy is a f orm er touring professional golfer turned television presenter, golf commentator, event host and writer.

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HK GOLFER MAGAZINE is published by the Hong Kong Golf Association and produced by Design Circles Limited. The HKGA was formed in 1968 with a mission to govern, promote and grow golf in Hong Kong. Responsibilities include Hong Kong national teams; junior and elite player development; grassroots initiatives; a centralised handicapping service for 15,000+ subscribers; and the running of international and domestic golfing events in Hong Kong – including more than 30 amateur tournaments each year plus the Hong Kong Open, the city’s oldest professional sporting event.

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MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 7

LETTER FROM THE HKGA

T

he beginning of the Year of The Pig has already brought with it some positive and encouraging news for the HKGA as Terrence Ng won his third Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship title over the Lunar New Year holiday, a fine testament to the success of the Association’s development programme.

Overall, the top 3 finishers in the Championship are HKGA squad members, showing a continuation of our players’ dominance since 2014, and we are extremely proud of their ongoing achievements.

We would like to take this opportunity to once again extend our sincerest gratitude to our sponsors and exclusive partners HSBC and Mercedes-Benz, and to the golf clubs for their continued and unrelenting support.

In addition, we would like to thank the Government of the SAR and the Hong Kong Sports Institute for providing the financial assistance required to keep our players at the top of their game.

In other news, we are delighted that our training programme has been able to further evolve and develop through better usage of the sports science support available to us, thus offering our players a more well-rounded training experience.

We look forward to seeing our players enjoy continued success in the year ahead, and in the meantime, I wish you all a happy and prosperous Year of the Pig. Yours Truly,

YOSHIHIRO NISHI President, HKGA

8 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

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HKGA

HAPPENINGS

by Louie Chan / Images: Hong Kong Golf Association

T

errence Ng closed with a brilliant final round 67 to win his third Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship title at Fanling over the Lunar New Year holiday. The 24 year-old won back-to-back in 2015 and 2016, and he can now look forward to playing alongside the professionals again at the 2019 Hong Kong Open. Ng made his Hong Kong Open debut in 2015 and earned his playing status at Fanling again by claiming his second Men’s Close Amateur Championship in 2016.

With the Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship being part of the Road to MercedesTrophy Hong Kong 2019, Ng also secured a spot in the prestigious event which returns to Fanling in May. “This will probably be my last time playing the Close Amateur Championship, and this tournament will always have a special place in my heart. I want to thank all the playing partners, referees, Fanling staff and coaches, and also the HKGA for supporting me throughout my amateur career,” said the third-time winner in his victory speech.

10 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

“Jon (Lai) really pushed me hard to play at my best. We actually tied even in total after just 3 holes in the third round. However, he made some mistakes in the back 9, and I was able to hang on to my lead until the end,” added Ng. “I also want to thank Isaac Lee, my caddie on the final day. I didn’t have a caddie in the first two rounds, so I asked Ducky (Tang, Coach of the HKGA) if any junior player who missed the cut would like to caddy for me. Uncle Wilfrid (Isaac’s Dad) saw it as a good learning experience for him, and Isaac actually played a pivotal role in my performance in the final two rounds. From my playing experience in the Men’s Close, playing 36 holes on the final day can be a big physical challenge.

It’s essential to have a caddie for the final two rounds, and Isaac did a great job in helping me to maintain my lead.”

Jonathan Lai finished second with a total of 279, four strokes behind Ng. The defending champion also finished with a final round 67. Chris Mun finished third with a total of 283. James Gill won the Mid-Amateur title for players aged 25 and above with a total of 285, just one stroke ahead of Stuart McKinnon, who played in the final group with Ng and Lai in the final

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 11

round. However, a final round 74 saw McKinnon drop to second in the MidAmateur division.

Yo s h i h i r o N i s h i , P r e s i d e n t o f the HKGA, also participated in the tournament. “This was my first time pl ay i ng t he Men’s Close A m ateu r Championship; I had lots of fun and it was a great experience. This is one of the most important events on the HKGA calendar every year, with all the top amateur golfers in Hong Kong, from 13 years-old up to 60-something participating. It’s just great to compete against these guys, especially when you see 64 and 65 year-olds shooting 74. We will strive to keep improving this event and encourage more Hong Kong golfers to join.”

"My family was not in Hong Kong and I had a week to myself, so I thought,

12 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

‘why can’t the President of the HKGA participate in the Men’s Close?’ I wanted to show my support in my final year as President. I really enjoyed it and hope I might be able to make the cut for the final day next year. Now I have much more motivation to improve my game, and I also know exactly what I need to work on,” said Nishi at the close of the tournament.

Leading final scores: 275 – Terrence Ng (69, 67, 72, 67); 279 – Jonathan Lai (72, 67, 73, 67), 283 – Chris Mun (71, 71, 72, 69); 285 – James Gill (72, 72, 70, 71); 286 – Stuart McKinnon (73, 69, 70, 74); 290 – Darren Choi (73, 75, 72, 70), Humphrey Wong (74, 71, 75, 70); 291 - Markus Lam (67, 76, 75, 73); 293 – Eric Saxvik (71, 74, 80, 68), Jeffrey Wang (76, 73, 75, 69).

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THE 852

ISABELLA’S BIG

BREAK

by Louie Chan / Images: Zachary Fu Special thanks to the Hong Kong Golf Club

Isabella Leung secured her playing status on the China LPGA Tour by finishing tied 9th at the Q-School back in mid-January. She flew to Seoul, South Korea straight from China to participate in the shooting of a Korean reality show called ‘Cinderella Story of KLPGA’. HK Golfer took the chance to talk to the future local star about her rookie season and her experience of being in a TV show.

HK Golfer: Can you tell us more about the Korean reality show?

Isabella Leung: It’s a Korean version of ‘The Big Break’, a reality TV programme produced by the Golf Channel in the U.S. The format is very similar - the contestants engage in a series of golfing challenges, with the weakest performer being eliminated after each challenge. At the end of the competition, the winner receives prizes including one or more exemptions into a top professional golf tournament.

I was one of the 12 contestants, all of whom are women pro golfers from across Asia, competing for two exemptions into the Korea LPGA Tour, which guarantees 10 starts in the current season. You know all those challenges ‘The Big Break’ is famous for – glass-breaking, mulligans, skills, the longest drive, match play, and so on. We spent the first three days shooting at the Paradise City Hotel in Seoul, then we flew to Malaysia to shoot the golfing part at the TPC Kuala Lumpur.

HKG: Did you make it into the final two to win the exemption?

IL: Due to my contractual agreement, I can’t tell you before the show has been broadcast. We will see (with a sneaky smile)…

To be honest, I’m just a golfer, and I don’t really want to be a TV celebrity. I don’t even want to watch myself on TV! However,

14 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

there are more pros than cons in terms of being part of this show.

I played the KLPGA Q-School last July and finished 15th, which allowed me to get into the second stage. However, I didn’t play as it clashed with the Q-School of the LPGA Tour in Taiwan.

Someone from the crew of the TV show asked if I was interested in being one of the contestants, so I said why not? It’s an opportunity I may never have again.

HKG: How can Hong Kong golfers watch the show?

IL: As far as I know, there will be 10 episodes broadcast between March and April on the Golf Channel Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan and China, and The Astro Supersport channel.

HKG: Back to your performance on the golf course, how competitive is the China LPGA Tour?

IL: The China Tour is not as competitive as the LPGA Tour in the U.S. However, I still had to play from OK to good to secure my playing status. We played three rounds at the Qualifying Tournament.

Actually, I wasn’t able to make a single birdie in the first 36 holes!

I was 7 over before the final round started. I made 5 birdies on the last day and shot 2 under, finished tied 9th and earned my card.

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 15

16 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

I CAN SEE THAT MY MENTAL GAME IS GRADUALLY GETTING BETTER, WHICH HAS HELPED ME TO EARN MY CARD ON THE CHINA TOUR.

HKG: What is your mental process when you have to overcome a deficit and pull yourself together?

IL: I used to have a pattern since my junior days. When I couldn’t score low in the early rounds of a tournament, I wouldn’t have the composure to come back and overcome the deficit, which made me even more irritated and frustrated. I think this is a common issue for most golfers – how to accept failure. Jonathan Wallett, a former HKGA coach, really helped me to shift my mindset last year. If I don’t make it, it’s not the end of the world. For touring pros, our careers are always at stake. If we don’t make the cut, we don’t get paid, and we may lose our funding and sponsor(s).

However, there’s no point in getting mad over a bad round. I can see that my mental game is gradually getting better, which has helped me to earn my card on the China Tour.

HKG: What’s the strongest part of your game?

IL: My long game is solid. I can drive straight consistently. I think my distance is average on the China Tour. I work out in the gym three times a week, a routine I developed in my college days. When I practice, I usually focus on my short game, especially chipping.

My putting has gone from bad to OK to decent in the past year – another credit to Jon (Wallett) – I never had a short game coach even when I was playing in college. I never knew my putting stroke was out to out, when it should be in to in, as pointed out by Jon. HKG: Turning pro in Hong Kong is never easy. What kind of support did you have to get started?

IL: I officially turned pro in November last year and I am very thankful to the Hong Kong Golf Club, especially Ian Gardner and Dean Nelson, who were kind enough to allow me to practice and play at Fanling when I came back to Hong Kong after graduating in Hawaii.

I will receive financial support from the Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club this year as one of their ambassadors. I want to thank Captain Mark Chan and GM Peter Downie of Clearwater Bay for my ambassadorship. It is a great honour to represent them, and their support will be a great help for my career. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity they have given me.

The Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) also provides direct financial assistance to me through their Sports Aid Grant, as they acknowledged my good results in the World University Golf Championship (4th for the Hong Kong Women’s Team) and the Asian Games (15th in the individual tournament) last year.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank Danny Lai, CEO of the HKGA. He has an excellent relationship with the HKSI, which helps us a lot in terms of getting substantial financial aid.

HKG: Last but not least, what is your goal for the rest of the 2019 season?

IL: My next tournament will be in early March in Taiwan.

Since this is my rookie season on the China LPGA Tour, I have to put myself in a good position in the Order of Merit to have guaranteed starts in the co-sanctioned events. I also plan to go to the U.S. for the Q-School – the first and second stage in late August and mid-October respectively – while the final Q-Series will be a two-week golf marathon from October to November.

My short-term goal is to secure full playing status on any professional tour. I played with Tiffany (Chan) when I was young, and so I always see her as my biggest inspiration. I want to attain the same level that she has and I believe I can do that sooner or later by refining some of my skills.

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 17

ASIA ACTION WEDDING JOKE RUINED Kiwi Ryan Fox notched up the biggest win of his golfing career after coming up trumps at the World Super 6 Perth but it has ruined his wedding joke. Fox thrashed Spaniard Adrian Otaegui in the match pl ay d e c id e r on Su nd ay, winning the six-hole shootout w it h t wo hole s to spa re.

It was Fox’s first triumph on the European Tour, earning him a handy $258,330 pay cheque.

It was his first tournament win since 2016, when he won on the secondary Challenge Tour.

Fox is getting married next month and revealed that his win in Perth has affected some of his plans. “This win has actually killed one of my speech jokes,” Fox said. “I was going to run my speech as a golf (victory) speech and say I haven’t done one in a while!”

PGA Tour of Australia 18 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

GLOBAL GLANCE CHOI STEALS THE SHOW As they waited to tee off from the third tee box Thursday afternoon, Jerry Kelly and Aaron Rodgers took a look inside the golf bag of playing pa r tner Ho Sung Choi.

Despite playing with highprofile American celebrities against a beautiful backdrop, it was the South Korean who managed to steal the show at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-A m, in the f ield on a sponsor’s exemption after his fisherman’s swing went viral.

Even though Choi’s PGA Tour debut didn’t go quite according to plan - he was 9-over par through 54 holes a nd m i s s e d t he c ut i nto Sunday’s final round. Any on-course struggles however have thus far failed to affect his friendly demeanor a nd positive attitude.

“I think it’s important to have a dream; I’m so proud of myself to have made it onto the PGA Tour,” said t h e e v e r- c h e e r f u l C h o i .

PGA Tour 20 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

ON THE COVER FEATURE

READY FOR

THE PRO

RANKS

by Louie Chan / Images: Zachary Fu Special thanks to the Hong Kong Golf Club

After winning his third Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship title over the Lunar New Year holiday, Terrence Ng is ready to battle for playing status on the professional tour. The Tuen Mun native talks to HK Golfer before heading to Guangzhou to play the PGA Tour Series-China First Global Qualifying Tournament.

A

f ter graduat ing w it h a Sports Management degree from Grif f it h Universit y on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2017, Terrence Ng decided to come back home and play full year golf as an amateur. “I think I will be the last one to turn professional for the same age group of junior golfers I used to play with - Tiffany Chan, Steven Lam, Shinichi Mizuno and Liu Lok-tin,” says Ng, “I didn’t feel like playing pro golf straight away after I finished my degree. I planned to play full year golf as an amateur in 2018, as I could practice and enjoy the coaching support at Fanling Monday to Friday every week with my HKGA membership. But I think I’m ready to give it a try on the professional circuit now, especially after claiming the Men’s Close title again.”

22 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

“Terrence struggled to hit the fairway throughout the week; it’s tough to score out of the rough especially at the New Course of Fanling. However, he kept his cool despite making mistakes; he worked on staying in the present and focusing on each shot individually,” commented Tim Tang, High Performance Manager of the HKGA. “Jonathan Lai played great as well, and pushed him very hard until the end. I was very happy for Terrence when he won!

He has been working hard on his game, and I wish him the best of luck this year.”

One should note that Terrence finished in a total of 5 under over 72 holes, four strokes better than runner-up Jonathan Lai. They were the only two players who finished the tournament under par. “To be honest with you, I wasn’t satisfied with my performance, especially in terms of ball striking. I made 15

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 23

24 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

birdies over four rounds, but I also had 10 bogeys. Most of them were soft bogeys, and I believe I am capable of saving at least half of them. I take it as a learning experience, as you cannot make the pro ranks with those soft bogeys/mistakes,” notes Ng. “Of course, there will never be a perfect round, but learning how to play percentage golf is my goal. I can give you an example at the Men’s Close. I wasn’t driving well on a particular hole and my ball ended up landing in the rough near a big tree. I tried to hit a cut shot to avoid hitting the tree on my backswing, but I still hit the tree and almost hit an air shot. I shanked my shot in the end. This is the kind of wrong decision I always try to avoid, however, sometimes I get numb during a tournament. We have to play aggressively most of the time to score low. If I had put my ego aside and chosen to hit a low punch, I would have had a higher chance of getting up and down to save that hole,” Ng reflects.

The national team player has proven himself to be one of Hong Kong’s most consistent juniors in many years. He won the Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship at Mission Hills in 2011. He earned his playing status at the Hong Kong Open two years in a row (2015 and 2016) by claiming the Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship titles in both years.

“It was an eye-opening debut back in 2015. I also learned the importance of fitness after being outdriven by some of the pros in Fanling. I am known for my strong short game and my mental game. When I am playing in a tournament, and I hit the ball into a tough position to get up and down from, I am usually able to save myself because of my good short game. However, I know I have to bulk up physically, and I will definitely be working on that this year.”

Ng was one of the most selected players to represent Hong Kong in 2018. He helped the Men’s team finish 4th at the World University Golf Championship in the Philippines, missing out on a medal by just a single shot. In the World Amateur Team Championships hosted in Ireland, he shot his joint best total score (level par) in a 4-round international event. He also helped the men’s team to produce Hong Kong’s career-best finish at 32nd from 72

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 25

26 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

teams at the most prominent amateur team event in the world.

And then there was the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, in which he helped the men’s team to finish in the top half of the table.

Ng had a further two highlights in 2018. He was tied for 1st place in the Selangor Masters in Malaysia and lost in a playoff, and he finished as the low amateur of the Clearwater Bay Open, a PGA Tour China-Series event.

“It has been my honour to represent Hong Kong all these years. We have travelled to so many different places in Asia to play. From my experiences, only a handful of courses in Thailand have crazy long distances. The courses in Malaysia and Taiwan are mostly 7,000 to 7,200 yards, which are manageable for me.

However, the golf courses on the European Tour and the PGA Tour are much longer - 7,500 yards at the least.

Even though I’m not a long hitter, I still have a chance playing on the courses of the Asian Tour. Just taking the Hong Kong Open for example, the composite course is only 6,800 yards.

Accuracy is much more important than distance in Fanling,” explains Ng. What about the courses on the PGA Tour Series-China?

“I heard that most are hilly courses with certain demanding distances and also narrow fairways. The China Tour has been developing well in recent years. There will be 120 excellent international players in the Global Qualifying Tournament.

I am aiming for one of the 12 fully exempt or 23 conditional cards offered.”

When asked who has had the most significant impact on him, Ng is quick to respond. “My dad, because he is the one who first let me touch a golf club and got me started playing when I was eight or nine. He taught me how to grip the club, how to set up and how to hit the ball, so I really want to thank him. I used to like Steve Stricker, as he and I have a similar style of game. Neither of us is particularly long, but we make up for it with our short games and putting. His putting is incredible; he can hole it from anywhere!”

Having aspired to play professional golf since he was a junior, Ng is on top of his game both mentally and physically. The 24 year-old is known for his big smile and sense of humour, so we look forward to seeing more of that as he moves into the pro ranks!

WHAT’S IN MY BAG: TERRENCE NG DRIVER: TaylorMade M4 9.5°, UST Mamiya Attas 6 Star 6X FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816 14°, UST Mamiya Attas 6 Star 7X 2 IRON: Srixon Z U65 18°, Tour AD GT-85X Utility IRONS: Fourteen 788 4-P, Recoil 110 F5 WEDGES: Fourteen FH V1 47°, 52°, 58°, KBS Tour Wedge X PUTTER: Toulon San Diego Garage Version BALLS: Titleist Pro V1x

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 27

LIVE UNDER PAR

RYO’S

RESURRECTION

by Chuah Choo Chiang / Images: Getty Images

Once known as Hanikami Ōji, or the Bashful Prince, Japan’s pin-up golf star Ryo Ishikawa is ready to reignite his stuttering career which shone ever so brightly before being dimmed by a back injury.

S

till only 27, Ryo Ishikawa, who possesses boyish good looks matched by an exciting brand of attacking golf, was the name on everyone’s lips after he became the youngest player at the age of 15 to win on the Japan Golf Tour in 2007. By 21, he had raised his career tally to 10 victories and the world, it seems, was in the palm of his hands.

During his early heroics, Ishikawa also became the youngest golfer to break into the world’s top-50 ranking following a four-win season in 2009 and he later joined an exclusive club by shooing a rare 58 the following year.

Such was his growing stature that Ishikawa was an obvious captain’s pick for the International Team in the Presidents Cup in 2009 which two years later he played his way back into the side on merit.

He earned his card on the ultracompetitive PGA Tour in 2013 and when

28 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

life appeared good and rosy, sporting fate landed him a cruel blow as he was struck by a lower back injury in early 2016.

The injury put him out of action for nearly six months and even though he secured a 14th Japan Tour victory two tournaments into his comeback, Ishikawa was not the same golfer as he had been and he spiralled into a career decline, tragically tumbling out of the world’s top-200 in 2017 for the first time in nearly a decade and losing his PGA Tour status along the way.

Five top-5 f inishes in 2018 have somewhat restored Ishikawa’s self-belief and provided him with a much-needed spark to revive his career. More importantly, he says his body is now 100 percent fit.

“I started running again last spring as I couldn’t run for three years because of my injury... it was uncomfortable for my back,” says Ishikawa. “Now I can run or jog every morning and my body feels better. It has

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I STARTED RUNNING AGAIN LAST SPRING AS I COULDN’T RUN FOR THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF MY INJURY… IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR MY BACK. RYO ISHIKAWA

also helped me to become more comfortable playing over four or five days straight as I feel fitter.”

Not only is his fitness trending in the right direction, Ishikawa has also started working with a sports psychologist for the first time as he looks to regain his place amongst golf’s elite. His immediate goal is to challenge for a team berth in the Presidents Cup which takes places at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia from December 9-15, 2019.

“I think I’m much closer to my best form, I can feel it coming. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing both on and off the range. Over the last few years, I’ve been struggling with my driving and chipping. When you want to hit a shot, you sometimes see the hazards, but now, I’m focusing only on one target. I think it’s making me change for the better. Last year was good and I hope that this year, all the pieces will fall into place,” he says.

In 145 starts on the PGA Tour, Ishikawa posted two runners-up finishes, 11 top-10s and 24 top-25s. With countryman Hideki Matsuyama and Satoshi Kodaira plying their trade full time in America, Ishikawa yearns to join them on the world’s leading golf circuit.

“I want to go back to PGA Tour; I want to win against the world’s top players, but I have to be patient,” he acknowledges.

The Presidents Cup is another major goal in 2019.

When Ishikawa made his debut in 2009, he featured in

all five sessions and produced an impressive three wins in the International Team’s eventual defeat to the United States.

In 2011, he was used in four sessions, partnering with Ernie Els (who will captain the International Team this year) in three of those matches where they won once and lost twice. Ishikawa beat Bubba Watson in the singles and also defeated Kenny Perry in his debut appearance.

“I have some good memories. The Presidents Cup is another event I’m hoping to get back into. Playing against Tiger (Woods) in 2009 is one of the biggest highlights of my golfing career. If it happens this year, it’ll be fantastic.”

Ishikawa believes Els is the right man to spearhead the International Team, which is seeking its second victory in the prestigious team competition. “I remember Ernie from 2003 (where Els duelled with Woods in a sudden-death playoff to determine the outcome of the Presidents Cup). I was watching it on TV when I was 12. Ernie has always been one of my heroes and I’m so respectful of him. He’s a gentleman and he’s always encouraging the younger players. He is very passionate. When I partnered with him in 2011, we lost our first two matches, but he was still mentally very strong and kept saying to stay patient, and then we won our third match.

“The International Team has not won the Presidents Cup for many years. Hopefully I can play some good golf to get a chance to play in it with Hideki,” said Ishikawa.

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THE TOUR

ASSESSING THE PLAYERS

by Chris Cox / Images AFP/Getty Images

As The Players Championship moves back to March on the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since 2006, the pros debate what changes may be in store for TPC Sawgrass.

T

iger Woods understands - forgive the pun - better than most what fresh new challenges lie in store at The Players.

A whole lot of nothing.

“There’s no way of faking it around this golf course,” says Woods, who won Players in March 2001 and May 2013. “You have to hit the golf ball well. You hit the ball well here, you’re in the correct spots, and you can make birdies. This golf course negates a lot of different things.”

Hot or cold, rain or shine, March or May, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass doesn’t much care where it sits on the calendar; it still plans on testing the limits of the world’s top golfers no matter when they arrive in Ponte Vedra Beach.

And that’s exactly what famed architect Pete Dye first had in mind when the course rose from the ground in 1982.

“Pete likes to, one, try and intimidate you visually, and then he tries to really punish you for making a mistake,” notes Woods. “On this course, there are only a few holes where you can be aggressive off the tee length-wise and have an advantage, and there are a couple of the par-5s, maybe No. 14, as well. But generally, we’re all kind of playing from the same spot, and that just opens up the field, which is one of the reasons we have seen guys who hit the ball long like Davis Love has over the years, or you have a shorter hitter like Fred Funk winning. So many guys have a chance to win here, and what makes this championship so difficult to win, is that it’s open to a lot of players.”

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SO MANY GUYS HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN HERE, AND WHAT MAKES THIS CHAMPIONSHIP SO DIFFICULT TO WIN, IS THAT IT’S OPEN TO A LOT OF PLAYERS. TIGER WOODS

Historical evidence actually backs up Woods’ theory. When the Stadium Course originally hosted The Players in March, from 1982 to 2006, single-round scoring averages settled on 72.478. That’s only about three-quarters of a stroke lower than May averages, which were 73.258 between 2007 and 2018.

Average winning scores (275.84 in March, 275.4 in May) and average score to par (-12.16 in March, -12.58 in May) remain similar, too.

But don’t try to spin that narrative to the overprepared.

“I’ve never played it that time of year; it’s just going to be very different than what I’ve been accustomed to,” says Justin Thomas. “In the past I’ve arrived on Tuesday just because I know the course and I know what it’s going to be like, but I may have to get there earlier now and test it out.”

Similarities aside, players, fans and media will notice a few key differences when they arrive in the Greater Jacksonville Area later this month. The most obvious being average temperature, which historically settles at a pleasant 21 degrees Celsius in March.

Average temperatures rise to 28 degrees in May, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The move to March will also mean a new playing surface, as the Bermuda grass usually found on the Stadium Course will not have been fully grown by tournament week. To combat this, TPC Sawgrass officials overseeded the course last October with a rye/fine fescue on the fairways and rough and a velvet bent/Poa Trivialis on the greens. “(This) gives us the best advantage to have actively growing turf to help produce the best championship playing surfaces possible,” says Jeff Plotts, Director of Golf Course Operations at TPC Sawgrass. “Divots and ball marks will

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recover quicker, and the rye grass will handle foot traffic better than Bermuda grass on its own.”

This change has piqued the interest of players such as Dustin Johnson, who has 19 career PGA Tour victories but has encountered little success at TPC Sawgrass.

“I’ve played well but just not that great, so I’m really looking forward to playing it in March this year with the different course conditions and playing a little bit longer,” says Johnson. “Let’s see how I do this time around, because ever since I’ve played it, it’s been in May and it’s been Bermuda, which is firm and fast. So, I’m looking forward to this; maybe I’ll have more of a chance of winning.”

Count Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson among the believers too. (Though it almost certainly doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that Americans have won 68 percent of the time in March and just 41 percent of the time in May.) “I think the scores will potentially go lower with a change in grass type,” says Spieth. “Now, that’s obviously dependent on conditions outside, but given the same conditions, I think the scores will be a little bit lower with the tournament (date) being moved up. Whether that’s good (or) bad for the tournament, that’s for somebody else to decide, but for me personally, I like this grass type.”

Mickelson, who won the event in 2007 during its May debut, echoes these sentiments.

“I would probably pick March, where it’s overseeded and a little softer, for the reason that the greens are not really designed for runup shots,” he notes. “There are a lot of holes like that where we’ve got to fly it on and stop it. I think the way it played in March, I kind of preferred over the firm and fast. I don’t think when it was designed, it was meant to be firm and fast the way it has played the last few years.”

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INSIDE THE ROPE FEATURE

CHANGING THE FACE OF

GOLF

by Calvin Koh / Image: PGA Tour of Australia

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is the only tournament in professional golf that features an innovative stroke play and match play format. It remains as the only event that has the unique format which combines 54 holes of traditional stroke play across the first three days with an exciting knockout match play format for the fourth and final round.

G

olf is in need of a makeover.

And its transformation couldn’t have been more mesmerising than at the World Super 6 Perth.

In an age where the sport needs to be introduced to a new generation of golfers, the time has come to embrace innovation and modernise the game.

Radical changes to the rules of golf have been implemented with new and innovative formats being introduced to appeal to a broader audience.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is one event that has revolutionised tournament golf and I had the privilege of covering the inaugural edition in 2017 and this year’s event at the Lake Karringyup Country Club.

It captured the imagination of everyone and in the words of Kiradech Aphibarnrat who lifted the trophy last year, it was an “awesome week and the concept is great.”

It was a move that maintained the storied traditions of the game, yet broadened its appeal to the wider audience.

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And it worked to a T. The event also signalled the arrival of Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the world stage in 2017. Aptly nicknamed ‘Diamond’, the Thai did indeed sparkle.

He exceeded all expectations when he not only secured the last play-off spot for the match play rounds, but also stormed convincingly into the final only to be beaten 2 and 1 by a dominant Brett Rumford.

Kiradech continued to delight and entertain new audiences last year as he went head-to-head with James Nitties in the final showdown, and the drama was simply made for compelling television viewership.

Every shot hit and every putt made in quick fashion over six holes in the match play shootout just kept the galleries and global television audience on the edge of their seats.

Encouraging a more compelling spectacle is key to the future success of the sport.

After all, don’t we all love sporting events because they are a way to measure our competitive nature?

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CHAMPION TALK FEATURE

ROSE BLOSSOMS

by Mike Wilson / Images: Courtesy of Honma

The career to date of Justin Peter Rose could hardly be described as either ‘pre-determined’ or ‘straightforward’. At the age of 38 and now at the peak of his profession, he believes, and few would disagree with the soft-spoken Englishman, that the best may be yet to come.

I

n the space of 20 sporting seasons, Justin Rose has gone from being a golfing zero to a sporting hero and now appears to be entering the third, and defining phase, of a career that is certainly ending better than it began.

It was just over two decades ago that a young Justin Rose emerged slowly into the public consciousness, making his major championship debut in the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale. The callow youth provided one of the most evocative images of the summer of 1998, when, at the age of just 17 and still in the amateur ranks, he held his arms aloft after chipping into the 72nd hole from the rough from 50-yards to the delight of the packed galleries surrounding the 18th green. The teenager clinched the Silver Medal as the low amateur in the 127th Open.

As many will remember, Rose turned professional the very next day. Many

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others will recall the grizzly chain of events that unfolded immediately following his Open triumph - the youngster missing the halfway cut in his first 21 successive starts on the European Tour - but the rest, as they say, is history.

A five-year hiatus followed without a significant victory, but anyone who thought the maturing Rose was a spentforce was badly mistaken.

What was happening was, in addition to starting a family with his ex-international gymnast wife Kate, Rose was not content with being one of Europe’s best. He was preparing himself mentally and physically on both sides of the Atlantic, with the aim of becoming the best player in world golf.

The evolution - for it was never going to be a revolution for a cautious character - of Justin Rose was well and truly underway, and a maiden major was secured, the US Open Championship crown back in 2013

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I SAID TO MY CADDIE, I THINK I’M READY FOR A BIG YEAR IN 2019 AND HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE, WAS 2018 NOT BIG ENOUGH?

at Merion. This year’s Masters will be the Englishman’s 60th appearance in a major championship. There are those who say that for a man with such talent, and no fewer than 15 top-10 finishes on the biggest stages of all, his rate of majors return could have been better.

Five Ryder Cup appearances for Europe, on the winning side three times, including a pivotal role for captain Thomas Bjørn in Paris last year, attest to Rose’s liking for team golf. It was his gold medal-winning performance as part of Team GB at the 2016 Rio Olympics as part of the most successful British Olympic squad to play on foreign soil that stands out.

“Obviously winning the gold medal was an incredible experience, but for me, it was deeper than just standing on the podium; it was the wonderful spirit in Rio,” concluded Rose, who, one suspects, would not mind an opportunity for an Olympic title defence in Japan next year.

In September last year, Rose reflected that it was the stuff of “boyhood dreams” after becoming golf’s new world number 1. A fourth-place finish in the PGA Tour Championship enabled him to overtake Dustin Johnson in the rankings, clinching, with that accolade, the PGA Tour Championship and a US$10 million bonus.

Slipping out of top spot briefly, he then returned to the world number 1 position following victory in the Turkish Airlines Open last November. By the end of 2018, he had lost out to another newbie, American Brooks Koepka, before returning to the top on his first serious outing of his season at the Farmers Insurance

Open. It was his 10th PGA Tour title and took him past US$50 million in career earnings in the U.S. Having reached the pinnacle of his game, there was a sense that, whether back in his adopted home of Bermuda or in his London waterfront apartment, things were changing, and plans were being hatched for the third phase of the Justin Rose story.

He had already been planning a move away from his long-term equipment supplier, TaylorMade, and had been testing for Japanese club-maker Honma, with whom he has signed a multi-year exclusive deal. The most important clubs in his armoury - irons and wedges - made by the premium Japanese manufacturer, led Rose to tweet: “Excited to move into the new year with Honma equipment!

New Year resolutions... 1) play a club that looks exactly how I want!

2) play a club that feels and performs exactly how I want!”

Speaking after his first victory, the Farmers Insurance Championship at the notorious Torrey Pines in California using his new clubs, Rose reflected, “Definitely a dream start to the season. I’ve had a lot of change in the off-season, new clubs, clothes, what-have-you, so nice to kind of get all of that off to a great start and I can really build some confidence on that going forward now.”

“I thought that I was growing into some really good form and my coach, Sean Foley, texted me on the first of January saying, ‘Happy new day,’ [and] I said to my caddie, I think I’m ready for a big year in 2019 and he looked at me like, was 2018 not big enough?”

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On the change of clubs, which some players find a troublesome transition, Rose says, “I always knew Honma had great pedigree, they made wonderful clubs for half a century, and I also knew that they were going to be able to build me exactly what I wanted, and that was the key. I was going to be able to have a lot of input into the look, the design, the feel of my equipment, especially my irons,” said Rose.

As physically fit as he has ever been, Justin Rose, always a calm, composed character on and off the golf course - even when he five-putted in Jakarta late last year on his mission to regain the world top-spot - has added an extra dimension to his make-up professional help with the mind games.

“The guy I work on with the mental side is Jason Goldsmith; he has a piece of equipment called Focus Band which gives you realtime feedback on what the brain is doing, so you could argue, it’s like meditating with a metric, but we use it in a very golf-specific way,” revealed Rose. “Basically, it picks up if I’m being creative or analytical. Good golf is generally centred around seeing good

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pictures and being able to react to that, so that encompasses what I try to work on, just good self-talk, telling myself good stories all the time. Simple.”

So, what advice does he offer to the up-and-coming younger players?

“My advice is to play at the lowest level you can, provided that you’re still improving. I think that, confidence-wise, you’re always just able to protect yourself and be able to move forward, but if you turn pro too soon and if you have tough experiences too early, it’s difficult to bounce back from.”

A great deal of physical, mechanical, mental and emotional insight from the man who recently reached the summit of one of the most competitive sports in the world, but - and one definitely senses a shift in focus and momentum in this, the Chinese Year of the Pig - where can the man at the very top possibly go from there?

“The world number 1 is cool and I’m really enjoying it, but I’m not playing golf tournaments because I’m chasing points; my goal is to win more and to win more major championships this year.”

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GEAR UP

DRIVE FOR SHOW,

PUTT FOR DOUGH!

by Edwardo Delgado Barcena / Images: TaylorMade & Evnroll

EVERYBODY GETS FASTER Before launching the new M5 and M6 driver series, TaylorMade had speed tested every single head individually and injected with tuning resin to optimise COR across the entire face and deliver maximum ball speed and distance. The injection process utilises two new tuning ports on the face of the drivers, and a proprietary algorithm to ensure the appropriate amount of resin is used, systematically dialling in the speed for each driver’s face. The heel and toe ports in the driver’s face have allowed TaylorMade to maximise speed across the entire face in every driver created, delivering to each golfer a boundary-pushing fast and hot driver head like the tour vision The M6 also features Twist Face 44 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

technology, which, like last year’s M3 and M4 drivers and this year’s M5, provides more loft in the high toe and less loft in the low heel to produce more consistent spin where golfers commonly mis-hit.

I am impressed after a closer look at the new M5 and M6 drivers. The crown of the club head looks better with the nonreflective matt finish carbon crown, and the top line looks squarer compared with the M3 and M4. The ball flight was great. I didn’t expect myself to like it, to be honest, because I think my M4 is already good for me. However, the M5 and M6 have very nice and high ball flight with a low spin penetrating trajectory, carrying a long way, with a nice, solid sound on impact.

TaylorMade was able to make the M-series club faces approximately 20% thinner combined with a 66% larger sweet spot than the previous generation.

As for the differences between the two variants, the odd number club is still the more adjustable. The M5 now features a n Inver ted T-Track t hat prov ide s 1,770 configurations for customised performance. Adjusting the two 10gram weights allows for 1° of launch angle change, 600 RPM’s of spin, and approximately 25 yards of left-to-right adjustment. The M6 (available in Standard and draw-biased D-Type models) ditches the Inverted T-Track for weight savings and, instead, allowed engineers to move

weight low and deep in the clubhead for a lower CG and increased forgiveness.

My sincere advice to all golfers: because there are a lot of settings and shafts options that will fit your individual needs, don’t just buy without a proper club fitting process.

EVNROLL’S SWEET FACE We hear about some “technological breakthrough” in golf equipment almost every year. Usually, it’s new driver tech, sometimes irons and wedges, but we rarely hear about new putter technology.

Only Evnroll putters are equipped with technology that helps golfers on the green by minimising the adverse effect of off-centre strikes. For the past couple

of years, I’ve been using a milled mallet putter. Unfortunately, I have never felt very confident with it because I find that the face is very hot, and as a result, I have many difficulties modulating speed.

However, after rolling a few putts with the Evnroll on a practice mat and a couple of rounds on the course, I’ve never felt more confident and comfortable with putting. It’s entirely because the Sweet Face Technology grooves work.

Instead of lag putting and setting yourself up for a two-putt for par, you’re now even further away, way off line, and preparing to swallow your pride while you hopefully avoid a double bogey. However, Evnroll’s Sweet Face Technology can help

every golfer avoid this scenario, regardless of whether you’re using the ER blade or ER mallet.

The moral of the story is that every golfer can pick up a few strokes on the greens with a little extra support. While no magic practice drill will help you sink putts like a touring pro, Evnroll is the only putter with the technology that can help minimise your misses and create more birdie and par opportunities.

TaylorMade and Evnroll fitting components are now available at GOLFGEARS. Call us now to reserve an Ultimate Gears 3D swing and club fitting session. 3589 5551 / 6100 8682 or visit www.golf-gears.com.

MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 45

THE VIEW

A

MUSCAT JEWEL

by Louie Chan / Images courtesy of Al Mouj Golf

Muscat, the Middle East’s best-kept secret, serves up a very different offering from its ostentatious and extravagant neighbours. Oman’s understated capital and its gracious people haven’t gone all in for swanky tower blocks and skyscrapers.

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K

nown for its dazzling bazaars a nd ma gnif icent mosques, t he Su lt a n ate of Om a n i s also blessed with a varied and striking topography. From sleeping under the stars in the world’s largest sand desert to hiking in the Hajar Mountains or watching spinner dolphins cavort in the Gulf of Oman, this once frankincensetrading, stable and unassuming nation has a wealth of attractions to offer the discerning tourist.

Sandwiched bet ween the Gulf of Oman and the Hajar Mountains, there is a plethora of activities on offer in and around the Sultanate’s capital, Muscat.

Visitors can comfortably golf in the morning, hit the beach in the afternoon, and then head to the Old Town to indulge in some delicious Omani, Indian or Lebanese cuisine in the evening.

Al Mouj is an ambitious waterfront development located close to Muscat, Oman’s charming capital. The luxury leisure and residential complex is situated along a pristine stretch of Indian Ocean coastline and has been rethinking Omani

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living with its impressive array of amenities, including a marina, a world-class golf course, international hotels, and residential and retail projects.

At the heart of the development is the stunning Greg Norman-designed championship course, which plays annual host to the Oman Open on the European Tour. The 2019 edition boasts a starstudded line-up full of Ryder Cup stars, multiple European Tour winners, a Major champion and Oman’s very own Azaan Al Rumhy, when the Sultanate’s biggest ever professional sports event just returned to Al Mouj Golf in late February/early March.

Si x-time Europea n Tour w inner and defending Oman Open champion Joost Luiten headlined the event. The Dutchman was joined by two-time Ryder Cup star and 1999 Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie, European Tour stalwarts Robert Karlsson, Thongchai Jaidee, David Howell and 2018 winning Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Björn, plus next generation of superstars including Shubhankar Sharma and Thomas Pieters.

The country’s first links course, the

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layout is bestowed with a truly exceptional location, hugging the lapping waters of the ocean, and the Hajar Mountains providing a striking backdrop. Complementing the championship course are world-class facilities including a teaching academy, a floodlit par-3 nine-hole course, an academy retail shop, a floodlit driving range, and a restaurant.

Winner of the IAGTO Sustainability Award for Community Value at the 2019 IAGTO awards, Al Mouj is regarded as a thoughtleader in eco-friendly golf course practices and the club has made considerable efforts to integrate with the local community.

Away from the course, there are several other enticing attractions, including The Walk, an exciting retail and social experience spread along the marina promenade and the traditional town square, which provides a unique leisure destination to gather and enjoy cultural activities, community events and live performances.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, which is no more than six miles from Al Mouj Golf, is a must visit for sightseers. The 300,000 tonne Indian sandstone building is a marvel of Arabian architecture and modern construction techniques encompassing a range of stunning elements from carved wooden doors to inlaid marble work, a massive woven carpet, crystal chandeliers and stained glass. Beyond the mosque lies a beautiful garden, replete with flowing water features.

November to March is peak season for travel to Oman with its blue skies and balmy temperatures. During these months the temperature is more pleasant than the scorching summer months.

Peak turtle viewing season at Ras al Jinz, one of the largest nesting sites in the Indian Ocean, falls between May and September, while the annual month-long celebration of Omani culture in Muscat takes places throughout February.

Oman is one of the safest countries in the Middle East with very low crime rates. Despite bordering Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the country has chosen to take a neutral stance in the conflict and despite the occasional demonstration, Oman is considered safe for foreign visitors. www.almoujgolf.com MAR 2019 | HK GOLFER 51

RETROSPECTIVE

CLASSIC CLUBBERS II Images: Courtesy of Globe Photos Inc.

Golf has been swinging across Hollywood’s silver screens almost since the inception of film. In the second of an ongoing series, HK Golfer brings you a selection of some classic still images.

Fine art prints are available for purchase by HK Golfer readers in the following sizes and editions:

16” x 20”, edition size 125, numbered with holographic seals and matching COA’s normal price US$595, HK Golfer price US$535.50 + free shipping

20” x 24”, edition size 75, numbered with holographic seals and matching COA’s normal price US$995, HK Golfer price US$895.50 + free shipping Please email sales@globephotos.com Use promo code HKG01

52 HK GOLFER | MAR 2019

Bing Crosby with Sam Snead on a golf course in Washington D.C., 1949

W.C. Fields, 1932

W.C. Fields, 1935

Fred Astaire photographed

by J. Miehle, 1936

Fred Astaire photographed

by J. Miehle, 1936

Katharine Hepburn stars in Bringing Up Baby, 1938

Robert Wagner golfing at Palm Springs Racket Club, 1956

BESPOKE

BEST FOOT

FORWARD

by Tony Smyth / Images: Courtesy of Berluti and John Lobb

Since we first used leaves or animals skins to protect our feet, man has had an enduring relationship with footwear.

Bespoke shoemaking has made a comeback after years of being overshadowed by mass production.

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I

t’s easy to imagine ancient cave dwellers scouring the mountains hunting animals for food, and not much of a further stretch of the imagination to see them utilising the bones as clubs and the skins for clothing. These skins would also be used to swathe their feet to protect them from harsh conditions, and may be considered as the first very rudimentary form of ‘footwear’.

In ancient Egypt, people mostly travelled barefoot, as temperatures were very high throughout the year. It wasn’t until the early years of the New Kingdom that we see any evidence that Egyptians of all classes started wearing sandals; simple constructions sometimes with beads or jewels woven into them.

During the early Middle Kingdom period, covered shoes started to be used (mostly for ceremonial occasions) and were influenced by the Hittites who had settled in the neighbouring Anatolian Highlands who wore shoes with turned up toes – similar to the style that we still see today in the region.

Along with the inhabitants of India, the ancient Romans were one of the first to introduce a wide range of footwear partly due to extreme variables of climate, as well as an increasing focus on an individual’s status or power. The Mesopotamians around this time (who inhabited the region centred on present day Iraq) and Greeks often went barefoot or wore simple sandals as the climate made wearing such choices reasonable. On the Italian peninsula,

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home to the Etruscans and Romans, the variable climate made wearing sandals more uncomfortable and thus they developed many different styles from indoor wear to heavy boots for military use or for travel in colder climes. The Romans became very skilled at making high quality leather from cowhides, a talent that was exported to the regions that they were later to conquer.

The art of shoemaking in Europe in its early days was inevitably a very local process, as many people did not travel far from their villages, if at all. Much of the work in these villages was centred around various craftspeople such as blacksmiths, butchers, bakers, thatchers, and of course the shoemaker (who also made bridles and other leather products). The shoemaker would take orders from individuals to meet their requirements that resulted in the emergence of a diversity of styles and shapes. Over time, makers began making standardised products to keep in stock for customers to try on, buy and take away immediately, rather than waiting for the work to be completed.

The term ‘cordwainer’ is an Anglicisation of the French word cordonnier, which means shoemaker, introduced into the English language after the Norman invasion in 1066. The word was derived from the city of Cordoba in the south of Spain, which was known in the early Middle Ages for silversmithing and the production of cordouan leather, called cordwain in the English

form. Originally made from the skin of the Musoli goat, then found in Corsica, Sardinia, and elsewhere, this leather was ‘tawed’ with alum after a method supposedly known only to the Moors.

Crusaders brought home much plunder and loot, including some of the finest leather that English shoemakers had ever seen.

Gradually cordouan leather became the material most in demand for the finest footwear in all of Europe.

Eventually, shoemaking became a cottage industry with workers taking in treated hides to cut into the required patterns and passing them on to others to stitch together. This is considered as an early ‘factory’ style process. Nothing really changed much until around the 1750s when shoe shops started to appear in larger towns stocking product from more than one shoemaker.

The Napoleonic Wars spurred an increased demand for footwear for the rival militaries. An example was the British Army needing boots and shoes for 250,000 men by 1810. This demand spurred the increase in basic mechanisation for producing footwear and by the 1850s factories became the centre of production. Until this time most shoes were made to be worn on either foot but with the advent of more sophisticated mechanisation along with a more a demanding clientele and the need to make utilitarian footwear more practical and comfortable, left and right shoes and boots were introduced.

This industrialisation led to mass production, which reduced costs considerably, allowing new styles to be introduced quickly, and by 1900 style became increasingly important. The Italian shoe industry was fairly localised and relatively unknown outside the country, with the exceptions of Guccio Gucci and the emerging Salvatore Ferragamo. The First World War effectively stopped much innovation except for a short ‘golden age’ during the late 1920s to mid 1930s, and it wasn’t until after the Second World War when cheaper methods of manufacturing were created, such as gluing on the sole and using non-leather materials, that the industry as we know it started to take off.

By the 1960s Italy and Spain started to export their styles to mainland Europe and the USA and Italy’s burgeoning fashion scene started its ascent through exposure in glossy magazines, the movies, and the adaptability of designers to create entirely new shapes and styles that buyers had never seen. Of course, Italians have been working with leather for thousands of years and have honed their leather treatment processes to the highest quality, mainly crafted by hand.

France has increasingly made huge inroads into the modern bespoke shoemaking tradition. This is hardly surprising considering that Paris has for more than 200 years been at the heart of fashion and the centre of European culture.

The most iconic and skilled component of getting made-tomeasure shoes, is the creation by hand of a wooden last. Lasts are made by skilled artisans from wood forms based on the exact measurements of each client’s foot. These are used for each new order and for any repairs required during the lifetime of a pair of shoes and are stored with great care, often for many years, for the customer to re-order new footwear. As opposed to ready-to-wear shoes, which are simple adaptations of existing models, bespoke shoes are created from scratch. The client is at the very centre of the process, and the future shoe will be created according to the morphology of his foot.

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It all starts with the first appointment with the master shoemaker and client in which the shoemaker listens, questions, and notes the wishes and habits of his client. In fact, bespoke shoemaking requires the dual input of shoemaker and client: soles, lining colour, choice of shoe trees – all will be decided during this essential first meeting.

Next comes the measuring procedure. Between six and 10 measurements are required to grasp the precise volume, width, and weight-bearing areas of the client’s foot. Lastly, the client will choose from the various leathers proposed.

Berluti’s foundations date back to Paris in 1895 and have been built upon by four generations of the Berluti family, who cultivated an exceptional know-how in the mastery of last-making, a deep understanding of fine footwear, and a passion for leather and patina.

Today Berluti has boutiques in many capital cities around the world, and the brand has added the tailoring know-how of Arnys to its offering with the ‘Grande Mesure’ fully bespoke tailoring service, supplementing the House’s shoemaking expertise and opening up unlimited horizons with the option of a head-to-toe bespoke wardrobe.

John Lobb first came to Paris in 1902, and its move to 32 Rue de Mogador, near the Paris Opera, was a momentous event in the company’s history. The Mogador comprises the workshop, bespoke salon, and administrative activities in the heart of Paris.

All of the brand’s bespoke activities are housed within a beautifully renovated classic Haussmann-style building with an area of 600 square metres that encompasses workshops, offices,

and the made-to-measure salon. The Salon de Mesure, a private area adjoining the workshops is a place dedicated for craftsman and customers to meet for the measuring, fitting, and delivery of John Lobb shoes. The 3,000 lasts through which the Founder’s memory lives on are also stored in a secure location within the workshops.

John Lobb Bespoke remains the heartbeat of the company with distinctive made-to-measure style. Quality, modernity and mastery of technique define five distinctive handcrafted pieces which form the John Lobb Artisans’ Series. Designed by Artistic Director Paula Gerbase, in unison with the John Lobb Bespoke Atelier, the Series highlights and celebrates the absolute craftsmanship present at the core of the house.

Shoemakers in general have shown a clear preference for the title of ‘cordwainer’, conscious of the distinguished history and tradition it conveys. Today’s cordwainer is no exception. The current generation of boot and shoemakers includes a growing number of tradesmen and women, who having largely adopted traditional hand-sewn techniques supplemented by simple machines, continue to practice skills established centuries ago. In the face of declining mass production of footwear, it may be said that the future of this trade lays in its past, and is being insured by these modern artisans.

From luggage to lapels and boots to blousons, the big leather brands are increasingly branching out into high fashion and tailoring to produce garments that reflect the style, artistry and meticulous attention to detail giving each customer a full body experience that lasts.

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THE TABLE

A FEAST FOR THE

SENSES

by Ann Tsang / Images: Antonio Saba

Three key components of the Moroccan culture are eating, drinking and being hospitable. HK Golfer travels to the country’s gastronomic city of Fez, where a veritable treasure trove of culinary delights awaits.

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SPICES FEATURE EXTENSIVELY IN MOROCCAN COOKING AND THERE IS A CENTURIES-OLD ART TO THEIR CAREFUL BALANCING.

M

oroccan cuisine is considered one of the most interesting in the world. One of the reasons for its importance is its remarkable diversity of influences.

Through the cuisine, one can trace the country’s long history of colonisers and immigrants who have left their mark in more than one way. The cuisine of the first inhabitants, the Berbers, still exists today in the staple dishes like tagine and couscous. The Arabs brought new spices, nuts and dried fruits, and the sweet and sour combinations that are prevalent in dishes like tagine with dates and lamb. The Moors introduced olives, olive juice and citrus while the Jewish-Moors left behind their sophisticated preserving techniques that are seen in the frequent use of preserved lemons and pickles. The Ottoman Empire introduced barbeque to Moroccan cuisine, whilst the French left a culture of cafés, pastries, and even wine. Over time, cooks in the kitchens of the four royal cities (Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes, and Rabat) have developed and perfected the dishes that blend each of these distinct tastes.

Fes was the country’s first capital city, and today it maintains the title of the gastronomic capital of Morocco. With more than one million inhabitants, most of the action in the city still happens in the Medina Fese l Bali, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also believed to be one of the world’s largest car-free urban areas.

The Medina is constantly teeming with activity; a universe of situations, shadow and light, uphill, downhill, with teasing narrow streets suddenly opening up into beautiful courtyards, hidden palaces and mosques. The Medina Fese l Bali is also home to the University of al-Karaouine, the oldest continually operating university in the world.

The Medina is a world in itself, with neighbourhoods named after the professions of their inhabitants: barbers, hammersmiths, bakers, shoemakers, and dyers, mostly working the same way that they probably would have a thousand years ago. Traversing through the alleyways, the senses are bombarded with a heady mixture of elements – the perfume of orange blossom, the colour of saffron, the aromas of roasted meats, spices and vegetables, and the sound of exotic music.

Riads, traditional Moroccan palaces or houses with interior gardens or courtyards, are camouflaged within the plethora of tiny

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houses in the Medina. One enters through anonymous porches to gardens of orange trees, fountains, ceramic tiled floors and staircases - yet another assault on the senses.

Many riads are restaurants serving both traditional and modern Moroccan cuisine. In addition to the well-known tajines and couscous offered in many variations, other recipes and delicacies also await. The tagine is a slow-cooked stew made in an earthenware dish known by the same name. The stews are typically made with inexpensive cuts of meat that become tender after a long period of cooking and are typically flavoured with fruits, olives, preserved lemons, and spices.

Couscous is a staple of several North African countries and is the most common starch used to accompany dishes and is typically cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts and dried fruit.

When prepared traditionally, fine semolina is rubbed with super fine semolina to coat it until it resembles a grain. When steamed, it becomes light and easy to digest.

Each meal typically begins with a veritable kaleidoscope of several appetisers, which often includes briouates, small parcels generally filled with minced lamb, chicken or beef, vegetables and cheese. They are made in small triangles or cylindrical shapes.

There are also sweet varieties, although in restaurants the savoury variety is more common. Another popular appetiser is the pastille, typically made from chicken, pigeon or seafood. The chicken and pigeon varieties are a sweet and savoury combination, with sweetened almonds mixed into the meat and served with a garnish of cinnamon and icing sugar.

Spices feature extensively in Moroccan cooking and there is a centuries-old art to their careful balancing. Many ingredients, such as saffron, mint, olives oranges and lemons, are frequently homegrown. Common spices include cinnamon, ginger, paprika, coriander and saffron. Other popular spice combinations include harissa – a paste made of garlic, chillies, olive oil and salt, and ras el hanout, a dried spice mix that combines anything from a dozen to 100 spices.

The essence of Moroccan food is a communal style of eating.

Meals are very social in nature and are eaten at a relaxed pace.

Hospitality is a very important part of the culture and upon entering a home, guests are always offered food and tea immediately.

Tea is an integral part of socialising, and the brewing of the popular mint tea is considered something of an art form, with the pouring of it being considered as important as the tea itself.

Among the hundreds of restaurants within the Medina, La Maison Bleue is a traditional Moroccan residence built in 1915 by Sidi Mohammed El Abbadi, a famous judge and astrologer of the times. Today, his grandchildren keep the spirit of the house alive by opening it to guests. Its location near Bab Boujloud is ideal, providing easy walking access to all the monuments of Fez El Jedid and Fez El Bali. A haven of peace in the heart of the bustling Medina, La Maison Bleue is a place of serenity and regeneration.

The central courtyard is surrounded by majestic salons, where the sumptuous fabrics and hand-picked antiquities lend the rooms a royal ambience unparalleled in the old city. This is the setting for the restaurant, where chefs prepare some of the finest Moroccan cuisine in the country. Feast on slow-cooked beef or chicken tagines, fluffy couscous with raisins and flaky almond-stuffed pastilla, served by waiters in traditional costume and accompanied

by Andalucian and Gnaoua musicians. The grandeur of Andalusia – where the family originated from – is evident throughout and the detail of the elaborately carved wooden doors, antique stainedglass windows, carved plaster and painted wood ceilings provides a feast for the senses.

Built in the 19th Century, the Palace Mnebhi is today a restaurant and known as one of the best in the city. This historic landmark and probably one of the most beautiful, took more than 15 years to build and originally belonged to the Minister of

Defence, under Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz. It was here that the Protectorate Treaty between France and Morocco was signed in 1912, by Marshal Lyautey. Located in the Medina, the palace covers one hectare of land in the Souikt Ben Safi area. At the time of independence, the palace became a luxury restaurant and is still known for its delicious cuisine today. The history and architecture of the place, filled with beautiful terraces, makes it a restaurant like no other.

Set against the southern hillside in Fez, with a breathtaking view of the city, the Palais Faraj is a jewel of architecture by J.B. Barian.

On the top floor, The Amandier restaurant serves tasty local cuisine, crafted according to Fassi tradition. Chef Fatima heads the kitchen here and her specialty is a heavenly lemon chicken cooked with ginger, cumin, saffron, onion, celery and parsley, and stuffed with a lemon confit, olives and seasoned butter.

The 14-bedroom opulent riad Palais Amani offers refined dining in its traditional restaurant, surrounded by the orange blossom perfume of the garden and the sound of fountains.

The restaurant’s aim is to introduce guests to a wider variety of Moroccan cuisine by cooking the type of dishes found in traditional homes. The chefs create a three-course meal every evening using seasonal produce from the market and marrying traditional recipes with contemporary presentation.

Moroccan cuisine is an extraordinary balance between savoury and sweet which often pleasantly confuses and consistently keeps the palate alert and curious, much like the light and shadow of the Medina.

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THE NINETEENTH

LEAVE IT IN OR WHIP IT

OUT?

by Timothy Low / Image: AFP/Getty Images

T

he dawn of the 2019 season brought with it some significant changes to the rules of golf. From decreased search times for stray balls (obviously not a fan of this one since I hit my tee shots about as straight at Elton John) to the ridiculous new knee height drop. But no alteration has been as polarising as the amendment that allows players to putt with the flagstick in while on the putting green.

There are those who couldn’t be happier that the stick can stay in - the mad scientist of golf Bryson DeChambeau being just one example. The American used the coefficient of restitution (COR) to great effect during his dominant season opening victory in Dubai, holing seemingly everything he looked at in the Middle East. Of course, we’re talking about a physics genius who also factors in air density when calculating numbers for his next shot here. Non-academic plebs like me can only look at a shot and go, “I

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think it’s an 8 iron, but with that water up front it probably needs to be a thin 8.”

But if scientific data and Bryson’s brains tell us that we have a better chance of finding the bottom of the cup with the flagstick in not out, then why did we bother pulling the pin out for makeable chips from off the green for years? Who can forget that enduring image of Phil Mickelson getting his longtime caddy Bones to tend the pin from 132 yards out on the 18th at Torrey Pines when an eagle was required to force a playoff?

Have we been doing it wrong all this time?

Regardless of whether you opt to leave it in or whip it out during your next round, just remember, you still have to hit quality shots to play your best!

All this has given me plenty of pause to ponder though...on a scale of Mickelson to DeChambeau - how good is YOUR pull-out game?

HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION