HK GOLFER MARCH 2020
MCILROY ON A MISSION / SCOTT STRIKES AGAIN / GOLF GURU SPIETH’S HALCYON DAYS / GOLF IN NIMES / BROOKLANDS MUSEUM
LETTER FROM THE HKGA Dear Fellow Golfers, Firstly, may I wish you all a happy and prosperous Year of the Rat. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 situation has severely restricted the availability of playing opportunities be it in Hong Kong, mainland China or elsewhere, and I would like to thank all the courses and driving ranges that remain open to golfers with the necessary hygiene precautions. The Hong Kong Open was successfully staged from January 9 -12 with a very worthy winner in Wade Ormsby. With star players such as Shane Lowry, Tony Finau and Jazz Janewattananond breathing down his neck, Wade performed meticulously and became a very well deserved repeat Champion. The rescheduled Open gave us the opportunity to invite all our best male players in recent years to play in the tournament, in additional to those who qualified. Our players have made us proud with Alex Yang, Leon D’Souza, Terrence Ng and Motin Yeung making the cut. 17 year-old Alex was our star of the tournament, finishing tied 13th with a seven under par performance in a stellar field. Congratulations to all our players and I would like to thank everyone who made long trips back to Hong Kong to play in the tournament. Special thanks also go to our Team Coach Gary Gilchrist who flew in from Florida and was with the boys throughout the week. Due to the health situation, the Hong Kong Ladies Open originally scheduled for the last weekend of February has been rescheduled for May 8 -10 and our very own LPGA professional Tiffany Chan will be back to play the tournament. Unfortunately, the IGF has taken the decision to relocate the eagerly-awaited World Amateur Team Championship from Hong Kong to Singapore this coming October due to the social unrest in Hong Kong. The HKGA together with our host clubs HKGC and CWB, have been planning for this event since 2016 and the decision is a huge disappointment for us. However, I am happy to report that we will be invited to bid for the 2024 edition. In the meantime, we wish the SGA the best of luck in hosting the tournament this October. Upon the advice of the Government of the SAR, the HKGA has exercised extra precautions to safeguard our young players
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from the current situation and we have had to temporarily suspend our regular driving range classes and on-course training. However, we will endeavour to bring things back to normal as soon as feasible. Congratulations to James Gill and Kitty Tam who won the Men’s and Ladies’ Close Amateur Championship respectively. Many thanks to HKGC Fanling for providing the venue on both occasions. Stay healthy and enjoy your golf whenever you can! Yours Truly,
KENNETH LAM HKGA President
CONTENTS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH 2020
2 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
14 THE TOUR: BETTER THAN MOST?
6 HKGA HAPPENINGS
8 THE 852: GIRL POWER
The Players Championship is the gold standard on the PGA TOUR, one that ranks “Better than Most” and continues to spark debates as to whether it should be inducted as one of men’s golf Majors. 20 LIVE UNDER PAR: HALCYON DAYS
Tif fany Chan and Sophie Han have been nominated in the Cathay Pacific 2019 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards, the results of which will be announced at the Awards Presentation Ceremony on March 24 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. 10 ASIA ACTION: COMING OF AGE
30 COVER STORY:
MCILROY ON A MISSION A year ago, Rory McIlroy arguably claim e d on e of th e big g e s t wins of his career at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, where a stirring Sunday finish saw him emerge on top amongst a flurry of late competitors. The burning question now is whether McIlroy can build on his 2019 Sawgrass triumph in 2020 with a successful title defence.
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE Established in 1907, Brooklands’ unyielding passion for all things engine-powered hasn’t aged a day. From one of the most legendary racing tracks, it now stands as one of the finest motor and aviation museums in the world. 58
36 PARTNERSHIP
As Jordan Spieth seeks a rebound, HK Golfer reflects on his legendary collegiate career. 24 THE GOLF GURU
FOR PERFECTION The Hong Kong Golf & Tennis A c a d e m y ( H KG TA ) r e c e n t l y unveiled the PGA of America Learning & Performance Institute as the latest addition to its sports and wellness complex. 40 THE VIEW:
China’s Tianlang Guan still remains as the youngest player to make a cut at a PGA Tour event, let alone the sport’s most prestigious Major.
IN SYNC WITH CINEMA For decades, Rolex has been linked to the world of cinema: from its watches appearing in iconic films to the brand’s support for young filmmakers through its mentoring programme. More recently, Rolex has entered into a partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and counts Academy Award winners Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Mar tin Scor sese among its family of Testimonees. 64 THE NINETEENTH
12 GLOBAL GLANCE: SCOTT STRIKES AGAIN
Expert tips for The Senior Player, The High Handicapper, and The Pro. 4 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
50
A GRAND RESTORATION With t wo world- clas s golf clubs close by and an attractive golf package, plus a plethora of a c ti v iti e s f o r n o n - g olf in g companions, why not visit the newly refurbished L’Imperator on your next trip to France?
CONTRIBUTORS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION MARCH 2020
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
Ch r i s i s S e ni o r Man a g e r of Communications at the PGA TOUR, based in Jacksonville, Florida. He resides in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and both writes and coordinates international content for the TOUR. He also creates annual editorial calendars coinciding with the tournament schedules of both the PGA TOUR and its affiliates that ensure timely, relevant content for various partners.
Duncan Forgan
Raised in the Kingdom of Fife, a few lusty tee shots from St. Andrews, Duncan Forgan gave up early dreams of golf glory in favour of a more productive pursuit: writing. After tiring of frigid winters and underspiced cuisine in his homeland, he has spent the last decade living and working in Southeast Asia. Based in Bangkok, he covers travel, golf, culture, food and other stories around Asia. Duncan has worked for TIME, Golf World, Esquire, BBC, The Guardian, Penthouse, Travel and Leisure and many others.
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Jason Kwok
Jason has been a Hong Kong PGA Professional since 1995, an Asian Tour Player, and was the Head Professional at the Discovery Golf Club from 2007 to 2015.
Coco Marett
A Chinese-French hybrid, Coco has spent her life living between Hong Kong and Melbourne and travelling the spaces in between. She began chasing the dream of becoming a writer at a young age and her work has since been published in the US, Australia and Hong Kong. She credits her love of words to her father - also a writer - and finds inspiration in people, places and food.
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Brad Schadewitz
Lead Coach and former National Coach of the HKGA, and holder of the 2017 Top 25 Elite Junior Coach in the U.S.A. title, Brad’s most notable success to date has been coaching the first player ever to represent Hong Kong in the Olympic Games.
James Stewart
An Asian Tour player from 2000 to 2008, James played in 2003 World Cup for Hong Kong. He is also a multiple Order of Merit Winner in the HKPGA. James is currently the Asian distributor for several major golf brands including Peter Millar, G/Fore, Fenix, Evnroll and PRG.
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HK GOLFER MAGAZINE is published by the Hong Kong Golf Association Limited 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. ORDERING FROM ADVERTISERS: Advertisers warrant and represent that the descriptions of the products or services advertised are true in all respects. HK Golfer magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. HK Golfer magazine, its officers, directors, employees or agents make no recommendations as to the purchase or sale of any product, service or item. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of HK Golfer magazine. All content contained within this magazine is the sole property of HK Golfer magazine and may not be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without authorisation. © Copyright 2020 HK Golfer magazine. All rights reserved.
MAR 2020 | HK GOLFER 5
HKGA
HAPPENINGS by Rowano Pierotti / Images courtesy of the HKGA
Alexander Yang
HONG KONG PLAYERS SHINE AT THE OPEN At the 61st Hong Kong Open, local teenager Alexander Yang continued to show his remarkable talent as the 17 year-old closed with a two-under-par 68 in the final round to finish the tournament at seven-under in a share of 13th place in what was his first Hong Kong Open. His stellar performance saw him win both the Hong Kong Golf Club Trophy for the top placed Hong Kong player as well as the Sir David Trench Cup for the low amateur. Although he was pleased with his results, Yang admitted that in terms of playing for a living, he still has a lot to do. “Without the HKGA, I wouldn’t even be here, so big thanks to them. The Hong Kong Golf Club also put on an amazing tournament, the course is in amazing shape and very well maintained.” Speaking about the tournament which was rescheduled for January 9-12, Hong Kong Golf Club Captain William Doo, Jr. said: “It was a really wonderful week of world-class golf, which was capped off in brilliant style by Wade Ormsby claiming his second 6 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
James Gill
victory at Fanling. The performance of our four Hong Kong players in making the cut and really competing over the weekend was another real highlight and bodes very well for the future. The success of this championship really underlines our commitment and that of the Hong Kong Golf Association to the ongoing development of the game locally.” The Open will return to Hong Kong Golf Club for the 62nd edition of the tournament in November this year. GILL’S WINNING STREAK Following his victory at the Hong Kong Mid-A mateur Championships last November, James Gill continued his winning streak when he claimed the Hong Kong Amateur Close Championships 2020 at the Hong Kong Golf Club New Course in four rounds played over three days during the Chinese New Year period. 34-year-old Gill led a 90-strong field from the start to record a four-round total of 273 (66-68-71-68), five shots ahead
Alexander Yang and Wade Ormsby
Leon D’Souza
of his nearest challenger, Kim Joonho. Ryan Leung claimed the second runner-up spot after carding 286. “In the final round, I made sure I stayed in the present moment and concentrated on the next shot throughout,” said New Zealand native Gill. “I was very happy with the way I played and hit the right shots when needed. It is a great honour to win the tournament for the first time.” Gill also took the Mid-Amateur Championship title, with Nick Hioe in second place and Stuart Murray third. D’SOUZA IN CLOSE FINISH Hong Kong team member and USC senior Leon D’Souza finished 2nd at the Southwestern Invitational Collegiate at Westlake Village, California in late January with a score of 70-68-67=205 (11 under par), a mere one shot behind Pepperdine’s Sahith Theegala, making an exceptionally solid start to his spring season.
Kitty Tam
TAM TRIUMPHS Kitty Tam triumphed over 12 year-old sensation Arianna Lau at the Hong Kong Ladies Close Amateur Championships 2020 at the Hong Kong Golf Club, New Course over three days in February with a total of 213. “I was very confident with my game and prepared well coming into the tournament. My putting was good, which was the reason I made so many birdies and scored low,” said Tam (23). “I have been practicing at the Hong Kong Golf Club since returning from the US after four years of college and I want to thank the HKGA and the Hong Kong Golf Club for giving me the opportunity to practice at Fanling.” Playing in the event for the 10th time, this is Tam’s third victory following wins in 2014 and 2015. Meanwhile Annabelle Gerber and Mi-Kyoung Lisle took top honours in the Mid Amateur Divisions I and II respectively.
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THE 852
GIRL
POWER by Ann Tsang / Images courtesy of the HKGA
Sophie Han
T
iffany Chan and Sophie Han have been nominated in the Cathay Pacific 2019 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards, the results of which will be announced at the Awards Presentation Ceremony on March 24 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tiffany Chan features in the Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards list, whilst Sophie Han has been nominated in the Hong Kong Junior Sports Stars Awards, as well as in a new category introduced this year, the Hong Kong Sports Stars Breakthrough of the Year Awards. 8 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
Now in their 20th year, the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards’ primary objectives are to encourage Hong Kong athletes and teams to strive for excellence; to provide role models and inspiration for young people, and thus help to promote local sports development; and to encourage more community involvement in sports. With the Tokyo Olympic Games rapidly approaching, Timothy Fok, GBS, JP, President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, announced the slogan and logo for this year’s Awards as “Road to Tokyo – Go Hong Kong Team!”
Tiffany Chan
“Besides promoting the [Olympic] Games, the logo represents our support of Hong Kong athletes on their quest for Olympic qualification,” said Fok at the Public Voting Announcement Press Conference. Tiffany Chan, an EFG Global Sport Ambassador and Hong Kong Golf Club Ambassador, recently remarked: “I have been on the LPGA Tour for two full seasons and feel like I made a lot of progress in 2019. My focus now is on making the step up and qualifying for all the major events as well as the Olympics, where I think I can really contribute positively to the Hong Kong team.”
“The Hong Kong Sport Stars Awards celebrate excellence, progressiveness and an unyielding can-do spirit – values that Cathay Pacific shares and embraces as cornerstones of our new brand platform ‘Move Beyond’,” added Edward Bell, General Manager, Brand, Insights & Marketing Communications of Cathay Pacific. “Our Hong Kong athletes exemplify these ideals, never ceasing to push the boundaries as they strive for success.”
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ASIA ACTION COMING OF AGE China’s Tianlang Guan still remains as the youngest player to make a cut at a PGA Tour event, let alone the sport’s most prestigious Major. In April 2013, he shook the golf world when he made the cut at the Masters while still enrolled in middle school. The Guangzhou native was just 14 years, 5 months and 18 days old when he qualified. Now 21, the University of Arizona sophomore admits he is leaning toward turning pro and has already examined the PGA Tour Series-China’s schedule. “It feels pretty good to get full status,” said Guan after finishing T10 at the PGA TOUR Series-China Qualifying Tournament in Guangzhou. “I think I will turn pro soon, but I still need some time to think about everything.” PGA TOUR Series-China
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GLOBAL GLANCE SCOTT STRIKES AGAIN Adam Scott snatched another victory at Riviera, but this time it counted. He survived a frantic Sunday with just enough clutch putts for birdie, par, even a bogey, closing with 1-under 70 for a two-shot victory ahead of Sung Kang in the Genesis Invitational. The victory comes 15 years after Scott won a playoff at Riviera that didn't count as official because rain shortened the tournament to 36 holes. "I'm stoked with this," he said. "It's a big step, whatever point in my career I'm at. I haven't won for three years. This feels very special." Getty Images 12 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
THE TOUR
BETTER THAN
MOST? by Chuah Choo Chiang / Images: Getty Images
The Players Championship is the gold standard on the PGA TOUR, one that ranks “Better than Most” and continues to spark debates as to whether it should be inducted as one of men’s golf Majors.
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K.J. Choi won The Players Championship 2011 in a playoff over David Toms to win the $1.71 million winner's share of the purse
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Kim Si-Woo shot a final round 69 to win the 2017 Players, three strokes ahead of runners-up Louis Oosthuizen and Ian Poulter
S
taged at an iconic venue designed by the legendary Pete Dye and boasting the strongest field in the game and a mind-blowing US$15 million prize pot, the 47th staging of The Players Championship from March 13 to 16 returns with all the shine, gloss and prestige associated with the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament. Irish superstar Rory McIlroy will defend the prized trophy with the sole aim of becoming the first man in history to repeat as Players Champion, remarkably a feat never achieved previously by so many other greats before him. The Players has also become a symbol of inspiration for many golf stars from across Asia, with Korea’s K.J. Choi, who famously coined the phrase “To be the best, you’ve got to play with the best”, and Kim Si-Woo emerging victorious in 2011 and 2017, respectively. Choi, arguably the most successful Asian golfer with eight PGA Tour victories under his belt, said: “The Players victory was one of the most significant and dramatic moments for me. A lot of Korean fans cried and cheered that day and I remember it perfectly.” Nicknamed “The Tank” for his single-minded purpose in the game, Choi’s vast success in America continues to pave the way for other aspiring Koreans and Asians such as Kim to dream big. Three years ago, the 24 year-old stunned an elite field at The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass following a three-shot win: “I feel a sense of pride any time I’m at Sawgrass. It’s a very special place for me,” said Kim. Another strong assembly of Asian stars will join the world’s best this month including President Cup International Team members Sungjae Im, Byeong Hun An, both from Korea, Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan and Japanese ace Hideki Matsuyama who achieved two top-10s at The Players in 2017 and 2019 and is strongly tipped as a potential Champion again this year.
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McIlroy’s views on the tournament’s stature is certainly noteworthy. “It means a lot because it is our tournament and I think your peers recognise you for that achievement. It’s an event that everyone wants to win. I’m very proud and honoured to call myself a Players Champion,” said the 30 year-old, whose victory last year propelled him to a second FedExCup title. Australia’s Jason Day, a former World No. 1 and 2016 Players Champion, believes that the event should take its rightful place alongside the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. “I want it to have Major status; it would be good. When you come to an event like this and you’re playing in a tournament on a large scale, it feels like a Major.” Retired NBC golf commentator Johnny Miller provides a slightly different twist. “There should only be maybe five championships in golf, The Players Championship, and then the Majors … and the rest of them can be tournaments.” Even for the newcomers in the game, the stature of The Players is not lost on them. Thai rising star Jazz Janewattananond, who is poised to make his debut, chimes in: “Everyone says it’s the fifth Major; it’s a big event. I have heard the golf course is really tough and I’m also excited to play that 17th hole.” Jazz should be wary for what he wishes for as the iconic par3 17th hole has delivered high drama and defining moments since The Players was first staged there in 1982. Countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat suffered at the infamous hole, finding water twice en route to a quadruple bogey during the final day in 2018. It was also on this very green that another TV pundit, Gary Koch, immortalised a moment of magic that would become “better than most” during the 2001 Players. Tiger Woods, who was then chasing leader Jerry Kelly, was faced with a monster 60foot birdie putt in the third round which he needed to negotiate a triple break. As the ball left Woods’ putter and tracked towards the hole, Koch began his play-by-play commentary - “Johnny (Miller, his co-commentator) that is … better than most …” As the ball reached a slope about 20 feet from the hole, it veered hard right and the massive crowds around the stadiumlike atmosphere began to buzz. Koch goes on to say “ ... better than most ... “ again and when the ball dramatically disappears into the cup, he lets out a third and final “… better than most!” shout-out as Woods broke into an unbridled uppercut celebration. The golf legend would go on to win his first Players title by one shot. Whether The Players is “better than most” or should enjoy Major status, the views shared by Justin Thomas, the 2017 FedExCup champion, probably make the most sense. “I don’t care what it is, if I win it I’ll be pleased,” he said. “I mean it has all the characteristics, if you will, but to me The Players is The Players. Everybody knows it’s a huge event, everybody knows it’s a Major. Can you go wrong calling it one or not calling it one? There’s every person in this field who would be very, very content with holding the trophy at the end of the week.”
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Tiger Woods nails a 60-foot birdie putt at the 2001 Players
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LIVE UNDER PAR
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HALCYON
DAYS by Zephyr Melton / Images: PGA TOUR
As Jordan Spieth seeks a rebound, HK Golfer reflects on his legendary collegiate career.
T
he vast media contingent facing Jordan Spieth during a PGA TOUR tournament last summer was nothing unexpected. As a past champion and former FedExCup No. 1, there was obvious intrigue surrounding the budding 25 year-old superstar. But instead of questions related to the positive steps he had recently taken in his game, or even the Travelers Championship win he was participating in as a past champion, the inquiries carried a much more negative undertone. “What do you most need to improve on do you think right now?” “Where do you feel like your game is?” The questions were certainly valid. Since his victory at The Open Championship in 2017 - his 11th PGA Tour victory and third Major championship, all before his 24th birthday - Spieth seems to have lost some of the magic that made him such a rising sensation. A consummate professional, Spieth was patient and graceful in his responses. “My iron and wedge play is just…it’s way below my normal standard, and so that needs to significantly improve,” he said. “(I’m) not anywhere near where I want to be; I need to gain significant control of the ball teeto-green.” At a glance, the last 24 months for Spieth on the golf course have been solid. He owns
12 top 10s and has missed just eight cuts. But a 12th career Tour victory has eluded him ever since he departed Royal Birkdale, and his Official World Golf Ranking has steadily trended in the opposite direction. It’s fair to wonder how all of the highs began to steadily taper off for Spieth. The baby-faced Texan made things look so easy when he first burst onto the professional golf scene in 2013 with a dramatic victory at the John Deere Classic, and his game only elevated from there. But Spieth’s legend started long before his chip-in to force a playoff on the 18th hole at TPC Deere Run on that fateful July day. Most remember the form that Spieth was in during his electric 2015 season, and some even remember as far back as his Sunday 63 to win the Australian Open in 2014, his first professional victory. However, few know the stories of Spieth’s dynamic freshman season at the University of Texas – a season that ended with a team National Championship and Spieth feeling satisfied enough with his amateur accomplishments that he would turn professional at end of the year. University of Texas men’s golf coach John Fields knew Spieth was special from the first time he saw him play as a junior golfer. “I knew that I wanted him to come to Texas,” he said. Fields’ wish came true when Spieth
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PICK APART THE GOLF COURSE THE RIGHT WAY. WHEN YOU’RE OUT OF POSITION, MAKE PARS; AND WHEN YOU’RE IN POSITION, ATTACK. JORDAN SPIETH
committed to Texas on February 6, 2010. The commitment was so meaningful for Fields that he remembers the exact circumstances of the phone call from Spieth affirming his pledge to Texas. “That was historic for us,” said Fields. “I knew what that meant for our programme.” From the time he walked on campus, people knew Spieth would be special. Even though he was a highly sought-after recruit, his drive and passion for the game never wavered. “He was very unique in that area,” said Cathy Marino, Spieth’s high school coach at Dallas Jesuit. “He was able to do it on his own and have so much pride in every score that he shot. There was never a day that he wanted to take off or didn’t care immensely about his score.” In the fall of 2011, Spieth headed to Alabama for the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, his first in burnt orange for the Longhorns. Minutes before the first round, the face of his driver caved in while warming up on the range, leaving Fields and assistant coach Ryan Murphy scrambling to find a replacement. The pro shop didn’t have a Titleist model in stock like the one Spieth had broken, so they settled on a PING model with a similar shaft. The last-minute equipment change was no problem for the freshman. He shot two sub-par rounds before an indifferent final round dropped him out of contention. Nonetheless, he averted disaster in his first collegiate start and returned to Austin with a top 10. Spieth also established a friendly rivalry with senior teammate Dylan Frittelli soon after the 18 year-old stepped on campus. Frittelli was an established presence and leader on the team and the two pushed each other every day. The duo spent much of the season as some of the top-ranked players in the country and were always 22 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
looking to better each other. “If I went up to Frittelli, he would ask me, ‘What’s Spieth doing?’” Murphy said. “And if I went up to Spieth, he would say, ‘What’s Frittelli doing?’ They didn’t want to lose to each other in competition.” The Spieth-Frittelli rivalry added an exciting chapter at a Texas’ tournament in the spring of 2012, the Morris Williams Intercollegiate. Frittelli finished the tournament tied for the lead with teammate Julio Vegas, as Spieth was playing the final hole one stroke behind. With a back hole location, Spieth took dead aim at the flag, but his ball trickled off the back of the green inside the hazard. Luckily, the ball stayed out of the water and he had a shot, although the chances of holing it were slim. The green sloped away from the hazard and he was badly short sided. Spieth examined the shot from every angle and approached the ball. “You just had this feeling that something amazing was about to happen,” Fields said. Spieth popped the ball in the air and watched as it landed softly and trundled towards the hole. As it closed in on the hole, Spieth raised his left arm into the air. The ball dropped into the cup and Texas had three co-medallists. “It was his moment,” commented Fields. “He was the man of the moment. He can capture that, and he does.” The Longhorns ended the year with a disappointing secondplace finish behind in-state rivals Texas A&M at the Big 12 Championship, but their ultimate goal of a National Championship was still within sight. Another second place showing at their NCAA Regional site in Oklahoma punched the team’s ticket to the NCAA
Championship at Riviera Country Club. Texas arrived at Riviera for the NCAA National Championships ranked No. 1 in the country, with No. 2 Alabama nipping at its heels. The Longhorns stumbled in the second round of stroke play, but recovered in the final round to qualify for match play as the three seed. With Alabama qualifying in the No. 1 spot, the two powerhouses were on a collision course for the championship match. Texas defeated Washington and Oregon to reach the championship match, while Alabama bested Kent State and California. The stage was set. As Fields and Murphy headed to the clubhouse for the match pairings, Spieth lobbied Fields to pair him with Justin Thomas in the National Championship match if given the opportunity. Although Thomas had won both National Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Spieth felt he had Thomas’ number. “Jordan popped out of nowhere; out of the shadows,” said Murphy. “And stated, ‘Hey, if you pair me against Justin, I’ll beat him.’ And he just walked off.” Spieth’s confidence paid off. He held a slight advantage in the match, going 2-up on his freshman rival through 14 holes, but Thomas applied pressure on No. 15 with an approach shot inside 10 feet. Spieth calmly stepped up to his approach and struck a perfect 4-iron that landed to the right of the hole and tracked into the centre of the cup, giving him a commanding 3-up lead which he cashed in for a 3-and-2 victory on the next hole. “That shot was iconic for us,” Fields said. Minutes later, Frittelli sunk a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 18 for a dramatic victory over Cory Whitsett to clinch a 3-2 victory for the
Longhorns. Spieth, Frittelli and company returned to the University of Texas Golf Club with a National Championship trophy for the first time since 1972. The UT Golf Club pays homage to the many former players that helped build the programme, such as Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite and Betsy Rawls, but Spieth’s legend looms even larger than these World Golf Hall of Famers. Spieth’s legacy is apparent all around the course nestled in the hills of west Austin. There is a Longhorn statue erected behind the 15th green that overlooks Lake Austin, and his professional achievements are proudly displayed near the entrance to the clubhouse. He even has a six-hole, par-3 course named after him which he designed – the Spieth Lower 40. Spieth also left his mark on the teaching academy – literally. When concrete was being poured for the steps leading up to the doors, he took the liberty of carving his initials into them; an appropriate mark left after the legacy that still looms over the proud programme. As Spieth continues his quest for that elusive 12th PGA Tour victory, he need only reflect on his countless college successes as a harbinger for what is sure to come. “You’re never going to be on 24/7; even Tiger in his prime wasn’t on 24/7 and had to win tournaments with his ‘A’ game,” Spieth said at last year’s Open Championship. “When he had his ‘A’ game on, he won by eight or nine. It’s about compensating and being an athlete and being in position in your swing whereby you can be an athlete in your lines. Pick apart the golf course the right way. When you’re out of position, make pars; and when you’re in position, attack. I’m getting there.” MAR 2020 | HK GOLFER 23
GOLF GURU | PRO TIPS
BUNKER PLAY by James Stewart
P
GA Tour players make bunker shots look easy, and obviously a lot of practice goes into becoming good, but it’s also because pros instinctively know what type of shot and club to use for different lies and distances. Amateurs often make the mistake of trying to hit the wrong shot for different lies and distances in the bunkers. Personally, I like to use both my 58 and 52 wedges depending on the shot that I’m trying to hit, and this helps with my consistency. In image 1, I have short sided myself up against the lip of
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the bunker, and I have very little green to work with. Here my main focus is to hit a high and soft shot. I increase the loft of the club and also feel like my hands are almost behind the ball at address. My weight is predominantly on my left side and the ball position is more towards my left foot. I take quite a full swing to create speed to hit it high, but because I’ve increased the loft and moved the ball position forward, the ball will come out soft and high and hopefully with some spin. In image 2, I have a longer bunker shot, but I still have
the lip of the bunker to contend with, so I basically do all of the same things as in image 1 still using my 58 degree wedge. However, I move the ball position a bit further back in my stance, which will help me hit the ball longer, but still high enough to get over the lip. In image 3, I have a long distance bunker shot, and this is when I often see amateurs using the wrong club. I will use my 52 degree or sometimes even my regular pitching wedge. With less loft it’s much easier to hit a controlled long bunker shot.
The set up is the same as in image 2, but I square the club up, as I’m not trying to hit this shot high and soft. I want the ball to come out lower and with less spin, so it releases when it hits the green, kind of like a chip and run. In all these shots, I always try to hit around 6 inches behind the ball, but if there is quite a bit of sand in the bunkers, I may try a little less. I hope these tips help. Practice with different wedges and I’m sure you will improve!
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GOLF GURU | HIGH HANDICAPPERS
FAST
FIX
THE QUICKEST WAY TO DROP 2 TO 3 STROKES PER ROUND
26 HK GOLFER | AUG 2019
by Jason Kwok
I
’ve had the pleasure of working with many students who were initially total beginners, and in most cases I have seen most of them improve their handicaps at a much faster than average rate. I am of the opinion that this accelerated rate of improvement is due to the fact that we spend a good proportion of our lesson time on their shor t g a me a nd put t ing. I bel ie ve that it’s easier to become proficient in putting and short game fundamentals very quickly and that those basics will then make learning a sound, powerful golf swing much easier. For students who come to me with more golfing experience but are struggling with their game, I can usually identify
several easily correctable issues during our course lessons whereby they can improve their score by 3 to 6 shots per round within six months to a year. It’s more than likely that they seldom spent time on short game and putting lessons or practice. In my experience, the best players spend more that 25 percent of their practice time improving those skills. Here is the putting circle drill that I trust can improve your scores in the shortest time. It’s actually a revised version of a drill that Phil Mickelson has mentioned in his videos. In the left image, I have set up 10 tees and 10 balls, each three feet from the hole. You can start at any ball and work your way around counter-clockwise (if you are
right handed) until you putt all 10 balls (right image). Then replace the balls and start again. Do this drill until you have made 20 putts in a row. Phil used to make 100 in a row from three, four and five feet, and restart each circle if he missed a putt. You should be able to finish the drill in a few minutes after some practice, but if you have trouble completing it after 30 minutes or so, perhaps try another day. This drill will not only improve your three-foot putting, but long putts will be less stressful, as your target is to get a long lag putt in a six-foot circle. These two improvements should definitely drop your score by two to three strokes in short order!
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GOLF GURU | SENIOR PLAYERS
PUTTING
AIDS FOR ALL by Brad Schadewitz
With the use of launch monitors and high-speed video, we can understand more and more about what the club is doing at impact. We now even use launch monitors with putting. We know that the clubface is the most important factor in influencing where the ball travels. Here I’m showing some training aids that can help you with path and clubface direction and some ways you can replicate these teaching aids on your own. The great thing about all these tools is that you can use them at home on your carpet or putting mat.
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ALIGNMENT STICKS A lig n ment st ick s a re one of my favourite teaching aids as you can use them in so many ways. In putting, they can really help us with alignment and path. One of the common faults I see with amateurs is aiming too far right and then twisting the body and closing the clubface at impact.
Have the front of the sticks around 3 feet from the hole and just wider than the putter width. Hole 3 balls in a row from the front, middle and back of the sticks.
Try to hole all 9 putts in a row. If you can do this, then hole 3 more another foot behind the sticks. If you can hole 12 putts in a row, I guarantee your short putting stats are going to improve.
THE GATE The gate is a great way to check if your starting line is correct. We can use the putting tutor with the ba ll bearings or alternatively two $5 coins or even two tees. Place the coins or tees approximately 8 inches in front of the ball and just wider than the portion of the ball that is contacting the ground. Use the gate with 4 to 10- foot putts.
THE ROLLER This is a great way to find out if your putter face is open or closed at impact. Using two golf balls, a small piece of PVC pipe, or even a D cell battery can give you the same feedback.
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Rory McIlroy at the 18th tee during the final round of The Players Championship 2019 30 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
COVER STORY
MCILROY
ON A
MISSION by Chris Cox / Images: Getty Images / Omega
A year ago, Rory McIlroy arguably claimed one of the biggest wins of his career at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, where a stirring Sunday finish saw him emerge on top amongst a flurry of late competitors. The burning question now is whether McIlroy can build on his 2019 Sawgrass triumph in 2020 with a successful title defence.
O
n March 17th, 2019, Rory McIlroy looked out beyond the famed island green at The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Darkness had long since set in, but the lights from the surrounding grandstands provided more than enough illumination for him to marvel at architect Pete Dye’s finest masterpiece. The Northern Irishman reflects on his 2019 victory, a stunning turnaround from his first three appearances in the event – all of which resulted in missed cuts. “I think every time I first play a Pete Dye course, I haven’t appreciated it or liked it, and I feel like I can’t… it’s visually intimidating,” McIlroy explained. “It seems to make you sort of hit tee shots where everyone else hits their tee shots. It’s a very strategic style of golf, and I think I needed to learn how to play that style. I was stubborn and a little immature in trying to overpower this golf course, and that’s something you can’t do.” D ye wou ld have sm i led to he a r McIlroy’s frustration. After all, this is the
same man who once said, “Golf is not a fair game, so why should I build a fair golf course?” It was a fitting final tip of the cap to Dye, who passed away on January 9 - mere hours after McIlroy’s words of praise - at the age of 94. “A 2008 inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Pete’s inf luence is far-reaching, leaving a global imprint on both the amateur and professional games. He designed some of the bestknown golf courses in the world, though none more recognisable than The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass,” noted PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “It wa s here t hat Pete ma ster f u l ly brought Commissioner Deane Beman’s revolutionary stadium golf concept to life, melding Deane’s vision with a brilliantly designed course that is celebrated annually as one of the game’s great strategic courses during The Players Championship.” McIlroy, in a sense, was the ideal te st subject for one of D ye’s most infamous designs. He missed the cut at
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The Players in 2009, 2010 and 2012, shooting a combined 12-over par in those appearances. But he steadily began to piece together Dye’s puzzle after that. He finished inside the top 15 in each of his ensuing four starts, and then after a tie for 35th and one more missed cut, he finally put it all together in 2019 with a victory. For that, McIlroy will hold an enduring legacy as the last player to master the Stadium Course in its creator’s final days. “Jay [Monahan] made a great point in saying that it’s the ultimate democratic golf course,” McIlroy said. “It doesn’t favour anyone. You’ve got to show up and hit the shots and play well from Thursday morning until Sunday afternoon.” “I missed my first three cuts here, so it took me a while to figure the place out,” he added, “but I feel like I finally have it.” The question which now looms is whether McIlroy can build on that legacy in 2020 with a successful title defence. The Players is still waiting for its first backto-back champion and claims only six multiple champions in its history. Just the way Pete would have wanted it. “You go from Fred Funk to Tiger Woods to (Matt) Kuchar to whoever, everyone and every style of game has won here, which I think makes it pretty (challenging),” added McIlroy. “Getting around the course is tough, but I think because it doesn’t suit any one style and you can get it done in a lot of different ways, it brings more people into it.” Dye’s layout has rewarded all sorts of players over the years, as the numbers can attest to. Tiger Woods is the only player to win the event multiple times in the last 25 years, and is one of just four players to win as World No. 1 – he accomplished the feat in both 2001 and 2013, while Greg Norman in 1994 and Jason Day in 2016 are the others. A fifth player - David Duval - moved into the top spot after his win in 1999. It’s possible that McIlroy could join that select group in March, as he rose once more into the world’s top ranking in early February following the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. That could of course change before the Tour returns to Ponte Vedra Beach - a World Golf Championships event and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, among others, have yet 32 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
McIlroy enjoying a quiet moment in the locker room
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McIlroy plays Omega Ambassador
to be played at the time of this article being published - but McIlroy is nevertheless in a position to arrive as the best player in the world. History is on the line in McIlroy’s title defence, but he believes he’s up to the challenge. “I believe on my day I’m the best player in the world and I think I can do that for a long time,” he said. “With all the experience that I have and what I’ve learned over these past 10 years, I think I can make the next 10 even better.” The 30 year-old won four times during the last calendar year, beginning with The Players in March. He went on to win the Tour Championship, the RBC Canadian Open, his second FedExCup and the PGA Tour Player of the Year Award. He ended 2019 with his first victory of the new season at the WGCHSBC Champions and is currently at No. 6 in the FedExCup standings. McIlroy allowed himself to reflect on all of those accomplishments during the final month of the year, as he largely put his clubs away outside of Jack Nicklaus’ charity event on the first of the month and a round with his father, Gerry, at Seminole. “I just switched off, which was nice,” McIlroy said of the winter break. “Once I got back to the States on New Year’s Day, I got the clubs out of the closet and started to practice.” The lengthy layoff didn’t seem to impact his game too much, as he finished tied third in his 2020 debut 34 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
at the Farmers Insurance Open. That may spell trouble for the rest of the players on the Tour. McIlroy maintains that most of his seasonlong goals are tied into statistics - namely short game and putting - but did let slip that he would one day like to beat his career-best five wins of 2012. “I would like to top that at some point, so that six number is still something that I strive towards,” he said. “But there’s a lot of stuff that goes into winning those tournaments, so I’ve got to focus on my practice and what I need to do, and if I do all that right, then hopefully getting to that six number and winning those tournaments is just a by-product of all the good stuff that I do away from the course.” This year marks the 10th anniversary of McIlroy’s first Tour win, when he shot a final round 62 at the Wells Fargo Championship. He has won 17 additional times since then, the once pudgy, curly haired 20 yearold has steadily evolved into a world-class superstar. Who knows just how many more he will add to his total before he calls it a day? But one thing is certain: he will always have at least one win - maybe more - on Pete Dye’s vaunted Players Stadium course. “Honestly, I think winning The Players last year went a long way to me winning the PGA Tour Player of the Year Award. I believe that the players recognise that winning this event means a great deal and it’s one that everyone wants to win.”
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RC GOLF TRADING GROUP LIMITED
ADDRESS: FLAT A, 16/F, MAI WAH INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, 1-7 WAH SING STREET, KWAI CHUNG, NEW TERRITORIES, HONG KONG E-MAIL: INFO@RCGOLFTRADING.COM OFFICE: 2728-8708 FAX: 2728-8781
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HKGTA
PARTNERSHIP
FOR
PERFECTION by Ann Tsang / Images: Courtesy of the HKGTA
The Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA) recently unveiled the PGA of America Learning & Performance Institute as the latest addition to its sports and wellness complex.
C
omple me nt i n g t he e x i s t i n g Bruguera Tennis Academy and a host of other sports facilities, a partnership with the PGA of America Learning & Performance Institute is a collaboration designed to further enhance The Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy’s vision of creating the SAR’s leading centre of sporting excellence. Widely recognised as the global leader in golf coaching, the PGA of America draws on a network of some 29,000 PGA Professionals around the world, to offer a series of coaching programmes that incorporate a level of knowledge, data and technical expertise that is unrivalled in the industry. Based at the HKGTA’s state-of-theart golf facility in Sai Kung, the PGA of
America Learning & Performance team provides bespoke training for golfers of all abilities, from beginners to aspiring professionals. The programmes offer a complete progression that addresses all aspects of the sport, from game etiquette and understanding the rules of golf, to the development of motor skills, mental preparation and the basics of the swing. Junior programmes include private lessons, group lessons, family courses and an athletic development programme for competition-level athletes, with all junior courses developed to place a special focus on fostering a deep love of the game among younger players in a fun and rewarding environment. Adult progra mmes include a ll those offered to juniors, plus a couple’s
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Justin Lee of the HKGTA Championship Team
course and ball and club fitting clinics. Specialty clinics cover topics such as How to Hit a Driver, How to Swing a Fairway Wood or Long Iron and How to Score Within 100 Yards. Some 140 students are currently enrolled in the programme, one of which is 11 year-old Justin Lee, who recently made it into the PGA Championship team. Speaking about his experience at the Sai Kung retreat, the Hong Kong Academy student says: “We live on Hong Kong island and don’t have so much space at home, so we spend most weekends at the Academy. I started playing golf six years ago and my parents signed me up for the PGA programme because I want to compete more and know how to take more risks when I play. The coaches are great and there are lots of different things we do in the tutorials which makes it good fun as well.” The HKGTA’s golf facility is the most advanced in the SAR and includes 75 hitting stations with an auto-feed golf ball system, a 5-hole short course, a practice putting green and bunker, and VIP coaching studios. Few sports continue to embrace the advances of technology quite so enthusiastically as golf, and it’s here that the HKGTA comes into its own, with a suite of tech-based coaching aids that are quite literally ‘game-changing’. TOPTRACER is one such example. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, this camera-based system tracks ball flight and incorporates on-screen graphics to make trajectory 38 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
Swing Suite
and shot-shape visible to viewers. In addition to its use as a coaching aid, the technology has become an integral part of the television broadcast experience of some of the most prestigious tournaments around the world including The Open Championship, the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship. For enthusiasts seeking a more social approach to the game, the HKGTA has recently opened the first Topgolf Swing Suite outside the U.S. The Suite provides participants with an immersive experience from the comfort of a hospitality lounge complete with great food, drinks and even music. With its huge screen and a selection of exciting virtual games, it delivers a unique simulation that’s compelling for both golfers and non-golfers alike. “As a true Academy, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional coaching programmes run by outstanding coaches across all of our facilities. We always want to be a leader in the adoption of the latest technologies, so it was an easy decision to partner with TOPGOLF and TOPTRACER,” notes Kurt Greve, General Manager of the HKGTA. “Both facilities contribute significantly to a golfer’s game improvement, but with their games, challenges and golf course options, they also provide a lot of fun in the process. In our opinion, these are the best systems to add further value to HKGTA patrons.” For more information on Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy and to enrol in a PGA of America Learning & Performance programme, please visit www.hkgta.com
COACHING AIDS AVAILABLE AT THE HKGTA INCLUDE:
SAMPUTT LAB, the world’s leading professional putting and training system, providing complete analysis of all putting aspects K-VEST 7-SENSOR technology, measuring golfers’ power signatures FLIGHTSCOPE X-3, providing tracking radar to accurately measure ball and club movements together with performance data for both golfer and equipment SWING CATALYST video analysis software BALANCE PLATE TECHNOLOGY more than 2,000 high-resolution pressure sensors to accurately measure pressure distribution patterns around the body. Top Tracer
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THE VIEW
A
GRAND
RESTORATION by Ann Tsang
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With two world-class golf clubs close by and an attractive golf package, plus a plethora of activities for non-golfing companions, why not visit the newly refurbished L’Imperator on your next trip to France?
A
classic Art Deco-style building, the L’Imperateur hotel first opened in June 1930 as one of southern France’s most famous “grands hotels”, during “Les Années Folles”, when France was at the forefront of creativity and glamour during the economic boom that followed the First World War. The original building combined the simple and symmetrical style of Art Deco with local touches such as génoise roof tiling, balconies, and frescos in the verandah and dining room. Through the years the hotel has played host to the rich and famous, the titled and tycoons, welcoming the leading lights of the worlds of literature, art, music, cinema, theatre and politics, with famous guests ranging from Pablo Picasso to former French president Jacques Chirac and singer Lenny Kravitz. Ernest Hemingway also stayed at the hotel while writing Garden of Eden, which includes references to both L'Imperator and the city of Nîmes, while actress Ava Gardner – married to Frank Sinatra, but enjoyed an illicit affair with bullfighter Luis
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Junior Suite detail
Miguel Dominguín while staying at the hotel - would enter and leave via the kitchens to avoid the awaiting paparazzi. The twice-yearly ferias, or festivals, began in 1952, and since then, L’Imperator is the place where the Nîmois celebrate - to see and be seen, to socialise and party with music and dancing. The hotel is also home for the bull fighters performing in the corridas– and once even had a tiny dedicated chapel where the matadors would pray before facing their mighty adversaries in the ring of the nearby Arènes. With the aim of preserving and restoring the hotel’s original Art Deco ambience and most iconic heritage elements including the original 1930s Otis cage lift and the fireplace in the Lobby, the Bar Hemingway and the “costume of lights” of celebrated bullfighter and friend of Hemingway, Antonio Ordóñez – and with interiors designed by French-Argentinian designer Marcelo Joulia of Naço, the building has been meticulously restored by teams of French master craftsmen, utilising traditional techniques with the aim of preserving the heritage, authenticity and spirit of the building.
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Duende
The nearly-century-old classic building has been meticulously restored and modernised, with exquisitely renovated spaces complemented by a spectacular garden, contemporary art installations and furnishings, while glamorous extras include restaurants helmed by Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, two swimming pools and a spa. L’Imperator offers 53 luxurious rooms, including three sumptuous suites, together with eight private villas. Designed with the modern luxury traveller in mind, guestrooms are themed in a palette of soft teal, grey and cream hues, with touches of blue referencing the celebrated “serge de Nîmes” and Nîmes’ heritage as the birthplace of denim (“de Nîmes”). The rooms and suites are embellished with specially curated artworks, elegant furniture, stunning lighting and elegant marble bathrooms. The hotel also houses a unique collection of contemporary art which includes works by Andy Warhol, Victor Vasarely, Michelle Champetier, and the renowned artist Claude Viallat, who hails from Nîmes and was one of the founders of the Support/Surfaces art movement in the early 1970s. 44 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
L’Imperator features three dining venues offering a combination of the very best of France, under the direction of three Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire. With his mission statement “facing tomorrow but respectful of yesterday”, a collection of culinary honours for his various restaurants around the world and a 2015 award as the “Best Chef in the World”, Gagnaire is a culinary powerhouse. He helms the intimate fine dining venue Duende (meaning a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity, often connected with flamenco), Nîmes’ most exclusive restaurant with just 20 seats. He also creates the menu for L’Impé, the hotel’s garden-facing brasserie, and Bar Hemingway. With over 15 years working with Chef Gagnaire under his belt, local chef Nicolas Fontaine heads up the hotel’s F&B operations, while Gagnaire alumni Julien Caligo and Quentin Susset lead the Duende and L’Impé teams respectively, each working with top-quality local products to create exquisite dishes. L’Imperator also houses a selection of the most elegant banquet and function rooms in the region, including a multifunction ballroom-salon with a pre-function area, and six rooms
Bar Hemingway
for smaller meetings and events. Lush gardens and terraces add additional venue space for outdoor events. Part of the modernisation of the heritage building was the creation of a range of unique facilities catering to guests’ health and fitness needs. The Spa offers four private treatment rooms, including two VIP couples’ suites, with products and treatments by exclusive French brand CODAGE. Two stunning indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fitness area, a jacuzzi and steam rooms complete the luxurious relaxation offering. Located in the very heart of Nîmes on the elegant Quai de la Fontaine and just steps away from the Jardins de la Fontaine – France’s first public park created in 1745 and where Nîmes was founded in the fifth century BC – L’Imperator sits close to some of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the world, alongside world-class contemporary architecture and museums. As one of southern France’s most iconic hotels with a heritage dating back to 1930, L’Imperator seamlessly blends tradition and innovation, and offers the finest accommodation, dining and service in the very heart of the city.
Golf lovers can enjoy a special package which includes a round at one of L’Imperator’s two partner clubs - Nîmes Vacquerolles and Nîmes Campagne. See following pages. Offer includes: - 20% discount on the green fee at Nîmes Vacquerolles and/or Nîmes Campagne - Round-trip transfer to the golf course in the hotel’s Audi - 20% off room of choice - 20% discount at Bar Hemingway - 20% discount on treatments at L'Imperator CODAGE Spa Maison Albar Hotels - L'Imperator Quai de la Fontaine, 15 rue Gaston Boissier, 30900, Nîmes, France T : +334 66 21 90 30 nimes.imperator@maisonalbar.eu A member of The Leading Hotels of The World Rates from 320 Euros per night MAR 2020 | HK GOLFER 45
GOLF DE NÎMES CAMPAGNE Located between Languedoc and Provence, Cévennes and the Mediterranean at the gates of the Camargue, and just 15 minutes from the centre of Nîmes, Golf de Nîmes Campagne welcomes visitors to a scenic area covering 54 hectares of wooded and slightly hilly land, with a past steeped in history. Inaugurated on June 6, 1970 with an exhibition match bringing together Jean Garaïalde, Martin Ado, Roger Cotton and Tito Lassalle, the course has been played by golfing greats including Severiano Ballesteros, Bernard Langer (who set a course record of 65), Ian Woosnam, and Thomas Levet. Golf de Nîmes Campagne is a place of both character and history. It dates back to the 13th century when the Templars of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem came to settle in Campagne, where an abbey was built. It also became a place of rest for many knights returning from the Crusades. In the 17th century, the Duchess of Uzès, Marie Julie de Sainte Maure, acquired the estate which became a "national asset" at the end of the French Revolution in 1789. Much later, in the early 1900s, following a fire, Georges Arnaud-Pallier, a banker from a large Nîmes family, purchased the property to make it a centre dedicated to hunting. He built what some might describe as a miniature replica of The White House on the ashes of the old abbey, which he subsequently named "The White Home" in 1902. Today the building serves as the Golf de Nîmes Campagne Club House. In 2003, Golf de Nîmes Campagne was named by Golf World magazine as the 75th top golf course in Europe, and the 26th top French golf course by Golf Européen. In 2009, a six-hole Pitch and Putt facility was added to allow players to train in perfect conditions. The six holes are all less than 100 metres, making it ideal for experienced players to work on their short game, but also for beginners and those wishing to take up the game. 46 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
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GOLF DE NÎMES VACQUEROLLES At the gates of Nîmes, the Golf de Nîmes Vacquerolles welcomes you to a modern and demanding course, known for its technicality, designed by Bill Baker. Characterised by numerous left dog-legs, plateau greens and difficult par 3s, it covers 6185 metres - par 72. The club also offers a 9-hole pitch and putt course, a chipping green, two training holes and 60 practice positions (including 6 covers and 20 on grass). In addition, it has a school dedicated to young people from 5 to 17 years old. Set in a gently sloping valley amidst the sun-drenched hills of the garrigue, this course will satisfy both beginners and the most demanding golfers. The all-round course allows each golfer maximum pleasure - undulating with stunning views and a more relaxed last 9 holes, the greens are vast, and sometimes elevated, with numerous plateaus. With a large terrace overlooking the course, the bar and the restaurant enjoy a beautiful green setting, surrounded by oaks and pines. The friendly owner, Olivier Couderc, serves up his brand of regional recipes, seasonal dishes and tailor-made "golfer menus". MAR 2020 | HK GOLFER 49
ACCELERATE
LIFE IN THE FAST
LANE by Coco Marett / Images: Courtesy of Brooklands Museum
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Established in 1907, Brooklands’ unyielding passion for all things engine-powered hasn’t aged a day. From one of the most legendary racing tracks, it now stands as one of the finest motor and aviation museums in the world.
I
n the world of motorsport and aviation, Brooklands is something of a legend of a legend. Built in 1907, the racing track at Brooklands was about 4.5 kilometres around; a large oval with enormous banked angles at each end that stood at about 10 metres high. At 30 metres wide, it was the largest concrete structure in the world at the time it was built. The whole circuit complex covered a total of about 150 hectares just outside of Weybridge in Surrey, England. Brooklands was a place where man made machines, but also where machines made the man. In 1908, A.V. Roe made pioneering powered flight trials with his first full-size aircraft, and Tommy Sopwith built and flew the Sopwith Pup and Camel.
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When it came to cars, the finest tuners in the country built some of the fastest cars at Brooklands, where records were set and broken by the likes of Malcolm Campbell and John Cobb. Brooklands enjoyed its roaring heyday through the 1920s and 1930s – the first British Grand Prix was held there in 1926 – where the purr and presence of magnificent cars by Bentley, Bugatti, Mercedes, and Delage drew crowds beyond motoring enthusiasts, making it the place to be seen for the upper echelons of English society – who dubbed Brooklands the ‘Ascot of Motorsport’. Today, many of the remaining original buildings have been repurposed into the Brooklands Museum, a loving tribute to a time in motorsport when the only thing that mattered was going fast. “In the heyday of Brooklands, you could do pretty much anything you wanted to make your car go faster and be more superior than anyone else’s,” says Museum Director, Allan Winn. “These days, motor racing tends to be very driven by regulations and formulae. So if you’re building a Formula 1 car, it has to have a specific sized engine, a specific sized electric motor, specific dimensions, and it must be a certain weight.” He continues, “That’s what those of us who still play with vintage motorsport really love about it. You can hear each vehicle as having a distinct exhaust note, they all look different; you don’t need to look at the number or the sponsor. You take one look at a car and you know that it’s a vintage Bentley or it’s the 1933 Napier-Railton.”
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It’s near impossible to go into iconic motorsport vehicles without mentioning the 1933 Napier-Railton. Commissioned by John Cobb, the aero-engine racecar was designed by Reid Railton and between 1933 and 1937 broke 47 World Speed records at Brooklands, Monterey and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The Napier-Railton also holds the all-time Brooklands lap record (143.44mph or 230.8 kph), which was set in 1935. This stands in perpetuity as the circuit was repurposed during the Second World War, and never used as a racing track again. “When John Cobb commissioned the Railton, he decided that the best way to create a really fast car would be to put an airplane engine into the chassis and develop it with very special suspension,” says Winn. “Motor racing was obviously much less safe back then, but it was far more individual and had a great deal more character.” The original 1933 Napier-Railton can be found at the Brooklands Museum amongst its stunning collection of vintage racing cars, alongside modern Formula 1 cars, which Winn says are “used to tell the story of motor racing from that era all the way up to the present.” “The vehicle is all about excellence at the very highest level; it was the best car in the world of its time,” says Winn who also cites the 1933 Napier-Railton as his all-time favourite car. “I’m very privileged to be allowed to drive it, to take it out and demonstrate it. The enormous excitement that the car brings to other people is what makes the experience all the better...” brooklandsmuseum.com
CINEMA
IN SYNC WITH
CINEMA Images courtesy of Rolex
For decades, Rolex has been linked to the world of cinema: from its watches appearing in iconic films to the brand’s support for young filmmakers through its mentoring programme. More recently, Rolex has entered a partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and counts Academy Award winners Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Martin Scorsese among its family of Testimonees.
James Cameron
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W
hen Marlon Brando played Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, he was wearing a Rolex watch. In The Color of Money, Paul Newman sported a Rolex as he reprised his pool hustler character Fast Eddie Felson. And, in Titanic, Bill Paxton, as treasure hunter Brock Lovett, was wearing one as he descended to the legendary wreck in a submersible. The appearance of these watches was not the result of product placement. Rather, the watches were the personal choice of directors to subtly portray fortitude in their characters − a sense of toughness and control, along with a sophisticated sense of style. Rolex appreciates storytelling in film because it has its own great story to tell. The company’s history is marked by more than a century of innovation. In 1926, Rolex produced the world’s first waterproof watch, the Oyster, which, in its own way, changed the course of history. For the first time, people could go to remote places, like the tops of mountains, with a reliable, precise, robust watch. The extraordinary level of innovation that Rolex has achieved – with more than 500 patents – was made possible by a quest for perpetual excellence. This is Rolex’s ethos, instilled by the founder of the company, Hans Wilsdorf and is the force that drives Rolex whether it is creating the finest timepieces or supporting outstanding achievement in sport and in the arts. Rolex has been Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Proud Sponsor of the Oscars® since 2017, as well as Sponsor of the Annual Governors Awards that recognizes life achievement in film since 2018. Through these ties, the company supports excellence in filmmaking. For Rolex, the Academy is the perfect partner, given its mission is to inspire imagination and connect the world through the medium of motion pictures. In addition, since 2016, Rolex has designed and hosted the Greenroom, where presenters and special guests mingle before going on stage at the Oscars®. The Greenroom’s theme and decor change annually, and this year’s space depicted an icy polar landscape in all its ethereal beauty and fragility, which ties in with the brand’s Perpetual Planet initiative through which the company is joining forces with key individuals and organisations to promote exploration and conservation that will preserve the planet. Naturally, time was also a fundamental concept of the design, with the display of the Rolex Explorer II central to the decor that demonstrated the vital function that the watch plays during extreme expeditions. Further representing the atmosphere of an expedition, slanted mirrors helped deepen the sense of distance, while also enticing guests to view the polar horizon line depicted through the Greenroom’s windows. Overall, the effect was one that allowed an appreciation of both the beauty and vulnerability of extreme regions of the Earth. “The design of this year’s Greenroom was a reminder of the beauty and fragility of the environment that Rolex is seeking to protect through our support of pioneering individuals and organisations finding solutions to safeguard the planet for future generations,” said Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex Director of Communication and Image. 60 HK GOLFER | MAR 2020
Rolex is also a Founding Supporter of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures that is scheduled to open in Los Angeles this year. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, the museum and hub for film lovers will have 50,000 square feet (4,650 square metres) of exhibition galleries and a 1,000-seat theatre, among other facilities. The building, which will be the world’s pre-eminent film museum, will help people understand the arts and the sciences that create movie magic. Rolex will host a gallery retracing the history of film in which the brand has played a role. Through the museum, Rolex aspires to assist in the preservation of film history and the transmission of filmmaking knowledge to future generations. In the world of cinema, Rolex counts among its Testimonees preeminent Directors Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Martin Scorsese, who have collectively won 57 Academy Awards®. They personify excellence in their craft and are committed to passing on their wisdom to young filmmakers. As directors, they recognise the importance of capturing moments in time, with their works serving as an artistic interpretation of the world around us. These four filmmakers strive for excellence that is perpetual and they inspire the next generation to pursue ideas with the uncompromising passion that characterises their own work. For decades, these pioneers have considered Rolex watches as veritable tools in their efforts to push back physical and mental boundaries and attested to their reliability in the planet’s most challenging environments. KATHRYN BIGELOW The first and only woman to win an Academy Award® for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow’s command of visual narrative, her tenacity and her choice of subjects that have the ability to provoke change, have redefined the landscape of cinema today. The American director also produces and writes for many of her films. Bigelow co-wrote and directed her first feature film, The Loveless, in 1981, and in the late 1980s and 1990s directed a trilogy of action films; with Blue Steel (1989), Point Break (1991) and Strange Days (1995), she challenged the conventions of that genre. Her status as a Hollywood heavyweight was confirmed with the political action- thrillers The Hurt Locker in 2008 and Zero Dark Thirty in 2012. For The Hurt Locker, Bigelow won Academy Awards® for Best Picture and Best Director. With her most recent production, Detroit (2017), Bigelow directed and produced a film based on the 1967 Detroit riots, exploring race-related violence in the United States. Her films provoke an examination of society and have established the director as a true auteur. “If you think about those people that have really shaped you, they never leave you,” says Bigelow. “You can never unlearn what you learn, you can never unknow what you know.” She also tells emerging filmmakers to “strive, to not compromise, ever”. JAMES CAMERON James Cameron is an acclaimed filmmaker and explorer. As director, writer and producer, he is responsible for some of the most memorable films of the past three decades: The Terminator (1984),
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Martin Scorsese
Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), True Lies (1994), Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). Cameron’s films have blazed a trail for their artistic realisation and for advanced visual effects, setting numerous performance records in the United States and internationally. Titanic held the record for the highest grossing film in history for 12 years, only surpassed by Avatar, which maintained that record for another decade. The Director’s films have also earned numerous nominations and awards. Most notably, Titanic received 14 Academy Award® nominations and won 11 Oscars®, both records, including three Oscars® for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing. The Award-winning Canadian filmmaker delights in precision; attention to detail in films, he believes, helps to transport viewers into the world that a movie presents. Cameron has worn a Rolex for several decades and the brand's watches appear organically in his films, including in Titanic, for which he gave the late actor Bill Paxton a Rolex Submariner to wear during filming. “We build on the shoulders of the people who came before us. We see the example, it excites us and we say ‘I want to do that, or my version of that’,” notes Cameron. “Then we have to pass on what we know to a new generation.” ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU The winner of two consecutive Oscars® for Best Director (Birdman in 2015 and The Revenant in 2016), Alejandro G. Iñárritu is known for his exploration of the human condition, coupled with his visual style, which have established him as a force to be reckoned with. His debut feature film, the 2000 drama Amores Perros, was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar®, and his two Best Director Oscars® have earned the Mexican filmmaker a place in movie history next to Hollywood legends John Ford and Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Among his latest work, CARNE y ARENA (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible), is a conceptual virtual reality installation based on true accounts that allows the viewer to experience a fragment of the personal journeys undertaken by refugees. First presented at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, it was awarded a special Oscar® at the 9th Annual Governors Awards, Iñárritu’s fifth Academy Award®. The Academy stated it was presenting the award to recognise a “visionary and powerful experience in storytelling”. Iñárritu describes a mentor as “someone who helps you see something within yourself, something that you had not seen and who gives you the confidence to carry it out. I would like to be there for someone else, in much the same way as [my mentors] were there for me.” MARTIN SCORSESE Martin Scorsese is a towering figure in the history of cinema, a director, producer and screenwriter whose career spans 50 years and as many films, many of which are considered some of the greatest ever made. He is a passionate film lover who has raised our consciousness of film preservation. Scorsese grew up in New York’s Little Italy and made his first films in the late 1960s. He redefined our ideas of what was possible in movies with such classics as Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). His unique combination of artistry, charisma and generosity continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences all over the world. Details play a crucial role in telling a story on screen and in many of his most iconic films, Scorsese has chosen to feature Rolex watches, with a preference for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. Scorsese credits one of his university lecturers in New York with setting him on the path to greatness: “He set a fire in our hearts... If you were crazy enough to think you have got to make a movie, he was the one who inspired you.” MAR 2020 | HK GOLFER 63
THE NINETEENTH
RESPECT THE
‘KEEPERS by Duncan Forgan / Image courtesy of Laguna Golf Lang Co
N
ot all jobs are created equal. And few callings are as thankless as that of the course superintendent: the perennial fall guys of the golfing world. Like referees and goalkeepers, they are frequently undervalued. When things are running smoothly, scant credit is given for their efforts. More often than not they are castigated for shortcomings – both real and perceived. Way back, many moons ago, at the golf club in Perth, Scotland where I was a junior, slating the greenkeepers was a popular clubhouse hobby among a set of elderly members. PG Wodehouse famously observed that “it is never difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine”. Well, these guys relished living down to the stereotype. From the length of the rough to the pace of the greens, the grumpy buggers enjoyed moaning about the state of the course as much as they did playing it. This was no municipal paddock with rudimentary course design and fairways torn to pieces by hapless novices. It was one of the finer clubs in the Fair City, and one that was generally regarded (among visitors and the sane majority of members anyway) to be in consistently good nick. Successive head greenkeepers were tormented by those whining know-it-alls, who seemed to believe that old age had imbued them with mystical wisdom on all matters relating to course management. Supers around the planet will attest to the fact that such scenarios are not restricted to wizened Caledonian misanthropes. As Royal Birkdale’s head greenkeeper Chris Whittle said before the 2017 British Open, which was held at his club: “I will just be happy to have a quiet Open where all the headlines are made by golf rather than the golf course. If no one makes a comment about Birkdale all week, that will be fine by me.” I was moved to think afresh about the plight of the greenkeeper by recent news from Vietnam where one of its top clubs – Laguna Golf Lang Co – has deployed a crack squad of water buffalo as part of its maintenance team. The bovine brood act as “biomowers” on
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the course, tending to the rice paddies that grow between some of the holes. It struck me as a genius move. Not only do the beasts enhance the natural beauty of the course, but they also serve a practical purpose and provide the greenkeeping team at the club with some valuable PR. Perhaps more clubs should consider bringing more loveable animals onboard as a way of dulling criticism of course maintenance? Surely nobody would be heartless enough to have a pop at a docile mammal. I put the idea to Adam Calver, Director of Golf at Laguna Golf Lang Co. “We’ve generally had a great response to the water buffalo,” he replied. But added: “One or two members have said that they preferred it when the animals weren’t there. They thought the rice grew a bit higher.” It seems that when it comes to golf course maintenance there will always be some whining to be done.
HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION