Inside Golf September 2015 by Inside Golf

A u s t r a l i a ’ s M o s t R e a d G o l f M aga z i n e

Issue 122 // SEPTember 2015

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starters box

At what cost?

you consider that some golf club committees/boards these days cannot even agree to the type of toilet paper to be purchased.)

Richard Fellner Group Editor richard@insidegolf.com.au @insidegolf

In business, there are (basically) two ways to boost profitability: 1) increase revenue, or 2) cut costs. Lacking the ability to address the former (via increased fees/subs/etc), many golf clubs are focussing more on the latter.

Don’t get me wrong. Every club is different. And many small country clubs are doing fine with nontraditional general management and cost-management practices. But for the vast majority of clubs out there, the “cut cut cut” attitude just isn’t sustainable.

The problem is, some are cutting their costs too much for their (and their members’) own good.

We see this regularly in the non-golf world: costs get slashed to a point that the product or service suffers. Cheaper materials can often lead to weak/inferior products. Pretty soon, you hit the bottom, and cannot cut product costs further, so you source cheaper labour, which sometimes leads to shoddy work, etc. Reduction of staff is also a common practice: Middle management or other support staff get retrenched, forcing remaining staff members to “wear more hats” (or a junior staff member forced to operate above their skill level), and thus projects can often be rushed, shortcuts can be taken, and the overall quality can be diminished. These individuals can also either suffer burnout or extreme stress. And this cost-cutting trend seems to be happening more in golf clubs as well. For example, some pro shops are stocking products that are (perhaps) more about maximising profit for the club than they are about

properly servicing the members. This is beneficial for short-term profits, yes, but in my opinion, this can only backfire in the long term. Another cost-cutting trend that has recently popped up (and is extremely disturbing) goes all the way to the top. It seems that, in their endeavours to dramatically reduce a major cost in the business, a handful of club Boards have chosen to eliminate the position of General Manager, with the duties of the role then delegated to a Board member or committee.

“

...a handful of club Boards have chosen to eliminate the position of General Manager...

“

To borrow an old (though apt) analogy, a General Manager is like the captain of a ship. Without a captain at the helm, the vessel could go any number of ways; ahead, astern, aport, astarboard...or worse, adrift, aground or into the abyss. And when you try to pilot a ship by committee, things can get very chaotic (especially when

Instead, why not consider giving MORE to your members? Maybe adopt a more member-friendly approach like that found at, say, the new Eastern Golf Club in Melbourne: members get complimentary range balls and comp fees included with your membership. Other clubs, for example, offer platters of food on Wednesday and Fridays for members after the comp. Instead of looking at these small items as “costs”, these clubs consider them as “benefits” to the members (and the members absolutely LOVE it.) Or, if you are really looking to consolidate some of your costs, why not consider outsourcing some operations to proven management businesses like Golf Services Management or Troon Golf, for example, which have all the staff, knowledge, abilities and infrastructure in place. There are many clubs who are kicking some serious goals via outsourced operations like these. The key point here (in my opinion) is to avoid becoming a slave to the balance sheet, and to keep the members (i.e. customers) front-ofmind for every decision you make.

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ChAmpioNships

Each month here in Inside Golf, we show great examples of excellent General Managers helping their clubs to accomplish amazing things. A good GM reflects the energy, personality and professionalism of a club. They embody the spirit of the membership. And with their unique skillsets, knowledge and training (gained at this month’s GMA Conference, for example) they can lead clubs to the next level of success.

ollowing on from last month’s column about businesses and companies that are focusing more on profits than on customers, I’d like to address a related topic that is just as worrying: cost-cutting to excess.

To be clear, cutting costs is a proven way to improve your bottom line; getting better electricity rates, reducing food & beverage costs, renegotiating certain contracts, etc, are certainly beneficial. But in today’s world, it’s just as important to maintain quality in products and services.

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news Australian Masters returns to Huntingdale IMG, owner and promoter of the Australian Masters, has announced that the 2015 Australian Masters would return to its original home at Huntingdale Golf Club for the 37th staging of the tournament from 19-22 November. Huntingdale Golf Club is synonymous with the Masters, having hosted the event for 30 consecutive years, from its inaugural staging in 1979 through to 2008. “Given the integral part that Huntingdale has played in the rich history of the Australian Masters, we are delighted to have the opportunity to return and see the Club feature in our venue rotation policy,” said David Rollo, Vice President-Director of Golf IMG Australia and New Zealand. “We know the players will enjoy the wonderful facilities afforded by the stunning new clubhouse and the challenges of the Huntingdale layout, which has delivered so many memorable moments over the past four decades.” The Captain of Huntingdale Golf Club, David Parton added: The Club and our members are delighted to welcome the Masters back to Huntingdale and we look forward to hosting a terrific event in November.” The Australian Masters will be sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and PGA of Australia Chief Executive Brian Thorburn echoed these thoughts saying it was great to see the Masters returning to Huntingdale: “We look forward to another successful Masters at its traditional home. The Masters is synonymous with the Summer of Golf and will kick start the Triple Crown in Australia.” The Masters will be broadcast on the Seven Network across Australia for five hours on each of the four days.

Scott commits to Emirates Australian Open

Publisher: Outdoor Sports Publishing Pty Ltd ACN 113 836 301 ABN 30 043 104 919 PO BOX 437, Miami, QLD 4220

ustralia’s US Masters champion and former world No. 1 player, Adam Scott, is returning to compete in the Emirates Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club November 2629 in Sydney.

Editor: Richard Fellner PO Box 360, Nunawading, Vic 3131 P: 0407 000 440 richard@insidegolf.com.au

Scott, 35, came close to winning the US Open recently with a dynamic finalround 64, eventually tying for fourth at Chambers Bay, reuniting with his longtime caddie, Steve Williams. He also tied-10th at the Open Championship at St Andrews in July. Scott is one of Australia’s all-time great players; the 2013 US Masters Champion, the only victory by an Australian at Augusta National; a multiple winner of top-level tournaments around the world and a former World No. 1. The Queenslander won the Australian Open at New South Wales Golf Club in 2009, eclipsing the field by five shots at the tournament’s only visit to that venue. He has been a regular contender in the country’s most famous tournament, finishing fifth at The Australian last year, runner-up to Rory McIlroy in 2013, 14th at The Lakes in 2012 and fourth in 2011. “The Australian Open is a tournament that I value highly, Sydney is a great city and The Australian Golf Club is an excellent venue for Championship golf. I am really looking forward to competing to win my National Open once again.’’ said Scott. Golf Australia’s chief executive, Stephen Pitt, said Scott’s appearance would provide a foundation for what should be

www.insidegolf.com.au

Chief Writer: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au Design & Layout: Stacey Fortescue, Rhys Martin, Rob Kirk Contributors: Larry Canning, Denis Dale, Peter Croker, Andrew Crockett, Karen Lunn, Stephen Pitt, Mat Howe, Brian Thorburn, Henry Peters, Richard Nizielski, Steven Jeffress, Bill Colhoun, Randall Hollands Smith, Brent Dale

a white-hot field. “Adam has been a great supporter of the Open,’’ said Pitt. “We look forward to seeing him play again and we know that the crowds appreciate not only his golf, but the way he carries himself. He’s an immensely popular figure and a great ambassador for the sport in this country.’’ NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, said it will be great to see Adam Scott coming back to Sydney. “Adam is a local favourite and will be leading a world-class field of golfers. The NSW Government is proud to have secured this event for Sydney through Destination NSW, and with players like Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth it promises to attract visitors from all over the region to our State,” he said. Tickets are available through Ticketek at www.ticketek.com or by calling 132 849. More: www.ausopengolf.com/

National Sales: Sam Arthur P: 1300 4653 00 | F: (07) 5535 4922 M: 0410 575 303 | E: sam@insidegolf.com.au QLD Sales: David Ross M: 0439 612 458 E: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Sales: Megan Symington M: 0419 575 000 | E: megan@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS/SA Sales: Jon Perrett M: 0402 852 637 | E: jon@insidegolf.com.au New Zealand Sales: Lisa Coleman E: lisa@insidegolf.com.au | M:0406 031 344 National Agency Sales (non golf) Marc Wilson | M: 0419 107 143 Accounts: Sheridan Murphy M: 0404 075 823 E: accounts@insidegolf.com.au Cover Photo: Montana Pritchard/PGA of America It’s official: 41,750 Inside Golf Magazines distributed each month for the period: October 2014 to March 2015

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news

GOLF MONTH is fast approaching

olf facilities across Australia are gearing up to throw open their doors for GOLF MONTH.

One of Melbourne’s premier member courses, The Kew Golf Club has completed a three-year, multi-milliondollar redevelopment which has seen the layout and condition of the golf course vastly improved.

The October initiative will stage a variety of activities to encourage new, returning and existing players to get into golf. GOLF MONTH is open to everyone: those who have never hit a ball, those who haven’t done so for ages, those who need a little help with their aspirations to become a professional or those who are on the course every week. There is the opportunity for golf enthusiasts of all ages and abilities to benefit from great offers and activities. And for club members who introduce a new member, there is the chance to go in the draw to win a money-can’t-buy 2015 Emirates Australian Open experience.

“By harnessing our resources and working together, we are confident that we can make a real difference to growing this great game.”

“GOLF MONTH encourages new and lapsed golfers to rediscover golf as an accessible pastime that provides the opportunity to share this wonderful game, with friends and family in a beautiful outdoor environment,” Pitt said.

There are more than 20 ways you can experience GOLF MONTH. Aside from having a casual hit, you can sample golf at Come and Try clinics, Ladies Sip and Swing events, open and/or family days, MyGolf junior programs and member guest days, just to name a few.

A key strategy to this year’s campaign is incentivising current golfers to introduce a new member. “Research tells us that most people are introduced to the game by someone – personal acquaintances, friends and family,” Pitt said. “The game therefore has the opportunity to grow by using its existing golfers to be our promoters and to share their love of the game.

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Playable by golfers of all levels, the course presents many risk-reward options, as well as a spectacular setting. Tall gums, prolific wildlife (there are over a hundred species of native birds), the ever-present Yarra River and numerous billabongs throughout give the course a “country” feel, and you will instantly forget that you are only 15 minutes away from the Melbourne CBD.

“We are also delighted with the support we have received from the industry to this important initiative.

Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said the campaign had the full backing of the golf industry.

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The Club is now embarking on the next step in their transformation, which entails renovating their clubhouse. Stage 1 is scheduled to be completed in October and will include refurbished member lounges, northern terrace, men’s locker rooms and a new front entrance and indoor training facility. The new renovations will pave the way for the club to become one of Melbourne’s most appealing facilities. In keeping with Kew’s proud history of a family friendly Club they have put together a Family Entrance Fee Offer which provides a 50% discount on the entrance fee for an immediate family member of an existing member, or two new family members that join together. For further information please contact the Kew Golf Club on (03) 9859 6848.

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news

Golfers go to school on Rachel’s knowledge

State Government and golf industry tee off for charity The heavy hitters of Melbourne’s corporate world, professional golf, government and celebrity will showcase their golfing skills on the prestigious Royal Melbourne course in February next year to raise money for the Royal Children’s Hospital. The inaugural ‘Premier’s Cup’ hosted by the Premier of Victoria, The Hon Daniel Andrews, in conjunction with the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) will be held on the 1st February 2016. Premier, Daniel Andrews said the event will be a wonderful opportunity for the who’s who of Melbourne business and industry to support a fantastic cause – The Royal Children’s Hospital.

SCHOOL’S IN: Rachel Hetherington (front centre) has a new “home”.

ACHEL Hetherington, former tour player and now a golf teacher, has shifted her business, the Rachel Hetherington School of Golf, from the Northern Rivers to Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club on the Queensland/New South Wales border.

level and create a good teaching facility and build on what we are doing.”

about junior golf and is keen to expand the junior program.

Fellow teaching professional Randall Holland-Smith, who works closely with Hetherington, will join her at Coolangatta Tweed Head Golf Club.

“The junior program is very important to me,” she said.

Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club’s golf operations manager Nicole James said the move was a coup for the club that boasts two 18-hole golf courses and excellent practice facilities.

“Randall and I specialise in different areas in golf so as a team we work well together,” she said.

“It’s exciting times for Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club with Rachel setting up her golf school at the club,” James said. “It will benefit the members and visiting golfers who have the opportunity to attend the golf schools and improve their golf.” Hetherington, a winner of 11 professional tournaments including eight on the US LPGA Tour, said she was excited about the move.

“We will cover all areas of the game and I can also help golfers with on-course management. That is where majority of my experience has come from. “We have an indoor hitting bay and a launch monitor and we have access to the driving range and short game practice areas. “I’m also excited about working with Nicole James, who is new to Coolangatta Tweed and is going to be great for the club.”

“I feel it’s a good opportunity to work with the members and visitors,” she said.

Hetherington said men, women and juniors were welcome to book in for lessons or attend the comprehensive golf schools.

“It’s an opportunity to start at the ground

Hetherington is also extremely passionate

“We create a pathway for juniors starting with beginners where we give them some great tools to continue in the game. “Hopefully they will use these tools and skills to remain in the game and join as members and customers of Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club.” James said the addition of Hetherington’s School of Golf meant the club could now be considered a coaching centre of excellence. “Aside from Rachel’s School of Golf, we also have experienced coaches Ross Moodie, Matt Hancock and Julie Powell at the club,” she said. For more information, contact Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club by calling (07) 55244544 or email nicolej@atcooltweedgolf.com. au •

“We all have a special place in our hearts for the little heroes at the Royal Children’s Hospital. This charity event will bring together golfers from all walks of life to do their bit for a worthy cause.” Chairman of the AGIC and PGA of Australia Chief Executive, Brian Thorburn said the inaugural Premier’s Cup is an exciting step in combining the golf and business communities to promote the game while supporting the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. “The day will bring together people from all parts of the community in a very special way. The common goal is to raise money for an integral organisation that holds a place in the hearts of Victorian families.” Corporate teams will be allocated a politician or celebrity for the tournament with a gala dinner to be held at Royal Melbourne following the conclusion of the golf day.

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news

Peter’s grand stand for friend Kel

Peter Hines stands beside the sign honouring the late Kel Nagle at St Andrews.

ETER Hines might have been knee deep in rough but he was floating on air after coming across a lovely tribute to the late, great Australian golfer Kel Nagle during the Open Championship at St Andrews. The Royal and Ancient (R&A) honoured Nagle, the 1960 Open champion, with a giant sign on the greenside grandstand at the 18th. Hines told Inside Golf he made the trip to The Open at St Andrews to honour his good friend, who passed away aged 94 earlier this year. “The main reason for the trip was a personal pilgrimage to my dear friend Kel Nagle,” he said. “I had promised him before last Christmas that I would go to St Andrews for both of us.

“I’m not sure if it really worked, but I was also counting on it being a final farewell. “Peter Dawson from the R&A put his personal touch to a few things – one was the sign on the grandstand at the 18th green. “I thought it was really special because they have never honoured anyone in such a way before.

“I spent a week down at Sunningdale just helping out here and there and getting soaked in the English summer weather,” he said. “I didn’t have much to do so I followed Pete Senior and Peter Fowler quite a bit.” Hines also attended the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “I was present, thanks to the PGA, at David Graham’s induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame,” he said. “It was held at the St Andrews University, which is a stunning venue.”

“Over the years, I became the link between Peter (Dawson) and Kel and sent bi-weekly messages in reference to Kel’s health. It’s been a privilege to have known both.” Hines said he spent five weeks in the UK including time at the Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire.

While at St Andrews, Hines also attended the British Golf Writers’ Association awards night at the Old Course Hotel as a guest of Australian golf writer Bernie McGuire.

New golf performance centre opens THE brand-new, state-of-the-art Queensland Golf Performance Centre (QGPC) opens this month. Based at the recently opened Maroochy River Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, QGPC is being described as your one-stop golfing facility for, well, everything. Headed up by PGA professional Sean Seymore, QGPC is a 200 square metre stand-alone facility situated beside the golf club’s impressive driving range and practice facility. With all the latest equipment and technology available, fellow professionals Di Pavich and Marcus McPherson join Seymore to provide members and visitors alike with lessons (individual and group), custom club-fitting and more. The trio moved the operation from Horton Park Golf Club to Maroochy River Golf Club after the local council purchased Horton Park for a new regional city heart. “We have been using technology like in Trackman, K-Vest and Sam

PuttLab for many years and have kept adding to our technology, which helps us to help our students get better,” Seymore said. “It certainly helps with coaching because we can monitor a player’s performance through swing changes and other issues.

“We have taken a holistic approach to our golfers.

“We have two indoor/outdoor hitting bays, which is fitted out with Trackman, Sam Balance lab and high-speed cameras. “We also have an indoor putter fitting studio simulator room which will be our high performance studio that will house our K-Vest 3D and 6D bio feedback system and doubles as a putting studio where we will be using SAM Putt lab. “Then there is the club-fitting system using Trackman. “This allows us to identify which club is going to perform better for the golfer based on their swing patterns.” That’s not all QGPC offers.

“We also have a fitness room, a gymnasium within the facility where we will have specific equipment designed to improve the fitness of golfers,” Seymore explained.

“Golf fundamentals are just one fundamental to improving a golfer’s game. “We have a team of experts including exercise physiologists and physiotherapists working there. “So golfers can get a physical screening to identify areas of the body that may be limiting their ability to swing the golf club correctly.” QGPC is also offering personalised player development programs, 3D swing assessment, yoga classes, Pilate classes, mental strategies and corporate events.” To find out more, contact the QGPC on (07) 5457-0900.

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

industry news

Members sprouting via Romsey’s water plan golf club website and I see an incredible amount of traffic looking for 15 or 20 minutes and the pages they hit are consistently ‘The course’ and ‘Membership’.”

Henry Peters

ed@insidegolf.com.au @hsspeters

omsey Golf Club, just north of Melbourne, is targeting at least a 25 per cent spike in membership once its brand-new irrigation system is in place later this month.

The club — which was given an annual allocation of 10 million litres of recycled water in the wake of last decade’s crippling drought — spent five years lobbying for irrigation funding until Western Water and Macedon Ranges Shire Council allocated the club close to $30,000 in remaining funds from a Rural Development Victoria grant in August last year. Club president Anthony Lakey estimated that $100,000 worth of volunteer labour had been spent since last October to irrigate the 18-hole course in addition to approximately $10,000 in member donations and $12,000 in club funds. “We’ve done everything now bar the final five sets of fairway sprinklers. The rest of the tees, greens, most of the fairways, they’ve all been put in,” Lakey said. “I’m probably the second youngest bloke on the core workforce and I’m 60, the youngest bloke is 55. We have four or five blokes in their early 80s and we’ve got five or six blokes who are in their late 70s. A number of the women helped out as well; all told 35 members put in time on the project. Trying to get all of these people to work during the cold, wet months of July and August wasn’t viable so we won’t finish until after the club championships in September so we will hold off on those last five sets of sprinklers until then.” Lakey argued that Romsey can increase its overall membership by a minimum 25 per cent in the next three years with the advent of proper irrigation and revealed membership growth has already occurred. “We’ve already had probably eight to 10 people who have signed up over the last three months. I watch the

“[Irrigation] is going to make us a much more attractive golf course, certainly to people from the larger towns of Sunbury and Gisborne. A lot of these people are looking for the less formal atmosphere of a smaller country club. We’ll attract those people with good fairways, tees and greens and let’s face it, in these economic times, the cost of membership is also an important factor.” The irrigation system is expected to toughen up the 5,924-metre, par-72 layout for the men and 5,135-metre par-71 women’s course. Romsey — long plagued by dry and firm conditions because only its greens receive irrigation previously — will soon play much longer because of its anticipated year-round green cover of grass. “Having green grass and softer fairways 12 months of the year will make an enormous difference because the water will spread. We’ve planted 900 trees since the drought broke; those trees are five or six metres off the fairway but those trees will now get the benefit of some of that water. Once those trees get up, it’s going to make the course not only very attractive, full of native birds and animals and insects but also tougher.” Lakey estimated Romsey had 70 full playing members but only two junior members at the time of writing. “We get 20 to 30 kids to junior clinics then cricket or something else grabs them back. You just need one or two to really take up a love for the game and they’ll bring their friends with them. Five or 10 years ago, a lot of dads were playing and they brought their sons along but their sons have now grown up and moved along. Currently, we don’t have many players at the moment who’ve got 10, 11, 12, 13 year-old children, but I am sure they will again come along. We will certainly be working hard to attract mums, dads and their children to the club.” •

Ron Walker, Les Gaunt, John Laing and Bruce Robb prepare the final connection to Romsey Golf Club’s new irrigation system. INSET: Volunteer labour was key to the project’s success

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industry news

Thomson Perrett celebrates 50 years in business

he recent Open Championship at St Andrews marked the 50th year in golf course architecture for Melbournebased firm Thomson Perrett. Peter Thomson was a special guest of the R&A as he celebrated the 60th Anniversary of his 1955 win at the home of golf. Peter’s great mate, the late Kel Nagle, was also honoured with a tribute to him behind the 18th green acknowledging his passing and recalling his Centenary Open win at St Andrews in 1965. Other members of the Thomson Perrett team who attended The Open included Ross and Helen Perrett, Tim Lobb, Warren Duncan, Bernie Hogan, Chen Wei Hua and Stuart Rennie. In 1965 after his fifth Open victory Peter Thomson commenced his career in Golf Course Design when he joined with two Englishmen, Commander John Harris—a golf course architect—and Michael Wolveridge, a recently-retired golf professional. Initially the firm was called South Pacific Golf Pty Ltd, but soon became Harris Thomson and Wolveridge. Early projects included The Wairekei Golf Course in New Zealand, Royal Hong Kong Golf Club in Hong Kong, Bali Handara in Indonesia, Fujioka Country Club in Japan and the renovation of both The Delhi Golf Club and The Royal Calcutta Golf Clubs in India – the latter being the first course built in Asia (1829). In the 1960s and 1970s Thomson was pioneering the Asian Tour by playing across the Asia Pacific which helped the company expand. Wolveridge set up the Melbourne office whilst Harris concentrated on the European market from a London office.

In 1981 Wolveridge met a young Architect, Ross Perrett, who was completing a Masters thesis on Golf Architecture at Melbourne University. But it wasn’t until 1987 that Perrett started consulting to Thomson Wolveridge. After a hectic few years servicing the Asian Golf boom, Perrett had earned his stripes and was invited to join the business, thus in 1990 the company named changed to Thomson Wolveridge and Perrett. When Wolveridge retired in 2004 the company became Thomson Perrett. In 2005 Thomson Perrett and Lobb was established to service the European, Middle Eastern and African markets. Tim Lobb is a Melbourne-born golf course architect who has been working in Europe for 20 years. Thomson Perrett currently has offices in Melbourne, London, Shanghai and Hanoi. The company has achieved much over the journey, having completed over 250 projects in over 30 countries. Apart from Australia, the company has been a major contributor to the development of golf in the Asia Pacific Region, particularly in Japan, Indonesia, India, Thailand and China. The focus in recent years has shifted to the emerging markets of the Middle East, Africa and Vietnam. When asked to name some career highlights, Perrett was typically enthusiastic, noting such accomplishments as: 1990s: designing and building the Dukes course in St Andrews, Scotland and the opportunity to live in St Andrews and to learn from The Old Course. Other highlights include completing courses in Indonesia including his favourite Mt

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Peter Thomson, Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb presenting the Thomson Cup at the recent TPL Golf day at St Georges Hill GC, Surrey, UK – a Harry Colt classic that TPL are working on. Merapi (on the world’s most active volcano) built entirely by Indonesian village workers under the direction of Balinese golf legend Wayan Tunas; Designing The Capital Golf Club in Melbourne and Ayodya Links in Bangkok – both ultra-exclusive private courses; and completing over 20 courses in China on all types of sites including abandoned fish farms, rubbish tips and sites reclaimed from the sea. In the 2000s, Perrett’s highlights include working on courses like The National, Moonah Links and Sandhurst ;

Thomson Perrett show no signs of slowing down and enthusiastically embrace new markets and challenging sites. With new courses currently under construction in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Nigeria and the UK, the team at Thomson Perrett look forward to a bright future. •

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industry news

The ‘Nex’ step for the Lyles

have some custom belts made up for Jarrod with a ‘Leuk the Duck’ image representing Challenge (a charity supporting children with cancer and their families).”

Nexbelt, which sells genuine leather and canvas belts for both men and women, differentiates itself from traditional belts by offering belts without holes in them and instead feature a ratchet system and a ball marker.

In addition to Leishman, Nexbelt is also a fashion accessory proudly worn by PGA Tour professionals Jim Furyk, Greg Chalmers, Jason Bohn and Kevin Na and LPGA player Katy Harris. Briony admits Nexbelt’s growth both outside the golf industry and in nonUS markets encouraged them to become distributors in Australia.

ess than a year into their roles as Australian distributors for custom golf belt brand, Nexbelt, PGA Tour player Jarrod Lyle and his wife Briony have set their sights on becoming distributors for a wide range of US-based companies.

“The greatest point of difference between Nexbelt products and other golf belts is the ball marker in the buckle.” Briony says. “There are certainly other belts in the market that use a similar ratchet system with no holes, however Nexbelt seem to have a much more extensive range of styles and colours.” Nexbelt’s products also include interchangeable buckles and straps, which allow customers to create their own unique style. “Another selling point is the option to customise belts by using your own logo on the buckles; great for tee prizes, monthly medals, company merchandise or gifts for major clients or sponsors,” Briony says. The Lyles have been distributing Nexbelt since early this year. The surprise business venture came about after Jarrod made his PGA Tour comeback at the Frys.com Open in California in October last year and noticed playing partner and fellow Victorian Marc Leishman was fiddling with his belt around the greens throughout the round. “Marc proudly showed him his Nexbelt and said he would put Jarrod in touch with the company,” Briony revealed. “The following week in Las Vegas, we met with a representative from Nexbelt who showed us their full range of products and offered to

Hetherington’s classic call to women IT’S 24 years since Rachel Hetherington won her first of two South Pacific Ladies Open Classics, but that hasn’t stopped her promoting the 54-hole tournament to be played at Surfers Paradise Golf Club from October 11-14. As tournament patron, Hetherington is urging women golfers within the handicap range of scratch to 33 to enter the tournament.

Jarrod, who has taken a break from competing on the PGA Tour to better prepare his game for next season, is using his spare time to work as Nexbelt’s “Chief Salesman” but Briony remains the key architect of the venture. “The business consumes as much of my time as golf does for Jarrod. Since he’s been back in Australia, he has challenged himself to learn all about the products and be able to pitch them to golf clubs, pro shops and retail outlets. He will definitely have to step aside again very soon as he returns to the tour, however he has enjoyed taking on something new and developing some new off-the-course skills.” The Lyles are donating $1 from each belt sale to Challenge, which remains an extremely important cause for Jarrod, who has survived two life-threatening battles with leukaemia. “We have also designed an exclusive ‘Leuk the Duck’ belt for our Australian customers and we donate $20 from the sale of those belts to Challenge as well,” Briony says. The pair has outlined plans to become distributors for a range of international brands. “Ideally, Nexbelt will be the first of many products that we import and distribute in Australia,” Briony reveals. “Obviously,

She told Inside Golf the South Pacific Ladies Classic was one of her favourite events. Event organiser and Surfers Paradise GC president associates’ committee Dot Petrie said the tournament was open to players in a number of divisions.

PGA Tour player Jarrod Lyle proudly sporting the custom golf belt brand, Nexbelt.

“It’s a friendly event for ladies to meet players from all parts of Australia and the Pacific,” she said.

The Australian exclusive “Leuk the Duck” Nexbelt.

our strength at this stage is within the golf industry, but we will not limit our future growth to golf-specific products. Our longterm goals are definitely to look beyond belts and to set up a viable business for a life outside of professional golf.” •

“The Mid Amateur and Senior and Super Seniors divisions of the tournament give players more encouragement to achieve success.” Events include the Mixed Foursomes on October 11 and the Open Classic, Mid Amateur, Senior and Super Senior from October 12-14. More: www.surfersparadisegolfclub. com.au or by emailing surfersparadiseassociates@gmail. com

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

industry news

Don’t judge a course by its price

GOOSE faeces on golf courses is a headache for many golf course superintendents and golfers.

Andrew Davies

Owner – Eagle Ridge Golf Course CEO – Quick18 Australia

A recent study by University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa has found that manipulating the golf course through design, making it less attractive to geese, is the trick to making them stay away from it.

rice is a fluid concept. In the retail world, price is cost plus margin. At least to start with anyway, then you start discounting as the stock doesn’t move. In the golf tee-time world we’re not dictated by cost (it’s virtually all fixed, not variable) but we are burdened by old school practices of simplistic prices based on rack-rates, and a competitive market loaded with excess supply. All bad news? Nope. Just the wrong conversation. Never mind what the other courses are doing, what does the customer want? In other words, price is also about value. Find something someone values, and price for it. We do get this - weekend and twilight rates have been around for years. But what else do golfers value? Let me throw out a few: • preferred access to peak tee times • early starts • fast rounds • on-the-hour tee times • bigger groups • weather guarantees • a hot burger cooked to arrive when you finish your round … and I’ll bet there are plenty more. Last time you flew somewhere, there’s a fair chance you paid more or less than the person next to you. Maybe a lot less, if you booked well ahead and picked up a non-flexible deal. Was your seat any different? Did you think worse of the airline if you scored a great deal? Nope, your opinion didn’t change – that was already locked in. Provided of course the dreaded delays didn’t hit you.

Getting the drop on droppings

Will golf course pricing follow the same model that airlines currently employ? Of course, every course is also a product, and you’re working within a range that relates to the experience you offer. Top ranked facilities will always charge a premium, just as Qantas does for a more reliable service. Trouble is, the golf industry loves rack rates. We’ve trained our customers to look for them. They judge us by them. “You’re a $40 course”, right? Meanwhile, the airlines and hotels have shown us what fixed-cost base, perishable inventory management is all about, but we fail to heed the lessons. The price of a round of golf has not grown in a decade, whilst costs have soared – especially compliance costs on the course. That’s a win for the golfer, but for the industry to survive and keep offering quality experiences we have to grow revenue. And this is where pricing for value comes in to play. One example jumps to mind: seniors and pensioners typically pay less, driven by the fact their income is limited. However they also have more time – so why make senior and pensioner rates available on

peak early-morning tee times when demand is high? Instead, have cheaper rates available later in the day, for timeflexible people. Moving away from rack rates is an important step. The price is what it is weekend rates are higher, weekday lower. When it’s school holidays, they’re up. Booking a week in advance as opposed to the day before? Costs a little less. Golfers are right to seek out the best price for them, as operators we need to get smarter about identifying what people value, and pricing our own inventory accordingly. In 10 years, I’m betting the golf industry catches up and we’ll be seeing widespread price variation in the market - and the role of any Ops Manager or General Manager will include revenue management. For now, golfers should seek out the value, find the deals that work for you – but give courses the room to move as without a better approach the industry will resort to cost-cutting to survive, and we’ll all lose in the long run. •

Many methods that have been used in the past to control goose populations on golf courses due to their undesired “dropouts” have not been effective and some have been criticised for being unethical, says Doctor Rob Little, manager of the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology Centre of Excellence at UCT. The recent study found that golf courses offer areas of safe foraging and seclusion which are particularly attractive to geese and which can be modified to be less attractive. This can be achieved by increasing the birds’ perception of predation risk. Since open water features and large patches of lawn are attractive safety features for Egyptian Geese, a guideline for golf course designers is to restrict each fairway to less than one hectare (2.4 acres) in size. Fairways and ponds on existing courses can be modified by planting tall grass and shrubs around them to reduce their openness – and thus their security as perceived by geese. Such clusters of natural vegetation have the added advantage of potentially increasing biodiversity on the golf course and attracting other bird species. Researchers at the institute have recently embarked on a study to assess the effectiveness and response of harassing Egyptian Geese with falconry. They will be measuring both the response of the course population numbers and the vigilance levels of the geese before, during and after the harassment pressure from the raptors.

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

industry

Growing the game at a grass roots level Brian Thorburn CEO – PGA of Australia Stephen Pitt CEO – Golf Australia

e often hear about the success of Aussie golf on the world stage with our talented male and female Touring Professionals flying the flag proudly around the world, however Aussie golf is also succeeding at the grass roots level. Recently the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) released its annual competition rounds report with impressive results. In 2014/2015 competition rounds had increased by 3.6% across the country and while this report only measures club golfers playing competition rounds this could be extrapolated out to be more people playing golf across Australia. The golf industry is complex and it takes many different organisations working together to achieve such great results. The AGIC is the perfect example of the whole industry uniting to the benefit of the game; it brings together representatives from the major bodies and works as one to promote golf and industry-wide initiatives. Members of the AGIC include the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association, Australian Ladies Professional Golf, PGA of Australia, Australian Sporting Goods Association, Golf Australia, Golf Management Australia, and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects. Just as it takes many organisations working together to ensure the growth of golf in Australia the success of this comes down to many different programs and strategies. Without a doubt our country is going through a purple patch when it comes to the professional game. One the men’s side

we have a huge depth of talent headlined by Jason Day and Adam Scott, in fact so far in 2015 we have had seven players win nine titles on five tours around the world. Things are looking equally impressive in the women’s game with Minjee Lee taking over the crown of Australia’s leading lady. She headlines what has to date been an impressive year for the girls overseas. It is important that our Tour Professionals compete successfully overseas, each time one of them records a significant victory or performs well in a Major it is an injection into the game at the grass roots level. It inspires people to get out on course on the weekend but more importantly it gives kids role models to look up to, someone to emulate, something to aspire to. So when they are standing on the putting green they can pretend that they are the next Adam Scott standing over a putt at Augusta to win the Green Jacket. It is equally important that these heroes return each year to compete on home soil during our Summer of Golf for the PGA Tour of Australasia and ALPG tournaments. Australia is lucky to have the prestigious Triple Crown; the Emirates Australian Open, with one of the most coveted trophies in the country; Australia’s richest tournament, the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Masters with its iconic Gold Jacket. What these three tournaments achieve is to bring Australia’s stars home to compete in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Melbourne against the world’s best golfers. They make this international level of golf accessible to everyone on the eastern seaboard. No matter what state you live in, if you are a golf fan you can access a golf tournament without the prohibitive costs of flying. In more recent times we have also seen the inclusion of

the Perth International to the schedule that ensures the same outcomes for golf fans on the other side of the country. While having the elite Professionals at home certainly boosts interest in the game it is important to have grass roots programs available for golfers to participate in once they have been inspired by the summer of golf. Recognising the importance of growing the game and this starting at the junior level the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia united to re-launch MyGolf, the game’s national junior golf program. Working collaboratively MyGolf has seen huge success since its re-introduction in 2014, now there are more than 360 centres around the country running the program which sees more than 4,000 juniors participating in golf in a fun and engaging way. The MyGolf philosophy is all about fun, simplicity and game based learning with the objective of getting kids out on course and enjoying the game.

Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia are encouraged with the results to date and are implementing improvements that will ensure the program continues to develop new junior golfers and is competitive with junior program from other sports. In addition to growing participation, the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia are working together to grow the workforce that will deliver these participation programs through the Community Instructor Program. The Community Instructor Program aims to train volunteers to deliver national participation programs so that they are able to work alongside and support PGA Professionals in growing the game. It’s an exciting time for golf in Australia, the summer of golf is fast approaching and our home grown stars will soon be back on Aussie soil but a number of other participation initiatives are soon to be launches from the games governing bodies so there really is no better time to get involved with our wonderful game. •

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

general managers

GM Roger has all bases covered and it’s been received very well.”

David Newbery

Vandenberg says a busy workload has kept him off the fairways, but he does play in the club’s Holden Scramble events.

david@insidegolf.com.au

T’S 8.30 on a Wednesday morning at Laidley Golf Club and the club’s general manager Roger Vandenberg is manning the pro shop, collecting green fees and calling the women’s competition field.

Occasionally, he will join new members who need help interpreting the rules of golf. “The great thing about my job is I get to meet different people every day and see different things every day,” he said.

Then it’s back to his desk to work through poker machine legislation and all the other issues that come with running a golf club.

“Laidley is a wonderful golf club and I am enjoying every minute of it.”

Welcome to the life of a country golf club manager – often referred to as a jack-of-alltrades. With a small staff of five (plus volunteers), Vandenberg is often busier that a one-legged grasshopper in a jumping contest. He’s here, there and everywhere. “I do a bit of everything,” said Vandenberg. “I run the pro shop, help out on the golf course when the greenkeeper is away, work the bar when I’m needed and work in the kitchen when we have big functions. “I’m hands-on – whatever needs to be done gets done.” A qualified PGA professional, Vandenberg, 34, was headhunted for the dual role of managing the club and pro shop. “I had a pro shop at Rosewood and Hatton Vale golf clubs when Laidley’s president approached me to see if I’d come over as manager and run the pro shop,” he explained. “It’s time consuming completing all the roles but I love it. It’s a great golf club and we have grown in the five years although it’s also been tough dealing with three floods in the township.

Laidley Golf Club general manager Roger Vandenberg (right), with comedian Fred Lang and the legendary Charlie Earp, says running a country golf club is challenging and exciting. “I have seen it at its worst and I am looking forward to seeing it at its best in the years ahead.”

Laidley Golf Club has 175 members, but Vandenberg’s goal is to grow that to 250 in the next few years and eventually to 400-500.

Vandenberg said his greatest challenge was convincing golfers to travel to Laidley, which is midway between Brisbane and Toowoomba on the Darling Downs, to play golf.

Junior golf is an area where he sees the potential growth in coming years.

“It’s a myth that we are out of the way,” he said. “We are only 45 minutes from Toowoomba and Ipswich and an hour from Brisbane. It’s not that far to travel.

I ask Vandenberg if it’s a drawback having a 12-hole golf course with 15 tee positions.

“Laidley is a picturesque country golf course with a wonderful country atmosphere and the staff and members are welcoming. “It’s a nice relaxed atmosphere and I can guarantee golfers will enjoy their game of golf. “We have beautiful couch fairways, 328 greens, lovely big ironbark trees line the fairways and three holes run around Lake Dyer.”

“I go around to the schools to teach the kids golf because they are the future,” he said.

“In many ways it’s an advantage because you don’t have as many holes to maintain and we can keep the 12 holes looking picturesque,” he said. “The only disadvantage is when you have massive fields. “The other good thing about having 12 holes is it only takes three hours to play especially when corporate clients are busy,” he said. “I have organised a few charity days with the 15-inch holes to speed up the pace of play

Vandenberg believes his background as a professional has helped when it comes to dealing with members, memberships and other issues. “Pros understand the golf industry,” he said. “There are certain hurdles to overcome like poker machine legislation, but you learn something new every day. “Golf pros can relate to the frustrations when the weather stops people from coming out to play golf. “I don’t like seeing rain on the weekends because you don’t hear the cash register ticking over.” Recently Vandenberg joined the Golf Management Australia (Queensland) where he networks with fellow golf club managers. “If I need any advice on any sticky issues I call Steve Owen, who is the GM at Toowoomba Golf Club at Middle Ridge,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the GMA’s national conference on the Gold Coast in September. It’ll be great to meet, network with other managers and learn more about the golf industry from the experts.”

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

from the ceo

Top pros set for Fiji, Gold Coast

Our national Open engraved in history

Brian Thorburn CEO – PGA of Australia

he PGA Tour of Australasia schedule resumed this month and with it came a significant player announcement for the Fiji International with Matt Kuchar set to headline this year’s tournament at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course from the 15-18 of October.

Stephen Pitt CEO – Golf Australia

long with the Australian golfing community, we very much look forward to the Emirates Australian Open annually.

Ranked in the top-20 on the Official World Gold Rankings, Kuchar’s last appearance on the PGA Tour of Australasia was in 2013 at the Australian Masters where he finished runnerup to winner, Adam Scott.

But this year, we’re even more excited by a very special milestone. When world golf’s focus falls on The Australian Golf Club in Sydney in the week from November 23, we join an extremely exclusive group of global events in playing our 100th championship.

A seven-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Kuchar’s victories include the 2014 RBC Heritage, 2013 World Golf Championships Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2012 THE PLAYERS Championship.

After The Open (1860), US Open (1895), South African Open (1903) and Canadian Open (1904), our national title is the oldest continuously run – barring the impact of wars – golf championship in the world.

Fiji is a beautiful golfing destination and the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course is renowned for its sparkling backdrop of coral reefs and the Pacific Ocean that lines 15 out of the 18 championship holes. I encourage fans to kick off their summer early and join us at one of the world’s most idyllic locations. Tickets are on sale through www.fijiinternational.com with prices starting at $20 with discounts available when you purchase online. Several hospitality package options also exist and allow visitors a VIP tournament experience. Excitement is also building for the highly anticipated Australian PGA Championship in its first year as a co-sanctioned tournament on the European Tour. This year’s tournament winner will join the Race to Dubai with full exemption on the European Tour for the 2016 and 2017 season, together with exemption into the 2016 WGC Bridgestone Invitational - a World Golf Championship event.

So with time out during World War I and World War II, we have reached the 100th edition – and we couldn’t be prouder. Our branding will show the words “Engraved in history” to emphasise just that. The opportunity to improve our strength of the field through a greater depth of international players, thanks to our cosanction with the European Tour, will see a number of new and existing international Professionals enter the field.

Royal Pines Resort and will see Professionals vying for an increased prize purse of AU$1.75 million.

Negotiations with representatives for a number of the world’s top Professionals are advancing quickly and we will be looking to make player announcements around the Australian PGA Championship event launch which is scheduled for this month. The 2015 Australian PGA Championship will be played from the 3-6 December at RACV

Tickets are on sale through the tournament website www.pgachampionship.com.au together with various hospitality packages for spectators who are looking for a few extras and the finest tournament experience that money can buy. I hope to see you on the Gold Coast in December for what promises to be a magnificent week of golf and a new era for the Australian PGA Championship.

It’s an important achievement for a worldclass event, especially when you think about what’s gone before, all the great Australian Open championships we’ve had over the years and the amazing list of champions we’ve had. There have been some golden eras, perhaps most noticeably when across two decades the Stonehaven Cup was basically shared between Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Peter Thomson. And most of the great champions of golf have won the Australian Open.

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

from the ceo

One year out from the Olympics and our ALPG players are already counting down! But the decision has been made and an individual competition it will be in 2016. The IOC has restricted Olympic fields for each the Men’s and Women’s competition to 60 players who will be selected from the International Golf Federation Olympic Rankings.

Karen Lunn

Executive Director – ALPG

Apart from those three immortal names, there’s Greg Norman, Bobby Locke, Gene Sarazen, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer – it’s effectively the who’s who of golf. More recently there’s Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth in the past two years, along with our own Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy – all major championship winners – and the list goes on and on.

The top 15 ranked players will be eligible, with a limit of four players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.

hen the International Olympic Committee announced in 2009 that golf would form part of the Olympic programme in 2016, most players seemed delighted about the potential benefits and funding that golf would now receive in becoming an Olympic Sport.

The competition for places on National teams, particularly in the cases of the USA and South Korea teams will be very tough. It is very likely that both of these teams will have four players on each of their teams, currently Korea have nine players in the top 20 in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings and the USA five players.

On a personal level, though, most players were more concerned with the 25 major Championships that they would compete in between 2009 and 2016 to give any real serious thought to Rio 2016.

In fact, there have been 15 people who’ve held aloft the Stonehaven Cup who have won major championships during their careers.

Six years on and the golfing world is in serious planning mode for what will be one of the most significant golf events in memory, in fact this time next year practice rounds will be underway for the men’s golf event at the games of the 121st Olympiad!

In short, the global recognition of the Australian Open – past and present – is incredible. The 100th edition is, naturally, a very important achievement. It’s going to be a special championship and there will be some key activities included to mark the milestone and we’ll unveil them closer to the tournament. But we’re really excited about those add-ons to the championship that will make what’s already set down to be a special event even stronger.

Barring any serious injury it is most likely that Karrie Webb and Minjee Lee will represent Australia in the women’s competition.

The Olympic Golf event in 2016 will be an individual stroke event—which has disappointed players and fans alike, many felt that this would be a great opportunity to showcase the game by having a team’s event, possibly even a mixed team’s event. The thought of Karrie Webb and Adam Scott playing Stacy Lewis and Jordan Speith for the Olympic Gold medal would certainly be a mouth-watering encounter , and would potentially attract huge worldwide audiences.

Roll on, summer. And roll on the 100th Australian Open.

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For Karrie, representing Australia at the Olympics will be the pinnacle of what has been a truly magnificent career. Karrie, a self-confessed sports nut, boasts Olympians Dawn Fraser, Nat Cook and Rennae Stubbs as some of her closest friends. The possibility of her becoming an Olympic athlete at 41 years old will no longer be just a pipe dream, and as long as Karrie stays healthy she will be wearing the green and gold into the Maracanã stadium for the opening ceremony on August 5th 2016. Australia certainly would

have two very good medal prospects in Minjee and Karrie, I am sure Australia’s Team Leader Ian Baker-Finch is confident that we have very strong medal prospects in both the men’s and women’s competitions. In saying this we know that golf is very different to many other sports where there may be only a few genuine medal hopes. In both the Women’s and Men’s events there will be at least 40 players who are capable of winning a medal. It will definitely make fascinating viewing to see who is standing on the dais draped in their national flag and an Olympic Gold medal. Let’s hope that the flag is an Australian flag and they are singing the words to Advance Australia Fair!

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cover story

Major Day

arrives on time putting, at times, like putting wizard Spieth.

David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

N the lead-up to the 97th US PGA Championship, the talk was about Rory McIlroy.

Would he play and could he make a successful comeback after a serious ankle injury prevented him from playing in the Open Championship? Then the spotlight turned to 22-year-old American sensation Jordan Spieth. Could the US Masters and US Open champion win golf’s fourth major and become only the third player after Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods to win three majors in the same year? Would he be able to handle the pressure and tame the demanding Whistling Straits golf course? After round one, the focus shifted to tournament leader Dustin Johnson, who fired a six-under par 66. Could he make amends for his 72nd hole error at the 2010 US PGA Championship at the same venue when, with a one-shot lead, he grounded his club in a bunker and lost out on a playoff spot when handed a two-shot penalty? This year, he opened with a six-under-par 66 and many started to believe. By day three and going into the final round, however, Jason Day, who finished tied ninth at the US Open and tied fourth at the Open Championship, put up his hand and said, “Don’t forget about me.” He served notice on his rivals with opening rounds of 68-67-66. Day muscled his way to the front by pumping out 300-plus yard drives and

That’s when he threw down the gauntlet to the rest of the field, “Catch me if you can.” They couldn’t. And he didn’t allow anyone, not even Spieth, to sneak up on him and snatch away the major victory he had been seeking since joining the PGA Tour full-time in 2008 and dreamed about since he was in short pants. He had worked too hard to allow that to happen. This year Day has had to overcome a thumb injury and a vertigo attack. But at Whistling Straits, Day was as steady as a rock and cruised to a record 20-under par to win the $US10 million event and its $1.8m winner’s prize. He might have spent the week sharing the spotlight with Spieth, Johnson, Justin Rose, Brandon Grace and others, but it was Day who conquered the demanding golf course by shaking two eagles and 25 birdies out of the layout dotted with 1000 bunkers and deadly rough. Yes, John Daly threw a club into Lake Michigan, but as many as 10 challengers threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Day. It was pointless because he was resolute. A vertigo attack brought Day to his knees at the US Open, but the world’s best players failed to do it at Whistling Straits as he justified his standing as one of the best golfers on the planet. On the 71st green, Mr Nice Guy Jordan Spieth gave Day the thumbs-up after the Aussie rolled a lengthy putt to tap-in distance. Perhaps that was the signal that Day had the Wanamaker Trophy in the bag. Then, with one very short putt remaining

Photos: Montana Pritchard/PGA of America. on the 72nd hole, Day’s emotions kicked in and he shed a few tears. “I hope he can see his ball for his final putt,” said commentator Nick Faldo, who himself sobbed uncontrollably when he won the 1992 Open Championship at Muirfield. When Day’s final putt dropped, there were more tears as he embraced his caddie, longtime coach, mentor and father figure Col Swatton. Born at Beaudesert in Queensland, Day was 12 when he lost his father Alvyn to cancer. Alvyn introduced his son to golf when he was six years old, but when he passed away Day endured a painful childhood. Still, his mother Dening realised his potential and sacrificed much so that he could complete his golfing education at Kooralbyn International School and later Hills International College where Swatton took him under his wing. It was there that Day borrowed a book from a roommate about Tiger Woods, which inspired him to improve his golf by practising in the early morning, during the lunch break and in the evening. When Jason Day won the US PGA Championship, it completed an improbable

journey of patience and perseverance. “I never thought I would play on the PGA Tour and win a major,” Day said. Well, he has and becomes only the fifth Australian after Jim Ferrier, David Graham, Wayne Grady and Steve Elkington to lift the Wanamaker Trophy. Day’s victory was popular with his peers including Rory McIlroy. “This is a huge monkey off his back,” McIlroy said. “Obviously he’s had so many chances. He finished second to me at Congressional [in the US Open] four years ago and he was close at the Masters that year, as well. “I’m delighted for him. It would have been harsh if he’d lost this.” Added Spieth: “It was Jason’s day. “He played like he’d won seven or eight majors.” There is little doubt Day has the talent to win more majors. And while many fans are hoping for an appearance in Australia this summer, we’ll all just have to wait a while longer, as Day’s next ‘major’ goal is to attend to more domestic/fatherly duties, as he and wife Ellie are expecting their second child next month. •

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cover story

Spieth first, Day(light) second and Geoff Ogilvy made it through to the final major of the year, but missed the cut. Open Championship runner-up Marc Leishman didn’t qualify after missing the cut at the US Open. Matt Jones and Steven Bowditch did not play in the Masters and US Open. When it came to the money list a breakdown of the players who made the cut in all four majors it shows that Spieth banked $US2,576,684 more than his nearest rival Day. •

THE MAJORS SCOREBOARD 2015 Name

Four major scores

Total

To par

Money (US$)

Jordan Spieth

270-275-274-271

1090

54-under

5,140,377

Jason Day

287-280-274-268

1109

35-under

2,563,693

Justin Rose

274-285-277-274

1110

34-under

1,730,005

Dustin Johnson

279-276-284-276

1115

29-under

1,534,377

Louis Oosthuizen

284-276-273-284

1117

27-under

1,905,463

Hideki Matsuyama

277-283-280-285

1125

19-under

682,025

Brooks Koepka

288-283-278-275

1124

20-under

751,329

Phil Mickelson

274-293-281-280

1128

16-under

333,759

Sergio Garcia

283-283-277-288

1131

13-under

597,063

Matt Kuchar

290-281-285-276

1132

12-under

540,749

Patrick Reed

286-282-281-284

1133

11-under

401,742

Henrik Stenson

284-285-283-283

1135

9-under

317,206

Paul Casey

279-286-288-284

1137

7-under

461,461

Just 18 players made the cut in all four majors.

Charl Schwartzel

289-278-287-285

1139

5-under

414,365

England’s Justin Rose finished third on 1110 ahead of Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen.

Ernie Els

286-291-286-283

1146

2-over

218,660

Rory McIlroy didn’t qualify after missing the Open Championship through an ankle injury.

Webb Simpson

287-288-283-288

1146

2-over

171,070

To recap on the major season, Spieth, 22, won the US Masters and US Open, tied for

Day was the lone Australian to make the cut in all four majors. Adam Scott, John Senden

Lee Westwood

290-289-284-286

1149

5-over

120,859

Jason Dufner

292-283-285-292

1152

8-over

182,310

Photos: Montana Pritchard/PGA of America. fourth in the Open Championship and was runner-up in the US PGA Championship.

David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

O prizes for guessing who finished atop the leaderboard when all the scores from this year’s four majors – the US Masters, US Open, Open Championship and US PGA Championship – were added together. Yes, it’s American Jordan Spieth. After 16 major rounds Spieth’s total was 1090 – 54-under par and 19 shots clear of US PGA Championship winner Jason Day (1109).

For his efforts in the four majors, Spieth, who putts cross-handed, banked $US5,140,377 and rose to number one in the world. Fifty-five players made the cut at the Masters to progress to the “second stage” – the US Open. That number reduced to 32 when 23 players missed the cut at the US Open and to 26 after the Open Championship.

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www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

golf legends

Standing the test of time:

David Graham (finally) enters the World Golf Hall of Fame By Andrew Crockett

avid Graham cemented his place in golfing history when he won the US Open in 1981. Not only did his stellar ball striking at Merion Golf Club draw comparisons to Ben Hogan (who won the US Open at Merion in 1950) but it elevated Graham to the top of the Australian golf echelon as he became the first Australian to win two different majors, the other being the 1979 US PGA two years earlier. He also, crucially, became the first Australian to win the US Open. Graham’s performance at Merion in 1981 will be talked about as folklore for generations to come, his 7-under total a remarkable feat considering Justin Rose (32 years later) shot +1 to win his first US Open at the same venue. Graham’s 1979 US PGA is remembered for the drama, finishing with a double-bogey on the 72nd hole for a closing round of 65 … forcing Graham to beat Ben Crenshaw in a sudden-death playoff that he won on the third playoff hole. With Graham’s stellar career—including victories on six different continents, Dunhill Cup victories, Presidents Cup International team Captain honours, Order Of Australia and Sport Australian Hall Of Fame honours— it would surely only be a matter of time for him to get the nod for the World Golf Hall Of Fame induction. While it took over thirty years to be recognised, it was worth the wait. In July, Graham travelled back to the home

of golf, St Andrews, to be inducted into the WGHOF at the historic St Andrews University. His wife, Maureen, was in the audience along with two of his idols, Peter Thomson and American Arnold Palmer sitting in the front row, applauding the great career of this Australian champion. In his emotional victory speech in front of a large audience, Graham cited his first coach in George Naismith (Riversdale Golf Club) for helping him change from left to right-handed, Peter Thomson for his inspirational career, Arnold Palmer for bringing the public to golf and above all, his ever-growing affection for his wife of forty six years, Maureen and their children and grandchildren. It was a fine speech as Graham once again shone the global spotlight on Australian golf. Graham joins a prominent list of Australians who have each received golf’s highest honour, including Walter J. Travis, Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, Greg Norman and Karrie Webb. In the week prior to his induction, Inside Golf chatted with Graham about this great honour. It is no news that your HOF induction is well overdue. Are you happy that the wait is over and that it enabled the whole process to happen at St Andrews? Graham: I’m ecstatic about it! I have waited a long time to get into the HOF and I don’t know why it took so long, it has been a lengthy process and I am very grateful, especially, to Gary Player and Arnold Palmer for really getting behind my nomination and maybe

David Graham and Gary Player at the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Photo: WGHOF/Getty). giving it the little nudge that it needed. Certainly the restricting of the system for induction, by Tim Finchem, has helped me because it became clearer what the requirements were and the eligibility to get selected, rather than in the past it may have been considered a bit of a political popularity race. I think those days are over and commissioner Finchem deserves all the credit for that. You are the only Australian to win two different majors... do you think it was your world travels and victories in many countries that set you up for such a wonderful career or do you think it would have happened anyway if you just went straight to America? Graham: I think you have to look at what golf was, in the era that I played. The established tour, in the world, was in America and if you were not committed to coming to America, you had to play through Asia, through Japan, Europe, South America … it was very disorganised and there wasn’t much money. My wife and I were fortunate that we did not have children early in our marriage,

so we were able to, as a young couple, come to America and give it a try. I did not want to travel all through those countries and be away from home that much and I wanted to play against the best players in the world, I wanted to play on an established tour and I wanted to be able to get home on a Sunday night. A couple of Aussies in Bruce Devlin and Bruce Crampton tried it before me, to commute from Australia and they realised it was impossible … so really there were only two choices and it was pretty easy for me to make that decision to be based in America. I don’t think you can live in Australia and play golf around the world and commute, even with the big jets and the non-stop flights. If you live in Australia, there are very few tournaments for a start. If you are married and you do have children and you want to base yourself in Australia, you are going to be away for weeks at a time and I just don’t think that is a ticket for a successful marriage and a happy life. George Naismith was your mentor as a young man. He played a significant part in your early career. What would you like to say to him now, if you could?

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

17th Green, Langer Course, Riviera Golf Club, Philippines

golf legends Graham: Thank you for changing my life. Which he did. He took a 14-year-old kid in as an assistant. He didn’t know much about me and he mentored me for five years. He changed me from a lefty to a right-hander. He was the only person that made that suggestion to me, that I would be better as a right-hander. Fortunately I listened to him. I was a lost soul when he gave me a job. I left school when I was 14. A two-time major champion, you are a member of the Order Of Australia, in the Sport Australia Hall Of Fame and now the World Golf Hall Of Fame – did you dream of that sort of success as a young boy pumping balls down the range at Riversdale Golf Club in Melbourne? Graham: I don’t think anybody dreams that big when they are a kid. You might think, in your head, as a kid ‘well this six-foot putt is to win the Masters, or win the Australian Open’, they are all great things to work on, but hardly any of them ever materialise. I don’t think I could ever be presumptuous enough to have said I dreamt all of the good fortunes that I have had, I think it would have woken me up too quick. I have been married to the same woman for 46 years. We have raised two good sons, we have five grandchildren, we have a nice home and I have led a nice life travelling the world and had the pleasure of playing in the Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Trevino era which will be (as long as I play golf ) the greatest era in the game. There will never be four legends of the game like those four all playing at the same time, perhaps in the history of the game, ever again. I played through a great era and it was a good ride. There were a lot of other people, Tony Jacklin, Tom Weiskopf, Johnny Miller, Ray Floyd … there were some awesome multiple major champions in the era I played through in those 25-plus years.

In good company: Back row, from left: Isao Aoki, Sir Michael Bonallack, Sandy Lyle, Sir Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Carol Mann and Ken Schofield. Middle row, from left: Amy Alcott, Pat Bradley, Hollis Stacy, Donna Caponi Byrnes, Curtis Strange, Judy Rankin and Peter Thomson. Front row, from left: Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, David Graham, Mark OMeara, Nancy Lopez and Arnold Palmer (Picture: WGHOF/Getty).

Graham celebrating his 1981 US Open victory (Photo: USGA Archives). You had 16 top tens in the majors. Of the ones that got away, the 1985 Open Championship at Royal St Georges, with a closing round of 75 to lose by two to Sandy Lyle...what happened on that final day after opening with 68, 71 and 70?

You never saw Jack Nicklaus in the gym. When you see how healthy and strong these modern players are, it almost looks like you can’t compete out there unless you do work out, stretch and get stronger. They are hitting the golf ball prodigious distances, and it is not just because of the driver or the golf ball, it is about club head speed and these guys are fit and strong and able to swing the club faster than has been done before. It is incredible to see.

Graham: I don’t know what happened, I just didn’t play very well and Sandy Lyle did. Bernhard Langer could have won. That was as close as I came to winning The Open Championship. Do you watch much golf these days, which bits are you liking about the modern professional game? Graham: What is abundantly clear is that players playing today are so healthy. They are athletes. I mean Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy they are just so fit it is incredible. We never went to the gym. Gary Player was the only guy who went to the gym when I played.

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Did you watch the US Open? What are your thoughts on the course and the players? Graham: (Laughs) Well, the discussion ends when you look at who won and they see Jordan Spieth, the current best player in the world as far as his performance is concerned. That ends the conversation. If the winner had been a new unknown player, they may have been able to criticise, but with Jordan

Spieth winning you really can’t complain. Since The Australian Open victory last year, his golf has just been incredible. That final round 63 at The Australian in those conditions, great players have the ability to do that, to stay in the zone for 18 gruelling holes. He is a great player. I don’t think anybody liked the Chambers Bay golf course. Maybe Spieth finished up saying he liked it, but it looked awful, it was terribly designed, it penalised so many good shots and frankly I hope they don’t go back there. Having said all of that, when the best golfer in the world wins, nobody really complains and that is really the way it should be. • Andrew Crockett is the author of Bump & Run: At the feet of the masters. More: www.bumpandrun.com.au

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www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

on tour

Pro-Am podiums and bouncing ball makers with Steven Jeffress ed@insidegolf.com.au

fter last month’s adventures in Thailand, I had a few weeks off, during which I helped a friend move house. Following that, as you can imagine, I was happy to get back out on the golf course! My first event back was Pioneer Valley. It’s a great little course about 30 minutes west of Mackay. Due to my time off, my body felt pretty average. It’s like trying to race in a V8 supercar event while driving a Hyundai 1.2 litre Getz! I thought I would be 1000 to 1 to win. But it’s funny how you relax and just play when your expectations are low. I started strongly and just kept going, signing for a 7-under 65 to win the event! I was over the moon with my first event and was keen to win again at the Mackay Pro-Am. Mackay is a four-day event with $60,000 prize pool. I’ve won Mackay before and it’s a course that suits me. You have to be straight off the tee and putt well. I stay with Kevin and Jenny Giles who look after me great (and feed me well). A 67 and 69 after two days had me sitting in 4th position and in a nice place to attack on the weekend. But then, as golf does sometimes, the putts dried up and my ball striking wasn’t what it was the first two days. A pair of even-par 71s on Saturday and Sunday saw me finish in 10th position. I was a little disappointed but in the big picture it was still a solid start. I must mention a mate of mine, Daniel Stevenson who hasn’t played tournaments for about 6 years was back out to play again. He left his house on the

With wins at Pioneer Valley and Rockhampton, Steven Jeffress is in top form.

Sunshine Coast, keen to get back into the life of a touring Professional only to arrive in Mackay without his suitcase, no clothes at all but the ones he was wearing. Good on you Stevo!

to the original spot, numerous phone calls were made regarding the ruling, with the end result being that there was no penalty— which made my mate Dave happy, as he had felt awful.

We then headed down the A1 highway to Rockhampton where I stay with some more great friends, Ray and Audrey Whiting (where I also eat better than when at home!). We had a corporate day on the Tuesday and was lucky enough to play with Ian Weigh, the main sponsor of the Rockhampton Pro-Am. We didn’t win but learnt a few new shots that I didn’t know was possible with a golf club!

I played average the second day but putted solid and signed for a 3-under 69. I was now sitting three shots behind the leader with two rounds to play. I played great the 3rd day signing for 66 and now was tied for the lead with two others, so I was looking forward to a Sunday shootout. I turned in 4-under to have a three-shot lead with 9 holes to play and am happy to say that that a 1-under back-9 saw me win by four shots! Anytime you win it’s a great feeling, but winning a four-day event really shows where your game is at. I would like to think that my experience in four-day events helped, as you have to stay really patient no matter if you throw in a couple of average holes.

I had 5-under the first day at Rocky, and was running tied 3rd but had a funny incident on the last green. A mate of mine, Dave, was walking around watching, and on the last green he threw my marker to me when I wasn’t looking. It hit me on the leg, hit the ground, then rolled and hit my ball, moving it about 3 inches! Now, this would be an interesting ruling. After replacing my ball

My final event was at the Yeppoon Golf course which was looking awesome. Trevor,

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

the head greenskeeper, always works hard to get the course in tip-top shape and he had certainly done that this time. This was a new event organised and run by a mate of mine, Graham Shepard. It’s a fun course which isn’t long from tee to green but you have to be straight. Unfortunately, the great form that I showed at Rockhampton had disappeared! I was 4-under through two rounds—which wasn’t awful but I was 10 shots behind the leader. A 69 and 67 saw me finish 10-under for the week and in 10th position. I shouldn’t complain, but I felt the course set up great for me and I had good form coming into the event. As I’ve mentioned before, golf is a funny game. I putted so well the previous week and this week I couldn’t get it in from 4 feet. Anyway for the next month or so I am staying in QLD, playing a bunch of ProAms and the QLD Open before heading to Korea for their National Open. I look forward to reporting some more wins next month. •

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on tour

Jeffress confident ahead of Fiji title defence

t’s been a big 12 months for Steven Jeffress and it all began when he hit the very first shot of the inaugural Fiji International.

SOCIAL golfers seeking an official, nationally recognised Golf Link handicap are turning to the fast-growing Australian Golf Network (AGN).

A Tour Professional for 13 years, Jeffress was a regular on the PGA Tour of Australasia and often featured on tournament leader boards. He had even competed in a major championship, The Open in 2013.

After five years of development in Western Australia as the Perth Golf Network, a new concept in golf membership has now gone nationwide.

Jeffress was bestowed the honour of hitting the very first tee shot of the Fiji International, ensuring he would always hold a place in the history books, no matter how he fared on course over the next 72 holes. However, that tee time seemed to be a stroke of genius from tournament organisers as Jeffress also went on to hit the very last shot of the tournament, the winning putt on the 18th on Sunday afternoon. “It was obviously a massive honour to be able to hit the first tee shot and to be able to hit the last shot made it better, obviously because I won,” said Jeffress. “But even if I hadn’t won, hitting the first tee shot in a brand-new event, only one person can do that and I was lucky enough that it was me.” “It was sort of a fairytale tournament for me.” Since then, Jeffress has competed in some of the biggest tournaments in international golf, played some of the most famous and hallowed courses in the world and rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. Opportunities all opened up to him from winning the Fiji International. “Things are different, on a personal level at home, winning a good amount of money has made a massive difference to my position in life with house payments and those sorts of things,” said Jeffress who picked up over AU$190,000 for his victory. “On the golf course everything has changed just that little bit; it’s hard to explain because I have never done it before.” “There is a new level of respect from other people at tournaments and they always mention the win, so it keeps the positive feelings coming back and I guess you get to re-live it a couple of times,” added Jeffress.

AGN vitalising golf membership

Steven Jeffress hopes to repeat last year’s Fijian success, while Matt Kuchar (INSET) will have plans of his own for victory “But the opportunities I have received are amazing; I get to play the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the WGC - HSBC Champions at the end of the year. Plus, I have already played the WGC – Cadillac Championship and I received an invite to the Japan Tour Championship. So the win is definitely giving me opportunity and that is what you are really after in this game.” While he may now have the opportunity to compete in those four tournaments which combined are worth more than AU$33 million, Jeffress has stayed true to his roots. One of the most humble men on Tour, he is always popular with other players and fans and has continued to compete successfully in pro-ams in Queensland which according to Jeffress has helped keep his game sharp. “Even though you win good money you can’t shut up shop because money goes out pretty quickly in this game,” added Jeffress, alluding to the expense of travelling the world to compete in golf tournaments. “You can win some good money if you play well enough in pro-ams and if you enter with the right attitude.” Jeffress will soon turn his attention back to the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course as he is set to defend his Fiji International title. “I love Fiji, even if I hadn’t won last year I would be looking forward to going back there,” added Jeffress. “Obviously going back as the champion makes it special and I’m sure when I get

back to Natadola a few of those memories of where I hit the ball will come back to me and the feelings on certain parts of the course.” “Deep down I’m actually really confident of giving the title another crack this year. I think the golf course suits my game, you need to hit it straight and be fairly strategic.” “I really don’t think the week is going to be that different to a normal tournament other than people reminding me that I am the defending champion. That is where the mental side of the game comes in and I just have to stay in the moment,” added Jeffress. While Jeffress is confident ahead of his Fiji International title defence he will have at least one big name to overcome in doing so. In a huge coup for the tournament world number 16 Matt Kuchar from the United States has signed onto compete in 2015. Kuchar who will compete in the Presidents Cup the week before, will head to Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course determined to show Fiji why he is one of the best players in the world but also a fan favourite where ever he visits. “I’m excited to be competing in the Fiji International, as I’ve heard great things about Natadola Bay and the area itself,” said Kuchar who is engaging, relatable, likeable and always with a smile on his face. “As I’m enjoying the challenge on the course, I know my family will be enjoying a variety of different activities the location has to offer.” •

The PGN evolved out of a need to bridge the gap between social and competitive golf and now the AGN is bringing the successful model to the east. “In a time-poor world it’s becoming more difficult to spend the time and money needed for a traditional sevenday membership,” said company director Gordon Smith. “We offer all the services you’d expect from a private club with a pay-as-you-play format and comps seven days a week at a variety of courses.” The AGN helps golfers take the next step to competitive golf by providing information on rules, etiquette and more, as well as an official handicap. “We have a friendly, relaxed environment in our club where new players can learn the game and the rules without worrying about offending anyone,” Smith said. “Many of our members move on to join private clubs after a year or two with us … often joining one of the clubs that we regularly play.” The model has been well received by the golfing community. It costs just $129 to join AGN. In addition to the official handicap, golfers receive a membership pack that includes an AGN golf shirt (valued at over $50), a Key Return gift pack including key ring and pen (valued at over $50) and vouchers and gifts from AGN’s other sponsors. More: Gordon Smith on 0405-183-425 or www.australiangolfnetwork.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

on tour

Player tees off on everything David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

EVEN times Australian Open champion Gary Player says that too many of today’s professionals, including Tiger Woods, are relying too heavily on golf teachers.

Still, Player believes Woods will return to his winning ways “if he finds the right teacher”. “He has so much gas in the tank and so much ability,” said the South African. “He can come back and I sincerely hope he does.

“He wins the US Open by 15 shots and then he goes to all these professionals for lessons,” Player told golf.com’s Jeff Ritter at the US Open.

“I get very depressed when I hear people say Tiger is playing badly because of his weighttraining program.

“You have to go to someone for a lesson that has been in the arena, that’s played in majors and knows about the body, knows how to adjust the mind and knows how to prepare for a tournament,” he added. “All these things are vital.

“How come I, at 80 years of age (in November), can shoot 70 on average and beat my age by 10 shots almost every time I play? “I’m still pushing 400 pounds with my legs, I do 1300 crunches, I do 200 crunches with 100 pounds on my chest and I put the treadmill on max. “How come I’m playing well? It’s only that people are lazy. “You have to remember the average man doesn’t worry about health or exercising or eating properly.

mostly from his flat-stick. “He is the best putter in the world today and that’s the thing that always wins golf tournaments,” he said. “If you look at Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson they would probably be the worst drivers according to the statistics for years and yet they were number one and two. “Continually I hear people say ‘my son is going to be a champion because he hits the ball 350 yards’. “Length is the most overrated thing in golf. “Seventy per cent of golf is played from 100 yards in. “That’s where you have to be a champion. You have to have a strong mind, eat properly, exercise and learn to accept adversity. That’s what I want to hear people do.” Player said he would like to see Masters, Open and US PGA champion Phil Mickelson win the US Open and join him, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as grand slam winners. “Phil Mickelson is a man I admire so much,” he said. “He has behaved extremely well, looked after the gallery and looked after the media.

“I always had a good idea of the basics in the golf swing and I never went to different people to get confused.

“So what do they do? They sit in an armchair and criticise the best in the world and I find that hilarious.”

“I learnt the basics from people like Norman von Nida.

Player went on to say he was a huge fan of US Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth.

“So I would love to see him (Phil), after six second places, win the US Open and join the five of us.”

“I am a tremendous admirer of the man,” Player said. “He has good heart.

Player said he understood how it felt to finish runner-up in a major.

“I watched him with his family and his sister and he has a lot of love in his heart.

“I have been second in seven majors, and only your wife and dog knows about it,” Player laughed. •

“If you go to the 10 best teachers in the world, every one of them will tell you something different. You get fouled up. “I love what (Lee) Trevino said when he was asked who his teacher was. “He said ‘when I find somebody that can

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

“So you can have a coach but you can be over-coached and that’s the terrible thing about it.”

Player said Woods’ choice of coach in recent years “hasn’t been that good”.

Player, who won nine majors by solving his own swing problems, questions why the former world number one needs to rely on teachers who have never played at the highest level.

beat me I’ll have a lesson’ and that was a great answer.

Player believes Spieth’s success comes

“If it wasn’t for the media we wouldn’t have these big tournaments and sponsors.

amateur events

Exciting changes in new ACGC Series Lauren McGregor Champion Events

he start of the ACGC 2015/16 series is finally upon us! The ACGC Tournament Committee has been busily gearing up for the new series, with plans to make this the biggest and most exciting series to date. Excitement is in the air as we prepare to see new as well as familiar faces competing for the chance to call themselves Australian’s BEST Amateur Golf Pair. The 2015/16 ACGC series will feature a brand-new registration gift pack courtesy of Volvik. The events will also up the stakes by turning every par-3 hole into a Hole-in-One prize opportunity. This isn’t just your average prize; any Hole in One hit on any par-3 hole, at any regional event will result in a VIP Experience at the ACGC Championship Final at the stunning RACV Royal Pines Resort in Queensland. One perfect shot and you’ll be on your way to the Gold Coast! In past ACGC series, the rules surrounding entry into the regional events required one player per pair to be a member of one of the seven Auto Clubs. We want to make it very clear that this is no longer the case; any Australian golfer with a current Golf Link handicap is eligible to play in the ACGC events for only $36 entry fee per player. By opening the tournament up to all Australian golfers, expect a fiercer competition that gives much more weight to the term

“Australia’s Best Amateur Golf Pair”. Imagine those bragging rights around your club.

an active auto club member, please see the FAQ’s on www.acgc.com.au.

Auto Club members will still enjoy their club benefits by receiving a discount on their entry fee into the regional events. Any active member of the RACV, NRMA, RACQ, RAC, RAA, RACT, or AANT will pay an entry fee of only $27. For questions on what defines

With over 80 events expected to be held all over Australia, it shouldn’t be hard to find one near you. Check out the events page on www.acgc.com.au for a list of upcoming tournaments and instructions on how to register. •

UPCOMING ACGC DATES STATE WA WA NSW NSW VIC QLD QLD SA WA QLD VIC NSW WA NSW VIC SA WA SA VIC NSW VIC NSW QLD SA TAS WA VIC SA TAS VIC NSW VIC SA WA TAS WA VIC QLD VIC VIC VIC VIC VIC VIC WA NSW VIC

EVENT Narrogin Goomalling Shelly Beach Thurgoona RACV Torquay Rowes Bay GC Gold Coast Country Club Berri Golf Club Albany Half Moon Bay Goonawarra Narrandera Kalgoorlie/Goldfields Moruya Lang Lang Thaxted Park Lakelands Belair Club Mandalay Deniliquin Kooringal Fairfield Golf Club Rockhampton Port Augusta Launceston GC Hillview Kingston Links North Adelaide Greens Beach Lonsdale Golf Club Griffith Maryborough McLaren Vale Wannero Devonport Capel Horsham RACV Royal Pines Gisborne AM Gisborne PM Box Hill Yallourn Lang Lang RACV Golf Club Members Margaret River Magenta Shores Stawell

DATE 23/08/2015 2/09/2015 5/09/2015 5/09/2015 14/09/2015 19/09/2015 19/09/2015 19/09/2015 25/09/2015 26/09/2015 3/10/2015 5/10/2015 10/10/2015 11/10/2015 12/10/2015 18/10/2015 20/10/2015 23/10/2015 24/10/2015 25/10/2015 30/10/2015 1/11/2015 8/11/2015 8/11/2015 8/11/2015 11/11/2015 14/11/2015 22/11/2015 22/11/2015 22/11/2015 29/11/2015 29/11/2015 5/12/2015 8/12/2015 13/12/2015 13/12/2015 13/12/2015 17/12/2015 19/12/2015 19/12/2015 8/01/2016 10/01/2016 15/01/2016 16/01/2016 22/01/2016 23/01/2016 24/01/2016

NSW VIC NSW VIC NSW

Federal ACT Mornington Armidale RACV Healesville Fairfield Golf Club

28/01/2016 29/01/2016 30/01/2016 30/01/2016 7/02/2016

VIC SA VIC VIC

Cohuna McCracken Garfield Golf Club RACV Cape Schanck

13/02/2016 11/03/2016 13/03/2016 15/03/2016

This schedule is subject to change, and venues are being added regularly. Visit www.acgc.com.au for the latest schedule.

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

juniors

Olympic medal glory for Aussie juniors

Cassie impresses US colleges

USTRALIAN juniors picked up seven medals, including three gold, at the Veritas World AAU Junior Olympic Games Golf Championship held at Tustin Ranch Golf Course, Tustin and Brookside Golf Course, Pasadena, in southern California. More than 20 countries took part in the championship. Australia’s senior team captain Ryley Martin, who hails from Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, secured the gold medal in the 16-18 years division. Junior team captain Cassie Porter (Peregian Springs) won the 12 years division by 13 strokes to win gold and Yutaro Matsushita from Emerald Lakes on the Gold Coast won gold in the six years division. Aidan Scott (Capricorn Resort) tied for first in the eight years division and after a threeway playoff secured the bronze medal. Gladstone’s Ryan Stitt stormed home with a three-under-par on the final day to claim the bronze medal in the 13 years division from another Australian team member Ben Scott (Capricorn Resort). Sophie Thomsen (Pelican Waters) claimed the bronze medal in the seven years division and Leopold Soldo (Bonnie Doon) took home the bronze medal in the 12 years division. Other Australian team results: 7 years Gregory McAuliffe, Blackwater (13th); 9 years Caitlin Vanderkruk, Keperra (9th); 10 years Kai Schloss, Wynnum (19th), 13 years Ben Scott, Capricorn Resort (4th), Jay Schloss, Keperra (19th), 14 to 15 years Johnathan McAuliffe, Blackwater (42nd), Jake Swaffield, Yeppoon (37th), Courtney Johnson, Nambour (9th), Taryn Maher, Yeppoon (12th), Ben Swaffield,

The successful Australian junior team performed well at AAU Junior Olympic Games Golf Championship. Yeppoon (18th); 16 to 18 years Caleb Scott, Capricorn Resort (33rd), Brianna Robards (9th) and Michael Brimson, Royal Qld (29th). Veritas founder Robert Brown and Graham Moore (managing tournament director) were thrilled Don and Shelley Scott, tournament founders of the Australian Junior Age Division Golf Championship, were able to fulfil their commitment to Veritas and bring the first full junior squad to compete at their world event. Four years ago, Shelley and Don set out with a dream to provide Australian junior golfers with the opportunity to perform at

the highest level in Australia and the US and to represent their country as a team. They thanked all the parents who diligently performed their roles as parents, coaches, psychologists and mentors for their kids and the time and effort they have put in to give their kids this opportunity. 2015 will be remembered as the year Australian junior golf held its Inaugural Junior Age Division Golf Championship at Mercure Capricorn Resort Golf Club on the Capricorn Coast and toured with its first full age division representative team to a world championship. •

CASSIE Porter’s gold medal-winning performance at the World Junior Olympic Games Golf Championship had Peregian Springs CEO Declan McCollam singing her praises. “The club is very proud of Cassie’s achievements,” he said. “She has been coached by the club’s head professional Kai McKay and we are delighted with how far she has come at such a young age under his tuition. “Cassie played in other events in the US in the lead-up to the Junior Golf Olympics and impressed representatives from several colleges who have shown interest in her ability and skill. “She will remain in contact and it is extremely likely she will visit the US again next year.”

Australia wide Phone 1300 883 643

Batteries & accessories for all applications & technologies www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

juniors

Juniors go for gold in WA J

uniors in WA will strike gold again this year at the 2015 Smarter than Smoking - Goldfields Junior Desert Open. The Goldfields Golf Club of Kalgoorlie-Boulder will be staging the event for the fourth time on the 30th of September and 1st of October. The STS-GJDO is a WA state junior ranking event over 36 holes of stroke. The club continues to receive great support from GolfWA, whom have confirmed the attendance of some of the State’s best young players, to ensure a high-quality field for what is shaping as one of WA’s largest junior golf tournaments.

The MyGolf section of the competition continues as a 2015 MyGolf Tour event, with players awarded points to the season long order of merit. The MyGolf event will be run in conjunction with the STS-GJDO each day to allow younger players and siblings to

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Designed in 1972 by renowned golf course architects Bruce Devlin & Robert von Hagge, the championship golf course at Ocean Shores Country Club is set in an area of natural flora with tidal lakes, rivers and mountain ranges as a backdrop. Situated just north of Byron Bay, the course captures the picturesque beauty of northern New South Wales. The lush fairways and pristine greens set against the background of bushland and sparkling lakes make it one of the most spectacular golf courses in Australia. With six par-3s, six par-4s and six par-5s, the distinctive 18-hole layout lends itself well to the unique nature of the course.

The event has exclusive access to the course for the two days allowing junior golfers an opportunity to play on the Graham Marshdesigned Kalgoorlie Golf Course, which offers a high standard of playing surface, set in the unique setting of natural bush land and rich red desert sands. Sponsorship has been harder to attract in a slow mining climate, however the club will not detract from the quality of the event and the prize pool will not be affected. The tournament continues to enjoy great support both locally and state-wide which enables six divisions with 24 prizes. The Gross Champion Girl and Boy will each receive a Kalgoorlie Gold Nugget valued at $500.00. In addition, each divisional gross winner will also receive a smaller nugget. The total prize pool exceeds $5,000.00

Tee it up for the Blue Marker Champion of Champions

participate. This event has a total of 18 prizes over the two days of competition and there is a division for all skill levels. All entrants will receive an event backpack containing a number of gifts. The club is intent on encouraging players to come and play with every participant taking something home. To complement the formal prizes, there will be 28 novelty prizes over the two days. The City of Kalgoorlie Boulder owners of the Kalgoorlie Golf Course and supporters of the STS-GJDO have a special green fee rate for STS-GJDO entrants wishing to play a practice round on Tuesday the 29th of September, please call the proshop on 9026 2601 for bookings.

In July the club took 12 junior representatives to play a week of open competition in Perth and to promote the Smarter than Smoking – Goldfields Junior Desert Open. The buzz around the tournaments the group attended was very positive, with many players and parents indicating their intention to make the trip to Kalgoorlie in October. The Goldfields Golf Club is looking forward to a successful event again in 2015 and for years to come. For further information contact Mark Baroni, Junior Golf Coordinator on markbaroni@westnet.com.au or visit and “Like” the tournaments facebook page www.facebook.com\ GoldfieldsJuniorDesertOpen •

Golfers wishing to tackle this amazing golf course in all its glory need look no further than the upcoming Blue Marker Challenge, a tradition which was introduced in the 1980s to challenge golfers to play a championship course set up for tournament play. For the Blue Marker Champion of Champions the course is set up at its most difficult to test all levels of golfers. The goal of the event is simple: Play to or better your handicap and you win a prize. Over 500 ‘Blue Marker events’ have been played since inception and only 500 players have ‘earned the winners’ title. The event is on Friday 25th September 2015, and is open to any of the monthly event winners from over the past 26 years. Entry is just $30 per visitor, $13 per member. For more information: phone 02 6680 1008, or visit www.oceanshorescc.com.au

clubs

CLUB OF THE MONTH >

Sandhurst Club A new era for a vibrant and visionary club Richard Fellner richard@insidegolf.com.au

short 40km drive southeast of Melbourne, Sandhurst Club is the quintessential example of a worldclass, premier member lifestyle facility that has not only embraced the modern conveniences currently sought by today’s golfers, but has also engaged actively with the broader community.

The “Official Home of the PGA of Australia”, Sandhurst Club features two championship golf courses—the North Course and the Champions Course (both rated within the top 100 courses in the country)—as well as a world-class clubhouse with members bar and restaurant (open 7 days a week), function facilities, Health Club with indoor pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, sports oval, Sports Centre/Pro-Shop, driving range and outdoor dining piazza area. A childcare centre is also due to open shortly. In short, this vibrant club is embracing new business models beyond golf, and is engaging with locals and non-golfers in the area; a clever and forward-thinking strategy that eschews the traditional old-fashioned “golf only” attitude of many golf clubs (many of which are struggling in the modern era), in favour of a large, multisport facility featuring flexible convenience-based options designed to complement today’s busy lifestyles. Sandhurst’s strategy of engaging with the wider community aims to establish pathways for non-golfers and expose them to golf in a number of non-traditional avenues. One of these programs is called Sundays at 32

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Sandhurst (see promo on following page), which hopes to introduce new people to the facilities (as well as golf itself ) and to showcase the club itself. “Sandhurst is a place where people come to experience the joy of golf,” explains Julian Murray, CEO of Sandhurst Club. “At a time when golf requires new thinking, Sandhurst will continually deliver innovation to make golf more accessible, fun and rewarding. We continually seek to create new packages, new ways to get more people into the game and new events to get more people to experience Sandhurst. We are open-minded and quick to act, but most of all we know, every day we have to go a little further in our efforts to make Sandhurst an exciting and rewarding experience,” Murray adds. Sandhurst Club’s “modern” attitude has been ingrained from the very beginning; with forward-thinking strategies put in place from its initial conception. When development first began (planning approval was first granted in August 2000), the vision for Sandhurst was to be a premier lifestyle facility featuring innovative and modern conveniences such as security, recycled water systems, highspeed fibre-optic cable, vast open spaces with fitness and play equipment, premium estate landscaping and extensive health and hospitality facilities. What differentiated the development from many other similar estates was that the Developer completed most of the infrastructure prior to commencing selling the estate’s 1319 residential lots. The North Course, roads infrastructure and Clubhouse

“The Wall”-- Hole 3 on the North Course were all completed prior to land being sold. This did not follow the traditional model at the time. This visionary strategy initially proved to be a major success. In the early stages of sales, there was a huge demand for both residential lots and golf memberships at Sandhurst. The course conditions of both the North Course and (opening later) the Champions Course were of the highest calibre, and the facility as a whole became one of the most talked-about developments of the time. Unfortunately, when the Global Financial Crisis hit, Sandhurst (like most developments and businesses across the planet) went through a difficult period to complete the development, as demand had eroded. Over this time, the quality and condition of the courses suffered from their initial premium state. However, this all proved to be a minor road bump, as a new era appears to be dawning for Sandhurst Club. Fast forward to today, and we see a renewed and reinvigorated club. As the Developer has met all of the original obligations—and will be exiting in June 2016—golf and residential members will soon have full control of the Board. This will mark the culmination of a three-year transitional process handing

the Club over from the Developer to the members. This has included a lengthy due diligence process by management as well as embracing the modern business model – extending the Club beyond the traditional golf club into the huge growth markets of health and wellbeing. In essence, it is aiming to become more of a thriving, vibrant “community hub” (not dissimilar to, say, the once-traditional characteristic of golf clubs in country towns and regions, but with a modern twist.) As a result, the Club is also catering to families, women and children. “Sandhurst is a family-friendly, community club. We want to be highly relevant in our members’ lives and in our wider community,” says Murray. “We know that golf clubs need to be friendlier to women, families, diverse groups and younger generations. We know that golf needs to become a way for men and women to share their leisure time together. Sandhurst chooses to be gender neutral and provide women with the same playing rights and accessibility as men. We know that female golfers’ satisfaction with the experience of golf clubs is driven by the availability of childcare, the presence of female staff and reasonable yardages. Sandhurst actively addresses all of these issues,” he adds.

clubs

A new generation of golf But don’t let all this “community” talk detract from the fact that Sandhurst Club is still a magnificent golf facility. Over the past few years, strategic plans were put in to place to rectify the course quality issues noted above. Under careful management and direction, the conditions were improved dramatically. Inside Golf has played both courses over the past few months, and we can attest that both are now back in excellent condition, and (as always) are a pleasure to play. Both courses at Sandhurst (designed by renowned architecture firm Thomson Perrett) are playable for golfers of all levels, yet each layout offers a different feel and strategic approach. The sandbelt-styled Champions Course features rolling, contoured fairways, open fronts to greens and plenty of tree-lined

fairways. The greens are large, playable and true-rolling. One of the more innovative touches for the Champions Course is the hole-by-hole dedication to past champions of the PGA of Australia. Each tee box features a plaque with a likeness of the featured champion, their history and accomplishments in Australian golf, and highlights of their relevant skills and attributes. Some of the most notable players include former champions Norman von Nida, Kel Nagle and Bill Dunk, while modern greats such as Greg Norman, Ian Baker-Finch, Wayne Grady and Craig Parry also made the cut. Reading these dedications is like a walk down memory lane, while it also invokes thoughts and ponderings as to how these great players would have approached each of these challenging holes. Signature holes abound on the course, but

Events to keep the whole family entertained among our favourites are the closing group of the front-nine. The 6th–a par-3 featuring a very picturesque dam in play and a green surrounded by large gum trees–is a sure standout, while holes 7, 8 and 9 are no less picturesque or challenging. In contrast to the Champions Course, strategic shot-making and a solid short game are key when playing the open-styled North Course, which features large sprawling greens and many distinct “Scotland-inspired” features such as the wall surrounding the 3rd green and the Burn (reminiscent of St Andrews) which dissects the 9th fairway. Sandhurst Club is also a hugely popular facility for groups, charity and corporate golf days. With full event management on offer, as well as high-quality catering, provision of prizes, a fleet of 60 motorised carts as well as the spectacular clubhouse facility, it is

the perfect location for golf events of any size. (So it’s no wonder why Sandhurst is the Official Corporate Golf Club of the AFL’s St Kilda Saints.) All told, Sandhurst Club is certainly raising the bar when it comes to measuring how a facility can not only survive, but thrive in a difficult economic environment. Their forward-thinking vision, high-quality facility and their welcoming attitude towards the community should see them strive forward as a robust and viable club that is wellpositioned for long-term success. MORE INFORMATION Sandhurst Club 75 Sandhurst Blvd, Sandhurst VIC, 3977 (03) 8787 7011 club@sandhurst.com www.sandhurst.com

HEALTH. GOLF. LIFESTYLE. The official corporate golf club of the Saints

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If you haven’t played Sandhurst in a while, have a look at the great condition of our courses and experience a new take on golf.

$25pp

SPRING - SUMMER 2015/16 1pm sausage sizzle and registration Tee off from 1.30pm on the Sundays below

Kids

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9 holes

18 holes

$30pp

$10pp

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NOV 8

Kick Golf

FEB 14

Night Golf *

OCT 11 Black Tee Challenge

JAN 17

Speed Golf

DEC 6

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MAR 6

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NOV 29 Red Tee Challenge

FEB 14

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JAN 10

Big Hole Golf

* DEC 20 Big Hole Golf

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For more information or to book online, visit www.sandhurst.com or call 8787 7011 *Terms, conditions or surcharges may apply, see website for details

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

clubs

Chatswood’s exciting high-tech clubhouse golf centre tees up new revenue option Bill Colhoun ed@insidegolf.com.au

HATSWOOD, one of Sydney’s most innovative golf clubs, hopes to have solved a major industry-wide problem of what to do with under-used clubhouses with its launch last month of an impressive high-tech indoor golf centre. The club, with high ceilings and space to spare in the lounge-events area of its magnificent 2007-rebuilt clubhouse, plans to operate the state-of-the-art American Trugolf E6 dual-bay golf simulator centre from 10am to 11pm every day. The exciting project -- unique among NSW golf clubs -- is driven by the Chatswood’s board of directors from a business model developed by its “new-age” General Manager Nicholas Steinhauer who, at 34, is one of the youngest golf club administrators in Sydney. Open to all golfers, the Chatswood board is confident the indoor centre will fill a golfpractice facility void its research has found on the North Shore and also provide an attractive entertainment option for a variety of groups. The centre, blessed with plenty of free parking and a fully licensed bar at the clubhouse, offers myriad fascinating features to anyone who plays or is interested in learning the game, including: • The convenience and unique experience of actually teeing up with a group of friends

at any of more than 60 of the world’s most famous courses which are graphically simulated to play on-screen in less than an hour • An opportunity to properly practice—using supplied, brand-new Titliest golf balls—on a computerised facility which will give instant feedback on your swing and an array of ball flight and clubhead speed statistics • All-weather lessons— virtually in complete privacy, a big bonus for sometimes embarrassed beginners –for all levels of golfers from Chatswood’s PGA Club Professional Mark Sullivan • Expert club-fitting by Sullivan will allow golfers to try-before-they-buy any new equipment and allow them to actually compare which golf ball best suits their game • Fun birthday parties or team-bonding corporate events where everyone can try to get nearest the pin on world famous golf holes such as the island green at TPC Sawgrass or the testing 12th hole at the US Masters • Accurately measured long-drive battles on famous courses such as the first at St Andrews where totally accurate readings will settle all arguments as to who’s the biggest hitter

Chatswood, one of Sydney’s most innovative golf clubs.

• A safe and fun environment for school children and families to be introduced to the game

The off-peak period (10am-to 4pm) will cost $25 an hour, from 4pm-6pm, $35, and the peak period (6pm to 11pm) will be $45.

With unlimited profiles of groups of players (ideally a group of eight could play 18 holes in an hour or even more could take part in a fun contest) the fees for using the golf centre seem to be excellent value.

With the average Sydney golf club gaining only about 20 per cent of its trading revenue from non-golf clubhouse functions, it is clear that the indoor centre will offer a solid revenue boost.

Importantly for Chatswood, which has a large population of people from a South East Asian background, research by Steinhauer has shown that the indoor golf centres have proved to be very popular in Korea and Japan in recent years and since only recently have been introduced to China.

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

clubs Chatswood’s indoor golf centre will not be a permanent fixture in the clubhouse with each of the cubicles able to be erected and set up in about an hour with about the same period needed to be dissembled.

The generous 12-month free-golf scholarships offered to secondary schools all over Sydney’s affluent North Shore began in 2012 with 12 individuals – chosen by the schools involved --being signed up.

The centre will be adjacent to Chatswood’s impressive and popular Chips and Wedges café, allowing another revenue boost and easy catering for organised functions of any size crowd or individual casual golfers.

This grew to 20 in 2013 and last year it attracted 28 juniors with six going on to become paid-up members, boosting the club’s vital junior membership from 17 to 23.

Steinhauer, a proficient golfer playing off an eight handicap, says he has found the indoor golf centre enjoyable to use from every angle.

“Our board has realised for some time that the traditional golf club membership model , which hadn’t changed for years, is not as applicable as it once was and we are constantly tweaking ours to meet the market, while not detracting from previous standards,” Steinhauer said.

“We did our research and found that the nearest golf practice facilities to us were at least a 25 minute drive either to Thornleigh, Moore Park or Terrey Hills, so we are providing a missing service,” he says

He began his career in hotel management before joining Chatswood in an operational role. He then accepted an offer to help in the establishment of the new upmarket Hamilton Island golf club on Dent Island in the Whitsundays.

“Unaffected by whatever the weather – hot, cold, raining or windy – it takes less than an hour to play a round of proper golf at any of 60 courses (my favourite is St Andrews) because there are no “lost balls”, walking to your next shot or the following hole and no waiting for any “slow group” playing ahead of you.

Returning to Chatswood as Operations Manager Four years ago, he was appointed General Manager in July 2012. In an era where electronic computerbased technology is making huge impacts on the way people live their lives, he is confident that Chatswood’s board has teed off in the right direction with the indoor golf centre.

“The equipment is very modern but straight forward and easy to use and we have found it to be very popular with our members – who get a discount – to use for some proper practice or just fun golf. “Apart from the centre’s commercial operations we intend to introduce regular nearest the pin and other golf simulator contests for our members to enjoy at the end of their rounds on competition days. “The initial interest and reaction from public golfers and the staff at many local businesses has been pleasing and we intend to involve local schools with already the golf team from the local private school, St Ignatius College, keen to regularly use the facility.

Hands-on test drive: Staff member Will Isaacs tries out one of the two Trugolf simulators Chatswood has installed. “Of course there will be discounts for our members to use the centre and down the track there may even be a market for discount memberships for those who prefer mainly to play their golf indoors.” The Chatswood team already have some impressive scores on the tough golf industry leaderboard following the phenomenal success of their Bronze $500 a year

pay-as-you-play membership drive and a 30 per cent increase in the club’s junior numbers by way of a unique scholarship scheme. The Bronze scheme has produced an amazing 300-plus new members in the three years since it was introduced, boosting Chatswood’s categories to about 700 golf and 200 non-golf .

BE DEADLY

There is no doubt all golf clubs’ expansion horizons are changing, but it soon could be part of club members and other golfers’ regular plans to have a round of golf at Chatswood and then pop into the clubhouse to tee off at St Andrews, Augusta or Royal Melbourne. • For more information: Phone (02) 9419 2336, or visit www.chatswoodgolf.com.au

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CONFORMS TO USGA RULES www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

events

Great week of golf set for Noosa Lakes District Open N oosa Golf Club will once again proudly host the Noosa Lakes District Open over the weekend of the 19th and 20th September. This prestigious 36-hole stroke event for men will be played over two days and is expected to once again attract the best and brightest amateur golfers from clubs across Queensland.

To be played on Monday, September 28, the Blue Marker Challenge’s gross winner will receive direct entry into the 2015 Keperra Bowl (October 13-16).

Morning and afternoon tee times are available. Entries close on September 27. The cost for members is $25 (walking) or $35 in shared cart and for guests $40 for walking and $50 in shared cart.

In conjunction with the individual event, a four-man teams event will also be played. Teams must be made up of members from the same club and all members must have a current AGU handicap. The team with the best nett total will win 40 cartons of CUB beer, generously provided by long-time event sponsor Carlton and United Breweries.

Competitors in the Noosa Lakes District Open are assured of a great weekend of golf at Noosa Golf Club. This championship course is in excellent condition following another year of making significant improvements to the fairways, greens and bunkers. The fairways conversion program to couch grass in particular has led members

IF you are looking for the ultimate test of golf in the lead-up to the prestigious Keperra Bowl then look no further than Keperra Country Golf Club’s Blue Marker Challenge.

Organisers say the golf course will be set up in exactly the same way they set up for the final day of the Keperra Bowl.

The event will attract keen amateur golfers as it is also the Angus Buchanan and William Kennedy qualifying round to gain ranking points that go towards the perpetual trophy awarded by Golf Queensland in December.

This Honour Board event at Noosa Golf Club was first hosted in 1961 and boasts many notable winners over the years. Many of these successful amateurs have gone on to join the professional ranks to chase their dreams.

Win challenge for shot at Bowl

Each group will receive a hot finger-food platter post-match. There will be prizes for nearest the pins as well as gross and nett. Located 11km from Brisbane’s CBD, Keperra, voted Queensland Club of the Year a few years ago, has always strived for excellence on and off the course. and visitors alike to compliment the course. Noosa Golf Club can proudly boast to be one of the best courses on the Sunshine Coast. With over 15,000 visitor rounds being played each year, golfers are taking advantage of the great value for money experience Noosa Golf Club offers. In addition to a great opportunity to play an excellent golf course there is simply no better place than Noosa to spend a weekend. This iconic tourist destination has it all, which means that if competitors bring the family

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they are assured of a great time as well. If competitors need assistance to arrange accommodation for their time in Noosa the admin team at Noosa Golf Club will be happy to assist To book your place in the 2015 Noosa Lakes District Open please contact Noosa Golf Club 0n (07) 5447 1407 or visit www.noosagolf. com.au for information details. Nomination forms and payment of $40 per competitor must be received by Wednesday 16th September 2015.

No wonder it’s one of the “must-play” golf courses in Australia. Boasting a 27-hole layout, Keperra has always worked hard to maintain its unique and tranquil, natural bushland setting, which has become a dominant feature of the golf course. It’s a golf course players can escape to the quiet surrounds during their round of golf. To register for the Blue Marker Challenge, call the club on (07) 3355-7744 or email admin@keperragolf.com.au

Protect your arms from the sun without the hassle of sunscreen or long sleeves Try Icerays armsleeves They are cool to wear while being fully UV protective to 50+ and comfortable with no seams or tight bands. They are the only sleeves tested by the government body ARPANSA to be 50+

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CREATE YOUR OWN MESSAGE AND EVOKE THAT PRICELESS REACTION WITH A WILSON STAFF PERSONALISED GOLF BALL YOUR CHOICE OF TEXT ON WILSON STAFF “GOLD” CATEGORY GOLF BALLS. ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE 12TH AUGUST TO ENSURE DELIVERY BEFORE 6TH SEPTEMBER (FATHER’S DAY).

More and more of the pro’s on the tours are wearing them now and Anne Rollo from Anne Rollo Golf schools has been wearing them for over 2 years and loves them... ”I recommend them to all my students, I don’t have to wear sunscreen on my arms anymore and they are surprisingly cool on the skin, I love them”

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Go to www.icerays.com.au to order and have yours to wear in a few days. Or call linz on 0434 246 549 or email enquiries@icerays.com.au to order yours now.

THE NEW

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INTRODUCING COR-Eye TECHNOLOGY TM

In the new PING GMax iron, we’ve created our longest iron ever through COR-Eye Technology, a revolutionary design that increases ball speed across the entire face. Consistent with PING’s commitment to engineer without sacriﬁce, the GMax iron provides everything you need to hit more greens and, just as importantly, hold more greens. Get ﬁt today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

HIT THE GREEN. HOLD THE GREEN.

MAXIMUM DISTANCE MAXIMUM FORGIVENESS

The simultaneous activation of the sole, face and top rail creates a diving board-like

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Contact American Golf Supplies (02 9524 8233) or ping@americangolf.com.au for PING ﬁtting account information

new gear

>NEWGEAR We highlight the latest products to hit the market Callaway Great Big Bertha Driver

RRP

NEW

$724.99 AUD

CALLAWAY Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver

The Great Big Bertha Driver from Callaway is back, with a multi dimensional design that features a low centre of gravity and high MOI to deliver distance with forgiveness. The light, fast, stable chassis is the key to generating higher clubhead speed, and with the perfect combination of aerodynamic shaping with multi-material construction, it comes with all the bells and whistles to set the club configuration to suit your swing type—adjustable loft, draw bias, perimeter weighting and various weight configurations from 295 to 325g. Next Gen R*MOTO Technology provides the design structure for a thinner face, which leads to higher ball speeds on centre hits and off-centre hits. Adjustable Perimeter Weighting adds stability and forgiveness moving the weight to the point on the clubhead that delivers greater dispersion control based on your swing characteristics. The Great Big Bertha also offers you virtually unlimited draw and fade bias options— all without sacrificing forgiveness. Like the perimeter weighting track, Callaway’s

Loft: RH / LH: 9° & 10.5° Fairway Wood: Lofts: RH: 14.0°, 16.0° and 18.0°, LH: 14.0° and 16.0° RRP: $449.99

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Cobra FLY-Z Driver

Inside Golf and Cobra are giving away a Cobra FLY-Z + Driver to one lucky reader. Cobra’s Fly-Z+ Driver features FlipZone weight technology- a revolutionary, moveable weight system engineered to provide two different flight paths in one club that enables maximum distance for any swing and any golfer.

GEAR NEWS PING G30 maintains No 1 status Optifit hosel provides simple adjustability by allowing you to choose from 8 different configurations to tune loft, lie, and face angle. Lofts: RH / LH: 9°, 10.5° and 13.5°

Next month, we test drive the full line of Callaway’s new drivers and fairways. Watch this space!

RRP

$649.99 AUD

RRP

$499.00 AUD

The key to increased distance is the ultralow centre of gravity (CG) embodied in COBRA’s new FlipZone weight technology that gives golfers the ability to move the low CG to the front or back position. The front CG position provides a mid-launch angle

The Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver is built for high-calibre players looking for the ultimate combination of extreme distance and shot-shaping control in a sleek, traditional shape. The all-new Dual Distance Chambers allow Callaway’s Gravity Core to work as a distance turbo charger. Golfers simply choose to put the Gravity Core in either the left or right chamber for a draw or neutral setting, and flip it up or down depending on where their normal impact location is on the face. More weight behind the impact location equals more ball speed and more distance. Next-generation R*MOTO Technology provides the structure for a thinner face, leading to high ball speeds on balls struck anywhere on the face. Based on feedback from better players, Callaway engineers designed the Big Bertha Alpha 816 Double Black Diamond Driver with a deeper face, a more traditional shape and a low center of gravity to reduce spin, along with just the right amount of forgiveness and workability. The shape of the crown, the open face angle, and the matte black finish with no distractions are all designed to suit the eyes of better players’ as they stand over the ball. The easy-to-use OptiFit hosel lets golfers add or decrease loft and adjust the lie angle to fit their specific swing.

WIN: +

The PING G30 driver continued its streak as the number-one-selling driver model in the US golf market, increasing its market shares in units and dollars in June while marking the fifth consecutive month that more G30 units were sold than any other model, according to Golf Datatech LLC, which tracks golf equipment sell-through data for the United States. In June, the G30 driver’s leading market shares were 14.32% (units) and 18.80% (dollars). Both market share numbers are the highest for any month since the driver’s introduction more than a year ago. For June, 62% more G30 driver units were sold than the next closest driver model. It also maintained its position as the top-

with ultra-low spin and a penetrating ball flight with more roll for maximum distance, while the back CG position delivers a midlaunch angle with 400 RPM’s of additional spin, resulting in a towering ball flight, maximum distance with more carry. The Fly-Z+ driver also features Speed Channel Technology for increased ball speeds across the face for distance and forgiveness, Forged E9 Zone Face technology for a larger sweet zone and more distance on offcentre hits, multi-material construction to maximize discretionary weight and MyFly8 and SmartPad, allowing golfers to select from multiple settings to tune their game. Matching headcover and torque wrench included. To enter, visit www.insidegolf.com.au/competitions Terms and conditions apply. Good luck! selling model of 2015, selling 44% more units than its closest competitor from January through June. “The G30 driver has now been in the marketplace for a full year and it continues to be the number one choice in golf shops,” said John Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “That success is very satisfying, knowing so many golfers are benefiting from the technology of the G30. It’s a tribute to our engineering team and to the thousands of club fitters around the country who take the time to properly fit their customers for the correct driver. Their ability to match the head technology with the proper shaft is allowing golfers of all skill levels to see significant distance gains while finding more fairways than ever.” The G30 driver is offered in three options to custom-fit golfers. The standard G30 comes in 9° and 10.5° lofts. The G30 SF Tec, which helps produce a right-to-left shot bend (for right-handed golfers), is available in 10° and 12° lofts. The G30 LS Tec is engineered to provide low, stable spin for added control and is offered in lofts of 9° and 10.5°. All three options are adjustable +-1° and feature Turbulator Technology, a T9S titanium face and a low/back center of gravity.

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new gear

>NEWGEAR Tech on the Tee Richard Fellner richard@insidegolf.com.au

Inside Golf looks at the newest and most advanced GPS units and Laser Rangefinders on the course today! Garmin

Bushnell Tour X Laser Rangefinders

The Approach S6 is a feature-packed hi-res color touchscreen GPS golf watch with first-of-its-kind swing metrics built right in. SwingStrengthTM calibration helps you immediately know how hard you swing, so you can train himself to swing more consistently. Plus, SwingTempo (and TempoTraining) helps you fine-tune his swing timing. www.garmin.com.au

The TOUR X has been engineered with Exchange Technology: Using two interchangeable faceplates, Exchange Technology gives the golfer a 2-in-1 device. The TOUR X conforms to USGA rule 14-3/.05 and R&A rule 14-3 when the black faceplate is engaged. When you switch to the red faceplate, the TOUR X deploys Slope Technology, providing adjusted distance readings based on elevation changes. The TOUR X features Dual Display Technology that allows users to easily toggle between the bright red display featuring Vivid Display Technology or the crisp black display, incredible ranging capability of up to 1,200 metres (410+ metres to a flag), 2nd Generation E.S.P. (Extreme. Speed. Precision.) and PinSeeker with JOLT Technology.

RRP $599.00 AUD

www.bushnellgolf.com

Callaway ECLIPSE GPS

Pinpoint Laser Range Finder New to On Course Golf shops and a perfect gift for any golfer. The Pinpoint Laser Range Finder is compact, light and simple to use. Includes pin seeker function, Carry Case & belt loop.

This GPS packs a powerful punch delivering front, center, and back of green distances, even accurate yardages to the front and back of hazards. The Callaway ECLIPSE GPS offers elite, accurate performance in a unique design that delivers unmatched versatility and convenience. Just clip it on your belt or bag, or simply detach it from the clip and carry it in your pocket. Any way you uses it, you can be sure it’s one of the most convenient, accurate golf GPS units on the market today. www.CallawayDMD.com Phone 03 5277 3944

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

RRP $399.00 AUD

Callaway GPSync Watch

Available in store at On Course golf shops or online at www.oncoursegolf.com.au

RRP $249.00 AUD

RRP Callaway $399.00 AUD 300 Laser Rangefinder

RRP $299.00 AUD

Now, you can get elite performance on the course with an elegant, fashionable design. Hit more greens and minimize penalty strokes by knowing precise distances to the front, center, and back of the green, as well as distances to hazards and doglegs. Sync the Callaway GPSync Watch with a Bluetooth® enabled smartphone* device to enable text, email, missed call, and other notifications right on the wrist. Also provides the opportunity to upload and save each round’s score to the app. www.CallawayDMD.com Phone 03 5277 3944

Get pin-seeking precision in a sleek, sophisticated design. The exclusive Pin Acquisition Technology (P.A.T.) lets you lock onto the pin from up to 300 yards away, ensuring accuracy even when trees and other objects are in the background. Scan the landscape to acquire distances to multiple targets, like greenside bunkers and water hazards. www.CallawayDMD.com Phone 03 5277 3944

new gear

RRP $299.95 AUD

GolfBuddy BB5 GolfBuddy continues to innovate with the introduction of the BB5, the first ever golf GPS band in the world. This unique and fashionable band offers distances to the front/ centre/ back of the green on a LED display. The BB5 offers comfort, style and function, all in one. 6 different color bands matching your attire are available and it includes time mode, play mode, pedometer feature, and comes preloaded with over 37,000 courses.

GolfBuddy VS4

GolfBuddy WT5

The VS4 is a simple distance measuring device. With one click of a button, you can hear the distance to the front/centre/back of the green. The VS4 also displays the distances on the LCD screen if you prefer not to use the Voice function. The versatile VS4 can be used to clip on your cap or belt. Use the optional accessories to wear it on your wrist or attach to your gear with the retractable clip. Available in White or Black.

With a slimmer design and a more comfortable fit to your wrist than its previous model, you can fully utilize Dynamic Green View and moveable pin placement features

www.gpsgolfbuddy.com.au

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

RRP $279.95 AUD

GolfBuddy PT4 The GolfBuddy PT4 touchscreen has been upgraded from a pressure based touch screen to a capacitive touch screen - the new TouchSwipe screen enables taps and gestures to be even more responsive, just like your smartphone. The 4” LCD touchscreen, precisely measures the distance to any target, as well as shot distance measurement. Includes Dynamic Green View, moveable pin placement, automatic course and hole recognition, digital, interactive scorecard and statistics module.

GolfBuddy LR5

www.gpsgolfbuddy.com.au

RRP $199.95 AUD

www.gpsgolfbuddy.com.au

A compact and easy-to-use device weighing just under 200 grams and featuring three different scan modes-standard, scan and pin. The LR5’s scan and pin mode is used with just one click. • Standard mode: Provides distance to the target • Scan mode: Continuously scans for 10 seconds to shows distances to varying targets. • Pin mode: Continuously scans for 10 seconds to shows distances to varying targets; the LR5 will display the distance to the closest target.

with simple press-and-hold buttons. The GolfBuddy WT5 is a fully functional digital wristwatch with a rechargeable battery.

RRP $369.95 AUD

100% fee-free with no annual subscriptions or course download charges to pay after purchase. Complete with over 37,000 preloaded global courses. www.gpsgolfbuddy.com.au

RRP $549.95 AUD

new gear

OFFI CI AL R AN G E FI N DE R

DARRELL SURVEY ON RANGEFINDER USAGE AT THE USPGA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 TOUR

BUSHNELL

NEAREST COMPETITOR

PGA Players

142 (99%)

PGA Caddies

136 (94%)

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

new gear

Sureshotgps Hybrid Golf Watch GW3 Designed for the golfer in mind that also likes to keep fit from running, walking and cycling, the Sureshotgps Hybrid Golf Watch GW3 is a full feature sports watch. This little powerhouse device features a high-tech odometer, tracking speed and distance as well as calculating calories burned while using the programmed modes to walk, run, cycle or play golf. For the golfing enthusiast, the Sureshotgps Hybrid Golf Watch GW3 comes preloaded with 28,000 Australian, New Zealand and International golf courses so you can see live, accurate distances to the green with a flick of your wrist. 1300 644 523 www.sureshotgps.com

Sureshotgps Micro 300X

SureshotLaser PinLoc 2000

The Sureshotgps Micro 300X provides accurate, easy to read distances to the green. The GPS device is preloaded with thousands of courses sporting slim-line casing and simple navigation menus. Measure individual shot distances, keep track of scores with the scorecard and enjoy the convenience of automatic course recognition. The Micro 300X displays the closest five courses to your location and you will be able to breeze through your round with automatic hole advance.

Before taking that next hit, trust the reliable SureshotLaser PinLoc 2000, using infrared technology to provide pin precision accuracy and know the distance and range to that winning hole. Faster, more accurate and with a longer range the Priority Loc ignores background objects for quickest most accurate ranging to the pin. Intelligent software is housed within a small, rubberized, ergonomically designed casing, and comes standard with a deluxe carry pouch. Just aim, point and capture with dead accuracy with a SureshotLaser PinLoc 2000. Available in Orange, Grey or Black.

RRP $199.00 AUD

1300 644 523 www.sureshotgps.com

RRP $329.00 AUD

Sureshotgps Micro 700X When knowing the distance to every major point on the course matters, the Sureshotgps Micro 700X delivers with unsurpassed accuracy and detail. Hazard distances are displayed with colourful icons and you can even track your scoring with the advanced scorecard along the way. No tricky data to analyse, no cryptic GPS information to decipher. Simple layouts, colourful screens with large font make using the Micro 700X a pleasure. The unit comes with Australian and New Zealand courses preloaded, no registration required and free lifetime membership to our course database.

RRP $349.00 AUD

1300 644 523 www.sureshotgps.com

RRP $269.00 AUD

condorgolf.com.au LD-1000 Laser Rangefinder SEPTEMBER SPECIAL - JUST $149.00 INCLUDING POSTaGE TO aNY LOCaTION IN aUSTRaLIa

THE MOST COMPaCT aVaILaBLE. JUST 90x72x38mm (eyepiece not included in dimensions)

• WITH PINFINDER MODE Easily locks in the distance to the nearest object (the flagstick) from any distance • HAS STANDARD POINT & PRESS AND SCAN MODES TOO • STURDY CARRY CASE INCLUDED • MAGNIFICATION – 6X • MEASURES UP TO 900M • WEIGHS UNDER 200G • CHOICE OF COLOUR orange or grey CONDOR GOLF / ELDRIDGE GROUP PTY LTD Since 2000 FaCTORY 2, 4 MaCRO COURT, ROWVILLE VIC 3178 (03) 9763 2225 | EMaIL: sales@condorgolf.com.au 46

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

QGPC is located at the all new Maroochy River Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast. This 200 SQ metre facility is home to the latest technology in the golf industry including: • Trackman • GASP video software • 3d/6d K-veST • SAM Putt lab • SAM Balance lab • Gc2/HMT • High speed camera’s • Online student diary system ServiceS include: • Golf Tuition all levels & ages • Custom Club Fitting • Personalised program development • Corporate Events • Fitness assessments & management

School holidayS Junior 3 day campS Camp Dates: September 22nd-24th, December 15th-17th 2015 and January 5th-7th 2016 For more information contact Sean Seymore sean@golfperformancecentre.com.au or call 07 54 570 900

new gear

THE WORLD’S FIRST GOLF WATCH WITH SWING TRAINING. The Approach S6 provides a hi-res colour touchscreen GPS golf watch with built-in swing training features, including SwingStrengthTM calibration which helps you immediately know how hard you hit each club so you can train yourself to swing more consistently. Swing features also include SwingTempo and TempoTraining to help you fine-tune your timing. Full colour CourseView maps for over 30,000 international courses, touch targeting, PinPointer and dedicated CourseView button with manual pin positioning. The Smart Notification feature lets you receive emails, texts and alerts from your iPhone® or iPad®. Perfect as an everyday watch, there’s no golf watch smarter than the Approach S6.

Approach S6 ®

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

new gear

IZZO Swami GT Works as a traditional GPS to provide you instant, accurate distance for each and every shot. But thanks to NFC (Near Field Communications) technology, it can do so much more.

RRP $229.00 AUD

IZZO Swami 4000+ Provides distances to the front, centre and back of the green and also it provides the distances to the front and back of bunkers, water hazards and doglegs. It is equipped with auto-hole advance and shot distance measurement. The lithium-ion battery holds a 10-12 hour charge and it comes with a oneyear warranty. Preloaded with more than 30,000 worldwide course maps. No computer downloads or an annual subscription - just charge and play.

Tracker Tags are inserted into the end of each of your clubs. These tracker tags work together with the GPS technology to transmit and track data from every shot during every round on your Swami GT – without any manual inputting. Then, simply log in to your Swami GT account and instantly see how you did. All stats of your game are recorded, calculated and displayed.

IZZO Swami Sport Delivers fast and accurate distances to front, centre, and back of the green. It is simple to operate and comes with a bright and easy-to-read display allowing golfers to read the hole number, par and time. The Sport comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and is available in four colors. Preloaded with more than 30,000 worldwide course maps. No computer downloads or an annual subscription - just charge and play.

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

RRP $299.00 AUD

Condor Golf Ld-1000 Compact Laser Rangefinder

RRP $199.00 SPECIAL AUD $149.00 AUD including delivery

RRP $139.00 AUD

One of the most compact laser rangefinders available at just 90x72x38mm weighing under 200g. Includes pinfinder function which makes locking in the distance to the flagstick a breeze from any distance. Also has normal point and press and scan modes. Comes with a protective hard case and straps. Colour choice of orange or grey trim. Uses a long-lasting CR2 lithium battery (not included). (03) 9763 2225 Email: sales@condorgolf.com.au www.condorgolf.com.au

TomTom Golfer GPS watch From the shoes on your feet, to the gloves on your hands, and the club you hold in them, golf offers no shortage of gear to upgrade your game. But if you’re going to wield them to any benefit, you might want to know what the course looks like. That’s where TomTom’s new Golfer GPS watch comes in to act as your personal caddy for over 34,000 worldwide courses which can be updated daily. The Golfer offers helpful course intel like the distances to the front, middle and back of the green, precise distances to hazards, doglegs, lay-ups, a green view (with hazard warnings), and a digital scorecard along with calculating your calories burnt and distance walked through your round. The Golfer sports a 10hour battery life and if it rains, no worries – the Golfer is water resistant to 50 meters. When you’re not in golf mode – meaning when GPS isn’t switched on – you’ll have battery life, which is fully rechargeable, more like a regular digital watch. www.tomtom.com/sports/golf

RRP $229.00 AUD

legends

Legend Len turns back clock David Newbery

to the US Masters and that rekindled his enthusiasm for playing competitively again.

david@insidegolf.com.au

“I came back enthused, started hitting balls and won the Nedlands Masters in 1975,” he said. “That finished off my career nicely.

IXTY years after winning his first of two South West Open titles in Western Australia Len Thomas was back in action, but this time as a caddie.

“Nedlands is a nine-hole golf course and we played 36 holes on the last day. “I played the last round with Randall Vines and Frank Phillips, who won two Australian Opens.

“I won this event in 1955 and again in 1956,” said Thomas proudly as we strolled down the 10th fairway at Bunbury Golf Club south of Perth.

“Being a nine-hole golf course, Frank said, ‘we’ve been around this course so many times do they have a bell lap’?” Thomas laughed.

“Now I’m back caddying for my son Marty.” Thomas learnt the art of caddying as a kid and one of his first assignments was carrying the bag of legendary Australian Norman von Nida. “The Von came to Lake Karrinyup Golf Club, approached the caddies and asked ‘who is the best caddie here’? I said I was and he said, ‘well, I am the best player so we should go well together’,” Thomas recalled. Years later, after completing his traineeship at New South Wales Golf Club, he played against the Von, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Peter Thomson et al. In the 1962 Wills Classic at The Australian Golf Club, Thomas finished one shot ahead of Nicklaus. “Jack was the reigning US Open champion and finished fifth and I was fourth,” Thomas said. “Bruce Devlin won, Ted Ball was second and Gary (Player) third. “But the highlight was when I beat Peter Thomson by two shots in the West End Classic in Adelaide. “In 1966, I played the last round of the

Len was one of the first Australian PGA pros to venture to China to help develop the game. Len Thomas and his son Martyn at the South West Open. Australian Open with Arnold Palmer … the year he won.”

I ask Thomas if he regrets not pursuing a playing career.

Thomas played only one major – the 1964 Open Championship at St Andrews where he finished a credible 39th behind winner Tony Lema.

“Not at all,” said Thomas, who won three WA Opens. “I decided I wanted to go down a different path.

On tour, Thomas was known as The Spaniard. It was a moniker given to him by his lifelong friend Alan Murray. “We were playing in the Philippines Open in 1962 and I was called to the tee and introduced as ‘Mr El (pronounced Miguel) Tomas’,” he said. “The name (The Spaniard) stuck and has been used ever since by my pro mates of that era.”

“I moved to Sydney to do my traineeship and lived there from 1957 to 1965 and then came back to WA, met wife and got married. “I became the controller and golf pro of the Hamersley public course in Perth and then I went over to the number one public course Wembley. “I had my own TV show teaching golf in the late 1960s and early 1970s and I was the golf writer for the Sunday Times.” In 1974, Bruce Crampton invited Thomas

Become a Member at The Home of Championship Golf.

“I went to China in 1995 and taught golf there for 17 years,” he said. Now 76, Len remains passionate about the game. He’s a member at Dunsborough Lakes where he and wife Sally have a house overlooking the 12th green. “I play golf at every opportunity,” he said. “You can’t live on a golf course, be passionate about the game and not play. “I have come out of retirement to do some honorary teaching.” As for caddying, Thomas says he has no plans to tote a golf bag any time soon. “It’s been a good journey,” he said. “I have been very passionate about my golf career and it’s taken me in different directions.” In 2012, Len Thomas was awarded life membership of the PGA of Australia. •

There has never been a more exciting time to join the Home of Championship Golf, RACV Royal Pines Resort, than now. Members Privileges include: • Five day or seven day Membership options available • New Tournament course re-developed by Graham Marsh • Unlimited rounds of golf • Reciprocal access at other RACV Golf Clubs;* • Reserved tee times on Saturdays (7 day membership)** • Shared unlimited golf cart hire • Honour Board events and weekly competitions • Discounts on merchandise, range balls, golf tuition & more. 12 Month Unlimited Access Memberships

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Public (Non-Auto Club) $3,700 $2,960 $6,660 $5,328

Auto Club Members* $2,775 $2,200 $4,995 $3,996

For further details contact the Golf Shop on 5597 8733

Ross Street, Benowa, Gold Coast, Qld 4217 www.racv.com.au/royalpines Host of the Australian PGA Championships and the RACV Australian Ladies Masters.

*Conditions apply. *Autoclub membership includes RACV, RACQ & NRMA.**Reciprocal golf course access is offered at Torquay and Cape Schanck Resorts, and also to Healesville Country Club for RACV Club Members. Course availability subject to the demands of tournaments and some large scale events.

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

legends tour

Ferguson driven to enjoy Legends Tour

uy Ferguson is a professional golfer on the E-Z-GO PGA Legends Tour who is shunning the stereotypical jet-setting culture of professional golf, opting instead for the open roads.

THE competition will be just as hot, but the weather will be a lot milder in the 2015 Australian Hickory Shaft Championship at Carnarvon Golf Club in Sydney this month.

Before Ferguson sends his opening drive whistling down the fairway he has already clocked up hundreds of kilometres driving the open roads of Australia to arrive at the golf course. Ferguson is just one of the many Legends Tour players choosing to morph the grey nomad lifestyle of travelling Australia by motor home, popular amongst retirees, with their love for competitive golf. “Many years ago I was in the Merchant Navy and I did a lot of flying around the world, and so now I have an aversion to airplanes and airports. Plus the cost of flying, hotels and hire cars was starting to become prohibitive so I decided to get a motor home and travel round and see a bit of Australia,” said Ferguson who has been competing on the E-Z-GO PGA Legends Tour since 2004. “It’s nice to travel around and be my own person doing my own thing rather than having to spend hours waiting at an airport, in cues and lines.” Now life has become one big adventure for Ferguson who luxuriously takes his time roaming from tournament to tournament in his motor home, visiting parts of Australia lost to those travelling amongst the clouds.

“Then I arrive at the tournament a couple of days early, it’s just a stress-free way of getting to places and seeing the country and meeting people,” added Ferguson, who also says the motor home hasn’t been without it’s challenges. “I had a blow out on the freeway and almost lost the van and had to change the tyre, which was a big job, it took me half a day.” “I’m not a young bloke anymore and there’s a bit of a method to changing truck tyres. That was a disaster but was just a side-step.” It’s a lifestyle that many of his fellow professionals also see merit in; slowly they are starting to build a group of motor homes on Tour.

“I might have a couple of weeks to get to a place in Australia to play so I take my time,” added Ferguson.

“There is quite a little community of us now, Les Allen has quite a nice motor home and then there is Michael Patterson from down in Victoria he comes in his little van,” added Ferguson.

“I drive up through the country and have a look at certain areas and maybe play some country golf courses. People are very friendly and it’s nice to play out there.”

“Bryan Wearne he also has a van he turns up in and David Hando has joined the tour this year and travels in a big Winnebago, so we get together and cook each other a meal, have a

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Hickory date switch is cool

glass of wine and chat.” In fact Ferguson enjoys his time on the road so much he thinks some of his younger counterparts should also invest in a motor home. “If I was an 18 year-old playing the pro-am circuit, which I wanted to do but never did, I would get two or three friends and travel in a motor home,” added Ferguson. “You can cook your own meals, you don’t have to go to restaurant every night, I just find it a lot easier living, a lot more relaxed, a lot more enjoyable.” “Once you get to a level where you are playing in the bigger tournaments I think you need to arrive by plane and stay in decent hotels so that you are at your best when you tee it up in the tournament.” But for Ferguson life on the open road travelling around the country competing on the E-Z-GO PGA Legends Tour is perfect. “I just enjoy the travelling more than anything, getting to go to different places and play different courses.” •

To combat a recent run of exhausting 30C plus days which at times depleted the field, the organisers, the Australian Golf Heritage Society, have transferred the title from the heat of November to a cooler spring date of September 25. The AGHS Captain Ross Howard is confident the switch will attract a strong field of men and women golfers who play with 100-year-old clubs and stride the fairways in plus fours and fashions to match. Australia has some of the world’s best Hickory Shaft golfers in Perry See Hoe, twice world champion, and Queenslander Allan Grieve, a winner of the US title and it is hoped both will tee it up this year. All club golfers are welcome, with clubs and special balls available to hire. Entry details at www. australiangolfheritage.org. au

Upcoming Annual Events DUNTRYLEAGUE ORANGE

CITY OF ORANGE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

3-5 OCTOBER 2015

ANNUAL VETERANS’ TOURNAMENT

6-8 OCTOBER 2015

Enjoy a long weekend of golf in NSW’s premier food and wine district and play on each of Orange’s magnificent golf courses - Duntryleague Golf Club, Orange Ex-Services Country Club and Wentworth Golf Club. The three courses are played over three days, with $6,000 worth of prizes to be won. This is a championship event not to missed! Further information is available from Golf Orange Website www.golforange.com.au This longstanding and popular Tournament includes three days of golf at Duntryleague and a Presentation dinner on the Wednesday night. Accommodation is available on site in our famous 14 room mansion. Numbers are limited to 216 players. Further information is available from our Tournament Director - Beryl Pearce – 0428 622 300 - beejaber@gmail.com

LADIES’ OPEN TOURNAMENT

26-30 OCTOBER 2015

HAHN GOLF OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

7-8 NOVEMBER 2015

STEVE CONRAN JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

22 NOVEMBER 2015

MERCEDES BENZ DUNTRYLEAGUE CLASSIC

16-19 JANUARY 2016

The Ladies’ Open Tournament is a much anticipated Tournament on the Duntryleague calendar. The Tournament will include golfing events each day and some great social events as well. Accommodation is available on site in our famous 14 room mansion. Further information is available from our Ladies Captain - Maria Crawford – 0427 618 164 - dandmcrawford@bigpond.com

(Golf NSW Vardon Event & Senior Event in conjunction) These two days of golf are not to be missed. Saturday and Sunday Championship with individual daily events in conjunction. Test yourself against some of the best players in Australia. Accommodation is also available on site in our famous 14 room mansion. Please contact the Golf Shop on (02) 6362 4072 for further enquiries.

A chance for up and coming juniors to experience one of Australia’s best regional courses. The Tournament is a must in every junior’s golfing calendar. Parents can relax and enjoy the hospitality and beauty of Duntryleague or take the opportunity to enjoy all that Orange has to offer. Accommodation is also available on site in our famous 14 room mansion. This 54 hole Individual Stableford Tournament continues to grow and is limited to 180 players to ensure comfortable play for everyone. It is open to anyone with a Golf Australia handicap. Duntryleague is one of the best regional golf courses in Australia and is constantly in the top 100 courses each year. Entry fees for the Tournament are excellent value at $299 which includes golf, welcome cocktail party, Monday BBQ and Gala presentation dinner. Magnificent local wines, beer and soft drinks are included for the welcome cocktail party and Gala dinner.

Only 3½ hours from Sydney | Ph: 02 6362 3466 | www.duntryleague.com.au

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rules

What’s the Rule?

Loose Impediments Part 2: Relief of Rule 23-1 (2 strokes in stroke play or loss of hole in match play).

Frank Gal Director of Rules Golf NSW

There is no restriction on how a loose impediment may be removed, except that the player must not press anything down in removing a loose impediment on the line of putt (Rule 16-1a).

aving established in last month’s issue which natural objects are loose impediments, and in what circumstances, we turn our attention to the question of taking relief from loose impediments interfering with play.

One interesting issue is the case of a large stone that can be removed only with some effort. Decision 23-1/2 says it is a loose impediment as long as it is not solidly embedded and its removal does not unduly delay play, and Decision 23-1/3 says you may receive assistance in removing a large loose impediment. Some question whether others should be allowed to help, but permitting assistance assures that the size and strength of the player is not a factor.

Rule 23 permits the removal of loose impediments from anywhere on the course, except when both the loose impediment and the ball lie in the same hazard (bunker or water hazard). The reasoning is that a hazard is just that - a hazard - and the player should be prepared to suffer some consequences. So, objects such as twigs and pinecones may not be removed from bunkers or water hazards. In fact, they cannot even be touched prior to making a stroke (Rule 13-4c). A word of caution. When removing a loose impediment from elsewhere on the course, other than on a putting green, be careful that its removal does not cause the ball to move or you will incur a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a. If this happens on the putting green, there is no penalty, provided the removal of the loose impediment is directly attributable to the removal of the loose impediment. An example of an act which is not considered to be “directly attributable” resulting in a penalty, would be accidentally moving the ball with your foot in the process of removing a loose impediment with your hand (see Decision 23-1/11). Another thing to be aware of is that a loose impediment that might influence the movement of the ball must not be removed when a ball is in motion. In these circumstances, the player who moved the loose impediment would incur the penalty for a breach

You are also allowed to remove loose impediments from the area in which you are to drop or place a ball under the Rules, but don’t forget that sand and loose soil are only loose impediments on the putting green (see Decisions 23-1/6, 23-1/6.5 and 13-2/11) . Finally, if a loose impediment affecting your lie through the green is removed when you lift your ball under a Rule that requires you to replace the ball, you must also replace the loose impediment. In such circumstances, if you wish to remove loose impediments affecting your lie, you should do so either before lifting the ball or after replacing it. If your ball then moves as a result of moving the loose impediments, you incur a penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a and must replace the ball (see Decisions 23-1/7 and 23-1/8). •

Links Court, Woorim, BRIBIE ISLAND, Queensland p: 07 3408 1457 www.bribieislandgolfclub.com.au e: office@bribieislandgolfclub.com.au

Bribie Island Invitational Golf Tournament We’re proud to announce the 2nd Annual Bribie Island Invitational Tournament sponsored by Coca Cola Amatil.

Just 1 hour from Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast... It’s Worth the Drive...

Men’s Single Stableford Ladies Single Stableford 8 rounds with the top 5 players fom each round qualifying for the invitational final round. DATES: MeMbers $11 Visitors $31

Ladies White Tee Challenge All events are played on the last Friday of the month Tee times available from mid morning.

open Event - 1 Division - Ladies only Competition

Challenge Yourself Challenge the Course

Members & Bay Golf Card Holders $11 | Visitors $31

Great Prizes • Winner - Ladies Golf Shirt • Runner-Up - Golf Hat • Play under your handicap and receive a Dozen Golf Balls • NTP’s • Ball Run Down

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Event sponsor

Round 7 Friday 11th September Round 8 Friday 9th October Final Friday 8th November

FINAL RouND PRIzE • 2 nights accommodation on the Gold Coast • A one day entry to the Australian PGA Championship • Entry to the Coca Cola Amatil Hospitality tent • Dinner at one of the Royal Pines Restaurants during your stay • Round of golf at Royal Pines (if possible) or another Resort course during the Championship Phone for more information and bookings: The Golf Shop - (07) 3408 2484

GO energy partners with Golf NSW GO energy has been announced as Golf NSW’s newest major supporting partner. “It is exciting news to have Neil Purser and the Go energy team join Golf NSW and offer our affiliated Member Clubs solutions to their energy supply and solar needs,” said Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW. “Energy is a major expense and GO energy has the expertise to provide Clubs solar solutions for their operation which in turn will significantly reduce energy costs and improve the all-important bottom line. “This is an excellent partnership and again highlights the commitment of the Board of Golf NSW in delivering a raft of additional services aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of our Member Clubs,” Fraser added. GO energy is a clean energy technology provider with a market objective to transition its customers away from energy wastage and nonrenewable energy sources into an environment of efficient energy usage based on renewable energy sources. “We at GO energy believe the partnership with Golf NSW is a perfect fit particularly as many of its Member Clubs are in regional and rural NSW, which get a healthy dose of the sun during the year,” said Neil Purser, CEO of Go energy. “Go energy offers a diverse range of products and services which focuses on renewable energy and we have funding options to deliver PV solar solutions to businesses and entities both large and small. “We look forward to providing a great outcome to the members of Golf NSW and will contact each club to introduce our services and most importantly our commitment to deliver a cost benefit to their energy needs,” Purser added.

Blue Marker

Challenge GREAT PRIzES EvERy MoNTh Beat your handicap and win a dozen Pro-V balls

2015 EvEnts 25 September 30 October 27 November 18 December

MeMbers & bay Golf Card Holders $11 Visitors $31

Event sponsor

education

The Price is right for golf school fun T

With over 30 years’ experience on Tour and having played in British Opens and US Senior PGA Championships, Terry Price has recently announced the launch of Terry Price Golf Schools. With a backdrop of the idyllic climate of Queensland’s’ Gold Coast, Terry Price Golf Schools is based at the home of Adam Scott at internationally-renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club. After travelling the globe for more than a quarter of a century, Terry says he now wants to share his skills and experience with the thousands of amateurs who are looking to take their game to the next level. “I have searched the world learning from coaches like Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, David Pelz and Mac O’Grady,” said Terry. “I now want to be able to share these techniques with students on our golf days”. “While we demonstrate the skills of a Tour player, our schools are also about having fun,” Terry says. “We want to ensure our students enjoy themselves and return home with great memories and feeling good.” Having played with many of the game’s greats such as Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam, Greg Norman and Adam Scott, Terry has a host of tales from the Tour as well as yarns of how it feels to play under pressure in major tournaments. “With the sunny weather and nightlife of the Gold Coast along with our five-star venue at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club we have the perfect setting to entertain our guests while providing them with an effective and efficient ‘Swing for a Lifetime’,” said Terry. Plus, in what may be an Australian first, the schools feature a current Tour Pro alongside his personal coach – with Terry’s coach, Steve Darmody, taking part in the schools. Based at Sanctuary Cove Golf Club for 16 years, Steve has helped

Terry with his game for a number of years. This culminated in Terry winning the Pons Senior Open in Germany on the European Seniors Tour. Steve works on a holistic approach to improvement providing simple, technically sound solutions to the wide variety of game problems that golfers encounter. Steve has extensive experience in computer and video technology and longterm learning development programs. This, combined with advanced technical skills in the dynamics of the golf swing and a special interest in both the psychological and the biomechanics of golf make him a well credentialed coach.

The golf schools cover all aspects of the game including on-course lessons playing on the newly-renovated Palms or the exclusive Pines courses offering golfers the option of The Perfection School with Steve OR The Signature School with both Steve and Terry coaching students. The Team will also specialise in Corporate days for companies who are looking to offer their Clients and staff the ultimate golfing experience of learning and playing with a current Tour Pro. For those unable to personally attend a school the website offers the opportunity of Online Lessons with the golfer using a state-of-the-art app to record a 10-second video of their swing on their smartphone or tablet. Then with just one click of a button the clip is sent to Steve and Terry to provide a professional swing analysis using a suite of drawing tools and voice narration before returning the Online Lesson back to their app. For more information, visit www.terrypricegolfschools.com.au

Steve Darmody and Terry Price.

Ladies Golf Boutique

✁

he man described by golfers throughout the world as having the ‘perfect swing’ is centring his focus on the launch of a golf school with a difference.

Take your game to the next level with coaching from a current Tour Pro Experience world class coaching from Australian Tour Pro Terry Price and his swing coach PGA ACE rated Steve Darmody. Terry Price Schools is based at the internationally renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club in the sunny climate of the Gold Coast, the perfect destination for fun and golf.

SPRING/SUMMER 2015

While developing your game you will learn how the Pros play and hear Terry’s tales of life on the Tour. Our Signature 1 or 3-day schools are a unique education for students of all ages and standards while at the same time we ensure great enjoyment and a golfing experience you will never forget.

As we are a Showroom and Head Office for Ladies Golf, Travel & Lifestyle Collections, we open our Boutique to the golfing ladies at select times during the year with each new season:

• Learn the concept of the ‘perfect swing’ • Play on the Palms or Pines with Terry • Hear Terry’s stories from playing with some of the games legends • Enjoy the sunny weather and nightlife of the Gold Coast • Experience the facilities of our 5 Star venue • Corporate enquiries welcome

SPRING 2015 COllECTION

Will be available when we open from Wed. 2 Sept - Sat. 10 Oct

SUMMER 2015 COllECTION

Will be available when we open from Sat. 31 Oct - Sat. 5 dec

OPENING HOURS:

MONdAy *WEdNESdAy * FRIdAy: 9.30 - 4.00 + SATURdAyS 9.30 - 12 NOON If you would like to visit at other times, please call to arrange - (02) 9452 6046

Professional coaching from Tour Pro Terry Price

On-course coaching with Terry Price at The Palms, Sanctuay Cove Golf & Country Club

✁

For more information contact Peter Nicholson (07) 3535 0610 or visit www.terrypricegolfschools.com.au

New fashion colours for 2015 include Turquoise, Navy, Cobalt, Oyster, Orange, Red, Hot Pink, Black,White & Aqua. Popular, classic style Shorts, Capris & Skirts in Checks, Prints & Plains + Polo Shirts in a variety of sleeve lengths. Exclusive and co-ordinating Collections in Sizes 8 - 20 have the golf, travel & lifestyle wardrobes covered. Plus our popular Sale Item Section ensures there is something for everyone. For 22 years we have been offering exclusive Australian-Made Collections in a unique location -10 minutes from Chatswood:

20 Tralee Avenue, Killarney Heights NSW 2087 Tel: (02) 9452 6046 Email: Susangolf@bigpond.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

education

Golf industry careers start with PGA IGI

HE PGA International Golf Institute (PGA IGI), a leader in golf education for students seeking to build a career in the golf industry, is accepting application for its 2016 intake. Students wishing to gain Australia’s only Diploma of Golf Management qualification have a choice of studying at two campus locations – the Gold Coast, based at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, or in Sydney at Monash Country Club. The sought-after Diploma of Golf Management and pathway programs prepare graduates to be “job ready” for a career in the golf industry – on and off the golf course. Marketing and Student Recruitment Manager and former PGA IGI graduate Luke Bryden said PGA IGI alumni held positions in the golf industry in Australia and throughout the world. He said graduates have taken their opportunity during their PGA IGI study to go on and become Tour Players, Golf Coaches; General Managers, Directors of Golf, Sales and Event Management and Tournament Coordinators. “The program allows students to combine their passion for golf on the course with competitions and golf training, while learning the workings of the golf industry off the course,” he said. “It provides graduates with job ready experience to start a post study career.

Course structure The Diploma of Golf Management was over two 14-week terms of study across the year. “Each week students share their time between business and golf academics

subjects and practical golf training and competitions,” Bryden said. “Students can choose to study for one year with the PGA IGI, under the Diploma of Golf Management, or for three years combining the Diploma of Golf Management with a selected Bachelor Degree at our partner institutions.” Students can go on and study a Bachelor Degree with International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) or with Griffith University on the Gold Coast.

Pathways to the PGA of Australia (PGA Professional) Along with the pathways to Bachelor Degrees, students also have the unique pathway to the PGA of Australia to undertake the PGA Professional Year to become a full vocational member of the PGA of Australia (PGA Professional). PGA Trainee Program entry requirements must be met by students looking to undertake this pathway.

These PGA IGI students are working towards careers in the golf industry.

PGA IGI Diploma of Golf Management (10459NAT): • 1 year program • 6 academic subjects • 2 practical golf subjects • Golf course access memberships • Group and private golf coaching sessions with PGA Professionals • Weekly PGA IGI Competitions • Driving range access & practice sessions • Trackman/Flightscope skills testing and analysis

How to apply Enrolments are now open for 2016 applications at both the Sydney and Gold Coast Campus locations. Entry requirements for students are: • Be 18 years of age or over, or turning 18 years in first year of study; • Successful completion of Year 12 (unless 21 years of age or over); and • Hold a maximum golf handicap for men of 18 and for women of 25. Prospectus and application forms are available online at www.pgaigi.com Classes commence in Sydney on February 15, 2016 and on the Gold Coast on February 29, 2016.

PGA IGI students hone their skills on the range. Domestic students (Australian citizens) have the opportunity to access VET FeeHelp for course fees associated with PGA IGI subjects associated with the Diploma of Golf Management (VET Fee-Help is an Australian Federal Government Student Loan Scheme).

Like to know more? For further information regarding the PGA International Golf Institute, please contact Luke Bryden on (07) 5657 6109, email lbryden@pga.org.au or visit www.pgaigi.com

Australia’s only Diploma of Golf Management program

train play Study Pathways to Bachelor Degrees and PGA of Australia

visit

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

instruction

From off the green, do you chip or putt? Glenn Whittle glenn@whittlegolf.com 0421 050 908

played in a club comp with some members recently at The Ridge, and we had a good day out with a lot of laughs. After about six holes, I noticed that two of my playing partners, when faced with a bare lie from off the green, kept opting to chip--when the only real option (unless you are Phil Mickelson) was to putt the ball. One important point to make is that chipping in winter can be especially difficult, as the grass growth is nearly dormant and the lies are often going to be average. But even in the summer, there are many times when the high-percentage play is with the putter, not the wedge. Next time you have a spare 15 minutes before you hit off, take a chipping club like a wedge and your putter and a few balls. The most common mistakes you will make initially is either 1) hit the ball too soft as your ball passes through the fringe or 2) rush the tempo in an urgency to see the outcome. Before you hit the putt, pre-determine the length of stroke you think you will need and rehearse it several times but also focus on a repeatable, smooth tempo. Practise this shot over and over until you are comfortable, and then watch your scores come down during the round. Do yourself a favour and add me as a friend

› › › › › ›

on Facebook (Glenn Whittle), and watch the Jack Nicklaus video putting from off the green where he shows his amateur playing partner in a pro-am (who does not believe you can putt from a long way off the green) how to do it. It’s a must see I spend a lot of my coaching time these days on the golf course one-on-one, simplifying the game and showing my clients

Right in the heart of Queensland’s famous Sunshine Coast Only 1 hour north of Brisbane 18 Hole, Par 72 Graham Marsh Designed Championship Golf Course Motorised cart hire Hire clubs Superb dining

Opening special

4 x players with 2 x golf carts

how to “play the game” and not just swing the club on a mat at a range (although swing drills are sometimes necessary). I coach six days a week and you can make a booking at The Ridge Golf Course pro shop.

The 2008 NSW PGA Teacher of the Year, Glenn Whittle is a Certified PGA Professional, Advanced Status – Coaching. He can be contacted via The Sydney Putting Studio (www.sydneyputtingstudio.com), via phone at 0421 050 908, or visit www.whittlegolf.com

Pub Austra lic A lia’ cc s n NOWess Golef west OPE Course

$200

374-514 David Low Way Bli Bli, Sunshine Coast QLD 4560 ph (07) 5373 1000 | pro shop (07) 5457 0900 | fax (07) 5373 1099 | email operations@maroochyrivergolfclub.com.au

www.maroochyrivergolfclub.com.au www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

instruction

Stretching for success Randall Hollands Smith randall@rhgolfrange.com.au

his month, I’ll cover a topic that many golfers neglect when it comes to playing or practicing golf: the effective loosening of your body for both the prevention of injuries, as well as maximizing the efficiency of the golf swing. There are many reasons that a player should loosen up before playing a round of golf. The main reasons for stretching prior to a round is that it takes time for the body’s muscles to become warm and supple enough to work at their maximum potential. It is during this period when the muscles are cool that they are at their most vulnerable point in regard to sustaining an injury. Muscles in the golf swing work like big elastic bands, winding and stretching through the backswing and pivot, placing them into the full stretch then allowing them to release free into the downswing, therefore creating maximum power. For this winding up and releasing of the muscles to work effectively they must therefore be ready to be activated under the stresses of golf swing that can be moving the golf club well in excess of 100 kilometers per hour. The following few stretches should be performed after a gentle warm up so that the muscles are more pliable and receptive to being stretched. These stretches are some of the most important ones to do prior to either playing a round of golf or hitting balls at the driving range. •

Holding the grip end of the golf club in one hand and the head end of the golf club in the other hand simply try and cross your arms over in an effort to stretch and warm up your shoulders and arms.

This particular stretch is fantastic for warming up the shoulders and upper back muscles. These muscles are also responsible for creating a lot of the explosive power within the golf swing.

This stretch is to assist in warming up the Latissimus Dorsi otherwise know as lats and lower back muscles. It is these muscles that are placed under most of the stresses when swinging the golf club.

This stretch is specifically designed to warm up both the nerve that runs down through your body as well as loosening the muscles specifically in your legs. Tight hamstrings can greatly affect your set-up but if kept supple will help prevent any adverse lower back pain and improve your ability to ground yourself through out your swing. I hope that today’s lesson instruction has been helpful for you. What must be remembered is that to improve as a golfer, you must work on improving all aspects of your game be it working on technique or working on improving your body’s physical well-being. • PGA Professional Randall Hollands Smith and Rachel Hetherington are instructors at Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club, Soorley Street, Tweed Heads South, 2486, and are available for lessons specialising in video analysis and launch monitor. Please contact Randall on 0408 381924, or Rachel on 0418 652730, or email rhs_golfpro@hotmail.com for further information. www.Rachelhetheringtongolf.com

Spring into 18 holes from *$79 at Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club

For a limited time the renewed Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club will offer $79* pp including a state-of-the-art Visage GPS system motorised golf cart. Order your complimentary Bodega Burger from your shared golf cart and enjoy 3 Titleist DT Golf Balls! Visage GPS enriches your golf experience by feeding you live measurement and layout data on your personal in-cart display. *Terms and conditions apply, subject to availability. Valid to 31 December 2015, 7 days a week. Blackout dates may apply.

To take advantage of this special deal and experience the new world-class Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club, please visit cypresslakes.com.au or call the Pro Shop direct on (02) 4993 1899 quoting InsideGolfSept.

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fitness

If the shoe fits...

Positive trends for golf in Australia Golf participation is on the rise across Australia with golf club members playing an increased number of competition rounds in the last financial year.

Richard Nizielski

The latest national competition rounds report released by the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) produced some positive information for those in the golf industry.

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n my last article, I discussed feet problems and some of the issues which can arise when they are not corrected.

Across Australia approximately 14.4 million rounds of golf were played in the 2014/2015 Financial Year which was a 3.6% increase over the same 12 month period in the year prior.

As I outlined, having the feet corrected through custom-made orthotic inner soles may be what is required to improve both foot function and golf swing mechanics.

“This is a fantastic result for the entire golf industry, more competition rounds being played helps every area of the industry and will ensure golf in Australia continues to thrive,” said Brian Thorburn, Chairman of the AGIC and CEO of the PGA of Australia.

However, for some of us it might be as simple as choosing a shoe which is the right shape and size for our foot. Feet come in all shapes and sizes. In a perfect world we would all have access to custom-made footwear, which was made to fit our feet exactly, providing the support and positioning we each need. In fact, this technology and service is available, if you are willing to pay for it, but for the most part it is more convenient and cost effective to buy a shoe off the rack at the store. So a couple of things you should know when choosing a golf shoe. Manufactures of commercial footwear make shoes on a mould called a ‘last’, which is the same general shape as a foot. The shape of the last may differ between brands depending on what the manufacturer deems important, i.e. fashion, function or target market. That may mean the shoe design is wide, narrow, flat or high arched or have a rounded

or square toe box.

comprehensive assessment.

Another consideration is whether the shoe is made on a curved or straight last.

As I mentioned, everyone has a slightly different foot shape and structure.

Some people have a foot shape, which is from toe to heel, while others have a relatively “straight” bone structure. Again, buying a shoe, which is not a similar shape of your foot is going to cause you issues, not only for comfort, but performance also.

So that certain shoe you have been eyeing off that your favourite player is wearing, might not be the best one for you.

Ill-fitting footwear is not going to offer the correct support, create pressure in the wrong areas, misalign the bone of the foot and stress the ligaments and tendons. All of these problems will only compound through other joints of the body. Knowing the shape and structure of your foot will help when deciding which golf shoe is best for you. A podiatrist can help with telling you this information. There are also some footwear stores which offer a fairly

And just like Cinderella’s stepsisters, if that slipper (shoe) is not your size and shape, then there is not going to be a fairy-tale ending for you and your golf game. Richard Nizielski is a Brisbane-based golf fitness expert and the Director of Golf Fit Solutions. A three-time Olympian and medallist in the sport of short track speed skating, Richard is a qualified sports and personal trainer designing individual fitness and nutrition programs for both professional and amateur golfers here in Australia and overseas. www.golffitsolutions.com

While the final quarter results showed the industry took a hit delivering a rare drop in rounds of 2.2% across the country this was an anomaly on the rest of the year with eight of the 12 months demonstrating competition rounds growth month-over-month. Western Australia was the best performing state across the year recording an impressive 10% growth in competition rounds over 2013/2014 largely due to strong outcomes from January through to June 2015. Victoria also benefitted from a less disruptive year weather-wise, with rounds growth recorded in each quarter of the year.

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mental game

Overcoming the fear of failure window and we start cramping up and try steer the ball into play. Sometimes we achieve a good shot, but most times we hit a poor shot which actually gets us into trouble.

Charles Kares ed@insidegolf.com.au

Having a stable technique is important, which obviously I work on very hard with my students, but if you do not have a clear mindset with a positive attitude, your technique will fail you and your score will reflect this.

any golfers do not give enough attention to the mental aspect of golf. For many golfers, regardless of the skill level, it is the mental game that assists us in hitting great shots, which in turn helps us score well.

A common statement after a round is, “I putted badly”, or “I stuffed up some easy shots”. This is not because the technique was bad. It was most likely that the person put too much pressure on themselves and did not perform the shot as they normally would if they were relaxed.

One A recent comment made to me by a golfer was, “I played with this guy who putted so well...he holed putts like he was a kid!” When we were kids playing the game, we had no fear. But as we matured and became “wise” we started thinking about the percentages along with bringing in the fear of failure into our minds. “I’d better not hit this too hard... I want to make the next putt,” is a comment/thought made by many club golfers but not by confident putters. A confident putter will go for the putt with no other idea in his/her mind other than the ball is going in! If this player misses, they will deal with the next putt with the same attitude. Not going for a putt is wasting a shot. You can always be careful and “try not to have a three-putt”, but you will then minimise the opportunity for a one-putt. The players who make many putts have a confident (yet bordering on arrogant) attitude when putting. In their mind, they will not miss. They go for their putt and deal with the situation if they miss.

When faced with a putt, do you aim to “make it” or simply “avoid missing”?

When putting, you need to be confident. Choose your line, have a positive routine, and then stroke the ball with confidence. The person who misses a one-foot putt, misses because they were careless or they were extremely nervous and could not control their emotions. This makes their hands react in a poor fashion, resulting in a missed putt. The fear of failure extends beyond the green. When standing on the first tee, many golfers usually get off to a bad start with a poor

tee-shot, especially if the first hole is directly in front of the club house or putting green, where there might be a small group of people who may watch them hit. We all worry about who is watching and what they might say about our shot. Others have so much pressure on themselves of the first tee because they want to get off to a good start. When this happens, technique goes out the

The best players in the world hit poor shots every round but they also hit great shots on a regular basis. They didn’t suddenly hit a bad shot or miss a simple putt because they felt like it. They hit good or bad shots because of their mental approach to the shot (positive or negative). In closing, there is a little saying that I like to go by. Take this out with you the next time you tee it up: A golfer with an average swing and a strong mental game beats the golfer with a great swing but a poor mental game. Charles Kares is the 2013 NSW/ACT PGA Teaching Professional of the Year, and Teaching Professional at The Lakes GC, Sydney. For Lessons, contact The Lakes GC on (02) 9669 3544 or e-mail Charles at teachingprofessional@ thelakesgolfclub.com.au . Available teaching days with Charles Kares are Sunday to Thursday. More: www.charleskares.pro

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mental game

Have golfers gone mental? F

inding a relaxed state of mind can be difficult at the best of times. In our busy lives, stress, anxiety and frustration can be the cause of personal meltdowns. So, imagine how your body and brain copes under the pressure of pitching over water to the green... or that tricky 10-foot putt to win a tournament. As many amateur golfers know, it’s so easy to let mental distractions get in the way of a great game, but we regularly see the world’s top players manage challenging situations with ease and precision. The question is ‘how do they do it?’ Research by prestigious universities shows the average golfer uses only the left side of the brain. This side is preoccupied with halfremembered tips and advice – the unwanted ‘mind-chatter’ that hampers good golf. But professional golfers can also bring in the creative right side, which deals with rhythm, balance, timing and imagery. What’s more, top golfers can ‘switch off’ just before hitting a shot. Australian Tour Pro Terry Price says “In doing so – we achieve perfect mental stability and get ‘into the ZONE’.” “Professional golfers require an incredible mental strength under pressure. You see them make those clutch putts and big shots all the time...why? Because they are in complete control of their thoughts all the time.”

“

“By training your mind to maintain a mental balance, the hazards and other dangers amateurs face on the course suddenly become oblivious,” he added.

if our mind is unclear and our thoughts muddled, then it’s impossible for the brain to send the correct message to the body to replicate this perfection.

As the professional game continues to be exciting and extremely competitive we are hearing more and more pros openly discuss the importance of the role that sports psychology plays in raising their performance to the next level.

“Based on the studies of how the pros use their brain power, we developed the program to positively change the way the amateur golfer thinks in the crucial moments before playing a shot, in turn creating consistency and lowering scores,” Nicholson says.

Many of the world’s top golfers pay thousands of dollars to ensure they cope under extreme pressure. Up until recently this type of coaching had been unavailable to amateurs wanting the edge to their game. However, in the past few years a mindcoaching program called Pro Golf IQ has allowed golfers of all ages and standards to master the mental side which many pros say is 80% of their skillset.

The audio program takes just five weeks to complete, with golfers simply needing to sit back and relax in the comfort of their home using headphones for around 30 minutes, three times per week.

Pro Golf IQ is a series of powerful audio sessions which uses a combination of relaxation and guided-imagery techniques to teach the mind the same skills used by the professionals, eradicating negativity while promoting focus and confidence to ensure you consistently play to the best of your ability.

“Over 95% of our customers have reported improvement or more enjoyment from their game during and after completing the program,” Nicholson adds. “These gains may be cutting several shots from their handicap or simply feeling more relaxed and focussed on the course.”

“As amateurs, we have all hit perfect shots, so in reality, our body is physically capable of achieving excellence,” explains Pete Nicholson, creator of Pro Golf IQ. “However,

The final word came from tour pro Price, who says: “It really is a must-have for anyone who wants to improve their game dramatically.

Each week the golfer listens to a different dynamic session designed to encompass all parts of the game from the tee to the green, plus course management.

“This program allows everyday amateurs an affordable way to gain improvement in their game they never thought was possible,” he says.

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seniors

SENIOR AMATEURS: With Denis Dale

Kiwis reign at Sanctuary Cove and losing in matchplay golf. Overall there was only one match in it with the Kiwis winning by 13 points to 11.

ed@insidegolf.com.au

he New Zealand Senior team has continued their recent dominance over Australia with a narrow win in the 2015 Sanctuary Cove Trophy played recently at Sanctuary Cove Golf Club in Queensland. This annual event began in 2007 and is played using the same format as the Ryder and Presidents Cups and is just as exciting and prestigious an event to the 24 golfers who compete every year. Australia had gone into the final twelve single matchplay games with a two-point lead after an excellent display in the fourball and foursomes matches. Most of the singles matches were very close but Australia failed to take charge over the closing holes that often make the difference between winning

After nine years of competition the score now stands at six wins for New Zealand and three wins for Australia. The next match between the two traditional rivals will be in New Zealand at the Royal Wellington Golf Club in February, 2016. Immediately preceding the Sanctuary Cove Trophy will be the New Zealand Senior Amateur Championship at the nearby Paraparaumu Golf Club. The 2015 captain Tony Kennings will lead the team again and has already begun plans for a winning result and a chance to hold the trophy high and bring it back to Australia. The Sanctuary Cove Trophy is a great tournament and is still the pinnacle of senior golf in both countries. More: www.ausoom.com

The Australian Senior Team at Sanctuary Cove Golf Club.

Frost first in Queensland Senior Amateur Heading into the final round of the 2015 Queensland Senior Amateur Championship, played at Southport Golf Club it was a very tight leaderboard with 10 players within five shots of pacemaker, New Zealand’s Barry Shannon. After the first nine holes of the final round Queenslander Peter Hannah, two behind overnight, had taken a narrow lead from Victorian Ian Frost with Barry Shannon, Sam Christie (Qld) and Darryl Hearsch (NSW) all within three shots. Like most major tournaments this one would

be decided on the final nine by those who handled the pressure the best. When both Hannah and Frost doublebogeyed the long par-3 12th hole, the title race was even closer with all the contenders now in with a real chance. A crucial turning point came on the next hole when Frost made a birdie four to Hannah’s double-bogey seven. However, Shannon and Christie weren’t to be denied as they also birdied this hole. The closing four holes would decide the winner and they are some of the best and most challenging on the Southport course.

Christie finished bogey, double-bogey to eventually share runner-up with Shannon who also found trouble bogeying his final four holes. Frost’s class as the highest-ranked Australian Senior in the field shone through and he parred his way home to win by a surprising five strokes. Peter Hannah finished alone in fourth place and evergreen Redcliffe senior Col Hallam was his usual consistent self in finishing in a tie for fifth with Greg Duguid and Darryl Hearsch. This was the first Australian Senior Ranking event victory for Frost but it will certainly

not be his last. A strong hitting senior, Frost is looking to play more events and will be one of the favourites in the two South Australian events to be played in early September and the Australian Senior Amateur Championship that follows later in the same month. Barry Shannon had a successful tournament and goes back to Wanganui, New Zealand with second place in a major Australian tournament. Sam Christie has won several senior titles already including an Australian Senior Championship and a NSW Senior Championship and it is pleasing to see him back playing in major events.

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seniors

Coolangatta Tweed win the Senior Teams Challenge

he Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club have won the 2015 Queensland Senior Club Teams Challenge, defeating Lakelands Golf Club 7 ½ to 4 and a half on aggregate in the teams Match Play format. Clubs from the wider south-east Queensland region are eligible to play in this championship. The final consisted of home and away match play games at each course. It was a well-matched round at Lakelands with each team finishing on three games in the first of the home and away finals. It was all down to the second final held at Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club. After holding Lakelands to an away draw the Coolangatta team were the favourites and began very well establishing a lead in most games at the half way mark. Using their local knowledge of the River Course layout to their advantage they Home course knowledge paid dividends for Southport member Ray Geary as he claimed the Overall Nett prize with a 54-hole total of 214 from his handicap of seven. He defeated Darryl Hearsch (221 from handicap 4) and Barry Shannon (222 from handicap 3) and also combined with fellow members Jeff Wood and Tony Irvine to win the Club Teams Challenge. The Southport course is a perfect venue for a senior tournament as it relies more on accuracy and strategic play than sheer power and once again the large field was generous in their praise of the course.

finished with a 4 ½ to 1 ½ victory and claimed the 2015 Senior Club Teams Challenge title, winning 7 ½ to 4 ½ on aggregate. The Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club has been the dominant club in senior pennant golf in recent years and this is another title they can add to their growing list. It is the fourth time the club has won the Teams Challenge in the last seven years. Congratulations to the 2015 team: Kerry Paine, Rod Dale, George Spillane, Ron Gageler, Doug Glazebrook, Dave Marshall, Phil Towle, Len Korn and Dave Morrison. Congratulations also to team captains David Morrison (Coolangatta Tweed) and Michael Parisi (Lakelands) and all the other clubs that participated in this year’s Senior Club Teams Challenge Series. More: www.golfqueensland.org.au

Coolangatta Tweed Golf Club – winners of the 2015 Queensland Senior Club Challenge.

Borren best at Gold Coast Seniors The 2015 Gold Coast Senior Classic was played over three of Queensland’s best courses – RACV Royal Pines, The Glades and Links Hope Island. The winner of the major trophy was leading Kiwi senior Frank Borren who had stayed over after representing New Zealand in the Sanctuary Cove Trophy the previous week. Entering the final round Borren held a onestroke lead after opening rounds of 74-71. He played the championship level Links Hope Island course like the experienced campaigner he is to return an excellent final round of 73. He defeated fellow Kiwi

representative Michael Barltrop by three shots. Borren has played quite a few times in Australia and it was pleasing to see this very good player break through for a win in Australia. In finishing second it was yet another high placing in an Australian Senior Ranking event for Barltrop (72-7476=221). Barltrop is a regular traveller to Australia enjoying the challenge of quality competition played on quality courses. His continued success sees him placed well inside the top ten on the current Australian Senior Ranking table.

Third place went to another New Zealand visitor Rodney Barltrop who finished with scores of 68-78-80=226. Barltrop was also the leading Over 65 player and his successful tournament included the best round of the tournament with his opening score of four-under-par 68 at Royal Pines that equalled his age. In recording his 68 he had the thrill of a hole-in-one on his final hole – that’s the way to end a good round! Rodney Barltrop is no stranger to Australia having won the Australian Senior Amateur Championship three times.

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seniors

Tapper tops NSW Senior Order of Merit

third place. Darwin visitor Tom Harold was fourth and along with Barltrop and Frost had played in the Sanctuary Cove Trophy (Australia vs New Zealand) the previous week. This trio showed their class in filling three of the top four places.

The Coffs Harbour Seniors played on a Friday attracted a good field and was won by Belmont senior Garry Barber with an excellent round of 72 on this very challenging course. One stroke away was Bayview’s Dale Tapper, the current leader in the 2015 Golf NSW Senior Order of merit competition.

Back to Sydney and the 2015 Cabramatta Seniors where a good field was ready for the challenge of one of Sydney’s more difficult courses. The winner was Twin Creeks’ member Denis Dale with a round of 74. Dale had played all his junior and early pennant golf at this club and was pleased to record his third win in this event since it began in 2007. Second place went to Vince Clark (The Lakes) with a round of 76.

he 2015 Coffs Coast Seniors was changed slightly from previous years with the two rounds on the Coffs Harbour course and the Bonville course being separate events in the NSW Senior Order of Merit competition. There was still an overall 36-hole competition with the winner receiving the Coffs Coast Championship title.

The following day saw most of the same golfers (plus a few extras who could not make the previous day) ready and keen to enjoy a game in the 2015 Bonville Seniors. One of the most spectacular courses in the country Bonville regularly attracts golfers from interstate and overseas keen to appreciate the picturesque course and the championship layout.

Dale continued his recent good form with a win in the 2015 Carnarvon Seniors after an excellent round of one underpar 71. The Carnarvon course was in wonderful condition, the greens at their very best and the course setup well suited to senior golf. Second place went to Manly’s Darryl Hearsch on 73 with Forster-Tuncurry visitor Alan Symes third on 75. More: www.golfnsw.org

The winner was Bayview’s Dale Tapper who continued his good form by recording a par-equalling round of 72. The talented Tapper was in sensational form and commented that it was “the best I have played for many years” in firing six birdies on his way to winning the event by three strokes from Twin Creeks senior Denis Dale and Forster-Tuncurry’s Greg Ellis who tied for second place with 75.

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In July Rhodes was selected in the Australian senior team to play New Zealand at Sanctuary Cove Golf Club. He performed well in this series winning two of his three matches.

Dale Tapper leads the 2015 NSW Senior Order of Merit.

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Local member Greg Rhodes has claimed the 2015 Coomealla Senior Open by an incredible 28 shots. Rhodes fired three rounds of 67, 68 and 72 (par 72) around his home course to win his first ever event in the Doug Bachli Senior Order of Merit competition for the state’s senior golfers.

Earlier this year Rhodes won the NSW Senior Amateur Championship in Orange where he finished six under-par for the 54 holes and also did not have a round over par.

Still on the north coast and the 2015 Ocean Shores Seniors was another event to draw a very good field and it was pleasing to see New Zealand’s champion senior Michael Barltrop enter and win this event. Barltrop is one of New Zealand’s very best senior golfers and he was delighted to record his first win in a NSW Senior Order of Merit competition.

2015 Coomealla Senior Open Winner Greg Rhodes.

Rhodes finished an amazing nine under par in claiming his first title and it will certainly not be his last. Second place went to regular Senior Order of Merit competitor Alan Bullas (Commonwealth) with scores of 76-78-82=235.

Tapper was a six-stroke winner of the overall 36-hole Coffs Coast Seniors Championship with his rounds of 73-72=145. Second place went to consistent Cabramatta golfer Greg McKay with rounds of 75-76=151. Greg Ellis took out third place on a countback after rounds of 80-75=155.

Runner-up was Victorian visitor Ian Frost from the Bendigo club with a round of 76 with local member Peter Ferris filling

Rhodes record at Coomealla

In the women’s Stableford section, it was fellow Coomealla member Dawn Jackson who was victorious with rounds of 37 and 33 points. One shot adrift was Jill Foster with consistent rounds of 35 and 34 points. More: www.golfvic.org.au

seniors

Stylish Wrightson a late bloomer as NSW’s top Super Senior “The first year our Super Senior team did well in a tough division against Wyong and Belmont and this year we got to the semifinals where we lost to The Lakes,” he said.

Bill Colhoun ed@insidegolf.com.au

Playing in his first NSW Super Senior championship this year he didn’t know what to expect, but realised the competition would be tough when he saw he was playing in the same group as Wyong’s renowned Jack Palmer and Jeff Coxon, a quality player from The Lakes.

2015 NSW Super Senior Championship winner, Wilbur Wrightson, of Toronto, not only proved an inspiration to all golfers aged over 65 with his gutsy play at Toukley Golf Club, he did it in his unique style – wearing an eyecatching immaculate plus-fours outfit. Wrightson overcame a double-bogey, bogey start in the testing early wet and windy conditions to bounce back with two birdies on his way to a 79 on the always challenging par-72 Central Coast layout – good enough to win by five shots.

Coxon, well-known in the golf industry as the founder of golf bag trailblazer Tag Bag Golf Australia, played at Toukley on his way to competing in the Queensland Senior Amateur title at Southport. He was third in the 65-69 years net event at Toukley.

It was amazing that the Toukley course even was playable given that less than two months prior much of it was underwater after huge storms and flooding from the nearby lakes. But Wrightson’s last century-styled plusfours golf outfit (which he has found very comfortable since adopting it 15 years ago after watching US star Payne Stewart and Aussie Rodger Davis) stood the test of the heavy early going.

Winners are grinners: Wilbur Wrightson (Photo: Martin Gallagher, CC Photos Gosford) one stage – about two years ago – I got my handicap down to 0.5.

Wrightson, who celebrated his 67th birthday early in August, was playing in his first NSW Super Senior title, although he has been a regular team-member for the Lake Macquarie area Toronto Golf Club Masters pennant teams for 18 years and for the two years the club has had a Super Seniors team since 2014.

“Mainly due to my better short game I mostly have played off a two-to-three handicap during the past couple of years.” Last year he won the initial Toronto Golf Club Senior Championship and now has topped that by becoming the champion 65 years-plus golfer in NSW.

Wrightson was a top-grade rugby league fullback with Macquarie United in the strong Newcastle competition before retiring at 28 and seriously taking up golf for the first time.

While he has enjoyed those individual successes, Wrightson freely admits that he gets almost as much fun out of playing pennants – especially the Super Seniors, which he says has a terrific social atmosphere during and after games. A Zone Convenor for the Masters pennants, he was an instigator in forming the Toronto Super Senior side two years ago.

“I was just a social golfer when I joined Toronto 38 years ago but, while mostly playing off a seven or eight handicap, I didn’t win any major trophies until I retired,” he said. “However, since I retired about eight years ago my golf really has improved and at

OF MEMBE

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Championship: 79 Wilbur Wrightson (Toronto); Overall Net: 73 Tony Jones (Toukley) 65-69 years: Scratch; 84 Peter Fulton (Nelson Bay) Net: 76c/b Martin Gallagher (Gosford) 76 Jeff Coxon (The Lakes) 76 Brian Windle (Toukley) 70-74 years: Scratch: 85 Graham Allen (Nelson Bay) Net: 78 Bill Colhoun (Castlecove) 80c/b Brian Foster (Monash) 80 Peter Legge (Camden) 75 years plus: Scratch: 84 Frank Musgrave (Muree) Net: 77 Geoff Hosken (Wollongong) 80 Gordon Mather (Shelly Beach) 81 Cec Cotton (Wyong) 80 years plus: Tommy Laidlaw (Toukley) r/up Don Tunbridge (Shelly Beach)

Every year for the last 34 years, keen golfers have travelled from all around Australia to take part in the Sapphire Coast Week of Golf at the Pambula Merimbula Golf Club. 2015 will be no different, apart from the fact that it is the 35th year of Week of Golf and the 50th Anniversary for the Club. The tournament even attracts competitors from overseas, and is widely regarded as one of the longest-running, best tournaments for golfers. About 800 golfers play in a variety of competitions over 9 days in a tremendously friendly, carnival atmosphere. It all starts on Saturday 17th October and continues each day until Sunday 25th October. Competitions include Ladies and Mens 18-hole Stablefords, Mixed Canadian Foursomes, American Foursomes and finishing with two Mens Open Tournaments and a 36-hole Open Championship. There’s also a fantastic Hole in One competition sponsored by Bega Valley Motors – where competitors can win a car! There are other competitions, including daily lucky card draws held daily and raffles. It’s not just about the golf though - the Week of Golf is a fantastic social event, with plenty of excitement each night, from Sunday 18th with a celebratory Welcome Dinner to other nights with specials such as Rib Night and Parma Mania and plenty of live entertainment. Entries must be received by the Club by Tuesday 29th September; entry forms can be downloaded from the Club’s website at www.merimbulagolf.com. au or by contacting the Club on 02 6495 6154. Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club looks forward to welcoming the Week of Golf participants to the Coast.

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It all must have seemed a bit tough when three over after two holes but Wrightson said he just persevered to string together seven successive pars and it then turned out to be “just one of those days” as he improved with the weather as the rain disappeared at Toukley.

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35th Week of Golf at Pambula Merimbula

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golf nsw 2015 NSW Women’s Fourball Championship In November, the 2015 NSW Women’s Fourball Championship will reach its pinnacle – the State Final, played at the magnificent Bonville Golf Resort. The year-long event will culminate with forty golfing pairs from around NSW, playing 36-holes over two days on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 November 2015. The winners will be crowned the 2015 NSW Women’s Fourball Champions. The exciting aspect of this event is the sheer volume of entrants that start at Club level, and eventually whittle down to forty pairs for the State Final. To date there are 225 Clubs across NSW that are participating and 4,185 individual participants. There are fourteen Women’s Country Districts, and from this, the winning pair in each Country District play-off qualify for the State Final. The six Districts with the highest number of participants at Club level receive a second pair to qualify into the State Final, taking the total number of qualifiers from the Country Districts to twenty. The Metropolitan play-off encompasses all Clubs in the Metropolitan District. The leading 20 pairs qualify for the State Final, taking the total number of pairs at the State Final to forty. State Finalists will be treated to a welcome BBQ on the Tuesday evening, followed by 18-holes on Wednesday and 18-holes on Thursday. A formal presentation function will be held on the Thursday evening. Handicap Limit: 45.4 The NSW Women’s Fourball Championship is a two person teams’ event versus par with one player’s score to count on each hole. The competition is open to female golfers (over the age of 18 by the date of the State Final) with a current Golf Australia handicap. Each team will consist of two female members of the same golf club, being the club conducting the Stage 1 event and must remain financial members of that club for the duration of the competition. More: www.golfnsw.org. Contact Julia Skamperle at Golf NSW on julia.skamperle@ golfnsw.org or 02 9505 9105.

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Castle Hill take out the 2015 Women’s Pewter Plate The 2015 Women’s Pewter Plate was played at Pymble Golf Club on Monday 20 July, with perfect weather for golf greeting the players, who came from all around NSW to participate. Clubs were represented by teams of two players on GA handicaps of 29.1 to 45.4, with their aggregate stableford scores counting for the trophy.

Sullivan first regional qualifier for the NSW Open

ack Sullivan has become the first regional qualifier for the NSW Open, following victory at The 62nd Twin Towns Open Championship at the Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club. 78 players contested the event in tricky conditions with slick greens and a testing wind. The event came down to the wire with a sudden-death playoff between Sullivan (70, 70) and Jack Weston (72, 68), who both fired rounds of 4-under par for the 36-hole event. Sullivan won the first playoff hole with a par 5 1st hole to secure the victory. As the winner, Sullivan has earned a spot in the 2015 NSW Open Championship which takes place at the Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club from 12-15 November. Jack said he was relieved he kept it together holing a few putts to get into the playoffs. “I was very happy to win and qualify for the NSW Open. I actually played at Castle Hill

two years ago, and hopefully I can do as well as I did last time,” he said. In the 2013 Open, Sullivan fired a opening round of 66, co-leading with Victorian Michael Choi and Web.com tour player and the 2013 NSW Open Champion Aron Price. Sullivan’s next goal is to make the cut again and become the leading amateur. Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club’s Golf Operations Manager Nicole James said, “It is a wonderful opportunity for Jack to get a start in the NSW Open after this win and from our clubs’ perspective, we were thrilled to have the winner of the Twin Towns Open go through into the NSW Open.” In conjunction with the Open, Jack also became the 2015 Gold Coast District Golf Association Champion, a closed event to players who are members of any golf club affiliated with the District. Jack hails from Palmer Gold Cost Golf Club from the District enabling him to triumph in both categories.

Winners were the Castle Hill pairing of Betty Pankhurst (33) and Jacqueline Bowen (33) with a total of 63 points. Betty was the star of the team having one of the best scores of the day with 37 stableford points. In second place was the Belmont pairing of Marilyn Scott (34) and Janice Gardner (34) who had 27 and 36 points respectively to also post a team total of 63 points, but unfortunately lost on a countback. Oatlands’ Jenny Park (35) took out the individual prize with an exceptional score of 38 points. The runner up in the individual competition was North Ryde’s Marcia Anderson (34) with a score of 31 points on a countback. More: www.golfnsw.org

Congratulations to the latest St Hallett Wines Hole-in-One Achievers: Keith Brown, Robyn Burgess, Regan Coates, Ian Elliott, Elizabeth Graham, Barry Groves, Anne Harris, Sandy Hearn, Ian Johns, Kwang Soo Joo, Marilyn Lambden, Gary Maloney, William Min, Jimmy Park, Gregory Penn, Steve Popplewell, Brian Russell, Penny Shearman, Blair Stott, Ken Turner, and Carol Wilson.

golf queensland

Quayle wins Northwest Men’s Amateur

ueensland’s Anthony Quayle sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 36th hole of the final match to defeat Shintaro Ban of San Jose, California and win the 114th Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur Championship, at Sunriver Resort, Oregon.

ill Blenkey (Newcastle) has won the Queensland Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Maroochy River Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast. The New South Welshman won her final match 2&1 over opponent Nikki Haines (Moore Park).

Ban had squared the match on the par3 35th hole when Quayle 3-putted. After Quayle sank the birdie putt on the final hole, Ban saw his own birdie attempt, which would have extended the match, slide by the hole, giving Quayle the title.

In the Wednesday semi-final, Haines eliminated leading qualifier Jacqui Morgan (Monash) 2&1, as well as four-time Queensland Senior Women’s Amateur Champion, Wendy O’Connell (North Lakes), in the previous match.

In the morning round of the match, played on the resort’s Woodlands course, Quayle built an early lead as he played the round in 7-under par, and was 3-up at the lunch break as the two prepared to play the resort’s Meadows course in the afternoon round of the match. Ban quickly got back into the match, squaring it up with a birdie on the par-5 19th hole and two eagles, which included a holeout from the fairway on the 419-yard par-4 22nd hole and a 3 on the par-5 24th hole when he reached the green in two. On the last nine holes, Quayle birdied the 28th and 29th holes, both par-4s, then Ban won the 30th hole. Then, in gunslinger style, the two players matched birdies on the 31st, 33rd and 34th holes, Quayle clinging to a 1-up lead. Ban squared the match on the 205-yard par-3 35th hole, as Quayle double-bogeyed the hole (he would double-bogey both par3s on this final nine), which set up the final hole dramatics. Of the putt on the final hole, Quayle said, “I just told myself I could make it, trying to keep positive thoughts in my mind. I was a little bit nervous and just wanted to put a good stroke on it. It was straight uphill.” After making birdie, Quayle had to stand by and watch as Ban attempted to tie the hole with his own birdie. “In match play you always have to believe the other guy is going

Blenkey victorious at the Qld Senior Women’s Amateur Championship

to make it,” Quayle said. “Otherwise it’s too much of an emotional rollercoaster.” Of his win, Quayle said, “It’s such a massive relief. There’s so much stress all week, so much golf and so many matches. It’s very taxing mentally. This win helps the confidence in my game, and I’ll always be able to say I have it on my resume that I won the Pacific Northwest Amateur.” Quayle, 20, recently won the Tasmanian Amateur Open Championship, is a member of the Queensland Men’s State Team and is ranked in the top 15 in the Australian Amateur Rankings. The Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur is one of the oldest amateur golf championships in the world. Past champions include names such as Tiger Woods, Jeff Quinney, Ben Crane, Jeff Coston, Nick Flanagan, Jim McLean and Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Famers Chandler Egan, Harry Givan, Jack Westland, Bud Ward and George Holland, among many others. •

Jill Blenkey eliminated last year’s champion and third place qualifier, Josie Ryan (Headland), in her first match 1Up. It was Blenkey’s continued consistency all week in the match play format that allowed her to remain undefeated and take out this year’s event in stunning fashion. Vicki Jones (Bribie Island) was victorious in Division 1 of the 55-64 years match play final, while Gwen Clutterbuck (Oxley) took out the Division 2 title. In the over 65 age group, Faye Payne

(Caloundra) proved too strong, winning 3&2 Division 1, and Division 2 was won by Maroochy River member, Clem Sutherland. For full results, visit the Golf Queensland website.

Jenkins wins the Queensland Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship Oxley member Jess Jenkins won the 2015 Queensland Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Maroochy River Golf Club.

whose name appears on the trophy four times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), fell just short of claiming her fifth title after trailing by two shots overnight.

Jenkins fired a final round of 81 (+9) to finish five shots clear of her nearest rival, returning scores of 74, 82 and 81 to finish 237 for the Championship.

Robyn Callaghan (Oxley) won the Nett division after three days of great scoring which included an eagle on the par-5 eleventh hole.

Wantima Golf Club member Katrina Van Trier’s three-round total of 242 was good enough to take out second place. Van Trier,

For full results in the Women’s MidAmateur, visit the Golf Queensland website.

Queensland Men’s & Women’s Stroke Play Championships 18 – 20 October 2015 Arundel Hills Golf Club (Men) & Palm Meadows Golf Club (Women) Entries close 5pm, Wednesday 7 October 2015 Includes the 2015 Qld Champion of Champions title and is a qualifier for the 2015 Queensland Men’s & Women’s Amateur Championships www.facebook.com/GolfQueensland

@GolfQueensland

www.golfqueensland.org.au T: (07) 3252 8155 www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

calendar

CALENDAR > SEPTEMBER

14th Annual Nordoff-Robbins Charity Golf Day

WHEN: 10 September WHERE: Terrey Hills Golf & Country Club. Come play alongside music industry and sporting legends to raise money for music therapy programs for children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. Entry: Individual: $500. Team of 4: $1400. Sponsored: $2000 More: Nicci Gow. 0425 229 665. ngow@noro.org.au

2015 Women’s Coronation Medal

WHEN: Monday 14 September WHERE: Manly and Lynwood Golf Clubs The format is an 18-holes stroke handicap competition for teams of four players on GA handicaps from plus to 20.0. For further information contact Nicole Bessant at Golf NSW on 02 9505 9105 or email nicole.bessant@golfnsw.org

Rotary Club of Alexandra Headland Charity Golf Day WHEN: Friday, 18th September WHERE: Headland Golf Club, Golf Links Road, Buderim Join the Rotary Club for an enjoyable morning of golf, with all profits going to

Sunshine Coast Riding for the Disabled. A light breakfast will be available from 6:45am, followed by a shotgun start at 7:30am. The event will be a 4 person ambrose competition. Cost is $60.00 per player & includes breakfast & lunch. Nominate as a team or individually.

3, the Foursomes are held in two divisions. On the final day, a four-person Teams V Par Event completes the tournament.

Players can nominate to play in all four days of play or play in individual days of their choice.

Contact Bill Bradley on billpru@bigpond.net. au, or Peter Andrews on peter-andrews@ bigpond.com

Entries are One Day - $45 one day ($35 online). $80 two days ($70 online), $115 three days ($105 online) or $120 four days ($110 online).

2015 Women’s Bronze Medallion

Entries close: Friday 25 September. Full event details are available at www.golfnsw.org.

WHEN: Monday 21 September WHERE: Monash and St. Michael’s Golf Clubs

The event is an 18-holes stroke handicap competition for teams of four players on GA handicaps from 20.1 to 29.0. For further information contact Nicole Bessant at Golf NSW on 02 9505 9105 or email nicole.bessant@golfnsw.org

OCTOBER Women’s Mountain Meeting

WHEN: 19 to 22 October WHERE: Lithgow, Blackheath, Leura and Wentworth Falls Golf Clubs One of the longest-running and most popular tournaments on the Golf NSW women’s calendar, the format begins with 36hole stroke play for Divisions one and two with 36-hole stableford for Division 3. On day

National Left-handed golfers, 50th Anniversary Tournament WHEN: 25-30 October WHERE: Port Macquarie - Wauchope South West Rocks

Over 200 Golfers (Men, Ladies and even righthanders) will compete in A, B and C Grades. Senior and Super Senior Divisions. The event is a 72 Holes Medal Championships, with Stableford Events. Entry is $350, and includes Welcome Function and Awards Dinner, welcome bag and. $8000 of prizes. Simply joining the Association for an annual fee of $25 will make you eligible to compete – see website for benefits. For more: Phone: 02 4883 4271 Mob. 0428 380 413. Email: nalganationals@gmail.com. www.nalg-nsw.org.au

COMING SENIOR AMATEUR EVENTS September 1 Palmer Gold Coast Seniors (QLD) September 3-4 * The Grange/Kooyonga Senior Classic (SA) September 3-4 West Australia Senior Fourball – Kwinana GC WA September 7-9 * South Australian Senior Amateur – Links Lady Bay (SA) September 11 Maroochy River Seniors (QLD) September 13 Shelly Beach Seniors (NSW) September 14 Magenta Shores Seniors (NSW) September 14 Keperra Seniors (QLD) September 14 Lang Lang Seniors (VIC) September 17 Port Kembla Seniors (NSW) September 17 Melton Valley Seniors (VIC) September 21 Camden Seniors (NSW) September 24-25 Bendigo Seniors (VIC) September 29-1 * Australian Senior Amateur – Manly GC (NSW) October 2 Liverpool Seniors (NSW) Wanneroo Seniors (WA) October 5 October 6 Brookwater Seniors (QLD) Cronulla Seniors (NSW) October 11 October 14 Charlestown Seniors (NSW) October 13 Melville Glades Seniors (WA) October 14-16 Asia Pacific Senior Amateur Championships, Qingdao, China October 18 Moss Vale Seniors (NSW) October 19-21 * Victorian Senior Amateur Championships – Bright & Myrtleford October 19 Windsor Seniors (NSW) October 19 Horton Park Seniors (QLD) October 20 Wyong Seniors (NSW) October 22-23 Darling Downs Seniors (QLD) * Part of the Australian Senior Ranking System

Last chance to find your nearest Holden Scramble

MIXED EVENTS

NSW The Springs Golf & CC 4-Sep NSW Kiama Golf Club 4-Sep NSW Port Kemba Golf Club 4-Sep NSW Muree Golf Club 6-Sep NSW Worrigee Links Golf Club 6-Sep NSW Chatswood Golf Club 12-Sep NSW Eden Gardens CC 13-Sep NSW Gunnedah Golf Club 13-Sep NSW Kempsey Golf Club 13-Sep NSW Harden Golf Club 13-Sep NSW Leonay Golf Club 19-Sep NSW Coolamatong Country Club 19-Sep NSW Cypress Lakes G&CC 19-Sep NSW Branxton Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Dubbo Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Pacific Dunes Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Leonay Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Queanbeyan Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Catalina Country Club 20-Sep NSW Werris Creek Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Morisset Golf Club 23-Sep NSW Cowra Golf Club 26-Sep NSW Highlands Golf Club 27-Sep NSW Parkes Golf Club 27-Sep NSW Royal Military Golf Club 27-Sep NSW Dunedoo Golf Club 27-Sep

SA Mt Barker Hahndorf Golf Club SA Mt Gambier Golf Club SA Mt Osmond Golf Club SA Murray Bridge Golf Club SA McCracken Country Club SA Highercombe Golf & CC

13-Sep 20-Sep 20-Sep 20-Sep 27-Sep 27-Sep

TAS Kingston Beach Golf Club TAS Penguin Golf Club TAS Mowbray Golf Club TAS Port Sorell Golf Club TAS Claremont Golf Club TAS Ulverstone Golf Club

6-Sep 13-Sep 20-Sep 20-Sep 27-Sep 27-Sep

VIC Flinders Golf Club VIC Spring Valley Golf Club VIC Eynesbury Homestead Golf VIC Wodonga Golf Club VIC Bacchus Marsh Golf Club VIC Drouin Golf Club VIC The Sands Torquay VIC Wangaratta Golf Club VIC Kilmore Golf Club VIC Growling Frog Golf Course VIC Ivanhoe Golf Course VIC Melbourne Airport Golf Club VIC Amstel Golf - Parkes Course

2-Sep 4-Sep 5-Sep 6-Sep 12-Sep 12-Sep 12-Sep 13-Sep 18-Sep 19-Sep 19-Sep 19-Sep 20-Sep

VIC Anglesea Golf Club 20-Sep VIC Colac Golf Club 20-Sep VIC Leongatha Golf Club 20-Sep VIC Safety Beach Country Club 20-Sep VIC Sale Golf Club 20-Sep VIC Howlong Country Club 20-Sep VIC Churchill Park Golf Club 25-Sep VIC Horsham Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Neanger Park Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Rich River Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Traralgon Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Warrnambool Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Whittlesea Golf Club 27-Sep VIC South Pines Golf Club 27-Sep VIC Hill Top Golf & CC 27-Sep VIC Murray Downs Golf & CC 27-Sep VIC Devilbend Golf Club 1-Oct VIC Pakenham & District Golf Club 2-Oct WA Narrogin Golf Club WA Collie Golf Club WA Mountain View Sporting Club WA Donnybrrok Country Club WA Gosnells Golf Club WA Sanctuary Golf Resort

5-Sep 13-Sep 13-Sep 17-Sep 25-Sep 28-Sep

QLD Emerald Golf Club 5-Sep QLD Palmer Coolum Resort 6-Sep QLD Palmer Gold Coast 6-Sep QLD Mackay Golf Club 10-Sep QLD The Willows Golf Resort 10-Sep QLD Gayndah Golf Club 13-Sep QLD Paradise Palms Country Club 13-Sep QLD Yeppoon Golf Club 18-Sep QLD Biloela Golf Club 19-Sep QLD Blackwater Golf Club 19-Sep QLD Gainsborough Greens GC 19-Sep QLD Bribie Island Golf Club 20-Sep QLD Capricorn Resort 20-Sep QLD Fraser lakes Golf Club 20-Sep QLD Dalby Golf Club 26-Sep QLD Helensvale Golf Club 26-Sep QLD Atherton Golf Club 27-Sep QLD Bargara Golf Club 27-Sep QLD Bowen Golf Club 27-Sep QLD Gympie Pines Golf Club 27-Sep QLD Roma Golf Club 27-Sep QLD Wolston Park Golf Club 27-Sep QLD RACV Royal Pines Resort 27-Sep QLD Mystic Sands Golf & CC 27-Sep QLD Parkwood International G 27-Sep QLD Pine Rivers Golf Club 4-Oct

* These are the Open Holden Scramble event dates currently listed for the remainder of 2015. For further event dates please check the Holden Scramble website

PGA Events Division on 03 8320 1999 holdenscramble.com.au

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

WOMEN’S EVENTS NSW Yowani Country Club 3-Sep NSW Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club 6-Sep NSW Werris Creek Golf Club 20-Sep NSW Shortland Waers Club 22-Sep NSW Tamworth Golf Club 25-Sep QLD Pelican waters Golf Club QLD Laidley Golf Club QLD Half Moon Bay Golf Club QLD Cairns Golf Club QLD Hervey Bay Golf & CC

8-Sep 9-Sep 12-Sep 13-Sep 16-Sep

SA SA SA SA SA

4-Sep 10-Sep 17-Sep 17-Sep 18-Sep

Highercombe Golf & CC Thaxted Park Golf Club McCracken Country Club West Lakes Golf Club Lucindale Golf Club

VIC Wodonga Golf Club 4-Sep VIC Ballarat Golf Club 9-Sep VIC Brighton Public Golf Course 11-Sep VIC Anglesea Golf Club 20-Sep VIC Horsham Golf Club 21-Sep WA Sun City Country Club WA Nedlands Golf Club

2-Sep 25-Sep

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GOLF NSW SEPTEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS Golf NSW Events Date 01-Sep-15 03-Sep-15 08-11-Sep-15 14-Sep-15 21-Sep-15

Event Women’s Country Meeting – 2nd Round Women’s Country Meeting Foursomes – 3rd Round Keno NSW Mixed Fourball Championship STATE FINAL Women’s Coronation Medal Women’s Bronze Medallion

Venue Warringah GC Wakehurst GC Bonville GR Manly & Lynwood GC’s Monash & St. Michael’s GC’s

Men’s Vardon Events Date 05-Sep-15 12-Sep-15 13-Sep-15 19-Sep-15 19-20-Sep-15 20-Sep-15 26-Sep-15

Event Lynwood and Bungool Cups Wyong Open Amaateur Shelly Beach Open Amateur Stonecutters Cup Goulburn Cup Killara Cup Liverpool Cup

Venue Lynwood CC Wyong GC Shelly Beach GC Stoncutters Ridge GC Goulburn GC Killara GC Liverpool GC

Women’s Jean Derrin Events Date 07-Sep-15 12-13-Sep-15 14-17-Sep-15 17-Sep-15 21-Sep-15

Event St. Michael’s Ladies Salver Bermagui Ladies Open Nelson Bay Ladies Classic Bankstown Salver Pennant Hills Cup & Bronze Salver

Venue St. Michael’s GC Bermagui CC Nelson Bay GC Bankstown GC Pennant Hills GC

Pennants / Grade Date 13-Sep-15 13-Sep-15 20-Sep-15 27-Sep-15

Event Eric Apperly Shield (& Junior Pennant) Metropolitan - FINAL Warren and Gibson Trophies - Rd 6 Warren and Gibson Trophies Elimination Finals Warren and Gibson Trophies – Quarter Finals

Venue Various Various Various Various

Women’s Senior Order of Merit Events Date 14-17-Sep-15

Event Nelson Bay Ladies Classic

21-23-Sep-15

CSGA Open Championship Meeting

Venue Nelson Bay GC Gungahlin Lakes & Belconnen Magpies

Handiskins

When: Various Where: Various Info: www.handiskins.com.au Handiskins the ultimate game of skins for club golfers. Handiskins is a five-qualifyinground stableford competition. A player’s best three rounds count towards their final score. Players don’t have to play all five qualifying rounds if their scores are good enough. The top four players with the best scores at the end of the qualifying rounds go into the ‘skins’ format final and have the opportunity to play for $1,200 in club or pro shop vouchers.

UPCOMING HANDISKINS EVENTS: Nelson Bay Golf Club Dowling Street, Nelson Bay NSW 2315 3rd Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 17th October 2015 5th Qualifying Round 31st October 2015 Final 14th November 2015 Lynwood Country Club 253 Pitt Town Bottoms Road, Pitt Town NSW 2756 3rd Qualifying Round 26th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 17th October 2015 5th Qualifying Round 31st October 2015 Final 22nd November 2015 Bayview Golf Club 1825 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale NSW 2103 4th Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 5th Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 Final 26th September 2015

For information on any of the above events, or for a full list of fixtures go to: www.golfnsw.org

YOUR BLUE MOUNTAINS parmaker OUTLET

Moss Vale Golf Club 38-48 Arthur Street, Moss Vale NSW 2577 3rd Qualifying Round 5th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 5th Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 Final 26th September 2015 Hurstville Golf Club Lorraine Street, Peakhurst NSW 2210 2nd Qualifying Round 5th September 2015 3rd Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 5th Qualifying Round 26th September 2015 Final 10th October 2015 Northbridge Golf Club Sailors Bay Road, Northbridge NSW 2063 1st Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 2nd Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 3rd Qualifying Round 3rd October 2015 4th Qualifying Round 14th November 2015 5th Qualifying Round 21st November 2015 Final 28th November 2015 Rosebud Country Club 207 Boneo Road, Rosebud VIC 3939 1st Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 2nd Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 3rd Qualifying Round 26th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 17th October 2015 5th Qualifying Round 24th October 2015 Final 7th November 2015 Singleton Golf Club 51 Boundary Street, Singleton NSW 2330 1st Qualifying Round 29th August 2015 2nd Qualifying Round 5th September 2015 3rd Qualifying Round 12th September 2015 4th Qualifying Round 19th September 2015 5th Qualifying Round 26th September 2015 Final 10th October 2015

For Parmaker after-sales repairs, service & spares in the Blue Mountains Area (Blacktown to Lithgow & beyond) contact Mike Budden. We conduct warranty repairs on all models and have most walker and ride-on models available for demo. Collection & delivery is available. Phone & fax: 02 4751 8226 Email: wesden@dodo.com.au www.bluemountainsgolfbuggies.com Sales • Repairs • Service • Spares

AUSTRALIAN MADE • BUILT TO LAST

Members $20.00, Non Members $30.00 RESULTS 14th August 2015 WiNNER - G. Shrimpton Runner Up - R. Hilliam Next Best - B. Hutchins N.T.P 3rd - C. Powell N.T.P 6th - J. Clarke N.T.P 12th - N. Glenwright Approach 11th - G. Fisher Approach 17th - P. Duncan

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

amateurs

Keperra Bowl champions on the world stage

T’S 10 years since Marc Leishman lifted the prestigious Keperra Bowl at Keperra Country Golf Club in Brisbane.

Since then the boy from Warrnambool in Victoria has gone on to win on the US PGA Tour (Travelers Championship), play in the Presidents Cup and finish runner-up in the 2015 Open Championship. Oh, and he’s banked around $14 million in prizemoney. Of course, winning the Keperra Bowl does not guarantee success, but it’s a definite guide and gives the winner a major confidence boost knowing they have beaten the best amateurs in the country over 72 gruelling holes. For the record, Jason Day and Cameron Smith tried winning the Bowl but came up short. So, aside from Leishman, who are the players who have etched their names on the trophy over the past 10 years and how are they faring? 2006: Champion Andrew Tampion played on the European Tour in 2007 and 2010. His best finish in 2007 came at the Indonesia Open, where he finished tied for second. In 2008, he played on the secondary Challenge Tour and secured his first professional victory at the Challenge of Ireland. The Victorian won his second Challenge Tour event (Telenet Trophy) in 2011. 2007: Winner Andrew Dodt plays on the European, Asian and PGA Tour of Australasia tours. He won his first professional tournament at the 2010 Avantha Masters, which was cosanctioned with the European Tour. Last year he won the Queensland Open and

this year won on the European Tour for the first time in five years at the True Thailand Classic. He picked up a cheque for $430,000 and is currently 54th in the Race to Dubai. 2008: Matthew Griffin plays on the PGA Tour of Australasia where he has won twice and the OneAsia Tour where he has won twice and won the Order of Merit in 2013. Last year he won the Yamaha Hankyung KPGA Championship on the Korean Tour. 2009: Daniel Nisbet is yet to fulfil his true potential. In 2013, he played one US PGA Tour event and missed the cut. He has spent time in the US playing minor tournaments, but currently plays the PGA Tour of Australasia. Earlier this year he won the Morobe Open in Papua New Guinea. 2010: Gavin Fairfax turned professional in 2011 after completing a very successful amateur career winning the Keperra Bowl and captaining the Queensland state team to an interstate series win in 2010. 2011: A year after winning the Bowl Jake Higginbottom won Australia’s second oldest amateur golf tournament the Riversdale Cup. He became the first amateur in more than half a century to win the BMW New Zealand Open and turned pro two days later. Plays on the Asian Tour. 2012: Brady Watt plays on the Latinoamerica Tour in the US. This year he has played eight events with his best result a runner-up finish. In 2013, he was the number one amateur in the world and won the Australian amateur stroke play title. He played the 2014 US Open, but missed cut. 2013: Taylor Macdonald has not

2011 Keperra Bowl champion Jake Higginbottom yet switched to the play-for-pay ranks. The Australian representative won the Victorian Amateur and the Federal Amateur Open. He continues to hone his skills playing leading amateur events in Europe and the US. He plans to turn pro later this year or next. 2014: Troy Moses plays off +4 at Boonie Doon in Sydney where he is in the elite player development program. He finished tied third at the NSW PGA courtesy of a second round 62. He finished in a tie for 11th at the Queensland PGA Championship. FOOTNOTE: This year’s Keperra Bowl will be played from October 13-16. In the past three years, the average winning score is 20-under par. Make no mistake, these elite amateurs can play some serious golf and are definitely worth following around one of the most picturesque golf courses in the country.

World Class Golf Course in the Outback

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Between a rock and a hard place NOW we know why former Australian Open champion Tim Clark withdrew from the Open Championship. No, the South African wasn’t injured and his wife wasn’t expecting a baby. The reason? He couldn’t get a British visa to enter the UK. “That’s the hardest place to go to – the UK,” Clark told GolfChannel.com. “Most places I need a visa, but they make it extremely difficult and I don’t know why.” After an invitation was extended to him, it seems he didn’t have enough time to get his paperwork in order. Clark said he had tried to get the (visa) ball rolling before he had even qualified, but neither the R&A or PGA Tour would grant him the statement of purpose he required for the application process. “The disappointing thing for me is that I tried to start this process six weeks ago and [the R&A] wouldn’t send me a letter,” Clark said. “I’ve emailed back and forth with them and told them, ‘I’m stuck right now. I can’t come unless there’s something you can do right now.’ “I even contacted the tour to see if there was something they could do, because in my mind there has to be a way where they can get something expressed or a waiver or something, but nothing has come about. “About six weeks ago, it looked like I was going to get in so I set about trying to get my visa. I know the (R&A’s) excuse was that the British embassy wouldn’t let them send a letter, but that doesn’t help me. “I kind of wish the R&A would have been a bit more forthcoming,” he said. “I also thought the tour could have pulled a few more strings and got them to jump into gear, but I guess it’s not their concern.”

your voice

Taming the Tiger talk I disagree with your comment (“How golf got into the rough: August) about how golf was “a boring, elitist game for retirees” until Tiger Woods came on the scene. I would suggest that the opposite is true. Golf in Australia – particularly from the Peter Thomson/Kel Nagle era onwards – has been played by people from all walks of life with great passion. The great golfers of that era played a style of golf that handicap golfers could relate to. There was an enormous interest in golf. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, at public golf courses, you had to be at the course long before dawn on a weekend morning to join the queue to get a game. Nothing elitist there! I played during the ‘70s-‘90s at Federal Golf Club and members who were retired would have been the smallest group. The same could be said of clubs around the country. There were waiting lists for membership at clubs around Australia – unlike in recent years when prestigious clubs are advertising for members at greatly discounted prices. There was as almost as much interest among golfers in the pre-Tiger days in the exploits of Nicklaus, Palmer, Ballesteros and others as there is in Tiger Woods. Perhaps it is the advent of Tiger and the style of game he and his fellow professionals play that has made the

Letter of the Month public lose interest in the game? The primary emphasis in golf today seems to be distance – how far players can hit the ball. It would be fair to say that few club golfers can relate any part of their game to anything that Tiger, Bubba or Rory does on the golf course - even though we have access to the same technological advances in ball and club manufacture. If the game is to blossom again perhaps the answer lies in a new type of golf course design where everything BUT distance matters. I recently visited Gympie and played at Gunabel Homestead. It is 18 holes of par3s ranging in length from 90-160m. There were bunkers, water hazards and tricky greens. It took just over two hours to play a round and the variations in the hole designs made it very satisfying. Struggling clubs might consider changing their layout by subdividing some of their course into housing/unit lots, selling them off and converting the remaining land into 18 par-3s. It would give the members time to mow the lawns on Saturday morning, play 18 holes of golf and spend most of the afternoon with the family! Rod Christopher

Editor’s note: Thanks Rod. You make some good points, especially about par-3s. See my recent column “A short solution to a big problem” online: www.insidegolf.com.au/opinion/a-short-solution-to-a-big-problem

Your Voice

Have you got something to say? Then tell us! Write to us via email at ed@insidegolf.com.au or mail a letter to: The Editor, Inside Golf, PO Box 360 Nunawading, Vic 3131. Tell an interesting story or something funny about golf and you could WIN a prize like this month’s GolfBuddy Voice GPS unit!

You’ve hit the nail on the head. (“How golf got into the rough: August). Today I played in the midweek championship. The tees and pins were in positions that would suit the British Open. On one hole, the carry over two ponds was 180m. The average age of our members is 50/60. We have gone from fields of 200 to 100 and we’ve had members of many years who have just agreed to play nine holes amongst themselves socially. I have no problem with young people hitting the ball 300m but it is the core of the club that we need to concentrate on. Barry Cooper

Well said on woes of golf Your statement on great profits over great products (and services) is absolutely spot on. (“How golf got into the rough: August). Too many businesses focus solely on profits whilst espousing they are all about the customer. Businesses need to make a profit; the customer delivers that profit. Golf is no different. We have a great product that has forgotten to cater for the average punter. Perhaps if we focused on the average player having a great experience and not how we can screw every last cent out of them we would draw more people to the game we love. Brad Lawler

That is the best article I have read for a long time. (“How golf got into the rough: August). As the Head Professional at the Ocean Shores Country Club I can’t agree enough with the issues you have raised with our game. In an attempt to be more profitable each year, many clubs are taking over the pro shop and hiring a PGA member like myself to run the shop, provide lessons and fulfil all the roles of a contracted pro. I struggle to convince the board that we needed to have hardware in the shop to accommodate the needs of the members, let alone trying to make a profit out of the stock we have on hand. There are a number of brands that I refuse to stock because of their on-going marketing war to win over the golfing public by bringing out new products every six months. We don’t need them to bastardise the industry by chasing the dollar. At my club, the average age is about 65. If the golf companies haven’t realised it yet, these golfers really don’t like change, particularly when they can’t see value in it. There are so many reasons why the golf industry is struggling, and I agree we are all to blame. This year’s US Open is a great example of golf gone mad. Do the USGA really think that they inspired people to play

our wonderful game with that course at Chambers Bay? As a coach of the game I spend a considerable amount of time with the next generation of golfers, mums and dads learning to play the game as well as grandparents still trying to improve what they do. We’ve got it so wrong when it comes to new course designs. Yes, the ball may go further but it is more relevant to the athlete than technology. Greg Norman was hitting it over 300 yards 30 years ago with wooden drivers and balata balls. I can’t think of another sport where we are making the game harder, particularly for the average player. I play tennis and the new racquets are great; you can hit ball off the frame and it still goes in. So have they made courts smaller? NO. Have they made nets higher? NO. Is there anything really different about Wimbledon to what it was 100 years ago? NO. What about Usain Bolt; are we going to make him run 110 metres next year? NO, he will just run faster over the 100. We’ve lost the plot with modern course design. I know we all like a challenge but let’s keep the game fun and achievable for all golfers, particularly the average club golfer and social player who loves the game for what it is. Chris Graham

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19th hole

“Hello? Pro Shop...” ed@insidegolf.com.au

know there are some really good blokes who travel the world in their own Lear jets, win zillions and then return to their home in the Bahamas, but I’m not one of them. Plus, they don’t write in Australia’s Most Read Golfing Publication, which leaves me with absolutely no choice but to go on my annual rampage aimed squarely at all the rich, famous and absurdly talented golfers on the planet. You might think this sounds like sour grapes. Well, you’re right! I’m a golf pro too, but for reasons I just can’t fathom, I drive around in a 10-yearold car, through sleet and snow, on my way to the Pro-shop so I can explain to the first customer why he can’t play golf in those $300 designer jeans, and how it’s better if he whacks my $28 rain pants over the top them so he can pass the “Dress Regulations” code. Or answer the phone in the most polite voice I can conjure up after a State of Origin Party, which went way too far into extra time, only to engage into that old Pro Shop chestnut: “What’s the earliest time I can get a game next Tuesday? “6.30am, sir” “My God! Not that bloody early!” “What time would you like, sir?” “What’s available?” “What time would you like, sir?” “That depends on what you have!” “Would you mind emailing me your address so I can send three blokes around to beat the living crap out of you …sir?”

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

And while I’ve got some momentum: “Morning, Larry, I’d like to book into Saturday’s Monthly medal. Are there any spots?” “G’Day Nev, yeah there’s a three at 9.48.” “Who’s that with?” “John, Bruce and Ciril.” “S#!t no! Ciril is the slowest player in the club and Bruce is off 36. Anything else?” “There’s another three at 10.42.” “Who’s in that group?” “Harry, Frank and Bruno.” “Are you serious!? Bruno never stops talking while you’re trying to hit” “Aaahh, here’s a spot, Nev, at 11.08 with Carl, Dave and Mick. But they are really good blokes and you’re a bloody d-head, so that won’t work either, will it?” How would Rory McIlroy go in a ProShop? Actually he is Irish so no-one would understand him anyway. How about Tiger: “G’Day Tige, has my new TaylorMade driver arrived yet?” “Sure has, Jim. In fact I’m dropping it off to your wife right now. How long before you reckon you’ll be home, mate?” Or John Daly. “Hey John, can you tell me if I won a ball in last Saturday’s Four-Ball?” “Yeah you did, Gazz. I’ll toss you for it, double or nothing.”

THERE are 20 stableford points up for grabs on the front nine. How many can you get?

with David Newbery Robert Allenby? “Hi Robert, I’m playing really badly and could do with a lesson, mate. Can you fit me in next Saturday?” “Oh, sorry Ken, I’m being kidnapped on Saturday. I should be back by Monday, though.” Colin Montgomerie? “Good morning. This is the Pro Shop.” “Hi Col, Could you look up...” “SSHH!” “Hang on Col, I just wanted...” “PLEASE... I’m trying to listen.” “You’re supposed to be listening to me!” “SSHHH!!” Adam Scott? “Hello is this Adam?” “Yes it is, Frank, how can I help you?” “I was wondering what you have in the way of putters?” “I’ve got an absolute beauty and it would suit you to a tee. One question, though...were you planning to play in a comp any time next year?” Wow, I feel so much better now. In reality, I actually love all the members and guests who ring the Pro Shop each day and enjoy the fact that the game of golf brings us all together in one way or another. But would you mind not ringing me right after a Tour star has just picked up another cheque for 1.5 million big ones and I’m standing behind the counter in my $28 rain pants trying to stay warm? Particularly after a State of Origin game.

david@insidegolf.com.au

1. Can you name the host venue for next month’s Presidents Cup in Korea? Is it the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, Pete Dye Golf Club or the KJ Choi Golf Club? (2 pts) 2. During the US Open, which Australian golfer tweeted: “I think those (US) Open greens, by the weekend, might have more moves than a FIFA official.” Was it Stuart Appleby, Greg Norman, Adam Scott or Robert Allenby? (3 pts) 3. What nationality is 2015 European Masters champion Danny Willett? (2 pts) 4. Can you name the caddie sacked by Robert Allenby in July? Was it Mick Middlemount, Mick Middlemo, Mike Middleman or Mick Middleton? (3 pts) 5. An area of ground under repair is situated on the fairway of the 2nd hole, which is parallel to the 1st hole. Is it permissible to make a local rule prohibiting relief from this GUR during the play of the 1st hole? (1 pt) 6. How many majors has American Zach Johnson won? (2 pts) 7. Which Australian was recently inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame? (2 pts) 8. Who was the best placed Australian at the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews? (2 pts) 9. Can you solve the following anagram – Plan pig dorm? (He’s Australian). (3 pts) ANSWERS: (1). Jack Nicklaus Golf Club; (2). Stuart Appleby; (3). English; (4). Mick Middlemo; (5). No; (6). Two – the Masters and Open Championship; (7). David Graham; (8). Marc Leishman; (9). Rod Pampling.

Larry Canning

What about this little ripper: “I’d like to book four players in at 10 am next Saturday.” “Sorry, sir, that’s our club comp, there isn’t anything available until 11.30.” “Oh, nothing earlier?” “Aaah, yes there is...but your voice really s#!ts me so you’re not playing until 11.30… sir”.

The quick nine quiz

19th hole

Anatomy of a Golfer

Drive ends in pain

IF you are going to play golf and plan on having a tipple or three then it’s wise not to get behind the wheel of a golf cart. Recently a golf club committee person (no names) had a few beverages and while driving back to the clubhouse in semi-darkness managed to hit a significant obstruction.

NOTICEBOARDS around golf club clubhouses can sometimes make for interesting reading.

The jolt tipped him out of the cart. While he was wriggling around in pain, the golf cart kept going for a short distance.

Mostly there are notices regarding upcoming events, warnings about slow play, a new local rule and so on.

Crossword > 1

Anyway, recently we stopped in at Beerwah Golf Club for a look around after attended the opening of Maleny Golf Club in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Located 90 minutes from Perth in the state’s south-west, Bunbury Golf Club’s first hole is 163 metres (index 10) and the 10th hole is a delightful 124m downhill par-3 (index 17). The second hole on each nine is a par-5.

On making the presentation club president Peter Budden acknowledged the significance of octogenarians taking part in active sporting events. He stated that Harrington

13 14

Quite unusual, which begs the question: If you had a choice, would you prefer to start your round on a par-3, par-4 or a par-5? Many golfers prefer to start at a par-4 or par-5 to “warm-up” before reaching the short holes. Wouldn’t it be easier to arrive early, go to the range and practice hitting your short irons? By the way, if you haven’t played at Bunbury, you should. It’s a beauty.

15 16

Waters Golf Course, situated in the mid north coast of NSW near Taree, is well situated to veterans golf. The club is in the process of attempting to establish sponsorship and support to run an annual “Australian Over Eighty Golf Tournament”, open to both men and women players, to be played over 27 holes (9 holes a day) each year. Harrington Waters welcomes all golfers and visitors, both on a social and competitive basis, to their friendly community club which has a well-appointed golf shop and a delightful cafe/clubhouse.

21 22

25 26

ACROSS

The members honoured were Bruce and Joan Fleming, Ron Howard, Max and Miriam Graham, Paul James, Lex Hearne, Brian Hole, Owen Haynes, Harold Izatt, Rex Pogonoski, Lionel Bloomfield, Frank Lawrence, Bruce Spencer and Rosemary Roche.

OBE golfers honoured

15 members of Harrington Waters Golf Club were recently honoured with OBE awards. The awards were made to all playing members of the club who have attained the age of 80; thus “Over Bl..dy Eighty”.

Par-3s open to debate Inside Golf found one in West Australia.

An amusing poster titled Anatomy of a Golfer (pictured) caught our attention.

HOW many golf courses in Australia, or indeed the world, have its first and 10th holes as par-3s?

We understand his injuries will prevent him from playing golf for a while and bending his elbow.

1 Stretch of land over which a 11-across is held (6) 4 Winner of The Open in 2015, Zach _______ (7) 9 Provided loud vocal support (7) 10 1982 Australian Open winner, now a golf course architect, Bob _______ (7) 11 Golf competition (10) 12 A bird known by Bob Charles, no doubt (3) 14 Bays (6) 15 Australian winner of the 2008 Mexican Open, ______ Lyle (6) 18 Non-member golfers (6) 19 Augusta hole called the Flowering Crabapple (6) 22 NZ winner of the 2015 Greenbrier Classic, Danny ___ (3) 23 Past winner of the NZ Open and the Canon Challenge (5,5) 26 Arbitrator responsible for ensuring fair play according to the rules (7) 27 American lady golfer who won the 2015 Kia Classic, _______ Kerr (7) 28 Aussie Robert not happy with his caddy during the 2015 Canadian Open (7) 29 Passes around the edge of (6)

DOWN

1 Type of drink named after John Daly (8) 2 Not level (7) 3 Provide extra support (10) 4 Aussie winner of the 2015 Canadian Open (5,3) 5 The part of the clubhead nearest the golfer prior to his shot (4) 6 Hit a ball with a smooth swinging blow (7) 7 The Great White Shark (6) 8 Aussie who has won an event on the Japan PGA Tour in 2015, ____ Bland (4) 13 Long-handled putter (10) 16 Plan of action that might be needed to win a 11-across (8) 17 Australian winner of the 2014 Australian PGA Championship, Greg ________ (8) 18 Happy (7) 20 Source of nuclear power (7) 21 Winner of the Australian Girls’ Amateur three times in the 1990s, ______ Park (6) 24 Unit used to measure small distances on an American golf course (4) 25 Golf club with a metal head (4) Answers: page 74 www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

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Tuesday Saturday Sunday Thursday Monday Tuesday Thursday Wednesday Friday Tuesday Wednesday

September 01 September 05 September 06 September 17 September 21 September 23 September 24 September 24 September 25 September 29 September 30

4 - 7pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 4pm 4 - 7pm 2 - 5pm 12.30 - 4pm 12.30 - 4pm 11am - 3pm 10am - 2pm 4 - 7pm 4 - 7pm

Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Friday Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Tuesday Thursday Thursday Thursday Friday Friday Friday

September 01 September 02 September 09 September 04 September 09 September 10 September 11 September 11 September 15 September 17 September 17 September 24 September 25 September 25 September 25

5.30 - 7.30pm 9.30am - 1pm 10am - 1pm 1 - 4pm 10am - 1pm 2 - 4.30pm 10am - 1pm 1 - 5pm 1 - 4pm 5 - 8pm 10am - 3pm 10am - 1pm 1 - 4.30pm 10am - 1pm 1 - 4pm

Wednesday Thursday Thursday Monday Saturday Tuesday

September 02 September 03 September 04 September 07 September 12 September 22

10am - 3pm 10am - 3pm 4 - 9pm 3 - 7pm 10am - 3pm 10am - 3pm

Friday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Friday Saturday Friday Wednesday Saturday

September 18 September 15 September 16 September 02 September 05 September 04 September 12 September 11 September 16 September 19

10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 3 - 8pm 10am - 2pm 12 - 4pm 10am - 2pm 12 - 4pm 9am - 2pm 10am - 2pm

Wednesday Thursday Wednesday Saturday Friday Saturday Thursday Friday Saturday

September 02 September 03 September 09 September 12 September 18 September 19 September 24 September 25 September 26

4 - 7pm 3 - 7pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 1 - 5pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 2pm

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Day Date Time Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

September 01 September 02 September 03 September 04 September 05 September 06

12 - 4.30pm 11am-4pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 4pm 10am -4pm

Friday Friday Thursday Friday Thursday Friday Wednesday

September 04 September 11 September 17 September 18 September 24 September 25 September 16

1 - 4pm 12 - 5pm 5 - 7.30pm 1 - 5pm 3 - 7pm 3 - 5pm 9am - 12pm

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New South Wales / Act Waratah Golf Club √ Pittwater Golf Centre √ Pittwater Golf Centre √ Drummond Golf Northmead Drummond Golf Northmead Pymble Golf Club √ Thornleigh Golf Centre Pty Ltd ≠ Pennant Hills Golf Club √ Moore Park Golf House Drummond Golf - Taren Point ≠ Queensland Headland Golf Club Proshop Pty Ltd √ * Headland Golf Club Proshop Pty Ltd Paul Cooks Golf Centre √ * Golf Gurus √ * Victoria/Tasmania Melbourne Golf Academy Pty Ltd ≠ South Australia Dg Sa Driving Range P/L √ New Zealand Jk’s World Of Golf ≠

Wednesday Thursday Thursday Saturday Sunday Friday Friday Thursday Thursday Thursday

September 02 September 03 September 03 September 05 September 06 September 11 September 11 September 17 September 17 September 24

9am - 1pm 3 - 7pm 4 - 7pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 4pm 9am - 1pm 3 - 7pm 8am - 2pm 4 - 7pm 4 - 7pm

Wednesday Wednesday Tuesday Wednesday

September 09 September 09 September 15 September 16

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September 02 4 - 7pm

Monday

September 07 4 - 7pm

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September 02 4 - 7pm

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Location

Day Date Time

New South Wales Camden Lakeside Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 01 The Lakes Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 02 The Ridge Driving Range ° Wednesday September 02 Royal Sydney Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 03 Terrey Hills Country Club ◊ * Friday September 04 Dural Driving Range (Drummond Golf ) ° Saturday September 05 Dural Driving Range (Drummond Golf ) ° Sunday September 06 Monday September 07 Maitland Golf Club ◊ * Illawarra Golf Complex ◊ * Tuesday September 08 The Australian Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 09 Thursday September 10 Merewether Golf Club ◊ * Warathah Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 11 Paradise Golf Driving Range ◊ * Monday September 14 Queanbeyan Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 15 Royal Canberra Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 16 Yowani Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 17 Gold Creek Country Club ◊ * Friday September 18 Moss Vale Golf Club ◊ * Monday September 21 Kurri Kurri Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 22 Shortland Waters Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 23 Avondale Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 24 Thornleigh Golf Centre ◊ * Thursday September 24 Highlands Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 25 Randwick Golf Club ◊ * Monday September 28 Pymble Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 29 Wednesday September 30 Moore Park Driving Range ◊ * Queensland Victoria Park Driving Range ° * Tuesday September 01 Thursday September 03 Sanctuary Cove ◊ * ** Brisbane Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 04 Mackay Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 04 September 05 Mackay Golf Club ° Saturday Drummond Golf Underwood ◊ * Saturday September 05 Middle Ridge Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 09 Surfers Paradise Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 10 Noosa Tewantin Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 11 Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 11 Wantima Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 16 Golf Gurus @ The Big Easy ° Thursday September 17 Virginia Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 18 Nudgee Golf Club ° Wednesday September 23 Golf Central ◊ * Thursday September 24 Palm Meadows ° Friday September 25 Caloundra ° Wednesday September 30 Victoria Melbourne Golf Academy ° Wednesday September 02 Sandhurst Club ◊ * Thursday September 03 Warragul Country Club ◊ * Friday September 04 Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club ◊ * Saturday September 05 Medway Golf Club ◊ * Monay September 07 Melbourne Golf Academy ◊ * Tuesday September 08 Wednesday September 09 Kingston Heath Golf Club ◊ * Yarra Bend Golf Driving Range ° Thursday September 10 Riversdale Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 11 Barwon Heads Golf Club ◊ * Saturday September 12 Kooringal Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 15 Sands Torquay ◊ * Wednesday September 16 Thursday September 17 National Golf Club - Long Island ◊ * Patterson River Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 18 Woodlands Golf Club ◊ * Saturday September 19 Rosanna Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 22 September 23 Spring Valley Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday Warrnambool Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 24 Western Australia September 03 Gosnells Golf Club ° Thursday Marangaroo Golf Club ° Saturday September 05 Pinjarra Golf Club ° Thursday September 17 Hartfield Golf Club ° Wednesday September 23 South Australia Royal Adelaide Golf Club ◊ * Thursday September 03 Drummond Golf West Beach ° Monday September 07 Barham Golf Club ° Saturday September 12 Victor Harbor Golf Club ◊ * Friday September 25 Royal Adelaide Golf Club ◊ * Saturday September 26 Glenelg Golf Club ◊ * Sunday September 27 Royal Adelaide Golf Club ◊ * Monday September 28 West lakes Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday September 29 Kooyonga Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday September 30

COBRA PUMA Location

New South Wales / ACT Precision Golf (Indoor Facility @ Chatswood Golf Club) Queensland Royal Queensland Golf Club The Big Easy Golf & Leisure Centre Virgnia Golf Club Victoria Park Golf Complex Victoria Melbourne Golf Academy Cranbourne Golf Club Midlands Golf Course Rich River Golf Club Resort

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

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cobragolf.com.au Day Date Time Thursday

September 17

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Friday Thursday Friday Tuesday

September 11 September 17 September 18 September 22

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September 02 September 16 September 25 September 26

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www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

golf directory

GOLFING LIBRARY FOR SALE

“you give up things when you buy a Kahma Golf Bag”

Over 300 books including a beautifully rebound copy of THE AUSTRALIAN GOLFER by DAN SOUTAR $2000

• clanging clubs • damaged irons • worn graphite shafts • frustration finding the right iron

Tom Moore ~ 52 Becky Ave, North Rocks, NSW 2151 | (02) 9871 2798

From the inventors oF the CaddyraCk

GET ORGANISED WITH

Patented Softgrip Technology

1300 738 557

www.kahmagolf.com

Packages

4 NIGHTS ACCOM. 5 NIGHTS ACCOM.

$475

P/P Twin Share Conditions apply

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3 Rounds of golf + Carts Breakfast each day

$545

P/P Twin Share Conditions apply

To suit your individual needs HOLES $ * 18 On our championship course.

49 $ 131* p/person

Includes Twin Share electric cart hire and lunch.

PLAY & STAY

• Twin Share Accomm • Continental Breakfast p/person • 18 holes golf To book accomm • Dinner at Meraki Bistro call 02 6680 2222 • Twin Share electric cart hire

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September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

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Played last Friday of each month. Play to your handicap or better & receive a dozen Pro V’s. e

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Only 30 minutes south of Coolangatta and 15 minutes north of Byron Bay

Visitors

*Conditions apply. Orana Rd, Ocean Shores NSW 2483 | P (02)6680 1008 info@oceanshorescc.com.au www.oceanshorescc.com.au FOLLOW US

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golf directory

Aquarius R

MAGIC MERIMBULA

Play • Horizons • Kooindah Waters (Wyong) • Pacific Dunes • Cypress Lakes • Nelson Bay • Tanilba Bay • Hawks Nest • The Vintage

This is the most popular package on the Sapphire Coast, it gets booked out early - don't miss out

• 4 days golf playing at the beautiful Sapphire Coast courses of Pambula/ Merimbula, Tathra Beach, Eden, Bega, and Tura Beach. All courses are only 5 to 20 mins drive from the Resort. • 6 nights accommodation in a 2 & 3 bedroom fully self contained apartment (linen supplied). • 6 FREE fully cooked poolside breakfasts, buffet style.

Packages starting from:

• Free use of resort facilities, indoor gas heated pool, sauna & spa, full size tennis court, BBQ area and outdoor pool. • Large Groups Welcome

Phone Toll Free 1800 688 881 Ring toll free for free brochure

$499*pp / 2 Share $415*pp / 3 Share $395*pp / 4 Share

*SPRING SPECIAL*

Other packages alsO available

• 3 Games Golf - Horizons, Nelson Bay and Tanilba Bay • 3 x $20 Dinner Vouchers • 3 Cooked Breakfasts • 3 Nights Accomodation (twin share) • Total Cost per person $300 (Arriving Sunday, Monday or Tuesday)

*Conditions apply

www.lemontreemotel.com.au

aquariusresort@netspeed.com.au Crn Dunns Lane & Arthur Kaine Drv, MERIMBULA NSW www.aquarius-resort.com.au

If your golf club needs more copies of Australia’s Most Read Golf Magazine then please call Inside Golf on 1300 465 300 www.insidegolf.com.au

27 NOVEMBER – 2 Ball Ambrose at Launceston Golf Club 28 NOVEMBER – Canadian Foursome at Prospect Vale Golf Club 29 NOVEMBER – Stroke at Mowbray Golf Club

For more information call Ian Brown 0418 132 229 or email ianbrownfencing@bigpond.com or go to www.australianfatherandson.com Entry open till 25.10.15 or until full. For advertising call 1300 465 300

www.insidegolf.com.au | September 2015

golf directory

Play anytime - No waiting

TRUEMANS COTTAGES

Howeston Golf Course Enquiries welcome

16 Weekdays

20 Weekends & Public Holidays *

100A Creek Road, Birkdale, Qld | Phone (07) 3207-2452

Mornington Peninsula *prices include GST

Established 1972 • Full length 27-hole course • Excellent greens • Professional tuition available • Clubs for hire • Open seven days - BYO • Electric golf carts available

In the heart of Mornington Peninsula golf country, 3 spacious self contained houses accommodating groups of 2 – 12 people with Foxtel and BBQ area. Golf Packages tailored to suit.

Stay 7 nights play 5 rounds

from

$599p/p

Choose from: The Dunes, Moonah Links, St Andrews, Portsea, Cape Schanck, Flinders, Sorrento or Rosebud CC.

P: (03) 5988 6540 | M: 0419 365 142 | www.truemanscottage.com.au

Nudgee Golf Club

BEERWAH GOLF CLUB

BLACK TEE CHALLENGE

At the base of the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains…

3rd Friday of each month “Bay Golf Day”

Members & Bay Golf Memberships $15 Visitors $25

• Timeless Tuesday - Unlimited* Golf for ONLY $25 • Golf Equipment for Hire & Sale • Fully Licensed Clubhouse • Social Clubs & Corporate Days • No JoiNiNg Fees

Visitors pay only $25 to play in our competitions

More social playing times now on a Monday & Thursday

(Wed, Sat & Sun)

Includes competition fee and after golf platter for 4 Phone: (07) 3267 7744

Biondi Crescent, Beerwah admin@beerwahgolfclub.com.au www.beerwahgolfclub.com.au

Ph: (07) 5494 0630 Golf Shop (07) 5494 6611

Clearwater Noosa Genuine All Inclusive:

• On Course accommodation all on ground level. Central to all Murray Courses • Self-serve, eat as much as you like, Buffet Continental Breakfast • Club evening dinner vouchers • Group organisers free of charge (groups of 12 or more) • Unlimited golf each day (conditions apply at some clubs) • Non golfers deduct $30 per day • Single Supplement $20 extra per day • Upgrade to Spa Room or cooked breakfast only $7.50 per person per day! • FREE Golf Prizes - min. group of 12 • WEEKENDS & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS $10 extra per person per day • FREE Wifi

Your choice of resort and club courses. • Noosa Springs • Twin Waters • Club Pelican • Coolum Golf & Spa • Mt Coolum • Noosa Golf Club • Horton Park • Headland • Caloundra • Peregian Springs Some conditions apply

September 2015 | www.insidegolf.com.au

For advertising call 1300 465 300

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The future of golf is here F E AT U R E S

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Dual 1000w brushless motors 10 inch all-terrain tyres 30ah lithium battery (2+ rounds of 18 holes) Five volt weather-proof USB charger Ergonomic mono handle Storage compartment for four balls, a selection of tees and a sand divot pourer • Rear chill box capable of carrying three cans or two bottles of water • Quick release spring seat (cannot be used while moving)

• • • • • •

Score card holder Front drink holder High wind resistant umbrella Customised bespoke synthetic grass surface Smooth ABS braking system Two LED driving lights

Pete Wilson PGA Japan Golf Tour

Rod Browning Newcastle NSW

Liz Sullivan Kalgoorlie WA

Peter Flemming Tugan QLD

"I can play more practice rounds faster on my GSC™- love it”

It's the most fun I've had on a golf course in ages

I can't imagine playing golf without one now!

Even bad golf is fun on a Golf Skate Caddy™

www.golfskatecaddy.com.au

| 1300 55 69 79

Interested in purchasing a GSC then call our golf shop to arrange a demonstration.

Southport Golf Club, Gold Coast.

Come down and rent a GSC™ for a game OR look at a demonstration with our friendly team at the "Golf Shop" should you consider wanting to purchase.

Ph: 07 5571 1444 Email: golf@southportgolfclub.com.au www.southportgolfclub.com.au

Fabulous Locations. Championship Courses. Outstanding Service. Experience the Troon® difference: tournament ready course conditioning, beautiful playing surrounds and a variety of course styles designed by some of the world’s leading golf course designers. With incomparable golf experiences, exceptional membership opportunities and a welcoming club environment, we invite you to experience Troon in Australia. For more information including special offers, please visit TroonGolf.com.au.

Clockwise below: Peregian Springs Golf Club, Queensland, Australia; Araluen Golf Resort, Roleystone, Western Australia; Kooindah Waters Residential Golf & Spa Resort, New South Wales, Australia; Mollymook Golf Club, New South Wales, Australia.

ENJOY WINTER/SPRING GOLF AT PEREGIAN SPRINGS! 18 Holes of Golf, GPS Cart, 6 Srixon Golf Balls — $79 per person Call 07.5471.5471 for details!

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GOLF FACTORY PENRITH 269 High St, Penrith (near Officeworks) (02) 4722 8640 - Mail Order - 6 ½ Days info@penrithgolffactory.com.au

14 Way Top Divided Lightweight Black Only

Visa, Mastercard and American Express accepted $7 NSW, $9 VIC & QLD, $10 SA, TAS, NT & WA Postage and handling any quantity

Nike Covert 2.0 Driver

TaylorMade T8 Golf Bag

$109

Regular and stiff Adjustable driver Right hand only Includes cover & wrench

$369

$239

$299

$99

Rescue Hybrid Number 5 25º Loft Includes Cover

$179

$69

72 New Loose (not boxed) Top Flite Gamer V2 Balls

$50 $65

Includes Cover

4 - 23º Loft 5 - 26º Loft Regular Flex Right hand

$79 Includes Cover

Ping I25

Srixon Deluxe Cart Bag Full Length 14 Way divided External Putter pit $239 Rain Cover Cooler Pocket Black, Red, White Black, Black, White Black, Blue, White

Driver, Fairway, Hybrid, Gorge Wedge

$189

SALE

$18 Dozen Balls

Individually Boxed

Srixon Superceded

Superceded

Srixon Soft Feel White or Yellow Balls

Callaway HX Diablo White

Q-Star White or Yellow Balls

Pinnacle Dimension White Balls Including covers

Cleveland 588 MT Ping G25 Graphite Irons x 7 4 to Pitching Wedge Graphite Regular Flex Shafts

Fairway Woods

$455

3 - 15º Tour Stiff Shaft 5 - 18º Regular Shaft 5 Wood right or left Includes Cover

$149

$69

Each

Graphite Shaft Not all versions of each club available

$49

$20

Dozen Balls

Individually Boxed

$179

$119

Chippers (Approach Putters) Tour Special Right Hand Mens or Ladies Lengths Infiniti Left Hand Stainless Steel Head

$29

$49

Callaway X Hot Pro 18º Hybrid 15º or 13.5º 3 Fairway 9.5º Adjustable Driver Project X Stiff Shafts Including Covers

$79 ea $79 ea $149 ea

Range Finder

$199

Srixon Z-Star or Srixon Z-Star XV

$26

8º to 11º Loft $299 Adjustable Jetspeed 49grm Firm Stiff Shaft Includes Cover & Wrench

$129

Distance ball with great feel Great for ball competitions Bulk Qty

144 balls ($13/dozen) Individually boxed (2014)

Not individually boxed URETHANE COVER TOUR BALL

$156

Lightweight 14 Way Bags

$99

Cleveland Waterproof zippers 2014 Model 14 Full Length Dividers Blue/White or Black

Individually Boxed

$24

Srixon Airlite 2.9kg Black/Green /White only

Callaway X Hot 3 Wood 15º Loft, Regular Flex Includes cover Easy use model

$99

Dozen

Ping I25 Hybrid

Callaway Hex Balls

Number 3 19º Loft Regular Flex

Urethane cover tour quality ball

$229

Doz

2014 model

TaylorMade Burner Balls & Srixon Distance Balls

Bridgestone E6 Balls

Includes Cover

$259

$149

Rescue 11 Right Hand #4 Regular shaft 21 degree adjustable +/- 1 degree Wrench and cover included

Left Hand Only TaylorMade Driver

$129

Optima TS+ or Srixon Lady Soft Feel

Each

Lightweight Steel Shaft

$59

Rescue Hybrid $79 Fairway Metalwood $89 Titanium Head Driver $139

Left Mens Graph + Steel

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. PW + SW

Graphite Gap Wedge 49º Loft

Cleveland Classic XL

Cleveland Hybrid Iron 588 Altitude Golf Buddy Laser Right & Left Mens Altitude Sale Steel

Right Hand - Mens, Ladies Seniors Graphite

$59

Cleveland 588 TT

No. 4 - 22º Stiff Right No. 3 - 19º Seniors Right No. 3 - 19º Regular Left No. 6 - 28º Ladies Jetspeed

Cleveland 588 6 DOZEN FOR Hybrid $139

$72

Pitching Wedges

TaylorMade Rescue Hybrid RBZ Stage 2

72 Srixon Soft Feel Balls New (Loose) Balls (not boxed) 2015 Model Also available in 288 or 144 cartons Brand New Green Number Srixon Soft Feel

(02) 4647 8542 - Mail Order - 7 Days

Cleveland 588 MT Cleveland 588 RTX TaylorMade Adjustable Hybrid Graphite 3 Iron 54º Sand or 46º Easy Launch Model

Ladies Only TaylorMade Jetspeed Model Driver 12º Loft Can be adjusted down to 10.5º or up to 13.5º Includes Cover & Wrench

NEW WEBSITE GOLF FACTORY NARELLAN www.thegolffactory.com.au Narellan Supa Centre, Narellan Rd

Chrome (3 piece) $24/doz Chrome + (4 piece) $25/doz Black Tour (5 piece) $29/doz

TaylorMade ATV Wedge

Left Hand Only Ping K15 Driver

Cleveland Deluxe 14 Way Bag

Responsive face for shot stopping Long Grip for grip down shots 60º Loft Lob 56º Loft Sand 52º Loft Gap Right or $129 Left hand (Except 60º Left Hand)

9.5º Loft (for high hitter) Stiff Flex Graphite Shaft Anti-slice weighting and set up driver Includes Cover

Horizontal and vertical full length dividers Putter holder Cooler pocket Red or Charcoal Only

$129

$129 SAVE $60