Inside Golf April 2013

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Issue 93 April 2013

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A CHIP TO SUCCESS

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GOLD RUSH An inside look at the PGA Championship’s move to The Gold Coast

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starter’s box

Bring back the Club Pro Richard Fellner richard@insidegolf.com.au

“Dear Richard, Having been in the golf industry for over 40 years I was surprised regarding your comment (March issue) about getting more club pros involved. The problem is that there are club GM’s or CEOs who want no club pros. They want to run the Pro Shops themselves—and maybe employ a pro for just 38 hours per week—and think they will make money. They all lose.”

(Name withheld by request) The letter above highlights a disturbing (and growing) trend in golf.

In my opinion, the Golf Club Professional is one of the most important aspects of any club. They are there to welcome you before the comp, and give you a shoulder to cry on later when you come in with 20 stableford points. They are there the next day to help you fix that slice, and high-five you when you come in with 38 points the next week.

They often know your game better than you know it yourself. They know precisely which equipment you and other members will want (and need), versus the stuff that will collect dust on the shelves. They fit you with exactly the right clubs to shave strokes off your game, and have a deep, vested interest in ensuring you always play your best.

The issue is—in today’s challenging economy— many clubs are trying to become a proper, profitable business. They focus less on meat pies, and more on pie charts.

“Golf club revenues have come under pressure over the past decade while costs have continued to rise; particularly wage costs. Many clubs are finding it difficult to balance their budgets or to maintain an operating surplus,” says Geoff Zarth, General Manager of On Course – an Australia-wide golf buying group that helps PGA Pros to maintain a competitive retail edge.

In an attempt to cut costs and boost profitability, some clubs are breaking their businesses into multiple groups; like coaching, retail, etc. In some cases, the Pro

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will still assume the total management, but in other cases, the Pro is moved to a teaching role, while the club itself takes over the Pro Shop operations.

“Segmenting the business into smaller sections is a smart way to review profitability and to micro manage the business,” says Mike Orloff, a PGA Professional and founder of Golf Industry Central. “Understanding the underperforming areas in the operation is important to improving overall performance.

It’s the same with understanding the areas that are very profitable and how to sustain or grow these areas.”

So where does the Club Pro fit in with all this?

There are two distinct sides to this argument. One opinion is that replacing a club professional with an hourly employee will not necessarily achieve cost-cutting benefits: “The golf Pro generally works a very long week for their remuneration, which is largely personal exertion income from coaching, club fitting, retail sales and golfrelated duties for members on behalf of the club,” Zarth explains. “The work is performed regardless of the hours taken and usually at no additional cost to the club beyond the fixed retainer. The issue for clubs running the Pro Shop is that they have to pay an employed person for every hour worked.

So if a contracted golf Pro who works 60 hours a week at a fixed fee is replaced by an employee, the club suddenly has a salary cost of 1.5 people, generally at a higher hourly rate than the Pro’s retainer. So they are immediately faced with more expense.”

In addition, Zarth explains, the contracted club Pro will generally work harder than an employee to make the Pro Shop profitable.

“A self-employed person has a vested interest in managing their Pro Shop inventory properly to control the capital invested,” says Zarth. “They have to buy wisely, maintain the latest product offerings and protect against tired stock and obsolescence. They have to be diligent and run efficiently because their own money is invested. Logically, there is less incentive for an employee to go to the extra effort to make a sale if they are going to be paid regardless. Foregone sales are permanently lost and may create a member drift away to other retailers.

“This is not to say that there aren’t staff employed by clubs that are excellent at

their role, or that all club Pros are perfect in their role.”

In the eyes of many clubs, that last line is key to the other side of this argument: while some Pros are excellent instructors and coaches, they may not have the business mindset, training or desire to help grow a business or address the “bigger picture” problems. And in this day and age, that can be a big obstacle.

It’s a quandary. What does a club do when they have a top-notch teaching professional who is great with the members, but who may not be business-oriented? And what about other areas of the club? On pay-forplay courses, for example, the money made in retail is minor compared to that in green fees and carts. So what is the best solution?

According to Gavin Kirkman, General Manager of Member Services at the PGA of Australia, PGA Professionals with the proper training are already part of the solution.

“PGA Professionals continue to lead the way in Pro Shop operations as golfers continue looking for professional advice across all aspects of the game,” Kirkman says. “Clubs and courses need experience and expertise at the coalface of the game. The PGA’s training and education programs are geared in this direction and we are working with the GMA and clubs to develop and evolve as the luxuries we experienced as a sport in the 1990s and 2000s are changing with time, technology and the behaviours of the X and Y generations. PGA Professionals have the knowledge, programs, skills and more to assist clubs through this time.”

This sentiment has been echoed by the fact that there are a number of Pros successfully moving into management positions, such as Twin Waters’ Steve Hutchison who recently became the first PGA Pro to be recognised

by GMAQ as Club Manager of the Year.

One thing is clear, having the RIGHT person—pro or otherwise— running the Pro Shop and golf operations in the RIGHT way can be critical to a club/course’s profitability. •

Contributors:

Advertising Sales: Lisa Coleman E: lisa@insidegolf.com.au | M:0406 031 344

Larry Canning, Mike Orloff, Denis Dale, Peter Croker, Brian Thorburn, Michael Green, Bradley Green, Richard Nizielski, Wally Wright, Henry Peters, Stephen Pitt, Warren Sevill, Glenn Whittle, Brent Dale, Ross Perrett, Garrett Johnston, Darren Weatherall, Brian O’Hare

Editor: Richard Fellner P: 0407 000 440 richard@insidegolf.com.au

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: dg.ross@live.com.au

Senior Writer: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

NSW/ACT Sales: Scott Barsby M: 0424 779 199 | E: scott@insidegolf.com.au

Design & Layout: Nick Thorn, Stacey Fortescue, Rhys Martin, Monique Wilson

VIC/TAS/SA Sales: Jon Perrett M: 0402 852 637 E: jon.perrett@bestingolfgroup.com

Your Say What are your thoughts on Club Professionals versus Clubs running the Pro Shop? We’d love to hear your opinions. Email them to us at ed@insidegolf.com.au.

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www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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news

Ace Ken the age breaker HE has had 13 holes-in-one and has broken his age on more occasions than he’s had birthdays.

Ken M adden, 77, is an unassuming man who loves his golf and plays at his beloved Merewether Golf Club at Newcastle at least three times a week.

Ken, who has won numerous club championships, is a legend at the club.

In fact, the popular clubman is so talented he still holds a place in the over 50s Masters pennants team.

And when it comes to keeping track of events he’s meticulous.

After every game he plays, Ken documents who he played with, his score and any other memorable incidents from his round.

Fellow club member Neil Catterall recently shared a round with Ken and was amazed and impressed.

“I had the pleasure of playing with Ken a few months ago,” Neil said. “He shot 76 without a birdie on his card.

“His short game and putting, especially long lag putts, were exceptional and he still walks the course with his motorised buggy.”

Well done, Ken.

Play golf, win a Lexus

Tallis joins iGolf Qld

Last year’s finalists of the Lexus Cup Every Australian club golfer who wants to play the magnificent Royal Melbourne golf course or drive a luxury Lexus IS 250 X Special Edition sedan will get a chance to do so this year, following last month’s launch of the Lexus Cup powered by Golf Link.

The innovative competition, which saw more than 35,000 Australian club golfers tee up in its inaugural season last year, has proved so popular there will be two rounds of qualifying in 2013, two luxury Lexus sedans to give away and twice the finalists to Royal Melbourne.

The Lexus Cup powered by Golf Link is free to enter. Club golfers simply register their name and play a minimum of six rounds during one, or both, of the 13-week qualifying periods.

In addition to playing for thousands of dollars worth of weekly and monthly prizes at club, state and national levels, by simply playing the

minimum number of rounds to qualify – whether you score 40 points or 14 – participants are entered into the draw to win an all new Lexus luxury car in each Series.

A national online leaderboard is updated daily, so competitors can follow their progress in the competition which sees two winners from each grade in each Series flown to Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the 16-person National Final, including a day in the Lexus Marquee at the Melbourne Cup. The more than 35,000 golfers who teed up in the 2012 Lexus Cup played a remarkable 433,884 rounds between them, an increase of almost 10 per cent over the number of rounds played by the same group in 2011.

This year there will be two lucky contestants driving away in brandnew vehicles with each of the 15 week qualifiers giving away a Lexus IS 250 sedan valued at up to $65,000. www.lexuscup.com.au

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Gorden Tallis F o r me r rugby league great Gorden Tallis has signed up to iGolf Queensland as the number one supporter.

Tallis, who plays socially at St Lucia Golf Course, said he was thrilled to find a program that offered an official handicap.

“I travel and work a lot and it is hard to justify being a full-time golf club member at the moment,” said Tallis who captained Australia, Queensland and the Brisbane Broncos in a 12-year professional rugby league career.

“When things quieten down I really look forward to taking the next step and joining a golf club. In the meantime iGolf Queensland keeps me connected with the sport.

“Not only do I get an official handicap but the membership allows me to play in competitions at a selection of great courses.

“I’ll be encouraging my golfing

friends to join iGolf Queensland so we can all play competitively with an officially recognised handicap,” quipped Tallis.

St Lucia Golf Course and Victoria Park offer iGolf Queensland members a wide variety of competitions and special events to get involved with. iGolf Queensland provides an easy introduction to playing competitively, giving golfers the opportunity of meeting like-minded golf lovers through access and invitations to events, and a chance to sample some of the benefits of membership at a selection of golf clubs. Membership is offered exclusively to golfers who have not been members of any golf club nor held a valid Golf Australia handicap within the preceding 24 months and must be 18 years of age or over.

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

news

Lawry makes Toowoomba proud TOOWOOMBA Golf Club (Middle Ridge) junior Lawry Flynn has done his club and his sport proud when named Dalby and District Sports Start of the Year for 2012.

The 14-year-old, who plays off a handicap of two, edged out nine other nominees to be crowned the winner at the Dalby and District Sports Awards.

Lawry, who was the 2012 October monthly sports winner, received his award from former world number two

tennis player Mal Anderson.

The sweet-swinging left-hander last year won the Australian junior left-handed championship and was runner-up in the men’s open championship.

Lawry has had a string of other successes including being a member of the winning men’s division 2 pennant team.

He also captained the winning Darling Downs Golf Association junior team at the inter-district challenge.

Mile-high golf clubs The U.S. Transportation Security Administration announced last month that they will allow airline passengers to carry-on small pocketknives, hockey sticks, billiard cues and up to two golf clubs onto passenger planes.

The agency will permit knives with retractable blades shorter than 6 cm and narrower than 1/2 inch, TSA Administrator John Pistole said. The change, to conform to international rules, takes effect April 25.

Passengers will also be allowed to board flights with some other

items that are currently prohibited, including lacrosse sticks, plastic wiffle ball-style bats and ski poles.

Of course, the biggest question on golfers’ minds is: Which two clubs would you take? Hybrid and a putter? 5-iron and wedge?

Driver and... ball-retriever? The combinations are endless.

Inside Golf has, in the past, played many One-Club and TwoClub challenges at various courses – and they are a tremendous amount of fun. Perhaps it’s time to bring those back in vogue?

Queensland dominates Australian Foursomes Championships Queenslanders Aaron Wilkin and Taylor MacDonald won the Australian Men’s Foursomes Championship with a 3-under par total at Riversdale Golf Club.

The pair finished with rounds of 70 and 71 (141) to win by two strokes from NSW pair Ryan Smith and Matthew Wittenberg who finished with rounds of 71-72 (143).

Not to be outdone, Queensland

pair Ashley Ona and Jaimee Dougan successfully defended their Australian Women’s Foursomes title, finishing with rounds of 78-81 (159) to beat NSW pair Cathleen Santoso and Lauren Hibbert who finished with rounds of 79-81 (160).

Ona and Dougan are the first pair to successfully defend the title in the history of the women’s championship.

New faces in SA State teams Golf SA has announced its State teams to contest this year’s Australian Interstate Teams Matches, played at Tasmania Golf Club (Men) and Royal Hobart Golf Club (Women) from 30 April - 3 May 2013.

The Men’s Championship will have the top eight men from each State competing for the title, while the Women’s Championship will see the top six women from each State competing.

After five rounds of singles match play (both men’s and women’s), a final will be played between the teams finishing one and two to determine the National Champion.

Chris Brown (The Grange) a sixtime State representative has the honour of captaining the men’s side for the first time. He will be joined by returning players Jack Williams and Anthony Murdaca also from The Grange and Tim Baker and Heath Riches from Kooyonga Golf Club.

Tom Bond and Brad Moules — who have both turned professional — and Greg Blewett make way for debutants Charles Shaw (Kooyonga) and Ben Stowe (Royal Adelaide) and two-time State champion Chris Austin (Tea Tree Gully), who returns to the team after representing the State for seven consecutive years from 2005 - 2011.

Caitlin Roberts (Royal Adelaide) who will represent SA for the fifth straight year, has the honour of captaining the youthful women’s team.

This year’s Junior State captain Rachel Taylor (Mt Osmond) has been selected for the third time and will be joined by Elysia Yap (Glenelg) and Kristalle Blum (The Grange) who both contested the 2012 series at West Lakes Golf Club, last May. Debutants Cassidy Evreniadis (15yrs/6 hcap) and Ella Adams (13yrs/hcap 5) both from the Grange Golf Club will be representing SA for the first time in both the Juniors in April and women’s team in May.

Caitlin Roberts

An Aussie first at Phillip Island Golf Club Phillip Island Golf Club recently completed a first in Australian professional golf, hosting four different forms of professional Pro-Ams in the space of four days, following the successful running of the Phillip Island Judith Wright Stockdale Leggo Pro-Am Extravaganza.

The event kicked off with the ProAm on the Friday. Sienna Lambert took out the event, shooting a par round of 73, winning by a shot from Robyn Sottile. Of the amateurs, the Ladies Team Event was captured by Box Hill Golf Club’s Louise Dawborn, Clare Henderson and Tracey Lints, while the Mixed Team winners were

Paul Wagner, Ian Bridge and Faye Morris (Phillip Island GC).

Saturday saw the Legends come out to play. Tim Elliott put in a solid effort with a two-under 70 but was no match for the recently qualified Legend in Kym Olsen, who shot threeunder-par 69. Olsen was extremely impressed by the whole event concept and congratulated the club on their ‘unique’ format. On the amateur side, the Men’s winner was Rick Colling with 38 points.

Sunday was time for the Touring Professionals to show what they had. There was another runaway winner with Euan Walters firing a fine

68. Leighton Lyle, Brock Gillard and Michael Faraone all played well to finish tied 2nd on two-under-par 70.

Sunday’s Amateur Men’s winner was Jason King on 39 points, while the Ladies winner was Mora Penwarden on 32 points.

The Trainee professionals concluded the event on the Monday with Dylan Higgins taking out the event with a solid two-under-par. Pat Garry took the amateur prize with 36 Stableford points.

The Phillip Island Pro-Am is fast becoming a “must play” event on any golfer’s calendar. Be sure to keep an eye out for entries for the 2014 event!

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news

GA names rookie pro squad Golf Australia last month announced the members of the Golf Australia Rookie Professional Squad for 2013.

The squad members are: Rebecca Artis, Julia Boland, Nick Cullen, Breanna Elliott, Jake Higginbottom, Whitney Hillier, Stacey Keating, Bryden Macpherson, Kieran Pratt, Jason Scrivener, Matt Stieger and Alison Whitaker.

The Golf Australia Rookie Program assists professional golfers as they enter the most exciting yet challenging time of their professional careers; finding and establishing themselves on an international Tour and understanding the demands of travelling to different parts of the world whilst at the same time trying to compete against the best players in the world.

Successful applicants each receive a rookie scholarship that is offered for a period of one year with a review after six months. The scholarship holder can be part of the program until their fifth year of professional golf.

There are two streams of funding within the scholarship.

The Training and Preparation funding offers support to access to coaching, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, sports psychology, physiotherapy and advice from nutritionists.

The Competition and Travel Funding helps cover a range of player expenses including airfares, accommodation, entry fees and caddy fees.

Golf Australia High Performance Director Brad James said the squad represented a good mix of professionals who have played on various Tours already and those new professionals who have made the transition from the State High Performance programs to Golf Australia’s National Squad program.

“Last year was a fantastic one for our program with some terrific individual successes from the rookies. It is proving to be a key part of our program. It’s important that athletes continue to track towards top 100 world ranking status in order to be considered for the program in the future,” James said.

“The rookies enjoy their association with the program and realise that this opportunity allows them to focus more closely on their Tour golf without having to spend as much time worrying about the cost of travelling or opportunities to meet with service providers that they may not otherwise be able to consider.”

Senior moment: Peter given key to the club Links Hope Island last month handed their Honorary Club Captain Peter Senior a ‘key’ to the club. At an intimate, member event, the club hosted a cocktail evening to celebrate the milestone event before Senior took off overseas again.

Having such a notable Captain is true testament to the calibre of the course and the club. The Club also feels it is important to acknowledge the achievements of its members.

General Manager Mark Holland said “It was a fantastic evening and we would like to thank Peter, June and his family for being there as well as our emcee for the night, Duncan Armstrong. Peter was presented the ‘key’ to Links Hope Island which will be on display in the Club next to his current ranking and competition updates.”

Summer boost for Aussie golf The warm summer weather continues to be a boon for Australian golf according to new data released by the Australian Golf Industry Council.

For the eight months to date in the current financial year, total rounds played across Australia are up 5.3% on 2011-12 figures with growth largely consistent across both genders.

Following 5.3% growth in January, national growth was up 5.4% in February 2013 over February 2012.

This growth was despite very heavy rainfall across Queensland which resulted in a 9% drop in rounds played in that state

for the month.

Victoria saw an 11% increase on February 2012 figures – which was the wettest February in nearly 40 years for much of the state.

Growth has been slightly higher in metropolitan areas at 6% while regional growth was at 4.8%. Metropolitan areas are responsible for 44% of total demand.

Golf Australia CEO and AGIC Chairman Stephen Pitt said the figures showed golf was trending in the right direction.

“It has been a positive summer for golf as an increasing number of rounds are being played on year to date figures. Outside

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of Queensland which has felt the brunt of some wild weather, people are clearly taking advantage of the summer conditions to get out on the golf course,” Pitt said.

“From a leadership perspective, with this macro data now being reported on a monthly basis, we hope facility managers are now measuring their own performance against the wider market trends, helping to put their own facility results into perspective.”

The Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) was established in late 2006 to provide a forum to help unite the industry on agreed industry wide initiatives.

news

JUNIOR NEWS

Howlong wins MYGolf Centre of the Year Award From 400 centres Australia-wide, Howlong Country Golf Club has been named the 2012 MYGolf Centre of the Year. This is the first time this prize has been awarded and it recognises the contribution that the Howlong Junior Program has made to junior golf development.

Registered as a My Golf Centre since May 2011, Howlong won the inaugural MYGolf Centre of the Month award in December that year, as well as the Jack Newton Junior Golf Club of the year.

The Howlong Country Golf Club have 95 junior participants registered for the program since it began and continue to get approximately 60 to 80 children to each session.

Golf Australia also recognised the

efforts of Howlong Country Golf Club Community Coach Jan Wilson who was awarded the highly regarded Coaches Recognition Award from Golf Australia.

Jan is the Junior Coordinator for the Howlong MYGolf Program and is responsible for all of the administrative functions of the program as well as the practical component of the clinics and coordination of the coaches at each session. In addition to the Club based program Jan also coordinates the school program and conducts a MYGolf clinic for the Howlong Primary School.

The My Golf Clinics run every fortnight throughout the year with a break over school holidays.

Teen wins Sandhurst Golf Club Championship

PGA Championship heads to RACV Royal Pines Matias Sanchez 14 year-old Matias Sanchez has been crowned 2013 Senior A Grade Sandhurst Golf Club champion, defeating Tyler de Yong at the finals over 36 holes after earlier eliminating the defending champion Brett Colletta in the semifinals.

Matias’ win set a new record for Sandhurst Club as the youngest player to win the big trophy in a club which has over a thousand members.

Stuart Appleby Junior Golf names Rookies of the Year Each year, Stuart Appleby Junior Golf runs a series of events for younger players (Under 14) called the Rookie Series. Players who win their age division at each event qualify for the Rookie Series Final, which was played recently at Ocean Grove GC in conjunction with the Vic Open week.

Following the Rookie Series Final at Ocean Grove GC, SAJG announced the Rookies of the Year for 2012. Congratulations to Murphy Wilde from Melton Valley and Naysa Sohail from Sunshine GC. Murphy returned a score of 2-over-par and Naysa 4-over to edge out the other finalists and underline their potential.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The PGA of Australia announced last month that the Australian PGA Championship presented

by Coca-Cola will be contested at Queensland’s Gold Coast at RACV Royal Pines for the next five years.

RACV will invest $5m over the next three years to make changes to the course that meet the PGA’s requirements.

The 2013 event will again be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia.

Royal Melbourne to host Australian Masters IMG has announced that the 2013 Australian Masters will be played over the composite course at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time, from 14-17 November.

The Australian Masters will be sanctioned by the PGA Tour of

Australasia. IMG also reaffirmed its commitment to bring three of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings to play the Australian Masters and the attraction of Royal Melbourne will undoubtedly further enhance the field.

Australian Open moves to The Australian in 2014

Murphy Wilde and Naysa Sohail

18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus confirmed last month that the Australian Open would make a long-awaited comeback to The Australian Golf Club in 2014, a course where the Golden Bear was victorious on three occasions.

Nicklaus made the

announcement during a visit to Sydney where he unveiled his redesigned layout of the course.

The Australian Golf Club—which hosted the first Australian Open in 1904—last hosted the Open in 2007 which was won by Craig Parry.

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

9

industry news

David Bell for GQ board

Hutton paves the way for women in golf

Council backs Qld Open

DAVID Bell will fill the casual vacancy on the Golf Queensland board following the resignation of Tom Crothers.

Bell has a wealth of knowledge in the sporting and legal areas.

“David has been a member of the finance and risk committee since its inception in 2010 and, as such, has a strong knowledge of Golf Queensland’s strategic direction and current state of affairs,” said GQ chair Peter Castrisos.

“Not only does David have a background in golf club administration, but he also has strong legal experience.”

Prior to his work at Virginia Golf Club, he was the CEO at Queensland Athletics and has been part of the event management team at V8 Supercars Australia.

He holds undergraduate degrees in Law and Business as well as a Masters in Sport Management.

“As a keen golfer, I am excited to be in a position to contribute to the sport as a Director of Golf Queensland and am looking forward to meeting as many stakeholders as I can over the coming months,” he said. •

Dennise Hutton has been honoured as the first ever female PGA Professional to be awarded the prestigious Teaching Professional of the Year title, following the PGA’s NSW/ACT Division Graduation and Awards at Manly Golf Club.

Hutton, who bases herself at Bardon Park and The Ridge golf courses, received the award in front of a room of her peers, recognised for her outstanding passion and dedication to improving the games of golfers of all ability levels.

Having proven herself as both a player and a coach during her 25 year career to date, Hutton has achieved many firsts. She was the first woman to coach the NSW State Women’s and Junior Girls teams as well as the first woman to coach the Australian team for The Queen Sirkit Cup and the World Team Championships.

“Dennise is an outstanding Member of the PGA of Australia, and continues to pave the way for women not only in the PGA but in the wider golf industry,” said Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia.

“Women’s participation is one of the biggest potential growth areas for our game, and the continued success of role models the likes of Dennise will open up new opportunities for females who are looking to forge a similar career path within the Australian golf industry.”

In addition to her work in Sydney, Hutton also runs a number of golf schools, both interstate and overseas.

A former No. 1 ranked Australian women’s golfer, Hutton turned professional after a very distinguished amateur career and went on to achieve many great successes including two

THE Ipswich City Council had thrown its weight behind the $110,000 Isuzu Queensland Open to be played at Brookwater Golf and Country Club from August 22-25.

Golf Queensland chair Peter Castrisos said it was fantastic news for golf in the Sunshine State.

“The Ipswich region is growing rapidly and we are thrilled the City Council has seen value in bringing events like the Isuzu Queensland Open to the area,” he said.

“The Queensland Open will give a fantastic opportunity for the Ipswich community to witness some top-level golf.

“There will also be loads of opportunities for the local community to experience the sport through golf clinics and demonstrations at schools and shopping centres.

“We look forward to working alongside the Ipswich City Council and the local community in the coming months and years.”

Popular Ipswich mayor and keen golfer Paul Pisasale said council was taking a leadership role by supporting major sporting events in the city.

“The Queensland Open raises the profile of Ipswich as a sporting city and showcases the first-class facilities available for visitors and residents,” he said.

“A major tournament such as this also provides an economic boost by attracting crowds to the fairways.”

Ipswich Golf Club will host a prequalifying round. •

Sheridan the new “goto” person at JNJG Sheridan Graham-Tupaea is Jack Newton Junior Golf’s new Communications Manager.

JNJG has recognised that in today’s technological world, effective communication is critical. In order to improve their services to members and stakeholders, and to support JNJG Territory Managers, JNJG has engaged Sheridan to oversee that communication process.

As the Communications Manager, a major part of her role will be the maintenance of the JNJG website, Facebook page and all other media relations. She will also be responsible for communications between Territory Managers, members and parents through regular publications of the Ebackspin Newsletter, and will be reporting back to Golf NSW and the JNJG Board on the progress and activities within the foundation.

Contact: sheridan@jnjg.com.au •

Dennise Hutton (Photo courtesy of PGA of Australia and Snapeture Sports) victories at Australian LPGA Championship and wins in consecutive tournaments on the Ladies European Tour in 1989.

The other big award of the evening, the Club Professional of the Year, went to Jason Hart of the Shelly Beach Golf Club on the NSW Central Coast.

Other PGA Members recognised on the night included: Matthew Stieger–2012 NSW/ACT PGA Rookie of the Year Matthew Millar–2012 NSW/ACT PGA Player of the Year & Piranha Golf Order of Merit Winner Richie Gallichan – 2012 NSW/ACT PGA Trainee of the Year Among the clubs recognised on the night, Port Macquarie Better Homes Pro-Am was named Country Pro Am of the Year, Pymble Pro-Am was the City Pro Am of the Year and The Shearwater Landing Cronulla Legends Pro-Am was recognised as the E-Z-GO PGA legends Tour event of the year. •

Popular pro finds new home PALMER Coolum Resort’s loss is Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort’s gain after popular teaching professional Peter Heiniger moved 21 kilometres up the road.

Heiniger, the Queensland PGA teaching professional of the year in 2004 and 2005, has a wealth of experience after 23 years at the resort previously known as Hyatt Regency Coolum.

The highly-rated teaching professional has

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been involved with forging the careers of many successful PGA professionals including Steven Bowditch, Sarah-Jane Smith, David Podlich and Heath Reed.

Heiniger said he was excited about the prospects of working at world-renowned Noosa Springs, and welcoming students to his new home at Noosa Springs Golf Driving Range. •

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Bradbury, who has extensive experience, starts work on May 1.

The 116-year-old club is confident Bradbury’s considerable experience and talents will be invaluable as the club moves towards the implementation of Stage 2 of the Ogilvy Clayton master plan. •

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industry news

Burmester a popular winner David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

MT WARREN Park Golf Club head professional Gary Burmester is making a habit of making the news.

Last month, Burmester received the Queensland Club Professional of the Year Award at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards at Jupiters Gold Coast.

Recognised by a panel of his peers, Burmester has been actively involved in the Queensland golf industry, his efforts highlighted by a record eight appearances at the Holden Scramble Championship final, staging a number of PGA tournaments, showing leadership to his PGA trainees and project managing a number of key course design changes.

Earlier this year, Burmester and Tasmania Golf Club pro Nick White made the news when chosen as the two additional professionals to represent Australia against China.

The pair will join the 2012 winning Holden Scramble teams, Glenden and Deniliquin, to play the Chinese in home-and-away matches.

And late last year, the 51-year-old hit the headlines when he out-muscled his much younger and fitter Sunshine Tour rivals to win the long-drive competition at the Howeston Golf Course pro-am.

In fact, Queensland Golf Industry Awards emcee, Fred Lang, made mention of Burmester’s famous victory over the flat-bellies.

Burmester is a popular figure around Mt Warren Park Golf Club where he has dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the job.

He gave up work as a cabinetmaker in the late 1970s to pursue a professional career and did his traineeship at Helensvale Golf Club under the guidance of Randall Vines.

When Burmester completed his traineeship in 1980, he hit the road in his panel van to play the Troppo

TOP MAN: Popular professional Gary Burmester shows off his award.

Tour with the likes of Peter Senior, Ian Baker-Finch, Wayne Grady, Peter McWhinney et al.

Times were tough in the early days and Burmester slept in his panel van to save money.

“Most of the guys would stay in hotels and motels, but I would sleep in the back of my van on a double mattress,” he said.

“One of the guys would let me shower in their room and then I would jump in the back of the van, put the golf clubs on the front seat and settle in for the night.

“Next morning there’d be car loads of pros ready to drive to the next pro-am.

“We all had CB radios so we could talk to each other on the road.”

Burmester said they were fun times when the players enjoyed playing a few harmless pranks.

“I could tell you some interesting stories, but it’s best if I don’t,” Burmester teased.

One of his proudest achievements as a professional was playing in the rich Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup

in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“There were some great players in the field like Greg Norman, Curtis Strange, Craig “Walrus” Stadler and Rodger Davis,” he said.

“I played in two of those and made the cut both times. I remember having an eagle on the 18th when there was a huge gallery around the green. It was a great feeling.”

Last year, Burmester joined the Australian Legends Tour and managed two runner-up finishes.

“I am really enjoying playing the tour again,” he said. “After 30 years, I have started practising again and will trying to get in the Australian Club Pro Championship again.”

Still, what Burmester enjoys most is mixing with the club members. He also loves tinkering and repairing golf clubs out the back of his pro shop.

Now he is sharing the knowledge and passing on the skills to the next generation of trainee pros.

“We do a lot of club repairs as well as lie-and-loft angles and spray paint metal heads to make them look new again. Some of the other club pros even send clubs here for me to do because I have the machinery.”

And if a member has an old golf cart that needs to be brought back to life, Burmester is more than happy to tackle the job – big or small.

Aside from organising three Holden Scramble events each year, Burmester organises a pro-am and the Bunga Masters.

What’s the Bunga Masters?

“Well, Bunga is my nickname so I started the Bunga Masters where I take 32 to 40 members on a mystery tour to play a 54-hole event,” he explained.

“We all jump in the bus and they don’t know where I am taking them.

“Sometimes I will tell the bus driver to go around a round-about a few times just to confuse them.

“They are all quality venues so the members are never disappointed.” •

The full list of Queensland golf industry award winners: PGA Chairman’s Award: Bill and Lyn Weston, Howeston Golf Course Golf Print Tournament of the Year: Bartons/ BMD Wynnum Pro Am Metropolitan Tournament of the Year: Norris Motor Group Royal Queensland Regional Tournament of the Year: Pat O’Driscoll Real Estate and Tropical Auto Group Capricorn Golf Classic and Toowoomba BMW and Westpac Middleridge Pro-Am Club Professional of the Year: Gary Burmester, Mt Warren Park Golf Club Teaching Professional of the Year: Grant Field, Grant Field Golf Academy Trainee of the Year: Atomu Watanabe PGA Trainee OOM winner: Ben Fletcher PGA Sunshine Tour OOMwinner: Grant Scott Platinum Partner Program PGA Rookie of the Year: Sven Puymbroeck PGA IGI Excellence in Education Award: Steven Jeong GMAQ Manager of the Year: Steve Hutchison, Twin Waters GMAQ Golf Club of the Year: City Golf Club Golf Qld Junior Male Amateur of the Year: Viraat Badwhar Golf Qld Junior Female Amateur of the Year: Lauren Mason Golf Qld Male Amateur Award: Cameron Smith Golf Qld Female Amateur Award: Ali Orchard Club Super Volunteer of the Year: Terry Ward Toro Superintendents Golf Course Turf Apprentice of the Year: Jacob Freeman Bayer Superintendents Environment Award: Dave Morrison Chesterfield/ John Deere Superintendents Achievement Award: Dean Henderson Superintendents Industry Recognition Award: Jon Penberthy Golf Supplier of the Year: Coca-Cola Amatil

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industry news

Warragul renovations moving forward Henry Peters ed@insidegolf.com.au

Warragul Country Club continues to push forward with its major clubhouse renovations despite delays in construction. Located in Victoria’s west Gippsland region, the club’s $9 million facelift was originally due for completion in February, but with work only commencing in September last year, completion has been forecast for late 2014.

The delays stem from the club’s plans for a new gaming room fitted with additional gaming machines. The club was forced to wait for the Federal Government’s policy decision on mandatory pre-commitment for gaming machines put forward by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard threw out Wilkie’s proposal in January 2012.

“We were waiting to see if the Andrew Wilkie proposal came through and if it did, that would affect the gaming income meaning we would have to scale down the renovation plans,” says Club General Manager Michael Smairl. The club spent the first nine months of 2012 finalising new clubhouse designs with its architect prior to stage one work commencing.

Construction of the club’s new gaming room is yet to start, pending completion of stage one as early as September. Stage one involves a 200seat restaurant, two function rooms, a boardroom, two new kitchens, an alfresco area and new golf locker rooms. The new gaming facility forms only a fraction of the stage two plans with a new public bar, members bar, reception, offices and facade upgrade poised to make the finished product one of country Victoria’s largest clubhouses.

The Club also has planning permit approval for a 24-room motel adjoining the function

facility, which is likely to form a third phase of the renovations once stages one and two are finished.

“The Club is taking on a big investment with the initial $9 million Clubhouse redevelopment.

Once the clubhouse renovations are complete and up and running we will assess the feasibility of the motel project,” Smairl says.

According to Smairl, renovations have not impinged upon the club’s ability to generate revenue.

“We had to move a few things around but we’re still operating as normal. When stage two

happens, we’ll have the new stage one open so we can continue to trade throughout.”

Smairl says the club’s huge membership base of 3600 and revenue generated from hospitality justifies its heavy focus on social facilities away from the golf course.

“Being a member at Warragul is more than just enjoying a great round of golf. It is about playing a great course all year round, great value membership and the social aspects of playing with friends, having a drink with friends and meeting new friends.” •

Carbrook veterans chip in $5000 THE veterans at Carbrook Golf Club in Brisbane’s east are a generous lot.

Recently the veterans committee put its hand in its pocket and pulled out a cheque for $5000, which it donated to the golf club to go towards the recovery effort after the recent floods.

“When times get tough you discover the true character of people,” said Carbrook general manager Scott Wagstaff.

“We have had some challenges at Carbrook Golf Club as we battled a flood and constant rain that has hampered our operations and certainly left some damage to our course.

“What is obvious though is the spirit of the club has not been damaged and, in fact, is at an all time high.

“This was highlighted with the working bee immediately after the flood where more than 55 volunteers turned up to help the club.

Carbrook Golf Club president Peter Anemaat said the club would replace the spray tank unit that recently failed due to age.

“This piece of equipment is vital in the course staff’s treatment of diseases and fertilizers and is so vital at the moment given the wet weather,” he said.

“We would have struggled without this donation to afford this vital piece of equipment so we are extremely grateful to Hans and the entire veterans group for their generosity and support of the club in general.”

Meanwhile, the club is re-building the 10th fairway after the devastating damage left from the flood.

It’s a big job and it’s expected to be completed later in the year. In the meantime, members and visitors will play the hole as a par-3.

Once completed, the hole will be more resilient to floods and rainfall. •

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industry news

What business are we REALLY in?

Mike Orloff

mike@golfindustrycentral.com.au

Have you ever asked yourself what business you are really in? Most would answer the “golf ” business. I say NO, we are in the “people” business. If we trained and educated our staff to become more hospitality focused with an ultimate goal to create an overall “exceptional experience” for our members and guests each day, you will have a thriving facility.

If we would put people more at the centre of our business plan, and first and foremost into what we do every day, you will create a club/facility that everyone will want to be part of.

We shouldn’t go to work to do a “job” that is primarily task related, such as answer emails, run reports, mow greens, etc. We should go to work each day with the job of making everyone that walks through our doors leave with a big smile on their face.

If people are not walking out with smiles then we are not doing our job.

The decision for most people in choosing a regular place to play their golf is more than solely based on the golf layout, location and fees charged.

Yes, these are core areas that initially attract people to your facility, but a very important item is how they are treated while they are there.

The expectation from people has increased dramatically in recent times as more and more facilities have improved their operation and people are travelling and comparing facilities. Your facility is being compared against others more than ever before and non-golf facilities are also part of this comparison. The online world has made this comparisons occur ten-fold.

Service Culture

To be considered a great facility with “exceptional service”, you must really provide consistent (not just occasional) exceptional service throughout all areas of the operation at all times. This can be a challenge when you have multiple staff that a member comes into contact with during each visit to your facility.

Service culture starts with setting staff expectation by implementing some simple, repeatable procedures that all staff can use every day. Staff must understand that the real priority in their job description is actually the service of people patronising their facility as they are the lifeblood of the facility. With service expectations properly identified, it is then a point of managing these expectations on a regular basis.

Hire staff that has the right “attitude” more than “aptitude”. We can train people how to do tasks of any job, but we can’t train people to smile, be friendly, and want to serve people.

First time visitors must go away with a good/great first impression or you risk them not coming back again, and worse, spreading the word to their circle of influence that the service at your facility is not that good.

Imagine what would happen if you implemented a “3 metre rule” for all staff in which they MUST simply say “hello” to everyone they come within arms-length of throughout the day. If all staff did this, you would be known as the “friendliest” golf course around in no time at all. People like to see a smile, an acknowledgement, some appreciation. It makes us feel good.

If people leave your facility feeling good they will want to come back to get some more “goodness”.

Drop what you do when a customer is present as they are the most important person at that point in time.

Management Culture

All members love to see their General/Secretary Manager around the club. When did you last go out and play a round of golf or a few holes with different members, showed up to help with presentations, or even spent a few hours on the first tee as groups go off?

Members visit your club to get away from work and to relax, so make them feel at home. Go out of your way to personalise their experience each time they visit.

We tend to spend time looking after the members/guests that frequent the club, which is of course our primary role. However, an area that is often overlooked is ‘inactive’ members.

They pay their fees each year but aren’t utilising the facility. WHY? They may be ill, busy, or are simply not engaged with the club. Make an effort to involve them in the club more. Give them a call and say hello, ask them how they are going. This can be the difference between a member resigning or not.

If you simply show you really care and treat your members, guests and staff as PEOPLE – you’ll make a big difference in your club’s overall performance. Be honest when doing so—you can’t fake being genuine.

Feedback

Regardless of a club’s membership size or social database, it only survives and thrives by meeting the needs of its members/customers and offering specific services that properly address those needs.

Understanding who your customers are and what particular needs they have are paramount. Conducting regular research and/or feedback is fundamental to your services being provided. It allows you the opportunity to analyse trends in a more scientific way and to see things that you wouldn’t see or hear in an informal setting.

Surveying customers by whichever means you have is still the tried-andtrue way of learning what people want and how they are responding to current products and services.

You must at all times endeavour to attain feedback from all members regardless of how petty some of the feedback may seem. Ultimately you want to create a communication culture as part of your retention strategies. Members need a simple transparent process to feel they are being heard and having their feedback responded to in a timely manner.

Having a strong people service culture will not only help in attracting new members and visitors but it will considerably improve your rate of retention and/or repeat business.

Get the people service basics consistently right and you’re already 90% of the way there! • Mike Orloff specialises in providing golf operations and marketing solutions for all levels of golf facilities and businesses with the major outcomes being in growing revenue and the bottom-line for your facility. www.golfindustrycentral.com.au (Image by Julien Tromeur) www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

15

industry news

Stephen Pitt CEO – Golf Australia

Golf Australia in collaboration with the State Associations and industry stakeholders has embarked on developing a strategy for a national club support and development program to assist the health and sustainability of Australian golf clubs.

The Club Development Support Program is a key priority of our National Participation Plan and will be progressively rolled out during 2013.

To assist the development of this important strategy, an advisory group including representatives from the Australian Golf Course Superintendents’ Association, Australian Sports Commission, Clubs, Golf Australia, Golf Management Australia, PGA of Australia and State Golf Associations has been formed with golf business

Brian Thorburn CEO – PGA of Australia

Last month the PGA was pleased to announce a series of significant new agreements that will see our flagship tournament, the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola, move to RACV Royal Pines for the next five years.

It’s been over ten years since the PGA Tour of Australasia last hosted a tournament on the Gold Coast, and we’re delighted to bring a world class tournament back to a region renowned for being ‘Famous for fun’. Working alongside Gold Coast Council and Tourism and Events

consultancy WellPlayed (formerly Flow Project Services) being engaged to manage the project.

The industry-endorsed program will play an important role in providing expertise and resources to Australian golf clubs – important support for facilities across the country.

The feedback and requests for advice we get from golf clubs covers a diverse range of issues. With the collective expertise of the industry at hand, the new Club Support and Development Program will make that information easier for clubs to source and use.

Healthy golf clubs and a healthy Australian golf industry go hand-inhand. The advisory group’s resources will cover the key areas of club operations and provide clubs, where possible, with the information to adopt industry bestpractice in their businesses.

The mission of the program is to develop a leading, trusted and sustainable ‘Club Support and Development’ program to assist clubs in improving their performance and

provide valuable golf participation opportunities.

The program framework will include a new club health check tool and resources to assist clubs in the areas of governance, strategic planning, marketing, membership attraction and retention, benchmarking, financial performance, education and sustainability.

The program will use both existing information developed by the golf industry in Australia and the outcomes from research conducted by a number of other sports in regard to their club development and support initiatives.

The strategy is expected to be finalised by mid-2013.

In championships news, April is a big month with the Australian Junior Championships heading to Perth with Australian Boys’ Amateur at Mount Lawley Golf Club and the Australian Girls’ Amateur at Pinjarra Golf Club and the Junior Interstate Series which follows at the Western Australian Golf Club and Bunbury Golf Club. Good luck to all competitors in the West! •

Queensland, the PGA is committed to ensuring the Australian PGA Championship becomes a premiere event on the region’s event calendar, adding to an already impressive schedule which of course includes the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The location also gives us a great opportunity to inject some new life into tournament golf.

We’re confident the tournament will inject well in excess of $10 million into the local economy and, we’re also confident we’ll be attracting many of the world’s best golfers.

Away from tournaments, our state offices are hosting their annual awards nights recognising both individuals and clubs for their outstanding achievements throughout last year. While I

congratulate all winners across the country, I’d like to make particular mention of Dennise Hutton who recently became the first ever female to win the coveted NSW/ ACT Teaching Professional of the Year title.

Having proven herself as both a player and a coach during her 25 year career to date, Dennise was recognised for her outstanding passion and dedication to improving the games of golfers of all ability levels. Women’s participation is one of the biggest potential growth areas for our game, and the continued success of Dennise and other women within the PGA will hopefully open up new opportunities for females who are looking to forge a similar career path within the Australian golf industry. •

Warren Sevil CEO – ALPG

After one of our most successful seasons on record, the ALPG Tour events have identified a handful of “players to watch” in 2013 as some embark on their rookie seasons whilst others take some great form in returning to their respective international Tours.

In short, the 2013 Tour was highly successful in terms of field sizes (boosted as a result of a successful International Membership campaign) quality of fields and great scoring.

International players aside, there are some Australian names whom we expect will ride the momentum of strong performances on the ALPG Tour and enjoy success in 2013, across the major Tours, those being LPGA, Symetra Tour, Ladies European Tour and LPGA of Japan.

Stacey Keating topped the ALPG Tour Order of Merit following an outstanding season where she notched six top ten results from eight starts. After featuring in the finishes at the Volvik Ladies Masters and ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open, Stacey captured her home state open with a popular win and the Women’s Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links.

She continues to impress and after two wins on the Ladies European Tour in 2012 we will follow her progress with much interest. Her performances in recent months have elevated her to the top 70 on the Rolex World Rankings.

Whitney Hillier turned professional just prior to the commencement of the ALPG Tour and immediately made an impact with 2nd and 3rd places results in her opening starts. Top twenty

results at the NSW and Australian Opens confirmed she is one of our most talented young players who has the confidence and game to succeed.

She will be one to watch as she embarks on her rookie year playing the Ladies European Tour. Whitney is our Rookie of the Year and will be presented with this award at the end of this year.

I am nominating Jessica Speechley as one to follow and one who will rocket up the world rankings in 2013. The former number one Australian amateur has performed well on the ALPG Tour the past two years and after dedicating 2012 to strengthening her game for the major Tour qualifying schools, earned a strong conditional status on the LPGA of Japan where she will concentrate her focus in 2013. Her game is solid and her determination will drive her to great things this year.

Emma De Groot was the surprise package early in the season, leading the Order of Merit after four events.

In her first year on the ALPG Tour she notched a win and played consistently well, throughout. She will return to the Symetra Tour full of confidence aiming for one of the ten LPGA cards on offer at the end of the season.

Sarah Jane Smith had her best season in Australia and walked away ranked 3rd on the OOM after strong showings in the major tournaments.

She will return to her sixth season on the LPGA with renewed confidence following a recent coach change, and an improved game which should see her contend on the biggest stage in 2013.

Look for strong performances on the LET this year from Karen Lunn, Kristie Smith, Bree Arthur, Nikki Campbell and Rebecca Artis.

We t h a n k a l l p l a y e r s f o r contributing to the success of the 2013 ALPG Tour season, and wish them the best of luck as they fly the Aussie flag around the globe this year. •

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Augusta’s Amen Corner David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

Henry Peters ed@insidegolf.com.au

For golf fans, April is our version of the festive season for one simple reason – the US Masters. That seemingly interminable eight-month wait since the previous major championship is almost over and this year, for the 77th time, Australians draw breath, hoping one of our own will finally break our Masters duck.

But just what are the chances of an Aussie receiving the green jacket from Bubba Watson late on Masters Sunday?

I’m as optimistic as the next golfer but not one homegrown name is jumping off the page.

Adam Scott, Jason Day, John Senden, Geoff Ogilvy and Marc Leishman will likely comprise the Aussie contingent. At the time of writing, the most recent USPGA Tour win among them was Leishman’s maiden title at the Travelers Championship last June.

Remarkably, Scott hasn’t won in the States since August 2011, but with top10s at the previous two Masters, he remains our great white hope.

His T3 finish at last month’s Cadillac Championship marked his return to form and despite fading from a winning position midway through the Tampa Bay Championship, he told US reporters his short-game may be as good as it’s ever been.

Day and Ogilvy are only recently turning the tide on their respective slides down the world rankings but one can’t argue with the mantra that class is permanent.

Queenslander Senden continues to consistently collect bank cheques. That’s

never been a problem for him. But he has just one US win from more than a decade of competing, despite his laserlike play from tee to green.

A suspect putter has long been the veteran’s downfall. If he needs an injection of short game confidence, he probably won’t find it on the slick and sloping greens at Augusta, where three-putts are almost as certain as deaths and taxes.

While recent form is the single best predictor of how someone will play at Augusta, motivation has to count for something.

In the case of Scott and Ogilvy, who have 15 US wins between them, they’re after something a bit more meaningful than Fed Ex Cup points. Ogilvy would be desperate for another taste of major glory seven years after his US Open triumph at Winged Foot.

If he’s desperate, Scott would be hellbent on vindication after last year’s British Open collapse.

But it’s a given that, with the exception of a few old greats well past their best, every player teeing it up at the Masters will be brimming with motivation.

Like every year, Woods and Mickelson enter with expectations of victory.

Tiger already has two wins this year, proving his new swing can stand up down the stretch. But off the back of two squandered 36-hole co-leads at majors in 2012, can his swing stand up at Augusta?

No doubt a Woods win and 15th career major, almost five years on from his last, would be a golden moment in world sport.

Mickelson’s odds for a fourth green jacket firmed considerably after he posted a record-setting win at the Phoenix Open. Add to that his phenomenal consistency at Augusta and his status as a perennial favourite is unquestionable.

Phil has recorded an incredible 10 top-five finishes at the Masters including

his three wins and buoyed by the addition of a new driver in his bag, he will again be primed.

Worlds away from the form lines of Woods and Mickelson are those of the world’s number one, Rory McIlroy.

Winless since his highly-publicised equipment switch from Titleist to sporting giant Nike, McIlroy has admitted the pressure from the golfing world is palpable. But nobody can question his ability to close majors and a hot week would make him incredibly difficult to stop.

For the punters looking to get more bang for their buck, there is a host of players that can win. Brandt Snedeker, Watson, Keegan Bradley and Dustin Johnson are among the strong group younger American contenders.

Throw in the over-achieving South Africans, the British heavyweights in Donald, Rose and Westwood, and again we have ourselves a Masters of the highest order. •

GOLFERS will know Amen Corner as holes 11, 12 and 13 at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the US Masters.

But who coined the name and why?

Well, Sports Illustrated sports writer Herbert Warren Wind gave the trio of holes the moniker following Arnold Palmer’s famous victory in 1958.

On the final day of the tournament, a ruling on the par-3 12th hole helped Palmer secure victory over Ken Venturi, who complained about the ruling for years (See story on page 28).

Anyway, when the rules chairman ruled in Palmer’s favour on the 15th hole, it apparently inspired Wind to christen the trio of holes Amen Corner, which reportedly came from a jazz record titled Shouting at Amen Corner.

The theory is that around 1900 New York was the centre of Bible manufacturing and preachers picked a popular pavement spot to spruik old-time religion.

Apparently, there were so many shouts of Amen heard each day that the term “Amen Corner” stuck.

According to dictionary.com, Amen Corner is a place in some Protestant churches, usually at one side (corner) of the pulpit, occupied by worshipers leading the responsive amens of the congregation. •

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Gold Rush!

Inside the PGA Championship’s move to the Gold Coast

Henry Peters ed@insidegolf.com.au

When life-size dinosaurs and Clive Palmer’s extravagant on-course advertising started appearing at last year’s Australian PGA Championship, the writing was on the wall concerning the event’s future at Coolum.

But just as the PGA of Australia had to overcome challenges in making the event about the golf and not the exploits of the controversial coal magnate,

it now faces a fresh set of obstacles in its new five-year deal at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

“We came to the end of our agreement at Coolum so we were always going to have a look at what else was available,” PGA of Australia CEO Brian Thorburn says.

“Obviously the experience we had at Coolum at the end of 2012 highlighted some serious issues we had to overcome.”

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In fact, it’s consistently dwarfed in course rankings by a mountain of Queensland courses – Coolum, Links Hope Island, Lakelands and Royal Queensland to name a few.

But Royal Pines has hit the line first in the bidding war.

That’s somewhat contradictory when course quality and its ability to attract big name players was chief among the PGA’s selection criteria.

Can Royal Pines lure the players that Coolum recently could in Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Darren Clarke?

Or are crowd figures going to be at the mercy of the overseas performances of our domestic stars – particularly Queenslanders Adam Scott, Jason Day and John Senden?

Therein lies a point for dispute but the commercial benefits of the deal are far more cut and dry.

The PGA of Australia has guaranteed a prize purse of $1.25 million for the next five years and CEO Brian Thorburn says there’s scope for further investment.

“With some of the other deals, the commercial

on tour offers weren’t quite as strong. Commerce and money is important because our purpose when it comes to the tour is to improve prizemoney.”

Royal Pines got the nod ahead of a handful of other Gold Coast courses and is believed to have narrowly trumped bids from Royal Queensland and the Mercure Capricorn Resort near Rockhampton.

Further to commercial gains, Royal Pines is proven as a tournament host, having held the Ladies Australian Masters since 1990 – albeit with dwindling crowds in recent years and a prize purse that would have seemed unimaginably low only six years ago.

There’s also some concern the top men’s international and homegrown stars will massacre the flat, resort-style layout in a fashion similar to Karrie Webb’s -26-under winning total in 2010. $5 million will be invested between now and the 2015 event in an effort to keep some of the best in the game on their toes.

But Thorburn insists red numbers keep turnstiles ticking. “$5 million can buy a hell of a lot of improvement,” he says.

“Leaving that aside, Phil Mickelson won the Phoenix Open with 28-under-par and you had (179,000) people going through there on the Saturday because they’d made it a party atmosphere. We’re not necessarily going to be looking for the course to be the longest or the most difficult in the country.”

Only a handful of course changes will be implemented in time for this year’s event – expected to come in the form of heightened rough, narrowed fairways and the occasional tee box being pushed back.

The groundswell of work won’t kick in until 2014.

“There are two boxes that can be moved so that water comes into play more, there are a lot of bunkers to be moved, the positioning of bunkers adjacent to the greens. We’re not being specific.”

The trip to Royal Pines will be bittersweet for defending champion Daniel Popovic, who won golfing notoriety with his wire-to-wire win at Coolum last year.

“I’m excited, but a little saddened by the fact it won’t be going back to Coolum,” the 27-yearold says.

“The unfortunate circus act that professor Clive Palmer put on last year, it is understandable it won’t be back there anytime soon.”

The likeable Victorian supports the plan to toughen up Royal Pines.

“It is not particularly challenging. I’m not experienced as a course designer, but as a player I would say pin positions and shapes of holes are keys to tougher golf.”

But perhaps the biggest ace up the sleeves of tournament organisers will be the ongoing partyvibe of the event.

Over the event’s 11-year stint at Coolum, its village and party atmosphere made it somewhat acceptable for players to be nursing hangovers on the practice tee the following day.

A relatively relaxing tournament amid the monotony of week-to-week tour life was perhaps the Australian PGA’s biggest hook for attracting and retaining high-profile players.

Of course the cash on the line at Coolum and family-friendly environment kept the older big names happy but there’s no reason why Royal Pines shouldn’t bring the same themes to the event.

There’s talk of the PGA of Australia going one step further and reviving the “party hole” concept, which polarised players and fans alike at the Australian Open as recently as 2008.

Popovic is urging the PGA to bring it back to life.

“Grandstands, beer etc. will be a new feeling in a major tournament in Australia and I feel it will be welcomed by the majority of players. I think the game of golf in Australia needs something new, something fresh and Royal Pines has a big opportunity on its hands to bring that to a new

market of spectators.”

The PGA may yet pull the trigger on the idea and it’s even considering other left-field options.

Ironically, a blow-up dinosaur allowing children to hit golf balls into it has been flagged as a possible feature at the Gold Coast venue.

“There’s a lot of things that we can do to make the event more appealing; fan zones, kids areas, family things, entertainers, street music. We’ll have a look at a lot of those things,” says Thorburn.

R o y a l P i n e s a s a r e s o r t c a n’t b e underestimated.

Golfers and fans may not go there year-round to tick ‘playing Royal Pines’ off their bucket lists, but they may stay for what the facility has to offer.

That’s something the PGA hopes it can tap into come tournament week.

“We’ve been blessed at Coolum with a great place where players and fans and corporates love to come, bring their family and kids, stay on site,” Thorburn says.

“Restaurants, day spas and Royal Pines ticked the box on that front. It’s got a five-star 300room hotel, it’s got a day spa being built at the moment, it’s got convention facilities, tennis courts, swimming pool.”

Credit must also go to the PGA of Australia for identifying the Gold Coast’s obvious tourism advantages.

Far away from the relative sleepy hollow of the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast is growing into a vertical metropolis with Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach driving that growth.

“Goverments invest in golf courses to populate the region with room nights and taxis and restaurants being full so it’s all about getting as many people into the area as you can,” Thorburn says.

“In that respect, the Gold Coast region was very attractive. (It’s) proximity to northern New South Wales, in the case of Royal Pines, proximity to the airport and the centre of town, Broadbeach.” •

Defending Champion Daniel Popovic supports the proposed plan to bring back the “party hole” atmosphere.

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Future looks Green for Richard Bradley Green ed@insidegolf.com.au

LEADING Australian Richard Green believes Golf Victoria is onto a winner by playing the men’s and women’s Victorian Opens simultaneously – and believes it should happen more often.

Green also had high praise for the Thirteenth Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads, which hosted the two tournaments for the first time.

Huge galleries walked the Beach and Creek courses at 13th Beach throughout the week and Green said it created an enjoyable atmosphere.

“I think it’s a brilliant idea and it’s something to think about for the future,” Green said of the concept.

“I’d like to see it happen a little bit more often in Australian golf. I think the public would get very much behind it.

“The women get a very good following at their tournaments like the Ladies Masters and their Australian Open so if we could coincide a few of those events as well I think it would create a little bit more interest in Australian golf.

“I still was able to go out and play at my pace of play and the girls got on with their games pretty well. “(The women) are all good players and I know quite a few of them and it’s nice to get out there and see their games as well.”

In a quirk of the draw Green played his third round in the group ahead of his partner, Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord.

Green finished in a tie for 14th after a finalday round of eight under par 64 which equalled the course record set in round two by fellow Victorian Michael Choi.

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

The 42-year-old said 13th Beach is a brilliant layout and is pleased it will host both Victorian Opens for at least the next two years.

“The golf course is brilliant. I love this golf course,” Green declared.

“I think it’s one of the fairest golf courses and most enjoyable golf courses to play around the world to be honest.

“There’s so many courses these days that have either been lengthened and butchered beyond belief, but this is a great golf course and a lot of fun to play.”

Green has now set his sights on making inroads into the top 60 on the European Tour’s money list to qualify for the season-ending Race to Dubai final series.

This year’s Final Series consists of the BMW Masters, the WGC-HSBC Champions, the Turkish Open and the Dubai World Tour Championship.

The four tournaments boast a staggering A$31 million in prizemoney.

Green hasn’t had a top 10 finish in Europe since his runner-up result at the 2011 Irish Open with his best performance last year being tied for 11th at the Sicilian Open and the Volvo China Open.

He also finished tied for 14th at the Singapore Open.

But Green believes his final-day surge up the leaderboard at the Victorian Open shows that he’s still capable of contending in big tournaments.

“It’s always felt like it’s there, it’s been a few little shots here and there that have just cost me a lot over the course of the last few years really,” Green said.

“I’d love to make the four big ones at the end of the year, get myself back into the form that I

have shown over the years and get well into the top 60 OOM and play those big money events at the end of the year.

“The basis of my game is a lot more solid than it has been in years gone by and I think, going on that, I’ve got some good things to think about and hope for this year.

“I’ve done a lot of work on my game towards the end of last year and got the right equipment in my hands again. I’ve been working with a sports psychologist getting my mind back just playing the game simply again instead of over complicating it “That’s all it is at this level, keep it simple.” •

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Once bitten, twice shy David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

AUSTRALIAN touring professional Stacey Keating has a message for rookie professionals – always check and double-check your scorecard before signing it.

Last year Keating made the mistake of not properly checking her scorecard at the Women’s British Open at Royal Liverpool and paid the ultimate price – disqualification.

Speaking at the Auto Club Golf Championship gala presentation dinner at RACV Royal Pines, emceed by Brett Ogle, Keating urged up-andcoming professionals not to make the same mistake.

Keating had the correct 18-hole score on the card, but accidently swapped two numbers around.

“I looked over my scorecard too quickly,” the 26-year-old confessed. “Both myself and the marker checked it with the walker-scorer, but I have to take full responsibility for the error.”

“I did check with the scorer before I left the tent. I’m not that stupid – yeah, I am,” she joked.

At the time, it wasn’t funny.

“I was disqualified after the second round and I was still crying on Tuesday – I’m not joking,” she said.

“Ten minutes after I signed my card I was told I would not be required the next day.

“Then they asked me if I wanted to come in to the tent to discuss it and I said, ‘I don’t think that is necessary unless it can be changed’.”

Still, the disappointment soon turned to joy as Keating rebounded to win the next two tournaments on the Ladies European Tour (LET) – the Tenerife Open de Espana Femenino and the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

“It (disqualification) was a good wake up for me and I believe it helped me,” Keating said.

It’s fair to say Keating quickly moved on from her disqualification hiccup.

“If that is the worst thing that will happen to me in my life then I have nothing to worry about,” Keating said.

Stacey Keating has moved on after her Women’s British Open disappointment.

“When I play a bad shot or do a stupid thing on the golf course, it doesn’t bother me especially after what happened at the (Women’s) British Open.

“I just laughed because nothing is going to hurt me like the disqualification did.”

Now Keating is considering a move to the US LPGA Tour.

Keating wins Women’s Victorian Open

“It would be the ultimate goal to get my card over there,” she said. “That’s where I want to play – against the best players in the world.

“Hopefully, I can take my game to another level.

“My results over the last six months have helped, but I would have to get over there and find my feet and adjust to different courses like I had to do in Europe.

“I have the confidence knowing I have won before so why can’t I do it again.”

This year, Keating, who recently won the Women’s Victorian Open, takes a hot putter on tour.

“The biggest improvement in my game has been my putting and that does help,” she said.

“When I do get the flat-stick going that’s when I can have a good low number.”

Keating admits she is still on a steep learning curve when it comes to life as a touring professional and never misses an opportunity to pick the brains of fellow professionals like Karrie Webb.

The former Australian number one amateur twice received a Karrie Webb Scholarship, which allowed her to travel to the US to spend a week with Webb in the lead-up to the Women’s US Open.

She received personal training and mentoring from Webb.

“Spending a week with Karrie Webb at the US Women’s Open was priceless,” Keating said.

“I learnt a lot, especially how to prepare for the biggest event of the year.”

Recently Keating played two rounds with Webb and used the experience to learn more from the former world number one.

“I said to Karrie, ‘you need to tell me everything I need to know’,” Keating said. “It was the perfect opportunity for me because she doesn’t get to see me play.”

Keating also sought advice from other experienced LPGA Tour players like Aussies Katherine Hull and Sarah Jane Smith.

“I ask those girls as many questions as possible,” she said.

“I am very much a sponge and try to gather as much information as possible and those girls have been great to me.” •

Local favourite Stacey Keating capped off a tremendous summer by winning her State Open, the Women’s Victorian Open, played at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads.

Keating’s goals at the start of the ALPG season included performing better at home than in the past two years and putting herself in contention as much as possible.

The talented golfer from Cressy certainly achieved both, she posted top 10 finishes in the Bing Lee Samsung Women’s NSW Open and the Volvik RACV Ladies Masters.

She then was third in the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open. This most recent win in front of family and friends was the icing on the cake.

In front of huge galleries Keating fired a final round of three-under-par 71 to finish at 18-under-par total and two clear of England’s Hanna Burke (66) and Western Australian Kristie Smith (68).

The two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour in 2012 was thrilled with her first major victory on home soil.

“It means everything this win, it is the best.” Keating said.

An eagle on the par 5 9th was a turning point for Keating “I was over par at that point and I had just missed a short putt on 8th, then the eagle got me from over par to under par , which made me feel better going into the back nine.”

Luck also played its part in her win, particularly on the par-3 12th when an errant tee shot hit a spectator and bounced back onto the green and finished six feet from the pin, she went on to convert the birdie putt.

ACT’s Nikki Campbell (68) finished outright fourth at 15-under-par, with Spaniard Mireia Prat and Queensland’s Bree Arthur (67) a further shot back.

New South Wales’ Rebecca Artis (68) and England’s Laura Davies (68) finished tied for seventh at 13-under-par. •

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Elementary, my dear (Bubba) Watson Garrett Johnston ed@insidegolf.com.au

Bubba Watson, the master of simplifying the game. The Wild West gunslinger in a sport known for reserved deportment. Paralysis of analysis has no chance in his free-wheeling, self-made swing.

Who else has envisioned the seemingly impossible shot and executed it with such bravado? Certainly past Masters champions Phil Mickelson and the late Seve Ballesteros come to mind, but Watson is different. He thinks about this game in simple terms and chooses to continue to as the stakes increase.

Isn’t this period of world entertainment about great television and significant ratings?

Who better to play that fiddle to the hilt than the fidgety, steely-eyed, and enormously long-hitting Watson? Wowing us all with his unforgettable curveball from the pine-straw at Augusta National’s tenth hole to win golf ’s most prestigious title. It’s good television, and isn’t that what we want?

Joining the US PGA Tour in 2005, Watson, then 26, displayed flashes of this brilliance coupled with emotional disappointment. Immediate 340-yard drives out of the gate at the ’05 Sony Open gave the sense that he might demolish the American Tour’s golf courses — however his emotions kept that incredible talent in check. Temper blowups on the course led his caddie Ted Scott to threaten to leave his bag. It gave Watson a wakeup call and a recommitment to stay calmer with his internal team of wife Angie, trainer Andrew Fischer and Scott.

In the summer of 2010 he finally broke through at the Travelers Championship for his first win in Cromwell, Connecticut. Even then, he wowed the

“Bubba Golf ” took Australia by storm during the recent Presidents Cup crowd with a lob-wedge to inches of the cup in that playoff triumph.

In studying Watson, some of the more common questions coming up post-green jacket are why is he so good at the game? And what is his figurative ceiling? Understandable questions for a natural, unscripted talent.

Certainly a great strength in his arsenal is his outlandish distance. He led the PGA Tour in 2010 at just over 315 yards per drive. That weapon leads to a wedge-fest style of attacking treacherous greens at Augusta National and other demanding venues.

During his US Masters win, CBS Sports’ David Feherty called Watson’s drives “colossal” and “enormous”, and indeed they were.

But the true strength of his game is much deeper than distance. When Tiger Woods won his Tiger-

Slam over a decade ago, his distance clearly set him apart, but it was not the only arrow in his matchless quiver-at that time. All-world clutch putting and short game also defined him.

For Watson, it’s not putting, it’s not even his impressive and jaw-dropping ball-striking, where he ranked 2nd in Greens in Regulation during his 2012 US PGA Tour season, but rather his commitment to something that the world is beginning to hear more of: ‘Bubba Golf ’.

In the distinguished media centre at Augusta National Golf Club on the evening of April 12, 2012, Watson, with an ever-excitable youthful cadence in his voice, fielded questions from worldwide reporters. ‘Bubba Golf ’ is what Watson said he and Scott talked about as they walked from the tenth tee to where he would fashion perhaps the most impressive golf shot in televised major

championship history. Bubba was going to hit his go-to hook, never mind that they were in the pine-straw well right of civilization and the lush 10th fairway.

Why? Because in the most gravitas moment in his career thus far, Watson stuck to his guns, the man who apparently can’t focus, focused keenly here and chose to simplify what would have been a paralytic scenario for most of us.

The master of simplifying the game won the US Masters, doing it the only way he knows. Mickelson has the variance of shots, Woods seems willing to take the mechanics to the grave, but Watson is his own breed entirely.

It’s Watson hitting it a ‘Bubba mile’, with ‘Bubba spin’, and ‘Bubba curve’, and most importantly stemming from a simple, ‘this is all I see here’ decision on shot choice.

“My mind’s not as complicated as everybody else’s mind,” Watson said. “I swing at this tree and cut it back or aim at that tree and hook it so it’s just real basic for me. It makes the game as simple as possible.”

Golf may be the most complicated and mental of all sports. Watson has built a non-coached swing to go with it. He’s a natural talent that grew up curving whiffle balls around his parents house in Baghdad, Florida. It’s intuitive to him.

1970 US Masters Champion Billy Casper said “He’s got a golf swing that moves the ball more than every other player that’s ever played.”

High praise from a player that won three majors in the era of Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, and Arnold Palmer to name a few movers of the ball.

Watson’s movement is strictly by choice.

His swing itself, especially with his favorite club--that signature pink driver--incurs an

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cover story out-of-this-world amount of club-head speed, 125 miles per hour to be exact, and spin that helps him maximise his curvature off the tee at his victorious venues like Augusta National and Torrey Pines’ South Course in San Diego, CA. “If you like classic golf swings, there is no elegance at all,” 56-year golf journalist and editor Al Barkow said of Watson’s swing.

Maybe not, but then again is there elegance in the swings of modern Masters titans Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson? Maybe on the hypercontrolled practice ranges of the American PGA Tour in front of Sean Foley and the well-regarded Butch Harmon. However, that doesn’t bar them from potential injury as they still get in their pulsepounding swipes inside the ropes. Remember Woods’ issues with his achilles tendon in early 2012, among a slew of other injuries the past few years? And let’s not forget Mickelson’s swinginduced wrist injury at the ’07 US Open, which greatly hampered his performance throughout the rest of that season.

When the three champions were paired together at the 2012 US Open, Bubba was coming off his Masters triumph, and kept on going for broke off the tee. He has always pledged to live and die by the driver, no matter how swashbuckling that may sound to the rest of us. But really? In golf ’s toughest test? Mickelson played similar aggressive golf until he infamously imploded on the 72nd at Winged Foot in ‘06, Watson would also fold, missing the cut after two erratic days at San Francisco’s Olympic Club.

On the longest hole in major championship history, the 16th at 670 yards, Watson attempted to reach that green in two by going driver off the deck. He belted a shot with his pink driver that nearly made the green. Decisions like that, however awe-inspiring as they are, perhaps sum up Watson’s greatest strength and weakness all in one: how he chooses to use his one-of-a-kind talent.

“He’s a raw-talented young man,” Casper said.

“There’s never been anyone like him that I’ve seen.”

Casper believes Watson to be the only man in the 2012 Masters field, and in golf history that could have pulled off “the shot” he did in extra time from miles right of Augusta’s 10th fairway.

But Watson’s intuitive choices on a potentially career-defining shot haven’t come without great cost in times past. He faced a 206-yard second shot

on the third playoff hole at the 2010 US PGA. He went right at it and ended up in the water hazard 40 yards short. When asked if he’d hit the same shot again he emphatically answered “yes”.

Fast-forward two years later, Watson got it done and called his US Masters defining shot “pretty easy” that evening in the media centre.

That shot almost makes Phil Mickelson’s impressive slash from the pine-straw at 13, in 2010, not as defining now—even Watson’s playing partner Louis Oosthuizen’s albatross earlier that day. They were one-upped.

But isn’t this a microcosm of today’s game as a whole?

Great shots get upended by the next one. The ‘what have you done for me lately?’ disease that overcomes all sports. Golf is no different.

And we thought that Watson is the one with the short attention span.

We forget.

What gives us some clarity on Watson and how far he would like to follow through on that US Masters win is simply his drive for the game with a big-picture perspective on life, perhaps the kind of motivation he needs to perform on the course.

“It’s just fun,” Watson said of the game. “It’s always a challenge so that’s what I love about it.”

Citing rain, wind and hazards, Watson’s embracing of these challenges seem a key ingredient to his future success.

Watson—who loves to say “You’re welcome” to his internet audience in his quirky Twitter videos that include funny and unfathomable accomplishments on and off course—takes seriously his foundational beliefs in God. He gladly presents them in formats from media centres to charity events like ‘Bubba’s Bash’ concert in May 2012 which raised funds, with the help of Unreigned Ministries, for a medical clinic in Kenya.

There is intriguing insight to the way he views his life.

“My ultimate goal is to get to heaven, not win the Masters 92 times you know?” Watson said, “So when you look at it from that perspective you know that every day is a blessing.”

While we are dealing with ultimates, that is a razor-sharp contrast to what Woods has clearly shown on the surface as ultimate to him in his feverish pursuit of Nicklaus’ coveted eighteen majors.

Bubba Watson is known for his booming drives, free-wheeling swing and simple approach to the game (Photo: OneAsia/Andy Brownbill) Woods’ contentedness in golf, if not life, seems to hinge on that result.

Watson vastly differs.

“Golf is not my everything,” he told the press after his Masters win.

Certainly it is not with his adoption of son Caleb last Spring, his wife Angie traveling to most tournaments with him, a focus on his Christian faith, and strong involvement with charities close to his giving heart.

The aforementioned Bubba’s Bash and Birdies for the Brave are just a few of many.

Watson is transparent about how hard it is to balance all of the demands as a Masters champ, father, husband, and philanthropist—but perhaps that’s what he needs to keep his mind and game sharp.

“We’re always learning aren’t we?” Watson said on this delicate balance. “For the rest of your life no matter how old you are.”

No matter how old Gerry Lester Watson Jr. acts to our public eye, one cannot question that this ‘natural’ makes this most complicated game simple, and he chooses to keep it that way. •

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www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

27

on tour US MASTERS FLASHBACK:

How a stinging Ben Hogan swipe inspired King Arnie David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

IF Ben Hogan’s cutting locker room remark in the lead-up to the 1958 US Masters was meant to discourage and belittle Arnold Palmer it certainly backfired.

Hogan’s jibe, and a run in with an overzealous rules official, was the inspiration Palmer needed to win his first of four green jackets.

In his book, A Golfer’s Life, Palmer gives a detailed account of what Hogan said after a practice round at Augusta National.

Palmer had arrived at Augusta early in the morning after driving through the night across South Carolina to play a practice round with close friend Dow Finsterwald, who joined Ben Hogan and Jackie Burke.

The long road trip took its toll on Palmer and he played “abysmally”.

“I felt bad that Dow had to carry us both – he played brilliantly and we collected $35 apiece off the wager,” Palmer recalled.

The quartet was in the locker room changing when Hogan made a remark to Burke that hurt Palmer.

“I heard Ben remark to Jackie, ‘tell me something, Jackie. How the hell did Palmer get an invitation to the Masters? Palmer’s swing might work for him, but no one else should try it’.

“That really stung me, I’ll never know if Hogan knew I overheard the comment, but he was certainly aware that I was nearby and could have heard it.

“It burned me up and I set my mind on showing him why the hell I’d been invited to the Masters.”

Palmer shot opening rounds of 70-73-68 and arrived Sunday at the infamous 12th, arguably

the toughest par-3 in tournament golf, with a one-stroke lead.

He takes up the story: “My tee shot carried over the green and embedded in the soft turf between the putting surface and the rear bunker.

“Walking toward the green, I had no idea the ball was embedded and fully expected to be putting from the fringe.

“When I saw the situation, I called the rules official over and explained to him that I intended to take relief without penalty.

“Because of the heavy rain earlier in the week, the tournament was being played under wetweather rules. This meant that a plugged ball could be lifted, cleaned and dropped without penalty.

“The official, Arthur Lacey, shook his head and said, ‘You don’t do that at Augusta.’

“I beg your pardon,” I replied. “We’re playing wet-weather rules.”

“He said, ‘no sir. You can’t do that. You’ve got to play it as it lies.’

“For a moment I thought about my dilemma, trying to keep my growing anger at this injustice at bay.

“Finally, I told him I would play two balls and appeal his verdict to the tournament rules committee.”

“He said, ‘no sir, you can’t do that either’.

“Now I was really steaming inside, but I tried not to let him know that.

“Well,” I said, “that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Palmer hacked the ball out with his wedge, moving it about 18 inches, chipped on and twoputted for a double-bogey five.

Then he returned to the original spot where he asked his caddie Nathaniel “Ironman” Avery for another ball.

“I chipped the second ball a few feet from the hole and coaxed the putt into the cup for a

par-3,” he said.

“I’m sure there were plenty of people in the gallery who were certain they had watched Arnie Palmer disqualify himself from the Masters.

“Ken Venturi, who was in contention, was among those who felt he’d been cheated by my actions at the hole.

“But I knew the rule and I believed I was well within my rights to do what I had done.”

Palmer eagled the par-5 13th, parred the 14th and at 15 was summoned to meet with a member of the rules committee.

“Jonathon Winters, the rules chairman, said, ‘Mr Palmer, the committee has ruled in your favour.

You will have a three on the 12th hole’.”

That was music to Palmer’s ears and he birdied the 18th to win by one.

“I can hardly remember walking up 18 and hardly remember the birdie putt,” he said.

Palmer revealed the US Masters was a tournament he wanted to win as much, if not more, than any other and he certainly proved to Hogan and others that he didn’t need the purest swing in the game to be successful.

What made the victory sweeter was that Palmer’s wife Winnie and his parents were there to see him presented with the green jacket and a cheque for $14,000.

Once Winnie had paid caddie Ironman Avery, the Palmer family and several people from Wilson Sporting Goods drove to the Town Tavern for a victory dinner.

“The festivities were interrupted when someone from the club tracked us down and informed me there was a ‘problem’ with the cheque Winnie had written Ironman,” Palmer said.

“In all her excitement, instead of writing a cheque for $1400, she had written him a cheque for $14,000.

“We still laugh about that little slip up.”

Arnold Palmer proved that you don’t need the purest swing in the game to be successful.

(Photo courtesy of Golf Australia) FOOTNOTE: Arnold Palmer, nicknamed the King and one of the Big Three along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, won seven major tournaments – the US Masters in 1958-’60-’62’64, the Open Championship (1961-’62) and the US Open in 1960. A Golfer’s Life Arnold Palmer (with James Dodson) was first published in 1999

by Random House. •

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amateurs

How the Smith family developed a champion David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

AUSTRALIAN amateur champion Cameron Smith is a warm, friendly, humble, down-toearth, easy-going young man with a ready laugh.

Popular with his peers, Cameron has those wonderful boyish features, but underneath he is as tough as teak.

He proved that when he rallied from fivedown with 11 holes to play to win the Australian amateur 3 & 2 against formidable Victorian Geoff Drakeford.

I caught up with the mentally tough 19-yearold at home where he was relaxing on the couch watching a replay of the Parramatta Eels/ Canterbury Bulldogs match.

Cameron, who plays the occasional game of touch footy, said rugby league appealed to him.

“Playing rugby league would be cool, but the problem is you get bashed up,” he laughed.

Height wouldn’t be his problem (he’s 183cm) – weight probably would be a factor.

“I’m only 71 kilos so I’m a big boy,” he said tongue firmly in cheek.

Cameron lives at home with his parents, Des and Sharon, and younger sister Melanie.

Dad Des was a competitive baseball player in his younger years, but switched to golf and now plays off a two handicap.

The Smiths live in a modest, comfortable home in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

They are a sporting and disciplined family, who have life’s priorities right.

If Cameron shows any signs of being elitist or bigheaded, Des clamps down hard on him.

Cameron understood from an early age that if he stepped out of line, on and off the golf course, there would be consequences.

“I had to tell him to behave himself a few times when he was younger, but other than that he is a good role model,” said Des, a production manager at a printing company.

The other thing Cameron has learnt is there are no free rides in life.

Cameron Smith shares a special moment with dad Des, cradling the 119-year-old Australian amateur championship trophy.

As an elite golfer, he spends many hours honing his skills at Royal Queensland and Wantima golf club and attends three sessions a week at the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS).

But that doesn’t excuse him from working to pay his way. Currently he holds down a job at the Redcliffe RSL Club doing bar and cellar work.

A normal day for Cameron is practice, work, eat and sleep.

Mind you, he does enjoy some leisure time playing touch footy, cricket and sinking a few beers with his mates.

He has also learnt to be more diet conscious.

“I now respect my body and have been eating a lot healthier lately, but I used to be terrible and eat a lot of fast food,” Cameron said.

“Now that I have learned a bit more about nutrition I think about what I eat.”

While he enjoys the occasional beer with friends, Cameron is disciplined enough to turn off the tap in the lead-up to tournaments.

“I don’t drink two weeks before a tournament and when there are a lot of tournaments on I might not touch a drink for six months.”

Cameron, who possesses a deadly short game, first picked up a golf club at the age of three.

His earliest memory of golf was playing in the sub-juniors at Wantima Country Club.

“I remember trying to carry my clubs,” he said. “Dad offered to take a buggy, but I wanted to carry the clubs. I was halfway down the first hole and realised they were too heavy for me.”

It’s clear Cameron and his dad share a special relationship.

“My dad and I are good mates and spend a lot of time together,” Cameron said.

As a toddler, Cameron would follow his father around the house and golf course.

“I was addicted to golf and used to pick him up from kindergarten and take him to golf,” Des said. “We could tell from a young age that Cameron had a reasonable amount of talent.

“We just kept giving him the opportunities he needed by taking him to tournaments all over the place.”

I ask Des the secret to a good relationship between a player and parent/caddie.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR

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Using your unique Swing DNA (head speed, tempo, toe down, kick angle and release factor), Mizuno’s software recommends the best three shafts to test and a customised combination of hybrids, irons and wedges.

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30

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

“It’s the understanding that golf is a difficult game and you are going to have good and bad days,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a game.

“The less pressure you put on the kid is the best way they will improve.”

Like parents of any elite sportsperson, Des and Sharon have sacrificed much to ensure Cameron reaches his full potential.

One thing the Smiths have never bothered doing is work out the cost and time it’s taken to develop a champion golfer.

“A lot of parents have told me to the cent how much it has cost them,” Des said. “I have never worked it out and I don’t want to know.

“It not about money or time – it’s about turning them into good people.

“We are really proud of Cameron. What is the money value – it’s nothing really.

“Cameron appreciates what we have done for him.

There aren’t too many things he has gone without.

“When your kids turn out the way you want them to you don’t mind giving them the things they want.”

Over the past 13 years, Cameron has built an impressive curriculum vitae.

His trophy cabinet is overflowing, but he lists winning the Australian amateur, Australian junior, Australian stroke play and Queensland stroke play as highlights.

In pro tournaments he has contested, he has a 14th place finish in the Australian Open, a second in the NSW PGA and a fourth in the Queensland PGA Championship.

Now he is preparing to join the play-for pay ranks.

“I would like to play on a professional tour next year,” the +4 marker said. “I will turn pro after US Amateur in August. I feel it’s the right time to turn pro.”

While Australia has a string of talented young players coming through the ranks, Cameron Smith is definitely a name to watch.

He’s talented and mentally strong but perhaps more importantly he’s friendly, well-rounded, has a lot of heart, a good head on his young shoulders and best of all he’s a decent human being.

Parents Des and Sharon should indeed be proud of their son. •

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gear

Parmaker stands the test of time Richard Fellner ed@insidegolf.com.au

I know I may sound a bit like my old man here, but these days it often seems like most products just aren’t built to last. From mobile phones to TVs to household appliances and the like, today’s products are seemingly designed to last a very short time. Whether it’s made from cheap, imported parts, or simply a product made with little or no attention to detail, a poorly-made item is often far more expensive in the long run, especially when you consider the time and effort required to repair or replace it.

Thankfully, not all products and manufacturers operate in this “disposable” manner. One Australian company, Parmaker, manufactures golf buggies and mobility vehicles which are, in the words of their slogan, “Built Better”.

Established in 1979, Parmaker have built their buggies 100% from the ground up in their Melbourne factory. No imported or inferior foreign parts; no snap-together or flimsy components. Just long-lasting, sturdy products that are completely “Australian made” and therefore built to last.

In fact, Parmaker are so confident in the quality and reliability of their products that they offer a five-year extended warranty on all their buggies.

For the average golf fanatic, a five-year warranty can mean almost 1,000 games of trouble-free golf (well, trouble-free as far as the buggy is concerned – that wicked banana-slice of yours is another story!)

Parmaker offers a variety of motorised buggies and walkers, from the powerful Scout/SE walker models, to the ride-on Spirit/Ghia (three-wheel)

32

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

and Explorer (four-wheel) vehicles. You can purchase a Parmaker either from their factory or on the internet, and the product range includes a large range of optional extras to make your golf even more enjoyable. A five-year warranty is as low as $69 on a Scout SE, $99 on a Scout and $299 on a ride-on. The warranty covers all parts and labour for units purchased directly from the Parmaker factory (or from parmaker.com).

And the warranty itself is as reliable as the buggy itself. Unlike some warranties that are full of loopholes or escape clauses, if you have an issue with your Parmaker you can either ring the company (small technical issues can often be identified and fixed over the phone) or bring/ send it to the factory. If you bring it in person, most problems are rectified ‘while you wait’. If you aren’t able to visit in person, then simply send it to Parmaker; they will fix it and return it to you ASAP, often within 72 hours.

To ensure their products are constantly scrutinised and that research and development opportunities are grasped at every turn, Parmaker has employed a team of industry experts for each step of the manufacturing cycle. In recent years this level of expertise has led to overall improvements in electronics, lightweight materials and mechanics as well as specific advancements such as downhill brakes on walkers and electronic brakes for ride-ons. They also develop innovations as a result of customer feedback, which has led to improvements like custom-built handles for left or right-handers, electronic controllers that inform you how your Parmaker is ‘feeling’, solid rubber wheels that can’t be punctured and front wheel suspension for rough terrain.

And if you’ve been frustrated with a different

brand of buggy, and are looking to make the move up into a Parmaker, the company is currently offering a $100 trade-in promotion, which allows you to trade in your old, broken or ineffective

buggy and save $100 on a new Parmaker.

To read more about Parmaker’s products and services, visit www.parmaker.com, or call the factory on 03 9580 7166. •

gear

New PING fitting system a winner US Masters defending champion Bubba Watson isn’t the only golfer benefitting from PING’s club fitting technology.

Club and social golfers, too, are taking advantage of PING’s nFlight custom club fitting system.

Many say it’s helping them become better players and shoot lower scores.

Colin Field, a professional fitting specialist, helped develop the state-of-the-art 3D nFlight club fitting system, which is a tool engineered to precisely model, digitally analyse and scientifically compare every aspect of every shot.

He says the software is so intelligent it gains knowledge and confidence with every shot it captures to ensure the most thorough and dependable fitting results available today.

PING engineers, using data gathered from 20,000 equipment performance tests, 30,000 individual shafts and design properties of the PING product line, developed the system.

“We took 3D graphics and all the technical data and combined it all together in a format that was easy to understand for the fitter and the golfer,” Field said.

“Using a player’s current equipment, nFlight gathers important information like ball speed, launch angle, spin rate and the distance the player is achieving with their equipment “It will also give you a variation of dispersion.

“We like to put the person’s current equipment on there so we have a base line and because we work in a 3D environment we can create a digital ball flight for them.

“Then we go through a fitting process to see through the graphics if we are outperforming in distance, ball speed, a tighter dispersion or a combination of all three.

“Then we can compare and try different clubs and look at different lofts and shaft combinations until we can optimise the fit.

“We can show the optimised fit against their current equipment or they can see the benefit that is derived from the fit. This takes fitting to a new level.

“We in the industry have been guilty of making fitting too complicated and not communicating effectively with the average golfer. But this is now easy to understand.

“We used to pick up and hit a driver and say ‘that looks alright’, but now we can tell you whether there is a one mile per hour difference in ball speed or a tighter dispersion or how many cycles of spin rate and all those sorts of things.

“We can be precise and take a lot of the guesswork out of fitting and allow the golfer to understand what is going on so he can make an educated decision.”

This technology is so advanced it is able to recognise when a player is using limited range balls during testing and convert them to premium golf balls for more accurate results.

The other benefit is the gapping analysis.

Based on the average carry distance of clubs hit during the fitting session and other preferences captured in the interview section, the software provides a gapping analysis feature to help the fitter and golfer determine the set make-up which best optimises distance gaps and performance.

“There is a lot of redundancy in a lot of sets the

average golfer is carrying,” Field said.

“What this is able to do is look at the speed you are generating, spins and flight and it can calculate and optimise your set combination.

“We can tell you a four-wood can potentially go further than a three-wood.

“It could recommend you drop off your threeand four-iron and introduce hybrids. It can also optimise your wedge combinations.

“It is an underrated part of fitting, but it is one of the biggest things that can impact and optimise a golfer’s set combination and eliminated clubs that are not performing to their potential.”

Anyone interested in this cutting-edge nFlight fitting system can attend a demo day listed in the back section of Inside Golf. •

Accuracy. Spin. Distance.

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For sales call 07 5568 0542. For stockists visit www.foremostgolf.com.au www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

33

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gear

Scotty Cameron Select GoLo S5

Scotty Cameron Select GoLo 5

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Scotty Cameron Select GoLo5 and GoLo S5 Putters

Scotty Cameron Select GoLo 5 and GoLo S5 putters have a compact, elegantly rounded profile with a racy sole-plate and Select Weighting technology for modern balance and stability.

The slightly asymmetric back profile with a pulled in heel and the contained cavity sight lines encourage a flowing stroke along the ideal arc. Two neck configurations – GoLo 5 with a single bend shaft and GoLo S5 with a straight, near centre shaft – provide options for appearance and dynamic feel, and toe flow.

Like each model in the Select putter family, GoLo 5 and GoLo S5 have a deep milled face that contributes to a softer feel and sound. Each Select putter also features a tour-validated Black Mist finish for a rich, dark, glare-free look.

SRP: $469 www.scottycameron.com Shark Ferocious Distance Golf Ball

The new Shark Ferocious Distance ball is all about the length. It gets maximum distance and maximum energy through its core, and utilises great durability and distance through the cover and dimple pattern.

It also combines a pure roll logo placement for maximum accuracy.

RRP: $24.95 per 15 ball pack. Available in both white and yellow. www.sharkgolf.com.au (02) 9693 5777

WFO Bennington

Bennington, famous for their QO (Quiet Organiser Tops) range of quality golf bags, have designed and released two new golf bag tops.

Utilising the QO9 model top, this very popular bag has been re-designed to give it a much lighter weight yet still retain a lot of functional pockets and the unique Bennington Quiet Organiser top that totally eliminates rattle while protecting your clubs.

Available in four colours.

RRP: $299 www. in2itsports.com.au sales@in2itsports.com.au Available from all leading retailers.

36

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Shark Travel Bag Make your next trip a breeze with the new travel bag from SHARK. The Shark Travel Bag is a stylish full-sized golf bag with extra pockets for apparel and shoes for easy travelling. With 14 individual dividers there is protection for every club during travel. The travel hood features internal pockets allowing protected storage or even additional storage on the course. Made from hardwearing high denier nylon for strength, the SHARK travel bag still remains light to manoeuvre. Strong inline skate wheels make for a smooth ride.

RRP: $199.95 www.sharkgolf.com.au (02) 9693 5777

Weekender 3.50 kg Bag

The brand-new top design of the Water Fall Organiser allows your clubs to be arranged so that they minimise rattle, and are protected by the soft rubber moulded top.

The WFO sits on a conventional bag and arranges your clubs so that when loaded on a push buggy they cascade into small rubber slots and are held in place. No Rattle, No Fuss.

Available in two models: CB – Lite WFO - Available in four colours.

Zone 3 WFO – Available in three colours.

RRP: $259

QO Lite

Sporte Leisure has expanded their range of premium Rainwear. With a broad new range of fabric technologies producing their most weather resistant range for men and women yet. ‘Extreme-Tec’ with a four year waterproof guarantee is their premier rainwear range.

The garments are fully seam sealed with a DWR (durable water repellent) treatment which allows for rain protection for 4-5 hours’ exposure. The 4-way stretch allows for superior ease of movement. ‘Storm-Tec also comes with the DWR Treatment and is suitable for up to 4-5 hours rain exposure. 2-way stretch ‘StormTec’ garments are comfortable and breathable, whilst offering a high level of protection and a 3 year Waterproof guarantee. Also available in men’s and women’s styles priced from RRP: $159.95 www.sporte-leisure.com.au (02) 9693 5777

The Weekender provides the travelling golfer a balanced combination of a travel bag that is not too big or too small. The quality wheels will make for easy rolling with the top handle that will lighten the load when in transit. It has a 9-way top divider system with each full length divider able to accommodate an additional club. The integrated padded hood incorporates four internal storage pockets, which can be locked for total security. The external bottom pocket can hold various golfing essentials which are easily accessed. The molded oversize bottom gives the bag extra balance and stability. Tough 600 denier polyester fabric is available in Black or Navy.

Contact Under Par: (02) 9417 4055. info@underpar.com.au www.underpar.com.au

Latest training aids from IZZO Golf The Smooth Swing and Connect Easy are just two of the latest training aids to help you improve your golf swing and lower your score.

Designed to keep your body and arms together for a more efficient swing, the Smooth Swing helps improve accuracy and distance. Easy to use and great for range work too. The Connect Easy is used for wedges and short irons and prevents “Flying Elbow”. It grooves a proper swing path.

Both aids can be used with right or left handed golfers and are easy to attach.

Smooth Swing RRP: $19.95 Connect Easy RRP: $24.95 Izzo is distributed in Australia by Redback Sport Pty Ltd www.izzogolf.com.au

Niblick Horizon TWO-YEAR WATERPROOF GUARANTEE! The Horizon is a lightweight soft leather upper shoe with a revolutionary new Rubber/TPU sole that reduces the weight yet maintains the strength. The wide EEE last combines with the super soft foot bed and innersole to provide Niblick comfort.

The Horizon uses a combination of a rubber nibbed sole with the superior “Stinger III” cleat from Champ with the quick fast twist fitting for great traction and stability.

Available in White with a Nubuck Tan trim, and Classic White with Black trim.

RRP: $119.95 (02) 9693 5777

gear

Peter Senior and iPar

Smoothy ROVIC buggy Many testers were impressed with the simplicity and ease to fold and unfold the ROVIC buggy. The overwhelming opinion from testers was the mix of firmness and flexibility that the ROVIC produced. The compact buggy folds down to a mere 61 x 31 x 31 cm with the front wheel encapsulated under the frame. The 29cm rear wheels and the ROVIC aerodynamics promote a silky smooth feel and roll. There are several ergonomic accessories such as umbrella mount and holder, umbrella attachment, large console with drink, tee and ball holders, conveniently positioned hand brake, internal and external score card attachments and a sand dispenser mechanism.

Available in Black/White, Silver/Black, White/White, Blue/ White, Red/White, Charcoal/Kiwi. www.underpar.com.au (02) 9417 4055.

Titan Scissors lift

The Titan Scissors Lift is the newest addition to Cushman’s industrial range of vehicles, and with the ability to tow, haul and lift an aerial work platform, it is no wonder that these vehicles are already in high demand.

The Cushman Scissors Lift has a towing capacity of over 2000 kilograms and a platform capacity of up to 340 kilograms.

With the ability to achieve a platform height of up to 3.44 meters, the Scissors lift from Cushman will no doubt increase productivity and decrease the need for a range of different vehicles.

For more info visit Augusta Golf Cars - the Australian Master Distributor for Cushman, E-Z-GO and Bad Boy Buggies. www.ezgo.com.au

Bollé Bolt

The Bollé Bolt features their exclusive Photochromic V3 Golf lens. This optically superior B-Clear trivex lens adapts to changing light conditions on the course. The finely-tuned brown lens colour highlights subtleties, and the hydrophobic outside and anti-fog inside coatings keep your view moisture free. Bolt also features greater lens coverage and a smoother eye shape in a super lightweight, flexible and durable nylon frame. Bolt’s frame is complemented with a hydrophilic Thermogrip adjustable nose piece and Thermogrip temple inserts. Creating perfect and secure fit, no matter how intense the competition becomes.

Fit: Medium RRP: $200 Stockist Enquiries: 08 8239 1122 | Bollé Enquiries: 1300 138 098 bolle.com.au

Sanctuary Cove. Inset: Peter Senior with the iPar When Peter Senior turned professional in 1978, rock’n’roll band Van Halen was just releasing its first album, the price of petrol was about 21 cents a litre and the thought of a global positing system being used on a golf cart seemed like pie in the sky.

Indeed, in 1978 satellites and system tests were being launched for GPS by the American military as it strived to reach capacity and reliability. Fast forward to today, and GPS has become completely ingrained in our everyday lives, more notably on the golf course.

Part of the successful prevalence of golf GPS systems is due to the crew at On-Pin GPS Golf Systems, who have been a market leader and innovator in Australian golf for the past 10 years. At the recent PGA Show in Orlando this year, On-Pin furthered their innovative ways with the launch of the upgraded golf cart-based unit, iPar. Proving that “an old dog can learn new tricks”, Senior, the current Australian Open champion, tried out the iPar at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast recently. Sanctuary Cove is the first course in Australia to install the iPar. With son Mitch carrying the bag on tour these days, Senior still relies on traditional methods which

have served him well during a stellar career, such as pacing out course distances, but away from the circuit, and during practice, he looks to a modern approach.

“I was impressed with the iPar and how easy it was to use, not to mention the accuracy,” Senior said.

“The iPar will keep Mitch on his toes from now on, there will be no second-guessing from here on in.” iPar readings are accurate to within 30cm and Sanctuary Cove have installed the unit into their complete fleet of 90 carts.

Simplicity is a key feature of the unit. Golfers do not need to press any buttons due to its fully automated system. The unit switches on with movement of the cart and offers auto scrolling between holes.

In 2005, GPS became legal in competition so the iPar can be used as a personal caddie. It allows golfers of any ability to hit with confidence in distances.

For the club manager, there is enhanced advertising capabilities, Wi-Fi uploading including connections from phone, tablet or desktop, increased pace of play by users and increase in cart hire. The unit also helps in marshaling players around the course and identifying bottlenecks. Furthermore, the club can promote club facilities and events through the unit. •

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clubfitting

The ‘Hunt’ is on for clubfitting Larry Canning ed@insidegolf.com.au

When I was a junior golfer with the worst haircut in Gosford Golf Club’s history, the Club Professional at the time was an immaculately dressed, dapper looking gentleman named Peter Churcher. As well as being a very respected coach, Pete knew everything about each of his members’ games and took great pride in making sure we all were using exactly the right gear to squeeze the most out of our respective talents. When I became a Club Professional some years later, I did my best to impersonate Peter Churcher as the consummate Club Pro. It’s with a sniff of regret that I can now report that my model of a club professional has become more extinct than a set of leather wood covers. That position has now become “The Director of Golf operations”. Call me oldfashioned, but when I walk into my pro-shop, I don’t want to hear stuff like “meeting budget requirements”, “isolating key performance indicators”, “regulating work place relations” or how the Nikkie Dow rose .23%! I want the pro to explain why I keep wearing out my glove in the same spot or how he reckons my chipping would improve if I had more bounce on my wedge!

Well, it just so happens there is at least one “Club Professional” who seems to have struck the perfect balance of corporate procedural jargon with his love of golf and passion for sharing his knowledge with anyone else who loves the game. His name is Lee Hunt and he is the Club Pro... sorry—Director of all things

in golf—at Sydney’s Bankstown Golf Club.

Despite only being in his early thirties, Lee has managed to cram in a lifetime of golfing experience having achieved a stellar amateur career, played the Asian PGA and US PGA Nationwide Tours, managed the prestigious North Lakes Golf facility in Brisbane, been head professional at Highlands Golf Club and now at the professional at the highly-regarded Bankstown Golf Club.

Along the way, Lee has been soaking up every skerrick of information on the technology and know-how to make himself into one of the best golf equipment experts in the country.

It all started years ago when Lee was playing in Phoenix, Arizona, in a tour event. The people from PING were fitting all their players on the range with the computerised “Trac

Man” system and Lee was tested.

“I couldn’t believe the information this machine could come up with and I wanted to know more about it... Actually, from that point on, I was hooked!”

When Lee took over the reins at Bankstown Golf Club he wasted no time in fuelling his passion and turning the Pro-Shop into a sophisticated equipment fitting facility using the latest in technology, the Foresight Sports GC2 Custom Golf Simulator from America.

I didn’t have time to go through the entire fitting process but in the space of 15 minutes, Lee had converted my driver club head speed of 101 mph—which was giving me 244 metre drives—into 257 metres. I was still swinging the club at 101 mph but I had gained 11 metres!

Not only that, but my dispersion rate (which apparently means the difference between hitting

a provisional ball vs rehearsing your winning speech) had come down 40%!

Not only can Lee Hunt give you longer, straighter drives but he can also fit your irons, wedges, putters and even the perfect ball for you. And the real clincher for me was, unlike the major manufacturer’s fitting systems, Lee isn’t just confined to one brand. It doesn’t matter if you love PING, TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Cobra, Wilson.... Big W, Lee will give you a totally unbiased opinion.

I love to see young blokes “having a red hot crack” at what they are passionate about and Lee Hunt is doing exactly that. If you are contemplating any new piece of golf equipment, go and see Lee and his team.

Lee Hunt Bankstown golf club 0421 597 288.

Address: 70 Ashford Ave, Milperra, NSW, 2214 Email: leewhunt@me.com. •

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clubs

A

vondale Golf Club — a cut above —

David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

SHE might be 85 years old, but like fine wine, Avondale Golf Club has matured magnificently and is more stunning and picturesque than ever.

Located in a quiet, secluded part of the North Shore of Sydney, Avondale is profoundly unlike any of its near neighbours.

It is thriving beyond the dreams of its founders and no one appreciates the appeal of the place more than the membership.

“Over the last few years we have done lots of things that are exciting and different,” said Avondale CEO Paul Paterson.

“We don’t have the same model as any other golf club.”

What makes Avondale Golf Club a cut above the rest is the traditional private members’ club experience.

“We offer an experience that is different to every other golf club in Australia,” Paterson said.

“We keep our member numbers low so that it is never too busy and you can get a game easily because there are no booking sheets. Members don’t need to book – they just come along and play.

“There is no need to be sitting by your computer at 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon trying to book a game two weeks in advance.

“If you want to play you can just turn up and likewise if the weather is poor or you don’t feel like playing, you don’t need to worry about cancelling arrangements.”

Avondale Golf Club members are a fortunate group, as they can play three other top golf courses and it doesn’t cost them a cent.

“Our members can also play at Newcastle, Magenta Shores and The Vintage once a month … free of charge,” Paterson said.

“These courses are all in the top-50 in Australia and we are 59th so essentially you are getting 40

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

four courses in Australia’s top-60 by joining Avondale.”

For golfers who are time challenged, Avondale is the perfect club because it attracts small competition fields (average 165). Conservatively, that’s 50 less on the golf course at one time compared to other Sydney private clubs.

And the club has a one-tee start policy, which means members who fancy a social round from 1pm can just turn up and play.

“It’s a lifestyle option,” Paterson said. “You can play 18 holes of golf socially any day of the week, any time of the year.

“Other clubs have two-tee starts and you can’t get on the golf course until after 3.30 or 4pm because of the cross-over period.”

Avondale members certainly value their social time at the club.

“When you do play socially, the course is very quiet, so it is millionaires golf because you have the course to yourself.”

Originally designed by noted course architect Eric Apperly, Avondale in the past five years has been redesigned by course architect Ross Watson together with Craig Parry.

There has been plenty of positive feedback following the course changes, but the biggest change has been in the jump from 101st to 59th best rated course in Australia in a short space of time.

Course superintendent David Warwick, the Australian course superintendent of the year in 2011, has the place looking a picture without a blade of grass out of place.

While on the subject of awards, club professional Mark Paterson (no relation to Paul) was named club pro of the year in 2010. He is currently celebrating his 25th year at the club.

The bushland setting golf course has some fabulous, memorable holes on both nines, but none better than the 10th, 14th, 15th and 16th.

“We have a golf course that challenges all levels of players and it’s enjoyable to play week in, week

The 10th hole at Avondale, with a sweeping drop in elevation to the green out it. It is not one of those golf courses that you feel like you are beaten up each time you play it.”

Avondale’s quaint, heritage-listed clubhouse has that beautiful old-world charm and the service is fantastic.

Paterson demands the members receive fivestar treatment.

“The member is the sole purpose for our being so we focus very hard on our members whether it’s the quality of the golf course or the service they receive in the clubhouse,” Paterson said.

“Our executive chef is highly regarded for a dining experience.”

When it comes to protecting the environment, Avondale is one of the leading clubs in the country.

The club was only the second club in Australia to become Audubon-certified and led the country in the implementation of the industry standard e-par environmental management system.

It’s a special piece of paradise in the middle of metropolitan Sydney. If you are a nature lover, Avondale is the club for you.

“If you move to this area there is no decision other than joining Avondale,” Paterson said.

While Avondale is not an inexpensive membership option, people join Avondale because is the best, not because it is the cheapest.

“That being said we are mindful of affordability and we have introduced some innovations which include not charging competition fees, house fees and we don’t charge for range balls,” he said.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the people at Avondale, whether they be members, or the staff, are very friendly and welcoming.

“It doesn’t matter how good the course or the clubhouse is, it is the atmosphere and the feeling of belonging that it the most important,” Paterson said.

Avondale Golf Club may not have the word “Royal” attached to its name, but the members feel and are treated like royalty as soon as they enter the premises. •

Great golf in Australia’s east feature

While much has been written about the top-tier, private courses and clubs in Australia’s east, there are many spectacular, highly-underrated public courses which have remained in the shadows of their more famous neighbours. These “unsung heroes” represent fantastic golf and great value for money. This month, we showcase some of our favourite public access courses in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales.

The Dunes Over the last few months, the golf industry has endured its share of challenges. From bushfires in Tasmania, to floods in Queensland, and various combinations of heat waves, torrential rain or extreme weather in other states, golfers (and their courses) have seen hard times of late.

The good news is that Mother Nature may have eased up a bit, and golfers are slowly venturing out

on the course. So there has never been a better time to hit the links and get a game in. Let’s get excited about golf again!

With that in mind, here are a few great public courses that offer the perfect combination of fun, value and challenge to help you get back into the swing!

The Dunes

Set on 300 acres of gently rolling sand dunes, the 27-hole facility at The Dunes has consistently been rated Victoria’s number 1 public access golf course. The Dunes maintains the highest standards of course maintenance and customer service matched only by the very best private clubs.

The Tony Cashmore-designed Championship course achieves the very difficult objective of being a challenge to the low marker without being an impossibility to the high handicapper. The tournament course measures 6459m, although the social tees can play just 5677m, making it as easy or as tough as required. The course layout includes two new holes (15 and 16) which have delighted players since their inclusion in April 2012.

With 18 perfectly manicured fairways the Deniliquin Golf Course is a shining example of Australia’s magnificent country courses with a beautiful natural setting adjacent to the State Forest and Edward River.

Accommodation on course.

3.5 Hours from Melbourne and 45 minutes north of Echuca.

More sunny days than Queensland.

16 golf carts for hire.

Play golf any day.

Competition Days: Mixed medley Saturday, Mens Wednesday, Ladies Tuesday & Thursday.

Full Club facilities available with TAB, Poker Machines, Keno and weekend dining.

Memorial Drive, Deniliquin NSW 2710 Phone: 03) 5881 3333, 03) 5881 1325 or 0429 81 4409

www.deniliquingolfclub.com Mention this advertisement and play 18 holes for $15, 9 holes for $12 and golf cart hire for $25.

Inside Golf - Cambpelltown Golf Club Quarter Page - April 2013 PRINTERS.indd 1

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Rosebud Park

The Dunes caters for all standards of golfer and all group sizes, whether your group is a four-ball or a group of 80 you can be sure of a great experience.

A golfing getaway to the Mornington Peninsula is not complete without a round at The Dunes.

Home to The Dunes Medal (a world-ranking open amateur event) at the end of November, the fairways have recently been graced by likes of Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Stacey Keating.

The Dunes is offering great deals on memberships at present so why not make your favourite place for golf your golfing home. Current deals include 15 months of membership for the price of 12 – just $1900 for 7 day membership or $1200 for 5 day (Monday-Friday) membership inclusive.

More information: www.thedunes.com.au; (03) 5985 1334.

Rosebud Park

One of the Mornington Peninsula’s often overlooked courses, Rosebud Park is a hilly, elevated 18-hole parkland course with some of the most spectacular views in the region.

The course is challenging for golfers of all standards. Many holes have magnificent views of Port Phillip Bay, The Heads, City Skyline and Bass Strait. As you get lower, there is a beautiful bushland-type setting, with lots of birds and wildlife in the area.

A unique benefit of the course—which is part of a public parkland-- is the large barbecue and picnic areas for groups to cook their own food. This makes it popular with social groups, particularly on the weekends. The barbecues are free, so social clubs can bring their own food and drinks—and sell them if they like – so it’s a good option to raise money for the club.

The course also offers very low green fees. 18 holes are just $35 for adults, with Twilight golf just $23. Juniors pay just $15. There are also other discount options, including the Pay as you play option ($330 per year and then just $6.50 for 9 holes and 8.50 for 18 holes), or the yearly “ticket” system for playing rights (sevenday rights are just $710; five-day is $570) More information: www.rosebudpark.com.au

Portarlington

Portarlington

Any trip to the Bellarine Peninsula would not be complete without a visit to one of the premier golf courses in the district. Open for green fees, Portarlington is known as the Friendliest Club in Australia; guests are warmly welcomed, members are aware of the great facilities they have, and enjoy sharing them with visitors.

Whether it’s the moment guests enter the Pro Shop to be greeted by Club Professional Matt Milne and his knowledgeable staff, or out on the course, in the bar, gaming lounge or partaking of fine food from Award-Winning Head Chef, Chris and his staff, any time spent at Portarlington is a most enjoyable experience.

Voted the Best Regional Pro-Am Course of the year in 2012, the course is in top condition at any time of the year and beckons golfers to walk and marvel at the lushness. They are challenged to conquer some holes that can make you smile, or conversely, vow to return and tidy up any mistakes that it cares to tempt the errant golfer.

With improvements constantly implemented,

from one visit to the next, the course can change often, however one constant is the care and professional attention the course is given by its ground staff.

The Carnival of Golf, staged annually in August/September, is a must for any golfer, no matter what level. Over $10,000 in prizes awaits winners in many different events. Early entry is most advisable as events fill very quickly, such is the known success of this week of golf.

Great value golf memberships are also now available for anyone wishing to join the Club.

Do yourself a favour, make a booking for a round at Portarlington and see for yourself what all the hype is about, it may well be worth it.

More info: www.portarlingtongolf.com.au.

Clifton Springs Golf Club

Centrally located a short 20-minute drive from either Geelong or the Queenscliff Sorrento ferry, Clifton Springs Golf Club offers a 5,783, 18-hole, par-71 championship layout with legend couch fairways and stunning bay views.

...Play by the bay 18 HOLES OF GOLF only $30.00

IDEAL FOR SOCIAL GROUPS

Motorised golf carts and hire clubs are available.

Club Keno and TAB Bistro open 7 days a week for Lunch and Dinner with magnificent views and great food.

 B.Y.O. Drinks & Food  Free BBQ’s  Free Shelters  Treed Picnic Area  Chance to Raise Funds

7 Day Golfing Membership up until 30.6.2013 $188 Weekday Membership up until 30.6.2013 $140 SPECIAL GOLF Unlimited golf after 4pm only $18

Great Course in Excellent Condition with Panoramic Bay & Rural Views

FuLLy LICENSED CLuBHOuSE

For bookings and further information telephone the club

92-94 Clearwater Drive, Clifton Springs Email: csclubhouse@iprimus.com.au www.cliftonspringsgolfclub.com.au

160 Rose St Yagoona, 2199 P (02) 9743 9436

Membership Enquiries: (03) 5251 3391 Bistro Bookings: (03) 5251 2501 Green Fee Bookings: (03) 5253 1488

• We are one of the best 18 hole, Par 3 course’s in Sydney • 18 holes will take only 3 hours • Perfect for Corporate Golf events • Ideal setting for Social Golf Clubs • Our Green fees would have to be the lowest in Sydney • We have ladies Clinic’s, Kids Boot Camps in school holidays and KIDS Golf Parties!

• We are a MYGolf Centre • We have regular social clubs always looking for new members • Twilight rate Monday-Sunday after 3pm - $12 unlimited golf • Motorised carts for hire • Our greens are bunkered, elevated and tricky to land on. Your short game needs to be pretty sweet to play to par!

• Here’s the best bit - we have a loyalty card scheme 10 games = get 1 game free!

(03) 59812833 www.rosebudpark.com.au

MeMbership special 15 months for the price of 12 Join The Dunes Golf Links in April and receive 3 bonus months.

7 Day Membership $1900; 5 Day (Monday-Friday) Membership $1200.

Membership valid until 30.6.14

(03) 5985 1334 • www.thedunes.com.au www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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Clifton Springs Golf club

Virginia Golf Club

The golf course is currently in fantastic condition. Their new signature 6th hole, which also incorporates two new dams that surround the 5th, 6th and 7th holes, have added a new dimension, and has already been referred to as the ‘Golden Triangle’.

The clubhouse with its bars, members’ lounge, bistro and entertainment area, is on the site of the old grand hotel and offers a welcoming atmosphere with magnificent views of Port Philip Bay and the You Yang’s.

Meals are served 7 day a week with lunch from 12 noon until 2.00pm and Dinner from 5.30pm until 8.00pm.

The course is available for hire by social groups and the individual golfers. If your social group booking is greater than 25 players, your group will receive a dozen golf balls to use as prizes with compliments of the Golf Club Their new golfing membership season commences 1st July and a pro rata (from October 1st) 7-day membership is only $563.00. For a Weekday Membership, pro rata is $420.00 and their Summer

membership (October to March) is $450.00. Contact the club to get current rates and prices.

More information: (03) 5253 1488, or www.cliftonspringsgolfclub.com.au.

Virginia Golf Club

In 2013, Virginia Golf Club in the Brisbane suburb of Banyo will celebrate 85 years. With a rich history dating back to a simple 9-hole course established in 1928 the Club claims its place as Queensland’s most time-honoured and beautiful 18-hole golf courses and home of champions.

Just 10 minutes from Brisbane Airport and a 20-minute drive from the CBD, the Club incorporates contemporary facilities and an impressive Clubhouse operated by a professional and experienced team. In combination, this makes it the perfect place to enjoy a round of golf, enjoy a drink and something to eat or go all out and stage a large-scale event. From big corporate gatherings and conferences to weddings of all sizes and parties of any style, Virginia Golf Club is well placed to cater, theme and coordinate

memorable events.

In more recent years Virginia Golf Club has become known as ‘The Course of Champions’.

The reason being it is a tried and tested proving ground for young golfers. In fact, many rising stars have honed their skills on the fairways and greens of Virginia and have even gone as far as using it to launch a stellar, international career not the very least that of Greg Norman (1972 and 1973) and Wayne Grady (1976 and 1977). Of the five Queenslanders to have won Australia’s Amateur Championship, two started their competitive careers at Virginia – Jack Rayner in 1955 and Andrew Buckle in 2001.

From a player’s perspective, Virginia Golf Club is a great test for golfers of all levels—from beginner through to professional. While it is known for its combination of sweeping fairways, snaking creeks, undulating greens and 56 bunkers, there are several lesser-known advantages that include no shared fairways and, depending on the player’s skill, there is a distinctive challenge presented off every tee. This quality is paramount for the golfer determined to

Virginia Golf Club has come to be known as ‘The course of Champions’ with many rising stars honing their skills on the challenging layout and used as a platform to launch careers including the echelon of Greg Norman and Wayne Grady.

improve his technique and overall game.

Secretary Manager Nathan Young said he is keen to get the message out that a game of golf at Virginia Golf Club is not just the exclusive benefit of members, but open to the public and the same goes for events. “While we may have a rich heritage and some firmly held traditions we are very much a contemporary Club that welcomes everyone - social players, beginners and visitors from around the world - to share in their special brand of hospitality!”

More information: www.virginia-golf.com.au.

Woodford Golf Club

Woodford Golf Club represents all the great features of country golf. Laid-back atmosphere, quiet country setting, strong membership base and a challenging 18-hole course. All only about 20 minutes from Caboolture.

The golf course is situated about 1km from the centre of town on Golf Course Road, an easy drive from North Brisbane up the D‘Aguilar Highway.

The course is a picturesque and challenging 18-hole layout complemented by a fully

C G V

As one of Brisbane’s most beautiful and distinguished courses, Virginia Golf Club is known for its combination of sweeping fairways, snaking creeks, undulating greens VIRGINIA GOLF CLUB and 56 bunkers.

Open to the public, the course is a great test for golfers of all levels. With no shared fairways, the golfer is presented with a distinctive challenge from every tee.

Call 07 3267 6333 for tee time availability.

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

The course of champions

Elliott Road, Banyo 07 3267 6333 www.virginiagolf.com.au

Women: Royal hobart Golf Club men: tasmania Golf Club

BrAdy WAtt (WA) WoRLd no. 5 cAMerOn SMitH (QLd)

AustRALiAn inteRstAte teAMs MAtChes 30 April – 3 May 2013

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WoRLd no. 2

RunneR up LAdies MAsteRs

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Premier team championship www .golfaus tralia.org.au GolfAus

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Woodford Golf Club

Brookwater Golf & Country Club

air-conditioned clubhouse, restaurant, gaming facility, fully-functioning bar and professionallyrun golf shop. It truly is a great location to play golf.

The club boasts healthy weekly club competitions and they also allocate plenty of spare tee times for social play. If you are looking for that casual game with a few friends and enjoy country golf, Woodford Golf Club is certainly the place to visit for a game. Bookings are essential on Weekends.

Woodford Golf Club is a proud member of Golf Queensland and holds a Pro-Am event in August each year. This year will be the 25th Anniversary of the event and it is proudly part of the Sunshine Coast Professional Golf Tour.

The Golf shop is run by golf professional Paul Cook and his very capable staff who are willing to assist you with all your golfing enquiries.

The golf club dining room seats 120 people comfortably and the club specialise in weddings, parties and all other special events. Their fullyqualified chef is fully capable of producing all kinds of special dishes to make your day or

event one to remember. The club is open for lunch Tuesday to Sunday from 11am daily and they have 14 gaming machines available for your entertainment.

More info: www.woodfordgolfclub.com.au.

Brookwater Golf & Country Club Brookwater Golf & Country Club is a unique golfing destination with a commitment to deliver an exceptional golfing experience for everyone. Designed

by Greg Norman, the par-72 championship course incorporates two nine-hole loops with an overall distance of 6,505 metres.

Greg and his team ensured the natural undulating topography was retained, with rocky outcrops, rain forests, ghost gum, creeks and ravines showcasing the natural Australian bushland setting and providing a stunning backdrop to the course.

Overlooking the signature 18th hole, the clubhouse itself has been architecturally d e s i g n e d t o b l e n d w it h it s n atu r a l surroundings and incorporates modern conference facilities, fine dining restaurant, lounge bar and terrace offering casual dining options, locker room facilities, tennis courts and golf shop.

Brookwater is a premier golf community located within Greater Springfield, located in Australia’s fourth-fastest-growing region.

Getting there is easy with direct access via the Centenary Motorway and only 30 minutes’ drive from the Brisbane CBD and 40 minutes from the Gold Coast and the Brisbane International Airport.

Other attractions within the surrounding Greater Springfield area include the worldclass Robelle Domain Parklands, Orion Town Centre with specialty retailers and the new Brookwater Village Shopping Centre.

In August 2013 Brookwater will host the

reinvigorated Queensland Open with major sponsor Isuzu.

This premium state-based championship for professional and amateur golfers forms part of the PGA Tour of Australasia and carries Official World Ranking Points. The Queensland Open has been an important development event for some of the country’s best international golfers including Greg Norman, Peter Senior, Brett Ogle, Stuart Appleby and Ian BakerFinch. This year’s event will attract a host of professional and amateur golfers wishing to participate and add their name to the honour board.

Having been ranked Queensland’s number one public access course for eight consecutive years, many golfers consider Brookwater Golf & Country Club the ultimate golfing destination.

Experience Brookwater for yourself and book your round at Brookwater today. www.brookwatergolf.com, or download the Brookwater App from your app store.

Noosa’s Golf Playground

Play, dine, relax & enjoy!

95 Peregian Springs Drive, Peregian Springs Pro Shop: (07) 5471 5400 proshop@psgc.com.au www.peregianspringsgolfclub.com.au

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

2 Golfers with Share Cart, 3 Srixon Soft Feel Golf Balls each, Range Balls & Burger Meal Lunch

Normally $220 book on this special pay just $159 for two players

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so light, it’s like wearing nothing at all.

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Mona Vale Golf Club

Mona Vale Golf Club

RATED as one of the top-50 public access courses in Australia there is a lot to like about this unique layout. Located in the heart of the Northern Beaches, in the middle of a crescent between Mona Vale Head to the north and Turimetta Head to the south, the spectacular coastal vista dominates the view.

This Par-72 (Rating 73) championship golf course is both beautiful and challenging. Whether it be the deceptive par-3’s, hard to reach par-4’s or the picturesque par-5’s, you can be sure that you are in for a tough test, and that’s before the wind starts to blow. With true rolling greens and beautifully striped fairways, it’s no wonder Mona Vale is among the most highly frequented courses in Sydney and host of numerous prestigious championships.

Set high on a hill overlooking the Pacific ocean, you begin your round by teeing off down towards flatter ground where you will remain until your climb up to the tenth brings you back to the clubhouse.

The first ten holes have a parkland setting,

winding away from the sea with the lush fairways lined heavily by trees of many varieties. Holes 1118 take on a distinctly ‘links’ feel: more open, fewer trees, closer to the ocean, far more susceptible to the nor-easterly ocean breeze that blows most often. On calm days holes can play easier but when the wind comes...good luck!

There is a wide variety of playing options for the social golfer, with some of the best value for money greens fees available in metropolitan Sydney.

Public access is available seven days a week with an open medley competition held each Tuesday. The Clubhouse views are simply outstanding and the perfect place to reminisce on your round with a hot or cold beverage whilst overlooking the course and ocean.

Lunch is available daily with the popular function room having won multiple awards. Membership has just recently reopened and is one of the most sought after in Sydney’s north. You can now book for your next game at Mona Vale online via the club’ s website.

More information: www.mvgc.com.au.

ALL SOCIAL PLAYERS ARE WELCOME AT

MONA VALE GOLF CLUB

WITH A FORMAT TO FIT ALL

Deniliquin Golf Course

Deniliquin golf course

The Deniliquin golf course is a well manicured course, perfect for winter golf with more sunny days than Queensland. The water hazards and wellplaced bunkers complement the beautifully mown fairways and offer a challenge for golfers of all levels.

Their Winter Golf Package is now available to visiting golfers at an amazing $15 for 18 holes of golf and $25 for cart hire. The offer is available to golfers for the months of May to August excluding the Queens’ birthday weekend when they hold their two-day winter classic.

Accommodation is available on course and is set back into the tranquil bush setting of the state forest. Kangaroos and superb parrots are in abundance and provide a serene rural atmosphere.

The Club provides all the usual club facilities with weekend dining , or on request for group bookings, during the week. The club can accommodate all levels of hospitality with a

formal dining area, outdoor barbeque, bar meals or major functions.

The course is central to the town of Deniliquin which offers multiple choices for accommodation, hospitality and sporting facilities in a very friendly atmosphere.

More information: www.deniliquingolf.com.

Riverside Oaks Resort

Riverside Oaks Resort is set amongst 570 acres of pristine Australian bushland overlooking the magnificent Hawkesbury River.

Only a short drive from Sydney, Riverside Oaks embodies a unique wilderness experience.

Riverside Oaks Resort will soon be home to Sydney’s only 36-hole championship golf resort. The new “Bungool” course designed by the internationally-renowned Bob Harrison is a true “risk and reward” course as it ebbs and flows following the magnificent Hawkesbury River, promising an exceptional challenge for

Portarlington golf Club winneR of tHe PGA ReGionAl PRo-Am CouRse of tHe YeAR 2012

● Book social play online at www.mvgc.com.au ● Play 18 holes for as little as $25 seven days a week ● Free weekly junior clinics from age 4-18 years ● 8x8 Play 8 holes early on a Sunday and be finished by 8am ● Open competition all day Tuesday ● Special playing packages Mondays and Tuesdays

Mona Vale Golf Club Golf Avenue, Mona Vale NSW 2103 Ph: (02) 9999 4266 • www.mvgc.com.au 48

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Great value GolfinG memberships visitors Welcome

130 Hood Road, Portarlington, Victoria Clubhouse: (03) 5259 2492 info@portarlingtongolf.com.au

www.PoRtARlinGtonGolf.Com.Au

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Riverside Oaks Resort even the most seasoned and skilful golfers.

The resort looks forward to welcoming you to experience the first 9 holes of the Bungool course this month, and again when they open the entire course later this year.

The existing course now being renamed “Gangurru” will also be enjoying a new lease on life with a complete refurbishment of its bunkers being undertaken this winter.

Riverside is known for its golf but the whole family will feel at home with the resort, enjoy one of their stunning villas as the family explores the amazing sites and surrounds the Hawkesbury has to offer, or enjoy the tranquil quiet curled up with a good book. Take time out to discover the club house cafe, with the best yet to come. The resort will be opening their signature “Bungool” restaurant, together with 36 stunning new lodge rooms. This, together with their professional and friendly service Riverside Oaks promises a memorable

Sandringham Golf Course experience for golfers, families, couples and groups.

More information: www.riversideoaks.com.au.

Sandringham Golf Course

Nestled smack-dab in the middle of the Melbourne sandbelt—and directly across the road from the famed Royal Melbourne Golf Club— Sandringham is an extremely popular and fun course for golfers of all levels.

The Par-70 course measures 5646 metres from the championship tees, but don’t let the seemingly short-ish distance fool you. The site, which contains some holes that were originally part of Royal Melbourne, features challenging bunkering, small greens and a clever design which will test your best shot-making skills. It’s always a popular location for Melbourne golfers – from amateurs to professionals to juniors and seniors—as it features sandbelt-style challenges, easy accessibility and affordability.

Featuring gentle contours throughout, the course starts off with relatively easier holes, allowing golfers to get settled in for their round.

Things then crank up when you approach the back nine, where, if you’ve been lulled into a false sense of security, your round can unravel very quickly.

The course is in excellent condition at present, as the course operations and management were taken over by Royal Melbourne in 2010.

The club’s onsite cafe provides meals and takeaway snacks for before or after your game. Indoor (air conditioned) and outdoor seating beneath the umbrellas is available.The cafe is licensed and can be booked in advance in case you have a large group.

A coin-operated BBQ and Rotunda are available to all golfers, either for use before or after their round. Bookings are not required, availability is subject to demand on the day.

Social groups are always welcome at Sandringham, and bookings are still available

for 2013 (2014 bookings will be open in July).

In addition, Drummond Club and Crown Lager Social Golf Club members receive special benefits Mon-Wed afternoons after 2pm. Contact the course for details.

More: www.sandringhamgolfcourse.com.au; (03) 9598 3590.

Strathfield Golf Club

Strathfield Golf Club, now 82 years old, is ideally situated in the heart of Sydney, only a few kilometers from the Sydney Olympic Centre.

An easy walking but demanding course (slope rating 139) means you need to be able to drive it straight to play to your handicap. The Cooks River meanders through the course adding to the attraction of the layout and comes into play on several holes.

The course is in fabulous condition and is beautifully presented. Recently added cart paths have ‘weatherproofed’ the course and new, larger new tees have been built on many holes.

Golf Course Living Escape to Riverside Oaks Golf Resort!

All the Best Options in One Place

golfinghomes.com.au Whether you are looking to buy or sell e:caddy@golfinghomes.com.au p: 0439 846 314

Sydneys best value membership Only $150 Gives golfers the opportunity to gain or maintain an official Golf Australia handicap & receive preferred access and green fees to TWO championship golf courses.

New Monthly and Annual membership subscriptions also available for both courses.

*Join before 30th June 2013 and receive a free golf lesson with one of our PGA Golf Professionals Conditions apply. for more information contact our team on (02) 4560 3200

• Social groups welcome any day • 2013 bookings still available and 2014 bookings open July 1st • Small cart fleet • Open sunrise to sunset • Discount greenfees for Drummond Club and Crown Social Golf Club Members • Lessons and Clinics available • Fully stocked pro shop with demo clubs Sandringham Golf Course • Ph (03) 9598 3590 Email bookings@sandringhamgolfcourse.com.au

www.sandringhamgolfcourse.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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feature

Strathfield Golf Club

The clubhouse has recently been refurbished and a new caterer appointed. The club is now able to offer both eastern and western-style menus and bistro food with a large function centre which can seat 250 patrons.

The course’s signature hole is the par-4, 404m 4th, with the Cooks River running along the entire left-hand side of the fairway, bunkers left and right short of the green requiring a long second shot to carry the bunkers and onto the green. A par on this hole is a very good score.

Membership is open with no waiting list and you can join in a category with seven-day playing rights with a subscription from only $1250. As a bonus, if you join in any category during April you will have 15 months’ playing rights for the price of only 12 months. New members will also receive a free golf lesson from AAA accredited golf pro Mark Reeve

in addition to two complimentary visitor guest vouchers.

Visitors are welcome and special “twilight “green fees apply after 2pm.

More info: www.strathfieldgolf.com.au; (02) 9642 8642

Bribie Island Golf Club

Having the opportunity to play a Sandbelt-style course while enjoying the sub-tropical weather all year round is what makes Bribie Island Golf Club very attractive. Built on the naturally rolling sand dunes of Bribie Island, the championship 18-hole, par-72 layout that consistently rates in Australia’s Top 100 public access golf courses offers golfers of all abilities a plethora of subtle challenges, making it quite the test of golf. Bribie Island Golf Course is one of the must-play courses in Queensland, having recently hosted many great

Bribie Island Golf Club

tournaments such as the 2012 Australian Junior Boys Championship, the 2012 Queensland Senior Men’s Championship and the 2009 Australian Senior Men’s Championship.

The links-style, sand-based course places a premium on accuracy. The surrounding native bushland and sandy lies off the fairways accentuate the need to position your ball on the wellmanicured fairways. The fairway bunkers are a feature of the course, so too are the true nature of the greens, which constantly have a good pace all year round.

The Clubhouse offers good food, great prices and a relaxed atmosphere, with the addition of the new outdoor deck area overlooking the 18th green. Evening dining is available Wednesday through Saturday nights, with Friday Nights being the feature entertainment night comprising of the popular raffles, trivia and special draws.

Bonville Golf Resort

Woodford Golf Club Memberships Available Join Now! • 18 holes country course • Country Atmosphere/ picturesque setting • Gaming lounge • Restaurant • Bar • Fully equipped Professional shop inc; Cart hire • Contact the club for your next Function

Stay, dine and play at ‘Australia’s Leading Golf Resort’*.

All accommodation rooms at Bonville overlook the picturesque 1st fairway.

Dine in The Flooded Gums Restaurant, Australia’s 1st & only golf resort/course restaurant to win a prestigious ‘Chef’s Hat’*. Play the 18hole Championship golf course voted ‘The most beautiful golf course on mainland Australia’*.

Located only 10mins south of the Coffs Harbour airport & CBD. *As voted by the World Travel Awards 2006, 2011 & 2012 *As voted by the SMH Good Food Guide 2013 *As voted by The Golf Course Guide 2002 - 2013

“Members, Guests and Visitors are always welcome - Country hospitality at its finest” Woodford Golf Club Inc. Club (07) 5496 1004 Proshop (07) 5496 1522 Email admin@woodfordgolfclub.com.au www.woodfordgolfclub.com.au 50

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

North Bonville Rd, Bonville Toll Free: 1300 722 444 www.bonvillegolf.com.au

Bribie Island can also cater for your special function, conference, event, meeting or special wedding day in one of their two function rooms.

Membership is now open with no entrance or joining fees and an annual fee that is the best value in the Brisbane to Sunshine Coast regions.

Different membership categories to suit your playing schedules and payment plans are available.

More info: www.bribieislandgolfclub.com.au; (07) 3408 1457.

RACV Cape Schanck Resort

RACV Cape Schanck Resort, located at the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula with majestic views over Bass Strait, is perfectly positioned for a weekend getaway or longer. The Robert Trent Jones Jnr-designed 18- hole golf course is continually ranked in Australia’s top 100 public courses, and features huge greens, open bunkers,

feature

RACV Cape Schanck

tree lined fairways and spectacular ocean views on eleven holes.

RACV Cape Schanck Resort provides a wide range of accommodation options. There are 48 contemporary Ocean View and Premium Ocean View rooms providing breathtaking views over Bass Strait, along with a further 4 two-bedroom Premium Executive Suites. There are also 11 stylish two- and three-bedroom Villas nestled amongst the golf course, providing private and self contained accommodation for families and groups.

The Restaurant, with panoramic views of the golf course, is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A seasonal a la carte menu showcases the fresh regional produce.

Chef Andreas Koker, who has travelled the world refining his culinary skills, believes “food must be fresh, clean and taste as good as it

Bonville Golf Resort looks” and he’s true to his word. The wine and beer lists are impressive, with 14 local wineries represented.

If you want to grab a quick cafe-style meal or a drink after a round, the Golfers Lounge is the place to go. There’s also plenty to do onsite, with a recreation room, tennis courts, gym, horizonedge heated pool, sauna and a spa. So when you need a few days’ break, book yourself into RACV Cape Schanck Resort. From there, you’ll be able to savour the fabulous Mornington Peninsula.

More information: racv.com.au/resorts.

Bonville Golf Resort

JUST 10 minutes from the Coffs Harbour Airport, Bonville Golf Resort is nestled at the foot of the Great Dividing Range on the beautiful Coffs Coast.

Voted “Australia’s Leading Golf Resort” in 2006, 2011 and 2012 by the World Travel Awards, the

par-72 championship golf course rises and dips through the serene and beautiful layout with each fairway private from the next.

Bonville’s restaurant The Flooded Gums has been awarded 1 “Chef’s Hat” in the 2013 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, making it Australia’s first and only golf course/golf resort to be awarded a highly regarded and sought after “Hat”.

The golf course, which has that Augusta National look about it, has impeccably manicured fairways and greens set against a breathtaking backdrop of colour and tall timber.

The golf course boasts magnificent tall flooded gums while Augusta has pines.

The 470m par-5 seventh hole is a definite birdie opportunity while the 404m par-4 12th is arguably the toughest hole on the course.

Almost every hole has that wow-factor, but the second, fourth and 15th are feature holes.

The golf course has that intimate charm that gives the feeling you have the place to yourself. There are virtually no parallel holes and although there are other groups out there, you hardly ever see them.

Accommodation is on-site and all of the recently refurbished rooms enhance their modern conveniences further enabling guests to relax and unwind taking in the beautiful surrounds.

Recreational facilities include three-floodlit tennis courts, 30-metre rock lap pool and rainforest walks.

Once guests have experienced the beauty and allure of Bonville Golf Resort they usually want to return.

Bonville runs many in-house golf events including four-day pairs’ events, single day events and events specifically designed for women each year.

More information: (02) 6653 4002 or visit www.bonvillegolf.com.au.

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www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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ONLINE TEE TIMES Australia’s Home of Social Golf THE FASTEST GROWING NETWORK OF COURSES FOR BOOKING ONLINE WITH OVER 35 NEW COURSES REGISTERING IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. Over 130,000 social golfers visit www.iseekgolf.com monthly to search for a course to play and to book their golf at a time that is convenient to them.

ISEEKGOLF.COM PROVIDES SOCIAL GOLFERS WITH A NETWORK AND GATEWAY TO: Online tee time bookings available 24/7 Not sure where to play your next round? Check out our extensive Australian course directory full of reviews from readers Active Golf Forum to make sure you stay connected with other social golfers Find other golfers in your area to play your next golf round with Newsletter – Our regular weekly golf news and tee time specials Access to monthly prizes – a chance to win anything from a Bushnell Rangefinder to a trip to one of Australia’s major tournaments

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IT’S FREE TO JOIN! As well as the above benefits, the iseekgolf.com community keeps you connected and up-to-date with the latest news in world golf as well as what’s happening locally. Our on-line forum and Facebook ensures that you are never too far away from the fairways!

To become a member or for more information contact us: Visit www.iseekgolf.com or call us on 1800 443 654 - it’s a free call!

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BOOK YOUR NEXT ROUND OF GOLF ONLINE. IT’S EASY! Great courses at great prices are now available at a tee time that suits you. Focus on your golf not calling courses and see yourself teeing off at Sanctuary Cove (Palms), Eynesbury Golf Course, The Cut, or one of our many other courses nationally.

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feature Campbelltown Golf Course

Sefton Golf Course

Sefton Golf Course

If you’re looking for a quick way to get in 18 holes, then look no further than the Par-3 layout of Sefton Golf Course.

Featuring 18 well-protected, elevated greens, your short game will need to be top notch to get around to par. Equally, if you need to tighten up your game around the green, there’s no better place to practice. There are also separate chipping and putting practice greens at the facility.

The course also has two very large water hazards to negotiate. The ponds capture stormwater and assist in course irrigation as well as irrigation for surrounding parks.

Of course, if you’re looking for a Hole-inone, then there is no better place than a par3 course. Sefton averages a hole-in-one every other week. So if your golfing partner won’t

let up about their Ace, you need to get out to Sefton Golf Course immediately. Plus, as they are a GolfNSW affliated course, any Ace is completely legitimate. In addition, they have Sefton Golf Club with regular members that play competitions every Saturday.

Because it’s a shorter-length course it is very manageable for beginner golfers, older golfers and kids just starting out. They run boot camps during school holidays and have just introduced Kids Golf Parties. Jack Newton Junior Golf play regular events as part of their Jacks on the Move program.

Sefton is popular in terms of being a championship Par-3 venue. In the past, Sefton has hosted the NSW Par-3 Championships for elite amateurs and PGA professionals, and JNJG stages tournaments for its sub-juniors throughout the year. The course record of

6-under-par stands as the result from this tournament.

Bankstown City Council owns and operates the venue, and shows serious commitment to the well-being of their seniors by holding a Seniors Week Golf Tournament every year.

Sefton also represents excellent value for money. Seniors pay only $10.50 for 18 holes during the week. Weekend rates are only $21.

Twilight starts at 3pm and during daylight savings they stay open until 8pm. In addition, they offer a “play ten games get one free” loyalty card.

More info: www.bankstown.nsw.gov.au

Campbelltown Golf Course

Campbelltown Golf Course is located approximately 60km South West of Sydney and to golfing enthusiasts is a bit of a hidden gem. The

golf course was opened in 1978 and designed by Greg Norman’s chief designer, Bob Harrison. The course is a par-70 and boasts some great golf holes as well as some amazing views.

The uniqueness about Campbelltown Golf Course is that when Harrison designed the course he made sure that no two holes looked the same, and this adds a great deal to the golfer’s experience.

It would be wrong not to mention the course’s signature hole called Harrison’s Revenge. This is the final hole of the golf course and has to be one of the best finishing holes in the country. It’s a par4 and requires a straight drive alongside a large lake and you are then required to hit a second shot across the large expanse of water to a green that sits just below the clubhouse. The drive from Sydney to come and play this hole alone is well worth it.

The course is also home to some amazing species of birds and wildlife.

9 and Dine

9 holes of Golf plus Main Meal Available Fridays and Saturdays after 3pm

$28 PeR PeRSON Midweek Madness JUNE & JULY 2013

18 holes of golf including shared motorised cart

$40 per person Subject to availability. Bookings essential. Competition fees extra.

✔ 9 holes of golf available from 3pm every Friday and Saturday ✔ Main Meal of either Chicken Parmigiana, Veal Schnitzel or Fish of the Day, served after the game in Cafe on 18.

Note: menu changes contact Club for details ✔ Golf and Meal must be taken on the same day ✔ Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer; Bribie Island Golf Club Limited links court WOORIM QLD 4507 p: (07) 3408 1457 e: admin@bribieislandgolfclub.com.au www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

55

feature The golf course for the last 18 months has been under the care of Master Superintendant Tony Brown. Tony over his years has worked closely with some amazing people such as Jack Nicklaus and Kerry Packer to name a few. Campbelltown under his care will continue to look as good as any golf course in the Sydney area.

The Campbelltown Golf Club amalgamated with Campbelltown Catholic Club in November 2011.

The course and facilities have improved tremendously since the change of ownership. The Catholic Club has not only injected an enormous amount of funds into the course they have also renovated the clubhouse making it family-friendly.

So the next time you decide to play another course away from your home club, take a drive out to the historic Macarthur district and test yourself at Campbelltown Golf Club.

More info: www.campbelltowngolfclub.com.au.

Peregian Springs

Peregian Springs Golf Course is located on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast just 15 minutes from beautiful downtown Noosa and 10 minutes from the Sunshine Coast Airport.

The 18-hole championship golf course is located in the popular Peregian Springs residential development, which over the past 10 years has become one of the Sunshine Coast’s premier residential developments.

Designed by Phil Scott, the father of PGA Tour player Adam Scott, the course winds its way through native bushland and has an abundance of wildlife adorning the fairways.

With very little undulation, the course offers a great test of golf to players of all levels with an array of tee options to hit from on each hole. It takes players on an unfolding journey through native bush, stands of eucalyptus trees and strategically situated water. The course presents golfers with memorable challenges.

From long, narrow par-5s to short par-4s

Peregian Springs Golf Course with sloping greens, Peregian Springs puts a premium on accuracy and shot making.

There are several water features on the golf course that come into play and the native water birds that call the lakes home add to the overall serenity of the layout.

The course has cart paths on all holes and carts are available for guests. There is also a

fully-stocked golf shop and locker rooms in the clubhouse that are available for guests to use. The driving range is open to the public as is the bar and restaurant, the club also has an ATM for use onsite.

Peregian Springs Golf Club also offers affordable membership packages (see website for details). Head Professional Kai McKay is

available for golf tuition five days per week and also operates an extensive Junior Golf program.

Make sure that the Peregian Springs Golf Club is included on your itinerary the next time that you visit the Noosa area or the Sunshine Coast.

More: www.peregianspringsgolfclub.com.au; Golf Shop on (07) 5471 5471.

LOOKING FOR A GOLF CLUB TO JOIN? JOIN IN APRIL AND RECEIVE JOIN IN MAY AND RECEIVE 15 MONTHS MEMBERSHIP 14 MONTHS MEMBERSHIP FOR THE PRICE OF 12 FOR THE PRICE OF 12 You can join and play 7 days per week from as little as $1250 per annum* Special full play membership available to two members of the same household.

First member pays full playing category price additional family member living at the same address will receive a $600 discount on the full playing subscription.

New members who join before May 31 2013 will also receive a FREE Golf Lesson and 2 complimentary visitor vouchers. *(A bar levy applies)

STRATHFIELD GOLF CLUB

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Group 1 top class club Situated in the heart of Sydney Easy walking course-carts and buggies available Competitions daily - Men’s and ladies competitions every day Open days for members and guests Mondays and Fridays Excellent dining / bistro/clubhouse recently refurbished Excellent practice facilities Junior/cadet programme Free Golf lesson + 2 complimentary guest vouchers for new members Direct Debit/quarterly/half yearly subscription payment options AAA accredited PGA professional Mark Reeve available for golf lessons 3 month membership for overseas guests

www.strathfieldgolf.com

84 CENTENARY DRIVE, STRATHFIELD NSW 2135 • OFFICE : 9642 0326 • PRO SHOP: 9642 8642 • EMAIL: office@strathfieldgolf.com.au 56

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

architecture

Designing for enjoyment Ross Perrett

ed@insidegolf.com.au

In recent times there has been a trend back to creating courses that are more enjoyable to play with less emphasis being placed on course length and difficulty. The great Alistair Mackenzie promoted ‘pleasurable excitement’ as a desirable benefit of golf but this concept was lost for a period during which owners and golf architects tried to fend off the impact of technology and were seduced by creating courses that were longer and more penal. The reality in Australia is that the golfing population is aging and that the impact of technology on the average golfer is far less than its influence on those in the professional ranks.

St Andrews Private is being built as a membersonly course for a limited membership which allows the Golf Course Architect a little more freedom than that afforded by a daily fee / public access course in that the members get to know the course intimately, including any quirky course features. The course also is aiming to provide a true links experience similar to that provided by the links courses of Scotland and Ireland. It will feature large undulating greens, fescue fairways and revetted bunkers. Many golfers see links golf as the purest form of golf and envision a trip to the coastal areas of Scotland and Ireland to play links golf high on their bucket list. To have a similar offering available only a little over an hour’s drive from Melbourne will be have a lot of appeal but will come at a cost. Fescue fairways require more water than couch fairways and revetted bunkers are more expensive to construct and require rebuilding every five or so years.

Given that the land at St Andrews Beach is undulating coastal dunes the Architect is duty bound to spend a lot of time walking the site to gain a deep understanding of its potential. Like Old Tom Morris did at Royal County Down 130 years ago, the course was gradually ‘laid out’ by staking tee, turn point and green locations. These continually move to accommodate the various permutations until the jigsaw finally comes together. At first there appears to be golf holes running in all directions and the challenge for the Golf Course Architect is to knit them together into an integrated whole in a way that flows freely, provides for an interesting journey and has a desirable and well-balanced sequence of holes. Even though the land is quite powerful it was important that the golf course be walkable as is the norm on traditional links courses.

The conventional Out 9 and In 9 has its origins in links golf where typically the front 9 holes stretched out along the coast from the coastal village and then the back 9 returns back alongside the Out 9 to the village where the journey began. St Andrews Old Course and Royal Aberdeen are two classic examples of this convention. At St Andrews Private the holes change direction constantly which is considered desirable on windy sites but the 9th green is still the furthest away from the Clubhouse.

Architects vary in their opinions on what is the best sequence of holes and can justify almost anything by reference to well-known courses, many of which have something unusual. At St Andrews Private it was considered desirable to take advantage of an opportunity to have a generous fairway shared by the opening and closing holes. The 1st and 18th at The Old Course share a generous arena which allows the golfers to ‘get away’ in comfort. The St Andrews Beach equivalent is much more rugged and set in a natural setting in contrast to the urban edge of the St Andrews (Scotland) township. The holes are also both par-4’s but significantly longer which is no surprise given its been over 500 years since the original St Andrews evolved.

The Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland, will provide inspiration for the new St Andrews Private, near Melbourne. (Photo by Gary Lisbon) At St Andrews Private the sequence of holes is fairly conventional in that the course opens with three par-4’s of contrasting length and orientation. The 4th is the first of four par-5’s and the first par-3 is not until the 5th, which helps get play underway. The layout continues to changes direction with every hole throughout the journey with the hole sequence as follows – Out 9: 4, 4, 4, 5, 3, 4, 3, 5, 4 and In 9: 4, 4, 5, 5, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4.

The par-3’s and 5’s all run in different directions and keep the golfer guessing where the prevailing wind is from. A study of the wind patterns revealed that the wind is ever present and comes from varying directions throughout the year.

The course length will be a touch over 6300 metres but may play longer given the wind and the inclusion of several quite short holes which will require restraint and accuracy. The short holes will be popular and fun to play and will be balanced by a group of longer holes that will test the better players.

The greens will vary enormously in size and will include six shared greens in the style of The Old Course. A thorough study of the typology of the greens will ensure that no two will be the same and each will be a considered response to

the natural setting and the range of approach shots the green will receive.

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McKay name linked to Wollongong David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

IN an industry where long service at one club is at times as rare as a hole-in-one, brothers Hec and Ken McKay between them served Wollongong Golf Club for 115 years.

Hec was the club professional for 61 years and Ken the course superintendent for 54 years.

In recognition of their dedication and loyalty, the golf club erected a commemorative lifetime service plaque on the golf course.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Ken, who passed away in 1982, had three sons (Robert, Ross and Ken) and they followed their father and uncle into the golf industry.

Unfortunately, Hec, who died in 1986, never married and didn’t have children.

Robert left school at 15, giving up ambitions of becoming an airline pilot to pursue a career as a golf professional.

Ross worked as an apprentice greenkeeper under the guidance of his father and Ken is the principle of McKay and Son Golf Course Architects at Wollongong and survey manager at the Wollongong City Council.

In fact, the McKay brothers are partners in the business and are currently putting the finishing touches to Shoalhaven Heads golf course.

They also designed and created Calderwood Valley, Woorigee, reconstructed Moore Park and worked on Kangaroo Valley, Fox Hill and Mangrove Mountain golf courses.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Hec and Ken McKay, too, helped design and build a number of golf courses in the Wollongong area.

“In those days there were no golf architects around,” Robert explained. “A greenkeeper had all the knowledge and in this area my dad did a lot of courses.

“The jewel in the crown would be Mollymook Golf Club. Dad was involved in that from the word go with a chap by the name of Bill Andriski, who got a lot of the credit, but dad did all the work. He also did work at Nowra and Kiama golf courses.”

In 1963, he started his apprenticeship at Wollongong Golf Club under the guidance of his uncle Hec and qualified as a full PGA member in 1966.

“I have been a professional for 48 years, 30 of those at Wollongong Golf Club, and I am the longest serving professional in southern NSW,” Robert said.

“My uncle Hec asked me if I wanted to work with him because I was always around the pro shop doing little things for him over the years.

“So I decided to follow in his footsteps. Between us, we had 64 years in the pro shop at Wollongong.

“Because I spent so much time with my uncle Hec in the pro shop, I considered him my second father.

“We ran a very big business and worked 24/7.

“We didn’t have the staff the pro shops have now. Today, I have another professional and three permanent casuals.”

Robert left Wollongong Golf Club after 30 years and in 1993 started the Wollongong Golf Factory at Fairy Meadow with Chris Johnson. In 2005, he took on the senior golf professional role at The Grange Golf Club (Wollongong).

But back to Hec, who started his career as a pro golfer in the early 1920s at Wollongong Golf Club.

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During his time at the club, he only had one break and that was during World War II. He spent four years with the sixth division AIF, which included 12 months in New Guinea.

After the war, he resumed normal duties and one of his fondest memories was playing exhibition matches against some of the greats of the game including South African Bobby Locke, Norman von Nida, Bill Bolger and Eric Cremin.

In the 1920s, Hec was also an outstanding rugby league player and athlete. He played fullback and on the wing for Glebe and won many sprint races at regional and state level.

Ken too served during WWII. “Dad was in his late 30s and considered old to be in the services when he signed up,” Robert said.

“He was on Kadoka in New Guinea.

“My dad was the nicest, kindest man and even now when I see his face I can see a big smile.”

Understandably, Robert was extremely close to his uncle Hec and thoroughly enjoyed his company.

“He had the greatest dry humour,” he said. “He was just the funniest bugger – sometimes he didn’t know he was being funny.

“I miss him so much because we just had so much time together. When we worked together I would call him boss and he would call me boss, which confused the committee.

“He was a lovely, quiet man who never married.

He was like a second dad to my brothers and I. “He and my dad were very close and I never heard those two men ever raise their voices at each other,” said Robert, who had 19 wins as a professional.

Robert was a fine player and during his playing career played alongside players of the calibre of Gary Player, Bruce Crampton, Billy Dunk, Frank Phillips and Bob Stanton.

“I had the pleasure of playing with some fine players and, in fact, my first win was against Billy Dunk and Frank Phillips at Newcastle,” he recalled.

“The guy I was most impressed with was Bob Stanton, but unfortunately he didn’t go on with it.”

It seems the McKay golf chain might have been broken as Robert’s son, Adam, decided against following in his father’s or uncle’s footsteps.

“Adam had a good golf swing, but because we lived close to the beach he spent a lot of time body surfing and body boarding,” Robert said.

“He didn’t have the passion for golf like I did.

“His passion was cart racing and he went on to win national and state championship in that sport.

“He is a dad now with a beautiful five-year-old daughter, who is my pride and joy.” •

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A perfect Chip for Callaway After a year at the helm of Callaway Golf, CEO Chip Brewer appears to be the perfect fit for the company that prides itself on innovation Richard Fellner richard@insidegolf.com.au

They say that enthusiasm is contagious. Within minutes of meeting Callaway CEO Oliver “Chip” Brewer, one can’t help but feel giddy with excitement and zeal about Callaway’s products and future – not to mention golf itself.

With a firm handshake, a beaming smile and a sparkle in his eye, Brewer has a lively, energetic and engaging personality that is the perfect embodiment of the Callaway brand, which has historically been known as an invigorating and innovative company.

“I feel like there is a ton of energy behind the brand right now,” Brewer told me during a recent trip down under. “I’m so excited and pleased with the brand strength. I knew it was good when I came onboard. But it’s even better than I thought it was.

The challenge is to get the most out of that.”

Having taken over the reins at Callaway a mere 12 months ago (following a successful track record as the CEO at Adams Golf), Brewer immediately set about with a strong “to-do list” of items to help reinvigorate the Callaway brand which, according to him, had been a bit lackluster in the market at the time.

“It had underperformed on a global basis and I knew we could do better. It’s one of the best brands in golf. It’s global in scale, and the resources are phenomenal. We have the largest—and in my opinion, the best—R&D organisation in golf clubs in the world.”

One of the first major changes initiated by Brewer last year was a strategic re-focussing of the company’s efforts and resources.

“We did a ‘50,000-foot view’ of the business, and shed some ancillary businesses [Top Flite and Ben Hogan brands] in order to make sure that we have all our energy and resources focussed on golf clubs and golf balls first and foremost. We are dedicated and committed to being the world’s best in those categories.”

What followed next were a series of exciting and innovative products that have been taking the golf world by storm. Already making a massive impact this year, the 2013 line of X Hot and RAZR Fit Xtreme drivers and fairway woods have seen some amazing success, not the least of which was Phil Mickelson’s recent victory at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where “Lefty” all but credited his wire-to-wire victory to the performance of his new RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver.

“Phil is genuinely a great guy,” Brewer says. “He doesn’t say things that he doesn’t believe, but if he does believe it, he will say it. Phil didn’t have the usual amount of time in the offseason to test the new driver, but when he finally gave it a go, it was magic for him. He called it a ‘dream’. He was hitting it further; past the guys that under certain conditions he normally doesn’t hit it past – like Keegan Bradley, for example. And he had great control.

“That was a big turn-on for Phil. At 42 years old--and like the rest of us--he still wants to hit it where he’s always hit it. It’s great when the player will acknowledge it and is not afraid to talk about it.”

According to Brewer, Phil’s (and Callaway’s) recent success was no accident.

“I’m really proud of what the team’s done so far. The X Hot fairway wood moves us from – for

lack of a better term – an ‘also-ran’ in the fairway wood category to being the world’s best. And the R&D team, led by Dr. Alan Hocknell, did a phenomenal job with this RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver. When we looked at moving the brand back into being the leader in total performance golf equipment, obviously product was a primary and initial focus.

“That, plus the addition of some of these young bombers [to our Tour Staff] like James Hahn [who famously performed the Gangnam-style dance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open] and Chris Kirk, and Luke List and Gary Woodland and others is a key part of our strategy. The world’s best clubs and young, aggressive, cool players.”

The strategy is obviously working, as interest has been building greatly for the new Callaway products. Anecdotal evidence at golf shops – as well as trends on Twitter and other online/social

media sites—show Callaway is gaining ground in golfers’ eyes.

Much of the interest surrounds the groundbreaking improvements in materials, processes and features which, as Brewer explains, help Callaway push the boundaries even further.

“There is always more room for improvement.

Callaway started this space-age arms race in terms of equipment back in the ‘90’s. Our job is to develop that space. And sometimes with drivers it becomes adjustability and such; or incremental moves such as lowering the CG further, which will create a low spin rate that will optimise it for certain players.

And you’re seeing COR movement for fairways and hybrids. Callaway will be the leader with this X Hot fairway wood. It’s not easy. It requires big budgets and bright people, but there’s still space.”

Being a market leader also requires an ability to

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people turn challenges into opportunities. Callaway’s talent for this was evident recently when the USGA and R&A announced the proposed ban on anchored putting. Within days of the announcement, Callaway (through their Odyssey brand) was the first off the ranks with the “Armlock” product–an innovative putter that has the benefits of anchoring, while conforming to the new rule.

“Our job is not to sit back and grumble about it, but instead, let’s make a great, innovative product that solves the issue in a different way,” Brewer explains. “We looked at it as an opportunity. We have several other products in the pipeline which will come at this in a different manner. That’s an interesting part of our business. The USGA, say, regulates grooves, and we work around it to make the game fun and engaging for golfers of all abilities.”

Central to Brewer’s success is his passion and deep understanding of golf itself. He is by no means a stranger to the game, having grown up surrounded by it. His father, O. Gordon Brewer, is the president of Pine Valley Golf Club (in New Jersey), and was on the Board of Directors at the PGA of America as well as the Executive Committee of USGA. In addition, Brewer Sr was a competitive golfer who won the State Amateur, City Amateur and two US Senior Amateurs.

With a father and pedigree like that, it’s no wonder that the junior Brewer would be a “Chip off the ol’ Block” (hence the nickname) and gravitate into golf himself, sporting a very tidy 3.4 handicap-which he admits has blown out recently.

“Yeah, that’s the highest my handicap has been since I was 14 or 15. Despite the obviously phenomenal equipment,” he quips, pointing to his Callaway set, “Old age and lack of practice do take their toll. But I’m going to work on getting the handicap back down. I love the challenge of the game. Being outdoors. The competitiveness… that’s in my DNA. Golf is part of me. And it has been since I was a kid. Golf is always precious to me.”

Dr. Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President of R&D, is helping Callaway maintain their reputation as an innovative and forward-thinking company.

Unfortunately, like many in the industry, Brewer finds it hard to find time to play the game he loves, with a hectic travel schedule on the cards. After just a couple of days here in Australia (albeit with a quick 9-holes on the Sandbelt) Brewer hopped over to Thailand for a short stay, before packing up for another series of country hops.

But according to Brewer, travel is an important part of his job.

“I love the business. And part of the business is going out to where the markets are. You don’t learn too much sitting behind in your office sending emails. So I get out.”

In addition, Brewer was quick to point out that travelling to places like Australia allows him to connect with some of the critical markets for the company.

“Australia is one of the trips that I’ve been looking forward to with keen interest and excitement since I took over at Callaway. We’ve been really strong here, and it’s also a key market for us. Australia is one of the great sporting nations of the world, and for us to do well here is an important aspect in our total company plan.”

And that total company plan is nothing short of ambitious, as Brewer explains.

“Everyone’s going to see a little different movement now from Callaway. We’re going to be the Number 1 total performance golf ball and golf club brand in the world. Simple. The 2013 line is simply the first move towards that. We have always been innovative, but we are going to be even more contemporary and aggressive than what it was over the last 10 years. We’ve always had great product, but we’re going to push it to more limits quickly in numerous approaches.”

“You go from playing defense to offense and now everyone is catching up. And that’s the type of thing that we’re all going to get energised about at Callaway moving forward.” •

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Understanding Bounce, and choosing the correct wedges for your game

with Glenn Whittle

Dear Glenn, “I can’t hit a fairway to save my life. I hit most drives dead left (Not hooking, but straight left), while others slice/fade right. Imprints on the driver’s face show that my impact is on the heel. I’ve tried standing farther away from the ball, but that doesn’t help. I use a 10.5 degree driver, standard shaft length, R flex. Help!”

Fairway to hell

bounce angle

bounce The Bounce of a wedge is the difference in degrees between the back edge and the front edge of the sole.

The general rule is less bounce for a hard lie (left); more bounce for a fluffy lie (right)

Selecting a wedge is about many things: loft, bounce, shaft length, head weight, lie angle, etc. In this article, we are going to focus on the bounce.

Bounce is, to keep it simple, the difference in degrees between the sole’s back edge and the front edge.

There are a number of things that affect the bounce of the club: the width of the sole may “add” bounce, the grind of the club (heel, trailing edge and toe) may decrease the effective bounce.

The general rule is: less bounce for firm lies (photo A) and more bounce for soft or fluffy lies (photo B) irrespective of whether it is from

the grass or sand Unfortunately there are no industry standards, and each company measures bounce differently. This makes it tricky to say the least.

I use a 52, 56 and 60 degree lofts with 7, 13 and 5 degrees of bounce respectively. I find that this combination allows me to play the variety of shots that I am most commonly faced with based on the clubs I use for these shots— i.e., a 56-degree sand iron from the bunkers in most cases .

If you would like to book a wedge, club or putter fit, please phone the Ridge Pro Shop on (02) 9541 4960. •

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Glenn Whittle glenn@whittlegolf.com (02) 9541 4960

When you spend a lot of time coaching, you see many different club combinations in players’ bags. One thing I often look at is how many wedges they carry and how suitable they might be based on their skill level and/or where they play golf.

Obviously this does not apply to a person starting out as they have more pressing issues such as learning to swing the club, knowing the rules and etiquette, etc.

When you consider that more than half of the game is played within 100 metres of the hole, and most courses have a variety of long grass and short grass and different sand depths in the bunkers, then your wedge choices become more important.

Black / White

The 2008 NSW PGA Teacher of the Year, Glenn Whittle is an AAA PGA Member and is also an official iseekgolf.com teaching Panelist.

Visit (www.sydneyclubfittingcentre.com.au) or www.whittlegolf.com Simplified ver Alt use.

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Golf Swing ER

Dear “Fairway to Hell” It sounds as if you are turning your hips and shoulders from the top of your swing and your hands and club are going with them, resulting in an outsideto-in swing path (travelling left of the target for a right-hander).

Most golfers think that you would hit the ball off the toe with this swing path, but that isn’t always the case.

This would also explain why your ball flight is either straight left (known as a pull) but your ball is not spinning further left (hooking), and you can also slice your shots due to the club face being open at impact.

Practice hitting your driver with short swings, say, hip height in both your backswing and follow-through, with your feet and shoulders slightly shut (aiming right at address). Focus

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on swinging the club from inside the target line to inside (vs inside-to-out, which will make you hit the heel). Work towards consistent contact in the centre of the clubface, then progressively increase the swing length when you’re making progress.

I hope this helps change your name to Fairway to Heaven! •

Need help? The Doctor is in!

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instruction VIDEO LESSON:

How to stop thinking and start playing your best golf “out of your mind”

PUTTING GEAR

Peter Croker

0415 292 549 www.crokergolfsystem.com

Perhaps one of the most frustrating challenges that face us out on the golf course after a lesson is all the “thinking about technique” while standing over the golf ball.

I have heard it said that lessons can be “too technical” and you do not need to know all this “stuff.” Well the fact is “Simplicity by omission does not make something simple, only incomplete and ineffective.” The key trick here is to be able to use drills to build a comfortable feel for the motion you want to achieve and then be able to let go of thinking and “Enjoy the Hit!” Students cannot take all this “great stuff ” from the lesson tee to the golf course and have it work like it does on the Practice Fairway. There is a missing step that we need to know and apply!

That “key step” is “how and when to breathe” and to replace “thinking” and engage “breathing, and feeling.”

Just like adding an improved “swing mechanic”, the following steps need to be drilled in and then put on “automatic.”

ADDING THE BREATH TO THE GOLF SWING 1. Start directly behind the ball with the ball between you and your intended target – both feet flat and heavy on the ground.

2. Take two deliberate “deep belly breaths” and become aware of the feeling of a relaxed and balanced body and a calmer state of mind.

Boomerang EZ-1 Putter and Putting Pro

Left: Taking a deep breath behind the ball while establishing an intermediate target. Right: Taking a deep breath while checking grip and setting arms and and club to body and establishing body balance.

3.

4.

5.

6.

This is when you select an intermediate target within a few metres of the ball to assist as a reference point on the target line as you move to the side of the ball.

Take another “deep belly breath” as you walk to the side of the golf ball to prepare to take your stance.

Next take a slow “deep belly breath” as you take your grip and balance on the right foot as pictured.

Take your next “deep belly breath” as you bend at the hips and unlock the right knee and place the clubhead behind the ball.

While in the “Address Position” breathe deep and feel your balance and how calm and relaxed you are.

7. Try breathing in on the backswing and exhale at impact. Timing the swing to the breath will clear the mind of thought and fears and help you focus on hitting that ball.

Enjoy putting a fresh breath of air into your golf swing and game. I am sure you will find this a “mind altering” experience.

Also–Tim Kremer (myspiritofgolf.com) will be coming to Victoria, NSW, and Queensland in May to deliver Schools/Workshops and Seminars – email crokergolfsystem@gmail.com for more. • See a video of this lesson online at https://vimeo.com/61523597.

Peter Croker has been a PGA member since 1971 and has given lessons with his Croker Golf System to professionals including Vijay Singh, Arnold Palmer, Rocco Mediate, Fred Funk, Olin Browne, and Bob Charles. Based at the Golf Science Centre in Cheltenham, and the Mornington Peninsula, he delivers school instruction, individual lessons, and has an “Online Lesson Program.” www.crokergolfsystem.com/ Academy/view-your-swing.html

“Where Good Friends Meet” WOMEN’S AND MEN’S “Where Good Friends Meet”

Victorian Par 3 Amateur Championships

As you can expect, the Inside Golf editorial office is packed with every type of putting aid imaginable; most collecting dust after our reviews.

The Boomerang Putting Pro and EZ-1 Putter, however, have earned a permanent spot in our office. Addictive, fun and very useful in improving our putting, the Boomerang system rocks!

The Putting Pro is a very simple device; basically a ramp with an adjustable-depth cup at the top, and a 3-metre length of felt to simulate a putting green. The aim is to putt a ball so that it just “catches” the lip of the cup and stays there. You then putt a second ball and try to knock the first ball back down the ramp. It’s extremely fun and addictive.

The unit encourages a solid, aggressive putting stroke, and it will certainly give you hours of good practice.

When paired with the Boomerang EZ-1 putter you’re well on your way to sinking more putts. The face-balanced EZ-1 basically sets itself up in the optimum position on every putt. Each time you grip it your hands are automatically in the optimum position to promote an ‘on plane’ stroke, while your eyes are equally well positioned over your ball.

We use these two products on almost a daily basis, and our putting is getting better and better.

(If only Boom Golf made something to fix the rest of our game...) www.BoomGolf.com.au •

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instruction

More power in your swing, from the ground up 1

2

3

4

Brent Dale

brent@brentdalegolf.com.au

Quite often on the driving range I will see members practicing their swing, trying to belt the ball as far as they can. I notice a lot of arm movement, throwing everything they have at the ball. Often resulting in shots shooting left and right (and occasionally down the middle.)

Ever noticed how smooth Ernie Els swings it?

And doesn’t seem to have any dramas keeping up with the longer hitters on tour. This is because he is applying force the correct way.

99% of the lessons I give end up involving a talk about how we have to start the swing from the ground up. Transferring energy from the feet up through the legs, into the torso then arms and, last of all, the club head.

Last month’s article related to people coming over the top and leading with their arms— this is a classic example of not starting from the ground up.

You are getting to the top of your swing and dictating the next move by throwing your hands and arms at the ball. Therefore all the energy is in the hands/club head. Wouldn’t you rather throw body weight into the shot to get more distance?

At address your weight should be distributed evenly 50% on each foot (Picture 1). At the top of your back swing you should have loaded weight into your back foot. About 65% to 35% (Picture 2).

Starting the downswing you want to load more weight on to the left/front foot. So now you will have swapped the weight over. 65% on the front foot, 35% on the back foot. This is important to make sure your hips are rotating towards the target—almost feeling like your belly button is

turning towards where you want the ball to go (Picture 3).

On the follow-through you should have 90% of your weight on your left/front foot and 10% on your back foot. Nicely balanced and no chance of falling over (Picture 4).

A great way of getting this feeling is by throwing a golf ball down the range. I can assure you that you will load your weight onto your back/right foot as you wind up to throw it, and your weight will be on your front/left foot as you let go of the ball. •

Brent Dale is an AAA Member of the Australian PGA, and Head professional at Liverpool Golf Club. Full Swing, Short Game and On Course Lessons available. Brent is also TPI Certified. www.brentdalegolf.com.au. brent@brentdalegolf.com.au. 0402 038 227

No miracles – a lesson learned MURWILLUMBAH Golf Club teaching professional Graeme Trew would like a dollar for every time he has heard someone say, “Don’t take a golf lesson it will wreck your game.”

“That, to me, is absolutely crazy,” said Trew, who runs the Murwillumbah Golf Academy.

“You certainly won’t improve by listening to your playing partners.”

A golfer will struggle to change bad habits after just one lesson, according to Trew. He encourages his students to purchase a pack of three lessons.

“Usually one lesson is not enough,” he said.

“Learning golf is like swimming or learning a musical instrument, it takes time.

“To become a better player and reach your potential as a golfer you need to practise correctly.”

Trew has had plenty of success teaching a number of golfers over the years.

For example, Sheridan Gorton has gone from a 13 handicap to +2 and earned state selection.

In 2011, Gorton won the club championships by 41 shots.

Lucas Higgins, 14, has reduced his handicap from 23 to one in three years, and Maddie Trew has gone from 43 to 14 in two years.

“If your game goes south don’t take one lesson and expect a miracle, get into an improvement program,” Trew said.

So, do you believe in miracles?

Perhaps the great American coach Jim McLean had the answer.

For 30 years, he advertised his teaching services at his driving range – four lessons, $100 – one lesson, $1000.

When asked why one lesson was so expensive he would say, “You must pay for miracles”. •

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instruction

Give your swing a Health Check Darren Weatherall ed@insidegolf.com.au

Many people will generally peruse this and never take the next step to actually evaluate their swings.

I challenge you as a fellow golfer to take the next step right now. As a teaching professional I have the great pleasure of talking golf and helping people just like yourself for 40+ hours per week. Although we have never met, we have an affiliation of a passion for golf! Spending this much time at the Driving Range I have realised that as a professional we are very fortunate in the fact that we are able to diagnose our own swings and correct any errors (yes, we still have errors).

I really sympathise with amateurs who are trying to correct faults without expert instruction.

Therefore I have put together a ‘Swing Health Check’ which anyone can complete and gauge an understanding of how technically efficient (or inefficient) their own golf swing is.

Your Swing Health Score: 12-19: Critical Condition. Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Your swing is consistently inconsistent, therefore enjoyment of beautifully-struck golf shots are as common as a solar eclipse. HIGHLY RECOMMEND SEEKING PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. 20-27: Stable Condition. Your swing has some good days and some bad days, chances are you have probably had a few lessons but nothing frequent over a long period of time. Often this

The Swing Health Check Answer the following questions with: Always (3 points), Sometimes (2), Never (1) • When I finish my swing, I am able to stay balanced for at least 3 seconds • When I finish my swing, my weight is on my front foot towards the heel • Can I hit the ball low, medium and high (on cue)?

• I am able to hit three shapes on cue (fade, straight & draw) • The quality I hit it on the driving range is similar to the golf course • My swing feels powered not by the arms but the core of my body • My arms/hands are free of tension and my swing feels effortless • My feet do not move throughout the backswing and the back foot turns to the toe at the completion of my swing • I hit the centre of the club face 90% of the time • I take a nice shallow divot with my irons and they point at the target • My swing is pain free and comfortable on my body • My alignment on the course is easy to achieve

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swing is reliant upon good timing and handeye coordination to work effectively. Not ideal when under pressure. Professional assistance recommended.

28-36: Good Condition. Well done. Probably through lessons with a professional and some good practise you have managed to develop a repeatable golf swing which is able to hit a variety of high quality shots. Should you not be repeating this on the course your cause could be poor shot selection and a poor pre-shot routine.

If you haven’t scored well, don’t panic! Come up with a plan for improvement without excuses. If you have any of the below excuses, it’s time to change your concept of golf swing improvement.

Top excuses, and what a good teaching professional should do for the student ‘I wanted lessons but was afraid’ A good quality professional should make you feel comfortable regardless of whether s/he teaches absolute beginners or touring players. It is their job to ensure you are in a fun, supportive learning environment ‘I want to get better but don’t have time to practise’ It is true that physical motor patterns (your swing) can take time to change, but this doesn’t mean you have to quit your job or abandon your family to spend countless hours on the range. Many of my students do not have time to get to the range. I have them do simple drills for about 10 mins, 2-3 times a week at home. They do not even need to leave their lounge room. Golf swings can change without hitting thousands of balls. It is about quality not quantity.

‘Golf lessons are too expensive’ I currently have clients who see me 2-3 times per week and others I see only once per month

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

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instruction for half an hour. A good coach should be able to cater a package to what you can afford on a consistent basis-- which is in the interest of both coach and student.

‘Lessons are for really serious golfers’ Every teacher will tell you they have a variety of golfers coming for lessons. From holiday makers, to once-a-month hackers, to the grinder that spends 6 days per week on the range wanting to build an effortless swing. The reality is that golf is a game and it should be fun regardless… but it is much easier to enjoy when you are hitting great shots.

‘I already know what’s wrong with my swing, I just can’t fix it’ In my experience when a student says this to me, I generally find they are feeling the result and not identifying the root cause. For example: ‘I’m slicing across the ball’ is often a result of poor

weight transfer causing your arms to activate too much at the top of the back swing. Therefore, they need to fix their weight transfer. Remember: PGA professionals spend years of their own development plus additional academic studies to gain the knowledge of how a bio-mechanically efficient swing works and how to create new movement patterns.

When you decide to take a lesson for the first time, try to be realistic and give your coach a fair go. If you wanted to learn the piano, would you expect that after one lesson you could play Fur Elise? What about if you wanted to transform your body? Will a one-hour session with a personal trainer be enough? Of course not. You will need a level of commitment to acquire a new skill or attribute. Sure, a one-on-one lesson can most definitely help you with your game, but what happens after a few weeks? I find a large number of golfers need another lesson to check their progress and where to go next. Without regular consultation it is very easy to get lost and confused about the golf swing.

At our Learning Centre we have developed a program which is truly cost-effective over a long period, called ‘The Game Changer’. It is a product which has evolved from our professional staff requiring a product which is truly about the client and in the best interest of their golf game.

If you have any questions regarding some of the errors you may have encountered during your Swing Health Check email me at academy@ parkwoodgc.com.au. • Darren Weatherall is a former touring professional and head teaching professional at Queensland’s Parkwood international Golf Learning Centre.

PiGLC specialise in private tuition,elite player development, junior and adult clinics and have just launched their latest monthly development programs making golf improvement very affordable. www.parkwoodgc.com.au

Club shares its colourful history IF you have a colourful story to tell, why not share it.

City Golf Club on Queensland’s Darling Downs has done that with the launch of a 300-page book, Farms to Fairways.

A group of dedicated members including Bob Argus, Bob Gillespie and editor Col Muller researched and wrote the book over a threeyear period.

The book doesn’t just chronicle the club’s history, it’s also packed full of interesting snippets – many about the club’s colourful characters since 1926.

City Golf Club is one of the most successful golf clubs in Queensland, but it wasn’t always the case.

In 1948, the club’s future was in the balance.

The council had passed a recommendation that neighbouring Toowoomba Golf Club at Middle Ridge be asked to consider taking over the club. Toowoomba Golf Club informed the council it was unable to consider any proposal that it acquire the assets of City Golf Club. At a meeting, City Golf Club decided to look at ways of increasing membership. Over the course of the year, membership jumped from 180 to 193 and the club recorded a record profit of $632.80. The club has continued to thrive and today has around 1000 members and 35,000 social members.

Other interesting stories in the book include one about Gary Player and Norman von Nida playing an exciting exhibition match at the course in 1958; and about City Golf Club’s popular secretary-manager Phil Reitano, who in 1992 helped wheel in first of eight poker machines installed at the club. Today the club has hundreds of machines.

Reitano was an interesting man, who lived a

colourful life. In the book, Andrea Strack tells a lovely story about the popular figure.

She wrote: “Fortnightly, they ran a ‘behind closed doors’ gambling night to raise funds for the local junior sporting club. One particular night, the police raided the game and Phil grabbed the bookmaker’s bag, ran out the back door and swam the river with the bag above his head. He saved the money and returned to work in the Court House the next Monday morning as if nothing had happened.”

The book also details the shocking January 2011 flash flood when the normally docile little West Creek became a raging torrent carrying cars through the golf course and washing away bridges on the 10th and 18th holes. www.citygolf.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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fitness

Testing your strength Richard Nizielski richard@golffitsolutions.com 0438 027 768

Over the last few issues, we’ve discussed assessing golf fitness. The final test in this process is testing your strength.

As with flexibility and stability, strength can be tested in many ways.

Here are a few tests to help you determine if it is a fundamental strength factor that may need working on, to improve your golf swing.

Single Leg Box Squat

In the golf swing there is a certain amount of weight transfer from one leg to the other.

The Single leg squat helps determine: single leg strength needed for power generation, lower body stability and acceleration / deceleration of the weight transfer from the rear leg to the front leg in the golf swing.

Directions Stand on a sturdy box or bench, allowing one leg to hang freely.

Place your arms out in front and engage the lower abdominals. Slowly lower into the squat position, Hold for the required time and return to start position.

The test has two parts.

Part one: A three-level static squat test. Start at position 1 and hold for 5 seconds.

If you are successful at the 1st level, try the next level, working your way through each level.

Position 1 – The knee is bent to 120o Position 2 – The knee is bent to 90o Position 3 – The thigh is parallel to the floor Part two: Perform (5) repetitions at the level you achieved in part one of the test.

Points to look at in both part 1 and 2: • Correct depth (knee and hip bend) • Ankle, knee and hip alignment • Sole of the foot not lifting • Hips level

• Trunk straight and parallel with the shin.

Problems found in the stated points above, may indicate either more work need in this area or further investigation by a trained professional.

Lying Pull Up

Strong upper back muscles allow for better control and power transfer to the golf club, whilst under the speed of the golf swing.

Directions Set the bar in the rack at around the height of your navel.

Lie underneath the bar and grip the bar at shoulder width.

Lift the hips off the floor, making the body straight and rigid from head to feet.

Pull up with both arms and touch the bar with your chest.

Return to the start position and repeat until you are unable to continue or reach 10 repetitions.

• Only touching the bar counts as a repetition.

• Any break in posture (hips too high or dropping), indicates a need for more strength training in this area.

Repetition Scoring <4 = Poor 4-5 = Below average 6-7 = Average 8-9 = Above Average 10 = Desirable

Push Up

The push up is often considered a basic, common exercise.

However, not only does it show upper body strength of the front of the body, it also indicates the ability to maintain posture in the frontal plane as well.

The main points to look at are: • There is only one type of push up. EVERYONE performs push ups on their toes.

• Hands are slightly wider than the shoulders • Body must maintain a straight and braced position • Heads stays in a neutral position (looking at the floor) • Shoulders are down and back (not overly rounded)

Push up

Single leg squat

Lying pull up

• Elbows fairly close to the body (not flaring out) • Elbows bend to 90o For younger players and women, a push up can be more challenging.

There are two testing levels provided, use the appropriate level for your ability.

Testing level 1 <5 = Poor 6-8 = Below average 9-11 = Average 12-14 = Above Average 15 = Desirable Testing level 2

<15 = Poor 15-19 = Below average 20-24 = Average 25-29 = Above Average 30 = Desirable Of course there are many other tests you may like to do to assess your fitness.

These I have outlined, are just a few of the more commonly known tests, which I feel will give you the best basic indication of where your golf fitness currently is and what can be improved.

Happy Golfing •

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

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travel

Rocking it out in the Canadian Rockies More than mountains and snow-capped scenery, the Canadian Rockies opens its strong arms to travellers and warmly welcomes them. Canadians are a generous lot and are immensely proud to show off their beautiful backyard to visitors. And what a backyard it is! Jam-packed with quality golf courses and excellent facilities and service around each corner. Dramatic backdrops frame every shot and it’s not difficult between the bears and the majestic scenery to often find yourself distracted. Often the courses are sculpted masterfully through valleys and rugged undulations, ducking and weaving through fresh pine forests and clever water ways.

It was a true pleasure—not to mention challenge—for us to experience golf in this region, the added bonus of the wildlife adventure that is carrying on beside our game completely unaware of our loose shots. It was just magic to be up in the mountains playing the wonderful layout of Nicklaus North or the Westin Bear Mountain and looking down the fairway at the Banff Springs hotel nestled into the mountain. Even better was knowing when we finished our round that beautiful big castle on the hill was to be our home for a couple of nights. There’s a real sense of history as you pass through its impressive corridors, and a warmth that you just can’t explain.

After our golf at Banff Springs it was off to the national parks in the area, and there really is none more beautiful than Lake Louise in Alberta. The silver and whites of the snow were highlighted by the turquoise waters resting below the mountains. For Australians, visions like this are usually only in travel books and it was a moment that stole my breath away.

Harder even to believe that this once was all ice, especially since our guide told us the

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Resort lake at its deepest is 90 metres. Some say that Moraine Lake, famous for its indigo blue water is even more picturesque – I can’t even imagine something better than Lake Louise.

The next stop on our whirlwind adventure of the west was Kelowna, often called the wine glass of the west for its abundant fruit (grapes especially, I was delighted to note!). What goes better than golf and wine, I wondered? Not much.

We were spoiled with a round on the Canyon Course at Gallagher’s, immaculately prepared and in excellent condition on the day we played.

The much-hyped Mission Hills winery was to follow and everyone we met in Kelowna were

keen to talk up the experience. It was more than the first class food and the amazing wines; it was the way in which they told their story and the skill. Delicious memories to keep.

There was still so much more to share of our adventure in Canada: Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria. Wow, wow and more wow! We loved the time that we spent taking in its beauty and being embraced by its people.

The next Canadian Rockies Golf Tour departs 8th July 2013. For more info contact Go Golfing Travel on 07 5536 3280 or email info@gogolfing.net.au.

A full list of Go Golfing’s tours and tournaments is available at www.gogolfing.net.au •

Work begins for Olympic golf course site Following a series of ongoing legal disputes regarding land ownership, clearing work has finally started at the site of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games golf course after the necessary permit for the removal of the nonnative vegetation was issued by the city.

The process clears the way for construction to begin as originally planned this month.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, said: “We are delighted that work has begun on the golf venue and we remain on track to deliver the golf course for a test event in 2015 as scheduled. This venue will provide a key element of the Rio 2016 legacy as the first public course in Rio de Janeiro, and it will play a pivotal role in the development of the sport of golf in Brazil.”

Course designer Gil Hanse, from US-based Hanse Golf Course Design, commented: “We are very excited and pleased to have begun the initial clearing of the site. It is the start of a long process to transform this property into a beautiful golf course, and we are happy to get started.”

The announcement will come as a giant relief to Hanse (and Olympic organisers) as the delays had put the design “right up against the deadline” to get the layout ready for test tournaments.

The golf course will be built in Barra, the area that will host more than half of the Olympic sports in 2016. It is a privately funded project that will be located approximately 5km from the Athletes’ Village.

Golf made its debut at the second modern Olympics in Paris in 1900, but was removed after the 1904 St. Louis Games. •

travel

Vietnam’s a breeze with Golf Life Tours Vietnam’s natural beauty is the inspiration for some of the world’s most pristine golf courses. The courses and the challenges they offer are as diverse as the country’s rich culture.

Golf Life Tours (GLT) provides tailor-made holidays throughout Vietnam and much of Asia.

Although specialising in Golf holidays to Vietnam, GLT design holidays to fit any request. Whether corporate or incentive, couples or groups, honeymooners or families, bucks or hens looking for a cultural, golf, culinary, luxury, wellness and / or photography holiday–they can make it happen. Their strength as a boutique operator means they speak personally to every client to share firsthand knowledge of the region and ensure all requirements are met with competitive pricing. Founders Phil Jordan and Patrick Kelly can join you as tour directors for any given trip on request.

Prior to GLT, Phil worked for 7 years as a Tour Director and Product Manager with Travel Indochina across numerous countries.

He was in charge of contracting all suppliers and designing all the itineraries for major Australian operators. Having lived in Vietnam and Laos for over seven years Phil has made a wealth of contacts and can give you an insight into the region and design an itinerary other operators are unable to provide.

Patrick spent 4 years working, teaching and playing golf throughout Vietnam. He is a certified teaching professional and can give specialised golf lessons sharing his intimate knowledge of the local courses. Paddy knows the courses in Vietnam inside out and has trekked their fairways countless times. His golfing knowledge and skills gives and added insight into this beautiful destination.

Phil Jordan and Patrick Kelly Having over 10 years experience in the region combined with industry experience in both travel and golf is what separates GLT from any other travel agents. They guarantee insight and experience no others operator can provide.

Working directly with ground handlers, their contacts and suppliers in Asia ensures the best possible prices. Their chosen charities,

SwimVietnam and Streets International are ensured of their ongoing support. Countries in which they operate are Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Bhutan, China and Tibet.

For more information, contact Phil Jordan— Director. phil@golflifetours.com, Phone 0412 352788, web: www.golflifetours.com Travel Agent No – 3587909. Travel Compensation fund member •

Toowoomba GC wins Qld PGA award Last month, Toowoomba Golf Club was awarded the prestigious Qld PGA Regional Tournament of the Year award for their hosting of the Toowoomba BMW & Westpac Middle Ridge Pro Am Classic. The event offered $27,500 in prize money and boasted joint winners Ben Bloomfield and Marcus Cain. In addition, the award also recognised the Pat O’Driscoll Real Estate &Tropical Auto Group Capricorn Classic for their $100,000 tournament.

“I am absolutely overwhelmed with this recognition and the praise given to how we conducted our tournament,” said Toowoomba General Manager Steve Owen.

“Last year we made a decision to increase the prize pool to qualify as a divisional tournament which offered the winners a 12-month exemption on the full PGA Australian Tour for the winner. This attracted a stellar field of quality players including 1990 US PGA Champion Wayne Grady. Our sponsors Toowoomba BMW and Westpac Toowoomba have been very involved in the presentation of the event and, frankly, without their support the event could not have been the success that it was.”

The event is now fixed into the PGA Tour calendar to be conducted on the last Friday in September each year.

The sport of golf is enjoying wonderful success in Toowoomba with the Queensland PGA Championship being conducted at City Golf Club and now the Toowoomba Golf Club – Middle Ridge being awarded 2012 Regional Tournament of the Year. City Golf Club was recognised by the PGA as Club of the Year. •

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

73

senior events

NATIONAL

shared by Queenslander Brad Oliver (81-77-80) and Victorian Gary Easte (78-77-83).

The 2013 Tasmanian Senior Amateur Championship was the next event and Stefan Albinski claimed his third Tasmanian title with a comprehensive 8 stroke victory. Albinski (73-73-75) led all the way to defeat NSW seniors David Limbach (78-74-77) and Vince Clark (81-74-74).

The 2013 NSW Senior Amateur Championship was played at the very well-presented Howlong Golf Club on the NSW-Victorian border. A large field of more than 160 seniors enjoyed the challenge of the narrow fairways and high quality greens plus warm hospitality of the host club.

The NSW Seniors Championship has produced

play-off finishes for the past two years and although not requiring another play-off the 2013 championship was certainly an exciting finish.

Trailling leader Stefan Albinski by three shots with only two holes remaining ACT’s Bill Banks finished his round well with an excellent par on the difficult parthree seventeenth and then a perfect putt from more than 10 metres for a birdie on the eighteenth.

At the same time Albinski was three-putting seventeen for a double bogey to see his comfortable three-stroke lead disappear. Needing a birdie on the final hole to claim the title, Albinski looked a great chance when he played two perfect shots to the green.

He carefully lined up his six-metre putt. It was a well struck putt and on a good line but it ran a little too far.

When he missed the return putt, the 2013 title belonged to Bill Banks. Rounds of 70-74-70 gave Banks a total of four-over-par for the tournament. Albinski’s rounds were 70-72-73.

Third place went to NSW’s Greg McKay who had led the championship with opening rounds of 71 and 70 before closing with a round of 75. McKay edged out fellow NSW senior Terry Small (73-69-75) who was one of only two players to record an under par round.

For the very experienced Banks it was his fifth NSW

senior title, with the first being in 2003. Although a couple of years past the age of 65, and belonging to the Super Senior bracket, age seems no barrier to Banks who is now playing some of the best golf of his career.

Albinski has had a dominant career in senior golf and has won every state and national title except the NSW Senior Championship. He has now finished one stroke from victory in the last two NSW championships.

Perhaps 2014 at Forster-Tuncurry will be his year?

Albinski’s second place was enough to reclaim top position on the Australian Senior Ranking table edging ahead of previous leader Queenslander Peter King by the narrowest of margins.

More information on upcoming national ranking events and full ranking tables available on the AUSOOM website - www.ausoom.com

The 2013 competition for Victoria’s senior amateur golfers (the Doug Bachli Trophy) is well underway with six of the twenty seven events now completed.

There is also a season-long handicap competition.

The 2013 Doug Bachli has a familiar name on the top of the leaderboard –Michael Jackson from the Yarra Yarra club. Jackson won this competition in 2009 and finishes in the top few places every year. He leads from fellow Yarra Yarra member Guy Krall with well-travelled Victorian Wayne Aigner in third place.

The winners of the opening tournaments have been: Kooringal Seniors Scratch: Bill Findlay (Kooringal) 72-72 = 144 Handicap: Bill Findlay (Kooringal) 68-68 = 136

Royal Melbourne Senior Classic Scratch: Rick Oliver (Young) 81-73-82 = 236 Handicap: Robert Burford (Devil Bend) 81-7575 = 231 Keysborough Senior Amateur Scratch: Michael Jackson (Yarra Yarra) 73, Andrew Hansen (Eastern) 73 Handicap: Ian Henry (Brighton) 65 Yarra Courses Senior Amateur Scratch: Gary Easte (Spring Valley) 75, Michael Jackson (Yarra Yarra) 75 Handicap: Graham Bone (Commonwealth) 70 Surf Coast Senior Amateur Scratch: John Keller (Hill Top) 78-77 = 155, Keith O’Brien (Rossdale) 80-75 = 155 Handicap: Mike McCallum (The Sands) 66-73 = 139

Lonsdale Senior Amateur Scratch: Ray Walker (Chirnside Park) 76-70 = 146 Handicap: Alan Hunter (Thirteenth Beach) 6964 = 133 Further information on the Doug Bachli Order of Merit is available on the Golf Victoria website www.golfvic.org.au

Four events completed in 2013 ranking competition The 2013 Australian Senior Ranking competition is well underway with four of the sixteen events to be held in the new ranking year now complete.

The first event was the ACT Senior Amateur Championship where the winner was ACT local Bill Banks (76-74-77 = 227) with NSW players Steve Gibson (80-76-74 = 230) and Denis Dale (76-79-76 = 231) finishing in the minor places. This victory made it back-to-back ACT Senior titles for Banks, the champion senior from the Royal Canberra club.

The second event on the Australian Senior Ranking calendar was the inaugural playing of the Royal Melbourne Senior Classic. Played in mid-January over 54 holes on the East, West and Composite courses this was a wonderful tournament. NSW senior Rick Oliver (81-73-82) had the honour of winning the first Royal Melbourne Classic when he defeated NSW senior Denis Dale (80-82-74) in a play-off. Third place was

VICTORIA

Jackson early leader in 2013 Doug Bachli

Michael Jackson leads the 2013 Order of Merit

Bill Banks, 2013 NSW Senior Champion

2013 Australian Senior Rankings Player

State

Events

Ave.

1

Stefan Albinski

NSW

8

113.73

2

Peter King

QLD

7

113.17

3

Denis Dale

NSW

8

96.23

4

Graham Blizard

NSW

6

93.33

5

Richard Greville

NSW

7

90.36

2013 Victorian Senior Order of Merit Player

Club

Events

Best 8

1

Michael Jackson

Yarra Yarra

5

772

2

Guy Krall

Yarra Yarra

4

503

3

Wayne Aigner

Narooma

6

499

4

Robert Burford

Devil Bend

4

480

5

Barry Tippett

The Sands

5

449

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

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senior events

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

QUEENSLAND

NSW

2013 has seen the introduction of a Senior Order of Merit competition for the state’s senior golfers. Well over forty senior events have been scheduled with tournaments from Cairns in the north to Toowoomba in the west and all along the Queensland coast to the greater Brisbane and Gold Coast region.

Trophies will be awarded to the leading seniors in the open scratch section, a handicap section and an over 65 years section. The Queensland Senior Order of Merit competition is for both senior men and women.

After three very successful and well attended events Brian Kesby from the Headland Golf Club shares the top spot on the Senior Men’s Order of Merit table with North Lakes senior Peter O’Loughlin. Nudgee’s Neil King is in third place. Showing the value of consistent golf the top five places are held by seniors that have entered all the Order of Merit events played so far.

North Lakes’ Wendy O’Donnell has opened a good lead in the Women’s Order of Merit with outright or joint victory in the scratch section of all three events played.

Indooroopilly Seniors – 36 holes Scratch: Monte Fairhall (Ballina) 74-78 = 152 Handicap: Gary Cosier (Indooroopilly) 39-36 = 75 pts Women: Wendy O’Connell (Headland) 74-77 = 152 Wynnum Seniors – 18 holes Scratch: Ken Glasson (Arundel Hills) 70 Handicap: Jim Lyons (Wynnum) 42 pts Women: Wendy O’Connell (Headland) 77 Redcliffe Seniors – 36 holes Scratch: Geoff Williamson (Beerwah) 75-69 = 144 Handicap: Geoff Williamson (Beerwah) 36-42 = 78 pts Women: Wendy O’Connell (Headland)7982=161, Rosie Glasson (Twin Waters) 81-80 = 161

Denis Dale, the defending 2012 champion, holds the lead after six events in the 2013 NSW Senior Order of Merit competition. Dale leads from Mona Vale senior Stefan Albinski with Long Reef’s Ross Bockman very close in third place.

This year there will be more than 40 events in the NSW Order of Merit competition with scores from the best 14 events to count. There is also a seasonlong competition for Over 65 Years seniors.

Belmont Senior - 36 holes Scratch: Denis Dale (Twin Creeks) 78-74 Over 65: Alan Fensom (Wollongong) 76-82 NSW Senior Foursomes - 18 holes Scratch: Dave Limbach & Sal Ballard (Penrith) 71 Over 65: Jack Parker (Wyong) & Geoff Everett (The Lakes) 76 St Michael’s Seniors - 18 holes Scratch: Denis Dale (Twin Creeks) 68 Over 65: Tom Yates (Bexley) 76 Wollongong Seniors - 18 holes Scratch: Greg Stanford (Mona Vale) 72 Over 65: Denis Dale (Twin Creeks) 75 Concord Seniors - 18 holes Scratch: Paul Maslen (Concord) 71 Over 65: Denis Dale (Twin Creeks) 79 NSW Senior Amateur Championship - 54 holes Scratch: Bill Banks (Royal Canberra) 70-74-70 Over 65: Roy Vandersluis (The Lakes) 71-73-76 Details on all events and the full Order of Merit tables are available on the Golf NSW website www. golfnsw.org.

Inaugural Senior Order of Merit begins

2013 Senior Order of Merit underway

2013 Blackwood Seniors (l. to r.) - Chris Claxton, Keith Parry-Jones and Lindsay Elliott 2012 saw the introduction of the inaugural South Australian Senior Order of Merit. The competition continues in 2013 with an additional event scheduled for Kooyonga Golf Club. There is also a season-long competition for Over 65 Years seniors.

There are seven events counting towards the 2013 Order of Merit with the first five 100 point events held at Blackwood, Tea Tree Gully, Mt Osmond, Flagstaff Hill, and Kooyonga clubs. The year ends with two major events - the Grange Senior Classic (36 holes and 200 points) and the South Australian Senior Amateur Championship at Gawler GC (54 holes and 300 points).

The first event played in 2013 was the Blackwood Seniors and local member Chris Claxton was the convincing winner with the fine score of 74 on his home course. Second place with scores of 77 was shared by the 2012 SA Senior Order of Merit winner Clive Renner (Flagstaff Hill) and another Blackwood member, Lindsay Elliott. Richard Clark (Blackwood) was the leading Over 65 golfer with a round of 79.

2013 South Australian Senior Order of Merit Player

Club

Events

Points

1

Chris Claxton

Blackwood

1

100

2

Clive Renner

Flagstaff Hill

1

83

3

Lindsay Elliott

Blackwood

1

83

4

Greg Harrison

Thaxted Park

1

75

5

Richard Clark *

Blackwood

1

67

Dale leads 2013 NSW Senior Order of Merit

2013 NSW Senior Order of Merit Player

Club

Events

Best 12

1

Denis Dale

Twin Creeks

6

850

2

Stefan Albinski

Mona Vale

3

685

3

Ross Bockman

Long Reef

5

669

4

Greg Stanford

Mona Vale

5

531

5

Jack Parker

Wyong

3

475

COMING SENIOR AMATEUR EVENTS April 1 Bonnie Doon Seniors NSW April 3 Sanctuary Cove Seniors QLD April 4-5 Alpine Seniors at

Bright GC VIC April 8 Southport Seniors QLD April 15 Mount Osmond Seniors SA April 16-18 * The National Senior

Masters VIC April 21 Jubilee Seniors at Bowral NSW April 22 Coolangatta Tweed Seniors QLD April 29 Manly Seniors NSW April 29 Colonial Seniors QLD April 29 Flagstaff Hill Seniors SA May 2-3 Golf Victoria vs ADFGA

at Sorrento VIC May 5-7 Golf Australia vs ADFGA

at The National VIC May 6-9 Cobram-Barooga Seniors VIC May 8 Manildra Sand Greens Championship NSW May 9-10 Orange Seniors NSW May 10 Mandurah Seniors WA May 13 Burleigh Heads Seniors QLD May 14 Mona Vale Seniors NSW May 20-22 *Sydney Senior Classic

(The Lakes, The Australian

and Avondale GCs) VIC May 20 Commonwealth Seniors VIC May 28 Strathfield Seniors NSW May 30-June 2 *Northern Territory

Seniors at Darwin GC NT May 31 Mt Coolum Seniors QLD *Part of the Australian Senior Ranking System Compiled by Denis Dale

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

75

events

Ticket to ride NSW pair wins Auto Club Championship David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

GARRY Roberts and Shane Hogan only had one thing on their minds after winning the 36-hole Auto Club Golf Championship final at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast – passports.

That’s because the major winners’ prize was a trip for four to Malaysia to play in the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge next month.

After a big night of celebrations at the gala presentation dinner, Garry arrived home to check if his passport was valid.

It was, but Shane didn’t even have a passport and hurriedly had to apply for one to ensure he, too, would be on the plane to Malaysia.

The pair, representing Yamba Golf Club, won the event after carding a 36-hole total of 103 points for a remarkable come-from-behind win in wet and heavy conditions.

On day one, the duo returned 48 points to be in third place behind Southern Golf Club’s Dexter Plack and Jack Miltos (51 points) and Mount Lawley’s Travis and David Northey (50 points).

After a good night’s rest, Shane and Garry fired up in round two scoring a massive 55 points to edge out Dexter and Jack (50 points) by two points.

Oxley Golf Club’s Chris Bath and Barry Thoms (46-52 – 98) finished third.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said stunned winner Garry Roberts.

“We had 50 points walking up the last and I said to Shane ‘that’s a good score’.

“I made a seven for two points on the last hole and then Shane holed a monster putt for a birdie and five points … unbelievable.

“When the big fella got that five-pointer he couldn’t stop smiling.”

Shane was the team’s rock on day one, according to Garry.

“Shane played really well and got most of the points to keep us in contention,” he said.

“On Friday (day 2), we teamed together really well and one of us had a ball on the fairway most of the time.

“Shane has a new Titleist driver and he was really consistent off the tee.

“The guys we played in the second round (Peter Lambert and William Thomas Basan from Magenta Shores) were really nice blokes.

“They urged us on a bit even though they were in the top-four themselves.”

Garry, who plays off a handicap of 33, and Shane, off 26, qualified for the final after winning the regional event at Yamba Golf Club.

“I found out about the event in Inside Golf magazine, which I pick up every month from the club,” Garry said. “Shane and I are members at Casino Golf Club, but they didn’t have a regional event so we entered at Yamba.

“I’m really glad we did because it’s an unbelievably good event.

“It was such an enjoyable experience and the people we met from all around Australia and New Zealand were just the nicest people.

“There’s definitely a wow factor to the Auto Club Golf Championship.

“Tournament director John Harriss and his team did a great job and the gala dinner, with Brett Ogle as emcee, was fantastic.

“We had a ball and would love to come back again next year.”

More than 2500 golfers took part in regional qualifiers with 48 pairs from around Australia and New Zealand making it to the final.

As their prize, the regional winners each received a three-night trip to the Gold Coast for golf, fun and luxury at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

“This year we are hoping to attract 5000 competitors and in 2014 we are aiming for 10,000,” Harriss said.

HIGH FIVE: Garry Roberts (left) and playing partner Shane Hogan celebrate after winning the Auto Club Golf Championship and a trip to the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge in Malaysia.

Still, Garry and Shane have a dilemma. They have to mull over who will join them at the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Challenge.

“We talked about it in the car on the way home,” Garry said. “There are so many people we can take, but whoever we choose we are bound to step on someone’s toes.

“We will take someone whose company we enjoy and who we get along with.

“When I arrived home and broke the news to

my wife Jackie she said, ‘I have a passport, I’ll go with you’.

“I said, ‘yes, but you don’t have a handicap’.

Jackie’s whole family play golf and she is a handy golfer, but she doesn’t have a handicap.”

Jackie might not make the “team”, but the odds of her going as a member of the support crew and gallery are extremely good.

“Jackie’s already been on the internet looking it up and is pretty keen to go,” said father of four, Garry. •

Ace amateurs drive away winners NO ONE could wipe the smiles off the faces of Aussie Nelson Delpledge and Kiwi David James at the Auto Club Golf Championship.

That’s because both players drove away with a brand-new Suzuki motor vehicle – Nelson winning a Suzuki Kizashi for a holein-one in a regional event at Victor Harbour

in South Australia and David a Suzuki Alto after winning a four-person shootout at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

David, from Wellington in New Zealand, edged out Grace Zabajnik, Garry Roberts and Warren Byrnes in the shootout.

Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers

ACE: Nelson Delpledge receives the keys to a Suzuki Kizashi from Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers.

76

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

was at RACV Royal Pines to present Nelson and David with the keys to their new cars.

“How good was that,” exclaimed excited gala presentation dinner emcee Brett Ogle from Fox Sports.

More than 200 attended the magnificent Scottish-themed gala presentation dinner.

THUMBS UP: Shootout winner David James takes possession of a Suzuki Alto.

A formal precession from the RAAF Amberley Pipe Band Guests ushered in the guests who enjoyed a sumptuous meal and entertainment by special guest, famous Scotsman “Sir Sean”, flown in especially for the evening.

Ogle, too, ensured it was a fun-filled night by sharing his golf knowledge and adding a personal touch to the event.

Earlier in the evening, Ogle interviewed one of Australia’s hottest golfing prospects Stacey Keating.

Keating was a tournament guest and spent the final day on the par-3 11th tee greeting players and hitting tee shots to the 11th green.

If a competitor’s ball finished closer to the pin than Keating’s they won a prize.

The two-time Ladies European Tour winner and Women’s Victorian Open champion peppered the flag all day, but a few competitors did manage to claim a prize.

Of course, the major prizes went to inaugural champions Garry Roberts and Shane Hogan and car winners Nelson Delpledge and David James.

events

Holden Scramble staying put FANS of the Holden Scramble Championship final remaining at Twin Waters Golf Club and Novotel Twin Waters Resort cheered last month when news broke the championship final would remain on the Sunshine Coast.

When the PGA of Australia decided to take its flagship event, the Australian PGA Championship, 190 kilometres down the highway from Palmer Coolum Resort to RACV Royal Pines, some in the industry thought the Holden Scramble Championship final would follow.

But PGA of Australia CEO Brian Thorburn put those rumours to bed when the Holden Scramble officially got underway for its 22nd season at Twin Waters Golf Club.

“The PGA of Australia loves the Sunshine Coast,” he said.

“It has been a happy destination for many of our programs and professionals so we are pleased to be returning for the Holden Scramble Championship Final for the next three years.

“Over the years we have witnessed some exciting golfing memories played out at the Twin Waters Golf Club with many more highlights coming off the course at the excellent facilities provided by the Novotel Twin Waters Resort.”

And GM Holden has re-signed its naming right sponsorship of the Holden Scramble for a further three years.

GM Holden chairman and managing director Mike Devereux said he was delighted to announce the extension of a partnership with the PGA. “Our commitment will take the Holden Scramble into its 22nd year and beyond and we look forward to working closely with the PGA in growing Australia’s most popular teams’ golf event,” he said.

“The Holden Scramble has formed a key part of our commitment to the Australian public over the past 22 years, as it allows Holden and our network

of dealerships to engage with the local community through golf at the grassroots level.”

Last year was a successful year for the Scramble with 453 events staged around the country and 37,000 participants competing nationally, making it the largest number since 2005.

“The Holden Scramble has become a highlight on the golfing calendar for many of our professionals and their club members thanks to the support of GM Holden,” Thorburn said.

He also announced the continued commitment of the Naturally Refreshing Sunshine Coast as the official destination partner of the Holden Scramble Championship.

Since its inception in 1992, the Holden Scramble has continued to be a market leader in golf events and has pioneered teams’ golf competitions in Australia.

The event has also contributed to expanding the PGA’s international relations with other golfing bodies including the PGA of New Zealand and the China Golf Association.

Meanwhile, China claimed the Australian round of the 2013 Championship Tour at Twin Waters Golf Club.

The Chinese team ran out comfortable winners over the 2012 Holden Scramble Championship final qualifiers.

After the opening round, the Chinese team made up of the top 12 players from the China Golf Club League combined well in the 4BBB stroke round to put themselves in a dominating position heading into the final round.

The Australian Scramblers could not catch China over the final single stroke round at the challenging, but immaculate Twin Waters layout.

China finished strongly closing out the event with a net score of 1108, averaging 69.25 a round across each of their team members.

Having lost each of the three Championship Tour events already held, the Australian team will be looking to rectify this result in Shanghai, China in early May. •

2012 Golf NSW Vardon Trophy National squad member Brett Drewitt from Long Reef GC was successful in winning the 2012 Golf NSW Vardon Trophy after finishing the year with a scoring average of 69.78 from his 32 rounds contested. This was the second Vardon Trophy win for Drewitt after he claimed the award in 2011 as well. Drewitt’s year was highlighted by outstanding performances in some of Australia’s elite amateur events with a second place finish at the Tasmanian Open and a third placing at the Keperra Bowl. Drewitt was crowned NSW Amateur Champion after featuring in a playoff for the NSW Medal, had a top ten finish at the Golf SA Amateur Classic and qualified for the US Amateur amongst a busy schedule of events.

Daniel Bringolf from The Australian GC improved on his third place finish in 2011 to be the 2012 Vardon Trophy Runner-Up with a scoring average of 69.89. Bringolf claimed victories at The Australian Cup and Pennant Hills Cup with scores of 69 and 70 respectively and featured in top ten finishes at The Tasmanian Open and Keperra Bowl. Bringolf rounded out his year with solid result at The City of Sydney Amateur, including a final round 66, before captaining his club side to the 2012 Eric Apperly Shield title.

The top ten from 2012 were: Vardon Trophy Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Name Brett Drewitt Daniel Bringolf Jordan Zunic Ricky Kato Dimi Papadatos Callan O’Reilly Troy Moses William Flitcroft Luke Humphries John Yim

Club Long Reef The Australian Bonnie Doon Bonnie Doon Moore Park Pennant Hills Bonnie Doon The Royal Sydney Pymble New South Wales

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

Avg 69.78 69.89 69.90 70.02 70.14 70.20 70.48 71.15 71.28 71.30

77

events

Canberra turning it on for veterans Brian O’Hare ed@insidegolf.com.au

THE 2013 Australian Veteran Golfers Union National Championship in Canberra is shaping up as a beauty with three top courses selected for the November event and the national capital turning on lots of celebrations in its centenary year.

Around 400 older golfers from across the country are expected to take part in the weeklong event and to take advantage of the hospitality afforded by Canberra and the surrounding region.

November is an ideal time to visit the “bush capital” with usually mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine.

There’s also a wealth of man-made and natural attractions in the city and surrounds to keep everyone interested and entertained when not on the fairways. This is particularly the case with 2013 with many special events and attractions celebrating the Centenary of Canberra.

The AVGU National Championship is an annual event that rotates around the states and territories.

It is open to male and female golfers aged 55 and over with an official handicap.

The Canberra event comes after a highly successful 2012 championship on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula which attracted more than 450 competitors. As well as the serious golf, there’s

lots of fun and fraternity involved and many were quick to rebook for the ACT championship.

The event will take place from November 17 – 22, with competitors playing all three courses over the week – Gold Creek Country Club, Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club and Yowani Country Club.

Planning and preparation for the event has been a three-year labour of love for tournament director Paul Kringas and his team from the ACT Region Veteran Golfers Association.

Asked how the pre-tournament groundwork was going, Kringas had a quick reply: “Fantastic,” he said.

Fingers crossed and apart from something unexpected like an unseasonal snow fall (which has happened), it should all go like clockwork.

“We’ve got quite a few volunteers, the courses are all on side, the green keepers promise the courses will be in top shape,” Kringas said.

“They will do the greens coring late September, early October to make sure they are ready for November. The courses are looking good and everything is fine.

“The three deputy tournament directors I have on the three courses are working hard: lining up carts, making sure the catering will be provided, coffee on hand early, all the preparations. It has been three years in the planning and we haven’t been dragging our feet.”

Kringas said a big advantage for the tournament was that the three championship courses were all located close to each other.

“We chose the courses to be in very close proximity, there’s only 10 minutes between them, and that’s quite a luxury because some

of the other national championships have had the courses quite far away. In Hobart and Port Macquarie they were quite spread out. But that’s just a matter of luck. We’re fortunate in the ACT that we have three excellent championship courses so close together.

“There is Gold Creek which was designed by Bruce Devlin and was opened by [Lee] Trevino; it hosted the 1996 Australian Senior PGA Championship. It is a super course. And then there is my course, Gungahlin Lakes, which is in the middle. Fourteen holes have water on them and it is a very taxing course. Then there is Yowani, where they used to hold the ACT Open for many years and it is also a great course, it is more tree-lined.

“So they are top courses and they are well run and we have good relations with them so we are expecting a good co-operation.”

After a mixed medley event on the Monday, men will play a 54-hole stroke championship in three grades, with a rest day on Wednesday. For the first time in the national championships, the highest handicapped male golfers (28 – 36) can also elect to play in a new D Grade stableford event. The ladies play stableford events in two grades.

As of March, the tournament had over 200 bookings with organisers having a policy of giving preference to interstate visitors, at least in the lead up to the event.

“We’ve got a couple of hundred already,” Kringas said. “There’s quite a few months to go but the bookings are coming in regularly.”

“Most are from Queensland, WA is popular,

Paul Gringas South Australia. The locals are hanging off ‘till the last minute of course, we told them not to fill the places because they might be filled by travellers and they have preference.”

Kringas was also grateful for the sponsors attracted to the event, which include ActewAGL, APIA and Gungahlin Lakes.

Places in the championship are expected to fill quickly. You can book online at actvetgolf. org or there are links on the Australian Senior Golfer website. • Brian O’Hare is the founder and editor of Australian Senior Golfer, an online magazine providing news, information, entertainment and resources for golfers aged 45 plus. www.australianseniorgolfer.com.au

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www.forstertuncurrygolf.com.au

The home of Sarah Kemp 78

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Indochina Golf and Travel Experts

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Join PGA members Pete Harrington and Grant Garrison (pictured) for the holiday of a lifetime.

8-15 September 2013 ◆ 7 nights 4 star accommodation ◆ Breakfast daily and other meals as specified ◆ 6 rounds of golf including all green fees, cart hire and caddy fees ◆ Domestic flight Saigon and Da Nang ◆ All transport and transfers ◆ All specified touring as per itinerary including entrance fees ◆ Services of Golf Life Tours director Patrick Kelly and local English speaking guides ◆ Clinics and coaching before each round ◆ Custom golf shirt and prizes each day

Single share $2505pp | Twin share $2205pp | Book your Tour now Contact Phil Jordan on 0412 352 788 or phil@golflifetours.com

w w w.golf lifeto urs. co m

calendar

April

Handiskins

When: Various Where: Various Info: www.handiskins.com.au Handiskins is the closest thing to a PRO Tournament that a club golfer will ever play in. 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: Hurstville Golf Club Lorraine Street, Peakhurst NSW 2210 1st Qualifying Round 13th April 2013 2nd Qualifying Round 27th April 2013 3rd Qualifying Round 11th May 2013 4th Qualifying Round 8th June 2013 5th Qualifying Round 22nd June 2013 Final 13th July 2013

Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club Soorley Street, Tweed Heads South NSW 2486 1st Qualifying Round 8th June 2013 2nd Qualifying Round 15th June 2013 3rd Qualifying Round 22nd June 2013 4th Qualifying Round 29th June 2013 5th Qualifying Round 13th July 2013 Final 20th July 2013 Griffith Golf Club Remembrance Drive, Griffith NSW 2680 1st Qualifying Round 8th June 2013 2nd Qualifying Round 28th July 2013 3rd Qualifying Round 10th August 2013 4th Qualifying Round 8th September 2013 5th Qualifying Round 29th September 2013 Final 20th October 2013

ACT Centenary Masters Golf Tournament When: 8th-12th April, 2013 Where: Various courses Info: www.actgolf.com.au, www.canberra100.com.au

The ACT Centenary Masters Golf Tournament is open to all male and female golfers over the age of 35 who have an official golf handicap. The 72-hole event will be single stableford format with handicap divisions determined by entries with a minimum of two Mens and one Womens division.

Daily prizes in each division to 4th place, nearest the pins for men and women each day and a ball competition each day.

Overall prizes for each division to 3rd place.

The event will be played at four of Canberra’s better courses, and as the weather in Canberra in April is usually very good, the event will surely be a hit. There will be plenty of things for non golf playing partners to do as well.

Cost is $380 per player if booking on-line through MiTournament, and includes four rounds of golf, meals, gift pack and presentation lunch. Early bird special of $350 if booked on MiTournament before January 1st. Paper or emailed entry $390 ($360 early bird before January 1st.) Presentation Lunch only for non golfers: $55. Accommodation: 23 rooms available at Yowani Country Club for approx $130 per night – first in basis.

two Men and two Ladies with Golf Australia Handicaps who will play aggregate stableford both days. A 2 tee start on Saturday from 10.30am and Sunday 9am followed by presentations. Entries Close Wednesday 24th April 2013 More information: email: bhpro@optusnet.com.au; Phone: Clubhouse: 02 4787 8406, Pro Shop 02 4787 5643

ESP Corporate Golf Day

Mornington Peninsula Golf Tourism will be hosting its fourth annual amateur golf Tournament with 72 holes being played over four days from 6th May at Moonah Links, St Andrews Beach, Eagle Ridge and Rosebud Country Club. Golfers will play on all courses during the four days and compete for the prestigious Overall Champion trophy as well as daily prizes. A choice of morning or afternoon tee times is available. Groups and individuals are set to have a good time beginning with registration at Dromana Estate winery on Sunday 5th May and finishing up with an optional 4BBB on the following Friday. A Celebrity Sports Dinner is another option.

Places still available – closing date 17th April.

Where: Woodlands Golf Club, Mordialloc When: Friday 26 April Info: Marc Wilson 0419 107 143 or Rick Bean 0424 095 143 Enjoy a great day of golf and help support local junior sporting programs. The competition is the very popular ‘Gentsomes’ format (which will be explained on the day), followed by a sumptuous three-course dinner featuring guest speaker sporting celebrities from AFL, Soccer, Netball Vic, Triathlon Vic, and a AAA Golf coach.

Entries close Friday 19th April or when field is full. Limited playing sponsorship packages available now.

Women’s Autumn Meeting When: 29th April to 2nd May Where: ACT Info: www.golfnsw.org

The Women’s Autumn Meeting is a four-day event which begins with two days of 18-hole scratch events (overall 36 hole event) for all three Divisions. Day 3 is an 18-hole foursomes event, followed by a Best Ball vs. Par Teams event on Day 4. The draw for the event is semi seeded for Days 1 and 2, with players nominating their playing partners on Days 3 and 4.

The hosts for this year’s event include Federal, Murrumbidgee, Queanbeyan, Gungahlin Lakes, Gold Creek, Viking Capital, Belconnen and Yowani Golf Clubs. This event has been held over many years and attracts women golfers from around the state, it has been an opportunity for the competitors to meet up with old friends and make some new ones.

The Presentation Dinner is always an enjoyable evening and this year it is again at Yowani Country Club on Tuesday 2 May. Entries close Friday 12 April 2013.

For further information, contact Nicole Bessant at Golf NSW on 02 9505 9105 or email nicole.bessant@golfnsw.org

May

Mornington Peninsula Golf Classic When: 5th-10th May Where: Various courses Info: Val Mackintosh – 0409 112070 or info@golfmorningtonpeninsula.com.au

Men’s and Women’s NSW Mid-Amateur Championships When: Sunday 5, Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 May 2013 Where: Nelson Bay Golf Club Info: www.golfnsw.org.

The Men’s NSW Mid Amateur Championship is open to male amateurs who are between 30-54 years of age, with a handicap of 9.4 and under. It is stroke play over three rounds of 18-holes. The draw for the first two days of play is random, with a seeded draw for the final round.

The Women’s NSW Mid Amateur Championship is open to female amateurs who are between 30-54 years of age (Handicap TBA). It is stroke play over two rounds of 18-holes (play will be on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 May). The draws for both rounds will be random.

This year a gourmet BBQ buffet dinner will be held on the Sunday evening, open to all entrants and their guests. Cost for this is just $25, payable at the time of entry.

There are a number of prizes awarded for the Championships, including scratch and nett winners.

Pink Sports Day for Breast Cancer Network Australia

2013 Redleaf Resort Autumn Bowl When: May 4-5 Where: Blackheath Golf Club Info: bhpro@optusnet.com

A 36-hole mixed teams stableford event, with teams of

When: Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 May – Mother’s Day weekend Where: Over 1,000 sporting clubs across the country Sporting clubs around Australia will ‘pink up’ their clubs on Mother’s Day weekend for Breast Cancer Network Australia’s (BCNA) annual Pink Sports Day. Previously the Pink Footy & Netball Day, this year Pink Sports Day is involving all kinds of

A U S T R A L I A’ S M O S T R E A D G O L F M A G A Z I N E

Queensland PGA Sunshine Tour Proud Sponsors 80

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

calendar sporting clubs from AFL to lawn bowls. Hockey teams, tennis courts, netball clubs and more will be turning HOT PINK to pay tribute to those in their community affected by breast cancer.

Last year more than 900 sporting clubs took part and raised almost $350,000 for BCNA.

8th & 9th from 7.30am. Entries close 24th May. Entries to: www.golfvic.org.au or Golf Victoria, PO Box 287, Mulgrave VIC 3170. Telephone: 03 8545 6200 Facsimile 03 9543 9307 Email tournament@golfvic.org.au.

Women’s NSW Senior Amateur Championship

When: 1 - 2 June Where: Mudgee Golf Club Info: www.golfnsw.org or nicole.bessant@golfnsw.org

When: 20, 21, 23 and 24 May 2013.

Where: Manly Golf Club Info: Christy Collier on 9505 9105 or christy.collier@golfnsw.org.

2013 Mixed Weekend Tournament

The Championship is open to female amateurs who are 55 years of age or over as at the first day of play, whose handicap does not exceed 28 strokes at the date of entry.

The event is also part of the Women’s NSW Senior Order of Merit.

The Women’s NSW Senior Amateur Championship is played over 36 holes qualifying rounds. The eight best scratch scores qualify for the Senior Amateur Championship Match play.

For players who do not qualify in the Senior Championship Match Play, there is also match play broken down by age category: Each Match shall consist of one round of 18 holes, or as many holes as is required to achieve a result.

Entries are now open–$70 via hard copy, or $60 online. To enter log onto www.golfnsw.org. Entries close Friday 3 May 2013.

Mudgee Golf Club is the new 2013 host for the increasingly popular Mixed Weekend Tournament. This event will be held on Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 June 2013. This two-day event is open to male or female amateur golfers who hold a current Australian, or overseas equivalent handicap.

The format for the first day of play is 18-holes Fourball Best Ball Stableford Medley and on Sunday 18-holes Irish Stableford Teams event. This event is a great opportunity for golfers of all levels to get away for the weekend for some relaxing and enjoyable golf at Mudgee Golf Club.

Entry is $115 per person for two days of golf, Saturday night dinner and prizes. $10 from every entry goes to Country Clubs in need for flood or drought.

Entries are now open online at www.golfnsw.org. Entries close Friday 17 May 2013 at 5.00pm.

For further information, contact Nicole Bessant at Golf NSW on 02 9505 9105 or email nicole.bessant@golfnsw.org

JUNE

August

Golf NSW – April Calendar Golf NSW Events Event Venue Date(s) Men’s NSW Foursomes Magenta Shores G & CC 21 April Championship Women’s NSW Foursomes Magenta Shores G & CC 21 April Championship Men’s Vardon Events Toukley Cup Toukley GC Magenta Shores Open Magenta Shores G & CC Amateur Eastlake Amateur Eastlake GC Richmond Cup Richmond GC Jubilee Cup Bowral GC Manly Cup Manly GC

1 April 7 April 13 April 20 April 21 April 28 April

Women’s Jean Derrin / Senior Order of Merit Events Division One (Two & Three) Royal Canberra GC 4 April Open Day Bankstown Salver Bankstown GC 18 April Treloar Cup Tamworth GC 28 April Men’s Senior Order of Merit Events Bonnie Doon Seniors Bonnie Doon GC (Stableford) Jubilee Cup Seniors Bowral GC Manly Seniors Manly GC

1 April 21 April 29 April

Victorian Par 3 Amateur Championships

Port Stephens Golf Classic

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

The Women’s Championships will take place on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th of June, and will be played over 36 holes of stroke play. Handicap limit is 36. Field limit is 140.

Men’s Championships will be on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of June, to be played over 54 holes of stroke play.

Handicap limit 20. Field limit 90. On-course breakfast available

Port Stephens Classic offers golfers a unique experience on the NSW Coast with the Golf Tournament being played on three premier golf courses. This year the Port Stephens Golf Classic Tournament will be played twice on Nelson Bay Golf Course, Newcastle Golf Course Fern Bay and Pacific Dunes at Medowie.

The Port Stephens Golf Classic is now in its 15th year and always books out. It is a visitor only event with play over four days for 190 to 200 golfers. Only visitors to the region are able to participate in the Port Stephens Classic. Male and Female golfers can participate in the Port Stephens Classic over four days and can win prizes worth upwards of $5000.

When: June Where: Kyabram Parkland Golf Club Info: www.kyabramparkland.com.au

When: 11th August– 16th August Where: Various Info: www.golfportstephens.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

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people

Jack the tripper BEING a serious part of the thin blue line in New South Wales may seem an unlikely way to embellish an extensive amateur golf career.

But that’s what a kid from Bendick Murrell* did with distinction.

He chased and caught bad guys, crook drivers, fine defaulters and other real nasties, along with golf balls, across provincial cities and towns over a period of 40 years.

He adorned police stations in 14 NSW centres and, where necessary, kept their local golf courses under constant surveillance.

Grafton, Happy Jacks, Tumut, Bundanoon, Yass, Bateman’s Bay, Wollongong, Port Kembla, Warilla, Bourke, Bathurst and Albury all saw his blue uniform and many of them his golf shoes.

Jack Hardman just recently sent his golf clubs to the retirement home after a 55-year career, which saw him play across almost all of his home state.

At 83, the retired policeman heard a Newcastle medical person say the terrible words “you have played your last round”.

Being in uniform and married with three children (eventually) could be a drawback for some but Jack chased the bad guys with gusto and the little white ball as he was transferred around the state.

And he had one more attribute which would guarantee him a seat in any car going to a police golf day.

He didn’t, hadn’t, wouldn’t drink.

So no matter how good or bad his mates played, they always had someone to wait until they were “ready” to drive them safely home.

The number of golf courses he called home while he served the state in all those provincial centres was easy to call.

There were 82.

But where he played in police golf days? Only he might remember, and he does – there were 29.

He definitely drove home from Nowra five times, Goulburn (6), Port Kembla (5), Bourke, Moruya (2) and Young (2).

Home course Bateman’s Bay had the most with eight.

He began his golf career on a handicap of 27 and reduced it to low as six.

Once at Terry’s Royal Park at Bundanoon a group kept hitting up on him and his really lovely

*Bendick Murrell

partner and he said nothing until one of the drives hit him on the leg.

He went to his bag, pulled out a long hitter and smote the offending ball out over the fence a long way at right angles to the hole into deep scrub.

That was as much emotion as I ever saw him display.

Even at the end, he refused to use a motorised cart.

“I started out walking and that’s the way I have always played the game,” was his simple explanation. •

MeN’s full set

ASIA PACIFIC JUNIOR GOLF TOUR

2013

“an exciting new innovation in the development of junior golfers from the Asia Pacific region” TAIWAN Hills Taiwan Junior Open 8 July 2013 - 11 July 2013 Qualifier for Mizuno Open (Japan)

CHINA

Hills China Junior Open 12 July 2013 - 14 July 2013

KOREA

Hills Sehan Korea Junior Open 16 July 2013 - 18 July 2013

Tour cost for Asia July leg A$4,450 including airfares, accommodation, tournament fees, practice round, caddy fees, most meals and transfers (price subject to availability) Further information Tom Berndt tom.berndt@hills.qld.edu.au +61 7 5546 0667 Promoted by HILLS GOLF ACADEMY Queensland Australia

www.hills.qld.edu.au

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

BENDICK Murrell is a small town in the South West slopes region of New South Wales, 354 kilometres west of Sydney.

Bendick had one hotel, serving the district and few shops at any given time.

Jack Hardman grew up in this town with three brothers and a sister and worked on properties there until he married Julia Hogan, a local girl and joined the NSW police force.

They had three children, Terry, Michael and Simon.

On retirement, he settled in his own home in Newcastle.

He also excelled at rugby league across the state as a fullback, lock or second rower.

He represented Young in the tough Maher Cup. This is where Jack recalls playing golf: Bendick Murrell, Tumut, Grafton, Yamba, Ballina, Bundanoon, Moss Vale, Bowral, Mittagong, Yass, Binalong, Harden, Boorowa, Wallendbeen, Young, Temora, West Wyalong, Finlay, Cootamundra, Bateman’s Bay, Moruya, Narooma, Merimbula, Bega, Eden, Braidwood, Milton, Nowra, Queanbeyan, Yowani, Royal Canberra, Horizons, Goulburn, Tully Park, Leeton, Narrabri, Berridale, Wollongong, Port Kembla, Kembla Grange, Shellharbour, Jamboree, Kiama, Bourke, Cobar, Bathurst, Orange, Bloomfield, Lithgow, Cowra, Mudgee, Albury, Albury-Hume, Thurgoona, Howlong, Deniliquin, Barham, Cobram, Barooga, Swan Hill, Balranald, Corowa, Mildura, Dareton, Newcastle, Belmont, Charlestown, Toronto, Merewether, Sugar Valley, Kurri, Maitland, Wyong, Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour, The Lakes, Shortland Waters, Muswellbrook, Cessnock, Nelson’s Bay, Dungog, South West Rocks, Sawtell and New South Wales.

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Nev Mullin: the ‘unofficial’ world long-drive champion Wally Wright ed@insidegolf.com.au

The 15th hole on Nudgee Golf Club’s North Course is a 296m straight Par-4. The hole description on the club website reads: ‘The driving line for the player of average length is down the centre. Fairway bunkers right of centre trap longer tee shots.’

In his heyday, Neville Mullin never had to worry about these fairway bunkers—or even the greenside bunkers for that matter. The only thing he had to worry about was the length of the rough behind the green because that’s where his tee shot would invariably land when his D8 swing-weighted persimmon driver made solid contact.

In 1967, when Nev Mullin began his PGA traineeship at Brisbane’s Virginia Golf Club under John Klatt, he looked more like an Aussie Rules ruckman than an aspiring golf professional. At 17, Nev was 196cm tall and weighed a tick under 90 kgs, with incredibly broad shoulders from years of competitive swimming.

After two years of his traineeship, Nev deferred for 12 months before finishing his final year with Arthur Gazzard at Victoria Park Golf Club.

Within two months of completing his time, Mullin (whose birthday is 30th of January) was called up for National Service for Vietnam. Mullin recalls he was the only golf pro in Queensland to get conscripted.

“The training officers took one look at me and said: ‘You’re going in the infantry son, and you’re going to be an M60 machine-gunner,” recounts Mullin.

Shortly after his two years of National Service, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pulled the Australian troops out of Vietnam, which came as a massive relief to Nev, whose unit in 9RAR were next to go into combat.

Whilst he hadn’t picked up a golf club in over two years, the Army provided Nev with the money to enter in as many tournaments as he wanted.

He was a bit rusty to begin with, mainly because he was getting accustomed to the 20kgs of muscle that he’d stacked on during his two years of Army training, but he gradually got back his long, smooth swing, that now packed an added punch.

“The one aspect of my game that had improved from my stint in the Army was my distance off the tee,” said Mullin.

From 1973 to 1977, Nev toured on the Queensland PGA Sunshine Tour, as well playing in most of the high-profile tournaments in other

Nev Mullin with his old Lynx Driver — complete with the penny in the base-plate — along with a more modern Nike driver states. His best performance came in the 1974 Australian PGA Championship at Liverpool GC, where he finished 4th. During this period, his prodigious length off the tee caught the eye of legendary golf writer Tom Ramsey, who definitely knew a headline story when he saw one.

“I think Tom latched on to me for a time there, because he was always trying to set-up long drive exhibitions after a tournament was finished,” recalls Mullin.

“I remember one time, Tom organised a tribesman from Fiji, who could give it a fair whack, to compete against myself and a few other pros at The Lakes.

“The fact that the tribesman wore his traditional tribal clothing, including grass skirt just added to the spectacle.”

Whilst there were no national long drive contests in Australia during the 1970’s, Nev was unquestionably the biggest hitter in the country.

One year at the South Coast Open at Bateman’s Bay, Nev was drawn to play alongside two other noted big-hitters, George Bell and Chris Tickner.

The press hyped it up as being the ‘unofficial’ long drive championship of Australia, but it was basically a no-contest according to Bell.

“He (Mullin) got us by 60 metres on the fourth fairway,” said Bell.

“After I hit my shot I felt like Superman. After Nev’s drive I felt like Superwoman.”

These days, a golfer with Nev’s ability to hit the long-ball, would make a comfortable living competing in long drive contests, but in the 1970’s it was hard enough for Australian golf pros to make a living playing on the Tour, let alone making money from exhibition-type events like the ones Nev regularly competed in. Therefore, due to a lack of funds, Nev decided to take a break from the tour in 1978, and he went to work in the Moranbah coal mines.

After 18 months working in the mines, Mullin took a holiday to Malaysia in March 1979. The Singapore Open was being contested at the Singapore Island Country Club during his stay, so Nev decided he’d try to earn a bit of extra spending money while on holiday, and proceeded to enter the qualifying rounds. Nev managed to borrow a set of clubs and a pair of golf shoes and went about trying to qualify for the Open. He missed out by one shot, but the sponsors of the tournament were so impressed with his power off the tee that they organised an impromptu long drive contest at the conclusion of the tournament, with the winner to take home $1000. Nev would compete against two Americans, John McComish (the reigning US Long Drive Champion) and Curt Worley.

They each hit 12 drives down the 10th fairway; Worley hit first, McComish second and Nev was last. To be honest, Worley was just making up the numbers. McComish managed a longest drive of 298m from his 12 attempts. It took Mullin only 4 swings to eclipse the American’s mark, with a drive of 302m. The winner’s cheque and the “unofficial” title of World’s Longest Driver weren’t the only things that Nev took away from Malaysia.

At the time, Norman Von Nida was working as the teaching pro at Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, so Nev dropped in to see him before heading back to Australia.

“The Von gave me a Lynx persimmon head and told me to put a copper penny underneath the base plate of the driver to make it heavier, so I did,” said Mullin.

“I also picked up an Apollo shaft in Singapore that was three inches longer than standard and stiffer than any driver shaft I could get in Australia.”

Mullin returned to the Australian circuit in 1982 but found it difficult to play consistent golf after so long away from the game. After a few more years of toiling away as a touring pro, Nev took up a unique offer in 1984; to teach golf in Papua New Guinea on a full-time basis. Air New Guinea sponsored Nev to fly around to the various ports to teach whoever was willing and able. Mullin quickly discovered that there were plenty of very able golfers living in PNG. “Their hand-eye coordination was unbelievable,” said Mullin.

“Because they carry a bush knife around since the age of three, they are used to that chopping motion that is very similar to a golf swing.”

Nev finished up becoming the PNG National Coach for the next 10 years, during which time PNG won numerous individual and team Gold Medals at the South Pacific Games.

Mullin doesn’t get to play much these days because he has had a few problems with his knees in recent years, but he still enjoys the game and being around golfers, which is why you can see him working in the Starter’s Box at Nudgee GC every week. Occasionally he brings his old Lynx driver (the D8 swing-weighted one with the penny under the base plate) out to the club and heads down to the driving range to have a few swings.

“I can’t believe I used to be able to swing that thing,” says Nev as he looks at the array of super light, oversized drivers that surround him in the Nudgee Pro Shop.

A lot has changed in the world of golf since Nev Mullin’s day but one thing will always remain the same–everyone loves a long-driver. •

• 18th century house in the quiet hamlet of La Madrinie in the beautiful Charente region of south-west France • Moonlit BBQ’s on balmy summer nights, when it is light until 10pm • Championship golf course nearby • Close to the wine region of Bordeaux, the coastal attractions of La Rochelle and Ile de Re, and the liquid delights of the famous Cognac region • Fresh croissants, baguettes and french pastries delivered to the hamlet daily Golf International de La Prèze offers a main 18 hole champion’s course, a unique 18 hole pitch-and-putting competition course, as well as a driving range and two pitch and putting practice greens.

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83

clubs

Coastal Views at Cottesloe Beach Great opportunity for junior golfers

Sea View golf course with Rottnest Island in the background Not many golf courses can boast a view of the ocean from every hole. The aptly named Sea View Golf Club has been able to make this claim since 1909.

In 2003 the course was Heritage Listed as the first and only links in the Perth metropolitan area. Designed by Peter Anderson 1893 British Amateur champion and Norman Fowlie, a leading golfer in Western Australia at the time, the initial layout built on about 40 acres of Reserve land has changed little since it was first laid out over a century ago.

Located on the sand dunes and waste scrubland adjacent to Cottesloe Beach, the 9-hole course is the third oldest club to be established in Perth. It started off as the Cottesloe Golf Club, but in 1931 the club relocated to Swanbourne and the original site now continues as the Sea View Golf Club.

Despite being short by modern standards at 5648 metres off the Championship tees,

the course presents a stiff challenge with its small greens, scrubby rough separating the fairways, and the ever present wind. When the prevailing South-West wind, colloquially known as the “Fremantle Doctor” sweeps across the fairways, you can experience the full force of traditional links golf. For traditionalists there are four double greens reminiscent of the layout at St Andrews.

Until recently, Jarrad Street bisected the course giving the public the right to use the thoroughfare as an access to the beach. In 2006 the road was closed to motor vehicles for safety reasons, but the warning sign of low flying golf balls remains as a warning to pedestrians and cyclists using the course as a shortcut.

For visitors to Western Australia the course is open for play, except on competition days.

Playing at Sea View is both a breathtaking and rewarding experience and well worth a round of golf. •

JUNIOR golfers Australia-wide have an opportunity to play a series of top junior events in the Asia/Pacific region and win a spot in the field at the Mizuno Open on the Japan Tour.

The Hills Golf Academy, home of junior golf education in Australia for more than 20 years, is urging junior golfers keen to test their skills on the international stage to join a tour to Taiwan, China and Korea.

Tom Berndt, the academy’s director of golf, said the winner of the 54-hole event in Taiwan would get a start in the Mizuno Open, which is also a pre-qualifier for the British Open.

“There are very few international junior tournaments played in Asia, however, Hills has changed that and is bringing together players from all over Asia to compete in these tournaments,” he said.

“Players from Australia, China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea have already committed to the tour.”

Berndt will lead the tour, which allows juniors the opportunity to travel and play as professionals do, but without the inconvenience of having to organise their own travel, accommodation, meals, tournament entry fees, caddies etc.

All juniors need to do is turn up and play.

The first 54-hole tournament, a worldranking event, tees off in Taiwan from July 9-11 with a practice round organised for July 8.

Then it’s off to China for a 36-hole Hills China Junior Open in Dalian Provence on July 13-14 followed by the 36-hole Hills Daebul Korea Junior Open from July 17-19.

Juniors will be accommodated at the Novotel in Taiwan, the Jinyuan Hotel in China and the Daebul University Dormitories in Korea.

The cost of the tour is $4450 (subject to availability) and includes airfares (ex-Brisbane

Junior tour leader Tom Berndt or Sydney), accommodation, tournament fees, caddie fees, practice rounds, organised day trips, breakfasts and most other meals.

“This is an amazing opportunity for aspiring junior golfers, both boys and girls, to compete in such events in Asia,” Berndt said.

“It gives the junior golfer a wonderful opportunity to learn their craft as a player in international tournaments as well as experience the culture and sights of three unique Asian countries.

“We have been able to keep the prices very competitive and I would like to invite junior golfers to join me on this wonderful golfing tour.”

For more information, call Tom Berndt on (07) 5547 9655 or 0401 694 051 or e-mail tom.berndt@hills.qld.edu.au •

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19th hole

Callaway Tee Party Albert Park Callaway blew the lid off Albert Park Golf Course in Melbourne recently, as they celebrated the launch of the company’s new X Hot lineup of woods and irons.

Holding true to their reputation as being bold and innovative, Callaway held the event under lights at Albert Park’s 11th hole, with the beautiful Melbourne skyline in sight. A packed house of over 400 invited guests and VIPs were on hand at the massive marquee to watch a host of celebrities and long drive superstars drop 300-yard bombs into the night sky.

Former World Long Drive Champion Joe Miller, who journeyed from the UK

for the event, wowed the crowd with an array of bombs with his new X Hot Driver, including one that blasted through a watermelon.

St. Kilda football star Sam Fisher took home the celebrity long drive contest, recording a 337-yard blast that narrowly edged former teammate and current Essendon newcomer Brendon Goddard. Socceroo Harry Kewell, Geelong footballer Jimmy Bartel, Myer model and former rugby player Kris Smith and Melbourne sports radio host David “Ox” Schwarz also took part in the celebrity contest. Every one of them eclipsed the 300-yard mark with the new X Hot

Driver in hand.

A trio of Aussie long drive professionals also squared off as the crowd roared its approval with every massive drive that took off into the night sky. Guests then danced the night away to iconic Melbourne DJ Grant Smillie, who performed in front of a massive video screen. Throughout the night, guests and fans took to Twitter with the hashtag #CallawayTeeParty, with tweets appearing on the screens at the event itself.

Watch a video of the evening’s festivities at: tinyurl.com/ba2mcjf or see all the photos at www.facebook. com/CallawayGolfAustralia

A team of celebritie s and sports stars battled it out in the Callaway celebr ity long drive competi tion

on World Long Drive Champi of his one ” sts “bla ler Mil Joe elon. drives through a waterm

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85

the 19th hole

Mate v Mate v Cancer Michael Green ed@insidegolf.com.au

One in two men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. It is an extraordinary fact that left me in no doubt that I should be a part of a campaign by NSW Cancer Council to raise money and awareness to help fight cancer in men.

The campaign involved challenging a mate to a contest and getting friends to back you or your mate to win. For such a great cause it was a no brainer. But the question for me was; which mate should I challenge, and what should be the contest?

Let’s face it, most of us would challenge our mates at anything just to win bragging rights. Some mates will just grin, look smug for a few hours and that’s the end of it, while others will tend to remind you of it a little longer and more frequently. My mate Chris would sit somewhere in the middle of these two extremes if he beat me, but I decided to face him in a golf challenge.

I think I can speak for all of us when I say that practising is extremely boring.

An hour or so on the driving range is about my limit and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve spent longer than 30 minutes on a putting green. Many professional golfers do this multiple times a week. It must be mind-numbing.

Bonnie Doon Golf Club’s putting green was the scene for a Mate v Mate challenge to battle cancer.

Chris and I decided that a putting contest was to be the challenge but one long enough to test our concentration.

One hundred holes on the putting green at Bonnie Doon Golf Club was the task.

Lowest score wins. An old friend of mine would help me make up Team Australia, while Chris’ brother James would form Team New Zealand.

I’ll reluctantly admit that Kiwis are some of the best in the world at focussing for 80 minutes, particularly when facing Australian opponents. But surely these two Kiwis couldn’t concentrate for 100 holes, (possibly more than 200 putts) during an afternoon on the putting green... could they?

The challenge began on a blustery but sunny Sydney afternoon, with all of us keen to get off to a good start.

Any thought of a friendly afternoon

was soon dispelled when none but the most miniscule of putts were awarded as ‘gimmes’. While it never reached the tension of a Ryder Cup, there were a surprising number of occasions when we were told to go and make the tap in. Game on.

We changed our angles to the holes around every ten minutes, but a practise green is only so big and within the hour we had begun to understand the green.

We knew which putts were straight, which ones looked straight (but weren’t) and which putts we were still utterly clueless about.

The Kiwis settled in to the challenge much quicker than the Aussies and before you could say “jandles and judderbars”, they had a three-shot lead.

We stepped up the sledging.

All Kiwi putts suddenly became

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“slippery”. Someone ‘accidentally’ stepped on an opponent’s line, and I then probably stepped it up by suggesting the Kiwi duo think about using the anchoring technique.

Alas, it was all in vain as Team New Zealand held on to their lead for most of the day.

A final-hole three-putt from yours truly extinguished any hope of a Cinderella story comeback, and a demoralising thought came to mind. If I can still three-putt on a green I’d been putting on for hours, what hope have I on 18 different greens next weekend?

We had a ball but I’ll be hearing about this defeat for months, perhaps years, but I’m prepared to cop the blows for such a worthy cause.

We men are great at joking and sledging, competing and arguing while managing to walk (or stumble) away at the end of the day still as good mates. Cherish it but keep in mind the fight against cancer because as it stands, either you or your mate could be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85.

For more information or to donate check out www.matevmate.com.au.

Watch a video of the Mate v Mate challenge: youtu.be/Unx0lhqIH9o • Michael Green is an avid golf fanatic, and the author/blogger of the Aussie Golfer blog (www.aussiegolfer.net) one of Australia’s most popular golf blogging sites. Follow him on Twitter (twitter.com/AussieGolfer) or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ AussieGolfer

Victorian Horan claims NSW Medal Victoria’s Thomas Horan (Cheltenham Golf Club) won the 2013 Men’s NSW Medal at The Coast and Bonnie Doon Golf Clubs.

The event was reduced from 72 holes to 54-holes after a violent electrical storm swept across Sydney on the final day of play.

Horan finished his rounds with a total of 207, including scores of 68, 72 and a fantastic third round of 67 at Bonnie Doon which leap frogged him into the lead. Unbeknown to him, this would ultimately secure him the title, with play ceasing after the 54-holes and Horan announced as the winner.

Englishmen Nathan Kimsey (Woodall Spa Golf Club, England) and Garrick Porteous (Bamburg Castle Golf Club, England) finished second and third respectively, Kimsey finished just one shot behind Horan on 208, and Porteous a further shot behind on 209. Jordan Zunic (Bonnie Doon Golf Club) also finished on 209, however Porteous took third position on a count back.

It was disappointment for Zunic, leading the field after 36-holes going into the final day of play. However it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Zunic, after taking out the 2012 Men’s NSW Champion of Champions title. This event was played over the first 36-holes of the NSW Medal, and Zunic’s rounds of 69 and 67 for a total 136 secured him the title by five shots. Runner up in the Champion of Champions was Cameron Davis (Roseville Golf Club).

Full results and images are now available at www.golfnsw.org. •

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your voice

Letter of the Month Golf clubs are clearly going through significant economic change. While the beauty of the game, its traditions, and the friendships and camaraderie developed over many years are great strengths; the time, cost, ageing membership profiles, competition from other activities and the lack of leadership (at many levels) in promoting the great game provide threats or weaknesses to the future viability of many golf clubs. I’d suggest that most metropolitan semiprivate golf clubs (of which I am a member of one) now constrain expenditure to such an extent that golf course quality is necessarily being affected, thereby reducing potential future interest in our game. Golf clubs and golf’s controlling body have a duty to set strategic plans that effectuate an expanding participation in the game in an effort to grow revenues so that all participants can enjoy a quality sporting product and individuals employed in the industry can have the confidence of potential long-term and fulfilling careers.

Longer term, golf will only grow in Australia when junior golf at a local school level is adequately promoted. A club such as mine--consisting of an ageing club demographic, which has won two 1

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Sydney metropolitan junior pennant titles in the last 15 years, who can no longer field a junior pennant team given a lack of juniors--will only be able to survive if it increases its footprint through expanding junior participation.

In order for golf to flourish in the future, I’d suggest administrators need to get into local schools so that golf is a real alternative to the other sporting codes. We can no longer rely on the golden promotional eras of the Nicklauses, Normans or Woods which, through their presence, expanded an interest in golf without requiring local golf club or the head body’s promotion. What golf administrators must do at a club directorship and governing body level is to make junior golf appealing at almost any cost.

For instance: offering juniors free membership to 18 years of age, offer local schools a free weekly match-play competition with a winner’s presentation at the end of each term, and to offer families a nominated casual free family golf day at your local golf club during each school holiday period to attract interest and expand participation in the game.

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David Burge

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!

Crossword Across

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But this in itself is not enough. Additionally, it does not do our great game any justice to not have major golf events on free-to-air television.

Only 34% of Australian households have pay-TV (only 20% with sport) and I’d suggest a good deal of those people already play golf either regularly as a club member, or socially. Golf on pay-TV will not result in expanding golfing public participation.

Golf Australia must find a way to have all major golf events in Australia and International major championships on free-to-air TV so the great game of golf provides a real alternative to the other major sporting codes competing for our younger generation’s attention.

24

1. Golf match between two pairs with partners playing the same ball (8) 5. Tournament winners (6) 10. Argentinian golfer, Cabrera (5) 11. Club that may be used instead of a driver (5,4) 12. On tour (10) 13. The grip of a spinning golf ball (4) 15. Hits (a golf ball) really hard (6) 17. Former top lady golfer, Sorenstam (6) 19. Flagpole which identifies a hole (3) 20. Bodily injury (6) 22. Settings; sections of a play (6) 27. Ernie Els is also known as “The Big ____” (4) 28. Winner of The Players Championship in 2012 (4,6) 30. Scottish winner of the 2013 Dubai Desert Classic, Stephen _________ (9) 31. Ski resort in Colorado (5) 32. Performing well (2,4) 33. Practise (8)

Down

1. Wildly excited (7) 2. An improved flight or hotel reservation (7)

3. Biennial team event for professional women golfers (7,3) 4. Places providing accommodation (6) 6. The part of the clubhead nearest the golfer prior to their shot (4) 7. American winner of the 2013 Northern Trust Open, John _______ (7) 8. Winner of the 2006 Australian Open, John ______ (6) 9. Multi-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, Australian _______ Jones (7) 14. Wide of the mark (10) 16. Groove made by a wheel (3) 18. Hole in one (3) 19. Dashing manner; style (7) 21. Final scores and positions in a tournament (7) 23. Competitor with little chance of winning (2-5) 24. Highest-finishing Aussie at the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic, Scott _______ (7) 25. Spaniard who finished tied second in the 2013 Qatar Masters, ______ Garcia (6) 26. South African winner of the 2013 Joburg Open, Richard ______ (6) 29. Make money (4)

Katherine the Great There were two letters in the March issue of Inside Golf that struck a chord with me– the reference to the ‘delightful Katherine Hull-Kirk’ and the other reference to ‘decency in sport’.

I was a volunteer at the Women’s Australian Open in Canberra. My job mostly involved driving players to and from the course each day. It was a great way to meet the players although some of the 5.30am starts were a struggle. All of my passengers were a delight and a true credit to their sport. None more so than Katherine.

When I drove her on the Friday we talked mainly about football and her preference for Rugby Union over League.

When I dropped her off she genuinely thanked me for volunteering and said how important volunteers were to the running of successful tournaments. I felt pretty special. When I picked her up the following day she greeted me by name and asked how I thought the Brumbies would go that night. It certainly made me feel pretty special and that my efforts were appreciated. She certainly deserves the tag of delightful and decent–along with many others. As an aside I understand that she and Stacey Lewis were at the ground to watch the ACT Brumbies defeat the Qld Reds.

Ken Titheradge

Let’s hear it for the girls!

The recent women’s golf tournaments played in Australia attracted bigger-thanever crowds. Media interest in women’s golf is also on the increase. Let’s get business involved. The world’s top players are eager to participate. There is the opportunity to have our growing number of players sponsored. Karrie Webb proves she can still compete with the best and there are so many young girls making their mark. The depth in Aussie Women’s golf is beginning to match the already strong men’s tours.

Australian golf is in a very strong position, so it’s time more businesses got on-board.

John Nathaniel

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April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

your voice A cuppa with the President Having just read “No news is bad news” (March issue) I’d like to let you know that not all clubs keep us in the dark.

I am a member of Duntryleague Golf Club in Orange, in the Central West of NSW. Our Club President has commenced a very innovative session that all club members can attend. It’s called “Coffee with the President,” and gives one and all an opportunity to voice their opinions, good or bad, to listening ears.

Instead of griping to fellow players about things like course maintenance, golf fee structure, the actual running of the club or similar grievances, members can now take the bull by the horns and actually go to the “Boss.”

All concerns are listened to intensively and, if justified, are presented to the board for their consideration.

The president can also offer suggestions to the members on their issues in a civilised, friendly manner over a cuppa.

Everyone’s a winner. The President is kept abreast of members concerns, and the members can be constructive in their genuine desire to see the club running in a businesslike manner.

Warwick Boyce

No place for LCP There is a disease infecting professional golf. It is called LCP (Lift, Clean and Place). This disease, which has spread throughout the PGA and European tours not only badly affects the quality of televised golf, but also questions the ‘fairness’ and the tradition of the

game. It seems that more and more tournaments are played under the LCP Rule. Is it necessary for this rule to be applied so often when there already exists a casual water rule? Secondly, if conditions warrant ‘Lift’ and ‘Clean’, why ‘Place’ and not ‘Drop’? Isn’t golf an outside sport? The more that professional golf diverges from the rules and conditions that amateurs play under, the less popular it will become among golf fans.

Geoff Ely and Paul Kringas

Triple Dipping by Associations?

Bring back the caddy

Lindsay Ellis, CEO, Golf Qld, responds:

Re: the loss of young people caddying (Starters Box, March). My introduction to golf happened when I was ten. The local golf course was a small layout with nine holes in the paddock which also was used for grazing cattle. The greens were fenced off to stop the cattle from digging them up and you got to replay your shot if the ball hit the fence.

There was a large dam which trapped a lot of balls and we soon learnt that by retrieving these balls we could sell them to the members and make money. The local champion approached me and asked if I would caddy for him each Sunday for two shillings. You beauty!

As time went by I could tell him which club etc. before he asked me. He then said that, after the game, I could borrow a club and ball and have a hit. This progressed until I achieved a little skill.

I then decided that, to play this game, I needed clubs. My first set was putter, 3-iron 5-iron 7-iron and a 3-wood. I appreciate the great game of golf more than most, and it has opened a great many doors for a kid from the bush.

Barry Cooper

Can you please explain Affiliation Fees to me? We’ve just received our district letter informing us of payment for our members, golf pass holders, etc for affiliation fees.

Being a seasonal town here in Port Douglas, we have many members who either live here in town or come live here 6/8 months of the year, so are members of other clubs where their handicaps are normally kept. So why—when everyone states they have a home club—are the clubs then asked to pay affiliation fees for all players? Is this not double/triple dipping by the local, state and national associations? With clubs paying for some people two or three affiliation fees, there should be a lot more funding for golf locally, state wise and nationally. No wonder smaller clubs are struggling in Australia to makes ends meet paying these fees more than once.

Jason (Palmer Sea Reef Resort)

Thanks to Inside Golf for the opportunity to respond.

Essentially Jason wants an explanation regarding ‘affiliation fees’ (capitation fees) and why golf associations collect these fees on the basis of a fee paid by all players who have club membership or other forms of a‘playing right’offered at a golf club rather than just on the‘home club’ members.

A playing right can range from full seven-day membership to restricted membership categories and, as Jason has mentioned, products such as special golf passes that provide access to the club’s facilities and competitions.

Therefore, the amount collected from each Club is based on‘membership’size (determined by players with a playing right) and this equates to the club’s share of the total running costs of Golf Qld, Golf Australia and the relevant District Association.

The actual fee paid by players varies from one District Association to another as they add their fee on top of the State

and National fee component. However, our past research has indicated that golf has lower capitation fee rates compared to other sports and Golf Qld being one of the least expensive State golf association fees in Australia.

Golf Qld has also recently established a discounted fee to those players who belong to remote clubs and around 50 clubs have this benefit.

The rationale for charging all players at a club and not just the ‘home’ club players is that while some of the services provided by the golf associations are directly for the players there is also considerable focus on services to the golf club and golf club industry. While a simple ‘per capita’ fee system could be used there are a number of issues in moving to it. In particular, the fee rate would need to rise to compensate for potential loss of income and there are players who oppose this because they feel they would be subsidising the fees of those who belong to a number of clubs.

Some of the direct player services provided include personal liability insurances, competition access and

handicap privileges while club-based services include activities such as course ratings, grant writing assistance and club development information. There is also industry or sport development services such as our current work with Clubs Qld in working with Government that will eventually assist clubs through modification of liquor licensing and gaming regulations impacting on their business. Some other specific examples of the Golf Qld services and related output include: • Support and delivery of junior development programs with Golf Qld directly introducing around 10,000 youngsters to golf each year.

• With Golf Australia, raised and distributed over $500,000 to flood damaged clubs in 2011 and assisted clubs win a further $400,000 through other grant programs.

• Establishment of club development resources including regional club forums, a club health check tool, membership marketing kits for clubs and strategic planning manuals.

• Golf Qld currently is running over 90 days of championship events each year and recently launched an Order of Merit series for senior golfers at over 40 clubs across the State.

• Development of talented amateur players who move through to professional ranks and, in doing so, help profile the sport of golf.

I hope this clarifies the capitation fee system that is being utilised as well as illustrating some of the services that it provides for.

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89

last word

Canning in a can ed@insidegolf.com.au

I’ve had personal experiences with a whole bunch of sprays. Rexona, Aerogard (standard and Tropical), the stuff you spray on the carpet after you spill a cheap shiraz and the spray I get from my wife when I come home from the club in a cab. As for Deer Antler Spray?.... Now, let’s see...aah, no.

Vijay Singh’s heard of it and at of the time of writing this literary masterpiece, he’s put Deer Antler spray on the front page alongside Lydia Ko’s glasses and Ian Poulter’s pants.

Apparently it contains IGF-1 which is a banned substance you can only get from IGA... if you’re a personal friend of IBF. I thought it was the next PING model of cavity back irons.

So what is Deer Antler Spray and how does it work? After a little research I found, as the name would suggest, it’s derived from that weird looking head piece that deer have been donning since Santa first hooked one up to his sled.

According to the Mountain Red Deer Velvet company based in New Zealand: “Male deer grow antlers every year and velvet is the name given to the antlers in their early stage of growth.

These antlers are soft and covered in fine velvety hair. If not removed, the

With David Newbery 1. Who is the US Masters defending champion?

2. The US Masters was first played at Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia in which year – 1930, 1932, 1934 or 1935?

3. In 18 US Masters appearances, Tiger Woods has never missed the cut – true or false.

4. In 2012, Augusta National Golf Club, home of the US Masters, ended an all-male policy when two women were admitted as members for the first time. Can you name one of them? Clue: One is a for US secretary of state, the other a South Carolina businesswoman.

5. In what year did the Augusta National Golf Club first admit black (male) members – 1986, 1988, 1990 or 1992?

6. How many times did Nick Faldo win the US Masters?

7. What three holes are known as “Amen Corner” at Augusta National?

stuff is receiving will spark a bunch of new animal products on the market very soon.

The Global Financial Crisis has us all suffering from anxiety and tension at the moment, so why don’t we find a little something to slow down and unwind .... perhaps powdered Sloth claw? This one might have some side effects though, like a gradual decline in looks to that of a sloth.... or Jim Furyk.

I don’t know about you but I could do with something that could see me lengthen my aging backswing, lose some weight, give me the ability to

wear disgraceful clothes and still attract some of the best looking babes on the planet and allow me to walk off any golf course if I’m not going to win and head straight to the nearest casino (where I have a better chance). Maybe some Eau de John Daly?

If you have any thoughts, please let me know through Inside Golf and we can get rich together. I have to go now, my wife is about to discover I didn’t hang the washing out and I’m going to be suffering from some “Concentrate of Sandra”. Hopefully, I’ll see you next month. •

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8. Which player has the record for the lowest final round 64 (still the lowest) to win the US Masters – Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods or Nick Faldo?

9. In 1982, a player known as The Walrus won the US Masters when he defeated Dan Pohl in a playoff.

Who was The Walrus?

ANSWERS: (1). Bubba Watson; (2). 1934; (3). False – he missed his one and only cut in 1996; (4).

Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore; (5). 1990; (6). Three – 1989-’90-’96; (7). The 11th, 12th and 13th holes; (8). Gary Player in 1978; (9). Craig Stadler.

Larry Canning

antlers harden and calcify into sharp bony structures which the deer use as weapons.”

They say no deer are injured in the process. (Except for a little self respect).

It doesn’t surprise me at all finding out New Zealand is a major producer of deer antler products. Have you been there lately? The place is covered in deer .... I guess all the sheep are married by now.

So what does this wondrous product do for you? Apparently, increases mental and physical energy, alertness, strength, endurance, combating fatigue and the ill effects of stress. Containing all the minerals and nutrients essential for maintaining a healthy body.

My god! Where has this stuff been all my life? Little wonder Veej has been spraying it under his tongue all this time and it probably explains his thick mane of velvety hair and the way he can still bounce around at his age.

Another question springs to mind....

How did someone ever discover the stuff? I have a theory. I reckon it had to be a deer herder finding himself awoken from a sleep by a marauding male buck in need of a fight after a drinking session with his mates at the local stream. The bloke would have had to increase mental and physical energy pretty bloody quickly or his head would have finished up hanging over Rudolf ’s fireplace. When he survived and became less stressed he could see the potential of deer antler products.

Something tells me the attention this

The quick nine quiz

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April 02

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April 03

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April 04

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April 05

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April 08

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April 09

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April 10

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April 11

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April 23

10am - 4pm

Castle Hill Golf Club

Wednesday

April 24

9am - 1pm

Thornliegh Golf Centre

Wednesday

April 24

4 - 7pm

Mona Vale Golf Club* °

Friday

April 26

8am - 12pm

Georges River Golf Club

Monday

April 29

2 - 5pm

Camden Lakeside Golf Club* °

Tuesday

April 30

9am - 1pm

Ballina Golf Club* °

Monday

April 01

1 - 5pm

Victoria Park Golf Complex

Tuesday

April 02

5.30 - 7.30pm

Brisbane Golf Club**

Wednesday

April 03

9am - 1pm

Indooroopilly Golf Club**

Wednesday

April 03

9am - 1pm

House of Golf Ballina°

Thursday

April 04

2 - 6pm

Caboolture Golf Club

Friday

April 05

1 - 5pm

The Grand Golf Club**

Saturday

April 06

9am - 12pm

Redland Bay Golf Club

Wednesday

April 10

4 - 6pm

Horton Park Golf Club

Wednesday

April 10

10.30am - 1pm

Parkwood Golf Club

Thursday

April 11

4 - 6.30pm

Toowoomba Middle Ridge Golf Club°

Saturday

April 13

9am - 1pm

House of Golf Coffs Harbour

Wednesday

April 17

4 - 7pm

Queensland

Coffs Harbour City Golf Club°

Thursday

April 18

9am - 1pm

Mt Tees Driving Range

Friday

April 19

2 - 5pm

Perigian Springs Golf Club

Saturday

April 20

10am - 2pm

Palm Meadows Driving Range

Friday

April 26

1 - 5pm

Victoria Warragul Country Club*

Tuesday

April 02

10am -2pm

Metropolitan Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 03

10am -2pm

Melbourne Golf Academy

Wednesday

April 03

4 -7pm

Murray Downs Golf Course*

Thursday

April 04

12 - 6pm

Horsham Golf Club*

Friday

April 05

10am -4pm

Patterson River Country Club*

Saturday

April 06

10am -2pm

Commonwealth Golf Club*

Tuesday

April 09

10am -2pm

Yarra Yarra Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 10

10am -2pm

Sandhurst Club*

Thursday

April 11

10am -2pm

Green Acres Golf Club*

Friday

April 13

10am -4pm

The Sands Torquay*

Saturday

April 14

10am -2pm

Eastwood Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 17

10am -2pm

Victoria Golf Club*

Thursday

April 18

9am -12pm

Yarra Bend Golf Driving Range

Thursday

April 18

3 - 6pm

Kew Golf Club*

Friday

April 19

10am -2pm

Heidelberg Golf Club*

Saturday

April 20

10am -2pm

HOG Ringwood*

Tuesday

April 23

1 -5pm

Spring Valley Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 24

10am -2pm

Western Australia Marangaroo Golf Club

Friday

April 05

12 - 4pm

Royal Fremantle Golf Club*

Saturday

April 06

10am - 1.30pm

Wanneroo Golf Club

Wednesday

April 10

10am - 1.30pm

Secret Harbour Golf Club

Friday

April 12

10am - 2pm

Albany Golf Club

Friday

April 19

1 - 5pm

Mount Lawley Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 24

10am - 1.30pm

Kooyonga Golf Club*

Wednesday

April 10

10.30am - 2pm

Willunga Golf Club

Saturday

April 13

10am - 1.30pm

McCracken Country Club

Saturday

April 27

8.30am - 12.30pm

Alice Springs Golf Club

Saturday

April 20

10am - 1.30pm

Flight Path Driving Range

Sunday

April 21

2 - 5pm

South Australia

Northen Territory

* Appointment Only. ** Members Only. °Ping fitting day. † Odyssey demo day. ‡ Callaway fitting day.

Demo dates subject to change without notice. It is recommended that you contact venue before attending.

www.callawaygolf.com

Location

Day

New South Wales Merewether Golf Club* ‡ Wollongong Golf Club* ‡ Bexley Golf Course* ‡ Mt Broughton G & CC* ‡ Pymble Golf Club* ** ‡ Twin Creeks Country Club Concord Golf Club* ** ‡ The Australian Golf Club* ** ‡ The Heritage* ** ‡ Liverpool Golf Club* ‡ Terrey Hills Country Club Asquith Golf Club* ‡ Maitland Golf Club* ‡ Everglades Golf Club* ‡ Cumberland Golf Club* ‡ Moore Park Driving Range Bayview Golf Club* ‡ Belmont Golf Club* ‡ Elanora Country Club* ** ‡ Queensland Victoria Park (QLD) Brisbane Golf Club (QLD) House of Golf Ballina (NSW) Caboolture Golf Club The Grand Golf Club (QLD) Virginia Golf Club Parkwood International (QLD) Horton Park Golf Club Palm Meadows Driving Range (QLD) Victoria / Tasmania Melbourne Golf Academy Bacchus Marsh* ‡ Riverside* ‡ Metropolitan Golf Club* ** ‡ Horsham* ‡ Ballarat Golf City* ‡ Western Australia Joondalup Country Club Wanneroo Golf Club

Mizuno Location

Date

Time

Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Thursday Saturday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Thursday Tuesday Wednesday Friday

April 02 April 02 April 03 April 04 April 05 April 08 April 09 April 10 April 11 April 11 April 13 April 15 April 16 April 17 April 18 April 18 April 23 April 24 April 26

10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 9am - 1pm 10am - 2pm 11am - 4pm 10am - 1pm 1pm - 4pm 9am - 1pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm 1 - 5pm 2 - 5pm 9.30am - 1.30pm 12 - 4pm 4 - 7pm 8am - 12pm 10am - 2pm 10am - 2pm

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday

April 02 April 03 April 04 April 05 April 06 April 10 April 11 April 12 April 26

5.30 - 7.30pm 10am - 1pm 2 - 6pm 3 - 6pm 9am - 12pm 10.30am - 1pm 4 - 7pm 2 - 5pm 2 - 5pm

Wednesday Thursday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

April 03 April 04 April 04 April 05 April 20 April 21

4 - 7pm 10am - 2pm 4 - 8pm 11am – 3pm 9am - 3pm 11am - 3pm

Wednesday Saturday

April 03 April 06

1 - 5pm 9.30 - 11.30am

mizuno.com.au

Day

Date

Time

New South Wales Queanbeyan G.C.* Wednesday April 03 1 - 5pm The Custom Golf Shop* Wednesday April 03 4 - 7pm Belconnen G.C.* Thursday April 04 12 - 4pm Illawarra Driving Range* Thursday April 04 12 - 4pm Pennant Hills G.C.* ** Thursday April 09 9am - 1pm Mona Vale G.C.* Wednesday April 10 8 - 10.30am Long Reef G.C.* Friday April 12 11am - 4pm The Ridge G.C.* Wednesday April 17 4 - 7pm Toronto G.C.* Wednesday April 17 1 - 4pm Liverpool G.C.* Thursday April 18 9am - 1pm Drummond Golf - Casula* Thursday April 18 4 - 7pm Northbridge G.C.* Friday April 19 9am - 1pm Thornleigh G.C.* Tuesday April 23 4 - 7pm Moore Park G.C.* Tuesday April 30 4 - 7pm Queensland Tewantin Noosa G.C.* Tuesday April 02 9.30am - 1pm Indooroopilly G.C.* Wednesday April 03 10am - 1pm Victoria Park G. C.* Tuesday April 09 5.30 - 7.30pm Rockhampton G.C.* Thursday April 18 10am - 2pm Southport G.C.* ** Friday April 19 2 - 4pm Dalby G.C.* Tuesday April 23 ALL DAY Mt Coolum G.C.* Thursday April 25 2.30 - 6pm Pine Rivers G.C.* Friday April 26 3 - 6pm Palm Meadows G.C. Friday April 26 2 - 4.30pm Headland G.C.* Saturday April 27 10am - 1pm Western Australia Carramar G.C. Saturday April 13 10am - 2pm Wembley G.C. Wednesday April 17 4 - 8pm Gosnells G.C.** Thursday April 18 10am - 2pm Melville Glades G.C.** Wednesday April 24 10am - 2pm Victoria MGA Driving Range Wednesday April 03 3 - 6.30pm Woodlands G.C.* ** Thursday April 11 10am - 2pm Yarra Bend G.C. Thursday April 18 4 - 7pm Sunshine Driving Range Wednesday April 24 4 - 7pm The National G.C.** Friday April 26 1 - 5pm South Australia Mount Lofty G.C. Friday April 12 3 - 5pm Tea Tree Gully G.C. Thursday April 18 10am - 2pm www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

91

golf directory

Golf Packages Include

Courses: The Hunter Valley Golf & www.allaroundthevines.com.au Country Club; The Vintage; Cypress Lakes; Stonebridge; Newcastle; Pacific Dunes; Horizons and Kooindah Waters.

• Airport transfers • Accommodation arranged • Tee off times organized • Transfers to and from golf • Wine tours • Restaurant Transfers during your stay • Day trips and activities organized for partners All Around the Vines 22 Branxton St Nulkaba, NSW Phone: 0459 145 065 or Email: enquiries@allaroundthevines.com.au

www.allaroundthevines.com.au

www.portkemblagolf.com.au www.allaroundthevines.com.au THINK…

Gifts, Pri z

For ladies golf accessories

es or

YOUR TREAT

BUY online, mail, phone

STAY & PLAY PACKAGES $60pp twin share includes 18 holes of golf on Monday, one night’s accommodation (Sunday) with full breakfast.

An additional round of golf can be added to the package for just $20 for Sunday play (this can include competition play).

Accommodation at Comfort Inn Fairways, Golf Place Primbee.

Other packages available upon request.

www.

highteeladies.com.au

Ph: 0419 501229

Visitors Welcome!

18 hole championship course, full length - grass teed driving range, well equipped golf shop, motorised golf carts & hire clubs available.

Social green fees from $15 to a maximum of $30.

Competitions run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday. Visitor competition fees from $25.

IMPROVE YOUR GAME! Soft Grip Technology

“It’s like having your own caddie!”

Conditions apply & bookings essential

For further information or to make your booking please contact the Golf Shop team on (02) 42741159 or email golfshop@portkemblagolf.com.au

• Focus on your game • Less frustration • More enjoyment

Order Your Kahma Golf Bag Online Today www.kahmagolf.com mail@kahmagolf.com

Bellbird Hotel TradiTion a l H u n T er H os p i Ta l i Ty

Golf packages starting from $99pp

G

ol Golf • Accommodation • Continental breakfast Pack f Group bookings of 10 or more welcome Spec age ialists

Visit us at www.bellbirdhotel.com.au or call us on (02) 4990 1094 92

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

For advertising call 1300 GOLF 00

golf directory

›› Hole Out

p: +623618476358 • e: info@baliconnect.asia

www.baliconnect.asia

Sapphire Coast Merimbula Mike McGuire & Yumi Yoshida 1-7 Oceanview Ave, Merimbula NSW P: M: E: W:

02 6495 2366 0437 801 270 info@pacificheights.com.au www.pacificheights.com.au

Great Golf Packages

LET US QUOTE YOUR OWN PACKAGE 4 NIGHTS ACCOM. 5 NIGHTS ACCOM. 3 Rounds of golf + Carts Breakfast each day

$455 P/P Twin Share Conditions apply

4 Rounds of golf + Carts Breakfast each day

FROM

● Play golf with us in Bali ● Discounted green fees ● Stay and play packages, hotel or villa ● Custom trips, group or event golf trip, short stays

•All golf courses within 20 minute drive •Heated year round pool •Free BBQ area •500m walk to restaurants •FSC Apartments & Munn Tower House •Sensational views of Village, Lake & Ocean

FROM

Spectacular

$525 P/P Twin Share Conditions apply

Pambula Merimbula GC • Eden Gardens GC • Bega Country Club • Tura Beach Country Club

Golf Cart Slowing Down?

LADIES MEMBERSHIP OPEN

Need new batteries?

Don’t replace them… Restore them with the Battery Reviver.

No Nomination Fee (Save $440)

The Battery Reviver can bring old batteries back to life by sending a high frequency pulse through the batteries dissolving the sulphate build up and turning the sulphur crystals back into sulphuric acid. The Battery Reviver is powered by your golf cart batteries and it can be left connected permanently to increase the life of your batteries by up to three times, or used occasionally to restore them.

Ladies Competitions every Saturday from 9am till 11am and Tuesday from 8am till 9am. Friday and Sunday Open Medley Competitions.

Subscription year is 1st October till 30th September.

36 Hole Club including 3 practise putting greens, 100m pitching green with bunkers, 250m driving range and fully licensed 1 level air conditioned clubhouse

30 DaY

Nudgee Golf Club Incorporated 1207 Nudgee Road NUDGEE QLD 4014 Phone: 07 3267 7744 E-mail: golf@nudgeegolf.com.au www.nudgeegolf.com.au

For more information, pricing and to order Phone 1300 852 433 or visit our website www.batteryreviver.com.au

SatISfaCtIoN GUaraNtEE or YoUr MoNEY BaCK.

Crossword Answers F R A N T I C S E R G I O

O U P N G R R A D R E U T R E A S U A L T N S

R S O E L H V E I A M C A U P Y E L A R O N

O M O T E L L S S P M A N M A C C H E G

E

B H R E I N D A I N S T T E E R N R E

C H E E E L G I N N A S C C K U R A T H E

A M E I R R B I C I K E N O C H O S P E A R

P S E O N D T E N A C E S T A R A E N G S E

OUTLASTS ANY OTHER GLOVE

$2495

(CSIRO tested and proven)

each

• 100% Kangaroo Premium Leather • Grips like glue in the wet • It’s like wearing a second skin • Company logos available, ideal for golf days and client gifts • Available in left of right hand, sizes XXXS - XXXL • Black or white

+P&H

$3495 +P&H pair

GIFT PACKS AVAILABLE

P: (07) 4128 8148 | www.kakadugolfglove.com

For advertising call 1300 GOLF 00

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

93

golf directory BANKSTOW N G OL F C LU B

MEMBERSHIPS NOW OPEN New Sunday/Public holiday memberships only $1220, great value. Only $23.50 per week, competition fees only $6, pay by the month plans available.

Phone (02) 9773 0628 Enquiries: info@bankstowngolf.com.au

Port Stephens Getaways

Golf & Accommodation…from only ✓ Play any day & with any number of people! ✓ Play Horizons, Nelson Bay, Newcastle, Muree, Tanilba, Cypress Lakes, Pacific Dunes, The Vintage, by boat to Hawks Nest & others. ✓ Golf and accommodation from a choice of motels, hotels, units & resorts. ✓ Established in 1996

“Golfers Getaway” 2 nights from

*Conditions apply

www.wisemans.com.au (02) 45 66 44 22 Old Northern Road, Wisemans Ferry NSW

per d

16 Golf courses!

Port Stephens Golfing Holidays

2b Tuna Crescent, Fingal Bay NSW 2315 Phone/Fax: (02) 4984 9618 Mobile: 0428 820 477 Email: fosterpj@bigpond.net.au www.psgh.com.au

Yamba Golf & Country Club features an 18 hole championship golf course, located right in the heart of Yamba.

$199.50pp*

Includes: • 2 nights accommodation • Unlimited Golf • Continental breakfast daily • 2 course dinner on one night of your stay

0

$7 From ay

Just an hour from Sydney, our picturesque 18 hole (9 hole alternate tees) par 69 course borders the Hawkesbury River.

It can be enjoyed by golfers of all standards, but its tree-lined fairway command focus for even the experienced golfer. Dinner in the Riverbend Restaurant will be another highlight of your visit.

• 18 hole golf course • Fully stocked ProShop • Tuition for all ages available • Motorised cart hire • In club dining at Fairways Bistro • Function room for weddings, special occasions or conferences • Live entertainment and activities throughout the week • Courtesy bus • Open 7 days a week • Stay and Play Packages available

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

River Street, Yamba NSW | Ph (02) 6646 2104 | www.yambagolf.com.au

Specialising in the best ‘Australia Wide ’ Play & Stay Golf Packages

Professionally planned and tailored golf escapes for your enjoyment Packages available THREE COURSE SPECIAL

Only $290

Mossman, Mirage & Sea Temple Includes Carts, Fees & Transfers (Price based on 2 person share. +$30 single person supplement)

TWO COURSE SPECIAL

Only $195

Mossman & Sea Temple Includes Carts, Fees & Transfers (Price based on 2 person share. +$20 single person supplement)

MOSSMAN

Only $49

Includes Fees & Transfers

PA

E

IN

Contact John Carney - “JC” on 0438 581 269 or by email at info@portdouglasgolftours.com.au

A ROU

I

S

AY

ND

Clubs and other packages available on request.

PL

(Price based on 2 person share. +$20 single person supplement)

RAD

w w w. p o r t d o u g l a s g o l f t o u r s . c o m . a u 94

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Sunshine Coast & Gold Coast • Hunter Valley • Port Stephens • Mornington Peninsular • Tasmania • Cairns/Port Douglas • The Entrance BRAND NEW! WA Golf, Barnbougle & Lost Farm

Quality accommodation, confirmed tee times, your choice of resort or local courses Every detail professionally arranged, leaving you nothing to do but arrive and have the time of your life!

We will tailor your package to suit any holiday plans or budget

Ph: (07) 3200 6557 M: 0418 713 620 F: (07) 3200 5731 sharon@uchoosegolf.com.au www.uchoosegolf.com.au

For advertising call 1300 GOLF 00

golf directory

Aquarius

Cobram-Barooga Golf View Motel

R

Play & Stay PackageS on courSe

E

S

O

• 6 FREE fully cooked poolside breakfasts, buffet style.

We specialise in Group Bookings Let us organise your next Golfing Getaway Stay with the people who know

Packages starting from: $489*pp / 2 Share $399*pp / 3 Share $379*pp / 4 Share

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

179 Golf Course Road Barooga, NSW Australia, 3644 FreeCall 1800 557 192 or Fax +61 5873 4556 www.baroogagolfview.com.au | julie@baroogagolfview.com.au

*Conditions apply

• Large Groups Welcome

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

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

Let us organise your Gold Coast golf tours Hassle Free

Blue Marker Challenge

TOURS TO SUIT EVERY NE

t Play to or better your handicap and win a dozen golf balls t Challenge Winner best nett score receives shirt, Plaque & Division winner t 6 NTP win 3 balls on each t Break 80 nett to win a ball

Played the last Friday of each month

Let us organise your golf packages including airport & course transfers.

Individual/ groups & nonplaying partners catered for.

Only $30 for visitors

Carts available for hire all bookings through the

Are you up to the challenge?

Pro Shop

(02) 6680 1008 Or visit

www.oceanshorescc.com.au Orana Rd, Ocean Shores NSW Ph (02) 6680 1008 Fx (02) 6680 1721

1300 26 20 55 | www.golfaccom.com.au info@golfaccom.com.au

Only 30 minutes South of Coolangatta and 15 minutes North of Byron Bay

GREAT GOLF SPECIALS Play FROM $97 pppn • Horizons • Kooindah Waters (Wyong) • Pacific Dunes • Cypress Lakes • Nelson Bay • Tanilba Bay • Hawks Nest • The Vintage

Offered by

A weekend of golf and entertainment at

Temora Golf Club

100 years

Celebrating

of golf in Temora

$100 per player

LEMON TREE PASSAGE MOTEL

$4500

This Excellent Package includes • Twin share accommodation & cooked break-fast at Lemon Tree Passage Motel (3½ Star) • 18 Holes of golf (at the course of your choice) • $20.00pp dinner voucher at a local restaurant • Non golfing partners catered for • Special arrangements /prices for groups

Phone (02) 4982 3300 Fax (02) 4984 5999

T

• 6 nights accommodation in a 2 & 3 bedroom fully self contained apartment (linen supplied).

$185pp Quad Share

In Beautiful

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.

• 2 Nights’ Accommodation • 2 Rounds of unlimited Golf (subject to availability) • Continental Breakfast each morning (cooked upgrade $8pp per day) • Meal Vouchers for the Sports Club

For reservations or additional information call Christine or Mike on

R

MAGIC MERIMBULA

Website: www.lemontreemotel.bizland.com Email: lemontreepassagemotel@idl.net.au

47 Meredith Ave, Lemon Tree Passage, NSW 2319

in

prizes

Super Medley 4BBB Weekend

Open to all Men & Women golfers with a golf link handicap

Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th April 2013

Entry fee includes 2 days golf 2 course meal Saturday night Rikki Organ Rockin’ the 19th Hole (J.O.K & Friends & Blues Brothers Rebooted)

Non golfers Meal & Entertainment $50

For advertising call 1300 GOLF 00

www.insidegolf.com.au | April 2013

95

golf directory

Benalla Golf Club

pp $208 From share n i tw week mid

BEERWAH GOLF CLUB

Three Day / Two Night Golf Package

At the base of the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains…

Includes: Unlimited golf, two nights accommodation, breakfast each morning, 2 x evening meals (vouchers up to the value of $20)

Visitors pay only $22 to play in our competitions

• Fully Irrigated Greens & Fairways • Full Bar & Bistro Facilities • Abundant Wildlife including Kangaroos

www.benallagolfclub.com.au (03) 5762 1920 | benagolf @bigpond.net.au

Play anytime - No waiting

• Timeless Tuesday - Unlimited* Golf for ONLY $25 • Golf Equipment for Hire & Sale • Fully Licensed Clubhouse • Social Clubs & Corporate Days

Howeston Golf Course

*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

Enquiries welcome $

16 Weekdays

20 Weekends & Public Holidays *

$

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

Play & Stay for $120

M

ips

A

ila ble *Conditions apply

Casino Golf Club - West St, Casino NSW 2470 P: (02) 6662 1259 | E: admin@casinogolfclub.com.au

www.casinogolfclub.com.au

3 GREAT COURSES AND A GREAT PLACE TO STAY IN ORANGE

There is nothing like golfing in the high country of Orange only 3 hours drive from Sydney.

Orange has three wonderful courses where visitors are most welcome. All courses are minutes from Melview Greens Apartments which is a chip away from Wentworth Golf Course and owned by a keen golfing family. All apartments are fully appointed have undercover parking at the door.

Golfing Packages are our specialty.

2 night accommodation and 3 rounds golf (different courses) ---$215 pp twin share.

“Once you have stayed you’ll come back again”

MELVIEW GREENS STUDIO & FAMILY APARTMENTS, PLOUGHMANS LANE ORANGE NSW 2800

Phone 02 6362 0955 • www.melviewgreens.com.au

96

April 2013 | www.insidegolf.com.au

for 7 months membership - no nomination fee, and you can start playing right away!!

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

$220 va

$400

admin@beerwahgolfclub.com.au www.beerwahgolfclub.com.au

bersh em fro m

membership drive

Biondi Crescent, Beerwah

*

*

Package includes: • 2 games of golf • Meal • 1 night accommodation with continental breakfast

(Wed, Sat & Sun)

For advertising call 1300 GOLF 00

“

2 years ago you could get away without having a GPS for corporate days, but not anymore.

”

Tim Parker, General Manager, Mona Vale The iPar Range Features: • Affordable • Local Servicing • Cart fleet management & tracking • Advertising Capability • Interactive course guide

Try an On-Pin Demonstration today and see the benefits of increased cart revenue for corporate and social play.

GPS SOLUTIONS to keep you ON-PLAY

www.on-pin.com +61 (0) 2 9979 9908

View it in action @

ezgo.com.au/video-library

View it in action @

ezgo.com.au/video-library

View it in action @

ezgo.com.au/video-library

ACCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO GOLF CLUBS

GOLF FACTORY PENRITH 269 High St, Penrith (near Officeworks)

(02) 4647 8542 - Mail Order - 6 Days

TopFlite Gamer V2

TaylorMade RBZ Irons $672

$419

Easy to use irons

Narellan Supa Centre, Narellan Rd

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

(02) 4722 8640 - Mail Order - 6 Days

8 irons 4-SW Matching Regular Flex Steel shafts Right and left hand

GOLF FACTORY NARELLAN

3 piece ball Long and soft 3 piece quality $168 for 144 Individually boxed

TaylorMade Rescue II Hybrid ½ PRICE!

$14

Doz

Cleveland Hybrid

Srixon Q Star Balls

Pure white or Tour Yellow $216 for 144 Individually boxed

$18

Doz

5 FOR

$45

INC. POSTAGE ANYWHERE IN AUST

5 = 24º Loft 4 = 21º Loft 3 = 19º Loft Men’s right hand Regular flex Graphite only Includes cover

SAVE $30

$49

TS+ Green box or TS Tour Gold box Individually boxed

$35

$20

dozen

Cleveland CG-16 Tour Irons

7 Irons 4 - PW Dynamic Gold Regular or Stiff Right & Left hand

Srixon Distance Balls

$14

$168 for 144 balls Individually boxed

$156

Cooler Pocket Putter holder Full length dividers Black/blue, black

$179

$119

TaylorMade Penta TP5 Balls $49

$31

US sizes: 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 13

Eagles & Birdies Cypress Point bag

FL Men’s & ladies 3, 5, 7 DST Launcher Men’s regular & stiff 3 + 5

$199

½ PRICE

$89

Includes cover

Srixon Soft Feel Ball Sale

TaylorMade XD balls

Distance ball with great feel

Srixon Z-Star Balls

doz

Cleveland Fairway Sale

SAVE$60

Cleveland Classic Driver

$159

Includes cover & wrench

$79

$168

SAVE$140

$209

5 piece urethane cover

Wide, easy fitting Heaps to choose from Some white All sizes in black

144 balls ($13/dozen) Individually boxed

39g, 43g and 61g Miyazaki shafts Regular & Stiff 10.5º, 9º, 12º and 7.5º lofts Not all variations available Includes cover

SAVE $50

dozen

Great for golf ball competitions Bulk qty 144 balls ($14 a doz) Individually boxed

Distance ball with great feel Great for ball competitions Bulk Qty

Great for ball comps Distance and control

14 Full length dividers Magnetic pockets Cooler pocket Lots of colours

$399

Adjustable loft (not bonded) Original & best Lots of different specifications

Cleveland Cart Plus 14 Way Bag

Waterproof Leather Shoe Sale

OPTIMA Ball Sale

$110

Includes cover & wrench

TaylorMade RBZ Driver

SRIXON ALL WEATHER GLOVES Srixon AD333 Balls Mens Left or Right White or Black Mens - S, M, ML, L, XL Ladies - S, M, L

SAVE $100

Adjustable loft Aldila shaft Mens right hand Stiff No 2 16º Regular No 4 21º Mens left hand Stiff No 4 21º

Individually boxed balls

$18

Mens or Ladies Soft Feel 144 Balls for $216

per dozen

Cleveland CG-16 Wedges

Urethane cover 3 Piece Tour Quality ball ½ PRICE

$25

Great value Lob, Sand, Gap & Pitching wedges Right & Left hand Half Price

doz

Bulk deal: 144 for $300 incl postage anywhere in Australia

$99

$50