Inside Golf June 2014

Australia’s

Most

Read

Golf

M aga z i n e

InsideGolf Issue 107 June 2014

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ON THE MOVE

The changing landscape of Australian golf courses

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starters box

Failing to plan / planning to fail Richard Fellner Group Editor richard@insidegolf.com.au @insidegolf

T

HIS month, there are two key articles to which every golf club and Board should pay close attention. The first, “Report: major challenges ahead for clubs” (page 9), details the participation trends of today’s golfer. The second article, “Changing landscapes: courses on the move” (page 12) explores how some clubs are planning (or failing) to adapt to these trends.

www.insidegolf.com.au Publisher: Outdoor Sports Publishing Pty Ltd ACN 113 836 301 ABN 30 043 104 919 PO BOX 437, Miami, QLD 4220 Editor: Richard Fellner P: 0407 000 440 richard@insidegolf.com.au Senior Writer: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au Design & Layout: Stacey Fortescue, Rhys Martin, Rob Kirk Contributors: Larry Canning, Mike Orloff, Denis Dale, Peter Croker, Michael Green, Karen Lunn, Stephen Pitt, Tiffany Mika, Mat Howe, Brian Thorburn, Henry Peters, David Merriman, Richard Nizielski, Lee Harrington National Sales: Sam Arthur P: 1300 4653 00 | F: (07) 5535 4922 M: 0410 575 303 | E: sam@insidegolf.com.au QLD Sales: David Ross M: 0439 612 458 E: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Sales: Robbie O’Donnell M: 0439 144 256 | E: robbie@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS/SA Sales: Jon Perrett M: 0402 852 637 | E: jon@insidegolf.com.au Advertising Sales: Lisa Coleman E: lisa@insidegolf.com.au | M:0406 031 344 National Agency Sales (non golf) Marc Wilson | M: 0419 107 143 New Zealand Sales: Daniel Sim M: 0439 856 752 | E: daniel@insidegolf.com.au Accounts: Sheridan Murphy M: 0404 075 823 E: accounts@insidegolf.com.au Cover Photo: Courtesy of USGA It’s official: 43,575 Inside Golf Magazines distributed each month for the period: October 2013 - March 2014

Distributed to over 425 golf clubs, social golf clubs, driving ranges and retailers Australia wide every month

The articles go hand-in-hand. Over the last few years, due in part to the trends shown in the first article, we’ve seen a large number of golf course/ club closures, mergers and moves (second article). For many clubs, a change has become the only option, as all other alternatives may have been exhausted.

But what many clubs fail to realise is just how much time and effort (and money) is involved with a move of this magnitude.

Take the new Gardiners Run Golf Course in Victoria, for example, which just opened last month. With planning, approvals and construction, the project took over 10 years to complete. The Eastern Golf Club, which will open their new course in 2015, began considering their strategic options eight years ago, in 2006. Recently, Peninsula Kingswood and many other clubs have all made moves that will take many years to come to fruition.

So it’s no longer a relatively short exercise to manage a relocation. And if the decision isn’t made ‘in advance’ of when the club faces difficulties, then the results can be severe (i.e. rash decisions could be made, which can lead to a “fire sale” of the land, extra costs due to the rush, poor business choices due to panic, etc).

The forward-thinking clubs above had the foresight to anticipate the trends and adapt accordingly. And they made tough decisions (which may not have been popular with members) in the best interests of the club.

There are many clubs out there, however, that are either in denial or procrastinating. Unfortunately, when the time comes for them to make the decision to move, it will likely be too late.

It also may be too expensive.

Consider the fact that the cost of relocation (to build a new course and facilities) is getting higher and higher every day. It could soon be at a point where a club’s land value (if they choose to sell) may not be enough to finance a brand-new course with any reasonable buffer or surplus funds left over. With any unexpected changes in the market, they could very easily be back up against the wall immediately after relocation.

And this is just for a standard golf

course and clubhouse. But when you consider that today’s golfer is looking for additional “add-ons”—be it a gymnasium, childcare, swimming pool etc.—a standard golf club may not be enough in this market. As for the course itself, what style should you build to get the best result? These can be radically different in terms of cost, time and planning. What do the punters want in a golf course? Do they want a member-friendly course, or a challenging, championship style?

Should you go down the Real Estate Development path?

The current trend in golf residential developments may be seen as an answer, but as one GM told me recently, the Real Estate cartpaths aren’t necessarily paved in gold: “When a developer completes a golf residential development, the golf course/operations is often losing significant sums each year – what chance does the club stand when it takes it over? There is often a conflicting interest in this market of what the developer wants/does, and what long-term the club needs to just survive when handed over. Why isn’t it aligned from the start?”

There is also the question of membership fees. A common thought is that the club could just increase the subs to make up for a shortfall. But just how much will the average golfer pay in the future? In reality, golfers are likely to be looking to pay LESS for their golf, as household budgets and disposable income could come under even more pressure. And with social golf continually on the rise, member numbers are likely to continually decline.

Some clubs have reported a 10%/ year decrease in members. How will these clubs cope if the number goes to 15%? 20%? More?

Indeed, there are a lot of things to consider (and plan) before making your long-term strategic decisions. The key is to make your decision quickly, before it’s too late.

As the old maxim tells us: failing to plan is planning to fail.

See you on the fairways

Richard Fellner–Group Editor www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

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news

Top of the world

IN THIS ISSUE:

16 20 22 23 24 29 30 34 36 38 46 52 64 66 68 70 74 75 76

INDUSTRY The inner-workings of golf GENERAL MANAGERS Managing the game

Scott, 33, took the top honours following the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Though Scott didn’t play in the event, his two-year rolling average—the calculation used to determine the world rankings—finished higher than Woods’ average following the event. Woods—who has been out of action due to surgery to ease a pinched nerve, has spent an amazing 683 weeks at number 1 during his career.

TOUR TALK On tour with Steven Jeffress COVER STORY US Open Preview

With the achievement, Scott became just the second Australian to take the top spot, following Greg Norman who held the honour for 331 weeks. He is the 17th player to become world No.1, and the fourth to take the top spot in a week when he wasn’t playing, joining Lee Westwood, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam.

PEOPLE Inspirational individuals

“This is another outstanding achievement for Adam Scott,” said Brian Thorburn, CEO of the PGA of Australia.

JUNIOR NEWS Tomorrow’s stars today AMATEURS ACGC news TECHNOLOGY Gadgets and innovations NEW GEAR The latest and greatest gear

“The Australian golfing community is very proud of Adam and we look forward to watching his progress throughout the year.”

According to Scott, the top spot hasn’t been his top priority.

WIN

WINTER WARMERS Hot gear for the cooler months INSTRUCTION Top tips to play better SENIOR AMATEURS Results and events STATE GOLF Golf NSW and Golf Qld CALENDAR Results, news and tournaments 19TH HOLE The best parts of golf YOUR VOICE Your letters and comments DEMO DATES Test-drive the latest gear GOLF DIRECTORY Great deals around Australia

Golf Travel LIFT-OUT:

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BUSINESS Growing the game

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

ithout so much as a swing of a club, Adam Scott has become the number 1 golfer in the world, quietly eclipsing Tiger Woods and taking the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Bridgestone Golf Bag Page 39

“I’m here to win golf tournaments,” Scott said prior to the accomplishment.

“That’s been the goal, and from that you can get to No.1 in the world if you win often enough. I’ve had a couple good chances this year already and haven’t been able to pull it off, not because it’s been weighing on my mind, but I just wasn’t sharp enough playing the last couple rounds at a few events.”

The Official World Ranking Points were established in 1986, and are calculated on a rolling two-year basis. Players gain OWGR points by finishing highly in eligible events. The majors are weighted the highest, with 100 points to the winner, while other PGA Tour events offer less— sometimes 30 or 40 points to the winner, depending on field strength, etc.

Players keep the full value of points for the following 13 weeks, after which the points are reduced over the next 91 weeks by equal decrements.

To determine the OWGR average, the system divides a player’s points by their number of tournaments (minimum 40, max 52).

The world number one The top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings has changed hands 55 times since Bernhard Langer first took the position on April 6, 1986. Tiger Woods holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at number one (281, from June 12, 2005 to October 30, 2010), and the most total weeks in the position (683).

The 16 holders, and the total number of weeks at number one: Bernhard Langer Severiano Ballesteros Greg Norman Nick Faldo Ian Woosnam Fred Couples Nick Price Tom Lehman Ernie Els David Duval Vijay Singh Tiger Woods Lee Westwood Martin Kaymer Luke Donald Rory McIlroy

3 weeks 61 weeks 331 weeks 97 weeks 50 weeks 16 weeks 44 weeks 1 week 9 weeks 15 weeks 32 weeks 683 weeks 22 weeks 8 weeks 56 weeks 39 weeks

news

Marcus a winna’ in Manila; Holman T2 A

ustralia’s Marcus Both secured an emphatic victory at the ICTSI Philippine Open to revive his career after thinking of quitting the game last year.

The towering Aussie, who lost his Asian Tour card last year for the first time since 2003, posted a two-under-par 70 at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, Manila, for a winning total of six-under-par 282 at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

EurAsia Cup star Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, Tour rookie Nathan Holman of Australia, Thailand’s Arnond Vongvanij and home heroes Antonio Lascuna and Jay Bayron finished two shots back for tied second on 284.

Both was almost reduced to tears after winning his third Asian Tour title and ending a five-year title drought on the region’s premier Tour. The victory was even sweeter as he had to rely on a sponsor’s invite this week.

“It was an emotional year on and off the golf course after I lost my Tour card. I had to return to Qualifying School earlier this year and I missed the cut by one shot. It was so bad that I even thought of quitting the game,” said the 34-year-old Both, who won US$54,000.

“Words can’t describe how it feels from being an invite to a winner this week. I have to thank ICTSI and the Asian Tour for giving

me the invite. To come away with the trophy is amazing. I’m a bit lost for words,” he added.

After turning in 34, Both needed to make a huge 20-foot birdie putt on 15 followed by a short birdie on 16 to take a three-shot lead.

He bogeyed the last two holes and admits that he was lucky to hold on to victory as his closest competitors failed to take advantage.

“I didn’t let off in the last two holes. I gave it

full commitment there. Strange things have happened in golf and I’ve seen people hole second shots on the last to win. You just have to hope that it doesn’t happen to you!

“I hit my putt on the 15th a bit too hard but it went in! I gave it a bit more speed than what I had intended to. Then I hit one of my best swings on 16 and the wind died when I needed it to. Those two holes gave me some momentum,” Both explained. •

Daniel joins greats at Surfers WHO would have thought that a junior tournament started by a social golf club would still be thriving 38 years later?

In 1976, the Broadbeach Hotel Social Golf Club started a junior classic at Surfers Paradise Golf Club.

Wayne Grady, yes that Wayne Grady, won the tournament in a playoff.

A number of current club members witnessed the occasion including resident professional Paul Orchard, who was just a kid then.

Ossie Moore won it a year later and a few years later former Women’s British Open champion Corinne Dibnah was a winner.

Rachel Hetherington, too, was successful in the Surfers Paradise Junior Classic.

In 1996, Adam Scott added his name to the honour roll.

This year’s event attracted a huge field forcing organisers to ballot around 30 disappointed youngsters out of the field.

“All those who missed out will be invited back to Surfers Paradise at no cost later in the year,” said general manager Brett Holland.

Daniel Durisic led a strong group from the Hills International Golf Academy to win the event with a fine 68 off the stick.

Kim Tae Seung (Hills) finished two shots back.

Robyn Choi (Royal Pines) carded a 75 to win the girls’ event.

Host professional Paul Orchard, just back from the US Masters, returned with memorabilia items, which were added to the usual prize pool.

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www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

7

news

Richardson claims PNG Open K

alem Richardson has won the largest tournament of his young professional career, overcoming a one-shot deficit in the final round to claim the 2014 South Pacific Export Papua New Guinea Open.

Closing with an even-par round of 72 to finish at four-under, Richardson finished one shot ahead of Sam Brazel and Jared Pender. Pender came close to spoiling the party for Richardson, shooting a five-under-par 67, though a bogey five at the par four 17th would prove to be costly in the end.

The leaderboard changed throughout the day, though it would be an up-and-down for par from 60m out on the par four 16th hole that would keep Richardson’s momentum going. A regulation par at the 17th and a twoputt par at the last would see Richardson take the top prize.

“This is no doubt the biggest win of my career, a win that I have been dreaming about for the past 12 months,” Richardson said.

“Patience was certainly the key this week around the Royal Port Moresby Golf Course, a course that can really penalise a poor shot. The timing of this win couldn’t have been better, as I will take the confidence I have gained from my win here into the remainder of the Asian Tour events throughout the year.”

With the South Pacific Export Papua New Guinea Open celebrating its 20th anniversary, Tournament Director Andy Stocks was

delighted with the success of this year’s event.

“The National Open is a significant event on the sporting calendar and we are once again delighted with the event we have delivered this year. The support that we generate from hosting is nothing short of astonishing, and I am sure all the sponsors and spectators will walk away from this year’s Championship proud of their investment of golf in Papua New Guinea.”

The QLD Sunshine Tour forms part of the Choice Hotels PGA Pro-Am Series which comprises of 200 events Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Played across more than 170 golf courses, the Choice Hotels PGA Pro-Am Series plays an important part in the development of Australia’s Professional Golfers whilst also growing the game at a grass roots level by engaging an estimated 48,000 amateur golfers each year.

For a list of all the QLD Sunshine Tour events on the Choice Hotels PGA Pro-Am Series please visit www.pga.org.au. •

Jeep continues Pro-Am success After claiming the prestigious QLD PGA Tournament of the Year Award, Fiat Chrysler Australia have announced that the Jeep Pro-Am will once again be staged on the Gold Coast in 2014 from October 8th-11th.

The Jeep Pro-Am will be on the move later this year, as it will be played at the Greg Norman -designed Glades Golf Club due to the renovations taking place by Graham Marsh at the RACV Royal Pines Resort.

The Jeep Pro-Am will once again be a limited field event, with 50 professionals teaming up with 50 amateurs from across the country.

Norman influence to remain with NSW Open After a successful return to metropolitan Sydney in 2013, the historic NSW Open Golf Championship moves to the much heralded Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club near Blacktown, for 2014.

As the only Greg Norman-designed golf course in Sydney, Stonecutters Ridge is fast developing a reputation for being an excellent layout, featuring all the hallmarks of a Norman design, and even though only opening in 2012, it has already been ranked No.67 in Australian Golf Digest’s top 100 golf courses in Australia.

With expectations of another strong playing field featuring some of the leading Australian professionals who compete on the world stage, the NSW Open is sure to attract large crowds to this fantastic new venue.

The 2014 NSW Open will be held 13th to 16th November, 2014 and spectator entry will continue to be FREE.

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

news

Report: major challenges ahead for clubs

OWN THE

SECOND SHOT

KEY FINDINGS

T

he ongoing health of Australian golf clubs is the focus of a new report released by Golf Australia and Golf Management Australia.

The 2013 National Golf Participation Report, which replaces the previous Annual Golf Census, has identified clear trends in the areas of club membership, golf participation and club financial viability.

Among the report’s key findings were: • There were 1.18 million Australians who played at least one round of golf during the year. Two out of every three of those players were not club golfers and play social golf instead.

• There were 398,804 golf club members last year with 60 per cent of that club membership base aged 55 years and over.

• Female members made up 21 per cent of the total membership base.

• There was a 1.6% decline in club playing members.

• 18 per cent of clubs reported membership growth of more than 10 per cent in 2013.

• Five per cent of club members are juniors.

• 51% of Australian clubs have less than 100 members.

• 50% of clubs are under financial duress.

Golf Australia Golf Development Director Cameron Wade said the report clearly defined some of the challenges golf clubs face in a changing sporting membership environment.

“Despite a 6 per cent overall decline in club membership since 2010, approximately 10 per cent of golf clubs have experienced a net increase in membership in the last 12 month period,” Wade said.

“The good news is that there is clearly a healthy level of new demand for the golf club product.

We recognise that there is a current attrition rate but we are committed to working with all clubs towards them enjoying the operational benefits and improved financial positions that come with increasing levels of membership demand.”

KEY FINDINGS

60%

19.5 & 31.0

1.18m total golfers

average male and female handicaps at year end 2013

in Australia

19.5 & 31.0

proportion of the national club membership base aged 55 average male and female handicaps at year end 2013 years or greater

13

1.18m total golfers

1

24.73m

rounds were played within the club environment in 2013

in Australia

60% 2 rounds24.73m 12 were played within proportion of the national club the club environment in 2013 2golfers out of 3 membership base aged 55 1 13 years or greater are non club 50% golfers, playing socially approximate % of clubs 11 12 2 3 under financial distress 13 KEY FINDINGS 2golfers out of 3 are non club 50% ABOUT THE golfers, playing socially approximate % of clubs 11 3 GOLF INDUSTRY under financial distress 398,804 51% 4 10 KEY FINDINGS playing members for IN13AUSTRALIA FOR of Australian clubs less than 100 members in size

ABOUT THE YEAR THE 2013

year 2013

with the #1 Hybrid on Tour. #OwnTheSecondShot

GOLF INDUSTRY 398,804 51% 109 playing members for IN AUSTRALIA FOR of Australian clubs less 54 year 2013 than 100 members in size THE YEAR 2013 5% 1.6% of club members decline in playing 6 5 members in 2013 are juniors 9 8 7 5% 1.6% of club members decline in playing 21% 0.3% 8 6 are juniors members in 2013 female share of increase in playing members 7 membership base in all metropolitan areas 18% clubs that reported 21% 0.3% membership growth of increase in playing members female share of more than 10% membership base in all metropolitan areas 18% clubs that reported

The rate of participation in the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups has experienced a decline and Wade said flexibility was the key to engaging more with this market.

“In these age groups, people have a lot of recreational activities competing for their time. Golf is one of those activities but it needs to recognise it has to offer something innovative to capture their attention,” Wade said.

“There are a lot of young families in the latter age group. Flexibility is one of the key factors there – it’s more difficult now for people to commit to several hours on the golf course.

Together the industry needs to work on ways to provide that flexibility while maintaining the club’s financial health,” Wade added.

Golf Management Australia President Damon Lonnie said the report highlighted areas for engagement.

“It is clear that golf clubs need to continue to establish a point of difference and engage with different generations and potential user groups including families. It is also vital that clubs invest into the future of the game by creating elementary and welcoming pathways for juniors to become involved at club level,” Lonnie said.

“This latest report enables all stakeholders to quantify the true state of the game in Australia and we were delighted to work in collaboration with Golf Australia in a clear sign that

membership growth of more than 10%

the industry is increasingly working better together on a number of important projects for the betterment of the game.”

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Among the conclusions and recommendations of the report, it was found that golf facilities need to: • Engage more with women, families, diverse groups and younger generations.

• Assess purpose-built six and ninehole formats and other short-formats to complement the 18-hole tradition.

• Assess multiple tee options and shorter courses to make the game more fun and enjoyable.

• Better engage and communicate with the social golfer market.

• Increase their engagement with and retention of junior members.

• Consider adjustment to traditional business models and seek to diversify revenue bases.

• Constantly monitor and assess the value proposition being made in membership offerings.

• Focus on their annual attrition rate in order to better optimise the level of new member demand that is apparent.

The report also recommends that golf needs to become a leader in environmental sustainability on the course and in the clubhouse.

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www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

9

news

Peak bodies team up for junior golf G

olf Australia and the PGA of Australia have signed an historic joint venture agreement that will boost the landscape of junior golf development in Australia.

Under the agreement, the PGA and Golf Australia will govern a single junior development program, MyGolf – as the one nationally recognised junior golf program that will act as the main driver of junior participation in Australia.

The joint venture was created in an effort to both unite the Australian golfing industry under one brand and reduce duplication in introducing Australian juniors to golf.

Heath Reed overcame a late rain delay in the final round to claim his third Coca Cola Morobe Open, outlasting Jake Stirling in trying conditions over the closing holes.

Reed’s final round 70 to finish on 10-under was good enough for a oneshot win, with Stirling who briefly shared the lead after 10 holes, holding onto outright second. First round leader Brett Rankin finished in third, while Michael Hansen and Martin Dive tied for fourth.

Reed was certainly pleased with the win, his third at the Morobe Open, though somewhat surprised considering the amount of golf he has been playing over the past 12 months. “It is a great feeling to win, especially considering there were times when I thought that I may never have another opportunity to win a tournament again,” Reed said.

Representatives from Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia will administer the agreement with former AFL General Manager of Operations and interim Cycling Australia chief executive Adrian Anderson taking on the role of independent chairman.

Previously, both the PGA and Golf Australia promoted and delivered separate junior development programs.

Triple treat for Reed

“Together with the PGA of Australia, I am delighted to see us unite under one junior participation program to promote junior development growth across Australia.”

Golf Australia CEO Stephen Pitt said the agreement was an historic step forward for the sport.

PGA of Australia Chief Executive Brian Thorburn added, “Our game is in great shape at the moment and what our industry now needs is collaboration and cohesion.”

“This agreement is designed to make things easier for children who want to make their start in golf. This joint venture sends a clear message to the industry that the peak bodies are working together to grow the sport and introduce as many children to golf as possible.”

“This agreement will see PGA Professionals, clubs, schools and community coaches working together under a united banner and in time will ensure that golf competes with some of Australia’s most popular junior participation programs.”

New independent chairman Adrian Anderson said, “This is a very positive step for the future of junior golf in Australia. This level of cooperation between the peak bodies enhances the program and gives children and families a clear picture of the junior golf opportunities available to them. I’m looking forward to working with Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia as they enter this new and exciting stage of the program.”

The new-look MyGolf program will launch in the coming months. •

“I have so many happy memories here and I certainly had to draw on those throughout today’s round. Jake played some great golf and I knew that I could match him as long as I stayed patient. It was a great battle out there today and I really can’t describe the feeling that came across me when that winning putt dropped,” Reed said.

Although disappointed not to win, Stirling was ecstatic with his performance at the Lae Golf Club and looking forward to what the future holds. “This week has been amazing, great people, great course and a great tournament. Although I may not have won today, it has been a wonderful experience and I can’t wait to try and go one better next week.”

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Changing landscapes: courses on the move “The new courses that we are seeing be built, they’re being built to sell homes and once the homes are sold, what’s going to happen to the golf course? They’re probably going to be in the same position five, ten years from now,” Orloff states.

Henry Peters

ed@insidegolf.com.au @hsspeters

I

t’s no longer a major surprise to hear that golf courses in Australia are selling, moving or merging in what is an unsettling time for our golf industry.

Melbourne clubs like Chirnside Park and Eastern, which have relocated their courses further away from the CBD, may be set up for brighter financial days but their moves are symptomatic of what is a troubling period for the game.

Orloff believes, in Melbourne in particular, courses moving further away from the CBD will become a growing trend but warns it is far from simple.

“Some have done it well, some haven’t and then five years later they’re back in the same position. A big move, you’re taking the risk of losing a lot of your current members if it’s going to be too far for them. I think it’s a good investment if you find the right location and you have enough of a catchment for people that will support you and what you purchase it for.”

The changing landscape of our golf economy is particularly visible in the Victorian capital. Highly sought-after property in Melbourne’s suburbs has – for a number of years – been considered better served to have houses built on it than golf courses. Croydon, Eastern, Chirnside Park and Kingswood Golf Club have all sold or plan to sell massive portions of their land to finance a move further out of town.

The Sands Torquay Peppers The Sands Resort in Torquay and Moonah Links are continuing their efforts to sell. Orloff says golf clubs and privatelyowned courses are finding it increasingly difficult to remain financial.

But there is a simple truth that remains.

There are too many courses in and around Melbourne and not enough golfers.

“The other route that you’ll probably see a lot more of is the amalgamations or mergers,” Orloff speculates.

“The Melbourne (golf ) market is fairly saturated in certain areas,” says Golf Industry Central’s Mike Orloff. Golf participation levels in Australia are slowly declining at present and this spells greater risk for privatelyowned courses. In April, Heritage Golf and Country Club in the city’s northeast was sold for $17.8 million – well below its $30 million book value.

Housing, accommodation and other amenities have become part and parcel of modern day golf course developments. New courses in the works like Mandalay Golf Course (Beveridge, Vic) and Black Bull Golf Club (Yarrawonga, Vic) are good examples of these.

Meanwhile, Eagle Ridge and the owners of

Orloff admits that new stand-alone golf courses in Australia are almost a thing of the past.

“From an investment standpoint, anybody that knows what they’re doing with golf, to just build a golf course stand-alone is probably not a smart thing to do in this environment. You need housing, you need other things to build it and then you need a good business model to sustain it,” Orloff says.

Heritage’s sale, however, reinforces the fact that offering on-course properties will not always guarantee the long-term profitability of a golf course or club.

Last month, Chirnside Park Country Club officially shifted from the north-eastern suburb of Chirnside Park just a few kilometres away to Lilydale. Its new stand-alone 18hole golf course – Gardiners Run – is a semiprivate course open to the general public six days a week. The club’s General Manager Barbara Kelly says the move made sense from both a financial and logistical perspective.

“The main reason that we looked at relocation, we had a small debt that the club needed to distinguish and the course had lots of issues with boundaries and neighbours. We didn’t have enough water storage on site so during the drought that became a nightmare because we couldn’t water apart from greens. The course was very hilly. When it was built, it was never drained properly. We didn’t have irrigation on the front nine, only the back nine.”

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AT A GLANCE Recently listed For Sale Moonah Links/Sands Torquay Eagle Ridge GC Recently Sold Capital GC Heritage Golf & Country Club Links Hope Island Noosa Springs Cypress Lakes Lakelands GC Moving or Merged Kingswood (to Peninsula) GC The Eastern GC Chirnside Park/Gardiners Run Horton Park GC Closed Capricorn Country Club Ipswich GC (Receivers)

The new Gardiners Run in Lilydale, Vic While relocation appears logical, Kelly warns that it’s an extremely difficult strategy to implement and one that can easily send a club into a heavy financial downturn.

“It appears that it’s easy because so many clubs have done it in the last 10 years,” Kelly says. “Waverley tried and they’re still trying.

It’s a real challenge to do this. It took us 10 years to get our current site rezoned from special use to residential and that’s a massive commitment. If we hadn’t have had a developer, we would have gone broke doing it.”

Chirnside Park only needed to sell part of the land at its Kingswood Drive address to fund the move to Gardiners Run. It has retained 11 acres in Chirnside Park, which will continue to be used to offer members tennis,

at the present stage, maybe that’s an option you can look at. The six (holes) out, six in. If you need to play 18, you could play one of the six again.” •

lawn bowls and a clubhouse with gaming and a bistro.

Gardiners Run manager Garrick Aird concedes that partial land sales are complicated but says they could be a wise choice for other Melbourne clubs.

“I’ve seen a few courses that have done that and then they’ve had houses encroach onto their boundaries and then that creates boundary issues, then courses get re-designed and when you re-design something, it tends to cost a fair bit of money to redesign a fairway or a green or a hole. It depends what your model is. I’ve been a little bit of an advocate for being a little bit different. If you go back to where it all started, there was 13, 14, 15-hole golf courses. With people being very time-poor

New developments Eastern GC Black Bull GC Ocean Dunes GC Cape Wickham GC St Andrews Private (Stalled) Bingara Gorge (NSW) Kooralbyn (to reopen)

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13

news

Timing setbacks to delay King Island course opening Henry Peters

ed@insidegolf.com.au @hsspeters

O

“That’s gone out to at least the middle of 2015,” Grant says.

“We need to aim at that for our own sake and the credibility of the whole job. We have to do this in the most economical way possible to make the business viable and, in a way, we’re building this at a wholesale rate.”

Ocean Dunes appears likely to open later than King Island’s other golf course under construction at Cape Wickham on the island’s northern coast.

At the time of writing, grass had been laid on at least 13 of Cape Wickham’s holes while Grant had only finished turfing Ocean Dunes’ first, second and fourth holes, which are all coastal.

“We’re working on the third hole, the last of the coastal holes, at the moment. Working on the coastal holes has been very time consuming.

There’s only three of us operating machines but as soon as we move off that coastal area I’m sure

US tycoon Donald Trump and our own Clive Palmer have a lot in common.

Both have a liking for politics and an interest in buying up golf courses.

Recently, Trump purchased the classic Open Championship venue Turnberry for £35.7m ($64.9m).

cean Dunes Golf Links on Tasmania’s King Island has suffered a timing setback and isn’t expected to open until mid-2015.

Director Graeme Grant, who is also spearheading the course’s design and grassing, has revealed slow progress over summer and autumn has forced him to abandon earlier hopes of opening the course

by February 2015.

Turnberry comes up Trump’s

That, according to reports, was a bargain.

Ocean Dunes Golf Links that we can move a bit quicker because most of the ground’s already shaped.”

got all the investors we need. We’ve got a substantial number.”

“We did get knocked around a lot by wind and we’ve had to resurrect a lot of the areas.

We never had irrigation in the ground when we should have based on what we now know.

Working in this climate’s been a really good learning experience for us and if we’re clever, we won’t be making the same mistake twice.”

“The facts are that golf is not seen as a fantastic investment. It’s got a bad name because they cost so much to do and people wonder whether they’re going to get their money back.

All our figures indicate you can make a very good return on your investment but that’s something for us to convince others of.”

Grant is optimistic that he will have the entire front nine and the 18th – an inland par-four – fully grassed by November.

Ocean Dunes’ hopes for further investment have been bolstered by the news that Greg Norman has visited King Island on multiple occasions to investigate the potential to develop a third course on the island.

“We don’t have a lot of earth to move on the inland holes,” he says.

Grant is still working to secure investment for the development, which stakeholders can buy at a cost of $100,000 per one per cent share.

“They’re not knocking the doors down to invest with us but we are getting investors at a rate that makes us comfortable. We haven’t

“He’s been down a couple of times and whether he’s negotiating, we don’t know. He’s been involved in trying to get another course off the ground on the southern tip of the island and that’s something that we see as a good thing for us. Two golf courses make it a destination and three can make it even better.” •

In 2008, Leisurecorp paid £52 million (94.6m) for the resort – which comprises three courses, a golf academy, a fivestar hotel, as well as lodge and cottage accommodations – and then proceeded to spend a further £40 million ($72.8m) on renovations.

The Scottish links, with its stunning views over the Firth of Clyde and its famous lighthouse, is where Greg Norman won the Open in 1986.

Trump says he won’t change the Ailsa Course without R&A approval.

What, no dinosaurs?

However, Trump is undecided whether to place his name in the title of the course as he has done with his other 16 courses.

Can’t see the R&A allowing Trump Turnberry to be engraved on the Claret Jug, can you?

Clive Palmer owns four courses in Australia (Palmer Coolum, Palmer Gold Coast, Palmer Colonial and Palmer Sea Reef ).

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from the ceo

The ‘Next Generation’ of women golfers Karen Lunn CEO, ALPG

A

s Golf Australia and the PGA announce the roll out their new MyGolf initiative, the ALPG has been busy with our own project in identifying and nurturing our stars of the future. The ALPG ActewAGL Next Generation Club was launched last year and in January 2014 the inaugural ActewAGL Next Generation Club Camp was held at Royal Canberra Golf Club.

Australian star Rachel Hetherington, winner of 11 international titles and over US$6 million dollars in prizemoney was the special Guest Mentor for the Camp. ActewAGL NGC members from ages 13 up to 18 from all over the country were the beneficiaries of spending two precious days with one of our most successful and respected professional players.

The emphasis for the three range and education sessions held during the camp was not on swing mechanics but around preparation and planning, course strategy, life on tour, health and fitness and mental preparation.

When Rachel was competing on Tour she was incredibly well respected by her peers for her work ethic, dedication and attention to detail and she was very clear in communicating to the girls about the level of commitment that would be required from them if they choose a career as a player.

Stephen Pitt CEO – Golf Australia

G

olf Australia’s 2013-2016 Strategic Plan has identified Club Viability as a key issue and has committed to supporting the health of clubs through the implementation of a ‘whole of sport’ Club Support and Development Strategy.

The strategy was developed jointly by representatives from golf’s key industry bodies including GA, State Associations, Golf Management Australia, PGA of Australia, Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association and the Australian Sports Commission with the goal to improve the capability, financial performance and sustainability of clubs.

Currently two key initiatives are being developed for clubs and will be completed by

Brian Thorburn CEO – PGA of Australia

W

ith our continued success on the international stage much has been said in the last few months about Australian golf being in great shape. Certainly there are plenty of positives and I can’t recall a more encouraging time for the game in the last ten years. However the reality is that there is still plenty of hard work to be done at every level of

Participants at the ActewAGL Next Generation Club Camp in Canberra

many sports that offer that.”

She said those girls who attended the camp were engaging and eager to learn. “The girls really enjoyed the camp and asked a lot of good questions,” she said. “Hopefully I was able pass on information that will help them prepare for a tournament or how to manage their way around the golf course. We talked about practice and preparation. I told them what my practice routine was when I was playing and I also touched on nutrition and psychology – the things that every tour player learns to do and do well.”

All of the NGC members who attended the camp went home with new friends, new role models, a new focus and all kinds of information about the game and potential career opportunities that hopefully will keep them playing or involved in the game for life.

That is the vision behind the NGC. I would like to very sincerely thank Michael Costello, CEO of ActewAGL for his support and sponsorship of the NGC camp. Without their support the Camp would not have been possible. I would also like to thank Rachel for her huge contribution and also ALPG Board members Lee Harrington, Shani Waugh and Carlie Hoysted whose hard word and support were instrumental in ensuring the Camp was a success.

If any readers out there know any young women who have a handicap of less than 13 who may be interested in joining the ActewAGL Next Generation Club, please go to the ALPG website or contact Jennifer Johnson jenj@alpg.com.au for more information. •

Once the education sessions were complete on day 2, it was time for the ActewAGl Next Generation Club corporate day which provided the NGC members the opportunity to play as “professionals” in a corporate day with sponsors ActewAGL The afternoon fourball was a huge success and enjoyed by the NGC members and corporate guests alike.

Day 3 of the camp meant an early morning rise and the girls were very excited to get to Moss Vale where they would act as caddies for ALPG members in the second round of the Moss Vale Ladies Pro-am. There were some nervous faces as the NGC members learned that they would be caddying for some of the big names including ALPG star Stacey Keating!

The feedback after the round was that the girls had learned an enormous amount about how to conduct themselves on the course and about course management from being able to witness the ALPG professionals in action from close quarters.

As the curtain fell on a fantastic few days

there were some very sad faces as goodbyes were said to newfound friends. (I am not sure which were the saddest faces, the NGC members or their ALPG counterparts!)

Rachel Hetherington had this to say about the ActewAGL NGC before she departed back to her Northern NSW home.

“I had a great couple of days with the girls.

The NGC is unique in that it has former successful players giving the next generation of golfers the information they need to succeed,” she said.

“I believe it can assist a number of young women that love the game of golf, but are not yet in a high performance program. I think it is a great thing the ALPG have identified. I told the girls not to become disillusioned if they weren’t identified in high performance programs. There are many pathways like doing a PGA traineeship or the PGA IGI course. I told them the other options are golf management, golf psychology, golf fitness – there are so many different pathways. There aren’t too

September this year – a Golf Health Check Tool and a Club Portal which will house extensive resources to assist clubs.

• There were 398,804 golf club members last year with 60 per cent of that club membership base aged 55 years and over.

• Membership recruitment & retention • Innovative membership models • Marketing and promotion • Social media • Member surveys • Community engagement • Volunteer programs • Staff education and development

• Partnerships with other clubs or businesses • Grant funding The case study can be sent in a number of forms; a newsletter article, an email, a YouTube clip, an annual report article, a magazine or local newspaper article or any format that you would like to share.

Case studies can be submitted via email at clubs@golf.org.au , post at Level 3, 95 Coventry Street South Melbourne Victoria 3205 or by fax (03) 9626 5095.

In other club news, Golf Australia and Golf Management Australia recently released the 2013 National Golf Participation Report.

This report has identified clear trends in the areas of club membership, golf participation and club financial viability.

Among the report’s key findings were: • There were 1.18 million Australians who played at least one round of golf during the year. Two out of every three of those players were not club golfers and play social golf instead.

the sport and what our industry now needs is collaboration and cohesion to ensure we make the most of the opportunities on offer.

Last month the PGA and Golf Australia proudly announced our joint commitment to boost the landscape of junior golf development in Australia. Through the partnership, the PGA and GA will for the first time govern a single junior development program, MyGolf, with PGA Professionals, clubs, schools and community coaches working together under a united banner. With the existing MyGolf program currently undergoing an overhaul, we’re confident of the new program being launched

in coming months and hope that in time this will ensure that golf competes with some of Australia’s most popular junior participation programs across all sports.

For those with an understanding of recent history most will acknowledge that this is a significant and much-needed step. However realistically it’s only one of many steps that need to be taken. What most won’t realise is that behind the scenes a lot of work is being undertaken across multiple areas to rationalise and collaborate within the industry, the overall aim being to maximise our common goals, streamline resources and most importantly

to support the growth of the game across the Professional, amateur and club landscapes.

Working alongside Golf Management Australia, Golf Australia and other industry bodies, we’re confident that we’re on the way to a healthier future for the entire industry. With time I’m certain we can share even more news on ongoing and new joint projects however in the meantime I hope that all stakeholders will continue to support our collaborative efforts, such as MyGolf, which really is one of the most positive developments for our game in many, many years.

These resources will include information on strategic planning, risk management, marketing, membership structures and services, financial management, board & committee management, grants, volunteers, and national and state/territory participation programs.

To accompany these resources on the Club Portal, GA is now seeking real life case studies from clubs that have resulted in improving club performance. Examples of initiatives might include:

• Female members made up 21 per cent of the total membership base.

• There was a 1.6% decline in club playing members.

• 18 per cent of clubs reported membership growth of more than 10 per cent in 2013.

• Five per cent of club members are juniors.

• 51% of Australian clubs have less than 100 members.

• 50% of clubs are under financial duress.

There are some positive things in this report and also clearly some areas where we need implement new ideas and change our collective thinking to strengthen the game and increase the number of people playing golf. The full report is available at http://www.golf.org.au/Research

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

15

industry

Crest Link expands international footprint with PGA partnership

O

ne of the leading golf apparel brands, Crest Link is extending upon its international golf footprint through a new partnership with the PGA of Australia.

Confirmed last month as the PGA’s official apparel partner for a three-year term, Crest Link is set to embark on a number of exciting initiatives to leverage its partnership with the PGA and grow its marketing platform outside the Asia and the Middle East regions.

“With the current success of Australian golf many established international brands are looking to Australia to establish a presence within the domestic market,” said Brian Thorburn, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA. “The PGA is very pleased to align with Crest Link as our new apparel partner and we look forward to working with their team to grow the brand within our market.”

Crest Link, which started in Malaysia, is well established in more than 15 countries and maintains strong associations with numerous international professional tournaments including the Indonesia PGA Championship, the Singapore Open, the Malaysian Open and Thailand Open.

Western Australia and Champion Sports for all the other states in Australia.

Crest Link’s Managing Director Raymond Yee said the partnership with the PGA is further proof of the brand’s popularity, and he looks forward to introducing Crest Link to even more Australian golfers.

“Our product is perfect for Australian golfers as our products offer efficient moisture absorption and evaporation, a smooth and much lighter feel compared to traditional golf apparel materials thanks to our innovation of Micro-Dri, this in return helps golfers to better perform,” said Managing Director Raymond Yee. “Some of our other innovations include Micro-Dri A-Vent, keeps golfers cool and dry at all time; Micro-Dri UV, provides protection against harmful UV rays; and COMP-TECH helps to increase blood flow to the arms and reduce soreness as well as fatigue. We believe our products put golfers and performance first beyond anything – this is because we are golfers too.”

Crest Link apparel also comes in fashionable colours and designs to suit all golfers.

Crest Link is also a partner of several governing bodies including the ASEAN PGA Tour and the China PGA Tour.

“Combined, Australian PGA Professionals offer the most direct and effective grass-roots distribution channel and we’re looking forward to working with the PGA in the coming years.”

Through this latest partnership Crest Link will look to grow its presence in the Australian golf market by working with the PGA’s network of PGA Professionals based at over 500 golf facilities around the country.

Crest Link will also be featured as part of the official uniform of PGA staff, complementing the brand’s existing sponsorship of young, talented and up and coming Australianbased Tour Professionals.

Crest Link is represented in the Australian market by Red Box Agencies in

For more information about Crest Link, visit www.crestlink.net .

16

Crest Link expands international footprint with PGA partnership

Peregian Springs, Troon Golf join forces The Peregian Springs Golf Club has appointed Troon Golf to manage agronomy at Peregian Springs Golf Club.

Peregian Springs CEO, Declan McCollam, said that Troon would produce significantly improved playing surfaces and year-round conditioning.

“Troon’s technical expertise in golf course agronomy is peerless worldwide and will provide Peregian Springs with a higher quality golf course and another competitive advantages,” said McCollam, who has worked with Troon Golf in Australia, The Middle East and Europe for 10 years and is very familiar with their methodology.

David Lunardelli, Troon Golf’s Head of Agronomy for Australasia, has been working closely with the golf course maintenance team at Peregian Springs over recent months. The quality and presentation of the playing surfaces have improved under David’s expert instruction.

McCollam stated that the programs Troon Golf introduced have produced not only better quality playing surfaces, but also saved the club money.

“Troon Golf has enormous influence within the industry worldwide and help golf clubs to cut costs through their numerous vendor agreements with major suppliers. We have been very impressed by the results produced

by David Lunardelli in such a short time frame and we plan to continue down this road with Troon Golf. Peregian Springs is already an excellent championship golf course that will soon be elevated to be one of the few “Must Play” golf courses in South East Queensland if early results are any indication.”

The Peregian Springs Golf Club opened in 2003 as a private members only golf course, but is now open for daily fee golf to the general public. More: www.pergianspringsgolfclub.com, 07 5471 5471.

2014 Subaru State Junior Golf Championships

Jack Newton Junior Golf Junior - AM

Three hundred junior golfers will converge on the Illawarra District in July for the annual Subaru State Championships.

Jack Newton Junior Golf is pleased to announce the Inaugural JNJG Junior - AM.

The event is a four day stroke play event where golfers under 18 years of age compete to be crowned NSW State Junior Boy or Girl Champion. Other titles up for grabs include: Country Junior Championships, Inter-District Teams Championships and JNJG State Age Championships.

Players also come from Interstate and Overseas to take part in the event.

Dates: Tuesday 1st - Friday 4th July Venues: Wollongong Golf Club and The Links Shell Cove

Run in conjunction with the Subaru State Championships, the Junior - AM has been developed to raise funds for junior golf for the host region of the Championship.

It is an opportunity for you to have a game of golf with some of the best junior golfers in NSW. The Junior - AM also gives juniors a taste of the responsibilities of an elite or professional player.

Come and check out the future stars of golf in action!

Get behind junior golf in the Illawarra and secure your spot in the field now!

For Tournament Information Contact: Dale Hughes (JNJG Tournament Manager) 02 9567 7736 or dale@jnjg.com.au or visit: www.jnjg.com.au.

For Entry and Sponsorship Information Contact: Tanya Kirby (JNJG Territory Manager) 0411 645 699 or tanya@jnjg.com.au

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Date: Monday 30th June Venue: The Grange Golf Club

industry

Ballarat to host the future of Australian golf T

he PGA of Australia announced last month that the PGA National Futures Championship will be played at the Ballarat Golf Club from October 21 – 24, 2014.

As the national championship for Members of the PGA Trainee Program, the Futures Championship is the finale in a playing schedule that features six four-round tournaments for Trainees, including the recent CPM Southern Trainee Championship.

The Futures Championship attracts a strong field of both domestic and international trainees.

“With a prize-purse of AU$55,000, the PGA National Futures Championship currently boasts the most prizemoney of any PGA Trainee or Apprentice tournament in the world,” said Geoff Stewart, Executive Officer – Training and Education of the PGA. “A strong field is all but guaranteed for the prestigious title with all state Trainee Champions in the field as well as the Trainee or Apprentice champions from New Zealand, Great Britain and South Africa making the trip to Ballarat,” Stewart added.

Being played at the Ballarat Golf Club for the first time in the 37-year history of the championship, the club is looking forward to welcoming the future of Australian professional golf to their course.

“Ballarat Golf Club and the city of Ballarat are certainly looking forward to being the new home of the PGA National Futures

Ballarat Golf Club (Photo by David Scaletti) Championship. Staging such a prestigious event for the future members of the PGA is a boost for the entire Ballarat golfing community,” said Dominic Azzopardi, Head PGA Professional at Ballarat Golf Club.

As an ideal location and course for the Futures Championship, the Ballarat Golf Club has a long and proud history spanning back to 1895 as Australia’s oldest continually played course.

Ballarat Regional Tourism CEO George Sossi welcomed the announcement, congratulating the club on securing another major sporting coup for the region.

The championship course has been redesigned by five-time British Open Champion, Peter Thomson via ThomsonPerrett and will provide an excellent challenge for the world’s best Trainee PGA Professionals.

The decision is a reflection of the quality course at Ballarat Golf Club and the ability of the region to host such events,” Sossi said.

“Events such as these play a key role in promoting the sports tourism industry and positioning Ballarat as Victoria’s premier regional sporting hub,” he added.

In addition, the course has ranked amongst the top 100 public access courses in Australia

by Golf Australia magazine in 2011 and 2013 and achieved rankings in Australian Golf’s Top 100 Best Conditions and Course lists in 2013. •

NSW Golf Foundation helps Wee Waa get back in the green About 8 hours from Sydney, in the North West of NSW is the rural town of Wee Waa, home to a 9-hole golf course and some passionate local volunteers.

Wee Waa Golf Club has one paid staff member – the cleaner, the rest of the club is run wholly by hard-working volunteers; everything else from club administration to the watering of the greens is done by the locals and Members. With only 57 paying members and around 45 social members, finding over $30,000 to pay for a new bore was no easy feat.

The Club’s bore was beyond repair and it was feared that without a new one, the greens would die and would result in the small club having to close its doors.

Thanks to the support and generosity of the local businesses and residents, the members were able to secure fundraising within the community, and nearly one third of the costs were raised in a Golf Day. Manly NRL star Jamie Lyon played in the day, and was auctioned off to the highest bidder to play in their Ambrose Team, helping raise $2500.

The NSW Golf Foundation proudly donated $5000 towards the new bore, and commends all its members for their hard work and outstanding achievements in such a small golfing community.

“Since we installed the pump the water flow has returned to normal which has made the members happy and we are able to water the grass greens, which we changed from the bent grass to couch 328 grass some 3 years ago as the couch grass only needs to be watered in the middle of the summer three times a week, which saved us water and power,” said Wee Waa Golf Club Director, Greg Avery.

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17

industry

Nudgee GM to sleep rough – again David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

S

LEEPING rough to combat homelessness doesn’t faze Nudgee Golf Club general manager Aaron Muirhead.

He did it last year and he’s warming up to do it again on Thursday, June 19 at The CourierMail Piazza, South Bank Parklands.

He’s also urging other golf club managers to join him.

“I’m more than happy to sleep rough to highlight the plight of homelessness in Australia,” he said. “Business and community leaders are challenged to experience homelessness first-hand for just one night.

“I have three children and we come together every night as a loving family and there’s some people out there without any love and they’re just out of luck.

“Participating in this event is one small way I can help and support the great work that Vinnies do for unfortunate people.

“At last year’s event, I was extremely shocked by the different people who found themselves homeless and I encourage everyone to

volunteer their time to help this cause.

“Listening to their stories and misfortune has certainly driven me to be involved again this year and hopefully for many years to come.”

Aaron said he was surprised he was the only club manager that supported the event in Queensland.

He said Vinnies provided three pieces of cardboard.

“It’s not that comfortable and it’s cold,” he said. “The food is not something that we would generally eat when at home with our families. The menu is bread and soup.”

He said the positive side to the event was engaging with like-minded CEOs. “The whole experience is very humbling and gives you an appreciation of the life and family that you have,” Aaron said.

“The comedy routine provided by the various mayors that attend the event is another plus and the breakfast is much better than the dinner.

“I enjoy listening to the people that Vinnies have supported over the years and how they have transformed their lives.”

I ask Aaron why he thinks other club

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managers should join him at the sleepout event.

“As community clubs, I believe that we, as managers, should support events such as these as they provide direct assistance to people in need,” he said.

“Thirty-three percent of people who experience homelessness in Australia are children or young people.

“That is more than 34,000 kids without a place they can call home.

“And consequently, children in homeless families are more at risk of experiencing disadvantage and homelessness over their lifetime.

“Managers that attend this event will walk away with a totally different opinion of homeless people – I know I did.

“This is a fantastic cause and I am really looking forward to rolling out my sleeping bag and participating again in 2014.

“I am really passionate about this cause and therefore urge other golf club managers to support the event and people in need.”

Last year, Queensland CEOs collected approximately $750,000 in donations for St Vincent de Paul Society.

Aaron Muirhead at last year’s Vinnies CEO sleepout.

pga igi

Cloud ahead of the class David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

T

HE PGA International Golf Institute’s (PGA IGI) feel-good story of the year so far has to be the success of Bach “Cloud” Nguyen.

Recently the Vietnamese-born 18-yearold, with a passion for golf, won the PGA Excellence in Golf Education Award at the recent Queensland Golf Industry Awards.

while completing his studies across the next two years.”

Cloud said he was extremely proud to win the award.

“It was a great honour and something I didn’t expect,” he said.

“I have to thank the PGA IGI people like Carley Meyers, Josh Madden, Mike Levick, Dominic O’Brien and my golf coach Chris Lee (AnK Golf ).”

Cloud enrolled in the PGA IGI course almost by chance.

He was living with his parents in Canberra and had applied for an IT course when the professional at Capital Golf Club recommended the PGA IGI course.

Last year, Cloud completed his PGA IGI Diploma of Golf Management and is in his second year of a business degree majoring in hotel management at Griffith University.

“We thought about it and decided to apply,” Cloud said. “Now golf is my passion – I love the golf industry.”

“Cloud was an exemplary student both on and off the golf course,” Bryden said.

“English is Cloud’s second language and he demonstrated the extra work and commitment required to succeed at such a high level. He completed 2013 with straight high distinctions academically and improved his golf handicap from 16 to six.

“His work ethic, camaraderie and leadership among the students has set the standard for ongoing and new students and we very much look forward to watching Cloud continue to grow and develop his game

“I only spent about five years in Vietnam because we travelled around with my dad’s work and also lived in Japan, Korea and Indonesia for a while.

“I also studied Japanese for two years.”

It’s a remarkable achievement considering he could not speak English – save for “hello, how are you” – when he arrived in Australia in 2008.

PGA IGI marketing and student recruitment manager Luke Bryden said Cloud was a first-class student and was deserving of the award.

learn English” he said.

What’s also remarkable is Cloud has reduced his handicap to six in two years.

“I started playing golf in 2012 when my dad got me into it,” he said. “But I only played for three months and then I stopped for a while in years 11 and 12.

“My goal is to be a professional golfer, but first I want to finish my university degree.

Then I want to do my Professional Year (PY) and become a PGA Member.

“I would like to experience playing professionally for a few years to see how I go.

After that, I will make a decision about my career. I feel I have a lot of opportunities.”

Hard work, it seems, is in Cloud’s DNA. “When I first came here, I did struggle with the language and had to put in extra work to

Cloud said there were many sleepless nights worrying about his studies and his golf.

“I have to be honest with you and say I am never up later than 7 o’clock,” he said.

“But I have been up as early as 3.30am. It was my first Monday PGA IGI competition and I was kind of nervous so I got up to prepare and left the house at 4.40 for a 7am shotgun start,” he laughed.

I ask Cloud where the moniker came from.

“When I came to Australia people had difficulty pronouncing my name,” he said.

“So, I thought I should come up with a name that would be easy for people to say. I thought of names like David (nothing wrong with David) and John and then Cloud came up.

“I went along with it and people have been calling me Cloud for six years.”

He said he had no regrets doing the venerable PGA IGI course and would recommend it to anyone interested in a career in golf.

“It’s definitely a course worth doing,” he said.

Any other advice?

“Yes,” he said. “Work hard, learn and create a network for yourself. If you work hard, it’s

Bach “Cloud” Nguyen (left) receives his award from Joshua Madden. rewarding and if you have a large network, you make it much easier for yourself when it comes to applying for jobs.”

Bryden said the PGA IGI Diploma of Golf Management program attracted students from all over the globe.

“Currently we have students from Vietnam, Turkey, Belgium, Myanmar, Thailand, France, Korea, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia,” he said. “Previous alumni students have been from Finland, Sweden, India, Japan and many other countries.”

FOOTNOTE: PGA IGI students graduate with Australia’s only Diploma of Golf Management from PGA IGI and a Bachelor of Business degree majoring in Sports Management from Griffith University. For more information about the PGA IGI programs and how they are delivered, visit the website www.pgaigi.com or contact Luke Bryden on telephone (07) 5657 6109 or email lbryden@pga.org.au •

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19

general managers

A GM with a rare sense of humour David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

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NE of the first things you notice about Wyong Golf Club general manager Glenn Howard is his wonderful sense of humour.

That can be rare in an industry where general managers often give the impression they have the weight of the world on their shoulders … and many do.

Still, Howard, 53, balances the pressures of his job by keeping an open mind and not taking himself too seriously.

He got into golf club management, he says, by being in the right place at the right time.

“I starting working life in the IT industry before a mate got me a job playing cricket in England,” he told Inside Golf. “That was in 1987.

“Four years later, I was deported for overstaying my visa by two years and when I came home I was virtually unemployable because the IT industry moves so quickly.

“So I did a couple of computer courses and applied for a job at Hawks Nest Golf Club north of Newcastle.

“They wanted someone with IT experience because they had bought their first computer system and my job was to set it up.

“Five weeks into the job, the general manager went on stress leave and never returned.

“The president said, ‘how do you think you will go in the job’,” Howard explained.

“I said, ‘give me the keys to the safe and we’ll see what happens’.”

strength-to-strength making good profits each year.

“I had eight terrific years at Hawks Nest – it was a great experience, wonderful staff and members. In many ways it was sad to leave yet exciting to start a new chapter of my life.”

In 2000, the board from Wyong Golf Club came to Hawks Nest to look at the clubhouse development overseen by Howard.

Glenn Howard … Wyong Golf Club’s award-winning general manager.

They must have been impressed because they asked Howard if he was interested in the GM role at Wyong.

“There are no guarantees in life, but we have a great clubhouse and a good course. We are living with some debt, but are managing it well.

“They made me an offer and I came to the Central Coast in June 2000,” he said. “It was rather serendipitous as I was feeling that I needed a new challenge in life. Wyong was about to embark upon a major clubhouse redevelopment and I was excited with the prospect of being involved.

“We have a golf course master plan and have completed the first stage and want to reduce our debt before commencing the next stage.”

“The club spent $2m on the initial clubhouse works and over the next 14 years another $6m in capital works has been spent on the course and clubhouse. During this time we have generated in excess of $2m in operating profits.

“The club has a business model that works well however we tinker and fine-tune it continuously as each year presents new challenges. I am sure most managers and boards of golf clubs acknowledge how tough and challenging our industry has become.

“I think we have a course and a clubhouse the members are extremely proud of and the atmosphere is brilliant.

“One of our great strengths is our membership – it is egalitarian in nature – a trait not that common in golf clubs unfortunately. It certainly makes my job easier when you don’t have to deal with cliques.”

The president liked his style and work ethic and offered him the job as acting manager. Six months later, he was the general manager.

One of Howard’s strong points is his memory – he rarely forgets a member’s face or name and virtually knows all the club’s members by name.

“In 1996-’97 we did a $2m clubhouse development and the club went from

His vision for the club is to ensure it will be around for “perpetuity”.

Howard describes his management style as “inspirational” – tongue in cheek, of course.

He suggested that it his passion for the club and the job that is his greatest strength.

Howard also spoke about his dedicated staff, who have taken ownership of what the club is striving to achieve – “long-term sustainability”.

In 2010, Howard was named GMA NSW manager of the year.

“To be recognised by your peers was the pinnacle of my career,” he said.

Asked about his golfing prowess, Howard said, “that should be left out of the equation”.

“Put it this way, if my golfing ability is one of the key performance indicators I would be out of a job,” he laughed. “My Golf Australia handicap is 20. Some years ago I played off 11 and then things went pear-shaped.

“I even resorted to playing right-handed for 18 months before reverting back to lefthanded. All it achieved was two sales of golf clubs for the boys in the pro shop.”

Away from the rigours of work, Howard enjoys hitting the surf at Newcastle’s Redhead Beach.

“I body surf every morning before work. I love it and my nickname at the surf club is Shark Bait,” he joked.

I put it to him that he also answers to another moniker – Whisper.

“Well,” said Howard, “it came about in the first week working at Hawks Nest when I was introduced to a few members.

“We had several beers and I thought it was the right thing to buy a round for 10 blokes.

That went down okay but an hour later they told me it was my shout again.

“Well, I burred up and before I knew it my nickname was Whisper because I wouldn’t shout”.

“So I have been known as Whisper for 22 years. It has cost me thousands of dollars to try and get rid of it, but doesn’t work.

“The people at Hawks Nest call me Whisper, but at Wyong they added an s and call me Whispers – who knows why?”

Howard said one of the first lessons he learned about golf club management was “never upset a member”.

“You have to be careful of what you say to a member because one day they could become a director,” he said with a wry smile.

“I have always kept that in mind and have had very few run-ins with members.”

I ask Howard if the UK authorities had allowed him back in the country.

“I have been back several times, but it took me three years and I had to write to the British Embassy to get permission,” said the former opening batsman. “I go over to England and catch up with friends and watch the Ashes when I can.” •

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

business

7 tips on how to achieve better newsletter results 3. Low risk – you own your email list and no-one else controls it – it’s yours. You control your message, the timing of when it’s received and who sees it.

Mike Orloff Golf Industry Central mike@golfindustrycentral.com.au

W

ith only 6 percent of people who “like” your Facebook page seeing your posts in their News Feeds (unless you pay) and this number shrinking, here is why e-newsletters and email marketing could be your next favourite promotional tool.

The number one reason why newsletters are effective is because they remind you to build your marketing GOLD. What is this marketing GOLD? Your email list.

So, now you know why newsletters work – here’s 7 ways how they could work for you: 1. Generate sales leads 2. Increase traffic to your website 3. Communicate your promotional messages 4. Tell people about your product or service 5. Connect with your customers and prospects – get them to like you 6. Build loyalty with your target market – gain their trust 7. Boost your credibility – get them to respect you

You can’t control Facebook, and it’s costly to pay. Plus you don’t own anything on Facebook. You do, however, own your email list - so treat it like the pot of gold that it is.

Here’s 3 reasons why: 1. Low cost - when you collect an email address, add it to your list and use it to keep in touch with your customers and prospects – no expense (just time) until you build up your database.

2. High effect – the average open rate for emails is 22 percent by your customers and qualified leads – compared with 6 percent reach to Facebook fans who may not even be your target market.

Now 7 tips for how to create a newsletter: 1. Be helpful – your content must be useful or it won’t get read. Yes, it’s easier to write the promotional stuff you want people to know about, but think about it from your audience’s point of view if you want them to read it.

2. Tell stories – start with your story and your clients’ stories. As a wise friend told me: “Your story needs to connect with others so they can feel you.”

People don’t buy what you do - they buy why you do it!

Start writing the words “I believe…” then fill in the blanks to explain why you do what you do.

3. B e regular – commit to how often you will send your Newsletter and tell your audience. This creates expectation and trust. Stick to your schedule if you want your email marketing to work.

4. U se your own voice – write like you speak. Record yourself speaking your content aloud, then transcribe it. Your voice needs to show up in your writing so people recognise you as being authentic.

5. U se strong calls to action – ask your readers to do something specific.

Tell them to click here and why. Use hyperlinks to your website. Ask them to reply to your email and why.

6. W rite good subject lines – when MailChimp analysed more than 40 million emails sent by their users, they found the secret formula for subject lines: Don’t write ‘sales-y’ - anything that even hints of spam gets thrown away immediately. Just describe the subject of your email. For instance – “(Your business name) Newsletter – April 2014”

7. Test before you send – it’s important to send a test email to check the formatting and layout of your email before you send it to your list. Some email marketing programs let you run an inbox inspection if you have lots of graphics so you can check how your email will appear in various email programs, browsers and on mobile devices.

Yes, newsletters and email marketing can be time consuming, but done right, they could be your number one marketing tool.

Remember to measure your results by checking your email marketing reports and your website analytics to see which links in your email worked best to drive traffic to your website. In the end, it’s about getting you more leads and sales. • Golf Industry Central assists golf facilities and companies in Australia, New Zealand, and SE Asia to improve their operational performance/profitability through the use of better marketing. mike@golfindustrycentral. com.au. www.golfindustrycentral.com.au. +61 415 682 259

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

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on tour

“TOUR TALK”

Cut lines and gallery ropes Steven Jeffress ed@insidegolf.com.au

I

am writing this from Hotel Sky, in Korea. The last month has been fairly busy, with the first couple of events for the year on the Japanese Tour.

My first event in Japan was being played in Nagoya, The Token Homemate Cup. The course was in great condition with tight fairways and quick greens. It was a course that was set up perfectly for me and typically Aussies have done well in the event at the past as it is pretty similar to what we play back home.

I shot one-under-par 70 the first day which I was happy with, a solid start to the Japan assault for 2014 and had me running 30th. I started the second day really strong and was two-under through 8 holes. Then I hit a little speed bump. I bogeyed 9, 10 and 11 to go back to even par and around the cut line. As is often the case with many of us about this time of the week, my thinking got a little ahead of me and I started thinking about cut line, which is not the way to think with 7 holes to go in your first event of the year.

I ended up three-putting the last hole to miss the cut by two shots which was a disappointing result knowing that at one stage I was sitting in about 15th position. But I guess all you can do is learn from the experience. The thing about this game is no matter how long you play it for or what level you get to, you still seem to make the silly mistakes that you made years ago.

The next week was the Tsuruya Open in Osaka. My caddie Jeff and I jumped in a car with a fellow Aussie Matt Guyatt for the two-hour trip. I think it would have been easier to catch the train, because all I heard was how good QLD State of Origin team was and how it was going to be 9 in a row this year. Yes, Matt I know!

Once again the course was in great condition, the only difference being the rough was really thick, (around 4 to 5 inches thick), so hitting fairways was really important. In some occasions, you were lucky to find your ball let along being able to get a club on it. I shot 69, 2 under par in the first round which had me placed in 16th position. I struck the ball great from tee to green, and basically played smart golf and giving myself plenty of opportunities.

Once again my caddy Jeff made it easy for his inclusion in the article.

There are a lot of gallery ropes around the course and some of them are spread on the ground for the spectators to follow. Walking down the 10th hole, there were a couple of ropes laid crossways for the gallery to walk through. I stepped over them but Jeff wasn’t so lucky! His back foot tripped up the rope and yes, he went for a roll with the bag on his back - I haven’t laughed that much in years.

After I made sure the rope was ok, I moved over to Lloydy, and he was fine. His story is that I tripped him, but that would have been hard to do, as I was two steps in front of him!

Round two started fairly average though in trying to learn from the week prior I dug deep mentally and made three great birdies late in the day to shoot an even-par round of 71, which had me tied 25th heading to the weekend. Now all I needed to do was fire a couple of good rounds on the weekend and a good cheque was coming my way.

Unfortunately as per the week before, through 45 holes I seemed to lose the ability to play the golf that got me in that situation. Over the last 27 holes, I only managed to hit 6 fairways which meant I was in the long rough a fair bit and I certainly struggled. My last two rounds were 75 and 78 and I finished

in 64th position, which meant I made enough money for a couple of dinners and a few beers on Sunday night.

So I headed back to Australia the following day knowing I certainly gave myself a chance but essentially all I could do is evaluate my stats, lick my wounds, and prepare for the two One Asia events in Korea. Korean events can be long weeks given the language barrier, limited choices of westernised food and despite there being a strong culture on the One Asia Tour, Korea still feels a bit like us and them.

The great thing is that I still have plenty of events left in Japan to make some good cheques and secure my card for 2015 but as the old saying goes......... you can only take one step at a time.

Good golfing. • Hailing from Port Macquarie Golf Club where he completed his PGA Traineeship, Steven Jeffress has become a prolific Pro-Am winner with more than 30 victories to his name. Jeffress’ maiden victory came in the 2006 Victorian PGA Championship and after a stint on the Japanese Tour Jeffress qualified for the British Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club.

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

23

cover story

US Open 2014 A return to ‘Middle Earth’.

The USGA’s focus of ‘maintenance up the middle’ will be clearly evident during this month’s US Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where the fairways have been significantly widened and the rough completely replaced with waste areas.

Paul Prendergast

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If you believe this is just a one-off exercise and the powers that be at the USGA will quickly come to their senses, you’re not going to believe your eyes next year – when the championship travels to the windswept, coastal ‘links’ of Chambers Bay south of Seattle.

pply a simple word association to the words ‘US Open’ and what is it that immediately springs to mind?

Any shortlist of responses will no doubt include the word ‘rough’, perhaps ‘thick’ rough. Images of corridor-width fairways, callisthenic manoeuvres from the world’s best to advance a ball from rough no further than they could throw it and a prevalence of numbers on scoreboards with + signs in front of them are other possibilities.

However, that’s for next year. For the moment, our focus is on one of American golf’s national treasures in Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

Do you remember the late Payne Stewart in 1999, holing an 18-footer on the final green to hold off Phil Mickelson to win his 2nd national Open by a single stroke? And who could forget the image of Stewart following the putt into the hole, with a balletic fist thrust that is captured in a commemorative statue by the clubhouse?

If your word association and the images conjured included all of the above, you’re not going to believe your eyes this month.

And if your memory extends back to the past two US Opens at Pinehurst’s venerable No. 2 course in 1999 and 2005, once again, you won’t believe the transformation that has occurred when the 2014 contest rolls around.

In the drizzly final-round conditions, it

G

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Michael Campbell’s triumph in 2005 was much of the same but what a difference a decade makes.

Not only has the golf course been transformed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, who esteemed it an honour to be entrusted with the opportunity to restore the course to its earlier characteristics, but so too the philosophy of the USGA and the path it wants to take in presentation and agronomy of golf courses into the future.

The 12-month Coore Crenshaw undertaking was completed in early 2011 and was as significant as it has been dramatic.

Every fairway was widened by as much as half, all rough was removed with just two heights of grass established – ‘greens and everything else’, 26 acres of turf was removed to uncover the course’s original sandy floor, natural wire grass areas were planted while bunkers were either removed or restored, based on aerial images of the course from over 70 years ago.

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The revered Donald Ross layout that Stewart, Mickelson and 23-year old Tiger Woods (who finished T3rd in ’99) faced that year was set up in ‘typical’ USGA fashion. Parfives turned into fours, choking wall-to-wall Bermuda rough made even more unplayable by the wet conditions and a dearth of red numbers on the board, as players hit and hoped to find the slivers of short grass and gulped in trepidation if anything strayed even marginally.

KENNEDY BAY

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A CH Y T A N RE RY D E F E DIF EV

was memorable that the sartorially elegant Stewart decided to eschew fashion for practicality and tore the sleeves out of his rain jacket early in the round.

The Links

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Phil Mickelson will be aiming for his maiden US Open win, which would complete his “MickelSlam” of golf’s four majors.

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

cover story Of course, with any modern renovation, new tees were added to stretch the championship course by more than 300 yards (273m) to 7565 yards (6808m).

Most interestingly, 650 irrigation sprinkler heads were removed and a centreline irrigation system was restored. The later decision, to irrigate fairways and greens only - the centre of the golf course – while leaving the surrounds to naturally adapt, has restored a more rustic appearance from years gone by in keeping with the surrounding sand hills terrain.

The course’s appearance and changed playing characteristics underlines a strong message for the game in general that the USGA committed themselves to promoting four years ago.

“It’s a throwback to the old days and the idea of ‘maintenance up the middle’,” Executive Director Mike Davis said at the USGA’s annual meeting in February. “This is a major focus of our Green Section. Maintain the middle of the golf course and spend less time and money on irrigation, fertilizer and fungicides in the roughs.”

Four years ago, the USGA announced its intentions to promote more naturallooking golf courses that rely less on artificial ‘modern’ irrigation and maintenance methods.

“Go back to the way golf used to be played.” Davis added, “You use less resources and you reduce the cost. You just hope around the world, people will look at this golf course and say, ‘It doesn’t have to be lush and green‘. “ Davis emphasised, not for the first time, that “Maintenance up the middle is a great message for the game,” and the 114th US Open at Pinehurst will be the USGA’s most high profile canvass for that message. It helps their cause too that this Open has ‘historical significance’ written all over it as a now older Mickelson will be bidding for a career Grand Slam of all four major championships with a win at Pinehurst.

The intrigue created by the new look to a masterpiece of United States golf, coupled with the prospect of America’s most popular golfer achieving a career-defining moment that will attract global attention, should be enough in most people’s assessment for the USGA to be more than content with this year.

Not so. The USGA’s current innovative streak seem to hold no bounds as the eyes of the world will also be trained on not just one, but two United States Open Championships in back-to-back weeks.

In a concept proposed, endorsed and announced in 2009, the USGA will host the Opens of the men’s and women’s game over consecutive weeks at Pinehurst No. 2.

“With any innovation there is always some risk,” Davis said recently. “But we thought there was more upside than potential downside. It would be an opportunity to showcase the best men

The iconic Payne Stewart at the 1999 US Open. and the best women in back-to-back weeks, and there is a secondary interest here in showcasing women’s golf. “ “I’m a big believer the women never get enough credit. They can really play. I have come to realize how very, very good they are. This will give them an opportunity showcase their skills, and I think playing the week after the men on the same golf course will draw some people to watch that wouldn’t otherwise.”

Davis’ gushing praise for the quality of the women’s game did little to hose down the concerns expressed to him in no uncertain terms when he addressed players at the LPGA Founder’s Cup tournament in Phoenix this March.

Although the dual-US Open announcement was made nearly five years ago, the reality of the situation seems to have set in only now – with course conditions being the focal point of player concerns, given the men will play their Open first.

Davis has said the scheduling of the men’s Open first up was with agronomical logistics in mind, as the USGA wants the greens to play firmer for the men than the women and that it’s easier to soften the greens from one week to the next than the reverse.

Green speeds for both Opens will roll at approximately 11.5 on the Stimpmeter, slower than most Open setups but in keeping with the size and undulation of the green complexes at Pinehurst, and the course will be set up at approximately 7500 yards (6750m) for the men and 6700 yards (6030m) for the women.

The course setup will ensure landing areas on most holes will be further down the fairway for the women than the men, which Davis suggests should alleviate the expressed concerns the women had of having to play from fairways riddled with divots from the men’s Open.

“First of all, Bermuda grass divots are not as big an issue as with bent,” Davis said. “At other Opens, we’ve had the public playing Pebble Beach right up to the championship and there are divots all over the place. In reality, they’re just a part of the game.”

These US Opens will certainly be unique and absorbing viewing

Photos courtesy of The USGA

for those with an interest in golf course architecture and strategy and from a pure theatrical perspective, the ‘MickelSlam’ opportunity alone provides the cherry on the cake.

This tantalising scenario was set up by the 43-year old’s maiden Open Championship win at Muirfield last year and will justifiably dominate headlines, but what will this architectural masterpiece and radically different USGA setup throw up in terms of contenders this year?

Defending champion Justin Rose won at a difficult, more typical USGA setup at Merion in 2013 in a war of attrition that placed a premium on all facets of his game, including his patience. The Merion test also identified challengers of the highest calibre in runners-up Mickelson and Australia’s Jason Day, with soon-to-be PGA Champion Jason Dufner and four-time major winner Ernie Els hot on their heels.

Will this year’s more ‘open’ Open aid and abet the cream to rise to the top?

Wider fairways may tempt more players into hitting drivers, but this also heightens the risk of good, bad or the downright ugly lies from the waste areas and wire grass if the course plays in a firm and fast manner as hoped.

It will be of interest to see if the shortlist of potential winners will be expanded or contracted by the course setup and if the USGA’s timehonoured intention of their setup identifying the best player will be affirmed or eroded by such a diversion from their ‘norm’.

The jury will be out on many points surrounding these championships, particularly from the ‘traditionalists’ who favour the demanding style of golf course the USGA have favoured.

For the other category of ‘traditionalists’ however, they simply cannot wait for the 2014 Open to arrive.

Pinehurst 2014 will be as far from ‘formulaic’ as we’ve seen and in that sense, it’s significant that there was nothing formulaic about a Payne Stewart, nor a Phil Mickelson. Players we’ve been drawn to, admired, been exhilarated by and who brought a point of difference and charisma to the game.

These US Opens over a renewed classic in Pinehurst No. 2 promise much of the same. We may not believe our eyes. •

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

25

cover story

US Open dilemma for leaders He held a one shot lead over Hal Sutton and Lee Trevino with Raymond Floyd three back.

David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

S

ATURDAY is moving day for professional golfers at tournaments around the world.

Well, it is for those who make the cut.

The 114th US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina from June 12-15 is no different.

Floyd fired a final round 66 to win and Greg wound up with a 75 to finish six shots back.

That’s a given.

But is being atop the leaderboard after 54 holes the best position to be in at the US Open?

Statistics tells us players who are close to the lead have a better chance of winning the US Open Trophy.

Over the years, most (55 per cent) of third round leaders – including Greg Norman, Phil Mickelson, Aaron Baddeley, Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Payne Stewart, Tom Lehman and Dustin Johnson – have let the tournament slip through their fingers.

In 2007, Baddeley held a two-shot lead over Tiger, but, like the Shark, tumbled down the leaderboard on the final day. His 80 left him in a tie for 13th.

Still, Goosen, Stewart and Furyk also have had the joy of leading into the final round and winning.

In 2004, the Goose led into the last round and won, but a year later he squandered that chance when he carded an inglorious 80 to finish in a tie for 11th.

Kiwi Michael Campbell, four off the pace, held off Tiger Woods to win his first major.

Furyk, who won in 2003, was co-leader entering the final round in 2012 but finished fourth and Stewart, in 1998, led into the final round only to finish runner-up.

Stewart didn’t make the same mistake in 1999 strolling to victory with a final round 70.

In 1986, the Shark was at the peak of his golfing powers but he too failed to win the US Open leading into the last day.

Argentinean Angel Cabrera, tied for seventh going into the final round, edged out Woods and Furyk to win his first US Open crown.

Tiger has never come from behind to win the US Open, but he has won three titles (2000-’02-’08) leading after 54 holes.

Ernie Els (1994) and Rory McIlroy (2011), too, have led into the final round and won.

US Open starts A good opening round at the US Open is only the beginning as indicated by these good first round and ordinary second round scores.

Three times the former Open Championship winner led the US Open going into the final round and didn’t make it to the winner’s circle.

Mickelson twice has led going into the last round and had to settle for a tie for second.

In 2010, American Dustin Johnson held a three-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, but folded quickly on the last day, triple-bogeying the second hole and then double-bogeying the third.

There was no way back from there and he signed for an 82. McDowell won the title with a final round 74.

So, what drama can we expect at this year’s US Open?

Well, what we do know is scoring won’t be easy at Pinehurst No. 2.

When the tournament was last played there (2005), winner Michael Campbell finished with

Back Finish 7 65 6 63 5 *75 5 *72 5 *68 5 68 4 68 4 67 4 69 4 *69 4 *73 4 *67 4 69 4 69 4 68

*Won playoff

Australian golf fans who felt Norman and Baddley’s pain must have some sympathies for American Tom Lehman.

In 1995-’96-’97 he led but ended up finishing third, tied for second and third respectively.

There have been plenty of come-frombehind wins in the 118-year history of the US Open. These players made up the most ground.

Year Winner 1960 Arnold Palmer 1973 Johnny Miller 1919 Walter Hagen 1928 Johnny Farrell 1939 Byron Nelson 1998 Lee Janzen 1922 Gene Sarazen 1936 Tony Manero 1938 Ralph Guldahl 1971 Lee Trevino 1975 Lou Graham 1990 Hale Irwin 2005 Michael Campbell 2004 Angel Cabrera 2012 Webb Simpson

No, Tiger didn’t win.

Those who do play on the weekend will want to be there or thereabouts going into the final round.

US Open comebacks

Over the years, more than half of all third-round US Open leaders—including Phil Mickelson on two occasions—have let the tournament slip through their fingers. (Photo: USGA) an even-par score and Payne Stewart, in 1999, managed to win with a one-under par score.

The Pinehurst No. 2 course includes 51 fairway bunkers, 56 greenside bunkers and one, that’s right, one water hazard. The only water on the course is a small pond off the 16th tee … and it won’t, or shouldn’t, come into play. • FOOTNOTE: Two Australians, David Graham (1981) and Geoff Ogilvy (2006) have won the US Open. In 1981, Graham, three behind George Burns entering the final round, shot a 67 to win by three and Ogilvy, in 2006, came from a shot back after 54 to beat Mickelson and Furyk by a shot.

Name Scores Year Ray Ainsley 76-96 1938 Lee Mackey 64-81 1950 Al Brosch 67-84 1950 Gene Littler 68-83 1966 Mike Reid 67-81 1976 Tom Weiskopf 70-83 1971 Joey Sindelar 66-79 1993 Jimmy Gullane 73-85 1926 Dutch Harrison 70-82 1941 Tom Weiskopf 63-75 1980 Ray Floyd 67-79 1980 Bob Murphy 69-81 1983 Fred Couples 66-78 1985 Bernhard Langer 66-78 1989 Justin Hicks 68-80 2008 Colin Montgomerie 65-76 1997 Payne Stewart 66-75 1989 Brett Quigley 65-74 2003 Nick Dougherty 68-77 2007 Kevin Streelman 68-77 2008 Michael Thompson 66-75 2012

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Lyn

rallies to help juniors David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au

L

YN Howarth is on a mission.

The Keperra Country Golf Club stalwart is out to convince more juniors to stick with golf.

“A lot of people are happy for juniors to be in a club, but don’t want to play with them and don’t want them to win the comps.

“If I can prevent just one youngster from quitting golf then the effort is worth it,” said Lyn, who gives up her Saturdays to support club professional Chris Chaplin and teach juniors the basics as well as etiquette and the rules.

“It’s easier for the boys, but the girls have to fight their way through.”

Lyn is one of those rare individuals who make sure the juniors are cared for and have fun while learning new skills.

“When she left here she was off six and now she is off +2. The family live in Arizona where Emily attends Xavier College, a private girls school where Tiger Woods’ niece Cheyenne Woods went to school.

Who knows, had it not been for her intervention junior golfer Emily Maher may have walked away from the sport.

Teenager Emily joined the club’s junior program a number of years ago and Lyn, fearing young Emily was becoming isolated from her group, took her under her wing.

“Emily went to the Saturday clinics where there were many more boys than girls,” Lyn said.

“I would be playing in the field and would see Emily playing with three boys and the boys would be walking ahead chatting with Emily left behind on her own.

“So I started taking her to golf on a Sunday and would even take her other golf courses.

TOP SHOT: Lyn Howarth is in the swing of developing junior golf.

competition because people resist juniors.

I don’t understand their problem. They should be pleased to see a junior doing well at their club.

“Eventually her handicap came down, but it was a struggle getting her in the main

Still, Lyn believes Emily, who recently moved to the US with her family to study and work on her golf, will make the grade.

“Her school recently played against 18 teams across the US and they won it for the 25th successive year and Emily won the individual event.”

Lyn said she was passionate about junior development and enjoyed watching the kids improve and have fun.

“I think if you get them in early golf is something they can enjoy all their life,” she added. “It teaches them etiquette, to abide by the rules and they learn by playing with adults.

“I mainly help Chris Chaplin with the younger ones because you have to watch them so much. They can be dangerous with a golf club in their hands.

“I do the little things like give out the balls, put a band-aid on fingers when needed and take them out on the course.

“With the younger ones it’s a slow process getting around the golf course, but it’s amazing how much they enjoy it. They get so excited and often run after the ball with such enthusiasm.

“We play an Ambrose to speed up play, but we explain to them that is not what you do in real golf. We tell them this is training.

“Some are even too little to teach the grip, but we get them to putt and teach them etiquette where the furthest away putts first.

We have a two-putt rule and have to pick up because two putts is the expectation.

“That makes them think about where they are going to hit their first putt.”

Lyn said as many as 40 juniors attended the three grades – gold, silver and bronze.

“The gold group are the more advanced kids who get to play nine holes, silver play four or six holes and the bronze kids practice hitting to witches hats. It can be exhausting for little ones to walk around a course.

“Nola Barrett is also a volunteer and helps me. I am fortunate Nola came on board to help because it means I can have a Saturday off occasionally.

“We welcome all comers and have all the gear – balls, clubs, etcetera,” said Lyn, who recently potted her first ace after 30 years of golfing.

“I got my first hole-in-one off the 119m, par-3 sixth hole using a seven-iron,” said the 18 marker. •

ShotsToHole™ is the ultimate high performance golf statistics, analysis, training and player management tool used by the world’s best golfers.

www.shotstohole.com www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

29

juniors

Shin, Gannon capture inaugural Western Sydney Junior Masters

Boys 16 Years and Over: Scratch Winner: M Gannon (Bonnie Doon) 140 Runner Up: J Bugdalski (Castle Hill) 142 c/b Nett Winner: L Salvador (Belmont, 4) 142 Runner Up: H Gulliver (Moore Park, 2) 144 14 and 15 Years: Scratch Winner: C Jones (Pymble) 142 Scratch Runner Up: J Schouw (Cromer) 145 Nett Winner: B Tipping (Russell Vale, 13) 138 Nett Runner Up: J Gadd (Penrith, 4) 139 13 Years and Under: Scratch Winner: L Brucic (Gold Creek) 157 Runner Up: A Powter (St Michael’s) 158 Third Place: H Remfrey (Ballina) 159 Nett Winner: L Jones (Dubbo, 12) 138 Runner Up: J Bell (Bonnie Doon, 13) 139 Stableford Winner: H Carver (Richmond, 27) 72pts Stableford Runner Up: W Gordon (Forbes, 27) 71pts Girls

J

uniors made the most of the brilliant conditions at Lynwood firing some hot scores in the inaugural Western Sydney Junior Masters. Bonnie Doon’s Mitchell Gannon took an early lead with an impressive fourunder-par 68. Sitting hot on his heels was Josh Armstrong (Gold Creek) with a solid twounder 70 and three others sitting a further shot back on 71. Heading into round 2 the championship was close and after nine holes only a shot or two separated the top three players.

round of 65. That put Jackson at two under for the tournament and sniffing at the lead. Tournament leader Mitchell Gannon remained calm and finished with a solid round of even par to finish the tournament and take out the Overall Championship at fourunder. There was a three-way tie for second place with Mitchell Norbis (Concord), Jackson Bubdalski and Corey Jones (Pymble) all finishing the event at two-under-par. Corey’s total for the event was enough for him to successfully take out the Boys 14 and 15 Years.

Early in the afternoon Castle Hill’s Jackson Bugdalski was clawing his way back in the tournament and had recorded six birdies after just nine holes. He backed that up with an extra four birdies on the back-nine to finish with a very impressive seven-under-par

The Boys 13 Years and Under was a very close contest after round 1 with only two shots separating eleven players. It was Gold Creek’s Luka Brucic that emerged on top after 36 holes and clinched the title.

In the Girls Championship Shelly Shin did it again! The Concord junior came from two shots behind after round 1 with an impressive three-under-par 69 to take the title from fellow club member Doey Choi by one shot. Doey led the event after an opening round of two-under-par 70 but a bogey on the 36th hole saw the title slip from her grasp.

Antonia Gonzalez led throughout the two days in the Girls 16 Years and Over and captured the title by twelve shots. In the 13 Years and Under Grace Kim (Avondale) narrowly edged out club mate Bella Kil by one shot to win the division.

For a full list of results from the event visit: www.jnjg.com.au

16 Years and Over: Scratch Winner: A Gonzalez (Concord) 147 Runner Up: Lucy Harris (Muirfield) 159 Nett Winner: C Davidson (Stonecutters Ridge, 13) 141 Runner Up: B Baird (Manly, 9) 147 14 and 15 Years: Scratch Winner: S Shin (Concord) 141 Runner Up: D Choi (Concord) 142 Nett Winner: S Hall (St Michael’s) 146 c/b Runner Up: G Beohm (NSW, 14) 146 13 Years and Under: Scratch Winner: G Kim (Avondale) 157 Runner Up: B Kil (Avondale) 158 Nett Winner: M Johnson (Moore Park, 11) 140 Runner Up: T Nurdi (St Michael’s, 8) 146 Stableford: Winner: J Forrester (Kareela, 22) 74pts Runner Up: A Rathbone (New Brighton, 22) 71pts

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juniors

Illawarra to Host 2014 Subaru NSW Junior Golf Championships

T

hree hundred eager junior golfers will converge on the Illawarra region at the beginning of July for the annual Subaru NSW Junior Golf Championships. In conjunction with the Golf NSW and as part of the Jack Newton Junior Golf Tour, the second of the year’s four majors sees some of the best juniors from across the country battle it out for the title of the NSW Junior Boy or Girl Champion.

Games he will be one to watch. Joining Travis will be fellow IAS junior Jack Kessell.

Jack has been working hard on his game and was named the IAS Golf Athlete of the year last season. He is a member of Port Kembla Golf Club and his local knowledge of the courses will be advantageous during the event.

The Championship has a predicted field of close to 300 juniors including the some of the best players from Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. There are also a few International players making the journey to the Illawarra for the event.

This year the Wollongong Golf Club and The Links Shell Cove will host the four-day event. It will take place from the 1st-4th July.

The format of play for the first two days will see the competitors playing one round at each course. A cut will then be made after 36 holes with the top half going on to contest the Championship Cup playing their final two rounds at Wollongong, while those who miss the cut will playoff for the Championship Plate at The Links Shell Cove.

Up for grabs at this event are not only the overall State Championships but also Age Championships, Country Junior Championships and the Inter-District Teams Championship. The juniors from the Illawarra will be hoping to capture some of these titles for the host region.

With both the State Boys and Girls Championships won by Queenslanders in 2013 NSW is hoping to take back the silverware at this year’s event. Local favourites from the Illawarra include Stefanie Hall and Danielle Vasquez for the girls and Travis Fay and Jack Kessell for the boys.

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

2013 NSW Boys and Girls Champions Jack Sullivan and Amy Walsh Stefanie plays for St Michaels Golf Club in Sydney but lives at Shell Harbour. She is in the NSW Girls Development Squad and the Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS). Earlier this year she travelled with JNJG to the Curro South African Juniors International north of Cape Town. Stef plays off a handicap of 2 and will be doing her best to secure a win for the host region.

Another IAS member to watch for is Danielle Vasquez. She is a member at Port Kembla playing off a handicap of 7. She is an upcoming talent and definitely one to watch in the future.

Travis Fay from Russell Vale Golf Club is also a member of the IAS and after his recent performance in the Regional Academy

An added initiative for this year is the inclusion of a Junior AM. This 18-hole Ambrose event will see three amateur golfers partnered with one elite junior player.

The Junior AM will take place on Monday 30th June at The Grange Golf Club. It was developed as a way to give back to the host region with all funds raised from the day going towards junior golf in the Illawarra District. Jack Newton himself will be taking part in the event and there is an opportunity for two lucky players to have a game with Jack. There are also a number of Corporate Partnership opportunities available to support these events and junior golf in the area.

If you are interested in entering a team into the Junior AM, or would like more information about the State Championships please contact Jack Newton Junior Golf 02 9567 7736 or www.jnjg.com.au •

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ACGC

You TWO could be Number 1

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wice the fun and double the glory in the search for Australia’s best Amateur Golf Pair of 2014/15. The Auto Club Golf Championship (ACGC), now in its third series, is Australia’s largest amateur golf pairs competition. The event, presented exclusively by the Australian Auto Clubs (NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAC, RAA, RACT & AANT), is going from strength to strength in 2014, expanding to 80+ events and receiving official event status from the PGA of Australia.

The ACGC is open to all amateur golfers with an official Golf Link Handicap. To encourage more family participation, the minimum age has been reduced to 14+ (minors must play with a supervising guardian). All you need to register is for one of your team of two players to have a valid Australian Auto Club Membership.

With the bonus registration gift of a dozen golf balls (per pair) and complimentary arrival refreshments, this tournament is the best value amateur event of its kind at only $33.00 per player.

Like in the first two series, the winning pair from every one of the regional events will receive travel and accommodation, plus three days of Championship Golf, social functions and frivolity during the 2014/15 Championship Final being held at Australia’s home of Championship Golf, RACV Royal Pines Resort in Queensland.

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned club golfer, grab yourself a playing partner and jump online to register for an event near you. Not only could you find yourselves enjoying a sensational trip to Queensland’s home of Championship Golf in 2015. It could be you, who has the honour of being crowned the 2014/15 ACGC Australian Amateur Golf Pair.

To find an event date in your region and register your pair visit: www.acgc.com.au

An ace can score you a brand-new Suzuki Suzuki Australia have cemented their support of golf in this country announcing that they will again be partnering with The Auto Club Golf Championship (ACGC) in 2014/15.

Suzuki Australia General Manager, Tony Devers has confirmed that as part of their 2014/15 partnership Suzuki will be putting up for grabs a sensational Suzuki S-Cross valued at $30,000 in the Hole in One competition at each of the 80 ACGC qualifying rounds around the country.

So how does it work? Score an ace on the Suzuki hole during any of the ACGC rounds and you will automatically qualify for a trip to the Championship Final at RACV Royal Pines Resort. If only one ACE is recorded, like lucky Nelson Depledge from Victor Harbor

The Suzuki S-Cross Golf Club in 2012 and Henry Thomson from Toowoomba Golf Club in 2013, you will automatically become the proud new owner of a sensational Suzuki S-Cross.

will join each other on stage at the Championship Final Gala dinner where one person will open the door to the a new way of life in their brand new Suzuki S-Cross.

If there is more than one Hole in One recorded during the series the ACE’s

To find an event date in your region and register your pair visit: www.acgc.com.au

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NSW

More online

Shelly Beach

SA

Saturday 6 September 2014 More online

Berri Golf Club

Saturday 13 September 2014

West Lakes Golf Club

Sunday 7 December 2014

TAS

Sunday 30 November 2014

NT

More online

Friday 24 October 2014

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

More online

Rowes Bay Golf Club

Saturday 20 September 2014

WA

Register now

Sunday 3 August 2014

Alice Springs Golf Club

Sunday 28 September 2014

VIC

More online

Kooringal Golf Club

Friday 31 October 2014

RACV Torquay More online

Capel Golf Club

Darwin Golf Club

Kingston Beach

34

Fairfield Golf Club

QLD

Sunday 24 August 2014

Sunday 9 November 2014

RACV Cape Schanck

Tuesday 9 December 2014

Albany

Sunday 30 August 2014

Goomalling

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Only $33 per player. Represent your Auto Club and make your state proud. Register now at

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For full terms and conditions please refer to www.acgc.com.au This tournament is approved for the payment of expenses Rule 4-2g/GA/1/2015

technology

A Quick-9 with: David Glod Tour Edge founder and president David Glod started the company in 1985 in his garage in Illinois. Since then his prowess has him leading his boutique hardware company into new and innovative club designs. The latest is their push with fairway woods that boast driver speeds. But the former golfing professional calls the constant challenge before him an adventure. Inside Golf had a chance to sit down to discuss this year’s line-up.

Q: What is the big news for TourEdge in 2014?

Our fairway woods. We have our best lineup ever. We’ve got three versions coming in at the same time. XCG7 is our high to mid handicap club, XCG7 Beta is our mid to low, and then our CB Pro is our low handicap.

The CB Pro technology features a slip stream sole so it actually can pick up speed through the turf. When it hits the ground it slides. We call it shock-wave. It’s a premium head. It has a super ultra-premium shaft-- a speeder Fujikura 757 or 661. 78 grams and 65 grams for different players. It’s really a good player product.

Q: How do you think up the speed slot?

Actually it’s an old idea that’s been brought to life. There was a sole design called camelback sole which was a smooth version of that about 15 years ago. Now everybody’s trying to put slots in there, but it slows the clubhead down. So we went the opposite way.

Q: Talk about that unique feel as it speeds up.

The feel comes from the clubface technology, the titanium. So it has a unique sound. It’s a little higher pitched. Driver-like sound.

Also it’s got driver-like ball speeds with our fairway woods which is why we are so excited about this year’s version. You have a smaller head with the CB Pro and then we’ve got the XCG7 line. The XCG7 is the largest but has the shallowest face so that gives it more forgiveness but it’s easy to hit because of the shallow face.

The XCG7 Beta is right in between the two. It’s a medium-sized head, a little bit deeper face, and you’ve got to have a little bit more swing speed to get the power of the clubhead to work. So you’ve got to be 100 mph or above on the beta to really gain

36

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

distance because that’s where you actually flex the face.

Q: Since 1985, when you started Tour Edge, how has it been rewarding to you?

I had to learn all sides of the business. I had to learn a bit of accounting, marketing. It’s not just making clubs. That’s been the fun part is being involved. I know how to read anybody’s balance sheet now. How to manage my financial statement, my business. So I’m pretty well rounded because I had to be. I had to step up to every chapter. Whether it was advertising, materials, or how to promote the company, who to hire, how to account for a business. It’s been a great challenge. You’ve got to have a lot of time. It’s more than 40 hours a week. It’s not a job, it’s an adventure.

Q: What are your thoughts on this year’s Exotics driver?

We’ve had a really good start with driver and I think it’s because we’ve simplified things a bit. Instead of having lofts, you dial the lofts with the hosel-fitting. So now we have two types of heads. So we can sell drivers to high handicappers and low handicappers. In the past Exotics had the reputation of just being for good players so we’re trying to broaden that horizon. This driver does it.

The XCG7 is a full 460cc head, its 45.5 inches long and it’s our easiest to hit. It gets airborne more quickly. The beta version is smaller, 440cc, a deeper face, and lower, more penetrating trajectory and it has a 44.5 inch shaft.

Q: With the XCG7 7-piece iron set, your game improvement iron, what is the thought process behind their design?

We’re always trying to combine a more traditional, classic, base design with as forgiving a model as we can at the same time.

We’re trying to get better at blending that traditional, good looking club when you set it

down. Nice and square with a thinner top line.

But we still want to have as much forgiveness as we can. With the XCG7 we have two large tungsten weights on the back to widen the sweet spot and then we have a cavity in between those two to further move the weight to the heel and toe. It’s a pocket cavity too, which is hot right now. It makes a lot of sense because with that pocket you’re taking all the weight out of the middle and moving it rearward for a deeper center of gravity. The ball will go higher, spin less, and the club will be easier to hit. So this design is our most forgiving iron ever for how good it looks.

Q. Talk about your lower-handicap irons for 2014.

Exotics CU is more your ten and under handicap, so it’s a little narrower sole. Even more traditional looking, less offset, thinner top-line, less forgiving but a little easier to move the ball both ways because the center of gravity is much closer to the face. I really love our newest one, our CB Pro. It combines the best of both worlds. It’s a hybrid-like iron and is hollow. So it’s really forgiving being a hollow structure and the center of gravity is deeper. And when we get to the long irons it’s a cavity back, more traditional, and more of a muscle-back iron for control and workability in the short irons.

Q: What are the wedges looking like for this year?

I really like our new wedges. They are CB Pro forged wedges. CB Pro S for spin and they are classic, forged wedges. They flow from the CBPro H iron set. So it’s a great addition. We are also doing a base milling pattern, a laser engraving, and lines on the face for a little additional grip especially close to the green.

We’ve never done a forged wedge and we’re excited to add that to the arsenal of exotics.

Q: What perception do you want golfers to have toward Tour Edge equipment?

It’s driver-like ball speeds with a fairway wood. They are the fastest ball speed fairway woods in golf. The more launch monitors are being used, the better it is for us because they see the real numbers. It’s not branding at that point, it’s which club produces the best shots and we typically test very well. That’s the best thing for us is the fact that science is more available to read what’s really going on with the golf ball coming off the face. We already know we are one of the best coming off the face. So we’ll sell more clubs as there is more of that custom fitting going on.

We’re a smaller manufacturer that take more time and puts more energy into the product. We can’t afford the huge budgets to advertise at the level of our competitors, or have the Tour presence like they do.

But when you put that attention into our products we feel we have some of the best.

We have Tour usage even though we don’t pay anybody to play our products, which is kind of our mantra. You can still gain some of the best players’ bags whether it’s the club champion or the head pro or the tour pro without that type of expenditure because of the quality of the product. •

technology

More golfers finding their perfect ‘MiMatch’ with Drummond Golf

G

olf retailer Drummond Golf has taken off-course clubfitting to the next level, launching the state-ofthe-art MiMatch system across their network of stores last month.

style, how often they play, where they play, game-improvement goals and more. This detailed knowledge arms the MiMatch fitter with information needed to better match the golfer with their ideal clubs.

other anomalies (and turning specifications like “lie angle” into a neutral number), the software can more easily match a golfer’s swing to the best possible club for their game.

Following four years of research and development—at a cost of over $250,000— the system aims to match a golfer’s unique golfing characteristics and game styles to the most suitable golf clubs on the market— spanning all brands, models and price points available from the Drummond Golf store.

From here, however, MiMatch is radically different from other clubfitting systems.

After analysing the shots from the launch monitor, the MiMatch software then searches the entire Drummond Golf club database— which includes all the major brands in golf— and returns a selection of potential club/ brand matches.

Like other clubfitting systems, the first step in MiMatch is to gather as much information about the golfer as possible. The certified MiMatch fitter will first measure a golfer’s physical characteristics--height, reach, hand size, etc. This data gives the MiMatch system a starting point in terms of an ideal length and lie angle. The clubfitter will then collect detailed information about the player’s game characteristics—their handicap, playing

The golfer first hits some shots using a launch monitor and a set of sophisticated MiMatch test clubs. This helps fine-tune the fit further, and ensure that the MiMatch system determines the exact specs, notably which type of shaft/flex the customer needs as well as the club head profile (“forgiveness”, cavity-back vs blade, etc).

The critical point of difference here lies in the test clubs themselves. Developed by MiMatch, these irons, hybrids and woods provide a more neutral “baseline” from which a player’s swing can be evaluated. By eliminating any brand-specific variables or

The player then hits a series of shots with each of the recommended clubs to determine which brand or model best matches their eye or swing. The launch monitor shows each shot’s trajectory, distance and dispersion for each of the clubs, distilling the selection process even more.

Further fine-tuning (different weight, etc) can then help dial-in the best match to help a golfer “lift their game”.

In addition to being brand-neutral (i.e., providing an unbiased assessment of the best brand for a player), a notable feature that sets the MiMatch system apart is the inclusion of a “Price Point” parameter, which gives the player the option of choosing a club or set within their budget.

“MiMatch is distinctly different from other fitting systems out there in that it isn’t biased to any particular brand,” says Kean Chai, Product Manager of Drummond Golf. “We are supported by the biggest and best brands in golf, and by expanding a customer’s clubfitting options to a full range of these top-quality clubs, we can ensure that the customer gets the best clubs for their game.”

MiMatch-certified staff are located at every Drummond Golf store, and a fitting takes around 30 minutes. For more information, or to watch a video on the MiMatch System, visit www.drummondgolf.com.au/ mimatch •

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

37

new gear

NEW GEAR >

Callaway Apex Tour Glove The new Apex Tour Glove from Callaway combines tour grade leather with Callaway’s X-SPANN technology in an amazing blend of tradition and performance that delivers moisture wicking, breathability and flexibility.

Opti Feel Leather provides premium feel, fit and comfort, while perforations on the palm, top of hand and fingers offer moisture reduction and increased breathability.

The Opti Fit Adjustable Closure delivers a thin, light and secure fit. A cotton terry cuff provides soft feel and moisture absorption.

We highlight the latest products to hit the market

www.callawaygolf.com/au

RRP $27.99

Callaway Weather Spann Glove The Weather Spann Glove offers advanced performance in all weather conditions. Opti Feel Premium Leather delivers great feel from hand to club even in the most challenging weather while the Opti Flex Materials provides a snug fit, optimum feel and increased flexibility. Callaway’s X-SPANN Technology offers moisture wicking, breathability and flexibility, while the Opti Fit Adjustable Closure provides a thin, light and secure fit.

Golf Poker Chips Tired of the same old “round of drinks” bet with friends?

The Vegas Poker Chip set adds a new level of fun and competition to your next round.

Simply assign an agreed value to each chip before you start, and let the games begin.

Take the Water Chip for example. First player to dump his ball in the drink gets the chip, and holds onto it until one of his playing partners finds the water. Then, he gets it.

There are a range of chips, including Bunker, 3-Putt, Trees and Water; plus positive chips, such as One-Putt, Nearest the Pin, Birdie etc.

A couple of Wild Card chips can be assigned either way, perhaps for a “Wipe” or a “Chip In”.

There are endless options, and the banter is as much fun as the betting. But always gamble responsibly. www.vegasgolfthegame.com.au

WIN PNP Prize Pack Inside Golf and PNP are giving away a spectacular prize pack to one lucky Inside Golf reader.

The package includes one PNP Rake Sand Wedge, one PNP Rake Lob Wedge and a Point N Putt SX-1 putter.

The Rake Wedges have a patented Dual Bounce Rail Design which effortlessly combs through thick grass and sand making the clubs “shot savers” from anywhere inside 90 metres. The Point N Putt putter targets those who struggle with putting alignment and has been proven to improve the alignment of a majority of golfers

by SAM PuttLab, golf’s authority on putter testing. All 3 clubs conform to USGA rules.

More information: www.pnpgolf.com .

N I W

To enter, visit www.insidegolf.com.au/ competitions 38

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

www.callawaygolf.com/au

Whoever is holding that chip at the end of the round pays the other players the assigned value.

RRP $19.99

allaway Edge Hybrids/Irons C Combo Set Designed for golfers who require more forgiveness, launch and distance, the Edge Irons/Hybrid set is the easiest to hit and most forgiving hybrid irons set Callaway has ever released. The Edge Irons have a hollow design, with a closed back, wide sole, low centre of gravity and increased forgiveness and launch angles. The set has been designed to flow seamlessly from the irons into the hybrids, which also have an optimized CG created by higher launch angles.

The Edge Hybrids are Callaway’s most forgiving hybrid model, with increased loft and a deeper centre of gravity. They have been designed to retain ball speed on miss-hits so that your shots go farther.

Set Makeup Available: Men’s Graphite Regular Flex: 4h, 5H, 6H; 7-iron-PW & A-wedge Women’s Graphite: 4H-7H; 8-iron–PW & S-wedge Watch the Callaway Talks Video:: http://www.callawaygolf.com/callaway-talks-edgehybridsirons-combo-set.html www.callawaygolf.com/au

RRP $999.99

(Graphite only)

new gear

E xotics CB PROs Forged Wedge Tour Edge introduces the CB PROs, the first forged wedge in the Exotics line. The forged construction combined with the new MONGO grooves produce pro-like control and deadly accuracy around the greens.

The CB Pros wedge series is forged from 1025 carbon steel to provide the ultimate feedback for the perfect touch. Designers precision-milled the MONGO grooves which feature the most aggressive legal sharpness and width allowed by the USGA. The MONGO grooves are layered with 28 micro-grooves to provide maximum face roughness for the ultimate control in your short game.

Versatility is maximized through the tour-grind beveled sole. A custom sole grind, perfected by David Glod, president and chief designer, increases the versatility to meet the needs of PGA Tour players and good amateurs alike. The eliminated bounce from the heel and toe allow players to easily open the face or shut it down for the ultimate in shot-making ability. It all combines to give you the most precise scoring club available.

Crocs™ Golf shoes Crocs™ Golf shoes combine the signature quality comfort of Crocs™ shoes with the expert knowledge of professional golf instructor, Hank Haney, to create a versatile, lightweight golf shoe that can be worn both on and off the golf course.

Winner of ‘Best New Product’ at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show, and recipient of a ‘Golf Europe Product Award’, the collection has been recognized for its ability to combine style, performance and all-round comfort.

The Exotics CB PROs wedges feature Tour Edge’s lifetime warranty and 30-day play guarantee. It is available in True Temper Dynamic Gold wedge shafts.

Available in 50, 52, 54, 56, and 60 degrees www.cooperativegolf.com.au

Designed with the weekend golfer in mind, comfort is of utmost importance in this casual alternative to the traditional golf shoe. Providing the same technical engineering, the lightweight shoes also feature the comfort and innovative design consumers have come to expect from Crocs footwear.

Available via www.oncoursegolf.com.au

WIN Limited Edition U.S. Open Mini Staff Bag Inside Golf and Bridgestone are giving away a Limited Edition US Open Edition Mini Staff golf Bag. The bag features 9” 6-way Dividers, 9 Zippered Pockets including a velour lined valuables pocket, Padded, slip resistant strap with protective clip cover, Dual Strap adaptable, Hidden Umbrella Well and Matching Rain Hood included.

To enter, visit www.insidegolf.com.au/ competitions

The Pill from Distinctive Golf The Pill™ is arguably the best putting training aid on the market and the only putting aid designed to be played all the way to the hole. It is designed to give you immediate feedback on the quality of your stroke. Voted Editors pick at the recent PGA show 2013, The Pill™ will make you a better more consistent putter.

Buy The Pill™ as a single unit or in a 3 pack with warm up bag or loose in any quantity. Great for teaching Pros.

Phone: 0408330800 www.distinctivegolf.com.au

RRP

Starting from

A$16.97

N I W www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

39

gear

Thinking out of the box > Two guys from Germany aim to roughen up the Australian golf ball market.

WE TRIED IT! > VICE Golf Balls Over the last couple of months, Inside Golf has tested the VICE golf balls on a variety of courses.

W

hat do you get when you combine an innovative marketing concept, aggressive price/performance ratio and ultra-cool style?

According to VICE Golf, an innovative and technically advanced startup based in Germany, you‘d get a „Golf Ball revolution“.

The young company, founded by Ingo Düllmann and Rainer Stöckl, positions itself in the premium quality segment of the golf ball market by young designs, highest quality products and a completely new business concept. The company offers three technically demanding and R&A/USGA certified golf balls that have been developed at par with the market leaders, but cost only a fraction of the price of their competitors.

The trio of models offers something for players of all levels. The 3-piece cast urethane VICE PRO is the company‘s top-of-the-line ball. Next is their 3-piece DuPont Surlyn VICE TOUR, which features a maximum spin reduction. Rounding out the offering is

the 2-piece DuPont Surlyn VICE Drive, the company‘s entry-level ball.

At the order quantity of 60 balls, VICE Golf only charges between $1.25 and $2.95 per ball. This makes them far more affordable than similar products of other premium manufacturers.

“VICE balls are on average half the cost than similar products of other premium manufacturers,“ Stöckl says.“A new ball at the price level of a lake ball, yet achieving quality standards of the leading golf ball brands. By avoiding the intermediate trade and distributing exclusively through the VICE website this strong price/performance ratio can be possible, and the savings will be passed on to the customers giving them a drastic price advantage.”

Off the tee, the VICE balls have a very satisfying feel off the clubface, and offer a good amount of “workability“. The 318 large dimple design provides a trajectory from the tee and fairways like a bullet through the air, while around the greens, we were surprised at the amount of spin/ bite we could impart when needed.

Many of our approach shots—and par3 tee shots—hit the green and stopped softly. Short chips and pitches were equally responsive, as the ball reacted as expected. From high flop shots to the low bump-and-runs, the VICE balls were consistent throughout.

can compete with the highly acclaimed and high priced competitors in all factors, despite its significantly lower price. Its all-round performance has completely convinced me and in terms of length it’s ahead of the wellknown competition,” says Pro-Tour playing professional Christian Matare.

Even in Australia, VICE already has its fans.

Teaching pro Greg Cullem is enthusiastic about the performance of the balls, and highly praises VICE. “I’ve never played a premium golf ball that convinced me that much in terms of performance and style as the VICE PRO. I fell in love with the special edition VICE PRO SHOOTER,” Cullem says.

According to Stöckl, High quality and cool designs are priorities in the development and manufacturing process, and dozens of tour players and teams in Europe are cottoning on to the brand.

VICE presents itself as a great concept with an incredible price/quality relationship and has encountered a great demand not only due to its European origin but its rapid delivery times within Australia and the sympathetic nature of the two young founders.

“From my point of view, the VICE PRO is the only golf ball on the entire golf market that

Further details and Online shopping are available at www.vicegolf.com.au

On the green, VICE balls offer a satisfying “click“ off the putterface, while the overall feel was spot on. Distance control was also very easy to manage.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with the quality and operformance of the VICE Golf Ball. True to their billing, they rate “at par“ with competing balls on the market.

And with a pleasingly modest price point (the more you buy, the cheaper they are), VICE represents one of the best value, high-quality balls on the market.

Upcoming Annual Events DUNTRYLEAGUE ORANGE

CITY OF ORANGE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

4-6 OCTOBER 2014

ANNUAL VETERANS’ TOURNAMENT

7-9 OCTOBER 2014

Enjoy a long weekend of golf in NSW’s premier food and wine district and play on each of Orange’s magnificent golf courses - Duntryleague Golf Club, Orange Ex-Services Country Club and Wentworth Golf Club. The three courses are played over three days, with $6,000 worth of prizes to be won. This is a championship event not to missed!

Further information is available from Golf Orange Website www.golforange.com.au This longstanding and popular Tournament includes three days of golf at Duntryleague and a Presentation dinner on the Wednesday night. Accommodation is available on site in our famous 14 room mansion.

Numbers are limited to 216 players.

Further information is available from our Tournament Director - Beryl Pearce – 0428 622 300 - beejaber@gmail.com.

LADIES’ OPEN TOURNAMENT

27-31 OCTOBER 2014

HAHN GOLF OPEN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

8-9 NOVEMBER 2014

STEVE CONRAN JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

23 NOVEMBER 2014

MERCEDES BENZ DUNTRYLEAGUE CLASSIC

17-20 JANUARY 2015

The Ladies’ Open Tournament is a much anticipated Tournament on the Duntryleague calendar.

The Tournament will include golfing events each day and some great social events as well.

Accommodation is available on site in our famous 14 room mansion.

Further information is available from our Ladies Captain - Pat Bradford – 0429 685 004 - johnpatbradford@y7mail.com.

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

Please contact the Golf Shop on (02) 6362 4072 for further enquiries.

OPE 7 dayN s

Sydney’s leading golf facility • 56 undercover hitting bays, automated tee up • 2 eighteen hole Mini Golf courses – great family fun!

• Have a lesson from one of our AAA rated pros

• • • • •

Video lessons, group lessons Beginners and Kids Clinics Relax in the Bunker Café Club fitting available Our golf shop is fully stocked will all major brands

Don’t get hit into a net, come and get fitted by an AAA PGA Pro, because ball flight does not lie!

A chance for up and coming juniors to experience one of Australia’s best regional courses.

The Tournament is a must in every junior’s golfing calendar. Parents can relax and enjoy the hospitality and beauty of Duntryleague or take the opportunity to enjoy all that Orange has to offer.

Accommodation is also available on site in our famous 14 room mansion.

This 54 hole Individual Stableford Tournament continues to grow and is limited to 180 players to ensure comfortable play for everyone. It is open to anyone with a Golf Australia handicap.

Duntryleague is one of the best regional golf courses in Australia and is constantly in the top 100 courses each year. Entry fees for the Tournament are excellent value at $285 which includes golf, welcome cocktail party, Monday BBQ and Gala presentation dinner. Magnificent local wines, beer and soft drinks are included for the welcome cocktail party and Gala dinner.

Only 3½ hours from Sydney | Ph: 02 6362 3466 | www.duntryleague.com.au 40

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Brickpit Park, 142-178 Pennant Hills Rd (entry from Dartford Rd) Thornleigh All enquiries: 9875 5445 www.thornleighgolfcentre.com.au

wet weather gear

Winter Warmers As Mother Nature brings a chill to the air, we share our top picks to keep your body warm, and ensure your golf game stays red hot!

ProQuip

Jett Sport Heat Vest The Jett SPORT HEAT VEST is designed to be worn under your golf gear. The patented Jett Heat Panel radiates Far-Infrared warmth along your spine, keeping your core warm and effectively heating your extremities.

The Jett SPORT Vest has been designed specifically to carry the detachable heat system inside the back of the vest. The two rechargeable batteries sit over your kidney area, not interfering with your golf swing. You can wear whatever you want over the top of the vest. Set your desired warmth by the RF wrist Controller. The whole system weighs just 500g. www.jettheat.com sales@jettheat.com 0417 531 757

Founded over 30 years ago, ProQuip has grown to become one of the world’s leading innovators of lightweight golf weather wear, supplying thousands of golfers every year – men, women and children – with the very best performance products, whether they be waterproof rain suits, like the incredible all-over stretchable Tour Flex 360 or highly technical garments from the water repellent knitwear range.

ProQuip represents the very highest standards in performance golf technical clothing, providing golfers across the globe, including the 2012 European Ryder Cup team, with state-of-the-art agenda-setting technical garments to cope with every type of weather conditions.

ProQuip is one of the highest profile weather wear brands in the world of golf and is proud to have been the Preferred Supplier to more Ryder Cup teams – European and US – than any other clothing manufacturer. They will continue their long association with the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland at Gleneagles where they have again been named official supplier to Team Europe.

Pro Quip is proudly distributed in Australia by: Golf 4 U Ph: (02) 9436 4105 E: sales@golf4u.com.au www.golf4u.com.au

Vanity Fairways Vanity Fairways is one of only a few dedicated retailers of ladies golf apparel and accessories in Australia.

Owner Deborah Marsland said that moving to a home-based business means their overheads have been reduced, allowing more competitive pricing and buying power. Product of the Month is just one new initiative which means their buying power benefits their customers directly.

Deborah has always taken great pride in offering her clients exceptional customer service and always goes to great lengths to ensure that every experience you have with VANITY FAIRWAYS is enjoyable and satisfying.

Winter stock is now available and being added to the website daily. Stock is limited for some items, so don’t delay.

Call Deborah on (07) 32791358 or 0418 754 717 or email deborah@vanityfairways.com.au www.vanityfairways.com.au

Online shopping for Great Golf Gear is so Easy www.vanitylifestyle.com.au or phone for Personal Service 0418 754 717 ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Nivo Cutter & Buck Sport Haley Loudmouth Golf Greg Norman

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Daily Sport Birdee Bette & Court Jamie Sadock Nancy Lopez

plus a great range of golf accessories and gifts 46

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

wet weather gear

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

47

wet weather gear

Callaway Technical Waterproof Jacket This technically advanced 2.5-layer fully waterproof jacket comes with a three-year guarantee. It’s designed specifically for golf in an extremely breathable and waterproof fabric that is also quiet to play in. Key design features include: ball cleaner, card pocket at the back of the garment, draw cord and anti slip drop tail design to protect your lower back from the elements through the swing.

RRP $229

RRP $129

Callaway Green Grass Trouser Callaway’s technical fully seam sealed waterproof and windproof trouser has a two-year guarantee and is made of four-way stretch fabric allowing for a free and easy golf swing. They are also highly breathable and feature a zipped leg hem with a draw cord and studs for extra comfort, as well as a half elasticated waistband with belt loops.

Callaway Tour Authentic 68” Umbrella Use the umbrella that Callaway’s growing stable of tour pros rely on. The Callaway Tour Authentic 68-inch Umbrella features a robust frame and tension cables for Tour performance in any condition.

It’s our

1st Birthday and to celebrate our successful year we are offering a choice of a free Cross Cap or Cross shoe Bag for the month of June when you spend over $150 aT Cross LIfesTYLe Organize a group of 20 or more and we provide sparkling wine and canapés and you go into a draw to win a nights accommodation at Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort on the beautiful Sunshine Coast Cross Lifestyle Shop T18 DFO Amazons Place, Jindalee QLD 4074 Phone (07) 3167 3655 email jindalee@cross-sportwear.com.au

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

RRP $69.99

wet weather gear

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

49

wet weather gear

RRP $349.99

abacus Pitch 59 rain jacket

abacus Dixon rain jacket

The Pitch is made from a four-way stretch fabric OPT stretch 15 000 TM. Waterproof 2-layer stretch material, 15.000 MP / 30.000 MVP, a fabric that offers a very high waterproof level, unique breathability and outstanding stretchability. Ideal for outdoor activities.

Extremely flexible and with DWR finishing that provides excellent water repellence and stain protection. The easy-to-swing feature created by the special sleeve construction and lining, in combination with the lightweight and quiet fabric, makes the Pitch the ideal outerwear for the most demanding players. Features sealed seams and also comes with a threeyear guarantee.

A classic rain jacket with 8.000 waterproofness (MP) and 8.000 breathability (MVP).

Waterproof and windproof and sealed seams with a mesh lining and one-year guarantee.

(Men’s and Ladies) www.affinitygolf.com.au

RRP $149.99

(Men’s Only) www.affinitygolf.com.au

Cross Lifestyle Showcasing leading international brands from Sweden, Europe and the US the Cross Lifestyle Store at DFO Jindalee in Brisbane is celebrating their first year in business, and Kerrie and Jane would like to thank all their loyal customers for their support over the past year.

“It’s our first birthday and to celebrate our successful year we are offering a choice of free Cross cap or Cross shoe bag for the month of June when you spend over $150.

We have added to our collection of growing brands Greg Norman for the men and ladies, Sporte Leisure and Birdee Golf to complement our existing brands Sport Hayley, Jamie Sadock, Daily Sport, Nivo, Calvin Klein, Dwyers, Green Lamb and Cross. We have new shipments arrive weekly to keep our store fully stocked and looking fresh for our customers,” Kerrie stated.

Stocked with previous seasons fashion lines the shop offers consumers the opportunity to purchase quality “designer look” golf and leisure wear at up to 70 per cent off the RRP. Cross Lifestyle Shop T18 DFO, Amazons Place Jindalee 4074 Phone (07) 3167 3655 jindalee@cross-sportwear.com.au

RRP $249.99

abacus Barton rain jacket Waterproof two-layer stretch in extreme lightweight, 10.000 MP / 10.000 MVP, ideal for golf and outdoor activities when freedom of movement is a priority. Extremely flexible, no lining, packable and with a DWR finishing to improve water repellency and stain protection. The stretchability is fantastic with a CoS (Coefficient of Stretch) of 2,62. All weather fabric for active people, weighs just 270g.

(Men’s and Ladies) www.affinitygolf.com.au

STAY WARM TO PERFORM - WEAR JETT The Jett SPORT HEAT VEST is designed to be worn under your golf gear. The patented Jett Heat Panel radiates far-infrared warmth along your spine keeping your core warm, allowing your body to heat your extremities.

Now cold conditions won’t stop you enjoying what you want to do - stay warm to perform, wear Jett.

Wireless RF temp. controller

ONE HEATING SYSTEM FOR ALL JETT HEAT PACK GARMENTS - The Jett Heat Pack contains: • Detachable patented heat panel - 2 settings 45°C (Lo) to 55°C (Hi) approx. • Wireless RF controller with wrist strap controls heat setting - no fiddly cables • 2 Rechargeable Li-Polymer Battery Power Pack give 4+ hours* of continuous heat on the low setting or optional Water resistant Battery Power Packs give 3+ hours* in water • Fast charger designed specifically for the Jett Heat Pack with 2 charging points.

SIZES XS - 2XL

Like having the sun on your back, stay warm on the course for 4+ hours*

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

All Jett products come with a 12 month guarantee on heating element, switch/controller and charger. 3 month guarantee on batteries and vest. Jett will process orders within 2 working days. The delivery time frame for orders within Australia is expected to be a further 1-5 working days. For deliveries overseas the time frame should be 5-10 working days depending on location. * Heat time will vary according to setting and the ambient temperatures

Jett Showroom: 417 Riversdale Road Hawthorn East 3123. Ring to make appointment 0417 531 757. Buy on-line www.jettheat.com

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instruction - preparation

Improve your golf with a different approach Stuart Leong stuartl@shotstohole.com

P

ractice makes permanent. If you work on the wrong things or practice the wrong way the likelihood of you improving is small. Most golfers have, at some stage, dedicated themselves to working on the game and practicing more. Frustratingly, very often golfers don’t improve despite the extra hours on the range.

Typically, most golfers don’t practice the right things. Frequently we practice the areas of the game that we are already good at or the things we enjoy with no investment in those parts of the game that really matter.

Understand Your Game Most golfers really don’t understand what actually influences their score and what they do well when they play golf well. Further, most golfers have very little understanding of what good or normal performance is for their score range.

As a result, most of us are very concerned about parts of our game that may not have a big influence on our score. Very often these concerns are based on a false premise or flawed concept. In my own case when I was trying to be a tour player, over a decade ago, I ended up injured with stress fractures in several ribs from over practicing my approach shots and developing my full swing.

It is easy to get caught up on all sorts of things that won’t make us better. The reason why ShotsToHole.com was created was to provide a tool to allow players and coaches to understand the most important parts

of the game to work on to get maximum improvement. Our aim is to allow you to reduce your score with the least amount of effort. Sometimes just being aware of the importance of a particular area of your game is enough to start getting better.

Targeted Practice If you aim at nothing, you hit nothing.

Going to the range to tinker with your swing with no focus or direction is a sure way to bugger things up. Having a specific focus or target for your practice is a big key to improving your game.

Practicing on the driving range does not resemble golf at all. The ball lie is always the same, there is little pressure or consequence of a poor shot and often the same club is hit over and over. Only on rare occasions will this type of practice actually transfer into good performance on the golf course.

Next time you go to the range, try to focus on creating as much variation in your practice as you can. Change your club and change your target frequently and change your shot type all together as often as possible. Hit a lot of putts and short game shots to break up your full swings.

Changing your practice to pursue development of specific skills should be the focus of any practice session. For example work on your trajectory control or carry distances. There are a lot of benefits for approaching your game in this way. For a start it is much more fun, you will be more creative and your ability to retain skill (take improvement to the golf course) will improve.

This will help you to lower your score. Most importantly, you will actually be investing your time in skills that you use on the course.

The issue with traditional stats Many of the traditional golf stats are useless when it comes to understanding your game.

The greens in regulation (GIR) stat is a great example of this. Knowing how many greens you hit only tells half the story. Where you are putting from is critical. If you are a handicap golfer, GIR is utterly useless. If you receive one or more shots on a hole because of your handicap, the fact that you hit the green in regulation or not is redundant. Perhaps a better measure would be to record the number of times you have a putt for a net birdie (a putt for three points in stableford) during the round.

This is a particularly useful stat as it factors a number of things need to come together for you to achieve this. At tour level, a normal round will have 6 to 7 birdie putts from inside 15 feet.

$105

If you are smart with your practice and consider your strategy, I think you can have just as many or more net birdie chances when you play. •

Email Us Your Questions Over the past few years ShotsToHole. com has amassed millions of shots from golfers of all skill levels. If you have any questions about how our data can be applied to your game or to help you understand your game better please email them to me at: stuartl@shotstohole.com The best questions will be answered and published here in Inside Golf over the coming months. The author of each published question will receive 6 Titleist Pro V1’s.

*

*Conditions Apply. This offer valid Sunday to Thursday Only (Friday & Saturday $110).

Per person twin share - executive room. Note: A full buffet breakfast can be organised for group bookings of 20 or more.

52

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

coaching

What a difference a Day makes Aspiring young golfers with dreams of greatness should take a leaf out of Jason Day’s book, writes DAVID NEWBERY

I

N the early 2000s, the coaching staff at Hills International College near Brisbane sensed a talented young golfer had arrived after watching Jason Day hit golf balls on the range.

Mind you, there were a number of equally talented individuals at the college so the arrival of another was par for the course … or so they thought.

Golf instructor Randall Hollands-Smith, who spent 11 years coaching at Hills International College, said Day had other qualities that contributed to his success.

From a young age, Day had drive, determination and the right attitude.

“The first day I saw Jason hit golf balls I said to my wife, ‘we have someone special here’,” said Hollands-Smith, who is coach to US PGA Tour player Cameron Percy and teaches at the Rachel Hetherington Golf Range.

“But he was no more talented than some of the other students.

“We had a number of other great players in the program, including one who had won an Australian junior title and another who was a super talent.

“But they both made a few bad decisions.

One decided to go to a US college on a free scholarship, which wasn’t the best choice and the other left the college early because his manager left.

“If he had stayed he would have had a better career.”

Hollands-Smith said many youngsters believed, obtusely, that natural talent alone would ensure success.

“To be successful you also need discipline, application and the right attitude,” he said.

“That’s what set Jason apart.

“Compared to other kids, Jason applied himself. He spent a lot of time on his short game before school.

“The other kids didn’t have the same application and attitude.

“They would be on the putting green and say, ‘Jason, do you want to have a putting comp’. He’d say, ‘give me 20 minutes and I’ll join you’. He was working on a drill and for a kid to do that is special.

chances if I send him to the US or don’t send him’. In the end, they made the right decision and he didn’t go.

“The US college system is always dangled as a carrot, but I don’t think it’s the be-all and end-all.” • FOOTNOTE: Jason Day didn’t forget HollandsSmith’s contribution to his success after taking out the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship on the US PGA Tour.

“Some kids and their parents thought Jason had special treatment, but that’s not the case.

“I gave Jason a chipping lesson before the event and my Christmas present from him was a signed flag from the tournament,” HollandsSmith told Inside Golf. “It says, ‘Randall thanks for the chipping lesson’.

“They all received the same information, but Jason was the easiest to work with because if you told him to do a drill he would do it.

“I have it in a frame with a photo of him jumping into Col’s arms when he won. It’s my pride and joy.”

“I remember coach Col Swatton giving Jason a drill and three weeks later he was still working on it because Col hadn’t told him to stop.”

Hollands-Smith said other students didn’t have the same resolve.

“I saw one kid have a stand-up argument with Col about chip-and-run shots,” he said. “He would never practice it and argued with Col about it.

“Col explained to him the chip-and-run shot was as important as hitting a lob shot over a bunker.

“That kid was as good as Jason and doesn’t even play golf anymore.

“He lacked the discipline and drive and thought it was going to come easy to him.

“I don’t think Jason ever thought it was going to come easy to him.”

Perhaps that’s why Swatton (Day’s coach, caddie and mentor) took him under his wing.

“Col was good at laying it on the table,” Hollands-Smith said.

Still, Swatton did agonise over a number of decisions regarding Day’s development.

“I remember having lengthy discussions with Col about whether Jason should go to the US College system or not,” HollandsSmith said.

“Col asked me what I thought. He said, ‘Randall, I don’t know if I will harm his

Golf instructor Randall Hollands-Smith

Randall and Rachel team up IT didn’t take professional golfer turned golf instructor Randall Hollands-Smith long to realise he was never going to be a successful play-for-pay player.

“A good coach is someone who follows the fundamentals of the golf swing.

“I was a pretty ordinary player and that’s why I became a coach,” he said candidly. “I very quickly realised I wasn’t going to be a good enough professional.

“When you look at Jason Day, he is fundamentally very good.

“I was taking more interest in what other players could do better rather than worrying about my own game.

“I was more interested in teaching so I went to Hills International at Jimboomba and worked with Col Swatton (Jason Day’s coach).”

Hollands-Smith says good communication skills are the key to being a good golf instructor.

“You have to be a good communicator to get the message across,” he said.

“A lot of coaching today is not focussing on grip, stance, alignment, ball position, posture and balance.

“It’s more about letting the player swing it how they swing it and try and get the best out of them.

“That’s why I am a big fan of Col Swatton.

He sticks to the fundamentals.

“Col is doing a lot of the same drills with Jason now that he was doing with him at 15. The fundamentals are the same and they review that when they get together,” said Hollands-Smith, who teaches at Rachel Hetherington Golf Range.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Rachel,” he said. “Rachel came to me for a lesson and I think she was impressed.

“Essentially, I got the job at her golf range because of that and also because I did a talk on the golf swing at the Queensland Cricketers’ Club.

“Rachel’s husband Greg (Ritchie) was the emcee and was impressed with my delivery and invited me to work with them.”

Hollands-Smith can be contact at the Rachel Hetherington Golf Range on (07) 5590-7686 or email rhs_golfpro@hotmail.com

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instruction

The key components to successful golf this winter Richard Woodhouse 2013 Qld PGA Teaching Professional of the Year richard@kdvsport.com

C

oming into winter, the days are getting shorter, the mornings are colder and the motivation to go and practice can easily fall away. Over the winter months it is crucial to stay on top of some key components of your golf game; both in a technical and organisational sense. What I am about to share with you would be my most important keys to success in order to keep your game in check and competition ready.

Regardless of your ability level I see the majority of faults in a golf swing stem from the set-up position, I consider there to be five key components to the set-up. If all of these five components are in a sound position the golf swing can function in an efficient manor without compensation.

The 5 key components to your set-up position are; 1. Grip 2. Posture 3. Alignment 4. Ball position 5. Balance

Grip: As the grip is your only connection to the golf club it is crucial that we position the hands correctly in order to control the position of the club face. The most common fault we see with the grip position is where the top hand (glove hand) positions itself where the club sits too high in the hand (through the palm).

This “weak” position will limit the amount of leverage we can create through the wrists during the backswing limiting the ability to load the shaft. Due to this we will see compensation throughout the swing ultimately leading to slower club speed and impact face alignment issues.

To achieve a neutral grip position place the club in the glove hand where you can see your first 2 knuckles, with the thumb

and forefinger forming a “V” pointing to the right shoulder (for a right hander). This will allow the bottom hand to match on from the opposing side in a neutral position ensuring the ability to load the shaft efficiently throughout the swing.

Alignment is the catalyst of many swing direction issues, your initial alignment and ball position will determine swing direction and path direction.

With an iron I like to see the body alignment ever so slightly open to the target line, with driver in hand the body alignment to be parallel to the target line.

The reason for the difference is due to the ball position, with an iron the ball is sitting on the turf where we will have a downwards or negative strike into the golf ball. While the club is in its descent to the bottom of the arc, the path of the club is traveling to the right of the swing direction (for a right-handed player), therefore we must allow for this through our swing alignment.

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

The function of correct posture and balance in my opinion is the most crucial element of the setup position. Correct posture is where we have an anterior tilt through the pelvis forming a neutral forward bend of the spine.

I encourage bending from the pelvis before flexing at the knees to ensure a neutral forward bend, correct posture will in turn allow the body to rotate and load energy efficiently. It is common to see the pelvis in a posterior tilted position, this causes exaggerated amount of thoracic curvature in the upper spine leading to restricted rotation during the back swing therefore resulting in body and arm disconnection which in turn will create down swing sequencing issues.

If we can position our posture in what I describe as an athletic position, you will feel neutral balance through the feet and have a sensation of being very “grounded” or “stable” at setup. Having lower body

stability throughout the setup and back swing is important when wanting to make an efficient balanced take-away.

Pre-round organisation:

Alignment and ball position:

As we move into the driver the ball position moves forward in the stance (inside left heel) therefore the attack angle of the driver is ideally no longer a descending strike, rather now a low point (0.0deg) or preferably a positive attack angle. Due to this we bring the alignment of the body (swing direction) back to

Posture and balance:

The five key components of set-up are crucial for making sound repetitive golf swings, having said that there is more than just the swing we have to think about in order to prepare for a successful day on the golf course.

I describe this as Pre-round organisation, the night before my players head to the golf course we work through a check list to ensure we are ready for the day ahead.

The checklist is as follows: 3 Clean golf clubs 3 Bag with rain hood 3 Buggy 3 Clean, dry golf shoes 3 Socks and undergarments (base-layer) 3 Trousers, shirt, jumper 3 Hat, beanie 3 Belt 3 Gloves/mittens (between shots) 3 Rain jacket and trousers 3 Golf gloves x 2 3 Marked balls 3 Tees 3 Golf towel 3 Spikey balls/stretching bands 3 First aid kit – plasters, tape etc.

3 On course hydration/water 3 On course snacks, nuts, wholemeal wraps, muesli bar If we are well prepared the night before the round we reduce the anxiety that tournament golf can create, in conjunction with good organisation I encourage a structured approach to warming up once at the golf course.

parallel with the target line. The more you strike upwards with your attack angle with driver you must align your swing direction further right in order to zero-out your club path.

As part of the Titleist Performance Institute protocol I encourage the player to prepare the body for the upcoming round, start with mobility, stability posture and balance drills. Once prepared physically and in conjunction mentally organised you can hit the range with the confidence knowing you have done everything in your power to prepare for the round ahead.

You are now on course, technically, physically and mentally ready. All that is required now is to ensure you approach every shot with a clear, precise pre-shot routine maintaining focus throughout. At the conclusion of the shot, once the club is back in the bag, switch off and enjoy the walk to the upcoming shot.

Successful golf comes down to having a clear, precise process starting from the night prior until the conclusion of the round, stay prepared mentally, understand your swing and ball flight and you will love every second of the challenge our great game throws at you. • Happy golfing this winter, for more information regarding your game development feel free to contact me via email or phone.

Richard Woodhouse is an AAA PGA professional at the KDV Sport Academy of Golf in Carrara, Qld. At KDV Sport Academy of Golf they pride themselves on giving measured, precise information to the student, combing Trackman data with specific physical screening to help you understand your golf swing, measure improvement, and make practice more effective. www.kdvsport.com. Richard@kdvsport.com. 0415 85 3337

instruction

How important is golf ball position?

Randall Hollands Smith rhs_golfpro@hotmail.com

I

ncorrect ball position is among the most common faults that we witness when teaching golf not only to the beginner golfers but to the more advanced players as well.

Don’t be fooled that because ball position appears simple in content that it isn’t as important as any other fundamental in the golf swing.

We would like to discuss what takes place at a player’s address position. One of the first things we do as a golf coach when giving a lesson is to check the player’s ball position.

Most players are not fully aware that an incorrect ball position can cause problems not only with their directional control but also with the contact of the ball that in turn directly influences distance.

In photos 1 and 2, you can see that Rachel’s ball is positioned way too far forward in her stance, which creates the following problems: The shoulders will now be aiming well to the left of the target which will make her take the club away from the ball too far on the outside of the target line during the takeaway. As a result of this poor takeaway this will make Rachel’s downswing approach the ball in what is referred to as an outside to inside swing path resulting in a slice or cut shot.

In photos 3 and 4 you will notice that the ball position is now located too far back in her stance. This poor positioning will now make Rachel take the club away from the ball too far on the inside path which can result in

Ball position too far forward

Ball position too far back

Correct Ball Position

either her club crossing the line at the top of the swing, once again resulting in an outside to inside swing plane, or a cutting motion.

Or the club will continue around her body creating a very flat swing plane which will encourage a flat angle of approach back into the ball resulting in an in to out swing shape producing very bad hooks.

difference in ball positions for the woods and the irons is that you are trying to create a more downward motion with the iron while you are trying to achieve more of a sweeping effect with the woods. You will notice that when Rachel positions the ball correctly in her stance that her shoulders are now square or parallel to her intended target line.

It is through achieving this neutral address position that you can hope to hit the ball where you are aiming.

therefore your shoulder alignment as the direct cause to why your ball is not going where you believe it should. •

In photos 5 and 6, Rachel is demonstrating the correct ball position for an iron. With an iron the ball should be positioned 2” inside your left heel, while for the woods the correct ball position is level with the heel of your left foot. The reason that you have a slight

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If your ball is not going where you think that you are aiming, the first thing that you should check is your ball position and

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55

instruction

Wrists and putting do not go hand in hand Glenn Whittle glenn@whittlegolf.com (02) 9541 4960

A

re you the type of golfer who really struggles controlling the distance of your putts?

In this issue we are going to show you a simple drill that you can do either at home, the office or on the putting green at your golf course which will improve your ability to control the speed of your putts and in return reduce the number of three putts or improve your chances of making more putts.

Next time you’ve got a spare five minutes before a round, hit three or four putts excessively using your wrists in both the back swing and follow through and notice how difficult it is to consistently hit the putts the same distance one after the other. Now I want you to place a spare golf ball between the butt of the putter grip and your right forearm (for a right-hander) as shown in the picture. This will ensure that your shoulders and chest move the putter and your hands move minimally.

Whenever I use this drill at The Sydney putting Studio I watch to see how many times the golfer putts before the ball falls onto the green.

I am often asked “but why did players like Arnold Palmer putt so well?” The answer is in the surface of the putting greens they were putting on back then. The technology, research, equipment, water, etc has all improved so much which in turn means that the surface and quality of the greens we putt on these days is much better. If you have ever had to putt on a temporary green on the fairway, you may have noticed that as soon as the surface gets rough we are forced to cock our wrists and use a bit more of a jab rather than a smooth flowing stroke.

The other side benefit of this drill is it encourages you to get your right forearm (once again for a right-hander) in line with the putter shaft which will help you swing the putter on the correct path (plane).

I encourage you to try this drill and you will be surprised just how much feedback you get and how much your awareness for the correct technique improves.

If you need help with your putting, please come and visit me at The Sydney Putting Studio at the Ridge Golf Course in Sydney and I can guarantee I will lower your handicap and get you putting more consistently. •

The 2008 NSW PGA Teacher of the Year, Glenn Whittle is an AAA PGA Member and is also an official iseekgolf.com teaching Panelist. He can be contacted via The Sydney Club Fitting Centre (www.sydneyclubfittingcentre.com.au) or Sydney Putting Studio (www.sydneyputtingstudio.com) at The Ridge on (02) 9541 4960 or visit www.whittlegolf.com

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instruction

Key to Golf full swing basics program PART 1

Over the next 12 issues, Inside Golf and Peter Croker will be presenting chapters from the Key To Golf full swing basics program, an online program designed to help you learn each skill in the golf game. Follow along each month as we examine each step to help you improve your golf.

Peter Croker

0415 292 549 www.crokergolfsystem.com

Grip Exercise Purpose To provide you with a reliable way of holding onto the club that promotes good control and feel plus a flexible hinge action of the wrists.

Training Emphasis Complete each step in the order listed below, at first loosely so as to get the idea, then finally exactly by the book. Keep at it until you have drilled in a correct grip to an automatic and natural action. It’s recommended to have a club around the house to practice at least five minutes every day for one month.

Exercise Grip the club handle step by step as listed below. Use the pictures and videos as aids to verify your grip is exact.

Left Hand Placement • Allow the end of the club to protrude to

the crease where your hand meets your wrist.

• The grip of the club runs diagonally across the left hand from: a) The crease in the palm between your little finger and heel pad of your hand (first knuckle joint of the little finger on the palm side) to b) the second knuckle joint of your index finger.

• The grip wedges under the heel pad of the hand. The left wrist is vertically above the grip of the club. Note: To do this there is a bend in the wrist so that the wrist can be positioned on top of the grip. This is an extremely important alignment as it secures the club in the hand without needing to hold the club with much muscle tension and at the same time aligning the leading edge of the clubface to the wrist.

• Left thumb is positioned on the top right hand side of the grip at 1:30 (1:30 refers to the time position of a clock).

Right Hand Placement • The middle fingers wrap around the grip predominantly in the fingers with the second knuckle joints of these fingers positioned directly under the grip.

• The little finger of the right hand can either a) overlap the left index finger. b) Interlock with the little finger of the left hand c) rest snug up against the little finger of the left hand (baseball grip).

• The hollow of the palm of the right hand along the lifeline is directly behind and over the left thumb.

• The right thumb is positioned on the top left hand side of the grip at 10:30.

To view exact Grip placement videos go to keytogolf.com/Grip-Exercise/ 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 on the Mornington Peninsula, he delivers school instruction, individual lessons, and has an Online Lesson Program. www.keytofgolf.com Phone: 0415 292 549

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www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

57

instruction

The ‘Compound Effect’ to improve your golf don’t know what they are take golf lessons so you make sure your technique is sound.

Work on it physically and work on it mentally.

Get it deep into your mind what you have to do so that you are clear on what you need to work on.

Tiffany Mika

tiffany@theladygolfteacher.com.au

I

f you are serious about improving your golf there is no such thing as a quick fix. We are now living in an age where we want instant results and if things don’t happen instantly, we feel it doesn’t work.

Where to from here?

Set a goal what you want to achieve, and put it in writing. Purchase a notebook and write down all the activities you do everyday or every time you practice. Write down the date, the drills you have practiced, the time you spent on practice and when you have played, plus your results. Please not that your results are not as important as the processes.

You can only control the processes and not the score. It’s recording the processes of what you do, not just the result. Over time when you are starting to achieve your goals you can look back at what you have done, what skills and drills you have worked on, it will remind you of how you got to where you are.

This is your success golf book.

Everything is being promoted as an easy fix to any issue you have from weight loss to golf. And yes the golfers are falling for it to. I’ll be honest with you, if you want to play consistent golf then it comes down to working on improving your game. If you don’t want to spend the time on your game then you have to accept the skill set you have got and play the current game of golf you play.

Have you heard about the compound effect?

The compound effect is doing the small daily activities over a period of time that are going to help you achieve your goals.

I’ll give you an example, I have a client who when she first started golf, expressed to me that there was no way was she going to play competition and she was only going to play 9 holes. So she started in the Beginner Golf Program I run, she attended all the clinics, she was not only improving but she was enjoying it. Now because she could see some progress and understood that if she was going to play better, she needed to do more.

So what did she do?

She started taking private lessons, she attended more clinics and she was practicing all of her skills over and over again at the driving range, on the chipping green, on the putting green and out on the course. It wasn’t that she was just practicing for the sake of it…she wanted improve and learn how to do it right so she could take her golf to the next level.

Now…she is playing competition and loves it. Her handicap is dropping at a rapid rate. Purely because she applied herself in learning what to do and then implementing what she was learning on a regular basis.

In golf it is the little things that you work on over a period of time that will give you the results. You make sure that you work on the fundamentals, get them right. Don’t only work on your golf skills, you will need to work on your mental part of your game as well, apply it with the same attitude that you do with your golf skills. If you apply yourself you will get the results over time. You will not see the results instantly, it will take effort but you will get the results you want. Remember you will only get out of your golf what you put into it.

Remember: it is the little activities that you do on a consistent basis that will give you the results. •

Tiffany Mika is the Golf Teaching Professional at Bayview Golf Club in Mona Vale. Tiffany has a Free Online Putting Program where you can learn how to Putt in your home. Contact her at tiffany@theladygolfteacher.com.au. Start shaving strokes off your handicap today with the free instructional online lesson. Find out how at www.theladygolfteacher.com.au

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mental game

How to overcome the mighty chipping/pitching yips From my experiences in working with this topic it’s really tough to do on your own.

Just like some jobs around the house are better left for a team effort with the plumber/ electrician/builder.

Mathew Howe

mindyourgolf@yahoo.com.au

W

hen you think of all the mental golfing problems you could possibly have, chipping and pitching yips would rank right up there with the ones that hurt your game the most. It’s very visible, causes major damage to your scores and seems to give no light at the end of the tunnel that it’s going away. This month’s article is aimed at dealing with this topic and giving you a better understanding of how to best tackle the situation.

What is the problem?

The problem is that you have anxiety based around your ability to perform a certain task (being chipping or pitching). Your confidence is shot to pieces and the thought of having to chip/pitch under pressure is not a pleasant one. You would rather putt the ball from off the green. You probably have had excessive tension with these short shots for some time so not only do you have fear/anxiety in your system but you have installed a mental pattern whether you like it or not that has now become a habit.

Why does it happen?

The consequences for a mis-timed chip or pitch are normally more brutal than other shots in golf. Another factor is that because it’s a little stroke and you are near the hole there is more general expectation that you should get it close and make a good result of things. Whereas there seems to be less pressure around making a full swing at the ball and getting it close to the target from a long distance away.

How do you prevent it happening?

In terms of mind mechanics, when you stuff up a shot as a kid you normally laugh at it, go to the next shot and hit it again.

As we start to become an adult with more conscious reasoning abilities we tend to get upset about not being able to perform tasks such as this. In others words, we get mental pain associated to the activity of chipping/ pitching. If you attach enough emotion to this and do it often enough the mind then will take on board that it needs a defense mechanism from the pain with that activity and gives you anxiety as a protective signal to be more careful around those shots. More care normally associates with trying harder and analyzing things more with your left brain. This doesn’t help much in an activity that requires you to be very feel orientated and is mainly right brain dominant.

How do you fix it?

As humans, we generally overcomplicate things and let our mental patterns get the better of us. Back this up with social conditioning from your peers and the nature of the game and you have a problem that seems like you will never fix. Here is a good framework to start heading towards.

Step 1 – Make a 2-3 month game plan to get through it and retrain your system.

Don’t expect for things to change around in a couple of weeks if you have been having problems for a while.

Step 2 – Let go of shot outcomes and desired results for a while. Focus on making good swings in the short term. This can be completely different from making a good shot and getting a good result.

Step 3 – Practise more once you understand the correct ways to practice and relate to your practice. You really need daily practice to make speedy headway in habit alteration.

30 minutes a day should do the job. Make sure that the 30 minutes is well structured.

Step 4 – Measure yourself on different criteria when playing competition. You write down your score every hole, I suggest you write another score down and that score needs to have something to do with how well you let go of concerns about playing a pitch/chip shot.

Step 5 – Look at some form of subconscious reconditioning. There are lots of new tools coming out in this area now.

If your chipping/pitching is pretty relaxed and effective at the moment I suggest you make sure that if you do hit some less-thanattractive shots under pressure and not make a big emotional matter of the situation.

Brush it off, make sure your technique is ok with regular check-ins with a pro and keep in mind all the great chip/pitch shots you play week in week out.

What can you do in your next round?

1) Before you go into each shot make a quick mental note to accept that the result might not be great for now but you do want to commit to making a nice fluid swing.

2) Have a simple focus like tempo when over the ball.

3) Regardless of what happens, view each chip/pitch shot as a new opportunity to improve your situation. • Mat Howe is a Golf Mind Coach with a degree in Sport Psychology and has mentally coached and caddied for golfers from the international professional playing standard through to beginners. If you have never had a mental coaching lesson before you may find it more practical and helpful than what you had first imagined.

Coaching can be done over the phone and clients range from 14 – 80 years old.

Introduction sessions are $60 and last for around 30 minutes.mindyourgolf@ yahoo.com.au. 0410 695 605

Tuncurr y Course rate Australi d in a’s Top 100 Pu blic Acc Course ess s

YOUR BLUE MOUNTAINS PARMAKER OUTLET

Where else can you get the choice of 2 beautiful courses?

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

Nowhere else but the Forster Tuncurry golf courses on the majestic mid north coast – less than 3 hours drive from Hornsby.

• Social golfers most welcome • Stay and play packages are available Ring the Club on 02 6554 6799 for your booking.

• All weather courses that test the abilities of all levels of golfers • Enjoy a drink at the club after the game overlooking the picturesque Pacific Ocean.

Forster Course Tuncurry Golf Course Strand Street, Forster Northern Parkway, Tuncurry (02) 6554 6167 (02) 6554 7622

www.forstertuncurrygolf.com.au AUSTRALIAN MADE • BUILT TO LAST

The home of Sarah Kemp www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

59

fitness

Weighing in on your fitness greater than 30.

Richard Nizielski richard@golffitsolutions.com 0438 027 768

G

eneral health and fitness can affect the way we play golf. More so though, our general wellness and our day-to-day living, should be a greater concern. One area in particularly is overweight and obesity issues.

Here are few quick facts, which you may or may not already know, regarding excessive body weight.

• Based on Body Mass Index (BMI), 3 in 5 Australians are overweight • 1 in 4 Australian children are overweight or obese • Overweight and obesity is only beaten by smoking and high blood pressure as a contributor to burden of disease Overweight or obese people have higher rates of death and illness than people of healthy weight, both overall and from a range of specific conditions.

These include; cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, psychological problems and reproductive problems for women.

If you do feel you are at risk or need professional advice on your health, then it is best to consult a doctor and have a full health assessment.

For two quick and easy tests you can do yourself to assess if you may be at risk, then use these:

A BMI below 18.5 also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

BMI is: body weight in kilograms, divided by height in meters2.

For example: Body weight: 95kg / Height: 175cm (1.75m) BMI = 95 / (1.75 x 1.75) = 31 BMI (kg/m2)

Classification

<18.5

Underweight

18.5-24.9

Normal

25.0-29.9

Overweight

30.0-34.9

Obesity, class 1

35.0-39.9

Obesity, class 2

≥40

Obesity, class 3

Waist-to-hip Ratio (WHR): This measurement may help with predicting the risk of developing serious health conditions. Research shows that people with ‘apple-shaped’ bodies (with more weight around the waist) face more health risks than those with ‘pear-shaped’ bodies who carry more weight around the hips.

Step 1: Measure your waist circumference (in cm) at the narrowest part of the torso (above the belly button and bellow the sternum).

Step 2: Measure your hip circumference (in cm) at the biggest circumference of the buttocks.

The WHR is the ratio of the circumference of the waist divided by the circumference of the hips.

BMI Although BMI fails to distinguish between body fat, muscle mass, or bone, which may give an inaccurate result for people with a large amount of muscle such as body builders, an increased risk of hypertension, total cholesterol ratio, coronary disease, and mortality are associated with a BMI of

An example: WHR = circumference of the waist / by the circumference of the hips (e.g. a waist circumference of 90cm divided by a hip circumference of 100cm (female), would produce a ratio of 0.9

What every golfer needs to know…

Did you know that all golfers should put an identification mark on their ball? (Rule 12-2) That’s My Ball stamps and markers allow you to do this quickly and simply. Check out our huge range of golf ball ID stamps, markers, accessories and gifts online today.

Order Now Web: www.thatsmyball.com.au Phone: 1300 445 054

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

The ratio and associated risk level are shown in the table below Health Risk

Male

Female

Low

< 0.95

< 0.80

Moderate

0.96 – 1.0

0.81 – 0.85

High

1.0+

0.85 +

If you are concerned, don’t wait until the signs are showing that there IS something wrong. Seek the help out and make the changes that will help you to a healthier and fitter life and golf game. • Richard Nizielski is a Brisbane-based golf fitness expert and the Director of Golf Fit Solutions. A three-time Olympian and medallist in the sport of short track speed skating, richard is a qualified sports and personal trainer designing individual fitness and nutrition programs for both professional and amateur golfers here in Australia and overseas. www.golffitsolutions.com

people

Wisdom of the Elders: Brian Twite

By The PGA of Australia

Metropolitan continuing to this day.

T

“I always liked to help young people from the bush because they don’t have the access to things like the city kids do,” he says.

hey say golf is a game for life and Brian Twite is proof of that. At 86 he not only plays the game every day, he still gives lessons!

“I started volunteering my time to go and coach out there years ago and have kept it up to this day.

“I still hit balls and play golf every day, too,” he said when asked why he continued to work well past retirement age. “If I stopped I’d be dead in five minutes. As long as I’m fit enough I’ll keep giving lessons and playing the game. It’s what keeps me going.”

“We still have a program here at Metropolitan that awards scholarships to juniors and gives them a year’s free membership at the club. It’s a big help in getting them started.

Twite has been a fixture at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne since 1955 when he was head-hunted from the Sunningdale Golf Club in London to fill the role of Head Professional.

“It’s something I’m very proud of.”

Twite has seen his fair share of changes in golf in all areas, from swing theory to equipment to agronomy.

An enthusiastic 22 year-old at the time, the thought of travelling halfway across the world never fazed him. He left behind 11 siblings but having already tasted life in the Navy during the war it didn’t seem a big deal.

“When you’re that age everything is just a big adventure,” he says.

Twite came to the Metropolitan job in circumstances that would seem unlikely today. He was Head Teaching Professional at Sunningdale in London, not far from where Qantas had their England head office.

“I taught a lot of Australians in those days because of that,” he says. “And many of them were members at Metropolitan.

He thinks most of it is for the best though laments the loss of shot shaping at the highest levels.

“That’s how I got recommended for the job here. And as soon as they offered it to me I jumped at it and I’ve never looked back.

“I feel very blessed to have been involved with two of the world’s truly great golf clubs in Sunningdale and Metropolitan. They are both everything a golf club should be.”

Twite held the top job at Metropolitan until 1994 when he retired because his wife was ill.

After she passed the club asked if he would like to come back and teach.

“I think I’ve probably spent more time at Metropolitan than I have at my own house since I’ve been in Australia,” he says with a laugh. “And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Twite was last year awarded an OAM for his services to golf; several of the programs he started while Head Professional at

“I don’t think we’ll see another player like Seve or Norman, the guys who really worked the ball,” he said.

“The modern clubs and the modern ball are designed to go high and straight and stop quickly when they land so it’s changed how the game is played.

“I still think it’s exciting though, just different to what it used to be.” • To find your local PGA Professional visit www.findaPGAPro.com.au •

Avondale teen drops 37 strokes off her handicap in one year

O

break from school work.

n the 10th March 2013 Avondale Golf Club’s Felicity Wittenberg’s handicap was 45.4. Fast forward to 10th March 2014, Felicity was playing off 8.3, shaving 37 strokes off her handicap in one year.

Asking Felicity what tip she can give to junior girls she said, “It’s great for young girls to take advice from the older, more experienced golfers.” She certainly has found it in her mentor Sharon Thompson, her father, brothers and club members.

Fifteen-year-old Felicity became a member of Avondale Golf Club in late 2012. Speaking about how she was introduced to golf, she said both her father and brothers are members there: “My brothers and dad are all very good golfers. They are off plus handicaps and have been Club Champions or have been in Club Championship Finals a number of times.” What she enjoys most about the game is spending time playing golf with them.

Avondale Golf Club has a great junior program. She participated in their junior clinics first, then moved on to play in their club comps. She entered her first competition, the Avondale Ladies Individual Stableford event, in late December. She started playing weekly after she moved off 45 in March. She squeezed in a bit more golf to play two to three times per week during the school holidays.

Felicity noticed her first major drop in handicap from 45 to 37 after she played one of her first 18-holes with the Lady Captain, Trish Kenney. She brushed it aside thinking it was due to handing in only a few cards previously. That gave her a sense that every time she handed in her cards, her handicap 62

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Her athletic prowess isn’t just a result of her natural talent and gene pool. She credits her rapid growth to the support she received from these more older and experienced golfers—in particular the junior girls’ coordinator and Ladies Club Champion Sharon Thompson, who bent over backwards to nurture Felicity’s talent.

would drop. Her handicap plateaued around 31-33 for about three months. Soon enough, her handicap started to drop almost every time she played. She had a few big scores of 44 and 45 which reduced her handicap significantly, eventually her scores averaged to the 30s.

Felicity commented, “I went from 45 to 37, then skipped 36, going down to 33, and stayed there for a while. Then I had a few small jumps… The next big jump was from 27 to 24…..I went from 21 to 19 which was

also a pretty big jump…My handicap now is 8.3.”

Her goal is to gain a college scholarship in the U.S. following in her parents’ footsteps.

Her parents were tennis professionals and met in college when they were on a tennis scholarship in Texas. The year ten student loves studying, in particular science and maths and is keen to get a college degree while developing her golf, to eventually become a pro. She finds it relaxing out on the course – a nice environment and a good

Sharon organised games for her, provided as many playing opportunities as she could, even relinquished playing herself to allow Felicity to participate in a group. This has enabled Felicity to play in both the Girls and the Mixed Encourage Shield, as well as to be involved in the Women’s Major Pennant.

Because Felicity dropped so many shots, she won a “Lesson Package” with Ben Patterson, the Professional at Avondale Golf Club. As a result she can now get special training from Ben on some afternoons after school.

It is only a matter of time before Felicity Wittenberg’s name will be engraved on a Club Honour Board, alongside her father Corey and brothers Corey Jnr and Matthew Wittenberg’s names. •

legends of the game

Champagne Tony the entertainer he met and married Betty.

David Newbery

His first win was the Imperial Valley Open in 1957, but the real breakthrough arrived in 1962 when he captured Sahara Invitational and a month later the Orange County California Open.

david@insidegolf.com.au

W

HO knows what top American golfer Tony Lema would have achieved had his life not ended prematurely.

That’s when he was given the moniker Champagne Tony.

He was in his prime and considered a serious challenger to the Big Three – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player – when his life ended in tragedy.

He was the tournament leader after three rounds and faced the media drinking a beer.

“It’ll be champagne for all if I win,” he told journalists.

Lema, affectionately known as Champagne Tony, died on July 24, 1966 when the private plane he was travelling with wife Betty crashed.

He kept his word, supplied a crate of champagne and even secured a sponsorship from Moët and Chandon.

The 1964 Open Championship winner’s death, at 32, rocked the golf world.

Many believed he had reached the top of his game but because of his untimely death, his status must remain unproven.

Anthony David Lema was both a wonderfully gifted golfer and a bit of a rabble-rouser.

Born on the wrong side of the track in 1934 in Oakland, California Lema, the son of poverty-stricken Portuguese immigrants, went off the rails in his teens.

Lema was obsessed with golf and it was his aim to escape poverty so in 1951, aged 17, he joined the Marine Corps and spent four years of active service in Korea.

Discharged in 1955, Lema was determined not to end up hanging around pubs like many ex-servicemen.

He took a job as an assistant pro at San Francisco Golf Club where he spent two years working on his game.

He was a partygoer, who enjoyed chasing women and having a drink.

Still, he did enough to earn his way onto the PGA Tour and his life was transformed when

Arnie was unable to make the trip and suggested Lema take his place.

Reluctant to go, Lema said he would make the trip on the proviso Palmer give him his putter.

Palmer not only gave him his putter, but his caddie Tip Anderson, who guided Lema, who was a good putter and outstanding wedge and short-iron player, around St Andrews.

He played on the 1963 and 1965 victorious Ryder Cup teams.

In foursomes he had three wins and a half; in fourballs a win and a loss and in singles he won three and halved one match with Peter Alliss.

In the 1963 US Masters, he finished one shot behind Jack Nicklaus after the Golden Bear holed a long putt on the last.

Oftentimes, Lema would disappear and go to church and then come back and stay out late.

In 1964, he tied ninth in the Masters, won the Open and was tied ninth in the PGA Championship and a year later tied eighth in the US Open and tied fifth in the Open.

In 1957, Lema took the position of head pro at Ruby View GC in Elko, Nevada and played the odd tournament, but his lifestyle at the time wasn’t conducive to shooting low scores.

Had it not been for Arnold Palmer, Lema may never have travelled to St Andrews.

Lema won 19 professional events including 12 on the PGA Tour, but he saved some of his best golf for the majors.

He finished in a tie for fifth in the US Open in the same year.

His father died when he was three and his mother had to raise four hungry kids.

Lema celebrated his major breakthrough at the Jiggers Inn and again the champagne flowed.

He played 16 majors, had eight top-10s and missed one cut.

In the 1964 Open at St Andrews, Lema warmed up with rounds of 73-68 to lead.

At the time of his death, he was one of the top four players in the world.

Johnny Miller, who imitated Lema’s draw, said he was the greatest and boldest putter he had seen.

“His death broke my heart, to be honest,” he said.

Lema might have been a rabble-rouser, but the man with good looks and a vivacious personality was a fan-favourite and generous with his money.

Nicklaus was nine behind, but picked up eights shot on him on the front nine.

The story goes that the nuns at a local convent noticed that envelopes of cash that used to arrive regularly suddenly stopped coming.

Lema rallied on the back nine producing five 3s and four 4s and in the final round carded a 70 to finish five ahead of Nicklaus.

Until Lema’s death, they had no idea who had sent the money. •

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

63

seniors

NATIONAL

Australian Seniors enjoy Australia’s best courses Denis Dale

ed@insidegolf.com.au

T

he most recent of the sixteen tournaments that make up the Australian Senior Ranking System calendar were The National Masters and the NSW Senior Classic. In keeping with the growth of senior amateur golf across the nation these two events were played on some of the very best courses in the country.

The National Masters is played at the same time as the US Masters and on courses that would rival the legendary Augusta layout. The tournament is played across all three courses that make up the 54-hole golfing complex at The National Golf Club on the Victorian Mornington Peninsula. All three are rated inside Australia’s Top 30 courses with The Moonah Course ranked 8, the Ocean Course 10 and the beautiful Old Course ranked 30.

In keeping with the Masters tradition the winner receives a green jacket and the worthy winner this year was Victorian Barry Tippett. In a very consistent display Tippett handled the demanding courses and some inclement weather to record successive scores of 75 on each of the three courses. His 54-hole total of 225 gave him a two stroke margin over West Australian Ian McPherson (76-77-74) and another Victorian Gordon Claney (76-77-74).

This was Tippett’s first win in an Australian Senior Ranking event and he must now be closer to selection in an Australian Senior representative team. Tippett has also won several recent events on the Victorian Senior Order of Merit calendar and is very much the Australian senior golfer of the moment.

The next event was the 2014 NSW Senior Classic over 54 holes on three of Australia’s top rated venues. The Lakes Golf Club is rated

number 14 in Australia and was the venue for the 2011 and 2012 Australian Opens. The Australian Golf Club (rated 15) has recently been redesigned by Jack Nicklaus and will host the 2014 Australian Open while the beautiful tree-lined Avondale (66) is considered by many as the best on Sydney’s north shore.

In a dominant display the clear winner was NSW senior Paul Maslen with rounds of 77 (The Lakes), 71 (The Australian) and 73 (Avondale). Maslen had the second best score on the opening day and was alone with the best score on both following days to record a 9-stroke winning margin.

Tom Yates from Bexley Gold Club in Sydney had shared the round one lead with Paul Day (Kooindah Waters) after the opening round at The Lakes with scores of 75. At the end of play they played off for The Lakes Senior Medal with victory going to Yates.

Both of these players are over age 65 and demonstrated that age is not a barrier to good golf and success on the Australian senior amateur circuit.

Day two was The Australian Golf Club and the course was presented in magnificent condition. The recent changes have given the historic course a new lease of life and it will certainly be a wonderful venue for the Australian Open later this year. It is very likely that some of the world’s best professionals would take the one under par round recorded

by Paul Maslen. This was an outstanding score on a world-class golf course and saw Maslen easily win The Australian Senior Medal and also move him into the overall lead with a four-stroke margin.

The final day was at Avondale Golf Club and the field of over 100 senior golfers enjoyed another great day of golf on a great golf course. Paul Maslen continued his high quality golf and again had the best score of the day – a one-over-par 73. He was a worthy winner

2014 The Lakes Medal - Paul Day and Tom Yates

2014 NSW Senior Classic - Mick Asami, Roy Vandersluis, Paul Maslen, Greg Smith

of both the Avondale Senior Medal and the overall trophy for the 2014 NSW Senior Classic.

The first Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship was played in 2007 at Barwon Heads Golf Club on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula where Queenslander Chris Coats won the first of his two Matchplay titles (2007,10). Other winners of the championship are Denis Dale (2008), Stefan Albinski (2009,11,12) and Ian McPherson (2013)

Runner-up in the NSW Classic was veteran Roy Vandersluis (77-78-75) who once again showed why he has been near the top of the Australian rankings for many years with his closing round of 75 that included a final nine holes in two under par. Newcomer to senior golf Darryl Whitehead (78-75-79) made the trip from Royal Canberra a worthwhile one with outright third place.

After these two national events Stefan Albinski (NSW) remains on top of the 2014 Australian Senior Ranking table with 102.16 points, Paul Maslen (NSW) is now second (97.67 points) with Denis Dale (NSW) (95.65 points) in third place.

The Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club has been confirmed as the venue for the 2014 Australian Senior Amateur Matchplay Championships and will be played on the Coolangatta Tweed West Course from October 27-29.

This is the first time these championships have been held outside Victoria or New South Wales and a large field is expected to enjoy both the championship quality course and the warm hospitality offered by the Coolangatta Tweed Heads club.

2014 Australian Senior Rankings Player

State

Events

Ave.

1 Stefan Albinski

NSW

9

102.16

2 Paul Maslen

NSW

7

97.67

3 Denis Dale

NSW

8

95.65

4 Roy Vandersluis

NSW

7

88.02

5 Peter King

QLD

7

85.99

The 2014 Senior Matchplay Championship (including the over 65 section) is open to all players listed on the Australian Men’s Senior Ranking System which means a player must have competed in at least one ranking event in the previous twelve months.

More information on past and upcoming national ranking events and full ranking tables available on the AUSOOM website www.ausoom.com

Kent goes back-to-back in NSW Strokeplay Brian O’Hare

brian@australianseniorgolfer.com.au

N

ewcastle golfer Greg Kent made it back-to-back wins as the 2014 NSW Veteran Golfers Strokeplay Championship made a highly successful move to its new home in Western Sydney in April.

Kent won the championship title last year when the over 55’s event was played at its former long-time base at Bankstown Golf Club.

The 61-year-old Charlestown Golf Club member wasn’t fazed with the switch to a new home – at least for the next three years – at the Penrith, Richmond, and Top-100 rated Stonecutters Ridge golf courses.

Kent was delighted with his two-stroke victory over Kiama’s Col Kenning in the 54-hole, threeday championship and to lift the Des Coady Shield for the second year in succession.

64

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

“It is good to back up and have a second title,” said Kent, who under the new handicapping system hovers around the scratch to one mark.

“It was a bit of a struggle today. I fell away over the last nine but I hung on.

“There were some good golfers here, Col Kenning and a few of the boys, they certainly know how to get it around a golf course so it was pleasing to get it back to back.”

Kent has been playing regularly in veterans events for six year and has won a number of feature titles, including the 2011 NSW Matchplay Championship in the Illawarra.

Kent will be looking for a three-peat next year.

“I’ll definitely be back next year and hopefully we will get a few more of the boys from up my way to come down and enjoy the hospitality down here,” he said.

After all the hard work organising the event at its new digs, Tournament Director Les Knox was thrilled it had largely gone off with a

hitch, apart from being a little damp on the first two days and requiring preferred lies.

More than 120 golfers from 52 clubs took part.

“We were really thrilled with it,” said Knox, on behalf of the Western Sydney Region Veteran Golfers Association (WSRVGA).

“We were very concerned with the weather leading into the event and it most probably didn’t do justice to the golf courses because it was so damp but we were very fortunate it stayed fine throughout the tournament and we were overwhelmed with the support we got from the players throughout the state. They travelled from as far as Armidale, Tamworth, down south to Kiama, north to Newcastle, Ballina, as far west as Bathurst … so we were very happy with the response,” he said.

“A lot of work goes into it but we had a lot of support from the NSW Veteran Golfers Association lead by Dick Farrant, through to the three clubs where we played the event— the CEO’s at those places were so supportive we were almost overwhelmed by it.”

Significant sponsorship came from Richmond Club, Australand Pty Ltd, Penrith Golf Club, Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club and Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers.

Knox said the tournament, which is played in three grades with daily and 54-hole gross and nett winners, would be back bigger and better in 2015. The WSRVGA has been granted the opportunity to host the event at least until 2016.

For more information, visit: www.australianseniorgolfer.com.au

seniors

VICTORIA

QUEENSLAND

Tippett on top in Bachli New leader in PresCare Trophy Senior Order of Merit Thirteenth Beach senior Barry Tippett is having his best season as a senior golfer and he has now reached the lead in the 2014 Doug Bachli Trophy. A win in the 36-hole Lonsdale Senior Amateur by a convincing 10 strokes earlier in the year was followed by an most impressive victory in the prestigious 54-hole National Senior Masters.

The 2014 Southport Seniors saw two of the state’s best senior golfers finish on top of the leaderboard with fine rounds of 76 on the testing Southport layout. Coolangatta Tweed Heads member Phil Towle and Ballina’s Phil Daley finished the day with a one stroke margin over Dalby’s Michael Peeck on 77.

Soon after winning the National Masters Tippett won again at the inaugural playing of the 36-hole Warrnambool Senior Amateur. After an opening round of 74 Tippett repeated this score for a two round total of 148 to claim another title. The Thirteenth Beach member finished two shots clear of Trafalgar’s Jeff Hasthorpe who fired consecutive rounds of 75 for a tournament total of 150.

Nudgee senior Mario La Chiusa played some great golf to take out the 36-hole Laidley Seniors Championship. With scores of 74-76=150 La Chiusa had a four stroke margin over the 2013 Queensland Senior Order of Merit winner Trevor Box (76-78=154). Gailes’ senior Neil King (80-79) was a further 5 strokes away in third place.

Tippett has the lead in the Bachli but he will need to continue with his high quality golf if he is to hold the top position at the year’s end. In second place is “iron man” Tony Hyde who has played in every event this season. With 1340 points Hyde trails Tippett by just 58 points. Also close up in third place is Kingston Heath golfer Gordon Claney with 1316 points from just 6 starts.

2014 Victorian Senior Order of Merit Paul Lulofs Trophy - Handicap Player Club Events Best 12 1 I. Duivenvoorden Yarram

11

909

2 Paul Bray

8

812

Metropolitan

3 Pat Giles

Goonawarra

9

759

4 Wayne Aigner 5 Denis Long

Brighton Metropolitan

13 9

724 711

2014 Victorian Senior Order of Merit Doug Bachli Trophy - Scratch Player Club Events Best 12 1 Barry Tippett

Thirteenth Beach

7

1398

2 3 4 5

Rossdale Kingston Heath Rossdale Bendigo

14 6 9 5

1340 1316 1125 1030

Tony Hyde Gordon Claney Ken O’Brien Ian Frost

Save with the Over 50’s Insurance specialist.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

2014 Queensland PresCare Senior Order of Merit Men’s Scratch Player Club Events Best 8 1 Mario La Chiusa

Nudgee

7

874

2 Lindsay Brown

Keperra

7

810

3 Neil King

Gailes

9

780

6 5

745 585

4 Stephen Rowley Nudgee 5 Trevor Box Windaroo Lakes

10%

The 2014 Queensland Senior Amateur Championship will be played at Carbrook Golf Club from July 16-18. The Carbrook course has a deserved reputation as one of the better tests of golf in and around Brisbane and all reports are that the course is in the best condition ever. A good event to place in your golfing diary!

Following on from the Queensland Senior Amateur is the 2014 Gold Coast Seniors Championship. The Gold Coast Association has announced that Royal Pines and Robina Woods will be the courses to host this year’s championship to be played on July 21-23. The first and final rounds will be played at Royal Pines with Robina Woods the venue for the middle round.

The 2014 Queensland PresCare Senior Order of Merit competition is now well underway and there is a new leader with Nudgee senior Mario La Chiusa taking over the top position. La Chiusa has a total of 874 points from his 7 events and he leads narrowly from previous leader Lindsay Brown (Keperra) on 810 points. Gailes’ senior Neil King is in third place with 780 points.

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76

MOTOR VEHICLE

Coolangatta Tweed Heads golfer Dave Morrison currently leads the Over 65 competition with 515 points from his 5 events. Redcliffe’s David Golding is in second place with Ian Read (Indooroopilly) in third position.

More information: www.golfqueensland.org.au

OMING SENIOR AMATEUR C EVENTS

2014 National Masters winner Barry Tippett Three time winner of the handicap trophy Ignatius Duivenvoorden from Yarram has once again moved into top position in the year-long race for the Paul Lulofs’ Trophy. Duivenvoorden has been consistent all year and currently holds a comfortable lead over Metropolitan’s Paul Bray and Goonawarra’s Pat Giles. To win a year-long handicap event for four successive years would be a very unusual feat and Duivenvoorden is well on the way to achieving it.

Further information: www.golfvic.org.au .

June 2 Caloundra Seniors (QLD) June 13 Oatlands Seniors (NSW) June 15 Heathcote Seniors (VIC) June 16-17 Shepparton Seniors (VIC) June 14 Pymble Seniors (NSW) June 16 Burleigh Seniors (QLD) June 19-20 Tocumwal Seniors (VIC) June 23 Coolangatta-Tweed Seniors (QLD) July 3-4 Nudgee Senior Masters (QLD) July 16-18 * Queensland Senior Amateur Championship – Carbrook GC July 18-19 Coffs Coast Seniors – Bonville & Coffs Harbour (NSW) July 20 Ocean Shores Seniors (NSW and QLD) July 21-23 * Gold Coast Senior Championship – Royal Pines & Robina Woods July 21-23 Coomealla Seniors (VIC) July 27-28 Bargara Seniors (QLD) July 28 Cabramatta Seniors (NSW) July 30 Coral Cove Seniors (QLD) * Part of the Australian Senior Ranking System

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

65

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golf nsw

Morgan wins second NSW Senior Championship title

H

aving previously won the event in 2011, Jacqui Morgan (Monash Golf Club) won her second Women’s NSW Senior Championship title, taking out the 2014 event played at Bermagui Country Club. A field of 80 women contested this year’s event, comprising a host of past winners including seven-time Champion Sylvia Donohoe (Narooma Golf Club), 2008 Champion Lynne Townsend (Wollongong Golf Club), 2003 Champion Liz Smyth (Federal Golf Club), and 73-year-old Gloria Hickey (Coffs Harbour Golf Club), winner of the event in 1997 and 1998.

This year saw a change in format for the event from previous years. Traditionally played over five days with match play on the last three days, it was condensed to three days with all players now participating on each day. The first two days were 36-holes stroke (18-holes each day), with the four best scratch scores to qualify for the Senior

ahead of her nearest rival, Lynne Townsend (Wollongong Golf Club) who finished on 167. Sylvia Donohoe (Narooma Golf Club), who also shot a round high 82 on the second day of play, finished third on 168, while Jill Blenkey (Newcastle) finished fourth on 171.

In the semi-finals Morgan had a strong win over Jill Blenkey (Newcastle) 6/5. In the second semi-final match Lynne Townsend (Wollongong) was victorious over Sylvia Donohoe (Narooma) on the 19th.

Championship Match play. For players who did not qualify in the Senior Championship Match Play, match play was broken down by age category: 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70+. For all those who did not qualify for any of the match play components, an 18-hole stableford event was held in the morning on

Young guns dominate at the NSW Foursomes Championship The 2014 NSW Foursomes Championship at Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club was setting up for some great competition between a number of pairings in both the Men’s and Women’s sections.

The Women’s event was won by State Team duo of Aliza Huff and Elizabeth Elmassian with a great scratch score of 74. Coming in second place were the NSW pairing of Gemma Dooley and Laura Holdsworth. Taking out the nett prize for the Championship was Rhonda Magner and Margaret Bain-Smith from Concord with a nett score of 78.5. The Killara pairing of Jan Crichton and Yuki Fukawa took out the 2014 NSW Foursomes Champion of Champions by three shots from the Lakeside pairing of Tracey Wood and Jan Jacka.

In the Men’s competition it was the Bonnie Doon pairing of James Grierson and Jack McLeod who took top prize after having an exceptional two-under round of 70. Three shots back taking out second place on a countback were defending champions Jordan Zunic (Bonnie Doon) and Cameron Davis (Monash) who had a respectable score of 73. Another of the State Team pairings came in third also with a scratch score of 73 was Jarrod Freeman (Cumberland) and Brayden Petersen (Monash). Taking out the 2014 Men’s NSW Foursomes Champions of Champions was the Monash pairing of Spencer Morgan and Andrew Thompson.

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June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

the final day.

Morgan was off to a flying start in the tournament, shooting a round high 81 on the first day of play, and never looked back. She again led the field on day two with a round of 82, finishing the 36-holes on 163, four

Morgan takes out another NSW Women’s Senior Order of Merit Jacqui Morgan (Monash) has taken out her third consecutive NSW Senior Order of Merit in a nail biting finish which came down to the last rounds that concluded during the Women’s NSW Senior Championship.

Jacqui was trailing previous winner Sylvia Donohoe by a narrow margin leading into the final event for the Senior Order of Merit calendar, but was able to post some great scores on the testing venue of Bermagui.

Jacqui ended the season with an exceptional average of 76.78 over nine rounds. Sylvia Donohoe (Narooma) was less than a shot behind on 77.44.

Rounding out the prizes was Bermagui local Maggie Hayes who had an average of 81.11 for the season.

The stage was set for a thrilling Final between Jacqui Morgan (Monash) and Lynne Townsend (Wollongong). In the end it was Morgan who was better on the day, winning the match 2/1 In the age categories the winners were 5559 years Maggie Hayes (Bermagui), 60-64 years Margaret Bain-Smith (Concord), 6569 years Liz Smyth (Royal Canberra) and 70+ years Brenda Chalmers (Elanora).

Bonnie Doon dominates NSW Women’s Grade The 2014 Grade season came to a conclusion with all final days being hosted in March and April.

In Division 1 Bonnie Doon had a strong last round win to take out the 2014 season from The Lakes. Bonnie Doon completed their season by only losing one contest throughout the season and only losing eight individual matches over the six rounds played. Killara won Division 2 in a similar fashion to Bonnie Doon beating all teams in Division 2, except Wakehurst who were able to beat the top team. Killara also only conceded eight individual matches for the season. Bayview were able to come out on top of Royal Sydney with the result coming down to the final matches. Division 4 also had a tight finish with Moore Park and Carnarvon both winning four of their contests for the season. However Moore Park were victorious with 14 individual matches being won compared to Carnarvon’s 13. Elanora were the clear victors in Division 5 going through all five rounds undefeated and only conceding four individual matches throughout the whole season. In Division 6 it was Kogarah that came out ahead of Long Reef for the season. •

Congratulations to the latest St Hallett Wines Hole-in-One Achievers: Peter Durie, Stephen Farr, Matt Hall, Mark Hansen, Brian Kendrick, Julie McGrath, Alan Spragg, John Strickland, Jeffrey Townsend, and Kevin Wright

golf queensland PresCare announced as QSOOM naming rights sponsor

MyGolf camp a great success in Blackall

During May, Golf Queensland celebrated a centenary of administrating amateur golf in Queensland.

Golf Queensland recently announced aged care provider PresCare as the naming rights sponsor of the Queensland Senior Order of Merit (QSOOM).

The partnership assists in the sustainability of securing the QSOOM for the next two years ensuring for a comprehensive competition calendar of events for the over 55-year golfer.

Golf Queensland Chair Peter Castrisos said he was pleased to welcome a new sponsor to the golf industry and in particular to the QSOOM. “It is refreshing to see new businesses realising the benefits in partnering with golf,” Mr Castrisos said.

“Golf is a sport that caters for all age groups, and in this case, the PresCare QSOOM calendar provides opportunities for senior golfers to travel and participate in events at fantastic Queensland golf courses.”

PresCare’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Michael Bosel said the QSOOM sponsorship enabled the not-for-profit organisation to reach thousands of older Queenslanders across the state through 41 local seniors’ tournaments throughout the year.

“Often members of sporting clubs perceive a high level of support and friendship, key factors in reducing social isolation. So it follows playing a round of golf with your mates can improve your health and wellbeing and that may ultimately save someone’s life,” Mr Bosel said. •

Golf Qld celebrates Centenary

On 8 May 2014, it was precisely 100 years since the first meeting of the Queensland Golf Association, the original predecessor organisation to Golf Queensland.

T

he first MYGolf Junior camp kicked off for 2014 in the Central West at Blackall Golf Club in April.

The concept of Golf Queensland travelling to a regional district and supporting a threeday junior camp began last year in the Central West at Tambo Golf Club and has gained momentum throughout Golf Queensland’s development. This year there are MYGolf camps in the June/July holidays at Yeppoon (Capricorn Golf Resort), Charters Towers Golf Club, Emerald Golf Club and in the September holidays at Miles Golf Club.

The camps are targeting juniors aged 5-14 years at the beginner to 3, 6, or 9-hole ability with a passion to learn and play golf.

Equipment is also supplied if required.

The Blackall camp saw 37 juniors from the Central West Queensland district including juniors from Tambo, Ilfracome, Barcaldine, Muttaburra and of course Blackall attend the camp.

Golf Queensland’s Development Officer and PGA and ALPG golf professional Lee Harrington along with husband Peter, also a PGA golf professional, delivered a structured three-day program consisting of warm-up games and activities, skills sessions on full swing, chipping and putting, rules session and on-course play.

There was once again great local sponsorship

by Tambo Teddies, Choyce’s Livestock transport, Coolibah Motel and Shane Robinson Construction as well as support from BlackallTambo regional council. The support of Junior Coordinators Bill Rogers and Shane Robinson was instrumental in the camp being such as

success for the second year.

Local Junior Coordinator Shane Robinson said the camp was a huge success. “The organisation, fun and expertise that these camps provide for our juniors here is tremendous benefit for our juniors and for our district clubs, also the parents and junior coordinators and volunteers also learn a few things on the latest MYGolf coaching practices and also for our own golf games,” Mr Robinson said.

Golf Queensland’s Lee Harrington supported Robinson’s comments. “It’s great to spend three days with local coaches and parents to educate them on the latest games and skill delivery techniques that will keep them assisting the juniors when we are gone.

This practical involvement is highly valuable for their motivation to keep them involved with the juniors. More local members need to come and see how easy and fun junior coaching can be now, with the fun games and equipment that we use,” Mrs Harrington said.

Thank you also to Blackall Golf Club for the use of their facilities and to all the parents and volunteers who assisted throughout the camp.

Once again Hills International Golf College is supporting junior golf in regional areas by sponsoring two juniors to attend their September golf camp from every MYGolf camp in 2014. This provides a great opportunity for juniors from regional areas to keep working on their golf, mixing with juniors from the city and an opportunity to play on grass greens. We thank Hills International College for this support in working together on the development of the game.

To celebrate this milestone, Golf Queensland and the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) showcased a range of online media-based programs throughout the month, which included a digital golfing in Queensland exhibition in Flickr, an interactive digital experience of current and past golf clubs through Historypin, and an online presence to golf clubs in Wikipedia.

A key outcome for the project is for every member golf club to collect, digitise and describe its memorabilia for golfing generations to come.

Golf Queensland Chair Peter Castrisos said golf was a sport steeped in tradition and maintaining the history was vital.

“The centenary celebration provides us with an opportunity to promote golf in this state while preserving our past,” Mr Castrisos said.

“Partnering with SLQ has provided Golf Queensland with the expertise and knowledge to digitise our golfing history for the future.”

State Librarian Janette Wright said sport was an important component of the social history of Queensland.

“We know Queenslanders love their sport and golf continues to be enormously popular,” Ms Wright said.

“The centenary of Golf Queensland gives us a chance to reflect on the way society has changed over the last century.

“We’ve worked with Golf Queensland to make this history accessible using platforms like Flickr and Historypin so that people all over the state can share in the rich history of golf in Queensland.”

Queensland Senior Women’s and Mid-Amateur Championship

6-10 July | Horton Park Golf Club Entries close Wednesday 25 June

Queensland Senior Men’s Championship

16-18 July | Carbrook Golf Club Entries close Wednesday 2 July www.facebook.com/GolfQueensland

@GolfQueensland

www.golfqueensland.org.au T: (07) 3252 8155 www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

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calendar

CALENDAR > 2014

JULY

NSW Mixed Foursomes Championship When: Sunday 13 July 2014 Where: Kooindah Waters Golf Club

The NSW Mixed Foursomes Championship is open to men and women, with a Golf Australia handicap limit of 18 for men, and 36 for women. It is played as foursomes stroke play over 18-holes.

Entries close on Friday 29 June 2014. For further information or to enter this event visit www.golfnsw.org

Golf NSW Womens’ Pewter Plate When: Monday 21 July 2014 Where: Woollahra Golf Club

The Golf NSW Women’s Pewter Plate is an 18-hole aggregate stableford competition for club teams of two competitors on handicaps from 33 to 42. As Woollahra won the 2013 event they host the Pewter Plate this year. Each Club entering the competition nominates two players as representatives and The Pewter Plate is awarded to the team with the best aggregate stableford of the two scores.

Entries close on Friday 4 July 2014. For further information or to enter this event visit www.golfnsw.org

2014 Women’s Weekend Tournament

2014

ST AUGU

When: August 24-25 Where: The Vintage Golf Club

The 2014 Women’s Weekend Tournament event is open to female amateurs who hold a current Australian or overseas equivalent handicap. It is played over two days, with shotgun starts on both days. The format is 18-holes singles stableford on the first day and 18-holes best ball team event V-Par on the second day. This event is the most popular participation event on the Golf NSW calendar attracting players from all across the state. Entries open on 8 June. The entry fee is $160 per player (online). www.golfnsw.org

2014 Women’s NSW Sand Greens Championship

DIVISION 1 - NSWLGU Sand Greens Championship Salver – 36hole scratch DIVISION 2 - NSWLGU Bronze Salver – 36-hole scratch DIVISION 3 - Bronze Bowl – 36-hole scratch (if player numbers allow) The Women’s RLGA Jug (handicap teams event) and Women’s SLWGA Bowl (scratch teams event) are played concurrently with the Championship. www.golfnsw.org

Special Olympics 54 hole Tag Team Golf tournament

2014 BER M E V O N

Tee off for charity, and help athletes with an intellectual disability. Each team of 2 plays Ambrose for 18 holes, then one player plays the next 9 holes as stroke, then players change for the following 9 holes. Lunch will be served during the two 9-hole stroke play. The final 18 holes will see both players again play Ambrose and partnered with another team of 2 to play 4 ball Ambrose.

Registration is a non-refundable $300.00pp deposit and fundraise a minimum of $1200.00pp. Includes breakfast, snacks and drinks on course, sit down dinner and plenty of prizes.

When: August 9-10 Where: Barraba

The Women’s NSW Sand Greens Championship is open to female amateur golfers who hold a current Golf Australian or overseas equivalent handicap. It is hosted in rotation

by Country District Associations. The event is played over 36-holes stroke play in two or three divisions (depending on entries). Prizes are awarded for:

Every player will receive a players gift pack from Srixon valued at approx $150.00, including one dozen Srixon Golf Balls.

For more information about sponsorship or to register, contact David Streichler on 0428 038 311 or email davids@specialolympics.com.au

Chip in for a good cause

GOLF NSW – JUNE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WHAT better way to chip in for a good cause than signing up to play in the Col Shields Memorial Golf Day at Keperra Country Golf Club on Monday, July 21.

Women’s Jean Derrin / Senior Order of Merit Events

“Besides honouring Col Shields on the day, we also want to continue our fundraising for research and clinical trials into the cancer that finally took Col from us,” said event organiser and Keperra stalwart Roy Ryan.

At last year’s event, Roy presented the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation with a cheque for $1365.

This year they hope to raise even more much-needed funds.

The nine-hole fourball ambrose event tees off at 1pm (shotgun start).

For more details, contact Roy Ryan on 0423-217-916 or email kayandroy@outlook.com If you can’t play in the important event but would like to make a donation go to www.gallipoliresearch.com.au

Men’s Senior Order of Merit Events

Men’s Vardon Event Date

Event

8-9 June

Cessnock Cup

15 June

Pymble Winter Cup

Date 23 June

When: 17th November 2014 Where: Riverside Oaks Golf Resort

Event

Venue

Date

Stonebridge GC

13 June

Oatlands Senior

Oatlands GC

Pymble GC

16 June

Pymble Seniors

Pymble GC

Venue

Pymble Cup

Event

Venue

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

Pymble GC

26-27 June The Australian Golf Club Medal

The Australian GC

Brisbane & District Ladies Golf Association 2014 Tournaments & Events Date

Event Information

Location

June 6 June 23 June 30/6 – 3/7 July 18 July 25 August 18 September 1 September 8 – 12 October 26

4BBB Stableford Long Marker Challenge Mt Warren Park Golf Club 2014 Junior Jug District Divisional Challenge & Champion of Champions Committee & Pennant Workshop Teams Event – Lady Holt Trophy Country Day Meg Nunn Salver Sarah Jane Kenyon Challenge

GA Handicaps 27-45 Pymble GC Sarina Golf Club Oxley Golf Club TBA Indooroopilly Golf Club Boonah Golf Club City Golf Club, Toowoomba Ashgrove Golf Club

A u s t r a l i

BOOT CAMP coming in 2014!

Visit www.bdlga.com.au Enquiries: secretary@bdlga.com.au

a ’ s

G o l f

N e w s

Queensland Sunshine Tour Proud Sponsors 68

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

L e a d e r

calendar

Margi’s day keeps on giving W

HEN Margi Doig passed away from terminal cancer in 2006, her sons Ben and Matt decided to hold a golf day in her memory and donate the funds to Westmead Medical Research Foundation (WMRF).

The first Margi Doig Memorial Golf Day was a success and raised $5000 for the Westmead Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit.

Since then, the event has raised $74,000.

This year’s event, the ninth, will be at Rosnay Golf Club on Thursday, June 5 and Ben and Matt hope to raise much-needed funds to meet the needs its doctors and nurses identify each year.

The funds enable the foundation to purchase self-administered pain relief machines for patients to receive care from home and refurbish some areas of the Palliative Care unit.

“There are not enough words, funds raised or actions that can show our appreciation

to the doctors and nurses at Westmead Hospital,” Ben’s fiancée Belinda said.

“Not every patient and family receives the happy ending they pray and hope for, but when a team provides the level of care we have experienced with Dr Lee and his team all you can do is try to repay it in some way.”

WMRF executive director Eric d’Indy said he was inspired by the action Ben and Matthew have taken to make a difference for other families going through similar situations.

“Our whole team is so inspired by the Doig Family and their Margi Doig Memorial Golf Day,” he said.

“Buying state-of-the-art medical equipment, enhancing care services or supporting research projects all can be done through the foundation.”

If you would like to play in the event, call (02) 8836-4000. To donate, call 1300-639-037 or go to www.wmrf.org.au

Ben Doig needs your support to help raise much-needed funds for the Westmead Medical Research Foundation.

National Veteran Golf Champs headed for WA Brian O’Hare

brian@australianseniorgolfer.com.au

Handiskins

V

When: Various Where: Various Info: www.handiskins.com.au

eteran golfers are in for a treat in 2014 with the national veteran golf championships to be played in the beautiful South West region of Western Australia.

The area, centred around Bunbury just an hour and half south of Perth, is the most popular regional tourist destination in the state and boasts a plethora of man-made and natural attractions – as well as some great golf courses.

The 2014 Regis Australian Veteran Golfers Union National Championships will take place from November 9 – 14.

The championship, open to all male amateur golfers aged over 55 with an official handicap, will be played at four of the region’s premier golf courses, Bunbury Golf Club, Capel Golf Club, Busselton Golf Club and Sanctuary Golf Resort.

The event, which rotates around the states and territories annually, includes a 54-hole championship for men while lady partners play daily stableford events on the same courses and at the same time as their partners.

Tournament Director Mike Elliott and his team have put in untold hours of voluntary work in ensuring the championship goes off without a hitch.

“Preparing to host the 2014 event is a most exciting time for the South West,” he said. “It promises to be one of this year’s great events for seniors.”

Organisers have taken well over 200 bookings but with four courses in operation and plentiful local accommodation the capacity is at least double that.

For many veteran golfers the national championship is an annual odyssey that over times sees them visiting every state and territory of Australia. Some of the low

handicappers are there to challenge for the title of National Veteran Champion (Victoria’s John Ciezki will be looking to make it an unprecedented three in a row) while for many B and C graders it is all about the fun and companionship.

Many design their trips to arrive a few weeks early, or to have plenty of time after the championships to play other courses and explore further afield.

Mike is quick to extoll the region’s attractions.

“It has been said that the whole of Australia’s population could live in the South West of Western Australia,” he said. “There is abundant underground water, lush farmland, giant trees, and the South West boasts a Mediterranean climate.

“Bunbury is the regional centre. It has a network of waterways, ample accommodation, good shopping, Australia’s newest cathedral and a busy port. Just down the coast is the tourist city of Busselton and just beyond that is the rugged cape to cape coastline. This stretch is mostly national park and contains spectacular caves besides the surfing beaches of Margaret River. There is much for the tourist to see and experience, from the dolphins and dive wrecks to surfing and sandy coves. From limestone caves, olive farms, wineries and cheese & chocolate factories to Artists’ studios and craft shops.””

For more information, visit: www.australianseniorgolfer.com.au

Handiskins the ultimate game of skins for club golfers. Handiskins is a fivequalifying-round 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: Wodonga Golf Club 10 Clubhouse Place, Wodonga VIC 3690 Final 1st June 2014 Orange Ex-Services Country Club 231-243 Anson Street, Orange NSW 2800 5th Qualifying Round 14th June 2014 Final 22nd June 2014 Parkes Golf Club London Road, Parkes NSW 2870 3rd Qualifying Round 28th June 2014 4th Qualifying Round 12th July 2014 5th Qualifying Round 9th August 2014 Final 31st August 2014 Beverley Park Golf Club 87 Jubilee Avenue, Beverley Park NSW 2217 2nd Qualifying Round 21st June 2014 3rd Qualifying Round 28th June 2014 4th Qualifying Round 12th July 2014 5th Qualifying Round 19th July 2014 Final 26th July 2014

Hurstville Golf Club Lorraine Street, Peakhurst NSW 2210 3rd Qualifying Round 14th June 2014 4th Qualifying Round 21st June 2014 5th Qualifying Round 12th July 2014 Final 9th August 2014 Thurgoona Golf Club 1 Evesham Place, Thurgoona NSW 2640 2nd Qualifying Round 14th June 2014 3rd Qualifying Round 12th July 2014 4th Qualifying Round 26th July 2014 5th Qualifying Round 9th August 2014 Final 16th August 2014 Bayview Golf Club 1825 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale NSW 2103 1st Qualifying Round 14th June 2014 2nd Qualifying Round 28th June 2014 3rd Qualifying Round 12th July 2014 4th Qualifying Round 26th July 2014 5th Qualifying Round 9th August 2014 Final 16th August 2014 Nelson Bay Golf Club Dowling Street, Nelson Bay NSW 2315 1st Qualifying Round 18th June 2014 2nd Qualifying Round 23rd July 2014 3rd Qualifying Round 27th August 2014 4th Qualifying Round 17th September 2014 5th Qualifying Round 29th October 2014 Final 26th November 2014 Pacific Dunes Golf Club Championship Drive, Medowie NSW 2318 1st Qualifying Round: 14th June 2014 2nd Qualifying Round: 28th June 2014 3rd Qualifying Round: 12th July 2014 4th Qualifying Round: 26th July 2014 5th Qualifying Round: 9th August 2014 Final: 30th August 2014

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

69

the 19th hole

Forging ahead with my irons

EVERY few years, American David Duval (remember him?) pops his head up and declares: “I’m playing well enough to win again.”

Larry Canning ed@insidegolf.com.au

Well, he came out and said it at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans last month.

T

he other day I sat down with myself and asked some very pertinent questions. They were issues I’ve been tossing around for some time now and before I put them off any longer, I figured it was time to just stop… and deal with them.

But to his credit, he has admitted he may have been wrong a few years ago when he said he could win again.

“Two or three years ago, I may have been thinking I could win,” he told pga. tour.com.

Do I really have a good head for radio? Now that I finally own a car with tow bar, do I need to buy something to tow? And am I kidding myself by still using forged blades?

“But looking back on it, I wasn’t physically equipped. My game wasn’t good enough. I was a little delusional about how I was playing.”

As you can imagine, there was a fair amount of emotion dealing with the first two issues so myself and I are yet to fully resolve them (Editor’s note: Larry, you have a fantastic face for radio!), but as far as the old forged blades are concerned, it was as obvious as the nose on Jim Furyk’s face. Yes: I am kidding myself.

I’ve always defended my forged blades against attack from those evil, cast, cavity competitors by saying stuff like “I use blades so I can control my trajectory and get feedback”. The truth is, the only feedback I’m receiving is that “it’s time to pay up again” and my trajectory is a low fade or an even lower draw, which seems to fall out of the air about five seconds before anyone else’s.

My waning club-head speed, combined with the modern golf ball which spins less when hit with a long iron but screws backwards with a wedge, (just how is that possible?), has meant I’m bunting a 5-iron short and praying for the right bounce while my lower centre of gravity friends are flying their 6-iron to the centre of the green and landing it like John Daly falling off a bar stool.

I reckon I haven’t fixed a pitchmark since 1995.

So began my quest to re-discover my manhood and find the longest set of irons on the market.

I’ve always been a huge fan of correct clubfitting and the professionals who know how to decipher the numbers from those high-tech launch monitors have my utmost respect. But this time, I wanted to have a bit of a fiddle myself. I have to say, it was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry.

My apologies to Srixon, Nike, Mizuno, etc, but I’ve chosen to trial four clubs on the Australian Market: Titleist, PING, TaylorMade and Callaway.

I hit from the same teeing ground, with a bag full of exactly the same golf balls and in identical conditions. It took a while to warm up because I’m old, but when I was starting to catch them alright, I commenced my exhaustive testing. It was pretty much dead calm with only the slight suggestion of a head breeze and after 10 reasonably hit blade 7-irons and another ten 4-irons I averaged exactly 139 and 168 metres respectively. (I excluded the longest and the shortest and used my rangefinder to measure from the middle of the rest plus 70

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

I can win again, says Duval

These days, Duval, who won the Open Championship in 2001, relies on sponsors’ invites.

Ironically, his last victory was in 2001 on the Japan Tour.

the practice range was quite moist so they weren’t moving an inch after landing.)

I grabbed the PING G25 7-iron first. Now I know this whole process was all about how far the clubs fly and not how they look but I have to say, this club looked very sleek. A dark brooding finish exuding refinement and precision. Like most semi-literate blokes who struggle to express themselves, I’m going to use a type of car to epitomise each of these clubs. This G25 reminds me of the new Jaguar XF… in Black.

Behind the ball I noticed a lot of offset which was a little concerning but expected, as all these clubs fit right into the middle of the game improvement sector.

The flight of the 7-iron was definitely higher and appeared to go a bit further but it was the 4-iron that caught me by surprise. It took off like an F 18 from the back of the USS Invincible. Surprise turned to excitement when I drove out to the balls and measured them. 7 iron – 148! 4 iron – 176!

As is the case with all Titleist gear, the AP1 iron was a handsome and classy-looking fella which would look great in anyone’s bag.

Again the offset in the 7-iron was noticeable but the face did appear to be a little deeper than the PING G25 which gave me a sense of security. I reckon it reminded me of a silver Bentley Spur V8 …. Classy but powerful. (I know it’s borderline corny but indulge me a bit).

Incredibly, the Titleist AP1’s measurements were almost identical to the PINGS with the 7-iron 147 and 4 iron 176. These stats are a good club longer than my blades and offered a much tighter dispersion between the longest and shortest shot.

Callaway’s X Hot 2 irons were just screaming of distance even before I hit them. Callaway spend a bucketload of cash on Research and Development and always seem to be focused

on the average player and how to help him become not-so-average. If these irons were a car, they would be a red V8 Chevy Camaro.

“It’s very difficult, I haven’t played a golf tournament in a month,” he said at the Zurich Classic. “Before that, I had another five, six weeks off.”

Still, he is doing everything he can to get back in the winner’s circle.

I could tell straight away, these puppies were travelling some serious distances. They didn’t feel quite as light as the AP1 and G25 irons which might have suited my slow, languid, aging swing but it was clear they were staying in the air longer. Bang - 7 iron 152! 4 iron 180! For those of you who have been on the Earth for at least five decades, that’s 198 bloody yards!

He practises with a special set of nine clubs – 56 degree, 49, 42, 35.5, 28.5, 21.5, driver, 4-wood and putter.

Since they replaced persimmon with steel back in 1980 something, TaylorMade have been at the forefront of innovation. They also make some of the sexiest looking gear on the market including the new Speed Blade Irons. These bad boys are smooth, sleek and sexy. When I picked up the 7-iron, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hit it or ask it out for a date. If these irons were a car, we’re talking Lamborghini. I also noticed the slot in the sole called the “Cut through speed pocket”.

TaylorMade claim the speed pocket adds flex to the face creating a rebound effect.

“I’m doing everything I can to be as prepared as I can be when I do get to play,” he said.

Behind the ball, the 7-iron looked great with nowhere near the offset of its three rivals. I could definitely feel the ball springing off the face with the 7-iron but the 4-iron was an experience in raw power! The troops in Afghanistan should be issued a set of these when they are deployed. I couldn’t wait to go out and measure these bad boys – 7-iron,154!

4-iron 183! That’s a club and a half longer than my blades and twice as easy to hit!

Whilst the PING G25, Titleist AP1 and Callaway X Hot2 irons are all worthy of consideration, it was the Speed Pocket in the TaylorMade Speed Blades which had me in a state of euphoria. After hitting them I wanted to lie on the grass next to them and light up a smoke.

I just hope my old blades don’t take it personally. •

These practice clubs allow him to hit more “uncomfortable shots”.

He’s also on a fitness kick and carries his own bag during practice. So far, he has shed 13.5 kilograms.

Duval said he had a spring in his step during the Zurich Classic where he finished tied 25th after rounds of 68-6970-73.

Duval, who pocketed $US54,230, his biggest cheque in a while, has restored his golf swing to an in-to-in motion.

“I’m not delusional about it now, I know how I’m hitting the golf ball and how I’m swinging the club,” he said. “I feel comfortable. I feel natural again. I feel like the timing is right.”

Still, the 42-year-old is not getting ahead of himself. He knows he needs top-10 finishes to play on the tour regularly.

He appears happier than he’s been in a while.

Recently he was quoted as saying: “Back then (in prime) it was all about me and all about golf,” the former world number one said.

“Life has opened up to me. I’m pretty lucky not to be the same person. It was a very narrow-minded existence back then.

I’ll be certain to never live that way again.”

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the 19th hole

Castles and golf courses – the lost years forced to make a decision on whether the improbability of achieving a professional golf career is really a risk worth taking.

Michael Green

I fought the distractions for some time, believing I could still play plenty of golf while juggling these other commitments but resistance was futile. Five hours at the golf course in the hope I’d drop my handicap by 0.3 and grab myself a sleeve of balls just wasn’t cutting it anymore. Particularly when there was study to be done, parties to attend and a part-time job to fund all these extracurricular activities.

ed@insidegolf.com.au

L

ahinch is a town on the west coast of Ireland. It’s more of a sleepy, seaside village than a town but it has a quaint Irish charm about it and it has become a popular spot for surfers – courtesy of the regular and very cold swell that sweeps in from the Atlantic Ocean.

As the membership fee went from a lowly junior rate to a lofty adult one, the writing was on the wall. The inevitable travel bug soon kicked in and not only was I no longer a member of the golf club, I was soon half a world away – golf, for a time, was something other people play.

For well over 100 years, though, it has been home to one of Ireland’s most famous and beautiful golf courses.

Lahinch Golf Club has two stunning links golf courses that were originally designed

by Old Tom Morris and later redesigned by Alister MacKenzie. The courses roll and weave naturally among the wind-wrecked dunes in a way that makes it seem like the courses were always there - the flagsticks the only addition to the site.

Phil Mickelson has mentioned that Lahinch is one of his favourite links golf courses in the world and Tiger Woods has played the course several times in the lead-up to previous Open Championships.

The Castle Course is perhaps not surprisingly set among the ruins of a castle. It makes for some stunning views out towards the ocean and if you’re traveling between the popular tourist spots on the west coast of Ireland, you’re almost certain to pass right by the golf course. The ruins and fairways lie no more than 50 metres from the road.

WHAT’S THE RULE?

But I didn’t.

Sure, I noted the beauty of the place and even commented on the incredible castle filled vista. The only other time I’d seen a golf course winding its way around the ruins of a castle was on a putt-putt course on the Gold Coast. But I didn’t say much more. Nor did I stop and check out the course. I just drove on by in search of my next pub.

It pains me now to think that I passed an opportunity to get a closer look at such a magnificent golf course - but it was just bad

timing really. I crossed paths with Lahinch at a time in my life when golf just wasn’t on the radar.

I’d spent many summers as a junior golfer at my local club – if not on the golf course, I was on the range or playing pool in the clubhouse. But almost overnight the practice range, clubhouse, iced coffees and sand wedges are replaced with university, nightclubs, beer and girls.

It’s a common story, and one that golf clubs are still fighting hard to overcome to this day. For 18-30 year-olds, the entertainment that any golf club can offer just doesn’t cut it when life is opening up its doors.

Even the most promising junior golfers are

I look back now and wonder what I was thinking as it wasn’t just Lahinch Golf Club that I crossed paths with on my travels. I was within the vicinity of countless other magical golf courses during those lost years that were nothing more than a distraction on the map such as Muirfield, Royal Liverpool, Bethpage and Shinnecock Hills.

There was no urge to play these golf courses, let alone get out of the car to take a look.

Nowadays, I go out of my way to find a golf course. If you pressed me on it, I’d admit that I’d probably fly halfway around the world to go and play a golf course with a castle on it.

It’s bound to be better than the one on the Gold Coast.

GPS Apps on Smartphones

Frank Gal

Chairman of Rules Committee, Golf NSW

I

n 2006, golf’s rules makers allowed the use of distance measuring devices in competition golf when a Local Rule is in effect. The Local Rule must provide that “... a player may obtain distance information by using a device that measures distance only.

If, during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device that is designed to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his play (e.g. gradient, wind speed, temperature, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 14-3, for which the penalty is disqualification, regardless of whether any such additional function is actually used.”

At the time, a smartphone could be used to measure distance provided the only way to access the prohibited functions was to download them on the internet and this was not done.

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You would expect any right-minded golfer to drive by with his face hard-pressed against the foggy window then to screech to a halt to get a closer look at this heavenly sight.

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

Since then, there has been substantial growth in the golf GPS and rangefinder market. Smartphone GPS apps also proliferated to cater for the increasing demand. However, the use of these apps became illegal when the manufacturers built in compasses and spirit levels into their phones. These functions could not be deleted from the phone and did not require the user to download an app from the internet to access them.

From 1 January, 2014 the use of a compass is no longer prohibited and the regulations regarding the use of electronic devices have been amended.

The current position regarding the use of smartphones on the course is explained in a Q&A post on the R&A website. The relevant sections are: Q. What about multi-functional devices, such as a mobile phone, with a distancemeasuring application?

A. On the course, subject to any club or course regulations, a multi-functional device may be used to phone, text, email or to

look up general information, provided the purpose is not a breach of the Rules, e.g. you cannot make a phone call to ask for advice.

When an application that measures distance has been downloaded to the device, the application must be restricted to providing only distance information in order to conform to the Local Rule. If there are other features or applications on the phone that can specifically gauge or measure conditions that might affect the player’s play, such as an anemometer or thermometer, this would render the device non-conforming for use as a distance-measuring device, regardless of the fact that these other features or applications are used or not.

Q. If a player uses his smartphone to look up a weather forecast, is the player gauging the conditions?

No. Accessing weather reports provided by a weather station through an app or internet browser, is not considered to be actively measuring or gauging the conditions and is permissible.

Q. My smartphone has an inbuilt spirit

level as part of the functionality of the phone but it is not part of the distancemeasuring app. Can I use the phone as a distance-measuring device?

Yes, provided that you do not use the level in a manner that might assist you in your play.

Q. My smartphone has a compass feature. Can I use the phone as a distancemeasuring device?

Yes. A compass only provides directional information and does not gauge or measure variable conditions or assist the player in his play.

The post on the R&A website also shows an amended flowchart on the use of distance measuring devices, including smartphones, to further assist players to determine whether a certain device is permissible for use. These can be viewed on randa.org under the ‘Rules News and Features’ section of the Rules tab.

Finally, remember that the use of a mobile phone for any reason on a golf course is subject to any course or club regulations.

chips and shanks

Women out in force

O

N Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, golf’s sisterhood is alive and well.

Last month, more than 150 women from 12 Sunshine Coast clubs turned up to play in the Women’s Open Day at Mount Coolum Golf Club.

It was a full field, which left many women seeking a start disappointed.

“Unfortunately, we had to knock a couple of entrants back as the field was full to capacity,” said women’s captain Vicki Garrood.

“This is a great sign of the growing interest for women in golf, especially here on the Sunshine Coast.”

According to Garrood, the players had “lots of fun through the jovial format of the day”.

“That suited seasoned veterans and serious golfers through to beginners and social players.

“Some great golf was played on the day from all levels of golfers.”

In division 1, Headland’s Josie Ryan fired an 82 to win the gross – one ahead of local Dawn Coghlan. Lorna Gibson of Noosa Springs won the nett.

Mandy Webb (Tewantin-Noosa) won the div 2 gross from Nambour’s Deb Long. Mt Coolum’s Sue Holzman was the nett winner.

In div 3, Jill Sanders won the gross and Kerry Morrison the nett.

Ace on a par-4 IT happened a while ago, but they are still talking about the hole-in-one Con Xanthis managed on the 288m 13th hole at The Lakes in Sydney.

Not sure if Con saw his tee shot finish at the bottom of the cup, but the group in front certainly did.

The group watched as Con’s ball rolled into the hole after his sweetly-struck driver landed just short of the green.

Con’s playing partners including Peter Drivas and Nick Saucis were thrilled for Con and the trio celebrated with a lavish lunch after the game.

The 13th green at the Lakes is narrow and it’s not uncommon to see golfers going back and forth across the green.

Golfers with local knowledge will tell you the ideal place to approach the narrow green is from the right over the water hazard.

That’s means golfers can pitch straight up the green and never have to deal with pitching across its narrow tableland.

Members will also tell you to take an iron from the tee.

Try telling that to Con.

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1. In 2014, which of the four majors (Masters, US Open, Open Championship or the US PGA) carries the biggest prize purse?

2. At this year’s US Masters, Sweden’s Jonas Blixt, who finished runner-up, achieved something no other player in the field managed. What did he achieve?

3. What is Karrie Webb’s biggest winning margin in major tournaments – 6, 8, 10 or 12 strokes?

4. Michelle Wie became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship.

How old was she?

5. Which state won this year’s Australian men’s and women’s interstate series?

6. A player walked on his line of putt. Did he incur a penalty for a breach of Rule 16–1a?

7. Can you solve the following anagram – Jose in rust? Clue: He’s an Englishman.

8. Can you name the American billionaire who recently bought Turnberry Resort in Scotland?

9. Where will you find the Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort – Denmark, New Zealand or Tibet?

Sport plays a big part of the Territory lifestyle, and we all know that golf is a sport for life. Golf can be played all year-round in the NT and it’s not hard to find a friendly local for some advice on which golf course to play. With some of the most unique golf courses in Australia, the NT offers 11 courses of varying degree. In the cities of Darwin and Palmerston, the major regional centres of Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs and the towns of Jabiru, Nhulunbuy, Alyangula, and Humpty Doo, there’s always somewhere to have a hit.

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david@insidegolf.com.au

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David Newbery

he Northern Territory (NT) is about the size of France, Italy and Spain combined. It is the third largest area in Australia and covers some 1.35 million km2. So it’s not surprising the Territory is blessed with an abundance of natural environments. The NT is a very cosmopolitan place. As well as some of Australia’s most vibrant Indigenous culture, the population is comprised of people from more than 100 nationalities.

Crossword > 1

The quick nine quiz

Did you know?

Team event winners (left to right) Susie Thompson, Pam Toolis (sponsor), Carole Clancy (front), Jill Sanders and Robyn Jackson.

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ACROSS

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1 Winner of the 2012 British Open, _____ Els (5) 4 Erase (4) 8 Score of two strokes under par for a hole (5) 9 Football, cricket, or Aussie rules etc (4,5) 11 Winner of the 2011 US PGA Championship, Keegan _______ (7) 12 Relaxed (7) 13 Team (4) 14 Hurry up! (3,1,4,2) 17 Welsh pro who won the European Order of Merit in 1990 (3,7) 19 Starting points on golf courses (4) 22 Cut short (7) 23 Celebrity (7) 25 A would-be clever person (5,4) 26 Walk in a pompous manner (5) 27 Network (4) 28 Soundness of judgement (5)

1 Country represented by Paul Casey and Luke Donald in the 2004 WGC World Cup (7) 2 Long, narrow, stiff leaf, possibly found on a golf course dotted with pine trees (6) 3 A person who is competing in a golf tournament generally (5) 4 Winner of the 2014 Malaysian Open, Lee ________ (8) 5 Perform as expected; yield (7) 6 Winner of the 2014 JTBC Founders Cup, Karrie ____ (4) 7 Japanese golfer, Shigeki ________ (8) 10 News; information (7) 13 Winds; coils (7) 15 A sea-breeze in Sydney, perhaps (8) 16 Aussie winner of the 2014 Valero Texas Open, Steven ________ (8) 18 Perform the role of a golf commentator (7) 20 Recommend (a product) for money (7) 21 Winner of the 2014 US Masters, Bubba ______ (6) 23 Golf apparel that may feature the argyle pattern (5) 24 Aussie winner of the 2014 Shell Houston Open, ____ Jones (4)

Answers: page 77

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

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QUICK 9 quiz ANSWERS: (1). US PGA $US10m (Masters $US8m, US Open $US8m, Open Championship $US8m); (2). He broke par in all four rounds (70-71-71-71); (3). 10 strokes in the 2000 Nabisco Championship; (4). 10 years old; (5). Victoria won the men’s and WA the women’s; (6). Yes, if he did so intentionally. No, if he did so accidently and the act did not improve the line; (7). Justin Rose; (8). Donald Trump; (9). Denmark.

your voice

I

read with interest your interview with Stephen Pitt (“Readers’ rumbles about Golf Australia”, April issue). While it is obvious not all readers’ concerns can be raised and responded to, it does seem that there a few that are more common than others.

The introduction of the new handicapping system, for example. We have taken an old, easily managed simple system and now made it complicated and dependent upon a software company. At what cost did this come? Were there other alternatives? Couldn’t the old system have been adjusted to iron out deficiencies such as small fields and older golfers?

Why did Britain and Scotland reject this system? The management of all types of competitive golf including four-ball, threeball etc. have had to be adjusted. Are we any better off? I know Stephen Pitt raised the issue of data collection, but this could have been achieved in other ways.

The Slope system was also introduced in tandem with the handicapping, but why was it necessary? It is an American system set up for their golf culture, not ours. The vast majority of Australian Club golfers play mostly at their home course.

Therefore the supposed advantage of portability is rendered dormant for most golfers. Add to this the discrepancies in the actual Slope ratings and the whole system must come into question. I know of a number of instances where some courses are rated more difficult than others according to the Slope, but this seems an error in judgement. I have read the criteria on which the ratings are arrived at, but there are so many other factors that come into play. Examples of this include weather, pace of greens, types and difficulty of hazards, length of rough, tightness of fairways etc. Is this one of the reasons why our Commonwealth cousins rejected this method of equalisation? On some days in Scotland you can forget the Slope, because it is near impossible to play to your handicap due to the conditions. Under the old system a fair CCR would not have penalised you for playing near your handicap.

I would have thought that Golf Australia would have had far more pressing issues

Letter of the Month to deal with than spend a lot of money and time on introducing a new handicap system.

With golf club membership declining, other sports gaining higher profiles and reduced grants from Government available, urgent action is needed.

I work in the Sport industry and one of the major hurdles facing golf administrators is the entrenched nature of the old club organisation and its role in the promotion and growth of the game. Each club is run by the representatives of its members on behalf of the members. By and large this equates to club members looking after their interests and not those of the game.

It prevents the sport becoming exposed to a wider youth audience and increasing not only participation, but interest in the community both locally and nationally. We need good young players coming through, but at the moment they are coming from a very narrow base. Essentially, those young people that have a connection already to a golf club member. What about the scores of school students out there who would love to try golf, but have no means of doing it.

The old model of Club Professionals giving lessons to young golfers where the students come to them is outdated.

Golf needs a central body to organise, promote and engender the game to the next generation. This is what all other wellrun professional sporting bodies in the country have done, such as the AFL, NRL and to a lesser extent the A League. They, like golf, had challenges to overcome, but took the bit between their teeth and removed the parochial power bases and centralised the whole game. In this way they were able to steer their codes into more modern practices and remove the self-interest holding the game back. Soccer had a greater task in this regard than most, but has gone a long way to eradicating it and the results are there to be seen. Can golf do the same?

Mick Roberts

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!

More Readers’ Rumbles I would like to ask why clubs don’t allow players to share a membership? My wife is a member of our local club and enjoys the social contacts she has at the club.

As we can’t afford two memberships, I pay as I go at other clubs. There are many times she can’t play due to other commitments and it would be handy if I could use her membership and spend some money at the 19th hole. There would still only be one player on the course per membership.

Alan O’Rourke

As Captain of a Golf Club in WA I have had to deal with the roll out of the new handicap system & as far as I can see the reason Club membership is in decline is because now to get a handicap you do not need to be a member of a club. The way I see it this is nothing more than a money-making venture

by Golf Australia. As for this being the “system they are using everywhere else in the world”, this is a fabrication. In fact, the rest of the world is watching how we in Australia are adapting the system before they introduce the system.

The sooner the golfers of Australia revolt and we go back to the old system the better and clubs around Australia can start to grow again.

Mal Shorter

74

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

‘Old Codgers’ unite

Visitors’ Green Fees I love the magazine and look forward to it arriving each month.

I am in my mid 70s and am a member of my local club and play Vets on Tuesdays and the normal Comp on Thursday and Saturday. Many years ago if I was travelling away I would ring the local club and have no trouble getting a game in the Comp at what I considered a reasonable cost, (mostly same as Members).

Recently I was planning a trip away and thought I would combine a bit of golf with other activities so made some enquiries.

Three clubs quoted me a price of around $80 for 18 Holes with Cart.

As I can play a beautiful course a few hours’ drive from my place for $49.00 including cart (and sometimes a meal included), I decided not to take my clubs. Each of the clubs will miss my patronage and my tourist dollar.

It made me wonder if other golfers have made the same decision as I—thus loss of revenue to clubs—and wondered if all members of other clubs who, say, lived outside a radius of 200K be given Reciprocal rights and, provided slots were available, allowing visiting members to play in the comps. Would that improve the numbers of visiting members?

Garry Slattery

Rangefinders and slow play Re: your article “Study: Rangefinders speed up golf” (April issue). I would wonder how they can come up with the opinion that 4 hrs 15 mins is a fast game.

I am no longer a club member but would not play on Saturday because it took over 4 hours per round. It seems to me that at a time when professionals take more than 4 hrs to play a round, we seem to forget that 4 hrs is more than enough time for 18 holes of stroke play. For professionals, anything over 4 hrs should have them penalised for slow play.

I play socially with people who use rangefinders and find it annoying. Most courses have distance markers. People stand between the 150 markers and get their rangefinder out, proceed to take a couple of readings because they can’t believe the first and find out that they are 152 metres to the pin. A pro may very well be able to hit the ball the exact distance but amateurs probably can’t.

I’ve played golf for over 40 years without a rangefinder. I find it amazing that some people look at me funny when they find I don’t have a rangefinder – I’m not letting technology ruin my golf. I have always said that I play golf for a good time NOT a long time.

Michael Mead

As one of many thousand “old codgers” who are members of golf clubs, the critical diatribe “Members: grow up and face the reality” (April Issue) apportioning the blame for various club problems to us and committee people, was interesting to read.

The article claims we codgers sit at the end of the bar in the same seats we have used for the past twenty years, talk about how good it was in the old days and complain about ten cent increases in the price of beer.

Similarly he is critical of the standard of forward planning by committees.

I have never heard my fellow old codgers complain about beer price rises, have never seen people sit in the same seats, never heard them saying the old days of golf were better. Never have I known a person standing for committee who does not desire the best outcome for a club.

In fact we codgers would have the following characteristics: We are all happy to be on top of the fairway; A large proportion of our conversation is sledging; We debate whether Garry Ablett Jr is the best AFL Player ever; We do like to play with our old mates but do not mind if others are in our group; We appreciate that the standard of our course has never been better and that clubhouse facilities constantly improve.

Nevertheless the article does have it right that clubs must market themselves better.

We oldies may well prefer the days when club subs and chook raffles provided sufficient income; we may well prefer not to rely on green fee players; we may well prefer that we knew everyone in the clubhouse.

But we are not in denial. Change is needed if our clubs are to survive.

At the same time the old codgers and committeemen are the people who love our clubs most, and keep them going. They are the last people who should be criticised.

Chris Ekinsmyth “Old Codger” Congratulations on your Q&A session with Golf Australia You’ve given golfers a voice. Most golf clubs, let alone the members, rarely get the opportunity to question our golfing bodies.

All state bodies and GA were formed to “look after the interests of member clubs”.

It appears to many they have gone off in a range of tangents.

Accountability and communication has been sadly and obviously missing.

Twenty years ago the Australian Golf Union, now GA, had a staff of 6. Now it is around thirty. Yet club membership is lower and many clubs are under financial pressure.

What is Australian golf administration costing the clubs? What are the costs of the lingering handicap saga? Or Elite golf? Or travel by GA and state bodies staff?

The annual affiliation fee is one of the largest payments made by each club. Most clubs ponder what that money could do instead, for their club. Is this value?

GA and all state bodies should bear this in mind when spending the clubs’ money.

Doug Perry

demo dates Callaway

Mizuno

www.callawaygolf.com

Location

Day

Demo Days New South Wales Sharks Driving Range Thornleigh Golf Centre The Federal Golf Club Belmont Golf Club ≠ Drummond Northmead ∞ Golf Paradise Terrey Hills Canberra International Golf Centre The Australian Golf Club ≠ Moore Park Driving Range The Ridge Golf Course & Driving Range Liverpool Golf Club ≠ Queensland Gympie Pines Golf Club Golf Central Driving Range Bribie Island Golf Club Drummond Gabba held at Brookwater Golf Club ∏ Cairns Golf Club Paradise Palms Golf Club Victoria/Tasmania MGA Driving Range Sandringham Driving Range Fitting Days Queensland Wynnum Golf Club * Victoria/Tasmania House of Golf Flinders * Barwon Heads Golf Club * Queens Park Golf Centre * South Australia Drummond Golf West Beach Driving Range *

Date

Time

Location

Day

Date

Time

New South Wales Thursday Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Thursday Thursday Saturday Thursday Wednesday Thursday

June 05 June 10 June 11 June 11 June 12 June 12 June 12 June 14 June 19 June 25 June 26

4 - 7.30pm 4 - 7pm 10am - 1pm 7am - 11am 4 - 7pm 4 - 7pm 4 - 6pm 10am - 2pm 4 - 7pm 5 - 7pm 9am - 2pm

Thursday Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Friday Saturday

June 05 June 10 June 18 June 25 June 27 June 28

1 - 4pm 4 - 6pm 9.30am - 12pm 9.30am - 11am 10am - 6pm 9.30am - 1pm

Wednesday Wednesday

June 04 June 18

4 - 7pm 4.30 - 7.30pm

Thursday

June 26

2.30 - 5pm

Thursday Wednesday Thursday

June 12 June 18 June 26

9.30am - 5.30pm 9am - 1pm 9am - 2pm

Wednesday

June 04

4.30 - 7.30pm

Ping Ph: (02) 9524 8233 or visit www.ping.com Location

mizuno.com.au

Day

New South Wales Cabramatta Golf Club ◊ * Monday Pennant Hills Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday Bonnie Doon Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday The Ridge Driving Range ° Wednesday Tamworth Golf Club ◊ * Friday Illawarra Golf Complex ◊ * Tuesday The Australian Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday Griffith Golf Club ◊ * Thursday Wagga Wagga Country Club ◊ * Friday Ryde Parramatta Golf Club ◊ * Tuesday Shortland Waters Golf Club ◊ * Wednesday Merewether Golf Club ◊ * Thursday Muswellbrook Golf Club ◊ * Friday Moore Park Driving Range ◊ * Wednesday Thornleigh Golf Centre ◊ * Thursday Gosford Golf Club ◊ * Friday Everglades Country Club ◊ * Friday Toukley Golf Club ◊ * Saturday Queensland Victoria Park ◊ * Tuesday Drummond Maroochydore @ Nanango ° Monday The Grand ° ** Saturday Parkwood International ° Thursday Horton Park ° Friday Palm Meadows ° Friday

Date

Time

June 12 June 13 June 14 June 15 June 16 June 19 June 20 June 21 June 22 June 23 June 23 June 26 June 27 June 28 June 29 June 29 June 30 June 30

1 - 5pm 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 4 - 7pm 10am - 3pm 11am - 3pm 9am - 1pm 11am - 3pm 10am - 3pm 12 - 5pm 9am - 2pm 1 - 5pm 11am - 3pm 4 - 7pm 5 - 8pm 8am - 12pm 1.30 - 4.30pm 10am - 2pm

June 03 June 09 June 14 June 19 June 20 June 25

5 - 7.30pm 9.30 - 11.30am 9am - 12pm 4 - 6.30pm 2 - 5pm 1 - 5pm

Victoria Kingston Heath Golf Club ◊ ** Wednesday June 04

10am - 2pm

Melbourne Golf Academy ° Wednesday June 04

4 - 7pm

House of Golf - Bayside ◊ (Ladies only)

Thornleigh G. C. *

Tuesday

June 03

4 - 7pm

Manly G. C. * **

Wednesday

June 04

8 - 11am

Drummond Golf - Taren Point *

Thursday

June 05

4 - 7pm

Bonville G. C. *

Wednesday

June 11

9am - 1pm

Coffs Harbour G. C. *

Wednesday

June 11

3.30 - 6.30pm

Sharks Driving Range

Thursday

June 12

5 - 7pm

Golf Paradise Terrey Hills

Tuesday

June 17

5 - 7pm

Prymble G. C. * **

Tuesday

June 17

1 - 4.30pm

Drummond Golf - North Mead *

Thursday

June 19

4 - 7pm

New Brighton G. C. *

Friday

June 20

12 - 4pm

Moore Park G. C. *

Tuesday

June 24

4 - 7pm

The Australian G. C. * **

Wednesday

June 25

9am - 1pm

Drummond Golf - Penrith *

Wednesday

June 25

2 - 6pm

Queanbeyan G. C. *

Thursday

June 25

11am - 3pm

Pitterwater Golf Centre *

Thursday

June 26

4 - 7pm

Drummond Golf - Casula *

Thursday

June 26

4 - 7pm

Indooroopilly Golf Club *

Wednesday

June 04

9.30am - 1pm

Jindalee G. C. *

Friday

June 06

3 - 5pm

Royal Queensland Golf Club **

Friday

June 06

1 - 4.30pm

The Grand G. C. * **

Saturday

June 07

10am - 1pm

Victoria Park G. C. *

Tuesday

June 10

5.30 - 7.30pm

House Of Golf Hervey Bay

Tuesday

June 10

1 - 4.30pm

Caloundra Golf Club *

Thursday

June 12

2 - 4.30pm

Golf Central

Tuesday

June 17

4 - 6pm

Parkwood G. C. *

Thursday

June 19

4 - 6.30pm

Tweed Heads G. C. *

Friday

June 20

2.30 - 4.30pm

Horton Park Golf Club

Friday

June 20

1 - 4.30pm

Bargara Golf Club *

Tuesday

June 24

10am - 3pm

Cairns Golf Club

Friday

June 27

10am - 4pm

June 28

10am - 3pm

Queensland

Drummond Cairns - Paradise Palms Saturday

Victoria Mga Driving Range

Wednesday

June 04

4 - 7pm

Bulleen Driving Range

Thursday

June 05

4 - 7pm

Sandringham Driving Range

Wednesday

June 18

5 - 7.30pm

Sunshine G. C. *

Friday

June 20

3 - 6pm

Metropolitan G. C. * **

Saturday

June 21

10am - 2pm

House Of Golf Epping *

Friday

June 27

9am - 3pm

Geraldton G. C.

Wednesday

June 04

10am - 2pm

Spalding Park G. C.

Thursday

June 05

8am - 12pm

Albany G. C. *

Friday

June 13

10am - 2pm

Sun City G. C. **

Saturday

June 14

10am - 2pm

Western Australia

3 - 7pm

Lakelands G. C.

Wednesday

June 18

10am - 2pm

Metropolitan Golf Club ◊ ** Saturday June 07

10am - 2pm

Yarra Bend Golf Driving Range °

Thursday

June 12

4 - 7pm

Marangaroo G. C.

Saturday

June 21

8am - 12pm

Sandringham Golf Driving Range ° * Barwon Heads Golf Club ◊ *

Wednesday Saturday

June 18 June 28

5 - 7.30pm 10am - 2pm

Wembley G. C.

Friday

June 26

10am - 2pm

Albany G. C. *

Friday

June 27

10am - 2pm

Thursday

June 05

* Appointment Only. ** Members Only. °Ping Demo day. ◊ Ping Fitting. ≠ Callaway Demo Day - Short Game ∞ Callaway Demo Day / Trial Night Demo dates subject to change without notice. It is recommended that you contact venue before attending.

∏ Callaway Odyssey Demo Day

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

75

golf directory

Port Stephens Golfing Holidays Golf & Accommodation from only $70 per day 9 16 Golf courses including Horizons, Nelson Bay, Newcastle, Muree, Tanilba, Cypress Lakes, Pacific Dunes, The Vintage, by boat to Hawks Nest & others 9 Play any day & with any number of people 9 Golf & accommodation from a choice of motels, hotels, units & resorts

www.facebook.com/golfpsgh

T: 02 4984 9618 | M: 0428 820 477 | info@psgh.com.au | www.psgh.com.au

• 6 nights accommodation • Green fees on 5 golf courses (Cape Schanck, Devil Bend, Eagle Ridge Golf From Course, Flinders Golf Club, Moonah Links, Mornington Golf Club, Portsea Golf Club, Rosebud Country Club, Sorrento Golf Club, The Dunes Golf Links, The National Golf Club, St Andrews, Mornington Peninsula) • Cooked or Continental breakfast included • Foxtel in all units per person per night* • Rosebud House also available to hire

OAST

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110

Y A L P & STAY KAGE PAC

Play Australia’s Finest Sandbelt Courses $

*Extra fees apply for Moonah Links, Sorrento Golf Club and The National Golf Club

• Packages designed to suit your individual golf needs. Packages starting from 3 day stays • 2 bedroom, spacious self contained apartments • Short stroll to Cavill Ave and Chevron Island and cafes, restaurants & bars • Resort facilities include swimming pool, spa, sauna, tennis court & BBQ • Transfers can be arranged to and from the airport/s and between golf courses

Contact David & Karen Ph: (07) 5592 3520 info@surfersmayfair.com.au

ROSEBUD MOTEL

1869 Point Nepean Rd Rosebud West VIC, 3941

pp $215 From share twin eek w mid

Benalla Golf Club

Three Day / Two Night Golf Package Includes: Unlimited golf, two nights accommodation, breakfast each morning, 2 x evening meals (vouchers up to the value of $20) • Fully Irrigated Greens & Fairways • Full Bar & Bistro Facilities • Abundant Wildlife including Kangaroos

.au

ir.com a f y a m s r urfe

www.s

For further enquires and bookings P: (03) 5985 2041 E: rosebudmotel@bigpond.com W: www.rosebudmotel.com.au

www.benallagolfclub.com.au (03) 5762 1920 | benagolf@bigpond.net.au

Clearwater Noosa

Your choice of resort and club courses.

• Noosa Springs • Twin Waters • Club Pelican • Coolum Golf & Spa • Mt Coolum • Tewantin Noosa • Horton Park • Headland • Caloundra • Peregian Springs Some conditions apply

76

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

For advertising call 1300 465 300

golf directory

Just landed in the water?

Take the water chip.

A new exciting way to bet during your next round with friends and guaranteed to get the banter up to new levels.

›› Hole Out

Spectacular

For more information visit

Great Golf Packages

Sapphire Coast Merimbula Mike McGuire & Yumi Yoshida

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

02 6495 2366 0437 801 270 info@pacificheights.com.au www.pacificheights.com.au

FROM

1-7 Oceanview Ave, Merimbula NSW P: M: E: W:

www.vegasgolfthegame.com.au

•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

$525 P/P Twin Share Conditions apply

Pambula Merimbula GC • Eden Gardens GC • Bega Country Club • Tura Beach Country Club

Fellow GolFers 100% Premium Leather

$24

• All weather glove • Exceptional grip and feel • All sizes, left and right hand • Unique Australian gift

+P&H

We have for 20 years but now in our 80’s we regretfully offer our 330m2 home with 3 bedrooms and 3 ensuites and with absolute frontage to beautiful Bargara golf course for private sale @ $590k To view our home just Google .....27 Fairway Drive, Bargara

Gift Packs available

Order online www.kakadugolfglove.com

Phone (07) 5450 7578

Crossword Answers E W N E A G B L B R A N S I D P I A N R A A B R L R S M A T M E

95

Want to live in golf paradise?

R N E L E D D L E E B W O W I D I R T C S H

I E N M T E A M R R E Y U N Y G E T A M A M O S N A M T G E S T R O A L E C Y K S E

W E S T W O O D

I P R P O D O U C V E T

W A R T S T O N S

E

R T I N D I O N G E E S N D O M O A R U T S T E

or contact owner on (07)

4159 2028 or 0409 592 228

or email john.warmington@bigpond.com

27 Fairway Drive Bargara

$590,000

3 Great Courses and a Great Place to Stay in Orange The Original Golf Package Specialist in Orange 2 Night Accommodation and 2 Rounds of Golf (Duntryleague and Wentworth)

$

210

pp twin share

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 which is a chip away from Wentworth Golf Course and owned by a keen golfing family. All apartments are fully appointed with undercover parking at the door.

“Once you have stayed you’ll come back again”

MELVIEW GREENS

For advertising call 1300 465 300

Phone 02 6362 0955 Studio & Family Apartments, Ploughmans Lane Orange NSW 2800 www.melviewgreens.com.au

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

77

golf directory

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

*WINTER SPECIAL*

Play anytime - No waiting

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

Howeston Golf Course Enquiries welcome

$

16 Weekdays

20 Weekends & Public Holidays *

$

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

www.lemontreemotel.com.au *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

“you give up things when you buy a Kahma Golf Bag” • clanging clubs • damaged irons • worn graphite shafts • frustration finding the right iron

IS YOUR GOLF CART SLOWING DOWN? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO INCREASE THE LIFE OF YOUR BATTERIES?

Need new batteries?

Don’t replace them, restore them with the Battery Reviver > Cleans the damaging sulphure build up on the lead plates. > Restores the voltage of the batteries. > Restores the sulphuric acid strength. > Restores the performance of the batteries.

Want to triple the life of your good batteries?

Increase the life of your batteries by up to three times by eliminating the main reasons the batteries fail, SULPHATION. If you eliminate the main reason your batteries fail, it must 30 DAY increase the life of SATISFACTION your batteries.

Patented Softgrip Technology From the inventors oF the CaddyraCk

GUARANTEE OR YOUR MONEY BACK

For more information, pricing and to order Phone 1300 852 433 or visit our website

GET ORGANISED WITH

1300 738 557 • www.kahmagolf.com

Aquarius E

S

O

R

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

T

• 4 days golf playing at the beautiful Sapphire Coast courses of Pambula/ Merimbula, Tathra Beach, Eden, Bega, and Tura Beach. All courses are only 5 to 20 mins drive from the Resort.

• 6 FREE fully cooked poolside breakfasts, buffet style.

*

per person

Packages starting from:

• Large Groups Welcome

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

78

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

fro m

$220 va

A

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

$489*pp / 2 Share $399*pp / 3 Share $379*pp / 4 Share

Package includes: • 2 games of golf • Meal • 1 night accommodation with continental breakfast

bersh em

ips

• 6 nights accommodation in a 2 & 3 bedroom fully self contained apartment (linen supplied).

Play & Stay for $120

*

M

R

www.batteryreviver.com.au

Patent # 7374839

ila ble *Conditions apply

*Conditions apply

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

Casino Golf Club - West St, Casino NSW 2470 P: (02) 6662 1259 | E: admin@casinogolfclub.com.au

www.casinogolfclub.com.au

For advertising call 1300 465 300

golf directory Nudgee Golf Club

The Pill™ is the only practice device designed to be played all the way to the hole

BLACK TEE CHALLENGE 3rd Friday of each month “Bay Golf Day”

The Pill™ is a putting aid that will only roll when struck with a square face. This modified golf ball is designed to give you immediate feedback on the quality of your putting stroke. If hit improperly the ball will either lean to one side and roll off line, or tumble wildly.

Try it around the green with your pitching wedge and watch it roll if hit correctly or drop it in the bunker and try hitting it out of the sand.

Members & Bay Golf Memberships $15 Visitors $25

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

peter@thepillgolf.com.au | 0408 330 800 | www.thepillgolf.com.au

Golf Packages

Not available during competition or Saturday play or Sunday before 12pm and Peak Periods

• 18 hole championship course with enormous greens • Twin Share electric cart hire • Lunch

pe

r

$4

pe

rs

Play & Stay Packages

pe

r

9

on

Great Course Great Deal

$1

31

pe • Twin Share Accommodation • Continental Breakfast • 18 holes golf • Two Course Dinner rs on • Twin Share electric cart hire Packages designed to suit individual needs Under New Management Bookings and enquiries call Ocean Shores Motel (02) 6680 2222

Blue Marker Challenge • • • •

Play to your handicap or better and receive a dozen Pro-V’s Challenge Winner (best nett score) wins a shirt, a Blue Marker Challenge ball marker and a dozen Pro-V’s Best nett score by a visitor or wins a dozen Pro-V’s 6 NTP’s - win 3 Pro-V’s each • Break 80 nett and win a Pro-V

$30

Carts available for hire all bookings through the Pro Shop (02) 6680 1008

PLAYED LAST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH Are you up to the challenge?

VISITORS

www.oceanshorescc.com.au Orana Rd, Ocean Shores NSW Ph (02) 6680 1008 Fax (02) 6680 1721

www.oceanshoresmotel.com.au info@oceanshoresmotel.com.au Ph (02) 6680 2222 Fax (02) 6680 2018 Only 30 minutes South of Coolangatta and 15 minutes North of Byron Bay

BEERWAH GOLF CLUB At the base of the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains…

A family run business for 18 years Best Service & Best Value Guaranteed

• • • •

Timeless Tuesday - Unlimited* Golf for ONLY $25 Golf Equipment for Hire & Sale Fully Licensed Clubhouse Social Clubs & Corporate Days

Visitors pay only $25 to play in our competitions

Ph (03) 5873 4477 Fax (03) 5873 4511

Golf Course Rd, Barooga NSW

(Wed, Sat & Sun)

More social playing times now on a Monday & Thursday

Contact michael@murrayrivergolf.com.au or visit our website

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

www.murrayrivergolf.com.au

Ph: (07) 5494 0630 Golf Shop (07) 5494 6611 For advertising call 1300 465 300

www.insidegolf.com.au | June 2014

79

golf directory

80

June 2014 | www.insidegolf.com.au

For advertising call 1300 465 300

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

Topflite Gamer V2

GOLF FACTORY NARELLAN

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

4 Dozen including postage

3 piece ball Long and soft Anywhere in Australia Individually boxed

ACCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO GOLF CLUBS

(02) 4647 8542 - Mail Order - 6 Days

Cleveland 588 RTX Wedges Titleist Balls and Beanies Lob, Sand, Gap and Pitching Black Pearl or Satin

SAVE $30

$79

ProV1 and ProV1x NXT Tour and NXT Tour-S Velocity and DT Solo White Balls Only

TaylorMade Jetspeed Rescue Hybrid $129 Fairway Metalwood $149 Adjustable Driver $199 $20 Dozen Balls

Srixon Q Star Balls

Individually boxed

Pure white or Tour Yellow $216 for 144 Individually boxed Callaway HX Diablo

$18

Optima TS+

TaylorMade Lethal Balls

Doz

$49

Urethane cover tour quality ball

Chrome (3 piece) $26/doz Chrome + (4 piece) $29/doz Black Tour (5 piece) $32/doz

$29 Doz

TaylorMade RBZ Adjustable Cleveland 14 Way Divided Bag Stage 2 Driver

Srixon Distance Balls Distance ball with great feel Great for ball competitions Bulk Qty

$156

8º to 11º Loft SAVE $100 Adjustable 50grm Firm 60grm Stiff TP Shafts Includes Cover and Wrench

$199

144 balls ($13/dozen) Individually boxed

Putter Holder Cooler Pocket Red, Black, Green Blue and White

Rubber grips

TaylorMade RBZ Graphite Irons 4-SW 8 irons Long Distance irons Regular flex Graphite Shafts Right Hand

Callaway Hex Balls

Mens Black Srixon or Cleveland Ladies Tour Special Minimum qty 10

$799

$25

$490

HL 12 Loft Ladies Right Hand Only Also ideal for Junior boys.

$109 Includes Cover

14 Full length dividers Magnetic pockets Cooler pocket Lots of colours

$150

each

Plus postage White, Yellow or Pink

TaylorMade Tour GolfEagles & Birdies Rubber Cypress Point bag Bag SAVE $130 ½ PRICE Mens Black Vinyl (not nylon) 9.5” Standard size Tour Quality One Colour Only

$99

$2

TaylorMade Ladies RBZ Driver O

$169

grips

Srixon or Cleveland SAVE $60

$199

Ladies Tour Special Minimum qty 10

$2 Plus postage

each