Golf July
Golf
The Open Championship Royal Lytham & St Annes 15 - 22 July This year’s Open championship has to be the most ‘open’ in history. There are so many players who are capable of taking the Claret Jug.
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The last 15 Majors have thrown up 15 different winners with Webb Simpson being the latest taking last month’s U.S Open by a shot from Graham McDowell. But rumours are that he won’t be coming over! Of the American challenge, Tiger has shown he is getting back to his best having being in the lead after two rounds at the Olympic Club only for his putter to have gone cold over the weekend. Phil Mickelson is desperate to add the Open to his C.V and has shown in the past his liking for Links Golf. Masters champion, Bubba Watson will be a favourite to
watch but I don’t see him winning. I think we will have a European winner to follow, Darren Clarke. I can’t see Clarke defending his crown, though Luke Donald, world number one must see this as a great chance. Lytham is not the longest Open course so maybe we will hear “Luke, Luke, Luke” echoing down the 18th on Sunday. Rory is a bit of an enigma at the moment, you don’t know if he’s turning up or not. Lee Westwood showed at both Majors this year. He has the game but can
Golf
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was founded in 1886 and the present Course was constructed in 1897. It is one of the premier links courses in the world, and has been host to ten Open Championships, two Ryder Cups and numerous other major tournaments.
his Putter get hot? If so he will be hard to beat. Three times Major winner, Padraic Harrington showed at Olympic, he is almost back to his best as is the US Open Runner up Graham McDowell who loves Links Golf and is a real fighter. But I think it might be time for a rose to bloom. Justin Rose has shown his game is in great shape and it could be that Lytham is where he will join the major club. Whatever the outcome, it will make compelling viewing with all 4 days live on the BBC!
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Golf
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Golf
News&Events The Senior Open 2012 returns to the Turnberry Resort on the rugged Ayrshire coast in Scotland 26th to 29th July 2012 Following the Open is the Senior Open at Turnberry where some of the Golfing greats will do battle. Tom Watson will start as everyone’s favourite to win, having won the famous Dual in the Sun
there in 1977 and having come so agonisingly close just three years ago at Turnberry. He would be the most popular winner. I’ll be going over to tee it up in the qualifying on the 23rd hoping to
take all of the positives from the Benahavis Masters and memories of successfully qualifying for Carnoustie 2 years ago myself. The Senior Open is Live on Sky Sports.
Written by Bradley Smith
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Golf
Our golf writer, golf pro Bradley Smith takes on the challenge of the
Benahavis Masters What a great week the Benahavis Masters was at La Quinta. The sun shone and the golf was top class. Roger Chapman, fresh from his victory at the US Senior PGA Championship arrived on Wednesday to a round of applause from all of the Pro’s on the practice ground. It was one of several great moments I enjoyed at the Seniors! The week started quietly on the Monday with signing in at the tour office once it was opened followed by an easy practice round with my good friend, Paddy the Caddy, Ashley Hayes who proved to be invaluable all week. Thanks Ash! On Tuesday, Day 2, it seemed more like a Tournament as a lot more players turned up to practice. It was nice to meet up with a few old acquaintances. Glen Ralph, Barry Lane, Jeff Hail, to name just a few, along with making many new friends on the tour.
Bradley with Paddy the Caddy
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By the end of Tuesday we definitely knew the course. Lots of Chips and Bunker shots plus hundred’s of Putts. We also got to find out our start time for Fridays first round, which was 9.35 am with Giuseppe Cali and Tony Charnley.
The Pro Am Team
Wednesday was one of the two Pro Am Days but not for me. A quiet day relaxing, except for a couple of hours on the range. I was lucky to be there when Roger Chapman arrived at the range and a spontaneous round of applause was given from all of the Pros and Caddy’s to Europe’s newest Major Winner. Thursday, and up early as today was Pro Am day for me and I had to be there at 8 am! My team consisted of my good friend Bjorn Ronning, Yuri Smirnov from Zagalette and what everybody tells me is my better half (I’m sure they are right) Tracy. It was going to be fun! A shot gun start at 9.30 am and we were off the 12th Tee. We had an up and down round but we did have fun. We shot 10 under which is good enough for 8th place! The Pro Am lunch was okay. We were joined by Mark James and his team, which was interesting and prophetic as it turned out!
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Friday, Round 1, Paddy picks me up early and off to La Quinta and straight to the range to warm up. About 50 balls and I’m ready. Back to the Clubhouse, a few Putts and onto the Tee, handshake with Cali and Charnley, exchange cards and it’s time. The starter calls 1st Cali then 2nd Charnley, and then me. My stomach is churning but it’s a great feeling and a real buzz. A reasonable Drive down the left side opens up the round resulting in a Par, two more Pars before the 4th hole, then a 15ft Putt for a birdie, got it! Another Birdie on 6 and then again on 7 gets me to 3 under Par! As I walk to the 10th Tee I see the leaderboard and my name is at the top on -3. A holed bunker shot on 12 plus another 15th Putt on 15 puts me at -5 a the top of the leaderboard with Delroy Cambridge. Pars at 16 and 17 before a 3 Putt Bogey on 18, leaves me at -4 (round of 67). A shot off the lead at the time, only to see 1st Chris Williams fire -6, then Mark Mouland-7 to end up leaving me tied 5th alongside Mark James.
First Round Scores
Saturday, Day 2 and I’m in the second last group with Mark James and Anders Forsbrand and I am feeling incredibly pumped, in truth possibly too pumped. I play the 1st nine holes 6 over most of which
Saturday, Day 3, the final round and I’m off with Manola Marend and Noel Ratcliff hoping to get off to a good start. I did a Birdie on my 1st the 10th but a succession of missed Putts mean I turn in, 3 over. A great back nine of 2 under meant I shot 72 and finished in 51st place. It was a great week and not only did I have great fun, I also had the pleasure of making some new friends which will hopefully open a few new doors!
Golf
were dropped on the Green. Two more 3 Putts and a failed up and down means I’m 10 over. On the Par 5 14th after a good Drive I’m left with 223 yards to go. I laid up on previous rounds and days but today I thought, To hell with it I’m going for it. A 3 wood ripped to 3ft. After I hole the Putt both Mark and Anders applaud and congratulate me. It was the only highlight of the round! And so I finish with a 79 to move down to 59th place. But although incredibly disappointed, I found it a massive learning curve. Amazingly the press didn’t want to interview me after that round.
Final Scores
The Tournament was won by Gary Wolsenholm on 13 under, a shot ahead of Mark James and Mark Mouland. The scoring was as hot as the weather with some 30 players all finishing under Par!
Bradley with the winner, Gary Wolsennholme
Gary Wolsennholme and the Mayor of Benahavis
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Golf
Bunker shots Bunkers are the one place that we all hate, these tips should help you get out easily!
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Stance wider and club face open, club face open. Make sure the club is still open once gripped.
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Feet/Body alignment open to target ( aiming left), legs bent a little extra to lower centre of gravity
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Swing across the box from corner to corner
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Practice by drawing a box in the sand
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You can see from my divot that I’m swinging across the line
Once you have successfully got your Divot going from corner to corner, place a ball in the back half of the box about 2cm in
Bradley Smith
A PGA qualified professional for 36 years. Qualified for the senior open championship at Carnoustie 2010. Available for individual, group and playing lessons.
Email: Bradleygolf882@yahoo.com Mobile: 0034 600 345 882
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Repeat the practice from corner to corner and watch the ball come out
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As you can see my clubface is still open. This compensates for the out -to-in swing path!
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It is important to take a nice fullish-slow swing in the bunker
Golf
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You can see from my follow through how the swing pattern is well to the left!
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Even in a deep step faced bunker my set up is the same. However you can open the clubface slightly more
Commit to swinging through the sand again, from out-to- in. As you can see a divot is taken therefore generating height for the ball!
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