Golf Digest - June 2020

THE #1 GOLF PUBLICATION

+

anniversary issue

HISTORIC HOW-TO • DECADES • LEGENDS • TIMELESS TIPS

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WEE WONDERS THE MIDDLE EAST’S BEST PAR 3S

TIGER CAPTURED

28 YEARS PHOTOGRAPHING A GLOBAL ICON

june • 2020 A MOTIVATE PUBLICATION AED20 KD1.7 OR2.1 SR20 BD2.1

Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority

Tee Sheet 06/20

how to play. what to play. where to play.

05 Editor’s Letter The awkward beauty of post lockdown golf.

GD70

by kent gray

14 Wee Wonders Some are treacherous tiddlers, others like mini par 4s. All are thoroughly memorable.

Welcome to the Middle East’s best par 3s, wee wonders all. by kent gray

06 Photographing Tiger My favourite moments across 28 years following around this guy named Woods. by dom furore

18 Lots of Laughs The funniest stories and lines from our archive that we’ll never forget. by mike o’malley

28 Historic “How to . . . ” Definitive instruction articles from the best players when they were at their best. by ron kaspriske

the hot list (part 4) 57 Mallet Putters 62 Blade Putters by mike stachura

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29 Ben Hogan 30 Arnold Palmer 34 Jack Nicklaus 38 Tom Watson 44 Nick Faldo 50 Tiger Woods Cover photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

newgiza gc: courtesy of the club • putters: illustration by eddie guy • woods: dom durore • hogan: yale joel/getty images

▶ wee wonders In the Middle East, we’re blessed with countless examples of how a good little ‘un often beats a good big ’un. 14

Editor’s Letter

“I’m loving the chance to write absolutely nothing in the stableford column…”

BREAKING 70 editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer managing partner & group editor Ian Fairservice editor Kent Gray art director Clarkwin Cruz editorial assistant Londresa Flores photographer Mustufa Abidi instruction editors Mike Kinloch, Euan Bowden, Tom Ogilvie, Alex Riggs chief commercial officer Anthony Milne publisher David Burke general manager - production S. Sunil Kumar assistant production manager Binu Purandaran THE GOLF DIGEST PUBLICATIONS chairman & editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde international licensing director Edward Klaris international editor Ju Kuang Tan

KENT GRAY kent.gray@motivate.ae • Twitter: @KentGrayGolf / @GolfDigestME nyone else inadvertently board golf’s bogey train the moment lockdown restrictions were loosened?

Even if you didn’t, most regular golfers are familiar with the scene as you become trapped inside your own round (or rounds), a passenger seemingly powerless to re-route a day quickly speeding out of control.

If you’re not flailing about in the trees off the tee, you’re in great shape greenside only to fluff the first part of a simple up and down.

Even worse is when you waste a blessed green in reg with three poor impersonations of a putting stroke. That’s how one of our pals got his nickname, Jabba-the-Putt. That, and his uncanny resemblance to the slug-like Star Wars gangster. But I digress. That was in a time and galaxy (particularly in our current circumstances) sadly now far, far away.

Four rounds after punching my ticket to ride on the very first hole back, it seems there’s no disembarking my particular runaway express.

There have been pars, even rare runs of them – two in a row constitutes an official streak in our regular fourball. They give hope that you’ve finally rediscovered your PC (pre-COVID) swing. Sadly, it’s not long before there is a sudden signal change courtesy of all those rusty twitch fibres and you’re hurtling back toward blob town.

It would normally be chug-a-chug-a boohoo but I’m seriously loving it, giddy at the mere chance to write nothing in the stableford column and move on with a fresh reminder of how maddeningly brilliant our game is.

A

A lot of friends around the globe, like Jabba who has been holed up in Edinburgh, have had to wait much longer for the pleasure.

So, the header? What’s this ‘Breaking 70’?

As you’ll have deducted, it has nothing to do with my game. The impressive number is rather a nod to the diamond anniversary of our mother publication in the United States. Golf Digest has enlightened and entertained countless millions of golfers since Bill Davis published the first issue out of his Chicago one-bedroom apartment in 1950.

Golf Digest Middle East has contributed to a now truly global narrative since November 2008, nearly three decades after my personal journey with the title began in the mid 80s when I was wowed by all the amazing course pictures and tips from my heroes. That well-thumbed copy, hidden beneath a stack of women’s mags at a rented beach house, ignited a dream that today affords this serial three-putter the great honour of waffling on about bogus trains for a living.

Thankfully the team in the U.S. have produced a bumper issue to celebrate their big birthday. We’ve reproduced a fair chunk of it within this issue, along with plenty of regional eye candy in our ‘Wee Wonders’ feature, a ranking of the Middle East’s best par 3s. It’s not your usual Golf Digest Middle East but then these are not normal times.

And the tips from the greats were too precious not to reprint, a timeless treasure trove to help you get ever closer to breaking 70. Or 80. Or 100. Or perhaps just a run of bogeys. Enjoy.

GOLF DIGEST USA chairman & editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde editorial director Max Adler executive editor Mike O’Malley, Peter Morrice general manager Chris Reynolds managing editor Alan P. Pittman design director Ken DeLago playing editors Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson, Jordan Spieth

Head Office: Media One Tower, PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Tel +971 4 427 3000; Fax +971 4 428 2270 Dubai Media City: Office 508, 5th Floor, Building 8, Dubai, UAE Tel +971 4 390 3550; Fax +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, UAE Tel +971 2 657 3490; Fax +971 2 657 3489 London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER, UK, E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae

GOLF DIGEST USA (ISSN 0017-176X) is published monthly by The Golf Digest Publications, a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc. Editorial and executive offices at 20 Westport Road (PO Box 850), Wilton, CT 06897-0850. Telephone: 091-203-761-5100. Copyright 2001 by The Golf Digest Publications and Touchline Media (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

GOLF DIGEST and HOW TO PLAY, WHAT TO PLAY, WHERE TO PLAY are registered trademarks of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. Printed in USA. Contains material reprinted by permission from GOLF DIGEST® Copyright© 2001, The Golf Digest Publications ® is a registered trademark of The Golf Digest Companies.

GOLF DIGEST MIDDLE EAST is the exclusive Licensee of Advance Publications.

/GolfDigestME

www.golfdigestme.com june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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GD70 Photography

Photographing Tiger Golf Digest’s Dom Furore has been documenting Woods for 28 years and counting by dom furore

n 1985, I was just out of college and took an entry-level photography job at Golf Digest in Trumbull, Conn., owned then by The New York Times Company’s Sports & Leisure magazine division. To be honest, I was less interested in golf than I was in the number of consumer and trade publications the company owned. I didn’t plan to stay more than a year or two, just long enough to add published tear sheets to my portfolio to help launch my career.

I

Well, I’m still here, and a big reason is because of one assignment that set the trajectory for my career—one that has included millions of frames and miles traveled to photograph golf courses, tournaments, instruction and, of course, golf legends.

In 1992, Golf Digest Design Director Nick Didio asked me if I wanted to go to California and “photograph this young kid—Tiger Woods.” I jumped at the chance for a couple of reasons: I could visit some college buddies I hadn’t seen in a while, and take some photographs of an up-andcoming hot-shot golfer who was just 16 years old.

My assignment was to shoot a swing sequence using our Hulcher high-speed film camera. This was the first sequence of Tiger ever published in Golf Digest, and it has appeared in the magazine several times since. I was also asked to get some casual pictures of Tiger running. He had recently decided to join his high school’s track team, and it was an opportunity to see him doing something other than playing golf.

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Tiger at age 16: “Polite, mature and could crush the ball.”

After photographing the swing sequence, we headed back to Woods’ home so Tiger could change clothes for the running picture.

Unfortunately, he said his back was bothering him and that he didn’t feel like running.

Scrambling a bit, I suggested taking a picture of him with his dog, Joey, in front of his house. After making the dog photo, I asked his mom and dad—Tida and Earl—to get in the photo, but back then, Tida was shy around photographers, so I ended up with a father-and-son portrait.

After all these years and countless photos of Tiger later, these two pictures are still among my favorites.

When I returned to the Connecticut office with the film, Nick asked me what I thought of Tiger. I said something like, “Parents are really nice, and so is Tiger.

Very polite and mature for his age, crushes the ball, but he’ll never make it as a pro. He’s too scrawny with a bad back.”

Needless to say, Tiger’s career didn’t go the way I predicted.

After Tiger turned pro, he became a Playing Editor for Golf Digest, and we often worked together on his instruction articles. I spent time with him and Earl while photographing various events for Tiger’s foundation.

I also got to go to Vietnam and photograph the family

young tiger Woods in 1996, a week after playing in his first event as a professional (left).

Woods, age 16, with his dog, Joey (above), and his father, Earl, in front of his Cypress, Calif., childhood home in 1992.

Photographs by Dom Furore

GD70 Photography

of Tiger’s namesake, Col. Tiger Phong, to accompany Tom Callahan’s amazing story about Earl’s best friend in Vietnam. After that experience, I would often hear some great stories from Earl, which I always enjoyed.

I can tell you the “new” Tiger who people talk about seeing now, the one with a great sense of humor, is the only Tiger I’ve ever known.

He has always been funny in a one-liner sort of way, and what most people don’t realise is that he gets this from his mom. Several years ago I got an assignment to accompany Tida to Thailand to visit a couple of orphanages Tiger sponsors through his foundation. That’s when I discovered where Tiger got his sense of humor. He also has her determination and mental toughness.

I’ve had a front-row seat watching Tiger become a world-class champion and the father of two great kids. I’ve photographed personal family

moments and the highlights of his career, including his 15 major-championship wins. It’s been an honor and lot of fun.

More years ago than I care to remember, Tiger and I halfjokingly made a “deal,” and it was this: When he tees off at his first senior event, I’ll be waiting on the first tee to photograph his drive. But when he starts to walk down the fairway, that’s when I’ll head for the parking

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lot, pack my gear, and put in for retirement.

Occasionally, out of the blue, he’ll walk up and say: “Hey, Dommie, how many more years of this do we have left?” If you’re reading this Tiger, it’s five. Five more. ▶ the reunion Family of Col. Tiger Phong, Earl Woods’ close friend from Vietnam whom Tiger Woods is named after, visits with Earl, Tida and Tiger at the Woods family home in Cypress, Calif., in 1997.

“I’ve had a front-row seat watching Tiger become a world-class champion.”

rain or shine Woods plays the par-5 13th at the 2004 Masters (above). “Tiger looked miserable at the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club in Straffan, Ireland (left), and that’s how I felt, too. By Sunday, it was the muddiest course I had ever seen—not a blade of grass was left outside the ropes.”

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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GD70 Photography

“The trophies cover was one of the more challenging ones to light.�

tiger slam Woods in 2000 with all his major trophies: Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, U.S. Amateur and PGA Championship.

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behind the scenes I scouted Cascata Golf Club near Las Vegas two weeks before the shoot and had a plastic-pipe scaffolding built for Woods to “walk on water� (below). Photographing Woods for a 2009 cover (above).

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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GD70 Photography

“I’ve photographed personal moments with family and professional highs.”

family ties Woods with former wife, Elin, their children, Sam and Charlie, and dogs in 2009 (above). Butch Harmon and Woods arrive at the Augusta National clubhouse in 1997 (left).

pure joy “I usually photograph the press conference with the winner after a major ends, but when Tiger won the 2005 Open at St. Andrews (below), I decided to wait outside the rear entrance of the media tent hoping to get something different. Sometimes I get lucky.” Woods after winning his fifth Masters and 15th major-championship title, in 2019 (right).

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WEE WONDERS MIDDLE EAST’S

BEST PAR 3s

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FEW ARE SHORT BUT ALL ARE SWEET EXAMPLES OF WORLD-CLASS GOLF DESIGN. WELCOME TO THE MIDDLE EAST’S BEST PAR 3S. BY KENT GRAY

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ith a defence system including (but not limited to) an old railway shed, a grand hotel, heather, a skinny green, a subterranean pot bunker and an equally uncompromising stone wall, the fearsome reputation of the ‘Road Hole’ at St. Andrews is warranted. ▶ If you still need a refresher on why the 17th at the Old Course is the most recognisable hole in golf, search the ‘Sands of Nakajima’ and follow the endless thread. Just don’t say you weren’t forewarned, especially if you are of a nervous disposition in the sand already. ▶ Thankfully you needn’t be a 450-yard par 4 at the Home of Golf to inspire awe. ▶ There’s something about par 3s that trigger the golfing senses.

Picture the 12th at Augusta National, the island greened 17th on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass or to the tiny (f)lick that is the ‘Postage Stamp’ at Royal Troon. How about wedging toward the pounding Atlantic Ocean that backdrops the downhill, 106-yard 7th at Pebble Beach? ▶ In the Middle East, we’re blessed with countless examples of how a good little ‘un often beats a good big ’un. That, of course, begged this, the definitive compilation of the region’s finest short holes. ▶ So what’s the criteria to make the cut in our list of treacherous tiddlers? It’s the same exhaustive process that determines the world’s most respected course rating system, seven categories which reward shot values, design variety, resistance to scoring, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambience. ▶ Our Top 10 Courses in the Middle East 2020 judging panel applied the same criteria to each par 3 at all the courses rated. We then tallied the scores and ranked them accordingly to compile our list from 18 to No.1. A couple of clubs feature more than once, other clubs not at all. Some selections will surprise from courses flush with memorable par 3s. It all serves to emphasise the impartiality of the system. ▶ Without further ado, welcome to the Middle East’s best par 3s, wee wonders all. Enjoy. ▶

18.

16th Royal Greens Golf & Country Club 180 Yards • Stroke Index 16

hit the ball right to left? Welcome to the warm turquoise waters of the Red Sea my friend, a place where Dustin Johnson’s title hopes momentarily took a dip with his ball in the final round of the inaugural Saudi International in 2019. Bail out right and you may still donate your sphere to Davy Jones’ Locker given how tight the green is cut to the wet stuff. Soak in the views while trying not to think about blading your chip or bunker shot.

17.

16th Ayla Golf Club, Jordan

210 Yards • Stroke Index 14 the odds are against even low markers on this downhill, normally downwind hole to a green that slopes away to a back left bunker.

Back right? Water. A pure strike is required to hold the green with the strong prevailing wind lowering ball spin. Come in too low and the ball will find its way to the back or fall into the sand. Gulp.

16.

2nd Fire, Jumeirah Golf Estates 250 Yards • Stroke Index 17

you might be sensing a theme emerging by now and it’s not the fact Fire, like Ayla, came from the design board of Greg Norman, nor that the Shark loves a good bunker. What we are trying to say is, ball striking baby, like, you better be ripping your irons today kinda ball striking. You’ll need something stronger if you play from the tips here, something we strongly advise against. It’s easy enough to drop a shot or three without going further back than most of us travel to work nowadays.

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4th NEWGIZA Golf Club

187 Yards • Stroke Index 13 if you like your golf with a hearty dollop of history, put NEWGIZA (pictured top left) on your must-play list. The signature hole at the Cairo layout - the last project of Thomson Perrett & Lobb - includes elevated views to the Great Pyramids of Giza. Breath-taking.

▶ from left The pyramids are the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and a magnificent distraction at NEWGIZA. The 17th on Earth at Jumeirah Golf Estates ranks highly.

Photographs courtesy of the clubs

14.

10.

212 Yards • Stroke Index 15

224 Yards • Stroke Index 8

17th The Els Club, Dubai

trust us, don’t leave it short on this beastly par-3. Don’t go long either come to think of it. Or right. And definitely not left. Gosh no. Any two putt par, one each of which will be a slippery down or side hiller, is cause for celebration. An up and down par? Well played, Seve.

13.

16th Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club 198 Yards • Stroke Index 17

with views to the Burj Khalifa on the 5th, that big carry over water on the 8th and the equally memorable 14th, you might be surprised by the par 3 that resonated with our judges at DCGYC. But by a fraction, they plumbed for a mid-iron carry over sand to the elevated 16th and a test with the putter. The start of a magical three-hole finish that gives the ‘The Creek’ its name and your card all those big numbers.

12.

12th Abu Dhabi Golf Club

186 Yards • Stroke Index 16

17th Al Zorah Golf Club

we’re huge fans of the short 2nd hole at Al Zorah which tests your mettle early with wetness waiting any weak or pulled (pushed for lefties) strike. We also enjoy the short 15th but for design and resistance to scoring, the 17th at the Golden Bear’s Ajman layout takes some beating. Forget par if you are short here, especially if you draw a sticky lie when the tide is out. All carry, all class from Jack Nicklaus Design.

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15th Majlis, Emirates Golf Club 190 Yards • Stroke Index 14

the final par 3 on the Majlis isn’t dissimilar to the 17th at Al Zorah. This is a hole all about hitting and holding the green because anything short or left will leave a tricky desert lie to an elevated green and likely a frustrating blob on your scorecard.

Beyond the green? Best left for spectating at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

8.

17th Dubai Hills Golf Club

203 Yards • Stroke Index 2 the green here isn’t tiny but boy, how magnetic is that water short? And that sand left and right. Heck, we’ve even bounced it off the boulders at the back trying to take all the other hazards out of play. Like the 7th on The National, this is another gem from Harradine Design.

Which leads us too…

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8th JA The Resort Golf Course 177 Yards • Stroke Index 15

club selection is critical from the elevated tee where you are treated to lovely views over the resort’s marina and out to the Arabian Sea. With water wrapping around the left side of the green, it’s easy to find sand right and then leave your bunker escape short for fear of a thin into the H2O beyond. A seemingly simple hole where dropped shots are not uncommon.

few of the holes in our selection have a single figure stroke index rating.

A clear exception to that coincidence is the penultimate hole at Dubai Hills. Good players will look to draw the ball away from the water that hugs the right-hand side of this hole but even low handicappers will be frustrated by a poor strike or an untimely gust at some point. Brutal!

7.

17th Saadiyat Beach Golf Club 147 Yards • Stroke Index 15

framed by the white sands and the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf, the penultimate hole at Gary Player’s Abu Dhabi masterpiece scored well for aesthetics. It also resonated with our judges for resistance to scoring despite being a mere flick most days. Proof that par 3s needn’t be monsters to be memorable.

▶ clockwise from top The picturesque 7th on the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club; Don’t be tempted by any pin cut right on the 17th at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; The majestic 17th at Yas Links Abu Dhabi; The 9th hole at Dubai Hills where countless tee shots have found water and countless more the bailout area to the left of the green (as pictured).

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4.

7th Majlis, Emirates Golf Club 186 yards • Stroke Index 15

the second of the memorable collection of par 3s imagined into life

by Karl Litten on the Majlis more than 30 years ago wouldn’t be out of place today at one of the UK’s famous old parkland courses. Beware the false front ready to suck your ball back into the lake and don’t be surprised if you face a lengthy first putt. And a knee-knocker for par. Or bogey.

3.

17th Earth, Jumeirah Golf Estates 195 Yards • Stroke Index 8

it’s the uae’s answer to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass and like The Players Championship, the penultimate hole on Earth regularly has its say in the outcome of the Race to Dubai decider, often with a incredible escape from one of the bunkers. Club selection can be tricky if the wind is swirling. Par here is never to be sniffed at.

MIDDLE EAST’S

6.

BEST PAR 3s

11th Al Mouj Golf

230 Yards • Stroke Index 13 the island-style green on the 5th at Greg Norman’s Muscat gem makes for a memorable par 3 but it can only doff its cap to the 11th where the green seemingly melds into the horizon. Don’t be distracted by those dreamy Sea of Oman vistas…you’re going to need a pure blow to escape with par or better here.

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9th Dubai Hills Golf Club

220 Yards • Stroke Index 3 they clearly like their par 3s tough at Dubai Hills as witnessed by the two entries in our list, including the stroke 2 17th. The 9th is the most picturesque of the memorable collection of par 3s (we like No.2 as well) and, at 220 yards from the tips, is not for the faint of heart. We’d love a dirham for every water ball and two for every bailout right (left as pictured).

2.

17th Trump International Golf Club, Dubai 156 Yards • Stroke Index 18

designer gil hanse clearly got the memo on the beauty of short, short holes.

It’s easy to be sucked in by any pin cut to the front right of this cleverly sculpted green. Anything short is a bogey-plus in the making and good luck negotiating that shallow wee bunker beyond the green too.

The sage option is to aim for the middle of the green and take your chances with the flat stick.

1.

17th Yas Links Abu Dhabi

204 Yards • Stroke Index 13 the downhill 4th, the nifty 8th, the pretty little uphill 13th. All stunning. But the penultimate hole at Kyle Phillips’ Abu Dhabi masterpiece? In a different league.

Any tee ball other than a green finder leaves a devilishly difficult up and down. A par here will linger in the memory, as will the social media mementos you snapped with your phone camera from the tee.

And looking from beyond the green back towards the tee. It’s majestic from every angle and in every sense. june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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GD70 Comedy

Lots of Laughs Stories and lines we can’t forget

—mike o’malley 18 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

gutter credit tk

funny stories.

They’re as much a part of golf as birdies and bogeys. Through the years, Golf Digest has been lucky enough to share time with some of the legendary storytellers and characters in the game. Senior Writer Guy Yocom deserves special recognition for his My Shot series of interviews, prominent here with excerpts from other amazing features and columns through the decades. Something you’ll notice: One of the most appealing qualities of good jokesters is the ability to laugh at themselves as well as with others. And the best part? Our team of writers and photographers keep adding to the comedic moments, month by month.

AWKWARD, EMBARRASSING MOMENTS Billy Harmon

l arry david: emily shur • brandel chamblee: darren carroll

dealing with dad august 1997

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ad [1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon] had a way of making you put your foot in your mouth before you realised you’d even untied your shoes. I remember once poking fun at him at the Masters. I was caddieing for Jay Haas, wearing that nice, white caddie uniform they give you, and Dad was out on the range with us watching Jay hit balls. I looked over at Dad and noticed that his Masters jacket looked a little worse for wear. The club patch was torn and peeling off, and the lapels had a few stains on them.

“Dad,” I whispered, “you’re

a former Masters champion.

Just look at the condition of that green coat. You really ought to take a little more pride in that coat.”

Without hesitating, he said, “Bill, you just worry about that little white tuxedo you’ve got on, and I’ll take care of my green coat.”

Then there was the time in 1972 he was getting ready to meet a Golf Digest photographer for a cover-story photo shoot. The story would be titled “I Can Get You Out of Sand With One Hand.” Dad had on this bright orange cardigan sweater and these blue-andwhite pants that looked like they were made from curtains.

“Dad,” I said, “you knew they were coming down to put you on the cover of the magazine. Is that the best outfit you can come up with?”

“Bill, I’ll tell you what,” he said. “When you get on the cover of Golf Digest, you can wear whatever you want to.”

As humbling as those comebackers were, my most embar-

rassing moment was when I was playing a sand shot in a tournament with Dad looking on. The greenside bunker was on the edge of the course’s property line. Just across the road was a church with a couple of stained-glass windows facing the course. Now, I’m the son of the man on the cover of Golf Digest who is saying, “I Can Get You Out of the Sand With One Hand.” What do I do? I skull that shot out of the sand, over the green, across the road, and through one of those stained-glass windows. Just as I hear it crashing through the glass, Dad shouts, “Light a couple of candles for me!”

Brandel Chamblee

a change in strategy june 2012

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ractice round, 1995 British Open at St. Andrews. Justin Leonard and I are playing Mark Brooks and Bob Estes.

It’s an all-University of Texas

affair, and we’re having a great time. We come to the 16th, a short par 4. I hit driver, and Mark raises his eyebrows, walks over and really scolds me. “What are you thinking?” he says. “You never hit driver here. If you drive it into one of those Principal’s Nose bunkers or the Deacon Sime bunker beyond it, you can be there forever. There’s O.B. right, you’ve got those bunkers, and hitting driver is the stupidest thing you can do. The right play is a 4-iron.”

Fast-forward to Sunday.

I hadn’t played well and was back home watching the finish on TV. Mark is tied for the lead standing on the 16th tee, and what club does he pull? That’s right, his driver. He hits into the Deacon Sime bunker, makes double bogey and finishes one shot out of the John DalyCostantino Rocca playoff.

Now, I can’t wait to see Mark, and two months later I run into him at the Buick Open in Michigan. He’s walking one way, head down,

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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GD70 Comedy

and I’m coming the other, and when he gets five steps from me he says—without lifting his head and without stopping— “Don’t say an effing word.

The situation had changed.”

recognised me in the gallery, used me as his straight man as he wisecracked with the galleries. “Look at the longhaired photographer,” he’d say.

“I’ll bet he smoked a pound of marijuana last night.” The gallery would roar, then Lee would look at me and wink.

We both understood it was all about entertainment.

Henrik Stenson a caddie’s bad day september 2014

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Larry David

joining riviera when o.j. simpson was a member october 2015

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joined in 1994. I’m there a month before the O.J. murders. I saw him in the dining room the day of the murder. . . . My biggest concern after the acquittal was running into him in a restaurant with Laurie [David’s ex-wife]. One time I asked her

Verne Lundquist a couple goes o.b. may 2017

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what she would do if she saw him eating. She said, “I would stand up, point to him and scream, ‘Murderer!’ ” And I said, “Well, we’re not going out to dinner for quite some time.”

Peter Alliss

word choices april 1997

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still try to use the right word. Bunker, not trap. And I never say “backside.” Once I listened to somebody say, “Here is Faldo at 14 with the wind gusting from his rear.” That conjures up a nice picture, doesn’t it?

Jon Rahm

facing pressure learning the game as a kid in spain june 2017

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e would go from one shot to another until someone got closest to the hole six times.

But if you were at zero when that happened, there were punishments, like going

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around the putting green twice on your knees, which is not easy. But the worst one was the guys with zero had to drop their pants, underwear and all, to their ankles, and couldn’t pull them up until they won a hole. You did not want to be at zero when someone at five would chip it close. That was not just pressure, that was absolute fear. Trust me, that was a lot worse than having a putt to win a tournament.

I never had to drop my pants, but I came close.

Walter Iooss Jr.

‘long-haired photographer’ august 2018

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ee trevino, you couldn’t take a bad picture of him. The photograph of him wearing a pith helmet, holding a snake in one hand and a hatchet in the other shortly before he won the 1971 U.S. Open at Merion, I shot that. More than 40 years later, I shot him posing with a snake for Golf Digest.

Over the years, Lee always

here’s a passage in Dan Jenkins’ great novel Dead Solid Perfect in which the protagonist’s wife is caught getting it on by a TV network camera on the remote part of a golf course during a tournament. It’s based on a real incident, one that I witnessed. I’m at Colonial one year, at the 15th, a par 4 with a row of trees along the corner of the dogleg. The final group passes through, and the gallery moves with it, and that’s the last viewers saw from that camera. But privately, the camera lingers, and what do we see but a man and woman strolling up under the shade of the trees, where they proceed to get to know each other better.

For a good 15 minutes, the two of them take romance to new heights. Eventually they finish, but the camera stays with them as they amble up the 16th hole, to the 17th tee and finally the clubhouse, where, after exchanging winks and nods, they rejoin two people who clearly are their respective spouses.

The network guys have a devilish sense of humor and decided to make a film production of it. One of the guys allegedly took the tape with him onto one of the aircraft carriers heading out into the Pacific Ocean to retrieve some astronauts after splashdown. To entertain the crew.

lee trevino: walter iooss jr.

rue story from the European Tour: A well-known caddie was running to catch a train to get to a tournament. There was little time to spare, and he had to go to the bathroom very badly. Just as he gets to the train station, he trips and falls. The impact jars everything loose.

Disaster. Fortunately, there’s a clothing shop at the station. He shuffles in and buys a track suit, ignoring the wrinkled-up nose of the salesperson.

He barely makes the train.

Once the train was underway, he goes into the bathroom, takes off every piece of his clothing and throws it out the window. He removes the track suit from the bag and finds, to his horror, that the suit is missing the pants portion. So he turns the top upside down, forces his legs into the sleeves, zips it up and returns to his seat, topless. For hours he absorbs glares from strangers and the conductors.

When he arrived at the tournament, he could barely speak for two days. A posttraumatic-stress situation.

Deane Beman

a high school kid plays in the u.s. open march 2005

I

convinced my teachers that I didn’t have to take final exams, and I went out a week early to play [in the 1955 Open at Olympic]. Junior in high school. I get out on the practice tee, I’m by myself.

Hogan hasn’t arrived yet. I’m out hitting balls, and back then you brought your own practice balls. My practice balls were a real grab bag. Pretty soon, I hear a rustling behind me, and up comes an entourage with Hogan. The caddie has a brand-new box—a big box— of Titleists. The caddie cuts the box open and dumps the sleeves of brand-new balls.

Pretty soon, another guy walks in front of me, and it’s Bo Wininger. And he’s got this shag bag of all brand-new balls. Wininger hits about 10 balls, and now I’m down to a 4-wood. I hit this one ball that’s got a cut in it. It takes off, and you could hear this pfffft! Wininger looks over his shoulder, looks at me, looks down at the golf balls I’ve got, and he says, “Son, aren’t you afraid one of those things is going to explode?”

Dan Jenkins

dealing with a critic 1994

david feherty: j.d. cuban

B

ack in 1970, I strongly suggested in print that Arnold Palmer should have won the PGA instead of Dave Stockton, then a member of the tour’s invisible rank and file. Stockton didn’t appreciate it, and legend has it that during a tournament in New Jersey, he went up to Bob Drum, and in a rather fierce tone of voice said, “Is Jenkins here? I want to talk to him!”

Calmly, Drum said, “I don’t think he’s coming this week.

Whom shall I say is asking?”

TEMPER TANTRUMS

Lou Holtz

David Feherty

A

driving over his clubs with his car after blowing a tournament november 2015

I

drove over them lengthwise so that I got all of them from grip to clubhead. Unfortunately, my watch was still in there.

Peter Dobereiner

salvaging a putter april 2009

t lake nona one day I had the yips something terrible, and I tossed my putter in the lake.

Somebody fished it out and decided to donate it to a charity auction. They asked me to sign it, and I wrote, Great putter.

Does not float. Coach Lou Holtz.

Fetched a good price, too.

bernard darwin’s unfortunate partner january 1978

D

arwin was justly famous for his writings on golf, and equally notorious for his abominable temper on the course. It is always said that Darwin was completely unaware afterward what he had done or said in these

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moments of passion, unlikely though that may seem. He must, surely, have known what he was up to when he was playing in a foursomes match in a tournament with an inept partner and he accosted a perfect stranger who happened to be out for a walk on the links. “It may interest you to know, sir,” said Darwin through clenched teeth, “that I am tied to a turd.”

BETTING AND GAMESMANSHIP Jack Nicholson

rules to live by december 2007

I

don’t always observe them, but I use them for amusement: 1. No double bogeys on the first six holes.

2. I don’t gamble. But if we must gamble, I only collect, I don’t pay.

3. Under pressure, I’ll cheat ya.

4. Any green in regulation, the second putt is called goo-oo-ood.

Rudy Duran

playing with nicholson and dennis hopper december 2007

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Jack NicholsoN: Nigel Parry

W

e were on the ninth hole at Sherwood Country Club. Hopper hits his ball in a creek and goes to look for it. He’s stomping around in there and chases out a bunch of quail. Now Hopper comes running out, yelling “Oh my God!” with this load of quail flying around his head—just as Jack is swinging! Jack’s ball goes off a quail, off a tree, bounces on a rock, and finally rolls into the creek.

He watches it go in there and finally says, “Even I gotta take a stroke on that one.”

time he shot a 96. And he said, “Mr. Armour, I’ve played two days with you, and I would really appreciate any comments you have about my golf game.” Armour looked at him a minute and then said, “I think you’re a shot better in blue.”

Caddie Mark Long getting the best of seve september 2012

M Samuel L. Jackson

how to beat hogan december 2005

I

’ve read how hard it was to beat Ben Hogan. The old guys talk about how Hogan would give them the silent treatment. If it had been me, I would have fought back.

Along the 15th hole, I would have hidden his cigarettes.

Mia Parnevik

how to meet a husband september 2002

M

samuel l. jackson: ben van hook

y girlfriend and I wanted to dance with Jesper’s friend.

Jesper and his friend wanted to dance with my friend. Jesper and his buddy flipped a coin.

Jesper lost, and he got me.

CAN YOU TAKE A JOKE? Ken Venturi

a big tip from sinatra december 2004 / august 2013

F

rank sinatra and I were waiting for our car to be brought up

after dinner. A kid brings the car and hands me the keys.

I reach for my money clip, but Frank pushes my hand aside. “Kid, in the whole time you’ve been doing this, what’s the most you’ve ever been tipped?” The kid kind of blushes and says, “A hundred dollars, Mr. Sinatra.” Frank pulls off two C-notes and says, “Here’s two hundred. Have a nice night.”

The young man is ecstatic.

Frank, obviously proud of himself, says to the kid, “By the way, who tipped you the hundred bucks?” The kid says, “You, Mr. Sinatra, when you were here last week.”

Dave Marr

a pro-am gone bad november 1982

T

he best one i remember hearing involved Tommy Armour, who was acute, to say the least, in his observations of people. He was playing in a pro-am with a guy who showed up the first day in an all-blue outfit, including his bag and headcovers—even his shoes. And he shot a 95.

The next day he came out in an all-red outfit—bag, shirt, shoes, everything—and this

y nickname on tour is Seve because I do a pretty good imitation of Seve Ballesteros— I’ve done it on television, at tournament parties and had a lot of fun doing it with Seve when people could close their eyes and not tell us apart. One of my favorite Seve stories is when he was a young player just starting to get appearance fees around the world. He was playing in Europe, and Pete Coleman, who caddied for Bernhard Langer for years, was working for Seve. Back then you had your own shag bag and balls. Pete goes out and shags balls, and Seve typically is hitting a few in the bushes. Pete comes back and drops the balls down, and Seve counts ’em and says, “Pete, you’re six balls short—you owe me for six balls.”

The next day, Pete goes by the range early and picks up two dozen extra balls and shoves them in his pockets.

Later he goes out with Seve.

Seve’s firing a few in the junk, and Pete’s not even going in to look for them. He comes back in, dumps out the bag, Seve counts the balls—and there are 14 extra. Pete says, “You owe me for 14 balls, Seve.”

Tim Mickelson

a bad bet with brother phil january 2016

P

hil is seven years older than me, so when we played football

indoors, he’d level the playing field—a little. He had to play on his knees, and I got to run.

He had to tackle me, and I just had to two-hand touch him.

He’d hike the ball to himself, and just when I’d go to touch him, he’d toss the ball in the air and claim the touch didn’t count because the ball was airborne. He did a lot of stuff like that. He always won.

One afternoon it was so hot outside we stayed in the houseboat. Phil had taught me how to play poker—for money—and all I had was a small bucket full of pennies.

I left to use the bathroom, and when I came back, Phil dealt me a straight flush, king-high.

I ran to my room, got the bucket and dumped the whole thing into the pot. Phil calls the bet and reveals he’s got a royal flush. Imagine that.

He took every penny.

Much later, he admitted he’d stacked the deck when I left the room. He bought me a lot of dinners to make up for it. But he never did give me my pennies back.

Casey Martin

tiger’s weakness as a dancer may 2001

H

e’s got nothing.

He’s got no game.

And I love him. He’s the greatest at his sport— maybe ever. I mean, there might not be another athlete who is as dominant at their sport as Tiger is. However, you’ve got Michael Jordan crossing over, playing other sports. Tiger will never cross over to be a basketball player, or anything else.

I remember Notah [Begay] and I were in Sigma Chi fraternity as seniors [at Stanford], and Tiger had pledged Sigma Chi as a freshman. At some of the parties, I’d come and kind of sit up on the stairs overlooking this big mosh pit where everyone would dance. I’ll

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never forget one time a bunch of us were having a grand time watching Tiger dance. You know a guy that’s so dominant, you’ve got to bring him down a little. You’ve got to look for his weakness and really expose it.

I think we found it: dancing.

It’s a bad deal.

Mark O’Meara

tiger the fisherman january 1999

us over for the day. This stayed with you all day long, as you can imagine. The heartburn alone was unbelievable. And by the way, there’s not much of a taste with goldfish—just a little bitter.

Peter Dobereiner

the woes of legendary writer and broadcaster henry longhurst october 1978

I

’ll never forget the first time we went out fishing. I asked Tiger, “Have you ever thrown a big cast?” He says, “Oh, yeah, I can throw. Sure. No problem.” I took out my rod and gave it to him. He throws it, and it’s . . . linguini.”

ALCOHOL WAS INVOLVED Jack Nicklaus

beer and other delights august 2003 / april 2004

I

’m not much of a drinker at all. Today, I might have three beers over the course of a year, if that. Sure, when I was younger, I was like a lot of college kids. I tried to drink all the beer in Columbus.

Then I found out they just kept making more.

And I could eat! At Lafayette, La., where they played the Cajun Classic in the early ’60s, I’d go crazy for oysters. There’s a picture of me from that period hoisting a big fork full of oysters into my mouth. I put away eight dozen oysters, went back to the hotel and changed, then went out to dinner, where I ate two dozen more oysters before the entree arrived.

Yes, I could put the food away. During Hell Week at Ohio State, for breakfast each day they made us eat a garlic bud, tie an onion around our neck and eat a few goldfish to tide

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H

e accumulated a huge stockpile of anecdotes, many of them of a disreputable nature, which made him the most wonderful talker I have ever met. I once sat up all night while Longhurst and Alistair Cooke swapped stories. It was like a tennis match as they capped each other’s offering for hour after hour while I just poured the gin and listened.

As I know all too well,

following the golf trail is not all beer and skittles, and Longhurst also suffered private tragedies which must have made the cheerful tone of his writing excessively difficult to sustain.

Later, after a good recovery, I asked him about his health.

“I have to go back every three months for a checkup,” he said. “I always ask for the last appointment of the day so that if the prognosis is unfavorable, the pubs will be open.”

Steve Elkington

craig stadler’s magic jacket june 2004

W

e were flying together a few years ago, so we switched up with someone so we could sit together.

“Wanna beer?” he asks me.

“Of course,” I said. So, he reaches inside his jacket and pulls out two beers, one for him and one for me.

Little while later, he says, “Want another beer?” I said, “Yeah, let me get the lady’s attention.” He says, “No, we don’t need any flight attendant.”

He reaches in the other side of his jacket, and pulls out two more beers. He must have had a case on him. We drank his jacket.

CLASSIC PUNCHLINES The USGA’s Tom Meeks

a special ruling at augusta june 2004

jack nickl aus: chris buck • mark long: brian kelly

C

harlie yates at Augusta National tells of Bob Jones’ dad being pressed into service as a rules official in one of the early years of the Masters. It had rained hard the night before the final round, and at the 12th hole a player requested relief from casual water. The Colonel asked him where he stood in the tournament.

“Eighteen over,” the player says. The Colonel says, “Hell, do anything you want,” and walks away.

Cal Brown

the greenbrier and the homestead september 1970

T

he style at both places has always been very much ladies

and gentlemen. But not all of The Greenbrier ladies were so sedate. There were the Langhorne sisters, one of whom, Irene, married Charles Dana Gibson and became the original Gibson girl. Nancy became Lady Astor and was on the receiving end of at least one Winston Churchill classic.

“If I were your wife,” spat Lady Astor, “I should put arsenic in your coffee.”

Growled Churchill: “And if I were your husband, madam, I should drink it.”

Caddie Mark Long the legend of bullet bob burns september 2012

O

ne of my favorite player/caddie combos was Fulton Allem and Bullet Bob. Bullet is a pretty

tough guy. The story has it that Bullet grew up with Bob Costas on Long Island, and in grade school Costas used to buy Bullet lunch all the time—though not necessarily voluntarily. Bullet and Fulty were made for each other. Their skin’s so thick it’s more like armor. Fulty was having a terrible day and said, “Bullet, I’m so frustrated, I just want to break something.”

Without hesitating, Bullet said: “How about par?”

Leonard Lyons

bing crosby bests bob hope november 1965

T

he two stars once were paired in a tournament, and their scores for 17 holes were identical. Hope, lining up his putt on the 18th green, asked the caddie: “Was the grass cut this

morning?” The caddie nodded. Hope putted, and missed.

Crosby lined up his putt, studied the grass, and then asked the caddie: “What time this morning?”

Turk Pipkin

a family friend visits dad in the hospital march 2005

“T

here’s good news and there’s bad news,” Marshall said.

“Good news first,” my father replied.

“Well, it turns out there is golf in heaven. We’ve got a track just like Pebble Beach.”

“That’s great,” my dad said with a smile. “So what’s the bad news?”

“You and I are playing Hogan and Jesus at 8 a.m.”

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David Feherty

a lesson learned from christy o’connor sr. november 1992

R

emember that 90 percent of the people don’t care what you shot, and the other 10 percent wish it was more.

DISAGREEMENTS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS & INSULTS Larry Nelson

Arnold said, “You know what’s going to happen here, don’t you? They’re going to cancel the round because Jack is eight over.” And just as he said it, Jack walked in behind him and heard him say it.

Jim Thorpe, when I first met him, said to me that we “Frenchmen” had to stick together out there. He and I were on the bench as Jack walked in. I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but when Jack gets nervous or angry, he has a little twitch he does with his chin, and he goes bright red. Well, he did both. And as he walked past, he said, “Yeah, Arnold, just like they

did for you all those times.”

At that, Jim Thorpe turned to me and said, “Newtie, this is no place for we Frenchmen.

There’s an argument going on between God and Jesus Christ, so we better get out of here!”

Bob Rosburg

thrown under the bus december 2002

T

he senior tour has small events for the guys who are too old to compete. It’s a beautiful thing.

The first three I played in, the average age of my partners was 88. I had Paul Runyan,

Freddie Haas and Sam Snead.

Snead, as usual, was a beauty.

After nine holes, he said, “I’m real embarrassed by how I’m playing—I’m going in.” I said, “Sam, it’s your choice, but they’re paying us $12,000 even if we finish last. So what do you say? Let’s finish.”

Sam gives in, and I proceed to birdie 10, 11, 13, 15 and 16.

We’re tied for the lead, and suddenly Sam is all pumped up. I three-putted the last hole, and we lost by one. The next day in the paper, I read a quote

by Sam: “If Rossie wouldn’t have three-putted the last hole, we could have won the tournament.”

life on the mini-tours after taking up the game late in life may 2008

I

knew very little about the rules and proper etiquette.

In one tournament, I hit my ball down in a hazard.

I went in and started picking up rocks, sticks and stuff so I could hit the ball. One of the guys I was playing with stood there, stunned. I started to pick up a leaf and said, “Can I move this leaf?” He stared at me for a minute and said, “If you pick up that leaf, you’ll be lying 12.”

Jack Newton

trouble between nicklaus and palmer june 2008

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l arry nelson: ben van hook

J

ack was always my idol. The crowd always pulled for Arnie against Jack, but Jack put up with it. I remember sitting in a clubhouse when Nicklaus and Palmer had a bit of a blue [an argument]. I played early with Arnold. We came into the locker room, and a storm started to brew. Anyway, the storm got worse, and the players were called in. Jack was something like eight over par playing the ninth hole.

Peter Andrews

TO TELL THE TRUTH

T

Colin Jost

a reckoning at st. andrews july 1990

hat the scots are dry and quick of speech is legendary. Their talk is the conversational equivalent of the poisoned ear dagger. You can be dead on the ground before you know you’ve even been hit.

My grandmother was known to alienate entire wings of our family wishing them a happy Christmas. I was struck by this when I went into one of St. Andrews’ many fine bookstores. I counted seven but there are more, I am sure.

I bought a couple of Balzac novels to read on the plane home. When I took them to the woman at the counter she wrapped them for me and observed crisply, “I see. An American comes to Scotland to buy French novels. It seems an Irish thing to do.”

For those of you who are connoisseurs of such matters, as I am, note the deftness of stroke and economy of line. In a single aside, a white-haired lady from a small town in Scotland managed to dismiss the United States of America, the Republic of Ireland and the literature of France. Well bowled, madam, well bowled.

Jackie Burke Jr. a tip gone wrong may 2004

colin jost: andrew hetherington

W

hen i taught at Metropolis Country Club in New York, there was a fellow who shanked chip shots, nothing else. The man smoked a pipe, and after a lot of thought I began placing his best pipe just outside his ball. He was terrified of hitting the pipe with the toe of the club, you see, and I cured him quick. I was telling this story in Houston not long ago, and a member overheard it and

opening with a golf joke october 2015

A

disappeared. He came back an hour later and placed his pipe, which was shattered to bits, in front of me. “Your tip doesn’t work for long irons,” he said.

Lee Trevino

estimating gallery iq february 1978

O

ne time I’m walkin’ off the 15th with Nicklaus.

Big gallery. Just as we get through the ropes, this big, doe-eyed blonde steps right in front of Jack and coos, “I just love to watch you play . . .

Johnny!” I’ll never forget the look on Jack’s face. I tell him, “Make two more birdies and you tie her IQ.”

Henry Longhurst benevolent dictators at golf clubs september 1976

M

y british benevolent dictator, and he really did dictate, was the late J.F. Abercromby, universally known as Aber and certainly one of the outstanding architects in all golf. About 40 years my senior, he used to wear a green velour porkpie hat and habitually carried under his arm an ancient wooden putter. We younger members were in considerable awe of him. I was standing beside him at the bar at Addington one Sunday morning when a member came in and pre-emptively demanded of the steward, “Where’s the suggestion book?” Aber turned slowly and prodded the luckless fellow with a bony finger. Then, pointing to himself, he said, “I’m the suggestion book!”

That’s the way to run a golf club.

s a matter of fact, the first joke I ever told on stage was a golf joke. It was a comedy club in downtown Manhattan, and I opened with this story about playing golf with my dad on a family trip to Arizona. The course was built around Native American land, and certain out-of-bounds was marked as burial ground. Signs read, “If you hit a golf ball into the sacred burial ground, please leave it as a sign of respect.”

This struck me as so funny and ridiculous. As in, a chieftain spirit could get bonked in the head with a golf ball and be like, Thank you, this is such a nice token of your affection.

Or if you’re going to hit a minority with a golf ball, at least let them keep the ball.

The bit got a good laugh. I kept telling it for a while.

Jim Furyk

going bald, and other worries november 1999

S

tarted losing hair in college. My dad’s mother pulled me aside last Christmas and said, “You know, they have drugs for that now. Then she said, real quiet, “But you gotta be careful . . . might decrease your sexual appetite.”

Gary Player

diet confession october 2002

I

t’s true: You are what you eat. The worst single food in the world is bacon, because it’s pure animal fat.

But I have a piece on occasion.

I’m not a martyr.

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Instruction

How to . . .

The game’s greats share their insights on playing better golf OLF DIGEST published its first article on how to play this magnificent and infuriating game in the spring of 1950. Fittingly, it was titled “How to putt.”

Can’t get that right, the editors must have figured, and there’s no sense in learning the rest. ▶ But since that time, the rest has been covered in this magazine by a Hall of Fame list of regular contributors including Byron Nelson, Paul Runyan, Harvey Penick, Sam Snead, Bob Toski, Davis Love Jr., Jack Nicklaus, John Jacobs, Jim Flick, Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, Tom Watson, Jim McLean, Michael Breed and Tiger Woods. ▶ As part of our 70th-anniversary celebration, we’re republishing one insightful instruction article from each decade of Golf Digest’s existence (see golfdigestme.com for our 2010s tip from Rory McIlroy). These articles come from the player who was the most dominant during that respective time. We hope you enjoy (and learn from) this step back in time. —RON KASPRISKE

G

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1950s

GD70

“The left arm continues to be straight all through the backswing.”

Creating Consistency How to develop a swing that repeats

BY BEN HOGAN

GRIP

▶ The union of the two hands must be right and constant—or all else is lost.

POSTURE

▶ This is how you stand: right foot straight, left toe pointing out, knees slightly flexed, back straight.

ARMS

▶ The position of the arms is very important. From the clubhead to the left shoulder, there should be but one hinge— at the hands. With the left arm firm and the right arm loose, you can be assured of always coming back to the ball in the same place. The right elbow points to the body.

BACKSWING

▶ The left arm continues to be straight all through the backswing. This permits the clubhead to travel the greatest distance. The right elbow points to the ground at the top of the backswing.

THROUGH-SWING

EVELOPING a good golf swing is a helluva tough chore—at least it was for me. First, you must gather all the material, sift through it, and throw away what’s not good for you. It’s something like making a mulligan stew. ▶ However, there are several fundamentals that are applicable to everyone.

These fundamentals are particularly important in developing a swing that repeats. And after all, that is what every golfer should strive for—a swing that will work the same all the time. I think anyone who does not have a physical disability can be a 70s-shooter. But he or she has to want to do it—and must work at it. Here are the fundamentals:

D

Photograph by Yale Joel/Getty Images

▶ As you swing through the ball the right arm straightens and— most important—the body follows the swing.

I’ve noticed one thing that all good golfers do and all bad golfers do not do: The good ones have their left wrist leading at impact. It seems a small thing, but I’ve found it to be true. At impact, the left wrist of a good golfer is slightly [bowed], while that of a poor golfer is generally concave.

Which are you?

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How the Swing Feels to Me Today’s greatest golfer lays down a set of rules that any player may follow to an improved game by arnold palmer

eginning golfers must learn sooner or later that the game is made up of feels or sensations. It’s only through feeling that certain things are correct that a novice will be able to grasp the significance of what I’m writing about. ▶ What I intend to put over in this article is an idea of how I feel as I get ready to hit and when I swing. This could be used as a guide for playing the game, one especially helpful to golfers new to the game. Certain parts of it also should be of aid to the more advanced player.

B

THE GRIP as i place my left hand on the club preparatory to taking the grip, I grasp the handle fairly lightly. The pressure on all the fingers is about the same, but I push on the shaft with my left thumb, which is placed over and slightly on the right side of the grip. My left hand rests more on the top of the club than on the left side.

I feel that if I would swing the club with only my left hand, I would hit the ball with the back of that hand facing the target.

I use an overlapping grip and advise most strong people to do the same. I place my right hand on the club so that my left thumb fits snugly into the groove of my right palm.

The little finger of my right hand laces over the forefinger of my left hand. My right thumb is on top of the shaft, favoring the left side.

Should I open my hands after I take my grip, the palms would be directly opposite each other. The palm of the right hand would face the target. This gives me a feeling that my hands are in one piece; meaning being in direct opposition to each other, the result is a neutral feeling with

30 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

neither more powerful than the other.

As I look down after taking the grip and placing the clubhead on the ground, I see only the first knuckle of my left hand. The pressure on all fingers is about the same, except slightly greater for the two thumbs and the right forefinger. The latter finger controls the swing, and I can feel its pressure on the shaft more than any of the other fingers, including the thumbs.

◀

THE STANCE the stance I use for driving is slightly closed, with the right foot withdrawn about an inch more than the left from the intended line of flight.

To provide a firmer base for my swing, I turn my right heel out somewhat. That puts it at almost a 90-degree angle to the intended line of the ball’s flight. I can feel pressure on the instep of my right foot. This gives me a steadier feeling at the top of my backswing. (More on my a power platform “If you want to swing as hard as I do, you need to make sure you’ve got your legs underneath you.”

“As you get ready to swing, at no time should your motion completely stop.” backswing in a moment.)

My feet are about shoulder width apart for a driver, but not perpendicular to my shoulders. A line drawn from the outer tip of my right shoulder straight down would touch the ground inside my right heel. A similar line from the outer tip of my left shoulder would touch near the centre of my left heel.

My knees are slightly flexed at address to keep my body loose and pliable and ready to give the ball a resounding smack. A little more weight is placed on the left foot than the right.

Both of my elbows are slightly “broken” to accentuate an easy feeling in my arms.

◀

THE BACKSWING an important thing to keep in mind as you get ready to swing is that at no time should your motion completely stop. When you freeze over the ball, you have a difficult time getting started again smoothly.

The forward press is an essential part of this theory.

However, in my case since my weight is slightly forward at address, you might call it a reverse press. I merely shift some weight to the right foot, then forward again. This gives me a fluid feeling and helps set my feet for the swing.

Before doing this, I like to flip the club back from the ball.

This helps give me the feeling of a secure grip on the club.

At the start of the swing, I make a conscious effort to move smoothly, keeping the clubhead low and almost dragging it along the ground.

I’m careful not to let my hands get ahead of the clubhead as coordinated move “To the untrained eye, my club, body and arms are moving independently. But I’m trying to move them as one unit.” june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

31

GD70 1960s

“I do not consciously wait for any certain moment to uncock my wrists.” fight the right “As you swing down, be sure to keep your right hand from controlling the action too soon. Save it for impact.”

they are about halfway into the backswing. However, a beginner should be content with only a medium wrist break. This helps in keeping the swing under control.

Upon reaching the top of the backswing, I make sure that my grip remains secure. It’s at this point that many novices let go of the club to obtain a bigger swing. Trust me, that doesn’t work.

◀

THE DOWNSWING

I swing back, however.

Early in the swing, I’m conscious of coordinating arm, shoulder and body movements into a one-piece action. In other words, there is no independent moving or twisting of the forearms in the backswing.

As I swing back, my chin plays an important part—odd as that may seem. If I keep my chin from moving up or down,

my backswing will remain on the same plane. And if I do not move it laterally away from the target, I will not sway.

By tucking my right elbow in close to my side at the start, I keep the path of the clubhead inside the shot at all times.

This helps make my swing compact, and there is a feeling that everything, especially my shoulders and hips, turn on the backswing. Beginning

32 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

golfers should concentrate on keeping the left arm straight throughout the swing.

I believe this reduces the margin of error.

A natural turn away from the ball will bring the clubhead back inside the proposed line of flight. With my wrists loose, I make no conscious effort to break them at any particular time. They will probably start to break (or cock) when

before i start back to the ball from the top of the backswing, I have a definite feeling that I make a slight pause.

I wouldn’t exactly say that it’s a conscious pause, merely a gathering of my forces for the swing at the ball.

The golfer who does this will not be tempted to hurry his downswing, thus destroying rhythm.

Starting down, I am conscious of unwinding the muscles on my left side, which were coiled on the backswing.

I feel that I’m inside the shot, and that my swing is compact with no extraneous movements. My left arm is straight and my right elbow moves back to my right side as quickly as possible.

The thing to avoid at all costs is letting the right hand take over at this point. This would result in wasting power by uncocking the wrists too soon. To combat this, I make sure I retain a firm grip with my left hand.

Photographs show that I do not straighten my wrists until near impact. However, I must honestly admit that I do not consciously wait for any certain moment to uncock my wrists. The action is simply too fast to be thought about. Like

head case “I can’t emphasise enough the importance of a steady head throughout the swing.

It’s key to hitting solid shots.”

much in the downswing, It just happens.

As I reflect, the feeling that I get near and at impact is that my hands are ahead of the ball.

My left hand guides the club, but the right hand supplies the power of the hit.

I get a feeling of pushing off from the inside of my right foot as I strike the ball. My weight shifts naturally to the left, but remember that this is the result of a proper pivot— not the cause.

During all of this time, it’s imperative that the head be kept steady. This might seem a foolishly simple thing to think about—but it isn’t. A steady head assures a steady swing, one that does not raise or lower from the normal plane.

◀

THE FOLLOW-THROUGH as my follow-through begins, I feel that everything has gone through the ball.

It’s as if I have left absolutely nothing behind. My right arm straightens out shortly after impact, and the back of my left hand faces the direction of the shot until the force of my swing brings my hands out and up. They should finish above my head.

It’s most important not to let the wrists break, or the hands turn over too quickly after impact, or you lose power. Try to swing so that the clubhead follows the ball for as long as possible.

As the swing ends, you should still be in balance.

All of your weight should be on the outside of your left foot—you can feel the pressure there— and you should finish up on the right toe. That’s how I try to swing every time. june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

33

GD70 1970s

Taking it Back: Put things in motion

34 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

by jack nicklaus

Illustrations by Jim McQueen

GD70 1970s

“Make the initial movements as smoothly and deliberately as you possible can.�

36 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

gutter credit tk

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

37

GD70 1980s

What You Can Learn From My Swing I’ll walk you through it in nine steps by tom watson

I

have always

enjoyed studying and comparing sequence photographs of golf swings.

I’ve learned from poring over pictures of the swings of Sam Snead and Ben Hogan, for example, and then relating them to my swing. I like to hear what great players think about and feel before and during their swings.

In the next nine pages, we’ll look at stop-action photos of my swing from two camera angles, face-on and down the target line. I picked pictures that show me at what I consider to be the crucial stages of the swing, and my commentary accompanies each photograph.

Essentially, I tried to make major points that can apply to your swing as well as mine.

Since there are as many golf swings as there are sets of golfers’ fingerprints, it would be presumptuous to suggest that you just out-and-out copy my swing—not to mention silly. It could cause more damage than benefit.

But I strongly believe in a few fundamentals that underlie my swing and could help yours. I’m talking about factors like posture, balance and left-side control, and I want to show you how I adhere to them throughout my swing.

A problem with sequence photographs is that they Photographs by Stephen Szurlej

“My weight is toward the balls of my feet, not on my toes or heels.” freeze the motion, and you tend to talk about each photo separately rather than within the context of an overall, flowing swing. The reality is that a golf swing is greater than the sum of its parts. (I don’t know if Euclid said that, but if he didn’t, he should have.)

You can’t guide your body and the club through a series of mechanical positions and get good results. You have to make a free pass at the ball, and you can do that only if you build the right kind of continuity—both conceptual and physical—into your swing.

Sam Snead thinks of his swing flowing like oil. I like that.

In the next several pages, I’m going to hammer several times at key features of my swing—like a body tilt and centre of gravity that remain steady from address all the way to the follow-through. I’m also going to offer definitions— such as one for pausing at the top of the swing—that might sound different but prove to be very useful.

Before we begin, I should stress that all this type of analysis is predominantly for the armchair and the practice range. The worst thing you can do is go out for a round of golf with 17 swing thoughts buzzing through your head like fighter planes. On the course, I employ only one thought: a takeaway thought to get the swing started properly.

After that, everything that happens is based on prior preparation or is a reaction.

A good golf swing is a complicated set of movements that must be precisely timed to work with any consistency, and you don’t master it by looking at pictures. But it is based on a few simple rudiments that anyone of basically sound body and mind should be able to master with a little attention and effort. Anybody who can count to two can play this game: you swing the club up and you swing it down. It’s that easy.

establish a good centre of gravity at address

1

Most golfers lose their balance easily during the swing, because they don’t start in balance. You must set up in balance to swing in balance. Working from the ground up, the insides of my feet are about even with the outsides of my shoulders— you can go a little wider, but I wouldn’t advise getting narrower or you’re apt to sway.

My weight is toward the balls of my feet, not on my toes or heels, and distributed about

50-50 left and right. The ball is off my left heel. (You can go a couple inches farther forward hitting a driver, but I wouldn’t put it back much.) My stance is just about square. It would be more open with shorter clubs.

My knees are slightly flexed.

I’m bent from the waist—I like to feel like my fanny is sticking out some. My arms are hanging at their lowest point, which is where they’ll want to return at impact. I try to keep tension out of my forearms—through the whole swing. Tight muscles are

weak muscles. I try to be soft with my entire right side at address, so I can put my left side in command and make a good turn away from the ball. I grip more firmly with my left hand than my right. Notice the tilt of my back. It will remain pretty much constant throughout the swing, and my head won’t bob.

My head and upper body are behind the ball—could be a bit more, actually. I want my centre of gravity directly between my feet. I want to keep that centre of gravity stable as I swing.

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

39

GD70 1980s

“My right side never gets in the way as I turn.” left arm creates extension on backswing

3

The left arm continues to dominate. I’m well extended because I started back with my left side. By extension, I mean not using the hands too early in the swing; creating a wide swing arc with the left arm. If I can do that and keep the tilt of my back I started with, I shouldn’t have any trouble on the backswing. Left-side control. My right side remains passive. My right elbow is still soft, pointing at my hip. My right side never gets in the way as I turn. It folds under and submits to the leadership of the left side. Arnold Palmer is the perfect example of a steady head. I’m keeping a good, steady head here. Later in this sequence, we’ll come to the mirror image of this extended position on the through-swing.

left arm and club move away as one

2

I waggle the club away from the ball twice before I start my swing to break up the tension and prepare my muscles for the takeaway. I think, One-two-go. Starting the swing, my only feeling is that the left side is pushing the club back—my entire left side. This is where left-side control in the swing begins. The thought that works best for me is that the left arm and the club move away from the ball as a unit. It’s pretty much one piece from my left shoulder to the ball. The club moves straight back on the target line for 12 inches. Then it starts to move inside and up as the shoulders turn, but I’m not conscious of it. My thought is to push the club straight back from the ball with my left arm. It’s my only conscious thought on the course swinging. My upper body remains stabilised. The angle of my back is unchanged. I want to turn around my spine—around the back of my neck. Left-side control. That’s what we see here.

40 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

“My right knee hasn’t stiffened— it has remained flexed.” with left-side control, a long swing can work

5

At the top of my swing, my upper body continues to be tilted at the same angle I started with. My back is to the target. I don’t recommend going this far with the club— it’s below parallel, and I’d prefer it to be dead parallel to the ground or just short of it. At least I have some room to play with when old age catches up to me and shortens my swing. It would be worse to cut off the backswing prematurely and rush down. As long as the left side is in control, and mine is in this picture, you can get away with dipping below parallel. Don January does, and Ben Hogan did in the early part of his career. You don’t see it too well here, because my arm’s in the way in the down-theline view, but my club is pointing at the target. Again, my centre of gravity is about where it started, and my weight hasn’t gone to the outside of my right foot. The right side has to stay planted, with the right knee retaining that original flex.

taking the fear out of turning fully

4

I’m still turning, getting my back to the target. Most people are afraid to make a full enough turn. Where am I?, they worry. They aren’t planted well enough on the right side. My centre of gravity hasn’t changed much from what it was at address. Maybe it’s shifted a little to my right, but that isn’t bad. The thing you don’t want to do is shift your centre of gravity to your left. My upper body is still over the ball, and I’ve retained the tilt of my back. My right knee hasn’t stiffened—it has remained flexed—and that’s crucial to a comfortable turn. My left heel has come off the ground, which facilitates a good turn, and I just let that happen. It replants when I start back down. The right side is still getting out of the way but now is starting to help lift the club. My left side is still solidly in control, though. june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

41

GD70 1980s

“The angle of my upper body has been retained and is staying behind the ball.” i feel everything starting down together

6

I want to change directions at the top of the swing as if the club were a pendulum. It should be going at the same speed just before I get to the top and just as I start down.

That’s my definition of a pause at the top. I want to feel everything working together in the downswing: arms, club, hips, legs. If anything, I’ve made too quick a move from the top in this particular swing, due to overswinging going back. My lower body has started forward before my arms, and the club is releasing already. I wish my arms were eight inches farther down. But I’m not in bad shape because, again, my centre of gravity is the same, my left side is still leading, and the tilt of my back has held.

keep hips and arms in timing through the ball

7

This is a good, solid left-side impact position. My right side is not yet fully extended. I can hit as hard as I want with my right side, because my left side is out ahead.

I’m really a little too far out of the way with my hips, but a positive point is that I’ve cleared my left side so my arms can swing down and through. If the hips turn, the left arm and side can keep leading. You can’t slide and slide with the hips—they have to unwind and turn. You have to let them release around, almost level. If you can keep your hips and arms in timing, you’ll get where you need to be. I’m releasing the club by rotating my forearms. My centre of gravity is still about the same, even though I got a little ahead of myself with my left hip. The angle of my upper body has been retained and is staying behind the ball. As for my lower body, I’d prefer to have my position in the previous photo at impact. Sam Snead would almost be hitting it from there, and he may have a perfect golf swing. This impact position has a good, firm look of the left side, almost what it was at address.

42 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

“My left side is in control all the way.” the right arm finally extends going through

8

This is the reverse- C position you hear so much about, and I don’t like it or recommend it. It’s hard on your back.

I look this way because I started down from the top a little too quickly. I have to pull back with my upper body to get my arms and the club on line. I’d much prefer to be taller, with my upper body more over the ball—where it was before—and my left arm a little more broken down. With this swing, I could push the ball out to the right. This is the companion photo to the third one in the sequence, which showed my left arm creating extension on the backswing. The right arm is extending here for the first time, as the left was earlier. It should swing right out at the target, then come back inside the line. Happily, my left side still has not relinquished its leadership in the swing, and my lower body has moved enough to counterbalance the backward movement of my upper body and keep my centre of gravity about the same. And the angle of my back is close to what it’s been throughout. As I’ve said, that’s important.

finish in balance—as i started

9

I started the swing in good balance, and despite my hurried move at the top, I have finished in good balance and maintained my centre of gravity. It’s moved a little left as my weight has shifted onto my left side, but only to my initial ball position. I’ve maintained my back tilt, too, and my left side is in control all the way. I’m facing the target and I’ve rolled over to the outside of my left foot—that’s good balance in the follow-through. Summing up, I overswung a little and my legs started forward too soon, but the fundamental constants that run through the swing are good: the tilt of my upper body, the maintaining of my centre of gravity and the left-side control. Those principles I recommend to you without reservation, along with thoughtful practice. And consider having your swing photographed. What you’re doing, and what you think you’re doing, can be two very different things. Good luck and good swinging! june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

43

GD70 1990s

6 Swing Thoughts that Work Whether driving, chipping or putting, you can play your best golf with one of these keys in mind

BY NICK FALDO

’VE ALWAYS BEEN one of those golfers who needs a swing key to play well.

I don’t like to rely on feel. To my mind, good feel is the result of sound mechanics and, later, confidence. Think about it; if all you have to consider when you’re over the ball is one simple swing key, you can block out negative images. You can forget the water in front of the green or the big bunker on the right. When you get to that stage, every shot becomes the same, at least in your mind. And isn’t that what the swing is all about: the reduction of variables so that you can focus on just one key thought. Remember, the less complicated anything is, the easier it is to repeat. On the following pages, I’ve outlined some of the swing keys that have worked for me over the years. They helped me, so there’s no reason they shouldn’t do the same for you.

I

x golf 44 golfdigestme.com digest | issue x |. 2020 june 2020

“Width is important in a swing, but not if it’s getting you out of sync.” ◀ swing thought

SET YOUR WRISTS, THEN TURN TO THE TOP avid Leadbetter, my teacher, has always stressed setting the wrists early in the backswing.

The theory is that you want the hands and wrists to finish their work early, so the bigger muscles in your body can complete the backswing.

As you can see here (left), by the time my left arm is close to horizontal, my wrists are fully hinged. From there, all I basically have to do is turn my shoulders and I’ll be in perfect position at the top of the backswing.

D

Contrast that with this position (right). I see this a lot in amateurs. In a misguided attempt to create width on the backswing, they restrain any setting of the wrists.

The result is that there is no harmony between the arms and body. They’re working independently.

Here’s a drill (below) that will help get your swing off to a good start. When I won the Open Championship at Muirfield in 1992, I used it a lot and hit some of the best shots of my life to that point.

▶ Rigid wrists in the backswing can get your swing out of sync.

drill

TAKE YOUR NORMAL SETUP

SWING THE CLUB PARALLEL

COMPLETE THE BACKSWING

▶ Stand at address. Then get someone to lay a club on the ground just outside your toe line, parallel to the ball’s target line.

▶ Next, hinge your wrists so that your club is directly over the shaft on ground.

Thus, you are fully set.

▶ Now simply turn your shoulders like you would normally. When you get to the top, you’ll be in perfect position.

Photographs by Dom Furore

GD70 1990s

swing thought

WIDEN THE GAP STARTING DOWN he part of my swing where things tend to go wrong is the transition from backswing to downswing. It’s just a tough thing to time day in and day out.

I’m sure you’ve sometimes had the same feeling. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t find the sensation of flowing

T

from back to down. Sometimes you’re too fast; sometimes too slow. Either way, you end up making a steep, narrow downswing (right) and hitting a poor shot.

Here’s how to find that elusive feel. Focus on your right hand and right shoulder and swing to the top (above,

left). Then try to increase the distance between your right hand and shoulder (above, right). Don’t overdo it, just let your right arm stretch and straighten naturally. There’s no need to get tight or tense; just let it flow. You’ll be surprised to find this relaxed feeling helps you time your shots better.

▶ Try to prevent the arms from folding on the way down.

drill

WITH RIGHT HAND, CLIP THE TEE ▶ I use this drill to isolate the feeling of my right arm straightening from the top of the backswing. Put a tee in the ground. Set it at about the height you would to hit a middle-iron shot. Now grip your club in your right hand only. Put your left hand in your pocket, out of the way.

Swing back, feeling how your right arm folds naturally (far left). Then swing down and through, trying to clip the tee from the ground (near left).

Focus on your tempo. If you rush anything, you won’t be able to do it. Missing the tee is the result of poor timing, which in turn will prevent you from properly straightening your right arm.

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“The putterhead should only rise after impact.”

putting thought

‘BRUSH’ FOR SOLID STRIKE henever I’m leaving putts short, I think of brushing. (I also used this key when I won the ‘92 Open.) It’s especially good under pressure, when any tendency to get tentative is greatest. You can only brush your putts into the cup if you’re in good position at address. Set up with your hands ahead of the ball. You want to make an accelerating down-andthrough motion, so your hands must lead the clubhead at all times. And don’t stand too tall.

Move a little farther away from the ball and lower your hands.

Again, those adjustments will help you make the brushing motion you want through impact.

W

▶ When you putt, your hands must lead the clubhead at all times.

drill

SWING BACK

BRUSH THE GRASS

FINISH HIGH

▶ The great thing about this stroke is the backswing is not contrived in any way.

Just focus on keeping the clubhead moving smoothly. The best putting strokes have good rhythm, so establish it early.

▶ Through impact, your aim is to brush the top of the grass as you strike the ball.

Practice without a ball at first. Once you can produce that distinctive sound every time, hit some putts.

▶ This is very much a down-and-through type of stroke, the clubhead accelerating through impact, then rising slightly into the follow-through. It should feel as if it’s almost brushing the ball up and toward the cup. june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

47

GD70 1990s

“You want to drive the ball forward, not scoop it up.” chipping thought

‘SKID AND RUN’ FOR CONSISTENT RESULTS devised this little chip to combat the combination of relatively slow fringes and ultrafast greens at Augusta. But it works well on greens of any speed—just better on faster surfaces. The idea was to produce greater consistency of bounce and roll. I was having trouble putting from just off the greens at the Masters because of the enormous change in speed from fringe to green. Too often I’d run the ball yards past the hole. I needed something I could see in my mind’s eye, then produce regularly.

I

1. Using a sand wedge, I start by leaning toward the target, into my left foot. That shifts my weight and hands well ahead of the ball and takes some loft off the club. The ball should be opposite the big toe on your right foot.

2. My backswing is short and firm. You don’t want a lot of wrist break.

3. At impact, you want to be as close to your address position as possible. It’s a great swing thought to have when you hit these chips. See how my left arm and the shaft

form a straight line? That’s perfect. You want to drive the ball forward, not scoop it up, so the left wrist cannot break.

Remember, the clubface is what gets the ball up, not your wrists.

4. Even into the follow-through, keep your hands ahead of the clubface as long as you can.

The result is a relatively low shot (right) that lands, skids, checks slightly, then rolls—not bounces—toward the cup.

The great thing is, it does that every time. You’ll find that your judgment of distance—and your up-and-down percentage—will improve greatly.

▶ Lean left. Keep wrists firm. Return to address.

48 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

▶ The right hip maintains its position as much as possible.

swing thought

FINISH STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN ou might think that once you’ve hit the ball, the rest of your swing doesn’t matter, but it certainly does. Finishing in balance is important. It shows that you have made a good swing and that your fundamentals are sound. Finishing off balance is a sign you missed the shot.

The most common of these poor finishes is the “reverse C”. This happens when the legs out-race the body on the way down, leaving the hands to square the clubface through impact. That puts unnecessary stress on your back, and it’s no way to be consistent.

Instead, try to finish straight up and down. A line from your left foot to your right shoulder should be basically straight (below). Focus on shifting and rotating your weight from your right side at the top of the backswing all the way to your left heel at the end of your followthrough. You’ll finish in balance, and it’s easier on the back, too.

Y

drill

RIGHT HIP FOLLOWS SHAFT ▶ This drill will give you a feel for how your right hip should hold its position.

1. Stand with your arms across your chest and a club running over your upper arms.

2. Now turn as if making a backswing. The shaft—and therefore your right hip—should be pointing as close to straight ahead as possible.

swing thought

MOVE OVER, POINT FORWARD hen I’m playing my best golf, my swing is reduced—in my mind, at least—to turning back and turning through. There is no sliding or swaying. Although there is a little lateral movement involved, all my focus is on making my swing as much of a rotary move as possible.

The key is your right hip. I like to think of it pointing straight ahead at address, then staying that way to the top. In other words, there’s a little lateral shift

W

to the right as I turn around my right side, but no change in the angle of my right leg.

Another way of keying on this is to think of your knees.

Stability in your knees is automatically transferred to your hips. If you can maintain as much as possible the gap between your knees established at address, then there is no way that your right hip can get too far out of whack. It just won’t be able to turn too much.

▶ Here I’ve made a reverse pivot (below), my weight moving left rather than right, and the club is pointing to the left. I’m in a really poor position to start a downswing that’s in sync.

▶ Above: Your right shoulder should be directly over your left foot. Right: Too much slide.

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

49

GD70 2000s

One-Two Punch How to play my dominant shots

BY TIGER WOODS

HAVE REDUCED EVERY FACET of my game to a couple of fine points to keep it grooved. It’s a one-two punch for success that might benefit you, too.

The idea is to simplify what you’re trying to do, so there’s a better chance your swing will repeat. ▶ Take my iron play: (1) I make a full shoulder turn while keeping my head from moving to my right.

At the top, my shaft is parallel to the target line and the toe is pointed down, which means the face is square. (2) I release stored power at impact. My head stays steady as my hips turn left and my arms extend. ▶ Read on to get my two steps to playing each of my dominant shots. — WITH PETE MCDANIEL

I

50 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

“At the top, the toe is pointing down, which means the face is square.�

Photographs by Stephen Szurlej

GD70 2000s

1 swing along yo u r f e e t ▜ I’ve regained my ability to shape tee shots with my woods. The 3-wood draw is a staple for me. With a slightly closed stance, I take the club back along my toe line. The shaft tracks to the inside halfway back. It tracks along that same path on the downswing, allowing me to deliver the club from the inside and impart right-to-left spin.

52 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

3-wood draw

Pullquote hereQuidebit essum dolupta atiae dolenim quo eatus ut restis

2 k e e p yo u r right heel low ▶ You can’t draw the ball without releasing the club through impact. But release too soon and you’ll hook it; too late and it’s a block. In the past, I would get up on my right toe very quickly because I was swinging too hard. Keeping the inside of my right heel on the ground longer means I’ve swung within myself for a well-timed release.

Photographs by Dom Furore

GD70 2000s

short-iron cutter

1

2

set up open

hold off the release

▶ I love to control the trajectory of my shots. It gives me a bit of an edge in windy conditions. I don’t have to beat down on the ball or change ball position. It’s all in the release. Here I’m holding it against the wind coming from the right. A slightly open stance, one extra club and a delayed release are the main requirements for this little cutter.

▶ To flight the ball down, I abbreviate my backswing and throughswing. With this fairly compact action, I attack the ball from the inside even for a cut shot, holding off the release a millisecond to impart left-to-right spin. When the wind is against me and from the right like on this shot, I’m careful to start the ball right of the flagstick.

54 golfdigestme.com | june 2020

Photographs by Dom Furore

lag putt

1

2

r e st r i c t yo u r w r i sts

stroke thro u gh t h e b a l l

▶ Lag putting begins and ends with proper mechanics. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rotational putter like me or a linear (straight back and through) putter like some others who can really roll their rock. You should position your eyes directly over the ball, hold your head in place and keep your wrists from breaking down. I do this with my right hand.

▶ Some players keep the putter low back and through. I have a pendulum stroke, where the club comes off the ground. My right hand controls my stroke. I’ve had posture problems in the past, so I’m cognisant of staying tall through impact. I allow the putterhead to release naturally, and impact feels very soft, as if the ball just gets in the way.

Pullquote hereQuidebit essum dolupta atiae dolenim quo eatus ut restis Photographs by J.D. Cuban

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

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★★★★½ demand

★★½

velvety soft roll. Total control on long putts.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

o dy s s e y

STROKE LAB BLACK • SILVER

RRP AED 1,395

i n n o vat i o n

verdict The new Black models in the stroke-smoothing family emphasise forgiveness and alignment with a firmer insert. The Ten has heel and toe wings that extend from a framed central mass with a centre alignment line, and the Bird of Prey (left) uses similar alignment features around a triangular shape. The distinctive Stroke Lab shaft—mostly graphite with steel near the head—seeks to even your tempo by putting the balance point closer to your hands.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The size frames the ball nicely. Great alignment.

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★★★★

Soft but firm consistency on every putt.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

o dy s s e y

RRP AED 2,095

TOULON DESIGN

verdict These classic mallet shapes emphasise a compact

i n n o vat i o n

footprint and various hosel and toe-hang choices. The 303 stainlesssteel heads are milled with a diamond-shape pattern on the face in which crosshatched grooves channel vibration to promote solid feel, satisfying sound and better roll. Unlike past Toulon designs, the pattern extends across the face to improve consistency. The Stroke Lab shaft adds control by placing more weight in your hands.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The compact head makes me feel more connected.

performance

gutter credit tk

★★★★½ ★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★½ Photograph

by First Lastname listed alphabetically

It has a nice soft click.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

57

MALLET PUTTERS

o dy s s e y

RRP AED 1,395

triple track

verdict The club’s selling point lies in its name. Three sightlines—

i n n o vat i o n

two thin blue lines, one thick red—sit on white circles on a black clubhead to help alignment. Compared to a blank clubhead, Callaway says the sightlines equate to a 20 percent more consistent strike. Coupled with the company’s ERC balls (which have the same lines), centre contact is improved even more. Also comes standard with the tempo-smoothing Stroke Lab shaft.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Love the contrast with the alignment lines. You

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★★ ★★★★ demand

★★★★

know where the ball is going when it comes off the face.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

ping

RRP AED 1,395

heppler series

verdict The stainless-steel and soft-aluminum (about a third

i n n o vat i o n

the density of steel) construction allows more mass to be placed in the back of the putter for better perimeter weighting and stability on off-centre hits. A hidden mechanism inside the grip on these putters lets you adjust the length from 32 to 36 inches. Available in five models, each steel face is free of any grooves or patterns, an alternative for those seeking firm sound and feel.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Nicely balanced. Sets up true behind the ball.

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★★★

Consistent. Everywhere you hit it, it’s solid.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

ping

sigma 2

verdict Most golfers haven’t been fit for a putter, which means

i n n o vat i o n

they’re likely playing with the wrong length. The Sigma 2 comes to the rescue with a mechanism hidden in the shaft under the grip that lets you adjust the length from 32 to 36 inches. The five mallets in the line include the ball-picking Fetch and the heavier-head, armlock Valor 400. All feature a dual-layer face insert to provide a soft feel on short putts and firm control on longer leaves.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Look, feel, function—it all just works. Even on mis-

performance

★★★★★ ★★★★★

★★★★½

hits, my putts went where I wanted them to.”

demand

★★★★½ tay l o r m a d e

RRP AED 1,295

tp patina

i n n o vat i o n

verdict A new model—the angular DuPage—joins this lineup of modern takes on classic compact shapes. Full mallets mix with those featuring cutout shapes, centre sightlines or framing lines to provide optional looks against a black copper/nickel finish. A lightweight aluminum insert uses downward facing grooves that reduce backspin to improve the roll off initial contact. Heel and toe sole weights allow the headweights to be customised.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “It gets the ball hugging the green instantly,

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★★ listed alphabetically

and the little bit of dull copper prevents glare.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

Photographs by Dom Furore

in association with

tay l o r m a d e

RRP AED 1,295

spider x • spider s

verdict The X model has a deep centre of gravity to make it more

i n n o vat i o n

stable in a more compact package. By using a carbon-composite centre section, almost three-quarters of the head’s weight lies in the heel and toe. Meanwhile, the S (left) features a 55-gram tungsten weight bar, plus tungsten sole weights for extreme rear weighting and stability. Both have downward facing grooves that reduce backspin to improve the roll off impact.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “You’re never not square. Heel, toe and centre hits

performance

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ demand

★★★★½

all feel consistent. So easy to use, off the rack and go.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

titleist

scotty cameron phantom x

RRP AED 2,975

verdict This oversize, multimaterial putter uses 6061 aluminum

i n n o vat i o n

for the face and core of the body, then incorporates heavier 303 stainless steel in perimeter wings and heel-toe weights to create an unabashed commitment to stability on off-centre hits. An anodised black finish reduces glare at address, and the grip has a larger, lesstapered right-hand area to create balance and consistency in the way your hands hold the putter and make the stroke.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The weight is ideal. You can feel a good putt instead

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★★★

of hearing it. So soft.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

titleist

scotty cameron special select

RRP AED 2,375

verdict The Special Select features a mid-bend shaft to get a face-

i n n o vat i o n

balanced feel for strokes that like to work straight back and straight through. The aircraft-grade aluminum plates on the sole free up weight to be redistributed to the perimeter for better off-centre hit performance. The stainless-steel inlay of past Select models has been replaced by a solid milled face, which Cameron says helps achieve a pure, consistent feel no matter the strike.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “You’re getting the sound and feel of a blade putter,

performance

★★★★★ ★★★½

★★★★★ demand

★★★½

but the consistency and help of a mallet shape.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

bettinardi

RRP AED 1,799

inovai 6.0

verdict Bettinardi is famous for its classic milled putters, and

i n n o vat i o n

this series shows its techy side with the use of multiple materials.

A platinum-finished 303 stainless-steel face pairs with an aluminum body anodised blue for a two-tone look designed to guide alignment and frame the ball. On the face, a milling process removes 55 percent of material to provide a soft, consistent sound and feel at impact.

Finally, the stiffer shaft provides extra stability in your stroke.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Good response and feedback off the face,

performance

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ demand

★★

almost like a tennis-racket feel. No skidding.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

59

in association with

MALLET PUTTERS

pxg

MILLED SERIES

RRP AED 1,995

i n n o vat i o n

verdict A custom-fitting process with multiple head, hosel and weighting options is this line’s hallmark. With each head offering three hosels, an adjustable shaft used in the fitting process helps identify the ideal specs. Each club in the series has serious mass in the heel, toe and rear for high mis-hit stability. Variable-size pyramids on the face—increasing in size, decreasing in density as it moves from centre—manages off-centre-hit distance control.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Feels like it’s all one piece—from handle to head to

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★½ demand

★★

ball to initial roll, it’s all smooth and in sync.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

seemore

PLATINUM SERIES

RRP AED 1,699

verdict SeeMore is famous for its effective alignment story, and

i n n o vat i o n

that concept is expanded here thanks to three shaft orientations on the new M5HT (straight, double bend and plumber’s neck). Each shaft hides a red dot on the heel side of the clubhead to let players know they’re square to the target. The distinctive blue sightline also enhances alignment. In addition, there’s improved perimeter weighting, and a milled face provides a solid feel.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Feels modern and well made. It’s easy to commit to

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★ ★★★★ demand

★

your line with this alignment system.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

tay l o r m a d e TRUSS

RRP AED 1,395

i n n o vat i o n

verdict Truss is all about stability. Along with the natural ballast of a mallet head, a steel frame on the topline reinforces the connection between the club and shaft. This minimises twisting, improving the consistency of energy transferred to the ball. The beam’s stiffness also lends to an improved sound and feel. The grooved polymer insert deflects at impact so the ball starts rolling end-over-end more quickly for better distance consistency.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “You might think What the heck is this?

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★½ demand

★★★

But then you start playing with it, and you can’t miss.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

the mallet migration Many of the game’s best are going big on the greens ▶ during the past five years, PGA Tour players have continued to gravitate toward mallet putters. In 2014, about a third of the players on tour used one. Now it’s nearly 40 percent. It’s not just those at the bottom of the money list seeking the forgiveness benefits of mallets. Of the top 50 on the 2019 year-end World Ranking, 23 use a mallet. Five years ago there were just 19. Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, both blade users in 2014, now carry mallets in their bags. —emj

keyur khamar/pga tour/getty images

t o u r ta lk : m a lle t s

HOT LIST

putter free up your stroke Why staying still can actually make you miss ▶ golfers are commonly told to lock everything down and just rock their shoulders when they putt. The problem with that little gem of advice is, freezing any part of the body causes tension, which destroys feel.

Let’s focus on the head. When you try to keep it still, you create tension in your neck and upper body, and your shoulders don’t work properly. The result: You flick at the ball with your hands and arms, which is wildly inconsistent.

To add fluidity to your putting stroke, you need some fluidity in your body, particularly your head.

Except on very short strokes, it’s OK to let your head move fractionally away from the target from setup (left) to follow-through (below). That freedom keeps the putterhead moving down the line with the face staying square. You’ll hit a lot of great putts that way.

nathaniel welch

For more feel, eliminate tension by letting your head move back as you stroke through.

june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

61

PUTTERS blade

▶ these blade putters mix old-school cool w ith ne x t- wav e tec hn o l o gy t o improv e yo u r ro ll . w e c o n s i d e r e d 2 6 m o d e l s ; 1 7 m a d e t h e l i s t. bettinardi bb series

performance

★★★★½

i n n o vat i o n

★★★½

look • sound • feel

★★★★★ demand

★★★

RRP AED 1,499

verdict Bettinardi putters are known for their classic shapes and American-made precision milling from solid blocks of carbon steel.

But this latest line thinks beyond the head. Yes, the shapes are still traditional, with flatter, softer toplines and a glare-eliminating “glacier” black finish. But now a heavier, stiffer, tour-weight shaft adds stability to the stroke for consistent feel. The “super fly” face milling pattern is designed for a muted, crisp response. com m ent “A classic sound to it—sharper and more

distinctive than those modern exotic materials.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

clevel and frontline

RRP AED 735

verdict The forgiveness of high moment of inertia (MOI) putters

i n n o vat i o n

might be good, but Cleveland’s point here is that the pursuit pushes the centre of gravity (CG) too far back, making off-centre hits start farther offline. Instead, the CG is closer to the face so that there’s less of a push on those toe hits, and you get a straighter roll. To further help mis-hits, an S-shape groove pattern replicates the benefits of, you guessed it, high-MOI putters.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “A lot going on, but it all comes together. Consistent

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★

sound and feedback no matter where you hit it.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

o dy s s e y

stroke lab black • silver

i n n o vat i o n

verdict Odyssey’s breakthrough Stroke Lab shaft—part graphite, part steel—returns, saving 40 grams compared to a standard shaftgrip setup. A slightly heavier head and more weight in the grip counters that weight savings to push the balance point closer to the hands for a more consistent stroke. The Silver is the softer insert, and the new Black models feature the similar microhinges in an insert without grooves for a firmer sound.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The grip and the head match up in a unified feel.

performance

★★★★★ ★★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★★★★ listed alphabetically

RRP AED 1,395

The subtle curve to the sole lets you set it up just right.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

in association with

o dy s s e y

RRP AED 2,095

toulon design

i n n o vat i o n

verdict These are classic, milled putters, but there’s more going on than aesthetics. The 303 stainless-steel head features a cross-hatched diamond-shape milling pattern that now extends across the face. These edges channel vibration for a more solid sound and enhance initial roll. Plus, there’s the standard graphitesteel Stroke Lab shaft that shifts the balance point toward the hands for better tempo control.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “It’s a sharp look. Easy to align. Milling feels cushy

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★★

but firm. It makes a living from 10 feet and in.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

o dy s s e y

RRP AED 1,395

triple track

i n n o vat i o n

verdict Alignment might seem like an afterthought in a blade putter, but there’s real value when a serious commitment is made.

This system of two blue lines framing a thicker red line is taken from the visual science known as vernier acuity, or the way the brain processes subtle differences in alignment detected by the eyes. In short, the lines let the golfer perceive straightness more clearly. The counterweighted Stroke Lab shaft aims to improve tempo.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “It’s easy to frame the ball. Hard to not have good

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★★½

touch with this. The weighting is spot on.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

ping

RRP AED 1,295

heppler series

verdict These two classic Ping blade shapes (Anser 2, ZB3) have

i n n o vat i o n

been around for decades, but they take on new life through a multimaterial approach. Combining a soft, lightweight aluminum face with a heavier steel flange is a significant boost in off-centre-hit stability. The adjustable shaft-length system features every length from 32 to 36 inches for a better fit, and the flat, ungrooved face provides a firmer sound and feel at impact.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Forgiving but with instructive feedback on off-

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★★★

centre hits. Rolls true. The stable head keeps it on path.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

ping

sigma 2

i n n o vat i o n

verdict The Sigma 2 features an adjustable shaft that lets you change the length from 32 to 36 inches. Ping says 80 percent of golfers require a different length shaft than the standard 35 inches.

This year’s shaft is stiffer for better feel. A dual-layer polymer supports the multiple-groove-aluminum face insert. The softer outer layer provides extra feel for short putts, and the firmer inner layer provides more energy from long range.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The insert causes the ball to hug the green after

performance

★★★★½ ★★★★★

★★★★½

it leaves the face. The roll stays true to your line.”

demand

★★★★½ june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

63

BLADE PUTTERS

pxg

milled series

RRP AED 1,995

verdict With four blade models, all with variable weighting and

i n n o vat i o n

three hosel options, this is a line to have your preferences truly explored. An adjustable shaft enhances the fitting process, as does the ease of moving among heads and weights to find the right toe hang or head stability. Beyond the fitting, though, there’s roll control through a variable-size, pyramid face pattern that increases in size and decreases in density as it moves from centre.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The wide footprint inspires confidence. Sits

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★

square—you don’t have to manipulate your hands.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

tay l o r m a d e tp patina

RRP AED 1,295

verdict The distressed copper finish offers a classic contrast to

i n n o vat i o n

the updated face-insert technology. The lightweight aluminum insert still features downward facing grooves that reduce backspin to improve the roll during initial contact. But now that insert is thicker and is secured with screws to eliminate any voids for a more consistently solid feel. Sole weights customise the head weight to the shaft length and the golfer’s preference.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The copper look works. The head feels balanced

performance

★★★★★ ★★★★

★★★★½ demand

★★★½

and easy to lag. I like how it naturally sits square.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

tay l o r m a d e truss

RRP AED 1,395

verdict Blade putters aren’t known for their stability, but the steel-

i n n o vat i o n

frame topline support on this model looks to change that perception.

This structure reduces twisting of the face at contact to improve the consistency of energy transfer while unifying the movement of the head throughout the stroke. The beam’s stiffness also lends to an improved sound and feel at impact. The grooved face insert reduces backspin for a quicker start to a smoother roll.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “It’s different, but you get used to it because of that

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★★ demand

★★★★

pure roll. Feels stable. Great distance control.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

titleist

scotty cameron 2020 special select

RRP AED 2,375

i n n o vat i o n

blades in favor of a milled construction (now 100 percent made in California). It’s a switch made for pure, consistent feel across the face. The head shapes were redesigned for a sleeker look, and heavier heel-toe tungsten weights were used to enlarge the sweet spot and enhance stroke stability. A thicker, less-tapered low-hand section of the grip balances your hand action.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “It sounds and feels so good, I almost don’t even

performance

★★★★★ ★★★★

★★★★★ demand

★★★★★ listed alphabetically

care if it goes in. It’s just right—not too hard or soft.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

keyur khamar/pga tour

verdict Gone is the stainless-steel inlay seen in recent Cameron

in association with

carbon

bandit series

verdict Carbon’s hollow-point milling method removes mass from

i n n o vat i o n

the heel of the putter and replaces it with a brass-bullet casing, a process designed to move the centre of gravity closer to the middle of the club. A clean topline and less mass behind the centre of the club help produce a solid sound at impact. The weight of the head is on the lighter side for those seeking a tour-branded feel, and a sole drift is milled to keep the putter square at address.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “I know pure can be overused, but that’s the word for

performance

★★★★ ★★★

★★★★½

this putter. Sits square and rolls beautifully.”

demand

★

clevel and

RRP AED 525

huntington beach soft

performance

★★★★

i n n o vat i o n

★★★★

look • sound • feel

★★★★ demand

★★★

verdict Thanks to a variable-milling pattern, grooves are tightly etched in the centre of the face, becoming wider and deeper toward the heel and toe. This process, which Cleveland describes as “speed-optimised face technology,” ensures putts have a consistent speed and increased friction for a better roll, no matter where the impact location occurs. Each clubhead has its own tailored pattern to maximise stability on off-centre strikes. com m ent “Sweet feel. Excellent forward roll, even on bumpy

greens. Soft and muted sound.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

t o u r ta lk : pu t te rs the move to toehang mallets Blade-putter fans now have another option ▶ what if you could putt with a mallet that behaves like a blade?

Enter toe-hang mallets. If you’re not familiar with toe hang, put the shaft of a putter in the palm of your hand with the face turned skyward. If the toe of the head drops down, that’s toe hang.

Toe hang matches up nicely for strokes with an arc, and face-balanced, where the face of the putter stays skyward, is for straight-back and straight-through strokes.

That’s led blade users with an arcing stroke, including Tiger Woods, who briefly tried a TaylorMade Ardmore 3 toe-hang mallet in 2018, to give them a try. If you’re a blade user and your game on the greens isn’t what you want it to be, it’s an option to consider. —emj june 2020 | golfdigestme.com

65

in association with

BLADE PUTTERS

edel e.a.s.

verdict Like past Edel models, the E.A.S. removes weight from

i n n o vat i o n

underneath the toe, reducing torque—i.e., less resistance—to the way the putter opens and closes during the stroke. The idea is that the putter more easily stays square to the target. A milled face with hex patterns, large around the middle and small near the ends, maintains speed across the face. The E.A.S. has 10 alignment scenarios to dial in your ideal setup.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “The face is so soft. You get a good reaction

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★★

off the face whether you killed it or hit it softly.”

demand

★

l.a.b. golf

blad.1 • blad.1s verdict The company’s “lie-angle-balancing” approach uses four

i n n o vat i o n

weight ports that are customised to match the balance point for each player’s specific setup and lie angle. The weighting is geared to keep the face angle square to the natural path of your stroke. The tilted grip sets the hands in a natural forward press to make it easier to feel the movement of the putter through the stroke. It’s offered in milled stainless steel or in a softer, milled-brass head.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Great distance control and shockingly easy to align.

performance

★★★★

★★★★½ ★★★★

Looks a little odd, but you get past it once you hit it.”

demand

★

mizuno m craft

verdict Mizuno returns to the putter category with, naturally,

i n n o vat i o n

a head forged from the same 1025 carbon steel it’s used in its irons.

The head is milled to traditional shapes with a milled pattern on the face for a smooth feel at contact. The slightly heavier head encourages a more stable stroke. Dual, interchangeable weight ports on the sole range from three to 13 grams in a kit that comes standard with every head, which is available in three finishes.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “I love that little audible click it gives. Just the right

performance

★★★★½ ★★★½ ★★★★

amount of vibration in your hands. Beautiful roll.”

demand

★★

seemore

platinum series

RRP AED 1,699

verdict Seemore’s blades have won major championships dating

i n n o vat i o n

to the 1990s, and the fundamentals haven’t changed. It’s about simplifying your alignment process by setting up to the putter so you can’t see the red dot in the heel at address. Especially interesting is that the technology now works with three shaft orientations (straight, double bend and plumber’s neck). These models are milled from soft 303 stainless steel.

look • sound • feel

com m ent “Love the red dot and how it keeps the putter at the

performance

★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ demand

★ listed alphabetically

ideal address position. Soft, with lots of rollout.”

Demo this club at eGolf Megastore, or buy online at egolfmegastore.ae

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