Golf Digest Middle East - March 2023

SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL ALMULLA WELCOMES

‘BROTHERS’ FAISAL AND SAUD TO PAID RANKS

LEONA MAGUIRE

IRISH STAR AIMING FOR THE TOP ONCE AGAIN FOR EUROPE IN SOLHEIM CUP

4 Editor’s Letter

Saudi Arabia serves up memorable moments.

BY MATT SMITH

The Starter

6 Delhi Golf Club

India gets set for the DGC Open.

BY MATT SMITH

Mind / Body

8 Journeys Scott Vincent takes full advantage of his successes in 2022.

BY MATT SMITH

40 Half-Wedge Shots

Focus on your footwork.

BY CHEMA SANCHEZ

42 Hole Pressure Putts

Increase your heart rate to simulate conditions.

BY JASON BIRNBAUM

66 The Loop

LIV golf team names that didn’t make the cut.

BY COLEMAN BENTLEY

Features

10 Event Horizons

Lexi Thompson gears up for crucial year, with an eye on the future.

BY MATT SMITH

16 Living It Up

Abraham Ancer has the perfect warm-up for Mexico with PIF Saudi International success.

BY MATT SMITH

20 Lady Lydia World No. 1 stamps her credentials all over the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.

BY MATT SMITH

COVER STORY

22 Maguire’s Mission

Irish star Leona sets out her missions for 2023 with Solheim Cup firmly in her sights.

BY MATT SMITH

26 Golf High

A daring journey to Nepal to play the world’s highest course.

BY OLIVER HOROVITZ

36 Brother Beyond Othman Almulla welcomes ‘brothers’ Faisal and Saud into the professional fold.

BY MATT SMITH

Hot List 2023

PART 2

45 Players Irons

Not just precision clubs for pinseeking, they bring forgiveness.

BY MIKE STACHURA

52 Players-Distance Irons

Lost distance or want less club? These bring heat in compact shapes.

BY MIKE STACHURA

58 Game-Improvement Irons

More speed, more height, more stability: The latest irons do it all.

BY MIKE STACHURA

63 Super-GameImprovement Irons

These make the golfer realise the game doesn’t have to be that difficult.

BY MIKE STACHURA

A fi ght to remember

Royal Greens serves up two memorable Saudi International treats to pave way to the future

By Matt Smith

HISTORY WAS MADE in Saudi Arabia in February as some of the best golfers in the world — male and female — descended on Royal Greens Golf & Country Club for two of the most fascinating and memorable golfing competitions in the Kingdom.

First up was the Asian Tour’s flagship PIF Saudi International, where Mexico’s Abraham Ancer warmed up for his LIV Golf homecoming at Mayakoba with a thrilling victory over American Cameron Young and Aussie Lucas Herbert in the Red Sea breeze, taking home $1 million for his troubles. It was one of the strongest fields ever assembled on Saudi shores, with the likes of Cameron Smith, Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed all teeing it up. None of them could lay a glove on Ancer, however, who registered a wire-towire success to follow in the footsteps of Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Harold Varner III as champion.

The week in early February also saw a new dawn for golf in Saudi Arabia as Faisal Salhab and Saud Al Sharif were unveiled as the Kingdom’s latest professional golfers, joining Othman Almulla in the paid ranks and beginning their journey to inspire the next generation of young golfers. Both Faisal and Saud impressed in the Asian Tour’s first two International Series events, making the cut at Oman and Qatar respectively.

With no time for the dust to settle after the men departed, the Ladies European Tour came to town just outside Jeddah, with no less than 13 major champions in tow as part of a field of 120 competing for the groundbreaking $5 million purse — the biggest prize outside the majors and equal to that of the men in the Saudi International. In Gee Chun, Anna Nordqvist, Lexi Thompson and defending champion Georgia Hall all fought it out with the likes of Ashleigh Buhai, Patty Tavatanakit, Hannah Green, Danielle

Kang and Hyo-Joo Kim. But it was a dream return to action for world No. 1 and newly-wed Lydia Ko, who held off the sensational Aditi Ashok (win, third, second in her first three outings of the year) for her second success in the tournament and the $750,000 top prize.

Ko gave credit to new hubby Jun Chung and a rigorous off-season that included eight (8!) rounds of golf during her 12-day honeymoon in native New Zealand for her ability to hit the ground running in her first competitive outing of 2023. It certainly looks like that devotion and dedication paid off big time. Hopefully Jun got a belated Valentine’s Day gift for his understanding!

As we delve further into the year, eyes are beginning to look to September and the looming Solheim Cup date between Europe and America, and already things are beginning to take shape with familiar front-runners staking their claim for an automatic spot.

When it comes to the captains’ picks, however, things are getting really tricky as old favourites such as Anna Nordqvist and Lizette Salas are struggling to find form, while emerging stars like Chiara Noja and Lilia Vu are throwing their hat into the ring.

How both captains would be wishing Ashok and Ko were in their ranks too.

For all the stardust on show at Royal Greens, it is always refreshing to see the

next generation thrive, and the likes of Noja, Vu and Albane Valenzuela grabbed the opportunity on the biggest of stages with both hands, with all three in the mix until Sunday and finishing in the top 15.

The Aramco Saudi Ladies International was about so much more than just the on-fairway action of course, with its groundbreaking prize money, on-site golf clinics and talks setting the foundations and framework for equality and parity throughout the game as more tournaments across the globe are set to follow suit and put up equal purses for men and women.

During all the thrills and spills at King Abdullah Economic City, Golf Saudi also welcomed its new CEO, Noah Alireza, who was on hand at Royal Greens to oversee the trophy presentations to Ancer and Ko, and set out his vision for the future of the sport in the Kingdom, through mass participation programmes and increasing access to golf in the country.

While the moveable feast departs Saudi until November, that doesn’t mean the drama is done. Not by a long shot.

The LIV Golf League 2023 is just getting into its stride following its curtainraiser in Mexico — where the likes of new signings Mito Pereira and Thomas Pieters took their bows — with dates in Arizona and Florida coming up ahead of the highly anticipated bow on Australian shores at The Grange in Adelaide.

Oh, and the Masters is just around the corner too, where former chums Mickelson and Tiger Woods will meet face to face at Augusta in what is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing majors in recent history.

Watch this space...

matthew.smith@motivate.ae @mattjosmith / @golfdigestme

glowing Lydia Ko with Golf Saudi CEO Noah Alireza at Aramco Saudi Ladies International

fun in the sun Defending champion Georgia Hall was jumping for joy in Jeddah

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A Delhi delight

Asian Tour returns to India for the second DGC Open

Golf is riding a wave of huge popularity in India right now thanks to the emergence of such stars as Shubhankar Sharma and Aditi Ashok, who are taking their place alongside the likes of Shiv Kapur, Anirban Lahiri and Jeev Milkha Singh as household names.

Fans of the game can get their fill at the renovated Delhi Golf Club this month as the Asian Tour superstars come to town for the second edition of The DGC Open from March 16-19.

Kapur and fellow Indian SSP Chawrasia will be among those flying the flag for the home nation in the $750,000 tournament, which was won last year by Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, who just held off India’s own Ajeetesh Sandhu in a playoff to end hopes of an inaugural home champion.

Gary Player was brought in to redesign the Lodhi Course and bring it up to world-class standards, without changing the basic nature of the course, and will now set the scene for another memorable DGC Open. A field of 132 players, with players from around 25 countries, is expected.—matt smith

India

photograph by tristan jones

Delhi Golf Club

Great Scott

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent takes advantage of a stunning 2022 full of opportunities as he gears up for a full season on LIV Golf

By Matt Smith

Scott vincent is one of Zimbabwe’s finest exports, having exploded on to the scene with victory in England during the inaugural Asian Tour International Series — and took full advantage of the LIV Golf ticket that came with it.

The two-time Olympian was possibly a household name in his own house before he grabbed the headlines at Slaley Hall in Newcastle — the first ever Asian Tour event held in the UK — last June.

Then his distinctive look engaged a whole new audience as he teed up just outside London in the first LIV Golf tournament at Centurion Club — think ginger locks flowing out the back of a fedora months before a certain Cam Smith joined LIV Golf’s ranks.

Who was this kid holding his own alongside the likes of Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson?

Well, the 30-year-old ‘kid’ is big business in Asia, having claimed the 2021 Sansan KBC Augusta and ANA Open on a three-week bounce, following up with the Mizuno Open early in 2022, booking a spot in the Open Championship in the process.

A week later, Vincent was grabbing attention once again on international TV as he won the International Series England at Slaley Hall in Northumberland, England.

A final-round 66 clinched the win and triggered a snowball of success and eight lucrative events on the LIV series (finishing 14th in Chicago) as well as the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown and a guaranteed place in the 2023 14-event LIV Golf League season alongside superstars such as Phil Mickelson, Koepka, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.

“I think the past 12 months were not what I was expecting,” Vincent told Golf Digest Middle East. “It has taken me way out of my comfort zone and has been really stretching me.

“But it is allowing me to become the player

I really expect to be as I get to rub shoulders with the guys — the ex-PGA guys — and I am truly soaking it all in and loving it.

“It was a stage to really learn, and to get to play on the LIV Series last year was a huge bonus, and I managed to get a lot more comfortable with that.

“Now I have a whole new year ahead of me in 2023, and that is an amazing opportunity once again and I am really looking forward to that.”

Vincent keeps a tight-knit unit with him at all times to keep him grounded in a whirlwind time.

“I think that the team that I have with me is really good and they are helping me get ready for this season,” he said.

“We are just working on the processes and getting the game moving in the right direction. The results will come as I hit my routines.”

While Vincent has amassed around $1.5 million in earnings from LIV Golf alone in 2022, he does not forget how it all began.

“I think what the Asian Tour has done is incredible, how they have stepped out of Covid and set up all these new series and events,” he said. “As a result of that we are seeing a lot more better players coming over to play and compete in these events that would normally only attract one or two global names.

“It is becoming more of a solid, wellrounded tour, not just a feeder tour like before. The Asian Tour has done a great job with that and a lot of people will be prioritising on the Asian Tour full-time.

“But for me, this year I am trying to play a lot less golf — I have played a lot, maybe too much in the past — and now I have that opportunity through the 14 LIV events and the International Series, so I am trying to dial back a bit and give my body a bit of time to recover so I am ready when it needs to be ready.

“I am playing in Oman and Doha and then off to Mexico to start the LIV campaign.”

SCOTT VINCENT LIV GOLF, ASIAN TOUR AGE 30 LIVES DENVER, COLORADO

EVENT HORIZONS

merican star Lexi Thompson is one of the most decorated, celebrated and well-travelled golfers in the game right now. With 15 titles, nearly $14 million in the bank from LPGA earnings alone (she has also tasted victory on the Ladies European Tour in Dubai and New York over the past 12 years as a professional), the 28-year-old is still broadening her horizons.

Thompson arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever last month after a short break in Dubai to take part in the loaded $5 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, as she gears up for another crucial year.

“I think it’s just a matter of feeling welcome,” she told Golf Digest Middle East. “The way everyone is made to feel welcome is great and the hospitality that I received is amazing. While it is my first time here, I have been in the Middle East quite a bit and I love Dubai. It’s one of the favorite spots that I’ve ever been to, let alone winning [the Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club in 2011]. Of course that’s a bonus.”

While only 28, Thompson has five Solheim Cups under her belt, including two triumphs, but Team USA have lost the last two iterations at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2019 and at Inverness Club, Ohio, in 2021. The ‘veteran’ is determined to get back on the team for this September’s event at Finca Cortesin in Spain, and wrest the trophy back from Team Europe.

“First of all, it’s such a high honour to be able to represent my country any time I can,” she said. “Whether it’s Solheim Cup, International Crown, or any team event, I want to be on that team representing my country.

KICK-OFF

Lexi Thompson started her 2023 season with a T3 finish at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International

And she nearly got off to a perfect start, coming up just short of the winner — world No. 1 Lydia Ko — in a tie for third, with a course recordequalling 63 to boot, all of which helped Thompson settle in nicely in the Middle East to start her 2023 campaign.

“It’s been unfortunate the last two times that we’ve lost, but it happens. We did the best that we could. As I said, win or lose, representing your country is the highest honour, so hopefully we get that trophy back in Spain. I am really looking forward to going there.

“All we can do is the best we can and bring our ‘A’ games, but I think the Solheim Cups bring a whole other level of people’s games. When you are flying your flag for your country or continent, you have that drive. You’re not only fighting for yourself out there, you have your partner next to you. You’re fighting for your country and representing it.

“It is such a unique experience, bringing out that other attitude of people, which is great to see.”

‘Veteran’ Lexi Thompson firmly focused on the future following years of success

By Matt Smith

It’s such a high honour to be able to represent my country any time I can. Whether it’s Solheim Cup or any team event, I want to be on that team

To say Thompson had an early start at the top level of the game is something of an understatement. She became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for the US Open at the age of 12 and was a professional by the time she was just 15, winning her first LPGA tournament as a 16-year-old in 2011, and breaking the record as the youngest Ladies European Tour event winner just three months later in Dubai. She also became the second youngest major winner at the Chevron Championship in 2014 at the age of 19.

When asked the secret to staying at the elite end of the game for such a long time, the world No. 7

replied: “I think the key for me is taking the time off when needed, not really overdoing playing, skipping events that I feel like I need to.

“It is important to get the right amount of rest I need and make sure my game is in the right spot for the tournaments that I thoroughly enjoy and the golf courses that I really like and suit my game the best.

“Instead of just playing four, five weeks in a row and tiring myself out, I take the breaks when needed.

“I just finished my 12th year on tour, so it’s pretty unbelievable to think I just turned 28. It is a

DRIVING ON With five Solheim Cup appearances to her name, Lexi Thompson is determined to help Team USA wrest back the trophy this September in Spain

balancing act between taking the time for myself, living life and enjoying it, but at the same time, performing the best that I can when I do play.”

Obviously keeping fit during those breaks and in the off-season is also crucial?

“Yeah, of course,” Thompson said. “I worked extremely hard in the off-season, whether it’s training in the gym one, two times a day, but I’ve spent multiple hours each and every day in the practice facility working on the things that I needed to improve on and just keeping everything consistent.

“I had a good finish in my last two events last year [Pelican Women’s Championship and CME Group Tour Championship], so I am just trying to bring that into this year. Consistency has been key for me to keep things ticking along, so just keeping the things going that I’ve been working on and continuing to improve on them with my game and on the mental side as well.”

Following her T3 at Royal Greens, Thompson is confident her game is in the right place.

“I had quite a long time off over the festive period, with quality time with my family and friends to get that relaxation, but at the same time, I trained harder than ever,” she said.

“I worked extremely hard on my game and fitness, and I am really just trying to keep everything intact, work on a few things in my game, and keep on improving.”

It was a bit of a family affair in Saudi Arabia as Lexi’s brother Curtis was on her bag, another aspect that helped her relax in the challenging conditions.

“We just talk about the most random things or get deep into a conversation that just goes nowhere,” Lexi said about what the chat was with her sibling. “It’s amazing. He knows me so well and knows my game probably better than I do because we play together every day back home. I’m very lucky and blessed to have him out here.”

And as Thompson becomes one of the more seasoned pros, she has an eye on the legacy she will leave as the women’s game makes great strides towards equality, with boosts in prize money, improved facilities and more airtime on live television broadcasts.

“First of all, I think it’s amazing to see how the game is growing,” she said. “As an athlete, I just want to leave the game in a better place than it was when I first stepped in.

“To have role models and encourage girls to pick up the game at a young age, it’s important. It’s great to see girls thoroughly enjoy the game. Whether you

make it professionally or not, it’s such an amazing game that you learn so much about yourself, your dedication, responsibility. Even if you’re not professional it’s great for business, because you don’t get the opportunity to spend multiple hours with business partners for that matter.

“I’ve learned so much about myself along the way, met some amazing people, so I always tell people, you should pick up the game. It’s one of the best out there. Could be frustrating, don’t get me wrong, but you will enjoy it so much, and just have fun with it and just be grateful for the opportunity that you can.”

I just want to leave the game in a better place than it was when I first stepped in. To have role models and encourage girls at a young age, it’s important

ABRAHAM ANCER GETS THE LIV PARTY STARTED IN MEXICO AS HOME HERO GETS SEASON OFF TO A FLIER WITH SAUDI INTERNATIONAL CROWN

BY MATT SMITH

EXPERIENCE GOLF UNDER THE LIGHTS AT YAS ISLAND’S

PREMIUM 9-HOLE FLOODLIT GOLF COURSE

Rates starting from AED 350 excluively with Viya

BRAHAM ANCER was always relishing a return to his native Mexico for the 2023 LIV Golf League opener at Mayakoba. But he made it a real reason to party when he greeted family and friends back home with the huge Saudi International trophy tucked away in his cabinet.

The Mexican held on for a wire-towire victory over American Cameron Young near Jeddah early in February, claiming an eventual two-stroke triumph on 19-under — with Aussie Lucas Herbert third on 15-under — to get the celebrations started.

“Any time I get to play in front of my family and friends in my home country is a lot of fun,” Ancer told Golf Digest Middle East. “This time it is extra special.

“I feel like golf is beginning to take off in Mexico a bit, and obviously bringing a LIV event here is huge. I am really excited and pumped. Mayakoba is an unbelievable place to go — even if you don’t like golf, it’s an unbelievable place to just hang out, and now with the Saudi victory it is a great week to be home.”

The diminutive 31-year-old was consistently out-driven by his playing partners Cameron Young and Matthew Wolff at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Sunday during the final round of the

Asian Tour $5 million flagship event, but Ancer consistently had the answers.

“There is hope for us short guys,” he joked. “I have played with big hitters my whole life, ever since I was a little kid, I just know I need to hit it closer from farther away. It is sometimes a little frustrating hitting a tee ball really well and then you are using a 6-iron and then you walk 50 yards and they’re hitting a wedge. But if you get caught up in that then you’re going to be hitting all over the place. I know I’m not going to be anywhere close to Matt off the tee with the driver. I have just got to be accurate instead, that’s the way I like it and it’s nothing new.”

Ancer began his 2023 with a disappointing missed cut at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in the UAE, where Rory McIlroy clung on to defeat Patrick Reed in a thrilling Monday finale at Emirates Golf Club.

But Ancer was happy to shake of the rust in Dubai before his scintillating return to Jeddah after such an extended break.

“I just know from previous years that the first tournament after the break is usually not very solid, especially that first round,” Ancer admitted. “Maybe I was just a little bit rusty. Even though previously back home I felt like I was playing some really good golf, but obviously tournament golf is different.

“The second round in Dubai I played well and was just one short of making the cut. But I felt like my game was back and mentally I felt in a good spot.

“We’ve got to have a really short memory as golfers. When I got to Jeddah and saw the Royal Greens course, it was in phenomenal shape, I got excited, and we got to do it again.

“Now we are in Mexico and we can bring it all together for a big year.”

Amateur dramatic

El Mehdi Fakori and Issa Abou El Ela did not set the field alight during their time at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club for the PIF Saudi International, with the Moroccan and Egyptian finishing 58th and 69th respectively and foregoing their share of the $5 million prize pot as amateurs.

But even making the cut in a loaded field that saw the likes of Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Bubba Watson heading home early was a victory in itself, illustrated the great strides they are making in the Arab game.

“From my perspective, it hasn’t sunk in, but I think it’s just a great thing for confidence,” Abou El Ela said after his four-over total on Sunday. “At the end of the day, it’s more about the whole Arab community, it’s not just me, it’s more of a sign that we can do it. We now have [Saudi stars] Faisal Salhab, Saud Al Sharif, Othman Almulla and [Jordan’s] Shergo Al Kurdi, who are all professionals competing out here too.

“I’m obviously over the moon to make the cut but it just shows that as Arabs we have a chance to shine on the global stage. With the support of Golf Saudi and the Arab Golf Federation, I don’t see why in five to 10 years, we can’t see one of our juniors in the Arab community winning one of these.”

Fakori shone on Sunday, shooting a four-under 66 in the final round.

“I’m very happy to be playing with the world’s best players,” he said. “I’m playing with them and getting the firsthand experience to learn what I need. But when I’m in the field I am only focusing on myself and my own game. You need to respect the sport, you need to be disciplined and consistent. There’s no one better than the other, there’s just a player who’s more consistent.”

“Any time I can play in front of my family in my home country is a lot of fun”

Lady Lydia

Ko underlines her status as the queen of golf by reclaiming Aramco Saudi Ladies International crown at Royal Greens

By Matt Smith

WORLD NO. 1 LYDIA KO

came into the Aramco Saudi Ladies International unsure what to expect after an extended off-season that included getting married.

The world No. 1 got hitched to Jun Chung to sign off on a 2022 that saw her not only reclaim her spot at the top of the rankings but also pick up three LPGA Tour crowns, including the CME, which earned her the biggest winner’s cheque in women’s golf history: $2 million.

After that extended break and a honeymoon that included — by her own admission — “perhaps too much golf”, the New Zealander arrived at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club uncertain where her game was at in competitive circles. She had nothing to worry about.

Ko was returning to King Abdullah Economic City for the first time since her 2021 triumph in the Saudi Ladies International, and oozed class as she saw off a star-studded field to reclaim the crown.

A final-round 68 for a total of 21-under was enough to hold off the in-form India star Aditi Ashok, the likes of fast charging Lexi Thompson and Manon De Roey, and dark horse Lilia Vu.

In a topsy-turvy finish that saw the lead change hands a number of times, Ko eventually prevailed as valiant Vu faltered at the last and had to settle for a share of third alongside Belgium’s De Roey and American star Thompson on 19-under, one behind Ashok.

Along with becoming the first player to win the title twice, Ko also took home a record $750,000 from the $5 million prize fund.

“I’m two for two on this golf course at Royal Greens, so clearly something is going for me,” Ko said.

“I’m playing with the world’s best. The field this week was really good, so I knew it was going to be a challenge. And it was the first one of the year. That is really hard because you don’t have anything to base yourself off. You don’t know if you’re going to play well or bad.”

Ko made it career win No. 26 and is looking in great shape for another trophy-laden campaign in 2023.

It certainly was a statement in her first event of the year as she came out on top in a field that included 13 major winners including In Gee Chun, Anna Nordqvist, Thompson and defending champion Georgia Hall.

“Hopefully I’m going to get some good momentum now,’ Ko said. “Every day is different, so I don’t think you can take anything for granted. I’m just going to stick to my process and keep working on the things I’ve been working on and enjoy it. Hopefully this is a light to a good start of the 2023 season.”

OTHER TAKEAWAYS FROM THE ARAMCO SAUDI LADIES INTERNATIONAL

BLOWN AWAY

As ever on the famous Royal Greens fairways, the wind was one of the week’s biggest talking points as the players struggled to come to terms with the breezes off the Red Sea, especially in the afternoon, when gusts can regularly whip up to 30mph. Almost every player mentioned the wind in their post-round interviews, with Lilia Vu perhaps best summing it up when she had to resort to some unusual tactics on the par-4 sixth hole on Sunday.

“I hit my driver and it went 200 yards,” she said. “And I was still left with a 4-iron to the green. It was crazy.”

ASHOK PRIMED

While Aditi Ashok came up just short at the Saudi International, the India star boosted her credentials for a stellar season with her second-place finish. The two-time Olympian, at only the age of 24, is in the form of her life and went win (Kenya), third (Morocco), second (Saudi) in her first three starts this season, and this just might be the year when she finally makes a statement in the majors.

CHIARA CONTINUES

With the tournament prize fund hiked to a whopping $5 million this year — up from $1 million and now matching the men’s Saudi International — Ko is delighted the women are being given a level playing field in Saudi Arabia.

“I think this is the direction we’re trending in not only at this event, but all the events,” she said. “To have partners that support and believe in women’s golf and the talent that’s out here, it is just great to be a part of that and this history.

“Hopefully this is a continuous movement on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA, and for other tours as well.

“As players, it’s just really cool to be part of that history. I hope this is something that’s going to continue to grow, because playing alongside the best female golfers, week in and week out... there are so many amazing women out here. I don’t think you realise until you come here and you see, wow, like look at all this talent.”

Following her victory in the Aramco Team Series — Jeddah last November, 16-yearold Dubai-based star Chiara Noja hit the ground running in her first full year on the Ladies European Tour. Following a T11 in Morocco at the Lalla Meryem Cup the German schoolkid notched up a 12th-place finish at Royal Greens, and picked up $102,000 for her efforts.

“What an experience,” she wrote on Twitter. “The strongest field I’ve ever played in, and making history with equal prize money for the women and men. Feeling incredibly blessed, and love seeing this growth of the women’s game.”

There certainly will be more to come from Chiara in the near future, too.

RECORDS TUMBLE

Along with the record prize money at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, there was also a remarkable double-header on the fairways as Lexi Thompson shot a course record-equalling 63 to surge into contention on Saturday. Not to be outdone, Manon De Roey matched the feat in the final round, ensuring she secured a share of third spot with Thompson and her fellow American Lilia Vu.

I’m two for two on this golf course at Royal Greens, so clearly something is going for me

Irish star LEONA raring to go once again after her Solheim Cup heroics as a rookie in Ohio

By Matt Smith

Maguire’s mission

LEONA MAGUIRE was something of an unknown when she hit the headlines in 2011 and became the toast of European golf with a stunning Solheim Cup show on her debut in the biennial matchplay clash with the best American female golf has to offer.

The rookie thrived as the reigning champions denied Team USA at the Inverness Club, Ohio, and retained the coveted trophy.

The Americans were tipped to wrest the Cup back from a European team that triumphed at Gleneagles in 2019, boasting the likes of then world No. 1 and Olympic champion Nelly Korda as the poster girl leading a deep, deep pool of American talent.

But they failed to factor in Maguire, who helped Europe to a famous 15-13 victory, with the County Cavan native picking up a rookie record 4.5 points from her five matches over three gruelling days at the Inverness Club, including an astounding and dominant 5&4 victory over Jennifer Kupcho in the singles.

Two years on, Maguire cuts a relaxed figure as Team Europe aim for an unprecedented hat-trick of Solheim Cup

successes on the spin at Finca Cortesin in Spain this September — an event she very much plans to feature in.

“It’s going to be a very different one this year on home soil in Spain,” Maguire tells Golf Digest Middle East on the sidelines of the Aramco Saudi Ladies

make the team. To do that I need to play as well as I can as there are so many good players in Europe these days.”

While nothing is certain about making the final 12 on the teamsheet, Maguire is already doing her homework for September, and relishing a return to team action.

“We took a trip to Finca Cortesin after the Spanish Open last year and it is a great golf course — obviously very different to Inverness in Ohio,” she says. “It will be great to have that home support, and also to get the crowds back after last time, when the fans were not allowed to travel. I am sure there will be a lot of Irish people in that area in the south of Spain, plus a lot more going over, so it will be a very different Solheim Cup this time around.”

International outside Jeddah. “I was a rookie last time, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was just happy to be there and make the team and all the rest.

“This time around, Plan A is to make sure I am there in September, and I

While Europe will have a new captain in Suzann Pettersen, having taken over from Catriona ‘Beanie’ Matthew, there will be a sense of continuity when they get to Spain, as the Norwegian is taking the step up from vice-captain and has retained the services of the legendary four-time Solheim Cup winner Laura Davis as one of her lieutenants.

“Suzann is putting in all the work behind the scenes to make sure we have the best team out there and we are as ready as possible,” says Maguire. “Both

Suzann is putting in all the work behind the scenes to make sure we have the best team out there and we are as ready as possible

Suzann and Laura have a wealth of experience under their belts in major championships and Solheim Cups — they are two of the best to have ever done it, so you couldn’t ask for much better. Suzann is as competitive as it gets, so she won’t leave any stone unturned to make sure that we come out as the best side we can be.

“I grew up watching Suzann in Solheim Cups. I remember watching her at

Killeen Castle in 2011 and we played the Junior the same week in County Meath. It would have been nice to have been on a team playing alongside her but hopefully I can make the team with her as captain — the next best thing.”

Maguire delights in the cultural mix and team bonding that the Solheim Cup brings out in the Europeans.

“We are very lucky as a team with our unique backgrounds,” she says.

“In

Inverness we all got along so well, right from when we landed. It wasn’t forced in any way, we all just hung out and played table tennis and pool in the team room. We played cards and just chatted amongst ourselves — a lot of it was based on humour and camaraderie and that really brought us all together, from all the different nationalities.

“There was a huge mix of youth and experience on that team and I think

the older players, vice-captains and Beanie herself were such a calming presence, along with Suzann and Laura. There was so much respect there between the players and captains that you did what they said. Whenever they spoke, you stopped what you were doing and you listened. And the older players like Annika [Sorenstam] and Carlota [Ciganda] really showed us rookies the ropes, and it brought us all together, so we all knew our job and it all clicked perfectly. That is the key to success in these events, I think.”

Looking ahead to 2023, Maguire feels that, once again, there will be plenty of fresh talent in the squad to get the right balance of youth and experience.

option to play in that team format,” she says. “There is the draft, picking your teammates ... they put on a really good show and I really enjoyed being in the team atmosphere once again. I have heard nothing but good things from the girls who have played in the other Aramco Team Series events all around the world, so there will be lots of interesting places to go to.”

The Irish star is also glad to see women get recognition in such events as the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, where the record $5 million purse was equal to that of the men’s event held at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club two weeks earlier in February.

“I think we are beginning to get more and more of these events,” Maguire says. “Obviously $5 million this week, plus the World Invitational and Vic Open are now offering better prize money. This week, it is almost like a major for us, you can see that by the quality of the field that is here on this great golf course.

“I think it is an exciting time to be a woman in golf. Obviously there have been huge strides made in terms of prize money, the likes of PIF, KPMG and AIG have put huge amounts into the game. Plus we get better visibility on the big golf courses as well now — we went to Muirfield last year and we have Pebble Beach this year — and getting primetime TV slots is a really big thing, too.

“I think this time around we will have quite a few Scandinavian players — a real Swedish theme — so I might need to brush up on my Swedish,” she laughs, referring to the Pettersen influence and the emergence of a number of Scandinavian stars such as Linn Grant and Maja Stark in recent times. “They are all amazing and it can make us English speakers feel bad that we don’t speak more languages, but we are all one family in the end, regardless of which country you come from.

“Everybody is already getting along, we all root for each other and cheer each other along.”

Maguire is happy to see the growth of events such as the Aramco Team Series in the women’s game, and took part in last year’s competition in New York.

“We don’t get to play a lot of team golf out on tour so it is nice to now get the

“The LET has made huge strides in the past few years with the involvement of Aramco. If you told me even a couple of years ago we would be playing for $5 million in Saudi Arabia, no one would have believed it.

“Plus there are more avenues to allow youngsters to get into the game. They have the Epson Tour on the LPGA, then there is the LET Access Series and the college ranks — there are so many options now and that is the great thing.

“A few years ago, you either got your LPGA card or you didn’t, or you got your LET card or you didn’t, but now there are so many more opportunities, and that is the big thing to unearth the best talent and give them the best chance of making it.

“Hopefully we can get a few more Irish players out there in the near future, too.”

grabbing show in Inverness, Maguire is no stranger to success and holds a number of other records to go with her points score in the Solheim Cup. She held the No. 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for the longest time (135 weeks) and shot the lowest ever score in the final round of a major by any golfer, male or female (61). She also became the first Irish golfer to win an LPGA event at the Drive On Championship last February.

it is an exciting time to be a woman in golf. Obviously there have been huge strides made in terms of prize money and airtime

As I watch from the back seat of our Jeep, a Nepali policeman in a brightorange rainsuit and motorcycle helmet signals us to wait. He looks hundreds of feet above us, up into the rain, “reading the greens” of the upper slopes — checking for boulders. I hope he’s a good boulder-reader because our lives are in his hands. He gives our driver a casual “go” signal, and our Jeep begins squelching forward through the mud-soup with a long train of Jeeps behind us.

“It’s clear?” I nervously ask Deepak Acharya, who’s sitting in the front passenger seat.

“He’s saying yes,” Acharya says calmly. Landslides are a way of life in Mustang, Nepal, during monsoon season.

“OK,” I say, relieved.

Suddenly, the policeman and another helmeted man next to him furiously motion for us to stop. A golf-bag-size rock comes crashing down 20 feet in front of us. “Oh, my God,” I breathe.

The hand signals now switch from “Stop” to “Go! Go! Go!” and we roar past the unstable area. The policeman smiles at me as we pass.

This is a lot for a golf tournament.

MAHENDRA MAINALI, MY GOLF BUDDY in Kathmandu, was the first to tell me about Mustang Golf Course, a new nine-holer in the remote Upper Mustang region of Nepal at 15,239 feet with an intoxicating claim to fame: When it opened on August 27, it became the world’s highest golf course. For years, the highest had been in Sikkim, India, on an Indian Army base. The 18-hole Yak Golf Course at 13,025 feet came with a yak-size problem: Being a military course, it was effectively off limits to civilians. For years, I had been trying to get on. Golf in unexpected places has consumed me for the past decade. Meeting other golf obsessives in far-flung

pockets of the planet, bonding over a shared love of graphite and Peter Oosterhuis, always makes me happy. I’ve played in the Mongolian National Open, in the Australian Outback on the world’s longest course (Nullarbor Links, a fiveday commitment with each hole about 50 miles from the next) and under the midnight sun in Iceland’s Arctic Open. I’ve hit a golf ball from Everest Base Camp in Nepal and played in the world’s highest golf tournament. But my leads for Yak Golf Course always went cold. Now Nepal — a country with eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains — had performed a high-altitude rescue. The world’s highest golf course had moved from India to the land of Everest, and I had an invite to the launch.

ON AUGUST 19, I STOOD IN LINE AT JFK Airport in New York, backpack full of golf balls, for my 14-hour flight to Doha with continuing service to Kathmandu. I would be in Nepal in 22 hours, the lone American in the 36-player “Top of the World Golf Classic”. Behind me was an elderly Nepali man in a wheelchair, a traditional yellow khata scarf (given by family and friends for good luck before journeys) draped around his neck. Down the check-in line, I spied yellow scarves tied to suitcase handles. This was my first adventure since the death of my father, playwright Israel Horovitz, to kidney cancer in November 2020. It had been a long time since golf was on my mind.

OF THE 31 MILLION PEOPLE IN NEPAL, only 1,200 are golfers. Of these, 70 are professionals on the Surya Nepal Golf Tour (eight events last season, with purses of about $4,000 to $11,000. Sukra Bahadur Rai, 24, last year’s Order of Merit winner, is now a regular on the Professional Golf Tour of India). With

HIMALAYAN LIFE

Opening pages: An aerial view of Mustang Golf Course in Lo Manthang. This page: a precarious passage through Rupse Falls (above) en route to Pokhara; residents of the rural town of Lo Manthang (right).

NEPAL

Kathmandu

Mount Everest Lo Manthang

Mustang Golf Course

CHINA

BHUTAN INDIA

the creation of Mustang Golf Course, Nepal now has seven courses, the oldest of which, the par-68, 5,410-yard Royal Nepal Golf Club, dates to 1917.

Mustang was the idea of politician Indra Dhara Bista, a charismatic member of parliament for Gandaki Province. Bista was visiting, of all places, Arizona, when he remembered a finger-like shelf of land high above Mustang’s capital of Lo Manthang, seldom visited, used for grazing horses. In a flash familiar to any golfer who has looked at a field, hill or in-law’s garden and mentally planted some Poa annua, Bista thought, Wait, there could be a golf course here. He used one million Nepali rupees (about $7,840) from the Constituency Infrastructure Development Fund to build Mustang.

The goal for Mustang Golf Course is for it to become a prime item on adventurous golfers’ bucket lists. As Everest does for climbers, the course would bring visitors to Nepal’s Mustang region and crucial aid to Nepal in its long comeback from the pandemic — two years of economic pain that saw a near halt in international tourism. I also sensed another reason behind Mustang’s construction, one born of the grab-life-by-the-backtees gusto I saw in so many of my Nepali friends. Why not have the world’s highest golf course in Nepal? That spirit is why I was here. Sure, I wanted to see Mustang with my own eyes and feel what it is like to play nine holes above 15,000 feet. But after two unpleasant years of the pandemic, I needed a dose of my Nepali friends’ zest for life.

Inside the chaotic domestic terminal of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, awaiting a Yeti Air flight to the lakeside city of Pokhara, the launching pad for our golf expedition, golfers were assembling on a sticky monsoon season morning. “Ollie! How are you, my friend?”

Mainali, a lawyer and golf fanatic, gave me a big hug. Acharya, senior golf director at Gokarna Forest Resort and our tournament organiser, walked up with a grin and a competitors’ sheet. Others joined, sipping “milk coffee” and wearing Titleist hats, dressed as if they were about to tee off in an hour, which, it turned out, we were. Once we landed in Pokhara (a 25-minute flight), everyone would head to Himalayan Golf Course, just outside town, for a practice round. That the group would be doing this before checking into hotel rooms

was an urge I understood. Himalayan Golf Course, inside a 1,000-foot gorge, evoked the fantasy course in Golden Tee Golf, but first I had to pick up my trekking permits, acetazolamide (Diamox) and dexamethasone for the coming altitude — standard tournament preparations at this height.

In 48 hours we would go from Pokhara’s 2,697 feet to Mustang’s 15,239 feet. To combat AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), I would take 125 milligrams of Diamox twice daily to reduce headaches and breathlessness, with pronounced side effects of finger tingling and constant urinating. I also had to take care of permits. Upper Mustang, closed to foreigners until 1992, requires a $500 restricted-area trekking permit for entry that grants 10 days of access. I also had to obtain an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and a Trekker Information Management System card at Pokhara’s Nepal Tourism Board office — why I’d packed a pile of passport photos.

“Have you ever been to Mustang?” Shyam Tamang, one of the golfers, asked.

“First time.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Oh!” he said. “You’re going to heaven.”

THE UPPER MUSTANG REGION OF Nepal was once the ancient Kingdom of Lo, founded by King Ame Pal in 1380. The region is home to the Loba people, population 7,000. Lo Manthang, the walled capital city of Upper Mustang, above which the golf course was built, is 12 miles from the Tibetan border. Such proximity, combined with the region’s history of few visitors, makes Upper Mustang one of the last strongholds of Tibetan culture in Nepal. Lo Manthang teahouses serve traditional Tibetan butter tea (reputed to prevent chapped lips). Residents practise Tibetan Buddhism of the Sakya lineage and wear traditional Tibetan cloaks called chubas. Seldomseen snow leopards prowl the land.

The Nepali golfers in my group were mostly in their 40s, 50s and 60s — business owners, retired police chiefs, highranking government employees, a few retired members of the military — and all obsessed golfers. “Many have been ringing these past few days, trying to get in last minute,” Acharya told me. (As general secretary for Nepal’s Professional Golfers Association, Acharya was our

de facto trip captain.) “We’re planning on holding the award ceremony at the course,” Acharya said. “We’ll see how everyone reacts to the altitude.”

It was a muggy morning in Pokhara as we loaded into the Jeeps outside our hotel. Our 10 drivers, all Upper Mustang residents, most in their mid-20s with families waiting in Lo Manthang, wore matching white long-sleeve Mustang Golf Course shirts and green golf caps. Our drivers loaded the golf travel bags and tied them under tarps. Passing locals gave us quizzical looks. We were a travelling road show with ball-marker hat clips. Amid the hubbub, I spotted Dr Rita Thapa, 81, a Royal Nepal Golf Club member and our tournament’s honorary starter. Thapa, a former WHO director and pioneer in Nepal’s public health, was making this trip despite altitude concerns from her family, including her husband, the former Nepali ambassador to the United States. “I’ll be fine,” Thapa assured me. “I just hope I hit it well.”

Our driver — a stern-looking fellow with a ponytail and a denim jacket — whistled. We slammed Jeep doors closed and set off. Outside, the land was wet and thick around us, but shards of mountain peaks poked high above clouds and sparkled in the sky. Nepali

folk music sang from our Jeep radio. We steadily overtook all cars and buses and motorbikes. I grew confident our driver had never been passed by another vehicle in his life.

There are easier ways to get to Lo Manthang than two days of driving in monsoon season. We could have taken helicopters ($125 per person for a fourperson trip) or the 18-minute plane ride from Pokhara to Jomsom, halfway to Lo Manthang, skipping all the muddy road sections. We also could have played this tournament outside of monsoon season (June to August) when roads are perfect. But Jeeps were what we had chosen, August 27 was our tournament date, and nobody seemed concerned. The Nepali phrase ke garne — meaning “What is there to do?” — came to mind.

We passed the town of Kande, launching point for the famous Annapurna Base Camp trek (a popular alternative to the Everest Base Camp trek). Soon the blacktop road ended, and we bounced along a dirt road that didn’t even exist 25 years ago. Now it runs from Pokhara to the Chinese border at Korala, bringing increased trade, tourism and the modern world to Mustang. Trekkers supposedly used a path near this road, although we saw none. Trekking in Nepal largely

hibernates until the clear, crisp days of October and November, with a second trekking window in April and May. (Nepali golfers, however, churn straight through the torrential rains of monsoon season — including one group of retired army majors with a weekly game at Royal Nepal called Monsoon Madness.)

In Mustang, the landscape changed, and the lush vegetation gave way to Utah-like desert and hills. The temperature dropped. We hugged the roaring Kali Gandaki River, its waters swollen from the rains, and rumbled through villages, passing schoolkids shouting “Namaste!” (Nepali for hello). We were driving through the Himalayas, crossing

the iconic mountain range on our line for Lo Manthang.

As the sun set, we pulled into our home for the night, the Dragon Hotel in the former fortress town of Kagbeni (elevation: 9,199 feet). This was the entrance to the restricted area of Upper Mustang. Blue sheep, a major prey of snow leopards, grazed high on hills above us. Fields of buckwheat rustled in the wind. I already felt breathless from the altitude. Our group unloaded, stretched (I caught a few private practice swings and wrist-hinge checks among our group) and then headed to the dining hall for a Nepali meal of rice, meat and vegetables. I dined beside Deepak

Magar, a 54-year-old golf pro at Royal Nepal, one of five professionals accompanying our group. Magar turned pro when he was 25, playing on and off the Professional Golf Tour of India. He had 10 wins, most of them in Nepal. Now he gives swing lessons. Many of his dedicated students were on this trip.

As second helpings were served, conversation at our table turned to golf. Someone mentioned playing at Royal Thimphu Golf Course in the nearby country of Bhutan. “Have you played golf in Bhutan?” I asked Magar.

The pro paused, lost in a memory. “In 1993,” he replied softly. “I won the Bhutan Open.”

BALLS IN THE AIR Arshiya Banu (left) hits her approach into the fifth hole during the Top of the World Golf Classic; Sonam Norbu Lama marks his ball on the eighth green (right); Provincial Assembly member Indra Dhara Bista briefs caddies before the start (below).

NEPALIS ARE PERHAPS BEST KNOWN for two professions. The high-altitude climbing Sherpa people, based in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal, established themselves as fearless and talented mountaineers and high-altitude porters, doing battle each season with fierce weather to put clients on distant peaks. (One Royal Nepal member, a 9-handicapper named Ang Norbu Sherpa, has summited Everest four times. A photograph of him holding the RNGC emblem atop Everest’s summit hangs in the clubhouse.) Also globally revered are the Nepali Gurkha soldiers of the British Army, who still serve today. The name originates from the Nepali hill town of Gorkha, and they have served in the British Army for more than 200 years, including both World Wars, developing a reputation for stunning bravery. Decorated Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once said, “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.”

Before driving to Lo Manthang the next morning, we had an important pre-tournament stop: The Muktinath Temple at the base of the Thorong La mountain pass at 12,171 feet is a sacred site for Hindus and Buddhists. Mukti means “release” in Nepali; Hindus from Nepal (and India) try to visit Muktinath at least once in their lives, seeking release from whatever burdens them. The excitement of our group approaching Muktinath rivalled that of a foursome playing Augusta National Golf Club for the first time. Everyone rushed up the hundreds of steps to the temple — no small task in the altitude. I hung back, carefully climbing alongside Thapa and Major Bejoy Moktan, 76, a high-ranking Gurkha officer with whom I’d played golf at Himalayan Golf Club in 2016. Thapa reached a giant prayer wheel and gazed out in wonder. “If heaven were on Earth, it would be here.”

The temple was thrumming with activity; 108 brass taps lined the perimeter, releasing a stream of frigid holy water, under which visitors ran, splashed heads and filled bottles to bring back for family members. I walked through the temple grounds beside Thapa. Without warning, I started thinking of my dad, who had been my biggest supporter, golfing sidekick and best friend. I thought of how proud he would have been of me for being on this

off on the ninth hole (left). Of the 31 million people in Nepal, only 1,200 are golfers. Of these, 70 are professionals on the Surya Nepal Golf Tour (eight events last season with purses of about $4,000 to $11,000).

trip, and all the heartache I’d been holding in the past two years came pouring out. Thapa saw me crying, and I choked through an explanation. She patted me on the shoulder. “Light a candle in here for your dad,” she said tenderly, beckoning to a room filled with candles. “Think of happy memories of him.”

THE CITY OF LO MANTHANG, UPPER

Mustang’s capital, stretches out over a windswept valley at 12,598 feet. Its whitewashed walls hold a 600-year-old royal palace. As far back as the 1400s — while golf balls were being struck in St Andrews, Scotland — Lo kings ruled from this perch. Today, 900 people call Lo Manthang home. This was our tournament base camp.

Inside the local community hall at our tournament welcome dinner, golfers passed around Tibetan biscuits called khapse. On the wood stage, beneath a string of prayer flags, 10 traditionally dressed women met my gaze. They were members of the Mothers Group local association hosting our dinner. The women sipped butter tea and smiled at us. By the door, 10 locals peered in excitedly. The show had arrived in town.

Politician Bista, wearing a cowboy hat and bright smile, made a jovial speech, welcoming all participants to Lo Manthang. Association members poured local Nepali wine into glasses

SCENIC DRIVE Juni Rai tees

LIFE AT THE TOP

Tibetan tents were set up, and residents turned out to witness golf for the first time (right); the prize for making a hole-in-one on the 150-yard third was a horse that stood next to the tee box.

and served from a buffet of dal bhat (a Nepali food staple). Worrying about tomorrow’s altitude, I declined the wine. I wanted to be sharp.

At the front of the room, Acharya announced tomorrow’s format: nine holes, shotgun start at 9am to beat fierce afternoon winds, Stableford scoring system (three-fourths handicap) with prizes for closest to the pin, low gross and longest drive.

Bhuwan Gurung, general manager of Pokhara’s Himalayan Golf Course, was next to me in the buffet line. “How are you feeling, sir?” he asked.

“A little short of breath, but not bad,” I replied.

“Good. Drink lots of hot tea for your strength.” Gurung had been in Lo Manthang for three days, making the 30-minute drive to the course at 6 each morning. There, he spent hours topdressing and hand-cutting Mustang’s greens. During the past few months, he had spent 17 days up at Mustang. I asked what the locals thought. “Before, we had 15 Lo Manthang locals hitting shots for the first time at the course,” he smiled. “At first, they didn’t know what we were making. I gave them training. We brought some balls. Some people hit nice shots, too!”

Our gaggle of golfers sat together, fingers tingling from Diamox, eating lentils. I sat next to Mainali. Across the

room, a few of our drivers wore blue World’s Highest Golf Course vests. Said Mainali: “Our drivers are all saying: ‘You better let us hit shots up at the course.’”

“WHEN DO THE JEEPS LEAVE?” DEEPAK Magar asked. We were gathered on Lo Manthang’s main drag. Throughout town, posters for Top of the World Golf Classic were pasted to walls. We took practice swings in DryJoys as cows wandered past us down the dirt road. If our scene didn’t already evoke a Salvador Dali circus, the tent opened five minutes later. Thirty-six women in traditional Tibetan clothing (plus a few Yankees and Dodgers caps) jumped from carts.

“They’re from Lo Manthang,” Acharya said. “They’re caddieing for us today.”

Soon we were in a Jeep heading to our golf El Dorado. We rumbled through grassland and up a series of steep switchbacks, clipping over the edge at 15,239 feet — finally at Mustang Golf Course.

NATURAL STATE Course conditions were a bit rough — greens a mix of grass and sand — but improvements are planned.

Tibetan tents were set up everywhere. Local women in yak-wool hats offered pastries in a breakfast line, smiling brightly. Little kids bounced on their parents’ laps. Everywhere there were golf bags, balls and golfers chipping into buckets. More locals arrived, scaling the 3,000-foot climb in the back of Jeeps, on motorbikes or on foot (a four-hour round-trip). Hundreds of locals were here to witness golf for the first time.

“OK, gather round everyone,” Acharya called in Nepali. Acharya’s colleague, Pashupati Sharma, handed out scorecards. Female elders presented each golfer with a white khata scarf (inscribed with Mustang Golf Course logo) for good luck. I received my scarf, clasping my hands together in the traditional prayer sign. If I played badly, I would have no excuses.

As Nepali news crews with cameras crowded, Thapa struck the ceremonial opening drive down the middle to raucous cheers. My group started on the seventh tee. One of my playing partners was Sonam Lama, owner of the Himalayan Yak Restaurant in Jackson Heights, Queens. I nervously teed up on our 595-yard opening hole as my other playing partner, Shyam Tamang, wished me: “Best success.” My ball split the fairway. Someone shouted: “Shotttttt!” I was already out of breath.

A round at Mustang is like playing on the edge of the world. The course is pancake flat — more so than I’d expect-

ed — but five of the nine holes hug steep drop-offs. On the first hole, with all trouble left, I watched Ibraj Uddin uncork a vicious hook, then attempt a brief but exciting ball retrieval with his caddie before his playing partners forced him to abort. Course conditions were rough — the greens a mix of grass and sand — but improvements are set to resume in spring of 2023. The altitude made judging distances difficult. On some shots, the ball didn’t appear to fly any farther. At the par-3 sixth, however, I hit a 9-iron 180 yards. Tee boxes are marked with stones. The views of majestic mountain ranges are spectacular.

My favourite hole was the third, a 150-yard par 3 that featured a hole-inone competition. The prize? A horse. Remarkably, the horse stood beside the tee box, patiently waiting and wondering what was going on. It was a nice horse, but I worried it would make a tough prize to get through TSA. This became irrelevant when I overshot the green by 40 yards. I blamed the altitude. The whole round felt like a festival. The locals, including five Buddhist lamas in orange robes, roamed the fairways, causing constant shouts of “Ball!”, which is Nepali for “Fore!” Others zoomed up and down the course on motorbikes. My caddie, Toshi, a teenage student, was all-world nice. Before each of my shots, she whispered: “Best of luck.”

Tamang won the Stableford trophy, which made sense, because he some -

how putted like Ben Crenshaw on the bumpy greens. As a crowd formed for the awards presentation, local dignitaries sat beside gold-plated trophies of horses and snow leopards. One by one, the Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Rinjing, a high-ranking chief lama, distributed World’s Highest Golf Course certificates. Rinjing announced me as the first American to play the course. (My 46 for nine holes was not announced.) We also learned that nobody won the horse.

A women’s group from Lo Manthang began a joyous dance performance. I thought once again of this marvellous Nepali spirit, of Gurkha fighters inspiring British soldiers with their courage, of Sherpas climbing high on Everest, putting their lives on the line to put food on the table. This same spirit had made Nepalis say: “Why not have the world’s highest golf course in this country? Why not come from Kathmandu in the middle of monsoon season to play the opening tournament?” All around me, a new chapter in the game of golf was being written.

super light cushioning designed for dynamic movements and next level comfort.

Brother beyond

OTHMAN ALMULLA

KEEPS IT IN THE FAMILY AS SAUD AND FAISAL MAKE PROFESSIONAL DEBUTS AT SAUDI INTERNATIONAL

BY MATT SMITH

Sometimes we use the phrases ‘brother’ and ‘family’ in a matter-of-fact way.

Throwaway references to your best chums, the guys you meet at the club or colleagues you tolerate after work.

Then sometimes you are given a true reminder of what that term actually means when you meet someone like Othman Almulla.

The 36-year-old began his golfing career on the sand courses in Saudi Arabia, using a rubber mat and a set of borrowed clubs, with school grades suffering as he would sneak on to the course whenever he could.

That dedication and addiction paid off in the long run as he started to turn a few heads in the Middle East and beyond. How could a boy from the sand of Saudi Arabia compete with the best in the world?

Compete he did, and true to his word and ambition to become a champion, he won the Qatar Open and Saudi Aramco Invitational in 2008 and became the youngest Pan Arab Amateur Golf Tournament champ at 21, sporting his beloved Adidas gear whenever he could on the course.

After years of grafting away, Othman eventually marked his official arrival when he became the first Saudi professional golfer in 2019, aged 32, when the game began its next-generation journey in the Kingdom through Golf Saudi.

Now a seasoned pro, Othman is not content to rest on his laurels, and has already began nurturing the fruits of his labours — with two little ‘brothers’ ready to carry the torch forward for Saudi Arabian golf.

ABOVE: Othman Almulla with his Saudi golfing family Faisal Salhab, left, and Saud Al Sharif

BOTTOM: Othman in action at the PIF Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club

OPPOSITE PAGE: Othman, sporting his new Adidas ZG23 shoes, has an eye on the future for Saudi Arabian golf

Not quite old enough to be a ‘father figure’, Othman is content to be the big brother of the Saudi golf family as Faisal Salhab and Saud Al Sharif are emerging as stars in their own making.

The recent PIF Saudi International saw Faisal and Saud mark their own professional journeys for Saudi golf in a field full of major winners and legendary names such as Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith.

A big stage indeed.

Saudi’s second and third golf stars have one guy to thank and to aspire to, that big brother Othman, who has guided them through a difficult — and a sometimes solitary — path to the top level in the game, having played together flying the Saudi flag in team events.

“Faisal and Saud, they are my little brothers,” Othman told Golf Digest Middle East. “Golf can be a very individual sport and you are with your own team — physios and coaches, whatever — but you find yourself out there on your own a lot of the time.

“But to be out on tour with them now as professionals will be super special, we will create the best memories together. My favourite memories in golf so far are with them in team events representing Saudi Arabia around the world in some big championships. The camaraderie and brotherhood has been created over these past years. I think I have been playing with them for almost 10 years and these relationships and friendships are not easy to come by. I truly believe that I am an older brother to them — they really are my two little brothers out here now on the pro circuit and to see them out here chasing a passion that we all share is truly uplifting.

“I think it is easy to sometimes get stuck in one event, but we now have a very fruitful career ahead of us, all three together and I am very excited about that. This is just the first step, after the partnerships with Golf Saudi and the strides we have taken around the world, and I truly believe the best is yet to come.”

TO BE OUT ON TOUR WITH FAISAL AND SAUD NOW AS PROS WILL BE SUPER SPECIAL

Faisal was quick to praise the ‘big guy’ whom he overshadows, literally, with his bulging biceps, a product of the new revolution taking over golf in the Kingdom.

“This is another exciting step on our journey and where better to turn professional than in our home country at the Saudi International,” he said.

“It has been a long journey to get to this point but the continued support of Othman and Golf Saudi, the Saudi Golf Federation, my coaching team, and friends and family have made all the difference.

“I want to thank them for everything and hope that I can continue my success in the professional game.”

Saud was equally as excited for the future. “Turning professional has been my goal since I first caught the golf bug as a young kid through guys like Othman, and I am so happy to have the opportunity to fully pursue golf as a career,” he said.

“There are so many people to thank but Othman, Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation have been integral to growing the game within the Kingdom and allowing both of us the opportunity to play golf and reach this point.

“I can’t wait to be on the road with Othman and Faisal testing ourselves against the best players and on the best courses, and hope that our story can help others to see and believe they can do the same and follow in our footsteps. As well as winning on the international stage, we each share the dream of inspiring the next generation, and professional golf gives us the platform to do that.”

Hugging his ‘family’, Othman added: “Life on tour is a pretty demanding one, so I’m hoping that I can help the guys avoid some of my mistakes and to do whatever I can to help them overcome some of the early challenges of turning professional.”

The curtain-raiser for Faisal and Saud was not without its tragedy as Othman has to cut short cer-

I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MUCH I LOVE BEING AN ADIDAS ATHLETE, AS IT’S ALL I REMEMBER WEARING

emonies at Royal Greens to return to Dammam as his father-in-law passed away on the Tuesday evening. However, he ensured he was back in Jeddah to support his teammates and tee up for the Saudi International by Thursday, with wife Rana’s blessing and encouragement.

“It was a tough couple of days, but it was important to me to come back,” an emotional Othman said. “It was important to come back and support Saud and Faisal.

“I told my family it was important to come back and put on a brave face. We need to be role models and an inspiration to the Saudi population and that is keeping me strong.

“I think golf families are the most unsung heroes. My wife is the most supportive and special person I know.”

When back on the range and greens, Othman attracted more than a few jealous glances as he was sporting a very special set of shoes — the brand new Adidas ZG23s — something event the top pros in the US and across Europe are waiting to get their hands (and feet) on.

“A few of the guys during the pro-am stopped me and said: ‘Whoa, where did you get them?’ I won’t say who, but these are established guys looking at my shoes and casting envious glances, wanting to check them out.

“I turned pro in 2019, and the guys in Dubai started a conversation in an unofficial capacity as they saw I was always a massive fan of Adidas gear and the relationship started from there.

“I started wearing some of the best golf gear available and, around two years ago, we got together with an official partnership.

“I can’t tell you how much I love being an Adidas athlete, as it’s all I remember wearing.”

As understanding as she is, Rana has her limits when it comes to Othman’s attire.

“My wife gives me a hard time about it as my whole wardrobe is Adidas, and it’s my lifestyle regardless what we are going out to do,” he admitted.

“To be honest the gear is amazing and that is why I wear it all the time. The shoes are some of the most comfortable involved in the game and the ZG21s, which were the previous versions of the new one, were one of my favourite pairs of golf shoes.

“The guys began to tease me: ‘Wait to you see what is coming in 2023.’ I was kinda looking around for snippets and previews and couldn’t find anything. Then these arrived at my house and I was like: ‘Wow.’

“There are one of the lightest shoes in golf, just like the previous iterations, and it is nice to feel I can go at it as hard as I want I am going to feel super stable and my feet will still be fresh after a round, know what I mean?

“I won’t go into the tech but all I know is I know they help me play my best golf.”

MASTER THE HALF-WEDGE

Focus on footwork to dial in these shots

By Chema Sánchez

you’re 47 yards away from the green on a par 5 with a real chance for birdie. What happens next? If you’re like a lot of amateurs I see, too often you don’t commit to these half-wedge shots and slow down your swing into the ball in fear of hitting it too far. Or you don’t shift your weight — making an arms-only swing — and you fat or thin the shot. There goes that birdie opportunity.

If you need a little help with this part of your game, try this drill: Put two alignment rods on the ground right in front of your feet on your target line and another between your feet — the rods forming the letter ‘T’. Now set up to hit a half-wedge shot with the perpendicular rod in line with your ball. Your stance should be narrower than if it were a full swing, and you should favour your front

foot a little more than your trail foot. Now it’s time for the drill: I want you to take the club back just past the point where your lead arm is parallel to the ground. Then swing down into the ball. As you make contact, step up and over the perpendicular alignment rod (right) so that your trail foot, knee and hip finish on the target side. This drill will really help you hit the ball flush while lowering its trajectory into the green, which is big for accuracy. What you should feel is that your body, arms and club move together in the through-swing, and you’re fully committed to the shot. No more bail-out swings.

—with ron kaspriske

CHEMA SÁNCHEZ teaches at the Golfzon Leadbetter Academy at the Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Florida.

KNOCKING IT LIMP

What kind of success do regular golfers have with half-wedges? Arccos Golf’s data analyst, Lou Stagner, reports that they hit these shots about as close as a tour pro hits it from 150 to 175 yards (29-feet average).

45-YARD SHOT

10 HANDICAP (FAIRWAY)

28.7 FEET

10 HANDICAP (ROUGH)

32.6 FEET

15 HANDICAP (FAIRWAY)

31.0 FEET

15 HANDICAP (ROUGH)

35.4 FEET

DON’T MISS A BEAT

Boost your heart rate (seriously!) to hole more pressure putts

By Jason Birnbaum

ON THE PRACTICE green, it’s hard to simulate the pressure you feel standing over a make-or-break putt — hands trembling, heart pounding out of your chest. That’s because no matter what you do in practice to try to manufacture that type of pressure, you can’t make your heart beat as fast as it does in real time — until now. One day, I was with one of my former Korn Ferry Tour players, and he was running sprints around the practice green. I asked him why he was doing this, and he said it was to increase his heart rate so he could better simulate the feeling he had standing over a big putt. It made perfect sense. Over time, I’ve made a few modifications to this exercise, and I’ve found it to be a very effective way to practise under pressure. Here’s how to make it work for you.

—WITH DAVE ALLEN

JASON BIRNBAUM, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in New York, teaches at Manhattan Woods in West Nyack

GET MORE JUMPY IN YOUR PUTTING PRACTICE

IFOUND THAT SPRINTING AROUND the green for 30 seconds was too exhausting for the majority of my students. When it came time to putt, they’d be practically bent over at the waist trying to catch their breath. So I had them jump rope for 30 seconds instead, and then go putt. This was more than enough to push their heart rate above the normal 60 to 100 beats per minute — jumping rope has been known to raise one’s heart rate two to three times faster than other exercises —

BY JAMES FARRELL

without fatiguing them so much. Pushups are also a very effective exercise.

I use this method with my better juniors and college players, but it’s good for any level of player who’s competing in tournaments and playing under pressure. After jumping rope for a half-minute, choose a putt between four and 12 feet. Hit three putts to that hole, then return to jumping rope and repeat again, choosing a different-length putt and hole. Repeat once more. Performing this drill as a circuit keeps you mov-

ing around so that your heart rate remains elevated.

Why four to 12 feet? Because these are the putts you expect to make under normal circumstances, which ratchets up the pressure even more. Try this exercise the next time you’re on the practice green, and you’ll be much better conditioned to handle the additional adrenaline you encounter under pressure, whether it’s standing over a five-footer to win your weekend nassau or an eight-footer to capture your club championship.

CREATIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MATERIALS IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH

CALLAWAY

APEX PRO 21

RRP AED 6,475

WHAT IT DOES: The Apex Pro’s cupface design (in which the iron’s face wraps around the sole and topline) delivers a boost in ball speed and was designed with the use of artificial intelligence computer simulation. However, any club with the name “Pro” attached to it should have the capability of helping the player create shots. This is why each face is individually designed to deliver the type of trajectory each iron requires. As much as 90 grams of tungsten — the most ever used in an Apex iron — encased in urethane with microscopic air bubbles pushes the centre of gravity low in the long and middle irons to provide forgiveness and better feel.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Apex Pro 21 is more of a tool for those taking a surgical approach to their iron game, but don’t let the sleek, forged, 1025-carbon-steel hollow-body construction fool you into thinking the pursuit of additional yards was ignored. The soft sound and feel produced by the urethane microspheres delivers the kind of sensation at impact better players expect. This is a club that single-digit handicappers can appreciate and one the creator of the original Apex — Ben Hogan — would be proud of.

COBRA

KING CB

RRP AED 6,295

WHAT IT DOES: The carbon-steel heads undergo a five-step forging process in which the force is increased with each hit until a final 2,000-ton blow is delivered. This accomplishes several things, including better grain alignment to ensure a soft, crisp feel. The process also creates a tighter tolerance in each clubhead (twice as good as the industry standard) and reduces the need for hand polishing, which leads to greater consistency from club to club. Weight is also placed in the toe area to allow for better weight distribution for increased forgiveness.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Split sets are commonplace on the professional tours, and this progressive set has forgiving cavity-backs through the 6-iron before transitioning to traditional muscle-backs the rest of the way. Better players, however, want options, so Cobra allows the consumer the ability to choose where the break occurs or go full cavity-back or muscle-back. Although you don’t need to be on tour to play these, the look at address with modest progressive offset in the CB and constant offset in the MB will make you feel as if you have tour-pro sticks in your hands. That, of course, is the point.

“These pack a punch. They look like a blade, but they hit like a cavity-back. Forged doesn’t always translate into softer feel, but these deliver that traditional softness.”

“If you want to hit it straight, this is the club. A tight dispersion with a medium trajectory. The feedback you receive in your hands is a nice extra.”

WHAT IT DOES: These irons use the same five-step forging process as the CB/MB set, but they are very different clubs and a departure from last year’s model. The previous King Tour used a metal-injection-moulding (MIM) process to create the clubhead, but that’s no longer the case. Instead, the forging process delivers the same consistency as MIM while delivering a better feel. The milled grooves are manufactured to a precise tolerance that reduces the variability on the groove shape. The upshot is that the grooves can be produced closer to the USGA limit. A channel behind the hitting zone saves discretionary weight higher in the clubhead, moving it lower and to the heel and toe area. That channel is then filled with a thermoplastic urethane to keep the feel just right.

WHY WE LIKE IT: It’s easy to get caught up in metallurgy and chemistry, but some of the details that really stand out include shortened blade lengths based on player feedback and a progressive but minimal offset look at address. A shorter hosel length helps bring the spin down, too, reducing the tendency for shots to balloon. In short, this is a player’s iron that an everyday player can actually hit.

WHAT IT DOES: The compact one-piece carbon-steel forging features the company’s “grain fl ow” technique that enhances the steel’s grain structure in the hitting area. A copper layer underneath the satin-chrome finish, recently reintroduced in the company’s MP-20 irons and used in the Mizuno Pro irons, provides a softer feel. Based on input from the company’s tour-player staff, the shorter irons are more compact than in the JPX921 Tour. The thinner topline and rounded trailing edge enhance the look at address and improve the efficiency exiting the turf.

WHY WE LIKE IT: For such a straightforward-looking iron there is a lot to admire. To appeal to better players, Mizuno shortened the clubhead length in the 6-iron through pitching wedge compared to its previous model, the JPX921 Tour. Also, the topline has been slimmed down and camber added to provide a streamlined appearance at address. On the sole, a more rounded trailing edge increases shot-making ability and an increase in bounce (1 to 2 degrees depending on the iron) helps the clubs — especially the short irons — exit the turf easier, making slight chunks play more like solid strikes.

“I could make the 7-iron go as high as the pitching wedge and vice versa. It’s terrific to have that kind of trajectory control.”

“This feels a lot like my child’s hug — super comforting. At impact, I’m the chef, and the ground is the sushi. The turf interaction is that good.”

MIZUNO

MIZUNO PRO 223

RRP AED 6,825

WHAT IT DOES: Although it strongly resembles a players cavity-back iron, this design makes a more brazen push toward distance. Notably, the long and middle irons are forged from a variant of chromoly steel — the same metal at the root of the company’s Hot Metal gameimprovement iron — to boost distance and to spread out the yardage gaps in the clubs where the gaps tend to be more compressed.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Legend has it that Mizuno founder Rihachi Mizuno required the company’s baseballs to bounce precisely to his eye level — 4 feet, 5 inches — when dropped from a height of 16.5 feet, or they were rejected. Such dedication to precision continues in this iron. Consider the hidden milled slots in the soles of the 4through 7-iron. Those slot shapes are distinct for each iron — the slot on the 4-iron is wider and deeper to enhance distance. The slots on the 5- and 6-iron are slightly T-shape to provide a measure of heel-toe weighting, and the slot on the 7-iron is as thin as possible to smooth the transition to the one-piece forgings used in the 8- and 9-iron and pitching wedge. Some might say this set is ahead of its time. We say it’s a potential template for player irons right now.

I59

WHAT IT DOES: Ping is known for its ability to produce irons for the everyday golfer, but don’t overlook the irons it makes for elite players. The forged 1025 carbon-steel body, laser-cut 17-4-stainless-steel face and AlumiCore insert are joined using a forging process called swaging. That process applies pressure to the three parts, creating a single part that is plasma welded to seal the seams. The AlumiCore insert is key to consistency. It allows about 30 grams from the centre of the club to be redistributed to the perimeter in the form of toe and shaft tip weights. The weight increases the clubhead’s moment of inertia to help minimise ball-speed loss on mis-hits

WHY WE LIKE IT: Many players — especially low-handicappers — will sacrifice a few yards for repeatability. If that sounds like you, these irons might be right for you. They are closely inspected on nine processes (including sole shaping, head polishing and face machining) to guarantee consistency. The blade-like design, offset and bounce are decidedly player-ish. The sole is modestly thinner, and the grooves are shorter heel to toe. They’re also spaced tighter together, allowing for four more grooves on the face for increased friction.

“A crisp sound and feel. You don’t need to exert a lot of energy to produce a penetrating ball flight.”

“A ball-strikers dream. A really authoritative pop at impact but very easy to control the clubhead through the turf. If you like to shape shots, it’s your club.”

I230

RRP AED 7,350

WHAT IT DOES: Ever since the introduction of the i20 more than a decade ago, Ping’s i-Series irons have offered meaningful forgiveness on off-centre strikes in a player’s shape. The i230 continues this tradition and provides a distance shot in the arm. A new elastomer insert inside the 431-stainless-steel clubhead saves 21 grams of weight, which is repositioned to lower the centre of gravity and increase the moment of inertia (MOI) to improve forgiveness. The elastomer also reinforces the face, which improves feel and provides a more consistent energy transfer across the entire face.

WHY WE LIKE IT: More than four years after the introduction of the i210 irons, its successor is likely to reward such patience. The looks have been cleaned up a little with more compact long irons, but the real technological achievement is the multimaterial badge that combines a thin 304-stainless-steel cap with an injectionmolded thermoplastic that is then secured to the cavity with highstrength adhesive. What does that do? It makes the sound frequency of each iron similar — not an easy thing to do considering the force of a 4-iron shot is far different from a pitching wedge.

SRIXON

ZX7 MK II

RRP AED 5,695

WHAT IT DOES: The collection of data can be a valuable tool for those designing clubs. In this instance, testing was conducted with Srixon’s tour staff to determine impact patterns. Using this data helped determine the location of the back-muscle feature. Called “PureFrame”, mass is forged into the body of the iron behind the hitting area, resulting in an 80-per-cent thicker bottom cavity than its ZX7 predecessor. That makes the face more consistent at impact (according to Srixon, face displacement is 12 per cent less), allowing for this cavity-back iron to mimic the feel of a traditional blade.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Player’s irons are a strength for Srixon, and this one only reinforces that reputation. Positioning more mass behind the hitting area is smart thinking, but so are the subtle tweaks such as refining the shape of the high toe area in the short irons. Those clubs also feature a lower blade height to allow players the ability to fl ight their short-iron shots lower with more control. A refi nement also was made to the heel side of the leading edge to improve turf interaction. Of course, all this will likely go unnoticed by the golfer — except on the scorecard.

“These give you a shot of confidence. The heads are elongated so that you feel good over the ball, especially with the long irons.”

“A definite pin-seeker. The bevelled sole helps you throw darts because you can be aggressive without worrying about a chunk. It feels like a player’s iron should, too.”

TAYLORMADE

P•7MC

RRP AED 6,395

WHAT IT DOES: The original idea of the P•7MC was to produce irons for the game’s best players that looked the part. The latest P•7MC accomplishes this but takes the design further. The irons are forged from 1025 carbon steel with machine-milled faces and aggressive grooves. The single-piece forged iron maintains its blade length but now features a slimmer topline, a feature you would expect from the company’s most-played iron on tour. The irons also use a fivestep forging process that delivers up to two to three times the forging pressure normally used in forged irons. The additional force decreases the grain size to improve the overall properties of the metal. The high-pressure forging also reduces the need for hand polishing, allowing for a repeatable, precise geometry.

WHY WE LIKE IT: These irons balance the right amount of help with the right amount of “leave me on my own”. In an iron that seemingly serves all ball flights, the compact head, minimal offset and satin-nickel-chrome finish provide a tour-level look that says you’re to be reckoned with in your club championship. How player-ish are these irons? A 3-iron — a rarity these days — is available.

P•770

WHAT IT DOES: Although the hollow body is cast from 8620 carbon steel, the 4140 face is forged and as thin as 1.55 millimetres. Mass from the high-toe area has been removed to expand the unsupported face area for more fl ex, ball speed and forgiveness, creating a sweet spot that is 14 per cent larger. Because the majority of iron impacts occur low on the face, the company’s hallmark speed pocket provides extra fl ex in that area of the iron. To assist feel, a low-density polyurethane foam is injected inside the clubhead. That not only produces a pleasing sensation at impact but saves weight that can be redistributed to help off-centre hits.

WHY WE LIKE IT: There’s tons of tech in this iron, but it’s all neatly hidden from view, creating a clean look at address. The company advances its slot technology in a package that appeals to the better player — both in the bag and in their hands. The use of tungsten is cleverly done, too: It changes mass and position throughout the irons. In the 3-, 4- and 5-irons, 45 grams are used, and only 32 grams are allocated for the 6- and 7-irons. The reason is you need a lower centre of gravity in the long irons to help create lift.

“This one has the ultimate look: clean and not a lot of offset. You feel square setting up, and the ball feels springy coming off the face.”

“These have everything you need and nothing you don’t. The tech isn’t in your face. You get exceptional distance and can manoeuvre shots either way into the green.”

PLAYER COMMENT

“The look is classic in the best way. An extra five yards on the pitching wedge is a big deal. The trajectory is like a kick off — high but penetrating.”

TITLEIST

T100

RRP AED 7,175

WHAT IT DOES: Even in player’s irons, golfers are asking for more yards or forgiveness in a pleasing package. However, feel, looks and better performance could not be a more difficult trifecta to achieve. To navigate this challenge, Titleist focused on the structure of the club by thickening the back bar used in the previous T100 to promote a meaningful feel. However, finding forgiveness took some thought. Because the T100 is somewhat limited by its compact shape, it’s not possible to simply load more and more tungsten into the clubhead. Instead, an extremely dense tungsten is used (as much as 70 grams) and is brazed instead of welded to the body. This process is more effective than welding and saves weight.

WHY WE LIKE IT: These irons maintain the size, shape and especially the feel that its loyal and large tour staff and customer base have come to expect. The dense tungsten allows mis-hits to more closely approach centre strikes but does so in an appealing shape. For the sole design, Titleist leaned on its wedge guru, Bob Vokey, to design less relief in the heel and more in the toe to help the club plow through the turf like a John Deere tractor.

TITLEIST

T100•S

RRP AED 7,175

WHAT IT DOES: The new T100•S iron mirrors the T100 aesthetically but is fully reimagined with stronger lofts (2 degrees throughout the set) and a channel on the back of the 3- through 7-iron that increases ball speed and helps launch the ball higher. Turf interaction is key for this player, and the tour-inspired sole contour reduces digging. Because this player type is pernickety about details such as shafts and grips, having plenty of options is important. Titleist delivers the goods here, offering 46 shaft choices and 32 grips.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Creating a players iron with distance aspirations without offending your core audience takes some effort, but Titleist has done a nice job of that here. Particularly impressive is the use of tungsten (about 66 grams per head distributed in the heel and toe) that lowers the centre of gravity for launching the ball more easily. Does it work? Staff player Max Homa tested the 7-iron of the T100•S against his Titleist MB irons and saw an increase of 20 feet in height and 15 yards of distance. Combine that performance with classic blade and hosel lengths, and this is an attractive option for the better player in need of a distance jolt.

Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore

“I loved the lower profile and compact head. The cavity definitely helps launch. The leading edge made it feel like I could move the club through the ball.”

APEX 21

RRP AED 6,475

WHAT IT DOES: A mainstay of Callaway’s iron line, the Apex remains a dependable choice for many golfers. The forged 1025-carbon-steel body has a cupface that wraps around part of the topline and sole to maximise flex and ball speed on the 4- through 9-iron. The company continues to use tungsten weighting (ranging from 14 to 64 grams or five times the amount of tungsten in the previous Apex version) encased in microsphere-filled urethane to better control the centre of gravity. A major benefit of this design is improved ball speed on off-centre strikes, particularly on shots hit on the lower part of the face. Speaking of the face, it’s the first time artificial intelligence has been used to design the face architecture for each iron.

WHY WE LIKE IT: We’ve been fans of the Apex since the first iteration debuted in 2014, and in some ways it helped bring the concept of the players-distance iron into focus. Over the years Callaway has improved the Apex’s shaping — more pleasing-to-the-eye short irons and a power boost at impact that makes you feel like the iron downed an energy drink. Not ‘bad’ enough for you? The Apex also comes in an all-black version.

WHAT IT DOES: Callaway takes a new approach on a hollow-body iron. Typically, the downside of a hollow body is having too much mass above the centre of the head. This design moves some of that weight to where it is more advantageous. To accomplish this, the face is fi lled higher with the company’s urethane microspheres to improve the sound and feel of off-centre strikes. The forged, 455 stainless-steel cupface — used for some time in the company’s hybrids and fairway woods — makes its way into the irons for the first time. This face material gave designers the freedom to go thinner, which provides consistent ball speed and spin across a larger area of the face. Also, shots hit high on the face are less likely to spin too much and produce fliers.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This iron is a technological smorgasbord. This club attempts to do something adventurous with both materials and technology. We applaud the eff ort and the execution. Even better, the technology doesn’t sacrifice a pleasing aesthetic, which is critical in this category. It has a hot face that doesn’t feel hot or sacrifice control. How cool is that?

CALLAWAY

“Definitely the bomber of the group. Delivers pinpoint accuracy. Long, soft and sweet are a pretty good combination. A dynamite performer.”

“The club has a butterysmooth feel through the turf. As exhilarating as a breath of fresh air. This iron excels in every category: forgiving, straight and long.”

WHAT IT DOES: By using multiple materials, Cobra is able to bring speed to an iron with a traditional shape and continue to enhance feel and distance. The muscle-back shape hides the fact the head is hollow and uses a thin face for enhanced ball speed and a higher launch. A 20-gram tungsten toe weight is positioned in a way that allows the centre of gravity to be more in line with face centre. This helps provide a satisfying feel on centre hits and assists stability on off-centre strikes. Another nod to sound and feel comes with a lighter, softer foam inside the 1025-carbon-steel clubhead.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Cobra’s Forged Tec irons possess a solid history, which is why the company is introducing its fourth iteration of this hollow-body iron. However, just because the name is the same does not mean significant enhancements have been bypassed. The fivestep forging process and softer foam created a lower sound that appeals to better players. Because the foam is lighter, more weight can be moved down low to foster a better launch angle. The slimmer topline with reduced offset provides a look that says this is a player’s-distance iron that looks like a player’s iron.

WHAT IT DOES: When making irons that are designed to appeal to the very best players — even irons that feature distance technology — the natural tendency is to make them forged. However, this overlooks how soft a cast iron made from 17-4 stainless steel can be. Honma used the material for its 4-iron through to pitching wedge before transitioning to an all-carbon-steel head in the gap wedge for improved feel on shots around the green. The thin L-face (which wraps around roughly half of the sole) features variable-thickness regions. This allows the face to fl ex better on offcentre strikes while delivering more mass on centre strikes.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The company believes its irons are the pride of its brand, and this one serves as an example. In a nod to better players, the irons are a quarter-inch shorter than most mainstream irons and a degree flatter — a combination that functions well for players who come into the ball a little shallower with a sweeping motion. For players desiring graphite shafts, Honma’s own Vizard IB-WF (Iron Bolfa Weight Flow) is a stable, lightweight shaft. With options ranging from 50 to 100 grams, that shaft can be obtained for slightly more.

“These are crazy. The feel off the face is like you’re hitting a shuttlecock off a badminton racket. There’s no digging whatsoever.”

“The dark matte finish hides the size. The sole is a bonus: wider with a unique bevel that provides silky smooth turf interaction.”

MIZUNO

JPX923 FORGED

RRP AED 6,265

WHAT IT DOES: Mizuno is highly regarded for its ability to embrace technology that is equal parts materials and real-world application. Consider the face in the 4- through 7-iron. It’s forged from a superstrong nickel chromoly steel that is transformed into the thinnest forged face in company history at 2.2 millimeters. The company’s new “V-chassis” structure uses a notch in the perimeter to distribute more mass high and in the low-toe area. This helps stabilise the iron by strengthening those corners of the clubhead, improving performance, sound and feel despite the thin face.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Distance is the desire here, and the ball takes off like a dragster racing toward the green thanks to a little extra zip on the 4- through 6-iron, which feature a wider back-milled “micro-slot” deep within the sole cavity (the slot is slightly narrower on the 7-iron). The extra-thin face yields a deeper centre of gravity for an easier launch. Distance, however, is only part of the equation. You need control on the short irons. In this case, that means forging the 8-iron through gap wedge from soft 1025E carbon steel instead of the zippier nickel chromoly used in the longer irons.

WHAT IT DOES: You might think that a metal used for the landing gear of jet fi ghter planes would be strong enough for a golf club. That’s the chromoly 4140M metal Mizuno used in previous versions. Apparently, the company found itself bumping up against some strength limitations, so it needed to fi nd a new material. Enter nickel chromoly 4335 — an extremely powerful material that’s used in other industries for critical parts. The new alloy allows for the thinnest face ever on a Mizuno iron at 1.75 millimetres, or basically the thickness of a 50 pence piece.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This iron features a relatively compact shape and thin topline to fit the eye of better players seeking workability as much as distance. The single-piece construction creates the kind of ball speed one usually associates with a special face insert and does it consistently across the face because it doesn’t require weld beads to join the parts. Speaking of lofts, because so much weight is placed low and back, the lofts can be aggressive without sacrificing height. The 7-iron loft is 28.5 degrees, or basically the same loft as a Mizuno game-improvement 6-iron from a decade ago.

“Super easy to hit. The ball takes off with a high launch, and the sound is confidence-inspiring. It can mask the miss, too.”

“At address it looks compact and sleek, like a proper player’s iron. Impact makes me feel like a great player. The sound is crisp and communicative.”

WHAT IT DOES: Given the clean profile and careful craftsmanship, you likely wouldn’t guess that these irons feature a multimaterial hollow construction through the 8-iron. In those clubs a thin, forged face has a variable-thickness design to maximize ball speed. On the 2- through 7-iron, a 28-gram tungsten slug sits low in the back for a deeper center of gravity and higher launch. The 8-iron foregoes the tungsten to help smooth the transition to the partially hollow short irons, which have a forged 1025Ecarbon-steel face and neck plus a 17-4 stainless-steel cap over the muscle-back area to promote more control in the scoring clubs.

WHY WE LIKE IT: We can hear you now: “Seriously, another Mizuno players-distance iron?” Although certainly a tad confusing to the consumer, each line of irons serves a different type of player. Despite having a hollow body, the Pro 225 is the most classic-looking of the group, and it might be the peppiest, too. Some hollow-body irons use elastomer inside the head to dampen sound (which can reduce face flex), but the Pro 225 goes without an elastomer. Instead, sound and feel are controlled by the rigidness of the body.

WHAT IT DOES: Ping engineers said they want to make the i525 “as ballistic as possible but with the proper balance of blade length, offset and top-rail thickness.” To achieve this, Ping uses a forged, variable-thickness, maraging-steel face in a hollow-construction iron. The strength of the maraging steel allows the face to flex, but that rebound is enhanced through the use of an internal sole undercut that allows stress to move deeper into the sole. This reduces stress on the face to allow for more uniform bending in the center of the face. That increases ball speed but makes it more predictable. WHY WE LIKE IT: Although ball-speed gains and changes in appearance are apparent, several design heroes won’t be as easily detected. Chief among them is a change in how the company applies hot melt—a polymer used inside the clubhead—to enhance sound and weighting properties. Previously the amount of hot melt wasn’t consistent from club to club. Here four grams are placed strategically in every head. This allows for a cohesive sound and feel throughout the set and gets rid of higher-pitched frequencies for a quieter sound that makes the impact experience better.

“A full-bodied feel at contact, and the sole plows through the hitting zone. There is extra forgiveness for a player-ish club.”

“The aesthetics are perfect. It just looks majestic, like an old-fashioned blade but with modern distance. Produces a nice thump at impact.”

SRIXON

ZX5 MK II

RRP AED 5,695

WHAT IT DOES: By leaning on artificial intelligence, Srixon was able to produce numerous potential face designs. They eventually landed on one consistent with their previous “MainFrame” design. That includes a forged SUP10 steel featuring a variable-thickness pattern of grooves, channels and cavities milled into the back of the iron face to maximise flex at impact. Far from just a computer spitting out design parameters, Srixon engineers helped things along by studying impacts in nine areas of the face and weighting the importance of those areas based on the number of impacts in each area.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This club should appeal to those who tend to get turned off by irons that have too many game-improvement qualities. Though many will be tempted to look at this set as a small incremental improvement over its predecessor, several enhancements combine to create a truly different product. In shaping alone, the 8-iron through pitching wedge have a shorter blade height to flow better with the rest of the set. A slimmed hosel and less offset helps the visual at address. The KBS Tour Lite shaft (95 grams in regular flex and 100 grams in stiff ) will help you speed through the impact zone.

TAYLORMADE

P•790 RRP AED 6,195

WHAT IT DOES: The P•790 has been a star of the players-distance category since its debut in 2017. In the ensuing yearsm meaningful improvements have taken place. The use of a lighter foam that is 69 per cent less dense saves 3.5 grams. That’s important because it’s softer and much easier to compress, allowing for a springy face and maintaining the feel of a player’s iron. In addition, a thinnerwalled structure in the back of the iron’s hollow-body construction, previously 1.6 millimeters thick, is now just a millimeter thick. This redistributes enough mass to allow for a new 31-gram tungsten slug that is positioned a little lower and more toward the toe than in the past. That lines up the face’s most flexible area with the centre of gravity for better energy transfer.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Besides wanting more distance, golfers need to benefit from strikes that aren’t exactly centre face. For many — even lower handicappers — that’s often in the area from low heel to high toe. The tungsten slug in this iron helps raise ball speed in those areas. That’s a pretty neat trick, which makes these irons so forgiving you might be able to skip hitting balls before the round.

“Sharp lines give it a bold look at address. The ball flight is penetrating in the wind. It is also easy to flight the ball effectively.”

“These are easy to hit with a very smooth feel, yet you know there is horsepower there. The ball holds its line well, even on mis-hits.”

TITLEIST

WHAT IT DOES: An L-shape face made of high-strength SUP10 steel improves distance and forgiveness in a compact shape through the use of tungsten. An average of 100 grams of the high-density material is placed in the heel and toe of the 4- through 7-iron to reduce ball-speed loss on mis-hits. The tungsten also lowers the center of gravity for a higher launch with less spin. The hollow design supports the very thin face with an internal polymer core behind the center of the face. A lightweight back plate made of a polymer used in the automotive industry absorbs and redistributes energy. WHY WE LIKE IT: Milking every yard of distance from its latest T200 iron while maintaining a clean look wasn’t a design goal for Titleist. It was more along the lines of the Apollo 13 “Failure-is-notan-option” mantra. First, the look of the iron: The impact screw in back needed to go, and it did. Designers also modifi ed the clubhead slightly to be more sleek in size and shape than the previous version. They also gave it less offset so that it would be more in line with the T100 irons. This is why some tour pros aren’t hesitating to sub these clubs in at the long end of the set.

ARCCOS SAYS . . .

To maximise distance, use a tee with an iron on par 3s

It’s a flex move to walk on to the tee box of a par 3 and just drop a ball, prop it up on a nice tuft of grass and swing. It’s also about as dumb as trying a hero shot through the trees. Data from Arccos Golf, the stat-tracking app, reveals the distance golfers of all levels gain from hitting an iron off a tee versus fairwayheight grass is significant.

Taking the data from all players using all irons, the gain is almost 12 yards — 143.4 yards from grass and 155.3 yards off the tee. That’s a full club less into the green. It’s also nearly universal regardless of the iron — no iron from 3-iron to 9-iron showed less than a nearly 10yard increase. Does the extra distance translate into more

greens hit? You bet it does. Greens in regulation for all shots from fairway-type grass for all handicap groups combined was 36.2 per cent. When using a tee, it jumps to 40.7 per cent.

Erika Larkin, director of instruction at the Stable at Creighton Farms in Virginia says anytime you can use a tee, do it.

“Getting the ball off the ground for those par-3 iron shots takes the turf out of play and reduces the chance for a fat or thin miss,” she says. “If you have a tendency to release the club too early or scoop at the bottom of your swing, hitting off a tee is a big help. Don’t be too proud to tee it up.” —EMJ

a custom fit at eGolf Megastore

“This one has great balance. Almost like a metronome, I was able to keep my swing on pace—and I tend to have a quicker tempo at times.”

CALLAWAY

APEX DCB

RRP AED 6,475

WHAT IT DOES: Callaway’s Apex DCB irons combine the aesthetics of the forged Apex line with the forgiveness of a cavity-back and a sole that is slightly wider. Like the Apex forged, the DCB features a tungsten core (weighing as much as 50 grams) that is covered in urethane with “microspheres” (tiny air bubbles encased in glass). The tungsten lowers the centre of gravity to increase the launch angle despite slightly stronger-than-average lofts.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The forged, carbon-steel body has the kind of feel every golfer craves, but what players in this category really want is caveman-type distance. For that, Callaway turned to artifi cial intelligence and hundreds of computer simulations to come up with an intricate cupface design that wraps around the top and bottom of the clubhead to produce the maximum trampoline effect in the 4- through 9-iron. Another under-appreciated distance attribute is the stock shaft. True Temper’s Elevate 85 is about a third lighter than a standard steel shaft to help encourage a faster swing speed, but it does so with enhanced stability in the tip section to keep the club rock steady at impact.

CALLAWAY

PARADYM X

RRP AED 7,665

WHAT IT DOES: The Paradym X features the same technology as the Paradym iron in the players-distance category: hollow-body construction, variable-thickness cupface and internal urethane microspheres. The high-strength 455 stainless steel typically used in metalwoods allowed Callaway engineers to design a face that’s thinner than if they had used traditional stainless steel. This results in a fast-flexing face with select areas stiffened to allow the cupface to transfer energy to the ball more efficiently.

WHY WE LIKE IT: If the player’s-distance Paradym is a luxury car, the Paradym X is a monster truck. The face has more pop than a champagne cork, and the beefier head size, topline and sole provide comfort to golfers lacking some confidence. Hidden but still very important are a pair of tungsten weights (as much as 67 grams) that precisely locate the centre of gravity of each iron — an internal one places the CG in line with the centre of the face and an external one drives the CG lower. Why should you care? The tungsten also helps mis-hits, or in layman’s terms, it can be the difference between hitting the green or dumping it in the bunker.

“I love the chrome finish. This club is powerful, and the feel is the softest in this category. Power to spare. The ball just goes.”

“The head is tank-like and cuts through the turf. The squared-off topline is pleasing to the eye. A high flight that landed soft.”

WHAT IT DOES: Anyone with a computer-aided-design (CAD) programme can design an iron, but digging into the historical archives to the 1500s for an idea and making it work in a modern-day golf club is next-level science. That’s what Cobra has done. Inspired by a Leonardo da Vinci bridge design, Cobra created a weight bar then welded it on to posts. The idea is to suspend the weight above the bottom of the club internally, allowing for the bottom of the Lshape face insert (through the 7-iron) to bend for maximum energy transfer into the ball at impact. That face flexibility extends out to the toe area, a spot where traditional face designs typically are rigid.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Although the bridge-like weight is truly different, it’s far from the only thing to like. The face design is a forward leap, too. Using artificial intelligence to simulate thousands of impacts, the company was able to arrive at a variable-thickness design that helps speed, launch and spin. The thinnest part of the face (1.9 millimetres) is 22 per cent larger than its LTDx predecessor. Face deflection was raised by 10 per cent as well, allowing shots to not only receive a distance boost but go higher, too.

WHAT IT DOES: When looking to bring the heat, iron designers need a face material that can stand up to high-speed impacts despite being thinned out. What better than something used on roll cages for experimental cars? That’s the nickel chromoly 4335 used on this iron, allowing for a face as thin as any iron in Mizuno’s history. The result is the kind of ball speed normally reserved for irons that feature a cupface or a face insert. How fast is the face? Mizuno actually had to add some thickness to the original design to meet the US Golf Association’s limit on spring-like effect.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The clubhead is larger than its Hot Metal Pro counterpart, offering comfort at address for the less-skilled. Still, there are highly meaningful design properties that players of any level can appreciate. That includes giving the 8-iron a slightly thicker face than the 3- through 7-irons to make the transition to the less zippy 9-iron and pitching wedge easier and more consistent. Mizuno’s emphasis on sound and feel is always impressive, too. That’s not an accident. The company conducts numerous studies using modal analysis to get the frequencies and duration just right.

“The sound was extra crisp at impact. Almost a spring- loaded feel with extra launch. They were effortless through the grass, too.”

“A confidence-inspiring look. The rounded sole means golfers can take steep angles of attack without fear of chunking. Consistent distance gaps as well.”

WHAT IT DOES: It’s not often the badge in the back of an iron warrants much attention, but this one is different. The badge on the G430 has seven areas designed to give at impact. This allows it to bend unrestricted across the entire face. Each region has a backing material that makes the badge perform its sound and feel duties, too. The head is more compact compared to the G425 and includes a shorter hosel that helps lower the centre of gravity throughout the set, putting it more in line with the impact area for maximum efficient energy transfer. About 1 degree of bounce has been added throughout the set to minimise the effect of shots hit a tad heavy.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Ping is smart about chasing distance. The 17-4 stainless steel has undergone a heat-treatment process so that the variable-thickness face can be 3 per cent thinner. When strengthening the lofts, Ping didn’t merely go 1 degree across the board but 1 degree in some clubs and up to 3.5 degrees in others to be mindful of distance gaps, including a precisely lofted 45.5-degree wedge. The plethora of stock shaft options are typical of Ping’s outstanding customer-service and fitting programmes.

WHAT IT DOES: The PXG 0211 XCOR2 is a little like the Impossible Burger — not the real thing but close enough to satisfy a certain segment of the population. Often overshadowed by PXG’s forged 0311 irons, the cast 0211 has mainly existed as a more-affordable alternative. However, now the iron has received a technological overhaul that includes many of the features of the 0311, including the use of the same polymer-core filling. The material has two primary objectives: Its lighter density saves weight that is redistributed to the perimeter to increase forgiveness, and it helps increase distance with higher ball speeds across a larger area of the face. WHY WE LIKE IT: Is it somewhat odd that PXG’s best iron might be its least expensive? That could be the case here. Because it’s designed to serve a wider audience than the company’s other irons, the 0211 features longer blades with more offset in the longer irons and progressively less off set and more compact size in the short irons. This iron is proof that you don’t have to use an unlimited research-and-development budget to produce a product with a beautiful look at address and a syrupy sound and feel.

“These definitely improve your flaws. There’s a terrific balance throughout the swing, and the ball scorches off the face with a piercing, medium flight.”

“This is what a gameimprovement iron should look like. There’s lots of tech and help in the cavity. It’s hard to hit the ball off line.”

SRIXON

ZX4 MK II

RRP AED 5,695

WHAT IT DOES: Unlike the company’s ZX5 Mk II and ZX7 Mk II irons, the body of the ZX4 Mk II is not forged. It’s a cast, multipiece hollow-body iron that uses a forged, high-strength steel face insert supported by a cast 431-stainless-steel body and a hosel with tungsten in the toe of the long and middle irons. This is similar to the previous version, but the shape has been significantly nipped and tucked. The sole width is slimmer to better resemble that of the ZX5, and the topline mirrors other irons in the ZX family. Why the fuss? Blended sets are becoming more common, and these changes made for a more consistent look when doing so within the ZX iron line.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The face design is a technological leap. Srixon uses an artificial-intelligence process that simulates numerous impacts, evaluates the performance and automatically updates the design. The result is a variable-thickness pattern milled into the backside of the high-strength steel face insert to maximise ball speed. The groove story is a good one. The long and middle irons — to the 7-iron — have wider and shallower grooves, and the short irons have narrower and deeper grooves to optimise spin for each iron.

WHAT IT DOES: It’s fairly well known that most iron impacts happen beneath the centre of the face. To generate performance in that area, engineers need to push the centre of gravity lower in the head because as one told us: “Where the CG goes, the sweet spot follows.” TaylorMade took mass from the high toe portion of the iron and replaced the steel with a lighter density material. The saved mass is moved into a lower, more ideal location to lower the CG. This movement of weight not only increases launch angle and peak height, it also makes the club easier to square at impact.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This is the classiest-looking game-improvement iron TaylorMade has made, especially the subdued satin finish and clean lines. The club is more than good looks, though. The sweet spot gets a jolt from a springy 450-stainless-steel face that is just 1.6-millimeters thick in its thinnest areas and uses a progressive invertedcone thickness to create ball speed across a wide portion of the face. A through-slot (up to the 8-iron) protects against a drop in distance on shots hit low on the face. Together, these features produce the kind of distance that will have you thinking you’re playing at elevation.

“Some game-improvement irons can look a bit extreme, but this one looks sleek. Very playable clubs that will give you extra distance and are easy to get in the air.”

“Very forgiving and long with a controllable trajectory. I was dialling up all kinds of shots: low, high, left and right. These made me feel like a tour pro.”

TITLEIST

T300

RRP AED 5,595

WHAT IT DOES: The original T300 was relatively large. This one has been slimmed down to be more Titleist-like. However, this doesn’t mean it has any less potency. On the contrary, a variable-thickness face design offers improved deflection and faster ball speeds across the face. The strong lofts might have you worried about hitting line drives, but that’s not the case. A change to the position of the polymer core — now on the lower part of the sole behind the face, compared to being on the back side of the iron — helps the face work more efficiently, especially on low impacts, to enhance lift.

WHY WE LIKE IT: It took some time for Titleist to realise that elite golfers weren’t the only ones who wanted to play their clubs. Once Titleist came around, the company expanded its audience and really elevated its use of technology. The T300 is a nifty example of that. The magnified use of tungsten — applied to the toe and heel through an intricate brazing technique — improves forgiveness on off-centre hits. The dense material is used in the 4- through 7-iron with an average of 70 grams per clubhead, an increase of 40 percent compared with the previous T300.

CLEVELAND

LAUNCHER

WHAT IT DOES: Cleveland is underrated for its use of technology, and it shouldn’t be. The Launcher XL is more about mitigating bad shots than maximising the good ones, though the company has worked on that as well. The key innovation here is what the company refers to as “MainFrame”, a face design in which the backside of each iron face is milled in a variable-thickness pattern comprising various indentations to enhance ball speed while removing mass. More stability provides mis-hits with a needed assist and plenty of zip for those rare, but highly satisfying, perfect strikes. WHY WE LIKE IT: The large head might not appeal as much to better players, but it inspires confidence in the rest of us. The use of two constructions (hollow body in the 4- through 7-iron and cavity-back in the 8-iron through gap wedge) is useful in making all the irons easy to hit. Two other technologies deserve credit. An eight-gram weight in the butt end of each grip counterbalances the iron. That promotes a smoother swing that better squares the club at impact. The V-shaped sole plows through the gnarliest rough Mother Nature and the meanest course superintendent can conspire to grow.

“A monochromatic look with a sound that resembles a boxing glove hitting a speed bag. The size inspires confidence. A high ball flight without losing distance.”

and explosive: It hardly feels like I am hitting anything. It disappears off the clubface so smoothly.”

COBRA

KING FORGED TEC-X

RRP AED TBC

WHAT IT DOES: This iron uses 431 stainless steel in the 4- through 7-iron. The hollow-body construction has foam inside, a shallow blade height and a low centre of gravity thanks to a 65-gram tungsten weight (45 grams more than Cobra’s Forged Tec players-distance model). This makes these irons play like utility irons, which can be pretty handy. The low CG and more stable clubhead help deliver a higher launch despite the stronger lofts (no game-improvement iron in this year’s Hot List has a stronger 7-iron loft). The stock steel shaft is the KBS Tour Lite, and the grip is the Lamkin Crossline STD.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The slightly thicker topline and increased offset provide enough confi dence to off set any trepidation a shallower blade height might cause. The wide sole delivers assistance to golfers who tend to hit more than their share of fat shots. The face generates so much spring-like effect that it almost feels as if the ball is ricocheting off it. All of that is very nice, but real improvement begins with knowing your weaknesses. The ability to add Arccos shot-tracking sensors and a free trial of the Arccos Caddie app at no cost continues to be a significant value to everyday players.

WHAT IT DOES: Golfers have two choices in this category: an all-iron set or one in which the irons are mostly hybrid-like. Few do the latter better than Cleveland. This model keeps the longer blade length and hosel from its previous version and increases forgiveness across a wider area of the face by borrowing technology from sister-brand Srixon. Specifically, the Launcher XL Halo uses variable-thickness patterns milled into the back of each face to increase ball speed and forgiveness, just what golfers in this category need.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Think of the name for a moment. Launcher: The wide soles push weight down low to help get the ball in the air with amazing ease. XL: Although the oversize hybrid-style irons might not appeal to everyone, the technology can benefit just about anyone because the size and hollow body allow weight to be placed where it’s needed most—low and back. Halo: The increase in moment of inertia (less ball speed loss on mis-hits) is 17 per cent higher compared to the previous version, offering the kind of forgiveness you would expect from a club with this name. Add it all up and using these will make you feel better about yourself than an episode of “Ted Lasso”.

Coming soon to eGolf Megastore

“As sweet as a candy bar and as crisp as a fresh apple at impact. The head is very compact for this category, but the performance is big.”

“They’re like a fountain pen with an eraser. Forgiveness is exemplary as mis-hits are mostly covered up. Plenty of distance. You can hit this as high as you want.”

MIZUNO

JPX923 HOT METAL HL

RRP AED 5,250

WHAT IT DOES: Mizuno has drifted in and out of the super-gameimprovement category but jumps in here like a swimmer doing a cannonball. This is the first Hot Metal line super-game-improvement iron. It focuses less on ball speed (though the cast chromoly steel brings enough of it) and more on helping launch it with a wider sole and higher lofts (more on that below). The True Temper Dynamic Gold 95 steel shaft is about 25 per cent lighter than the standard Dynamic Gold, encouraging a slightly faster swing.

WHY WE LIKE IT: We’ve been huge advocates of Mizuno’s Shaft Optimiser fitting tool for more than a decade. During that time, it not only helped golfers narrow shaft choices, but it gathered data on the swing DNA of certain types of golfers. Mizuno has captured more than half a million swings and found that as lofts get stronger, average-to-slow swings have increasing difficulty in launching even a 5-iron successfully. Mizuno estimates close to half of all golfers might be flying a 7-iron farther than a low-lofted 5-iron. That led to a change in thinking: The way to increase distance in this club is to make the lofts weaker by 2 to 3 degrees compared to others in the JPX923 line.

WHAT IT DOES: The HD stands for high draw, but how does TaylorMade accomplish this in a super-game-improvement iron? The shallow face profile and wide sole push the centre of gravity low and inspire confidence at address. The heel-to-toe sole curvature is especially pronounced to reduce digging. The damping system — different in each iron — achieves the same goal for all clubs: make it sound better while allowing the face to flex. The set starts at the 5-iron. Sole slots on the 5- through 8-iron maximise ball speed.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Golfers regardless of ability can appreciate a wellstruck shot. This simple statement informed the approach for how this iron was created. Knowing that high-handicappers are not as reliable to test on such data points as distance, launch angle and spin rate, TaylorMade asked its testers a binary question: Was it a successful shot? What the company found was this player type believed high launch and high spin worked. So, too, did anything straight or with a draw. This kind of common-sense thinking to understand the audience can be as valuable as any kind of supersonic metal or other technological achievement.

Demo this club and get a custom fit at eGolf Megastore

“A lot of control with workability, which you don’t see in this category. These are compact and sleeklooking but provide plenty of elevation.”

“The ball flight is not too high or low — just a textbook trajectory. Helps mis-hits by keeping balls on the planet.”

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