Golf Digest Middle East - October 2023

Aramco Team Series and LIV Golf League set for big finales in Saudi Arabia

BROOKS KOEPKA BRYSON DECHAMBEAU HAROLD VARNER III DUSTIN JOHNSON

6 Editor’s Letter Team season is upon us with plenty still to be settled this year.

by matt smith

The Starter

8 Riyadh Golf Club Saudi course set to welcome women’s professional golf.

by matt smith

Mind / Body

10 Journeys

Dylan Wu

with keely levins

12 Undercover Caddie Ranking members of a player’s entourage.

with joel beall

14 Michael Jordan’s New Pippen

Former NFL star

Dwight Freeney is MJ’s main best-ball partner at The Grove XXIII.

alex myers

by

24 Oktoberfest

Join the party at The Els Club in Dubai with great prizes to be won along with the banter.

by matt smith

52 Swing Sequence

Tony Finau’s key move. with dave allen

55 Attack the Wind

Make these easy adjustments to hit your irons low and high.

by talor gooch

58 Discovering Driving

Making the most of your tee shots.

by conor thornton

62 Cutting Wedge

Robbie Greenfield tests out the new TaylorMade addition.

by matt smith

64 What’s in My Bag

Atthaya Thitikul

with tom mackin

66 The Loop

Twelve shots that’ll make you scream. by coleman bentley

Features

16 All Roads Lead to Riyadh

OCTOBER 2023

Anne van Dam and defending champion

Chiara Noja eager to get going as Aramco Team Series heads to Saudi Arabian capital.

by matt smith

20 LIV-ing Large

Jason Kokrak, Brooks Koepka and Co set for a Smashing time as they return to Royal Greens near Jeddah as defending champs.

by matt smith

28 Treble Top

Julian Danby takes a look back at Viya’s first 12 months in the UAE capital at Yas Links, Yas Acres and Saadiyat.

by matt smith

32 Back To Work

Ahmad Skaik looks to make up for lost time at WATC in Abu Dhabi. by matt smith

34 Smiling On The Inside

Cam Young focused on the day job rather than being an entertainer. by ron

kaspriske

36 The Swing Maker

This simple right-arm move will upgrade your entire game.

by michael breed

44 Stop Tossing Grass, It’s Dumb

Six golf myths debunked.

by matthew rudy

ROLLING ON The LIV Golf Team Championship is at Trump National Doral Miami after the Jeddah event

Dream teams prepare for big fi nale

Aramco Team Series and LIV Golf set to bring the curtain down on another season in Saudi Arabia

By Matt Smith

THE SOLHEIM CUP is settled, the Ryder Cup resolved, but the team play keeps coming thick and fast this month.

And it is two of the newest, most-innovative circuits that take centre stage.

The Ladies European Tour polishes off its Aramco Team Series 2023 slate in Hong Kong and Riyadh in October, with plenty of Solheim Cup stardust on show as Lilia Vu (pictured right) is among those who have signed up to compete alongside the LET’s finest, and Dubai’s Chiara Noja hopes to retain the Aramco Team Series title she won in dramatic playoff fashion last year over Charley Hull in Saudi Arabia.

Those Aramco Team Series events take place either side of the gents returning to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club near Jeddah for the LIV Golf Individual Title finale before heading to Miami for the Team Championship finals.

We are sure to see more fireworks at King Abdullah Economic City as defending champion Brooks Koepka and his Smash teammates attempt to hold on to their crowns, and the likes of Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau are in sparkling form as they vie with Talor Gooch for the season-long Individual title. If the LIV Golf action lives up to last year’s drama — where Koepka defeated Smash teammate Peter Uihlein in near darkness on the third extra hole on the Sunday at Royal Greens on the breezy Red Sea coast — we are in for a treat.

After all the drama in the Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Spain, and the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone just outside Rome, teamwork is the name of the game this October and fans in Saudi Arabia will be able to get to grips with the sport as players hold clinics and lessons for aspiring golfers at both Royal Greens with the LIV teams and in the Saudi capital with the ladies.

While the international seasons are coming to a close, in the UAE, things are just hotting up — or should that be cooling down? — as the fairweather golfers head back out on the fairways.

Golf Digest Middle East is on hand to keep the golfers entertained with our third edition of Oktoberfest at The Els Club Dubai on October 20, where players will compete for top prizes including playing spots on the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am, Emirates Dubai 7s season passes, Country Club membership at The Els Club, Hero Dubai Desert Classic hospitality tickets and much more from our sponsors.

You can book your spot in the 18-hole shotgun-start for AED 795. Go to golfdigestme.com/events for more information.

All of this is in store before our friends at the DP World Tour swing back into town for their own season-ending showpiece — the $10 million Rolex Series DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

Spanish Superman Jon Rahm will be seeking his fourth DP World Tour Championship title on the Earth Course from November 16-19, while Race to Dubai leader Rory McIlroy is hunting a fifth Harry Vardon trophy in the season-long rankings race. With the 2024 calendar shake-up on the cards that will see the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship move to November to form a two-event playoff alongside the DP World Tour Championship, this will be the last chance to witness the action in its current format and see out a thrilling year of golf in style.

editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer

managing partner & group editor

Ian Fairservice

editor Matt Smith

art director Clarkwin Cruz

editorial assistant Londresa Flores

instruction editors Conor Thornton, Scott Edwards, Alex Riggs

chief commercial officer

Anthony Milne

publisher David Burke

general manager - production

S. Sunil Kumar

production manager Binu Purandaran

THE GOLF DIGEST PUBLICATIONS

editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde

senior director, business development & partnerships

Greg Chatzinoff

international editor Ju Kuang Tan

GOLF DIGEST USA

editor-in-chief Jerry Tarde

general manager Chris Reynolds

editorial director Max Adler

executive editor Peter Morrice

art directors Chloe Weiss Galkin

managing editors Alan P. Pittman, Ryan Herrington

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

dubai media city

SD 2-94, 2nd Floor, Building 2, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 4 390 3550; Fax +971 4 390 4845

Email: motivate@motivate.ae

abu dhabi 14th Floor, Office 1406, Makeen Tower, 9th Street, Al Zahiyah, PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Tel: +971 2 677 2005; Fax: +971 2 657 3401

Email: motivate-adh@motivate.ae

saudi arabia Regus Offices No. 455 - 456, 4th Floor, Hamad Tower, King Fahad Road, Al Olaya, Riyadh, KSA

Tel: +966 11 834 3595 / +966 11 834 3596

Email: motivate@motivate.ae

london

Motivate Publishing Ltd, Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London, NW1 3ER, UK

Email: motivateuk@motivate.ae

playing editors Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson golfdigestme.com

Riyadh Golf Club

Saudi Arabia

Riyadh takes to the big stage

Saudi capital course a stunning setting for 2023 Aramco Team Series finale

With the Aramco Team Series arriving in Saudi for the third time at the end of October, it’s worth taking a look at the Ladies European Tour and Golf Saudi series’ newest destination — Riyadh Golf Club.

Having staged two successful editions at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Jeddah, the ATS is sharing its joy even further with a stop in Riyadh this time around.

Not far from the Saudi Arabian capital’s city centre, Riyadh Golf Club opened in 2005 and has built up quite a reputation as one of the finest courses in the Middle East.

While lush and expansive, this par 72 Golf Saudi course is no pushover, with plenty of water in play and its challenging greens (with a few cunning pin positions) it is sure to test the finest of the women’s game when they come to town.

The monster par 5 second hole has been an early scorecard-wrecker, so players need to be on their game from the outset. Be warned ladies! –matt smith

‘I Needed to Have a Back-up Plan’

I majored in economics at Northwestern. I probably can’t be the best player in the world, and I’m OK with that

By Dylan Wu, with Keely Levins

Ileft a five-footer an inch short in a playoff at a 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Monday qualifier. In the car I started yelling, slamming my hand on the steering wheel. Why am I playing? I can’t even get through a Monday! A month later, my conditional status got me into the field at the Lincoln Land Championship. I took a red-eye and drove three hours to get there. Thankfully I made it because I almost won.

My dad, Kevin, is from China, and my mom, Julie, is from Indonesia. They both came to the United States after university for better opportunities. They met in dental school in California, moved to Oregon and have had their own practice for the past 26 years. My family is incredibly hard-working, but they won’t tell you about it.

My dad picked up golf when I was born. I was on the putting green as a toddler. I’m the oldest of four. My dad enjoyed bringing us to the course as little kids. As we got older, my brothers and I played together all the time. We always competed. My parents were busy with their work, so letting us hang out at Rogue Valley Country Club all day worked for everyone. We all played Division I college golf. In the winters, we played hockey. I’m just under 5-foot10 and realised I was pretty good at golf, so I stopped playing hockey.

I was fortunate that my parents could afford for me to travel for junior golf. I flew alone to tournaments and stayed with host families. I kept getting better. I was really accurate, so I stayed out of trouble and hit a lot of greens. Any time it was windy, I separated myself.

I chose Northwestern because of the coach, Pat Goss. He took Luke Donald to World No. 1, so I knew he could get me to the PGA Tour. He’s still my coach. He understands my swing — it’s unique from taking a lot of slap shots. I shallow the club and have a lot of rotation. Pat helped me realise the set-up is key for me. My ribcage needs to be more down, my navel tucked up, creating extension. Otherwise, the slap-shot motion takes over.

● ● ●

I wanted a strong academic school to ensure I had a back-up plan. I majored in economics. Taking exams on the road the night before playing 36 holes was tough, but I did well. At Northwestern you can intern during the school year for credit, so I worked at Northern Trust and with a private wealth-management firm, where I met Margaret. We started dating and got married in 2022.

● ● ●

I won three collegiate tournaments. I knew I could turn pro. After graduating, I played on PGA Tour Canada and in Korn Ferry Tour Monday qualifiers. At those qualifiers, I learned you can play great and constantly miss by one or two. In Kansas City, I was in that playoff where I left a five-footer short. It was a low point, but I couldn’t stop. I was

improving. A month later at the Lincoln Land Championship, I made my first Korn Ferry Tour cut. The weekend was a blur: I shot 15-under and lost in a playoff. Suddenly I had status for the rest of the season. I played 12 weeks in a row, which was a terrible decision.

● ● ●

I earned full status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2020 season and started in the Bahamas, where there were 40mph winds and rain. Through 36 holes, the field scoring average was just under 75, but I was 11-under and had a seven-shot lead. It was my first pro lead, but I lost it fast during the third round. I got ahead of myself. I thought I had it won. It was devastating, but I’m proud that I was able to regain control, grind it out and finish T-2. A lot of guys would’ve kept falling down the leaderboard. When I didn’t, I knew I could win next time.

● ● ●

I didn’t like relying on my caddie, so I had my brother, Jeremy, caddie for me at a Korn Ferry Tour event in Maine. He was useless out there. He wasn’t getting yardages, and his notes looked like a 10-year-old wrote them: Right side — Good. But it worked: I finished 15th. Then I won by two in Missouri, which locked up my PGA Tour card for 2022. I never thought of myself as a player who could go super low, but shooting 27-under that week changed my mind-set. Taking more ownership of my game gave me confidence. Having my brother on the bag relieved stress because he kept things chill. He’s much better at his job now. I believe he’s a high-level tour caddie. I didn’t play great that first season and finished 168th on the FedEx Cup standings. Just enough guys went to LIV Golf for me to move inside the top 150 and keep conditional status for 2023.

● ● ●

There’s been a lot of chaos since LIV began. I’m eager to see what happens, but the only thing I focus on is getting better every year. I missed the playoffs by a few spots in 2023. I’ve seen the talent out here. I don’t necessarily think I can be the best player in the world, but I think I can win several times and play on a couple of teams for my country. I want to play this tour until I’m 50.

DYLAN WU PGA TOUR AGE 27

LIVES MEDFORD, OREGON

Undercover Caddie

Ranking members of a player’s entourage by importance

ROFESSIONAL GOLF IS NO longer an individual sport. Go to the practice range at any professional event, and you’ll see players surrounded by their own pit crews. Often, the younger or more successful the player, the bigger the entourage. I’m pretty sure some guys can host their own five-on-five pick-up game.

How important are all these people to a player’s performance? Some of those “team duties” range from redundant to irrelevant to odd, and the bigger the team, the more likely there are hangers-on who are trying to get a taste of tour life. At a recent dinner, I ranked the individuals in a player’s circle from least important to most important. As you will see, “important” has different connotations.

Statisticians

As caddies, the more information we have, the better informed our advice will be, but golf numbers don’t reveal the same hard truths as they do in other sports. Our playing fields are drastically different week to week, with the conditions changing daily or hourly. One good or bad round can alter a stat for months. Some information on overall strategy is useful, like how a field or player is attacking a certain hole, but that data is readily available and doesn’t need to be contextualised by a stats guru. There are broad takeaways from a year’s worth of output, but it is a waste of resources for guys to devote time and money outside of a yearly check-in.

Equipment reps

This isn’t a criticism of what this group does. It’s just that, for tour pros, it’s often hard to notice whether an equipment change or an adjustment is helping or hurting.

Caddies

This one stings. There’s no doubt we can help players in preparation and putting them in the right mind-set. But when I see players bring a friend, girlfriend or wife on the bag and do just as well, I wonder, Hmm, maybe we aren’t that valuable. We don’t do much damage, but sometimes I wonder if we truly raise a player’s ceiling. Let’s move on before I get depressed.

Spouses

I’ve caddied for roughly 15 seasons and been blessed to work with players who I’ve become close with. There are two opposite examples where a wife had a direct impact on what happened inside the ropes. In the first instance, my guy was in a major slump. Forget losing his tour card, he wanted to give up the game. His wife was such a force of positive affirmation that her belief in him helped him get through, and the guy went on to win many more times on tour. Conversely, another player was going through a bitter divorce, and when he was struggling, he pointed out that the drop in earnings meant she wouldn’t get as much when they split. There’s no way that situation would not affect your play.

Swing coaches

You know who swing coaches are perfect for? You, the amateur, not PGA Tour players. Swing coaches are mechanics: If you need to get your oil changed or tyres rotated, you’re fine. If you start talking about fixing the engine, we ain’t coming out of the garage for a while. I’ve seen more players hurt by swing coaches than those who have been helped, and that includes a multi-major winner who fell apart after trying to add distance. The recurring issue is attempting a systematic overhaul to the very thing that got you this far. If it goes wrong, swing coaches can tank everything.

Agents

If you poll my fellow caddies, they would likely say agents and managers aren’t important because a lot of us view many of them like bouncers, wielding more power than they really have. But a good agent helps declutter a player’s life to let him focus on what’s important. A bad one focuses on the money without realising that could come at the expense of what’s getting the player that money. An agent matters.

Trainers

Don’t think of trainers as the meatheads in tight shirts yelling at you in the gym. Out on tour, trainers are optimiszing the golfer’s body for his specific needs. Yes, some of that includes

weightlifting, but it’s more about flexibility, durability, injury prevention or alleviating pain. It’s about still feeling fresh when you’re playing with the lead on Saturday afternoon in the heat or playing for the fifth time in six weeks. If a player doesn’t have a trainer, I know he’s not getting all he can out of his game.

Sports psychologists

I go back and forth on how important mental coaches are. I’ve seen really good players turn into killers after working on their mental games. I’ve also seen killers turn into average players after working on their mental games. This is not a knock on psychologists. It’s just that the spectrum of results is the widest of any group on the list. In fact, there’s one name in the golf world struggling right now, and his caddie told me a lot of the issues began when he started going to therapy. Go figure.

Short-game coaches

Some of the short-term dividends could be rough, especially when going through a grip or philosophy change. But, man, short-game coaches always deliver, and rarely do they backfire. The best way to get better is to work with a short-game coach.

Friends

I can’t tell you how many careers went sideways, were delayed or didn’t go where they should have because of a player’s non-golfer friends. In other sports, athletes have their teammates, coaches and front offices that hold them accountable, so bad influence can usually be checked. But if a golfer is hanging out with the wrong crowd, there’s no onus for anyone to speak up, and that can be corrosive. So much has to go right outside the ropes for a player to have success inside them, and the wrong type of friends will lead to poor play. —WITH

JOEL BEALL

Undercover Caddie says the worst team member he ever saw was a personal shoe concierge.

Michael Jordan’s New Pippen

Former NFL star Dwight Freeney is MJ’s main partner at The Grove XXIII, where ‘Playing with the owner has its perks’

By Alex Myers

Dw ight Freeney vividly recalls his first hole at the 2003 Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational. Then a young defensive star for the Indianapolis Colts, Freeney knew he wasn’t ready for the celebrity golf scene, but who turns down an invite from one of the greatest athletes of all time? As Freeney stepped

onto the first tee box at the Ocean Club Golf Course in the Bahamas, it wasn’t the luminary tournament host or his lack of rounds played that worried him the most but rather his playing partner that day, the legendary — and equally intimidating — Lawrence Taylor.

“When I tell you I was whiffing, I was literally whiffing because I was so ner-

vous playing with LT,” Freeney recalls of being paired with his football hero. “To this day, Lawrence calls me ‘Hack’ every time he sees me.”

It’s a funny nickname but one that doesn’t hold up anymore for the Hartford, Connecticut, native and former Syracuse All-American who authoured his own reign of terrorising opposing

RAREFIED AIR Dwight Freeney, at The Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, where he plays to a 4-handicap.

NFL quarterbacks — while working on his golf swing in his spare time. “I love Indianapolis to death, but there isn’t much to do there in the off-season,” Freeney says. The range-addicted Freeney has gotten down to a four-handicap, although he acknowledges he’ll probably go back up given that he and his wife, Brittany, recently welcomed their second daughter into the world. Life is good for the past Super Bowl champ and likely future NFL Hall of Famer, and he feels a lot more confident when he steps on the first tee now, even with the necessary scorecard adjustments.

“I was so used to getting as many strokes as possible,” Freeney says. “Now I’m giving guys strokes. I’m like, Man, he’s stroking on 18? What happened? So now I have to play good all the time, right? But it’s a great problem to have.”

Those calculations usually occur at The Grove XXIII, an uber-exclusive Hobe Sound, Florida, club created by Jordan that opened in 2019 about 20 minutes from Freeney’s Palm Beach Gardens home. Freeney says he is fortunate to be one of the estimated 100 members and buddies with His Airness — he calls Michael a “big brother” — and says that other than an unofficial “just-don’t-be-a-jerk” mantra, the club doesn’t have any rules.

“He wants to keep it small,” Freeney says of Jordan’s private playground that includes tee markers paying tribute to the Chicago Bulls and UNC Tar Heels, souped-up golf carts and drones that deliver drink orders. “He wants the experience to feel like it’s your own course.”

Freeney says it’s “absolutely nuts” to have an athlete he grew up idolising as one of his closest friends, but these best buds have also turned into a bestball powerhouse, piling up wins at a place that has been given the nickname “Slaughterhouse 23” because of Jordan’s perceived home-course advantage.

“Playing with the owner has its perks,” Freeney says with a laugh. “He has to keep the lights on, so let’s just put it that way. We’re not losing a lot.”

Jordan never lost a lot with Scottie Pippen as his wingman in Chicago, and now Freeney is filling the role. Freeney estimates the two join forces 95 per cent of the time they play together, taking on all comers, often fellow retired athletes.

“It’s me and MJ versus the world,” says Freeney, who estimates the 60-year-old Jordan is a two- or threehandicap these days. “We don’t know who’s showing up. Well, I don’t know who’s showing up. I just show up to the tee box and then: ‘Oh, there’s Wayne Gretzky. Oh, there’s Ken Griffey Jr. Oh, what’s up, Ray Allen?’ John Smoltz comes a lot, John Elway. It’s just a really good time.”

angrier you get, the worse you play. It drives me nuts.”

Freeney focuses a lot on his breathing and strives to have a short-term memory when it comes to bad shots or scores. He finally feels ready to hit the celebrity golf circuit, making his debut in the American Century Championship last year and at the LPGA’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January.

“Once I ended my career and my golf game got to being respectable, I could go out there and have a good time,” says Freeney, who retired from the NFL in 2018. “I’m not saying I’m gonna win anything because those guys who are winning are scratch guys shooting under par. But I’m doing it just for me, just to feel that feeling again of: ‘OK, this time, this putt, this shot really matters.’ It’s a great feeling.”

Freeney acknowledges that “good time” includes having a few dollars on the line. The seven-time NFL Pro Bowler might have shot a career-best 71 at Grande Oaks Golf Club — site of the classic film “Caddyshack” — but The Grove XXIII is no Bushwood Country Club when it comes to its gambling policy, or lack of one. However, Freeney says the notion that MJ is playing for the deeds to peoples’ mansions is vastly exaggerated.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re playing for a $50 closeout or a $20 nassau or whatever. It’s about when you look at that guy at the end of the round, you want him to know I beat you,” Freeney says. “There’s times I’m sure he plays for big-time money when he wants to, but I promise you, it’s not about that.”

The competitive drive that made Freeney one of his era’s best defensive players has helped his quest to get better on the golf course (his patented spin move to get by offensive linemen hasn’t hurt his swing speed, either). But that improvement only came after adjusting the mind-set he played with during his football career.

“In football, if I mess up, I just get angry, I play harder and I get more aggressive, and I put all that energy into whatever’s going to happen next,” Freeney says. “In golf, it took me a long time to understand that I have to do the opposite. The harder you try, the

Freeney explains that as a defensive lineman in “the trenches,” he couldn’t take time off during the season like quarterbacks, wide receivers and kickers, who he jokingly refers to as “pencil necks.” But he’s glad he has stayed in touch with one of those guys, Peyton Manning, who got his old teammate out on Augusta National in 2021. Freeney even moved a scheduled wrist surgery to make the painful but “amazing” round happen. The father of two was (delicately) working on his next big golf trip, a third Ryder Cup journey, this time to Rome in September.

“My bag’s already packed,” Freeney says with a big smile. “I’ve done a million chores and things around the house, massaging my wife’s feet, and doing all different things to make sure it’s a good transition.”

Freeney was in Italy rooting for many of the players he often crosses paths with at The Grove XXIII — alongside his pal and teammate, Mr XXIII, of course. To the golfers playing this duo in any unofficial matches that week, you’ve been warned.

Alex Myers definitely doesn’t have the bankroll to play at Michael Jordan’s (golf) playground.

‘He has to keep the lights on, so let’s just put it that way. We’re not losing a lot. It’s me and MJ versus the world.’

ALL ROADS LEAD TO

ARAMCO TEAM SERIES BRINGS

CURTAIN DOWN ON ANOTHER CAMPAIGN AT RIYADH GOLF CLUB

BY MATT SMITH

The Aramco Team Series

is almost at another finale in Saudi Arabia as, following the penultimate round at Hong Kong, the elite players from the Ladies European Tour touch down in Riyadh for the October 27-29 event.

The innovative series has grown in popularity over the past three years, attracting the likes of Nelly and Jessica Korda, Lilia Vu, Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson to join their LET counterparts, to battle it out for both individual and — interestingly — team titles concurrently.

The series is now a truly global carnival, with past tournaments having been held around the globe, from London to Singapore, New York to Spain, Saudi Arabia to Hong Kong, and the past winners roll call already has some standout names to champion.

Alison Lee, Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Ashliegh Buhai and Olivia Cowan have all stood on the top of the podium in previous events and now they are set to bring the curtain down on the 2023 campaign in another new stop at Riyadh Golf Club.

The fifth and final leg takes place in the Saudi capital to mark the first time the city will host a professional female golf tournament, again helping a new audience gain an insight into the game of golf.

The ATS, Golf Saudi and Aramco have set out to bring the game to new players — old and young, male and female — with inspiring players and projects coming to each event.

At the recent Aramco Team Series event in London, Golf Saudi’s Mass Participation team set up coaching clinics led by Saudi coaches, inviting young students including Saudi nationals and their families to participate in various golf-related activities with the objective of creating a positive effect for the first-timers.

Speaking at the time, Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, said: “Our goals, and those of the Aramco Team Series, are in perfect alignment with those of Vision 2030, and we remain committed to delivering on the ambitious objectives of our leadership. Also worthy of celebration is the incredible growth of this sport in the Kingdom and the Saudi population’s increasing passion for golf.”

Another way the series is engaging with new, aspiring golfers is through its unique team format.

Played over the first two days of each event, the series sees 28 ‘captains’, selected on their Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, go into the draft to select one of the four players.

From the remaining field, another professional is assigned to each team based on a random pick and each team is completed by an amateur — old and young, male and female — to embrace inclusivity.

The scoring is based on a ‘two-from-four’ format which sees the best two scores on each hole taken forward for the team, including from the amateur, who realistically could have the chance of holing the winning putt.

Inspiring and inclusive indeed.

ARAMCO TEAM SERIES PREVIOUS

<< INDIVIDUAL >>

2021

london

Marianne Skarpnord

sotogrande

Alison Lee

new york

Charley Hull

jeddah

Pia Babnik

2022

bangkok

Manon De Roey

london

Bronte Law

sotogrande

Nelly Korda

new york

Lexi Thompson

jeddah

Chiara Noja

2023

singapore

Pauline Roussin

florida

Carlota Ciganda

london

Nelly Korda

<< TEAM >>

2021

london

Olivia Cowan (captain)

Sotogrande

Alison Lee

new york

Jessica Korda

jeddah

Emily Kristine Pedersen

2022

bangkok

Whitney Hillier

london

Nicole Garcia

sotogrande

Jessica Korda

new york

Johanna Gustavsson

jeddah

Nicole Garcia

2023

singapore

Christine Wolf

florida

Paula Roussin

london

Georgia Hall

ANNE’S GRAND PLAN

SEASONED ARAMCO TEAM SERIES VETERAN VAN DAM IS ONCE AGAIN LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

BY MATT SMITH

IF YOU INCLUDE the inaugural Saudi Ladies Team International in November 2020, the Aramco Team Series 2023 season-ender in Riyadh will be the 15th event in this innovative new concept’s run.

While the series, which sees an individual strokeplay competition and team tournament run concurrently, has grown in popularity on and off the course and has attracted some of the world’s biggest names in women’s golf, Anne van Dam probably knows the format better than most.

The Dutch star was runner-up at that first event at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City in 2020 and has been an almost ever-present since, watching the ATS evolve over the years first-hand.

“The event has grown tremendously since 2020,” she told Golf Digest Middle East recently. “Back then it was relatively new for everyone. But it has been great to play as part of a team — also adding the amateur was something really new we hadn’t seen on tour — and that aspect has really grown on all the players over the past three years.”

The ATS’ global reach has expanded year on year, adding new destinations to help spread awareness of the series and the game of golf.

“I think it is always good to play in new venues and it is important to showcase the Aramco Team Series and our players in as many places as possible,” Van Dam said, while also praising some of the continuity in place. “I also like that some of the venues have stayed the same — London for example — as it allows you to see the growth as more and more people come out every year. But I really love all the new additions: Singapore, Hong Kong, Sotogrande. To keep adding these new locations all around the world is super exciting for us as players and I hope over the coming years to keep adding more and more venues to the schedule and bringing new players to the game.”

The Golf Saudi Ambassador added: “I have done clinics at the past couple of events and they are a super fun way to bring a lot of together. To give girls a chance to try golf when they normally would not consider it is great and the Aramco Team Series has been a great opportunity for that.

“I do see myself as a role model to grow the game for kids and women around the world. It is great to see those enthusiastic faces around the golf course watching me, and the clinics and media events are powerful tools.”

As the Aramco Team Series prepares for its 2023 finale in Saudi Arabia, 27-year-old Van Dam is keen to chalk off another new destination on her travels — and even get her tourist hat on.

“I have actually never been to Riyadh so I am excited,” she said. “I have heard many awesome things about the city and course so hopefully we can explore a bit. I have been to Jeddah and Royal Greens a few times and I am ready and excited for a new course and a new venue — especially to be there with the Aramco Team Series.”

Van Dam burst on to the professional golfing scene towards the end of 2018 when she went on a hot streak that saw her pick up four titles in just over a year — a run of form she feels she is rediscovering in 2023 having just missed out on the Irish Open title this summer.

“I have been playing really well this past while, getting close to a handful of wins,” she said. “Unfortunately I have not been able to get it over the line, but my game is good and I am getting closer to those wins. I am definitely hoping for an Aramco win — hopefully this year and in the years to come. One thing that drives me on out on the course is to finish the year strong and get another win under my belt.”

SOME VENUES STAY THE SAME. IT ALLOWS YOU TO SEE MORE PEOPLE COME OUT EACH YEAR

HOMECOMING QUEEN

DUBAI TEEN NOJA HEADING BACK TO SAUDI FOLLOWING HER MAIDEN TRIUMPH LAST YEAR — ALBEIT AT A DIFFERENT VENUE

BY MATT SMITH

AROUND ABOUT this time last year, a Dubai-based school pupil was turning heads in the golfing world as she defied the odds and some of the world’s greatest players to claim her maiden professional title at the Aramco Team Series — Jeddah event.

Now 17-year-old Chiara Noja is heading back to Saudi Arabia to defend her crown — this time at Riyadh Golf Club in the capital — in very different circumstances.

An LPGA bow, major debuts, injuries — and, yes, school studies — have all added to an eventful, jet-setting 12 months for the young German. Golf Digest Middle East caught up with her ahead of her title defence.

“It’s crazy to think it has been a year already,” Chiara tells us fresh from a few days of preparation at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Florida ahead of her tilt at LPGA Q-School this month. “Obviously this is going to be a cool experience for me as defending champ and an opportunity to reminisce on those great memories. It’s going to be a new course so it’ll be exciting seeing the tournament take shape somewhere new.”

Noja is now well-practised in balancing studies and life on tour, but as she is sitting her GCSEs, fitting in time to get to know the Riyadh layout is trickier than ever.

“I’m going to be flying out later this week to play my practice rounds as I won’t have much time prior due to exams,” she tells us near the end of Sep-

tember. “I guess I will have a little more insight then, but I have heard lots of positive things about it so I’m excited to head over.”

Noja played through the pain barrier with a shoulder problem at her first two majors and missed the cut at both the Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open, but she is glad she got to experience the ‘big-time’ first hand.

“It was a super cool experience having earned my way into those events, but it obviously was a tough few weeks for me,” she says. “I struggled with injury, and I guess it’s a difficult conversation to have — I knew I was not in a great place but made the choice to try and play regardless. If given the chance would I go back and change that decision? No. Do I think it was a great decision? Maybe not.”

Following the Women’s Open, Noja took some well-earned time off to recu-

perate ahead of the Q-School and Aramco Team Series stretch this month.

“Yeah, I think it was necessary that I focus on getting better after basically playing in pain for six weeks,” she says. “It was important for me to get healthy before going back out on tour, and I’m glad to be 99 per cent there and use the next few weeks to prep before ATS Hong Kong [October 6-8].

“I flew out to Florida to play practice rounds ahead of the LPGA Q-School as the schedule is very tight in October, so it’s good to be able to spend the next few weeks practising skills I may need to cater for those courses. Then it is going to be an exciting week in Saudi.”

The Golf Saudi Ambassador is a champion of bringing the game of golf to new audiences, and is keen to meet aspiring golfers in the Saudi capital. “I think it’s super exciting, obviously with Riyadh there will be a new, and wider, audience that we can cater to and hopefully continue to grow the game of golf in Saudi.

“The ATS events have really solidified themselves within the golfing calendar and that has been awesome to see. The events have grown both geographically, with events expanding and taking place all over the world, and in popularity. The initiatives taken to grow the game are great, and I have been lucky to be able to partake in clinics along the way, and have a first row seat to seeing both kids and adults join us in our love for the game of golf.”

IT WAS NECESSARY I FOCUS ON GETTING BETTER AFTER PLAYING IN PAIN FOR SIX WEEKS

GATEWAY AT PORTO AL ZORAH

Exquisite Marina Lifestyle in the Lap of Nature

Al Zorah Development Company, a joint venture between the Government of Ajman and Solidere International, is set to unveil its highly anticipated luxury marina-front residential project, Gateway at Porto Al Zorah.

Nestled in a pristine neighborhood bordered by the Al Zorah Golf Club, a natural mangrove forest and picturesque creek, this distinguished residential building comprises 157 simplex and duplex apartments, promising a lifestyle that seamlessly blends modern living with a profound connection to the environment. The development offers residents the privilege of living in close proximity to the Al Zorah Mangrove Natural Reserve Forest.

Gateway at Porto Al Zorah caters to diverse living needs, featuring studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. Starting from a spacious 685 square feet, these residences offer breathtaking panoramic views of the creek, marina, and lush internal courtyards. Moreover, residents gain access to an array of exclusive amenities designed to elevate their lifestyle.

These exclusive privileges include unlimited golfing through membership at Al Zorah Golf Club, a two-year membership at the forthcoming Beach Club, a worldwide Oberoi Resorts silver-tier membership, preferential berthing rates at Al Zorah Marina and the coveted Al Zorah City Residents Card, entailing special discounts across all Al Zorah-owned hospitality venues.

The Gateway at Porto Al Zorah is equipped with top-tier facilities that cater to the highest standards. These include a cutting-edge fitness centre, pool and playground, all set amid an inspiring landscape that ensures the tranquility of creekside living with sophisticated finishing touches that culminate in an extraordinary experience.

What makes Al Zorah a breathtaking destination and a compelling investment opportunity are its privileges and characteristics.

FREEHOLD AND FREE ZONE STATUS

Special privileges allow foreign and local residents and investors full ownership of businesses, land and property, which can be sold or rented.

GOLDEN VISA OPPORTUNITY

An opportunity for investors to obtain a long-term Golden Visa, for up to ten years, and a pathway to citizenship in the UAE.

TAX RESIDENCY CERTIFICATE

Benefit from the Double Tax Avoidance Agreements (DTAA) on income signed by the UAE.

HIGH RETURNS WITH NON-REPATRIATION ON CAPITAL GAINS

A high demand for upcoming developments and fast paced interest in available plots and concepts.

A SPECTACULAR BEACHFRONT DESTINATION

Leveraging on its prime location along the unblemished shoreline of the emirate of Ajman and the natural wonders of a preserved mangrove forest.

THE PREMIER ALL-INCLUSIVE LANDMARK

Perfect amalgamation of beautiful homes, world-class resorts, commercial spaces, and leisure facilities within a natural setting.

FIRST-CLASS INTERNATIONAL GOLFING EXPERIENCE

A Nicklaus Design 18-hole championship course hailed as one of the best courses of the region.

A Royal Evolution

The changing face of LIV as Brooks Koepka and Smash return to Royal Greens to defend titles

By Matt Smith

The curtain is set to fall on the second LIV Golf season as some of the world’s best golfers return to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club at King Abdullah Economic City outside Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The expanded schedule for 2023 saw the 12 teams jet around the globe to compete in the innovative shotgun-start 54-hole tournaments, with $25 million on the line each time.

The winner’s circle has certainly been a who’s who of big-name golfers this time around with the likes of Charles Howell III and Danny Lee rubbing shoulders with two-time winners Talor Gooch, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka.

Koepka’s Smash team have had a season to remember, getting on the podium in Orlando, thanks to Brooks’ stunning victory — and now the skipper, brother Chase, Jason Kokrak and latest arrival Matthew Wolff are gunning for more success as they look to defend their Jeddah crown this month in the Individual Title finale ahead of the Team showdown in Miami.

Kokrak has been enjoying life with his ‘family’ — the Koepkas and Wolff, who replaced Peter Uihlein at the start of this season — and is eager to get back on the course in Saudi Arabia after making such fond memories last year.

The American 38-year-old signed on ahead of the third event last year at Bedminster to team up with his good friend Brooks and he got to witness Koepka’s maiden LIV Golf triumph first-hand as the captain battled it out in a playoff with teammate Uihlein in the fading light on the Red Sea coast.

“LIV is such a different product to anything else in golf right now,” Kokrak told Golf Digest Middle East. “It is definitely more exciting — it’s faster with 48 guys, and the telecast is faster too.

“In the first year we knew there were going to be growing pains, but you could see a lot of the guys were out there having fun in a relaxed atmosphere, a bit of music, and you are essentially playing golf and practising with your buddies in a super-fun atmosphere.

“Moving into season two has been pretty special as, not only has it been fun, I have seen real growth, both in terms of the broadcasting product but in the teams, the organisations, and how they are operation on a day-to-day basis.

“The tournaments too are much smoother, especially back to back. Everyone was talking about how much better London was this year than last year and they are learning year on year and event by event to grow and improve.

“It has been fun for me to look at as a veteran, knowing what goes on behind the scenes to put on a golf tournament and it is pretty great to see just how far they have come in just one year.”

Now Kokrak is ready to help his team make more history on their return to Saudi — with the bond between players growing stronger despite the line-up change.

“We had Peter Uihlein with us last year and now we have Matthew Wolff, so we have experienced some of those changes already,” he said.

“It was a smooth transition with no real issues. Peter lives down near Brooks and Chase and they see each other all the time.

“With Chase and Brooks being brothers it is an easy camaraderie because they have been together and so close for so long. Brooks and I have been friends for many years and see eye to eye, so it has been smooth sailing.

Kokrak is not afraid to let his captain know what he is thinking — even if it concerns fivetime major champ Brooks himself.

“The kid [Koepka] is something else,” Kokrak said. “As soon as he won that major [ 2023 PGA Championship], he was right back to work, tuning up to win another one. So every once in a while I will put him back in his chair and say: ‘You enjoy this for a few minutes. It’s not all work all the time. Take some time to enjoy yourself.’ With the new baby here too, I am hoping he does that in this last month.

“I think that’s what I bring to the table for him — a good backboard to put him back in his place every once in a while.”

“Brooks is in very elite company with how many majors he has won, but he came all the way through the Challenge Tour, European Tour and then the PGA, dismantling everyone on the way. A lot of people forget that there is always that grind, that challenge to get better and strive to beat everyone each week. A few of those other major winners could learn a lot from him about that in order to win more.

Despite being the ‘elder statesman’ of the team, Kokrak is still taking things on board trying to keep up with his younger Smash mates. “I’m still learning from Brooks,” he said. “He has re-energised me as a player. I am as fit now as I have ever been at 38, and I see him as someone I look up to and that makes me want to play the best golf I can for my team captain.

“I had a little slump last year but now I am doing better. I am really looking forward to finishing off the year strong. If I play well, then that can only help the team and we want to be back up on that podium again.

“No matter what team you are on, there will be disagreements, like any family. But ours is a little different as we have Brooks and Chase in there together.

“You certainly feel tensions between brothers at times, especially with Brooks being where he is in the world and the level of golf he has been playing for the last seven to 10 years.

“Both he and Chase had an incredible year last year, but Chase has had a bit of a slump this time. So we hope he can kinda hop out of that and have a couple of good weeks to end the season in Jeddah and Miami.”

“Jeddah is a tricky golf course, it normally takes me a few times around to get used to there. It is normally super windy, which can be a struggle for me, but I got a good driver in the bag now and I am putting better so I am looking forward to a strong finish.”

Kokrak cannot hide his smile as he recalls how the drama unfolded last year — even though he was just watching from the sidelines.

“It was a whirlwind,” he said. “I remember Chase and I walking back and forth on that par 5 18th as they were battling it out [Koepka eventually won on the third extra hole]. We would grab some food and a drink from the players tent then back up we would go to follow Brooks and Peter with our bottles ready to spray, not knowing if it would be on Brooks or Peter…

“It was a pretty special moment as we obviously knew we had the team win and the 1-2, but we didn’t know which way it would go. Watching those two battle it out — teammates, friends, neighbours — on that

Every once in a while I will put him back in his chair and say: ‘You enjoy this for a few minutes.’

Brooks Koepka and his Smash teammates return to Royal Greens Golf & Country Club

last hole was something else. Knowing how competitive Brooks is, and I know how competitive Peter is, it was fun to watch as neither was giving an inch. It really was an unforgettable experience walking to the 18th green knowing one of my teammates was gonna win and we also had the team title. I won’t forget that for a long time.”

Koepka himself was delighted with the victory.

“Honestly, to me the big thing was getting the team win,” said Koepka after his triumph, even if it ended up costing him. “I told my brother I’d buy him a Lambo if we won the team thing, so I’ve got to go by one. It’s always fun battling against your friends, and I think it’s special.

“The team aspect is pretty cool We’ve known each other for so long. That’s what you want to do, right? You want to compete with some of your very good friends, go toe-to-toe. This team thing has revived me.”

Even as the season comes to a close, Kokrak knows there is still a lot of hard work to go and he has some unfinished business himself.

“We are entering every tournament trying to play our best to win, but going back as defending champions of that event certainly has a different side to it,” he said. “We still have to go about our business and go out there and play the best golf we can. It was fun getting up on stage for that first Smash team win and I am really looking forward to going back.

“I feel as good as I have done in a long time. I definitely want to win multiple times a year. That is a little more difficult as there are only 14 individual events. In really just wanna play my best golf to finish out my career. I have always tried to make as much money as I can — I have a six-year-old and a four-year-old and I have always wanted to retire around 43-44 years old so I can watch my kids grow up and go to all their games and whatever. So, I have a feeling I might be able to do that and look forward to that.”

However, there is a slight cloud hanging over the Smash team as Chase is in the dreaded ‘Drop Zone’ — the bottom four players will be cut from the 2024 roster and will have to compete in a playoff with the best Asian Tour players to return to the line-up.

“There is such a different vibe, a different feel, and I am trying to take it all in and enjoy this ever-changing, fluid LIV tour,” Kokrak said.

“People come, people go, people join different team

and it is all a new experience to take in. You got to work hard and get results, but sometimes you got to sit back, look around and enjoy yourself a little bit.

“To be in that bottom four like Chase, I haven’t really considered it. But in all honesty, in my rookie year on the PGA Tour I remember having four events left and I was going to lose my card. I needed to make something happen and do something special and I finished T2 and top 15 to keep my card. I always strive to play my best golf when I am backed into a corner. These guys have nowhere to go but up and it has been a long, hard year for them. I definitely feel for them because it is a tough game and golf has never given anything to anybody.

“It’s not like the end of the world if they do get cut as they have other tours and places to play in order to try to get back in and I think they should take it as an experience and know how much fun and how competitive this tour can be strive to get back. There is a pathway back — you just got to play good golf!

“Having a teammate in the bottom four right now, I definitely keep a closer eye on his scores than I normally do, more than I did last year when he was playing really solid golf. He’s just got into a little bit of a slump and I hope he will get a good kick in this last event to get safe. I feel for him but you got to go out there and dig it out of the dirt and make it happen.”

Brooks also had some words of encouragement for his brother. “I told him, I’ve been through that stretch where you’re not playing well,” he said. “He’s working hard, I’ll give him that. That’s why I haven’t gotten on him. I’m proud of him. He’s gutted through this thing, and eventually it’s going to turn right side up, and that’s what I just keep telling him. I’ve been in those shoes two years ago. It will come around.”

Smash took the team title in Jeddah last year, with Jason Kokrak (below) loving LIV Golf life with his ‘family’

Golf Digest Middle East Oktoberfest is back

Sign up for your chance to play in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am

By Matt Smith

Join us on October 20 for a unique golfing experience with tasty treats on and off course to keep you going.

You can join in the fun for AED 795, for which you will get access to the driving range and practice facilities from 11am at The Els Club ahead of the 1pm shotgun-start, 18-hole individual stableford event.

Desert Classic Pro-Am for the best gross score and Division A winner. Additional prizes up for grabs include 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic hospitality tickets, Emirates Dubai 7s passes, Country Club membership at The Els Club, plus much more from our sponsors.

WHO’S READY FOR the new golf season? We are, and we are back with our third Golf Digest Middle East Oktoberfest extravaganza.

Once again we return to the iconic Els Club in Dubai and you can join us for a great day out, with fabulous prizes, including playing spots in the 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am.

A pair of German brews plus two refill vouchers will greet each player along with a cheeky Bavarian shot in their golf cart along with Oktoberfestthemed lunch box.

Once out on the course, competitions such as the longest drive and nearest the pin will be on offer to make things even more interesting as players compete for the top prizes — two spots in the 2024 Hero Dubai

To be eligible for any of the postevent prizes, an official EGF handicap/ recognised handicap is required, and players under 21 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

Last year’s Best Gross winner Michael Harradine had a brilliant time in the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic Pro-Am, so don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best golfers in the world.

A new season of growth

Green Valley Holdings, the company behind Luxury Carts, Oasis Hills Landscaping, The Garden Concept, Oasis Community Sports and Oasis Battery Solutions, Tasco and Tanaqol, is gearing up for global growth.

Golf Digest Middle East met up with Nathan Williamson, Green Valley Holdings CEO, to discuss the expansion and new growth areas of the business over the last two quarters.

“Our business model is based on our key guiding principle: We invest in the future, and our aim as a group is to create an environmentally friendly endto-end solution for our customers from the supply of machinery, batteries and vehicles to landscape maintenance, the construction of sporting venues and sports facility management, as well as

a garden retail concept,” he explained.

“In the last six months, we have focused on geographical expansion, successfully opening new doors across the region including our exciting new Luxury Carts showroom in Abu Dhabi, plus we will open our first Luxury Carts showroom in Riyadh this October offering golf carts, power sports vehicles and more in a purpose-built showroom and workshop. We are also opening businesses in the UK and expanding in the Gulf by opening a branch in Qatar.

“Furthermore, we have elevated our online presence and e-commerce with a relaunched Garden Concept site, as well as launching our first online shop for Luxury Carts in the UAE, offering customers the chance to select, browse and buy spare parts, accessories and more. They can also directly request

test drives and quotes for our golf carts and other vehicles.

“The group continues to grow in Saudi Arabia via our landscaping capabilities with Oasis Hills successfully winning key projects. With Luxury Carts, we have grown via the hospitality industry as well as rentals — being the main provider of mobility solutions for each major event in the Kingdom.

“We truly believe in the synergies across our businesses and offer products in the same sectors to leverage our expertise, and to provided stronger and faster growth to the brands.”

“The golf industry is and has always been our heartland and where we will continue to play, however with the operational strength we now have, our opportunities also lie further afield.”

Green Valley Holdings continues its growth across the region

Green Valley Holdings Chairman Sheikh Abubakr O Balubaid & CEO Nathan Williamson

JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

LEARN | COMPETE | COMMUNITY

Developing the next generation of golfers with our Viya Golf Junior Development Programmes at Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Acres Golf & Country Club.

LEARN MORE

By Matt Smith

TREBLE TOPS

Golf Digest Middle East speaks to Viya’s Julian Danby after a successful first year in Abu Dhabi

time flies. Viya Golf have just overseen their first year operating three of the top golf clubs in the UAE capital — Yas Links Abu Dhabi, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club — and Golf Digest Middle East caught up with Cluster Club Manager Julian Danby to take us through the journey so far and explain what more they have in store.

Viya have been operating in Abu Dhabi for 12 months now at three marvellous golf courses. How has the journey been — personally and for the company — over the past year and how was such a move made possible to further help promote the UAE capital as a global destination for both tourists and sports?

The expansion of our business into Abu Dhabi, under the brand of Viya Golf (a subsidiary of Dubai Golf), was an instrumental move that sets out the future direction of our growth strategy, which is to expand management operations of leading world-class golf and leisure facilities, as well as our proprietary Viya application, to support these operations commercially. It is also the first time we have operated outside of Dubai, within the UAE, and to have the opportunity to partner with Aldar and manage some of the most iconic golf facilities in the region, was a true privilege.

YAS LINKS ABU DHABI

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

YAS ACRES GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

As the capital’s leadership continues to accelerate its Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 plan, our move to Abu Dhabi clearly came at an exciting time. We had an opportunity to not only work alongside key government stakeholders to contribute to their collective goals, but we also played a key role in driving new golfers and tourism into the capital.

For me personally, I am loving life in Abu Dhabi. After spending 25 years in Dubai, it came at a great time in my career and I feel that with my experience and the support of our great team, we can really make a difference to the overall golf proposition. We are grateful that Abu Dhabi had a great base to build on, and our mission over the next few years is to raise the bar in terms of facilities, which takes investment in infrastructure, and in customer service, which is an investment in people.

>>>

There was the major, and exciting, news recently that the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will move from its traditional January slot after 17 years to form part of a season-ending playoff with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. What does this move mean?

This announcement was incredible for Abu Dhabi and for Yas Links, as it means that the best of the best on the DP World Tour will now participate in the penultimate event on the season long Race To Dubai order of merit. This will undoubtedly get

more eyeballs on Abu Dhabi and attract greater numbers of tourists to the capital, not only for the event, but also to play the Abu Dhabi courses through the popular winter months. It was also great recognition to our agronomy team, ably led by Corey Finn, who continues to deliver a masterpiece of a Kyle Philips-designed golf course.

>>>

And a collective $19 million prize fund for the two-event finale is pretty helpful too!

I know right! They say in life that it’s never too late. I’m really enjoying playing amateur golf again after nearly 30 years as a PGA Professional, however with this kind of money, I may have to think about turning pro again and having a crack at the Seniors Tour! Joking aside, the prize purses of the last two play-off events of the 2024 season will undoubtedly attract the best golfers in the world, which can only be positive for the growth of golf in the UAE.

>>>

So the future is looking bright. Where does Viya go from here to sustain and enhance this success to ensure maintained growth and engagement with golfers of all ages?

For the future sustainability of golf in Abu Dhabi, it’s essential that we grow the number of golfers. This can only come from expatriate residents and UAE nationals. We are working closely with the Emirates Golf Federation and the R&A to initiate exciting programmes that will attract new golfers to this incredible sport, from five-year-olds all the way to retirement age. Golf is a sport for all ages and I’ll highly recommend anyone to give it a try.

>>>

The three clubs in Abu Dhabi, how will they take it from here — both on and off the course — to stay at the top of the game?

The next few years is all about reinvestment into the facilities and our people, to continue to raise the bar on these amazing facilities and to improve the overall customer experience. We want to position Abu Dhabi as a truly inspiring place to come to play and learn golf, and with the support of our partner Aldar, and key government stakeholders, we believe we can achieve amazing things.

>>>

Do you take personal pride in how far Viya Golf and its partners have taken the game or, like on the course in some places these days, is this a team success?

Viya Golf is a subsidiary of Dubai Golf, and we are essentially one company. Dubai Golf have led the development of golf, leisure and hospitality in the region for decades and I feel incredibly proud to be a part of such a dynamic and diverse team. Since the first Dubai Desert Classic back in 1988, we now proudly host three Rolex Series events and a new DP World Tour event inaugurating at Dubai Creek in 2024. The future looks bright and I’m excited to see where it will lead.

FLYING THE FLAG Julian Danby heads up the Viya team looking after the three operations in Abu Dhabi

‘We are grateful that Abu Dhabi had a great base to build on, and our mission over the next years is to raise the bar’

AHMAD SKAIK IS RARING TO GO AT WATC AFTER AN INJURY SIDELINED HIS CAREER PLANS BY

Abu Dhabi is set to host the most important amateur golf tournament in the world this month, with 36 nations represented in both the men’s and women’s competitions at the World Amateur Team Championships.

The men will fight it out over Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course for the Eisenhower Trophy from October 18-21 before the women contest the Espirito Santo Trophy from October 25-28, the first time the event has been held in the Middle East.

One man who has high hopes for the home nation — both on and off the course — is Ahmad Skaik, the UAE’s No.1 amateur golfer, and he can’t wait to get started once again to fly the flag after an injury-disrupted year.

“I am very excited of course, as it is always an honour to represent the country on such stages and having it at home makes the occasion even bigger and better,” Skaik told Golf Digest Middle East.

“The course isn’t one that I would say suits my eye but I have good memories there, so I will keep that in my mind always and I’m sure that it will help me.

“I am excited to play it this time as last year in France I was not able to play because of my back injury, so I am very happy to be able to be part of the team and compete this time.”

MATT SMITH

After graduating last year, Skaik had big plans for 2023, including the possibility of turning professional, but his troublesome back pushed back his schedule. However, now it is full steam ahead once again.

“The season has been tough, but I’m putting in the work and making big changes in my game which I am sure will help in the future,” he said. “I used to always worry about what is happening and that I want to play well, but I have changed the mentality. Of course, I want and will always try to play well but I would rather do the changes now and struggle in the process and get it good than postpone the changes until the future.

“For the injury, I have an acute disc which will probably stay with me my whole life, so I always have to be careful and stay on top of things, especially with physio and gym work.”

As for turning pro, that is still on the agenda in the near future.

“Hopefully by the end of the year or beginning of next year,” he said. “Only time will tell but for now, my focus is on the Asian games, the WATC, and the Asian Pacific.

“I finished college last year in May and I got injured two weeks after that, so I didn’t really get to enjoy it, but now I am really enjoying having nothing else to worry about other than golf.”

SMILING ON THE INSIDE

am Young is having fun. Really, he is. You might not know it by the way he sometimes treats his golf clubs, and when he finishes a round, it’s hard to tell if he shot 66 or 86. But if your impression of the PGA Tour’s 2022 Rookie of the Year is that he’s miffed all the time, you’ve got it wrong.

Mostly.

“He’s the grumpiest nicest person I have ever met,” Will Zalatoris says.

Zalatoris, another of the PGA Tour’s rising stars, became friends with Young while they played at Wake Forest University, and the two have grown closer since. In fact, there’s a network of ex-Wake players in the Jupiter, Florida, area who still pal around and play semi-competitive rounds with each other.

Ask any of them to describe the Young they met in college, and they’ll likely tell you he was quiet … until he wasn’t. There was the time when Young slammed his golf bag with a club, only to realise his once fully intact cellphone was inside, his teammates say. Cam also admits to breaking a shaft over his neck once, but that was years ago. Nowadays, assaults on golf equipment have been replaced mostly by looks of disgust between the gallery ropes, even when things seem to be going right.

“He's the type of guy who can shoot a low number and could be complaining, but I love him,” Zalatoris says. “He’s got a heart of gold — one of my favourite people in the world.”

Adds former teammate Lee Detmer, who now plays on the PGA Tour Canada: “On the outside he might seem like an angry old fart, but he’s a very happy-go-lucky guy.”

Young says his resting grump face is the result of trying to curb emotion during tournaments — bad and good — and it seems to be helping his game. Although winless in his rookie year, Young had seven top-three finishes in 25 PGA Tour starts, including nearly winning the Open Championship (lost by a shot to Cameron Smith). This season, he finished runner-up to Sam Burns in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. His rise has been so fast and impressive, he went from a World Golf Ranking of 1,500 in 2020 to 14 this year. That progress, becoming one of golf’s surprise suc-

cess stories, should manifest in more grins than scowls, no? “People think I’m more upset than I am,” says Young, who turned 26 in May. “I don’t smile a ton on the golf course, but that’s just my way of keeping myself in a mental headspace where I can do my job.”

Adds his father, David: “I think a lot of people would enjoy it more if he was up, acting happier, but he works hard at not showing it.”

There’s the Cam Young you know, and the Cam Young you don’t know, his friends say. The Cam Young you don’t know is now the quintessential family man, spending nearly all of his free time with his wife, Kelsey, and their two young sons. Although he was a multi-sport athlete growing up, when asked about activities and hobbies he enjoys in his downtime now, Young gives you that new-parent look of, Yeah, right

“It’s golf and diapers,” he says.

Although Cam will probably never be anointed the life of any party, his family and friends say he does show more personality now. “It’s not much, but he did text me a pic of himself with a champagne bottle after they won the Presidents Cup last year,” Detmer says.

“He looks so darn serious, but he’s got a good sense of humour and really enjoys life,” says David, the former golf professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Cam grew up with that renowned course literally in his back yard. As an only child practising and playing a lot on his own, Cameron says he learnt to enjoy the solitude of the game and thinks it helped him develop as a golfer faster.

David can attest to his son’s drive for improvement, especially when it comes to fine-tuning one of the most powerful swings on the PGA Tour. Young ranks among the top five in average driving distance (316 yards) and driver clubhead speed (123 miles per hour) but continually tries to refine his technique, counting heavily on dad’s feedback, as he has since childhood. Scott McKean, Young’s former caddie and Wake classmate, once described the way the father and son communicate as if they’re using “telepathy”.

Adds Detmer: “If you listen to them talk to each other, it’s like these low mumbles. You can barely understand them. But you can tell they're really in tune with each other. There’s a lot of respect between the two.”

Cam says he learned a lot about the “profession” of golf by watching how his father handled himself, and it’s why he’s not taking anything about this opportunity for granted, even if that means winning fewer fans.

“People don’t realise, sometimes, that this is your job,” he says. “I love golf, and I love playing competitively, but it is a job, and I take it seriously. Sometimes smiling and waving to the crowd isn’t my first priority.”

—RON KASPRISKE

'I DON'T SMILE A TON ON THE GOLF COURSE, BUT THAT'S JUST MY WAY OF KEEPING MYSELF IN A MENTAL HEADSPACE WHERE I CAN DO MY JOB.'

SWING THE MAKER

I’m a swing junkie. I look for things great players do and try to figure out why they do them. A couple years ago, I noticed that the longest hitters swing into impact with some bend in the trail arm. The arm is straightening, but it’s not straight. I also found that power players in other hitting sports — tennis, baseball, boxing — don’t fully straighten the trail arm at impact. I began training this move into my swing, and the results were shocking. A year ago, my ball speed with the driver was 147 miles an hour max. Now, I can get it up to 157! That’s 20 to 30 more yards.

This straightening of the trail arm has a major effect on other parts of the game, particularly iron play and pitching. With irons, it promotes solid contact because it helps you stay in posture through the shot. On pitches, it controls the loft at impact for predictable trajectory and roll.

By Michael Breed with Peter Morrice

In short, this one key move can give you the things you probably want the most — more driving distance, quality contact on iron shots and better control with the wedges. Let me show you how.

One simple move — straightening your trail arm at the right time — can upgrade your entire game, driver to wedges

Photographs by JD Cuban

EXTEND THROUGH THE IMPACT ZONE

The major benefit of the trail arm staying bent into impact with the driver is more speed. When the arm is still straightening through the strike, the energy of the swing keeps going down the shaft and into the ball. Once you straighten the arm, energy starts to dissipate and the clubhead slows down. A good feel is that you’re pushing your trail hand away from your trail shoulder through impact (above). The real bombers almost double that shoulder-to-hand distance from about three or four feet before impact to just after the strike.

To practise this power move, make swings in which you segment the motion, stopping between steps. First, swing your driver to the top. Second, turn your body to its normal impact position. Third, swing the club through by straightening your trail arm.

Work on this three-step motion slowly at first and then start to put the steps together into normal swings. Finally, go back to hitting shots. You’ll quickly get a feel for extending your trail arm out to the target after impact — and see a serious boost in speed.

When the arm straightens too soon, the butt end of the grip starts to move backward, away from the target. As a result, the clubhead bottoms out way behind the ball, often causing dropkicks or thin contact low on the clubface. Also, the body stops turning forward, so the hips and shoulders are facing the ball at impact (right) instead of rotating toward the target. When the body stalls like this, another major power source is cut off. If you feel like you’re swinging fast but not hitting it anywhere, it’s a good bet you’re straightening the trail arm too soon.

Drill: The Towel Turn

Grab your golf-bag towel, and hold one end in your trail hand at the topof-backswing position. Wrap the towel behind your trail biceps and pull it against your sternum with your lead hand (far left). Now, mimic your forward swing, turning your trail shoulder down to its impact position (left). The elbow still should be bent 90 degrees, so this is an exaggeration. In a real swing, the arm would be straightening, but still bent! Work on this drill, but intersperse normal driver swings trying to replicate the feel of the trail arm staying bent into the impact zone.

If you don’t do it

IRONS

When you’re hitting off turf, you really have to control where your swing bottoms out. Maintaining your posture through impact is a major contributor, and keeping some bend in the trail arm preserves posture. How? Look at it this way: The swing has a certain radius, and the bend in the trail arm largely controls it on the downswing. When the radius lengthens too soon from the arm straightening, the body pulls up to prevent the club from hitting the ground behind the ball. Keeping that arm bent allows you to stay in your posture.

Because an iron strike should be downward, you need to turn your trail shoulder down into impact (above). But that can make you feel like you’re going to hit the ground too soon. To prevent this, your lead hip has to “clear”, or rotate open. Rotation moves the swing’s low point forward so you can turn down and not crash the club into the ground. For this to work, the trail arm must stay bent. Practise rotating your lower body through aggressively, turning your shoulder down and straightening your trail arm into the follow-through

If you don’t do it

We’ve established that straightening the trail arm early causes a loss of posture, but what exactly happens? The hips push toward the ball, and the spine loses its forward tilt (right). You see, your brain is very good at heading off trouble. When your trail arm straightens too soon, your brain senses that the club, in effect, is getting longer, so it tells your body to stand up to compensate. Obviously, that’s no recipe for consistent contact. You might time it right now and then, but you’re likely to hit a lot of fat and thin iron shots. Sound familiar?

Drill: The Throw

Here’s another great way to train the correct straightening of the trail arm on the downswing. Place a ball six feet in front of you on your target line, hold another ball in your trail hand, and take your set-up without a club. Now, swing your trail arm back like you’re making a normal backswing, then start down and throw the ball (left) at the other one on the ground. If you hit it, or come close, it means you kept your trail elbow bent as your arm moved back in front of you. If your arm were to straighten too soon, you’d slam the ball down right in front of you.

MAINTAIN SOME HINGE INTO THE BALL

The pitch swing is smaller and slower than a full-swing iron, but the same concept applies. With pitch shots, the big issue is loft—the loft on the clubface when you strike the ball and the resulting trajectory of the shot. Creating predictable loft is the key: Too little loft, and the ball comes out hot, too much, and you don’t reach your target. Again, let the trail elbow bend going back and then straighten through impact (above).

In pitching, the trail wrist also plays a pivotal role because golfers tend to flip the wrist to try to lift the

ball into the air. Like the trail elbow, that wrist should still have a little hinge at impact.

One wrinkle in pitching: You have to control what the ball does in the air and on the ground, and the trail arm helps with both. It lets you deliver predictable clubface loft and make a solid strike, which imparts consistent spin on the ball so it rolls out as you expect. Hit some pitches where you straighten your trail arm before impact, then hit some where you let it straighten after the strike. You’ll become a believer real fast!

The lifting action that plagues poor pitchers has a distinct look if you freeze the swing right before the club reaches the ball (right). The hands are back — the trail hand under the trail shoulder and its palm turning upward. From this position, the clubhead bottoms out behind the ball, typically producing chunks or skulls. If you manage to get lucky and catch one solid, you still hit a weak shot because you’ve added loft to the clubface that you didn’t expect. Compare this to the correct image on the previous page (left). The hands are centred on the body, the trail arm is pointing in front of the ball, and the chest is turning toward the target. That’s how you hit solid pitch shots with predictable loft.

Drill: The Impact Tap

The other drills got your body turning to impact (The Towel Turn) and your trail arm straightening correctly (The Throw). Now let’s get a club in your hands. Swing a 6-iron but stop halfway down, keeping the bend in your trail elbow and wrist (far left). Then, turn your body forward until your hands are in front of the ball and stop (middle photo). Finally, tap the club into the ball, hitting it 10 yards or so (left). This teaches you to not lift or add loft to the face, just turn forward and straighten your arm to hit the ball. Ingrain those moves (pitching first, then full swing) to learn what great impact feels like.

If you don’t do it

(THAT AND FIVE OTHER GOLF MYTHS DEBUNKED)

BY MATTHEW RUDY • ILLUSTRATIONS BY GEORGE RETSECK

GOLF HAS ALWAYS BEEN UP FOR a bit of folklore and storytelling. Whether it’s a leathery teaching pro passing on swing wisdom to an eager apprentice, a playing legend recounting exploits from decades gone by, or an architect creating a golf hole from divine inspiration, all of it adds to the game’s mystical appeal. It’s a common thread that goes back to the shepherds who first banged rocks across a damp Scottish moor.

Of course, facts have usually never gotten in the way of a good story. Some of the most widespread “truths” in this game have turned out to be much more myth than reality — sticking around for decades thanks to the credentials, charisma and persuasiveness of the story-tellers. Thanks to a more widespread grasp of physics — and less reliance on anecdotes and secondhand accounts — we can now gently dispel some of the more durable beliefs and habits that have embedded themselves in the game’s lexicon.

On the following pages, we’ll explore six of the most pervasive fables and have experts explain why they might sound right but are far from it. Apologies if you’ve lived by these notions for most of your golfing life, but it’s time to realise that the world is round, lightning can strike in the same place twice and a groundhog can’t predict the seasons.

Keep your lucky ball marker if it makes you feel better, but don’t be surprised if you get some funny looks the next time you trot out one of these outdated chestnuts.

DETERMINING WIND DIRECTION WITH GRASS BLADES CAN FOOL YOU

It has become a televised golf ritual: A player and his or her caddie toss some blades of grass and look thoughtfully at the trees around them — or the flag on an adjacent hole, like at Augusta National — to try to divine how the wind will affect the next shot.

It might be good theatre — or a way to calm the nerves — but it turns out that the information gleaned from it isn’t particularly accurate. Just ask somebody who relies even more heavily on wind direction to win than golfers do. Nick von der Wense is a 15-time national sailing champion with experience racing everywhere from the open ocean to the lakes of Minnesota.

“Making your strategic decisions based on what you feel on the side of your face is a recipe for losing,” says Von der Wense, who has raced everything from single-sailor Lasers to 80-foot-mast yachts.

“What you feel down by you can be, and usually is, very different than what’s happening 20 feet or 100 feet above the ground.”

Surface wind is impacted by everything from the colour and temperature of the ground, barriers like trees blocking or channeling gusts and the prevailing wind direction that day.

“Your best bet is to look at the flag on the clubhouse. Think of that as the prevailing wind and make your big-picture strategic decisions accordingly,” Von der Wense says. “The more difference there is between the temperature of the ground and the air temperature, the windier it’s going to be. When it gets calm and awesome on the golf course at the end of a late spring afternoon, that’s when the ground and air temperatures have equalised.”

Under specific conditions — think of a hole at Whistling Straits with nothing between you and Lake Michigan — tossing grass might work, V0on der Wense says. But our advice? You’re better served by choosing your shot, committing to it, and not clouding your process with what probably is a bad read.

NO, YOUR PUTTS DON’T ALWAYS BREAK TOWARD

It’s one of the oldest myths in golf broadcasting: Playing in Palm Springs, they say that all putts break toward the town of Indio. At Pebble Beach, you’ll hear they break toward Carmel Bay. Golf-course architect Bobby Weed has heard them all — even about the courses he has designed, such as TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

“There they claim everything breaks toward the strip,” Weed says. “The reality is, if you want to understand how putts break, it isn’t about what’s off in the distance. It’s understanding where the water would run off the green. There are typically two or three directions water can drain, but I’ve built bigger greens where it can run off in five directions. Those are the slopes that are going to do the most to determine how your putt breaks.”

Weed says the key to reading greens is twofold: First, walk up to it from the front (instead of from the side after parking your golf cart or from the back after you drop your bag). “From 50 yards away, you can really see

where the green wants to drain,” says Weed, who also designed TPC River Highlands (home of the PGA Tour’s Travelers) and Michael Jordan’s Grove XXIII. “That is going to give you clues about the predominant break. Second, evaluate your specific putt, keeping in mind the prevailing break as a tiebreaker to make your final read.”

Another factor to consider has nothing to do with topography and everything to do with how grass grows — toward the sun. The ball will roll faster if the blades are leaning away from you (with the grain), and putting across the grain means the ball might behave like a marshmallow tossed into a river. The cross growth on a straight, flat putt can be the difference between rolling one in just off centre or lipping out.

Also, remember that course architects know the misconceptions you have about landmarks and breaks. “We don’t have many more tools in our bag,” Weed says. “Illusion and deception are two useful ones.”

RETIRE THAT SWING THOUGHT OF KEEPING YOUR HEAD DOWN

Looking for the all-time king of golf-instruction malarkey? “Keep your head down” has to be in the conversation. What makes it so damaging is that it’s one of the worst pieces of advice you can get.

“Our coaches will teach about 1.8 million golf lessons in 2023, and about a million of those will start with a player blaming their topped and chunked shots on not keeping their head down,” says Nick Clearwater, GolfTEC’s senior vice president of player development. “Your bad shots are literally never caused by this ‘problem’. The best players in the world are moving their head upward, and their arms and legs are straightening as they swing through the ball. Yours should, too.”

Instead of working hard to keep your head down — which only serves to restrict your body and slow your arm swing — try this plan of action: Make sure to set up so that the ball is in the centre of your gaze. If it drifts too far forward or back, it disrupts your depth perception, and you won’t have as much success swinging freely and making consistent contact. Now make some swings where your only goal is to copy the position of the figure on the PGA Tour’s logo —that’s it.

“The only way to get there is to let your torso move up and your arms and legs extend,” Clearwater says. “Have a friend film you and see how consistently you can get into that position. The closer you are to getting that part right, the more issues you’ll automatically knock out of your golf swing.”

YOU DON’T CREATE BACKSPIN THE WAY YOU MIGHT THINK — AND YOU’RE MAKING THE SUPERINTENDENT ANGRY

Every week, hundreds of tour players peel off huge divot pelts as they hit wedge shots that spin back several feet. It’s cool to watch, but it gives many amateur players the wrong idea about what it takes to get some of that sauce on their shots. It sends them back to their home courses, chopping down on the ball like Paul Bunyan.

“The best players in the world do hit slightly down on the ball, but that downward hit isn’t what’s producing all that backspin,” says Paul Wood, Ping’s vice president of engineering. “They’re doing it with clubhead speed and friction from clean contact.”

The problem with swinging aggressively down is that it

TEE IT HIGH AND LET IT FLY? NOT REALLY

Two-time World Long Drive champion Kyle Berkshire swings his driver 145 miles per hour and can generate 230 miles per hour of ball speed. It’s OK for him to tee the ball high and launch it into outer space, but what about you? Berkshire’s coach Bernie Najar, says you’re most likely dialling up a drive into the rough — or someone’s back yard.

“If your tendency is to swing from out to in like a lot of amateur golfers do, teeing the ball high and playing it more forward in your stance creates a scenario in which you’re going to have impact collisions that are much more off-centre — both horizontally and vertically on the face,” Najar says. “Catch it too low on the face and you’ll put too much backspin on it. Swipe it off the toe and you’ll have an even bigger right miss. You’re mostly looking at bigger slices or straight pulls.”

To hit your longest drives, get a little more vanilla with your set-up, Najar says: Tee the ball so that about half of it is above the crown of your driver, and don’t let your ball position drift more forward than the inside edge of your front heel. You’ll be able to sweep it off the tee at an optimal launch angle for your speed.

often results in hitting the ground before the ball, piling a bunch of dirt and grass between it and the club.

“Don’t be distracted by the size of the divot,” Wood says. “Pros are hitting the ball first — cleanly — then taking the divot, and its size is usually because they have a lot more speed than average players do.”

The term to understand is “spin loft,” Wood says. It’s the difference between the dynamic loft of the club and its angle of attack as it reaches the ball. Peak spin comes when you have 50 degrees of spin loft, and it can be achieved without tour-pro speed. Just make ball-first contact with a slight downward blow, Wood says.

PLUMB-BOBBING MIGHT LOOK COOL, BUT YOU’RE GETTING ONLY PART OF THE PICTURE

Nothing mystifies PGA Teacher Kevin Weeks more than watching players stand behind the ball and dangle a putter in front of them as they try to plumb-bob, an oldschool method used to ascertain a putt’s break.

“I get that it would be nice to know the overall slope of the putt you’re about to hit, but I don’t know why you would ever take a read like that from the place where the ball is going to be moving the fastest and breaking the least,” Weeks says. “What you need to know is what’s going to happen in the middle of the putt and down by the hole, where the ball is going the slowest and is breaking the most.”

Even if there was some utility to plumb-bobbing, it would only come if you did it with your putter hanging perfectly vertical and had a non-distorted, accurate view of the line with your dominant eye.

Instead of plumb-bobbing, use some of your other

senses to get a better idea of what your putt will do, Weeks says.

“You can use your feet and your feel to get a better read. Walk slowly from the ball to the cup and back, paying attention to what your feet are telling you. Is it uphill or downhill? How significant is the side slope? Remember, the architect is trying to trick you visually, so you need to do some more work beyond just what your eyes would tell you.”

Once you have a rough idea of the line, walk to the apex of the break (the target, above) and read the putt as if you were playing it from there, Weeks says. “Get the speed right and even a bad read will still end up somewhere by the hole,” he says. “Also, pay close attention to what the ball is going to do as it slows down near the cup. That’s great intel for what you need to do next if you miss.”

Revolutionary, new out-of-home (OOH) advertising medium, powered by innovative technology.

This unique and globally patented Escalator Step Branding Solution that gives brands an unrivaled opportunity to connect with audiences.

RATCHET UP YOUR TEMPO

Learn Tony Finau’s shorter, faster move to better accuracy

By Dave Allen

TONY FINAU HAS PLAYED SOME of his best golf on the biggest stages, leaving many to wonder just how the uber-talented 33-year-old had just two PGA Tour wins over his first seven-plus seasons on tour. They’re left wondering no more. Finau now has six PGA Tour wins, including four since last July, the most of any player on tour during that stretch.

“I think the misconception that he’s not a closer has been put to rest,” says Boyd Summerhays, Finau’s long-time swing coach.

Summerhays credits much of Finau’s success of late to his improved driving accuracy, which plays right into his greatest strength, his iron play. In his November 2022 win at the Cadence Bank Houston Open, Finau achieved a career first, hitting all 13 fairways in the third round.

“Now that he drives it so much better, he’s getting to hit more iron shots from the fairway,” says Summerhays. “That kind of speaks to why he’s doing so well. He’s been driving it amazing and making the clutch putts on

the weekend that you need to win.” Since his Korn Ferry Tour days, Finau has made some subtle adjustments to hit more fairways. At address, he positions his head farther behind the ball than most other pros. This allows him to shallow his angle of attack and hit more up on the ball without deviating much from his iron swing.

“It simplifies things for him,” Summerhays says. “He doesn’t have to move off the ball to the right. He can pretty much stay centered behind the ball.”

As a 16-year-old, Finau possessed

elite power and had no trouble generating ball speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour, Summerhays says. But with that power came a price in the form of missed fairways, so Finau gradually began shortening his backswing.

“He’s the only person I’ve coached whose swing got shorter,” Summerhays says. “I don’t teach that — the game is about power and distance — but it helps him control it. Because he has a 6ft-8ins wingspan, he can be short and still generate lots of leverage and power.”

The 6ft-4ins Finau’s backswing

tempo is among the fastest out there, which is something most amateurs misconstrue as a bad thing.

“You’ll hear a lot of amateurs say: ‘Oh, I got quick,’” Summerhays says. “The truth is that many take it back too slow. As a result, they try to generate too much speed in the transition, which can feel a little jerky.

“Tony goes so fast on the backswing that it makes his transition less violent, and it feels smooth to him. He doesn’t feel like he has to force the power in the transition.”

ATTACK THE WIND

Make these easy adjustments to hit your irons low and high

By Talor Gooch

i grew up just outside of Oklahoma City, and like most professional golfers from that part of the US, I became an above-average iron player. I had to. It was a matter of survival. On many days, the wind blew 30 miles per hour and would gust to 40. If I couldn’t hit the ball consistently in the centre of the clubface, I was doomed. When you play in a lot of wind, not only do you have to make crisp contact, but you have to control the spin and trajectory, too. That’s how you become a great iron player.

For me, dialling up a low or high ball flight is second nature. I’ve played so much golf in the wind that once I’ve determined the type of trajectory I want, my set-up, swing and feel for that shot adjust automatically to create the desired ball flight. I don’t give any thought to technique, which is a great way to play.

That said, I’m guessing it doesn’t come as natural for you, and you could use a little help on windy days. So let me and my swing coach, Boyd Summerhays, give you some simple tips to help you control the ball in the breeziest of conditions. If you can command the trajectory of your iron shots, then you can manage any wind. Learn these simple setup and swing adjustments and watch your iron game soar.

—with dave allen

TALOR GOOCH became the first backto-back winner in LIV Golf history with his wins in Australia and Singapore in April. He also has one PGA Tour title.

HIT IT LOW

TO HIT A LOW PIERCING SHOT that can penetrate almost any wind, you need to adjust your swing speed and the club’s loft. You subtract speed by abbreviating the length of your backswing (above, left) and follow-through (above, right). This is done automatically by narrowing your stance, which restricts your ability to turn your hips and shoulders on the backswing and generate maximum speed. I move my trail foot closer to the target, which effectively moves the ball farther back in my stance, slightly behind my sternum. With my upper body more on top of the ball, it’s much easier to return the handle ahead of the ball at impact, reducing the loft on the clubface. Don’t get me wrong, I still try to smash it, but by bringing my feet closer together, I can be aggressive without having to worry about imparting too much spin. That’s a good lesson for you: Don’t take speed off by slowing down your body rotation. Make sure that your follow-through is at least as long as your backswing, and let your setup dictate your speed.

POINT THE FACE DOWN

• Most amateurs need help hitting the ball lower because of an open clubface at impact. It’s hard to flight the ball low if you’re consistently delivering the face open, which creates more loft and spin. To fix this, pay attention to the face on the takeaway. Swing the shaft back to parallel and check that the grooves are pointing down toward the ground (top photo, left), not the sky. If they are, the back of your lead wrist will be flat, not cupped, mirroring that of the face both here and all the way to the top of your backswing (left). From this square position, you’ll find it much easier to hit the ball solid and bring the flight down.

SOMETIMES IT PAYS TO FLIGHT YOur irons high, such as when the wind is behind you or you have a front or tucked pin location. In those instances, you need more speed and loft. Again, a simple adjustment to your set-up will help you achieve both. This time, I widen my stance by moving my trail foot farther from the target, which results in the ball being forward relative to my sternum. From this wider, stable base, l’m able to make a fuller backswing ( below, left ) and follow through ( below, right ), generating more clubhead speed and spin for a higher, softer-landing shot. With the more forward ball position, I feel as if my upper body is farther behind the ball so that I hit less down on it, creating a higher launch angle. I’m still compressing the ball, but my hands are not as far ahead of the ball at impact as they are for the lower shot. Be an artist out there. Visualise the trajectory of the shot you want to play and where you see the ball landing, and then let your body paint that picture.

HIT IT HIGH

KEEP PACE WITH LOWER HALF

• The most common mistake I see among amateurs is that they struggle to transfer their weight forward on the downswing. Their lower body moves toward the target, but their upper body stays back. As a result, the club bottoms out behind the ball and can’t compress it. When you toss a football or baseball, you automatically step forward and transfer your weight. That’s what has to happen on the downswing. Another way to think about it is to feel your upper body moving in conjunction with your lower body. That can’t happen without proper weight shift. Have the upper body tag along on the downswing, and you’ll flush it every time.

DISCOVERING DRIVING

Key points to help you get to grips with that all-important shot off the tee

By Conor Thornton

GOLF IS OFTEN referred to as a game of precision and finesse, it is a sport that does require an understanding of the various intricate shots, however a huge element of unlocking scoring potential is driving, specifically the larger distances that can be gained from this particular shot. The driver has the potential for impressive distances above all other clubs in your bag. However, harnessing this potential requires a grasp of several key concepts which play pivotal roles in achieving this length along with accuracy and good levels of consistency.

If you have read our previous Discover Golf editions, you should be familiar with how to hold the club, address the ball and swing the club. Now I will take you through some key points to help you use the driver as effectively as possible.

What is a driver?

The driver is the largest of all the clubs in the bag and the go to start most holes that require maximising the distance you can achieve from your swing. This is possible due to its large volume of head size, length of shaft and aided by lower lofts and lighter weight.

Understanding Low Point

Low point, in golf terminology, refers to the point in the swing arc where the clubhead is at its lowest position before it starts its upward trajectory. When hitting the driver, the position of the low point is crucial. A suitable low point helps ensure that you make contact with the ball slightly on the upswing, which is a crucial element for maximising distance and achieving an optimal launch angle.

To establish a consistent low point, focus on maintaining a shallower sweeping movement of the club through the lower part of the swing (pictured above) and avoiding lowering the body dramatically during the downswing, something that can be common when incorrectly trying to ‘keep the head down’ something that should be avoided. When the low point is well-managed, the driver’s loft can be utilised e ectively, leading to longer and more controlled drives.

DRIVER IRON

EXCLUSIVE PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES, PHOTOGRAPHY AND TIMEPIECES FROM AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS

Painting by Ihab Ahmad

Photograph by Greg Newington

3 KEYS TO UNLOCK YOUR DRIVER’S POTENTIAL

Using of a tee and tee height?

1

Using a tee and adjusting tee height when hitting a driver in golf is essential for optimising your performance with this shot. A tee is used to elevate the golf ball above the surface providing us with a guaranteed perfect lie every time. Because of this, it is easier to launch the ball into the air as it provides the opportunity to strike the ball without making contact with the ground and assist with striking the ball more on the upward part of the clubs movement.

A useful starting point is having half of the ball above the height of the driver face, however finding the optimal tee height requires experimentation during your practice sessions. Pay attention to how different tee heights a ect your contact and ball flight and adjust accordingly by either increasing the tee height or lowering it.

Ball Position

2

Next up to help create the optimal strike with the driver is the strategic placement of the golf ball in relation to the stance. Altering this will have an e ect on the body positioning and if the ball is struck on the up or downswing, greatly a ecting your shot outcome.

For drivers, a great place to start is positioning the ball inside of your front heel. This placement ensures that the low point occurs just before the ball, enabling you to hit the ball on the upswing. When the ball is positioned too far forward, closer to the front foot, the low point could happen too early and potential mishits. Conversely, if the ball is too far back in your stance, the low point may occur after the ball, resulting in an overly steep angle of attack and reduced distance.

Width of Stance 3

The width of your stance plays a vital role in achieving the proper swing shape for hitting the driver e ectively. A stance that is too narrow, you may have trouble staying balanced, leading to inconsistent shots., while a stance that is too wide might hinder your rotational movement and timing.

When addressing the ball with the driver, aim for a stance that is wider than shoulder-width. This provides a stable foundation while allowing enough ability to rotate and have the body positioned suitably during the swing. The wider stance also encourages a sweeping motion, which aligns well with the shallow angle of attack required for successful driver shots.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Putting It All Together

As we discussed, the upward strike on the ball typically creates a more optimal outcome. To help with achieving this put the previous points into play and focus on maintaining a shallow, sweeping motion in the downswing.

Putting this together and discovering the appropriate movement in the body to simulate the correct arc is to try the following drill.

Simply by placing a headcover (a ball or an additional rubber tee) in front of the tee where your ball would sit creates feedback of where the low point is and increases the likelihood of a more upward strike. Through doing this you will start to gain awareness of the suitable body movement that avoids contacting the object, if you do it is likely that your low point is too low and too left producing a downward impact into the ball. Practise swinging through, clipping the tee, and avoiding hitting the object in front. Avoid excessive attempts to scoop the ball into the air, by shortening your arms as this can lead to inconsistent contact and reduced distance. Practising this aspect of your swing can lead to more consistent and powerful drives o the tee.

Remember that consistency and improvement in these areas require practice and dedication. As you gain a deeper understanding of how these factors influence your shots, you’ll be better equipped to unleash the full power and potential of the driver in your golf game.

conor thornton is a member of the PGA Professionals team at Golf Saudi-managed Riyadh Golf Club

▶ Scan the QR Code to watch Conor bring this lesson to life.

CUTTING WEDGE

Robbie Greenfield puts the TaylorMade 2023 MG4 Wedge through its paces

By Matt Smith

T HERE HAVE BEEN plenty of new golf club releases that have been making big waves so far this year, but not many have been as highly anticipated as the latest TaylorMade arrival — the 2023 MG4 Wedge.

Never one to shy away from taking the latest gear for a spin, ARN presenter and former Golf Digest Middle East editor Robbie Greenfield put the club through its paces in a review for eGolf

TV at Trump International Dubai’s TaylorMade Performance Studio.

“The club I’m holding in my hand is one that’s creating a lot of buzz in the market for 2023,” he says. “I have to say, it’s a beautiful looking club.

“L et’s start with an overview of the TaylorMade MG4 Wedge. It’s fourth generation, which means there were three preceding it. And the story really started with inspiration and insight

WATCH THE VIDEO

Scan the QR code to watch ARN presenter and former Golf Digest Middle East editor Robbie Greenfield take the new TaylorMade 2023 MG4 Wedge through their paces

from, for my money at least, the greatest short-game exponent of all time, the legendary Tiger Woods.

“It was he who really inspired this ‘Milled Grind’ design and a lot of his input, a lot of his insight was instrumental in developing the quality wedge.

“It has been taken on by today’s great players: Collin Morikawa is one of the key testers for this wedge, Rory McIlroy has so much faith in it that it’s gone straight in his bag.

“It’s packed full of great technology. It’s a serious wedge in this market.

Robbie is quick to point out that the familiar TaylorMade technology is present on the face of the MG4.

“The raw face technology which we found in the MG3 is back ,” he adds. “It’s got that almost-rough, almost-sandpaper quality to it. It’s something you notice straight away with this club. When you remove the sticker brand new out of the shop, it begins to oxidise. And that raw face technology is extremely effective at getting spin rates up regardless of whether that’s around the green or with full shots as well. It’s a very noticeable aspect to this club and it’s going to appeal to a lot of players who are looking to generate spin.

“What is new for the MG4 is laseretching technology. Think of it, if you like to dumb it down a little bit, as a groove within a groove. It’s a channel which allows more water, more fluid, to escape when conditions are wet, when it’s wet underfoot. Now, you might be thinking: ‘We’re in the Middle East here. It barely ever rains. Surely this isn’t relevant.’ I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve teed off early in the morning. It’s very dewy. The clubs do get very wet and of course that’s going to affect spin rates. And what we’re trying to achieve is consistency across the board, no matter the conditions with our spin rates.

“Now, sure, there will be a slight drop - off when it’s wet underfoot, but this laser- etching technology is very effective at bridging the gap between those spin rates from dry conditions to wet conditions.”

Robbie also finds the MG4 very pleasing to the eye.

“The changes are subtle, but they’re there nonetheless,” he says. “And what you’re looking at really is a smoother profile, a slightly softer, more tour-inspired head shape here. And this works

just for when you lay the club open flat to play one of those high, lofted flop shots or if you’re playing a standard shot with a nice square face at address, it looks great. And it comes in two different finishes, a satin chrome and a matte black.

There are loads of different bounce and grind options. And of course, when you go for your fitting at eGolf Megastore, you can tailor specifically the wedges in your bag to best suit your game. That is important, but the key thing is you’ve got the options here with the TaylorMade MG4.

“Immediate things that I notice having hit a few shots down in the bay to a flag of around 80 yards, the spin is impressive. The ball is stopping, it’s grabbing, which is what we want to see when we’re hitting a wedge. I was getting over 10,000 rpm on the TrackMan, which are great numbers for me, very happy about that. And the other thing is the flight, obviously we want to keep the ball down. We want it to fly a little bit lower, a little bit more penetrating and consistent with a wedge. And I was really happy with what I was seeing here. Some really good trajectory on these wedges. Couple that with some good spin and that’s a winning combination.

“So all in all, both off the mat of course, which is much easier and off the much more difficult turf. I’m getting a really nice response from the MG4 wedges.

“It is another impressive launch by the company for 2023 and as with any club but specifically wedges, it’s really important for you to head down to the eGolf Megastore and get fitted when it is when it comes to choosing the different grind options, choosing the different bounce options. Everyone has different specifications that’s going to get the best out of their game. And a fitting is essential when it comes to purchasing a new wedge.”

Wise words, Robbie. Wise words.

AGE 20 LIVES Thailand

STORY

Won 2022 LPGA

Tour Rookie of the Year. Has two LPGA victories.

HISTORY MAKER

I won the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Championship as a 14-year-old amateur. That made me the youngest person to win a professional golf tour event. I was in the field because of a sponsor’s exemption. Winning that tournament was a life-changing event for me. It opened up all the experiences I’ve had since.

—WITH TOM MACKIN

ATTHAYA THITIKUL

Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond, 9°, 45.5 inches, Fujikura Ventus Red 5S shaft.

This is my favourite club. I’ve used it since December. The launch numbers say it’s better than my previous driver. My spin rate is where I want it, and my clubhead and ball speed are up.

FAIRWAY WOODS/HYBRID

Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond, 15°, Basileus FWSS 60S shaft; Callaway Apex UW, 22°, Basileus UT 70SR shaft.

I’ve been using this 3-wood since December, too. I hit it longer than my previous 3-wood, which has made a big di erence. The hybrid has been in my bag since 2021. I’m very comfortable with it, so I’m reluctant to change.

Callaway Apex Pro, 4-iron through pitching wedge, Shimada K 3001 shafts, Elite A50 grips.

When I hit the 4-iron through 7-iron, the sound is like “boom”. It’s almost too loud, but I’m used to it. The 4-iron is rare on the LPGA Tour, but I still hit it high enough to stop shots on the green.

WEDGES

SPECS Callaway Jaws Raw (48°, 52°, 58°), Shimada K HW 120 shafts.

The grind is di erent from my previous wedges because I use each of them in a bunker depending on the distance. Each one has my nickname “Jeeno” surrounded by stars stamped on them. Every Thai person has a nickname because our names are so long.

Odyssey Toulon Atlanta, 33.5

This putter went in the bag last year after a visit to the Callaway Performance Center in Carlsbad, California. It’s much larger in shape than my previous putter, but the style suits my eye, and I like the feel. I have a Texas-themed headcover that I got in Dallas. It’s cool.

I mark my Callaway Chrome Soft X by drawing a crown on it, which is the logo I designed for my agency back home. I also put “J” on each side of the number.

HAND SIGNAL

My grips are all different colours so that my dad watching on TV in Thailand knows which club I am hitting (the pink one is the 9-iron, for instance). I’ve done this since I was an amateur.

I have Jeeno on my wedges but Jeen on this ball marker. Even though people call me Jeeno, my real nickname is Jeen, which means “Chinese people” in Thai.

12 Shots That’ll Make You Scream

In honour of the spookiest month of the year, we count down golf’s knee-knockers

By Coleman Bentley

2 Tee shot in front of the foursome that your partner just convinced to let you play through.

3 Punch-out from the wrong fairway while the group on that hole waits for you to clear.

4 Shot six inches from the cart path with a new set of irons.

6

7 The provisional after you just shanked one dead right into what looks like poison ivy.

8 Approach shot on 18 when you’re pacing for a career round. 9

tuition.

10 Recovery shot from the edge of a murky water hazard, where anything could be lurking.

11 A three-foot tester to win your four-ball match while playing with your father-in-law.

12 Tee shot over a forced carry with no more balls in your bag.

1 Bunker shot out of a buried lie in clear view of the clubhouse patio at lunch hour.

5 First shot of a playoff after ‘waiting’ at the 19th hole waiting for the other scores to come in.

Chip from a downhill lie with the parking lot 15 yards behind the green.

Opening drive at a bucket-list course on a dream trip that costs more than your kid’s university