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8 POWER SECRETS FROM THE PGA TOUR

PREDICTIONS FOR 2018 JANUARY 2018 ISSUE #347

GEOFF OGILVY GOLF REALLY IS A GAME OF OPPOSITES

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EDITOR Brendan James bjames@golfaustralia.com.au DEPUTY EDITOR & GOLF AUSTRALIA EXPRESS EDITOR Damian Shutie dshutie@golfaustralia.com.au WRITERS Jimmy Emanuel, Michael Jones ART DIRECTOR Allan Bender GRAPHIC DESIGN Oliver Barles COLUMNIST-AT-LARGE John Huggan COLUMNISTS Mike Clayton, Andrew Daddo, Brendan Moloney, Geoff Ogilvy

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TOUR PROFESSIONAL Adam Scott

CONTENTS JANUARY #347

37 30 PREDICTIONS FOR 2018

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Matt Cleary, Mike Cocking, Dale Concannon, Andrew Marshall, Rod Morri, Rick Weber CONTRIBUTING PGA PROFESSIONALS Steve Aisbett, Daniel Blackwell, Leon Faulkner, Brad Hughes, Lorien Scott, Christian Small, Anthony Summers PHOTOGRAPHY Getty Images, Matthew Harris/TGPL, Gary Lisbon EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES

PH: (02) 9901 6142 golf@golfaustralia.com.au

We offer 30 predictions about who and what will make headlines in world golf throughout 2018.

47 RANKING: AUSTRALIA’S TOP-100 COURSES

A D V E R T I S I N G

Here is your biennial guide to Australia’s premier layouts. From the usual suspects to some big movers and newcomers; see how your favourites fared.

HEAD OF SPORT – SALES Adam Jackson ajackson@nextmedia.com.au PH: (02) 9901 6109; M: 0431 212 504

93 ANONYMOUS PLAYER SURVEY Bolstered by the promise of absolute anonymity, 30 leading professionals across the European and PGA Tours offer their views on some of golf’s most pressing issues.

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER David Mullins dmullins@nextmedia.com.au M: 0412 327 886 NSW, QLD, ACT ADVERTISING MANAGER Hugo Scotto hscotto@nextmedia.com.au M: 0424 184 505 ADVERTISING TRAFFIC CO-ORDINATOR Charles Balyck adops@nextmedia.com.au PH: (02) 9901 6160, Fax: (02) 9901 6116

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Hamish Bayliss PRODUCTION & DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER Jonathan Bishop PRODUCTION MANAGER Peter Ryman CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Carole Jones

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All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed by Webstar Sydney, distributed in Australia and NZ by Gordon & Gotch. ISSN 0818-5077. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken nextmedia does not accept liability for loss or damage.

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CONTENTS JANUARY #347

F E AT U R E S

INSTRUCTION

112 THE INTERVIEW: DUSTIN JOHNSON

122 SWING SEQUENCE – HENRIK STENSON

We sit down with the World No.1 to find out how he climbed the summit to become a major winner and what his hopes are for 2018.

Here is everything you can learn from the unique swing of the 2016 Open Champion.

116 THE INTERVIEW: HENRIK STENSON

128 TOUR TIP: FAIRWAY BUNKER BASICS

John Huggan chats with the big-hitting Swede about Royal Troon, the fallout from his stellar 2016 and his plans for this year.

You will never get stuck in a fairway bunker again if you follow these three simple steps.

130 POWER SECRETS FRO

T R AV E L & C O U R S E S

12 COURSE REVIEW: MURRAY DOWNS G&CC For nearly three decades, Murray Downs has been one of the premier courses to be found along the entire length of Australia’s biggest river.

Brendan James discovers what makes it so special.

We ask a selection of the game’s bi best tips f

104 THE LONGEST HOLE

138 TOUR T Everybod for

Mongolia might not spring to mind for your next golf trip. But it did for Adam Rolston and Ron Rutland, who teamed up to play what has sinc become the world’s longest hole.

146 WELSH LINKS Wales’ north-west coast is one of the underrated links golf regions in Great Britain, writes Andrew Marshall.

10 TEEING OFF: BRENDAN JAMES 16 HUGGAN’S ALLEY: JOHH HUGGAN 18 AROUND THE TRAPS 30 SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: WIN A PREMIUM EUROPEAN CRUISE WORTH UP TO $21,980.

32 IN MY OPINION: GEOFF OGILVY 34 THE WANDERING GOLFER: BRENDAN MOLONEY 142 PRO SHOP 154 GETAWAYS: GOLF TRAVEL 162 GOLF IS GOOD: ANDREW DADDO

8 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

EQUIPME

140 PLAYING W CALLAWAY APEX MB IRONS Jimmy Emanuel gets his hand the most anticipated irons o

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BY B R E N DA N JA M E S | G O L F AU S T R A L I A E D I TO R

CELEBRATING OUR FIELDS OF DREAMS would see our first compilation of theTop-100 Courses in Australia.

This year we present our fourth Top-100 Courses list and the quality of courses making the ranking has never been higher, which was one reason why we waited so long to do our first list of centurions.

It was always the aim of this magazine to some day expand our ranking to reach the ton, but only when we believed we could provide a ranking where the depth in quality, of the courses on the list, ran deep enough.

Now, six years after publishing our firstTop-100, the voting has never been tighter, while the anticipation of finding out what courses make the list has never been greater.

Before you dive into this year’s ranking, I would like to acknowledge the incredible

hard work and devotion our reader panel has put into helping compile this ranking.

It may seem like a dream job to play some of the best courses in the country, and our panellists are, of course, extremely privileged. But they are not paid any form of remuneration or expenses and undertake their task for the love of the game.

And a huge thank you to all of the clubs and golf courses who have hosted our panellists.

Without their kind hospitality, producing these rankings would simply not have been possible.

Nearly 170 courses received votes from our judges for this ranking, which suggests there is good golf to be found beyond the 100. Perhaps one day, we’ll have to expand our ranking even further.

“NEARLY 170 COURSES RECEIVED VOTES FROM OUR JUDGES FOR THIS RANKING...”

PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES; COVER PHOTO: GARY LISBON

IT is 29 years since Golf Australia first published a ranking of this country’s finest golf courses.

Back in 1989, a judging panel of six cast their eye over more than 40 courses to eventually come up with a final list representing the best 20 courses in Australia.

It was a ranking list clearly dominated at the pointy end by the world famous quality courses of the Melbourne Sandbelt.

In the years since that inaugural ranking exercise there has been plenty of change to our list, the Australian golfing landscape and the process by which we rank the best courses. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the course sitting atop the tree at No.1, again in 2018.That layout is Royal Melbourne’s West course.

By the turn of the century our list had expanded to ranking theTop-50. But with more high quality courses being built and older courses undertaking extensive redesigns, the decision was made that 2012

10 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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COURSE REVIEW

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB M U R R AY D OW N S • N E W S O U T H WA L E S

12 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

For nearly three decades, Murray Downs has been one of the premier courses to be found along the entire length of Australia’s biggest river. Here’s why it continues to be ranked among the nation’s finest layouts.

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BRENDAN JAMES

M

urray Downs Golf and Country Club is one of the great golfing successes to be found along the Murray River.

The course lies on land that was once part of the sprawling Murray Downs station. In 1860, the ill-fated explorers Burke and Wills passed through the property and left behind a sick camel. A local pioneer bought the station and found the rolling landscape perfect for

establishing fields of lucerne, maize and oranges. Sheep then became the mainstay of the property for more than a century.

That was until the late 1980s when the heart of the property was earmarked for a real estate development and a new golf course. The Murray Downs club and course was constructed during the poker machine-fuelled club building boom that occurred along the mighty river during that period. It was a time when busloads of cashed-

up punters would head north across the border to try their luck, as the machines were illegal in Victoria.

The stream of cash from punters created enough revenue to build a golf course, which opened in 1991, and remains among the nation’s Top-100 Courses today (our 2018 ranking starts on page 47).

Course design brothers Geoff and Ted Parslow created a magnificent layout with

There’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide with your tee shot on Murray Downs’ par-3 5th hole.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 13

The simple design of the long uphill par-4 6th features nothing more than sand and some slopes.

undulating Wintergreen couch fairways as well as large, true rolling (and fast) Penncross bentgrass greens. While some greens feature subtle breaks, others feature more dramatic slopes to combat what may have been a seemingly easy journey to the green. Man-made lakes were included to help with irrigation and drainage, while native gums that were planted then have matured beautifully to line most of the fairways today. It’s a stark contrast to the Mallee plains that surround the layout.

Throw in some strategic, well-sculpted bunkering – featuring its spectacular ochre-

coloured sand – and water hazards on many holes and it is no wonder Murray Downs remains cemented among the cream of Australian courses.

No two consecutive holes run in the same direction and the wide open spaces leave the course susceptible to wind, making this 6,197 metre layout a challenging test from the tips.

I like how the Parslow design eases you into the round. From the Blue tees, the opening hole – a par-4 of 302 metres – has a generous rolling fairway if you don’t get too aggressive from the tee. Take on the fairway bunkers, one left and

another right, at your peril. The kidney-shaped green is protected by three bunkers but they are far enough from the centre of the big putting surface to not be too troublesome.

Even the first of the par-3s, the slightly downhill 178-metre 2nd, offers some room for error early in the round.

There are no such luxuries by the time you reach the tee of the second of the one-shot holes – the 194-metre par-3 5th. This is the hardest hole you will find at Murray Downs … and for good reason. Standing next to the back markers can send a shiver up your spine as you look

The sun sets over the strategically good par-5 16th hole.

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FACT FILE THE COURSE LOCATION: Murray Downs Drive (off Moulamein Rd), Murray Downs, NSW. CONTACT: (03) 5033 1422.

WEBSITE: www.murraydownsgolf.com.au DESIGNERS: Ted and Geoff Parslow (1991).

PLAYING SURFACES: Wintergreen couch (fairways), Penncross bentgrass (greens).

PGA PRO: Mark Bowd.

GREEN FEES: $50 (18 holes). $25 (reciprocal members)

The ochre-coloured bunkering is a memorable highlight of a round at Murray Downs.

toward the flag and see nothing but water, red sand, a bit more water and a lot more sand.

When the pin is positioned toward the back right quarter of the green it is a 210-metre carry over water and bunkers to reach safety. The lay-up area short and left of the green is littered with bunkers, making a conservative play also a hazardous exercise. That said, if you can fashion a shot with a little left-to-right flight you can carry the water easily and watch as your ball bounces up onto the putting surface (talking from experience here).

Murray Downs also has its version of Augusta National’s famed ‘Amen Corner’ – incorporating the par-3 15th, par-5 16th and the trying par-4 17th. The 15th is a classic hole and, like the telling 5th, it requires a tee shot over water and sand to find the green. But, at 169-metres, length won’t be a problem for too many players. One of the difficult aspects of making par here is to find the right level of the two-tiered green to allow a good chance for two putts.

For mine the collection of par-5s at Murray Downs is worth noting. Only the 4th hole stretches beyond 500 metres, but all are genuine three-shotters for the majority of us. There’s hardly a struck match between them for quality but I like the 472-metre 16th the best, simply for what it offers and where it falls in the round. It is a tight three-shotter where the driving zone is bordered by water left and sand to the right. The final approach to the green is a highlight, with four huge red sandy bunkers ringing the putting surface, which has a dramatic slope off the front edge. If you play this one smart you can steal a birdie before reaching the clubhouse.

The downhill 17th may not seem like a brute at 376 metres. But when you are standing back

THE CLUB

down the fairway, or in the rough, with a long iron in your hand and your approach shot must avoid water short and right of the green, you know the odds are against you. Thankfully, if you have success and find the green, putting is easier than on the previous two holes.

It is also worth mentioning here that Murray Downs has rarely been in better condition during the past few years.

Much of its troubles in the past were waterrelated and with those issues addressed Murray Downs just keeps on rocking a spot in the Top-100 ranking.

MEMBERSHIPS: Murray Downs has several membership options. The golf and bowls membership is $615, while country membership (must reside outside 10km radius of the club) is $390. Intermediate membership, for 18 to 24-year-olds is $210, while a junior sporting membership is $45.

RECIPROCAL CLUBS: Murray Downs has reciprocal rights with more than 90 clubs around Australia. See the website www.murraydownsgolf.com.au ACCOMMODATION: The Murray Downs Resort is located just opposite the 16th fairway and only a short stroll from the Clubhouse and Pro Shop.

The resort is the perfect place to wind down after your day on the course with a large tropical pool, indoor heated spa, barbeque area and if you’re feeling like some more energetic activity there is a tennis court as well.

On course packages at Murray Downs Resort include on course accommodation, cooked breakfast, unlimited golf and meal vouchers to the Club bistro.

Two-night packages start from $260 per person twin share, while five-night packages start from $525. Conditions apply.

For more details, visit the website www.murraydownsresort.com.au

The picturesque par-3 15th is the start of a challenging trio of holes.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 15

HUGGAN’S ALLEY

BY J O H N H U G G A N | G O L F AU S T R A L I A C O LUMNI S T AT L A R G E

NOT EVEN $7 MILLION CAN GUARANTEE STARS But causing Seve some legitimate angst was the knowledge that those same events were surreptitiously passing mucho dinero to lowerranked Americans for the pleasure of their company. “Not fair,” said the past Open and Masters champion. Hence the impasse.

Things have since moved on of course.

Today, appearance fees are everywhere in the professional game. Even on America’s PGA Tour – which piously and disingenuously claims to be “clean” – players are compensated for turning up at cocktail parties and the like. And let’s face it, the multi-million dollar pot that doubles as a “bonus pool” during the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs? Nothing more than appearance money under an assumed name.

Still, is all of the above really harmful to the future of golf? Only minutes ago, an e-mail landed in my inbox. To my shock and surprise – not – the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship was proudly proclaiming the upcoming presence of Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar and Paul Casey at next month’s tournament. “The magnificent seven” blared the drum-beating release, even if there was no sign of Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson or any of those other four guys whose names I forget.

Anyway, it is safe to assume that those high-profile players will not be flying to the Middle East needing to pick up a big cheque in order to make theirs a profitable week in the desert. But is that really a problem? Is there a viable alternative for the sponsors, HSBC? If the cash spent guaranteeing the presence of those big-names was instead re-directed into the prize fund, would

the organisers end up with a superior field?

Probably not in the real world.

At the recent $7million Nedbank Challenge in South Africa only three members of the World’s top-20 – Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Alex Noren – bothered to show up at Sun City.

An extravagantly juicy pile of prizemoney is these days far from enough to interest the game’s mega-rich elite, which is nice for the rank-and-file players on Tour. More field spots for them. But the end result is bland. None of those relatively faceless individuals puts bums on seats, either in front of televisions or in grandstands on the course.

Deprived of star-quality, any tournament is destined to appear flat in a modern world hooked on a drug called celebrity.

The charismatic and colourful Rickie Fowler may be minus a victory in a major championship and not really one of golf’s very-best practitioners – he is also, by the way, incredibly dull in an interview setting – but is he worth paying to play? Almost certainly, given his obvious appeal to younger members of golf’s audience.

The conclusion is clear. In this 21st century, appearance money is a fact of life in professional golf, a necessary malevolence.

Eager to boost television exposure and column inches, it is difficult to blame tournament sponsors for spending large chunks of their promotional budgets on guaranteeing public interest in their events. So let’s not be causing our underwear to twist too much in the face of this immutable law. Cash chats.

Actually, it raises its voice rather loudly.

And everyone hears the message.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

WHENEVER I see or hear the words “appearance” and “money” in the same sentence my mind immediately goes back to 1981.

That year, with a 12-strong team containing 11 current or future major champions, the United States gave the European side a right good going-over to the tune of 18½ to 9½ at Walton Heath near London. The home team featured a few notables too - the likes of Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Bernhard Langer – but one name was significantly absent. Due to an on-going dispute with the European Tour over “turning-up money,” Seve Ballesteros was not part of the heavily-defeated Old World squad.

So any debate over the legitimacy of golfers being compensated merely for turning up is nothing new. Nor is there today any sight of a solution to what some regard as an evil poisoning professional golf. Barring a brave new world in which everyone involved – players, agents, sponsors, tournaments, tours – agrees to ban this long-established practice, it is only ever going to take one miscreant to restore the current status quo. As soon as one or any of the above succumbs to the powerful pull of financial temptation, the rest will immediately follow suit.

This was essentially the thrust of the Ballesteros argument.

At a time when the late, great Spaniard was the best player on the planet – or at least the next best thing – he was being told that no event on his home circuit would be allowed to pay for his peerlessly charismatic services, which was fine in isolation.

16 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

AROUND THE TRAPS

OPENING SHOT

IF BALI is on your golf travel radar, here’s another reason to stick it on your ‘to-do’ list.

Bali’s Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club opened for play just 13 months ago and has already been named the World’s Best Par-3 Course after the recent World Golf Awards ceremony in southern Spain.

It was the first time in the history of the World Golf Awards that voters could select the World’s top par-3 course.

“The inclusion of such a category says volumes about the future of golf,” said JMP Golf Design Group’s Bob Moore, who conceived the 18-hole, par-54

18 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

course overlooking the Indian Ocean and accepted the award on Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club’s behalf.

“We are embracing courses that have not historically been included in our perception of great golf experiences.

“I believe that one of golf’s strongest growth markets lies in the creation of courses that can be played in relatively short time frames while providing a non-intimidating experience for young and beginning golfers. Bukit Pandawa is an example of beautiful golf design applied to a non-traditional layout.”

The imaginative collection of 18

championship-standard one-shotters was one of four finalists for ‘World’s Best Par-3 Course 2017’ including Turtle Hill GC in Bermuda, Cromwell Golf Course at Nailcote Hall in England and The Zhang Lianwei Course at Mission Hills Shenzhen in China.

Opened in October 2016 on the southernmost tip of Bali, Bukit Pandawa G&CC (www.bukitpandawagolf.com) is the flagship course of AccorHotels in Asia and the recreational centerpiece of Bukit Pandawa Resort & Golf – a 150-hectare integrated luxury resort development.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

THE WORLD’S BEST PAR-3 COURSE NAMED

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 19

AROUND THE TRAPS

19TH HOLE A ND YOUR SAY

CHANGING OF THE GUARD TWO things have become abundantly clear since the conclusion of the Australian summer of golf. First: The young talent in this country is immense. Second: Our twenty-somethings look set to rule the roost at our national events for years to come.

The wave of fresh faces that crashed the party in Sydney and on the Gold Coast was certainly exciting – but it was also comforting.

Australian golf fans can take solace knowing we have a very healthy reserve of talent waiting in the wings, especially with so much uncertainty surrounding two of our biggest stars.

Jason Day played well at the Australian Open, and he did all that was asked of him away from the course. But his appearances on home soil are likely to remain sporadic. Adam Scott, meanwhile, is now in his late 30s and shocked his followers when he missed the cut at the Australian PGA Championship.

Both players faced significant distractions and obligations outside of golf last season – Day with the illness of his mother (Dening) and Scott with the birth of his second child (Byron) – but their future in Australia has become something of a mystery.

Day said all the right things when asked whether he would return for the Australian Open in 2018 – but history suggests that to be an unlikely scenario. And Scott will need to spend sufficient time away from his young family in order to rediscover the game that has so often thrilled us.

So while the two former World No.1s ponder their future impact on Australian golf, it’s reassuring to know there’s a skilful crop of young up-and-comers ready and willing to grab the green and gold baton.

Smith and Davis – both of the Cameron clan – are seemingly leading the way in that regard, overcoming strong fields to lift trophies at our two biggest events.

Cameron Davis, 22, was left feeling numb after snatching the title at the Australian Open from the likes of three major winners. The lean 22-year-old now holds an impressive CV and has certainly made a successful transition into the professional game, having also won the Australian Amateur in 2015.

Most golf pundits have highlighted Cameron Smith as our brightest young star for some time now. But that was certainly affirmed when he won the Australian PGA with three Masters Champions in the field. The 24-year-old has already won on the PGA Tour and should continue to compete in his national championships for years to come.

Add names like Curtis Luck (21), Travis Smyth (22), Lucas Herbert (22), Oliver Goss (23), Jordan Zunic (26), Anthony Quayle (23) and Min Woo Lee (19) – and Australian golf looks to be in good hands.

So rest assured, golf fans. There’s plenty to look forward to.

– Michael Jones.

20 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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YOUR SAY CAN BE FUN AT THE TOP I was fortunate recently to watch the final round of the Turkish Open, won by Justin Rose.

During the event I couldn’t help noticing that the players were really enjoying themselves. Actually having fun.

Dylan Frittelli was laughing, joking with his playing companions and acknowledging his luck that he had along the way. He was just one example of the love of the game that the players were exhibiting. The players seemed to be pleased to be out there and playing the game.

The women’s golf displays a similar outlook with plenty of smiles and even poor shots are highlighted by a wry smile. I know, for many of the players, it is the end of a very long year but for many of us, if we take a similar attitude and enjoy the game and just being out there, we will improve. How is golf to be sold to newcomers if the players at the elite level look miserable and unhappy?

Michael McGonegal via e-mail

LETTER OF THE MONTH GET YOUR GRANDKIDS INTO GOLF As one of the four lucky winners of the Golf Month Golf Adventure promotion, I would like to thank Golf Australia, the organisation, for providing such a bucket list prize.

Secondly thanks to Golf Australia, the magazine, for the heads up in the October edition which prompted my winning entry.

My entry said I was going to introduce two of my grandchildren to golf and I was contacted to provide photos for a newspaper promotion of Redland Bay Golf Club’s Open Day. The day was a huge success and the grandkids had another great day on a golf course.

I enrolled them in a three-week coaching clinic over Christmas school holidays, which brings me to the point I want to make.

There are many grandparents playing in Veteran competitions and in many cases are the mainstay of the club. I invite them to follow my example, it has been the most fun I have ever had on a golf course.

These kids took to it like ducks to water and if we can continue the fun plus gain some skills via professional tuition then the basis of a life in golf will be set.

Sure along the way there will be interruptions but once that bug has bitten then this is the source of future membership.

Bob Muir via e-mail

OUR ‘LETTER OF THE MONTH’ WINNER RECEIVES A PAIR OF CALLAWAY XFER FUSION GOLF SHOES, WORTH $180.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES X 2

Follow Golf Australia on Twitter @GolfAustMag

Want to get something off your chest? Let us know your opinion via e-mail to: golf@golfaustralia.com.au or send your letter to: Letters to the Editor, Golf Australia magazine, Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards NSW 2065.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 21

AROUND THE TRAPS

WINNER’S CIRCLE

“THIS WILL BE ON MY SCHEDULE AS LONG AS I HAVE MY CARD AND FULL STATUS IN THE U.S. I’LL DEFINITELY COME BACK DOWN HERE AND PLAY TWO OR THREE THAT ARE HERE, FOR SURE.”

CAMERON SMITH AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPION WINNING SCORE: 18 under par, 270.

DEFEATED: New South Welshman Jordan Zunic on the second hole of sudden death. Adam Bland missed the playoff by one shot.

DEFINING MOMENTS: Smith started the final round three strokes behind Zunic but the pair was sharing the lead through 13 holes. The deadlock remained until the penultimate hole when Smith poured in birdie as Zunic missed another chance, meaning Smith took the lead on his own for the first time with one hole to play.

With the crowd surrounding the final group Smith felt the pressure and missed the green right, making bogey and sending he and Zunic back to the 18th tee for a playoff.

After matching pars playing the hole the second time around, Zunic found trouble from the tee and could only advance his ball short of the green for two. Smith again missed right with his approach but made no mistake the third time around getting up-and-down for par and victory.

WITH THIS VICTORY… : 3 Smith’s win was his first individual four round professional victory, with his only other win coming alongside Jonas Blixt at the 2017 Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour.

3 The Queenslander receives a two-year European Tour exemption, something Smith is unsure if he will take up as a fully exempt PGA Tour player.

3 Smith’s world ranking jumps to No.61, his highest ever rank, a benefit his PGA Tour win didn’t deliver due to its team format.

22 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

DRIVER

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IRONS

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WEDGES

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES X 2

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AROUND THE TRAPS

COMPE TITIONS & WINNERS

SPOT THE BALL SERGIO Garcia performed well at the Australian PGA. But where could his ball be here?

All you have to do is correctly identify where his ball is hidden on the grid, using the letters and numbers (eg. A4, B2 etc).

Answer correctly and you could win two dozen Mizuno JPX-S golf balls. The new JPX-S is a soft compression edition

of Mizuno’s three piece ball – producing a balanced performance for a wider range of swing speeds, which also boasts Mizuno’s Dimple-Cluster design for improved aerodynamics.

TO ENTER: Select your grid reference and then go to, www.golfaustralia.com.au, to submit your answer. Entries close 11.59pm on January 17. The winner and the correct answer will be published in the March 2018 issue of Golf Australia magazine.

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WINNERS & ANSWERS

Congratulations to five lucky readers who subscribed to Golf Australia or Inside Sport and have won a SUN MOUNTAIN CART BAG & UMBRELLA worth $548. The winners were: Robert Dean, Doubleview WA; Kevin Friedrich, St Lucia Qld; Robert Kraft, Goolwa SA; Carol Long, Naremburn NSW; Fiona Yeo, Goondiwindi Qld.

24 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES X 2

Our NOVEMBER ‘SPOT THE BALL’ competition generated heaps of entries taking a stab at the location of Chez Reavie’s ball.

The grid reference was B 9 and the first correct entry drawn was from Dean Watkins, of Cambridge Park, NSW. Congratulations!

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AROUND THE TRAPS

BOOKS FOR SUMMER

REVELATIONS OF A TOUR CADDIE

DISCOVERING ALEX RUSSELL

By Neil Crafter & John Green Alex Russell is regarded as perhaps Australia’s finest ever home-grown golf course architect.

He served as the Australian partner of the famed Scottish architect Dr Alister MacKenzie in the design and construction of the West Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, and was solely responsible for the design of Yarra Yarra, Royal Melbourne’s East Course, Lake Karrinyup in Perth and Paraparaumu Beach in New Zealand, all highly rated courses.

However, he is important to the story of Australian golf for much more than just golf course design as he was a champion golfer, winning the 1924 Australian Open as an amateur, amongst numerous other national and state titles.

Discovering Alex Russell: The Man and his Legacy by Neil Crafter and John Green uses detailed text, period archival photographs, maps and plans to bring together the many threads of Russell’s life. The book commences

26 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

by discussing the emigration of several of Alex Russell’s forebears from Scotland to Tasmania.

Philip Russell (Alex Russell’s great half-uncle) was the first of several brothers to migrate to central Tasmania in 1831, and other brothers and cousins followed, initially to Tasmania, and then to the Western Districts of Victoria.

The biography naturally has a bias towards his golfing exploits, both as a player and a golf course architect, with separate chapters on his golf career, his main golf courses and his golf design philosophies. The book is beautifully illustrated and detailed biography of a man who did so much for golf in Australia. It is a fascinating way to discover more about Alex Russell the man, his life and his golf courses.

If you enjoy learning about the history of Australian golf and its great courses, you will love this book.

Discovering Alex Russell: The Man and his Legacy can be purchased for $95 via the website www.discoveringalexrussell.com

By David Kight Author and Professional Tour Caddie David Kight grew up on the edge of the Melbourne Sandbelt and was drawn to the game of golf at an early age.

To earn money as a youngster, he caddied for members at Riversdale before doing likewise at the more famous and private Metropolitan Golf Club. It was here, in the mid-80s, that Kight caddied for Greg Norman, who was filming an instruction video at the course. Norman never forgot that meeting and he provides the foreword for Revelations Of A Tour Caddie.

Kight’s book takes you back to a time when there was great mateship among the Tour caddies and reveals what life is really like on Tour as a professional caddie; the dodgy hotels, missed flights, stolen luggage and what it’s like living out of a suitcase.

And, if you aspire to become a Tour caddie, there is plenty of advice along the journey from cover-to-cover including, how to caddie well while you’re hungover, when to talk to your player and when to shut up and other ‘trade’ secrets.

Revelations Of A Tour Caddie is an easy, enjoyable read that will give you a new perspective on the ‘other’ tour.

The paperback book can be purchased for $29.95 via the author’s website www.davidkight.com

Whether competing in the weekly competitions, tournament golf, or that casual round, golfers have a newly named challenge – The Shipwreck Bend.

On approaching the 4th tee at Warrnambool Golf Course golfers are greeted by the rusty remains of a ships anchor and a sign advising that they are entering the Shipwreck Bend.

Three par 4’s, the first two with elevated tee and the third a dogleg right, laid out behind a tertiary dune system hiding the coast line that gives this part of Victoria its name.

The sign above the anchor warns that “many a good round has run aground here”.

Younger Street, Warrnambool T: 03 55628528 • E: golf@wgcinc.com.au • www.wgcinc.com.au

AROUND THE TRAPS

NE W TECHNOLOGY

ADAM SCOTT LAUNCHES NEW APP

28 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

“From the global golf club atlas to swing training, nutrition tips and tracking your stats, Pin places the world of golf in the palm of your hand. The best thing though is that it’s free, which is a great appeal to me – a new and innovative golf technology platform available to anyone and everyone with an interest in the game.”

For golfers, Pin is a modern way to view, plan and interact with the game. For golf clubs and club professionals, Pin offers a new channel to expose their products and services. Developed to help clubs and golf pro’s in their marketing, the global golf club atlas provides each and every club around the world with their own fully-editable profile.

“Ultimately, the aim is to provide users with one platform through which they can access everything they love and want to learn about golf, whilst at the same time creating a global golf community to which clubs

and club professionals have a direct line of communication,” Scott said.

Pin is available on Apple iPhone from the App Store in Australia and New Zealand. Pin will launch in the US in 2018.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED X2

MASTERS Champion Adam Scott has launched a new golf app called Pin, which has been designed to make the game more accessible.

Scott and the team at Upswing Labs unveiled the app, which offers golfers a free platform to view, plan and interact with the game.

With the aim of becoming golf’s most extensive app, Pin allows users to; view the world’s most comprehensive library of golf courses, access and maintain scorecards, track performance and measure progression, keep up with news updates, lifestyle articles, coaching and fitness tips, and view up-to-date leader boards from around the globe.

“As a professional golfer with a passion for the game, my job is to help expose the game of golf to the widest possible audience, an audience where perhaps golf has not been before. In this day and age, the Pin App is the best medium to do just that,” Scott said.

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IN MY OPINION

E XC LU S I V E BY G E O F F O G I LV Y | G O L F AU S T R A L I A C O LUMNI S T

GOLF REALLY IS A GAME OF OPPOSITES

32 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

The good news is your instincts can be defeated. Once you understand what they want you to do, you can set up a scenario where they help you rather than hurt you.

One of the greatest ball-strikers of all-time, Lee Trevino, worked that out. (It remains a mystery why no one has ever copied the way he swung the club). He wanted to hit a fade. But he wanted to hit a fade swinging from in-to-out, rather than out-to-in, the club moving away from his body through impact, not towards it.

The only way he could do that was by adopting a really open stance, everything aligned well left of his intended target. By doing that, his instinct was to push the ball towards the target. Everything in Lee’s address position helped him hit shots where he was looking rather than where he was aiming.

In my own case, all of my swing tendencies are rooted in a fear of the ball going to the right. In that respect, I’m the same as 98 percent of golfers.

So I have to set up situations where I feel like my misses are going to be to the left. If, at any point during my swing, I get that sensation, my instincts kick-in and my body reacts correctly. Conversely, if I feel like the ball is going right, my body does all the wrong things.

So improving is not achieved through finding out how to swing the club better. Instead, it is finding out why you are not swinging it better.

You need to get all the junk and information in your head out of the way. But you have to do that understanding how your instincts conspire against you. You have to think about golf in a way that is 180-degrees from where you were before.

Here’s my theory on how to cure a slice, the most common fault I see in pro-am partners at every event. Accept that you are going to slice. Embrace it. Don’t fight it. Hit the shot that you hate. Try to slice the ball as much as you can. The more you try to do that, the harder it will be to achieve. Over time, your slice will reduce. Let’s say your shots start off bending 40-yards left-to-right. A week later –

still trying to slice as much as you can – that will be a little harder. So you’ll be down to hitting 30-yard slices.

If that process continues, your instincts will fix your slice completely. I believe that. Let yourself be a slicer. Aim off into the left trees all day. Do that and eventually your instincts will evolve to the point where slicing will be very difficult. You’ll go from hating your slice to not being able to hit one. All by using your instincts to create a “draw swing.” Hit slices to your cure your slice. Do the opposite.

Believe me, it’s the most liberating feeling there is. Aim at the left rough and swing freely. Look at former Masters champion Bubba Watson. He plays that way and has all kinds of fun. You can too. By letting your slice happen, your swing and mind will automatically become less inhibited. You won’t be worried about hitting into those trees up the right side.

This theory works with chipping too. To become better with your lob-wedge, practise with your 8-iron.

Hitting lob-shots with your 8-iron will make you better with your 60-degree wedge.

Practising with your 60-degree wedge will make you worse with that club. It’s another opposite. It is actually too easy to hit a lob shot with your 60-degree wedge. It is too lofted. You end up having to manipulate your action in order to get loft off, which is exactly the wrong way to hit a lob-shot. You want to be adding loft to the club at impact, not reducing loft. So use a club where you have to really lay the face open at address if you want to hit the ball high.

I’ve come to these conclusions through lots of thinking and observing. My old coach, Dale Lynch, always told me that the answer to everything in golf is the opposite of what you first think. He believed that even when he didn’t know what I thought and so didn’t know what the opposite was. But he knew that when I eventually worked something out for myself, it would end up being the opposite of my first thought.

Isn’t golf grand?

“ALL OF MY SWING TENDENCIES ARE ROOTED IN A FEAR OF THE BALL GOINGTO THE RIGHT.”

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

ONE OF THE OLDEST clichés in golf is that it is a game of opposites. But like all clichés it is a cliché for a reason. It’s true in many ways. One in particular resonates with me: The longer I play, the more I realise that golf conspires against you right from the beginning.

None of us can change the fact that we live our lives by reacting instinctively. We can’t override our natural instincts. When we fall forward, our hands and arms automatically attempt to cushion our impact with the ground. Our bodies react before our minds kick into gear. It’s a survival instinct born of a time when we lived in caves.

The same sort of thing is true in golf. Our brains tell us to hit up on the ball in order to get it into the air. But when we do that, the ball goes low. To make a shot go up, you have to hit down, which instantly confuses our natural instinct to “lift” the ball. And the more we try to lift, the lower the ball goes, to the point where we are topping shots.

That is the first hint that golf is not an easy game. You actually have to try to hit the ball low to make it go high, which is difficult to get your head round.

The next step up from that basic level is hitting shots in the air. And we do that mostly with our arms and upper body. That’s what beginners do. But there is a price to be paid.

When the lower body doesn’t move much, the arms and club naturally swing left and the ball slices to the right.

After even a short while doing that, your brain gets sick of hitting the ball to the right.

So you decide to hit some shots to the left.

That’s what your mind tells you. But the “don’t go right” swing is what makes the ball go to the right. Your upper body comes “over the top” more and more on the downswing and you hit bigger and bigger slices. It’s a slippery slope that is only going to be completely disastrous. Taken to the nth degree, you end up missing the ball. All by following your instincts.

There are other opposites in golf. When you try to hit the ball hard, your shots are shorter.

When you try to hit the ball softly, it goes further. When you swing left, the ball goes right. When you swing right, the ball goes left.

Everything is opposite.

“The answer to everything in golf is the opposite of what you first think,” Ogilvy says.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 33

THE WANDERING GOLFER

BY B R E N DA N M O L O N E Y | G O L F AU S T R A L I A C O LUMNI S T

REMEMBERING WESTON’S EXTRAORDINARY LIFE flying the huge, four-engine bombers and for the lives of his seven crew.

“I flew a Lancaster before I could drive a car, or shaved, or kissed a girl,” he recalled in an interview in 2016. “Because I had done well, I was commissioned. I went to the Australian headquarters in Kingsway (London) and got a uniform, from Saville Row! My old sergeant’s uniform was cut out with a knife and fork. The little man who measured me was looking to see if one shoulder was slightly higher than the other...

“I had a lovely uncle in London, a clergyman who was secretary of the Colonial and Continental Church Society, which of course did not have much to do on the continent during the war. I had a lovely gift from him. His office just off Fleet Street had its view of St Paul’s (Cathedral) cleared by the bombing. He had a friend who was a very good watercolourist come in and paint the view for me and gave me the picture. I still have it.”

His golfing career started in his pre-teen years in the early 1930s when he and a mate played the seaside Torquay course with just a putter and balls they found in the water hazards while on holiday. “My first lesson was when I was at the University (of Melbourne) and used to go to Royal Park to play,” he recalled. “There was Peter Thomson practising. He was 15 (Bate was 20).

He was drawing a ball around a tree on the 7th hole and then slicing one the other way. Peter saw me and corrected my grip. It had been hopeless and it made a huge difference.”

He got down to single figures playing at Metropolitan but said his golfing career contained just two memorable moments ... Many years apart.

“This is very boastful but the

highlight of my golfing life was in 1951 when my brother John, who was not much of a golfer, and I went out for a round at Sorrento and I birdied the first five holes. It was extraordinary. It was only a social game and I finished just over par. I could hit the ball a long way in those days and my fairway woods were pretty good. I got my handicap down to six but I did not go any further. I gave golf away for football. Then I got married and had to give it away for 25 years before coming to Metro.”

The other highlight came 64 years later, in 2015, when he won the Metro C Grade championship in a play-off that attracted the members from the bar to form a good gallery. He won at the 20th hole against Andrew Burridge, 30 years his junior. “Andrew is a delightful man who has had MS for many years,” he said. “He is such a determined character and we had a lovely match. When we finished we embraced in the middle of the green. Coming up the 18th he waved his handkerchief as a white flag.”

Vivid memories from more than half a century ago included watching South African Bobby Locke “with his absolutely precise draw. It was amazing. I also liked Ossie Pickworth and I followed Peter Thomson with a lot of delight because he was such a lovely man.”

He was chuffed when told he had something in common with Thomson who obtained a handicap so he could play in club competitions with wife Mary at Sorrento. Just as Metro boasts about its nonagenarian C Grade champ, Sorrento’s centenary history has a chapter on its five-time British Open champion. The caption under his picture says simply: “P.W. Thomson, B Grade mixed foursomes champion”.

Weston Bate (24 September 1924 – 31 October 2017) is survived by his wife of 62 years, Janice, and five children.

PHOTO: BRENDAN MOLONEY

AUSTRALIA lost a distinguished historian and golf is poorer for the recent passing of Professor Weston Bate at the age of 93.

The Melbourne-born academic had an extraordinary life into which he crammed flying Lancaster bombers in World War II, teaching at every level from, kindergarten to PhD and writing the histories of the Metropolitan and Barwon Heads Golf Clubs.

He said his taste for history and his take on it stemmed from growing up, the third of two girls and five boys, in suburban Mont Albert.

There they lived in a Californian bungalow with a Californian mother (Molly, from Montecito near Santa Barbara, CA). It was by the railway station in a village full of Dickensian characters and had a wonderful feeling of belonging. When asked to write a local history he realised he had a feeling for it where his historian contemporaries would have washed their hands of the idea.

This led to his acclaimed history of the Melbourne suburb of Brighton and was the start of a brilliant career in which he was Chairman of History at the University of Melbourne, Professor of Australian Studies at Deakin University, President of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and Chairman of the Museums Advisory Board, Victoria. He was also influential in the creation of Sovereign Hill at Ballarat.

Before all this he answered his country’s call and learnt to fly Tiger Moths at Benalla in northern Victoria before training on the big bombers and given his command at the age of 20 shortly before the war ended.

He did not think it extraordinary that someone so young was responsible for

34 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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S N O I T C I D E PR What a memorable year 2017 was. We saw three first-time major winners and watched as players scaled and fell in both the men’s and women’s world rankings. We reminisce the year that was and offer 30 predictions about who and what will make headlines in 2018.

PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 37

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olf fans were treated to an exhilarating year throughout 2017.

Sergio Garcia finally shook the Major monkey off his back after conquering Augusta National. While Jordan Spieth became Champion Golfer of the Year after that brilliant shot from the driving range at Royal Birkdale. Plus, Shanshan Feng ensured the South Koreans didn’t have it all their way in the women’s game.

Over the next few pages, we reflect on all the ups and downs that transpired during 2017.

From Tiger Woods’ return to Lexi Thompson’s controversial loss at the ANA Inspiration. But first, we consult our crystal ball and turn our attention to 2018. Will Jordan Spieth or Rory McIlroy complete their career Grand Slams? How will Hannah Green fare on the LPGA Tour? And who will lay claim to being Australia’s highestranked player this time next year?

Here’s what we believe will happen over the next 12 months in the world of golf.

38 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

4

Jordan Spieth will win the US PGA and become the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam (post-Masters era). The victory will come three weeks after he surrenders his title at the Open Championship but will be enough for him to return to the World No.1 ranking.

The USGA and R&A will make a joint 2 announcement about a summit where organising bodies and interested parties across the entire golf industry will get together to discuss the future of the golf ball. The summit will end with both organisations not committing to anything but discussing the matter further before releasing a finding at a later date.

Dustin Johnson will hit a drive over 450 3 yards and add gasoline to the fiery debate over modern equipment and balls, but nothing will change.

Four Australians – Jason Day, Adam Scott, 4 Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman – will all occupy spots in the Top-20 of the world

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ranking at the same time … a feat that has never been achieved before.

Tiger Woods will play a minimum of 15 5 events, including all four Majors, and collect five top-10 finishes. His best result will come at Firestone Country Club where he will finish runner-up to Justin Thomas at the WGCBridgestone Invitational. He will end the year in the Top-50 of the world ranking.

Hannah Green will push for Rookie of the 6 Year honours on the LPGA Tour. Expect a strong performance from her at the Women’s Australian Open, before a few months of OK finishes before ending the season strong.

Green’s biggest rival will be Korean LPGA 7 Tour star Jin Young Ko. The 22-year-old winner of 10 KLPGA Tour titles is a serious talent and has committed to US LPGA Tour membership in 2018. She was overrun by Inbee Park at the Women’s British Open in 2015 but has since accrued six more titles in her homeland.

5

10

Under new Chairman Fred Ridley, Augusta National will play tougher than it has in recent years. In addition to a more difficult course setup, one player will be hit with a penalty for slow play in the opening two rounds.

Peter Lonard will collect Australia’s only 9 Champions Tour win as Bernhard Langer dominates the over 50s again. Langer will win five times and face queries around his putting technique from the peanut gallery, while his fellow Champions Tour competitors will continue to stay quiet on the issue.

Phil Mickelson will start the year with 10 brother, Tim, as his caddie but the combination won’t last out the year. The Mickelsons will have a chance to end Phil’s win drought early in the season but fail to get the job done, resulting in a caddie switch.

Karrie Webb won’t add to her 41 titles on 11 the LPGA Tour, but she will go close to winning the Women’s Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club. Webb will hold the lead at

8

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 39

15

some stage during the tournament.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan will 12 announce the 2018 World Cup of Golf to be played in November at Melbourne’s Metropolitan GC will see an American ‘Dream Team’ of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth compete. Adam Scott and Marc Leishman will again represent Australia.

After once again dominating the LPGA 13 Tour, South Korean players will amass 15 tournament victories. But a player not from South Korea will end the year as World No.1.

At long odds, Geoff Ogilvy will win again on 14 the PGA Tour, earning himself a start at the 2019 Masters, where he will finish in the top-20.

Marc Leishman will collect three top-10 15 finishes at the four majors, ending the year entrenched in the world’s top-10 players and securing back-to-back Greg Norman Medals.

Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia will partner up 16 to form the ‘Spanish Armada’ at the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National, going undefeated for the week. Rahm will assume a Patrick Reed-like role for Europe, leading the team to victory with his emotional style of play.

Tommy Fleetwood will fail to defend his 17 Race to Dubai title and will face a difficult year. The Englishman will still win at least one event, but he will drop away in the world rankings.

Among his three wins for the year, Dustin 18 Johnson will add yet another WGC title to his collection but will fail to fire in the majors. The World No.1 will continue to be hot and cold on the greens and change putters on three or more occasions.

40 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

16

AT LONG ODDS, GEOFF OGILVY WILL WIN AGAIN ON THE PGA TOUR, EARNING HIMSELF A START AT THE 2019 MASTERS ...

Rory McIlroy will make it through the season without any injury interruptions.

24

RECAPPING OUR 2017 PREDICTIONS We hit the nail on the head with some of our predictions for 2017 but missed the mark completely with others. Here’s how we fared:

Moriya Jutanugarn will win twice on the LPGA Tour and replace her sister, Ariya, as the dominant Thai player.

Rory McIlroy will make it through the 20 season without any injury interruptions and win multiple times around the world, including a major other than the Masters. The Northern Irishman will also announce the upcoming birth of his ďŹ rst child.

Sparks will y when the winner of the Open 21 Championship reaches 12-under-par at Carnoustie, obliterating the previous best winning score of nine-under (Tom Watson, 1975).

Low scoring will continue to dominate the 22 PGA Tour and two players will break 60 during the 2018 season. However, only one will win the tournament in which he breaks the magical scoring mark.

Bubba Watson will win at least one event on 23 the PGA Tour to make amends for his disappointing 2017. He will once again record a strong ďŹ nish at the Masters, but he will also continue to see his world ranking fall away.

Watson will end the year ranked 90th – 100th.

19

MICHELLE WIE WILL WIN HER SECOND CAREER MAJOR AT THE WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN IN HER MOST CONSISTENT SEASON YET ...

42 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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Michelle Wie will win her second career major at the Women’s British Open in her most consistent season yet. The American will acknowledge after winning another major that she perhaps could have been a more successful and dominant player on the LPGA Tour had she not focused on playing with the men early in her career.

Brooke Henderson will face the toughest 25 year of her career so far. The Canadian will slip outside the top-15 players in the world and will go trophyless. Her best performance in the majors will come at the ANA Inspiration.

Lydia Ko will return to the winner’s circle 26 with multiple victories to her name by the middle of the year. The Kiwi will have Steve Williams on her bag at some stage during the year as he looks to notch up 40 years of caddying.

Adam Scott will play the Australian Open at 27 The Lakes and emulate his feat of 2009 and win the Stonehaven Cup. The two big names from the 2017 Championship Jordan Spieth and Jason

24

27

Day will not compete but a big name multiple major winner will play and finish in the top-10.

On the eve of Scott’s victory, Golf Australia 28 chief Stephen Pitt will announce the 2019 Championship will be played at The Australian Golf Club in February and will be part of a European Tour swing through Australia including the World Super 6 Perth and Australian PGA Championship.

The USGA setup at Shinnecock Hills for the 29 US Open will produce an unmemorable tournament, as the organisation attempts to avoid a repeat of the disaster in 2004 and the birdie-fest that was Erin Hills in 2017.

Matthew Fitzpatrick will claim his first win 30 on the PGA Tour and finish the year as the highest ranked English player in the world ranking, after also winning the Race to Dubai title.

Younger brother, Alex, will make the quarterfinals of the US Amateur in a special year for the Fitzpatrick clan.

44 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

WHAT OUR PANEL IS READING IN THE

TEA LEAVES BRENDAN JAMES

MASTERS CHAMPION

Marc Leishman

US OPEN CHAMPION

Jordan Spieth

OPEN CHAMPION

Rory McIlroy

US PGA CHAMPION

Jordan Spieth

AUSSIE PLAYER TO WATCH

Cameron Davis

GLOBAL PLAYER TO WATCH

Rafa Cabrera Bello

DOMINANT FEMALE PLAYER

Lydia Ko will rise again.

RYDER CUP RESULT

USA by 1.

THE BEST PERFORMING AUSSIE ABROAD WILL BE …

Marc Leishman. One major and at least two other wins.

TIGER WOODS WILL …

Win again on Tour but will have to wait another year for a major tilt.

THE BIGGEST STORY OF 2018 WILL BE …

The USGA and R&A amending the anchoring rule to ban the long putter completely.

THE COURSE I WANT TO PLAY IN 2018 IS …

The Old Course, St Andrews…again.

MIKE CLAYTON

JOHN HUGGAN

DAMIAN SHUTIE

JIMMY EMANUEL

MICHAEL JONES

Justin Thomas

Jordan Spieth

Justin Thomas

Tiger Woods

Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth

Justin Rose

Justin Rose

Rory McIlroy

Hideki Matsuyama

Jon Rahm

Dustin Johnson

Marc Leishman

Sergio Garcia

Marc Leishman

Marc Leishman

Hideki Matsuyama

Dustin Johnson

Brooks Koepka

Rickie Fowler

Curtis Luck

Cameron Smith

Jason Day

Jason Scrivener

Hannah Green

Austin Connelly

Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm

Ollie Schniederjans

Haotong Li

So Yeon Ryu

Brooke Henderson

Brooke Henderson

So Yeon Ryu

Lexi Thompson

USA

No alcohol sales at the next one.

U-S-A! U-S-A!

Europe by a point.

US by five points.

Su Oh.

Su Oh

Cameron Smith is on the verge of blowing up, and it’ll happen in 2018. Watch this space.

Cameron Smith. He won’t be the highest in the world rankings but will be our best FedEx Cup finisher.

Jason Day. He will collect three wins, including The Players Championship.

Retire, citing injury

Be more engaging in media conferences, but only rarely.

Neither rock our world nor disappoint. He won’t win but he won’t break down either.

Play a relatively full schedule, win once and go close in one of the majors.

Play in all four majors and record a top-10 finish at the Masters.

The roll back of the golf ball.

The roll back of the golf ball.

The announcement of dramatic rules changes to golf balls for pros.

The USGA announces the putter will become the shortest club in the bag as part of the 2019 rules changes.

Tiger Woods will be whacked with a debatable penalty that denies him his first victory since 2013.

Peninsula Kingswood CC (North Course).

Winterfield (The first course I ever played).

NSW Golf Club. It’s a bucketlister I’ve somehow never got to. Has to happen in 2018.

Pleeeeeease!

Anything on the Open rota.

Royal Adelaide

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 45

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YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST LAYOUTS IN THE NATION

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 47

as well as courses being visited around the country, sometimes covertly.

The common thread between all of our passionate golfing judges is that they see a lot of courses during our two-year rolling ranking period.

The criterion used by each judge places greater emphasis on a course’s design and less on its conditioning. While a layout’s general presentation remains important, we felt it was unfair to place too much weight on this element for two main reasons. A judge might happen to visit a course at a time of year when the conditioning is not at its best. Less emphasis on conditioning also addresses the problem of courses being elevated beyond their true rank based on immaculate conditioning courtesy of a huge budget, rather than its overall design and conditioning qualities.

Judges work through their thoughts on design (60 percent of their working guideline), condition (20 percent) and visual appeal (20 percent) and then submit their ranking list of courses. The scores are then tallied and average score across the voting judges is attributed to each course.

This year there were several courses not considered for ranking. We have an ongoing request from the management of Capital Golf Club, in Melbourne, not to be ranked.

A similar request not to be considered for ranking was received by the recently opened Greg Norman-designed Cathedral Lodge.

Hopefully, we will get the opportunity to see where this Victorian gem enters the ranking for our January 2020 edition.

Several courses were not ranked because of major ongoing redevelopment work, which was still ongoing when voting closed. They include Peninsula Kingswood CC South and North Courses and Sydney’s Concord Golf Club, which is undergoing a Tom Doak redesign.

This year’s ranking sees several layouts making their debut. The Greg Normandesigned Eastern Golf Club has two courses, the North and South Courses, while the completely redesigned Westbourne Course at Royal Canberra re-enters the Top-100 after officially reopening in early 2017.

King Island’s Ocean Dunes course missed appearing in our 2016 ranking by just a few months. It appears in our list for the first time and has made a big impact on the top-10 of this ranking.

With our Top-100 Courses ranking completed for another year its time to start planning the next, with the aforementioned absent courses at the top of our judge’s lists to look at.

barnbougle dunes

48 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON X 2; BRENDAN JAMES

S

o here it is. The culmination of two year’s work to comb the country and come up with Australia’s Top-100 Courses.

I am sure you won’t agree with the positioning of all the courses in the list over the following pages. The exercise of ranking golf courses is not an exact science but based on the various points of our criteria, I think our judging panel has contributed to a list that won’t let you down if you let it guide you to the layouts where you will have the most fun.

Written by readers and golfers themselves, this Top-100 list recommends the best courses for our fellow golfers to play; where you will have the most memorable golfing experiences. That’s what we think is the most important aspect of this ranking – great golf, great memories.

This Top 100 list has been compiled by a panel of 25 judges, each with their own ideas of what makes a good golf course. It is a subjective exercise, so the end result will always raise some debate.

Therefore, you won’t find the word ‘definitive’ used here, as that would be arrogant nonsense.

What you will find is a thorough and transparent ranking of the best courses to be found throughout the nation.

It has been a thorough process that began in late 2015 with judges being selected and notified

100. THE FEDERAL GC Average points: 36.89 2016 rank: NR. Designer: Prosper Ellis (1967) Judge’s Comments: “Since converting its fairways to the hardier Santa Ana couch and addressing some of its water issues, Federal has improved year-in, year-out. Given its location so close to the centre of Canberra, a round at Federal feels like a country escape with beautiful bushland surrounds with great views across to the Brindabella Ranges.” – Brendan James.

100

99. ROYAL PERTH GC Average points: 37 2016 rank: 88.

Designer: Club members (1908); David Anderson (1930); Terry Gale (1988 and ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Despite averaging similar points from our judges than it did in 2014 and 2016, Royal Perth has suffered a drop in this ranking, which is indicative of the congestion of courses in the second half of this list. Cannot be faulted for year-round high quality presentation.” – Brendan James.

98. ROYAL HOBART GC 2016 rank: NR. Average points: 37.67 Designers: Vern Morcom (1963); Richard Chamberlain (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “I was pleasantly surprised at how good Royal Hobart was. There are still issues with bits of the routing but it was in great condition and there is lots of interesting movement in the fairways. Best of all they are addressing tree encroachment and have started to open the course up and get a bit of width back.” – Brian Walshe.

96. TWIN WATERS GC Average points: 38.15 2016 rank: 93.

Designer: Peter Thomson, Michael Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (1991).

Judge’s Comments: “Twin Waters offers generous fairways and equally receptive putting surfaces.

Always in very good condition but I have to wonder why there are strips of greenside ‘rough’ on the upslopes approaching greens like the par-3 11th and the par-5 18th. Surely these only hamper the shorter hitter who tries to run their shots onto the putting surface.” – Brendan James.

97. INDOOROOPILLY GC (West course) Average points: 38 2016 rank: 98.

Designer: Ross Watson (1985 & 2008).

Judge’s Comments: “The West course at Indooroopilly probably deserves to have climbed more than one spot and with two more points on board it would have. The ongoing agronomy works around the greens have bedded well and have easily added to the enjoyment of playing this layout.” – Brendan James.

95. YARRAWONGA-MULWALA GC (Murray course) Average points: 38.75 2016 rank: 92.

Designers: Peter Thomson & Michael Wolveridge (1991).

Judge’s Comments: “The Murray course has been improving year-on-year for most of the past decade. Considering it’s one of the busiest public access courses in Australia, the quality of the playing surfaces should be the envy of any private city club.” – Joe Thomas.

“Always enjoy playing the Murray Course.

The tall stands of gums that line most of the fairways provide a theatre for golf that is very Australian and typical of golf on the mighty Murray.” – Lucas Andrews.

94. MANLY GC Average points: 39.66 2016 rank: 76.

Designers: Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett (2012).

Judge’s Comments: “Five years on from the redevelopment of the layout, the playing surfaces have matured nicely and are consistently very good. The redesign has addressed all of the drainage issues that previously afflicted the course but there are some holes, like the back-toback par-5s at the 2nd and 3rd, which are devoid of any risk-and-reward strategy and demand a layup from the tee to avoid a water hazard cutting the fairway in two.” – Brendan James.

93. TWIN CREEKS G&CC Average points: 40 2016 rank: 97.

Designer: Graham Marsh (2006).

Judge’s Comments: “Twin Creeks has reclaimed

93

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 49

92

92. THE BRISBANE GC Average points: 41.15 2016 rank: 95.

Designers: Carnegie Clark (1904); Ross Watson (2007 & ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “The conversion of all the putting surfaces to Champion Ultra Dwarf – the first Australian course to do so – has done wonders for this layout.” – Lucas Andrews.

“The relatively new ‘Champion’ greens are a delight to putt on and are only getting better.” – Peter Martin.

“Not a tough course but enjoyable for golfers of all abilities. If you possess a good short game you’ll love this layout.” – Brendan James.

91. RIVERSDALE GC 2016 rank: 91.

Average points: 41.25 Designer: Alex Russell (1930).

Judge’s Comments: “I really like the variety of different holes, played in different directions across good rolling terrain. The presentation of the layout has been impressive each time I have been there.” – Joe Thomas.

“I’d really like to see something done to the short par-4s, like the 10th and 18th, to offer a little more strategy. Both are under 300 metres and little more than a long iron and pitch for a par.

I’d love to be tempted to have a go at both greens.” – Brendan James.

91

90. ROYAL FREMANTLE GC 2016 rank: 83.

Average points: 41.67 Designer: Arthur Oliphant & Peter Anderson (1906); Michael Coate (2004), Richard Chamberlain (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “For a course that is not overly long, Royal Fremantle presents plenty of challenges. The undulating terrain provides the platform for a significant number of interesting holes like the long uphill par-4 7th hole, which can be a brute. The par-4 15th is arguably the most memorable of the back nine holes.” – Brendan James.

“There have been some subtle design improvements here over the past few years, which have been good. A constant here is the good quality kikuyu fairways and bentgrass greens.” – Lucas Andrews.

89. SANCTUARY COVE (Palms course) Average points: 44.25 2016 rank: 75.

Designer: Ross Watson (2011).

Judge’s Comments: “The Ross Watson design here is a far better offering than the previous Fred Bolton layout. There are a greater variety of holes, more dynamic bunkering and more undulating greens, which certainly makes it more interesting to play.” – Brendan James.

“My last round of the Palms left me thinking the previous high standard of conditioning had dropped off slightly.” – Scott Neilsen.

88. EYNESBURY Average points: 44.63 2016 rank: 77.

Designer: Graham Marsh (2008).

Judge’s Comments: “At a tick over 6,500 metres from the back pegs, Eynesbury is one of the longest layouts in the country. Even though I play off single figures I would never consider playing

50 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON; SUPPLIED

some of its lustre during the past two years after going to a ranking free fall in the handful of years before when conditioning was a real issue. The level of presentation has improved markedly and this has enhanced the Graham Marsh design.” – Alex Chapman.

Showcasing top golfers of the future from Australia and around the world.

The internationally prestigious Riversdale Cup will be held on

MARCH 8 – 11, 2018.

This highly rated amateur tournament will be played for the 110th time for men and 60th time for women, making it the world’s longest running amateur golf tournament organised by a private golf club.

It is also the second oldest amateur 72-hole golf tournament in Australia, and one of the most highly participated events on the nation’s amateur golf calendar.

More than 250 men and women from around the world are given the opportunity each year to play on one of the most picturesque and challenging courses in Australia.Riversdale GC is regarded as the cradle of amateur golf in Australia; a title due to the club’s rich heritage and the continuity of the Riversdale Cup, having been played annually since 1896, except for the War years.

The Cup is a ‘must play’ event for young Australian golfers and provides a ‘stepping stone’ to the professional golf circuit.

International Australian stars such as Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Geoff Ogilvy, Sarah Kemp and Nikki Garrett have all played in the event.

200-280 HUNTINGDALE ROAD, MOUNT WAVERLEY, VICTORIA 3149

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from the tips, although all the trouble would certainly be out of range. Playing forward, the wide fairways and big greens all feature plenty of bunkering that are best avoided.” – Joe Thomas.

“I liked every hole at Eynesbury until I reached the par-4 18th where I was forced to lay-up from the tee to avoid hitting into a creek that I would have had to hit a career shot to carry. Not a great hole for the ladies.” – Jacqui Lee. 87. NAROOMA GC Average points: 44.75 2016 rank: 90.

Designer: John Spencer (1980).

Judge’s Comments: “I can’t think of any other course in Australia that makes the quantum leap from links to undulating parkland and back as successfully as Narooma. The ocean side holes are unforgettable and Spencer’s routing of inland holes across dramatic terrain ensure this layout will be on my ‘must play’ list for some time to come.” – Brendan James.

86. SORRENTO GC Average points: 45.25 2016 rank: 79.

Designer: Members (1908); J.D Scott (1929); Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Sorrento’s standard of presentation can never be questioned. The course has some of the best playing surfaces to be found on the Mornington Peninsula.” – Brendan James.

“There were some really nice shorter holes, but even some of the longer ones required good strategic play.”– Carl Murphy.

“Great presentation, and some terrific holes laid across rolling terrain. My only criticism

52 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

would be some of the mounding and swales don’t really fit the landscape.” – James King.

85. COTTESLOE GC Average points: 46.13 2016 rank: 74.

Designer: David Anderson (1931); Graham Marsh (1998 and ongoing).

Judge’s Comments:“Graham Marsh’s changes here over the past two decades have extracted the best possible golf out of a small parcel of land.

The playing surfaces are among the best in

84

Perth.” – Joe Thomas.

“Like many courses in the bottom half of the Top-100 ranking, Cottesloe actually averaged more points per judge than it did in 2016 but dropped places in this ranking. This is indicative of the close nature of the voting rather than any decline in the layout.” – Brendan James.

84. WARRNAMBOOL GC 2016 rank: 89.

Average points: 47.25 Designer: George Lowe Jnr. (1928); Peter

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 2

86

Thomson & Ross Perrett (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “The program of clearing vegetation to expose sandy wasteland midway through the front nine has turned these offerings into great holes. They are now visually more appealing and they ask questions of your strategy on the tee. I expect Warrnambool will continue to rise in the ranking as more subtle changes are made.” – Brendan James.

83. MURRAY DOWNS G&CC 2016 rank: 85.

Average points: 47.95 Designer: Ted & Geoff Parslow (1988 & 2009).

Judge’s Comments: “For a regional course I was extremely impressed with the layout and conditioning. The fairways were wide and forgiving, and the greens receptive. Though, I felt the strategy of the design was forgotten at times.” – Carl Murphy.

“One of the best manicured layouts to be found in regional Australia. There are some memorable holes – the 4th, 5th, 11th, 16th and 17th – that are among the best to be played anywhere along the Murray River.” – Joe Thomas.

83

82. LAKELANDS GC 2016 rank: 73.

Average points: 48.67 Designer: Jack Nicklaus (1997).

Judge’s Comments: “Whenever I head to the Gold Coast to play golf I have Lakelands on my list.

Nicklaus’ design is certainly a challenge but I love the immaculate fairways and greens. Lakelands has some of the best Bermuda greens in the country.” – Scott Nielsen.

81. ST MICHAELS GC 2016 rank: 69.

Average points: 49.25 Designer: Michael Moran & C.W Cole (1938).

Judge’s Comments: “Reconstruction work on several greens as well as other redesign work has been undertaken during past year and once they are bedded in St Michaels will be better for those changes.” – Brendan James.

“The best holes here for mine is the sequence of holes starting at the par-3 12th through to the uphill par-5 17th. They cover superb natural terrain and have always been worth the cost of the green fee alone.” – Joe Thomas.

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON X 2; BRENDAN JAMES

80. TASMANIA GC Average points: 49.75 2016 rank: 80.

Designer: Al Howard (1972).

Judge’s Comments: “You can’t help but enjoy Tasmania’s variety of short, fun holes mixed with lengthier examinations that challenge all players.” – James King.

“Wonderful golfing terrain with no better than the par-5 3rd hole, which ranks as one of the best three-shotters in the country. Would be even better if they cleared even more trees from the water line to the left of the fairway to expose more of the hole from the tee.” – Brendan James.

79. THE VINES RESORT & CC (Lakes course) Average points: 49.78 2016 rank: 65.

Designer: Graham Marsh & Ross Watson (1989).

Judge’s Comments: “The Lakes course, especially the back nine, is fun and challenging. I always love the closing trio of holes where you can birdie home or rack up a high number. While the

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fairways are good, I thought the presentation the green surrounds and bunkers was not what it once was.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lucas Andrews.

78. BLACK BULL 2016 rank: 82.

Average points: 50.85 Designer: Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett (2015).

Judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comments: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Bull only made its debut in this ranking in 2016 and has swum against the tide to improve its position over the past two years.

Beautifully conditioned playing surfaces coupled with interesting strategic holes make a round here a memorable experience.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Brendan James.

77. THE GLADES Average points: 51 2016 rank: 62.

Designer: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2000).

Judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comments: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have always loved the design of The Glades. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visually appealing from the tee and the brash, bold bunkering intimidates and makes you second-guess shot and club selection. Unfortunately there is more reason than ever not to go in the sand as the presentation of the bunkers wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t good on the two occasions I played the course in the past 12 months.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lucas Andrews.

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76. PACIFIC DUNES 2016 rank: 71.

Average points: 51.83 Designer: James Wilcher (2005).

Judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comments: â&#x20AC;&#x153;TerriďŹ c diversity of holes with the ring of holes from the 1st to the 5th calling on a wide variety of shots. Not a fan of the forced lay-up from the tee on the par-5 11th hole or the new cart path creeping out close to the playing line in front of the 16th green. In terms of conditioning, the consistently high standard reached a few years back has been maintained.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Brendan James.

75. SUN CITY CC Average points: 52.25 2016 rank: 84.

Designer: Murray Dawson & Bob Green (1974); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead (2012 & ongoing) Judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comments: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sun City continues to climb in this ranking on the back of the Ogilvy, Clayton, Cocking & Mead (OCCM) redevelopment. Nine holes of the course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have been redone and they are the standout holes of the layout. The closer Sun City moves to completing all 18 holes the higher it will rise in this list.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; James King.

OUR RANKING CRITERIA DESIGN (60%) Judges were instructed to ask the following questions to themselves to determine where a course stands in the list. t *T UIFSF B HPPE CBMBODF PG QBS T T and 5s? t *T UIFSF B HPPE WBSJFUZ PG MPOH BOE TIPSU QBS T t *T SJTL BOE SFXBSE B GBDUPS PO NBOZ holes? t )PX GBJS JT UIF DPVSTF GPS BMM QMBZFST t %PFT UIF EFTJHO PGGFS B XJEF TFMFDUJPO PG TIPUT CBTFE PO MFOHUI PG IPMFT BOE SPVUJOH PG IPMFT CSJOHJOH BOZ WBSJBUJPO PG XJOE EJSFDUJPO JOUP QMBZ t )PX NFNPSBCMF BSF JOEJWJEVBM IPMFT and the course as a whole?

CONDITION (20%) Judges were instructed to consider: t 5IF PWFSBMM DPOEJUJPO PG QMBZJOH TVSGBDFT 5BLF JOUP DPOTJEFSBUJPO FMFNFOUT PVU PG DPOUSPM PG DPVSTF TUBGG MJLF ESPVHIU CVTIm SF BOE n PPE t "SF UIF GBJSXBZT DVU UP CF XFMM EFm OFE GSPN TFNJ SPVHI BOE SPVHI t )BWF UIF CVOLFST CFFO XFMM QSFTFOUFE VISUAL APPEAL (20%) 7JTVBM BQQFBM JT BO JNQPSUBOU GBDUPS JO OPU POMZ BUUSBDUJOH HPMGFST CVU BMTP HFUUJOH UIPTF TBNF HPMGFST UP QMBZ UIF DPVSTF again and again. Judges were asked to consider: t )PX BFTUIFUJDBMMZ QMFBTJOH JT UIF course to look at? t "SF UIFSF NBOZ IPMFT UIBU IBWF AXPX factor? t %PFT UIF DPVSTF C*FOE XFMM XJUI JUT surrounds?

HOW THE RANKING WORKS &BDI PG UIF KVEHFT TVCNJUT UIFJS MJTU PG DPVSTFT EFTDFOEJOH GSPN /P +VEHFT DBO TVCNJU B MJTU PG BT NBOZ DPVSTFT BT UIFZ MJLF CVU JU NVTU FYDFFE DPVSTFT 0ODF UIF KVEHFT IBWF QSFTFOUFE UIFJS QFSTPOBM SBOLJOH UIF MJTUT BSF FYBNJOFE BOE QPJOUT BMMPDBUFE UP FBDI DPVSTF PO UIFJS MJTU 5IFJS /P DPVSTF SFDFJWFT QPJOUT UIFJS TFDPOE DPVSTF SFDFJWFT QPJOUT BOE TP PO 5IF mOBM SBOLJOH QPJOU BUUSJCVUFE UP each course in the ranking is an average CBTFE PO UIF UPUBM QPJOUT SFDFJWFE EJWJEFE CZ UIF OVNCFS PG KVEHFT UIBU WPUFE GPS UIBU DPVSTF 5IJT mOBM ATDPSF determines where the course falls in the mOBM SBOLJOH

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Consistently rated in Australia’s Top 100 Golf Course. Narooma Golf Club is one of Australia’s premier public access courses.

Narooma’s most famous six holes are perched high on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean while the back nine heads slightly inland to holes framed by tall timbers and meanders around a large lake that comes into play on six of the nine holes. The 3rd hole, Hogan’s Hole has been rated as one of Australia’s most spectacular Par-3s. It is the range of varying conditions created by the ocean and forest sections of the course that are greatly appreciated by many golfers who relish the challenge of a vastly changing environment within a single round of golf.

The golf pro shop is now equipped with a full professional tech centre, which is the only one of its kind on the South Coast of NSW between

Sydney and Melbourne.

Of course, all great clubs provide a Brasserie for patrons and Narooma Golf Club is no exception. Pauls on the Course Brasserie has a casual and relaxed atmosphere, and is open for lunch and dinner 7 days per week and breakfast for large groups by prior arrangement.

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73. PACIFIC HARBOUR G&CC 2016 rank: 70.

Average points: 53.14 Designer: Ross Watson (2006).

Judge’s Comments: “There’s no doubting it, Pacific Harbour is a tough layout to master, especially when the wind is blowing. But if you choose your tee wisely, you can better appreciate the strategy by approaching the greens from a length intended by the designer.” – Scott Nielsen.

“I have always enjoyed playing at Pacific Harbour but some greens are losing the fun elements of their design due to couch encroachment issues.” – Brendan James.

72. SANCTUARY COVE (Pines course) Average points: 53.85 2016 rank: 72.

Designer: Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay (1989).

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Judge’s Comments: “The Pines is consistently presented in great shape, which you would expect from a private member’s layout. I agree with some other judges who believe widening the mowing lines in several holes would offer a more strategic golfing experience.” – Brendan James.

71. JOONDALUP RESORT (Quarry/Lake course) Average points: 54.25 2016 rank: Debut.

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1985).

Judge’s Comments: “Another of Australia’s spectacular inland courses where the unique nature of the design routed around the edges of what was a limestone quarry makes it such a memorable experience. The Lake nine provides a completely different experience to the jaw-dropping Quarry nine but is just as fun.” – Brendan James.

70. LINKS LADY BAY RESORT Average points: 54.33 2016 rank: 81.

Designer: Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (2000).

Judge’s Comments: “For years I felt Links Lady Bay was never quite reaching its potential. It seemed to be too rough around the edges. My last two visits in recent months revealed a layout that is in its best condition ever. The putting surfaces have always been very good but now the tees, fairways and bunkers are beautifully presented and fully complement the interesting

and enjoyable design.” – Brendan James.

69. RANFURLIE GC Average points: 55.95 2016 rank: 60.

Designer: Mike Clayton (2002).

Judge’s Comments: “Strategically there is plenty to like about Ranfurlie. Wide avenues from tee to green can hide the ‘narrow’ playing lines you need to find depending on the flag of the day.

The presentation can, unfortunately, be a little inconsistent but has generally improved across the board in recent years.” – Lucas Andrews.

68. CURLEWIS GC 2016 rank: 78.

Average points: 56 Designer: Vern Morcom (1947); Mike Clayton (2009 & ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “The ongoing tweaks to various aspects of the course are obviously well considered and continue to improve the golfing experience at Curlewis. The clearing of scrub, like the massive clump left of the approach into the 1st green, and the renovation of some of the bunkering simply enhance what is already a very good course.” – Brendan James.

“I first discovered this layout after the 2016 Top-100 was published and have since returned for two more rounds. Yes, there are some weak holes but on the whole, playing Curlewis equates to having a fun round, which is a great measure of a course.” – Joe Thomas.

PHOTO: GARY LISBON

74. RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT (Green/Gold Course) Average points: 52.33 2016 rank: Debut.

Designer: Graham Marsh (2015).

Judge’s Comments: “The complete reconstruction of the Australian PGA Championship host course created a layout that features bigger, more undulating greens, as well as dynamic bunkering and when set-up to be firm under foot it creates a difficult challenge for the pros. For the average golfer, it’s also a much tougher test, particularly on the greens. However, it is far more enjoyable to play than the previous incarnation.” – Brendan James.

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66. KALGOORLIE GC Average points: 57 2016 rank: 68.

Designer: Graham Marsh (2010).

Judge’s Comments: “A course that really is underrated in this country. Being so isolated this really will struggle to gain the recognition it deserves. This is one of Graham Marsh’s best designs, with the fairways of each hole giving the appearance of green carpet being rolled out over the red desert. The trio of holes, starting from the tee shot at the 6th, is memorable.” – Carl Murphy.

“Vivid colours abound from the blue skies and green fairways, to the ochre sand in the rough.

Can’t think of a more Australian setting for golf than a round at Kalgoorlie.” – Scott Nielsen.

65. MT LAWLEY GC Average points: 58.15 2016 rank: 63.

Designer: David Anderson & James Tinlin (1928); Michael Coate (2004); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “There appeared to be a significant drop off in presentation a couple of years back but that seems to have been addressed in recent times.” – Lucas Andrews.

“The terrain and routing suggest it could be a course ranked much higher on this list. It will be interesting to see the masterplan from OCCM take shape over the coming years with areas cleared to expose the natural sandy ground

60 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

underneath, while greens and bunkers will be rebuilt to create the need for more strategic play.” – Brendan James.

64. CRANBOURNE GC Average points: 58.15 2016 rank: 64.

Designer: Sam Berriman (1954); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Undoubtedly one of the most underrated courses in Melbourne. The subtle design changes made there over recent years have all worked well, while the conditioning is always of a very high standard.” – James King.

“I always reckon if you can vividly recall a dozen or more holes on a course days or weeks after you have played there then it’s a pretty

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good course … Cranbourne offers such memories.” – Brendan James.

63. SETTLERS RUN G&CC Average points: 59.67 2016 rank: 61.

Designer: Greg Norman, Bob Harrison & Harley Kruse (2007).

Judge’s Comments: “The layout covers very good golfing terrain, with its best holes laid over the changing topography. The stretch of holes from the par-4 3rd to the dogleg par-4 7th, might just be the best on the course as they offer a real taste of Melbourne Sandbelt golf.” – Brendan James.

“The bunkering at Settlers Run is typical of the Greg Norman design team and is one of the memorable aspects of a round here.” – Lucas Andrews.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES; SUPPLIED

67. THE EASTERN GC (North Course) Average points: 56.85 2016 rank: Debut.

Judge’s Comments: “The holes from 10 to 27 of the North Course bring some of the flatter land on the property into play. But there is still a reasonable mix of enjoyable holes, where each hole offers a different challenge.” – Carl Murphy.

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61. AVONDALE GC Average points: 60.33 2016 rank: 56.

Designers: Eric Apperly (1927); Ross Watson (2008).

Judge’s Comments: “Set on the edge of a national park, Avondale offers more than a great round of golf … it’s a nature walk. The quintet of holes through the middle of the round – the par-5 7th through to the long par-3 11th – are a definite highlight as they cover interesting terrain and have been enhanced by Ross Watson’s rebuild here nearly a decade ago.” – Brendan James.

60. PELICAN WATERS GC Average points: 60.95 2016 rank: 58.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2000).

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Judge’s Comments: “Pelican Waters boasts two of the best short par-4s built in this country in the modern era – the 2nd and the 13th are strategically very good and are worth playing here for the cost of the green fee alone.” – Brendan James.

“Big bold bunkering – like most Norman and Harrison courses built around the same period – is a memorable feature of a round at Pelican Waters. But it is the wide variety of different holes, and the shots they demand you play to make a good score, that I like best.” – Scott Nielsen.

59. THE GRAND GC Average points: 61.33 2016 rank: 57.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (1997).

“The Grand offers beautifully manicured playing surfaces and an interesting mix of holes, with its collection of par-3s being a standout. It’s a shame more people don’t get to experience this terrific course.” – Alex Chapman.

“A course that punches well above its weight.

Well maintained with some very good holes, in particular the 8th and 15th, The Grand offers a bit of everything.” – Carl Murphy.

58. LINKS HOPE ISLAND 2016 rank: 55.

Average points: 61.67 Designers: Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (1997).

Judge’s Comments: “The congestion of courses just inside and outside the top-50 of this ranking has created some up and down movement where fractions of a point have become all important.

Hope Island has dropped three spots but few

could argue that it’s in terrific condition year round and remains one of the ‘must play’ courses when visiting the Gold Coast.” – Brendan James.

57. RACV HEALESVILLE CC Average points: 62.8 2016 rank: 50.

Designer: Mike Clayton (2009).

Judge’s Comments: “RACV Healesville is not your average course; par-68 with a length under 5,000 metres. The course possesses many holes of wonderful design. It is a layout focussing primarily upon fun and playability. Healesville is a unique, intelligent design. Despite its modest length, RACV Healesville demands a place in the upper echelon of the nation’s courses.” – Matt Mollica.

56. MOONAH LINKS (Open course) Average points: 63.95 2016 rank: 66.

Designers: Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (2001).

Judge’s Comments: “It can’t be simply coincidence that the overall presentation of the Open Course, and its neighbour the Legends Course, has improved since the change of ownership. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge the Open Course presents so I was even more pleased to find the conditioning of the playing surfaces had improved markedly from what I found on previous visits.” – James King.

“A great challenge that is best played from the appropriate tee for your ability. If you can adopt a ‘Tiger Woods strategy’, and stay out of the bunkers, you will save plenty of shots during your round.” – Brendan James.

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON X 2; BRENDAN JAMES

62. SANCTUARY LAKES CLUB Average points: 60.15 2016 rank: 67.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2000).

Judge’s Comments: “Sanctuary Lakes has gone from strength-to-strength since the members took over the club a few years back. The yearround presentation is now as memorable as the design from Norman and Harrison. I can’t help but think Sanctuary Lakes will continue to rise in this ranking.” – Brendan James.

“Norman and Harrison designed courses are renowned for offering a tantalising number of good driving holes in a round and Sanctuary Lakes is no different. I love the fact I can take driver on every par-4 and par-5 if I want to be aggressive or I can lay back with an iron and perhaps get the same result.” – Joe Thomas.

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“Not the most well loved course of The National. It covers some of the best land on the property and should be the standout course. Looking forward to the redesign by Tom Doak.” – Carl Murphy.

54. RIVERSIDE OAKS (Bungool course) Average points: 65.72 2016 rank: 54.

Designer: Bob Harrison (2015).

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Judge’s Comments: “Well-designed course with plenty of strategic holes with questions asked on the tee. The conditioning was more than reasonable, but I thought some of the mowing lines were a bit tight, bringing thicker rough into play too often. If these lines were widened slightly it would be an excellent course to play.” – Carl Murphy.

53. THIRTEENTH BEACH (Creek course) Average points: 66.07 2016 rank: 52.

Designers: Tony Cashmore & Sir Nick Faldo (2004); Tony Cashmore (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “The subtle changes made to the Creek Course a few years ago were pretty good and certainly improved the layout.

What impresses me most is how the putting surfaces and greenside bunkering, mounds and hollows blend so well and have obviously been crafted with the Melbourne Sandbelt in mind.” – Brendan James.

“This is the most frustrating course I play.

There is so much really good stuff particularly on the front nine, which is let down by some silly stuff on the back. Holes 13 and 14 are easily fixed with a chainsaw but 15 and 17 need a little more work for the Creek Course to realise its full potential in my eyes.” – Brian Walshe.

52. HUNTINGDALE GC 2016 rank: 46.

Average points: 67.15 Designer: Charles Alison (1941); Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (1998-2010); Martin Hawtree (ongoing).

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PHOTOS: GARY LISBON X 4; BRENDAN JAMES

55. THE NATIONAL GC (Ocean course) Average points: 64.5 2016 rank: 47.

Designers: Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge & Ross Perrett (2000).

Judge’s Comments: “The Ocean course covers amazing golfing land but hasn’t reached its potential … yet. I expect the Tom Doak redesign will have the Ocean Course surging north through this ranking.” – Brendan James.

THE NEXT 25 COURSES The ranking of courses for 2018 saw 168 layouts receive votes from our judges, which is a record number.

The following courses finished just outside the Top-100, having received votes from our judge’s but did not accrue enough points to make the Top-100.

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101. THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN 102. THE SANDHURST CLUB (NORTH COURSE) 103. MAROOCHY RIVER GC 104. PARADISE PALMS RESORT 105. CASTLE HILL CC 106. KEYSBOROUGH GC 107. THE SANDHURST CLUB (CHAMPIONS COURSE) 108. MONASH CC 109. THE HERITAGE G&CC (ST JOHN COURSE) 110. SECRET HARBOUR 111. MT COMPASS GC

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Judge’s Comments: “Efforts have been made to clear heavy scrub along the sides of many fairways, exposing sandy areas giving it more of a Sandbelt appearance and feel, which is great.” – Lucas Andrews.

“The native revegetation program has worked well and the removal of some fairway bunkers on the 16th and 18th holes make Huntingdale feel a little more spacious.” – Scott Nielsen.

51. MEADOW SPRINGS G&CC Average points: 67.2 2016 rank: 59.

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1993).

Judge’s Comments: “Meadow Springs never ceases to amaze me with its presentation. I have had the privilege of visiting the course many times over the past 20 years and its conditioning never wavers from first class. That said, it has never looked as good as it does at the moment, which is a huge credit to its long-time course superintendent Greg Simmons. The high standard of conditioning brings out the best in Robert Trent Jones Junior’s design.” – Brendan James.

50. THE NATIONAL GC (Long Island course) Average points: 67.5 2016 rank: 51.

Designers: Gordon Oliver (1938); Vern Morcom (1945).

Judge’s Comments: “Long Island covers wonderful golfing terrain and looks like it will continue to creep higher in this ranking.” – Brendan James.

“Long Island has benefitted from some polish, following its inclusion under The National’s

banner. Condition has improved, and more golfers are now familiar with the course’s appeal.” – Matt Mollica.

49. STONECUTTERS RIDGE Average points: 67.8 2016 rank: 40.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2012).

Judge’s Comments: “While the flat holes of the front nine, from 2 through to 5, are very good, I reckon the first half of the back nine represent the most interesting because of the change in elevation from tee to green. The best of these is the par-4 14th hole where the fun ramps up when you reach the tiered green.” – James King.

“The stretch of holes from the 2nd to the 5th on an open flat section of the property are a highlight, and extremely well thought out.” – Rich Macafee.

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112. THE HERITAGE G&CC (HENLEY COURSE) 113. PALMER SEA REEF 114. YERING MEADOWS

48. TERREY HILLS CC Average points: 68 2016 rank: 45.

Designers: Graham Marsh & Ross Watson (1994).

Judge’s Comments: “The clearing of some large trees surrounding several front nine greens, like the par-4 7th, has improved the quality of the surfaces on those greens. The program of bunker renovation started a few years ago and other minor tweaks to the design have been good.” – Brendan James.

“Routed over undulating land, the Marsh and Watson team created an interesting and challenging course. If I have one criticism though is that the greenside humps and hollows on a few holes feel a bit artificial. Cannot fault the conditioning though.” – Carl Murphy.

(HOMESTEAD COURSE) 115. PALM MEADOWS 116. PYMBLE GC 117. LEONGATHA GC 118. MURWILLUMBAH GC 119. CROMER GC 120. NOOSA SPRINGS RESORT 121. KOOINDAH WATERS 122. THE COAST GC 123. YERING MEADOWS (NURSERY COURSE) 124. CLUB MANDALAY 125. PALMER COOLUM RESORT

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 65

46. THE CUT GC Average points: 68.5 2016 rank: 37.

Designer: James Wilcher (2004).

Judge’s Comments: “The Cut is one of the most dramatic in Australia. It has been criticised by many owing to its difficulty, and narrow fairways, especially with strong local winds often acting over the course. However, The Cut’s coastal setting and dramatic rises and falls, as well as the shot-swinging final five holes ensure a continued good ranking.” – Matt Mollica.

45. BONVILLE GOLF RESORT Average points: 69.67 2016 rank: 53.

Designer: Terry Watson & Ted Stirling (1992).

Judge’s Comments: “Bonville’s program of renovating all the bunkers and raising the consistency of its presentation, which was introduced a few years ago, has the northern NSW course flying these days. It moves up eight places in this ranking (when many courses around it have dropped spots) on the back of a greater overall golfing experience.” – Brendan James.

“Bonville is such a beautiful place to play that sometimes you can overlook how far you have to drive your cart to get to the next tee. It oozes memorable vistas and these days the condition of the playing surfaces adds to the enjoyment of the round.” – Joe Thomas.

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44. HAMILTON ISLAND GC Average points: 70.3 2016 rank: 44.

Designer: Peter Thomson & Ross Perrett (2009).

Judge’s Comments: “Everything about Hamilton Island is dramatic – the scenery, the holes and, sometimes, the wind. I can’t imagine how difficult it was to build this course but the result is spectacular.

The stretch of holes from the par-3 14th through to the clubhouse are unforgettable.” – Brendan James.

“If you’re off your game here you will make some big numbers. But the beauty of the location should take your mind off it.” – Jacqui Lee. 43. PORT FAIRY GC Average points: 71.67 2016 rank: 48.

Designer: Club members (1963); Kevin Hartley (1989); Mike Clayton (2000).

Judge’s Comments: “Port Fairy continues to climb in the rankings, with sensible vegetation management, even better course conditions, and wider recognition of the qualities and charms of the seaside layout. The changing face of the course in winds of different strength and direction is a source of attraction shared by Port

Fairy and many Scottish links.” – Matt Mollica.

“A simple yet brilliant routing set below and in a single dune system next to the Southern Ocean, Port Fairy is a genuine links experience. It’s not a long course but it’s fun, playable by all in all conditions, and the condition suits the course perfectly.” – Rich Macafee.

42. SPRING VALLEY GC Avg. points: 72.90 2016 rank: 43.

Designers: Vern Morcom (1948); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (2011 and ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “One of the most underrated Melbourne Sandbelt tracks is now starting to be recognised for its quality. Well-designed strategic holes, and good bunkering, make this a great course to play. The front nine is much stronger in design than the back, but some solid holes really make this a standout.” – Carl Murphy.

“The finishing touches still remain to be applied, but there are moments where Spring Valley is as good and as fun as anything in Melbourne.” – Scott Warren.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 2

47. THE EASTERN GC (South Course) Average points: 68.12 2016 rank: Debut.

Judge’s Comments: “Holes 1 to 18 offer the best routing of the 27 holes on the course, with quite a few elevation changes providing its greatest variety of holes. The wide fairways make it great for members, while the strategists will enjoy discovering the correct playing lines for the pin positions of the day.” – Carl Murphy.

“Greg Norman and his design team have done a terrific job creating interesting and enjoyable golf for players of all standards across all 27 holes at Eastern. The South Course, for mine, has the pick of the holes and as the course matures I expect it will push for a higher place in this ranking.” – Brendan James.

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40. THE VINTAGE Average points: 74 2016 rank: 41.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2003).

Judge’s Comments: “There are no bad rounds at The Vintage, just the occasional bad score. Even bad scoring days here are really enjoyable and you can put that down to the golf course. There are plenty of standouts – the 3rd, 7th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th – are crackers in my opinion, simply because they all offer something different and make the round even more enjoyable.” – Brendan James.

“Interesting, enjoyable design complemented by well-presented playing surfaces. Can’t ask for much more than that.” – Joe Thomas.

39. PORTSEA GC Average points: 74.67 2016 rank: 36.

Designers: Jock Young (1926); Sloan Morpeth & Jack Howard (1965); Mike Clayton (2000).

Judge’s Comments: “One of the Mornington

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Peninsula’s classic links style courses, which doesn’t disappoint. The wide fairways offer some forgiveness, especially when conditions turn windy, but playing into the greens from the wrong side of the fairway can be tough. The greens are surrounded by an abundance of short grass, which gives scope for a variety of chip shots.” – Carl Murphy.

38. ELANORA CC Average points: 72.66 2016 rank: 42.

Designers: Dan Soutar (1929); James Wilcher (2004).

Judge’s Comments: “The couch fairways and A1 bentgrass greens are some of the best playing surfaces to be found in Sydney. Elanora occupies a beautiful setting for golf and for a course that places an emphasis on accuracy, I think the par5s, the 2nd and 11th, are real standout holes to enjoy.” – Brendan James.

“Presentation can’t be faulted but there are areas of this course that are very narrow and leave you few options but to play short and straight.” – James King.

37. MAGENTA SHORES 2016 rank: 39.

Average points: 74.9 Designer: Ross Watson (2006).

Judge’s Comments: “All the talk before I played this course was how tough it was. Yes it was challenging but I loved it.” – Peter Martin.

“There has been a noticeable improvement in the condition of all the playing surfaces during the past few years as a result of gaining access to a

regular and plentiful water supply. But I still scratch my head at the location of some of the high rough and the need to put deep collars of rough around the edges of bunkers, effectively taking the sand out of play for most players. I’m not sure that was intended by the designer.” – Brendan James.

36. THE AUSTRALIAN GC Average points: 75 2014 rank: 31.

Designer: Jack Nicklaus (1977 & 2013).

Judge’ Comments: “The changes made by Jack Nicklaus nearly five years ago have added interest around the greens. With more short grass separating the putting surfaces from the rough it does offer a variety of shot options. It’s en route to the green that I’m not a huge fan. Wood chips under trees, for example, don’t allow players a fair go at trying to create a shot to get back into play.” – Brendan James.

“There is a promising golf course beneath the wood chips and pine straw. Expose the natural sandy base, get rid of some of the trees and capture some of what Carnegie Clark created on great land so many years ago.” – Joe Thomas.

“The Australian could be the best conditioned course in the land. If it isn’t, it’s certainly in the top-three.” – James King.

35. The GRANGE GC (East course) Average points: 75.82 2016 rank: 35.

Designer: Vern Morcom (1967); Greg Norman (2013).

Judge’s Comments: “The more modern design of

PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES

41. ROYAL SYDNEY GC Average points: 74.13 2016 rank: 29.

Designers: Carnegie Clark (1921); Peter Thomson & Mike Wolverdige (1987); Ross Watson (2003).

Judge’s Comments: “The course is always beautifully presented and the bunker renovation completed half a dozen years ago did improve the golf experience. But the course, in particular the greens, needs to be upgraded. I can’t wait to see what Gil Hanse can extract out of this sandy terrain and I hope he is given free reign by the club to do it.” – Brendan James.

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the two at The Grange, this features the typical bold bunkering of Greg Norman. Really liked the great risk and reward holes on some of the shorter par-4s. The short par-3 8th hole – with a well-designed green complex – is a standout hole.” – Carl Murphy.

“The East Course has settled beautifully and now offers a wonderful golfing contrast to the adjoining West Course.” – James King.

holes which are a lot of fun to play, but there are some oddly designed holes (4 & 15) which could be better.” – Carl Murphy.

“I’ve been a regular at Moonah Links over the years and I can never help being enthused about playing the Legends Course. Where the Open Course can intimidate, the Legends is a lot of fun and the presentation has improved a lot in recent times.” – Joe Thomas.

opened more than 30 years ago. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th holes on Quarry are a breathtaking stretch of holes you could play everyday and never be disappointed. The Dunes nine has been enhanced by the redesigned par-3 5th hole.”– Joe Thomas.

“If you can’t have fun playing a round on Joondalup’s Quarry/Dune Course you’re not trying.” – Jacqui Lee.

34. BONNIE DOON GC Average points: 77.15 2016 rank: 38.

Designer: Lance Giddings & Eric Apperly (1937); Prosper Ellis (1951); Ross Watson (1995-2003); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead (2011 and ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Conditioning issues have kept Bonnie Doon in rough diamond territory, but the variety has been buoyed by the five new, tougher holes early in the round that add real teeth before birdie chances galore from the 8th hole onwards.” – Scott Warren.

“Bonnie Doon’s newer holes are wonderful, unlocking the potential of the terrain.

On completion, The Doon could be the most architecturally notable course in Sydney.” – Matt Mollica.

32. YARRA YARRA GC Average points: 78.15 2016 rank: 34.

Designer: Alex Russell (1928); Martin Hawtree (2011); Tom Doak (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Years of tweaking Alex Russell’s original design left a range of different ideas and looks around the course. What was one of the shining lights of the Melbourne Sandbelt was a collection of holes – some good, some bad. Thankfully the club is looking to recapture some of Russell’s creation through employing acclaimed architect Tom Doak. Can’t wait to see what he comes up with.” – Scott Nielsen.

“Given the pedigree of Tom Doak’s design work, I suspect we’ll see Yarra Yarra move higher yet again when the next ranking list is published in 2020.” – Brendan James.

30. GLENELG GC Average points: 79.25 2016 rank: 25.

Designer: Herbert L. Rymill (1927); Vern Morcom (1955); Neil Crafter & Bob Tuohy (2004).

Judge’s Comments: “A fabulous maintained golf course with some fine par-3 holes and well bunkered driving areas.” – Cameron Howell.

“Great design and outstanding conditioning make every round at Glenelg a joy. I love the variety of par-3 holes at Glenelg. Different distances, different directions … you could never get bored trying to master these one shot holes. The slightly uphill 11th is a definite favourite.” – Brendan James.

33. MOONAH LINKS (Legends course) 2016 rank: 33.

Average points: 77.64 Designer: Ross Perrett (2003).

Judge’s Comments: “Certainly the better of the two courses at Moonah Links, which caters for players of all standards. Legends has some very strategic

31. JOONDALUP RESORT (Quarry/Dunes course) Average points: 78.98 2016 rank: 30.

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1985).

Judge’s Comments: “The Quarry/Dunes nine is as fun and challenging to play as it was when it

70 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

29. BROOKWATER G&CC Average points: 80.3 2016 rank: 32.

Designer: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2002).

Judge’s Comments: “The overwhelming feeling you get during a round at Brookwater is the majesty of the place. Dramatic elevation changes from tee to green on many holes, tall stands of gum trees, bold bunkering and dynamic greenscapes. You can’t help but love playing here.” – Brendan James.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES X 3

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“The renovation work carried out on the greens has significantly improved the putting experience, while surfaces are now larger and more in tune with the original design of the greens.” – Joe Thomas.

28. THE GRANGE GC (West course) 2016 rank: 28.

Average points: 81.15 Designer: Vern Morcom (1956); Mike Clayton (2008).

Judge’s Comments: “Mike Clayton’s redesign work on the West Course a decade ago enhanced a classic, strategic course, with more width available off the tee, asking questions of the golfer every step of the way.” – Matt Mollica.

“As was proven during the Women’s Australian Open in 2016, the West Course is a strategically brilliant layout.” – Brendan James.

27. THE DUNES GL Average points: 82 2016 rank: 27.

Designer: Tony Cashmore (1997 & ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “One of my favourite Mornington Peninsula courses. The rolling hills taking you on an adventure of some spectacular holes. There are a few blind shots on the course, which for some is off putting, but the diversity in some of the hole designs, clearly makes up for that.” – Carl Murphy.

“Two decades on and The Dunes never fails to excite.” – Brendan James.

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PHOTOS: GARY LISBON; BRENDAN JAMES X 2

26. NEWCASTLE GC Average points: 82.69 2016 rank: 18.

Designer: Eric Apperly (1937); Bob Harrison (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “The stretch of holes from the 2nd to 9th hole is among the best sequence of holes in the country, with such wonderful green settings, thrilling shots, and great variety.

Newcastle is always a joy to play.” – Matt Mollica.

“When Newcastle loses its less than inspiring 16th, 17th and 18th holes under its redevelopment plan, the new holes to be created by Bob Harrison will undoubtedly see a jump in its ranking position.” – Brendan James.

25. KOOYONGA GC Average points: 83.3 2016 rank: 26.

Designer: Herbert L. Rymill (1924); Martin Hawtree (2008); Neil Crafter & Paul Mogford (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “The design team, Neil Crafter and Paul Mogford, has been making changes – including some new green sites, bunker renovation and the removal of overgrown scrub – all of which have had a positive impact.” – Brendan James.

“Arguably the best presented course in Adelaide, Kooyonga doesn’t cover a large parcel of land but some ingenious routing has been fully utilised. A diversity of hole lengths and directions ensure a variety of conditions are encountered during the course of a single round.” – Carl Murphy.

24. LINKS KENNEDY BAY Average points: 83.75 2016 rank: 22.

Designer: Michael Coate, Roger Mackay & Ian Baker-Finch (1998).

Judge’s Comments: “Kennedy Bay has reached

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a high level of conditioning that rarely fluctuates and fully complements the testing layout. The last game I played at Kennedy Bay, I could use my putter from well off the green wherever it was needed, such was the quality of the surrounds.” – Lucas Andrews.

“I always gauge how good a course is by asking myself when I leave whether I would be happy to play that course every day for the rest of my life.

Every time I have left Kennedy Bay that answer has been “yes”. I love the great variety of holes and the different shots you have to hit from the tee and into the greens.” – Brendan James.

23. ROYAL QUEENSLAND GC 2016 rank: 23.

Average points: 84.69 Designers: Carnegie Clark (1920); Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Royal Queensland offers thoughtful challenges and loads of fun, rewarding considered shot placement and a developed short game. The wide playing corridors and abundance of short grass about the greens are a welcome plus for many players.” – Matt Mollica.

“Wide, open spaces and plenty of short grass create a challenge to find the narrow playing lines for the best approaches into the greens.” – Brendan James.

23

21

22. COMMONWEALTH GC 2016 rank: 19.

Average points: 85 Designers: Sam Bennett (1921); Charles Lane (1926); Sloan Morpeth (1962); Kevin Hartley (1992); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead (2006 & ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “The work to open up the course by removing overgrown areas has had a positive impact. Changes around the 8th teeing area were noticeable and the moving of bunkers on the 2nd made for much better playing lines.

It is a shame the rest of the scheduled work has been all but stopped, as this would have further improved the course.” – Carl Murphy.

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON; BRENDAN JAMES X 2

21. THIRTEENTH BEACH LINKS (Beach course) Average points: 85.75 2016 rank: 24.

Designer: Tony Cashmore (2001).

Judge’s Comments: “Tony Cashmore’s Beach Course creation is incredibly consistent from go to whoa, making great use of its inland holes. The 16th is the most torturous short par-3 north of Bass Strait.” – Scott Warren.

“For mine this is among the top-5 most fun courses in the country. Cashmore’s dramatic greenscapes demand you get a little creative with your short game and your putting, while some greens – like the punchbowl-shaped 18th – really test your ability to hit the right shot with the right club to get your ball close to the flag.” – Brendan James.

20. ROYAL CANBERRA (Westbourne course) Average points: 86.33 2016 rank: Debut.

Designers: Commander John Harris (1962); Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1984); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (2017 & ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “Wow! Who knew there was

74 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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THE JUDGING PANEL 19

so much width to be found among all the trees at Royal Canberra. Royal Canberra is no longer a course that will make you feel claustrophobic walking down the middle of the fairway. The redesign by OCCM has unearthed an absolute gem with plenty of highlights. But there are few better than the par-4 14th, which will make you think deeply about your plan of attack while still on the tee.” – Brendan James.

“Royal Canberra has been transformed from a one-dimensional, no questions asked layout to a high quality course where you have so many options of how to play each hole, depending on your ability, form and the conditions of the day.

Royal is now a thinking golfer’s course and I love it.” – Joe Thomas.

19. BARWON HEADS GC Average points: 87 2016 rank: 21.

Designers: Victor East (1921); Neil Crafter & Paul Mogford (2005 & ongoing).

“The 1st to 8th holes are as much fun as you can have on a golf course in this country, and the conditioning year round is superb.” – Rich Macafee.

“I was blown away the first time I played here by the open nature of the first six holes, sweeping out before me. The feel changes on the back nine, where there are a couple of less memorable holes (16 being one), but a course I could play regularly and remain very happy.” – Carl Murphy.

“One of Australia’s oldest courses and after a couple of holes you could feel transformed to

76 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

Ireland or Scotland. The recent subtle changes are only making it better.” – Cameron Howell.

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18. LAKE KARRINYUP CC Average points: 87.3 2016 rank: 14.

Designers: Alex Russell (1928); Mike Clayton (2008).

Judge’s Comments: “Lake Karrinyup is now showing the rewards of patience, and committing to a plan to overhaul their course several years ago. The holes themselves are a real treat to play.

Karrinyup is another interesting, well-presented, testing yet manageable course with lots of fun shots to play.” – Matt Mollica.

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17. THE NATIONAL GC (Old course) Average points: 87.95 2016 rank: 17.

Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr (1987) Judge’s Comments: “A roller-coaster of thrills and spills with lots of fairway movement and a set of outrageous greens, the Old Course is wide and not long, yet it has a wildness that intimidates like few others. Once you get your head around all that is happening around you, it guarantees some of the best fun you can have with a golf club in your hand.” – Brian Walshe.

16. WOODLANDS GC 2016 rank: 16.

Average points: 88.32 Designers: J.D Scott & Rowley Banks (1913); Sam Bennett (1917); Mick Morcom (1928); Jack Newton, Graeme Grant & John Spencer (19872001); Graeme Grant (2002-2005); Mike Clayton

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Brendan James (Golf Australia editor) Matthew Mollica (Course design connoisseur) Shane Gurnett (Course design connoisseur) Richard Macafee (Course design connoisseur) Andrew Presnell (Course design connoisseur) Craig Read (Course design connoisseur) Scott Warren (Course design connoisseur) Brian Walshe (Course design connoisseur) Matt Laverty (Matt Laverty Corporate Golf) Cameron Howell (PGA professional) Michael Green (aussiegolfer.com.au) Ben Jarvis (golf manager) Carl Murphy (aussiegolfquest.com) Peter Martin (Golf Australia reader) Joe Thomas (Golf Australia reader) Lucas Andrews (Golf Australia reader) Felicity Chapman (Golf Australia reader) Sue Johnson (Golf Australia reader) Jacqui Lee (Golf Australia reader) James King (Golf Australia reader) Scott Nielsen (Golf Australia reader) Joe Thomas (Golf Australia reader) Alex Murray (Golf Australia reader) Peter Turner (Golf Australia reader) David Young (Golf Australia reader) Toby Griffiths (Golf Australia reader)

PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES

Each judge listed below was asked to only rank courses they had seen since December 2015.

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15. METROPOLITAN GC 2016 rank: 12.

Average points: 89.38 Designers: J.B MacKenzie (1906); Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926); Dick Wilson (1959); Mike Clayton (2006); Neil Crafter & Paul Mogford (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Metropolitan is looking better and better with vegetation management improving, and wonderful swathes of native vegetation being reintroduced. Hopefully a sign of things to come at this venerable Sandbelt layout.” – Matt Mollica.

“Metropolitan has much to offer in terms of strategic play, with the bunkers very well placed, enticing the player to take on the risk, but also offering plenty of safety options for those not quite so willing.” – Carl Murphy.

14. THE LAKES GC Average points: 89.42 2016 rank: 15.

Designers: Bruce Devlin & Robert Von Hagge (1970); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking

78 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

& Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “The use of the sandy waste areas has improved both playability and visuals.

The fairway bunkering is some of the best in the country with the preferred line in usually guarded leading to risk and reward decisions that mean you have to think your way around more than you do on most courses.” – Brian Walshe.

“Never managed to play this before the OCCM changes, but the front nine is a stand out for me in Sydney golf. I don’t think there is a better run of holes in the city. The exposed waste adds so much

character but also leads to speedier play.” – Carl Murphy.

“As good an advertisement as there is on Earth for well-managed kikuyu as a golf turf, for par-3 finishing holes and for interesting design that make outside influences (motorway, plane noise) fade from your mind.” – Scott Warren.

13. ST. ANDREWS BEACH Average points: 89.98 2016 rank: 13.

Designers: Tom Doak (2005).

Judge’s Comments: “It is great to see St. Andrews

13

PHOTOS: BRENDAN JAMES; GARY LISBON

(2008-2011); Tom Doak (ongoing).

“The quality short fours and set of small greens, demanding precise approaches, and a nerveless short game, are two of Woodlands’ most outstanding features.” – Matt Mollica.

“A course that offers quite a lot, considering its small land size. Woodlands has some of the best short par-4 holes in Melbourne, as well as some of the smallest greens, which is a test of any player’s accuracy.” – Carl Murphy.

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12. VICTORIA GC Average points: 90.16 2016 rank: 11.

Designers: Oscar Damman, William Meader & Dr Alister MacKenzie (1927); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “A course with slightly tighter playing lines than some of the other Sandbelt classics, but the bunkering and green complexes here are exquisite.” – Carl Murphy.

“Like many of the Sandbelt course, Victoria possesses a world-class short par-4, which is found at the 15th hole. Anything from driver to 7-iron could be thought of as the best choice off the tee. Victoria is also blessed with a wonderful topography, with great movement found throughout the course.” – Ben Jarvis.

80 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

11. THE NATIONAL GC (Moonah course) 2016 rank: 9.

Average points: 91.89 Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2000) Judge’s Comments: “The Moonah Course possesses a great mix of fun short and long demanding holes. The land is near perfect for great golf and Bob Harrison and Greg Norman did a wonderful job in finding a terrific collection of golf holes on land that has endless opportunities.” – Ben Jarvis.

“Set in the massive dunes of the Cups country, National Moonah combines plenty of fairway movement with some of the best green complexes built in the last 50 years. The first four holes are as good a start as you’ll find in this country and day in day out it is presented in perfect condition. In a state where the one grass policy has become the norm, National Moonah and 13th Beach demonstrate how much better two grasses are.” – Brian Walshe.

10. ROYAL ADELAIDE GC Average points: 92 2016 rank: 10.

Designers: Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926); Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge (1979 & 1997); Mike Clayton (2009); Tom Doak (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “Designer Tom Doak has the uncanny ability to make very simple changes that maximise the enjoyment and strategy of a hole. He’s achieved this to great effect at Royal Adelaide.” – Brendan James.

“I love the understated and quirky nature of Royal Adelaide and have always enjoyed myself

there, even when playing poorly. The all-world 3rd hole is in the top handful of short par-4s in the country and Dr Alister MacKenzie made superb use of a central sand dune.” – Ben Jarvis.

9. NEW SOUTH WALES GC Average points: 92.69 2016 rank: 7.

Designers: Dr Alister MacKenzie (1928); Eric Apperly (1937 & 1951); Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2010); Greg Norman (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “A game of golf at NSW should never be taken for granted. It is blessed with one of the best sites for a golf course in the world. The view atop the 5th fairway is reason alone to battle the ever-present winds at La Perouse.” – Ben Jarvis.

“NSW remains the course in the Aussie Top-10, and indeed the World Top-100, with the most untapped potential. With both a new course architect and new superintendent in the works, the promise of the finishing touches finally being applied feels tantalisingly close.” – Scott Warren.

8. OCEAN DUNES 2016 rank: Debut.

Average points: 93.67 Designers: Graeme Grant (2016) Judge’s Comments: “The ocean side holes are not only visually spectacular but are designed to give you plenty of options depending on the conditions of the day. The 10th and 11th holes are unforgettable gems. Graeme Grant’s design doesn’t back off when the layout moves inland across and through the massive dunes. The design

PHOTO: SUPPLIED.

Beach thriving, vying for the position of best course on the Mornington Peninsula. With a strong set of short par-4s, diverse and testing par-3s, and a collection of excellent, understated greens, Doak’s minimalist layout is wonderful.” – Matt Mollica.

“If Barnbougle didn’t present the best-value golf on the planet, St. Andrews Beach would.” – Scott Warren.

“St. Andrews Beach offers the most affordable, accessible, public, world-class golf in Australia.

The conditioning suits the challenging links perfectly, and the imagination required around the greens is equal to any other course in Australia.” – Rich Macafee.

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6. ROYAL MELBOURNE GC (East course) 2016 rank: 6.

Average points: 94.66 Designers: Alex Russell (1932); Tom Doak (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “More than just the little brother of the West course, Royal Melbourne East is a fine, testing yet manageable layout. It sits comfortably within the upper echelon of Australian golf courses, and has benefitted from years of subtle tweaks from consultant architect Tom Doak.” – Matt Mollica.

“The East Course at Royal Melbourne, I believe, does not receive its due respect. There aren’t many courses that boast as many world-class holes as the East Course does. Remove it from the ‘shadows’ of the West Course, and I wonder if people would view it in a different light?” – Ben Jarvis.

6

aside, the presentation of Ocean Dunes is first class.” – James King.

“It is easy to be seduced by the vistas at Ocean Dunes and forget about how good the design is.

Graeme Grant obviously had a special piece of land to work with and I can only imagine there was more than 18 holes to be found among the dunes and along the edge of the shore. Ocean Dunes should be on every Australian golfer’s bucket list if it isn’t already.” – Brendan James.

7. ELLERSTON Average points: 94 2016 rank: 8.

Designers: Greg Norman & Bob Harrison (2001) Judge’s Comments: “Ellerston is a thrill to play.

PHOTOS: GARY LISBON X 2

5

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The course is unashamedly challenging, and presents an abundance of demanding drives, and exciting approaches. Set in a gorgeous valley, with Pages Creek hugging and intersecting the majority of holes, it is an exacting, demanding, memorable, enjoyable course. It is one of Bob Harrison’s finest works, in a portfolio of many high calibre designs. It’s just a shame so few experience it.” – Matt Mollica.

“Norman and Harrison certainly met the brief in making it tough. With so many long carries from either the tee or on approach shots, not a course that would suit all players. It is by far the best conditioned course I’ve ever played, which is to be expected.” – Carl Murphy.

5. BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM 2016 rank: 4.

Average points: 96.94 Designer: Bill Coore (2010) Judge’s Comments: “Appreciation of Lost Farm benefits greatly from repeat play and as the more subtle and nuanced of the two Barnbougle courses, it grows in my estimation with every visit.” – Scott Warren.

“The more I play Lost Farm the more I learn about its nuances, which leaves me wanting more everytime I head home.” – Brendan James.

“Lost Farm is so much fun and unlike its neighbour, is blessed with a larger property that allows holes to change direction and hit winds from each direction. The strong par-4 5th and fun short par-4 14th are world-class holes you could play every day for the rest of your life.” – Ben Jarvis.

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4. KINGSTON HEATH Average points: 97.29 2016 rank: 3.

Designers: Dan Soutar (1925), Dr Alister MacKenzie (1926), Graeme Grant (1983-1995); Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Clayton, Mike Cocking & Ashley Mead – OCCM (ongoing).

Judge’s Comments: “Kingston Heath is a truly magnificent place to play golf, and features so many wonderful shots. The course’s bunkering consistently wins acclaim from all who play there, and the green complexes are among the best in the nation.” – Brendan James.

“Every time I see the course I think it can’t maximise its potential any more, and then they go and tweak something to get another one per cent out of the 100 acres. It will never be the best golf course in Australia, but it’s certainly the best presented fenceline-tofenceline.” – Scott Warren

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3. CAPE WICKHAM LINKS Average points: 97.42 2016 rank: 5.

Designers: Mike De Vries & Darius Oliver (2015).

Judge’s Comments: “Cape Wickham is wide, elastic, and understated in most parts.

The sensible and sophisticated design accommodates the diverse and sometimes strong winds. The fescue surfaces are a joy to play off and have improved with a little age.” – Matt Mollica.

“Cape Wickham is No.1 on the ‘views and scenery’ rankings, no course in the country can match it. While the coastline and the views are dramatic and spectacular, the design is clever and subtle. The designers have resisted the temptation to fill the course with ‘hero shots’, forced carries and elevated tees. What they have built is a very walkable course on a clever routing. The holes, while understated, are full of interest – and the questions asked of the golfer are backed up by multiple options due to width, all fescue surfaces and plentiful short grass around the greens. It’s the sort of course you want to play a lot, and it will be very playable in the toughest and most variable conditions that players will inevitably be confronted with.” – Rich Macafee.

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2. BARNBOUGLE DUNES Average points: 97.57 2016 rank: 2.

Designers: Tom Doak & Mike Clayton (2004) Judge’s Comments: “Barnbougle Dunes is the nearest challenger to Royal Melbourne West’s crown. The course features so many fun shots, and so many world class holes.

Amazingly natural green complexes, and great strategic quality are the course’s hallmarks.

The fescue surfaces are the southern hemisphere’s nearest thing to Scotland’s finest ancient fairways.” – Matt Mollica.

“The evolution of the course continues with a noticeably sharper, cleaner bunkering style making the course even easier on the eye than it was before.” – Scott Warren.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 89

PHOTO: GARY LISBON

1. ROYAL MELBOURNE GC (West course) Average points: 99.8 2016 rank: 1.

Designers: Dr Alister MacKenzie (1931); Tom Doak (ongoing) Judge’s Comments: “The West Course is the jewel in the crown of Australian golf. All the elements of great architecture are present with width, strategy, sublime bunkering and green complexes mixed in with outstanding management of the natural vegetation. On such a big canvas, it’s the fine details and movement, particularly around the greens that sets the West Course above the rest.”– Brian Walshe.

“With every visit to Royal Melbourne something new is discovered about the subtleties of its design. The slightly wider fairways of the West Course gives rise to great strategic holes where the playing options and questions asked on every tee make it hard not to rank this as the best in Australia.” – Carl Murphy.

“Clearly the No.1 golf course in the country.

The term ‘great’ is overused when discussing golf holes and courses. That said, the West Course at Royal Melbourne is one of the few truly great golf courses in the world, with an abundance of great holes. The stretch of holes from No.2 to No.7 may just be the best stretch of six consecutive holes in Australia and quite possibly the world.” – Ben Jarvis.

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From driving distances and drug testing to Faustian pacts in pursuit of a major, 30 leading professionals across the European and PGA Tours were polled to uncover their views on the state of the game today. Emboldened by the promise of absolute anonymity, these men told us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but truth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as they see it at least. The results offer a fascinating insight into the game as it stands heading into 2018.

INTERVIEW JOHN HUGGAN, BRIAN WACKER

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 93

Q1. Who will win the most majors in their career: Dustin, Rory, Jordan or Jason Day? At the time of asking this, Dustin had one major to his name, aged 33. Rory McIlroy had four at the age of 28, Jordan Spieth had two at age 23 and Jason Day had one, aged 29. To our anonymous pros, it was a straight choice between two men.

DUSTIN JOHNSO 23%

Q2. Are Keith Pelley’s modernising golf initiatives on the right track, going too far or not going far enough?

Since taking over as European Tour CEO in 2015, Keith Pelley has wasted little time introducing a series of initiatives designed to broaden golf’s appeal, particularly among the younger generations – think shot clocks, blaring music, the whole GolfSixes. The changes will keep coming too, because Pelley’s view is that he’s in the “entertainment-content business where golf is but our platform”. Our European Tour pros fell into two camps...

HE’S GONE TOO FAR – 10%

Q3. What needs to happen for you to play more golf in Europe?

This was asked of the PGA Tour stars, most of whom spend their whole year – bar the Open – playing PGA Tour courses. We wondered what it would take for them to follow the lead of Patrick Reed and venture out into Europe from time to time. Their response was predictably emphatic...

“Fewer events over here, a shorter season. It’d be nice if it was closer too.”

“Purses are good enough now but it would take job security over here first.”

HE’S NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH – 0%

“Not gonna happen. We play for more money over here and there’s no FedEx Cup points and it’s easier travel. Unless they start doing that it’s not happening.”

RORY MCILROY 77% HE’S ON RIGH TRACK 90%

“It would have to be closer so when the Atlantic Ocean shrinks maybe I will.”

They said...

They said...

“When he’s ‘on’, Rory is the best player out there.”

“Dustin. When he’s clicking he’s the most talented all-around player from that group.”

“Rory. I think Dustin will win three more and Rory has a long career ahead of him.”

“Something had to be done. We were in a rut for too long.”

“He’s doing fine. The game is stagnant and we need to get golf out there in front of a bigger audience.”

“Way too far. The GolfSixes thing was just stupid; everyone was trying way too hard.”

“Nothing. There’s too much money at stake over here.”

“Better food. Closer to home. And an invitation.”

Q4. How many times were you drug tested last season?

They said...

“Only at the Olympics – a urine test. We should be blood-testing too.”

“Urine tests are pointless. They can’t even tell you what beer we drank the night before.”

“Four times. But none of mine was positive.”

94 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

FOUR 5%

THRICE 5% TWICE 20%

THRICE 17%

TWICE 17%

ZERO 0%

ZERO 10%

EUROPEAN TOUR ONCE 60%

PGA TOUR FOUR 66%

ONCE 0%

They said...

“Three or four times. It’s consistent year to year.”

“Four times, and always when you just took a piss.

You’re there forever.”

“Twice. It’s always after a low score.”

“I think three or four.

You can see them coming from a mile away too.”

TEXT & IMAGES: © BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA LIMITED

According to the World Anti Doping Agency, golf’s fight against drug use lags behind most other sports. In 2015, golf carried out the fewest number of drugs tests of all major sports – just 417 – compared with football (32,362) and athletics (30,308). The results suggest a tale of two tours...

Anonymous Survey 2018

Q5. You’re playing a Ryder Cup foursomes you have to win. Who do you want as your playing partner?

The Ryder Cup is heading to Continental Europe for just the second time in its history. So in anticipation, we asked the pros on both sides the same question…

“Sergio is always upbeat and a great driver.”

RORY 20% “Padraig at his best. He’d piss the other guys off so much.”

“Monty. He hardly ever lost in the Ryder Cup.”

PADRAIG HARRINGTON 15%

SERGIO 20%

OTH 35%

“Jordan Spieth. He doesn’t have any quit in him, he’s got the clutch gene and he’s a great putter.”

JORDAN TH 83%

PATRICK REED 17%

MONTY 10%

TEAM EUROPE

TEAM USA

“Patrick Reed. He’s a f*cking competitor.”

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 95

Q6. Who’s the greatest player of all time?

Between them, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have amassed 223 professional wins and 32 major victories, plus enough other assorted accolades to fill a large museum. Some point to the fact that Jack won more majors as evidence of his superiority, others to the fact that Woods won his in a more competitive era. The answer from both sides of the Pond was predictably split...

TIGER 42%

JACK 58% They said...

“Jack Nicklaus. The amount of majors he has and the secondplace finishes, 19, is ridiculous.

Tiger has done a lot but you can’t argue with Jack’s record.”

“Anyone from this generation will say Tiger. No one’s ever been so dominant.”

“Jack Nicklaus. He won 18 majors, the record speaks for itself.”

“Tiger Woods. The skill, athleticism, talent. He was the whole package.”

“Tiger’s peak was better than Jack’s and he impacted the game more from a popularity standpoint.”

“Jack’s numbers are amazing. 18 majors and 19 seconds. That’s just unbelievable.”

“JACK NICKLAUS IS THE GREATEST CHAMPION, BUT TIGER WOODS WAS THE BEST PLAYER.” 96 JANUARY 2017 | golf australia

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Anonymous Survey 2018

Q7. The R&A and USGA’s claims that driving distance isn’t increasing: truth or bullshit?

Q8. Would you rather hit every drive 350 yards, hit every green in regulation or hole every putt inside 10 feet?

In February this year, in a joint statement, the R&A and USGA revealed that, according to their data, driving distances had shown only a “minimal increase” on the major tours between 2003 and 2015. We suspected the anonymous pros would answer like so…

Does the age-old adage of drive for show and putt for dough still stand up in the modern game, among the new breed of modern professionals?

And what about the bit in-between? We received a rather resounding response...

DRIVE IT 350 YARDS 4%

Q9. We can guarantee that you win a major championship. But in order to do so an anonymous random player would have to miss every cut in their entire career. Would you take the deal?

The promise of complete and utter anonymity allowed our shadowy pros to open up without fear of judgement or condemnation. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t judge or condemn them, however...

TRUTH 4%

HOLE EVERY PUTT INSIDE 10 FEET 88%

BULLSHIT

HIT EVERY GREEN 8% YES – 84% NO – 10% RATHER NOT SAY – 6%

They said...

They said...

They said...

“That’s 101 per cent bullshit.”

“People are hitting it 360. Come on.”

“Bullshit.Just lookat thenumbers.”

“It’s bullshit. The ball is going farther than it did 15 years ago.”

“Truth. The driving distance if you look at the numbers hasn’t really gone up.”

“Holeeveryputt.I’dmakealotmoremoney.”

“If I holed every 10-footer I’d win every major and every tournament I play in.”

“Holing every putt is where the money is.”

“I’ll take my chances with 350-yard drives in the modern game.”

“You can tidy up a lot of shit on the greens.”

“Absolutely. To hell with the other guy.”

“Yeah, for sure. Out here it’s all about me. I don’t give a shit about anyone else.”

“Yeah. Sorry to whoever it is who’s going to miss every cut, but I’m taking it.”

“Yeah, I would. I mean is there anyone who wouldn’t take that deal?”

They said...

15%

11% DARREN CLARKE

We were just curious.

The main replies were predictable and odd...

39%

PAIGE SPIRANAC

Q10. You’re stranded on a desert island with one other golfer. Who would you want it to be?

“Paige Spiranac… for very obvious reasons.”

“Sandra Gal. I mean, have you seen her?”

“I’d say Darren Clarke.

He’d be good company and he’d have a few tales to tell.”

“Boo Weekley. He knows how to fish so I think we could survive out there.”

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 99

Q11. If absolutely no sponsorship money was involved, which equipment brand would you want to play?

Just because a player plays a certain equipment brand doesn’t necessarily mean they would be his preferred choice – a large number of zeroes on a pay cheque can often influence their decision. When we took money out of the equation, they replied…

Q12. Which golf ball would you play if no sponsorship money was involved?

The ball market has long been dominated on the two tours by one brand. When we took money out of the equation, that brand still dominated...

TITLEIST

36%

TAYLORMADE 7%

SRIXON 11%

They said...

They said...

“TaylorMade have the best technology and the best research.”

“Mizuno make the best irons – by far.”

“Everyone is switching to TaylorMade so they must be good.”

“Easy. Titleist is the best ball.”

“The new TaylorMade’s the best I’ve hit.”

“Titleist. It’s the best ball out there.”

“I wouldn’t change my Z-Star for every dollar in the world.”

Q14. You’re out for dinner. Which player’s least likely to pick up the tab?

You can tell a lot about a man’s character by his willingness to take care of the bill at the end of a meal. The man most likely to pay, they told us, was either Rickie Fowler or Darren Clarke – the latter “clearly has more money than sense”. What we really wanted to know, though, was who is least likely to pay the bill? In all honesty, we weren’t very surprised that it turned out to be...

5

TIGER WOODS

“Tiger. He’s got alligator arms.”

100 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

36% 64% YES

They said...

4% OTHERS

CALLAWAY

TITLEIST

TAYLORMADE

MIZUNO

9%

While Question 12 told us which ball most professional golfers prefer to play, this question made us wonder how much they really know...

NO

12%

21%

SRIXON

23%

77%

Q13. You’re blindfolded and asked to hit all the major brands’ golf balls.

Could you honestly tell the difference?

“I could tell on the short game. But I’m not sure I could on full shots.”

“For sure. It’s that obvious from one ball to another especially with a putter. I can just feel it off the face.”

“Some feel clunky and tough, others are softer and malleable.”

“Yes. You can feel the difference especially with woods.”

“A few I could, especially the ones that are harder. The Nike ball was clickier.”

“I could identify the really crap ones – with cheaper balls, you can really tell.”

Q15. The 16th at TPC Scottsdale: does golf need more of this or is one already too many?

The par-3 16th hole on the Stadium Course is golf’s party hole, flanked on all sides by 20,000 rowdy Americans working themselves into a foaming frenzy. To grow the game’s appeal, we asked: does golf need more of this? They replied as follows…

“But only five per cent of the fans knowwhat they’re looking at.”

“It is just so cool and great fun. The louder the better.”

MORE OF THIS PLEASE 69%

ONE’S ABOUT RIGHT 19%

WE NEED FEWER OF THEM 12%

Anonymous Survey 2018

Q16. If you could only play one course for the rest of your days, where are you playing?

There were, at the last count, 34,011 golf courses on the planet. When we asked the professionals to pick a favourite, they replied…

THE OLD COURSE

45%

AUGUSTA NATIONAL CYPRESS POINT

27%

“Because it would be different every time I played.”

9%

KINGSTON HEATH

7%

SUNNINGDALE OLD

7%

VARIOUS OTHERS

5%

“Cypress is like four or five courses in one. You have water holes, some in the dunes, a parkland aspect. And the views are great.’

“It’s just such a fun course to play. It never gets old.”

“Augusta National is just as good as it gets.”

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 101

Q17. Will Rory win the Masters and complete a career grand slam?

Q18. What one thing would you change about golf – and why?

Q19. Tokyo 2020: big goal, nice if it happens or couldn’t care less?

Standing on the edge of the career grand slam since his PGA Championship win in 2014, completing the set with the Masters seemed a case of when and not if for Rory McIlroy. But the longer things go on, the more doubts begin to creep in. However, his colleagues are in no doubt here. They answered...

The topic of conversation in clubhouses the world over, when we opened it up to the exalted professionals they said...

In the run-up to the Rio Olympics of 2016, a steady stream of big names dropped out, citing the Zika Virus, scheduling issues or just that, in all honesty, Olympic golf just didn’t chart high on their list of priorities. When Justin Rose actually won gold in Rio, perceptions of Olympic golf appeared to be changing. Or did they?

PACE OF PLAY 64%

100% 0% YES

NO

“His game is made for Augusta National. It’s not if, it’s when.”

COULDN’T CARE LESS FEWER HOLES 6%

BALL MOVING AT ADDRESS RULE 10%

“Yes. It’s gonna happen at some point. He has way too much talent.”

“Yeah. He’s got too many years to play and he’s too good a player.”

23%

NICE IF IT HAPPENS REDUCE DISTANCE 12% FREE DROP FROM DIVOT HOLE 8%

BIG GOAL

65%

12%

They said...

They said...

“14 holes is enough.”

“We need shot penalties. Money doesn’t matter to most guys.”

“Distance – it’s pathetic the way shotmaking has gone out of the game.”

“It’s obvious the ball goes way too far.”

“Huge goal. It looked really cool on TV.” “It’s a waste of time. Any ‘legacy’ has already disappeared.”

“Golf is simply not an Olympic sport.”

“Guys who didn’t go will go next time.”

“I’m focused on playing well in majors.”

Q20. Who would you least like to face in a street fight – and why?

We were just wondering...

Q21. Your drive’s flying off towards the galleries. Are you shouting fore? And if not, why not?

Finally, we wondered where the modern pro stands on the ancient tradition of crying “fore!” when a shot goes awry. Put it this way, you’re safer watching the European Tour than the PGA...

YES 100%

YES 50%

EUROPEAN TOUR PLAYERS

PGA TOUR PLAYERS NO 50%

They said...

“Ernie would break you in two.”

“From the stories I’ve heard, if Ernie gets a couple of pops in him you definitely don’t want to get into a fight with him.”

102 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

“Look at how big Ernie is and how big his mitts are!”

“Ernie’s a big guy. And Vijay. He seems like he would fight dirty.”

“Dustin looks like he’s from a rough part of town.”

They said...

They said...

“Those who don’t shout should be liable to get sued.”

“There’s a disclaimer on the ticket, so some guys don’t shout.”

“Those who don’t shout are nearly always stupid Americans.”

“I’ll point. They’re not going to hear you 300 yards away.”

“I forget to yell most of the times and just end up pointing.”

“Not usually. It’s not like they’re going to hear you. I might point or something.”

Discover the Goldfields this summer

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• Two nights accommodation for 2 people at RACV Goldfields Resort • 18 holes per day at RACV Goldfields • Full cooked breakfast each morning • RACV members receive two complimentary local beers at Fairway Lounge • Available 7 days a week • $50 surcharge applies for stays on Saturdays or Public Holidays (paid directly to resort) • Valid for use 25th November 2017 – 11th February 2018

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To book call 03 5345 9600 or visit racv.com.au/goldfields *Voucher is for 2 people for 2 nights accommodations in a Premium Fairway room with 2 King Beds overlooking Golf Course. 18 holes per day at RACV Goldfields. RACV members receive two complimentary local beers at Fairway Lounge. Bookings are essential and subject to availability. Valid for use 25th November 2017 – 11th February 2018. Available 7 days a week.

Blackout Dates 24th December and 2nd January. Bookings Phone: (03) 5345 9600. $50 surcharge applies for stays on Saturdays or Public Holidays. Not valid for existing bookings and specials. Extra Adult: $75 per person per night. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash. Any unused portion of the package is non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for other services or cash. Tee times subject to availability.

104 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

T he l onges t hol e The incredible story of one golfer, his caddie and a 1,250-mile playing challenge across Mongolia WORDS MICHAEL CATLING PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW KING

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 105

A

dam Rolston’s journey had taken him across frozen rivers, up and over glaciers and into the 40-degree heat of the Gobi Desert. Along the way, he had lost 135 golf balls, ridden a camel and inadvertently adopted a dog. Everything had been leading to this moment: A seven-foot putt on the 18th green at Mt Bogd Golf Club in Mongolia. Watched by 200 spectators, including his friends and family who had flown over from Hong Kong, Rolston sent his bruised and battered ball crashing into the hole to enter the Guinness World Record books. It had taken him 80 days and 20,093 shots – just the 6,093 over par – to complete the longest hole in golf.

Accompanied by his ‘caddie’ and old rugby friend Ron Rutland, Rolston had achieved what many thought was impossible. “I had doubters,” admits the former Hong Kong rugby international. “But then it’s always good to prove people wrong. It was physically the hardest thing

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I’ve ever done. I had never walked that far in my life. It was extremely hard, but so satisfying at the end, especially when I managed to two putt from 50 feet. I hadn’t putted in 12 weeks and I swear every single seven-foot downhill putt that I’ve had in my life I’ve missed. I’m never going to experience winning the British Masters like Paul Dunne did, but it felt like I had created a winning moment for myself.”

For Rutland, the feeling of ecstasy and relief was one he had experienced before after spending 27 months cycling 26,700 miles. “I left Cape Town in June 2013 and cycled to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the UK via every country in Africa and most countries in Europe,” he says. “That was the first big adventure of my life and Adam had obviously heard about what I’d done. When we reconnected in Kenya last August, that’s when he told me he wanted to do a golf adventure.”

“I’ve always looked at adventurers and thought, I could do something like that,” explains Rolston, who plays off scratch. “I had spent three-and-

a-half years playing professional rugby and didn’t achieve what I wanted to achieve. I took up golf when I was 16 and never got the chance to play professionally. So, I think the grit and determination I showed playing rugby and the potential skill I showed playing golf made me think that an expedition was built for me.”

What started out as an idea over coffee quickly turned into a reality, and within eight months Rolston and Rutland were on a recce in Mongolia, where they spent seven hours with a tour company micro-plotting their route and where their food and equipment drops were going to be.

Upon their return home, Rutland ordered 150 packets of dehydrated camp food from Amazon so he could stick to his vegan diet. Not that Rolston was too pleased once he found out they were all the same flavour. “That’s because they were all on special [offer],” laughs Rutland.

Equipped with clubs and 400 golf balls from TaylorMade, they arrived at the base of Khüiten Peak, the highest and most westerly point of

TEXT & IMAGES: © BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA LIMITED

IT WAS PHYSICALLY THE HARDEST THING I’VE EVER DONE

T HE JOUR NE Y DAY 1 TEE OFF AT KHUITEN PEAK BASE CAMP

DAY 2

DAY 40

Suffered their first breakdown after the cart got stuck in marshland and the wheels got sucked off the axle.

Passed the halfway distance having golfed the length of Ireland twice.

DAY 70 Shared a meal with two Syrian falcon poachers.

DAY 79 Set up camp 15 miles from their destination where they were joined by friends and family.

DAY 80 FINAL SHOT AT MT BOGD GOLF CLUB, ULAANBAATAR

DAY 3 Joined by a wild Mongolian dog.

Mongolia

Country facts Population: 3.1 million Capital: Ulaanbaatar Currency: Togrog Number of golf courses: Three

DAY 4 Racked up 29.4km and 340 shots.

DAY 10

20,093 The total number of strokes

80 days The length of time it took to complete the hole

Mongolia, at 1pm on June 29 ready to tee off in aid of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the South African Golf Development Board. “The European Tour gave us an official endorsement and recognised our challenge as an official golf hole,” explains Rutland. “That was important in terms of our Guinness World Record application.

They also provided us with a yardage board and tee markers, but it was only when we stood on the mountain ready to tee off that it really dawned on us the absurdity of what we were attempting.”

Getting there was no easy task either, and involved hitching a lift in a jeep before packing their equipment – golf cart included – on top of a camel. “After that, four horses took us to the top of the mountain,” says Rolston. “That alone was five hours of plodding along. When we finally arrived, there was a glacier to our right and a river valley about 60ft below us. I hit a tee shot and it just disappeared. Luckily I hit a provisional ball because we lost the first. I lost five balls that day.

We came to the conclusion that Ron would have

Total distance covered

THE WORLD’S LONGEST FAIRWAY IN NUMBERS

2,011km

Bog, snow and uneven terrain stunted their progress, putting them 100km behind schedule.

6,093 The number of shots over par

135

Number of sponsored golf balls used and lost

Extremes Though Mongolia enjoys 250 days of sunshine a year, temperatures can plummet to -30 degrees in the winter.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 107

to walk ahead and I would aim at him so we could see the ball land.”

The enormity of the challenge facing them was made clearer when they spent the first four days negotiating the White River Valley.

“It was probably the worst golf conditions we faced because of the grass length, rocks and how extreme the descent was,” says Rutland. “We originally wanted to walk 2,000km in 80 days, which works out at 25km a day. But instead of walking 5km an hour, we were probably doing half that. I was towing a cart which weighed between 100 and 150 kilos. It was sleeting and snowing, and I had to wade through swamps which were knee-deep. The conditions were super-tough.”

By the end of the first week, they had already repaired their golf cart twice – once when the wheels came off, the second when the tyre came off the rim. “That was super nerve racking,” admits Rutland, “because if the cart wasn’t fit for purpose, plan B was pretty drastic. We started thinking about hiring a camel or buying an old Russian jeep. We were considering all scenarios, but fortunately the conditions did improve.”

The repair jobs and the “endless searching for golf balls” meant that they were well behind schedule, and faced the possibility of their visas

expiring before the expedition was complete.

“The reason we chose Mongolia as the longest hole is because it has very little infrastructure,” says Rolston. “There are no fences or walls and it almost looks like a fairway. But we didn’t just pull the cart across flat land. We must have crossed over 100 rivers and there were times when I was hitting golf balls while Ron had stabilised himself on a mountain with walking poles. Once I played a shot, I was helping Ron to push the cart up the hill inch by inch. We were doing that an hour at a time, creeping up these hills. It was pretty brutal.”

Their mood wasn’t helped by an unwanted companion tagging along, and staying with them for the duration of the journey. “After three days, a stray dog joined us,” explains Rutland. “That initially caused a bit of tension. Before we started, we had counted the number of socks so we could keep the weight down and then all of a sudden we were carrying 10 extra litres of water and a bit of food for the dog.”

“It wasn’t ideal,” adds Rolston, “but the dog provided so much more than what we were giving him. He became part of the gang; we called him UB. He actually ended up becoming a bit of a celebrity in Mongolia, and there was a Facebook campaign to find him a home. We ended up finding

WE HAD TO PLAN FOR NOT SEEING ANOTHER HUMAN FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, SO WE WERE CARRYING UP TO 60 LITRES OF WATER

108 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

him a home with a couple in the Terelj National Park, which was quite an emotional moment.”

Beyond caring for the dog and adapting to the conditions, one of the biggest challenges was dealing with injuries. Rutland, a former banker from South Africa, was left nursing an inflamed hip and a swollen ankle, while Rolston started suffering back and neck spasms with two weeks to go. “I basically had to sleep upright against all my baggage,” says Rolston, who hails from Northern Ireland. “I was in so much pain and trying to hit 300 balls every day slowed the recovery. In the end, I was flicking shots about 60 yards.”

The dangers of the journey were laid bare once they reached the Gobi Desert, which Rutland describes as “the most inhospitable environment you can imagine”. “We had to plan for not seeing a human being for four or five days, so we were carrying up to 60 litres of water,” he says. “Though we had a cameraman who joined us for two or three sections for our documentary, it was just the two of us (and the dog) for the majority of the time. It did feel like we had the whole world to ourselves, but I was surprised how connected we were. We didn’t go longer than four days without any cellphone connection.”

As a result, Rutland was able to send pictures of his swollen ankle to his doctor in Hong Kong for advice while Rolston updated their story on social media. They had plenty of time to do so, as it was too hot to even consider playing golf after 9am with temperatures spiking to 40 degrees in the desert. “We were waking up at 3.30am, just when it was light enough to hit a ball 100 yards into the distance,” recalls Rolston. “We’d play until 9am, lie under tarpaulin on our camping mattresses for between six or eight hours and then get up and play until dark.”

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Support team TaylorMade supplied the clubs and 400 golf balls.

Uphill struggle: The duo clocked up 2,000km with their furry friend in tow.

Now that’s a water hazard!

Rolston and Rutland had to cross more than 100 rivers.

Once they re-entered civilisation, they would often leave the dog to guard the tent from wolves and 700lb goats and walk to nearby villages, where they drank Russian vodka with locals and taught them how to play golf. “That’s probably the one thing we’ve taken from the journey; how sport transcends language and brings people together,” says Rolston. “We took golf out of its normal environment and took it to a place that has never seen it before. They all gave it a crack and were pretty good at it.”

In return for the lessons, Rolston and Rutland were invited into their “gers” (nomadic tents) and presented with meals. “We had a magic letter which explained who we were and what we were doing,” explains Rutland. “We used Google translator to translate it into Mongolian and Kazakh – the two main languages. But it almost became embarrassing trying to explain to them that I didn’t eat meat or dairy. The whole concept of being a vegetarian was unheard of in their culture. So, I ended up losing 13 or 14 kilos while Adam took one for the team and drank the

110 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

fermented horse’s milk.”

Not content with living off two-minute noodles and local delicacies, Rolston tried to source his own food by fishing in the surrounding rivers. “He was so adamant he was going to catch a fish,” laughs Rutland. “He tried every bit of water and the one day when he caught three fish... well, the joy on his face was incredible.

You would have thought he’d won the lottery.”

“I didn’t even have a proper rod,” adds Rolston.

“It was like a pole with fishing wire tied to the end. Honestly, it probably ranks in the top five moments of my life.”

As they neared the finish line on the 18th green at Mt Bogd Golf Club in Ulaanbaatar, they were joined by friends and family for the final 15 miles and played the last 500 metres dressed in traditional Mongolian robes. “We started out as golfers and finished as Mongolians – that was a nice way to end it I thought,” says Rolston. “I ended up taking just over 20,000 shots and we raised $20,000, so it worked out at around a dollar a shot. We set the par at 14,000 and based

it on me hitting full 8-irons across the country, which was a bit stupid. We didn’t really factor in the ball finding a muddy lie or a rocky crevice, so I was 6,093 shots over par! But apart from that, there’s nothing I regret from the trip at all. There were times when we were naive in what we were trying to accomplish at the beginning, but we knuckled down and got it done.”

“When we started, I don’t think people believed in our dream,” suspects Rutland. “There were times when we thought where the hell is the fun in this. It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. I’m still a bit of a wreck even now. But we are both stubborn people and, barring a broken leg, Adam and I made up our mind that we were going to do it.

“The last time we’d seen the golf course it was brown, but when we arrived, it was in its green glory and there were so many people waiting for us, cheering us on.

It was a real fairytale ending and the fact we were doing it for charity gave the journey an extra sense of purpose and meaning.”

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y! a d To n oi J e, m co el W s ber em M ew N Royal Fremantle is a premier golf course located just south of Perth city, near the coastal town of Fremantle.

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Minwoo Lee tees off on the 8 th in the Royal Fremantle Open

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THE INTERVIEW

N I T S U D N O S N H JO The World No.1 has been on a roll since his breakthrough victory at the 2016 US Open Championship. Here, he talks about how he climbed the summit to be a major winner and what his hopes are for 2018.

W

hy don’t you talk to us about when you felt your timing was at its optimum, when it was perfect?

Well, for me, it started at the US Open in 2016.

Everything was lined up perfectly. My timing was on, the swing couldn’t have felt any better and I had complete confidence in what I was doing. I knew I was playing really well leading into the US Open, I just hadn’t won anything, but I was playing really good golf. I had a lot of confidence I was going to have a good week. I felt really comfortable on the golf course, starting from day one on the 1st tee. The swing, the timing with everything was spot-on and I knew I was going to play really well. For me, that tournament arrived just as all the pieces of the jigsaw fell into place. It was the perfect timing.

What were the signs for you that you had achieved perfect timing? Was it the sound, was it the strike … was it the flight?

Everything. It was the strike, the consistency of the shape, the flight was consistent – everything was under control. I was driving it very well. I know when my timing’s on and I’m hitting the driver well then everything else lines up and I’m going to play well, especially on a course like that where it’s so important to put the ball on the

112 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

fairway. On a golf course that is long and the rough is really deep, if I am hitting into the fairway with my length then I’m going to have a good week.

You had been on a journey to get to that point?

It’s been a long road, but it’s been a good one. I had a lot of fun doing it and obviously, since the US Open win, I’ve had a lot of success on and off the golf course.

I had my second son over a month ago and that’s been unbelievable, two sons, both of them are healthy and the family couldn’t be better. I couldn’t be happier.

People talk about the close calls in majors and all that stuff but I just choose to view all that as a positive, they prepared me to win a Major and then really build on it, which I feel I have.

I’ve been ready for this success and feel I can continue it.

When the moment arrived, did you realise that you were going to take advantage of it? In the US Open was there one critical moment in the final round when you thought you had the opportunity and you were going to take it?

For some reason I felt, even from the 1st hole,

TEXT & MAIN PHOTO: SUPPLIED

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 113

Johnson says there will be knockers of his swing but he likes it just the way it is.

that if I could just go out and play my game that I was going to have a very good chance to win.

Starting down the first hole, I hit a great drive right down the middle, I hit a good shot in there, made par, then just played a really solid front nine and birdied nine to reach the turn in good shapeand that’s how the week went for me – really solid, smart golf. I just knew I was going to have a chance to win on Sunday so I was excited to see if I could execute under the gun.

How do you feel when people say you defy convention as an athlete with your swing, your approach to the game?

I think it’s a good thing. I grew up playing all sports. From the 7th-8th grade I just played golf.

I’ve had people help me along the way but I’m pretty much self-taught and I definitely swing it a little bit different than the rest of the guys. My golf swing is different mainly at the top but, if you look at the rest of the golf swing, all those pieces and fundamentals match up very well.

My swing is exactly how it should be. Obviously everyone’s different, but for me I swing it exactly how I want to, it feels authentic and natural to me and there’s no weaknesses; there’s no reason for me to change it- I can hit any shot there is and as long as you can do that I feel your golf swing’s got to be pretty good.

You always hear the announcers or other people talk about, “Well his club is really shut at the top,” but to me it’s not the case. To me, my club is square, and sure, I need to rotate hard to get the

114 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

ball on square impact, but my rotation is one of my strengths and allows me to do what I do well.

Do you have a good deal of belief in what you do?

Yes, absolutely. Coming through college I worked with coach Teryl and then, once I got on Tour, I started with Butch Harmon.

In the first meeting with Butch he said, “We’re not going to change things. I could but nobody would know who you are if I did that”. He said: “This is what makes you good. This is what makes you who you are and we are just going to make it a little bit better.” That gave me huge confidence because it just confirmed what I thought- there’s no point in changing what’s working for you.

What are your hopes on and off the golf course this year?

I want to continue to have the success on the golf course that I’m having at the moment. Off the golf course, it’s all about the family. Making sure both my sons have a great life growing up and trying to be there as much as I can for them and Paulina.

What are the keys to success for you moving forward?

Just keep doing what I’m doing. I feel like I’ve got a good recipe, so I just have to stick with it, obviously I’ll have to tweak aspects of my approach as my game changes, but right now I’m happy with how it’s going and feel I’m

improving. That means just keep training hard in the gym, keep working hard on the game and then obviously, when I do have time, spend as much time as I can with the family- I’ve played my best golf since having a family so that can’t be a coincidence.

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Johnson celebrates the finest moment of his career thus far with wife, Paulina.

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116 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

THE INTERVIEW

HENRIK STENSON He amazed the world with his spectacular play to win the Open Championship in 2016. But, as he reveals here, the victory resulted in exhaustion and uncertainty as to whether he would ever win again. The big-hitting Swede also opens up about his desire to win a second major as he knows time is not on his side.

WORDS JOHN HUGGAN PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES

W

inning the 2016 Open Championship in the way you did was obviously extra special, but how did you react to it all in the aftermath of such a high?

2016 was the best year of my career, but the 12 months after Troon were also the busiest of my career. And yes, it was hard at times to focus on what was ahead rather than what had been. Until I actually returned the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale, I felt like I was constantly living in the past.

Everywhere I went I was the Open Champion, which is great.

But the spectacular way in which I won definitely made it even more interesting to people. Everyone wanted a picture and everyone wanted to talk about it. So it was hard to live in the moment and focus on what I needed to do going forward.

Yes, you had written the first paragraph of your obituary. (laughs) That’s one way of looking at it. But I know what you mean. The bottom line is that I was busier than I had ever been off the course.

The demands on my time were amazing.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 117

Stenson won the Open in 2016 after firing one of the greatest final rounds in history.

Stenson defeated Phil Mickelson by three shots, who finished 11 clear of third place.

I learned a bit of what that was like after winning the Fed-Ex Cup and the Race to Dubai in 2013. But this was a whole new level of interest.

I was shattered by the early part of 2017, just as I had been at the same point in 2014.

I actually still read 2013 as the best season of my life in terms of how I played for that hole year.

Yes, I won the BMW International and the Open in 2016 – and the silver medal at the Olympics – but I was better during 2013 as a whole. I played almost at the peak of my game for just about half the season. In 2016 I had some really high highs, but not quite the same consistently high level overall. Still, I had my best week at the best event.

So I can’t complain. Timing is everything.

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Is it true to say that your mind was sometimes elsewhere during the first part of 2017?

I was still riding the wave when I played well in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But after that I had some time off. I was away from the game for a month while we moved house. It was then that everything started to catch up with me. I didn’t have much energy left by the time I went to the Masters.

The mental side of this game is so important and I was running on empty. I was just tired and couldn’t make things happen. I was only really in contention in Dubai and at Wentworth in May. Otherwise, I was just strolling along.

Winning the Wyndham Championship was so important for me. It’s not the biggest event on the PGA Tour but I was still pushed to the very limit.

Yeah, when you win anywhere you have to beat guys who are playing well.

Exactly. On any Tour you have to play really well to win. You can’t win with just ‘good.’ You have to do a bit better than that.

Is any of what you’ve just said that unexpected? Is it not what you would expect after such a high?

A bit I guess. When you have maybe the best yea of your career it is always going to be a challenge to repeat. Expectations rise. People expect you to play at the highest level all the time. That is impossible. But someone told me recently that I am the only player who has been in the top-10 on the world ranking for all of the last four years. I’m proud of that.

At the Bridgestone tournament earlier this year I asked my caddie, Gareth (Lord), to check how many players had scored more world ranki points than me in 2017. He came back and said i was 30. And since then I won the Wyndham and was second at the WGC HSBC in China. So I would guess I am maybe 20th now. That’s not bad in a year when I haven’t played nearly as well as I can.

Having said that, I always measure myself against my best game. When I’m not there it does feel like I am coming up a bit short. And when I had that performance at Troon the bar w raised even higher.

That’s the best you have ever played in a single event?

Oh yes. I’d have to say so. Maybe it is a bit easier when you win your first major relatively late in your career. I don’t want to mention too many

names, but there have been many guys who have struggled a lot after winning one. I’m not sure if Trevor Immelman ever won again after his Masters victory for example (once, on the 2013 Web.com Tour). And others have disappeared too for whatever reason. So it was nice for me to win again after Troon.

I look back and remember how frustrating 2015 was for me. I was second maybe half a dozen times. I was playing tennis with my son on the driveway one day when I looked up at the Fed-Ex Cup in my office window. I thought to myself there should have been another one in the window next to it. But you never know what it is in the future.

Instead, I got a Claret Jug. I’d rather have that than two FedEx Cups (laughs).

So what is motivating you going forward?

Just winning really. That never gets old. I love being in that position.

What are the best and worst aspects of the Ryder Cup? I’m not sure there are any bad aspects. I’ve always taken the view that I would rather be on the losing team than not be there at all. It is such a pressurised event. It really gets the adrenaline going. Whether it is home or away, although they are so different.

Playing in front of those crowds and for your country and teammates is such a great experience. So different. Being part of it all is definitely worth fighting for.

How do you feel about the crowds? I walked around at Hazeltine and it wasn’t a lot of fun.

Yes. We do seem to have lost our way a bit there.

There is a good case to be made of telling the crowd what is expected of them. And if anyone is not prepared to behave in that way they should be asked to leave.

behind the plate in baseball is showing up. And that is not the way we operate in golf.

In action sports the ball is moving and everyone reacts to the moment. The players don’t have time to listen to stuff. But in golf there’s that time. It’s easy to be distracted by what you hear.

I fully expect the American crowd to support their players. But supporting your own is not the same as trying to distract the other team.

Some of the chants were really vile at Hazeltine.

That’s true. I feel like I have a pretty wide fan base everywhere in the world. So they weren’t particularly nasty to me. But I know some of my teammates – Rory, Sergio, Danny Willett and Lee Westwood – were subjected to some pretty hostile stuff. They had a rough ride. So I wouldn’t be against calming that down a bit in the future.

Maybe it needs the other spectators to start identifying the culprits.

But is it enough just to win a tour event?

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 119

WINNING THE WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME ... I WAS PUSHED TO THE VERY LIMIT – HENRIK STENSON Stenson closed with a sixunder 64 to win the Wyndham Championship last August.

the number of matches. I can’t for the life of me think why there would be resistance to that. It is supposed to be a real match, one you ideally want to be tight. And to make that happen the International side needs some help. If you look at the rankings of their side, they have to go a long way down to get 12 players. So the bottom end has been relatively weak. They are not bad players, of course. But at the end of the day there is a reason why someone is ranked 75th and someone is ranked 15th. Over a period of time that difference shows up.

So what advice would you give the matches?

They need to figure out how to make them close.

The last one was tough. It was almost over before the singles. That’s no good. Even at Hazeltine – when we had a decent sized hill to climb – winning was still possible going into the last day.

I don’t have much in the way of advice other than changing the format so that there is more room for the captains to rest players. It was a shame that the Internationals did not win in Korea back in 2015. That would have been great for the event.

How do you look back on your experience at the Olympics?

It was wonderful. I grew up watching both the summer and winter games. And it was such an honour to represent Sweden.

Has there been much evidence since Rio of golf growing in the way the organisers hoped?

Maybe not. But it is early. Golf needs more than one event to make a big difference. But 10 times more people in Sweden watched me go head-to-

120 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

head with Justin Rose in Rio than watched me win the Open. That has to be good.

The game was showcased and suddenly I was an Olympian rather than just a golfer. And while it was great to win a medal, other guys like Rickie Fowler had a great time too.

Was it a hard loss?

Not at the time. We both played really well. But it hurt a bit afterwards to be so close to the gold medal. I can’t lie.

Did you watch any of the other sports?

I did. Some handball. I stayed a couple of nights in the village.

You roughed it? A spoiled, pampered Tour pro roughed it in the village?

Yes (laughs). I did. I went to the opening ceremony and wanted that experience too. But when it was time to play I wanted my own space.

It was a bit cramped in the village (laughs).

When did you last visit Australia?

I haven’t been back since the 2005 Heineken event at Royal Melbourne, which is a shame. I love the courses there. I’m a big Sandbelt fan. I’d love to go back at some point.

But finding time in the schedule is difficult. I play in the Middle East in January. Then I’m in the US pretty much through the US Open. Then it is Europe. Then back to the US again.

There are just too many tournaments. I’m going to be 42 in April and I have my little niggling injuries. So I’m not looking to add events to my schedule. If anything, I’d like to play less, not more. Australia is a lovely place but it is also far away.

Stenson defeated Ollie Schniederjans by a shot to win his first event since Troon.

After a dramatic entrance, Stenson finished runner-up at the WGC HSBC in China.

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of the s g n i w e great shat is based on, h t f o e t t on ion has owerful swingne of the longes p m a h Open C o nonsense, p s why he is o an learn from 6 1 0 2 e Th . It is a n , which explainre’s what you c a r e n r e mod ndamenta ls e game. He sw i n g. h ’s u t f n n o d i s o s n o r e g St R -hitte Henrik F AUSTRALIA SWCINOMGBDEO/CVTISOIONS IN GOLF straight NE W S GOL SE

122 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

ARK WORD A PHY M OTO GR H P E C QUE N

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 123

1

Stenson’s address position is first class. Most noticeable is how relaxed his arms appear to be as they hang straight down from his shoulders. Also, ball position is ideally in line with his left shoulder, which means he is already behind the ball before initiating his trigger move. Lastly, good body angles with right shoulder much lower than the left.

2

Having triggered his backswing, Stenson’s head has moved back and slightly down from its position at address while his weight is already loaded into his right side with his hands only just reaching hip height. The club shaft is ideally pointing straight down his toe line that runs parallel to his target line.

3

With his hands now reaching chest height, his hips have only just started to turn, but they’re still resisting, which is a by-product of his wide stance.

Resisting hip turn coupled with a big shoulder turn equates to greater torque and more power in the downswing. Wrists have started to hinge the club up to the top of the backswing.

PULLING THE TRIGGER Almost every good golfer has one, and any golfer who wants to get better probably needs one.

A swing trigger is a last move before swinging the club back from the ball. For example, Jack Nicklaus would turn his head slightly to the right. Gary Player would kick-in his right knee, while Greg Norman would slide his club out towards the ball and Rodger

124 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

Davis had his trademark forward press of the hands.

A swing trigger is usually used to prevent a fault in the swing and kicks in when you are ready to ‘go’ with your backswing.

In Henrik Stenson’s case, his ‘unique’ swing trigger helps to prevent too much lateral lower body movement on the backswing.

The Swede triggers his backswing by

pre-setting most of his weight into his right leg, while having a very slight forward press of the hands.

Have a look at the face on sequence and you can see this has the effect of moving is head further back behind the ball. With his weight pre-loaded, he coils his upper body over that stable wide stance and lunges into the ball with great power.

4

Stenson’s club is on plane, with his left arm mirroring the same plane angle as his shoulders.

Interestingly, he has only just reached the top of his backswing but the lower half of his body is already moving toward the target. Checkout his right heel just starting to come up, which is proof of transition into the downswing.

5

That right heel is really coming up now with most of Stenson’s weight already in his left side. His right elbow is beautifully tucked into his right side and the butt of the shaft is pointing at the imaginary target line running through the ball, which is proof of being on plane.

AT’S IN THE BAG wing gear was in Henrik Stenson when e Wyndham Championship in August. te, Stenson did not carry a driver for ament. allaway Diablo Octane Tour 13˚ with Blue X-Flex shaft. allaway XR 16 Pro 13˚, fitted with i Tour Limited 60 grams 05-Flex.

6

With his hips now clearing out of the way to the left, Stenson is now really motoring down into the ball. His head is now moving laterally towards the target ever so slightly but will still be behind the ball at impact.

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golf australia | JANUARY 2018 125

7

Stenson’s right elbow is tucked in closed to his right hip and the clubhead is really working up some speed. His hands are already in line with the ball and the clubhead still has some way to travel before impact and the release of all that stored power.

8

Bang! Stenson’s impact position is brilliant. Hitting into a firm left side is ideal and is assisted by terrific body angles. There’s good tilt of the spine away from the target, which completes the impact position ever golfer should be looking for … the one that looks like a reverse ‘K’.

9

Note the vertical position of the clubface.

Stenson gets great extension through the ball and he squares the clubface (from impact into the follow-through) with his turning body, which takes any hooks out of play. You won’t find any flipping hands here.

EXPLODING ONE OF GOLF’S great MYTHS One of the biggest myths in golf is that you have to keep your head still.

This is often a piece of instruction that gets handed down from a playing partner during a round, usually after a topped or thinned shot.

“You’re moving your head … keep your head down,” are the usual tips ... you’ve no doubt heard of them.

But as we can see from Henrik Stenson’s 126 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

swing, your head should be free to move. Not only does Stenson move his head away from the target laterally as part of his swing trigger, he also rotates his head through impact and appears to not be looking at the ball at impact and into the follow-through.

But if you take a closer look his head is actually just following the turn of his shoulders through impact.

If you keep your head still, or down, you will restrict the way your body rotates through impact resulting in a range of mis-hit shots.

Stenson has generated a lot of power in his downswing and if he was to keep his head still it would restrict his turning upper body and stifle the follow-through. This would not only cause mis-hits but in some cases it could lead to injury.

10

Your follow-through swing plane is a good indicator of the quality of your shots. Look at the angle of his shoulders. He’s still swinging on plane well after the ball has gone.

11

Great balance here from the big Swede. Weight all over his left foot, right foot on the toe. Text book stuff.

12

A beautiful balanced finish you should try and emulate. Stenson looks like he could hold this position for an hour. And it’s all due to the fact he was able to swing on plane, using the big muscles of his upper body to turn over a stable base created by his legs.

HENRIK STENSON’S 2017 NUM TOURNAMENT STARTS: 15.

TOP-10S: 3. TOP-25S: 8 WINS: Wyndham C’ship (PGA Tour).

DRIVING DISTANCE: 292.7 yards.

DRIVING accuracy): 71.9%.

GREENS IN REGULATION: 69.07%.

SCORING AVERAGE: 69.543.

STROKES GAINED OFF-THESTROKES GAINED TEE-TO-G BIRDIE AVERAGE PER ROUN CLUBHEAD SPEED: 116.79 mi

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 127

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FAIRWAY BUNKER BASICS

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Consistency in your ball striking from a fairway bunker starts with proper club selection and set-up.

It is important to set up with stability, because sand is an unstable environment.

Select the club that has the proper loft for the ball to clear the face of the bunker.

Your key set-up essentials include the following: 1. Ball position is just ahead of centre; 2. Take your stance with the insides of your feet lower than the outsides and your heels slightly lower than your toes.

Imagine you have a wedge of wood chocked under your feet from the outside; 3. Hover the club slightly above the ball with your weight being slightly on your heels and your posture feeling tall.

From this ideal starting position, you are now ready to swing and get the ball out of the sand. Remember, the shot is just like one from the fairway and there should be a divot, or in this case, a small splash of sand after you hit the ball just like Adam Scott has done here.

128 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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130 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

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If you want to shoot lower scores, you’ve got to hit the ball further. In 2017, six of the world’s top-10 players averaged more than 300 yards. We asked a selection of the game’s biggest-hitting Tour Pros to reveal their best tips e.

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1

DUSTIN JOHNSON CREATE A WIDE SWING ARC TO GENERATE MAXIMUM SWING SPEED DRIVING AVG 315 YDS

Flat left wrist

Stay relaxed and connected

Create a wide swing arc

Gripping the club too tightly makes your muscles tense so hold the club loosely to stay relaxed and allow your muscles to create maximum power in the swing. Rock back and forth to get perfectly balanced and feel your connection with the ground.

The wider your swing arc is, the further the clubhead will travel and the more clubhead speed you can generate into impact. Naturally stretch your hands away from your body in the backswing to create as much distance between them and the ball as possible at the top.

132 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

TEXT & IMAGES: © BAUER CONSUMER MEDIA LIMITED

My left wrist is bowed, but you want the back of your left hand and wrist to be flat. This makes it easier to square the face in the downswing if you’re not as flexible and athletic as me.

T

he key to hitting the ball further is generating as much clubhead speed as you can at impact and transferring as much of that energy as possible into the ball. I swing the club at 121mph and launch the ball at over 180mph. This shows how close I am to the optimum efficient (or smash factor), which is a ball speed of one-and-a-half times your

clubhead speed.

Increasing your swing speed and smash factor is the Holy Grail for more distance. Every extra one mph you can add to your swing speed will give you an extra three yards of carry if you have a decent smash factor so adding just a little more speed and efficiency can make a massive difference to your driving distance.

DRIVING AVG 307 YDS

2

ADAM SCOTT

NAIL YOUR GRIP, POSTURE AND ALIGNMENT

G

Hit up on the ball through impact A high launch with low spin is the most efficient way to transfer your clubhead speed into ball speed and hit booming drives with modern equipment. You must hit up on the ball and releasing your wrist hinge as late as possible in the downswing will help you achieve this.

etting the basics right will help you hit the ball longer and straighter. Many bad shots stem from a poor grip, and a good grip is the basis of a neutral and repeatable swing.

I like to see only two knuckles on the back of my left hand as I look down and the ‘V’ between the thumb and index finger on my right hand pointing to my right shoulder.

A good posture enables you to make an athletic and controlled movement. There are many variations when it comes to good posture, but I like to get my back fairly straight with my knees flexed just enough to engage my quads and my butt sticking out comfortably. My arms hang naturally down to the grip, with the butt of the club about a hand’s width from my thigh.

I always practise with an alignment stick along my toe-line to ensure my feet knees, hips, shoulders and eyes are parallel to the target line because it makes it so much easier to make a neutral swing with a square clubface.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 133

3 DRIVING AVG 309.2 YDS

TONY FINAU

DRIVING AVG 306.2 YDS

FIRE YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER DOWN THROUGH THE BALL

E

ven if you’re really good at putting and chipping, you’re only going to create opportunities to score well from getting the ball in play and in the right part of the fairways. Everything starts from the tee. When I’m driving it well, I’m very confident in my scoring ability. It seems like my putting stroke even comes around and I give myself a lot of good opportunities.

Two things will help you hit the ball long and in play. Firstly, you absolutely have to swing in balance The best players in the world who

4 JASON DAY

INCREASE YOUR HIP ROTATION SPEED THROUGH IMPACT

I

Stay with the shot You want your right shoulder to be low through impact but you can’t get that if you hit early with the upper body at the start of the downswing, like many amateurs do.

134 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

DRILL A great way to sync your body up in the downswing and create a lot of consistency is to hit balls by starting from the top of your backswing. Don’t take the club away from the ball, just swing from a static position at the top.

You’ll figure out exactly how your hips have to move and what you have to fire from there.

f you look at a lot of the world’s longest drivers these days, myself included, we all rotate our hips very fast in the downswing.

Some people are born with natural speed but you can always work to improve whatever you have.

I’ve done a lot of work in the gym to make my legs stronger so I can rotate faster through the hitting zone while maintaining complete control and balance. There’s no point doing something fast if you can’t control it.

I want no sway or lateral movement outside of my knee line on the backswing. I make sure my left hip kind of bumps towards the target a little bit as I start down towards impact. Then as my arms move past parallel I can rotate powerfully from there with my right foot, right knee and right hip all starting to push and transfer the energy into the ball.

I like to feel very solid at impact. My hips have almost fully cleared and my weight is into my front foot. My arms and club shaft should be in a straight line, which helps deliver more power and hit the ball higher.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 135

6 DRIVING AVG 309.7 YDS

JUSTIN THOMAS

ANYONE CAN GO BIG WITH GOOD FUNDAMENTALS

1

2

3

Accurate aim

Parallel shaft

Create torque

I constantly check my feet, hips and shoulders are parallel and aiming correctly so I can make a neutral swing. I like to feel like I’m standing tall to help me create width. A handy trick if you slice the ball is to drop your trail foot back about an inch in relation to your lead foot to encourage you to swing more from the inside.

My lower body moves very little in the takeaway but my hands are well away from my body as the shaft reaches parallel to the ground, which creates width.

Pause here and check that your left arm is extended, the shaft is pointing parallel to your target line, your wrists feel flat and you’re relaxed and in no hurry.

My goal in my backswing is to create maximum torque between my upper and lower body. My shoulders have turned more than 90° to the ball, while my hips haven’t rotated nearly as much. This coiling of the upper body against the lower body creates resistance that can be turned into speed in the downswing.

4

5

6

Left hip up

Centre strike

Balanced FInish

The downswing is the easy part.

Simply transfer the energy stored in your backswing to the ball by rapidly unwinding your lower body. My only thought is to pull my left hip up and behind me. This helps me fully rotate through the shot, while simultaneously pulling the left hip up creates greater dynamic loft at impact.

The extent to which my feet lift off the ground illustrates how much I’m pushing down into the ground to generate power. But power is useless without precision. Hitting the centre of the face is vital because for every quarter-inch away from the sweet spot you make contact, you lose 10mph of ball speed.

I can only swing so aggressively because I’m able to stay balanced and maintain control of my clubead. The swing speed you create will be wasted if your swing path is poor or your face isn’t close to square. Hold a balanced finish position until your ball lands on every drive and you’ll become longer and straighter.

P

ound for pound, my swing is the most powerful on Tour. I’m not one of the biggest guys but I am one of the longest hitters so it just goes to show that power isn’t all about size. I love to really go at it with the driver through impact, but in all honesty it’s the fundamentals that make me a big hitter. I focus on flexibility, width, rotation, balance and swing plane. Nail these driving basics and you can swing out of your spikes with full confidence.

PRACTICE DRILL This drill will help you if you’re in a rut hitting slices or hooks. 1. Tee a ball up and place two additional balls on either side. If you’re slicing, the outside ball should be farther from the target than your tee ball, and the one on the inside should be closer to the target. This creates a gate for your club to swing on an into-out path in relation to the target line. 2. Hit your shot without touching the other balls. If you hit the outside ball, you’re still swinging on a slicer’s out-to-in path. For hooks, reverse the positions of the surrounding balls to promote a slightly out-to-in path. 3. Hit 15 to 20 balls with the gate in whatever configuration that helps you feel the sensation for the shot you’re trying to hit.

136 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

DRIVING AVG 309.4 YDS

THOMAS PIETERS FOCUS ON A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO DELIVER THE POWER

H

andicap golfers often have the worst tempo with the driver because they’re so desperate to swing the club hard and smash the ball a long way that they snatch at the changes of direction as they start the takeaway and in the transition into the downswing. This will rob you of speed and control, but a smooth tempo will help you build maximum speed and deliver it how you want to. Move the clubhead away slowly and make a smooth move to the top.

Once there, feel like you pause for a second before beginning your transition. You won’t really stop but it will help you set the club properly before smoothly accelerating into impact.

DRIVING AVG 305.8 YDS

JOHN RAHM don’t have the fastest swing speed on Tour but I’m one of the longest hitters. One of the main reasons for that is my launch angle. I like to hit the driver slightly on the upswing.

By that I mean the clubhead is moving up and away from the ground at the point of impact with the ball. That swing characteristic is shared by all of the biggest hitters. When you hit up on the ball, it launches higher with less

TEE IT HIGH AND LET IT FLY FOR LONGER CARRY DISTANCE NUMBERS spin. That combination keeps the ball straighter in the flight and also maximises your carry yardage. And the good news is that it works even for average swing speeds. I see too many amateurs hit down through impact with the driver. That not only leads to a low trajectory, it also adds spin to the shot, which reduces distance and adds curvature. So tee it up a little higher and swing up more through impact to add yards to your drives.

My driver swing speed is about 117mph, which creates ball speed of 175mph. Ideally, I like to see my attack angle at +2 degrees. This creates a 13-degree launch angle with spin rates of around 2,200 rpm – perfect for me.

nnected t elbow ping your right cked in close ur side in your wing prevents from coming r the top’ and you attack the om the inside.

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 137

TIP FROM THE TOUR

H E S W IN G D O C T O R | G O L F AU S T R A L I A’S R ES ID E N T S W IN G T HE R A P I S T

Pulling the big stick for a shot off the fairway is something most teaching pros will likely frown upon you doing.

But there are times when hitting a driver off the fairway is not such a low percentage play.

Tour pros rarely need to use the driver from the fairway but Rickie Fowler is one player, who regularly plays the shot when trying to reach a long par-5. Usually the flag will be positioned in the right half of the green because the ball flight is generally a fade.

You too can hit a driver from the fairway, under the right circumstances.

This kind of shot should be considered when you’re trying to cover distance and you need to keep the ball low. But if there is any trouble, like a water hazard or fairway bunker, immediately in front or to the right of you, put the driver back in the bag.

The most important aspect of this shot – as is the case with hitting a fairway wood – is you must hit down and through the ball. You must fight your instincts to get the ball in the air by scooping or hitting up.

Also, consider your lie when playing this shot. But take this into account … the tighter the lie, the more the ball will fade from left-to-right (for right-handers) because you will feel the need to hit down more to get the ball up into the air.

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

HITTING DRIVER OFF THE DECK

TOUR CALIBER PERFORMANCE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE The team at Snell Golf Australia has one solitary mission: to bring tour caliber equipment to the amateur golfer at an affordable price. Our experience in R&D along with our strategic manufacturing partnership and direct to consumer model allows us to do just that.

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CALLAWAY APEX MB AND X FORGED IRONS Cost: $224.99 per iron. Tested by: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Writer (GA Handicap 9.4)

shiny first s soft d In c forgiv from h Apex shape cavity HOW perfor traditi musc which out w Wh choosing irons, performance is the top factor for me and this is where the Apex MB excelled during my time with them.

The flight was a little higher than my current set of blade irons but also carried around fiveeight metres longer than my old favourites when compared on a launch monitor alongside each other.

Working the ball was also an impressive feature of the Apex MB, which was easy to achieve. Be it a high, low, left or right shot shape the MB responded almost every time. And big curving shots from trouble were extremely easy to produce.

There is always a downside to blade irons and forgiveness is it. The Apex MB is no different in this regard, with distance dropping fairly significantly with a substantial mishit, meaning your ball striking has to be good to get the best out of these irons. The Apex’s do offer an improvement on forgiveness on older blade 140 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

are a great option for a good player who wa little more forgiveness combined with a classic look.

The X Forged feels almost as good as the muscleback iron, although perhaps not quit soft. But the difference was almost imperce for me and I went back and forth on whethe there was a noticeable change between the depending on when I hit them.

With its small cavity, the X Forged isn’t a workable as the blade but can still be move from left to right and vice versa. Low shots also achievable, without quite the full extrem control on offer from the Apex MB. The Apex MB was the preferred option fo but I have always been partial to a blade. In the muscleback iron just might be the next irons to make its way into my bag but I cou easily game the X Forged as well thanks to outstanding combination of feel, strong flig and workability.

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PRO SHOP SPEED UP

ORGANISE YOUR GAME Rattling club heads, rubbing graphite shafts and hard to find irons are evils all golfers have long accepted as part of the game and golf bag design.

Australian company Kahma Golf think differently, and its Caddyrack Pro technology incorporated in the C5 golf bag removes all three common issues.

The Caddyrack Pro uses soft concave and convex surfaces to lock iron heads in place and suspend the shafts within the bag.

Meaning heads will not bang against each other and cause damage. While the shafts hang free of any other surfaces that can rub and damage them.

More than just a club organiser, the C5 also features a magnetic cooler pocket, two external putter wells for easy access and all 11 zippered pockets are accessible from the front, perfect for buggies and carts.

RRP: $289 Contact: For more information and to purchase go to www.kahmagolf.com or call 1300 738 557.

Every golfer has heard of the benefits offered by feedback and statistics when trying to improve their game. The OnSongSwing training aid delivers both right on the shaft of the club. Helping players to improve and increase their swing speed and power.

Clipped onto the shaft, the OnSongSwing measures the maximum clubhead speed during a swing and graphs the acceleration throughout the golf swing. Acceleration through the hitting area is one of the keys to

SPECIALISED PERFORMANCE With grooves on wedge faces limited by the Rules of Golf, Callaway needed to get creative to deliver increased spin in its Mack Daddy 4 wedges.

After an extensive collaboration bet company’s research and development professionals and legendary wedge des Roger Cleveland, the new wedges incorp ‘Micro-grooves’ between the main groove well as a refined, more compact shape.

The 16 milled and saw-cut grooves are precisely designed for each loft’s typical performance requirements, with low loft and below) engineered for full shots and lofts (54° and up) designed for maximum greenside spin and control.

The micro-grooves are delivered through a milling process that creates ridges on the clubface surface between the main grooves, adding to the MD4’s ability to grab the cover of the golf ball and cause friction, increasing spin.

Made from carbon steel and available in two finishes, the MD4 offers 21 loft and bounce combinations. Making it the most comprehensiv line of wedges in Callaway history.

RRP: $229.99 Contact: To find out more phone 1800 217 777 or visit, www.callawaygolf.com.au

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the effortless power Tour pros are known for.

And the ability to look over your previous eight swings and ‘benchmark’ swings allows golfers to compare their feel versus their results.

The OnSongSwing also features real-time audio feedback, which can be transmitted to headphones, to help train acceleration and build speed to help make your swing look and perform more like that perfect practice swing.

RRP: $247.50 Contact: To find out more visit the website www.onsongswing.com

ANSPORT CLUBS IN STYLE e far more than just the maker of colourful gloves Bubba Watson. The company uses the same tion of high-quality materials and fashion forward fluenced by creator Mossimo Giannulli, in its latest the Transporter II. tand bag is manufactured by renowned golf bag cturer Vessel and is full of features, including a ocket and lockable valuables pocket and weighs in .7kgs. tylish bag features YKZ zippers with genuine pulls and handle. Adding function to the stunning he Transporter II also incorporates a double um strap and Rotator Stand technology ered for stability.

99. Available February 2018. : To purchase the Transporter II bag and see the entire range visit, www.gfore.com

SIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!!

HOLE MORE? YES PLEASE There isn’t a golfer alive who wouldn’t like to hole more putts. And now a popular product bearing a simple name proven to do just that is available in Australia.

The Hole More Putts is a tablet sized, portable putting trainer that offers instant feedback on a player’s putting stroke and consistency, which when paired with the company’s website and App offers a more detailed analysis and personalised putting instruction aimed at correcting specific faults identified in your stroke.

Through patented infrared technology, the Hole More Putts measures face angle, impact point, path, angle of attack and peed and after just five putts produces a ‘Putting Index’ rcentage. A number that should improve when following the struction and practicing regularly with the unit, which can be used on the putting green, at home or even in the office.

RRP: $800 (plus delivery).

Contact: For more information about the Hole More Putts and to purchase visit, www.holemoreputts.com

hrome Soft has proven incredibly popular with levels. Utilising a Dual SoftFast Core, 4-piece n and optimized HEX aerodynamics, the ball ases in ball speed, spin and soft feel.

Now the company has added a unique spin on its Truvis pattern, which is designed for improved focus and visibility, giving the Chrome Soft a distinctly Australian flavour.

Launched in November, the Australian Truvis offers the same outstanding performance of the standard Chrome Soft but in a yellow ball with green panels featuring maps of Australia.

The bright colour makes it easy to see and there will be no mistaking your patriotic ball for another player’s pill.

RRP: $59.99 Contact: For more information and to find your nearest stockist phone 1800 217 777 or visit, www.callawaygolf.com.au

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P L AY I N G W

ODYSSEY TOULON DE INDIANAPO PUTTER Cost: $649.99. Tested by Emanuel, Golf Australia Handicap 9.4) MODEL PLAYED: Indianapolis with a SuperStroke grip.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Different. The ‘Indy’s’ X shaped design is not the style of putter head I would typically opt for. But when put behind the ball, and after a little time on the putting green, I got used to the look and came around. With the combination of the head shape, large line and contrasting look between the satin face and black rear of the putter being extremely easy to align.

HOW IT PERFORMED: Once I felt comfortable with the look of the putter, there was another

THE SPECS LEFT HANDED: The Indianapolis and Memphis Toulon putters are available left handed.

ODYSSEY SAYS: The line includes six models – four blades and two face-balanced mallets – representing a union of the finest materials, extraordinary craftsmanship, elegant visual appeal and cutting-edge technology.

One of the key visible features of each Toulon Design Putter is the new Deep Diamond Mill face pattern, precision-milled into the hitting surface of each soft 303 stainless steel head.

This new, innovative pattern effectively channels impact vibration away from your ears to produce a slightly softer, yet still crisp, solid sound with

THE VERDICT:

performance characteristic I struggled with. The feel off the putter face was firmer than my preference. Odyssey is known primarily for soft insert putters and the fact that the Indy had a slightly harder feel surprised me. Feel is a very personal thing of course and what I found firm others might think is perfect.

In terms of rolling putts, the Toulon was very impressive. The roll of the ball was consistent and seemed to get started quickly. In fact my speed with the Indy was as good as it has been in some time, a result that is generally a good indicator of a good roll off the face.

The alignment benefits of the head design came into their own the more time I spent with the putter and I could only lay blame on my

incredible feel.

One of the most visually striking designs in t 2017 Collection – Indianapolis – is a super-high MOI mallet inspired by the sleek beauty and envelope-pushing performance of Indy cars pa and present.

“The centre of the putter is where the engine of performance resides and our Deep Diamond Mill pattern is the result of lengthy and strenuou prototyping and testing with 25 different milling patterns,” said Senior Vice President/General Manager of Putters Sean Toulon.

Contact Callaway Golf to find out further detai about the entire Toulon Design range at www.odysseygolf.com.au or phone 1800 217 777.

“I loved the way it performed but struggled a little with the feel.”

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missed putts being misread. Similarly the ease to line up the face and the line on the putter with the line on the ball made short putts as close to a sure thing as they can be.

The deep milled face pattern adds to the Indianapolis’ alignment, clearly showing where the centre of the putter face is.

Overall, I loved the way the Indianapolis performed on the greens but continued to struggle a little with the feel of the putter, which might be slightly different to the rest of the Toulon range thanks to the variety of materials used to make the high-MOI head.

With some more time and a softer ball model I could easily overlook the feel if the putts kept going in

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PORTHMADOG GOLF CLUB

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Wales’ north-west coast is one of the underrated links golf regions of Great Britain. Our correspondents toured the region, soaking up the salty sea air and playing some amazing courses that fly under the travelling golfer’s radar.

WORDS ANDREW MARSHALL PHOTOGRAPHY PAUL MARSHALL

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Nefyn & District GC offers sea views from every hole as it treks out onto the headland.

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here’s something extra special about playing golf by the sea and most golfers travelling to the British Isles want to play links courses when they visit.

All the classic coastal ingredients are here in abundance – inspiring ocean views, crashing waves, rumpled fairways, undulating greens, tricky pot bunkers and a taste of salt in the sea air – the type of place where the golfing forefathers once strode the sheep-cropped turf with their hickory clubs and gutta percha golf balls.

When it comes to playing golf by the sea, the majority of golfers will think of Scotland’s Ayrshire coast, Ireland’s west coast or perhaps England’s Lancashire coast – but what follows is a journey to a lesser-known region, one that embraces a cluster of challenging seaside courses

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along the north-west coast of Wales between Nefyn on the Llŷn Peninsula and south to the thriving little harbour resort of Aberdovey – 75 miles of top-notch golf with a uniquely Welsh seaside flavour.

NEFYN & DISTRICT GOLF CLUB Dramatically positioned on cliff tops at the foot of the Porthdinllaen headland, that juts out from the Llŷn Peninsula into the Irish Sea, Nefyn & District Golf Club is the Welsh equivalent of Ireland’s Old Head of Kinsale, but much more affordable to play.

This spectacular cliff-top layout is a unique 27-hole course with sea views from every hole, consisting of the 18-hole, par-71 Old Course and the 9-hole par-33, New Course. The run of holes on the Old Course from the 12th onwards along

the peninsula – played into a howling wind with fairways and tees perched above secluded coves and tiny inlets on one side, and a sandy beach on the other – will live long in the memory regardless of your score or the weather.

If you fancy a quick pint before the final three holes, then take the footpath after the par-4 15th that leads down to Porthdinllaen Beach to enjoy a pint at the Ty Coch Inn with marvellous views across the bay to Mount Snowdon. www.nefyn-golf-club.co.uk PWLLHELI GOLF CLUB Set on the south-facing coastline of spectacular Cardigan Bay (an eight-mile drive across the other side of the Llŷn Peninsula) is Pwllheli Golf Club (pronounced Pwlh-hell-ee), situated on the outskirts of the friendly seaside town of the

The pretty par-3 10th hole at Pwllheli (top); the par-4 10th green at Porthmadog (below)

While playing Nefyn & District, enjoy a pint at the Ty Coch Inn on Porthdinllaen Beach.

Negotiating the turn on a calm day at Nefyn & District GC.

...FANCY A QUICK PINT BEFORE THE FINAL THREE HOLES ... TAKE THE FOOTPATH AFTER THE 15TH DOWN TO PORTHDINLLAEN BEACH TO THE TY COCH INN.

same name.

This interesting golf course is a tale of two halves, blending a collection of parkland holes (1-7) with a links back nine – the best of both worlds. Standing on the elevated tee of the par-4 8th, with the pebbly shoreline to your left, it is possible to time travel back to 1900 when legendary Old Tom Morris carved Pwllheli’s first nine holes out of the exposed links land bordering Traeth Crugan beach.

The layout was later extended to a full 18-holes in 1909 by another famous Scot of the time, five-time Open champion James Braid. Braid’s tree-lined fairways are routed through mature parkland, with the last of the inland holes, the tough 440-yard par-4 7th requiring two good hits to reach the putting surface. A memorable hole that typifies Pwllheli’s links section is the testing

197-yard par-3 10th, with the beach to the left, and beyond the green well-protected by deep-faced pot bunkers is a white-washed cottage adding to the picturesque scene as you play. www.clwbgolffpwllheli.com PORTHMADOG GOLF CLUB A 16-mile drive heading east along the coast takes you to Porthmadog Golf Club designed by James Braid in 1905. Like the aforementioned course, this is another hybrid mix of a parkland/ heathland front nine and a links inward half set on a headland at Morfa Bychar, three miles from the attractive harbour town of Porthmadog.

The golf course is something of a split personality – and, although the front nine is decent enough, it’s after playing the downhill par-3 9th and crossing the road to tee off on the

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The green of the picturesque par-4 12th hole at Porthmadog with fabulous coastal views.

OFF-COURSE ATTRACTIONS Whether travelling solo, with a partner or all the family, north Wales has plenty to keep everyone busy away from the golf course.

The number one activity in the area, if you are moderately fit, is to walk to the summit of Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales standing 1,085 metres above sea level. You can hike up one of six routes (ranging in distance and difficulty) and come down another, or hike up and take the Snowdon Mountain Railway back down.

North Wales is also making a name for itself in the world of adventure activities. On the flanks of Snowdonia National Park, Zip World’s Velocity at Penryhn Slate Quarry in Bethesda, is the world’s fastest zip line and the longest in Europe with two 150-metre high courses that enable riders to exceed 161 km/h, while Zip World’s Titan at

AS YOU PLAY, THERE ARE SPLENDID VIEWS OF THE BROODING PRESENCE OF THE 13TH-CENTURY HARLECH CASTLE. par-4 10th, that the feel and landscape totally changes into 9-holes of memorable links golf.

Before hitting off from the elevated tee of the par3 13th, make sure to take a few moments to soak in the stunning panorama of Samson’s Bay on one side and the coastline extending back towards Pwllheli on the other – it’s worth the green fee alone. www.porthmadog-golf-club.co.uk ROYAL ST. DAVID’S GOLF CLUB Situated around the other side of the Glaslyn Estuary from Porthmadog, on the outskirts of Harlech is Royal St. David’s Golf Club established in 1894.

“Small wonder if the visitor falls in love with Harlech at first sight,” wrote Bernard Darwin

The stunning dunescape surrounding the 15th hole at Royal St. David’s GC.

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in The Golf Courses of the British Isles, “for no golf course in the world has a more splendid background than the old castle, which stands at the top of a sheer precipice of rock looking down over the links.”

As you play, there are splendid views of the brooding presence of the 13th-century Harlech Castle and a backdrop of the Snowdon Mountains beyond. Royal St. David’s is known for its series of long demanding par-4 holes (seven are over 400 yards) and five short holes, which vary in length and direction, and it’s fair to say your score has to be made on the outward nine as the course just gets stronger and tougher on the inward half.

Notable holes include the gorgeous par-3 11th played through a gap in the dunes to a blind

Llechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog offers Europe’s first four-person line – perfect for thrill seeking families.

Another major attraction in the region is the narrow gauge heritage Ffestiniog Mountain Railway (the oldest independent railway company in the world run by volunteers), which is roughly 20km long and runs from Porthmadog to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, travelling through forested and mountainous countryside.

Wales is blessed with castles (there are over a 100 still standing, either as ruins or restored buildings), and spectacularly sited 13th-century Harlech Castle is a must-visit in the north-west region. After exploring this World Heritage site, allow some time to build your own castle with the kids on Harlech Beach situated beyond the dunes at Royal St. David’s Golf Club. www.visitwales.com

EAT ESCAPE A GRSecluded Luxury

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Jim and Sharon Benn offer you: 1 Personalised interest tours of King Island 1 Golf Tours and Transfers 1 Sight seeing, bird watching, shipwreck tours.

Fully catered tours (1 to 4 days) using King Island produce.

Buses for small to large groups.

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ENQUIRE NOW - FREE QUOTE M: 0429 709 864 P: (03) 6462 1938 E: jimbenn53@hotmail.com Please mark enquiries - Bus Tour

Need Accommodation? Henry’s Hidaway and The Croft cater for up to eight guests, are side by side and just a short stroll from central Currie. An ideal choice. Enquiries: see above.

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King Island Golf & Bowling Club Inc

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The golf course was established in 1932. Located in Owen Smith Drive, Currie - a five minute walk to King Island’s CBD. Green fees - $30 for nine holes - $40 for 18 holes - includes buggy hire. Tee times can be booked via our website.

Golfers with a GA handicap are welcome to join the member’s competition held each Saturday - hit off at 11am.

The annual King Island Open Golf Championship (36 holes) is held during the first weekend in November.

Full bar facilities are available during Clubhouse opening hours and our on site Chinese restaurant is open 6 days per week.

Visit us at www.golfkingisland.com | e: kingislandgolfbowling@gmail.com | p: (03) 6462 1126

Royal St.David’s has been touted as a future Open Championship venue.

green, and the stern signature par-4 15th where two precise shots are called for to reach the green hidden in a hollow. Royal St.David’s represents good value for money, especially if you can book a day rate or a twilight tee time after 3pm. www.royalstdavids.co.uk ABERDOVEY GOLF CLUB A quirky way to reach the final course of our north Wales coastal quintet (especially if you are using Harlech as your golfing base) is to catch the train from Harlech station to Aberdovey.

The 75-minute journey is not only very scenic, hugging the coastline and stopping at quaint seaside towns and villages en-route, but once you arrive at Aberdovey, it’s literally only a short

chip shot’s walk away to the course on the other side of the train track.

Golf has been played on this narrow strip of links land wedged between beach and railway line since 1892, and three of the legendary architects of the early 20th-century – namely Harry Colt, James Braid and Herbert Fowler have all played a part in shaping Aberdovey.

There’s no better way to finish off a round at this old-fashioned out-and-back links especially if the sun is shining, than to enjoy a beer on the clubhouse balcony overlooking the 1st and 18th holes. Adjacent to the clubhouse is a dormy bungalow accommodation facility for golfers to stay on site. www.aberdoveygolf.co.uk

HARRY COLT, JAMES BRAID AND HERBERT FOWLER HAVE ALL PLAYED A PART IN SHAPING ABERDOVEY.

Aberdovey GC from the air.

Aberdovey’s superb par-3 3rd hole leaves little room for error.

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b u l C d n a l s I g n i K e Th 8 NETHERBY ROAD, CURRIE, KING ISLAND T: 03 6462 1124 F: 03 6462 1306 E: admin@kiclub.com.au

icensed venue, able to cater for all occasions.

Visitors are extremely welcome and encouraged to use the clubs facilities, and take advantage of the warm country atmosphere.

The bistro offers a very attractive menu with local choice cuts and seafood, combined with a windswept roaring forties flavour.

The large function room has the capacity to seat 150 plus for any special occasions.

Other features include: ) (

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G E T A W AY S

Barnbougle Lost Farm is the No.3 ranked public access course in Australia.

TASSIE ADVENTURES Here’s a thought: Why not arrive in style on the trip of a lifetime to some of Australia’s best golf courses?

Air Adventure Australia has been operating outback air safaris to remote destinations in Australia since 1977. While Air Adventure Golf Tours specialises in remote Tasmanian golf trips.

Its four-day, four-round Barnbougle and King Island trips are extremely popular and make the seemingly impossible, incredibly seamless and easy.

Based at Essendon Airport, parking and check-in is simple. No long check-in queues, waiting at the baggage carousel, or other typical airport rigmarole. The adventure begins the moment you arrive with your mates.

For those wanting the ultimate Tasmanian golf adventure, the four-day, four-round deluxe tour allows you to play: Barnbougle Dunes, Lost Farm, Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes all in one seamless trip of a lifetime.

At $2,075, packages include everything except meals and drinks. While a two-day golf package is also available at $950 per person.

These tours represent remarkable value for service and experience. They also allow you to maximise your time on the course and

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minimise your time wasted in transit.

Flights to King Island on private Cessna Conquests take only 35 minutes from Essendon Airport – and Barnbougle Airfield can be reached in 45 minutes. Therefore, in the time it takes to just check-in at the major

domestic airports, golfers on Air Adventure Golf Tours will already be lining up their first tee shot.

For more information, including further benefits of travelling with Air Adventure, visit golf.airadventure.com.au or call 1800 033 160

DREAMS OF THE SEA Luxury yachts are often thought to be the preserve of the rich and famous. However a cruise on board Seadream II is definitely within your league.

The Seadream II (pictured above) experience is one to savour. With a maximum guest count of only 112 and 95 staff, this near oneto-one passenger to staff ratio guarantees a high standard of personal service. It is also all inclusive so once on board you can simply sit back, relax and enjoy.

Trendsetter Travel and Cruise Centre has designed a best-of-the-best golf package in conjunction with the Rome to Barcelona itinerary, commencing September 27 for 14 nights.

You’ll have the chance to play eight or 10

courses – including the former Spanish Open host, Club Golf de Real El Prat (pictured left) – at the time of the year perfectly comfortable for great scoring … that’s if you can concentrate amidst beautiful scenery and some stunning views at a new course just about every day.

Then after a great game of golf, return to home where a welcome champagne or beer awaits you. What could be better?

The cruise is not just about golf, with plenty of time to sightsee, and non-golfing partners are equally welcome.

The full itinerary can be found at www.trendsettertravel.com.au/GC7.

For more information, including prices, contact David Cooper at Trendsetter Travel david@trendsettertravel.com.au or 0413 010 638.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED X 3; GETTY IMAGES; BRENDAN JAMES (NOOSA SPRINGS.

GOLDEN TICKETS The Sunshine Coast boasts some of the most enjoyable golf courses in Queensland. And four of the very best are now accessible at discounted rates thanks to Sunshine Coast Golf Pass.

You’ll save up to 20 percent on green fees and play rounds in a shared cart at Noosa Springs (pictured), Pelican Waters, Peregian Golf Course and Twin Waters.

Golfers can purchase a Golf Pass and build an itinerary within a few quick clicks on the website listed below. Better yet, they can do so guilt free, knowing their non-golfing partners will be kept entertained by all that’s on offer in one of Australia’s best holiday regions.

The passes are valid for 12 months and cost $319 per person.

For more information, visit golfsunshinecoast.com. au or email bookings@golfsunshinecoast.com.au

golf australia | JANUARY 2018 155

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFER’S MARKETPLACE CALL 0412 327 886 G O L F H O L I DAY S

G O L F H O L I DAY S

VICTORIA

VICTORIA

Golfers Resort Yarrawonga

GLENN MC CULLY Golf Schools

Luxury self contained accommodation 2-7 Day Golf Packages Summer and Winter specials

3 and 5 Day Schools Group, Private & Beginner Formats from $525 pp. twin share

www.golfersresort.com.au

www.golfersresort.com.au

info@golfersresort.com.au 03 5744 1994

info@golfersresort.com.au 03 5744 1994

THE 2018 US MASTERS

TOURNAMENT

■■■■■■■

APRIL 2018

■■■■■■■

CHOOSE FROM SEVERAL PACKAGES 1 DAY TO 5 DAYS - FROM $A1,050

South Coast Golf Tours With our all-inclusive packages, we take care of you from start to finish. Let us create and deliver the very best golf experience on the south coast of New South Wales.

Fully Escorted by an experienced Australian Tour Manager.

All inclusive package (not airfare). Entrance tickets to Augusta National Golf Club, accommodation, transfers, and more.

Make your golf experience to the New South Wales Sapphire Coast the ONLY golf experience.

Established over 21 years ago we have been running US Masters tours every year since 1997.

We have the experience and local knowledge to make your US Masters Tour unforgettable.

Stay in a quality Hotel less than 1 mile from Augusta National with over 6 restaurants close by.

ATFS also provides you with official US masters gifts. ATFS plan, run and escort the tour and do not just tag along with some US tour agent and we are a sports specialist Australian Travel Agent so your money is protected with the Australian Travel Compensation Fund.

PACKAGES ARE LIMITED SO IT IS BEST TO BOOK AS SOON AS YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO BE PART OF HISTORY.

AUSTRALIAN TOURS FOR SPORT www.atfs.com.au

Tel: 1800 806 879

P.O. Box 512 Merimbula NSW 2548

t: 0434 291 173

e: info@southcoastgolftours.com

www.southcoastgolftours.com

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFER’S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

G O L F H O L I DAY S / C OAC H I N G

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at Loxton Hotel one of SAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great country pubs!

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GOLF STAY & PLAY Package includes: 2 nights stay at well appointed 4 star property including daily breakfast and EXCLUSIVE complimentary upgrade offer* and an 18 hole round of golf including cart at Gerringong Golf Club.

2 Night Packages $349pp Twin Share Midweek Specials of $329pp apply

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P L AC E

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rated property only a short walk to quirky cafes, beaches, unique shopping.

• Central to TheBellarines great golf courses + wineries, farm gates, many other attractions.

• A range of accommodation - Studio, 1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom.

P 03 5254 1066 Barwon Heads VIC www.seahavenvillage.com.au

Personally tailored packages on application.

COURSES SELECTED FROM Cape Schanck - Devil Bend - Eagle Ridge - Flinders Mornington - Portsea - Rosebud Country Club Rosebud Public - Sorrento - St Andrews - The Dunes

Extra Fee Applies For Moonah Links / The National All within 25 kilometres. For further enquiries and bookings

ROSEBUD MOTEL 1869 Point Nepean Road Rosebud West VIC 3941 T: 03 5985 2041 F: 03 5985 6626 E: rosebudmotel@bigpond.com W: www.rosebudmotel.net.au Price based on twin share Seasonal Adjustments Apply

From US$

packages

Book early & save

- Guaranteed Masters Badges - hotel - merchandise - tour host 2, 3 & 6 night options Prices start from US$1,990

Tours - Guaranteed Masters Badges - hotel - merchandise - tour host Play Torrey Pines, Aviara, FOREST HILLS & WOODSIDE 6 & 9 night options prices start from US$6,290

Join over 70 Fanatic golf fans at the us masters!

www.thefanatics.com 1300 326 284

payment options available in aud or USD prices twin share & valid at time of publication

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFER’S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFER’S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

GOLF ACCESSORIES

FIND-A-BALL GOLF GLASSES

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The glasses are designed to block out the majority of light creating a very clever way of locating your white or yellow balls easily. The balls appear brighter in your vision thus making it easier to see your ball.

The benefits are fewer lost balls meaning fewer penalty strokes and less frustration, better score, more enjoyment, and reduced time spent holding up play looking for lost balls.

The Find-a-Ball golf glasses come complete with moulded zip up carry case that can clip onto your bag, and also a cleaning cloth

$29.50 plus

Postage & Handling For more information or to order visit our website www.golfscene.com.au or call us on 1300

* Displays club head acceleration and ball impact * Provides real-time audio feedback as you swing * Includes a benchmark library of your best swings

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TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

TO ADVERTISE IN GOLFERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MARKETPLACE CALL DAVID MULLINS ON 0412 327 886

G O L F AC C E S S O R I E S / H O L I DAY S / S E R V I C E S

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GOLF IS GOOD

E XC LU S I V E BY A N D R E W DA D D O | G O L F AU S T R A L I A C O LUMNI S T

IT’S A FUNNY GAME, ISN’T IT! on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Like Kennedy Bay, it’s links golf, but not quite as hard. But still, many have walked off this bluff jutting into the Pacific literally unhinged.

I’ve turned up for the Saturday comp to play with random partners and an open mind. It’s not a grudge fest, there’s been no months of planning and honing a stinger or a zinger or a Rudolf (the shot that’s so bloody good it lights you up). It was just a matter of playing golf with members; an afternoon game, which I generally avoid because that’s generally when the wind gets up.

In the group was Adam, a new Longie member.

Tania, who I’ve played with before and is managing her downward slide from five with aplomb, and Mike the metronome.

Funny game!

I should have videoed Mike’s swing and shared it with you as a Chrissy gift. He was so peaceful and calm. In fact, it’s exactly how we’d probably like to have our Christmases, not the harried, stressed, ‘boy, oh boy, isn’t this fun? Why am I drinking at nine o’clock in the morning?’

On the 1st tee, I actually thought he was taking the piss. He was so smooth and methodical it didn’t seem real. His putting was like his chipping which was like his driving which mirrored his bunker play.

Everything was so considered and careful and had such beautiful tempo.

Tania noticed it first. She said, ‘Oh, my

Lord. Have you noticed his tempo? How does he do that?’

To which I said, ‘Prozac.’

And we laughed like five-year-olds behind our hands because it felt kind of mean in a good way. But later, after he’d been hitting darts for six holes, we regrouped and realised he did look and sound like he was on beta-blockers. I put that to him and he smirked, saying lots of people thought that. “But no, it’s just swing easy, you know?”

Because we’d been taking so much notice of Mike, we hadn’t really been thinking too much about our own games. I hadn’t, anyway. But he was infectious, without realising, I’d started trying to swing like Mike. Waiting just a fraction longer at the top, being a little smoother through the ball, a little cooler in the berating of bad shots.

It was amazing.

Ten days prior, I’d tried to beat the ball and my opponent into oblivion, only to be destroyed. On this day, at Long Reef, simply trying to groove the ball around the course like Mike resulted in the greatest game of my life.

True anxiety arrived on the 18th tee when Adam asked if I knew my score. I told him if he told me I would punch his face in, and so the world returned to its normal axis.

It was epic, we all won at least one ball in the comp!

Season’s greetings, may someone bring you a metronome.

SIMPLY TRYING TO GROOVE THE BALL AROUND THE COURSE ... RESULTED IN THE GREATEST GAME OF MY LIFE.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

HILARIOUS, actually. Like, there are moments when it’s turned me inside out and had me ready to wet my pants with myrrh and then, there’re those other days.

Where some days are gifts, and others you just want to gift the game away, and after nearly 40 years at the rubber end of the club, a light may have dawned. We are passengers in this game, it’s as much about us as the forces around us.

And oh, ho ho, that’s what makes golf so bloody funny.

Put it this way. I had been looking forward to a game booked six months prior at Links Kennedy Bay, south of Perth. It’s a brute of a course, but it’s also a beauty. True links, as the name suggests, awkward, almost rude pot bunkers scattered throughout the course and 17 of the 18 greens are raised.

It’s properly hard.

The scene was set for a rematch with an old foe who hits it looooong and straight.

I’d decided to hit it longer and straighter.

Apart from anything else, it’s what the course requires. So, Christian, my newfound nemesis starts off long, and not too straight.

I start with straight, but not terribly long. He had to get straighter, I had to get longer.

As he achieved his goal, I began to fail: The longer I tried to hit it, the wider it started to go. The worse I got, the better he became, something he got fairly jolly about. And as much as my bad play contributed to the flogging, it was clear Christian beat me between the ears.

As it turned out, the entire field did, too …

96 strokes in the Wednesday stroke round from the white tees, which were up the front.

Move forward 10 whole days to Long Reef

162 JANUARY 2018 | golf australia

VI SI O N F OR S UCCE SS F E AT U R I N G

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