Golf Asia - 2012 Jun

A PUBLICATION OF

MICA (P) No.066/02/2012

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CONTENTS

JUNE 2012

96 14 Foreword 18 Teebox ••

Kuchar Captures Players Championship

•• A Royal Showdown 22 Scene •• Superstar Superstitions •• The Sea Bear •• Eighth Wonders •• Victory For The Genuine Architect 41 Gearguide

18

•• Drive Buys •• Drivers: The Story Of The Test By Numbers •• Why The Long shaft?

•• Adjust Or Bust 70 Instruction •• Drive Your Game To New Heights

28 4 Golf Asia

CONTENTS

JUNE 2012

122 75 Vacation •• Brunei: A Kingdom Of

Unexpected Treasures

95 Escape •• Golf Coast Vietnam Has It All 102 Directory 107 Luxe Lifestye •• Timepieces •• Ticker Finesse •• Style: Sweet Luxuries •• Grooming: Burst Of Summer

110

•• Gadgets •• Style: A Dashing Touch •• Inspiration

119 6 Golf Asia

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VELOCITY IS DISTANCE VELOCITY IS DISTANCE VELOCITY IS DISTANCE

NEW

TM

SUPERMAN HR 4-PIECE

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SPECIFICATIONS FOR MENS

FOR LADIES

Loft (deg)

9

10

11

Lie (deg)

57

58

59

Face (deg)

H 1.0

H 2.0

H 3.0

Length (inch)

46

44

Color

Gold

Weight (gram)

294

282

274

Flex

SR

L1

L

Swing Weight

D3

C2

C1

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49

46

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L1

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contributors CONTRIBUTORS

Ken Lye is a keen golfer and currently plays off a 2 handicap.

He loves golf and pretty much all things related to golf. He is a ‘quasi’ equipment junkie and especially loves travelling for golf! With a penchant for the rules of golf, Ken is also a qualified SGA Rules Official.

Since passing the R & A Rules Exam in 2005, Ken has refereed at professional golf events as well as certain major regional amateur events. Aside from his love of golf, Ken is a former investment banker who now runs his own business in finance and consulting.

Natasha Wong started playing golf some 10 years ago and has developed a self-confessed love-hate relationship with the game. These days, she plays off a 9-handicap and encounters a daily battle to curb her over-swing. Aside from being an ardent supporter of women’s golf, Natasha is also passionate about golf travel and photography.

Armed with her camera, this amateur photographer is constantly seeking the elusive perfect golf shot… no pun intended!

Justine Moss is the principal consultant of Jay Jay Communications, an Asia Pacific communications and language consulting, training and coaching business based in Singapore. Justine has over 17 years’ experience in communications and media industries, having lived and worked in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Justine regularly writes for print, audio and internet including voiceover, hosting and narration scripts, media releases, feature articles and website features.

10 Golf Asia

Jim Banting Founder of an online golfing travel service offering golfing experiences of a lifetime, “golfinbritain. com” as well as “e-Digital” a company specialising in strategic consultancy, creative services and designs for web applications, computer graphics, packaging and book publishing. Golf has been in Jim’s blood from a very early age and he has played many great courses in Europe, America and Australia. A singlefigure golfer for over 30 years, Jim remains one of the few people in the world who has played all 100 of the top courses in Great Britain and a total of over 900 different courses worldwide.

James Sharpe has been a contributor for Golf Asia since 2005. When he’s not scouring Singapore for the latest restaurants and snazziest gadgets, he lectures writing at Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Film & Media Studies.

When not working, James enjoys family life with his sons, the odd bit of Sailing and scooting about on his beloved Vespa.

VELOCITY IS DISTANCE VELOCITY IS DISTANCE VELOCITY IS DISTANCE

NEW

TM

SUPERMAN HR 4-PIECE

FORGED TITANIUM MADE IN JAPAN

SPECIFICATIONS FOR MENS

FOR LADIES

Loft (deg)

9

10

11

Lie (deg)

57

58

59

Face (deg)

H 1.0

H 2.0

H 3.0

Length (inch)

46

44

Color

Gold

Weight (gram)

294

282

274

Flex

SR

L1

L

Swing Weight

D3

C2

C1

Weight (gram)

50

49

46

Shaft Flex

SR, R1

L1

L

Torque

4.9

5.2

6.0

FOR MENS

Superman: TM & © DC Comics (s11)

• 545 ORCHARD ROAD #02-18/19/2, FAR EAST Tel: (65) 6884 9575 SHOPPING CENTRE SINGAPORE 238883 Fax: (65) 6884 9576 • ISETAN SCOTTS GOLF DEPT.(3RD LEVEL) facebook.com/golfleisure www.golfleisure.com.sg

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golfing for Ewor d

scene

a renewed beginning

G

olf Asia magazine has been around a long time, far longer than most magazines. That, to me at least, is quite an achievement in this trying economy, when titles can just come and go in a spate of a few years.

Throughout its existence, the look, feel and content of Golf Asia magazine has evolved to meet changes in market trends, the changing needs of our partners and to stay relevant to our readers.

The formula of the magazine however, has remained largely the same, to provide timely news of the golfing world, from the tours and the manufacturers as well as suggesting great golfing destinations to you. On top of that, we believe that golfing is not just a leisurely activity or a sport, but it is a lifestyle and one that personifies a golfer. It is the sum of all things that embodies a person who plays the gentlemen’s game and most of the time, in more ways than one.

Besides the weird tan lines, air swings involving an imaginary club, the late nights spent watching major championships, and seemingly unintelligible lingo encompassing birds and the rigidity of shafts, how else can we tell a golfer apart from everyone else? The upturned back of a polo-tee collar is a good sign, next is the ionic necklace or magnetic bracelet or timepiece on their wrist, the make of which would more often than not, have an association with the game. The sense of style on and off the course sets the modern golfer apart from predecessors as well.

Hence the new look Golf Asia magazine, where golf is presented true to its roots and as it was meant to be, sophisticated and stylish.

Ben Poon ben@regentmedia.sg

14 Golf Asia

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t e e b ox • s c e n e • g e a rg u i d e • i n s t ru c t i o n

golfing tee box

Kuchar Captures Players Championship “What an amazing feeling to hoist this trophy and win among one of the strongest fields in golf”

A

merican Matt Kuchar kept his composure while others around him caved under the pressure to win The Players Championship tournament

by two shots.

Kuchar closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 13-under-par 275 for his fourth win on the USPGA Tour. Of the four wins, it is by far the biggest title of his career.

“What an amazing feeling to hoist this trophy and win among one of the strongest fields in golf,” Kuchar said. “To come out on top, to do it on Mother’s Day ... it really is magical.”

Martin Laird rolled in five birdies in a seven-hole stretch from the seventh to grab a share of the lead. But Laird closed with a bogey for a five-under 67 at the TPC Sawgrass. Laird shared second place at 11-under-par 277 with Zach Johnson (68), Ben Curtis (68) and Rickie Fowler (70).

Luke Donald closed with a six-under 66 to end alone in sixth at minus-nine. He needed a solo fourth or better to regain the world No. 1 ranking. Third-round leader Kevin Na stumbled to a four-over 76 as he dropped into a tie for seventh place at eight-under-par 280. American Na was trying to be the first 54-hole leader to win the title since Canada’s 18 Golf Asia

Matt hugs his children Cameron and Carson after holing the winning putt.

Matt Kuchar (right) poses with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchen (left).

Stephen Ames did so in 2006.

Na had a three-shot cushion early in the fourth round with a birdie on the second hole, but he fell apart. Na said he was heckled at almost every hole Sunday because of his reputation for playing slowly.

“It is what it is,” Na said. “I do need to work on what I need to. I do need to work on my pre-shot routine. I do need to play faster. But the average golfer has no clue how much pressure we’re playing under and how tough it is and how much of a

Rickie Fowler finished 2nd fresh off a victory at Quail Hollow.

fight it is mentally. I honestly think with all that going on, I did pretty well fighting. I had a good fight. I hung in there, so you know what, I just take the positives from it.”

Things reached a boiling point for the affable Na who tried to reason with some unruly spectators. “I backed off and they’re booing me,” Na said. “I said, ‘Look, guys, I backed off because of you guys.’ ... But it is what it is. I also felt that a lot of people were turning towards me and pulling for me, which I really appreciate.” a

Na Struggles With Swing Issues

T

he 28-year-old American of Korean heritage, nagged by swing issues, saw him waggle and hesitate before hitting shots. “Because I change my balance there is a lot going on,” Na said. “It’s a tough situation. I’m working on it. I’m trying. It’s getting better little by little. Hopefully it will go away by the end of the year.”

Na’s troubles were typified at the 14th tee where he hesitated, made a complete swing well above the ball, began another swing only to stop and yell at himself, then finally smashed the ball deftly into the fairway. Adding to the pressure was the fact that Na was put on the clock by tournament officials on the back nine and given a time warning for slow play with another bringing a one-shot penalty.

“When I back off, I know it’s frustrating,” Na said. “I’m screaming at myself to pull the trigger. All I can do is what’s best for me and do what I can. I just have to forget it when I back off. At times I feel like I’m cornered, I can’t back off again.”

“You have to put that (stroke hesitation) aside and play your game,” Na said. “I have to take all the things I have learned and play my best.”

Final round scores of the US$9.5 million US PGA Players Championship (USA unless noted, par-72): 275 - Matt Kuchar 68-68-69-70 277 - Martin Laird (SCO) 65-73-72-67, Zach Johnson 70-66-73-68, Rickie Fowler 72-69-66-70, Ben Curtis 68-71-70-68 279 - Luke Donald (ENG) 72-69-72-66 280 - Bo Van Pelt 71-70-70-69, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 68-74-68-70, Kevin Na 67-69-68-76 281 - David Toms 69-74-73-65, Carl Pettersson (SWE) 71-72-69-69 282 - Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 70-73-70-69, Blake Adams 66-73-72-71, Jonathan Byrd 68-70-72-72 283 - Bob Estes 73-69-76-65, Peter Hanson (SWE) 73-71-71-68, Spencer Levin 74-68-72-69, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 71-71-71-70, Adam Scott (AUS) 68-70-74-71, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 69-71-72-71, Martin Kaymer (GER) 7369-70-71, David Mathis 72-71-69-71 284 - Chris Couch 72-71-71-70, John Huh 75-66-72-71

Golf Asia 19

golfing tee box

A Royal Showdown

By Ken and Natasha Lye • Photos © Singapore Ladies Golf Association

Also known as the Asia-Pacific Ladies Team Championship, the Queen Sirikit Cup’s alumni is impressive and includes some of the biggest names in professional golf.

T

he stage was set for a clash of the titans when an illustrious breed of amateur champions rocked up at the 34th Queen Sirikit Cup. Current world no.1 female amateur Lydia Ko from New Zealand, reigning Callaway World Junior Champion Hyo-Joo Kim from South Korea, top Aussie female amateur Breanna Elliott and US Girls Championship finalist Dottie Ardina from the Philippines featured in a field of elite players from across the region.

Each year, 14 countries and regions from the Asia-Pacific send 3 of their top female amateurs to battle it out for country honours. The top two scores from the team are used to determine the team’s

20 Golf Asia

daily score. There is also a much-coveted individual title for the best performer over the 3-day tournament.

The first day of the championship kicked off to an exciting start, with Lydia and Hyo-Joo each chalking up a handful of birdies and returning impressive 69s for their respective teams. The tough conditions on Day 2 proved to be a challenge for most of the field, with the least number of birdies generated that day.

In spite of the difficult conditions, Hyo-Joo, the stalwart of the Korean team bagged an impressive 9 birdies, shooting the tournament’s lowest score.

The South Korean team continued on their push to retain the Queen Sirikit Cup on the final day. Kyu-Jung

Baek, the winner of the 2011 Korean Women’s Amateur shot a bogey-free 6-under par 66 to push South Korea into certain victory. New Zealand, who was 4th after the 2nd day, charged up the leaderboard, with Australia fumbling to an aggregate 4-over par on the final day, the 5-shot swing propelled New Zealand back into 2nd place.

The individual title went to Hyo-Joo who finally tamed her nemesis 18th hole to finish off with a par, scoring a 2-under 70. Defending individual champion, Dottie Ardina of the Philippines put paid to her attempt for a final day charge up the leader board when she sprained her ankle just before the start of her final round. In spite of

Results of the 34th Queen Sirikit Cup Team Results (Aggregate of 2 Best Scores over 3 Days) 1st South Korea 413 (-19) 2nd New Zealand 438 (+6) 3rd Australia 440 (+8) 4th Philippines 444 (+12) 5th Malaysia 445 (+13) 6th Thailand 446 (+14) 6th China 446 (+14) 8th Indonesia 449 (+17) 9th Japan 452 (+20) 10th India 457 (+25) 11th Chinese Taipei 458 (+26) 12th Hong Kong 470 (+38) 13th Singapore 476 (+44)

The victorious team from South Korea.

Koh Sock Hwee

Team China

her injury, she played a commendable 76 and remained the best performer for the team from the Philippines.

In spite of the home-ground advantage, hosts Singapore didn’t live up to their full potential finishing 13th in the 34th Queen Sirikit Cup. The country’s best performer Koh Sock Hwee had this to say, “It was a better round for me personally. But overall, my performance, as well as the entire Singapore team, was way below our expectations. We struggled in the last three days, and in particular, exam pressure was setting in (Sock Hwee was sitting for an exam the morning after the tournament). Our inexperience showed in our mental game.” a

Dottie Ardina

** Sri Lanka did not field a team this year’s Queen Sirikit Cup.

TOP 10 Individuals (3-Day Aggregate) 1st Hyo-Joo Kim SOUTH KOREA - 204 (-12) 2nd Lydia Ko NEW ZEALAND - 210 (-6) 3rd Kyu-Jung Baek SOUTH KOREA - 211 (-5) 4th Whitney Hillier AUSTRALIA - 215 (-1) 5th Shi Yuting CHINA - 218 (+2) 6th Chae-Yoon Park SOUTH KOREA - 218 (+2) 7th Tatiana Wijaya INDONESIA - 222 (+6) 8th Aretha Pan MALAYSIA - 223 (+7) 9th Dottie Ardina PHILIPPINES - 223 (+7) 10th Pinrath Loomboonruang THAILAND - 224 (+8)

Golf Asia 21

golfing scene

Superstar Superstitions Lucky coins, 1st tee smooches, tuna melts and totally red shirts – we reveal the quirkiest rituals of 10 top players Red or dead The most famous clothing item in golf is back. No, not Ian Poulter’s Union flag trousers, Tiger Woods’ completely red Sunday shirt. “My mum thinks red is some kind of power colour for Capricorns,” reveals the 14-time Major winner, who flirted with red and black shirts for a couple of seasons before returning to bright red in 2012. “I think you should always listen to your mum,” he says.

Two’s not company A number of top pros shun No.3 balls, as they believe they prompt three-putts, but Adam Scott has another no-go number. “I don’t use number two balls,” he reveals.

“I didn’t really like using them, then a few years ago at Bay Hill, I got a new ball on the 6th tee. I saw it was a two, but I

22 Golf Asia

said, "Oh, well, I'm going to hit it anyway." I hit a quick hook into the water. That was the last time I hit a two in an event.” bye birdie ball Ernie Els avoids No.2s and has another ball-related quirk. “I always switch balls after making a birdie,” says Els. “There is only one birdie in every ball,” he explains.

Mighty white Twenty-times PGA Tour winner Doug Sanders avoided white tees, as he viewed them as unlucky, but Colin Montgomerie believes the complete opposite. “Red and yellow signify water hazards and white signifies the boundaries,” explains the Scot. “I usually keep the ball within the boundary of the course, so I avoid red and yellow tees and use white ones.”

Go green “I’m a little bit superstitious,” admits LPGA star Christina Kim. Not only does she never have anything in her left pocket, always get to the practice ground exactly 90 minutes before her

tee time and never go anywhere without her lucky ball marker, she also always wears a little bit of green. “It reminds me to hit the green. Feel green, live green and be green.”

LEVIN'S LESSONS PGA Tour player Spencer Levin only uses balls numbered one or three, only uses a driver, 5-iron and 8-iron on the range, and always carries three pennies in his pocket. But not just any pennies.

“The years have to be 2002 or 2004, as they were both good for me,” says Levin.

“Or 65, because that’s a good score. I never used pennies from the mid 70s or low 80s. And whenever I mark my ball the head on the coin has to be facing the hole."

Mind over metal “There isn't any technology better than believing in yourself,” reckons legend

Amy Alcott. Which is why she shunned lucrative club deals in favour of playing with irons she’d had for 17 years, a putter she got from mini golf and a 7-wood she found in a barrel when she was 14.

“Maybe I’m a little eccentric,” she smiles.

“But those clubs had been good to me.

They made me a lot of money and, most importantly, I knew how to use them."

Winning menu Today’s golfers are athletes and they eat healthily… until they decide bad food equals good vibes. At this year’s WGC Accenture Matchplay Hunter Mahan won after eating the same things every day.

Starting on Wednesday, he had a tuna melt with Swiss cheese and fried avocado for lunch and buffalo tacos and eggplant soup for dinner. "Hunter kept eating that because he felt so good on the course and figured it was good energy,” explained his wife Kandi.

coin chaos Hear the one about the ‘lucky’ coin that lost Poulter US$558,000? The incident occurred when the Englishman dropped his ball on his ball marker on the second hole of a play-off with Robert Karlsson for the 2010 Dubai World Championship.

“The ball pitched right on the front and the coin flipped over,” explains the 36 year old, who had his children’s names inscribed on the platinum coin. Poulter lost one shot for the infringement, leaving Karlsson two putts for the US$1,237,000 title. a

Bubba lips in He uses a pink-shafted driver, he recently purchased the car from The Dukes of Hazzard and he wears a watch that’s bigger than some solar systems, so it’s surprising Bubba Watson has only one superstition. “The only thing I do before every round is give my wife a kiss on the 1st hole,” reveals the Floridian. What a guy.

‘I always switch balls after making a birdie. There is only one birdie in every ball’ ernie els

Golf Asia 23

golfing scene

The Sea Bear

By Justine Moss

S

tepping onto the magnificently luxurious Sea Bear is a golden opportunity for any avid golfer wanting to get up close and personal with some of the equipment that played a huge part in Jack Nicklaus’ illustrious career. The ‘floating museum’ houses 36 unique original and replica pieces which were hand selected by the Golden Bear and his wife Barbara from his museum in Ohio, USA. These include the White Fang putter that Nicklaus began to use in June 1967 and played a major role in a number of victories including the 1967 US Open; the MacGregor Tommy Armour SS1 ‘Diamond Back’ irons which won him five majors and the 1961 U.S. Amateur; and the original 1967 MacGregor ‘VIP by Nicklaus’ irons used to win seven major championships from 1967 to 1975.

24 Golf Asia

While these might steal some of the boat’s thunder, it is the pure opulence of the Sea Bear Westport 130 that is quite breathtaking. The 40-metre vessel has three decks and sleeps 10 in its five staterooms, which have been themed after Nicklaus’ major championships. The main deck has a large saloon, dining room and fully equipped galley with adjoining casual dining alcove and the spacious master stateroom with tub, separate shower with double showerheads and two toilets.

Outdoors on the aft deck is an expansive space including a wet bar, while the pilothouse on the upper deck features a Sky Lounge and there is a Jacuzzi that can accommodate six to eight people.

The Sea Bear, based in

Singapore, is in the process of obtaining its full sailing licence, and golf & cruise packages to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand will be available from mid 2012.

A sample itinerary for a trip to Nongsa, Batam, Indonesia (priced from approximately S$3,200++ per person, for a group of 10 - terms and conditions apply) includes:

HAS LANDED Winbird by Hatori, is a very prestigious hand made golf club maker in Yokohama Japan. Hatori Winbird golf clubs and shaft are hand made and assembled in Japan to the strictest of controls and the highest standards in quality and workmanship for 40 years.

Hatori Winbird has been making premium golf clubs and is a favorite among low and mid handicap players and those wanting a premium custom fitting with a focus on feel and distance. The big draw for many golfers is that Hatori Winbird will make their clubs to their specification.

Hatori Winbird can only be sold by contacting with a certified Winbird Fitting Specialist to ensure that your custom specs are the best fit for you. *Japan longest drive contest 2011 Winner WINBIRD VERTEX NO 1 in distance 417 yards has landed.

Winbird Authorize custom fitter Singapore: Golf House suntec city, 3 Temasek boulevard, #02-057 singapore 038985 Tel: (65) 6334 8171 Fax: (65) 6334 3066

Hong Kong: Golf Corner 3/F,24 Russell street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2838 9238

Shanghai: ELITE SPORTS GEAR Shanghai shi chang ning qu xian xia lu 88hao tai yang guang chang 2 Tel: (021) 6270 1697

golfing scene

The Sea Bear, based in Singapore, is in the process of obtaining its full sailing licence, and golf & cruise packages to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand • 2-way private transfer onboard the Sea Bear to Nongsa with breakfast and light snacks served onboard • 2-night accommodation at Montigo Resorts Nongsa, inclusive of daily breakfast and a 60 minute Montigo Massage at the Montigo Spa • A day sight-seeing excursion around the Barelang cluster of islands with

26 Golf Asia

seafood dinner.

• Three 18-hole rounds of golf at either Palm Spring Golf and Beach Resort, Tering Bay Golf and Country Club or Tamarin Santana Golf Club For more information on dockside events and golf/cruise packages, contact: info@aquavoyage.com or +65 6505 9373 or check out www.aquavoyage.com

golfing scene

Eighth Wonders You wait all season (well, a few months of it) for an octuple bogey, then two come along at once...

C

Garcia's 12 at Doral left him somewhat bewildered.

Sergio Garcia’s 12

Charlie Wi’s 13

3rd hole, WGC Cadillac Championship, TPC Blue Monster at Doral Par 4, 438 yards

5th hole, Transitions Championship, Innisbrook Par 5, 605 yards

1. Tee shot in water 2. Drop 3. Long iron into water 4. Drop 5. Long iron into water 6. Drop 7. Long iron into water 8. Drop 9. Long iron over green 10. Chip to 33 feet 11. Missed putt 12. Tap in

28 Golf Asia

1. Tee shot 246 yards into right rough 2. Second shot right into the right trees 3. Hit a tree and went out of bounds onto the range 4. Drop 5. Hit same tree and went out of bounds onto the range 6. Drop 7. Hit same tree and went out of bounds onto the range 8. Drop 9. Attempted chip out sideways 10. Successful chip out into fairway 11. Short iron to 10 feet 12. Missed putt 13. Tap in

lub golfers might make an octuple bogey now and again. Professional golfers never make them.

So it was a statistical rarity/ boost for the high handicapper when two PGA Tour professionals carded eight-over-par scores in consecutive weeks recently.

First, Spain’s Sergio Garcia lashed four balls into the water on his way to a 12 on the 438-yard 3rd at Doral.

Then, Charlie Wi hit three balls out of bounds on his way to a 13 on the 605yard 5th at Innisbrook.

“It was pretty easy,” laughed the South Korean afterwards. “I was right next to the range and just kept hitting it in there. Everyone was looking at me.

After the third ball went in, I should have just gone ‘Na’.”

Wi was jokily referring to PGA Tour colleague Kevin Na, who compiled a 16 in last year’s Valero Texas Open. “I should have beaten him,” added Wi. “The problem was, I only had six balls, and I hit three of them on the range, so I was worried about running out.”

We know how he feels. Here’s how the two octuples were accumulated. a

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golfing scene

Victory For The Genuine Architect Why American Gil Hanse was chosen over a host of superstar players to win the job of designing Rio’s Olympic course.

BY jock howard PHOTOs by hanse design

T

here was a bit of a surprise when the designer of the new Olympic course for Rio 2016 was recently announced.

Although the list of heavyweight contenders to design the course included Jack Nicklaus, Annika Sorenstam, Greg Norman, Robert Trent Jones Jnr and Gary Player, it was relatively unsung Gil Hanse who emerged with what is the highest-profile course construction job of the 21st century.

Hanse, with LPGA Hall of Famer Amy Alcott, was selected over seven other finalists to build the course for the Brazil 30 Golf Asia

Olympics, the first time golf will be included in the games in 112 years.

“It’s very humbling, given the amazing cast,” says Hanse, who expects to break ground on the course in October. “It was all I could do to hold back tears. We have worked really hard at this for a long time.

Don’t get me wrong; I love what we do and we are very fortunate and very blessed; but sometimes when you’re choking back dust and you’ve been on a bulldozer for 12 hours and it’s 90˚F and all you want is a beer, sometimes you think ‘Oh man, this is a little bit hard’. This is a nice reward for that

American Gil Hanse beat a host of big names to win the Rio Olympic design job.

dedication and effort.

“We are excited that the jury was paying attention, and we were able to impress upon them that we would be the right fit for the project. As part of the overall process, each of the eight firms was required to submit pretty extensive designs. We are a little way down the road in that respect, so it’s not like we are hitting the ground right now with day No.1. I think this summer will involve a lot of refining the design and going through whatever permits are required, getting the necessary approvals to break ground.

As long as we hit the ground in October, the time line that has been articulated is comfortable. It’s not great, but I think given that climate, warm-season grasses, we should be able to get the golf course up and running by the middle or end of 2014, and I believe the schedule that was put out was to have test events in 2015 prior to the 2016 games.”

The course will be built on a very open site, which has lots of mangroves, along the edge of a lagoon. Hanse is not planning to plant a lot of trees on the property. If anything, they will plant lower

growth vegetation.

Hanse, of course, designed the stunning Castle Stuart course near Inverness, which received rave reviews after the Scottish Open was held there.

“I think the fact that Castle Stuart was so well received gave people a certain level of proof that we could build a golf course from scratch that would be well accepted Golf Asia 31

golfing scene

ha nse design tra i ts Although Rio will look very different from Castle Stuart, there will be some similar design features...

by the players and also was able to handle a championship,” says Hanse.

“People asked me last summer about Castle Stuart, wanting to know if I felt offended if the guys went out and shot 20-something under? My answer was ‘no’. We really don’t fixate on a score. We love to find a great champion. I think if the golf course identifies a really top-notch player as your champion, that’s really all you can ask.”

32 Golf Asia

‘The rio course will have several half-par holes; so short par 4s, short par 3s and reachable par 5s’

All eight potential designers were told about the importance of presenting a good face for golf in developing countries, and how Brazil wanted a course, which will serve as a model.

While the two weeks when the Games are happening are critical, equally important is the legacy which the course leaves behind. Hanse is hoping his course will spark interest in the game in Brazil, and can lead to a

Hints of Castle Stuart will no doubt be present in the Rio course.

Brazilian being in contention for the Gold Medal in an Olympics, in the not-too-distant future.

As well as the specifics of what he was proposing, Hanse also thought it was important to talk about what he believed about golf course architecture during his presentation.

To this effect, he made sure the panel of four choosing the site knew that he wanted to create a golf course which focused on

“the recovery aspect of golf”. “I think that’s an under-utilised aspect of architecture”, he says. “We need to present players of this calibre with interesting problems to solve in terms of recovery shots. I watched the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne and I thought what happened there was spectacular. That course produces this sort of thing. So does Augusta National.

Watching these guys recover by utilising slopes and speeds when they miss a shot is fascinating.

“So, there will be aspects of this in the design where we are trying to create lots of different angles. We are going to try and implement some of the options and different thought strategies, which we used when we restored the Los Angeles

Country Club (with co-designer Geoff Shackelford; see page 38 for his opinion).

“The set-up and finish that we have proposed in Rio envisions a lot of half-par holes; so short par 4s, short par 3s and reachable par 5s. Some people are afraid to finish golf courses that way because they don’t want guys walking off going birdie, birdie, eagle; but I think it would be awesome if someone did that. I think we want to create aggressive play at the end of the tournament.

“This is the first time someone is going to have a Gold Medal around their neck since 1904, so there’s a lot at stake, and if we can have someone really do something special down the stretch, that would be great.” a Golf Asia 33

golfing scene

Why The Dark Horse Really Won

By Geoff Shackelford, who has designed alongside Gil Hanse.

A

rchitecture matters. That seemingly obvious affirmation should not be lost amid several revelations stemming from Gil Hanse’s upset victory in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic design derby.

I have worked with Gil Hanse on several projects, including new designs and restoration efforts, and expect to do so again as the economy improves. I’ve also spent many hours travelling with him to remote locales in search of golf holes, most of which haven’t been built.

We’ve sat through countless meetings discussing ideas still idling in desk drawers large enough to stash one of his lovingly handdrawn renderings. And those stalled jobs constitute just some of the tribulations Hanse has experienced as a nontournament playing, non-celebrity, siteselective, hands-on minimalist working in a post-2008 golf economy that slumped long before Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Easily the darkest horse in the eight-team race, Hanse first visited the Rio site a year ago and quietly pieced together a comprehensive and detail-rich bid, a fact that went underestimated by paddock watchers who couldn’t stop gawking at Olympic golf ambassadors Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam.

But even for all of Hanse’s political savvy, which included having LPGA Hall of Famer Amy Alcott be part of the bid, the 48-year-old earned this job with just the type of design portfolio that the four-person jury panel was looking for: a sustainable, nature-inspired homage to the classics with enough progressive touches to make the Rio 2016 course an example for others to study.

Though Scottish Open host Castle Stuart and the renovated TPC Boston display his ability to construct artistic, low-impact designs with

enough strategic twists to test the world’s best, Hanse passed the Olympic wire first with a strong site vision and a disposition best suited for what figures to be a heavily scrutinised project. For all of his talent using a bulldozer as his brush – and yes, Hanse will move to Rio and sit on a bulldozer all day and love every second – it will be his ability to digest disparate design ideas that sees him through what has already been a process of many ups and downs.

Timeless design typically starts with a grand vision for the site. Anyone, however, who has spent time in the field agonising over the details

seen as lacking confidence. Yet the notion that Hanse would ask and sincerely listen makes him a unique figure not only in this competition, but in a business legendary for its egomaniacal artistes.

Certainly not lost in the reaction to Hanse’s win was the statement made by the Rio organising committee and the International Golf Federation.

Few genuinely believed them when they stated that building a precedent-setting, environmentally respectful course was the top priority. And although they’ll humbly deny it, the IGF’s Peter Dawson and Ty Votaw undoubtedly fretted, battled and ultimately made the case to their establishment superiors that it was time for golf to end its bizarre, expensive and unsatisfying addiction to the “playerarchitect.” They lobbied for someone who would put heart and soul into details that, for two weeks in 2016, will determine medal winners, and then for years to come will give Rio golfers an experience Hanse believes will convey a sense of part-links, partSandbelt and part-Golden Age-inspired design.

David Fay, the former USGA executive director who has remained low-profile since leaving his post, contributed a video endorsement as part of the Hanse Design winning presentation. Fay was convinced by Hanse’s ability to create a design of permanence without a high construction or maintenance tab, leading one of Olympic golf’s biggest supporters to endorse the designer.

But the most telling endorsement may have come from peer and fellow finalist Robert Trent Jones Jnr, who told GolfChannel.com that the jury panel’s shocking decision endorsed the vitality of the architecture over celebrity. “My feelings are mixed between the personal disappointment of not being selected,” Jones said, “but also happiness that a true golf architect was selected.” a

‘It was time for golf to end its bizarre, expensive and unsatisfying addiction to the player-architect’

34 Golf Asia

will understand that inspiration comes from many sources, including some of the strangest people and things. Having stood with Hanse in the dusty mess that is a course under construction, I’ve watched him take in suggestions and ideas, artfully grabbing onto the good ones and diplomatically tossing out the absurd thoughts.

Hanse offered a humble response to one question that best summed up why the jury may have felt he was suited for the job. “We had answers that were good enough for the committee to understand that we were a good fit for them,” Hanse said, “but I respect Tom Doak, and I would love a chance to be able to sit down with him and talk about the opportunities that might exist out there.”

Not many of the competing architects would be so willing to hear what their fellow finalists envisioned or even let their guard down long enough to make such an offer for fear of being

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golfing gearguide

Drive Buys Nine golfers tested 31 drivers over three gruelling days.

Which would they rate as the best?

Golf Asia 41

golfing gearguide

Test conditions: James Vardy trials the new TaylorMade R11S.

42 Golf Asia

bigger and better test T

he new testing season gets off to a flyer with this annual drivers package. With a massive 31 of the latest drivers put through their paces, we hope you’ll agree that it’s bigger and better than ever.

In years gone by, we used to have a pro and another good player testing. Then we started using a pro and three amateur testers to help us get a better idea of what would suit a wide variety of golfers. But now we’ve gone even further. This year there were nine golfers testing the equipment, including our Pro James Ridyard. More about him later, but the big idea behind increasing the number of testers is to improve results and remove anomalies in the final statistics.

In previous tests, if one person couldn’t get on with a club it could skew the results because it was 25% of the overall mark. Now, 75% of anything is a good percentage, but for the major tests we felt having more people would help to remove any anomaly and therefore produce more accurate results.

For the drivers test, we asked six normal club golfers (in addition to our equipment team and pro) to come along to one of the three days we

TrackMan was used to analyse the test results.

were testing to hit the product. Each tester was allocated a substantial amount of time to test the clubs, and was invited to hit as many balls as they felt they needed to before we recorded the statistics. The guys then gave their feedback.

* Please note, drivers featured may not be available in all markets.

MEET THE TESTERS

Nine golfers tested 31 drivers over three days at The Belfry James Ridyard

Age: 34 Handicap: Pro Clubhead speed: 103mph Current driver: Callaway RAZR Hawk Has a world-class knowledge of ball flight physics

Jon Greathead

Age: 29 Handicap: 8 Clubhead speed: 102mph Current driver: PING i20 Wants something that will avoid the dreaded hook

Dave Rimmer

Age: 49 Handicap: 13 Clubhead speed: 87mph Current driver: PING Rapture V2 Not the longest but is very consistent and knowledgeable

James Vardy

Age: 42 Handicap: 3 Clubhead speed: 103mph Current driver: PING i15 A strong driver of the ball and is particular about his clubs

David Connor

Age: 31 Handicap: 10 Clubhead speed: 111mph Current driver: TaylorMade R11 Hits it hard but needs a good shaft to help with control

Chris Banner

Age: 45 Handicap: 14 Clubhead speed: 86mph Current driver: TaylorMade Burner SF 2.0. Plays a steady fade but is on the lookout for more yards

Ian Graham

Age: 45 Handicap: 8 Clubhead speed: 97mph Current driver: Mizuno MP-630 FastTrack Says driving is his weak point but he is straight off the tee

Dave Butler

Age: 48 Handicap: 10 Clubhead speed: 91mph Current driver: PING G2 Another steady driver of the ball and keen to test new clubs

Scott Roots

Age: 33 Handicap: 20 Clubhead speed: 110mph Current driver: TaylorMade R11 Likes to go after the ball but struggles with control

Golf Asia 43

golfing gearguide Crunching balls...then numbers.

You can’t march an army of testers on an empty stomach.

Methodology We invited six testers to join the team and pro James Ridyard for the test, which would take place over three days at The Belfry.

The six ranged in handicap from three up to 20, so a wide range of abilities and swingspeeds were represented in our first big test of 2012.

Each tester was given balls to warm up with before testing started. Then they were asked to rate the clubs out of five.

The categories for rating would be a blend of opinion and fact. For opinion we looked at three areas the manufacturers value when developing the club. Cosmetics may not necessarily affect performance, but can still make a dramatic difference to the confidence

44 Golf Asia

Adjustable clubs were adjusted to suit the user.

we feel when we look down at address.

They can also influence our ability to aim the face. Feel is similarly subjective, but we all instinctively know the sensation we want at impact. Forgiveness is, again, hard to quantify.

Only the golfer knows how well the club has rescued a poor strike. But it is of course a vital part of a club’s DNA. As for fact, we recorded the two main performance parameters for the driver: average distance and dispersion.

At the end, we worked out a sliding scale for distance and dispersion to give us a mark out of five. We then averaged out the golfers’ score for each category for each club to calculate the final score.

Where we tested We used the excellent practice facilities at The Belfry, just outside Birmingham.

Command Centre was a fitting room in the heart of the PGA Academy. Here, our nine testers hit the drivers on test over three days.

But the Academy is more than just a few fitting rooms. There are 34 covered bays looking out onto a floodlit range, as well as a sensational short game area and putting green. There is also an army of highlyqualified PGA professionals on hand to offer advice and tuition. Quite simply, there is no better venue for our tests than The Belfry and that is exactly why we keep going back.

Clubs were submitted in a range of loft and shaft options.

th e r ati n g s We asked our testers to rate the clubs in three subjective areas – looks, feel, forgiveness. We also awarded a rating out of five for the distance and dispersion statistics we recorded for each tester. As usual, we averaged out all the scores to come up with our final rating, out of five stars.

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Must buy Excellent Good Average Avoid

Mission control: The Belfry’s great Academy.

the technology

the pro: James Ridyard

how drivers were picked

We’ve used Trackman for just coming up to two years now. This ball flight analysis software is widely used by the major manufacturers to provide information and feedback for their players, as well as for the club designers.

We used the latest Trackman III model that can track a ball up to distances of 400 yards. It can also measure six-foot pitches, so come the wedge test it will come in very useful too. The radar accuracy has been significantly improved, allowing the balls to be tracked their full distance from impact without estimating the result. It’s the perfect technology to interpret the hundreds of shots our testers hit.

In recent years, we have always had a mixture of pros and this has worked very well – but for this year we have decided to use the same elite player for all of our Tests. This is to deliver more consistency throughout 2012. The man who has come through the selection process is The Bedford Golf Club pro James Ridyard.

An expert in the laws of ball flight, James uses TrackMan to help ensure his pupils get the best out of the clubs they use. With no brand affiliation, he is able to offer honest and uncompromised club advice.

James has just opened up a new swing studio – Kartell Golf Performance Centre, Bedford (jaridyard@gmail.com).

We ask all of the major manufacturers to be involved in our Tests. With drivers we invited them to supply us with at least four specs (9 stiff, 10.5 stiff, 10.5 reg, 12 reg) of each model they wished to appear in the Test.

Manufacturers sent us the closest specs they had to these requirements, using the shafts that are fitted as standard to the individual models, and on the day we fitted the driver to the tester, based on swing characteristics as assessed by our on-site Pro and what they currently use and prefer. The Belfry provided us with an endless stream of high-quality Nike Golf range balls for the duration of the Test to ensure consistency across all clubs.

Golf Asia 45

BEN SAYERS M2i golfing Lofts: 10.5° Web: www.bensayers.co.uk

gearguide

Looking at the price of the M2i it’d be unreasonable to expect it to compete with the big boys – and it doesn’t.

Our team actually thought this was a decent-looking head and were surprised afterwards when they found out how much it cost. However, it was let down badly on performance, with pro James believing this was down to the extremely weak shaft which twisted a lot at impact on off-centre strikes resulting in poor forgiveness. Chris said he’d maybe invest in this club as a backup holiday driver but we’d suggest this would would only really be the best bet for golfers for whom budget was everything.

T H E N U M B ER S Looks: 3.3 Feel: 2.8 Forgiveness: 2.7 Distance: 3.0 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

JOHN LETTERS MASTERS MODEL BLACK Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10, 11° Web: www.johnletters.com

Our team really wanted this to go well because they all loved the sleek looks of the Master Model Black.

However, even our faster swingers found it difficult to generate the launch and spin necessary to keep the ball in the air for long enough and that meant our slower, low-spin players really struggled. Consequently forgiveness and feel ratings suffered and distance was certainly down. With a good custom-fitting this could do a great job for a high-spin player but if you struggle to get and keep the ball in the air we’d recommend something different. Not the cheapest option, either.

THE NUMBERS Looks: 4.0 Feel: 3.0 Forgiveness: 2.5 Distance: 3.5 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

BENROSS QUAD SPEED Lofts: 10°, 12°, 14° Web: www.benrossgolf.com

We’re used to white heads now thanks to the 2011 revolution but the shiny white finish on the Quad Speed didn’t impress – although both Scott and Dave R said they liked it. Ian and Dave B said the face didn’t feel powerful enough for them and James V said he found it difficult to consistently work the ball in a specific direction. However, both Dave R and Chris rated the performance highly. It was in Chris’ top five for distance while Dave said it was one of the most forgiving drivers on test. This rather stark difference of opinion indicates this is definitely a try-before-you-buy product.

T H E N U M B ER S Looks: 2.9 Feel: 2.9 Forgiveness: 2.9 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

YONEX EZONE SD Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.yonex.com/golf

This is designed to sit just 0.5° closed but four of our team commented that it seemed to sit very closed, which put them off. Other than that pro James said it had a classic shape and looked smaller than it was, which he liked – and Scott loved the subtle graphite weave on the crown. In terms of performance it was in Chris’ top five for distance and was Jon’s straightest on test although it was a mixed bag elsewhere. Dave C said he’d prefer to spend extra on the premium Ezone model but this offered a lot for the money. All round, a solid performer but not spectacular.

T H E N U M B ER S Looks: 3.6 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.2 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 3.0 Rating:HHHHH

DUNLOP NZ9

Lofts: 10° Web: www.dunlopsport.com

We didn’t divulge the price to our testers beforehand but a few of the boys guessed this would be at the cheaper end of the market. Despite that, it still impressed, with pro James saying it would do a good job for 50 per cent of golfers while the NZ9 sneaked in the top five performers for distance in the hands of Scott and Dave B. The general feeling was that it performed well but the lack of available shaft and loft options means this is pretty limited in terms of appeal. Again, a sound option for the budget-conscious player, but stronger and more serious players would be better advised to look elsewhere.

T H E N U M B ER S Looks: 3.2 Feel: 2.7 Forgiveness: 3.1 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.5 Rating:HHHHH

46 Golf Asia

TOUR EDGE XCG5 Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.touredge.com

Tour Edge has probably suffered because it isn’t well known and few of our testers had come across the brand before. However, Dave C said the quality of the components and the craftsmanship impressed while Dave B said the feel off the face was very solid and it felt as though lots of energy was transferred to the ball. As a better player our pro James disliked the way it sat closed and featured a short hosel while James V also commented on the address position. It was straightest on test for pro James and in the top five for distance for Ian, despite their reservations.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.5 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.1 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

SNAKE EYES VIPER

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Web: www.golfsmith.com/search/snakeeyes

Most of our team felt this would suit higher handicappers because of the large address profile and high ball flight. Pro James said one of his shots was a whole ball off centre and he still got 250 yards; consequently he was impressed with the forgiveness. Dave C said for a low/mid-price driver this was hard to beat. Four of our team commented on the angular look in the toe and while this didn’t affect performance they felt it would put them off buying. The Viper didn’t blow anyone’s socks off but for the money and with the fitting options you could do a lot worse.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.2 Feel: 3.2 Forgiveness: 3.4 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

COBRA AMP

Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Web: www.cobragolf.com

Possibly the biggest disappointment on test. The colour scheme is always going to polarise opinion but among our team there were more positive than negative comments about the silver, black and orange with the shape also winning significant praise. However it was in the performance stats where the AMP failed to deliver. Our team said it felt good and offered decent forgiveness but the stats didn’t back that up. Pro James said it was too light and generated too much spin for him but that with a good custom fit there was no reason why this wouldn’t perform better.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.6 Feel: 3.8 Forgiveness: 3.4 Distance: 3.5 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

MD SUPERSTRONG ST2 Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.mdgolf.co.uk

As usual there was lots of solid feedback on the Superstrong driver with not a single mention from any of our testers that they thought this was at a lower price point, which is a tribute to the quality components used in the driver. However, both pro James and 3HCP James V said they thought this was one for higher handicappers because it sat closed at address. This was echoed by our higher handicappers on test who liked the classic head shape while Dave C said the better quality shaft than some rivals at this price meant it was really forgiving.

As ever with MD, quality belying price point.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.4 Feel: 3.5 Forgiveness: 3.6 Distance: 3.5 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

MD SEVE ICON

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.mdgolf.co.uk

Definitely the flashier of the MD Golf drivers and our test team were quite taken with the looks. Dave R loved everything about the driver from the way it sat and felt to the performance and he insisted it would be in real contention when next buying a driver. Pro James said the footprint was very long front to back at address and James V said he found it difficult to manoeuvre the ball but, like the Superstrong ST2, the Seve Icon was well liked by our mid and higher handicap testers. One negative is quite a loud and piercing impact noise.

But in the distance stats, this featured strongly.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.9 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.3 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

Golf Asia 47

golfing CLEVELAND gearguideCLASSIC Lofts: 7.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 12.5° Web: www.clevelandgolf.com

This received solid marks across the board other than forgiveness, where the deep face often preferred by better players didn’t give much help on off-centre strikes. The talking point is the looks where the retro-Persimmon design was loved by some and not by others.

Performance also split opinion. It was Dave B’s second longest on test – although interestingly he didn’t think it felt all that explosive off the face. Dave C said he loved the shape and low-spin nature of the head but would prefer a heavier shaft than the stock option while pro James said he could see why this would likely be a favourite with good players because of the head shape and the unique styling.

However, like Dave B both James V and Scott said the face felt a bit underpowered, even though in distance terms it performed pretty well overall.

Our team were quick to applaud Cleveland for trying something different but the combination of low-spin head, deep face and lightweight shaft wasn’t suited to all.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.9 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.1 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

ORKA GS5 Lofts: 10°, 12°, 14° Web: www.orkagolf.com An impressive showing from another brand that few of our test team had come across before. In general the GS5 was well liked – particularly by the mid-high handicappers. In performance terms it did well, finishing in the top five for no fewer than four of our testers when it came to dispersion while it was also Scott’s second longest on test.

Both James V and Dave B agreed it didn’t feel as powerful as some with the latter saying it was a bit on the spinny side although both commented positively on control.

Conversely Jon G said it felt long and powerful as well as being taken with the looks, preferring the white head to the black one.

The GS5 also performed well for pro James but he admitted he’d be more likely to go for a lower spin option although he’d recommend this to someone looking for a bit more forgiveness and control. Dave C said the price point of the Orka was appealing – as is the fact they have a number of custom-fitting options.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.7 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.3 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

FORGAN IWD2 Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.forgangolf.com It would be unfair to say the performance of the IWD2 was a massive surprise because Forgan has been steadily growing in quality for the last few years, particularly in woods, but there is no doubt this has outperformed its price point.

Dave R in particular was taken with the IWD2 saying he was impressed across the board, while Dave B and Ian both agreed, commenting on the classic looks and crisp feel off the face. Ian said he suspected it would be a cheaper option but admitted the feel and performance wouldn’t be out of place in a more premium driver and insisted he’d recommend it to someone on a budget.

Even pro James admitted he was surprised with the IWD2, saying he thought the shaft was good quality and the head pretty inviting to hit – although he did say the alignment dots were too far towards the heel.

Dave C insisted this felt like a big step-up from the original IWD driver and represented a good option for golfers in the market for a new driver without a massive budget.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.5 Feel: 3.5 Forgiveness: 3.7 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

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WILSON STAFF DXi SUPERLIGHT Lofts: 9.0°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.wilsonstaff.com The Superlight is Wilson Staff’s latest crack at the driver market having performed so well in irons over the years and purely in performance terms it would seem they are onto something here.

It performed well across the board for everyone but it was particularly well liked

by Ian, who said he could tell it was good quality and was right up there with the best on test in terms of feel and looks.

Scott also loved the penetrating ball flight and suggested it was one of the most forgiving on test while James V also rated it highly.

However, James felt the sound was extremely loud and off-putting and this was also picked up by three of our other testers.

Pro James said the shallow face was a turn-off for him and felt it wouldn’t be ideal for players with a steep attack as the likelihood of sky marks would be increased.

The lightweight shaft was also a winner with Dave B, who said he felt as if he didn’t have to put as much effort into swinging to generate good clubhead speed.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.3 Feel: 3.3 Forgiveness: 3.5 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.5 Rating:HHHHH

ADAMS SPEEDLINE FAST 12 Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 12.5° Web: www.adamsgolf.com Designed to be aerodynamic and long and it certainly was, topping the distance charts for pro James. In fact it was long across the board and the dispersion stats were respectable as well but this lost out in the looks department.

Only Dave C, Dave B and Jon remotely liked the colour and the aerodynamic contour lines on the crown and the rest marked it down significantly because of this.

Elsewhere it was well liked and TG gear men Jon and Dave C both rated the feel and forgiveness extremely highly. Dave said it was one of the best for feel and control, admitting this was unusual for a driver designed for power.

Pro James said he liked the performance because you could give it a good smack without overly worrying where it was going and only marked it down on looks.

Only James V was overly critical as he wasn’t a fan of the feel and didn’t feel as it was workable enough. Overall our team say give it a try and if you don’t like the silver finish, invest in a can of spray paint.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.0 Feel: 3.7 Forgiveness: 3.7 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

NIKE VR PRO LTD EDITION Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° Web: www.nike.com/nikegolf It’s clear from the test team comments that this is a better-player driver aimed at slightly stronger players. Our team loved the classic looks and really wanted it to go well but the feel and forgiveness ratings show that most of our testers didn’t get on well with it.

Ian was one fan of the VR Pro Ltd Edition though, commenting on the great feel and consistency while Dave C also rated it highly. It was his best on test for dispersion and that’s something he put down to the slightly stronger and heavier shaft.

Scott also rated the feel pretty highly but admitted he struggled with control while the rest of the team said they’d prefer something with a little more forgiveness.

Pro James said the head shape is usually along the lines of what he would go for as a better player but he admitted to being a little disappointed with shaft feedback.

A better-looking driver you’ll be hard pressed to find but if you struggle with consistency then you will be better served by looking at other, more forgiving options.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.2 Feel: 3.4 Forgiveness: 3.3 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

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golfing gearguide MIZUNO JPX-800 Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°, 13.5° Web: www.mizunousa.com/golf Designed to be a high-launching, forgiving club and for the most part our testers agreed. James V felt this was one of the easiest clubs to use on test and if you were determined to simply walk into a shop and pick a club to use without any issues then this would be it.

Both Ian and Chris also said the club inspired confidence at address and delivered a high ball flight as well as a powerful feel while Dave R gave it full marks across the board for looks, feel and forgiveness because he felt it was as good as anything else on test.

Not everyone was as impressed though with pro James marking it down for looks because he didn’t think it lived up to the usual high-end aesthetics from Mizuno. He also said there was no real wow factor in terms of feel and both Dave B and Scott agreed with him.

When it came to performance it was up there among the longest averages on test and although the overall dispersion rate let it down a little it was among the most consistent for Dave R and James V.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.6 Feel: 3.7 Forgiveness: 3.8 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

MACGREGOR M59 Lofts: 10.5°, 12° Web: www.macgregorgolf.co.uk As a brand MacGregor are definitely better known for their irons and to find a decent driver from the company you have to go back to the Persimmon days. But the M59 impressed and our guys were surprised when we revealed the price to them after the test.

Performance stats suggested this was a premium offering because it was consistently high in both distance and dispersion.

The crown is more of a pearl colour which some of our team liked and others thought it cheapened the look. The head shape won more admirers than it turned off.

Pro James said it sat too closed for his liking and that had an adverse effect on his performance. Dave B and Dave R insisted there were more forgiving drivers on test and Scott felt it lacked any real power – although stats put it in his top five for distance.

James V and Dave C were quite surprised by not only performance but also feel although Dave said he was a little disappointed it wasn’t offered in a lower loft.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.4 Feel: 3.6 Forgiveness: 3.4 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 4.5 Rating:HHHHH

COBRA LONG TOM Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10° Web: www.cobragolf.com Initially team Jon and Dave C were sceptical about putting Long Tom in the test because the 48-inch shaft is right on the legal limit and completely different to anything else on the market. But the results were much better than anticipated and it was the longest on test thanks to the extra clubhead speed generated by the long shaft. In fact, it was both Jon and Dave’s longest on the day and featured in pro James’ top five.

Predictably dispersion suffered a little but not overly so and most of our team were able to effect some kind of control over the ball.

When it came to aesthetics only two of our testers rated it lower than four. Pro James said it sat perfectly square and had perfect dimensions while others liked the Persimmon-style alignment and sweetspot.

In terms of use on the course none of our guys said they would actually put the 48inch shaft into play but Dave C and pro James said with a different, shorter shaft, this would have a real chance of making the bag.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.1 Feel: 3.9 Forgiveness: 3.6 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

50 Golf Asia

NIKE VR_S Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°, 13.5° Web: www.nike.com/nikegolf The best praise you can give to a game-improver driver is when a better player insists he’d be happy to put it in the bag. Three HCP tester James V was immediately taken with the VR_S, saying the feedback was superb and he felt as though he was in complete control of the ball off the tee, knocking it out to his fourth longest on test.

Pro James agreed it looked very good for what could be considered a driver for mid-high handicappers but admitted he was disappointed with the feel.

It received similarly positive reviews in the hands of our other testers with Jon, Dave R and Chris particularly impressed with the feel and forgiveness and Dave C commenting on the high-end components and adjustable head for less than £200.

For the first time our test team indicated that between the VR_S and the VR Pro Limited Edition, there was a Nike driver they’d stick in the bag. That speaks volumes for how far the equipment has come in the last decade.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 3.9 Feel: 3.9 Forgiveness:4.0 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

YONEX EZONE Lofts: 9°, 10°, 11° Web: www.yonex.com/golf The driver of choice of Ryo Ishikawa comes in a 450cc head and a smaller 420cc option and although none of our testers was man enough to go on record with the small head, the 450cc model impressed. Pro James and James V were obvious fans of this as, even at 450cc, the head looks compact. Both admired its feel and ability to shape the ball but for pro James it wasn’t as forgiving as some.

It also won praise for looks from our higher handicappers with only Dave R being put off by the smaller address profile although Jon and Dave C both said it wasn’t one of the most forgiving on test and could not recommend it to inconsistent players even though performance from on-centre hits was fantastic.

For power it was up there among the longest, featuring in the top five for Chris, Dave B and Jon and it was no slouch in dispersion either.

But ultimately if you are a less-than-confident driver of the ball it’s likely you’re going to want to look down on something a little bigger than this on the tee.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.2 Feel: 4.1 Forgiveness: 3.7 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.1 Rating:HHHHH

BRIDGESTONE J40 Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.bridgestonegolf.com This was actually the favoured club on test for pro James, who liked the compact, lowspin nature of the head and the quality Project X shaft as standard. He loved the powerful feel but insisted this would be one for the better player because it isn’t as forgiving and launches quite low.

James V loved the J40 in equal measure, awarding it top marks across the board, even for forgiveness, and insisted everyone should give it a go. He said he was able to hit any shot he wanted and he was surprised because he had never associated the brand with clubs before.

Despite the low-spin head even our slower swingers were impressed with the J40 with Dave R and Chris loving the feel – although it speaks volumes that in performance terms it was better in the hands of our faster swingers and appeared in the top five of no fewer than five of our nine testers for either distance or dispersion.

Bridgestone may be better known for balls, but drivers like this suggest that might not last.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.1 Feel: 3.9 Forgiveness: 3.6 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

Golf Asia 51

golfing gearguide

Off to a flyer Lightweight body construction permits a powerful flight and more yards off the tee.

Callaway RAZR X Black

fade aid A slightly open face will set up well for the better player afraid to see it going left.

Mizuno MP-650

consistent power at a decent price

Great consistency, not so forgiving

Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°, 13.5° Web: www.callawaygolf.com

Lofts: 8.5°. 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.mizunousa.com/golf

The RAZR X Black represents Callaway’s foray into the lower price point end of the market, but this is far from being an afterthought. They say the Forged Composite in the crown and Distance Trajectory Weighting optimise distance – our team agreed and it scored a maximum when it came to distance, topping Scott’s yardage stats by some way and also featuring in Dave C’s top five for length. But it also behaved well when it came to dispersion. The only thing that let it down a touch was the looks; Ian was a big fan, but Pro James, Dave C and James V disliked the busy crown. Chris also felt the head sat quite closed.

In terms of forgiveness, it was up there with the easiest to hit and the huge head aided confidence at address. Perhaps not best suited to the eye of a better player, or a strong driver of the ball, but if you’re after lots of forgiveness and ease of use, this is an excellent offering. Dave B also felt it would really benefit those golfers who struggled to get the ball airborne – it certainly delivered a high flight which helped in the distance stakes.

The slightly-open nature of the head will appeal to confident ballstrikers with pro James suggesting this was a very hard club to hit to the left. Our man also liked the classic look of the head at address. Dave C also enjoyed the more compact head and said it helped concentration. It also led the way in dispersion with top marks and featured in the top five for five of our nine testers.

So what held it back? Forgiveness and feel. When struck out of the middle of the club, this was a jamspangler but anything towards the perimeter and it was a different story.

Ian noted a lack of forgiveness compared to some others, while Scott also said he didn’t feel super-confident with it because of this. It suffered a little in terms of distance because of the less-impressive results from the edges of the face.

Ultimately, if you’re a better player this should be towards the top of your shopping list –but if you’re a higher handicapper who is still keen on a Mizuno product the JPX-800 might be more up your street.

THE NU M B ERS

THE NU M B ERS

Looks: 3.6 Feel: 4.0 Forgiveness: 3.8 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

Looks: 4.3 Feel: 3.8 Forgiveness: 3.7 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 5.0 Rating:HHHHH

52 Golf Asia

help on hand Added forgiveness comes from the tungsten weights on the toe and heel of the sole.

PING i20

soar point The powerful RocketBallz lets you adjust the loft to suit course or conditions.

TaylorMade RBZ

suRprisingly kind, better-player club

AdjustabIlity and power combined

Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° Web: www.ping.com

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, HL Web: www.taylormadegolf.com

By the middle of March 75% of all PING’s European Tour players had an i20 driver in the bag. And it’s easy to see why. It’s the bestlooking driver the Phoenix-based giant has produced. Pro James was a big fan of the sound and the feel offered, while Dave C noted a powerful, boring trajectory. Jon’s dispersion was very tight with the i20 too – at just over eight yards on average he found more forgiveness than you might have imagined. The sleek look of the club is superbly wellcomplimented by the tungsten sole weights that help to increase the MOI across the face. Dave R also noted how easy it was to hit, but we would draw your attention to the loft options. The most-lofted version PING offer is 10.5 – this may well be fine for lots of you, but for others the added assistance of PING’s G20 may well be more suitable.

We think this is a step-up on the company’s previous i15. The update has more strings to its bow, and the added forgiveness and stealth look have helped to propel it up into the higher echelons of this year’s Test.

TaylorMade have invested heavily in their RocketBallz franchise for 2012, and while there has been huge interest surrounding the brilliant fairway wood, the driver is impressive too. It’s already notched a win on Tour with Luke Donald at The Transitions in mid-March. Tester Chris loved the colour design – the white head and the green worked well for him – and he also noted how well the ball came off the face. Jon suggested it was one of the most forgiving on test, while Ian felt the overall look suggested it was towards the more expensive end of the market. Ian also said he preferred it when it came to forgiveness to the RBZ’s more prestigious brother, the R11S. As you might expect it scored top marks for distance sitting at the top of Chris’ yardage stats and also featuring in the top five for four other testers. The one thing that perhaps did let it down was dispersion – the boys did spray it about a bit. As always, we would suggest a proper customfitting and it’s also worth pointing out the adjustability – golfers can alter the loft and at this price, this is exceptional.

THE NU M B ERS

THE NU M B ERS

Looks: 4.6 Feel: 4.3 Forgiveness: 4.1 Distance: 4.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

Looks: 4.5 Feel: 4.3 Forgiveness: 4.0 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 3.5 Rating:HHHHH

Golf Asia 53

golfing gearguide black beauty Aesthetics went down well with our team, and this had the performance to match.

Cleveland CG Black

cuff sweet This performed well on off-centre strikes thanks to Cobra’s E9 face technology.

Cobra ZL Encore

superb, stylish all-round performer

eye-catching consistent Yard-eater

Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.clevelandgolf.com

Lofts: 8.5°. 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Web: www.cobragolf.com

It is perhaps testament to the strength of the test that the CG Black is as low as this in the final reckoning – without doubt, the best Cleveland driver we’ve tested for years. It really is a magnificent all-round package, and it starts with glorious black aesthetics. Dave B awarded it a full house for looks, and also noted a pleasing level of feel and oodles of forgiveness. Jon G enjoyed hitting it too but both he and pro James felt it was a little closed at address. Ian said he was delighted at how well he hit and how easy it was to use because the set-up really did inspire confidence. Meanwhile it was the longest on test for Dave R thanks to the lightweight shaft and hot face.

It is a little on the expensive side and if you’re used to Cleveland woods coming at a lower price this might initially put you off. But it shouldn’t – this is a serious piece of kit that will suit a wide range of golfers. The powerful, towering ball flight will have even the least confident golfers excited at the prospect of ripping this off the tee. Superbly forgiving too. All round, a classy product from Cleveland.

Cobra drivers have long performed well in our annual test, and it’s no surprise to see the latest incarnation towards the business end of things again. One thing we all want with the big stick is distance – and the ZL Encore delivers in droves finishing longest on test for James V with an average of 280 yards and in the top five for four more of our guys. It’s also worth noting it was in Dave C and pro James’ top five for both distance and dispersion.

The E9 Face technology helps deliver forgiveness and the Adjustable Flight Technology allows golfers to open or close the face for more playability. Jon in particular noted how easy the club was to use, while James V said the fluorescent yellow flashes on the headcover and on the crown helped to make the Encore stand out. Dave R also commented on the classic head shape, and there really was very little to dislike about the club. It’s worth pointing out that Cobra also offer the ZL Encore in an allwhite option too – it looks sensational and is used on Tour by none other than Ian Poulter.

THE NU M B ERS

THE NU M B ERS

Looks: 4.3 Feel: 4.3 Forgiveness: 4.3 Distance: 4.3 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

Looks: 4.1 Feel: 4.4 Forgiveness: 4.3 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

54 Golf Asia

sole mate The adjustable sole plate gives the golfer five face angles to choose from.

Launch pad Flight Control Technology lets you add or remove 1.5º of loft through eight positions.

TaylorMade R11S

super-adjustable, powerful weapon that justifies its price Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.taylormadegolf.com

On first inspection, the R11S is very similar to last year’s R11. The white head remains, and the same red flashes are still prominent. But you need to delve under the bonnet to find the real brilliance of the new model. Golfers can now adjust the face angle to one of five angles (previously three), while the loft can also be altered by 1.5° up or down on the standard loft. The R11S also boasts a 460cc head – bigger than last year – and it is noticeable at address.

Pro James noted how well it sat, while Dave C (who has an R11) also thought the look was stylish. He also racked up some excellent distance and suggested the super-adjustable nature of the head meant it could deliver huge performance benefits if properly fitted. There is little getting away from the wow factor too with the R11S, and Dave B felt it more than lived up to the expectation and hype – he obtained excellent distance and felt it was very strong in terms of feel.

With each of the Top-3 clubs, we are splitting hairs when it comes to negatives. In fact, the difference between each one was miniscule, but the R11S does have a more distinctive sound at impact. Ian found this a little off-putting and piercing, and when it came to dispersion the driver did lose out a little to the two that finished above it. Ultimately, custom-fitting should provide the answer to this.

The R11S is widely used on Tour and will deliver superb results in the coming months. If you’re baulking at the price a little, it’s understandable. But the performance is worth every penny.

THE NUMBERS Looks: 4.5 Feel: 4.5 Forgiveness: 4.2 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 4.0 Rating:HHHHH

Golf Asia 55

golfing gearguide new air cut The RAZR Fit has been sculpted to cut downswing drag. Stats show it has worked.

ace of bias Weight ports in the toe and heel let you alter COG to promote a draw or fade.

Callaway RAZR Fit

The only club to hit the maximum for both distance and dispersion Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.callawaygolf.com

If Callaway were holding back from doing an adjustable driver because they wanted to get it “just so” then it’s been well worth the wait. The company has produced a club that will suit all levels of golfers – it’s already used widely on Tour by the likes of Alvaro Quiros (who knows a thing or two about hitting it a country mile) and we think it’s going to be a firm favourite with happy hackers up and down the country too.

The club boasts a combination of Callaway’s OptiFit technology and Forged Composite which is lighter and stronger than titanium. The club has been designed to reduce drag on the downswing by 27% (compared to the previous RAZR Hawk) and the distances recorded by our testers were impressive, scoring top marks. Jon eked out 258 yards while Dave C was just shy of 275 yards on average and it also scored maximum numbers in dispersion too – the only club on test to complete this double. But the maximum scores tell a fraction of the story. Ian, for one, raved about the looks of the RAZR Fit and also noted exceptional feel. This was also ridiculously forgiving – it was very hard to mishit this golf club and Pro James agreed this would be an exceptional product for a game-improver as well as better player. And talking of better players, James V was adamant it oozed class and you could tell it was a premium golf club. That brings us on to another thing, the price. It isn’t cheap – but it is a brilliant piece of engineering that will enhance your golfing life.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.5 Feel: 4.1 Forgiveness: 4.0 Distance: 5.0 Dispersion: 5.0 Rating:HHHHH

56 Golf Asia

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golfing gearguide Spring time Clubface thickness varies to promote yard-gaining springlike effect across the face.

right option The G20 is not adjustable but is offered in four lofts – 8.5º, 9.5º, 10.5º and 12º.

Gold blend The G20 is built for high launch and low spin, the ideal combination for the improver.

G20 summit 58 Golf Asia

light metal The G20 is made from a strong and light alloy allowing optimal weight placement.

PING G20 Quite simply, The full package... at a great price Lofts: 8.5°. 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Web: www.ping.com

We knew this driver would do well. Dave C and Jon had both hit it before, and knew just how playable it was but with the likes of TaylorMade and Callaway launching jaw-dropping products recently it was going to be interesting to see if the G20 could deliver something to match.

Better player James V gave it 5/5 in the subjective categories – he noted the large footprint and said it was very easy to hit. Scott, playing off 20, provided excellent analysis that all gameimprovers will long to hear – the G20 looked huge and reassuring. Chris said it delivered solid performance without being overly flashy and stated it was definitely up there in terms of feel. We also had to check Ian’s bag before he left in case he snuck off with it because he hit it so well. He admitted he didn’t think he would award anything 5/5 on test but couldn’t fault the feel or forgiveness.

It’s worth pointing out that three of the testers awarded the G20 full marks in Looks, Feel and Forgiveness and the lowest mark anyone gave the club was 4/5. It also delivered when it came to distance and dispersion – not quite top of the tree, but certainly in the upper echelons and that, combined with the subjective ratings, made it a winner.

It’s difficult to criticise a driver that offers great distance, forgiveness and looks but we are going to point out the lack of adjustability. PING still refrain from going down that route and while the G20’s performance more than merits this decision, it would be lovely to think that an adjustable version could deliver even more.

European Tour hotshot Tom Lewis has used one in competition, and we think you should consider one too. One final thing to mention is the price – this offers superb value.

THE NU M B ERS Looks: 4.4 Feel: 4.5 Forgiveness: 4.7 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 4.5 Rating:HHHHH

versatility exemplified How the G20 driver really is suitable for all…

Today most golf clubs are designed for three specific abilities – better player, game improver and super game improver. Most of the drivers featured in this test are no exception. However, the G20 is one of those rare weapons that manages to be an attractive proposition to all three. We’ve already said that the G20 is a hit on Tour, with the likes of Tom Lewis using it to good effect, but if ever we could label a club as suitable for all it would be the PING G20.

So, how have they done it? We took a closer look at the key innovations infused into the G20 to discover just what makes this usable for a Tour player, a 20-handicapper and everything in the middle.

wind-cheater shape 1. The G20 delivered a 4.5/5 rating when it came to distance, and the size of the head certainly does scream “hit me”. But as you might expect, it’s a little more complex than that. The G20 maybe a whopper, but it’s sleek too – PING engineers worked tirelessly to get the club to be more aerodynamic, which means more clubhead speed for greater distance.

2. The external weight pad on the sole also helps to pull weight low and deep in the head – this means a higher, more powerful ball flight which generates low spin.

Face Time

2

1

high and low The better-player i20 has weight higher in the face than the G20, promoting a more penetrating ball flight.

One of the best things about the G20 is the forgiveness – you could almost hit this with your eyes closed, it’s that good. The face is larger than the previous G15 model and features Variable Face Thickness that generates faster ball speeds and increases the Moment of Inertia across the entire face. That all adds up to better performance even on our less good swings.

stability story

It may well not be adjustable, but there is still plenty of technology incorporated into the 460cc head.

The G20’s clubhead has been constructed from Ti 8-1-1 titanium which is lighter and lower density – what this means is that the impressive strength to weight ratio allowed engineers to position weight more strategically which increases the MOI on the horizontal and vertical axes.

Golf Asia 59

drivers: THE STORY OF Who was long, who was accurate and which drivers impressed across the ● Distance (YDS) ● dispersion (YDS)

clubs

Ja mes R idya r d PRO

Ja mes Va r dy 3 HCP

I a n Gr a h a m 8 HCP

Jon Gr eathea d 8 HCP

BEN SAYERS M2i

● 264 ● 42.9

● 242 ● 17.1

● 222 ● 50.1

● 252 ● 13.4

JL MASTERS MODEL BLACK

● 264 ● 25.8

● 265 ● 39.1

● 233 ● 17.2

● 226 ● 16.1

BENROSS QUAD SPEED

● 266 ● 62.5

● 260 ● 15.2

● 239 ● 11.9

● 244 ● 37.8

YONEX EZONE SD

● 280 ● 38.4

● 257 ● 61.4

● 223 ● 35.0

● 253 ● 7.6

DUNLOP NZ9

● 279 ● 11.5

● 253 ● 32.7

● 229 ● 40.9

● 249 ● 24.5

TOUR EDGE XCG5

● 268 ● 4.7

● 261 ● 34.1

● 244 ● 31.6

● 262 ● 59.5

SNAKE EYES VIPER

● 274 ● 21.6

● 266 ● 33.5

● 237 ● 12.9

● 253 ● 18.3

COBRA AMP

● 253 ● 47.8

● 256 ● 23.9

● 229 ● 4.2

● 262 ● 44.3

MD SUPERSTRONG ST2

● 265 ● 24.9

● 254 ● 13.3

● 222 ● 39.9

● 255 ● 27.6

MD SEVE ICON

● 279 ● 46.6

● 244 ● 15.0

● 238 ● 40.1

● 232 ● 33.9

CLEVELAND CLASSIC

● 277 ● 5.0

● 249 ● 12.6

● 221 ● 5.0

● 246 ● 36.8

ORKA GS5

● 276 ● 39.6

● 247 ● 10.3

● 229 ● 7.4

● 262 ● 19.5

FORGAN IWD2

● 270 ● 15.9

● 266 ● 30.6

● 230 ● 29.6

● 261 ● 24.9

WILSON STAFF DXi SUPERLIGHT

● 270 ● 54.3

● 260 ● 10.7

● 237 ● 0.6

● 241 ● 33.3

ADAMS SPEEDLINE FAST 12

● 288 ● 8.5

● 250 ● 10.2

● 236 ● 42.1

● 263 ● 18.4

NIKE VR PRO LTD EDITION

● 280 ● 28.6

● 262● 32.6

● 239 ● 20.1

● 246 ● 18.9

MIZUNO JPX-800

● 272 ● 14.8

● 255 ● 6.3

● 230 ● 31.2

● 258 ● 42.0

MACGREGOR M59

● 275 ● 36.3

● 263 ● 20.6

● 243 ● 4.4

● 250 ● 28.1

COBRA LONG TOM

● 281 ● 28.3

● 262 ● 32.5

● 239 ● 8.4

● 266 ● 37.3

NIKE VR_S

● 272 ● 14.3

● 269 ● 17.6

● 240 ● 50.3

● 235 ● 19.1

YONEX EZONE

● 278 ● 24.2

● 266 ● 30.1

● 235 ● 19.5

● 264 ● 29.8

BRIDGESTONE J40

● 282 ● 26.1

● 274 ● 20.9

● 232 ● 43.5

● 248 ● 41.1

Callaway RAZR X Black

● 280 ● 46.1

● 248 ● 43.8

● 242 ● 24.8

● 254 ● 37.2

Mizuno MP-650

● 268 ● 12.7

● 263● 26.8

● 228 ● 3.5

● 256 ● 8.9

PING i20

● 274 ● 22.5

● 252 ● 45.2

● 234 ● 30.8

● 258 ● 8.1

TaylorMade RBZ

● 278 ● 18.2

● 268 ● 30.3

● 236 ● 33.6

● 265 ● 19.3

Cleveland CG Black

● 280 ● 13.4

● 260 ● 10.4

● 232 ● 19.8

● 265 ● 27.0

Cobra ZL Encore

● 282 ● 8.6

● 280 ● 18.5

● 247 ● 31.8

● 259 ● 44.6

TaylorMade R11S

● 276 ● 25.4

● 262 ● 19.6

● 240 ● 14.9

● 260 ● 47.5

Callaway RAZR Fit

● 285 ● 30.1

● 279● 7.6

● 248 ● 14.3

● 258 ● 13.0

PING G20

● 275 ● 14.1

● 261 ● 24.8

● 245 ● 0.9

● 263 ● 26.2

60 Golf Asia

THE TEST BY NUMBERS board? The distance and dispersion stats for all clubs and testers

David Connor 10 HCP

Dave Butler 10 HCP

Dave Rimmer 13 HCP

Chris Banner 14 HCP

Scot t Roots 20 HCP

● 263 ● 75.1

● 219 ● 31.1

● 189 ● 13.8

● 212 ● 14.6

● 238 ● 41.4

● 277 ● 46.0

● 209 ● 16.5

● 204 ● 18.9

● 210 ● 33.8

● 231 ● 54.3

● 273 ● 29.9

● 217 ● 31.1

● 208 ● 8.2

● 212 ● 10.0

● 254 ● 15.3

● 263 ● 30.9

● 212 ● 46.0

● 204 ● 28.6

● 214 ● 16.0

● 250 ● 53.6

● 266 ● 26.3

● 226 ● 8.0

● 201 ● 16.5

● 184 ● 17.7

● 262 ● 28.1

● 266 ● 37.4

● 210 ● 34.0

● 209 ● 16.8

● 204 ● 28.1

● 246 ● 52.2

● 276 ● 29.6

● 200 ● 37.0

● 207 ● 14.8

● 210 ● 36.9

● 243 ● 38.7

● 262 ● 31.2

● 223 ● 39.5

● 194 ● 21.2

● 211 ● 24.5

● 254 ● 51.2

● 269 ● 34.1

● 212 ● 28.7

● 194 ● 15.7

● 208 ● 13.4

● 248 ● 44.0

● 284 ● 26.5

● 223 ● 45.9

● 209 ● 16.6

● 212 ● 33.5

● 254 ● 24.8

● 275 ● 24.0

● 228 ● 39.0

● 206 ● 26.4

● 210 ● 2.2

● 249 ● 67.4

● 272 ● 20.5

● 205 ● 5.3

● 211 ● 10.8

● 198 ● 40.6

● 270 ● 60.9

● 268 ● 38.8

● 215 ● 23.2

● 208 ● 14.5

● 195 ● 17.9

● 259 ● 16.6

● 274 ● 33.8

● 206 ● 37.9

● 215 ● 14.8

● 208 ● 28.2

● 250 ● 30.8

● 286 ● 35.2

● 225 ● 35.0

● 215 ● 16.6

● 209 ● 33.3

● 257 ● 42.8

● 288 ● 8.4

● 218 ● 52.4

● 201 ● 11.5

● 211 ● 34.7

● 229 ● 39.5

● 289 ● 67.7

● 219 ● 25.8

● 212 ● 8.7

● 211 ● 22.8

● 258 ● 65.4

● 274 ● 20.7

● 221 ● 12.5

● 196 ● 17.9

● 212 ● 28.7

● 262 ● 41.4

● 295● 31.1

● 218 ● 53.1

● 205 ● 18.2

● 211 ● 16.9

● 255 ● 40.0

● 287 ● 27.0

● 218 ● 37.7

● 212 ● 18.1

● 212 ● 23.7

● 253 ● 39.5

● 259 ● 32.4

● 228 ● 16.1

● 207 ● 21.4

● 216 ● 27.6

● 259 ● 39.6

● 273 ● 18.1

● 230 ● 15.7

● 207 ● 18.3

● 210 ● 21.4

● 264 ● 42.5

● 291 ● 31.2

● 224 ● 20.9

● 210 ● 14.5

● 205 ● 26.8

● 278 ● 14.5

● 266 ● 15.1

● 224 ● 7.6

● 210 ● 17.1

● 209 ● 22.3

● 257 ● 12.4

● 270 ● 30.6

● 216 ● 9.3

● 201 ● 8.9

● 208 ● 21.5

● 261 ● 41.8

● 289 ● 30.3

● 216 ● 26.1

● 218 ● 19.0

● 218 ● 41.6

● 261 ● 74.8

● 261 ● 56.0

● 222 ● 24.9

● 219 ● 16.0

● 208 ● 22.1

● 241 ● 31.2

● 291 ● 17.1

● 216 ● 27.7

● 216 ● 20.4

● 204 ● 31.2

● 259 ● 27.0

● 292 ● 26.2

● 222 ● 41.4

● 211 ● 16.8

● 209 ● 14.9

● 258 ● 47.8

● 274● 45.0

● 226 ● 9.9

● 214 ● 13.6

● 214 ● 14.7

● 261 ● 6.1

● 275 ● 33.9

● 215 ● 15.0

● 207 ● 5.0

● 209 ● 11.3

● 259 ● 67.3 Golf Asia 61

golfing gearguide

TESTERS’ TOP FIVES Our nine-man team’s top drivers for distance and dispersion

CONCLUSION What we learned from our epic three-day drivers test

When you have nine golfers bashing thousands of balls with 31 drivers over three full days of testing you tend to learn a thing or two about how they perform. Here are some of the key things we took from our Belfry extravaganza.

JAMES’ BEST FOR…

james’ BEST FOR…

ian’s BEST FOR…

Distance: 1. Adams Speedline (288 yds) 2. Callaway Razr Fit (285 yds) 3. Cobra ZL Encore (282 yds) 4. Bridgestone J40 (282 yds) 5. Cobra Long Tom (281 yds)

Distance: 1. Cobra ZL Encore (280 yds) 2. Callaway Razr Fit (279 yds) 3. Bridgestone J40 (274 yds) 4. Nike VR_S (269 yds) 5. TaylorMade RBZ (268 yds)

Distance: 1. Callaway Razr Fit (248 yds) 2. Cobra ZL Encore (247 yds) 3. Ping G20 (245 yds) 4. Tour Edge XCG5 (244 yds) 5. MacGregor M59 (243 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Tour Edge XCG5 (4.7 yds) 2. Cleveland Classic (5.0 yds) 3. Adams Speedline (8.5 yds) 4. Cobra ZL Encore (8.6 yds) 5. Dunlop NZ9 (11.5 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Mizuno JPX-800 (6.3 yds) 2. Callaway Razr Fit (7.6 yds) 3. Adams Speedline (10.2 yds) 4. Orka GS5 (10.3 yds) 5. Cleveland CG Black (10.4 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Wilson DXi Superlight (0.6 yds) 2. Ping G20 (0.9 yds) 3. Mizuno MP-650 (3.5 yds) 4. Cobra AMP (4.2 yds) 5. MacGregor M59 (4.4 yds)

JON’S BEST FOR…

DAVID’S BEST FOR…

dave’s BEST FOR…

Distance: 1. Cobra Long Tom (266 yds) 2. Cleveland CG Black (265 yds) 3. TaylorMade RBZ (265 yds) 4. Yonex Ezone (264 yds) 5. Adams Speedline (263 yds)

Distance: 1. Cobra Long Tom (295 yds) 2. TaylorMade R11s (292 yds) 3. Cobra ZL Encore (291 yds) 4. Callaway Razr X Black (291 yds) 5. TaylorMade RBZ (289 yds)

Distance: 1. Bridgestone J40 (230 yds) 2. Cleveland Classic (228 yds) 3. Yonex Ezone (228 yds) 4. Dunlop NZ9 (226 yds) 5. Callaway Razr Fit (226 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Yonex Ezone SD (7.6 yds) 2. Ping i20 (8.1 yds) 3. Mizuno MP-650 (8.9 yds) 4. Callaway Razr Fit (13.0 yds) 5. Ben Sayers M2i (13.4 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Nike VR Pro Ltd Ed (8.4 yds) 2. Mizuno MP-650 (15.1 yds) 3. Cobra ZL Encore (17.1 yds) 4. Bridgestone J40 (18.1 yds) 5. Orka GS5 (20.5 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Orka GS5 (5.3 yds) 2. Mizuno MP-650 (7.6 yds) 3. Dunlop NZ9 (8.0 yds) 4. Ping i20 (9.3 yds) 5. Callaway Razr Fit (9.9 yds)

dave’s BEST FOR…

Chris’ BEST FOR…

scott’s BEST FOR…

Distance: 1. Cleveland CG Black (219 yds) 2. TaylorMade RBZ (218 yds) 3. Cobra ZL Encore (216 yds) 4. Wilson DXI Superlight (215 yds) 5. Adams Speedline (215 yds)

Distance: 1. TaylorMade RBZ (218 yds) 2. Yonex Ezone (216 yds) 3. Callaway Razr Fit (214 yds) 4. Yonex Ezone SD (214 yds) 5. Benross Quad Speed (212 yds)

Distance: 1. Callaway Razr X Black (278 yds) 2. Orka GS5 (270 yds) 3. Bridgestone J40 (264 yds) 4. Dunlop NZ9 (262 yds) 5. MacGregor M59 (262 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Ping G20 (5.0 yds) 2. Benross Quad Speed (8.2 yds) 3. Mizuno JPX-800 (8.7 yds) 4. Ping i20 (8.9 yds) 5. Orka GS5 (10.8 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Cleveland Classic (2.2 yds) 2. Benross Quad Speed (10.0 yds) 3. Ping G20 (11.3 yds) 4. MD Superstrong ST2 (13.4 yds) 5. Ben Sayers M2i (14.6 yds)

DISPERSION: 1. Callaway Razr Fit (6.1 yds) 2. Mizuno MP-650 (12.4 yds) 3. Callaway Razr X Black (14.5 yds) 4. Benross Quad Speed (15.3 yds) 5. Forgan IWD2 (16.6 yds)

62 Golf Asia

THE RIGHT SPECS We say it every year, getting the right specs in your driver is just as important as learning how to swing the club itself. That’s why we ask manufacturers for so many shaft and loft options because it makes a massive difference to the overall results for individual golfers. We saw a big improvement when our testers were hitting clubs that had the right specs for them. Do we need to say it again? When buying your next driver, get it custom-fitted.

MONEY TALKS We include drivers from a variety of manufacturers and price points in our test, and rightly so. It reflects what people buy in the marketplace and also shows there are very good clubs out there at lower price points – the Forgan IWD2 and the two MD Golf offerings are fine examples.

But at the business end of the test it tends to be the premium drivers that get the job done, and this is no coincidence. We don’t tell our testers the price of the products before they rate them and they are solely rated on performance, where the distance and dispersion stats tend to speak for themselves. More R&D and better components usually, but not always, means better results.

BIGGER IS BETTER Just 20 years ago a 460cc driver would have looked ridiculous – but now it is the norm. This means drivers are ridiculously easy to hit because the large heads are so forgiving. Over three days we witnessed some pretty poor shots (it happens to everybody) but the number of times our guys got away with a poor shot was astounding. We don’t agree that golfers should hit a fairway wood off the tee instead of a driver if they are inconsistent.

Get the right one fitted for you and it is the easiest club in your bag to hit.

Supported by:

golfing gearguide

WHY THE LONG SHAFT? Driver shaft lengths have increased, but how does that affect us?

BY david connor • Photos TOM CRITCHELL & GETTY

O

ver the past few years golf’s biggest manufacturers have preached to us that longer shafts mean more clubhead speed – and golfers have snapped these up with gusto in their quest for more distance.

According to theory an extra half-inch here or an inch there and we’re all capable of hitting booming drives and reaching par 5s in two. Average shafts lengths have in fact increased by 0.75in in the last decade – measuring more than 46in – and Cobra has even gone even further with the Long Tom, which has the maximum legal shaft length of 48in.

But while the theory is sound, does the reality result in more yards? And what does this do for our accuracy?

To find out we spoke to R&D experts at some of the game’s leading brands to get their take on the distance debate.

“It’s basic physics,” says Tom Preece, Cobra’s vice president of club R&D. “The longer and lighter the club, the faster you can swing it. All things being equal, more clubhead speed means more distance if you generally find the face’s centre.”

Cleveland’s R&D development manager Nate Radcliffe agrees, insisting longer shafts increase swing speed capability. “Just 1mph swing speed increase equates to about 1.4-1.5mph more ball speed and each 1mph of ball speed will equate to approximately 1.7 yards of additional distance,” added Radcliffe.

But as Preece points out, consistency of strike is another key factor in achieving sustainable distance and Mizuno’s tour operations manager Andy Kikidas believes a longer driver can actually have a negative effect in overall distance.

64 Golf Asia

“A longer club length will provide more clubhead speed for most players but whether that equates to more distance will depend on their ability to connect with the sweet-area,” says Kikidas.

“The ability to square the face at impact and make a solid contact with a slower clubhead speed will normally provide more distance than a mis-hit with a faster speed. Accuracy will also normally decrease the longer the club length.”

Callaway’s senior vice president of R&D Dr Alan Hocknell, however, believes there are occasions when a longer shaft can provide more consistency.

“A longer club typically only ensures higher head speeds,” says Hocknell. “This can lead to higher ball speeds if players are able to maintain an efficient impact location. Length can also influence the head delivery and could result in a more optimal attack and path for some players, which can lead to more distance. But, the results are different for different golfers and many find the extra length difficult to manage and hit the ball in the centre of the face less consistently.”

So if consistency of impact is so crucial in the quest for more distance, what has changed to allow shafts to continue to get longer? The answer, according to Mike Vrska, global director for R&D with Wilson Staff, is the clubhead.

“As driver heads have got larger and more forgiving, shafts have been made longer to increase distance,” insists Vrska.

“Back when drivers were made of wood, and not very forgiving, all were 43in long. As wood changed to steel, head size increased to 190-220cc. This raised the MOI and club lengths moved to the 44in range. Today,

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Golf Asia 65

golfing gearguide

Cobra’s Long Tom has a 48in shaft.

Some in our test liked it, others didn’t.

Graeme McDowell is now playing a 46.25in shafted driver.

with the USGA/R&A size limit at 460cc, most modern titanium drivers are about 46in. More length does result in a slight increase in offcentre hits for some but this is offset by the higher MOI; clubs are so much more stable, players don’t see their shots being more off line than before. They only see the extra yards due to more clubhead speed and ball speed from the longer shaft.”

Advances in shaft technology have also allowed the extra length without overly compromising on consistency, according to Cleveland Golf’s Radcliffe.

“As more advanced graphite composites and related manufacturing techniques have been developed, graphite shafts have become dramatically lighter,” he says.

“When graphite shafts first became popular, they typically weighed 70-80g. Now it is not uncommon to see shafts as light as 40-50g that are stiff and stable enough to be played on tour. This weight reduction has

66 Golf Asia

allowed designers to increase club length while maintaining the balance or swing weight of clubs.”

Preece agrees, adding: “Shaft designers have figured ways to keep stiffness high enough and keep torque low enough, even at today’s longer lengths. In the past, shafts were too flexible at these lengths.”

Radcliffe believes that although Tour pros traditionally use shorter shafts than amateurs, this longer shaft trend will continue even with the world’s best.

“Our standard length for pro staff has slowly increased to 45 1/8in,” reveals Radcliffe. “There are players as short as 44 3/8in and some have experimented with lengths in excess of 47in. Graeme McDowell is now playing a 46.25in driver. The trend is slowly increasing in length, though the Tour is typically much slower to adopt gameimprovement technologies – almost all, however, eventually become standard; cavityback irons, mallet putters, solid core balls, hybrids and 460cc drivers. We think longer

COBRA INSIST LONG TOM IS ALSO STRAIGHT If longer shafts mean less control then Cobra’s mammoth 48in Long Tom should be one of the most inconsistent out there.

But according to Tom Preece, they worked hard to ensure this wasn’t the case. “If the club is

not designed properly, for example too heavy a shaft or not well balanced, then a longer shaft can be inconsistent,” says Preece. “When designing Long Tom, we spent a lot of time analysing the optimal club mass, mass distribution and head centre of gravity location

that would make it as easy as possible for the golfer to hit it not only longer, but consistently straight.”

Top marks in the drivers test for length and a respectable dispersion score would indicate that Cobra got it about right.

SPECIAL FOCUS

and lighter products will continue to be a growing trend for all levels.”

But Mizuno’s Kikidas and Cobra’s Preece believe shorter shafts are still better for elite players and higher swing speeds.

“Pros are concerned with control and working the ball,” adds Preece. “So they prefer less than 46in.

Amateurs are usually concerned with maximum distance.”

Kikidas added: “Most Tour players have very fast clubhead speeds so it’s important to control that power – that’s why 44.545in is most popular on tour. For anyone lacking clubhead speed a longer shaft could help if they hit it consistently. There is no point in using a club where one shot goes a mile and nine end up in the trees.”

VERDICT

In Sir Nick’s day, longer shafts were too flexible.

A longer shaft won’t always mean you hit it further. An anecdote from renowned club builder Tom Wishon describes how he once challenged golfers at his club to carry a 60-inch driver over a creek 210 yards from the tee. Very few managed it because they simply couldn’t connect the clubface with the ball efficiently.

But, there is no doubt longer shafts are here to stay and golfers are getting more used to them with each passing year. A 43in driver shaft would look alien to most golfers now but 25 years ago it was the norm, so it is clear that time and technology does march on.

Callaway’s Hocknell sums it up, by saying “you probably want to use the longest club you can as long as you can maintain an efficient and consistent clubhead delivery and impact location.”

In other words, length is good as long as it doesn’t affect your consistency and the perfect length can be individual to each golfer. As we saw in our drivers test, some players hit Cobra’s Long Tom extremely well, while others struggled badly with the increased length.

Like everything related to golf equipment it is trial and error on a personal basis – and the most efficient way of finding out what works for you is to consult an experienced custom fitter. a

WHY LOFT EQUALS MORE YARDS T

he theory goes like this: the lower the loft, the further you’ll hit the ball. After all, your driver goes much further than your sand wedge so an 8˚ driver should go further than an 11˚ one. But if that is the case, why aren’t drivers simply made with just one or two degrees of loft? We asked the game’s brightest R&D specialists why lower doesn’t necessarily mean longer.

Wilson Staff’s Mike Vrska said: “Loft is a key factor in modern drivers; most players need more of it and they’ll be surprised when they hit it longer with more loft.”

Club builder Tom Wishon talks about a water hose when explaining how loft on a club can work to your advantage. He explains that if you hold the hose at too low an angle, gravity simply pulls the water down to the ground and it won’t go as far; too high and the water will simply balloon – there is an optimum angle in between. The speed of the water coming out of the hose also has an effect, which is why most average golfers, who generate slower ball speeds, will benefit from more loft.

Cleveland Golf’s Nate Radcliffe says: “More players need more loft than less.

If you have a swing speed less than 100mph then a low launch angle and trajectory is the biggest hindrance to distance. As players approach Tour speeds, spin becomes significantly

more important.”

Modern equipment is also a factor in the trend towards higher-lofted drivers, as Callaway’s Dr Alan Hocknell explains. “A higher launch and lower spin is key for optimum distance,” he says.

“Lower-spinning balls and drivers with lower centres of gravity have enabled designers to increase the loft and increase distance.”

This phenomenon is also being mirrored on Tour with pros playing much higher lofts than before.

“Gone are the days of the 5˚ Persimmon drivers we used to make for the likes of Nick Faldo,” says Mizuno’s Andy Kikidas.

Hocknell adds: “Tour players are definitely playing higher-lofted drivers than they did 5-10 years ago. Part of the reason is the golf ball. Part of the reason is the low centre of gravity of many current designs. Part of the reason is the influence of younger Tour players who are more comfortable seeing higher trajectories, which often lead to greater distance.”

“But it’s relative,” concludes Cobra’s Tom Preece. “Most are playing with lofts less than 10˚, whereas many amateurs play with 10 or 11˚ lofts or higher. Pros have fast swing speeds and many tend to hit up on the ball, so they achieve high launch angles and low spin, even with lower-lofted drivers.”

‘The pros have fast swing speeds and many tend to hit up on the ball’

Most amateurs would be surprised to discover they would actually hit the ball further with 10.5˚ of loft compared to only 9˚.

10.5°

Golf Asia 67

golfing gearguide

Adjust Or Bust Can a few screws and a wrench really add yards to your drives?

by DAVID CONNOR • photos HOWARD BOYLAN

T

en years ago there were no adjustable drivers. But in 2011 the adjustability race hit new heights with the arrival of Titleist’s first adjustable driver and TaylorMade’s R11 breaking all sales records. Now there are no fewer than nine adjustable drivers on sale from the leading manufacturers in 2012.

But do they really help your game? To find out, we enlisted the help of one of The Belfry’s expert customfitters, Matt Lilley. Armed with only a wrench he vowed to improve the driving of each of our four guinea pigs – two of whom own adjustable drivers but have no idea how to set them up correctly and two who had never used one before. The results were startling.

“Usually in a fitting we spend a bit of time

68 Golf Asia

getting the shaft right and then we fine tune using the various elements of adjustability in the head,” says Lilley.

“But as the results show you can make quite a bit of difference by making sure the head is at the optimum setting for your swing. Even if you buy an adjustable driver off-the-rack it’s worth getting a qualified fitter to fine tune it for you.”

We always recommend a full custom-fitting before buying but we know many golfers still buy clubs online or off the rack. Optimising the head settings of an adjustable driver can help rectify any initial buying mistakes. It may not make it perfect, but it can help.

Equally, having the wrong setting can hinder your game so seek advice.

JOHN YOUNG HCP 12

HOSEL AND SOLE PLATE TWEAKS GAIN YARDAGE

J

ohn bought his TaylorMade R11 last year but has done nothing more to the head than swap the weights about to promote a fade.

Matt says: “John bought a specification not best suited to his swing. He needed more loft than the standard 9° head so we increased this to 10° by altering the FCT sleeve in the hosel of the club. We also moved the weights from a fade bias back to neutral and he immediately noticed a big jump in both carry and overall distance with similar dispersion. However, increasing the loft also has the effect of closing the face, which John felt was off-putting. To counteract this we set the ASP (sole plate) to an open position which allowed the club to sit square at address. “Ideally I’d still like to get John in a slightly higher loft with a lighter, softer shaft to get his launch angle up and his spin rate down but we’ve been able to maximise his efficiency with his current driver.”

RYAN RICHARDS HCP 22

ORIGINAL HEAD SET-UP PROVING A HINDRANCE

R

yan treated himself to a 10.5° Titleist 910D2 a few months ago and had a new shaft fitted at the recommendation of a retailer. However, he has tried a number of head settings without any consistent success.

Matt says: “Ryan had a decent fit in terms of the shaft but he had the head set at C3, which effectively makes the club more upright and promoting a draw. Ryan sets up with his hands very low at address, meaning the upright lie angle was working against him and his bad shot is a hook so the draw bias wasn’t helping either. We set the head to A4 to flatten the lie angle back to standard and added 0.75° loft to the head and immediately we noticed a much more efficient contact resulting in increased carry and distance and a better dispersion rate. If he wanted to bring his ball flight down he could try D4 but because of the position of his hands he needs to avoid any setting which makes the lie angle more upright.”

Driver

Total Carry distance

Ball speed

Launch Dispersion angle

Driver

Total Carry distance

Ball speed

Launch Dispersion angle

Original

210

225

143.8

11.3

5.3L

Original

211

225

143.5

10.7

6.0R

New setting

225

233

147.1

11.2

8.7R

New setting

226

234

146.1

14.7

2.4L

NICK HILL HCP 24

loft and sole plate help LAUNCHing ISSUES

R

yan had never tried an adjustable hosel but hoped it would help lower his extremely high launch angle, which costs him distance. Matt selected a base model TaylorMade R11S in 9° with a regular shaft before adjusting the club’s settings.

Matt says: “We needed to bring Nick’s initial launch angle down and that’s why we started with a 9° head compared to the 10.5° head he has in his r7. The lower loft helped a little but he was still approaching the ball with a very open face and that was adding to the launch angle as well as pushing his ball flight out to the right. Therefore we set the ASP (sole plate) to closed and that brought his launch angle down considerably. We tried a lower loft at 8.25° to see if we could bring it down further but he didn’t have enough ball speed and his dispersion also suffered. If Nick’s current driver was adjustable we could lower the loft and bring ball flight down without a brand new club.”

ROGER COE HCP 18

increased loft gives increased distance

R

oger’s slice saw him invest in an off-the-rack Ping K15 but the 10.5° head and stiff shaft are not right for him. As a base adjustable model Matt started with a 10.5° Titleist 910D2 to illustrate how changing a similar driver’s set-up could be beneficial.

Matt said: “Initially we set the 910D2 with a standard loft and draw bias to mirror Roger’s K15 giving similar results – the draw bias worked well in terms of tightening his dispersion but we could do with a bit more distance. We increased the loft on the head to the maximum 12° while still incorporating the draw bias to counteract Roger’s slice. We immediately saw a massive increase in ball speed and that translated to more carry and overall distance, 12 yards in total on average, without compromising dispersion. Ultimately I would recommend that Roger starts with a 12° head – that would give him more scope for further loft adjustment either way in the quest for more distance.”

Driver

Total Carry distance

Ball speed

Launch Dispersion angle

Driver

Total Carry distance

Ball speed

Launch Dispersion angle

Original

173

178

119.9

20.3

20.2R

Original

164

179

115.8

10.7

7.6R

New setting

183

195

126.9

15.9

12.1R

New setting

176

191

124.0

13.2

8.8L Golf Asia 69

golfing instruction

Drive your game to new heights Factors in your set-up have more influence than you think. We explain how incorrect tee height and ball position could be costing you yards BY joel tadman • photos james cheadle

H

ow many of you consistently tee your ball up for a driver at exactly the same height? Do you prefer to tee it low or high? Do you know why?

After reading this feature, you’ll have discovered there’s an optimum height to tee your ball to use your driver effectively and achieve the so-called ‘rainbow’ ball flight that launches high and stays in the air for an eternity.

The key to optimising your ball flight is to get the ball launching high with less spin. Both of these factors are affected by the height of the tee and ball position, among other things in your swing. There are many ways amateurs get this wrong.

Having the ball teed too low makes it impossible to optimise your launch but getting it too high also gives you the potential to slice the ball. Additionally, getting the tee height correct but then

trying to hit up on the ball in the wrong way could also have a negative result. Over the page you can learn the right way to connect with your driver.

One common example of where golfers change the tee height is when hitting into the wind. Conventional wisdom tells you to tee the ball low to hit the ball low but research and data from ballflight monitor TrackMan has shown that while hitting down might reduce face loft and launch angle, it also increases backspin – which makes the ball rise (see overleaf).

Reducing the spin is more important than reducing the launch, so hitting down is largely a waste of time. The best way to hit into the wind is to have a medium tee height, the handle of the club forwards to reduce the loft and adopt a level attack angle. This ensures you launch the ball lower but also reduce the backspin.

add rds

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R P S F OE R I T p to E PO W MOR

70 Golf Asia

Another factor to consider is the impact location on the face. Using a low tee promotes a lower impact location, which launches lower and spins more. Having a higher tee promotes a higher impact location on the clubface, which would launch the ball higher with less spin. If somebody attempts to hit up with the handle staying back incorrectly, you increase the chance of having a low face impact, which launches the ball lower with more spin.

Your mid-iron divots are a good way to check your angle-of-attack tendencies.

If your divots are shallow and point at or right of target, you will more than likely hit up on your driver correctly. If they’re deep and left of target, you will tend to hit down on the driver.

So remember, longer drives demand a higher launch with lower spin. These top tips will show you how...

handle up & out

low loft & spin Being told to hit up alone isn’t enough information.

You need to hit level or up on the ball but at the same time reduce the loft on the clubface, as you would with the handle forwards. With a low-lofted club like the driver this upward attack launches the ball higher with reduced spin.

Once you’ve created some axis tilt at set-up, through the ball feel like you pull the club out of the ground, up and away from you.

That keeps the handle forwards but still raising up, launching the ball higher but with lower spin for maximum distance and carry.

hips forward The best way to create axis tilt is to set up with your head fairly centred but move your hips more towards the target. This ensures you don’t move the entire swing behind the golf ball. Keep the shaft vertical.

handle stays back The wrong way to hit up would be with the clubhead coming up off the ground fast but with the handle staying down and back. This increases dynamic loft and promotes a higher-spinning contact on the face.

Low Tee vs High Tee: trackman data 250

200

150

100

80

60

40

20yards

40 30 20 10

LOW TEE

HIGH TEE

Clubhead speed 106 mph

106 mph

Attack angle

0°

0°

Launch angle

6.3°

12.4°

Spin

2661 rpm

1608 rpm

Carry

205 yards

240 yards

Total

225 yards

269 yards

Golf Asia 71

golfing instruction

Spin loft is king

The flight and distance of your drives comes down to something called spin loft. Spin loft is the difference between the club’s attack angle and the loft on its face at the point of impact.

Someone with a zero-degree attack angle – a level blow – and 15 degrees of dynamic loft have a 15-degree spin loft. The lower the spin loft, the less the ball spins through the air. So the goal is to have as lower spin loft as possible to optimise your launch conditions. Club golfers with an average swing speed of 90mph can increase their driving distance by 25 yards just by changing their angle of attack and dynamic loft correctly, using the tips on the previous page, to lower their spin loft.

lowering the flight Golfers who tee the ball low and hit down on the ball to try and keep the ball flight down don’t actually decrease their spin loft. So the ball launches lower but doesn’t spin any less. In fact it probably spins more.

DYN

C AMI

F LO

T

Attack angle

Hitting Down vs Hitting Up: trackman data 250

200

150

100

80

60

40

20 yards

40 30 20 10

72 Golf Asia

hitting down

hitting up

Clubhead speed 107 mph

107 mph

Attack angle

-2.6°

2°

Launch angle

12°

14°

Spin

2300 rpm

1600 rpm

Carry

242 yards

267 yards

Total

277 yards

298 yards

Ball position optimum location

The optimum ball position for a driver is underneath the left armpit. This ensures the ball is struck fractionally on the upswing.

too far forward With the ball too far forwards in your stance, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more likely to hit across the ball from out-to-in, causing a slice.

neutral path With the ball further back, under the left armpit, the club is more likely to catch the ball when travelling towards the target.

Golf Asia 73

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ǁǁǁ͘ďƌƵŶĞŝƚŽƵƌŝƐŵ͘ƚƌĂǀĞů

Brunei

a kingdom of unexpected treasures

vacation brunei

The Abode Of Peaceâ&#x20AC;Ś

Brunei

By Ken Lye

Brunei Darussalam, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam), is a sovereign state located on the northern coast of Borneo Island. Along with the coastline of the South China Sea, Brunei is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with the district of Limbang separating the country into two parts and Sabah, which lies across the Bay of Brunei. Brunei is the only sovereign state on Borneo Island, with the rest of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia.

76 Golf Asia

B

runei’s economy has been dominated by the oil and gas industry for the past 80 years, and hydrocarbon resources account for over 90 per cent of its exports and more than half of its GDP. Brunei currently has the second highest GDP per capita in the Southeast Asian region, after Singapore, and is the fourth largest oil producer in the region and ninth largest exporter of LNG (liquefied natural gas) in the world.

Despite with only a population of just over 400,000, most of which reside in the area of Jerudong and the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan (colloquially called by the locals as “Bandar”), Brunei is ranked by Forbes as the fifth richest country in the world due to its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields.

Courses Golfing in Brunei differs from the usual crowded and sometimes madpaced golfing destinations that many are used to as it offers a more relaxed, slower paced and un-crowded golfing experience.

If you are looking for a change to your normal typical golfing holiday, a quick short 3 days / 2 night or 4 day / 3 night golfing break in Brunei could be an option. But those who like a nice cold beer after your round will not find it available. The sale of alcohol in Brunei is prohibited but you can bring in your own when you arrive – see ‘Useful Info’ for the limits allowed.

Within a 15-30 minute drive of Bandar there are 4 golf courses with differing characteristics and styles for the avid golfer to tackle. A familiar face around the local Brunei golfing scene, William Yapp, had this to say about these 4 courses around Bandar. “If you are looking for length, play the Empire. For a thinking course, requiring serious course management, precision and accuracy, play Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club. For beauty, play Pantai Mentiri and for a fairly easy round, play the RBA Golf Club. I recommend to start with RBGCC first and then maybe end with the Empire.” Read on and see why.

Golf Asia 77

vacation brunei

The Empire Hotel and Country Club When golfers talk about the golfing experience in Brunei, it is almost typically synonymously identified with the Empire Hotel and Country Club. Situated just 15 minutes from Brunei International Airport and 20 minutes from Bandar, the magnificent championship 6,427m par 72 Jack Nicklaus design course has played host to the Asian Tour’s Brunei Open, and the European Senior Tour’s Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters. This year on December 14-16, it will be the venue for the upcoming 6th edition of the Royal Trophy.

Set amidst rolling hills of the natural terrain along the Brunei coastline, the course is nicely laid out with many elevation changes coupled with beautiful

78 Golf Asia

views of the natural forest and the South China Sea surrounding the holes.

The course starts off your experience at the Empire with a couple of fairly easy holes. The first is a relatively short par 4 at 336m with a slight dogleg to the right.

Standing on the tee box, you would be able to see a fairly wide and generous fairway for your opening tee shot. This is pretty much the same on the following hole, a fairly straight par 5 at 518m.

Nothing tricky to start your day - just ‘what you see is what you get’.

Once you have been adequately warmed up by the two opening holes, you will be slowly eased into testing your course management and shot making skills. The 3rd hole brings the fairway

width down a notch with a large bunker in the middle of the fairway about 225m out waiting to catch a not so well struck drive. Though it wouldn’t bother long hitters to carry this bunker, any sideways deviation would mean the cabbage patch. So choose wisely, take on the bunker or play safe.

As you wind your way around the course, you will find that Nicklaus has designed this course beautifully with an eclectic mix of holes where you always have a choice of driver or a shorter club off the tee with fair risk-reward options. Being known as a high power fader, Nicklaus designs his courses to benefit this type of play and the Empire is no different, though one can also work the ball both ways on

Set amidst rolling hills of the natural terrain along the Brunei coastline, the course is nicely laid out with many elevation changes coupled with beautiful views of the natural forest and the South China Sea surrounding the holes. some holes. A good example of this are the two closing holes, the 17th and 18th which, in my opinion, are the 2 most difficult holes on the course as they are both very tight with danger all down the left.

After you have cleared the beautiful signature par 5 15th, which runs alongside the South China Sea, and the fairly easy par 3 16th, you will find

The well-manicured and inviting fairways at Empire.

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vacation brunei yourself atop an elevated tee box for the 397m par 4 17th. With a commanding view of the horizon and the fairway below, to take on this sharp dogleg left hole, it is tempting to lay up with a 3-metal just to make sure you find the narrow fairway. But if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hit a good shot, you would have left yourself too far back and will have a harder approach shot to the small slightly elevated green. Did I mention the cluster of bunkers at the 150m mark and the intimidating super tall elephant-like grass all the way on the left?

Any shot too close and not long enough on the left is going to have no shot to the green and in lay-up-villeâ&#x20AC;Ś. unless you are Bubba and can move your ball 160m with a 45 degree curve to the left to hit that small green perched on a narrow elevated plateau!

Another elevated tee box awaits you on the 435m long index 2 18th, where another narrow fairway beckons. With a

80 Golf Asia

view of the sea on the left and the Empire Hotel in the horizon, take aim at the tallest bunch of fir trees on the left. You need to hit a good fade that will take your ball away from the deep ravine on the left, which incidentally is probably the only OB on the course. If you overcook your fade from the fear of the OB running the length of the left side, chances are you will find that solitary big fairway bunker around the 190m mark.

From here, unless you hit a cracker of a shot to the green guarded by bunkers and the OB on the left, you will likely have to lay up to the generous bail out area on the right. Walking off this final hole, you will realize that making par is like making a birdie!

The greens at the Empire roll true and are in excellent shape. Breaks on the greens mostly follow the sloping topography around the greens and you must pay attention to the grain, which generally flows away from the hilly slopes.

This will negate a bit of break that you might read from the contours on the greens as shared by one of the resident pros at the Empire, Wira Salleh.

Wira further shares that golfing at the Empire is a delight as things are pretty relaxed and fun. By that he means that there are no fixed times for teeing up so you just rock up and go, except during peak periods where you may have to get a tee time beforehand.

The Empire Hotel & Country Club A: Jerudong BG3122, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 241 8888 E: sales@theempirehotel.com W: www.theempirehotel.com Yardage: Par 72 Black Tees: 6,427m Blue Tees: 6,057m White Tees: 5,597m Red Tees: 4,837m

RBA Golf Club RBA Golf Club is the first 18-hole public golf course in Brunei. It is located literally a stone’s throw from Brunei International Airport. It runs alongside the airport runway with a less than 5-minute drive to the airport. If you ever have a long waiting time before a flight home, then the course is ideal for a quick round before you fly off.

The late Max Wexler, whose design and remodelling works include several notable courses in Singapore, such as Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course, Tanah Merah’s Garden Course, Jurong Country Club and NSRCC’s Changi Course, designed the course.

The fairways and fairly firm greens here are in good condition.

Visually pleasing with palm and coconut trees dotting the holes, the course is very flat with little to no rough. There is a good combination of wide and narrow fairways, with quite a few of the holes narrowing width-wise around the 100m mark to accord riskreward options from club selection off the tee. Numerous large man-made lakes around the course, the usually windy conditions and bunkers strategically placed along landing areas and around the greens complete the challenge for this quaint course.

RBA Golf Club A: Brunei International Airport Road, Berakas BB3577, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2343 724 / 2343 725 E: rbagc.gm@gmail.com Yardage: Par 71 Black Tees: 6,266m Blue Tees: 5,799m Red Tees: 5,213m White Tees: 4,750m

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Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club (also known as Jerudong Park Country Club, Golf @ RBGCC) Once it was opened exclusively for the Sultan of Brunei, the Royal family and their invited guests, including the likes of Greg Norman, Seve Ballasteros, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and Tony Jacklin, this course was designed by internationally-acclaimed golf course designer Ronald Fream.

This 6,175m par 72 course is designed using the natural contours of the area. Consequently, all the holes are cut through the hilly rainforest that exemplify the nature of the course.

This course is the epitome of course management coupled with precise and accurate shot making. The thick forest lining both sides of almost every hole with the exception of a few is enough to make you keep your driver in the bag. As the fairways are tight, use of the driver is only recommended if you are very accurate. Golfers would also do well to drive up ahead to see where you have to hit your next shot to, as 84 Golf Asia

there are parts of the fairway that are near to ravines and the rainforest.

The greens here are small and protected by bunkers, ravines and some with water, making the approach shot a consolidated exercise in accuracy after having found the fairway off the tee. If you miss the fairway, it is not recommended to go foraging in the natural rainforest for your prized golf balls as you could meet some animals of the slithery kind.

Though small, the greens provide ample putting challenges with many subtle breaks, some more than you think and fast down the slope! The greens are firm and in excellent condition. Getting up and down around the greens is interesting with a mix of cow-grass and Bermuda grass to contend

with. But donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever land behind the greens as the rainforest and ravines await your errant approach.

On some holes, the fairway may be wide enough to warrant a driver, like the 11th, 14th and 15th but you may want to think twice as there is wind to contend with. A poorly struck tee shot with too much spin could find the wind taking your ball towards the water or rainforest. The only hole you could give your driver a good rip would be the 401m par 4 17th. It has the widest

A nice end to your day here would be a long par 4 walk up and across towards a small beach

fairway on the course and is probably the easiest hole despite its length. But don’t celebrate quite yet, as the closing 18th is the longest hole at 549m and narrow as well! The second shot needs to be precise towards the right part of the fairway to catch the steep slope that will feed your ball to the left for a clear shot to the largest green on the course. Get it too far to the left, you could find yourself blocked by a huge overhanging tree for the approach to the green.

A nice end to your day here would be a long par 4 walk up and across towards a small beach to the Pantai Café at the Royal Brunei Polo & Riding Club for a great cheap and good meal.

Popular and known only to the locals, the small friendly café serves a variety of tasty local and western fare ranging from BND 1.20 to BND 18, the most expensive item on the menu – beef tenderloin. It is next to the seaside and on Sundays at 3 to 5pm, they have horse riding on the Sultan’s horses and rides on ATVs.

Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club (also known as Jerudong Park Country Club, Golf @ RBGCC) A: Jerudong BG 3122, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2611 582 E: golf.mgr@jpcc.com.bn W: www.jerudongparkcountryclub.com/golf/ index.html Yardage: Par 72 Blue Tees: 6,175m White Tees: 5,758m Red Tees: 5,009m

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vacation brunei

Pantai Mentiri Golf Club Pantai Mentiri Golf Club is about a 20-minute drive from Bandar and has played host to the golf competition of the 1999 South East Asian Games (SEA Games).

Playing at a touch above average length of 6,105m, this par 72 cow-grass course is said to be the oldest golf course in Bandar. The course starts off easy on the shorter front nine, and gets tougher after the turn with a few long par 4s on the back. The beautiful backdrop of mountain ranges may distract you for a second before you set off to negotiate the fairly tight tree-lined fairways.

The many water features characterizing the course, serve a double purpose by offering both a scenic distraction and a perilous end to your errant golf shot!

Trying to avoid the many water hazards is a good challenge especially in the afternoons when the wind picks up.

As you play the course, the beauty of the natural surroundings will suitably awe you especially the signature holes, the 7th and 16th, both situated next to the beautiful Brunei Bay. Ending your day off 86 Golf Asia

As you play the course, the beauty of the natural surroundings will suitably awe you.

with a par on the par 5 18th is deserving of a pat on the back. Once successfully off the tee avoiding the water all along the right side, you will then have to carry a water hazard for your second and approach shot into the green. The double water carry makes going for the green in 2 only for the strongest of players.

Pantai Mentiri Golf Club A: KM 15 ½ Jalan Kota Baru, BSB 8673, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2791 021 / 2792 014 E: pmgc@brunet.bn Yardage: Par 72 Blue Tees: 6,105m White Tees: 5,741m Red Tees: 5,207m

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88 Golf Asia

A Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures...

Brunei

Golf Asia 89

vacation brunei

The majestic Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.

Suggested Accommodation Options The Empire Hotel and Country Club, would be the ideal accommodation for golfers who prefer to pamper themselves with luxury as the resort is opulent and luxurious with rooms, suites and villas that come with breathtaking views of the South China Sea, the lagoon, gardens or the golf course.

As well as having the wonderful 18-hole championship Jack Nicklaus design course conveniently next to the hotel, the hotel offers a myriad of other facilities to cater to golfers and their families. With a variety of pools like an indoor spa pool, kids pool with a water slide, river pool,

90 Golf Asia

a salt water lagoon pool and not forgetting the beach, there is nary a dearth of choice of where to cool off after a round of golf. The hotel also offers tennis, badminton and squash courts if you feel like taking on a more vigorous sport other than golf, plus sea sport activities like jet skiing, sea kayaking, windsurfing and parasailing.

For the less outdoor-inclined, the resort offers bowling with an 8-lane bowling alley, snooker and pool tables; a well out-fitted gym and a wonderful sauna and spa where a variety of spa treatments are available.

Food-wise, the hotel has a variety of dining options with breakfast at the Atrium CafĂŠ, a

The Rizqun International Hotel in Bandar.

The Brunei Hotel, being one of the oldest hotels in Brunei, has undergone a rejuvenation into a chic boutique hotel. Around the corner from the Brunei Hotel is the main street of Bandar with a collection of local eateries offering local fare, a 7-Eleven and a Coffee Bean for coffee enthusiasts.

Together with the Radisson Hotel, it is located in the heart of Bandar within easy walking distance of many tourist attractions.

Alternatives to consider for those who are keen on some shopping with their golfing trip, are The Centrepoint Hotel and The Rizqun International Hotel, both located in Gadong, a major shopping and entertainment district in Brunei.

Other Activities

dim sum lunch at the Li Gong Restaurant, high tea at the Lobby Lounge, a nice sunset dinner by the ocean at the Pantai Restaurant or just Italian at the Spaghettini Italian Trattoria. For a bite after your round of golf, there is also the Bunker Bistro at the clubhouse.

To top it off, the Empire Hotel even has its own cinema, the Empire Cinema, screening the latest releases from Hollywood.

For golfers who just would like a place to stay and are not fussed with requiring the myriad of facility offerings at the Empire Hotel, they may consider other less opulent but yet comfortable options like the Brunei Hotel, the Radisson Hotel, The Centrepoint Hotel and

Tourist Sights Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque – Built in 1958 and named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is magnificently set on its own lagoon making the mosque look like it is floating on the water.

With its domes set in real gold, luminous stained glass windows, marbled floors, granite walls with chandeliers and Arabian carpets complete with a marble bridge leading to a 16th century replica of the Royal Barge, this sight is worth a visit.

Visit also the largest mosque in the country, the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, which was built in 1992 to celebrate the 25th year of the current Sultan’s reign.

The stunning structure with its intricately ornamented minarets, sea-blue roof, shimmering golden domes, artfully landscaped

gardens and fountains is a beauty of Islamic architecture.

Kampong Ayer (“Water Village”) - Built entirely of stilt houses and linked together by almost 30km of foot-bridges and boardwalks, this cluster of villages atop the Brunei River houses more than 30,000 inhabitants in over 4,000 structures.

Royal Attractions – The Istana Nurul Iman is the Sultan’s official residence and is said to be the largest residential palace in the world. Its Islamic-style architecture with glistening domes tiled with gold leaves set on the banks of the Brunei River define the Bandar city skyline. The other palace, the Istana Darussalam, is the palace where the Sultan was born. The Royal Regalia Building houses a selection of royal items such as jewel-encrusted crowns, thrones, royal garments, and the Sultan’s silver dagger (“keris”). It also has a re-creation of the coronation of the Sultan complete with a gilded carriage and the gold and silver ceremonial armour along with documents, photos, films and a gallery of the life of the Sultan.

Brunei Museum – for the archaeological buff in you, visit the Brunei Museum to see exhibits of artefacts ranging from thousand year old ceramics, jewellery, coins to ancient weapons.

Outdoor Activities Tasek Lama Recreational Park, Bukit Shahbandar Recreational Park – Brunei has 2 wonderful nature parks, Tasek Lama and Bukit Shahbandar, which offers cyclists, joggers, hikers and walkers a myriad of trails and hills to satisfy their outdoor fix.

Bukit Shahbandar, about a 15-minute drive from Bandar, offers the most accessible rainforest in the country. As one of Brunei’s many forest reserves,

it has quite a number of rolling hills – 11 to be exact. Offering a variety of trails for hiking and biking, the park has enough to satisfy with plenty of wildlife and flowers thrown in along the way to be admired.

Ulu Temburong National Park – Situated about 3 hours from Bandar and accessible by boat only, the park is a sprawling expanse of undisturbed rainforest that plays home to many species of wildlife. Travel via boat thru the rivers and rapids to the Ulu Ulu Resort to stay overnight if you wish to make the most of your experience. Elevated boardwalks and canopy walkways give the nature lover a beautiful aerial view of the rainforest.

Brunei River Cruise – if you like to see some nature without being too adventurous, take a river cruise down the Brunei River from the Waterfront. You will whiz

by Kampong Ayer and be able to appreciate the size of the water village and the Bandar skyline

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vacation brunei on the way to watch crocodiles lazing by the banks of the river downstream. If you go at night, you will be able to catch fireflies as well and the glowing red eyes of the crocodiles hanging out alongside.

Radisson Hotel, to pick up fruits and vegetables, seafood, woven baskets, handicraft and a host of other trinkets.

Shopping The Yayasan (Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation Complex) is located in the heart of Bandar at the Waterfront, just a 10-minute walk from the Brunei Hotel. The Yayasan has a selection of upmarket shops, boutiques and eateries housed amid a complex designed with an architectural blend of modern and traditional styles. With its clean granite walkways with a beautiful fountain in the centre court framing the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque on one end and the Kampong Ayer floating village at the other, there is plenty here to keep any shopper occupied.

The Mall is located in Gadong, about a 10-minute drive from Bandar and it is another major shopping and entertainment area in Brunei. The Mall tends to be the more popular spot for locals given the presence of fast food joints like McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken along with over 150 retail outlets including branded boutiques, numerous restaurants and four cineplexes.

Shoppers may opt for alfresco shopping at some of the outdoor markets like Tamu Kianggeh, located just a hop across from the Brunei Hotel or a par 5 from the

Getting To Brunei Royal Brunei Airlines flies daily from Singapore to Brunei whilst Singapore Airlines flies there on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Royal Brunei Airlines - www. bruneiair.com Singapore Airlines - www. singaporeair.com

Useful Info

Currency and Getting Around Brunei The currency for Brunei is the Brunei Dollar (“BND”). There is a currency agreement between Singapore and Brunei where the currencies are interchangeable and are of the same value, which means you don’t have to change your Singapore Dollars when you travel to Brunei.

There are very few taxis in Brunei and they usually charge flat rates ranging from BND 10 to 35. They can be availed with the assistance of the hotel concierge.

Alternatively, you may want to consider hiring a car to drive around Brunei, as the roads are good and easy to get around. Car rental rates range from BND 45 to 100 per day depending on type of car and if you rent from a local car rental company or a bigger company like Avis or Hertz.

Alcohol Alcohol is not sold in Brunei, but private consumption by nonMuslims is allowed. Non-Muslim tourists are allowed to bring in a generous duty-free allowance of 2 bottles of alcohol (wine, spirits, etc) and 12 cans of beer per entry, and may privately consume the alcohol

92 Golf Asia

with sensible discretion in hotels and some restaurants.

Climate Brunei has a temperate equatorial climate all year round and is characterized by temperatures ranging between 23 to 32 degrees Celsius, and an average annual rainfall of 320 cm. There is no distinct rainy season in Brunei, though the period from November to March tends to bring heavier rains, with December being usually the wettest.

Other Hotels to consider: The Brunei Hotel A; 95, Jalan Pemancha, BSB, BS 8811 P.O.Box 50 BSB, BS 8670, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2244 828 E: info@thebruneihotel.com W: www.thebruneihotel.com Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam A: Jalan Tasek, BSB BS8674,

Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2244 272 E: reservations.brunei@radisson. com / sales.brunei@radisson.com W: www.radisson.com/brunei The Centrepoint Hotel A: Abdul Razak Complex, Gadong BE3519, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2430 430 E: info@thecentrepointhotel.com W: www.thecentrepointhotel.com The Rizqun International Hotel A: Abdul Razak Complex, Gadong BE3519, Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2423 000 E: info@rizquninternational.com W: www.rizquninternational.com Pantai Café at the Royal Brunei Polo & Riding Club A: Jerudong BG 3122 Negara Brunei Darussalam T: +673 2611 173 Open from 7am to 10pm

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ESCAPE

R E G I O N A L • I N T E R N AT I O N A L • L I S T I N G S

ESCAPE vietnam

The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, built by French Colonists between 1863 and 1880.

96 Golf Asia

Danang Golf Club's fairly straight forward 10th.

Golf CoastVietnam Has It All

Bookended by the World Heritage-listed cities of Hoi An and Hue, in the past three years Danang has emerged as the world’s newest and most exciting golf tourism destination.

By Paul Myers

A

sk any reputable golf course designer to nominate his favourite type of land for a new or existing course, and chances are he’ll say, “Duneland beside the sea”.

This is, after all, the DNA of some of the world’s great golf courses … in Scotland, England, Ireland, southern Australia and the northwest coast of the United States.

But classic links land, featuring sand

dunes that separate the coast from productive agricultural country further inland, is almost impossible to find in Asia.

So when former world number-one players, Greg Norman and Nick (now Sir Nick) Faldo, along with eight-times European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, separately discovered seaside duneland in Vietnam they each jumped at the chance to put their name on a course there.

The three former big names of tournament golf, all of who have designed golf courses around the world, headed straight for Vietnam’s central coast. Here, facing the South China Sea midway between Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south and the nation’s capital Hanoi in the north is Vietnam’s third largest city, Danang. Now, among Danang’s many claims to fame is another: arguably, the best golf course country in Asia.

Bookended by the World Heritage-listed cities of Hoi An and Hue, in the past three years Danang has emerged as the world’s newest and most exciting golf tourism destination. Golf Central Asia, if you like.

When Colin Montgomerie’s eponymous Montgomerie Links opened in 2009 a few eyebrows were raised about the suitability Golf Asia 97

ESCAPE vietnam

Montgomerie Links' modern looking club house.

Bunkers greet golfers as they approach the green on the 12th.

of Danang for a tourism-dependent golf development. There was, after all, no previous history of golf in the area and therefore no obvious domestic market of players, the city’s dilapidated airport desperately needed upgrading and the land where the course was built had to be scoured for unexploded shells from the Vietnam War, four decades earlier.

But the owners, IndoChina Land – a division of IndoChina Capital, Vietnam’s leading real estate development and funds management company with interests in hotels, resorts, apartments and golf 98 Golf Asia

courses throughout the country – had foresight and an understanding of what would bring tourists to the region.

In a nutshell, this was upmarket tourism infrastructure to match the region’s many cultural, historic and scenic attractions.

Not only is ideal golf course land hard to find, so are undeveloped perfect white-sand beaches. Danang has both.

What’s more, the 25km stretch of sand from Danang to Hoi An is the home of famous My Khe beach (‘China Beach’ as it was later dubbed), where US Marines landed in 1965 and established a base

that became famous due partly to a late 1980s TV series. It is now a virtual tourist attraction in itself.

By the time Monty came to play and officially open his exquisite layout in April 2010, Danang had turned the corner.

New hotels and resorts were springing up on the shoreline, across the road from Montgomerie Links. The region’s one super luxury resort, The Nam Hai (also owned by IndoChina Land) had been joined by new four and five star properties, and a second golf course, Danang Golf Club, designed by Greg Norman, had just

Hue Citadel

Danang's street market.

been completed next door.

Developed by VinaCapital Group, Vietnam’s leading asset management company, Danang GC is a classic links course that is complemented by an associated resort development, villas and, on the drawing boards, another 18 holes that will meander through wetlands away from the coast.

Strikingly different to its neighbour, the golf course’s general manager, Australian PGA member Ben Styles, says it offers a “one-off” golf experience in Vietnam.

“There’s nothing else like it here or anywhere else in Asia. It is totally unique, and now that we’re in our third year, the fairways and greens have settled down beautifully. Everyone who walks off the 18th green says it is a pleasure to play.”

As soon as Danang GC opened, the region began to look and feel like a golf destination after all. Then came news that Banyan Tree, the company which owns and operates upmarket resorts in Thailand, China, Indonesia, Mexico and the Middle East, had engaged Sir Nick Faldo to design a golf course near Lang Co, a fishing village 50 kilometres north of Danang on the way to Vietnam’s imperial capital of Hue. Due to open later this year, the Laguna Lang Co Golf Club, with – initially – two on-site high-end hotels, a Banyan Tree and Angsana and associated infrastructure, brings critical mass to the region’s golf tourism credentials.

Tim Haddon, the director of golf at

Traditional architecture set amidst modern buildings are common place throughout Asia.

Laguna Phuket in Thailand, is overseeing the golf course development for its owners. “This is going to be an amazing golf course,” he predicts. “Nick Faldo has spent a lot of time here. He walks over the entire course each time he visits and is putting his personal touch on the layout.

The essence of the course will be variety with changing themes from rice paddy to woodlands to links conditions – a surprise around every corner.”

The London-based International Association of Golf Tourism Operators, which held its first convention in Asia, in

Kuala Lumpur, at the end of April, says a region becomes a serious contender for golf tourism when it has three or more quality courses open to visitors.

Golf Coast Vietnam readily fits this bill, and with a fourth course – designed by world number one Luke Donald – in the early stages of construction in the Danang hinterland, the area’s golf credentials are looking even brighter.

Despite competing actively against each other, Montgomerie Links, Danang Golf Club and Laguna Lang Co Golf Club have come together in a destination-marketing Golf Asia 99

ESCAPE vietnam program to promote golf on the Central Coast. Known as Golf Coast Vietnam (www.golfcoastvietnam.com) each of the member course managers acknowledges that what is good for one is likely to benefit all.

A new airport terminal, the best in Vietnam, opened last December, coinciding with the start of direct Air Asia flights from Kuala Lumpur. Singaporebased Silkair is flying to Danang from Singapore and Siem Reap (Cambodia), while Asiana and Korean Air have scheduled services from Seoul. Now there is talk of direct flights beginning soon from Bangkok and Hong Kong, and maybe from further afield.

“Our aim is to ensure the world knows about the wonderful golf and generalinterest tourism attractions on Vietnam’s central coast,” says Montgomerie Links’ general director, Jon Tomlinson, who is spearheading the Golf Coast Vietnam promotion. Another IndoChina Land property, the new and highly acclaimed Hyatt Regency Danang, has also joined the program.

“We all believe implicitly in the region’s tourism future,” Tomlinson says. “We know that when people see what is here, they will want to come back time and again, and we are confident golf will be a major tourism attraction.”

The golf course designers are also excited about the region’s future.

“I was pleased to hear about the plans for Golf Coast Vietnam as I have been very impressed with the Danang and Hoi

Such are the luxuries at the Nam Hai.

100 Golf Asia

An area during my visits to Montgomerie Links,” Colin Montgomerie said. “With the quality of golf and accommodation currently on offer, and with new golf courses under construction, Golf Coast Vietnam will certainly become one of the leading golf and tourism destinations in the region. I am proud of my involvement at The Montgomerie Links and its contribution to the development of such a new and exciting destination for golfers from all over the world.”

Greg Norman agreed: “I am delighted to have designed Vietnam’s first true links golf course and also to see Danang Golf Club now playing a pivotal role in establishing Golf Coast Vietnam as Asia’s newest and most exciting golf tourism destination. The natural landscape on which Danang Golf Club ‘Dunes’ course was built is rarely found outside traditional golf areas, let alone in Asia, and I am confident it will set the tone for future development in the region.”

Meanwhile, Nick Faldo, a regular visitor as his course design takes shape, added: “We are confident that when our new course at Laguna Lang Co Golf Club is completed later this year, Central Coast Vietnam will have one of the most dramatic and unique golf experiences in Asia. This part of the country is clearly emerging as a genuine world-class golf destination – as reflected in the formation of Golf Coast Vietnam – and it is exciting for us at Faldo Design to be contributing to the success.”

Luke Donald has also endorsed the

Danang's China Beach.

concept. “As Ba Na Hills is my first design project, it was good to learn about the formation of Golf Coast Vietnam and the quality of golf courses on offer in the Danang area. When Ba Na Hills opens in 2013 it will provide a unique attraction as a mountain course to go along with the three other seaside courses. I have heard great things about the cities of Danang and Hoi An and look forward to visiting the area for the first time later this year.”

Danang’s Golf Courses The Montgomerie Links Located midway between Danang and Hoi An, the immaculately groomed resort-style course was designed with a “links-style philosophy” according to Monty himself.

There’s man-made water on 14 holes, about three-quarters of the course is grassed, with occasional natural waste areas and an abundance of native casuarina trees.

The course boasts one of the best practice facilities in Asia and the modern clubhouse is perched on a knoll overlooking some of its best holes, including the signature 482-metres par-5,

Tim Haddon shows off Laguna.

12th that plays moderately uphill over a sea of bunkers.

Above all, this is an enjoyable course that is visually appealing, challenging from the back tees and beautifully presented. Montgomerie Links has been voted best course in Vietnam for each of the past two years.

Danang Golf Club Adjacent to Montgomerie Links, this true links layout is in the style of Greg Norman’s other classic design at Doonbeg in Ireland, but perhaps with more sand.

The Dunes layout is notable for lush fairways running between natural sand dunes, large waste areas and challenging sloping greens.

The signature 135-metres par-3, 16th hole plays towards China Beach with the Cham islands in the background. A very different style to Montgomerie Links, Danang GC is faithful to links golf, which pleases aficionados of traditional courses.

It was named last year as the best new course in Vietnam.

A newly completed clubhouse with topdeck viewing area and floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the ground level provides

How to get there A new airport terminal opened in January this year with direct flights from Kuala Lumpur. Flights from other major Asian cities are scheduled to begin within 2012. Alternatively, should you enter Vietnam through Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Hanoi, Danang is an hour’s flight away. Internal flights are available almost every hour.

views to the practice area and several adjacent holes. � Laguna Lang Co As it nears completion, this course promises a different golf experience to its Golf Coast Vietnam stable mates.

Starting with several wetlands holes, the layout gradually winds through woodlands towards the ocean and back to the clubhouse past mountainside terrain, natural streams and exposed rock features.

Sir Nick Faldo says the variety of different holes will ensure a wonderful golf experience. If the great Scottish golf architect Alistair Mackenzie’s words are true, “Variety is everything in a golf course”, this course has everything and will constantly keep players guessing what’s coming next.

There may be no signature hole, but the one that will attract most comment will be the par-3, 5th, which plays towards a mountain peak and is framed on either side of the fairway and around the green by “chocolate drop” mounds that mirror the backdrop. Remember, the name: Laguna Lang Co. You’re going to hear a lot more about it.

For more information about golf and accommodation in the Danang region, visit www.golfcoastvietnam.com. a

International to Danang Kuala Lumpur Singapore

Time 2hrs 30mins 2hrs 45mins

International to HCMC London (Gatwick) Frankfurt Paris Sydney Hong Kong Beijing Dubai Hong Kong Kuala Lumpur Tokyo Shanghai Seoul

Time 12hrs 10hrs 10hrs 30mins 8hrs 2hrs 25mins 3hrs 35mins 8hrs 30mins 2hour 25mins 1hrs 45mins 6hrs 3hrs 5hrs 25mins

Sightseeing & Activities The Central Coast of Vietnam encompass the coastal cities of Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon and Lang Co. The Vietnamese liken the Central Coast to the bamboo pole connecting the baskets of North and South. These cities are easily accessible with daily flights operating from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Direct flights from Singapore and Malaysia (KL) are also now open directly to Danang International Airport and more international flights are expected this year from other major South East Asian cities.

Undoubtedly the most famous cities within the Central Coast region of Vietnam are Hoi An and Danang. The most famous destination on the Central Coast is the port city of Hoi An. This unique UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts an Old Town which looks much the way it did when Hoi An reigned as one of the region’s premier trading ports in the 17th Century. Explore Chinese temples, merchant homes, great restaurants and a wealth of shopping (including what many believe to be the country’s finest tailoring) on the grid of pedestrian-friendly, riverfront streets.

Danang is Vietnam’s third largest city and is famous for its kilometres of white sand beaches and crystal clear water. Forbes magazine has hailed the long strand between Danang and Hoi An as one of the world’s most spectacular stretches of beach. Danang is easily accessible to major tourist attractions including Marble Mountain, Son Tra Peninsula, Cham Museum and the Pagodas.

Danang and Hoi An also boast some of the best 4 and 5 star accommodation within Vietnam, including the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa, Nam Hai Resort, and Accor. InterContinental and other internationally renowned hotels and resorts will soon join them.

(Source: http://golfcoastvietnam.com)

Golf Asia 101

ESCAPE REGIonal listings Singapore

Malaysia

Laguna National Golf & Country Club

Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club

tropicana Golf & Country resort

11 Laguna Golf Green, Singapore 488047.

No.10 jalan 1/70D, off jalan bukit kaira

Country Resort, 47410 Petaling Jaya

Tel: (65) 6542 6888, Fax: (65) 6542 1132

60000 kuala lumpur, malaysia.

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Website: www.lagunagolf.com.sg

Tel: (603) 2093 1111, Fax: (603) 2093 3393,

Tel: (603) 7804 1531, Fax: (603) 7804 3688

Email: golf@lagunagolf.com.sg

Website: www.klgcc.com

Jalan Kelab Tropicana, Tropicana Golf &

Website: www.tropicanagolf.com Email: golf@tropicanagolf.com

Orchid Country Club

the mines resort & golf Club

DALIT BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

1 Orchid club road,

Jalan Kelikir, The Mines Resort City,

Pantai Dalit, 89208 Tuaran,

singapore 769162.

43300 Seri Kembangan,

Sabah, malaysia.

Tel: (65) 6755 9811, FAX: (65) 6752 4255

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

Tel: (608) 8879 1188, Fax: (608) 8879 2128

Website: www.orchidclub.com

Tel: (603) 8943 2288, Fax: (603) 8943 9212

Website: www.dalitbaygolf.com.my

Email: golf@orchidclub.com

Website: www.minesgolfclub.com

Email: dalitbaygolf.rrr@shangri-la.com

RafFLes Country Club

The Royal Selangor golf Club

clear water sanctuary golf resort

450 jalan ahmad ibrahim,

Jalan Kelab Golf, Off Jalan Tun Razak

Lot 6019, Jln Changkat Larang, 31000 Batu

singapore 639932.

55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Gajah, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.

Tel: (65) 6861 7655,

Tel: (603) 9206 3333 , Fax: (603) 9285 3939

Tel: (605) 366 7433, Fax: (605) 366 7434

Fax: (65) 6861 5563,

Website: www.rsgc.com.my

Website: www.cwsgolf.com.my

Website: www.rcc.org.sg

Email: rsgc@rsgc.com.my

Email: cwsgolf@po.jaring.my

Sentosa Golf Club

Saujana Golf & Country Club

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

27 Bukit Manis Road, sentosa

8 km, Jalan Pantai, 71050 Si Rusa, Port

Hala Damai 2, Jalan Damai Laut, Teluk

Singapore 099892.

Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Senangin 32200 Lumut, Perak Darul

Tel: (65) 6275 0022, FAX: (65) 6275 0005

Tel: (606) 647 3123, Fax: (606) 647 4949

Ridzuan, Malaysia.

Website: www.sentosagolf.com

Website: www.pdgolf.com.my

Tel: (605) 685 9333, Fax: (605) 618 1018

Email: sgc_golf@sentosa.com.sg

Email: pdgcc@po.jarring.my

Website: www.swissgarden.com

102 Golf Asia

palm resort golf & Country Club

DAMAI INDAH GOLF

Ria Bintan Golf Club

Jln Persiaran Golf, Off Jln Jumbo, 81250,

Bumi Serpong Damai Course, Jl.Bukit Golf I,

Jalan Perigi Raja Site A11, Lagoi, Bintan

Senai, Johor, Peninsula Malaysia.

Sektor VI, Serpong, Tangerang 15310.

Resorts, Bintan 29152 Indonesia

Tel: (607) 599 6222, Fax: (607) 599 6001

Tel: (62-21) 537 0290, Fax: (62-21) 537 0288

Tel: (62) 770 692 839, Fax: (62) 770 692 837

Website: www.palmresort.com

Website: www.damaiindahgolf.com

Website: www.riabintan.com

Email: info@palmresort.com

Email: Club@damaiindah-golf.com

Email: booking@riabintan.com

Golf Link Resorts

cengkareng golf club

royale jakarta golf club

PT Intra GolfLink Resorts, Jl. Kebon Sirih

Soewarna Business Park, Block G Lot 1-2,

Jl. Raya Halim Tiga, Halim Perdanakusuma

No. 67 - 69, Hanurata Graha 5th Floor,

Soekarno-Hatta, International Airport,

Jakarta Timur 13610 indonesia.

Central Jakarta, 10340 Indonesia.

Tangerang 19110 indonesia.

Tel: (62-21) 80 888 999,

Tel: (62-21) 398 36468, Fax: (62-21) 391 9785

Tel: (62-21) 5591 1111, Fax: (62-21) 5591 2222

Fax: (62-21) 8087 8877

Website: golflink-resorts.com

Website: www.cengkarenggolfclub.com

Website: www.royalejakarta.com

Email: info@golflink-resorts.com

Email: cgc@cengkarenggolfclub.com

Email: info@royalejakarta.com

Indonesia

Golf Asia 103

ESCAPE REGIonal listings Indonesia

China

BRUNEI

Palm SpringS Golf & BEach Club

Meishi Mayflower

Royal Brunei GCC

PT. AFP Dwilestari, Jl.Hang Lekiu,

International Golf Club

Jerudong, BG 3122, Negara Brunei

Nongsa, Batam, INDONESIA.

88 West Binhai Road, Haikou City, Hainan

Darussalam

Tel: (62) 778 761222, Fax: (62) 778 761223,

Province, China

Tel : +673 2611582 Fax : +673 2610201

Website: www.palmsprings.com.sg

Tel: (86) 898 6871 8888, Fax: (86) 898 6871 8992

Email : golf.mgr@jpcc.com.bn

Email: booking@palmsprings.com.sg

Website: www.meishigolf.com

Website: www.jerudongparkcountryclub. com/golf/index.html

bintan lagoon resort

Dongguan Hillview golf club

Jalan indera segara lagoi,

Ying Bin Road, Fucheng

The Empire HOTEL & Country Club

bintan utara indonesia.

District,Dongguan Guangdong, China

Jerudong BG 3122 Negara Brunei

Tel: (62) 770 691366, FAX: (62) 770 697300

Tel: (86) 769 2220 9998, Fax: (86) 769 2225 9998

Darussalam

Website: www.bintanlagoon.com

Website: www.hillview-golf.com

Tel: +673 241 8888, Fax: +673 241 7815

Email: reservation@bintanlagoon.com

Email: hillview@tom.com

Email: nigel.taylor@theempirehotel.com Website: www.theempirehotel.com

laguna bintan golf club

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort

pantai mentiri golf club

site a4, lagoi, bintan island, indonesia.

Tang Chi, Yi Liang, Kunming,

KM 15 ½ Jalan Kota Baru, BSB 8673,

Tel: (65) 6849 5885,

Yunnan, China.

Negara Brunei Darussalam

Fax: (65) 6462 6848,

Tel: (86) 871 767 1188, Fax: (86) 871 767 1185

tel: +673 279 1021 fax: +673 279 0773

Website: www.banyantree.com

Website: www.springcityresort.com

website: www.pantaimentirigolfclub.com

email: golf-bintan@banyantree.com

Email: frontoffice@springcityresort.com

email: infodesk@ pantaimentirigolfclub.com

Batam hills golf resort

Dragon Lake

royal brunei airlines golf club

Jl. Diponegoro Kav. 24, Sei. Temiang -

International Golf Club

Brunei International Airport Road,

Batam 29422, Indonesia

Guan Yin Yan Reservoir, Wangcheng District

Berakas BB3577,

Tel: (62) 778 391901, Fax: (62) 778 391904

Changsha, Hunan Province, 410217 CHINA.

Negara Brunei Darussalam

Website: www.batamhillsgolf.com

Tel: (86) 731 838 8270, Fax: (86) 731 838 8277

tel: +673 234 3724 Fax: +673 234 3726

Email: marketing@batamhillsgolf.com

Website: www.dragonlakegolf.com

email: rbagc.gm@gmail.com

104 Golf Asia

CHINA

G O L F I N G

5D4N - 4 games

4D3N - 3 games

Sunshine, Hotspring, Meadow, Stone Forest, 4N Horizon Hotel - 5*

Forest Valley, Hotspring & Meishi Golf Club, 2N Sanya Eadery Resort 5 * + 1N Oscar Hotel - 4 *

S$1338 S$1538

S$698

Twin Sharing

Kunming

Single Room

Based on 4 golfers & depart every Sunday

Twin Sharing

Sanya

Single Room

Based on 4 golfers & no weekend surcharge

4D3N - 3 games

Golden Beach, Xijia & West Park, 3N Express Holiday Inn Hotel - 4 *

Dragon Lake, Qingzhuhu & Jinshan Hu, 3N Royal Seal Hotel - 4 *

S$798

S$738

S$898

Twin Sharing

Single Room

Based on 4 golfers & weekday golf

Changsha

4D3N - 3 games

Twin Sharing

S$598

S$1098 Single Room

Based on 4 golfers & weekday golf

Based on 12 golfers & weekday golf

Citic, Golden Bay & Wanhao Golf Club, 3N Green Tree Hotel - 4 *

Free 80mins Spinal Reconditioning Treatment worth $136, (Applicable on day 1 only)

S$938

S$868

Single Room

4D3N - 3 games

Shanghai - 36holes + Kunshan, 3N SunIsland Resort

Shanghai

S$798

4D3N - 3 games

Twin Sharing

Dalian

G E T A W A Y

Twin Sharing

Shantou

S$698

Single Room

Based on 12 golfers & depart every Wednesday

The above packages are inclusive of : • 3/4/5 nights accommodation with breakfast at 4 or 5 star hotel • 3/4 rounds of golf inclusive of green fees, twin sharing room, caddy and buggy fees • Transport at disposal after dinner The above golf packages are exclusive of : • Return airticket, airport taxes, excess baggage charges in excess of 20kg • Tips for driver and guide, travel insurance, visa fee (if required) and personal expenses • Surcharges apply for weekends and China Public Holidays Prices advertised are correct at time of printing. Rates are subject to changes without prior notice.

Terms & Conditions apply.

For bookings & more information, please call or email Eve 8100 3444 or sales@getm.sg

www.getm.sg

MANAGEMENT PTE LTD Your Personal Golf , Event & Travel Management

Company Reg. No: 200916637H GST Reg No: 200916637H TA01878 1 Syed Alwi Road, #06-01, Song Lin Building, Singapore 207628

LUXE T i m e p i e c e s • s t y l e • G RO O MI N G • g a d g e t s

LUXE timepieces Patek Philippe Understated in form and greatly appreciated by watch collectors, the Ultra-thin self-winding Perpetual Calendar is inspired by the 1920s and 1930s Art Deco showpieces seen in the Patek Philippe Museum. It has an 18k-gold cushion-shaped case, and a calibre 240 Q movement with day, date, month, moon phase and 24-hour indications, featuring a perpetual calendar that does not need any corrections until 2100. A contemporary outlook with strong masculine appeal, its dial possess a timeless elegance and its hand-stitched alligator strap is the jewel to a crown.

IWC Schaffhausen As the official watchmaker of the German National Football Team for EURO 2012, IWC is launching a limited 250 special edition watches that might get the football team fans’ hearts pumping. The Big Pilot’s Watch Edition DFB is a self-winding powerpack that exudes effortless superiority and robustness. With a 51011 calibre, this watch has a Pellaton winding system and a 7-day power reserve. The left dial indicates small seconds, while the right one shows a power reserve display.

108 Golf Asia

A.Lange & Sohne The penchant for producing a perfect timepiece is ever growing in A.Lange & Sohne watch development. Not just a technically sophisticated precision timekeeping instrument, the Grand Lange 1’s outlook is just as commendable – an off-centre dial design and an ingenious Lange outsize date, without any overlap points. It possesses a manually wound calibre L095.1 and an impressive 72hour power reserve. The watch comes in yellow-gold, pink-gold and platinum cases.

Roger Dubuis The first thing we notice about this watch is its elongated Roman numerals. Striking, impressive and statement-worthy, the new Excalibur Automatic boasts a 42-mm pink-gold diameter case bordered with strong, bevelled angles.

At 9 o’clock is an exquisite counter of seconds hand set against a silvered dial. Developed using the RD620 calibre, it has an automatic micro-rotot winding system, and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with a power reserve of 52 hours.

Corum Finely crafted with a 12-sided bezel, the Admiral’s Cup Legend 42 Chrono runs on a COSC-certified chronograph movement, Calibre C0983, and complements the Legend collection while exuding a fresh and sophisticated look. The movement driving the hour, minute, small seconds, date and chronograph functions beats at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a 42-hour power reserve. Available in steel, two-toned steel/gold or 18-carat red gold versions, this beauty is the one to bag in.

Omega The classic and sophisticated look of James Bond reflects perfectly on the Omega Classic Seamaster Co-Axial 300 M. To commemorate 50 years of James Bond in film, the watch has a lacquered black dial with a 007 monogram. The watch’s indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova with a blue emission, and it has a helium escape valve releases helium atoms during decompression, which is perfect for professional divers.

Audemars Piguet Demands might soon outstrip supply, as this Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon, limited to only 40 pieces, sets itself onto the world stage of timepieces. This watch features an openworked movement that is extra-thin, which is given a highly contemporary treatment and endowed with one of the thinnest tourbillon movements. The octagonal bezel with eight polished hexagonal screws displays masculinity, while its new calibre 2924 gives it a striking 70-hour reserve.

Golf Asia 109

LUXE timepieces Jaquet Droz At one glance, the Eclipse Onyx looks simple and chic. Try looking at it again and you will find the intricate designs so admirably crafted that it juxtaposes class and fun. This enchanting watch has a dial cut from a disc of black onyx, and is endowed with a moon phase complication.

The bright rhodium-plated metal of the eight stars and the moon sets a brilliant contrast that makes the watch magical.

The streamlined hours and minutes hands gives off an aura of masculinity and refinement, while the visual harmony of the whole composition creates an unprecedented elegance.

Cvstos Powered by automatic winding movement Cvstos CVS350, the Jet Liner sports a cool outlook with an option of titanium, steel or 5N red gold with either a polished or a satin-finished case.

Emphasising on using lightweight materials, the model has been rethought, redesigned and skeletonised to achieve lightness without compromising quality. Its case, strap and clasp are hollowed out, positioning it as the thinnest model to date in Cvstos collection.

Tudor Inspired by a diving model in 1954, and continuously evolved until the 1980s, the Heritage Black Bay has a domed dial, unusual burgundy colour bezel and “snowflake” hands. A perfect watch for vintage junkies, the watch has luminescent hour markers that set a stark contrast to its black dial, and the pink gold of the hands exudes a hint of nostalgia.

To accentuate the look, its unidirectional rotatable bezel gives a matt finish, and the black fabric strap is as stylish as it is perfect for outdoor activities.

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U-Boat For a less formal occasion, put on a U-Boat U-42 – its 53mm case similar to the popular U-Boat Classico models.

Its double superimposed dial – one in brass colour and the other in black – gives it a vintage look. The numerals are in bold and bronze-coloured, and its bidirectional rotating bezel lockable can be released by a way of a lever. The handmade and hand finished calf dark brown leather strap gives a polished finish to the entire appearance of the timepiece.

Maurice Lacroix A striking beauty, Materpiece Lune Retrograde’s blue dial stands out among many others. The slightly raised time markers are emphasised by the satin sunburst finish of the dial. What is interesting is its calendar, designed in a wide retrograde arch and positioned at 10 o’clock, and its power reserve indicator displayed at 2 o’clock. The self-winding ML 192 movement lives up to the name of the highest Swiss watchmaking traditions, and its slender hands is graced with a diamond finish, making it almost irresistible to get.

Raymond Weil Black is still the new black with Raymond Weil’s Freelancer Urban Black.

Coated in black PVD, the 42mm case displays a clear, galvanic opaline dial coupled with eight luminous Arabic numerals with silverpowdered edges. What’s eye-catching is the garnet red of the chronograph’s tachnometer number and hands, contrasting its background and giving it a stylish spin.

Tissot Available in early 2012, the Classic Oroville Automatic in Rose Gold recaptures a sophistication of a gentleman back in time. Featuring an 18k rose gold case with see-through case back, water resistant up to a pressure of three bar, and a genuine crocodile leather strap, this watch is as aesthetically beautiful as it is superior in its mechanism.

Golf Asia 111

LUXE timepieces

Ticker Finesse

From intimate gatherings to the most brazen outdoor challenges, let these watches rope you into a world of precision and class Photography Ching assisted by daryl tan styling darren wong

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date in yellow rolesor

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Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II in 18k pink gold Oysterlock bracelet

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LUXE timepieces

Patek Philippe Ref. 5726/1A-001 Nautilus Annual Calendar with mechanical self-winding movement and sapphire-crystal case back in steel bracelet with Nautilus fold-over clasp

114 Golf Asia

Patek Philippe Ref. 5396/1G Complications Annual Calendar with mechanical self-winding movement in white gold bracelet

Golf Asia 115

LUXE timepieces

Tudor Fastrider with black index in steel bracelet 116 Golf Asia

Tudor Heritage Chrono in fabric strap Golf Asia 117

LUXE style

Sweet Luxuries

Alfred Dunhill Iconic Diamond Pattern Palladium Plating cufflinks

Dressing up is easy, but dressing well is more than just putting an outfit together. Achieve sartorial style with the right accessories for a look that will take you from the office to the poshest party in town

Caran dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ache RNX.316 PVD black/ steel with stainless steel nib

A.Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin in white gold

Alfred DunhilL spring/summer 2012

Gucci vintage navigator sunglases

BOSS BLACK croco printed calfskin shoes

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Burberry Prorsum tote bag

LUXE grooming

Burst of Summer

Our choice picks to feeling fresh, polished and masculine to up your game on any day

It’s Scent-sational Zegna Intenso EDT Natural Spray Smell like a million bucks with this intense fragrance. On first whiff, the light notes of green mandarin, Italian lemon, pink peppercorns and spicy cardamom bring a breath of fresh air. Wait as the scent sits longer, and you’ll find the richness of iris, woody cedar, vanilla and sandalwood rushing out – the kind of scent you won’t mind wearing on a hot and humid summer day.

Power Packers Lab Series Max LS Light Moisture Lotion You want skincare that’s fuss-free, something light enough to tote around, and preferably packing in all the benefits of keeping your skin moisturised, plus looking suitably supple too. The Lab Series Max LS Light Moisture Lotion delivers just that, infusing moisture into dehydrated skin, the lightweight formula promising not to leave behind unsightly streaks – even on the oiliest of skins. Part of the Max LS age-fighting skincare lineup, the lotion also contains a molecular age-less complex which work to impede the signs of aging, aiding especially in the reduction of fine, dry lines.

Heat Defence Biotherm Homme T-PUR series While caps might shield us from the sun’s rays, and climate-cool tees keep our bodies from heating up too much, shiny skin is still a problem especially in sunny cities like Singapore. The folks at Biotherm know this too, launching the new T-PUR series of skincare to combat shine, oil, sweat and blemishes. The three-step routine is easy enough: start with the clay-based cleanser that works to unclog pores and eradicate dead surface skin cells; followed by a pore-reducer lotion (or toner as most know it) which leaves a smooth, matt texture on skin; and ending with a moisturiser so your skin doesn’t lose too much moisture through the day.

Skincare With A Cause La Mer Limited Edition World Oceana Day Crème Skincare maintenance should always begin early – since wrinkles and lines start to form long before you see them. UV rays, pollutants, the winds and humidity stress our skin further, which can cause our skin to become dry, itchy and flaky. La Mer’s ultra-rich crème injects skin with much needed hydration, the moisturiser especially helpful for dry complexions, and a soothing blend for those with sensitive skin. Warm a small amount between fingertips and pat on clean, dry skin, applying over your face, neck and even the eye area. Check out this limited edition ocean-inspired jar, part of La Mer’s commitment in protecting the world’s oceans.

Golf Asia 119

LUXE gadgets Redefining Photography The much anticipated Canon EOS 5D Mark III has created a substantial buzz within the photography community. It boasts the latest and most powerful image processor – DIGIC 5+ processor, which is 17 times faster than the previous DIGIC4. On top of that, the full frame 22.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, high native ISO sensitivity of up to 25,600, a continuous drive of up to six frames per second, and the EOS movie functions, all of which makes this camera the next best gadget to bag in.

Call the Ferrari While smartphones are competing to outshine each other with more, and, sometimes bizarre applications, Vertu has gone another way to create a phone that is luxury at its finest.

The collaboration between Vertu design team and Ferrari Design Director Flavio Manzoni sees a mobile phone crafted from the most luxurious materials such as polished sapphire crystal, Ferrari calf leather and polished black ceramic.

The Constellation Quest Ferrari is coated with diamondlike carbon – a material also used for key engine parts of Ferrari GT and Formula 1 cars. The phone allows registered users to access unique Ferrari information and experiences, and specially curated content featuring historical and contemporary articles, and insights to the world of Ferrari.

120 Golf Asia

Swiss Penmanship With laptops and touch screen devices prevailing as our main tools of communication, writing seems to have descended into obsoleteness. Writing has become a lifestyle, and while many may not notice, a subtle complement to a gentleman. Caran d’Ache’s Leman Noir Mat is one that embodies every element of aestheticism.

Inspired by Lake Leman, which, with its mysterious hues, exudes power and class, the Leman Noir Mat is the first writing instrument in the collection with a matt rather than a polished surface. Produced in Geneva, every part of the pen is meticulously and luxuriously crafted. The silvered elements are plated in rhodium, providing maximum resistance to scratches and abrasion. This fountain pen offers the choice of an ink pump or cartridges, and its nib boasts an 18-carat rhodium-plated gold available in four different widths.

Mobile Sounds Launched this year, Bang & Olufsenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beolit 12 might not be a visual feast, but its portability and superb sound system definitely deserve plaudits. Created by Danish designer Cecilie Manz, this plug and play sound box allows music to be played wirelessly from iPod, iPhone, iPad and other devices. It has a built-in power supply and a rechargeable battery perfect for special occasions both indoors and outdoors. It also comes with an Italian full-grain leather strap that enables portability in style. Beolit 12 is available in blue, dark grey, grey and yellow colour variants.

Wine Vault Wine collectors will be thrilled to own one of the Vintec Allure Series Wine Cabinets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its digital temperature allowing users to adjust the desirable chilling level; versatile shelving options to convert stacking shelves to sliding shelves for easy retrieval and serving; and stylish design featuring aluminum alloy-trim glass door and internal crystal white LED lightings.

Loewe Art 40 3D DR+ Emerging as winner at a recent test amongst 15 LCD and plasma TVs from all the major brands (Stiftung Warentest), Loewe Art 40 3D DR+ offers a great deal of screen real estate and picture perfect viewing straight out of the box without the need for further fine tuning. Customisation is a breeze with several set-up options available. The Loewe Art 40 3D DR+ offers user convenience, premium quality and excellent picture and sound.

Clamshell Beauty What Sony brings to the table is a unique clamshell tablet with a dual 5.5-inch TFT screens. Weighing merely 372 grams, Sony Tablet P is portable and sleek. The perks of a dual screen tablet? Watch a movie on one screen and use the other as a controller, or catch up on emails on the top screen and type away on the bottom one. Sony uses the latest Android 3.2 OS, with an over-the-air upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future.

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LUXE style

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A Dashing Touch The summer way of dressing Photography Alwin Oh Styling Jumius Wong

White cotton long sleeved shirt, Alfred Dunhill Black wool suit, Alfred Dunhill Dog printed silk tie, Alfred Dunhill Blue leather hand cuff, Hermes Golf Asia 123

LUXE style

White cotton long sleeve shirt, CK Calvin Klein Brown leather jacket, Fendi Red cotton pants, Hermes Cream printed silk cravat, Prada 124 Golf Asia

White cotton long sleeve shirt, Dior Homme Navy blue blazer, Armani Exchange Brown linen pants, Burberry Prorsum Black leather boots, Dior Homme Aviator sunglasses, Ray Ban Golf Asia 125

LUXE style

White cotton long sleeve shirt, Issey Miyake Men Burgundy polyester trench coat, Burberry Prorsum Brown wool cardigan, Hermes Brown cotton pants, Hermes Brown leather moccasin, Burberry Prorsum 126 Golf Asia

Styling Assistants Jack Ong, Oh JingNi Styling Intern Sharley Lim Hairstyling & Make-up Sek using MAC Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oreal Professional Model Bruno G/AVE White cotton tee, Giorgio Armani Blue cotton blazer, Grey linen pants & Printed silk pocket square, Prada Navy blue suede oxfords, Emporio Armani Black leather bracelet, Hermes Golf Asia 127

LUXE inspiration

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona Rolex's latest Baselworld 2012 collection features a brilliant-hued timepiece that is as dazzling as it is impressive. Set with an array of sapphires in rainbow colours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a delicate palette of reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, mauves and pinks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Cosmograph Daytona is a beauty donned with 18 ct yellow gold case and bracelet. Equipped with calibre 4130, a self-winding mechanical chronograph movement developed and manufactured by Rolex, this timepiece will definitely earn raves from your audience.

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