Atlantic Golf & Lifestyle magazine issue1 - July / August 2017 by Simmo Golf Media

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AG&L ISSUE #1 JULY/AUGUST 2017

FALDO MY TOP-10 GREATEST OPEN MEMORIES

Local knowledge & inspired writing

Peter Alliss Jeremy Chapman Dale Concannon Robert Green Peter McEvoy

SERGIO

PATIENCE TESTED, BELIEF REWARDED

CORNWALL’S ENGLAND BOYS INTERNATIONAL GEORGE LEIGH IS GOING PLACES RHYTHM… SPEED… POWER… SWING ANALYSIS BY DEREK MICHELL ‘HOW TO ‘DIAL IT IN’ Richard Sadler on the secrets to smarter wedge play

Jonathan Yarwood reveals the vital skills for better seaside golf

WIN!

A custom-built set of Mizuno Forged JPX 900 irons Page 42

PREMIER ISSUE featuring luxury golf at St Mellion, The Point at Polzeath & The Algarve...

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Editor Richard Simmons M 07554 427259 richard@atlanticgolf.co.uk Advertising Director Peter Simmons M 07827 995080 peter@atlanticgolf.co.uk For all editorial, production, marketing or design enquiries please call 07554 427259. Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle is distributed to all golf clubs in Cornwall & Devon – a full digital Media Guide is available on request Regular Contributors Clive Agran, Peter Alliss, Jeremy Chapman, Anthony ffrench Constant, Tom Cox, Richard Gillis, Robert Green, Ed Hodge, John Hopkins, John Huggan, Peter McEvoy, David Purdie, Jayne Storey, Paul Trow Contributing Photographers Action Images, Mark Newcombe/Visions in Golf, Matthew Harris/The Golf Picture Library, Harry Lawlor/Cartel Images, Phil Inglis, David Cannon/Getty Images Professional Teaching Panel Sir Nick Faldo, Peter Cowen, Jamie Donaldson, David Leadbetter, Jean Jaques Rivet, Dr Paul Hurrion, Richard Sadler, Mark Rowe, Darren Gass, Dan Frost, Derek Michell, Gary Lenaghan, James Ruth, Chris Gill, Jonathan Yarwood, Jonathan Lamb

Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle Published by Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle Ltd in association with Simmo Golf Media. Company Number: 10502503 Registered Office: 8, Tower Hill Gardens Rhind Street Bodmin PL31 2FD Printers Deltor Communications Ltd, Long Acre, Saltash Parkway, Saltash, Cornwall PL12 6LZ Tel: 01752 841717 deltoruk.com

WELCOME Turning a dream into reality The magazine you are holding in your hands is the collective work of a team of dedicated writers, professionals, photographers – WIN and one irascible designer – with MIZ JP UNO ! IROX900 whom I’ve been fortunate NS enough to have been associated for over 25 years. Those of you familiar with our publishLoca MY TO ing backstory will recognise P-1 & in l knowled OPEN 0 GREAT ge Peter spire MEM EST a crew of familiar contribuDale Alliss d writ Je C ORIES in Peter oncann remy g on R Chapm McE voy ober t Grean tors – many of them reguen lars in Golf International, a PAT BELIEIENCE TES national title we first pubF REW TED, ARDE D lished in 1997 and the CORN RHYT WALL’S EN HM… GLAND springboard that has SPEED … POBOYS INTE ‘HOW WER… RNATIO enabled my brother, Rich TO ‘DIA SWING NAL GE ANALY ORGE L secreard SadleLr IT IN’ SIS BY EIGH IS wedg ts to sma on the Jonath Peter, and I to launch DEREK GOIN e play rter revea an Yarw MICH G PLAC ls skills the vitaood PREM ES ELL fo IER IS seasi r bette l what we believe is a W SUE d r e golf IN! featu A cust ring lu om-bu xury F o rg truly unique regional ed JP ilt set golf a X 900 of Miz t St M ellion irons uno , The golf title – a luxury magaPoint at Po lzeath & Th zine that delivers essential reading e Alg arve... from the best in the game while at the same time embracing the best of golf here in the West Country. From the opening tee-shot, our winning department of journalism objectives are clear and simple: we and social media that will see techwant to produce high-quality editosavvy and talented students launch rial that entertains and informs its AG&L’s online presence that will readership with an eclectic mix of include a fully interactive digital version of the magazine. articles designed to help golfers get Our cover story this issue feamore out of their game. The relatures one of Cornwall’s emerging tionships that we enjoy with some stars, 15-year-old George Leigh, and of golf’s leading figures enables us the phenomenal sequence that you to create a magazine that is unique can enjoy from page 36 – with stepin regional publishing terms and we by-step analysis from coach, Derek look forward to welcoming local Michell – sets precisely the standard contributors into the mix as we get everyone involved with Atlantic Golf into the swing of things. & LifeStyle is aiming for. One of the key elements we will be targeting is instruction – we all Our sincere thanks to all of the genuine folk in the golf business want to play better golf! – and I’d who have made this venture possilike to invite PGA professionals ble – and especially to our advertisacross the region to get in touch ers for their invaluable support. with any ideas that have potential We look forward to hearing your not only to make the pages of the feedback – and to seeing you out on magazine but create digital content the course this summer. on our website. On that front, I’m Richard Simmons delighted to announce a partnership Editor with Falmouth University’s awardAG&L ISSUE #1

JULY/ AUGU ST 20 17

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JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 3

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JULY/AUGUST ‘17

PREMIER ISSUE contents

THE FRONT NINE 19th Hole Q&A: Editor Richard Simmons talks to tour caddie and Newquay native Mike Batty...Sky Trak brings slick, affordable ball-flight technology into your home…2-Minute Lesson – one of the European Tour’s leading putting gurus, Dr Paul Hurrion explains how working on the optimum ‘drop-in’ speed can help you hole more putts... Chi-Performance and the true meaning of ‘focus’ with Jayne Storey... latest gear & technology...coming up in the next issue of AG&L...

COLUMNS

In My View: Peter Alliss brings his inimitable style to the pages of AG&L

Perspective: Fully thirty years on, Sir Nick Faldo relives Muirfield 1987

Comment: Peter McEvoy believes Justin Rose is the man to beat as the Open heads to Royal Birkdale

Guest speaker: The column that offers you the opportunity to have your say. This issue, Michael Lovett

FEATURES THE OPEN: UP CLOSE & PERSONAL Britain’s six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo recalls his favourite memories of the game’s oldest and greatest Championship SERGIO’S DATE WITH DESTINY Robert Green reflects on that glorious overdue major at Augusta and ponders what may yet lie ahead for one of the game’s most talented mavericks

THE OPEN: PLACE YOUR BETS! As golf's most respected betting correspondent, it’s worth paying attention to what Jeremy Chapman has to say...

AG&LIFESTYLE RESORT SPOTLIGHT

Let’s get straight to The Point... Occupying a prime location overlooking Polzeath on Cornwall’s spectacular north coast, the Point at Polzeath has it all: great golf, fabulous food, contemporary accommodation and a leisure club. What’s not to like?

MOTORING Above & beyond: AG&L’s motoring man Anthony ffrench Constant takes to the wheel of the all-new and highlyspecced Mercedes-Benz All-Terrain

PROPERTY Our special agent Nicola Oddy on the secrets to finding that perfect West Country home

MEMORABILIA Tommy’s Honour To celebrate the release of a new movie telling the extraordinary – and ultimately tragic – tale of ‘Young’ Tom Morris, golf historian and memorabilia specialist Dale Concannon recounts the life of golf’s original superstar

TRAVEL THE FINEST COURSES TO PLAY, GREAT PLACES TO STAY Whether you’re looking for a new experience in your own backyard or something a little more adventurous overseas, Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle helps to identify the best destinations in golf...

JACK’S GRAND DESIGN St Mellion International Resort is home to the very first UK design from the world’s all-time greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus. Ed Hodge checked in for a little R&R before tackling the iconic championship layout

PORTUGAL’S PLAYGROUND AWAITS The opening of Ryanair’s new service from Newquay to Faro brings the dream golfing destination that is the Algarve nicely into focus. Our man on the ground, Clive Agran took a tour of the highlights – including Penina, Quinta do Lago (right), Onyria Palmares and Monte Rei

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JULY/AUGUST ‘17

PREMIER ISSUE contents

INSTRUCTION

Entering the drop-zone

OK, so we know that good putting boils down to a combination of line and pace – but what exactly is the optimum speed for the best chance of holing a putt? The answer may surprise you, says top putting coach Dr Paul Hurrion

By George!

How to ‘dial it in’...

Links Lessons

COVER STORY:

Just turned 15, Cornwall’s George Leigh has emerged as one of the finest young golfers in the south west, a successful debut for England Boys in the recent Quadrangular match underlining his pedigree. Here, his long-time coach Derek Michell takes you through his swing

The quickest route to lower scoring? Turn three shots into two around from within 100 yards of the green. Here, one of the region’s top professionals and sought-after coach Richard Sadler offers advice on improving wedge technique and ‘dialling-in’ better flight & distance control

PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK NEWCOMBE

Top international tour coach – and a true links devotee – Jonathan Yarwood presents a mix of ideas, tips and shot-saving secrets to help you embrace the unique challenge of seaside golf

If you are a West Region PGA professional and would like the opportunity to put forward your coaching ideas in the pages of Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle, drop editor Richard Simmons a line – we wlll be shooting new material on location throughout Cornwall and Devon this summer richard@atlanticgolf.co.uk

8 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

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THE FRONT NINE PORTRAIT BY MATTHEW HARRIS / TGPL

Seventeen years ago, Newquay-native Mike Batty packed a ruck-sack and embarked on an adventure as a rookie tour caddie. It’s been quite a journey – one that has taken him several times around the world with regular stops at all four of golf’s majors and an unforgettable week at the 2016 Ryder Cup, courtesy of his then boss, Rafa Cabrera-Bello. Today he ‘loops’ for another Spaniard, the two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal – and life couldn’t be better. Richard Simmons talked to him

IN GREAT C How did it all start – what made you think one day, ‘Right, I’m going to be a tour caddie’? It all came out of the blue. I was working at St Mellion, on the catering side, and I took a room in the house of club members Frank and Ann Frayne. This would have been around 1999, and their son, Adam, a very talented amateur at the club, was just making his way at national level. One day he asked if I would like to caddie for him at a regional Open Qualifier, at Minchinhampton. I’d been around golf since I was a kid but this was the first time I had worked with an elite player and I really enjoyed it. Shortly after that St Mellion won through to the European Club finals, in Rome. It was a three-man team, Adam, Ben Welch and Richard Ackland, along with three caddies. That was my first taste of going on tour, if you like; I think that planted a seed in my mind, wondering if it was a viable career.

So you bought an air ticket and literally took off to join the Tour – where were you headed? I went out to the Madeira Open, played at Santo de Serra, right up on the top of the. This was in 2002 (Spain’s Diego Borrego won the tournament that year) and I picked up a bag with French player Olivier David. He was going to take a local caddie and offered me the same basic rate – I was just pleased to have a job for the week! Then he shot 65 in the first round to top the leaderboard, and I remember thinking, ‘I should have done this years ago – I’m a natural! He shot level par in the second round which was good enough to put us in 10 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

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COMPANY Plenty to smile about: after five years with Rafa CabreraBello, 52-year-old Batty has forged a new partnership with Spanish legend Jose Maria Olazabal as the two-time Masters champion embarks on the US Champions Tour

the final group on Saturday – and then the mist rolled in and Saturday’s round spilled over into Sunday, so we stayed in that group to the finish. I think we ended up around 20th. It was funny, after the weather delay everyone was in a rush to get to the airport. Olivier asked for my bank details then tore off down the road...and that’s when I discovered I’d left my wallet in his golf bag! I had to chase after him down the hill to the airport – he was just loading his bags at check-in when I found him. The next tournament was the Algarve Open de Portugal, where I picked up a bag with Danish player Knud Storgaard. It was a similar story, in that he had arrived without a caddie, and we worked together for several weeks. In one of the those tournaments we were paired with a Swedish player, Per Nyman. I’d done my homework and knew this guy had won the Tour School the previous season, which qualified him for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. So when he asked if I’d like to join him I didn’t hesitate. What do you consider your big break? I would say it goes back to Adam [Frayne] and one of his good friends, David Griffiths. He qualified at Tour School in 2004 with his dad on the

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ACTION IMAGES / MATTHEW HARRIS TGPL

THE FRONT NINE

bag and he called me up to ask if I’d like to go out to South Africa as his dad couldn’t handle the nerves! I was straight on that plane and worked for Griff for four years, 2005-08. He was brilliant, I learned so much with him. He was good enough to put up with me when I made mistakes and he took the time to explain what players were looking for in a good caddie. When Griff lost his Tour card I worked with Sam Little for a while and that led on to the tie-up with Rafa [CabreraBello], through practice rounds that he and Sam used to play regularly together.

Get in! Cabrera-Bello celebrates a critical putt in a foursomes match with countryman Garcia on day two of a heated Ryder Cup at Hazeltine

How quickly did you realise that Rafa was a bit special? It was more a gradual realisation with Rafa but clearly the potential was there. He was and still is a very determined player with a clear and thought-out vision of where he wants to be – if there were weaknesses in his game he had them all covered. He works with David Leadbetter on his swing and consults with tour biomechanics guru Jean Jacques Rivet on all aspects of his fitness. Absolutely nothing is left to chance. As a caddie you spend more time with a player than anyone – do you get involved in looking at the swing? Yes, to a degree. Rafa would ask me to keep an eye on things, to look for details that David had identified as areas to focus on. Out on the range a player will often ask his caddie for feedback. The lens on the camera phone these days is so good you can take pictures or a video and basically help a player to be his own best coach. But you have to know where to draw the line. Sometimes you have to say, ‘Look, I’m not a swing coach…this is what I’m seeing but I’m really not the guy who should be making the comment here.’ 12 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

You spent seven years with Rafa – a good shift. What were your personal highlights? The one and only win was obviously special – the 2010 Dubai Desert Classic. But the thing with Rafa was that he was gradually getting better and better and so it was exciting to be alongside to witness his transformation into a world-class player. He narrowly missed the 2014 Ryder Cup then played his way into the team in ’16. By that stage he was playing in all the majors and the World Golf Championship [WGC] events and that's where you want to be as a caddie – with a player in the world’s top 50. That final 2016 season with him was fantastic – the Olympics in Rio and the Ryder Cup, plus we made the cut in all four majors. What was the Olympics’ experience like? It was just Surreal. None of us really had a clue what to expect. A lot of people said there would be no interest in the golf as most fans were in Brazil for all the other sports – not the case at all. And I think it was a characterbuilding experience for Rafa and Sergio – for once it wasn’t all about them. They were in Rio as fans as much as they were representing their country as golfers. It was just unbelievable, your badge could get you in anywhere...and I mean anywhere! I saw a lot of the cycling and on the last evening we all went to the 100 metres final. We saw Michael Jonson’s long-standing 400m record broken before watching Bolt win gold in the 100m. Few sports events get hyped like the Ryder Cup – did you find yourself carried away with it all at Hazeltine? I’m normally the most reserved guy you’ll ever meet, but you just can’t help it. Rafa was quite pumped up and so I tried to keep a lid on it, but when you get out there in front of the fans – and this being in the States the atmosphere was whipped into a frenzy – you just can’t help but

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get carried away on the waves of emotion. I was fistpumping every shot. It was mental. How did you rate Darren Clarke’s captaincy – did he look after the caddies as much as he did the players? First class all the way. We all stayed in the same hotel and that was great – we were one big family. There were separate rooms set up downstairs in the hotel for players and their families and another for caddies, which provided somewhere to go when you needed some space. Ours was all decked out with Ryder Cup moments and unbelievable attention to detail. There were photos of the caddies all around the room, featuring highlights of the season with your player. It all made you feel pretty special. We had various motivational speakers during the week – I couldn’t fault anything. The only thing we didn’t get was the result we wanted but America played so well and putted superbly. Your first taste of action was Fourballs on Day 1. That’s right, Rafa didn’t play in the opening foursomes. Sergio [Garcia] was paired with Martin Kaymer, and they lost. In fact it was a white-wash – trailing 4-0 at lunch the team was a little down. Rafa was paired with Sergio for the afternoon fourballs [playing J.B Holmes and Ryan Moore) and I remember saying on the range, ‘You need to pick Sergio up this afternoon, he needs you to take the

I’m normally the most reserved guy you’ll ever meet, but when you get out there in front of all the fans at a Ryder Cup, and the atmosphere is whipping into a frenzy, you just can’t help get carried away – I was fist-pumping just about every shot.” lead…’. Then I wandered over to Sergio and said, ‘You need to look after Rafa – it’s his first match…’. Like they needed me to say anything! They were fantastic together that afternoon and got the result 3&2. The next morning we played Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth in the foursomes – the image you see here [on the previous page] is Rafa’s reaction to holing a long putt from the edge of the green on 17 to go all-square, which is how that match ended. The adrenalin is incredible – you can only imagine how the players are feeling. In all the time you have been on tour who have been the players that have impressed you most? In terms of pure ball striking, I’d have to say Garcia and Rory McIlroy – they just hit it that much better than everyone else, the sound is unique. The height they achieve with the long irons is just ridiculous and the ball

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THE FRONT NINE Hearts & minds: the 2016 season included two very special events as Garcia and Cabrera-Bello experienced the Olympics in Rio and a Ryder Cup at Hazeltine

to speak up even if there’s a chance you could be wrong. Otherwise you’re not really doing your job at all.

This year’s Master’s must have been quite an experience alongside an Augusta legend? A wonderful experience. It seemed like everywhere we’d go fans would come up with a yellow Augusta flag for him to sign. We played a practice round with the other Spaniards in the field – Sergio, Rafa and Jon Rahm, who, interestingly enough, is available for the Ryder Cup. I remember the first time I met Rahm he had his collegiate golf bag and was still an amateur – I just assumed he was another big, strong and impressive American until he started jabbering away to the guys in Spanish. They signed him up, he’s a member of the European Tour and he’s another one who is a supremely impressive striker of the ball, with a great touch as well. comes floating out of the sky like a 9-iron. In recent months, since joining Jose, I have been lucky enough to have seen many of the legends on the Champions Tour – Bernhard Langer stands out, not so much for the ball striking but the way he manages his game – he gets the absolute most out of what he has. If you had to rank the skills that you have developed over your career, what would you say they are? I think the most important thing is to know when to say something and when not to say something. In certain situations less is more. That can vary according to the player, of course. If they are hot under the collar you might let them walk down the fairway alone, other times they are bemoaning their luck and you need to say something – at times with a sharp tongue – to help them snap out of it. To tell you the truth, that’s what I find most difficult now working for Jose Maria, after all he has done and what he has achieved. The most annoying thing, for me, is when you think something but don’t say it – you take the easy option and don’t give your opinion. I’d rather say my bit, even if it turns out to be wrong on wind speed, club selection or whatever. You have to have the courage

To tell you the truth I’ve never worked for anyone who works and practises as hard as Olazabal does. He’s like a kid, he loves nothing more than tinkering with his swing on the range or talking tech with the guys on the equipment trucks. And his short-game is just frightening – in 17 years on tour I’ve not seen anyone better 14 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Did you and Jose stay on for the weekend? Yes, we did. We stayed and practised all weekend. To tell you the truth I’ve never worked for anyone who works and practises as much as Jose does. He’s like a kid, he just loves nothing more than tinkering on the range or talking tech with the guys in the equipment trucks. The quality of his short-game is just frightening, too. I’ve been working on tour for the best part of 17 years and I’ve never seen anyone better. Other players regularly stop what they’re doing and wander over to watch him working on and around the green. Jose had family with him at Augusta and we had a Champions Tour event the next week, so it made sense to stay and use the facilities – they’re not too shabby! Plus there was no way he was going anywhere with Sergio in contention. He watched his great friend win his first major in the Augusta clubhouse. What would be your advice to club players, the tour secrets to more consistent golf and lower scoring? For every golfer out there the secret is course management. Sure, we would all love to strike the ball like some of these superstars but scoring consistently is all about the way you manage your game. Langer is the boss in this department and we should all learn from him. For example, how often do you just pull out a 3-wood second shot at a par-five when you have no chance of making the green? Think about laying up to a good yardage, your favourite wedge distance. This is where the pros are red hot. It’s not easy for amateurs to do, but go out on the range with your scoring irons, say from the 7-iron and in, and get a good idea of how far your landing distances are, that will give you so much more confidence in play. Of course, the glaringly obvious piece of advice is to make the time to go out and practice! That’s a novelty for most – me included!

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GEAR & TECHNOLOGY

SkyTrak: THE NEXT GENERATION Let’s face it: we’re addicted to technology. And don’t think you can get away from it at the driving range, either, because the launch monitor, if not yet ubiquitous, has at least well and truly arrived. Fifteen years ago golfers didn’t tend to suffer from smash factor anxiety, and sleepless nights about getting it up were nothing at all to do with your launch angle. Whereas now, for some golfers a session on the launch monitor to work on ball speed and spin rates has become as much of a ritual as chipping practice – and for many weekend warriors the stats have become a badge to wear, numbers to be proudly quoted on the first tee. In fact, statistics envy is becoming another of golf's stresses, as if the game weren’t already difficult enough. There’s a catch, however. Launch monitors, let alone full-blown golf simulators, have always been pretty expensive. Out of reach for most casual golfers, a business investment for some of the more switched-on golf instructors, but almost always the preserve of your local club or driving range, and almost never used at home. But recently the three best-known launch monitor brands – Trackman, Flightscope and Foresight – were joined by a newcomer which has shaken up the market by offering professional levels of accuInstant feedback: racy and thousands of simulated golf courses utilising ingenious photometric technoloto play, but at a fraction of the previous market gy, SkyTrak delivers price, making it the first big-name launch monikey swing analysis data tor marketed directly to the public, as well as in real time, allowing a the golf trade. golfer to get a true SkyTrak, from the same accuracy-obsessed and accurate snap-shot folk who map golf courses on foot to power of his ball-striking performance SkyCaddie GPS devices, arrived in the UK in late

16 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

2015, proved itself as a custom-fitting and swing analysis solution in 2016, and by spring 2017 was being used by over 500 UK golf professionals for teaching and club-fitting. Widely advertised and priced at under £2000 – and with a paymonthly option available – SkyTrak’s makers are clearly confident that their new star product is here to stay. It has persuaded numerous PGA golf pros to make their own first investment in launch monitor technology, and recently the UK’s biggest golf operator, Crown Golf, installed SkyTrak at 22 of its clubs, including St Mellion International Resort and The Bristol Golf Club in the south west. SkyTrak uses photometric technology, rapidly taking images of the ball immediately after impact. With ball flight unaffected by weather, it is ideal for indoor golf (especially after dark, or when it’s wet) as well as for use at conventional driving ranges. It measures the five most important parameters – Ball Speed, Launch Angle, Total Spin (which factors in backspin and sidespin), Spin Axis and Side Angle – and also offers virtual play at over 100,000 golf courses thanks to partnerships with the world’s leading golf simulator brands. In summer 2017, golfers across the south west will find plenty of places to test SkyCaddie’s claims that SkyTrak has ushered in a new era of affordable, portable and easy-to-use golf launch monitors. To find out more about SkyTrak facilities in your area call 01844 296350. www.skytrakgolf.com

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FIND YOUR GAP!

One of the many useful features of SkyTrak mapping technology is that it offers golfers the chance to properly audit their game from tee to green, identifying precise landing distances with every club in the bag. As per the screen shot that you see here (right), ‘bag mapping’ illustrates your exact numbers, flagging up anomalies with gapping between clubs, thus helping you to identify the optimum make-up of your bag. A 30-minute session with a pro who can further help to decipher all of the information available can only be positive – no more guesswork!

ATLANTIC

000 - AG&L - FRONT NINE_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:06 Page 18

GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

GEAR & TECHNOLOGY GARMIN APPROACH S60 The Approach S60 GPS golf watch is the sort of gadget Bond would wear – a cutting-edge model offering the savvy golfer all the vital data to play smart and play quick. The sunlight readable touchscreen display intuitively integrates CourseView mapping in full colour, with instant detail on precise yardages to front, middle and back while displaying hazards and doglegs for clued-up decision making. The S60 also features QuickFit™ watchbands available in coloured silicone, leather or stainless steel styles – all can be easily interchanged in seconds, without tools. The watch – which doubles as an all-day activity tracker – is available in black or white with a RRP of £399.99. garmin.com/outdoors

MIZUNO NEXLITE SL With a world-wide reputation for the quality of its forgings, Mizuno’s rich heritage in athletic footwear is often overlooked...until now. The Japanese company has invested its technological know-how in the Nexlite SL, a stylish, spikeless summer shoe featuring Mizuno’s WAVE platform long-trusted by elite runners across the globe for its cushioning and stability. Weighing in at just 275 grams, the Nexlite is the lightest golf shoe in its category – designed specifically to make walking the course an ever greater pleasure SRP: £89. golf.mizunoeurope.com

CALLAWAY SURE OUT Inside this issue you’ll find great advice on escaping the deepest of traps – but for those who need a little extra help... The Sure Out from Callaway features an enhanced sole design with accentuated camber and high bounce. Glides through the sand without you having to open the clubface. RRP: £99. callawaygolf.com

18 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

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FOOTJOY SUPERLITES XP Lightweight performance from FootJoy is yours in the shape of the sporty SuperLites XP model. Comfort is built in, courtesy of a midsole created from a Fine-Tuned Foam (FTF), while the durable TPU spikeless outsole provides grip. SRP: £95. FootJoy.co.uk

GALVIN GREEN BOW SHELL JACKET The BOW Shell Layer Jacket – the lightest in Galvin’s history at just 92gms – promises the ultimate wind protection and is also water repellent. A high collar and fitted cuffs add to the comfort and playability. Available in Deep Ocean blue, Black and Iron Grey. RRP £200. galvingreen.com

ATLANTIC

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GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

CHI-PERFORMANCE

ATTENTION! Focus only on the positives The ability to choose where we place our focus – the concentration of conciousness – is the secret to building mental strength and resilience, writes chi-performance coach Jayne Storey In our distracted world of newsfeeds, texts and tweets, people increasingly bemoan their inability to remain focused on the task at hand and the prevalence of what we might term ‘scattered thinking’; indeed, it often seems the entire Western world is suffering from ADHD! However, the distractions of modern life are only part of the problem; a wider issue is that most people simply don’t understand what attention is – they think it’s all to do with focusing intensely on a single object or task to the exclusion of everything else, without understanding that attention comes in various forms, all with unique strengths and weaknesses, which can be employed or rested according to the situation. By its very nature, golf requires that you use all of these different forms of attention depending on the situation and where you are in your game. In this two-part feature we’ll examine the various types of attention and how to use them effectively – but first, let’s examine more closely what attention actually is. What is attention? Attention, simply put, is the ability to focus on certain stimuli or thoughts to the exclusion of all others; it is the concentration of consciousness. Ultimately, what we decide to pay attention to and what we choose to ignore shapes our very existence. To illustrate this, there is a wonderful anecdote concerning Jack Nicklaus, who always maintained that he had never missed a critical short putt on the closing nine holes of a major championship. On one occasion, during a media interview, Nicklaus was in full flow when he stated, categorically, that he “never missed a putt inside six feet on the back nine of a major”. At this a member of the press raised his hand and challenged Nicklaus's assertion, providing details of the date and venue at which he claimed he witnessed the unthinkable – Jack missing a critical putt from short range. Nicklaus, unflappable, retorted by thanking the gentleman for his question before repeating again that he never missed a short putt on the back nine of a major… Whether he had or not the incident illustrated perfectly the mind-set of the game’s greatest player and the fact that champions consciously choose where to place their attention and thus what to believe; Nicklaus simply didn’t allow himself to believe he could ever miss a short putt on the back nine of a major. The Golden Bear had no trouble with his memory – he simply conditioned his mind to pay attention to all the important putts he had made over his career. 20 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Involuntary attention Most of the time our attention is taken on an involuntary basis, which means that it simply reacts to all the noise, data and stimuli reaching us from the outside world. An afternoon on the course should be an antidote to this as the gentle stimuli of nature helps to quietly engage the mind and senses and helps us to feel at rest, yet golfers are taught to override this with ‘mental game techniques’ rather than allowing the soft focus of what’s called ‘flow’ or ‘the zone’ to naturally come to the fore. Voluntary attention During voluntary attention we deliberately decide what to focus on and yet we have only a finite amount of voluntary attention on any given day. If you spend your time thinking about too many other things while you’re playing, your ability to deliberately and consciously focus your attention when you need to engage it, say on the green, will be all but exhausted. Luckily there are exercises and practises to help strengthen your voluntary attention and we’ll look at this next time, but for now, let’s take a lesson from Masters champion Sergio Garcia. I’ve written a blog on Garcia’s epic win entitled Vamos! Sergio – A Story of Passion, Perseverance and Acceptance and it’s the latter point – Acceptance – that I want to emphasize here. By choosing how and where to focus his attention, Garcia overcame the doubters and naysayers (and his own inner demons) to win his first major championship on his 74th attempt. Even the missed opportunities, the near-fatal wayward tee-shot at 13 and the odd stray putt could not shake Garcia’s inner calm as he came back again and again under the most intense pressure, resolutely determined not to give in to his sometimes tetchy emotions and selfdefeating attitude. Instead, Garcia resigned himself to fate, conceding that Augusta could give and Augusta could take away and that the only thing under his control was his ability to stay calm and keep on believing in his abilities. Next time, we’ll look at the power of day-dreaming, which, believe it or not, is how we spend around 50% of our time! We’ll also look at how golf demands we use both a ‘soft’ and ‘sharp’ focus of attention depending on the challenge facing you.

To sign up for Jayne’s regular newsletter and blog, visit chi-performance.com

ATLANTIC

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GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

2-MINUTE LESSON Putting is about the relationship between line and pace – but what is the optimum speed at which you should roll the ball to increase your chances of success? The answer may surprise you, says putting guru Dr Paul Hurrion

PHOTOGRPHY BY MARK NEWCOMBE/VISIONS IN GOLF

ENTERING THE DROPZONE We hear it all the time, don’t we; as a player prepares to roll a birdie putt from mid- to long range (10 feet and out), the commentator reminds all of us at home that in order to have the best chance of making the putt it has to be rolling at a speed that would see the ball finish 18 inches beyond the hole should it miss. Well, hold on just a moment. According to the latest research – and I’ve been involved in much of it of late – the optimum speed of a putt is significantly slower than we are all led to believe. And the reasoning is simple: the faster a ball is travelling, the smaller the effective size of the hole becomes and so the more accurate you need to be to set the ball on the perfect line. Given that it is so much easier to control the speed of roll than it is the precise angle of the putter-face at impact, the new thinking out on Tour is that ‘dying’ the ball into the hole and reading

22 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

maximum break at that drop-in speed is by far the more effective method. One of my long-time students, Padraig Harrington, is red hot on this at the moment. He has always been one to ‘die’ it into the cup and much of the time we spend on the green revolves around adjusting our ‘reading’ of the putt to maximise the size of the hole as the ball approaches – the key here being that the effective centre of the hole moves around the clockface according to the severity of the slope. At drop-in speed the ball is obviously going to take the maximum borrow, and so you have to visualise the ball entering the hole from the pro or higher side. On a 15-foot putt, deviation of less than half a degree in the angle of the putter-face is all that’s required for you to miss the your line and the hole – you’d have to be a robot to believe you could consistently keep the face dead-

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square to your starting line. What’s more, if you are someone who likes to roll the ball at pace (the 18 inches beyond the hole approach), you are effectively shrinking the hole to less than a third of its actual size. As research has proved (and you can read up on the technical analysis at www.paulhurrion.com/tuition/an-investigation-into-golf-ball-speed-at-holeentry), the odds of success are considerably greater if you focus on rolling the ball at a speed that would see it ball travel perhaps three or four inches beyond the hole (should you miss) and read the full extent of the break. If you are 6 feet away and a little uncertain of the break, then sure, you might decide to take the risk and stroke the putt a little more firmly. But be aware that the harder you hit it the smaller the hole. The science proves the argument. Say you are facing a 10-footer slightly uphill on a relatively gentle 3% slope –

for the ball to finish 18 inches past the hole it has to be struck 180% of the pace of the corresponding putt downhill – and at that speed the hole is effectively two thirds of its actual size...and that’s a lot to give away. Downhill you have 97% of the hole to play with on a putt that is travelling so much more slowly. So, if you’ve ever wondered why you seem to hole a lot more of those downhill putts... So my message to the students I coach – including Padraig and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett – is to spend proportionately more time working on your speed of roll and distance control. The most effective way to do this is to stick, say, three tees in the green at random distances and spend time trying to cluster putts around each one. This will develop your sense of factoring line with pace; and the speed is something you have the ability to control more than you ever could the nuances of the putter-face.

The bottom line? Let’s make the hole as big as possible, and develop the art of ‘reading’ a green so that you adjust your visual to take into account the fact that the centre of the hole effectivelymoves around the clockface and your job is to roll the ball on the line – and at the pace – that drops in the front door. Learn more about the ‘art of roll’ at paulhurrion.com

The diagram shows the effective size of the hole for both downhill (12 o’clock entry) and uphill (6 o’clock). The hole is a lot bigger when coming downhill and the ball is moving slowly – you effectively have 20% or so more of the hole to play with!

000 - AG&L - NEXT Issue_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:11 Page 24

NEXT ISSUE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

PICK UP A COPY AT YOUR LOCAL GOLF CLUB FROM AUGUST 18 * SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND NEVER MISS A SINGLE ISSUE – SEE PAGE 26

THE WORD ACCORDING TO NICK BRADLEY From junior days at St Mellion to world-class swing coach & mentor – and a member of Paul McGinley’s Ryder Cup backroom support team in 2014 – Nick Bradley is one of the game’s most innovative teachers and a best-selling author with a gift for artistic expression. Editor Richard Simmons talks to him. * PLUS: Challenge your perspective: learn how to translate theory into feel with exclusive lessons featuring Nick’s ground-breaking artworks

THE SECRET TO ‘DEFAULT’ WEDGE PLAY

Former England International-turned European Tour player and now Senior Tour member, Mike Reynard understands the value of a ‘measured’ short game – and he has all the key info to help you to improve yours...

TIPS FROM A TOUR GURU...

St Mellion’s Darren Gass has earned widespread respect in the world of professional golf for his coaching on both the EuroPro and European Tour. Here, to kick off a new series shot on location on the famed Nicklaus Course at St Mellion, Darren shares the secrets to success…

TOM COX – THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS

Award-winning author and golf writer Tom Cox moved from Norfolk to a country house lodge on the edge of Dartmoor – a change of locale and lifestyle that has offered up the chance to experience the rich and varied landscapes of links, moorland and parkland golf – a West Country odyssey

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR….

…all eyes will be on Paris National in the build up to the 2018 Ryder Cup. The Brittany Ferries golf team is putting together a number of stay-and-play packages to celebrate the occasion – as the head of the operation, Tavistock’s Graham Ruth outlines the exciting plans + Peter Alliss…Sir Nick Faldo…Peter McEvoy…AG&L LifeStyle & more...

24 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Cornerstone - Atlantic Golf.indd 1

31/05/2017 09:18

000 - AG&L - SUBS_AG&L-2017 16/06/2017 12:24 Page 26

A FRESH GRIP ATLANTIC

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&LIFESTYLE Don’t waste time thinking about it...this is an offer you need to grab with both hands! To subscribe to four issues of Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle – and receive five complementary Lamkin Z5 grips* – simply send your name, mailing address, email address and a cheque for £19.95 made payable to Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle Ltd and your Lamkin Z5 grips will be dispatched within 14 days of your order being process. Your magazine subscription will commence with the next available issue. Mark your details clearly on a postcard and send with your payment to: Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle (Subs Offer), 12 Primrose Gardens, Mary’s Well, Illogan, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 4EN

LAMKIN Z5 // TECH TALK The horizontal pattern and soft cord weave under the upper hand is placed to enhance grip stability and traction, while a shallow micro texture at the tapered end improves feel and comfort for the lower hand. A simulated rope texture in the middle zone promotes proper hand pressure and placement. All of which adds up to a better feel, better rhythm, more speed and enhanced control. Lamkin.co.uk @Lamkingrips

26 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

ONLINE PAYMENT If you would rather make arrangements to place and pay for your subscription over the telephone then call us on 07827 995080 (Mon-Fri 9.30-5.30pm). Your subscription will be activated and your grips dispatched upon confirmation of your online payment. * The Lamkin Z5 grip is available in three colours – Red, Black or Blue. Don’t forget to stipulate your preferred choice when ordering. We apologise in advance should your preferred colour choice not be available. * Offer available while stocks last.

000 - AG&L - SUBS_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:37 Page 27

ON YOUR GAME Don’t miss out on this unbeatable offer. To celebrate the launch of this unique and exciting new title, we are offering readers the opportunity to enjoy four issues of Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle for just £19.95 delivered direct to your door PLUS you will receive five Lamkin Z5 grips* (SRP: £12.95 per grip)

If you share a passion not only for the game of golf but this wonderful corner of the British Isles in which we are lucky enough to live then this brand new title is right up your street. Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle will be printed four times in 2017 rising to 8 issues in 2018. The magazine is distributed throughout all golf clubs across Devon & Cornwall (and other selected outlets) although numbers are strictly limited – and once they’re gone, they’re gone! A subscription not only guarantees that you will receive a fresh new copy direct to your home but thanks to our friends at Lamkin this fabulous introductory offer gives you the chance to experience the feel and control of the latest Lamkin Z5 grip as played by many of the best golfers in the world. But hurry, this offer is only available while stocks last...

JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 27

ATLANTIC

000 - AG&L - Column Alliss_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:38 Page 28

GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

PETER ALLISS...

Augusta, Birkdale...and a trip down memory lane

s usual this year’s Masters Tournament threw up many points of interest that never cease to amaze and sometimes thrill the inner soul. Of course, the first item on the agenda is always the golf course – is it in its usual immaculate condition? Tick. Spring came early this year, so there were very few patches of colour on the course, which made it look entirely different. Quite exceptional nonetheless. The crowds – sorry, ‘patrons’ – came in their tens of thousands and the police had the whole operation of entering and exiting the course with military precision. It’s remarkable how they’ve created new entrances around the property – it’s has the feel of entering Wembley Stadium. Quite incredible for a golf club to create infrastructure on such a scale but you can do that sort of thing when you have an event at the same venue year upon year. Wimbledon is the obvious parallel, the All-England Club recently buying up the adjacent golf course to be used for car parking for a couple of weeks a year. The powers that be at Augusta have a habit of buying up any property that comes available in the immediate vicinity, thereby allowing them to add and create all sorts of other facilities that will enhance their event. Over the past 12 months they had created a brand new Media Centre – well, it looked more like a 5-star hotel with a grand dining room – almost too grand. But the whole building and surrounds were magnificent, the landscaped gardens, bushes, lawns, not a thing out of place. Work had been carried out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 11½ months – and included the planting of 30-foot trees as deemed necessary. It’s all a bit surreal, like the Chelsea Flower Show, where in a tiny area they manage to create a magnificent series of gardens that look as if they’ve been there for ever more. Suffice to say, if you’ve money you can do whatever you want but it’s still remarkable. Or perhaps more accurately, plain unbelievable! There’s talk, idle maybe, but there’s talk of the Club opening up its doors to some other golf competitions during the year, would they be amateur occasions? Is that possible? Could it be? Would they want further interruptions in their already fractured season? Difficult to say, but Augusta is a law unto itself. I came home to a barrage of emails, several of them very rude, castigating me for being so sexist – fancy remarking that Sergio Garcia’s fiancée had the shortest skirt on the campus. Well, she did, that’s a fact. Many, I’m sure, would have thought it was inappropriate to wear such a skirt on a golf course. They perhaps would favour a crinoline or at least a ball-gown but that’s not for me to worry about. Anyway, she had lovely legs and was very pretty, but the skirt was perhaps more suited to an ice-skating show than the 18th green at Augusta. 28 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

But, hey ho, life goes on. And so to the links of Royal Birkdale, where my career at the BBC began all the way back in 1961. In those days there was a qualifier on the Monday and Tuesday, then 18 on Wednesday, 18 on Thursday and the final 36 holes on Friday, allowing club pros to get back to their day jobs for the weekend – how about that! I remember being asked to report for duty in a small hut situated halfway down the 18th fairway. Inside sat John Jacobs and Henry Longhurst, the American Bill Wright and one or two others. On the wall was a map of the course illustrating the last five holes – and that was about it. I played my golf and then offered my thoughts on the course and the conditions as part of this illustrious team. That’s how it all began.

Halcyon days! The author stands alongside Dai Rees, Craig DeFoy and Tommy Horton during an exhibition at Tehidy Park Golf Club in the 1960s

I have to say I’m delighted the Simmons brothers have managed to get this new venture off the ground and it’s great to see so many of the original Gi team supporting them in what is a very tough business. The golf club to which they have belonged since junior days, Tehidy Park, has a special place in my memory as it featured regularly on trips to play exhibition matches in the West Country back in the 1950s and 60s. The long-time pro in those days was Jack Gale, who hailed from my home turf around Bournemouth, and we were treated as kings. Wonderful days in a wonderful part of the country – I wish Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle the very best of fortune.

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GOLF

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SIR NICK FALDO

“This for the Open” – where did those 30 years go?

hen I look back on my career there is absolutely no doubt about it – to win your first major championship, the final round at Muirfield in 1987 has to rate as one of my greatest 18-hole performances under the gun. It sounds boring, doesn’t it? Eighteens pars on a Sunday at Muirfield. But that was very, very special. That and my lastday 67 at Augusta to win my third Masters title in 1996, I’d say those are the two best and most significant rounds of my career. The book-ends to my six major titles – with the Open victory on that dank day at Muirfield just edging it. Just look at what it meant to Sergio [Garcia] to win his first major at Augusta this year in what was it – his 74th major appearance? That’s what winning a major means to a player. It’s hard to explain the intensity of it all when you’re trying to get over that line for the first time in your career. It is like nothing you’ve ever witnessed before. It’s 10 times greater than anything you experience on a regular Sunday. As much as you try to stay calm and keep the lid on it all, the situation you have dreamed about for so long cranks up the emotion, your thinking, your reaction times, everything. You have all this going on and if you sense something special is happening – as I certainly did at Muirfield – you experience the belief that you can do it. After the build up, the well-documented swing change with David [Leadbetter], turning 30* that weekend in July, for me it was just a great time to win the Open. That was sheer elation and emotion at winning my first major. Relief. Utter relief after all the work you’ve put in. As we all know fortune plays a big part in this game and a player’s fate at the Open is at the mercy of the elements. I certainly had the worst of the draw, weather-wise, in ‘87. I played with Nick Price and Ray Floyd over the first two days and I remember Ray coming up to me after the first 36 holes and saying “You can be proud of that golf, we had the worst of it out there.” It was just pea soup with a decent breeze. I was all wrapped up, I remember, dark corduroy trousers, blue cashmere roll-neck and my favourite cashmere sweater. I think I wore the same cords the last two days – not because I’m superstitious, they were the warmest strides I had with me. Mentally, I was in the ‘zone’ all week – wrapped up in my own ‘cocoon’ as Tony Jacklin liked to describe it. On that Sunday I was totally engrossed in my own little world, emotionally, just doing my own thing and getting so deep in my own concentration that I was more or less oblivious to what was going on around me. As I was walking I focused on just a couple of steps in front of me. I’d get to the ball, and playing the next shot was all that matters. Rinse and repeat. Hit it, walk after it, go through the same routine all over again. 30 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

The thing that did keep running through my head was ‘When am I going to make a birdie!’. I remember having trouble releasing the putter freely – that was the nerves – and I kept leaving good putts short of the hole. But I holed all of the short ones, and when you’re grinding out a score, that’s what matters. Back in the day we used to talk about there being a ‘window’ of opportunity for a tour player, from the age of 25-35 as being the prime of your life as a golfer. That’s when you had to make it, financially. That has been extended now – players are so much fitter today and of course the technology helps. But believe me, back in those days you had to win to make a real difference to your life. If you were a journeyman you didn’t drive around in a fancy car, you travelled on a budget and it could be a pretty ordinary life. How times have changed. These days a good journeyman can win several million dollars a year without winning a tournament. For me, winning is and always has been the difference. You have to dig deep, to want to win trophies, to be a winner. The memories of stroking home that final putt will stay with me forever. “This to win the Open.” How many thousands of times had I said that to myself as a kid on the putting green at Welwyn Garden City? I blocked the first putt from the front left corner of the green, raced it five-feet by. I looked up at the leaderboard and saw Rodger Davis was in at four under. I thought to myself, ‘Well you can’t miss this otherwise you ‘aint going to win.’. The nicest thing was, as I got over it and took the thing back, a little voice in my head just went “Yeah!”. And that was that, a life changed forever. * Yes, you read that correctly folks – I turned 30 that weekend in ‘87 which means I hit 60 during this year’s Championship and while that’s not a milestone I relish I am looking forward to being at Royal Birkdale with the CBS crew for what promises to be another cracking Open on a truly magnificent course. Let’s hope we can celebrate a British winner – I for one wouldn’t be surprised to see Rory battling it out with Justin over the weekend...and wouldn’t that be a prospect to savour. Thirty years, eh. That’s half my life ago! But I still feel good and I’m about to get out there and compete again – and I can’t wait. I’m fit and strong and I still have the desire to be a golfer, to see what I can do on a golf course. I’m looking forward to the Senior U.S. Open at the Salem Golf Club in Massachusetts (June 29-July 2) and then to Royal Porthcawl for the Senior Open Championship (July 27-30) at Royal Porthcawl, a wonderful course and one I haven’t played since the early 1980s. I’m taking it step by step and it will be interesting to see what happens – but there’s life in the old dog yet.

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&LIFESTYLE

PETER MCEVOY

Surely a glorious return to Birkdale for Justin...

aving recently taken my place on the R&A’s Championship Committee, I have found myself spending quite a bit of time at Royal Birkdale for one reason or another. This mighty and wonderful Lancashire links holds special memories for me as it was the (daunting!) venue for my very first appearance in the Open Championship in the long hot summer of 1976. Nervous and inexperienced, I managed to four-putt the first green. I felt most alarmed, as you might expect, especially as three of those putts were lags! I had thoughts rushing through my head like, “What on earth are you doing here?” and “I don’t know what you are thinking – you are just not up to this.” Quite understandably. Only when I completed my round (having struggled to a 78) did I discover that four putts had been commonplace on the 1st green and that Bobby Cole, a young and highly rated South African, had gone one better, and five putted! Britain was in the middle of a drought and the greens were lightening quick. That first green, though, remains the fastest green I have ever putted on. I suspect that there will be much interest in Justin Rose this time given his heroics there in 1998 as a 17 year old, holing out that spectacular wedge shot at the last to finish in fourth place. This interest will of course be heightened by his recent Masters playoff with Sergio Garcia. I was captain of the England team in 1996 and 1997 and it was around this time that both Rose and Garcia were emerging as special talents. Both the same age, I remember watching an International singles match between the two at La Manga in 1997. It was a match of the highest quality that finished all square, with Rose getting a birdie at the final hole with a world-class wood into the green. Rose and Garcia were to meet again the following year at Muirfield in the Amateur Championship. I remember this particularly well as I was standing in a group of 100 or so spectators behind the 18th green as Justin stood over an 8-foot putt to extend the match down the 19th. He lined it up and backed off, settled again and was about to take the putter back when...my phone went off! I still wince when I think of it. Still, while Justin missed the putt (nothing to do with me!) he would go on to have that wonderful Open experience at Birkdale a couple of months later. To me, it’s unimaginable to think he will not be a contender again. I think he is the best player in the world from tee to green and he has a love of links golf. We are all well aware of his tenacious nature, coming back from that miserable run of twenty-odd missed cuts when he turned professional, and the fortitude he has shown in developing his 32 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

technique into that of a truly world-class golfer. And, of course, he has proved that he can win at the highest of level in both the US Open and his individual performance in the Rio Olympics, not to mention some stellar victories in the Ryder Cup. As you may well have guessed, he is my favourite this year at Royal Birkdale. I made my refereeing debut at the recent Rocco Forte Open in Sicily. It was a most interesting experience and provided a valuable insight into an aspect of the game I had previously overlooked. In all of my previous roles in competitive golf – as a player, a captain or as Chairman of Selectors – my obsession has always been on scores or the state of competitive play. How am I/we doing relative to the rest of the field or the other team. It became automatic. As a referee such matters are irrelevant. All that matters is the specific issue in front of you at any particular time. If you are situated in an area away from a scoreboard you can leave the course without the faintest idea of how the tournament is going, who is leading or doing well. It was quite strange. The job itself was surprisingly demanding. Very long days of mild tedium interspersed with moments of distress as “brain fade” creeps in at decisive moments. Still, I am up and running now with the Open itself as the highlight of the year. One other aspect of working as a referee was to observe the backroom operations of the European Tour and their incredibly impressive professionalism. It was fascinating to listen to the way the weather forecasters liaised with the agronomists who then set up the course with the Tournament Director and the Head Referee. People like Andy McFee and Mike Stewart have been doing this for decades on behalf of the European Tour and their experience is such that they make decisions in an instinctive way but based on a lifetimes experience. I suspect the players do not realise just how lucky they are to have them. Much talk about the changes to Wentworth in the recent BMW PGA event. The previous changes had been a bit controversial as they had transformed a traditional running heathland course into a rather more “through the air” type of test with raised greens and fronts protected by hazards. The new changes appear to have restored the original concept. Nonetheless the game is now played through the air by the best players, almost whatever test is put before them. Having worked with the best juniors in the country over the past decade I am confident that this is not about to change when the next crop of Tour players arrives.

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000 - AG&L Sec's Office (Gi-Richard's conflicted copy 2017-06-14)_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:34 Page 34

GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

CHRIS POUNTNEY Secretary, Cornwall Golf Union secretary@cornwallgolfunion.org.uk

ON A PERFECT, balmy, mid-summer’s day at WestonSuper-Mare, the conditions for the 36-hole English County Championship Qualifying Medal could scarcely have been better. Players were treated to a links presented in pristine condition and while gusty winds made shot-making tricky over the opening two days of matchplay, Tuesday had dawned with barely a hint of breeze, inviting the finest amateurs in the south west to take full advantage. The qualifying format is as straightforward as it is unforgiving: each county captain nominates his ‘team of six’, and there’s simply no hiding place...every single shot counts, the lowest total aggregate score over 36 holes determining the outcome. On the back of two hard-fought match-play victories over Devon and Dorset on days one and two, the Duchy had every right to feel confident heading into the medal rounds with a ‘6’ that included recently-crowned County Champion, Conor Wilson, the 2016 champion, Joe Cruse, and – having jetted in from the US just 24 hours earlier following his appearance in the Palmer Cup – Harry Hall. Indeed, Harry showed supreme class, returning rounds of 68 and 66 for 3rd place in the individual competition without the benefit of a practice round. The plaudits, however, ultimately fell to Somerset. Their six-man team returned a superb aggregate total of 15 under par, the star of the show being Mendip Spring’s Will Poole with rounds of 65-65 for a 10-under total that saw him crowned the South’s West’s individual champion. Long Sutton’s Jamie Clare was another stand-out player for Somerset, his rounds of 66-69 featuring a hole-in-one on the 11th in the afternoon, one of three on the day. Under the captaincy of Justin Lane (Burnham), Somerset progress to the English County finals at Trevose (Sept 29 Oct 1) where visiting teams will no doubt relish the recent changes to the Championship layout. We wish them well. By the time you read this the CGU will have launched a refreshed website at www.cornwallgolfunion.org.uk. We hope you like it and welcome any feedback you may have along with ideas to further improve it for the benefit of all golfers in the county. What’s more, the launch of Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle magazine promises to add a new and exciting dimension in all communication with golfers right across the region and on behalf of the Cornwall Golf Union may I wish brothers Richard and Peter Simmons every success in their new venture. Have a great golfing summer! 34 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

SWCGA EG Qualifier, Weston-Super-Mare June 13, 2017 // CSS am 70; pm 70 SOMERSET Jamie Clare Sam Fernley Josh Hilleard Will Poole Tom Sloman Phil White Team total

66 75 67 65 66 71

69 67 71 65 71 72

135 142 138 130 137 143 825

-5 +2 -2 -10 -3 +3 -15

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Nick Day Joe Long Jake Phillips Laurie Potter Mitch Waite Tom Workman Team total

71 74 68 68 70 67

69 75 71 72 68 71

140 149 139 140 138 138 844

Level +9 -1 Level -2 -2 +4

CORNWALL Joe Cruse Tom Fox Harry Hall Rob MacGregor Matt Richards Conor Wilson Team total

67 75 68 68 70 73

75 69 66 68 77 76

142 144 134 137 147 149 853

+2 +4 -6 -3 +7 +9 +13

DEVON Adam Bridgwater Jake Burnage Harrison Greenbury Peter Lawrence Chris McGill Dan Rosevear Team total

75 69 71 72 70 73

75 70 71 77 72 67

150 139 142 149 142 140 862

+10 -1 +2 +9 +2 Level +22

WILTSHIRE Jamie Amour Jake Bolton James Cooper Tom Law Jack Seaman Garry Slade Team total

72 69 71 72 69 72

77 70 75 69 75 73

149 139 146 141 144 145 864

+9 -1 +6 +1 +4 +5 +24

DORSET David Cook Sean Dimmick Lee James Giles Legg Robert Mabb Matthew Sandy Team total:

72 76 71 70 70 73

72 77 67 79 74 70

144 153 138 149 144 143 871

+4 +13 -2 +9 +4 +3 +31

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:24 Page 36

BY A model of poise and athleticism: George works hard on taking care of the fundamentals – grip, alignment & posture – which enable him to make a sound, repeating swing

36 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:28 Page 37

GEORGE!

Oh to be young, supple and athletic! This fabulous sequence of Cornwallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15 year-old England Boy International George Leigh suggest we have a star in the making...

Swing analysis by Derek Michell

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HARRY LAWLOR / CARTEL IMAGES SHOT ON LOCATION AT TREVOSE GOLF CLUB

There are no short cuts in golf. Whether you are just starting out in this game or an accomplished player striving to reach a new level, there are a certain set of rules â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the basics of grip, ball position, alignment and posture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that are simply fundamental to good shot making on a consistent basis. I have known and coached George since he was just 4 years old, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been both a privilege and a pleasure to witness the development of this talented young man into the player he is today. As the following sequences illustrate, his golf swing is technically superb, and while I have guided him on his journey his talent is all his own. George has picked up quite a few traits from the young tour stars he idolises, too. Look closely and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a little bit of Rory in there, a hint of Jason Day, a glimpse of Adam Scott and most definitely Rickie Fowler in the finish! George made his debut for England Boys earlier this season and he impressed greatly with five wins

from six matches in the Under 16s Quadrangular matches at Prestatyn â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the first rung on what I am sure will be a very successful international career. His ballstriking is first class and like so many of the young superstars that we see on tour today, he has that enviable ability to generate speed and power that belies his size. So sit back and enjoy the following sequences of George hitting a driver from the new 4th tee on the Championship Course at his home club, Trevose. This is a young manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swing with grace and power in equal measure. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a golf swing I urge all young players to study for the relative simplicity of all the moves within it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no need to complicate technique! Cornwall is proud to have such a well grounded and courteous young man serving as an ambassador at international level and the skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the limit for the talent and worth ethic that lies within him.

Positive vibes: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Postureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Rhythmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are key words that can do wonders for your composure out on the course while a note of your precise yardages is great for confidence

JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 37

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:27 Page 38

George sets up with a very â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;athleticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; posture. Heel to heel, his stance is slightly wider than his shoulders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this allows him to create a great coil into his right hip without swaying his weight to the outside of his right foot. Like many good young players, Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grip is slightly strong with his left hand and neutral with his right. Sergio Garcia is the same. I like this, as it allows George to create a lot of

The set-up just oozes athleticism; heel to heel the feet are set slightly wider than the shoulders, providing a stable platform upon which to wind and unwind

The subtle move of the left knee towards the target is the cue to this wonderful transition and perfect hitting position â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just look how well he stays behind the ball as he prepares to let fly

38 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

clubhead â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the downswing and to be able to square the club face at impact without being â&#x20AC;&#x153;handsyâ&#x20AC;?. The first move away from the ball reveals Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to create a wide arc as the hips gently â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; across to his right. This is where his wider stance helps, keeping his right knee inside the line of his right foot. As he continues the coiling of his body, note how his head sympathetically

A great first move, coiling into the right side without swaying off the ball. Note how well grounded he is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the feet gripping the turf

Shades of Adam Scott here at impact, the head steady behind the ball with a lovely move of the right knee towards the target line

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:29 Page 39

rotates to his right, looking at the ball more out of his left eye. Although his weight shift is evident he has maintained grounding of his front foot. The top of the backswing shows a powerful coiling up with the shoulders having turned through about 100° against the resistance of the legs – very much like a younger Tiger Woods. You can only create this position if you are supple with a strong

core – all of which George works on away from the course. The seriously ‘loaded’ backswing gives George a great position to be able to unload on the downswing. By focusing on his left knee, you can see how he initially drives towards his target. The hips have started to turn and clear his left side whilst retaining a 90° angle between his left arm and shaft of his driver (no weak ‘casting’ of

The gentle rotation of the head assists in the turning of the shoulders and upper body; left arm moves beautifully across the chest

Free-wheeling action indicates a pure release of clubhead speed as the right forearm rotates and George enjoys this wonderful extension

the club here!) As rotation has taken over, his left leg has straightened, gaining height into his left hip, producing the clearance necessary for a free-wheeling action to the finish. I particularly like the way George stays behind the ball. The forearms have released the club whilst the wrists have not started to recock or flip, giving George his tremendous extension.

Hugely impressive shoulder turn over a relatively compact rotation of the hips – oh to be young and supple!

There’s more than a hint of Rickie Fowler here, a fully commited and yet wonderfully controlled finish

JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 39

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:34 Page 40

The posture George displays here is just about perfect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and achieving this position is pretty much second nature after years of repeating and checking his set-up routine as he has grown. Note how well George then maintains his spinal angle during the takeaway and indeed through the backswing. The first move sees the arms relatively passive (they are being moved away by the rotation of his upper body) before the gathering momentum of the swing sees the wrists hinge the club up on plane. A line through the shaft points just inside the ball which is exactly on plane. The top of the backswing shows the clubface parallel to his left forearm with the wrists fully cocked and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;loadedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. I love this right arm position at the top, giving him the width and the room to enjoy swinging freely through the ball â&#x20AC;&#x201C; very reminiscent of Rory. All powerful hitters create clubhead â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the downswing, and this is beautifully captured here: as the lower body initiates the downswing recoil action, look at the way the arms fall into this wonderful hitting position, where we see the shaft bisecting his right elbow. Having the hips open and the shoulders still looking to the right of target at this stage will produce a shallow, slightly in-toout angle of attack and the stock draw that George prefers. Bang! Through the ball and the release of all that speed and energy leads to this terrific extension as the body rotates and releases the clubhead â&#x20AC;&#x201C; very much in the style of Jason Day. With the ball on its way, George is now free-wheeling to the finish and he displays all the hallmarks of text-book technique: the right foot and the head are pulled up and around allowing the right side to flow through. No sign here of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;head downâ&#x20AC;? position that would inhibit motion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; George is all eyes on the target! 40 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

A great set of body angles in a picture-perfect posture: with a distinct spine angle, the arms and hands hang comfortably

Clubhead â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lagâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is characteristic of all powerful hitters, the arms and the club itself get left behind as the body recoils and re-rotates in the direction of the target

Arms and hands passive as the upper body controls the first move away from the ball â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all nicely â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;in syncâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

George has all the room in the world to deliver the strike as the rotation of the hips clears the way for this wonderful release of energy through the ball. A great head position, too, perfect dynamic balance

000 - AG&L - Swing Sequence_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 16:36 Page 41

The arms are now swinging and the wrists hinge the club up onto a lovely plane (for reference, I’m looking for the extended line from the clubshaft to point just inside the ball – this being perfect)

Fabulous right arm position at the top, while the clubface mirrors the plane of the left arm

Balanced on the left side as the right foot is pulled up onto the toe of the shoe, this is control by design – a composed, confident finish

Derek Michell is PGA professional at Perranporth Golf Club, where facilities include an indoor swing studio featuring Foresight simulator technology. To book a lesson, call Derek on 01872 572454

JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 41

000 - AG&L MizunoComp_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:17 Page 42

WIN! Mizuno, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1906, has long held an enviable industry- and tour-wide reputation for crafting the finest forged ‘players’ irons at its exclusive facility in Hiroshima Japan, bringing golfers the ultimate blend of looks, feel and workability. Today, to realise the promise of that craftsmanship, the continued drive towards an ever-more comprehensive fitting programme – featuring Swing D.N.A. Software – allows golfers of all standards to optimise ball-striking performance with cutting edge technology

Talk about an opportunity to experience the very best in club making and custom fitting…don’t miss your chance to win a set of Mizuno’s state-of-the-art forged irons, the JP900 Series, built to your precise specs at the company’s brand new fitting centre at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club 42 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

000 - AG&L MizunoComp_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:17 Page 43

MIZUNO CUSTOM-FIT #NothingfeelslikeaMizuno

The lucky winner will experience the full suite of facilities at Mizuno’s stateof-the-art fitting centre at Burnham in a fully interactive session that will enable specialist fitters to identify the optimum JPX 900 iron model and match a shaft from no fewer than 68 available options. The brand new JPX 900 irons will then be assembled at Mizuno’s facility in Cumbernauld, Scotland, and delivered within 7 working days. About Mizuno’s JPX 900 Series The new JPX900 Series comprises three fabulous new models – JPX900 Tour, JPX900 Forged and JPX900 Hot Metal, each with very distinctive performance attributes made possible by their unique base materials. golf.mizunoeurope.com To contact the Mizuno Performance Centre at Burnham & Berrow; email: golf@burnhamandberrowgolfclub.co.uk or call +44 (0)1278 785760

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To enter this fantastic competition, all you have to do is answer this simple question: Can you identify the Bristol-based Ryder Cup Mizuno Staff player who recently opened Mizuno’s Burnham & Berrow Performance Centre? Is he: (a) Chris Wood or (b) Luke Donald? Mark your answer clearly on a Post Card and send it along with you NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL & CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER to: MIZUNO JPX900 COMPETITION Atlantic Golf & LifeStyle, 12 Primrose Gardens Mary’s Well, Illogan, Camborne, Cornwall TR16 4EH Note: Entries close at midnight on August 10. The winner will be drawn at random from entries received and the winner’s name will be published in the September/October issue. Standard competition T&Cs apply. No cash alternative will be offered. The Editor’s decision is final.

JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 43

000 - AG&L - Richard Sadler_AG&L-2017 16/06/2017 12:18 Page 44

By Richard Sadler

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HARRY LAWLOR / CARTEL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOT ON LOCATION AT TREVOSE GOLF CLUB

Learning to control the movement of the arms, hands and club with the rotation of the upper body is the key to cultivating a great wedge game (and also improves the shape and efficiency of your full swing). But first, let me help you to get set up in a manner that enables you to deliver the perfect strike...

000 - AG&L - Richard Sadler_AG&L-2017 16/06/2017 12:19 Page 45

Tour players â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and better players generally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; spend more time honing their technique on and approaching the green than they do any other aspect of the game. From, say, 100 yards and in, we are dealing with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;scoring zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and the simple reality is that any improvements here cut shots off the bottom line. The first thing that I do whenever I focus on this area of the game with a student is to stress the importance of set-up, specifically that the position you create over the ball here reflects the nature of the impact you are hoping to achieve. And the secret is that the position of your sternum at set up needs to be slightly ahead of the ball in order that you create a downward ball-turf compression when you return to this position at speed as you rotate your body through in the direction of the target. [A lot of club golfers contort their body at address to the extent their sternum is behind the ball â&#x20AC;&#x201C; inset above. No future from here!] A simple drill will help you to appreciate the distinct feel of the correct wedge set-up. Taking your wedge in your right hand, hold a second club in your left and allow it to fall in a vertical position from the buttons on your shirt (which pretty much indicate the position of your sternum). You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want this to fall behind the ball, but instead comfortably ahead of the ball position, which is in the middle of your relatively narrow stance. In good posture, and with your regular grip, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another great little exercise: without making any sort of backswing, engage your core muscles and exert pressure on the clubhead, pressing it down into the turf, as if you were taking a shallow divot from beneath the ball. Get the leading edge cutting into the turf as you do this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; essentially mimicking a good impact position. Hold the dynamics of this position for a moment; you should feel the resistance of the left side as the hips brace and want to rotate left of target while your eyes and head are fixed on the back of the ball. This is a great rehearsal drill to use on the range â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feel a good impact position and then try to replicate those same set of feelings as you make the shot for real.

At set up, your sternum needs to be slightly ahead of the ball â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is your centre of pressure

Ball position is just back of middle for a regular wedge shot, weight just favouring the left side

The key is then to rotate around a consistent axis so that you have control over the low arc of your swing and deliver compression on the ball

A good set up position buys you a better chance of repeating a good impact position

JULYAUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 45

000 - AG&L - Richard Sadler_AG&L-2017 16/06/2017 12:20 Page 46

Focus on rotating around a fairly fixed weight distribution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; i.e. having settled your weight in favour of the left side at address, keep it that way as you create your swing

Imagine standing in the centre of a clockface and simply match your backswing to desired timings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this being 9 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock, the image to the right being 10 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock. The length of your swing controls the speed of the club...and the landing distance with each of your wedges

In his classic book A Swing for Life, the great Nick Faldo illustrated his thoughts on wedge control with a simple graphic, one that I used as a young player â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and still do in tournament play today. The so-called Clockface Principleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gives you a neat frame of reference when it comes to controlling the length of your backswing and marrying that up with a mirror-image through-swing. So, a 9 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock backswing sees the hands swing to 9 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock on an imaginary clockface â&#x20AC;&#x201C; matched with a through-swing that would see the hands finish pointing at 3 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock. A relatively short swing, perfect for those inbetween pitch shots of 40-60 yards or so. Ten oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock sees the body rotate that little bit further, taking the arms and hands to 10 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock on the imaginary clockface, while the full Monty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your max speed with a wedge would see the hands reach 11 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock and finish at 1. You get the drift. And you can appreciate how quickly you develop 46 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

a matrix of scoring shots with your wedge system. Give some thought to your tempo, too. On all full shots I like to move away from the ball at the same speed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which my natural rhythm translates into a measured position at the top of the backswing. The shorter the club, the shorter the swing, but I still want the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;time frameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from start to impact to be consistent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so for all shorter shots I remind myself to move a little slower. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;time frameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from that first move to the point of impact is then consistent even though the swing itself is shorter. Result? A better quality of strike. One final word on technique. I encourage my students to rotate around a fairly fixed weight distribution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; what I mean by that is having set-up with your weight favouring your left side you want to keep it there throughout your swing. This helps you to enjoy a consistent low point to your swing arc for precise ball-turf contact.

000 - AG&L - Richard Sadler_AG&L-2017 16/06/2017 12:21 Page 47

Use laser to determine precise yardages and check your landing distances regularly – for kids especially, this is a terrific way to get out and do some competitive practice, challenging one another to see who can land the ball consistently on the perfect number!

I work on three lengths of backswing, 9, 10 & this fuller swing to 11 o’clock. Using three different wedges and three different hold positions on the grip (full, down 1” and down 2”) gives me 27 different yardages(!). As you develop your feel for this technique, work on subtle changes in backswing speed – slow & syrupy for short shots, brisk & upbeat for longer. I allow my wrists to ‘set’ as they would normally at the corresponding length in my regular swing – there’s no attempt to ‘set’ earlier, or restrict their movement. On the forward swing the body rotation and arm-swing are ‘matched-up’ and for a high, soft trajectory I allow the clubhead to release naturally, taking me into the finish you see here. Compare this with the sequence overleaf illustrating what’s known as “holding off the finish” to keep the ball low and you’ll learn to read the body language

Most tour players carry three wedges – I use a 48-, 54- & 58. With a span of lofts, your wedge system – allied to the fact that you should experiment going up and down the grip by two or three inches – provides you with a comprehensive range of scoring shots as you identify specific landing distances with each combination

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One of the great thrills playing seaside links golf is firing in low wedge shots laden with spin, looking for that one-hop-and-stop favoured by many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best. The technique that we use to do this is often referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;holding off the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, a phrase you may have heard but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily understand. Well, let me explain it as simply as I can with the help of a useful drill that you can try â&#x20AC;&#x201C; grab a club and follow my lead. * Get into your set up posture, feet relatively close together, and then slide your hands halfway down the shaft of the club, resting the grip end against your left hip * Encourage your wrists to hinge the club freely as you make a half- to threequarter backswing * The key is then that the hands lead the clubhead to what would be your impact position, closing down the loft on the ball, not allowing the toe-end of the club to pass the heel * Into the follow-through the grip-end of the club must not be allowed to touch your body â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in holding off the release the clubhead never overtakes the grip

To get a feel for this technique, hold so far down the shaft that the grip rests against your lead hip

At impact my hips and then chest are all rotating in advance of the ball being struck

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As the backswing progresses, the wrists then set the shaft up as normal

Critically, the rotation of my hips and chest outpaces the hands, and the clubhead trails the grip to the finish

For the low, punchy shot, stand a smidge closer to the ball than you would normally for a regular wedge shot of this distance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that will encourage a slightly steeper arc which delivers greater compression

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Your focus here is on punching down and through the ball into the turf, ‘covering’ the shot with your right shoulder. This allows you to create a slightly steeper angle of attack, with the grip leading the clubhead

The result is a controlled, low trajectory that will see the ball hop once on landing before coming to a stop with spin. The sawn-off finish is a dead giveaway! Great when you have plenty of green to play and/or you are into the wind

Richard Sadler is a former tour player who is renowned for his coaching to players of all standard. He is currently attached to Hayle Golf and Truro Golf Club and runs the acclaimed ‘16 Weeks to Better Golf’ programme. Contact: 07877 603717 richardsadlergolf@gmail.com Quote AG&L Reader Offer to enjoy a 10% discount on coaching course vouchers

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THE OPEN

UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

Sir Nick Faldo’s love affair with the game’s oldest and greatest championship goes all the way back to 1973, when his father, George, took him on a road-trip to Royal Troon, where the imposing figure of Tom Weiskopf caught the imagination of the then 16 year-old superstar in waiting. Here, Britain’s six-time major champion compiles a personal Top-10 of the memories that shine brightest in his relationship with golf's ultimate prize INTERVIEW: RICHARD SIMMONS

ILLUSTRATION: TONY HUSBAND

1973, Royal Troon & the mighty Weiskopf My very first Open and one I will never forget: a road-trip in dad’s VW Beetle and it must have taken us the best part of a day to travel from Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, to the town of Ayr and the links at Troon. I can remember it like it was yesterday – the car crammed full of camping gear and that excited feeling of hitting the road, just dad and me. We used to go camping quite a lot in those days but this was extra special. Our first Open. A proper boys’ tour. For me, standing behind the players on the range and watching the different swings and styles was fascinating. During that week I stood there for hours, taking it all in, and I would try to mimic their idiosyncrasies with practice swings of my own while studying their every move. If I hadn’t done that and been so inspired, who knows what would have happened? Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus, Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tony Jacklin… who’d have guessed that I would one day play alongside those heroes let alone experience Ryder Cups with the most passionate and gen-

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uine of European captains. I even saw – or rather heard – Gene Sarazen’s hole-inone at the ‘Postage Stamp’ 8th hole during the first round – albeit from a distance. Tom Weiskopf seemed a giant of the game, the way he carried himself, the poise and the grace with which he played. Tom is 6’ 3”, and so maybe I saw a little of myself in his style – his was the most elegant of golf swings but at the same time incredibly powerful and he hit towering iron shots that rained down on the pin. He won that Open – his only major title – going wire-to-wire to finish on 12-under-par – matching the then-existing Open record set by Palmer in 1962, also at Troon.

1975, Tom Watson’s ‘bottle’ at Carnoustie I was in the stands by the 18th green when Tom Watson holed the putt to clinch his place in a playoff with Jack Newton – that was pretty cool. This was Watson’s first Open and I was there to see him hole the most important putt in his life at that point, displaying the sort of ‘bottle’ you have to have in order to become a winner. After relatively benign conditions over the opening couple of days the wind kicked up during

PHOTO: OLD GOLF IMAGES

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the final round (in those days played on a Saturday) and the scores went up. Watson faced a 20-foot putt for birdie on the 18th green to force a playoff with the Australian. I stood up and roared the ball home in chorus with the hundreds of fans around me. What a putt to make. Earlier that week I made a point of watching Tom on the range and stood mesmerised as he hit these 1-iron shots off the deck, the purest of strikes, and the noise was just incredible. I watched and let it all soak in. You learnt the routine, the tempo, the whole thing. I’ve always stressed to young players the importance of making an effort to go and study the best players in the game because you learn so much. I spent a lot of time watching Lee Trevino, too. And there’s a story behind that. I had played in the British Amateur earlier that season and one of the great characters in those days, John Davis – or ‘Badger’ as he was known – told me that if I qualified for the Open he would arrange for me to play a practice round with Lee Trevino. “How exactly are you going to fix that?” I asked him. “Because I’m the guv’nor,” he replied. Sadly I didn’t qualify but, true to his word, Badger fixed it for me to walk with Trevino’s group in practice and I followed him and his caddie, the legendary Willie Aitchison, over the first three rounds. It took Trevino two-and-a-half rounds to miss a green! At the long parthree 16th, on consecutive days, he hit two of the greatest shots I’ve ever seen, a driver both times to within just a few feet of the pin. He even showed me his putting

stroke to master the roll with the ‘big’ ball, to lock the left wrist – the anti-left wrist putting stroke.

1976, a debut for Seve...and Yours Truly Golf fans of my era remember 1976 for the simple reason that Lancashire witnessed the arrival of Severiano Ballesteros, the swashbuckling 19-year-old Spaniard who partied in Blackpool all week and nearly walked off with the Claret Jug at his first attempt. There was just an incredible buzz about the Championship – especially for me, as this was also my debut appearance. It was also hot – the long hot summer of 1976. The whole experience of qualifying and then playing all four days at Royal Birkdale was monumental in my career. I felt I had made it onto the world stage and after that taste I knew I was going to do whatever it took to stay there. The course was hard and dusty that week and Seve nearly set it on fire over the opening three rounds, leading by two shots over Johnny Miller after 54 holes. Sunday brought him back to earth with a bump, seven over par after 12 holes but a rallying finish with three birdies and an eagle over the closing stretch saw him tie Nicklaus for second place. Ultimately, this was to be the great Johnny Miller’s one and only Open victory – a man I always admired greatly as a player and every bit as much as a commentator. But the shot we all remember, of course, is Seve’s brilliantly creative bump-and-run to save par at the 72nd – and a smile that illuminated Southport. As an aside to this, when the Open returned to Royal

Some debut: Tom Watson won the first of his five Open titles on his first appearance after a playoff with the Australian Jack Newton in 1975; (inset left): The author’s finest fourround display came at St Andrews in 1990

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Birkdale in 1983, I started out my first round 6-6, doublebogey, double-bogey, and shot 68. To this day the greatest 68 I’ve ever shot in my life! Tom Watson won that year, proving yet again that pedigree is required around this magnificent but unrelenting course. I was in contention going into the last nine holes on Sunday and blew up – my swing just deserted me over the closing holes and I left the course determined to do something about it. It’s all a learning curve. Within three months I dedicated myself to a swing build under the eye of David Leadbetter…and the rest, as they say...

1978, Jack’s victory lap at the Home of Golf It’s impossible to compile a Top-10 list of anything significant without including Jack Nicklaus and I’m going to single out the 1978 Open as being the one that, for me, tells you all you need to know about Jack and his love affair with the game’s oldest championship. Yes, I know, the 1970 Open is the one that gets all the attention for Doug Sanders’ calamity on the 72nd green, but this Championship – Jack’s third and final Open victory – saw the Golden Bear in the prime of his life at 38 years old. For all you statisticians out there, with this win he completed his third career Grand Slam. As for Yours Truly, the 1978 Open was probably the most significant tournament of my career to that point. I finished four shots back and I left the final green convinced that one day I would win the Open. I can’t describe the feeling but I had this incredible belief in my ability. That was huge at 21 years old. [Sure, it took me 9

years to achieve it but I believed it, which was the key!]

1988, Seve in full flight at Lytham Winning my first Open in 1987 was obviously lifechanging [see Where did those 30 years go?, page 30]. A year later, at Lytham, and I found myself in the midst of a three-way battle with Nick Price and Seve, in the first ever Monday finish, a last group tee-time gunning for the title. The Lancashire links has always been a happy hunting ground for me – in 1975 I won the English Amateur there and in ’77 it was the stage for the first of my 11 Ryder Cup appearances. The course always suited my eye and the turf is superb, a true and fair test of golf. I actually thought I made a decent defence of my title but Seve’s 65 was sublime. He was unbeatable that day. Early on it was clear that he was in the mood – he just had that look in his eye and the putter was on fire. Anyone lucky enough to have seen that last round witnessed one of the game’s truly great artists produce probably the round of his life. In the scorers tent afterwards I shook his hand and said, ‘Seve, I have to tell you that was the best round of golf I have ever seen.’ It really was exhibition stuff. After three-putting the par-five 7th hole – where both Seve and Nickie made threes from short range – I was resigned to the role of spectator. To be honest it was a privilege to have been in that three-ball with him; to experience Seve in full flight at the peak of his magical powers is the way I’ll always remember him.

Crowning glory: Jack Nicklaus won the last of his three Open titles at St Andrews in 1978 while the then British Amateur champion, a certain Peter McEvoy, finished low amateur; Faldo’s 72-hole scoring record of 262, set around the Old Course in 1990, was beaten by Tiger Woods during his electric summer in 2000

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ACTION IMAGES

To be honest it was exhibition stuff. It was a privilege to have been in that [Monday] three-ball with him, to experience Seve in full flight at the peak of his magical powers is the way I’ll always remember him

1990, the week it all ‘clicked at St Andrews

2000, Tiger steals my thunder!

The 1990 season was a special one for me – everything just seemed to ‘click’ and I could easily have claimed the first three majors of the year. As it was I had to settle for two of them – defending my title to win the 1990 Masters and enjoying the week of my life at St Andrews to win a second Open Championship. [An extra ounce on my putt on the final green at Medinah a month previously would have seen me in a playoff for the US Open alongside Hale Irwin and Mike Donald, but it wasn’t to be.] Looking back at the outfits on display that summer reminds me that this was the height of the ‘Geometric George’ logo on my favourite Pringle cardigans and there was a symmetry to my swing that had me playing on auto-pilot. I felt totally in control of the ball – I think I found one bunker all week and didn’t have a single threeputt. I notched up 20 birdies and an eagle to set the record total and it felt very special to be the first player around the Old Course to reach 18 under par – I think I recorded just eight 5’s all week – the rest were twos, threes and fours. To do this at the Home of Golf, to win at St Andrews is every golfer’s dream…….

Given his form at Pebble Beach earlier that summer, winning the U.S. Open by a staggering 12-shot margin, there was every chance that the game’s undisputed No.1 would threaten my 72-hole scoring record at St Andrews – and, sure enough, Tiger tore the place apart. Not once in four days did he find a bunker and when the dust had settled, with rounds of 67-66-67-69, Tiger eclipsed my winning record by a stroke to claim his career Grand Slam of all four of golf’s majors (joinng golf’s most select club of players to have achieved this – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Nicklaus and Gary Player being the others). Tiger was just 24. The process of sitting down to recall my favourite Open moments actually brought home to me the reality that the Tiger era is now consigned to history. That Open at St Andrews in 2000 was 17 years ago! Seventeen years…that is a different era to here and now. I would love to see him come back and who knows – you really wouldn’t put anything past him. But I think even the most loyal of Tiger fans now has to accept that his time has been and gone, which is sad for all of golf.

Seve’s brilliance never shone more brightly than it did in that closing round of 65 at Lytham to win in 1988 – a putting masterclass to match the quality of his inspired play tee to green

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2006, Emotional Tiger rampant at scorched Hoylake Of course, Tiger would return to St Andrews in ’05 and claim his tenth major title with another scintillating display of controlled power golf – and he arrived at Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, the following summer with an even greater resolve after the death of his father, Earl, in May. I have included this in my all-time Top-10 memories not only for the sheer emotion that we all felt over the week and especially on Sunday but the extraordinary discipline with which Tiger took the course – and the field – apart. For me, Tiger’s performance over what was one of the hardest, baked links courses I have known just proved how wrong the powers that be got it when it came to setting up the course. The intention, clearly, was to take driver out of Tiger’s hands – but they only succeeded in taking it out of the hands of mere mortals who couldn’t fire a 2-iron 300 yards down the middle of the fairway. It Man on fire: Henrik Stenson was in a league of his own at Royal Troon in 2016, although, to his eternal credit, Phil Mickelson pushed him all the way in a thrilling last-day dual that saw the Swede set the Open scoring record at 20 under par

didn’t faze Tiger one bit – he simply ‘ironed it’. I played with Tiger in round two and it was a joke. Into the breeze he was hitting 450-yard+ par fours with a 2iron, 8-iron. I was lucky if I was going in with a 4-iron off a solid drive. To rub salt into the wound he even holed out a 4-iron for an eagle two at the tough 14th! In what was a low scoring week, Tiger was in total control – right up until the final putt and the release of emotion in the arms of caddie Steve Williams. Unforgettable.

1992, the best four holes ever at Muirfield My third and final Open victory was the one that very nearly got away. I honestly had that feeling midway through the final round that after playing so well over the opening three days – 66-64-69 – I was in danger of blowing it. I had a four-shot lead at the start of the day and yet standing on the 15th fairway I was behind John Cook by two. I remember standing there with a 5-iron in my hands telling myself, ‘Right, you have to play the best four holes of your life…this is what all the practice is all about – having the mettle to hit the shot you need to hit to make a much-needed birdie…’. The shot in question was a knock-down 5-iron – my ‘chicken-wing’ shot I used to call it. And it came off the face so, so sweetly I knew it would be perfect. It was ‘The Muirfield 5-iron’. The putt from around three feet never looked like missing and that birdie three gave me the spur to get home. With a two-putt birdie at the downwind par-five 17th and a solid four at the last, I played the last four holes in 2-under-par and scraped it. My second victory at Muirfield was the hardest fought Open of them all – the emotion that poured out of me says it all.

PHOTO COURTSEY CALLAWAY GOLF // ACTION IMAGES

2016, Ripping Royal Troon to pieces

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Working as part of the crew for CBS television, commentating on the PGA Tour and the Olympics in Rio last summer has been – and still is – one of the great experiences of my life. The opportunity to sit alongside Johnny Miller and Jim Nantz and work with the likes of David Feherty – it’s a dream job and one I absolutely love. The standard of golf that we have seen over the last few years has been nothing but extraordinary – witness the blossoming of Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson. However this last entry revolves around two guys who have been around a little longer and who produced surely one of the greatest last-day shoot-outs in the history of the Open with their fireworks at Royal Troon last year. I’m talking, of course, about the great Phil Mickelson and the ultimate winner – and this year’s defending champion – Henrik Stenson. The golf on display over that closing Sunday has to be in anyone’s Top 10 for the sheer brilliance of the shotmaking and the ding-dong battle that entertained fans all around the world. I’ve never seen anything like the sustained frenzy of golf they produced over what is an exceptionally tough links course. One thing’s for sure though…they won’t be shooting 20-under-par at Royal Birkdale! The Open Championship, Royal Birkdale, July 20-23

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A This one’s for You Know Who: Sergio’s greatest victory came on what would have been Seve’s 60th birthday

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SERGIO’S

DATE WITH DESTINY Producing a last-nine-holes-on-Sunday finish that finally did justice to his talent, the newly-jacketed Masters champion Sergio Garcia freed himself from the shackles of self doubt to assume his rightful place at golf’s top table.

WORDS: ROBERT GREEN // PHOTOS: ACTION IMAGES

s bef it s a pa st a mateur champion (he won the title at Muirfield in 1998), sergio Garcia likes links golf. in fact, i hadn’t realised just how much he relished it until i looked through his record the other day. He’s finished in the top-10 nine times in the Open Championship since the turn of the century and he heads to Royal birkdale on the back of a sequence which for his last three Opens reads second/sixth/fifth. With that major monkey off his back at last after his dramatic triumph at the Masters in a pril, it would be no surprise this July to see him capture the championship for which he has consistently shown the most impressive pedigree. Of course, back in 1999, Garcia’s rookie season on tour, when t iger Woods beat him by a stroke in the UspGa Championship at Medinah, no one imagined the spaniard, who is now 37, would have been forced to wait 18 years to win his first major championship, which he accomplished at a ugusta National on a pril 9, what would have been the 60th birthday of the late seve ballesteros, spain’s greatest golfer. On a gloriously sunny afternoon, this year’s Masters came down to a battle between two friends and erstwhile Ryder Cup colleagues: Garcia and his playing partner Justin Rose, the 2013 Us Open champion and current Olympic champion. While he has a wonderful long game, Garcia’s career has too often been characterised by his inability to make a putt: not any old putt, for he has won more than enough tournaments and prize-money to prove that he is a top-class player of longstanding, but the putt when it really mattered – other than in the Ryder Cup, of course, when he has frequently been a mean putting machine. Hence he had four times been a runner-up in a major but never a champion.

but his current putter, the t aylorMade spider Red model, masterfully managed to produce the goods. t hings looked grim for Garcia on Masters sunday when he bogeyed the 10th and 11th; not the way you want to begin the back nine at a ugusta, especially when you’re in contention. t wo shots behind Rose when he hooked his drive into the undergrowth on the 13th, he looked at least halfway to doomed. but his putter came through with the ten-footer he needed for his par and when Rose couldn’t convert his birdie from six feet, there remained two shots in it. sergio then made another tricky putt, a six-foot downhiller for birdie at the 14th, and at the 15th he struck a magnificent iron shot that was all over the flag. so much so, in fact, that his ball deflected off it before coming to rest 10 feet beneath the hole. When he sank the putt for an eagle, it was his first in 452 holes at a ugusta, and when Rose followed him in with a birdie of his own, they were tied again. Rose birdied the 16th from eight feet while Garcia missed from inside him but the englishman then bogeyed 17 while Garcia made par. both players were on nine under par playing the last. Rose’s approach got a lucky bounce to roll to within ten feet of the hole. Garcia struck another wonderful shot, again over the stick, to within six feet. Rose missed and then, with the putt of a lifetime confronting him, so did Garcia. playing the 18th again in sudden death, Rose pushed his drive into the trees and badly mishit his escape shot. He was barely ahead of where Garcia’s drive had finished. sergio’s second shot was another towering beauty, this time to 12 feet. Rose manfully hit his third to five yards but when this putt, too, slid by, his friend and rival had two putts for the Masters. He only needed one. JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 57

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Galacticos: The newly-jacketed champion with Real Madrid – and Spain – captain, Sergio Ramos

PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES

“It has been a long time coming,” said the victor with vast understatement. “I knew I was playing well. I felt the calmest I ever have in a major.” To hear him tell it, it had been a more stressful afternoon for his fans. Rose was generous in his loss. “It is disappointing to come so close. I felt in control until the end. But I’m really happy for Sergio. I’d love to be wearing the green jacket but if it wasn’t me then I’m glad it’s him.” At the end of the month, Rory McIlroy said: “I cried when I watched Sergio winning the Masters. For all Justin is a good friend of mine, after all that Sergio has been through, it was just such a special moment.” A fortnight after Augusta, Garcia was enjoying another special moment. He performed a ceremonial kick-off at the Real Madrid v Barcelona match – El Clásico – in the capital on the evening of April 23. “That was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had”, he said. His team, Madrid, lost to a very late Barca goal that night but they have since won the Spanish league in any case. And his kick-off went rather better than it did for Diana Ross when she mis-kick-started the 1994 World Cup in the United States. (Check it out on YouTube; it’s guaranteed to raise a chuckle.) While obviously thrilled at last having won a major championship, in his 74th start in one, Garcia was adamant that while his CV might have got an upgrade, his personality would not be altered. “I’ve been saying it, and I will always say it, that I’m still the same person,” he insisted. “I always try to be true to myself. I try to be as genuine as I can be and as honest as possible. People see that and now they are even happier because I won at Augusta.” Which is what McIlroy was talking about. “The most important thing is not to change,” added Garcia. “You are who you are and one major or 20 majors shouldn’t change you. This doesn’t mean I’m now going to win every major in which I get into contention, but it obviously gives you a little bit of extra confidence.” But for sure one thing has changed as a consequence of his Masters win. After the at-times hostile atmosphere of the Ryder Cup at Valhalla last autumn, Garcia said of the spectators’ barracking of him: “I am very aware that I’ve never won a major.” He remarked on that with a smile and good grace, which cannot have been easy because the incessant reminders must have hurt, but now he has had the last laugh with regard to that one. His first start after the Masters came in the Players Championship at Sawgrass in mid May. Four over par after six holes of his opening round, he recovered to shoot a 73, notably helped with a hole-in-one at the iconic 17th, the hole on which he had taken a quadruple-bogey four years ago, thereby effectively gifting the tournament to Tiger Woods. He couldn’t sustain a challenge through the weekend, clos58 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

ing with a 78 on Sunday to finish tied for 30th, but at least he’d got over his Masters hangover. At the AT&T Byron Nelson tournament in Texas the following week, another bad closing round, this time a fourover 74, saw him finish in a tie for 20th. At the Dean & Deluca Invitational the week after that, at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, also in Texas, his final round of 71 was an improvement on his two previous outings but was still over par as he completed the weekend seven shots behind the winner, Kevin Kisner. He’ll be hoping and expecting to have eradicated those sort of last-day gremlins from his game before he gets to Southport. His participation in Fort Worth meant he couldn’t play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. However, it is likely that had never been on his schedule, as has routinely been the case in recent years: he apparently has an aversion to the UK Revenue taking a 1/52 part of his earnings from his contract with TaylorMade and other sponsors on account of the week he’d be spending in Britain if he was to play the tournament. That’s not a consideration when it comes to the Open or the Ryder Cup but Keith Pelley, chief executive of the European Tour, downplayed this as being a bone of contention between the two parties. “We have a wonderful relationship with Sergio,” said Pelley. “I believe he is supporting the BMW International Open coming up in a couple of months and he will obviously be supporting the Andalucia Masters, which is part of the Sergio Garcia Foundation. [As for Wentworth], we like to focus on who is here; we don’t necessarily like to focus on who is not here.” Smart thinking, I’d say. Garcia’s biggest disappointments in past Open Championships came in consecutive years a decade ago. At

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...the most important thing is not to change. You are who you are and one major or 20 majors shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change you...

Hoylake in 2006, he played the final round in the final group with Tiger Woods. His notably summery/canary ensemble of all-yellow allegedly led to Woods texting a friend that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d just â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;killed Tweety Pieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; after heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d crushed him with a 67 to the Spaniardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 73. Twelve months later at Carnoustie, Garcia was atop the leaderboard after 72 holes. Unfortunately for him, so was Padraig Harrington. Garcia had bogeyed the final hole, looking shocked as his 10-foot putt to win shaved the cup but stayed out. He lost the four-hole playoff, but not until after his tee shot at the par-three 16th had hit the flagstick and bounced to finish 20 feet away. Harrington got the better of him again in the USPGA Championship the following year, making a ten-footer for birdie at the 17th to take the lead and then standing by to watch as Garcia missed from four feet to stay level. Relations between the two players became somewhat strained after that, although a conversation at McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nuptials this past spring apparently sorted all that out. It had been McIlroy himself at Hoylake in 2014 who had denied Garcia victory there, Sergio finishing two shots adrift in a tie for second with Rickie Fowler. Whatever happens in the Open this year, Garciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triumph

at Augusta has already made this a great season for him and European golf. And whatever happens at Birkdale, July will be a momentous month â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he and his fiancĂŠe,Â Angela Akins, will be getting married in Austin, Texas, shortly after the Open. The year after he won the Amateur Championship, Garcia finished low amateur at the Masters. The champion at Augusta in 1999 was another Spaniard, JosĂŠ Maria OlazĂĄbal. There is a school of thought that once a golfer has won a professional major championship, it brings a backdated validity to the major amateur titles he won â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a nod to the original concept of the Grand Slam, given that Bobby Jones was an amateur. On this basis, Jack Nicklaus has 20 majors, rather than 18; Tiger Woods 17 rather than 14. And OlazĂĄbal has three rather than two â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in fact he and Garcia are the only Amateur champions since World War II to have gone on to win a professional major. So, on one reckoning, Sergio would now have two majors. It should be no shock to anyone if at Birkdale this summer he made it three. The author has a blog at robertgreengolf.com and you can follow him on Twitter @robrtgreen

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THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2017

PLACE YOUR BETS!

EWIND: IT’S THE LONG, hot summer of 1976, and a film-star-handsome Spaniard, only 19 years old, has just played an outrageous bump-and-run between the traps at Royal Birkdale’s final green to earn a share of second place – alongside someone called Nicklaus – in his debut Open appearance. The runaway winner is Johnny Miller, closing with a sublime 66 for a six-shot victory, having started the final day two behind our latino wunderkind with the flashing smile, an innocent abroad yet to win a tournament. They have rarely seen each other all afternoon as the wayward Spaniard visits parts of Merseyside never previously troubled by a professional golfer. We had seen the Special One, a shot-making genius, and we knew it. For most of us, it was the first time. He could charm the birds off the trees, just as he charmed the hard-nosed Press corps with his pidgin English. He told us how to pronounce his name: “No, not Sevvy,” he scolded, “It’s Say-bay”. Fast forward 41 years. Another dashing Spaniard has just finished second in the 2017 Open on the same links. He’s a big lad, powerfully athletic, at 23 a little older but, unlike Seve, already a winner (the Quicken Loans on the PGA Tour earlier this season). There are no pidgins in his English – on account of his four years at college in the States – and we already love him because he’s going to help us win a Ryder Cup or two. Well, it could happen, couldn’t it? Is Jon Rahm a Special One, too? No one since Tiger, not even Jordan Spieth, has made such an impact so quickly. It’s funny but all my Birkdale Opens have been more about the losers than the winners. In 1971 it was Mr Lu in his pork-pie hat, concussing a woman spectator but still making the birdie that gave him second place; ’76 and Ballesteros of course, ’83 was Hale Irwin’s two-inch whiff with the putter that cost him a play-off with Tom Watson, ’91 one of the saddest of them all as Ian Baker-Finch won

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IMAGE COURTESY TAYLORMADE

One of golf’s legendary commentators on all things betting, it’s well worth sitting up and paying attention to what Jeremy Chapman has to say as the eyes of the golfing world turn to Royal Birkdale

Blue sky thinking: The mightily impressive Jon Rahm – could this young Spaniard be on the verge of a major breakthrough?

a battle but lost a career – his nerve deserted him shortly afterwards and he was forced to give up the game. In 1998 it was 17year-old amateur Justin Rose holing a pitch at the 72nd for fourth place (still his highest finish) and in 2008 part-timer Greg Norman, now 43, vainly trying to turn back the clock and capture his third Open. So who this time? The latest form we have for Birkdale is nine years old, frayed at the edges but not entirely useless as the current Open champion Henrik Stenson tied third with Norman, Ian Poulter played his heart out for a career-best second, lofty amateur Chris Wood shared fifth and Paul Casey managed seventh...despite opening with a 78. And that complex character Padraig Harrington proved winning back-to-back Opens wasn’t Mission Impossible. Could he possibly do it again at 45 and a long way from the golfer he once was? Mark O’Meara was in his 40s when he won at Birkdale in ’98. More recently we had

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three consecutive forty-something champions in Darren Clarke, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson. Not forgetting Stenson was 40 when he cracked it or that Phil was older than Pod when he almost did it again last year. As Tom Watson said after getting within a putt of a sixth Claret Jug at 59, the fast-running fairways of the Open make it the one major where golden oldies like him still had a chance. P. Harrington – Open champion for a third time, what a story that would be! And far less unlikely than Clarke at Royal St George’s. Easy to forget that, among all the bad weeks, old Pod still knows how to win: two years ago the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour, last October the Portugal Masters on the European circuit. Pause for thought: Stenson, Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Zach Johnson are four of the top five over-40s on world ranking and three of them are Open champions. Think about it. Henrik is at 16-1, Lefty at 33-1, Westwood and ZJ at 66-1... and Pod at 140-1. Come to think of it, 2008 runner-up Poulter, now a 100-1 shot, is another the wrong side of 40 (he’s 41), and second place at Sawgrass will have set him dreaming about going one better than last time. That’s enough about the old guard, let’s take a look at the younger guns at the top of the market (prices as of June 15, ahead of US Open result): 8-1 Dustin Johnson, 10-1 McIlroy, 12-1 Spieth, 14-1 Day, 16-1 Stenson, 20-1 Garcia, 22-1 Matsuyama, 25-1 Rose and Rahm, 28-1 Scott, 33-1 Mickelson, 40-1 Pieters and Grace, 50-1 Noren, Casey, Thomas and Hatton. Surely we’ve got to the winner by now and did we learn anything from Wentworth that might identify him? We sure did...put your money on players who know how to get the job done (the BMW PGA was Alex Noren’s fifth

PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES

He may be a 100-1 shot, but there’s no doubting Ian Poulter’s instinct when he gets into the mix, as he did in ’08, finishing in a tie for second behind Harrington

62 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

victory in less than 11 months) and swerve those who win only once in a blue moon (Molinari, Lowry) or shoot over-par rounds on Sundays so often when they’re in contention that it cannot be a coincidence (Westwood). Let’s look more closely at the main contenders. Now that SERGIO GARCIA has finally got that majors monkey off his back and is deliriously happy in his private life, who knows how many more he might pick up? He has one of the best Open records around of those who have never won it – ten top-tens in 20 appearances and second, sixth and fifth the last three years. Only 29th and 51st in two cracks at Birkdale, a slight turn-off, but he was only an 18-year-old amateur in 1998 which makes top-30 very decent and we can all agree, post-Augusta, we’re looking at a new model now. Interesting, too, that Birkdale 2008 was STENSON’s first good Open. He had struggled until then and has progressed as the years have rolled by...third again to Louis Oosthuizen in 2010, runner-up to Mickelson in 2013, winner after an unforgettable duel with the same player last year. Back-to-back Opens is a mighty big ask but you’d have to short-list the Swede. DUSTIN JOHNSON: The likely favourite has knocked on the door more than once, notably at Sandwich in 2013. He has since broken his majors duck and taken his game to a higher level by improving his short game. When he’s on song Johnson is an awesome win machine who looks sure to be in the mix. RORY McILROY: Undergoing the most frustrating, injury-interrupted year of his career and not in the same mental zone he was in when champion three years ago. SPIETH: Came up a shot shy of a play-off in his annus mirabilis, 2015. Not been in quite the same form since. JASON DAY: Slowly getting closer to his 2016 best but never quite sure when he’s 100 per cent fit – and doesn’t seem to be rattling the putts in like he did last year. Only one good Open out of seven. ADAM SCOTT: Definitely a player with Open pedigree. Should have won from four up with four to play at Lytham in 2012 but showed no mental scarring by bagging his first major at Augusta ten months later. Then led the 2013 Open heading into the back nine before finishing third to Mickelson and fifth the following year. Quite possibly the best each-way value at 28-1. MICKELSON: Strange that Lefty has only really got the hang of Open strategy since hitting 40. Tied for the lead at Royal St George’s and looking the most likely winner until the putter started letting him down, champion at Muirfield and almost champion again last year. But at 47 has he got one last hurrah? ROSE: Best Open finish came when he was 17. Not especially encouraging. HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Showed a liking for links when sixth on Open debut but may have peaked too early. RAHM: A long shot, but why not? He has played an Open – qualified by finishing third on his pro debut in Quicken Loans in ‘16 and tied 59th at Troon. If this chap doesn’t win an Open or three, many shrewd judges will be eating their hats, sooner rather than later.

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By Jonathan Yarwood

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK NEWCOMBE SHOT ON LOCATION AT TREVOSE GOLF CLUB

For me, it’s no contest; seaside golf is the original and best form of the game for the simple reason it provides so much variety in terms of the shot-making decisions you face from tee to green – not to mention the pure thrill of simply being ‘out there’ in the salty air on a glorious summer’s day such as this. So let me share a handful of links lessons that will help you to go out and embrace the challenge of the links...

FOR PURITY OF IRON STRIKE, THERE’S NO BETTER PRACTICE… From a ball-striking perspective, the tight, springy, closely-cropped turf that typically characterises the links challenge requires the authority of a solid, repeating technique that enables you to flight and control iron shots with a pure strike – and there’s no better way to work on developing and improving that technique than to go out and challenge yourself to hit 7- or 8-iron shots from a fairway bunker. 64 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

The late, great Seve Ballesteros famously honed his exquisite ball-striking skills on the beach at his home in Pedrena, and I’ve spoken to dozens of other world-class players who swear by the benefits of practising mid- and short-iron shots from the sand. Next time you get the chance, set aside some time in a trap and put your swing through its paces; on a delicate footing, stability is key, so focus on creat-

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The rotation of the torso lies at the heart of every repeating swing – and with your feet and lower body relatively ‘quiet’ you can develop this rotary motion

ing a balanced, stable posture, and then on harmonising the swinging of the arms with the rotation of the body – the vital coordination and ‘sequencing’ that characterises a repeating golf swing. [If the mood grabs you, go barefoot, and absorb the feeling of ground control through your feet…]. The secret in all this is that your arms and body work together – that’s the key to harmonising your movement and returning the clubface precisely at impact, using the rotation of your body to generate speed and momentum to

The better you get at pinching the ball from the sand, the better the ball striking you’ll enjoy from the fairway...

the finish. The more often you practise in this way the better your arms and body will complement each other and the more repetitive the core action governing your technique will be. Cue your action: grip down the club an inch or so for ultimate control, find your dynamic balance at the set up, contain weight shift, rotate to the finish…and hold it! Get used to that feeling of pinching the ball before taking a puff of sand – and enjoy the sensation of flighting shots with a wonderfully controlled trajectory. JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 65

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Eyes fixed on the back of the ball, unwind and enjoy the sensation of the right shoulder and torso ‘covering’ the ball as you deliver that ball--turf strike

In the scoring zone: From a poised and balanced set-up position, a three-quarter arm-swing is all you need to play these approach shots with control and precision

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Remember, the rotation of the torso lies at the heart of every solid, repeating swing. With your lower body relatively quiet, the arms and tummy are able to move together in sync

Your ultimate goal is to blend arm and hand action with the rotation of your trunk, a compact, efficient swing that rewards you with a real sense of control through the hitting area

After just 20 minutes or so hitting balls from the fairway bunker I can virtually guarantee that when you then revert to the fairway you will experience a noticeable difference in the quality of your golf swing. For a start, you will be so much more aware of the quality of your footwork, the balance and stability that you derive from planting your weight correctly and maintaining good body angles throughout. The result is that you are now geared up to create a swing in which the arms and body move in sync, and also one that benefits from a much, much better sense of rhythm. Hitting balls from the sand really does wonders for the general speed and tempo of your movements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all timed to come together for the benefit of impact. Again, for the majority of scoring shots on a links I advise gripping down an inch or so, thus accentuating your

feel for the clubhead, and make what feels like a three-quarter length swing â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Â compact, controlled, balanced. In any sort of wind, of course, spin is accentuated. Which is why when it comes to those approach shots within scoring range of letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say 150 yards and in, you need to give some thought (a) to the amount of loft you use and (b) the nature of the strike you are looking to achieve. Rather than go all-out to hit a club a certain â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; distance, the smart links player takes an extra club (or two) and swings within himself in order to minimise spin and maximise control of the ball. Satisfied that you have more than enough club in your hands you are naturally more inclined to make a shorter and more compact swing with a nice even tempo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perfect. My advice is to think about making a wide, shallow swing, one that enables you to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;collectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the ball and flight it

towards the flag on a relatively low trajectory. To do this, focus on keeping your swing SLOW and WIDE on the way back before allowing your right forearm the freedom to roll over the left through impact to the finish, maintaining that wide arc all the way through, your right shoulder and right arm enjoying this dominant look. Feel the shape of the shot as you describe it with that follow through, your body rotating all the way to the finish. If I were standing alongside you as you hit balls I would talk about this being a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wrist-less, hinge-less motionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, but of course there is natural wrist and hand action in every swing as you hinge the club up going back and again to the finish. The notion of taking the hands/wrists out of the equation is simply to help quieten their involvement, and thus reduce any tendency to flick or hit â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;atâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the ball with the hands. JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 67

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The modern hybrid really has transformed the long game for tour players â&#x20AC;&#x201C; few carry a 2-iron these days and most of them donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even bother with a three; the sleek, versatile shape of the hybrid begs to be hit, promising â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;easy-upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; performance from all sorts of lies for a high shot that stops quickly. It is fast making the long iron a museum piece. The great thing about the hybrid chip-and-run is that it effectively eliminates the risk of fatting or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;chilli-dippingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the shot; it is a fail-safe option and a real percentage play. If you were to take 10 balls and play them all with a favourite wedge and then repeat the exercise with the hybrid, my bet is that the latter wins, hands down. Naturally, the set-up to play this shot The small, compact shape of the hybrid utility club enables you to get mass striking the equator of the ball and thus encourage forward roll

68 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

pretty much mirrors the set up you adopt for a long putt. Go down the shaft until you are into a comfortable posture; one that allows you to swing the clubhead freely like a putter. For most players, a slightly open stance is preferable, as this offers a lovely perspective of the shot and helps with your visualisation of line all the way to the hole. Ball position? I like to see it directly opposite the middle of your sternum, with your weight just slightly favouring the left side. That way you can collect it nicely, presenting the natural loft on the clubface, and thus transfer energy to the ball that much more efficiently. Visualisation and feel play a huge part in all this â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Â but with a little practice you will find the hybrid is a genuine rescue club, worth its weight in gold.

Running up that hillâ&#x20AC;Ś Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a nightmare scenario for a lot of players (right); your ball is on a severe upslope to a plateau green, the fairway is firm, and tightly mown, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very little room to work with as the pin is just a few paces on. Even the greatest of wedge players would think twice about reaching for their favourite lofted club â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but as soon as you take the hybrid out of the bag you have simplified the equation. Of course, you could use a putter, but the benefit of the hybrid is that the relative mass of the clubhead â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Â along with the additional loft â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gives you much better control of the speed and momentum with which you roll the ball. The loft on the clubface gives the ball a few inches of critical air time before it runs with overspin up the slope.

The tight, sometimes bare greenside lies that you encounter on a links course can unnerve even the most accomplished exponents of the short game. The Hybrid option all but eliminates any chance of a poor strike, leaving you to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;readâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and execute these neat shots with a high degree of confidence when there is nothing between your ball and the hole but undulating, fast-running fringe or fairway

000 - AG&L Bespoke Advert_AG&L-2017 15/06/2017 18:48 Page 39

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JUNE/JULY 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 39

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Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a shot we all love to take on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the high spinner from a good lie in a greenside bunker. And the secret here is simple: you are looking for a slick combination of loft and speed. Your immediate goal is to open up the face of your sand iron and then focus on developing a pronounced wrist action that enables you to swing and release the clubhead at considerable speed while at the same time maintaining (and even increasing) that loft on the face. At set up, the usual rules apply: check that your body alignment runs slightly to

Starting point: go down the grip and settle your body lines just left of the target. Low hands at address will encourage the wrist action you are then looking to achieve

70 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

the left of the target line and always preset the loft on the sand iron before completing your grip. Go down the shaft to enhance your sense of control and swivel your feet into the sand for stability; flex the knees, too â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Â you want to feel you really â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;get downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the shot. Shortening your grip will have the effect of slightly lowering the hands at set-up, which encourages a nice full wrist set on the way back; the feeling you want to go after is one of really cranking the wrists so that you create a distinct â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cuppingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the left wrist, keeping

With good rotation of the torso, the left arm swings across the chest and the wrists crank the face open (the toe-end pointing striaght down)

the face as open as possible. But the real secret is in the release â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Â you must commit to a full release of the right hand so that you really accelerate the club beneath the ball. The faster you release the club the more upward momentum you create and the more spin you put on the ball. One final point: there is no weight shift as such; with your lower body planted, you are looking to sync-up the rotation of your stomach/abs with your arm swing to accelerate the open face, surfing it through the sand beneath the ball.

With the lower body providing terrific stability throughout you are free to release the right hand and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;surfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the open face through the sand beneath the ball

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Work on the good rotation of your stomach and abs while at the same time keeping your weight shift minimal. Release the right hand underneath the left, using the bounce to surf through sand, and check the position of the face at the finish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it should be looking back at you (above & inset), a sure sign that the loft has been maintained all the way through

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resort

LETS GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT

The rarified enclaves of Cornwall’s spectacular north coast in and around Rock and Padstow have witnessed an explosion in visitors in recent years. And now, in the shape of The Point at Polzeath, golfers have a stylish new dimension to consider when it comes to finding a room wth a view, as Richard Simmons reports

BARELY TWO MINUTES into our conversation and one thing is already perfectly clear: Jeremy Davies is not a man to do things by halves. And the entertaining story of the City financier who one day decides to buy a golf club reminds me of Russell Crowe’s character in the movie A Good Year, for the opportunistic whim that turns into a labour of love and – ultimately – a totally new way of life. “Yeah, I can certainly see the parallel,” agrees Davies. “And believe me, many’s the occasion I’ve sat here wishing I had bought a vineyard and not a dilapidated golf club! I used to think I worked hard in London but the last five years have been a revelation to me in terms of what needs to be done to create and run a facility such as this. I never envisaged it would be this tough – it’s 24/7.” Davies and Norwegian-born wife, Eva, were ‘looking for a new project, a distraction’ when they first encountered the 230-acre development at Roserrow. The course itself – typical of so many thrown together quickly and cheaply on what had previously been farmland – was in need of total renovation but it was the unique situation 72 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Focal Point: the stunning view over the 9th green to Polzeath, Pentire Rocks and the Atlantic

of the property, enjoying a prime perch on the upper slopes of a wooded valley, with glorious views to the Atlantic and the surfing haven of Polzeath, that lit the fuse. “It was five years in March that we bought Roserrow out of administration,” says Davies. “The golf course was underwhelming, to say the least. It looked like a hay field and at a stretch I’d say there were 55 members – the place was crying out for some love. Today we are in the order of 350 members and the condition of the course – with the on-going supervision of architect Tim Lobb – has been transformed under the eye of our head greenkeeper Tom Collings, who originally learned his trade across the water at

Trevose and who has been utterly loyal to the club – he deserves all the plaudits.” The ever-improving quality and the challenge that awaits on this snaking par-72 layout – just shy of 6,300 yards from the tips – is testament not only to Collings’ considerable abilities but the vision and the ambition that drives the day-to-day activity at this most welcoming of golf clubs. The greens are rated among the best in the county while an ongoing strategy of fairway shaping and the sculpting of bunkers and tees reflects a genuine sense of pride in what is gradually being achieved here. The Point at Polzeath is never going to rival the celebrity links of St Enodoc or Trevose for

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that sense of epic grandeur, but what it does offer is a change of pace and environment in the shape of a manicured parkland experience with glorious views to Pentire Rocks and beyond. “When Eva and I first set eyes on this place we stood here and just marvelled at the possibilities,” continues Davies. “It was a done deal. Sure, we knew the golf course required a lot of work and we were willing to invest the resources to bring it up to the standard worthy of its location, but the selling point for Eva and I was the potential for adding accommodation. Looking at it from a pure investment angle, the one thing that is actually lacking in the vicinity of Rock, for all its glamour and celebrity, is accommodation for families and golf groups – and we saw the potential to do something about it.” A quick scan of the website reveals a number of flexible options for those looking for stay-and-play lodging. The reservations team at The Point manage a number of private homes on the property, offering accommodation for families and groups of up to 12 guests. But it’s the latest phase of development here that impresses most, the unveiling of seven contemporary Eco-apartments last summer elevating The Point to the status of boutique resort. Conceived and constructed with the innovative vision of local (and award-winning) architects Laurence Associates, the low-rise crescentshaped structure blends almost seamlessly into its surroundings, while Eva’s Scandinavian eye for detail has taken care of all internal fixtures and fittings. Style, function and efficiency – as you would expect – runs riot. “Financially it’s been pretty much one-way traffic,” says Davies, reflecting on the investment he and his family have made in The Point, the focal point of their lives over the last five years. “We have transformed the golf course, renovated the interior of the clubhouse, built and opened the access road into

This is the The Point calling! With panoramic views across the golf course to Polzeath, each of the luxuriously appointed Eco-apartments provide a comfortable home-from-home – the perfect base from which to explore the area around Rock, Padstow and Cornwall’s spectacular coastline

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DETAILS / CONTACT

PHOTO COURTESY JAMES LOVETT

What’s new? “Scandinavian style meets Cornish coast”, Seven bespoke and contemporary holiday apartments (four x 3-bed, sleeping six, and three x 2-bed sleeping four) named after the shipping forecast: Viking, Sole, Lundy, Rockall, Fitzroy, Malin and Bailey. All of the apartments feature spacious open-plan living areas and balcony with a view of the Atlantic.

PHOTO COURTESY JAMES LOVETT

Rock, upgraded the leisure club, completed a 4-bay covered driving range and project-managed the building of the apartments... I’m the first to remind everyone we’re a long way from finished but when I look at what we have achieved, yeah, it makes us all very proud.” More than anything, The Point at Polzeath is a lifestyle, a place for golfers and their families to enjoy leisure time together and relax in an atmosphere of casual sophistication. Whether you choose to visit for a round of golf and lunch or settle in for a few nights’ R&R you will be welcomed as one of the family – and it’s in this department, a nod to the importance of service, that Davies and his team focus much of their energy. In this regard alone The Point is ahead of the curve. “My own sense of the golf business is that there has been something of a resurgence in the game over the last few years,” continues Davies. “We’re seeing the evidence as more youngsters are playing, we see young families rocking up and unloading golf clubs, which has to be encouraging. And we embrace

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that 100% – I like nothing better than to see families having a great time, kids running around and the parents soaking up the atmosphere. It’s what this place is about.” All the signs would suggest things are headed in a positive direction. A shrewd tie-in with the West Region PGA will see the leading pro’s in the region compete in the ‘Race to the Point’, a four-tournament series leading to a Grand Final that will certainly put the club on the radar; on a lighter note, the annual St Austell Ales-sponsored Beer Festival is shaping up to be another success with 12 live bands and various golf events scheduled over two days (July 28-29). When you set out your stall in the leisure market the first rule of business is to recognise exactly who pays the bills – and to then do your damndest to keep them all happy. Forward-thinking golf clubs measure success in terms of service, innovation and flexibility; stand still and you only go backwards – a fact of life clearly not lost on the team at The Point. Pay them a visit – and let us know what you think.

Don’t miss: The annual Beer Festival, July 28-29, sponsored by St Austell Ales, featuring 12 live bands and daily team events Health Club & Spa State-of-the-art air conditioned gym, sauna, steam room & jacuzzi PLUS brand new studio offering a range of fitness classes – yoga for golf, anyone? Local places to eat? Take the water ferry to Padstow and treat yourself at Paul Ainsworth’s No.6 restaurant. Also, The Blue Tomato in Rock, The Dining Room (Rock), Nathan Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Port Isaac Green fees? 18 holes (March-October): £40 Juniors: Half full price Twilight: (after 4pm) from £17 Call the golf shop 01208 864601 Other places to play? Where do we recommend? That’s easy: St Enodoc is just 5 minutes’ away, Trevose 30 minutes. Lovers of pure links golf should also make time to experience Perranporth, 45 minutes to the west. Our golf desk will happily fix tee times The Point at Polzeath, St Minver, Cornwall, PL27 6QT Tel: 01208 863000 Web: thepointatpolzeath.co.uk

Golfe Pais de Gales 2017_06 HQL.pdf

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motoring MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 350D ALL-TERRAIN

ABOVE & BEYOND Due to launch in the UK this summer, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 350d All-Terrain offers a nearperfect blend of power and agility…and oodles of luxury to boot, writes Anthony ffrench-Constant

IF A YEAR IS A LONG TIME IN politics, one can’t help wondering what 18 years constitutes in the automotive industry... Because that’s how long it has taken for Mercedes-Benz to finally flap this EClass All-Terrain gauntlet in the face of the Audi A6 allroad; the latter itself unchallenged in this arena until Volvo recognised the SUV-challenging potential of the genre with its V90 Cross Country. Mercedes’ having chosen to accept – and yet to complete – the mission improbable of producing a range of no less than 37 different SUV models, the company might justifiably argue that it’s been a tad too busy to pay overmuch heed to the fact that premium competition in this classy little niche remains remarkably thin on the ground. So why, suddenly, now? Well, the news that this All-Terrain variant only boasts a meagre five percent difference in parts from its standard all-wheel drive E-Class estate sibling immediately makes it eminently more feasible as a project with which to keep Mercedes’ engineers busy in their spare time. With the standard E-Class estate only available in the UK mated to a 2.0 litre, 192bhp turbodiesel, the All-Terrain represents salvation for those who wish to enjoy V6 diesel power and all-wheel drive installed in a slightly taller shooting brake. Actually, the All-Terrain goes on sale in the UK this summer with that choice of engine alone, at an estimated cost of £50-55,000. It will be offered in just one high-specification trim level – somewhat akin to an AMG Line model – with nine76 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

speed automatic transmission, adjustable air suspension and 4MATIC permanent four-wheel drive fitted as standard. A deal of that five percent appears to have been lavished on the off-road appliqué which hallmarks the All-Terrain’s outward bound credentials. A ride height increased by 29mm (some of which may be attributed to larger wheels and tyres, and some to revised suspension) is accompanied by redesigned front and rear bumpers, the faintest whiff of plastic petticoats and standard fit 19” alloys. The front is most visibly changed, with a chunkier twin louvre-style upper grille treatment and a less visually satisfactory, somewhat haphazard-looking lower grille surround above a faux underguard panel. On board, all is high-end EClass, which equates to superb build quality allied to a few potentially dodgy trim finishes; pinstripe piano black, anyone? The All-Terrain’s 3.0 litre V6 turbodiesel generates 254bhp and a handsome 457lb ft of torque. This is distributed to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission, the differential – mounted adjacent to the gearbox rather than expensively integrated – distributing power between front and rear axles with a 31:69 split. Interestingly, the front-to-rear split on left-hand drive specimens is 45:55, suggesting further boxes marked ‘savings’ were ticked during the conversion to right-hand drive. Mercedes’ engineers tell us that the ratio of torque split between front and rear axles is only

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adjustable to the tune of some 8%. Not that – during both on- and offroad driving – we noticed. On road, the car marries a quiet cabin and a largely exceptional ride (air suspension can never seem to quash a certain nuggetiness) with light, accurate and over-inert steering and a fair quota of well-controlled body roll. At the time we drove it, the AllTerrain had yet to be homologated, so no performance figures were available, but we reckon 0-62mph is seen of in something under seven seconds. The powertrain juggles between the wealth of gear ratios with the expected seamless fluidity, but you’ll need to engage Sport mode in the Drive Select system to realise the pace promised by the engine output figures. At which point proceedings become a tad more raucous and less refined. High speed cruising is the AllTerrain’s true metier, then, and its capacity to deliver unflustered pace suggests it’ll dismiss entire continents with effortless insouciance. Off road, the selectable All78 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Terrain driving programme automatically raises ride height by 20mm. The highest suspension setting gives a total ground clearance of 156mm, which proves enough for the car to acquit itself with considerable aplomb on rocky forest tracks that would, at best, seriously tenderise the underside of conventional cars. Its allocated ground clearance and approach, departure and breakover angles somewhat shackle its abilities as a genuine off-road adventurer, but on rutted tracks, snow and wet gymkhana grass, it’s no more likely to let you down that any all-wheel drive SUV. Comfortable, classy and – when it comes to semi-autonomous driving – a little too clever for its own good,

Luxury as standard: the All-Terrain is offered in just one high-spec variant, akin to an AMG Line model

the E-Class All-Terrain makes a very respectable fist indeed of disguising how little it actually differs at heart from the standard estate.

MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 350 D ALL-TERRAIN TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION Price:

£50-55,000 (est)

Engine:

3.0 litre V6 turbodiesel, 254bhp @ n/a rpm, 457 lb ft @ n/a rpm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic, all-wheel drive Performance: n/a sec 0-62mph, 155mph, n/a mpg, n/a g/km CO2 On Sale Summer 2017

Atlantic Golf RPH 2017 AICEP.pdf

05/06/2017

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VALE DO LOBO . ALGARVE . PORTUGAL

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property WEST COUNTRY HOUSE HUNTING

INVEST IN LOCAL KNOWLEDGE With her in-depth knowledge of the property scene in the South West, Nicola Oddy is well placed to keep you ahead of the game when it comes to finding your dream home

visit to the West Country to play a few rounds of golf is often the catalyst that sets in chain a complete change of lifestyle and the purchase of a new home. Whether this is a permanent residence, a weekend bolt-hole or idyllic holiday retreat, it’s a decision that is rarely regretted. Location is invariably the key to a successful move. The more time you are able to spend doing your due diligence and researching a chosen area in anticipation of a move the quicker you will feel at home in your new surroundings. For many, the choice of location is an emotive one based on childhood memories of family holidays or perhaps golfing trips over many years. “In the current market the lack of stock is likely to have an impact on a potential buyer,” says Duncan Ley of Humberts Truro office. “Neither Brexit nor the change in Stamp Duty led to significant market changes.” Once the election is concluded, Duncan anticipates steady growth for the region making it the destination of choice of many homebuyers. “Being decisive and sure of your wish list can make the difference between missing out on ideal properties over and over again, and securing the home of your dreams,” says Jo Ashby of John Bray and Partners, the Rock estate agent. Jo is an expert in marketing homes to individuals who know exactly where they want to buy but are often frustrated by the limited stock available. “Don’t leave anything to chance,” Jo advises. “Make sure you have the finance in place to back up any offer. This will hasten the conveyancing 80 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Modern living: Typical of several properties listed with John Bray partners in Rock, a reverse-level pad with serious curb appeal

process and ensure that the property changes hands as quickly and smoothly as possible. When searching for a new home there are so many considerations to be made. Many prospective buyers succumb to the temptation to make a flying visit to view a property that pops up on a property website. Martin Rhors of recently launched estate agent Rhors and Rowe recommends that you take stock of your priorities before you use precious time travelling to a viewing. “Speak to the key agents covering your preferred locations,” says Martyn. “They may have properties available that have not yet made it as far as their website or the property portals.” For many of us, our priorities are initially unclear and we don’t have time in our busy lives to put our thoughts in order. If this is the case, consider employing a Buyers Agent. Christopher Bartlett of Stacks Property Search in Devon and Somerset believes that his clients’ time is often invaluable. “Spending a couple of hours briefing me can save them several wasted journeys. Each subsequent visit to the West Country will be to see a home that is an excit-

ing prospect and will be accompanied by a property professional with outstanding local knowledge, perfectly positioned to negotiate on a client’s behalf.” Buyers Agents are now active at all levels of the market and after taking a detailed brief they will take care of the ground work, leaving you time to investigate the golf clubs within reach of your preferred location. The West Country really is a superb place to live if you are an enthusiastic golfer, offering a plethora of ‘coast & country’ challenges. Once you have settled on your preferred location you can spend some time playing the local courses. Making the most of precious leisure time is a priority during both working life and retirement. So take time to consider all the opportunities before committing yourself to a specific club. Play the courses a couple of times, talk to members. Some people prefer to choose the house and then consider their golfing options, others prefer to identify a particular club and then find a home within easy reach. The variety of golf courses is matched by the endless lifestyle options. For city dwellers there are urban options such as Bristol and Exeter. For those wanting to combine golf with sailing, Rock or St Mawes in Cornwall or Salcombe and Dartmouth in Devon are worthy of consideration. Whether it is a farmhouse set in a significant acreage, a traditional granite cottage in glorious isolation on the moors or a state-of-the-art glass and steel new-build inspired by the stunning coastal views, the West Country is the place to find it.

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memorabilia THE TRAGIC TALE OF YOUNG TOM MORRIS

GOLF’S FIRST SUPERSTAR! Tom Morris Junior was a golfing prodigy long before the term applied to Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth. Winner of the Open Championship aged 17 his remarkable story has just been immortalised in a new movie Tommy’s Honour. What better time to take a look at someone who is considered by many as the forerunner to the modern-day tournament professional…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DALE CONCANNON

Dale Concannon is the Drew Pritchard of the golfing world, a modern-day treasure hunter with a vast knowledge of golfing rarities and antiquities born out of a love and fascination for the game’s history. Readers are invited to submit a brief description along with quality photographs of artefacts of potential interest for Dale to identify and value in these pages. If you have something that you believe might be worthy of inclusion, send it to: worldofgolfconsultancy@gmail.com Dale also specialises in helping golf clubs and resorts to acquire items of memorabilia to decorate clubhouse walls and bar areas, along with being a consultant to private collectors. To find out more, visit bespokegolfinteriors.com

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Born in St Andrews on April 20 1851, Tommy Morris Junior may have started life at the ‘Home of Golf’ in St Andrews but he spent his childhood years at Prestwick, on the west coast of Scotland, where his father was ‘Keeper of the Green’. Educated in nearby Ayr Academy, alongside the children of the middle classes, young Tommy broke the mould in terms of what was expected from the son of a lowly golf pro, even one as respected as Old Tom. Able to read and write – not insignificant talents in those days – other careers beckoned but golf remained his passion. He made his ‘professional’ debut at the North Inch in Perth in 1864, a few days short of his thirteenth birthday. Photographed alongside great champions of the day, including Auld Willie Park, Andrew Strath and Watty McDonald, Tommy was considered too young to compete. Instead the organisers matched him against a local prodigy named Willie Greig. Attracting a sizable crowd, he won his match with a score that would have beaten many of the 10man field – including his father who was Open champion at the time. “Master Morris seems to have been both born and bred to golf,” reported the Perthshire Advertiser. “He has been cast in the very mould of a golfer and plays with all the steadiness and certainty in embryo of his father...” In January 1865, Tommy relocated back to St Andrews with his family. Spared the daily drudgery of caddying or repairing clubs like

most so-called professionals, he spent his teenage years practising under the watchful eye of his father. Five foot eight inches tall, and athletically built, he dressed fashionably and was rarely seen without his Balmoral Bonnet. The universally popular author Robert Clark described how he had an “amiable temperament... obliging disposition...” but with an “undaunted determination." A few months later Tommy made his Open Championship debut at Prestwick. He finished 9th in 1866 and placed fourth a year later, also at Prestwick. Finishing five strokes behind his father, Tom Senior, who won that year, he was already being spoken of as a future Champion Golfer. Not especially long off the tee Tommy was considered a creative shot maker. The first player to use a lofted iron to hit high pitch shots into greens instead of low bump-and-runs, he was no slouch with the short stick. As one observer remarked: “Tom missed fewer short putts than any other player I had ever seen…” Young Tommy – named to distinguish himself from his father ‘Old’ Tom – won his first Open in 1868. Aged just 17, he became virtually unbeatable, winning again in 1869 and 1870. Under the rules of the competition he took permanent possession of the splendid red morocco leather ‘champions belt’ offered by the Prestwick members as first prize. Without a trophy to play for, Tommy was unable to defend his title the following year. It

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The tragic story of Young Tom Morris – at 17 the youngest ever winner of the Open – has been immortalised in a new movie, Tommy’s Honour

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was the same case in 1872 but this time the Championship went ahead and he received a silver medal to commemorate his fourth consecutive victory. The Open Championship left Prestwick for St Andrews for the first time in October 1873. Strong favourite to make it five-in-a-row, Tommy finished tied for third behind a local caddie named Thomas Kidd. Some blamed the atrocious Scottish weather, others the poor condition of the greens. Or could there be another reason? There were rumours of a rift between father and son over his growing relationship with a local housemaid named Margaret Drinnen. Whatever the explanation it had been a disappointing performance, especially for those R&A members who backed him strongly to win, but at least his name was etched into the new silver claret jug as its first winner despite the trophy not being available the previous year. Married in November 1874, ‘Meg’ was the daughter of a poor Lanarkshire miner. Ten years his senior, neither parent attended the wedding ceremony. Neither did they visit the impressive home Tommy bought for his new bride in Playfair Place, just off North Street, St Andrews. Ten months later news broke that Meg and Tom were expecting their first child. The news was greeted positively by Old Tom who invited his son to resume their successful on-course partnership with a challenge match against the Park brothers – Willie and Mungo – scheduled for September 4 at North Berwick. Despite the imminent birth of his first child and an understandable reluctance to leave his highly pregnant wife, Young Tom was persuaded to travel to East Lothian by train. In hindsight, it proved a tragic error. With two holes left to play of the 36-hole match, a messenger arrived with an urgent telegram. Handing it to match referee Provost Peter Brodie, he in turn gave it to Old Tom. Meg had gone into prema84 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

The all-time greatest father & son partnership: between them, Old and Young Tom Morris won the Open no fewer than 8 times, four apiece, Old Tom being the oldest ever winner (46 years and 102 days) while Young Tom remains the youngest (17 years and 156 days)

ture labour and was bleeding internally with the request they should get back to St Andrews: “with all possible haste...” Choosing to keep it to himself, the Morris’s won on the final green. Faced with a six-hour train journey back to St Andrews, it became obvious they would not arrive until early the next morning. Instead they took up the offer of a sailing sloop which would cut the journey in half despite the obvious hazards of a night sailing across the Firth of Forth. Tom’s younger brother James was given the terrible task of meeting them in St Andrews Harbour shortly after midnight. Speaking to his father first, he relayed the news that both Meg and her baby son had died that afternoon. (A second telegram confirming the terrible news had reached North Berwick

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Young Tom was a most eligible man about St Andrews when he met and fell in love with Margeret Drinnen, the daughter of a Lanarkshire miner. They were married in 1874 before tragedy struck

barely minutes after they set sail across the Firth but it was decided not to call them back). The effect on Tommy was devastating and it was left to his father to sign the death certificate and make the funeral arrangements. Falling into a deep depression he began drinking heavily and wandering the streets of the Auld Grey Toon late at night. As the weeks went by his friends encouraged him to play golf. At first, he refused but finally relented after receiving a challenge from Arthur Molesworth, a wellfinanced amateur from a noted family of North Devon golfers. Scheduled for twelve rounds over six days at the end of November, 1875, Captain Molesworth proved a relentless competitor. As the weather worsened the last six rounds were played in freezing conditions which saw many of the Old Course greens swept for snow! It was sug-

gested the £100 winner-take-all match be postponed but Molesworth seemed determined to continue despite facing an insurmountable deficit. (Tommy later admitted that he would have gladly given up if not for the money wagered on the match by his friends and backers.) Morris won with ease but as writer W.W. Tulloch noted: “it was evident to all that Tommy was in no condition to play the match. His play lacked all its old characteristics of spirit and determination…” Exhausted by the sheer physical effort of playing so many rounds with barely a break, Tommy fell into a severe melancholy and would be dead less than a month later. Found by his father on Christmas Day morning, Tommy had attended church the previous evening where he had taken communion and lit a candle for his dead wife and child.

Afterwards he enjoyed a late supper with friends before arriving at his parents’ home above the Morris golf shop about 11 o’clock. Bidding them good night he retired to his bedroom and did not appear for breakfast the next morning. Unable to wake him the truth slowly dawned. Aged just 24, he died in his sleep, the victim of a pulmonary embolism. Giving rise to the legend that Tommy had died of a broken heart his father did not agree saying: “if that was true, I wouldn’t be here…” Buried in St Andrews Cathedral alongside his wife and child, countless thousands of golf fans visit his final resting place every year. Now we have a movie about his life. Today we can only speculate how many Opens Morris would have won had he lived just ten years longer – five...six...more? Sadly we shall never know, which is perhaps the greatest tragedy of all. JULY/AUGUST 2017 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE 85

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course

JACK’S

GRAND DESIGN

Opened in 1988, the Nicklaus Course at St Mellion was ahead of its time, a genuine championship layout from the greatest player the game has known – the very first Nicklaus design in the UK and a shot-maker’s course of such calibre that it has become something of a Cornish legend in its relatively short lifetime. Ed Hodge had the enviable task of checking in to experience Jack’s handiwork 86 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

here is something of the majestic, something of the romantic in the very name ‘St Mellion’. It inspires and arouses; drawing one in like a magnetic pull. Nestled in the picturesque Tamar Valley in 450 acres of rural splendour, it has long been worthy of its setting and status as an ‘International Resort’. Indeed, standing in a beautifully appointed room overlooking the challenging 18th hole on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, the dreamy tranquillity becomes reality. The sun is setting on the horizon, shining its last rays of light on the local church tower, while there is stillness to the scene – the trees standing to attention, faint ripples in the greenside pond and the hole flag barely fluttering. It’s an idyllic picture and one that has a calming and restful effect, the feeling sought by any resort visitor to recharge away from life’s daily pressures. The relaxing jazz music upon my room arrival simply adds to the feel-good factor. “It’s got a great feel to it, a bit like a very comfy pair of slippers,” smiles Director of Golf David Moon, a fact

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illustrated by his 24 years on the payroll. “I’ve been fortunate to have been to some wonderful places, but St Mellion for me is what a good golf resort is all about. People feel comfortable when they’re here.” Having ventured to the Cornwall area myself from Scotland for several years, I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m always struck by the friendly south-west welcome. The resort’s contemporary facilities and services are excellent, including a brasserie & bar and an award-winning restaurant. The food is terrific, and portions plentiful! There is the Health & Leisure Club with its gym, two swimming pools (including a fun pool with water cannon), jacuzzi, sauna and steam room; the Elemis Spa offering a range of treatments; and outdoor tennis courts for the budding Andy Murray’s. Yet, much like other resorts of renown, think Celtic Manor, The Belfry or Gleneagles, the word golf is simply synonymous with St Mellion. The venue only recently blew out the candles on its 40th birthday, but it has more legacy that some courses celebrating their centenaries. When the designer

is the world’s greatest ever golfer, the roll of honour is a ‘who’s who’ of golf and TV images showcased the resort globally, it’s easy to understand why. Notably, it was a senor by the name of Ballesteros who helped create the history, heritage and notoriety that still acts as a persuasive pull to golf visitors today. The previous Old Course was laid out on the potato farm of Bond brothers, Hermon and Martin, in 1976. The European Tour came calling just three years later for the first staging of the Benson & Hedges International Open (and then the Tournament Players’ Championship), but it was a bold, young Seve (tied 57th in 1979) who told the duo he didn’t feel the layout was good enough. Up for the challenge, two Cornish farmers set about the task of luring the best in the business. Persistence paid off as Nicklaus arrived on site, carving a modern masterpiece that opened in 1988. “I knew it was going to be good, but not this good,” admitted the Golden Bear. “It’s everything I hoped for and more.” Its shorter sibling, the Kernow (Cornish for Cornwall and formerly the Old

The Nicklaus Course is especially noted for its collection of world-class short holes, notably here at the 202-yard 11th, the gateway to St Mellion’s version of Amen Corner

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A little deeper into the back nine and you are again faced with a glorious par three, this time at the wonderfully secluded one-shotter that is the 191-yard 14th

Course), today offers a gentler test. Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle, a quartet of golfing gladiators, memorably officially opened the new championship course, ushering in a golden period as St Mellion staged the Benson & Hedges from 1990 – 1995. “To host a European Tour event down in Cornwall, one of such quality and magnitude, was extraordinary,” beams Moon, still purring over a winners’ list that includes Major champions Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Bernhard Langer. Walking the corridors of the resort, you can still feel the history, sense the pride. There are evocative course images, suites named after the victorious Spanish pair and a fitting Nicklaus Bar (but check opening times!) to remind you of yesteryear. A lad by the name of Paul Casey won the English Amateur on site in 1999, and Alison Nicholas the Women’s British Open back in 1987. But it would be wrong to focus on the past at St Mellion, far from it. Its past simply helps drive its future. “People remember it still from the TV days,” confirms Moon. “It’s a classic bucket-list course. The 11th is one of the best par-threes you’ll ever play, with the 12th completing Nicklaus’ version of ‘Amen Corner.’ He wanted part of Augusta here.” Golf is one of the few sports where you can enter an ‘arena’ to follow in the footsteps of legends, and the Nicklaus Signature doesn’t disappoint. It’s a wonderful test of golf, meandering beautifully through the countryside, just like the little stream that is a feature on so many holes. It may look American-style, certainly from a

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number of elevated tees, but this is English golf at its finest. It’s also one for all levels of abilities thanks to the flexibility of teeing positions, a trademark of Nicklaus layouts. While it’s a demanding 7,010 yards off the blue tees, it’s a far more generous 5,509 from the red. “That is a great attraction for us,” rightly notes, Moon, who also oversees a healthy membership of 800. “The average handicap golfer that comes here is probably a 15-18. They also enjoy the wider fairways and the bigger greens on the Kernow.” Much like Nicklaus’ only design in Scotland, The PGA Centenary at Gleneagles which hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup, the course has also improved with age. In June 2009, the resort officially reopened after Crown Golf's major refurbishment, on and off the course. Today, investment continues on the grounds, led by master greenkeeper Mike Bush. There are parallels to Gleneagles, which begs the ambitious question: ‘Could the four-star venue host a Ryder Cup one day?’ “Yes it could,” answers Moon, immediately. “In 1993, it was in the melting pot, but it went to The Belfry. It’s a great matchplay course and it’s perfect for spectators. It ticks a lot of boxes.” While the European Senior Tour visited in 2006–7, the mooted return of the English Open to the venue failed to materialise. Moon notes: “We’re a better golf course and better venue now than in even in our heady days of European Tour golf. We have golf, but much more.” Standing in the airy reception, overlooking the pools, you are struck by the variety. There are plentiful options for business or pleasure: conference facilities, a junior

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golf academy, a crèche – heck you can even book your wedding. There are choices for all the family to unwind and kick back – or work up a sweat – and it is also affordable. “We are a golf resort accessible for the ordinary golfer,” admits Moon. “It’s an experience for them to come here, and they can also have a nice swim, sauna or meal, and stay in a hotel room overlooking the beautiful 18th.” Cornwall has long been a go-to UK destination, but it was Nicklaus who put St Mellion on the golf resort map. That gravitas remains today. Go set your Sat Nav.

(Opposite): Farming brothers Martin and Hermon Bond proved to have both the drive and vision to create what is a truly outstanding resort venue. The great man himself visited several times during construction and invited some special guests to officially open the layout – in the pouring Cornish sunshine – in July 1988. Guests today enjoy the luxury of a glorious hotel setting above the 18th green

(Below): The Kernow Course retains a number of original holes and is a beautifully manicured rolling parkland – the ideal preparation for your assault on the main attraction

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CHARMING ESCAPES

WHERE TO TR AVEL FOR CHARM, CULTURE & CUISINE

There is something special, something alluring, about Charleston, South Carolina. Surrounded by pristine barrier islands and five distinctive beach towns, Charleston is a city & sea destination like no other. For a list of award-winning hotels & resorts, insider tips on where to dine, and a calendar of cultural events, visit CharlestonEscapes.com.

@ E X PLO RE C H A R LE S TO N @ E X PLO R E C H S

Charleston, SOUTH CAROLINA THE PENINSUL A From the upbeat vibe of upper King Street to the rarefied scenery tucked south of Broad Street, Charleston’s fascinating juxtaposition of new and old exudes a sense of joie de vivre that makes it a “must visit” destination. Awardwinning boutique hotels and internationally acclaimed restaurants abound.

Spend a day wandering amid Charleston’s colonial mansions and crepe myrtle trees to discover what inspired noted artist Alfred Hutty in 1920 to telegram his wife, “Come quickly, have found heaven.”

THE PL ANTATIONS Like the dazzling plumage of a peacock, sprawling 17th-century plantations surround the Charleston peninsula. The delicate scents of tea olive trees, Carolina Jessamine, climbing roses, and wisteria perfume the air throughout the year.

BEGUILING BEAUT Y

Old World Charm in the New World

Full of picturesque scenery, sunny weather, and cuisine that delights, Charleston offers something special to travellers. And our favourite holiday spot has a secret: It is really one beloved destination offering three different getaways. The famed peninsula city is surrounded by pristine barrier islands and beach towns, as well as sprawling plantation estates—say hello to your new favourite holiday spot.

THE PICTURESQUE ISL ANDS With a rare combination of geography, latitude and attitude, the area’s nearly 90 miles of coastline has considerable eco appeal. Five distinctive beach towns and acclaimed seaside resorts such as Kiawah Island Golf Resort and Wild Dunes Resort offer tennis, golf, and breezy relaxation.

FOR INSIDER TIPS ON WHERE TO STAY, EAT & PL AY: CHARLESTONESCAPES.COM

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destination

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PORTUGAL’S PLAYGROUND AWAITS... With the launch of a brand new Ryanair service to Faro from Cornwall’s Newquay Airport, arguably Europe’s finest short-haul golfing destination is but a short hop away. Clive Agran sets his sights on the Algarve

othing undermines the British fondness for the Algarve. We love Portugal in general and the Algarve in particular come hell or high euro. While other foreign golfing destinations flit in and out of fashion, the Algarve’s appeal endures. Apart from the benign climate, one reason we Brits love the Algarve is that the Portuguese appear to love us. Close historical links Britain and Portugal – rooted in a mutual suspicion of Spain, perhaps, and fostered by centuries of trade – are today maintained through golf. This friendship has been helped by the fact that the Brits who visit the Algarve from the numerous regional airports that connect to Faro – Newquay now counted among them – tend to be (how can I put this without sounding snobby?), a tad more sophisticated than those who flock to other parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Golfers, of course, know how to behave and make up a significant proportion of the holiday-makers in the Algarve. There is an old world charm and appreciation of traditional values in the Algarve which appeals to the British, especially those of a certain age. Although it would be wrong to imply that there’s nothing here for the young – you only need visit one of the scores of beautiful beaches along the spectacular coastline and see kids frolicking in the surf to realise how untrue that is. Nevertheless, the bulk of visitors, particularly outside the school holidays, tend to be more mature in age and outlook. Back from the coast is a hinterland of vineyards, olive, carob, fig and almond trees, which rise up the rolling

hills and plains. Now is about the best time to enjoy the blossom and the full bloom of the countryside. One golf course in particular which, if you time it right, is awash with almond blossom is the stunning Onyria Palmares, just east of the lovely old town of Lagos. Robert Trent Jones Jnr recently remodelled it and it now belongs up there with the very best. As we’ve started near the western end of the Algarve, let’s head steadily east and pick out a few of the finest courses on the way. For all sorts of good reasons, we simply have to stop off where it all began… Penina. The first of five courses that Sir Henry Cotton built in the Algarve, it remains a fitting memorial to the man and his vision. Opened in 1966, the Championship course is a delightful parkland challenge laid out on land previously used for growing rice. It has a wonderful lush and lovely feel that resembles a semi-tropical garden. The venue for several of Portugal’s Open Championships, an abundance of water renders it a much tougher prospect that its modest length might suggest. As we enter the purpose-built resort of Vilamoura with its magnificent marina, there is a clutch of quality courses, all of which could reasonably claim to be included in a list of the Algarve’s finest. The Old Course at Vilamoura, as it is now known, is only a couple of years younger than Penina. Although altered and lengthened about 15 years ago, this lovely course, originally laid out by the legendary Frank Pennink, still retains an enchanting parkland atmosphere. Rather tight and with

(Opposite): A mouthwatering view of the tree-lined, aqua-laden golfer’s paradise that is the Quinta do Lago resort, the 16th hole on the South, one of three quite spectacular layouts; (above): Created in 1962, the legend that is Vale do Lobo and its trademark rust-red cliffs

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(Above): Each of the three entertaining courses at Quinta do Lago is manicured to perfection – this a taste of the American-style challenge that awaits on the North; (right): The Pine Cliffs resort features a 9-hole layout ideal for players of all ages and abilities, and makes a perfect base to explore all the Algarve has to offer

narrow fairways, the numerous umbrella pines have an unhappy knack of getting in the way. All that and rather small greens make it tough to score well. A self-imposed restriction allows me only one other Vilamoura course and that has to be Victoria. Unashamedly a wide open resort course, this Arnold Palmer design is a pleasure to play and, although there’s plenty of water to avoid, there’s a great deal of fun to be had as well. Host to the World Cup in 2005 and the now regular venue of the Portugal Masters, it offers a range of tees that can both test the pros and accommodate less accomplished players. Just to the east of Vilamoura lies the impressive and upmarket Vale do Lobo estate. That man Cotton provided the inspiration when it was founded in 1962 and designed the first course. Don’t ask if it was the Royal or the Ocean as it was neither and both. His original layout has been split to form the basis of two courses. American architect Rocky Roquemore deserves the credit for sensitively developing the Cotton theme and creating the wonderful pair of outstanding courses that are there today. Although as Constable Dogberry said in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, “Comparisons are odorous,” inevitably the question arises as to which is better. The generally accepted view is that the Royal is marginally superior. The fact that when the Portuguese Open was played here over a composite course in 1993, 13 of the holes were taken from the Royal would seem to support the ‘royalist’ argument. Undoubtedly the rolling fairways on the Royal are a lot tighter and put an enormous premium on accuracy. Stray off-line and the chances are you’ll tangle with an umbrella pine, fig tree or worse. The Ocean fairways are 94 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

more generous and the course sweeps daintily down to the beach. Lovely lakes on both certainly add to the overall visual appeal. While there are inevitably arguments as to which course is superior, there surely can be no disputing which is the greatest hole. Even golfers who have never sipped a Super Bock or been within 500 miles of the Algarve will surely be familiar with the cliff-top, parthree 16th on the Royal. Two-hundred and thirty-eight yards off the tournament tees, it has to be the most photographed hole in Portugal and one of the most celebrated images in world golf. Indeed, it is emblematic of golf in the Algarve. Just along the road from Vale do Lobo is Quinta do Lago, another exclusive golf and residential resort. We’re now about half way between Vilamoura and Faro and no more than about 20 minutes’ drive to either. If you want to stay in classy accommodation, I recommend the recently opened Monte da Quinta Suites. As well as being supremely comfortable, they are bang to the North Course. Originally nine holes, another nine were added 20 years ago and perceptive players may be able to spot two distinct styles. The sandy terrain is strewn with heather, gorse and pine trees and the overall impression is that of a rather American design. Although both are outstanding, the South Course is generally considered to be superior. That might be in part because the Portuguese Open has been held on it eight times, the last occasion being in 2001 when Padraig Harrington won. Lakes, umbrella pines, a soft sandy soil that make walking a pleasure and superb views all contribute to a memorable round. For more spectacular views of the Ria Formosa, you simply have to play stunning San Lorenzo. Regarded by

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A touch of class: Sir Henry Cotton was the pioneer of resort golf in Portugal, his layout at Penina still one of the finest in the region; (right): Near the town of Lagos, the great architect Robert Trent Jones played a blinder at Onyria Palmares

many as the best course in Portugal, it really is extraordinarily pretty and the holes that run adjacent to the estuary are quite breathtakingly beautiful. With several elevated tees, tightish fairways and an abundance of water, it’s anything but easy. Regardless of how you play, however, you can’t fail to enjoy the scenery. The only unwelcome distraction will come from the aircraft flying in and out of nearby Faro airport. On the other side of Faro is an almost different golfing world entirely. Instead of turning left out of the airport, turn right and explore the far less fashionable Eastern Algarve. It’s less crowded, less developed and significantly cheaper than its western neighbour but – and here’s the rub – it has several outstanding golf courses. Just west of Tavira, the unofficial capital of the Eastern Algarve, and right by the sea is a pair of courses that are well worth a visit. Quinta da Ria and Quinta da Cima are not strictly sisters as they share a Christian

name rather than a surname but there is no doubting that they are very closely related and live happily together. Although undoubtedly alike, each has her own distinctive personality and so there’s no problem telling them apart. Opened in July 2002, Quinta da Cima is the slightly younger and, at nearly 7,000 yards, the significantly longer of the two. The terrain is gentle enough to make walking a pleasure and, despite the fact that solar-powered buggies can be hired, you can easily manage without one. However, it’s not all plain strolling as there are dangerous clusters of bunkers to avoid as well as streams, waterfalls, fountains and lakes. Some of the olive trees comfortably qualify as super seniors, the oldest is reckoned to be about 850 years old and will have witnessed many historic moments, although nothing more strange, surely, than the sight of sunburned Brits in shorts struggling to hit long irons out

The Monte Rei experience doesn’t come cheap, but for an adventure that will live long in the memory, this Jack Nicklaus-inspired masterpiece ranks up there as one of the finest in mainland Europe – and the presentation will blow you away

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THE TRIP, NEWQUAY – FARO

Former Devon county captain and travel entrepreneur Graham Ruth has created several packages to The Algarve under the banner of his company, Golf Tee Time Service. Taking advantage of the brand new twice-weekly Ryanair route between Newquay and Faro, Graham and his dedicated team have designed a number of four-night tours, including three rounds of golf, with accommodation at popular hotels including the Hotel Ria Park and the Formosa Apartment Hotel. Brief details of two of the packages currently on offer are listed here: HOTEL RIA PARK A sophisticated hotel on the edge of the pine-filled Ria Formosa and just a short walk to the magnificent beach at Garrao. * 4 nights in the Hotel Ria Park (above), B&B based on twin room * 3 rounds of golf, one at each of Quinta’s trio of acclaimed courses – Quinta do Lago North, QDL South and Laranjal * Airport and golf transfers included * Price: £699.00 per person (exc. flights)

FORMOSA PARK HOTEL A relaxed apartment-style hotel perfect for golfers. How about this 4night golfing getaway to the Algarve flying from Newquay in October? * 4 nights in the Hotel Formosa Park B&B based on a 2-bedroom apartment (sleeps up to four) * 3 rounds of golf at two of the region’s outstanding layouts – Pinheiros Altos (x2) and San Lorenzo * All airport and golf transfers included * Price: £369.00 per person

The Algarve’s signature dish, San Lorenzo

of the rough. Quinta da Ria sits right alongside, every bit as beautiful and more popular among the members principally because it enjoys better sea views. Environmental considerations have prevented the course from encroaching closer than 50 metres from the Atlantic, but that’s quite close enough. And the sea is not the only water to watch out for as a number of ponds and lakes come into play on half a dozen holes. These are home to a wide variety of waterfowl which, even though their unwelcome excrement renders cleaning the ball as imperative on a couple of the greens as it is unpleasant, they unquestionably add to the course’s considerable appeal. Drive a few miles inland and up a modest mountain or two and you will arrive at the course which has generated the biggest stir in the area since the Great Earthquake of 1755. Although not quite as much earth was moved to make the much vaunted Monte Rei as was shifted all those years ago, it’s probably a close run thing. It’s such a wonderful course that God will almost certainly have forgiven Mr Nicklaus for being so presumptuous as to attempt to improve upon what He had created. The truth is that Jack has undoubtedly succeeded. Armed with a massive budget, the Golden Bear has produced something which is nothing short of stunning. With extraordinary attention to detail and presented in pristine nick, it rolls around the hills and valleys in spectacular fashion. It’s not cheap but with an immaculate driving range before the round, iced towels served up during it and an engraved commemorative bag tag presented after it, you’ll savour every memory as you sit on the terrace of the magnificent marble-floored clubhouse and look east towards Spain. Quinta da Cima, one of the newcomers in the Eastern Algarve, near Tavira

Note: Flights with Ryanair’s twice-weekly service from Newquay (Tuesday-Saturday), are not included in the listed prices and should be booked direct with Ryan Air – ryanair.com For further details on these and other stay-and-play golfing packages to the Algarve, call Golf Tee Time Service on 01822 618181 // sales@golfteetimeservice.co.uk golfteetimeservice.co.uk 96 ATLANTIC GOLF & LIFESTYLE JULY/AUGUST 2017

Algarve, Portugal

Cliff-top Golf with a Portuguese twist... Take advantage of direct flights from Newquay to Faro and you could be enjoying a round in the dazziling sun of the Algarve.

ATLANTIC

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GOLF

&LIFESTYLE

GUEST SPEAKER

MICHAEL LOVETT Why golf needs to embrace the youthful vibe

s someone lucky enough to have been wrapped up in this wonderful game at various levels over the last 50 years or so, I have to say that I’m particularly enjoying the mood and atmosphere that we are seeing on the pro tours of late, both in the US and on the European circuit. There has been something of a transition – a surge of youth and in injection of fresh thinking in the way golf is packaged and presented in a bid to make the game more fun. I love it: the gear, the technology, the fashion, the modern culture, if you like, of a game that is there to be enjoyed by players of all ages. The wake-up call for those charged with running the multibillion dollar industry that is world tournament golf has been the realisation that they are in the entertainment business – and they need to be innovative, offer value for money, and to tailor their product to the consumers – i.e. golf fans. And there’s an interesting parallel here with the way golf clubs treat their members and the importance of moving with the times in order to attract the pound in the pocket of golfers and their families looking for value and service. Am I alone in finding myself somewhat alarmed at the chasm that is opening up in many of our traditional golf clubs where a glance at membership profile reveals a rather worrying senior-heavy ratio? Is it coincidence that proprietary clubs – those that are typically run with a much more savvy business conscience – are leading the way in terms of offering a product and service based on what customers actually want? The stark reality for many golf clubs that enjoyed their hayday in the 1970s and ‘80s, when memberships were booming, is that their failure to attract younger players and families has left them with a generation gap. Take a look around and you’ll see lots of retired seniors having a gay old time, largely oblivious to the serious problems looming on the horizon. The fact is an awfully high percentage of clubs are sleep-walking to the edge of a sheer cliff when it comes to recognising the implication of this void in numbers. From my own perspective, on the back of a career in club management that included stints at Valderrama and Mijas in Spain, the single most important item on the agenda for every golf club’s future is attracting young players and families to the game – and doing away with all of the arcane rules and regulations that do nothing whatsoever to incentivise membership. Dress codes, speed of play, cost... we can all list the negatives that keep people away. The most important debate in the game

today is not whether to play 6/9/18 holes it is how we change the perception of golf and our clubs. Our duty as members is to create a place where families want to come and spend leisure time together, to pass the baton on to the next generation with some forward thinking to protect what we all know is one of the most honest, character-building sports in the world. Lots of golf clubs are empty on a Sunday afternoon, so why not open the course up free to families to come and try golf, provide the basic gear and some introductory advice and invite them give golf a try? I’m not suggesting this should happen every week but just imagine the vibe and the numbers you might attract? Back to the tournament scene and there is something of a ‘generational change’ – the dominant players are barely out of college, seasoned worldclass players by their early twenties. It seems almost farcical now to talk about the possible return of Tiger Woods to the top flight – at 41, and with chronic back injury, he’s surely over the hill when you consider the athletic elite of today’s torch bearers. More to the point, today’s young warriors have no fear of his legend. No, golf’s new ‘Rat Pack’ is dominated by ruthless, younger blood, top world-ranked amateurs and college stars who have been conditioned for the pro ranks. Jordan Speith and Jon Rahm both made it to the pinnacle of amateur golf – which in itself reflects well on the value of the current WAGR system – and the strength of nurturing talent through the US Collegiate talent pool has never been more in evidence. Just look at how quickly Rahm, the hugely gifted 22-year-old Spaniard, has settled into his day job – a future major winner for sure. Here in the South West we have our own superstar-in-themaking as West Cornwall’s Harry Hall continues to make huge strides in the States. Now in his sophomore year at Las Vegas, ‘H’ has played his way to the top of the pecking order and earlier in June he was selected for the prestigious Palmer Cup at the Atlanta Athletic Club, Georgia. He certainly cuts an imposing figure; the poise, the attention to detail and the sheer presence he has on the golf course reminds me of the early days of Faldo and Ballesteros – the great players just have IT. Crossed fingers for a strong summer showing in the leading amateur events and a place in the Walker Cup team.

...a high percentage of golf clubs are sleepwalking to the edge of a sheer cliff...

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Do you have something to say – perhaps on what your golf club is doing to attract youngsters and families? We’d love to hear about it. Email: richard@atlanticgolf.co.uk

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