Worldwide Golf April 2021

T H E M I D D L E E A S T ’ S N O .1 G O L F M A G A Z I N E

EST

1999

Worldwide Golf

APRIL

2021

TITLEIST TSi

WORLDWIDE GOLF’S PETE COWEN JOINS TEAM MCILROY

DRIVERS ARE THEY SET TO DOMINATE AUGUSTA?

MAJOR SEASON IS HERE

FEATURE

FOCUS

SERGIO GARCIA SPANISH STAR READY FOR ANOTHER RYDER CUP PUSH

EAGL

A WORLD-FIRST AMATEUR LEAGUE IS SET TO DAZZLE IN THE UAE

Worldwide Golf is the Official Media partner to the European Tour in the Middle East and the official magazine of the Emirates Golf Federation

+ MASTERS WINNERS’ BAGS + SINK MORE PUTTS + GOLF RETAIL BOOM

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Rory joins forces with Pete Cowen for tilt at the career Grand Slam.

McIlroy, Bryson and Westwood have Georgia on their Minds Big Three looking to hit top-form in their quest for Masters glory

I

was really pleased to hear that Rory McIlroy has joined Pete Cowen’s coaching team, particularly in the run-up to The Masters. Michael Bannon has been Rory’s coach since he was eight years old and he will continue to work closely with him on his game in general while Pete gets involved with his short game, particularly his wedges.

Pete has been widely recognised as a world-class coach for many years throughout golf and it could be just what Rory needs to help make his short game more consistent.

Pete has coached many of the game’s greatest players and I’ve admired his coaching methods. I’ve long been a fan of the Yorkshireman’s knowledge and Rory’s outstanding ability and I’m sure the combination of Michael Bannon and Pete will pay dividends.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Rory could win The Masters next month and complete the career Grand Slam?

Another of Pete’s success stories was Lee Westwood. Lee remains one of the European Tour’s finest players and I’ve been so impressed with his recent achievements as he approaches the age of 48 later this month.

In the space of a couple of weeks at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and The Players at TPC Sawgrass Lee collected $2.6million in prize money for his two runner-up finishes. It would have taken me half a lifetime to earn that sort of money but good luck to Lee, he deserves it.

Another outstanding player who has been hitting the headlines is Bryson DeChambeau, who regularly breaks the 200mph ball speed barrier. Bryson has attracted various nicknames through his career, such as ‘the Scientist’ because of his analytical approach, but he is a gentleman of the game and although he has made his name through

his long-driving, he’s steadily improved his short game and his putting to make them formidable assets. He’s certainly tremendous box office and has a growing band of followers on television and wherever in the world he plays. DeChambeau has won eight times on the PGA Tour including last year’s US Open and will be making his fifth Masters appearance. Though he is yet to contend, he has made the cut every time and has accrued plenty of knowledge of how the course plays. I believe he’s in good form and should go well this year.

Rory’s record at Augusta is superb with only one finish outside the top ten since 2014 while Westwood also has plenty of course experience having finished runner-up twice in 19 appearances. The Masters has proved a difficult hurdle for both players in the past, but with Westwood’s recent form and McIlroy hopefully turning a corner with a new coaching input, plus all their Augusta National know-how, I expect them to be in the mix for the Green Jacket this year.

It will be a Major milestone at Augusta National with a limited number of spectators allowed on the course and I am looking forward to hearing their reaction to the drama as players make their way down the back nine, it was sorely missed in November.

Golf worldwide is in for a tough time and I believe that the ongoing rumours about the formation of a ‘World Tour’ by the ‘alliance’ of the PGA Tour and the European Tour is inevitable. When the end of lockdown finally happens globally and the pandemic is overcome, the world economy will take a long time to recover, which means that sponsors will be hard to find.

On a positive note, I was thankful to hear that Tiger Woods is recovering steadily from his horrific car accident but although I believe that we can never write him off Tiger will still be an influence on world golf. ■

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CONTENTS COLUMN

COLUMN

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COLUMN

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Pete Cowen

David Howell

Adri Arnaus

Master PGA Professional Pete Cowen shares his opinion on Bryson DeChambeau’s impact and his new relationship with Rory McIlroy.

European Tour stalwart David Howell on how having an outlook like Lee Westwood might benefit Rory McIlroy.

The Dubai-based Spanish ace vows to come back stronger after contracting coronavirus for a second time in Qatar.

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The Masters

We take a look at the contenders for the year’s first Major and delve into how the best always conquer the iconic par-5s at Augusta National.

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Dubai Golf Trophy

Sergio Garcia

Sungjae Im

The famous local tournament enters a new historic phase as women are set to compete for the first time.

The Spanish star has his sights set on more Ryder Cup glory later this year. Europe’s all-time leading scorer is going all out to make Padraig Harrington’s team in September.

We chart the emergence of young Korean star Sungjae Im, who barely takes any weeks off on the PGA Tour and has produces some eyeopening display in his short career so far.

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Three Times The Fun !

Now @ 3 Locations !

Arabian Ranches Golf Club Umm Suqeim Street

Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club

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CONTENTS

GEAR 30

Emirates Amateur Golf League

Find out how the world’s first franchise-based golf league tournament will be ‘a game-changer’ for amateur golf.

46 INSTRUCTION 52

PXG 0211 ST irons PXG have finally brought out a blade - but will it make the cut? Find out as we put them to the test.

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What’s in the bag?

Dominate Practice Sessions Arm yourself on the driving range with these go-to drills from Jonathan Craddock, PGA Professional, Dubai Golf Programme Development, to check you’re making the right progress.

We take a look at what some former Masters winners are currently playing.

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Titleist TSi family

With a choice of four different heads, we delve deep to see how the new TSi family of drivers cater for all levels of player.

SINK MORE PUTTS Set yourself up for success with this tip from Jackson Bell, Senior Teaching Professional, Jumeirah Golf Estates.

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At PING, we measure success in the lab and on your scorecard. Led by our most forgiving driver ever, the G425 Max, big performance gains were achieved across the new G425 family. The proven innovations engineered into G425 clubs deliver score-lowering results off the tee, from the fairway and into and around the green so golfers of all skill levels can enjoy the game more.

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ALEX GALLEMORE

THE DRIVE THAT CHANGED GOLF?

EDITOR’S LETTER

Serving myself a large slice of humble pie Last month I was a critic of Bryson DeChambeau after he managed to blend the world long drive series with the NFL to form a new variant of the game. My argument was it’s not a traditional approach, as there is more to the game than distance and power.

Well I was wrong and I would be the first to admit it. Tiger Woods is without doubt the greatest player of all time and he shook things up with distance. Forget the Major count, I mean the sheer spike of interest he brought from the moment he demolished the field at the 1997 Masters with his speed and power. Golf was going flat and Tiger arrived and brought the fizz.

With Tiger side-lined once more, people were fearful the professional golf was starting to go flat once again. Too much pressure has been heaped on Rory as golf’s golden hope and Dustin Johnson, as talented as he might be, is never going to make a buck on the after-dinner scene. The answer was always there, I just failed to see it, but when Byrson smashed that driver over the water on the sixth at Bay Hill, he put down a solid claim as the heir apparent to Tiger’s crown.

Driving ranges all over the world are now installing TrackMan and TopTracer systems. Some might believe this is a great breakthrough to help amateurs manage their swing and yardages. The real reason is distance bragging rights. Most people want to smash their drives as far as possible and these new systems will provide the proof.

Social media will be littered with distance stats, as your regular group battle it out for top dog honours. No one really cares about fairways hit; greens in regulation or working the ball. Many just want carry distance and total yardage. That’s why millions of people go to the driving range and not the practice putting green. It’s why Top Golf is growing faster than Jeff Bezo’s bank account.

This is why the Bryson appeal works. People want to see him demolish the field off the tee, take on greens that other pros can’t even comprehend and just entertain the crowd with raw power. Tour

pros need to remember, they are in the entertainment industry. Which five golfers do you find entertaining to watch? It’s a tough one to answer. You tend to think of the top five best golfers. But which do you find entertaining? Mine are: Tiger; Rory; Bryson; Hatton and Daly.

Why courses should be shorter NOT longer

We are moaning that great courses are being made redundant due to the likes of Bryson and I fell into this camp, 100%! I’ve grown up appreciating tradition but like all things, time moves on and the game needs to embrace what the majority want. Which is to see the likes of Bryson take on as many greens as possible and shoot the lights out.

When Tiger demolished Augusta in 1997. The course underwent a series of radical changes to “Tiger Proof” it. Though when Tiger won, the TV figures went off the charts but he was 12 shots clear of Tom Kite in second place and 16 from the big hitting pairing of Fred Couples and Davis Love III. Hardly any viewers complained that he hit the ball too far. All that extending the course produced was to give the bigger hitters a greater advantage. To make the game more entertaining you need to set courses up with TV in mind, built around risk and reward. Just look at the drama the 17th at TPC Sawgrass; 17th at TPC Scottsdale and the 15th at Medinah all bring. 7,500 + yard point and shoot championship courses are just boring to watch. Players hit to a number and just worry about the rough off the tee or around the green. Sub 7,000 yard courses that have players facing the dilemma of taking on a green and making eagle or worrying about missing it left or right and walking off with a bogey or worse. That is more interesting to watch.

Golf should be fun and if it’s smashing your longest drive or beating your best score, it really does not matter. Just be grateful that you don’t have to make a living based on your results!

ISSUE No.234 APRIL 2021 • Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd • Published in Dubai by: Prografix • PO Box 24677 • Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785 Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore • Executive Editor: Gary Player • Editor: Alex Gallemore (alex@wspglobal.com) Publisher: Mike Gallemore (mike@wspglobal.com) • General Manager Dubai: Richard Bevan (rick@wspglobal.com) • Editors: Todd Staszko, Thomas Wragg, Ashraf Ahmed • Production/Design Editor: Thameem Rayyan • Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko • Photography: Getty Images • June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 • Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280 • Worldwide Golf specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.

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Printed by: Raidy, Dubai Distributed by: Al Nisr Distribution LLC, PO Box 6519, Dubai, UAE

AUGUSTA’S PAR-5s Where birdies are an essential ingredient

AUGUSTA NATIONAL IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNISABLE COURSES IN WORLD GOLF AND THIS YEAR IT HOSTS THE MASTERS FOR THE 85TH TIME. HERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT FOUR OF THE KEY HOLES THAT PLAYERS WILL LOOK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. The par-5s are pivotal to winning at Augusta National and anyone challenging for the title knows that eagles and birdies on holes 2, 8, 13 and 15 feature heavily in the recipe for success.

Last year the 575-yard 2nd hole ranked the easiest with an average of 4.46 with 12 eagles and 159 birdies, while the par-5s on the back nine, holes 13 and 15, are two of the ultimate risk-reward holes anywhere in professional golf and they averaged 4.6 and 4.61 respectively but had more

bogeys (and worse) because of their water hazards.

The 8th was the least submissive of the long holes with an average of 4.68 and only 2 eagles all week.

With two solid blows to 13 and 15, eagle is a real possibility – but water guards both greens and danger lurks beyond.

Statistics show that the pair are the two easiest in the tournament’s overall (but not recent) history, but come Sunday afternoon when the nerves are

jangling they can both throw up some interesting scenarios for any contender who hits an errant shot, and not many players make bogey or worse on 13 or 15 and go on to clinch the Green Jacket.

Francesco Molinari (inset) had already found water on 12 and dunked his ball again on 15 to writeoff his chances two years ago.

Meanwhile a laser-like 8-iron approach to 15 set up an eagle for Sergio Garcia en route to his win (in an eventual play-off with Justin Rose) in 2017.

HOLE 2

A sweeping dog-leg left, a good drive which finds the slope will gather closer to the green to leave a managable approach. The green has a narrow opening guarded by bunkers left and right. Louis Oosthuizen used the green’s contours to sublime effect with a sweetly struck 4-iron for an albatros in the final round in 2012.

HOLE 8 Uphill all the way with huge fairway bunkers which negate any chance of reaching in two. The approach is blind to a small target. A shot played from left to right which pitches on the green can chase to a pin tucked all the way at the back. Many players bail out to the right and rely on their short-game for birdie here.

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The Masters

HOLE 13 An almost 90º dog-leg to the left, get past the apex of the corner and the view to the green is clear. Rae’s Creek runs in front anD to the right of the target and bunkers lurk for anything played with too much draw. The green slopes towards the Creek so finding the sand traps can leave a nervy shot.

HOLE 15 A smattering of tall pines block out any drive which veers to the left side of the fairway – and the land contours that way too – so a sweetly struck fade should leave around a 200-230 yard approach to the green. The whole front of the green is guarded by water and the bank is usually shaved tight. Players that lay-up need to beware of a pin cut in the front section, because an overly aggressive wedge with too much action can zip back into the pond.

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THE

ONLY FIVE MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE DUSTIN JOHNSON ENABLED CRUISE-CONTROL AND STRODE TO A FIVE-SHOT VICTORY WITH A RECORDBREAKING 20-UNDER-PAR SCORE, YET THIS YEAR’S MASTERS REMAINS JUST AS INTRIGUING. WHO WILL WRITE THEIR OWN STORY IN AUGUSTA NATIONAL LORE THIS YEAR? HERE WE BREAK DOWN THE CHANCES OF THE GAME’S ELITE PLAYERS, WHILE ON THE NEXT PAGE WE CAST OUR EYE OVER THOSE A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE PECKING ORDER.

PLAYERS DUSTIN JOHNSON

Augusta Record: 30-38-38-13-CUT-6-4-10-2-1

Defending champion has a great record at an April Masters (four previous top tens, including a share of second behind Tiger in 2019) and roared to victory in receptive conditions late last year with his stock baby-fade from the tee and towering wedge play. Johnson’s final round 68 marked his 11th consecutive under-par score in the event, becoming the first player to reach that mark in tournament history and his win marked the ninth time that a runner-up the previous edition had won the next. The World No.1 won in Saudi earlier this year but failed to break 70 at The Players and looked strangely outof-sorts at the WGC at the Concession.

JUSTIN THOMAS Augusta Record: 39-22-17-12-4

Overcame early season struggles with a sublime weekend to win The Players last month. He has the high ball flight to conquer Augusta’s firmness, so it is surely only a matter of time before he bags a Green Jacket.

Results at The Masters have gotten continually better since his debut in 2016, which is ominous.

BRYSON DECHAMBEAU

Augusta Record: 21-38-29-34

Bossed it with driver, wedge and a putter at the US Open last year but failed to take that form to a soft Augusta in November. Lit it up on the Florida Swing last month with a win at Bay Hill and contending at The Players.

The lack of green-reading books at The Masters has proved a hindrance so far for the sizable slugger as he’s yet to crack the top 20.

The Masters

Breakout Californian is leading the new breed with a Major already under his belt. Backto-back top tens in Hawaii in January were followed by a tepid outing in Dubai and a T43 at Riviera before he eased to victory at the WGC at the Concession. He followed that with a T41 at The Players, so his form is streaky to say the least, but when he’s on – he’s on.

COLLIN MORIKAWA

Victory at Torrey Pines in February sets him up well for a charge at a second Green Jacket.

Led the Par-5 scoring when he won in 2018 and over-achieved with the flatstick - he arrived ranked 75th in strokes gained putting and was third in that stat as he closed out a one-stroke win over Rickie Fowler. One of the best in the business around the greens.

PATRICK REED

Augusta Record: 44

Augusta Record: CUT-22-49-CUT-1-36-10

It’s ten years since his infamous back nine collapse and six since he last won a Major. Recently admitted chasing more swing speed has undone his technique and it might be a while before he reins it in and gets back to his best. Needs the fabled trip to the Butler Cabin to achieve Career Grand Slam status.

RORY MCILROY

It’s hard to think that this 27-year-old is going to go much longer before breaking his Major duck. Seven toptens in the Majors since 2017 including runner-up behind Tiger two years ago. Fourth appearance and arrives with some early season form having finished runner-up at Torrey Pines and in Phoenix.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

Augusta Record: 20-CUT-15-40-25-8-4-10-7-5-21-5

Augusta Record: 50-2-17

Posted top tens in the last three Masters but each time was at least six shots off the lead after 54 holes. Sooner or later it’s going to click on all four days for this quickswinging Spaniard, but his wife, Kelley, is due to give birth to their first child the week of the tournament, so whether he travels will likely be a lastminute decision.

JON RAHM

Question marks remain over his fitness. One of the most dominant forces of the Majors over the last five years and a win in Phoenix in February reminded everyone of his supreme talents. And who wouldn’t want to see DJ slip the Green Jacket onto Brooks’ shoulders?

BROOKS KOEPKA

Augusta Record: 27-4-9-7

Augusta Record: 33-21-11-2-7

Has only posted four Major top tens since his US Open win of 2012 – but they’ve all come in the last three years including back-to-back at Augusta in 2019/20. Consistency has come to Simpson’s game late on in his career and this steady fairwayfinder is one to keep an eye on if his putter heats up. Two wins last year and a former Players winner.

WEBB SIMPSON

Steely competitor who is a perennial top-ten finisher on Tour. Won at a tough Memorial layout in 2019 and last year’s ZOZO Championship in his native California, finishing ahead of Rahm and Thomas. Posted his first career Major top ten at the 2019 Masters with a T9 finish. Seldom shows his emotions on course and the only colours in his wardrobe are black, white and grey.

PATRICK CANTLAY

Augusta Record: 44-CUT-CUT-28-29-CUT-20-5-10

Augusta Record: 47-CUT-9-17

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Tyrrell HATTON Since August he’s won two huge European Tour titles, but missed the cut at the US Open, US PGA, Masters and The Players – which is a worrying trend in the USA. Yet to crack the top-40 in four Masters starts.

Louis OOSTHUIZEN Yet to win a title on American soil and a runner-up in all the Majors, the first of which was a play-off loss to Bubba Watson here in 2012. Hasn’t missed the weekend since 2013 and is always an under-the-radar threat.

Paul CASEY Desert Classic winner is usually rock-solid with the irons and is looking to do what Willett (’16) and Garcia (’17) did and follow victory in Dubai with a first Green Jacket. Fifth place at The Players will give him confidence.

THE SECOND CUT WILL THIS YEAR’S WINNER EMERGE FROM OUTSIDE THE GAME’S CURRENT ELITE?

Tony FINAU Yet to win since the Puerto Rico Open in 2016.

Has posted has a top-5 in all the Majors, including his front row seat for Tiger’s 2019 win. Three runner-up finishes so far this year.

Viktor HOVLAND Europe’s breakout star over the past couple of years with two wins on the PGA Tour. He’s been a pillar of consistency this season with four top tens including a share of second at the WGC in Florida.

Hideki MATSUYAMA The putter is Hideki’s long-term Achilles heel. If that behaves he should be a factor – but will it? Has only finished outside the top 20 once since 2015.

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Justin ROSE Only one missed cut in 15 appearances and has had a smattering of close calls. Has been battling a lack of consistency lately and missed events at Bay Hill and The Players with niggling injury.

Tommy FLEETWOOD Yet to hit top form this season after falling away in Abu Dhabi. A top ten at Bay Hill was followed by a missed cut at The Players. Fifth Masters but is still to crack the top ten.

The Masters

LEE WESTWOOD Has been in red-hot form recently and knows the course as well as anybody.

Making his 20th appearance, two times a runner-up including 2010 when he held the 54-hole lead before succumbing to Phil Mickelson down the stretch. Wore himself out over the Florida swing with back-to-back second place finishes at Bay Hill and The Players but will be hoping to peak again for Augusta.

PAST WINNERS (WHO HAVE A CHANCE) Jordan Spieth (2015) Gradually getting back to his best and playing with the joy of a youngster once again as highlighted by a string of impressive performances earlier this year.

Hasn’t won anywhere since the 2017 Open.

MATT FITZPATRICK Hard to believe Fitzpatrick only has one Major top ten, which came in his first professional outing at Augusta in 2016. Has has been impressive this year with top tens at Riviera, Bay Hill and Sawgrass and has never missed a Masters weekend.

CAMERON SMITH Shared second place five months ago and also has a T5 finish in 2018. Two wins on Tour and a couple in his native Australia, Smith is a steady competitor and fourth at Riveira is his best result so far in 2021.

Sergio Garcia (2017) His run of 84 consecutive Major appearances came to an end in November when he contracted COVID. Top tens in Dubai and at The Players represent best results of 2021 so far.

Adam Scott (2013) Now 40, Scott is eager to achieve more before his chances start to slip away.

Classy swinger hasn’t quite got going yet this season.

Phil Mickelson (2004, ’06, ’10) Has completed the Augusta Experience with three Green Jackets and knows where he can get away with being wild off the tee. Like most weeks, everything will depend on the short game.

JASON DAY Former World No.1 and US PGA Champion has four Augusta top tens but current form is nothing to shout about. Dropped out of the top 50 in the world last year and climbed back into it with a string of top tens including 4th at the US PGA.

Danny Willett (2016) A share of 25th in November represents the first cut he’s made since he strode to a remarkable win in 2016 as Spieth withered down the stretch.

Bubba Watson (2012, ’14) Mercurial lefty who shapes the ball at will, Watson hasn’t contended in a Major since 2018, but is somewhat of an Augusta specialist with only one missed cut in 12 starts.

Charl Schwartzel (2011) Stunned the field in 2011 with birdies on the last four holes to win. Has failed to blossom with just three Major top tens since then but will want to put on a display to mark ten years since his career-defining victory.

MARC LEISHMAN Five PGA Tour wins to his name and a pair of Augusta top-tens.

He arrived at November’s Masters bang out of form (MC-52-70) and finished 13th, shooting par or better all four days. A sleeper.

PAST WINNERS WITH LITTLE TO NO CHANCE: Bernhard Langer could well continue his recent habit of plotting his way around nicely, hybrids in hand, and scoring well, but against today’s younger, more athletic competitors it’s a tough ask for him to step up and contend. Beyond Langer, it will be a small victory for any of the following individuals to make the weekend: Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnan, Larry Mize, Angel Cabrera, Fred Couples, Trevor Immelman, Jose Maria Olazabal and Vijay Singh.

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TOP5

MASTERS

COMEBACKS

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isotically the winner of The Masters almost always comes from the final pairing, but every now and then there is a come-from-behind winner which shocks the field – and patrons and those watching at home – to slip into the Butler Cabin and receive the most prestigious piece of clothing in

the sport. Here we highlight some of our favourites in tournament history.

FALDO

1996

One of the most famous final rounds in Major championship history occurred 25 years ago as Greg Norman fell foul of the golfing gods and Nick Faldo pounced to win his sixth and final Major title.

Six strokes clear, Norman withered with some heavy handed chips and uncharacteristically poor iron play – finding water on the par-3 12th and 16 holes - while Faldo methodically put together a superb 5-under-par 67 – the best of the day from anyone in the top ten – for a third Green Jacket.

MICKELSON

2004

When Phil Mickelson arrived at the 2004 Masters there were only two players in history who had won more PGA Tour titles (22) without winning a Major. Lefty had posted three third-place finishes in succession and found himself in contention again, in a share of the lead after 54 holes. However, as he struck his tee shot to 12 he found himself three behind Ernie Els. Mickelson sparked into life with five birdies in the last seven – including one final putt for a three at the last – to win by one. Els did nothing wrong, making eagle on 13 and gaining another shot on 15, but Mickelson’s blistering finish earned him all the plaudits while the South African, like many multiple Major champions before him, would end his career without membership to the most exclusive club in golf.

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The Masters

2019

WOODS

Two shots off the lead, Tiger had never previously won a Major coming from behind, but he remained steadfast as those around and ahead of him lost their way. Woods was in the final group alongside leader Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau and remained in touch until the drama began on the back nine. After getting to within one with a birdie on the 7th, Woods fell two back with a bogey on the 10th. However, on the 12th tee, Molinari found Rae’s Creek, and so too did Finau to fall further back. Woods dialed up the perfect number to find the middle of the green and a two-putt par secured a share lead with the Italian. Both players followed with birdies on 13 but a three-shot swing occurred on 15 when Molinari found water again for a double and Woods birdied to get to 13-under. A textbook birdie on 16 gave the Big Cat a cushion and he closed out on the last to spark pure pandemonium – the like of which we may never see again.

1986

1978

NICKLAUS

Without a win in two years and at the age of 46, not many fancied Nicklaus’ chances, but the Golden Bear was inspirational on that final Sunday with a back-nine of 30 to roar to a sixth Masters title. Nicklaus passed Greg Norman, Tom Kite, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson and Nick Price and won by one stroke thanks to a stretch that contained two pars, one bogey, one eagle and five birdies.

PLAYER

Trailing by seven strokes overnight, Player put together one of the most famous final rounds in Masters history – an 8-underpar 64 – to win his third Green Jacket. Leader Hubert Green, who had won the previous year’s US Open, could only muster a levelpar round as he settled for second place alongside Rod Funseth and defending champion Tom Watson.

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2021

MASTERS D

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ADVERTORIAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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BY ROBBIE MCCARTHY Store Manager at Golf Superstore

THE ERA OF SPEED HAS ARRIVED! JUST IN TIME FOR FIRST MAJOR OF THE YEAR!

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n 2021 the driver market for consumers couldn’t be stronger! We have some of the best product ever, made available when golf is booming, so now is the time to get a new big stick in the bag!

Here at Golf Superstore we focus on the big four brands in golf who manage to take up to 80% of the market. The latest models from Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping have all been introduced on to the Tour.

So what will we see at The Masters this year?

As we know, The Masters traditionally tests every element of the players’ game. Augusta National has very little rough, but with its undulating topography, lightning fast greens and the hazard of Rae’s Creek, it usually leads to some of the most dramatic finishes in the game.

In recent years, however, players feel that with the lack of rough they can attack by taking driver off the tee, which resulted in some course changes, most notably on the 11th Hole , Par-4 White Dogwood, playing 505 yds from The Masters tees.

So what will most of the field be putting in the bag for the week?

Here’s what to look out for and head down to Golf Superstore to try the product yourself.

RORY’S TEEING IT UP WITH THE SIM2 IN 2021

The Ping G425 Family has hit the market with a bang – what a fantastic product Ping has produced!

Looking at the driver offering, they have produced three fantastic heads (SFT, MAX, LST) which everyone can fit into. We at Golf Superstore have found the new G425 unbelievable at keeping consistent speed across the face. Certainly, on bad strikes you can get away with misshits and keep that speed and correct spin working for you.

Ping has always been a model of consistency in keeping you on the fairway! Now you can add distance to those attributes, making this one of the best drivers ever created by Ping. Who will have this in the bag among the front runners? Tyrrell Hatton, Tony Finau, Harris English, Louis Oosthuizen, Viktor Hovland and, most notably in recent months, Lee Westwood - who is enjoying an outstanding season. His driving has been amazing this year, finishing second in the Players Championship to Justin Thomas, and outgunning the rest of the PGA Tour’s finest.

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425 LST

425 SFT

TaylorMade has always made extremely fast clubfaces, and again they didn’t disappoint. Sim2 and Sim2 MAX offer the golfer impressive speed off the face, and who doesn’t want speed? Two of the current top ten will be wielding a SIM driver – defending champion Dustin Johnson and 2020 US PGA Champion Collin Morikawa. Johnson was in auto-pilot when he picked up the Green Jacket last year and he will be looking for more of the same this time. His long, straight driving was a spectacle in his victory and he will be hoping that the New TaylorMade Sim driver serves him well.

SIM2

SIM2 MAX

SIM2 MAX.D

Titleist launched the New TSi driver in November 2020 and stole a march on the driver count and has pretty much stayed at No1 Model on the PGA Tour since. Why? Well, Titleist has become the talk of the Tour because it’s available in four different heads, making it a driver-fitting dream. The TSi family doesn’t just cater to the needs of Tour players or high level amateurs, it’s for everybody now. The likes of Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Patrick Cantlay and Matt Fitzpatrick are all having considerable recent success with the TSi in the bag. Could this be Justin Thomas’ Masters? He’s a formidable driver of the ball and that helped him win at TPC Sawgrass in style.

TSi1

TSi2

TSi3

TSi4

The most recent addition to the 2021 driver party is Callaway’s Epic range, which is back with three different models. The Speed is a great all-rounder, which we at Golf Superstore have found to really help provide a notable blend of ball speed and forgiveness. The Epic MAX builds on the success of the Mavrik max, providing exceptional forgiveness, while retaining ball speed from the face with a new weight track to shift CG from fade through to draw bias. The Max LS is a unique concept, providing the low spin desired by the better player, but with a deeper head shape to produce a more neutral ball flight. There’s something for everyone in this range and with the Epic Speed drivers in the bag could John Rahm or Xander Schaufelle be slipping on their first Green Jacket?

EPIC SPEED

EPIC MAX

EPIC MAX LS

DOHA GOLF CLUB TO UNVEIL DRAMATIC NEW FINISH

A

spectacular new double green is to be built on holes 9 and 18 at Doha Golf Club and all of the greens are being completely relayed, with work at the famous venue getting underway in April.

The huge new green will wrap around the existing lake, bringing the action closer to the clubhouse, enhancing the building’s visibility during play.

The work to the putting surfaces will be the first of its kind since the course was first constructed in 1996, with the grass on the greens changing to the paspallum ‘dynasty’ species.

“The decision to undertake the first major renovation works since the original construction was taken after the 2019 Qatar Masters tournament,” explained Gary McGlinchey, General Manager, Doha Golf Club. “The greens were constructed in 1996, grass technology has come a long way since then and the passpallum dynasty grass we have selected doesn’t mind the TSE water we are now forced to use.”

The majority of the greens will be expanded back to their original size and will be reinstated back to their original slopes and elevations, with the greens on holes 4 and 7 receiving very slight changes to their contouring.

“SINCE THE COURSE WAS FIRST CONSTRUCTED THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED IS THE ADDITION OF A FEW NEW TEES TO GIVE CERTAIN HOLES A BIT MORE LENGTH. THE DOUBLE GREEN FOR HOLES 9 AND 18 WILL BE 50% LARGER THAN THE COMBINED SIZE OF THEIR ORIGINAL GREENS – IT’S GOING TO BE ENORMOUS. IT IS A COMPLETELY NEW GREEN AND WILL BE UNRECOGNIZABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL COURSE LAYOUT,” – PETER HARRADINE

and more draught tolerant, and sewage-treated effluent tends to have a little more salt.”

Officials and staff at Doha Golf Club have consulted with Harradine and his team throughout the planning process and are pleased to have his backing.

Peter’s knowlegdge is priceless “Peter is great to work with as he has a passion for golf course design and the game of golf,” said McGlinchey. “He has extensive experience and vision and understands the challenges of a harsh arid environment and is always looking for something different to enhance the design.

“All changes to Doha Golf Club layout have been approved and undertaken after consultation and review with Peter. He wants his legacy to be quality, challenging golf courses that provide a memorable the new green for holes 9 and 18. and enjoyable experience for all levels of players.

“Since the course was first constructed the only “Doha Golf Course is timeless because of thing that has changed is the addition of a few new its unique foundation, its design, its ability to tees to give certain holes a bit more length,” said withstand the harsh environment, and that it Harradine. “The double green for holes 9 and 18 is constantly evolving to provide a great golfing will be 50% larger than the combined size of their experience. original greens – it’s going to be enormous. It is a “When we host future major tournaments we completely new green and will be unrecognizable can cater hospitality much easier from the existing from the original course layout. clubhouse rather than having to build temporary “The grasses are changing on all the greens structures behind the green which block the view because the water supply is changing and from the clubhouse. paspallum looks good and it’s a greener grass. The “The size of the green will also allow for more ‘dynasty’ version of paspallum is more salt tolerant pin-positions, which will add to the excitement.”■

Work Starts in April Work is scheduled to begin on April 1st and the club aims for the new greens to be playable on October 1st, with the course remaining open with the use of temporary greens.

The putting surfaces will be totally renovated, with the grass, drainage pipes, root zone and drainage layers all being replaced.

Course designer Peter Harradine is backing the changes to the course and outlined the design of

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MENA TOUR SET FOR OCTOBER RESTART

A

fter grinding to a halt last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MENA Tour is set to return to action in October with up to 16 events in a threemonth period across the UAE, Jordan and Oman.

In a letter sent out to players last month, David Spencer, MENA Tour Commissioner stated that play would continue at venues that are willing to stage back to back tournaments, have facilities that allow players to stay on-site (or very close by), provide quality practice and gym amenities, varied food and beverage options, onsite COVID testing and interesting activities that are not golf-related.

From October 1, the Tour plans to initially play the five postponed events from 2020 which will come as welcome news for the likes of Shergo Al Kurdi and David Langley, who lead the Tour’s Journey to Jordan amateur and professional Order of Merit respectively.

The Tour will then embark on hosting 10/11 events for the 2021 season which is scheduled to finish on December 20.

“Our 2021 schedule is designed to limit travel, minimise quarantine for players, provide two plus months of competitive golf with limited downtime and provide an environment that is a COVID safe as possible,” David Spencer, MENA Tour Commissioner.

“There is absolutely no doubt that we are

all living in a new world and I do not see 2021 being too much different from 2020. I do think that 2021 will be a year of recalibration and 2022 promises to be relatively normal, positive and calm. I am extremely confident that the plan that is set out is fully achievable…that being said, if there are further changes they will be done from pure necessity.

We will make sure that the 2021 plan is fully confirmed to all players by June 15th at the latest. This gives everyone more than three months’ notice before we recommence play.”

In agreement with the Official World Golf Ranking body, there will no Qualifying School for the 2021 season and all events will be limited to a maximum field of 132 players which will comprise of current MENA Tour members and new MENA Tour members.

New members are eligible to play in the first five tournaments of the 2021 season but will

DAVID LANGLEY IN ACTION DURING THIS YEAR’S OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

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SHERGO AL KURDI

not be able to participate in the 2020 Journey to Jordan.

Plans are also well underway to start the 2022 MENA Tour season in the first quarter of next year with Qualifying School set to be held in January for new members and those who fail to retain their card from this year’s Journey to Jordan. ■

When: April 10-11 ■ Where: Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates

DUBAI GOLF TROPHY SET

FOR HISTORY MAKERS

T

he Dubai Golf Trophy, one of the most prestigious events in the UAE golfing calendar, returns this month on the Faldo course and the Earth course with women set to compete for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Left to right: Adel Zarouni – Vice Chairman, Emirates Golf Federation, Hyeonji Kang – Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit leader, Ahmed Skaik – Amateur Team Captain, Mike Bolt – Professional Team Captain, Olivia Jackson – PGA Professional, Emirates Golf Club, Christopher May – Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Golf.

T

he Dubai Golf Trophy is a Ryder Cupstyle tournament which pits the UAE’s top 16 professional players against the top 16 amateurs.

However, this year the top two women golfers from the UAE PGA and EGF Order of Merit will compete alongside the men over the two days in a separate women’s event; a precursor to the 2021- 2022 season when women and men will compete in the same draw.

This change comes in light of the surge in women’s participation in the region, influenced by the increased visibility of female professionals in teaching posts at golf clubs, and initiatives by the EGF to increase women’s participation in the game.

A contributing factor has been the recent form shown by Emirates Golf Club professional Olivia Jackson, who became the first woman to win a UAE PGA event, and compete in the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic in November.

“It’s really special that the Dubai Golf Trophy is allowing women to integrate into a male only competition,” said Jackson.

“Hopefully this a step in the right direction of equality where women are being able to compete with men. I do it on a weekly basis playing against the male pros on the UAE PGA so this is a really exciting step and hopefully it will push young girls get into the game and compete in this event, especially the amateurs.”

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Hyeonji Kang, who won the Ladies Net and Gross Order of Merit in 2020 and leads the way in the latter this year, was also delighted at the opportunity of playing in one the country’s most-loved events.

“I am very honoured to be part of it,” said Kang. “It’s very exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time to be one of the first ladies to compete in this event but I’m looking forward to the opportunities that this will open for all the amateur and professional women in the UAE. “Women’s golf in the UAE has grown a lot over the years and this is another step in the right direction for us to compete against our male counterparts and use that as a stepping stone for bigger and better things.”

DUBAI GOLF TROPHY

Ahmad Skaik to become the first Emirati to captain a team in the event’s 22-year history.

Ahmad Skaik, who has competed in numerous European Tour events in the region, was selected as Vice-Captain in 2020 by Steve Kelbrick and now takes on the lead role as he aims to continue the recent dominance of the amateurs with a sixth straight victory.

“It’s a big honour for me being the first Emirati to captain a team. I didn’t expect to get a message from Steve last year asking me to be his Vice-Captain so it came as a surprise but it’s something I’m very happy about and I can’t wait to lead all the great players we have in the team,” said Skaik, who has selected his UAE teammate Khalid Yousef as his Vice-Captain.

“When picking my Vice-Captain, I didn’t give it a second thought and knew it would always be Khalid. It’s the perfect fit for me, to

have two Emiratis and the EGF involved in the team, it’s exciting and we will see how it goes.”

The final teams are yet to be confirmed but Skaik is set to have an abundance of talent at his disposal for the tournament including teenage stars Josh Hill, Toby Bishop and Arjun Gupta.

Hill, who recently defended his Club Championship at Trump International, Dubai, was quickly pointed out by Skaik at being one of the stars of the team.

“Josh Hill stands out for me,” said Skaik when asked who was the biggest threat in the amateur team. “He’s just a very good all-round player; very long off the tee, very good ball striker and has a good short game as well as being a good putter. I don’t think he has a weakness.”

Stop the rot Given the job of stopping the rot for the professionals is Mike Bolt from the Claude Harmon Performance Academy.

The Englishman has been involved in the event for the last five years since moving to the region and is keen to taste victory for the first time.

“We really want to win this, we don’t like losing every year but the standard of golf in the region is very good,” said Bolt. “It is representative of how good the guys are coaching these young players and we like to see them play well.

“We spend all year getting excited about this event and trying to qualify, it’s the talk of the PGA guys throughout the season so it’s an honour to captain the team this year especially with the ladies being involved and Ahmad being the first Emirati captain.”

Bolt knows his opposite captain well

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having first met Skaik at the Dubai Golf Trophy five years ago when they competed against each other in the singles. Despite wanting to get one over his friend at the tournament, Bolt was full of admiration for the history maker.

“Ahmad is a great guy, it’s so good to have him involved as captain this year,” said Bolt. “We actually met at the Dubai Golf Trophy and grew a friendship from there, so we have laughed all year about how it’s a special one for both of us to build up to the captaincy together.

“He’s a great player, he came close to the Order of Merit title a couple of years, and he’s great for Emirati golf and the EGF. Him and Khalid have come through the ranks and are playing in these events in their own right which is great to see and to have that link with the EGF this year is great as well.”

EAGL Chairman Sudesh Aggarwal (second from left) is pictured with Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Taimur Hassan (centre), Secretary General of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi (second from right), Priyaa Kumria, EAGL administrator (far left) and Robert Fiala Operations and Marketing Manager of the EGF (far right), at the launch of the newly conceptualised Emirates Amateur Golf League in January.

EAGL

AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND BUSINESS THROUGH COMPETITIVE TEAM GOLF

With each passing day, the highly anticipated inaugural Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL) is getting closer to reality. The world’s first franchise-based amateur league tournament is set to dazzle the UAE’s golf scene towards the end of the 2021, and the wheels are fully in motion in preparation for the gargantuan event which will involve eight teams of 24 players each competing on a round-robin basis.

T

he tournament, which is sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), has also been able to garner the support of Asia Pacific Golf Confederation.

Chairman Taimur Hassan attended the gala unveiling party in January and called the EAGL concept, “a game-changer for amateur golf, which we will be happy to take to our 43 APGC countries.”

Having raised the expectations to a lofty level, Sudesh Aggarwal, the brain behind the tournament and EAGL Commissioner, is a busy man these days, ensuring that the nitty-gritties are taken care of. Sitting in his Jumeirah Lake Towers office, the highly successful businessman and passionate golfer spends the day pouring over numbers and perfecting presentations.

“You can call it a passion project of mine.

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I’ve been thinking about a tournament like this since 2017, but it was only during the pandemic lockdown last year that I was able to crystallise the whole concept,” said Aggarwal, a founding member of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.

Aggarwal, who founded the multi-million dollar Giant Group of Industries, said the origin of his thought was to do something on a higher level than corporate golf

EMIRATES AMATEUR GOLF LEAGUE

European Tour star Shiv Kapur is the EAGL’s brand ambassador.

days. He felt these events were becoming monotonous and not achieving much of the objectives for the amount spent.

“I am invited to play many of these events, and it does not give a good feeling when I observe how little the sponsors are getting back as their return on investment from these single-day events. The recall value is limited and there is nothing more for the amateurs than some good prizes and a great dinner at the end of the day.”

“I wanted a tournament which becomes meaningful for the participants throughout the year. I wanted something that forces them to get better and feel proud about what they have achieved. And, most importantly, I wanted the sponsors to get the maximum bang for the buck that they were spending.”

With EAGL, Aggarwal feels both the objectives can be met. The participants are going to experience an almost professional tournament-like atmosphere, starting from the way the golf course is set up, to corporate hospitality lounges and the big Unique Selling Proposition of the tournament – at least 40 hours of live broadcast during the inaugural season.

As much as the EAGL promises to be a cracker of a competitive experience for the leading amateur golfers in the UAE and beyond (handicap limit is set at 14), it is an equally impressive business opportunity for branding, marketing, client development, networking, PR and entertainment for the country’s leading brands and corporates.

“I have no doubts in my mind that the most important stakeholders for the sustainability of EAGL are the team holders and the leading sponsors,” said Aggarwal, who will be approaching potential buyers in the next

“You can call it a passion project of mine.

I’ve been thinking about a tournament like this since 2017, but it was only during the pandemic lockdown last year that I was able to crystallise the whole concept”

Sudesh Aggarwal Chairman, EAGL

few weeks. “The way we have structured the benefits, we are giving close to four million dirhams of tangible benefits to the team owners and sponsors. But what should appeal to them more is that we are giving them a platform to leverage networking, promotion and PR opportunities for at least 11 specific days (nine match days, opening and closing ceremonies), and throughout the whole year if they so want.

“We are hoping that we will be able to start paying the team owners from the sponsorship pool from the first year itself.

Also, the valuation of the teams is going to increase every year. However, the biggest motivation for team owners should be the pride of owning a team and the satisfaction of helping and guiding the process of creating champions.”

Aggarwal has also roped in threetime Asian Tour champion and winner of Challenge Tour Grand Finale in Dubai in 2013, Shiv Kapur, as the tournament’s brand ambassador. The Indian ace is an Asian

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Games gold medallist and had promoted something similar back home with the first Golf Premier League, which involved five Major champions, including Darren Clarke and Argentine Angel Cabrera.

Kapur felt the way EAGL was conceptualised gave corporates direct contact with amateur players and their friends who would form the most desirable target audience for any company.

“If I look at it from a sponsor’s point of view, if a luxury car company is sponsoring a professional golf tournament, they’re hoping to get the TV coverage and the eyeballs of the fans watching these events,” said Kapur.

“The professional golfer is not necessarily their end consumer. It’s the viewers, the fans that companies want to woo, and they are actually inside the ropes in the EAGL. So, you have a direct link to your clients.”

THE PLAYERS REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN: EAGL.AE

SERGIO GARCIA

EUROPE

I LIKE TO THINK THAT

HAS MORE

Sergio Garcia is a man on a mission – increase his record as Europe’s all-time top-scorer in the R yder Cup and have fun while doing it. The 41-year-old has been in solid form this campaign and is gearing up for a push to qualify for a tenth appearance for Team Europe at Whistling Straits in September.

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SERGIO GARCIA

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GARCIA’S RYDER CUP HIGHLIGHTS 2018 – BECOMES EUROPE’S LEADING SCORER REPAID CAPTAIN THOMAS BJORN’S FAITH AS A WILDCARD SELECTION WITH THREE POINTS FROM FOUR – INCLUDING THE SINGLES WIN OVER RICKIE FOWLER WHICH TOOK HIS CAREER RYDER CUP POINTS TALLY TO 25½, OVERTAKING NICK FALDO’S LONG-STANDING RECORD.

2016 – SINGLES BIRDIEFEST VS MICKELSON IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNFAIR HAD EITHER PLAY EMERGED WITH A FULL POINT AFTER A DING-DONG BATTLE AND IT WAS JUSTIFIABLY HALVED IN BIRDIES ON THE 18TH GREEN. ALL IN, THE PAIR MADE 19 BIRDIES, WERE A COMBINED 18 UNDER PAR WITH A BETTER-BALL SCORE OF 58.

2012 – PLAYS HIS PART IN MIRACLE FINISH AFTER EARNING JUST ONE POINT OVER THE FIRST TWO DAYS, GARCIA DIGS IN TO DEFEAT WILY VETERAN JIM FURYK 1UP TO PUT EUROPE 13-12 AHEAD AND ON COURSE TO EVENTUALLY COMPLETE THE MIRACLE OF MEDINAH COMEBACK.

2004 – UNDEFEATED IN FIVE MATCHES ONLY A HALVED TIE ALONGSIDE LEE WESTWOOD IN THE SECOND-DAY FOURBALLS AGAINST JAY HAAS AND CHRIS DIMARCO DENIED BOTH GARCIA AND THE ENGLISHMAN A 100% RECORD AT OAKLAND HILLS.

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SERGIO GARCIA

W

hile nobody is ever guaranteed a place in the European Ryder Cup team, it would be hard to imagine Sergio Garcia not taking his place in the line-up at the 43rd edition of The Matches in five months time.

Captain Padraig Harrington has three picks at his disposal and one is likely to go to the Spaniard – Europe’s all-time leading points scorer – should the 41-year-old finish outside the top nine qualification spots.

Since making his debut at Brookline as an exuberant 19-year-old, Garcia has been a mainstay in the team, missing just one edition in 2010 when he was struggling both on and off the course. He made a superb return in 2012 and last time out in Paris won three points to overtake Sir Nick Faldo’s record as Europe’s best ever Ryder Cupper with 25½ points.

So what is Europe’s secret to their domination of the competition, with just three losses in the last ten editions?

“Obviously I don’t know what goes on in their team room, but I like to think that Team Europe has more fun that week,” reflected Garcia.

“We’ve always managed to have a great team atmosphere, every time, and that obviously helps very much because it allows us to play nicely and therefor to be as successful as we have been in the last 10-11 Ryder Cups.

CHEMISTRY IS HUGE “Our team chemistry is huge. It’s probably one of our biggest, strongest weapons when it comes down to Ryder Cup.” Garcia has had numerous partners in both fourball and foursomes play and his role has changed as the years progressed. In 2004 he established a successful duet with Luke Donald that carried over to 2006 and was reunited again in 2012, while more recently he has paired up with rookies Alex Noren in 2018 and compatriot Rafa Cabrera Bello in 2016.

And Garcia doesn’t mind who he plays with – as long as the job gets done.

“It’s an honour for me to have been able to have helped the European Team as much as I have in my career,” said Garcia. “It’s something that I’m very proud of. For me, the team spirit that we have at the Ryder Cup is like nothing else in the sport.

“I’ve always enjoyed team events and team sports, like soccer, but being a golfer you don’t get to play in a team environment that often.

So it’s always fun to be able to do that and see how the whole team kind of opens up to each other and build some amazing relationships through it. And then you add the atmosphere and the energy from the fans – it’s just amazing.

“But I think the most important thing about it, is that it’s a natural chemistry, because we don’t really have to work hard for it. We enjoy each other’s company. We get along well. And you know, we love opening up for our partners, for our playing partner and stuff like that. That obviously makes things a little bit easier for us to gel as much as possible when it comes down to that week.”

Garcia won on the PGA Tour late last year

“I’ve always enjoyed team events and team sports, like soccer, but being a golfer you don’t get to play in a team environment that often. So it’s always fun to be able to do that and see how the whole team kind of opens up to each other and build some amazing relationships through it. And then you add the atmosphere and the energy from the fans – it’s just amazing.”

SERGIO GARCIA

SERGIO GARCIA RELEASES YEARS OF ANGUISH AFTER FINALLY WINNING A MAJOR AT THE 2017 MASTERS.

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SERGIO GARCIA

SERGIO GARCIA WAITS ON A TEE BOX DURING THE 1995 EUROPEAN YOUNG MASTERS AT WENTWORTH.

BELOW: A 16-YEAR-OLD GARCIA PICTURED WITH SEVE BALLESTEROS DURING A PRACTICE ROUND AHEAD OF THE OPEN AT ROYAL LYTHAM & ST ANNES IN 1996.

at the Sanderson Farms Championship but his performance didn’t help his Ryder Cup campaign as qualification was halted when the matches were postponed last year and began again in January.

CAUGHT THE EYE That victory – against a slightly weaker field – only moved him up ten places in the World Ranking, but it would have caught the eye of Harrington, and recent top tens at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic and The Players Championship have kept Garcia on the Irishman’s bubble.

This September’s Ryder Cup will mark three years since the last contest and many in the game predicted a changing of the guard taking place – but with Garcia and fellow veterans Lee Westwood and Paul Casey all playing well, there are likely to be some very familiar faces donning Team Europe colours at Whistling Straits.

“I think that you take pride in what you achieve no matter what age you are, but as you get older, without a doubt you’re proud of anything that you do, because it doesn’t get any easier,” said Garcia, who finished T9 at The Players, with Casey T5 and Westwood runner-up. “I think Lee is playing unbelievable again and it’s great to see, Obviously he’s a good friend of mine, and I always wish him the best. I’m playing quite well too, so it’s nice to see both things.”

Garcia knows there’s a lot of golf to be played between now and September and he’s got to get his scheduling right if he is to

achieve his ambitions.

“It’s a big year, and hopefully I can be in good shape because I want to be a part of a lot of things,” he said.

“Scheduling is a big challenge, and much bigger than in the past for several reasons. First of all, because I’m not getting any younger and the body feels it. But second of all, because of the times we live in and how the rules and regulations are different in every country you go. It definitely comes into effect, and hopefully it won’t change my schedule too much throughout year.

“I try not to stress too much because at the end of the day we are still very lucky. We have a job. We do what we love and we still live a great life.”

EUROPE’S FINEST EXPORTS Garcia ensured his status as one of Europe’s finest recent exports by finally breaking through as a Major champion at the 2017 Masters, defeating Justin Rose in a memorable play-off. The Spaniard was forced to sitout last year’s Masters due to contracting coronavirus in the lead up and he’s taking a few extra steps to avoid getting it again and missing another trip down Magnolia Lane.

“I’m not playing the week before,” he explains. “We have fans back, so you know that at any time you might potentially catch it from any one of them – not that they’re trying to give it to you or anything like that, but it might happen.

“I would love to get closer to the fans, but

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there’s too much at risk and at stake for us at the moment, and if we get COVID because of anything, we’re the one that pays. So we have to be very careful as the fans come back into our game – but it’s great to have them, don’t get me wrong.”

One thing Garcia has gradually learned to adapt to is leaving his young children, Azalea, who recently turned three, and Enzo, at home while he goes to play on Tour. “It is hard to leave the house as Aza gets a bit older and starts to miss me a little bit more,” said Garcia. “But I know that this is what I do for a living and that I love doing it, and it’s nice to play as well as possible for them to see me doing my thing. So it’s a good mix, but if definitely gets harder to leave home as the kids grow and give you hugs when you’re about to leave and say ‘don’t go’ and things like that.”

While Garcia’s priorities have shifted as his family starts to grow, the combination of their constant support and his fiery competitiveness make it almost a dead cert that he’ll get to represent Team Europe once again in The Ryder Cup come September. ■

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SUNGJAE IM

L

ast year, Korean starlet Sungjae Im played in all but six events on the PGA Tour’s schedule. A road warrior who rarely takes a week off, Im has become one of the most dependable players on Tour and finished runner-up in his Masters debut in November to break inside the top20 in the world rankings. After arriving Stateside in late 2017, Im is already a winner at the highest level having won the 2020 Honda Classic and is now settled in Atlanta. He spent a couple of years leading a nomadic lifestyle living hotel-to-hotel with his parents in tow, but now he’s fully focused on becoming as good as he can be – and he’s always on the lookout for Korean restaurants that sell his favourite dish, the Jeju Black Pig...

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I

t’s been a largely non-stop journey of the road in the States, playing every single and made 26 cuts – also the highest on Tour. discovery for 22-year-old Sungjae Im regular season event except one – which he His form saw him qualify for a spot in the and the young Korean has wasted no missed to play the US PGA Championship 30-man Tour Championship field at East time in becoming one of the best players instead after he had received a special Lake in Atlanta and he finished 19th in the in the game. Im seldom takes a break on invitation upon breaking into the top 100 in FedExCup standings. He was duly named the Tour, often playing runs of 5 or 6 weeks in the world rankings. He also went through Rookie of the Year and began the following succession, and his thorough work rate has sectional events to qualify for the US Open season strongly with a runner-up finish at seen him progress to becoming a Major at Shinnecock Hills, such was his appetite to the Sanderson Farms Championship, losing contender after only a few years in America. play competitive golf. out to Sebastian Munoz in a play-off.

He was named rookie of the year on A second win followed in August that year Im’s impressive performances caught the the PGA Tour in 2019 and won last year at as he led the money list for all of 2018, going attention of Presidents Cup Captain Ernie PGA National in Florida before finishing in on to be named the Web.com Tour Player of Els, who handed the youngster one of his second place on debut at Augusta National the Year and earning a full PGA Tour card for four wildcard selections for the matches at in November.

2019. As a rookie among the game’s best, Im Royal Melbourne in December. Despite the This year he’s made a steady start and played more events (35) than anyone else International team losing again, the contest he’s pleased to be playing regularly again, looking to build some momentum ahead of this month’s Masters and the Majors that lie ahead.

“I’m just so happy to be on the PGA Tour and just to play golf, and it’s almost as if –I don’t really look at it as work, it’s more of a chance to just go out and do what I love and play golf,” said Im. “I spent my winter break in Atlanta and I practiced. The reason I did not go to Korea is there’s still a mandatory isolation required by the government there, and I didn’t want to go through that. So I just decided to stay in the States.”

Im selected Atlanta for his base for ease of travel and the array of Korean food outlets near to his Duluth home.

“I have practiced at TPC Sugarloaf before and the neighborhood there is clean and quiet,” he said.

SUNGJAE IM “Korean restaurants are not too far away and the Atlanta airport offers non-stop flights to nearly every tournament site, also a direct flight home to Korea.”

After turning pro in 2015 at the age of 17, Im quickly found success on the Japan Golf Tour in 2017. He was playing an event in Japan when he saw fellow countryman Si Woo Kim clinch that year’s Players Championship in Florida and decided to take the trip across the Pacific to the United States. In the autumn he made his way through the qualifying tournaments for the satellite Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour) and earned himself 12 starts for 2018 thanks to his runner-up finish at the Final Stage.

Im then announced himself in his very first event with a four-shot win at the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic, and a runner-up finish the following week at The Abaco IM CELEBRATES HOLING A PUTT EN ROUTE TO A FIRST Club cemented his status as a player with PGA TOUR TITLE AT THE 2020 HONDA CLASSIC. massive potential. It was during this first full year that Im got his a proper taste of life on

I’m just so happy to be on the PGA Tour and just to play golf, and it’s almost as if – I don’t really look at it as work, it’s more of a chance to just go out and do what I love and play golf.

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SUNGJAE IM

was one of the closest in years and Im was one of the stars of the show, earning 3.5 points from five matches, including a 4&3 takedown of reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland in the singles. Sensing his time was near, Im collected his first win a few months later at the Honda Classic, two weeks before the PGA Tour halted as the pandemic began to sweep across America.

Shacked up at a resort with his mum in Tampa where the golf courses remained open, Im managed to practice a lot, but he couldn’t wait to get back out and compete again. Despite the heavy practice sessions he struggled a little when the Tour did resume.

MAJOR TALENT

He posted a top-ten in the first event back in June but then failed to crack the top 30 again until mid August. However, he successfully made it to the Tour Championship for the second year in a row and made the cut at the US Open for the first time. He continued to play whenever opportunity arose and announced himself as a Major talent with a runner-up finish at The Masters in November.

“My initial goal at the start of the week was just to make a cut and get into the weekend. So to finish tied for second is unbelievable,” said Im after sharing second with Cameron Smith on 15-under-par, five back from Dustin Johnson.

“I watched The Masters growing up so many times that it felt like I was used to playing the course, even though it was my first time. I know the course kind of suits not only me but many of the Korean players as well, so I think that’s why I played so well.”

One Korean who enjoyed three top tens at Augusta was fellow Jeju Province native K.J Choi.

“I know him a decent amount,” said Im. “We’re from the same place back home and I have exchanged words with him in the past.

I would say we’re on pretty good terms of knowing one another.

“Speaking to K.J., who has had a lot of success out here, he said that my style of shot making would be very suitable to Augusta National. My game is either the straight ball or a slight baby fade, and in my opinion, from the tee box when I look down the fairway of each hole, what I see of the course management visually, I can see where to hit it and where not to hit it. I think that’s why I felt comfortable playing Augusta.”

STAY UP TO WATCH TIGER

The Masters was the one event that captured Im’s imagination as a youngster, when he would stay up late to watch Tiger Woods in action.

“If Tiger was playing, not just me, but a lot of golf fans in Korea, I’m sure they stayed up to watch as well,” he said.

Growing up, Im was something of a golf prodigy. He first picked up a club aged four and got his first coach aged seven. By 12 he was enrolled at a golf academy and he

IM FINISHED RUNNER-UP TO DUSTIN JOHNSON ON HIS MASTERS DEBUT LAST NOVEMBER.

I watched The Masters growing up so many times that it felt like I was used to playing the course, even though it was my first time. I know the course kind of suits not only me but many of the Korean players as well, so I think that’s why I played so well SUNGJAE IM turned professional five years later. His opening couple of years on the Japan Golf Tour is when he ironed out some minor flaws in his game and worked on his takeaway, which is deliberately very slow.

“My swing takeaway has been slow for been about four years,” he said. “Playing on the Japan Tour, I had been struggling with my game, and I worked on a slow tempo swing of my own, and it started working well, so it’s been about four years like that.

“Up until then, my backswing speed was the same as the average player out here, but I wanted to experiment and just kind of find out what really worked for me, and was just

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doing a drill of slowing down the backswing, and it really helped.

“I felt like I could hit the ball where I wanted to and just got better contact in general, and now I feel like my backswing is getting slower and slower as time goes, but it’s what works for me, and I’m happy with it.”

And so he should. His swing, and in particular his driving, has been the backbone of his game. He currently ranks inside the top ten in strokes gained off the tee but a lowly 197th around the green. If he can clean up his scrambling and sharpen his short game he’ll be a force to be reckoned with more often than not as 2021 progresses. ■

COLUMN

PETE COWEN Let’s get Rory winning Majors again!

Rory will win Majors – just give him space It’s great to be working with Rory and Michael Bannon but managing his short game might be the easy part. Rory, just like Tiger, is a brand and there are huge amounts of pressure when it comes to running a super company.

I

t’s been just over a week since it was announced that I would be working with Rory and I’ve now experienced first hand the media expectations that are heaped on the lad. We’ve not sat down properly to go through things and already people believe he is now going to win the Masters. The world has gone mad. He needs space to work and not feel the pressures piled on him by social media. Though social media is all part of being a modern day super star, it’s all about balance.

Michael Bannon will always be Rory’s coach, well, he should be because he’s worked with Rory since he was seven or eight years old. In the past I’ve talked to Michael quite often about the golf swing and about Rory’s golf swing, and we have very similar views.

I’d like Michael to still be involved because he’s known the swing for so long, and they’ve only had a barren period in the Majors since 2014, it’s not been a barren period in wins.

We’re not going to reinvent the wheel, I’ve spoke to Michael about Rory and his wedges, and controlling his ball flight, and he’s in total agreement. Sometimes it’s another person saying the same thing that can get the job done, and that’s what I’d like to feel that we can do. But sometimes the press don’t allow you to do your job. After two days of seeing Rory they suddenly think I’m a miracle worker and he’s going to win at Augusta. Well, he hasn’t won a Major in six years so the chances of him winning The Masters are obviously slim.

A talent like Rory’s, it will just take a little bit of time and some application. So it’s work in progress.

One player that has found that winning formula is Bryson. The US Open was massive for him, but in that rough – it’s as if the USGA set it up, in some respect, for him, really. That week he hit as many fairways as the average, but normally if you hit it as far as he does you’re not hitting many fairways. Also when he did miss a fairway – it was better to be 360 yards off the tee and in the rough than 260/270 off the tee and in the rough. And with his clubs, because they’re all 6-iron length, his wedges are longer than normal and they’re more upright and he was able to dig into the back of the ball through the thick rough. So hacking out of the

rough to the front of the green was quite easy for him, relative to the rest of the players. So it was almost made for him – but he had to do it, and he did it, in style. On the 11th fairway everyone was taking 4-iron off the tee and he thought ‘well, it’s a driver for me’ – and it’s never a driver, it shouldn’t be a driver for anyone.

The win at Bay Hill was quite impressive, especially on that 6th hole because he took it on, over the water. It would have been quite easy to miss that – and he would have only had to miss it a little bit for it to be a reload off the tee. I think he gained two shots on the field just with those four drives, and he won the tournament by a shot, so he really won by hitting those drives.

One of the most impressing things about Bryson is his downswing. It is the most impressive thing about his game, it’s fantastic. It looks a bit ungainly on the back-swing but he’s really just loading up all the power. When you look at the downswing movement and impact through the ball - to have the strength in his body to be able to get to the positions that he does, to then deliver the club into the ball correctly, is really, really impressive.

I did chat to him recently and he said that unfortunately when he goes higher than 185mph and gets up to 200mph ball speed – the face deflection on the driver becomes too great, and it’s only got to be slightly off for him to hit it miles offline. But the new ball he’s playing doesn’t spin as much as the older one, so it doesn’t go quite as far offline for him. So it’s interesting that he’s found out that at about 185pmh is almost the maximum.

Then you look at how he played at TPC Sawgrass, again in the final group in contention to win, he was probably at about 185mph ball speed there because he managed his game really well, and almost won again. He is like Vijay Singh with his work ethic, in that he’ll stand out there all day. When you watch him after he’s played a round, he’ll be on the range for a full afternoon. Thursday afternoon at Sawgrass after he’d played in the morning, he was there, and he must have hit 150 drivers, flat out. That’s impressive!

Short game wise, with his wedges being as long as they are he’s a surprisingly good bunker player. You adapt – and he’s very good at adapting. ■

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COLUMN

DAVID HOWELL Rory can benefit from Westwood’s mindset and let the game come to him

Westy shows the way to success by living life in the moment Lee’s carefree attitude in playing golf for fun is paying dividends by the million

M

aking comparisons between the PGA Tour and the European Tour has been a stable diet of conversation over the years as we fly around the world playing this wonderful game.

More often than not, those comparisons are made around prize funds; golf courses; which cities and venues we get to visit and how good the actual events themselves are. But, right now, there is one glaring difference - and that is the talk of the Tour, crowds, galleries, patrons, spectators, fans. Call them what you will, it is safe to say watching PGA Tour golf from our hotel rooms has become an abject lesson in just what being jealous feels like.

We have been so lucky to have had events to compete in since July, and that has been a truly heroic effort to keep the European Tour playing week-to-week, but oh how we have missed the atmosphere that only an enthusiastic gallery can bring.

Strangely, the pressures that professional golf brings haven’t left the scene. In fact, in a strange way the emptiness of the place leaves you alone with your thoughts more than normal, and as pressure is only an internal thought process, having no crowd to play to, to talk to, to smile at and to interact with, actually makes things harder mentally in some way.

No cheers nor groans; no one to tell you to keep your chin up; no autographs to sign or selfies to join, it’s been so long now that, sadly, this ‘ghost town’ atmosphere has become the norm.

So, yes we are jealous of the PGA Tour right now. I can’t wait for golf fans to be able to return to line our fairways, and when they do, we will know that the world has taken a huge step towards normality. It will certainly be a joyous week, whenever it finally happens.

BAY HILL BUCCANEERS What a show Bryson and Lee Westwood put on at one of the best events of the year. The Arnold Palmer Invitational was the first event to have crowds of any real number and both players seemed to relish the occasion. You have to love Bryson for the manner in which he has taken to becoming the main show in town right now. Just the speculation alone that he will have a crack at the par five over the water in one blow got the sports world talking, and that has to be a great thing for the game in general. It’s the sort of thing Arnie would have done in his hey-

day, what a shame he isn’t still with us to have witnessed it all.

Thankfully, his legacy lives on.

Lee Westwood, or ‘Westy’, as I know him, is having the time of his life, playing golf for fun. He’s been travelling the world with his girlfriend Helen or son, Sam, on the bag, with as carefree an attitude as he has ever had in his career. It’s paying dividends alright - many millions of dollars of them to be exact.

Unshackled from expectations, Lee seems to me to be playing week to week, whilst trying his heart out knowing that the days of looking years ahead are long gone. He’s just living life in the moment, soaking up the game he fell in love with as a boy, and enjoying the life that his talent and dedication has afforded him.

As a casual observer I wonder how the golf world would view Rory, for instance, if he were able to create the same mindset that Lee has been able to bask in of late. I fancy if Rory pitched up and said he is just here this week to have fun and play a little golf, the critics would say he isn’t doing himself and his talent justice. Yet we know that when Rory just plays golf his way his game is as good as anyone’s. It bothered me to hear a quote from Rory saying he has been chasing more speed to compete with Bryson, when the facts are the other way around in my opinion.

Bryson chased more speed to compete with Rory and Co. So I predict a glorious summer of golf for Rory, inspired by Westwood showing just how powerful a smile can be, how contentment can be just as powerful as determination and ambition. When you already have all the tools, as Rory most certainly does, then it’s the mindset that you play under that is perhaps the most important thing. Looking at how much Rory has played of late I’d say he has just gone through a really ‘trying hard’ stage in his career. I predict he will start to win again when he takes a look around and sees the life he has created for himself and his loved ones, when he looks with pride at all the tournaments and Majors that he has won, rather than focusing on the ones that he hasn’t or should have won.

I know all this by watching half an hour of golf every now and then, and having said ‘Hi’ to Rory briefly in Abu Dhabi two months ago. So take it with a pinch of salt if you read this Rory, kick back, enjoy your brilliance and let the game come back to you, and when you drive down Magnolia Lane take it all in, like it’s your first time at Augusta, and remember how excited you were to see it all for the first time - and think no further ahead than that. ■

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COLUMN

ADRI ARNAUS Using stats to improve my game.

Fighting to come back stronger It’s disappointing to miss out on events due to having COVID-19 but I’m looking forward to regaining my fitness and coming back stronger.

I

had a lot of time on my hands as I write this latest column as I’m in quarantine in Qatar after testing positive for COVID-19 during the Qatar Masters. It’s the second time in the last eight months that I’ve missed out on playing events due to this disease, but it’s the reality we live in right now so I have to accept it and move on.

I withdrew from the tournament after the eighth hole of my second round because something wasn’t right, I was feeling dizzy and lethargic which was confirmed as coronavirus affecting my body after I received a positive PCR test.

After the positive result came through I had to move out of the tournament hotel and into one that is supervised by the government to undergo my quarantine until I could provide a negative test.

It’s been tough having the virus as the first four or five days I was unable to do the things that are usually simple everyday things for me. I’ve spent most of the time just lying on the bed, watching Netflix and focusing on other projects that I don’t usually get time to work on. One of those was designing a few holes and other things at my own golf course at home, Golf Moia while the other was working on a programme for my golf stats.

I’m always looking at new ways to improve and it’s something that I’ve thought about before so this has been the perfect time to let it take shape and I’m looking forward to putting it in place once I am back.

Once I regained some strength, I started trying to gain what I had lost in shape by doing jumping ropes, burpees and other exercises. I’ve got a long way to go until I’m back at my top condition but hopefully in the next few weeks I’ll slowly start getting sharp with my fitness and be ready to get out on the golf course again. I’ve also been chatting with my coach Mike Walker, Pete Cowen’s assistant, to manage my route back into the game so I’ve spent some time in front of the mirror assessing my swing. I’ve always felt that I can pick up the swing pretty quick when I return, it’s just a matter of the short game and putting for the next tournament so hopefully I get to do that before competing again. I missed out on heading to Kenya for back-to-back events which was disappointing because every time I go to Africa I really enjoy it and the last time I played there was the first time I was competing on a Sunday so it holds special memories for me.

I hope to be back for the events later this in month in Spain as it’s always special to play back home and this time it will be even more special because the Tour is set to play on the Canary Islands which is a place I have great memories from with my parents when I was younger.

We used to go on holiday there every few years and the place has such a fantastic environment so I’m eager to play and head back to Spain for the first time since Christmas and enjoy some time with my family as well. Although they might not recognise me straight away as I’ve dyed my hair blonde during quarantine! ■

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BY

DOMINATE PRACTICE SESSIONS

JONATHAN CRADDOCK

PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL DG PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT golfcoachjc

When heading down to the range it’s important to have certain goals and targets in mind to hone your game, rather than going without a plan and just smashing ball after ball. In this article I’ve picked out three of my top drills to help you improve movement next time you visit the range.

THE MIRROR DRILL Using tape, create the letter T and fix it onto the mirror. The centre line of the T should be placed through the vertical axis of the body to monitor the transverse plane or coil while the top line of the T should be placed on the top edge of the head to monitor lift and drop caused by a change in posture or lateral bend.

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INSTRUCTION

NO LOOK SHOT The golf swing is simply physics and geometry - as long as strong foundations are created with the correct arm hang position. The spiral will take control of the movement, loading the power around and up which enables the down pressure to deliver consistent angular momentum of a stable clubhead.

SHADOW CHECK

PLAY AN IMAGINARY HOLE When working on mechanics it is important to solidify the correct feels, therefore repetition of the correct movement is key. Once the feels have been established remember to change the practice up by visualising playing a hole on the range.

Decide on the length and width of fairway, play the drive, estimate drive distance and then work out the remaining distance to play the approach

shot. Select a target approximately the distance of the approach shot and if you are within 30ft give yourself a two-putt, if it’s outside of this distance then select a target to chip to.

If your shot finishes within 6ft you can award yourself a par and if you’re outside that range then it will go down as a bogey – but it’s worth noting that the current PGA Tour average from 6ft is only 69%.

Throughout practice, time should be allocated to ensure the movement you’re working on is correct.

Take time to re-visit the mirror or simply look down at your shadow. Use the shadow to highlight any unwanted lateral or vertical movement.

Check out the video for a more in-depth view of the drill. Or if you want to check your mechanics, why not visit the Peter Cowen Academy Dubai and find out at first hand why his players are the most successful on Tour.

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WATCH THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

SINK MORE BY

JACKSON BELL,

SENIOR TEACHING PROFESSIONAL, JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

T

he first element of being a successful putter all comes within the set up. No matter how good you are at golf, if you don’t set yourself up correctly then you will not be sinking those vital putts out on the course.

EYELINE

Firstly, you want to ensure that your eyeline is directly over the ball as you find the right line for your putt. I’ve seen plenty of amateurs miss putts because they get their eye line too far over the ball or too far behind the ball. An easy exercise to correct this is to just drop a ball from your eye to make sure your eyeline is directly over the ball.

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INSTRUCTION

CLUBFACE CONTROL

From there you’re going to look into controlling the clubface and one of the best tools to help with this is the Harold Swash putting template that we use down at the Peter Cowen Academy.

The aim is to follow the black line on the template for the ideal stroke, but it will take some trial and error to find the stroke that works best for you.

It also helps to place two tees at the end of the template on the right and left hand side to see if you are opening or closing your clubface at impact.

If the ball strikes the right tee then the clubface is open while the clubface will be closed if you hit the left tee.

Check out the video online and if you need any more help with your game then come down and visit me or one of the team at the Peter Cowen Academy Dubai.

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LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

GOLF RETAIL THRIVING IN THE PANDEMIC

G

olf is currently booming and the same can be said for golf retail, which is also experiencing a significant growth spurt during the pandemic. Earlier this year, Golf Datatech, the industry’s leading independent market research firm, released its 2020 National Golf Performance Report which saw equipment sales surge over 40% percent in the June to December time frame against 2019 in the US. On the local front, golf retail has been experiencing the same trend, with eGolf Megastore recording similar growth to the US and opening two additional stores during the pandemic, with a further store coming this May to support the demand.

“The upsurge in our equipment and apparel

sales over the past nine months is consistent with the golf industry momentum we have seen throughout the Middle East since coming out of lockdown,” said Dean Cheesley, Founding CEO, eGolf Megastore. “We continue to see record numbers in multiple equipment categories; driver, irons, and wedges, in particular, where our second half sales in 2020 saw a 46% increase against the same period 2019. In the case of starter and kids sets, it’s been virtually impossible to continue to forecast the demand. Each time the product comes in, it immediately goes out.”

Cheesley added that the upward trend in the last two categories, starter sets and kids sets, is most satisfying to him as it supports many of the ‘grow the game’ initiatives that

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the golf industry in the Middle East has been working towards over the past decade or more.

“Pre-pandemic there was always a steady flow of new beginners coming in for starter sets and other products to support them as they get into the game. Following the lockdown, we experienced the initial major spike in sales of these product lines, and more recently, particularly since the opening of Topgolf, we’ve seen an even greater demand for them. It’s not only great for the game, but also for everyone involved in the local industry who are passionate advocates of the sport and its future development in the region.”

Additionally, eGolf Megastore has been busy designing and opening new stores in the

EGOLF MEGASTORE, DUBAI MALL

region to support the industry’s growth: a new location at Al Mouj Golf in Oman that opened last December and its newest store denoted as the company’s flagship store, located at the Dubai Mall.

“Our Dubai Mall store is an achievement that I am incredibly proud of as it is the result of our collective effort as a team. It’s been almost ten years since I founded the company, where it started out from a small warehouse with a single employee. As far-fetched an idea as it was at the time, there was always a vision to one day open in the Dubai Mall”, Cheesley added.

“Over the past few years, we received recurring requests from tourists for a more convenient eGolf Megastore location. With that in mind, we set out to create an eGolf version 2.0 in the design of the store, which meant retaining part of the brand’s signature look in our current stores but enhancing it through a more modern design. The Dubai Mall location has been years in the making and couldn’t be timed better, coupling the recent surge of new golfers and the gradual return of tourism in the region.”

The eGolf Megastore team are pictured at the new flagship premises at Dubai Mall.

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IN THE BAG WITH

ZACH JOHNSON

2007 MASTERS CHAMPION

DRIVER PXG 0811 PROTOTYPE DRIVER, 9° WITH TENSEI AV BLUE 65-TX WOODS TAYLORMADE M6 (15 DEGREES) WITH FUJIKURA SPEEDER 757TR X SHAFT ZACH JOHNSON’S PUTTING TIPS

HYBRIDS PXG 0317 X GEN2 HYBRID, 19° AND 22° WITH HZRDUS SMOKE 6.5

1. STAND TALL AND LET YOUR ARMS SWING FREELY TO HELP PREVENT EXCESSIVE HAND ACTION DURING THE STROKE.

IRONS PXG 0311T GEN1 IRONS 5-9 WITH DYNAMIC GOLD X-100

2. SELECT A PUTTER THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DEVELOP A GOOD POSTURE, WHILE MAKING SURE THE HEEL OR TOE OF THE PUTTER IS NOT ANGLED UPWARD AT ADDRESS.

WEDGES PXG 0311 MILLED ‘SUGAR DADDY’ 48°, 52°, 56°, 60° WITH DG S400

3. RELAX YOUR FACE AND JAW TO HELP REMOVE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND TAKE THE TENSION OUT OF THE STROKE.

PUTTER PXG PROTOTYPE PUTTER BALL TITLEIST PRO V1 X

4. A PUTTER IS DESIGNED TO SWING IN AN ARC. DON’T TRY TO TAKE IT BACK STRAIGHT AND LOW. 5. VISUALISE THE BALL TRAVELLING IN TO THE HOLE DURING YOUR PRE-SHOT REHEARSAL. AFTER A LAST LOOK AT THE TARGET, LET IT GO. THE BEST STROKES ARE THE ONES YOU DON’T REMEMBER.

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PXG 0211 ST IRONS

BY ALEX GALLEMORE

BLADE RUNNER PXG FINALLY BRING OUT A BLADE – BUT WILL IT MAKE THE CUT? Having recently tested the latest 0211 GEN2 irons from PXG I was blown away on several counts but the stand out features were the performance and price. Arguable the two best features in any club! Though the slightly bulky head packed a knockout punch it was not going to appeal to lower handicap players that prefer a cleaner more traditional head. In many ways the previous 0211 GEN1 was the better looking club. So it came as no surprise PXG has launched the 0211ST. It is a traditional muscleback blade design with a huge amount of forgiveness due to its high Moment Of Inertia.

Bob Parsons, PXG Founder and CEO:

“We couldn’t help it. We had to see if we could develop a pure tour blade that packs a punch at a killer price tag. Good enough for the tour, but designed for the average Joe, 0211 ST Irons feel as good as they look and perform like a car on rails.”

Technology

PXG 2021 0211 ST Irons are triple forged from 8620 soft carbon steel. The forging process creates a tight grain structure that increases the material’s strength, prolonging groove life and producing an exceptional feel.

Even though 2021 0211 ST Irons are blades by design, the mass’s strategic repositioning throughout the clubhead results in an increased overall moment of inertia (MOI). A tapered sole and back-bottom flange design add mass towards the toe side of the clubhead, while additional material is removed from the upper mid-section and repositioned to the high toe. These strategic attributes make 0211 ST Irons surprisingly forgiving for a solid-bodied blade.

Lofts

Verdict

I would normally run a mile when handed a blade. Though, I’m drawn to the classic clean lines of the PXG 0211ST head. As you would expect from a forged club, the feel and sound are music to the ears, though some other forged blades on the market have the edge on that front. Where the 0211 scores above the rest is forgiveness. The high MOI is easy to see in off centre strikes, especially towards the heel. There is a drop off in performance but only marginally compared to other blades. If you switch out the four iron for a hybrid, the 0211ST might appeal to the mid and not just the low handiappers.

At $149 a club PXG has kept things in line with the 0211 GEN2 - so not too hard on the wallet.

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IN THE BAG WITH

MASTERS RECORD

JORDAN SPIETH

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

2015 MASTERS CHAMPION SCORING AVERAGE 70.838

BIRDIE AVERAGE 4.25 SAND SAVE PERCENTAGE 56.86%

DRIVING DISTANCE: 296.6 YARDS

GREENS IN REG. % 64.17% PUTTS PER ROUND 28.25

DRIVING ACCURACY % 50%

DRIVER TITLEIST TSI3 10 DEGREES WOODS TITLEIST TS2 15 DEGREES HYBRID TITLEIST 818 H2 21 DEGREES UTILITY IRONS TITLEIST U-500 2 & 4 IRON IRONS TITLEIST T100 5- 9 IRON

WEDGES TITLEIST VOKEY SM8 46, 52, 56, 60 DEGREES PUTTER SCOTTY CAMERON PROTOTYPE

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T2 1 T2 T11 3 T21 T46

MASTERS RECORD

IN THE BAG WITH

ADAM SCOTT

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

2013 MASTERS CHAMPION

T18 T2 T8 1 T14 T38 T42 T9 T32 T18 T34

DRIVING DISTANCE: 307.7 YARDS

DRIVING ACCURACY % 53.39%

GREENS IN REG. % 66.39%

BIRDIE AVERAGE 4.15

SCORING AVERAGE 70.626

DRIVER TITLEIST TSI2 9 DEGREES WOODS TITLEIST TSI2 16.5 DEGREES,

SAND SAVE PERCENTAGE 36.76%

PUTTS PER ROUND 29.10

TITLEIST TSI2 21 DEGREES IRONS TITLEIST 718 T-MB 4 IRON TITLEIST 680 FORGED 5 – 9 IRON

WEDGES TITLEIST VOKEY SM8 48, 52, 56, 60 DEGREES PUTTER SCOTTY CAMERON XPERIMENTAL REV X11

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BY ALEX GALLEMORE

THE ROCKET LAUNCHER

THE SUPERCHARGER

TSi1 TARGET MARKET For players with moderate swing speeds seeking an ultra-lightweight set up to help maximize distance. Features super-lightweight components and a deep, face-centered CG for increased launch and superchraged ball speed.

TSi2 TARGET MARKET This will appeal to a wide range of players that want forgiveness across the whole face, easy to launch with low to moderate spin. The aerodynamic crown will also assist players in picking up a fraction more clubhead speed.

TECHNOLOGY From clubhead to grip, TSi1 metals have been strategically engineered and weighted to deliver maximum launch and distance at moderate swing speeds.

Players often equate ‘high MOI’ with heel to toe forgiveness, but Titleist employs a more holistic approach to their MOI design. Their inertia also delivers more speed and a tighter spin range up and down the face, freeing you to attack every drive

TECHNOLOGY Titleist have become the first golf brand to used ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium, a material that was originally developed for ballistic armour and used in NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander due to its high strengthto-weight ratio. It provides more elasticity and durability than the conventional titaniums normally seen in golf. Using ATI 425 in the TSi2 and TSi3 drivers has allowed Titleist to create the brand’s fastest ever face that produces a fast ball launch from any point of contact.

LOFTS: 9, 10, 12

HEAD SIZE: 460cc

LOFTS: 8, 9, 10, 11

HEAD SIZE: 460cc

LAUNCH: HIGH

SPIN: MID

LAUNCH: HIGH

SPIN: LOW / MID

STOCK SHAFTS

STOCK SHAFTS

Mitsubishi KURO KAGE™ Black Dual-Core 5G (High launch and spin), Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW Blue (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX (Low-mid launch and spin) and Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW White (Low launch and spin).

BALL SPEED: FORGIVENESS: SOUND / FEEL: ADJUSTABLITY: DISPERSION: PRICE:

Mitsubishi KURO KAGE™ Black Dual-Core 5G (High launch and spin), Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW Blue (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX (Low-mid launch and spin) and Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW White (Low launch and spin).

BALL SPEED: FORGIVENESS: SOUND / FEEL: ADJUSTABLITY: DISPERSION: PRICE:

nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn 2,825 AED

VERDICT This club is all about maximsing distance for players that do not generate a 90+mph clubhead speed and struggle to get the ball airborne. That is where this club excels, though for AED 2,825 with a stock shaft you should expect it to deliver the goods off the tee!

nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn 2,825 AED

VERDICT Tear drop head and shallow face is confidence building, as it looks huge at address behind the ball. This head kicks the ball up quickly with low spin, so ideal for players searching for that edge when it comes to carry distance but don’t expect a great deal of run out.

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TITLEIST TSI FAMILY REVIEW

THE JET FIGHTER

THE ANIMAL

TSi3 TARGET MARKET Not surprisingly this head has found its way into the bag of not just the Titleist staff players but has helped the brand lead the overall driver count at many of the 2020/21 PGA Tour events. The traditional pear shaped head targets those with a more consistent strike pattern that look to control the trajectory.

TSi4 TARGET MARKET Best suited for a World Long Drive professional. This head is designed to do one thing very well. Go long ... and I mean long. Only useful in the hands of players with huge club head speed that need a dramatic reduction in ball spin.

TECHNOLOGY The TSi3 head features a new SureFit CG track technology, offering five unique positions to adjust club head CG to fine-tune ball flight with neutral, heel or toe settings.

It shares the same ATI 425 face technology as the TSi2 which also has the added benefit of allowing Titleist manufacture to tighter tolerances and control hot spots. Making the release of energy more efficient to deliver more speed to both centre and off-centre strikes.

TECHNOLOGY Sharing the same ATI 425 face technology and aerodynamic benefits of its other TSi stablemates the TSi4 head has been modified for raw distance. It’s six percent more drag coefficient than the previous TS4.

The centre of gravity is so far forward to reduce spin and dynamic loft the head weight is nearly located behind the face!

LOFTS: 8, 9, 10 LOFTS: 9, 10, 12 LAUNCH: MID LAUNCH / HIGH

HEAD SIZE: 460cc

HEAD SIZE: 430cc

LAUNCH: MID

SPIN: VERY LOW

HEAD SIZE: 460cc SPIN: LOW SPIN/ MID

STOCK SHAFTS

Mitsubishi KURO KAGE™ Black Dual-Core 5G (High STOCK launch SHAFTS: and spin), Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW Blue (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX (Low-mid launch and spin) and Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW White (Low launch and spin).

BALL SPEED: FORGIVENESS: SOUND / FEEL: ADJUSTABLITY: DISPERSION: PRICE:

LOFTS: 8, 9, 10

nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn 2,825 AED

VERDICT Titleist have been close to getting their driver formula right for a number of years but they just missed that something to challenge Callaway and TaylorMade. The use of ATI 425 has been ground breaking and now they are back once more as the driver of choice!

STOCK SHAFTS

Mitsubishi KURO KAGE™ Black Dual-Core 5G (High launch and spin), Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW Blue (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX (Low-mid launch and spin) and Mitsubishi TENSEI™ AV RAW White (Low launch and spin).

BALL SPEED: FORGIVENESS: SOUND / FEEL: ADJUSTABLITY: DISPERSION: PRICE:

nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnn 2,825 AED

VERDICT The wild thing! If distance bragging rights is your thing, the TSi4 is for you. The longest driver I’ve hit this year but imagine steering a F1 car on bald tyres in damp conditions. It’s one hell of a ride but unless you drive like Lewis Hamilton get ready for the gravel traps!

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S HA RJA H G O LF & SHO OTI NG CLUB

DUBAI CR E E K GOL F & Y AC H T C LU B

E MIRAT E S GOL F F E DE RAT ION

Kang birdies the last for title

Semi-finals loom for four societies The eagerly anticipated quarter finals of the Rigid Industries Golf Society League took place last month as teams battled against each other for a spot in the semi-finals. In the first match, the Filipino Golfers in the Middle East faced a strong challenge against the International Golf Society, with the latter proving too strong as they won both matches to book their passage to the next round. The Angry Birdies, who have been strong throughout the league stages, continued their fine from as they defeated the Nepalese Golf Society in both matches to join the International Golf Society in the semis. The newly-formed Sharjah Night Riders also won both of their matches against the Happpy Hookers, but the real drama was reserved for the final match of the day as last year’s finalists GTI lost out to Spartans Golf Society in a dramatic sudden death play-off.

A dramatic ending to the Ping Dubai Creek Junior Open saw Hyeonji Kang birdie the last to steal victory away from Jamie Camero who had led after 17 holes. Camero walked to the 18th tee with a one stroke lead but a bogey opened the door for Kang and she sank her birdie putt to post a ladies course record 66 and claim the title. In the Net Division, Yashvir Anand took the trophy with a 67 followed by Dilan White on 68.

Walani & co. book Final spot Sameer Walani, Imran Qayyum, Tauseef Khan and Shiba Khan secured their spot in the Lincoln Dubai Golf Pro-Am Grand Final after carding an impressive score of 89 points in the recent qualifying event. The Professional section saw Luke Plumb, Cian Hurley and Malcolm Young all tie for first place after posting an even par 71 while Mike Bolt and Sam Maclaren shared fourth on 73.

Yousuf Wins fourth UAE Presidents Cup Title The ninth edition of the UAE Presidents Cup did not disappoint with the tournament going down to the wire as Khalid Yousuf secured the title for a fourth time after seeing off Ahmad Skaik in a play-off. The two players could not be separated after 36 holes with both scoring150 after two days of thrilling golf in sandy conditions at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. In the play-off, Yousuf came out on top to deny Skaik the opportunity to defend his crown after sinking a birdie putt on the first extra hole. The winner in the Net Division was Mohammed Abdulla who finished with a total of 123 while Dr. Sultan Abdul came out on top in the Senior Division with a total of 160. In the Ladies Division, Alia Al Emadi got her hands on the trophy for the first time after rounds of 81 and 79 while the Net Division was won Reema Al Heloo, who also finished second overall, after posting a net 145. Rashid Al Jassmy shot a championship total of 163 to claim his first UAE Presidents Cup victory in the Junior Division while Fatma Kalbat secured the Par-3 Championship on the Garden course.

AL AIN EQUESTRIAN, SHOOTING & GOLF CLUB

Tight finish in Monthly Medal Herbert Locke, Ann Kritzinger and Eru Kawakami were all locked in a battle for top spot in Division C after posting excellent net scores of 64 in the latest Monthly Medal. Herbert finally emerged victorious after a countback with Kritzinger and Kawakami settling for second and third respectively. Ryan Westby continued his fine form as he took top spot in Division A with an impressive net 67 while Konstantin Varga secured the Division B title with 68.

Good scoring in the Midweek Special The team of Cian Hart, Ciaran O’Brien, Conor Freeman and Kevin Campion topped the leaderboard in the recent Radisson Blu Hotel Ajman Midweek Special with a score of 87 points in the ‘Salsa Special’ format played from the yellow and white tees. The Stableford salsa format saw the teams use either one, two or three best scores on each hole, and Cian, Ciaran, Conor and Kevin are not strangers to this event and played some great golf on the night in a format that can be tricky – especially on the holes where three scores count.

Thom on song in Monthly Stableford Last month saw the return of the Unitechnik Monthly Stableford with a field of 36 competitors battling honours and it was low handicapper Andrew Thom who produced one of his best rounds of the season for a sensational total of 41 points to secure top spot. Chris Andrews scored 39 points to seal Division A while Gary Williams landed himself some prizes with victory in Division B.

Labuschagne and Kawakami cruise to Club Championships Tiaan Labuschagne and Sakura Kawakami were crowned Men’s and Ladies Club Champion respectively after two terrific performances.

Labuschagne kept his overnight lead from round one to secure victory by 15 strokes from Peter Whittaker with a total of score of 141 while Mick Garbutt completed the top three with a score of 157. In the Ladies section Kawakami eased to the title after rounds of 70 and 76 saw her lift the trophy for the fourth time in the last five years ahead of Martine Garbutt who posted 197.

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Kritzinger on top at Handicap Day Andre Kritzinger returned the best score of the day and claimed top spot in Division B with an impressive tally of 43 points at last month’s Handicap Day. Edwin Jusino came home in second place after posting 20 points on both the front and back nine while Dave Kerr settled for third place with 35 points. Johan Potgieter topped Division A on 38 points, ahead of Nic Poisat and Kenny King, while Leon Herselman sealed Division C on 35 points.

ARABIAN GOLF J U M E I R A H GO L F E STA T ES

EMI RATES GOL F C LU B

Byrne on top in the Medalford

Perrot battles the elements at Club Championship Bilbo Perrot was crowned the 2021 Men’s Club Champion after battling the tricky conditions to win by one stroke from Marcus Dutton. Mike Murray took the Net title after finishing on nine under par while Steven Drake was crowned the 2021 Senior Club Champion after two very solid rounds. In the Ladies section, Chiara Noja secured the Ladies Club Championship after a 140 total while Kayleigh Korneski claimed the Net Champion prize after finishing on level par after two rounds.

A B U DHA B I C ITY GO L F CLUB

Fun had by all at Captain’s Day

Paul Byrne won the gross prize in last month’s OMA Emirates Medalford competition with a superb 73 on the Majlis, which included three birdies. Craig Tredenick fired six birdies en route to a net 66 on the Majlis to top the pile in Division A, two strokes clear of Ken Newell with Kush Sama in third. In Division B, Edouard Meyer secured the spoils with a countback win over Amresh Sangani after both players had shot 70. One stroke back in third place was Raj Janardhan while in Division C Rvavi Khanna emerge victorious with a score of 71.

The duo of Jennifer Bang and Seung Min Lee came out on top at Yana Jamieson’s Captain’s Day with a score of 37 points over the Majlis. Narrowly missing out on first place on a countback were Ingrid Lind and Connie Sayal, who carded six net birdies during their round. At the Captain’s dinner, Yana gave a special thanks to Naima Maya and Vice Captain Abdul Fattah Sharaf for their support during her captaincy.

Women’s golf celebrated on the Faldo course

Club Champions crowned after tense finish

Bibby holds nerve to seal Ladies Amateur Open

After two days of tough competition, Elisya Muhamad Faizul and Dan Kirkwood were crowned Ladies and Men’s Club Champions respectively. With a full field of 96 players vying for the accolade, Faizal came out on top in the Ladies section after posting rounds of 80 and 86 for a total of 166. Kirkwood emerged victorious in the Men’s draw with a play-off triumph after Andre De Beer had also posted an impressive total of 145. James Finucane sealed top spot in the Men’s Net Division while Amanda Williams took home the Ladies Net title.

Kate Bibby was crowned Ladies Amateur Open champion following a thrilling round of golf which ended with a dramatic play-off victory over Liang Wei Liu. Bibby shot an excellent 71, which included a run of three birdies on four holes towards the end of the front nine, before holding her nerve to make birdie in the first trip back up the 18th to secure the title. In the Net Division, Anne Gely Bouigue came out on top with a net 68 which included back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15. Janet Kim secured second spot on a countback with net 69 while Ingrid Lind had to settle for third.

T HE E LS C LUB

TROON A B U DH AB I

T RU MP INT E RNAT IONAL GC , DU B A I

Hill defends Club Championship crown

Hill pips Gupta to Men’s Open Josh Hill added another Men’s Open title to his glowing résumé after edging out close friend Arjun Gupta in a play-off. Gupta was seven shots behind Hill after the first round but a superb second round 64 saw him force a play-off – which Hill went on to win after the first extra hole. The Gupta family didn’t go home empty handed though, with Arjun’s sister, Natalii picking up the Ladies title after posting 71 with Kate Bibby one shot back in second.

To celebrate International Women’s Day last month, the Faldo course hosted the inaugural International Women’s Golf Day which saw 100 golfers compete. The winning team from Emirates Golf Club (EGC), with a an impressive net 54, was Joumana Petridis, Francoise Everingham, Alison Cowley and Sarah Butler, with the highlight of the round coming on the 16th where the team made an excellent gross eagle. The winning non-EGC team, with a score of net 57, was Ester Povedano, Dawn Massie, Jacqueline de Vries and Ursula Lotti.

Saadiyat Beach and Yas Links move to end singleuse plastic on course Last month, officials at both Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Golf Club removed all singleuse plastic bottles from their premises, underlining their commitment to environmental sustainability.

Every year across both clubs over 100,000 plastic water bottles are consumed, and as of now members and guests are encouraged to use and refill their own reusable bottles. Water coolers on the course are located with hand sanitizers, ensuring a hygienic environment for players.

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Josh Hill continued his hot streak by successfully defending his Club Championship title with a three-shot win thanks to rounds of 68-72. Playing partner Wayne Platts pushed Hill all the way to finish runner-up while Arjun Gupta finished one further back in third. Kate Smith was crowned the new Ladies Club Champion after shooting 68-76 with DG O’Brien taking second spot after posting 89-86. Michael Bacon and Rachel Cashin won the Men’s and Ladies Net Division respectively.

WORLDWIDE GOLF

TRAVEL

With two world class courses in The Garden of England and only a 40 minute drive from the heart of the Capital, London Golf Club is a perfect sanctuary for a golfing getaway.

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EUROPEAN TOUR DESTINATIONS

VENUES

LE GOLF NATIONAL PARIS, FRANCE DIAMOND COUNTRY CLUB VIENNA, AUSTRIA PGA CATALUNYA RESORT BARCELONA, SPAIN JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES LIGHTHOUSE GOLF & SPA RESORT CAPE KALIAKRA, BULGARIA SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA LONDON GOLF CLUB LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM TERRE BLANCHE HOTEL SPA GOLF RESORT***** PROVENCE, FRANCE GOLF CLUB ST. LEON-ROT HEIDELBERG, GERMANY THE DUTCH AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLF CLUB & RESORT HUA HIN, THAILAND ALBATROSS GOLF RESORT PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC BOM SUCESSO OBIDOS, PORTUGAL CONSTANCE BELLE MARE PLAGE POSTE DE FLACQ, MAURITIUS MARCO SIMONE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB ROME, ITALY VERDURA RESORT SICILY, ITALY FINCA CORTESIN HOTEL GOLF & SPA MARBELLA, SPAIN VILLAVERDE HOTEL & RESORT VENICE, ITALY QUINTA DO LAGO ALGARVE, PORTUGAL LINNA GOLF HÄMEENLINNA, FINLAND GOLF SON MUNTANER PALMA, SPAIN TBILISI HILLS TBILISI, GEORGIA ESTONIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB TALLINN, ESTONIA PIRIN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB SOFIA, BULGARIA CONSTANCE LEMURIA PRASLIN, SEYCHELLES DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB DUBAI, UAE EMIRATES GOLF CLUB DUBAI, UAE GENZON GOLF CLUB SHENZHEN, CHINA

UNDER DEVELOPMENT:

ROSSINGTON HALL DONCASTER, UNITED KINGDOM SPARBEN GOLF RESORT BORDEAUX, FRANCE

Worldwide GOLF 61

BOOK GOLF & CLOSE YOUR GAME !

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GOLF TRAVEL

Phillip Price wins the 2019 PGA Seniors Championship at London Golf Club.

S

et over 700 acres of idyllic countryside, London Golf Club provides an oasis of tranquility for all levels of golfers – and for those from far and wide.

Just 20 miles from the Capital, its all-encompassing facilities and convenient access to motorways, rail networks and international airports make the club uniquely positioned to cater for visiting golfers, corporate golf days, meetings and weddings, in addition to providing a membership experience that surpasses expectations.

Stretching out across the peak of Kent’s North Downs, the club features two Jack Nicklausdesigned Championship courses, both of which have hosted European Tour events. The Heritage course hosted back-to-back editions of the European Open in 2008/09 while the International course welcomed the 2014 edition of the Volvo World Match Play Championship. The club also held back-to-back editions of the prestigious PGA Seniors

Championship on the Staysure Tour (now Legends Tour) in 2018/19.

The Heritage provides an exhilarating test for golfers of all abilities and is maintained in pristine condition all-year round. Fast rolling greens await players once they embark from immaculately presented tee-boxes and fairways as the Heritage is regarded as one of England’s finest golf courses.

There is an on-site Academy led

by PGA Professionals and Trackman launch monitors are utilised to enhance analysis. Also included are two practice putting greens with grasses that match those used on both courses, a 330-yard driving range with tees at either end and covered bays for use during inclement weather.

The club has recently introduced a new Junior Development Programme, aptly named the London Cubs in a nod to the great Jack Nicklaus’ ‘Golden Bear’ moniker. ■

For more information: www.londongolf.co.uk

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Celebrity PAUL WARING

We ask the European Tour’s top golfers how their dream dinner party would unfold.

Players must choose three celebrities to accompany them, one band or artist to provide the music, what would be on the menu and tell us their favourite party trick! Next in the hotseat is Englishman Paul Waring.

RICKY GERVAIS For the banter!

Music

I’d get a DJ to play some laid back house music.

JAMES CORDEN

I know him and Ricky have a bit of a feud so I’d sit back and watch that unfold!

MENU IT WOULD BE A VEGAN MENU FOR RICKY GERVAIS.

TIGER WOODS

I’d hound him with questions.

PARTY TRICK

I CAN DRINK A LOT AND THEN SAY SOME REALLY STUPID THING! Worldwide GOLF 64

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New Pro V1 ® and Pro V1x ® deliver more distance, consistent flight, softer feel and more greenside spin and control so you can bring your best on every shot and every round.

Learn more: www.titleist.co.uk