Worldwide Golf May 2021 by Worldwide Golf

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

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1999

Worldwide Golf

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M AY

2021

COMPETITION

WIN

0811 GEN4 DRIVER REVIEW

A CAL WAY EPIC SPEED DRIVER

WHY THEIR BIGGEST THREAT IS THEMSELVES!

GENERATION e m Ga TIME TO MEET FREDDIE

FEATURE

FOCUS

TAKUMI KANAYA

THE JAPANESE YOUNGSTER HOPING TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

PATTY TAVATANAKIT

+ CHIP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

WOMEN’S GOLF HAS FOUND ITS NEWEST STAR FOLLOWING MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

+ KEEP MOVEMENTS SIMPLE

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

+ TONY FINAU - IN THE BAG

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Gary Player: Garrick learns there’s no such thing as ‘a lead’

Lefty Higgo shows way for Springboks Amazing feeling for front - runner at Gran Canaria

T WAS WONDERFUL to talk to fellow South African Garrick Higgo on the eve of his victory at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open at Las Palmas, Spain, in spectacular style last month. What a likeable, unassuming young man Garrick is and he’s got as nice a swing as I’ve seen anywhere. He’s a rare talent and I’m sure he’s going to make a name for himself in world golf. There were very few lefthanders in the game in my day but he has the ability to match the likes of 1963 Open winner Bob Charles and five-times Major champion Phil Mickelson. Lefties were almost always encouraged to play as right-handers and as a result left-handers golfers were few and far between. Garrick was sitting pretty on the Saturday night with a two-shot lead after shooting 65-64-63 but was apprehensive about what could happen on Sunday and that he might relinquish his advantage. He said he knew anything could happen. So I told him that there was no such thing as ‘a lead’ and that he should play as if he is two shots behind. Garrick replied to me, saying: ‘You’ve given me that advice so many times but I’ve never really had a lead to worry about it.’ He went on to finish convincingly with another outstanding round of 63 for a three-shot victory over the in-form Maximillian Keiffer and a second European Tour title, and was naturally delighted with his performance. ‘It’s unreal,’ said the 21-year-old. ‘Jeez, I can’t put it into words, it feels amazing. It’s quite a relief finishing now. It wasn’t over until the last hole really and I knew anything could still happen, especially with the wind coming up. It was a bit stressful. “I am just going to keep on going forward. I am playing next week, the week after and see where my game goes. It feels good, I have worked really hard with my coach

and everyone back at home, so it feels amazing.” Higgo has only been a professional since 2019 and first shot to prominence last year with victory in just his seventh European Tour start at the Open de Portugal. His second career win in Spain last month has moved him inside the top 70 in the World Rankings, and clearly this is a young man with a bright future. Higgo’s win coincided with Brandon Stone winning his fourth Sunshine Tour event at the Limpopo Championship, and there was almost a rare hat-trick of South African wins across the professional tours with Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel narrowly missing out in a play-off to Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour. There are currently nine South Africans inside the top 100 in the World Ranking in the men’s game, which showcases the strength of talent that the country continues to produce. IT’S ALSO GOOD to see the progress of golf in Saudi Arabia and to be honoured as a Golf Saudi International Ambassador. I’m looking forward to playing a part in developing the Kingdom’s infrastructure and introducing golf to the younger generation. Since my first visit to Saudi in 2020 I’ve been excited to support the work that is being carried out to provide access to golf at all levels, particularly the youthful population. I have long admired the vision of Golf Saudi, but more importantly the work that is being done on the ground to provide access to the sport throughout the Kingdom. I was pleased to see the big names turn out in force for the third edition of the Saudi International Powered by SoftBank Investment Advisors - and to see Dustin Johnson triumph for the second time in the event carrying off nearly half a million dollars - leaving Justin Rose and Tony Finau sharing second place. ■

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IT’S NOT A TREND.

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CONTENTS COLUMN

14 US PGA Championship Kiawah Island hosts the US PGA Championship for the second time as the world’s best descend upon South Carolina in search of the Wanamaker Trophy.

COLUMN

David Howell

Adri Arnaus

European Tour stalwart David Howell reflects on Hideki Matsuyama’s historic Masters triumph and looks ahead to his own future in the game.

The Dubai-based Spanish ace on his return to European Tour action following his COVID-19 woes.

Pete and Freddie Cowen

Pete Cowen might have hit the headlines recently having joined team Rory but what happens once he decides to put his feet up? Who is waiting in the wings? It’s time for everyone to meet his heir apparent…his grandson Freddie!

Patty Tavatanakit

Takumi Kanaya

MG Keyser

Women’s golf has its latest star in the form of 21 year old Patty Tavatanakit after she rose to fame by winning the ANA Inspiration last month while averaging 323 yards off the tee.

The Japanese youngster recently broke into the world’s top 100 and looks set to follow in the footsteps of Hideki Matsuyama by becoming one of the country’s biggest stars.

The 2019 MENA Tour champion is hoping to build on his recent European Tour outings in Kenya as he looks to cement a place amongst the game’s best.

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Train where you

BEL ONG

The Country Club at The Els Club Dubai The Els Club now offers a new sector of membership termed ‘The Country Club Membership’ which is available for non-golfing members to have access to the new expansion which includes the new Gym and Pools. Membership options include annual, half-year, quarterly, and monthly options. Subscription options start from as low as AED 450 (when paying upfront for the Annual plan). Day passes available at introductory prices with exclusive discounts for Member Guests and Victory Heights Residents. Personal Training services and Group Training Classes will be offered by a talented team of TroonFit Trainers who hold extensive knowledge and experience in their craft, paired with a friendly and professional approach. Our experts are waiting to guide and support you in achieving your goals. #WhereYouBelong For further information, please contact us on 04 425 1000 or email CountryClub@elsclubdubai.com

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CONTENTS

GEAR 46

PING 2021 Putter Line-up PING’s new line up comprises of 11 models all designed to make you more efficient on the greens. But which putter will suit you the best?

Emirates Amateur Golf League

The unique concept of the EAGL promises to greatly enhance golf ’s economic impact in Dubai.

42 INSTRUCTION

Chip your way to success

PXG 0811 GEN4 driver range Could the latest high end offering from the home of ‘Mr Ka Boom baby!’ be the best driver in 2021? Packed full of tech and engineering marvels but could their closest rival be themselves?

Olivia Jackson, PGA Professional at Emirates Golf Club, demonstrates a simple alignment drill that will get you closer to the pin in no time.

53 What’s in the bag? Tony Finau is one of the longest on Tour but also one of the most accurate tee to green. Not many could hit his clubs though!

Posture, width, load, release Keep your movements simple to reduce the risk of injury with this quick yet effective drill from Stephen Deane, Head of Academies, Dubai Golf.

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ALEX GALLEMORE

EDITOR’S LETTER

Building a golfing legacy from scratch

OR THE past 17 years I have worked with Pete Cowen on various aspects of the game. From his monthly column to instruction pieces and, more recently, interviewing his players. During that time I’ve also seen his golf range in Rotherham being transformed from what was a run-down golf centre that had fallen into rack and ruin, to becoming the home of Major champions. Here in Dubai, Pete has made the Emirate his home-from-home, and established, arguably, the greatest international teaching academies, at the Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates and the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. You might think Pete makes a pretty penny from all these academies but you would be wrong! He’s not exactly learned how to make money in this capacity, like his good friend Butch Harmon. Pete certainly knows the value of money but it’s not what makes his world go round. When he travels regularly to Dubai from the UK it’s normally on an economy ticket, and whenever we’ve gone out for dinner he would opt for a pizza and a pint over a fancy five-star restaurant. Pete is a straightforward Yorkshireman who’s all about the game. He’s still challenged by the mechanics – on how to improve the movement and efficiency of the swing. His mobile phone is always on call for his players 24 hours a day - and it never stops. Throughout tournaments worldwide he’s normally the first player on the range and one of the last to leave. But, unlike Butch Harmon, who grew up on the PGA Tour ranges with his father, Pete is a first generation coach who made a name for himself the hard way. Growing up in the industrial North of England was tough, especially when the steel and coal industries started to collapse. Working as a local professional in Sheffield during those tough times made him hungry for success and as the fires in the local steel foundries went out, Pete’s continued to burn. We forget that Pete really became known to the golfing world

when he was in his early 50s. At that time, he started working with the likes of Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. Many will argue that’s where Pete’s legacy started, but they’d be wrong. If you get the chance, travel to his range in Rotherham in England and you will probably bump into him there. He won’t be sitting in a fancy office or locked away in a hightech teaching bay. More than likely, he’ll be on the range collecting balls or behind the bar with a cup of Yorkshire tea in his hand.He’s a true Yorkshireman, born and bred!

FEET UP?

Pete is now in his 70s and though he’s as fit as anyone half his age, you would wonder who will be flying the Cowen flag in the years to come once he decides to finally put his feet up. In this issue of Worldwide Golf we introduce you to Freddie Pete’s 17-year-old-grandson, who has grown up alongside golfing greats, and who also has the family’s down-to-earth outlook on life. Read our cover feature to see why the Cowen legacy is still in safe hands. Freddie is going to be a prominent figure on the Pete Cowen YouTube channel, which has just been released. The official channel will give you an ‘inside the ropes’ view of the game with Pete, and access to instruction pieces that have formed the foundations of not just Major champions but many of the leading players in the global game today. To get things going, the channel is giving away a Callaway Epic Speed or a Callaway Epic Max driver. To enter, just subscribe to their YouTube channel. Also, in this issue, we take a look at the latest PXG GEN4 irons and drivers. Find out for yourself if they are worth the hefty price tag? Or has the brand used the new line-up to re-establish itself as a high-end brand, after the ‘affordable’ 0211 range had many golfers questioning the direction it was pursuing in the market. ■

ISSUE No.235 MAY 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

AN EYE-CATCHING LOCATION FOR THE SECOND MEN’S MAJOR OF 2021

THE COURSE Kiawah Island The US PGA Championship heads back to South Carolina from May 17 – 23.

ine years ago the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island provided the longest set-up in Major Championship history, clocking in at a whopping 7,676 yards. In 2017, the expansive Erin Hills in Wisconsin stole the record when it held the US Open at 7,741 yards, but this year Kiawah will reclaim the honour as players tee off in the US PGA Championship looking to conquer a 7,875-yard layout. The mathematicians here will note that this is just 125 shy of 8,000. The course is noted for being the first ever to be designed with a specific event in mind as Alice and Pete Dye were commissioned to create something worthy of hosting the 1991 Ryder Cup. It is laid out in two loops of nine and winds through dunes alongside the coast of South Carolina. Using Scottish and Irish links as their inspiration, the Dyes managed to route the course so that it boasts the most seaside holes in North America – and due to its elevated position the wind affects almost every shot from the tee, fairways and around and on the greens. Approximately 10,000 spectators will be allowed on the course each day of the tournament as Collin Morikawa defends the title he won in front of nobody at TPC Harding Park last August. The Californian held a recent reconnaissance trip and was impressed by what he found. “I think it’s definitely a ball striker’s course,” he said. “You have to be able to control your ball, be able to flight different shots, work it left to right, right to left, and that kind of suits me. The greens are pretty small and it’s a very good finishing stretch, especially with the wind, the way it picked up for me – you’re going to be tested on every shot.”

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STARTER

The dangerous par-3 17th at Kiawah Island

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STARTER QUICK Hits

Facts and Figures from around the world of golf

Sörenstam to tee it up at mixed event in Sweden

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KO BACK IN THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

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Annika Sörenstam will tee it up on home soil for the first time in 13 years alongside fellow tournament host Henrik Stenson at the Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik and Annika at Vallda Golf and Country Club. The tentime Major champion was initially announced as a non-playing host for the inaugural edition of the event, but has decided return to action in Sweden this June following her last appearance on home soil at the 2008 Scandinavian TPC in Stockholm.

Double delight for Japan

There was double delight for Japan in Georgia last month with Tsubasa Kajitani sealing the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, before Hideki Matsuyama became the country’s first men’s winner of a Major by capturing The Masters. Seventeen year old Kajitani superbly held her nerve to defeat Emilia Migliaccio in a play-off in just the second edition of the tournament while Matsuyama survived a late wobble to win by one from Will Zalatoris and secure a historic double for golf-mad Japan.

Lydia Ko added her name to the list of stars who ended lengthy victory droughts last month, following in the footsteps of Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama, with a commanding sevenstroke triumph at the Lotte Championship. The two-time major champion blitzed the field in Hawaii by posting 67, 63, 65, 65 to sign for a 28 under par total, which is the third he third-lowest round in tour history, to win her 16th LPGA title and the first since the 2018 Mediheal Championship. The victory also saw

the Kiwi continue her fine form of late with runner up finishes at the Gainbridge LPGA and Ana Inspiration pushing her up to 11th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. The win at Kapolei Golf Club finally saw her break back into to the top ten as she surged to seventh – her highest position in three years. “No matter if I shoot 81 or 61, my family don’t love me more or less,” Ko said. “Even if you win, it doesn’t make me a better person. Yes, it makes me a little happier in the moment, but it doesn’t change anything else.”

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MacIntyre books return ticket to The Masters

Robert MacIntyre secured a return to Augusta National for next year’s Masters Tournament after a fine debut display saw the 2019 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year birdie the last to take a share of 12th. The finish was also the best Scottish debut in Masters history, beating the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie and Sandy Lyle. “This is a place you want to be competing every year,” the left-hander said. “My first time this year and I obviously put up a decent fight, but once you come here, you don’t want to miss another one.”

Amateurs secure sixpeat at Dubai Golf Trophy Ahmad Skaik added another string to his bow last month by not only becoming the first Emirati to captain a team at the Dubai Golf Trophy but also leading the Amateur Team to a sixth successive victory in one of the country’s most eagerly anticipated events. The Amateur Team cruised to an 11-5 lead after the first day’s play, which included a 7-1 rout in the fourballs, before claiming 7.5 points in the singles to record an 18.5 – 13.5 triumph.

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US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Kiawah Island – Ocean Course, South Carolina 20 – 23 May

Kiawah Island is set to host the US PGA Championship for the second time this month with Pete and Alice Dye’s Ocean Course design oﬀering a stunning backdrop for the second men’s Major Championship of the year. Here we take a look at some of the key stats in the only Major that is exclusively for professional players.

129

With a 65 and a 64 in his ﬁnal two rounds, Collin Morikawa set the lowest closing 36-hole score (129) in Major championship history at last year’s tournament in San Francisco. The previous record of 130 was held by Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Ian BakerFinch and Anders Forsbrand.

Rory McIlroy’s eight-shot victory at Kiawah Island in 2012 remains the biggest winning margin.

10,000

Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen hold the record for most US PGA Championship victories. Hagen was victorious in 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927 while Nicklaus won in 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1980.

Julius Boros holds the record for the oldest Major winner after winning in 1968 when he was 48 years, 142 days old.

There have only been six European winners in 102 editions of the event – Jim Barnes, Jock Hutchinson, Tommy Armour, Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy (x2).

The PGA of America announced a spectator capacity of approximately 10,000 per day will be permitted into this year’s event.

-20

Jason Day became the ﬁrst player to ﬁnish on 20-under par in Major Championship history in the 2015 edition at Whistling Straits. Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson have since equaled that total at the 2016 Open and 2020 Masters respectively.

A FIRST FOR ASIA

In 2009 South Korea’s Y.E Yang etched his name in the history books with a come-from-behind victory over 54-hold leader Tiger Woods at Hazeltine to become the ﬁrst Asian-born male player to win a Major title.

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Flashback - 2012

RECORD-BREAKING MCILROY CRUISES TO SECOND MAJOR TRIUMPH

he last time Kiawah Island hosted the US PGA Championship in 2012, Rory McIlroy cruised to a record-breaking eight stroke victory over unheralded David Lynn to return to World No.1. The Northern Irishman started the week with an impressive five under par 67 to sit just one stroke behind Sweden’s Carl Pettersson in a share of second. The following day, McIlroy’s game was put to the test as he battled against the gusty conditions on what was the toughest scoring day on record since the championship assumed a strokeplay format in 1958, with the average round scoring more than 78. But while many of McIlroy’s peers were bullied by Kiawah Island at its wildest, the then 23 year old grinded his way to a three over par 75 to remain in contention with Pettersen, Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods occupying top spot just two shots ahead. Scoring was a little easier at the start of the third round as McIlroy mastered the Ocean Course with five birdies in his opening eight holes moving him to the top of the pile. The weather conditions then took a turn for the worse with a fierce thunderstorm blowing in late in the afternoon to postpone play for the day, moments after McIlroy bogeyed the ninth to allow Singh to take a share of the lead. McIlroy returned for the final day earlier than scheduled to complete his third round with birdies on the 15th and 16th opening up a three-shot lead over Petterssen heading into the last round with Singh slumping to a third round 74 to fall five shots back. The 2011 U.S. Open champion then produced one of the finest final round displays in Major Championship history as he carded a six under par 66 in South Carolina to win by eight strokes to become the youngest winner of the tournament since 1958. Not content with writing his name in the history books for the biggest winning margin and the youngest winner of the event, McIlroy’s triumph was also the first win by a Brit since Jim Barnes won the first two tournaments in 1916 and 1919 when it was a matchplay event.

“It means an awful lot to look at the names on that trophy and put mine alongside them.” – Rory McIlroy

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WHO’S HOT AND WHO’S NOT

AHEAD OF THE US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

COREY CONNERS The Canadian star has jumped up to a career-high 38th in the Official World Golf Ranking last month off the back of a purple patch which began with a third place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was followed by top tens at The Players Championship, The Masters and RBC Heritage. The 29 year old’s stats also look impressive for 2021, ranking 11th for scoring average, seventh for greens in regulation and 11th for driving accuracy, which all come in handy on the links-style Ocean Course.

STEWART CINK The 2009 Champion Golfer of the Year was ranked 300th in the world when the US PGA Championship was held at TPC Harding Park last August but now finds himself back inside the top 50 with two wins to his name this season on the PGA Tour. A tie for 12th at last month’s Masters Tournament was his best result in a Major since finishing tied fourth at the 2018 PGA Championship – the last time he played this event.

JON RAHM The World No.3 has been one of the most consistent players in the game since the last edition with 11 top tens, including victory at the BMW Championship in Illinois, in his 15 events following his tied 13th at TPC Harding Park, which briefly moved him to the summit of the World Ranking. The Spanish sensation comes alive for the bigger events with four Rolex Series wins to his name and six top tens in Majors in 17 appearances as a professional.

HENRIK STENSON The Swede recently dropped out of the top 100 in the World Ranking following a miserable run of results that saw him miss six cuts in his first eight events in 2021. The 45 year old is likely to only qualify for the tournament thanks to his five year exemption, which comes to an end this year, for his record-breaking Open Championship victory in 2016. The two-time DP World Tour Championship winner failed to make the cut in the three Majors last year before making the weekend at last month’s Masters Tournament, finishing tied 38th.

JORDAN SPIETH The 27 year old has enjoyed an impressive renaissance in 2021 with a string of fine results, pushing him back into the world’s top 50, including an end to his three year title drought after claiming the Valero Texas Open. Add that together with four additional top fives, including a third-place finish at The Masters, and you have one of the hottest players in the game right now, who can join the game’s elite by completing the Grand Slam with a win at Kiawah Island.

RORY MCILROY Despite three top tens in 2021, the Northern Irishman has struggled with his game in recent months which was clear to all when he missed the cut at both The Players Championship on 10 over par and The Masters on 6 over. McIlroy recently admitted that chasing speed in response to Bryson DeChambeau’s recent achievements has hurt his swing, but with the recent addition of Pete Cowen to his team and memories of the 8 stroke rout the last time the event was held at Kiawah Island, he could well escape the rut and add to his four Major titles.

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MATTHEW WOLFF After surging to a career-high 12th in the World Ranking with a back-to-back runner-up finishes at last year’s U.S. Open and Shriners Hospital for Children Open, the American has dropped outside the top 25 after failing to make the top 30 in all but one starts since then. The 22 year old recently withdrew from the WGC-Workday Championship after posting an 11 over par 83 in the first round while he was disqualified from The Masters after handing in a scorecard with a hole score lower than he actually made on hole 17 in round two – he had already assured his exit, though, after rounds of 74 and, what he thought was, 79. could well escape the rut and add to his four Major titles.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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US PGA

CHAMPIONSHIP P

hat a start to Major season we had last month with Hideki Matsuyama becoming the first Japanese man to win a Major Championship at the Masters Tournament. This month it’s time for the US PGA Championship to take centre stage and, in this article, I’m going to take a look at some of the leading contenders and the putters they have in the bag. Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course rose to fame when it hosted the iconic Ryder Cup in 1991 with the USA edging a fierce contest

BY ROBBIE MCCARTHY

Store Manager at Golf Superstore

against the Europeans in what became known as the ‘War on the Shore’. Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal took the fight to the American Team by teaming up to pick up 3.5 points across the first two days, however, it would all come down to Bernhard Langer to hole a 6ft putt on the last to retain the Ryder Cup. The third and final putt on the 18th failed to drop and the infamous three-putt from 45ft left Langer haunted. Just like in The Ryder Cup, putting well in Major Championships is the most important part of the game and key to winning one of golf’s biggest prizes.

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US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PUTTERS

TAYLORMADE

SCOTTY CAMERON

TITLEIST’S SCOTTY CAMERON PUTTERS have been the iconic putting brand for decades with many of the game’s leading players trusting it as their weapon of choice including Tiger Woods, who secured all 15 of his Major wins with his old faithful Newport. Major champions Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka and last month’s Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama have all used Scotty Cameron for years and will once again have it in play at Kiawah Island using shapes such as the Newport, Newport 2 and Futura. Former champion Thomas is one of many opting for the Futura, which promotes rotation with the toe hang and offers enhanced HighMOI performance and forgiveness with its specialised design that has the wings at the back of the head. Matching the amount of arc in the player’s stroke to the head type needed is a very important aspect of putter selection.

TAYLORMADE SPIDER PUTTERS have had great joy recently with Dustin Johnson being the most notable success story over the past year. The American’s putting game has been so strong with the Spider putter it has enabled him to reach World No.1 and saw him slip into a Green Jacket last year with his Masters triumph. When you combine DJ’s skill at sinking putts with his big hitting, the game looks so easy!

ODYSSEY PING

PING are always a solid contender in the putter category having recorded seven wins on the PGA Tour during the 2019/20 season. There’s a wide range on offer from the Vault 2.0 to Heppler to the newly released 2021 range which is sure to go down well with customers. Tyrrell Hatton will be among the contenders using the Vault Oslo putter along with rising star Viktor Hovland, who has impressed since turning professional with a Ryder Cup debut on the horizon later this year. Could Stewart Cink continue to roll back the years wielding the everpopular Ketch model?

ODYSSEY will be strong once again having been the No.1 putter on worldwide tours for the past decade. Their new range builds on the success of the Ten model by introducing a 2-Ball version of the Ten along with Triple Track 2-Ball Ten model which features the best of every innovation. For those who like the more traditional look, the OG range offers a reimagining of some of Odyssey’s classic models. Keep an eye on Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris with the latter two both on form after finishing in the top three at the Masters equipped with the Seven model. World No.3 Jon Rahm is another player who cannot be overlooked as he searches for a Major breakthrough using the 2-Ball Ten. Next time you are passing our Umm Suqeim store in Dubai please pop in and have a putt on our outdoor putting green. I will make sure we get you into the right model of putter to suit your stroke tendencies.

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Patty Tavatanakit

THE NEXT

BIG THING My dad kind of told me that if anything, you should set a goal of being inside the top 100 on the Rolex Rankings and top 60 on the Race to CME Globe.”

PATTY TAVATANAKIT

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PATTY TAVATANAKIT

Last month the world was introduced to a new superstar in the women’s game in the form of Patty Tavatanakit, or Patty T to friends and commentators. The Thai youngster bombed her way around Mission Hills Country Club in stunning fashion to become the first rookie in history to make the ANA Inspiration their maiden win on the LPGA Tour.

ou’d be forgiven if you hadn’t heard of the upbeat 21 year old before. Many of her LPGA peers were also seeing her – or possibly hearing her name – for the first time due to the reduced 2020 schedule and a lot of players choosing to stay in their home countries for the majority of the pandemic. But her breakthrough Major triumph wasn’t the first time Tavatanakit had made her way into the headlines. Two years ago, when just 19 years old and on a sponsor’s exemption, she had the golf world on 59 watch with her epic final round at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. She wouldn’t quite hit the elusive number but a course-record 61, which included three eagles in nine holes, showcased the talent she possesses in just her fourth start as a professional. In the same year, she also earned LPGA Tour status by finishing second on the Symetra Tour’s Money List with three victories in just 11 events which also saw her crowned Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year. LIFE CHANGING Heading into the first Major of 2021, Tavatanakit’s results hadn’t matched up with her exceptional talent. The youngster had only managed one top 10 in 2020 to go with seven missed cuts, while a T5 at the Gainbridge LPGA earlier this year was followed with another missed cut at the KIA Classic – just a week before her life changed forever. Despite that missed cut, Tavatanakit was firing on all cylinders from day one of the ANA Inspiration as she set the pace with an impressive first round six under par 66 in Rancho Mirage. A 67 and 69 followed before a final round

68 held off an incredible final day charge from former World No.1 Lydia Ko to ensure she would become the first rookie winner of the event since Juli Inkster in 1984. “It makes me feel accomplished,” said Tavatanakit shortly after her victory. “Coming into this year I didn’t really set any goals because I knew how tough golf in general was last year. I just wanted to come out and learn to be a better player. “My dad kind of told me that if anything, you should set a goal of being inside the top 100 on the Rolex Rankings and top 60 on the Race to CME Globe. But it’s been my goal at the back of my mind that I really wanted to win and I told Grant Waite my coach about it - but I didn’t expect to win here.” BRYSON WHO? The honesty was refreshing in an age when media training comes to the forefront of players’ minds when being interviewed. But even more impressive than her willingness to open up was her driving statistics for the week and the way she overwhelmed the course. The rookie averaged 323 yards off the tee over four rounds while her third round average was a mammoth 348 yards. To put that into perspective, Bryson DeChambeau’s average driving distance for his last win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was 321.3 yards. “It’s still my rookie year so there is a lot to learn,” she said. “Everyone is good out here, so you have to show a lot of respect to the other players, too. It’s not like, oh yeah, I dominate the course. I still have to execute. I still have to hit good shots. I still have to play smart. I can’t ever get ahead of myself because literally anyone could shoot low numbers.”

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WISE HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS At just 21 years old, Tavatanakit is correct, she still does have a lot to learn. But she is already showing that she is a wise head on young shoulders after revealing the texts she sent back and forth with her mental coaches before Sunday’s final round. “’Reality check,’” she said, reading what Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott of Vision 54 had sent her. “’You don’t know if you’re going to win or not today. You can play good and not win or you can play so-so and still win. You do want to make yourself proud by taking the best actions possible to manage yourself and your game plan. That was huge.’ “I took that really seriously. Just focus on what is 100% under your control, because the outcome is – you can’t control it.” Then came her reply. “I said, ‘I agree. No matter what happens today my core values are: one: my parents will be proud of me and still love me no matter what; two, I’m already so proud of myself to be able to play good the last three days and just be a better player already since last year; and, three, I’m still going to be the same Patty who appreciates the love and care from the people that matter in Patty’s life; and four, at the end of the day there is always room for improvement and I won’t stop trying to get better.’ “I feel like those words, I just keep making them sink into my system,” she said. “And I really think those core values helped me win.” With a game to match the very best coupled with her vibrant personality off the course, golf has unearthed its latest superstar who looks set to shine for many years to come. ■

THE

GENERATION BUILDING A FAMILY LEGACY IS CHALLENGING, BUT KEEPING IT GOING CONSISTENTLY THROUGH TIME IS EVEN HARDER.

BY ALEX GALLEMORE PHOTOS: JOANNA EARDLEY

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THE GENERATION GAME

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ORE THAN 30 years ago Pete Cowen registered the trademark ‘Spiral Staircase,’ the iconic base point around which his legendary swing philosophy has been built. The formula has earned his players hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money along with numerous Major titles, and moulded some of the greatest players in the game. Pete’s secret formula is truly known by a limited few. Many have learned and studied his techniques, some have even been taught by the man himself but only a handful you could ever claim are his master pupils. To truly unlock the knowledge of Pete Cowen, you need to know the man. Nick Huby, who runs the academy in Rotherham; Mike Walker, who Pete took under his wing as a tour coach and, most importantly, his family. Pete’s two sons, Adam and Tom, look after the range in England are around their father the most, along with their elder sister Kate. All of them have seen and been part of their father growing from a local club professional in Sheffield to, arguably, one of the greatest golf coaches in the game. Having seen the struggle in the early years, plus the pressure of carrying the Cowen family name on a caddy bib, Pete’s three children wisely stayed away from the professional game. There is still one person missing. Freddie Parlby is Kate’s 17 year old son and Pete’s grandson. Though the surnames don’t match, you know straight away by looking at their eyes, they are closely related. Freddie, like his grandfather, is down-toearth, the main difference being that Fred smiles and laughs more. But when it comes to understanding the ‘Pete Cowen’ swing techniques, Fred is probably one of the best. Fred has not only grown up on the range in Rotherham hitting thousands of balls but had instant access to both his grandfather and Nick Huby. Nick is great at translating Pete’s techniques from juniors to elite amateurs and now Fred understands his grandfather’s methods just as well as most of the leading professionals in Pete’s stable of stars. With the pandemic preventing Freddie from entering events and building vital amateur points I caught up with him and Pete to find out more about their relationship and see for myself why the Cowen legacy has only just started. Did you encourage Fred to take up the game? Pete: I didn’t really encourage him at all. I used to go and watch him play football and cricket as he was quite good at both. He tended to move more towards cricket and he was a good bowler and batsman, played for Yorkshire Under-10s. So, it was better to stand back and let them come to the game? Pete: Yes, absolutely. They’ve got to want to play

“Even as a coach, if you set off in golf to become a player you want to play. Coaching is definitely the second option, there’s no doubt about that. I’d say to anybody that if they can play at the highest level, play as long as you can.” PETE COWEN

NICK HUBY golf. If you force them into playing any sport, they’re probably going to rebel and say, ‘I don’t really want to do that’. But once they want to play, then you’ve got to encourage them. But to start with, trying to force them into a sport is probably the wrong way, they’ve got to want to do it themselves. At what age did you start playing, Freddie? Freddie: When the professional players started to come to the range at Rotherham, I started watching them - players like Matt Fitzpatrick, Henrik Stenson, Tommy Fleetwood, Alex Levy – it got me interested and made me want to get better at the sport, and from there I started to play more often. When did your grandfather start coaching you? Freddie: He didn’t start properly coaching me until I was about one year into playing golf – so I would have been around 12-years-old. During that first year there would have been no point, as I was still learning how to hit the ball.

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MIKE WALKER Pete, are you hard on him? Pete: To be honest, Nick Huby has probably done more of the work than me, encouraging Fred to play. I’ve given him all the exercises I would do if I was starting all over again. But they’re exercises that you’ve got to do yourself. You don’t want to stand over someone and pick and point about not doing certain things correctly. Once you’ve got these exercises, it’s then down to the individual as to how you progress and make sure that you do them correctly. What’s the best advice you’d give a parent of someone taking up the game? Pete: Encourage them and help them. I think a lot of parents really try and force their kids to become good, and that’s difficult because it could finish up with arguments with each other. The parent wants the child to be better than the child wants to be. I’ve seen parents try and force it and eventually the children rebel.

THE GENERATION GAME

FREDDIE Are people at school aware of whom your granddad is? Freddie: At school not so much, but when you play on the golf course most people know – and when I go to competitions – they’re all expecting you to do well, so the pressure is there. I suppose it was harder for my uncle, Adam, because his surname is Cowen. But when people know who he is it’s hard to concentrate sometimes - when inside I’m trying harder to impress people, but you’ve just got to play your best. I’m down to scratch, so my game is coming along nicely and I don’t feel I pressure them the same. I’ve got into a few big competitions this year and I’ll just try and shoot the best score I can. How did the pandemic affect your development as a 17-year-old? Freddie: Last year was a write-off due to the pandemic. Right now I’m looking at colleges in America and it was a big blow last year with all the competitions I had lined up that

I wasn’t able to play. But this year I’m playing in all those same events again and, hopefully, prove my worth. Is college golf the route you’d advise Fred to go on? Pete: At the moment, absolutely. In Europe you’re really struggling, whereas America is still open for golf and, particularly college golf. So, definitely I would say if you want to be any good, go down the American college route. What are your plans going forward after school? Freddie: I’m currently doing Business, Psychology and Physical Education at A-Level, and I’d probably go on to Mastering Business or Psychology. The dream is obviously to be a player on Tour, but it’s not a bad option to be a coach, which is what I’d like to do if the playing route doesn’t come off. Would you encourage Fred to be a coach?

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Pete: Even as a coach, if you set off in golf to become a player you want to play. Coaching is definitely the second option, there’s no doubt about that. I’d say to anybody that if they can play at the highest level, play as long as you can. I hear it from footballers all the time, once they’ve retired – they wish they’d carried on playing for as long as they possibly could. There’s no substitute for playing competition. You have seen some great players come down here to the range, who’s your favourite player at the moment? Freddie: I’d say it’s Tony Finau, watching him play, it’s so effortless and he just smooths it down the middle about 350-yards. It’s quite a spectacle. Pete: And just to add to that – Tony is one of the nicest guys out there. What about any players that your grandfather coaches? Freddie: Probably Henrik and Brooks.

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THE GENERATION GAME

Why is this area of South Yorkshire something of a hot-bed for golfing talent? Freddie: Maybe because often you’ve got a different climate almost every day here! There’s wind, sun, rain around everywhere in Sheffield. The courses are always in very good condition, but, like my grandfather says, if you’ve got that enjoyable environment with a lot of other good players, it certainly inspires you. It pushes you on. Alex is the one who inspired me to follow him over to America, and he can’t stop raving about it.

Pete says he can beat any of his students at chipping, have you ever given that a go? Freddie: Well, I’d probably beat him over 18 holes on the course given his knackered knees, but not likely on the chipping green.

Outside the range what else has helped to developed Fred’s game? Pete: At Fred’s local course there are five or six really good young players – and they drag each other on. That’s the environment you need. You need someone you can aspire to. There’s one lad there who plays off plus six, Sam Bairstow, so that’s the role model at the moment. That’s the level to get to. Fred also practices with Matt Fitzpatrick’s bother Alex, who is at college in the USA and is set to play in the Walker Cup shortly. So Fred is in good company when he tees it up with his friends.

You dropped off other sports to play golf – at what age or what point did you decided to fully focus on golf? Freddie: I was about 12 really. I was at an age when everyone was the same size as me no matter what the sport – rugby, football or cricket. But then things started getting more physical, but I didn’t really keep up and didn’t grow at the same rate as other kids. So it was tough, and in team sports you don’t want to let anyone down. Whereas in golf, it’s individual and you’ve only got yourself to blame. I enjoyed that about it.

Alex is at Wake Forest in North Carolina – do you still see him, Pete? Pete: Yeah, I saw him at The Masters last month when he came down to watch Matt play. Nick and Mike and myself all see him when he comes to the range, so he’s got a good array of coaches to help him along when he does make it back. Obviously, he’s got his coach at college, Jerry Haas, and the young Irish assistant called Aaron, who’s a really nice lad, so he’s in a good environment. This is why I would Ideally like Fred to go there, but it’s a tough school to get in

Stenson has been with Pete from the start and is very loyal - and Brooks, I just like his demeanour and how he goes about everything. I also enjoy watching him talk to the press in interviews. Blunt and to the point. I think I know why he and my grandfather get on so well!

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What advice do you have for Fred, having worked with players back in the day like Westwood and Clarke, to now Rory and Brooks? Pete: I would say that the players at the top never get embarrassed about getting in a difficult situation. So they can control a very difficult situation. I’ve always said that Graeme McDowell is comfortable in an uncomfortable situation, and that’s what you’ve got to be, to be the best. From a swing perspective, what’s the best tip Pete’s ever given you? Pete: Do your exercises! Freddie:Yeah, he’s always nagging at me to do my exercises, but that spiral – trying to work the body up – doing that 50 times a day is hard work. Pete: 50? You need to be doing 500 not 50! What goals would you set Fred? Pete: Live your life by the three ‘R’s – Respect yourself, Respect people who have helped you get where you are and be Responsible for your own actions, and if he does that, he’ll be fine. Whether he becomes a great golfer or a great coach, it doesn’t really matter, as long as he’s a great person. ■

JAPAN’S NEXT MAJOR STAR? T A

K U

A Y A

BY T H O M AS W R AG G

ast month Hideki Matsuyama ended Japan’s long wait for a men’s Major champion as he slipped on the iconic Green Jacket after conquering Augusta National to win the Masters Tournament. The impact is likely to be huge for golf in Japan, both from an economic and participation standpoint, as youngsters swarm to their local course in a bid to become the next big thing. But while one of those kids may win one of golf’s four biggest events in the future, who has the potential to be Japan’s next Major star? Step forward Takumi Kanaya.

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TAKUMI KANAYA

THE WIN AT THE ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR AT SENTOSA WAS PROBABLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY AMATEUR CAREER, KNOWING I WOULD RECEIVE INVITATIONS TO THE MASTERS AND THE OPEN. I NEVER EXPECTED TO PLAY IN THOSE EVENTS SO EARLY IN MY CAREER, IT WAS JUST HUGE.” Worldwide GOLF 31

KANAYA BOOKED HIS SPOT IN THE 2019 MASTERS WITH VICTORY AT THE ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

he 22 year old has already enjoyed a plenty of success early in his career having been ranked top of the Official World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks, winning on the Japan Tour as an amateur and finishing inside the top 10 on his debut at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year. After turning professional at the end of 2020, Kanaya secured his second victory since turning professional at last month’s Token Homemate Cup – just one week after Matsuyama’s historic achievement. “Hideki’s win really motivated me to pull off a victory at the Token Homemate Cup,” said Kanaya, who has now won three times on the Japan Tour. “It was a historic moment for our country – to be the first Japanese male golfer to win a Major is an amazing achievement. I had the biggest respect for Hideki even before he won the Green Jacket. I have always admired him and his work ethic and he has been really supportive towards me. “We are both alumnus from Tohoku Fukushi University – I spoke with him just after his win to congratulate him and without a doubt he has inspired me to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics to represent Japan together. “He has always had to deal with the expectation of winning a Major. What he has done is an inspiration to everyone in our

“I HAD THE BIGGEST RESPECT FOR HIDEKI EVEN BEFORE HE WON THE GREEN JACKET. I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED HIM AND HIS WORK ETHIC AND HE HAS BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE TOWARDS ME.” country and shown that if you work hard you can achieve your dreams.” MAJOR CALLING Three years before Matsuyama’s triumph, Kanaya was in the process of securing his place at Augusta National after winning the prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – an event Matsuyama won back-to-back in 2009/2010. Then 20 years old, Kanaya, shot an impressive five under par 65 on the final day to finish at 13-under-par, two shots ahead of Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas and 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Keita Nakajima, to book his place in the following year’s Masters and Open at Royal Portrush. “I played well throughout the day, but I think

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the key for me was how I kept my calm and composure during the round,” he said. “The win at the Asia-Pacific Amateur at Sentosa was probably the highlight of my amateur career, knowing I would receive invitations to The Masters and The Open. I never expected to play in those events so early in my career, it was just huge.” Kanaya went on to make the cut at The Masters, which included an impressive third round 68, before missing the cut by just one stroke in Northern Ireland. HISTORY MAKER Two events after his maiden Open Championship outing, Kanaya was once again following in the footsteps of Matsuyama by winning the Japan Tour’s Mitsui Sumitomo

TAKUMI KANAYA

“I HAVE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME TRAIN AND COMPETE OVERSEAS SO I COULD GAIN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE COMPETING IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS AND RAISE MY WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING.”

VISA Taiheiyo Masters as an amateur, a feat that Matsuyama achieved in 2011. Last year Kanaya would set his own piece of history for Japanese golf as he became the first player from the country to be awarded the Mark H McCormack Medal for 2020 as the world’s top player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. As well as earning a spot in this year’s Open Championship for collecting the title, he also joined an illustrious list of recipients of the award including Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay, Joaquin Niemann and Matthew Fitzpatrick.“I was extremely happy and excited because receiving the McCormack Medal was the biggest goal that I had set in my amateur golf career,” he said. “I have to thank everyone who helped me train and compete overseas so I could gain international experience competing in various conditions and raise my World Amateur Golf Ranking.” Another Major appearance followed at Winged Foot at the U.S. Open before Kanaya decided to make the move to the professional ranks – something he would have done sooner if it wasn’t for coronavirus. “I had actually planned to turn pro a little earlier in the year but the pandemic changed everything,” he said. “Things happen for a reason and I was able to stay an amateur and win the Mark McCormack Medal and play the U.S. Open. “Winning the Visa Taiheiyo Masters in November 2019 gave me an exemption on the Japan Tour so I knew I had a place to play when I turned pro. I love Japan but I also want to be an international player so I will try to earn my European Tour card for next year playing on invitations and I would also like to try and win the 2020/21 Japan Tour Order of Merit.”

KANAYA BECAME THE FIRST JAPANESE PLAYER TO WIN THE MARK H MCCORMACK MEDAL LAST YEAR

The dream of finishing on top of the Order of Merit edged a step closer to becoming a reality when he claimed his first win as a professional at the Dunlop Phoenix – one of the richest tournaments in Japan that has previously been won by Brooks Koepka, Matsuyama, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods. “I knew that if I didn’t win another title after the Taiheiyo Masters, I wouldn’t be able to gain recognition so I really wanted to win as fast as I could,” he said.

“So many of the world’s greatest players have won this event, so I was honoured to have my name listed among them.” That win saw him surge to the brink of the top 100 on the OWGR and also caught the eye of tournament organisers at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, who extended an invite his way for his debut on the European Tour. Kanaya mastered his way round the iconic

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Majlis at Emirates Golf Club to finish tied ninth, which also bagged his spot in the following week’s Saudi International. “I was very grateful to receive an invitation to such a prestigious event,” he said. “It was a great experience on a great course and hopefully I can play well enough to return next year and see a little more of Dubai.” BIG DREAMS His third Japan Tour triumph last month pushed him up to 76th in the world, which should see him receive an invite to this month’s US PGA Championship. It’s the final one missing from the Major puzzle and a good showing at Kiawah Island would bank more vital world ranking points to aid his short term goals. “I want to end 2021 in the top 50 in the World Ranking to earn a spot in The Masters next April,” he said. “Playing there with Hideki as defending champion would be great. On top of that I would love to represent Japan at this summer’s Olympics. It’s always a huge honour to represent your country but, obviously, to do this in Tokyo would be amazing given the spotlight on golf after Hideki’s brilliant win.” Japan may have waited a long time for its first men’s Major champion, but you wouldn’t back against Kanaya continuing his rapid rise up the game and writing his name in the history books alongside Matsuyama as a Japanese Major champion. ■

PARATORE ON PLAYING IN THE JUNIOR RYDER CUP The two Junior Ryder Cups were both a fantastic experience and I enjoyed every second of them, especially when we got to play 9 holes practice with the pro’s. Being part of the European Team when the Ryder Cup comes to Rome is of course a big goal of mine, but I know there is still two years to go so I will continue to just take it tournament by tournament, keep improving my game and hopefully I can be in the running for that team.

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RENATO PARATORE

E talk to Italian two-times European Tour winner and Dubai resident Renato Paratore about life in the Emirate, playing fast and his high hopes for the future.

WWG: How long have you lived in Dubai and why did you choose it as your hub? RENATO PARATORE: I’ve lived here for a little over a year now. The weather is great for practice and the courses are always in great shape. There’s also the added bonus that I can stay at home when the European Tour events come to Dubai! WWG: What’s your favourite course to play recreationally and why? RP: I like to play lots of the courses, but especially the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. I find it a very complete and good test of golf. You certainly know where your game is at after a round there! WWG: A few Tour professionals are based in the UAE – do you have a regular practice partner out here?

WWG: In the past you have been outspoken about the pace of play in golf – what measures would you put in place to help improve the speed at which professionals play the game? RP: Yes I love playing fast, but it is not easy to speed the game up. Due to the nature of the events we play there are so many players on the course at one time and that often leads to backlogs. The weekends are always much faster when we move to two balls, I certainly enjoy those rounds and I guess it is another incentive to make the weekend! WWG: Is there anyone else on Tour who plays as fast as you? RP: Yes there are a lots… Jorge Campillo, Romain Langasque and Callum Shinkwin are ones that come to mind straight away.

RP: Yes that’s another benefit of being based here. I play with other Tour professionals when I can, especially Guido Migliozzi, we are very close friends and practice a lot together. WWG: Where are your favourite pizza joints in Dubai? RP: Motorino Pizza is soooo good, if you go there, go for the ‘Dom Dom’ pizza, that’s my favourite. WWG: Who is your coach and what have you been working on recently? RP: My coach is Alberto Binaghi from Italy. Our current focus is working on my ability to shape shots effectively. We are also focusing on maintaining a good hip rotation during the backswing.

WWG: Are there any players who you dread having a tee-time with because of how slow they play? RP: Yes there are, but playing with a slow player doesn’t bother me too much. What’s definitely worse is if you have a slow three ball in front of you and you find yourself having to wait on every shot. WWG: Last year you won the first fullfield Tour event back after the temporary shutdown at the British Masters – what

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was the key to that victory and how did you remain sharp during lockdown? RP: Winning after the lockdown was a great feeling and I took a lot of confidence from knowing my game was still there, despite the long break we’d had. During lockdown I didn’t practice any technique, instead I focused on my body and getting into the best shape I could. Being based in Dubai I was fortunate to have about a month to train and practice before the restart, so I came into the event feeling like I had played a reasonable amount of golf in the build up. WWG: How much has golf grown in Italy over the last 10/15 years thanks to the emergence of the Molinari brothers – with them both playing the 2010 Ryder Cup and Francesco going on to win The Open? RP: The success of the Molinari brothers has definitely attracted more people to golf in Italy, especially after Francesco’s victory at Carnoustie in 2018. Everyone knew about his win and you could feel the curiosity for the game growing. I hope more success by Italian players in years to come – and a growing number of good courses in Italy – will ensure more people are playing or just following the game. WWG: How often do you change equipment and is there anything new from Callaway in your bag for 2021? RP: This is my fourth year with Callaway and I feel really happy with what I’m playing, especially the ball and the driver. The only change I’ve made in 2021 is to bring in the new Epic driver. I really like the spin levels off the face and feel it is slightly longer than my previous model. ■

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MG KEYSER

BY THOMAS WRAGG

ifteen months ago, we spoke to the newly crowned MENA Tour champion MG KEYSER who was raring to kick on in 2020 with a host of Challenge Tour and European Tour starts thanks to his Journey to Jordan triumph as well as invites secured by his management company. However, those plans were quickly stopped in their tracks by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Dubai resident was forced to play the waiting game until finally being able to confirm a full playing schedule in March, which started with back-to-back European Tour events in Kenya. Here, the South African talks to THOMAS WRAGG about his return to European Tour action, why the year-long break away from competitive golf was a blessing in disguise and how he dreams of breaking into the top 50 of the world.

Keyser on sitting one shot off the lead after round one of the Kenya Savannah Classic supported by Absa: Kenya was awesome but on the first week everything felt foreign and was a bit rusty. Obviously, I had been away from competitive golf for a long time so everything felt new again. Unfortunately, I missed the cut on that first week so we had a four-day break before the second tournament started and we wanted to be fresh and ready when we got back out there. I’ve been playing very well lately, I have worked a lot on my game over the last year having all this time off so I came out of the blocks pretty fast to post an opening 65 in the opening round. I played well in the first round, I actually played really well the whole tournament but unfortunately, I made a lot of unforced errors. I would like to think it’s due to being rusty after having such a long break but I definitely felt comfortable being on top of the leaderboard in a European Tour event and hopefully next time we can finish the job.

they’ve suffered a great deal, they didn’t really have any other option other than postpone the events. On the current state of his game: I consider my game to be the best it has ever been. I’m in a really good place mentally, I have a lot of good people around me and I think a year-long break was what I needed to get a lot of stuff in place for myself outside of golf. I did a lot of work in 2020 considering that there were restrictions in place with playing and I was lucky to have access to an indoor simulator, so I played and practiced almost every day last year. On learning from others to aid his game: I don’t have a coach in Dubai, I take a little bit from everyone and work on it myself. The

only coach that I do have out here is fitness coach Allister Parlane at the Claude Harmon Performance Golf Academy. I’ve only been working with him for the last two months and I’m already starting to see the improvements with my strength and fitness. On his dream of breaking into the Official World Golf Ranking top 50: My ultimate goal would be to get to the top 50 in the world, and I’m taking every opportunity and trying to make the best out of it. Good golf takes care of everything so hopefully with the chances I have this year I can play well in the right events and move up in the World Rankings. I got as high as 302nd in 2019 so hopefully by the end of this year I can get inside the top 200 but, ultimately, I want to be in the top 50. ■

On his schedule for this season, which includes events in Denmark, Czech Republic and the Netherlands on the European Tour: I was lucky to sign a contract with my current management two years ago, so with their help I’ve got seven Challenge Tour starts and hopefully seven on the European Tour, with five already confirmed. They’ve been amazing to me and all credit to Peter Derek and his team back in the Czech Republic. My goal is to try and play as well as I can in all of the events, I would like to win on both the Challenge Tour and the European Tour. I think the amazing thing about this game is that your life can change in a matter of a week, so every week I just want to go out there and give my best and see what happens. On the announcement of the MENA Tour returning in October with 15-16 events: I will definitely play as many events as I can on the MENA Tour as they’ve been good to me, so I’m a big supporter and hopefully we can get back to some normality and play some events in the Middle East. It’s been hard for all the mini tours during the pandemic and

MG Keyser and Josh Hill, respective winners of the professional and amateur Order of Merits on the MENA Tour’s 2019 Journey to Jordan.

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COLUMN

DAVID HOWELL Matsuyama claims first Green Jacket for Japan

Matsuyama finally finds the route to Major success for Japan Today’s top Japanese golfers really are sporting stars in their homeland - it’s wonderful!

WENTY THREE years or so ago I first stepped foot on Japanese soil, a nation enthralled by the game of golf, a nation that has brought its own original twist to the game in a quiet yet splendid way. Nowhere around the globe could rival the elitist nature of golf in Japan. Perhaps that has nothing to be particularly proud of as a visitor, but it was an experience so very different from what I grew up with. Courses manicured beyond belief, silky greens the speed of snooker tables, pro-ams that took six hours courtesy of three pit stops on the way round, and even cups in the holes that made a completely different sound, like a small bell ringing to announce another hole completed. Australians and Americans dress comfortably to play the game; we Brits, of course, dress for the weather with heavy jumpers, waterproofs and trousers capable of coping with a fair amount of mud splattering about. In Japan everybody I saw seemed to dress like they had just walked straight out of a classy catalogue photoshoot, each and every one of them dressed to the nines, splendid, simply splendid. Some might say it’s surprising that it has taken this long for someone from Japan to finally win a Major championship. Historically, the Japanese players have been outsiders, through no fault of their own. Why travel around the world to compete when huge rewards were available on their own doorstep. The Japanese Tour provided huge sums in bygone eras, so it was hardly surprising that the stars of the 80’s and 90’s felt out of their comfort zone when they were coming down the stretch in a Major championship. Hideki Matsuyama has changed all that and finally gone where Aioki, and the Ozaki brothers never quite managed to slip that most famous of Green Jacket onto his shoulders, celebrated the hopes of an entire nation. Undoubtedly, playing full time on the PGA Tour helped Hideki cope with those pressures, something that wasn’t so common until now. But were it not for the Japanese stars of the past paving the way then who knows if this year’s Masters Champion would ever have even picked up a golf club. Make no mistake, today’s top Japanese golfers really are sporting stars in their homeland, which really is just wonderful isn’t it. What a thrill it was for this young man, the classiest of professionals, and someone who is universally liked and admired, to have finally broken through that Major championship barrier, who can now continue to build the fanatical support that has always followed the Japanese players around the globe. Some victories just feel good for the game Hideki winning The Masters is certainly one of those of which there is no doubt. Back on the European Tour we have just felt our first glimpse of

freedom when we played in Gran Canaria. I say that because for the first time since last July we were actually allowed out of our hotels for dinner, allbeit still confined to our pods of four people - two players and two caddies, and all sitting outside, but boy it was nice to feel some sort of normality. Ironic then that the hotel buffet was wonderful and included in the price! Our Tour is working wonderfully in hosting events week after week, but the logistics are getting harder and harder, if truth be told. The South African players could not get into Spain unless they played in Austria first, and now we Brits are running the Gauntlet every time we fly home due to track and trace protocols being tightened in the last few weeks. The Australians are still facing two weeks in quarantine every time they return home - now that really is a tough gig. Having missed two cuts I needed to get home to clear my head and reset my game. If one person on my flight from Madrid should test positive for covid-19 then that’s me isolating for ten days, and two weeks off will be had instead of one. To say it’s stressful is an understatement, but these are stressful times, as we all know.

FEAR OF NOT BEING ON TOUR ANY MORE

One thing I don’t seem to know is how to play golf very well at the moment. Quite frankly, I am in the worst slump of my entire career, working as hard as ever and seeing nothing for it. Right now any illusion of the glamour of being a touring professional has been washed away in a sea of missed cuts, airport queues, entry and exit paperwork, QR codes and hotel bubbles. So, I write this article from the comfort of my own home, having taken the risk of returning home to see my family and friends, and to rethink just how I’m going about the game - and to be happy for a week without wayward shots and missed putts cutting into my soul once again, and to re-energise for the next run of events that are the most critical of my career to date. I have always loved my job - it’s the only one I have ever known, and for the first time in twenty-five years I face the prospect of perhaps not being on Tour next year, so the fight starts again, right now. Some straight drives, a few well struck mid -rons and a tidy short game is all that is needed. That sounds so simple when I type out that sentence, but, alas, we know that golf can be a difficult mistress, one degree here and another degree there can make all the difference. The game is as frustrating as it is intoxicating, I am hoping that some of the latter will start to take over from the former, starting in Tenerife next week, if I am not track and traced that is! ■

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ADRI ARNAUS Hitting the ball further than ever before.

Positives outweigh the negatives

I can’t wait to keep pushing my game to the limit after returning to European Tour action.

wrote my last column in Qatar whilst in quarantine so I’m glad to report I’m now back playing competitive golf and writing this latest piece from the comfort of my hotel in Gran Canaria. After testing positive for COVID-19 at the Qatar Masters, I ended up spending a total of 14 days in quarantine and a further four days in Qatar to ensure I was negative before jumping on a plane and returning to Dubai – I felt free again. I’m still not feeling 100% but after being stuck in a hotel room for 14 days with COVID-19 and barely doing any exercise it was always going to be the case. I decided to take it easy for the first few days after leaving quarantine but was eager to get back out on the course and hit a few balls so I managed to get some light practice in at Education City Golf Club where they took really good care of me. I’ve felt fine when playing golf but it’s been a bit of a struggle when going to the gym and trying to complete the same exercises and weights as before. But that’s what I’m faced with right now so I’m seeing it as challenge to try and get back into shape as soon as I can. Before heading to Austria for my first competitive start since Qatar, I had the chance to see my family which was really nice. That’s one of the things that I really missed the most during quarantine as I was alone and you quickly realise that having your family by your side really matters, so to see them before the Austrian Golf Open got underway felt great. When we arrived in Vienna for the tournament it was freezing cold so I had to wear five layers during the event which can make it harder to swing the club! I’m glad I decided to travel to Barcelona for a few days beforehand instead of coming straight from the scorching heat of Dubai, otherwise I think that would have been a bit of a shock! Having said that, I really enjoy playing golf in extreme conditions so it was good fun and felt great to be returning to

European Tour action. The tournament also gave me a chance to see how things were going with my swing after making some changes recently. I realised that I had a lot of things to work on but, at the same time, the things that I have been working on are going in the right direction which was encouraging to see. Next up was a trip back to my homeland for Rafa Cabrera Bello’s event in Gran Canaria. As soon as I arrived to the course you could feel the buzz around the place, especially from the Spanish contingent and Rafa. The layout is absolutely breathtaking and right next to the sea which offers some really picturesque holes. It’s probably one of the prettiest courses that I have played so I was delighted to get four rounds under my belt and continue trending in the right direction. I thought Rafa did an amazing job as the host and I kept a close eye on how he managed the situation of organising a European Tour event as it’s something I would like to do in the future. I’d love to make it happen one day because it’s a special thing to get people involved in a European Tour event and also in a place where you call home, it just seems like a fairytale. Despite the difficult start to the year and having to miss events, I’m still looking at everything positively. The last few weeks have given me an opportunity to work on some other stuff that’s important to me which I can now take on to the course and hopefully improve my game. In regards to my swing, the changes that I have made are really exciting as I’m reaching speeds with my driver and other clubs that I have never reached before. I’m hitting the ball longer than ever which is pretty cool. I just have to keep tidying up certain things and put everything in place to be able to contend on Sundays at tournaments. It’s going to be a process but I’m enjoying every second and hopefully by the end of the year I’ll be able to call myself a European Tour winner. ■

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CHIP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS BY

OLIVIA JACKSON,

PGA PROFESSIONAL, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

livjacksongolf

n this article I’m going to talk about a great drill I like to use when starting my chipping practice. This alignment stick drill will aid your accuracy towards the desired target which will ensure you’re hitting the ball closer to the pin when caught just shy of the green. If you are familiar with the chalk line or laser line when putting, this drill is fairly similar and translates over well when chipping.

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INSTRUCTION

Step 1: For this drill, you’ll need two alignment sticks, one stuck vertically in the ground roughly two paces away in the direction you’re hitting and one on the ground in front of your feet. You can move the stick closer or slightly further away if you wish depending on how difficult you would like to make it.

Step 2: Ensure the grooves on your club are perpendicular to the alignment stick on the ground so that the clubface is square to the desired target. 90˚

Step 3: Check to see if your feet, hips and shoulders are also parallel to the stick on the ground.

Step 4: Have a go! See if you start to miss the ball on a certain side and play around with it, once you start to hit the stick it becomes quite addictive!

Hopefully this will give you some conﬁdence with your alignment when chipping and aid you in hitting your chips closer to the target or even in the hole! Join me or one of our team at the Emirates Golf Club Peter Cowen Academy to improve your chipping.

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POSTURE, I WIDTH, LOAD, RELEASE

STEPHEN DEANE,

HEAD OF ACADEMIES, deanopro DUBAI GOLF

’m going to use this article to demonstrate a quick drill which will help you improve your game by keeping your movements simple. This simple drill only requires a stick and the combination of movement patterns can be easily rehearsed at home or in the gym. By dedicating just ﬁve minutes a day you can improve your game massively

To start let’s build a solid posture by tipping from our hips and pushing down into the ground. At the Peter Cowen Academy we encourage our students to use a stick like the one shown but, if you don’t have one, you can also use an alignment stick.

Once in posture make a split grip on the stick.

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INSTRUCTION

From here, leave the hands, arms and club alone and load your shoulders up into position.

From the ground up, spiral your body and set the club into a half way back position. This is what we call our width.

From here you’ll feel the stick naturally move out and back to the correct plane with no manipulation required.

Lower your shoulders back down as the stick naturally flattens and the wrists down-cock.

This is also a great drill for those of you who may suﬀer from wrist pain and will allow you to feel how the wrists should be releasing to avoid injury. For more information please come visit our wonderful Academy team and keep improving your game this summer

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BY ALEX GALLEMORE

PXG 0811 GEN4

GATE CRA

XTREME X For the golfer that struggles to manage spin but also needs help with off centre strikes.

XTREME TOUR XT As the name suggests, this is for the player that has no issue with strike pattern. It’s low profile is designed to give players enhanced clubhead speed due to the reduced drag. This is not a benefit unless you are in swinging excess of 105mph. Which is why this will not be a huge seller and should have been a special order model.

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PXG GEAR 0811 DRIVER REVIEW

SHER

PXG have upped their game with the latest 0811 GEN4 driver range but the phrase, ‘two is company but three is a crowd’ certainly applies. The Scottsdale-based brand has certainly brought some serious hardware to the driver dog fight in 2021 but have they rocked up to party too late? PXG’s 0811 GEN4 drivers have just made it into the Middle East market but by May many golfers have already committed to the latest driver, as the season is ending with the Summer months fast approaching. It’s a shame as the 0811 GEN4 is arguably the party spoiler and probably the best driver in 2021. Though the three model range is easy to understand one should have been left as a special order head.

TECHNOLOGY HIGH SPEED FACE

Made from high strength Ti4212 titanium to support face deflection and spring to create ultra-fast ball speeds from the high-speed face.

HYBRID CROWN CONSTRUCTION

GEN4 drivers utilise a hybrid crown with titanium in the heel/toe to increase durability and stiffness of the structure for optimal spring and faster ball speeds. The carbon fibre centre reduces mass in the top of the clubhead helping to lower the centre of gravity, increase the MOI and optimise trajectory. The lower CG in turn decreases spin and increases dynamic loft. So, the perfect combination for a driver when paired with a high MOI.

ALUMINIUM VAPOR

Through a vapor deposition process conducted in a vacuum-sealed chamber, Aluminium Vapor (AV) technology increases the stability of the carbon fibre.

HONEYCOMB TPE INSERT

The Honeycomb TPE insert is a high-performance, vibration-dampening polymer incorporated to enhance the overall feel and sound of the club at impact. Positioned in the sole of the clubhead, it also helps optimise the centre of gravity.

XTREME FORGIVENESS XF Targeting golfers with low to moderate swing speeds that require more forgiveness across the face and need assistance with launch.

ROBOTIC POLISHING

Robotic polishing is a high-precision process that ensures the face thickness and the face curvature are manufactured to design spec that maximise performance and impart corrective spin for an ideal ball flight on off-centre shots.

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MAXIMUM FORGIVENESS AND POWER

IDEAL MIX OF DISTANCE AND FORGIVENESS

Xtreme Forgiveness

Xtreme

The 0811 XF driver is PXG’s most forgiving head and it must be sailing close to the wind in terms of the USGA and R&A’s MOI limit. PXG’s robot data showed this produced the tightest dispersion compared to the other two heads. That did not come as a surprise with the heaviest weights located in the back of the head, giving the XF by far the highest MOI and therefore forgiveness in the range. In all three GEN4 models there is also a heel weight to provide an element of draw bias and with it also being forward provides additional speed from the face. Normally drivers with this rear-weighted configuration tend to spin up and have a tendency to produce excessive spin. Though the XF’s low centre of gravity and heel weight helps minimise the negative spin rates other brands with high MOI struggle to control.

The X head in the PXG driver line up has always been their least spinning model. This was backed up by the PXG testing robot though given the right circumstances the new Xtreme Tour head could spin slightly less but in general testing the Xtreme was the lowest. The Xtreme is an evolved version of PXG’s 0811 X Proto driver, which blends low spin and forgiveness. We’ve seen this configuration used successfully in the PING LST and Callaway Epic Speed Max, where the weighting is split front and rear. So you get that blend of speed and forgiveness. With the PXG GEN4 head weight system you can really get dialled in with a professional fitter, as the weights can be varied to find that optimised point. The face is deeper with a shorter crown compared to the Xtreme Foregiveness head. Ideal if you are the type of player that tends to miss strike on the vertical axis.

HEAD SHAPE: LARGER PROFILE HEAD Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°

HEAD SHAPE: LOW SPIN HEAD Lofts: 7.5°, 9°, 10.5°, 12°

LOWER SIDE PROFILE WITH DEEP FRONTTO-BACK SHAPE INCREASES MOI

AGGRESIVELY SLOPED CROWN LOWERS CG POSITION

Pros:

● One of the best sounding drivers on the market ● Great forgiveness and performance ● Confidence building head shape ● Adjustability

Pros:

● Low spin but easy to launch ● Fast and forgiving across most of the face ● Sound ● Loft range and adjustability

Cons:

● Although it’s better value than the previous model, the price is still high once you have an after market shaft fitted ● Aluminium Vapor crown is distracting

Cons:

● Same as XF. The Aluminium Vapor foil is off putting, but that’s just personal preference

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PXG GEAR 0811 DRIVER REVIEW

AERODYNAMIC SHAPE FOR SPEED AND DISTANCE

FITTING

Xtreme Tour

The 0811 GEN4 drivers have one heavy and two light sole weights that are interchangeable to set up your preferred spin and draw bias settings. Standard weights come in 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 gram. There are options of 12.5, 15, 17.5 and 20 gram weights which can also be used to adjust the overall head mass. So getting fitted is essential if you are to maximise this club to its full potential.

HEAD SHAPE: TEAR DROP HEAD Lofts: 7.5°, 9°, 10.5° The Xtreme Tour’s aerodynamic head shape isn’t a new concept, just look at the latest SIM2 from TaylorMade and the Callaway Speed. The drag efficient head is a simple but effective way to improve clubhead speed, but this is only effective if you have a swing speed in excess of 105 mph. Anything less and you will be far better off with the X or the XF head. The XT head is targeting the better golfer with a consistent strike pattern. The purpose of this head shape is increasing distance, not through combating excess spin or slamming the centre of gravity so far forward it nearly touches the face, but just flat out ball speed gain. So if you pick up 2 mph club head speed through aerodynamics you could see a gain of 4 yards.

SHALLOW FACE WITH MORE PARALLEL CROWN AND SOLE REDUCES DRAG

Pros:

● Sound ● Fitting and adjustability

Cons:

● A bit too specialist for the amateur market. ● Would have been cool if it was all black – it’s certainly the stealth bomber in the line up

Over all It’s a shame these models were not out in the Middle East at the start of VERDICT theThe yearsound, when driver season hit, as the 0811GEN GEN4 feel and performance ofPXG the 0811 4 range driver,would paired with the fitting service, earn it a rightful 9 out of 10. If only the Aluminium Vapor was black it would have got top honours. It’s a shame the model came out so late in the season. Also one of the 0811 GEN4 XF rivals is the slightly cheaper and better looking 0211 GEN2 head.

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BY ALEX GALLEMORE

SIX DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT

n the 1950s a young American General Electric engineer and golf enthusiast, Karsten Solhiem, was having difficulties on the greens with the short stick. Back then putters attached the shaft at the heel but Karsten found a way to engineer a putter that attached in the centre and you could say the rest is history. That initial prototype was called the PING 1A, named after the sound it made, and from his garage in California he went on to make a further 2000 putters with six different head designs between 1959 and 1961. The company name PING came from the sound Karsten heard as the A1 putter struck the ball. Karsten Solheim passed away on February 16, 2000 but he would have been impressed with the technological developments of the latest 2021 putter line up. It’s 61 years since Karsten reviewed his distinctive sounding prototype and today the range comprises 11 models. His grandson and current PING President, John K. Solheim , commented: “We’ve engineered a lot of score-lowering technology into the 2021 putter line up through extensive research and tour player feedback. All of the models are developed with higher MOI through strategic use of various materials, including tungsten, steel and aluminium, to provide the forgiveness and accuracy golfers expect from a PING putter. “Eleven options ensure a putter to fit every golfer’s eye and stroke type. The line-up features new designs created through our Tour-focused PLD (Putting Lab Design) program, including versions inspired by PING professionals Viktor Hovland (DS 72) and Cameron Champ (Tyne 4). From blades to mallets and for straight, slight arc and strong-arc stroke types, it’s a complete line engineered to lower scores and increase enjoyment.” KARSTEN SOLHIEM

SHALLOW, UNIFORM GROOVES

SHALLOWER GROOVES THAT ARE UNIFORM DEPTH ACROSS THE FACE COMBINE WITH THE DUALDUROMETER INSERT TO PROVIDE A SOFT FEEL AND CONSISTENT ROLL.

MULTI-MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION

DUAL-DUROMETER INSERT

DIFFERENT MATERIALS OF VARYING DENSITIES (17-4 SS, TUNGSTEN, ALUMINUM) INCREASE MOI AND OPTIMIZE THE CG FOR MORE FORGIVENESS AND ARE APPLIED TO MULTIPLE HEAD GEOMETRIES WITH A VARIETY OF ALIGNMENT OPTIONS.

THE FRONT LAYER OF PEBAX IS SOFTER FOR PRECISION ON SHORTER PUTTS AND THE BACK LAYER IS FIRMER TO ENSURE DISTANCE CONTROL.

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PING 2021 PUTTER RANGE

ANSER The timeless Anser is heel-toe tungsten weighted for forgiveness, and the rounded corners, softer ballast surfaces and center line help make alignment easy. For slight-arc stroke types, the Anser makes squaring the face to the target line easy and natural. Slight Arc Balance: Mid Hang

ANSER 2 Differs from the Anser with a slightly longer and narrower profile, and sharper corners, but shares its clean geometries and center alignment line to make aiming easy. Heel-toe tungsten weighting provides stability, forgiveness and accuracy. Slight Arc Balance: Mid Hang

ANSER 4 Designed for players who love the classic look and feel of the Anserstyle putter and benefit from a strong-arc model. With heel-toe tungsten weighting for forgiveness and slight variations in its longer, narrower profile and sharper corners. Strong Arc Balance: Toe Down

KUSHIN 4 A steel weight in the heel and tungsten in the toe elevate MOI, and this “deep blade” model’s parallel and perpendicular visual cues make alignment easier. Its geometries fit the eye, and for strong-arc players the Kushin 4 promotes a confident, consistent putting stroke. Strong Arc Balance: Toe Down

DS 72 This mid-mallet utilises a steel weight in the heel and tungsten in the toe to stabilise the head and create high forgiveness, and the clean lines with perpendicular and parallel visual cues combine to simplify alignment. Slight Arc Balance: Mid Hang

CA70 Fits either a slight-arc or straight stroke type, the CA 70 offers a fullwidth alignment line and contrasting surfaces help frame the ball. An aluminum body and stainless steel sole plate position the CG low-back to ensure a high MOI. Straight /Slight Arc Balance: Face

TYNE 4 The distinctive design provides a balanced look at address while allowing for a steel weight in the heel and tungsten in the toe to ensure stability and make it highly forgiving and accurate. The “flow neck” hosel promotes a strong-arc stroke rotation. Strong Arc Balance: Toe Down

FETCH A unique round cutout is concealed underneath for retrieving the ball with the head, and the weight saved with the cutout moved to the perimeter to increase MOI. The stainless-steel body and aluminum sole plate increase the perimeter weighting for added forgiveness,. Straight Balance: Face

TYNE C Center shafting provides a balanced, symmetrical address view and allows the head to fit straight-stroke-type players to promote a more consistent stroke. Heel-toe tungsten weighting stabilizes the head to ensure a high MOI for forgiveness. Straight Balance: Face

OSLO H A long, clean alignment line, thicker top rail, and soft ballasting focus the eye for easier alignment. The Anser-style hosel fits a slight-arc stroke, and the stainless steel body and aluminum sole plate expand the perimeter weighting to elevate forgiveness. Slight Arc Balance: Mid Hang

HARWOOD The Harwood is the most technically advanced model in the line, delivering stability and forgiveness by utilising an aluminum body and tungsten weighting at each corner to drive up the MOI, while a trio of alignment lines simplify aiming from a model that can be fit for two stroke types. Straight Balance: Slight Arc

HARWOOD ARMLOCK Armlock players are set-up for success with this mallet, which generates high forgiveness from its lighter aluminum body paired with dense tungsten weighting at each corner to create extreme MOI. A 21-inch grip allows for multiple hand-placement options. Straight Balance: Slight Arc

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Three Times The Fun ! Now @ 3 Locations !

Arabian Ranches Golf Club Umm Suqeim Street

Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club

IN THE BAG WITH

TONY FINAU

IRONS PING BLUEPRINT 4-PW SHAFTS: NIPPON MODUS 3 120 TX

WEDGES PING GLIDE FORGED 56O & 60O SHAFTS: NIPPON MODUS 3 WEDGE 125G

DRIVER PING G425 LST 7.5O LOFT SHAFT: MITSUBISHI DIAMANA D-LIMITED 70TX

2021

STATS DRIVING DISTANCE: 311 YARDS

FAIRWAY PING G400 12.5O LOFT SHAFT: MITSUBISHI DIAMANA D+LIMITED 80TX

DRIVING ACCURACY % 51.79% GREENS IN REG. % 84.72% SAND SAVE PERCENTAGE 75% PUTTS PER ROUND 30.50 SCORING AVERAGE 69.25

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Emirates Amateur Golf League set to boost Dubai golf industry The Dubai golf scene will receive a huge financial jolt later this year with the launch of the Emirates Amateur Golf League (EAGL), the world’s first franchise-based amateur league tournament. The unique concept of the EAGL promises to deliver more than just a competitive series of sporting events – it will add to the estimated $270m total gross annual expenditure already spent on golf in Dubai.

he tournament is designed to be a solid and profitable business investment, targeting one of the most desirable audiences for any marketeer – high net-worth individuals, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs – and the UAE is the perfect place to host such an event with its cauldron of culture, different nationalities and the plethora of worldclass golf facilities. Launched back in January with a spectacular unveiling ceremony at Dubai Golf Creek & Yacht Club, the inaugural season of the EAGL is scheduled to be held across four iconic UAE golf courses in November and will involve eight team of 24 amateurs, competing on a round-robin basis. Sanctioned by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), the tournament will add several million dollars to that overall expenditure figure, without counting the

“The EAGL has been conceptualised to capitalise on this growth story and has hypothesised the league to feature nine match days in its first series, with each round offering marketing, hospitality and networking benefits for the investors. And the media benefits are going to be huge as the EAGL will be broadcast live, with 40 hours in the inaugural year.”

Sudesh Aggarwal Chairman, EAGL

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intangible benefits and opportunity costs for team owners and companies associated with the league. Sudesh Aggarwal, the brains behind the EAGL and its Chairman, is leaving no stone unturned as he looks to make EAGL a profitable venture for all the stakeholders. “With the organisers taking care of most staging and organising costs, the initial tangible benefits are working out to be close to one million dollars,” said Aggarwal. “And with an estimated economic impact of golf tourism in Dubai at $38m (Deloitte report) there is no arguing that golf plays a major growth catalyst for the Dubai’s sports and events scenario. “The EAGL has been conceptualised to capitalise on this growth story and has hypothesised the league to feature nine match days in its first series, with each round offering marketing, hospitality and

EMIRATES AMATEUR GOLF LEAGUE

networking benefits for the investors. And the media benefits are going to be huge as the EAGL will be broadcast live, with 40 hours in the inaugural year. “I am expecting elite amateur participants from foreign countries, especially places like the United Kingdom and India – and they are going to need boarding and lodging over the period they stay here. “We have also made sure that the EAGL becomes meaningful for all those involved throughout the year. I want it to be something that forces the teams and the team owners to get better and feel proud about what they have achieved. And, most importantly, I want our team owners and sponsors to get the maximum bang for the buck that they are spending. “I have no doubt in my mind that the most important stakeholders for the sustainability of EAGL are the team holders and the leading sponsors. Golf is more than a sport, it is a lifestyle statement that brands like to associate with. The sense of luxury associated with the sport, played by HNI and watched by the exclusive high-end audience is a draw by itself.” League Administrator Priyaa Kumria added: “Golf is a lifestyle sport and a status symbol and the number of courses in Dubai exudes the lifestyle of the local population, especially in UAE where it has been estimated that 400,000 rounds are played by the 6,000 golfers in the country. “The EAGL will not only encourage the game of golf but will also spur the spending in green fees, food and beverages and entertainment, which will provide the muchneeded stimulus to the local events when Dubai emerges from the Covid-19 situation. EAGL matches have been planned midweek to utilise the capacity of golf courses. “We have set an aim of reaching 670,000 residents of the UAE and 1.5 million golf fans globally. The media partnerships and the channels have been worked out in such a manner that we will easily cross these numbers.” Dubai is one of the most well-known sporting cities in the world and such a locally focused league will promote the sporting spirit within the UAE. EAGL will serve both the players and the investors, as well as the golf and tourism industry in the UAE, and participants are going to experience an almost professional tournament-like atmosphere, starting from the way the golf courses are set up, to the corporate hospitality lounges and live broadcast. “As much as the EAGL promises to be a cracker of a competitive experience for the leading amateurs (the handicap limit is 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,” continued Kumria. “They are guaranteed all this for 11 days at least (nine match days and the opening and closing ceremonies), and throughout the whole year depending on how they want to

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

“Golf is a lifestyle sport and a status symbol and the number of courses in Dubai exudes the lifestyle of the local population, especially in UAE where it has been estimated that 400,000 rounds are played by the 6,000 golfers in the country.” Priyaa Kumria

League Administrator, EAGL

leverage the property. “The EAGL will engage the core of the sporting industry namely, sports authorities, event management companies, sponsors, golf clubs, tourism, food and beverage outlets and the players. “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

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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.”

REGISTRATION FOR PLAYERS IS NOW OPEN AT WWW.EAGLE.AE

JUNIOR MASTERS OPEN TOUR

Denis Dymov birdied the first play-off hole to secure victory

Dymov edges out Shana’ah in thriller at JA Junior Open L ast month’s Junior Masters Open Tour event saw some of the region’s finest amateur golfers go head-to-head in the rearranged JA Junior Open with Denis Dymov holding his nerve in a play-off to seal victory. The Italian and Mousa Shana’ah, who is just 13 years old, were the leading contenders throughout the day in the Boys Gross Division as they battled against one another in a bid to bank Junior Global Golf Ranking points and edge closer to securing the Green Jacket for topping the Order of Merit.

Mousa Shana’ah is searching for his third successive win on the Order of Merit

The Girls Gross Division was also a hotly contested affair with Aasiya Saleem coming out on top after posting an impressive 78. The Sri Lankan finished three strokes ahead of Siti Latifah, who is on the hunt for a second Green Jacket, while Canadian Maya Bridgman finished third. The final winner of the day was Jordanian Salwa Khalil who sealed the Girls Net Division ahead of Bridgman and Emirati youngster Fatma Kalbat, who recently won the Par 3 Championship at the Presidents Cup.

Aasiya Saleem posted 78 to seal the Girls Gross Division

After 18 holes, the pair could not be separated at JA, The Resort with both youngsters posting 76 to take the tournament to extra holes. Dymov brilliantly held his nerve with a birdie on the first play-off hole to be crowned champion after Shana’ah saw his ball lip out for a birdie of his own to settle for second while Dutchman Ties Wolters completed the top three. In the Boys Net Division, Toby Stuart took home the honours after beating Adam Niaz and Hashem Shana’ah to the title.

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Siti Latifah remains in the hunt for a second Green Jacket

PRESIDENTIAL GOLF DAY

His Excellency João Lourenço, Head of State and President of the Republic of Angola tees off to mark the official launch of the first Angolan edition of the Presidential Golf Day in Luanda, Angola May 18, 2019 at Mangais Golf Resort.

Jumeirah Golf Estates set for Presidential Golf Day T he UAE is set to play host to another prestigious international event when the Presidential Golf Day takes place over the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, home to the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, from October 3-4, 2021. The esteemed African event, which has gained official endorsement from the Emirates Golf Federation, is an international platform that positions itself as a business concierge, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors to cross paths in order to establish business connections. “Hosting the Presidential Golf in Dubai is extremely beneficial for the tourism, business and investment ecosystem that exists between Africa and the UAE,” said Danilo Nhantumbo, Executive Chairman of the Presidential Golf Day. “We are hopeful that the event will provide a unique platform through which lasting and fruitful business connections can be established.” The Presidential Golf Day, which is sponsored by Angolan Diamond manufacturer SODIAM E.P, will welcome VIP guests in the form of African heads of state.

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

T H E E L S C LU B

Els Club moves to eliminate all single use plastic on the course

Spartans victorious in Rigid Industries Golf Society League Debutant competitors the Spartans Golf Society won both their final matches in a tense battle against the Angry Birdies to win this year’s Rigid Industries Golf Society League. The Spartans, made up of Captain Adhip Shankar, Namir Al Naimi, Ali Tiwana and Amir Inam saw off the challenge of the Angry Birdies, who consisted of Captain Phil Arnold, Nick Cooper, Kate Smith and Johnny Underhill. The third/fourth place play off saw Team International

society come out on top against The Sharjah Night Riders in both matches to clinch the bronze medal position. As always, the day of the final is held in conjunction with Patrons Day with all captains and sponsors invited back to play in an individual competition from the white and yellow tees. There was some excellent scoring considering the hot conditions and coming out on top was Andrew Thom from GTI with 32 Stableford points.

Last month The Els Club installed new drinking water filtration systems, provided by No More Bottles, in the clubhouse, country club, golf academy and back of house areas. All single use plastic water bottles, which would normally be a provision from the club for Members and Guests during their golf experience and at the Country Club, have been removed from the golf course and an alternative of stainlesssteel reusable bottles has been supplied to all members and staff. “We all have a responsibility to protect the environment and take small steps to reduce the huge amount of waste generated by each individual,” said Thomas Rourke, General Manager at The Els Club. “We encourage our golfing guests to bring along their own reusable bottle or opt for our eco-friendly reusable double walled stainless-steel bottle as we continue to provide complimentary high quality filtered drinking water.”

Smith and Camero crowned Club Champions Adam Smith finally got his hands on the Men’s Club Championship trophy after several years of trying with rounds of 75 and 77 helping him on his way to a four stroke victory over Namir Al Nami in challenging conditions. Jamie Camero joined Smith as a 2021 Club Champion after rounds of 75 and 71 saw her seal her second Ladies Club Championship trophy while Chris Andrews won the inaugural Net Club Championship with an excellent six under par 66.

Jirong Liu wins Ramadan Midweek Special An excellent round of 3-under-par saw Jirong Liu clinch the Ramadan Midweek special last month with Radisson Blu Ajman providing prizes across five different divisions. In Division A Ciaran O’Brien defeated Greg Ryan on a countback with both players on 39 points while in Division B a countback was also required as Sultan Qazi saw off David Yeo with both players collecting 34. Division C saw Philip Molyneux clinch a three-point win over his good friend Steve Duque while the unofficial handicap division saw new member Conor Freeman take the spoils with 37 points.

Tight finish in the Monthly Medal Dave ‘Disco’ Morais secured last month’s Medal competition on a countback over Dilesh Davda, with a birdie on the final hole proving key. Both playerd shot net 69 but Morais’ stronger finish saw him emerge victorious. Craig Gittus shot a solid 71 for third place while reigning Club Champion Adam De Carli fired a 72 to win the Gross prize.

AL AIN EQUESTRIAN, SHOOTING & GOLF CLUB

Holdt holds firm for victory Despite opening with a double bogey, F.C Holdt fought back to come out on top in last month’s Handicap Day with a superb net 65 for a four-shot win over Nic Poisat. In Division C a score of 65 helped Nina Dordevic take the spoils ahead of Martine Garbutt, who took second place after a countback win over Sean Emmett. Tara King won Division B with a 67, two clear of Clink Sacks with Barry Van Zyl in third.

Garbutt shoots the lights out Mick Garbutt produced the round of his life as a gross 66 propelled him to victory in last month’s Medal. In Division A Daniel Whittaker secured a countback win over Justin Jones after both players returned a 67 while a 66 helped Carel Nolte seal the deal in Division B, one stroke ahead of Fazil Khaliq. The final Division prize went to Nathan Hunt with a 68, with Dave Kerr in second ahead of Richard Hillard and Leon Herselman thanks to a countback.

Green Jacket Invitational a big hit Shane Alexander and Kenny Babcock come out on top in The Green Jacket Invitational, which was played during the weekend of The Masters last month, with a superb score of 47 points. One point back in second was the pair of Zeke Quinn and William Jones while a score of 44 saw Mark Bateman and Dean Stothard take third place.

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

EMI RATES GOL F C LU B

Alan and Kofod-Olsen crowned Junior Club Champions

White and Marshall come up aces high

Black and Byrne team up to seal Captain’s Day trophy

Michael White and David Marshall topped the pile in the recent Jumeirah Pairs by The Lounge Spa with a haul of 47 points and a countback win over Alastair and Daniel Hess. A first ever holein-one by White propelled them to victory while in third place with 45 points were Tom Morgans and Shane Malone.

Gary Black and Paul Byrne teamed up to shoot a brilliant net 60, which consisted of seven birdies and an eagle, to seal top spot in the Men’s Division at Boyd Edmondson’s Captain’s Day. Anand Lakhiani and Dalip Tripathi finished two strokes back in second while Ian Scott and Darren Cole claimed third after posting 63. In the Ladies tournament on Faldo, the team of Genie Owiti and Nicsha Russouw shot 64 to secure top honours while the pairing of Najla Bartette and Martha Wong finished second.

Tour Star helps team to Lincoln Pro-Am victory European Tour star Jazz Janewattanond inspired his team of Ronan Keating, Rob Lawlor and Connor Griffin to victory in the recent Lincoln Dubai Golf Pro Am Series after a haul of 85 points in the best-2-from-4 format. Missing out on a countback was the team of Louis Pearson, Marc Begg, Scott Begg and three-times Ladies European Tour winner Carly Booth while in third place with 84 points was the team of David Gray, Patrick Stone, Mark Castell and Juliette Castell. In the professional category, Graham Forbes top scored with a 2-over 74, one clear of Martin Robinson and Malcolm Young with Luke Plumb, Olivia Jackson and Paul Robinson all scoring 76.

Ladies get together for Easter Scramble Anne Gely Bouigue, Cathy Lajotte, Ingrid Lind and Petra Meijer teamed up to post net 57 which saw them crowned winners of the Ladies Easter Scramble on a countback over the Faldo Course. In second place, having also carded a net 57, was the team of Nicsha Russouw, Delaney Leigh, Chantelle de Villiers and Genie Owiti. while Jennifer Bang, Seung Min Lee, Hyangsook Moon and Juyeon Maeng shot net 59 to pick up third place. MONTGOM E RIE GOL F C LU B DU B AI

Wijstma Masters The Montgomerie

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

Sjoerd Wijstma carded a brilliant net 26 on the Par 3 course to become the inaugural win of the Green Jacket at The Montgomerie Masters which was held under the lights. In the Gross Division, Hassan Tabatabei was crowned champion as he navigated his way around the tight pins with a fine score of 30. Meanwhile Joon Eun edged out Chris Gkeivelopoulos on a countback to secure the Men’s Division A in last month’s Stableford competition after both players had carded an impressive 37 points. Grace Yoon picked up 35 points to claim the Ladies Division by one point over Mitra Ghandi.

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

Kang clinches the April Medal Williams takes Route 66 to title Amanda Williams clinched the net prize in the Medal Final, which closed the book on the 2020/21 season, with a countback win over Yash Chavan after both players returned a score of 66. A countback was also required for the gross prize as Rob Smith saw off Pallav Chavan with both signing for rounds of 72.

James Kang fired a superb 3-under 68 to win Round 3 of the 2021 OMA Emirates Monthly Medals while the gross score on the day went to Dino Varkey with a 2-over 73. In Division A Shelton Sacrafamilia carded a 69 to win by one ahead of Rohit Menon while in Division B Navneet Chopra secured a two-shot win over Emanuele Galeppini with a 68. The Ladies Division was won by Beatrice Galeppini with an excellent 71.

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Viktor Kofod-Olsen and Hannah Alan were crowned Junior Club Champions after posting 74 and 79 in their respective Gross Divisions. Alan was consistent throughout the day as she made 11 pars and a brilliant birdie at the difficult 16th to secure the girls title while birdies at the 2nd and 13th helped Kofod-Olsen on his way to picking up the boy’s trophy. In the Boy’s Net Division, Joshveer Chadha shot 76 to seal the win, which included a run of seven straights pars on the front nine.

Perfect pair Maeng and Moon win Lady Captain’s Day Ju Yeon Maeng and Hyangsook Moon were the perfect pair at Naima Maya’s Lady Captain’s Day, with the duo scoring a very impressive 48 points to win by two from Martha Wong and Najla Bartette. The winning pair had a particularly strong back nine, banking 25 points, which included seven net birdies to go along with their four net birdies and two net eagles on the front nine. Ninu Smith and Rena Sethi completed the top three on a countback with 45 points.

ARAB IAN RANC H E S GOL F C LU B

Rashid Al Jassmy seals the Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup The 26th staging of the Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup attracted a strong field of players from all age ranges and it was Rashid Al Jassmy who emerged as the Overall Champion on a countback after scoring 36 stableford points. Missing out on the top spot was Reema Al Heloo but her score of 36 saw her win the Ladies title while the gross winner on the day was Ali Babtani with an excellent 77.

WORLDWIDE GOLF

TRAVEL

Located among the rolling hills of Andalucía, with the Mediterranean to one side and the imposing Casares Mountains to the other, Finca Cortesin is one of the most picturesque and prestigious golf facilities in Spain.

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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

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GOLF TRAVEL

he undulating fairways of the par-72 Championship course at Finca Cortesin has hosted three editions of the Volvo Match Play Championship and the renowned Jack Nicklaus Academy enhances the venue’s reputation as one of the leading golfing facilities in southern Spain. In 2023 the property will get its chance to shine again on a global scale when it hosts the Solheim Cup, the biggest event in Women’s Golf. Opened in 2006, the course features five different tee positions on each hole, making it appealing to all levels of players and, in July 2017, it oversaw a comprehensive upgrade of its greens – becoming the first golf course in Spain to feature a new, environmentallyfriendly type of Ultra Dwarf Bermuda grass on all its putting surfaces. Together, the design of the course by Cabell B. Robinson and the landscaping work by Gerald

For more information: www.fincacortesin.com

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Huggan combine to create a harmonious atmosphere, with lush surroundings including typical Mediterranean flora and forest. The resort’s other world-class facilities include the elegant 67-suite Hotel Cortesin and an award-winning spa, featuring Spain’s only snow cave. Meanwhile there are luxurious real estate options on the property, including Las Albercas, which offers three types of garden residences and exceptional finishes and details. The Green 10 Villas are nestled between the greens of holes 9 and 10 on the course and feature either five or six bedrooms. They are contemporary in design and feature spectacular views of the course and the Sierra Bermeja mountain range. The distinctive Golfside Villas each feature their own identity having been designed by highly-acclaimed architects and each enjoy a private garden and pool. ■

Celebrity 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 Danny Willett, who is hosting this month’s British Masters.

DANNY WILLETT

MICHAEL JORDAN He’s a legend and I’m sure he has got some fantastic stories to tell.

Music

Lewis Capaldi can serenade us with his beautiful songs

LEWIS CAPALDI

I quite like how he comes across in the media and, at the same time, he could provide some free entertainment at the end of the night!

CHRIS HUGHES (LOVE ISLAND) I played with him at the Pro-Am at Wentworth, he was a very funny lad so he would be good fun round the table.

PARTY TRICK

AFTER ABOUT SIX BOTTLES OF RED I’D ATTEMPT TO PUT THE CAPO ON THE GUITAR AND PLAY WONDERWALL. Worldwide GOLF 64

I’D GIVE THEM MY MASTERS CHAMPIONS DINNER

- Starter -

MINI COTTAGE PIES

- Main -

YORKSHIRE STYLE SUNDAY ROAST WITH PLENTY OF GRAVY

- Dessert -

APPLE CRUMBLE

ALWAYS BRING

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