Worldwide Golf September 2021

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

EST

1999

Worldwide Golf

SEPTEMBER

2021

E X C LU S I VE

PADRAIG HARRINGTON

Worldwide Golf

LEADING THE CHARGE OF THE EUROPEAN TEAM AT WHISTLING STRAITS

SOCIETY SHOWDOWN

FUN AND GAMES AT AL HAMRA FOR A ‘NO-BRAINER’ PRICE

FEATURE

FOCUS

CHIARA NOJA

DUBAI-BASED PRODIGY READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

CAN THE AMERICAN STAR SECURE A SPOT ON STEVE STRICKER’S TEAM?

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

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Gary Player (centre) with his wife Vivienne and their children at Gleneagles, Scotland, before the Open, 2nd July 1966.

Vivienne Player My wife of 64 years, my childhood sweetheart, my rock and my soulmate

I

t’s been a rough time over recent months but I will always be eternally grateful that Vivienne died in my arms after a long and painful battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a remarkable individual. She looked after everyone in the family, including our 22 grandchildren. She always remembered birthdays and special occasions. She took care of everyone and was always first to help with other people’s problems. Throughout my career, when I was traveling abroad to play in numerous golf tournaments, I never had to pack my suitcase. Wherever I went she always made sure I was well turned out.

She gave her life to me. She had great faith and appreciated that life is full of adversity and she wanted me to go on with my life. She was a ‘Mother Hen’ to all of us, not only to our family and friends but also to the workers on the farm, who referred to her as ‘Dear Momma’. She insisted that I carry on with my life and continue to do good in the world. I’m beginning to understand that life has to go on. Thankfully, I’m doing fine now.

It has been quite remarkable that we have received countless tributes and phone calls to Vivienne from former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump and to so many world leaders. I can’t begin to tell you how many personalities have been in touch to make their tributes.

We had so many happy memories. I first met Vivienne when I lived in a house in a poor neighbourhood in South Africa. A friendly couple from England moved into the house next door with a high garden fence. I found a stone I could stand on to look over their lawn. On one occasion my brother was with me and he said that there was a charming little girl coming to visit the English family next door. I was 13 years old and when I saw this beautiful young girl I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I remarked to my brother, “When I get older I’m going to marry

that girl.” He replied, “What are you talking about – you’ve only seen her for 10 seconds.” All the same, I did marry that beautiful girl.

A year or so later I had to have cartilage operation at a hospital right across town. I was sitting outside at the hospital and who should I see walking towards me but Vivienne. How she managed to find her way to the hospital was beyond me. I didn’t even think she knew where it was. Still, I was fortunate to have my first kiss. But how did she get there? She had to take a bus, a tram and walk all the way across town. I realised that this was a beautiful woman of considerable resilience. It was there at Park Town where I got my first kiss.

Vivienne was an outstanding golfer. Her father and brother were both pro golfers. I recall playing with her at Kensington Golf Club on one occasion. I gave her just five shots and even with a 69 – she managed to beat me!

Vivienne travelled all around the world with our six children and myself but managed to take care of everything and everybody. She made sure that the children were well mannered and well brought up. There were no beds or television on aircraft in those days, so imagine trying to entertain a child back then on a long haul flight let alone six. We’ve had the fortune of being able to travel the world together, many times over. She was happy to go and now, I’ve got to go forward. I appreciated that it was not possible to have a wife like Vivienne.

I’m grateful that Vivienne wanted me to go on with my life and continue to contribute to our legacy of the ‘Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation,’ particularly concerning impoverished children.

By Gary Player

Worldwide GOLF 2

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CONTENTS 14

COLUMN

40

COLUMN

41

Ryder Cup Preview

David Howell

Pete Cowen

We take a look at the facts and figures ahead of The 43rd Ryder Cup, where 24 of the world’s best players will go head-to-head in the biennial showpiece between the U.S.A. and Europe.

European Tour stalwart David Howell looks ahead to The Ryder Cup and reveals why he thinks Padraig Harrington could be one the most interesting Captains to take up the role.

The Master PGA Professional believes Steve Stricker’s B Team could win the Ryder Cup but doesn’t rule out an experienced European team getting over the line.

24

E X CLUSI VE

Padraig Harrington

28

We talk exclusively to the Ryder Cup Captain, who is looking to follow in the footsteps of European greats, including José María Olazábal, Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros, in winning The Ryder Cup on American soil.

Scottie Scheffler We caught up with the American star in the lead up to the FedEx Cup Playoffs as he looks to cement a Captain’s Pick from Steve Stricker after his meteoric rise up the World Ranking.

30 Chiara Noja The Dubai-based prodigy, who plays off +7, made the Emirate her home last year and is now aiming for the very top

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SOCIETY SHOWDOWN

Al Hamra Golf Club Friday 15th October 1pm shotgun

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CONTENTS 34

Jazz and Stevie European Tour star Jazz Janewattananon and Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Stephen Deane have struck up a unique friendship since teaming up at last year’s Golf in Dubai Championship Presented by DP World.

GEAR 48

Titleist T Series

50

PXG 0311ST BLADES

38

Worldwide Golf Society Showdown This 4-person team event, taking place Friday October 15th on the stunning Peter Harradine-designed Al Hamra course, will pit the region’s golf societies against each other to decide once and for all, who the top dogs are.

42 INSTRUCTION

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Bow & Arrow

52

PING i59

54

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PING GLIDE FORGED PRO WEDGES

Imagine their successful Blueprint iron with more muscle.

Stephen Deane, Dubai Golf Head of Academies, demonstrates a simple drill that will allow you to engage your body and build a consistent action that starts from the ground up.

The do it all iron has just received a tech boost and it’s paid off.

Are these premium wedges a perfect fit for the better PING player?

Swing in Balance Harmonise the swinging of the arms with the rotation of the body with this useful tip from Alastair Brown, Head Professional at Emirates Golf Club.

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EDITOR’S LETTER ALEX GALLEMORE

Stricker will be pushing the tips back!

I

DOUBT that many of you have been able to read Gary Player’s column this month without wiping a tear from your eye.

Keeping it together while Gary spoke about Vivienne was near impossible.

We launched Worldwide Golf in Dubai back in 1999 and Gary has been involved from the first issue. Over the past 22 years we have chatted to Vivienne and Gary once a month at all times of the day and night. Although, on one occasion we got the time zones confused, only to wake Vivienne up at 03:00 in the morning as they were both in Hawaii.

Unlike most people would, she found it funny, I think it was a relief that it wasn’t a family emergency or something serious. We couldn’t apologise enough, yet she just laughed and said: “Don’t worry, you might as well speak to Gary now, as he’s up!” Ever since then we triple check the time zones and e-mails to confirm the times. Still, ‘Hawaii Gate’ has become a running joke ever since.

The Ryder Cup At the start of the season, you would have handed The Ryder Cup to the American team without a whimper. All the big names were coming into form and the Europeans were like a rusty old nail. As the season has progressed, things have shifted with players starting to look a little burnt out.

The US PGA Tour’s lucrative FedEx Cup, which concludes on the fifth of September, will only take it out of them even more. This leaves just two weeks for the players to have a break and reset before

Whistling Straits. Most of the players on both teams will be familiar with the course but it will be interesting to see how Steve Stricker sets it up to benefit his players. When you look at his players who top the points list you know it’s going to be played off the very back tips. Apart from Jon Rahm, Europe can’t match the fire power of DeChambeau, Koepka, Johnson, Thomas and Finau.

Europe’s strength lies in experience and having Westwood and Poulter in the team will feel like having an extra man in the line-up for Harrington. Westwood will also have tied Faldo on 11 Ryder Cup appearances, which is just staggering, considering his first Ryder Cup cap came back in 1997 and Paris was the only time he’s failed to get into the team.

Equipment With the golf season just about to get underway in the Middle East we have focused our equipment section on the latest irons that are about to hit the pro shops and golf stores in the region. The new T series from Titleist and the P790 from TaylorMade will have mass appeal.

But Ping’s new i59 iron and Tour Glide Pro wedges were a surprise and might appeal to the mid-to-low handicap player, myself included.

Though if my talent was up to the challenge, I could easily be swayed on looks alone by PXG’s new 0311 ST blades. Yes, at last ‘Mr Ka Boom Baby’ has developed a true blade and it’s a beauty. Thankfully, it’s not packed with ‘go-further technology,’ it’s crafted to react to a player’s input and ability. Hence, why these bad boys are for the serious golfer and why I had to call in the services of a Tour pro to test them.

ISSUE No.238 SEPTEMBER 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.

Worldwide GOLF 12

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

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THE COURSE

Whistling Straits

Designed by world-renowned golf course architect, Pete Dye, the links-style Straits course is sculpted along two miles of rugged, bunker-riddled Lake Michigan shoreline and will become the first public course to host a Ryder Cup on American soil since Kiawah Island Golf Resort hosted the iconic “War on the Shore” in 1991.

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STARTER

“Naah, this course is popcorn! But, sometimes people choke on popcorn.”

PETE DYE

MAJOR PEDIGREE

COURSE RECORD

GRANDSTAND

The course has hosted three Major Championships since opening its doors 23 years ago with the 2004, 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships all being played in Wisconsin. Martin Kaymer, who won the 2010 edition, will bring a wealth of knowledge of the course in his Vice-Captain role while 2015 runner-up Jordan Spieth is set to star for the US team once again after his recent renaissance.

Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata shot a spellbinding round of 63 at the 2015 PGA Championship to set the course record on the Straits course.

Iwata made eight birdies, one eagle and one bogey en route to the record round which also levelled the best round in a Major until Branden Grace became the first man to shoot 62 at the 2017 Open Championship.

Arena Americas will be erecting 600,000 square feet of tenting, 900,000 square feet of carpeting, and 1.2 million square feet of flooring for golf’s greatest contest. The first tee grandstand will accommodate around 3,500 fans while a double-decked, two-sided, hospitality tent, which runs the length of the fairways between holes one and nine, will be one of the biggest at a major sporting event.

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RYDER CUP A fter three long years, The 43rd Ryder Cup is finally upon us with Whistling Straits set to play host to three days of action-packed, drama-filled matchplay golf. Europe come into the event off the back of their resounding win in Paris while the Americans are seeking just their third win in 19 years. Expect sell-out crowds, chants of ‘U.S.A, U.S.A’ and late nights in front of the T.V. - Golf’s greatest contest is back!

SELECTION HEADACHE Steve Stricker has the tougher job of the two Captains in selecting his team for the biennial event after the PGA of America announced last year that the American would be selecting half of his team. The 54 year old will announce his selections after the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship and will seek the advice from the players who earn automatic spots

on the US Ryder Cup team on how he should use his six Captain’s Picks. “I’ll have the opportunity to sit with those six automatic players,” said Stricker. “After the top six make the team, I plan on seeing these six players and getting their feedback to the next six that we are going to pick. I want this to be a team effort. I want everybody to be all in on who these six picks are going to be and make it a team, a true team deal.”

Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington has opted to just make three Captain’s Picks which will be announced after the conclusion of the BMW PGA Championship – the third Rolex Series event of the season – which takes place at Wentworth Golf Club from September 9-12.

“I didn’t want any more than three,” said

Worldwide GOLF 16

Harrington on his Captain’s Picks. “I believe players should be given the right to qualify.

Those who qualify deserve to be there. I think that’s another reason we’ve been so successful, because of the system. We give everybody a chance. You’ve got to give rookies a chance to qualify. That’s very important for the morale of the team, everybody feels they’re part of it. Plus, giving me six picks would have given me a huge headache!”

ROOKIES

PREVIEW The 43rd Ryder Cup will definitely have two rookies playing after Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay both sealed their spots on the U.S. Team in recent weeks. As it stands, The European Team is set to have at least two men making their debut in Wisconsin with Shane Lowry and Viktor Hovland both occupying automatic spots on the World Points list while a host of rookies are on the bubble for both sides.

Daniel Berger and Harris English will be looking for a Captain’s Pick from Stricker with the duo sitting inside the top 12 of the U.S. Team Rankings while Jason Kokrak and Scottie Scheffler have enjoyed strong seasons to occupy 14th and 15th respectively.

From a European perspective, Bernd Wiesberger, Victor Perez and Robert MacIntyre are all chasing a spot on Harrington’s team and have just a couple of weeks to cement an automatic space before the Irishman makes his three selections. If they fail to make the team automatically, they’ll come up against a host of Ryder Cup stars vying for a pick including Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Mr. Ryder Cup, Ian Poulter.

WORLD RANKING On paper, the U.S. are set to have the better team at Whistling Straits with fourteen Americans currently occupying the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking. U.S. players have also won five of the last seven Major Championships while Xander Schauffele picked up a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. World No.1 and U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm will lead the charge of the European team while Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton are the next best ranked players in 13th, 15th and 16th respectively.

Mickelson

IN OR OUT? If you win a Major Championship the same year as the Ryder Cup, you’d expect to be in the squad, right? Phil Mickelson’s triumph at the PGA Championship earlier this year was one of golf’s most magical stories with the then 50-year-old becoming the oldest winner in Major history. But the win at Kiawah Island is the only top-10 finish Mickelson has had in the last 12 months and he’s only mustered one finish inside the top 60 since that remarkable week. He’ll need a Captain’s Pick if he is to play in his 13th Ryder Cup but seemed to talk himself out of contention on the back of his bad run of form. “I haven’t had a top-10 outside of the PGA, you can’t take somebody that is that inconsistent,” said Mickelson last month in Memphis.

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STATPACK 29% The 2018 competition was the 42nd edition of the Ryder Cup, meaning six-time Major champion Phil Mickelson has been present for 29 percent of the tournament’s playings. Lefty holds the all-time Ryder Cup appearances record with 12 outings while Nick Faldo represented Europe on 11 occasions.

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No duo has recorded more victories or total points than Ryder Cup legends Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábel. The Spaniards had a record of 11 victories to just two losses and two halves while there total of 12 points is twice as many as the nearest partnerships of Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke as well as Sir Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam who each have recorded six total points.

8&7

The largest margin of victory in an 18-hole match at the Ryder Cup is 8 & 7 and has been achieved twice. The first was in 1987 when Tom Kite thrashed Howard Clark before Fred Couples defeated Ian Woosnam by the same margin in 1997.

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The youngest competitor at the Ryder Cup is Sergio Garcia. At the tender age of 19 years and 258 days, Garcia qualified for the 1999 European team that went on to lose 14.5-13.5 after they had held a four point lead ahead of the final day.

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From 1959 to 1983, the U.S. won The Ryder Cup 13 consecutive times before an 18-foot birdie putt on the last by an emotional Sam Torrance sealed victory for Team Europe at The Belfry in 1985 to put an end to the rot.

Worldwide GOLF 18

20,000

STARTER

86 6

There have been a total of six holesin-one in the Ryder Cup history books, starting with Peter Bulter’s ace in 1973 at Muirfield. The most recent holesin-one, and also the longest, came at the 213-yard 14th hole at The K Club in 2006.

The first came from Paul Casey during Saturday foursomes, while Scott Verplank sunk the second during Sunday’s singles matches.

Approximately 20,000 portions of fish and chips, 15,000 quarter-pounder burgers, 7,000 organic pies and 132,000 cans of beer were consumed during the 2010 Ryder Cup tournament at Celtic Manor.

Since Europe first adopted Captain’s picks in 1979 – the first year Great Britain & Ireland expanded its roster to include Continental Europe - the players chosen have gone on to win 86 points. The US followed suit 10 years later with their Captain’s picks securing 66 points since then.

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3

There have only ever been three left-handed Ryder Cup competitors.

The first lefty to compete came in 1977, when Englishman Peter Dawson played on the final Great Britain & Ireland team. The other two have come in recent years, with Phil Mickelson making 12 Ryder Cup appearances and Bubba Watson competing in four of the last five contests.

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STARTER

SPINBACK A

strong American team, which included 11 of the world’s top 20 golfers, six of the last seven Major winners and a combined 31 Major titles, with a resurgent Tiger Woods among them, traveled to Paris in the hope of securing a first victory on foreign soil for 25 years.

This was meant to be their year but their hopes and dreams were crushed by a formidable European team, who defied the odds to triumph 17½-10½ in front of recordbreaking crowds at Le Golf National.

The U.S. started on the front foot with a dominant display on the Friday morning fourballs, where they raced to a 3 – 0 lead after victories for Brooks Koepka/Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson/Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas/Jordan Spieth. But European spirits were lifted when the week’s star-studded duo Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari sealed a vital point in the final fourball contest against Patrick Reed/Tiger Woods.

That victory ignited the European team and from a morning of red, the scoreboard turned blue, after a superb whitewash in the afternoon foursomes - their first ever foursomes clean sweep in Europe’s Ryder Cup history – with Molinari and Fleetwood’s 5&4 thrashing of Spieth/Thomas the pick of the bunch.

On Saturday, Europe picked up where they left off collecting three points in the opening three fourball matches before Thomas/ Spieth gave the U.S. a lifeline with victory against Jon Rahm/Ian Poulter. With Europe leading by four heading into the afternoon foursomes, a commanding display from the U.S. was needed but they left themselves a mammoth task heading into the Sunday singles after only securing two points while Fleetwood and Molinari kept up their 100% record after gunning down Woods/Bryson DeChambeau 5&4.

Only twice before had a team overturned

a four-point deficit heading into the final day – The U.S. in 1999 and Europe’s ‘Miracle in Medinah’ in 2012. There would be no comeback in 2018, though, despite the U.S. pulling it back to within one point after the fourth match on Sunday.

Finau’s 6&4 triumph over Fleetwood looked to have given the U.S. an unlikely route back into the biennial tournament after Thomas, Koepka and Webb Simpson had picked up 2.5 points from a possible three early on. Thorbjørn Olesen put the Europeans back on track with a stunning 5&4 drumming

Worldwide GOLF 21

of Spieth in his first match of the week before Jon Rahm and Poulter secured the next two matches.

The victory was sealed in the following match by Open champion Molinari with the Italian beating Phil Mickelson to get Europe to the 14½-point winning mark, simultaneously becoming the first European to win five points in one Ryder Cup. History was also made by Spaniard Sergio Garcia, who secured victory over Rickie Fowler to surpass Sir Nick Faldo as the Ryder Cup’s leading points scorer with 25½.

APTAIN’S PICK C S T

C H O O S E

W I S E LY

HIS YEAR’S RYDER CUP CAPTAINS, STEVE STICKER AND PADRAIG HARRINGTON, MAY HAVE HAD AN EXTRA YEAR TO PREPARE FOR THE TOURNAMENT BUT THAT HAS ONLY ADDED TO THE DIFFICULTY OF SELECTING THEIR CAPTAIN’S PICKS. BOTH WILL BE AWARE THAT A BAD SELECTION CAN POTENTIALLY DAMAGE A TEAM WHILE A WISE CHOICE COULD BE THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IN THE BIENNIAL SHOWPIECE.

CAPTAIN’S PICKS WERE FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1979 BY THE EUROPEANS BEFORE THE U.S. ADOPTED THE IDEA A DECADE LATER. OVER THE YEARS THE PROCESS HAS BEEN TWEAKED AND FIERCELY DEBATED BUT THEY HAVE REMAINED A VITAL PART OF GOLF’S GREATEST CONTEST AND HAVE GIVEN THE CAPTAINS A SELECTION HEADACHE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. HERE, WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST AND WORST CAPTAIN’S PICKS IN RYDER CUP HISTORY.

Captain: Jose Maria Olazabal (2012)

Pick: Ian Poulter

With the Saturday sun about to set at Medinah Golf Club, Europe found themselves five points adrift and out of contention of retaining the trophy before the momentum shifted dramatically when Ian ‘Postman’ Poulter led a charge to secure the final point of the day to reduce the deficit to four. The Captain’s Pick had already banked two points for his team in his two previous matches but his rally in Saturday’s fourball, where he birdied each of the last five holes to secure a 1UP triumph alongside Rory McIlroy, will go down in history as the catalyst for the Miracle in Medinah.

The Englishman finished the weekend off with four points from a possible four with a 2UP triumph over Webb Simpson in the Sunday singles on the way to Europe’s historic victory.

Captain: Ian Woosnam (2006)

Picks: Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood Ryder Cup stalwarts Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood rewarded Ian Woosnam’s faith by roaring through their matches undefeated at the K Club in Ireland as Europe rolled to an 18.5 - 9.5 rout. The duo were sent out together on Friday and Saturday in the morning fourballs and they delivered a pair of victories, taking down world No. 1 Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk on Friday and World No. 2 Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco on Saturday. Westwood added another point before the Sunday singles with a pair of halves alongside Colin Montgomerie in the foursomes while Clarke was rested. The Northern Irishman returned for the final day to complete three victories from a possible three with a triumph over Zach Johnson while Westwood added his fourth point of the week with a 2UP win over DiMarco. It remains the best performance by two wildcards on either side.

Captain: Tom Watson (1993)

Pick: Raymond Floyd

At the age of 51, Floyd was, and remains, the oldest team member in history, and had previously captained the ‘89 squad. Tom Watson, Captain of team and seven years younger than his pick, said he was looking for ‘heart and guts’ when he picked Floyd for the team from the ranks of the Senior PGA Tour. Floyd showed plenty of that as he justified his selection by picking up three points from a possible four including a 2UP victory over Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal despite being 23 years his senior. Floyd’s win sealed victory for the States and left the World Golf Hall of Famer as the joint highest points scorer for the U.S. team at The Belfry. This was the last time the U.S. won on European soil.

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Captain: Jim Furyk (2018)

Pick: Tiger Woods The American came into the 42nd edition of the tournament full of confidence after picking up his 80th PGA Tour title just a week before at the seasonending Tour Championship.

But he didn’t hit the ground running at Le Golf National as he slumped to four defeats across the weekend for the worst Ryder Cup performance of his career.

In Woods’ defense he did come up against Europe’s unstoppable force of Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari in all three of his team matches before Jon Rahm defeated him on the final day with a birdie at the 17th. Fellow picks Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau also picked up 0 points from the weekend but both played less matches than Woods over the Albatross course.

Captain: Darren Clarke (2016)

Pick: Lee Westwood

As the most experienced Ryder Cup player on the European side, Westwood was expected to lead by example at Hazeltine but looked out of sorts on the opening day to succumb to a 5&4 thrashing alongside rookie Thomas Pieters. To Westwood’s credit, he came out and shouldered the blame for the defeat, the heaviest of the morning, before he was dropped for the afternoon fourballs and Saturday’s foursomes. The Englishman returned in Saturday afternoon alongside Danny Willett and looked to have shaken off that poor performance early on as he rattled off three straight birdies from the fifth. Then came the downfall with a missed short putt on the 17th gifting the U.S. the lead for the first time in the match before failing to hole from four feet on the last to miss out on half a point. Westwood’s misery continued on the Sunday as he fell to a 1UP defeat to Webb Simpson on the way to the U.S. sealing a six point triumph.

Captain: Larry Wadkins (1995)

Pick: Curtis Strange

Strange was a controversial pick from the moment he was announced with the 40 year old failing to win a PGA Tour title in the six year prior to the event. However, his last victory in 1989 was at the U.S. Open which was also played over the same course as the 1995 Ryder Cup – Oak Hill Country Club. The American failed to pick up any points in his opening two matches in the first two days’ foursomes but it was the final three holes on Sunday that went down in history for all the wrong reasons. Strange led Nick Faldo by one hole as he stepped up to tee off on the 16th in a pivotal match to determine the contest but then bogeyed the next three to fall to defeat and leave Europe within a point of the cup. Philip Walton dealt the decisive blow to the U.S. in the next match to complete a memorable comeback and launch a dominant period in European Ryder Cup history.

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PA D R A I G

HARRINGTON

LE ADING

WAY

THE

P

adraig Harrington is one of the most decorated European golfers in history with three Major titles and four Ryder Cup wins to his name, yet the biggest challenge of his career awaits at Whistling Straits.

The Irishman will lead out the European Team for The 43rd Ryder Cup in Wisconsin with the sole aim of continuing their recent dominance in the biennial showpiece. The task will not be an easy one with the Americans appearing to be the stronger team of the two with eight of their players currently occupying the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but you’d be a fool to think that plays on Harrington’s mind. The 49-year-old, who is renowned for his vast knowledge of the game and meticulous planning, has left no stone unturned in preparing for the titanic battle as he looks to follow in the footsteps of European greats, including José María Olazábal, Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros, in captaining the team to victory on American soil.

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orldwide Golf’s Thomas Wragg caught up with Harrington ahead of golf’s greatest contest to get his thoughts on Captain’s Picks, course set-up and his greatest Ryder Cup memories.

Worldwide Golf: How proud are you to be leading out the European team at Whistling Straits?

Padraig Harrington: To be selected by your peers to take on this role is humbling and it will be one of my proudest moments in over 25 years as a professional golfer to lead the European Team in Wisconsin, not just because of the incredible players who will be on that team, but also knowing I will have joined an historic group of only 26 other people who have held the honour of being European / GB&I Captain since the contest began in 1927. I’m fortunate to have achieved a lot in the game personally, including having won three Major Championships, some 30 professional tournaments around the world and a few team events, including the World Cup of Golf for Ireland alongside Paul McGinley in 1997 and, of course, the Ryder Cup four times as a player. I’m incredibly proud of all those achievements, but being Ryder Cup Captain is right up there with all of them.

WWG: Has having an extra year helped in your preparations or made it more difficult with different players playing their way into contention?

PH: It has certainly been an interesting journey and obviously a longer one than all of us expected or indeed wanted. However, from when we restarted our qualification process in January, the last eight months have been positive. Everybody has been able to play and we have a good system in place that has allowed us to look at everyone and see how they’re playing. I don’t think there is any point in looking backwards at players that might have been in contention previously and maybe they’re not now. There’s nothing you can do about that so all we’re focused on is the players in contention for places in the team right now. That’s all that matters.

WWG: Looking back on your Ryder Cup career as a player – what is your favourite moment and who do you consider was your fiercest opponent and why?

PH: It’s difficult to pick out a favourite moment because I have been fortunate to have had so many in this great contest.

Therefore, if you will indulge me, I will mention a few. The first one is an odd one because it was a moment that was such a high only to be followed by such a low only minutes later. On my debut at Brookline in 1999, I genuinely thought I had helped at least retain the Ryder Cup for Europe when I beat Mark O’Meara on the last green

in my singles match. I had looked at the scoreboard a few holes earlier and saw that José María Olazábal was four up with seven to play on Justin Leonard so I assumed that point was in the bag and therefore when I won my match, I was absolutely on cloud nine. I did the TV interview at the back of the 18th green and I then felt like I was floating back down the fairway on my way to the 17th green. Unfortunately, I arrived at just the time that Leonard holed that monster putt to help guarantee the US a half point that helped them get to 14 ½ points to win the trophy back. It was a crazy half hour but a memorable one nonetheless.

Other great memories come from Europe’s resounding victory at Oakland Hills in 2004 where, in the very first fourball match on Friday morning, I partnered Colin Montgomerie to a 2&1 victory over Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. That gave the whole team a lift and we never really looked back from there. I also ended the team component of that match with a comprehensive 4&3 victory alongside Paul McGinley over Tiger and Davis Love III in the final Saturday afternoon foursomes, before beating Jay Haas 1 up in the singles on the Sunday. That really was a great week as Europe won by nine points. As far as toughest opponents go, it might surprise a few people but my answer to that is Scott Verplank. I played Scott in the singles at The K Club in 2006 and, with the Irish crowds behind me, I really was hoping to win that match but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Scott was terrific that day, never gave me the slightest opportunity to get into the match, and ran out a deserving 4&3 winner.

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“It’s difficult to pick out a favourite moment because I have been fortunate to have had so many in this great contest.”

WWG: Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn have really laid down the foundations of what it takes to be a modern-day Ryder Cup Captain with their high levels of attention to detail, and you were a Vice Captain under both of them – how much influence have they had on your reign as Captain so far?

PH: I’ve been fortunate to play in six Ryder Cups in total and have been Vice Captain on another three occasions so I’ve picked

PADRAIG HARRINGTON

Harrington and Colin Montgomerie gunned down Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in 2004.

Harrington worked under Pacul McGinley as a Vice Captain in Europe’s win over the USA in 2014.

up bits and pieces from all nine Captains I worked under that I will be utilising at Whistling Straits alongside my own thoughts and ideas. I enjoyed being Vice Captain for Thomas and Paul and also for Darren Clarke in 2016 because sometimes you learn just as much when things aren’t perhaps going according to plan as you do when everything is working. One thing is for certain, you definitely learn more about everything that goes with the Ryder Cup when you’re a Vice Captain than when you’re a player. When you’re a player, all you are really concentrating on is your own game and your own form, but when you’re a Vice Captain you have a bit of time to look around and take everything in, because not only are you not playing, you also don’t have the ultimate focus on you as Captain either.

WWG: With Lee Westwood playing well this year and likely (at this point) to qualify for the team – is having a player of his Ryder Cup stature in the side almost as good as having an extra Vice Captain?

PH: Earlier this year, Lee was presented with the Seve Ballesteros Award for Players’ Player of the Year for 2020 which was truly deserved. He was the runaway winner of the players’ vote and little wonder given the phenomenal season he had last year which culminated in him winning the Race to Dubai, some 20 years after he was crowned

European Number One for the first time in 2000. Lee is the only active player to have won in four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s) and the good news for me and the European Ryder Cup team is that, like a fine wine, he seems to be getting better with age. He is comfortably in the team and that is important for me because you need leaders and Lee is certainly that. What he says in the locker room will command respect.

WWG: Prior to making the picks, will you seek input from players already in the team as well as the Vice Captains?

PH: We’re already doing that. The Vice Captains and I have been in constant communication about all aspects of the team for some time; looking at the players who have automatically qualified, looking at my potential Captain’s Picks, and also looking at potential pairings for both the foursomes and the fourball sessions. We have a fair bit of experience of the Ryder Cup between us so we’re utilising all of that in our discussions. I also have regular dialogue with all the players involved, so they know exactly what the picture is and what we are looking to achieve as a team.

WWG: How much will the course set up - done by Steve Stricker and his PGA aids - potentially affect your pairings or game plan?

PH: It’s a fact in the Ryder Cup that home advantage does have a significance and one area where that is the case is terms of the course set-up. If we had to go and play the U.S. on a stereotypical American

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“Lee is the only active player to have won in four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s) and the good news for me and the European Ryder Cup team is that, like a fine wine, he seems to be getting better with age.”

golf course such as Valhalla, Hazeltine or Medinah it would be challenging. It’s very difficult to beat the US on that style of golf course and that’s why what happened at Medinah in 2012 is rightly described as a miracle. Thankfully, however, this time round at Whistling Straits, it’s a less typical American golf course, although I expect it to be set up in traditional U.S. style as much as possible. I was there a few weeks ago and it was pretty green, they are not letting it get firm and fast, it has wide open fairways and there is not a lot of rough. I’m sure the greens will be fast and the course in general will be set up for a lot of birdies, but I don’t see that affecting the way our pairings are decided. We will go with what our research and knowledge of the players has told us and remember, these are some of the best players in the world, so they will be able to cope with any layout in front of them. ■

SUPERScottie

SCHEFFLER A

t the beginning of 2019, Scottie Scheffler was ranked 1640th in the world and just about to get his rookie year underway on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Thirty-two months later, the American has worked his way into the top 20 of the World Ranking and is pushing for a place on Steve Stricker’s Ryder Cup Team.

The 25 year old always seemed destined for stardom since topping the Korn Ferry Tour Money List, yet remains relatively unknown outside of the States despite his meteoric rise in the game. Thomas Wragg caught up with the Texan to get his thoughts on The Ryder Cup, his love of the big stage and Brooks’ and Bryson’s rivalry.

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O

N TOPPING THE KORN FERRY TOUR RANKINGS AS A ROOKIE I didn’t really know what to expect going into the season. We finished Q School and the season started not too long after that, I had maybe three weeks off before starting my season. I missed the cut at first but after that I started playing well, I had two or three top tens in those first few events and it started rolling from there. I locked up my card after finishing second in Nashville, which was fairly early in the year and then I was able to win a few weeks after that. I went from just trying to get my card to being close to the number one spot, and then I was able to win again later in the year to lock up that number one spot going into the PGA Tour season.

O

N BEING CROWNED KORN FERRY TOUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

BY HIS FELLOW PLAYERS It was great. To be voted by your peers is awesome and it’s definitely something that I strive for. It’s a great honour and it was nice to gain some confidence going into the PGA Tour season knowing that I was playing well. My game was in good shape and it was nice getting my card quickly instead of stressing out about it at the end of the season.

O

N THE PANDEMIC AFFECTING HIS FIRST PGA TOUR SEASON We didn’t know what was happening with the schedule. We took so much time off, we had no idea what was going on, so we were fortunate enough just to have a place to play after a couple of months. I was in a good position before we went on lockdown, so for me I was playing and I was excited to just keep going. I was trying to stay in-form the best I could.

O

N HIS LOVE OF MAJOR GOLF I think in those tough events like the Majors and the WGC, the golf courses are a little bit harder and I think that suits me. I like the idea of grinding and making a bunch of pars. I enjoy that more than the birdie focused courses where you can get a 20 under winning score. In the Majors I could make a couple of mistakes here and there and still be able to catch up. Let’s say the leader is shooting 24 under in a normal tournament and I’m four or five shots behind on the last day, I have to shoot a crazy number like 60 or 61 just to catch up because, odds are, the leader is going to shot 64 or 65 again. But in the Majors you can see players coming from behind because you can still shot 63 or 64 while the leaders would get pars and just hang in there.

O

N HIS IDEAL RYDER CUP PARTNER I play well with a lot of the players in the team. You could put us all together in a variety of different ways and we would play well so I don’t really have an exact dream pairing that I’m looking forward to.

O

N EUROPE WINNING FOUR OF THE LAST FIVE EDITIONS I’ve not been on that team before so I am not sure exactly what their secret is, I just know that they seem to make a lot of putts! Other than that, I think the U.S. hit a slow patch and they’re in a rhythm of losing. Europe has the momentum on their side year after year so I think we need to come in there and win again to get the ball rolling once more.

O

N SHOOTING 59 AT LAST YEAR’S NORTHERN TRUST I went into that tournament knowing I had to be among the top 30 to make it to the next FedEx Cup Playoffs event in Illinois, which is a nice accomplishment as a rookie. I played poorly during the first round and shot even par so I knew I had to go low on Friday to get through the cut line. I had some nice up and downs early in the round, made birdie at the second and I just started rolling from there. I made a par on 13 before reeling off three birdies from the 14th and that’s when I started thinking about the score and the chance I had to shoot 59. Thankfully, I picked up my twelfth shot of the day on the last to get to the magic number.

O

N THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING STEVE STRICKER’S RYDER CUP TEAM That would be fantastic, it’s definitely something that I’m looking forward to. It would be a dream come true. I’ve thought about playing in that event for a while. Anybody that’s in contention knows where they stand, Steve hasn’t reached out to me specifically about his picks, he just reached out to all of the guys for certain dates that we need to be looking forward to.

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O

N BROOKS KOEPKA’S AND BRYSON DECHAMBEAU’S RIVALRY I’m not sure if it’s real or not but it doesn’t concern me. But as far as it goes for golf, they certainly have a lot of people talking about the game, that’s definitely one of the benefits. At times it can get childish but it’s getting people talking so it’s not too bad.

O

N BREAKING HIS PGA TOUR DUCK I think I’m pretty close. At the beginning of the week I haven’t put myself in contention enough, I’m barely outside looking in. I played an event last month and was five shots back but felt like I was playing well enough to be closer to the lead during the final round. I think I just need to clear up my game at the beginning of the week because sometimes I lose my focus a little bit.

Winning is the same on every level, it’s a skill that the guys have, whether it’s winning in junior golf or winning on the Korn Ferry Tour, for me it’s pretty similar. I’m used to playing under pressure on Tour and having the fans out there. I feel my game is in a good spot so I think it will come soon.

CHIARA

NOJA

TAKING ON THE

T

BY THOMAS WRAGG

O SAY THAT CHIARA NOJA HAS HAD AN ADVENTUROUS CHILDHOOD WOULD BE SOMETHING OF AN UNDERSTATEMENT. AT THE TENDER AGE OF JUST 15 SHE HAS LIVED IN THREE COUNTRIES, TRAVELLED ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR GOLF TOURNAMENTS AND PLAYED IN A PRESTIGIOUS LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR EVENT. THIS IS JUST THE START FOR THE DUBAIBASED PRODIGY, WHOSE KILLER GAME, GLOWING PERSONALITY AND CONFIDENT SWAGGER MAKE HER A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.

N

oja’s journey to becoming a golfing hotshot started 12 years ago when her parents would take her along to their local course while they played a round or smashed some balls on the range. At first, she was just a spectator, but after a while Noja was keen to emulate her parents and picked up a club for the first time.

“Both of my parents are keen golfers so I just came along with them,” said Noja, who spoke to me at the Peter Cowen Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates. “At some point I got bored so I thought I’d try it out and, I guess, I’ve been hooked ever since. Golf is just like life – you face hardships and sometimes you get an unlucky break, sometimes you get a good run.

It’s difficult but it represents what you have to face out there. If you’re good at golf and you have the mentality to face the challenges on the golf course then I think you can succeed in everything around you.”

By the time she moved to England, at the age of nine, Noja had already won numerous junior events and boasted a handicap of nine.

A year later it dawned on her that she might be better than those of a similar age but that didn’t distract her from focussing on becoming the very best.

“That’s really difficult to answer because my mindset has always been just me,” said Noja, when I asked at what point did she realise she was better than those around her.

“I don’t like to compare in that sense because you don’t want to boost your ego too much but you want to have confidence in yourself so I guess when I was 10 I realised that I’m better than the other kids but I was also practicing more and taking it more seriously.

“I was just making my way through age group categories, so I started off doing club junior events and club championships and after I won those then I went to the under-12s and under-14s for a bigger challenge and won

NOJA RECEIVED AN INVITE TO LAST YEAR’S OMEGA DUBAI MOONLIGHT CLASSIC

those as well. My parents have always been keen on me competing with better players so I moved to under-18s events and tournaments that are considered to be the ‘Majors’ in amateur golf. My goal is to be No.1 in the world so I’m not where I want to be just yet.”

DESTINATION DUBAI Since then it’s been somewhat a rollercoaster of a journey for the youngster. After being selected for the England Golf Regional Squad at the age 11, she went on to become a scratch golfer just 12 months later. Two years on from that she made the jump up to the England Golf National Squad and was playing off an incredible handicap of +7. The Noja family knew they had a magnificent talent in their midst and decided to move to warmer

climates to aid practice sessions in the winter months – would it be destination Dubai or Florida?

“We were always thinking of moving to Florida or Dubai as we realised that practicing and playing in England during the winter wasn’t working,” she said. “My mum got a job offer here last year and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity so we came to have a look and got to know how incredible Dubai is. The decision was made and it was the best decision we have ever taken.

“It’s the perfect destination for any golfer, especially when the guys from the European Tour and the PGA Tour come over here to practice. I’ve been on the same range as Tommy Fleetwood and managed to play with Haotong Li when he was at Jumeirah Golf

“It’s a perfect destination for any golfer, especially when the guys from the European Tour and the PGA Tour come over here to practice. I’ve been on the same range as Tommy Fleetwood and managed to play with Haotong Li when he was at Jumeirah Golf Estates a few months ago – he’s just the nicest guy. You get to see how relaxed they are and how their brains work, it’s just fascinating.”

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CHIARA NOJA

Estates a few months ago - he’s just the nicest guy. You get to see how relaxed they are and how their brains work, it’s just fascinating.”

As if the excitement of moving to a golfing oasis wasn’t enough, Noja also received confirmation she would be making her first Ladies European Tour start in the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic.

“We got in touch with the organisers and told them that I have not been able to compete all season due to the pandemic,” she said. “I was new to Dubai and had only played one tournament that year at the Women’s Amateur, where I finished ninth, so I knew I was in a position to compete. We asked if it was possible to receive an invite and they agreed.

That felt good!”

PRESSURE Noja went on to shoot rounds of 77, 86 and 73 at Emirates Golf Club, which she saw as a disappointment knowing the capabilities she possesses. Having only just moved to Dubai it was always going to be a mammoth task in adapting to the climates from the get go but Noja is the first to admit it was the pressure, not the heat, that got to her that week.

“The tournament was literally three weeks after I got here,” she said. “It was hot and I didn’t know what to do. That was really a tough time for me because I really struggled with the pressure. I was in a new situation in a new country, I was thinking that I have to perform and brand my name. I was the youngest playing and had lots of media coverage the night before the first round. I was seriously stressing.

“But I was really happy with how I pulled back in the last round, I initially didn’t want to play. I went to my dad and told him that I didn’t know if I could do it and we had a three-hour conversation with my golf coach.

He said: ‘Chiara you either play or it’s done for you in the golf game because you’re not going to recover if you don’t.’ I went out there and I was just like ‘you know what? There’s nothing stopping me from being Chiara Noja.’

“I’m really thankful that I got the invite because I got to experience playing the very best at such a young age and get a taste of the pressure I’ll be under at these big events. Not many players get that opportunity so early in their career.”

Earlier this year Noja got her chance to shine on a big stage once again after securing invites to the Ladies European Tour Access Series (LETAS) events in France and Belgium.

After warming up with a share of 21st in France, Noja found her ‘A’ game and posted rounds of 66 and 70 in the first two rounds of the Golf Flanders LETAS Trophy to lead the field heading into the last round. A final round 73 saw her miss out on a memorable triumph but it was still enough for a share of second that saw her finish as the highest amateur and the youngest player to finish as second in the Tour’s history.

“I had my first tournament in France and that was coming back after a long time away from competitive golf. I managed to see my game and what I needed to work on,” she

NOJA FINISHED NINTH AT LAST YEAR’S WOMEN’S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

said. “Just to get back into the competitive spirit was great as you need that to be able to compete.

“After two rounds in Belgium I had a feeling that I could go and win this! Obviously, it didn’t pan out that way which was a little disappointing as I was so close but, to be honest, I’m just so thankful I actually got to play in it as it was an opportunity to compete against some good players. It’s always a weird feeling when everyone else is a little older and has more experience but I knew I could compete. I’m proud of what I managed to achieve and hopefully next time I’ll get the win.”

DREAMING OF AUGUSTA The record-breaking display in Belgium secured four more invites on the LETAS and Noja is keen to keep the momentum rolling as she looks to climb the Official World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) in a bid to secure her final amateur goal before turning professional.

“The pandemic has been remarkably difficult and I’ve basically lost two years of tournament golf because of it,” she said. “I’ve realised that the amateur game isn’t the way forward for me because I know I can compete with the professionals and I have proved it to myself countless times at this point. However, I have got one goal left that I want to achieve in amateur my career and that’s playing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. I did have two main goals to begin with but because of Covid restrictions I was unable to achieve my dream of playing in the Junior Solheim Cup. “Playing at Augusta National has always been my main goal because there’s no professional women’s golf tournament held there and it’s every golfer’s dream to drive down Magnolia Lane. It’s just incredible. My mind is set on finishing inside the top 85 of

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WAGR to qualify and become the first UAE resident to play in that event.

“Right now, I’m ranked 161st with only three events under my belt so I do have a pretty big shot at it. I want to finish my amateur golf career with a bang and start my professional career soon after that.”

It’s frightening to think this outrageously talented hotshot is still a schoolgirl. The way she speaks about the game belies her years while the sky-high confidence and trust in her game coupled with her phenomenal talent makes the youngster one of the hottest properties to base herself in the region. Noja makes no secret of aiming for the very top and you’d be a brave person not to believe her.

“I know I have the potential to achieve everything I want if I work for it,” she said. “I’ve got a long journey ahead of me but I know what I want to do and what I want to achieve.

It’s all mapped out in my head and I’m really excited to get going.” ■

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JAZZ STEVIE A

T H E

N

D

P E R F E C T

F I T

You may have seen a familiar face at this year’s Open Championship with Jumeirah Golf Estates’ very own Stephen Deane, Head Professional at the Peter Cowen Academy, making Royal St George’s his home for the week as part of Jazz Janewattananond’s support team. b y

T H O M A S

W R A G G

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Janewattananond and Deane teamed up for the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship presented

by DP World last year.

T

he Dubai-based Northern Irishman may have been there in a professional capacity but the two have struck up a unique friendship since Deane went on the bag for the Thai star at last year’s Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World.

“I probably got involved with Jazz just before the new year when Pete Cowen sent me a message asking if I could help out as he needed a caddie for the week,” said Deane.

“I told Pete to leave it with me and I thought that I may as well just do this myself as I’d followed Jazz’s progress since he started working with Pete and because of the knowledge I have of the Fire course. I’m really happy I did as we’ve built a great friendship from it.

“I think he felt comfortable with me on the bag because I knew the course and he was leading at one point. He fell away a little bit but had a pretty good finish overall so I think he was pretty happy by the end of the week.

With the pandemic still raging across the world, travelling back to Thailand for the off-season was a no-go due to the strict 14-day hotel quarantine requirement. With the Peter Cowen Academy right on his doorstep and Deane offering him a place to stay, the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner decided to make Dubai his home away from home for the next two months.

“Thailand has been quite strict with their quarantine so Jazz spent quite a lot of time in Dubai after the DP World Tour Championship and used the practice facilities at the Peter Cowen Academy,” said Deane.

“He’s played the courses at Jumeriah Golf

He’s definitely going to be there or there abouts in the home stretch of the Race to Dubai. He’s a great player and I have no doubt that he will get his first European Tour win very soon.”

STE P H E N D E A N E Estates a lot and made plenty of good friends over here including all the pros, the juniors and members. It was great for everyone.”

Janewattananond added: “Jumeirah Golf Estates is an amazing place and they treat me so well there. Stephen Hubner (Director of Golf) and Ismail Sharif (Managing Director) would always make me feel welcome and would sometimes let me go out early in the day before anyone was out

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on the course. I’m not trying to cut in front of anyone, I’m just trying to do my work and get myself in shape before the season.

“I like the vibe in the UAE, golf is really big there. Everyone treats you with respect and everyone knows you are there to do your work. It’s a good environment to practice and get your game in shape and the Pete Cowen Academy is very convenient for me because Deano is there helping me out and Pete is there when I need him. When I was there for two months I would get to the golf course at 6am with Stevie, who works 13 hours a day! So, I’d pretty much spend that time with him on the course every day. The only day we had off was New Year’s Day!” The duo required January 1st off after celebrating long into the night with Bireswar Panicker, Dubai Golf premium member and Peter Cowen Junior Elite programme sponsor, who invited Deane and Janewattananond to Emirates Golf Club to see in 2021.

“Bireswar is a really cool guy and we’ve become good friends since my time in Dubai.

He took out us for New Year’s Eve and it was awesome!” said Janewattananond.

Deane added: “I introduced Bireswar to Jazz and they’ve became great buddies as well.

He’s a great guy and is very supportive, he actually sponsors the Junior programme at the Peter Cowen academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates. He looked after me and Jazz a lot, he took us out for dinner all the time and we were lucky he hosted us for New Year’s Eve. We had a very fun night.”

After the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic,

THE PERFECT FIT

Bireswar Panicker, Dubai Golf premium member and Peter Cowen Junior Elite programme sponsor, hosted the duo on New Year’s Eve.

I like the vibe in the UAE, golf is really big there, everyone treats you with respect, and everyone knows you are there to do your work.”

Janewattananond was I physically couldn’t reach back on his travels for the the ball with my hand so I 2021 Race to Dubai season tried to do the splits! I split but the two remained as far as I could and my in close contact before caddie told me to make the meeting up again shortly club longer. I was gripping after the European Tour’s my club and it almost fell double-header in Kenya, out of my hand but I pulled where Janewattananond it off which I was a nice J AZZ J ANE W AT T ANANO N D narrowly missed out on surprise, even if I did get a maiden Tour title. sand all over my face!

Four months later, the Deane added: pair were reunited again at “When I watched that The Open Championship after Cowen invited I couldn’t believe it! I did see Jazz taking a Deane along to be part of Janewattananond’s little bit of time over it and I thought that wider support network at Royal St George’s. he wasn’t happy but then he just went in, “Being at the Open as part of Jazz’s pulled the trigger and it came out perfect. support team was phenomenal, said I was delighted to see it come off.”

Deane. “It’s obviously the last Major of the Janewattananond now turns his year and you could really feel the intensity attentions to the closing stretch of the amongst all of the players. The first few season and securing a second successive practice days the weather was terrible appearance at the season-ending DP but come Thursday the sun came out and World Tour Championship. Currently it made for a great few days of golf.” ranked 70th on the Race to Dubai, there Deane also had a front row seat to, is still work to be done ahead of the arguably, the shot of the tournament. fourth, and final, Rolex Series event of On the par-three 11th, Janewattananond the season but a maiden European Tour hit his tee shot into the bunker to the left win would set him well on his way. of the green with his ball ending up too “I was close to winning a first European close to the bunker wall for him to stand Tour title in Kenya but it hasn’t all come in and swing. Improvisation was needed. together on the same week yet,” said With his club in his hands, Janewattananond. “Sometimes I hit Janewattananond perched above the bunker it really well but I can’t sink any putts with his ball a few feet below, swinging while while there have also been weeks when on his knees. Despite having to play from my putting was there but the striking this unorthodox playing base, the 25 year old wasn’t, I’m just waiting for that week. proved he was up to the challenge with his “I’ll keep knocking on the door and shot finishing just a few feet from the flag. hopefully one day everything just comes “The day before that bunker shot I was together in the big events at the right time.” messing around on the chipping green Deane added: because Pete was busy,” said the Thai star.

“Jazz is right up there with some of “I was going through a range of scenarios the best players on Tour. He’s got a very and thought to myself ‘what if I had a competitive spirit and hits the ball extremely missed shot here? What would I do?’ So I straight while being a very accurate player was going on to my knees and practicing with his irons. He’s definitely going to be the exact shot I had the following day. there or thereabouts in the home stretch “When I saw it had reached the bunker I of the Race to Dubai. He’s a great player thought it was going to be a no-backswing and I have no doubt that he will get his shot but it turned out it was a no-stance shot! first European Tour win very soon.”■

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OLYMPIC SPIRIT

JAZZ ON PLAYING FOR MEDALS “The Olympic experience was different for sure. Playing golf for medals and playing golf for money and ranking is completely different. It kind of takes me back before I turned pro, you’re playing for the one, two and three, you go for every shot, you try to do your best, you try and score every putt, it’s so fun and I really missed that. It’s going to help my golf in the future. It’s a reminder of the feeling when you are actually playing to win rather than playing to make the cut and make money.”

JAZZ ON REPRESENTING THAILAND “When you represent your country in the Olympics you’re playing for something bigger than yourself, when you play on the European Tour you’d be taking it easy, it’s just myself playing, but when you are playing for your country there’s some weight on your shoulders.

You can’t really screw up so you have to try your best and do whatever you can to get the best score out of yourself, you squeeze everything out. In the end I didn’t get a medal but I tried my best and I know what to improve on which is good.”

JAZZ ON THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE “I stayed in the Olympic Village, which was quite far away from the golf course but you get the whole Olympic experience. I’m pretty thankful that I stayed there because it was my first Games and I got to see a range of different sporting stars train for their discipline. I would be lifting weights and the guy next to me would be grappling on the ground as they are about to go in the ring to fight! In golf you train yourself to improve your performance but these guys train to not be killed!”

WORLDWIDE GOLF SOCIETY SHOWDOWN

Fun and games at Al Hamra for a ‘no-brainer’ price

H

ere at Worldwide Golf we’ve always wanted to put on an event which gives something back to our fantastic readers and the UAE golf community. It’s been a rocky 18 months or so for many people and money has been tight so we’ve put our heads together with our friends at Al Hamra Golf Club to come up with a deal that we still can’t quite believe is real.

Introducing, the Worldwide Golf Society Showdown. This 4-person team event, taking place Friday October 15th on the stunning Peter Harradine-designed Al Hamra course, will pit the region’s golf societies against each other to decide once and for all, who the top dogs are. Throw in a bacon butty on arrival, three-hour all-inclusive drinks package after play, live music on the terrace, and a DJ to finish the evening off as well a room for the night at the exquisite DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa on nearby Marjan Island with

breakfast and you have yourself the recipe for one heck of a weekend away in Ras Al Khaihmah with your golfing buddies.

We know what you’re thinking – golf, drinks, hotel stay…it’s going to be pricey. But you’re wrong. We’re offering all of the above for the insane price of AED 595 per person!

NON-SOCIETY MEMBERS WELCOME You don’t even need to be a member of a golf society to benefit from this insanely good deal – just get together with three of your pals, give yourselves a team name, and you’re free to enter as a ‘mini-society’.

“We wanted to come up with an event that brought the UAE golfing community together and one that was more about creating a fun and highly affordable stay and play experience for them than making money!” said Worldwide Golf’s General Manager, Rick Bevan. “It’s a light-hearted, relaxed event so there won’t be a

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black tie in sight and we’re sure everyone who takes part will have a great time!”

Craeg Deery, Sales & Marketing Manager at Al Hamra Golf Club added: “We had fantastic success with a lot of groups, societies and stay and play guests last season, enjoying everything that Al Hamra has to offer. Our goal is simple - if we create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere combined with a great golf course and excellent service standards then we know our guests will return again and again.

“Pork breakfasts, fantastic F&B offers as well as live entertainment on the terrace post golf makes for a great day and weekend.

Most of our guests make a weekend of it opting to stay in one of our partner hotels such as the Double Tree Hilton on Marjan Island and this season we have the addition of the stunning Hamptons property all within 5 minutes of the Golf Club. To differentiate

WORLDWIDE GOLF SOCIETY SHOWDOWN

DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island

WIN

Friday night stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island and unlimited weekend golf at Al Hamra for the winning team!

ourselves from the competition, our aim is to be able to include your hotel and other addons like drinks in a stay and play package that comes as close as possible to what guests are charged just for their green fees in other Emirates.”

BEAUTIFUL COURSE It’s no secret that Al Hamra Golf Club is one of the UAE’s favourite golfing getaways.

The beautiful course is nestled between the Hajar mountains and the Arabian Gulf, offering a completely chilled out vibe and a real sense of escapism to visitors. You truly feel like you’re on holiday and it’s only around an hour’s drive from Dubai, making it the perfect destination for golf societies, lads’ or ladies’ trips!

The format for the event will be a 4-man Stableford, with the best two scores from each hole counting. There will be lots of great prizes on offer and we’re expecting places in this event to fill up very quickly so please get in touch to book your spot or register your interest while there’s still time!

The resort was the first to open on the prestigious Marjan Island, and is 50 minutes away from Dubai. There are a host of local attractions in close proximity that guests can enjoy in addition to the fabulous Al Hamra golf course and the hotel provides complimentary transportation to Al Hamra shopping mall.

There are 723 spacious and contemporary guestrooms, deluxe rooms and suites, in addition to the all-new Bay Club rooms, all overlooking the 650-metre white sandy beach. There are eight swimming pools including two kids’ pools, one indoor pool and a unique floating sea pool. With 14 restaurants and bars to choose from diners are spoilt for choice. These include two all day dining restaurants, a lobby lounge, four A la Carte restaurants, a Brasserie offering a wide variety of French cuisine favourites, Vespa Italian restaurant, Meze restaurant offering authentic Turkish cuisine and Sanchaya which has a wide spread of modern Asian delicacies. There’s also, Anchor Bar, Boardwalk and Bay view pool

bars. To ease away the aches and pains of a tough day on the golf course there is the luxurious spa, boasting seven treatment rooms a couples’ treatment room and wet spa area.

Guests can enjoy their stay at the resort by playing beach volleyball, billiards, table tennis, foot darts, giant chess, or just enjoy the beach or chill by one of the pools where umbrellas and towels all free of charge. Kids can have fun in the indoor kids’ club with climbing wall, ball pit and arcade zone, or at extensive outdoor playground with trampolines, swings and slides. They’re sure to enjoy the Pirate boat aqua zone with four water slides, water buckets and sprinklers, in addition to Tarzan boat - the largest in the Middle East and an all-new attraction that is sure to make big waves and entice thrill seekers to experience the ultimate water playground.

The resort was the first in Ras Al Khaimah to get certified by Bureau Veritas, the renowned world leader in testing, inspection and certification.

Worldwide Golf Society Showdown

VENUE:

Al Hamra Golf Club

DATE:

Friday 15th October 1pm shotgun

FORMAT:

Teams of four. Best Two Stableford Scores on each hole count.

PRICE: AED595 AED 595* per person based upon 2 golfers sharing a twin room at the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island including 3-hour drinks package (inclusive of all taxes) and bacon butty. AED 805 per person for single occupancy (or shared double with non-golfer).

To register your team please email: Attie.vw@alhamragolf.com For more information please contact: events@WorldwideGolfMe.com *Published rates only available until October 1st, 2021 after which amended hotel rates will be calculated according to room availability.

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COLUMN

DAVID HOWELL Member of the winning 2004 and 2006 European Ryder Cup teams.

Padraig’s squad can capture the Cup There ‘s nothing like a Ryder Cup to get the juices flowing again

T

HREE long strange years have passed since Thomas Bjorn led his men to victory in Paris on that wonderful sunny Sunday afternoon. So much water under the bridge shall we say.

Thankfully, the world has started to get to a point where sport can take centre-stage for a while, every now and then and what better way to escape than to watch 24 of the world’s best golfers go head to head once more at the incredible Whistling Straits Golf Club, the perfect spectacle to host The Ryder Cup. I have known Europe’s current Captain Padraig Harrington for 30 years. He is the golfer’s golfer, shall we say. A lover of the game itself, he has never stopped trying to master this most maddening of games, and at the age of 49, having won three Majors along the way, I fancy Padraig will enjoy his week more than any other week in the 26 years he has spent as a pro.

Mind you, I guess the sad reality is that the difference between captaining a winning or losing side is about the size of the Atlantic that separates the two continents. I can’t recall too many Captains waxing lyrical about the week that they lost The Ryder Cup, it’s the same for the players themselves. But in a twohorse race someone will leave disappointed, save for the option of a halved match.

First port of call, however, is finalising the two teams. Paddy, as I know him, has opted for three picks and will have to wrestle with the fact that his team won’t have space for all the regular faces from recent years. Garcia, Rose, Poulter, Molinari all look to make it with a Captain’s pick - and four into three doesn't go.

But what about the guys who have just missed out, too? Will Paddy opt to pick a

rookie to go along with two stalwarts? My pals on Tour believe he might just take a gamble and bring some youthful energy into the camp but I fancy that the four guys I mentioned above, are so strong that Paddy will find it hard to not fill his team with three of these four likely Ryder Cup stalwarts.

If there is one man who has done things his own way over the years, however, then it’s Padraig, who can see many things from a slightly different angle than most. It could make the Irishman one of the most interesting Captains for a while. Let’s hope so, we could all do with a smile after all.

One thing that seems certain, is that if Europe win this one then it will be a win for the ages. I'm sure Steve Stricker will be looking at his team and licking his lips at the prospect of the top five places all being filled with Major winners, and with six wildcard picks he can choose his team as he sees fit.

Undoubtedly, he has a mighty team on paper, but time and again over the years this format has proved that it comes down to more than just golfing prowess.

On simple terms, right now, you might judge the Americans as being in better form, but when I look at the bulk of the European Team I just see Ryder Cup players, who have risen to the occasion, players who want to rise to the occasion and who have made The Ryder Cup their battleground.

The collective spirit, plus the bits you can’t see on the outside, are often what makes the difference during the three days of matchplay golf. And there’s the rub. It’s matchplay which is the deciding factor - not strokeplay. That’s a huge difference. More often than not, in recent decades, the Europeans have capitalised on that difference.

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A European win away from home this year would be an incredible feat, but Padraig is capable of rallying his troops and getting the best out of them. Let’s face facts - the past 18 months have been a strange existence for everyone. A few of our boys are in less than startling form, but there is nothing like a Ryder Cup to get the juices flowing again. Rory looks like he needs The Ryder Cup to spur him into form. It seemed an age since we have seen a passionate fist pump from the boy from Holllywood, Northern Ireland.

Lowry is the first Open Champion to hold onto the trophy for two years and he could be an outstanding addition to the team. He’s a joyful happy-go-lucky personality and his energy could be influential if he holds onto his spot. He and Captain Padraig are great friends. Paddy won’t want to have to pick his friend, so I fancy a strong week from Shane in the run-in will seal the deal. Viktor Hovland seems sure to play a strong part. The rookie who isn't a rookie will play a lot I fancy. Young legs will be required around Whistling Straits, which is a long, tiring venue.

One thing is for sure - it will need a collective effort to get the job done this time around, and I don't see any unbeatable partnerships as there were in Paris, and believe that if we win it will be a nail-biter of a finish. But isn't that just what we could all do with right now? A last-hole thriller that transcends the sport and shows the very best that golf has to offer, and perhaps, just perhaps, as a tip of the hat to all we have been through since the two captains were announced three very long years ago, a rare tied match might be just a fitting way to end.

With Europe holding onto the trophy of course, just as the rules dictate! ■

COLUMN

PETE COWEN Whistling Straits could blow the Ryder Cup in any direction.

1.5 Billion reasons why Saudi Arabia could shake up the game…

But first the Ryder Cup!

I

t was very sad to hear of the passing of Vivienne Player. She’s been by Gary’s side for more than six decades and that includes traveling the globe with the kids in tow. It’s hard enough taking my grandson to the park for an hour let alone fly half-way round the world on a plane with no entertainment or help. No wonder Gary won so much during his career, there were a lot of mouths to feed and nappies to buy in the Player household.

I’m delighted he’s continuing to maintain his status as one of golf’s greatest global ambassadors. Vivienne and Gary have achieved so much for countless charities around the world and I’m sure she would want the Player name to continue and help those in need.

I know Gary is an ambassador for Saudi Golf and he’s an inspiring figure for any country that is starting to develop the game.

Just look at the talent that has come out of South Africa thanks to the path and hard work Gary carved out.

When Gary and I were starting out it was the norm to see players sleeping in cars or make-shift campervans. If you didn’t win enough to cover the fuel bill to the next event the pressure was serious and losing your card wasn’t down the lack of talent but sometimes it was just the lack of cash to travel.

Standing on the range trying to explain that to the modern-day tour players is just a waste of time. Most travel to events in private jets or business class if they have too, so sleeping rough in a hire car has become folklore.

Money has become the focal point in the game and right now all that these huge prize funds in Europe and America are doing is

rewarding the average tour golfer too much.

If you finish last in the FedEx Cup you will have probably earned way over a million that season in prize money alone.

The Saudis are also enticing players to the Middle East with huge appearance money and it is claimed they have a budget of one and a half billion dollars to invest in the game, it will be interesting to see where it’s spent. I know they are building a variety of golf courses in the Kingdom and they have made a huge impact in a very short space of time. If that money is invested in the development of the game, Saudi could generate golfers in the same way Korea has in recent years. It will take time, but they have the determination and resources to make an impact. Though I’m sure the Tours will see it as a huge opportunity to boost their members bank balances.

One thing players can’t buy is a spot in the Ryder Cup and it’s certainly going to be interesting at Whistling Straits. The European team is pretty much well known, and it leaves Padraig with just three picks, which he will leave to the last minute to see who is in the best form, but you might as well put Ian Poulter in now. He’s in form and the Ryder Cup isn’t the same for Europe without him. It’s also great to see Westwood in the team. He’s had a remarkable season and in a great frame of mind both on and off the course. To have Westy and Poults playing for Europe would be a huge boost for Padraig and the team’s moral. So that leaves two realistic picks and I could see Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre getting a call from Padraig.

The American team have six picks and when you look at their options in terms of

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players, Stricker could pick a B team and still beat Europe. Having said that, the European team is strong and have a lot of experience playing on PGA Tour courses. No doubt the course will be made as wide open as possible to create an advantage for the bigger hitting America players but Whistling Straits, as the name suggests, could be windy and play into European hands.

As for the Brooks and Bryson rivalry, it’s just a load of hype. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them paired together. It would be box office and what the fans on both teams would love to watch. I’m pretty sure Brooks wouldn’t care, as a sizeable chunk of that $40 million PGA Tour social media bonus will be heading their way that’s for sure.

The BMW Championship at Wentworth will be vital for any European players on the edge of a Ryder Cup spot. MacIntyre just needs a solid finish on Sunday. So, who is in the mix for that last spot? Wiesberger has played his way into contention and you would think a top five at Wentworth could be enough. But imagine if Richard Bland won? He’s playing the best golf of his career and it would be the icing on the cake for what has become a truly remarkable season.

Unfortunately, I doubt I will be able to talk to any of the players outside my bubble at Wentworth to get a true feel of how they are feeling, as the European Tour appears to be maintaining tight Covid regulations during the week. I’m just as confused as everyone else right now. I’m allowed to sit amongst 40,000 football fans at the weekend without a mask but unable to interact with players that have been tested on a driving range at an event. ■

SWING IN

BALANCE BY

ALASTAIR BROWN,

HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL, EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

1

B

alance is the key to a golf swing that produces power and speed. This will give you consistency, stability and efficiency in your swing, which every golfer asks for during their lessons.

The four balance points are the top of the spine (1), the base of the spine (2) and both your feet (3&4). When setting up to your golf ball you can think of these as your throat (1), your naval (2) and feet.

The secret is to keep these key balance points working in harmony as we rotate the body and the arms swing the club.

As you work on your swing you must realise that every action has a reaction.

For example, if your hips sway back your head will move forward to keep you balanced and vice versa. If these faults occur then you are only going to practice a series of compensations in your swing and this drains the swing of efficiency because the club always follows the balance points.

2

3

4

Here is an example of a compensated swing.

The hips have spun out too early and the head has gone back which throws the arms and club out of position. This will require a huge manipulation to get the club back to the ball which is never consistent.

The best courses, the best rates Earn up to AED 1 for every AED 10 you spend with Viya Worldwide GOLF 42

INSTRUCTION

Exercise for Good Balance Hitting balls with your feet together is a daily drill I use to help harmonise the swinging of the arms with the rotation of the body. You should do this for around 10 minutes of your practice sessions and if you’re a beginner it’s actually a great way to play golf for your first few months. Having your stance too wide is usually detrimental to developing your body action in the early stages.

The key is to focus on these balance points and keep them working together for the good of the swing. It also helps you maintain the height of the body during the swing. Really try and feel what your feet are wanting to do in the ground.

Try hitting balls off a low tee peg with a 7 iron. Think about it as a training method so hit in sets of 10 (later you can mark your

score out of 10 in terms of happiness level).

Start by swinging smoothly and as you start to feel your movement, improve the build up your speed. You should be swinging in balance not swinging’ trying to stay in balance’ so take the time to train on this and it will stick with you on the golf course. After doing 5-10 sets of 10 try and hit some shots with feet normal width.

WITH YOUR FEET NICELY TOGETHER, FEEL YOUR BALANCE POINTS LIED UP OVER THE BALL. THE BALANCE POINTS FEEL ALIGNED AS YOU ROTATE AND WIND UP YOUR BACKSWING. FOCUS ON THE BALL AS YOU UNWIND AND CLIP IT OFF THE TEE. FINISH WITH YOUR BALANCE POINTS ALIGNED WITH YOUR BODY, ARMS AND CLUB WORKING TOGETHER.

Hopefully this exercise gets your body moving more freely and let’s you transfer the natural flow of power through your body and arms into your golf club. Join me at the Peter Cowen Golf Academy at Emirates Golf Club to better understand your swing.

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LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

BOW &

THE

ARROW BY

STEPHEN DEANE,

HEAD OF ACADEMIES, deanopro DUBAI GOLF

T

his simple drill will allow you to engage your body and build a consistent action that starts from the ground up. You’ll feel like you’ve activated your hips and shoulders correctly and lessened the need for an unreliable arm swing with limited body action. The main goal of this drill is to develop a coiling/spiralling hip and shoulder action that works up and behind you as you hold the ground and start to move.

From a standing position, extend your left arm whilst holding an alignment stick. Secure the attached elastic band in your right hand and stretch!

Ensure the band is being stretched with the right hip and shoulder coiling around and NOT being pulled with the arm!

1

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INSTRUCTION

Try the same exercise but now within your golf posture whilst tipping from your hips and with your left arm extended towards the ground. Again, recreate the coiling/spiralling action with the added feeling of the right hip and shoulder also working UP!

2

Repeat the action on the opposite side so you’re practicing both your backswing and through-swing coil!!

3

Overall this simple drill will help get your body working better i.e. the inside of your swing and help stabilise the outside i.e. the clubface. For more information please watch the video or visit one of our dedicated Academy Professionals

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LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT WorldwideGolf Worldwide.Golf

BY ALEX GALLEMORE

T H E L ATEST I R ON S T E ST E D A N D R E V I E W E D

TITLEIST T SERIES New line up packed with more tungsten but they all have one thing in common – height!

PXG 0311ST BLADES A work of art that is all about the player input

PING I59 Imagine their successful Blueprint iron with more muscle

TAYLORMADE P790

The do it all iron has just received a tech boost and it’s paid off

PING GLIDE FORGED PRO WEDGES Are these premium wedges a perfect fit for the better PING player?

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TITLEIST T SERIES IRONS TAKING THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Titleist has revamped their T Series iron range, making sure no golfer misses out.

Thankfully they have kept the same model names and not felt the need for model rebrand. The old AP1, AP2 and AP3 just confused the heck out of me, as they were not in order of ability.

The T Series iron range from Titleist is simple to understand and that suits me.

Before we dive into more detail on each iron, I would advise getting fitted, as the T Series is one of the best in the market in terms of compiling a combination set. Do not feel compelled to buy a set off the self and try to match your ability to the relevant iron based on looks or, even worse, guess work. Read my verdict at the end to find out as the fitting shocked me!

T100 – Designed for the better player who isn’t concerned with distance and focuses more on dispersion and grouping statistics.

T100 – The modern Tour iron has found a home in the bags of players such as Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth but the latest adjustments haven’t just made things better for their leading staff players, amateurs will also benefit. Titleist has reworked the sole for better turf interaction and even drafted in the Vokey team on the wedge profile. The addition of the denser and more precise tungsten weighting has improved the centre of gravity, only marginally, but it is noticeable.

The four to seven iron face were redesigned for improved spin but I could hardly tell the difference. Visually the new T100 has a more confident look, with a thin top line, minimal offset, compact blade length and the matte

T100S – For players that seek the workability of the T100 but need a few more yards.

T200 - Maintaining the look of a player’s club but with a little more forgiveness and speed.

T300 – The game improvement iron that will appeal to even the better golfer when compiling a combo set.

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brush chrome finish will reduce glare.

T100S – Very similar to the T100 but the ‘S’ lofts are two degrees stronger to lower spin and boost distance. The issue with cranking the lofts is a decrease in apex height. They might travel further in distance but not carry as far. To rectify this, Titleist has added a “Muscle Channel’ to the rear of the head to increase loft and speed. The weight saving created by the Muscle Channel also means Titleist has been able to reposition the tungsten, creating an even lower centre of gravity and boosting the launch. This was clear to see when I tested the T100 and T100S irons, as the peak high of the S head was a few feet higher than the stronger lofted T100 head.

T200 – In the line-up, this head caught my attention first. It just looked clean but powerful and it came as no surprise to be told this was Titleist’s most advanced iron ever. Well until they update it in a few years!

It retains the short blade length, thin top line and minimal offset as the T100 but muscle

plate on the rear gives away its secret.

Hidden behind the forged face is a polymer core and when paired with the reworked tungsten weighting in the sole, produces great ball speeds even from off-centre strikes. It is one degree stronger in the lofts from seven iron to pitching wedge compared to the T100S but, again, the peak height is slightly higher.

T300 – When they market this club as having 40% more tungsten you know instantly that you will not struggle getting the ball airborne. It shares the same polymer core insert as the T200 but with a lot more tungsten weighted towards the heel and toe in the sole. As you would imagine this game improvement iron is more offset and has a thicker top line than the T200 but it has a very clever face. The T300 has variable face thickness that is thinner towards the heel in the long to mid irons to improve what is normally one of the least effective strike areas, so you will not see much of a drop off in ball speed. The lofts are, on average, two degrees stronger than the T200 but the peak

height was just one and half feet higher.

LOOKS The T Series irons look and feel like a premium iron. The colours are classic and the matte finish will appeal to golfers in the region.

PERFORMANCE Compared to the previous model they are all just a little better in terms of forgiveness and distance. The standout feature was they all peaked at the same height with a seven iron, so the distance gained is in the carry and not just in total. You don’t want irons that run for miles especially on the fast greens in the UAE.

TEST RESULTS When I viewed the new range, I was drawn to the T200. To the point I could have just easily have put it in the bag without trying it. But when it came to the fitting I was shocked.

Having hit all the models I was at first paying too much attention to the carry distance figures. The T300 carried 169.3 yards, T200 158.7 yards,,T100S 158.4 yards and the T100 157.3 yards. Ball speed was the fastest with the T300 at 121 mph and the slowest was the T100 at 116.5. There was also 2,000 rpm in spin rate difference between the T300 and the T100.

VERDICT So having looked at the figures you would have probably expected me to go with a T200 / T300 combo. Based on numbers that would be the best but in reality I was fitted into a T100/ T100S combo. The reason was dispersion. With the T100 seven iron my five shot distance dispersion was just four yards. That’s tighter than I can hit my current wedge. I’ve had to sacrifice distance for accuracy but I might be able to take on more pins now, instead of always aiming for the centre of the green and hoping for the best!

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PETE COWEN

FINALLY PXG UNVEIL A BLADE PXG has always tried to be a little different and think outside the box, which creates major appeal for the brand around the globe. Their irons not only look cool but they are one of the longest and most forgiving. The missing piece in their line-up is the lack of a true blade for the serious golfer. Their 0311T head was close, but the tour pros have obviously been heard loud and clear as PXG has just unveiled their new 0311 ST GEN4 Blades and they really look the business.

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BLADE RUNNER

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nspired by the company's tour professionals and informed by player research, these sleek, super-tour blades are crafted for skilled golfers who crave greater workability, enhanced control, with an exceptional feel. Thankfully, they are not packed with their XCOR polymer and a wafer-thin face that has delivered distance gains in the other irons. These are what blades are all about, just raw feel for the player who doesn’t need bumper rails.

THE LOOK

A thoughtful departure from a traditional tour blade, PXG 0311 ST GEN4 Blades feature a varied clubhead design, supporting extreme workability in the scoring irons and more forgiveness in the long irons. These irons also present minimal offset and a razor thin top line.

“The PXG 0311 ST GEN4 Blades have cleaner lines, more forgiveness, and they have increased my distances,” says PXG tour professional and PGA TOURwinner James Hahn “They gave me the confidence to shoot my lowest score ever – 60 – at the 2021 Barbasol Championship!”

LOOKING AFTER THEIR TOUR PROS

"We spent a lot of time working with our tour players and other talented golfers to understand how we could pack more performance into our solid-bodied blades," said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons.

"We've integrated everything we learned into our new PXG 0311 ST GEN4 Blades. and, while these beauties might not be for the feinthearted at address, they certainly deliver total control for those who can swing them."

The PXG 0311 ST GEN4 Blades introduce a varied blade-length across the short, mid- and-long irons. The 3-through 5-irons present a slightly larger profile and small cavity to boost the Moment of Inertia (MOI) and forgiveness. The 6-and 7-irons offer a thin top-line and moderate blade size to provide exceptional face control and excellent workability. The 8-iron through to gap wedge feature a thinner top-line and shorter blade-length engineered to get the ball out of the rough with ease and accuracy.

To further fine-tune performance, PXG 0311 ST GEN4 Blades also incorporate PXG's Precision Weighting Technology. Leveraging a large weight located near the centre of gravity (CG) on the back of the clubhead, golfers can experience various head-weight configurations during a fitting.

PERFORMANCE

We were only able to test a seven and nine iron in the set, and they were way beyond my ability level. So we called on the help of tour professional, Nicholas Poppleton, to put them to the test. For a blade, they are forgiving and the feel is neither soft nor hard, it falls nicely between the two.

The huge benefit is grouping. This is the most important aspect with a club of this nature.

You are not looking for distance you are seeking consistency. The XCOR polymer and thin face in the other irons gives distance and forgiveness but also the occasional flyer.

This is a fair trade-off in the amateur world but not for the player who seeks a blade. The 0311ST is by far the tightest club in terms of grouping that we have ever tested with the brand.

VERDICT

Probably the best-looking iron PXG has ever produced, but more importantly for their tour players and elite amateurs it’s also the most dialled-in with regards to distance dispersion. It will be interesting to see how many more victories the brand collects on Tour as I think this was the missing ingredient.

The 0311 ST Blades are, unfortunately, miles away from my ability level but I’ve kept the seven, as it makes a great feature in my office!

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PING I59

THE BLUEPRINT WITH MORE MUSCLE MICROMAX GROOVES

ALUMICORE™ TECHNOLOGY

STOCK SHAFTS: Project X LS (6.0, 6.5) & UST Recoil 760 ES (A), 780 (R, S) OPTIONAL STOCK SHAFTS: PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), NS Pro Modus 105 (R, S, X), Elevate 95 (R, S), PING Alta CB Slate (SR, R, S) S STOCK GRIP: Golf Pride New Decade MCC White w/Arccos

HIGHER MOI Toe and tip weighting elevate MOI to reduce the stat area and achieve a level of forgiveness unprecedented in a forged design.

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I

’m just going to throw this one out there. The best-looking PING irons ever made, are their Blueprint model. It’s hardly surprising that they’ve become the weapon of choice for staff players such as Louis Oosthuizen and Tony Finau. Small, compact and workable, are the three words that have many amateurs, including myself, trembling in fear.

The latest creation from PING is their i59 iron and it’s not hard to see why it shares a lot of similarities with the Blueprint, but with stabilisers added – which is a good thing.

PING appear to have taken the Blueprint iron to the gym during lockdown and added some muscle.

The main difference is the new aluminium insert in the centre of the club but this is not for distance.

Like many other brands that apply an insert, this is for something else.

The weight-saving has allowed PING to redistribute the 30g weight via tungsten to the heel and toe. This elevates the MOI (forgiveness) and makes the club more stable at impact.

TECHNOLOGY

The i59 forged irons are comprised of an aerospace-grade aluminium insert, joined to a forged 1025 carbon steel body and

forged 17-4 SS laser-cut face. To reduce fliers in the short irons and preserve spin in the long irons, the face is engineered with MicroMax™ grooves, combining steeper sidewalls with tighter spacing to allow four extra grooves. The Hydropearl 2.0 finish repels water for predictable, consistent performance from wet and dry conditions.

HANDICAP RANGE The fact that this club is engineered for distance control and reducing fliers, suggests it’s for the low to very mid-handicap range. Although it’s marketed as forgiving it’s not in the same league as the G425 in that sense, but compared with the iBlade and Blueprint you will not be punished if your strike pattern isn’t spot on.

THREE-PIECE FORGED DESIGN Aerospace-grade aluminum core (1/3 density of stainless steel) combines with 1025 carbon steel body and 17-4 SS laser cut face to ensure trajectory control and precise shot-making.

PERFORMANCE When you see that a seven iron is 34 degrees and the marketing blurb does not use words like ‘speed,’ ‘fast,’ ‘rocket’ and ‘power’ but promotes MicroMax Grooves and Hydropearl don’t expect to see that seven iron to carry 200 yards. What these irons deliver is consistency. Usually, my seven iron ranges from 165 to 180 yards with my current irons. So, an honest 15-yard gap and some more left-of-target than I would like. The i59 from 10 balls ranged from 171 to 178, so just seven yards difference, though I did have to delete the first shot which was a huge pull.

ALUMICORE™ TECHNOLOGY An aerospace-grade aluminium insert (1/3 the density of stainless steel) saves approximately 30 grams of material, allowing for tungsten toe and heel weights that elevate MOI to match that of the larger i210 iron.

MICROMAX GROOVES The fully machined face has new MicroMax™ grooves, combining steeper sidewalls with tighter spacing to accommodate four extra grooves for reducing fliers in the short irons and preserving spin in the long irons.

VERDICT

I really wanted a set of Blueprints when they came out, but due to lack of talent that didn’t not happen. The i59 has certainly made my shortlist. I tested these on a good day when my timing was spot on. I would like to try them again during an off-day to see if the dispersion and grouping was as tight.

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TAYLORMADE P790 MASS APPEAL

FOR MANY years manufacturers have stereotyped and categorised golfers in regards to iron designs. The better golfer was presented with a blade-style head; the higher handicapper was steered down the road of something that resembled a frying pan, more than a golf club, and the golfers in the middle were offered a blend of the two.

Technology and material knowledge has evolved like most things, but there are very few irons that can reach out to all levels. TaylorMade’s P790 came close, just missing out in looking after the higher handicapper.

Now the brand, which put the metal-headed driver on the map, has revised their P790 iron, it appears the tech tweaks might have widened their appeal to the golfer seeking more forgiveness and height.

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SO WHAT’S NEW? SpeedFoam™ Air The newly-engineered SpeedFoam™ Air is 69% lighter than its predecessor. It provides an average of 3.5g of weight-saving that has been redistributed to further optimise mass properties for better launch conditions. The new formulation gives you exquisite sound and feel, while producing a fast, flexible face.

Thin-Wall Construction and Forged L-Face

Thin-Wall Construction and Forged L-Face A new 8620 carbon steel construction makes the head thinner by up to 37.5% in strategic locations, allowing for a significantly lower CG placement. This new thin-walled design pairs with a responsive 1.5mm forged 4140 steel L-Face to promote supreme flexibility, fast ball speeds and distance, while upholding a premium forged feel.

Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ The Through-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility, while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.

Intelligent Sweet Spot Using data analytics, TaylorMade have repositioned the sweet spot lower on the face to naturally capture more shots and provide performance where golfers need it most.

Tungsten Mass for Low CG Engineers developed new construction methods to thin-out the body, allowing for

SpeedFoam Air is 69% lighter than its predecessor Tungsten Mass for Low CG Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™

up to 31g of tungsten to be placed in the toe.

It creates a massive amount of stability and forgiveness, wrapped in a player’s package.

head cavity with - air or foam? The P790 is trying to be an ‘inbetweener.’ It’s still filled, and it probably needed it, to aid the acoustics and give that hard forged 4140 steel a softer feel.

Looks I’m a sucker for anything that resembles a muscle back blade. It reminds me of the old Mizuno MP-4 irons I had in my golfing prime.

Many regard the MP-4 asthsteically as one of the greats, so the fact the P790 reminded me of this could only be a positive.

Distance and grouping As you would expect with a low CG head, thin face and tungsten-weighting, it delivers a punch. The Through-Slot Speed Pocket I thought was just a marketing gimmick, but despite the fast face, I didn’t get any unexpected fliers, which I was anticipating, having recently tested clubs with the same sort of construction.

Feel Manufacturers are divided on what you fill a

VERDICT

As a golfer whose handicap is on the climb out of single and into double digits the P790 is just the ticket. The upgrades have certainly been effective for golfers looking for a higher, stronger flight and more speed. The offset might not be enough for the higher handicapper and the top-line might not be thin enough for the scratch player, but the wide appeal of this club remains one of the best.

RRP: AED 5,995 (4-PW - STEEL) AED 6,795 (4-PW - GRAPHITE)

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PING GLIDE FORGED PRO WEDGES GLIDE FORGED PRO SPECIFICATIONS RH & LH S GRIND LOFT 50° 52° 54° 56° 58° 59° 60°

BOUNCE 10.0° 10.0° 10.0° 10.0° 10.0° 8.0° 10.0°

T GRIND LOFT 58° 60° 62°

BOUNCE 6.0° 6.0° 6.0°

- PING Wrx Custom Grinds Optional AFTER your putter, the wedge is arguably the most important club in your bag.

Get it right and they will be vital in saving pars and making birdies. Tony Finau recently won the Northern Trust Open with 50 and a 54 degree Glide Pro wedges in the bag but how does this relate to the amateur golfer?

If a club doesn’t fit your eye you will always struggle with it. Players using a combo set sometimes struggle when shifting from their irons to utility wedges.

I’m sure this doesn’t affect the pros but the transition from a pitching wedge in a set to your gap wedges, should flow. This is where the Glide Pro wedges will be effective as they fit perfectly alongside the PING Blueprint: i210, iBlade and the latest i59.

THE DESIGN

PING worked with their pros on the Glide Forged Pro to deliver a shot-maker’s wedge that could bring predictable, consistent results. The Tour-preferred shape is shorter heel-toe and the smaller profile gives a compact look that will appeal to the better player, paired with a new face to add friction and increase spin.

THE NEW FACE

The Friction Face is fully machined with steeper grooves and added texture from a new Emery face blast, all designed to ensure consistent launch and spin from both wet and dry lies.

GRINDS S GRIND

Moderate bounce, rounded lead edge, broadest appeal.

T GRIND

Narrower sole, approx. 3° less bounce than S, high versatility.

VERDICT

The Glide Forged Pro wedges are at the top end when it comes to price, so it opens up the whole wedge market. We found the distance and trajectory control exceptional, plus the Friction Face certainly creates serious spin while being hard-wearing. So, it would be interesting to see how the longevity stands up against the rival brands. I’m very tempted to put the PING i59 in the bag and if that were the case, the Glide Forged Pro wedges would follow.

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EYE2 TOE 59°

Karsten Solheim’s iconic high-toe shaping has approximately 1.5° less bounce than the S grind and creates a look at address that has appealed to generations of golfers.

Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship heading to Dubai D ubai’s glowing golf scene will once again be thrust into the spotlight after the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the Masters Tournament and The R&A announced last month that the 12th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) is set to be held from 3-6 November 2021 at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.

Created in 2009, the AAC was established to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region. The champion receives an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament and The Open, while the runner(s)-up gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open.

Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the APGC, Fred Ridley, Chairman of the Masters Tournament, and Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said in a joint statement: “This year’s historic win at the Masters Tournament by Hideki Matsuyama, a twotime Asia-Pacific Amateur champion,

underscored the importance of this event as a platform for the game’s development and rising talent in the region. We are grateful for the support of the Emirates Golf Federation and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, and we are committed to working closely with all involved to stage this year’s championship with responsible protocols in place so we can provide this life-changing opportunity safely to these deserving players. Dubai Creek’s Championship Course will enhance the tradition of world-class venues that have hosted this championship, and we look forward to showcasing the Asia-Pacific’s topranked amateurs this fall.”

The 2020 AAC was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 championship will mark the first edition held in the UAE, one of the APGC’s 42 member countries, and will join the numerous professional and amateur events Dubai hosts annually, including the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic and DP World Tour Championship.

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“After being part of the AAC for many years as a member of the APGC, we are excited to welcome this prestigious championship to the UAE for the first time,” said His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation. “This opportunity means a great deal to the Asia-Pacific’s many talented amateurs. We are honoured to support the APGC, the Masters Tournament and The R&A in their efforts to conduct a safe event and advance our shared mission of spurring golf’s growth and development.”

Christopher May, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Golf, added: “The AAC annually brings together the leading amateurs from across the region, and the world, and we are proud to be selected by the Founding Partners as the host of this year’s event. Our Championship course will present both a challenging and inspiring test for the players, and we look forward to highlighting their talent and contributing to the AAC’s impact on the game.”

ARABIAN GOLF D U B AI C R E E K G O LF & YACHT CLUB

MONTGOME RIE GOL F C LU B DU B AI

Joy for Ghandi and Sutherland Mitra Ghandi and Gavin Sutherland fought off 22 other pairs to claim top honours in the Members Texas Scramble after posting a winning net score of 64.5 points, which included five consecutive birdies in the middle of the round. Junior duo Adam Campbell and Yash Nigam agonisingly lost out on top spot by just 0.1 strokes while Quentin Morel and Maxine shot 64.8 to take third. In the Gross competition, Masoud Sobati and Rob Willoughby continued their impressive partnership, shooting a solid 4-under par 68, to seal first place.

Khannas battle the elements for Open triumph Roma and Ravi Khanna battled the blustery conditions and light rain to secure Open Championship victory after posting a brilliant 45 points on the same weekend as the final Major of the year. The team of Max Burrow and Mike Estafanous narrowly missed out on victory by just one point while Henry Marklew and Chris Pike completed the top three on 43 points. In the Gross Division, Raghav Gulati and Aarnav Nath took top spot with 40 points, followed by Christian Klynge and Soren Emil Dam with 38 points.

White on song in Members Stableford Vice-Captain Nigel White beat the sweltering heat to top Men’s Division A in the Members Stableford on a countback after both White and Adam Campbell had banked 38 points. Marie Fitches carded two birdies on her way to sealing the Ladies Division on 34 points while Rayahn Ahmed beat Ziad Moussa by just one point to get his hands on the Men’s Division B title.

ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB

McCann tops Monthly Medal

Drake and Whittle make the perfect pair

Graeme McCann edged out James Sayer and Tim Collins to claim last month’s Rivoli Monthly Medal after shooting an impressive 73. McCann made birdie at both the par 5’s on the front nine to make the turn in 34 before coming home in 39 after trouble at 11, 12 and 17. The best net round of the day in the Men’s division belonged to Division A champion Thomas Stumpp with a score of 70 while Adrian Black prevailed in the Men’s Division B to take top spot ahead of Martin Verity.

Adam Drake and Andrew Whittle teamed up to claim the Ranches Two-Persons Betterball Stableford title after expertly using the format to perfection to bank 39 points. Their card consisted of two halves of 16 and 23 points, which included one net eagle, three net birdie, 12 net pars and only two net bogeys on the sixth and ninth hole.

Champion and Llyod on fine form

Tom Champion and Christopher Lloyd found themselves at the top of the winner’s podium after combining to score 79 points for a five-shot victory over Gary Swan and Nicola Breeze in the Two Person Team Combined Stableford event. Champion’s score of 41 also saw him claim the individual title while Mark Sayer and Steve Bennett finished third on 70 points.

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

Zaid Triumphs in Senior Open

Former Captain Rai back in the winner’s circle

Bouzaine Zaid added his name to the Major honours board after sinking five net birdies and a net eagle to post an excellent score of 42 Stableford points which saw him crowned Senior Open Champion.

Shaz Peshimam finished three points behind in second while Aamir Inam continued his good form of late to take third. In the Super Senior Division for golfers aged 60+, Satnam Kaur took home the trophy after pipping Shaheen Butt on countback with both players scoring 39 points. The final winner of the day was Namir Al Naimi, who was crowned

Former Club Captain, Mukti Rai, used his vast knowledge of the course to claim the latest Monthly Medal with a brilliant round of 38 points. The summer heat was not an issue for Rai, who posted an incredible seven net birdies in his near flawless round. Boung Kwon You finished just one point adrift to take second on 37 points while Rajesh Chitti had to settle for third after two double bogeys put a stop to his chances of claiming the title. Ramli Sulaimans went home with the best gross of the day after scoring 32 points.

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Camero claims another title

Jamie Camero added another trophy to her already impressive collection after topping a highly competitive leaderboard at the Summer Open. The youngster, who finished runner-up last year, started off with a double bogey on the first but brilliantly battled back to post 36 points, which included four birdies on the back nine, to seal the title. Sami Butt posted a brilliant score of 40 points, which included two net eagles, to finish top of the pile in the Net Division while Zi Hao Zu claimed top spot in the Professional Division after picking up one birdie not dropping a single shot.

WORLDWIDE GOLF

TRAVEL

Home to the 2023 Ryder Cup, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club is set in 110 hectares of stunning landscape on the outskirts of Rome which offers breathtaking vistas of the Eternal City.

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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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BOOK GOLF & CLOSE YOUR GAME !

Now available on the EGF App & Website

Try our more user friendly login options

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GOLF TRAVEL

L

ocated on the outskirts of Rome with spectacular views of the Eternal City, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club is a golfing haven which offers a superb 27-hole layout that includes the signature 18-hole Championship course that will play host to a drama-filled week of Ryder Cup action in 2023.

It will be the first time that the clash has been staged in Italy and no stone has been left unturned in designing a golf course specifically with the drama of match play in mind. The extensive 18-month renovation, which was completed this year by European Golf Design together with Tom Fazio II, has created a masterpiece with the layout rerouted not only to provide numerous risk and reward opportunities but also to maximise the natural rolling countryside terrain in preparation for golf’s greatest team contest.

The magnificent vistas of St

Peter’s Basilica and of the Castle of Marco Simone add a stunning backdrop to the drama on course, with the stars of the European Tour getting a first taste of the redesign when the club hosts the Italian Open for the second time this month.

Alongside the work to the Championship course, the clubhouse and practice facilities have been fully refurbished making it one of the best destinations in Italy to hone your game. The clubhouse is where you’ll also find the ‘On the Green’ restaurant which prides itself on offering fresh and traditional products from the nearby area with Head Chef, Marco Giordani, creating authentic Italian dishes with a modern twist.

The club has also recently introduced a stay & play package allowing golfers the chance to take in the treasures and lesserknown wonders that Rome has to offer along with two rounds on the Championship course.

For more information: www.golfmarcosimone.com

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IN THE BAG

JOSH HILL DRIVER: Titleist TSi 3 / 9 Degrees / Tensei 65 g Tour Shaft CARRY: 290 / 300 YARDS 3 WOOD: Titleist TSi 2 / 15 Degrees / Hazadus Smoke 90g TX Shaft CARRY: 270/280 YARDS 2 IRON: Titleist U500 / 6.5 Project X Shaft CARRY: 250 YARDS IRONS: 4-PW / Titleist CB / Project X Shafts CARRY: 4 IRON = 220 / 230 YARDS 5 IRON = 210 YARDS 6 IRON = 200 YARDS 7 IRON = 185 YARDS 8 IRON = 175 YARDS 9 IRON = 160 YARDS P/WEDGE = 150 YARDS WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM8 50 Degrees / 12 dgrees bounce / F Grind / CARRY: 135 YARDS Titleist Vokey SM8 54 Degrees / 12 Degrees bounce / D Grind / CARRY: 125 YARDS Titleist Vokey SM8 60 Degrees / 6 Degrees bounce / K Grind PUTTER: Scotty Cameron Select Newport

Best Course in the UAE: Emirates Golf Club, Majlis Best European Tour event in UAE: DP World Tour Championship, as you have to be inside Race to Dubai’s top 60 to enter Favourite hole in the UAE: 9th at Trump, as I make a lot of birdies there Hardest hole in the UAE: 8 or 9 on the Majlis is championship condition, pars on those feel like birdies Favourite Clubhouse in the UAE: Abu Dhabi National, the Eagle structure is so unique and iconic Favourite course in the world: Royal Dornoch in Scotland - Some of the best par 3s in golf Will your look to turn pro or go to college? Go to college and leave my options open

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Join us on our Open Days11th & 17th September 4pm-6pm

DUBAI

Junior Development Program WHERE FUTURE GOLFERS START THEIR JOURNEY www.ch3performancegolf.com/Juniors

Junior developmEnt programm 2021 - 2022 beginner

duration

price(aed)

beginner

duration

price(aed)

Active Start

45 mins

800

Course Ready

1.5 hours

1350

Fundamentals

1 hour

950

Tournament Ready

1.5 hours

1350

One time AED 250 enrolment fee for new students only THIS INCLUDES : 1 group coaching session per week (Coached by PGA Professional)

1 practice session per week (supervised by parent or guardian)

1 kids on course session per week (Subject to ability & course availability)

3rd October - 20 th May | Available for children from 3 to 15 years old.

The Els Club For registration please call 04 425 1040 or A h e in оe email info@ch3performancegolf.com D ATES:

Terms & Conditions can be found at www.ch3performancegolf.com/jdp-terms-conditions