Worldwide Golf March 2015

The Middle East's No.1 Golf Magazine

Worldwide

EST. 1999

HO W

GOLF

NEWCLUBS TESTED

4 TAYLORMADE REVOLUTIONARY RSI2 4 CALLAWAY XR DRIVER - IT’S FAST 4 PING G30 IS ALL ABOUT THE TEC 4 ODYSSEY NEW PUTTER LINE EXPLAINED

INS TO TRU PU CT TT LIK ION E AP RO

MARCH. 2015

+

WIN

A custom set of Honma TW717P irons worth $2,000

RORY CAN MASTER

AUGUSTA Official Media Partner to the European Tour and the Challenge Tourin the Middle East

THE WORLD No.1 MIGHT HAVE ONE ARM IN THE GREEN JACKET BUT ARE EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH? ISBN 978-9948-15-427-3

Official magazine of the EGF & the Arab Golf Federation

9 789948 154273

A R A B I A N G O L F – T H E L AT E S T N E W S F R O M T H E L E A D I N G C L U B S I N T H E R E G I O N

Watch the La DO YOU WANT TO HIT THE BALL FURTHER

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CLUB FITTER

CALLAWAY XR vs X2HOT

PING G30 DRIVER BATTELE OF THE HEADS

By Jonathan Craddock

With Brendan O’Leary

atest Videos ODYSSEY PUTTERS OLD vs NEW

CHOOSING THE PERFECT PUTTER

With Jason Ashley

EYES WIDE SHUT

By Richard Sterne

THE COIN DRILL

By David Howell

BUILT

FOR

OUTRAGEOUS

SPEED

XR is an iron built for speed. We’ve taken the Cup 360 that’s redefined ball speed in fairway woods and brought it to irons. The improved Cup 360 acts like a spring on shots hit low on the face, and increases ball speeds everywhere else on the face too. It’s a design that’s redefined the iron category.

ASK YOUR PRO FOR A TEST DRIVE TODAY

©2015 Callaway Golf Company. Callaway, the Chevron Device and XR are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

BUILT

FOR

OUTRAGEOUS

SPEED

SPEED is the driving force behind the new XR driver. That means speed from an aerodynamic crown, speed from a R•MOTO face, speed from maximum shaft load and a lot more. It’s our fastest titanium driver ever.

ASK YOUR PRO FOR A TEST DRIVE TODAY

SPEEDSTEP

CROWN

©2015 Callaway Golf Company. Callaway, the Chevron Device and XR are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Callaway Golf Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. *vs 2012 Callaway driver.

GARY PLAYER – EXECUTIVE EDITOR SINCE 1999

The Magnificent Masters

N

Gary Player – The 9-time Major Champion and 9-time Senior Major Champion who has witnessed and been a part of some of the most historic and memorable golfing occasions, reflects on the game today.

EXT month’s Masters Tournament will be my 58th trip to Augusta. It’s a tradition unlike any other, announcing the golf season is in full swing. For me it’s like coming home. Many things have changed around the area since I received my first invitation in 1957 to play at Augusta National, which is like no other course in the world.

It’s the only course that holds a Major Championship year in, year out, so the great history and status it holds in the game remains unparalleled. From Bobby Jones to Tiger Woods, it has seen all the great names and helped elevate many with a Masters victory.

The Masters is filled with incredible, enduring traditions.

From the Par Three Tournament to the Champions Dinner to the Ceremonial Tee shot - each of which are extremely special to me and to the Patrons. These traditions add to the amazing atmosphere that makes the tournament one of the greatest in golf.

As a past champion, I could not be any more thrilled to once again join my fellow Masters winners at the annual Champions Dinner on the Tuesday night before hitting the ceremonial tee shot with my fellow members of The Big Three members, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, for the fourth year in a row to kick off the 79th edition of the tournament.

As the first Major of the year, The

Masters marks the start of a busy, but joyous year for me. Not only will 2015 mark my 80th birthday – still feeling as young and strong as ever - but it will also see the 50th anniversary of my career Grand Slam feat that was achieved at the 1965 US Open at Bellerive Country Club, St Louis. I will never forget that tournament and that victory and it is difficult to think it has already been 50 years since I was only the third person to accomplish the Grand Slam at the age of 29 and still to this day the only international champion.

All that could change at this year’s Masters. I am such a huge fan of Rory McIlroy, I predict he will become the next Grand Slam champion. Augusta National suits Rory’s game, and after his fabulous year in 2014, he will be the man to beat come Masters Sunday. He has shown us before that he has what it takes to win, but he has also learned that you cannot let up at Augusta National, you have to stay focused.

Rory is such a great talent. He has one of the best golf swings on tour. He is in incredible shape as well. His transformation over the past two years will certainly help him continue to win for years to come. I will certainly be rooting for him in April. I was the first international Masters champion and there have been a number since, but I would love to see Rory take it home to become only the

Worldwide GOLF 2

second international Grand Slam winner.

Rory will have a tough field to compete against. As defending champion, Bubba Watson knows what it takes to win at Augusta.

Jason Day continues to always play well at The Masters. Jordan Speith made a spectacular run last year.

Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, and Louis Oosthuizen should all be right there in contention among many others.

To win at the Masters, you have to know when to play aggressively and when to play it safe, which generally only comes from experience. Many of those players listed above have the experience but Jordan Speith’s performance last year showed that sometimes people just click with a course. We will be busy throughout Masters week. One of our biggest traditions is our Black Knight South African Braai that we host on the Wednesday evening before the tournament begins. It’s a great opportunity to invite our friends and business partners to one of the greatest tournaments in golf and show them some South African hospitality.

While I have so many wonderful memories at Augusta, it is a wonder that after my three victories there, I have never purchased a house in Augusta. Boy, with it now being my 58th trip, that would certainly be something I would like to go back in time and change. n

Introducing the New Pro V1 and Pro V1x.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE Titleist continues to set the standard for golf ball excellence by earning the trust of millions of golfers worldwide. The new Pro V1 ® and Pro V1x™ provide total performance for every player.

They deliver extraordinary distance and consistent flight. And there’s more short game control, even softer feel and long-lasting durability from a new patented thermoset Urethane Elastomer™

IN YOUR GAME.

Learn more at titleist.co.uk

INTRODUCING DISTANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE. LOW SPIN. HIGH SPEED. EXCEPTIONAL FORGIVENESS.

NEW TITLEIST 915 DRIVERS. Now you can achieve more distance without sacrificing any forgiveness. The new 915 drivers are trusted by the world’s best players and amateurs everywhere. They are designed to deliver maximum distance on centre hits and more distance on off-centre hits due to the lower spin and higher speed from the Active Recoil Channel™ and stability from the High MOI Design. This, along with our SureFit Tour™ hosel for industry-leading adjustability, great looks, sound and feel, make for the most complete driver performance in the game today. Visit titleist.co.uk to learn more, including where you can experience the uncompromising distance of 915 drivers.

Adam Scott

Jason Dufner

Geoff Ogilvy

Bill Haas

440cc, pear profile

460cc, full pear profile

HIGH MOI DESIGN The low, deep CG location delivers forgiveness, preserving ball speed for more distance, more often.

RADIAL SPEED FACE The high speed face insert, with a radially thin perimeter in the heel and toe, increases -centre hits.

ACTIVE RECOIL CHANNEL The wide sole channel delivers distance by actively  the face with higher speed and lower spin.

Learn more at titleist.co.uk

CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW

M aster

GEAR COMPETITIONS

Rory McIlroy

Win a set of Honma TW717P irons worth

THE NEW

WIN

$2,000

World No.1 Rory McIlroy’s 2014 career year won him two Majors, a WGC title and the PGA BMW Championship.

I

Words: Richard Bevan Photographer: Helen Shippey

T has become a habit in recent years that Rory McIlroy has chosen Dubai as the ‘training camp’ for his forthcoming preparations. This season is no exception. The World Number One had been fine-tuning his game at The Els Club’s Butch Harmon School of Golf ahead of his return to competitive action following the Festive break.

The move paid off handsomely as the Irishman opened his account with a runner-up finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and then followed up by winning his second OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic by three strokes from Alex Noren.

But as Richard Bevan found out during Worldwide Golf’s exclusive interview with McIlroy, Augusta, Georgia is what’s really on his mind.

The game’s new headliner has the distinct look of a man on a mission. Already established as the best player on the planet after a rampaging 2014 season which saw him respond emphatically to questions over his switch to Nike and his rocky romantic life, the man from Holywood is now playing golf from a different solar system to his rivals.

Worldwide GOLF 22

RORY MCILROY

26/02/2015 21:45

How to enter

To win a set of Honma TW717P irons go to wwgolf.net/competition

Worldwide GOLF 53

Rory.indd 23

COMPETITION

STARTER

DID YOU KNOW: AVERAGE AGE OF WINNERS: 32

Masters

Six of the last 12 Masters Tournaments have been won by left handers.

63

FRED COUPLES leads the career scoring average stat with 71.88 from 112 rounds. Jack Nicklaus, who played 163 rounds, averaged 71.98.

Worldwide GOLF 53

INSTRUCTION.indd 53

26/02/2015 21:45

The

WHO: It’s invitation only so the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking get invited along with all the previous winners of the tournament, selected Amateur Champions from around the world and selected tournament winners from last year’s US PGA Tour are invited to tee it up.

Honma Tour World 717P Spec

• Honma’s easier-to-hit cavity-back iron • Available in up to 5 Star spec • Enlarged Moment Of Inertia for maximum Tour World forgiveness • Lower, deeper Centre Of Gravity • 2-piece structure • Confidence-inspiring thicker top edge.

• Forged cavity creates largest Tour World sweet spot • Gorgeous chrome-plated, half-mirror finish • Clubhead: Forged Mild Steel • Face: Maraging Stainless Steel (3-10 iron only) • Available in 3-11 irons and SW • Standard set: 5-10 irons • Custom-fitted with your preferred shaft

Grand Slam

Grand Slam victories at Hoylake (The Open Championship) and at Valhalla (US PGA Championship) mean that he’s now won The Open, the US Open and two US PGAs with only one of golf’s Holy Quartet eluding him thus far – The Masters.

He looked to be home and dry at Augusta in 2011 but then came that snap hooked drive on the 10 th and the collapse that followed as he produced the worst final round in history by a third round Masters’ leader.

Strangely, according to the experts, The Masters is the Major that best suits McIlroy’s big-hitting game. After his breathtaking start to the season McIlroy has declared his intent in getting that Masters monkey off his back at Augusta National next month as he explains to Worldwide Golf: 4

Worldwide GOLF 23

Rory.indd 22

The Jewel in the Peach State

A haul of two Majors, a World Golf Championships title and the BMW PGA Championship propelled McIlroy back to the top of the World Ranking and bagged him the top spot on both The European Tour’s Race to Dubai and the PGA Tour’s Money List last year.

LOWEST 18 HOLES: Nick Price (’86), Greg Norman (’96)

31 64 13 AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST TIME WINNER: (48 winners, 18 under 30)

GEAR

LOWEST FINAL ROUND: (six players)

TOM WEISKOPF recorded a 10-over-par 13 on the par-3 12th in 1980.

adidas

WHERE: Augusta National. Situated just behind a nondescript road in downtown Augusta, the hallowed turf of Augusta National has been the venue for the Masters since 1934 and is the only one of the four Majors to be played at the same course every year.

BOOST

WINNER: Gets to keep a coveted Green Jacket and is invited back to play every year. The Green Jacket is one of the traditions of the Masters.

PAST WINNERS: A Who’s Who of Golf, including Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Phil Mickelson, José Maria Olazábal, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam…the list of greats goes on.

A

shoe for me is one that is comfortable and equally one that doesn’t keep on spitting cleats out half way through a round. This is one of the main reasons why I opt for a pre-moulded sole or hybrid shoe these days. Adidas and Nike have been the mainstream in trainers for decades but they’ve never found their feet in the golf sector. Previous models from adidas look like they would be more at home on a football pitch but their recent Boost range certainly got my attention.

Why? Because they have comfort written all over them! Plus I think the look is right. It’s not a trainer or a traditional golf shoe it’s somewhere in the middle. The range of colours is a little more tasteful and, thank goodness, they’ve dropped that bright yellow colour… that was a shocker.

From a technical standpoint they’ve spent a while understanding the way in which a golfer moves during the swing and the attention to detail in the construction of the shoe is noticeable.

Boost is the adidas name for its foam cushioning made from ThermoPlastic Urethane (TPU). It is used in the sole of the heel of the shoes to maximise energy transfered from the ground to your feet.

WHO HASN’T WON THE MASTERS: Poor old Lee Trevino was a Masters short of completing the Grand Slam, as were Walter Hagen, Jim Barnes and Tommy Armour. Rory McIlroy has plenty of opportunities to join the elite club of Grand Slam champions next month, adding the Masters to his Open Championship, two US PGAs and one US Open. Greg Norman had numerous near misses and so, too, did Ernie Els. No Briton has won at Augusta since Sir Nick Faldo in 1986 but the likes of Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and McIlroy are more than capable of putting that right.

TOUGHEST HOLE: White Dogwood – No.11.

The up-then-downhill 505 yard par-4 is the start of Amen Corner.

On approach everything slopes dramatically towards the water which guards the green, so the safe bailout area is to the right.

But then a testing up-and-down awaits. Last year it averaged 4.479 and yielded only 10 birdies all week.

WorldwideGOLF GOLF 1616 Worldwide

WorldwideGOLF GOLF 1717 Worldwide GOLF 46 Worldwide

MASTERS PREVIEW STARTER_Masters.indd 16

27/02/2015 11:32

27/02/2015 11:32

TITLEIST HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT STARTING FROM THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP YOUNGSTERS AND BRING KEEN GOLFERS THROUGH THE AMATEUR RANKS.

TITLEIST A WINNER At the 2015 Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open

raig Vance fired rounds of 69 and 70 for a total of five under par 139 to win the 2015 Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open sponsored by Titleist.

Vance, who notched up his fourth win of the season, continued to exercise his dominance on the region’s amateur scene as he cantered to a three shot victory over Rahyan Thomas.

“I’d like to thank my playing partners for bringing me through that final stretch,” said Vance, who also won twice in Ras alKhaimah recently and has since added a fifth win at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“It was quite tough out there, especially towards the end with the wind picking up.

The back nine was playing particularly hard but the greens were in fantastic condition.”

Vance was fitted with a new Titleist 915 D2 driver in October and said he’s finding more fairways than ever before, in addition to getting more distance on his drives.

“The notable difference on the 915 was the spin rate which was considerably less than my old 913 driver,” he said. “It’s just a shame it didn’t come out sooner!”

For the third year running, the event was sponsored by Titleist and saw the various winners receive exclusive prizes from Titleist, ranging from sleeves of balls to golf clubs.

Geoff Hunter, General Manager of ProSports International, the official distributors of Titleist in the UAE and the Middle East, said: “We are delighted to be part of one of Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s premium events. The management of the club with Troon’s top class input of giving their guests a premium experience fits in with the Titleist ethos of being the best at what you do.”

Hunter also expressed his delight that Vance and Thomas, both of whom are

Worldwide GOLF 66

ARABIAN GOLF

sponsored by Titleist, finished right on top of the leaderboard at what is Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s longest-running and most prestigious amateur event.

“Craig is a great golfer and an incredibly straight and long hitter which maximizes the opportunities for birdie golf,” he said.

“We can’t forget Rahyan Thomas coming in second place either. He is a +3 handicap golfer who is, amazingly, still only 14 years old.

“We have supported Rahyan for the last couple of years and our objective with Rahyan, as it is with golfers of all abilities, is to ensure he has the best equipment to shoot his lowest scores and we couldn’t be happier with what he has achieved so far.”

Hunter said that Titleist are always on the lookout for an opportunity to get involved in amateur tournaments in the region because they strongly believe in supporting young local talent.

“Titleist have always looked at starting from the grass roots level. We want to support and d evelop youngsters and bring keen golfers through the amateur ranks,” Hunter added. “We have adopted this strategy on a regional basis and, as you can see with the top two at this event, it is proving successful.”

Abu Dhabi Golf Club also lauded Titleist’s involvement in the event and said that this year’s record number of participants was down to the prizes provided by the brand.

“Titleist have played a massive role in this tournament,” said Jack Emerson, Golf Events Manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“They provide some great branding and some fantastic prizes and that’s why I think so many people show up – because the prizes are so great. To have their support is just fantastic and, hopefully, Titleist will be on-board with us next year as well.”

Worldwide GOLF 67

26/02/2015 10:09

ARABIAN GOLF USE.indd 67

Spikes – The Boost also comes with Gripmore technology, where 25 small fixed cleats are used to give more traction and stability. Plus my favourite – NO lost cleats during play.

VERDICT – A comfy golf shoe that has been well thought out by adidas and that doesn’t look like a football boot. Arguably the best golf shoe they’ve made but our long-term test will find out if Boost foam technology is long lasting. Three rounds in and so far so good.

GIVE YOUR FEET A BOOST Gear.indd 47

26/02/2015 11:08

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE VIDEOS

Geoff Hunter General Manager of ProSports International.

C

So what benefit does that mean for golfers?

Quite simply – more efficient energy transfer from the loading on the backswing to the release on the downswing. Also, according to adidas Director of Global Marketing, Masun Denison: “Boost has durability advantages over standard EVA foam, which is used in the construction of many premium golf shoes. EVA foam is made from open cells that allow air to escape, leading them to break down over time.”

However, Boost foam is constructed from thousands of small, clear pellets of TPU and heated until they pop in the foam cushions. It is then steam molded into the form used to construct the soles of the golf shoe.

Worldwide GOLF 47

STARTER_Masters.indd 17

ARABIAN GOLF

ARABIAN GOLF USE.indd 66

By Alex Gallemore

GIVE YOUR FEET A

WHEN: April 9-12

26/02/2015 10:10

26/02/2015 13:07

Luxury that counts your score ...

In the context of "The Ahmed Al Musharrekh Foundation”, which aims to help develop golfing talent in the UAE, Jaermann & Stübi – The Timepiece of Golf – created the AF1, a unique Timepiece for the game of golf.

Each watch-case of the 36 limited edition Timepieces can be ascribed to one of the irons played by Ahmed al Musharrekh.

... in a special UAE Limited Edition

Find out more on www.facebook.com/jaermann.stuebi.uae or send an email to jaermann-stuebi@franckprime.com to place an order for your personal AF1 Timepiece.

With each Timepiece of the Limited Edition AF1 we support "The Ahmed Al Musharrekh Foundation”.

AF1 Limited Edition, dedicated to

CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW GEAR

The 2-Ball Fang putter will be one of the most popular choices and it also comes in a heavier counterbalanced version for players needing more stability.

O-Works Versa No.7 If you can check to see if the face is square with this you will need your eyes testing!

O-Works Rossie ii

More than 250 wins on Tour and used by Harrington to win three Majors.

Classic ‘anser’ shape with a strong toe hang

Great heel and toe balance and helped Luke Donald bag the World No.1 spot.

New 12g thermo plastic piece has saved weight and enabled the Centre of Gravity to be moved 20% lower in the face to improve the roll.

O-Works 2-Ball

O-Works No.1

O-Works No.7

The mid-mallet shape has alway been one of Odyssey’s best sellers.

— By David Howell —

A purist putter, hardly surprisingit’s used by Mickelson.

Perfect for face and path alignment.

A bit more ‘meat’ for stability compared to the O-Works No.1.

C IN DRILL

O-Works Versa N0.9

O-Works Versa V Line

O-Works Versa No.1 Wide

INSTRUCTION

The new Fusion RX insert blends White Hot Face and Metal-X technology

How to choose the perfect putter by Jason Ashley

NEW

It can be quite confusing a task to choose the right putter, you hear people say all sorts of things about putters and there are plenty of factors that might affect your decision. There are different types of putters that suit different types of strokes, so lets take a look at them…

ODYSSEY WORKS RANGE Latest putter line gets improved feel and roll from facelift

ODYSSEY claim to have made their most accurate 2-Ball putter and when you consider just how good that putter has performed on Tour and on the retail shelves over the past decade you know the replacement must be something special.

Odyssey have gone with the slogan, ‘Where Feel Meets Roll’ to explain the difference in the new line of Odyssey Works putters. They’ve not developed something radically different but embraced two established formulas to form the new Fusion RX insert. The first formula to be emulated was their legendary White Hot insert.

This was combined with a 0.406mm thick steel mesh featuring Odyssey’s patented Metal-X roll pattern. The combination of the two forms the Fusion RX insert.

Odyssey say the new insert creates ‘True Roll’, the point at which the ball is constantly in contact with the ground, rolling end-over-end, thanks to the reduction in jumping and skidding after impact.

The latest line of Odyssey Works putter includes the Space Age-looking Versa 2-Ball Fang model, which unites

Toe Balanced Putter:

all their putting knowledge to hopefully give golfers the technology to make them better putters. Odyssey claim the Versa 2-Ball Fang has improved accuracy by 36% making it the most accurate Odyssey 2-Ball putter of all time. It has a 42%t higher MOI than the previous 2-Ball, giving it more stability on off-centre strikes and high ball speeds from heel and toe strikes. The head is also 25g lighter, enabling the Centre of Gravity to be lowered 20% below the ball to improve the roll off the face.

Odyssey have coupled this improved roll and accuracy with the proven alignment benefits of the Versa alignment system. In the Odyssey Works range the contrast is provided by a combination of silver and black lines that focus the eyes on the linear designs to ensure golfers achieve the correct face angle from address through to impact.

The Odyssey Works range comes in the now familiar head shapes that have been validated with wins on Tour and in Major championships and that allow all golfers to pick a style of putter to match their stroke.

Jason Ashley Custom Fit Specialist GolfHouse

A toe-balanced putter is a putter that hangs naturally down at the toe, and that is going to suit someone who has an arcing stroke. So if your eye-line is inside the ball your stroke will tend to arc a little bit – and this putter will help you naturally square the putter face up at impact.

Face balanced putter:

At the other end of the spectrum, the face balanced putter sees the face hangs upwards when it’s balanced horizontally. This is going to suit someone who has a straighter back and straighter through stroke – not a lot of face rotation.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

Traditional balanced putter:

This is the middle ground between the face and toe-balanced putters. It hangs midway between the two – that’ll suit someone who doesn’t arc as

WorldwideGOLF GOLF 3838 Worldwide

much but isn’t quite straight back and through – like a compromise.

Newer models:

The Odyssey Two-ball Fang is not just a putter that looks like a spaceship – it’s got some technology behind it. It’s got a high moment of inertia, which means it is stable through the strike. What adds to this the development of a counter-balanced putter, which adds a little weight in the butt of the putter and counter-balances the weight that is in the head. This increases the moment of inertia and helps swing the putter more freely in a pendulum type stroke. So there is a lot of technology out there meaning there are more options now than ever before to find a suitable putter.

David Howell is renowned for being one of the most consistent putters on Tour. Here is a small drill from him that is sure to get sinking more four foot putts.

THE COIN DRILL

Conclusion:

If you’re looking at getting a new putter, this is my advice: First get someone to look at how you stroke the putter, then, using that information, look at a lot of different options. Don’t just pick the one of you like the look of it, either because it’s a traditional looking putter or it looks better than the others, have a look at all your options and make an informed choice.

This is a very simple drill and what it helps you do is stay still when you’re putting.

When I see amateurs putting, they’re always very anxious. They want to see the ball get in the hole so they’re always moving up, lifting their head.

All of these are extra movements that make it

less likely for the ball to go in the hole. It’s very important to stay as still as possible when you’re putting.

Very simply mark your ball with the smallest coin in the bag, for example a five pence piece if you can find one. Once you’ve marked it, leave the marker down and move in to hit the putt. Once you’re over the ball, make sure you focus on that five pence piece – that’s where you should be looking.

Keep your eye fixated on that coin until you hear that beautiful sound of the ball going into the hole.

WorldwideGOLF GOLF 3939 Worldwide

26/02/2015 11:06

Gear.indd 39

Worldwide GOLF 55

DAVID HOWELL’S PUTTING TIPS INSTRUCTION.indd 54

26/02/2015 11:06

EYES WIDE SHUT

WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

Worldwide GOLF 54

ODYSSEY WORKS RANGE Gear.indd 38

PLACE A COIN BEHIND YOUR BALL AND HIT THE PUTT

26/02/2015 13:07

GEAR

— By Richard Sterne —

Richard Sterne is an ambassador for global logistics provider GAC www.gac.com

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

G30 range test with Craig Vance THE HEAD TEST TO SHOW how all three heads differed we asked one of the UAE’s leading amateurs, Craig Vance, to put them through their paces. We fitted a Ping 60 gram Tour stiff flex shaft to all three of the heads with the same 9.9 degree loft and in a neutral face setting. This way we could see exactly how the heads performed. Craig naturally shapes the ball with a draw from right to left so the weight bias on the SF Tec head saw the draw turn into a slight hook. The bias certainly worked and would be perfect for anyone looking to straighten out a slice.

With the 9.9 degree standard G30 head Craig’s slight draw was under control but with a spin rate of just over 3,300 rpm it stalled in the air and didn’t gain the roll you’d expect.

Things changed when he hit the LS Tec driver, the spin came down by nearly 500 rpms and he carried the ball an extra ten yards – and the stronger flight meant it rolled out an additional five yards. Hands down, the LS Tec is the winner on this one with a total gain of 15 yards.

All types of golfers seem to struggle with those pesky 3-4 foot putts. Six-time European Tour winner Richard Sterne offers a few tips and suggests a unique approach to holing more short putts.

TESTED

PING G30 HEAD MASTERS Straighten out that slice or optimise spin for more distance Bubba Watson has shown that Ping’s radical ‘turbulators’ actually work as he remains the longest hitter on the US PGA Tour and has continued to get longer with the G30. OK, with a swing speed touching 120mph no matter what you put in his hand it’s going to be long. So let’s look at the other end of the power range. Our old friend, Miguel Angel Jiménez, who at 50 years of age, still manages to mix it up on The European Tour, the US PGA Tour, and the US Champions Tour. Now here’s the statistic that will amaze you

Worldwide GOLF 55

RICHARD STERNE EYES WIDE SHUT INSTRUCTION.indd 55

G30 LS Tec

The G30 LS Tec (Low-Spin Technology) driver offers a unique combination of low, stable spin with a high MOI for added distance with accuracy and control. Crown turbulators reduce aerodynamic drag to help increase clubhead speed and ball velocity for gaining distance, and lofts are adjustable to plus or minus 1 degree. The T9S titanium alloy face is thin to maximise deflection for increasing ball speeds and distance.

– he’s hitting the ball further now than he’s ever done before! That length off the tee enables him to compete with players 30 years younger than him as he’s got the G30 LS Tec driver in the bag. The latest Ping G30 range is easy to understand and you don’t have to spend hours on the range trying to find your perfect setting. The standard G30 is a great starting point but if you spin the ball too much or even struggle to tame the dreaded slice there will be a G30 head to suit.

The SF G30 is slightly different with

DRIVER:

a little more weight at the heel to give the club a draw bias and assist players trying to combat a slice or fade.

The newly-released LS Tec G30 has been introduced for players with slightly higher swing speeds that look to reduce unwanted spin off the face for more distance and a stronger ball flight.

The aim of our test was to see how much the SF model alters the flight and just how much does the LS Tec reduce the spin rate from the standard G30.

G30 LS Tec

Loft: 9 Degrees Shaft: Oban Kiyoshi Gold 65X D5 Swing Weight, 46”

2015 – 283.1 yards 2014 – 278.3 yards 2013 – 277.6 yards 2012 – 276.5 yards

26/02/2015 13:07

Worldwide GOLF 40

Craig Vance: Out of the three heads I definitely favoured the LS Tech. I naturally spin the ball so this head really suited my game over the standard G30. The SF Tec draw definately works and would be great for any amateurs out there who are hitting it a bit right.

CLUB SPEED MPH

104.1

BALL SPEED MPH

152

LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

10.8

SPIN RATE RPM

3,225 TOTAL Yards

+3

SMASH FACTOR

1.48

CLUB SPEED MPH

104.4 BALL SPEED MPH

153.7 LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

10.8

SPIN RATE RPM

3,123 TOTAL Yards

+0

SMASH FACTOR

1.47

PING G30 LS TEC - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

Engineered for players whose shots typically end up right of the intended target. More weight concentrated toward the heel and lighter swing weights improve shot bend to steer the ball back into the fairway. Crown turbulators generate greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for long, accurate drives. The new T9S face material optimises face deflection for higher ball speeds and more distance.

Launch conditions can be fine-tuned using five settings and 2 full degrees of loft adjustability.

PING G30 - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

KEEP YOUR EYES SHUT!

EYES WIDE SHUT Another good way to practice that is to keep your eyes closed when you’re putting from that kind of length.

Personally I’ve putted many 3-4 footers with my eyes closed and I’ve had some great results from doing that.

It helps with the anxiety and also keeps the mind calm so it’s definitely something I would try as an amateur.

G30 SF Tec

Crown turbulators in the 460cc head help generate greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for consistently longer drives that find the fairway. The new T9S face material is strong, lightweight and thin, optimizing face deflection for even higher ball speeds and longer drives. With Trajectory Tuning+ Technology you can fine-tune launch conditions using five settings and 2 full degrees of loft adjustability.

PING G30 SF TEC - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

G30

INSTRUCTION

Generally that type of length makes people nervous and that makes the eyes move too much. So what I try and do is pick a spot either on the ball or a blade of grass and keep my eyes as still as possible.

I don’t want to follow the putter going back nor do I want to see the putting going through. That’s something that’s helped me under pressure and has helped me win tournaments when I need to make that crucial putt.

CLUB SPEED MPH

105

BALL SPEED MPH

155.8 LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

12.7

SPIN RATE RPM

2,657 TOTAL Yards

+15.3 SMASH FACTOR

1.47

Worldwide GOLF 41

PING G30 HEADMASTERS

Gear.indd 40

26/02/2015 11:06

Gear.indd 41

G GE EA AR R

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CLUB

WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? “I’d “I’d generally generally get get in in the the office office at at 8.0 8.0 o’clock. o’clock. Check Check up up on on my my e-mails e-mails and and get get some some paperwork paperwork out out of of the the way. way. I’m I’m out out on on the the road road as as fast fast as as II can can because because ifif I’m I’m in in the the office office and and not not out out on on the the range range I’m I’m not not selling selling or or fitting fitting Titleist Titleist products. products. So So I’m I’m generally generally out out of of the the office office around around 11.0 11.0 o’clock o’clock heading heading for for Emirates Emirates Golf Golf Club Club or or Dubai Dubai Creek.

Creek. On On the the weekends weekends we we do do aa lot lot of of the the demos demos abroad abroad in in places places like like Egypt Egypt and and Bahrain Bahrain and and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan.

One One night night II was was lying lying in in bed bed and and itit was was about about 12.30-1.00am.

12.30-1.00am.

II get get aa phone phone call call and and I’m I’m thinking thinking there there must must be be something something wrong wrong here, here, who’s who’s ringing ringing me me at at this this time time of of the the night night ?? ItIt turned turned out out itit was was aa guy guy looking looking for for aa custom-fitting! custom-fitting!

This This year year we we were were at at the the OMEGA OMEGA Dubai Dubai Desert Desert Classic Classic doing doing fittings fittings for for the the likes likes of of Richard Richard Green, Green, Anders Anders Hansen, Hansen, Jin Jin Jong, Jong, Jérôme Jérôme Lando Lando Casanova Casanova –– itit was was aa great great experience, experience, just just brilliant. brilliant.

FITTER

I started working in Dublin at Lisheen Spring Golf Club in 2011 as an assistant to former Walker Cup and European Tour player Raymond Burns. After my first year or so ‘Raymie’ got me signed up to the PGA programme. I started fitting at the golf club after a few months and I’ve loved it ever since.

8.0-10.0am 8.0-10.0am Check Check emails, emails, make make appointments, appointments, get get ready ready for for the the day. day.

10.0-11.0am 10.0-11.0am

WHY SHOULD A GOLFER GET FITTED FOR CLUBS? There’s There’s no no doubt doubt it’ll it’ll improve improve their their game game no no end. end.

Some Some of of the the stuff stuff the the guys guys bring bring up up to to me me isis positively positively prehistoric. prehistoric. II had had aa guy guy who who came came to to me me once once and and he he was was playing playing off off 22 22 and and he’s he’s now now playing playing off off 12 12 within within aa timespan timespan of of around around three three months. months. His His handicap handicap has has dropped dropped massively. massively.

ItIt was was all all down down to to his his clubs clubs being being too too short short or or too too flat. flat. He’s He’s aa guy guy of of 6’4” 6’4”so so he he needed needed the the clubs clubs to to be be that that little little bit bit longer longer and and aa little little bit bit more more upright. upright. ItIt makes makes aa At At any any given given time time massive massive difference. difference.””

11.0am 11.0am Load Load the the van van and and away away we we go! go!

there there would would be be upwards upwards of of 250 250 shafts shafts in in the the van van and and around around 2,000 2,000 in in the the warehouse. warehouse.

Meet Meet with with customers customers on on the the range, range, assess assess their their individual individual requirements, requirements, put put the the world world to to rights! rights!

11.30am-5.30pm 11.30am-5.30pm

Brendan O’Leary, custom fit specialist for Titleist in Dubai, shares with us what the avererage day looks like for the men whose job it is to do what they can to take your game to the next level.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST SET OF CLUBS? WHAT WERE THEY?

“ONE TIME AT JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES DURING THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, I WAS DOING A FITTING. I’M TALKING TO A CUSTOMER AND ASKING THE NORMAL QUESTIONS, ‘WHAT’S YOUR HANDICAP, WHAT’S YOUR SHOT SHAPE ETC,’ I ASK THE GUY WHAT DISTANCE HE COULD CARRY THE BALL, SO HE PROCEEDS TO TELL ME THAT HE CARRIES IT ONTO THE FIRST GREEN AT THE FIRE COURSE WHICH IS A CARRY OF AROUND 335 YARDS – BUBBA WATSON STUFF! HE STEPS UP AND HITS A FEW SHOTS AND HIS LONGEST CARRY WAS AROUND 225 YARDS. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WASN’T HITTING THE BALL GREAT TODAY. I NEARLY FELL OVER TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF FROM LAUGHING.”

II remember remember having having aa mixed mixed set set with with some some golden golden bears bears in in there there and and‘hand ‘hand me me downs’ downs’from from my my father father and and mother mother –– anything anything to to get get me me out out of of the the house house II guess! guess!

Done Done for for the the day....or day....or am am I? I? Some Some days days II might might be be finished finished by by 6.0 6.0 pm, pm, that that isis until until the the phone phone starts starts ringing ringing while while I’m I’m in in bed... bed... golfers golfers are are an an obsessive obsessive bunch! bunch!

Worldwide GOLF 36 Worldwide Worldwide GOLFGOLF 2 2

5.30 5.30 pm pm Make Make the the magic magic happen! happen! every every player player isis different different in in body body shape shape and and swing. swing.

Having Having correctly correctly fitted fitted clubs clubs isis crucial. crucial.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

6.0 6.0 pm pm -- ?? ??

Worldwide GOLF 37 Worldwide Worldwide GOLFGOLF 3 3

DAY OUT WITH A CLUB FITTER

Gear.indd 36

Check Check the the stock, stock, make make sure sure II have have the the correct correct grips, grips, shafts shafts etc. etc. and and get get out out on on the the road. road.

26/02/2015 11:06

Gear.indd 37

26/02/2015 11:06

CLICK HERE TO BROWSE VIDEOS

26/02/2015 11:07

What next for Tiger? $$$...

Woods’ earnings took a hit when Electronic Arts announced back in 2013 that it would end its relationship with Woods after 16 versions of the game generated $800 million.

Mark Steinberg has had a close eye on the Woods ‘brand’ from the start but he now faces one of the toughest chapters with Tiger starting to question his game.

W

ITH the golf world’s attention fixed firmly on next month’s Masters it seems that it’s not a case of will Rory win at Augusta and complete the Grand Slam of all four Majors, it’s will Tiger Woods turn up to play. Our Columnists, Gary Player, Greg Norman and David Howell have voiced their various opinions on ‘Will He, Won’t He?’ but I wonder whether the decision rests between Tiger and his manager Mark Steinberg.

Brand Tiger has been a hugely successful enterprise both during and after the time Woods and Steinberg were with IMG. It’s likely that Tiger earned far more money in sponsorship fees off the course than he ever did through prize money on the course.

We’ve all got our own theories but mine is straightforward enough. Tiger has always been a perfectionist. He’s a driven personality. He’s always wanted to perform better next week than he did last week. If he’d won a tournament by six shots one week, he had to win by more than six the following week.

But Brand Tiger was built on success. He and Steinberg could name their price for

sponsorship deals and endorsements. They were on a roller-coaster of one triumph after another.

Many of his followers firmly believe Woods should have declined to elicit any further coaching after he won the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000 by 15 shots. He’s had four coaches in his career when I believe he should have stayed with Butch Harmon, who knew his game and knew the man.

Tiger’s early departure from Torrey Pines, a course where he’s had great success in the past, saying he was going to take a break from the game could be the last time we will see Woods competing - for two reasons.

One, is that Tiger is so determined in everything he does, he won’t settle for second best. If he does come back and he’s not at his best he won’t accept mediocrity. He’s not the sort of guy who would be happy working himself gradually up the ranking. He wouldn’t be happy finishing in the top 50 one week and maybe top 40 the following week, while all the time he’s getting older.

Two, is that if he were to come back and didn’t

Alex Gallemore, Editor Worldwide GOLF 14

find almost instant success, yet battled bravely on, then what would become of Brand Tiger?

Right now he’s still one of the biggest names in the game. He’s still box office as far as sponsors are concerned. But would those companies who queued up to buy his name be satisfied with an ‘also ran’?

It’s a gamble that he and Steinberg will have to take before very long. We’d all love to see Tiger again at his blistering best but if they don’t believe he can make it back to the top, will he even make the effort to try?

It’s an intriguing situation. It’s likely that Woods is using his time off the course hitting ball after ball on the practice range with his new coach, rather than putting his feet up and giving his body a break. As the ultimate athlete he pushed his body to the limit for more than two decades, which has clearly taken its toll.

Only time will tell what happens next. Will he show up for Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill event for an early rehearsal for The Masters? Or will he leave it a little later towards the big day? Or will he leave his return until Augusta itself? Who knows? Only Tiger. n

The

Masters The Jewel in the Peach State WHO: It’s invitation only so the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking get invited along with all the previous winners of the tournament, selected Amateur Champions from around the world and selected tournament winners from last year’s US PGA Tour are invited to tee it up.

WHEN: April 9-12 WHERE: Augusta National. Situated just behind a nondescript road in downtown Augusta, the hallowed turf of Augusta National has been the venue for the Masters since 1934 and is the only one of the four Majors to be played at the same course every year.

WINNER: Gets to keep a coveted Green Jacket and is invited back to play every year. The Green Jacket is one of the traditions of the Masters.

PAST WINNERS: A Who’s Who of Golf, including Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Phil Mickelson, José Maria Olazábal, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam…the list of greats goes on.

WHO HASN’T WON THE MASTERS: Poor old Lee Trevino was a Masters short of completing the Grand Slam, as were Walter Hagen, Jim Barnes and Tommy Armour. Rory McIlroy has plenty of opportunities to join the elite club of Grand Slam champions next month, adding the Masters to his Open Championship, two US PGAs and one US Open. Greg Norman had numerous near misses and so, too, did Ernie Els. No Briton has won at Augusta since Sir Nick Faldo in 1986 but the likes of Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and McIlroy are more than capable of putting that right.

TOUGHEST HOLE: White Dogwood – No.11.

The up-then-downhill 505 yard par-4 is the start of Amen Corner.

On approach everything slopes dramatically towards the water which guards the green, so the safe bailout area is to the right.

But then a testing up-and-down awaits. Last year it averaged 4.479 and yielded only 10 birdies all week.

Worldwide GOLF 16

FRED COUPLES leads the career scoring average stat with 71.88 from 112 rounds. Jack Nicklaus, who played 163 rounds, averaged 71.98.

STARTER

DID YOU KNOW: AVERAGE AGE OF WINNERS: 32

Six of the last 12 Masters Tournaments have been won by left handers.

63

LOWEST 18 HOLES: Nick Price (’86), Greg Norman (’96)

31 64 13 AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST TIME WINNER: (48 winners, 18 under 30)

TOM WEISKOPF recorded a 10-over-par 13 on the par-3 12th in 1980.

Worldwide GOLF GOLF 17 17 Worldwide

LOWEST FINAL ROUND: (six players)

The Masters IT’S THE START OF THE MAJOR SEASON once again as The Masters tees-up the first of the season’s four Majors. This year it is entirely possible that two players could complete the career Grand Slam – Rory McIlroy at The Masters and Phil Mickelson at the US Open. With the azaleas in full bloom there is nothing quite like Augusta National and The Masters. Golf tournaments come and go but there are few as memorable as

The Masters. It has an aura no other event in the sport can match and because of that it’s the Major every player wants to win – and a Club that everyone wants to join.

Membership is strictly invitation-only, unless you win The Masters and get invited back to play every year. So traditional is the Clubin that it’s only in the last few years that women have been able to become Members of Augusta National.

McIlroy the favourite Rory McIlroy had a career year in 2014 with two Major wins at the age of 24. That same age was also rewarding for Tiger Woods in 2000 as he won three of the four Majors.

Let’s see how their years compared.

TIGER IN 2000: Driving Distance: 298.0 (ranked 3rd) Driving Accuracy: 71.2% (54) Total Driving ranking: 1st Greens in Regulation: 75.2% (1) Sand Saves: 57.3% (51) Scoring Average: 67.79 (1) Birdie Average: 4.92 (1)

RORY IN 2014: Driving Distance: 310.5 (3) Driving Accuracy: 59.9% (108) Total Driving ranking: 16th Greens in Regulation: 69.4 (6) Sand Saves: 47.5% (123) Scoring Average: 68.83 (1) Birdie Average: 4.58 (1)

Worldwide GOLF 18

The Form Book: What’s wrong with Tiger?

A lot has been written about the state of the four-time Masters champion’s game. He’s been struggling with most aspects of it since the turn of the year, leading him to take an ‘indefinite’ break until he gets his form back. Will he return for The Masters? Not if he thinks he can’t win it. When he has played at Augusta he’s nearly always been there or thereabouts. He didn’t play last year due to surgery but in 18 career starts he has four wins and nine additional top tens. He won’t be playing the Honda Classic or the WGC-Championship at Doral so if he does return it’ll likely be at Bay Hill prior to The Masters.

Rory McIlroy has the game and mentality to be the leading light at any golf event he plays so it would come as no surprise if he romped clear and completed the Grand Slam. He’s already won in Dubai and was runner-up in Abu Dhabi.

Jason Day struggled with injury last year but did win a WGC event and contended at the US PGA Championship. An early win this year at Torrey Pines sets him up nicely ahead of The Masters where he has been runner-up (2011) and third (2013).

Dustin Johnson is one of the biggest hitters and has a deceptively brilliant short game. His off-course troubles look to be behind him now and he’s had two top tens, including a runner-up at rock-hard Riviera, so it could be his time for a Major soon.

Sergio Garcia doesn’t have a lot of love for Augusta but he’s started the year strongly. Three top tens in The Masters including a share of eighth two years ago shows that he can get around largely unscathed – whether he can push on and win is another thing.

What the players say: Jack Nicklaus: Tiger’s struggling, we all know that – he knows that. I think he’s struggling more between his ears than he is in any place else.

Peter Alliss: You never know what will happen with Tiger. He might find a guru somewhere – he might go to India or somewhere like the Beatles did and find something magical.

Brandt Snedeker picked up his first win in two years at Pebble Beach and has form at Augusta with just one missed cut since 2008 and two top tens.

The likely lads:

Mark O’Meara: If I were to speak to him I would say ‘don’t try and over-analyse everything – get it back to some really simple, easy fundamentals.’

Johnny Miller: He must have some demons in his head, like somebody shortcircuited his hand-eye co-ordination.

David Duval: Having known him a long, long time, it’s hard to say, hard to watch. I had to live through a lot of it on my own, as well.

2013 winner Adam Scott hasn’t played yet this year as he and his wife Marie had their first child. He plays three times in March before Augusta so has time to fine-tune his game.

Phil Mickelson needs to fix what he called his ‘pathetic’ putting. If Lefty does find his putting stroke he’ll certainly be a contender for his fourth Green Jacket.

Ian Baker-Finch: I would love Tiger to just go play golf every day and stay away from machines and mechanics and trying to be perfect. I think he’s forgotten how to play golf. He’s trying to play with a perfect swing every day, every time.

Matt Kuchar, with nothing worse than a tie for eighth in his last three Masters, is what you might call the ‘form horse’ for this particular course.

Worldwide GOLF 19

Justin Rose always threatens to do well at The Masters but he hasn’t found that perfect week where he keeps a high number off the card.

His best result is 5th in 2007.

Jordan Spieth seems pretty much unfazed by anything and a runnerup on his Masters debut last year is evidence of that. Two top tens in February in the States shows that if he continues to improve then the ‘average first time winner age’ stat could come tumbling down.

Bubba Watson can really bomb it, reducing the par-5s on the back nine to a drive and a short iron. If he dominates the long holes and plays solidly elsewhere he’ll be a factor.

The Masters Outsiders past winners – Where are they now?

Golf tournaments often provide a shock or two and The Masters is no exception. Let’s have a look back at those surprise winners in recent years – what led them to win and what they’ve done since.

Angel Cabrera (2009) – OK, Angel had a Major under his belt with a gritty win at the US Open in 2007 at a ridiculously hard Oakmont but two years later he entered The Masters ranked 69th in the World and without a win since his breakthrough. He made it to a play-off with Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry – hardly golfing A-listers – and won it when Perry got heavy handed with a chip.

In 2013 he almost won again but was denied by Adam Scott in that memorable head-to-head. Last year he won the Greenbrier on the US PGA Tour for his first win since 2009.

Trevor Immelman (2008) – Perennially injured before and after his Major triumph. His gutsy win at a cold and damp Masters is one of only three career top-10 finishes in a Major. He last won on the Web.com tour in 2013.

Charl Schwartzel (2011) – The South African was a rising star when he birdied the last four holes to win ahead of Adam Scott and Jason Day. Has won twice in Europe since but hasn’t hoisted any silverware since 2013.

Mike Weir (2003) – Something of a one-hit wonder, Weir, who won in a play-off with Len Mattiace, hasn’t threatened the top 20 in a Major since 2009 and hasn’t won on the US PGA Tour since 2007.

Zach Johnson (2007) – His Masters win was his second career title. Has gone on to win 11 times on the US PGA Tour and is a four-time Ryder Cup player. A consistent performer at the highest level, Johnson wouldn’t surprise anyone if he won a second Major.

At 69th in the world ranking, Angel Cabrera became the lowest ranked winner of The Masters in 2009.

Who could this year’s surprise package be…?

Bill Haas has never contended in a Major but he’s a steady-eddy and a regular winner, including this year at the Humana Challenge.

Martin Kaymer ’s record at Augusta is poor. He hasn’t broken the top 30 due to heavy reliance on his high-flighted, leftto-right shot shape. However, he has the mentality to address and overcome his disadvantage.

Angel Cabrera seems to prosper at Augusta in odd numbered years. He won

in 2009, finished 7th in 2011 and was runner-up in 2013. What’s in store this year?

Miguel Angel Jiménez finished fourth last year for his career best performance at Augusta. He’s averaging over 280 yards off the tee for the first time since 2010 and has played solidly with a GIR stat of 77%. He’s had a win on the Champions Tour this year already so he’s in form.

It would be a surprise if Any

Worldwide GOLF 20

European entered the Butler Cabin to accept a nice new shiny Green Jacket.

No-one from the European continent has slipped into the Green Jacket since José Maria Olazábal donned it for the second time in his career in 1999.

Since then there have been just two Europeans finishing runner-up – Lee Westwood in 2010 and the unheralded Jonas Blixt last year. What is it about Augusta that makes the Euros underperform?

ONE EXTRAORDINARY MEMBERSHIP TWO ICONIC GOLF DESTINATIONS

Play at two of Dubai’s most exclusive golf destinations with our new ‘Midweek Membership’ at The Address Montgomerie Dubai and Arabian Ranches Golf Club from Sunday to Thursday.

Join today and start experiencing a whole new world of exclusive golf and lifestyle rewards.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES: SINGLE: AED 19,995 | FAMILY: AED 24,995

THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI T: +971 4 363 1276 | E: MONTGOMERIE@THEADDRESS.COM WWW.THEMONTGOMERIE.COM ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB T: +971 4 366 4700 | E: MEMBERSHIP@ARABIANRANCHESGOLF.AE WWW.ARABIANRANCHESGOLFDUBAI.COM

M Worldwide GOLF 22

aster Rory McIlroy

THE NEW

World No.1 Rory McIlroy’s 2014 career year won him two Majors, a WGC title and the PGA BMW Championship.

I

Words: Richard Bevan Photographer: Helen Shippey

T has become a habit in recent years that Rory McIlroy has chosen Dubai as the ‘training camp’ for his forthcoming preparations. This season is no exception. The World Number One had been fine-tuning his game at The Els Club’s Butch Harmon School of Golf ahead of his return to competitive action following the Festive break.

The move paid off handsomely as the Irishman opened his account with a runner-up finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and then followed up by winning his second OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic by three strokes from Alex Noren.

But as Richard Bevan found out during Worldwide Golf’s exclusive interview with McIlroy, Augusta, Georgia is what’s really on his mind.

The game’s new headliner has the distinct look of a man on a mission. Already established as the best player on the planet after a rampaging 2014 season which saw him respond emphatically to questions over his switch to Nike and his rocky romantic life, the man from Holywood is now playing golf from a different solar system to his rivals.

A haul of two Majors, a World Golf Championships title and the BMW PGA Championship propelled McIlroy back to the top of the World Ranking and bagged him the top spot on both The European Tour’s Race to Dubai and the PGA Tour’s Money List last year.

Grand Slam

Grand Slam victories at Hoylake (The Open Championship) and at Valhalla (US PGA Championship) mean that he’s now won The Open, the US Open and two US PGAs with only one of golf’s Holy Quartet eluding him thus far – The Masters.

He looked to be home and dry at Augusta in 2011 but then came that snap hooked drive on the 10 th and the collapse that followed as he produced the worst final round in history by a third round Masters’ leader.

Strangely, according to the experts, The Masters is the Major that best suits McIlroy’s big-hitting game. After his breathtaking start to the season McIlroy has declared his intent in getting that Masters monkey off his back at Augusta National next month as he explains to Worldwide Golf: 4

Worldwide GOLF 23

RORY MCILROY

Worldwide Golf: Do you have a game plan for how you’re going to tackle Augusta this year and what is it?

Rory McIlroy: I always have a plan for the year’s first Major - preparation and readiness. I feel that if I can find some momentum early in the year I can fine-tune my game to coincide with the Majors. In other words, I’m preparing for Augusta pretty much in the same way I have done for the past six years. I come out to Dubai early each year for the Desert Swing and I make it my pre-season practice time where I concentrate on my swing, clubs and fitness. This is where I can dust off the cobwebs from the Christmas break and attempt to get myself sharp and focused for the season ahead.

WWG: Do you have any traditions you follow when you go to the Masters?

Gary Player says he always gets out of the car and walks down Magnolia Lane?

RM: I don’t think I have any special rituals or traditions when I arrive at Augusta National – at least not yet. But I have no doubt that there is something special - whatever it is – in arriving at golf’s most dramatic spectacle. It might be the history, the memorable wins (or forgettable slip-ups) or the whole theatre of the occasion, all made possible by the course’s quality and special atmosphere.

When Nick slipped the Green Jacket onto Tiger I knew golf had changed forever.

WWG: Obviously, what happened in 2011 is well documented and you bounced back in stunning fashion by winning the next Major of the season at the US Open. How significant was the experience of having The Masters slip through your fingers that year in your development as a player and a person?

RM: When I look back on that Sunday, I see it as being part of a bigger picture in my golfing career.

I won’t say it didn’t matter because it did. It really hurt at the time. Nobody likes to throw away a lead, not least in the final round of The Masters. But it was important for me to learn from that lesson. Winning the US Open at Congressional two months later allowed me to put what happened at Augusta into perspective. I think, looking back, that I was just in too much of a hurry to win. Perhaps I tried to force an outcome that required a little more patience.

People have certain expectations of me. I think it would also be safe to say that Masters Thursday will be a little on the lively side.

WWG: What’s your favourite Masters memory from childhood?

RM: It can be none other than Tiger’s 1997 win. It was a few weeks before my ninth birthday, and my dad and I were watching the Sunday coverage. I was completely blown away – as was the whole golfing world – by his power, physique and confidence - and by that magnificent 12-shot winning margin.

It was, for me, the beginning of an era, even though I probably couldn’t have put it into words back then. It was also around this time when I changed allegiance from being Nick Faldo’s biggest fan to having Tiger in my sights.

WWG: There’s a lot being made about The Masters being the missing piece in your career Grand Slam. Does that put even more pressure on your shoulders heading into the tournament and how do you block that out?

Worldwide GOLF 24

RM: I see it has a great opportunity more than anything. It’s all down to me to go out and get the job done and I’m excited about trying to do that. As with all Majors, there’ll be an intense amount of hype and that’s just something that goes with the territory of being World No.1. People have certain expectations of me. I think it would also be safe to say that Masters Thursday will be a little on the lively side.

WWG: We’ve heard you write your season’s goals down on a boarding pass each year – is that true?

RM: Yes, I write down my shoppinglist of each season’s goals and it’s always on that flight to Dubai early in January. But it’s not really a superstitious thing - it’s really just something I can check on throughout the year to see if I’m hitting my targets.

WWG: Away from golf, what are your favourite hang-out spots when you’re in Dubai?

Winning the US Open at Congressional two months later allowed me to put what happened at Augusta into perspective. I think, looking back, that I was just in too much of a hurry to win. Perhaps I tried to force an outcome that required a little more patience.

Above: McIlroy admires the US Open trophy after winning his first Major by eight shots at Congressional CC in 2011, just a few months after blowing a healthy lead at The Masters (opposite page)

after we first met as amateurs at the Walker Cup in 2007 and then entered the professional ranks. I’m delighted, too, that Rickie’s factored in a couple of European Tour events this season – he’s really popular but also great WWG: A lot is being made of the to watch. I suppose there’s always a potential of a rivalry developing with need to create a rivalry between two your close-friend Rickie Fowler. How young golfers whose career paths have pleased are you that been in many ways similar. It’s he’s playing a not entirely untrue, either. I couple of I think my favourite is MJ’s think that when we’re paired events on The together there’s a natural but European Steakhouse. Probably the healthy rivalry that allows us Tour this best steaks in town here and to be at our best. season (the the seafood’s always superb Abu Dhabi – but for me, it’s their beef WWG: You’re quite active HSBC Golf on social media - how have Champions wellington. You’ll thank me for you found Twitter, Facebook and the Irish recommending it… and Instagram as mediums to Open Hosted interacting with the fans? by the Rory RM: If used well and responsibly, Foundation) and social media is a great way to keep just how far back does in touch with my fan base. I do have your friendship go? a genuine interest in their thoughts. I RM: Rickie and I are great friends will sometimes – when I’ve got a bit of both on and off the course. The downtime – have a quick Q&A with fans. friendship probably started up soon and the seafood’s always superb – but for me, it’s their beef wellington. You’ll thank me for recommending it…

RM: I’m a little biased as I was a Jumeirah Ambassador but staying at any of their hotels is a real treat.

There’s also a great little complex as part of the hotels called the Madinat Souk. It’s really a replica of an old Arabian market and is full of small shops, bars and restaurants.

There’s also a water taxi service to ferry you through a network of waterways to various parts of the resort. For food, I think my favourite is MJ’s Steakhouse.

Probably the best steaks in town here

Worldwide GOLF 25

RORY MCILROY

I work very closely with the Nike testing guys and we are always exploring ideas to maximize my swing and my game. I recently put a new Nike 59-degree Engage wedge in my bag, and it worked very well.

Without being too technical about the Engage wedges, I can get the ball up quickly, even from off the fairway, and get it to land softly on the putting surface.

C

M

Y

CM

Rory McIlroy

In the bag

It can be as light-hearted as guessing what colour T-shirt I’ll wear on the course the next day, to some very detailed golf chats and tips.

WWG: What new gear have you got in your bag for 2015?

RM: At some stage every year I’m likely to try something new.

Even if it’s not an entirely new concept, it may be a tweak here or there for distance, flight, loft etc. I work very closely with the Nike testing guys and we are always exploring ideas to maximize my swing and my game. I recently put a new Nike 59-degree Engage wedge in my bag, and it worked very well.

Without being too technical about the Engage wedges, I can get the ball up quickly, even from off the fairway, and get it to land softly on the putting surface.

WWG: You spend a lot of time in the gym. How important is fitness to the 21st century golfer?

RM: For me, fitness is an integral part of my game and preparation. I no longer see a difference between the two. One of the great things about golf, though, is that people of all fitness levels can compete at some level. So, while fitness works for me personally, I don’t think it will necessarily change the face of everyday golf. Gary Player and Nick Faldo have always been big advocates of the importance of fitness, and obviously Tiger’s athleticism and training regime is well documented. However, I wouldn’t say that fitness is every golfer’s priority. Golf is very individual, and I think the guys just need to do what works for them.

Driver:

Nike Vapor Pro (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ 70X Prototype

3 Wood:

Nike Vapor Speed (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 (X-Flex)

5 Wood:

Nike VR_S Covert (19 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 (X-Flex)

Irons:

Nike VR Pro Blades (3-9) Shafts: Royal Precision Project X 7.0

Wedges:

Nike VR Forged (46, 54 degrees) Nike Engage Dual Sole (59 degrees) Shafts: Royal Precision Project X 6.5

Putter:

Nike Method 006

Ball:

Nike RZN Black

Worldwide GOLF 26

MY

CY

WWG: What’s your favourite Omega watch and what do you like about the brand?

RM: I have my eye on the new, limited edition ‘dark side of the moon’ Speedmaster. It’s not only a great looking watch but its reliability and history are legendary. And the new edition has some really nice retro touches – I’ll have to get my hands on one!

The Omega brand has always had class, innovation and vision as its foundation. The brand’s reach into sports sponsorship, the arts and the Olympics really appeals to me, too. I feel that my role as an Omega Ambassador is something more than wearing a great watch – it’s like being part of a large family with many different facets. n

CMY

K

FUTURE STARS

Renato Paratore

A REAL TEENAGE SENSATION

By Richard Bevan

ITTING in the OMEGA chalet during the Dubai Desert Classic with a likable, typically shy teenager it was hard to imagine that I was talking to a potential superstar. He may still be a kid, for all intents and purposes but this 18-year-old Italian, Renato Paratore, certainly isn’t typical in any way, shape or form. He plays golf like no other kid we’ve ever seen.

Paratore lit up the amateur circuit last year when, among his four victories, he claimed Men’s Individual Gold at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing. The two-time Junior Ryder Cup player then turned pro and went to PGA Catalunya in November for a crack at Q-School for The European Tour. At 17 he was the youngest in the field but proceeded to shoot the lights out, playing the six gruelling rounds in 16-under par to finish third, earning his playing card for the 2015 Tour season. A few days later he shot a final round 62 to win the Italian PGA Championship.

He took his first steps on The European Tour by finished tied 26th in his debut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Then, at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, he rampaged his way through the field, lying just four strokes back from leader and World No.1 Rory McIlroy at the halfway stage before finishing tied 13th on 13-under – level with World No.2 Henrik Stenson.

Paratore is certainly a young man to watch and with his silky all-round game and nerves of steel it surely won’t be long before he’s competing at the top level of game.

S

Worldwide Golf: After getting a sponsor’s invite to play at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, did you expect that you’d finish in the top 15?

Renato Paratore: It was a great experience for me to play in the Classic and I was grateful to OMEGA for the invite. I played well and I tried to keep my focus. I wouldn’t have believed that I would shoot 6-under in the second round but I made some good putts and had a lot of birdies. I was delighted to finish 13-under par at such a big tournament.

WWG: Winning Gold at the Junior Olympics last year must have meant a lot to you and your family and friends back home?

It was an unbelievable experience because at the beginning I didn’t realise that the Junior Olympics was such a fantastic event. The atmosphere was crazy. It was so good. When I came back with my family after winning Gold I was so happy.

WWG: You were the youngest guy at Q-School and yet comfortably walked away with your European Tour card. You don’t seem fazed by being on the big stage - do you take pressure in your stride when it comes to taking the next step up?

There was some more pressure in the second stage of Qualifying. Being a pro tournament there was obviously a lot at stake but I just try to stay focused on playing each hole as it comes and not think about anything else. There’s always a little more pressure during the final round, though!

RP:

RP:

WWG: How are you enjoying your life as a professional Tour player?

It’s really good. I’m enjoying playing on The European Tour. All the tournaments I’ve played in are fantastic and the people I’ve met are really nice. So it’s a good experience for me.

RP:

WWG: Have you set any goals for your season?

Obviously, my major aim is to maintain my European Tour playing card. But I’m happy just to play it tournament by tournament. You never know, maybe I’ll win one.

RP:

Worldwide GOLF 28

RP:

WWG: With golf returning to the Olympic Games in Rio next year have you got your sights set on representing Italy?

It would be wonderful to play at Rio but it is so difficult because there are a lot of players in Italy who are really good, such as the Molinari brothers and Matteo Manassero.

But we’ll see what happens this year.

WWG: Which Italian have you taken your inspiration from? Obviously the Molinaris played in The Ryder Cup together.

RP: Yes both Francesco and Edoardo Molinari are great players who I have looked up to and I’m also a big fan of Matteo Manassero. I’ve talked with Matteo lots of times and he’s always given me good advice. We’re good friends away from the course, too, so it’s easy to talk to him. He’s taught me a lot about playing on The Tour. He’s a really good guy.

RP:

WWG: Was the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club the first course you had played in Dubai?

Yes it was the first time I had ever played golf in Dubai. The Majlis course was really good – they had probably the best greens I’ve ever seen. I also really liked Dubai as a city. We stayed on JBR next to the beach and there are lots of nice restaurants and plenty of things to do. I’d be happy to come back to play in Dubai. n

RP:

Worldwide GOLF 29

Tour News Clarke and Love announced as Ryder Cup Captains DARREN Clarke will follow Paul McGinley as European Ryder Cup Captain for 2016 while the PGA of America’s Ryder Cup Taskforce have given Davis Love III another crack at the Captaincy following his unsuccessful first attempt in 2012.

“I am thrilled to be the Team USA Captain and represent our country as we try and win back the Ryder Cup,” Love told reporters at the announcement, shortly before appointing former Captain Tom Lehman as one of his four Vice Captains.

“I look forward to competing against my good friend Darren Clarke. We always had great respect for each other. I know he will bring a strong team to Hazeltine and I look forward to competing against him. It will be a lot of fun – I could not be more excited to captain the 2016 team."

McIlroy draws Dubai Duty Free Giveaway SHORTLY after completing his second career win at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Rory McIlroy was on hand to conduct the Dubai Duty Free Surprise Draw for a Mercedes-Benz S500.

McIlroy was accompanied by Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin, George

Horan, President, Salah Tahlak, Senior Vice President – Corporate Communications and Sinead El Sibai, Vice President – Marketing, and the Northern Irishman drew ticket No.1018, much to the delight of winner Mr A. Karuppusamy, a 48-year-old Indian National from Abu Dhabi.

Stenson handed JGE membership BACK-to-back DP World Tour Champion Henrik Stenson has been awarded honorary membership at Jumeirah Golf Estates (JGE) in recognition of the Swede’s exceptional performances at the club and beyond.

Stenson is a global brand ambassador of JGE and was delighted with the news.

“Having spent almost 10 years in the UAE during the early stages of my career it is an honour to be back here – firstly as the DP World Tour Championship winner and now as an honorary member,” he said.

Worldwide GOLF 31

Tour News Date: Jan 29 – Feb 1 Event: Waste Management Phoenix Open Venue: TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona Winner’s Cheque: $1,134,000

Date: Jan 29 – Feb 1 Event: Omega Dubai Desert Classic Venue: Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, UAE Winner’s Cheque: €378,778

KOEPKA CLINCHES FIRST PGA TOUR WIN

MCILROY CRUISES TO DUBAI WIN RORY McIlroy clinched his second career win at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic with a superb three-stroke victory over Alex Noren.

McIlroy led after an immaculate opening round 64 and posted a final round 2-under 70 to seal the win.

"It’s nice to be able to put my name on that trophy again. It felt like I was coming second every time I was teeing it up so it was time for a change and obviously the only way I wanted to go was one better and thankfully I was able to do that today.”

Brooks Koepka finished strongly to win his first US PGA Tour title with a one-stroke victory over Bubba Watson, Ryan Palmer and Hideki Matsuyama at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Koepka eagled the 15th to take a one shot lead and when Matsuyama missed his birdie putt on the 18th the American was crowned the winner.

“I’ve learned a lot from playing in Europe on the Challenge Tour and European Tours. I wanted to come out this year and get a win, make the Presidents Cup team and further down the road, The Ryder Cup.” Pos. Name

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Country

Rory McIlroy NIR Alex Noren SWE Stephen Gallacher SCO

-22 -19 -16

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

66 64 66 70 68 67 69 65 66 67 70 69

266 269 272

1 2 2 2

Brooks Koepka Bubba Watson Ryan Palmer Hideki Matsuyama

Country USA USA USA JPN

-15 -14 -14 -14

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

71 65 64 69

269 270 270 270

68 71 72 71

64 69 68 63

66 65 66 67

Date: Feb 5 - 8 Event: Maybank Malaysian Open Venue: Kuala Lumpur G&CC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Winner’s Cheque: €439,796

Date: Feb 5 - 8 Event: Farmers Insurance Open Venue: Torrey Pines GC, San Diego, California Winner’s Cheque: $1,134,000

INDIA’S LAHIRI BREAKS THROUGH

DAY ON TOP AT TORREY

Anirban Lahiri shot weekend rounds of 62-68 to clinch a one-stroke win over Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger at the Maybank Malaysian Open.

Wiesberger had an up-and-down day but kept himself in contention right up until the final hole. However, he missed out when his 20ft birdie putt stayed high.

Jason Day prevailed in a four-man play-off for his third US PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open. Both Harris English and Scott Stallings were eliminated after failing to match birdies made by Day and J.B. Holmes on the first extra hole and then Day downed Holmes with a par on the following hole.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in just yet. But I’m pretty sure when it hits home it’s going to be a really happy moment for me. I think I’ve got a bad habit of making it hard for myself, but I’m happy I got over the line, as ugly as it was towards the end.”

“It’s an amazing feeling because I’ve been working do hard for this. I’m really proud of myself for hanging in there and grinding it out.”

Pos. Name

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Country

Anirban Lahiri IND Bernd Wiesberger AUT Alejandro Canizares ESP

-16 -15 -13

00 | WorldwideGolf - May 2014

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

70 72 62 68 70 66 63 74 68 65 68 74

272 273 275

1 2 2 2

Worldwide GOLF 32

Jason Day Harris English J.B. Holmes Scott Stallings

Country AUS USA USA USA

-9 -9 -9 -9

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

73 68 69 70

279 279 279 279

65 66 70 72

71 73 68 68

70 72 72 69

WORLD ROUNDUPS Date: Feb 12 - 15 Event: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Venue: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California

Date: Feb 12 - 15 Event: True Thailand Classic presented by Black Mountain Venue: Black Mountain GC, Hua Hin, Thailand Winner’s Cheque: €289,862

Winner’s Cheque: $1,224,000

DODT STEALS IN TO WIN Andrew Dodt sealed his first victory since 2010 with a come-frombehind one-stroke win over compatriot Scott Hend and home favourite Thongchai Jaidee at the True Thailand Classic. Dodt, who hadn’t had a top-ten finish on Tour since his win five years ago, crept up the leaderboard with a final round 67 as both Hend and Jaidee failed to break 70.

SNEDEKER IN CRUISE CONTROL

“I’m speechless – it’s just come out of nowhere. I played really well yesterday and today but I just didn’t think I’d come out on top. I knew I was playing well but to come out and win is just a dream come true.”

“This is probably the best week I’ve ever had on the PGA Tour. Butch did a great job in helping me understand how I swing the golf club. He’s not technical at all.”

Pos. Name 1 Andrew Dodt T2 Scott Hend T2 Thongchai Jaidee

Country AUS AUS THA

-16 -15 -15

Brandt Snedeker made 23 birdies and just one bogey as he eased to a three-stroke victory Nick Watney at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. The former Ryder Cup player hadn’t won since July 2013 and underwent some swing change with coach Butch Harmon last year.

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

Pos. Name

71 67 67 67 67 68 66 72 69 66 67 71

272 273 273

1 2 3

Brandt Snedeker Nick Watney Charlie Beljan

Country USA USA USA

-22 -19 -18

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

64 67 67 67 65 69 65 69 70 63 70 66

265 268 269

Date: Feb 19 - 22 Event: Hero Indian Open Venue: Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi, India Winner’s Cheque: €218,512

Date: Feb 19 - 22 Event: Northern Trust Open Venue: Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California Winner’s Cheque: $1,026,000

LAHIRI TOASTS HOME OPEN SUCCESS

HAHN UPSETS DJ AND CASEY TO WIN

Anirban Lahiri completed a fairy-tale month with his second win in three starts at the Hero Indian Open after a play-off victory over compatriot SSP Chawrasia. Lahiri was seven shots off the pace overnight but his closing 69 saw him finish in share of the lead with Chawrasia, who had struggled to a 76. Lahiri triumphed in the playoff when Chawrasia failed to make par.

James Hahn outlasted Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey in a play-off to win his first US PGA Tour title at the Northern Trust Open. Casey was eliminated after failing to birdie the second extra hole and then Hahn rolled in a 25-footer for birdie and watched as Johnson missed his attempt to hand Hahn the title.

“It was one of the toughest days ever that I’ve played golf at Delhi Golf Club and I’m really happy to have accomplished this: it’s a childhood dream.”

“I’m speechless. I grew up in California and this is one of the biggest tournaments out here. I would watch it as a kid on TV, watch Tiger Woods when he debuted as a pro. There’s a lot of history here.”

Pos. Name 1 2 3

Anirban Lahiri S.S.P Chawrasia Joakim Lagergren

Country IND IND SWE

-7 -7 -6

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

Pos. Name

73 65 70 69 65 67 69 76 65 71 73 69

277 277 278

1 2 2

James Hahn Paul Casey Dustin Johnson

Country USA ENG USA

-6 -6 -6

R1 R2 R3 R4

Total

66 74 69 69 70 69 71 68 70 72 67 69

278 278 278

Worldwide GOLF 33

TourNews_RoundUps.indd 33

27/02/2015 09:18

GEAR WALK IN GMAC’S SHOES IF YOU’VE ever wondered what it must feel like to walk in the shoes of a Major Champion and Ryder Cup hero then wonder no more.

Danish brand ECCO, famous for their footpampering ergonomicallydesigned shoes have teamed up with Brand Ambassador Graeme McDowell to create a limited edition signature design.

OK, so maybe we’ve stretched it a little bit.

By wearing the Graeme McDowell Signature-Edition Shoe you might not actually experience what it feels like to be a US Open Champion but you will look the part and feel like you’re walking on marshmallows.

“We’ve gone cool. We’ve gone retro. We’ve gone unique. I can’t wait to rock this new model,” said the four-time Ryder Cup player, who wore the shoes for the first time at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

The limited-edition includes only 280 pairs in honour of Graeme McDowell’s winning score at the 2010 US Open and will be offered in three colours.

Worldwide GOLF 35

GEAR

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CLUB FITTER

I started working in Dublin at Lisheen Spring Golf Club in 2011 as an assistant to former Walker Cup and European Tour player Raymond Burns. After my first year or so ‘Raymie’ got me signed up to the PGA programme. I started fitting at the golf club after a few months and I’ve loved it ever since.

Brendan O’Leary, custom fit specialist for Titleist in Dubai, shares with us what the avererage day looks like for the men whose job it is to do what they can to take your game to the next level.

“ONE TIME AT JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES DURING THE DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, I WAS DOING A FITTING. I’M TALKING TO A CUSTOMER AND ASKING THE NORMAL QUESTIONS, ‘WHAT’S YOUR HANDICAP, WHAT’S YOUR SHOT SHAPE ETC,’ I ASK THE GUY WHAT DISTANCE HE COULD CARRY THE BALL, SO HE PROCEEDS TO TELL ME THAT HE CARRIES IT ONTO THE FIRST GREEN AT THE FIRE COURSE WHICH IS A CARRY OF AROUND 335 YARDS – BUBBA WATSON STUFF! HE STEPS UP AND HITS A FEW SHOTS AND HIS LONGEST CARRY WAS AROUND 225 YARDS. HE THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WASN’T HITTING THE BALL GREAT TODAY. I NEARLY FELL OVER TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF FROM LAUGHING.” Worldwide GOLF 36 Worldwide Worldwide GOLFGOLF 2 2

WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK? “I’d generally get in the office at 8.0 o’clock. Check up on my e-mails and get some paperwork out of the way. I’m out on the road as fast as I can because if I’m in the office and not out on the range I’m not selling or fitting Titleist products. So I’m generally out of the office around 11.0 o’clock heading for Emirates Golf Club or Dubai Creek. On the weekends we do a lot of the demos abroad in places like Egypt and Bahrain and Azerbaijan.

One night I was lying in bed and it was about 12.30-1.00am.

I get a phone call and I’m thinking there must be something wrong here, who’s ringing me at this time of the night ? It turned out it was a guy looking for a custom-fitting!

This year we were at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic doing fittings for the likes of Richard Green, Anders Hansen, Jin Jong, Jérôme Lando Casanova – it was a great experience, just brilliant.

8.0-10.0am Check emails, make appointments, get ready for the day.

10.0-11.0am

Check the stock, make sure I have the correct grips, shafts etc. and get out on the road.

WHY SHOULD A GOLFER GET FITTED FOR CLUBS? There’s no doubt it’ll improve their game no end.

Some of the stuff the guys bring up to me is positively prehistoric. I had a guy who came to me once and he was playing off 22 and he’s now playing off 12 within a timespan of around three months. His handicap has dropped massively.

It was all down to his clubs being too short or too flat. He’s a guy of 6’4” so he needed the clubs to be that little bit longer and a little bit more upright. It makes a massive difference.”

11.0am Load the van and away we go!

Meet with customers on the range, assess their individual requirements, put the world to rights!

11.30am-5.30pm

At any given time there would be upwards of 250 shafts in the van and around 2,000 in the warehouse.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST SET OF CLUBS? WHAT WERE THEY? I remember having a mixed set with some golden bears in there and ‘hand me downs’ from my father and mother – anything to get me out of the house I guess!

Done for the day....or am I? Some days I might be finished by 6.0 pm, that is until the phone starts ringing while I’m in bed... golfers are an obsessive bunch!

5.30 pm Make the magic happen! every player is different in body shape and swing.

Having correctly fitted clubs is crucial.

6.0 pm - ??

Worldwide GOLF 37 Worldwide Worldwide GOLFGOLF 3 3

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

The new Fusion RX insert blends White Hot Face and Metal-X technology

The 2-Ball Fang putter will be one of the most popular choices and it also comes in a heavier counterbalanced version for players needing more stability.

New 12g thermo plastic piece has saved weight and enabled the Centre of Gravity to be moved 20% lower in the face to improve the roll.

NEW

ODYSSEY WORKS RANGE Latest putter line gets improved feel and roll from facelift

ODYSSEY claim to have made their most accurate 2-Ball putter and when you consider just how good that putter has performed on Tour and on the retail shelves over the past decade you know the replacement must be something special.

Odyssey have gone with the slogan, ‘Where Feel Meets Roll’ to explain the difference in the new line of Odyssey Works putters. They’ve not developed something radically different but embraced two established formulas to form the new Fusion RX insert. The first formula to be emulated was their legendary White Hot insert.

This was combined with a 0.406mm thick steel mesh featuring Odyssey’s patented Metal-X roll pattern. The combination of the two forms the Fusion RX insert.

Odyssey say the new insert creates ‘True Roll’, the point at which the ball is constantly in contact with the ground, rolling end-over-end, thanks to the reduction in jumping and skidding after impact.

The latest line of Odyssey Works putter includes the Space Age-looking Versa 2-Ball Fang model, which unites

all their putting knowledge to hopefully give golfers the technology to make them better putters. Odyssey claim the Versa 2-Ball Fang has improved accuracy by 36% making it the most accurate Odyssey 2-Ball putter of all time. It has a 42%t higher MOI than the previous 2-Ball, giving it more stability on off-centre strikes and high ball speeds from heel and toe strikes. The head is also 25g lighter, enabling the Centre of Gravity to be lowered 20% below the ball to improve the roll off the face.

Odyssey have coupled this improved roll and accuracy with the proven alignment benefits of the Versa alignment system. In the Odyssey Works range the contrast is provided by a combination of silver and black lines that focus the eyes on the linear designs to ensure golfers achieve the correct face angle from address through to impact.

The Odyssey Works range comes in the now familiar head shapes that have been validated with wins on Tour and in Major championships and that allow all golfers to pick a style of putter to match their stroke.

Worldwide GOLF 38

GEAR

O-Works No.1

O-Works No.7

Classic ‘anser’ shape with a strong toe hang

Great heel and toe balance and helped Luke Donald bag the World No.1 spot.

O-Works Versa No.7 If you can check to see if the face is square with this you will need your eyes testing!

O-Works Versa No.1 Wide A bit more ‘meat’ for stability compared to the O-Works No.1.

O-Works 2-Ball More than 250 wins on Tour and used by Harrington to win three Majors.

O-Works Versa V Line Perfect for face and path alignment.

O-Works Rossie ii The mid-mallet shape has alway been one of Odyssey’s best sellers.

O-Works Versa N0.9 A purist putter, hardly surprisingit’s used by Mickelson.

How to choose the perfect putter by Jason Ashley It can be quite confusing a task to choose the right putter, you hear people say all sorts of things about putters and there are plenty of factors that might affect your decision. There are different types of putters that suit different types of strokes, so lets take a look at them…

Toe Balanced Putter:

Jason Ashley Custom Fit Specialist GolfHouse

A toe-balanced putter is a putter that hangs naturally down at the toe, and that is going to suit someone who has an arcing stroke. So if your eye-line is inside the ball your stroke will tend to arc a little bit – and this putter will help you naturally square the putter face up at impact.

Face balanced putter:

At the other end of the spectrum, the face balanced putter sees the face hangs upwards when it’s balanced horizontally. This is going to suit someone who has a straighter back and straighter through stroke – not a lot of face rotation.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

Traditional balanced putter:

This is the middle ground between the face and toe-balanced putters. It hangs midway between the two – that’ll suit someone who doesn’t arc as

Worldwide GOLF 39

much but isn’t quite straight back and through – like a compromise.

Newer models:

The Odyssey Two-ball Fang is not just a putter that looks like a spaceship – it’s got some technology behind it. It’s got a high moment of inertia, which means it is stable through the strike. What adds to this the development of a counter-balanced putter, which adds a little weight in the butt of the putter and counter-balances the weight that is in the head. This increases the moment of inertia and helps swing the putter more freely in a pendulum type stroke. So there is a lot of technology out there meaning there are more options now than ever before to find a suitable putter.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking at getting a new putter, this is my advice: First get someone to look at how you stroke the putter, then, using that information, look at a lot of different options. Don’t just pick the one of you like the look of it, either because it’s a traditional looking putter or it looks better than the others, have a look at all your options and make an informed choice.

GEAR

G30

Crown turbulators in the 460cc head help generate greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for consistently longer drives that find the fairway. The new T9S face material is strong, lightweight and thin, optimizing face deflection for even higher ball speeds and longer drives. With Trajectory Tuning+ Technology you can fine-tune launch conditions using five settings and 2 full degrees of loft adjustability.

G30 SF Tec

Engineered for players whose shots typically end up right of the intended target. More weight concentrated toward the heel and lighter swing weights improve shot bend to steer the ball back into the fairway. Crown turbulators generate greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for long, accurate drives. The new T9S face material optimises face deflection for higher ball speeds and more distance.

Launch conditions can be fine-tuned using five settings and 2 full degrees of loft adjustability.

TESTED

PING G30 HEAD MASTERS Straighten out that slice or optimise spin for more distance Bubba Watson has shown that Ping’s radical ‘turbulators’ actually work as he remains the longest hitter on the US PGA Tour and has continued to get longer with the G30. OK, with a swing speed touching 120mph no matter what you put in his hand it’s going to be long. So let’s look at the other end of the power range. Our old friend, Miguel Angel Jiménez, who at 50 years of age, still manages to mix it up on The European Tour, the US PGA Tour, and the US Champions Tour. Now here’s the statistic that will amaze you

– he’s hitting the ball further now than he’s ever done before! That length off the tee enables him to compete with players 30 years younger than him as he’s got the G30 LS Tec driver in the bag. The latest Ping G30 range is easy to understand and you don’t have to spend hours on the range trying to find your perfect setting. The standard G30 is a great starting point but if you spin the ball too much or even struggle to tame the dreaded slice there will be a G30 head to suit.

The SF G30 is slightly different with

Worldwide GOLF 40

a little more weight at the heel to give the club a draw bias and assist players trying to combat a slice or fade.

The newly-released LS Tec G30 has been introduced for players with slightly higher swing speeds that look to reduce unwanted spin off the face for more distance and a stronger ball flight.

The aim of our test was to see how much the SF model alters the flight and just how much does the LS Tec reduce the spin rate from the standard G30.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

G30 range test with Craig Vance THE HEAD TEST TO SHOW how all three heads differed we asked one of the UAE’s leading amateurs, Craig Vance, to put them through their paces. We fitted a Ping 60 gram Tour stiff flex shaft to all three of the heads with the same 9.9 degree loft and in a neutral face setting. This way we could see exactly how the heads performed. Craig naturally shapes the ball with a draw from right to left so the weight bias on the SF Tec head saw the draw turn into a slight hook. The bias certainly worked and would be perfect for anyone looking to straighten out a slice.

With the 9.9 degree standard G30 head Craig’s slight draw was under control but with a spin rate of just over 3,300 rpm it stalled in the air and didn’t gain the roll you’d expect.

Things changed when he hit the LS Tec driver, the spin came down by nearly 500 rpms and he carried the ball an extra ten yards – and the stronger flight meant it rolled out an additional five yards. Hands down, the LS Tec is the winner on this one with a total gain of 15 yards.

G30 LS Tec

The G30 LS Tec (Low-Spin Technology) driver offers a unique combination of low, stable spin with a high MOI for added distance with accuracy and control. Crown turbulators reduce aerodynamic drag to help increase clubhead speed and ball velocity for gaining distance, and lofts are adjustable to plus or minus 1 degree. The T9S titanium alloy face is thin to maximise deflection for increasing ball speeds and distance.

2015 – 283.1 yards 2014 – 278.3 yards 2013 – 277.6 yards 2012 – 276.5 yards

Worldwide GOLF 41

104.1

BALL SPEED MPH

152

LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

10.8

SPIN RATE RPM

3,225 TOTAL Yards

+3

SMASH FACTOR

1.48

CLUB SPEED MPH

104.4 BALL SPEED MPH

153.7 LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

10.8

SPIN RATE RPM

3,123 TOTAL Yards

+0

SMASH FACTOR

1.47

PING G30 LS TEC - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

Loft: 9 Degrees Shaft: Oban Kiyoshi Gold 65X D5 Swing Weight, 46”

CLUB SPEED MPH

PING G30 - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

G30 LS Tec

PING G30 SF TEC - LOFT: 9.9DEGREES - SHAFT: PING TOUR 65 GRAM STIFF

DRIVER:

Craig Vance: Out of the three heads I definitely favoured the LS Tech. I naturally spin the ball so this head really suited my game over the standard G30. The SF Tec draw definately works and would be great for any amateurs out there who are hitting it a bit right.

CLUB SPEED MPH

105

BALL SPEED MPH

155.8 LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

12.7

SPIN RATE RPM

2,657 TOTAL Yards

+15.3 SMASH FACTOR

1.47

GEAR

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

TESTED

CALLAWAY XR DRIVER X2Hot make way for your speedy replacement!

YEP, another driver from Callaway.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” I hear you all say. So where do the new XR models fit into the extensive Callaway driver line-up?

For once, things are quite straightforward. The XR is a direct replacement for the X2Hot which proved popular on the Long Drive circuit and was put in play by big hitting Tour players like Henrik Stenson but like all things, technology moves on, and particularly quickly with Callaway at the moment.

So what’s the difference?

Callaway’s XR drivers, fairway woods and hybrids use their new and improved Hyper Speed Face Cup technology to boost faster ball speeds. The new Hyper Speed Face

Cup has a thinner, lighter face than the outgoing X2Hot. The lighter face meant Callaway were able to move the Centre of Gravity (CG) slightly lower in the clubhead, as well as adding a bit more perimeter weighting. The outcome is higher -launching, lower-spinning shots and improved consistency from mishits.

In order to lighten the face of the XR and the soon-to-be-released XR Pro drivers, Callaway called on the technology used in their 815 driver range the “R-Moto”. This is a series of ribs that connect the face to the crown and the sole. This 10% reduction means the face transfers energy more efficiently and, in turn, results in faster ball speeds.

But the big drawback with the X2Hot could be seen in the wind tunnel as it wasn’t the most drag-

Worldwide GOLF 42

friendly. This issue was rectified with Callaway’s Speed Step Crown, which improves the aerodynamics and enables the air to flow more freely over the crown and, you guessed it, increase clubhead speed.

Another area that Callaway needed to address with the X2Hot was the spin rate. To lower the spin rate in the XR range they used their Internal Standing Wave technology which is a weight pad placed behind the face that’s designed to help lower the Centre of Gravity for reduced spin and, again, even more ball speed.

So who better to see how the X2Hot and the XR stack up than scratch golfer and ProGolf International General Manager Scott Sullivan and one of the leading club-fit specialists in the Middle East, Jason Ashley.

Scott Sullivan Jason Ahley

NEW CALLAWAY XR V X2HOT JASON ASHLEY, Golf House Custom-Fit Specialist and Scott Sullivan, General Manager ProGolf get the TrackMan out to see how the XR performs against the outgoing X2Hot driver.

Scott Sullivan’s Callaway XR and X2Hot TrackMan statistics

XR

X2HOT

CLUB SPEED MPH

CLUB SPEED MPH

BALL SPEED MPH

BALL SPEED MPH

113.5

112.2

165.3

163.8

LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

LAUNCH ANGLE Deg

SPIN RATE RPM

SPIN RATE RPM

12.9

12.2

2491

2570

CARRY Yards

CARRY Yards

280.0

274.9

TOTAL Yards

TOTAL Yards

303.2

298.6

SMASH FACTOR

SMASH FACTOR

1.46

1.46

Jason Ashley: Straight away from just a few readings we can see some interesting changes and certainly the claims that have been made by Callaway are looking like they hold water.

One of the key features here is some aerodynamic changes on the XR driver. We definitely saw that this club is moving probably about 1 – 1.5 mph faster than Scott was swinging the X2 Hot, which is quite significant.

The other key change that we saw was some ball speed increase as well as ball-speed consistency with the XR driver.

The lowest ball speed was with the XR was164 mph so there’s definitely an improvement from the old model and the R-Moto technology was clearly helping the ball generate more speed off all areas of the face.

The other key factor that we looked at is the spin rates. Both drivers were very similar when it came to spin-rates. The XR was just a fraction lower in spin overall and again, strike rate has a big influence on that.

Overall, that would then translate into more distance. We saw about a seven yard gain on average for Scott today on his shots.

It’s a combination of clubhead speed and ball speed improvement. The key factor was that Scot kept the parameters the same. The launch angle and spin rates were very similar, a little more with the X2 Hot but the parameters were very similar, so the extra distance came from the extra ball-speed and the extra bit of clubhead speed.

Whenever you’re looking at getting the right club, if we can get the same parameters yet swing the club faster and get a little bit more club-speed, that’s always going to translate into more distance.

Scott’s verdict: The XR was hotter off the face, not just in the sweet spot but all over. So even my mishits were going well and not spinning as much as with the X2Hot. The eight yard gain was down to the head and it was all carry.

Worldwide GOLF 43

GEAR

TEST

By Alex Gallemore

TAYLORMADE

RSI2 THE TaylorMade RSi 2 irons are aimed at better players looking for a more traditional shape and playability. These days, all clubs are evolved by the relevant research and development departments to be longer and more forgiving. The harder part comes when they look to add FEEL to the mix.

The traditional way of achieving this is through complex plug inserts into forged steel cavity back heads. But TaylorMade have opted to go in another direction.

The iron to wedge contains five different constructions to maximise feel, distance, sound and consistency. Tungsten has been added low in the toe of the 3-5 irons for added forgiveness. The 6-7 irons are cast from 450 stainless steel, and the 8-PW are cast from 431 stainless steel, but with the added feel benefit of a forged 1025 carbon steel face insert. To finish things off, the AW and SW are fully-forged from 1025 carbon steel.

Face Slots

The polymer-filled slots, which are cut all the way through the club faces, are located just outside the scorelines of the clubs. They allow the heel and toe sections of the club heads to flex more easily on mishits, which creates more ball speed on mishits than TaylorMade’s previous irons.

Speed Pockets A 2 millimeter-wide slot in the sole of the clubs from 3- to 7-iron, is designed to flex and rebound at impact to promote faster ball speed, higher launch angles and stronger ball flight – even on hits made low on the clubface, which is where a majority of recreational players miss.

Worldwide GOLF 44

Performance

Grip Shaft

Steel shafts in clubs of this type would stereotypically be fitted with either True Temper S300s or Project X 5.5s. But TaylorMade have opted for the KBS Tour 105 and it’s a perfect match. It maybe a little heavy for some golfers who’s driver swing speed isn’t 103+ mph but it does balance the club well. Sometimes a heavy shaft can outbalance the weight of the head.

Definitely my shaft of choice these days and looking to switch the S300s in the AP1s for these.

The Lamkin grip is another quality choice. Players with large hands might want to pad them out with a double layer of tape as they are a little on the slim side.

In a word: “BOOM” and I didn’t see that coming. With the Big Bertha and other fast-face irons you anticipate more distance, even before you’ve swung the club. But with an iron trying to tick as many boxes as the RSi2 I didn’t expect it to carry as far. The longest iron I could put this up against was the Callaway XHot with a Precision X 5.5 shaft.

The RSi2 was slightly longer from 4iron to 8iron on average by 5 yards. I could also get more spin action with the 9iron and wedges in the RSi2.

Feel

Having switched from my trusty XHots to Titlest AP1 irons I’ve started to ‘feel’ the quality of strike at impact. That’s the benefit of a forged iron and I was interested to see how the RSI2’s variety of face material would translate to feel.

You’d really have to know your stuff to tell the difference on the 8-wedge which only had a forged face and wasn’t a fully-forged club. On the 6-7 iron I could tell the difference but they were still providing great feedback at impact. However, there was a marked difference on the 4 and 5 iron. Even centre strikes left you guessing whether you flushed it or not and the sound was thin and ‘echoey.’

Forgiveness

I might be a four handicapper but I miss the centre of the clubs more times than I hit it, so how an iron of this nature performs towards the toe is crucial for me as that’s my ‘miss” area. The TrackMan was great to point this out, as was some face tape that showed just how erratic things are. The readings showed my ball speed was just down close to 2mph with off-centre strikes towards the toe. This means I’d more than likely find the green and have a slightly longer putt.

The same mishit with my forged Muira irons would have seen me lose 10mph+ and if my approach to the same green was over water, I’d be dropping another ball.

On Course

Where best to try put these in play but Yas Links. It’s a course where you need to mix your shots from high flighted long irons to low flighted under the wind wedges. It took a couple of holes to come to terms with the slight increase in distance as a wedge was just short of 10 yards longer than I’m use to. There were a couple of occasions when I needed to play a slight cut to hold the green or try and work the ball towards the flag but they went bullet straight.

This was a surprise considering the minimal offset and the KBS shaft.

Towards the end of the round I did manage to get the ball to move but the set-up was a lot more exaggerated than normal. The upside was the shots that I would have normally leaked left or right stayed straight and I was only penalised by a short loss of distance.

Worldwide GOLF 45

TEST VERDICT Target Market: Golfers searching for more distance and forgiveness who also appreciate feel and like to work the ball occasionally.

Pros: For an iron of this type they are incredibly long and forgiving. Right up there with the Callaway XHots that are the longest we’ve hit in this category.

But with more feel and workability. Shaftwise, the KBS Tour 105s are an excellent fit and you’d normally expect to find these in a custom-fit. A pleasant surprise that enables the better golfer to have the confidence to lean on a few shots when they need to.

Cons: Multi material construction in irons are a great idea but there’s always a trade-off.

Wedges to 6 iron feel solid but the 3-5 irons give limited feel and sound completely different to the other irons in the set.

Would I put them in the bag?

The short answer would be Yes. The detailed answer would be Yes without the 3 or 4 iron.

Performance-wise they are great but the sound and feel in the long irons lets these down. If TaylorMade has just made the 4 iron through to 9 iron from 431 stainless steel with the forged 1025 carbon steel face insert these would have been perfect.

Great technology and a standout shaft at a good price.

IT’S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT The great escape for golfers and families

BEST COURSE IN THAILAND, 2ND RUNNER UP BEST CLUB HOUSE IN ASIA PACIFIC, WINNER BEST PRO SHOP IN ASIA PACIFIC, TOP 10

Banyan is your Number OneLifestyle Golf and Resort Destination in Thailand Banyan is a premium resort with an 18- hole championship golf course

www.banyanthailand.com Resort

+66 (0)3253 8888, booking@banyanthailand.com Facebook.com/BanyanTheResortHuaHin Twitter: @banyan_thailand

Golf

+66 (0)3261 6200, reservations@banyanthailand.com Facebook.com/BanyanGolfClubHuaHin Twitter: @banyan_thailand

GEAR

adidas

By Alex Gallemore

GIVE YOUR FEET A

BOOST A

shoe for me is one that is comfortable and equally one that doesn’t keep on spitting cleats out half way through a round. This is one of the main reasons why I opt for a pre-moulded sole or hybrid shoe these days. Adidas and Nike have been the mainstream in trainers for decades but they’ve never found their feet in the golf sector. Previous models from adidas look like they would be more at home on a football pitch but their recent Boost range certainly got my attention.

Why? Because they have comfort written all over them! Plus I think the look is right. It’s not a trainer or a traditional golf shoe it’s somewhere in the middle. The range of colours is a little more tasteful and, thank goodness, they’ve dropped that bright yellow colour… that was a shocker.

From a technical standpoint they’ve spent a while understanding the way in which a golfer moves during the swing and the attention to detail in the construction of the shoe is noticeable.

Boost is the adidas name for its foam cushioning made from ThermoPlastic Urethane (TPU). It is used in the sole of the heel of the shoes to maximise energy transfered from the ground to your feet.

So what benefit does that mean for golfers?

Quite simply – more efficient energy transfer from the loading on the backswing to the release on the downswing. Also, according to adidas Director of Global Marketing, Masun Denison: “Boost has durability advantages over standard EVA foam, which is used in the construction of many premium golf shoes. EVA foam is made from open cells that allow air to escape, leading them to break down over time.”

However, Boost foam is constructed from thousands of small, clear pellets of TPU and heated until they pop in the foam cushions. It is then steam molded into the form used to construct the soles of the golf shoe.

Spikes – The Boost also comes with Gripmore technology, where 25 small fixed cleats are used to give more traction and stability. Plus my favourite – NO lost cleats during play.

VERDICT – A comfy golf shoe that has been well thought out by adidas and that doesn’t look like a football boot. Arguably the best golf shoe they’ve made but our long-term test will find out if Boost foam technology is long lasting. Three rounds in and so far so good.

Worldwide GOLF 47

GEAR

SRIXON

Z SERIES The range for all-abilities

adidas

GIVE YOUR FEET A

BOOST A

shoe for me is one that is confortable and equally one that doesn’t keep on spitting cleats out half way through a round. That was one of the main reasons why I opt for a pre-moulded sole or hybrid shoe these days. Adidas and Nike have been the main stream in trainers for decades but they’ve never found their feet in the golf sector. Previous models from adidas look like they would be more at home on a football pitch but their recent Boost range certain got my attention.

Why? As they have comfort written all over them! Plus I think the look is right.

It’s not a trainer or a traditional golf shoe it’s somewhere in the middle. The range of colour is a little more tasteful and thank goodness they’ve dropped that bright yellow … that was a shocker.

From a technical stand point they’ve spent a while understanding the way in which a golfer moves during the swing and the attention to detail in the construction of the shoe is noticeable.

Boost, is adidas’ name for its foam cushioning made from thermoplastic urethane (TPU). It is used in the sole of the heel of the shoes to maximize energy transfer from the ground to your feet.

So what benefit does that mean for golfers?

Quite simply – more efficient energy transfer from the loading on the back swing to the release on the downswing.

Also according to adidas’ Director of Global Marketing, Masun Denison: “Boost has durability advantages over standard EVA foam, which is used in the construction of many premium golf shoes. EVA foam is made from open cells that allow air to escape, leading them to breakdown over time.”

However, Boost foam is constructed from thousands of small, clear pellets of TPU and heated until they pop in the foam cushions. It is then steam molded into the form used to construct the soles of the golf shoe.

Spikes – The Boost also comes with Gripmore technology, where 25 small fixed cleats are used to give more traction and stability. Plus my favourite – NO lost cleats during play.

Worldwide GOLF 49

THE new family of Srixon Z-Series range claims greater performance with refined advancements to improve accuracy and forgiveness and has the added benefit of mandatory custom-fitting, which will suit its loyal following.

The Z-series range includes two drivers, a fairway wood, a hyrbrid, a utility iron and three sets of irons, to satisfy all skill levels.

The clubs go hand in hand with an extensive range of shafts which the custom-fitting process will tailor to the individual traits of the golfer so that each club is a perfect personal fit in all aspects of the club and the shaft.

All this is made possible through 80 years of R&D experience at the Srixon Golf Science centre at Ichijimacho in Japan, using advanced manufacturing processes and digital impact technology.

4

GEAR

SRIXON Z 545 DRIVER:

Suited to players of all levels looking for maximum distance and a mid to high launch off the tee. Both Srixon Tour staffers Graeme McDowell and Keegan Bradley used the driver on the US PGA Tour last season. It’s a 460cc, low spin club featuring a cup-face construction with a titanium body and high-strength titanium face. It has a 35% larger sweetspot than earlier Srixon drivers. The Quick Tuning System allows you to adjust the loft, face angle, lie and centre of gravity settings via the 12-way hosel. The loft can be increased or decreased by 1.5 degrees. The grip is lighter and the head is slightly heavier. By raising the balance point in the shaft, Srixon claim that golfers can swing the club faster, generating more ball speed.

SRIXON Z 745 DRIVER:

Is aimed at golfers who prefer a more compact profile with more workability and a more penetrating ball flight. Just like the Z 545 driver it has dual speed technology to maximise clubhead speed throughout the swing. The all new titanium Booster Cup Face design increases ball speed and a variable face thickness, stretching from high in the toe to low in the heel provides more forgiveness and consistent distance on mishits.

4

4

SRIXON Z H45 HYBRID

bridges the gap between the woods and irons, and features the same Booster cupface as the F45. The low centre of gravity provides a higher, more penetrating launch.

SRIXON Z F45 FAIRWAY WOOD has pretty

much the same adjustable technology as the drivers but in a more compact clubhead. The mid to high launch, combined with the low spin, enables golfers to go for some par-5s in two.

Worldwide GOLF 50

4SRIXON Z H45 HYBRID

bridges the gap between the woods and irons, and features the same Booster cupface as the F45. The low centre of gravity provides a higher, more penetrating launch.

4

SRIXON Z 945

irons have an even slimmer topline and a more compact shape.

4

SRIXON Z 745 irons have a muscle cavity design and thinner topline which gives it a more traditional appearance that aids workability.

4

SRIXON Z 545 irons are designed for players of all abilities. They have a larger, more forgiving cavity-back profile with a thin, high-strength steel face which increases the spring-like effect for higher ball speeds. They feature the Tour V.T. Sole and double laser milling.

Worldwide GOLF 51

GEAR COMPETITIONS

Win a set of Honma TW717P irons worth

WIN

$2,000

Honma Tour World 717P Spec

• Honma’s easier-to-hit cavity-back iron • Available in up to 5 Star spec • Enlarged Moment Of Inertia for maximum Tour World forgiveness • Lower, deeper Centre Of Gravity • 2-piece structure • Confidence-inspiring thicker top edge.

• Forged cavity creates largest Tour World sweet spot • Gorgeous chrome-plated, half-mirror finish • Clubhead: Forged Mild Steel • Face: Maraging Stainless Steel (3-10 iron only) • Available in 3-11 irons and SW • Standard set: 5-10 irons • Custom-fitted with your preferred shaft

How to enter

To win a set of Honma TW717P irons go to wwgolf.net/competition

Worldwide GOLF 53

INSTRUCTION David Howell is renowned for being one of the most consistent putters on Tour. Here is a small drill from him that is sure to get sinking more four foot putts.

THE COIN DRILL This is a very simple drill and what it helps you do is stay still when you’re putting.

When I see amateurs putting, they’re always very anxious. They want to see the ball get in the hole so they’re always moving up, lifting their head.

All of these are extra movements that make it

C IN DRILL — By David Howell —

less likely for the ball to go in the hole. It’s very important to stay as still as possible when you’re putting.

Very simply mark your ball with the smallest coin in the bag, for example a five pence piece if you can find one. Once you’ve marked it, leave the marker down and move in to hit the putt. Once you’re over the ball, make sure you focus on that five pence piece – that’s where you should be looking.

Keep your eye fixated on that coin until you hear that beautiful sound of the ball going into the hole.

PLACE A COIN BEHIND YOUR BALL AND HIT THE PUTT

WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

Worldwide GOLF 54

EYES WIDE SHUT — By Richard Sterne —

Richard Sterne is an ambassador for global logistics provider GAC www.gac.com

All types of golfers seem to struggle with those pesky 3-4 foot putts. Six-time European Tour winner Richard Sterne offers a few tips and suggests a unique approach to holing more short putts.

KEEP YOUR EYES SHUT!

INSTRUCTION

Generally that type of length makes people nervous and that makes the eyes move too much. So what I try and do is pick a spot either on the ball or a blade of grass and keep my eyes as still as possible.

I don’t want to follow the putter going back nor do I want to see the putting going through. That’s something that’s helped me under pressure and has helped me win tournaments when I need to make that crucial putt.

EYES WIDE SHUT Another good way to practice that is to keep your eyes closed when you’re putting from that kind of length.

Personally I’ve putted many 3-4 footers with my eyes closed and I’ve had some great results from doing that.

It helps with the anxiety and also keeps the mind calm so it’s definitely something I would try as an amateur.

WATCH DAVID HOWELL’S TIPS AT WWGOLF.NET

Worldwide GOLF 55

INSTRUCTION

COMMON POSTURAL PROBLEMS

JONATHAN CRADDOCK Emirates Academy, PGA Professional Ideal Posture

DO YOU WANT TO HIT THE BALL A FURTHER?

I

N my previous article I explained how centeredness of strike and optimising your ball flight would give you extra yards.

My approach to coaching is a holistic one, being a Level II Trackman professional and TPI Level II certified in golf mechanics, each case I am presented with is carefully assessed from result / ball flight to body mechanics. This article will move away from result (Trackman) and more towards the root cause – the physical aspect of the swing.

PHYSICAL READINESS FOR GOLF GETTING ready to practice or play is something that is often overlooked but it’s perhaps one of the biggest reasons for slow or even stunted development. Let’s take the average day of an office worker: sit for breakfast, drive to work, again sitting, sit all day at work then decide to play golf or practice. Good fundamental postural maintenance is really important and can have a massive positive effect on the golf swing.

Sway Back

Military Back

Flat Back

Kyphotic Lordotic

Forward Head

s a golf coach the first thing I try to achieve with my students is good posture. If our postural alignment is out then working around the problems can be difficult for the student and in some cases painful. Distance and efficiency are certainly harder to achieve. In our article next month we will demonstrate the correct way to set your posture using the Peter Cowen balance point technique. Being a level II TP performance specialist I have seen improvement with clients and my own body first hand. The best advice would be to prepare your body for your day ahead and it will have a knock on effect for all that follows. Using the TP full body kit and focussing on 14 positions every morning will prepare your body for the day. The positions take 20 minutes from which you will feel like a new person, this in turn should allow you to think more about the activities during the day how you walk how you sit. This way by the time you visit the golf course you will be able to focus on excelling, not tackling a postural issue.

WHAT IS TRIGGERPOINT THERAPY? Triggerpoint Therapy uses methodologies which enable people to move better through biomechanical, physiological and psychological enhancements by means of Myofascial Compression Techniques.

Practice Makes Perfect

I OFTEN HEAR “IF ONLY I COULD START MY ROUND LIKE THIS” H ave you ever wondered how the professionals stand on the first tee and bomb the ball down the middle and continue to do so around the entire course? It is because they are physically prepared before they enter the practice range, let alone the first tee.

To hit the ball further it is simple, optimise your ball flight and physically prepare your muscles before you use them.

The aim of golf is to control your ball; to get the ball into the hole. To do this you need to control your ball spin; to control your ball spin you need to control your swing; to control your swing you need to control your muscles; to control you muscles you need to turn them on.

To warm-up properly before a round, begin with some exercises to stimulate blood flow, I use the TP therapy equipment but you can do this by simply lunging forwards and performing some rotations (pictured below). Follow this with some explosive moves, an exercise band is a simple and cheap example (pictured right, push pull rotations, above right, a T stretch).

Emirates Golf Club has one of the finest teams in the region for golf specific training, from the fitness experts at Fit Lab, to injury prevention from Bespoke Wellness and the high standard coaching from the Peter Cowen Associated Academy Professionals.

To find out more on TP therapy and also warm up programs that will give you the edge on the first tee, contact the Dubai Golf Academy at Emirates Golf Club.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT WWGOLF.NET

WATCH JONATHAN SHOW YOU HOW IT’S DONE! Subscribe to youtube.com/WorldwideGolf Or like us on facebook.com/WorldwideGolf

Enjoyed unlimited access to Emirates Golf Club’s fully floodlit 9 hole Par 3 course, Faldo driving range and short game practice areas for just AED 750 per month, AED 650 for EGF members.

For more information, please call +971 4 417 9845 or email EReservations@dubaigolf.com www.dubaigolf.com

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

Gary Player Turnaround at the Top

I

T’S an amazing fact that while the current world number one is heading for the Masters as everyone’s favourite to win and complete the Grand Slam, a former world number one, four-time Masters champion and Grand Slam winner might give Augusta a miss.

Rory McIlroy has become golf’s new hero and that’s great for the game but after withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines after just 12 holes last month Tiger Woods announced he was taking a break from golf.

He’s admitted himself that he’s got many faults in his swing and he seems to be confused as to what to do about it. He’s had four coaches who have all been telling him something different.

Yet I believe that if Tiger had never had a lesson after winning the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000 by 15 strokes he would have won 20 Majors by now without question – maybe even more.

He’s so talented. I’d love to see him come back and recapture the kind of form that made him the greatest player of the last two decades.

Nobody could play like Tiger. He was out on his own. I suppose a wounded Tiger is a dangerous proposition and it would be a great boost for the game if he did. Imagine what it would be like to see Rory at his best take on an in-form Tiger.

Battering

We’ve seen great players make some amazing comebacks over the years so it’s not impossible for Tiger to get back to the top. Some players made it back, while others didn’t. David Duval was world number one in 1999 and won The Open in 2001 but fell away and never got back into contention again.

Australian Ian Baker-Finch won The Open at Royal Birkdale in 1991 but never won again on The European Tour or the US PGA Tour.

In Tiger’s case, age is also a factor. He’s 39 years old now and his body has taken quite a battering throughout his career. I’ve been unimpressed with his driving in recent months and he looks like a man who’s got the yips with the chips, which was one of the strengths of his game.

Torrey Pines has been a happy hunting ground for Woods. For him to pull out of the Farmers Insurance Open must have meant there was a serious problem. In 16

to compensate the readjustment certain players will have to make when the ban on long-handled anchored putters comes into force in 2016. It appears the new putter will be three inches longer, with a weightier putter head. In my opinion the USGA and the R&A made the right decision when they announced the ban on anchored putters. The long putter was brought into being to help golfers who had a ‘nervous tendency’ with their putting.

It’s not the kind of putter that matters, it’s the ‘puttee.’ Nerves are an integral part of our game and it’s something we all have to come to terms with. Let’s hope that when the ban is finally implemented we can say farewell to the anchored putter for good.

Charlie Sifford wins the 1969 Los Angeles Open tournaments at Torrey Pines he’s amassed $8.2 million in prize money and only finished outside the top ten on two occasions and had never missed the cut.

I WAS interested in the plight of European Tour player Peter Lawrie who revealed last month that he had just overcome an addiction to fizzy drinks that almost caused him to have a nervous breakdown. He said that drinking several litres of fizzy drinks per day caused him to slip 600 places down the Official World Golf Ranking and that he had lost all confidence in himself.

It might seem bizarre but it’s a serious problem. Having the correct diet as a professional golfer is of paramount importance. It’s a true fact that the less you eat, the longer you will live.

Fizzy drinks contain a considerable amount of sugar and sugar in excess can be a real killer. Whatever you do in life, you should take a walk every day for at least 30 minutes and get as much exercise as you can. You don’t have to consult a dietician to know that you must make sure you have a sensible diet.

I HEAR that one of the golf club manufacturers is bringing out a new putter

Worldwide GOLF 58

I WAS SADDENED at the death of Charlie Sifford last month. Charlie was the first black African to play on the US PGA Tour and I had such great respect for him and what he was able to accomplish in a world that fought against his success.

I was extremely honoured to give the speech for Charlie when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. It was an honour not just for what Charlie had accomplished on the golf course but for the course he chose in life.

Charlie and I always had a strong bond ever since we first met in 1958. I had so much admiration for the man. The hypocrisy that Charlie had to put up with was endless, yet I never found Charlie to be bitter about anything. He was so compassionate. I had a great love and empathy for Charlie.

Fortunately, I can say that I’ve seen an improvement in golf’s stance toward blacks, and Charlie played a significant role in that improvement.

THE GOLF WORLD also lost another Great with the passing of Australian Kel Nagel. Kel was one of the finest gentlemen I have ever met in professional golf. He was not very long off the tee, but hit the ball extremely straight and was a wonderful putter. Australia can be proud of one of its best ambassadors ever in Kel Nagle.

It was Kel who I went head to head with in an 18-hole playoff for the 1965 U.S. Open title at Bellerive CC. Kel was a fierce competitor, but I knew it was certainly a tournament that I must win to capture the Grand Slam.

It was a tournament that I will never forget because of Kel and our playoff round that brought me the U.S. Open title. n

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

Greg Norman My Augusta Predictions

I

T’S HARD to believe that it’s already March and we have the Masters to look forward to next month. As far as predictions go, the guy who leaps out to me as the most likely Masters winner is Bubba Watson. Augusta National is perfect for Bubba. His power hitting and shot-making skills, combined with a dead speed putting stroke are the perfect match for the magnificent, precise Augusta track.

Augusta is more suited to a left-handed golfer who plays with power. Look at the success of Phil Mickelson and Bubba who have five Masters titles between them, and we haven’t seen the end of what Watson is capable of.

My next pick would be my fellow-Australian Jason Day. He has the focus, determination and commitment to wear the green jacket on Masters Sunday. He has re-dedicated himself to the game and it already shows with his victory at last month’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, in a four-man play-off.

My next equal picks are Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott. Adam has a new-born daughter, Bo Vera, who will be an inspiration that will drive him forward to more Majors and greater success.

My outsider, an extremely talented, underrated dark horse, is Henrik Stenson. If he can improve the consistency of his putting equal to his ball-striking, the world will be his oyster. One guy who has attracted my interest is Brooks Koepka. I’ve been monitoring his future through his recent performances on the European Challenge Tour, and I’m sure it’s going to be extremely bright. Then comes Jordan Spieth. With all the added media pressure since his Masters performance last

year, it may need to be managed a little more tightly before he blossoms into the expected heights most experts anticipate.

Come early April, I will be sitting back and watching the Masters unfold in its usual unpredictable way. There is no other Major or tournament that carries the mystique, drama and atmosphere that the Masters creates. It’s pure golf at its finest.

Tiger’s Leave of Absence

The world is buzzing with Tiger Woods’ recent announcement that he plans on taking a leave of absence from the game until his play returns to an acceptable level to compete in tournament golf. Unfortunate as it is, I think he is doing the right thing.

Tiger has lost his confidence, which is not easily surmountable. The issues he has go much deeper than a bad round. When a player of his calibre falls off so quickly, it leaves a lot questions. I see someone who is struggling with a tough, emotional hurdle.

Tiger has unravelled. My advice would be to let go of perfection and accept the humility of the game. We have all been through it – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, myself, and anyone who has ever had the privilege of being at the top.

Maybe it’s time for Tiger to face the truth and determine why he is in this dark place of golfing uncertainty and hesitation. Only he knows how to unlock this incongruous nadir place he now finds himself in.

Today’s golf is a different proposition to what it was. Nowadays golfers easily wear themselves out and land on the “injured reserve list.” Power, speed, strength and flexibility are more important than ever before

Worldwide GOLF 61

with extended hours in the gym and on the course taking a toll on the body.

We estimated I hit about 4.5 million golf balls in my career. I expect Tiger is in that range. That amount of repetition is punishing to the small joints, and Tiger’s aging body isn’t making it any easier. It takes about 10,000 hours of hard work to get to the top and stay there – that’s about 10 years and it ultimately leads to all kinds of issues. If you look at Tiger, you see that manifested in Achilles, knee and now back issues. The signs are all there of a decay that’s inevitable.

The more you want something, the more you reach for it, the more it gets pushed away.

I know all about that, as I had it with the Masters. In Tiger’s case he is chasing Jack Nicklaus’s record. He’s still four Majors away and hasn’t won one since 2008. He is pushing himself harder and harder now because he’s not the force he used to be - and he knows it.

Ayla Aqaba

Our new Greg Norman Golf Course Design in Aqaba, Jordan at Ayla is moving along fantastically. The grassing is ongoing, and as it continues I will schedule a site visit to inspect the course before completion. With everything on schedule, this will likely be before the end of 2015. As Jordan’s first 18-hole golf course and widely recognised as one of the most eco-friendly golf courses in the world, this is a project I am extremely proud of and look forward to sharing with the international golfing community. A course like this has the potential to put Jordan on the map as a premier golf destination and become a worldwide attraction for Jordan’s tourism and commerce. n

Worldwide GOLF Columnist

David Howell Tale of Two Toppers

F

EBRUARY has been quite a month for the golfing world away from the fairways, with all the trials and tribulations, excuse the pun, of the current and former world number ones.

Rory Mcilroy can’t stop making back page headlines for his golf, nor can he stop making the front pages when it comes to his not-soprivate life.

Straight after finishing the Middle East swing with a victory in the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic he headed off to his long awaited date in court to sort out the mess that has been hanging over him with Horizon Sports Management.

In the end, as many expected, the world was spared the grizzly details of the financial world with the case being settled out of court at the final moment, with Horizon Sports walking away with the many millions of pounds they were legally due, and Mcilroy in a position to get on with the job of trying to win Majors with a clear head.

I hope he can mentally move on from another difficult life situation as well as he seemed to last year when matters of a more personal nature were causing an issue for him.

With that harrowing experience already in his locker I’m sure he will find a way to handle just as well this time, too. With that being said it might be the most difficult cheque he will ever have to sign.

History will show that Rory always bounces back quickly from a negative situation and with the Masters looming you would be a brave man to back against the world’s best player when he takes that stunning drive

down Magnolia Lane next month. One person who seems unable to bounce back of late, however, is Tiger Woods. To say his game is toothless at the moment would be a cheap shot.

To date, fixing his smile after an altercation with a video camera lens as a spectator on the ski slopes, with some modern day dentistry, has proved far easier than fixing his game. In fact, the last month has been so hard on Tiger that he could have skipped the dentist’s chair for a while and we wouldn’t have noticed, so infrequent has he had reason to smile.

A missed cut in Arizona, courtesy of his highest score as a pro, followed by an early bath at his favourite venue, Torrey Pines, led the former number one to admit that his game is not fit for public consumption.

I wouldn’t, personally, go as far as to say that but it’s probably a wise call, something that seems to have been lacking from Tiger’s armoury in recent years.

Public gaze

It must be very difficult to have the world watching you every week when you are struggling so much with your game. Most mere mortals only have to cope with the attention of the golfing public’s gaze when we are playing well.

Only the very best players playing their worst golf get to know what this must feel like.

It can’t be easy. I’m sure most golf fans would like to see Tiger come roaring back. Let’s face it, the Tiger Woods of old is possibly the only person who can live with Rory right now.

The problem is, Tiger is getting older. His

Worldwide GOLF 62

body seems to be breaking down in a big way far too often. His way of going about his business is to rebuild and put in the hard hours and hours on the practice range. It’s all too high maintenance.

For a guy who’s moving into his forties, he could do with doing the opposite. Two decades of intense focus, plus considerable physical and mental pressure, were smashed to pieces by a few years of chaos and I can’t help feeling that Tiger is still sifting through the wreckage of his off-course antics.

As someone once said to me, “Drama is not good for business.” I’m not one who believes his Major days are behind him.

However, put it this way, you can bet your bottom dollar that Majors will be won by a number of players in the not too distant future who couldn’t live with Tiger playing his B game. The question is, will Tiger be content with his B game?

On a final note, as coffee mornings go, I would have to say the one I had last week at Wentworth, shooting the breeze with former captains Colin Montgomerie, Jose Maria Olazabal and Paul Mcginley, on who should become the next Ryder Cup captain was as good as it gets.

I FELT HUGELY PRIVILEGED to be representing the Tournament Players Committee on the selection panel, and walked away feeling that we have chosen the right man for the job this time around.

Darren Clarke has been a captain-in-waiting for many a year and has all the qualities needed to steer Europe to another glorious victory. I wish him all the best. n

ArabianGOLF NEWS FROM THE LEADING CLUBS IN THE REGION

RED-HOT VANCE ON FIRE To say that Craig Vance is dominating the amateur scene in the region this season would be a huge understatement. The Englishman has won a staggering five tournaments so far this year, including the prestigious Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open and, most recently, the Jumeirah Golf Estates Men’s Open, which he claimed by an impressive 11 shots.

Worldwide GOLF 65

ARABIAN GOLF

TITLEIST A WINNER At the 2015 Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open

Worldwide GOLF 66

TITLEIST HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT STARTING FROM THE GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP YOUNGSTERS AND BRING KEEN GOLFERS THROUGH THE AMATEUR RANKS. Geoff Hunter General Manager of ProSports International.

C

raig Vance fired rounds of 69 and 70 for a total of five under par 139 to win the 2015 Abu Dhabi Golf Club Men’s Open sponsored by Titleist.

Vance, who notched up his fourth win of the season, continued to exercise his dominance on the region’s amateur scene as he cantered to a three shot victory over Rahyan Thomas.

“I’d like to thank my playing partners for bringing me through that final stretch,” said Vance, who also won twice in Ras alKhaimah recently and has since added a fifth win at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

“It was quite tough out there, especially towards the end with the wind picking up.

The back nine was playing particularly hard but the greens were in fantastic condition.”

Vance was fitted with a new Titleist 915 D2 driver in October and said he’s finding more fairways than ever before, in addition to getting more distance on his drives.

“The notable difference on the 915 was the spin rate which was considerably less than my old 913 driver,” he said. “It’s just a shame it didn’t come out sooner!”

For the third year running, the event was sponsored by Titleist and saw the various winners receive exclusive prizes from Titleist, ranging from sleeves of balls to golf clubs.

Geoff Hunter, General Manager of ProSports International, the official distributors of Titleist in the UAE and the Middle East, said: “We are delighted to be part of one of Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s premium events. The management of the club with Troon’s top class input of giving their guests a premium experience fits in with the Titleist ethos of being the best at what you do.”

Hunter also expressed his delight that Vance and Thomas, both of whom are

Worldwide GOLF 67

sponsored by Titleist, finished right on top of the leaderboard at what is Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s longest-running and most prestigious amateur event.

“Craig is a great golfer and an incredibly straight and long hitter which maximizes the opportunities for birdie golf,” he said.

“We can’t forget Rahyan Thomas coming in second place either. He is a +3 handicap golfer who is, amazingly, still only 14 years old.

“We have supported Rahyan for the last couple of years and our objective with Rahyan, as it is with golfers of all abilities, is to ensure he has the best equipment to shoot his lowest scores and we couldn’t be happier with what he has achieved so far.”

Hunter said that Titleist are always on the lookout for an opportunity to get involved in amateur tournaments in the region because they strongly believe in supporting young local talent.

“Titleist have always looked at starting from the grass roots level. We want to support and d evelop youngsters and bring keen golfers through the amateur ranks,” Hunter added. “We have adopted this strategy on a regional basis and, as you can see with the top two at this event, it is proving successful.”

Abu Dhabi Golf Club also lauded Titleist’s involvement in the event and said that this year’s record number of participants was down to the prizes provided by the brand.

“Titleist have played a massive role in this tournament,” said Jack Emerson, Golf Events Manager at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“They provide some great branding and some fantastic prizes and that’s why I think so many people show up – because the prizes are so great. To have their support is just fantastic and, hopefully, Titleist will be on-board with us next year as well.”

ARABIAN GOLF

ACE “I PLAY TITLEIST 710 IRONS WHICH I HAD FITTED A FEW YEARS AGO. I’M NOT ONE FOR CHANGING MY CLUBS TOO OFTEN AND THEY DEFINITELY DID THE JOB! I’VE ALWAYS USED TITLEIST CLUBS AND PROV1S AND I DON’T THINK I’LL BE CHANGING IN A HURRY!”

Worldwide GOLF 69

McGINLEY SEEING TREBLE

M

ost golfers go to their grave without ever making a hole-in-one.

But Michael McGinley, brother of 2014 Ryder Cup Captain Paul, last month made three in four rounds!

He achieved the feat over a six-day period with aces on the par-3 fourth hole at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course, the par-3 fifth at his home course at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, and then again at the Creek’s eighth hole.

“It’s been 25 years since I last had a hole in one,” said the +1 handicapper who plays Titleist clubs and has lived in Dubai for three years. “I had one, back in Ireland when I was 15 and to have three in six days is something I never thought I would achieve.

The older of the McGinley siblings is usually the one grabbing the headlines for his golfing accomplishments but it’s fair to say that his younger brother has outdone him this time.

“He texted me as a bit of fun after I’d had two in a row congratulating me and saying that it was unbelievable,” he said. “But then he had to text me again after I got the third one.

“I don’t know how many holes in one he’s had but it’s definitely not three in the space of a week. He normally wins cars and big stuff like that if he gets one. If he could buy these three off me I’m sure he’d get a BMW or a Mercedes or something out of it!”

ARABIAN GOLF “I believe that 9-hole golf courses are the future of golf. Recent research has shown that nowadays many golfers can’t spare the time to play 18 holes of golf taking four to five hours. We don’t need longer courses, what we need is more interesting courses and this specific Living Legends design is a masterpiece.”

– Peter Harradine

Harradine creating Living Legends at Dubailand P ETER HARRADINE, one of the world’s leading golf course designers, is once again at the forefront of golf’s development in the Middle East as construction begins on the Living Legends project at Dubailand.

Harradine Golf are working on the 9-hole course, plus Golf Academy, including a pitch-and-putt course, putting green and driving range, which will be the centrepiece of the development by Tanmiyat Global, expected to be up and running next year.

Peter Harradine has a track record as a golf course architect second to none in the Middle East.

When golf courses in the region were in their infancy in the late 1980s and 1990s he designed the 9-hole course at Jebel Ali, the National course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, home of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship for the past 10 years and the Doha Golf Club course, venue of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters for the past 18 years. Harradine Golf also designed the

18-hole Sahara Golf Course in Kuwait, the 18-hole “Al Hamra” course in Ras Al Khaimah, the 9-hole Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club course and recently redesigned and created the 9-hole course at The Track, Meydan Golf.

“I believe that 9-hole golf courses are the future of golf,” says Peter Harradine.

“Recent research has shown that nowadays many golfers can’t spare the time to play 18 holes of golf taking four to five hours.

“We don’t need longer courses, what we need is more interesting courses and this specific Living Legends design is a masterpiece.”

Four Lakes

Designed to attract visitors, residents and tourists, the Living Legends Golf Course will provide a testing yet fun challenge, bringing four lakes into play.

Mohammed Bin Odah, CEO of Tanmiyat Global, commented: “We have no doubt that with Peter Harradine and his team on board, Living Legends Golf Course will become one of Dubai’s most

Worldwide GOLF 71

popular golfing destinations. Harradine has a unique vision and has created a refreshing alternative to Dubai’s 18hole courses, that will attract not just Living Legends residents, but golfers from throughout the region and tourists alike.”

The Living Legends Golf Course development will encompass a cosmopolitan community, which comprises 500 villas and 12 apartment towers, along with a community clubhouse, shopping mall, boutique hotel, schools and clinics.

Saleh Tabekh, CEO of Delta International Real Estate, commented: “The Living Legends Golf Course will add immense value to the unique Living Legends lifestyle, providing an outstanding sporting facility, social hub and stunning views.”

Living Legends is a pioneering mixeduse property community development spanning 14,442,030.215 square feet in Dubailand, located just 15 minutes from downtown Dubai and only 25 minutes from Dubai International Airport.

ARABIAN GOLF AL M O U J G O L F C L U B

▶

▶

T O WER L INKS GOLF CLUB FLOYD FLOURISHES IN SOCIAL SHOWDOWN WELSHMAN Roger Floyd

TLGC won February’s first weekly social at Tower Links with a score of one under par to win by shot over the in-form J.I. Park. Alitha Arca took home third spot after losing out in a countback to Park.

LANKA’S CAREER BEST STABLEFORD TLGC LANKA Udawatta

decimated the field to claim the weekly social Stableford at Tower Links after registering a career-best 21 Stableford points. Mark Regan was second while Roger Floyd came third on a countback.

TAM BURNS TAKES FEBRUARY CHEDI MUSCAT MONTHLY MEDAL BY FOUR SHOTS

TOURNAMENT regular Tam Burns posted an impressive

AGC net 67 to win the February edition of the Chedi Muscat

BICKELL AND BIDDLECOMBE BAG BETTERBALL TITLE TLGC THE DYNAMIC duo of Cavan

Bickell and David Biddlecombe prevailed in the Links Betterball Competition as they finished with an impressive 44 Stableford points.

Ian Craig and Gary Willis also put in a strong showing in the challenging conditions, finishing second on 42 points while Ahmad Mustapha and Fady Azzam rounded out the top three on 41 Stableford points.

Monthly Medal. A steady round of net 67 was enough for Burns to take the best net position by a comfortable margin of four strokes over runner-up Nasaruddin Mohamed.

The ladies division was a closer affair with only a stroke separating the winner from the runner-up. Ladies Captain Avis Pickering held the top position for most of the day with a net 79 until Emma Merritt dashed her hopes by positing a net 78 to take the top prize.

The gross division was hotly contested and in the end it was Club Captain Aaron O’Hara and Club Champion Tenzin Tsarong who carded matching rounds of gross 78. In the ensuing card countback it was O’Hara who got the better of Tsarong by a single stroke.

D’AMOURS RACE TO MERCEDES-BENZ MEMBER GUEST FOURBALL BETTERBALL PRIZE THE SEEMINGLY invincible husband and wife duo of

AGC Karen and Kevin D’Amours took home the Mercedes-Benz

WIVOU AND UDAWATTA WIN BETTERBALL BY TWO TLGC JOE Wivou and Lanka Udawatta

were unstoppable as they cleaned up at Tower Links in the weekly 9-hole social. Playing in the Betterball format, the victorious duo scored 24 points to finish

ahead of the runner-up team of Ahmad Mustapha and Choi, who bagged 22 points.

Al Hamra natives Kelly Daniell and Andy Prescott claimed third position with a solid effort of 21 Stableford points.

✂

Worldwide GOLF 72

Member Guest Fourball Betterball prize after notching up an impressive tally of 46 points. The couple returned five net birdies and three net eagles on their way to finishing four shots in front of the runner-up team of Steve Pickering and Avis Pickering, while the pairing of John Petersen and Yvonne Welling ended up in third place.

▶

S H ARJAH GOL F & S HOOTING CLUB

GRAND SLAM WEEKEND FOR DUPREE SGSC SHARJAH Golf &

Shooting Club’s Scratch Team Captain Mark Dupree completed a Sharjah Double on Dubai Desert Classic Weekend as he won the Unitechnik Monthly Stableford tournament a day after winning the BMW pairs event.

Dupree signed for 39 Stableford points to

win the event on a card countback over runnerup Alex Tivi.

In Division 2 it was lady golfer Catherine Geskes who carded an excellent back nine to claim the top prize with 35 points. The gross prize went to Scratch Team player John Gould for his round of three over par 75.

NEW PARTNERS GEL TO TAKE BMW SOCIAL ROY Holmes and Ove Pedersen

SGSC created some magic as they

teamed up to win the BMW Members and Guest Social with a total score of 65.4. The team of Peter Shiling and Tony Lee finished runners-up while the nine-hole Texas Scramble prize was taken by Sanjoy Das and Vivian Verma for their score of net 33.8.

RAVI AE WINS CENTRO SHARJAH BY ROTANA RAVI AE held his nerve to card a net round of one under

LIXIN’S MAIDEN WIN IN CORAL

SGSC par and win the Centro Sharjah by Rotana Midweek Medal

LIXIN Liu secured her maiden win in the

SGSC February edition of The Coral Beach Resort Stableford tournament as she tallied 20 points to win by two points over runner-up Yangho Kim. Sunny Ramadas took the top prize in Division 1 with 19 points while Charlie Rogers finished runner-up with 18 points.

supported by Mekar.

Scratch Team player Ramli Sulaiman captured the top prize in Division 1 for his gross round of one under par while Korea’s S.J. Jeung took the runner-up spot for his net 35.

In Division 2 it was D.K. Lee who carded a level par net 36 to secure top spot in the division as he prevailed by two shots over runner-up Faizeen Bhayat.

▶

AB U D H AB I G O L F C L U B

▶

A L BADIA GOL F CLUB

BILL TAYLOR AND LISE SLANE QUALIFY FOR PAIRS FINAL OVER thirty pairs teed off for a

ABGC place in the UAE International

Pairs Final at Al Badia Golf Club recently and coming out on top with a superb score of 42 Stableford points were Bill Taylor and Lise Slane.

Finishing two strokes back were Kieran O’Connor an Yulia Savina while third place went to Mark Rix and John Allen after losing out on a countback to O’Connor and Savina.

Taylor and Slane qualified for the UAE final at Dubai Creek in May where they will have the chance to earn a spot in the Grand Final in Spain in October.

CHOI LANDS THE FIRST NIGHT FLIGHT HONOURS OF 2015 ADGC THE first Etihad

Airways Night Flight competition of the year got off to a flying start at Abu Dhabi Golf Club recently with regular Young Souk Choi coming out on top with a countback win over Tim Varangis. Both players came home with 21 points after nine holes but Choi’s better performance on the last six holes saw her take the title.

✂ Worldwide GOLF 73

ARABIAN GOLF ▶

D U BAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

NET 60 SEALS THE PAIRS DCGYC A SUPERB score

George Horan (President, Dubai Duty Free), Jacobo Fisas (Champion), Stephen Hubner (Director of Golf, Dubai Creek), Jhonas Patiak (Golf Operations Supervisor, Dubai Creek).

(Middle) Rashid Hamood (Golf Experience Manager, Dubai Creek), Daniella Sacchini, Giovanni Canducci (Winners).

FISAS CLINCHES JUNIOR FEB MEDAL

of net 60 gave Giovanni Canducci and Daniella Sacchini victory in the penultimate event of the Creek Pairs series last month. It was their first Creek Pairs success and came courtesy of a six-stroke win over Warren Panting and Vanessa North who were going in search of their third win in as many events.

JACOBO Fisas wrapped up last month’s Dubai

DCGYC Duty Free Junior Medal with a superb score of 32.5 while Rishi Nair continued his recent form with victory in the Boys Division with a 2-under-par 33.

Anushka Bhargava narrowly lost out to her sister in the previous month’s event but she made amends in fine style with a solid score of 36.5 in the Girls Division. Aryan Chordia was almost without fault as he carded a solid 1 over par 36 to claim the Best Gross prize.

DOUBLE ACE MCGINLEY ALL golfers dream of a hole

DCGYC in one, and many never

achieve it, but Creek member Michael McGinley completed the rare feat of two aces in two consecutive days. The first came on February 12th on the 208 yard fourth at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course and then the following day – Friday 13th (unlucky for some) – he holed out on the par-3 fifth at Dubai Creek.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said after his round at the Creek. “I had a hole in one when I was 15 years old and haven’t had one since.

To have two in two days is just incredible and something that I will remember forever.”

(left-to-right:) Luke Tidmarsh, Golf Professional; Rashid Hamood, Golf Experience Manager; Govind Pandey, Regional Manager, Mashreq; Harini White, Lady Captain; Ashok Ahuja; Joe Ghossoub, Club Captain and Stephen Hubner, Director of Golf.

ASHOK AHUJA CLINCHES MASHREQ MEDAL WITH A NET 62 DCGYC ASHOK Ahuja continued his fine run

of recent form by clinching the second Mashreq Medal Championship of 2015 last month in sensational style thanks to a fantastic net 62.

Ashok Sindhu took top spot in the Men’s Division A with an impressive score of 69, two clear of Patrick Morrow while in Division ‘B’ Yves

▶

E M IRAT ES GOL F CLUB

VERONICA ELIAS CLINCHES FEB MEDAL LADY members returned after a short break to compete

EGC in the February Medal on the Majlis course, and coming out on top in the Division ‘A’ (hcp 0-14) was Veronica Elias with a level par net 72. Two strokes back in second place was Fiona Berry. A countback was needed to separate the top scores in Division ‘B’ (hcp 15-23). Taking the spoils was Lynne Dickinson courtesy of a countback, with Elise Hanson having to settle for second place while in third place was Sandra Chia. Carolyn Thompson scored the lowest gross score of the day with an 82.

All the winning ladies pictured with Lady Captain Mitsuko Emerson

✂

Worldwide GOLF 74

Aboukhaled topped the pile with a countback win over Joseph Andrade after both players shot a 73.

Pradeep Havaldar won the Seniors Division with a 73 while Henna Jodha clinched the Ladies Division with a 71. Bayhaan Lakdawala continued his impressive scoring run, carding a gross score of 70.

E M IRAT ES GOL F FE DE RATION

▶

▶

YAS L I N KS G O L F C L U B

OBAID AL HELOO CLINCHES THE FIRST EVENT OF THE YEAR EGF OBAID Al Heloo came

out on top in the EGF’s first Natioanl Par-3 league event of 2015 at the Emirates Golf Club’s academy course after carding a gross 36 over the nine holes.

Mohammed Adel finished second with a score of 40, which included one par and four bogeys while Rashid Al Emadi took third place with a 42.

The event was notable as it saw debuts from sisters Sheikah Al Mulla and Aisha Al Mulla, who play at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club.

Players at Emirates Golf Club with coach Greg Holmes.

TAYLOR TAKES AUDI MEDAL YLGC TIMOTHY Taylor took the top spot in

Category B (Handicap 13-28) as he finished with a fantastic score of net 72 to win the overall prize at Yas Link’s Audi Medal. This put Alex Iapichino in second place for his round of net 74.

Grace Groves took top spot in Category A (Handicap 0-12) with a net 74 while Alastair Crombie finished close behind with a net 75.

Yas Links Scratch League member James Cook was the day’s Category A winner and Best Gross Winner as he finished his round with an impressive gross 73.

▶

T H E EL S C L U B

The UAE and Qatar Junior National Team meet for a Friendly Match at Meydan.

UAE JUNIORS MEET QATAR FOR FRIENDLY MATCH match against their Qatari counterparts at The Track Meydan recently during a trip arranged by the Qatar Golf Association.

With schools being on holiday in Qatar the Qatar Golf Association took the opportunity to travel with five Junior National Team players to the UAE on a 10-day training camp and to end the trip they faced off against the home nation’s junior team.

Three different parings played three different formats in a similar guise to The Ryder Cup, depending on the pairings’ skill level. The first group played a Match Play Better Ball, the second group played a Match Play Scramble, and the third group played a Signals Match Play.

With many of the players still working on their course management, these formats were a fun and educational way for the juniors to enjoy the

friendly match. UAE National Team Performance Coach David Condon said: “The Qatar Team was training at Al Badia Golf Club so it was great for them to play somewhere different and adjust to some different playing conditions.

“This friendly was perfect for the UAE Team. Playing against Qatar gave the coaches and players a measure of their competition and gave us an opportunity to play in a competitive environment.”

BIRDIE BLITZ LIFTS JODHA AND SINDHU TO VICTORY TEC ISHWAR Jodha and Balwinder Sindhu racked

up 10 birdies between them as they clinched the Indian Golfers Society’s Corporate Day last month.

The in-form duo carded an impressive 45 points to defeat the team of Akash Kumar and Anand Kapoor by two points with Tej Chabbra and Puria Khanna settling for third place a further two points adrift.

✂

THE UAE Junior National

EGF Team played a friendly

Winners Ishwar Jodha and Balwinder Sindhu are pictured with Gareth Burnett-Jones of Bentley, David Freeborn of Chivas, Mukesh Kochar of Kohinoor Rice and Anand Kapoor of MidCom.

Worldwide GOLF 75

ARABIAN GOLF ▶

A L HAMRA GOL F CLUB

MORTE SHINES BRIGHTLY UNDER THE LIGHTS STEVE Morte conquered the

total to finish one clear of nearest rival Andy Prescott. play battle recently, coming out Prescott played solidly throughout three to the better in the Individual his round with seven solid halves Bogey format. and two won holes for his total but The event saw players earn a +1 it wasn’t quite enough to match for a net birdie or better; 0 for a net the might of Morte. Dave Faulkner par and a -1 for a net bogey or worse finished level for the evening and and Morte managed to end on a +3 took home third place outright.

AHGC Floodlit course in a match

CRAQUELINS CAPTURE COUPLES CUP IN STYLE ROBERT and Marie Craquelin

AHGC won the second annual

Couples Cup event at Al Hamra Golf Club with a close fought one-point win over Dave Hoggins and Claudia Colanero.

The tournament was fun-filled with four holes played in a Powerplay format with double points available for a net par or better on those holes.

The Craquelins scored a whopping

57 points after nines of 33 and 24 – aided massively by the 24 points they scored on the Powerplay holes.

Hoggins and Colanero only dropped two strokes during their round but missed out on the overall prize by the narrowest of margins.

Finishing third, taking the last of the podium prizes, was John Feenie and Annie Robin with their total of 54 points.

▶

D O HA GOL F CL U B

QATAR NATIONAL SPORTS DAY GOLF EVENT PROVES A HUGE SUCCESS DGC MORE than 180 golfers turned

up for the Qatar National Sports Day golf event sponsored

by ExxonMobil at Doha Golf Club and in the end it was Ghanim Al Kuwari who carded a blistering 42 points to win Category 1 (hcp 0 – 9) by a single point from Abdulaziz Al Boainen.

In Category 2 (hcp 10 – 18 h) it was junior member Abdulrahman Al Naimi who won via a card countback from Garry Looker after both players scored 39 points.

Abdulla Waheed Al Abdulla,

HOLT WINS FEBRUARY GUARDIAN WEALTH MONTHLY MEDAL BY A SHOT FROM JUNIOR MIKKEL DGC DOHA Golf Club member

Randy Holt won a closely contested February Guardian Wealth Monthly Medal event with a score of net 70 to take the title by a single shot from junior member Mikkel Mathiesen.

In Flight B it was Tetsu Fukunaga who carded a net 71 to win by a shot

from Sami Qush, who secured the runner-up position via a countback from four other players.

In Flight C it was Soud Al Mohannadi who finished with a round of net 67 to beat Greg Meszaros by one shot while Laila Hrindova was the Ladies winner for her round of net 73.

✂

Worldwide GOLF 76

another junior member, took home the top prize in Category 3 (hcp 1928) as he put together a massive 43 points to win by a single point from Jung Hun Jo. The ladies category was also dominated by junior members with Laila Hrindova coming first with 39 points and Nada Mir finishing runner-up on 38 points.

Maryam Al Sada, Austin Tan and Ahmed Al Matawah all scored 31 points to finish tied first in the Junior Academy Scramble hosted on the 9-hole Academy Course.

▶

R O YAL GOL F CL UB

February winner Depriest Daniels.

DANIELS WINS EURO MOTORS BMW QUALIFIER RGC DEPRIEST Daniels won last

month’s qualifier of the Euro Motors BMW Monthly Medal Series with a nett score of 74 and a twostroke win over Nasser Yacoob.

Robert Addison narrowly clinched top spot in Division ‘2’ of the popular Members’ series with a net score of 78 with former Club Captain Ebrahim Esbai taking second place, one stroke back. In Division ‘3’ Dagrid Berge took first place with a net 76, one stroke clear of Bill Lindsay. All six players progressed on to the Euro Motors BMW Grand Final which will take place in December.

Stephen Wagstaff (centre) with Bahrain Down Syndrome Society representatives Mahmoud Ahmed Abdulmonem (left) and Ali Nasser Abduletif.

(l – r) Stephen Havrilla, Royal Golf Club General Manager; Dreena Rodgers of RIA; Dena Wales, Royal Golf Club 2014 Lady Captain and Christine Gordon, founder of RIA.

ROYAL GOLF CLUB MEMBERS GIVE GENEROUSLY FOR RIA CHARITY THE outgoing Club Captains,

RGC Dena Wales and Stephen

Wagstaff, presented their chosen charities with donations of BD 1000 each after a year-long collection from members who hit their ball in the Charity Bunkers.

RIA was Dena’s chosen charity for the duration of her captaincy and the Bahrain Down Syndrome Society was

Stephen’s. Throughout competitive play in 2014, members who hit their ball either in the fairway bunker on the 18th on the championship course or the bunker on the 9th hole of the Mini Monty Par-3 course had to donate BD1 to the charity pot.

RIA provides education, rehabilitation and support to youngsters with special educational

needs and their families, as well as offering mainstream education for nursery age children, and the Bahrain Down Syndrome Society provides support to individuals with Down Syndrome and their families, as well as working towards the development of local services for, and education and employment of those with Down Syndrome.

▶

B A NYAN GOL F CL UB HUA HIN

NEW GPS SYSTEM FOR BANYAN GOLF CLUB HUA Hin’s Banyan Golf Club has further

DGC cemented its name as the premiere golf club in Thailand with the recent arrival of a brand new fleet of club carts fitted with the state-of-the-art VISAGE GPS system.

Installed with the latest touch screen technology, the course map offers pin-point distance to all hazards and landing areas as well as pin placement on the green in yards or metres.

Golfers can now easily send messages to the clubhouse through their GPS system and even notify everyone on the course if they get a hole in one. The easy-to-use electronic scoring system can also email a player their scorecard immediately after the completion of their round.

With Banyan Golf Club being the leading corporate golf day venue in Thailand, the tournament module can be set up with a personalised welcome screen for all players to see as well as a rolling leaderboard.

✂ Worldwide GOLF 77

SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTNERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT

GOLFING WORLD

Worldwide GOLF 79

GOLF STYLE

FAIRWAY FASHION DRIVING RANGE TEE TIMES COOL STUFF

Worldwide GOLF 79

-

80 82 86 88

ADDING CLARITY TO YOUR GAME M

AUI JIM began life as a small company selling sunglasses on the beaches of its namesake Hawaiian island. In the late 1980s they became the first company to develop glasses with lenses that provided protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

They made their first foray into the world of golf when company owner Walter Hester began selling their products from a table in the car park of Kapalua Golf Club during the Mercedes Championships in the early 1990s.

They are now the No.1 polarised lens company in the world and the third biggest sunglasses brand. The golf segment is growing all the time.They’re the No.1 in the US for Pro-Shop sales and they count fourtime Major champion Ernie Els and Matt Kuchar among their Brand Ambassadors.

It’s the job of John Romaine, Global Director of Golf and Tennis, (Maui Jim is now the official eyewear of the ATP Tour) to recruit and look after the Ambassadors while promoting the brand at tournaments and golf clubs around the world.

WORLDWIDE GOLF: Tell us what your role with Maui Jim involves.

JOHN ROMAINE: I’m the Senior Director for golf and tennis globally. I’m basically promoting the brand from an awareness perspective through golf and tennis. The Ambassadors we have – Ernie Els, Matt Kuchar and Ryan Palmer – all have foundations so I

“WE’RE THE No.1 POLARISED LENS IN THE WORLD AND THE THIRD BIGGEST SUNGLASSES COMPANY IN THE WORLD”– JOHN ROMAINE Worldwide GOLF 80

do a lot of work with their charities. We could have a lot more ambassadors but with our brand being a Hawaiian one, the culture is more about family.

The Hawaiian word is ‘ohana’. When we have an ambassador they have to have a foundation. For instance, Ernie Els’ son, Ben, has autism and Ernie is currently raising money to build a big campus in Florida through his Els For Autism foundation. Maui Jim is part of that brand-building process through a guy like Ernie – not just because he loves our

F A I RWAY F A S H I O N

Pictured above: Maui Jim Brand Ambassadors, America’s Matt Kuchar and South Africa’s Ernie Els.

HIDDEN PINNACLE 2015

MAUI JIM WERE ONE OF THE SPONSORS AT THE OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC glasses and owned several pairs before we signed him up, but because he’s out there doing some good in the world and we want to be involved in that. I don’t want to sound corny, but when you have a chance to give something back you feel better.

WWG:How did Maui Jim become involved in golf?

JR: Maui Jim is considered the No.1 sunglasses brand in the United States in golf. We only sell in green grass shops (Pro-Shops at golf clubs) and we started at the Mercedes Championship in Kapalua, Hawaii. It’s the season-opening event on the US PGA Tour featuring all the winners from the previous year. Our owner Walter Hester started there about 22 years ago with a six foot table in the club’s car park. We’re fortunate enough to now be at Pebble Beach and Pinehurst in America and at St Andrews in Scotland – some really famous and outstanding golf courses – as well as some of the fabulous golf clubs here in the Middle East.

WWG: What sets Maui Jim apart from the other golf sunglasses brands?

SILVERSWORD 2015

JR: Our brand is focussed on the lenses. We’re the only brand approved by the Cancer Research Institute so our lenses are what really make us different from everybody else. I could get really technical and tell you that there’s a thing called ‘Abbe Value’ – a system by which clarity is measured.

The top number is 60 and one of our lenses, the Maui Jim Air, measures 56 – so it’s really off the charts. Our competitors average around 30.

We’re the No.1 polarised lens in the world and the third biggest sunglasses company in the world.

Polarisation is the best way to see. It filters bad light so that you can see better. I don’t mean this to sound like a commercial, but it’s true!

WWG: Is the plan to stay based solely at golf courses?

JR: Our company is an optical company and the golf division is the smallest division in our company – even though we’re considered the No.1 in the USA for green grass shops and are at all the Top 100 courses there. But we’re an optical company first and foremost – I just happen to run the golf and tennis side of it. Maui Jim is a wheel and I’m just one of the spokes!

Worldwide GOLF 81

WWG:Tell us about your own background in golf?

JR: I was a golf rep/agent in Virginia, Maryland, for years and I just kind of graduated to this job.

You discover something that’s not being done elsewhere and you want to be part of it. It’s an exciting job and I love doing it.

Worldwide GOLF 82

D R I V I N G RA N G E

A LUXURY SEDAN WITH A SPECIAL TOUCH 2015 BMW 7 SERIES 750Li

WHICHEVER way you look at it, the 2015 BMW 7 Series 750Li is everything a luxury sedan should be.

EXTERIOR Impeccable style is a feature we’ve grown used to with BMW and the 2015 BMW 7 Series 750Li is no exception. With its V-Spoke 19 x 8.5 light alloy wheels and sleek selection of colours, this sedan makes a strong case for being the coolest thing on four wheels.

INTERIOR Whether you’re a passenger or a driver, stepping inside the new 750i is an experience that will take your breath away every time. Aside from the abundantly generous legroom this classic luxurious Sedan offers, the Nappa leather interior will make you want to stay in your car for as long as you possible can.

The 750Li’s flawless Harman Kardon surround sound audio system allows you to blare out your favourite tracks with incredible clarity even as you hare

FUEL CONSUMPTION

down the Sheikh Zayed Road with your windows down.

PERFORMANCE To say that driving the 2015 BMW 7 Series 750Li is an exhilarating experience would be a huge understatement.

The 750Li features the exciting new 4.4 litre Twin-power Turbo V8 engine which has been updated with BMW’s signature throttle-less intake system, ensuring more horsepower and greater efficiency at the same time.

The hair-raising 8-speed automatic transmission is complete with automatic and manual shift modes, both of which include fully synchronised electronic gear changes.

The 750Li’s Brake Energy Regeneration system is a clever addition which converts kinetic energy into usable electrical power.

VERDICT If you’re looking for the perfect blend of charisma and performance, then this beauty has your name written all over it.

PERFORMANCE

25 mpg

Worldwide GOLF 83

4.5s 0-60

POWER

445 bhp

Worldwide GOLF 84

D R I V I N G RA N G E

A TRUE AMERICAN CLASSIC 2015 CHRYSLER 300 THE all-new 2015 Chrysler 300 highlights six memorable decades of ambitious American ingenuity. Through its iconic design proportions and inspired materials, this true American classic firmly establishes itself as a world-class sedan that oozes class and elegance.

Passengers are greeted with a stunning blend of sophisticated shapes and specifically chosen materials that are inspired by its American pedigree.

EXTERIOR The design of this state-of-the-art sedan brings together world-class quality and craftsmanship to present a final product that is as classy as it is durable.

The Chrysler 300 sedan’s powerful rear stance is further accentuated with a brand new sculpted LED tail lamp that includes an illuminated halo, giving the car a distinctive signature appearance.

INTERIOR Stepping inside the 2015 Chrysler 300 is an experience like no other.

FUEL CONSUMPTION

*

PERFORMANCE The new 2015 Chrysler 300 runs like a dream on the road. All models offer the innovative and high performing TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. The sleek design of the engine ensures the gearbox provides world-class shift quality, refinement, fuel efficiency and a hair-raising Sport mode. It’s hardly surprising that this car wins.

VERDICT All in all, the 2015 Chrysler 300’s expressive materials, confident looks, and top-of-the-range execution make it stand apart from the competition.

This is a car you don’t want to mess with.

PERFORMANCE

5.8s 0-60

31 mpg

POWER

363 bhp

WHERE TO BUY THE 2015 CHRYSLER 300: Trading Enterprises | www.mideast.chrysler.com Dubai Festival City: (04) 2066500 | Sheikh Zayed Road: (04) 3402445 | Sharjah: (06) 5142500 Abu Dhabi: (02) 6333408 | Al Ain: (03) 7211838 | Ras Al Khaimah: (07) 2359001

*Specs vary with variant models

Worldwide GOLF 85

TEE TIMES

Jaermann & Stübi Hole in One “Titleist” Limited Edition The Jaermann & Stübi brand, a specialist in premium mechanical golf watches, and leading golf manufacturer Titleist, have joined forces to develop a limited edition “Hole in One” piece which is offered along with a Titleist 910 D2 Driver – both with a black PVD Finish, shining elements of stainless steel and red applications – only 50 of which are available and are presented in a high-class wooden box in black.

Find out more on facebook.com/jaermann.stuebi.uae Tel: + 971 52 992 3322 Watch out for the new Jaermann & Stübi shop at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club opening soon!

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept RD#1 The special edition offering from AP took eight years to develop and was engineered to be the loudest minute repeater ever made, and as such chimes at least 10 decibels louder than any conventional minute repeater, meaning that it can be heard at a distance of up to 15m. It was created in collaboration with musicians and stringed instrument makers who advised the brand on how to tune the gongs to chime a musical interval as close as possible to a major third. While it chimes loudly, it makes almost no noise at all when ticking and uses the same tourbillon chronograph calibre found in Audemars Piguet’s Tradition and Jules Audemars lines.

www.audemarspiguet.com

Rado HyperChrome Diamonds Plasma 58 Those who appreciate the lustre of diamonds will be interested in the Rado HyperChrome Diamonds collection which offers a new, limited edition model featuring the unparalleled high-tech shine of plasma ceramic.

The Rado HyperChrome is well known for its athletic sophisticated look, seen on the wrist of movie and sports stars alike. No model is more refined than this new addition with 56 glittering diamonds on the rose gold coloured bezel, encircling the dial and making it a pleasure to check the time.

www.rado.com

Worldwide GOLF 86

CO O L S T U F F

THE HEADPHONES OF CHAMPIONS Bose QC 20i

BOSE are the headphones of choice for World No.1 Rory McIlroy and the Northern Irishman has a particular liking for the Quiet Comfort 20i.

They’re the first in-ear noise cancelling headphones Bose have brought to market and it’s a debut performance fit for a Major champion.

“There are so many different ways you can use music. Before I’m about to play a round of golf you want something that’s going to lift your spirits a little bit and get you going,” said McIlroy.

C

M

Y

CM

“If I’m just relaxing … I’ll put music in my ears and just go into my own little world for a while.

MY

CY

“When I put on my BOSE headphones, I know I’m wearing something of guaranteed quality, innovative design and that are versatile enough to suit my active lifestyle.”

CMY

K

QC 20 headphones offer full-on noise reduction if you want to lose yourself completely in the music or you can switch to ‘aware mode’ if you want to let some of the outside world in.

The digital sound quality is outstanding and the StayHear + ear tips keep the buds in optimum position for comfort and sound.

There’s also an integrated in-line microphone that allows you to take calls while wearing the headphones (the QC 20s work with Android, Windows and Blackberry phones, while a QC20i version has been developed especially for iPhone, iPad and iPod.) www.bose.ae

Control Module

In-line mic/remote

StayHear + Tips

Bose QuietComfort 20i

Worldwide GOLF 88

WWG_Cobra_Fly-Z+_Flip_220x212mm.pdf

1

2015/02/16

10:27 AM

golf.ecco.com

“I’m always working to improve my game and looking to enhance my style” - Caroline Masson -

SHOES FOR

THE LOVE

OF GOLF

BIOM HYBRID 2 Available at leading Golf Clubs, Golf House Shops and ECCO Shops in UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Iran & Egypt.

Contact: customerservice.me@ecco.com Tel: +971-4-299 3885 EXT 101, 302