Worldwide Golf May 2024

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

VOICE OF THE TOUR

Strategic Alliance Creating Global Stars

As golf’s Global Tour, the DP World Tour has, for many years, recognised the benefits of cultivating and nurturing relationships across the world. In recent years, through the strengthening of existing bonds and creation of new partnerships, a key aspect for our members – and players around the world –has been the formalisation of multiple player pathways.

The European Tour Group now has Strategic Alliances with the PGA TOUR, Sunshine Tour, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, China Golf Association, Japan Golf Tour Organization, Korea Professional Golfers’ Association, and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These Strategic Alliances provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete on the DP World Tour, while in the United Arab Emirates, our partnership with the Emirates Golf Federation aims to develop golf in the region for at least the next decade.

As the Race to Dubai comes towards the end of the Asian Swing and attention turns to the ISPS HANDA-CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan, it is fitting that Japanese players have become a marker for how to grasp the opportunities available.

Japan has had a total of five winners in the history of the DP World Tour. Not a standout figure on first glance, but far more eye-catching when you consider that three of those victories have come in the past seven months.

Ryo Hisatsune became the first Japanese winner on Continental Europe for more than 40 years with victory in France in September 2023. He took advantage of an established route on to the DP World Tour – gaining his card for the 2023 season

via Qualifying School – and made an instant impact, becoming the first player from Japan to be named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year, and securing one of ten PGA TOUR cards available for the first time at the end of the season to gain dual membership.

Rikuya Hoshino and Keita Nakajima may have a similar future ahead of them but so far they have reaped the benefits of a more recent partnership with the Japan Golf Tour Organization, each following the route on to the DP World Tour via the JGTO Order of Merit.

With their victories at the 2024 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and Hero Indian Open respectively, the duo combined to make this the first season in DP World Tour history with multiple victories by Japanese players.

Nakajima will tee it up in his homeland at the ISPS HANDA-CHAMPIONSHIP this week, and will no doubt provide plenty of inspiration for players and fans alike.

Like Hisatsune, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon was amongst the first 10 players to benefit from our Strategic Alliance with the PGA TOUR by gaining the opportunity to play on both sides of the Atlantic this season.

He had a longer journey, graduating from the European Challenge Tour at the end of 2016, and claiming a maiden DP World Tour victory at the Acciona Open de Espana in 2023 - perfectly timed to take advantage of the newly formalised pathway onto the PGA TOUR.

In January, he became the first Frenchman to win on the PGA TOUR since Arnaud Massy in 1907, ascending to the top of the FedExCup standings,

and demonstrating the possibilities to players with an eye on replicating his journey.

In recent weeks, he fulfilled a dream of playing in The Masters, finishing tied 12th to secure a return to Augusta National next season. And when he returns to France for the FedEx Open de France in October – potentially building on a summer Olympic Games in his homeland – he will do so as the new face of French golf, and bringing further attention to the oldest national open in Continental Europe.

In the UAE our relationships are also paying dividends. As part of our long-term partnership with the EGF, the Challenge Tour is hosting back-to-back events in Abu Dhabi for the second consecutive year.

Both of those events allocated 30 invites to the EGF to help provide a pathway for UAE golfers, allowing them to test their skills against some of the best emerging players from around the world on home soil.

With 20 Challenge Tour players receiving DP World Tour cards at the end of the season, players in the UAE – like their counterparts on Tours around the world – can see a clear route onto the DP World Tour, and the opportunities that abound.

Ben Cowen Chief Tournament and Operations Officer, DP World Tour

14 MASTERS DEBRIEF

We take a look back at some of the crazy stats and facts from last month’s 88th Masters Tournament.

17 VALHALLA GOLF CLUB

All eyes will be on the Jack Nicklausdesigned track when the PGA Championship tees off this month.

18 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

Which LIV golfers are playing and who has form around Valhalla? Find out in our PGA Championship preview.

20 NEWS

The top stories from the golfing world over the last month.

22 LUVIG ÅBERG

The Swedish sensation recaps an impressive Major debut after finishing second at the Masters Tournament.

26 ALEX LEVY

The Frenchman gives us an insight into jis injury woes and how he plans to bounce back stronger.

44 THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Rick Bevan discovers the tireless work that went on behind the scenes to restore the region’s golf courses after the worst storms in 75 years.

50 THOMAS STEPHENSON

Jumeirah Golf Estate’s Club Champ talks about how he’s fallen back in love with golf.

54 NATALII GUPTA

The talented teenager reveals all about her latest success.

N E W P R O V 1 ® & P R O V 1 x ®

Outper f o rm with n ew P ro V 1 and P ro V1x , f e a t uring l o nger di s t an c e , m o re c o ns i s t en c y and unri valed c o n t ro l

Find out why Fleetwood has opted for this latest retro inspired mini driver instead of a three wood.

Long and forgiving, but read why speed is the key to maximise the technology with these high tech irons.

PGA Professoanal Jonathan Craddock talks us through the mechanics behind Xander Schauffele’s swing.

PGA Pro Karl Dunn guides us through the best way to hit a stinger.

Putting specialist Jude Hobbs explains the perfect posture.

The Anser 2, Anser D, B60, Tyne H, Fetch, and Ketsch G take their 2024 line-up to 16.

HATS OF TO TIGER BUT SCHEFFLER IS THE MAN.

Having just got home from four straight weeks on the road in America which concluded at the Masters, it’s time to sit back with a cup of Yorkshire’s finest and reflect on how things panned out.

Before I flew to the States, I had been spending a fair amount of time with Danny Willett at the range in Rotherham and knew his rehab was going well. But it was always the plan to see how he felt on the Wednesday of Masters week before committing fully to teeing it up. Hitting balls on the range is one thing, but the physical and mental strain at Augusta National is something completely different.

him. His swing is straightforward and efficient in terms of no unnecessary movements, so I can only see him going from strength to strength.

I’ve been to the Masters more times than I can remember, but I’ve never experienced a relentless wind like that before; it was brutal, especially when the greens started to dry out.

Having won the event in 2016, we all know the course suits Danny’s eye, and he was going well until a bad break at the 18th on Friday. His approach just came up short but plugged in the greenside bunker. With the pin at the front, his only chance from that lie was to dig it out and land it just over the lip, which he nearly carried off. Unfortunately, it rolled back in and found an awkward compact lie, which is why he ended up flying it to the back of the green and walking off with a triple. It was a cruel way to end what was a great round, but that’s the Masters for you. What Augusta highlighted was match fitness, not just for Tiger but also for Danny. We all forget the demands Augusta puts on the body and mind, and this year it bit players harder than ever.

I felt for Tiger, as having to get up at 3am on Friday morning to get prepared to complete his first round and then go out again for a full 18 was hard going for players fully fit and in their prime, let alone a player carrying countless leg and back injuries.

It was great to see him make the cut, but the poor guy was just burnt out on Saturday. Despite what the critics may have said, the legend dug deep and did not withdraw. Now that took balls.

At the other end of the age range was Ludvig Aberg, and what a talent he is. I just love how quickly he plays. Once he is over the ball, he sees the shot and quickly pulls the trigger. That’s the perfect blend of ability and confidence, and right now I don’t see any other young players matching

Considering he’s not been a Tour professional for a year and he’s won on both Tours, finished second at the Masters and is currently sixth in the rankings, I can see him being Scheffler’s closest threat. Scottie’s form right now is at a different level, but it’s hard to keep that going, and it will be interesting to see if family life adjusts things in any way.

We are now getting into peak season with the US PGA Championship coming up, and the top players know they will need to graft harder than ever to prevent Scheffler extending his winning streak. I still believe Brooks can defend at Valhalla as he’s swinging it well and injury-free. At the Masters, he didn’t have any joy on the greens, and you will never compete in that event if you can’t get the short stick working.

It will be interesting to see if Tiger tees it up, or if he’s just going to let the body recover more and take up the role of Ryder Cup Captain. For me, he’s certainly the man for the job considering the respect he will get from the American team and his history over Bethpage Black, where he won the 2002 US Open.

The bigger Ryder Cup question is who will be on the European team in 2025? They have the unenviable task of trying to find terms and conditions in which LIV Golf members can qualify, as imagine the fallout if Rahm and Hatton are omitted.

One LIV player I go back a very long way with is Lee Westwood, and it’s great to see him working hard on his game. He’s not trying to play into the Ryder Cup but sharpen up for the PGA TOUR Champions Majors, in which he qualifies for being a former World No.1. These are not PGA TOUR-run; therefore, he’s able to tee it up even though he’s a LIV Golf member and team shareholder.

I still have no idea where the professional game is going to end up. All I can do is make sure I’m there for my players, regardless of the politics.

In a tournament that created plenty of crazy stats and facts, including Tiger Woods becoming the first player to make 24 consecutive cuts at the tournament, we’ve picked out ten of our favourites for our Masters debrief.

$3.6M $1.2M

After eventually cruising to a four-stroke triumph to pick up his second Green Jacket, Scottie Scheffler pocketed a tidy $3.6m from the tournament’s $20m record prize fund. That took the American to just over $15m won for the season with four months still to play on the FedExCup. Can he beat the $21m he secured last year?

Based on the standard 10% cut for wins, Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott, has already earned $1.2m this year. That would place him 54th out of 200 PGA Tour players and ahead of the likes of Viktor Hovland and Rickie Fowler.

Dustin Johnson’s performance was a miserable one compared to the standard he’s set at Augusta National after winning the 2020 edition in record-breaking fashion. The American missed the cut this time around, posting a score of 13 over par after 36 and only carding one birdie over two days.

The Masters’ TV ratings fell significantly in 2024, with CBS reporting 9.59M average viewers — nearly 2.5 million less than last year — tuning in to watch Scheffler’s victory. Sunday, notably, was down around 20 percent, which reflects the same trend the PGA Tour has seen this season.

35.933 53 2.5M 1500 +13 -182 1 2

Over 1500

as

during

tournament.

The field’s scoring average on the front nine in the first round was 35.933, which is the lowest round one scoring average since World War II for an April Masters. The front nine averaged 35.478 in the opening round in 2020 when the event was staged in November.

There were no eagles on the par-5 15th hole during the opening three rounds. It marked the second time in the past 50 years that this hole failed to produce an eagle by that point in the tournament. Grayson Murray made a three there on Sunday, making him the only player to eagle the hole all week.

Patrick Cantlay became just the fourth player in history to make two eagles on par 4s in a single Masters Tournament. The American made a two at the 17th in the first round, before picking up another two shots at the third in round two. Brandt Jobe was the last player to achieve the feat in 2006.

There were 50 birdies and three eagles on the par-5 8th during the first round, which is the highest number of par-breaking scores on the hole in Masters history.

private jets landed at Augusta Regional Airport during the

The airport sees nearly five times as many planes a day

usual

Masters week, while an entire runway is shut down to cater for parked private jets.

Tiger Woods played Augusta National’s par 5s at two under par over his 72 holes. In the 100 rounds he has played at the iconic track, the five-time Masters champion is 182 under par on the par 5s.

Location and Setting: Valhalla Golf Club is located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, nestled within a serene landscape of rolling hills and mature trees.

Valhalla Golf Club

Step into the historic grounds where Tiger Woods claimed a sensational victory in 2000. This revered venue also witnessed Mark Brooks prevailing in a play-off with Kenny Perry in ‘96 and Rory McIlroy winning a fourth Major in ‘14. Now, in 2024, the PGA Championship returns, promising another chapter of golf greatness on these hallowed fairways.

Design by Jack Nicklaus

The 106th PGA Championship is a true PGA event. It will be played on the PGA of America’s first owned championship site, which was designed by the tour’s greatest champion and five-time PGA winner, Jack Nicklaus.

The 7,458-yard course staged Brooks’ 1996 win before Tiger and Bob May set the tournament scoring record at Valhalla at 18-under in 2000, with the former emerging victorious through a play-off. Fourteen years later, McIlroy picked up his last piece of Major silverware there, while the venue has also hosted Senior PGA Championships, and was the site of a famous United States Ryder Cup win in 2008.

A Tale of Two 9s

The front is played through a wideopen, low-lying meadow, while the back features significant changes in

The Island I 350 yards I Par4

Hole Focus

elevation along a dense tree line. The hills around the turn provide plenty of natural theatres, which build to 18 where upwards of 25,000 spectators will witness the championship putt sunk. One aspect that should be uniform, however, are the greens, which have each been rebuilt in a championship upgrade pioneered by Nicklaus himself.

The Par-4s Bite

Challenging par-4s are the focal point of many Nicklaus-designed courses, and Valhalla, which offers three over 500 yards, is certainly no different.

As part of Jack’s renovations, the par-5 second hole Woods birdied three times en route to the title in 2000 is now a monster of a par-4.

In addition, the shorter four-shot holes are well protected as evidenced by their signature 13th. It reads just 350 yards on the scorecard, but a fortress green makes it nearly impossible to take a run at off the tee.

It’s all in the name: Forget the yardages for one moment. Why don’t more courses, expecially in the UAE name their holes in this way? Each hole is a character, normally ones we love to hate.

After two brutal holes, the 13th presents a real birdie opportunity for players looking to pull a shot back. At just 350 yards there is no excuse for missing the fairway but this hole is all about spin and distance control on the approach. It sounds straight forward, though the island green built on top of 20 feet-high boulders, surrounded by water will catch more than a few players out.

PGA CHAMPIONSHIP VENUE

WHO WILL BE VICTORIOUS AT VALHALLA?

Beginning in 1916, just months after the birth of the PGA of America, the PGA Championship perennially showcases the strongest eld in golf (a record equalling 99 of the top 100 players in the O cial World Golf Ranking (OWGR) competed last year) and also features the top 20 PGA Club Professionals.

This month’s 106th edition will return to a very familiar course in the form of Valhalla Golf Club, which has already played host to three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup back in 2008.

The last time Valhalla hosted the tournament a certain Rory McIlroy won by one stroke from Phil Mickelson in near darkness in 2014, just three weeks after being crowned Champion Golfer of the Year following his Open Championship triumph at Royal Liverpool. That second victory at the PGA Championship made it four Majors in four years for the Northern Irishman, all by the age of 25. Few would have guessed that a decade

later he would have failed to add to his four Major titles.

McIlroy remains one of golf’s hottest properties ten years on, and will go into this month’s edition as one of the favourites, but he’ll have to bring his ‘A’ game to stand any chance at picking up a fifth Major title given the form World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is in.

The 27-year-old has won on four of his last five starts, the exception a runner-up finish in the Houston Open, to assert his dominance over the golfing world. His lead is so big at the summit of the OWGR that World No.2 McIlroy is closer in the Ranking to Tiger Woods in 788th than he is to Scheffler. Mind blown.

While Scheffler will be the overwhelming favourite heading into the second Major Championship of the season, there is some hope for the likes of McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith – Scheffler has never won a PGA Tour start after April. Maybe he is human after all, or could he be about to buck the trend? We’ll see.

WILL TIGER WOODS PLAY?

After returning from injury at last year’s Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods stated his desire to play one tournament a month in 2024, giving hope to golf fans across the globe that the former World No.1 would be gracing our TV screens on a more regular basis. Unfortunately, that commitment hasn’t sufficed for the 48-year-old, who had to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in February before making just his second outing of the year at the Masters, where he struggled over the weekend, carding his worst ever Major Championship score with an 82. It came as no real surprise to see Woods struggle with his game after making the cut, with last month’s Masters Tournament marking just the fourth time Woods has managed to complete four rounds in a competitive event since his title defence of the tournament in 2020.

At the time of writing, Woods’ official website is not showing any upcoming starts on the schedule tab, but he did hint at playing a full Major season after speaking to reporters following the Masters. “This is a golf course I knew going into it,” said Woods after four rounds at Augusta National. “So I’m going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon, but that’s kind of the game plan.

“Just keep lifting, keep the motor going, keep the body moving, keep getting stronger, keep progressing. Hopefully the practice sessions will keep getting longer.” If the 82-time PGA Tour winner does tee up at Valhalla, he will be returning to the scene of one of his 15 Major titles after edging out Bob May in a play-off 24 years ago to become the first player to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy in consecutive years since Denny Shute in 1937. While we’re unlikely to see a repeat of that victory this month, a fit and healthy Tiger, who is able to compete over four rounds, would be a victory in its own right.

WHICH LIV PLAYERS ARE EXEMPT?

With the Major Championships currently the only place to see all of the game’s stars reunite, you might be wondering what LIV players have already secured their place in the PGA Championship. Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith are the only LIV members to join before 2024 with guaranteed starts to each Major this year thanks to winning one of the game’s four biggest events in the last five years. It is worth noting that Johnson and DeChambeau are both entering their penultimate year of exemptions into the PGA Championship following their victories at the 2020 Masters and U.S. Open, respectively. Joining the sextet from the breakaway circuit in Kentucky will be Martin Kaymer, who receives an invitation for life after winning the tournament in 2010, and Tyrrell Hatton, who banked his spot by finishing in the top 15 at last year’s edition. Joaquin Niemann will also be present after receiving a special invitation from tournament organisers, while Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert, Patrick Reed and Andy Ogletree are all expected to receive invitations through the top 100 of the OWGR and top three of the OWGR International Federation Ranking, respectively.

Thomas Bjørn named Vice Captain for 2025 Ryder Cup

Luke Donald has named Thomas Bjørn as his second Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup which will be played at Bethpage Black, New York, USA, from September 26-28, 2025.

Bjørn returns to the role having also been one of Donald’s five Vice Captains in 2023 when Europe defeated the United States 16 ½ - 11 ½ at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy.

It will be the sixth time in total the Dane has been a Vice Captain in the biennial contest and the tenth time overall that he has been part of Team Europe, having also been a player on three occasions as well as the

Nelly Korda ties LPGA record with ve straight victories GOLF NEWS

victorious Captain at Le Golf National, Paris, back in 2018.

“It was a natural progression from last time,” said Bjørn. “Luke called me and said he wanted me to carry on into New York, understanding that it’s going to be a completely different Ryder Cup in 2025 at Bethpage.

“We had some conversations back and forth mostly about how to go from the victory in Rome and into a new set up for New York, debriefing on what happened in Rome and how we carry it forward.

“We had a fantastic environment in Rome. Luke did an amazing job. He was a fantastic leader, not just of 12 players, but of the whole Ryder Cup Europe

team that worked so hard behind the scenes. It was amazing for me to be part of that because I knew how all of those things worked from Paris.

“To see how he added a few extra things in Rome and made it even better was amazing and I was very proud of him. He was exceptional.”

Donald added: “I am very excited to have Thomas back on the team. Once I was appointed as Captain again, my thoughts quickly went to who I wanted to have in the backroom staff. And Thomas certainly was one of those.

“He means a lot to me. He’s passed on his knowledge and I’ve had a great relationship with him over

Nelly Korda etched her name into the history books by becoming only the third women to win five consecutive LPGA events after victory at the Chevron Championship –the first Major of the season.

The World No.1 came into the Texas event in red hot form having recorded victories in her last four starts, two of which were in a play-off, but could she get over the line in a Major Championship for the second time? The answer was a resounding yes.

Starting the final round one shot adrift of leader Ryu Hae-ran, Korda carded a three-under-par 69 to secure victory by two strokes, before taking part in the traditional champion’s dive into the pond at the 18th hole.

the last few years. To have those relationships, to enjoy the people you’re spending time with along that journey is really important.

“This is an away Ryder Cup, so the earlier we can start planning, the better. It has more challenges than a home match, but now I have Edoardo and Thomas alongside me I can get together with them and start the planning process around how we can create the right culture for the team to succeed in New York.”

The 53 year old is the second Vice Captain to be named by European Captain Donald following Italian Edoardo Molinari, whose appointment was announced in January.

“That felt like the longest back nine of my entire life,” said Korda, who later decided to withdraw from the following week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.

“It was a little bit of a grind on the back nine, but I’m happy to get the win.

“I was definitely starting to feel it on the back nine, just the nerves setting in. It’s a major. It’s everything that I’ve always wanted as a little girl, to lift that Major trophy.

“As I said, I can finally breathe now and just enjoy the moment because I was definitely really nervous. I feel sick to my stomach.”

Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) are the only other players to have won five consecutive LPGA events.

Norman open-minded about moving to 72-hole format

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said he is open-minded about the idea of moving to a traditional 72-hole format.

Three-time DP World Tour Championship winner Jon Rahm, who switched to the breakaway league in December, has said he hoped LIV would move to a 72-hole format as it would help unite the tours.

there was an “economic impact about putting television on for 72 holes”.

Thursday. How do we build out in the future?

Norman said at a press conference ahead of LIV’s event in Adelaide that they were open to the idea of changing the format but added that

McIlroy to play PGA ‘for the rest of my career’

After rumours circulated last month about a potential $850m switch to the LIV Golf League, World No.2 Rory McIlroy quickly shut them down after committing to the PGA Tour for life.

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” the Northern Irishman said of the reports in City AM.

“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV and have never contemplated going to LIV.”

While McIlroy has softened his stance on the circuit since Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm joined last December, he reiterated a move to Public Investment Fund-supported league isn’t for him.

“I think I’ve made it clear over

the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me,” McIlroy added of LIV.

“It doesn’t mean I judge people that have went and played over there. I think one of the things I’ve realised over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves. Who are we to judge them for that?

“For me, my future is here on the PGA Tour and it’s never been any different.”

He later added: “It’s never even been a conversation for us. It’s one of those things, it’s unfortunate that we have to deal with it but I’m obviously here today and I’m playing this PGA Tour event next week and will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

“It’s a great conversation to have,” he added. “We will continue to have that conversation going forward. But we sit back and say, what value do we get on putting on television on

“There are things that we sit back and look at to see what is the most optimal solution to make this a better and better and better event, and 72 holes is discussed.”

LUDVIG ÅBERG

SCANDINAVIA Sensation

IT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THE LAST TEN MONTHS HAVE BEEN A WHIRLWIND FOR SCANDINAVIAN SENSATION LUDVIG ÅBERG.

Since turning professional in June last year, the Swede has hit the headlines for all the right reasons, starting with a rst professional win in just his second DP World Tour event at the 2023 Omega European Masters.

Before that triumph in Switzerland, talk had been rife about Åberg teaming up with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm in Rome for the Ryder Cup, with that victory all but securing his spot at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.

He would indeed be one of Luke Donald’s six Captain’s Picks, eclipsing the record for the quickest transition from the amateur game to the Ryder Cup that Sergio Garcia had set in 1999.

The then 23-year-old delivered two points on his debut, including a resounding 9&7 triumph alongside Viktor Hovland in the Saturday foursomes against Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka, before securing a first PGA Tour title a month later at the RSM Classic.

All of this and he hadn’t even made a Major Championship start, but that would soon change at last month’s Masters Tournament, where his unquestionable star power was on display once again after finishing runner-up behind World No.1 Scheffler at Augusta National.

Here, Åberg gives us the lowdown on that remarkable Major Championship debut, how the golfing world can close the gap on Scheffler and whether his first Ryder Cup or his first Major was more nerve-wracking...

Worldwide Golf: How do you sum up your rst Major start at the Masters Tournament?

Ludvig Åberg: First of all, playing at Augusta National is a dream come true. Just to be in that situation and feel the nerves and feel the pressure walking down the last couple holes is what you dream of. This is what I have been wanting to do for such a long time, and it’s quite surreal to actually have the opportunity to experience it. But I’m so proud of myself and all of the people on my team and my family and everyone involved.

WWG: Ever since you turned professional it feels like your world kind of accelerated, contending week-to-week, winning in Switzerland, winning in Sea Island, the Ryder Cup. How are you able to manage the day-to-day exhaustion and get through that?

LÅ: I definitely think my life on the golf course has changed a lot over the last couple of months, but my life hasn’t changed a ton off the golf course, which I think is really important. My personality is the same. I don’t try to do anything different from what I did last year. I think it’s very important for me to stay doing that, doing those things. But obviously it’s really cool to now be able to play these tournaments and being in the situation that I am. It’s very cool.

WWG: Did you have a debrief after the Masters Tournament with your coach (Hans Larsson) and mentor (Peter Hanson)?

LÅ: Yeah, we had some conversations of reflection after the tournament. Overall, I think we all really enjoyed the week together. It was cool to have everyone there and to spend the week together. Obviously, Augusta is a special place. But we felt like we did a lot of good things, and frankly very proud of the way that we handled all those things. You don’t really know what it’s going to be like to play your first Major until you really play it, and all those things, I felt like we handled that really well, and it makes us really excited about the next one.

WWG: How did the nerves compare to a regular PGA Tour event, a Major, versus how you felt at the Ryder Cup?

LÅ: Obviously I was super, super nervous. I think I was nervous the whole week, even when I was about to tee off in the practice rounds. I think those are always going to be there, which is okay. It’s all part of being a human, I think, to feel those nerves. But yes, it was a little bit more than a normal PGA Tour event because you know the magnitude of the tournament, everything that comes with it. Then I’d say it’s a little bit different from the Ryder Cup because the Ryder Cup is a little bit of a different dynamic, as well, where you represent so much more than just yourself. You’re representing your teammates and your captains and the continent and your country whereas here it’s just me and my team. It was a little bit of a different dynamic, but obviously super nervous anytime I tee it up in a tournament.

Photography: Getty Images

WWG: Coming o the 11th green at Augusta National, I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but you were smiling. Did you realise you were smiling, and why would you smile after making that costly error?

LÅ: I didn’t know it at the time that I was smiling. Obviously it wasn’t ideal to dump it in the water. I think we all know that. But at the end of the day, me and Joe and my caddie, my team, we’ve talked a lot about just keep playing, just make sure that the next shot is your best one. That’s all you can do. That’s all you can try to focus on. Obviously looking back, that was probably where I lost the tournament a little bit, but I didn’t know it at the time. All I tried to do is just keep pushing forward. You never what’s going to happen, especially on a course like Augusta where so many things can

WWG: Do you feel like you learned anything about how to attack a Major Championship golf course. Guys will say they’ve learned di erent things. Maybe they don’t have to be perfect, certain things about when they play in Majors. Now going through your rst one, did you feel like you learned something?

LÅ: Yeah, I think so. You can’t really force it around Augusta National. I don’t know how it is for other Major Championships because I’ve never been in one, but I know I can speak for the Masters, where it’s very difficult to try to force things. It’s very difficult to try to make up for mistakes. Most times you just take your medicine and be okay with that. That’s one of the things that I felt like we did very well. We kept the discipline because the golf course is so smart and it’s so good where it tries to put you

WWG: Is there a gap right now between Scottie and everybody else and if so, how do you think that you close it?

LÅ: Seems like it! I’ve just got to keep being me, keep making sure the things that I’m working on, they’re good, and I think as a golfer, it’s always going to be an endless challenge of trying to get a little bit better, whether it’s your putting or chipping or short game or hitting balls or whatever it is. I think I’m always trying to make sure that the things that I’m working on are going in the right direction. Obviously, I can’t do anything about Scottie. He’s an unbelievable player and a person, and I respect him so much. I think it’s good to have him here because he’s pushing everyone else to get a little bit better, as well.

IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO MAKE UP FOR MISTAKES. MOST TIMES YOU JUST TAKE YOUR MEDICINE AND BE OKAY WITH THAT. THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FELT LIKE WE DID VERY WELL.” “

ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL Alex Levy

Since coming through DP World Tour Qualifying School twelve years ago, Alex Levy had managed to retain his full playing privileges for 11 straight years, but that all changed at the backend of 2023.

During those 11 years, the Frenchman won five times on the DP World Tour, before things took a turn for the worse in 2022, with Levy suffering from a lower back issue, which kept him away from action for almost ten months.

He would make a comeback at last year’s Abu Dhabi Championship, but the 33-year-old failed to replicate the success that had once seen him reach a career-high 46th in the Official World Golf Rankings, and went on to finish outside the top 116 on the Race to Dubai Rankings.

Despite the disappointment of losing his full DP World Tour card for the first time since 2013, Levy has a spring in his step and insists he’s feeling better than ever as he targets an immediate return to the top level through the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca Rankings.

Worldwide Golf caught up with the likeable Levy at last month’s Abu Dhabi Challenge, where he gave us an insight into his return from injury, why he would do it differently if he could go back in time and his goal of following in Matthieu Pavon’s footsteps by winning on the PGA Tour.

WWG: You were sidelined for ten months with an injury before making your comeback in Abu Dhabi last season. How are you feeling now?

Alex Levy: I’m really good and I’m playing really well. I think when I came back from the injury last season, I didn’t take it too seriously in the sense that I hadn’t played for ten months. I didn’t take the time to accept that maybe my game would take some time to come back, but I see the difference now, a year and a half on. I had to change my swing a bit, all these things need time, and I don’t think I accepted that. I’m really happy with how I’m playing now and I’m enjoying the game a lot more.

WWG: How difficult was it for you mentally to spend so much time away from the game?

AL: It was tough, you miss the game a lot. I watched a load of golf on TV and you say to yourself that you want to be there. What is also tough is making your comeback and having all these expectations, which was one of my biggest mistakes. You miss the game so much that you try so hard to get back into the swing of things immediately. During those ten months, I realised how much I love the game. I’m lucky that I’m now able to compete again at 100%, so that’s a big thing for me.

WWG: You’ve spoken about making mistakes by rushing back. If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

AL: I would do the total opposite to what I did! I don’t think I would have played as much and tried to enjoy the game a bit more. I was trying too hard to play well, when I should have been having fun out there.

WWG: You were obviously battling to keep your DP World Tour playing privileges last season –were you feeling a lot of pressure to retain your card?

AL: To be honest, I didn’t feel that much pressure. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t. Over the last few years, I’ve learnt so much about myself as a person, so I didn’t have any regrets. I think you learn a lot about yourself during difficult times compared to when you’re at the top of your game and winning. When you’re winning, you know you’re capable of getting the job done, but when you’re not playing as well as before and need to compete, you learn the most.

WWG: It wasn’t to be at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, where you had to make the cut to be in with a chance of keeping your DP World Tour card. You nearly made a hole in one on 17 and then lipped out on 18, which saw you finish two strokes outside the cut. What’s going through your head as you walk off the 18th green?

AL: I gave everything I had that day and came so close to making the weekend. I took it as a positive because I knew my game was coming back and

one day it was going to go my way. It was a tough day because it’s not common to lip out on two consecutive holes, but I didn’t take it personally.

WWG: What did you work on over the off-season to try and get your game back to what it was before the injury?

AL: What I’ve realised the most is how important your mindset is. During my career, I’ve been really lucky because things have happened really quickly for me – I kept my card in 2013, the year after I won twice and after that I almost won every year until 2018. All these things happened in a short space of time, so you don’t really think too much about the other stuff. These last few years when I’ve been struggling, as I said before, I’ve learnt so much about myself and how important the mindset is out on the course.

WWG: How does your mindset differ now to two years ago?

AL: Now I just accept that some days I’m going to miss a shot. I don’t care about missing anymore as it’s part of my job. Sometimes I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect, but perfection doesn’t exist. I just accept missing shots, that comes with being a golfer.

WWG: You’ve played predominately on the Challenge Tour this year. How are you finding the level on that Tour compared to the DP World Tour?

Photography: Getty Images

AL: Challenge Tour is bigger year after year. From last year’s Challenge Tour graduates, two of them have already won on the DP World Tour after just five months, which is great publicity for the Tour. There are some really good players out here, I’m happy to be competing against these youngsters to try and get full DP World Tour playing privileges once again.

WWG: You still have status on the DP World Tour. Do you know how many events you’ll be playing on there this season?

AL: I’m in a nice position on both the Road to Mallorca and the Race to Dubai. I have two ways to try and get back to the DP World Tour full time, and I’ll focus solely on one route later in the season. I don’t care if I play on either Tour this year, my main goal is to just get my DP World Tour card back. I’ll be playing at the China Open this month as I’m a past champion, but I don’t have the ego to say, ‘I have to play on the DP World Tour’, I will just play wherever I feel the most comfortable. If I have to play some Challenge Tour events then so be it, if I have the chance to play DP World Tour tournaments, I will play there as well. I want to play golf, have fun and hit good shots.

WWG: Do you still believe you have the game to win on the DP World Tour after six years away from the winner’s circle?

AL: For sure. I feel more confident now that I can get the job done than I did before. From what I’ve learned over the last few years, I think I can win. But it’s not just about winning on the DP World Tour, I want to aim higher than that and go the U.S. and play on the PGA Tour.

WWG: Your compatriot Matthieu Pavon has certainly enjoyed his time in the States this year. What do you make of his recent success?

AL: It’s so good, I’m so pleased for him. He worked so hard and showed us that anything is possible. It’s good to have someone on top that you can try and chase – in the past it was Victor Dubuisson and now it’s Matthieu.

WWG: What do you make of the current fractures in the game – do you want to see everyone come back together with the world’s best players competing against one another again more often?

AL: I think it’s good that people want to invest money in golf, but it’s sad that the game is now divided. I understand people who invest want to do their own thing, but having the world’s best players separated is not a good thing. I hope they

find a solution to work together, I think the game will be really strong if that happens.

WWG: Investment is great, but do you think we’ve got to a point now where there’s too much money in the game? For example, Jon Rahm signing for LIV Golf for a report $500m. Has the game lost its way?

AL: I’m nobody to say that’s too much. If they gave him that kind of money, it’s maybe because that’s his value and he deserves it – I understand him accepting it. It’s tough to judge and look at it from your point of view, as you are not in his situation. If I was him, I don’t know how I would react. My concern is, it’s just a shame that the world’s best players don’t play together. 

By

Alex Gallemore

TAYLORMADE 2024 BRNR MINI DRIVER

A Retro-Inspired Innovation

TaylorMade is embracing retro vibes with the 2024 BRNR Mini Driver, paying homage to the iconic late 1990s Burner driver design that captured the hearts of golfers. This updated version features distinct copper styling and a retro rendition of the TaylorMade logo, blending nostalgia with modern performance.

Design and Features

The 2024 BRNR Mini Driver inherits the same technology that made its predecessor a hit among tour pros like Tommy Fleetwood and Jake Knapp. The compact clubhead, reminiscent of classic Burner drivers, offers a unique blend of forgiveness and precision, making it a versatile choice for golfers looking to enhance their tee and fairway play.

The copper styling adds a touch of elegance to the club, while the retro TaylorMade logo evokes memories of past glory days on the course. Despite its vintage aesthetic, the 2024 BRNR Mini Driver is packed with cutting-edge features that deliver exceptional performance.

Why Play a Mini Driver?

TaylorMade recognises two primary types of golfers who gravitate towards a mini driver. First, it appeals to players seeking a “fairway finder” driver that doesn’t sacrifice distance and can be confidently used off the tee or fairway. Second, mini drivers are recommended for golfers who struggle with 460cc drivers, providing a more manageable alternative without compromising performance.

Tommy Fleetwood’s Endorsement

Tommy Fleetwood, a notable advocate for mini drivers, credits their versatility and confidenceinspiring nature on the course. He prefers using a mini driver when accuracy is paramount, noting that it can replace a traditional 3-wood in certain situations. Fleetwood’s endorsement highlights the value of mini drivers for golfers seeking precision without sacrificing distance.

Conclusion

The TaylorMade 2024 BRNR Mini Driver stands out as a fusion of retro design and modern performance, appealing to golfers who appreciate classic aesthetics with cutting-edge technology. Whether you’re seeking a reliable “fairway finder” or a strategic alternative to traditional drivers and fairway woods, the BRNR Mini Driver offers versatility and confidence on the course.

Classic Fairway Finder

DISTANCE & DISPERSION

CALLAWAY PARADYM AI SMOKE

The 2023 Paradym iron was a huge success in many ways, as Callaway created a performance iron that was compact and appealed to a wide range of handicaps, but dispersion was its Achilles heel. So, it was interesting to see if the latest Paradym AI Smoke iron had managed to address this issue. With the 2023 Paradym head remaining in the current range, the addition of AI Smoke irons is targeting players with high-to-mid swing speeds who are searching for maximum distance and improved dispersion.

The Technology Callaway is claiming to be pioneering an industry-first with their

new AI Smart Face, combined with data from thousands of real golfers with endless simulated data. This should theoretically address the dispersion issue in the same way they have achieved success with their driver development. Using thousands of recorded shots by real golfers of all abilities, the AI technology is used to build a face that provides maximum distance and tighter dispersion.

The clubs are ¼ inch longer in the mid and long irons, helping to deliver the benefit of additional distance to golfers. The Paradym AI Smoke irons feature a modern shape and hollowbody construction with longer blade lengths than we’re used to

Models

In addition to the AI Smoke iron, there is the HL and Max Fast models. As expected, the HL is designed for high launch. To achieve this, it has a deeper cavity back head and precision tungsten weighting, which certainly increases the apex height of your iron shot. The Max Fast is essentially the same as the HL but with lighter shafts (40g) and slightly weaker lofts for players with a lower swing speed where launch is the most important element.

By Alex Gallemore

CALLAWAY PARADYM

and optimised sole widths to create a forgiving yet streamlined look at address. We also see the use of a new Dynamic Sole Design, with a preworn leading edge of variable bounce, helping to cut through the turf with extreme efficiency. This design aims to promote crisp contact on all shots while providing extra forgiveness.

Looks

Game improvement irons tend to have bulky head designs with large amounts of offset, but at address, you will be instantly surprised by how sleek the profile of the head is. The long blade length and refined top line combine to create a quite slender-looking iron, setting it

apart from other irons in this category. It would be very easy to market these as player distance irons. I also prefer the smoked steel head with carbon highlights over the 2023 Paradym as it’s a traditional look that will not date too quickly.

Pros

Performance, forgiveness, and looks.

Cons

You still need speed to get the most out of the technology unless you get fitted correctly and find the right head and loft combos for your game.

Performance

It came as no surprise that these irons went deep. The seven iron only has 28 degrees of loft and I was carrying the ball 12 yards further than my current gamers, but the apex height was lower; in fairness, it was like playing a five iron. This is why I think the HL is the better club, as you need the added tungsten to get the ball airborne, especially if you have a moderate to low swing speed. Dispersion is noticeably tighter than the 2023 Paradym, but don’t fear weakening the lofts with your fitter to get the gapping right. This will also help tighten the dispersion as I was getting the odd flier due to the stronger lofts and increased shaft length. Hitting a pitching wedge 160 yards is impressive when bragging to your buddies, but not when you need to buy three more wedges to gap down to 100 yards.

The Callaway Paradym irons excel in the players distance category, and they also offer impressive forgiveness. If you’ve been using game improvement irons but crave the sleek appearance and feel typically associated with irons for more skilled players, don’t hesitate to try out the Paradym irons.

If you’re all about getting great distance and finding clubs that are easy to use, you’ll absolutely love the 2023 Callaway Big Bertha irons. They’re designed for high, effortless launches and generate impressive ball speed, making every swing feel like a top-notch effort.

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA IRONS

GENERATION DEVELOPMENT

PING ADD SIX PREMIUM PUTTERS

Ping putters have a rich history that dates back to the late 1950s when Karsten Solheim, a Norwegian engineer, revolutionised the game. Frustrated with his own putting, Solheim crafted a putter in his garage with a distinctive design: the PING 1A. This putter featured a heel-toe weighting that enhanced stability and consistency. As word spread and demand grew, Solheim established Karsten Manufacturing which we now all know as Ping in 1967. The iconic Ping Anser putter debuted shortly after, cementing Ping’s reputation for innovation and quality.

The range has grown over past five decades, and six new premium models have been added – the Anser 2, Anser D, B60, Tyne H, Fetch, and Ketsch G – to take their 2024 line-up to 16. Ping have stuck to their gun-metal grey and black combination found in their high end PLD putters, so staying with a winning formula can only be a good thing.

Technology

With these new models, golfers in the Middle East have a variety of choices, including high-MOI blades, mid-mallets, and mallets that come with different face technologies, alignment aids, and finishes. Moreover, all three stroke types – ‘Straight’, ‘Slight’, and

‘Strong’ – are available across the entire range.

The face technology varies from firm, milled faces to soft-feeling inserts, which have been developed based on feedback from Ping’s tour staff to cater to a range of preferences in feel. This design aims to deliver control and consistency on putts of varying lengths. Among the six new additions to the line, four models – Anser 2, Anser D, B60, and Tyne H – feature the firm feel of a shallowed milled face, while the Fetch and Ketsch G offer the soft feel of a ‘PEBAX’ insert.

Each putter also provides different alignment solutions to suit the preferences of different golfers. This includes single alignment cues or multiple lines to enhance accuracy and confidence. Additionally, four models feature a glare-diffusing raw blast finish, and the other two have a black PVD finish, which helps create better contrast for alignment purposes and gives a more premium appearance. Golfers who prefer a darker look with white sight lines would find the Ketsch G and Tyne H most appealing. On the other hand, the Anser 2, Anser D, B60, and Fetch models boast a striking raw blast finish with contrasting black alignment lines.

By Alex Gallemore

Anser 2:

Like the timeless Anser, heel-toe weighting provides stability and forgiveness though in a slightly longer and narrower profile. Its shallow milled face ensures a firmer response and consistent roll. The ball-width cavity, sharper ballasts and clean geometry all offer alignment cues in this model featuring a new glare-diffusing raw blast finish.

Anser 2:

Tour pros were consulted in creating this model with a deeper (“D”) profile as a hybrid between the Anser blade and a mallet design, the extra mass is useful in stabilising the stroke for maximum forgiveness. The shallow milled face ensures a firmer response and consistent roll. A new glarediffusing raw blast finish contributes to the eye-pleasing visuals.

B60:

The B60, a long-time PING fan favorite, is back with a shallow milled face that ensures a firmer response and consistent roll. Golfers are familiar with the thin top rail with rounded ballasts, contoured shaping and center alignment line in this balanced, forgiving model. Also new is the glare-diffusing raw blast finish.

Tyne H:

The twin-fork design is paired with an Anser hosel to provide multiple alignment cues and help square the putter at impact. The shallow milled face ensures a firmer response and consistent roll. Perimeter weighting and an optimised CG position allow for balance, stability, forgiveness and accuracy. A ball-width cavity and contrasting white alignment line promote confident aiming.

Fetch::

A dual-density PEBAX face insert delivers a soft feel on shorter putts and a stable feel on longer lag putts. Made putts are easy to retrieve using the sole cutout that’s not only handy – it creates discretionary mass we use to increase MOI and forgiveness. Fetch fans laud the more compact profile as easy to aim. Ball-width alignment lines and a new glare-diffusing raw blast finish aid in the process.

Ketsch G

Its aluminium body and stainless steel sole plate pair with an optimised CG to create extreme forgiveness and stability. The dual-density PEBAX face insert delivers a soft feel on shorter putts and a stable feel on longer lag putts. The ball pickup feature on the sole is more than convenient – it allows for redistributing mass to increase MOI. A trio of contrasting sight lines frame the ball to simplify alignment.

Photography: Getty Images

XBY JONATHAN CRADDOCK

XANDER SCHAUFFELE SWING SEQUENCE

ander Schau ele has one of the most athletic swings in the game. He generates a huge amount of power by utilising a signi cant squat during the downswing, activating his lower body muscles – particularly his glutes and quads – to push into the ground and turbo charge his strike.

He’s previously described it as being, “like when a boxer throws a punch,”which is a really good comparison when trying to understand the movements he

Schauffele is taught by his father, Stefan, who teaches golf based on track and field throwing discipline principles. And with a swing speed of 120mph he is no slouch. His body is primed, ready to commence one of the most unassuming movements. out there.

The American’s first move is a very simple one with the clubface looking toward the ball. The movement very much coming from an excellent body action. The body being the engine of the movement to transport the steering column – the arsm, hands and club.

produces to generate such awesome power. Another good visualisation is to think about the the motion a javelin thrower makes, which is something his father and coach Stefan has drilled into Xander from an early age as a child.

The X-Man is only 5ft 10in and 175 lbs and yet he generates swing speeds of 120mph effortlessley and he can certainly send it out there, with an average driving distance of around 304 yards.

Let’s take a deep dive into his swing to find out how he does it.

As with all top golfers, note how he spirals from the ground working around and up. This allows him to keep the club in front of the body to create an efficient and powerful load.

The World No. 3 holds his posture wonderfully as the arm and hands move the club up over the right shoulder. Take a look at how he maintains the opposition with his arms, allowing for a simple repeatable movement.

PGA PROFESSIONAL, Peter Cowen Academy

Stretching to the top of the backswing, Schauffele’s body angles are perfect, really utilising his leverage fully. Ntoe how the space between his arms really hasn’t changed at all from the start of the movement.

He is in position here to hit his desired shot. He’s worked the body action and club into a position to execute the intended shot shape. Look at the stored potential energy in the right arm.

Schauffele’s body action allows him to maintain his posture. Something all golfers should practice to considerably increase consistency and distance. Note, I say often it’s not just speed but also pressure on the ball, created by the correct positions of the arm, hand and club action, which in turn is supported by the body action. Speed and pressure will give you more distance!

I really enjoy Xander’s transition. We can see here how dynamic he is, the lower half spiralling down and around. He has one of the biggest angles of separation between his lower and upper body. We can see the javelin throwing influence here.

The 30-year-old is known for his ball striking ability and we can see this evidenced in how he presents the full face of the club head to the ball, providing him with huge compression through impact. His left side is stretching around and up to allow him to maintain clubface stability.

Note how he maintains his spine angle throughout his movement. This is one of the key elements contributing to his consistent ball striking. A pleasure to watch, very powerful movement which I am positive will bring many more success stories.

Look at the potential stored power of his movement. Note how the club shaft is pointing straight down to the ball line. A common error we see here with a lot of amateurs is an early rotation of the upper body. We do not see this here from Schauffele. His lower body continues to spiral as the upper body remains passive.

Schauffele’s clubface remains stable following impact. I love the full extension of the arms and hands whilst maintaining his angles up the inclined plane.

Beautifully balanced finish with the club shaft 90 degrees to his spine angle. A very athletic motion.

Follow me for more tips and tricks @GolfCoachJC or be sure to visit us at the Peter Cowen Academy Dubai, Emirates Golf Club.

Photography: Will Kent

HBY KARL DUNN PGA PROFESSIONAL, YAS LINKS ABU DHABI @KARLDUNNGOLF

Try to stay as centred as possible and limit the amount of weight shift away from the ball in the takeaway part of the movement.

HOW TO HIT A STINGER

itting a stinger and controlling your shot trajectory is an important part of playing at Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

The wind can sometimes blow quite strong here, so managing your ball flight and being able to keep the ball low can be a great tool to have at your disposal. Here, I’m going to guide you through some of the basics to hitting a great stinger.

First thing we’re going to do is tee the ball up nicely with the ball positioned in the middle of our

stance. It’s also important to remember at this stage that we want our weight slightly onto our left leg, assuming you’re a right-handed golfer. From here, we want to pivot around our left hip.

What we also want to do is push our hands slightly forward at address, and this helps to lean the shaft towards the target while decreasing the loft on the club. Also, it’s important to remember we aren’t trying to hit the ball as hard as we can when hitting a stinger. Why? Because increasing the

clubhead speed increases the spin which can often balloon the ball in the air. If you need more distance, consider using a longer club.

The final stage of hitting a stinger is to feel like it’s a three-quarter length swing while trying to maintain our hand position in front of the golf ball as we come into impact. As we come through, we need to rotate while our chest stays down looking at the ball through the hitting zone. Give it a go, it can pay dividends on the course!

Focus on extending your arms through the ball towards the target, chest down while using your hands as best as possible to decrease the loft on the club.

Watch Karl explain this simple drill in greater detail by scanning the QR code to the right!

It should feel like a three-quarter length shot with a shorter follow-through at your nishing point.

Photography: Will Kent INSTRUCTION

BY JUDE HOBBS PGA PROFESSIONAL & PUTTING SPECIALIST @JUDEHOBBSGOLF

Watch Jude explain this simple drill in greater detail by scanning the QR code to the right!

PERFECT PUTTING POSTURE

This is one of my favourite things to practice for correcting posture while putting, and it’s called the ‘Tray Drill’. It’s great at getting players in the perfect set-up position which, as we all know in golf, is essential to hitting better shots. I teach this one to my students a lot, so hopefully you can pick up a thing or two as well.

Firstly, we need to have our feet shoulder width apart as that’s the correct stance for when we’re on the putting surface. Then, we need the weight distribution between the toes and the heel to be 50 percent in each foot. An easy way to master this is to put your weight more on the balls of your feet.

Next, let your arms hang to the floor, but bend your elbows 90 degrees. From here, I want you to hold the putter out in front of you like you’re holding out a tray with food on, hence the name of this drill. You can see in the pictures to the left of myself doing this without a club, so try this first.

When you’re in the set-up position, the next task is to ensure the ball is in the middle of your stance. Then, just lower down at the hip until your eyes are over the ball and the putter touches the floor. Tuck then chin in, and that’s it. You are now in the perfect posture.

With this good arm structure, good grip and good set-up, all you’ve got to do from here is rock the shoulders back and through. Pace control and starting the ball on line are two key important parts of putting, but without this solid base then you’re likely going to struggle in all of these other aspects of putting.

LOOK OUT FOR THE VIDEO AT

Join our team of PGA Professionals to kick-start your golfing journey as you enjoy a taster weekend of beginner group lessons at the Peter Cowen Academy as you receive an introduction to all aspects of the game. Now is your time to learn how to play golf in a week!

PORTEOUS’ PERFECTION

Dubai resident Garrick Porteous won the first of two events in brilliant fashion to secure his second Challenge Tour triumph, and first in seven years.

The 34-year-old, who only moved to the country in September last year, finished on 24 under par to clinch the title by one shot ahead of Alex Levy.

The Englishman regularly practices at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai and it looks as if his switch to the UAE has already been a beneficial one!

BIG NAMES APLENTY

The Challenge Tour is traditionally known as a battle ground for aspiring elite pros. However, these latest UAE events managed to attract some extra high-profile talent.

Nicolas Colsaerts, 2023 Ryder Cup Vice Captain, teed it up in week one at the Abu Dhabi Challenge while John Catlin was in the field for week two. The American was the current leader of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit at the time following two big wins.

THE FLEETWOOD FACTOR

Oscar Craig, winner of the Ras Al Khaimah Men’s Open, teed it up at the UAE Challenge at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in what was his first ever Challenge Tour start.

He’s the stepson of Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood who actually flew home from the RBC Heritage to caddy for Oscar in the event.

The 17-year-old Englishman then opened with a stunning bogey-free round of 69. Very impressive.

THESHOWMUSTGOON

UAE’s agronomy rockstars triumph in the eye of the storm

Richard Bevan talks exclusively to two of the UAE’s leading golf club agronomists, Thomas Love and Matthew Perry, about the Herculean behind-the-scenes e orts amidst last month’s treacherous storms that got golf courses back in play in astonishingly quick time.

As Billy Ocean said, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’ and for golf club agronomy teams across the GCC, it was literally a case of sink or swim as the region was battered with the worst storms in 75 years.

Of course, the true heroes of the hour where the first responders – the emergency services and brave civilians who battled to save lives and minimise casualties. Let’s be clear about that. But in the world of golf, the tireless efforts of the agronomy teams working around the clock in the most testing conditions to ensure as little disruption as possible to our beloved game, deserves enormous credit.

Among those leading the charge were Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club’s Director of Agronomy Thomas Love and Emirates Golf Club’s Course Superintendent Matthew Perry.

The latter is responsible for keeping the Middle East’s most iconic course, the Majlis, as well as its neighbour, the Faldo, in the pristine condition for which it is renowned. For the former, the storms came on the eve of the biggest tournament in the club’s history as the rising stars of the Challenge Tour came to town for the Abu Dhabi Challenge. Love and his team had been preparing for the tournament for some 16 months before the heavens opened on the Tuesday of event week.

The Challenge

“Even a few weeks out I knew it was going to rain but I didn’t really know the extent of what was coming,” says Love. “Then a couple of days before you could see out Bahrain way that it was coming over. It’s disheartening because obviously we started preparing since we were told that this event was going to be here at the start of 2023, especially working on bunkers, because bunkers for our members is usually an issue that gets flagged. So, almost every week we were doing something to the bunkers.

“Then waking up on Wednesday morning and they're all back to square one pretty much. But we prepared as much as we could. Our Golf Operations Manager, Tom Buchanan, had already pre-ordered four big tankers to come in and then we got five or six small hand pumps as well. In the end only two tankers arrived because there was so much demand across the country.

“Our last hit with the storm was 2am, I came in at 3am and it was Armageddon out here pretty much. I had a quick drive round the course and my first thoughts were that I wasn't going to be able to get golf out there. But surprisingly, the greens were relatively dry. We managed to cut them that morning.”

“It’s disheartening because obviously we started preparing since we were told that this event was going to be here at the start of 2023, especially working on bunkers, because bunkers for our members is usually an issue that gets flagged. So, almost every week we were doing something to the bunkers.”

- Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club’s Director of Agronomy Thomas Love

‘Getting golf out there’, as Love puts it, is one thing. Hosting a plethora of the game’s hottest emerging talents in a tournament that could prove key to securing a route onto next season’s DP World Tour, is another thing entirely. But after a monster shift that lasted from 3am until 7.30pm, that’s exactly what Love and his team achieved.

“We sent six mowers out and everybody else was pumping water, mainly on bunkers,” says the Scotsman, who learned his trade during an

internship in the USA that saw him work on some of the world’s most iconic courses including Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass, before stints at a string of clubs across the GCC, including Ras Al Hamra in Oman and Arabian Ranches and the Montgomerie in Dubai, prepared him for the step up to become Director of Agronomy at Al Ain in January 2023.

“The road that runs along our ninth hole was flooded all the way in to the fairway, so we had the tankers firstly pumping at the entrance of the club,

so they could get players and staff and everybody into the club, and then trying and get as much water out of the fairway as possible as well.

“Once we got it down into the desert, the Challenge Tour officials said that was fine, as long as the turf was playable it was okay. And then our guys just worked pumping bunkers, shoveling faces and trying to get the sand areas as good as we could.

“By 7.30pm on Wednesday night we had finished the last bunker. They were still a bit wet, but we had been round, pumped the water out, raked them, sorted out the faces, then we went back round again, let them dry out for a few hours, raked them again, and then came in the next morning, raked them again.

“The players that I spoke to seemed very happy and they were surprised at how dry the fairways were.”

Love is quick to point out that the golf course maintenance game is very much a team sport.

“I couldn't be happier with the team,” he says. “Every single person in the club mucked in really.

Buchanan, who I mentioned before, was up to his knees in water, pumping. Everybody rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in. It's definitely a proud

moment with the team, especially seeing during the final round of the tournament on Sunday, the way the golf course was looking.” ➣

Tom

As if overseeing the mammoth effort to get his golf course ready for tournament play wasn’t intense enough, Love also had issues on the home front.

“I was dealing with my own house flooding as well at the same time,” he says. “I've got a tenmonth-old baby and had no power, so we couldn't make his porridge or anything. Luckily the tour could see the stress I was under and sorted me out, putting us up in a hotel which really helped alleviate the stress of the situation.”

Down the Al Ain Road at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, the scene that Matthew Perry encountered on arrival at Emirates Golf Club in the early hours of Wednesday morning was even more severe.

“We clocked just over 250ml of rain, which is a little bit different to other courses,” says Perry. “I know Trump International Golf Club was 144ml and Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah was 90ml or something, like that. We have an issue with lakes. We're very different to the likes of Dubai Creek. Their lakes are quite low and they have retaining walls but our main issue is that we have a lot of sand areas and we have a lot of lakes that are grass

banked and so they just burst their banks.”

But, as terrible as these latest floods were, this was not Perry’s greenkeeping team’s first rodeo.

“It’s something that the team are used to,” he says. “The team are very good here, we turned around the Desert Classic quite quickly when we had heavy rains this year, to open on the Thursday afternoon. But this one was a little bit more testing!”

Advance Notice

Like Love and his team, Perry had enough advance notice of the impending storms to prep his team to be ready for a long day.

“I live down the road in Jebel Ali, so I actually could get in quite easily, the roads weren’t too bad. It also helps that the team live on site. We're very different to other golf courses in that respect. We actually have accommodation on site, which is good. We had no worries about the traffic or going home on buses or anything.

“We’d done the normal things that we do to try to prepare, putting sandbags out on certain holes where it gets washed out. But the extremity of

those storms was something else. I was pushing water out of Jones the Grocer on Wednesday morning and things like that. We have storm drains and pumping systems there, but you can't cope with that amount of water.

“If you think back as well, this golf course, when it was built, it was actually marshland. It was actually water and they pumped everything out and built the course. But we have a lot of submersible pumps on the course. They did it right so that we don't have groundwater issues. A lot of courses in the UAE now do have groundwater issues, mainly because they don't have the right infrastructure with pumps on the course. They build all these houses and when their water table groundwater comes, they get issues. We don't really have that. But when it comes to the point where that amount of rain falls down, it’s going to cause a problem.”

Like the team at Al Ain, Perry’s crew set to work with tankers, pumps, shovels and rakes, working long shifts to get the Majlis and the Faldo back in playable condition as soon as possible. At the time of going to press, all but one hole on the Faldo

was back open and the Majlis was partially open, with a composite course made up of holes on both courses.

“I think when we had the rain during Desert Classic, the team pulled out the stops and really got it,” says Perry. “But this is another level at the moment. The work that they're putting in just to get anywhere near having holes open. I'm blessed that I do have a team that are motivated to do their work, to understand the importance of their work, which they do.

Appreciation

“They get the amazing appreciation from management as well. Mustafa, our CEO, wrote a letter to me congratulating the team on the efforts that they're putting in so we posted that everywhere so people can see the support they’re getting. Those motivational boosts are what they need and they're getting an abundance at the moment from everyone at the club. I'm always proud of what they do. I have guys that have been working here over 30 years, so they've seen it. They've seen a lot of different things that

“I remember during Covid we didn’t have rain for like 18 months and now it’s becoming a regular thing. When it happened during Desert Classic last year, and then again this year, I thought, ‘this is maybe a sign of things to come.’”

- Emirates Golf Club’s Course Superintendent Matthew Perry

happened and they still get up for work at 4am every day and work until 6pm in the evening. So, credit to them and the work that they're putting in at the moment.”

Perry believes that last month’s storms should serve a stark warning for the future and something all clubs should get used to.

“The winters have changed a lot over the past couple of years with the amount of rain that we now get,” says the Englishman who has worked in agronomy at courses across the region for 18 years.

“I remember during Covid we didn't have rain for like 18 months and now it's becoming a regular thing. When it happened during Desert Classic

last year, and then again this year, I thought, ‘this is maybe a sign of things to come.’

“The way the world is going with different weather conditions, we need to get ahead of it a little bit more now. And I think the government will do the same. They need to look at it going forward with certain drainage facilities on the roads. And we need to do the same, especially for us as a club.”

The experience of dealing with the worst storms the region has encountered in recent memory was undoubtedly a wake-up call for us all. But to the unsung heroes who worked in the rain, while the rest of us slept, so that we could tread the fairways again, we doth our collective cap.

The storms were so ferocious that trees were uprooted at Emirates Golf Club

DUBAI’S LATEBLOOMING DIAMOND THOMAS STEPHENSON

Winning a Club Championship is hard. Winning a Men’s Open is also hard. But Thomas Stephenson has done both in the same season at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Will Kent caught up with the big-hitting Englishman to nd out more about his life playing golf and what could be next on the horizon.

You don’t have to look very far on a Dubai driving range to see a teenager playing off a plus handicap making the game look easy. The Middle East is a well-known area for these young aspiring pros due to the fantastic practice facilities on offer, but Stephenson’s story is remarkably different.

He’s a 33-year-old expat who’s lived in Dubai for five years and currently plays off a handicap of plus five. He recently won the Jumeirah Golf Estates Men’s Open which earned him a start in last month’s UAE Challenge on the Challenge Tour. By his own account he’s not a youthful prospect anymore, but the professional dream has recently reignited after a fantastic season with some impressive wins.

“I’ve been playing golf since I was about 13,” Stephenson said. “I had quite a decent junior career before going off to America on a golf scholarship. I went to University at a place called Belmont Abbey, which is a place just outside Charlotte, North Carolina. I spent four years there playing on the golf team, and I actually ended up living in America for 10 years after that before relocating to the UAE.

“Once I graduated, I kind of started to down play golf, really. I fell out of love with it a little bit. Then, once I moved to the UAE, I did the summer membership at JGE a few years ago and thought about getting back into the

game. Then it’s been in the last eight months I dedicated myself a bit more to it to see how good I can get at playing again.

“It’s quite odd at 33, I thought I was kind of past it, if you know what I mean? For me, it’s just continued to grow into this year. At 33, I’m still young. You’ve seen people make their debut on the PGA Tour at 35, 36 so it’s sometimes a question of, why not me?”

It’s a good question and he’s right, time is still on his side. In fact, the oldest golfers to play their rookie seasons on the PGA Tour were Allen Doyle and Jim Rutledge who

“We have a group at JGE on a Friday afternoon called ‘The 500 Club’ which is very competitive, to the point where there’s no gimmies and everything is holed out,” added Stephenson. “We have Tour pros play in it as well, like Richard Mansell and Paul Waring. It helps to keep that competitive edge going.”

were both 47. The likes of Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer and Phil Mickelson are also modern day examples that great golf is still possible deep into your 50s. But does Stephenson actually want to turn pro?

“People keep asking me the question,” he added. “I wanted to win the Club Championship, I did that, and then after that I was like ‘right, I want to win the Men’s Open now’ and I’ve done that. I think I’ll just take it step by step, really. It’s never really been a thought until now.

“I’ve been putting a lot of work in, in the gym, with my strength and flexibility stuff with Jamie Dreelan, down at the TFA and then my swing work stuff with Tim Backhouse who is also at JGE. It’s just an

accumulation of hard work and practice which has helped me to shoot some better scores, and obviously play well. We’ll see about the future.”

His rise to the top of the local golf scene hasn’t only been down to technical and physical improvements either. The mental aspects of playing competitive regular golf with great local players has allowed him to excel more than he would have been able to anywhere else in the world.

“We have a group at JGE on a Friday afternoon called ‘The 500 Club’ which is very competitive, to the point where there’s no gimmies and everything is holed out,” added Stephenson. “We have Tour pros play

in it as well, like Richard Mansell and Paul Waring. It helps to keep that competitive edge going.

“It’s just about surrounding yourself with the right people. When we’re playing on a Friday afternoon, yeah, you’re playing with mates, but we’re playing it as a tournament with players who are very, very good.

“I was also fortunate enough to play with Richard Mansell, and he’s helped me massively to be fair in terms of learning how to get around a golf course properly. Obviously hitting it well is good, but it’s about thinking your way round a course and doing it the right way. Just helping me to think about what I’m doing more, which

is making it a little bit easier.

“I just recently shot 64 on the Fire course in that Friday game I mention, which was nice. I also recently played the Dubai Golf Trophy and I was the highest points scorer for the amateur team with 2.5 from 3. It’s just good to keep those competitive juices going and I think that’s what I’ve enjoyed more than anything.”

In a sport where youth often dominates, Stephenson's story serves as another reminder that age isn't a limiting factor in golf. His journey is not only inspiring but also thoughtprovoking, showcasing how resolve

and hard work supported by the right people can really help you achieve your goals.

He’s in the right part of the world if he wants to seriously have a crack at the professional game. Not just due to the standout facilities and superb weather, but also the opportunity to regularly test his game against some really exceptional golfers. I’m sure there’s plenty more things to come from him yet, and he’s one for us all to keep a close eye on, especially in the near future. Dubai might just be about to unearth an unexpected latebloomer destined for great things. �

WHAT CLUBS DOES THOMAS PLAY?

Whenever I ask this question to golfers, it’s surprising how many either don’t take an interest, or just don’t even know their equipment. Last year, I asked a top 100 player in the world what model driver he uses and he didn’t know; he had to ask his caddie. With that said, Stephenson was the complete opposite.

“I do love my golf clubs,” he explained. “I do a lot of research into it before I buy. I use the L.A.B DF 1 putter, which was the first one they came out with. I’ve been using it for 18 months now, and I think they’re the best putters in golf. If you’re not using one as an amateur golfer, you’re making the game harder.

“I play Vokey SM10 wedges, a 50, 54 and 58 degree. Then, T100 irons from four to pitching wedge, as well as the Titleist U505 three iron. I then use a Ping G430 Max three-wood and the G430 Max 10K driver. That driver, to me, is the easiest driver in the world to hit. The forgiveness it gives me has made me such a better driver of the golf ball.”

GUPTA’S GOLFING GLORY

THE WOMEN’S GAME IS BUZZING OFF THE BACK OF NELLY KORDA’S WINNING RUN, AND THE SCENE IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS NO DIFFERENT WITH LOCAL TALENT NATALII GUPTA ALSO PLAYING SUBLIME GOLF.

Words

by Will Kent I Photography: Ahmed Oto & Andy Crook

In March, Dubai-born amateur Natalii Gupta nished the Clutch Pro Tour’s Al Hamra Championship in sixth place on two under par. It was a fantastic performance from the 19-year-old, who beat a host of professionals in the 54-hole event at Al Hamra Golf Club, where the development circuit made its debut in the United Arab Emirates.

Then, last month, the teenager won at the inaugural Optimas-JAGA International Series – Order of Merit Championship at the Al-Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club. It was another three day event which saw Gupta emerge victorious on one under par.

The youngster has been a highly-regarded prospect in the local amateur scene for a long time, and these latest triumphs have reinforced her obvious talent. We caught up with her to find out the latest on her recent wins, and to get the lowdown on her future plans.

WWG: You had a great win at the Clutch Pro Tour as well as more recently on the JAGA Series. Talk me through the experience of playing and winning big local events which feature some other great players?

NG: Playing and winning in strong fields like those at the Clutch Tour and JAGA tournaments has been really rewarding. The experience of competing at this level pushes me to work hard and stay focused on the process, rather than solely on the outcome. Each week, I aim to enjoy the journey of preparation and competition, embracing the challenge and learning from every round. I try to own this mindset that allows me to stay in the moment and be fully engaged, ultimately leading to positive results.

WWG: The hard work is clearly starting to pay o , but what have you been working on to take your game to next level over recent months?

NG: Over the last six months, I’ve been focused on improving my game through consistent practice and play. I’ve dedicated a lot of attention to my approach play, particularly inside 150 yards. I’ve been playing in more tournaments recently and that has provided valuable opportunities to test and apply these improvements under competitive conditions, which is essential for

growth and development in the game.

WWG: Do you now represent the UAE? If so, how cool is it to be able to represent the country?

NG: The Emirates Golf Federation is supporting my golf. It is a goal of mine to play and be able to represent the UAE, and I think that would be such a great opportunity.

WWG: Do you have any aspirations or plans to possibly turn professional in the near future?

NG: For the coming three to five years I would like to keep my status as amateur, so I want to keep working on my game and testing myself in the most elite amateur events in the region and globally. Right now, my main focus is on continuing to improve my game until I feel fully prepared for that transition. Eventually, turning professional is definitely a long-term aspiration for me. The timing isn’t my primary concern at the moment; it’s more about ensuring that when I do make that step, I’m ready to compete at the highest level.

WWG: The women’s game is growing which is great to see. What’s your opinion on this, and what would you say to fellow young women who are interested in starting golf?

NG: The growth of women’s golf is incredibly exciting and encouraging, and it’s wonderful to see more opportunities and recognition for female golfers in the sport. For young women interested in starting golf, I would say go for it! Golf is a fantastic game that offers not only physical activity but also mental and social benefits. Golf is the greatest game there is, in my opinion! My advice would be to embrace the learning process, be patient with yourself, and enjoy the journey. Golf can be challenging at times, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Most importantly, believe in yourself and your abilities – you can achieve great things in golf and contribute to the continued growth and success of women’s golf.

WWG: What are your plans over the coming months? Staying in the UAE, or leaving for some time?

NG: I’m in UAE for the coming months and I will play in some amateur events. I’m excited to embark on a journey to play in some elite amateur and LET Access events in Europe this

summer. It’ll be a fantastic opportunity that I’m eagerly looking forward to. I see it as not only a chance to compete but also a valuable opportunity to learn and grow as a player. This experience will undoubtedly contribute to my development and overall game.

WWG: Finally, equipment upgrades are a big part of the modern game. Is this something you take an interest in? Have new clubs helped you improve?

NG: I personally haven’t been one to frequently change my equipment that often. I tend to stick with what I know and what feels comfortable for me. That said, finding the right equipment that suits your game and preferences can certainly make a difference in performance. While I haven’t made many changes myself, I believe it’s important for each player to find what works best for them and stick with it, regardless of trends or advancements in equipment technology. �

Gupta, middle, pictured winning the recent OptimasJAGA International Series event

The WAGR event showcased a strong field of junior young talent with players from 24 different countries

Winners received the opportunity to experience ‘The JAGA Way’ in Thailand this summer

ARABIAN RANCHES

What3words bestows.swum.meaty

Opened: 2004 Course Designer: Ian Baker-Finch

Yardage: Comp 7,691 yds / Mens 7,056 yds / Ladies 5,503 yds

Facilities:

Gree Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 545 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 645 AED

EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

Website: www.dubaigolf.com/egc

What3words: chewing.gratify.headliner

Emirates Golf Club opened in 1988 and was the first all-grass championship golf course in the Middle East. Designed by Karl Litten, it quickly became a landmark for golf in the region. The club gained international recognition for its renowned facilities; stunning views of Dubai’s skyline and home of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Facilities:

MAJLIS COURSE

Opened: 1988 Course Designer: Karl Litten

Yardage: Comp 7,319 yds / Mens 6,896 yds / Ladies 5,568 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 1250 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 1395 AED

FALDO COURSE

Opened: 1996 Course Designer: Nick Faldo

Yardage: Comp 7,348 yds / Mens 6,916 yds / Ladies 5,443 yds

Costs:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 695 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 795 AED

DUBAI HILLS

What3words sever.crate.gesture

Opened: 2018 Course Designer: Gary Johnston

Yardage: Comp 7,283 yds / Mens 6,785 yds / Ladies 5,513 yds

Facilities:

Gree Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 718 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 851 AED

DUBAI CREEK GOLF & YACHT CLUB

What3words revived.stages.potions

Opened: 2003 Course Designer: Karl Litten

Yardage: Comp 7,009 yds / Mens 6,849 yds / Ladies 5,340 yds

Facilities:

Costs:

Non-member midweek green fees: 760 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: 875 AED

ELS CLUB, DUBAI

Website: www.elsclubdubai.com

What3words: lapses.rife.puddle

Renowned as one of the finest golfing destinations in the Middle East, the experience of The Els Club is one that creates everlasting memories and should be on every golfers must-play list. Those who appreciate life’s finest pleasures will embrace this true sporting gem which has been designed by Ernie Els, former U.S. Open and Open Championship winner.

Facilities:

Opened: 2008 Course Designer: Ernie Els

Yardage: Comp 7,538 yds / Mens 6,829 yds / Ladies 5,343 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 445 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 595 AED Costs Lessons available from 395 AED / Range balls

AED

JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES

Website: www.jumeirahgolfestates.com/golf-club

What3words: nuggets.grumpy.hitch

Facilities:

The Earth course is the proud host of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai - the culmination of the DP World Tour season. This sharply defined, sculptured course inspired by the great parklands of Europe and North America, paints a magnificent pastiche of ora, rolling terrain and rushing water.

EARTH COURSE

Opened: 2009 Course Designer: Greg Norman

Yardage: Comp 7,706 / Mens 7,045 / Ladies 5,425

Costs:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 680 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 840 AED

FIRE COURSE

Opened: 2009 Course Designer: G. Norman

Yardage: Mens 7,062 / Ladies 5,425

Costs:

Non-member midweek green fees: 695 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: 875 AED

Lessons Available at the Tommy Fleetwood Academy, enquire directly with the club for more

JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT

Website: www.jagolf.com

What3words: treads.earache.immaculately

Designed by the world-renowned Peter Harradine, JA The Resort Golf Course is both scenically stunning and a fair yet exciting challenge to players of all ability. With over 20 years’ experience the golf course has established itself as a must play golf destination in Dubai.

Facilities:

Opened: 1998 Course Designer: Peter Harradine

Yardage: Comp 2,933 yds / Mens 2,686 yds / Ladies 2,686 yds

Costs:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 365 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 440 AED

EGF fees: From 410 AED

TOPGOLF DUBAI

Website: www.topgolfdubai.ae

What3words: supplies.holdings.eyesore

While not on a golf course, Topgolf is sports entertainment complex that features an inclusive, high-tech golf game that everyone can enjoy, paired with an outstanding food and beverage menu, climate-controlled hitting bays and music. Topgolf Dubai has an energetic hum that you can feel right when you walk through the door.

Make a reservation in advance with Topgolf’s simple online booking tool or walk right in and put your name down. Reservations aren’t required, though you may end up waiting longer during peak times.

MONTGOMERIE DUBAI

What3words programmer.apart.honeymoon

Course Designer: Colin Montgomerie

Yardage: Mens 6,686 yds / Ladies 5,406 yds

Facilities:

A links-land style oasis with over 200 acres and featuring 14 lakes and 81 bunkers which will challenge players of all levels.

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 680

Non-member weekend green fees: From 840

TRUMP DUBAI

What3words crowned.inversely.begged

Opened: 2017 Course Designer: Gil Hanse Yardage: Mens 6,839 yds / Ladies 5,119 yds

Facilities:

A premier destination for golfers, covering 500 acres of land, with holes 10 to 18 played under LED floodlights for a night golf experience.

Green Fees:

midweek green fees: From 595

weekend green fees: From 750

ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB

Website: www.abudhabigolfclub.abudhabi

What3words: exploit.crowned.workers

An 18-hole Championship course, including nine hole floodlit course offers stunning beauty and challenge for all skill levels. But that’s not all as the club has exceptional dining and leisure facilities, including multiple restaurants and bars, a fitness center, and a swimming pool including the 5-star VOGO Abu Dhabi.

Facilities:

Opened: 1998 Course Designer: Peter Harradine

Yardage: Comp 7,600 yds / Mens 6,796 yds / Ladies 5,802 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 625 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 785 AED

Summer deal Four rounds on The National Course is AED 1,225 between May & September

AL AIN EQUESTRIAN, SHOOTING & GOLF CLUB

Website: aesgc.com

What3words: crafty.sphere.helping

The vast resort has a scenic 18 hole championship golf course and a 9 hole academy golf course, located just a short drive away from Dubai. It recently hosted the Abu Dhabi Challenge on the Challenge Tour, and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Facilities:

Opened: 2007 Course Designer: Gary Player Yardage: Mens 6,129 yds / Ladies 5,282 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 400 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 500 AED

AL ZORAH GOLF CLUB

Website: www.alzorahgolfclub.ae

What3words: situated.snares.card

Set within a stunning natural environment, with flowing dunes and an in-land Mangrove area, the highly desirable location will provide golfers with a unique golf experience with water levels shifting with the tides throughout the day, and completed with pristine course conditioning of the paspalum grass.

Facilities:

Opened: 2015 Course Designer: Jack Nicklaus Yardage: Mens 6,522 yds / Ladies 6,071 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 645 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 695 AED

Brough to you by:

YAS LINKS

Website: www.viyagolf.com/yaslinks

What3words: awarded.legroom.alleys

Yas Links Abu Dhabi represents the first true links golf course in the Middle East region, designed by Kyle Phillips, one of the world’s leading golf course designers. The Championship Links course is located on the west shores of Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s island of entertainment, also offering a luxurious clubhouse, gym, swimming pool, male spa, along with truly world-class, floodlit practice ranges, now with state of the art Toptracer technology and Golf Academy.

Facilities:

3 D R G

Opened: 2010 Course Designer: Kyle Phillips

Yardage: Comp 7,461 yds / Mens 7,037 yds / Ladies 6,236 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 550 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 550 AED

SAADIYAT BEACH GOLF CLUB

Website: www.viyagolf.com/saadiyat

What3words: daily.talents.quilts

Set by the Arabian Gulf with dolphins and other sea-life as your spectators, the course utilises existing salt water lakes and beach dunes in its highly-rated design. This Par 72 course is conceived to challenge for both pros and amateurs with 60 bunkers.

Facilities:

Opened: 2010 Course Designer: Gary Player

Yardage: Comp 7,784 yds / Mens 7,268 yds / Ladies 5,290 yds

Green Fees:

Non member mid-week green fees: From 650 AED

Non member Weekend green fees: From 845 AED

YAS ACRES

Website: www.viyagolf.com/yasacres

What3words: laughable.takes.preferring

A spectacular addition to the Abu Dhabi golf scene, this Fry/ Straka-designed golf course is situated within the heart of Yas Acres community. The world class 3700 yard, 9-hole golf course serves up both a challenging game and a breathtaking backdrop for the community. It’s a also floodlit with fantastic practice facilities so you can hone your skills late into the night.

Facilities:

Opened: 2021 Course Designer: Fry/Straka

Yardage: Comp 3,700 yds / Mens 3,422 yds / Ladies 2,554 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 350 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 350 AED

Lessons A 45 minute lesson with a professional is available from 480 AED while there are discounts for large packages. A 12 lesson bundle as an individual guest is 4,320 AED.

AL HAMRA

What3words perform.possessing.above

Opened: 2007 Course Designer: Peter Harradine

Yardage: Mens 6,989 yds / Ladies 5,815 yds

Facilities:

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 601 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 709 AED

Lessons 599 AED for a 6-week program

TOWER LINKS

What3words remains.flank.flap

Opened: 2004 Course Designer: Gerald Williams Yardage: Mens 7,098 yds / Ladies 5,496 yds

Facilities:

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 200 AED

Non-member weekend green fees: From 275 AED

Packages Enquire for all day golf deals inclusive of F&B

AL MOUJ GOLF

What3words goofily.tangle.motorist

Opened: 2012 Course Designer: Greg Norman Yardage: Mens 6,849 yds / Ladies 6,016 yds

Facilities

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 58 OMR

Non member weekend green fees: From 70 OMR

Exclusive stay and play deals are available

RAS AL HAMRA

What3words gloves.segments.defended

Opened: 1969 Course Designer: Graham Marsh Yardage: Mens 6,316 yds / Ladies 5,317 yds

Facilities:

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 35 OMR

Non-member weekend green fees: From 35 OMR

Costs 30 minute tune-up available from 20 OMR

GHALA GOLF CLUB

What3words riddle.heads.tips

Opened: 1971 Course Designer: Bill Longmuir Yardage: Mens 6,527 yds / Ladies 5,430 yds

Facilities:

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek greens fees: From 22 OMR

Non-member weekend greens fees: From 22 OMR

DOHA GOLF CLUB

Website: www.dohagolfclub.com

What3words: ideals.flagged.missions

At the centre of golf in Qatar, Doha Golf Club stands tall as a 27-hole venue including an 18-hole championship course. It’s one of the oldest courses in the region, and is now a green oasis surrounded by impressive views. It’s also hosted the prestigous Qatar Mastersa regular feature on the international DP World Tour schedule.

Facilities:

Opened: 1998 Course Designer: Peter Harradine

Yardage: Comp 7,374 yds / Mens 7,179 yds / Ladies 5,867 yds

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 700 QAR

Non-member weekend green fees: From 850 QAR

Costs Range balls available from 25 QAR / Club hire available for 200 QAR

EDUCATION CITY GOLF CLUB

What3words tiger.purist.delay

Opened: 2019 Course Designer: Jose Maria Olazabal

Yardage: Comp 7,307 yds / Mens 6,947 yds / Ladies 6,501 yds

Facilities:

Green Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 350 QAR

Non-member weekend green fees: From 400 QAR

THE ROYAL GOLF CLUB

What3words just.spaces.bashful

Opened: 1999 Course Designer: C. Montgomerie

Yardage: Comp 7,243 yds / Mens 6,799 / Ladies 4,985

Facilities:

Gree Fees:

Non-member midweek green fees: From 55 BHD

Non-member weekend green fees: From 75 BHD

Lessons

Single 50-minute lesson available for 44 BHD

RAS AL KHAIMAH

QATAR

QATAR

BAHRAIN

Two new speed-generating irons bring your game more distance and control. Both engineered to deliver ball speeds that launch shots higher and further with the stopping power to hit and hold greens.