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March 2013 £3.50
A LOOK AHEAD
TO 2013
IDINEG S N I O ALPSAGES OF AMAEZRING
What does the new year hold in the ladies’ game?
P 10 S ND PAM GOLF A D A FABULOU N A K S A A E IDE SUN BR WINTER IFFERENCE D WITH A
PLUS
Team
Europe
Mickey Walker considers our Solheim Cup options
COLOUR
CODE
Ecco launch brilliant bright range
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
WHO’S THAT
GAL? European Solheim Cup star Sandra is set to turn heads in 2013
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Welcome
March 2013 Volume 16 Issue 10
Europe go one up on American counterparts?
A
S many players on the circuit would readily agree, it would be nice if the prize funds on the Ladies’ European Tour were bigger. Increasing them to the point where the player finishing just inside the top 20 feels they have had a good week in financial terms at a tournament as well as in golfing terms. This not inconsiderable task will surely be at the top of new chief executive officer Ivan Khodabakhsh’s in-tray. However, as the new season got underway in Australia, it was impossible not to feel that perhaps we should all be simply grateful for what we have in Europe; all sports are struggling for sponsors in this tough economic climate and the ones which receive
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Editorial director Dan Murphy Deputy Editor Mark Townsend Staff Writers Joe Whitley James Tompkinson Contributors Chris Bertram Madeleine Winnett Joe Harrison Photographs Getty Images Chief Designer Andrew Kenworthy Designer & Webmaster Daniel Cooper Publisher Tom Irwin Display Sales Manager Richard Holt
less media coverage will inevitably suffer more. Look at, for example, the situation in America. It was not until the middle of January, that the LPGA were able to confirm a full schedule – they had been doing it tournament
Is the Old Course really sacred?
ON one hand, it seems as if the furore over the changes to the Old Course seem like a lot of fuss being made by a lot of self-important people with too much time on their hands.
Consulting Editor Mickey Walker
On the other, anyone with the merest hint of golf in their heart surely feels emotionally attached to this particular bit of grass. It is where golf began (in Britain at least – the Dutch claim they played the game first!) and thus must surely come with some kind of ‘national heritage’ style tag. As could other courses from the 1800s. We put some meat on the bones of this debate on page 12.
by tournament until then. Not only did it give off an indifferent message, it also meant players could not plan their schedule outside of the Majors with any certainty. One-up to Europe? I think we can give ourselves that one.
What happened to my ball flight? COMING back from a winter golf holiday in sunnier climes has many downsides – tonnes of washing, the weather, the credit card bill and so on. And here’s another negative – we instantly lose 25 yards from your drives! The warmer air, the smooth fairways and the relaxed shoulders... they all magically disappear as soon as we touch down on British soil. How very annoying!
Sales Executives Luke Kelly Neil Braddish Tom Lenton Jamie Miles Digital Marketing Executive Eve Burton Finance & Operations Director WIll Shucksmith (ACA) Accounts Emma Abbott Chairman Peter Burgess Subscription Department Telephone 0113 289 3979 12 issues (includes postage): UK £36 Europe £42 World £52 Printers and Repro Precision Colour Printing 01952 585585 Sports Publications LTD, Unit 2, Arena Park, Tarn Lane Scarcroft, Leeds LS17 9BF Telephone 01132 893 979 e-mail editorial@sportspub.co.uk ISSN 1369 4790 Published by © Sports Publications LTD Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. Readers are advised to check pricing and details of availability before making any journeys. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of Sports Publications LTD. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in any offer, competition or advertising contained within Lady Golfer.
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FEATURE
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AUGUST 16: SOLHEIM CUP, COLORADO GC
GET READY
FOR 2013 Mark Townsend looks ahead to the big weeks in the coming season
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FOR the first time since 2005 Europe will defend the trophy they have won four times. Never since the competition began in 1990 have they successfully defended the cup. Never have they won on American soil. This time Lotta Neumann will lead the Europeans, the fourth Swede to do so, and she will come up against Meg Mallon. Between them the pair have 14 appearances (Neumann has six) and five Majors (Mallon has four). And just to add a few more layers of experience to the backroom teams, and a little spice in the Americans’ case, Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch will assist their compatriot while Dottie Pepper will serve as one of Mallon’s vicecaptains. Pepper famously caused a bit of a stir while commentating on the 2007 matches when, thinking they had gone off air, she called the American team ‘choking freaking dogs’. On the course we can expect at least a few new faces, with Order of Merit winner Carlota Ciganda and runner-up Caroline Masson pressing hard for debuts while American Lexi Thompson will be just 18 when the matches roll around. Otherwise expect more of the same though it would be some achievement if Laura Davies notched up a 13th successive start. To date the English star has played in every contest. The teams will be finalised and announced at the conclusion of the Women’s British Open at St Andrews on August 4. Colorado will provide the venue and the matches have been brought forward a month meaning temperatures should be up in the 80s. The rain of Killeen Castle last time around will seem like a lifetime away.
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FEATURE
AUGUST 1: WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN, ST ANDREWS FOR the second time in this Major’s relatively short history the British Open returns to St Andrews. The last time, in 2007, Lorena Ochoa eased to victory by four shots, the first of her two Major victories. It seemed unthinkable at the time that the Mexican wouldn’t be at a second visit to the Home of Golf but, just three years
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later, the then 28-year-old announced her retirement. This year the WBO is back in its early August slot so, while the weather might not be guaranteed, there is a fairly sound chance that the gales of Royal Liverpool won’t hinder the tournament’s progress. What shouldn’t be forgotten is the incredible play of its champion, Jiyai Shin, who ran out a nine-shot winner in the damp and dark of Hoylake. If ever a four-
round masterclass deserved full grandstands and rapturous applause it was this. If ever a Major finished in such low-key fashion it was also, sadly, this. So now Shin and Yani Tseng have won four of the last five British Opens – back in 2007 Tseng was not even in the field while Shin made the cut in her first WBO start. Those playing in Final Qualifying are also in for a real treat with Kingsbarns playing host on the Monday.
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THE AMERICAN MAJORS APRIL 4: KRAFT NABISCO, MISSION HILLS SUN Young Yoo will defend her title though even now the Korean will likely be wondering how IK Kim didn’t close out her first Major. At the 72nd hole Kim lipped out from a foot, securing the shortest putt missed ever to win a Major. That meant a play-off in which Yoo thankfully put her opponent out of her misery at the first attempt. Yani Tseng came within a shot of those extra holes and a possible third Major in four starts, after that though she failed to threaten again in the big ones. Sweden’s Karin Sjodin was Europe’s surprise best hope, leading after three rounds with Tseng, before slipping to a 74.
JUNE 6: LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP, LOCUST HILL FOR the fourth year Locust Hill will host the year’s second Major having made a significant piece of history in 2012. Then Shanshan Feng became the first player from China, male or female, to win one of the game’s big four. She did it in relatively modest fashion winning by two shots, in previous visits to the New York course Tseng won by 10 and Cristie Kerr by 12. Laura Davies remains the only British player to win this Major – she has two LPGA titles to her name from the mid-1990s.
JUNE 27: US WOMEN’S OPEN, SEBONACK THE oldest of the Majors this year brings a first visit to Sebonack GC on Long Island, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak. The result is a thing of beauty, linksy in feel though with intricate greens and, if the wind blows, it will be quite a test. “You feel like you’re in the Greek Isles or something like that, it’s so pretty out there,” said Solheim Cup star Brittany Lang.
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FEATURE
SEPTEMBER 12: EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP, EVIAN-LES-BAINS THE usual pre-British Open date may have changed but the Evian will be afforded Major status for the first time this year. Unlike the men’s game, and tennis for that matter, the ladies’ game will now have five Majors with the Evian Championship (the Masters part has been dropped) bringing down the curtain.
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There have been changes to the course, with holes modified and toughened, so the chances of players finishing 17 under, as Inbee Park did last year, are limited. The size of field and eligibility criteria have not been finalised but the feel, that of a family-oriented atmosphere, will continue. And it is hoped that the course will be an organic one with fewer fertilisers and taking advantage of Evian’s natural
spring water. “This is big, and this is bold. We’re going to take what was already one of the greatest settings in the game, what was already one of the greatest atmospheres in the game, what was already one of the greatest fields in the game and we’re going to put on it one of the greatest monikers in the game,” said LPGA commissioner Mike Whan.
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY NOTABLE AMATEUR DATES IN 2013 June 11 Ladies’ British Open Amateur, Machynys Peninsula June 28 Vagliano Trophy and Junior Vagliano, Chantilly August 7 Girls’ Home Internationals St Annes Old Links
AUGUST 30: LADIES SCOTTISH OPEN, ARCHERFIELD LINKS OTHER than the British Open the only confirmed date on the schedule for golf in Britiain and Ireland is here in East Lothian. This will be the fourth year that this unique pro-am style format will take place and it takes up a welcome later slot on the calendar having last year been held in May. Expect to see a number of celebrity amateurs joining the action and Carly Booth will defend the title she won last year despite not having a full card at the time. Otherwise there are fairly slim pickings. There is a ‘potential event’ in England pencilled in for the middle of the summer, where last year we had the Ladies British Masters at The Buckinghamshire which was won by Lydia Hall. Sadly there will be no tournament again in Hall’s home country Wales – the last time that took place was in 2010. Finally there will also be no Irish Open despite the fact that Killeen Castle only held the Solheim Cup two years ago. The course just outside Dublin has been the stage for the last three years. The tournament has run since 1983 but has failed to find a regular home and sponsor. Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson has won the event on no fewer than four occasions.
August 12 Girls’ British Open Amateur Championship, Fairhaven (above) August 21 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Prestwick September 11 Home Internationals Scotscraig
September 17 Senior Ladies’ British Open Amateur, Royal Portrush (pictured above) October 1 Seniors’ Home Internationals, Llandudno
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THE STATE OF THE LPGA TOUR THE LPGA schedule features three new tournaments this year among 28 in total with $49m in total prize money. The new events are the North Texas LPGA Shootout in Texas; the Pure SilkBahamas LPGA Classic and the Reignwood Pine Valley LPGA Classic in Beijing, China. The latter kicks off the Tour’s Fall Asian swing the first week of October. Each of the new tournaments are four-day, 72-hole, strokeplay events, aired on the LPGA’s international television partner networks, including Golf Channel. Every North American tournament and 27 of the 28 tour’s stops on the schedule will be televised worldwide. Commissioner Mike Whan was understandably buoyant after a 2012 of double-digit growth, TV ratings and corporate patnerships. “The performance, approachability and growing popularity of our players is the No. 1 factor in the LPGA’s continued momentum, which has led to expanding coverage on Golf Channel, the growing slate of playing opportunities and our ever-increasing fan base. “We are excited to add the Bahamas, North Texas and Beijing as LPGA Tour stops and we expect to have one more tournament to announce in the very near future.” Interestingly, of the 28 tournaments, as many as 14 will held outside of the United States with seven held in Asia. Lady Golfer 9
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THE STARTER
GETTING TO KNOW...
TOP TWEETS
Charlotte Ellis The LET Q School graduate on a love of tennis but a mistrust of green vegetables
Watching the movie Mr&Mrs Smith: Me-”Brad & Angelina met during this movie” My brother-”R they together??” ..US gossip don’t reach Sweden.. @SophieGustafson Whoo hoo finally got my Internet up and running at home! Love it its quick :-) I can feel some Corrie and Eastenders coming on! @Kstupples Kale and spinach in my smoothie today...off to a good start this morning @themichellewie
BEST DRESSED ON TOUR It’s got to be Sharmila Nicollet with her coordinating bright colours. Myself being a close second!
Psyching myself up to go swimming in the North Sea on New Year’s Day…. @Beany25 Bahamas in May...oh go on then. Sounds like hard work!! Going to be a great new event @FlicJohnsonGolf
BEST FRIEND ON TOUR I mainly share and travel with Sahra Hassan and Hannah Burke.
FAVOURITE FOOD I tend to go for Italian, but my dad cooks the best food
FUNNIEST PERSON ON TOUR Sahra, she comes out with some brilliant/unexpected comments!
WHAT WON’T YOU EAT Most green vegetables! Salad, broccoli, that sort of thing, oh and mushrooms
WORST SHOT YOU’VE SEEN ON TOUR A drive I hit in Dubai at the end of last year. I hooked it 30 yards left behind some palm trees and finished in the wasteland Had a great round out at trump international with Mr. Trump!! @Lexi (Thompson) 1 of my new things i love to do...Shop in Manhattan. I think for my sake its a good job i leave today @CarlyBooth92 For those who think I’m liberal...I’m not. But guns aren’t liberal or conservative. They’re killing instruments. They scare me @CKGolferChic (Cristie Kerr)
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FIRST CAR Silver Vauxhall Corsa, I loved that little car FIRST JOB Waitress in my local pub
WHICH QUESTION ARE YOU ASKED THE MOST What did you shoot? IF NOT A GOLFER WHAT WOULD YOU BE I used to dream of being a tennis pro WHICH FAMOUS PERSON DO YOU MOST LOOK LIKE I’ve been told I look a little like Erin Boag off Strictly Come Dancing WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY YOU IN A FILM Probably Charlize Theron ONE CD AND A DVD FOR A DESERT ISLAND Michael Jackson or Coldplay and The Bourne Trilogy, I might learn a thing or two to get me off the island
LAST TIME YOU CRIED At Q School this year. I’m an emotional person! ONE COURSE FOR REST OF YOUR LIFE Royal County Down in Ireland ANY SUPERSTITIONS I tend to use the same pitchfork and ball marker WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO BE IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME I hope to be a multiple winner on the LET and would love to represent Europe in the Solheim Cup BEST SWING TIP YOU’VE RECEIVED Relax, let go and let the ball get in the way of the swing
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DAVIES LANDS LEADING AMERICAN AWARD
TOP FIVE
WINTER HATS
LAURA Davies has been recognised by the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) and will receive her award at Augusta on the eve of the Masters. The 49-year-old was honoured with the ASAPSports/Jim Murray Award which recognises a golfer for their cooperation, quote-ability and dealings with the media and she beat none other than Luke Donald and Greg Norman in the voting. The former LG columnist turned professional in 1985 and has never been anything other than entertaining with her honest and forthright views on the game. One amusing contribution to the debate on slow play was to paintball any player who is caught dawdling on the course. To date Davies has won a staggering 80 titles around the world including four Majors and 20 wins on the LPGA Tour and is the only player on either side to play in all 12 Solheim Cups. She needs two regular LPGA victories or one Major to make it into the Hall of Fame. Away from the course the Englishwoman was named a Member of the British Empire in 1988 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000, one of the highest honours for a British citizen. Davies will be honoured along with Players of the Year Rory McIlroy, Stacy Lewis and Roger Chapman at the annual dinner.
GOLFINO Ladies’ cable-knitted hat White Label £49.95
UNDER ARMOUR Storm Beanie £15
GALVIN GREEN Sherry £35
TAYLOR MADE FOR LET
SAMMY’S SUPER SIX SURREY teenager Samantha Fuller has set a new transatlantic record with her sixth consecutive win in the Pars Florida International Junior Championship. The 13-year-old from Roehampton has won her age group every year since 2006 with her latest triumph coming in the Under 14s, and overall girls’ prize. The English U13 girls’ winner shot 70-72-77 on the par-72 Pete Dye course and won by one shot over Denmark’s Cecile Bofill. Sammy’s younger sister, Annabell, tied second in the 9-10 group. West Lancashire’s Eloise Healey finished third in the 15-18 group and was fifth overall. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
ENGLISH duo Emily Taylor and Holly Clyburn have both secured their cards for the Ladies’ European Tour this season. Taylor only turned professional after her 19under-par effort, over five rounds in Morocco, saw her tie for second five shots behind Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand. The Hillside teenager also won her pre-
qualifying section. She will be joined on tour by Curtis Cup star and recent LET Access winner Holly Clyburn. Her Curtis Cup player team-mate Charley Hull (Woburn) finished just outside and will eligible for LET membership but with fewer chances to play. It has been reported that Hull will also now turn professional.
PING Ladies’ Beanie £14
GLENMUIR Lauristion £14.30
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THE STARTER
GREAT DEBATE: SHOULD THE OLD COURSE BE CHANGED? Is it wise to add bunkers and modify greens at St Andrews? Or is it a national treasure?
YES
If changes aren’t made, the Old Course will become as obsolete as Prestwick
The Old Course has no official beginning and by the same token it will have no end. Constantly shifting through the ages, much like the English language, its enduring appeal is largely down to an ability to move with the times. That’s why, while the Open was last at Prestwick in 1925 and will never return, the Old Course continues to be the venue the pros most look forward to visiting. It is not as though changes are without precedent at St Andrews – after all, there used to be 22 holes rather than 18 and the course was played in the opposite direction, clockwise rather than the anti-clockwise rotation we all know and love today, for centuries. In the 1920s, Harry Colt oversaw
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significant changes while countless new tees have been added, most recently on the other side of the wall on the 14th. What matters most, surely, is that it remains a relevant Open venue and that the changes are overseen and directed by those who know best and have the game’s best interests at heart. Step forward three parties: the St Andrews Links Trust, the R&A and the architect Martin Hawtree. One is a trust responsible for the public courses in the town, the second is the rule-maker for golf and the third is a man who has made sympathetic modernisations to most on the Open rota. The Old Course will be a better test for the changes and nor will it lose any of its charms or eccentricities.
NO
It is a historical monument which should forever be left as a point of reference
This isn’t just any old course – it’s the Old Course in St Andrews, the little town in Fife where golf was born in Great Britain & Ireland. And you can tell that the St Andrews Links Trust, the public body ultimately responsible for the Old Course, know they are doing something controversial; the work which is being carried out by Martin Hawtree came about on the quiet and with a minimum of consultation. That is wrong, because they are custodians of a public facility rather than the owners of a private one. This is a museum piece, and it has been shaped by nature rather than man ever since the game – or a recognisable version of it – was first played on these shores some 600 years ago.
The great architects have learned form it, and used its many features to improve their own designs. How can they continue to do that if the original with which they need to make comparisons no longer stands? True, if the wind doesn’t blow then the scores during St Andrews Opens are low. So what? As long as the best player wins then what difference does that make? The R&A, whose headquarters overlooks the 1st tee and 18th green, are always at pains to say that the winning score in the Open is irrelevant to them. Yet they have worked alongside the Links Trust in this instance and heavily-influenced changes whose only motivation is to make the course more exacting.
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SKY CAMERA IF you fancy a bird’s eye view of your house, just like Rory (see right), Universal Sky Pictures can oblige... without the sky-high costs. The company makes use of a digital camera mounted atop a 22metre mast that allows you to take high-quality images without an aircraft. The images are available in print or digitally and are the perfect way for you to show off your golf course. Visit aerial-photograph.co.uk
My pad Rory’s new £6m home
ONE-PUTT GOLF WE are delighted to partner with Rishy Golf for the April 1 launch of their One-Putt Golf Competition. It is open to casual players and club members and is an 18hole test of your putting skills. Register with your club pro for the chance to win top prizes.
WIRRAL CLASSIC The 72-hole Wirral Golf Classic will this year welcome 300 club golfers to Hoylake, the venue for the 2014 Open. The open Stableford competition takes in three other beautiful Merseyside links courses and is open to club members on a first-come, first-served basis for a very reasonable £229. Visit wirralgolfclassic.co.uk
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RORY SNAPS UP £6M MANSION IN PALM BEACH McIlroy splashes out on waterside Florida residence... and pays for it with huge Nike gear deal Rory McIlroy eased himself into the new year with a new £6m house...quickly followed by a lucrative new equipment deal, writes Joe Harrison. The PGA champion and Ryder Cup star is the latest European to relocate Stateside and joins Lee Westwood – who left his Worksop home behind late last year – in Florida. Not that the deal will leave too much of a dent in the World No. 1’s bank account: the £5.9m he spent is mere pocket money from his £8.7m season earnings and his new reported £62m sponsorship deal with Nike. McIlroy visited Nike's club development facility in Forth Worth, Texas, last
autumn to test his new equipment. "I was seriously impressed with both the craftsmanship of the engineers and how much product innovation goes on," he said McIlroy. "I've been blown away by the attention to detail." McIlroy’s six-bedroom house sits within 15,286 square feet and has ample space to dock a yacht on the adjacent Intracoastal Waterway. It also boasts an astonishing nine bathrooms. A private putting green ensures Rory will be able to tinker away at home while the several nearby country clubs will give partner Caroline Wozniacki the chance to try to find some form on the tennis court.
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THE STARTER
WISH YOU WERE THERE?
Prince’s, Kent An Open venue now boasting top-quality on-site accommodation THIS famous corner of Kent can boast no fewer than three Open Championship venues, all within a couple of miles of each other. The most celebrated is Royal St George’s, while Royal Cinque Ports also enjoys an international reputation. By far the least celebrated of the trio, in recent times at least, is Prince’s, separated from St George’s by the width of a fence. Yet it was here in 1932 that Gene Sarazen won his one and only Claret Jug, on his way to becoming the first man
to claim the Grand Slam of winning all four modern Majors. He did so having invented a club specifically to recover from the punitive Prince’s bunkers – it became known as the sand wedge. Originally laid out by Charles Hutchings, a former Amateur champion, in 1904, the course was used by the military in the Second World War. Lord Brabazon described the German attacks it withstood as akin to “throwing darts at a Rembrandt”. It fell upon an Australian, Aynsley Bridgland, to restore
the links, which is organised into three roughly equal nines – Shore, Dunes and Himalaya. You approach the club on a road that runs between Pegwell Bay and Royal St George’s (the first hole you will see is the 5th green at St George’s), and your first sight of Prince’s comes in the form of the newly restored Dormy House that offers guests firstclass on-site accommodation. The Shore and Dunes combination is considered to be Prince’s best composite 18 and stretches to well over 7,000 yards.
No hole on this 18 is anything less than worthy, with the Dunes nine perhaps the pick when taken as a whole. The highlight of the Shore nine is the 4th, over 400 yards and usually into the wind. The Himalayas begins with a tricky and disorientating dogleg. Negotiate this hole safely and there are chances to score elsewhere. Rare indeed are courses that offer 27 holes of genuine links, so make sure you visit soon, taking advantage of the new accommodation to make this an overnight trip to savour.
CONTAC
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LG pp 15 Letters 1/17/13 4:06 PM Page 15
Your Letters
The Star Letter each month wins a
Cobra S3 Max
STAR LETTER
women’s offset fairway wood
HANDICAP SYSTEM NOT UP TO SCRATCH Dear LG, WHAT a relief that Madeleine Winnett has spoken out for the club golfer who wants to work hard to improve their game. The variable standard scratch must be the most idiotic idea to have ever come from CONGU. Who voted for this system? Why spend money and time on having a course measured for an SSI, which is
rarely used? No wonder clubs are finding it hard to recruit members when every time a club golfer goes out for a competition they have no idea what the SSI will be. I have seen the damage that the variable standard scratch has done to various clubs in our area regarding knockout competitions where the lower
handicpas are not entering as they just cannot compete. I agree that there should be room for all types of golf members but the people who want to work at their game should not be penalised. It seems that CONGU want to dumb down all club competitions. Maureen Dark, Norfolk
It is available in a choice of 3 (18˚), 5 (21˚), 7 (24˚) and 9 (27˚) models with a ladies’ Fujikura Blur shaft. Right hand only. Please state your preferred loft when you submit your letter. For more information on all Cobra products visit www.cobragolf.co.uk Send your letters to: Lady Golfer, Unit 2, Arena Park, Tarn Lane, Scarcroft LS17 9BF or email: letters@sportspub.co.uk
LONG PUTTERS GOOD FOR THE AMATEUR
HAS LADIES’ FASHION GONE MAD? Dear LG, I HAVE just been reading the current magazine and was horrified at the price of a 'windproof hat' - £59.99! I mean its not even nice enough to wear to a wedding. Is it just me or has the price of ladies' golf clothing and accessories gone mad? Whilst I do not object to paying a reasonable amount for design and fabric I'm sure I am not alone, in these recesion days, in feeling that sometimes we are being ripped off. Come on ladies, let’s hear what you think about it? Liz Menzies, Buckpool GC
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Dear LG, SO the authorities are moving to ban the use of long putters in the ‘interests of the game’. Well, just what do these people truly know about grass-roots golf? The professional game – yes. The top amateur ranks – certainly. The swanky, elitist clubs – without a doubt. But the knock-around pastime of us average Joes – no way! If they did they would see that the number of belly and long-putter users is not that great, and that those using them do it just so they might not suffer too much on the greens like they have done previously. If 60 per cent of college kids are using them then probably 90 per cent of us hackers should be. And so what if more
us average Joes did start putting better with them? It would just increase our enjoyment of the game and increase the speed at which we play it – which is exactly what is on every grass-roots player’s wish list for the new season! R Holliday, via email
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LG pp 16-17 Columnist MW 1/17/13 4:07 PM Page 16
COMMENT
Mickey Walker I expect Carlota and Caroline to star in the Solheim Cup
W
E all know how fickle the game of golf can be, but it’s fun to speculate who will be the stars of 2013 as the start of the season proper is upon us. Nobody knows whose career will take an upward turn and whose will nosedive. Two players who made the headlines in 2012 and who I fully expect to make Europe’s Solheim Cup team to play America in Denver in August are the LET Rookie of the year and winner of the Order of Merit, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, and the runner-up in the Order of Merit and recent qualifier for the LPGA Tour, Germany’s Caroline Masson. There are similarities. Carlota is 22 years old and Caroline is 23, both had exceptional amateur careers, and both attended college in America, albeit Caroline only briefly. In the three years that Caroline has played on the LET, she has improved her position on the money list from 26th, to 7th in 2011, and then to 2nd in 2012. Carlota seems to have been in our minds for some time since she won the British Amateur Championship in 2007. Anyone who saw her play then realised what an exceptional talent she has. They have a great respect for each other and enjoy a friendship that has arisen out of being rivals at the very top of European golf. Having said that, their golf games are very different. Carlota is an exceptionally long hitter and arguably the more naturally talented golfer, while Caroline is steadier and likely to produce four similar rather 16 Lady Golfer
Improving Caroline’s game is on the up
than spectacular scores over 72 holes. Although we’re all subject to having hot and cold days when putting, Caroline is a consistently excellent putter. I can see them having a rivalry for many years to come and also forming the backbone of Solheim Cup teams in the future in much the same way that say Alison Nicholas and Lotta Neumann did through the 1990s. With Caroline having earned her LPGA card for next year and declaring that one of her main goals for 2013 is to make the Solheim Cup team, it will be interesting to see how she adapts to playing on both sides of the Atlantic and how she divides her time between the two tours. One of the mysteries of last year is what happened to the World No 1, Yani Tseng from Taiwan. Having claimed three victories before the end of March, it seemed business as
usual for Yani who for the previous three years had totally dominated women’s golf. While Yani still sits at the top of the world rankings, her nearest pursuers – Korea’s Na Yeon Choi, Stacy Lewis from America and Inbee Park who topped the money list on the LPGA – are now within striking distance. Yani, still only 23 years old, became the youngest-ever player, male or female, to win five Majors when she claimed her second consecutive Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship at Carnoustie in 2011. She looked set to dominate women’s golf as Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa and Annika did before her, but suddenly for reasons that even Yani couldn’t explain, she not only stopped challenging to win tournaments, but started to struggle to make cuts. I often tell my pupils that golf
is a game of fractions, but the difference between a good shot and a poor shot mentally is enormous. At the highest level, the fractions that create a mental state of confidence or negativity are even smaller. I believe that Yani is displaying all the symptoms of someone who has started to doubt her ability, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just as her confidence seems to have totally deserted her, it can very quickly come back with a few good performances. She is far too good a player and swinger of a golf club to stay in the doldrums for long, and I’m sure that her confidence and self-belief will quickly return with a few good performances. Two other Europeans who had really good seasons in 2012 are heroines from the last Solheim Cup – Suzann Pettersen and Azahara Munoz. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 16-17 Columnist MW 1/17/13 4:07 PM Page 17
Star turn Catriona is still on top of her game
CATRIONA STILL OUR NO 1 The leading British player in the world rankings is Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who had an excellent season in 2012. She won over $700,000 on the LPGA Tour finishing in 18th place on the Money List and ranked in the world’s top 15. Like a fine wine, Catriona seems to get better with age, and has managed to combine motherhood with playing on both sides of the Atlantic. Catriona will be one of the players to qualify for the Solheim Cup team via the world rankings, but if she didn’t she would be right at the top of my picks if I were the captain. She has a great Solheim Cup record, and absolutely annihilated Paula Creamer 7&5 in the last match at Killeen Castle.
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Prior to that, let’s not forget Paula was undefeated in Solheim Cup singles. There are many more players that I could mention, and I’m sure that you all have your favourites. One thing for sure is that this promises to be another exciting year for women’s golf with Europe defending the Solheim Cup in America in August, and the Evian being played in September when it becomes the women’s fifth Major. I look forward to sharing all the highs and lows with our readers and to hearing your views as the season unfolds!
Mickey Walker • Lady Golfer’s consulting editor captained Europe in the first four Solheim Cups. She regularly appears on Sky Sports as an expert summariser
Lady Golfer 17
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:09 PM Page 18
INTERVIEW
Gal
just wants to
have fun Already a winner on the LPGA Tour and part of a victorious Solheim Cup team Sandra Gal has plenty to smile about as Mark Townsend found out
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:09 PM Page 19
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:09 PM Page 20
INTERVIEW
T
HERE is a lot more to what meets the eye with Sandra Gal, and what meets the eye is particularly impressive. Gal’s handicap as an amateur was +4.4, she speaks German, English and Czech and is a dab hand with a paint brush and the violin. She also has a degree in advertising from the University of Florida which she completed while playing fulltime on the LPGA Tour having qualified at her first attempt while still an amateur. A journey that began with a set of coloured plastic clubs at the age of five and playing golf only when on family holidays has transpired into a winner on the LPGA Tour and subsequent Solheim Cup debut in Ireland last year. How much of a surprise was it for Germany to get the 2015 Solheim Cup? I knew we were a candidate, but there was not much media attention around the decision. So at the end of the day it was a very, very pleasant surprise! What do you know about the course? I haven’t actually played it, but when I was an amateur I watched a European Tour event being held there. It is one of the best courses in Germany. How big is women’s golf in Germany now? Women’s golf is growing and getting more popular every year. Another girl from my home club – Caroline Masson – just qualified for the LPGA Tour. We are on the upswing! How recognisable are you at home and in the States? I think that is for my fans to say. I just know that I always feel very welcome – whether I play in Germany or in the States. What was it like waiting for
20 Lady Golfer
High life Gal is already a winner on America’s LPGA Tour
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:09 PM Page 21
the call to be a Solheim Cup wildcard? You’ve just got to let it be and wait for the call. I was hoping Alison (Nicholas) would call me Sunday night, but I didn’t know what the news would be. Definitely I thought I had a good chance because I had been part of the couple of team meetings we had before and the uniform fitting. Who did you seek out for some advice on what to expect of the matches? Catriona Matthew and Maria Hjorth, and all the veterans, were so supportive in answering all our questions, whether they were stupid or just curious questions. It was basically explaining it is a very busy week, and you’ve got to take it all in. We also had some great support messages from some of the European male players such as Sam Torrance and Bernhard Langer. When you get a note on your locker it means a lot. Were the matches what you expected? Yes and no. Yes – It was all that I thought it would be – exciting, pressure-packed, incredible. No – I didn’t perfom as well as I expected. It was very intense. When I made my first birdie on the second hole, it felt as though I had just won a tournament. That’s what the atmosphere was like! How pleased were you with how you handled everything? I soaked in every moment but, like I said, I wasnt happy with my performance. I actually played really badly on Sunday. My team was the one that pulled it together. But definitely, you know, the energy was so awesome there and the people were so supportive. I believe I learned a lot from it and hope to put on a better show in 2013. Were you surprised that you were partnered with another
rookie in Christel Boeljon on the Saturday? No, not really. We get on well. Did you all know the pairings before the matches? Before the morning matches yes, but not before the afternoon ones. How much talk is there in America in the lead up to the Solheim? The Solheim Cup creates a lot of hype and you can feel the teams creating a closer bond leading up to the event. As cut
on the LPGA Tour? I think it is the best thing that could have happened to me. I started out on the strongest tour there is and therefore I could always measure myself against the best players in the world. Did anyone take you under their wing? Who did you turn to for advice? In the beginning I got some advice from Annika and her caddy. Later on, I met some guys from the PGA and Champions Tour, who gave High profile Gal is learning how to cope with stardom
off dates for qualifying approach, talks start to intensify. You must know all the American players well from your time competing on their circuit. Who would you least like to face in a singles? I dont care – especially in matchplay. How did you end up at Florida University from Dusseldorf? I actually went over to Bradenton for a couple of weeks to work with Jonathan Yarwood in 2003. And he knew the college coach at Florida, and she did some recruiting in Germany too. There were a few other colleges I looked at. But I wanted to go somewhere in the south where it’s warm. And I loved the school. What was it like starting out
me a few good tips as well. Did you surprise yourself when you won on the LPGA Tour? I knew I could win out there. But when I finally won – it was still a surprise. But hopefully it won’t be in the future! You were only the second German and the first since 2001 to win on the LPGA Tour after going head to head with Jiyai Shin. What was the 72nd hole, which you birdied after an 80-yard pitch to two feet, like? I was trying to hole it. I came close and pretty much just hit it where I wanted to. I never want to wish anyone to miss a putt so I was just, OK, she’s probably going to make it. All day long I didn’t watching her putts very much. I was really trying to focus on my game and not play her, but play the course. The last time I had won
Lady Golfer 21
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:10 PM Page 22
INTERVIEW
LG pp 18-23 Sandra Gal 1/17/13 4:10 PM Page 23
“I love the rhythm and flow of my swing” a tournament I think I was at college. When you watch the highlights you appear to be smiling all afternoon? The way I had played the last six months was with a lot of smiles. I think life’s too short to not enjoy what you’re doing. And I think that’s really helped me and my attitude and my game. A couple of injuries that I had in the beginning of 2010 and a few missed cuts made me realise that this is my job. And you’ve got to love what you’re doing, and I wasn’t loving it. So I just changed my attitude towards it. What was the reaction like after winning? All the people, all my friends congratulating me, having your mailbox full and your phone constantly ringing was crazy. It’s a good thing. And then wherever you go, people wanting autographs and congratulating me, and I am just very thankful for that. Did Martin Kaymer’s rise to the top of the men’s rankings act as much of an inspiration? I think so. I don’t know Martin very well but I’ve grown up with him playing junior tournaments because he’s from the same area in Germany, so kind of seeing him succeed, you know it’s possible, and I know he’s a great player. So anyone who achieves what he did is definitely an inspiration. How good is the support from the German Federation for up-and-coming youngsters? I was on the national team for I think five years, and they
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support you really, really well. We travel to so many tournaments, and in the winter when it was cold we’d travel to warm places just to get some practice in. We had great physios, and that is something that definitely helps your development as a junior golfer. You were third in the US Open last year, do you feel like you are capable of winning a Major title? I believe I am. They are very tough tournaments to win, but length and scrambling ability is certainly something that helps. I like it when the conditions are tough like a US Open setup. You have to think your way around the golf course and I like that. How much do you work on your mental game? I have seen a couple of experts for advice and they have all helped me – such as Bob Rotella and the Vision54 team. At the end of the day however, I have to take whatever applies to me and make it work. The big thing is to believe in myself. What do you and don’t you like about your swing? I love my rhythm and flow. I think there are a few positions in my swing I need to improve on to be more consistent but I have been working hard on it during the off-season. Which players’ swings did you admire growing up and nowadays? I have always been a big fan of Ernie’s swing and the rhythm of former Masters champion Freddie Couples.
What is it like to have your career being managed by your dad? I think I am very lucky. He always has my best interest at heart and since we are also really good friends, we can talk about and through everything. You have done a few fashion shoots, how comfortable are you with them? I really enjoy fashion shoots and, yes, I am comfortable with them. Are you naturally outgoing as a person? No, I am more of a quiet person, until I get to know you more. Then I can be outgoing and crazy. In an interview you said you didn’t like the ESPN body shoot? Correct. I am not happy with the picture that got
published. Unfortunately I didn’t have a say in it and I have learned my lesson to never do that again. So what would be your favourite shoot? A photo shoot in Miami beach in 2008. I loved the laid-back setting and the pictures turned out great!
LG pp 24-25 Secret Sec 1/17/13 4:20 PM Page 24
INSIDE A GOLF CLUB
D
I
oes a joining fee have any place in a tough economy? Some clubs will always be able to charge a joining fee, the size of which is proportionate to their prestige value. Sadly there are many clubs that have a false idea of their prestige value. In Sweden some clubs charge a very large family a joining fee (say £4,000) then very low annual family membership (say £400). The joining fee is repaid if the family leaves. There is always a place to charge a modest administrative fee for any club to pay for the membership setting up costs and to make sure those applying are not time wasters.
s a flexible membership, such as credits only for when you pay, the way forward? Any club that doesn’t offer flexible membership is likely to be be in financial difficulty already. Trouble is, flexible memberships need policing and most clubs aren’t set up to check what category of membership each player falls into as they step onto the 1st tee.
H
ow much free coaching do you offer? We offer at least two free group lessons every week and free lessons to any group that ask for them. How can any membership possibly stay buoyant without this? Only really by pinching members from other clubs I suspect!
W
hen did your club last have a waiting list? Clubs like ours that give golfers what they want have, and always will have, a big waiting list. I only wish some of our neighbours would take some off my hands! Endlessly resisting underhand efforts by people to jump the queue is almost as tricky as building up a waiting list.
W
hat is the strangest request you have had from a member? ‘Why was my son, (whose subscription is three months overdue), disqualified from the monthly medal? He was so upset!’
SECRET
W
hat is your most effective way of marketing new members? Word of mouth is the best marketing tool, as well as regular free lessons. You must of course have something of value to offer. Our marketing budget is almost nil. Clubs waste money on marketing a product no-one wants.
S
hould a golf club be very involved with schools? A golf club should be part of the community, schools should see their local club as a second home. We have links with 13 schools and those nearest use us as a resource. n Would you like to be our Secret Secretary for a month? Total anonymity guaranteed – simply send an email to editorial@sportspub.co.uk and we will send you some questions to answer...
24 Lady Golfer
SECRETARY Our sec’s anonymity gives her (or him) the licence to say wh at they really think
D
oes golf take too long? Properly managed, golf can be a quick sport. If there are hold ups, someone in authority needs to talk to the slow coaches. Then you get a speedy course. Having said that, nine-hole qualifiers are a great and a popular idea with us.
I
s golf, either green fee or membership, overpriced? Golf is not well priced. Very overpriced at most private members clubs where you pay for extensive staff and
clubhouse facilities you don’t necessarily want (they already have the advantage of lower VAT). Underpriced in real terms at proprietary courses where they have to give the government 20 per cent VAT yet try and compete with the private members’ club prices next door. Guess who sets this rule? MPs and Treasury officials who are members of private members! Get VAT even on all courses and you will see a healthy price war that will get prices down for the consumer.
H
ow healthy is the future of club golf? Today’s golfers are obviously driven to society and pay and play where it is so much more fun. The current CONGU system is the single most destructive element club membership has ever seen. It doesn’t serve the golfers who pay for it and only keeps unions and software manufacturers in affiliation fees for something golfers really don’t want. Golfers like a simple, do it in your head, system where you can manage your own handicap. Handicaps drawn from ‘best score above SSS’ for categories 2, 3, 4 and 5 would bring golfers flocking back. I’m afraid many clubs’ committees will still be sitting in the men’s members lounge, in collar and tie, demanding to see the bailiffs’ handicap certificate as they enter to confiscate the furniture! www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 24-25 Secret Sec 1/17/13 4:20 PM Page 25
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
Lady Golfer 25
LG pp 26-27 Columnist Mad Win 1/17/13 4:23 PM Page 26
COMMENT
Madeleine Winnett Two of my pet hates: tell-tales and driving ranges in winter
Chilly I am not a fan of winter golf at the best of times
I
DON’T necessarily consider myself to be a bad person. I haven’t mugged any old ladies recently, and as I don’t drink, I am fairly confident to assert that I don’t remember putting any cats in a wheelie bin. However, I do seem to find myself being in trouble far more than most. I suppose, if I’m honest, it is entirely my fault, because I just can’t seem to make myself follow rules that seem ridiculous to me. Actually, I have gone an entire year since I was last in trouble, which means one of three things – I am becoming better behaved (unlikely!), I am getting better at avoiding being caught (possibly), or people have given up on me as a lost cause. However, when someone recently told me that he had
26 Lady Golfer
heard I had been reported for changing my shoes in the car park, I almost had a wistful smile, as it was like the good old days all over again. At this stage I haven’t yet been officially reprimanded, so having been forewarned, I shall now keep a low profile for the next few weeks and avoid figures of authority at all costs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a rebel for the sake of being a
Your views Do you agree with Madeleine’s opinions? Perhaps you have something to add to the debate yourself? We give away a Cobra S3 Max fairway wood each month to the author of our Star Letter. Email and let us know what you think
rebel. Some rules – such as those relating to the state of the course – I regard as sacrosanct. I am all for daily floggings on the putting green for people who don’t replace their divots or repair pitch marks. I spend an inordinate amount of time replacing the divots of people who are too lazy to replace their own. I like my putting surfaces to be closer to the surface of a snooker table than a lunar landscape, so it’s a huge source of irritation to me to have to repair half a dozen pitch marks belonging to other people as well as my own. And don’t even get me started on people who don’t rake bunkers. How can somebody walk in and out of a bunker without raking it and not feel consumed by a sense of guilt so strong that it keeps them
awake all night? However, I do know of someone who witnessed a junior practising in a bunker on the course without raking it afterwards, and ran out with his camera later to take photographic evidence of his crime when he reported him! Yes, the boy was clearly in the wrong, and needed to be told, but surely a word to the boy himself, or even a phone call to his parents, would have sufficed. That is the other thing I don’t understand – the mentality of people who go around reporting other people. I recently read a quote that said: “How you speak about others speaks loudest about yourself.” And it is so true. I have never felt the need to report anyone to someone in authority. I can’t
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LG pp 26-27 Columnist Mad Win 1/17/13 4:23 PM Page 27
Carpet How hard can it be to replace a divot?
help thinking that people who spend their lives trying to get others in trouble are just classroom sneaks who have never grown up. The whole mentality just completely baffles me – as does the mentality behind trivial rules. I cannot see any justification in this day and age for not allowing shoes to be changed in car parks. It surely has to be the most outmoded, pointless rule ever. I don’t have a locker. My clubs live in my car. My shoes, waterproofs, practice balls and every other golfing accessory known to man (or woman) live in my car. I rock up, throw everything out of the boot, step into my shoes, and off I go to the tee within 30 seconds of arriving. I don’t understand what is wrong. It’s not as if I undress to my underwear and run around shouting “Eureka!” Mind you,
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now that I’ve thought of it… The other problem with having to go to the locker room to change my shoes is that I invariably can’t get in. In days of yore, you could simply walk in. Then locks were put on the doors and we moved to number codes – and I could remember those. Then, however, we went to swipe cards, and I have been in trouble ever since. I know we have to deter thieves, vagrants and people who think your shiny new set of Pings are the best way to fund their heroin habit, but my card is always in the back pocket of whichever trousers I wore the day before. One solution, of course, would be never to change my clothes, but that might justifiably lead to even more complaints! I am therefore hoping that technology moves on so that
next time I go to the vet’s I can have a microchip implant in my wrist and simply scan that instead. That would make my life considerably easier as I also can’t get into the trolley shed, clubhouse, bar, or indoor practice room – and the latter is my favourite room in the entire club. I love it in there. It’s warm, cosy, has a fantastic surface to hit off, is surrounded by mirrors and chairs to stick my iPad on in order to video every angle of my swing. It also seems to be the best-kept secret among members, so I invariably have it all to myself. Driving ranges are officially the coldest places on earth in winter – whatever David Attenborough says – so when the weather is doing its worst, I happily escape to the comfort of the indoor practice room. That is, of course, as long as I am still wearing yesterday’s trousers! I have even thought about burying my card somewhere at the club, but I know it would just find its way into my back pocket again after I had used it, and then I would simply end up with a pile of cards on the back of my bedroom chair. Sometimes, however, even I have to concede that making a complaint is justified, and feel genuinely sorry for the person making it. The Daily Telegraph once reported: ‘Commenting on a complaint from a Mr Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said: “We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It’s possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house.”
Plait’s devotion Well, you can’t say that women golfers aren’t resourceful! I was recently at a meeting of past lady captains, and one of my peers mentioned that she had admired a lady who had her hair in an immaculate French plait. The plaited lady then told her that it was the third day since it had been done, and upon being questioned how she managed to keep it so beautifully neat, revealed her secret – that she slept with her pants on her head! I have no idea if she has a husband! I have always prided myself on saying that I will try anything once, but as I’m not at my best in a morning, I do have uncomfortable visions of rushing onto the 1st tee to some rather surprised glances!
Madeleine Winnett • Lady Golfer’s equipment expert is a member at Trentham, a Staffordshire county player and never short of a forthright opinion!
Lady Golfer 27
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LG pp 29 Lead to Instruction 1/17/13 4:24 PM Page 29
YOUR GAME Hit it further and straighter I Hole more putts I Short game I Golf psychology I Course management
ALIGNMENT MADE EASY Make sure you get everything right before you start your swing
Sally Hinton is a PGA professional at Close House just outside Newcastle www.closehouse.co.uk
Here I’m going to share a key tip for lining up correctly. Try practising this at the range so you get into a set routine over the coming months out on the course. n Stand behind your ball looking toward the target. Pick a point on the ground 10 to 15cm in front of your ball in line with your target. n Address the ball and line your club up the point you picked. n Now place your feet so that the line across your toes is parallel to the club-to-target line. The line across your toes, knees, and shoulders should all be parallel to the club to target line. n Execute the shot and plan to hit more fairways and greens!
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Lady Golfer 29
LG pp 30-31 Jennings Instruction 1/17/13 4:26 PM Page 30
INSTRUCTION
Path to glory Rachel Jennings on a great drill to stop
coming over the top
M
any bad shots can be attributed to poor swing path through the ball. There are many practice drills to help with this but the one that I find most useful is putting four tees in the ground forming a square around the ball. The aim is to get the club to go through the line of the tees for as long as possible and keeping the club going down the target line for longer.
LG pp 30-31 Jennings Instruction 1/17/13 4:27 PM Page 31
A common fault that I see in most amateur players is a very steep swing that causes them to come over the top on the downswing which more often than not results in a slice. It is important to try and get
the club into a good position at the top of the backswing to give ourselves the best chace of delivering the club back to the ball on the correct path. We can see here the corect and incorrect positions.
x
If we get into a good position at the top of the swing, the temptation to come over the top on the way down and hit across the ball is very much reduced. It is much easier to get the
club into a good position halfway through the downswing as we can see in the picture opposite and deliver the club into the hitting area by turning the body through the shot.
Rachel Jennings is a third-year pro on the Ladies’ European Tour. You can follow Rachel on Twitter @racheyjgolf
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Lady Golfer 31
LG pp 32-33 Rushworth Instruction 1/17/13 4:32 PM Page 32
INSTRUCTION
Swishful THINKING How to tell if you are releasing the club properly
By Deana Rushworth: Class AA PGA professional and TPI and golf fitness instructor. Deana is based at John Cook’s School of Golf, Witney Lakes Resort in Oxfordshire. www.deanagolfpro.co.uk
LG pp 32-33 Rushworth Instruction 1/17/13 4:33 PM Page 33
RELEASING OR CASTING? An early release of the clubhead is a common problem and distance killer in the swing. Try this simple exercise to increase your clubhead speed and therefore your distance. Start by holding your club the wrong way around and hover the handle slightly above the ground. Then make some practice swings with the club trying to make a loud swishing noise after where a ball would be positioned. If there is a quieter swishing sound you may well be releasing the clubhead too early and the hips have not rotated towards the target. This is also known as casting. A narrow followthrough reduces the distance the ball will travel and the contact on the ball will be very inconsistent.
THE LOUDER THE BETTER When you hear the louder swishing noise, your swing will appear similar to the above. Your hips will have naturally cleared and unwound towards the target and the clubhead/handle will be extended away from your belt buckle because you haven’t released the clubhead too early in the downswing. Remember: the louder the swish, the better your downswing!
Menara Travel Morocco 1/17/13 5:16 PM Page 1
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28 September – 03 October 2013 Palmeraie Golf Club - MARRAKECH MAZAGAN CLASSIC 02 – 07 November 2013 Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort
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Menara Travel Ltd Fully bonded Tour Operator ATOL 6662 t: 0207 371 2030 e: info@morocco4golf.com www.morocco4golf.com
LG pp 35 Columnist KM 1/17/13 4:34 PM Page 35
COMMENT - GOLF PSYCHOLOGY
Karl Morris The great thing about golf is that no one can take your ball off you
I
T was fascinating last year to work with Super League team Huddersfield Giants on their own Mind Factor in rugby league. To be able to see at first hand the training, application and dedication to the most brutal of sports has been eye opening. Make no mistake, these players who put their body on the line week in week out, are absolute warriors. The ability to withstand crunching tackles and seriously high-intensive activity for 80 minutes leaves me struck with admiration. It was amazing how keen the players have been to embrace ideas on how they can improve their game by embracing a better mindset and the skill of focused concentration. It is fascinating to see how much time the coaches put in to analysing their opponents every week. The amount of study that goes into a gameplan is enormously detailed. Yet, clearly it would be a poor coach who didn’t spend time giving his players a clear directive on how to unlock the opposition defences and, in turn, how to negate their offensive tactics. It got me thinking how easy, in a sense, we have it at golf. Yet, very often we don’t see it that way. There is no real opposition in that nobody can tackle you, nobody can punch you, they can’t steal the ball off you or deflect it in any way. So much of the time I spend coaching golfers is about understanding this key point. The only opposition is the course and, if your attention is on anything else other than www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
In control The only person who can influence your ball is you
that and your own gameplan, then you are mentally in the wrong place. So often, people say I am playing in this event or that event but there will be a lot of good players there. So what?! Even Tiger Woods is not allowed to come up to you and take your ball away! Understanding the simple principle that your attention is either in a place which is useful or not is a powerful concept in becoming the best player you can be. Make sure you take advantage of the fact you are playing a unique game in the sense that nobody else can golf your ball. It is you and your gameplan out there and if you find yourself letting your attention move towards whoever else is playing or what anybody else is likely or not likely to score, then you are in the wrong place mentally.
Of course, if you are playing matchplay this is slightly different but even in that scenario, I would argue you will be best suited to play the course rather than the man. I suggest you really begin to look at the course – even and especially your home course. Treat yourself to a walk around and look at it through the lens of someone seeing it for the first time. As quirky as this may seem, I promise you that you will see things differently, even if you have played your home course thousands of times. The problem with our brains is that when we do something over and over again, we just go on to auto-pilot and fail to see what is really there. We have a kind of ‘attention blindness’ which comes from repetition and habit. When you walk the course, ask yourself what would be the best way to play each hole.
Even if there is only one hole which you see differently and then approach differently, it may just make the difference. As someone once said to me, there is a world of difference between looking at something and really seeing something. We all fall into the trap of just looking without really seeing in more areas than just our own golf course. It has been a great lesson for me from the world of rugby league to see how attention to detail in the right areas can have such a big impact. I have no doubt if we take this principle out on to the course, we will see the course and our own game in a somewhat different light.
Karl Morris Karl has a series of products and services for golfers of all levels. For more details visit www.golf-brain.com
Lady Golfer 35
LG pp 36 Columnist JS 1/17/13 4:35 PM Page 36
COMMENT CHI POWER GOLF: GIVING YOU THE TOOLS TO PERFORM UNDER PRESSURE
Jayne Storey Stop searching for a swing and start playing
F
RED Shoemaker, author of the fabulous book Extraordinary Golf, writes that no matter how well a golfer is playing, a couple of bad shots in a row can change their entire experience and reduce their game to one where they are constantly on the verge of being upset. This is because most golfers bring a whole bundle of emotions with them to the 1st tee, including doubt, excitement, fear, key swing thoughts, desires and a lot of hope. A big mistake many players make is that they try to swing like somebody else, to do what another golfer can do, rather than finding out what they can do well and sticking with it. From my experience helping good golfers become great golfers, I know that if you could just go out and play with the swing you’ve got, you will enjoy your game more, you will make more pars birdies and it’s highly likely you will win your game. So how can you commit to playing with the swing you’ve got now, rather than searching for a swing while in the middle of a round? Firstly, you’ll need to relax and, secondly, you need to clear your mind of extraneous thoughts. Easier said than done? Well, maybe not. Most mind game coaches will fill your head with psychological techniques to have you re-frame your thoughts so that you say things to yourself that you want to hear about your swing and general performance. Yet giving yourself more things to think about, often on top of too many swing thoughts, is the last thing you want to be 36 Lady Golfer
doing. You shouldn’t be ‘thinking about playing golf’ but rather learning how to become immersed in what you’re doing – a key component of getting ‘in the zone’. The Tai Chi approach used in chi-power golf helps you reduce your mental interference quickly and easily using some simple, timeless principles, which all start with focusing on your breathing. Bringing your attention to your breathing helps you quieten the internal dialogue, relax your muscles, reduce anxiety and swing with more freedom. Tom Watson summed it up the best as he said “When I learned how to breathe, I learned how to win” and today, many of the world’s top players and coaches advocate this simple technique to help activate the ideal performance state, particularly when the pressure is on to produce a good shot. BRINGING IT INTO YOUR GAME Arrive at the club at least 30 minutes early for your next tee time, then just sit in your car or the locker room and quietly pay attention to your breathing. This will induce your ‘relaxation response’, keep your inner voice to a minimum and ensure you arrive at the 1st tee unruffled. As you walk and play the course the one thing you’re doing constantly is breathing, so as often as you can, just ‘check-in’ with yourself and slow your breathing down a little and you’ll feel so much calmer even if you play a couple of poor shots in a row.
The basics Slow your breathing down and take stock
Use this technique also when going through your pre-shot routine, when standing at address, when walking to the ball and so on. It will calm your nervous system and reduce mental interference. Use this simple but powerful technique next time you play and I guarantee you’ll feel happier, more relaxed and more confident playing with the swing you’ve got, rather than anxiously playing 'search for a swing'.
Jayne Storey Evening workshop, Friday February 1 at Bearwood Lakes. Learn new skills and techniques to enhance your pre-shot routine, set-up, swing and putting. The event is suitable for coaches and committed players whose improvement may have plateaued and for those of you who are looking for a fresh approach. For more ring 07986 447 250 or visit www.chipowergolf.com
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GO TO MACH DUNES — GO HOME WITH A TROPHY What’s even better than playing golf at Machrihanish Dunes? Playing golf at Machrihanish Dunes and bringing home a trophy! Check out the fun and exciting competitions planned for 2013 and sign up soon – places are going fast!
April 14 – Ladies’ Champion of Champions event* April 21 – Men’s Champion of Champions event* June 15 – Golf in Scotland Tournament July 28 – Shepherd’s Cross Tournament† June 29 – Summer Open Sept 27 & 28 – Hickory Golf event‡ October 7-10 – International Pairs Competition October 12 – Autumn Open
ave A Do We H Your ith Trophy W It? Name On
To reserve your spot in any event, or make a booking for a golf break, please phone us at +44 (0)1586 810000.
www.MachDunes.com
*Open to all Scottish Club Champions plus one (1) guest †9 holes on Mach Dunes and 9 holes on Machrihanish GC ‡Hickory club rentals available
LG pp 38 Equipment Directory 18/01/2013 16:08 Page 38
EQUIPMENT DIRECTORY
NORTHCROFT TEE-UP CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE GAME YOU LOVE • Places your Ball and Tee-peg on the Tee without Bending • Retrieves your Tee-peg • The Stabilizer assists with loading the Ball and Tee-peg • The Stabilizer creates greater stability, accuracy and ease of use • Comes with Retrieval Loop • Other product combinations available. Visit our website for a full video presentation • £49.70 including VAT & delivery
For more Information or to order Visit www.northcroftgolf.com or Telephone 01488 685038 38 Lady Golfer
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 39 Lead to Equipment 1/17/13 4:37 PM Page 39
YOUR GEAR The latest club reviews I New equipment I Fashion I Style tips I Electric trolleys I Pull trolleys
ECCO BRING COLOUR AND STYLE ECCO’S new collection features looks and technologies designed to help serious and casual golfers maximize performance and elevate their style. The Golf Street Life showcases elegant leathers with patent and glitter highlights taken from the world’s fashion capitals.
The perfect complement to any modern chic outfit, it is also packed with gameenhancing technologies, including the ultra-convenient Street hybrid outsole that functions on nearly any surface. “Whether she is a traditional or fashionforward dresser, no woman will have
trouble finding her latest shoe obsession in this amazing range,” says Michael Waack, head of global golf at Ecco. The collection will be worn in competition by scores of tour stars worldwide – including LPGA sensation Belen Mozo. Ecco 2013 collection Available: Now SRPs: Classic Hybrid: £150; Golf Street: £105; Biom Hybrid: £150; Biom Golf: £175 www.ecco.com/golf
BIOM HYBRID The first and only performance hybrid shoe made specifically for women, this athletic design showcases a low-profile, superior cushioning, outstanding stability via patented ECCO traction and Natural Motion technologies.
CLASSIC HYBRID Comfort, performance and convenience in one sleek package, the Women’s Classic Hybrid is perfect for players of all ages seeking a shoe that can carry them from one activity to the next. It is available in three different leather types and upper patterns – including an eye-catching kiltie – each with a distinctly refined look and feel.
LG pp 40-41 Equipment 1/17/13 4:44 PM Page 40
EQUIPMENT
YES GOLF Sandy Putter
REVI
EWED BY MAD E WINNELTEINE T
I spotted a tweet from former British Open winner, Karen Stupples, saying that she thought this putter was “Awesome”. When pros rave about something without being paid to do so, my ears prick up, and I couldn’t wait to try it for myself to see if I agreed with Karen. And yes, I do! I may not love the head shape from a purely aesthetic point of view, but that’s the only thing I don’t love about it. The styling and feel of the grip are great, and the balance is exceptional. Just from my practice strokes before I even hit a ball I knew it was going to be good. It sits beautifully behind the ball and doesn’t move at address. It does come off the face harder than I was expecting, but the roll is great. It’s a great confidence booster for short putts in particular. Very solid! SRP: £149
IEWEEINDE REV MADEL BY
T WINNET
IEWEEINDE REV MADEL BY
T WINNET
GALVIN GREEN Skyler Snood/bandana
PING Serene Cart Bag
I know this is a multi-purpose garment, in that technically it can be used as a hat, headband, or a scarf, but I feel it stretches it once you try to wear it round your head, so mine is staying firmly round my neck, where it looks very distinguished. On cold days it is delightful as an extra neck layer, giving surprising warmth for what feels like thin material, and pulls up over your nose very handily in an icy wind. Really smart styling. SRP: £19
You will certainly turn heads with this striking purple/charcoal option, but it also comes in black/plaid for those who aren’t quite so bold! It is very light for a cart bag, and should comfortably fit into narrow lockers – despite having 14 fulllength dividers. There are nine pockets, including two fulllength, velour-lined for valuables, and I’m a big fan of external umbrella sleeves so you can push a wet brolly back into a tube without getting your hands wet trying to thread it through a small loop! SRP: £130
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www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 40-41 Equipment 1/17/13 4:44 PM Page 41
LADIES WHO LAUNCH
REVI
EWED BY MAD E WINNELTEINE T
PING Ladies’ Mittens I defy anybody to put on these mittens and not say, “Ooh, these feel nice!” I don’t think I have ever put my hands in anything that feels as soft. They are fleece lined with individual finger gloves inside the mittens, so they are beautifully warm, and the reinforced palms mean you can wheel a wet trolley around with impunity! It almost makes winter golf seem appealing, just so you can have an excuse to wear these mittens! Attractive, practical and exquisitely comfortable. Marvellous! SRP: £22.50
TAYLORMADE RBZ Hybrid With strong, fast-swinging lady golfers in mind, Madeleine reviews clubs designed for men I love this colour scheme – it just looks so smart with the black, white and green shaft, and I’m so used to the white heads now, they seem totally natural. This club seems so easy to use it almost feels like cheating! Admittedly, I tried it on a ‘good day’, when I happened to be swinging well, but every shot was effortless – straight down the middle with a slight draw. I thought 22° would perhaps fly higher, as I tend to hit a high ball, but I got good distance from the flatter trajectory. Having said that, the trajectory is still adequately high enough for the job! The attractive, neat-looking clubhead sits really well behind the ball at address. It would double up as a very adequate fairway wood, as well as a rescue. SRP: £139
ED IEW REV EINE L E D A M BY
T WINNET
BRIDGESTONE B330-RX Balls
GOLFINO Winter Gloves
For a long time, there was only really one choice of ball for good players, but that has definitely changed now. I played with this ball a lot during the last season, and I was really impressed with its performance. It’s a great combination of both long, and soft. It stops really quickly on the greens, and feels really soft for chipping and putting, but sacrifices nothing in length off the tee. It also performs well in the wind, which is a huge bonus. Impressive performance. SRP: £44.99 per dozen
These gloves are set off by special Diamante ball markers for a touch of real class. And they don’t just look good – they are very effective. The palm features a rubberised structure, guaranteeing a secure grip of the club. The performance lining ensures protection from the cold, making the gloves a perfect winter gift. Available in three sizes: S, M, L. SRP: £39.95
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
Lady Golfer 41
LG pp 42-43 Fashion 1/17/13 4:47 PM Page 42
EQUIPMENT
WINTER KNITWEAR
FASHION
Survive the chilliest conditions and bring welcome colour to the fairways
GLENBRAE Lined Performance knitwear ÂŁ119.95
LG pp 42-43 Fashion 1/17/13 4:48 PM Page 43
DAILY SPORTS
GALVIN GREEN
ONE UP GOLF
Cotton pullover £59
Cathy knitted sweater £79
Eimer sweater £58 (left) Rosalyn sweater £60 (right)
PING
TOMMY HILFIGER
PING
Mary jumper £50
Victoria cardigan £120
Carrie jumper £50
SUNICE
GLENMUIR
PETER SCOTT
Silver Shayla sweater in Barely Blue £54.99
Daisy cardigan £83
Vega jumper £125
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
Lady Golfer 43
LG pp 44-47 Course Directory 18/01/2013 16:04 Page 44
COURSE DIRECTORY
THE FULFORD (YORK) GOLF CLUB 1906 – 2012
WINTER RATES Available from £30pp Packages also available Original home of the British Ladies Open Championship; and the Benson & Hedges and Murphys Cup European Professional Events Visit our website for last minute deals and internet bookings
www.fulfordgolfclub.co.uk Contact Gary / Fiona for further information
01904 413 579 info@fulfordgolfclub.co.uk
BULWELL FOREST HUCKNALL ROAD, BULWELL, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NG6 9LQ
Come and visit Nottingham’s Oldest Golf Course
FANTASTIC OFFER TO NEW MEMBERS ONLY 2013 Full 7 Day Membership £399 Lady Members £299 Husband & Spouse £650 Junior Members under 16 yrs Free Stage payments accepted, T&Cs apply to membership offers, Golf England and County Union fees apply
18 HOLES Weekdays £15
Available until 31/3/13
SOCIETY PACKAGES Groups of 6 - 11 Save 20% Groups of 12 - 17 Save 25% Groups of 18 - 23 Save 30% Groups of 24+ Save 40%
SAVE £££!
Email us at secretary@bulwellforestgolfclub.co.uk
Call us today on 0115 976 3172 Visit our website for online bookings
www.bulwellforestgolfclub.co.uk 44 Lady Golfer
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LG pp 44-47 Course Directory 18/01/2013 16:04 Page 45
YORK GOLF CLUB York’s oldest course Established 1890
“Any trip to York should include a visit here” National Club Golfer 2010
VISITORS & SOCIETIES WELCOME MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE
Tel: 01904 499800 info@yorkgolfclub.co.uk Book online at www.yorkgolfclub.co.uk 2 Day Golf Break to include:
BOWOOD PARK HOTEL
1 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 1, Three Course Evening meal • 2 Rounds of Golf 1st Jan – 31st March: £71pp April & October: £105pp May – September: £115pp
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“I have just one word to describe Bowood Park Hotel and Golf Club and its facilities – Superb! This Cornish cracker is a must visit!” John E. Morgan – Former PGA and European Tour Star
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RESIDENTIAL GOLF BREAKS 2013 2012
3 Day Golf Break to include: 2 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 2, Three Course Evening Meals • 3 Rounds of Golf 1st Jan – 31st March: £105pp April & October: £164pp May – September: £175pp
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Available midweek or weekends
4 Day Golf Break to include: 3 Nights Bed & Breakfast • 3, Three Course Evening Meals • 4 Rounds of Golf 1st Jan – 31st March: £155pp April & October: £218pp May – September inclusive: £240pp Available midweek or weekends • All package tariffs above are based on 2 people sharing a twin/double room. • Single room upgrades incur a supplement of 50% of the per person package price.
Additional golf break benefits in 2013: Organiser FREE OF CHARGE for groups of 16 and above
• Superior room upgrades incur a supplement of £10 per person per night. • Buggy hire is available at £22 per round or £33 per day. Advanced booking is advisable.
BOOKING HOTLINE
01840 213017 Bowood Park Hotel & Golf Club, Lanteglos, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9RF For further information please visit us at www.bowood-park.co.uk or contact us at golf@bowood-park.co.uk or 01840 213017
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@bowoodparkgolf Lady Golfer 45
LG pp 44-47 Course Directory 18/01/2013 16:05 Page 46
COURSE DIRECTORY
Let us organise your bespoke golfing break
FRANCE BELGIUM SPAIN AND ITALY Contact Bill Anslow Phone: 01206 - 841994 • Fax: 01206 - 841995 E-Mail: bill@greyowlgolf.com Website: www.greyowlgolf.com
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You won’t be disappointed!
46 Lady Golfer
CALL TODAY 01929 472 244
MALTON & NORTON GOLF CLUB “North Yorkshire’s hidden Gem” - Peter Allis
NEW FLEXI MEMBERSHIP Available now for as little as £300
For more details please contact Nick or Emily on
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LG pp 44-47 Course Directory 18/01/2013 16:05 Page 47
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GLENEAGLES ULTRA-FIT FOR GOLF Take a golf break with a difference. Combine expert on-course tuition with treatments including Osteopathy, Personal Training, Naturopathy or Acupuncture, and improve your game - and health! 2, 4 & 7 day programmes available starting from ÂŁ570 per person for coaching and treatments. For our best accomodation rates to combine with this innovative programme, call Resort Sales on 0800 169 2984
The Gleneagles Hotel resort.sales@gleneagles.com
www.gleneagles.com
The GLENEAGLES word and the EAGLE Device are trade marks.
LG pp 49-55 Spa Breaks 1/17/13 4:49 PM Page 49
Spas FOCUS ON
Golf and spas complement each other nicely, offering relaxation, health benefits and simple pleasures. Our special section identifies Britain’s finest
LG pp 49-55 Spa Breaks 1/17/13 4:49 PM Page 50
SPA GUIDE
Love is in th
BETWEEN the good food, the panoramic views, and the transgender appeal of the sport itself, golf courses have unique appeal in terms of their romantic capabilities, and adding a spa into the equation creates another dimension in terms of quality time. In practical terms golf and spa are extremely complementary partners, both lending themselves to entertainment, health and exercise, to whatever extent you wish to pursue them, and spa of course provides the therapeutic counterpart that treats aching muscles, tired feet, and wind-battered skin. In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, 50 Lady Golfer
however, perhaps the best thing about the fusion of activities is the simple fact that both are things that can be enjoyed together, because much as we love our other halves, finding things that are of mutual interest is not always easy. Of course, the industry itself is not ignorant of this marriage made in happy, healthy heaven, and as such there is a plethora of golf and spa venues across the country to choose from. The trick, as with anything, is distinguishing not so much the good from the bad, but what exactly it is that you and your partner prioritise in a day (or two) spent between fairway and facial.
Dining in style Food is a longstanding part of the lover’s ritual – a very literal feast for the senses. That aside, it is also a vital part of a good leisure experience. If the food isn’t good, one can’t help but feel that the whole experience is somewhat undermined. On a romantic break, as the Valentine’s Day celebrations will dictate, the emphasis is very much on decadence. This of course means different things to different people, but it seems fair to bring it back to three elements – the environment, the service, and the food itself. www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 49-55 Spa Breaks 1/17/13 4:50 PM Page 51
he Spa
STOKE PARK Named after Humphry Repton, who designed the bridge and focal point of the view as you dine, Stoke Park’s restaurant, Humphry’s, has won awards for its cuisine. Described as Modern British cuisine with a twist, courtesy of chef, Chris Wheeler, the food is everything you could ask for from a five-star environment that welcomes the good and the great from the silver screen and envelopes them in the best of all things English. However, what is particularly special about dining at Stoke Park is the way it is all packaged up: the mansion is the sort www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
Bonnie Friend offers an insider’s guide for inspiration on where to go for a romantic weekend away
of place that makes you fancy yourself arriving at dinner after raiding the wardrobe department on the set of the Great Gatsby, complete with beautiful views, huge sash windows and enormous chandeliers. It is perhaps the service however that sets it apart, always immaculate, always formal, but always unerringly friendly as well.
THE GROVE Evoking a more contemporary country house vibe, The Grove in Hertfordshire still has a strong sense of history having hosted Queen Victoria’s house parties in her heyday, but The Glasshouse has
brought food preparation into the 21st century with what it describes as an ‘international theatre of cooking’ – that is to say, it’s prepared in front of you. This is definitely the least formal of the environments, and among the Spabreaks.com team has proven a favourite for breakfast, but they do also offer the Stables, and fine dining at Colette’s which has three AA Rosettes to its name. All have their own unique assets for being romantic, but a large part of it lies in the design, whether you prefer rustic and casual, or crisp white linen tablecloths and crystal wine glasses. • Read our full review on page 58
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SPA GUIDE
Enjoying treatment togetherness At the crux of a golf and spa break is, naturally, the spa treatment. Having a treatment together is something that you are either going to love or hate, it’s a very personal thing, but that makes it all the more romantic. Where dual-treatment rooms are available, you can simply have separate treatments in one another’s company. What is more romantic however, and in many cases, less intimidating, particularly for those new to spa treatments, is to do something that is actively together, and self applied – without the interference of a therapist
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CELTIC MANOR The Herbal Steam Temple at Celtic Manor – host of the 2010 Ryder Cup and also home to a fabulous spa – is a fun, effective, and gentle experience to be enjoyed together. It is essentially a mud rasul, so a large steam room that you go into together wearing your swimming costumes, where you cover yourselves in mud, and detox under a ceiling of little lights that resemble the constellations, until it starts to ‘rain’ and you wash the mud off. Of course, the real togetherness comes in the form of helping one another to apply the mud to those harder to reach places! For many, the fact that the treatment is
self-applied rather than being applied by a therapist, makes it all the more relaxing!
WHITTLEBURY HALL Not so much a treatment as an experience, an all-singing, all-dancing thermal suite is the cornerstone of the complete spa destination, and Whittlebury Hall’s is certainly extensive. Again, it isn’t something that involves a therapist (although you can have that too), but rather a journey through heat and ice in the form of a catalogue of saunas, solariums, steam rooms, aromatherapy steam rooms, heated loungers, and a hydrotherapy pool to help iron out all those aches and pains, all offset by mood lighting.
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
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Going for the golf The other inescapably important element of a golf and spa break is the golf course, so it’s a great pleasure to discover that some of the best out there have tapped into the wonders of combining it with a spa experience.
THE BELFRY As if you didn’t know, The Belfry is the place to go for good golf. A little rundown of some of its credentials: The Belfry’s Brabazon course has hosted the Ryder Cup on not one but four occasions, with golfers testifying to a particular love of the last hole. In 2012, Spabreaks.com’s sister company, Yourgolftravel.com ran a fundraising event – Seve Day – to raise money for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, and chose the famous venue as its host thanks to its historic connection with the legend himself.
FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS The home of golf, having nurtured the sport for more than 600 years, has seen Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and any other big name the game has to offer play and win there. Just outside the Auld Grey Toun itself is the Fairmont St Andrews resort. Set against the backdrop of the Fife coastline – which is both picturesque and breathtaking – it has all the requirements for those devoted to the game.
Enjoying quality time It is the buzz of everyday life, whether that’s children, parents, work, or just generally, life, that tends to get in the way of appreciating time together, and whether you are friend or foe of the Valentine’s Day tradition, it is a good opportunity to devote a small amount of time to drowning out all that external chatter, particularly if you can find the right environment.
GLENEAGLES According to Louise Westra, the naturopath in charge of iconic Scottish hotel Gleneagles’ ESPA Life programmes, there has been scientific research that shows views of nature improve your recovery rate from illness. We have a connection with nature that resonates with us on a deep level, and it is this ethos that ties the impossibly beautiful
www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
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SPA GUIDE
surroundings and golf course of the famous estate, with the spa experience. Complete with the pools, treatments, and relaxation elements of the spa, ESPA Life adds a dimension to approach any underlying stress and health concerns that may be eking into your life from stress to insomnia, and time together to find solutions to them could prove to be the most romantic break of all.
FOTA ISLAND RESORT Escaping to an island is always going to have romantic appeal, even if this one is only in Cork Harbour. The island is home to Ireland’s only wildlife park, giving an indication about what you can expect in terms of landscape and entertainment, and obviously with a large part of it also being dedicated to the resort’s golf course, the peaceful backdrop complements the spa experience perfectly so that you can really focus on that me-and-you time.
Raising a glass Wine is often at the central point of all things romantic, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is entirely dependent on the situation. Regardless, we would always prefer the wine in question was something special in its own right.
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DONNINGTON VALLEY The sister hotel to the Vineyard, Donnington Valley is owned by the Michael family who also happen to own a vineyard in California. So as you can imagine, the wine here is never going to disappoint thanks to a cellar with over 300 bins. Just to round things off properly, the food is also unerringly popular, and it helps that everything is enjoyed with a view of the golf course.
CARDEN PARK Not only can you sample the fruits of Carden Park’s own vineyard, but as the vines are on the estate itself, guests can also go on tours of the area which has been redeveloped in collaboration with Halfpenny Green Winemakers of South Staffordshire. Their Seyval Blanc grape variety produces a crisp, sparkling wine, and they are also in the process of introducing the Pinot Noir grape. So far they have produced two wines for you to choose from: Carden ‘Old Gold’, and Carden ‘Old Gold’ Brut Rose… but watch this space and next Valentine’s Day things could have really blossomed!
n Bonnie Friend is the editor of Spabreaks.com
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LG pp 49-55 Spa Breaks 1/17/13 4:50 PM Page 55
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Lady Golfer 55
LG pp 56-58 The Grove Spa 1/17/13 4:51 PM Page 56
OUR SPA EXPERIENCE
The Grove
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A visit to the Sequioa Spa at the Hertfordshire hotel is a heavenly treat, says Justine Board
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LG pp 56-58 The Grove Spa 1/17/13 4:51 PM Page 57
W
ATFORD might not be the first place that springs to mind when you think of peace, tranquility and wellness, but deviate half a mile from Junction 19 of the M25 and you’re at The Grove Hotel and its Sequoia Spa – a slice of easily accessible serenity. The hotel itself is made up of the original stately 18th-century mansion and the more recent West Wing, added in the ‘90s when the existing ruinous manor house was transformed into the luxury country house hotel on the site now. The best rooms are in the Mansion – think high-corniced ceilings, open fireplaces and roll-top baths in bay windows. The West Wing rooms are less showy but still spacious, stylish and fully specced. Bathrooms are marble-clad and glamorous. All are rooms with a view, overlooking the gardens so pristine you half expect a Tellytubby to pop up. There is also a slew of cosy, velvet-clad public lounges where you could happily retire for an afternoon with a good book and your phone on silent, but that would be to miss out on one of The Grove’s main draws. The Sequoia Spa is one of the UK’s finest (if also one of the hardest to find, along a labyrinth of corridors through the West Wing). Its pared-back style gives it a calm, zen-like vibe and you can’t help but shift down a gear. As you would expect, it has the full array of saunas, steam rooms and library-quiet relaxation rooms plus a
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Lady Golfer 57
LG pp 56-58 The Grove Spa 1/17/13 4:51 PM Page 58
OUR SPA EXPERIENCE
muscle-pounding vitality pool (which I had all to myself and felt like a millionaire) and a show-stopper of a black-tiled indoor swimming pool. Treatments use ESPA products – my deep-tissue massage wasn’t cheap at £125 but was worth it for the expertise of a therapist who could untie the Navy-grade knots in my shoulders. For those who prefer a faster pace there’s a fully equipped gym, outdoor pool and cycling trails through the estate
58 Lady Golfer
with bikes to borrow. Or you might just fancy availing yourself of the genuinely impressive golf facilities. The championship course at The Grove has no members so all-comers are made welcome and there’s a relaxed but slick set-up. The course is immaculate and mazes through 7,152 yards of Hertfordshire’s green and pleasant land. If you don’t fancy the walk, the practice facilities are excellent and tuition is on
hand for any age and ability whether you need a few pointers for your short game or a fully bespoke golfenhancement package with detailed body scan. Alternatively if even that’s too much – you’re here to relax after all – hang out in the Stables, the golf club’s own restaurant overlooking the course, and listen to returning golfers’ tales over a stonebaked pizza or rump of Cornish lamb.
Other eating options to tempt you include romantic fine dining at Colettes or the less formal but surprisingly sophisticated buffet at the Glasshouse, both of which are excellent. The Grove offers easily enough to keep you entertained for a long weekend whether you need a restorative gourmet escape or indulgent golfing break. Watford. Who knew?
About The Grove Rooms start from £295 and golf packages are available. Green fees range from £76 to £92 (£95 to £115 for non-residents). For full details of Espa treatments in the Sequioa Spa and more on the hotel, visit www.thegrove.co.uk
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LG pp 59 Display Ads 18/01/2013 09:22 Page 59
“Roxburghe’s signature hole, The Viaduct, is my favourite 14th tee in Scotland! It’s such a beautiful hole in such a glorious setting” Sam Torrance
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Lady Golfer 59
LG pp 60-61 Mauritius Comp 1/18/13 12:28 PM Page 60
PLAY AWAY
I
N the last 10 years, Tour players have become disconcertingly similar to pop stars, footballers and actors. We might see even more of them on our screens but you have to try really hard to catch glimpse of them in the flesh (and it means straining your neck and your eyes). It’s not a development in the game of golf in which many positives can be found. So to be waiting for an omlette alongside the men’s Irish Open champion at breakfast, or hitting balls alongside three stars of the Ladies’ European Tour is a bit odd. To be running on a treadmill next to one of the
60 Lady Golfer
men’s European Tour’s longest hitters is verging on the bizarre. This isn’t some weird dream – it is the reality of participating in the Standard Bank Mauritius Open. Held over the breathtaking Le Touessrok course, this is the alternative to winter golf at home. It’s true that significant effort has to be made to be lolling about on sun-kissed Le Touessrok in December – an 11-hour flight to be exact. And it’s not especially cheap, with it being a five-star resort (they all are on Mauritius). But if you break it down, it actually makes some vague financial sense, given that all your food and golf is paid for in advance.
FANCY PLAYING IN 2013’S EVENT? Get more details by visiting standardbankmauritiusopen. com. Getting to Mauritius takes 11 hours but you can fly direct with Air Mauritius (airmauritius.com). They fly from Heathrow several times a week with the night flight leaving at 4pm and arriving the next morning at 8am a very efficient way of covering the 9,000 miles. Fares start as low as £600 if you get in early. To find out more about the hotels, visit letouessrokresort.com or longbeachmauritius.com. The former is one of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’, and the latter a chic hotel next to golden sand.
And for that price, you end up rubbing shoulders with Jamie Donaldson at the omlette counter, warm up for your round alongside Julie Greciet, Joanna Klatten and Jade Schaefer and run off the immense amount of calories you consumed at breakfast next to Victor Dubuisson. It’s a very laid-back scene at both Le Touessrok and its brand-new sister hotel Long Beach, where most of the golfers stay. And yet as soon as everyone – pro and amateur alike – steps on the 1st tee, the laughter stops and everyone gets a bit more serious. No amateur wants to embarrass themself in front of www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
LG pp 60-61 Mauritius Comp 1/18/13 12:28 PM Page 61
A Winter Comp with a difference
If the idea of temporary greens and astro turf tees doesn’t appeal to you in frosty December, there is an extremely attractive alternative, as Chris Bertram discovered
their pro and no pro wants to shoot 82 (and at Le Touessrok, that is not just a possibility). Pros and amateurs travel from all over the world to play in the event but you will also find golfers from Surrey and Grimsby, and you’ll discover they are all very happy to be away from sub-zero Britain. The organisation of the event, led by exiled Scotsman Russell Hannah, is superb. It needs to be, because there is actually a heck of a lot of golf to be played. You can start with a practice round to familiarise yourself with the layout (very wise), and then it’s two days of Pro-Am action with 20 teams taking it very seriously. The pros and amateurs then www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
split up and have their own three-round championships before it all climaxes with a gala dinner at Long Beach. Gary Wolstenholme – longtime columnist of LG’s sister publication National Club Golfer – won the main event, and thus the Standard Bank Mauritius Open title, in December. The exceptionally tight Le Touessrok course – it was designed by Bernhard Langer – is ideally suited to his metronomic accuracy and as Lady Golfer played a practice round with GB&I legend Wolstenholme it was clear he fancied his chances. He may even have won by more if he hadn’t left his Strokesaver –
complete with notes on every hole – in our buggy as we dashed to get our boat ... Le Touessrok is laid out on an island you see, and the boats back to the mainland stop running as dusk falls. Thankfully, a boat taking wedding guests to and from the island came to our rescue and returned us back to the hotel’s beach. Donaldson, who enjoyed his best-ever season on the European Tour with victory in the Irish Open, has been coming to the event for nearly a decade. “It’s absolutely fantastic here,” said the Welshman, who last year took baby son Max as well as wife Kathryn to the
Indian Ocean island. “We love it – in fact there’s barely been a year when we haven’t extended our stay because we didn’t want to go home.” It was noticeable how many French lady golfers were taking part and enjoying the friendly competition. Reflective of the laid-back holiday atmosphere, almost all of the pros played in shorts and all attended the event’s functions. That is testament to the friendliness of the event and how happy they are to be invited to play. Then again, let’s not be too effusive in our praise: sun, sea, sand, five-star hotels and a bit of friendly competition... what’s not to like? Lady Golfer 61
LG pp 62-64 Scotland Guide 18/01/2013 16:15 Page 62
PLAY AWAY
Scotland focus
There is no finer place to enjoy a golfing holiday then where the game began
CRAIGIELAW
CRAIGIELAW This magnificent championship course lies on the south east coast of Scotland, just 30 minutes from Edinburgh. The Donald Steel design is characterised by tricky greens and cavernous bunkers and has enjoyed a burgeoning reputation since it opened in 2001. It played host to the 2006 Scottish Amateur Stroke Play and qualifying for the 2007 British Seniors Open at Muirfield. The adjacent Lodge Hotel offers 25 luxury rooms for an extended stay. Nearest town: Edinburgh
ROYAL MUSSELBURGH Home of the Old Club Cup, a competition that dates back to 1774, Royal Musselburgh is the fifth-oldest club in the world.
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James Braid designed the parkland course back in 1926, creating a layout that gets more challenging as it goes along. The jewel in the crown is the par-3 14th “gully hole” which sees a 30-foot ravine block a miniscule green surrounded by bunkers. Nearest town: Edinburgh
IRVINE This James Braid design is one of Scotland's hidden gems. Established in 1887, the championship course at Irvine offers a traditional links challenge that shows off the natural assets of the region. Accurate shot-making is a must to succeed on these fast, slippery greens, which are often flanked by bunkers. The peaks of Arran offer stunning views, while the
adjacent gulf stream provides the warmth necessary for yearround golf. The club is easily accessible from both Glasgow and Glasgow Prestwick airports. Nearest town: Kilmarnock
BOAT OF GARTEN Known as the “Gleneagles of the North”, The Boat is a mustsee course in the Scottish Highlands. The James Braid design makes for a challenging round amid beautiful surroundings, as the course's birch-lined fairways meander alongside the River Spey. The signature 6th sums up the course - not long but unforgiving. A narrow dogleg leads to a green flanked by bunkers that will make you pay for a bad tee shot. Nearest town: Aviemore
THE ROXBURGHE At 7,111 yards, this Dave Thomas design championship course is a stern test for even the most experienced players. Sergio Garcia still boasts the best score with a round of 66, and the astonishing contours of the landscape ensure that this will be tough to match for any tour pro let alone an amateur. The signature 14th hole, known as the Viaduct features an elevated tee that offers fantastic views over the River Teviot. Nearest town: Kelso
BRORA Home to the James Braid Golfing Society, this magnificent 6,110-yard championship course is a classic Highlands layout. Opened in 1923, the
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LG pp 62-64 Scotland Guide 18/01/2013 16:15 Page 63
GOLSPIE
PITREAVIE
BOAT OF GARTEN
course is crafted into 194 acres of Scottish links land and makes full use of the bentgrass, beach sand and burn water that dots the landscape. The outward nine holes hug the contours of Kintradwell Bay, while the homeward nine wind back towards the sea and the fabulous clubhouse. Nearest town: Dornoch
GOLSPIE Boasting stunning views over the Dornoch Firth, Golspie Golf Club is a true Highland gem. Thanks to the work of experienced greenkeeper Alex Macdonald, the presentation now also matches James Braid's impeccable course design. The layout passes from meadowland to links, and woodland to pasture which means you can never relax for
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a minute. Nearest town: Dornoch
NAIRN DUNBAR In some parts a traditional Highland links course, the championship layout at Nairn Dunbar also offers a range of fantastic woodland holes. The 6,765-yard, par-72 course has hosted the Northern Open and the British Seniors Championship over recent years and requires length off the tee to negotiate the stiff coastal breeze and abundant fairway bunkers. The club is renowned for its friendly welcome and is open to all visitors. Nearest town: Nairn
TAIN Situated 31 miles north of Inverness, this Old Tom Morris design offers favourable
playing conditions all-year round despite its seaside location. The course enjoys spectacular mountain views and boasts an array of fine holes. The third has been ranked as one of the top 18 Scottish links holes, while the 17th is widely acknowledged as one of the top 18 holes ever designed by Old Tom Morris. Nearest town: Dornoch
MORAY Offering two of the finest links courses in the region, Moray Golf Club is a must-visit for all those in the area. The Old Course is a classic Old Tom Morris design, complete with deep bunkers, undulating fairways and lightning-fast greens that thoroughly test your game. Renowned architect Henry
WHERE TO STAY MCMILLAN HOTELS Situated close to a range of the region's finest courses, McMillan Hotels provide the ideal base for any golf break in southern Scotland. The jewel in the crown is Cally Palace, which boasts an 18hole championship layout designed by Tom Macaulay. At any of the group's other three venues – Kirroughtree House, Fernhill Hotel and North West Castle – guests can enjoy the beautiful parkland course of Stranraer, or tackle the nearby Portpatrick and Glenluce. AIKENSHILL HOTEL This is the ideal base for a golf break to Aberdeen, located less than half a mile from the new Trump course. In 2011, it was awarded a five-star rating by Visit Scotland and this spacious and well-appointed house boasts stunning views over rolling sand dunes.
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LG pp 62-64 Scotland Guide 18/01/2013 16:15 Page 64
PLAY AWAY GOLSPIE
TAIN
KINGSBARNS
Cotton is responsible for the New Course, a shorter but equally challenging layout. The smaller greens favour precision golf and require accurate approach shots. Nearest town: Lossiemouth
PITREAVIE This offers a range of parkland and links-like holes that give you a taste of all that is good about Scottish golf. Sloping greens and adverse terrain ensure it is no pushover. A decent score can be recorded but it requires expert iron play from the fairways and precision around the greens. Nearest town: Dunfermline
new. Just a couple of miles away from St Andrews, and the Old Course that dates back some 600 years, is a links still very much in its infancy. The sea is clearly visible from the vast majority of tees, and the course combines ruggedness with manicured beauty like no other. Kingsbarns closes down over winter (there are no members) and that helps ensure it is never presented in anything other than perfect condition. A round here is a genuine experience, and one that will linger long in your memory. Nearest town: St Andrews
MELDRUM HOUSE KINGSBARNS Kingsbarns is, in golfing terms, where the old world meets the
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Exceeding 7,000 yards, the course at Meldrum House is an unforgettable experience.
In addition to the substantial yardage, the course is laden with water features, doglegs and bunkers that make precision the name of the game. The green at the long 11th is guarded by no fewer than 18 bunkers. A wide range of tee positions allow the less experienced player to also enjoy the layout. Nearest town: Aberdeen
LUFFNESS NEW Located on the sublime East Lothian coastline, this par-70 course offers all that is best about seaside golf. The springy turf and relatively flat terrain make it one of the easiest-walking links courses in the region. However, the Old Tom Morris design still
packs a punch. An abundance of sand and thick patches of rough keep you on your toes, while the se breeze can wreak havoc with slightly off-line drives. Nearest town: Gullane
ASKERNISH Situated on the remote Hebridean island of South Uist, this links is a must for anyone passionate about the game. The course was originally designed by Old Tom Morris in 1891 and has recently been restored to its original condition. No artificial chemicals are used in the maintenance process while cattle and sheep graze during the winter months. Nearest town: Stornoway
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LG pp 65 Course Directory 18/01/2013 16:10 Page 65
Two Classic Links. One Perfect Venue.
One of the driest climates in the UK. Two classic 18 hole Scottish links courses at one venue. Old Moray Championship links designed by Old Tom Morris in 1889. New Moray (over 30 years old) enhanced by Henry Cotton. Heart of the north circuit of world-class links, including Dornoch, Castle Stuart, Nairn, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay and Trump. Best value in golf. Coastal capital to the Malt Whisky Trail.
Moray Golf Club LOSSIEMOUTH – SCOTLAND
www.moraygolf.co.uk | 01343 812018
Craigielaw Golf Club AB E R L ADY | E A S T LOT H IA N | S COT L A N D | EH32 0P Y
…truly a golfer’s paradise
Opening soon our 25 bedroom golf lodge… Great play and stay packages available More details from our site www.craigielawlodge.com
Tel: 01875 870 800 Email: info@craigielawgolfclub.com www.craigielawgolfclub.com www.ladygolferonline.co.uk
Lady Golfer 65
LG pp 66 Columnist CK 1/17/13 4:58 PM Page 66
COMMENT
Claire Kane Turkey is a delight – even given all the water hazards and lost balls
O
UR ‘mud bath’ summer caused a distinct lack of any golden tan last year. Like many golfers, my games were constantly cancelled or rescheduled and I can count on one hand how many times I stepped out on the course exposing my bingo wings in a sleeveless top – well at least there’s a positive! The usual problem of being ‘golfed out’ mid-season, wondering how to keep going through all the tournaments, cups, trophies and opens signed up for earlier in the year was replaced with constantly scanning through weather forecasts trying to spot a decent weather window. So when the chance came up to fly off to the Turkish Rivera and swing my clubs in sunshine, I jumped at it. I had the privilege of playing on the very challenging PGA Sultan, days after the top professionals competed the World Golf Finals. Having avidly watched every shot televised over the four-day tournament, I was confident I had an advantage of knowing the course and its quirks. The professionals make it look so easy but what I didn’t appreciate from the comfort of my armchair was the combination of wide angle lens and clever camera angles which totally underplayed the proportion of green grass to blue water. Let’s just say water played a big part in my game as I attempted to shoot for lightning greens tucked behind water hazards that were more like ravines and canyons – mind you even Rory lost his opening ball in the water in his 66 Lady Golfer
Easy pickings The pros made it look easy – but it really isn’t
match against Tiger. Mine joined his not long after. The similarities ended there as Lee Westwood may have found inspiration on the greens by shooting a magnificent course record of 10 under par, whereas I accomplished
Lee’s legs You can rely on sunshine in Turkey
double digits on a couple of holes. While Justin Rose may have picked up a cool $1.5m, I lost a £1.50 bet! My golfing skills didn’t improve over the week so when I wasn’t fishing balls out of the water, I relaxed and took consolation in the sheer luxury of my hotel. With an all-inclusive hotel package I thoroughly enjoyed an indulgent week of wonderful food, thankfully offset by the gym to tame my expanding waistline. The spa was to die for and I spent many a detox session, replicating hot flushes by simmering nicely in the sauna. I did contemplate wandering into the Turkish bath to relax on the solid, warm Hamam table in a bid to ease all of those stressed golfing muscles but I
once visited a Turkish bath where an enormous man lay with nothing more than a strategic pile of foam between him and a good gust of wind and it’s a vision that still remains firmly etched in my memory. With after-golf drinks, predinner drinks, wine with meals and night caps of brandy (all bucket size) my next visit to Belek will definitely include a decent eye cream to aid my morning recovery and paracetamols to offset one glass of champagne too many. What fun!
Claire Kane Claire is a freelance journalist, a keen golfer and someone who doesn’t take herself, or her golf, too seriously. Follow my tales on twitter @golfsnippets
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