Today's Golfer Issue 280 preview

Today’s

WWW. TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK

WIN

MASTERS COUNTDOWN

THE BATTLE FOR AUGUSTA

◗ PETER ALLISS COURSE INSIGHT ◗ WHY WESTWOOD WILL WIN IT... ◗ WHY TIGER WOODS WON’T! TOP DEALS

GREAT UK BREAKS...

A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER

£4.20

C A L L AWAY IRONS & MIZUNO SHOES

APRIL 2011 FEB 24-MAR 23

TODAY’S GOLFER APRIL 2011 (FEBRUARY 24-MARCH 23)

Golfer BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING GOLF MAGAZINE

INSTRUCTION SPECIAL

NEVER SLICE AGAIN

WWW.TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK

FIND THE CAUSES & THEN FIX THEM

280

ALL-NEW SECTIONS

P L AY B E T T E R

F I X YOUR GRIP, SET-UP & WEIGHT TRANSFER

BUY BETTER

P US H T RO L L EY T E ST + J U N I O R C LU B S S P E C I A L

CHOOSE BETTER A L GA RV E O N A B U D G E T P LUS : C H E S H I R E D E A L S

FIRST TEE BEST ON SHOW

SPOTTED!

Four other gear stories sniffed out at huge golf show in the States

{ M D G O L F D R I V E R L AU N C H }

MORE TURN TO WHITE DRIVERS

The white revolution continues with MD Golf’s Seve Icon driver

GOLDEN GOOSE PUTTERS John Letters are relaunching the famous line with Roll It technology which helps to reduce skid at impact.

TaylorMade started the trend for white-headed drivers with their new R11 model and it’s not taken long for another manufacturer to follow suit.

MD Golf unveiled their white Seve Icon Driver at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January. TG spoke to MD Cofounder Michael Morton and he told us it was an indication of how the Irish manufacturer is looking to move with the times,

GRAEME MCDOWELL The US Open champion met his new Srixon fans as the manufacturer unveiled their new Z-Star balls.

TOUR EDGE EXOTICS CB4 WOODS These better player clubs are designed for golfers who want low launch, exceptional workability and great feel.

PAULA CREAMER Hundreds lined up to ask questions and get a picture with the gorgeous reigning Women's US Open holder.

12 IS SUE 2 80 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK

and he believes the whiteheaded driver will be a big hit.

Like the R11, the Seve Icon’s matt white finish on the crown will reflect more light into your eye and provide greater contrast with the ground so the clubhead appears bigger and in sharper vision. The contrast with the black face makes the club easier to align.

In terms of performance, the MD Seve Icon features a titanium

GRAPHIC DESIGN Contrasting more vividly against the grass than black or silver, the matt white crown gives the driver a crisper, larger look. A black face stands out too, helping with aim.

STRONG PERFORMER Under the white crown the Seve Icon sports a strong, forgiving titanium head.

head that adds weight to the perimeter of the club to maximise stability and offer greater forgiveness.

The Proforce 65 shaft is designed for oversized clubheads and has a stable tip and low torque to encourage consistent ball-striking.

At just £129.99 the white Seve Icon will offer a lower-budget alternative. ◗ Details at www.mdgolf.co.uk

LATE ST NEWS

Use your free gear at great venues like La Manga, Murcia.

NEW LOOK

WEBSITE www.todaysgolfer. co.uk gets a facelift

{

LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS

}

Scott MacCallum, editor, Greenkeeper International DYNAMIC HOMEPAGE See all the latest equipment news and reviews, instruction tips and tour news at the click of a mouse.

HOLIDAY DEALS

GROUP BREAK BONUS You can get up to £200 of free goodies when you book a golf holiday with YourGolfTravel.com

One of Europe's leading golf travel companies, YourGolfTravel.com is offering anyone making a group booking before March 31 up to £200-worth of golfing goodies.

Glenmuir polo shirts, Srixon balls, tickets to the National Golf Show, luxury shoe bags and money off your next golf holiday are among the gifts on offer to groups over eight – and the larger the group the larger the reward.

Euan Gillon, senior product and strategy manager, said: “We want to make sure as many of our customers as possible enjoy the benefits of early booking so we are offering a host of freebies as an extra incentive. It’s a

reward for our customers which will help them help themselves.

“When you factor in our fantastic group discounts at top venues across Europe, including the likes of Carnoustie and La Manga Club, there’s absolutely no reason for groups not to grab an early bargain with YourGolfTravel.com.”

This new promotion is in addition to YourGolfTravel.com’s existing free-place group offer where group organisers can stay and play for free at top venues across Europe. ◗ To get free gifts when booking your group golf trip just visit www. yourgolftravel.com or call 0800 043 6644 and quote ‘group freebie’.

SOUTH AMERICA 2%

AFRICA 6%

AUSTRALASIA 6%

ASIA 9%

◗ North America 43% ◗ Europe 26% ◗ Asia 9% ◗ Australasia 6% ◗ Africa 6% ◗ South America 2%

EUROPE 26%

North Americans still dominate the field for the opening Major of the season but the influx of European and Asian players into the top 50 in the world rankings is beginning to be echoed in the Masters line-up.

N. AMERICA 43%

MASTERS NATIONALITIES

GEAR NEWS AND REVIEWS More than 4,000 products, user reviews and all the latest equipment before you’ll see it anywhere else.

INSTRUCTION VIDEOS Nearly 600 tips with TG Elite Teaching Pros and a different featured video on homepage every day.

REVAMPED 2-FORE!-1 Interactive map helps you find your nearest courses, plus more detailed course reviews on every one.

We wouldn’t dream of carrying out dentistry on our family and friends or helping out a budget airline by offering to fly the plane to our holiday destination. That would just be silly because dentists and pilots are skilled professionals.

But in golf, alas, it’s different.

There are many occasions when the spike bar expert, urged on by the other three-quarters of his weekly fourball, gets himself elected to the Committee on the manifesto of introducing commonsense greenkeeping.

I can hear him now: “What’s the point of spending a quarterof-a-million on an irrigation system which is barely used, so it’s impossible to hold a 4-iron on the green? If we got more colour in them we’d look like Augusta.”

Or, “Just when we get the greens putting well he goes and punches holes in them!” The conflict these issues creates has cost many fine, dedicated greenkeepers their jobs.

Good clubs enjoy continuity provided by five-year course policy documents, produced by the Course Manager, in conjunction with an agronomist and club members, who bring their own particular skills to the table and let the greenkeepers get on with their jobs.

It prevents the incongruous Captain’s Bunker or the line of inappropriate and unsightly leylandii planted, ironically, to shield an unsightly car park.

A good Course Manager working in conjunction with an agronomist and Green Chairman, whose role is to be a conduit between the Green staff and the members, will know what it takes to produce a quality test of golf with firm, true surfaces, indigenous trees and grasses and a strong appreciation of the environment.

So golf club members, please leave it to the professionals.

Anything else is plain silly.

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 13

WHICH SLICER ARE YOU? A slice occurs when the clubface is open to the path of the club – the direction the clubhead is travelling as it strikes the ball.

Ball flights will vary but they will always move excessively from left-to-right and finish right of target (for a right-hander). It’s extremely important to

understand that there are many components in the set-up and/or the swing that can cause a slice.

You may have just one or a combination of two, three or even more! The causes in the flowchart below that are attributed to your particular ball flight only TEND to create this shape. There are

other fundamental faults associated with the address position: grip, clubface alignment, head position (all covered in this feature) that can cause the slice, either on their own or in combination with others.

Remember also to check your alignment as a possible slice

cause. Golfers often aim left and swing the club across the line without realising it to bring the ball back to the target, which doesn’t get to the true cause of this weak flight. Going through the process below will help you get to the root of your slice – the first step to fixing it.

BALL FLIGHT CHECK

STRAIGHT THEN CUTS A ball flight that starts straight but then curves to the right can more commonly be put down to an open clubface and limited forearm rotation. The shoulders and path of the club are generally not at fault.

LEFT-TO-RIGHT CURVE A ball flight that starts left of target and then curves excessively right of target can more commonly be put down to the shoulders being open, creating an out-to-in path, or poor hip turn through impact.

CLUBFACE FAULT

FOREARM FAULT

SHOULDER FAULT

HIP FAULT

◗ RIGHT ARM UNDERNEATH The face is open due to the right wrist sitting more underneath the handle rather than rotating the face. Turn to page 34 to deal with this problem.

◗ HOLDING THE FACE OPEN The face stays open through impact when the forearms don’t rotate. For the correct positioning and rotation of the arms, turn to page 39.

◗ SHOULDER FORWARD When the right shoulder moves out in the downswing, the clubhead usually goes with it. Delaying the right shoulder starting down fixes this. See page 30.

◗ POOR HIP TURN Limited hip turn through impact limits your ability to square the face, often leaving the face open resulting in a slice. To cure this fault, turn to page 36.

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

TRY THIS

DRILL

◗ The right hand tennis drill promotes face rotation. Read more on page 35.

28 IS SUE 2 80 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK

DRILL

DRILL

DRILL

◗ The left-over-right drill (p39) limits hip action but encourages wrist action.

◗ The one-hand resistance drill is an effective slice fix. Read more on page 32.

◗ This drill with two stickers on your left leg (page 36) will improve hip action.

Cause 1 The grip A SLICE CAN OF TEN BE TR ACED BACK TO A POOR HOLD The frustrating thing about the slice, or many other faults for that matter, is that you could get almost everything right – swing plane, club path, shoulder turn – but if the grip is wrong, the release of the club is hindered and

you’re hitting wayward shots with what feels like the perfect golf swing.

Positioning both hands on the club correctly reduces the margin for error when we strike the ball. Don’t let your grip let you down again.

FAULT

◗ LONG LEFT THUMB This hinders the ability of the wrists to hinge in the backswing and throughswing limiting the rotation of the forearms.

FAULT TWO

◗ STRONG RIGHT, WEAK LEFT A common grip among slicers, clubface rotation is limited with this combination of a strong right hand and weak left hand.

FIX

◗ ALIGN THE CREASES A neutral grip gets the creases formed by the thumb and forefinger on both hands pointing to the right shoulder.

WEAK LEFT HAND This promotes the clubface to remain open by inhibiting the ability of the wrists to rotate through impact and release the club correctly. The left thumb should run vertically just right of the centre of the handle.

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 7 7 33

20 S

MA

11 • MA

STERS 2 0

• MASTER S

11

TE

RS 2011 •

{ 12} GOLDEN BELL 155 YARDS, PAR 3 “This is an extraordinary hole. Even on the calmest of days players imagine breezes and worry about club selection. You’ve got eight yards to land it in but the number of people who go through the green is amazing. Short in the bunker is OK but short elsewhere and you’re wet.”

{ 11} WHITE DOGWOOD 457 YARDS, PAR 4 “The tee has been moved back 80 yards over the years and made it more of a dog-leg. The water on the left of the green is intimidating and many play too safe and bail out short and right. I’d play a runner down the hill with a 3-iron but players don’t do that anymore. You can hit a good drive, a safe second, chip and miss your putt and walk off with a five... very easily.”

52 IS SUE 2 80 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK

{ 13}

{ 14 }

AZALEA 510 YARDS, PAR 5 “Looking down at the green from the corner is one of the most majestic and stunning scenes in golf. If you don’t get to the corner or go into the trees you have to lay-up. When the pin is half-way up the green on the little shelf you’ve only got about 20-foot square to stop the ball. You don’t have to be a big hitter to win the Masters if you lay-up on the par 5s and make a pitch-and-putt birdie.”

CHINESE FIR 440 YARDS, PAR 4 “This is an innocuous hole – the only one without a bunker – and you could say the green is a joke, but that’s what makes it.

The fairway is also tough – its slopes often kick shots into trouble on the right. Pitch on one side of the huge humps and you could knock it stone dead, but pitch it a yard the other side and you could be 30 yards away.

This is the trickiest green on the course.”

{A L L I S S

O N

A U G U S TA

}

{ 16 } REDBUD 170 YARDS, PAR 3 “If the pin’s back left you can play a very ordinary shot but all the slopes feed towards it – look at Tiger’s chip in 2005 – so it can end up very good. I’ve seen quite a few hole-in-ones here over the years. But it can also bite if the pin’s in a tough spot.”

{ 15} FIRETHORN 530 YARDS, PAR 5 “I think this is a monstrously difficult hole if you’re trying to hit it in two. The green is pretty receptive but you haven’t got a big area to land it on and if you’re a whisker short you can end up in the water. Every player has a decision to make and you have to decide on a clear strategy of how you’re going to play this hole.”

{ 17 }

{ 18 }

NANDINA 440 YARDS, PAR 4 “Ike’s tree has grown over the years and they’ve moved the tee back so if the wind’s against and you don’t get much elevation then you could go clattering into it. Again, the green is full of undulations and the front bunker is deceptive so people get misled and come up short. Go long and you’re faced with a tricky little chip. Good management is key.”

HOLLY 465 YARDS, PAR 4 “The finishing hole sees you blast your tee shot up the hill but the bunkers on the left have been enlarged for an extra challenge.

The ridge that runs across the green can be so important. I’ve seen it so many times – you think a player is miles long, then the ball stops, you just see a little movement and the ball trickles back all the way down and ends up inside 10 feet from the Sunday pin.”

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 53

INSTRUCTION A N G L E O F A T T AC K

CUT OUT FAT CHIPS Get your short game into much better shape with a simple change of attack, says Ben Clayton ● A DIFFERENT APPROACH… Look at this address position to the right; ball back, hands forward, weight forward, everything designed to create a downward hit and avoid the dreaded duff. But many amateurs don’t realise this set-up actually makes heavy contact more likely. In this position, the clubface, hurtling towards the ground, is only in an effective striking position for a fraction of a second. Timing only has to be slightly out for a mis-hit. It’s not uncommon to sense this and throw the lower hand at the ball to hit more forwards, a flicking action that promotes poor striking and inconsistency. The solution is just four steps away. ◗ Check out more short game tips online at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/chipping

DON’T GET HEAVY The angles we set at address shape the action we make during the shot. This hands-forward, ballback set-up creates a steep, up-and-down action that relies heavily on pinpoint timing and encourages unwanted hand action through impact.

T H E FAU LT

LOFT RETAINER Your chipping will improve if you can maintain the club’s true loft throughout.

LEARN FROM LUKE

The best chippers in the world do not drive down into the ball; they brush the ball forwards with a calm and quiet-wristed action, without taking a divot. Luke Donald chips from a neutral set-up, the ball central and his upper body controlling the action by turning back and through. You can learn a lot simply by watching and copying Luke.

76 IS SUE 2 80 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK

HEAD TO TG ONLINE F O R G R E AT SW I N G VIDEO TIPS

CHIPPING

STEP ONE START OFF IN NEUTRAL

STEP TWO KEEP IT SIMPLE

● SET THE MAKER’S LOFT

● PUT YOUR BODY IN CHARGE

Try to use the club’s true loft when you chip; it sets up a shallower strike, which adds consistency and control. Start by sitting the club on the ground so its sole is flat. See how its shaft is now more vertical? The club’s designer is putting your hands in the correct position.

Hand action kills chip shots by altering both the face loft and the low point of the club’s arc. But the harder your torso works, the quieter your hands become. Your backswing thought should be to turn your chest away from the hole, the action pivoting around your shirt buttons. Allow your body to control the action.

CHECK POINT The ball, the butt of the club and your shirt buttons should form a line. Achieve this and you will find a much more neutral address position, where the ball position is central and your weight more evenly spread.

CHECK POINT The angles in your wrists should be maintained from set-up. This keeps the same loft on the clubface – and constant face loft means consistent distance. This action should feel almost wooden to you.

STEP THREE IMPACT DEJA VU ● RETURN TO ADDRESS POSITION With the hands and wrists passive, a simple chest rotation will take the club back through its address position at impact. For anyone who thinks you can only strike a chip cleanly by hitting down, this forward, shallow angle of attack is a bit of a leap of faith. But by doing this, the club is in an effective ball-striking position for much longer.

CHECK POINT Feel the sole of the club brush the ground. The shallow angle of attack means the sole of the club can now do its job of cushioning the club against the ground. You can hit behind the ball and still find a decent strike.

A NEW APPROACH

STEP FOUR ROTATION SYSTEM ● TURN TO A FINISH Torso rotation is the engine for this action; if that engine stalls you must hit with your hands and wrists – again courting inconsistency. Ensure your body rotates by finishing with the grip end pointing at your belt buckle. This onehanded drill – butt against buckle – will give you the feeling of body turn controlling the movement.

CHECK POINT The club’s sole should mimic the angle of your spine, retaining the loft from the set-up. A more upright sole means you’ve closed the face, taking loft off; a more horizontal sole means you’ve opened it, adding loft.

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 77

INSTRUCTION DR AW A N D FA DE T E ST

SHAPE UP YOUR GAME Use this shot-shaping game to transfer the good shots you hit in practice onto the course, says Rob Watts Do you want to have more fun on the driving range – and make your practice more effective at the same time?

Here is a game you can play on the range that will do just that. It’s easy to shell balls mindlessly in practice, but on the course we need to adapt to different scenarios and execute the appropriate shots successfully. Your practice must reflect this need for versatility.

To add this to your skill set, try this driving range game. You can play on your own but it’s more enjoyable in pairs. After winning this game, you’ll soon find that shaping shots and varying your trajectory to suit the course becomes second nature!

FREE PRACTICE DRILLS AT T G’S WEB SITE

HOW TO PLAY...

Imagine there is a noughts and crosses board in the sky in front of you. You can use objects in the distance as checkpoints for the dimensions of the board. The aim of the game is to get either three noughts or crosses in a line vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Every attempt you have must finish centrally and at a reasonable distance.

PERFECT PRACTICE

NEW SER IE S

TURN BORING PRACTICE INTO A FUN AND EFFECTIVE CHALLENGE

FORMING A LINE So for example, to score in the middle right square, you must hit a mid-height draw that starts right of target and finishes centrally. To score the centre square, you need to hit a straight shot and to score in the bottom left corner you must play a low fade shot that goes through the board on the left side and shapes back to the middle. Take alternate shots until you form a line.

EQUIPMENT THE TESTER Billy Spooner is 12 years old and has an exact handicap of 3.6.

He has competed six times in the World Junior Golf Championships and has never been out of the top 10 in his age group – but his crowning achievement came in 2006 when he became World Under-nine's Champion aged eight. He is a member at Boston Golf Club, Lincs.

{J U N I O R

GOLF SETS

}

START 'EM YOUNG

Well-designed, good-fitting clubs are key to ensuring a positive introduction to the game for youngsters, so we asked one of the country’s top young golfers to test eight junior sets P I C T U R E S B O B AT K I N S A N D T O M C R I T C H E L L

JUNIOR GOLF SETS

The Machspeed Jnr range has a particularly impressive driver and putter.

Wilson Staff's FG Tour junior range is based on the clubs used by Padraig Harrington.

John Letters' Swingmaster sets proved easy to hit but the putter felt a little 'dead'.

Nike SQ MACHSPEED JNR

Wilson Staff FG TOUR JUNIOR

John Letters SWINGMASTER

More info: www.nike.com

More info: www.wilsonstaff.com

More info: www.johnletters.com

The seven-piece Machspeed Jnr range features two club sizes, catering for kids between 3ft 8in and just over 5ft. The sets combine shaft weight and flex, large hitting areas and headweighting to help youngsters generate clubhead speed and control – all of which is delivered with the customary Nike energy and enthusiasm.

The oversize and light driver and 4-hybrid have soft shafts and plenty of loft for easy launch at lower swing speeds, while the wide sole and deepcavity back 7, 9-irons and sand wedge help get the ball up. A stylish carry bag with stacks of zip pockets rounds off the package.

Built for two age groups between six and 12, the FG Tour junior set is based on the adult FG Tour range used by Padraig Harrington and Ricky Barnes, and employs the same sharp looks and build quality. But, while the FG Tour is aimed at the better player, the junior version is suitably softened with forgiving faces, flexible shafts and extra loft assisting the young golfer find a satisfying flight.

The two Swingmaster sets focus on ages six-12.

The oversized and low-weighted driver sets a tone of forgiveness throughout, with big heads and large cavities allowing large effective hitting areas. The mallet putter is marked for easy alignment and has a soft-feel face insert, while a dual-strap carry bag with rainhood completes the set.

Both sets offer a specially crafted light and flexible graphite shaft throughout the driver, hybrid, three lofted irons, created to help the young golfer develop clubhead speed.

RRP: £150 Size options: Size One for height 44-52in; Size Two for 52-61in. Both sets include driver, 4-hybrid, 7-iron, 9-iron, sand wedge, putter and bag.

Left hand? Yes BILLY’S VIEW: “The driver felt good and powerful.

It was softer in the shaft than some of the others, which helped me get the ball up. I liked the irons, though the heads were a bit narrower than some of the others from heel to toe. But they had a nice wide sole that made it very hard to hit the ball heavy. The putter was definitely one of the best.”

RRP: Age 6-8 £139; Age 9-12 £149 Size options: Age 6-8 includes 15º driver, 25º hybrid, 7-iron, wedge and putter. Age 9-12 includes 15º titanium driver, 25º hybrid, 7-iron, 9-iron, wedge and milled-face putter. Both sets come with a lightweight carry bag with adjustable doubleshoulder carry strap and head covers.

Left hand? No BILLY’S VIEW: “The driver seemed to have one of the bigger heads on test and felt one of the most forgiving. Even though it looked a little less lofted than some, it still seemed to hit the ball quite high.

I hit the hybrid really well; finding height and distance was no problem. The irons felt solid and forgiving even though they had one of the narrower soles of the clubs I tested. Overall I thought this was a really nice set of clubs.”

RRP: £99 Size options: Green set for ages 6-8; Blue set for ages 9-12. Both sets include 15º driver, 25º hybrid, 7-iron, 9-iron, PW/SW, putter and bag.

Left hand? No BILLY’S VIEW: “This was one of the easiest sets to hit, with the irons in particular having nice big forgiving heads. The driver sent the ball out with a very good flight, though it didn’t feel quite as lively off the face as some. The one downside to me was the putter, which felt a bit dead off the face and some way behind the better putters on offer. But even though these were one of the cheaper sets on offer, they still did the job.”

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 107

EQUIPMENT PUSH TROLLEY TE ST

YOU GOT TO ROLL WITH IT

PUT THROUGH THEIR PACES

TROLLEYS FA C E T H E TG T E S T

Nine push trolleys are put through their paces by TG’s expert test team P I C T U R E S B O B AT K I N S A N D T O M C R I T C H E L L

Push and pull trolleys are one of the biggest growth areas in the game allowing golfers to take the load off their backs without the expense of an electric trolley.

Three testers joined TG’s equipment editor David Connor for an in-depth test to see just how high-tech trolleys have become.

THE METHODOLOGY We invited the leading manufacturers to supply one trolley each. Our panel took the trolleys onto the course for a road test while off-course testing included ease of folding and unfolding on a cold day in a golf club car park. Trolleys were rated out of five for looks, ease of folding, weight, value and size (both folded and unfolded).

110

IS SUE 2 80 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK

THE TE STE R S

THE TROLLEYS

James Ridyard PRO Being a stickler for quality and design stood James in good stead.

John Wallace 5HCP John put ease of use at the top of his priority list for a trolley.

Dave Holloway 6HCP A self-confessed gear geek.

David Connor 10HCP TG’s man was intrigued with the trolleys' technology.

We asked the biggest names in trolley manufacturing to send us one trolley each, depending on which one of their range they thought would appeal most to TG readers. We ended up with nine impressive products for testing ranging in price and design. If our panel thought these trolleys would be a metal pole with wheels they were very much mistaken!

THE R ATING S Each trolley finished with an overall rating which was an average of the marks awarded in the five categories by the TG Test Team.

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Must buy Excellent Good Average Avoid

THE VENUE We do nearly all of our equipment testing at The Belfry, and there’s a good reason for this – it has all the golf facilities you could ever need. Three superb courses provide a

great backdrop for our tests – our team spent the day playing four-time Ryder Cup course The Brabazon – while the practice and testing facilities at the PGA

National Fitting Academy are second to none.

There are some great stay and play deals – particularly before the end of March when it is still off peak.

The Belfry Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PR Tel: 01675 470301 Email: enquiries@thebelfry.com Web: www.thebelfry.com

THE TEST

PUSH/PULL TROLLEYS

CALLAWAY CHEV 18 £189.99

STOWAMATIC CONTINENTAL GREENHILL PUSH N PULL ALUMINIUM £79.99 £89.99

Tel: 0800 096 4591 Web: www.callawaygolf.com

Tel: 01527 598 388 Web: www.thesportshq.com

Tel: 0845 634 7290 Web: www.greenhillgolf.co.uk

VERDICT: Our team were amazed at how small this was when folded – because it was huge when fully assembled! The engineering and design work is superb but our team felt it was a little bit too complicated to fold and unfold and the sheer size of the trolley was a bit overbearing on the course. It also felt like one of the heaviest on test – although it was an absolute breeze to use on the course.

Ultimately if a big, robust trolley is what you're after then this is a great option.

VERDICT: The panel were impressed with the lightweight nature of the Stowamatic and what you get for your money is impressive. However, the trolley failed to impress on ease of folding and unfolding – one tester suggested that at one point he could have done with three hands to open and close it. The testers were also disappointed that it didn’t fold up a little smaller and have a catch to stop it opening when lifted. That said, it was the cheapest on test and it wasn’t outclassed.

VERDICT: If it is a simple, lightweight and no-fuss trolley you’re looking for then this will tick all the boxes. Our team felt this was the lightest on test and one of the easiest to fold and unfold. It may have lacked the frills of some of the other trolleys but it certainly got the job done with the minimum of effort. The panel felt it was a little expensive for what you got, especially compared with some of the others, and although it was extremely light it wasn’t the smallest when folded up.

Looks: 3.1 Folding: 2.5 Weight: 3.1 Value: 3.6 Size: 3.4 RATING HHHHH

Looks: 4.0 Folding: 3.1 Weight: 4.0 Value: 4.0 Size: 2.3 RATING HHHHH

Looks: 2.5 Folding: 4.3 Weight: 4.8 Value: 4.0 Size: 3.0 RATING HHHHH

CLICGEAR 3.0

MOTOCADDY S1 LITE

BIG MAX IQ

Tel: 01923 209 440 Web: www.jsint.com

Tel: 0845 058 9818 Web: www.motocaddy.co.uk

Tel: 0844 209 8886 Web: www.bigmaxgolf.co.uk

VERDICT: M3 driver James called ClicGear the M3 of the trolley world. In terms of engineering this is an origami masterclass with what was one of the biggest trolleys on test folding into one of the smallest. However, our team felt this transformation was a little on the complicated side and took too long – although they reckoned you would get the hang of it with enough practice. It also felt pretty heavy when lifting it in and out of the car but there is no doubting its pedigree.

VERDICT: The S1 Lite features the same frame as the S3 Digital which topped the board in our electric trolley test. That meant it received excellent praise for looks, weight and value for money with our team liking the lightweight yet robust frame for less than £100. One area where it didn’t score as highly was size. Our team felt that the trolleys which had been designed solely as push trolleys folded up a little easier and smaller than the S1 Lite but that was their only criticism.

VERDICT: This is a brilliant piece of kit and it was extremely close to claiming an award. It folded down to almost miniscule proportions with the minimum of fuss and scored extremely highly for looks as well. Our team all commented that it was a great all-round trolley and was actually David’s favourite on test. It was lightweight but still felt very robust and this is backed up with a superb five-year warranty should anything go wrong. There is no doubting this is an impressive product.

Looks: 4.6 Folding: 3.1 Weight: 2.9 Value: 3.5 Size: 3.8 RATING HHHHH

Looks: 4.3 Folding: 3.0 Weight: 4.3 Value: 5.0 Size: 3.0 RATING HHHHH

Looks: 4.8 Folding: 3.9 Weight: 3.8 Value: 3.9 Size: 4.5 RATING HHHHH

£199

£99.99

£179.99

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 111

COURSES { 2-F ORE ! -1 SP ORTING GR E AT S }

FAMOUS FAVOURITES Follow in the footsteps of a golfing legend by playing at the Shropshire course where a young Scotsman called Sandy made his name...

LF-PRIC

E

P

IC

L

FIHALF-

P F-

OL f gol ce Buy i r p t l f - o u.

H a e a r y e r s a. c o m n uch olf vo . 2 4 1 g w w w

R

F

A IH

G

RICE GO L

‘NO WONDER THIS VENUE WAS RECENTLY VOTED ONE OF THE TOP 20 GOLF BREAK DESTINATIONS IN ENGLAND AND WALES’

OLFIH E G A

HALF-PRICE GOLF

Sandy Lyle’s golfing career kickstarted at star 2-FORE!-1 and Shropshire venue Hawkstone Park where his father Alex was a long-time club professional.

It was a great place for an enthusiastic young golfer growing up and Lyle won Hawkstone’s August Medal when he was just 11, firing a round of 85 (nett 64)!

The Scot famously went on to become the first Brit to clinch the US Masters in 1988 three years after winning The Open at Royal St George’s. He said: “It was Hawkstone’s practice ground where I fashioned all the little skills that stood me in such great stead.”

Nowadays Hawkstone is the home of two superb, contrasting 18-hole layouts (Hawkstone & Championship), a stunning little six-hole par-3 course and an on-site hotel. It is all set within an English Heritage Grade I listed landscape with a breathtaking 18th century Follies backdrop.

The picturesque Hawkstone is a classic 90-year-old par-72 parkland while the neighbouring American-style Championship (opened in 1995) has plenty of water and sand to negotiate.

No wonder then that this venue was recently voted one of the top 20 golf break destinations in England and Wales.

S TA R Q UA L I T Y

FAMOUS FIVE From Poulter to Pietersen – five courses loved by sporting stars

◗ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Location: South of Whitchurch on A49.

Green fees: Until end of Mar: All week: £30 on Hawkstone & £20 on Championship.

2-FORE!-1: On both courses in February & Mon-Fri on Championship Course in high season.

Contact: 01948 841775 or www.principal-hayley. com/venues-and-hotels/hawkstone-park/golf Try it for yourself: One night’s dinner, B&B and two rounds of golf (Championship or Hawkstone) throughout March (Sun to Thurs only) costs £85 per person. Contact: Golfbreaks. com or 0800 279 7988.

◗ LEIGHTON BUZZARD

Ian Poulter was a young pro here.

Green fees: Mon-Fri: £45. SatSun: Members & guests.

2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri. Contact: 01525 244815.

◗ SEATON CAREW

Ian Botham is a member here.

Green fees: Mon-Fri: £39 a round & £48 a day. Sat-Sun: £45/£57. 2-FORE!-1: Mon. Contact: 01429 890660.

◗ ELSHAM

Tony Jacklin grew up here.

Green fees: From Apr 1: MonFri: £32. Sat-Sun: Members & guests. 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri. Contact: 01652 680291.

◗ THE MANOR HOUSE

Host to Justin Rose and Kevin Pietersen’s wedding receptions.

Green fees: £30 all week.

2-FORE!-1: High season.

Contact: 01249 783101.

◗ ROYAL NORTH DEVON

JH Taylor’s birthplace overlooks this historic links.

Green fees: Mon-Fri: £45. SatSun: £50.

2-FORE!-1: Mon-Wed & Sun. Contact: 01237 473817.

TRAVEL { P O RT U GA L S P E C I A L }

BORDERING ON THE BRILLIANT

The Eastern Algarve, a hop across the Spanish border, is often overlooked by golfers, but it’s full of hidden gems…

WOR D S STEV E JACKSON

LOCATION MAP The Eastern Algarve is cheaper than the rest of the Algarve, including the golf.

You’ll also get even better weather and all of the courses are within a 20-minute drive.

SPOTLIGHT ON

P

ortugal haven’t always seen eye-to-eye with their Spanish neighbours and after their joint bid to host football’s 2018 World Cup floundered, Spain will probably blame their closest foe for missing out to Russia.

But the truth is, the Portuguese have yet to match their neighbours for world sporting domination and can’t compete with the likes of legendary names like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Rafael Nadal and Fernando Alonso. You can throw golf into the equation too.

While Spain boasts household names like Seve, 2012 Ryder Cup captain Ollie and Sergio, you would be hard-pushed to name a top Portuguese pro. Jose-Filipe Lima at world ranking 437 and Richard Santos at 884 hardly spring to mind.

However, the gap is much closer in terms of golf courses and indeed some of the best Portuguese tracks are within a well-struck drive of the Spanish border on the Eastern Algarve.

And the star of the show in the East is undoubtedly the spectacular Monte Rei which is widely regarded as one of

continental Europe’s finest tracks.

The fact that this Jack Nicklausdesigned course made a serious pitch to be Portugal’s venue choice in their bid for the 2018 Ryder Cup underlines its high quality even if it did narrowly miss out to the Comporta Dunes Resort on the Alentejo coast.

Monte Rei is one of only a cluster of courses in the Eastern Algarve, so unlike other more well-known areas of the country, it doesn’t suffer from golf saturation. Like the region itself it’s relatively undiscovered – this is very much the real Portugal – and is far away from the madding crowds of Vilamoura and the like.

As a result, the courses are pretty quiet too – you shouldn’t have any problems getting a tee-time – and another plus is that, with the exception of Monte Rei, they’re generally cheaper to play than elsewhere in the Algarve.

In summary, they’re all decent tracks and offer good value-for-money which makes the Eastern Algarve a worthy destination and well worth considering for that next golfing trip...

ALGARVE

1. MONTE REI Par 72, 6,594 yards Set in the hills north east of Tavira, the best course in the Eastern Algarve would match up to most other courses – not only in Portugal but Europe.

Opened in 2007, the scenery on this Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole track can take your breath away as golfers negotiate stunning feature hole after feature hole.

With a glorious mountain backdrop, water comes into play on 11 holes, lots of large well-positioned bunkers are a constant threat, while the greens are lightning fast.

The added bonus is that this complex now provides luxury villas for golfers to stay on-site in the O Miradouro Village.

It’s not cheap by any means, but if you’re in this neck of the woods it’s well worth trying to stretch the budget. It’s a magical must-play. ◗ VITAL STATISTICS

Green fee: From €135 (£115).

Contact: 00351 281 950 960, e-mail: golf@monterei.com or visit www.monte-rei.com

S E E EU RO COURSE R EV I EWS AT TG WEBSITE

W NE

PLAY HALF PRICE GOLF NEAR YOU TODAY! Text Golf to 80777

to get your 2-Fore!-1 Mobile voucher* 2-Fore!-1 Mobile entitles two golfers to play for the price of one at any one of over 1,000 great UK & Ireland Golf courses. Book your 2-Fore!-1 teetime at your chosen course then simply text GOLF to 80777 to receive your 2-Fore!-1 mobile voucher.

2-Fore!-1 Mobile costs £5 per voucher – saving you 50% on your green fees when 2 of you play!

To find out where you can play half price golf today

visit www.241golf.com

*Each text message will cost £5 for a text voucher sent back to the phone with no further costs. You will get an instant response to your text message. The voucher will only be dated and valid for the day you text so you will need to have booked your teetime and informed the club that you are using a 2-FORE!-1 voucher before you order your text vouchers. You need to still declare that you will be using the voucher when you book your tee time as normal and you will need to show the golf pro at the club shop your voucher code. This offer is open until 31st March 2011 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Paper vouchers can still be obtained by calling or visiting the website. Calls from a BT Landline will cost no more than 4p a minute.

Charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Order lines are open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri) 9am-4pm (Sat). Calls may be monitored for training purposes. 2 vouchers can be purchased at for £6.50, the more vouchers you buy the cheaper they are. More offers are available at www.241golf.com. Post and package is an additional £2.50

TRAVEL

COMPETITION

WIN

ITALY

IDYLLIC GOLF BREAK IN SOUTHERN ITALY

Four nights at Masseria Cimino and two rounds at San Domenico GC...

From the opening hole of southern Italy’s classy San Domenico Golf Course you can glimpse a dramatic red tower in the distance standing out against the blue sky above and the Adriatic Sea surrounding it.

At the 9th hole you’ll be right alongside the 18th century Masseria Cimino which is San Domenico’s golfers’ guest house… and where the lucky winner of this competition (and partner) will be based for four nights.

The Masseria has 15 rooms, including some in the ancient tower and others in the old farmhouse next to an archaeological site which has recently been unearthed and formed part of the slaves’ dwellings in the ancient city of Egnathia.

The Masseria is the sister hotel of the nearby Borgo Egnazia resort, nestled amidst ancient olive groves and boasting superb facilities, including three outdoor pools, one

heated indoor pool, tennis courts, four restaurants, two bars and a beach club – all of which the winner can take advantage of.

The golf is top drawer too: San Domenico is a challenging 18-hole layout providing a links-like experience with superb views of the Adriatic from virtually every hole.

Designed by European Golf Design, the par-72 course annually stages the European Challenge Tour Grand Final and has USGAspec tees and greens.

THE PRIZE ◗ Four nights’ half-board accommodation at Masseria Cimino for two people plus two green fees each at San Domenico GC. The prize is subject to availability during April, May, September and October (Easter and Bank Holidays excluded). Flights are not included but you can fly London Stansted to

Brindisi (around 30 minutes drive from Masseria Cimino) with Ryanair from £35.98 return, plus an extra £40 (each way) if you’re taking your own clubs with you.

For more information on the resort and golf course visit www.borgoegnazia.com and www.sandomenicogolf.com

H OW T O E N T E R Simply answer this easy question: How many rooms does the Masseria have?

A. 16 B. 15 C. 17 Answer at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/ competitions or fill in the coupon below and send it in to the address shown. Deadline for entries is March 23, 2011. Usual Terms & Conditions apply.

{ PRI

WO Z E } OV RT H £2 , ER 00 0

ENTER AT W W W.TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK/COMPETITIONS Post this coupon to: Masseria Cimino Competition, Today’s Golfer, PO BOX 57, Coates, Peterborough, PE7 2FF TERMS AND CONDITIONS: This competition is open to UK Title ____________________ Initial ____________________ Surname __________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________________________

✁

__________________________________________________________________________Answer_________ Telephone No* _____________________________ Email address**_______________________________________

residents only. Please allow up to 28 days after the competition closes for a winner to be confirmed. *Bauer Media (publishers of Today’s Golfer) may also like to contact you by post or phone.

Please tick this box if you do not wish to be contacted by us or by carefully selected partners . **If you supply your email address we will communicate with you from time to time, but never pass these details on to other organisations. You can opt out of these emails at any time. Closing date is March 23, 2011.

TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 80 147