Today's Golfer Issue 316

THE FIX-IT ISSUE

104 tips to improve your game

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FIRST TEE THE THINGS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MONTH

These sensational aerial shots show just how difficult it was for Tiger to nail his drive down the length of the suspension bridge in Istanbul...

Edited by The TG Team

DRIVING CONTINENTS

Tiger hits a ball from Europe to Asia... and causes a traffic jam in Istanbul!

PI CTU R E S DAVID CANNO N , G E T T Y IMAG ES

Tiger Woods may have been a touch wayward off the tee in the last few years, but he had no problem hitting a ball from Europe to Asia... across a bridge.

The American became the first man to hit a ball from one continent to another by threading the shot across the 5,118-foot Bosphorous Bridge ahead of the Turkish Open.

Woods – who was paid a reported £1.75m appearance fee to play in Turkey – said: “To be the first golfer to do this was very cool. The scary part was that I’d been travelling for 12 hours, hopped off the plane and had to hit driver down the narrowest fairway you've ever seen.

“The wind was coming off the left a little bit and all these cars were driving on the right. There

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could have been an international incident right there.”

“He brings with him much more than golf,” said Ahmet Ali Aoaoolu, president of the Turkish Golf Federation. “We know he costs money but we believe it is well spent because he does all the offcourse stuff with the same class.”

Half of the six-lane bridge was closed for 30 minutes for the shot, causing one irate motorist to jump out of his car and shout at the assembled media. About 180,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.

Agent Chubby Chandler said: “Last year, while the world knew Tiger was playing in Turkey, the Turkish weren’t that aware, as golf is not that big here. But they certainly know he’s here this year.”

YOUR GAME FUNDAMENTALS

FIND THE POWER SEQUENCE

DRILL 3: VISUALISE THROWING

Throwing a ball is a great image to use as the sequence of your body movements mirrors what you need in a golf swing. A dynamic throw creates effortless power, exactly what you need to hit the ball a long way.

Build an efficient swing by moving your club and body in the right order The golf swing is an athletic motion that demands a winding and unwinding of the body connected to the swinging of the club in a circular motion. If that motion is to deliver the club to the ball on a neutral path and with maximum speed, you must get your body and club to work in the proper sequence.

As we will discover, the correct sequence of movement for both the backswing and the downswing begins from the ground up. If you follow the six steps detailed here, and train them with these three tips, you can develop a pattern of movement that will give your action not just accuracy, but more power too.

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DRILL 1: SWING ONE-HANDED

Hit short iron shots with your right hand only.

With this weaker swing, the brain instinctively recruits the large leg muscles to create power – and boost sequencing.

SCOTT CRANFIELD is a PGA Master Professional and founder of the Cranfield Golf Academy.

Get a FREE chapter from Scott’s new book at www.scott cranfield.com

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DRILL 2: HEAR THE SWISH

Make a full swing without a ball. If you hear the swish around the impact zone, your sequencing is probably good; if it happens earlier, there’s room for improvement.

NEXT MONTH

WIDTH AND SWING PLANE

SIX STEPS TO A MORE POWERFUL SWING

Understanding what your body should do at these key points will help you move in the right sequence 1. START

Begin in your normal address position. Take your regular posture, but with a club held across your chest.

Gently push off with your left foot.

This will trigger the rest of your body to begin its backswing rotation. The feeling of moving the ground away from under your left foot is a great focus as a natural way to start the rotation in your knees and hips. Feel your upper body start to turn away from the target.

2. HALFWAY BACK

At this stage you should still feel the left foot engaged, pushing the ground away.

Your right hip and knee will be starting to open, with the shoulders continuing their turn. If you have kept your left foot engaged you will begin to create a diagonal line through your left ankle, knee and hip. If the left foot stops contributing, the line will appear broken.

3. TOP OF THE SWING

4. THE TRANSITION

5. IMPACT

6. FINISH

The diagonal line from your left ankle through to your left hip should still be intact. Your hips should have fully turned so the belt buckle points at a 45° angle away from the ball and the right shoulder is directly behind the left from face on.

Even though your weight will have shifted to the right side you should almost feel your left side wants to pull your body back to start it unwinding.

If your sequence is good, the last thing to arrive at impact will be your hands, arms and club. A good sequence means your lead leg will be braced to support the strong unwinding from the rest of your body.

Your right foot continues to push the ground away to help the body unwind. The left knee straightens as the left hip keeps turning; the right shoulder drops below the opening left.

This pulling back sensation from the left side should happen just as your right foot uses the ground to push away. This mirror of the backswing start triggers your lower half to lead the way, quickly followed by your hips and then your upper body.

The left knee and hip open back to square as the right foot pushes away; the shoulders are closer to their set-up position than they were halfway back.

One of the greatest benefits of good sequencing is your balance will improve. So as you complete your swing your left or lead leg will be stable, as your right side unwinds around it.

The left foot is stable and bearing most of the weight; your right foot is up on its toe for support. The hips and shoulders have fully opened so the belt buckle and sternum point past your target – the hallmark of a full and free unwinding.

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INSTRUCTION IRON PLAY

GIVE YOUR IRONS MORE PUNCH Do this when you’re faced with an iron shot into a breeze

BALL SLIGHTLY BACK

STAY CONNECTED

You want to change as little as possible to produce a lower flight so just move the ball back about half-an-inch in your stance compared to your normal iron set-up.

It encourages the feeling of launching the ball lower.

A good connection between the arm swing and body rotation keeps the motion compact and forms an ‘L shape’ between the left arm and club. Imagine keeping shirt material trapped under your arm pits.

USE LESS LOFT

COMPLETE TURN

The key ingredient for hitting a simple punch shot is to change the club. Create the more penetrative flight you want by taking up to three clubs more depending on the flight you want.

This is a full swing and the shoulder turn is totally complete at the top. The energy this position builds in the swing is integral to delivering a powerful impact that creates a strong flight.

For more of Rob Watts’ full swing drills, see his videos on www.todaysgolfer.co.uk

Being able to hit a lower ball flight with your irons greatly enhances your options and therefore your ability to score well.

The punch shot is the perfect way to cope with strong winds as the lower, more penetrating flight will be less affected. In addition, if the pin is at the back of the green the reduced spin will help you release the ball towards the hole. It’s also a fantastic recovery shot when you have to keep a ball low under branches.

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ROB WATTS is a European Tour and Regional England coach based at Castle Royal, Berks.

There are a few ways we can knock the ball down – some are more risky and difficult than others. The pros tend to favour moving the ball back in the stance at address. This can be tricky to get right because the ball is hit earlier in the circle of the swing, when the club is still travelling slightly to the right of target. As the ball will start right of the target, players either use their hands to square the face or control the right-to-left flight air – but this takes skill and co-ordination.

A more consistent way to produce a lower flight is to only move the ball fractionally back in the stance and use a less lofted club with a smoother swing and slightly slower clubhead speed. The harder you hit the ball, the more spin you generate and the higher the ball will go; it is far more productive to go up as many as three clubs and swing easier. As the saying goes, “when it’s breezy, swing it easy”...

COVER THE BALL

CUT OFF FINISH

The right shoulder and right hip have maintained their height to create the feeling of being ‘on top’ of the ball, so you can apply maximum downward pressure to the ball at impact – hence the term ‘punch’.

The follow-through has an abbreviated look because the energy of the swing has come from the hips and produced a punchy, downward strike. The torso and left leg form a straight vertical line.

SQUARE CLUBFACE

CONSISTENT ANGLES

The neutral swing path, square clubface and intended loft of the club is being controlled by the body releasing through impact, which delivers all the energy created and stored in the backswing.

The important posture angles from set-up have been maintained throughout the swing, allowing us to produce the appropriate angle of attack, a neutral swing path and have stayed fully balanced.

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RORY McILROY

‘I’m 24. I’ve got a lot of time in this game.

I’m sort of looking forward to getting through to December and drawing a line under the season and starting fresh in 2014’ WORDS GRAEME HAMLETT PICTURES GETTY IMAGES

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year ago, Rory McIlroy was on top of the world. He was No.1 in the rankings. He’d just won his second Major. He topped the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic and was about to reveal a mega-money switch to Nike, negotiated by his new management team. It was an exciting new era for the hottest player in the game.

Fast forward 12 months. He hasn’t won all year.

His best Major finish was T8 as defending champion at the US PGA Championship. He’s gone through an acrimonious split with his management company (with a court battle which started in October), finished 41st on the PGA Tour money list and only just got into the final event in the Race to Dubai. It’s not exactly what the boy wonder had anticipated. Everyone seems to have an opinion on why he’s not kicked on from his stellar 2012, but only one opinion matters – and that’s from Rory himself...

contention too much. It’s frustrating, but I’m trying to stay as patient as I can.

QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

You talked at Muirfield about seeing a sports psychologist. Where are you on that?

Are you getting tired of people asking you what’s wrong?

How do you stay patient?

n Favourite course in the US? Augusta National. n Favourite course outside of the US? St Andrews. n Do you have any tattoos? No. n When did you break par for 18 holes for the first time? I was 11 or 12, at Holywood. n What’s the best shot of your career? 10th hole at the US Open on Sunday at Congressional. (He put a 6-iron to six inches on the 218-yard par 3) n What’s the one mulligan you would like to have?

Tee shot on the 10th at Augusta in 2011. n Do you have any golf superstitions? I used to use coins for ball markers.

One of my parents gave me one, but apart from that, no. n Best non-golf sporting event? Wimbledon. n How often do you go home? I went home for a day in May for the first time in a year. n Craziest thing you’ve ever done? Walking around The Sydney tower; we were harnessed onto the rail so you don’t fall off. Jumping off would have been a cool story!

Yeah. I don’t think there’s anything wrong. I’ve played pretty well at times this year. I have had seven top 10s. I guess I’m a victim of my own success at times. But I know how well I can play and you guys know how well I can play and I want to get back to that level.

What were your goals for 2013?

Not even people around me know what those goals were; I’d rather keep them to myself.

How do you assess your game now?

I felt really good after the PGA. I feel like when I’ve actually got myself into contention, had a little bit of pressure, that’s when I’ve played my best, so that’s a good sign. The bad sign is that I’m not in

I don’t think it’s anything to do with that. It’s nothing mental. It’s about taking advantage of your scoring opportunities – and when you don’t hit a great shot, at least hit it in a spot where you can have a chance to get it up‑and‑down.

What would you say to someone who suggested you are not working as hard as you need to?

I’m working harder. Everything came easy last year, so I’m working harder, hitting more balls, spending more time on the range because I’m searching for it – and that’s what’s frustrating. But the fact that I’m working hard and I’m not really getting much out of it, if I can keep patient and keep working hard, I’m sure it’ll turn around.

I’m 24. I’ve got a lot of time in this game. I’m sort of looking forward to getting through to December and drawing a line under the season and start fresh in 2014.

You’ve called your golf brain dead and thoughtless. Have you been perplexed as to what has gone wrong with your overall game?

I got into a couple bad habits with my swing, and it’s just taken me a little bit longer to get out of them. Obviously when you’re fighting that so much, it’s hard to play the golf that I want to play, which is fluid, free‑flowing. That’s the way I play my best. Every time you play and you don’t play well, it chips away at your confidence, and it’s just about building that back up. But I’m sitting here as confident as I have been all year. ➔

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Loft can be decreased by a degree or increased by up to 2 degrees to help optimise the launch angle. The lie angle can also be adjusted between Neutral and Draw.

The new Hyper Speed face on the X2 Hot fairway wood has shown in testing to create 1.4mph faster ball speeds than the X Hot.

The X2 Hot Pro version comes with the Aldila Tour Green shaft as standard, the number one shaft on the PGA Tour in 2013.

Callaway X2 Hot woods n £189-£279 n www.callawaygolf.com Callaway claims to have made its new X2 Hot driver nine yards longer than the X Hot. The new model features its fastest, thinnest and lightest all-titanium driver face ever produced. The sweetspot has been made 10 per cent larger for more consistent distances on varying strike patterns while a slimmer head improves the aerodynamics.

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An adjustable hosel means you can increase or decrease loft (+2° and -1°) and change the lie angle.

X2 Hot is all about distance, but Pro versions are available in every category. The Pro driver has a 440c head for more workability, lower launch and less spin. It comes in an 8.5° head and can be tweaked from 7.5°-10.5°.

Complementing the drivers are X2 Hot and X2 Hot Pro woods, which have a faster face and improved internal weighting to make them seven yards longer, on average, than X Hot woods. n Details: Driver £279 (9°, 10.5° and 13.5°); Fairway wood £189 (15°, 17°, 19°, 21°, 23°, 25°; Pro version 13.5°, 15°, 17° and 19°).

THE FIX-IT ISSUE

Callaway X2 Hot irons Callaway say its X2 Hot irons offers more than its predecessor in all areas – forgiveness, ball speed and distance.

A large undercut channel increases the rebound off the face for more ball speed and distance, making both the standard and Pro versions 3-5 yards longer than X Hot. Maximum perimeter weighting makes them easier to hit, with a higher launch, more distance and extra stopping power.

A “stabilising arch” on the back of the face is said to increase stability and feel while improving sound. Callaway has also lowered the sweetspot, helping those who make contact low on the face.

The slightly smaller X2 Hot Pro has a greater progression in offset and centre of gravity height, emphasising forgiveness in the long irons and control in the short ones. n Details: £549 steel, £699 graphite.

The new X2 Hot irons are longer and more forgiving than the X Hot thanks to Callway’s undercut channel.

HOW THE X HOT GOT EVEN HOTTER We quiz Callaway’s Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President of R&D, on the new X2 Hot range The X Hot driver was long – how did you make the X2 Hot longer?

“We looked at data from our performance centres and found golfers with a handicap more than 10 only hit the centre of the face 35 per cent of the time. So we put data on their hit locations in to our computer modelling, which enabled us to refine the thickness pattern of the face even further. We call it Hyper Speed.”

How has the larger face affected the rest of the driver design?

“To accommodate the larger face we had to change the shape of the body.

The X2 Hot has a more contemporary shape, we lost the ribbon area around the back of the head which has lowered the centre of gravity.”

What are the benefits of the new adjustability system?

“The hosel now has eight settings, four for loft over a four-degree range. For each loft setting, two lie settings are available – neutral and draw. This means you can optimise trajectory and shift the landing area left or right by about nine yards.”

A thinner, hotter face makes the X2 Hot Pro irons 3-5 yards longer than the X Hot, but with enhanced feel off the face.

Callaway X2 Hot hybrid The sweetspot in the new X2 Hot is 13 times larger than the old X Hot and shots travel almost 11 yards further according to Callaway’s robot testing. How? It uses a forged face cup for the first time, while an “Internal Standing Wave” (wave-like pieces of metal) means a portion of the club’s weight could be moved low and forwards to increase consistency across the face. n Details: £169. Standard version 19°, 22°, 25° and 28°. Pro version 16°, 18°, 20°, 23°.

Apex Pro iron Callaway has launched a betterplayer Pro version of its Apex irons, for golfers who want the workability and control of a blade, with more forgiveness.

Forged from carbon steel for enhanced feel, they have 7g tungsten weights in the sole of the 3 to 5-irons to aid a higher launch. The new KBS Tour-V steel shaft (mid-launch, low torque) is based on feedback from Phil Mickelson.

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‘I KNOW THE EUROPEAN TOUR IS TOO FAR AWAY. AM I THAT GOOD YET? NO’

MY LIFE IN GOLF

A whole new ball game WORDS KEVIN BROWN PICTURES HOWARD BOYL AN

Premier League football star Jimmy Bullard has swapped studs for spikes – and turned pro

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ith another 290-yard drive thumped down the middle of the manicured fairway at The Wisley, Jimmy Bullard turns around, pumps his fist and shouts: “I just love this game!”

The 35-year-old no longer performs among football’s millionaire elite in front of packed houses at Old Trafford and Anfield. Instead, he gets his kicks trying to make his name in golf.

The former Premier League star turned pro earlier in the year after a persistent knee injury wrecked his first career. But he is under no illusions about the tough task ahead and admits he will have to work as hard as he has ever done if he is to make a go of his second sporting life.

“It’s so hard when you play football for a long time and all of a sudden you’ve got no direction,” he says.

“You’ve got no team, no manager, no chairman. You haven’t got a buzz in your life like you once had.

“It’s cut short so sharp, it’s strange, a weird feeling and can be quite depressing – not depressing, that’s the wrong word... down at times. But this is brilliant. My main reason for being here is to get a bit of direction. Since I finished in football I’ve had no sport in my life, no football. I’ve always been geared towards something for the weekend, always had competition. I’ve always loved my golf so I thought, ‘why not give it a crack?’

That’s what’s giving me a buzz now. I want to hear

SWAPPING SPORTS These legends made it work… n John Surtees The Englishman is the only person to win world titles on two and four wheels. n Ian Botham ‘Beefy’ made 11 appearances for Scunthorpe United before focusing on his cricket. n Mildred ‘Babe’ Zaharias American athlete with outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field, including 17 straight amateur golf titles. n Michael Jordan The basketball legend turned to Major League baseball before returning to the hoops. n Alex Zanardi The Indy Car driver lost his legs in a 2001 crash – and then won Paralympic hand-cycling gold at London 2012. n Rebecca Romero Became world champion and an Olympic medallist in both rowing and track cycling.

people turn round and say ‘he can play. He’s tried his arm at another sport and delivered’.”

Of course, former footballers attempting to make their way in the world of golf is nothing new – former West Ham and England full-back Julian Dicks is among those who went down this route (and failed).

The chirpy Bullard knows this better than anyone, but is determined – and confident he will succeed whether others have failed. That, in fact, is what is driving him on. “I want to be known as a golfer as opposed to a former footballer,” he stresses. “I just want a bit of recognition and to prove to myself I can play golf as a professional and win some money at the same time.”

Though he doesn’t fall short in the confidence department, Bullard is taking it slowly. “Yes, I’ve got the belief, but I’m a realist as well. You can get carried away. I’ve always said that without belief I’d never have achieved what I did in football. You can have all the skill in the world – and I’m not saying I did – but if you haven’t got the belief, you’ll only be half the player you could be.

“God knows how far I can take it,” he reflects. “But I plan to give it a really good crack next year – I want to qualify and play in as many EuroPro tournaments as I can. I know the main European Tour is too far away.

Am I that good yet? No. “But I’d love to one day be competing at the top end of the EuroPro which would put me in touching distance of the Challenge Tour. One step at a time,” he insists.

Bullard is deadly serious about his golf – he’s a daily figure at the

Can Bullard putt for dough now he is a pro?

There is no doubting his ability to drive the ball long and straight.

exclusive Surrey club (“it’s my office these days”) – and on the verge of taking tuition for the first time.

“I’ve never had a lesson, but the time has come to change that. I’ve had a good look around to see who is available and the best coach for me.

I’ve a few in mind and will narrow them down in readiness for next year.”

For a brief while the jokes and laughter stop as the former Wigan, Fulham and Hull midfielder points out: “Whatever I go in for I give 100 per cent. I’m not just there to make up the numbers. Call me silly or whatever, but I actually believe I could win a EuroPro event.”

Clearly it’s a different ball game in more ways than one. “I’ve had a reality TODAYSGOLFER .CO.UK IS SUE 316

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COURSES AROUND THE COUNTIES

The famous 10th hole on the Church course at St Enodoc is an awesome challenge.

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THE GOLFER’S GUIDE TO...

Cornwall

Rugged links and scenic parklands which winter well make this one of England’s finest areas for a visit

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ornwall – famed for its surfing and pasties – may be a relatively small county, but it’s a world-class golf destination. It attracts around six million visitors every year and 12 per cent of those are golfers. But it shouldn’t be a surprise considering the quality (GB&I Top 100 courses in St Enodoc and St Mellion) and quantity (33 coastal and inland layouts) on offer.

Another benefit, especially at this time of the year, is that most courses are in great shape all-year round. So where should you play? We asked a distinguished panel of four experienced local golfers to be your guide.

If money was no object, which courses would you play in Cornwall?

Nick: St Enodoc is probably No.1 not just in Cornwall, but in the south west – reflected in its rankings (14th in England and 35th in Golf World magazine’s latest Top 100s). It’s closely followed by Trevose, a different kind of links, but lovely to play amid beautiful scenery.

Dave: St Enodoc and Trevose stand up really well against other top links in the country.

TG says: Links: St Enodoc. Inland: St Mellion. No arguments.

We gather Cornwall is a great place to play in the winter?

Robert: That’s right. At least six or seven courses are playable all-year round without temporary tees or greens. In fact the conditions are so good that most club team matches are played in winter!

Nick: I don’t think there’s a course on the coast in Cornwall which is closed for more than a couple of days throughout the winter. Compared to the rest of the country we’re very lucky.

Another plus is you’ll be playing the full course and that most clubs do winter special offers to attract more golfers.

Dave: We don’t get severe weather, which is a big benefit – St Mellion’s business is 12 months a year now and we had electric trolleys on for all 12 months last year! For about £40 you can play St Enodoc and have a meal.

I think Trevose do something similar.

Which individual holes stand out?

Dave: St Enodoc’s par-4 6th featuring the famous sky-high Himalaya bunker.

Chris: Too many to mention, but my personal choices would include Mullion’s downhill par-4 6th, Perranporth’s uphill twisting par-5 2nd, St Mellion’s par-4 3rd, Trevose’s ➔

YOUR EXPERTS

ROBERT DAVIES

Age: 29 Hcp: Scratch Job: St Enodoc's Head of reception.

Golfing claim to fame: Reigning club champion.

NICK WILLIAMS

Age: 56 Hcp: Scratch Job: 32 years St Enodoc head pro.

Golfing claim to fame: Played with Tom Watson.

DAVE MOON

Age: 45 Hcp: Scratch Job: Golf operations manager, St Mellion.

Golfing claim to fame: Helping run the Tour events.

CHRIS POUNTNEY

The 13th green on the scenic links of West Cornwall.

Age: 54 Hcp: 7 Job: Cornwall Golf Union sec.

Golfing claim to fame: 91 holes in a day at St Mellion.

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