Today's Golfer Issue 292 Preview

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MARCH 2012 ISSUE 292 JAN 26-FEB 22

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cover instruction

Playing WEll from WEt fairWays When hitting from a wet fairway the margin for error is very small so the quality of strike is absolutely vital. In the summer when the ground is dry you can get away with catching the

ball a fraction heavy as the club glides along the hard ground rather than digging down into it. But on terrain like this, a slightly heavy contact will end in disaster. The key

is to do everything you can in your set-up and swing to ensure you strike the ball first before the turf.

It’s also preferable to strike the ball a fraction thin than heavy, which is

we ight forward At address, set slightly more weight towards the target as this will steepen the angle of approach. The gap between the cane here should be visible at set-up but not at impact.

turn centred Feel that your turn is more centred in the backswing, helping you 'cover' the ball and strike it before the turf. Avoid any kind of upper body sway away from the target.

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also reflected in how we take our set-up to the ball. Slightly gripping down the club promotes a thinner contact while moving the ball back will help you hit it before the ground.

a striking drill During the swing a good focus point should be your end position. You should try and ensure you make a full weight shift into the follow through with all the weight ending on

extra tips

the front leg and the torso very much over the left foot, knee and hip.

This drill using a cane or club on the ground encourages weight shift and a ball-first contact.

transfer drill As a drill, place a cane or club inside your left foot facing forwards. Your goal is to strike the ball and then ensure your body is ahead of the cane or club in the finish position.

gain an advan tage

How to stay dry in the rain When playing golf in the rain, keeping everything as dry as possible is crucial if you're to maintain control of the club during your swing. So when your umbrella is employed, hang a spare towel underneath it. This will always stay dry and you can use it to dry your hands. It's also a good place to dry any gloves that have become wet during play, especially if you don't have many spares.

Whole new ball game In the amateur game, there is no requirement under the Rules of Golf for a player to use the same type of ball throughout a round. The ball must simply comply with the rules.

So if you're faced with a long par 5 and need some extra distance to carry a certain hazard, you could switch to a harder ball on the tee. Of course, you must then complete that hole with that same ball.

avoid this move The swing fault you must avoid at all costs is the upper body backing away from the target because the weight has failed to transfer towards the target. The sternum indicates the low point of the swing arc so if it's behind the ball, the chances are you'll catch the ball fat.

Does this look familiar?

After you play an iron shot from the fairway, take note of where your ball was and where your divot is. Ideally, your divot would start just after the ball as this picture highlights. This shows you that your angle of attack and low point in the swing is perfect for conquering wet fairways. If the divot starts on or before the ball, you need to work on covering the ball better and transferring your weight.

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£20

T H E

TG

T W E N T Y

DWIGHT YORKE

He may have scored goals for fun, won the treble with Manchester United and dated Jordan; but could the ace striker bag the prized TG £20? w o r d s K E V I N B R O W N P I C T U R E s H O WA R D B O Y L A N

T

he so-called ‘Smiling Assassin’ definitely isn’t living up to his nickname. The famous, beaming, ear-to-ear Dwight Yorke smile is nowhere to be seen. In fact worryingly it’s replaced with a somewhat anguished grimace.

It’s an arctic-like morning at The Belfry, and though Yorke loves golf with a passion – nearly as much as he used to enjoy banging in goals at soccer stadiums all over the world – he clearly hates the cold. Given he was born in Trinidad and Tobago, some 40 years ago, it’s no great surprise.

“I’m not into winter golf at all. I hate it,” Yorke concedes, rubbing his hands together and struggling to keep the biting West Midlands wind at bay.

“It’s no fun at all.”

Since hanging up his boots on a highly illustrious career a couple of years ago, Yorke has been playing golf almost non-stop. Amazingly, he has managed to whittle his handicap down to three in that time. Clearly, despite the conditions, he is taking no chances; this morning Yorke has already had a lesson with long-time coach, senior Belfry teaching professional Derek Simpson, and hit a stack of balls.

Yet by the time we take to the Brabazon’s 1st tee – our match will

take place over the front nine – our challenger appears to be thawing out as the talk turns to the Beautiful Game. Yet TG’s question about the pressures facing modern-day footballers and managers meets with a somewhat frosty response.

“I don’t like the word pressure,” he insists. “I prefer expectation. Too many people use the word pressure. Pressure is when you can’t provide for your family and pay your bills. You don’t get pressure playing football and get paid millions no matter what the outcome of a game. So where the hell is the pressure there then? Get a life!”

Managers, particularly those in the Premier League, are arguably under more pressure – sorry expectation – but Yorke, brought up on the backstreets of Trinidad & Tobago, has little sympathy for them too. “Look at Brucey (Steve Bruce, axed by Sunderland earlier this season). Sure, he’s gone but it’s not the end of the world. He’s not short of a few quid and I’m sure he’ll pop up at another club some time.

“They (managers) know the consequences, there’s no secret about it. It’s a results business and whether you’re a manager or a player it’s not the worst thing in the world. In fact it’s one of the best things that can happen in your life.” >> Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 92

Golfer Today’s

AWARDS

2011 Thousands of you have cast votes over the last few months.

Here are the results...

WO R D S JO N GR E AT H E A D

HERO OF THE YEAR

DARREN CLARKE

Along with the Claret Jug, the Open champion won a place in your hearts The Monday of the Open Championship saw a gaggle of journalists attend a swish TaylorMade do at Royal Cinque Ports, just up the road from Sandwich, with a whole host of TaylorMade’s top players, including Mr Clarke. To say the Northern Irishman looked relaxed would be an understatement as he tucked into his food and drink and watched the action unfold, seemingly without a care in the world – six days later, he’s the Champion Golfer of 2011 after winning the Claret Jug. We love him and you obviously love him too – he pulled over 50 per cent of the vote to be your hero of the year.

Luke Donald 3 Rory McIlroy S E E T H O U S A N D S O F EQ U I P M E N T R E V I E W S A N D V I D EO S AT W W W.T O DAY S G O L F E R .C O.U K

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BEST WATERPROOF BRAND AND BEST APPAREL BRAND OF THE YEAR

GALVIN GREEN swedish brand proves it’s worth the price It’s the equivalent of a league and cup double for Galvin Green as they claimed top spot in both of these categories, and the victories do suggest that you are more interested in quality these days, even at a price. You could argue that the clothing and the waterproofs are just too expensive, but we think they represent good value for money – because they last for ages, offer unbeatable performance in a wide range of conditions and, thanks to some new and improved styling, look sensational on golfers no matter their shape or size. The voting also showed that Under Armour is gaining recognition.

BEST WATERPROOF BRAND OF THE YEAR 2 ProQuip 3 Sunderland BEST APPAREL OF THE YEAR 2 Nike 3 Under Armour

BEST WEDGE TITLEIST VOKEY SPIN MILLED

SHOE IN FootJoy won more than 45 per cent of your votes to take the Best Shoe Brand crown.

Bob Vokey is a legend when it comes to wedge design, and his Spin Milled stunners were good enough in your eyes to see off the challenge of Mizuno’s fabulous T-11 and the widely-used PING Tour-S. One of the brilliant things about the Vokey Spin Milled wedges is that the great man designed them with input from the world’s best players and if it’s good enough for them, we think there’s a good chance they’ll work for your game.

2 Mizuno T-11 3 PING Tour-S

BEST SHOE BRAND FOOTJOY

Another impressive display from FootJoy in our annual survey, with TG readers confirming that the brand continues to get it right when it comes to styling, reliability and durability. More than 45% of the vote clearly indicates the dominance, although excellent performances from adidas and ECCO, who continue to go from strength to strength, shows that some golfers are looking to other brands too.

2 adidas 3 ECCO Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 92

TOUR PRO TIPS

SAND SucceSS

Knock it close from greenside bunkers with the help of this Spanish sensation Pablo Larrazabal is known on Tour as a wizard from the sand so there’s no one better to offer bunker advice.

The Spaniard was 13th in sand saves on the European Tour in 2011, getting up-anddown 65.5% of the time. This skill helped him to defeat

Sergio Garcia in a play-off to win the BMW International Open. He also bagged five top 10s in 2011 and earnt over €1 million.

Pablo admits there’s a reason for his bunker prowess: “When I was growing up at my home club

there were a lot of good golfers and we used to do a lot of bets and money games around the short game area.

I lost a bit of money but it made me better.” ◗ See FREE bunker video tips at www.todaysgolfer. co.uk/bunkerplay

SPAIN’S PAblo l ArrA zAbAl

WORK ON IT Amateurs don’t practise bunker play enough. I’m able to play bunker shots with the natural feel I have that’s been built up through hitting thousands of bunker shots over the years.

MENTAL STRENGTH You have to be confident over the shot because if you doubt yourself that is when your technique will suffer or you’ll quit on the shot because of nerves and leave it in the bunker.

S TE P O N E : A S S E S S Th E S iT u ATi O N

SHOT cHOIcE I decide the shot I’m going to play almost subconsciously now but my decision is based on the height of the lip, the lie, how far I need to carry the ball and how much green I have to work with.

S TE P Th R E E : C lu B FAC E TO TA R g E T

A I M A N d pAT H Set up with your feet and shoulders aligned left of the target and the clubface slightly open. Swinging along the line of your feet with an open face will send the ball towards the target.

STEP TWO: CluB SElECTiON

WHIcH WEdGE? You see pros use a 60° wedge a lot but that’s because we play on faster and firmer greens than amateurs, so the 56° wedge should be enough loft for the majority of your shots.

STEP FOuR: BENd ThE kNEES

GO LOWER I bend my knees more than I would for a normal swing to get my body very low. This enables me to open the clubface so it carves through the sand for a high flight and soft landing.

V I S I t t h e t G W e b S I t e W W W.t o dAy S G o l f e r .c o. u k / I m P r oV e yo u r G o l f f o r b u N k e r P l Ay V I d eo t I P S Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ iS Sue 2 92

EQUIPMENT NEWS

NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE

Aside from its stunning looks, the new i20 driver is long and very forgiving Ping haven’t always produced the best-looking clubs, so we were delighted when the truly-stunning i20 products landed at TG Towers – but it’s not just about sensational aesthetics. It’s long, very forgiving and is absolutely

stunning at address. If you’re thinking it sounds similar to the brilliant G20, you’re not wrong. But the lower ball flight does set it apart from the other Ping driver, and the difference in looks is very obvious.

PING'S 2 01 2 RANGE

CROWNING GLORY The fairway wood is aerodynamicallydesigned and the alignment aid helps start on the right line.

RRP £200.

FLIGHT CONTROL TECHNOLOGY By adjusting the loft by 1.5° golfers are able to adapt to playing conditions.

WORKABLE DISTANCE The driver may offer good forgiveness, but better players will enjoy the workability of the i20.

HIGH-LAUNCHING HYBRIDS The high-flying i20 hybrids are perfect for golfers looking to attack greens.

RRP £160.

AERO POWERED

I S I T O N LY F O R B E T T E R P L AY E R S ?

While many of the game’s top brands have gone down the line of adjustability, Ping haven’t – but that isn’t to say their new clubs aren’t packed with clever innovations. The crown has been designed to reduce drag which maximises clubhead and ball speed for more distance off the tee. Many of you will be aware of the G20, which has enjoyed huge success since it launched in the summer – the i20 features the same 460cc-size head, but we think the i20 matt-black finish really sets it apart from many other new drivers.

No. Senior Equipment Editor Jon Greathead tested it extensively at Ping HQ in Arizona and saw huge improvements in his driving, even over his G20 stats. The secret to the forgiveness is obviously in part due to the 460cc head – but Ping engineers have designed the new club with a light density alloy that means more weight can be distributed to more helpful parts of the club for greater MOI. The dense tungsten weights in the rear of the clubhead also position the centre of gravity for a low-spinning, penetrating trajectory.

TG SAYS: Better than the i15 for us – it offers all of the lowspinning, boringtrajectory patterns favoured by better players, but it’s more forgiving and easier on the eye.

T HE P I NG 20 1 2 L I NE- U P WOODS-K15

By using Straight Flight Technology, 10 per cent of the head mass is located in the heel to help cure the dreaded slice.

G20

Used by the likes of Tom Lewis and happy hackers on a Sunday morning, the G20 really can help all level of golfers.

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i20

This is a better-player driver with low-spin and piercing ball flight, but also features more forgiveness than the previous i15.

I RO N S - K 1 5

Super-game improvement irons that offer an incredibly high launch and huge playability for those new to the game.

G20

By using a floating Custom Tuning Port, Ping engineers have been able to design the irons with a thin face for impressive distance.

S56

Aimed at the better player wanting a more traditional look. More forgiveness in long irons and more control in the short irons.

STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

New i20 irons are better looking and easier to hit I £90 (steel), £110 (graphite)

always been highly-functional, but there was a distinctive look to them – the chunky styling even made an appearance in the better-player bats, but the new i20 irons look like they should be in the hands of serious golfers.

While the launch of the new i20 woods is certainly exciting, we are even more giddy about the new i20 irons – with lots of the best bits from the previous i15 irons carried over, but with better looks, these had us swooning. Ping's irons have

TUNED UP Each iron has a vertical Custom Tuning Port optimising the centre of gravity to ensure the right trajectory for each.

HOW DIFFERENT ARE THEY TO i15s?

We think this is a huge departure for Ping from the chunkier i15. But while the clubs look more suited to a better player (whereas the i15 always looked a tad big for that market to us) they still feature all the forgiveness that the superb i15 offered.

They are also workable in the hands of the good golfer, making them a great option for many levels of player.

NINE HOLES WITH THE NEW PING i20 R ANGE

1

Not much of a stir on the first tee when we wield the i20 driver – a slap down the fairway though.

2

A cracker off the tee. Much higher flight than some other workable drivers on the market.

3

Lots of forgiveness with the long irons – a 220yard tee shot gets a slap but still gets a good result.

4

First rip with a hybrid – easy to hit, but considerably better-looking than the G20 model.

5

Terrible fairway wood off the tee – low and left. Almost certainly nothing to do with the club!

6

The i20 fairway wood redeems itself with a good approach to a long par 5.

Ridiculously powerful feel.

7

The shorter irons are more compact than the long irons, and they look great at address.

8

The best drive of the day so far – long and straight. This club sounds sensational out of the middle.

OUR INITIAL THOUG HTS The most-impressive irons we’ve hit recently – the i15s were consistently good in our tests, but the i20s are a step up. Not only are they betterlooking, they are easier to hit – a winning combo.

STABLE MATE The i20 irons feature specially-designed stabilising bars that ensure consistent distance control between the irons.

D O B E T T E R - P L AY E R I R O N S N E E D T O B E F O R G I V I N G ?

The TG Equipment Team debate the pros and cons It wasn't that long ago that all the world's best players used knife-like blades, but these days many use irons with a bit more forgiveness.

And I for one don't see the problem. More and more are using hybrids too so why shouldn't manufacturers make irons with more forgiveness? It also means eight-handicappers like me who think we're good enough to use better-player irons enjoy the game more because the clubs are easier to use.

YES

NO

JON GREATHEAD

DAVE CONNOR

No, no, no! I understand Jon's argument about clubs being made with more forgiveness, but for me irons designed for the better player should feature no offset and look frightening to the vast majority of us.

Also, I think the thin topline of traditional irons helps to concentrate the mind and I'm not keen on seeing any of the cavity behind the ball at address. There are plenty of gameimprover clubs out there already.

9

A nice way to finish with a very solid approach with a 7-iron.

Inevitable missed putt follows though.

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THE WARDROBE

TOASTIE BEANIES

THE H AT S TA N D

Keep a warm head and sharp brain on the course this winter

1. Ping Fleece Beanie £14 www.ping.com

2. Mizuno Peak Beanie £15 www.mizuno.eu

3. SubSeventy Winter Peaked Beanie £12.99 www.subseventy.co.uk

4. Glenmuir Duns Beanie £13 www.glenmuir.co.uk

5. John Letters Tour Winter Beanie £12.99 www.johnletters.com

6. Under Armour Reversible Beanie £15 www.underarmour.co.uk

7. Galvin Green Brady Windstopper £35 www.galvingreen.com

8. FootJoy £13 www.footjoy.co.uk

9. Galvin Green Shy Insula £25 www.galvingreen.com

10. Ping Fashion Beanie £14 www.ping.com

11. TaylorMade R11 Beanie £11.99 www.taylormadegolf.eu

12. Nike Tour Knit Cap (Beanie) £16 www.nikegolf.eu

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LONG TERM TEST

FOUR MONTHS WITH…

Nike 20XI Balls 20XI-s and 20XI-x £45 per dozen TG Senior Equipment Editor Jonathan Greathead Nike's latest premium product has taken a good few years in coming to fruition. But what did Jon think to the world’s first Resin Core balls?

COVER DIFFERENCE The major difference between the 20XI-s and 20XI-x balls is the cover, according to Nike. And while it’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between two premium balls, the fact that the x model travelled further for me was an indicator that it was slightly firmer. I also got more stop with the s ball because of the softer feel. Both were fairly durable, however, and after four months with them in the bag they have certainly fared better than other balls around this price-per-dozen.

THE F TEST O TIME

F O R G I V E N E S S A S S TA N D A R D One of the more curious claims Nike were making about the ball was that it featured high levels of MOI – the heavier layers of the 20XI that surround the light resin core mean the MOI is increased, which means more forgiveness and straighter shots. It’s hard to compare this with my usual ball, but I found it did stay on line better than the Nike Tour D which I have used extensively in the past. With the x model, I also noticed more run-out off the tee too.

T O U R A P P R O VA L Stewart Cink, Stephen Ames, Richard Finch, Anthony Kim and Justin Leonard have all put the 20XI into play. American Cink recorded a 10-yard driving increase.

GIVE IT A GO The x offers a more tinny feel than the s for us, but it’s important to try both out. The performance is first class and the amount of control around the green, especially with the s model, was phenomenal.

Read full reviews on 1000s of products at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk

A FEW MONTHS WITH… G O L F B U D DY W O R L D £ 3 7 9 K I T A L E X A N D E R , F E AT U R E S W R I T E R

N I K E VA P O R X S TA N D B A G £ 1 4 0 D AV E C O N N O R , E Q U I P M E N T E D I T O R

Using the Golf Buddy GPS has been fantastic as knowing the layout of every hole and exact yardages probably saves me three shots a round. Although accurately using the touch screen can be tricky because it's a little on the fiddly side when moving the cursor across the hole. That said, I’ve always found the course maps to be accurate wherever I’ve played and it really helps when playing courses for the first time. It’s a very simple unit to use and has a great battery life; I can get three rounds from one charge if I’m playing pretty swiftly.

I've always preferred to carry on the course rather than use a trolley but there is no doubt that towards the end of a round fatigue starts to kick in. That's where lightweight standbags come in and the Vapor X weighs less than 4lb.

I've noticed a huge difference and the air-filled pockets in the strap are also a great touch. However, the compromise is the lack of storage space. Although there are a decent number of pockets, there just isn't enough room for a bag full of winter golfing paraphernalia meaning this is much better as a summer bag.

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THE BEST OF BRITAIN

NORTHERN ROCKS The beautiful East Lothian town of North Berwick may not get the same attention as the Home of Golf, but it’s equally worthy of a visit W O R D S D AV I D C O N N O R & K E V I N B R O W N

norTh berwIck

If it were anywhere else on the planet then North Berwick would undoubtedly take its place as the most illustrious golfing town around.

But being situated on Scotland’s east coast the town is constantly vying with its more renowned rival, St Andrews, for the attention of visiting golfers.

That said, golfers in the know regularly flock to this part of East Lothian, for it is home to arguably the finest stretch of golfing coast anywhere in the world. From Dunbar on the eastern stretch to Musselburgh in the west, the coast is littered with historic courses to rival anything St Andrews can offer the huge numbers of golfers who head for Scotland every year.

The stretch of coast is links golf at its finest taking in Open Championship venue Muirfield; Gullane, where golf was played as long ago as the 15th century and the West Links at North Berwick – a club steeped in history dating back to 1832.

But the special part of North Berwick and East Lothian in general is the vast number of topquality courses available to suit all manner of budgets and tastes.

For golfers on a tight budget a special “stay and play” golfing pass is available offering two days of golf from as little as £41 while new addition Archerfield offers the ultimate in five-star golfing experiences.

Lastly golfing-wise, a trip to East Lothian isn’t complete without a visit to Archie Baird’s worldrenowned golf museum at Gullane GC. Visits are by appointment only but it is worthwhile, even if just to spend a few minutes talking with local legend Archie.

Away from the course there is a wonderful array of hotels, restaurants and attractions to suit historians, adventurers and wildlife-lovers (see page 106). Start planning your trip!

THE GLEN

Par 70, 6,275 yards

Often overlooked for the expensive superstar links just down the coast, The Glen, or the East Links as it is also known, is a quality layout.

The clifftop track offers stunning views over to Bass Rock and beyond. The green fees are not prohibitive and in the main season you can even use a 2-FORE!-1 voucher and play for as little as £30 – and that’s the day rate.

The Glen has been thrilling golfers since James Braid and Ben Sayers converted it into a full 18hole layout well over a century ago. The opening hole is a par 4 to a green perched on top of the hillside and the highlights come thick and fast, including a dramatic ‘blind’ par 3 to a beach-side green and a thrilling par-4 downhill finale. ◗ VITAL STATISTICS

Location: A198, a mile east of the railway station.

Green fees: Winter: Mon-Fri – £25; Sat & Sun – £35. Summer (from April 1): Mon-Fri – £45 (am), £35 (pm) & £60 a day; Sat & Sun – £58/£48/ £73. 2-FORE!-1: Mon-Fri (high season, day rate).

Contact: 01620 892726 or visit www.glengolfclub.co.uk V I S I T w w w. 2 4 1 g o l f. c o m T o b o o k l a S T - m I n u T e T e e T I m e S aT m o r e T h a n 7 0 0 c o u r S e S Powered by

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TURKEY SPECIAL

WASTELAND TO WONDERLAND From golfing zero to hero in just a matter of years, Belek is Europe’s hottest new destination and simply a must-visit… wor d s Ch a r l e s Br isC oe-K n ight a n d K ev i n Brow n

It might take a little longer to get to Turkey than it does the Algarve or the Costa del Sol, but once there the scope and depth of the golf available is second to none.

Present and future development will ensure Turkey, and Belek in particular, will be among the cream of the world’s golfing destinations.

There are currently 11 clubs – five with 18 holes, four with 27 and two with 36 – within a four-mile inland strip of sandy, pine tree-endowed land. Situated immediately behind dozens (47 at the last count) of four and five-star hotels, this is indeed a golfing ‘Mecca’.

It’s hard to imagine that some 20 years ago, this area of Turkey (in the southern quarter of the country and with beaches looking out towards Cyprus) was marshy wasteland, with an abundance of umbrella pines. Today it is a veritable combination of forest and fairway.

Many of the world’s top course architects have strutted their stuff over this terrain, producing a great variety of challenges, culminating in arguably the best of the Mediterranean’s golfing hotspots. Not only do the courses benefit from scenic and tranquil surroundings, they all offer impeccable post-round food and drink.

But most of all Belek offers a top-value golfing holiday, specially if you book with a specialist travel operator who should be able to secure a great deal on all-inclusive accommodation plus discounted green fee rates. And we strongly advise you to book your golf before travelling to avoid disappointment on arrival – the courses can get very busy, particularly at peak times.

Besides the amazing quantity and quality of great value golf on tap, the other beauty of Belek of course is the weather. It’s very much a yearround destination and generally-speaking the climate is even more favourable than the Algarve and the Costa del Sol, benefiting from sizzling summers (more than 300 days of sunshine a year) and warm winters – the spring and autumn are particularly popular with sun-seeking golfers.

CARYA Par 72, 6,366 yards Quite possibly the jewel in Belek’s golfing crown, the course is a Thomson, Perret & Lobb masterpiece and, given a creative mind, could easily present itself as a combination of Augusta, Sawgrass and Woburn.

Copious uses of heather have some making claims of Carya being a heathland course. That does stretch the imagination a tad, as most is not in play, but it’s clear the star designers have been inspired by the UK’s classic heathland courses where Peter Thomson enjoyed so much success.

Arguably, the strongest holes are the par 3s starting with the 2nd – a 230-yard carry over heather to a raised green – while the 15th is well protected by water.

As a whole the course rewards tactical golfers with placement often more important than distance off the tee, no more so than at Carya’s testing 16th, which is strewn with bunkers. ◗ ViTAl sTATisTics

Green fees: From €85 (£72).

Contact: 0090 242 725 6320 or www.caryagolf.com

for THoUSANDS more coUrSe reVIeWS AND ImAgeS VISIT W W W.T o DAy S g o l f e r . c o.U k /c o U r S e S

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