Today's Golfer Issue 306 Sample

TODAY’S GOLFER APRIL 2013 (FEBRUA RY 21 - M A RCH 20)

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G olfer 9 Today’s

INSTINCT v LESSONS

We try ‘Bubba golf’... with surprising results

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BRITAIN’S BIGGEST-SELLING GOLF MAGAZINE APRIL 2013 ISSUE 306 FEB 21 – MAR 20 £4.20

GREENKEEPERS HAVE THEIR SAY

‘Most golfers don’t look after their course’

WHY

YOU NEED MORE LOFT GET PERFECT IMPACT EVERY TIME

HIT MORE

GREENS WITH EVERY IRON IN YOUR BAG

306

PLUS FIVE NEW SETS OF IRONS REVEALED > PSYCHOLOGY OF WINNING WITH G-MAC > BOB VOKEY’S WEDGE ADVICE

FIRST TEE

The 17th hole on Streamsong Red – it’s like nothing else you will find in Florida.

NEW THIS MONTH...

14 UK golf participation 16 Testing trollies 20 Top 1,000 courses 23 100-year-old golfer 24 PGA Show launches 28 How Tour pros think

THE BEST NEW US COURSES FOR A DECADE ➔

AT A TIME WHEN NEW GOLF COURSES

are few and far between, Streamsong Golf Resort in Florida provides a positive and stunning antidote to the current trend.

Hailed as the best public golf resort to open in the US in the last decade, it is 85 miles south-west of Orlando and boast two courses, the Red and Blue.

It welcomed its first golfers in mid-December and enjoyed an official opening in late January, prompting rave reviews from everyone lucky enough to play it.

The two courses are built on a reclaimed phosphate mining field and were each designed by different architects – Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw on the Red and Tom Doak on the Blue – but unusually the trio collaborated on the routing of both layouts. The result is two brilliant and playable courses that are unlike the majority of Florida tracks and combine seamlessly, yet have their own characters. Red has more roll-offs, intricate bunker edges and most of its water on the par 3s, while Blue features bigger greens, deeper bunkers and more gambling water carries off the tee.

In the first month, the tee sheets have been virtually fully booked, with enough play that golfers have already recorded six holes-in-one.

“The operative word is fun,” said Crenshaw, a World Golf Hall of Fame member and two-time Masters champion. “I’ve been friends with Bill and Ben for many years, and it’s been fun working right alongside them. It brought out the best in us,” said Doak, the man behind Pacific Dune and Barnbougle.

A day ticket at the resort is £250 and stay-andplay packages start from £315. n Details: www.streamsongresort.com

MEET THE DESIGNERS TOM DOAK

American Doak caddied at St Andrews the summer after he graduated from University and spent the next seven months playing across Scotland. He’s visited more than 1,000 courses and worked for Pete Dye for three years before designing his first course at 26. He loves to be considered a radical and lists Dye and Alister MacKenzie among his heroes. He has designed and renovated more than 25 courses, including world Top 100 venues such as Pacific Dunes in Oregon, Barnbougle in Tasmania and New Zealand’s Cape Kidnappers.

BILL COORE AND BEN CRENSHAW

For more stunning shots of both Streamsong courses, visit www.todaysgolfer. co.uk/streamsong

The pair were exposed to traditional golf design in their formative years and Coore began his professional design and construction career under Pete Dye in 1972. Dye was the man who introduced Coore to the written classics of golf architecture – the same books that double Masters champion Crenshaw was then collecting and studying.

Coore formed his own company in 1982 and teamed up with Crenshaw in 1986.

TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

Psychology of a winner GRAEME McDOWELL

The people closest to the Northern Irishman throughout his formative years reveal what enables him to play at his best when it really matters

G

WORDS GARRETT JOHNSTON AND KIT ALEXANDER PICTURES GETT Y IMAGES

raeme McDowell is a winner.

The more pressure he’s under and the more important the moment, the better he performs. Whether it’s taming a devilishly tough Pebble Beach in the 2010 US Open, taking down Tiger Woods at his own tournament (twice) or holing the winning putt in the Ryder Cup, G-Mac knows how to get the job done.

But you’re not just born with the determination, positive mentality and nerves of steel to come through in clutch situations.

These abilities have to be earned and honed through years of hard work.

To understand the man and golfer McDowell is today you have to go back to childhood. Even as a seven-year-old he was fiercely competitive when playing ‘friendly’ games with his younger brother Gary at the local pitch-and-putt, called the Himalayas course, in their home of Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

This fighting spirit continued and developed as he started to play competitive matches at nearby Rathmore Golf Club.

Graeme’s father Kenny still remembers his son’s first ever matchplay match, aged nine, as a 42-handicapper. He rounded out a sevenman team there with his brother Gary, a 45 at the time. Even then, Graeme had the tenacity to stare his competition in the eye and push his six-handicap opponent all the way to the 16th green before falling to him.

Twenty-one years later it was on the 16th green at Celtic Manor where McDowell made the pivotal birdie putt that led to him defeating Hunter Mahan on the very next hole and Europe regaining the Ryder Cup; an iconic moment in McDowell’s career.

“He was always going to do something special but I didn’t really know it was going to be that,” Kenny said after his son’s 2010 Ryder Cup heroics.

A tell-tale sign of things to come for Kenny was Graeme’s accuracy in games with the ➔

Graeme McDowell factfile

Since turning pro in 2002 the Ulsterman has achieved much

Age: 33 Born: Portrush, Northern Ireland Residence: Portrush and Orlando, Florida World ranking: 15 Pro wins: Nine Majors: One (2010 US Open)

Ryder Cup appearances: 2008, 2010 (winners), 2012 (winners) Ryder Cup record: 5W–5L–2H European Tour earnings: €13,879,546 (18th all time) Awards: 2010 European Tour Golfer of the Year

Y TIVIT ed by POSI t d imi a well re int a e cDo Som ips: M h s r a ll the hol bed a d r o US sc s b ly a ffere simp es it o g a t n adva

N TIO all A DIC rec 0, DE ches ed 1 . n a ag Co ell, n rai ter w gi o raf D n Mc ctisi ral g u pra nat a ’s He

FEARLESSN ESS Beat Tiger tw ice on his own patch an d responds to pressure – as the 2010 Ryder Cup pro ved

SE Cen LF-AW ARE sur NE Mas ed him self SS ters f imp attitud or poor e, an rove d d sc ore

TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

‘Once you have a clear picture of what is happening as club strikes ball, impact itself becomes something you can practise’

IMPACT COVER FEATURE

GOLF’S NEW FUNDAMENTAL Scott Cranfield exclusively shares his best advice and drills on the moment of impact from his first instruction book, Intuitive Golf WO RD S S C OT T C R A N F IEL D PI C T U RES H OWA R D B OY L A N

I

t is perhaps unusual to be discussing impact before the essential components of an efficient swing; indeed it could be argued it is unusual to discuss it at all. But let’s face it: unless you can deliver the clubhead to the ball appropriately for the shot at hand, you will never hit the shot you want. You may be thinking: “But surely if I improve my swing, impact will take care of itself.” That’s great, but are you truly conscious of how that process works? And do you actually understand what you need to achieve at impact?

For most golfers, the answer will be no. This is why we are tackling impact as a new fundamental; because once you have a clear picture of what is happening as club strikes ball, impact itself becomes something you can practise; and from which you can enjoy not just positive knock-on effects, but also a more immediate benefit.

Ball and club interaction The chair leg exercise over the page will help you develop an efficient way of moving the golf club through impact; this in itself will automatically help you achieve the optimum strike pattern. But let me first complete your mental picture of good impact and eliminate any chances of misinterpretation – while blowing away some myths that could hold you back. Let us start with some questions: when a top player hits a powerful, soaring 7-iron...

1: What part of the ball does the clubface actually strike?

2: What part of the clubface hits the ball?

3: Where is the clubface pointing at impact?

still long enough for the clubface’s rotation – from open, through square to closed – to act on the ball. You only want the clubface square to your intended line at the moment the ball separates from the clubface. This is why I advise that your clubface is fractionally open as it addresses the ball.

Impact essential For the perfect contact between club and ball, the shaft must lean forward.

In that strong strike, approximately the fifth groove from the bottom of the face meets the equator of the ball. Hold a ball and club in front of your eyes and match these two up (above). You will notice that the shaft immediately leans forward at the grip end. This is useful to know, but maybe even more important is to understand what is not happening.

To get the ball in the air, the club is not hitting the bottom of the ball. If you are intent on hitting your shots high you’re likely to present the bottom of the clubface to the ball, which could result in a variety of out-of-control shots. Your job is to hit the ball forward; the club’s job is to hit the ball in the air. Don’t help it!

As for question three, hands up anyone who said “square”. In fact at the moment of impact, the clubface will be slightly open to the intended line of the shot. Why? Because though ball and club are only in contact for a split second, this is

The power of working backwards Having a clear idea of impact – and so practising movements and feelings associated with it – can very often develop other areas of your swing technique you have been struggling to improve.

This is basically the business principle of starting with the end in mind.

Whether it is in sports or business, when someone is clear what the end will look like, so many of the pieces in the puzzle fall into place with relatively little effort.

In comparison, a business that is so busy sorting out what font they should use on their stationery will lose the vision and the point of their business! This is the equivalent of a golfer being caught up in technical positions and forgetting how the ball should be struck.

This feature will help you begin to understand and feel a new impact position. Other aspects of your technique will change as you go through this process, but many of these technical changes happen intuitively when you are clear on impact. This is your unconscious mind figuring out a more effective way to stand, hold, even swing, to achieve the desired impact position.

This approach is not only an effective way to improve; it can also save you a lot of time. ➔ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

EXCLUSIVE SURVEY

WHAT BRITAIN’S GREENKEEPERS REALLY THINK

OF YOU

Golfers should take an etiquette test... more than half of us don’t repair pitchmarks properly... we want the best courses on the cheap. These are some of the revelations from the first ever greenkeepers survey WORDS KIT ALEXANDER

B

eing a greenkeeper is a thankless task. When the course is closed, the greens are too slow or the bunkers aren’t raked, we golfers are quick to criticise. But praise rarely comes their way when the course is looking good and playing great. The reality is that none of us would be able

to play golf without them and many are facing increasingly difficult battles as their budgets are cut and the British weather gets worse.

So we’ve teamed up with the British and International Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) to give greenkeepers the chance to have their

say. We sent out a 16-question survey and hundreds of greenkeepers filled it out anonymously to reveal what they really think about golfers, what their jobs actually involve and what can be done to improve our courses. The results make for interesting and thought-provoking reading…

GREENKEEPERS

How do you feel 18 you are perceived by golfers?

The majority of greenkeepers feel they are respected by most of their club’s members, but this can be undermined by a lack of understanding of what is required to maintain good playing qualities and a small proportion of golfers who do not respect them and question their abilities. More and more golfers have started to view greenkeepers as professionals in the last five years, but, according to the men themselves, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

What time do you start work on a typical summer’s day? n 6am 37% n 5.30am 19% n 7am 17% n 6.30am 14%

n 5am 8% n Before 5am 3% n After 7.30am 2% n 7.30am 0%

Two-thirds of greenkeepers are on the course before 6am during the season so spare a thought for them when your 6.30am alarm call shocks you awake for that 8am tee time.

Every greenkeeper in the land will be well into their working day by the time you hit a ball.

There definitely is a mixed perception of greenkeepers by golfers. There are those who can appreciate the difficulties in maintaining yearround quality surfaces, and then there are those who expect to play a well-maintained course whenever they want, whatever the weather with no disruption to play from greenkeeping practices. The latter tend to view the greenkeeper as the enemy and see any course closures as his fault. Unfortunately, they can often be the more vocal.

“As people who just mow grass and cut down trees, there is no understanding of what and why we do work, but I ask them: ‘What would happen to their garden if they walked up and down it 200 times a day?’”

I think they view us as very important in the overall running of the golf club. They realise that without us there would not be a course for them to play on. They also think sometimes that we do things to annoy them (aerate, top dress etc) but in reality these tasks are essential and the majority of the membership totally understand the actions we take. We have a good relationship with our members but it has to be worked at; communication at all times with them is the key to a good relationship.

HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK DO YOU WORK IN THE SUMMER? n 45-49 35% n 40-44 27% n 50-54 21% n 55-59 11% n More than 60 4% n 35-39 2% n Less than 35 0% During the summer months virtually every greenkeeper in Britain works more than the UK fulltime average of 37 hours a week. For the 36 per cent that work more than 50 hours, that works out at a minimum of eight hours and 20 minutes a day, six days a week. The equivalent of working 9am-6.20pm with a one-hour lunch break from Monday to Saturday.

What level of interaction do you have with club golfers? n Newsletter 42% n Member meetings 28% n Course walks 17% n Blogs 13% The vast majority of greenkeepers are attempting to interact and communicate with their members, but many feel their voice isn’t always heard. This is a two-way street so look

out for ways to learn more about course maintenance and don’t be afraid to ask your greenkeepers questions. They know what they’re talking about and will always be willing to help. ➔ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

Poverty is common, electricity and roads scarce.

But in a corner of Latin America, a billionaire plane crash survivor asked a British designer to build...

The course that is changing lives WORDS CHRIS BERTRAM

NICARAGUA

TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 03

Is this the most laid back man on tour?

Jason Dufner’s relaxed approach on the golf course has won him tournaments as well as fans all over the world. Here’s his story…

W O R D S J O E L TA D M A N P I C T U R E S D A R R E N C A R R O L L , G E T T Y I M A G E S

Watch American Jason Dufner walk off a green and you’d do well to work out if he had made an eagle, a par or a double bogey.

Such is his level-headed, unflustered demeanour, he’s quickly become known for his laid-back approach to his profession. In his own words: “It’s just golf.”

TG meets Dufner in the lobby of the

Saadiyat St Regis hotel – the players’ base for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. He meanders in dragging his heels following a five-hour slog in the pro-am and slumps in a chair, his head almost level with his waist.

For a first impression, you’d be forgiven for thinking the 35-year-old is suitably disinterested in professional golf. But having

spent some time in his company, this couldn’t be further than the truth.

He’s relaxed, yes, but has a dedicated work ethic. He’s also likeable, has a great, slightly dry, sense of humour and understands that being a top Tour pro doesn’t just extend to playing 18 holes a day – there are off-course commitments that come with it (an attitude

NEW GEAR

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Whether you want a five-piece tour ball, a low-spin distance

TAYLORMADE LETHAL

BRIDGESTONE E SERIES

£44.99 I www.taylormadegolf.eu

£25.99 I www.bridgestonegolf.com

Background: TaylorMade has made some massive strides in the ball market in recent years, especially with the launch of its first Penta model in 2009 – the first five-piece golf ball. The followup, the TP5, helped Darren Clarke claim his maiden Major title at the 2011 Open Championship... and now the Lethal ball has already assisted Justin Rose to a Tour win (it only took nine practice holes for him to decide that he wanted to put it into play). Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia have recently switched, too.

What the manufacturer says: Lethal is a five-piece construction with a soft, inner core, three mantle layers and urethane cover.

Background: Bridgestone is well known for its range of Tour-ready balls, used by the likes of Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar and most recently Sandy Lyle. But their “e” Series of balls has also been impressive in recent years. Now they’ve launched the follow-ups, with the e5, e6 and e7 all undergoing a redesign.

What the manufacturer says: “The e-Series has proved a big hit with many of the golfers attending our ball fittings,” says Bridgestone UK’s Steve Kettlewell. “The addition of the Dual Dimple technology and striking packaging will give the range even more impetus this season,” he added.

It’s that Dual Dimple innovation – incorporated into all three balls – that reduces drag off, generating enhanced aerodynamics for greater

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IS SU E 3 06 ❘ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K

According to Dean Snell, TaylorMade’s VP of golf ball R&D, it was designed to extend flight after reaching its apex while controlling spin and producing better aerodynamics into the wind. The Lethal features a new dimple pattern that covers 86 per cent of the ball’s surface area, up from 80 per cent coverage of the Penta.

Who they are aimed at: Because of the five layers, golfers of all abilities should benefit from the innovation. The ball uses “progressive velocity” technology, which means the fastest layers of the ball are on the outside. This maximises velocity, regardless of swing speed.

carry through the air.

Who they are aimed at: In terms of swing speed, all three balls work best for players with a speed of less than 105mph, but the trio each offers different things for your game. The e5 will give you a higher ball flight, while the e6 has been engineered to reduce spin for straighter distance. The e7 has been designed for those players who are seeking a slightly lower trajectory and more distance.

KIND OF PLAYER

ball... or the three-piece ball for less than £20 a dozen

CALLAWAY HEX HOT

DUNLOP DP1

£24.99 I www.callawaygolf.com

£17.99 I www.dunlopsport.com

Background: Callaway’s foray into the ball market began in 1996, with their first ball launching in 2000 when the Rile 35 three-piece was unveiled.

The first ball with Hex aerodynamic technology came two years later, and the Hex Hot is the latest in a long line of excellent innovations which have followed since. The Big Bertha Blue and Red balls, which first appeared in 2003, will be fondlyremembered by many, and the current Tour-ready Hex Black Tour balls are trusted by some of the world’s best players.

What the manufacturer says: “The Hex Hot features a threepiece construction with a tri-blend ionomer cover that’s built for speed and designed to absolutely fly off the clubface.

Background: Dunlop have an impressive tradition in balls, producing their first in 1909. The iconic “65” appeared in the 1930s, and lots of us will remember the DDH from the 1980s onwards.

What the manufacturer says: “Over the last 20 years the brand has produced mainly distance/value balls, but this strategy has changed over the last couple of years as we have looked to develop higher specification, more technical product not just within the ball category but also on golf hardware,” says John Foster, Head of Dunlop Golf. “The DP1 is testament to this; its three-piece construction and soft urethane cover give the ultimate mix of distance, feel and control.

“The ball uses a 324 seamless dimple pattern which reduces air resistance from the tee for more distance. This is combined with a

➔

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There-engineered Hex Aerodynamics increase lift at low speeds for additional distance, while maintaining its proven penetrating ball flight to hold its line in the wind.”

Who they are aimed at: The player who wants more distance in all areas of his game, but doesn’t want to sacrifice feel. It’s worth noting that the balls are available in yellow, as well as the traditional white, which are increasing in popularity.

large, solid core which gives a high velocity on all shots and a soft, thin ionomer middle layer to give control and reduce driver spin from the tee. A super soft, highly-durable urethane cover gives great feel and spin control.”

Who they are aimed at: Ideal for competent golfers looking for a moderate flight, rather than an overly-penetrative one or a towering trajectory – and those looking for three-piece performance for less than £20.

TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

‘The golf club is a tool, like a hammer, and the clubhead is so important because that tells the ball what to do’ Kendal McWade PGA professional and founder of Instinctive Golf Coaching.

IS SU E 3 05 ❘ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K

Killer

INSTINCTIVE GOLF

instincts Bubba Watson is a ball control master because he understands and feels the clubhead. Instinctive Golf Coaching aims to help you do the same

I

WO R D S K I T A L E X A N D ER P I C T U R E S H OWA R D B OY L A N

t is only when you stop to think about how you’ve learned every motor skill you possess that you realise how different that process is from learning golf.

When you learned how to speak, you weren’t told exactly where your tongue had to be to create each sound; and when you first hammered a nail, you weren’t given a list of rules for how you should hold the hammer, where it should face and how you should stand. Yet we can all do those things pretty well. So why is golf taught in a different way?

Why do we focus on what our body is doing rather than the tool – the club?

“As the tool, the clubhead should become the focus of your attention,” says Kendal McWade, PGA professional and founder of Instinctive Golf Coaching, a new way to truly learn how to play golf that is being taught at the Amazing Golf School in Portugal. “Golf is a game of shots, not of swings, and the only objective of the swing is to deliver the clubhead to the ball in a way that creates the shot you want. Therefore, it’s more logical to focus on what the clubhead is doing and controlling that.”

McWade elaborates: “If you try to direct your attention to moving your body more efficiently you will not be able to do it because that just isn’t how humans learn efficient body movements. But if you

understand what the task is, your body can start to learn the method.”

The perfect illustration of this approach is Masters champion Bubba Watson. He has never had a golf lesson in his life, yet he’s one of the top 10 players on the planet, able to shape his shots and control his ball flight unlike any other golfer. He can do this for one reason, as pointed out by Rob Lee of Sky Sports while commentating on the Ryder Cup at Medinah: “He understands how the clubhead works.” This understanding of how the clubface affects the ball – and awareness of

Kendal McWade

PGA professional and founder of Instinctive Golf Coaching

After 15 years of increasing frustration with the way golf was taught, McWade set out to find a better method: Instinctive Golf was the result. He is now part of the PGA’s Continual Development Programme and England Golf Under-16 Regional Golf coach.

what the club is doing at all times – is the cornerstone of Instinctive Golf.

“The golf club is a tool, like a hammer, and the clubhead is so important because that tells the ball what to do,” says McWade.

“Ultimately, the skill of golf – whether it’s Bubba Watson or you or me – is our ability to use the tool effectively. Bubba is better at using the tool than you or me, but we can develop something that is closer to our full potential than we currently are.”

According to McWade, unlocking your true potential and developing your golfing ability begins by completely changing the way you think about how you learn to play golf. Or more accurately, how you’re told to play it. “My journey is no different to probably everyone else’s journey as a PGA professional. We’re trained to teach and taught to tell, we’re information transferrers.

But we want to give ownership back to the pupil. To give ownership back, we have to move away from telling and rules, and towards questioning, exploration and discovery. Our job is to guide that pupil’s exploration based on the Newtonian laws of physics that say this club has to be applied like this to achieve this outcome. That sounds pretty in-depth but it’s what goes on in any motor skill development.

“Dependency in golf is created by putting rules in place at the beginning. We don’t mean to do it as coaches but we do it because we’re trying to get the basics right at the ➔ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06

PLAYING Tasty Sandwich Jack Nicklaus isn't a big fan, but most amateurs will love the quirks and fun of Royal St George's.

OUR EXPERTS THIS MONTH PAUL LAST Age: 58 HCP: 18 Job: Retired Golfing claim to fame: Trevor Homer’s caddy at Amateur Champs, 1972.

Course pref: Links ANDREW HOLDER Age: 55 HCP: 12 Job: Charity case worker.

Golfing claim to fame: Former captain at North Foreland GC. Course pref: Links DAVE BRETT Age: 38 HCP: 11 Job: Teacher Golfing claim to fame: My famous flop shots!

Course pref: Tough ones GERAINT JONES Age: 36 HCP: 9 Job: Kent/Eng cricketer Golfing claim to fame: Caddied on EuroPro Tour.

Course pref: Links

IS SU E 3 06 ❘ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K

REGIONAL GUIDE

THE GOLFER’S LOCAL GUIDE TO... KENT An international cricketer is part of our panel giving you the inside line on the Garden of England’s golf WO R D S K E V I N B R OW N P I C T U R E S H OWA R D B OY L A N

FIRSTLY, WHAT ARE KENT’S BEST VALUE COURSES? Andrew: Upchurch River Valley takes some beating at the lower end of the green fee scale. It provides a good society day out with breakfast and 18 holes of golf costing about £30.

Paul: Sene Valley is the nearest course to the Channel Tunnel and is always good value. It overlooks Romney Marsh and is quite high up on top of an escarpment and every green slopes tantalisingly towards the sea.

TG’s input: The likes of Walmer & Kingsdown, Tenterden and Redlibbets all fall into this category, especially as they all belong to 2-FORE!-1 so you can play them for half-price (provided you’re a 2-FORE!-1 voucher holder).

AND FOR A SERIOUS TEST? Dave: Walmer & Kingsdown is a fine clifftop layout and is both challenging and excellent value. It’s very deceptive – you think you should score well but rarely do. You particularly need to be accurate off the tee and, being on the cliffs, the wind is nearly always a factor.

Watch out too for the greens as they’re small with most sitting 3ft below the level of the fairways.

Paul: Because of the coastal winds, I’ve always struggled at Littlestone. Also, because it’s straight out and back, you contend with nine reasonably easy holes or nine absolute killers – or vice-versa.

It’s a similar situation at the Troon Golfmanaged Prince’s where you can tee-off at 9am with wind in your face,then it changes and suddenly you’re facing a similar scenario on the back nine!

TG’s input: Links golf doesn’t get more demanding than Royal St George’s and fellow Open host Royal Cinque Ports.

Above: The panel give their verdicts to TG Courses Editor Kevin Brown.

BEST CONDITIONING? Paul: Every time I’ve been to the London Club it’s been in pristine condition.

Dave: OK it may be a bit soggy at this time of the year, but in the summer the tees and greens at Chart Hills are terrific.

Andrew: At the end of the M2 you’ll find Rochester and Cobham which has been in very good nick whenever I've played it.

Paul: Prince’s and Royal St George’s are always immaculate; but the latter is not easy to get on and is expensive. Also, you can only play two-balls (singles or foursomes) – there’s only one day (Tuesday) you can play fourballs.

Dave: The tees and greens at Royal Cinque Ports are always lovely too and, like Prince’s, the club is more welcoming and visitor-friendly than St George’s.

TG’s input: Hard to look beyond Cinque Ports, Sandwich and the London Club.

ANY HIDDEN GEMS? Andrew: Wildernesse is a special James Braid parkland just outside Sevenoaks but it doesn’t come cheap – it’ll cost you £60 to play there this summer.

Geraint: That’s right. In my cricket benefit year I had a golf day at Wildernesse and the course was fantastic; everybody really enjoyed it. ➔ TODAYSG OLFER .CO.U K ❘ IS SU E 3 06