LATEST DRIVER MIXES TRADITION TG & TECHNOLOGY
EXCLUSIVE
CLEVELAND’S NEW CLASSIC
241.VoucherFront-buisiness.indd 1
23/01/2012 16:04
www.241golf.com
Or visit the website
BUY BETTER
✃
08451 241 000
To re-order call
● Two vouchers may be used for four players to play together for the price of two. Participating courses allow either a maximum of 4 or 8 players per booking only (please check when booking).
● The bearer of this voucher and a partner are entitled to play under the 2-FORE!-1 terms described by each course in any current authorised 2-FORE!-1 Course Factfile.
GOLFVOUCHER
CUTTING-EDGE FOOTWEAR TESTED
PLAY MORE PAY LESS
SHOES UNDER SPOTLIGHT
Valid until 30..04 2012
PLAY HALF-PRICE GOLF AT A COURSE NEAR YOU!
£4.20
APRIL 2012 ISSUE 293 FEB 23-MAR 21
Golfer ol FREE VOUCHER AND FREE COURSES MAG Today’s
WWW. TODAYSGOLFER.CO.UK
P L AY B E T T E R
MAKE EVERY ROUND COUNT
FREE! M.O.T IMPROVE EACH TIME YOU PLAY GOLF
CHOOSE BETTER
2-FORE!-1 VOUCHER GREAT GOLFING TREATS
SAVE UP TOTO£165 OFFYOUR YOUR NEXT ROUND BEST WAYS SPEND CASH
YOUR GAME IMPROVE PLUS HAMMER PAR 5s PEAK FOR KEY ROUNDS
FROM TEE TO GREEN
INSIDE INSIDE:: CLAIM CLAIMAASECOND SECONDVOUCHER VOUCHER&& PLAY 914 COURSES HALF-PRICE
FIRST TEE
PLAY TG'S FREE select your dream team and start earning points at The Masters. Pick wisely After the huge success of the summer game last year, the Today’s Golfer Fantasy League, in association with Your Golf Travel, is back in 2012 with a full eight-month schedule that incorporates 33 tournaments on the European Tour and PGA Tour. It’s absolutely FREE to play and there will be more than 90 prizes up for grabs in various competitions throughout the season, including a special stand-alone Ryder Cup game (see information right). It will be the same format as previous TG Fantasy League games, but here’s a reminder of how it works… Format Select a team of six golfers – each of which is assigned a value – within a $15m budget. Unlimited team changes are available right up to the start of every tournament so you can tailor your line-up to perfectly suit each event. You earn points based on your golfers’
performance in that event (see www. todaysgolfer.co.uk/fantasygolf for specific points information). Major championships are worth triple points and WGC events, the PGA Tour Championship and DP World Championship are worth double points. The top three managers each month and top 50 managers after the final event – November’s DP World Championship – will all earn fantastic prizes, including foreign holidays, UK breaks, fantastic clubs and equipment and 2-FORE!-1 vouchers. We’ve also introduced a brand new knockout cup competition, which will start in week 20 (Wyndham Championship). Each manager is randomly drawn against one other player with the top points scorer advancing to the next round the following week. This continues every week until the final two managers face off in the final week of the game. Everyone who reaches the quarter finals will receive a prize.
$4.5m
tiger woodS
$5m
lee weStwood
Schedule The Masters RBC Heritage Volvo China Open Ballantine’s Championship Wells Fargo Championship Players Championship HP Byron Nelson Championship BMW PGA Championship Memorial Tournament FedEx St. Jude Classic US Open Championship Travelers Championship AT&T National Open de France Barclays Scottish Open The Open Championship RBC Canadian Open WGC-Bridgestone Invitational US PGA Championship Wyndham Championship The Barclays Deutsche Bank Championship BMW Championship Italian Open Tour Championship RYDER CUP* Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Portugal Masters, Andalucia Masters, Event TBC, WGC-HSBC Champions Barclays Singapore Open Hong Kong Open DP World Tour Championship
is sue 2 93 ❘ Todaysg olfe r .co.uk
April 5-8 April 12-15 April 19-22 April 26-29 May 3-6 May 10-13 May 17-20 May 24-27 May 31-June 3 June 7-10 June 14-17 June 21-24 June 28-July 1 July 5-8 July 12-15 July 19-22 July 26-29 August 2-5 August 9-12 August 16-19 August 23-26 August 31-September 3 September 6-9 September 13-16 September 20-23 September 28-30 October 4-7, October 11-14 October 18-21 October 25-28 November 1-4 November 8-11 November 15-18 November 22-25
Major/WGC PGA Tour European Tour European Tour PGA Tour PGA Tour PGA Tour European Tour PGA Tour PGA Tour Major/WGC PGA Tour PGA Tour European Tour European Tour Major/WGC PGA Tour Major/WGC Major/WGC PGA Tour PGA Tour PGA Tour PGA Tour European Tour PGA Tour Stand-alone game European Tour European Tour European Tour European Tour Major/WGC European Tour European Tour European Tour
3 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2
$3.4m
adam Scott
FANTASY GAME within a budget and top prizes could be yours $5m
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
$3m
rorY mcilroY
Sergio garcia
$2.4m
ricKie Fowler
$3.6m
Phil micKelSoN
$4m
martiN KaYmer
$5.5m
luKe doNald
BONUS RYDER CUP CONTEST Everyone registered for the normal game will be automatically entered into our stand-alone Ryder Cup contest. Points scored in this event don’t count towards the overall leaderboard but the top 10 Ryder Cup managers will win top prizes. You select a team of six golfers within the $15m budget with at least two players from either side. Ten points are awarded to each player who is on the winning team of a foursomes or fourball match, while five points are awarded to each player involved in a halved match. Players on the winning team are also awarded points for the margin of victory, with a win by 3&1 or 3&2 both resulting in three bonus points. You can make unlimited transfers at set times between each day, but not between fourballs and foursomes matches on the same day. The points are doubled for singles matches.
ViSit www.todaYSgolFer.co.uK/FaNtaSYgolF to regiSter Todaysg olfe r .co.uk â?˜ is sue 2 93
COVER INSTRUCTION
M.O.T YOUR
GAME
DRREAM Golfe r Today’s
Improve from tee to green with new campaign...
DRREAM Golfe r Today’s
wor d s joe l ta dm a n PIC t u r e s ja m e s ch e a dl e
OUND
he golf swing is a lot like a car. It possesses a collection of complex parts that work together to allow it to function correctly. And just like a car, these parts go wrong all too often! As a result, you need to service these parts to get it working again. The good
T
news is that once you've found the fault and fixed it, it could work better than before. Now is the ideal time to take your golf game in for a muchneeded service and use these tips and drills from Gareth Johnston to improve from the tee to the hole…
OUND
DRREAM Golfe r Today’s
OUND
S H O OT YO U R LOW EST S C O R E Dream Round is TG’s new series to help golfers of all abilities improve. The 2012 campaign will help golfers improve in all areas and set a new record score. Every issue will include tips, drills and gear advice to get your game in tip-top order. This month we look at the swing, help you find your faults and show you how to fix them. And over the coming months we will help you set goals and assess your current level in all areas of the game before helping you take your game to a whole new level. The series is supported on www. todaysgolfer.co.uk/dreamround. Log on this month to find videos – from grip and power, to irons takeaway, green reading and putting stroke. Plus: Follow the campaign on Facebook (Today's Golfer) and twitter (TheTodaysGolfer).
Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ Is sue 2 93
M.O.T Y O U R G A M E
ON THE TEE
How to get the perfect set-up, angle of attack and transition
Being able to rely on our bag’s longest clubs takes a lot of pressure off the rest of our game and gives more chances to attack for a birdie rather than struggling to
scramble a par. Getting the grip right is your first priority. Many players cope with a faulty grip by compensating with moves in their swing. A grip-change takes a while to
get used to but will lead to much more consistent shots. Try some killer drills to improve your path and angle of attack and those fairways will look 100 yards wide.
1. GRIP DRILL Rest the clubhead on the ground facing the target and let the handle sit in your left hand in a relaxed fashion, with your arm hanging naturally from the shoulder. The handle will run through your fingers, exactly where it needs to be during the golf swing.
2 . C R E AT E A C R E A S E From here, clasp your hand around the handle with your left thumb placed slightlyto the left of the shaft (as you look down). This creates a crease between the left thumb and base joint of the index finger that should point to the middle of your right collar bone.
'SHORT' THUMBS Place the hands on the handle correctly with 'short' thumbs. Ensure your thumbs do not protrude beyond the first joint of the index finger, allowing the handle to be placed through the fingers, thus freeing up the wrists to hinge. Adopt this before taking hold.
Is sue 2 93 9 0 ❘ ❘ Todaysg Todaysgolfe olfer r.co.uk .co.uk
Herbert hoped for a flying start against TG, but did he get one?
£20 JOHNNY HERBERT T H E
TG
T W E N T Y
The former Formula 1 ace may have claimed three Grand Prix wins and the Le Mans 24-hour title, but could the gritty racer speed off with the TG20? 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
J
ust weeks away from the start of another thrilling Formula 1 season it’s fitting that the latest TG20 challenger is Johnny Herbert, one of the true dashing heroes of this high-octane sport. Herbert may not be considered as one of the ‘legendary’ performers, a status afforded other British drivers such as Jim Clarke, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Graham Hill or Damon Hill as he never actually won a World Championship. But it wasn’t through lack of effort, commitment or even natural ability. More a shortage of luck at critical moments in his career. Formula 1 requires and demands great courage and gallantry besides mind-boggling speed, of course, and nobody displayed those attributes more than Herbert who fought like a tiger to try and establish himself in the most ferocious and potentially lethal sport of them all. On arriving at the splendid Menzies Welcombe golf course, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, the first thing that strikes you about the diminutive 47-year-old is his lack of inches. What Herbert lacks in height he more than makes up for in courage. Teeing it up on a bright but nippy winter’s morning, the ex-racer exudes a calm but gritty determination.
But there is no rush. The golf can wait. TG is keen to get the low-down on one of the most rollercoaster careers in the history of motorsport. Coffee and bacon baps are ordered and sure enough the talk quickly turns to Herbert’s triumphs and tribulations, his relationship with teammate Michael Schumacher... and the horrifying 1988 Brands Hatch pile-up which nearly ended his F1 career before it had begun. It came soon after a startling F1 test drive for Lotus at Monza. Top team manager Frank Williams turned up for the ill-fated F3000 race at the Kent circuit with an F1 contract in his pocket. “It was all looking very rosy but then I had that crash which smashed up my legs,” Herbert recalls. “I remember everything about it. It was one of those stupid things. We did the first start, then they stopped it. In the second one I got a shocking start and because of that fate took its course and I had the shunt. I wish I hadn’t.” It was the cruellest of blows and particularly galling for Herbert who had progressed and battled through various forms of racing – a long and arduous apprenticeship from the moment he first showed promise as a youngster, stepping into a go-kart and winning the coveted British Kart crown. >> Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
FIT FOR GOLF? The latest research proves that golf is good for your health and also highlights how fitness impacts on performance WO R D S K I T A L E X A N DE R PIC T U R E S M AT T HOW E L L
A University of Lincoln student measures oxygen intake and carbon dioxide using a hi-tech treadmill.
PHYSICAL ANALYSIS
The University of Lincoln’s cuttingedge testing facility can even track the effects of pressure.
Darren Clarke says extra fitness played a role in his 2011 Open triumph.
How many times have we heard golf isn’t a sport because you don’t need to be very fit or athletic to play it? It’s a myth, but sadly one that still finds favour due to the apparent lack of evidence to dispel it. Sure, you don’t need to be able to run a marathon or clean and jerk your own body weight to play and enjoy golf to a decent standard, but research is proving that good physical attributes – especially strength, mobility and balance – will help you improve. And who doesn’t want to play better and lower their scores? You only have to take a glance at any PGA and European Tour field to see the changing shape of golf. The likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Camilo Villegas and Gary Woodland are athletes – and using their physical prowess to take the game to new heights. Even some of the ‘old school’ pros are catching on. Miguel Angel Jimenez goes for a jog every morning and Open champion Darren Clarke revealed more time spent working on his fitness was a key factor in his success at Royal St George’s. “Physical fitness should be a component of development for any golfer, from grass roots right up to the professional player,” says Dr Mark F Smith, a world-renowned golf science expert and Principal Lecturer at the University of Lincoln. “For too long, the importance of physical fitness to performance in golf has been underestimated by players and coaches because of an overemphasis on perfecting technique. “Golf has begun to follow in the footsteps of other sports that have already embraced the importance of physical conditioning to athlete development. Because of the complexity of the golf movement, research has focused too heavily on the technical aspects of the game in order to understand
'FOR TOO LONG THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL FITNESS IN GOLF HAS BEEN UNDERESTIMATED BY PLAYERS AND COACHES BECAUSE OF AN OVER-EMPHASIS ON PERFECTING TECHNIQUE’ how we can improve performance, but emerging research is beginning to explore and shed light on the role physical conditioning can play on golf and wider golfrelated health benefits.” Smith took TG into the lab to explain the physical implications of a round of golf; the research was enlightening. It has been calculated that energy expenditure for a round of golf in ambient temperatures ranges between 600 calories when pulling a trolley on a flat course to around 1,900 calories when carrying on a hilly course. Given that the average round takes four hours, this equates to between 150 and 475 calories per hour. Take the average as 1,250 calories per round and you would have to jog at nearly 6mph (typical jogging speed) for a little under two hours to burn off the same amount of calories. It’s hardly surprising that you’re using this much energy as it’s also been found that you cover in excess of course distance by 27%72% during a typical round. Split the difference to 50% and this means you’ll walk just under five-and-a-half miles on a 6,400-yard course. Additionally, it has been shown that the amount of oxygen you breathe over 18 holes is 35%-46% of peak aerobic capacity, so you’re using up to one half of the oxygen
that you would when sprinting as fast as you can. This kind of exercise done over a prolonged period will undoubtedly improve your cardiovascular health. Your heart gets a good workout too. The average resting heart rate for a man is around 70 beats per minute but findings from eight independent research studies have highlighted that a golfer’s heart rate ranges from 95 to 120 beats per minute while playing, with the upper ranges tending to be from golfing on hilly courses. Again, this will strengthen your heart over a prolonged period. All this is before you even consider the effects of the golf swing itself. During a full swing, you place high compression loads on many areas, which means it’s classified as strenuous on the structures of the body. The most significant of these is estimated to be around 6,100 newtons – up to eight times a person’s body weight – of compressional load on the back for each swing. It’s easy to see the potential injury risk with so many dynamic forces acting on the body in such a short space of time, but proper preparation and improving general fitness can greatly reduce the threat of injuries and prolong your golfing life. As if the potential to improve your golf in the short and medium term isn’t enough, these long-term health benefits are genuinely significant as well. Participation in a physical activity that expends a minimum of 150 calories a day or 1,000 calories a week, into which a round of golf comfortably falls, has been reported to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by 50% and the risk of colon cancer, hypertension, and diabetes by 30%. Furthermore, the health benefits achieved by burning a total of 1,000-2,000 calories a week – a couple of rounds – will result in >> TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 93
what would you do with
£250?
Forget the food shopping, filling the car up or treating the wife – what would you do with £250 that had to be spent on golf? WOR D S Cl i v e Agr A n
Golf is an expensive hobby and those of us who play the game often feel constrained when contemplating a purchase. Can we really justify spending the money on a new luxury when we can’t afford to heat the house, our children are under-nourished and
is sue 2 93 ❘ Todaysg olfe r .co.uk
we still owe a bookie a considerable sum because we keep backing Westwood to win his first Major? Supposing you were freed of the guilt and were given £250 in crisp notes that you HAD to spend on golf, what would you do with it?
SPEND IT WISELY
NICK ADDECOTT HCP SCRATCH, DIRECTOR WSM COMMUNICATIONS As a PGA golf professional and director of a sports marketing agency that promotes and manages professional tournaments, I already receive a lot of golf related perks. I get to use the best equipment, which is made to my exact specifications and play golf at some of the best courses in the world. Consequently there isn’t much golf paraphernalia I don’t have. So I would place a £250 bet on all four Majors in 2012 being won by a European. The odds currently are 14/1. I would use my winnings to enter the European Tour qualifying school at the end of the year. STEVE TUCKWELL HCP 17 PORTSMOUTH PORT DIRECTOR, BRITTANY FERRIES I’m biased obviously, but for me the most rewarding way to spend £250 would be to take a few mates to France on a Brittany Ferries Golf Break. Now, £250 doesn’t normally buy you much, so you might think it impossible for a group of four golfing buddies to get together in a car, travel overnight from Portsmouth to Caen, play the fabulous Champ de Bataille course and be back in Kingston upon Thames at bed time for just £238. As someone who is known to be extremely careful with his own cash, this is a wonderful way to appear more generous than I really am. And having £12 left over would enable me to buy each of my mates a beer and thereby appear even more munificent. The pretence would be further substantiated by the excellence of the Golf Club du Champ de Bataille which winds around the grounds and forests of a grand Louis XIV château. It also has the benefit of an excellent kitchen, which I would hope will be put to good use when my mates buy me lunch in appreciation of my outstanding generosity. BOB HOOPER HCP 16 RETIRED Forty years of golfing failure has convinced me that money spent on equipment, lessons or practice is about as sensible as buying Greek government bonds. I’ve spent a fortune on turbo-charged drivers and laser-guided irons. I’ve had my swing filmed and analysed. I’ve had lessons on cocking wrists, tucking in elbows and clearing hips. I’ve laboured at the range to find that single, simple, swing
Keith duff hCP 13 Environmental Consultant I’d go and recharge my golfing batteries on one of the remotest golf courses in Britain – Askernish Golf Club on South Uist in the Outer Hebride s. The £250 would cover a return car ferry trip from Skye, two rounds of golf and one night’s accommodation at one of the hotels. Askernish is golf on the edge. Look west from the 7th tee and the nearest land is Newfoundland. But if the sun’s shining, the beach and sea can look almost subtropical. Only the wind reminds you it’s not. But it’s the golf course that grabs your attention. It’s the nearest you’ll ever get to playing golf in conditions that Old Tom Morris would have recognised when he built the course in 1890. Big dune ridges and inviting drives to tight fairways, kept in good condition by the grazing sheep and by the natural top dressing that arrives from the beach most winters during stormy weather. The 11th is a great par 3 played from the top of one dune ridge to the next, into the prevailing wind. Top it off the tee and you have a real challenge. It’s a matchplay rather than strokeplay course, and I can’t see European Tour pro Elliot Saltman‘s course record of 69 being beaten in a hurry. Askernish is one of those rare places where you can experience golf as it was always meant to be. Somewhere that lifts the spirits and pits your game against the natural challenges of the landscape. helen heady hCP 36 Golf PR Consultant As a high handicapper, my best investment would hav e to be in a golf lesson (£40) >>
Charlotte Jackson would head for Royal Portrush.
thought that might give me a chance of a top ten finish in the next Seniors’ Stableford. But no more. I’ve realised that what I enjoy is not the three-anda-half hours of masochistic humiliation that my repertoire of tops, duffs, thins and slices invariably induces. It is the apres-golf that makes it worthwhile, the soothing balm of the shower and steam room, the camaraderie of chums in the clubhouse. So my £250 would not be wasted on new gear or gizmos. It would all be put on my members’ card at Mannings Heath to provide me with a few months’ free refreshment and a wealth of good companionship. After all the bar is one place where taking a few extra shots adds to the pleasure rather than being a punishment. Cheers!
CHARLOTTE JACKSON HCP 26 TV PRESENTER I would spend £10 on a Ryanair flight to Belfast and then head straight to Royal Portrush Golf Club. I would splash out £140 on a green fee for the Dunluce links course where I would attempt to beat Rory McIlory’s course record 61, which he set when he was less than half my age! In reality, of course, I would be back in the pro shop spending the remaining £100 replacing the balls that I would have lost and blaming the wind. With all my money spent, I would hope to bump into Darren Clarke in the bar so I could get a photo of the two of us with the Open Medal he donated to the club! Alternatively, I would spend all the £250 on a private lesson with Camilo Villegas! BRENDAN BLAIR HCP 12 MENTAL HEALTH WORKER My job gives me ample opportunity for participant research amongst the tantrums and traumas of golf. Because, make no mistake, golf is a microcosm of life, magnifying our weaknesses but providing opportunities for glory and reward. Although I would have to contribute £27.50 myself, I would seriously consider spending the £250 on two rounds at Kingsbarns. The place is awesome in every respect from the welcome, clubhouse and ProV1 range balls, to the majesty of the links itself. My two great passions are golf clubs and golf courses; I don’t believe >> Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
ENGLAND’S MAJOR WAIT
16 years and Counting... english golf is in rude health, but we’re still waiting for another Major champion. TG investigates why we need to end the drought soon WOR D S K IT A L E X A N DE R
The world number one, five players in the top 20 at the turn of the year, 14 European Tour victories in 2011 and a third of the victorious 2010 Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor; it’s fair to say that English golf is in good health, but there is one glaring omission. Despite the huge success of recent years, the fact remains that Nick Faldo was England’s last Major winner when claiming his third green jacket and sixth Major at the 1996 Masters. A total of 63 tournaments have passed since then, and while Englishmen have come close on a number of occasions no one has quite been able to get over the finish line and bring England the wealth of positives that come with what many consider to be the true measure of golfing success, Major victories. investment and development “Funding from the government is all about participation,” says John Petrie, CEO of England Golf. “There would definitely be a lift in media coverage in the weeks following a Major win and the player would probably win BBC Sports Personality of the Year as well. You’d get a lot more profile for it and maybe one or two per cent more people might take up the game.” When there are in the region of 750,000 golf club members in England and the Sports Marketing Survey says there are around three million regular golfers (people who play at least 12 times a year) in the country, a one per cent is significant. Petrie continues: “This could lead to
more investment because when Sport England is making their decisions on funding for 2013-2017 this reflects the number of people who play the sport. “In the current health sport plan, 2009-2013, Sport England has given £13 million between the English Golf Union, English Women’s Golf Association, PGA and Golf Foundation, as well as some administrative costs. “We receive about £1.1 million a year, of which £700,000 goes into development. That money is channelled primarily down through the county golf partnerships and they conduct the activity at clubs.” Petrie provides a great example of how much extra money this grassroots development and a few extra members can bring into clubs. “From April 1 to September 31 last year, 36,083 people (all new to the game) were directly involved in golf development activity at club level, an increase of 94 per cent on the same period in 2010. “As a direct result of the activity in that period there were 926 new golf club memberships. At an average club membership fee, that amounts to £880,000 of additional revenue.” The last Scottish Major champion is a great example of how much good the right winner can do for a country. Duncan Weir, Executive Direct – Working for Golf, The R&A, explains: “Paul Lawrie winning The Open at Carnoustie in 1999 might not have made a huge difference to golf in Scotland at that time but the Foundation that he set up five years
THE MAKING OF A WINNER Kevin Stevens, General Secretary of the Ulster Branch of the GUI, reveals how Northern Ireland have been so successful “We go to the clubs in the summer looking for their best talent and we’ve introduced under-13 and under15 championships so youngsters are playing a lot of competitive golf very early. “We then look to the clubs to put forward their best players and whereas we used to have 15 and 16 year olds coming into our coaching programmes we now have 11 and 12 year olds coming in. We see them in the summer and select the best boys for our intensive winter coaching programme. “By the time they reach scratch and plus handicaps and representing their province and Ireland, the players >>
‘interest in golf has risen due to graeme, rory and darren’s major suCCesses’ ago has made a massive difference. “The profile of his foundation wouldn’t have been as high had he not won a Major and it therefore might not have been such an attractive proposition to sponsors. Now, Paul Lawrie is sponsoring the Scottish Boys Championship, making him the first Tour player in history to directly sponsor a Scottish Golf Union Championship. “All of that has come about as a result of him winning The Open. A lot of children have been introduced to golf and met Paul Lawrie because he won a Major.” We need only look towards Northern Ireland to see proof that a Major winner or three can make a real difference at governmental level, with significant knock-on effects. “Across the board we’ve found that the level of interest in golf has dramatically risen since Graeme McDowell’s win and latterly Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke,” says Kevin Stevens, General Secretary of the Ulster Branch of the GUI. “It’s shot Northern Ireland to prominence. “It’s massive for us because golf is now a priority sport and that has brought the investment to bring the >> Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
HAMMER PAR 5s
FIVE-STAR SCORING every Masters, Augusta’s par 5s break hearts, underpin victories and create legends. Here, we examine their bewitching challenge WOR D S K IT A L E X A N DE R
“It was one of our guiding principles in building the Augusta National that even our par 5s should be reachable by two excellent shots,” wrote Bobby Jones in his 1959 book Golf Is My Game. And although the course is altered every year, this principle has never been compromised. The players know it, and they make the most of it. Detailed statistics have been recorded at the last 69 tournaments. In that time, 18 winners led par-5 scoring while 26 others ranked among the top five. Only 10 players have won the Masters without at least being in the top 15 on the par 5s. But it’s not a case of simply smashing it off the tee, then throwing caution to the wind with an aggressive second. It takes strategy and judgement, because the wrong play at the wrong time can lead to disaster. “In the past, I’ve tried to force it on some of those holes and it’s cost me the Masters,” says three-time winner Phil Mickelson. “It’s not that you have to make eagle or birdie to win, you just can’t make the big number.” Four-time winner Tiger Woods agrees: “Augusta National definitely has the best risk-reward of any set of par-5 holes. There’s no other group of par 5s where you can make a three or, just as easily, a seven.” Therein lies the beauty of the 2nd, 8th, 13th, and 15th holes. They are all perfect examples of what a par 5 should be, yet they each offer something different and retain their own identity. “There’s not one like the next,” says 2007 winner Zach Johnson. “It’s beautiful that way.” These holes have been the subject of legendary shots and stories from the very beginning. In fact, perhaps the most famous tale of all happened in only the second Masters tournament in 1935, when Gene Sarazen hit ‘the shot heard round the world’. Trailing Craig Wood by three with four holes to play, Sarazen wiped out the deficit by holing out with his 4-wood on the 15th from 235 yards for an albatross. He won the ensuing 36hole play-off by five and the Masters was thrust firmly into the spotlight. In 1984, Ben Crenshaw faced a career-defining decision on the 13th. With a three-shot lead and in the middle of the fairway he contemplated hitting a 4-wood to the green. At that moment, he thought he saw Billy Joe Patton amongst the crowds and remembered Patton’s fateful decision >> Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
WHO IS ERRIE BALL? Samuel Henry Ball was born in Bangor, North Wales, on November 14, 1910. He was the youngest player to compete in the Open Championship when he played at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1926, aged just 15. He won eight state Open and PGA tournaments in Illinois and Arizona, played in 29 Majors from 1926 to 1966 and was runner-up to Paul Runyan in the 1963 Senior PGA Championship. Ball is the Golf Pro Emeritus at Willoughby GC in Stuart, Florida, and still teaches private lessons today.
MASTERS PREVIEW 2012
THE ORIGINAL
MASTER
Errie Ball is 101, played in the first Masters and still teaches golf every day Back in 1934, Adolf Hitler was the Chancellor of Germany, India was still 13 years from independence, Arnold Palmer was four years old and Errie Ball was one of 72 golfers playing in the very first Augusta National Invitational. The 23-year-old got his chance at an infantile Augusta National courtesy of his victory at the 1931 Southeastern PGA Championship and his friendship with club co-founder Bobby Jones. Ball first met Jones at the 1930 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, and it was Jones who urged the young Welshman to move to America. His uncle, Frank Ball, was the head pro at East Lake GC in Atlanta – Jones’ home course – so the pair combined to offer Errie a life he couldn’t dream of back home. On September 27, 1930, the same day Jones clinched his famous Grand Slam by winning the US Amateur, Ball landed in New York after an eight-day Atlantic crossing. The Welshman spent the next few years practising and playing in the southeastern area and it was at Highlands GC, North Carolina, that Ball recalls another meeting with Jones. Ball was walking to the par-3 4th when the American emerged out of a nearby cabin where he’d been smoking and drinking with his friends. “Errie,” Jones said, “what the hell you doing with that glove on your hand?” The young man was trying a radical new piece of apparel. “Take it off,” he followed up. Ball politely replied “Yes sir,” and duly removed the glove. “It was 10 years, maybe 15, until I wore a glove again,” recalls the 101-year-old. Golf was a different game 78 years ago. “You could take a 5-iron and play all kinds of shots with it. Go down the shaft, play the little chip shots, or shots into the wind. You could play several shots with it. It was called a mashie in those days.” Ball arrived at the very first Masters with his mashie in ungloved hand, and believing he could win. “It was an absolutely beautiful course, but I never imagined it would reach
Ball today, proudly showing a picture of Bobby Jones.
‘I DIDN’T FEEL SCARED. IT WAS RELAXED. BOB JONES MADE IT THAT WAY. THERE WAS A LOT OF LIQUOR AROUND’ the magnitude it has today,” he remembers. “I just thought it was going to be an invitation tournament and that would be the end of it.” He recorded 74 and 75 the first two rounds to sit one shot ahead of Jones and seven behind leader and eventual winner Horton Smith at the halfway mark. A 74 on Saturday left him one behind Jones and out of contention for the win but he was still set up for a good finish. The final round began with a couple of solid pars and then he hit a 6-iron to 12 feet on the par-3 3rd, the famous 12th today. He followed his routine, touching the putter down in front and then behind the ball, and then… “I couldn’t move,” says Ball, reliving the awful moment as if it happened yesterday. “Finally, I putted.” He pauses. “You know that bunker in front? My putt almost went in that bunker.”
He’d fired his birdie putt 25 feet past and it took another three shaky putts before he got the ball in the hole for a double bogey. In the worst possible place imaginable, Ball had developed the yips. He battled on to an 86, the worst round of the week, finished in a tie for 38th and headed straight for the car park. “Boom! Gone! I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of Augusta,” he says. There is probably no one alive today who’s witnessed more champions’ golf swings. Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have all been observed by Ball, who still teaches lessons today. He even watched Harry Vardon. “I never met him but I saw him in the distance and watched him. My father was a good friend of Harry. He had a beautiful swing.” But when asked about the greatest player to grace Augusta National, he pauses for thought and replies: “I guess I would have to say Byron Nelson.” The second and last time Ball teed it up at Augusta National was for the 1957 tournament. He made it back by finishing tied 22nd in the 1956 US Open. “The first Masters, they were having a lot of trouble getting it off to a good start. It was like a friendly deal. I didn’t feel too scared or nervous at all in the first one because it was more relaxed. Bob Jones made it that way. There was a lot of liquor floating around. Of course, in those days, I didn’t drink anyway, but it was more relaxing. “When I played it again in 1957 it was a different story. It was really big time.” Ball shot rounds of 75 and 78 and missed the cut by three shots. Of course, he’s had many invites and opportunities to go back since, but to this day, he hasn’t set foot on Augusta since his last competitive round 55 years ago. “I never really wanted to go. I want to remember it the way it was when I was there.”
TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 93
INSTRUCTION
learn how to lag
Gareth Maybin demonstrates how to lag the ball close on long putts every time Northern Irishman Gareth Maybin has won nearly £1.4 million and notched 13 top 10s, including a trio of runner-up finishes, in his three full seasons on the European Tour. He made the cut in his first Major start in the 2010 US Open at Pebble
Beach, thanks in large part to his skill on the greens. The 31-year-old’s ability to lag and hole out solidly and consistently has been a key part of the impressive start he’s made to his professional career. In fact, he finished 27th on the
European Tour for putts per round in 2011 with an average of 29.2 putts a round, so who better to ask for advice on how to lag your long efforts close and avoid those costly three-putts? See FREE putting video tips at www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/putting
practice tip The first thing you should do when you arrive at the course is practise 30 to 40-foot putts to get an immediate feel for the pace of the greens. This will help you on all lengths of putt.
form a picture Before making your stroke, visualise the ball running towards the hole and taking the breaks so you see what you want to do before trying to execute it, just like you would on a full shot.
S TE P O N E : Ac c u r ATE r E A d
STEP TwO: PrE-SHOT FOcuS
focus oN hole Look at the hole when you’re making your practice strokes so your mind and body get a feel for how far to swing the putter to get the right pace for the long putt you face.
lo o k h o l e s i d e Always start by reading the putt from behind the hole paying close attention to the last five feet of a putt. This lets you know what the ball’s going to do when it loses pace nearer the hole.
STE P TH r E E: N E uTr Al S E T- u P
STE P FOu r: lONg FOllOw TH rOug H double up Making your follow through twice the length of the backswing will guarantee the putter head accelerates through impact. This promotes a good roll and limits leaving putts short.
get square You must be confident that your feet, putter and stroke are square to the target, otherwise you’ll develop compensations. Get a friend to stand behind you to check alignment.
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 o V e yo u r G o l f f o r p u t t i n G V i d eo t i p s Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
INSTRUCTION
COME OUT ALL GE R RY JE NK INSON H A NDICA P 6
These three readers were desperate to sort their swings out in time for the new
T H E F A U LT
THE TIP It’s useful to check your shaft plane is correct at address by noticing how the club sits. The toe of the club should just be off the ground to allow for the shaft flexing at impact. You should just be able to slide a penny under the toe – this one sits too high. IS SUE 2 93 ❘ TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK
THE FIX
We got to the root cause of Gerry’s fault and neutralised his right hand so he held the club more in the fingers. Having a more neutral set-up allowed his right shoulder to be higher than before. As a result, the club became much more out in front of him in the delivery position.
Gerry had a very strong right hand, positioned more underneath the handle. This forced the handle of the club down at set-up, lifting the toe into the air. Because of his right hand pulling his right shoulder down too, the clubhead travelled excessively from in-toout in the downswing. Both of these factors led to the occasional shank.
THE DRILL As a drill, place a shaft along your toe line behind you and rehearse your predelivery position on the range trying to marry up the two shafts. For people with this fault the club should feel much more out in front of you in the downswing.
THE VERDICT “There’s nothing worse than having a case of the shanks. It really gets in your head and makes you nervous standing over the ball. Thankfully, I know exactly why it happens and how to fix it now so I can swing with a lot more confidence!”
GUNS BLAZING
season. TG Elite Pro Gareth Johnston was on hand to help them fix their faults...
THE FIX
T H E F A U LT
THE TIP A great feeling for any golfer trying to deliver the club more from the inside is to feel the right shoulder hangs back behind you as you start the downswing. Get a friend to hold your shoulder to feel the lower half initiate the downswing move.
The shoulders control the swing path so we needed to straighten his shoulder alignment with a softer right arm at address so the handle sat in a better position. This allowed the clubhead to stay in front of his hands in the backswing so he no longer needed to throw the club outside the line in the downswing, creating a more neutral club path through impact.
M AT T DEE GA N H A NDICA P 9
Matt had a poor set-up position whereby his shoulders were open to the target and his right arm straight with a high handle. As a result, his first move was to roll the clubhead behind him in the takeaway causing him to loop the club back out in front of him in the downswing excessively as a corrective move, frequently resulting in a pull to the left.
THE DRILL By placing a headcover between your right arm and torso, you encourage the right arm to fold and stay tighter to the body in the backswing. Otherwise the headcover will fall out. This move also sets the club on-plane early in the swing.
THE VERDICT “I’d been getting pretty frustrated with the pull to the left. It’s always nice to know for sure why it happens rather than guessing and working on the wrong things to try and get rid of it. Gareth is a great coach who really knows the golf swing.” TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 93
EQUIPMENT
FRIGHTENINGLY GOOD
Manta and Tour ranges still offer loads of forgiveness... but look great too BEST OF BOTH The Tour range is predictably sleek and will attract traditionalists. But it's also forgiving, with Pure Roll inserts giving greater consistency.
DROPPING ANCHOR Belly putters enjoyed a prominent rise to fame in 2011 and TaylorMade have reacted to consumer interest by developing a belly and a long version of the Ghost Manta.
Ghost Manta
From £149 I www.taylormadegolf.eu TaylorMade have always made supremelyforgiving clubs and this has recently extended to its putters, with the likes of the Spider and Itsy Bitsy models gaining worldwide recognition. The Ghost Manta offers all of the high-MOI qualities (more forgiving) of previous putters, but in a slightly more traditional shape. It’s still a mallet but isn't as 'out there' as its predecessors so will appeal to a wider variety of golfers. The white head remains, but there is an improved alignment system – the two black rails on the crown frame the ball, which we think is quite a significant change. The Manta also features tungsten weights on the heel and the toe for enhanced MOI with a third weight (adjustable) towards the back of the head.
W h i t e S mo ke £ 9 5 While the Ghost Manta featured a newly-designed alignment aid with the two black rails, TaylorMade have also kept their three-line system from last year in the White Smoke Series. There are three models (two blades and one mallet) in the range and what we really like about this
is sue 2 93 ❘ Todaysg olfe r .co.uk
series is that TaylorMade have produced a trio of putters for less than £100 each. The Pure Roll face insert is still in attendance, and for £95 we think these are a seriously good option for those seeking quality without spending a fortune.
Ghost Tour
From £129 I www.taylormadegolf.eu Putting guru Dave Stockton was part of the design process for this fabulous range. There are three blades in the range – the DA-12 (pictured), the DA-62 and the SE-62 – all with slightly differing toe hang (the bigger the hang the more it favors those with an inside-to-inside or arcing stroke) and shaft offset designs. Each model has been equipped with a Pure Roll insert designed to promote forward roll to ensure more topspin at impact, giving more consistent results. There are also three models of mallet in the range, including the fabulous Ghost Tour Corza complete with the ball-hole alignment aid that proved popular in earlier models.
The updated Penta still offers awesome control round the green.
The new TP5's lower compression core offers more yards off the tee.
The TP3 gives Tour class softness at a great price.
Less layers means more spin on long and mid- iron shots.
TOUR QUALITY... FOR LESS THAN £40
TaylorMade joins updated TP5 with the new TP3 – from £36.99 per dozen TaylorMade were the first to launch a fivepiece ball in 2010, and after huge success they have unveiled an upgraded model... as well as a new three-piece version. The Tour-calibre TP3 has been specifically designed for those seeking more spin on their long and mid-irons, while the soft urethane cover offers exceptional control from 100 yards in and around the green. The TP3's other key point is the price – with an RRP of £36.99 per dozen, you're getting a Tour-calibre ball at a lower price.
The TP5, which follows on directly from the Penta, features a core with a 28 per cent lower compression than the original. This means you generate less spin with the driver for greater distance, but still get the soft feel around the green. The Penta TP5 is £44.99 per dozen. We expect both balls to do exceptionally well this year, and with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson making the switch to the new TP5, the Tour results should be impressive too.
S P eeD D emo N S
UtiLitY WeAPoN
FeeL oN A BUDGet
Stability is a key part of a good swing and adidas’ new Powerband 4.0 shoes are designed to help you transfer power through all stages of the swing for more power. By using a Powerband Chassis, golfers can swing more aggressively safe in the knowledge their feet will stay 'quiet' and balanced throughout. Adidas engineers have integrated their FitFoam insole for enhanced cushioning, while the Thintech low-profile technology brings the golfer closer to the ground for added stability and leverage. The new shoes are also offered in medium and wide widths, as well as a variety of styles, and are available now.
TaylorMade’s exchangeable face wedge made quite a stir, but their latest incarnation might just go one step further. The ATV wedge features an innovative sole design that has different degrees of bounce on various parts of the club, making it highly versatile. The relief at the toe, heel and trailing edge reduces resistance and allows golfers to open the clubface up confidently. There are an impressive seven lofts available (from 50 to 64˚) and the wedge also benefits from a new groove design that the company says generates nearly as much spin as the Z grooves. A special texture between the grooves also helps to generate backspin, for more control and stopping power.
Over the last couple of months we’ve brought you the exciting new range of RocketBallz woods and irons from TaylorMade. Now we can show you the new RocketBallz golf ball that promises huge distance with a degree of short-game performance. We’ve tested the balls and we can say that while the distance was never in doubt, especially off the tee and with longer irons, we were delighted to find the feel around the green was incredible – especially given the fact the ball is priced at less than £30. Oh, one more thing – the balls aren’t numbered traditionally. The balls come in a 55, 66, 77 or 88… The reason? TaylorMade just wanted to be different!
New shoes aimed at fast swingers: £89.99
New wedge has innovative sole design: £89
Power and control in a sub-£30 ball: £26.99
Todaysg olfe r .co.uk ❘ is sue 2 93
TRAVEL
EUROPE'S SPORTS STAR
La Manga Club is Spain's sensational sporting hotspot with golf very much at the fore The La Manga Club in Murcia heads into its 40th year in 2012 still arguably rated as Europe’s leading golf destination. The resort, which remarkably is three times the size of Monaco, is home to three outstanding championship golf courses. Down the years, La Manga has been the venue for many major professional tournaments such as the Spanish Open and the European Tour Qualifying School. It is also strongly fancied to host the 2015 Solheim Cup contested by Europe and America’s top lady golfers. The par-73 South course, originally
designed by Robert Putman and modified by Arnold Palmer in 1992, is generally accepted as the toughest of the three layouts. It plays just over 7,100 yards from the white tees and has wide palmfringed fairways, large engulfing bunkers as well as water hazards that come into play on 15 of the 18 holes! Despite having tighter fairways, the shorter par-71 North course plays slightly easier. It is more undulating than the South and bigger tiered greens offer a generous target. However, accurate hitting is still required if you are to avoid the gullies, lakes and 70-plus bunkers.
LA MANGA FACTFILE South Course Par 73, 6,700 yards North Course Par 71 5,937 yards West Course Par 72 6,050 yards Green fees: Public – €149-€159 (£124£133); hotel residents – €63-€77 (£53-£64).
The par 3s – all five of them – are especially impressive. The par-72 West track – designed by Dave Thomas – is a hilly layout set among the barrancas (natural storm gullies) that cut through the valley. There are a number of blind shots on this pine-clad track and the golfer has to contend with many changes of elevation, especially on the back nine. There is also La Manga's ‘hidden gem’ – the 18-hole par-47 pitch and putt course designed by the legendary Seve Ballesteros. It was here that a young Luke Donald practised his short game –
his parents had a home there. La Manga also boasts one of Europe's finest tennis centres (28 courts) and it has staged Davis Cup and Federation Cup matches. There are also eight full-size soccer pitches in the Professional Football Centre – top clubs such as Barcelona, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea have all used the facility for training camps as have many rugby and gaelic football teams. Other sports catered for include cricket (two pitches), squash, bowls, water sports and horse riding. The resort also has a state-of-the-art spa in Las Lomas Village – only three minutes away by shuttle bus – along with a gym, saunas, jacuzzis and an indoor heated pool. Little wonder then that the La Manga Club continues to pocket awards – the most recent being Spain’s best hotel/ resort in the inaugural TG Travel Awards – on and off the course.
TRY IT FOR YOURSELF… Deal One Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe. Four nights’ B&B and four rounds of golf from €430pp or seven nights’ B&B and seven rounds of golf from €753pp (both valid until March 31).
DEALS OF THE MONTH
Deal Two La Manga Las Lomas Village. Four nights’ B&B and four rounds of golf from €360pp or seven nights’ B&B and seven rounds of golf from €630pp (both valid Jan 21-Jul 23).
◗ PORTUGAL Four nights’ B&B at Le Meridien Penina Golf & Resort, Portimao, Portugal, and four rounds on the two on-site courses, plus car hire from £255pp. Valid until March 4 (fourball offer and free room upgrade). To book call Leisure Link Golf Holidays on 01708 339300.
◗ All deals include 50 per cent discount on buggy hire and free fitness pass for the spa. A round of golf can be exchanged for a dinner. All readers quoting Today's Golfer when booking will receive a free VIP Spa pass. To book call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reserve@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com.
◗ FRANCE Two nights’ B&B at BW Hotel du Parc, France, and two rounds (Hardelot Les Pins & Les Dunes) from £165pp (one in eight stay and play for free). Valid between April and June. To book call Golfbreaks.com on 0845 543 6675. ◗ FLORIDA Five nights’ B&B at five-star Marriott Doral, Florida, and five rounds of golf from £435pp, including buggies and range balls. Valid September to October. To book call Golfbreaks.com on 0845 543 6675. ◗ WESTERN ALGARVE Two nights’ B&B at five-star Vale d’Oliveiras Quinta Resort & Spa, Western Algarve, for £180pp until February 29 (£187pp in March). Includes a round on the nearby Gramacho or Pinta courses, a spa treatment, and a three-course evening meal. To book visit www.valedoliveiras resort.com
SHORT SHOTS NEW TURKEY COURSE A new championship layout is to open at Kusadasi, close to the Aegean Sea and about 55 miles south of Izmir airport. The course is scheduled to open in September and is poised to rival the best on offer in the popular and well established Belek/Antalya region. The par-72 course will feature two lakes, 59 bunkers and USGA-spec greens as well as a residential complex and a variety of accommodation options. Green fees will be from £53£84. Visit www.kusadas iinternationalgolf.com TRY FREE LISBON GOLF Sign up for Lisbon Coast Golf Club, a unique golf experience combining unlimited free golf in Portugal with ownership of a fantastic holiday home. Joining the Lisbon Coast GC offers golfers and their families: Four weeks’ a year fractional ownership (for ten years) of a newly-built apartment, townhouse apartment or villa with pool at the four-star Palmela Village Golf Resort near the Portuguese capital, plus unlimited golf at six superb venues (Ribagolfe I and II, Quinta do Peru G&CC, Montado, Santa Estevao and Palmela Village). Prices start from a one-off payment of €3,844 (£3,221) with monthly maintenance fees from €98 (£82). Call 0351 92705 0924, e-mail pmuk@ pelicano.pt or visit www. lisboncoastgolfclub.com GOLFING DREAMLAND Jetsetgolf, a new joint venture between private air charter company Eurojet Aviation and luxury tour operator Chaka Travel, is offering golfers the trip of a lifetime – six world class courses in six countries in six days. Courses include Ireland's Royal County Down and Old Head, Scotland's St Andrews and Carnoustie, Spain's Valderrama, Portugal's San Lorenzo and Tenerife's Abama Resort, plus others in Africa and the Middle East. Golfers can customise their trip, but for a group of eight undertaking ultimate package expect to pay £12,000£15,000 apiece. Still interested? Call 02890 232112 or e-mail info@ jetsetgolf.com
TODAYSG OLFE R .CO.UK ❘ IS SUE 2 93