HKGolfer0908 by Times International Creation Ltd

HK Golfer Urban Golf: HK juniors take to the streets of Kowloon

THE OFF I C I A L P U B L I CAT I O N O F T H E H O NG KO NG GOLF ASSOCIATION

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE 41

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

$40

CHINA SPECAL

25 Years of Golf on the Mainland

Butch Harmon Event Review Ty Votaw

DISPLAY UNTIL 15 OCTOBER

contents

HK Golfer

Issue 41

August/September 2009

Features 20 | The No. 2 Wood

62 | Mile-High Masterpiece

24 | My Top 10 Rulings

Plus…

31 | Winning on Home Turf

06 | E-mailbag 08 | Clubhouse 09 | Tee Time

Continuing his series on unfairly forgotten players, Dr Milton Wayne profiles Craig Wood, the Greg Norman of his generation Mak Lok-lin recalls the times when the rules (or the interpretation of them) either helped or hindered the world’s best players

On the Cover:

Celebrating 25 Years of Golf in China. Illustration by Arthur Hacker

Steven Lam and Stephanie Ho made it a memorable day for local golf with their victories in the MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Open Championship at Fanling

42 | Where it All Started

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Palmer Course at Chung Shan Hot Spring, the first club in postRevolutionary China. HK Golfer pays a visit

50 | Putting it on

the Map

These six courses – from the North, South, East and West of the country – have helped elevate China’s status to the verge of golfing superstar status

54 4

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

At 5,000 feet above sea level and almost a century old, Vietnam’s Dalat Palace Golf Club is as distinct as it is dazzling

Evan Rast looks at the latest Cartier watches

12 | Classic Cars

James Nicholls profiles the history of Jaguar

13 | Liquid Assets Robert Rees on wine

14 | Single Malts

The Isle of Arran with John Bruce

16 | Equipment

The 2010 groove regulation

17 | Golf Rules With Dr Brian Choa

30 | Around the HKGA

A roundup of news and other events from Hong Kong

54 | Q&A with Ty

34 | Junior News

HK Golfer interviews the man in charge of heading up golf’s Olympic bid

66 | Final Shot

Votaw

The latest events and coverage Lifestyle: Butch Harmon talks about his favourite things HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

hk golfer e-mailbag Prize Letter Cink and Watson – Two Great Champions How refreshing it was see Tom Watson nearly win the Open Championship at Turnberry. While some have argued that a Watson victory (at the ripe old age of 59) would have damaged golf’s credibility as a sport, I am one who sits firmly in the camp that it would have been the greatest achievement in the history of the game. First of all, Watson, a five-time Open champ, is an incredibly fit man – as fit, I dare say, as many 40-year-old pros on Tour. When John Daly won the Open at St Andrews in 1995, the overwhelming view was that this was a positive outcome for the sport. Here we had an overweight, chainsmoking guy who enjoyed the odd drink or ten. Was the popular American an athlete? It didn’t matter: he played truly great golf that week and deserved to lift the Claret Jug. Secondly, as we all saw, Watson clearly has the imagination to perform on links courses. As he himself admitted, he’d have absolutely no chance at courses like Augusta which require vast length and a high ball flight. But Watson, along with Peter Thomson, is probably the best links player of all time. He GETS it. Age has no bearing on imagination – and links courses simply cannot be conquered by brute force. Unlike many of today’s top pros who stand on the tee and just rip driver all day, so as to get as close to the green as possible, Watson understands the intricacies of this form of golf and understands that a 170 yard shot from the fairway can be a much more attractive proposition than a 75 yard shot from the rough. Not that Watson is necessarily short. At Turnberry he averaged 295 yards off the tee, which was longer than the eventual champion Stewart Cink average for the week. A remarkable statistic from a remarkable man. Please don’t get me wrong. While I do feel for Watson - he should have won and it was a pleasure watching him play for seventy-one and a half holes – I have just as much sympathy for Cink, now the champion golfer of the year. Amid all the hubbub of Watson’s amazing performance, the fact that Cink played great golf down the stretch and holed a brilliant birdie putt on the final hole has been lost on many. In a way, the situation is reminiscent of Paul Lawrie’s win at the 1999 Open after Jean Van de Velde faltered so spectacularly at the last hole of regulation play. Back then, Lawrie’s finest moment, like Cink’s, was overshadowed by events beyond his control. Simon Tam Repulse Bay Editor responds: Congratulations, Simon. A bottle of Billecart-Salmon Rose Champagne is winging its way to you. Like everyone else, we at HK Golfer rather expected Watson’s challenge to deteriorate over the last 36 holes. How wrong we were! His extraordinary performance proved that age isn’t necessarily We Want to Hear from You! a barrier in golf and Have something to say about an article in HK Golfer or with the likes of Vijay a topic affecting golf in our area? Send your thoughts and Singh (46) still enjoying comments to letters@hkgolfermagazine.com. Please also great success on the include your address, contact regular tour, one thinks number, email and HKGA #. it’ll be a case of when, The winner of the best letter rather than if, we’ll will receive a bottle of Billecartsee the first 50-plus Salmon Rose NV courtesy of Major champion. Links Concept.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HK Golfer

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION AUG/SEP 2009 • Issue 41

Editor: Alex Jenkins email: alex.jenkins@timesic.com Sub-editor: Linda Tsang Playing Editor: Jean Van de Velde Published by:

TIMES INTERNATIONAL CREATION Times International Creation Limited 20/F, Central Tower 28 Queen’s Road Central Hong Kong Phone: +852 2159-9427 Fax: +852 3007-0793 Publisher: Charles McLaughlin Art Director: Mimi Cheng Office Manager: Moira Moran Accounting Manager: Christy Wong Advertising For advertising information, please contact: advertising@hkgolfermagazine.com For purchasing information contact: sales@hkgolfermagazine.com For subscription information contact: subscriptions@hkgolfermagazine.com Hong Kong Golf Association Suite 2003, Olympic House 1 Stadium Path, So Kon Po Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Phone (General): +852 2504-8659 Fax: +852 2845-1553 Phone (Handicaps): +852 2504-8197 Fax: +852 2504-8198 Email: hkgolf@hkga.com handicaps@hkga.com HK GOLFER is printed in Hong Kong by Regal Printing Limited, Good Prospect Factory Bldg, 33-35 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong.

HKGolfer Urban Golf: HK juniors take to the streets of Kowloon

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE HONG KONG GOLF ASSOCIATION

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE 41

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

$40

CHINA SPECAL

25 Years of Golf on the Mainland

Butch Harmon Event Review Ty Votaw

DISPLAY UNTIL 15 OCTOBER

HK Golfer is available onboard all Cathay Pacific and Dragonair First and Business Class cabins and in Singapore Airlines First and Business Class lounges.

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Clubhouse

KSC: Using the Power of the Sun The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau is continuing its commitment to the environment by converting its fleet of electric golf carts to solar power. Solar-cell roof panels, designed and engineered by Denmark-based SolarDrive, have been fitted to the course’s 205 carts, which makes Kau Sai Chau the largest operator of solar-powered golf carts in the world. “Our partnership with SolarDrive during its design evolution has resulted in a product that will enable us to cut our carbon emissions, reflecting our ongoing commitment to implement new and innovative solutions that will help make our golf course as environmentally friendly as possible,” said Cameron Halliday, General Manager at Kau Sai Chau. The initiative comes only a few months after the course received official recognition for its environmental program as winners of the Asian Golf Course Environment Award.

NUMBERS GAME 110,000,000

The estimated earnings, in US$, of Tiger Woods over the past 12 months, making him the world’s highest-paid athlete for the eighth consecutive year. Of that total, ‘only’ 5 million was accrued from tournament earnings.

8 680,764

The number of holes-in-one at the RBC Canadian Open in July. Some feat, considering the odds of an ace occurring at any given PGA Tour event is 6/4.

For information or to view the range please contact:

Impact Golf Management Group Tel: 25417452 Email: info@impactgolf.com.hk

The number of followers Open Champion Stewart Cink has to his Twitter page (twitter.com/stewartcink), making him the most popular golfer on the social networking site. Ian Poulter (twitter. com/ianjamespoulter) is the second most popular. Tiger Woods has not registered.

“ Boo Weekley sounds like a newspaper for ghosts. But it is not. It is in fact an American golfer. ” - BBC Radio during the first day’s play at the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

 TEE TIME

It’s All in the Movement Evan Rast profiles Cartier’s watchmaking evolution

artier is a word that’s always But it was only in 2003 that the brand achieved this with a fully integrated on everyone’s wish list. There’s manufacture at La Chaux-de-Fonds, alongside a tourbillon workshop in Geneva. nothing like the sight of that Since then the company has focused on the development and production big red box with gold letters of movements for its exclusive line of watches. Last year we saw the release of to get you in an adoring, the Ballon Bleu with the 9452 MC calibre, a watch with a one-minute flying obliging, extremely jovial tourbillon and a C-shaped carriage at six o’clock Cartier’s emblematic movement mood. A household name for luxury, Cartier has with the Geneva Seal. This year, the 9452 MC has been used with two models, been the constant companion of the world’s rich, the Tank Americaine (HK$725,000) and the Santos 100. royal and famous since 1847. And if you know Led by its head of high watchmaking movements, Carole Forrestiermost of the stories about their fantastic jewels, Kasapi – who incidentally is considered a powerhouse in the industry given you would have undoubtedly heard how the her contributions to the development of Ulysse Nardin’s Freak, Audemars brand put itself on the watchmaking map. Piguet’s Grand Sonnerie, and A. Lange & Sohne’s Pour Le Merite Tourbillon Six years after starting up the business in – Cartier released an even bigger surprise this year with the Rotonde de Cartier Paris, Louis-Francois Cartier added timepieces Central Chronograph (HK$249,000), which features an entirely new into his fine jewellery line in the form of pocket house movement, the 9907 MC, equipped with a unique display in which the watches and ladies jewellery. But it was his minute and hour counters are co-axial in the centre of the dial. It has also been grandson Louis that made history when he constructed with a vertical coupling system for the chronograph function which designed the first ever wristwatch for men in reduces friction and energy consumption. Very well-received at the SIHH, the 1904, an idea he got from his friend and aviator Rotonde de Cartier Central is a real beauty up close. A l b e r t o S a n t o s -D u m o n t , who complained about the impracticality of pocket watches in flight. And the Santos, with its distinct square bezel and Roman numeral indices, has been a trademark for the brand ever since. The Sa ntos was qu ick ly f ol l owe d by a nu mb e r o f iconic models that are still being produced to this day: the Tonneau in 1906, Tortue Rotonde de Cartier in 1913 and the Tank in 1917. Tank Americaine Santos 100 Skeleton Central Chronographe Movements were assembled in France and made in Switzerland, with many innovative complications resulting The iconic Santos 100 (HK$365,000) has also been revamped this year, from the collaboration between Louis Cartier with an innovative skeleton movement developed entirely in-house, the 9611 and Edmond Jaeger of Jaeger-LeCoultre. MC. Graphically striking in its oversized palladium case, this new model has a Cartier has since undergone many changes, movement that was designed in the form of Roman numerals, so that what you including its acquisition by Joseph Kanoui and see as indicators are actually the bridges, wheels and other parts of the manually Robert Hocq in 1972 which eventually led to its winding calibre. being part of the Richemont Group. But one of Says Helene Poulit-Duquesne, Cartier’s marketing director, “the team chose the most exciting for its watchmaking heritage is the skeleton because we felt that it was representative of how Cartier has been definitely the achievement of being able to fully making its watches. Cartier does not do things like everyone else, especially in create its movements in-house, or for those who the way the movement is done. The process is very traditional yet there is always are following the industry closely, its evolution something new in terms of design.” into becoming a “true manufacturer.” So where does Cartier go from here? Duquesne reveals that Maison Cartier It was in the midst of the quartz revolution has a five-year plan in the works to expand its in-house production further. in the 70s, when Cartier decided to work toward “We have plenty of ideas for a new movement. Next year, you should be seeing fully controlling its movement production. something astonishing.” HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

hk golfer events

Digital Delight

Robert Levine

Stephen and Elizabeth Magnum

Edward Lee

Terrence Hogan, Stephen Howard and Bryan Shillabeer

HK Golfer watch lovers experience the unique de Meccanico DG

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Andrew Dawson

Kannus Cheng and Neil Hosie

anniversary of the brand. With a price tag of over US$300,000, this watch is unique in having both an analogue and a mechanical digital display. Easier to demonstrate than to describe, the timepiece has almost 700 parts and displays two separate time zones simultaneously on an analogue upper dial and on the lower digital display. Obviously it is the “digital” element which is most intriguing, and the inhouse proprietary movement displays numbers using a series of cylinder-type segments which are moved by a complex series of cams and gears plus a triggering and synchronization device. It’s a remarkable piece of engineering, all visible through the front and back of the piece. Available in four styles—red gold, titanium and gold, titanium and platinum and titanium and rubber—the Meccanico DG is said to be waterproof to 30m, but it’s hard to imagine anyone wearing this diving! The prototype in Hong Kong was the red gold model and the gold highlights on the display looked magnificent but proved difficult to see at times. The final gold version resolves these issues. The other versions have a far more legible display in fluorescent green and overall the piece is in a limited edition of 177 pieces. As might be expected in such an “active” watch, the movement is hand wound, with a 35-hour reserve. It is also a large piece, coming in at 56mm x 48mm and stands a full 15mm tall. However, due to its curved back and relatively light weight, it sits remarkably comfortably on the wrist. HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Kate and Moria McLaughlin

King Lai

A video showing the story behind this legendary timepiece was showing and several attendees tried on the prototype. An experience certainly, but just part of a very entertaining evening with every attendee experiencing the full range of de Grisogono timepieces and jewellery. A big thank you to our hosts for a great evening. –C.M. For more information about de Grisogono (www.degrisogono.com), please visit their boutique on level 2, IFC Mall.

Photography by Gareth Jones

ate June saw another event for HK Golfer watch lovers in Hong Kong, with a cocktail evening hosted by de Grisogono in the luxurious surroundings of their IFC Mall boutique. Almost 40 watch aficionados had been invited to a private viewing, with wine and canapés, of the de Grisogono collection. Amidst the Roman villa-inspired setting, the attendees were able to view, handle and try on watches and jewellery with knowledgeable de Grisogono staff on hand at all times. Highlight of the evening was a rare display of the prototype of the stunning de Meccanico DG wristwatch, produced to celebrate the 15th

Attention Watch lovers: If you are interested in joining future HK Golfer watch events, please contact us at watches@hkgolfermagazine.com

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

 CLASSIC CARS

Born to Perform

James Nicholls, of the Classic Throttle Shop in Sydney, reviews the models that has made Jaguar one of the most distinguished marques in history Photo by Karen Linz/Classic Throttle Shop

nly a few marques that are still on the road today have the distinguished heritage and rich history of Jaguar. Evolving from the Swallow Sidecar Company founded by William Lyons in 1922, the name “Jaguar” was born in 1935 to reflect the speed and sleek power of the cars that his company was then producing. It was really in the period after World War II, that Jaguar created the cars for which it has become so famous. In 1948 Jaguar launched the XK120 (so called because it could do 120mph), the first of one of the greatest sports car series of all time. Jaguar soon realised that it also had the successful makings of a potentially winning competition car. The XK120C, or C-type as it is more commonly known, was ready just in time for the 1951 Le Mans 24hour race. Car number 20 driven by Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead won on its debut. In 1953, Jaguar introduced the disc brake (developed in conjunction with Dunlop) to the C-type and the world. This meant that the car’s brakes did not ‘fade’ and that the Jaguar could brake much later than the competition – a very important aspect when reducing speed from 150mph on the three-and-a-halfmile straight, Mulsanne. Jaguar finished 1st, 2nd and 4th at Le Mans that year. The XK120 was followed by updates XK140 and XK150 and the C-type by the famous D-type. In 1956 Jaguar became the first manufacturer to win Le Mans and the Monte Carlo Rally in the same year which led to a knighthood for Lyons. If the 1950s was a golden era for Jaguar with five victories at Le Mans by the end of the decade, then the “Swinging ‘60s” was perhaps an even more special decade. Building upon its racing success and popularity amongst Hollywood film stars, such as Robert Mitchum who drove XKs, the world beating XK engine and the cars needed to be updated and Jaguar needed to come up with a sensational new car. This duly arrived in 1961 with the launch of the E-type (or the XKE as it was 12

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

 LIQUID ASSETS

Shifting Markets

There’s never been a better time to buy, explains Robert Rees

have a confession to make. I have been involved in the wine business for over 20 years in many different roles, having worked at the following: wineries, restaurants, bars, bottle shops, event managers, investment advisors, auctions and now internet wine sales. Basically, there is not much that I haven’t done in the grape to glass chain. However, like poacher turned gamekeeper, I believe that I can also claim redemption and forgiveness for mistakes made along the way. One of the less auspicious links in the chain was my time in wine investment advising. This rather obscure asset class was thrust into the limelight earlier this decade as spiraling wine prices attracted buyers from all colours and creeds. My extensive experience in matters vinous inevitably drew me towards the roar of this exciting, explosively bullish market. Astounded by the extraordinary leap in the prices of top end wines at auctions and in retail windows, I went about using my experience to guide investors towards what I believed would be the next shooting star in the wine price gain game. The skill was to correctly asses a wine’s pedigree, volume of production, anticipated RPJ or WS rating, recent trading history of past vintages and public appeal of the winemakers, and to thereby select those that in my genuine belief would be most likely to appreciate in value over the next three to five years. Given that the corks would be pulled on more than half of a wine’s total production within three years of it being released also helped to tip the scales in favour of future price appreciation. Thus the usual investment package would include three years storage and insurance in a professional, climate-controlled environment. All very sensible and chugging along nicely until someone asked to cash in the profits. Oops! Whilst at face value there was apparently going to be no problem to achieve that objective, the reality proved to be much more difficult. Once the costs of storage, insurance, freight, taxes, auction and agent fees were taken into account there wasn’t much in the way of profits left, if any at all. The punters were understandably royally annoyed but no-one had really thought the whole process through in detail. It was deceptively complex. Let’s do some basic math. Assume a wine has a retail value of US$130 and you buy it for US$100 with three years storage and insurance included. At the end of those three years you decide to extend storage and insurance for a further three years at approx US$3 per bottle HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

per year with a view to selling it then. Taking into account cost of carry at say three percent per annum your bottle has cost you approx US$127 (yes I know, excluding compounding effect: I am trying to keep this simple). In the meantime you are pleasantly informed that the wine has been gleefully quaffed the world over and now has a retail value of US$200. It is considered rare and difficult to procure. Not bad, eh? Show me the money! You set out to sell your prized bottle. Your local retailer stares blankly back at you and surreptitiously reaches for the shotgun beneath the counter when you offer it to him for what you think is a bargain at US$175. His margin is a minimum of 40% otherwise he cannot cover costs. He offers you US$150 as you have been a good client for many years. Miffed, you decide to list the wine for auction, having seen that it has just traded at US$180. Problem is that the auctioneer is charging 10-20 percent fees. Worse still, your wine is actually being stored in London and that price is only available in Hong Kong’s red hot wine market, fuelled into frenzy by the Chinese miracle economy and the infinite wisdom of the local authorities to abolish customs tax. How do I move this stuff to Hong Kong? Answer: freight plus insurance plus another round of storage until it sells. Hmmm. Best sell it in London then. The London auction price is US$160, but you have to first take the wine out of bonded storage and pay 17.5 percent VAT to sell it domestically. Or you can sell it in bond for $140 but that requires finding a buyer who uses your storage facility, otherwise there are extra freight costs. Getting confused? All a bit harder than you first thought? Let’s not even discuss what it takes to get the wine to market in the USA. Thousands of investors are now facing this dilemma. Reputable wine investment houses are proactively working very hard to get the best exits for their clients, but supply is far outweighing supply at the moment, and I believe it may get worse. Consequently, volumes on offer at auction have increased dramatically but reserves have been unrealistically high, resulting in very low turnover and mounting frustration amongst investors. This is undeniably a buyer’s market. The best in a decade. Professionally cellared and carefully matured wines are now often being offered at prices below current vintage releases of the same wine. This is causing major indigestion for some producers and distributors who are trying to sell new stock into a market that is now awash with older, highly rated wines that are actually cheaper than the new offerings. As always, markets adapt to new conditions. Traditional auction houses are struggling and are reviewing their commissions. Cue the plug: we at Wine Exchange Asia have reacted by creating a live market for wines in Asia. SPECIAL READER OFFER To reflect the reality that sellers vastly outnumber buyers, Kalleske Pirathon Shiraz 2007: Winner of the London we have created a market International Wine Challenge where no buyer’s premium is 2009 – Best Australian Shiraz. applicable and where buyers US$440 per case including and sellers can adjust prices delivery. until transactions occur. If you To place an order, or if you are at all interested in buying have any other enquiries, please quality wines at unrepeatable contact Robert at wine@ prices, get involved at www. hkgolfermagazine.com wineexchangeasia.com. HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Illustration by Christine Berrie

known in the US). This is a car which perfectly captured the spirit of the time. Perhaps the most famous sportscar (if not car) of all time, this automotive icon was built for the next 13 years. It is a car that is still beautiful and yet eminently useable today, and whilst the Series III is perhaps the most practical to drive, the Series I is still the pursist’s choice in either coupe or roadster form. Another very practical and useable, yet stylish and iconic Jaguar from t h is period is t he 3.8 Ma rk 2 sa lo on. W it h an enlarged 3.8litre XK engine producing around 220hp, the Mark 2 was favoured by crooks and villains as a getaway car, and subsequently utilized by the British Police to chase them. Fast and powerful, this was a very sophisticated vehicle with a luxurious and elegant interior filled with leather and wood veneer. Fitted with air-conditioning, a Jaguar Mk 2 is a car that makes a very good classic that can be used everyday in all conditions, including heavy traffic. Perhaps the finest Jaguar saloon car – the XJ6 – was introduced in 1968. This was the last masterpiece of Sir William, who retired in 1972. The XJ6 met with immediate public approval, with its distinctive looks and well-appointed refinement. Again an excellent useable classic, it is also available in the larger engine V12 version. In 1975 the XJ-S was launched. The sports car of the XJ series, the XJ-S replaced the incredible E-type. Like the E, available as a coupe or convertible, the XJ-S is a wonderful sports tourer and another classic that is well suited to the rigours of modern motoring. Jaguar has a great racing pedigree and continues to make some lovely cars to this day. The Jaguar name (along with its sister, Daimler) epitomises grace and style and is synonymous with classic cars of the best kind. There is a model for everyone and every budget. Whether a sporting saloon like the Mk 2 or XJ, a sports car like the XK or an iconic E-type, or perhaps the legendary C or D-type, Jaguar truly does provide, “a unique blend of style, luxury and performance.”

A rare breed: the Jag XK150

On Arran: That Sinking Feeling

John Bruce recounts the fateful passage of the SS Politician – and what happened to its precious cargo

n the course of writing the first two articles for this esteemed publication I have come to realize that the whisky is only a part, albeit a glorious part, of the equation. With this in mind, despite the restrictions imposed by the cruel editor’s predilection for the brevity of the philistine, this edition shall attempt to cover, in no particular order, history, golf, film appreciation, travel recommendations and indeed whisky. On the morning of 5 February 1941, the SS Politician, bound for Kingston Jamaica, ran aground on sandbanks in the Sound of Eriskay. The entire crew was rescued by local men and word quickly spread that a major part of the cargo was 28,000 bottles of malt whisky. This cargo, as any right minded man of the sea will tell you, was salvage or near enough as made little difference, and thus anyone retrieving it was entitled to keep it. The islanders, some from as far away as Lewis, swiftly “rescued” a significant part of it. At this stage, the villain of the piece entered in the shape of Charles McColl, the local customs officer, whose largely ineffectual efforts to thwart the locals were the inspiration for a Compton Mackenzie novel which in turn led to the great Ealing comedy, Whisky Galore. The actions of McColl in having the hull of the ship dynamited to prevent further salvage led to one islander uttering the memorable line “Dynamiting whisky. You wouldn't think there’d be men in the world so crazy as that!” One has to understand that Hitler was in the ascendant across Europe at the time to fully appreciate how horrified this man was. This director of this film was Alexander Mackendrick, one of the great directors of Ealing comedies. Mackendrick was born to Scottish parents in Boston but his parents’ perspicacity saw him 14

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

The Canny Man in Wanchai shall be showing a double bill of Whisky Galore and The Maggie from 3pm on Sunday 6 November. HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

One-Armed Bandit

hk history

Arthur Hacker recounts the story of Francis A. Sutton, one of Hong Kong’s more unusual champion golfers

f ew mont hs after t he beginning of World War Two, before the Japanese entered the conflict, an extraordinary paralympics golf match took place at the then Royal Hong Kong Golf Club between two fanatical golf enthusiasts who had both lost their right arms. Major Melville-Smith was the Instructor of Gunnery to the British garrison. His competitor, who had had his arm blown off at Gallipoli, was the notorious “One-Arm” Sutton. Before World War One he had won the Buenos Aires Amateur Golf Championship. Having come under serious mortar fire at Gurkha Bluff, where he had lost his arm, Frank Sutton realised that the Turkish Army mortars were far superior to those of the British. While he was recovering from his wound he started work designing what became known as the Sutton mortar. During the China War Lord era, Frank was in Manchuria manufacturing thousands of these mortars for the Old Marshal, Chang Tso-lin, whose ambition was to capture Peking. He had a problem: the Great Wall of China stood in the way. Sutton planned to use his mortars to blow a breach in the wall. Fortunately the defenders had inadvertently left a door open: so it was a simple job. The mad Old Marshal made him a general for this magnificent feat of arms. The Old Marshal had a tiresome habit of murdering his generals, so Frank took a golfing holiday in Shanghai. Here he won a local lottery called the Champions Sweepstake. China was beginning to get unhealthy for foreign mercenaries like Sutton. Fearing that his luck would run out Sutton went to Canada where he lost £500,000 during the awful days of the Great Depression. In an attempt to rebuild his fortune Frank and his golf clubs returned to the Far East. The golf was fun: but otherwise he failed miserably. During the Sino-Japanese War the Kempeitai attempted to recruit him as an agent. “No bloody fear!” growled Frank. He was arrested by the Japanese who deported him from Korea to Hong Kong where he played what was his last golf match against the one-armed major. Frank won! HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Arthur Hacker

 SINGLE MALTS

return to Scotland to be educated, a path that is sadly less trodden these days, and success swiftly followed. Personally, my favourite Mackendrick film is another that portrays the struggle between the cunning of the locals and the authority of the wider world, The Maggie. The film opens with the eponymous Clyde puffer stuck on the Glasgow subway with the great liner Queen Mary prevented from sailing as a result. Things quickly go downhill from there for the puffer and crew in increasingly hilarious and occasionally poignant fashion. Puffers were small steam powered cargo ships with flat hulls which allowed them to beach on the sands of smaller Scottish destinations and deliver much needed cargo to small communities. Talking of small communities, I confess that I have constructed this meandering tale in order that I can recount a tale of my father’s about whisky drinking in the years immediately after the Second World War and through the 1950s, before the “never had it so good” years of Harold Macmillan. Supplies were scarce, licensing hours were tight and good quality whisky was in short supply. As working men, on the Isle of Arran, my father and fellows would have a few drinks on a Saturday afternoon. The problems they faced included the fact that there was only a limited amount of the good stuff and the bars closed between two-thirty and five in the afternoon. To the Scottish aficionado of fine whisky, no problem is insurmountable and the men in question were good friends with the crew of the ferry to the mainland, which took about one hour each way, with a half hour for disembarkation and reloading and a bar that sold the “good stuff” when at sea. Therein lay the short term solution. Nothing moves too quickly in the islands, as the aforementioned films amply demonstrated, but in 1995 the long term solution was found with the opening of Arran Distillery in Lochranza. Still in its early years in whisky terms, the distillery has produced a number of single cask varieties and a very acceptable 10-year-old malt that is not as peaty as most island malts. Indeed, its initial taste is redolent of sweet fruit leading to a spicy warm finish. The character promises much for the more aged varieties that should soon be with us. As a destination for the whisky appreciating golfer, which after all this is aimed at, Arran owns another fine distinction: it has the most golf courses per head of population anywhere in the world; seven within its 57-mile circumference. They vary in length and difficulty but as a reliable measure, if you can’t hit the green on the 120-yard par-3 1st at Corrie Golf Course, you’d be better to give up for the day and head to the bar.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

equipment

rules

Ask the Expert

New Wedges – It’s a Groovy Issue

With Dr Brian Choa, Chairman, Rules & Decisions, HKGA

For the first time in history the USGA has required a rollback in the performance of golf equipment. Fearful that driving accuracy is being removed from the game – brought about by the amount of spin that top pros are able to generate from the rough, which has resulted in the ‘bomb and gouge’ philosophy favoured by so many – new regulations on conforming grooves take effect next January for Tour players. The idea is straightforward: force the manufacturers to dull down the sharpness of the grooves on irons (with a loft of 25 degrees – a typical 5-iron – or more), which makes it harder to produce high-spinning shots from the tall grass, which in turn places a premium on hitting the fairway. Although the regulation won’t take effect until 2024 for recreational golfers (2014 for high-level amateurs), starting in 2011, manufacturers must only make clubs with the new and conforming grooves (Equipment companies can sell current models next year until they’re out of stock). This leaves you with three choices:

Copies of the R&A’s Rules of Golf are available free of charge to all HKGA subscribers. Collect your copy from the HKGA: Suite 2003, Olympic House, 1 Stadium Path, So Kon Po, Causeway Bay).

• Carry on playing with your current wedges • Stock up on wedges that feature the existing grooves (like this new forged offering from short game specialists Yes! Golf; HK$880; sportslifeasia.com) • Try your luck with wedges with new-for-2010 grooves that produce less spin from the rough How much the new grooves will impact on the pros remains to be seen, but casual players can take solace: according to industry experts, unless your swing speed approaches that of a Tour player, the difference playing characteristics between old and new grooves is expected to be negligible.

Customizing golf gear isn’t a new idea. From balls to tees, from hats to pitch mark repairers – and nearly everything else in between – the process of branding equipment has proved popular with corporations, clubs and societies looking to add that personal touch for years. But only now has it become viable to customize the golf glove – in a fashionable and affordable way. After two years of research and development capitalizing on expertise from France, China and Germany, Easy Glove has made a momentous breakthrough that allows corporate designs to cover an eye-catching 90% of the outer surface area of the glove. Made from high quality cabretta leather (the same material that the vast majority of Tour players wear), the development of Easy Glove means companies sponsoring golf tournaments or sending out corporate gifts can now easily showcase their logo, web address and brand message using their chosen colours and graphics. For the individual consumer, Easy Glove has produced a Country Flag Collection, which will no doubt prove extremely popular if golf succeeds in securing itself a place in the Olympics. Contact easyglove@hkgolfermagazine.com for order information. Minimum order: 100 gloves (custom-made imprint version)

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Q A

You’re pushing your luck there, Steven. Unfortunately for you, there is no relief from an immovable obstruction when the ball is in a water hazard (Note 1 to Rule 24-2).

Got a rules question?

Send it to rules@hkgolfermagazine.com

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

I once read about a PGA Tour player making a hole-in-one on a par-4. Apparently his ball ran onto the green while the group ahead was still on it, deflected off one of the other player's putters and went into the hole. An amazingly lucky shot! But I was under the impression that if you hit your opponent or his equipment then you incur a penalty of some kind. Isn’t this the case? – Ming, Sheung Shui

A Q

Actually it’s not. There is penalty only when the player’s ball is deflected by his own side (Rule 19-2). There is no penalty when deflected by anything else (Rule 19-1,-3,-4) unless it is by another ball in stroke play and both balls are on the putting green prior to the stroke (Rule 19-5a). The other week I hit a shot onto the green but it trickled off the back edge. Walking up to my ball I stopped and repaired the pitch mark that I had made with my shot. I thought nothing of it – I do this all the time – but my playing partner, rather unfairly I thought as this was a friendly game, said I could be penalized for repairing my pitch mark when my ball is not on the putting surface. Is this true? Can I be penalized for such a gentlemanly act? – James, Deep Water Bay

Illustration by Arthur Hacker

The Coolest Gloves in the Game

H ello: I found by ball lying in a lateral water hazard the other week, but I elected to go and play it anyway. However, I soon discovered that I would be unable to address the ball unless I stood on the cart path that was lying adjacent to the hazard. The local rules at the club suggested that I was permitted a free drop if the cart path interfered with my stance. Am I permitted the same courtesy despite the ball being in the hazard? Am I allowed a free drop? – Steven, Aberdeen

There’s no penalty for repairing a ball mark unless it improves your or another player’s line of play, lie or area of intended swing. Additionally, there is no penalty under any circumstance if the ball mark is on the putting green, regardless of where the ball is. The one common mistake (if the ball pitches off the putting green) is this: when taking a drop from an embedded ball, the player is not allowed to repair the pitch mark first. HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

looking back

The No.2

Wood When it comes to Major heartache, the late Craig Wood had more than his fair share. Dr Milton Wayne profiles one of the game’s most prolific second runners, who, happily, ended his career on a high

Courtesy of the USGA

ame the handsome blondhaired player famed for his booming drives who lost playoffs at all four majors, in some cases due to miraculous shots by his opponents? Greg Norman? You’re right of course, but he wasn’t the first. I’m referring to Craig Wood, one of the most consistent players on the PGA tour in the 1930s and 1940s – and arguably the most unlucky. Born in Lake Placid, New York in 1901, Wood won 21 PGA titles over his career, but for many years was seen as “jinxed” in the Majors, as title after title slipped away. In 1933 at St Andrews, he suffered his first Major playoff loss, losing the Open Championship to Denny Shute after a 36-hole playoff. Confirming his reputation as a stunningly powerful player and justifying his “Blond Bomber” nickname, on the fifth hole of the playoff Wood hit an unbelievable drive over 430 yards into a fairway bunker. It was mightily impressive - and a plaque was later erected by awestruck locals – but also impulsive and it cost him a stroke. Shute eventually captured the title by three shots. From the many painful years to choose from, the following year, 1934, was Wood’s annus horribilis. He lost the first-ever Masters by one shot to Horton Smith (who holed a 20-foot birdie putt on 17), was disqualified from the US Open in Merion when he discovered he had played the wrong ball, then lost in the final of the PGA at Park Country Club to Paul Runyan, his one-time assistant, at the second extra hole in the matchplay format used at that time. 20

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

The Blond Bomber; with his old rival Neville Shute (left) HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Courtesy of the USGA

Role Reversal: Wood would lose to Byron Nelson in a playoff for the 1939 US Open; but finally got his hands on the title in 1941. 22

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

His reputation as the unluckiest player on tour was confirmed in 1935 at the Masters. Deep into the back-nine with his first Major title all but in his grasp, Wood fell victim to the “shot heard around the world” – Gene Zarazen’s 235-yard 4-wood at the 15th, which found the cup for an albatross (double eagle) – and lost the ensuing 36-hole playoff. By now, the “Blond Bomber” had another nickname: “The No.2 Wood”, due to his run of second place finishes. Over the next four years, a semi-final loss at the PGA was his only performance of any note in the Majors, and it was felt that his time had been and gone. However, in 1939, a sixth place finish at the Masters indicated that his game was returning and he went into the 1939 US Open at the Philadelphia Country Club with renewed confidence. He played brilliantly, and birdied the final hole of regulation play to tie with Byron Nelson and Denny Shute. In the playoff, Wood looked to have the title won, but Nelson birdied the last to tie. With no sudden-death (and Shute eliminated), Wood and Nelson went out again the next day to play another 18. Unbelievably, his opponent produced yet another “shot heard around the world” at the fourth hole when Nelson holed a 210yd 1-iron for an eagle. Wood was shattered. He eventually lost by 3 shots, becoming the first man to lose all four Majors in playoffs, a dubious honour later matched by the Great White Shark. Lesser players would never have recovered from this, but Wood came back the following year, 1940, and posted two top-10 finishes,

finishing seventh at Augusta and fourth in the US Open at Canterbury. It set him up nicely for 1941, the year that wiped away all of the previous disappointments in style. After two second places and four top-10s, Wood finally won the coveted Green Jacket. He became the first man to win pillar-to-post (or wire-to-wire in today’s vernacular), beating Nelson by three shots. He then topped this feat at The Colonial Club, winning the 1941 US Open by three shots from Shute, his old rival. In doing so, he became the first man to win the first two Majors in a calendar year and ensured his place in the original PGA Hall of Fame. After being evicted in the World Golf Hall of Fame debacle of 1986, Wood was deservedly reinstated in 2008 on the PGA tour ballot. After his annus mirabilis of 1941, the Second World War forced the cancellation of three of the four Majors. Wood never seriously challenged again and instead began building a reputation as an excellent teacher. However, he continued to exert a wider influence on the game when he coached a young Claude Harmon to victory at the 1948 Masters. Harmon became not only the last club pro to win a Major, but under Wood’s influence he became the highest rated teacher of his day – a tradition carried on by his sons: Craig (named after Wood), Bill, Dick and, of course, Butch. Wood died before his time in 1967 in West Palm Beach, playing well to the last. He matched his age, posting a 66 at Winged Foot. Perhaps no longer the “Blond Bomber”, but certainly now “The No.1 Wood”.

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

CMY

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

rules feature

My Top-10

Rulings

Mak Lok-lin, fresh from his latest golfing disaster, remembers the times when the Rules (or the interpretation of them) either helped or hindered the world’s finest players

’ve never been accused of being a stickler for the rules when playing with my mates. Like them, I’ve used a foot wedge, dropped in some very advantageous places and rarely, if ever, have I gone back to the tee when discovering my ball has ended up Out of Bounds. This is only in the interests of speed of play you understand. When it comes to the blood, sweat and (often in my case) tears of intense formal competition, I treat the rules as sacred. But there I was, 6-down after six holes of the first round of the Dinnaebedaft Matchplay Classic and pondering a potential rules violation or two. Would I be man enough to call them upon myself? What would my heroes from the past have done? What rules decisions had they seen? Suddenly, before my eyes, the course started to blur and move in wavy lines and, in clumsy 1960’s TV fashion, I was transported to an earlier era…

Ian Woosnam 2001 Open Championship Royal Lytham & St Annes

One too many: Ian Woosnam, 2nd tee, Open Championship, 2001

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

AFP/Getty Images

Lytham is unique on the Open rota in that its first hole is a par three. It is no pushover however and regularly plays as one of the toughest holes on the course. Trailing by a shot at the start of the final round in 2001, Woosnam made his intentions clear when he almost holed in one; the ensuing tap-in birdie moving the 1991 Masters champion into a share of the lead – and inching him closer to his second Major title. A few minutes later as he stood on the second tee his caddie, Miles Byrne, turned to him and said, “You’re going to go ballistic, but I’ve got an extra club in here.” After trying two different drivers at the range before his round, Woosnam had teed off with both in his bag, making 15 clubs in total, a breach of rule 4-4 and resulting in a two-stroke penalty. His brilliant birdie two was quickly erased and a bogey four was penciled on the scorecard. Woosnam administered what he described as a “bollocking” but didn’t fire Byrne on the spot. Despite also dropping shots at the next two holes, the wee Welshman played the next 15 in 4-under, carded a 71 and finished tied for third. Excluding just the penalty he would have placed solo second, but without the other dropped shots and the loss of momentum he may well have gone on to take the title. Woosnam eventually fired Byrne two weeks later, when he failed to show up for an early tee time in Sweden. Woosie had to break into his locker to get his shoes, but shot a 69 with replacement caddie Tommy Strand on the bag. Strand said afterwards: “I had no time for breakfast and only had a drink of water on the fourth tee but I did count the clubs!” 25

Craig Stadler 1987 Andy Williams Open Torrey Pines Golf Course

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

In a uniquely Asian moment, at the 1994 Alfred Dunhill Masters played in Bali, Nick Faldo had surged into a six-shot lead with seven holes to play when the “caller” struck. At the second hole in the third round, Faldo had removed a piece of coral from behind his ball in a bunker, as he is allowed to do on the European Tour. Unfortunately, the event was being played under the auspices of the Australasian Tour, where such an action is an infraction. Once again, the inevitable “incorrect scorecard” outcome of a ridiculously belated call was the result and he was disqualified from the event and near-certain winnings of over $100,000. Instead the “worthy” winner was that unforgettable Canadian pro, Jack Kay.

Ernie Els 1994 US Open Oakmont Golf Club

Paul Azinger 1991 Doral Ryder Open Doral Golf Resort & Spa

Zinger became another ridiculously belated victim of the mysterious “caller” (who seems to have unbridled access to rules officials) when playing in the Doral Ryder Open in 1991. Lying second by a shot after shooting a 65, Azinger was taken to a CBS television truck to review film of him playing a shot from the previous day. Lying semi-submerged in a water hazard on 18, Paul decided to attempt to play the ball rather than take a penalty drop. From the film, it appeared that he had “pawed the ground” in the hazard, shifting small stones as he did so. When the rules official explained that moving loose impediments in a hazard is a breach of rule 13-4, Azinger agreed and was disqualified. Afterwards, he said he shuffled his feet the way he would in a bunker, had no issue with being corrected, but wasn’t happy that anyone could call in 24 hours later and call an issue the tour officials had no problem with at the time. Funnily enough, earlier this year at the same hole at the same tournament Aaron Baddley disqualified himself for the same reason. In round two he asked to move a large rock, was told why he couldn’t, then realized he had kicked stones away the previous day and called the penalty on himself. No onanist “caller” required. HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

The popularity of the modern game and extensive television coverage has resulted in a number of “local rules” relating to relief from TV cables and towers as well as viewing grandstands. The relief relates to immovable obstructions. In the final round of the 1994 US Open, leader Ernie Els, nervously hooked his first drive of the day into deep rough. Reaching his ball, it was clear that an ABC camera crane was partially obstructing his line to the green. The USGA rules official, Trey Holland, ruled that the crane was an immovable obstruction and Els was able to take a free drop in a nearby clear area. Els eventually bogied the hole and would go onto win in an 18 hole Monday playoff. However, our “caller” missed this one because the crane was hardly immovable. Not on ly had it already been moved four t i mes t hat day because it was i nter feri ng wit h another player’s line, immediately after Els played it was moved over to the ninth hole to cover play there. This was Els’s first major win, but came after the ugliest playoff in Major history. Playing in a three-way playoff with Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts, Els started bogey, triple bogey. He was in good company however, a nd the three stooges staggered around Oakmont until Els won in extra holes.

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Bobby Jones 1930 US Open Interlachen Country Club

Many remember Bobby Jones calling a penalty on himself in the 1925 US Open, an event he lost by one shot. Commenting on the resulting wave of praise Jones said: “You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank”. The USGA have an award for sportsmanship called the Bob Jones Award. However, if not actually robbing the bank, in 1930 Bobby got an interest free loan under dubious circumstances. 1930 was Bobby Jones’ annus mirabilis, his “Grand Slam” year. In the third leg of “The Impregnable Quadrilateral”, the US Open at Interlachen, Jones was cruising to victory, leading by three shots with two holes to play in the final round. He then played an uncharacteristic wild slice on the notoriously difficult long par-3 17th. So wild in fact, that no-one actually saw where it ended up and the ball couldn’t be found. Lost ball, penalty, return to the tee? No. Step forward USGA referee Prescott Bush to give his ruling. Mr Bush not only decides that Jones’ ball is “probably” buried in a dried swamp, he then declares the dried swamp to be a lateral water hazard and allows Jones to take a one-shot penalty and drop near the green. Jones goes on to win by two shots, while Prescott Bush goes on to be father and grandfather to two US Presidents called George. HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Getty Images (Faldo); Sports Illustrated Getty Images (Els); Augusta National/Getty Images

Getty Images (Stadler); AFP/Getty Images (Azinger)

At the final hole of the delightfully named Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open in 1987, 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler tapped in his final putt and waved to the crowd, believing his 10-under-par total of 270 may not have caught George Burns, who won by four shots, but might be enough to pip JC Snead and Bobby Wadkins for second place and a useful $50,000 cheque. However, when he went to the tent to sign for his score, he was told he was being disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard the previous day. When hearing this, many think of Roberto de Vicenzo missing out on a Masters playoff by not noticing a scoring transposition. However in Stadler’s case, as in many others, the real reason was a ridiculously belated imposition of a penalty. He was being penalized for an incident 26 hours before, during his third round, when he had knocked his ball into mud under a tree on the 14th hole. He resourcefully played his shot while kneeling down, but to avoid staining his trousers, he placed a towel on the ground first. No one said a thing at the time, or indeed for another day, until someone watching a highlights show spotted the incident and reported it to PGA officials. Unlike every other sport on earth, golf allows anyone with an opinion to suggest that players have broken the rules. In many cases, where video exists, it is played and replayed ad nauseum to determine if a rule has been broken. Again, no other sport would dream of doing this. Finally, there is seemingly no hesitation to go back in time to impose penalties and disqualify players, when there is no suggestion that they, or the rules officials accompanying them, had any idea a rule had been infringed. Again, no other sport would dream of doing this. Golf badly needs a set of guidelines relating to incidents such as these. What made Stadler’s situation worse was that it wasn’t clear that he had actually broken a rule at all. He was accused of “building a stance”, a two-stroke penalty under Rule 13-3, a rule intended to stop players “manipulating their surroundings so as to improve their footing before a hit.” Keeping one’s trousers clean is hardly improving one’s footing. Craig had the last laugh, however, when he was invited back ten years later to cut down the offending tree.

Nick Faldo 1994 Alfred Dunhill Masters Bali Golf & Country Club

Getty Images (Tiger); Augusta National/Getty Images (Palmer)

Speaking of immovable objects, at the 1999 Phoenix Open, at the 13th hole of the final round, Tiger Woods got the break of the tournament after his tee shot landed in front of a boulder in a desert area to the left of the fairway. Rules official Orlando Pope quickly decided the obstacle fell in the category of a loose impediment which wasn't "solidly embedded'' and therefore could be moved. About a dozen men from the gallery rolled the 1,000-pound rock out of the way, and Woods hit into a greenside bunker, from where he got up and down for a birdie four. Although this ruling didn’t affect the outcome of the tournament (Rocco Mediate won the event, three strokes ahead of Woods in third), Woods was a Phoenix darling, having had a hole-in-one at the raucous 16th green in 1997, sparking the socalled “loudest noise ever heard on a golf course,” and it was suggested that he had received favourable treatment. Although the decision was widely panned at first, it was completely acceptable and was backed by previous rulings in similar situations. Of more concern to Woods in Phoenix that year was the drunk that heckled Woods at the 4th hole of that final round. After security wrestled him to the ground, they found a loaded gun in his backpack. Woods refused to return to the tournament until security was reviewed, and he didn’t play again until 2001. Unfortunately, at that tournament, someone rolled an orange onto the green as he was putting and the world number one hasn’t been back since.

Arnold Palmer 1958 Masters Augusta National

During the final round of the Masters in 1958, Arnold Palmer was tied for the lead with playing partner Ken Venturi when the two arrived at the notorious par-3 12th. Palmer played a 6-iron to the 155-yard hole but found an area of soft ground through the back of the green where his ball plugged. He called for a ruling from the official on the spot, but unfortunately this turned out to be Arthur Lacey, the visiting President of the British PGA. Lacey turned down Palmer’s request for relief, which was correct everywhere else, but a local rule was in force at Augusta and Arnie should have been allowed to drop. That is when the trouble started. Arnold sullenly took a penalty drop and ended with a double bogey 5. He then played a second ball from next to the original spot and made par. In situations of uncertainty, a player may play a second ball and let the committee decide afterwards. However, according to Venturi, Arnie hadn’t declared he was playing a second ball until after he made double bogey with the first – a clear breach of the rules. Palmer denied this claim. Venturi came close to refusing to sign Palmer’s card at the end of the round, and there was bad blood between the two for decades afterwards. Venturi apparently said to Arnie “If you had holed the first ball, would you have played the second one?” It was an unfortunate incident and sullied what turned out to be Arnie’s first Major win.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Annika Sorenstam 2000 Solheim Cup Loch Lomond

At the biennial Solheim Cup in 2000, the European pairing of Annika Sorenstam and Janice Moodie were 1-down to Pat Hurst and Kelly Robbins playing the 13th at Loch Lomond. With Hurst only 3-feet away for birdie, it looked as though the American’s were going to increase their lead. But then Annika miraculously holed her chip from off the green to great cheers from the partisan galleries. However, seconds later Robbins claimed that Sorenstam had played out of turn. Although Robbins was on the green, she said that Annika’s ball was in fact closer to the hole that she was. The match referee called the chief referee and then both captains appeared. A long discussion followed, after which the US captain Pat Bradley insisted that Annika replay her shot. At this point, Annika promptly burst into tears. After a several minute delay, she replayed the shot and, of course, missed. Hurst rolled in her own putt to take the Americans 2-up, which they turned into a 2-up victory four holes later. The match didn’t affect the overall result, a European win by three points. But the American “win at all costs” attitude certainly didn’t go down well.

Boo Weekley 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational Bay Hill Club & Lodge

As anyone who has played the Old Course at St Andrews regularly knows, very large greens can lead to situations where one has to play a pitch shot from on the green to a distant pin. As a number of players have subsequently found out to their cost, hitting the pin in such a situation is actually a punishable offence. The fact that one was chipping doesn’t change the rule regarding having the pin tended or removed while playing on the green, and the penalty is a loss of hole in matchplay or two shots in strokeplay. At the par-3 2nd hole at Bay Hill, Tom Johnson played a 30-yard chip from a distant corner of the green toward the untended pin. The shot was beautifully played and his ball was tracking to the hole when his playing partner Boo Weekley suddenly realized the danger and ran over to remove the pin. A potential two-shot penalty saved? Not quite. Meanwhile, golf’s unique army of amateur rules officials was at work and “someone” raised the issue with rules officials. Unfortunately, both pros had forgotten Rule 17-2 on unauthorized attendance which states that a player has to request that someone tend or remove the pin. Johnson was formally asked if he had requested that the pin be removed, and he of course had to say no. Instead of Johnson g e t t i n g a t wo - sho t penalty, Weekley was instead penalized two shots, which he accepted w it h c o m m e n d a bl e grace, saying. “Thanks, I learned something.” Afterwards, Johnson told Boo, “You handle adversity better than anyone I've ever played with”, to which Boo eloquently replied “I don't t hink not hing ab out it ”, wh ic h i s almost certainly true.

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Phew! The sound of children chuckling brought me back. As the amateurish wavy lines cleared, I looked over at my twin nephews who were caddying for me, and saw them laughing at the five extra wedges I had been practicing with earlier and then stuffed into my bag, whilst pretend sword fencing with my non-conforming Cleveaway Big Trampoline Face driver and another driver that I had angrily bent out of shape during the round. Summoning up all of my courage, I did the honorable thing and put my hand up. That brought the round to a rather premature end, even by my staggeringly low standards, losing as I did 14 & 12 to set yet another record.* Ah well, there’s always next year…

Getty Images (Sorenstam / Weekley)

Tiger Woods 1999 Phoenix Open TPC Scottsdale

*Editor’s note: The honorable Mak was actually correct. He was penalized the maximum two holes for each of the following violations: Rule 6.4 - having more than one caddie, Rule 4.4 - having more than 14 clubs, Rule 4.1 – playing with a non-conforming club and Rule 4.2 - club playing characteristics changed during play.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Around the HKGA

junior golf

Winning on Home Turf

A round-up of news and other events from Hong Kong

From the President I am honoured to serve as the new P r e sid e n t o f t h e Ho n g Ko n g G o l f Association and I am looking forward to working with the Executive Committee, the junior development staff and all our sponsors to further enhance the role of the HKGA in local golf. It is my intention to make the next year one of the most productive and successful in the Association’s proud history, and I will do my utmost in ensuring this becomes a reality. First of all, I would like to express my appreciation to Rick Siemens, our immediate past president, for all that he has accomplished over the past 12 months, in particular securing sponsorship from EFG Bank towards our HKGA Junior Golf Development Foundation Fund for the next three years – and possibly beyond. One of our main goals is to raise junior golf in Hong Kong to a standard where our young players can compete at the highest level internationally. This resource will undoubtedly go a long way to help achieving that. We have already witnessed significant performances by HKGA-trained Junior Elite golfers over the past 12 months, and I’m delighted to say that this success has continued. During the recently completed tour of the United States, a number of our players excelled themselves, which you can

read about in the following pages. Gaining tournament experience overseas is crucial in a player’s development, and thanks to the continuing hard work of National Coach Brad Schadewitz and the increasing number of playing opportunities for young local golfers, the future of the game in Hong Kong looks very bright indeed. 12-15 November will see the 51st playing of the Hong Kong Open at The Hong Kong Golf Club. Always a highlight on the local sporting and social calendar, the Open will once again bring together world-class golfers from all corners of the globe for four days of stellar golf. Last year’s event was arguably the most thrilling in Asian professional golf history, with Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang outlasting Rory McIlroy and Francesco Molinari in an extraordinary sudden-death playoff. But it will also be remembered for the achievements of Hong Kong-born Jason Hak. Aged only 14, Jason became the youngest ever player in European Tour history to make the halfway cut, beating Sergio Garcia’s record in the process. Both Lin and Jason’s performances have inspired many more local golfers to take up the sport, which is truly fantastic to witness.

Steven and Stephanie Conjure HK Success at MacGregor Junior Open REPORT BY ALEX JENKINS PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK LEUNG

—William Chung President HKGA

Lee Captures July Stableford Eric Lee carded five birdies on his way to securing the July Stableford Tournament at Clearwater Bay Golf Club on 7 July. Lee, a 5-handicapper, recorded 31 gross points to pip second-placed Tsui Shun-leung by a point. Timothy Granald Lau finished third on 28 points. In the Nett Division, Terence Lai came out on top with an impressive 43-point haul, closely followed by Kwong Foo-man (42) and Willie Wong (41). Visit www.hkga.com for full results and upcoming event information.

Countback Win for Isabella Ever-improving junior Isabella Leung edged out Betty Chan and Ruby Yim for the June Stableford Tournament at The Hong Kong Golf Club on 8 June. All three finished their rounds over the New Course with 29 gross points, but it was Leung who prevailed thanks to a solid back nine. Another junior, Christy Chong, recorded a remarkable 41 points to clinch the Nett Division by the narrowest of margins from Jeanette Ting, Cindy Yuen and Chiu Kim-kum fi (40). 30

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Young Guns (clockwise from top left): Terrence Ng battled for a top-10 finish; Michelle Cheung led after the first round; Anthony Tam looks an exciting prospect; Chinese Taipei's Peng Chieh; Charles Stone finished strong for a share of third place; Mimi Ho unleashes a drive down the middle.

teven Lam and Stephanie Ho capped one of the most successful MacGregor Hong Kong Junior O p en’s i n re cent ye a r s w it h convincing wins in their respective divisions early August. In an event traditionally dominated by overseas players, 16-year-old Lam fired stellar rounds of 67 and 69 over the New Course at The Hong Kong Golf Club for a runaway 10-stroke victory in the overall boys’ division. In doing so, the St Joseph’s College student, who is

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

also the reigning Hong Kong Close champion, became the first golfer from Hong Kong in 14 years to win the title. “I played pretty solid both days; my iron play and putting were good, and despite the heat I was able to stay in control,” said Lam, who matched former Hong Kong international Ro der ic k St au nton’s w i n i n t he 19 95 championship. “14 years is a long time to have to wait for a Hong Kong win, so I’m delighted it was me.” Thailand’s Pitchakorn Tirakul placed second on a two-day total of 146, while Hong Kong junior international Charles Stone tied for third alongside another Thai, Samarth Dwivedi, a further three strokes adrift. In the girls’ division, Ho, the current Hong Kong Ladies Close champion, fought back brilliantly to capture the title in some style. Carding a lacklustre 83 in the first round, the 16-year-old played almost flawless golf in a final round of 70 to finish six shots ahead of Chinese Taipei’s Peng Chieng in second place. Ho’s great friend Tiffany Chan, who came in to the event with hopes of adding to her Junior Close title, placed third, a further shot back, while Michelle Cheung, the first round leader, placed fifth. “It was a much better day for me,” beamed Ho, who has made a name for herself away from the golf course with appearances on TVB Jade’s popular singing talent show, The Voice. “I lost focus in the first round because of the weather delay but I was much more comfortable out there the second time around.” There was even more success for Hong Kong in the lower age divisions, with the extremely HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

talented Tam siblings – Anthony, Ambrose and Kitty – picking up the boys’ 13-14, boys’ 11-12 and girls’ 11-12 division titles. One expects the Tam trio to feature prominently in many national and international events over the years to come.

BOYS – TOP TEN OVERALL 1 2 3= 5= 6=

10=

Steven Lam Pitchakorn Tirakul Charles Stone Samarth Dwivedi Chepe Dulay Anthony Tam Kasidit Lepkurte Shinichi Mizuno Smithti Teeratrakul Terrence Ng Marcus Lam

HKG THA HKG THA PHL HKG THA HKG THA HKG HKG

(67-69) (76-70) (76-73) (76-73) (79-71) (75-75) (79-72) (72-79) (77-74) (78-74) (78-74)

136 146 149 149 150 150 151 151 151 152 152

(83-70) (81-78) (82-78) (82-79) (79-84) (85-85) (91-80) (86-85) (83-88) (91-80)

153 159 160 161 163 170 171 171 171 181

GIRLS – TOP TEN OVERALL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7=

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Stephanie Ho Peng Chieh Tiffany Chan Michelle Chen Michelle Cheung Jolia Lo Michelle Ho Cheria Heng Mimi Ho Kelly Kung

HKG TPE HKG USA HKG HKG HKG HKG HKG HKG

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

junior tour

Golden State Warriors This summer, six members of the Hong Kong Junior Team – comprising Tiffany Chan, Steven Lam, Oliver Roberts, Shinichi Mizuno, Terrence Ng and Charles Stone –embarked on a month-long tour of Southern California with National Coach Brad Schadewitz. The tour, centered around the famous Junior World Championships held annually in San Diego, proved to be a fantastic success with HK players securing several wins and high finishes. Charles Stone reports on the team’s experience… tour, the rest of us found ourselves adjusting to the lightning-quick and severely undulating greens of the Red Hawk Country Club. Shinichi was Hong Kong’s top finisher with rounds of 84 and 74, followed by Oliver Roberts with consecutive rounds of 80, myself (80-81) and Terrence with 83-79.

For the Team The Oak Valley Cup

A Nervy Start The 2009 Founders Junior Championship

29-30 June, Red Hawk Country Club The first tournament of the trip proved to be among the most difficult, as winner Peter Miles off the nerves of competing with California’s top theOver team70struggled to shake juniors and acclimatize to the new environment. As Steven and Tiffany elected instead to practice at Oak Valley Golf Club, our base during the early part of the 34

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

2-4 July, Oak Valley Golf Club This was a relatively new experience for the Hong Kong players, as the Ryder Cup - st yle tou r na ment pitted the elite of Southern California juniors against a team of Chinese players from Taiwan, China and California. Steven Lam, Tiffany Chan and Terrence Ng were selected to represent Team Chinese and three days of tightly contested matchplay ensued. In the first day foursomes, Shinichi and Terrence narrowly lost 2&1 to the formidable pairing of Rico Hoey and Robert Palacios, but both Steven and Tiffany won their matches comfortably to help secure important HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

points. At the end of the day the teams were tied at three and a half points aside. During the fourballs on the second day, Tiffany carded four birdies and stormed to a 4&3 win, whilst the three boys lost their matches, failing to blister the course with birdies as is so demanded with the format. Yet again Team Chinese and Team Southern California went into the final day tied at seven points apiece. In the final day singles, Shinichi grinded to a hard-fought tie with Palacios, whilst Steven and Terrence both lost their matches 3&2. Incredibly, the point tally was still completely even and the destination of the cup came down to the final flight, where Tiffany went head-tohead with Southern California’s number 1 player Gabriella Then. With Tiffany 2-up after 11, a win looked within reach for Team Chinese, who only had to halve the match to retain the cup after their win in 2008. However, a succession of missed putts by the Hong Kong Junior Close champ swung the momentum the other way, and Tiffany found herself 1-down going the last. Purely struck drives and approach shots gave both girls putts for birdie, but alas, Tiffany’s effort burned the lip and she lost 1-down. It was a bitter blow for Tiffany and the entire team but it proved to be a great learning experience; coping with the pressure of team play, rather than individual competition, was a great lesson for all the players. “It was great for the Hong Kong players to compete in the matchplay format, something they’re not used to,” said Brad. “The next time Tiffany is in a similar situation she can draw upon this experience and avoid making the same mistakes.”

San Bernardino Summer Championship

Running into Form San Diego Junior Masters

In the swing: Tiffany Chan played great golf in the US and was unlucky not to win more

6-7 July, Carlton Oaks Golf Club The team moved southwest to the sunny coast of San Diego for the Junior Masters, a popular warm-up event for international players in preparation for the Junior World tournament the following week. Everyone felt confident at the Pete Dye layout, which played 6,800 yards for the boys and 6,100 for the girls. Terrence displayed his mastery with his short game on the first day, carding a 1-over-par 73 despite hitting just six greens, putting himself into fifth place. Tiffany struggled with the Po Ana greens (which you don’t find in Asia) and shot 78, as did Steven and I. Shinichi and Oliver paired with 79s. With Terrence going into the final day in the second to last group he felt confident with his game. “My short game and putting were both on form and I knew if I could give myself more birdie opportunities I would be in the mix,” said the 15-year-old. His final round of 73 left him one shot out of a two man playoff for the title and earned him a share of third. Tiffany came in with a 76 to finish fourth the girls’ division and was left ruing a cold putter which ultimately cost her the title. Steven and I shot 76, both finishing tied 13th, followed by Shinichi with 78 and Oliver with 79. Terrence showed resolve and consistency in his third place display and he attributed his growing confidence to participating in the Oak Valley Cup just days before. “Even though I didn’t win a match in the Oak Valley Cup I learned to deal with the intense pressure of competing for the team, and this helped me immensely being near the lead this time round,” he said. “I didn’t feel the same jitters and I loved the competition.”

2 July, San Bernardino Golf Club Whilst the rest of the team competed for Team Chinese in the Oak Valley Cup, Oliver and I played in this one-dayer about an hour away from Oak Valley. After Brad proved his game is still most definitely there with a brilliant 5 under-par 65 in our practice round, we were both looking forward to the challenge. Oliver played solid golf, carding three bogeys and two birdies to shoot 71 and finish second, whereas I made a colourful mix of errors around the greens to shoot 79 and place 11th. At 6-foot-4 and with size 13 golf shoes, Oliver crushed it off the tee and were it not for a couple of missed short putts inside five-feet the tournament would’ve been his. “I hit the ball well today but was a little timid with the putts,” said Olly, who attends Sha Tin College. The winner, Jacob Williams of California, shot a 1-under par 69. HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Crème de la Crème Junior World Championships

13-16 July Torrey Pines Golf Course With four tournaments out of the way, the team headed into the Junior World ready to compete with top international players. (The event has previously been won by Tiger Woods and Ernie Els). Steven and Shinichi were to represent Hong Kong in the boys’ 15-17 division at the famous South Course. The South hosts the annual Buick Invitational on the PGA Tour and last summer saw Tiger hobble his way to victory against Rocco Mediate at the US Open. Tiffany was the lone Hong Kong player in the girls’ 15-17 division to be played on the North Course. Shinichi bounced back from an off-colour opening round of 82 to shoot 77-75, which was five shots too high to make the cut for the final day. Steven shot 79-78-78, a further shot back. Both boys found the windy South course layout a stern test, with the rough playing deep and the glass-like, undulating greens tricky to read. Tiffany, playing the North course at par 74, opened with rounds of 78 and 80 before carding a solid 74 on day three, giving herself a chance to make the cut. Unfortunately, as one of the youngest players in the bracket, she missed the cut by a mere two strokes. Despite this, Hong Kong garnered some impressive finishes in the younger age groups, as rising star Kitty Tam finished eighth in the girls’ 11-12 age group and Benjamin Wong finished sixth in the boy’ 9-10 bracket.

SCGA Summer Championship

15 July Robert Trent Jones Golf Club Whilst Steven, Shinichi and Tiffany competed in Junior World, Oliver, Terrence and I played in this popular one day event in Murrieta. Oliver bogeyed the 18th to miss out on tied second, shooting a 4-over par 76, and I missed a series of short putts towards the end to shoot 78. Terrence came in as Hon g Kon g ’s l a st hope and brilliantly won his first Southern California tournament by t wo strokes, shooting a 2 over par 74 in the boys’ 14-15 age division. The youngster split nines of 1-over-par, including a lost ball and two birdies, to hoist the trophy. “My game felt good warming up and I had a lot of confidence coming off the San 36

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Diego Junior Masters. It wasn’t the best of rounds ball striking-wise but I got up and down from everywhere and managed to win,” he said.

Toyota Tour Cup Santa Ana

21-22 July, Santa Ana Country Club The team came into the tour’s penultimate stop without a practice round at the Santa Ana Country Club, a 6,700 yard layout in pristine condition. Steven shot a commendable opening round of even-par 72, which put him four shots off the lead, while Tiffany also started well with a 1-over-par 73 to lie 2 back. I shot 77, followed by Shinichi and Oliver at 78 and 79 respectively. In-form Terrence pulled a groin muscle during a team jog a couple of days before and limped to an 83. On the second day, Steven doubled his last hole for a 74 and a two day total of 2-over-par to finish in eighth place; Shinichi shot 74, Oliver shot 76, Terrence and I shot 74 and 81. Tiffany was battling head-to-head with her 11-year-old opponent, who also shot 73 on the first day, with the two exchanging the lead coming down the stretch. But then disaster. At the par-5 15th, with a wedge in hand and the adrenaline flowing, Tiffany flew the green with her approach, the ball striking the cart path and caroming Out of Bounds. “It was a normal distance for me to hit my three-quarter wedge,” she explained later. “It was going straight at the pin and I was shocked to see it carry that far.” She failed to recover from the mishap and made triple bogey, giving her playing partner a two-stroke lead. She came straight back with a birdie on 16 to cut the deficit in half, and then stiffed her approach into 18 for birdie, finishing with a 2-over-par 74. Her opponent holed a gutsy seven-footer for birdie on the last to win by one, finishing on a two-day total of 146 (2-over-par). “I watched Tiffany during her round today and her ball-striking was so pure,” said coach Brad. “She’ll keep learning from these situations by putting herself in the last group.”

finishing in the early evening, put herself right near the lead with a 1-over-par 74, with the girls playing the course as a par 73. During the summer tour last year, Tiffany won the overall girls title at the Yorba Linda Invitational with an outstanding first round of 5-under par 69, which was all the more commendable on last year’s par 74 layout considering that was the first time she had seen the course (her total last year was 69-80; 149, +1). All the Hong Kong players made the first day cut of 78 (+7), and on the second day I came in with a 3 over par 74, Oliver with 73, Steven with 75, and Shinichi with 76. Terrence, playing in the final group of the boys’ 14-15 division, held his composure after being 4-over-par after six holes and came into 18 tied for the lead, at a 5 over par total. His playing partner aggressively went for the green on the par-5 18th and subsequently found himself a multitude of problems behind the trees, whereas Terrence struck his third shot 8-feet over the tucked pin location onto the collar of the green. When his nearest challenger hit his fourth onto the green, some 6-feet away, Terrence rammed his birdie putt into the hole and gave a Tiger-esque fistpump, giving him his second title of the tour. His opponent three-putted for double and Terrence earned a three shot victory. “I knew that even with a bad start, if I could keep myself around the lead and put pressure on my playing partner I had a very good chance. I made a great putt on 18 and I knew then that I’d won because he had only a putt for par,” exclaimed Terrence.

now TV Presents 2009 Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Junior Open 27-28 July 2009, North Course Overall Boys’ Division Champion: Steven Lam (71-72–143) Overall Girls’ Division Champion: Kitty Tam (71-70–141)

Yorba Linda Invitational

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK Success: Terrrence Ng (left) broke through with some very fine play on the tour; the team (clockwise from left to right): Charles Stone, Oliver Roberts, Steven Lam, National Coach Brad Schadewitz, Shinichi Mizuno, Tiffany Chan and Terrence Ng.

results

A Fitting Finale 23-24 July, Yorba Linda Country Club The final tournament of the tour ended on a high. A popular Southern Californian junior event, played previously by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the Yorba Linda Invitational has been held on the lush fairways of the private Yorba Linda Country Club for over 20 years. In the first round Terrence, coming off his injury, once again displayed deft touches around the greens on his way to an even-par 71. Shinichi and Steven came in with 4-over-par 75s, Oliver shot 76 and I shot 77, which was helped enormously by 40 putts in the round. Tiffany,

Meanwhile Tiffany, playing in the final flight, was lighting up the course with birdies. She shot a cool 4-under-par 69 to successfully defend her title by six shots. “I was so happy with the way I played today. Everything came together; I hit the ball well and putted well,” she said. “Even though I made two bogeys in the round I wasn’t bothered at all. I struck my short irons and wedges close and gave myself plenty of birdie opportunities.” Two wins for the Hong Kong team in the final tournament meant the celebrations carried well on into the 13-hour flight back home.

Steven Lam and Kitty Tam with Kau Sai Chau's General Manager Cameron Halliday

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Division A (Boys 15-17) Champion: Runner-up:

Steven Lam Shinichi Mizuno

143 152

(71-72) (75-77)

Division B (Girls 15-17) Champion: Runner-up:

Tiffany Chan Jolia Lo

147 157

(72-75) (80-77)

Division C (Boys 13-14) Champion: Runner-up:

Anthony Tam Delon Hau

151 157

(79-72) (82-75)

Division D (Girls 13-14) Champion: Runner-up:

Cheria Heng Michelle Ho

158 159

(77-81) (79-80)

Division E (Boys 11-12) Champion: Runner-up:

Ambrose Tam Lucas Lam

148 157

(71-77) (79-78)

Division F (Girls 11-12) Champion: Runner-up:

Kitty Tam Tiana Lau

141 163

(71-70) (84-79)

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

bolle midsummer classic

Midsummer Meltdown Steamy conditions prevail at Hong Kong’s most popular tournament

the silverware by the narrowest of margins from in-form junior Isabella Leung. It proved to be a role reversal of sorts after Isabella’s victory on countback from Betty in the June Stableford event just two weeks previously. Jolia Lo carded 26 points to place third. In the Men’s Division 2 Stableford event, which was played a day earlier than the lower handicapper tournament, Patrick Leung pipped Wong Sai-man for gross title honours with a tidy total of 27 points. Loong Chan-keung finished with 25 points which earned him third spot. Wong would get his revenge in the nett event however. Making a mockery of his high handicap, Wong stole the show with 44 points. “The Bolle Midsummer Classic is always a highlight on the local golfing calendar,” said Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Golf

efying near-unbearable heat and humidity, the largest field in Hong Kong amateur golf took to the fairways of Hong Kong Golf Club for the Bolle Midsummer Classic late June. Played over the Fanling club’s New Course, over 330 players took part, with junior golfers dominating in the gross brackets. In the Men’s Division, Martin Liu, a former HKGA junior squad player who is now studying in the United States, fired a solid 73 (3-over-par) – an excellent round in the conditions – to take the title by two shots from rising star Ambrose Tam. Terrence Ng, a current junior squad member, finished third, two shots further adrift. In the Ladies’ Division, which used the stableford scoring format, Betty Chan recorded an impressive 30-point haul to take 38

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Association Iain Valentine. “Our thanks to Andrew Cheung and his team at Bushnell Performance Optics Asia for their continued sponsorship of the event. Their support has proved invaluable and we look forward to working together in the years to come.” For a full list of results visit www.hkga.com

Men’s Gross Stroke Play Results 1 2 3 4=

Martin Liu Ambrose Tam Terrence Ng Jack Lau Jamee Wong Lam Ping Liu Lok-tin Nicky Au Eric Lee Jay Won

73 75 77 80 80 80 80 80 80 81

Ladies’ Gross Stableford Results 1 2 3 4=

7 8=

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Betty Chan Isabella Leung Jolia Lo Tammy Chan Nichola Inge Karen Chuk Kelly Kung Katy Liu Sunny Kang Gwenn Lau

30 29 26 25 25 25 24 23 23 23

Blistering Bolle (clockwise from far left): The Ladies' winners with Andrew Cheung and Vivien Lai from Bushnell Performance Optics Asia; Sunny Kang secured a top-10 finish; Cora Tsang in action; Jay Won manages a smile in the sweltering heat; Liu Lok-tin, unleashes a drive down the 18th; Martin Liu and Patrick Leung receive their trophies. HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

results

Around the Clubs The Hong Kong Golf Club Monthly Medal – Gross Section 6 June K Inge won the Monthly Medal Gross Section played over the New Course with a 73. Monthly Medal – Nett Section 6 June BPM Ma won the Monthly Medal Nett Section played over the New Course with a 67. Birthwhistle Salver – Gross Section 7 June MCK Wong / Mrs F Hu won the Birthwhistle Salver Gross Section played over the New Course with a 75. Mr & Mrs J K Ball were the runners-up with 79 on countback from J Pethes / Ms J Lo. Birthwhistle Salver – Nett Section 7 June PLM Cheng / Ms C Chan won the Birthwhistle Salver Nett Section played over the New Course with a 69 on countback from Mr & Mrs J K Ball, Mr & Mrs M Grimsdick and BPM Ma / Mrs S Look. Shanghai Visitors Cup 14 June K Anderson / PJ Brown won the Shanghai Visitors Cup played over the Eden Course with a Nett 61. PLM Cheng / MCK Wong were the runners-up with a Nett 62. High Handicappers Competition 28 June CSM Ip won the High Handicappers Competition played over the Eden Course with 34 points on countback from CKK Tsang. Monthly Medal – Gross Section 4 July JOD Black won the Monthly Medal Gross Section played over the Eden Course with a 79 on countback from BPM Ma and A Jewkes. Monthly Medal – Nett Section 4 July N Shroff won the Monthly Medal Nett Section played over the Eden Course with a 66. American Cup – Gross Section 5 July MCK Wong won the American Cup Gross Section played over the Old Course with a 70. T Orgill was the runner-up with a 72. American Cup – Nett Section 5 July MCK Wong won the American Cup Nett Section played over the Old Course with a 68. EJ Evans was the runner-up with 69 on countback from JOD Black. Monthly Medal – Gross Section 2 August JOD Black won the Monthly Medal Gross Section played over the Old Course with a 76. Monthly Medal – Nett Section 2 August BPC Kan won the Monthly Medal Nett Section played over the Old Course with a 68 on countback from AMK Tang.

Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club Ladies Section

Summer Cup 10 June Winner: Runner-up:

Madoka Murayama (35 points) Chikako Yabe (33)

Spring Plate 10 June Winner: Runner-up:

Lily Lau (43 points) Liz Mangum (34)

June Medal 17 June Division 1 Gross Winner: Nett Winner: Net Runner-up: Division 2 Gross Winner: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up: 40

June Stableford 24 June Division 1 Winner: Runner-up: Division 2 Winner: Runner-up: July Medal 8 July Division 1 Gross Winner: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up: Division 2 Gross Winner: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up: July Stableford 15 July Division 1 Winner: Runner-up: Division 2 Winner: Runner-up:

Sue Hadaway (35 points) Hak Wilcox (30) Lily Lau (36) Fizzy Pari (35 C/B)

Mari Maeda (90) Sue Hadaway (79 C/B) K R Shin (79) Lily Lau (92) Miko Kudo (74) Vivian Tsui (80 CB)

Sue Hadaway (40 points) Mari Maeda (32) Lily Lau (37) Michiko Motqui (36)

Men’s Section

Captain’s Cup 20 June Gross Winner: Gross Runner-up: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up:

Tony Melloy (77) David Hui (78) Patrick Tam (71) SK Tse (72)

Chairman’s Cup 20 June Winner: Runner-up:

Ronald Maurer (41 points) Tony Cheng (39)

JK Lieu Cup 5 July Winners: Runners-up:

Jackson Chu & Tommy Lui (41 points) David Hui & Mark Chan (40)

Captain’s Cup 26 July Gross Winner: Gross Runner-up: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up:

Eugene Pak (83) Peter Chan (84) Peter Chan (73) Wilson Chan (76 C/B)

Chairman’s Cup 26 July Winner: Runner-up:

Leslie Tang (42 points) John Lai (40)

Discovery Bay Golf Club Mizuno 2 Ball Better Ball 14 June Winner: SI Lee & HK Kim (47 points C/B) Runners-up: HB Ryu & YJ Park (47) Gross Winners: Oscar Ho & Winston Van (35) Monthly Medal 22 July Men’s A Winner: Men’s B Winner: Best Gross: Men’s C Winner:

DK Kim (65) S Takemoto (65) Michael Stott (74) Edmund Wan (42 points)

Ladies’ A Winner: Ladies’ B Winner: Best Gross:

Helen Cheung (67) Phoebe Liu (37 points C/B) JR Kim (87)

Sunny Kang (85) Lydia Mak (75) Oshima Kok (77)

MacGregor Bogey Competition 2 August Men’s Winner: Jamo Lo (+6 C/B) Men’s Runner-up: Micky Yu (+6) Best Gross: Michael Stott (+5)

Cecilia Szeto (93) Liz Mangum (77) Lily Lau (78)

Ladies’ Winner: Ladies’ Runner-up: Best Gross:

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Betty Chung (+6) Helen Hawkins (+5) Chisako Kubota (-5) HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

New Zealand

At the Cutting Edge of New World Wine

ew World Wine countries are well known for the cutting edge development of viticulture and vinification which has transformed the industry since the 1960’s. One pioneering country which is still creating shockwaves is New Zealand. With numerous outstanding wine regions, many innovative oenologists and viticulturalists have worked handin-hand with some of the most pristine vineyard sites on the planet to create wines which are a true reflection of these highly specialised terroirs. As with many new world countries, New Zealand has been producing wine for at least 150 years. But it all really started in New Zealand with the first plantings of Sauvignon Blanc Vines in Marlborough in 1973. Marlborough was previously an unknown area producing high yields of poor quality Müller-Thurgau. It is sometimes hard to believe today, but when the first Marlborough vines were planted in the 1970’s, few people predicted that the region would become New Zealand's largest and best known winegrowing area, and one of the most significant in the world in little more than 20 years. The distinctive pungency and zesty fruit flavours of the first Marlborough Sauvignon’s captured the imagination of the country's winemakers, and wine drinkers alike and sparked an unparalleled boom in vineyard development. This first leap lead to the worldwide interest in Marlborough wines, which has continued to fuel the regional wine boom throughout the country. The free-draining, alluvial loams over gravelly subsoils in the Wairau and Awatere River valleys provide ideal growing conditions for Sauvignon Blanc, but also yield great results for other cool climate varietals such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer and most significantly Pinot Noir. The abundant sunshine and cool nights coupled with a long growing season provide the perfect conditions to build and maintain the vibrant fruit flavours for which Marlborough is now famous for. As one of the first real wine regions to be developed, today, Hawkes Bay is the country's second largest. The varied topography and wide range of soil types, fertile silty loams to freedraining shingle produce a considerable range of wine styles in this large region. There are 22 categories of soil types on the Heretaunga Plains alone, from stones to hard pans to heavy silts. Ripening dates for a single grape variety can HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

vary by as much as three weeks between the hot, shingle soils of the Gimblett Road area to the cool, higher altitude vineyards of central Hawke’s Bay. Long sunshine hours attract a high percentage of later-ripening red grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. The pioneering pursuit to marry the right grape to the perfect terrain has helped cultivate what is now becoming one of New Zealand’s latest and most exciting developments; Syrah. Hawke’s Bay Syrah has to be one of wines ‘best kept secrets’ at the moment. With only a handful of wineries growing and producing small amounts of Syrah, this is a highly specialised wine with limited availability. As a varietal which requires a significant amount of sunlight and longer ripening periods, Syrah is not normally associated with a country which is recognised as cool climate. But the unique conditions and hot, stony soils of the Gimblett Gravels are actually producing a distinctively unique style. Typically full of briary black fruit, often with an abundance of freshly ground white and/or black pepper on the nose and the palate, the wines have a style of their own and are definitely worth searching out. A winery which has been at the forefront in this journey of development of New Zealand’s major wine producing regions is Mud House Wines. From early days in Marlborough, through to exploration of the emerging regions of Waipara and Central Otago, Mud House is now recognised as a leader for producing top quality regional wines of exceptional value. With the first plantings of the original estate vineyard in 1993, the first Mud House Wines were released in 1996. The winery was named after a rammed earth home that was built within the estate vineyard. Today, Mud House owns two wineries in Marlborough and Waipara and five vineyards located throughout the South Island; in Marlborough, Waipara Valley and a sub region of Central Otago – Bendigo. Mud House also selects fruit from several growers and long term partners in the Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, Nelson and Marlborough regions. With countless accolades and high ratings for many of the wines, Mud House has gained substantial international recognition. Regardless of status, the owners, wine makers and team of Mud House have their feet firmly placed on the ground and strive to fulfill a combined passion to keep pushing the boundaries and make great wines. A goal which is a benefit to wine lovers the world over.—Steve House

For additional information and orders contact: Montrose Fine Wines Email: james@montrose.com.hk Tel: (852) 2555-8877 www.montrose.com.hk

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

golf in china

Arnie's Gem: The third hole on the first course in Modern China is a real beauty. At 368 metres a hair over 400 yards it's not long, but like the majority of the holes at the Palmer Course, it requires sound strategy.

Where it All Started This month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Palmer Course at Chung Shan Hot Spring, the first club in postRevolutionary China. HK Golfer pays a visit to what is still one of the most enjoyable layouts around STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALEX JENKINS ADDITIONAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARNOLD PALMER DESIGN 42

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

uch has been rate of golf course construction on the Chinese mainland in recent times that no-one is entirely sure how many courses there actually are. From an approximate number of 240 five years ago, there is now thought to be anywhere between 450 and 700. It could even be more; it certainly won’t be less. China has taken to golf in a way not seen since the Japanese fell in love with the Royal and Ancient game in the ‘70s and ‘80s, but the feeling among those in the industry is that this is only the start of things to come. Japan’s course numbers, which once stood at over 2,500, are dwindling; the game, like the Japanese economy, has stagnated resulting in an alarming rate of club bankruptcies. China, on the other hand, thrives, even during these less financially exuberant times. “In China, golf is just exploding,” said Jack Nicklaus in July. “China is probably our key market today.” HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

“I felt a sense of added responsibility since we were not only building a new course, we were introducing the game to the most populous nation on earth.” – Arnold Palmer

Back in Time: Palmer (fourth from left) and his design partner Ed Seay (second from right) show off their plans during a site visit in 1982; the Palmer Course is one of those rare mainland layouts that doesn't feature a golf cart track - it's walking only. How refreshing! Crossing the canal at the 3rd. 44

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

The Golden Bear should know. Like Japan, course construction in the United States is at its lowest point in decades, and architects – from big name designers like Nicklaus to much smaller fry – continue to flock to this part of the world in search of contracts. The game’s best players may still ply their trade in America on the PGA Tour, but you’re more likely to find world-class golf course designers traipsing around sites in far-flung places like Hainan and Yunnan province than you are in California or Florida. Much has changed. While we don’t yet know where the China golf boom will take us, we do know when and where it started. The year was 1984 and the place was Yung Mo, a sleepy Guangdong village lying in the shadow of the Laoshanwei hills, an hour and a half’s drive from the Macau border. In August, the finishing touches of the

Arnold Palmer-designed layout at Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club were complete and for the first time since the 1930s, when the British enjoyed games on fairly rudimentary layouts in Shanghai and Beijing, the country had a course. Golf in China was back, not quite with a bang, but with the blissful smack of persimmon connecting sweetly with balata. Chung Shan’s genesis lies with the late Henry Fok, t he club’s t hen owner and one of the richest men in the world. Fok already owned a nearby leisure resort, one of China’s first, and wanted to increase its recognition outside the country’s borders. The answer, says Timothy Fok, Henry’s son and International Olympic Committee member, was golf. “The idea was to give the resort international status and golf fitted the bill,” remembers Fok. “Back then China was undergoing a lot of change – and although it was opening up, we had to be careful as golf was considered very elitist. We set ourselves very strict guidelines. For instance, we made sure that we would only build over the hillside and not on agricultural land.” Fok was no stranger to the game. He had already employed the services of Arnold Palmer to build a course he owned in Japan, and it was the King he returned to with his plans for Chung Shan. “It was a pleasant surprise when he asked us to become involved,” says Palmer. “[But] what I didn’t know when we took on this design project was that no golf course had been built on the Chinese mainland since World War I. Ed [Seay, Palmer’s late design partner] and I felt a sense of added responsibility since we were not only building a new course, we were introducing the game to the most populous nation on earth.” Chung Shan is among 200 courses around the world that bear the Palmer name, but nowhere, he says, ranks anywhere close in terms of uniqueness. “To call the experience eye-opening would be a gross understatement,” recalls Palmer. “The HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Classy Chung Shan: Palmer's understated bunkering at the 4th; Liang Wen-chong, China's best-ever golfer, continues to live near the course he grew up on.

site was in the foothills of the Chung Shan mountain range, with a mountain on one side and rice paddies on the other. By our initial calculations we would move approximately four hundred thousand yards of dirt, not a huge amount by today’s course design standards but still a healthy earth-moving project. What I didn’t know at the time was that every ounce of dirt and rock would be moved by hand. The only bulldozer on the project was a WWI-vintage machine that belonged in the Smithsonian. The engine still worked, but nothing else moved, so for weeks thousands of Chinese workers moved the better half of a halfmillion yards of earth with shovels and burlap sacks. The rocks too big to fit in their sacks were carried on their heads. Boulders were ground to gravel by sledgehammers, with workers lined

Need to Know Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club Green Fees (Visitors): RMB550 excluding caddie fee (weekday only) Getting There: The club is a 40-minute taxi ride (RMB100 each way) from Zhuhai Jiuzhou port. Regular sailings throughout the day from both the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui to Zhuhai (www.cksp.com.hk) Contact: www.cshsgc.com.cn

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

at the ready to remove the rocks when they were small enough to be carried away. It was an unbelievable sight.” Even today, Chung Shan remains quite the sight. As one might expect of a 25-yearold course, the Grand Dame of Chinese golf isn’t long by today’s titanium-enriched, jumboheaded standards, measuring some 6,396 metres from the tips (Chung Shan could be the only course in China that follows the national metric standard). But what it lacks in length, it more than makes up in charm, with paperbarks bordering its winding fairways and a variety of fruit trees and blossoming shrubs adding a delightful diversity to its backdrops. While modern courses in the mainland tend to be dominated by huge swathes of both sand and water, the Palmer Course is a much more subtle test, its resistance to low scoring a result of strategic design and its small, beautifullyshaped greens. In truth, it plays like one of the heathland gems that you find in the English Home counties. Take away the Laoshanwei hills that hove into view on a number of holes and first time players could almost be forgiven for thinking they’ve been transported 6,000 miles west to leafy Berkshire. The Palmer Course is something of a rarity in tropical Guangdong because it features bentgrass rather than Bermuda greens. Bentgrass

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

is a fine leafed, somewhat delicate strain that is normally used in generally temperate areas. By rights it shouldn’t be able to cope with the heat and humidity of southern China, but it appears to do just fine, and come the cooler winter months, the Palmer is home to the smoothest and quickest greens in the province. Stimpmeter readings in excess of 11 are the norm.

The Golden Boy

Chung Shan’s most famous member – in golfing circles, at least – is Liang Wen-chong, China’s greatest ever golfer. Now 31, Liang is a former winner of the Asian Tour Order or Merit and broke into the world’s top 100 following victory in the 2007 Singapore Masters, a cosanctioned event between the European and Asian tours. His story, like the course he has played for the past 16 years, is unique. Born and raised in nearby Yung Mo to working-class parents, Liang, then 15, was part of a group of local schoolchildren offered free lessons by the club, something which few other golf clubs in China these days manage to stretch to. Showing early promise, the club, under the direction of Alywin Tai, a dapper Hongkonger and Chung’s Shan’s first general manager, took him under its wing, allowing him to play and practice as much as he wanted on a complimentary basis. “This golf club is like my family,” Liang tells me over lunch in the club’s agreeable woodpaneled clubhouse a week prior to the Open Championship at Turnberry where he would unfortunately miss the cut. “Even though I still had to go to school until I was 18, I played here everyday and received regular coaching, which was crucial to my development as a golfer. I couldn’t be where I am now without their help.” The subject of junior golf in China is a topic that Liang is understandably passionate about. After winning the Singapore Masters, he donated his prize earnings of US$183,000 to help set up a development programme for young golfers in the region. “If other clubs can grant access to young golfers then China will have many more successful professional golfers,” says Liang matter-of-factly. “If they can follow the model of Chung Shan then China can one day have more players playing on the bigger tours. At the moment, there’s no system and unless you’re a member of a club it’s very difficult to even start playing the game.” Liang has played countless renowned courses, including Augusta where he became only the second Chinese golfer to make the Masters field, but for him, the Palmer remains his favourite. HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

This golf club is like my family… I couldn’t be where I am now without their help.” – Liang Wen-chong

“This is where I am most comfortable,” says Liang, who holds the course record with a 10-under-par 61. “The history of the club, the connection with Arnold Palmer…these things are very special and unusual in China where the courses are so new. But for me, this club will always be my home.” HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Zheng Dai: Life as a Chung Shan Caddie

Getting it Built – Arnold Palmer’s China Experience During my construction site inspection in January 1982, I saw what appeared to be an enormous tent village dotting the landscape. Upon closer inspection I found that these were 10’ by 6’ thatch huts, and each hut housed at least eight construction workers. As we wondered through the village and shook hands with the workers, I was amazed by their upbeat and indefatigable spirit. The work was backbreaking, but they couldn’t wait to invite us into their modest dwellings and offer us food and drink. Standing outside one of the huts, I took out a small tape recorder to dictate some notes. One of the workers looked at me as though I had just come from another planet. I showed him the recorder and had him speak into the microphone. When he heard his own voice he almost fell over in astonishment. In appreciation he ran to another hut and came back with four new straw hats, the kind worn by the workers. “No, no,” I said. “We don’t want those. But we’ll give you the new ones and take the old ones from four of the workers.” They were thrilled. I also gave this man a golf ball I had in my pocket. He stared at it for a few moments, then tried to take a bite out of the cover. “No,” I said. “You don’t eat it.” That’s when it dawned on me that the men engaged in the grueling labor of building our course had no idea what golf was. When I explained through an interpreter that this ball would be used to play the course our new friend was building, his eyes lit up and he took the ball from me as if I’d just presented him with the crown jewels of China. Later that afternoon we were caught up in a terrible downpour, the kind of blinding rain great for growing rice, but that shuts down the shaping of a new golf course. Ed and I were quickly escorted to a nearby hotel when we stripped naked, given thick towels and told to wait in our rooms while our clothes dried. I felt silly standing in a room with only a towel around me, but we had a television, which proved quite entertaining. The only channel we got was playing an old black-and-white Glenn Ford movie I didn’t recognize. “Oh my god, that’s Follow the Sun,” Ed said. “What’s that?” I asked. “Follow the Sun,” he said. “It’s the Ben Hogan story.” “No,” I said. I’d never seen the movie. “Sure,” Ed said. And sure enough, he was right. It was hilarious, but there was Glenn Ford dressed as Ben Hogan, coming back from his near-fatal car crash to win the US Open, with Chinese voices dubbed over the picture. Ed and I watched the movie for thirty minutes. Then our clothes – washed, dried and perfectly pressed – showed up on the doorstep. A few months after that first site visit, Ed got a call from the project manager. There was a problem with the irrigation system and they needed some help. Ed called a friend in Hong Kong and asked him to trek up to Chung Shan. When Ed’s friend called back, he could barely stop laughing. “You’re not going to believe this,” the man said. “They’ve assembled the irrigation to exact specifications. But they did it above ground.”

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

I was one of the first professional caddies at Chung Shan. Before I started, in October 1986, the green-keepers would do it, but they were only bag carriers at best. I remember going for the selection process. There was around fifty of us there but only ten got chosen. I was 22-years-old at the time and knew nothing about golf, but back then, caddying was considered a premium job, so I was happy to have made it. If I wasn’t a caddie I’d probably have become a driver. In the late 1980s 70 percent of the caddies at Chung Shan were male. Things change. Now there are approximately 240 caddies and 210 of them are female. During my first month as a caddie I was paid RMB5 per round plus tips. After that the fee went up to RMB10 a round. In those days it was better to get tips in HK$ because of the exchange rate: HK$20 was worth RMB30, which was pretty good. Today of course we get more. Now the rate is RMB90 per round plus tips. Hong Kong golfers are the best tippers. And of course there are some people who don’t tip at all. In more than 20 years of caddying I’ve only seen four holes in one. I’ve caddied for quite a few famous people, including [actors] Alan Tam and Eric Tsang. Nowadays, most parents want their kids to go to college and caddying isn’t seen as such a good job. I suppose there are more opportunities for the new generation but most wouldn’t make good caddies anyway. Today’s youth don’t like the sun and they don’t like working hard. The best thing about caddying is the flexibility. I enjoy working outdoors – I wouldn’t like to be stuck in an office – and at Chung Shan the caddies are allowed to play on the course once a month, which I really like. My normal score is around 80. I also play on what we call the ‘Caddie Course’. We built it ourselves on a construction site. It’s very simple but fun to play. The worst thing about caddying is getting a bad tempered golfer. Some players get angry if they miss a putt and then blame the caddie. It’s not the caddie’s fault. The player thinks we gave them the wrong line, but actually they just made bad putts. Because of my experience I now oversee a lot of the caddie training. Caddying has enabled me to support my family and I do enjoy it, but once my two daughters graduate from college I think I’ll probably retire.

Ed had a representative from [irrigation specialists] Toro fly to the project site and confirm that the crew had, indeed, assembled the irrigation system perfectly. The pipes and heads were all in place, except they were above rather than below ground. When water passed through the system, the heads were flying everywhere, and men were being injured when they tried to hold them in place. Toro brought in an engineer, and the staff quickly buried the lines in place.

Extract taken from Arnold Palmer: Memories, Stories and Memorobilia from a Life On and Off the Course

Another Gem: The Nicklaus Course

The 18th on the Nicklaus Course HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

The Nicklaus Course at Chung Shan, which opened in 1993, nine years after the Palmer, ranks among the finest that the Golden Bear has put his name to in Asia and is almost the complete antithesis of its older brother. More mountainous and water-strewn that the Palmer, the Nicklaus favours the longer hitter, but with expansive bunkering and large, strongly contoured greens, a deft touch on and around the putting surfaces is also required. Although a private club, visitors are permitted to book tee times on both courses during the week. Weekends and public holidays are reserved for members and their guests. Together these two courses cement Chung Shan’s status as one of the premier clubs in the mainland.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

golf in china

Putting it on the Map These six courses – from the North, South, East and West of the country – have helped elevate China to the verge of golfing superpower status BY THE EDITORS

Sheshan Golf Club

Shanghai Best known for hosting the region’s richest tournament, the US$5.5 million HSBC Champions, Sheshan stands apart from most courses in Shanghai thanks to its rolling topography and excellent strategic design. The flagship course of Singapore-based architects Nelson & Haworth, who also designed the East Course at Kau Sai Chau, Sheshan’s elevated and undulating greens and imaginative bunkering have made it a firm favourite among European and Asian Tour pros. The club is also home to one of the best short par-4s in Asia: the 310-yard 16th, which can be reached in one with a drive over a 150-ft deep quarry. Such is Sheshan’s exclusivity however, it’s just a shame that so few will ever get the chance to try. Yardage: 7,143. 72.Kau Architect: Nelson & Haworth On-site at the East Par: Course, Sai Chau 50

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Spring City Golf & Lake Resort, Mountain Course

Kunming, Yunnan Golf in China simply doesn’t get any better. Unlike the neighbouring Lake Course, a Trent Jones Jr-designed layout featuring exciting elevation change, at this mile-high resort, Nicklaus’s Mountain Course rises gently through towering glades and uses the natural terrain to its fullest. Exceptional fairway movement and well bunkered green complexes keep experienced golfers on their toes, and while many of the design elements will be lost on novice golfers, HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Pinehurst to become the world’s biggest in 2004 on completion of the Greg Norman-designed Norman Course, boosting the number of holes at this mega resort to 180. Although another two layouts have since been added (the par-3 Zhang Course and the members’ only Pete Dye Course), the Norman, situated at the club’s Dongguan site, remains by far the strongest test – and arguably its most scenic; the exposed front nine runs along a hillside, while the jaw-droppingly beautiful but much tighter back nine winds its way through two densely wooded valleys. Thick fescue flanks the fairways, and the bunkers are some of the deepest east of the British Isles. It is in the words of one member, the kind of place where God and the devil would square off with the destiny of the world at stake. (In case you’re wondering, God holes a 15-footer for par at the last for a 1-up victory). Yardage: 7,228. Par: 72. Architect: Greg Norman

Terrific Trio (clockwise from left): Sheshan provides a compelling finish to Asia's richest golf tournament, here at the 17th; the Norman Course at Mission Hills, arguably the toughest track on the mainland; golf doesn't get much better than the Mountain Course at Spring City.

everyone will just love the playing surfaces. Kunming’s mild climate and the club’s legions of greenkeeping staff keep both courses, which are carpeted in a silky smooth strain of bent grass, in almost tour quality conditioning year-round. Yardage: 7,453 Par: 72. Architect: Jack Nicklaus

Mission Hills Golf Club, Norman Course

Shenzhen, Guangdong HK Golfer readers need no introduction to Mission Hills. The brainchild of Dr David Chu, a one-time paper tycoon, the club surpassed venerable HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Yalong Bay Golf Club

Tiger Beach Golf Links

Qingdao, Shandong While 99.9 percent of golf course owners in China want their courses to look like Augusta National (although very few actually succeed), Beta Soong, a Taiwanese entrepreneur who made his fortune in electronics, took his inspiration from the classic links of the British Isles when designing Tiger Beach – and thank goodness he did. This is by far and away the most unique course in mainland China – and the total antithesis to the overwhelming majority of American-style courses in the Middle Kingdom. Featuring man-made dunes, seemingly inescapable pot bunkers, anklehigh fescue (which would grow to knee-height were it not for a herd of goats that are allowed to roam the course) and strong coastal winds that buffet players from all quarters, Tiger Beach is golfing nirvana for aficionados of the original form of the game. Yardage: 7,222. Par: 72. Architect: Beta Soong

Sanya, Hainan Tropical Hainan, scarcely an hour’s flying time from Hong Kong, has long been touted as China’s answer to Hawaii – but only now is it starting to emulate the latter when it comes to golf. While course construction on the island is rampant, with an estimated 30 layouts expected to come online within the next five years, Yalong Bay, one of Hainan’s oldest courses, remains one of the most enjoyable. Situated in the upmarket tourist resort of the same name, the palm-fringed course is within walking distance of a slew of beach-fronted five-star hotels and features an excellent mix of holes in first-rate condition. No surprise then that the course has been chosen to host a number of European and Asian Tour events since opening in 2000. Yardage: 7,189. Par: 72. Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr

Luxe Hills Golf & Country Club

Chengdu, Sichuan Western China has been relatively slow to pick up the game, but this ultra-swish golf and residential complex, a 15-minute drive from the centre of Chengdu, has put it well and truly on the radar. Although it’s impossible to miss the expensive real estate that frames many of the holes here, Hollinger has produced a rollicking track from an unhelpful site that will keep the city’s nouveau riche happy for decades to come. Exceptional bunkering and ornamental water features are the main hazards to avoid, while putting on the course’s well-thought out greens is a joy. Although a private club, tee-times are available to visitors who stay on-site. Yardage: 7,335. Par: 72. Architect: JMP (Mark Hollinger)

Chalk and cheese: Different though they may be, the windswept links at Tiger Beach (above) and the pristine layout at Luxe Hills provide two rollicking golfing experiences. 52

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

interview

Q&A with Ty Votaw

Votaw has arguably been the busiest man in the golf industry of late. Combining his twin roles as the International Golf Federation’s executive director and the PGA Tour’s executive vice president of communications and international affairs, the 47-year-old is responsible for heading up golf ’s Olympic bid and strengthening the tour’s profile in the global sports marketplace. Here he talks about the HSBC Champions new WGC status and what it’ll take for golf to make it’s first appearance at the Summer Games since 1904. INTERVIEW AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLES MCLAUGHLIN

KG: Supposing golf gets into the Olympics, how would you guarantee that the best players would be there? TV: Well, we have to make it a compelling competition. Tiger Woods and Lorena Ochoa will have 29 chances to win a major championship between now and 2016… they’ll only have one chance to win a gold medal. To be the first person to win a gold medal in over 112 years of Olympic competition, we think, is something that will be very attractive to the top players. We’ve structured the field criteria in such a way that it would be the top 15 in the world rankings, regardless of how many from one country, and then no more than two – we may be able to stretch that to three – from any one country beyond that. With two it would give us around 30 countries that would participate. If it were three it would be around 25 who could participate on each of the men’s and the women’s side. HKG: But if golf doesn’t make it into 2016, they’ll not be a repeat bid for 2020? TV: Well, I don’t see the opportunity unless they have another sport that gets voted out somehow. The charter is 28 sports and they have 26 for the London Games. That’s how they can create two more sports for the 2016 Games and there’s no assurance that the two that get recommended will get in. They can allow two, one or none. HKG: What do you think is in golf’s favour? TV: We think that our values and the culture of our sport is very consistent with and complementary to the Olympic Movement’s. We think the worldwide celebrity of our players, the world-wide distribution of our sport through television, week in week out – golf played at the highest levels is televised in over 200 countries around the world – that would enable us to message the Olympic Movement as an Olympic sport in those telecasts and that’s something that we think would bring new hearts and minds to the Olympics. We also feel that the Olympics would bring new hearts and minds to our sport and develop both. HKG: Peter Dawson [the chief executive of the R&A] points to the rise in popularity of basketball and tennis, particularly in China and Russia, as a result of those two becoming Olympic sports, 54

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

and believes that given an Olympic platform, golf will grow too. Do you see that? TV: I certainly do. HKG: Where do you see that growth coming from? TV: I don’t think Golf in Olympics will have a hugely meaningful impact on more developed countries, like the US and UK. I think that where the opportunity really lies is in those countries where golf is just now developing or has yet to gain traction in its development. Countries you could point to would be China, India, Russia, certain parts of Latin and South America, and other parts of Asia. And so, we think that where there is a requirement for government funding or National Olympic Committee resources, there is a requirement that the sport be an Olympic sport. Golf is lacking in those countries in terms of attention, awareness and resources and so we want that to develop. We think that the biggest potential opportunity for growth is to get Golf into the Olympics so that those types of resources, those types of awareness levels can be increased. HKG: Why has the number of players in the field in both the Men’s and Ladies’ been limited to 60? TV: There was a concern about the size of the Olympic Games. We felt that holding it to 60 with no cut would make it attractive to the top players to play. We could go to 78, but we felt that to go there we would probably have to go down to rankings in the 300s and 400s to find a player from a country – and that isn’t HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

necessarily a positive. When you look at our competitors, I’m not sure that they have 30 different countries where you could field athletes in softball, baseball, squash or even rugby. H KG: T h e f o r m at : 72- h o l e s o f strokeplay. Any thoughts on structuring the event as a matchplay format? Wouldn’t that be more “Olympian”? TV: Well, we thought about that; we considered a lot of different formats. We considered matchplay, we considered three days of stroke play then cut down to 32 [players] and go matchplay all the way in for two days. We thought of all that. We’re going to continue working on that. We took the feedback of the top players. They felt that 72 holes of stroke play is the fairest and best way to identify a champion. Those words were expressed to us by Tiger Woods – along with other top players. They felt that would be best. And then we look at a situation where we want to have a country in it. Golf is unique in that regard. It’s not a 100-yard dash, it’s four days that enables people to move up and to move down and to have an opportunity. The cream will rise to the top, but there is also an opportunity for someone not to shoot themselves out of it on Thursday and then go home, The other thing that’s interesting: I can’t watch a 72-hole tournament now without focusing on who is finishing second or third. Where do they come from? Who gets silver and who gets bronze? That’s a unique aspect of it that isn’t usually a big topic for discussion in your typical tournament. HKG: Moving on to international issues: the HSBC Champions, to be played at Sheshan in November, is now a WGC event, with an increased purse of $7 million. As such, it becomes the first PGA Tour-sanctioned stroke play event to be played in China. Is this a signal that there's more to come? TV: More could be tricky. We have a full schedule right now, so our ability to do more in China will really depend on what events in that time of the year do, and how our strategies evolve. I obviously can’t see us having, say, ten percent of our schedule in China, but I can certainly see some growth, another one or two events in the region, if the opportunity presented itself and we had the ability to do it because of some opening in our schedule. Those openings don’t exist now. HKG: The perception globally is that the US Tour players aren’t the greatest travelers, with the exception of Tiger, HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Mickelson and a couple of others. When people have even turned down the Open Championship [Kenny Perry in ’08, Jerry Kelly in ‘09] how do you get players to an event in China? TV: You’ve just got to make it compelling and attractive. That’s it. HKG: What about appearance money? It’s rife at events in Asia, although it’ s often dressed up as “service fees” or similar. Does the PGA Tour, which prohibits the practice in the States, have any concern of its use at the WGC? TV: Not a lot. We understand there are certain other arrangements that approach, but don’t go over the bar of the prohibition. However, we feel that with the level of purse that’s there and with the prestige of the WGC generally, the top players will be attracted and want to play. Olympic Golf – How it would work The competition format the IGF is recommending if golf is played in the 2016 Summer Games: ● A 72-hole individual stroke play event for both men and women, mirroring the format used in golf’s Major championships. In case of a tie for either first, second or third place, a three-hole playoff is recommended to determine the medal winner(s). ● A field of 60 players for each of the men’s and women’s competition, utilizing the Official World Golf Rankings as a method of determining eligibility. The top 15 world-ranked players would be eligible, regardless of the number of players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players would be eligible based on world ranking, with two (maybe three) players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Urban Golf

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Four of Hong Kong’s brightest talents as you’ve never seen them before… PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLES WATSON STYLING BY KATE MCLAUGHLIN

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Age: 16

Shinichi Mizuno

Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Open Champion 2009 Hong Kong Ladies Close Champion

Age: 15

2009 HSBC China Junior Open Champion

Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Close Champion

A relative latecomer to the game (Nagoya-born Shinichi only began playing golf three and a half years ago), big-haired Mizuno has enjoyed a stellar season, the highlight of which came at Discovery Bay, his home club, where he defeated Steven Lam on the second playoff hole to lift the Hong Kong Junior Close title. A great driver of the ball, Shinichi has worked hard on his short game with National Coach Brad Schadewitz of late and if he can maintain his staggering rate of progression, big things are expected.

Stephanie Ho 2009 has been a breakthrough year for Stephanie – both on and off the course. Straight off the tee, with a solid iron game and sublime putting touch, the sweet-swinging 16-year-old has raised her game over the past 12 months to win three of the region’s most valued titles. She’s got grit too – a personal best 67 in the final round of the Ladies Close Championship to win the title was arguably the comeback round of the year. But Stephanie has found success away from the fairways too. At the time of press, she’s appearing in TVB Jade’s popular singing talent programme, The Voice, where she has reached the latter stages of the competition. Whether it’s golf or the entertainment business, Stephanie would certainly seem to have options.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

Age: 16 Achievements: 2009 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Open Champion 2009 Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close Champion 2008 R&A Junior Open, Second Place

Steven Lam Hailed the Hong Kong wunderkind four years ago after shooting an incredible 64 at an event in China, Steven won a slew of junior titles around the region before finally getting the monkey off his back at senior level with a composed victory at the Hong Kong Close Championship at Fanling earlier this year. A regular fixture in the Hong Kong national team since 2006, Lam made his debut at the UBS Hong Kong Open in 2008 after making it through the rigours of qualifying. An excellent iron player and consistent putter, Lam’s assured of a spot at this year’s event thanks to his Close triumph. Another recent highlight was his second place finish at the R&A’s Junior Open at Hesketh in England last summer. One of the most exciting local prospects of his generation, the youngster has all the attributes to go very far indeed. Time will tell.

Age: 15 Achievements: 2009 and 2008 MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Close Champion 2008 Malaysian Junior Open Champion 2008 Callaway World Junior Championship, Fourth Place

Tiffany Chan Blessed with a temperament ideally suited for the game (she’s charm personified off the course and an ice queen on it), Tiffany has risen through the ranks to become Hong Kong’s most consistent female golfer of recent times. Unerringly accurate from tee to green, the Diocesan Girls School student came of age in 2008 with superb showings overseas, which included a win at the 2008 Malaysian Junior Open and a fourth place finish at the ultraprestigious World Junior Championship. Defending her title in style at this year’s Hong Kong Junior Close, Tiffany has both the game and the mental attitude to succeed beyond the junior level.

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

classic courses

Storied History: BIlly Casper (above) visited Dalat just months before his 1966 US Open win; small but perfectly formed, Dalat's bijou clubhouse (right) is a delight.

Mile-High Masterpiece

At 5,000 feet above sea level and almost a century old, Vietnam’s Dalat Palace Golf Club is as distinct as it is dazzling

eane Beman was sitting on the patio behind the 18th green at Dalat Palace Golf Club two Decembers ago when the three-and-a-half-hour round he’d just completed produced a realization. “I’m not sure there’s a prettier setting for golf than Dalat,” said the former playing professional who also served as Commissioner of the PGA Tour in America for 25 years. “The greens are as good as I’ve ever putted. They’re as good as you’re ever going to find. They sit well, like greens of the classic courses.” Truth is, Dalat Palace, in the cool Central Highlands of Vietnam, is as classic as golf courses come. One need only look at its history, which begins in 1922. That’s when the renowned French architect, Ernest Hebrard, laid out the master urban plan for the still fledgling hill station resort in Dalat. Although 1922 is often reckoned as the year the Dalat course opened, this is not likely. Nor is it likely that the course was the inspiration of Bao Dai, the last emperor of feudal Vietnam. Bao Dai was born in 1913 and spent much of his youth in France. He did not return to Vietnam until 1932, at which time the golf course in Dalat was probably open for play. It’s not yet certain exactly when the first hickory stick swiped at a gutta percha ball on the first tee at Dalat, but 1931 is a very good bet. 62

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

STORY BY JIM SULLIVAN AND SCOTT RESCH PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MANDARIN MEDIA

Around 1930, the renowned golf course architectural firm, Colt & Alison, listed the “Ville de Dalat” in “Indo China” as one of the courses in their worldwide portfolio. The course had not been listed in their promotional material throughout the 1920s, according to researcher Paul Turner. Nor was the course allotted a categorization in the c. 1930 advertisement, which suggests the course was in the preliminary stages of development at that time. Turner’s research has not turned up any evidence that Harry S. Colt (1869-1951) or Charles H. Alison (1882-1952) had traveled to Vietnam to plot the course, and he thinks it’s unlikely that either architect had. “C.H. Alison HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

The Lang Bian/Dalat Palace Hotel and French Colonial Leisure, Power and Culture,’ by Eric T. Jennings in Modern Asian Studies 37, 1 (2003), 2003, p. 179.) At that time, another course opened for play in Vietnam, the Go Vap Golf Course (a.k.a. Saigon Golf Club). This course dates to the tenure of Governor-General Pierre Pasquier (1928 - 1934) as evidenced by this entry from a National Geographic article in October 1935: “The late Governor-General Pasquier drove the first ball on a new golf course and aviation flourishes in Saigon.” It’s no surprise that National Geographic coupled golf and aviation since the old course was situated close to Tan Son Nhat Airport. Whatever his involvement in the course’s development, Bao Dai’s love for the game of golf is certain. He enjoyed vacationing at several royal villas in Dalat, partly for proximity to Vietnam’s big game and partly, we can assume, for the proximity to the Dalat Golf Club. Today, Bao Dai’s clubs are on display in his former villa near the end of Trieu Viet Vuong Street.

Restoration in the 1950s did work in Japan in 1930,” wrote Turner [see HK Golfer July/August 2008 edition]. “Occasionally Colt would design a course from [topographic] maps or aerial photography. He was reported to have done so for a course (Bukit Timah Club) in Singapore.” Turner believes Colt & Alison may have routed the Dalat course the same way.

Open for Sure

By 1933, the course was definitely open for play, as evidenced by this passage from an English-language brochure published that year: “The Lang-Biang Palace and the Grand Hotel de Dalat…offer every modern comfort, and diversion, including concerts, tennis, golf, walking tours and motor excursions.” (For more, see ‘From Indochine to Indochic: Trademark Traits There’s no known record of what Casper did back in 1966 on what’s currently the par-5 sixth hole, but there’s good chance he was impressed by its appearance. With water all along the left, pines all along the right, and a peninsula green that is both scenic and scary, the second longest hole on the course is a downright ace. The 16th is the best of several par 4s where the approach plays over water. And the 5th is a par 3 of championship proportions; water (again) fronts the green, and the carry is more than 200 yards. “You can breathe a sigh of relief after 5 and 6…for one hole,” said T.W. Hughes, the course’s former managing director. “From the tee box at the 8th, the views of town are spectacular, but the fairway looks about as wide as a coin slot. Tough, sure, but you’ll never forget it.”

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

At the time of Bao Dai’s abdication in 1945, the course at Dalat was abandoned. Local vegetation overwhelmed the greens and fairways so thoroughly that when the course was revived, in the late 1950s, the layout’s savior, a medical doctor named Dao Huy Hach, had to rely on aerial photos from the National Geographical Institute to pick out the putting surfaces. Dr. Hach had started to play golf at the Saigon Golf Club in the mid 1950s when Hoa Van Nguyen, architect of the Caravelle Hotel in Saigon, served as president of the Saigon Club. For Saigon players, golf in mile-high Dalat was the anti-dote to the year-round swelter of golf in the city. The Saigon Golf Club funded most of the restoration, but there were numerous pro bono services offered by Dalat Golf Club members. The government also contributed money towards the construction of greens. In addition, members paid a 4,000VND (US$23) initiation fee and 600VND (US$4) monthly fee. There were about 40 members through the 1960s, most from the embassy staffs and foreign construction companies in the area. The restoration of the course continued for nearly 15 years, as Dr. Hach drew on the assistance of the Saigon Golf Club, Japanese construction companies, and other members of the Dalat Golf Club to re-establish the original nine holes and begin construction of a second nine. Dr. Hach received assistance from the USGA for the second nine, including guidance on construction of greens, at no charge. In HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

all, Dr. Hach estimated it cost about 3 million VND (about US$17,000) to bring back the course and clubhouse. The clubhouse, itself, was and is a Le Tourquet style villa, with Tudor detailings that evoke golf’s roots in the British Isles. The villa is one of hundreds that the French built in Dalat throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Still, for all of the clubhouse’s visual appeal, it was a rustic affair for Dalat’s second generation of golfers. “It was not to international standards,” said Dr. Hach. “It was like a garage: no power, no landscaping, no water. I had to bring all of that in.” In 1959, Dr. Hach added a ninth hole to the original 8-hole layout in Dalat. Six years later, these nine holes were open for play — with a sand and motor oil mix standing in for grass on the greens — and Dr. Hach was contemplating another nine holes. A war got in the way.

through a landscape of bougainvillea, red salvia, impatiens, mimosa and hydrangeas. Indeed, its challenge and beauty is continually recognized by Golf Digest (USA), which four times running has put the layout at the top of its biennial Planet Golf survey of Vietnam. The honor is much deserved, according to Patrick Rielly, Beman’s friend and another influential man in the history of the PGA. “I’ve been coming here for 12 years and if there’s one thing I’ve noticed it’s that everything here gets better every year,” said the former President of the PGA of America during his visit 18 months ago. “The caddies here are exceptional. That’s why the greens are so good. They’re down there fixing them, all the time.”

A Champion in Dalat

That didn’t stop Billy Casper from playing a round in Dalat. In early 1966, several months before he beat Arnold Palmer to win the U.S. Open at San Francisco’s Olympic Club, Casper played the course on a tour of Vietnam organized by the U.S. State Department. “In Dalat, the course looked like it was just carved out of the dirt,” Casper said in a 2007 interview. “There was no grass whatsoever, and dirt greens, too. It was the only time I had ever been on anything like that. But I also remember that Dalat was a very special place.” D r. H a c h p l ay e d w i t h C a s p e r a n d remembered the first hole this way: “The first hole was a par 5 and [Casper] hit a driver and 6-iron to the green, and still bogeyed the hole. He had to get used to our greens. But after the first hole, he had no problem.” Despite the war, players kept teeing off, in both Saigon and Dalat. Dr. Hach played his last round in 1974. And golfers in Saigon were still looking for birdies through the waning days of April 1975.

Second Revival in the 1990s

From 1975 to 1993, the course was left to grow over once again. In 1993, a joint venture project between Danao International Holdings Limited (U.S.-based) and Lam Dong Province resulted in the renovation of the first nine holes and the completion of the second nine. The course was christened Dalat Pine Lake Golf Club in 1993, then became Dalat Palace Golf Club in 1995. Since then, the Dalat Palace Golf Club has established itself as the premier course in Vietnam — an uninterrupted string of inventive, demanding golf holes that twists and undulates HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Need to Know

Dalat Palace Golf Club

YARDAGE: 7,009 PAR: 72 GREEN FEE: US$65-75 (Sofitel and Novotel guests) CONTACT: +84-8-3744-4747; vietnamgolfresorts.com Where to Stay The landmark Sofitel Dalat Palace Hotel, built in 1922, provides one of Asia’s most opulent old-world stays (43 rooms; sofitel.com), while its nearby and similarly historic sister property, the Novotel Dalat (144 rooms; novotel.com), offers modern amenities at affordable rates. Hotel and golf packages are available through vietnamgolfresorts.com. Getting There The airport at Dalat is a 35-minute drive the centre of town. Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines.com) flies twice daily from Ho Chi Minh (50mins) and once daily from Hanoi (1hr, 40-mins).

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

final shot

EXPERIENCE Lifestyle Q&A:

Butch Harmon The game’s most famous coach on his favourite courses, his love of watches and what’s in his cellar. We caught up with him at his new state-of-the-art instruction centre - the Butch Harmon School of Golf at Caesars Golf Macau. Do you ever go on golf holidays? No, I actually go on vacation to get away from golf. My wife and I enjoy going to remote islands around the world to relax. I definitely don’t take my clubs. We do have a house up in the mountains of Utah where there’s a course, so I’ll play there. I bring a few of my buddies up: we play during the day and have fun at night. Which courses would you pay to play? I’m partial to Winged Foot, which is where I grew up. My dad was the pro there for 35 years. But I like the older style courses. My top five in the States are Winged Foot, Pine Valley, Seminole, San Francisco Golf Club and Sand Hills, a fabulous Crenshaw course in Nebraska. Internationally, I love Royal County Down in Northern Ireland and St Andrews. That place has stood the test of time. I really enjoy Walton Heath outside of London, too. What is your biggest indulgence? I have three: watches, cars and red wine. I love watches. I have about 30 at home. My favourite is a beautiful gold Rolex with a blue lapis stone in the dial that my wife gave to me for our wedding. About four years ago I got an endorsement contract with Rolex, which worked out great for me. It means I don’t need to buy so many these days. What’s in your cellar? I don’t buy wine to keep; I buy to drink. Having said that, I do have around 280 bottles in my cellar at home. I’m a Californian Cabernet and Bordeaux fan, so I do keep some Chateaux Margaux and some Petrus. Wine is a funny thing: just because someone tells you something is good doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily agree. It’s entirely dependant on your palette. 66

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

VISION

How about buying a vineyard and starting your own wine, like so many of the pros? Ha! I don’t think I could afford to do that, although the opportunity would be nice. I’ve tried Ernie Els’ wine. It’s very good.

Luxe Hills, China Hole 2 Par 3

Do you have a favourite hotel? I really enjoy Four Seasons properties. I’ve stayed at their Maui, Nevis and the Bahamas. The Four Seasons in Macau lovely. The service is impeccable and the casino there is very nice.

WORLD CLASS RESULTS

What’s your favourite airline? My wife was a flight attendant for American [Airlines] for 15 years, so I always fly with them domestically. Cathay Pacific is phenomenal. They have the nicest First Class I’ve ever tried. The service is fabulous and they have great wine onboard. I enjoyed an excellent bottle of Chateau Lynch-Bages on the flight over to Hong Kong. What do you always take with you on a trip? I’m really anal when it comes to packing – I bring way too many clothes. But I always enjoy listening to books on tape: my iPhone is full of them. What’s on your iPod? I don’t need an iPod anymore because everything is on my iPhone. I like every kind of music except for rap. I can’t get my head around it. Remember, I’m 65-years-old. I’m not one of those old dudes that’s into that kind of thing. I know Justin Timberlake very well through golf and I like his stuff. –As told to Alex Jenkins HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

Mark E. Hollinger ASGCA

Address: 1513 Folger Drive, Belmont, California 94002 USA Tel: 1-650-620-9670 Fax: 1-650-620-9707 China: (86)136-6018-6366

www.jmpgolf.com HKGOLFERMAGAZINE.COM

HK GOLFER・AUG/SEP 2009

DANIEL DREIFUSS PRESENTS:

maurice de mauriac manufactured in zurich MAURICEDEMAURIAC.CH