St Andrews Golf Magazine February 2015 by St Andrews Golf Magazine

Welcome to February 2015

We talk to Ernie Els and David Duval and we

in St Andrews Golf

golfers trying to qualify for The Open.

Magazine

Sadly, the 1960 Open champion Kel Nagle

bring you the first of our series on local

passed away last month and we present our

obituary to him. Andrews and thoughts are turning towards the summer and the return of The Open.

We present our newly enhanced On Tour section, which will be featuring contributions

In the latest BID meeting at the Byre Theatre

from new writers in the coming months.

Liam Barn from the Fife Golf Partnership

Stefanie Kenoyer updates us on her travels

spoke about the potential benefits for

and pay tribute to Charlie Sifford after he

businesses in the town whilst The Open was

received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

being played on the Old Course. To take your mind off the gloomy and cold Ken Dalton, chairman of BID St Andrews,

weather we premiere our Travel 2015 section

spoke about shops and eateries in the town

with articles on South Carolina and New

staying Open later and the town giving a big

Zealand.

build up to the event. Enjoy the 11th edition of St Andrews Golf St Andrews Golf Magazine has the biggest

Magazine and subscribe now for free at

build-up of all to The Open and it continues

www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com

this month.

Faldo Series coming to St Andrews

Ginger Beer the tale of the fourth hole on the Old Course

New Golf Club results

Ernie Els Interview

David Duval Interview

AT&T Pebble Beach pro-am preview

Editors:

Northern Trust Open preview

Matt Hooper

Can Sky finally land the one major e

Charlie Sifford tribute

Colin Donaldson

Kel Nagle obituary

The Oscars

European Tour in January

Image credits:

Asian Swing preview

LPGA Preview

Life on Tour with Stefanie Kenoyer

RECOUNTER, Keith Allison, R&A, Tour Pro Golf Clubs www.tourprogolfclubs.com, University of St Andrews

Dickson 25

PGA Tour in January

Waste Management Phoenix Open preview

TRAVEL 2015: New Zealand and South Carolina

Farmers Insurance Open preview

#JeSuisCharlie

Faldo Series coming to St Andrews

ers in the UK have benefitted from the experience of playing in the Faldo Series

St Andrews Golf Magazine will bring you coverage of the tournament as part of our Countdown to The Open and series on Junior Golf in St Andrews.

s Course, on the outskirts of St Andrews, will host one of forty Faldo Series events this summer, July 6-8.

continued to hold 54-hole championships across the UK allowing players the opportunity to gain even more tournament experience and to compete for World Amateur

In November we brought you the first our features on Junior Golf in St Andrews, focusing on the New Golf Club.

The 2015 UK schedule features six championships across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For an entry fee of ÂŁ50, boys and girls aged 12 to 21 will play one practice round and three tournament rounds at their chosen venue.

In our March edition we will feature another of the local clubs and their efforts to bring youngsters to the game.

Tour, PGA Tour and the PGA of America for their on-going support which allows us to bring opportunity to thousands of talented

The five age-group winners at each tournament three boys and two girls will join six-time Major winner Faldo at the 19th Faldo Series Grand Final.

The fourth hole on the Old Course is renowned as one of the truly great holes in the game and in 2011 it was selected among the Ultimate 18 holes of The Open by Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington. The 419 yard (white tees) par four demands a drive between a dune on the left and gorse on the right, then a usually semi-blind approach to a green which is shared by the par-five 14th. The green moves in many directions with subtle and not so subtle breaks. Aside from being a phenomenal hole there is a tale behind its somewhat odd name Ginger Beer.

The Anderson family are one of the foremost golfing families in St Andrews, and David condition of the Old Course as keeper of the n from Prestwick. He resigned in 1855 and in his later years would sell Ginger Beer and other refreshments to golfers on the fourth hole.

maker, working out of his shop at 9 The Links. The process of refreshing golfers is an alltogether larger one today, with a cart at the

9th green serving those playing the Old Course, and you can nip through to it from the 8th tee of the New Course. There are clubhouses serving the Strathtyrum and Eden (Eden clubhouse), and the Old, New and Jubilee (Links clubhouse). All of which is managed by the St Andrews Links Trust.

New Golf Club Results RAF Cup, 01/01/2015 The courses of St Andrews Links

Medal Number 1, 08/01/2015 New Course

Medal Number 2, 10/01/2015 New Course

Golf and life are difficult, and perhaps no pursuit better exemplifies life than golf. You can have times when you feel like you are on top of the world but equally you can have times when nothing seems to go right. Golf teaches you how to behave and how to cope with different situations; it is a sport for life and a sport which can enhance life too. And for a golfer no week of the year has more variety of situations than The Open Championship, and perhaps no course has more variety than the Old Course at St Andrews.

claiming his fourth Major Championship (he won the 1994 and 1997 US Opens) of a career which can only be described as stellar. 2nd in 1996, 2000 and 2004 3rd in 2001 and 2006

Ernie Els is an Open Championship legend the stats bear that out. He first lifted the Claret Jug in 2002 after an epic final day, culminating in a playoff with Steve Elkington, Stuart Appleby and Thomas Levet. He only prevailed after extra holes with Thomas Levet. Then, 10 years later, he snatched victory at Royal Lytham and St Ann

Yet he has not been able to succeed at the course he has played, along with Augusta, the most in his illustrious individual career.

4th in 2007 5th in 1992 6th in 1993 7th in 2008 8th in 2009

greats has tried, and failed, to conquer the

His game has been to and succeeded in almost every part of the globe on a vast number of different courses in extremely varying conditions.

10th in 1997

His breakthrough year came in 1992 when he won six times on the Sunshine Tour, including the South African triple crown of the South African Open, PGA and Masters Titles. He has since gone on to win over 60 tournaments across the world in countries on five continents.

Dunhill Links Championship I started by asking him if he looked back fondly at his first Open on the Old Course, in 1995. For me, my memories of that Open are good and bad, I walked away a little

Els came into The Open in great form, having won the US Open, Dubai Desert Classic, Toyota World Match Play, Sarazen World Open and Johnnie Walker World Golf African PGA Championship and Byron Nelson Championship in the spring of 1995. A first round of 71 followed by a Friday 68 put him in great position to challenge for his first Claret Jug; he was 1 behind the trio of leaders

(John Daly, Brad Faxon and Katsuyoshi Tomori) who were tied on 6-under-par.

forward, shooting rounds of 72 and 75 to finish in a tie for 11th place.

wha Els finished 1995 as the world number 4 after a two year stretch which had brought 7 wins and 28 other top ten finishes. A series of missed opportunities in the majors left a big gap in his resume, which continued to grow with wins around the world. At the start of 2000 Els was ranked fifth in the world and he began the year with an epic duel with Tiger Woods at the Mercedes Championships in Hawaii. Unfortunately for the South African he was defeated in extra holes by the world number one. He then finished second at the Masters to Vijay Singh, and a string of inconsistent golf June he finished second again, this time by an enormous fifteen shots to Tiger Woods at the US Open at Pebble Beach.

damning on Els, or Miguel Angel Jimenez who he shared second place with, but a reflection on the incredible play of Tiger. The performance was enough to move Els ba weeks later at the Standard Life Loch Lomond he claimed a first win in over 8 months and came to St Andrews as the world number two. Unfortunately for Ernie, in a spell of really good golf, he once again was left trailing in the wake of Woods. The American superstar was bidding for the final leg of the career grand slam, and would not be denied. Woods won by relative to par of 19-under-par. I asked Ernie if he felt 2000 was a missed opportunity.

finished second, but I was 8 shots back and I was never really in the game. It was another good finish obviously, so I have

Els play at the Old Course as an individual has been consistent without being spectacular, his Open record reads T11-T2-T34-CUT. In the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship he came within a shot of a playoff with Paul Lawrie, but the Scot holed a sensational putt from the Valley of Sin to claim the first title since the change from team to individual championship. I also finished second here in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, when Paul Lawrie holed that putt from the valley of

The South African has tasted victory on the Old Course before though, as part of the South African Alfred Dunhill Cup team in 1997 and 1998.

much team competition back in those days.

It is now three years since Els second Claret Jug and fourth major championship win, and it is 19 months since his last win on tour.

At the age of 45 this may well be the last realistic opportunity Els has of lifting The Open Championship at the home of golf, when it next returns to St Andrews in 2020 or 2021 he will be over 50. I am sure there is not one single golf fan in the world who would not love to see him make a run at the title this summer and match Gary

I spoke to 2001 Open Champion, David Duval, Championship. I started by asking him, why was he playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship?

just like how it is run and it fit with my

Looking back on the 2000 Open here, how do you look back on that week?

back was hurting, but I managed to play myself into a position with a chance to catch

Is your 2001 Open win the highlight of your career?

the sense of fulfilment and satisfaction at

It has been 49 years since England won the Football World Cup, and the nation is crying out for success. England gave the world the beautiful game and yet it cannot master it. St Andrews gave the world the greatest game ever played, and yet in 94 years no local has lifted its greatest prize, or any major championship. The 1921 Open Championship, played at the Old Course, was a unique occasion. Jock Hutchison was born in St Andrews in 1884, but in his youth moved to the United States and became a naturalized citizen. His win, in a playwas the first ever win in The Open by an American, and the last win by a St Andrean in the championship. St Andrews lives, eats, sleeps and breathes golf. We have some of the best facilities in the world; 11 golf courses, a world-class practice facility and several golf clubs which encourage participation in the game. Yet, even with this, nobody has emerged as a genuine world-class talent for the game. Maybe The Open returning here this summer will inspire a new generation of great golfers.

Over the next four editions of St Andrews Golf Magazine we will profile 5 local golfers, tell their golfing story and cover their quest to qualify for The 2015 Open Championship. We begin with Mark Dickson.

story of how many get in to golf. He was introduced to the game at the age of four by his father, who gave him a plastic golf club

In his own words he used to watch them religiously, he had caught the golfing bug early on. Somewhat surprisingly Mark cites his golfing inspiration as being Payne Stewart, so much He also counts Greg Norman and Seve as figures within the game which inspired him to get more serious about the game as he grew up.

Mark is from Leeds and is 31 years of age; he grew up just outside the city centre and at a young age was offered a membership at golf course design. Whilst he cites major champions as his inspiration, it is clearly his father who played a major role in him coming to the game and continuing through his teenage years. He used to play regularly with his father and work colleagues. Mark clearly has a natural talent for the game, you only have to look at his swing, the distance and control he plays with to see that; but also he progressed very quickly from achieving his first handicap, 24, at the age of 11. Within a year he had been cut by 12 strokes and by the age of 14 he was playing off a handicap of 5. He calls himself a late developer in golf, but within five years of getting his first handicap he was playing off 2, an excellent standard indeed.

trophies; by the time he came to University, here in St Andrews, it was clear he would get even better with the facilities available and the playing opportunities on hand. Mark first came to St Andrews when he was 15 years of age to play the Old Course on holiday. He then returned to study Medicine at the University of St Andrews, completing his degree in Edinburgh. This has led him to become a fifth year Medical Doctor in training, originally training to be a surgeon but he later switched to the Medical route with the aim of becoming a GP. He is currently based at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where he will be for three years. His job is very demanding and time consuming, which limits his golf through the winter months to one game per month. One of the great things about St Andrews is its number of golf clubs available to join, and in 2002 Mark joined the New Golf Club. Mark cites the reasonable standard of golfer, the very good winter league and the packed

competition calendar throughout the spring, summer and autumn. His work commitments also restrict his play greatly throughout the season, meaning he can only play anything from twice a week to once a month. Mark, much like Colin Montgomerie, says he has never been a great practiser at the driving range, he says that he learned to play the game on the golf course. He also freely admits that he has probably only ever had two or three lessons in his life. All of which makes his handicap and achievements, particularly in 2014, remarkable. His swing, much like Ernie Els, produces seemingly effortless power, and he has a great understanding of his game. He is able to recognise the faults and correct them when they are happening. He is though a great practiser of the short game, which helps him greatly when his long

In 2014 Mark collected both the Stan Reith Trophy and Joe Lindsay Trophy during Club Championship qualifying and went on to reach the semi-finals on the Old Course. In some of the wildest weather I have ever seen on the Old Course, Mark demonstrated his wide variety of skills in the wind and the rain to battle with Neil Moore right down to the 17th hole before falling to defeat. It was a near miss for the Yorkshireman but it was nevertheless a wonderful week of golf. He recently joined the St Andrews Golf Club in an effort to sharpen his game in competition with the greater depth of good golfer just up Links Road from the New Golf Club. His competition schedule will intensify in the lead-up to the Open Qualifying in June and play in the Club Championship at the New Golf Club, the R&A Local Clubs Gold Medal, but will only have approximately a week off leading up to Open Regional Qualifying. In 2014 he unluckily missed out at Hankley Common by a shot in qualifying for the Final Qualifying Round.

St Andrews, because of the history and the feeling you get when standing on the first tee and playing 17 and 18. Last summer he shot a round of 64 with 8 birdies and no bogeys, which included a spectacular up and down from the road on the 17th. If he can produce four rounds of that level this summer he could find himself, in front of friends and family, playing in The Open Championship in his adopted home town, representing two of the three historic clubs at the home of golf. By Matt Hooper.

Can Sky finally land the one major event they broadcast? A report in the Sunday Telegraph last month said that the R&A and Sky have held talks about the upcoming new television rights tender in 2016. Sky Sports has been the UK broadcast home of the US Open since 1991, the PGA Championship since 1993 and the Ryder Cup since 1995.

the only two events they currently broadcast all four days of. They show the final two rounds of The Masters live, in addition to highlights on Thursday and Friday. They show 60 minutes of highlights each night of the BMW PGA Championship and Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, and have the rights to show highlights of the Ryder Cup. The British Masters, BMW PGA Championship, Scottish Open and World Match Play were all broadcast in their entirety on the BBC in 2006, in addition to all four days of The Masters and The Open.

In 2011 they were awarded full rights to broadcast The Masters for the first time, with BBC showing highlights of the first two days and simultaneous live coverage of the weekend.

That gave the BBC 28 days of live golf,

f has been severely questioned in recent years, with the BMW PGA Championship, Scottish Open and World Match Play all disappearing from the terrestrial network in the last decade.

In stark contrast, should Sky succeed in their bid and gain rights to The Open, they will have AL Cup, PGA Tour, European Tour and LPGA.

there is a distinct possibility that total will be down to 10 if you include The Olympic Games.

The table below illustrates the potential state of golf on UK television from 2016:

Before I give my detailed analysis as to just why I believe Sky should be the host broadcaster of The Open I have to give credit to the BBC.

But the time has come for Sky, the broadcast home of golf in the UK to get their chance to cover our biggest event.

The BBC has served The Open well over the last fifty years, and nobody can doubt their experience of covering major events across all sports.

Since 1991 Sky has dominated the week-inweek-out television sports scene in the UK, and whilst they may not yet have covered the Olympic Games or World Cup, they have covered pretty much everything else in sport.

It is without question that The Open being on free-to-air television is a major benefit for golf, especially with more and more tournaments being shown on Sky, a subscription network.

They have been the home of the Cricket World Cup since 1996, every away Ashes Tour since 1993, the US Open tennis, Barclays Premier League since its inception in 1992 and many other major events.

For many years the familiar sound of Peter Alliss coming into our living rooms has been a highlight of the sporting summer, alongside Wimbledon.

But it is their commitment to cover sport every day which sets them apart from the BBC. Almost every time I am forced to watch golf on the BBC there are several factual inaccuracies in the commentary, and this is

because for the most part their team does not cover the sport week-in-week-out. The Open, one of the flagship events in the UK, has been shifted more and more on to BBC TWO. Their promotion of the event is negligible, and their preview show is usually tucked away at gone 11pm in the evening. Sky has been the UK broadcaster of the US Open and PGA Championships since the early Masters. They have been the home of the PGA Tour and European Tour since 1993. But it is their coverage of the Ryder Cup which illustrates just why The Open would not suffer being on a subscription channel. Sky was the first broadcaster in the world to show the matches in their entirety in 1995. They dedicate enormous resources to cover it

and as the event has grown, so their coverage gets bigger and better. That is the key point the event has grown. The Ryder Cup has grown out of all recognition from 1995 to 2014; it is the most watched event in golf in Europe, surpassing the majors. The commercial value of the Ryder Cup has grown incredibly, and the money generated from the Ryder Cup has gone into development programmes all over Europe, helping to grow the game. All of this has happened in spite of the coverage being available only to Sky subscribers. Why? Because Sky dedicates themselves to making the coverage entertaining and informative, and they do it with the best broadcast team in the business. From the host, David Livingstone, ably supported by Robert Lee and Sarah Stirk; to the analysts such as Butch Harmon, David Howell, Jean Van de Velde, Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie, Claude

Harmon, Rich Beem, Mark Roe, Tony Johnstone, Jamie Spence and Andrew Coltart; to the highly experienced and professional commentary team of Ewen Murray and Bruce Critchley and to the on-course team of Howard Clark, Wayne Riley, Richard Boxall and Tim Barter. Their team is full of players who have been there, done it and got the T-Shirt. They have players who are even still competing on the tours of the world, making the comments relevant to the modern era. Their PGA Tour coverage includes the contributions of Denis Pugh and Simon Holmes, educating the viewer about the golf swing through the hugely entertaining Shot Centre. Holmes coached Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer among others, and Pugh was coach to Colin Montgomerie when Monty ruled the European Tour. The doubters cast aspersions on Sky getting The Masters, but once again they have proved them wrong, with wall-to-wall coverage throughout the week.

One major thing which I think says how highly regarded Sky has become in covering golf is the appearance Jack Nicklaus in their studio for their Masters, US Open and Ryder Cup coverage over the last four years. It is one big package that Sky offers that BBC just cannot hope to match. This being said I do believe a similar arrangement to the one which exists for The Masters should be implemented. This would keep golf visible on terrestrial television but would give the viewer an option, to stick with the traditional or opt for the standard-bearer, the innovative and the experience of covering golf, week-in-week-out for nearly 25 years. 2016 is a huge year for golf for many reasons; to the Olympic Games. I hope that the R&A launches a new era in Open Championship coverage, and gives Sky Sports the opportunity to add The Open to The Masters, US Open, PGA and Ryder Cup.

The word tradition is seemingly a dirty word to use nowadays, but in golf tradition is vital. Golf prides itself on honouring greats of the past and returning to storied venues.

many sports on the BBC, and features from an Walker. The position of golf host was made its own by Steve Rider, who followed in the footsteps of Harry Carpenter. In recent times you have had the less successful stint of Gary Lineker, who

Open on BBC is an equally big tradition. You can sit back and watch 12 hours of live golf, without advertisements. You have the voice of golf, Peter Alliss, with his years of knowledge, pearls of wisdom and occasional comedic comments. The BBC team has evolved over the years, from Henry Longhurst, to Peter Alliss, Dave Marr and Alex Hay and now onto the modern team with Ken Brown, Wayne Grady and Mark James. You have the contributions of Andrew Cotter, a professional broadcaster, who works across

position, despite how much he enjoyed it. He was replaced by Hazel Irvine, a former University of St Andrews student, who also presents additional sports across the BBC including Snooker and the Olympic Games. BBC have also taken advantage of technology to show extra coverage via the red button and online. From time to time special guests like Jim Nantz and Sir Nick Faldo have appeared in front of the BBC cameras, and more recently Frank Nobilo has contributed his vast experience to the team.

BBC were however slow to upgrade to HD, which harmed the broadcast of The Open worldwide and put the broadcast behind every other golf tournament. They also will not entertain the use of 3D. There is no doubt that Sky would do a great job, and they would invest money which could be used by the R&A to help run development programmes around the world. So I think, like the FA Cup, The Open should be broadcast on both terrestrial and satellite television. BBC could show a feature group each day on Thursday and Friday, with full highlights in the evening. Sky could have full rights and make a great job of it, with both covering the weekend live.

inspired by.

1960 Open Champion Kel Nagle passes away aged 94

Kel Nagle passed away peacefully in the Mona Vale Hospital in Sydney on Thursday 29 January. His passing is being mourned by the entire Australian Golfing community. The giant of Australian golf won the historic 1960 Open Championship here in St Andrews, defeating Arnold Palmer by 1 stroke. Together with Peter Thomson (right) he was a World Champion, winning the 1954 and 1959 World Cup of Golf. His achievements in his homeland are legendary with 5 Australian PGA Championship wins and 1 Australian Open to his name; he also won 7 New Zealand Opens and 7 New Zealand PGA Championships in a career record which totalled 76 wins.

Kel Nagle, the almost forgotten winner of the most important Open of all-time. By Matt Hooper.

The 1960 Open Championship on the Old Course is famous for three things; Arnold Palmer, the revitalization of The Open and the weather. Like 1999, when Paul Lawrie defeated Jean Van de Velde, it is the runnerup who garnered more fame than the winner. Arnold Palmer was the undisputed king of the game, he came to St Andrews in possession of the Green Jacket and the US Open trophy, achievements of 1953. During 1960 Mark McCormack made Palmer his first client and launched the business management and marketing agency, IMG.

It helped to make Palmer the biggest star in golf and one of the most recognisable faces in sport at the start of the television age. Between 1947 and 1959 The Open was dominated by golfers from the Southern Hemisphere, with Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson and Gary Player winning a combined 9 Claret Jugs. In that time only one American, Ben Hogan, conquered the field in ship. Palmer, Thomson, Locke, Player and Argentine Roberto de Vicenzo were considered the contenders for the Centenary Open Championship at the home of golf, St Andrews. De Vicenzo took the early lead after a first round of 67, with Palmer some three shots back and Player five back on level par. The Argentine, who would win an Open 7 years later, moved further ahead with a second rounds of 71 would see them trail by 7 going into the final rounds.

Instead it would be the unheralded Nagle who title. Nagle had won 33 titles on the Australian Tour, and teamed with Thomson for two Canada Cup successes. But his record in the majors had not reflected his dominance in his homeland. Just two top 20 finishes gave no indication of his ability to compete at the highest level. A third round of 71 in wild conditions gave the man from Sydney the lead before the downpour became a torrent. The Old Course was flooded and play was delayed, the final two rounds were scheduled to take place on Friday, with the flood pushing play into the Saturday. Palmer produced a surge in the final two rounds, shooting 70 and 68 to finish at 9under-par. But to the disappointment of most of the golfing world secure his third straight major. Nagle shot 71 in the final round and was victorious by 1 shot.

to his collection of majors in 1960, that Open Championship changed the direction of the championship forever. It was the most popular Open ever held in the century of the championship, it was the richest and it reignited the interest of included 4 players from across the Atlantic, 10 years later there was 24 Americans in the field. The Open was back and Palmer had the fame, but on 9 July 1960, Kel Nagle had the glory.

In January

In February

Last month the PGA Tour 2014-15 season resumed in sumptuous Hawaii with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua resort in Maui.

Walker bounced back the following week in Honolulu to defend the Sony Open in Hawaii. His play over the weekend was astonishing, playing just 125 shots in rounds of 62 and 63.

Jimmy Walker, the FedEx Cup leader for over 30 weeks last season, once again got off to a hot start and looked in position to claim the title heading into the final round with a twostroke lead.

He destroyed the field by 9 shots, one of the biggest winning margins in PGA Tour history and the biggest in the fifty year history of the tournament.

He maintained his lead through the first 9 holes, and a birdie at the 10th gave him a three shot advantage over Patrick Reed. Jason Day produced a final round 62 to match final round, but both finished short of the number needed to win. Walker limped home in level par with seven pars and a bogey, missing the chance to win the title on the 72nd hole. The pair headed for extra holes and Reed won with a birdie at the par-five 18th to claim his fourth PGA Tour title.

The win continues the trend for Walker of performing to his best level in the early weeks of the season. The question remains, can Walker contend east of the Mississippi River? The PGA Tour hit the mainland for the first time in 2015 with the annual visit to Palm Springs for the Humana Challenge. This January it saw the 2015 debut of Phil Mickelson, the past champion finished in a tie for 24th. Bill Haas won a close contest, shooting 67 in the final round to win by one stroke from Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Sung Joon Park, Matt Kuchar and Steve Wheatcroft.

The PGA Tour season officially began with the Frys.com Open last October, but following the

Playing a 9-iron from 132 yards on the par three, the commentators remarked that the

This makes it a very real possibility that the figure of 200,000 people at a golf tournament for one day could be exceeded.

diverted to other sports around the world. The nights became longer and the weather colder, and despite the season resuming after Christmas with two tournaments in Hawaii, the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open feels like the real beginning to the PGA Tour season. 500,000 fans, an event with 80 years of history and a stellar field lead by a returning

When you talk about Tiger Woods in 1997 the first thing that usually comes to mind is The Masters and that 12 stroke victory. But the thing that comes closest to that historic vi It is one shot. A shot that was seen around the world, and a roar that was heard throughout the Valley. The incredible, unrivalled atmosphere at TPC Scottsdale was at its loudest on the 16th hole on Saturday 25 January, 1997.

200,000 is on average the crowd for an entire Major Championship week. were after the ball bounced once on the green and dived into the hole for that most rare of golfing feats, a hole in one. Woods went on to finish tied for 18th in the tournament that year, and in 1999 and 2001 he finished 5th. But the 14-time Major Champion has not returned, until now. In 14 years the Phoenix Open has grown beyond recognition. Sure the crowds were big in 1997 (424,000) but in the time Tiger has been away the weekly attendance numbers have exceeded 500,000 on 8 occasions. In 2014 the daily records for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were smashed, and the weekly record of 563,008 was set. On Saturday last year 189,722 people attended the tournament, without Tiger Woods.

His presence along with Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Jason Dufner, Matt Kuchar, Billy Horschel, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera among others, is sure to deliver one of the best weeks in the golfing calendar. It would be easy not to take this event seriously, but in truth it is one of the cornerstone events on the PGA Tour. The Phoenix Open was first played as the Arizona Open in 1932, very few people would have ever envisioned the tournament becoming as big as it is today; in 1935 after a lack of local support the tournament folded and it wasn't until 1939 and the intervention of Bob Goldwater Sr that the Phoenix Open returned.

It returned under the management and leadership of the Thunderbirds, a Phoenixbased charitable organisation, and the event went from strength to strength being played at the Phoenix Country Club and the Arizona Country Club with several iconic figures of the game claiming victory. Nelson, Hogan, Locke, Demaret, Littler, Middlecoff, Casper, Venturi, Fleck, Palmer, Nicklaus, Boros, Miller, Pate, Crenshaw, Graham, Wadkins, Peete and Sutton among others won the Phoenix Open between 1939 and 1986, making the Phoenix Open a sought after title, but it was in 1987 that this big golf tournament became a truly iconic event that the whole of the Arizona community could get behind. The move to TPC Scottsdale has made it the most attended golf tournament in the world and one of the top ten spectator events held annually anywhere in the world. The first year achieved a then record attendance of 257,000 some 70,000 more people attended the Phoenix Open in the first year at the TPC than did a year earlier in the final year at Phoenix Country Club. Attendances have since increased dramatically and in seven of the last eleven years have

topped the half a million mark for spectators over the week of the tournament, with over 100,000 people attending in a single day on 30 days over the last 22 editions of the tournament. Attendances have topped 150,000 on 8 occasions for a single day and the single day record stands at a staggering 173,210 set in the third round of the 2012 tournament. Only once in the last 10 years has an attendance on a Friday or Saturday dipped below 100,000 and that was still an attendance of over 74,000 on the Friday in 2011. Truly unbelievable numbers which bare testament to the incredible job the Thunderbirds have done since they took on the running of the Phoenix Open some 74 years ago. Over 20,000 seats are located at the par three 16th hole which is marketed as the loudest hole in golf, but it isn't all about one hole at the TPC Scottsdale, this course is truly worldclass and could easily stage a Ryder Cup if the opportunity ever came. It boasts many holes which would be brilliant for match play and has one of the finest four hole finishing stretches in all of golf, beginning at the par five 15th, followed by the

16th then the drivable par four 17th and the demanding par four 18th. This is a true stadium course, you can argue it is by far a better example of a stadium course than the original at TPC Sawgrass, it has mounding in all of the right places and the Thunderbirds have fulfilled the potential of this great event by doing everything they possibly can to attract all categories of spectator to the Phoenix Open each January.

Torrey Pines of his schedule, but this year it is his second event of the season as he begins with back-toback starts at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and Farmers Insurance Open. His unbelievable record of 7 wins and a US Open at the San Diego makes him favourite for the title no matter his form. He will be joined by 3-time winner Phil Mickelson, KJ Choi, Stewart Cink, Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Jamie Donaldson, Rickie Fowler, Padraig Harrington, Billy Horschel, Shane Lowry, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker and Jordan Spieth in yet another world-class field.

Torrey Pines Golf Course is one of the premier municipal golf facilities in the United States and has played host to the San Diego Open since 1968. The tournament was first played in 1952 and has been dominated by American golfers throughout its history.

Tom Watson and Johnny Miller have also lifted the trophy at Torrey Pines, adding their names to other major champions which include Bubba Watson, Scott Simpson, John

The only foreigners to win it have been Gary Player in 1963 and Jose Maria Olazabal in 2002 have tasted victory in the San Diego Open.

The tournament, in recent years, has been played a week or two earlier than this year, so the courses may play slightly differently being a little drier and warmer.

Arnold Palmer in 1957 and 1961, and makes the Farmers Insurance Open one of the few tournaments in the world to have been won by all three members of the Big Three.

Stadler, Bob Tway and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Any time we get Woods and Mickelson in the same field is special, but when that happens two weeks running and you add in Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth to the mix then the PGA Tour has something spectacular to start the 2015 season.

The PGA Tour moves some 430 miles up the iconic golfing venues. For the 73rd time in the last 78 years the PGA Tour visits Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-am. The event is the standard-bearer for all proam in the world of golf, but it may be time for the pro-am element to be reduced after a string of top players declined the opportunity to play. Tiger made a token appearance in 2012, with Phil Mickelson producing a dominant 4th victory. But that has been his only appearance since he won the tournament in 2000.

means he will miss the event which is headlined by Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, John Daly, Alexander Levy, Shane Lowry, Paul McGinley, Vijay Singh and Mike Weir. The most outstanding venue in the West Coast Swing has attracted the weakest field.

The final event of the 2015 West Coast Swing is the oldest, the Los Angeles Open, now known as the Northern Trust Open. It has consistently attracted the strongest field of the season prior to the Florida Swing. This year, however, the tournament is missing its star act from the last seven years. Phil Mickelson won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009, and was runner-up in 2012. As part of his new regime, he has shed several pounds, he has amended his schedule and after beginning his season at the Humana Challenge he will miss the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-am and Northern Trust Open.

For the tenth straight year Tiger Woods will returns to competition at the Honda Classic the following week. Selected field: Keegan Bradley, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, KJ Choi, Fred Couples, Victor Dubuisson, Jason Dufner, Ernie Els, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Bill Haas, Padraig Harrington, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Francesco Molinari, Geoff Ogilvy, Thorbjorn Olesen, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth, Lee Westwood, Mike Weir, YE Yang and defending champion Bubba Watson.

The LA Open has a storied history of great champions including Macdonald Smith, Jimmy Damaret, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Lloyd Mangrum, Gene Littler, Ken Venturi, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Dave Stockton, Hale Irwin, Gil Morgan, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Lanny Wadkins, Mark Calcavecchia, Lanny Watkins, Fred Couples, Tom Kite, Corey Pavin, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Mike Weir, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson. Perhaps though the most significant champion of the LA Open was a man whose endeavours to play on the PGA Tour broke down barriers. Charlie Sifford won the 1969 tournament at Riviera, it was the second of two career PGA Tour wins and the first by an AfricanAmerican in the LA Open. Sifford was the first African-American to join the PGA Tour, he did so in 1961 before the Caucasian-only clause was lifted in 1962. The clause was lifted in no small part because on the PGA Tour. Last year he received the highest honour of all from US President Barack Obama.

It is one of the most special images of all-time. The first African-American President of the United States shaking the hand of the first African-American to play on the PGA Tour. Charlie Sifford received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last November for his fight and determination to break down barriers in the face of extreme racism and discrimination. Sifford became only the third golfer, after Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, to receive the highest award a civilian can.

opposition in the midst of the Civil Rights movement, paved the way for arguably the greatest golfer of all-time to walk the fairways of the major tours in golf. Charlie Sifford changed the course of golf history. This honour from President Barack Obama, is the latest in a long list of awards bestowed on Sifford. In 2004 Gary Player gave an impassioned and articulate speech, inducting Charlie into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

His induction was the first for an AfricanAmerican to the World Golf Hall of Fame, and recognized his achievements on and off the golf course.

"Charlie Sifford is a pioneer of the Civil Rights era whose career exemplifies courage, determination and the will to succeed in the face of substantial prejudice and adversity.

"I have such admiration for this man," said Player. "I take my hat off to him...The hypocrisy that Charlie had to put up with! Yet I don't find Charlie bitter, I find him compassionate. I have a great love and empathy for Charlie. I've seen an improvement in golf's stance toward blacks, and Charlie has played a significant role in that improvement.

"He changed the landscape of sport and his story is one which should challenge and inspire us all.

"Persistence is an ingredient that is essential to success, an In 2006 it was announced by the University of St Andrews that Sifford was to receive an honorary degree. Gary Player also said, "To receive an honorary doctorate at the University of St. Andrews, one of the oldest in the world and in the town of the Home of Golf, is a very special honour an honor Charlie is most deserved of." Dr Brian Lang, Principal and Vice- Chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 2001 to 2008, said:

World Golf Hall of Fame induction, 2004

"It is absolutely fitting that this man, his unique character, his dignity and his gift to golf should be honoured by St Andrews in St

Long after Sifford broke down the barriers, the tournament which he famously won in 1969 is trying to encourage golfers from minority groups to take up the game. Each year the Northern Trust Open offers a Minority Exemption to the golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf, and who would not otherwise be eligible to compete in the Northern Trust Open. To qualify, the applicant (either professional or amateur) must have a USGA handicap of zero or better.

tournament he won is continuing the effort to make golf a game for all.

Honorary Degree, University of St Andrews, 2006

The 89th edition of the Los Angeles Open concludes on OSCARS速 Sunday, 22 February. Play usually finishes around 6pm ET, around an hour before the beginning of the annual Academy Awards show.

The biggest stars in the movie business gather in LA every February for the OSCARS速 and this year will see the 87th edition of the biggest awards show in the world take place.

With the OSCARS速 taking place it serves of a timely reminder of the many golf films, bad and good, which have been made throughout the years.

This year the stars have aligned on the PGA Tour schedule to make the Northern Trust Open, one of the oldest, continuous tournaments in American golf, take place over the same weekend.

St Andrews Golf Magazine will be giving you the chance all day on February 22 to debate and vote for the #GolfOscar for the best golf movie and best portrayal of a golfer. More details on standrewsgolfmagazine.com and Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.

Watch the Northern Trust Open on February 22

Riviera Country Club is located in Pacific Palisades, some 12 miles South West of the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The tournament has been won by and since its inception in 1926, and the golf tournament and venue matches the glitz and the glamour on show in Hollywood.

Watch the OSCARS速 on February 22

Join Matt, Les, Elizabeth and John every Tuesday at 9pm GMT 4pm ET for a look at the week in golf exclusively on Google Plus

In January

In February

The 2014-15 Race to Dubai began in December in South Africa and the 2015 calendar year started with a visit to the second oldest championship in golf.

on a little bit, took driver as much as possible, and it paid off for me.

This year, the South African Open Championship, played for the 104th time, was hosted by Ernie Els at the Glendower Golf and Country Club near the capital of South Africa, Pretoria.

weather delays, so it was nice to get back out few times

The championship began as if it had been scripted by its new ambassador, Ernie got off to a flyer with an opening round of 67 to take the early lead.

drew some sort of good lie in the rough, I got it to the front edge with a rescue and as soon as I hit the chip it checked up on the third bounce and it was tracking

On the first afternoon Englishman Andy Sullivan shot a 66 to overtake Els and tie Jbe Kruger for the lead after the first 18 holes.

On the second day Sullivan produced a front nine of 33 to move into the outright lead by 1

The former Walker Cup star pitched in for eagle at the 15th and made six birdies after a double bogey at the fifth had threatened to spoil his day. e position that I said.

m improving in the right areas.

round co-leader fell out of contention early on Friday, Kruger was six over par through 6 holes of his second round. A back nine of 37 saw him hold the mid-way lead at 8-under-par, 1 ahead of 2011 Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel.

Saturday was to be all about the South African, who surged clear of his rivals with a third round 66. In stark contrast Sullivan shot a disappointing 74 to fall 7 shots back of Schwartzel. Going into the final round Schwartzel held the lead by five strokes from former US Amateur champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who is in his rookie year on the European Tour. A final round of 73 saw the young Englishman, who won the Silver Medal at the 2013 Open, fall away. Schwartzel made a solid start to his final round, shooting a level par 36 for the front nine, and when he birdied the 12th and 13th holes it looked like he had sealed his first national Open win. Andy Sullivan played superbly during the final round, making four birdies and an eagle on his way to a 67 and was leader in the clubhouse at 11-under-par. Schwartzel still had five holes to play and even though he bogeyed the 14th it looked all but over for the chasing pack. However, a double bogey at the 16th and a bogey at the 17th saw him dramatically give

away his advantage and the pair were remarkably heading to extra holes. On the first extra hole, the par-four 18th Sullivan hit a bad pull and his ball wound up in the trees and rough on the short side of the flag. He hit a contender for shot of the year with a 9-iron to around 10 feet, he holed the putt for birdie and unbelievably he had denied Schwartzel his first South African Open title. Schwartzel and Sullivan then headed north to the Middle East and the Tenth Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. This championship was a key goal for Rory McIlroy, beginning his 2015 season in the Middle East. He has finished second on three occasions here in the past, and agonizingly he once again had to settle for the runners-up spot. It was the most dramatic Sunday in golf since

Martin Kaymer, three-time winner in Abu Dhabi, took a six-stroke lead into the final round after three near flawless rounds at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

and his start on Sunday emphasised that point, with birdies at the 1st, 2nd and 4th to open up a 10 stroke lead. What followed was simply incredible to witness. Kaymer bogeyed the 6th and closed out the front nine with a double-bogey at the 9th hole. He was still in a commanding position though. The German winner of the US Open and Players Championship in 2014 had given hope to the chasing pack, including Rory. Clearly not possessing the same calmness he had exuded from Thursday to Saturday, bush way to the left of the par-four 13th hole. A penalty drop and hack out later left him some 30 yards short of the green in 3 shots. Unbelievably he hit a horrible, heavy chip and the ball sank to the ground some ten feet ahead of him. A pitch on and two putts later and the German had given his lead away entirely, but not to the world number one.

Frenchman Gary Stal stood on the fifth tee 12 shots behind Kaymer, but a combination of number 357 saw him heading the biggest championship of his career. A superb 3-iron shot to the 16th hole set up a birdie which gave him a two stroke lead playing the 72nd. He posted -19 in the clubhouse, and only an eagle from Rory McIlroy would deny him the most unlikely of wins. After finding the greenside bunker with his second on 18, McIlroy oh so nearly holed out, but he had to settle for birdie and Stal had three major championships. The second week of the Middle East Swing saw a world-class field gather at the Doha Golf Club for the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. Branden Grace walked away with the stunning Pearl Trophy, his sixth European Tour victory and second title of the 2015 season after his win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. The South African was pushed all the way by Scotlan a putt at the 72nd hole to tie.

Grace shot a final round of 66 to edge Warren by a single stroke in a low-scoring week in the host nation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The defining and perhaps winning moment for Grace came at the magnificent short parfour 16th. He drove to five feet and holed for eagle and continued his impressive record of winning when leading into the final round. In all of his six wins he has led after 54 holes, building a reputation as a great closer of tournaments. His two wins in 2015 give him the early lead in the Race to Dubai and make him the standout candidate to be the next great South African major champion. A winner at the home of golf in the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Grace has m he will be looking to take this form into the spring as we edge closer to The Masters. He has qualified for the WGC-Cadillac Championship and may receive a late invite to The Honda Classic. The tour then moved to Dubai, which we will

European Tour returns to India with on the rise.

huge moment for the sport all over the world, but nowhere was it rejoiced more than in the

In the Cricket-crazy nation it has been difficult for any sport to get a look-in, but with added government investment, its own professional tour and the visits of the Asian Tour increasing over the last few years there can be little doubt that India is on the verge of a golfing boom. Its most recognisable professionals Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and Arjun Atwal have all achieved a modicum of success

In 2008 the European Tour held its first event on Indian soil with the EMAAR-MGF Masters at the Delhi Golf Club, before a four year

stretch with the Avantha Masters at the DLF Country Club. The 2008 Johnnie Walker Classi premier tournament is on the world stage.

The tournament has also been won by 3-time major champion Payne Stewart in 1981 and in more recent times by Mohammad Siddikur from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The Indian Open was the brainchild of 5-time Open Champion Peter Thomson. Thomson used to stop off in India whilst travelling worldwide to play and soon realised the potential for golf and that the best way to promote it would be an international tournament. It was this insight that persuaded the Indian Golf Union to establish the Indian Open. It was first played in 1964. Thompson continued to play in the event and won again in 1966 and 1976 a record.

The list of early commitments to play in the tournament includes Miguel Angel Jimenez, Peter Hanson, James Morrison, Edoardo Molinari, Richie Ramsay, Paul McGinley and Daniel Chopra. Past winner Rikard Karlberg is also in the field If China, a country whose golfing history pretty much began in 1995, can host a WGC, then surely India, with golfing roots as far back as 1829 with the formation of the Royal

Calcutta Golf Club can in time be afforded the same privilege.

just the beginning.

The 2015 LPGA season launched last month with the new Coates Championship in Florida, it was the start to a season which has much to live up to following arguably the greatest ever LPGA year.

In June a new major, continuing the heritage of the LPGA Championship will be played at Westchester Country Club near New York City.

Mike Whan and his team have done an extraordinary job in revitalizing the LPGA and it can be argued strongly that it is now the premier tour in world golf. In 2009 the schedule had dwindled to 28 events, in 2015 there will be 33 tournaments, plus the Solheim Cup. There is a new title sponsor and name for the former Kraft Nabisco Championship, the ANA Inspiration will be played at Mission Hills once again as the first major of the golfing year.

The KPMG Women s PGA Championship is a partnership between the PGA of America and LPGA, with KPMG becoming title sponsor and host to a major conference for women in leadership roles. The championship will continue to recognise past winners of the LPGA Championship and will rotate on major courses of the major markets across the United States.

The US Women s Open will be played at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, following a hugely successful debut at Pinehurst the week following the men s championship last June.

The year s final major comes in France with the third playing of the Evian Championship, Kim Hyo-Joo will defend her title in September.

St Leon-Rot is one of Germany s greatest courses, and the venue, near Heidelberg, played host to the Deutsche Bank SAP Open TPC of Europe in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

One week later comes the highlight of the golfing year the Solheim Cup.

Tiger Woods was a winner in each of the first three years the tournament was staged there. Trevor Immelman won in 2004. So the course is a favourite of golfing greats, and should be the perfect stage for a fantastic 14th edition of the Solheim Cup.

Michelle Wie was victorious and the championship was one of the highlights of the season in 2014. The Ricoh Women s British Open will be the first major event staged at the newly renovated Turnberry Ailsa Course, two weeks after The Open in St Andrews.

Germany, a nation bidding to stage the 2022 Ryder Cup, hosts the biggest team event in women s golf. The United States will be eager to reclaim the trophy they lost spectacularly in Colorado in 2013.

Mo Martin will defend the title she won so dramatically at Royal Birkdale last summer.

The first season of the Race to the CME Globe was hugely successful. With a simple points system and the best players in the world playing most weeks, the season came to an exciting crescendo in Florida last November. Lydia Ko will have her work cut out to defend the title, with the likes of Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie gunning for the season-long title.

Welcome to 2015! Just checking in from the states and sending an update about my off season and plans for the New Year. Growing up in South Florida I was a person who never took a break from golf. I played year-round and did not understand what people did in the time when snow covered the ground and they couldn't play. What I didn't realize until going through my third season on tour was that after a while your body (and your mind) needs a break! Traveling week after week and living out of a suitcase can take its toll on everyone, no matter how much you love your job! So, I decided this year to step away from the game for a while and put the clubs away. Prior to this year the longest break I had ever taken was about a week. I was able to give my clubs a six week rest! At times it was difficult as I am used to filling several hours every day with some sort of golf activity, whether it is time in the gym or on the range, or just going out to play. However, I did enjoy getting to spend some quality time with my family and friends, as well as doing some planning for my upcoming wedding! (Yes, 2015 is going to be an exciting year both on and off the course!)

My fiancĂŠ and I started playing a little tennis and spent some time at the beach. It really was a very nice break.

about the direction my game is going and how far it has come lately. I have never been so excited to begin a season as I am about 2015.

During this time I was able to take a step back and reflect on several things. It is always important to look back and see what lessons you can take away from the past year, and often the failures bring about more lessons than the successes. I had a tough year in 2014, but I learned so much.

This week, I spent a few days this week working with some sponsors at the PGA show in Orlando, Florida preparing for the year. I had a chance to catch up with friends and fellow Big Breakers as we signed calendars and hats at the Pukka booth, did a few interviews and saw all the latest innovations in the golf industry.

I learned that expectations are often set too high and only lead to disappointment and added pressure on yourself. I also learned that sometimes you have to learn to say no and do what's best for yourself and your game instead of letting people pull you in several different directions.

If you ar chance to check out the PGA show I would encourage you to go. Two million square feet of every golf product you could imagine is quite the sight, and there is a reason many people call it Disneyland for golfers!

That was a struggle for me as I am inherently a person who wants to please everyone, especially sponsors who have invested in me. Although these lessons were tough to learn the hard way, I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

After the PGA show I headed up to Ocala, Florida for my first tournament. The LPGA will begin the 2015 season here this week and I am preparing to qualify today!

So, that brings me to today. After my short hiatus I worked extremely hard on my game. I have fallen back in love with the game of golf and regained my confidence. I am thrilled

my journeys all over the world!

I am confident that this will be an incredible

By Stefanie Kenoyer, 28/01/2015

Welcome This month we debut our Travel supplement and we take you to South Carolina and New Zealand. Completely opposite ends of the world, but both have a rich golfing heritage and offer spectacular vacations for the discerning golfer. Dominic Sainsbury will be your guide to Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club and Elizabeth Bethel will take you on a tour of South Carolina s Up Country. St Andrews Golf Magazine is looking for a dedicated Travel writer and if you are interested then don t hesitate to contact us at info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com

New Zealand

South Carolina

New Zealand Words Matt Hooper, Dominic Sainsbury Photography Miles Holden, Fraser Clements, Chris McLennan

When it comes to golf in the South Pacific most of us think only about Australia, and that famous Melbourne Sand belt. But go a little further and you will find a golfing destination unlike almost any other on the planet. Golf in New Zealand is a major participation sport; in fact it is the biggest. Brought to the country by the Scots in the early part of the 20th century, there are 405 golf courses across the North and South Island serving 428,000 golfers including 128,000 affiliated to golf clubs. That means that over 10% of Kiwi s play golf, an incredible participation rate which if replicated across the world would increase the global participation in golf from 60 million to 600 million. The New Zealand Open is one of the world s ten oldest national championships, and the New Zealand PGA Championship is the fifth oldest continuous PGA Championship in world golf. Michael Campbell and Bob Charles are the nation s only male major champions, with Lydia Ko set to win many on the women s tour.

More and more companies are offering New Zealand as a golfing holiday and you can see why. World Class golf Kauri Cliffs, Cape Kidnappers, Clearwater, Paraparaumu Beach, Jack s Point, The Hills and Gulf Harbour are just a few of the incredible courses available to play across New Zealand. World Class cuisine - New Zealand cuisine is largely driven by local ingredients and seasonal variations. Occupying an island nation with a primarily agricultural economy, New Zealand yields produce from land and sea. Similar to the cuisine of Australia, the cuisine of New Zealand is a diverse Britishbased cuisine, with Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences as the country becomes more cosmopolitan. Historical influences came Southeast Asian, East Asian, and South Asian culinary traditions have become popular since the 1970s. Spectacular scenery and places to visit 3 World Heritage Sites, the Remarkables, Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington; New Zealand is a tourism capital.

Cricket New Zealand has some of the world s most beautiful Cricket grounds, and whilst in the country you can catch a Ford Trophy match or even combine a golfing holiday with an England Cricket Tour or the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Rugby Both codes are immensely popular in the home of the current Rugby World Champions (Union). The country hosted the most recent World Cup and will do so again in the future.

On the Kapiti Coast 45 minutes from the capital city of New Zealand Wellington is my spiritual home of golf the Paraparaumu Beach golf club, host to 12 New Zealand Open Champion links golf courses (ranked as high as 60th best course in the world). The Kapiti coast is a beautiful laidback coastal town with wholesome values and a famous island just a few kilometres off the coast, amazing beaches and a mountain range just behind the course. They say God used New Zealand as his template for when he created the world and this place is close to having it all. The course (as all true links courses should) changes with the seasons and from day to day depen not a long course by modern standards but is a true test of all areas of your game and is one of the most fun courses I have ever played. Paraparaumu Beach demands all the shots you have as well as an imagination and rewards the thinking golfer. There are many greens with run offs that you can play any club from a lob wedge to a 3

wood to get the ball close to the pin, off the tee you often play down sand dune protected fairways with fescue grass that dances in the wind. For me the two holes that really stand out are the par four 17th at 440 yards with two fairway options and a green will leave a lasting memory with you forever, especially if you miss it to the left or long. This is my favourite hole in the world of golf.

The Paraparaumu Beach golf course has a great mix of testing long par four and risk and reward shor three over again that reward a great shot and par five longer hitter (in a favourable wind). If there is a golf course in heaven it would look like the PBGC, a real pleasure to play, it has instilled a lifelong passion for the game in me.

The par three 5th is only 165 yards and bunkers, but has a green that if your ball comes to rest on will always put a smile on your face. The green has a false front and 12 foot drop offs to the front, back, left and right this proves that a hole does not need to be long to be great.

There are some delightful discoveries in store for visitors who come to New Zealand on a golf holiday-world-ranked, quality golf courses that offer a golf holiday experience rich in variety and stunning landscapes, no matter which region of New Zealand you're visiting. New Zealand is well serviced by golf holiday tour operators who will take the hassle out of organising tee times, finding nearby accommodation and packaging in sightseeting adventures. Many offer self-drive packages, which are great and allow you to travel at your own pace, perhaps even discover a few more hidden gems in New Zealand golf.

GOLFERS DREAM

August 2000, is owned and operated by New Zealand PGA Professional Ray Houghton and his wife Diane. Golfers Dream specialize in planning and arranging New Zealand selfdrive and escorted personalized golf tour packages for individuals, couples and groups.

GREENFERNZ With New Zealand fast developing a reputation for being one of the greatest golf destinations in the world, Greenfernz has embarked on making significant investments into golf tourism during the past five years.

THE NEW ZEALAND GOLF EXPERIENCE Golfing the New Zealand Experience specialise in heli-golf adventures- New Zealand's premier golf courses and New Zealand's stunning landscapes all in one. With resort accommodation, even non-golfer's will love the 5 star dining and inspiring views.

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND GOLF ANZ Golf design and operate customized golf vacations to New Zealand and Australia, offering luxury golf packages in Australasia since 1983. With Australia New Zealand Golf you visit the best courses, enjoy luxury accommodations, sample the finest restaurants, and experience New Zealand and Australian scenic wonders.

South Carolina Words ÂŠ Elizabeth Bethel

Golf and South Carolina are well-suited to each other -- rarely too hot or too cold for a determined golfer and for nine months of the year a climate that's close to idyllic for the Game. Although for those not familiar with the state golf is typically linked to the Myrtle BeachGrand Strand area -- which boasts some 100 courses at which 4.2 million rounds of recreational golf are played annually -- and the Sea Islands between Charleston and Savannah -- the RBC Heritage is played at the Harbor Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island -there's some terrific golf to be played beyond these better-known golf tourism magnets, much more accessible for fans who will be drawn to Augusta National Golf Club for the 2015 Masters Tournament. Early Spring is the perfect time to play some golf in the South Carolina Up-Country, an easy 50 mile drive from Augusta. The azaleas are in full bloom, as are the redbud and dogwood trees. In fact, the entire countryside more or less resembles the iconic Augusta National grounds. Golf, as well as food and lodging opportunities, abound. These are three of my favorite courses in the area and some suggestions as well for sampling

Southern culinary delights and off the beaten track lodging.

Hickory Knob State Park

Hickory Knob State Park, just west of McCormick, South Carolina, is a closely guarded local secret. It's an uncut diamond as a golf destination. The par-72, 18-hole golf course is carved through a pine forest and winds along the rugged terrain that lines the shores of Strom Thurmond Lake; and with a lodge, cabins, and camping facilities as well as a full-service restaurant, swimming, skeet shooting, and archery, Hickory Knob is an ideal destination for golfers with families in tow.

This is a course that will challenge the best golfers and still provide opportunities for higher handicappers to pick up a few pars. With un-groomed woods on one side and water on the other (the course is marked by the red line on the adjacent map), keeping the ball in the short grass is essential at Hickory Knob, and even that is no guarantee that the water won't come into play. Several overwater tee shots and layups to the green ensure that even down-the-middle golfers won't escape the water hazards. I keep an old, scared and battered 3-hybrid in my bag for courses like Hickory Knob. It's a faithful club, a dependable straight-shooter, and it doesn't wince or whine when I ask it to help me navigate off rocky scrum. I like to play Hickory Knob for two reasons. First, I imagine that the course is far closer to conditions in the Scottish Highlands than carefully groomed and manicured resort courses; and second, even during Masters Week, the rates are very easy on the wallet. Although golf, food and lodging are relatively inexpensive, reservations are a must at Hickory Knob, and can be arranged either by telephone or on-line.

Hunter's Creek Golf and Country Club

Hunter's Creek has a predictably well-stocked pro shop and a pleasant restaurant. In warm weather, a light al fresco lunch on the patio is a treat. Tee times can be booked on-line and there are early bird and twilight discounts.

The Links at Stoney Point

bunkers that tend to surprise me even though I know where they are, and there is sufficient variation in terrain to challenge my course management skills. Two of the features I most appreciate about Stoney Point are the free drops from the azalea beds and the strict adherence to pace of play. Fivesomes are not allowed and rangers prowl the course, keeping everyone moving along as a good pace. Whether it's a hot dog and a drink at the turn house, an elegant Sunday brunch, or good steak dinner, Stoney Point's food services always meet my gastronomical desires.

With 27 holes winding through a residential development in Greenwood, South Carolina, Hunter's Creek Golf and Country Club offers a less rugged golf experience than Hickory Knob. Here the fairways are manicured, the rough is groomed, and there are fewer water hazards to negotiate. The challenges come in managing some dramatically sloping fairways and relatively hilly terrain, typical to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The azaleas and the dogwoods will be as lovely at Stoney Point as they are at Augusta National during Masters Week and the 18hole track, which annually hosts a Symetra Tour event, is quickly gaining a reputation as the premier golf destination in the South Carolina Up-Country.

I tend to use every club in my bag when I play Hunter's Creek, and I turn often to my trusty flop shot to get my ball up onto the greens, many of which are elevated and all of which are deceptively undulating.

Like Hunter's Creek, the Stoney Point track winds through a residential development and like Hickory Knob, the course is built around the shore of a lake. There are enough water hazards to keep me alert, there are some

Area Lodging & Food Secrets The Belmont Inn, Abbeville, SC Even the most fanatic of golfers still need to eat and sleep and looking beyond conventional motel chains for lodging can be risky, but also very rewarding. The City of Abbeville, South Carolina, which is central to

all three golf courses and a offers a refreshing alternative to standardized franchises, The Belmont Inn. A product of Henry Grady's New South expansionism, the Belmont is a 25-room inn on the town square, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a perfectly charming place to stay. From the Belmont, a stroll across the square and then a block down Trinity Street will take a hungry golfer to the Village Grillwith its constantly changing menu of fresh, locally grown meats and produce.

Grits & Groceries Restaurant A bit further down the road but certainly well worth the drive, Grits and Groceries delivers Southern food with a uniquely creole flair. Don't be dissuaded by the exterior or the huge concrete chicken in the swept yard and save room for desert. It's always something special. Joe Trull will accept a personal check

but there is no card swiping at Grits and Groceries. The South Carolina Up-Country is world apart from the sumptuous plantations, regal egrets and deceptively lazy alligators of the Carolina coastal region. Golf has a different flavor, less formal, more relaxed. The golf course fauna range from grazing deer strolling across the fairways to red-tailed hawks circling overhead and most golfers extend that deeply ingrained Southern hospitality to the ground in front and behind them as well as to their playing partners.