2001 Autumn Beyond the Fairways by Drummond Golf

interviews

Sergio Garcia | Matt Griffin | Stacey Keating

autumn 2011 | Drum m o nd C l ub M e m be r M a g a z i n e | $ 4 . 9 5

Thailand

Kingdom of Golf

US Masters A Major Favourite

Hyatt Regency Coolum Swing. Relax. Unwind.

Nicklaus’s '86 Masters Victory 25 Years On... – A Lasting Memory – Major Shots, Blunders and Iconic Holes

WHAT'S NEW

TaylorMade Cleveland PowerBilt

experienceTroon Golf Experience the Troon Golf difference: pure putting greens year round, tournament ready course conditioning, beautiful playing surrounds and a variety of course styles, designers and layouts. Incomparable experiences everywhere. Troon Golf represents the best the game has to offer from course conditioning to clubhouse amenities to five star service at premium destinations around the world. Troon Golf has earnt respect as the worldwide leader in golf course management. We invite you to experience Troon Golf for yourself at one or more of Australia’s top ranked courses.

Please visit troongolf.com.au for further information.

Conditions You must be a current Drummond Club member to collect the booklet and remit the punch AUSTRALIA • BAHAMAS • CHINA • COSTA RICA • DOMINICAN REPUBLIC out booklet voucher in this issue. Only one copy per member. *Please contact us if a store is not convenient to your residence and•prefer us to mail you RICO KOREA • MALAYSIA • MEXICO • MOROCCO PORTUGAL • PUERTO your copy- 03 9565 1410. ST. CROIX ST. LUCIA TURKEY • TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS **All Drummond Club partner offers can also be• viewed on•our website drummondgolf.com www.drummondgolf.com

Autumn Special at Six of the Best! PACIFIC DUNES GOLF CLUB – New South Wales Autumn Monday to Friday Special – 4 play, 2 pay including shared cart. ONLY $175 for 4 players. For bookings please call Golf Shop (02) 4916 0500 SETTLERS RUN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – Victoria Autumn Special – 30 Day Trial Membership. ONLY $149.95* including a dozen balls. For bookings please call Golf Shop (03) 9785 6072 *Terms & conditions apply - unlimited golf subject to tee time availability.

RIVERSIDE OAKS GOLF RESORT – New South Wales Autumn Midweek Special – Includes 18 holes, 3 x Logo Balls, a Drink Voucher & Range Balls. ONLY $69 For bookings please call Golf Shop (02) 4560 3220 BROOKWATER GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – Queensland Autumn Special – $75 per player including shared electric cart. For bookings please call Golf Shop (07) 3814 5500 PACIFIC HARBOUR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB – Queensland Autumn Special – 18 holes golf with cart including range balls. ONLY $65. Play in the months of April, May & June & go in the draw to win a 3 month membership at Pacific Harbour. For bookings please call Golf Shop (07) 3410 4011 KOOINDAH WATERS GOLF CLUB – New South Wales Autumn Monday to Thursday Special – 4 play, 2 pay including shared cart. ONLY $148 for 4 players. For bookings please call Golf Shop (02) 4351 0700

* Terms and conditions: Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer valid on presentation of advert. Tee times subject to availability and may exclude public holidays.

• EGYPT • ENGLAND • GREECE • ITALY • RUSSIA • SCOTLAND • SOUTH AFRICA • SPAIN • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA www.drummondgolf.com

www.troongolf.com.au 3

www.drummondgolf.com

CONTENTS INTERVIE

| Drumm ond AUTUM N 2011

ing | Stace y Keat | Matt Griff in Sergi o Garc ia

Magazin e Club Member

| $4.95

Thailand

Kingdom of Golf

US Masters

ite A Major Favour

Hyatt Regency Coolum

Swing. Relax. Unwind.

WHAT'S NEW

TaylorMade Cleveland PowerBilt

Nicklaus’s '86 Masters Victory .. 25 Years On.ory

Co v e r Story

US MASTERS A Major Favourite

– A Lasting Mem ders Blun – Major Shots, s and Iconic Hole

p.30

Cover PIC: harry how; augusta National / getty images

Sergio Garcia Football, Family and the Future

p.16

Views 8 Editorial First Love 10 From The Top Welcome 11

Ask Terry

Ravi’s Rant A Great Opportunity

My Club Stacey Keating Ready for the Pros

Golf Days

Club Partners

p.20

Tour 16

Sergio Garcia Interview

Player Profile Stacey Keating

24 Bogle’s Report Race to the Top

p.26 Matt Griffin ‘Mr Consistency’

Matt Griffin Mr Consistency

30 US Masters A Major Favourite My Store

Drummond Golf proudly supports

Clubfit

Tech Talk Pebbles to Satellite

Rangefinders & GPS

TaylorMade, Cleveland & PowerBilt

Gadgets & Toys

Special Offers

www.drummondgolf.com

WIN My Game 53

Mental Byrd Soars in Hawaii

Tips From The Tour–Ballstriking Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Tips From The Tour–Bunkers Not So Hazardous After All

Tips From The Tour–Putting Target Your Putts

Physical Your 10-Year Plan to Play on Tour

a Dozen Wines!

Product reviews and what’s new instore

p.80

p.44

Special Promotions 58

Nadene Gole Golf Schools

Pro Golf IQ

Gourmet Golf Tours The Long Bunker Shot

Places

p.55

62 Thailand Kingdom of Golf 68

Hyatt Regency Coolum Swing. Relax. Unwind.

72 Riverside Oaks 74 Settlers Run 76

Partner Directory

Competition

Thailand boasts 260 golf courses

p.62

Lifestyle 81 Imported Wines A Point of Difference

www.drummondgolf.com

VIEWS

Editorial

EDITOR & PRODUCTION MANAGER Sam Gole

FIRST

LOVE

t seems strange to me now that it was my dad who introduced me to my first love. A pre-teen at the time, I was certainly interested although not yet smitten. In the ensuing years we flirted in the term and summer holidays, which brought us closer together. But the bond still didn’t (perhaps couldn’t) develop due to the long periods of distance in between rendezvous. It didn’t help that mates, who also shared an interest, were always close by. Some one-on-one time would have been good—even at that age. Then it happened. Bang. Love. It was a cool autumn Monday morning and I was 16. I rose early with great anticipation. Outside the heavy foggy atmosphere and peacefully calm setting suggested something was in the air. It was an eerie presence. I flicked on the TV and with baited breath awaited the commentators’ first words from the US Masters telecast. It was the final round of the1986 tournament and that morning, courtesy of Jack Nicklaus’s classic performance and the graceful Augusta National layout, I fell head-over-heels in love with the game of golf (sorry honey, you were next). It was all so fascinating and appealing. I was taken. It was also my final year of school, but there was no way I wasn’t going that day. No sir. Apparently there was a hush of silence at roll call that day when ‘Gole’ was read out. Later, my scoundrel mates would admit they had piped up to inform the teacher; “It’s Masters Monday, you won’t see him today. He’ll be playing golf.” It was worth the detention. Now was time to go solo with my newfound love. I managed to miss my school bus and headed off to the local public golf course. As I arrived the fog cleared, the sun shone, and bright blue skies were a fitting greeting on a day I played hole after hole after hole. I don’t recall how many I played, but I do remember I only stopped when I couldn’t see the ball any longer. In the 25 years since this fateful day the relationship has encountered dark days as well. There were times when I wondered

DESIGN Suzie Herrington

SAM GOLE, EDITOR

if it was more like fatal attraction than endless love. But I am extremely grateful to have found golf. The game has played—and continues to play—an instrumental role in my life. I met my wife (let’s call her my true love) through golf and I am blessed to work and play daily in some capacity within the golf industry. In a recent member poll you told us the US Masters was your favourite golf major. In recognition of this we have prepared a nine-page US Masters special. Featuring Jack’s inspirational feat in 1986; major Masters shots (and blunders); and some key holes to watch out for (p30). Of course the love of golf is not exclusive to one. In this issue we interview Spanish star Sergio Garcia (p16), Drummond Golf sponsored professional Matt Griffin (p26) and women’s tour newcomer Stacey Keating (p20). Their love for the game has taken them to great heights. See what they have in store for 2011. And what about your passion to play? Feel like trying out a new course or two? Look no further than Thailand. Mark Penfold and Thailand Golf Tours will host a golf experience fit for a king (p62). Or for those wanting to stay closer to home, try out the wonderful Hyatt Regency Coolum. It is sunshine, surf beaches and a great all-round family escape (p68). Plus we have extra tips, the Bogle report, new products and special offers included in this issue. There is plenty to keep you informed. Time now to re-acquaint myself with my first love and I’ll leave you to do the same. Good reading and happy golfing.

CONTRIBUTORS Mark Abeyaratne Ravi Abeyaratne Simon Calabria Jamie Cooke Nadene Gole Matthew Griffin Dr Mike Martin Bill McTigue Jarrod Moseley Brett Ogle Terry Price OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Anthony Murphy Kean Chai Wilson Everard Advertising ADVERTISING Sam Gole PRINTED BY Graphic Impressions DRUMMOND CLUB Unit A7, Hallmarc Business Park 2A Westall Rd, Clayton, VIC 3168 Tel: (03) 9565 1400 Fax: (03) 9543 5483 Email: info@drummondclub.com www.drummondclub.com Circulation 40,000 copies No part of this magazine may be reproduced, transmitted or otherwise copied without written permission from Drummond Club. All advertising & editorial correspondence should be directed to Drummond Club Management. Contact Sam Gole - 0412 230 769 or sam.gole@drummondclub.com

Sam Gole Editor & Production Manager

www.drummondgolf.com

3” 4 COLOR

60.40.40.100

Mutiny loves company. Golf / James Nitties in Flak Jacket™ XLJ

www.drummondgolf.com

VIEWS

From the Top

WELCOME

FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR

elcome to the autumn edition of Beyond the Fairways. It is promising to be a significant year for junior golf throughout Australia in 2011 as Golf Australia launches ‘My Golf’ to around four hundred primary schools. Drummond Golf and our major suppliers are proud to be involved in this program which hopes to introduce golf to over 40,000 children aged eight to 12. In addition to donating products to the schools our franchisees will have a trained community coach at every store to assist local primary schools involved

in the program. When a school does not have a community coach within the school structure or does not have access to one through their respective state body, our franchisees will provide this service at no charge as a community service. We hope that every golf club in Australia gets behind this initiative and adopts several primary schools in their local area and embrace the ‘My Golf’ program. For too long we have relied on the existing golf community to introduce golf to their children and grandchildren. This program will hopefully introduce our wonderful sport to an entire new generation. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see club memberships at capacity and the average age of membership drop as a result of growing numbers of junior members? I was fortunate that I joined a golf club as a junior thanks to the encouragement of my father, Hilary, a single figure golfer back in his playing days. Come to think

of it, I don’t think I ever thanked him for introducing me to the game. Thanks Dad, not just for introducing me to the game, but for teaching me to play. Initially, golf was a companion sport to cricket, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and the numerous other sports I played. Eventually it took over and today in my 50s it is the only competitive sport I play on a regular basis. I hope to keep playing well into my retirement and be playing in my 80s as are several golfers at my club. Bring on the kids–they are our future. Wishing you all great golfing this autumn.

Mark Abeyaratne, Drummond Golf Managing Director

AfTER 25,000 shoTs IT hIT us. Why shoRT youRsElf WITh A cIRculAR sWEET spoT? our engineers looked at over 25,000 shots from everyday golfers and learned something simple yet revolutionary. A vast majority of shots fall within an elliptical pattern across the clubface. The result, the new cobra s3® Driver with E9 face Technology.™ It features a canted elliptical face design for a 30% larger sweet Zone,® giving you more distance on more of your shots. And with the addition of Adjustable flight Technology,™ you can optimize your trajectory to generate even more distance. Discover the power of real technology at cobragolf.com. TyPiCAL FACe desiGn

COBRA s3 FACe desiGn The New

D R I V E R

www.drummondgolf.com

Ask Terry

ASK TERRY

Touring Golf Professional Terry Price answers your questions on the game of golf. Q. I am a 49-year-old right-hander who has just started to play golf. I’ve picked up an injury just above my left ankle that I’ve put down to the twist in my follow through. Is this a common golf injury and what can I do to prevent it? – Nigel, via email

First, with any injury or ailment ensure you seek the proper medical attention. I’m not aware whether this is a common golf-related injury and without seeing your golf swing it would be irresponsible for me to comment on whether your action might be contributing to your injury. The best advice I can offer is to seek a PGA professional proficient in the understanding of human movement, or a physiotherapist with expertise as a golf bio-mechanist to access your golf swing. Q. This year I have set a goal to win the Club Championship (in a few months time). What can I do to give myself the best chance to achieve this? – Chris, via email You have done the right thing by addressing this well in advance of the situation. Similar to sitting for an exam, preparation is the key. You don’t wont to leave yourself trying to cram in the practice just as the event starts. Therefore, put a schedule together. Address any

VIEWS

swing technique issues at the start of the campaign and ensure you devote enough practice time to encompass any changes. Within a few weeks of the event, taper off your practice time on the range with your long game, and get on the course to sure-up your course management strategies. At this point incorporate ‘feel’ into your game by playing numerous short game shots. And it becomes all about putting in the final days of the lead up. The greens will be the closest to the speed they will be in the competition. Going into the event with a healthy and relaxed mindset will come from knowing you have put the work in. Good luck and remember to enjoy the experience. Q. I find that when I practise on the range, I hit the ball great. But when I go on the golf course it all goes wrong. How can I take my range form with me to the course? – Keith, via email Well, you aren’t alone here. By hitting ball after ball on the range it is easy to fall into a comfortable groove with your swing and therefore enjoy a period of good ballstriking. On the course you do not have the same luxury of reloading a shot every 10 seconds. I would encourage you to try altering your practice routine to include the following: For every practice shot, take the time to impart your pre-shot routine (including visualisation of the shot) and then an evaluation of the shot after the strike—just as you would do on the course. Also change your clubs on a regular basis. Once you are properly warmed up, hit a few drivers, then switch to a iron and then a wedge. Mix it up. You may hit less balls in your practice time but it will be more realistic to how you play, prepare, and think on the course, and therefore more productive.

Want to ask Terry a question? Email info@drummondclub.com and selected questions will be addressed by Terry in our next issue.

As comfortable as a

www.niblick.com.au

www.drummondgolf.com

With over 100 years perfecting its COMFORT FIT TECHNOLOGY, Niblick is the preferred golf shoe for fit, stability and weather protection. The proof is in putting them on your feet. Try on a pair of Niblick’s today – recommended retail price from only $69.95.

MY CLUB

Golf Days

GOLF DAYS

2011 Drummond Golf National Event Series

After another successful 2010 National Event Series, Drummond Golf will again host eight major state finals. The format will be the same as 2010 with all individual stableford winners of each state final invited to represent their state at our 2011 National Final held at Victoria Golf Club on Friday 4th November. The golf days are open to men and women of all playing abilities. Drummond Club members can enter the National Event Series as part of a group or as an individual. There are great prizes on offer for all events and you can also meet an Australian golf legend – Brett Ogle – who as Drummond Golf Ambassador attends all the events (with the exception of NT). For information on forthcoming events, please visit our website www.drummondgolf.com – or contact Anthony Murphy on (03) 9565 1411.

2011 DRUMMOND CLUB GOLF DAYS • SA: Kooyonga Golf Club – Friday 25th March – 8.30 Multi-Tee Start – Cost $125 Members and $140 Guests includes tea, coffee, carrot cake, muffins on arrival, green fee, comp entry, BBQ lunch • ACT: Royal Canberra Golf Club – Thursday 31st March – 12pm 9-hole Shotgun Start – Cost $140 Members and $155 Guests includes, green fee, comp entry, BBQ lunch • NSW: The Lakes Golf Club – Thursday 12th May – 9am shotgun start – Cost $205 Members and $220 Guests includes green fee, comp entry, BBQ lunch • NT: Darwin Golf Club – Saturday 30th July – 12.30pm Shotgun Start – Cost $15 Darwin Members, $20 Drummond Club Members and $30 Guests includes green fee, comp entry, light lunch • QLD: Indooroopilly Golf Club – Friday 5th August – 8am Shotgun Start on Social Course – Cost $140 Members and $155 Guests includes, green fee, shared cart, comp entry, BBQ lunch • TAS: Barnbougle Golf Club – Sunday 21st August – Rolling start from 9am – Cost TBC • VIC: Spring Valley Golf Club – Friday 9th September – 9am shotgun start – Cost $90 Members and $105 Guests includes, green fee, comp entry BBQ lunch • WA: Lake Karrinyup Country Club – Friday 23rd September – 7.30am shotgun start – Cost $125 Members and $140 Guests includes green fee, comp entry, BBQ lunch • VIC: National Final Victoria Golf Club – Friday 4th November – 8.30am shotgun start – Cost $210 Members and $225 Guests includes green fee, comp entry, Gourmet BBQ lunch

Tee and Tiaras Charity Golf Event

Slazenger Golf Apparel available exclusively at:

On Wednesday 1st December 2010, 132 ladies from all over Brisbane assembled at Brookwater Golf and Country Club for the inaugural Tees and Tiaras Ladies Golf day. The day was organised by Naomi McIntosh from Drummond Golf Underwood to raise awareness and funds for the Neurofibromatosis Association. Through the generosity of sponsors and participants, the day raised $5500. This event will be held biannually per year at Brookwater Golf and Country Club on the first Wednesday in June and December.

www.drummondgolf.com

2011 Golf Tours - China - Escorted by Sheri Yu Every year we select the best season to organise escorted golf tours from Australia to China. Our golf tours operate in small groups offering 5 star hotels, top golf courses, delicious meals, sightseeing, quality service and excellent value for money. You will be taken care by our expert tour guide from Australia for the whole trip.

Just pack your bag and we will do the rest

Tour A- Mission Hills and Shenzhen 09-17 October 2011 Tour Inclusions:  5 nights at Mission Hills Golf Resort*  2 nights at Forum Hotel Shenzhen*  5 rounds golf at Mission Hills Golf Club  Green Fees, Cart fees (Twin share), caddy fees (single use)  Daily buffet breakfast  Welcome and farewell dinners  Shopping at Luou Plaza  Day tour to China Folk Culture Village  All Transfers (condition apply)

8 dAyS

Drummond club member special Save $200 per couple TOUR COST :

A$2980 per person twin share (golfer) A$2480 per person (non golfer) A$120 per night (single room supplement)

Mission Hills, Beijing, Xian and Shanghai 09 – 25 October 2011 Tour Inclusions:  6 nights at Mission Hills Golf Resorts*  4 nights in Beijing*  2 nights in Xian*  3 nights in Shanghai*  5 rounds golf at Mission Hills top golf courses  Green Fees, Cart Fees and Caddy fees  Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Tian An Men Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace in Beijing  Terra Cotta Warriors and City Wall in Xian  The Bund, Yu Yuan Garden and The World Financial Center in Shanghai  All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners  Escorted tour to Mission Hills by Sheri Yu  English speaking local tour guide for Beijing, Xian and Shanghai  All Transfers (condition apply)

TRAVEL COMPENSATION FUND PARTICIPANT

www.tcf.org.au

Licensed Travel Agent

Lic. 2TA5840

www.aymgolf.com

www.drummondgolf.com

Drummond club member special Save $200 per couple

16 dAyS

TOUR COST :

A$5680 per person twin share (golfer) A$5180 per person (non golfer) A$120 per night (single room supplement)

* All 5 star accommodation

** International and China internal airfare are not included in the price, but can be arranged from any major city of departure.

We can arrange tailor-made tours anywhere in China For individual or group bookings contact Sheri YU P: 0438 866 850 or 02 9484 8604 E: sheriyu@aymgolf.com

MY CLUB

Club News

CLUB PARTNERS With more than 1000 deals Australia-wide—including 100-plus golf courses—Drummond Club members enjoy one of the best golf partner programs available. We’re proud to introduce our newest club partners. And don’t forget, if you have a business you’d like exposed to more than 35,000 people, you too can be rewarded by joining this program.

Accommodation

Amendment

Name: Tel: Location: Offer:

TAS

116 Westwood 03 63961140 116 Westwood St, Bridport Self-contained accommodation for up to 8 people. For 4 - 8 people 1 person stays FREE

Motor Vehicle NSW

Name: Tel: Location: Offer:

Personal Fleet 1300 770 682 1-1 Avon Rd, North Ryde $165 fee waived for using our service

Health & Well Being NSW

Name:

Organic Fitness with Greg Gleeson Tel: 0412 383 136 Location: 6/31 Hibbard Drive, Port Macquarie Offer: First Consultation FREE Holistic Lifestyle Coaching or Fitness, Rehabilitation or Exercise Program

Other NSW

Name: Tel: Location: Offer:

Abode Handyman Service 02 6582 1589 Port Macquarie Area 10% off quoted price for work if you mention this ad. Free quotes for all work anytime.

VIC

Benefits Membership ner Guide and Club Part

Interested in joining the program?

2011

Volume 4 RRP

Ask for a Partner prosposal— there’s no cost to get involved. Contact Anthony Murphy on (03) 9565 1411 or email

$3.50

anthony.murphy@drummondclub.com

SPECI AL OVER 1,000 S & MEMB ER OFFER SAVIN GS INSIDE

dc drummond club

For a full listing of partner offers please visit our website: drummondclub.com

Sanctuary Lakes 03 9394 9444 Greg Norman Drive, Sanctuary Lakes Green Fee Rate: $55

Partner Spotlight

Personal Fleet was created by company director Anton Swampillai to help the many thousands of people who purchase new motor vehicles each year by offering them the same level of benefits, discounts and service the large corporations receive when buying vehicles in bulk for their fleets. Anton’s opinion being: “Why shouldn’t everyday people in normal jobs get the same benefits, as those large corporate when purchasing a new vehicle?” Personal Fleet is unique in that it collaborates with manufacturers to gain these discounts for the many clients it works with, and in return gain benefits for clients. The clients fill in an easy template on the Personal Fleet website and then the dedicated consultants do the rest. If the person is in the market for a new car, know and understand the car, and have already driven one then within 4 hours, Personal Fleet’s team can save them time, money and travel. The company contacts hundreds of dealers with its tendering system and the client sits at home or at work allowing Personal Fleet to organise the best deal for them. Personal Fleet arranges the contract, emails it for perusal and the dealer then arranges for the delivery of the car right to the clients door with a full tank of fuel, fully registered with all the benefits. Personal Fleet can also arrange finance in exactly the same way. So if you are in the market for a new motor vehicle of any type, shape or brand, log onto www.personalfleet.com.au or call 1300 770 682.

2011 Member Partner Booklet available in store.

www.drummondgolf.com

Drummond Club Member Travel Desk Tel: 1300 124 220

Are you planning your next golf trip or a weekend escape? Our golf packages can be tailored to suit your specific individual or group requirements with our extensive range of golf course and resort partners - around Australia and overseas. Contact Lee at Great Golf Getaways for further information on our complete range of travel packages and golf tours available to Drummond Club members - 1300 124 220. NEWCASTLE, NSW

Grand Mercure Apartments

Missions Hills, China

2 nights / 2 rounds from just $330 pp

2 nights’ accommodation in a luxury 3-bedroom apartment for four plus 2 rounds of 18 holes inc shared cart hire per person (playing Newcastle and Nelson Bay Golf Clubs)

T NE O W U R

4-share includes:

Optional extra rounds available at Pacific Dunes and Kooindah Waters. Extended stays and golf packages also available in the Hunter Valley.

Riverside Oaks 1 night / 2 rounds from just $125 pp 6-share/mid-week includes:

Overnight accommodation for six guests in a luxury 3-bedroom villa, continental breakfast, self-cook BBQ dinner pack, 18 holes of golf inc cart, plus an extra 9 holes inc cart on arrival, late check-out and a complimentary “riverside oaks” cap and range balls per person. Weekend packages available for all golf groups.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA,VIC

Nepean Country Club 2 nights / 3 rounds from just $340 pp 4-share includes:

2 nights’ accommodation in a 2-bedroom apartment for four, daily continental breakfast per person and 3 rounds of 18 holes per person playing Moonah Links (Open or Legends Course), Eagle Ridge and Portsea Golf Clubs. Extended stays and additional golf rounds available at St Andrews, The Dunes, Rosebud Country Club and Sorrento Golf Clubs.

x c O lu ff s e iv r e

HUNTER VALLEY, NSW

7 Nights / 4 Round Golf Tour

TOUR DEPARTS: SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER 2011 LAND PACKAGE Drummond Club Member Tour Price: AUD$2,995* per person (twin-share) includes: • • • • • •

7 nights’ luxury 5-star accommodation at Mission Hills - Worlds #1 Golf Club 4 rounds of 18 holes inc shared cart and personal caddy (including “night” golf) 3 dinners included: Welcome BBQ, VIP Chinese banquet at Hong Kong races and Farwell Dinner Daily full buffet breakfast per person Return transfers between Airport/Resort and Resort/Golf Clubs in private air-conditioned coaches Day trip to Hong Kong to enjoy shopping and VIP night racing at Hong Kong Jockey Club (includes Chinese banquet dinner and seating in Private Members Lounge) • Escorted Tour with our events manager • Daily event competitions and prizes * Above land package excludes return international airfares and Chinese visa. Airfare quotations available through our Travel Agent Partner, Encore Travel Pty Ltd. Extended stays and sightseeing tours available within China and packages can be tailored to suit your individual requirements. Single supplement available.

Cypress Lakes Resort

2011 Maui Masters Golf Tour

1 night / 1 round from just $129 pp 4-share/mid-week includes:

Overnight accommodation in a 2-bedroom villa for four, daily full buffet breakfast and 1 round of 18 holes inc shared cart hire per person.

F i F lli a n s g t

S V p il e la c ia l

SYDNEY, NSW

DEPARTS FRIDAY 20 MAY 2011

9 nights / 4 round tournament Exclusive to Drummond Club Members

Plus a bonus $20 voucher per person redeemable for food and Beverages at Cypress Lakes Resort. Weekend packages available.

Hurry few places left - Registrations closing soon. Drummond Club Member Tour Price:

M S id p -w e e c e ia k l

BELLARINE PENINSULA,VIC Thirteenth Beach Golf Resort 2 night / 2 rounds from just $240 pp 4-share/mid-week includes:

2 nights’ accommodation in a 2-bedroom apartment for four, plus 2 rounds of 18 holes per person inc shared cart hire (playing the Beach and Creek Courses) Extended stays and additional golf rounds available at Barwon Heads Golf Club and Torquay Sands Golf Clubs.

LAUNCESTON,TAS

Barnbougle Dunes 2 nights / 2 rounds from just $295 pp 4-share includes:

www.drummondgolf.com

AUD$4,850* pp (twin-share) includes: • Return International Airfares (economy) via Qantas Airlines ex Sydney. Domestic add-ons available from all Australian capital cities.

• • • • • • • • • •

8 nights’ stay at Makena Beach and Golf Resort, Maui 1 night stay at Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu Daily full buffet breakfast 4 rounds of 18 holes per person inc shared cart Return airport/hotel transfers in Maui and Honolulu Return transfers between hotel and golf courses Welcome drinks and tournament briefing on arrival Final presentation dinner at Makena Beach and Golf Resort Fully escorted tour with our events manager. Daily golf event competitions and prizes, plus overall winner’s trophy (Men’s and Women’s Divisions).

2010 Tou

r Member

e, Maui

rth Cours

o Makena N

2 nights’ accommodation in a 2-bedroom cottage for four, 2 rounds of 18 holes per person (playing the Dunes and the new Lost Farm course), plus a complimentary course guide per person.

Optional Tours and Activities: Deep-sea fishing trip, Sunset Catamaran Cruise, Ladies Luncheon and shopping tour and additional golf rounds on free days. Extended stays available in Maui and Honolulu.

Additional golf rounds available at Launceston Golf Club and Country Club Resort.

*NB: Tour package price quoted above may be subject to change prior ticketing and dependent on currency rate fluctuations. Package rates for non-golfing partners available also.

www.greatgolfgetaways.com.au

TOUR

Sergio Garcia

Sergio Garcia signing autographs outside the Drummond Golf tent at the 2010 Australian Masters.

PIC: SAM GOLE www.drummondgolf.com

SERGIO GARCIA Beyond the Fairways recently caught up with Spanish golf star Sergio Garcia and discussed football, his family and the future.

Q. You state football (soccer) as one of your true passions. Tell us what it means to you in the wake of Spain’s 2010 World Cup win. My passion for football was huge before the World Cup victory. But of course it drives all of us, the entire nation and people are proud of the achievement. But for me personally, it really didn’t make a difference because I was a football fan before the event. Q. Growing up, was playing professional football a dream or has it always been golf? It was always to be a professional footballer. Growing up in Spain there is only one big sport and that’s football. Every kid wants to be a footballer, and so did I.

Q. You’ve said you’re a passionate Real Madrid fan. Do you have a soft spot for your hometown team, Club de Football Borriol? Of course my heart beats for my local team. Most of my friends are players on the FC Borriol team and it means a lot. On the bigger scale, meaning first division, there is only one team for me and it’s Real Madrid. Q. Is it true you join in training with them from time to time? Yes, it’s absolutely true. But I have to be careful and so are they. Because I need my “bones” to be safe, if you will, we are a bit less aggressive. Q. Your father was quite a good golfer himself. Tell us about his influence on your game. That’s quite simple. My dad was the inspiration for me. As a son you want to be like your father and he was a club professional at that time and that was the key for me to look up to him and become a golfer. Q. And what about your siblings? Do you ever get out for a casual hit with them, or does it feel too much like work? In junior golf we did play quite a bit and both of them are good golfers. Both had scholarships in the [United] States and played on the college team. My brother, Victor, still hits it longer than I do. These days we have that occasional round of golf. That’s about all it gets these days. Q. How does your brother feel about being on the receiving end of a golf hiding from his younger brother? My brother is one of my biggest supporters and that’s a great situation. He is cool about it and of course he has his own life, like we all do. Q. I understand you have caddied for your father in competition. How did it feel to be on the other side of the bag? It’s fun to caddie for my dad, and to be honest, he was quite open to my comments and suggestions—great father and son relationship, I guess.

PIC: stuart franklin / getty images

Q. Did it help you to better understand your own caddie? Perhaps a little empathy? To be honest, I did caddie before and it was not a new experience to me, so I knew what it’s all about. I am aware of the fact that being a caddie on PGA Tour means there is a lot of pressure and expectations for both player and the caddie, but in the heat of the moment and the pressure, things might be a little different.

Sergio Garcia and Roberto Donadoni, former Italian footballer, during the charity football match between players and caddies of the European Tour and the team of Borriol, to which Sergio Garcia is the club president. The match has taken place prior to the Castello Masters Costa Azahar at the Club de Campo del Mediterraneo on October 19, 2010 in Castellon de la Plana, Spain.

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TOUR

Sergio Garcia

Q. Where does the flair in your game come from? Is it a reflection of your true personality and was that something you were encouraged to be on the course? No, it’s simply me and the passion for the game. You get what you see and nothing is fabricated.

Q. And how about the Ryder Cup? Proudly representing Europe in the five Ryder Cup’s prior to last year’s compelling event in Wales, did it feel a little strange not to have been involved directly in that win? No, it did not feel like I wasn’t on the winning team because I was. Yes, in a perfect world you would like to play rather than being a vice-captain. But talking to the legendary Seve Ballesteros on the phone and having José María Olazábal as the other vice-captain and myself, it truly felt like I was a part of the three Spanish people that were part of the team.

He first achieved worldwide prominence with a duel against Tiger Woods in the 1999 PGA, where he eventually finished second. Late in the final round, García hit his most famed shot: with his ball up against a tree trunk and the green hidden from view, he swung hard with his eyes shut and hit a low curving fade that ran up onto the green. As the shot travelled, he sprinted madly into the fairway and then scissor-kick jumped to see the result.

Q. Medinah Country Club will host the 2012 Ryder Cup. You’ve some wonderful memories there such as finishing second in the 1999 US PGA Championship in your rookie year on Tour. Considering your stellar Ryder Cup record (won 14; lost 6; halved 4 for 16 points), is rejoining Team Europe at Medinah in a playing role a motivational goal of yours? You know how much the Ryder Cup means to me and of course it is my goal to be on the next Ryder Cup team.

projects with such greats. I can only learn from them.

Q. Now that 2010 is over—which was not a great year for you on Tour—what areas of your game have you been addressing to ensure you get back to the top in 2011? I work a lot on my short game hoping to improve and perform better in 2011.

Q. What are the biggest changes you’ve noticed in the game in the past decade? The professional competition in general. These days players have their own physiotherapists travelling with them, nutritionists, swing coaches and mental coaches. The competitive spirit is so big and everyone tries to be the extra edge ahead of the others. [It’s] very competitive.

Q. You’ve also got an interest in golf course design. Have you currently any projects on the go? Yes, I work on a project in China, but being an active player you are somehow time-limited to take on several projects. Q. What’s it like working with the likes of Greg Norman and Pete Dye? It’s an honour to be involved in design

Q. You’re still young at just 30 years of age. But after 11 years on Tour do you feel like one of the ‘old timers’ out there? No absolutely not. Truth is that we have very young players such a Mateo Manasero, Rory McIllroy or Rickie Fowler. That tells me that I am getting older, but feeling old yet, no.

Q. Do you foresee any major changes in the next 10 years? I’m sure that in today’s modern world there will be changes, but what kind of changes I would not be able to see through the crystal ball.

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PIC: jim gund / getty images

Q. Speaking of flair, you’ve played some remarkable shots in your career. What are some of your signature moments that stand out in your mind? I would take the 1999 Medinah shot around the tree—it was truly special under that heat in a major’s final round.

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Stacey Keating

PIC: Paul kane / getty images

TOUR

The Second Coming

of Keats

As Australia’s number one ranked amateur, Victoria’s Stacey Keating cleaned up last year winning plenty of events to justify that primary ranking, the Australian Amateur notwithstanding. In the process, the 24-year-old earned herself the acclaimed Karrie Webb Scholarship in the US, which included a backstage pass to the private life of the reserved former world number one. But it was Keating’s most recent acquisition—a Ladies European Tour card—that’s now most difficult to prise from her hands. A year after narrowly missing out on her LET card at the first attempt in late 2009, it was certainly a case of Christmas coming early in 2010 for the recently-turned professional. And with a game like hers, there’s no telling what this little pocket rocket can achieve on the big stage in Europe. One thing is for sure: she does not want to go back to Tour School. Sam Gole caught up with Keating as she prepared for her rookie European adventure.

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You were a recipient of the Karrie Webb Scholarship. Tell us a bit about that. Obviously it was a pretty special experience? Definitely. It is unbelievable what she does and I don’t think people really understand or appreciate what Karrie does—nothing is really publicised about it and she wouldn’t want it to be because she is so shy. We got to spend seven days with her at the Women’s US Open, we stayed at her place and we didn’t miss one swing of hers for the whole week. She paid for us to go over there and she paid for us to travel to other tournaments in the middle of the year. It was just priceless, it really was. We hear it’s an all-encompassing experience? The last couple of years, I’ve got to know Karrie quite well and its not just her that you get to meet, it’s everyone she plays with, everyone she practises with, people that she would hang out with—you know, all her friends and not just any ordinary golfers. So it’s kind of neat. Has it changed the way you’ll approach things on Tour? You see a lot of rookies out there—and I don’t want to make this mistake—just hammering themselves the whole week and they’re done in by the time Thursday comes. That’s one of the big things that Karrie said to me actually. That’s definitely been the biggest thing. You would have watched a fair bit of her game? Absolutely. She’s one of the only women from Australia that was really going berserk when I started.

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PIC: paul kane / getty images

SG: It was a more joyous Christmas for you this past year than the previous year. SK: It was really good [especially] after the disappointment of last year. Going over [to Europe] last year I just had my heart set on turning pro and then when I only got conditional status, it was very disappointing. A lot of people ask me, ‘Do you think it was a good decision not taking the conditional status?’ because you never know how many starts I could have had. Some people only got six or seven starts but then you look at someone like Rebecca Flood, who had exactly the same status as me and played everything for the whole year and ended up making quite a lot of money. But I just had the most fun and probably best year in amateur golf I could have asked for.

Securing your Ladies European Tour Card recently, at the second attempt, must instil a bit more belief in your game. Do you feel a greater confidence in your game? Yes, definitely. Obviously I had good Tour School over there and I feel quite confident going in knowing how I played in that [event] when you have to play well. And I’m really looking forward to the next step and really looking forward to testing my game against some of the best players in the world. I think that I can compete. A lot of the pros we speak to say one of the hardest parts about the Tour is all the travel plans you need to take care of. It’s something you don’t necessarily think much about. Do you know where you’ll base yourself and how you’ll tackle that? I’ve been looking at the schedule now. I got full status on the Futures Tour as well, so I’m actually thinking of going to play a few events there before the European [schedule] starts. I think I could play three Futures events and then go over to Europe. Darren, my boyfriend, lives in London, so I think that could be very handy [Laughs]. I’ve got a place there where I can practise as well so at this point that’s what I’ll do. If there was more than, say, two weeks off I think I would come home to Australia. But I’ll just play that by ear. That’s sounds like a good plan unless you get snowed in. [Laughs]. That’s right. Hopefully it’s a little better in England then.

Kate Combes is a great friend of yours. Do you think it’s going to make it easier for you in your rookie season seeing a friendly face on Tour? We both had our fingers crossed at Tour School so it was really exciting that we both got through and I can’t wait to travel with Kate. I haven’t told Kate this, but she’s been there, done that, so I’ll just follow her a little bit. Some of the girls won’t know a soul so I’m lucky. Kate’s been to all the tournaments, she knows the best places to stay. I just think that will make it easier for me so I’m looking forward to travelling with her. You’ve had a wonderful amateur career, especially in 2010. Was there ever a temptation to turn professional earlier? I definitely had my heart set on turning pro 12 months ago and I didn’t think anything else would be the case. I just thought, ‘I’m going to Tour School and that’s what I’m going to do’. I never thought about playing amateur golf [in 2010] and then when I didn’t get the status, well I’d never actually thought of only getting conditional status. It stuffed up your plans. Right. I came back at Christmas and I was like ‘Oh, what will I do?’ With no guaranteed starts I was thinking, ‘What if I was to play six tournaments for the year?’ In amateur golf I had the World Cup, the Karrie Webb Series—that’s like 12 or 13 strokeplay events. The funny thing is as a top amateur I could get into all the big events and now I’m trying so hard to get starts as a professional and it’s really hard. I haven’t got starts in the Australian Masters or in New Zealand at the moment. But I just had the best year I could have asked for really. 21

TOUR

Stacey Keating

Was there a defining moment in 2010 when you thought ‘I really do belong out here’? I had a few goals at the start of the year. The Karrie Webb Series was definitely a goal. And to win the Aussie Amateur was definitely a goal as well. I ticked those couple off which was very nice. Probably the most important for me was being ranked number one in Australia. Those were the big ones.

You clearly love your golf. What is it that you find most difficult about being a golfer? You can just always get better. I just get so addicted to it. Like practice and playing; I could stand on a range all day and I love having lessons. When I’m home I like to see my coach quite a bit. So you like the time on the range just by yourself? I do actually.

Just hitting balls? Probably because I grew up on a farm, I guess. Back there in Cressy, there was not one other girl that I used to play golf with. I don’t know how I stayed at it because I played with people probably 40 years older than me all the time. In year’s time, what are you hoping to have achieved in your first season on the LET? I would never like to go back to Tour School again [Laughs]. I don’t mean that in a bad way, I just want to keep my card. To have a good rookie year and maybe get Rookie of the Year or something like that in Europe, that would definitely be my goal. And if I got a win, well, that would be a bonus.

MINUTES WITH STACEY KEATING

How does Stacey Keating unwind? I love watching sport. What was the last book you read? Seve. I read that on the plane. Your favourite sportsman or woman. Karrie Webb or Arnold Palmer. What is your lowest score you’ve had for a round? 63. Favourite club in your bag? 7-iron. What AFL team do you follow? Geelong. Other than golf, what are you most passionate about? Sport in general. I love just going to watch sport—cricket, football, soccer— anything. I went to the Boxing Day Test as well. Not good. One lesson or piece of advice you’ll never forget? The answer is in the dirt. Just keep practising. Finish this sentence: ‘Golf is unlike any other sport because…” You can never be perfect.

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Cleveland Golf is distributed in Australia by Srixon Sports Australasia. Call 1800 222 227.

IF DISTANCE MATTERS

WEIGHT MATTERS.

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TOUR

Bogle Report

The Bogle Report To The Top

PIC: andrew redington/ getty images

The 2011 season has well and truly begun and many questions will be asked. Can Tiger return to the winner’s circle? Will Phil Mickelson make an impact? Who will be the top Aussie? Who will be No.1? Brett Ogle looks at the leading contenders.

Lee Westwood

PIC: andrew redington / getty images

Race

e all know Lee Westwood is at the top of the tree at the moment. It’s been a slow and gradual climb back for the Englishman since dropping to the mid 300s in the world in 2003. There’s no question he’s worked hard, had some wins along the way and a bunch of Top 3 finishes in the majors in recent years. But the thing is, since the world rankings began in 1986 there have been 13 players to have reached the No.1 spot, and every other has won a big one—a major. At 38, is Westwood’s time running out? There’s no doubting he’s in the form of his career and I think this year will be his year. There is one thing I know Lee doesn’t want on his resume come the end of his career, and that is the same tag as Colin Montgomerie—to be known as one of the best players to never win a major. Phil Mickelson, I think, is set to have a good year in 2011, too. Last year he had plenty of chances to become the world No.1 player while Tiger was absent. But tragedy after tragedy seemed to halt his run. The talented left-hander did win the Masters in 2010, but the rest of his year was up and down. Look for him to push hard early and it wouldn’t surprise me if a fourth green jacket arrives on his doorstep in April.

Martin Kaymer

For mine, Martin Kaymer is the one to look out for this year. It was an unbelievable year for the German in 2010, winning three times on the European Tour and claiming his first major, the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in August. He’s out of the blocks early in 2011 with a win and I believe the 25-year-old is destined to be the No.1 player in the world. It could be sooner than everyone thinks. But the player to watch out for most is the man himself, Tiger Woods. It was a tumultuous season for him last year and as we all know for the first time in his 16-year professional career, TW failed to win an event. With all his trials and tribulations behind him he will have something to prove—not only to the world, but also to himself—in 2011. Knowing Tiger, he’ll be hungry to show everyone he can still dominate. The only question is how long will it take to get used to the swing changes he made in 2010, and can he put them together for 72 holes?

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And finally, Jason Day looks the one to lead the Aussie challenge again this year. The talented Queenslander has jumped out of the boxes in 2011 with some terrifically consistent golf. Since winning the Byron Nelson Championship mid last year he has found the belief we all knew he had. He seems to be settled on the PGA Tour these days and he knows if he gets into position to win again, he has what it takes to close out the deal. Brett Ogle C

What To Look Out For in our Autumn on the PGA Tour

CMY

DATE

EVENT

PURSE (US$)

defending champion

March 03 - 06

The Honda Classic, Florida

$5,700,000

Camilo Villegas

March 10 – 13

Puerto Rico Open, Puerto Rico

$3,500,000

Derek Lamely

March 10 - 13

World Golf Championships, Florida

$8,500,000

Ernie Els

March 17 - 20

Transitions Championship, Florida

$5,500,000

Jim Furyk

March 24 - 27

Arnold Palmer Invitational, Florida

$6,000,000

Ernie Els

March 31 - April 03

Shell Houston Open, Texas

$5,900,000

Anthony Kim

April 07 – 10

Masters Tournament, Georgia

$7,500,000

Phil Mickelson

April 14 – 17

Valero Texas Open, Texas

$6,200,000

Adam Scott

April 21 – 24

The Heritage, South Carolina

$5,700,000

Jim Furyk

April 28 - May 01

Zurich Classic, Louisiana

$6,400,000

Jason Bohn

May 05 – 08

Wells Fargo Championship, North Carolina

$6,500,000

Rory McIlroy

May 12 – 15

THE PLAYERS Championship, Florida

$9,500,000

Tim Clark

May 19 - 22

Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Texas

$6,200,000

Zach Johnson

May 26 – 29

HP Byron Nelson Championship, Texas

$6,500,000

Jason Day

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TOUR

Matt Griffin

Matthew Griffin’s name might not be up there with stars such as Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby…yet. But things are changing. On the back of a stellar 2010 where he finished inside the top 12 on both the Australian and OneAsia Tour money lists, his standing as a serious contender is growing. Sam Gole caught up with our very own ‘Mr Consistency’ to discuss his first two years on tour, winning, and his future prospects.

Griffo

mr consistency Matthew Griffin’s recent results

2010 11th Australian PGA Tour Order of Merit 2nd WA PGA Championship 6th Australian PGA Championship 9th Australian Open 7th One Asia Tour Order of Merit 5th Thailand Open 8th Midea China Classic

Ready for the Big Show PIC: Sam Gole

2011 2nd Victorian Open

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Q. You’ve now been on the pro circuit for a couple of years. What’s the biggest difference between being an amateur and a pro? In the amateur game you can be competitive and still have a few bad holes or even a bad day. In pro golf there are so many good players you just can’t get away with a bad day or [bad] holes, and instead you really have to put 72 quality holes together. Q. How do rate where you’re at? Are things going to plan? I feel I’ve reached the stage where I can win when I play my best on whatever tour I play. This has come through being in contention a lot late in 2010 and early 2011, which has given me a lot of confidence. It has gone to plan to this stage and with another year of hard work I hope I can work towards playing in the USA in 2012 and being competitive over there. Q. Wins at several amateur events had you ranked as high as the No. 3 amateur in the world back in 2008. How close do you feel you are to tasting that success as a pro at big events? It is definitely getting closer and I have come really close recently. It has been good to get a taste of what it feels like to be in the lead during an event. It’s funny actually, that during my amateur career I came close a number of times before getting my first win and then I won a number of times in a short space of time. Hopefully the same happens as a pro. Q. You had a very consistent season in 2010. Is there one event that stands out in your mind? The Australian PGA Championship at the end of the year probably stands out the most. After a long stretch of golf I was quite tired but played my best golf of the year. And it was great on the Sunday to play with Robert Allenby. In really trying conditions I played fantastic and if we had stayed out in the rain [I] would have had a real chance to win. I gave myself chances on the Monday morning but ended up two short. But it was a big step forward.

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Q. What about playing partners. Was there a particular grouping or individual that provided a positive learning experience? I played with John Senden on the Sunday at the Australian Open in the third last group, which was a great experience. He gave himself a real chance and looked really calm whilst out there and played smart golf. He is also a fantastic guy and fun to play with.

I feel I’ve reached the stage where I can win when I play my best on whatever tour I play. – Matt Griffin Q. Are you comfortable playing alongside the world’s best golfers in big events, or is there an intimidation about it? Initially there was [some intimidation] playing with the big names when I didn’t know them personally, but now having played with a number of them I feel a lot more comfortable. In general they are great to play with and you can learn a lot and I enjoy a big gallery. Q. The JBWere Masters was a big event for you. You’re a member at Victoria GC, the host venue; you were coming off a second-place at the WA PGA Championship, and you were still coming to terms with the tragic passing of your caddie, friend and mentor, Peter Beck. How challenging was that week and how did you manage it? Yeah, it all seemed to come together that week and added a lot of pressure in what was a tough time after Peter’s passing. Standing on the first tee I felt good and had tried to make the week feel like any other. However, I think all the pressure I put on myself to perform well at home

and all the outside pressure had an influence and I tightened up a bit. As a result, while my game felt good, I didn’t perform the way I did the rest of the year. Q. Your opening round 65 at the Australian Open the following week must have been satisfying. It was a great day and a dream come true to lead your national championship. It was nice also that the game came together after a few poor scoring weeks despite feeling good. It was nice also to play well on the second day and although the weekend wasn’t great it was good to finish top 10. Hopefully I will be leading it come Sunday night sometime in the next few years. Q. You seem the have plenty of Drummond Club members follow you on course during the Australian events. How much does that support help you out there? The support is fantastic and it’s great the Drummond Club members come out and support me. It definitely gives you a kick along and people often comment on the strong support I have out there. Q. Finishing 7th on the OneAsia Tour Order of Merit was a great achievement. Do you enjoy playing in Asia? The 7th place finish was really satisfying and definitely showed I enjoy playing in Asia, which is true. It is great seeing plenty of different cultures and I enjoy playing the courses up there, while the hot, humid weather doesn’t really bother me. Some weeks can be difficult, but there are plenty of great weeks up there as well. Q. What’s next for Matthew Griffin? Are you planning an assault on one of the higher-profile tours? The rest of 2011 will see me playing on the OneAsia Tour, which will be really good, and maybe a trip to the USA in the middle of the year if the schedule suits. With my good finish on the Australian tour last year I will get through to second stage of US Tour School and final stage in Japan and Europe. Where I go will depend on my form and how the schedule works out, but it will definitely be an exciting end to the year.

TOUR

Tools of Trade

MATT GRIFFIN

In My Bag IRON PLAY

Titleist 710CB Forged, shaft Rifle 6.0 Club Distance (metres) 4-iron 195 5-iron 180 6-iron 165 7-iron 155 8-iron 145 9-iron 130 PW 120

LONG GAME Club Brand/ model Loft Driver: Titleist 909D3 9.5 3-wood: Titleist 910F 15 Hybrid: Titleist 910H 18

Shaft X-flex X-flex X-flex

Distance (metres) 275 240 220

SHORT GAME Titleist Vokey

Club Loft Distance Gap 52 95 Sand 56 80 Lob 60 65 Putter: Scotty Cameron T10 Select Newport 1.5 Tour model- length 34 inches Golf Ball: Titleist ProV1x (2011 model)

Unique Features “I acquired my Scotty Cameron putter from the factory in California and was asked if I would like the putter personalised, so I thought why not. ‘GRI’ and the ‘FFO’ works nicely on the putter flange.” How I Mark My Ball “Using a red marker pen (to signify the hope for lots of birdies), I strike a solid line over the ProV1x and use the marking to line up putts. I also place a red dot under the number for identification.” Best Advice for You “Make sure you spend some time getting fitted with the right shafts otherwise the clubs will be difficult to work with. Also keep an eye on what’s new, especially with drivers. Technology advances rapidly in this category and we all love to bomb long, straight drives.” Change Ups “I will change my lob wedge to suit the playing conditions of each tournament. I use a lob wedge with high bounce in soft conditions (like in Asia and Queensland) and a lob wedge with low bounce in firm conditions (like the Melbourne sandbelt).”

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Prese to re Sta Visit Comp www.n Natado with yo

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TOUR

US Masters

A Major Favourite The US Masters is the standout event in golf. Staged exclusively at the Augusta National Golf Club —one of the world’s most aesthetically captivating layouts —the year’s first major rarely disappoints.

PIC: taku miyamoto / getty images

US Masters:

ach year the best golfers in the world eagerly await an invitation to play at the event dominated by the game’s greats in its 77-year history. Names the likes of Nicklaus, Woods, Palmer, Faldo, Player, Mickelson and Snead adorn the winner’s list. The Masters has created an allure of history and tradition to arguably outrank its longer established major cousins. Keeping the venue constant has allowed the course—and its back nine compilation of holes in particular—to develop a rich history of dramatic scenes and create a character and mystique almost life-like to the viewer. Other unique traditions cannot be discounted, such as the defending champion presenting the winner the famous green jacket. Or the par-3 event staged on the Wednesday. And don’t forget the honorary tee-shot executed by the game’s legends on the first morning, or the traditional white jumpsuit and green cap worn by caddies. It has the best players, a fascinating history and some quirky traditions. But what about the Augusta course itself? Played in mid-spring, the colour exploding from the plantings of azaleas, magnolias, camellias and dogwoods presents a stunning scene around the picture-perfect fairways and the bright, white sand of the Augusta bunkers. Add the quaint ponds and Rae’s Creek—a natural creek flowing prominently through the notorious Amen Corner—and onlookers have a visual splendour, while pros have strategic hazards requiring a careful approach. Even the sound of crisp ballstriking echoing inside the enormous pine trees framing each hole is special in itself. All this, plus severe changes in elevation, super slick greens and plethora of risk or reward golf holes and it’s no wonder the US Masters is the favourite major.

Member Poll What is your favourite major?

*Results from the Drummond Golf website

US PGA Championship 3.4%

British Open 39.1%

US Masters 50.4%

US Open 7.1% 31

US Masters

PIC: augusta national / getty images

TOUR

“Maybe… yes, Sir.” Commentator Verne Lundquist’s famous call of Jack Nicklaus’s birdie on the 17th hole during the final round of the 1986 US Masters still rings in my ears today with the same distinction it did a quarter century ago. 32

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25 Years On

1986 US Masters—A Lasting Memory

atching Nicklaus’s barnstorming final nine holes in the 1986 US Masters was compelling viewing for avid golfers around the globe. For me, a teenager who was only keen on golf at the time, the resulting performance had a huge bearing on shaping my life. It might sound extreme, but I doubt I’m the only one to admit that. In a final round littered with memorable moments, the putt on 17 had the biggest impact. With two holes to play Nicklaus—who was burning up Augusta’s back nine—played himself into a tie for the lead. On the 17th, he knocked his 8-iron approach onto the green from the left-hand rough. He was faced with a slick Augusta downhiller from 18 feet. Moments later he was putting for a birdie and the stage was set for one of the iconic moments in golf. Like a predator ready to pounce on its prey, Nicklaus stalked the putt on bended knee as it neared the hole. Through piercing eyes you sensed his determination to make it happen and as the ball dropped into the hole he wielded the putter towards the cup, completing the moment with a double-fist salute and a wry smile to the heavens above. The gallery went crazy after yet another birdie and now, at nine-under-par, he led the Masters. Nicklaus’s surge would turn the tables on his younger opponents—most notably Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. Starting the final round ninth four shots behind 54-hole leader Norman, many commentators and scribes didn’t pay much ado to Nicklaus’s chances— especially as most claimed he was too

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old to pull it off. The 46-year-old hadn’t won a major in six years (the 1980 US PGA Championship at Oak Hill). He sat 160th on the money list going into the tournament with a best finish of 39th. What followed was magical, even more so for a young viewer who’d only read about and heard stories told about Nicklaus’s genius. It was as if a highlight package from his past 30 brilliant years played out on Augusta’s final stretch of demanding holes. Powerful drives; ballstriking with precision; and six one-putt greens over the back nine. It was all there. His charge home was inspirational: birdies at the 10th and 11th; a small stumble and bogey on the treacherous par-3 12th; birdie at 13; par on 14. At this point he was still four shots behind, until an eagle on the 15th really stirred the gallery’s emotions. It became evident the Golden Bear was awaking from years in hibernation. Jack was back. And he knew it. In another unforgettable moment, this time on the 16th, with his 5-iron approach to the par-3 green in flight, he coolly bent down to retrieve his tee. His son (and caddie) Jackie calling out, “Be the right club”. Papa Bear wasn’t phased. With the

calmness of a man who seemed aware of his destiny he replied: “It is”. The ball landed a metre or two from the pin, spun back grazing the lip and came to rest 3-feet from the hole. Another birdie. Then another on 17 to take the lead followed by a two-putt par on the 18th and Nicklaus headed in as the clubhouse leader. His assault on the course was merciless. He completed the back nine in just 30 shots and played the last 10 holes in seven-under-par. His Sunday 65 catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard and with Ballesteros and Norman succumbing to the intimidating presence of the game’s greatest player, Nicklaus remained there at day’s end, earning his sixth green jacket, handed to him by then defending champion Bernard Langer. In the 50th Masters, Nicklaus became its oldest winner at 46 years and 82 days. “This was maybe as fine a round of golf I have  played,” he later said. Whether that was or wasn’t the case, it was without a doubt the most moving golf I have ever witnessed. Thanks for memories Jack and for igniting my 25-year love affair with golf.

Bernard Langer presents Jack Nicklaus with his sixth green jacket

PIC: augusta national / getty images

Nicklaus was on fire. The normally reserved Augusta crowd was out of control and viewers around the world sensed they were witnessing one of the most extraordinary feats in modern-day sport. “I was one such viewer”, Sam Gole writes.

US Masters

PIC: david cannon / getty images

TOUR

Larry Mize

25 Years On

MAJOR SHOTS

Augusta has witnessed plenty of amazing shots that defined the careers of the players who made them. Here are some major shots. Larry Mize Year: 1987 Hole: 11th Round: Playoff

Augusta native Larry Mize holed a 140foot chip for birdie on the second playoff hole to defeat Greg Norman. Ballesteros was eliminated on the first playoff hole when he missed his par putt. Mize qualified for the playoff with a six-foot birdie putt at No.18 to finish at 285.

Sandy Lyle Year: 1988 Hole: 18th Round: Fourth

After hitting a 1-iron uphill 260 yards into a fairway bunker, Lyle found his ball near the lip, 146 yards from the hole. He nipped a 7-iron perfectly, leaving a 10-footer for birdie that he holed to defeat Mark Calcavecchia by one stroke, and became the first Scot to win the US Masters.

Jack Nicklaus Year: 1986 Hole: 16th Round: Fourth

After making an eagle on the 15th hole, Nicklaus nearly holed his 5-iron on the 16th. After hitting it, Nicklaus didn’t even bother tracking the shot the entire way. While the ball was in the air, his son and caddie, Jackie, implored: “Be the right club.” Nicklaus simply replied: “It is.” When he made the putt, he had tied for the lead.

Tiger Woods Year: 2005 Hole: 16th Round: Fourth

After yanking his tee shot left of the green, Woods’ birdie chip made a 90-degree right turn off the slope, snaked towards the hole, paused on the edge of the hole for a tantalising second before toppling in. With this momentum he went on to win his fourth green jacket.

Phil Mickelson Year: 2010 Hole: 13th Round: Fourth

On the par 5 13th hole at last year’s Masters, Mickelson pushed his tee shot to the right and found himself hitting off pine straw. He saw a shot that few others could—a tiny gap between two large pine trees. He pulled out a 6-iron and hit an incredible shot through the trees, over Rae’s Creek to 3 feet from a tight pin. He missed eagle putt, but it was a defining moment on his way to claiming his third green jacket. www.drummondgolf.com

25 Years On

MAJOR BLUNDERS With the good comes the bad. The following are just some the major blunders seen at Augusta. Greg Norman Year: 1996 Hole: 18th Round: Fourth

Scott Hoch Year: 1989 Hole: 10th Round: Playoff

Hoch’s par putt on the first playoff hole would have won him the 1989 Masters. Instead, his missed the two-footer and extended his playoff with Nick Faldo, who made birdie on the next hole to win the first of his three green jackets.

Seve Ballesteros Year: 1986 Hole: 15th Round: Fourth

Chasing Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros was in an ideal position—in the middle of the 15th fairway with a 4-iron in his hands. But he hit his second shot so badly he probably didn’t know whether to tell the ball to get up or get down, short of the pond. It landed in the middle of the water, drowning his chances of the win.

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PIC: stephen munday / getty images

Unfortunately for Norman, who had a six-shot lead to playing partner Nick Faldo, a final round 78 included many major blunders. Norman still had a chance to apply some pressure on the 16th tee. At two shots behind, a good tee shot could have set up birdie. Instead, Norman hooked it into the pond, effectively giving Faldo his third green jacket.

Ray Floyd Year: 1990 Hole: 11th Round: Playoff

There must be something about Nick Faldo that brings out the worst in his opponents. One year after Scott Hoch’s missed putt, Ray Floyd pulled a 7-iron into the pond left of the 11th green to give Faldo his second title.

Nick Faldo commiserates with playing partner Greg Norman on the final green.

Len Mattiace Year: 2003 Hole: 10th Round: Playoff

After a brilliant final round of 65 to tie Mike Weir for the lead, Len Mattiace looked more like a social hacker in the playoff. It is difficult to pick which shot was worse: the second he yanked into the trees or the par putt he nearly ran off the green. Pressure is a funny thing.

TOUR

US Masters

25 Years On

MAJOR HOLES In order to win the US Masters, players will need to come to grips with Augusta’s closing holes.

It’s the cornerstone of Amen Corner, the most critical turn in golf’s Bermuda Triangle. A 155-yard stretch of Bermuda and bent grass, intersected by Rae’s Creek, usually determines who slips into a Masters green jacket and who slides into oblivion. Welcome, folks, to the terrifying 12th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. Shot selection is all-important. An angled putting surface, swirling winds and demanding hole location makes this hole one of the deadliest in golf. Last year, and still in contention standing on the tee, Fred Couples bogeyed the hole while Phil Mickelson birdied it before going on to win his third Masters title.

PIC: taku miyamoto / getty images

Golden Bell, No. 12 Par 3, 155 yards Historical Average: 3.30 Historical Rank: 2

Firethorn, No. 15 Par 5, 530 yards Historical Average: 4.79 Historical Rank: 18

PIC: taku miyamoto / getty images

A group of tall trees on the right await to punish any pushed drive. Most will try to cross the water and reach the green in two, but be warned, there are dangers lurking. Laying up isn’t necessarily the smartest play and doesn’t present an easier route to the hole because the pitch is from a downhill lie to a slightly elevated green (making it easy to either hit the shot long, or spin it back into the pond). This extra dimension can cause players to think twice before automatically reaching for a short iron to lay up. Gene Sarazan made his famous double-eagle here in 1935. Woods made eagle last year to finish fourth. Nicklaus eagled it in 1986 on road to victory. www.drummondgolf.com

Holly, No. 18 Par 4, 465 yards Historical Average: 4.23 Historical Rank: T6

According to many whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced it, the elevation change is hard to believe. Through a narrow chute from the tee, a left-to-right drive is the way to go to avoid the two fairway bunkers. Too far right off the tee is major trouble. Although the hole looks difficult, the relatively tame green allows for dramatic, tournamentwinning birdies, as Tiger Woods (2005), Phil Mickelson (2004) and Mark Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Meara (1998) have proven. In 1988, Sandy Lyle hit a seven-iron to 10 feet from the back of a fairway bunker to make birdie and take the Masters title. PIC: david cannon / getty images

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TOUR

US Masters

US MASTERS

Some of Augusta’s key stats and records AGE: Winners

Youngest Tiger Woods 21 years 104 days

Wire-to-Wire Champions

Average 32.66 years

Craig Wood, 1941 Arnold Palmer, 1960 Jack Nicklaus, 1972 Raymond Floyd, 1976 Trevor Immelman, 2008

Oldest Jack Nicklaus 46 years 82 days

PrizeMoney

HE SAID IT

The first time I played the Masters, I was so nervous I drank a bottle of rum before I teed off. I shot the happiest 83 of my life.

1934 Horton Smith $1,000

1963 Jack Nicklaus $20,000

1986 Jack Nicklaus $144,000

2010 Phil Mickelson $1,350,000

– Chi Chi Rodriguez

six: Jack Nicklaus

four: Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods

Winners Nationalities

three: Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson two: Horton Smith, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ben Crenshaw, José Maria Olazábal one: 29 Players

green jackets

United States 56 Spain 4 South Africa 4 England 3 Germany 2 Scotland 1

Wales 1 Fiji 1 Canada 1 Argentina 1 Australia 0

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OVERWHELMING

TRUST. Steve Stricker

Rory McIlroy

#1 IN WORLDWIDE PLAYERS

Adam Scott

Cristie Kerr

Nearest Competitor

#1 IN WORLDWIDE WINS

Nearest Competitor

Louis Oosthuizen

Lee Westwood

Geoff Ogilvy

Zach Johnson

Jiyai Shin

Luke Donald

THE #1 BALL AROUND THE WORLD.

Visit Titleist at titleist.com.au ÂŠ2010 Acushnet Company. Acushnet Co. is an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. NYSE: FO. Source: Darrell Survey, Sports Marketing Surveys, LTD. Based upon results through 15/12/10 on the U.S. PGA, U.S. LPGA, Champions, Nationwide, South African, Asian, Korean, OneAsia, Australasian, Japan, Canadian PGA and PGA European Tours. Acushnet Australia Customer Service: 1800 660 535

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MY STORE

We invited two Drummond Club members to get custom fitted. Check out the results below. This custom fitting process is available at all Drummond Golf Stores, for all golfers, any time.

CUSTOM FITTING

A CRUCIAL PART OF YOUR GAME WILMA JONSON AGE: 62 MEMBER: Victoria Golf Club HANDICAP: 26 OLD: 3-Hybrid (Purchased 2006) 19 degrees, ladies flex shaft, 39 inches NEW: TaylorMade Ladies Rescue 3-hybrid, 19 degrees, ladies flex shaft, 39 inches

“I play golf three times a week. I am happy with the performance of my 3-wood, 4- and 5-hybrid clubs. But I really struggle with the 3-hybrid. Presently it travels a similar distance to my 4-hybrid and therefore leaves me with a reasonable gap between this distance and the distance my 3-wood travels. I really need to find the right club to fit in with my wood and hybrid series.” 160

KEAN CHAI Drummond Golf As Wilma does not carry anything longer than a 6-iron her 3-wood and hybrids become her long irons. She will use these clubs to approach the green so it is important she gets her “gapping” (the distance between each club) right. Wilma explained she struggles to hit her 3-hybrid, so when we tested her on the launch monitor we found her 3-hybrid was going the same distance as her 4-hybrid. This left a large distance gap between her hybrids and 3-wood. Each club in your golf bag should serve a purpose. I could have fitted Wilma into a 5-wood (which would be a little more forgiving than a 3-hybrid) as this would give her a similar distance to a 3-hybrid, but the 3-hybrid gave her more versatility in terms of playability (hybrids are easier to hit out of the rough and tight lies). Wilma preferred hybrids over fairway woods so I gave her a few to test. The main thing I was looking for was a hybrid that would sit perfectly in between her 3-wood and 4-hybrid in terms of distance. I also wanted to see an improvement in her accuracy, which we did find in the end.

140

120

100 NEW 3 Hybrid Current 3 Wood Old 3 Hybrid Current 4 Hybrid L

Wilma’s new 3-hybrid gives her an 240 option to suit a broader variety of distances. Wilma’s wood and hybrid 220 series of clubs is now complete. 200

180

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drummond golf approach to custom fitting

The fitter will ask you a series of questions to help collect information about your current clubs: your likes and dislikes, typical ball shape and flight, and what you are trying to improve.

The fitter will then ask you to hit your current clubs. If you did not bring your clubs into the store they will ask you to hit a similar club.

TONY BIBBY AGE: 51 MEMBER: Sandhurst Golf Club HANDICAP: 5 OLD: 3-Wood (Purchased 2010) 16 degrees, stiff flex shaft, 43 inches NEW: TaylorMade R9 3-wood, 15 degrees, stiff flex shaft, 43 inches

“I play golf at least once a week. One of my biggest issues is a lack of consistency with my 3-wood. I am not happy with the look of the club and have very little confidence when it is time to use it in competition. I am looking for a club I can control, whether it be off the tee or from the fairway. Distance is of little concern.” KEAN CHAI Drummond Golf Your fairway woods or hybrids should be your goto club when you need to hit the fairway. It should also give you the flexibility to hit it off the fairway or rough (when the lie is good) if required. Before we got Tony to hit any balls on the launch monitor, I needed to work out why he lacked the confidence in his 3-wood. He explained that visually he did not like the look of the clubhead and I believe that was half his battle. I asked Tony to try a few different 3-woods with various head shapes. Some were shallow with a wider body (easier to get in the air and more forgiving) compared to the smaller head shapes with a deeper face (which will keep the ball lower with a greater ability to shape the ball). This helped Tony identify which head shape he liked the look of. We moved on to the loft of the fairway wood. Generally speaking, 3-wood comes in two lofts. A 13 degrees loft is what we call a “strong three” and is carried by most players who use their 3-wood off the tee frequently. It is harder to hit off the

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3 4 5

After working out if you have any brand preferences, the fitter will recommend a variety of new clubs. Hitting between 3 and 6 shots with each club the fitter will analyse and show you the results. From the results the fitter will recommend a club best suited for your swing and golf game.

160

140

120

100 NEW 3 Hybrid Current 3 Wood Old 3 Hybrid Current 4 Hybrid L

240

220

With something as simple as a change in the look of clubhead, Tony has returned confidence in his 3-wood resulting in an improvement in both his distance control and accuracy.

200

180

NEW OLD

fairway and better suited to the stronger player who hits the ball higher (think of it as your 3-iron compared to your 4-iron). The other option is a 3-wood with 15 degrees loft. Players who like to hit their 3-wood off the fairway prefer this loft and it is a little more forgiving. It is easier to control and get in the air. In the end we changed the head shape for Tony to a smaller-looking head. Tony achieved a significant improvement in both distance control and accuracy.

Straight Flight Technology concentrates more weight near the heel, promoting natural clubface rotation at impact.

The new science of straight. It’s called Straight Flight Technology, and only PING has it. ®

The K15™ driver’s precision weighting helps you nail it down the middle, time after time. And its larger profile 460cc head and bigger face promote a higher launch and added distance. To start hitting your best drives ever, visit a PING

or ping.com.

PLAY YOUR BEST

™

Contact American Golf Supplies (02 9524 8233) or ping@americangolf.com.au

fitting specialist

for PING Fitting Account Information

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MY STORE

514 years on:

Pebbles to Satellites BY JAMIE COOKE Drummond Golf, Product Director

t’s generally accepted the game of golf originated in 1497, some 514 years ago. While at that point it involved hitting a pebble with a stick around the sand dunes, I’m reasonably confident that even back then, players were always looking for something to give them that competitive advantage. Given Titleist at that point was not leading the market in pebble development (they didn’t surface until around 1910, long after golfers had moved on from pebbles to something resembling a ball), I’m sure the focus would probably have been more on the stick than the pebble. There has always been evolution in golf. However, the last 25 years has been more like a revolution and it’s probably fair to say in the past decade the game has almost been reinvented, so much so the governing bodies are now— more than ever—regulating the lengths manufacturers can go to in developing equipment. So where do we look now to get that competitive advantage? We’re all using big drivers, forgiving irons the latest golf balls. The playing field seems to be really level now. So maybe the advantage lies in the information we can get and more importantly how easily we can get that information. Welcoming to golf the GPS and the laser rangefinder. Back in 2005, I was approached by a small company called Tee2Green Technologies who was developing a product we now know as Sureshot GPS. At that time the only golf GPS we knew of was in golf carts at resort courses, and not in our wildest dreams did we ever think the technology would be come affordable enough for golfers to own one of their own. That said, we decided to

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give Sureshot a go and the rest is history. Today, just six years later, GPS is a bona fide category in the golf business. Laser rangefinders can also be quite effective, although given the requirement of line-of-sight to the flag they can be quite challenging to use from deep in the bushes. Given the +/- tolerance of laser rangefinder, albeit small (within a metre these days), it could be argued it is the supreme measurer of distance, but GPS probably gets it on convenience. So why buy a GPS or a laser rangefinder? Many will say there’s no point in knowing how far to the hole if you don’t actually know how far you hit your clubs anyway. My answer to that would be by using a GPS or laser rangefinder you will actually learn how far you hit different clubs. Yes, you’ll initially still hit the wrong clubs from the wrong distance, but as time goes by you’ll be amazed at how familiar you become with your distances. No one has the time to go to the practice fairway, hit 10 balls with each club, and measure how far they’ve all gone. This is 2011 we need

speed and convenience; this is the age of quick fixes and learn as you go. You no longer need to walk 40 metres to the nearest sprinkler head and stand there wondering whether the person who put the distance on there might have had a few too many whiskeys the night before. It’s like when you put that table from Ikea together and you have three screws left over—you think you’ve done it right but you can never be totally sure. Many clubs use laser technology to accurately record the distances on their sprinkler heads, the problem is many don’t. My advice is to take matters into your own hands. It’s not just about the distance to the pin either. Have you ever played a course for the first time and stood on the first tee wondering exactly how far to that bunker in the middle of the fairway? A good GPS will eliminate that wondering and replace uncertainty with certainty. The positive of adding GPS to our bag of tricks is, combined with all our other equipment, we’re giving ourselves every chance of getting the ball as close to the target as possible. The negative is that we’re running out of things to blame when we don’t. I’m sure we’ll think of something. Drummond Golf embraced GPS before it became the phenomenon it is today and therefore has extensive experience and knowledge of the product. Like anything at Drummond Golf, GPS has a product range, which means you’ll need some assistance in trying to select the best device to suit your needs. So head into your nearest store and let our staff help you lift your game for less.

Rangefinders and GPS Bushnell TOUR V2

Compact size with the power you’ve always wanted. The Tour V2 laser rangefinder rests in your hand with an ergonomic precision that builds confidence and pride. Its guts are 100% Bushnell laser rangefinder but the package outside will rival your favourite driver with a custom high-tack grip. The V2 sets a new standard in the complete laser rangefinder package – look, feel and performance. A package that may see players starting to waggle their V2 before the range with their targets.

(from under $200) • The ultimate rangefinder for tournament play and avid players • Ranges 5 - 1000 metres, 300 yards to flag • 5 x magnification • 3-volt lithium battery and premium carry case included • Rainproof

Touchscreen GolfBuddy World Platinum

The GolfBuddy World Platinum fuses the company’s renowned GPS technology with an outstanding array of new functions designed to give golfers the ultimate game-management tool. In the increasingly competitive golf rangefinder market, GolfBuddy World Platinum is unmatched in its technology, which includes: an industry-leading 40,000 course memory, intuitive TFT touch screen, TouchPoint instant distance measurement, Direct Overhead Imaging for complete hole layoutt views, Pro Play game statistics recording and stableford scoring, pre-loaded global courses and a lifetime of free, no subscription worldwide golf course maps.

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Sureshotgps 8850

The highly featured Sureshotgps 8850 is Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 selling GPS for golf. It boast 33 marked points per hole including 15 hazards plus front, centre and back of the green. Holding up to 100 courses, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll wonder how you ever played golf without the Sureshotgps 8850. Now with advanced scoring, simply add in your handicap for both men and women and the 8850 will handle Stableford, par or stroke scoring. Extended game analysis enables you to upload results to the PC and export for further statistical analysis to improve your game.

Sureshotgps 8850 JET

For golfer who wants it all, the limited edition Sureshotgps 8850 JET has all the features and benefits of the original 8850 model plus more. Be unique with the metallic black casing, which displays a full colour screen with live distances to all hazards and greens on the course. The added protective cover will ensure your Sureshotgps is always looking its best, plus the car charger means you never have to play golf without your Sureshotgps again.

Sureshotgps Micro

The newest edition to the Sureshotgps range, the Micro is smart on the wallet and perfect for the pocket. When you need the most accurate distances to the front, centre and back of the green, the Sureshotgps Micro delivers. A smart GPS for golf, the Sureshotgps micro comes with a great colourdisplay in a micro, waterproof designed casing weighing less than 100grams, fitting perfectly in your pocket. The micro has intelligent auto-course recognition and can provide individual shot distances.

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TaylorMade R11™ and R11 TP Drivers Seven years ago, TaylorMade Golf introduced Movable Weight Technology™ (MWT®) with the revolutionary r7® quad, which gave golfers the ability to move weight to promote changes in trajectory for greater distance and accuracy. Again, in 2009, the R9™ driver transformed the metal-wood category with the introduction of Flight Control Technology (FCT), providing golfers the ability to change the orientation of the driver head with the shaft. Last year, TaylorMade introduced the R9 SuperTri driver, which incorporated two major driver technologies—FCT and MWT—in a 460cc clubhead. TaylorMade R11 driver—the next revolution in golf club adjustability. By incorporating TaylorMade’s new Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology, along with our proven Flight Control Technology and Movable Weight Technology, into a single clubhead, the R11 gives golfers the ability to adjust their driver to fit their individual needs with even greater precision. Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology The ASP sole plate provides ±2° of face angle change (neutral/square, 2° open, 2° closed). You can create three lofts with the same face angle, or you can further accentuate a face angle or counter a negative face angle. Plus, the combination of ASP and FCT effectively doubles the range of face angle for the club for ±2° to ±4°. The R11 driver is designed with a new, modern-classical clubhead shape intended to suit the eye of better players, while still providing forgiveness and confidence for average players. The shape is more contemporary in appearance than traditional drivers, and slightly triangular to create a modern yet classical address silhouette. The triangular shape creates more inertia and a deeper back CG position for greater stability and forgiveness. The white crown colour and black PVD face provides optimum contrast against the ground to make the R11 easier to aim.

Burner® SuperFast 2.0 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 TP Drivers The modern Burner driver—introduced in early 2007—is the best-selling driver in TaylorMade history. It introduced golfers to a groundbreaking development called SuperFast technology that allowed them to swing the club faster for greater distance. The next-generation Burner SuperFast 2.0 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 TP combine SuperFast technology with an ultra-large face size and low-drag aerodynamics to promote faster swing speed, a higher launch angle and lower spin-rate, equaling a dramatic boost in distance. The two best distance-producing technologies in years are combined in this high-MOI driver. The Burner SuperFast 2.0 driver is newly shaped to deliver the benefit of our Dual Crown Technology—designed to create a lower CG to promote a higher launch angle and lower spin-rate, the launch conditions that promote greater distance—but with a more conventional head shape. In addition, the Burner 2.0 incorporates SuperFast Technology, including a longer shaft, lighter weight and more usable face area. The high-MOI titanium clubhead also features TaylorMade’s Inverted Cone Technology, milled directly into the back of a clubface. The Inverted Cone expands the area of the clubface that delivers high ball speed, meaning you can miss the centre of the clubface by a lot and still generate high ball speed and long distance. A vital upgrade to the Burner SuperFast is the new Winn Lite grip that weighs just 25 grams, yet it sacrifices nothing in terms of feel and traction. It’s a critical component in making this club at 279 grams, the lightest driver ever produced by TaylorMade.

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Cleveland Golf Ultralite Driver—Weight Matters

Maximum distance and performance come from the right fit. The new Cleveland Ultralite Driver series is offered in three distinct weights. The Right Weight Fitting System helps a player find the right driver for their game. The fitting system is designed to fit a player into a driver that achieves the optimum combination of head speed, feel, and workability. We know everyone has a different swing-type or performance goals, so not everyone should be playing the same weighted driver. If you haven’t been fit for weight, you might be playing the wrong driver. The new Cleveland Ultralite Driver series is available in: • TL 310 (TOUR LITE) • SL 290 (SUPER LITE) • XL 270 (EXTRA LITE) and XL270 DRAW

CG16™ & CG16™ Tour Irons —Just like our wedges, but longer

The CG16™ irons are designed with a lighter overall club-weight and longer club length for maximum distance. The large cavity back, with its full undercut, stretches the centre of gravity low and deep to optimise launch angle and significantly improve forgiveness. The large, thin face allows for increased COR and maximum ball speed that will produce distance to compete with any iron set in the market— but with increased control. Available with lightweight steel or graphite shafts, the CG16™ irons are offered in either a Black Pearl or Satin Chrome finish. The CG16™ Tour irons are an all-around player’s set made for serious golfers who demand solid feel, accuracy, and workability with a touch of forgiveness. The modest cavity back, with its engineered undercut, improves ball speed, mis-hit distance, and accuracy. The CG16™ Tour irons are available in either a Black Pearl or Satin Chrome finish.

Mashie Hybrid —Play it where it lies

The Mashie was created to bring utility back to the hybrid category, and it does just that. Its sole features two gliderails and a centre keel, all of which function to reduce turf drag and stabilise the club through impact. This makes the Mashie the most versatile utility Cleveland Golf has ever produced. The Mashie’s technology and performance isn’t traditional at all— through collaborations with Lamkin grips and Miyazaki shafts, engineers at Cleveland Golf have removed 30 grams of weight from the club. The removal of weight increases clubhead speed, producing more ball speed and more distance.

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PowerBilt PowerBilt Air Force One The much anticipated next generation of PowerBilt clubs, Air Force One driver and supporting fairway woods, hybrids and irons will be available in Australia in late March. This is the only golf club on the market featuring Nitrogen-Charged Technology, a process that uses nitrogen gas to support the face of the driver. The inside of the clubhead is coated with a leak-proof resin and then charged with 85psi of nitrogen gas. The pressure inside the head provides support, which allows for an ultra-thin face (the thinnest face in golf) with no internal bracing helping all golfers of all swing speeds to maximise distance and maintain control. The Air Force One features a new aerodynamic head shape to increase clubhead speed with rounded toe and more open appearance in addition to the enhanced graphics. The driver will be available in 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12-degree lofts with a Fujikura shaft designed specifically for the pressurised nitrogen head. The fairway woods, hybrids and irons feature the same technology. The irons come in two styles: game improvement and super game improvement. Left hand options are available in some models.

WHY NITROGEN?

• Air we breathe is 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen • Less Pressure Fluctuation • Larger Molecule—more stable and less likely to leak with a 5-year warranty • Dry (less water vapour) • Non-reactive to temperature and pressure changes • Weightless Face Support • Maximum Transfer of Energy (COR) • Maximum CT • Maximum Trampoline Effect • Maximum Smash Factor

Trampoline Effect When a golfer strikes a ball, the goal is to compress the face of the club. The problem most golfers experience, and they don’t know this, is they cannot compress the face of the club because golf clubs are built to be tested at 110mph (as per USGA protocol). If a golfer does not swing his driver at 110mph he cannot compress the face of the club and does not experience the Trampoline Effect. By building a golf club with a thin face, and by removing the internal metal bracing that most manufacturers use to prevent the face from caving in, every golfer, no matter their swing speed, can now compress the face of the club and get the maximum Trampoline Effect (the amount of time it takes the club face to compress and spring back to its original form).

AIR FORCE ONE DRIVER

Smash Factor The maximum Smash Factor allowed by the USGA is 1.50. This measurement is the difference between swing speed and ball speed. If your swing speed is 100mph and your ball speed is 150mph, your Smash Factor is 1.50. If your swing speed is 110mph and your ball speed is 163mph, your Smash Factor is 1.48. If your swing speed is 95mph and your ball speed is 125mph, your Smash Factor is 1.31. To calculate, divide your ball speed by swing speed (150/100=1.50). To discover your smash factor visit your local Drummond Golf store. What is COR? Coefficient of Restitution, or COR, is one of the most important terms in golf. This is a measurement calculated by the USGA when it tests golf clubs for conformity. If a golf club does not meet the COR standards, the USGA could rule it non-conforming and illegal for tournament play. The maximum COR allowed by the USGA is .830. This transfer of energy is a measurement of how much energy is transferred from the clubhead to the ball upon impact. The USGA only allows 83 per cent of the clubhead energy to be transferred to the ball. What is CT? Characteristic Time, or CT, is a measurement taken by the USGA when testing golf clubs. This measurement determines how long the ball lingers on the face of the club upon impact. The longer the ball stays on the face of the club, the farther the ball will travel.

www.drummondgolf.com

MY STORE

Gagdets & Toys Bionic Golf Glove

With a conventional golf glove you compensate for the unevenness of your hand by squeezing the club too hard. That tightens the muscle in your hand and arm. With the Bionic glove design, you instinctively adopt a lighter grip. Your new lighter, more relaxed Bionic grip will increase swing speed and add distance. Because your hand has more surface contact with the club, you have more control. This keeps the clubface from twisting and improves accuracy. These gloves are crafted from top-grade cabretta leather—they feel like a second skin.

MGI Navigator G800

FootJoy MyJoys

FootJoy introduces its MyJoys custom shoe program, which includes 10 styles from the new premium flagship shoe category, FJ ICON. Available at www.myjoys.com.au, consumers now have the option of customising 16 FootJoy shoes, including 10 from the FJ ICON and the spikeless FJ Professional lines, as well as other leading categories such as DryJoys®, Contour Series™ and LoPro Collection™. With nearly 100 leathers, including smooth, patent and reptile print options, there are nearly two million possible combinations. After selecting your base, saddle, accent and even lace colours, you can also add up to six letters of personalisation or one of numerous stock logos. Most styles are also available in a spikeless outsole for wear away from the golf course. Now you can put yourself in the shoes of Tour pros like Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy and Hunter Mahan, who have been wearing FJ ICON since they were first introduced. No matter what styles and colours they choose to wear each week, you can have the same designs delivered in six weeks.

The future is here. Continuing MGIs revolution in motorised golf, the Navigator G800 is the ultimate addition to your game. Complete with full directional remote control, full colour screen displaying walking speed, times and distances. Combining the intelligence of Sureshotgps™ with the leading motorised company, experience the world’s only fully integrated GPS mapping for golf. Download maps from the web to the remote control, then wireless transfer them to your buggy and know the distance at your finger tips.

Triumph Push Button 3 Buggy

Triumph Push Button 3 is the latest, cutting edge development in golf buggies. Functionality is assured with the press of a single button, the buggy folds away instantly. Features include: • Open and close with the push of a button • Umbrella holder available for play in all weather conditions (purchased separately) • Scorecard holder with built-in drink holder • Accessory compartment and ball net • Push on, push off foot brake system • Low profile wheels with grip tread

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exclusive member offers all day - every day

SPECIAL OFFER PURCHASE ANY BAG AND BUGGY COMBINATION AND GET

10%

OFF (EXCLUDES MOTORISED BUGGIES)

SPECIAL OFFER PURCHASE ANY DOZEN BALLS AND GET A SECOND DOZEN AT

20% OFF

(MUST BE THE SAME BALL)

SPECIAL OFFER PURCHASE ANY PAIR OF SHORTS OR PANTS AND GET A SECOND PAIR OF SHORTS OR PANTS AT

20% OFF

(HIGHEST PRICE PREVAILS ON FULL PRICE ITEM)

SPECIAL OFFER PURCHASE ANY POLO AND GET A SECOND POLO AT

20% OFF

(HIGHEST PRICE PREVAILS ON FULL PRICE ITEM)

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exclusive member offers limited time only

MY STORE

SPECIAL OFFER Buy one Cleveland CG15 wedge and get the second at

half price

SPECIAL OFFER Free

Pro Golf IQ golf putting cd with every putter bought by a DC member

SPECIAL OFFER Bonus dozen Penta TP Balls

â&#x153;&#x192;

with every new R11 Driver

Voucher 50% off any glove when you purchase

any of these premium golf balls. Titleist ProV1 & ProV1x, TaylorMade Penta TP, Callway Tour is & iz, Wilson Staff FG Tour, Srixon Z Star (2011). (must bring into store and limited to one per member) All offers valid until 31st May, 2011 or while stock lasts. Some items may not be available at all stores. Member offers not valid in conjunction with any other offers or discounts. Prices correct at time of printing & subject to change.

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Mental

MY GAME

A Cool Head DR MIKE MARTIN, GOLF PSYCHOLOGIST

Jonathan Byrd won the season opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. And he’s a pretty cool customer. You’d have to be a Cool Cat to make a hole in one in the dark to win a PGA Tour event. Not to mention winning four others. His latest victory in Kapalua required all the cool he could muster at the second extra hole of the sudden death playoff against Robert Garrigus. Byrd was cool under pressure all week, showing championship quality thinking right from the first round. So here’s a little of Byrd’s tournament winning ‘cool’ we can copy to our own mental game. Love The One Your With — We all grow to love our home course. And once you get your game on the road it’s much easier to notice all the negative things about the other courses you play. Too often those negatives take centre stage during your round; the hole layout is wrong for your game; the greens are too fast or too slow; the fairways are too narrow. As soon as that type of thinking starts, you’ve already undermined your self belief. I always ask players to be on the lookout for things they like about the course. The more things you like about the course, the more positive you’ll feel and the greater chance you’ll give yourself to play to your best. “It’s a course I like,” Byrd said of Maui’s Plantation Course layout. “You have a little extra room off the tees and little bigger greens... I think it sets up real good for me.” He didn’t focus on the uneven sidehill lies or the strong trade winds that blew in everyday, he chose to focus on what he liked about the course. Who Endures Conquers — So many players come off the rails after making a few mistakes. They carry the emotional baggage of their errors and consequently keep gathering negative momentum. They lead themselves into a downward spiral. It starts because they feel bad about their mistakes. And then, because they’re feeling bad, they start playing even worse, making more mistakes. They end up feeling worse. After Byrd made a bogey on the 8th hole during Round 2, he didn’t get upset. Instead, he thought, “Just keep your head up and keep walking”. For Byrd, his error prompted him to think about what was ahead, not what lay behind. He was looking to birdie opportunities in the future, not carrying the bogies from the past. www.drummondgolf.com

PIC: Sam Greenwood / GETTY IMAGES

Byrd Soars in Hawaii

Jonathan Byrd, winner of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation course in Kapalua, Hawaii Play Your Own Game — Golfing buddies tend to bring out the “King Kong complex” in most players. When you get sucked into that crush and destroy mindset brought on by the real or perceived rivalry, your game typically comes undone. Truth is, you need to play your own game, to think about your course management, your routines, your positive focusing strategies. You need to do the things that give you the opportunity to score low, not get caught up in what others are doing. “I didn’t look at the leaderboard a whole lot today... I felt like I could keep my head down and just play the golf course and kind of see what happens,” Byrd said after shooting a six-under 67 on Day 3. Playing the course and playing your own game is an important key to success because it keeps you focused on what you can control. Focusing on your game keeps feelings of self-belief high. Just 12 weeks before his win in Hawaii, Jonathan Byrd was in danger of not qualifying for the 2011 PGA Tour. But after a little soul searching, and back-to-back wins, he has secured his card for another two years. It’s amazing what the right thinking strategies will do for your game.

Dr Mike Martin is a golf psychologist who works with middle and low handicappers who struggle with loss of focus, self-doubt and inconsistency in their game. He has worked at the US Masters and British Open. Mike teaches at The Ridge Golf Course (near Menai in Sydney). To get a copy of his free mental game report “Five Embarrassingly Simple Secrets” go to MentalGolfer.com

MY GAME

Tips from the Tour

BALLstriking NADENE GOLE, TEACHING PROFESSIONAL

Keep Your Eye on the Ball One of golf’s greatest misconceptions is that you should ‘keep your head down’ or ‘keep your head still’. This seemingly innocent and simple statement is widely used by playing partners with good intentions in mind. However, in reality this action means your head will get in the way of your swing, resulting in poor shotmaking, including topping the ball (hitting it thin) or hitting too far behind the ball (hitting it fat).

he strain put on the body when trying to restrict the movement of the head (while allowing the rest of the body to continue on its natural path of motion) will also increase the potential risk of injury. The golf swing is a rotational movement and is a continuous motion. These two images taken at similar phases of the golf swing highlight the importance of the head’s rotation throughout the golf swing. Remember to keep your eyes on the ball, don’t keep your head down or still.

The incorrect way: keep your head down and/or still

By keeping your head down and/or still, the following occurs: • The lower and upper body cannot continue a natural rotation, which restricts the follow-through and causes ill-directed shots.

• Reduction of potential distance is caused by the minimal weight transference and a slowing down of body-speed.

• Poor impact and postimpact position, which causes inconsistent ballstriking.

The correct way: keep your eyes on the ball

By keeping your eyes on the ball: • The upper and lower body have been able to continue a natural rotation and now face toward the target for better aligned shot-making.

• There is correct weight transference over the left leg and increased body-speed for maximum distance.

• The body and arms are better connected and the impact and post-impact positions are more secure for consistent shot-making.

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Tips from the Tour

MY GAME

LONG BUNKER SHOT MATT GRIFFIN, TOUR PROFESSIONAL

Not So Hazardous After All The shot golfers fear the most is the long bunker shot. It is an extremely difficult shot to pull off, but one that can be made easier with a few simple tips. These tips can be used for bunker shots from 25 through to 80 metres. Depending on the size of the lip of the bunker and the distance of the shot, you can use anything from a sand wedge through to an 8- or 9-iron.

n contrast to a short bunker shot where you want to blast a little more sand to make the ball come out softly, with this shot you want to take the ball a little more cleanly because of the extra distance you need to hit it.

1. Grip down on the club about an inch

2. When taking your stance donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dig your feet too deep into the sand

3. Use an action similar to a pitch shot

4. Make an aggressive swing accelerating through impact while hitting the sand just before the ball.

By adopting these tips the long bunker shot should become a lot easier and you should become a lot more consistent, hopefully getting the ball up-and-down more often.

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MY GAME

Tips from the Tour

putting jarrod moseley, TOUR PROFESSIONAL

Target Your Putts Over the years I have seen many different putting strokes and set ups. Some have been more conventional than others. There have been many different grips, stances and many outrageous looking putters. However, they all concentrate on two things: speed and target. So I thought I would share my thoughts on how I prepare for a putt and hopefully help you to sink more putts. TARGET Using an alignment tool I draw a straight line on the ball, thus creating an arrow to point towards my intended target. (Most amateurs donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow enough break for their putts. Placing a line on the ball will help to aim you in the right direction.) Then place the ball on the green with the line pointing down the target line. For example, if I have a putt that looks likely to break two feet from the right I point the line to that area. Then I align my putt by matching the line on the golf ball with the line marked on the back of my putter and I am ready to make my putt. Ball position can vary depending on your preference, however, I like to have the ball slightly left of the centre of my stance (right of centre for left-handed players) so I am hitting the ball on the upward motion giving the ball more top spin for a smoother roll. I go through the same routine for every putt and the rhythm and stroke never changes no matter the pressure. SPEED CONTROL Although alignment is important, getting the right speed is more crucial to becoming a good putter. This is a simple drill you can practise any time. Place balls in a straight line (Pictured left). Start from the first one and work your way back. If you miss a putt start from the front again and keep doing it until you have made them all. This will improve your confidence and make you a more consistent putter.

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Physical

MY GAME

SKILL & DRILLS BILL McTIGUE, PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Your 10-Year Plan to Play on Tour

Is golfing expertise god-given, or something that can be achieved by anyone committed to working hard?

urrent scientific research would suggest that talent is grown and not born. After reviewing countless articles and working with numerous golfers during the past five years, my professional opinion is talent is 90 per cent grown and only 10 per cent genetic. That means you could be out there on tour shooting par and making more money in one year than most of us do in 10.

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But how long does it take to develop that golfing skill to take you from novice to tour professional? The research on longterm athletic development says 10,000 hours of “quality practice” should do the trick. Interestingly, it’s the same time commitment it would take to become proficient in an academic subject like French or maths. Ten thousand hours equates to roughly three hours a day, seven days a week for 10 years. Golf is a complex beast involving skills in the physical, mental, technical and tactical. While here I will focus on the physical skills, do not lose sight of the fact that all four areas dovetail together in an accomplished golfer. It is said energy is wasted on youth. Young, growing brains and bodies are like sponges when it comes to skill development. There are optimal times in development to master physical skills such as speed, strength, agility and even flexibility. The optimal time to train speed in a young girl is between the years of five and seven, and then again at 11 to 13. Physiotherapists who specialise in long-term athletic development are skilled at directing what in a growing child should be trained and when to direct them on the 10-year path to becoming a professional athlete. But what about us oldies? The good news is that all windows of physical performance are always trainable. It certainly helps if you have a good history of physical exercise, but the older you are the more diligent you need to be in your training. The main problem I see with gofers is they are trying to make physical moves they do not have control over. A tour professional needs to swing the driver at about 115mph (185kph) to be competitive. A lot of male golfers are capable of this, but can only control

their body well when swinging at 90mph (145kph). It would seem to make sense to screen golfers objectively to appraise their capabilities, like what happens in other sports such as athletics and football. Physical golf screens are essential for golfers to objectively measure their skills and then figure out what to work on to get to the next level. If a golfer is missing fundamental physical skills, then every swing will be a compensation and fraught with inconsistency. An example of a physical golf screen that can be conducted at the range can be downloaded free from our website www.mgolf.com.au. The two most challenging screening tests for the majority of golfers are the Golf Posture Test and the Single Leg Squat. Once you’ve seen your golf physio for a physical golf screen and improvement program you’ll be able to get so much more out of your lessons with your PGA professional.

If all else fails, don’t take it too seriously. As Lee Trevino once said:

“Golf is a game invented by the same people who think that music comes out of a bagpipe”

Bill McTigue is the director of mgolf, a physiotherapy clinic based in Melbourne’s sandbelt district that deals specifically with golfing injuries, fitness and performance. Ph: (03) 9583 5300 or visit mgolf.com.au

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Nadene Gole Golf Schools

l o o h c s BACK TO

“My experience was amazing. I was ready to give up my golf. But Nadene has put the fire in my belly to pursue my goals, and has shown me the skills required and given me the confidence and self-belief that I can do it. I met so many wonderful people, ate and drank great food and wine and the Victoria Golf Club staff were simply fantastic.”

The concept of a ‘golf school’ is marvellous. For those who yearn to elevate their game, the opportunity to spend hour after hour, day upon day building their game under the expert eye of an experienced golf coach is alluring. Correcting swing technique and learning to play smarter on the course is a standard fundamental at any school. But imagine the value of being exposed to professionals proficient in human movement and sports psychology, too. This holistic approach to game improvement awaits those attending the Nadene Gole Golf Schools. Staged at the prestigious Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne’s sandbelt and designed exclusively for Drummond Club members, the golf schools are a creation of former tour player and Drummond Club partner coach, Nadene Gole. In the intensive six-day program, Nadene showcases her ability to pass on her game secrets and nuances she forged in the heat of battle against the best players in the world (as well as an increasing involvement in coaching). “Like many golfers out there, I too have faced the crossroads with the game. Frustrated, I was considering giving it away. I sought out the guidance of some very good people and as a result achieved my ultimate goal,” Nadene said. “The Nadene Gole Golf School is my medium that enables me to provide that same pathway to others.” The schools are delivered to a restricted class size to ensure personalised attention. Individuals from various regions across Australia—all with different backgrounds, levels of experience and ability—come together with one shared purpose: to acquire new skills and play better.

program Dates 2011 Mar 27- Apr 1 FULL May 29- Jun 3 Aug 28- Sep 2 Sep 4-9 Oct 9-14 Also Short Game Schools –3 night/ 4 days Mar 13-16 FULL May 15-18 May 22-25 For more information please visit nadenegole.com or call Nadene Gole on 04125 792 784 Here’s is a summary on the different elements of the program:

The Venue Victoria Golf Club is one of Melbourne’s leading sandbelt golf courses. The food is exceptional and the club is renowned for having a fine wine list. The rooms are housed within the charming 80-year-old plus clubhouse. While you’re required to wear a jacket and tie at the dinner table, the manner in which the staff and club members embrace you makes Victoria a home away from home. Physiology Bill McTigue [M1 Golf] delivers the first session of the week; bright and early Monday morning. The session opens with back-to-basics, relating to the physical aspects of golf with a focus on movement, flexibility, balance and

strength. Bill introduces a warm-up drill session to reduce the likelihood of ongoing injuries, as well as improve your current game. It is a very motivational and enlightening session.

Mental On Tuesday morning you’ll spend an hour session with Paulette Mifsud [Mental Potential], a sports psychologist. The session is fascinating and gives you an insight into elite sport and the extent mental preparation plays in practice and performance at any level. You will acquire new skills to help you practise better, harness your fluctuating competitive spirit during a round, develop a sound pre-shot routine and use relaxation techniques to focus out on the course. Technical It is of comfort to all that Nadene’s method of teaching is individually targeted and expressed. Educated in the science of human movement, Nadene uses these skills to identify technical faults and apply the best method to overcome them. Nadene has an innate ability to find a way to communicate her message to anyone she teaches. You’ll find her communication skills quite impressive, and her unique ability to ease your apprehensive state equally so. Tactical Nadene also has an amazing ability to simplify the game. She quickly identifies what the faults are and where they lie. And the results are simply stunning. By covering the importance of pre-game preparation and the need to create and prepare a plan for the day in our minds, Nadene teaches students a proven game improvement technique of visualising each hole prior to teeing off.

www.drummondgolf.com

Pro Golf IQ

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Putting Focus

Are nervy putts spoiling your game? For the average golfer at least half of the game is on the green, where putting determines if matches are won or lost and handicaps alter. It is also the area where—if the pressure is on—the nerves and tension in the body can wreak havoc with focus and concentration. Now picture yourself on a warm summer’s day at your favourite course. Your approach shot has landed five metres from the pin and it’s your turn to putt. You mark your ball, step back and view the line, noticing any uphill or downhill slopes, the cut of the grass and the pace required to drop the ball into the cup. You kneel down taking further visuals from behind the hole and from the sides looking for breaks and contours. Finally, you feel confident and focussed. Then, as you take your stance you remember this putt will win the game. Suddenly your heart-rate soars, your palms feel clammy and tension increases in your muscles as the adrenaline floods through your body. The question is: Can your brain cope with the additional pressure or do you choke your putt? If you often fall apart under added stress, you are not alone. Finding the ZONE Research by prestigious universities using brainwave analysing devices (EEG) revealed pros and low handicappers showed heightened activity in both the analytical left hemisphere of the brain and the creative right side during preshot routine.

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ExClusive So, how does the amateur golfer acquire these powerful skills used by the world’s top players?

The left side deals with the direction, speed and power required, while the right controls the rhythm, timing, creativity and imagery needed to send clear messages to the body to play the best possible shot. Then, in the second or so before the swing, brainwave activity subsides providing a feeling of calm and into the zone, eradicating any negative thoughts. Unfortunately, the same studies showed the majority of us mere mortals get stuck in the left brain; over-analysing the situation and causing unnecessary stress and tension, which in turn leads to a poor shot.

Drummond Golf has teamed up with top mind-coaching company Pro Golf IQ to bring our customers an exclusive product called, Focus on Putting, designed to get you thinking like a pro. This powerful 30-minute audio session will guide you through the first steps of how to relax and get control of your mind on the golf course, and provides the foundation for the powerful five-week mental coaching program that will change the way you approach every shot. Focus on Putting is part of the Pro Golf IQ CD box set available in store. Drummond Club members can get the session on a single CD free of charge with the purchase of any putter over $50 until 31 March 2011. Tour Pro Terry Price says: “Professionals pay thousands of dollars to develop mental toughness and this program is a must for anyone who seriously wants to drop shots from their game.” The Pro Golf IQ CD box set contains the 5-week program and bonus inclusions of the Drummond Golf exclusive, Focus on Putting and the powerful Enforcer booster session. For further information please ask in store or visit www.progolfiq.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION

Gourmet Golf Tours

Vietnam 2010 on Orion II Gourmet Golf Tours has released its inaugural Vietnam Golf Cruise charter commencing 9 November, 2011, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. The nine-night guaranteed departure includes five rounds of golf on five of Vietnam’s best courses, with the option to play a sixth round in Da Nang, as well as pre–and post–Cruise golf at various locations. The Tour will be led by experienced PGA member and former pro golfer Ian Stanley. The Golf Cruise includes Ocean Dunes (Nick Faldo) and Sea Links in Phan Thiet, Diamond Bay in Nha Trang and the fabulous Montgomerie Links and Greg Norman-designed Da Nang Golf Club, in Da Nang. Motorised buggies, caddies, range-balls and green fees are all included along with our signature ‘Golf Truck Transport’ which moves clubs from one course to another while guests travel by sea using our Floating Club House. At Phan Thiet, over two days, landings for golf and local touring are made by the ships Zodiacs, adding to the uniqueness of this cruise. The cruise then sails from Da Nang to Ha Long Bay, finishing in Haiphong with transfers to Hanoi. At each end of the cruise, there are optional packages with or without golf, staying at deluxe hotels, including the Park Hyatt in Saigon and the Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi. There are options for visiting and playing golf in Dalat, as well as a side trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. In addition, there are Gateway Golf Packages in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Bangkok. The Bangkok, Saigon and Hanoi portions are fully escorted by experienced Gourmet Golf Tours staff who will also manage the golf and daily sightseeing for non-golfers on the cruise. The tour includes a highlight gourmet dinner experience in Hoi An and wine with dinner on the ship each evening. This is a fully-inclusive cruise for discerning golfers and follows on from Gourmet Golf’s successful charter of Orion in New Zealand in February, 2010, to be repeated in early 2012. Shotgun starts, optional golf competitions for all levels of golfer, an onboard golf professional and many other highlights, merchandise and day tours are all included in this exciting new cruise product, the second dedicated golf cruise of its kind operated by an Australian travel company. Pricing for the Vietnam Golf Cruise starts at A$9,657 per person for a non-golfer; A$10,052 for a light-golfer; and A$10,522 for a full-golfer. For nongolfers and light-golfers, there are included excursions every day with expedition staff. With only 45 suites available, this golf cruise is expected to sell-out due to its unique offering and high-end quality. Orion II, an all-suite mega yacht commences service in Asia in June, and this is the first dedicated golf charter on the ship by Gourmet Golf Tours. Gourmet Golf Tours is part of the Events Worldwide Travel Group, Travel Agents license 31918. 60

For further information please contact: Glenn Hedley, Managing Director, Gourmet Golf Tours P/L 61 (0) 3 5989 7596 or email: ggt@events.com.au www.drummondgolf.com

G o u r m e t G o l f tours.com

Invitation

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join PGA Member Ian Stanley on our inaugural Gourmet Golf Cruise in Vietnam on board Orion II.

09 - 18 November 2011

Testimonials from our New Zealand Gourmet Golf Cruise Feb 2010

Michael Tuite (Golf Tournament Winner) “I’ve been playing for 50 years and this is the first time I’ve won anything. Seeing a pod of five dolphins out on the starboard side early in the morning was terrific. I’m planning to do the Vietnam Cruise as I want to defend my title” John and Joanna Hamm “The trip has been amazing. The food and wine served as a perfectly adequate backdrop to the trip, the scenery and the golf. Our lasting memo will be the people we met because hopefully they will always be in our lives”

This is an all inclusive deluxe all suite Cruise including; transport, all meals, wine, green fees, carts, range balls and more. Prices start at $10,522 for full golfers and $9,657 for non golfers with day trips to replace golf. For our detailed brochure please call: 1300 788 666 email: golf@events.com.au or visit www.gourmetgolftours.com to download.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR BOOKINGS TO 31st MARCH WHILST STOCKS LAST! www.drummondgolf.com

PLACES

International

THAILAND

Kingdom of Golf The Kingdom of Thailand is no postage stamp. Similar in land mass to California or France, it stretches even greater distance north to south, meaning the variation in climate and terrain is profound. This is good news for the golfer. Thailand’s courses reflect this geographic diversity and the golf traveller can hew out the country’s endless coastline, venture into tropical jungles, do the city thing, or find a remote stretch of sand to get away from it all. Most Asian countries have but a handful of golf courses; Thailand boasts more than 260, the best of which are available to overseas golf visitors. While the cost of golf—and lodging, food and entertainment—remain extremely low by Australian and Eurpoean standards, the quality of the golf—and the hotels, cuisine and the après-golf options—remains first world.

www.drummondgolf.com

Thailand

Phuket Phuket is known internationally as one of the most exotic destinations in Southeast Asia. With its endless white beaches, cooling blue lagoons and tropical mountainous interior, it provides a stunning and glorious image of paradise on earth, providing an ideal backdrop for your golf holidays in Phuket set in the crystal blue Andaman Sea. Phuket is surrounded by a number of glorious tropical islands, and the large ones are served by ferry. If you want to lose yourself on a deserted tropical beach, then this is the place to be to combine total relaxation with Phuket golf. www.drummondgolf.com

Featured Golf Course Red Mountain

his three-year-old, 6900-yard, 18hole track—sister property to Loch Palm GC—winds its way through a truly stunning former tin mine in the heart of Phuket’s central highlands. For its unique location alone, Red Mountain is one of Asia’s most exciting new courses. But the layout is more than mere eye candy. The course has been cleverly routed to take advantage of a huge variety of landforms and dizzying elevation changes. Scars left from the tin mine era have been imaginatively incorporated into the overall scheme, creating a unique character and several

risk-reward scenarios golfers will never forget. The par-4 16th feels like its has been laid out along a mountaintop. The par-3 17th drops more than 100 feet from tee to green. Course architect Jon Morrow and co-designer Al Tikkanen did a wonderful job here allowing the terrain to speak for itself. Former mining pits have been flooded to create sprawling, sparkling water hazards. Mountainsides scraped away reveal the native red clay form the boundaries on multiples holes— contrasting beautifully with the green turf, white sand and blue sky. 63

PLACES

International

Bangkok Bangkok is a city of immeasurable delights; beautiful temples and palaces, classical Thai dancing, kickboxing, boat rides, shopping bargains, restaurants and international world-class hotels offer an incomparable range of food and facilities. Of course a wide range of bars and discotheques of every description enliven the legendary night scene. Whether you are travelling to Bangkok for leisure or business, a game of golf could be just the thing you need. You’ll play some of the world’s most distinguished courses. Then relax in a luxurious and comfortable hotel, enjoy fine dining and an abundance of leisure activities.

Featured Course—Thai Country Club

hai Country Club is often considered the best in Bangkok as it sets the standard for service excellence. Designed under US PGA international standards by Denis Griffiths, it opened in December 1996. The design adapts to everyday member use, and is up to a very tough challenge for major international tournaments. The 7157-yard course (from the professional tees) was the venue for the 1997 Asian Honda Classic, where Tiger Woods cruised to a comfortable 10-stroke victory after shooting a final round of 68 for a 20 under-par total of 268 for the championship. The course is well maintained year round and features a great variety from hole to hole, along with an abundance of water and sand bunkers. With its immaculate presentation and conditioning, coupled with a very strong and classic parkland layout, Thai Country Club is regularly voted as a Top 5 course in Asia. Thai Country Club is a layout that requires good course management. It’s hard to imagine the terrain here was originally flat, especially when looking across the pleasantly rolling earth mounds, contoured fairways and often elevated greens. The fairway and greenside bunkering is superb, almost like a work of art. Anything wayward from the tee will usually be found, but is also likely to be sitting down in clinging semi-rough, making your next shot just that bit more difficult. The undulating greens make for many interesting pin placements and are a constant test of one’s golfing proficiency. There are several top-class holes among this strong 18. The 6th, measuring 218 from the back tee, is as tough as they get with water guarding the right side and bunkers in front and behind the green. In fact, according to competition statistics, this deceiving hole is the most difficult on the course, with a stroke average of 3.38 for the professionals. Discerning golfers will appreciate this truly world-class golfing experience. Thai Country Club’s caddies are among the best trained in Thailand. The award-winning ‘Best in Asia’ clubhouse, which is surrounded by water between the 1st tee and 18th green, is regularly voted the best clubhouse in Asia. Once there, you’ll find the friendliest staff of golf professionals in the kingdom, committed to making your golf experience a memorable one. As expected of a club as prestigious as this, the dining facilities are second to none and the dining room’s ever-changing menus feature Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine as well as daily buffets. The golfer’s lounge is the perfect place to meet to reflect on your round. With spectacular views over the course, golf in Thailand doesn’t get any better than the Thai Country Club. A true total golfing experience. www.drummondgolf.com

Thailand

Pattaya Pattaya is located on the Gulf of Thailand, 140 km southeast of Bangkok. It is one of the largest tourism centres in Thailand and in addition to an abundance of golf courses, has a wide variety of hotels, beaches, shopping and world-renowned nightlife. It takes only 1.5 hours to reach Pattaya by car from Bangkok, or 1 hour from Suvarnabhumi International airport. Pattaya is the Thailand golf destination where you can fill your day from dusk to dawn. At day there is endless golf. At night, there are restaurants, bars, shopping, cabaret shows, nightclubs, bowling halls, billiard and snooker clubs, and discos. To put it simply, Pattaya is a golfer’s paradise.

www.drummondgolf.com

Featured Course— Siam Country Club, Plantation Course

he Siam Country Club Plantation Course is simply an amazing golf course and plays as difficult as any other in Thailand. Nothing was spared by designer Lee Schmidt. This 27-hole layout is routed through rolling terrain, with distant panoramic views of world-renowned Pattaya Beach and the Gulf of Thailand. Formerly a tapioca and pineapple plantation, the property’s geological and natural characteristics include rugged ravines bisecting its Paspalum fairways and mature trees augmented by landscape ground cover and plantings. The Plantation Course also features significant elevation changes that result in several breathtaking views of the beaches of Pattaya and the Gulf of Thailand approximately seven miles away. The course features one difficult hole after another. Long carries, blind shots, elevated greens, undulating fairways and greens, giant high-lipped bunkers, and most of all shaved fringes on every hole are in play to challenge even the professional golfer. The distance from the tips is a long 7404 and 7495 yards, which makes the Siam Country Club Plantation Course the longest Pattaya golf course and one of the longest golf courses in Thailand. Two nines, the par-36, 3759-yard Tapioca and par-36, 3645-yard Pineapple, feature Asia’s first triple green. The Tapioca’s seventh hole and the Pineapple’s fourth and ninth holes play to a single green measuring more than 20,000 square feet (1916 square metres) and is a unique focal point on this Pattaya golf course. The green’s meandering putting surface is contiguous and is divided into three distinct sections by large swales. Number seven on the Tapioca is a par-3 of 178 yards, while numbers four and nine on the Pineapple are lengthy par-4s of 490 and 469 yards, respectively. The Sugarcane is the Siam Country Club’s third nine and a par-36, 3736-yard layout. Practice facilities include a grass driving range complete with pitching area, sand bunker and large practice putting greens are available for golfers wishing to ‘try-out’ the course prior to play. The magnificent contemporary designed clubhouse that overlooks the aforementioned triple green with Pattaya City in the backdrop, makes a great place to reflect on your round and think about how you can conquer this course next time.

PLACES

International

Hua Hin For more than 75 years, the Hua Hin beach resort has been a popular holiday area for affluent Thais, and although it still retains the intimacy of a village, it has successfully incorporated modern luxuries without the commercialism of other resorts. The area has kept much of its Old World charm and colourful ways. Today, Cha Am—Hua Hin’s northern neighbour—remains a thriving fishing village with its own local fleet. The oldest and most traditional Thailand beach resort combines the attractions of a modern holiday destination with the charm and fascination of an active fishing port. And while most other Thai holiday destinations cater mainly to foreign tourists, Hua Hin is a holiday resort for foreigners and Thais.

Featured Course—Black Mountain

lack Mountain is one of the newer Hua Hin golf courses. The course was transformed from lush jungle and pineapple plantations, and is set in a valley next to the “Black Mountains”— so named because of the large black rocks set into the mountains, providing a nice backdrop to many of the holes. The course looks as natural as possible and maintains many of the original features of the site. The most important of these are the natural creeks that run through the course and the rocks that have been used as design features on many of the holes. Many of the original trees have been kept and many new trees have been planted to frame the holes. Black Mountain is a test for the top golfer, but also very playable for the average golfer. All the holes provide the golfer with a safe route, but for the more adventurous player there is a higher risk option with a greater reward. For example, the par-5 6th peninsula green can be reached in two shots by aggressive long hitters, while casual golfers have a regulation path to the green almost requiring a 360-degree series of three shots. Immediately following, the 7th—a par 4—provides two realistic ways to play the hole. Those who can carry their drives 230 yards or more over water will be rewarded with an easy chip shot to the green. Others, will need two shots to skirt around the water, first left and then back right, making it almost impossible to par. Black Mountain offers generous fairways for the shorter hitters, which become narrower for the longer tee shots. The greens are large with many pin positions—with different degrees of difficulty—and the course is well protected by many white sandsculptured bunkers. Seashore Paspalum grass was used for the tees, fairways and rough. This grass gives a wonderful playing surface and a beautiful emerald green colour. Tifeagle bermuda grass was used for the greens and this expensive hybrid grass is the same turf used on the greens at other championship courses in Thailand such as Thai Country Club. The view from the clubhouse is stunning, giving a panoramic view of the whole golf course. Black Mountain is European-owned and managed which assures smooth operations and year-round excellent standards. The golf course holds Asian and European PGA Tour event each year.

www.drummondgolf.com

Thailand

Chiang Mai For an unforgettable golf holiday, Chiang Mai offers golfers a city rich in culture, crafts, temples and natural beauty along with eight championship golf courses. Chiang Mai is filled with various entertainment centres and shopping opportunities, and gourmets can feast on tasty local Lanna cuisine. Chiang Mai nightlife, while more relaxed than Bangkok or Pattaya, is another attraction that draws many international golfers. For a golf holiday with luxury accommodation, Chiang Mai offers an unbelievable choice. Chiang Mai offers its visitors a city rich in culture, spas, massage, crafts, temples and natural beauty.

Featured Course—Chiang Mai Highlands

he Chiang Mai Highlands Golf Club opened in 2005 and adds to the range of Chiang Mai’s golf courses. The drive to the course from Chiang Mai city leads through exceptionally beautiful landscape along extensive rice fields into the mountains. The Chiang Mai Highlands golf course is built on a ‘power spot’—the hermitage of Kuba Sivichai (the revered monk who founded the famous temple on Doi Suthep). This very special site is breathtaking in every direction and tingles with an energetic aliveness. Its profound tranquility, high elevation, cool climate, fresh air, pure water, and fertile soil form the perfect place to sculpt a living golf treasure. Chiang Mai Highlands was designed by Schmidt-Curley, the same team responsible for the redesign of Muang Kaew Golf Course in Bangkok and many of Asia’s exciting new courses. The course itself is set in the hills outside Chiang Mai, giving golfers the distraction of magnificent views on every hole. The golf course is exciting and challenging for a player of any level and offers the choice of five different tee boxes. As golfers tee-off from the first tee and stroll along lush Paspalum grass fairways, a sense of golfing adventure starts. They are surrounded by magnificent views of the entire course and the mountain skyline in the background, and there are over 100 fairway and greenside bunkers on course. From the inviting downhill 1st hole, the golf course effortlessly flows along gaining strength, beauty and character with each passing hole until its thrilling, dramatic finish on the unforgettable 18th. The large and undulating greens are not easy to play, especially since they are protected by several bunkers. Bunkers and water hazards provide the distinctive note that this course requires a strategic game. A nice clubhouse with pleasant atmosphere helps provide relaxation before or after the golf round. Chiang Mai Highlands has a superbly maintained practice facility including several practice greens, a short-game area and a superb 300-yard driving range with a grass tee. Chiang Mai Highlands Golf and Spa Resort was voted No.3 for “Best New Course in Asia” by Asian Golf Monthly in 2007. Chiangmai Highlands is one of the best among a new breed of golf courses in Thailand, and a must-play as part of all Chiang Mai golf holidays.

www.drummondgolf.com

How to Get to Thailand Our travel partner, Thailand Golf Tours, has been hosting golf tours to Thailand for 13 years and in 2011 is offering a series of eight fully-hosted events to the top golfing destinations in Thailand that will culminate in a final event in Chiang Mai in October. The winner of each event during the year will receive a free 6-day package to attend this final event in Chiang Mai. As a fully-licensed and accredited operator with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) you can be assured of top personal service and peace of mind. If you haven’t played golf in Thailand, you’re really missing out on a wonderful experience. This has been evidenced by the World Golf Travel Agents Association recently awarding Thailand the ‘Best Up and Coming Destination’ for golf vacations. For tour dates or to discuss tailoring a package to suit your needs contact Mark Penfold at Thailand Golf Tours on 0419 264 800 Email: Mark@thailandgolftours.com.au Website: thailandgolftours.com.au

PLACES

Australia

swing . r e la x .

Unwind.

If a round of golf on one of Australia’s best courses, followed by an ice-cold beer or two, some fresh seafood, a relaxing swim and a massage sounds like a dream holiday routine, then we’ve got the perfect place for you. There’s never been a better time to pay Hyatt Regency Coolum a visit.

Hyatt Regency Coolum

f Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is considered a golf holiday mecca, Hyatt Regency Coolum must be its temple.Long renowned as one of the premier golf resort destinations in the country, fine accommodation, superb dining experiences, recent upgrades to its world-famous course, and plenty of leisure options will ensure Hyatt Regency Coolum stays right there. The annual home of the Australian PGA Championship, the carnival atmosphere pulsating through the resort’s spacious 150ha surrounds each December is in stark contrast to the pure serenity nestled among dense rainforest that exists throughout the year. And like any resort golf course worth a visit, Hyatt Regency Coolum has options 68

www.drummondgolf.com

Hyatt Regency Coolum

available to suit any kind of holidaymaker. In essence, you can do as much, or as little as you like. For the traveller who wants nothing more than to kick back at the bar or by one of the nine pools at the resort after a leisurely 18-holes at one of Australia’s finest golf courses, this place will suit you perfectly. And the same can be said for lovers of action-packed holidays. The resort is superbly equipped with a host of sports and leisure facilities, including a tennis centre, a gym and fitness centre and a beach club. It also offers activities like cycling, archery, canoeing and fishing. Pushbikes are available for hire on site and offer a fantastic way to get around the resort’s spacious grounds. They’re also handy for exploring what Coolum itself has to offer. Bikes can be secured for about $5 per hour, $17 per 24 hours or $95 for a week. Offering a stellar stretch of unspoiled sand—including a private beach for Hyatt Regency guests—Coolum remains a vibrant coastal town with plenty to do and see. One dramatic feature at Hyatt Regency Coolum is the imposing Mt Coolum that continually watches over the resort from a distance. This breathtaking monument comes from a time when volcanic ash was more likely to adorn the region than lush fairways and greens. If you’re feeling energetic, the 208-metre vertical challenge awaits.

PLENTY TO DO

For young families wishing to visit Hyatt Coolum, the expansive grounds afford a multitude of adventures for kids to discover. There’s also Camp Hyatt, which offers swimming and canoeing, crafts, an adventure playground and beach activities to keep the little ones occupied while mum and dad sneak in a round, or just enjoy some ‘alone time’ by the pool. But the ultimate indulgence for visitors must be an experience at The Spa. Inviting the sights, sounds and aromas of the lush forest that surrounds it, The Spa encompasses indoor and outdoor relaxation areas, a 25-metre lap pool, an aqua-aerobics pool, outdoor spa, a lavish men’s and ladies’ lounge with steam, sauna, and a relaxation lounge. Located in the heart of the resort, an hour or two here is sure to help you find ultimate bliss. Like all quality spa treatments, those offered at Hyatt Regency are not for the budget conscious. But as is often a good motto, ‘You save to go on holiday, you don’t go on holiday to save’. Relaxation www.drummondgolf.com

massages range between $125 for an hour through to $170 for a 90-minute session offering flowing and relaxation movements to ease any stress you’ve managed to bring along with you. And given the knots and niggles that are often the golfer’s unwanted companion, you hardly need an excuse to pamper yourself here. From a ‘Harmony and Balance’ for $315, which includes a 90 minute Hahana Hot Stone Massage and 60 minute Oxygen Facial through to a luminous Vitamin C Facial as part of the offering for $155, you’re spoiled for choice at The Spa. And while the ladies can enjoy a luxury hour-long manicure or pedicure for $90 and $130 respectively, the men might be more comfortable with the ‘Man’s Space’ package, which includes a 30-minute back and shoulder massage and a half-hour express pedicure for $180. You can even have your haircut in the salon if a new look is what you desire.

FIRST CLASS COURSE

With the famed Robert Trent Jones Jr designed course’s six new opening holes—officially launched at the 2009 Australian PGA Championship—offering a wonderful new start to a superb layout, the course at Coolum has never seemed so inviting to the travelling golfer. The improved opening hole (now a par 5) is sure to become one of the most interesting holes in Australian golf as it matures, and it is undoubtedly a more befitting beginning to the PGA showpiece than its tame predecessor. You too will be more than challenged by this serene 6137-metre course, which wanders through dense bush and strategicallyplaced bunkers and lakes. The opportunity to walk in the footsteps of tournament professionals and play the immaculate lush fairways and slick, undulating greens of Hyatt Regency Coolum is a genuine plus for golf-lovers. If you get a chance to play the revamped layout, take up the opportunity—it’s a real gem. 69

PLACES

Australia

Hyatt Regency Coolum

For the traveller who wants nothing more than to kick back at the bar or by one of the nine pools at the resort after a leisurely 18-holes at one of Australia’s finest golf courses, this place will suit you perfectly. TUCKER TIME

As for the 19th, Spikes overlooks the course and offers an immediate port-of-call post- round. You’ll also be tempted to visit to the resort’s Village Square, where you’ll find a plethora of choice for dining or relaxing over a bottle of wine. Set in a grove of Angophora trees close the Village Square, the resort’s signature restaurant, Eliza’s, offers modern Australian cuisine with a menu that reflects the very nature of the Sunshine Coast, using only the finest local produce. When taking the quick stroll into the heart of the village, a pre-dinner drink at Bruschetta’s al fresco bar is a must. Then graduate to dinner on the terrace, or, if the humid night is all too much, feast in the crisply air-conditioned atrium style dining room which overlooks the resort’s signature pool deck. Contemporary Italian fare is also on the menu at Bruschetta and meals are adequately priced. A nice touch that you typically don’t get when on a resort holiday is the opportunity to BYO from a boutique bottle shop located across Village Square. Close by is Noodles, an oriental restaurant offering fresh flavours direct from the wok, authentically cooked by Asian chefs in an open show kitchen. But for those who prefer a bite on the move, Pizzeria and T’Go (which, as its name suggests is designed for you to eat on the bounce) is also located in the village. Whether you’re enjoying the annual festival that is the Australian PGA, a golfing weekend with the lads, a getaway with your significant other or a family escape, there’s something for all at Hyatt Regency Coolum.

Hyatt Regency Coolum Warran Road, Coolum, Sunshine Coast, QLD (07) 5446 1234 coolum.regency.hyatt.com

www.drummondgolf.com

SPEND YOUR HOLIDAYS driving AROUND IN CIRCLES. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s every golf fanaticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream made reality at Hyatt Regency Coolum. Enjoy unlimited golf on our PGA Championship course with T he Golf Escape Package*, including accommodation for two people in a King or twin room, daily continental breakfast, adult entry to the Spa, tennis court hire, golf clinics (Monday to Friday), daily shuttle to Noosa, unlimited golf green fees, and a shared motorised cart and bucket of range balls. From $380 per night*.

Bonus: Quote CLM016 and receive a free coffee and pastry from Spikes Bar before tee off when you book the Golf Escape Package*. To book phone 1800 COOLUM or visit coolum.regency.hyatt.com

Warran Road, Coolum Beach Queensland 4573 Australia. Telephone +61 7 5446 1234 Fax +61 7 5446 2957 coolum.regency.hyatt.com

hooplaHYT2914

*Subject to availability. 2 night minimum stay. Conditions apply. Unlimited golf green fees per night can be used on any day, subject to availability. Bonus offer valid until 31 May 2011. One coffee and pastry per person, per day.

www.drummondgolf.com

PLACES

Australia

Riverside Oaks

Golf Resort

Fact File WHERE:

Riverside Oaks Golf Resort, 74 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Briens Rd, Cattai, NSW

LENGTH:

6311m (Championship menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)

PAR:

Designer:

Archie Green with input over the years from the Thompson and Wolveridge consultant team

Getting there:

Approximately 1 hour from Sydney CBD, along M2-M7 via old Windsor Rd or via the scenic Dural drive & the Cattai Ridge Rd

OTHER features:

Luxury villa accommodation; lodge accommodation for social groups; 4WD track; adjacent to Hawkesbury River; wedding and conference facilities for 250 guests; lunch and dinner options

Contact:

reception@riversideoaks.com.au (02) 4560 3200 or Pro Shop (02) 4560 3220

Riverside Oaks is a Par 72 championship resort course set in natural surrounds adjacent to the Hawksbury River in Cattai, Sydney NSW. Riverside Oaks offers an ideal course layout, suitable for all golfers from the club purist to the more social player.

he Nanshan Group Australia, which owns 15 golf facilities in China, realised this stunning gem was an opportunity to venture into the Australian golf market and chose to invest in its ongoing development. The group is now reaping the benefits as it continues to restore the course to its former glory. And both members and visitors are commenting on the great condition of the course, greens and surrounds. Renowned management company Troon Golf has been enlisted to manage the operation and to enhance the course agronomy and standards. A new golf driving range enables the club to provide more golf tuition for coaching and practice for young golf talent. Riverside Oaks is open seven days for both members and the public. A unique, value membership structure is available at Riverside Oaks, offering membership for only $115 per year with reduced green fees. You can obtain a Golf Australia handicap and the flexibility to enjoy golf at other courses during the year with your friends.

www.drummondgolf.com

Riverside Oaks Golf Resort

SIGNATURE HOLES

Hole 11A- Par 3 141m The danger here is obvious. Plenty of information available on the distance so having selected the right club, concentrate on the straight hit. There’s a swale mid green so aim to be on the same level as the pin.

The grand-style two-storey clubhouse is a spectacular sight on arrival; an ideal venue for golf, weddings and corporate functions boasting a fantastic list of corporate clientele. Riverside Oaks is also a great conference venue, with several meeting options from small conference rooms to full banquet-style arrangements seating up to 300 guests and tailored to suit your requirements. Luxury on-site accommodation boasts nine three-bedroom villas and a four-bedroom villa, all overlooking the course surrounds ,which makes Riverside Oaks the ideal venue for short break stay-and-play packages. There’s also a 15-room lodge for social groups. The owners plan to further expand the on-site accommodation with additional luxury golf villas, all less than an hour from Sydney.

www.drummondgolf.com

Hole 14- Par 3 184m From the back it is a challenge, it simply has to be a good shot. -Anything short or left will find water. From the other tees, guard against a hook since the ground slopes away to water. The green is nearly four clubs deep so check distance and the wind.

Drummond Club Offer: Riverside Oaks is offering an autumn midweek special for Drummond Club Members: • $69 for 18 holes including 3 x logo golf balls, a drink voucher and range balls. For more information on this special, or general enquiries for golf, conferences and accommodation options at Riverside Oaks, please contact the resort on (02) 4560 3200 or visit the website at www.riversideoaks.com.au

PLACES

Australia

settlers Run

Golf & Country Club Fact File WHERE:

Settlers Run Golf and Country Club, 1 Settlers Run, Botanic Ridge, VIC 3977

LENGTH:

6607m (Championship men’s)

PAR:

Designer:

Greg Norman

Getting there:

Approximately 45 minutes south-east of Melbourne

OTHER features:

Gym, tennis courts, swimming pool, golf shop, bar/bistro and Vue restaurant

Contact:

(03) 9785 6072 or visit www.settlersrun.com.au

Lying adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, just 40 minutes drive from both the Melbourne CBD and the picturesque coastline of the Mornington Peninsula, Settlers Run Golf and Country Club offers a perfect blend of lifestyle and location.

ettlers Run boasts a Greg Norman-designed 18-hole championship golf course that has seen Norman take the best elements of Melbourne’s renowned sandbelt courses and incorporate them into a dramatic, natural golf setting. The design takes advantage of the undulating landscape and natural wetlands to create a layout that fits seamlessly with the surrounding environment. The bunkering is a key feature of the design, with Norman taking inspiration from Alister MacKenzie’s work at famed Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath. The fairways have been designed to provide generous landing areas to accommodate golfers of all levels. Couch grasses have been used on the tees and fairways, with the greens using a hybrid bent grass to provide a putting surface that will be among the finest in Australia.

www.drummondgolf.com

Settlers Run Golf & Country Club

Numerous vantage points around the course provide spectacular views back to the Melbourne skyline as well as the distant Dandenong Ranges, reinforcing Settlers Run’s key attributes of providing a totally “natural” golfing experience so close to the city. Incorporating natural vegetation into the course was a key priority and Settlers Run entered into an agreement with the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, which provides the course with seeds and plantings for course landscaping. Settlers Run uses the agronomic expertise of Troon Golf to ensure members and their guests play a course presented at tournament standard seven days a week. Settlers Run offers members and guests a range of world-class facilities including a state-of-the-art clubhouse

www.drummondgolf.com

with a gym, tennis courts, swimming pool, golf shop, bar/bistro and Vue restaurant. The course itself was rated number 40 in the latest Australian Top 50 Golf Course ranking conducted by Golf Australia magazine. Settlers Run is a members golf course offering a limited number of external golfers the opportunity to join residents as members of this exclusive golf club. But being a member means much more than just playing the championship golf course in weekly competitions and honourboard events. Members will also enjoy a range of additional benefits such as discounts in the golf shop, Settlers Bar and Bistro, unrestricted access to the health club and tennis facilities and access to Troon Golf’s worldwide Troon Advantage Program.

Golf Memberships are currently available which include: • Individual 7-day membership • Individual 5-day membership • Family membership • Junior membership • Corporate membership

Drummond Club Offer: • 30-Day Trial Membership For Beyond The Fairways readers, Settlers Run is offering an Autumn 30-Day Trial Membership* for only $149.95 including a dozen golf balls. To activate your Trial Membership, call Settlers Run on (03) 9785 6072 or visit www.settlersrun.com.au *Terms and conditions apply. Unlimited golf subject to tee time availability. No access to Country Club facilities. Further terms and conditions available upon request.

PARTNER DIRECTORY

Advertising rates available

Contact Sam 0412 230 769

MORE TIME TO

Beyond Expectations. Within Reach. Located 90 minutes from Sydney CBD and 1 hour from Newcastle Airport on the beautiful Central Coast of NSW. This 72 par, 18 hole championship course is designed by Ross Watson in collaboration with Craig Parry and is managed by Troon Golf.

Corporate and Social Packages Tailored to suit your budget. Minimum numbers apply. Excludes cart hire. Green Fees Per Person Mon-Thurs Fri-Sun and Public Holidays

Individual Up to 19 persons

Groups 20-28 persons

Groups 28+ persons

$59.00pp

$54.00pp

$49.00pp

$74.00pp

$69.00pp (After 12pm)

$64.00pp (After 12pm)

Daily Fee: Monday – Thursday

$59pp

Friday – Sunday & Public Holidays

$74pp

Cart Hire

$15pp

RESIDENTIAL GOLF & SPA RESORT

Open to the public 7 days, Kooindah Blvd, Wyong, Central Coast, Ph 02 4351 0700 or visit kooindahwaters.com.au

www.drummondgolf.com

Advertising rates available

www.drummondgolf.com

Contact Sam 0412 230 769

PARTNER DIRECTORY

THI OF NK TRA ING VEL ?

Advertising rates available

Drummond Golf Members receive a 40%* Saving on Travel Insurance

Chartis travel insurance covers you and your family for overseas medical and hospital costs, stolen and lost luggage, trip cancellations, flight delays and more. You’ll also get 24 hour access to Travel Guard™ emergency assistance, for expert help any time you need it. http://chartistravelinsurance.com.au/drummondgolf

* The savings are calculated by comparing with Chartis full price premiums as detailed at chartistravelinsurance.com.au current as at 15 April 2010. Savings do not apply to pre existing medical assessment fees. The Chartis logo is a registered trademark. Insurance products and services are provided by American Home Assurance Company, ABN 67 007 483 267, AFSL 230903, trading in Australia as Chartis. American Home Assurance Company is the issuer of travel insurance products. The above is a brief summary of cover only, and exclusions and conditions may apply. You should read the Product Disclosure Statement and consider the PDS in light of your personal circumstances, prior to making any decision to acquire the product. TB 10/00317

Make the final cut...

Contact Sam 0412 230 769

Eliza’s on the Murray is a gorgeous Villa Retreat, offering one and two bedroom fully self-contained luxurious Villas - simply the best accommodation available on the Murray.

We are 3 minutes from the Tocumwal Golf Club and 15 minutes from Cobram/Barooga Golf Club

MID WEEK SPECIAL Stay 3 nights for 2 people in fully self contained 1 bedroom Studio Spa Villa for special price of $390 Stay 3 nights for 4 people in 2 bedroom Villa for special price of $490 WEEKEND GETAWAY Stay 2 nights for 2 people for special price of $290 Stay 2 nights for 4 people for special price of $390 Offers available from March to May 2011 (except Easter) and are subject to availability.

16 Barooga Road Tocumwal NSW, 2714 03 5874 2699 info@elizasonthemurray.com www.elizasonthemurray.com

MISSION HILLS GOLF + HONG KONG RACES

You’ll never have to cut your lawn again... When it comes to synthetic lawns and golf greens, Southwest Greens leads the industry in its exceptional product knowledge, design skills and installation expertise. Ask top golfers on the tour today like Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and Justin Rose. They’ll tell you that we take golf greens to the next level with realistic putting surfaces, fringes, roughs, tee boxes and sand bunkers. Call us today, so that we can design and install a premium quality synthetic lawn or custom golf green for you. · Used by over 30 PGA tour professionals · Over 6000 custom golf greens worldwide · True ball roll, holds chip and full shots like a real golf green · Soft , grassy feel, looks natural · No watering... No mowing... No hassles · Enhances property values Free Estimates · Safe for kids and pets

Commercial Residential

SOUTHWEST GREEN S

0412 269 959

Combine your passions for golf and horse racing on this fantastic tour INCLUDES: • 7 nights accommodation, b/fasts & all transfers • 5 rounds of golf at Mission Hills Resort, Shenzen • Entry, plus full hospitality packages at: International Jockey Championship @ Happy Valley plus Hong Kong International Races @ Sha Tin • Limited spaces available • December 2011

PHONE 1300 66 66 75 www.sportslinkinternational.com.au

www.southwestgreens.com.au

www.drummondgolf.com

Advertising rates available

Contact Sam 0412 230 769

PARTNER DIRECTORY

Nadene Gole Golf Schools at Victoria Golf Club Join Nadene at one of Australia’s finest golf venues for the ultimate game improvement experience Full School- 5 nights/ 6 days 2011 Dates: Mar 27 - Apr 1 FULL May 29 - Jun 3 Aug 28 - Sep 2

Sep 4 - 9 Oct 9 - 14 Dec 4 - 9

Short Game School- 3 nights/ 3 days 2011 Dates:

Mar 13 - 16 FULL May 15 - 18 May 22-25

“Living at the golf course to focus solely on improving and getting more out of playing golf was therapeutic beyond the golf.” - Ian McCarrey, (WA)

Be quick!

“I wish I had booked something like this when I first took up golf - it would of saved me a lot of stress.” - Kay Krestensen, (WA)

Each program is only open to a max of 6. These schools are perfect for every golfer. It will suit all ages and abilities. Book a golf school exclusively for you and your friends.

More Information and Bookings Please contact Nadene Gole 0425 792 784, send an email to nadenegole@gmail.com or visit nadenegole.com

www.drummondgolf.com

Q COMPETITION

CROSSWORD 2.

3. 9.

10.

DOWN 1. A low running shot is referred to as a _ _ _ _ burner 2. Relative to par. What is a score of bogey or worse? 3. The Women’s equivalent event to the Ryder Cup 5. 2010 US PGA Tour money winner (last name) 6. The 2009 Quail Hollow Champion (initials) 7. Where the clubhead is attached to the shaft 8. Hockey reject turned Golf Pro is Adam Sandler’s _ _ _ _ _ Gilmore 10. The golf club-maker responsible for the ‘Burner’ series 13. The 2001 US PGA Champion (last name) 15. The TPC Blue Monster course at Doral is found in which US State 17. Grammy and Emmy award winning pop star who hosts a US PGA Tour event (last name) 18. The Anser putter was created by this golf company 20. The position of the ball at rest 23. The last US player to win the Australian Open (last name) 24. Tiger Woods’s birth first name 26. The Players Championship is played at which golf course 29. Drummond Golf’s in-store computerised service is Club_ _ _ 30. The maker of the ProV golf ball range 32. Also known as the speed of the greens 33. Hitting the ball heavy 34. Finished 2010 as the world’s number one male golfer (last name) 36. 1983 US Open champion (last name) 37. The Bandon Dunes golf precinct is found in which US state 38. Four-time major champion Raymond _ _ _ _ _ 39. An area of grass in front of a putting green where the fairway transitions into the putting green 43. Golf will be re-introduced at The _ _ _ 2016 Summer Olympic Games

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ACROSS 1. Youngest US Masters champion (last name) 4. Nicknamed ‘Ohio Fats’ (last name) 9. OB stands for _ _ _ of bounds 11. How many majors has Wayne Grady won? 12. 2010 Valdero Texas Open champion (first and last name) 14. The Honda Classic is played in this month 15. A high lofted shot used around the green 16. Barnbougle’s new golf course 19. Carl Spackler, Caddyshack’s loveable greenskeeper, is played by which actor? (first and last name) 21. Spanish star who played in the JBWere Australian Masters in 2010 (first name) 22. Crystal Downs Country Club is located in which US State (abbr.) 25. Graeme McDowell received this award in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to golf 26. Popular Asian golf destination 27. The food grown on the Barnbougle property (slang) 28. Young American golfer renowned for his eye-catching appearance (initials) 31. The rim of the hole 35. Beautiful coastal golf course in Fiji 38. The annual points series played on the US PGA Tour is the _ _ _ _ _ Cup 40. Drummond Golf Ambassador (last name) 41. An eagle on a par five 42. Aussie golfer who has beaten Tiger Woods more than once in matchplay (last name) 44. Host venue for the 2011 men’s British Open 45. A piece of turf lifted when ball is struck 46. 2010 LPGA Player of the Year (last name) 47. Hamilton Island Golf Course is found on this island

ENTER TO WIN CROSSWORD NAME: MEMBER NO. PH: Competition Conditions Please mail the completed crossword to Drummond Club Management, PO Box 1465, Clayton VIC 3169. All correct entries received by 30 April 2011 will go in to the draw. The first drawn entry will win the following prize. A dozen 2008 Amadio Sangiovese Wine.

THIS ISSUE

WIN

a case of 2008 Amadio Sangiovese Wine

Crossword Answers – Summer issue 2011

Winner: Richard Bray, VIC 1.

P A V I N A H L O S M A D A N T E D R T I L C A C E L A R F P G R U E S D O R M I X Z F A D E K F Y I P S 9.

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B L L A G R Y O M F U R Y K E U E I S C O T T A L P G S R T L E I N S W F L O P E K I I D A L Y B A T R O S S S E S U S T I N J O H N S O N M O T N C M N S S G R O O V E S C U T E N S U A R E P F K A Y M E R F I

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www.drummondgolf.com

Wine Talk

LIFESTYLE

Imported Wines: A point of difference Simon Calabria looks overseas to introduce more flavours, more variety and better wine drinking.

Domain Wachau Gruner Veltliner ‘Terrassen’ Federspiel 2009 ($25)

Quinta do Ameal Louriero 2009 ($32)

ith so many quality Australian wines on the market it is easy to forget there’s an ever-increasing selection of imported wines available. In fact, over the past few years the range of imported wines has not only increased in diversity but, thanks to some good recent vintages and a healthy Australian dollar, the quality has been high and prices more accessible. It wasn’t long ago that wines made from grape varieties such as sangiovese, nebbiolo, pinot grigio and tempranillo were the main domain of the imports. With Australia being such a fast adopter of these ‘alternative’ varieties, you’re now just as likely to find wines made with these varieties from Australian makers. It is great to see these new varieties grown in Australia, a sign that we’re willing to expand our vinicultural horizons, exploring which ‘new’ grape varieties are best suited to different winegrowing regions and their climatic conditions. Consumers are also showing typical Australian adventurous spirit in their willingness to drink these new varieties (whether imported or local). One reason is our palates have continued to mature, and part of this process is seeking out different flavours and discovering new and exciting wines. Another reason is we often hear or read imported wines are more food-friendly. This may be the case, but the modern wave of Australian winemaking and adoption of new varieties is food-friendly as well. It’s more likely the wines represent something different. Sometimes this relates to the winemaking styles, but generally the difference is simply referred to as ‘terroir’ – a term used to reflect how the characteristics of a wine relate to the sense of place, soil, climate and conditions unique to that vineyard or region. This association with terroir is understandable when the varieties are native to a particular country or area. Some such varieties available include names such as gruner veltliner and blaufrankisch (from Austria), nero d’avola and aglianico (from

www.drummondgolf.com

Pittnauer Blaufrankisch Rose 2009 ($24)

Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Petalos’ Mencia 2008 ($49)

Italy), mencia (from Spain) and louriero and various tourigas (from Portugal). They certainly provide some points of difference to Australian-made wines and contribute to the continued exploration of imported wines. Gruner veltliner is a white variety most often associated with Austria typically showing citrus and stone, along with some spice and palate texture. Like riesling, it makes a strong statement of its terroir. Louriero is a native white grape from Portugal, displaying fresh (mostly lemon) citrus notes, some floral aromas and good natural acidity. Perfect for summer drinking. Blaufrankisch—mainly from Austria (but also Germany and Bulgaria)—can display juicy blue fruits and well-integrated tannin structure. It is sometimes compared to the better cru Beaujolais, and even Burgundy. Unsurprisingly, it makes for delicious rosé. Mencia is a Spanish grape making complex and intense wines with deeper, darker fruits but combining softer tannins. In Australian terms it reminds me a little of old vine, cool climate shiraz with a wilder temperament. Irrespective of the reason, it’s easy to see why consumers would get excited with the quality and diversity of current imports. This is certainly the case with the wines selected for this article: they’re different from Australian wines but no less enjoyable. If anything, hopefully we’ll see the importers pass on the savings from our continued strong currency. That way, we not only save a few dollars but we can continue to explore a wider range of these exciting wines. Prices shown are RRP per bottle.

Simon operates Winecall, an internet-based mail order wine business. For more information go to www.winecall.com.au/winetalk

VIEWS

Ravi’s Rant

A Great

Opportunity

BY RAVI ABEYARATNE

Drummond Golf, Marketing Director

his spring the golfing world’s attention will turn to Australia with the Presidents Cup to be played in Melbourne from November 17–20. This will be a great opportunity to see some of the best players in the world compete on Australian soil: The best from the USA versus the rest of the world excluding Europe on show at Royal Melbourne. This will also be a great opportunity to promote the game we all love. I hope the federal and relevant state governments support this by injecting some extra funding. With other events planned before and after the Presidents Cup, some of this money can be used to entice these marquee players to come a week early and stay a week longer. I acknowledge most of the state governments currently support golf with events funding, but what I want is a little more for this special occasion. For an industry that contributes over $2.9 billion dollars to the national economy every year, a few extra million dollars investment in November to make this a special month for golf seems only appropriate. The golf industry is not just about retail sales. There are a whole host of other industries/businesses whose revenue is influenced by golf. Such as clubs, courses, memberships, green fees, lessons, hospitality, tourism, land sales, and much more. And don’t forget all the people employed within these industries or businesses whose livelihood depends on golf. If we can spend $45 million on

a bid to host the World Cup, then surely a small fraction of that sum to help golf flourish only seems fair. Yes, I understand the scale of the World Cup of soccer (or football as I’m constantly corrected by the lovers of the ‘beautiful game’ in the office) and that the President’s Cup pales into insignificance in this context. But we shouldn’t forget the ongoing contribution golf makes to our economy. While I’m not privy to the affairs of the governing bodies, the decision to run the men’s Australian Open in Sydney the week before the Presidents Cup in Melbourne (and the PGA in Coolum the week after) has me a little baffled. If we’re to entice some of the overseas stars to come a week early to acclimatise, then surely playing under similar conditions to what they will experience at Royal Melbourne would make sense. Having the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath the week before the Presidents Cup would be a stronger carrot than playing a course in Sydney that will play nothing like Royal Melbourne. The opportunity to play Australia’s best two courses within a fortnight would have gone a long way to getting some of these players here early. What will most likely happen now is they’ll come a few days early and just practice in Melbourne or head to Singapore to play the Barclay’s Open the week before instead. It’s a real shame. And hopefully the Masters will run the week before and the Open the week after.

The golfing industry contributes over $2.9 billion dollars to the national economy every year.

ACT Fyshwick

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NSW Albury Camperdown Casula Dee Why Gosford Newcastle Northmead Penrith Port Macquarie Taren Point Warrawong

(02) 6041 4848 (02) 9557 8822 (02) 9734 0422 (02) 9982 4566 (02) 4325 2299 (02) 4957 8844 (02) 9683 7411 (02) 4721 1296 (02) 6584 6633 (02) 9531 0677 (02) 4274 4522

NT Darwin

(08) 8981 7029

QLD Ashmore Cairns Fortitude Valley Hervey Bay Lawnton Maroochydore Rockhampton Townsville Underwood Woolloongabba

(07) 5564 6181 (07) 4041 4223 (07) 3257 7220 (07) 4194 5582 (07) 3285 2122 (07) 5451 1244 (07) 4927 5200 (07) 4725 4653 (07) 3299 1300 (07) 3891 5611

SA Darlington Enfield Mile End West Beach

(08) 8377 0307 (08) 8260 3422 (08) 8352 2040 (08) 8356 4888

TAS Cambridge Launceston

(03) 6248 4800 (03) 6334 1919

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WA Cannington Mandurah Osborne Park

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