GOLF INTERNATIONAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Issue 106 • NOV/DeC’ 11 • £4.25
06
9 771368 402034
STorMINg ThE CASTLE
Europe’s ladies were just sensational at the Solheim Cup
Top Writing Peter Alliss / Robert Green Clive Agran / John Hopkins Tom Cox / Dominic Pedler Dr Felix Shank / The Major!
Faldo “Let me take you step-by-step through the key moves you need for a better golf swing”
LATEST EQUIPMENT Featuring Ping, Cobra, Oakley and the ultra-stable XSP-1 shoe from FootJoy PLUS Introducing the latest new irons & Vokey wedges from Titleist
A valuable short-cut
Dan Frost shows you how to hone a better short game and turn three shots into two
LORENA OCHOA / PROPERTY / MEMORABILIA / TICO TORRES / MOTORING...
GOLF INTERNATIONAL
RICHARD SIMMONS
MAGAZINE
FIRST UP
ESSENTIAL READING FROM THE BEST IN THE GAME
10, Buckingham Place, London sW1e 6HX Tel: +44 (0)20 7828 3003 editor: Richard simmons richard@golfinternationalmag.com editor in Chief: Robert Green robert@golfinternationalmag.com equipment editor: Dominic Pedler dominic@golfinternationalmag.com Tony seagrave Design: design@golfinternationalmag.com Professional Teaching Panel: Robert Baker, Tim Barter, Pete Cowen, Jim Christine, Dan frost, Andrew Hall, simon Holmes, Paul Hurrion, stuart Morgan, Denis Pugh, stuart smith, David Whelan & Jonathan Yarwood Regular Contributors: Clive Agran, Peter Alliss, Colin Callander, Jeremy Chapman, Tom Cox, Richard Gillis, Anthony ffrench-Constant, Michael flannery, John Hopkins, Tony Johnstone, kevin McGimpsey, David Purdie, Ronan Rafferty, sarah stirk, Jayne storey, Paul Trow & Jake ulrich Photographers: David Cannon, Peter Dazeley, Phil Inglis, Ross kinnaird, Andrew Redington, Getty Images, Charles Briscoe-knight, Matthew Harris, Mark Newcombe, eric Hepworth, steve Read
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTYIMAGES.COM
Tiger trapped in a snare of his own making There is something perversely satisfying about watching Tiger Woods wrestle with his recalcitrant swing, a warming reassurance that, when all is said and done, the game of golf always wins in the end; that no matter how talented an individual you may be, ultimately the integrity of the discipline itself is always dormie up. Yep, even on Tiger. Every golfer who ever picked up a club can relate to the way the former world No.1 has found himself entertaining doubt, battling the ‘inner voices’ of dissent, the stream of niggling chatter you and I know only too well can only lead to the sabotage of a free-flowing technique: “It’s a work in progress, you know, we’re getting there...” chime the relentless sound-bites as one tight-lipped media obligation follows another. But the thing is, Tiger, you’ve already been there. So you really ought to know where there is; Sean Foley hasn’t. And (as talented a teacher as he is) maybe he doesn’t. Leaving aside the attendant perils of over-coaching, Tiger’s problems, of course, lie chiefly between the ears. No amount of tinkering with the physical part of the equation can solder the damage visited upon the once all-powerful mainframe that is his fractured mind. As Sir Nick Faldo observes in a frank and sometimes brutal analysis within Planet Golf, the biggest problem facing Tiger as he bids to regain even a semblance of the game he once owned is that his clarity of focus and concentration has been shattered. “The thing I see [in Tiger] now is that the 100% self belief is gone. It is flawed,” says Faldo, since 2007 the lead analyst for CBS television in America, with a reputation for straight talking. “Tiger is damaged in that respect. He does not have clarity of thinking and can no longer face up to the shots the way he did. Where once he would stare his shots down, almost willing the ball to its destination, now he hits shots you just can’t believe. He’s fallible. That aura is gone.” Can he ever get back to his best? On the basis of what we have seen of late, you'd have to seriously doubt it. Gouging out thick divots with his irons and squirting the odd drive sideways does not bode well for anyone (least of all Foley), but in the greater scheme of things a fixation with Tiger’s on-going rehabilitation misses the fairway entirely: on every tour and at every level, professional golf has shifted up a gear in his absence, the irony of it all being that a 36-year-old Tiger Woods now finds himself in danger of being hoist by his own petard. Inspired by the brilliance of a man who more than any other player in the modern era changed the complexion of the game, the fearless vanguard of golf’s new generation will only raise that bar further – and quite possibly beyond even his reach. Enjoy the issue.
Regular Illustrators: Peter Clark, Harold Riley, Dave f. smith, Tony Husband Overseas correspondents: Austria karl Ableidinger Jan kees van der Velden Holland spencer Robinson Hong kong Italy Mario Camicia Andy Brumer usA Advertising/Publishing Director: Peter simmons peter@golfinternationalmag.com Tel: (020) 7828 3003 • Mobile: 07827 995 080 Advertising Director: Nick edgley nick@golfinternationalmag.com Mobile: 07774 703 491 Advertising Consultant: Ian Harkness ian@golfinternationalmag.com Tel: 01702 558512 • Mobile: 07980 464 378 us Travel Representative: Gary edwards gary@coastalsc.com Tel: (00) 1 843 849 1308 special Projects: Brosnan event Management Tel: (020) 8691 6836 Printers: Wyndeham Group // Tel: 01726 892400 Distribution: Comag // Tel: 01895 433600
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Essential reading from the best in the game ISSUE #106 // NOV/DEC 2011
52 FEATURES 52
LeGeNDs Of kILLeeN CAsTLe Proving yet again the superiority of matchplay golf when it comes to sheer entertainment, the 2011 solheim Cup at killeen Castle produced perhaps europe’s greatest victory in the history of the biennial event. Jeremy Chapman was privileged to have been there
70
ADVANCeD PeRfORMANCe It’s been more than two years since Titleist last launched a new set of irons but, as equipment editor Dominic Pedler reveals, the wait has been worth it with the latest evolution of the elaborate AP series along with other new irons and Bob Vokey wedges
112 THe LINeAGe Of GReATNess In an exclusive extract from his upcoming book, The 100 Greatest Golfers, Gi’s Andy Farrell explores what it takes to be considered a true legend of the game
70
REGULARS
COLUMNS
12
6
LeTTeRs
17
38
PLANeT GOLf The photography of David Cannon...19th Hole Q&A - sir Nick faldo ‘My Top 10 finest Things in Golf’... latest new gear with Gi’s equipment editor Dominic Pedler....Chi-Power Golf...more advice from Dr felix shank...Rules Office...2-Minute Lesson... Major!..Divots...Next issue
154 WORLD TOuRNAMeNT NeWs In only his third tournament as a professional, england’s Tom Lewis secured his membership of the european Tour with a sensational 21-underpar maiden victory in Portugal. Andy Farrell has that story along with all the latest news from the world of professional golf
AND ANOTHeR THING... further expansion of the european Tour can only be good news – especially for its latest superstar, Tom Lewis, writes Robert Green
40
ON THe AIR Peter Alliss enjoyed the coverage of the solheim Cup...but would have liked to have been treated to more views of killeen castle
86 THe AMATeuR sCeNe The raw passion Nigel edwards brought to the role of captaincy surely had GB&I dormie-up headed into the Walker Cup matches at a blustery Royal Aberdeen. And how his team vindicated his style and preparation in a storming victory to win back the trophy. Colin Callander reports on his legacy. Plus we bring you a round-up of the very latest amateur tournament news,
fIRsT uP so, at last, Tiger appreciates that golf is actually a pretty tough game! editor Richard Simmons tees up the new issue
Do you have an opinion you’d like to share? Why not email us? You could win the latest footJoy shoes and wind-shirts
42
19TH HOLe The intrepid Clive Agran proves yet again that his vivid imagination knows no out-of-bounds when it comes to devising golfing gadgets
44
BeTTING While bookies remain consumed with various air-brained odds on Tiger, england’s Tom Lewis has served notice on his formidable talent. Jeremy Chapman reports
136 LITeRALLY GOLf
90
A GIfT fOR GIVING Lorena Ochoa was always a class act on the golf course. And since her retirement from the circuit at the age of just 28, her legacy has grown ever stronger as she works tirelessly off it. Tony Dear caught up with her during a fund-raising event in san Antonio
94
PROPeRTY As the future of the euro hangs in the balance, Gi’s property editor Peter Swain provides a snap-shot of the market in Portugal
96
Tee TIMe WITH TICO As the ‘hit-man’ in one of the world’s most successful rock groups Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres understands the importance of rhythm. Carolyn Nicoll quizzed him about his love of golf
98
MeMORABILIA Gi’s auction-room expert Kevin McGimpsey identifies and values more of your golfing ephemera
100
MOTORING Anthony ffrench-Constant gives his verdict on the gorgeous drophead that is Maserati’s GranCabrio sport
Tom Cox on the pleasures of being out there in your own company
146 THe LAsT sHOT A new short-game practice area at Royal Porthcawl appears on John Hopkins’ list of great things to have happened in 2011
TRAVEL 120 THe ROBeRT TReNT JONes TRAIL It’s been described as the golfer’s equivalent of Disney World and the numbers on the card tell us why: 11 locations, 28 courses and 468 holes of golf. Ian Thompson is your guide to Alabama’s unique Trent Jones Golf Trail
128 YOuR GOLf TRAVeL In association with our partners at Your Golf Travel our showcase destinations this issue include Portugal and fuertaventura, plus the long-haul alternatives of the Doral Resort in florida and Le Telfair, Mauritius
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102
Probably the best instruction on the Planet! ISSUE #106 // NOV/DEC 2011
“I may have earned a reputation for being a technical thinker but my golf swing has always been based on feel. Let me share the simple cues I relied on – the key thoughts that can make you a better player.” SIR NICK FALDO
WITHIN PLANeT GOLf
28 Breathe, and let your swing flow Jayne Storey delivers the next installment in her popular and innovative series on the draw on inner strength with more lessons based on the art of T'ai Chi
36 Imagination inspires learning under the eye of Roehampton professional Richard Harrison junior lessons are all about having fun – and while this may be child’s play there’s much here that could improve your golf...
46 Swede sensations Tour rookie Caroline Hedwall is having the time of her life: three Ladies european Tour victories this season – not to mention that starring role in europe’s solheim Cup victory at killeen Castle – vindicating her tremendous talent. Here, her coach Johan Andersson, Director of Golf at the Barseback Golf Academy, sweden, explains the keys she works on COVER STORY We are delighted to welcome six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo back into the pages of Gi – and he wastes no time getting down to business with an exclusive lesson highlighting valuable checkpoints that will help you improve the flow of your swing, from the set-up to the finish
104 Here’s a valuable short cut... Want to turn three shots into two more regularly? Then it’s time to apply a more holistic approach to your short-game sessions as leading young tour coach Dan Frost gets you thinking not only about technique, but strategy, the art of visualisation and competitive practice...
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN MURRAY
60 Faldo’s formula
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GOLF COURSES: GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND If ever there was a book you wished could magically come to life before your eyes this surely is it (Ok, there are other contenders, but let’s keep it green...): Boasting over 200 colour photographs – including eight foldout panoramas measuring no less than 5’ – Golf Courses: Great Britian and Ireland showcases the work of David Cannon, one of golf’s pre-eminent photographers over the last 30 years. Celebrating the union of nature and course design, the book covers the length and breadth of the country, a labour of love if ever there was one. Published by Rizzoli New York Harcover / 264 pages + 8 single and double gatefolds / 200+ colour photographs / 16” x 12” Price: £100 ISBN: 978-0-8478-3572-0
8 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2010
GOLF DAVID CANNON // NICK FALDO’S TOP-10 FINEST // NEW GEAR // DR FELIX SHANK // THE MAJOR...
Another early-morning wake-up call resulted in this breathtaking image of the par-three 16th at Tralee, taken from the top of a huge sandhill 30 yards left of the green
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 9
planet golf
19TH HOLE Q&A
THE FINEST THINGS IN GOLF
MY PERSONAL TOP 10 The Faldo Series Grand Final at Lough Erne provided editor Richard Simmons with the perfect opportunity to catch up with Sir Nick Faldo and quiz Britain’s greatest ever golfer on what he considers to be the finest things in the game. From page 60 you can also enjoy a lesson with the six-time major champion as he shares his tried and trusted swing formula
you can pick up a cashmere for 50 bucks! 3.
Speaking as someone who always loved to tinker with equipment, I’d say the ultimate technology in golf is the clever gadget that allows you to click and change a shaft in just a matter of seconds. That is just brilliant. Back in my day, a change of shaft involved a trip to see [clubmaker] Barry Willett, drill the shaft out, break the pin, then you’d have to wait 24 hours for the glue to set…only to hit it once and say ‘I
1.
To kick things off, one of my
don't like that.’ This instant tech-
favourite views in all of golf – look-
nology is the greatest thing for a
ing back towards the town from
pro and anyone else who is really
the 14th at St Andrews, across the
serious about their golf. You can
fescue, the bunkers and the gorse
hit 50 different shafts to find the
to the skyline, the steeples and the
one that really works for you. All of
R&A clubhouse. That, for me, is one
a sudden you hit upon one that
of the great golfing views in the
just feels perfect, the flex is just
world. On a nice sunny day with
right, kick point and so on. What a
the skylarks singing. That's golfing
great capability that is. Trackman is
heaven.
another brilliant device. I’m with TaylorMade right now and I love
2.
For me, cashmere is one of life's
testing all their new gear and look-
true luxuries and so as a favourite
ing at the numbers on the monitor.
all-time item I’m going to include
Talk about feedback – constructive
my winning yellow Pringle cash-
feedback. How I wish I had all that
mere intarsia sweater that I wore
information at my disposal when I
to win my first Open at Muirfield in
was playing. I had to hit a million
1987. It was the finest cashmere –
shots to find out what I was doing
those things were £300 a pop. Now 10 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
and improve it; these days, if you know the right numbers you can
FALDO ON equi pment
adjust your swing accordingly, get the feeling and work it in. It has taken all the guesswork out of it.
The long and short of it
With Trackman, the key number for me would be the angle of attack. To get the numbers you have to get a certain feeling – a light goes on: ‘Oh, OK, that’s what I’m looking for. I'll work it in.’ Distance control is another of the
The sheer
help you with. Without moving
erty, you know there’s a golf course class of ’87 – and a first out there and it's your job to go
from the spot you can go through
find it. Like here at Lough Erne.
vital skills this sort of device can
4.
the bag and discover your precise
There were a number of times we
landing distances with every club
stumbled across natural green
in the bag. Wow.
locations and just went ‘wow!’.
On a general level one of the great-
5.
The Ryder Cup – a huge part of
est things about golf for all of us is
my career. There are many stand-
the sheer variety of playing experi-
out moments but a couple of very
ences we are afforded as golfers.
special ones. One of my earliest
You know, in tennis it’s the same
recollections was Seve in 1983
lines and four different surfaces.
when he burst into the team room
We have such variety – links golf,
at PGA National and told all of us
parkland golf, desert golf, sand belt
– and all of Europe – that we
courses, jungle golf, mountain golf.
should celebrate. We’d lost the
I always count myself fortunate
match at Palm Beach, albeit only
that I picked a game that offers
narrowly. But it was a watershed
you that – and it is something I
week for Europe and Seve knew
appreciate more and more in
that. In fact, he was the reason. I
course design. The most challeng-
hadn’t realised until only recently
ing terrain as an architect is a flat
that one of his great Cup
piece of land!; the most fun is when
moments was when I hugged him
you're given a great piece of prop-
in 1987 behind the 18th green at
Ryder Cup victory on US soil
“The obvious opening statement on any equipment debate is that it’s a different era now. Twenty years ago when someone took out a long putter you knew their nerves were shot. Now, thanks to the technology available, we can measure every facet of the stroke and the roll of the ball – and a lot of golfers have discovered they actually make a better stroke with a long putter. The youngsters use this technology to their best advantage, and they are quite within the rules to do so. so all of a sudden the long putter has lost its stigma. “My only criticism of it is that it does not fit with the traditions of the game – the action we use to strike the ball is called a golf swing, not a golf hinge. This thing [belly putter] is hinged to the body. so I don’t agree with that. In the tradition of the game I’d lean towards it should be banned. I fully understand the position of the R&A and usGA, who would argue it increases enjoyment for the majority, but in the professional world I honestly think pros should have different rules and our own governing body. To begin with, the size of the driver should go way down – leave it at 460cc for everyone else but if you play tour golf you use a driver of, say, 300cc maximum. I think that’s more important than the ball. We are the most skilled players and yet we are taking full advantage of technology. We should be reigned in. Give back the advantage to the better ball
Not much of a view if you’re up against the face of Hell Bunker but otherwise stunning
planet golf
LATEST NEW GEAR
Putting technology to work Ping are pioneering a new method of matching a putter to your style of stroke, while the company’s fascinating new putting ‘app’ offers golfers with an iPhone some essential feedback about their technique. Domi ni c pedl er reports on the latest developments in putter technology.
Fit For Purpose A NEw PATH FOR ANSER
colour-coded dot system denoting
few models of golf equipment can claim to
for stroke putter system uses three
the lie angle on their irons, the fit
have dominated the industry over several
colours of shaft sticker to denote putters
decades, but the Ping Anser putter, in its var-
whose balance complements what Ping
ious generations, has been a fixture among
divide into three main categories of putter
pros and amateurs without interruption for 45
swing path.
years.
There is one fully face-balanced model
well worth appreciating. Indeed, the new Anser Milled are now
targeted to the first category of square-to-
the top of the range models that will actually
with variations on the distinctive ‘stepped’
square strokes (or more specifically those
see off the previously most coveted
heel-and-toe weighting flanking a central
whose closing ‘arcs’ are less then 3.5
Redwood Anser.
cavity also adopted by legions of rivals.
degrees inside the target line); four ‘mid-
And that’s just the Ping branded originals,
Of course, the Anser has seen some styl-
hang’ models catering for a ‘slight arc’ (3.5-
As well as a new satin nickel finish for a modern non-glare look, Anser addicts will
istic tweaks down the years – from materials
7.5 degrees); and two with more pronounced
notice on close inspection that each model
and hosels to inserts and finishes – while the
toe hang for arcs of 7.5 degrees or more.
sports subtle differences in topline thickness
latest Anser Milled series launched this autumn is re-conceived with seven models
“We did thousands of hours of player testing and other research over the years to
and in the contouring of the trademark heel and toe ‘steps’ and toe radii.
each offering a subtle variation in weighting –
scientifically prove that when a golfer’s putter
In our tests we were particularly taken
or, more accurately, balance – to match your
balance matches their stroke type their con-
with the precision “double” milled face whose
sistency goes way up and they make a lot
visible score lines hardly qualify as grooves
style of stroke. Here the style of stroke refers specifically
more putts,” says Ping chief John solheim,
to the type of ‘arc’ you make with your putter
introducing the new system showcased in
in the swing.
the Anser Milled series.
Does your swing path follow a straight line
Nor do you need to go to the company’s
‘back and through’, keeping the clubface as
Gainsborough clubfitting HQ to see what cat-
square possible to the target line through-
egory you fall into, given the rise of the bril-
out? In which case you will want to consider
liant iPing app which we discuss below.
a ‘face balanced’ putter that helps to main-
While the fit for stroke concept is the
tain a neutral, totally square clubface attitude
headline story, the luscious con-
throughout the swing.
struction of the putter
Or do you swing back inside the target line, opening the face before rotating it back to square through impact? This type of stroke requires the toe of the putter to close as you swing through, hence putters balanced with ‘toe-hang’ can encourage the necessary momentum. Ok, so face-balanced and toe-hang putters are not new, but Ping have come up with a simple system that raises awareness of this fairly sophisticated fitting issue while instantly directing golfers to the models which they are likely to be best suited. Not to be confused with their 12 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
itself and is
PLANET GOLF
offering which putter design geeks may feel has been is inspired by the similarly widebodied Rossa spider. But, hey, when you think of the legions inspired by Ping…
as well as a notably softer and more responsive feel than we expected from 303 stainless steel with no insert. It goes without saying that the new series are already a hit on tour, with Mark
Along with some of the more familiar faces from Ping are a new range of funky mallets
In a eureka moment for golfing gadgetry, Ping engineers realized that these fourth generation mobile devices are already
Other new Ping models for 2012 include
yet nevertheless promote an excellent roll,
your tempo.
designed with on-board accelerometers and
seven new offerings in the scottsdale series
gyroscopes that measure linear acceleration
notable for their charcoal PVD finish and
and detect rotational speed – ideal technolo-
special TPe thermoplastic elastomer insert
gy for capturing data on the position and
which feels as good as in the originals.
movement of a putter head.
Like the Anser Milled, all these models are conceived within the fit for stroke sys-
each session on the app consists of five putts over a recommended distance of 10
tem and cater for straight, slight arc and
feet, with the gadget recording both the data
strong arc strokes, as denoted by blue,
and highlighting what areas you need to
green and red shaft stickers, respectively.
work on.
Calcavecchia being first in the winner’s circle
Ping Sydney putter £199;
with his Anser Milled 3, while Hunter
Scottsdale Series from £110-199.
nounced arc in my stroke (7.5 degrees the forward stroke), but also a 2-degree
his sudden-death birdie effort for the fedex
App of the Gods iPING PUTTING GIZMO
open face at impact and a putting tempo of
jackpot slipped agonizingly by.
Quite apart from the great new lines of put-
1.5. This latter figure is the ratio of the speed
My first attempt revealed a fairly pro-
Mahan’s model came within a whisker of
reflecting the amount the face rotates during
becoming The $10 Million Dollar Putter when
Ping Anser Milled guide price £239.
ters, Ping’s putting technicians have been
of the forward stroke relative to backswing
Modern Mallets SCOTTSDALE TO SYDNEY
working overtime with a special putting
and Ping regard a figure of 2 (i.e. coming
improvement tool that ingeniously exploits
through twice as quickly as you go back) as
Ping have diversified extensively beyond the
the technology in the iPhone4 and equivalent
ideal.
Anser shape over the years and moved more
iPod Touch.
recently into the exotic mallet market. This
Having these figures at your fingertips is
iPing is an app that you download for free
continues with the launch of the sydney, an
and which, by attaching the device to your
oversize multi-material showstopper with an
putter in a £25 cradle that clips on to the
aluminium body (to keep the weight down for
shaft, gives you immediate feedback
such a large structure) but with judicious tung-
on your type of
sten weighting at the extremes (in the form of
your stroke but obviously allows you to work instantly and effectively on your game; in Practice mode, you can even isolate each individual aspect to focus on separately.
stroke, your face
three 8g plugs) for a freely flowing, face-bal-
not only an eye opener about the state of
angle at
The iPing also measures your consistency in each area which contributes to the cal-
anced action for those with a straight stroke.
impact, and
culation of your effective Putting Handicap
A bold red alignment bar on top of the
the effi-
reflecting a rolling average of your previous
durable nickel coating completes the lavish
ciency
sessions. This is a clever touch as it creates
of
an immediate challenge for you to strive for improvement as you monitor your progress. But the iPing’s trump card is the way it ties in to Ping’s new fit for stroke initiative (discussed above) with the software making a specific recommendation on the style of putter best suited to your stroke according to the data it has just collected from you. In my case, the strong Arc data guided me to those red decal models with toe hang and, having settled on the heel-shafted Anser 6, and quickly saw my putting handicap drop from 5 down to 3. Not bad – though I witnessed one rival golf jour-
The balance of a putter is not to be confused with any ‘heel-and-toe’ or perimeter weighting (which Ping them-
angle. A typical test is to balance the shaft of the putter hor-
and toe lying horizontally, parallel to the floor. Those putters with toe hang will have toes that point some-
selves first pioneered in the ‘60s) but rather the balance
izontally on your outstretched finger, a few inches
point of the face relative to the shaft axis which is
above the hosel. In this position, the face of face-bal-
where below this 3 o’clock position, towards the maximum ‘6 o’clock’ (toe pointing directly toward the floor),
essentially dictated by the hosel design and shaft
anced putter will point vertically upwards, with the heel
depending on the hosel style, its point of insertion in the
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 13
ROBERT GREEN
ANOTHER THING
Some abroad thoughts from home The European Tour’s move away from Europe, especially the UK, is surely permanent…as may be Tom Lewis’s presence on leaderboards all around the world following his remarkable breakthrough
A
14 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
IT WILL BE DISAPPOINTING FOR EUROPEAN GOLF IF NEXT YEAR Rory McIlroy plays more in the States than over here. But as he prepares to exit stage west, at least for a while, European golf discovers another young former Walker Cup player whose star seems to be inexorably on the rise. In the case of Tom Lewis, ‘former Walker Cup player’ means that as recently as September 11 he was celebrating GB&I beating the USA at Royal Aberdeen. On October 16, he was celebrating his personal victory in the Portugal Masters. It was only his third start as a pro. Even Tiger Woods took five goes
to manage that; McIlroy a laggardly 38. From being a key player in the 2011 Walker Cup, the win put Lewis in third place in the points table for the 2012 Ryder Cup. The 20-year-old from Welwyn Garden City sprang to national attention in the Open at Sandwich in July, when his opening round of 65 was not only the lowest ever returned in the championship by an amateur, it tied him for the lead. The 65 he fired to finish with at Vilamoura included birdies at five of the last seven holes. After two holes of the second round, he had been five shots off the pace required to make the cut. From Tour School candidate to World Golf Championship competitor with just one weekend’s astonishing piece of work. “If you said that I’d finish 21 under,” he admitted, “I’d have said ‘No way’. I’m a long way behind Rory in the Order of Merit so I’ve got a long way to go. But I’m really pleased. To shoot 65 in the last round, I wouldn’t have thought I’d be able to do that.” As he contemplated the remarkable upsurge in his fortunes, McIlroy himself was returning from his own golfing adventure in China, a trip he enjoyed in the company of Lee Westwood, Ian
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTYIMAGES.COM
quiz question. What do the following countries represent? South Africa, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Dubai, India, United States, Spain, Morocco, Italy, United States (again), Malaysia, China, South Korea. Answer – countries more likely than the United Kingdom to win the next Eurovision Song Contest? No – they’re the countries, in order, that will host the golf tournaments in the first four months of the 2012 European Tour. It has long been accepted that the European Tour stages several events outside Europe, and for good reason – inter alia, it enables the Tour to organise a full and lucrative schedule for its members whereas sticking only to Europe would pretty much deprive it of any events between November and mid-March. And the Tour’s policy of expansion, usually in liaison with the other tours whose territories they are impacting, has made it the first mover in an increasingly international world. In other words, it stole a march on the PGA Tour. If the opinions of most economic- and social-development experts are to be believed (or at least assuming they’re more on the ball than the majority of the so-called financial analysts have been over the past two or three years), being the first partner to engage with the growth of professional golf in the Far East has been a sound strategy. From a parochial perspective, of course, there has been a downside. It is The ice-cool manner in likely that in 2012 there will only be five which England’s Tom Lewis tournaments held in Great Britain: the claimed his first PGA Championship, the Wales Open, professional victory in Portugal suggests we the Scottish Open, the Open will be seeing many, many Championship and the Dunhill Links more photos like this one Championship. However, even without the extraordinarily cosmopolitan evolution of the European Tour, adding tournaments in the UK looks to be a difficult proposition at present. Last year we drew attention to Sergio Garcia making the Open Championship his only UK appearance because of the way in which HMRC levies taxes on players’ worldwide sponsorship income. Rafael Nadal has said he won’t play at Queen’s Club ahead of Wimbledon next year for the same reason; likewise Usain Bolt didn’t run at Crystal Palace last summer. And nothing is likely to change on this any time soon. As a government spokesman told the Sunday Times: “Giving tax breaks to millionaire sportsmen is not a priority in the current climate.” It’s hard to argue with that.
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INSTRUCTION SOLHEIM CUP
Swing Analysis by Johan Andersson
“There are very few technical thoughts in my head when I make my golf swing but the one thing I always like to do is hover my driver an inch or two above the ground before I take the club away. This prevents a jerky move away from the ball and gives me a really smooth start to my swing. It encourages the arms and body to move together as one unit in the takeaway – one of the keys to a fluid swing.” Caroline
DIRECTOR OF GOLF BARSEBACK GOLF ACADEMY, SWEDEN
I have been working with Caroline for the past six years. She is a naturally talented golfer with a tremendous work ethic. She is very much an instinctive rather than a technical player. She ‘owns’ her own game and is not dependent on me as her coach. This is something we have worked on and it makes her very successful on the road. Since the start of 2011 I have been working with Caroline to get her to play a fade – i.e. to control her swing with her body rather than her arms, this has neutralised her ball flight. She always had a tendency to hit a high push or a hook due to the hands and arms being the controlling force of the swing. These are destructive shots. To play the game at the top level I wanted her to have a shot that was controllable and consistent. In my opinion the fade is by far the most reliable shot shape – great accuracy off the tee, plus the ball stops quicker on the greens improving distance control. This new swing shape enables Caroline to ‘cover’ the ball better through impact, lowering her launch angle and giving her a bit more of a penetrating ball flight which is really important playing into the wind and for control. Caroline works with a small club that I have cut down so that she can swing it easily inside her hotel room without doing any damage! This allows her to rehearse the swing moves she is working on in a controlled indoor environment. Although we will be doing some more intensive swing work over the winter months I have to be a little careful with the technical work we do as Caroline has had a fantastic first season on Tour and I don’t want to interfere with her natural talent. Continued overleaf...
Without a club you can really appreciate what your body is doing
Again, posture angles maintained as she works through the transition
Let your arms hang relaxed and feel them swing in response to your shoulder turn
16 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Get your left arm pointing directly to your right as you swing through halfway
Clubhead stays outside the hands as the early moves are controlled by the upper body
Ball is collected as the clubhead free-wheels through impact
Let your right arm swing free and wide
ON THE LESSON TEE
A good hip turn facilitates powerful coiling of the upper body....but you don’t want to over-turn the hips. (A good tip is to feel the resistance from the ground up as you complete your backswing coil)
Posture angles are well maintained as Caroline sweeps the clubhead away from the ball – terrific width here
Swing Sequence Drill Body rotation drives the swing all the way to a full, balanced finish
As you reverse momentum let your arms flow into the downswing
Accelerate them through the impact area...
....and all the way through as you continue to rotate...
I get Caroline to make warm-up swings without a club. Not only is this a great drill to loosen up her turn and arms but it is also a great awareness drill. Without the club Caroline is able to 100 per cent concentrate on what her body is doing without the distraction of having to hit a golf ball. You can see how relaxed her arm swing is, she is concentrating on maintaining great posture angles and at the same time working on feeling the right sequence of movements throughout her swing. Johan Andersson
...to a full finish!
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 17
REVIEW SOLHEIM CUP
the legenD OF Killeen CaStle
J K Rowling would have struggled to weave this sort of magic. And veterans of countless exhausting Ryder Cup matches surely hard presssed to remember a more dramatic climax to three days of matchplay golf. Jeremy Chapman witnessed Europe’s greatest Solheim Cup to date
W
ESTWOOD may have got his sexes wrong when he tweeted ‘Congrats to Alison and the European team – showed some balls and in exactly the right place for a victory party!’ but nobody could have put it any better than Worksop’s finest. And what indelible memories our glorious Solheim Cup heroines left us with. As a Solheim first-timer, I certainly picked the right one: rarely has been a sporting event produced a more thrilling and, frankly, unexpected climax. With the scores level at eight points apiece heading into the Sunday singles, Europe would ultimately need to turn around each of the last three games out on the course to avoid a fourth successive defeat – and the outstanding names of a superb side produced moments of brilliance, firing five birdies between them over Killeen’s tough closing stretch to defy the odds with very little help from the opposition. As Ryder Cup hitman Ian Poulter said in another bang-on tweet: ‘Respect’. Step forward the captivating Suzann Pettersen; displaying nerves of steel the world No. 2 produced perhaps the finest three holes of her life with flawless birdies at 16, 17 and 18 – and none of them easy holes – to turn around her match with Michelle Wie (was it a queasy Wiesy?). Spurned on by the roars funnelling down those closing holes, Caroline Hedwall fought all the way to final green to steal a precious half-point – leaving a shell-shocked Ryann O’Toole
GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Come on Killeen! A jubilent Alison Nicholas and team celebrate their Solheim Cup success
INSTRUCTION
Feel your weight Flow back and Forth as you liFt up your heels (inset leFt) and then your toes (inset right). striking the balance in between these extremes, you want your weight centred on the balls oF your Feet
Fal do’s One of the legacies of my playing career is a reputation as being a fairly technical golfer – truth of it was I liked to tinker and experiment in a quest to discover the most efficient way of swinging a golf club. The lessons I give to the juniors on the Faldo Series are based on discoveries distilled from years of trial and error – and there is nothing at all complicated about the following snapshots of the keys to a solid, repeating swing
By Sir Nick Faldo WWW.NICKFALDO.COM LOUGH ERNE / WWW.LOUGHERNERESORT.COM WRITTEN WITH RICHARD SIMMONS / PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN MURRAY 20 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
FALDO’S FORMULA
your lower body should Feel ‘engaged’ with the ground, knees Flexed to provide both stability and mobility in the swing. note the slant across the shoulders and the way the elbows list in towards the chest
Form ula strike the right balance and create a ‘ready’ posture The structure and body angles you create at the set up are among the
effectively render your lower body static; tip forwards too much and you
most important factors of all when it comes to the process of building a
threaten the overall balance of your motion.
sound and consistent golf swing. And the correct weight distribution on the balls of the feet is something I make absolutely certain all of my students understand from the word ‘go’.
The key is that you feel fired up and ‘ready’ as you stand over the bal. You want to feel that your body is grounded but at the same time alert and ready to engage in athletic motion. And to do that you want your weight balanced on the balls of your feet. As an exercise, take your pos-
only with the correct Flex and athletic tension
ture and then rock from heels to toes (as per the insets above) and feel
in the legs are you able to utilise the lower
your weight move back and forth as you do so. This will give you the pre-
body in such a way that it both stabilises and
cise feeling for where your weight is located and make it easier for you to
supports the rotation oF the upper body
identify when it is on the balls of your feet – exactly where you want it.
If you stand to the ball with your weight back on your heels you will
‘springy’, with a spine angle that allows the arms to hang comfortably,
A properly engaged set-up position sees the legs nicely flexed, knees
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 21
EQUIPMENT
TITLEIST
d e e Thinking, c c n n a a v d m r Arfo
Advanced
e P
It’s been more than two years since Titleist last launched a new set of irons – an eternity in today’s equipment industry. But the R&D team have been biding their time with some slick technological twists. Dominic Pedler gets to grips with the latest evolution of the elaborate AP series, along with the other new irons and Bob Vokey’s latest wedges.
T
itleist launches are invariably
intriguing affairs for the way
they challenge our preconceptions about the very basics of golf equipment design. And,
with the latest generation of AP irons, the R&D team are out to refute the great equip-
on the one hand, the ability of the clubhead
ment myth that the more forgiving you make
to remain stable at impact and, on the other,
a golf club in terms of its performance on
its responsiveness to any subtle manipula-
off-centre strikes, the less ‘workable’ it must
tion by the golfer prior to making contact
inevitably be for shaping shots.
with the ball.
“We believe fundamentally that you can have greater forgiveness without losing
“It is a misconception that you cannot enjoy both these benefits at the same time.
workability,” explains steve Pelisek, General
But golfers have become resigned to believ-
Manager for the company’s club division,
ing they must choose one or the other
when unveiling the 712 series of AP1 and
because most clubs are designed in ways
AP2 designed to let golfers have their cake
that reinforce that myth,” adds Pelisek. He’s
and eat it.
referring in particular to the trends towards
In dispelling this great design dilemma
irons with ever larger head sizes and longer
Titleist makes the subtle distinction between,
blade lengths which improve impact stability
22 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Increased forgiveness with no loss in workability – that’s the promise from Titleist as it introduces its latest AP Series of multi-material dual-cavity performance irons
EQUIPMENT SPOTLIGHT
AP1
AP2
but, at the same time, reduce the golfers ability to work the face angle. [see sidebar, MOI
MOI Revisited
Revisited, for a short technical summary].
A techie take on forgiveness and workability
Intent on creating a club with the best of worlds, Titleist challenged themselves to
According to Titleist’s experts, the key to
make this third generation of APs more for-
appreciating how you can have both for-
giving than their predecessors – yet in a
giveness and workability at the same time
stylishly compact package that still allows
within a single clubhead design is to
the shot shapers amongst us to rotate the
understand the two different measures of
face on demand.
Moment Of Inertia. When talking about the forgiveness of a
for those not familiar with the Advanced
club, MOI relates to the stability of the face
Performance franchise, these are Titleist’s most technically sophisticated irons featur-
at impact in the heel-to-toe plane. The
ing multi-material, dual cavity designs
higher this type of MOI, the more resistant
offered in AP1: the larger, most forgiving model in cast stainless steel; and AP2: a sleeker (yet still ‘game improvement’) forging particularly popular on tour. They first hit the headlines in 2008 when Adam scott shot his infamous 61 to take the Qatar Masters with the first model of AP2, while as I write this, rising star Michael Hoey has just played the new 712 edition of the same club to victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at st Andrews. At first glance the new AP models looks surprisingly similar to the 710 edition we first saw in 2009. But in terms of the essential aesthetics, that’s rather the
The AP (Advanced Performance) irons represent Titleist’s most technically sophisticated to date. Sharing multi-material and dual-cavity design, both the AP1 (cast stainless steel) and slightly smaller forged AP2 promise notable gains in quality and consistency of striking
the clubface is to twisting on off-centre hits which, in turn, are punished less in terms of losing distance and accuracy. In contrast, ‘workability’ can be explained with reference to its own separate measure of MOI reflecting the rotation of the clubhead around the axis of the shaft (i.e. how easily can you open and close the toe?). This measure is very dependent on the position of the centre of gravity which, especially in an iron, will largely reflect the physical length of the blade. Here, the higher the MOI the less the clubhead rotates through impact which is
point. The basic dual cavity ‘chassis’
not necessarily beneficial. even less
is almost unchanged, with the slightly
skilled golfers need to be able to square
shorter long-iron blades and newly
the face, while better players require a cer-
polished topline of the AP1, and the
tain ease of rotation to manipulate the face
squarer toe and narrower short-iron
open or closed for shot-shaping.
sole-widths of the AP2 (as especially requested by tour players) being the main discernible changes. Delve further and you can spot other improvements, with the AP1 now offer-
Hence Titleist’s emphasis on these two different measures of MOI when designing the blade lengths and weighting of the new AP irons. Technically minded readers will know there is actually a third measure of MOI in
ing progressively
golf club parlance which refers to the ease
shorter blade lengths
with which the club as a whole can be
through the set
swung according to the distribution of
rather than the
weight along its length. This will depend
noticeable ‘step’
on the relative weight of the head, shaft
down to the shorter
and grip, with many manufacturers experi-
short irons, starting
menting with different combinations to
at the 8-iron, as pre-
seek that extra edge of ‘swingability’.
viously. But the most important changes are ‘under the hood’ – most notably the use of pure tungsten as the chosen sole and toe weighting material, supported in the AP1 by a new steel cradle. As well as being considerably more expensive than the tungsten-nickel alloy of the 710 series, it is also far denser with relatively small amounts delivering the required NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 23
AMATEUR
Inspired to victory A stirring captain’s performance and gutsy team ethic saw GB&I make a mockery of the world rankings to overturn one of the strongest American teams in recent history. Gi’s Colin Callander was privileged to have been among the gallery at Royal Aberdeen Great Britain and Ireland’s leading amateur
side and when the Curtis Cup is held there next
Nationwide Tour. However, it was not until the
golfers defied the odds when they overcame
summer GB & I’s leading women amateurs will
final singles that they were able to find any-
strong wind and intermittent rain to defeat a
be bidding to complete a quartet of wins over
thing like their best form.
strong American side by 14-12 in a stirring
the Americans with the Ryder Cup, Walker Cup
Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen.
and the Solheim Cup (see page 52) already
Holtgrieve’s much vaunted visiting side lost the
residing on this side of the Atlantic.
match with a dismal performance in the two
matches and it ended once and for all any lingering notion that the GB & I team should be
Suddenly, the American trophy cabinet is beginning to look very bare indeed. This year’s US Walker Cup team arrived in
foursomes series which saw them win one and halve one of the eight matches. They did win the singles by a 10 ½ - 7 ½ margin but, by the
extended to include the leading amateur golfers
the Oil Capital of Scotland billed as arguably
final afternoon, GB & I needed just 3 ½ points
from the Continent of Europe.
the strongest side their country had ever
to clinch the trophy and they were duly sup-
The result of the match cast doubts over the
assembled. It included six of the top ten in the
plied by when Michael Stewart and Rhys Pugh
accuracy of the new Amateur World Ranking but
aforementioned Amateur World Ranking –
completed victories and Jack Senior, Steven
also revived warm memories of the 1999 match at
including the top four of Patrick Cantley,
Brown and Paul Cutler all provided half points.
Nairn which was graced by the likes of Paul Casey,
Jordan Speith, Patrick Rodgers and Peter
Luke Donald, Simon Dyson and Graeme Storm.
Uihlein – as well as another two players – Harris
post mortem to investigate where things went
English and Russell Henley – who had won
wrong in Aberdeen and one area they may
That earlier match in the Scottish Highlands also resulted in an historic victory for the home
Job done: captain Nigel Edwards lifts the trophy on behalf of an ecstatic GB&I team
24 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
against the professionals on this year’s
The American camp will no doubt instigate a
continued overleaf...
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES
It was GB & I’s first victory in the biennial contest since 2003 but its fifth in the last nine
The simple fact of the matter is that Jim
GETTYIMAGES.COM
GETTYIMAGES.COM
WALKER CUP REVIEW
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 25
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GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE NOV/DEC 2011
LORENA OCHOA // TICO TORRES // MEMORABILIA // PORTUGAL // MASERATI GRANCABRIO SPORT
Working nights suits Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres. It leaves the days free for his real passion: golf
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 27
FACE TO FACE WITH LORENA OCHOA
It is 17 months since one of the game’s most naturally gifted players, Lorena Ochoa, retired from tournament golf. But far from sitting back and enjoying the fruits of a phenomenal career the former world No. 1 (who turns 30 this November) finds herself busier than ever. Much of her time is spent raising funds for the benefit of the Lorena Ochoa Foundation which operates the La Barranca school for 250 under-privileged children in her home town of Guadalajara. She also has three step-children from her marriage to airline executive Andres Conesa to care for and is just three months away from delivering their first child. As if all that wasn’t enough to be going along with, Ochoa is involved in a fledgling course design business with Greg Norman, as Gi’s Tony Dear discovered when he caught up with one of golf’s most genuine and engaging characters during a fund-raising event in San Antonio, Texas
28 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Ochoa’s gift for giving Gi: With so much going on in your life I don’t
adults in painting, theatre, judo, guitar, comput-
imagine you consider yourself retired! Are you
ing and soccer. Soccer has become the most
missing tournament golf?
popular activity among the community. And we
LO: Not at all. I’m too busy doing other things. I
insist on parent involvement at the school. We
miss my good friends and the competition, but
are very keen to involve the parents as much as
not the travel. And what I’m doing now is so
possible. Some work at the school and many
much more important.
take the classes. We provide breakfast for the
Tell us about your foundation.
kids every morning and the mums are organized
We set it up in 2004. Shortly after it began, I
into teams for food preparation.
decided I wanted to focus 100% on education. I
What happens when the kids leave La
prayed about it and spoke with many people
Barranca?
about what we should do and, in the end, I
We keep in close touch with all the kids that
chose to help a school called La Barranca in the
graduate, and it’s always sad to see them go. I
Barranca de Huentitán neighborhood of
feel like their education has become my respon-
Guadalajara. It was a family-owned school in a
sibility – it almost feels feel like these kids are
very poor part of the city. I met the kids at a
my own! Of course, in the early years, the kids
charity golf event a few years ago. It offered
had to leave after Sixth Grade (ages 11-12). It
First to Sixth Grade classes. A few years ago the
was tough because we knew life would get a lot
family phoned to say they were shutting it down
more difficult for most of them because of vio-
because they had no more money. I went to see
lence in the home or because they might not get
it and just fell in love with the program.
the opportunity to advance to another school
What did you do with it?
and continue their education. That’s why we
We added an elementary school and, in 2010, a
wanted to add the middle school and the high
middle school with labs and a theatre. We have
school so they could complete their education
also built a high school which will open soon, so
or even be in a position to go to college.
we will be able to offer education to kids from
How does La Barranca differ from other
ages six to 17-18. We offer evening classes for
schools in Mexico?
Former world No. 1 Ochoa is a national treasure in Mexico where the innovative curriculum offered at the La Barranca school supported by her foundation has met with widespread acclaim
PORTUGAL – A SNAP-SHOT OF THE MARKET
Portuguese possibilities House prices in the Algarve have been on the slide, so is now the time to buy? Zigging while others zag could reap rewards, writes Gi’s property editor Peter Swain
s
ince the recession started in late
2007, gauging the bottom of the market has been a dangerous game. “Here in the Algarve, prices are off about 35% from the peak,” reports
Mary Mangan, managing director of Winkworth
Portugal, “and that includes 8% to 9% falls this
year.” So, if you’re thinking of buying a golfing place in the sun, the big question is: buy now or wait for further price falls? With the weather now on the turn, the annual migration of northern Europeans to the Algarve has begun. From Monte Rei in the east, through Quinta do Lago, Vilamoura and Vale do Lobo in the central Algarve, to the refurbished Onyria
buyers. The other conundrums for golfers are whether
Put the two together, and there are a number of exceptionally good value resales in the market just
Palmares in the west, the excellence of the courses
to buy on or off a development, and whether a
is beyond question. Just ask young Tom Lewis.
resale is better value than a new-build. “A tee-side
Winkworth are selling a two-bedroom end ter-
But until recently, property prices have been
home on one of the big resorts will be at least 25%
race townhouse, built in 1999, on the small 9-hole
well above the Spanish equivalent. In comparison
more expensive than buying outside,” Mangan sug-
Vale do Milho course near Carvoeiro for €250,000
with the Costa del Sol, they still are, but new
gests. “And the big developers have been much
(£220,000). With A/C, ocean views and a log-burn-
reductions make them more attractive to British
slower to reduce prices than private sellers.”
ing fire when it gets chilly, it would make a perfect
30 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
now.
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THE REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE ARE REALLY STACKING UP
(Left): Townhouses at Carveiro (Above): Computer generated image of the futuristic designs on offer at San Lorenzo North (Right): Quarter-share ownership schemes at Pestana make it possible to dip your toe in the water for as little as £56,000; (Below): winkworth offer a 3-bedroom villa with pool beside the Old Course at Vilamoura for £610,000
room villa, with a pool, over-
looking Pinta’s lock-up-and-leave holiday home.
16th fairway.
After a warm-up on your local set-up, the chal-
The finish will
lenges of Pestana’s Gramacho and Vale da Pinta
“Magnificent golf course, with fabulous houses at
courses, or Amondoeira’s Faldo and O’Connor
fabulous prices,” quips Mangan. Since 2001, this is
but lower con-
tracks are both within a 15-minute drive.
the first and may well be the last major release of
struction costs
development land on Quinta do Lago, the Gucci-
result in a price
At a higher price point, the same company is selling a recently modernized three-bedroom villa, with its own pool, next to the Old Course – my per-
est resort of them all. Plots start at €2.3 million (£2 million), while the
be traditional,
of just
€499,000
sonal favourite of the Vilamoura clubs. €695,000
palatial showhome which is currently under con-
(£438,000).
(£610,000) sounds a lot but this is the ‘Golden
struction will set you back €5.75 (£5 million). It
Pestana also
Triangle’, and it represents exceptional value when
will have everything – pool, gym, cinema room
have a quarter-
you consider the new-build alternatives.
etc. – but the price tag is a feature of the unique
share fractional
location as much as the design. The new Laranjal,
scheme, an
near Lagos, start at €500,000 (£440,000). As my
QdL North and South, as well as San Lorenzo itself
ideal ‘toe in the
colleague Clive Agran detailed in last month’s Gi,
and the ocean all makes for a pretty unique pack-
water’ exercise
the RTJ2 rebuild (or ‘blow-up’ as the celebrated
age.
for buyers who
The building plots alone at Onyria Palmares,
architect refers to the impressive redesign) is
Of the established golf resorts, Pestana
don’t want to
indeed magnificent, but it all has to be paid for –
Carvoeiro, near Lagoa, has always been good value
commit too
by real estate sales.
for money. With six courses, including the
much capital
Yes, the ocean views are splendid, and this must
youngest at Silves, the newly acquired Vila Sol,
upfront. With
be one of the very last such parcels of alpha golfing
and the Ronald Fream-designed Vale da Pinta,
three months
estate in the entire Algarve to be developed, but
which regularly hosts the European Senior Tour Q
usage a year, a
you’re looking at a cool £1 million and up for a villa
School, this is a scratch destination.
two-bedroom
that probably won’t be ready before 2014.
Their latest design is a steel-framed three-bed-
However Mary Mangan is a fan. “I like this project. The Coelho family have a great track record – they’re here for the long haul.” Four plots have already sold since the summer launch, and a 5star hotel is on the drawing board. The other scheme to have been inaugurated in the last few months is San Lorenzo North.
apartment on the same
CONTACTS winkworth.pt onyriapalmares.com qdlrealestate.com/sanlorenco pestanaproperties.com
course is available for
€64,000
(£56,000).
My guess is that prices in
TICO TORRES GOLFER & MUSICIAN
Tee time with Tico The annual golf-fest that is the Dunhill Links Championship gave Carolyn Nicoll the opportunity to catch up with musician Tico Torres, one of the most popular figures on the international celebrity golfing circuit
f
ast approaching thirty years as ‘The
own charity the Tico Torres Children Foundation.
Favourite professional golfer past or present?
Hit Man’ for one of the world’s great-
But there’s still time for a thrice-a-week golf
Gary Player – The Black Knight. He’s always played
est rock bands, drummer Tico Torres
habit – essential rock ‘n’ roll relaxation.
with such determination and has real integrity.
continues to travel the globe as a
Tico, what’s your first golfing memory?
Favourite celebrity golfer?
major player with the multi-award
winning Bon Jovi. Notching up almost three
The first time I ever played golf was with Willie
There are so many I could name, but I’ll say Alice
Nelson [American country music singer/song-
Cooper, because in the words of Alice “If rock 'n'
decades of hits, with record sales currently at a
writer] at Pedernales Golf Club, Texas on his 9-
roll made my life, then golf saved my life”.
staggering 100 million plus and continuing to
hole course. It’s also known as the Willie Nelson
Best golfing memory?
rise, not to mention having performed to over 34
Cut–N-Putt and as the great man says, it’s locat-
Easy – the practice round I enjoyed this week
million fans...it’s just all in a days work for the
ed just “8 songs away from Austin”. I played
here at the The Alfred Dunhill Links
New York born musician! So, what does this internationally renowned
with a 7 iron and putter and remember it well.
Championship. I played the Old Course at St.
Who taught you to play golf?
Andrews with Michael Douglas, Huey Lewis and
rock star do when not in the recording studio or
Willie actually taught me to play. It all started
Andy Garcia. It was the ‘Dream Fourball’!
touring the world?
back in 1989, I was at his house and he asked if
Worst golfing experience?
Tico Torres doesn’t miss a beat. He’s an
I’d ever played golf, I hadn’t so he took me out
This would have to be in Scotland, playing in
accomplished artist and sculptor, with an infant
there and said, “Just look at the ball and hit it!”
high wind, rain and cold!
clothing range Rock Star Baby and founder of his
So I did. After all, the man is an “icon”.
What’s your favourite UK course?
32 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
CELEBRITY Q&A
(Clockwise from far left): The ‘dream fourball’ pose for the obligatory photo-opportunity on the Swilcan Bridge at St Andrews, Huey Lewis, Tico, Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia; a rock ‘n’ roll swing at the Dunhill Links; the clubhouse at the fabulous Leopard Creek; back to the day job as ‘The Hit Man’ for rock legends Bon Jovi
How often do you play golf? Three times a week, schedule permitting. Ever had a hole in one? Just the once. It was at Miami’s Doral Golf Resort, I was playing in the VH1 Celebrity Golf Event, and I loved it! Favourite item of golf clothing? Here in Scotland? It has to be mittens. It’s so important to keep the hands warm when playing I really like all of Scottish golf, links golf, but I
The Jigger Inn at St. Andrews. It dates back to the
in cold weather.
also love to play at Sunningdale Golf Club in
1850s when it was the Station Master’s lodge. It’s
Best piece of golfing equipment?
Berkshire. I enjoyed playing a round there not so
now got lots of golfing memorabilia, roaring open
For me, the Momentus Power Hitter 310, a
long ago with with club pro Keith Maxwell.
fires, and you can get drinks and home cooked
weighted training driver that has really helped to
Do you have a ‘home’ club?
food. A great atmosphere at the ‘Home of Golf’!
coordinate and strengthen my swing.
I live in Florida so I regularly play at the gor-
Best ever handicap to date?
Country with the best golf courses? Where
geous Admirals Cove at Jupiter in Florida, it’s a
Two months ago it was 7. Now I’m 8.
would you like to be stranded?
marina and yacht club, with tennis courts and a
Favourite charity golf tournament?
I’m partial to links golf, so Scotland or Ireland, I
spa, as well as some great golf. I also spend a lot
The Tico Torres Children Foundation Celebrity Golf
don’t mind. It’s that windy weather that does it.
of time at La Gorce Country Club at Miami Beach,
Tournament, a great way to have fun and raise
Who would be your dream golf partner?
another great setting. I’m lucky to have two fabu-
money for kids in need. I have a son of my own and
Of all time, it has to be the late, great Seve
lous clubs, not far from home.
my heart goes out to children and their families
Ballesteros, because he could pull off the most
Favourite holiday golf destination?
who are less fortunate. The charity was founded in
impossible shots.
This would have to be Leopard Creek in South
2008 to help kids in difficult circumstances,
Favourite professional golf tournament?
Africa. It’s bordered by the Kruger National
whether through hunger, disease, homelessness,
Any of the majors, as it all goes up a notch.
Park and the Crocodile River, and the wildlife is
neglect, abuse or illness. The charity has also con-
The absolute best thing about playing golf?
simply amazing!
tributed to help children affected by the earthquake
The people you meet.
Your favourite ‘19th hole’?
in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The worst thing about playing golf? NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 33
MASERATI GRANCABRIO SPORT
A world of noise on 20-inch black alloys If you can convince yourself that flaws add to its character, Maserati’s latest GranCabrio Sport is a scream, writes Anthony Ffrench-Constant
A
hornet gargling TCP through a
front corner splitters and side skirts, a back grille
loud-hailer; Maria Sharapova on
and headlamps, body coloured door handles,
honeymoon; routing MDF with a
black exhausts and those massive 20” wheels.
blunt powertool; rapidly opening and closing a soundproofed door
Shunning increasingly ubiquitous, fastest floptop rivalries, the GranCabrio’s black fabric hood
on a soprano with stomach cramps; yes, and
eases below decks in its own sweet time to reveal
even Tom Jones bending over to pick up the
a gently warmed over interior featuring Maserati’s
soap in Strangeways’ shower block… All of these noises – indeed, pretty much any noise you can conjure that’s loud enough to send you scurrying for cover behind the sofa or cause the hairs on the nape of your neck to sponta-
longer, Trofoe racing car-style steering columnmounted shift paddles fitted as standard, drilled pedals and swanky new seat facings. The specimen I drove adds further ocular yelp via a small raft of ‘MC Sport Line’ options which,
neously troop the colour – can now be yours for
I’m told, 40% of buyers will find irresistible; a
the piffling sum of just £102,615; the asking
cool £6120 worth of carbon fibre dotted hither
price for Maserati’s GranCabrio Sport – a world
and thither, inside and out. This includes the
of noise on gloss black 20” alloy wheels.
steering wheel rim, which, boasting soap-on-a-
That, in essence, is what the extra four grand
rope grip levels, is not a good idea. Though all
you’ll need to append the Sport tag to a
looks generally handsome, a smattering of trim
GranCabrio buys you. OK, there are one or two
details still lack the quality required of a 100
extra tit-bits thrown in as well, so we’d better deal
grand car, whilst the chrome lipped, dark blue
with them before we eulogise any further about
driver’s instrument dials now look somewhat
the overwhelming din emanating from astern… The GranTourismo is such a beautiful car that
dated when mated to carbon fibre (think any one of Hugh Hefner’s recent wedding photographs)
it’s hardly surprising it manages to remain
and certainly lack visual punch in this context.
achingly pretty despite the loss of a lid. The new
However, the only real clanger in a GT which
Sport may be readily identified from its more
should boast genuine, long-haul comfort creden-
demure GranCabrio sibling through bespoke
tials is the front seats…
34 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
MOTORING
your ears at 50 paces. Additional ‘Sport’ mode bonuses include automatic throttle blipping during down-shifts and, in manual guise, the unavailability of kick-down, a refusal of the gearbox to change up on your behalf even with the needle pinging off the rev limiter, and the permanent opening of the exhaust baffles. Despite the rigorous stiffening of suspension components, the GranCabrio’s ride is entirely impressive, remaining fluid, supple and remarkably comfortable even in ‘Sport’ mode. The car suffers a 30% loss of torsional stiffness compared to the tin top. This might sound significant, but it’s a mere bagatelle compared to, say, the 70% losses of the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. Scuttle shudders are few and far between, and squeaks and rattles non-existent. Roof snugly in place for a motorway lunge, 100mph arrives before wind noise becomes noticeably greater than that of the tin lid sibling. Even with the roof off, progress is pleasingly unruffled until you’re really motoring. Maserati provides a wind-breaker to straddle the rear seats. But most owners would rather be lashed to death by their own quiff than spoil the cut of the car’s jib with such accessories. Besides, leave the boot-based packaging at home and you pretty much double the luggage space – already Lifting the lid on the GranTourismo, Maserati has created one of the world’s most coveted convertibles in the shape of the GranCabrio Sport. And yet, while achingly beautiful, interior styling and trim detail is perhaps not up to the standards expected of a hundred grand car, while the extra 100kg of weight over the tin top version accounts for mildly disappointing performance. Fire up the 4.7 litre V8, though, and the vocals are pure Maserati
woefully inadequate for the needs of even the modestly pricey passenger seat popsy. Akin to swimming in wellingtons (a great deal of activity under the surface for less forward motion than one would like), performance is mildly disappointing. Given that it weighs 100kg more than the tin top, this 1890kg Maserati is never as fast as it sounds, despite ostensibly encouraging figures. It must be worked with
The blurb brags of lumbar adjustment, but it’s
ally aspirated, 4.7 litre V8 delivers 444bhp and
unseemly vigour to wring the best out of it and,
entirely in absentia here. Rather, if anyone’s lost a
376lb ft of torque; 10bhp and 14lb ft more than
even in ‘Sport’ mode, the powertrain exhibits a
prize marrow, I suspect it is to be found inadver-
that of the standard GranCabrio. Resultant per-
somewhat teenage, ‘What!?... Now!?...’ attitude to rapid throttle requests.
tently sewn into this elegant leather seatback.
formance figures of 0.62mph in 5.2 seconds and
Uncomfortable and undeflatable, this indefatiga-
a full whack of 177 mph equate to an insignifi-
Nor can it be deemed agile. Nothing nearly 5
ble intrusion forces the body almost entirely
cant 0.1 second improvement in 0-62mph accel-
metres long could ever be deemed agile. True, you
proud of the seat’s lateral support wings, leaving
eration, and a 1mph increase in top speed.
can hustle the big Maserati along sweeping A
one free to slosh to and fro like the occupant of a button-back Chesterfield on a storm-tossed skiff. So, now, this is the bit where I write ‘press the
More significantly, a thorough undercarriage overhaul includes 15% stiffer front and rear
roads at a spectacular lick, plenty of feedback from the steering wheel and active dampers keep-
springs, 1mm larger front and rear anti-roll bars,
ing it flatter than a Lancashire vowel through the
start button and all is instantly forgiven’… Not
and a particularly well-judged revision of
bends. But it’s less pleasure to navigate round the
so, actually. The noises off only reach unfeasible
Maserati’s Skyhook electronic damping.
tighter, twistier stuff, its sheer size ultimately
proportions with the ‘Sport’ button engaged and,
Most significantly, a stab of the ‘Sport’ button
shackling aspirations of true agility.
once it has barked into life, the everyday power-
elicits a quicker throttle response, stiffer damp-
train setting consistently elicits little more racket
ing, more weight in the helm, 50% faster shift
Despite drilling, grooving and ventilation based
than the mildly heated thrum of a recently dis-
times from the 6-speed automatic gearbox and,
efforts to get them interested, they remain long
turbed hive of bees.
once the baffles automatically open at 2500rpm,
in travel, spongy and imbued with all the bite of
an exhaust note that’ll punch the wax clean out
a glove puppet. I mentioned this to a man I know
This version of Maserati’s all-alloy, convention-
Particularly since the brakes are so poor.
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 35
COMPETITION
WIN THE ULTIMATE HEAD TO TOE FOOTJOY MAKEOVER Golf International has teamed up with FootJoy the #1 shoe and glove in golf to offer 2 lucky readers the chance to win the ultimate golfing outfit ahead of the winter golf season. You will be kitted out head to toe in FootJoy product including, technically-advanced FJ Layering System garments that have been specifically designed to Make Every Day Playable, high-performance golf shoes and the best fitting and most comfortable gloves in the game. Providing the ultimate warmth and playability, preferred by many of the World’s leading golfers, the FJ Layering System uses lightweight, thinner, stretchable, more breathable garments that allow the player to regulate body temperature and better adapt to changing weather conditions while also enjoying a complete range of motion during the golf swing. 36 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
This fantastic prize includes a DryJoys Tour Collection Rain Jacket and matching DryJoys Tour Collection Rain Trousers as worn by leading Tour player and Ryder Cup star steve stricker, providing maximum protection in the toughest golf conditions, being completely waterproof, windproof and lightweight. An FJ ProDry Performance Base Layer garment designed specifically for golf. The non-restricting construction hugs the body and fits closely to the skin to help regulate body temperature, essential for cold playing conditions. One FJ Short Sleeve Golf Shirt which wicks away perspiration and provides outstanding uV sun protection, whilst being extremely comfortable during the golf swing. A pair of DryJoys Tour Golf Shoes, as worn by Ben Crane and Ross fisher, blending traditional upper styling with cutting-edge, next generation stability technology, whilst maintaining comfort and flexibility. And finally 3 FJ StaSof Gloves which are the number one Cabretta leather glove preferred by the world’s leading players including the 2011 WGC winner and footJoy ambassador Adam scott, providing optimal feel, moisture management and improved grip performance.
To enter, simply answer the following question: Which FootJoy ambassador won the 2011 WGC Invitational? Answer A: Steve Stricker B: Adam Scott C: Ian Poulter To enter visit: www.golfinternationalmag.com/competitions or answer on a Postcard to: FJ Competition, Golf International Magazine, 10 Buckingham Place, London, SW1E 6HX COMPETITION CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT ON THE 9TH DECEMBER, 2011
For more on FootJoy, visit www.footjoy.co.uk
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 37
INSTRUCTION DAN FROST
Take a
Short Cut to consistently LOWER
SCORES By Dan Frost WWW.FROSTGOLF.COM SHOT ON LOCATION AT CARTON HOUSE WWW.CARTONHOUSE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNY MATTHEWS
38 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Turning three shots into two around the greens is the fastest way to lowering scores – that’s why tour players spend the vast majority of their practice time working on the feel they have for the flight and spin of their chip and pitch shots and, of course, grooving their putting stroke. Technical advice alone, however, is not going to make you a short-game wizard. You need a good understanding of the basic techniques, obviously, but over and above that it is the way in which you visualise recovery shots to the pin and creative ways of practising these skills that really develops your ability in this critical arena. Over the page I’m going to share with you a couple of simple lessons on how to improve chipping and pitching technique – but after that I want you to open your mind and think about the bigger picture: with that in mind I’m going to look at the short game from three further points of view – tactical, practical and improving handeye co-ordination. These areas will improve your movement, focus, visualisation, course management and sharpness. All in all, a more professional approach to your wedge play.
SHORT-GAME SHORT-CUTS
Time invested on and around the green is the most valuable interms of saving shots and lowering scores
Visit www.frostgolf.com for more simple tips and drills from Dan Frost. Golf International readers are also entitled to a free ÂŁ100 golf lesson - simply email your details and the code GIFROST to frostgolf@btinternet.com NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 39
FEATURE
ANDY FARRELL
EXPLORING GOLF’S LINEAGE OF GREATNESS What is it, exactly, that separates the true legends of a sport from the field? Andy Farrell, author of The 100 Greatest Ever Golfers, explores how great champions emerge and how the modern game is evolving PhoTogrAPhY BY gETTYIMAgES.CoM
The greatest: by whatever measure you care to apply Jack Nickalus is the finest golfer of his and every other generation
It all started with Allan Robertson, who was not only the “supreme golfer of his age” but unwittingly created the opportunity for the birth of what we know today as the Open Championship. A year after Robertson’s death in 1859, the very first Open was held to try and identify his successor as the best golfer of the day. Willie Park was the first champion. Over the last century and a half, championship golf has proved remarkably proficient at identifying the greatest players of the game. There have always been matches and exhibitions, tournaments and tours, but it seems there have always been titles that have been the more sought after. The idea works very well. Get everyone together, let them get on with it and let’s see if anyone prevails more often than the others. And prevail they have: Young Tom Morris, Harry Vardon and the Great Triumvirate, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack
40 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Championship golf also offers platforms for players to excel whether they are male or female, amateur or professional. A great champion is a great champion, regardless of sex, status or the era in which they played. Compared to those innocent early days when eight caddies played three loops of the 12-hole Prestwick course in 1860, modern major championships might be bigger (starting fields; spectators, both on site and on global television), better (pay and quality of play), longer (courses and players’ drives) and lower (scoring) but when it comes to winning them, has anything actually changed? The qualities that separate the greatest from the merely very good remain the eternal verities. “The first thing is that they win tournaments and they win the big tournaments,” said Ken Brown, the former Ryder Cup player turned commen-
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 41
TRAVEL ALABAMA
42 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Robert Trent Jones
GOLF TRAIL
Nowhere is golf more of a numbers game: 11 locations, 26 courses, 468 holes, over 100 miles of fairway. Alabama’s inspired Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail could well be the answer you didn’t know you were looking for, writes Ian Thompson
One of the original Trail layouts, the Crossings course at Magnolia Grove has recently been the subject of impressive renovation
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 43
TRAVEL SPECIAL PROMOTION
Long-haul Champions Whether you opt for the chic vibe of Doral in Florida or the laid-back beach life of Mauritius, you can enjoy world-class golf in the sun this winter, as Steve Muncey reports
RECENT COMMUNICATIONS from the Met Office have sharpened the focus of many would-be travellers with the bracing prediction that Britain is headed for seriously sub-zero temeperatures over an extended, er, festive period this year. That’s good to know; as the prospect of long winter evenings, frosty mornings, muddy fairways and temporary greens looms large on the horizon, we can cheerily and collectively look forward to freezing our chestnuts in the deep mid-winter! There are two ways to deal with the onset of seasonal disorder this sort of information inevitably brings. You either embrace the traditional delights – mulled wine by a crackling fire, carol singers and children playing outside in the snow – or you can do the sensible thing and book yourself a five-star escape to a seriously fabulous destination to enjoy some winter sun. So that’s that sorted...the only decision now is where? To answer that we had a quick vote in the YGT office and decided on two of the world’s great golfing destinations – Florida and Mauritius (yes, Mauritius, increasingly regarded as the ultimate beach and golf destination).
THE dREAM THAT IS dORAL It’s amazing to think that a resort incongruously named after its founders, Doris and Al, has become one of the most glamorous golfing locations in the world. Back in the early 1960s, many pundits thought the creation of Doral Golf Resort 44 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
and a half thousand hectare estate in the southwest of Mauritius, stretching from the mountains to a huge turquoise lagoon The 5-star hotel is infused with the charm and style of a colonial sugar plantation and it opens out onto a serene tropical garden through which the Citronniers River flows. On offer are a variety of luxury accommodations in a village design with 20 different villas of 6 or 8 rooms. Many of the rooms and suites have beautiful sea or river views with floor-to-ceiling French windows, private balconies or verandas.
DORAL RESORT & SPA The American Dream: Your Golf Travel offer 7 nights accommodation in a garden view room including breakfast in the Terrazza Restaurant, flights with Virgin Atlantic including club carriage, 1 round a day on either the Red, Gold or Jim Mclean signature courses (all carts included), unlimited use of the driving range and golf bag storage £1719pp during November and December 2011 although prices fall to just £1295 between May & October 2012. *Surcharges apply for Blue Monster and Great White Contact Your Golf Travel on 0800 043 6644 email info@yourgolftravel.com Or visit www.yourgolftravel.com
The Spa is smaller than Doral’s (no surprise there) but it will satisfy the most discerning clients, while the cuisine at Heritage Le Telfair is top-end and, not surprisingly, full of French and pan-Asian influences. Is the golf as good here as it is at Doral? If you’re looking for ball-breaking championship golf, no. But the views and sense of drama are every bit
& Spa in two and a half thousand acres of remote
THE MAGIC Of MAURITIUS
as good, the lush 18-hole Heritage layout, weaving
swampland would be financial lunacy, but Doris
For those looking for more serious heat – but no
its way between lakes, streams and tropical trees,
and Alfred Kaskel had a cunning plan; they’d
less serious golf – Mauritius’ golf offerings have
is technically challenging and varied. Guests also
launch the resort with a new golf tournament for
been further enhanced with the addition of the
enjoy preferential access to two other courses on
the burgeoning PGA Tour. The Doral Country Club Open Invitational, as it was known back then, was Florida’s first PGA event and the wealthiest tournament to date, with
Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort, named “Best
the island – the superb Tamarina, with spectacular
Golf Resort in Mauritius” at the 2010 World Travel
views of the mountains, and Le Paradis which lies
Awards. Named after a famous Irish naturalist, Charles
between the magnificent Le Morne Mountain and one of the island’s most beautiful lagoons.
a $50,000 pot, drawing many biggest stars of the
Telfair, who lived in the area in the 19th century,
day. It was the first venue to use the professional
Heritage Le Telfair is located at the heart of the
choice, but rest assured that which ever way you
tour to put itself on the map, and it’s a formula
famous Domaine de Bel Ombre, an exquisite two
decide to go you won’t be disappointed.
So, you pay your money and you take your
that’s been copied by just about every big golf resort launched in the US or Europe since. The resort opened with “just” three courses – including the original famed and feared TPC Blue Monster – but Greg Norman has added another and Jim McLean, whose famous golf school is based here, has recently built his own interpretation of a Florida track so that there are now five brilliant 18-hole layouts to choose from. In fact, McLean’s Signature Course is one of the biggest features of a $16 million investment to mark the property's golden jubilee in 2012 that also includes the new Bossa Nova lobby bar, a Latininspired steakhouse and a $5 million renovation of The Spa at Doral.
Lush: Heritage Le Telfair was nominated as the ‘Best Golf Resort in Mauritius’ in 2010
Not that The Spa needed renovating particularly. It’s housed in an incredible $50 million facility with 48 guest suites with private dressing areas, marble bathrooms, jacuzzis, wet bars and striking views of the gardens and golf courses. The Marriott hotel is also glorious. Its plethora of rooms and suites capturing the sophisticated atmosphere with plantation shutters, private balconies or terraces with great views of the courses, deluxe baths and high-speed Internet access. The
HERITAGE LE TELFAIR GOLF RESORT AND SPA Tropical temptation: Your Golf Travel offer 7 nights accommodation in a superior room on half-board basis, including flights with Air Mauritius including club carriage, private airport transfers with unlimited play on the Golf Du Chateau course. from £1649pp from february to April 2012
excellence of the accommodation is matched by
All promotions are available through YOUR GOLF TRAVEL
the range of facilities, including a large tennis cen-
call 0800-043-6644 • email info@yourgolftravel.com
tre and the Blue Lagoon, an outdoor pool complex
www.yourgolftravel.com
with cascading waterfalls and a thrilling 150-foot waterslide. NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 45
WORLD
NEWS
Oh, come on Killeen! Such was the tension and drama created at its conclusion, this year’s Solheim Cup will live long in the memory. Europe’s victory at Killeen Castle, only their fourth in the event, deserves to rank with the greatest of all international team contests. Laura Davies thought this was the best of Europe’s rare triumphs over the Americans – it was the first since 2003 – and captain Alison Nicholas, who beat Nancy Lopez to win the US Open, said it was her best ever achievement in the game. “I’ve been in agony all day,” Nicholas said at the end. “The players have so much heart and passion. They were so up for it and fought right to the end.” They needed to. When play was interrupted for the second time, America seemed to have their nose in front and another Solheim Cup seemed to be slipping away. But over the last hour of incredible play, Suzann Pettersen showed why she is the world No 2, and an absolute rock in international competition, and a bunch of rookies showed they could step up to the mark as well. “It’s the first time we looked like we were dead and buried and we’ve come back and actually won it,” Davies said. “The other ones, we did not win easily, but this one really, I think, we had three matches left on 46 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM NOV/DEC 2011
Described by her captain, Alison Nicholas as ‘an absolute rock in the international competition’, Sweden’s Suzanne Peterssen was just one reason Europe reclaimed the Solheim Cup in dramatic fashion at Killeen Castle the course, and we needed a result from all of them. Normally, the Americans are in that position, and they come back and do it. So this was the most exciting win by far. We’ve had four wins, but this one tops all the others. We came here with a team of 12 and showed we could win the singles.” With the scores level after two days, America’s traditional strength in the singles might have been decisive. But Europe had been the stronger team throughout the foursomes and fourballs although chances had been missed to forge ahead, America had had to work hard to get back on level terms. While Nicholas rested all her players at least once, our opposite number, Betsy King had to put two of her stars out constantly with disastrous results. Cristie Kerr was struggling with a wrist injury but kept playing with her captain’s ascent – until the Sunday singles when she could not swing the club on the range and dissolved into tears before withdrawing. It meant a first point on the day for Europe and a first point ever for Karen Stupples. It
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTYIMAGES.COM
EDITED BY ANDY FARRELL was not how the Kent golfer wanted to earn it. “I’m gutted for her and I’m gutted for me,” she said. Their clash was due to be the anchor match and by the time it was due to start Paula Creamer had almost lost already – for the first time in the singles – to Catriona Matthew. The Scot led off for Europe in the unshakeable manner expected by Nicholas and she delivered a 6 and 5 thrashing of the visitor’s best player. Sophie Gustafson soon ended her week with a 4-0 record, as did Morgan Pressel for the Americans. A crucial intervention seemed to be Juli Inkster’s magnificent bunker shot up the length of the 18th green to scrape a half against Davies. Inkster had said after 2009 that she had played her last Solheim but returned here as a playing vice-captain at the age of 51. Afterwards she said that really was it. The 47-year-old Davies shows no signs of slowing down. While a win on Saturday had made Davies the highest ever point scorer in the Solheim Cup ahead of assistant captain Annika Sorenstam, a win on Sunday would have kept Europe on course for victory. The half meant a tie looked like being the best they could hope for and Americans took the next two points. But Christel Boeljon, the first player from the Netherlands to appear in the contest, overcame a shortfall in both experience and length off the tee to beat Brittany Lincicome by two holes. She had led for all but two holes of the match but had to go all the way to the 18th, hitting the first of a series of brilliant approaches at the last by European players, before claiming her point. Pettersen produced remarkable heroics, birdieing the last three holes to come from one-down to win at the last where she hit a superb approach and an even better putt. “I don’t know where those birdies came from,” said the Norwegian, “I must have bought them on e-bay this morning. All I know is I get older every time.” Pettersen added: “The rookies were all superstars.” Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall certainly was after winning the last two holes to halve her match against Ryann O’Toole, an American rookie was who was unbeaten over the week but was disconsolate at her finish at the last once Hedwall, the new star on the LET this season with three wins, had hit another of those impressive approaches on the 18th. Almost concurrently, Spain’s Azahara Munoz birdied the 17th with an approach to two feet in the last match on the course. It put Munoz one ahead with one to play against Angela Stanford and the celebrations could begin. When Munoz and Stanford both hit the green at the last, their
EUROPEAN TOUR Portugal Masters Oceanico Victoria Course, Vilamoura, Portugal // 13-16 October 1 Tom Lewis eNG -21 70 64 68 65 267 € 416,660 2 Rafael Cabrera-Bello esP -19 69 65 64 71 269 € 277,770 3 felipe Aguilar CHI -18 66 66 67 71 270 € 110,000 3 George Coetzee RsA -18 70 69 66 65 270 € 110,000 3 Grégory Havret fRA -18 66 69 71 64 270 € 110,000 3 David Lynn eNG -18 70 68 68 64 270 € 110,000 sWe -18 69 64 66 71 270 € 110,000 3 Christian Nilsson DeN -17 65 69 66 71 271 € 56,167 8 Thomas Björn 8 Jamie Donaldson WAL -17 69 68 67 67 271 € 56,167 8 Martin kaymer GeR -17 67 68 70 66 271 € 56,167
putts were conceded and both joy and despair took full vent. Whether there is any lasting impact for the Ladies European Tour and the women’s game in general. But it was important for the Solheim Cup, which leaves so many of the best women players on the sidelines given they are from Asia. The LET is used to losing its best players to the LPGA and now that the American circuit is losing tournaments at home, it has been looking at adding ones from the LET to balk up their schedule. The LPGA has a tendency to look on the LET as a feeder circuit but this result should reinforce the premise that the women’s game is best served by a proper partnership between the two organisations.
Bankia Madrid Masters El Encin Golf Hotel, Alcala de Henares, Spain // 06-09 October eNG -15 67 66 69 71 273 € 166,660 1 Lee slattery 2 Lorenzo Gagl ITA -14 65 70 69 70 274 € 111,110 3 eduardo De La Riva esP -12 67 67 72 70 276 € 56,300 3 Cesar Monasterio ARG -12 68 70 67 71 276 € 56,300 5 Thomas Aiken RsA -10 71 69 67 71 278 € 42,400 6 Gonzalo fdez-Castaño esP -9 65 75 68 71 279 € 26,480 6 Oscar floren sWe -9 69 69 67 74 279 € 26,480 6 Peter Hanson sWe -9 67 72 72 68 279 € 26,480 6 Benjamin Hebert fRA -9 69 72 67 71 279 € 26,480 ITA -9 67 67 71 74 279 € 26,480 6 francesco Molinari
fEd-Ex CUP? RETURN TO SENdER... The Solheim Cup was everything the FedEx Cup is not. The comparison was all the more poignant because they culminated on the same day. One had drama, tension, pride and thrilling golf, the other only money – and far too much at that. Even though the Tour Championship went to a three-hole playoff and the winner was guaranteed $11.4 million as winner of the tournament and the FedEx Cup – everything that the PGA Tour were hoping for – the action was strangely bloodless. For those for whom it might have slipped their mind, Bill Haas eventually defeated Hunter Mahan. Ho hum. It was a third win on tour for the 29-year-old Haas, who got up and down from a lake on the second extra hole of the playoff. “This was very unexpected, I guess,” said the son of Jay Haas. His father is one of Fred Couples’s vice-captains for the Presidents Cup and the win booked Haas a wild card alongside Tiger Woods. Webb Simpson finished second on the FedEx Cup and Luke Donald was third in both the Tour Championship and the FedEx list. The trouble with the FedEx Cup is that it is neither one thing nor the other – neither a sharp and simple shootout, you would only need one tournament for that, nor a seasonlong reflection of form over the whole year. The ludicrously complicated mathematics
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Old Course, St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Fife & Angus, Scotland // 29 September – 02 October 1 Michael Hoey NIR -22 66 66 66 68 2 Rory McIlroy NIR -20 70 67 66 65 3 Graeme McDowell NIR -18 67 67 67 69 3 George Murray sCO -18 70 66 67 67 5 Tommy fleetwood eNG -17 69 63 71 68 5 Louis Oosthuizen RsA -17 66 67 69 69 5 Marc Warren sCO -17 67 67 70 67 8 Padraig Harrington IRL -16 68 71 64 69 9 Nicolas Colsaerts BeL -15 70 67 69 67 9 Luke Donald eNG -15 69 71 63 70 9 Jamie Donaldson WAL -15 71 65 70 67 9 simon Dyson eNG -15 69 71 63 70 9 Peter Hanson sWe -15 68 69 69 67 9 Joost Luiten NeD -15 72 68 65 68 9 Charl schwartzel RsA -15 69 69 66 69 9 Jaco Van Zyl RsA -15 67 67 69 70 17 James Morrison eNG -14 67 69 71 67 18 Alex Haindl RsA -13 72 66 70 67 18 Matt Haines eNG -13 71 68 66 70 18 steve Webster eNG -13 68 68 71 68
266 268 270 270 271 271 271 272 273 273 273 273 273 273 273 273 274 275 275 275
€ 588,149 € 392,097 € 198,677 € 198,677 € 126,334 € 126,334 € 126,334 € 88,222 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 60,962 € 47,640 € 43,876 € 43,876 € 43,876
Austrian GolfOpen presented by Lyoness Diamond Country Club, Atzenbrugg, Austria // 22-25 September 1 kenneth ferrie eNG -12 72 70 67 67 276 € 166,660 2 simon Wakefield eNG -12 73 66 70 67 276 € 111,110 3 Joost Luiten NeD -11 67 70 72 68 277 € 62,600 4 Thomas Nørret DeN -9 67 70 70 72 279 € 50,000 5 Victor Dubuisson fRA -8 72 71 67 70 280 € 35,800 5 Cesar Monasterio ARG -8 72 72 70 66 280 € 35,800 5 Bernd Wiesberger AuT -8 70 71 71 68 280 € 35,800 8 Magnus A Carlsson sWe -7 71 75 67 68 281 € 23,700 8 Christian Nilsson sWe -7 71 70 70 70 281 € 23,700 10 Robert Coles eNG -6 72 65 72 73 282 € 17,925
NOV/DEC 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 47
JOHN HOPKINS
LAST SHOT
The high notes of a vintage season 2011 will be remembered for a number of stand-out performances, not least the magnificent efforts of both the Walker Cup and Solheim Cup teams in returning those trophies to home soil GOOD THINGS TO HAVE HAPPENED IN 2011? We’re not short on copy: * Rory McIlroy’s remarkable performance after leading by four strokes
shot to four feet. Wonderful! * Great Britain and Ireland’s victory in the Walker Cup. I am not sure
with 18 holes to play in the Masters and going round in 80. In such cir-
which brought me the greater pleasure, seeing the magnificent Royal
cumstances most golfers would have rushed to the clubhouse, unwilling
Aberdeen golf course for the first time or watching Great Britain and
to face the press. McIlroy stood outside the scorer’s tent at Augusta
Ireland steal a deserved victory against much more fancied opponents.
National for some time explaining what he thought had happened, why
Or, for that matter, watching Rhys Pugh hit one low, boring shot after
it had happened and why, in the grand scheme of things, he was disap-
another in the wind of Saturday and again on Sunday.
pointed but not disheartened. As I watched and listened to him explain
* Or was it Peter Uihlein’s obvious concern for the disappointment of
himself in such a mature way, I found it hard to remember that he was
Stiggy Hodgson, his opponent, who had led almost all afternoon only to
only 21. I marvelled at his composure and this in part explains how he
misclub on the 17th and hit his ball over the green and into a gorse
was able to bounce back so quickly nine weeks later.
bush? Uihlein won 2 & 1. Say what you like, but demonstrations of
* McIlroy’s runaway win at the US Open. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTYIMAGES.COM
After his calamity at Augusta, I don’t know whether we expected this. I don’t know whether he expected this. But it was quite magnificent and emphatic. He led from start to finish, starting with a bogey-free 65, six under par that beat the next best score by three strokes. His 72-hole total of 268 was four strokes lower than the previous US Open record and at 22 years, one month and 15 days he became the youngest US Open champion for nearly 90 years. The great Bobby Jones was 21 years, three months and 28 days when he won in 1923. It was McIlroy’s 11th appearance in a major championship. Of all the shots he played, the one that sticks in my mind most clearly was his tee shot on the 10th on Sunday afternoon, a parthree of over 200 yards across a small pond. This was where McIlroy could have made a mistake. But his swing on the tee was as rhythmical and flowing as ever. He did not look the least bit constrained by his huge lead. And when the ball landed and stopped no more than hand’s span from the hole, you knew that this was the 2011 US Open champion. Some shot! Some champion! * Europe’s stunning finish in the Solheim Cup. Those who have watched team play involving Americans have become accus-
Alison Nicholas gives her opposite number, Rosie Jones, the American captain, a consoling pat after her European team produced a stunning finale to regain the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle
warmth and understanding of what Hodgson was going through as demonstrated by Uihlein do enhance competition. * Tom Lewis’s victory in his third tournament as a professional. I had watched Lewis, 20, in the first round of the Open and listened to Tom Watson saying what a good kid he seemed and how Lewis reminded him of himself when he was that age. I had heard Pete Cowen, the pre-
tomed to their rousing finishes when needed.
eminent coach on the European Tour, say that he had never seen an
Rickie Fowler birdied his last four holes to
amateur who was so professional in his approach as Lewis.
halve with Edoardo Molinari at last year’s Ryder Cup. This time, in the
And then I read that Lewis had birdied five of his last seven holes
Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle, Ireland, in September, the boot was on
(and 22 in his last 54 holes) to come from behind and win the Portugual
the other foot. The US seemed set to retain the Solheim Cup until
Masters in only his third start as a professional. A new star is born.
Suzanne Pettersen birdied the last three holes to win her match. Azahura Munoz, one up after 17 holes, held on to win by one hole. So it
* The newly built chipping green and putting green at Royal Porthcawl golf club. One of the pleasures of visiting golf clubs in the US
all came down to Caroline Hedwall, who needed at least a half. Two
is benefiting from the extensive practice facilities. There is a pyramid of
down with two to play she finished with all guns blazing, winning the
shining white balls behind each position on the practice ground. The
17th by holing from 15 feet and winning the 18th by hitting her second
large, immaculate putting green always runs at the same speed as the
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