GolfNews April 2014

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Issue 232 | April 2014

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INSIDE: MASTERS REVIEW BUBBA WATSON CHARLEY HULL WIN TICKETS TO THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP EWEN MURRAY’S MASTERS’ DIARY

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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Issue 232 | April 2014

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Better late than never

W

hile I welcomed the decision by the Royal & Ancient to put pressure on its members to vote ‘yes’ when it goes to the polls to accept women as members, I also found myself wincing at the fact that this was the lead story on every news channel for 48 hours.

Golf only ever seems to make national headlines when there has been a streaker at The Open, we win the Ryder Cup, or, as in this instance, whenever some ridiculous law comes up for discussion. At a time when golf clubs are doing everything possible to welcome players

new and old to the game, these sorts of debates set the sport back years, and fan the fires of resentment that lurk behind a lot of people’s attitudes towards golf and golfers.

As Golf News celebrates its 20th year in existence this month, it seems like a sensible juncture at which to take stock of a sport that should, by now, be totally in tune with the modern age. But as things stand in 2014, there still remains an awful lot of work to be done before golf can claim to be anywhere near calling itself a game for everyone and anyone.

So let us pray that the R&A’s

2,500-strong membership delivers a 100 per cent yes vote to allow women to finally join its ranks in September, and those that vote against it be named and shamed. If I were a woman, I can’t think of too many reasons why I’d want to join this embattled gang of misogynists, but I hope that there are plenty who will – if only to prove a point.

And while I am on the subject, those clubs that are hoping to host the Open Championship in future years should also look to sort out their own houses before they too become open to ridicule.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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‘BATTLE OF CHERKLEY’ WAITS ON APPEAL A council defended its controversial decision to allow a historic estate in the greenbelt to be developed into a golf course and hotel in a hearing at the Court of Appeal last month.

In August a High Court judge quashed the planning permission granted by Mole Valley District Council to turn Cherkley Court into an exclusive golf resort. MVDC and developer Longshot Cherkley Court are now appealing against the High Court judgement that halted the development at the former home of press baron Lord Beaverbrook near Leatherhead.

In his judgement in the High Court, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave had ruled that ‘very exclusive private demand’ was contrary to public need and highlighted the number of golf facilities already in the area.

At the Court of Appeal hearing on March 14, MVDC’s barrister, James Findlay QC, argued that the council was not required to demonstrate the ‘need’ for a golf course and that the judge had wrongly interpreted this point.

Findlay said: “There’s no justification for restricting the word need…to exclude need generated from outside the district.

In the High Court, Justice Haddon-Cave said a majority of councillors had made a ‘perverse’ decision that the character of the landscape of Cherkley Court, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, would not be compromised.

But Findlay claimed that only three holes in the 18-hole golf course would fall within the AONB so it could not be classed as a ‘major development’ and that an environmental statement outlined benefits to the landscape from the development. He added: “The implications for the landscape were a matter of planning judgment and there is nothing in this case to justify the conclusion that the judgment was perverse.”

Findlay said the council’s officers had deemed an underground spa, swimming pool and maintenance centre as inappropriate development in the greenbelt – but councillors decided concerns were outweighed.

About 20 supporters of the Cherkley Campaign, which brought the judicial review to block the development last year, sat in the public gallery. Andy Smith, Surrey branch director for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said that, in their view, MVDC had foolishly decided to spend more taxpayers’ money to defend the decision.

Smith said: “The fact is we have been through this last year, and the judgement we received was definitive, comprehensive and said it all. We thought and felt that should have been the end of it.”

David Crawford, a director of the Cherkley Campaign, said: “This case has got to remind the council of its duties to follow planning policy properly when making their decisions.”

Dimmock’s hot putter seals Sunningdale success England international Annabel Dimmock and Challenge Tour player Steven Brown forged a successful partnership when they won the Sunningdale Foursomes at their first attempt. The Wentworth pair came triumphantly through the seven-round test, when Dimmock holed a 30-footer on the last hole for a one-up win over Inci Mehmet, also from Wentworth, and Oscar Granström-Livesey of Royal Mid-Surrey.

“It was a great match, and we all played so well,” said Dimmock. “The number of birdies was unbelievable. This is a really good tournament to win, especially as it’s near my club, and we had the home crowd watching!”

It was a first competitive outing together for the winning pair. “We play a bit of foursomes against friends, but we’ve never before played together in a competition,” said Dimmock, who had been in fine form already this season, with a victory on the Orange Blossom Tour in the USA, and a runner-up finish in the Spanish amateur.

Brown, a former English champion and the player who sealed the GB&I Walker Cup triumph of 2011, is currently fourth on the Challenge Tour order of merit, and came to the event fresh from a fifth place in the Kenya Open. “We were both really tired before it started, because we both got back into the country only the day before the practice round, but we knew we were both playing well,” added Dimmock.

Their impressive putting was critical to their success. In the first round, they holed a long

putt to win the 18th, taking the match into extra time before they squeezed through to the next round on the 20th. In the semi-final, Dimmock had a 15-footer to keep the match alive, before the pair eventually defeated the Goodwood pairing of England international Toby Tree and boy international Marco Penge on the 19th. Then, in the final Dimmock clinched the title with that 30-footer. “We holed a lot of putts when we needed to,” she said.

The tournament attracted a typically strong field, with the 128 pairings including European Senior Tour stars Barry Lane and Gary Wolstenholme, former Tour players Andrew Oldcorn and Andrew Sherbourne. Former Tennis ace Tim Henman, who is a member at Sunningdale, made it through to the third round with partner Tim Crawley, before they were beaten 3&2 by the losing finalists.

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Countdown begins to West London opening One of the first new courses in the South East in recent years is to open its doors to green fee golfers in under two months’ time.

The first of June sees the opening of the brand new nine-hole course at the West London Golf Centre in Northolt, Middlesex.

The full-length 3,037-yard, par 36 course will offer a new play-and-play challenge to the region’s golfers, although with membership fees starting from £395 per year, many local players are expected to join as full-time members.

The parkland course has been designed and built by an in-house team from The Bridgedown Group, owners of The Shire London near Barnet.

In late 2013 the same company announced plans to create The Dye London, near Edgware.

Owner Tony Menai-Davis said: “This brand new, very attractive and very challenging golf course, perfectly complements the rest of the high-quality facilities at West London Golf Centre. I think that golfers are going to love it.”

Ceri Menai-Davis, director of The Bridgedown Group, said: ”Over the last ten years we have been fortunate to meet many of the world’s great golf course architects, including, of course, Seve Ballesteros and the Dye Designs team. We have put what we have learnt from them to good effect at the new nine-hole course at West London Golf Centre.

He added: “Every blade of grass is new, and we have tried to put the best possible design into this golf course. Golfers will discover some holes here which will surprise them, many of which would not look out of place on a Tourstandard course, let alone a nine-hole course

attached to a golf centre. This is a spectacular layout, which will be a very good test of anyone’s game. West London Golf Centre stands for affordable, yet high-quality golf, and I believe that our new golf course lives up to that claim.”

With two par fives, five par fours, and two par threes, the course mixes stadium-style target golf with links-style features, with gorse, rolling fairways and several lakes to negotiate.

“The new course is similar in spirit to The Ballesteros Masters Course at The Shire London. It is designed for golfers who like to have fun on the golf course, and yet you will need to think your way around to build a good score.”

The new course will be additional attraction at the West London Golf Centre facility, which opened in December 2012. The golf centre already has a 26-bay floodlit driving range, a 4,500ft American Golf superstore, a licensed bar and restaurant, and parking for 150 cars.

Later this summer, the new course will be joined by a dinosaur adventure course, and a new putting and short game zone, both of which will especially appeal to families, as well as those looking to practise.

The Bridgedown Group’s next project, a championship-length 18-hole course named West London Links, is already under construction. It is being built directly opposite the West London Golf Centre, and is set to open in 2017. In November last year, the group also announced that it will open The Dye London near Edgware, before the end of the decade.

Thousands take up free coaching offer An initiative by course golf operator BGL Golf to introduce the game to a whole new group of people has resulted in over 2,500 previous non-golfers registering for a series of free coaching lessons.

BGL Golf, which owns and operates nine venues throughout England, has seen 2,500 non-golfers sign up to its Learn Golf programme, which offers free lessons to individuals who have never tried the game before.

The company, based at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, introduced Learn Golf to make golf more accessible. The group, which includes seven pay-and-play centres, also revealed that over two-thirds of those taking part in the

free taster sessions went on to continue their tuition.

The success of Learn Golf chimes with findings from a 2013 survey by global golf course supply company Syngenta, which revealed more than 60 per cent of non-golfers in the UK would be interested in taking part in a free golf morning and affordable golf lessons.

Colin Mayes, BGL chief executive, said: “The fun and relaxed Learn Golf sessions ensure people, who are new to the game, get a positive first experience with others of a similar ability – something we believe to be crucial to the growth of the sport.”

Each Learn Golf session is led by one of more than 50 PGA Professionals across the BGL Golf group, introducing participants to the basics of the game, including etiquette and equipment, using the practice facilities available at each venue.

The clubs involved in the initiative located in the South East include Abbey Hill Golf Centre in Milton Keynes, Aldwickbury Park in St Albans, Birchwood Park in Dartford, Hoebridge Golf Centre in Surrey, and Wycombe Heights Golf Centre in Buckinghamshire.

The programme will be running throhoughout 2014, and those looking to take part can register at www.bglgolf.co.uk/ learngolf.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Royal St George’s

Sign up for Sandwich Links Championship A brand new pro-am event is being launched by the PGA in England South region this autumn that looks sure to attract a strong field.

The Sandwich Links Championship Pro-Am is scheduled to take place from October 13-14, with Open championship venues Royal St George’s and Prince’s providing the venues for the 36-hole event.

As well as offering a unique links experience for all competitors, the tournament comes with a £2,000 prize fund for the professionals, while the amateurs will battle it out for some generous prizes offered by event sponsors Callaway Golf.

Among the early entries include former European Tour player Benn Barham, while Prince’s own Robert McGuirk will be looking to make the most of his home advantage.

The event costs £1,200 for a team of three, which includes a complimentary practice round on October 12, two tournament rounds at Royal St George’s and Prince’s over two days; lunch on both days; a welcome reception at The Lodge at Prince’s; goody bags for all the amateurs; plus a prize presentation cocktail party.

Accommodation packages at Prince’s are also available, which include two twin bedroom apartments for up to four people sharing, and twin rooms in The Lodge for two nights’ bed and breakfast. All enquiries should be made to The PGA in England (South) on 01483 224200.

Pin High launches new era at Canterbury

Canterbury president Paul Blake flanked by Pin High Golf representatives Tony Healy and Roger Hyder

Canterbury Golf Club has appointed the services of a management consultancy to help take it forward, following the recent purchase of its freehold.

The Kent-based club, which first opened in 1927, recently took up an option to purchase the freehold from the landowners, the Ministry of Defence, which was looking to close down the nearby army barracks. Club president Paul Blake said: “After years of trying to buy the freehold from the MOD, we were quite surprised when last year it informed us that we could now buy it. Obviously we wanted to make the move, but we knew that we needed to be a bit more commercially-minded if we were going to invest a large sum in the freehold.”

The club has since appointed Pin High Golf, a golf and leisure management consultant and club operator, in a management consultancy agreement. Pin High was approached initially to give an appraisal of the club and was asked to highlight the areas where the club could improve both operationally and commercially.

Blake added: “We were impressed by Pin High’s confidence in their ability to improve the club in so many areas, while retaining the ethos of a member-driven club.”

Roger Hyder, operations director for Pin High, said: “It is a tremendous privilege for us to be working with a great club such as Canterbury, and also to have the opportunity to help such a well-known members’ club become more commercially-minded. The future lies in getting the club back to being one of the premier clubs in the South East.

Mind you, it does help when you have a classic Harry Coltdesigned course and a 23-bay floodlit driving range.”

Along with planned improvements to the course and the clubhouse, Pin High has already introduced an associate membership, where golfers can join the club for £350.

Hyder added: “We believe this type of membership is the future of golf club membership. It is designed specifically for those golfers who want to belong to a club, get a handicap, and play in competitions, but without the commitment of a traditional membership.

With refurbishment work starting on the clubhouse in the next few months, we believe that the Canterbury is a very exciting place to be a member.”

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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Chislehurst beckons for golfing brothers Golfing brothers are invited to take part in the Brothers Amateur Foursomes Open, which is once again being hosted at Chislehurst Golf Club in south-east London from June 12-13.

The unique tournament, which is now in its 36th year, attracts pairs of brothers from all over the country, with many returning year after year. The event is played over two days, beginning with an 18-hole qualifying foursomes Stableford played on the first morning. The top eight qualifying pairs then move into the quarter-finals of the match play knockout for the Brothers Open Trophies, with the next eight pairs qualifying for the Plate. Non-qualifiers play in a Stableford greensomes event on the first afternoon, followed by a Stableford foursomes competition the following morning, while the semi-finals proceed around them ahead of both finals on the Friday afternoon.

The competition rules require that all competitors must be members of a recognised golf club with an active handicap. Half brothers and stepbrothers are ineligible, and the maximum handicap is 28.

The entry fee of £120 per pair includes all golf, coffee and bacon rolls on arrival ,and a buffet at prize giving following the finals. One courtesy practice round is also available on either the preceding Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. For entries oall Mark Hickson on 0208 467 2782 The impressive clubhouse at Chislehurst or e-mail thesecretary@chislehurstgolfclub.co.uk.

Greens so good, they deserve their own green jacket.

Top pros find their range at TopGolf Shooting the lights out with a huge total of 489 points, Wentworth professional Stuart Boyle won the inaugural TopGolf Pairs Pro-Am at the company’s state-ofthe-art range in Addlestone, Surrey.

TopGolf Watford’s PGA assistant professional David Botley won the pairs event with his 19-handicap partner Chris Paul, and if the feedback was anything to go by, it could be the first of a whole new and excitingly different format for pro-am golf.

Boyle thought the new event was a great idea, commenting: “It was terrific, really different. Everyone was having a great time, and there was a great atmosphere, music playing, all really chilled. Your mates are sitting in the bay watching you hit your shots, while sitting down and chatting away with drinks to hand. It’s a great way to do a very different kind of pro-am!”

TopGolf and The PGA in England (South) joined forces to develop and run the UK’s first ever range-based proam. Starting at 6pm, 22 teams paired up to use 11 of Addlestone’s 58 bays. Over the next two hours, the pros and amateurs competed in three different types of shootout, aiming at the equivalent of electronically-managed dartboards to score points with micro-chipped balls.

With each player hitting 20 balls per format, the premium was on accuracy. The first format, Top Pressure, required the players to pitch at the 50-yard targets and take out the nine different segments, including the centre ring. With the remaining balls, the successful players then went for the next level for double points.

The second format, Top Break, was like snooker with red targets at 25 yards and low-point scores, followed by coloured targets with the furthest, at 240 yards, offering ten points. The third game, TopGolf, was about scoring as many points as possible, with each player aiming their last set of 20 balls at targets set up with six concentric rings, and points varying according to distance.

Chelmsford lords it over London rivals Chelmsford Golf Club won the Ladies London Foursomes after beating a team representing Guildford at the first extra hole of a sudden death play-off at The Berkshire Golf Club.

Chelmsford, which was represented by Georgina Blackman and Kelly Martin (pictured), beat pairs from Denham, Frilford Heath, Harpenden, Chart Hills and Royal Ashdown Forest to reach the final of the three-day event, which is open to clubs located within a 55-mile radius of central London.

Blackman and Kelly, who play off handicaps of one and two respectively, helped Chelmsford to its sixth victory in the event since 1992. The tournament dates back to 1922 and is run by the English Ladies’ Golf Association.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Prince’s to stage opener for PGA South Order of Merit race

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The Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South Order of Merit 2014 schedule gets under way earlier than usual this year, with the PGA Kent Open supported by Vision4Sport taking place on April 28-29, in a new-look season that includes four new venues, two new events, and an anticipated total prize fund of over £100,000.

The PGA Kent Open is once again being held at the championship links of Prince’s, where it was won last year by Matt Ford in a race with Richard Wallis that went to the wire. On May 19-20, a brand new event, The Wildernesse OOM supported by KRL, will pose some very different challenges over its parkland course.

The Virgin Atlantic PGA Southern Open on June 2-3 returns to the Drift - the scene of Ford’s emphatic play-off victory last year, while Wallis will be looking to defend his title again in the PGA Surrey Open on July 30-31 at Kingswood, a new venue for one of the PGA’s oldest tournaments.

Another established event, but one that’s new to the regional schedule, is The PGA in Sussex Open on August 11-12 at Sweetwoods, where last year’s event saw Littlehampton amateur Wayne Hawes take the title from Jamie Harris and Lea Cooper.

The PGA Southern Pros Championship is being held at Kings Hill on September 9-10.

Last year this event witnessed the ascendancy of rookie Robert Gowers and his first of two dramatic wins. The Keith MacDonald PGA South Match Play will see the four final contenders fight it out at the final day at The Berkshire at the end of September, playing for their share of the £6,000 pot and more essential points for the final Order of Merit.

With the end of the season in sight, the 72hole Wildwood Invitational on October 8-10 will determine the top three places to secure a place in the Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey, while the top 25 will secure 2015 Order of Merit exemptions.

England Golf has funding cut by £500k

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The England Golf Partnership is to lose £500,000 of public funding because not enough people aged 26 and over have taken up golf in the last year.

It is the second biggest loser, after football, out of six sports that have seen £2.8m of funding from Sport England cut because of failures to hit targets.

The money is given by Sport England to the EGP, which distributes it to several county golf partnerships throughout England, which work with golf clubs to introduce the game to more people via, for example, taster sessions and free coaching. Roger Moreland, the EGP’s chief operating officer, said: “It is disappointing that we didn’t meet our targets for the 26-plus age group. However, we are working closely together and with Sport England to address this and to increase participation, which is in the interests of everyone in the golf industry. We now have work even harder to turn around the downward trend in participation in the older age groups. There are so many positive aspects to golf development in England and they provide huge opportunities to turn around the disappointing drop in participation in the 26-plus age group.”

The EGP has said that the funding cut will not affect ‘National Golf Month’, which will take place this May and offer opportunities to beginners and 100,000 lapsed golfers to try the game.

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Reading in October, added: “I have worked with The historic club, which straddles the John Deere for the last 15 years, so it was an border between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, obvious choice for the club, as the team wanted has upgraded its greenkeeping and course reliable, high performance machines.” maintenance equipment in order to bring the Reading, which currently boasts 620 course up to its full potential. The new John members, has the unusual distinction of Deere machinery will keep the course mown being located in two counties, with 12 holes and prepared for players of all abilities across of the James Braid-designed course located in the 18 holes of undulating parkland.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

It will be easier to reserve tee times at venues such as Pine Ridge following the launch of a booking app

Crown launches tee booking app Club owner and operator Crown Golf has launched a new mobile booking app that enables golfers to book tee times instantly at 22 of the group’s golf facilities.

The app, which operates at all of Crown Golf’s properties with the exception of St Mellion, Batchworth Park and Nine of Herts, is currently only available for Apple devices in the App Store,

Mapleleaf launches ‘flexi membership’ at April open days

Chichester Golf Club is hosting an open day this month

Maple Leaf Golf, the owner of Chichester, Hill Barn and Horton Park golf clubs, is hosting a series of open days at all three clubs this month which will showcase the clubs’ facilities, as well introduce golfers to a new membership category.

While all three clubs boast a thriving membership and host regular competitions, a new Flexi Membership category has been launched, which offers all the benefits of membership, including access to competition and a handicap, but without the large upfront costs associated with full membership.

Sally Haygarth, owner of Maple Leaf Golf, said: “We recognise in today’s busy world that not everybody who wants to be a member of the club can play every week, so we have designed the new ‘Flexi Membership’ to take account of this. This will bring the option of membership to a whole new group of people who thought they could not afford to be a member of a golf club.”

She added: “As a Flexi member you only pay for only the golf you play, and this is achieved by using credits. You can purchase the number of credits you require depending on your needs. Flexi membership starts from £275.”

Chichester Golf Club in West Sussex and Horton Park Golf Club in Epsom are hosting membership open days from 10am-4pm on April 26, while Hill Barn Golf Club in Worthing will be staging its open day on April 27.

To find out more call 01243 53666, or visit www.mapleleafgolf.co.uk.

Children’s charity to benefit from PGA Championship Surrey charity Challengers, which helps disabled children and young people, has been named the official charity of next month’s PGA Championship.

The organisation, which is dedicated to providing play and leisure opportunities through its centres in Guildford and Farnham, as well as a range of community-based projects across Surrey and Hampshire, is expected to benefit from fundraising in the region of £50,000 during the tournament week, with the majority of the funds raised coming from donations made by spectators in exchange for the championship’s official programme.

Challengers’ staff and volunteers will be at various booths at Wentworth, where a voluntary donation of £1 for a programme will be given directly to the charity.

European Tour players Richard Bland and James Morrison took time out from their practice to take part

although an Android version is to be launched later this year.

The Crown Golf app gives live availability for each club’s tee sheet, and is now the fastest way for golfers both to book a tee time at a Crown Golf club, and to find their nearest Crown-operated facility.

When a golfer books a tee time via the app, it is automatically added to their smart phone’s

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in the announcement of the charity initiative at one of Challenger’s play centres in Guildford.

Morrison said: “As I live in Guildford, I jumped at the chance to get involved with Challengers, who do such great work in my local area. The charity makes such a big difference to the lives of the children they look after, so I was happy to help out in any way I could. Hopefully we can raise lots of money at the tournament, and bring a bit of happiness to the children’s lives.”

April 2014 / Issue 232

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calendar, with a function to see all bookings both current and historic. The app also enables a golfer to store details of the friends with whom they most commonly play golf, for easier future bookings.

“Most golfers own a smart phone these days, so we are encouraging all of our customers to download the Crown Golf app and to make it part of their lives,” said operations director Guy Riggott. “Our clubs have tens of thousands of

regular visitors throughout the year, and we will be emailing them promotional codes, which they can redeem via the app for reduced rates when the club has a special offer, such as a bundle deal or a time-specific discount. But it is not just for visitors. Crown Golf members booking a tee time via the app are automatically recognised, enabling them to get on with their lives knowing that their next game of golf at the club is securely booked.”

Anderson collects US college title Brocket Hall member and long-time Herts County player Tomasz Anderson captured his fourth college tournament title in America, when he won the Auburn Tiger Invitational at Grand National Golf Club in Alabama.

Anderson, who has one year remaining of a college course at Jacksonville State University, held second place on the individual list after 36 holes with rounds of 67 and 69, but surged to the top of the leaderboard with a final round 70.

He received his winner’s medal from US Ryder Cup player and current US PGA champion winner Jason Dufner, who was the event host.

Already in the England Elite squad for 2014, Anderson will be hoping to play some major amateur events when he returns to England this summer.

One of the damaged greens at Berkhamsted

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‘Eco warriors’ attack Berkhamsted greens A group of ecological protesters have torn up four greens at Berkhamsted Golf Club in Hertfordshire because they are angry at the venue’s tree felling policy.

The protesters dug at least 30 large holes on four greens at the private members’ club last month, leaving a note in one of them stating ‘stop cutting down trees’.

A local newspaper was then sent an anonymous email which accused the club of ‘felling trees left, right and centre’, without consulting the public. It added: ‘We have rights under common law about what happens on this land’ and claimed that mature oak trees had been felled and burned by the club because their leaves had blown onto the fairway, and that heather and gorse had been destroyed nearby. ‘It’s time they were brought to task and realise that it is our common as much as theirs,’ stated the email.

However, while the club is located on land called Berkhamsted Common that used to be open to everyone, today it is private land owned by trustees of the golf club. General manager Steve Derbyshire said: “Berkhamsted Common is owned by Berkhamsted Golf Club Trustees Limited. Why would we consult them? I do not want to respond to people’s anger, but if people have concerns, they should contact the golf club.”

One anonymous local criticised the actions of the vandals. “Let’s be clear, it is private land,” he said. “People are allowed to pass through the golf course at good grace. Without maintenance from the green staff there wouldn’t be footpaths for pedestrians to enjoy the area.

The club isn’t mindlessly hacking down trees, it is doing it in order to encourage growth of heather, gorse and trees elsewhere. It is utterly ludicrous that a group of self-righteous individuals deem it appropriate to take matters that do not concern them into their own hands.”

ONLY £109

Shepherd Neame backs Kent champs

Littlestone Golf Club

The PGA in Kent Championship is once again to be sponsored by Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame.

Following on from the success of last year, when rookie Charlie Wilson won tournament at Royal St George’s, the brewer will support this year’s event at Littlestone in September.

Giles Hilton, Shepherd Neame’s head of free on-sales, said: “We are still a family-controlled, regional brewer. We think of all our customers as local, and we know what it takes to run successful clubs and pubs. Our success is built on the strength of our customer relationships. Being able to support local golf, golfers and the PGA

Professionals in Kent allows us to do that.”

The PGA in Kent Championship will be held over 36 holes at Littlestone on September 18. The club will also be holding its own pro-am, a new PGA tournament in the South, on the following Saturday –September 20 – at which all teams and PGA professionals are welcome.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

The legend of

BAGGER BAYLY Golf News editor Nick Bayly joins European Tour star Ross Fisher at Wentworth for a unique challenge to celebrate the PGA Championship’s 60th annivesary When the call came through from the European Tour asking if I’d like to join Ross Fisher for a four-hole challenge at Wentworth to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the PGA Championship, my immediate response was, ‘Yes, I’ll have some of that’. After all, Ross is a nice lad, an invitation to play the West Course should never be turned down, and, quite frankly, I had nothing better to do that morning, so why the hell not?

But then came the kicker. “Actually, Nick, what we want you to do is to dress up like a player from the 1930s, caddy for Ross, and play the four holes alongside him, while wearing period dress and using hickory clubs. And it will all be filmed

by Sky Sports.”

Before I could think of one good reason why I was suddenly no longer available, I found myself agreeing to what was patently a secret plot to make me look like a complete idiot.

Thus, four days later, I found myself standing in the middle of the members’ changing room at Wentworth, trying not to draw attention to myself, as I clambered into a white shirt, thick wool tank top, heavy tweed jacket, braces, plus-fours, tie and a tweed cap. I later heard that some of the older members, whose eyesight wasn’t quite what it used to be, were convinced they’d seen the ghost of James Braid stalking the corridors of Wentworth that morning.

To be honest, I’d had previous experience of hickory golf at Goodwood’s annual revival meeting, so I already knew what I was letting myself in for on the equipment front, but the clothing element was a whole new ball game, and certainly gave me renewed respect for the golfers of yesteryear. Tweed is a uniquely unforgiving and uncomfortable material. Fine for standing still while shooting a pheasant on a Scottish glen in mid-winter; not so good for marching alongside one of the fastest walkers in the professional game on a warm spring day in Surrey.

And talking of ball games, to complete the charade, we swapped our tour-grade ammunition for a box of previously unused Dunlop 65s, which I had been patiently waiting to flog on eBay. Sadly they are, in fact, almost worthless such is their commonality, but the joy on Ross’s face as he unwrapped a fresh one from its cellophane cover was worth the small financial loss.

Fisher displays a delicate touch with a niblick to get up and down at the 16th

Fisher eyes up the tee shot on the par-five 17th using Bernard Gallacher’s old persimmon driver

Fisher escapes a bunker on 18 at the second attempt with the spoon

Another boring par...

Ross, who was still walking with the jaunty gait of someone who’d just won a European Tour event for the first time in three years, breezed into the clubhouse shortly before our allotted tee time looking fresh and ready for action.

“Hang on a minute,” I spluttered through a mouthful of bacon roll. “Why are you kitted out in regulation modern-day tour garb, while I’m decked out here like Tweedledum?”

“Oh,” came the reply from the Sky TV producer.

“We just want Ross to compare the differences between modern and old equipment, not the clothing, but we needed someone else to look like a fool while carrying his clubs, to add some context and authenticity to the occasion.”

OK, fair enough. I know my place. Keep up and shut up, and all that. Yes, Mr Fisher, no Mr, Fisher.

And with that, we were ferried to the 15th tee in buggies for the start of our four-hole challenge.

Before we’d even reached the tee, my brow was beginning to sweat under the weight and thickness of all that tweed, while the plus-fours were proving incredibly itchy skin-on-skin. The tie was also a rare and awkward feeling around my neck.

As we stood on the 15th tee, a fearsome par four with the flag some 440 yards into the distance, Ross was genuinely excited to check out the clubs in my leather pencil bag, which had been donated by the James Braid Golf Society. Our set – we were sharing the one bag – contained two wooden-headed clubs with hickory shafts, alongside a range of niblicks, mashies, jiggers and brassies that were short on grooves and featured even smaller sweet spots.

There was even a 1-iron – which I ended up

confusing with the putter – which was equally lacking in any sort of peripheral weighting or much in the way of a grip.

“Wow,” said Ross, casting his eye over the smooth face of the least-lofted club in the bag.

“These look like something you’d spread butter with.”

To add to the authenticity of the occasion, and to bring the event into the mid-1950s timeframe, when the PGA Championship first started, Bernard Gallacher, the former head pro at Wentworth, had kindly lent us his old steelshafted MacGregor woods – the very same set that he had used in the early part of his career.

With no time for a warm up, and barely a practise swing, it was more than a little galling to witness the five-time European Tour winner smite his Dunlop 65 a full 220 yards down the centre cut like he’d been using these clubs all his life.

“I’ll take that,” said Ross, who spent his youth at Wentworth, and knows the West Course like the back of his hand. “So would I,” I added, as I prepared to launch my own drive. Sadly, ‘launch’ wasn’t quite the word I’d use to describe the resulting effort, as I ‘jiggered’ a weak hook that failed to ever reach the stream that snakes its way 120 yards in front of the tee.

To prove – as if it needed proving – that modern day equipment is a whole lot easier to use, Ross then reloaded with a Nike RZN Black ball and unleashed hell with his Nike Covert 2.0 driver. The ball boomed off the face like a rocket, soaring high into the stratosphere and landing a full 100 yards past his Dunlop 65, just missing the fairway bunker at the 300-yard mark.

“Hmmm, I think I might just stick with this, for now,” said Ross, somewhat sheepishly.

Although a child of the 80s, Ross still has fond memories of his first set of clubs. “I remember using a set of Wilson Patty Bergs when I first started out,” he recalled. “The irons were tiny, and didn’t have much in the way of a cavity. There

April 2014 / Issue 232

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L O G D E T I M I L N U Ross’s attempt to rescue a bogey on the last ends in heroic failure - and an ugly seven

was also a set of persimmon woods with them. just no way of shaping the ball, or getting the I wish I’d kept hold of them now,” he added launch trajectory up. It just wants to go low and whistfully, as we walked towards his ball, with a straight.” full 220 yards to reach the green with his second The Nike driver gained an extra 50 yards shot. over the old tech off the tee, and a well-struck In my role as part-caddy, part-opponenet, I 3-wood came up just short of the green. Back wisely demanded he hit the 1-iron – not only to to the old ball, a bunt with a 3-iron came up 140 prove that it wasn’t just God who could hit one, yards short in thick rough, which Ross managed but also to see just how far it could go in the to extricate to the fringe with a hefty clout with hands of a decent player. “Are you sure?” asked a mashie niblick. A deft chip with the same club Ross, looking down at the thin slice of metal that rolled out to 15 feet, and to everyone’s mock could have been used to open a letter. “Positive,” surprise, Ross dropped the putt for a regulation I replied confidently. “Just swing slow and par-five, matching the effort with his new gear, remember to keep your head down.” “I didn’t following a costly two-putt. Once again, the think this was a golf lesson, too,” said Ross, testily. tortoise had caught the hare. ”I thought you were supposed to be the caddy, For the final hole, with the match still hanging not my coach.” neatly in the balance, Ross decided he’d had Sure enough, a 1-iron from off the deck proved enough of playing with his own sticks, and a tall order, even for the sweet-swinging Ryder went all out with the hickory clubs to take on Cupper, and it shanked off the heel and landed Wentworth’s fearsome closing par five. He in the semi-rough on the right, some 80 yards smashed a spindly-looking driver to the corner short of the putting of the dog-leg, coming surface. “Oh dear,” said up just short of the Ross. “That’s why I don’t bunkers on the leftcarry a 1-iron.” An expert hand side. From there, chip with an open-faced a lay up was the only niblick, and two putts option to avoid losing later, and Ross emerged one of my precious with a bogey five. His 65s in the water, so second ball, using a carefully-nudged modern gear, required a jigger up the fairway mere flick with an 8-iron left our hero with to reach the green, and a 160-yard shot to two putts later, it was the fiercely-guarded one up to the new kit. green.

The West Course’s Keen not to lose my 16th, a shortish par invaluable ball in the four, showed just how hazard, Ross caught it new equipment has flush with a mid-iron transformed the game. and landed it in the A mighty blow with back bunker, giving Bernard’s old driver still us all a chance to see left Ross with over 200 how the old clubs yards to the green, while would fare from the Player to caddy: “I never want to set eyes a tonk with the Nike big sand. Ross tried to get on you again, OK? stick flew the bunkers too cute with his first and bounded over the attempt, and found road that intersects the fairway, leaving little the ball back at his feet. “Ooops,” I said, within more than a gap wedge to the green. However, clear earshot of my master/opponent. With a a stunning up and down from short of the little less finesse, he dug it out with his second green with the old kit, and a two-putt with his go, rolling the ball 20 feet past the pin. “Not a lot Nike Method putter, saw the hole halved in four. of action on that,” was Ross’s muted response to By now, my tweeds were not only bringing on his experience in the sand. Two putts later, and a fearful sweat, but they were also hampering an ugly seven was marked on the proverbial my swing. Breaking rank from the decorum of card. I, on the other hand, chalked up a six, after the age, I asked my employer whether it would chipping to six feet from short of the hazard be acceptable to remove my jacket. Thankfully, and draining the putt – to total silence from the he acquiesced, and newly-liberated from my empty grnadstands. strait jacket, I relaxed into the round, with my And with that, I doffed my cap – mainly to shirt sleeves rolled up, and managed a bogey let the hot air out from my now over-cooked five, thanks to an up-and-down from the fringe. head, rather than out of any sort of courtesy to In order to test the old gear to the max, Ross my playing partner ¬ and thanked Ross for the teed off at the 600-yard, par-five 17th from the game. “We must do that again some time,” he very back tee. An almighty thwack with the said. “Maybe in another 60 years.”

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April 2014 / Issue 232

News in Brief

Large aims to improve Wildwood’s ‘wow factor’

COLES DIGS DEEP AT PRINCE’S

Wildwood Golf & Country Club has appointed a new general manager, whose name gives away a clue as to the ambitions that he has for the Cranleighbased venue.

Tom Large has fulfilled a career ambition in taking on the role as Wildwood’s general manager, and is

Maylands’ professional Rob Coles won the Essex PGA pro-am by two shots after producing a twounder-par 68 at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent. Coles took the win ahead of Andrew Pestell, while joint third place at one-over-par was shared by Mark Stokes (Rayleigh) and Jason Levermore (Channels).

Stokes led the winning team with 82 Stableford points on countback.

DRANE SINKS KINGSWOOD RIVALS Nick Drane, assistant PGA Professional at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent, led the qualifying field at Kingswood, shooting a two-underpar 70 to head the first 21 players to bag a guaranteed starting spot in the PGA South region’s Order of Merit tournaments for 2014, while recent winner Mark Hillson (Tandridge) and Michael Hart (Nevill) shot even par to share second place.

relishing the prospect of getting his teeth stuck into the job at the popular club, which boast 27 holes of championship golf.

“Ever since I started as a junior at Wildwood, my goal was to be a director of golf or a general manager at a highprofile facility, so is a terrific opportunity to do just that,” said Large, who was formerly the club’s bar manager, but has a PGA qualification and extensive experience of coaching, event management and hospitality.

Home to the Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South Order of Merit event, the Wildwood Invitational, the club has planning permission to re-develop the venue into a major hotel and lodge offering, alongside the three existing nines. Wildwood managing director and PGA professional Phil Harrison promoted Large with a view to his being in on the ground floor and seeing the massive development through its expected three-year programme.

“Wildwood’s future as a major hotel and golf facility is looking very positive,” added Large. “Phil’s decision is a huge expression of confidence in me, and I’m delighted he’s given me this opportunity. Wildwood will be a completely different kind of golfing facility in five years’ time, with the hotel and lodges, and it’s very exciting to be in at the beginning, and to help realise the full potential of the place.”

Extreme sports stars battle it out to be king of Windlesham’s greens!

Over 40 stars from the world of extreme sports are descending on Windlesham Golf Club in Surrey next month to take part in an 18-hole competition to see who will be crowned ‘King of Greens’ for 2014.

The annual tournament sees the action-packed world of extreme sports, such as base jumping, free skiing, snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding, collide with the more sedate game of golf, with all its timeless traditions.

Sponsored by eyewear company Oakley, the King of Greens tournament takes place just a few days before the more serious golfing action gets under way at nearby Wentworth, where the BMW PGA Championship takes place from May 22-25.

27 holes Championship links

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Please contact us for an entry form or further information:

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Taking time out from his preparations for the event will be Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello, who will also be taking part in the Pro-Am tournament.

The defending champion is Belgian basejumper Cedric Dumont, who plays off a handy handicap of three, while last year’s runner up in Munich, German snowboarder Konstantin Schad, will be looking to mount a challenge of a handicap of four.

Other confirmed competitors include Austrian freeskier Tobi Tritscher, while Britain’s hopes rest with 26-year-old Scottish snowboarder Ben Kilner, who took part in the men’s halfpipe at the recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, and plays off a handicap of eight at his home club in Banchory.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Burhill Group upgrades club websites

R&A allows GPS and lasers for top amateur events

Golf course owner and operator BGL Golf has responded to a growing volume of web-traffic via mobile devices by launching new websites for each of its venues located across the country.

The company, which operates 10 clubs across the UK, has discovered that more than half of the traffic to its venues’ websites now originates from mobile devices, which translates to an increase of more than 25 per cent in the last 12 months.

To provide an enhanced user experience on all screens, the company has invested £50,000 in new sites for all of its venues, plus a redesigned consumer facing group website. Among its most popular golf centres are Hoebridge in Surrey, and Aldwickbury Park in Hertfordshire.

The new BGL Golf websites feature innovative ‘responsive’ web design, which provides an optimal viewing experience by carefully crafting the layout to respond to the size of device it is being displayed on. This allows text and images to be viewed at an appropriate size and reduces the need for panning, resizing and side scrolling.

In addition, an upgraded online booking system enables users to easily reserve tee times via mobile devices.

The R&A’s Championship Committee has decided that it will allow the use of distance-measuring devices in R&A amateur events.

The use of GPS units and laser range finders had previously been covered by an optional Local Rule which had been available under the Rules of Golf since 2006, and the Championship Committee will take up this option for 2014. This Local Rule will be introduced for the R&A’s amateur events only. It will not apply for The Open Championship, or any local or final qualifying events.

A spokesman for the R&A said: “The Championship Committee would like to emphasise that it has taken this decision for R&A events, but is not making this a recommendation for other championship organisers to follow. It remains a matter for individual committees and clubs to decide whether or not they want to allow the use of such devices in their competitions.”

CLUBS UP TO THE MARK The finalists for the 2014 GolfMark Club of the Year Award have been announced. They are Cookridge Hall (Yorks), Norwood Park (Notts) and Strawberry Hill (Middx). The winner will be announced later this month.

GEORGE WINS

BY A NOSE Ely City professional Andrew George won the PGA in Beds and Cambs pro-am at The Links Golf Club in Newmarket. George, now starting his first season in the senior ranks, made the most of excellent conditions to produce a round of three-under-par 69. Tom Simm, an assistant at Gog Magog, was runner-up one shot behind.

Join the celebrations at Sweetwoods!

Sweetwoods Park Golf Club in Kent is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month by offering visitors a superb green fee deal. The popular East Grinsteadbased club, which boasts a stunning parkland golf course set in the Wealden Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is offering a two-ball package that comprises 18 holes and a golfer’s brunch, including tea or coffee, for just £59 (£28.50 per player).

The package is available at any time during

News in Brief

the week or after midday at weekends, and can be booked online at www.sweetwoodspark.com, quoting the promotional code GSECRETS, or by calling 01342 850729.

Sweetwoods has recently won The Golfers’ Choice Golf Club Award for the South of England. This prestigious award is voted for by club members, and is given based on a score for the quality of the course, the facilities, and customer service.

BILL PEARSON REMEMBERED Bill Pearson, the former secretary and president of the Society of Hertfordshire Golf Captains, died last month after a short battle with cancer. He was a member of Harpenden Golf Club for many years.

Introducing the new Membership that offers a whole new approach to being a member. It is straight forward and as the name suggests, completely flexible. As a member you only pay for the golf you play by using credits.

Membership starts from £275 per year and if you join by 14th April you will receive 20 extra credits absolutely FREE!!

For more information please call 01243 533833 www.MapleLeafGolf.co.uk

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Set in beautiful Sussex countryside, Cottesmore Hotel, Golf & Country Club has a reputation for providing the full Country Club experience and offering an affordable approach to membership

The Griffin Course is always presented in superb condition

YOU CAN COUNT ON

COTTESMORE With two beautiful 18-hole golf courses, a 21-bedroom hotel, a thriving health club and modern conference facilities, Cottesmore has built a reputation on providing the full ‘Country Club’ experience, with excellent service to match.

Located just outside the village of Pease Pottage, close to the M23 and handy for Gatwick airport, Cottesmore has been part of the golfing furniture in this leafy corner of Sussex since opening in 1975.

Built by a local farming family, the Rogersons, who has recently taken back ownership, the parkland setting is simply stunning, and the club rightly wins plaudits for its beautiful and tranquil surroundings, which were originally designed by the famous landscape architect Capability Brown.

Cottesmore also hosts private functions, weddings, business conferences and corporate events. The wide range of facilities includes a 21-bedroom hotel, seven four-berth lodges, 36 holes of golf on the Griffin and Phoenix courses, as well as a modern health club with an 15-metre swimming pool and two tennis courts.

Formerly managed by Crown Golf, the club came back under the stewardship of the original owner, Matthew Rogerson, eight months ago. He has since instigated an ongoing capital spending programme across all aspects of the business to update the facilities. On top of this investment, Cottesmore has listened carefully to its customers and looked at the local golf market to make sure it is offering the right golf products at the right prices.

Never a club to uphold the kind of stuffy traditions or draconian rules that have blighted the game’s reputation in the past, Cottsemore prides itself on offering an accessible, flexible, and friendly welcome to all golfers, and has recently introduced a number of new membership categories to underline that principle.

Golflite is just one of the ways that golfers can enjoy the Cottesmore experience without having to commit to a big financial outlay. Matthew Hazelden, the club’s general manager, says: “We are proud to offer what we believe is a modern golf membership.

Golflite is based on usage, and is designed to make golf cost effective to suit today’s time-driven society.

The average amount of rounds played by the five million golfers in Britain is six per year, so for the vast majority an annual fee is simply not cost-effective. If you pay an annual fee of, say, £1,100 and only play 20

Water is a key feature in the challenge offered by both courses

rounds in that year, the cost per round is a prohibitive £55. Our GolfLite alternative costs as little as £299 per year, and for that price we provide a multitude of options to suit all golfers. You could play unlimited golf on the Phoenix and six rounds of primetime golf on our championship Griffin course.

“Another option would be to enjoy unlimited golf on the Phoenix and 16 off peak rounds on the Griffin – all for £299. If you then decide you’d like to play more, you can simply top up the credits.”

Hazelden adds: “This membership gives all the benefits that are expected as a member of a golf club – events, competitions, levy card discounts and advanced booking. There are no tricks or hidden costs involved, no need for interviews or proposers – you can sign up today and enjoy the delights of modern golf at one of Sussex’s most progressive golf clubs.”

The club operates an equal rights policy for male and female members, and there are competitions at weekends and midweek in both winter and summer, including several evening fun competitions. There is a very successful seniors section that meets on Tuesdays to play in their own weekly competition, and a ladies section that meets on Thursdays and at weekends.

Cottesmore has great offers on all types of membership, including excellent discounts for families. For instance, join as a Country Club member and your child goes free. This category offers unlimited play on both 18-hole courses, with full use of the health club facilities. And although Cottesmore is no longer a part of the Crown Golf Group, it has retained its affiliated status, which allows Country Club members to play all 26 Crown Clubs for free.

Another brand new membership product is 18Plus.

This offers heavily-discounted full golf membership if your primary residence is further than 18 miles from the club. With the club located just two miles from the M23, Cottesmore is well place to tap into the South London and Brighton markets.

The club takes its responsibility for growing the game very seriously. Director of Golf Calum Callan, winner of 2013 Proshop Europe Junior Coach of the Year, has designed a learning programme called ‘Get into Golf’ with new and less experienced golfers in mind. It offers free golf lessons to help provide golfers with opportunities to expand their golf knowledge, increase their skills, and learn in both an individual and group environment in a cost-effective way.

Hazelden, a former British Open competitor, understands what quality course conditioning means and, as a result, has employed the services of Master greenkeeper Greg Evans to develop and implement a course policy document that commits the club to a programme of improvement. “We have to provide the best course conditions in the locality, so we are the ‘go to’ club in the area,” says Hazelden. “We have already come a long way, and I am confident with Greg’s help and the commitment of our existing team we will only get better.

So if you are considering membership for the first time, or are looking to get back into membership after a period away, then Cottesmore, with its wealth of facilities and flexible membership options, could be the answer to all your prayers.

For more details on membership, or to organise a tour of the club, call 01293 528256, email info@cottesmoregolf.co.uk, or visit www.cottesmoregolf.co.uk

April 2014 / Issue 232

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COMPETITION FIVE PAIRS OF SEASON TICKETS FOR THE 2014 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE WON!

Treat Yourself...

Special Four ball Offer

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Offers available, when quoting Golf News, until the end of October 2014

Golf News is delighted to offer five lucky readers the opportunity to win a pair of season tickets for this year’s BMW PGA Championship, played over the famous West Course at Wentworth Club, Surrey, on May 22-25.

...more than just a golf club Chislehurst Golf Club, Camden Place, Camden Park Road, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5HJ Tel: 020 8467 6798 | www.chislehurstgolfclub.co.uk

These season tickets are worth £162 a pair, and the lucky winners will be able to attend all six days of the championship, including the practice day, the Pro-Am day, and all four days of the tournament.

With a prize fund in excess of €4.75million, the BMW PGA Championship is the flagship event on the European Tour and always attracts the cream of European golf. Last year saw Italian sensation Matteo Manassero bag the title after a thrilling play-off, and this year he will be bidding for further glory at Wentworth alongside a stellar cast list of stars of the European game.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, all you need to do is answer the question below correctly, and email your answer to: info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘BMW Competition’ in the subject line, and including your name, address and contact telephone number.

The closing date for entries is May 5, 2014. The prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative is available. Entrants must be aged 18 years or over.

QUESTION Which two players did Matteo Manassero beat in a play-off to win the 2013 BMW PGA Championship?

For more information on this year’s BMW PGA Championship go to www.europeantour.com/tickets or telephone 0800 023 2557.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH With just weeks to go before it unveils a brand new driving range and concept golf shoe store, it’s all systems go at Silvermere Golf & Leisure There are big changes taking place at Silvermere Golf & Leisure. Always rated as one of the most proactive venues in the country, as well as being one of the most accessible golf courses in Surrey, Silvermere is stepping firmly into the 21st century this season with a raft of developments that include the construction of a brand new two-tiered driving range; the opening of a new short game facility; and the extension of the golf store with the opening of a brand new shoe studio.

After 10 years of discussion, negotiation and planning, work on the new state-of-the-art driving range is now just weeks away from completion – marking the beginning of a whole new chapter in the life of one of the south’s most well-known golfing venues.

The popular Cobham-based golf and leisure complex has been a hive of activity over the winter, with tradesmen of all descriptions swarming over the site since Christmas, battling through atrocious weather conditions to get the new facilities ready in time for the official opening in May (see box below).

While members of many private golf clubs have to make do with little more than a glorified field and a bag of their own lake balls if they want to practise, Silvermere’s new driving range and indoor academy won’t look out of place at a Tour venue when it’s finished – and will no doubt be attracting some Tour-standard players when it is, as well as golfers of all ages and skill levels looking to improve their game.

The centrepiece of the new game improvement centre will be a hi-tech, two-tiered driving range that will allow golfers to swing in comfort whatever the weather.

As well as offering 52 individual bays on two levels, with high quality Srixon range balls, the 280-yard range will be capable of handling the longest of drivers, while a significant investment in outfield target areas will allow users to dial in their distances and provide more focused practise scenarios. The entire range is floodlit, making it ideal for yearround practice, including the evenings.

Besides being a place to practise on your own, the new range will also provide the opportunity to enjoy first-class teaching, with Silvermere’s team of 14 PGA-trained professionals on hand to offer a range of bespoke coaching programmes.

Golfers can also enjoy executive coaching in one of four new full-swing simulators, which will not only enable lessons and custom fittings to take place away from the elements, but also allow the use of the very latest fitting technology, including Foresight Sports’ GC2 HMT swing analysis software. The GC2 system, which is used by dozens of the world’s leading tour players and coaches, directly measures ball-flight data at launch using ultra-high-speed cameras. The technology will be familiar to TV viewers who tune in to watch Sky Sports PGA Tour coverage, as it provides the data that drives the Shot Centre.

An artist’s impression of the new concept shoe store opening at Silvermere

LAUNCH WEEKEND DRIVING RANGE LAUNCH WEEKEND, MAY 24-26

The new driving range is hosting an official launch event over the Bank Holiday weekend of May 24-26. Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 will offer multibrand fitting days, including the latest launches from Callaway and TaylorMade, while Monday 26 will see a number of the top 50 players in the world heading over to Silvermere after competing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, to take part in a range of special activities, including clinics on the range, question and answer sessions, and even playing a few holes on the course.

For details on the final schedule of events, please visit silvermere-golf.co.uk

The new two-tier driving range will have 52 bays

Custom fitting has always been at the heart of what Silvermere has to offer alongside its renowned retail operation, and the new fitting studios will further enhance that capability. In fact, such is Silvermere’s expertise within the custom-fitting side of the industry, that when the new range launches it will be recognised as an official regional fitting centre for Callaway and Mizuno, an advanced fitting centre for Ping and Titleist, and a centre of excellence for Cobra. All of which ensures that golfers receive the best possible advice and service whenever they’re looking to invest in new equipment.

And with Doug McClelland’s superstore within a chip shot of the range, golfers won’t have to travel far to check out all the latest equipment launches, as well see the new apparel ranges and must-have golfing accessories. One of the

most significant changes to the new store is the opening of a purpose-built shoe studio, which will offer customers over 200 different styles of footwear across seven different brands, including Adidas, Ashworth, Callaway, Ecco, FootJoy, Nike and Puma. Within this exciting new store will be an exclusive Planet FootJoy – the first of its kind in the UK – a shop-within-a-shop that will stock every different shoe model and colour option available in FootJoy’s current range. There will also be a dedicated ladies shoe zone, with over 60 different models available to try on, and a team of trained staff on hand for measurement and style guidance.

So whether you’re looking to play the superb parkland course, buy some new gear, take a lesson, hit some balls, or pop over for lunch, the new-look Silvermere has all the bases covered.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

• COODEN BEACH GOLF CLUB • EAST SUSSEX •

GREAT MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES !

FULL OR FLEXIBLE - WHATEVER SUITS YOU Applications to join are invited for FULL PLAYING MEMBERSHIP (where the subscription charge to 31st July 2014 will be just £ 275) or FLEXIBLE MEMBERSHIP where the cost for 12 months is £ 495.

Cooden Beach Golf Club’s Course is both a fun and good test of golf for every class of player. For the young and strong there are nine holes which exceed 400 yards in length, whilst for the older golfer the undulations are gentle and the springy turf pleasant to walk on. The dykes, ponds and bunkers will catch the wayward shot but the real hazard is the wind, which makes it a different course every time it is played.

Full details are available from the general office on 01424 842040 or on the Club website’s on www.coodenbeachgc.com

Poult Wood launches new memberships Poult Wood Golf Centre has launched a full golf membership for the first time in its history which will allow golfers to play all of its courses without having to pay any additional green fees.

Situated just three miles north of Tonbridge, Poult Wood’s facilities include an 18-hole parkland course and a 9-hole short course, as well as a driving range and a contemporary clubhouse.

Full golf membership allows golfers to enjoy unlimited golf for a single annual or

monthly direct debit payment. Members will also be able to book tee times in advance and be eligible for other rewards, including special offers, guest rates, and society discounts.

There are three membership categories to choose from: seven-day for £65 per month, or five-day membership for £42.50 per month.

There is also junior membership, which costs just £10 per month. Members who pay in one lump sum are entitled to a five per cent discount off the standard rate.

To find out more, or to arrange a tour of the facilities, call 01732 364039 or visit www. poultwoodgolf. co.uk.

Swingers’ season shirts become collector’s items!

With the eleventh season of Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Swingers now underway in all parts of the globe, the early focus is on members claiming one of the coveted goody bags, which are awarded to the first 200 Swingers to submit six verified scores.

The demand for the prize has forced the organisers to increase the minimum number of scores required to give everyone a fairer chance of winning one – and at the time of writing, half the bags have already been claimed for this season.

With some great gifts including Srixon balls, the star of the goody bag is undoubtedly the golf shirt, which has over the years become a real collector’s items. Each shirt features the season logo and with a limited run of just 200, they are a must-have for many members, including Bob Scott, a long-time Flying Club member and Swinger.

“I’ve seen it grow from humble beginnings, with a one-day final at the Grove, to one of the foremost networks of golf I have ever experienced,“ said Scott. “I have reached three finals, won the league qualifying stage in year two, and even managed a nearest-the-pin prize that year, too! I was proud to be part of victorious Team Europe at the Waldorf Astoria course in Florida. And to top it all, during my time as a Flying Club Swinger, my handicap has come down from 28 to 17!”

Scott has amassed a collection of all 11 shirts from a wide variety of golfing brands

all associated with Swingers over the years – some household names, others less known, but all equally unique in their own way. These have included Evisu Golf, the Japanese brand who produced its one and only UK golf shirt for Flying Club Swingers, as well as brands such as Froghair, Glenmuir and Q’aja Golf. This year’s partner is Trendygolf.com, which is supplying the Swingers Season 11 shirt courtesy of J Lindeberg.

Scott has already secured his shirt for another season, but with 100 still to be claimed, it’s worth signing up now and submitting six rounds. Just visit flyingclubgolfleague.com for more details.

Latimer leaves rivals reeling at Essendon Former Scottish amateur international Peter Latimer was the outright winner of The PGA in England (East) 36-hole qualifying school, held at Essendon Country Club in Hertfordshire.

Felixstowe Ferry assistant Latimer, who helped Suffolk to win the inaugural SkyCaddie PGA in England and Wales Inter-County Championship at The Belfry in October, was five-under-par for the tournament and four-under for his second round.

Richard Smith of Oxhey Park had the best second-round score of six-under-par 66. He ended joint runner-up with the consistent senior

Andrew George (Ely City).

Darren Charlton (Dunstable Downs) was five-under for his second round, which lifted him to fourth place, a shot clear of Colchester’s Chris Cutchie and Nicholas Cunningham (Bedford and County).

Fifty players from a field of 108 qualified for the six Order of Merit events in the East this year.

The 50th place was settled on countback, with one qualifier from the eight who finished on 10-over-par. Fredrick Harrington of Rayleigh Golf Range won the last place with a second round of 73.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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Children from the Endeavour School have been having lessons at Little Channels Golf Centre

Swan launches ‘Endeavour’ initiative for disadvantaged kids Essex-based golf course architect Howard Swan has launched a coaching programme aimed at introducing autistic children to the benefits of golf.

The Endeavour Initiative started last autumn with a class of 14- and 15-yearolds beginning to be taught golf by the professional staff at Little Channels Golf Centre in Essex. The idea stemmed from Swan supporting and working with the Special Needs And Parents local charity over the last two years.

Swan said: “It seemed to me that youngsters who have autistic behavioural characteristics have a remarkable ability to focus, and as such could enjoy playing the game and do rather well at it. The classes we

have held in the last three or four months have been highly successful, and given the kids a real lift in their self-esteem and shown great benefits to them in terms of therapy.

He added: “I am looking to expand the initiative to other schools in Essex during the coming months, and have set out a threeyear plan for its development. I am also hoping that it will have the support of England Golf, as well as other golf clubs in Essex.”

Classes for younger children began at the school in March, using SNAG kit donated

by Swan. The Saturday of Championship Week in July will see a golf day for the special needs kids and their families organised in Essex to help gain further support for the initiative.

Warley Park remained playable throughout the winter thanks to clever course maintenance strategies

JOIN US

Poult Wood launches a BRAND NEW golfing opportunity We have introduced a range of great value for money golf memberships, ideal for the regular golfer. Membership offers unlimited access to our excellent 18 and 9 Hole courses.

Membership options are as follows: 7 Day Annual Membership £780 or £65 a month Direct Debit 5 Day Annual Membership £510 or £42.50 a month Direct Debit

Forward-thinking Warley wins battle with winter Warley Park Golf Club in Essex is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and thanks to the hard work of its greenkeeping staff and forward-thinking management team, the Brentwood-based facility has never looked in better shape as its enters its fifth decade.

While many clubs in the region have suffered at the hands of the winter weather, the playing surfaces at Warley are in superb condition as the new season gets under way, due in no small part to its commitment to course maintenance.

Some important measures to retain and improve the quality of fairways and putting surfaces have been undertaken in recent years, meaning that the club is in ideal condition for the start of the 2014 season.

Club manager Stuart Orrin said: “We were closed for just seven days in total over the rain-affected winter, while a straw poll of other courses within 20 miles of us showed that they were closed for an average of 30 days, some for as many as 60. Dominic Rodgers, our head greenskeeper, should be praised for the eight years of hard work he has put in since joining us, to ensure that the drainage and

maintenance of our course is superb.

By spraying environmentally-friendly wormdeterrent chemicals on the course each year – at a cost of over £4,000 – we have substantially reduced the amount of surface mud, which is a root cause of muddy fairways, leads to poor drainage, and delays grass growth during the following season. We use chemicals that don’t kill the worms; they simply act as a mild irritant that stops them casting so often. The fact that we are in a small valley, with a chain of lakes running through the centre of it, tends to mean that water drainage is naturally speeded up.

“In addition, we have had a rule for the past three years that all trolleys must have Hedgehog-style wheels on them throughout the winter, to help further reduce mud-smear and help to aerate the turf. As a by-product, this actually means that trolleys can be used year-round by our members and visitors, further enhancing the golfing experience.”

Orrin added: “Proof of our success is that we have taken on 15 new seven-day members during March, which is undoubtedly due to us having hosted visitors from other clubs whilst their home clubs were closed.”

Junior Annual Membership* £120 or £10 a month Direct Debit

Become a member today! Pay us a visit or please call and speak to our Golf Pro.

Come and join us at our Open Weekend on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 April.

Visit our website to find out more. *Terms & conditions apply

01732 364039 www.poultwoodgolf.co.uk

2474 PW membership advert.indd 1

30/03/2014 20:18

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Golf’s Finest Tournament Holidays WESSELINGH’S WINNING WAYS Having put his family first during his days as a young club pro, Paul Wesselingh is making up for lost time on the European Senior Tour after winning the 2013 money list

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Words by Dave Bowers When Europe’s No.1 senior golfer Paul Wesselingh secured the John Jacobs Trophy for topping the European Senior Tour’s order of merit, it completed a remarkable journey for the Derby-based professional.

The 52-year-old has effectively come from nowhere to be Europe’s highest-ranked player, beating off the challenge of bigger names such as eight-time European Tour order-of-merit winner Colin Montgomerie, former Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance and Mark James, and nearest challenger Steen Tinning, to take the title of senior top dog in Europe.

The father-of-three left his post as head professional at Kedleston Park in February last year, having gained a full Tour card at his first attempt at qualifying school and, subsequently finished as rookie of the year in his first season as a senior. In his second year - his first as a full-time playing professional - he stunned his rivals with four victories and another five top-10 finishes to secure the order of merit title.

It was a long way from the day back in the 1990s, when he eschewed a potential Tour career to remain at home with his family while earning a crust as a pro at Chorley Golf Club.

“There were several reasons I decided not to pursue a career on tour, but the family was a major one,” says Wesselingh. “My wife and I had twins, which is obviously hard work, so for me to go careering off all over the world would have been wrong. We then had another young lad as well, so with three young boys it wasn’t on for me to be away. And, to be honest, I probably wasn’t good enough at that time, so I just concentrated on being a club pro, but I still played a lot.”

Indeed he did. A regular in the regional PGA events in the Midland and, for a while, North regions, he also competed in national and PGA of Europe events. He played in the club pros’ version of the Ryder Cup, the PGA Cup, six times between 1998 and 2009, and captained England in the European team championships on four occasions. So it’s fair to say he was no slouch on the fairways.

He recalls: “As I played more and more, getting some success in the regions, winning order of merits and playing mini tours, I realised that my golf was improving. Mind you, I worked hard at it.

Running up to seniors from my mid-40s, I started doing a lot of fitness work and upped my playing as I got closer to 50. So when I hit 50, I felt I was ready and able to compete. I got my card at the first attempt, coming second in the tour school, but had a long wait until the first event.

“I qualified at the end of January, and the first event wasn’t until the second week of May, so I was just making sure everything was

right. I’ve always practised a lot. I played the first event in Mallorca and came second and that set it all off. That got me into the US Senior PGA Championship, where I finished 20th – my second event as a senior was a major!

I’d won the order of merit in the Midland region the year before, which qualified me to play in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Tour’s flagship event. But when I finished in Mallorca I was told I was playing in the US Senior PGA Championship; I said: ‘No, I’m playing at Wentworth’. It took me about 10 minutes, and a couple of conversations with some of the Senior pros, to decide to play in America instead of Wentworth. I then won the PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall in the second event after I came back from the States, and it snowballed from there. I carried on playing well and eventually won rookie of the year for 2012.

“Last year I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I won my first event, defending the Seniors Championship, won again two weeks after that, and then the last two events – it was a crazy year.

To win the order of merit immediately after the rookie title was a dream come true. My aim in 2012 was to stay in the top 30 and keep my card – but after I’d won the Seniors Champiosnhip, it virtually guaranteed me a top-10 finish. It was just a case of how high I could go.”

In a refreshing, old-style ‘gentlemen’s agreement’, Wesselingh played with John Letters irons and wedges throughout his trophy-winning season, without the need to pen a sponsorship deal with the historic Scottish brand. “There was never a contract between us,” he says. “I started using John Letters in 2012, half way through the year, at Turnberry. I was using a set of blades I felt were getting too difficult to use and happened to see the John Letters guys on the practice area – and they were fantastic. They fitted me for a set and it was ready on the third day of the British Seniors at Turnberry, so I put them straight in my bag, used them in the last round and shot a 69! I was really pleased with that.”

Liverpool-born Wesselingh has adjusted his aim for 2014, with his sights set on the season’s majors. He says: “This year I need to do better in the majors. I missed the cut in two last year – having made the cut in both in my first year. The first event this year is a major, so I’m trying to find some other events to play in – perhaps out in the Far East - so I can be ‘course ready’.”

Rookie of the year in 2012, Order of Merit winner in 2013 – who would put it past Paul Wesselingh to add a senior major to his CV in 2014?

The US Senior PGA Championship takes place at Harbor Shores Golf Club in Michigan, USA on May 22-25. Catch the action on Sky Sports.

SPECIAL BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 4-PAGE PREVIEW WENTWORTH CLUB, SURREY, 22-25 MAY 2014

WATCH EUROPE’S TOP PLAYERS IN ACTION ON THE WEST COURSE

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO WENTWORTH CLUB GREAT SAVINGS ON ADVANCED TICKETS

HISTORY IN THE MAKING CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

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April 2014 / Issue 232

BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Wentworth Club once again provides a fitting stage for the European Tour’s showcase event, The BMW PGA Championship, which this year is celebrating a multitude of major milestones

STARS

COME OUT TO PLAY

THE PGA

This year’s BMW PGA Championship is highly significant for several reasons. Of course, it is Europe’s flagship tournament, and thus typically attracts the strongest line-up of top players on UK soil outside of the Open Championship. So, it’s business as usual there, then.

In addition, the 2014 Championship is the tenth in succession under the partnership between BMW, The European Tour and Wentworth Club.

It is also the 30th anniversary of Wentworth Club becoming the permanent home of the championship the year that Howard Clark won – and it is the 60th PGA Championship in a glorious history stretching back to 1955. What’s more, it is 45 years since Wentworth’s very own Bernard Gallacher won his PGA Championship title at the splendid Welsh links of Ashburnham.

Although the final line-up has yet to be announced, if recent history is any indication, we’re in for another golfing treat. In 2011, it was the first time all four current major champions had been in the field, and the first time anywhere in the world that a play-off would determine the identity of the official number one ranked golfer. The following year, half of the world’s top20 players were in attendance, while in 2013 there were 11 of the 12 members from Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team at Medinah.

This year, reigning US Open champion Justin Rose

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

will like his chances of finally lifting the prestigious BMW PGA Championship trophy, as no doubt will former two-time champion Luke Donald. However, Matteo Manassero has perhaps more reason than anyone to be excited by the prospect, and the young Italian will be relishing the opportunity to retain his title.

The 20-year old etched his name on the trophy alongside his hero Seve Ballesteros, and fellow countryman Costantino Rocca, by virtue of an assured play-off victory against Simon Khan and Marc Warren in last year’s event. He is the youngest ever winner of this championship, and is looking forward to defending his title from May 22-25.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Wentworth, especially after my win last year,” said the man from Verona. “Wentworth has a really special place in my heart, I really cannot wait to get back there, and I’m looking forward to defending my BMW PGA Championship title as best I can. There are so many unbelievable players who have won the title, which makes it even more special. I joined a long list of top players to lift the trophy, so it’s a great privilege.”

Manassero admits that it took quite some time for the magnitude of last year’s victory to properly sink in. “It was immediate joy when I first won,” he said. “But at the start you don’t understand how important a win it is, how much of an honour it is for

ADVANCE TICKETS (available until May 19) Season Ticket (Thurs 22 – Sun 25 May) Adults £80 Seniors, Disabled & Unaccompanied Juniors £55 Weekend Ticket (Sat 24 – Sun 25 May) Adults £70 Seniors, Disabled & Unaccompanied Juniors £40 Daily Ticket Tues, 20 May – Practice Day £8 Wed 21 May – Celebrity Pro-Am Day £12 Thurs 22 – Fri 23) £35 Sat 24 – £40 Sun 25 – £45 Seniors, Disabled & Unaccompanied Juniors £20

the rest of your life to have that win.”

Only three players have successfully defended a PGA title – Colin Montgomerie, Sir Nick Faldo and, most recently, Luke Donald – so the young Italian will be joining hallowed company if he manages to repeat his glorious feat of 12 months ago.

Given its history, and the high esteem in which it is held by the players, the PGA Championship remains one of the crown jewels on the European Tour’s schedule, a fact that is not lost on European Tour chief executive George O’Grady, who has been instrumental in ensuring its continued growth.

“We now have a PGA Championship that showcases all that is great about the European Tour,” he says. “BMW and our other partners help us make this as good a championship as we can possibly make it. Richard Caring and his team at Wentworth help us make a stage we can be proud of.”

As well as attracting strong support from the players, the tournament has also grown as a spectacle, with tens of thousands of fans from all over the country making their way to Wentworth to soak in the atmosphere of one of the summer’s greatest sporting occasions.

Championship director Jamie Birkmyre said: “We believe the event continues to represent outstanding value over one of the best weeks of professional golf in the world. We are committed

Grandstand Seating Reserved seating in the 18th green grandstand will be available for pre-booking over all four days of the Championship. Thursday and Friday tickets are priced at £10, rising to £15 for Saturday and £20 on Sunday.

Programmes The official programme, which includes the daily news and draw sheet, will be available to purchase for a voluntary donation of £1 across the Championship site. All of the money raised from donations will be given to Challengers, a Surrey and Hampshire-based charity that offers play activities for handicapped children.

BOOK ONLINE AT WWW.EUROPEANTOUR.COM/TICKETS OR TELEPHONE 0800 023 2557

April 2014 / Issue 232

BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

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Wednesday’s Pro-Am tournament is one of the highlghts of the week

Driven to succeed: Matteo Manassero will be defending his title against a very strong field

to providing a high level of service at competitive prices, and believe everyone attending in 2014 will enjoy the enhanced overall experience. Due to the high interest in the championship, most facilities – like public catering and refreshment outlets – will be fully operational from Tuesday, while Wednesday continues to grow as the ‘must-see’ experience for celebrity spotters.”

As well as stars from stage, screen and sport, this year’s BMW PGA Championship offers an opportunity to see many of the players vying for places in September’s Ryder Cup in action on European soil. Among their number will be world No.3 – and last year’s dual money list winner – Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, and Luke Donald. Joining them will be the likes of Victor Dubuisson from France, and England’s Tommy Fleetwood, both of whom will be hoping to impress captain Paul McGinley.

But this tournament isn’t just about the bigname stars. The BMW PGA Championship also offers a chance of glory for a select group of PGA club pros who have earned places through the PGA’s regional order of merit events. While none has so far gone on to win the title, just teeing it up in front of huge crowds and a worldwide TV audience is honour enough, while making the cut can lead to a life-changing payday.

CORPORATE HOSPITALITY The Moet Brasserie package, which costs £180pp on Thurs/Fri and £160 on Sat/Sun, includes admission and reserved on-site parking, coffee and bacon rolls on arrival, a glass of champagne before a two-course lunch at a reserved table, with half a bottle of wine per person. Availability is limited, so early booking is recommended.

For bookings call on 01344 840483 or email rgordon@europeantour.com.

CHAMPIONSHIP VILLAGE To commemorate the 60th milestone, BMW and the European Tour will be staging a number of events for spectators, including anniversarythemed displays in the Championship Village and appearances from previous champions. On Saturday night there will be music provided by

Talking of pay days, thanks to the generous support of BMW, which is now in its 10th year as title sponsor, this year’s champion will take away the tidy sum of €791,660, while the total prize fund is a record total of €4.75million.

Top courses have a tradition of revealing top champions, and there’s no doubting the star of the show at Wentworth is the majestic West Course.

Following its £6.5 million renovation in 2009, the historic layout has been transformed into one of the toughest inland courses in championship golf. And with further alterations having been made in recent seasons, the 2014 version of the West Course will provide a testing, yet fair challenge to Europe’s finest players.

And while the course’s overall yardage remains at 7,302 yards, deep and strategically-positioned bunkers, tough pin positions, run-offs and undulating putting surfaces will ensure that whoever wins the coveted title will have to be at the very top of their game.

Last year, over 100,000 fans flowed through the turnstyles during the week to watch the action unfold, and that number looks set to be smashed as golf fans flock to see a golden generation of European golfers fight it out for the honour of being crowned BMW PGA Champion. Who will emerge triumphant remains to be seen, but it’s guaranteed to be an enthralling contest.

GOLFNEWS’ THREE-OFF-THE-TEE

JUSTIN ROSE

LUKE DONALD

VICTOR DUBUISSON

The reigning US champion must go close after runner-up finishes at Wentworth in 2007 and 2012. Despite his early season schedule being held up by a niggling shoulder injury, the 33-year-old looks fresh and ready to do himself justice in a tournament that he would dearly love to add to his CV.

The former world No.1 knows the West Course like the back of his hand, and enjoyed two of the finest moments of his career when winning back-toback titles in 2011 and 2012. Although his form has slipped over the last 18 months, the Beaconsfieldborn man will be gunning to add a third PGA title to his record.

The big-hitting Frenchman made an instant name for himself following his runner-up finish in February’s Accenture World Match Play, but he’s also a more than useful stroke play performer, as he showed when winning November’s Turkish Open against a quality field. A thrilling shotmaker, with confidence sky high, expect a strong showing.

START TIMES Play starts at 7am on May 22-23. Other times are subject to numbers making the cut. The Celebrity Pro-Am on May 21 consists of two shotgun starts at 8am and 1pm. A souvenir programme, including a daily draw sheet, will be available on all tournament days. There will also be free grandstands at the 2nd, 14th, 16th and 18th holes on the opening two days.

The Jones Gang, an all-star band led by Kenney Jones of the Small Faces.

As ever, there will be a strong automotive theme. Besides all the latest BMW models on display, there will be a range of driving simulators to try out, as well as remotecontrolled cars for younger drivers.

In addition, there will be a wide range of bars and catering facilities, plenty of seating in front of the big screen TV, and a hole-by-hole scoreboard for fans to keep up with all the

on-course action. There is also a merchandise tent, as well as driving bays and a golf school for juniors.

PARKING A limited amount of on-site parking, at a cost of £10 per day, is available for customers who pre-book tickets online. There will be no parking charge for BMW owners and official badge holders.

PARK & RIDE A free Park & Ride system will operate between 6.30am and 8.30pm from two locations – one near Sunningdale, carrying traffic from the West (M3 and M4), and one at Ascot Racecourse. Both parks will operate a free shuttle bus service to Wentworth every five minutes, with the journey taking around ten minutes.

TRAIN Virginia Water is served by regular trains from London Waterloo, which take 41 minutes. A free on-course bus shuttle service will be operating from the station during tournament days.

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MONUMENTAL. BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP. WENTWORTH CLUB, SURREY. 22 – 25 MAY 2014.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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Tickets on sale for Stoke by Nayland’s Seniors showpiece Tickets are on sale for the eagerlyanticipated ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship, which will see some of Europe’s biggest golfing legends shooting it out at Stoke by Nayland Golf Club in Essex from June 5-8.

Among those set to tee it up over the club’s Gainsborough course are Sam Torrance and Des Smyth, Europe’s newly-appointed Ryder Cup viceSam Torrance and Ian Woosnam will captains, who will be in action at Stoke by Nayland put Gleneagles on the backburner as they bid for glory on part of the first European the European Senior Tour’s team to win on US soil in oldest event.

1987, is also in the line up.

But Torrance and Smyth However, the man to won’t be the only players beat will be six-time PGA in the field with Ryder Cup player Paul Wesselingh, Cup pedigree, as other who has come through likely competitors include the ranks to be Europe’s 2006 winning captain Ian leading senior golfer, Woosnam, while Ireland’s including back-to-back PGA Eamonn Darcy, who was Senior Championship titles.

Advance day passes are priced at £10, with advance season tickets for all four days costing £25.

Youngsters are also being encouraged to see the golf stars of the past three decades, as children under-16 go free with a paying adult, while Saturday has been earmarked as a ‘family fun day’.

For those looking to enhance their experience, there are a number of hospitality packages options starting from £45 per head.

With free parking and a tented village next to the 18th green, spectators are guaranteed a great day out, and can even give their own games a boost with a free golf coaching clinic from one of the club’s PGA Professionals.

Tickets can be purchased via www.theticketfactory. com/pga/online.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

The 2015 Masters at Augusta

MY WEEK AT

Spectator packages now available

THE MASTERS Shanklin & Sandown Golf Club member George Foreman shares his experience of a trip to this year’s Masters Tournament with a group of close friends

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After a lifetime spent dreaming on attending the Masters Tournament, I finally turned that dream into a reality after I contacted specialist tour operator The American Golf Holiday. It has been sending people on holidays to the Masters for over 20 years, and offers a wide choice of accommodation staying in Augusta.

My preference was to stay right in Augusta, so I could take in the atmosphere and meet other golf fans from all round the world. I also wanted to attend the practice rounds, as well as the first two tournament rounds. Our package included six nights in a three-bedroom house just 10 minutes from Augusta National. The American Golf Holiday staff met us when we arrived with the keys to our house.

After a quick change we were off to the T-Bonz Steakhouse - ‘the unofficial official 19th hole of The Masters. It’s definitely a mustvisit restaurant Masters’ week – the place is swarming with golf fans from all over the world, it even attracts a few players, and lots of caddies. Normally it’s difficult to get a table, but our host, John Hooper of The American Golf Holiday, is well known here, and we were shown to a table just minutes after arriving.

T-Bonz is fantastic – great steaks, great service and a brilliant atmosphere. After dinner we chatted with several golf fans and this only heightened our excitement and expectation.

Our package included admission to Augusta from Monday to Friday, which proves a great decision, as severe thunderstorms mean the course had to be evacuated after just two hours on Monday. However, we had four more days, and a perfect weather forecast!

Getting to the course was easy, as a shuttle driver picked us up at our house every morning at a pre-arranged time, and within minutes we were dropped off just yards from the main entrance. Once you pass through the gates, which feature airport-style security, you enter golfing heaven. First you walk past the most amazing practice facility, and further on you pass the enormous merchandise shop,

Palmer, Nicklaus and Player

which has over 80 tills to cope with demand. Further on we saw the main scoreboard and the course opens up in front of us. My first impression was “wow” - it is the best conditioned course I have ever seen. The course is far more open than I imagined, with a huge open space between the first, ninth and 18th holes.

The course is also far more hilly than the impression given by TV. We decided to walk the whole course, and it is great to see some of the less well-known holes on the front nine.

By lunchtime the temperature must be in the mid-70, so we stopped at one of the concessions where food and drink can be purchased at unbelievable prices. The staff are so courteous and a sandwich, beer, crisps and a cookie all for $7 - you even get a souvenir Masters tumbler. The atmosphere is friendly amongst the fans as we eat and chat beneath the Georgia Pines.

Other highlights included the Par 3 contest, where the players’ children caddie for their dads on Augusta’s beautiful short course, and then there is the excitement of the tournament on Thursday and Friday, where the cheers and groans of the crowd echoed amongst the Georgia Pines.

Straight after golf on Friday, we were chauffeured back to Atlanta airport for the late evening overnight flight back to the UK, arriving just in time to catch the conclusion of the Masters on television!

George Foreman travelled to The Masters with The American Golf Holiday. For details on their 2015 Masters packages, call 02380 465885 or visit americangolfholiday.com.

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For further information call 01825 880256 or email golf@eastsussexnational.co.uk East Sussex National, Little Horsted, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 5ES www.eastsussexnational.co.uk

Flexible memberships now available Contact golf@eastsussexnational.co.uk for more details

32 /

News in Brief RUEBOTHAM RULES AT HANBURY James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City) cemented his position at the top of the East Region Order of Merit after shooting a oneover-par 73 at Hanbury Manor to win The PGA in Hertfordshire Ron King Trophy. Crue Elliott (Sandy Lodge) was joint runner-up with PGA in England East captain Paul Hetherington (Great Hadham).

Harpenden won the team prize with with 80 Stableford points.

BUNKER RAKES IN HERTS WIN Stanmore professional David Bunker took the top honours at a pre-qualifying tournament for the Weston Homes Plc Classic after firing a two-under-par 68 at the Hertfordshire Golf and Country Club to beat the home club’s assistant professional Charlie Luther by a single shot. A total of 20 players qualified for June’s event at Bishop’s Stortford, with scores of 74 and below hitting the mark.

April 2014 / Issue 232

Taylor rises to So simple for Simon Roehampton at Hilton Head challenge

Wellingborough’s Simon Lilly returned to the American Golf Holiday Pro-Am Tour’s winner’s circle following a four-shot victory in the Hilton Head Classic Pro-Am in South Carolina.

Lilly shot rounds of 67, 72 and 69 for a seven-under par, 54-hole total of 208, to beat Lee-on-the-Solent’s James Ablett, with Carluke’s Craig Ronald in third.

Ablett gained compensation in the team

event, when he led his amateur teeamater Terry Drake, Gary Cheater and Dave Roberts to victory by 10 shots, after the foursome completed 54 holes in 31 under par. Lee Fickling’s team came second, and with Dan Ball’s team in third.

The Pro-Am was staged at the Sea Pines Resort, and included play at the worldfamous Harbour Town Golf Links, which was presented in immaculate condition just two weeks prior to the visit

of the PGA Tour for the RBC Heritage Classic.

One of the many highlights of the event was a boat trip across to Daufuskie Island, where the competitors played a challenge day at the exclusive Haig Point Golf Club. To complete a memorable week, some of the competitors extended their stay to visit the Masters at Augusta, which is just a two-and-a-half hour drive from Hilton Head.

Hertfordshire’s Gabriella Cowley.

Such was the difficulty of the playing conditions over the 5,966-yard course that only four sub-72 rounds were scored by the 60 competitors in total, with Dickens, Hannah Burke and Henni Zeul being the only other competitors to get into red figures on the par 72 course, where the greens were extremely quick following the recent spell of dry weather.

Taylor, who is attached to Hillside Golf Club, turned professional at the end of 2012, and won her tour card at the Ladies European Tour qualifying school. In her rookie season last year she made 10 cuts from 16 events, and recorded top 10 finishes, at both the New Zealand Open and the South African Open.

Barham bags earlyseason brace

STANMORE PROVES UP TO THE MARK Stanmore Golf Club in Middlesex has received the GolfMark award in recognition of its beginner and junior-friendly facilities. The club has a number of initiatives to attract youngsters into its junior section, and also offers an academy membership to encourage adults to take up the game.

SMITH RECEIVES LIFETIME AWARD Oxfordshire’s Suzy Smith has been recognised as one of England Golf’s top volunteers after winning the England Golf Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala dinner held at Staverton Park in Northamptonshire. During more than a decade on the junior committee at Henley, she has also been involved with the county’s youngsters.

HOTELPLANNER. COM TO SPONSOR EUROPRO TOUR HotelPlanner.com is the title sponsor of this year’s EuroPro Tour schedule. Offering direct access to the Challenge Tour through the final Order of Merit, EuroPro Tour players will compete for over £700,000 of prize money in 2014, with the top five players awarded a category on the 2015 Challenge Tour.

Kent professional Benn Barham got his season of to a cracking start with back-to-back wins at Royal Cinque Ports and the London Golf Club.

The King’s Hill professional shot a threeunder par 68 to take the £500 first prize at the Kent Spring Classic Pro-Am at Deal, and followed that up four days later with a matching 68 around The London Club’s International course to win the penultimate event of the 2013-2014 Titleist & FootJoy winter series.

It was Barham’s day all round at Cinque Ports, as he also helped his amateur colleagues from King’s Hill to win the team event. Barham said: “I haven’t played very much this year, apart from a couple of pro-ams in the States, and the focus has been on teaching. So my expectations were low and I just plotted my way round, allowing for the one to two-club wind. The wind was even stronger at the London Club, and it was

Lancashire tour professional Emily Taylor romped to victory in the 87th Roehampton Ladies Open Gold Challenge Cup, after shooting excellent rounds of 68 and 72 over the Surrey parkland course on April 12.

The 19-year-old former No.1 amateur’s fourunder par total saw her become the only player to break par for two rounds at Roehampton, with Suzanne Dickens finishing second on levels. Sophie Walker was a further shot back in third.

In fourth spot, and the leading amateur, was English Girls’ champion Sophie Keech with a score of 146, closely followed by

raining too, but it didn’t seem to bother me.”

Commenting on the venue that will see the Volvo World Matchplay Championship being played in October, Barham said, “London’s International course was in fantastic condition, with the greens running around 10 to 11 on the stimp. I’ve been fortunate to play here a lot, and it’s a superb inland course that is always presented in top nick.”

The former European Tour pro added: “The wins have set me up nicely for the PGA Kent Open presented by Vision4Sport at Prince’s at the end of the month, and I’m looking forward to competing in what looks to be another exciting season.”

Barham’s win pushed him into second place overall in the Winter Series, but with one event to go, Tandridge’s Mark Hillson is still on top with victories at Hankley Common, Prince’s and Swinley Forest.

Dick romps to record win in Darwin Salver Jamie Dick from Forrest Hills Golf Club in Gloucestershire won the 2014 South Of England Youths Championship for the Darwin Salver after pulling well clear of a strong field at Rye Golf Club in East Sussex.

Dick, who plays off plus two, carded rounds of 70, 70, 69 and 69 for a 72-hole total of 278, to ease to a comfortable seven-shot victory in the tournament, which is open to under 21-year-olds with category one handicaps.

His nearest challenger was Goodwood’s Marco Penge on 285, with Jack Yule (Kings Lynn) a further shot back in third.

The Darwin Salver has proved a solid platform for future success, with tour players Sam Hutsby, Dale Whitnell, Nathan Kimsey, Tyrell Hatton and Luke Goddard all on the champions roll of honour for the tournament.

The field for the Darwin Salver is limited to just 50 players, which commemorates the fact that Bernard Darwin was twice captain of Rye – in 1906 and 1956 – a gap of 50 years.

West Essex secretary wins management award Emma Clifford, the secretary of West Essex Golf Club in Essex has been named the Golf Club Managers’ Association’s manager of the year for 2014.

Clifford, a PGA professional who used to play on the Ladies’ European Tour, revamped the club’s marketing operation, which helped bring in 115 new

members last year alone; negotiated new deals with all major suppliers that cut costs; and played a major role in the club securing GolfMark status, as well as becoming a Get Into Golf centre.

Clifford was one of six candidates to make the final, which also inc luded Harpden Common manager

Terry Crump. Bob Williams, chief executive of the GCMA, revealed that the six judges deliberated over the decision for seven hours – after spending three hours interviewing each candidate – making it the closest competition in its 10-year history.

In addition to the trophy, Clifford’s prize includes a

trip to Rioja in Spain and the opportunity to attend several golf club management network meetings.

She said: “I would like to thank everyone at West Essex – the members, the captain, the president – all of whom made me very welcome as manager after I grew up there. This is my X Factor moment!”

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April 2014 / Issue 232

NickBayly The painful legacy of ‘no pain, no gain’ As someone whose three main forms of exercise involve opening the fridge door, walking the five yards to my office, and standing on the touchline at weekends shouting at my children, I know I’m rarely likely to break a sweat, let alone pull a muscle, during the course of my daily activities.

Justifying my inactivity by the fact that the bloke who invented jogging died of a heart attack while out pounding the pavements aged just 52, I have gone through my 20s, 30s and half of my 40s without suffering anything more than a bruised ego every time I fail to catch the dog when he goes off on one of his squirrel-chasing adventures.

While running for buses is out of the question, I can happily plod around a golf course in under the recommended time frame, which, in my line of work, is all that is required, and hopefully I’ll continue to be able to do that for as long as my arteries hold out.

While my life expectancy might be below the national average for this part of the world, I also fear for the career expectancy of Tiger Woods and other golfers who have spent so much time in the gym in recent years.

Rather than possessing the lithe and flexible frames of yesteryear’s leading players, many of today’s top golfers are all bulging muscles and over-worked

tendons, many of which are likely to tear, rip and shear at a moment’s notice. While some experts believe that weightlifting and cardio work are the keys to a longer golfing life, we are gradually discovering that they are often short cuts to crippling injuries that will lead to lifelong pain. You only need to see the queue of players outside the physio trucks on the European and PGA Tours to know that a high percentage of pros are carrying injuries and niggles of some degree or other.

Of course, golf is one of those sports where repetitive strain on the joints has always brought its fair share of problems, but the move towards a more athletic swing, based on power generated from overworked major muscle groups, and the attendant pressures on the spine, is bringing a whole new set of ailments that will surely shorten the careers of many talented players.

While Woods’s attempt to catch Nicklaus’s major record looks increasingly forlorn, so do his efforts to regain any sort of match fitness in order to allow him to play without pain, let alone gain. With Woods and his ilk spending more time on the masseur’s couch than on the driving range, isn’t it time that players woke up to the dangers of overtraining and spent more time practising their putting?

GNeditor reveals what has caught his eye in the golfing headlines in recent weeks

No room for two ‘Asian Ryder Cups’ It seems that there will be no immediate end to the spat that has broken out between the organisers of the Royal Trophy and the EurAsia Trophy – team events which both pit the best golfers from Asia and the Far East against those from Europe.

The Royal Trophy, which was inspired by Seve Ballesteros and set up by his brother Ivan, has been played every year since it was launched in 2006, with this year’s renewal due to take place in December. The European Tour has a growing stake in events in Asia, and its development of the EurAsia Cup, which took place in Thailand last month, is another indication of its intention to establish itself as a dominant brand in this fast-growing golfing region.

Seve was nothing if not a pragmatist, but even he would see there is no sense in having two tournaments basically trying to do the same thing. The great Spaniard will be forever linked to the Ryder Cup, and, of course, the Seve Trophy, which he also set up, but as a warm-up for the Ryder Cup for European players, it makes far more sense to have a Asian-European team tournament held in the spring leading up to the Ryder Cup, rather than several months after.

The Royal Trophy organisers talk about the EurAsia Cup defiling Seve’s legacy, but regardless of the sensitivities, it’s ultimately all about power and influence, and that’s where the European Tour will no doubt win out. With players jetting all over the world these days, it makes far more sense to have just the one event, and make it the strongest and most meaningful contest that it can be. That would be the best legacy for golf.

Special four page pull out GOLF CLUB

Making the decision to join a club comes with many questions. This special paper is designed to help answer some of these questions and give you a flavour of the club experience you can expect if you joined one of hever castle’s memberships.

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What our Members say? *** Join the Club with a plan Aspirations & investment *** Advice you can trust Meet Hever’s Professionals *** Club Heritage *** What’s On? *** Club benefits explained *** Try before you buy ***

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Hever Times / Special four page pull out

What Our MeMbers say?

Carolyn Swan I have been a member at Hever for over 3 years and never imagined I would enjoy the game of golf as much as I do.

Competitive team golf is top on my list for lots of reasons. Being picked to be part of a team for your club gives you a sense of honour and to play competitive match play golf in a friendly spirit is a great experience. Being part of a team is inspiring, resulting in a greater desire to win. You are supported for playing when winning and losing, experiencing a sense of pride and camaraderie among the team.

You can form friendships not only with your own team members but with the opposition.

Team golf is a good way to improve your game and take it to another level. You will want to win so you will be committed to find the time to practice. A win, win situation!

a rICh CLub herItaGe It was in the early 1920s that Golf first featured on the Estate when a private 9 hole course was built for Astor’s personal enjoyment in the grounds where today’s Championship Course lies north of the Hever lakes.

I joined Hever Castle Golf Club a year ago, after my son Max started taking part in JOLF – Hever’s junior golfing program. Whilst there, I was able to see what great facilities the club has to offer along with its friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Together with the complimentary junior membership included in the 7 day membership package and an annual family pass to the neighbouring Castle made joining a very easy decision for us.

Since joining, I have gained a handicap, competed in club competitions and can count several members as friends. Max has also benefitted from the club’s large junior contingent, helping him develop as a golfer and a young person. The shorter Princes course has proven a great alternative option to enjoy golf together or with friends at a slightly more relaxed pace.

Although Hever is not a members club, it certainly gives a feeling that it is a club for the members. With a strong ethos for development, such as large investments in the course, new member services and with lots more ideas for the future, we look forward to our second year as members of Hever Castle Golf Club.

Colin Jones After my previous experiences, I was very hesitant to join a Golf Club again but I should not have worried as the team and members at Hever have been so welcoming and friendly since I have joined. The courses are beautifully presented and in superb condition which makes playing an absolute pleasure and after a game lunch in the bar and lounge is great; the team are obviously very passionate about the Club. The Golf Professionals have also been very encouraging and have a great manner, Elliott has helped me improve my swing and is always willing to offer his advice.

1920s

The golf course proved a valuable tool for the Astor’s to entertain friends, family and for business. The importance of golf and the high regard for it on the Estate is clearly demonstrated in the itinerary for guests of one of the Astor’s famous parties, where you can see golf tops the bill, along with dancing on the green.

Rob & Max Moseley

So give it a go. The experiences you will have you will cherish for the rest of your life!

1970s

1980s

Hever Castle Golf Club

JJ Grey

The PerfectVenue for any Occasion

I have been a member of Hever Castle Golf Club since 2010. As an England Squad member and county player practice is very important for me and the practice facilities at Hever Castle Golf Club combined with the layout of the Championship Course are ideal for helping me to prepare for upcoming tournaments.

Call us for more info

01732 701017

Set in 250 acres of truly beautiful Kent Weald countryside and lying within the Hever Castle Estate the courses fit seamlessly around the mature native trees, as well as featuring specimens of Scots Pine, Sequoia and Sycamore trees. With its abundance of natural riches, the courses have been constructed to be in complete harmony with the picturesque setting and each hole has developed its own distinct character.

The Princes Course

In 1971 ownership of the Hever Castle Estate was passed to Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever.

He is pictured here with his wife Irene Astor, Baroness of Hever.

The Guthrie Family became the owners of The Hever Castle Estate in 1983.

1990s

Land from the Estate including the old dairy farm was purchased from The Guthrie Family and in 1992 the 18 hole Kings & Queens Course was constructed.

HEvEr GOlf Club oPENED

Our COurses The Championship Course

Map of Hever Castle and lake showing the golf course to the north of the lake, The Times Visit to Hever Castle: July 4, 1931.

The Clubhouse building was extended and renovated with the terrace area also being added at a later date.

Peter Parks, the Club’s longest serving team member started working in 1992 as the Assistant Professional.

The Hybrid Course

2002

The Golf Club was purchased by the Guthrie Family, bringing much of the original Estate back together and creating

HEVER CASTLE GoLF CLUB 5716

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Comprising of the Kings and Queens nines, the Par 72 Championship Course has played host to many prestigious events and boasts an array of stunning holes. Although we know that you will thoroughly enjoy the challenge, it is not as intimidating to the inexperienced golfer as might be imagined.

Hever Times

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The par 35 Princes nine hole course, often played twice to make eighteen, has a wonderful layout and is built to the highest specification. Although shorter in length than the Championship Course it provides a great test of golf where accuracy is important.

5301

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Blending the Kings and Princes nines, the Par 71 Hybrid Course creates a very enjoyable 18 holes. The course offers a wonderful variety of features from strategically placed bunkers to water hazards and small greens.

GOLF CLUB

JOIn the CLub WIth a PLan The Golf Club, along with Hever Castle, has seen a stream of constant investments designed to elevate the Courses & Club facilities to compete with the best. Here is an overview of some of the work that has been achieved and is currently underway.

2014

Meet the teaM Peter Parks PGA Advanced Professional

• An investment in the region of £150k is being made in 6 new course mowers.

• The existing LPG boiler is being replaced with a carbon friendly Biomass Boiler system.

• The Club has been awarded Golf Mark accreditation.

• Various course improvement works are planned including the development of the 6th teeing area on The Championship Course.

Rob Peers Trialling one of the New Mowers

2013

• Purchase of Graden Sand Injection and Blade Sharpening Machinery.

• Complimentary Social Membership for partners of Golf Members introduced.

• 12th Hole Bunkers reconstructed with a new pioneering method.

2012

• Work with STRI to develop the 5 year plan for greens development.

• Members Priority Times increased up to midday at weekends on The Championship Course.

• The Introduction of the Pathway Teaching Programme for less experienced golfers.

Golf coaching at Hever Castle Golf Club is delivered by the experienced team of PGA Professionals of Castle Golf School. Their aim is to help every person develop the skills and understanding they require to be able to enjoy the game and achieve their goals.

2011

• Reconstruction of the 1st Tee including starters hut and the creation of a new tee on the 3rd.

• Fairway Aeration Programme implemented.

• Full refurbishment of the Clubhouse to create the Astor Lounge, Bar & Restaurant, the 19th Bar and Hall of Fame.

2010

• Club hosts a round of the Sky Sports televised EuroPro Tour.

• The reconstruction of the 12th tee, ladies 14th. tee and a new tee on the 17th.

• The introduction of Black Tees on Princes for Juniors and Beginners.

• Complimentary junior membership for children of 7-day members introduced.

• Unlimited range balls included complimentary for 7-day Championship Members.

• Development of the greenside banks on the 12th & 13th.

• Shower rooms refurbished.

• Practice facilities developed to include the new chipping green and bunker, teeing areas and ball dispenser.

• New refreshment hut erected.

Marisa Newman PGA Qualified Professional

director of Golf

• Tee Levelling Programme.

2008-9

Hever Times / Special four page pull out

advICe yOu Can trust

Peter is the founder of Castle Golf School and has been based at Hever Castle since 1992. He has established himself as a much sought after coach during this time and has helped golfers of all ages and abilities.

His book ‘How to improve at Golf ’ was published in 2008 and has been translated into five different languages.

Marisa is highly experienced in teaching all categories of golfers including men’s, ladies and juniors in both individual and group sessions. Her warm and friendly personality combined with her extensive knowledge about the swing has helped hundreds of golfers improve and enjoy the game more.

Sam Pitcairn PGA Qualified Professional

Elliott Owens PGA Assistant Professional

Sam has worked in the golf industry since 2001 and is a qualified class AA PGA Professional. He owns and uses the latest technology including the state of the art GC2 launch monitor.

He is able to fast track improvement and accurately pinpoint the changes required to give golfers greater consistency. He is an expert in custom fitting and has a Golfsmith Master Craftsman Diploma.

Elliott joined Hever Castle Golf Club in November 2011 and turned professional in October 2012. He already holds a foundation degree in golf management and is currently studying for his PGA qualification. He has successfully established himself as a quality coach and popular member of the Castle Golf School Team.

Weekly organised Social Mix-ins

What’s On

.

www.heveR.co.uk



Regular 9 and 18 Hole Competitions on the Princes and Championship Courses 

Trophy Competitions including the Hever Championships and Masters 

Weekly Sunday lunches 

Special Social occasions such as Club Dinners, Dances & Seasonal events 

Golf School events including group and individual coaching for Men’s, Ladies, Juniors and Seniors of all abilities 

Special Golf events such as opens, Invitation Days and Demo days 

Golf tuition holidays 

A variety of Inter-club matches for Men’s, Ladies, Juniors and Seniors 

Access to events at Hever Castle including jousting, triathlon and many others

Hever Times

www.heveR.co.uk

Hever Times / Special four page pull out

GOLF CLUB

COMpLiMEnTAry 9 HOLES book any full Summer package from April to October 2014 and receive 9 holes on the Princes Course.

sOMe OF the best CLub beneFIts The Members of hever are at the heart of the club and to recognise this we have put together one of the best packages of benefits that are available to club golfers. As an example, the benefits shown here apply to the full 7-day championship membership.

For details of all our Membership categories and our wide range of benefits, please contact us on: 01732 701004 or email: membership@hever.co.uk

To be booked by the 30th April 2014

• Unlimited play across all 27 holes on the Estate.

• Access to the Members Priority Times with a mixture of roll-up and bookable times.

• Hold an Official CONGU handicap and enter Club events.

• Unlimited Range Balls for your use on The Practice Ground.

• Complimentary Junior Membership for up to two of your children or grandchildren.

• Members Rewards Vouchers worth over £1000, including entry to Hever Castle & Gardens.

• Receive a 10% discount in the Shop, Bar & Restaurant.

• Reduced greenfee rates for up to 3 guests on each visit.

• Opportunities to meet other Club members.

To book: call claire on 01732 701003 or email golfdays@hever.co.uk

To make membership decisions easier, we would like to invite prospective Members to take a two month Trial.

You can choose from a 27 Hole Trial which will give you a taste of a Full Membership or a 9 Hole Membership

tWO MOnth trIaL

FuLLy reFundabLe When yOu JOIn

27 Hole Trial

£149

9 Hole Trial

£60

As places are strictly limited please contact the Membership Office, to check availability and to reserve your place today. † Full Trial Membership fees of £149 are refundable against Championship Categories, if joining as a Flexi Member 75 additional credits will be awarded free. The Princes Course Trial fee of £60 may be refundable against Championship or Princes Categories, if joining as a Flexi Member 30 additional credits will be awarded free.

Direct Line: 01732 701004 E-mail: membership@hever.co.uk

/ 39

April 2014 / Issue 232

Ridge rules the roost in East Kent Leagues

News in Brief CHELMSFORD TO HOST ESSEX LADIES’ CHAMPS The Essex Ladies and the Essex Senior Ladies championships will be held at Chelmsford Golf Club from May 16-18.

Cooden launches flexible membership Cooden Beach Golf Club in East Sussex has launched a flexible membership category as part of recruitment drive for the new season.

The new flexible category is designed to appeal to those golfers who wish to play occasional golf without having all the benefits

that full playing members enjoy.

The category offers 12-month membership for £495. The first £75 is an administration charge for being a member, while the remaining £420 converts into credits, which can be used throughout the year, depending on the time and day the member wishes to play. Once those

units are used up, flexible members may top their balance up by purchasing another 100 or 200 credits, while up to 50 credits can be carried to the following year.

Flexible members’ will have club handicaps for use in competitions, and they will also have access to Cooden Beach’s online booking system.

The Ridge Golf Club is defending no fewer than five titles this year, after enjoying a clean sweep in some of East Kent golf’s most competitive events in 2013.

The Maidstone-based club won the East Kent Alliance, the Alliance Jamboree, the Evening League, the Evening League Winners’ Cup and Evening League Founders Jamboree – a feat that never been achieved by any other club in the history of these competitions.

Team captain Peter English said: “Whilst we have a small squad, they all play for each other, and we never imaged we could win the lot all in the same season. We know it will be difficult to repeat our success, but we will be there trying to retain our titles during 2014.

The club has excellent practice facilities and a strong team of PGA professionals, both of which played an important part in the team’s success.

The Ridge’s general manager, Mike Stoner said: “I and the rest of the club are proud of all the members that have played for the club in these competitions. We have a great club, with a growing membership to draw from in the future. Most golfers say they can learn from playing our course.”

MANNINGS TO HOST VERA LYNN CHARITY DAY Mannings Heath Golf Club in Horsham is to host the annual Dame Vera Lynn charity golf day on May 16. The day, which costs £125pp, comprises 18 holes on the Waterfall Course followed by a three-course dinner. To enter a team, call 01403 780444.

WICKS WINS COLLEGE TITLE

Sussex amateur David Wicks won his first event on the US college circuit after shooting rounds of 69, 73 and 70 at the Spirit Hollow Golf Course in Iowa to win the Southwest Junior College Golf Championship by six shots. The Sedlescombe teenager also helped Midland College to win the team event.

Visitors welcome The hidden gem – a beautiful 100 year old James Braid parkland course. Reading Golf Club is the premier course in the area, providing a challenge for golfers of all abilities.

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40 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

Storybehindthepic Ken Bousfield, British PGA Championship Pannal Golf Club, Yorkshire, May1955

N

ext month’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in Surrey will be a landmark occasion in the event’s illustrious history, with the simultaneous celebration of several important anniversaries.

This year’s renewal will mark the 60th anniversary of the tournament, which was first played at Pannal Golf Club in 1955. It will also be the 30th consecutive year in which the tournament has been hosted at Wentworth, which is now its permanent home, as well as being the headquarters of the European Tour, for whom the PGA Championship is its blue riband event.

And in a year of milestones, certainly as far as the economy of the sport is concerned, 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of

Sponsored by

BMW as title sponsor. The German car manufacturer has poured millions of euros into supporting golf throughout the world, and it is testament to the PGA Championship’s elite status that it has stuck with it during these challenging financial times.

Starting out life as The British PGA Championship, the tournament was initially contested by purely British golfers. However, in the 1970s, following the setting up of the European Tour, it began to attract players from all over the continent, and quickly developed into one of the top international events on the fledgling European professional circuit.

The tournament today bears little resemblance to its inaugural year, when Yorkshire’s Ken Bousfield made the most of his home advantage to become the first ever champion in 1955 at

Pannel. Boulsfield took home £400 in prize money – small fry compared to the €791,660 pocketed by last year’s champion, Matteo Manassero.

In the intervening years the tournament moved around the country, being played at venues as varied as Maesdu in Wales, Dunbar in Scotland, and Royal St Georges in Kent on five occasions. It was first played at Wentworth in 1972, and returned there again in 1973 and 1974, before finally returning for good in 1984, when Howard Clark raised the trophy in a rain-shortened event.

The roll call of past champions reads like a Who’s Who of golf, with names such as Peter Allis, Bernard Gallacher, Tony Jacklin, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam etched on the honour’s board. However, it is Sir Nick Faldo who currently

heads up the champion’s leaderboard, having won the title four times. Colin Montgomerie, the only player to win the tournament three times in a row (1998-2000), is another PGA record holder, and now the next generation of golfers are coming to the fore, including current champion Manassero, who became the youngest ever winner when he took title last year aged just 20 years.

The championship has become synonymous with Wentworth and the famous West Course since the 1980s and it has, quite rightly, evolved into the flagship event of the European Tour.

The West Course has evolved with it, and following a major redesign by Ernie Els in 2009, presents one of the toughest tests on the European Tour schedule – which is as it should be for one the game’s most coveted titles.

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to 14 Days in advance • Play at 35 other courses free of charge, Weekdays, and Discounted Green Fees at Weekends for both 5 and 7 day Members • Social golf, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and at Weekends, just turn up and play with other Members, no need to book in advance.

• Members can join our internal golf societies, Sunday Early Birds, The Wednesday Chiner, The Monday Members, just take your pick

• Gold 7 Day Members can play anytime, 5 Day • • • •

Members, Monday to Friday, no extra green fees to pay Obtain an official handicap Large Vets Section, Main Day of Play is Friday’s, many competitions and Matches against other clubs Ladies Section meet every Saturday, and Monday mornings, organised competiton’s, knock out matches, and friendly matches against other clubs Gentlemen’s section has a main meeting every Saturday Morning and many others

To JOIN THE CLUB or BOOK A GOLF SOCIETY call free on: 0800 024 8730 THE RIDGE GOLF CLUB, CHARTWAY STREET, SUTTON VALENCE, MAIDSTONE, ME17 3JB. TEL: 01622 844382. WEB: WWW.THERIDGEGOLFCLUB.CO.UK

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For more details please contact the office Downshire Golf Complex, Easthampstead Park, Wokingham RG40 3DH Tel: 01344 302030 Fax: 01344 301020 Email: downshiregc@bracknell-forest.gov.uk Web: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/downshiregolf www.facebook.com/downshiregolf

April 2014 / Issue 232

/ 41

PRIOR CLAIMS SURREY LADIES’ TITLE

Nordea banks on Sand Martins for a golf day to remember!

The winner’s of a Golf News competition to host a free corporate golf day at Sand Martins Golf Club in Berkshire enjoyed a day to remember at the Berkshire-based club earlier this month.

Nordea Bank, a Scandinavian investment firm based in London, was the lucky winner, and a group of 16 staff and guests enjoyed a full day at the club on April 2.

The golf day included an exclusive coaching clinic with PGA teaching professional Andrew Hall, followed by 18 holes on the championship parkland course, and a two-course meal in the clubhouse.

A spokesman for Nordea said: “Sand Martins is a perfect place to hold a golf day. From the friendly welcome, to the excellent course and quality food - nothing lets it down. It was a truly fantastic day, and we will definitely be back.

Andrew’s clinic was superb – his tee-side manner was just right – and everyone learnt something.”

Lizzie Prior, a student at the Golf College in Lindfield, has won the 2014 Surrey Ladies Championship, after beating Wentworth’s Iona Stephen in a nail-biting final held at Royal Wimbledon Golf Club.

Prior, who is a member at Burhill, came through the 36-hole stroke play qualifier and four rounds of match play to take the prestigious title. She won her first round match 5&4, her quarter-final match 3&2, and her semifinal 2&1.

Prior encountered her toughest match in the final, with both players being two holes up at different stages of the match. Prior was one up on the 13th and was looking at a three-foot

birdie putt on the next when Stephen holed a 60ft eagle putt to get the match back to allsquare. Prior replied with back-to-back wins on 15 and 16 to go two up again, but then missed a short putt for the match on 17 to lose the hole.

Playing the last hole – a semi-blind 265-yard par four – Stephen played first and hit a threewood to the front edge of the green, while Prior followed in with a magnificent reply, hitting her fairway wood over onto the right side of the green leaving a 20ft eagle putt. Stephen’s 75-foot eagle attempt went seven feet past the hole, leaving Prior to lag a fast downhill double breaking putt inside a foot to be conceded the match and the championship.

Hounslow Heath up for sale Hounslow Heath Golf Club, an 18-hole payand-play facility located in West London, has been put up for sale by Hounslow Borough Council.

The club, which has suffered from years of under investment, comes with planning permission for the redevelopment of the clubhouse. It currently charges £10 for weekday green fees, and £15 for weekend rounds.

Despite its dilapidated state, Ben Allen of sales agents GVA Hotel and Leisure, said that interest in the venue has been strong due to its central location. “Hounslow Heath is an exceptionally well located golf property,” said Allen. “While the current facilities are well below the standard required by the modern day golfer, the planning permission that has been granted for the facility, coupled with the London Borough of Hounslow’s flexibility over the future use of the property – be that an 18 hole facility or nine-hole course with supporting activities – mean that this opportunity will undoubtedly appeal to a wide range of leisure operators.”

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42 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

After claiming her first professional win the week before her 18th birthday and contending in the season’s first major, the future looks rosy for England’s brightest female golfing talent Charley Hull Words by Alistair Tait

RIGHT CHARLEY

“I try to win every tournament I play in – that’s always the goal. Why not?

I know that if I play my best then I can do it.”

Charley Hull turned 18 on March 20th.

That’s a big milestone for any teenager, a time to cut loose and take a first legal drink. So what did Hull do that day?

She played golf.

“She’d probably play every day if she could,” says Dave Hull, Charley’s doting father. “She just loves it. Can’t get enough of it.”

The precocious teenager was just a few days removed from her first professional win at the time. Her victory in the Lalla Meryem Cup surprised nobody. Nor did the manner in which she achieved it.

Hull overturned a five-shot deficit to the experienced Gwladys Nocera with a final round nine-under-par 62.

She beat the French player at the first extra hole.

“I wanted to win when I was still 17. I’m still 17 and I won,” Hull said at her moment of triumph. “Definitely before I was 18, I wanted to get a win in and it’s fantastic – the best birthday present I could have.”

She earned €67,500 for her long overdue victory.

The money came in handy, as Hull had bought herself a BMW earlier in the ear as reward for five second-place finishes last year that earned her €135,994. That was good enough for sixth place on the Ladies’ European Tour order of merit, and the rookie of the year award. The only problem was that Hull didn’t have her driving license when she took possession of the car, so Dad does the driving for now.

Over €67,000 is a lot of money to spend on your 18th birthday, but instead there was Hull chasing a small white ball through the glorious pines of the Duke’s Course at Woburn Golf Club, just as she’s been doing since she was 11 years old.

It was no time for Hull to rest on her laurels, though, as she was preparing for the first major of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The birthday practise came in handy. Heading into the final round, the teenager from Kettering was just two shots off the lead after a third round 66.

Unfortunately, she closed out with a 76 to finish in joint seventh.

Eighteen might sound incredibly young to be contending for majors, but Hull felt comfortable going into the last round. The LPGA Tour might be the best women’s tour in the world, but she feels as if she belongs among the elite of women’s golf.

“I feel like I deserve to be in some LPGA events,” she says. “When I won I thought, all right, I feel a lot better. I think it was because I had imagined

myself winning so many times and dreaming it. I kind of expected it, and I really want to win again now because I’ve got the bug for it.”

Hull might have fallen short of winning her first major, but you won’t find anyone in golf who thinks she won’t win a whole load of them in the future.

More importantly, she’s just what women’s golf needs. She can do much to help grow the game and inspire young girls to take up golf.

Hull had another reason to be at Woburn on her 18th birthday. She signed a contract with the club that day to wear the Woburn logo on her sleeve,

Hull saw off Paul Creamer in the 2013 Solheim Cup

joining Ian Poulter as one of the club’s two tour professionals.

Woburn couldn’t ask for two more confident players, only Hull is a little less vociferous about her talents than the Ryder Cup star.

“She knows her own mind,” says her father. “She’s always been confident. She doesn’t think negatively.

She knows what she wants to do and she works towards it.”

Dave Hull has been a constant presence throughout his daughter’s development. The sight of him sitting in the Woburn clubhouse quietly waiting for his daughter to finish her round is a common one for members. If he’s not in the clubhouse, then he’s out caddying for her. He deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s managed her amateur career.

The proud father knew his daughter was intent on playing professional as soon as possible and made sure she scheduled herself accordingly. That’s why he favoured stroke play over match play events. “There’s a lot of match play in amateur golf, which is fine, but when they turn professional they hardly ever do match play,” he says. “It was always important that

every stroke counted, which is why I always wanted Charley to compete at stroke play.”

Of course, Hull isn’t unlike Poulter when it comes to the oldest form of golf. She proved that in last year’s Solheim Cup, when she helped Europe to its first victory on American soil. She earned two points out of three, including a convincing 5&4 singles win over American star Paula Creamer. Her performance came just a year after helping Great Britain & Ireland win the Curtis Cup. No wonder Poulter’s a fan.

“She’s a really strong, talented player, but her biggest strength is she’s got massive belief in herself,” says Poulter, who knows a few things about belief.

“It’s why she’s got such a big future ahead of her.”

Hull shares another Poulter trait: she doesn’t get nervous. Solheim Cup teammate Jody Ewart Shadoff can attest to that. “Charley’s so fearless,” Ewart Shadoff said during last year’s Solheim Cup. “She told me she wasn’t nervous on the first tee. I was. I could barely stand up. But she’s an aggressive player who seems like she’s been doing this for a very long time.”

Hull not only celebrated joining Woburn in a more formal role when she turned 18, she also signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Ricoh, sponsors of the Women’s British Open. It’s definitely not the last sponsorship deal she’ll sign. Nor will the Lalla Meryem Cup be her only professional victory.

Hull might have been playing full time on this year’s LPGA Tour, but Europe will thankfully see quite a bit of her this season. She entered last year’s LPGA Tour Qualifying School, but made the sensible decision to pull out. “I was really enjoying my friends and stuff at home, just being a kid, going out and going to parties and stuff. I don’t want to miss that,” Hull says. “I was still 17. I’ve got another 20 or hopefully 30 years of playing golf.

Look at Laura Davies. She’s had a great career, so there was no rush.”

So Hull will divide her time between Europe and America this year, and hopefully get her LPGA Tour card through invitations. Not surprisingly, she’s confident about playing well over there. “I think my game is suited to playing in America, because I enjoy playing on fast greens.”

As she proved in Morocco and the Kraft Nabisco, Hull’s game is suited to playing anywhere. She’s one the best young players to come out of these isles. By the time her career is over, she may even be the best we’ve ever produced.

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44 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

TO VICTOR, THE SPOILS

French golfers don’t make many headlines in a home country obsessed with cycling and cheese, but they have a player to get properly excited about in Victor Dubuisson

Victor Dubuisson remembers vividly the moment he decided to become a professional golfer. Aged seven, and watching the 1997 Masters Tournament in the family home in Cannes, he was transfixed by Tiger Woods, who was on his way to donning his first green jacket.

His uncle, Hervé, is considered France’s greatest basketball player, but it was golf – and Woods in particular – that gripped the young Dubuisson, and there was no holding him back in the pursuit of his dreams.

A self-confessed loner, Dubuisson enjoyed the countless hours spent practising on his own, and, unusually, he left school at 12 so he could spend more time playing golf.

“I was young and it was hard to do both,” says the softly-spoken 23-year-old. “I had some school lessons at home, but mostly I played golf. I only watched Tiger – I wasn’t interested in anyone else. I wanted to play like Tiger, so I watched him all the time.”

Dubuisson made steady progress through his teens, representing France at junior level and earning selection for the European Junior Ryder Cup team in 2006 – the same year he played a

part in Continental Europe’s victory in the Jacques Léglise Trophy, held at Kingsbarns in Scotland.

With the backing of the French Golf Federation to play in amateur competitions worldwide, individual success followed in 2008 at the Mexican Amateur Championship, and in 2009 he claimed the prestigious European Amateur Championship, helping him reach number one in the world amateur golf ranking.

He turned professional the following year, and did not have to wait long until he was clutching a ticket to the big time, having negotiated all three stages of the European Tour Qualifying School. That turned out to be a one-way ticket, as the 2011 season yielded three top-10 finishes to enable him to retain his playing privileges, and he improved to 52nd in the Race to Dubai rankings the following year.

What happened in 2013, however, exceeded even Dubuisson’s own lofty expectations. Having spent the season ticking along, with top-three finishes in China and Switzerland, he exploded onto the world stage in the penultimate event of the season, winning the Turkish Airlines Open, a star-studded event that was part of the European Tour’s new Final Series.

Ironically, the quality field he held at bay to claim the €848,930 first prize featured none other than his idol, Tiger Woods.

Galvanised by the win, and instilled with the confidence that he could beat the world’s best, Dubuisson took third place in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship the following week, and ended the season sixth on the money list, with earnings of just over €2 million.

The incredible rise did not stop there. Three months later Dubuisson made his World Golf Championship’s debut in February’s Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.

For the first three rounds he was not down at any point, dispatching American Kevin Streelman 5&4, Sweden’s Peter Hanson 3&1, and former Masters champion Bubba Watson, who had won on the PGA Tour the previous week, one up.

Graeme McDowell, renowned for his match play prowess, was Dubuisson’s next victim, and on the final day he overcame South African legend Ernie Els – another of the young Frenchman’s heroes – in the semi-final, making a superb comeback to win one up, after falling three down on the front nine.

If that reversal of fortunes was impressive, his performance in the final against Jason Day was nothing short of miraculous. Two down with two to play against the Australian, he won the 17th with a birdie from a fairway bunker, and got up and down again at the 18th to better Day’s three-putt bogey and take the match to extra holes.

Errant approach shots on the 19th and 20th holes left Dubuisson staring down the barrel of defeat, but he conjured two magical chips – one from against a cactus, another from under a bush – to save par both times and extend the match.

When Day finally ended the match on the 23rd hole, he was gracious in defeat, acknowledging the skill of his opponent.

Already having a good chance of making the European team for the Ryder Cup in September following his win in Turkey, Dubuisson is virtually assured of being at Gleneagles after his heroics in Arizona.

“I don’t like to say it’s my number one goal

Turkish delight: Dubuisson won his first European Tour event at the end of last season

Dubuisson escapes from a poor lie at the Accenture

this year, because it would put extra pressure on me – but it is my number one goal,” he says. “I’m excited and this was good preparation for me, because now I know what I have to work on. And I’ve learned my mental state can cope with difficult situations.”

Shy and uncomfortable talking about his life away from golf, Dubuisson remained something of a mystery during the Match Play Championship, and had many a journalist scratching their head in wonder at this enigmatic young man with amazing talent and nerves of steel.

“I’m just a normal guy and I do things normal young men do,” he says with a shrug. “That’s it. I don’t mind being alone. Golf is a sport where you’re alone, and I just like to play for myself.”

That individualistic outlook had to change when he took part in the inaugural Eurasia Cup last month, where he managed to win just one of his three matches during an epic 10-10 draw. He’ll need to sharpen up his match play act if he is to figure in Paul McGinley claculations at Gleneagles in five months’ time.

In the meantime, he has had his first taste of the Masters, and the added bonus of membership of the PGA Tour for the rest of the season, which will open up more opportunities for the young man to test himself, as well giving NBC’s golf commentators the chance to learn how to pronounce his name properly.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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HEAVENLY HYBRIDS O T U O Y E K WILL TA G HEAVEN GOLFIN

While most golfers have at least one or two hybrids in the bag these days, there are plenty of players who would benefit from having a set that is entirely made up of them, on the basis of their distance-enhancing and forgiveness qualities through the bag.

Even highly skilled players are benefitting from the playability and forgiveness of hybrids, so why not give yourself the best chance of scoring by introducing more hybrids into your own set?

And rather than relying on one or two hybrids to replace your long irons, why not use a whole set of hybrids, and bring an end to thinned approach shots and fatted wedges?

The benefit of utilising hybrids through the bag was not lost on golf professional Stuart Smith, who came up with the design for a completely new concept in club design, the Heavenly Hybrids. Featuring a hybrid look to the sole and shape of each of the nine clubs in the set, the unique Heavenly Hybrid range gives golfers of all abilities greater distance, improved ball flight, and better control from all types of lies.

Here is a list of five different instances when you could find a Heavenly Hybrid club invaluable:

1. OFF THE TEE Heavenly Hybrids are great on long par 3s or short par 4s, when you need to carry a bunker or water hazard. They have a higher launch angle and consequently come down on a much steeper angle than a long iron, making it easier to clear the obstacle and stop the ball on the green. Tests have shown that Heavenly Hybrids hit the ball 9%

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2. FROM THE FAIRWAY The Heavenly Hybrids’ distance control and accuracy make them good for building confidence on long approach shots. You could find yourself reaching more par 5s in two, offering the chance for eagles and birdies.

3. FROM THE ROUGH Long irons have a tendency to get caught up in the rough, causing them to twist, resulting in miss-hits. By contrast, Heavenly Hybrids have a bigger size and mass, helping you to drive through the rough and keep the face square.

4. LONG BUNKER SHOTS On long bunker shots it is important to hit the ball first, to get it airborne quickly and out of the trap. A Heavenly Hybrid can come in really handy here. By moving the ball back in your stance, you can promote a steeper angle of attack. The bigger clubhead and larger sole of a Heavenly Hybrid make it easier to swing through the sand without catching it heavy.

5. AROUND THE GREEN On bump-and-run shots around the green, a Heavenly Hybrid can help you get the ball rolling on the ground quickly. Its shorter shaft helps hit the ball almost like a putt, without having to choke down on the shaft, and you’ll never have to worry about catching it thin and taking a divot.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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RALPH’S RETURN West Sussex tour pro Hannah Ralph is looking forward to playing a full season on the Ladies European Tour after winning back her card at qualifying school

Qualifying School is a test of nerves as much as anything else, so did your previous experiences at Q School help you pull through?

Yes, I believe having been to Q School a few times definitely helped. You just have to try to play your usual game, and I think the fact that I got through nine rounds in 2009 to gain my card, was proof that I could do it again.

What’s been the reaction to your success back at your home club, Cowdray Park?

The reaction at Cowdray has been brilliant, as always. I’m incredibly lucky to be attached there – it’s like my second home. I joined the club aged 10, and went on to represent the ladies’ section in various competitions. So, to then end up as their touring professional is special. I will always be grateful to all the members, friends, staff, and the general manager, Phil Stevens, for their constant support. It’s rare, I believe, at golf clubs these days for a female golfer to be so well supported and involved. The course is always in fantastic condition too, which obviously helps my game.

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What do you remember about your first season on Tour in 2010, and how will it affect how your approach to this season?

When I think back to being on tour in 2010, I remember thinking how important the short game was. I was always fairly accurate with my long game, but I just didn’t score well enough at that level.

Needless to say, I have worked hard on my short game ever since. Also, I learned that it’s still the same game, even though you are playing at a top level.

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How does it feel to be back in the top rank of women’s golf again?

It feels great to be back out on Tour after a couple of years of trying. I’ve worked hard both on my own and with my mind coach, Karen Francis. She was caddying for me at Q School when I gained my full card, so it was lovely to share that with her. All the hard work has paid off for us both. I wouldn’t be where I am now without her.

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How did it feel to win your first professional event – the WPGA International Challenge at Stoke by Nayland – last year?

It felt amazing to win the WPGA tournament. Of course, you go out to do your best every time you play, but I never expected to win that week. I just remember thinking that I was going to enjoy playing

in a ‘home’ tournament, and just to go out there and play my own game. I had two friends caddy for me that week, and to share that victory with them made it even more special. It’s such a great feeling, turning round to see your name at the top of the leaderboard and being presented with the trophy. It was a strong field too, so overall it was a very satisfying week and one I will never forget!

What have you been doing since December? The weather hasn’t been great for practising.

Yes, the weather at times has been very frustrating. You just have to carry on as much as you can and do indoor work wherever possible. It has allowed me more time to work on my overall fitness, which helps my game. I went to Spain a few weeks ago, as Cowdray Park have a link with Estepona Golf Club. That was a bonus, and a good productive week ahead of my first LET tournament in Morocco.

“It’s such a great feeling turning round to see your name at the top of the leaderboard and be presented with the trophy”

What sponsors have you got for the season?

My main sponsor is Bellville Rodair. It’s a freight forwarding company whose owners happen to have an interest in golf, which is handy! They’re a great company and very nice people. I couldn’t play on Tour without their support. One Up Golf provides me with clothing and they too are a lovely, really close-knit company. Brand Fusion provides me with golfing accessories, which is also a big help. My club sponsor is Ping.

What equipment do you have in the bag?

I have a Ping G25 driver, G25 3 and 5 woods, and a Ping i15 rescue. My irons are Ping S55’s and my wedges are Ping Tour Gorge. My putter is an old Ping Ladies Faith that I ‘borrowed’ from a friend of mine. I used it for the WPGA and still do to this day. I had a G20 Driver for a while and was reluctant to change it, but with the help of Geoff at the Ping factory, I love the G25 even more than the G20! Same goes for the new irons!

April 2014 / Issue 232

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Ralph bagged her first professional win at last year’s WPGA International Challenge at Stoke by Nayland

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Who is in ‘Team Ralph’ for 2014?

My team consists of my mind coach/ mentor, Karen Francis (as previously mentioned), my personal trainer, Gareth Underhill, who owns a sports shop in Midhurst close to where I live. I recently started pilates and have a brilliant instructor in Louise Walters. I wish I had met her months ago! I don’t have a fulltime swing coach, but Katie Dawkins, who teaches at Cowdray, will always cast an eye over my swing if I need her to. I don’t have a full-time caddy. A friend from Cowdray caddied for me in Morocco, Karen is caddying in Turkey, my dad in Holland, and friends for other tournaments.

What events are you most looking forward to playing this year?

I’m looking forward to playing in every tournament that I get into. I made the cut in Turkey in 2010 and love the course that we play on. Germany is always a good tournament, and this year is a new course, so that’s something to look forward to.

I’m hoping my full card will get me into the field for the European Masters at The Buckinghamshire in July – if so, I cannot wait for that one. A lot of my friends have that date in the diary to come and cheer me on.

Have you set yourself any specific goals

beyond retaining your card for this season?

To retain my card would be great and yes, that is the main aim, but along the way I want to enjoy being back out on Tour. We are fortunate to have a healthy schedule to play and well-run tournaments. I hope to play the game I know I can and take each tournament as it comes.

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Who was your golfing idol when you were growing up?

To be honest I didn’t really have one, but I was always inspired by Annika Sorenstam.

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My dad took me up to the practice ground at Cowdray Park when I was eight years old, and I have been hooked ever since. I loved the club then, and I still do. And of course my uncle, Glenn Ralph, is a tour pro, so that helped.

Has Glenn given you any advice?

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April 2014 / Issue 232

ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON Big-hitting Bubba Watson blows away Masters’ rivals to bag second green jacket

Just as he did 24 months ago, Bubba Watson turned Augusta’s monstrous 7,400-yard layout into little more than a pitch and putt course to claim the fabled green jacket.

Following four days of fearsome, and at times, laughably long driving, Watson pulled three shots clear of his toiling rivals to become only the 17th player in Masters’ history to win the title more than once. To do so in the space of just two years is also a rare and remarkable feat.

The 32-year-old, who claims never to have a golf lesson in his life, once again ignored the traditional way of playing Augusta. Time after time, he pulled out his Day-Glo pink Ping driver, when others were reaching for their fairway metals and hybrids, and threw caution to the wind with a thrilling display of raw power and devil-may-care shot-making.

But there was more than a hint of method to his perceived madness, as while others tip-toed around Augusta’s twists and turns, Watson took most of the trouble out of the equation by consistently flying the ball over bunkers, around trees, and past water.

Leading at the half-way point, after rounds of 71 and 67, Watson seemed to lose confidence during the third round, leaving putts well short of their intended target with worrying consistency. Sensing a wavering in the notoriously fragile Watson mentality, his rivals took renewed hope, and a dozen players found themselves with a live chance of winning the tournament with 18 holes left to play.

Among them was 20-year-old wonder boy Jordan Spieth, whose incredibly mature performance over the previous three days, in this, his first taste of Augusta, had to crowds

Pink Power: Watson was peerless off the tee with his colourful Ping driver

purring with delight as she strode manfully to share the lead with Watson after 54 holes.

Others, too, had reason to be hopefully of donning the green jacket as they set out on Sunday afternoon. They included the littleknown Swede Jonas Blixt, perennial major bridesmaid Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler working his Sunday orange, and the doubting Dane, Thomas Bjorn. The oldies had 50-year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez, and 54-year-old Fred Couples to cheer on, while further down the leaderboard, English hopes rested with Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, who both must have harboured dreams that a fast start, and the collapse of their rivals, could bring a longed-for first taste of major glory.

On a fairly benign afternoon, with the Sunday pins at their most accessible on this most inaccessible of courses, it looked like a birdie-fest would ensue, as the leading players made a last, desperate sprint for the line. However, by the time the final group reached the ninth, which saw Watson birdie and the young Spieth make bogey – having briefly held a three-shot lead – it already looked like it was a straightforward knockout match to decide the title, with both

Jordan Spieth made a bold showing on his Masters debut

players trading blows like bloodied prize fighters.

While Spieth had looked the model of calmness over the first three days, there were early signs that his game was not quite on during the final round, despite what the scoreboard was showing. Time and time again, his hand came off the club, as if to show that he hadn’t made the right connection, although the results were still pretty impressive. However, he needed a chip-in from a bunker at the fourth to tie the hole, and a miraculous shot from the trees on 11 to save par.

It was band-aid golf, as they say in America, and sooner or later, the bandages lost their stickiness as Watson applied the pressure.

The writing was on the wall as early as the 12th, where Spieth found the water following a schoolboy error in club selection, while Watson got up and down from the back fringe. And if the fat lady wasn’t already in the building by then, she certainly was after the 13th, when Watson bludgeoned his tee shot 366 yards down the left side of the fairway, leaving himself little more than a wedge into the par-five hole, while Spieth found himself having to chip out sideways with his second, having found the woods off the tee.

A Watson birdie and a Spieth par saw the gap

widened to three shots – a margin that would never be narrowed.

By now, Watson had the end-goal in sight, and while Blixt and Jimenez both battled hard to reel in their rival, the leader just had too much firepower – and the benefit of experience – on his side, to falter at his second finest hour. Pars at 15, 16 and 17 gave Watson the joy of a threeshot cushion heading up the last, and a 3-wood off thee – his first of the day – found the fairway to set up a tap-in par for a deserved victory.

As in 2012, the tears flowed from the champion, although this time not in quite so copious or dramatic a fashion, but they flowed all the same, while the crowds applauded their homegrown hero, although without quite the same level of intensity as you’d expect.

Robbed of the presence of the injured Tiger Woods, who, despite his poor form, always adds some magic to the Masters, this year’s battle for the green jacket felt a little flatter than recent renewals. The roars weren’t quite as frequent, or as loud, as they have been in past years, and much of the blame for that must be laid at the door of the tournament committee, whose choice of pin positions on Thursday and Friday left many players banging their heads against their putters in anguish – and taking an early flight home.

With no Woods or Mickelson contending, and with Watson having enjoyed his moment in the sun so recently, the galleries were perhaps hoping for a new champion to emerge – but that failed to happen. Jordan Speith’s time will come, and it may come many times, but for now let’s give due credit to the incredible talent that is Bubba Watson – a man who is capable of playing shots that no other player in the game could even imagine, let alone execute.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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TWO GREEN JACKETS HANGING ON THE WALL Bubba, you’ve just joined a fairly elite group of golfers in winning two green jackets. How does it feel to be in such exalted company?

It’s overwhelming to win twice, to be with those great names. For a smalltown guy named Bubba to have two green jackets is pretty wild.

Can you compare the emotions of winning with a comfortable lead coming down the stretch, as opposed to the last time with the miraculous way you won the playoff?

It’s never easy, but it was certainly easier playing the last knowing I had a bit in hand. Coming down 17 I got a little nervous and hit a loose tee shot, so to get it up and down for par was very big for me, as although I’d still have had a two-shot lead, it’s never as comfortable as three-shot lead! On 18, I just grabbed a 4-wood and tried to hit the fairway and get it in play, which I did. It came out perfect, with a little draw, so I knew I was going to close it out from there, providing he [Jordan Speith] didn’t hole out from the fairway.

What did you say to Jordan at the end?

I just shook his hand, gave him a hug, I told he’s a great talent and he’s going to have a lot more opportunities to win these things; but you know, he doesn’t really care what I have to say at that moment.

Do you feel like this victory validates you as an elite player?

No. I just got lucky enough to have two green jackets. I’m just trying to keep my tour card every year and if people say that I’m a good player, that’s great. But I’m not trying to play golf for everybody to tell me how great I am or I’m one of the greats of the game. I play golf because I love it – I love the game. It has brought

because I think ‘why me?’ Why Bubba Watson from Bagdad, Florida? Why is he winning? So I just always ask the question ‘why me?’ That’s why I’m always going to cry. I’ll probably cry again tonight sometime, just thinking about it.

Bubba Watson reveals what it feels like to become a member of the multiple Masters club

How have you turned around your game in the last 12 months?

Winning the green jacket in 2012 was overwhelming, and it took me time to come to terms with it. At the same time, I became a dad for the first time, and those two big things took time to adjust to. I just kept working hard, even though it doesn’t look like I practice that much. Even 30 minutes or an hour’s practice is better than none. We worked out my schedule better, figured out how to travel better, and here we are today, a couple of wins later and another green jacket.

me everything that I’ve ever owned in my life.

How are you going to treat this win compared to the first one?

Well, the first time we treated it a lot differently because of the family. My son being adopted, he didn’t have a male figure in his life for the first month of his life. We got him at a month old. So getting used to smell, touch, feel, sound, everything, I had to be there for my son. And so golf was the farthest thing from my mind. So I took off some tournaments. Trying to be a good husband and a good dad was the most important thing.

So this one is a little bit different.

My schedule is probably not going to change. So everything’s the same. Everything’s a go. We are trying to make the Ryder Cup team, we are trying to win the next tournament, so it’s a very different situation now than it was back then.

Tom Watson has already Tweeted:

‘See you on the plane for Gleneagles’. What will it mean to play in another Ryder Cup? It’s an amazing feeling to have a chance to go to Scotland. I mean, how would you not want to play golf there? I love it, going over there and playing golf, so I can’t wait. I know a win here is double points, so I figure I’ve made the team. I can’t wait to get over there and try and win one. I haven’t won a Ryder Cup yet, so that’s the next big event I’d like to win.

How big were those putts on the par threes on the front nine in keeping tabs on Jordan?

Very big. I hit a great shot in there on four, and then he hit a better bunker shot. I stepped up and made the putt.

And then I hit a great shot on six, well, I thought I hit a great shot. And then Jordan hit a better one. So it was huge that I holed my putt before he tapped in.

Then I hit two great shots on eight and nine, and that was really the point

where momentum kind of went my way. Nobody was catching fire in the groups ahead, so it was just down to him and me.

Does this golf course suit your eye better than any other?

There’s no doubt that the course sets up pretty good off the tee for me.

When I’m hitting my driver halfway decent, I can play some short irons into the greens. There are a couple of shots that always really get to me, including the tee shots on seven and 18. The 11th hole was also always hard for me, but I got lucky this year because some of the tops of trees were down, which made it a lot easier.

Are you going to cry every time you win this thing?

I’ve always been a tearful person, even going back to my time on the Nationwide Tour. For me, it’s a dream to win any tournament, so winning the green jacket is a little bit of a bigger deal. So, yeah, I’m going to cry,

Can you explain to the average guy out there, who doesn’t take lessons, how you can win two green jackets in three years?

You know, it’s hard to explain it that way. But, you know, it’s a drive and a will, a lot of hard work. A lot of times amateurs don’t have these same practice schedules as we do because they have to work. So our work is hitting balls and chipping and putting. Sometimes I hit a big slice off the tee to get it in play. Sometimes I hit a big draw with an iron. Just whatever makes you feel comfortable and that’s what Teddy [his caddy] said all week: ‘Do what you feel comfortable with’. He said, “If you want to hit the hard 9 instead of the easy 8, hit the hard 9. Whatever makes you feel comfortable in your own swing and your own game.

That’s what I’d tell anybody, I do what it takes to make the score. I don’t care how pretty it is, I don’t care if it’s ugly, I don’t care if it’s out of the woods. I just want to make a score. Lucky for me, I’ve done it a couple times around this place.

Once again, more players trusted FJ shoes at the Masters than any other manufacturer. ®

footjoy.co.uk Explore footjoy.co.uk and sign up to The Comfort Zone, our free e-newsletter Source: Darrell Survey. Masters is a registered service mark of the Augusta National Golf Club.®

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April 2014 / Issue 232

EwenMurray

Sky Sport’s voice of golf reports from the season’s first major

US MASTERS DIARY MONDAY, APRIL 7 The start of the week was a little on the rough side, as a storm hung over the eastern seaboard of the United States, meaning a good few hours of turbulence during the flight from London to Atlanta.

The Masters committee had to close the gates on Monday because of the inclement weather. I felt for the many that come to Augusta at the start of Masters week, watch the practice rounds and then return home to watch the tournament unfold in front of the television at home.

After arrival in Atlanta, it’s about a three-hour drive to Augusta, which passed quickly as most the journey was spent sleeping!

only a couple of hours from each round. Sky’s innovative coverage has moved effortlessly alongside the advances in technology and the Masters committee has embraced the changes.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Wednesday is Par 3 contest day, and the property is full of patrons eager to enjoy the relaxed format of this minitournament.

The reception Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player receive as they step onto the first tee is an emotional experience. A combined 236 years of age, 147 Masters

The Big Three on the first tee

TUESDAY, APRIL 8 Tuesday was much better. After drawing the curtains to reveal a lovely spring morning, it was off to see Augusta National. You are never disappointed, as it is as perfect as a golf course can be presented. All the season’s colours were in full bloom and the splash of red, white and pink framed the immaculate fairways.

No matter how many times you come here, the next time always feels like the first.

It’s a day where the first port of call is the merchandising house to buy some souvenirs to take home to friends, and some of the items are for various charities to auction later on in the year. It’s also a time to catch up with friends around the world who make the pilgrimage to Georgia every April.

Peter Alliss comes into our commentary position. An hour with Peter is pure gold. His stories so eloquently told, are a joy to listen to, and at 83 years young, his wit is as sharp as ever.

Homework is next on the agenda, but not as much as a normal week. Like the Ryder Cup, the Masters has tremendous energy and the most important issue from my point of view, is not to get in the way of it. The pictures are so powerful, they do most of the talking.

In the evening, I had dinner with my bosses in a local restaurant. The announcement that Sky has signed a multi-year contract to cover the Masters is a huge boost for everyone.

Nowadays, the interactive coverage via the red button includes featured groups, Amen Corner, the range, all of which is screened before the main live coverage. It’s a long way from a few years back, when we saw

There was no need to measure up Bubba Watson for his second green jacket

tournaments, and 13 victories.

At 84, Arnold managed to walk, with some difficulty, around the 1,060 yards that make up the par-three course.

At the end, I felt it might be the last time he competes in this showpiece. I hope not, but it was a privilege to put the words over their journey, which ends

by Ike’s Pond in front of the Butler Cabin.

The joyous atmosphere changes as the sun sets. The attention of the players and fans turn to the opening round of this year’s 2014 majors.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, ROUND 1 If there was ever a perfect day to play golf, then Thursday morning was it. The committee was well aware of that and their response was to engage some of the traditional Sunday pin positions for round one.

After 18 holes, only four of the 97-man field broke 70. Two were Masters winners, and one had lost in a play-off. Bill Haas stood out on his own after a 68.

At 3pm, I was joined in the commentary box by

six-time Masters’ champion Jack Nicklaus. It’s easy to see why Jack is mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Mohammed Ali. He has an aura about him. Even if you had a blindfold on, you would know if Jack walked into the room.

Yet he is humble, with humility and grace, and his engaging personality is infectious. The hour I spent sitting alongside him was perhaps the most enjoyable of my career. His insight was fascinating, his delivery measured, and I have no doubt that those watching at home held onto his every word. ‘Great’ is a word that is too often used nowadays. It should be reserved for the very few in sport that are equal to Jack Nicklaus.

My abiding memory of Thursday was seeing Arnie, Jack and Gary on the first tee at 7.40am. I wonder how many took up golf because of the Big Three?

My favourite quote of the day came from legendary American journalist Dan Jenkins, who came out with: “Having a ticket for the clubhouse and verandah

68 to equal the best of the tournament so far. Meanwhile, Bubba Watson was tearing up the back nine, stringing five birdies in a row from the 12th, and his 68 gave the 2012 champion a three-shot lead at the halfway stage.

The biggest disappointment was the departure of some big names as the cut came in at plus four. Out went major champions Dufner, Els, Simpson, Schwartzel, McDowell and Mickelson, with the latter failing to match Tiger’s record of making 17 consecutive cuts – missing the weekend for the first time since 1997.

The course was almost as hard as it can be for round two. I’m hoping they soften it a little at the weekend. With slightly easier pin positions, we will hear the roars for the bold approaches on the back nine.

That’s what we have enjoyed down the years – that is the Masters.

My favourite sight on Friday was of two-time champion Ben Crenshaw and his caddie, Carl Jackson, receiving a standing ovation at the 18th green.

Carl has caddied in 53 straight Masters, and for Ben in 38 of his 43 appearances. Next year they will bid farewell to the tournament.

My quote of the day came from Butch Harmon, on air.

Mickelson was one of many big-name early casualties

at Augusta is more important than a kidney or a lung!” Not quite, but I know what he meant!

“This one is a double breaker. At least it was the last time I played here.” Beautifully dropped in – I must remember that one!

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, ROUND 2

SATURDAY APRIL 12, ROUND THREE

Friday’s skies were as clear as Thursdays, as round two got under way. After early American domination, the European contingent began to find its form, with veteran Dane Thomas Bjorn firing a

The first shot of round three was struck by Rory McIlroy. Having made the cut by the minimum margin, he played with an Augusta member as his marker.

His third-round 71 means he will have to wait another year to

challenge for the title.

Saturday had everything one expects of the Masters.

Bubba was briefly five shots ahead, before he was reeled in by young Jordan Spieth, who was bidding to become the youngest champion. Miguel Angel Jimenez posted a best-ofthe-week 66 to put him in with a chance of becoming the oldest winner, while Lee Westwood and Justin Rose edged nearer to the top. Matt Kuchar was in contention for the third week in a row, and Jonas Blixt hung on in there to give Sweden a chance of its first male major champion.

SUNDAY APRIL 13, ROUND FOUR The final day of the Masters is one of the most cherished days in the sporting calendar. Who will hold their nerve? Who will be dressed in the coveted green jacket come sunset? The theatre, as much as the actors, makes this event, and the stars stepped onto golf’s most elegant stage. It was to prove to be an intriguing afternoon.

First to make a move was the evergreen Fred Couples, but one by one the contenders fell away, leaving Jonas Blixt, Spieth and Watson to battle it out for supremacy. In the end it was elementary for Watson and in the privacy of the Butler Cabin he received his second green jacket. Spieth came up a little shy, but he is here to stay, and his future looks bright. The same can be said of Blixt.

Watson is underrated. He knows where the clubface is, and what angle to attack the ball. In truth, the afternoon fizzled out as the contenders didn’t have the experience to see the challenge out. But Augusta had a fine champion amid the setting sun.

Vision of the day was Bubba picking up his young son, Caleb, and sharing the victory with the patrons. The quote, or sound, of the day came from the whispering Georgia Pines. As the roars reverberated throughout the front nine, they faded on the back nine, and this year’s Masters was not the last nine holes we have enjoyed in season’s past. Much of that was down to Bubba Watson.

He got the job done in a very professional manner.

I ambled home to the spring sunshine, and the beauty of the South Downs, and my thoughts were that I wished the next Masters wasn’t 12 months away.

That’s the beauty of the Masters – it always leaves you wanting more.

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52 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

TOM LEWIS TIPS FROM THE TOUR

ROUTINE, ROUTINE, ROUTINE! In the first of an exclusive new instruction series from European Tour professional Tom Lewis, he begins by offering his top tips on developing a consistent pre-shot routine

Whenever you watch professional golf on television, or witness it first-hand when you go to a tournament, one of the first things you will notice is that all Tour players have a pre-shot routine they go through before hitting every single shot from tee to green.

These routines differ from player to player, and some are unique, but we all see them as an essential part of our preparation to hit a shot, and I would definitely recommend you build one into your game if you are serious about wanting to play more consistent golf.

The secret is to keep it simple, so that your mind does not have to work too hard on focusing on anything it doesn’t need to. Here’s how I do it.

2

1 LINE UP TO THE TARGET

Tom Lewis is a brand ambassador for Marriott. The photographs were shot at Marriott Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire.

For details visit www. marriott.co.uk or download the Marriott app from iTunes.

1

You can make the best swing in the world, but if you’re not lined up correctly, the chances are you won’t hit the ball where you want it to go. When I’m setting up to hit a shot off the tee or on the putting green, the first thing I do is to aim the line marked on my ball where I want it to start out. Some balls have obvious alignment aids on them already, but if yours does not, I strongly advise you to add one yourself with a permanent marker. It doesn’t have to go all the way around the ball, just far enough to create a strong visual aid.

3

6

2 PICK YOUR SPOT

4 PRACTISE THE SHOT

Next, I pick a spot about 3-4 feet in front of the ball I want to aim at. It could be a particular blade of grass, a bit of mud, an old divot, or whatever stands out, but I look for a spot that is precise, rather than just a general area. It’s much easier to line up to a target that’s directly in your field of vision than something 200 yards away.

After I’ve mentally rehearsed the shot, I stand a few yards behind the ball and take a few practise swings, rehearsing the swing, or more precisely, the shot I want to hit.

3 REHEARSE THE SHOT IN YOUR MIND Next, I imagine the shot I want to play in my mind, picturing the ball flight, the shape of the shot through the air, and the intended landing spot.

5 TAKE YOUR STANCE After completing my practise swings, and feeling comfortable about the shot, I walk to the ball and take my stance.

6 COMMIT TO THE SHOT After taking my stance in line with the spot 3-4 feet in front of me, I take one last look at the target in the distance and then commit to the shot. It’s the simplest way I know to prepare myself properly for the shot I want to play.

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54 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

TOUR NEWS

European Tour

Hull fades as Thompson claims first Major title American Lexi Thompson has earned her first major with a three-stroke victory over Michelle Wie at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

The 19-year-old had a bogey-free round of 68 for a 14-under total to earn the $300,000 first prize.

“It’s a dream come true. This is what I’ve worked hard for,” said Thompson.

She celebrated with the traditional victory leap into Poppie’s Pond near the 18th green. She is the secondyoungest major winner in LPGA Tour history at 19 years, one month and 27 days.

Changes to the European Tour’s Final Series have been welcomed by top players who were forced to miss last season’s finale in Dubai.

Qualification for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship was previously dependent on playing in two of the first three events of the Final Series. That requirement has now been scrapped, with Sergio Garcia among those backing the decision.

“I’m very happy with the changes,” said the former world number two. “I’m looking forward to the

Wie, who was in contention all week, used her driver only four times, choosing to hit fairway-metal stingers on the other 10 driving holes, leaving her as much as 60 yards behind Thompson. “I stuck with my game plan and I think it was the right play,” Wie said. “I just couldn’t get anything going.”

Woburn’s Charley Hull had a disappointing four-over par 76 to finish joint seventh, having been just two off the lead going into the final round. Scotland’s Catrinoa Matthew finished tied 11th after shooting the same score as her Solheim Cup teammate.

2014 Final Series. We are all working together, and I’m very happy to see that we’ve reached a middle ground.”

The format of the Tour’s inaugural Final Series was criticised by a number of other players,

including former Open champion Ernie Els and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who, like Garcia, missed the Dubai showpiece last November.

Tour chief executive George O’Grady had promised a

News in Brief BOWDITCH’S MAIDEN PGA TOUR WIN Australia’s Steven Bowditch shot a final-round 76 to record a one-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open. His first win in eight seasons on the PGA Tour also secured him a place in the Masters.

TORREY PINES GETS US OPEN Torrey Pines in California is to stage the US Open in 2021. The tournament was last held at the public venue in San Diego in 2008, when an injured Tiger Woods hobbled to victory following an 18-hole play-off against Rocco Mediate.

DUBUISSON EARNS PGA TOUR CARD

Adam Scott

Henrik Stenson

Zach Johnson

Steve Stricker

THE ROAD TO THE MASTERS FOLLOWS A FAMILIAR SCRIPT.

Victor Dubuisson has been awarded temporary membership of the PGA Tour for the remainder of the season following his runner-up finish in the Accenture Match Play. His card allows him to accept an unlimited amount of sponsor invitations for the rest of this season, although he is not eligible to qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs unless he wins a PGA Tour event in the next four months.

CREAMER RISES TO THE TOP Paula Creamer sank a 75-foot eagle putt on the second playoff hole to beat Azahara Munoz and win the HSBC Women’s Champions at Sentosa Golf Club in China. It was her first win since the 2012 US Women’s Open.

IWATA BOOKS OPEN SPOT Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata booked his place in the Open Championship at Hoylake after winning the final qualifying event at Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand. The 33-yearold will be joined at Royal Liverpool by fellow countryman Yoshinobu Tsukada, Chinese Taipei amateur Cheng-Tsung Pan, and Chinese professional Ashun Wu.

Webb Simpson

Lee Westwood

Jimmy Walker

Billy Horschel

MAGGERT WINS ON SENIOR DEBUT Jeff Maggert won the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at Fallen Oak on his debut on the US Seniors Tour. Maggert, who turned 50 in February, won by two shots from Bill Andrade. It was his first win since the 2006 St Jude’s Classic on the PGA Tour.

SKY EXTENDS LPGA COVERAGE Sky Sports has signed a new two-year deal with the LPGA to offer exclusive live coverage of the three women’s Majors played in the United States, plus at least four other LPGA Tour events each summer.

TITLEIST. THE #1 BALL AT THE MASTERS. ®

With a chance to make history at the season’s first major, it’s no wonder that the majority of the world’s best will rely on the Titleist Pro V1 ® and Pro V1x.™ Exceptional distance, control and consistency. It’s why so many players at the Masters, and every player looking to be their best, make Titleist their golf ball of choice.

Source: Darrell Survey. Masters is a registered service mark of the Augusta National Golf Club.®

GolfNews_TitleistMasters2014_DPS.indd 1

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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TOUR NEWS

revises Final Series Every bags Bay Hill as Scott stumbles review of the regulations and, as well as changing the qualification criteria, the bonus pool at the DP World Tour Championship has been increased from £2.25m to £3m. It will also be shared among the top 15 players, rather than the top 10.

Schwartzel also supported the change to a new points system.

He said: “I will always try to support the European Tour when I can, and it’s great to see that they are also trying to look after us with these new rules.”

Ian Poulter

Jason Dufner

Little-known American Matt Every overhauled 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida and record his first victory on the PGA Tour.

Florida-born Every fired a final round 70 to win his maiden title by one stroke as Scott faded into third.

The 33-year-old Australian, who had led the field by seven shots after 36 holes, started the final day two shots clear, and had the chance of ousting Tiger Woods from the world number one slot if he held on for the win, but a final round 76 saw Scott’s chances derailed.

It had looked as though former US PGA Champion Keegan Bradley might offer the greatest resistance to Scott’s victory bid, but while Bradley dropped early shots, Every mounted the decisive charge with four birdies in five holes around the turn taking him clear.

He dropped shots at the 16th and 18th, but with Scott threeputting the 16th, Every managed to hold off a late revival from Bradley and collect the trophy from tournament host Arnold Palmer and a cheque for $1.1m. Victory also secured him a place in the Masters Tournament.

Jordan Spieth

Luke Donald

Asian singles fightback sees first Eurasia Cup end in draw

Bubba Watson

Marc Leishman

Louis Oosthuizen

A stunning fight back from Team Asia saw the inaugural EurAsia Cup end in a 10-10 draw, after a thrilling final day at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Malaysia.

Trailing 3-7 going into the final day’s singles session – and having been 5-0 behind after the first day’s fourball session – not many gave captain Thongchai Jaidee’s team much hope of turning the contest around.

But they did just that, winning the final session 7-3 to see the trophy shared with Miguel Angel Jiménez’s European team.

Jaidee got Asia off to the perfect start in the singles, with a 3&2 win over 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell. Then wins for Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kim Hyung-sung, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri over Thomas Björn, Pablo Larrazábal, Thorbjørn Olesen and Victor Dubuisson, allied to Prayad Marksaeng’s half point against Jamie Donaldson, saw the overall scores levelled at 8½-8½.

Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman then moved Asia ahead for the first time in the three days with a 4&3 win over Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, before Dutchman Joost Luiten held his nerve to hole a four footer for a winning par four against Japan’s

Bill Haas

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GolfNews_TitleistMasters2014_DPS.indd 2

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Koumei Oda to bring parity once again.

In the end, the fate of the EurAsia Cup – with the score tied at 9½-9½ - lay in the hands of Spain’s Gonzalo FernandezCastaño and Hideto Tanihara of Japan, whose ding-dong battle saw them all square playing the last hole in the last match on the course. With both players on the 18th green in two, FernandezCastaño putted down to four feet, while Tanihara’s effort stopped 18 inches from the hole. Under intense pressure, the Spaniard held his nerve to roll his par effort, before sportingly conceding the Japanese player’s putt, with a shared half-point being a fitting outcome.

“Every member of my team was a hero,” said Jaidee. “It was a great finish and to end the contest on the final holes in the final match, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Opposite number Jiménez – who was one of only two outright winners for Europe, when he holed an eight-foot putt on the final green to beat a Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung – agreed. “It was tough for us today, but it was an amazing day of golf, and the Asian team played very well,” he said. “All the European players gave everything they had, and I have respect for them all.”

56 /

THE GEAR EFFECT

April 2014 / Issue 232

EQUIPMENT NEWS

Unlock your perfect swing plane

Golfers who buy SkyCaddie’s new Touch GPS handset are being offered a dozen free Bridgestone golf balls as part of a special joint promotion.

A box of 12 Bridgestone Tour B330-RX balls – worth £47.99 – will be attached to each SkyCaddie Touch in special wrap packaging for a limited period after the Touch arrives in the UK this month.

In addition, customers who buy a Double Eagle annual membership for their SkyCaddie will also receive a dozen of Bridgestone’s e6 balls during the promotional period.

SkyCaddie’s Touch features a glove-friendly touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity, which enables golfers to download the latest course updates when coupled with the free smartphone app. It is preloaded with 35,000 golf course maps, and features a high-resolution colour display. The Tour B330-RX is a premium ball specifically designed to deliver tour performance and maximum distance for the majority of golfers who swing below 105mph.

WINNERS’ BAGS ON TOUR BUBBA WATSON Masters Tournament DRIVER: Ping G25 (8.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G25 (16.5) IRONS: Ping S55 (3-PW) WEDGES: Ping Tour (52, 56), Ping Tour-S T/S (64) PUTTER: Ping Anser Milled Anser 1 BALL: Titleist ProV1x STEVEN BOWDITCH Valero Texas Open DRIVER: Cleveland Classic XL (7.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway X Hot 3Deep (14.5) HYBRID: Callaway X2 Hot Pro (18) IRONS: Cleveland 588 MB (3-9) WEDGES: Cleveland 588 Forged (50, 54, 60) PUTTER: Rife Antigua Island Series BALL: Titleist ProV1x ALEJANDRO CANIZARES Trophée Hassan II DRIVER: Ping G15 (9°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G25 (15°) HYBRIDS: Ping G25 (28°) Adams Idea Super DHY (21°) IRONS: Ping i25 (4-PW) WEDGES: Ping Tour Gorge (52°) Titleist Vokey SM4 (58°) PUTTER: Ping Scottsdale Wolverine H BALL: Titleist Pro V1x ROSS FISHER Tshwane Open DRIVER: Nike VRs Covert Tour 2.0 (8.5°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike VRs Covert Tour 2.0 (15°) HYBRID: Adams Idea Pro a12 (18°) IRONS: Nike VR Pro (3-PW) WEDGES: Nike VR Pro (54, 60) PUTTER: Nike Method BALL: Nike RZN Black JOHN SENDEN Valspar Championship DRIVER: TaylorMade SLDR 430 (12) FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade RBZ Tour (14.5) IRONS: Titleist 712U utility iron (2), TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB (3-PW) WEDGES: Cleveland 588 (54, 58) PUTTER: TaylorMade Ghost Tour Monte Carlo 12 BALL: Titleist Pro V1 MATT EVERY Arnold Palmer Invitational Driver: Callaway Big Bertha (9°) FAIRWAY WOODS: Callaway X2 Hot Pro (15°), TaylorMade Burner SuperFast (18°) IRONS: Callaway Apex Pro (4-PW) WEDGES: Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot Pro #9 BALL: Callaway Speed Regime 3 JEFF MAGGERT Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic DRIVER: Ping G25 (8.5) FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G25 (15) HYBRID: Ping G25 (17) IRONS: Ping S55 (3-PW) WEDGES: Ping Tour Gorge (54, 60) PUTTER: Ping Anser Milled BALL: Titleist Pro V1 KARRIE WEBB JTBC Founders Cup DRIVER: TaylorMade R11 (8) FAIRWAY WOODS: Cleveland Launcher (15)m TaylorMade R9 (19) HYBRID: TaylorMade Rescue TP FCT (22) IRONS: Ping S56 (4-PW) WEDGES: Ping Tour Gorge (52, 58) PUTTER: Ping Scottsdale TR Grayhawk BALL: Bridgestone Tour B330-RX

A British-made coaching tool that offers a clever reworking of the tried and tested alignment stick system to improve a player’s swing plane is proving a big hit with tour pros, leading coaches and amateur golfers alike.

The Swing Plane Perfector was born out of a chance encounter between a PGA teaching professional and Leslie Coe, an Essex-based engineer on his first golfing lesson.

The pro was looking for a simple drill to explain the movement of the golf club on the backswing from an address position, where the left arm remains parallel to the ground, while keeping the clubhead travelling on plane. He spoke to Coe about the possibility of designing some sort of device that would help with this concept, and nine months later – with lots of technical challenges overcome – the pair

created the Swing Plane Perfector.

The simple mechanics of the Perfector allow alignment sticks to be set up on all types of surface, from grass to an indoor range or hard standing – in fact anywhere with a flat area and room to swing.

While normal alignment sticks work in two dimensions, the Perfector works in three, and allows pinpoint accuracy and repeatable precision in a way that had not been available beefore.

Adjustable for any angle to facilitate an individual’s height and lie angle of club, the Perfector is light and portable and ready for use instantly.

Among the many top coaches who have used the Perfecter is Rory McIlroy’s coach, Mchael Bannon. He said: “The Swing Plane Perfector has allowed me and my

SkyCaddie offers ball bonus with new Touch handset

students an accuracy and ease of consistent set-up with alignment sticks that previously had been unavailable. It’s a real bonus that it works on the indoor range as well as it does on grass. The unit is light and compact and is easily carried in a student’s golf bag.”

Made from solid aluminium to ensure durability and precision, the Perfector comes with a lifetime guarantee, and is ideal for coaches and individual golfers of all standards.

It is available for £116.50 plus VAT, while PGA Professionals can buy one for £81.55 (plus VAT). For more information, orders and video tutorials, visit www.swingplaneperfector. com or call 01277 375861.

Inflate your skills with Power Of Golf

Endorsed by tour coach Peter Cowen, the Power of Golf offers a range of inflatable training aids that are designed to get you swinging correctly and powerfully. There are currently four products in the range – the Balance Ball, the Putting Ball, the Power 8 Swing Trainer, and the Chipping Ball. All four are priced at £14.99, making them extremely affordable, as well as being very effective. They are also lightweight and portable, and can be stored inside a golf bag for use when and wherever you have space to swing a club.

To see a demo video of the all the products in action or to place an order, visit powerofgolf.co.uk or call 01932 566686.

Callaway calls up amateurs to star in Masters’ Big Bertha TV campaign

Clubcrown adds some bling to your big stick!

Eight amateur golfers got the chance to play a starring role in a series of TV advertisements for Callaway Golf’s new Big Bertha drivers.

The adverts, which were shot at Wentworth Club in Surrey, featured five-second cameos of the golfers swinging with the new drivers that then featured in sponsorship slots introducing Sky Sports’ coverage of the US Masters.

The lucky golfers, who were drawn from a social media competition run by Callaway earlier in the year, included Epsom Golf Club member Luca Muscacchio, Wrotham Heath golfer Jason Ward, Shaun Cook from South Winchester Golf Club, and Ian Murgatroyd

If you’re looking for a boost of confidence or just to lift your mood every time you tee it up, then ClubCrown might just have the bases, or in this case, the crown, covered.

Each ClubCrown comprises a thin film of durable heatsealed plastic that features an array of different and eyecatching designs stuck to the crown of a driver or fairway wood. As well as allowing golfers to personalise their clubheads with a mix of colours, flags, logos, initials or favourite image, the sticker also protects the crown from scratches and marks, and prevents reflection from the sun.

Weighing less than 2g, the sticker won’t affect the club’s balance or the swingweight, and is legal under R&A regulations. Installation is a quick and easy process. Simply take the club along to one of a number of approved fitters or agents in the UK, and they will do the job there and then.

If a fitter cannot be found close to where you live, just send it to ClubCrown, and it will be fitted within a few days and couriered free of postage. To check out the range of over 350 designs, visit www.clubcrownuk.com.

from Alyesbury Park.

In addition to the eight amateurs, the new brand advertisments also featured 12 Callaway tour pros and a number of PGA Professionals.

Neil Howie, president and managing director of Callaway EMEA, said: “Our golf sponsorship on Sky Sports has created a real buzz in the industry, as well

as for the new Big Bertha driver. The campaign also recognises the influence of social media channels and allows our own consumers to become the stars alongside their Callaway tour heroes. It’s a world first for Callaway, and an exciting way to showcase that the Big Berthas are for all levels of golfers – not just our Tour Pros.”

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Using FlightScope technology we have helped hundreds of golfers make the right choice in equipment, they have all seen their ball striking and game improve. Flightscope is only a tool, the real skill in custom fitting is the person doing the fitting, all our custom fitters at Pachesham are PGA professionals who are all passionate about the game of golf and custom fitting, receiving up to date training from all the companies we are in partnership with to ensure you receive the best fitting possible.

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We take pride in the level of service we deliver, so if you are looking for a driver to hit it straighter and further down the fairway, or that set of irons to help you hit more greens, don’t get it wrong, a fitting usually costs about 5-10% of the total value of your purchase, hundreds of satisfied customers feel was a price well worth paying to get it right!

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58 /

April 2014 / Issue 232

So far, more than

THROW OUT

WEDGES

THE NEW!

20,000 have been traded in!

Our superb original Cleveland Golf trade-in offer has now been extended to July 31st 2014.

So there’s still time for you to upgrade to your choice of Rotex face pattern 588 RTX wedges.

Trade in any old wedge for any brand new 588 wedge and get

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_046II_SRX00064 588 Wedge Ad 128.5x360.indd 1

2/14/14 11:18 AM

THE OLD

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Great savings to be made with Cleveland Golf’s iron trade-in promotion

April 2014 / Issue 232

/ 59

Cleveland Golf has launched a trade-in promotion that offers a £100 saving off a new set of 588 irons when customers trade in their old set.

Similarly to the successful wedge trade-In promotion of 2013, tradedin sets of irons can be any make and in any condition – with the only stipulation being that the set contains at least six irons (i.e 4-9, 5-PW or 6-SW).

Cleveland Golf’s 588 family of irons allows golfers to mix and match any combination of 588 Altitude, 588 MT and 588 TT head types with a number of custom shaft and grip options.

The 588 irons feature three different heads engineered to offer differing levels of flight, feel and forgiveness, to suit every level of golfer. Coupled with the ability to mix and match between the three fully interchangeable forged heads makes the 588 irons ideal for golfers looking to tailor clubs to their game.

Players who consistently struggle to hit their long irons are likely to gravitate towards the 588 Altitude iron. Engineered for height, as the name suggests, the seamlessly-blended hybrid iron set makes every club incredibly easy to hit, for maximum playability and performance. This is achieved through a full hollow construction and advanced internal weighting, which adds forgiveness and promotes a lower, deeper centre of gravity for optimal launch and effortless distance.

The 588 MT – mid-trajectory – irons feature a constant blade length throughout the set and a blade height that progressively increases in the higher-lofted clubs. The full hollow construction offers high performance, while advanced internal weighting adds forgiveness and promotes a lower, deeper centre of gravity for optimal launch and distance. They also feature a multi-material insert, made of polymer and aluminium, which dampens vibration at impact for more consistent feel in each club.

Built to offer golfers tour levels of trajectory, the 588 TT irons feature a modest cavity back design with an engineered undercut to improve ball speed and accuracy on off-centre hits. A constant blade height with progressive blade length promotes more forgiveness in long irons and controlled, penetrating trajectory in short irons. As with the 588 MT irons, a multi-material plaque dampens vibration at impact for more consistent feel.

Cleveland Golf’s iron trade-in promotion also ties in with the launch of its new custom fit solution, CG Fit, which has been rolled out to over 150 locations around the UK, making it easy for golfers to get a comprehensive custom fitting at a venue near them.

Golfers using the CG Fit system will also have the option to have 588 RTX wedges built to complement their iron set, and will be able to take advantage of the Cleveland Golf wedge trade-in promotion as featured in Golf News last month.

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The promotion ends on July 31, so to find your nearest custom fitting location, visit www.clevelandgolf588.co.uk. For more information about the entire 588 iron range, go to www.clevelandgolf.com. _04C2G_SRX00064 Batman Ad 128.5x360.indd 1

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Powakaddy Freeway

FootJoy AWD Casual

RRP: £335-£445 Contact: powakaddy.com

FootJoy has widened its spikeless shoe offering with the versatile new AWD Casual range, which can be worn on and off the golf course. The street-styled shoe is available in four colour combinations – white/grey/blue, light blue/grey/white, black/ white, and light grey/charcoal/hot pink – and is packed with performance features, including full grain leather uppers, a waterproof membrane, and a cushioned fitbed which cradles and supports the foot during all phases of the swing. Traction comes via a DuraMax rubber outsole, which features durable nubs that are as equally at home on the fairway as they are in the clubhouse.

PowaKaddy has launched a range of three new Freeway models that boast a host of new features to enhance the power trolley-owning experience.

The FW3, FW5 and FW7 models all offer PowaKaddy’s new Plug ‘n’ Play battery system, which does away with fiddly connectors and replaces them with a new cassette system, where both lithium and lead acid batteries slot neatly into a tray. Another new design element is the lightweight PowaFrame, which combines with a low-profile chassis to create a sleek yet robust trolley suitable for all terrains.

Other handy features include a redesigned keylock base, which is fitted with bungee straps to ensure a secure fit for your golf bag, while a new ambidextrous grip makes handling the trolley an even easier task.

Among the key features, the entry-level FW3 (£335/£500, lead/lithium battery) offers a power, pause and resume function, while the FW5 (£390/£555) features a battery power indicator, a USB point for charging phones and GPS devices, and an automatic distance function, which offers pre-set trolley distances from 15, 30 and 45 yards. The top-of-the-range TW7 (£445/£610) adds a colour LCD screen; a progressive electronic braking system; an automatic distance function that can move the trolley any distance between five and 50 yards; and a security pin lock which locks the wheels of the trolley until you need to use it.

RRP: £65 Contact: footjoy.co.uk

SHOP

Wolsey Vega Wedge RRP: £180 per club Contact: wolsey.com

Voice Caddie VC300 RRP: £109 Contact: voice-caddie.com Weighing just one ounce, the VC300 GPS unit provides spoken yardages to the centre, front, and back of the green for over 30,000 pre-loaded and automatically recognised courses straight from the box. A single click prompts the yardage to the centre of the green, while a simple swipe forward or backward prompts the yardage to the front or back. Other useful features include shot distance and a swing tempo function. It speaks eight languages with an adjustable volume and has rechargeable battery which will work for up to eight hours’ continuous play. Available in black and white, it can be clipped on to a belt, cap or golf bag and comes with a USB cable, adapter, user manual and ball marker. Additional courses can be added through a free PC programe which is available from the Voice Caddie website.

Modern British heritage brand Wolsey has joined forces with Japanese master clubmaker Vega to create a limited edition range of wedges that will complement Wolsey’s soon-to-be-launched golf apparel collection.

Hand ground and forged with techniques adapted from Samurai sword-making skills passed down through generations of the Vega family, the wedges offer the kind of minimalistic look preferred by better players.

Featuring Vega’s angular classic grind sole, the wedges deliver enhanced shotmaking consistency and tour-level feel, with pressed V-shaped grooves that maximise spin and offer long-life groove performance.

Each wedge is hand forged from carbon steel, with a black raw finish that will rust over time. This naturally-occurring process offers increased spin and eliminates glare at address.

Available in lofts of 52, 56, and 60 degrees, they will be for sale online only at wolsey.com and TrendyGolf.com from May, and a select range of pro shops and high street retailers from mid-July.

Callaway Supersoft Ball RRP: £19.99 for 12 Contact: callawaygolf.com Billed as the softest ball Callaway has ever made, the two-piece Supersoft has a compression of just 38, which is 20 points lower than Callaway’s next softest ball, the X Hot2. This means that it squishes up like squash ball off the face of the driver, and acts like its own trampoline to launch itself into the distance – which is ideal for golfers who don’t generate a lot of clubhead speed.

A soft core also mean less spin, which helps stop the ball from ballooning up, as well as reducing sidespin for straighter shots. The cover, which features Callaway’s Hex dimple pattern for improved carry, is also extremely soft, so it offers soft feel around the greens, too. The Supersoft is available in white and optical yellow.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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Hirzl Grippp Glove

Taylormade Project (a)

RRP: £24.99 Contact: hirzl.com

RRP: £34.99 for 12 Contact: taylormade.eu TaylorMade’s Project (a) is designed to bring tour-level technology – multiple layers, urethane cover and increased short-game spin – to mid to high handicap golfers.

A study the company conducted among golfers with handicaps ranging from 10 to 27 found that they missed the green from 150 yards 17 out of 18 times – and by an average of 35 yards.

This suggested that short game spin determined their score, a fact not helped by Surlyn-covered balls that don’t check up as easily on short shots. TaylorMade’s response is the three-piece Project (a), which features a new Soft Tech urethane cover that uses the same material found in TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred balls, but this is combined with a high speed core and a spin mantle layer to deliver more revs per minute on short-iron shots.

It is also engineered to offer low spin off the driver to encourage longer and straighter drives.

Swiss glove specialist HIRZL has launched a new range of gloves into the UK that claim to deliver high levels of grip in dry weather and even more grip in the wet.

Underpinning the performance of the Trust Control and Trust Feel gloves is GRIPPP technology, which sees tanned kangaroo leather combined with a pre-curved finger system, and a stretch membrane to provide the perfect fit. Kangaroo leather is more durable than cow leather, so golfers can expect to get more mileage from these gloves than they would with standard leather gloves, hence the higher cost.

TRIED &

TESTED Odyssey White Hot Pro Havoc

Pride Sports Titanium Tees Contact: pridegolftee.com If you’re fed up with wooden tees snapping after almost every shot, but aren’t partial to plastic, then you should give Pride Sport’s new Titanium Strength tees a go. Although they are not made of titanium, they have a stiffened wood construction, which offers titanium-like strength via a thicker shank section. They are available in 2¾ and 3¼-inch lengths. There is also a new range of 11/2 inch-long tees made especially for hybrids and lofted woods called the PTA Mini Tee.

Rating: RRP: £149 Contact: oddysseygolf.com

Garmin Approach G7/G8 RRP: £270/£370 Contact: 8.garmin.com/golf The latest additions to Garmin’s popular Approach range of golf GPS units – the G7 and G8 – both feature colour touchscreen handsets with more than 30,000 preloaded international courses.

New to the range is a feature called ‘PlaysLike Distance’, which shows adjusted range for uphill and downhill shots, while ‘Club Advice’ records how far you hit each club and makes recommendations based on shot distance.

Touch the on-screen map at any point and the Approach will tell you the exact distance to that point, even offering a detailed green view for putting, while the ‘Big Numbers’ mode delivers clear, at-a-glance yardages on the display.

With digital scorecards for inputting your shots, both models will also deliver alerts for texts and emails from your mobile.

The more expensive G8 offers a three-inch display, Wi-Fi for course updates, and PinPointer to show where the centre of the green is, even if it’s not visible, for more accurate blind shots. The battery will last for up to 15 hours before needing to be recharged.

First launched around the turn of the century – which sounds like a long time ago, but it is only 14 years – the White Hot range of putters has been an incredibly successful product for Odyssey, with its eye-catching insert making it stand out from the crowd both in terms of looks and performance.

While the insert itself has been re-engineered and fine-tuned over the years to offer better sound and feel, so too has the size, shape and make-up of the materials that surround the insert, with all manner of geometric shapes employed to help get the ball in the hole.

The recently-launched Havoc follows the trend for high MOI designs – ones that feature weight placed deep and low in the perimeter to create a highly stable clubhead that resists twisting at impact.

Featuring a Tour-inspired gunmetal PVD finish that creates an industrial, non-glare look, the Havok Mallet is an ultra-high MOI mallet that is designed to help putts hold their line, even on off-centre strikes.

I certainly found this to be the case, and it was especially effective on those 30-plus foot putts that a lot of a club golfers are faced with, with distance control and accuracy much improved, even when you have to make quite a big swing – which often means that you miss the centre of the clubface. It was also very comfortable knocking in those must-make four-footers for par!

In addition to its forgiving qualities, the Havoc’s lower and deeper centre of gravity creates instant forward roll, and eliminates a lot of the bobbling and jumping you find with some other models.

The high definition sightlines helped with lining up the putter to the target line, while the improved version of the White Hot insert offered plenty of feedback and a reassuring click at contact, while still feeling soft and responsive.

Available in 33, 34 and 35-inch shaft lengths, in right and left-handed options, the Havoc is a welcome addition to the White Hot family.

Puma Biofusion RRP: £90 Contact: cobragolf.com/pumagolf Lightweight, flexible and spikeless, the latest addition to Puma’s Biofusion range is a street-friendly shoe featuring waterproof mesh materials. Offering a durable carbon-rubber outsole, its other key features include a breathable sockliner and cushioned midlayer, which provide a comfortable fit and allows air to circulate to keep the feet cool. Available with a one-year waterproof guarantee, it comes in three colour options: yellow/black/white, black/white/ orange, and grey/white/lime green.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Garmin Approach S4 RRP: £289.99 Contact: garmin.com iPhone users will love the Approach S4’s touchscreen interface, while its ability to wirelessly receive emails and texts from the phone’s notification centre is also a big plus.

On the golfing front, the S4 is subscription-free and comes preloaded with more than 30,000 courses and free updates. It provides distances to the front, back and middle of the green, and also incorporates layup, dogleg and shot distances. A ‘green view’ feature shows the true shape of the green, while the pin can be moved to the day’s location with a click and drag. It also offers customisable yardage points, so that specific hazards or points on the course can also be saved. The battery life in golf mode is 10 hours.

Watch your scores tumble with a wearable Golf GPS

Bushnell Neo XS RRP: £159 Contact: bushnellgolf.eu The latest generation of Bushnell’s Neo range dispenses with the traditional square face in favour of a more attractive and streamlined round face. Inside, it comes with over 33,000 preloaded courses around the world, and with no membership fees, the device works straight from the box, and instantly recognises courses and holes as you move through a layout. It also offers distances on up to four hazards per hole – up from two on the previous model – and has a tee time start mode, so you don’t waste any of its 14-hour battery life – which is good for at least three rounds. It also offers all the normal functions of a watch, including a timer, alarm, and odometer. It’s available in a choice of three colours: black/ yellow, charcoal/orange, and white/cobalt.

WRISTY BUSINESS

Voice Caddie T1

GolfBuddy WT4

RRP: £149 Contact: voice-caddie.com

RRP: £179 Contact: gpsgolfbuddy.eu

Offering 30,000 pre-loaded courses and no annual fees, the T1 has all the features you’d expect from a GPS watch, plus some you wouldn’t. So you get automatic course and hole recognition, yardages to front, back and centre of greens, shot measurement capability, digital scorecards and the normal time, date and alarm functions of a standard watch. On top of that, you also get a fitness watch, with a speed, distance and calorie counter, while the killer feature is a swing analysis tool that measures your swing tempo. A gyroscope analyses swing speed during the phases of the swing to give you a tempo reading, and it also shows your swing path to reveal whether you’re on plane – or not. A single charge offers 10-hour battery life in GPS mode. Choose from black or white.

Bucking the trend for bulky sports-style GPS watches, the new GolfBuddy WT4 offers premium golf GPS functionality, but in a slimmer and more ergonomically-styled device. Without a raised bezel, the brushed metal face sits flush to the strap, making it just 12.5mm thick. Full target and hazard information is on offer, alongside dynamic green view and moveable pin placement, while the scorecard can be used on any of the 37,000 pre-loaded worldwide courses. Time, date and stopwatch functions mean that thw WT4 can be worn every day. The clock display can be shown digitally or as an analogue face with hands. The rechargeable battery that lasts for nine hours in GPS mode and 50 days in watch mode.

SkyCaddie Linx RRP: £199 Contact: skycaddie.com Styled to look like a wrist watch you’d wear to work, SkyCaddie’s new Linx GPS watch comes pre-loaded with 34,000 courses around the world. Bluetooth-enabled, it provides distances to the front, centre and back of the green straight from the box, while optional extras for subscription members include up to 40 hazards, carries and layups per hole, a true representation of the shape of the green, and pin placement targeting. For added personalisation, the bezel and band are interchangeable with a variety of colours to suit your style.

Easygreen WR67 RRP: £199 Contact: easygreen.com.hk The WR67 comes preloaded with automatic recognition of over 30,000 courses through its partnership with iGolf.

With auto-hole advance, and free course updates available, it provides distances to front, back and centre of the green, and up to two hazards per hole.

It measures shot distances, and has a tee time start feature, so that it only begins looking for the course when you’re ready to play. Offering all the standard functions of a digital watch, it has a silicon sports strap, stainless steel buttons, a scratch resistant lens, and is waterproof to 30 metres, should you decide to jump in a lake in a fit of rage. The rechargeable battery has a 12-hour life when used for GPS and is available in black or white.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

BREAKS The recently-renovated Budden Course forms part of a trio of top tracks on offer at Carnoustie

Celtic Manor opens luxury lodges

SNAP UP CARNOUSTIE’S DREAM TICKET With the fairways fresh from a winter protected by playing off mats, there has never been a better time to pay a visit to Carnousite, arguably one of the most accessible Open Championship venues in Britain.

The Championship course on which Padraig Harrington enjoyed one of his finest hours in 2008 has been described as the ‘supreme test’, and was praised by Walter Hagan as the greatest course in the British Isles and one of the top three in the world. The course, which at 7,421 yards is the longest in Open history, is a fair but severe test, with one of the toughest closing stretches in world golf.

However, the championship course is just one of three courses at the club, with the Buddon and the Burnside combining to offer three superbly differing yet enjoyable tests of links golf.

The Buddon has recently received a major redesign, with architects Ebert & Mackenzie brought in to reconfigure the course, after its opening par four had to be reduced to a par three following the construction of the town’s new £2 million

Golf Centre. The first hole has now been removed and the original 9th and 10th holes have been merged into the new par-five 9th hole. They also designed two completely new par fours – the 12th and the 13th – with all the changes resulting in the overall length of the course being increased from 5,420 yards to 6,088 yards and the par changing from 65 to a challenging 68. All in all, it makes for a much more complete course, although the six par three holes still make it possible to scoot round in three hours, have lunch, and then play either the 6,208-yard Burnside, which has been used as an Open Qualifying venue on a number of occasions, including in 1953, when Ben Hogan won the Open title at his first and only attempt.

Golfers wishing to take on all three courses can snap up a Combination Ticket, which offers 18 holes on each course for just £180.

Considering that a peak season green fee to play the Championship course is £155, a further £25 secures 36 more holes on top-class courses. It also represents a remarkable saving of 30 per cent on the cost of individual green fees for Carnoustie’s three courses.

Golfers should stay at the well-placed Carnoustie Hotel after finishing a round on the stunning Championship course

“We believe our combination tickets are one of the biggest bargains in the game of golf, so it’s no surprise they sell so well,” said Colin McLeod, Carnoustie’s Golf Services Manager. “The combination tickets are ideal for golfers who want to spend a couple of days in or around Carnoustie. The only stipulation is that all three rounds have to be played over three days or fewer.”

Four-star accommodation can be found right behind the 18th green of the Championship course at the Carnoustie Golf Hotel, which has 75 bedrooms and

10 suites, many of which offer stunning views of the golf courses – as well as an excellent Dalhousie restaurant serving a variety of locally-sourced food. A two-night stay, including breakfast on both days, a three-course dinner on the second night, and rounds of golf on all three courses, costs from £316pp.

For more information, or to book your combination ticket online, visit www. carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk.

For hotel bookings visit www.bespokehotels.com or call 0844 815 9833.

WIN

The moment you find yourself standing in Robert the Bruce’s back yard.

A GOLF BREAK IN DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY & 2 TICKETS TO THE RYDER CUP

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The Celtic Manor Resort has officially opened the first seven lodges that will ultimately form a complex of 10 rental properties at the popular Welsh resort.

The luxury lodges provide the best of both worlds – a private home-from-home in the peace and tranquility of the South Wales countryside, yet with Celtic Manor’s five-star amenities on their doorstep.

The Hunter Lodges enjoy views of the Twenty Ten Ryder Cup course and the Usk Valley beyond. Sleeping up to eight people, the large Scandinavian-style log lodges all have four double or twin bedrooms, spacious dining and living areas, and fitted kitchens. They also boast outdoor hot tubs and indoor saunas.

With the first seven lodges already hosting three, four or seven-night stays for paying guests the remaining three lodges will be open by midMay. Aimed primarily at the family and leisure market which is filling Celtic Manor’s 400-bedroom hotel on weekends and during school holidays, the lodges are also designed to appeal to golf groups playing Celtic Manor’s three championship courses,

friends on spa breaks, and corporate incentive trips.

Celtic Manor’s chief operating officer, Ian Edwards, said: “The Hunter Lodges are the first phase in a potential development of 60 luxury lodges here at Celtic Manor.

Throughout the planning and building process, we always knew they were going to be of spectacular quality, and in a stunning location, but to stand in the completed lodges now – they just exceed our own expectations and those of our first guests. The feel and the finish and the sheer space inside the lodges just make you want to spend time in them, and the views are even better than we envisaged. These lodges give our guests a special place to enjoy a different type of break than we have been able to offer before. With so many facilities at the resort, they can do as much, or as little, as they like during their stay.”

All the lodges are equipped for self-catering, but guests will be able to use the restaurants at the hotel or order a hamper or takeaway delivered direct to their door.

Prices start from £48 per person, per night.

For more information visit www.celtic-manor.com or call 01633 410262.

The moment has come. In 2014, The Ryder Cup will return to Scotland, the Home of Golf, for the first time in over four decades. Amongst Scotland’s golfing regions, Dumfries & Galloway is famed for its selection of courses on the great value Gateway to Golf Pass and three golf trails for visitors looking to find Scotland’s best kept golfing secrets.

So whether you’re relaxing in the clubhouse at Thornhill or even exploring the 200 mile long coastline, you’ll find plenty of moments to treasure forever.

To find out more, go to visitscotland.com/dumfriesgalloway-golf Aston Hotel, Dumfries

Lochmaben, Dumfries & Galloway

Dumfries & Galloway. A place of brilliant moments.

visitscotland.com/brilliant #brilliantmoments

April 2014 / Issue 232

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COMPETITION TAKE ON THE WONDERS OF THE WIRRAL Awarded 5 Star Gold Award by British Tourist Board

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Golf News has teamed up with the organiser of the Wirral Golf Classic to offer one lucky reader the chance to play in this unmissable amateur event for absolutely nothing.

The Wirral Golf Classic, which started three years ago, is an annual 72-hole Stableford competition open to golfers of all abilities, which this year is being held at Hoylake – venue for July’s Open Championship – and three other stunning links courses in the area, from

September 23-27. The tournament traditionally attracts over 200 amateur golfers from the UK and abroad.

The three other links venues involved are Caldy, a qualifying venue for the 2012 Ricoh Women’s Open; Wallasey, final qualifying venue for the 2014 Open Championship; and Heswall, venue of The R&A’s Junior Championships.

The entry fee is normally £229 per person, and includes the opportunity to win over £3,000 worth of prizes from Titleist, as well as enjoy two social events.

TO ENTER To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the question below correctly, and email your name address and contact details to info@golfnews.co.uk with ‘Wirral Classic’ in the subject line.

Normal competition rules apply, and no cash alternative is available.

The winner will have to arrange his or her own accommodation.

The closing date for entries is May 30, 2014.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

SarahStirk With the Masters over, spring officially here, and the golf season well and truly upon us, my thoughts often drift to planning my next golfing jaunt abroad. Golf holidays are becoming ever more popular, with many new destinations emerging as ‘the next big thing’. Each year, a staggering three million of us pack up our clubs and head for warmer climes. Here are my top three choices for the year ahead…

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

ALGARVE, PORTUGAL The Algarve is a trusty old favourite of mine. The most popular tourist destination in Portugal, and indeed Europe, it features superb beaches and a welcoming Mediterranean climate that guarantees more sunshine than California. There are nearly 40 golf courses to choose from, including the new eco-friendly Espiche, near Lagos.

You’ll find the biggest choice of courses in central Algarve, including Oceanico Victoria in Vilamoura, ideal for lower handicappers, and where the Portugal Masters is held each year. I played it last year after the tournament – the greens were slick and the course was in great shape. The two Vale do Lobo courses, Royal and Ocean, are also popular choices.

In Western Algarve, Boavista, in Lagos, provides a different experience, and I’ve always been a big fan of Parque Da Floresta. I’ll be heading to Portugal again in October, for a short hop it’s hard to beat – great golf, sunshine, excellent restaurants, and a friendly welcome from the locals.

SOUTH AFRICA With its phenomenal wildlife, beaches, cultural diversity and terrain, South Africa ticks a lot of boxes for me. People often head there for safari – but it’s a brilliant place to golf. One of my golfing highlights was a round at the Links at Fancourt in the company of Angel Cabrera just after he’d won the Masters in 2009. It was amazing to witness the fluid brilliance of the Argentinian at close hand, and the Links still remains one of the toughest tracks I’ve ever faced.

South Africa is a really important part of the European Tour schedule, with eight events having taking place there this season, and the undoubted highlight is Leopard Creek. With much of the course bordering the world famous Kruger National Park, course hazards take on a whole new meaning! It’s an incredible experience, and despite being very exclusive, if you stay in one of the partner lodges, you can book tee times.

Oceanico Victoria

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next holiday, Sky Sports golf presenter Sarah Stirk offers her top three destinations for a memorable golf break

Leopard Creek

The Bluff Ho Tram Strip

VIETNAM My third pick is Vietnam, the hot new golfing destination of the moment. There are currently around 30 courses in play, with another 60-plus in various stages of development. The country was also recently dubbed the ‘undiscovered golf destination of the year’ by the International Association of Golf Travel Operators. Worth a particular mention is Danang Golf Club, designed by legendary golfer Greg Norman, and voted the best course in Vietnam in 2013.

The most anticipated new golf course in Asia, however, has recently opened its doors for the

Fancourt Links

first time, and it’s another highly-rated Norman design. The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip opened for preview play along Vietnam’s south-central coast last month. Norman likens the topography to one of his other classic layouts, Doonbeg in Ireland. Cut into the towering seaside sand dunes less than two hours south east of Ho Chi Minh City, The Bluffs is one of the few championshipstandard links courses with significant elevation changes, making for a golf experience that’s as much a feast for the eyes as it is a challenge to play.

From the fourth hole, golfers are presented with a 360-degree view of the course, the surrounding national forest, which is a haven for wildlife, the expansive shoreline, and The Grand Ho Tram Strip, which opened last July as Vietnam’s first international luxury casino resort.

During the preview phase, golfers were invited to play the course for $100, about half of what the green fee is likely to be by the time Norman visits for the grand opening later this year. As with all new openings, there’s considerable hype, but the word is this new layout has all the necessary elements to be ranked among the best in the world. When I get around to planning my next long haul trip, Vietnam is definitely going to be top of the list!

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April 2014 / Issue 232

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Golf groups staying at the five-star Sheraton Salobre Golf Resort & Spa in Gran Canaria can take advantage of discounts of up to 45 per cent this spring – with a five-night half-board stay, including unlimited golf, available from just £385 per person.

The Canary Islands’ only 36-hole golf complex is offering savings worth more than £300 for parties of four or more people staying during April and May. Boasting average temperatures of around 24 degrees all-year-round, Gran Canaria is the ideal place for a golfing break and Sheraton Salobre’s first-class facilities include two 18hole championship courses – the South and North – an extensive practice area and a new club-fitting and performance centre.

Available to book until May 31, guests can take advantage of dinner, bed and breakfast and unlimited golf each day from only £77 per person per night. As well as golf and

half-board accommodation in the resort’s luxury hotel, the breaks also include airport transfers, while one in eight guests stay and play for free.

Launched in 2000, Salobre’s South Course has been designed to offer visitors magnificent views of the sea and mountains and is a must for golfers of all levels with its varied and fun layout. In contrast, the resort’s North Course, designed by architect Ron Kirby, takes its inspiration from the desert courses in America, and provides a new challenge as it winds its way through and around the volcanic rock environment.

Sheraton Salobre offers plenty of choice for golfers and non-golfers alike – with 313 rooms, four restaurants, two bars, spa, gym and seven outdoor pools.. Located 30 minutes from Las Palmas, the resort is easily accessed from airports across the UK and Ireland. For more information and bookings visit www.sheratonsalobre.com.

Make your mark on the world at Myrtle The world’s largest amateur golf tournament takes place this summer along the northeastern South Carolina coast. The 31st Myrtle Beach World Amateur Handicap Championship is expected to attract over 3,500 participants, who will play more than 60 courses in the event between them.

The four-day tournament, which takes place from August 25-29, costs $475 per person for tickets bought before May 15, representing a $100 saving on the regular entry fee of $575.

The World Am is grouped according to USGA stroke indexes, with five competitive divisions ranging from men/women under 49 years old to super seniors aged 70 and above. Flight winners advance to the 18-hole world championship play-off, where a world champion is crowned. The event’s inclusiveness is apparent in its past champions, as winners

with handicaps as low as three and as high as 34 have won, and four women have hoisted the championship trophy.

Participating courses include the Norman, Fazio and Love courses at Barefoot Resort, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, True Blue Golf Plantation and Tidewater Golf Club. The entry fee also allows nightly access to ‘The World’s Largest 19th Hole’ at the Myrtle Beach Convention Centre. The gathering features equipment demos, entertainment, open bars, concerts, prize draws, food from superb area restaurants and celebrity appearances.

Registration is available at worldamgolf.com.

Make the most of Morgado Specialist operator Golf Escapes has secured some great deals to the Sao Rafael Suite Hotel in Portugal’s Algarve, with half-board packages comprising five nights’ half board accommodation and three rounds of golf (Alamos, Morgado and Salgado), costing from £425pp between now and September 30.

The same package over three nights, with two rounds of golf (one round at Morgado and the other at wither Alamos or Salgado), costs £269pp. Prices are based on two people sharing a twin room, with a group discount where one-in-four goes free. The luxury São Rafael Suite Hotel, which has been furnished to an extremely high standard, is located in an upmarket residential area five minutes from Albufeira and 15 minutes from Carvoeiro, and just a five-minute stroll to São Rafael Beach.

For more information, contact Golf Escapes on 01342 811777 or visit www.golf-escapes.com.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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TRAVEL

Brittany Ferries launches long-stay Spanish breaks Golfers looking to get away for an extended break should check out the variety of options for longer holidays currently being offered to Spain by Brittany Ferries.

The company has made it easy for those who want to get away for more than one or two weeks by offering a selection of long-stay apartment rentals that offer outstanding value, with a ferry cruise and a month’s stay in the

Costa del Sol costing from just £438 per person.

Brittany Ferries has selected some high quality apartments in Estepona (18 miles south west of Marbella), one of the few resort towns that has succeeded in retaining its traditional charm and character despite being a place with lots to do. There are two locations to choose from – one right on the beach and the other slightly inland.

Play and stay at Palmares

Investment opportunity Direct Sale

The four-star Marina Club Lagos Resort in Portugal has joined forces with Onyria Palmares Beach & Golf Resort to offer a range of breaks this summer.

Three, four, five and seven-night breaks are now available at the waterfront resort, which include between two and five green fees.

Prices start at €254pp, for a three-night B&B break with two green fees, while a seven-night break with five green fees starts from €574pp. The resort offers accommodation in studios to three-bedroom apartments.

Facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, a restaurant and a bar.

Onyria Palmares boasts threenine hole loops – the Alvor, Lagos and Praia courses – all of which enjoy panoramic views across the Bay of Lagos. All three layouts have recently been re-designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr at a cost of €10 million.

To book, or for more details, visit www.onyriapalmares.com.

Golf club rental company ClubstoHire.com has opened its latest outlet at Marrakesh airport in Morocco. The company, which rented out over 40,000 sets of clubs last year from its 21 locations in Europe and Africa, will be offering sets from TaylorMade, Callaway and Wilson Staff from £35 per week to travelling golfers looking to play the likes of Ala Maaden and Samanah, as well as popular resort venues such as the Amelkis situated in the city.

Golf

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Resort Resort

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The most iconic golf destination in Italy Enjoy your “Golf Full immersion” in Lake Garda!

It is the virtuous combination of antique and modern that makes the Chervò Golf Hotel Restaurant Spa & Resort San Vigilio so unique. Our efficient services and features work in partnership with nature, comfort and enhancement of your body and spirit on your quest for wellness and relaxation. Our resort is in Pozzolengo, just south of Lake Garda, between Sirmione and Desenzano, in the center of the most important cities in northern Italy.

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The holiday begins and ends with a cruise in a four-berth cabin between either Portsmouth or Plymouth and Santander or Bilbao in Northern Spain.

Golfers can save the cost of car hire by taking their own vehicles, which also allows them to pack all they need without having to worry about excess baggage charges.

For more details visit www.brittanyferries.co.uk/offers or call 0871 244 0633.

At its heart is the ancient Benedictine abbey of San Vigilio built in 1104. New buildings and historic residences have been constructed around the abbey in a harmonious fusion of line and form, providing facilities for the hotel, restaurant, spa, resort and the 36-holes golf course.

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April 2014 / Issue 232

Home&Away Golfbreaks.com has selected two great venues for you to consider when thinking about your next golf break. Whether staying at home or heading further afield, there is a stunning range of destinations to choose from...

Golfbreaks.com provides a one-stop service that makes booking golf breaks as simple as possible. ABTA and ATOL-bonded, it is the only golf travel company to reward customers for their loyalty through its Breakpoints rewards programme, which earns money off all future bookings made with Golfbreaks.com and sister companies Teeofftimes.co.uk and BookaSpa.com.

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HEAD WEST FOR THE BEST Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way offers a stunning selection of untamed links and plenty of traditional Irish hospitality One of the world’s greatest golfing hotspots, the south west corner of Ireland is a destination that surely must be on every golfer’s wish list. Part of what is now known as the Wild Atlantic Way – an amazing coastal touring route that stretches more than 1,500 miles – this glorious corner of the Emerald Isle is a real treat, with marquee courses and hidden gems aplenty, plus the sort of après-golf that you only ever find in Ireland. Take in any of these great courses and you’ll have the time of your life. Just fly to Shannon or Cork, hire a car, and the world’s your oyster!

‘Created by God, designed by Arnold Palmer’ are words written on the scorecard at Tralee – and by the time the 11th green has been reached, after one of the greatest

front nines in golf, it’s hard to disagree. The sea can be seen from every hole, but so stunning, and challenging, is the course itself that there will be little time for gawping.

The same could be said of Waterville. Designed by the late Eddie Hackett in the early 1970s, the only thing preventing its hosting major tournaments has been its isolated location – although doubtless that is the very reason that Waterville is Tiger Woods’ preferred Open warm-up venue. Woods’ annual return to the links of the south-west was surely inspired by Tom Watson, whose five Open wins were all preceded by countless rounds at Ballybunion.

Huge dunes, small greens, and plenty of eccentricities are just a few of the reasons that so many people consider it to be the benchmark against which all natural links should be tested.

Waterville

Tralee

Likewise Lahinch, where blind shots, massive dunes and some of the quirkiest holes in Ireland, await at Alister Mackenzie’s amazing links.

Perhaps the most (in)famous hole is the par-five 4th – Klondyke – where the second shot must be played over a giant dune. It’s a true classic, and work done by Martin Hawtree to update the course has only made the challenge of this ‘Irish St Andrews’ even greater.

Greg Norman’s Doonbeg – recently snapped up by Donald Trump – is even more remote than Lahinch.

It’s also one of the world’s great coastal courses and should be on any itinerary.

Further round the coast is the lovely county of Cork, where two cracking golf venues await. Old Head of Kinsale must be one of the most dramatic sites in the world, with the course sitting precariously on a diamond-shaped spit of land that protrudes two miles into the Atlantic Ocean. As a golfing experience, there’s nothing like it. Fota Island, meanwhile, is a little more sedate, being an idyllic parkland that will this

year once again host the Irish Open after more than a decade away from the Tour circuit. Played through the heart of a 780-acre estate, which is included in the ‘Inventory of Outstanding Landscapes of Ireland’, Fota is quite simply stunning. If you’ve had enough of being battered by the links, it’s the perfect antidote.

GOLFBREAKS.COM PACKAGE Two nights’ B&B at the Killarney Plaza Hote, with three rounds of golf at Waterville, Tralee and Dooks, costs from £459 per person.

For bookings, more information or other packages to Ireland, visit www.golfbreaks.com or call 0845 543 6673.

BELEK PROVES HARD TO BEAT Gloria Golf Resort

Great golf, great weather, great hotels, and the very best levels of service and hospitality. What more could you wish for from a golf holiday? And nowhere is that better expressed than in the golf courses and luxurious hotels of Belek in Turkey.

Its appeal is no great mystery.

The courses are excellent and very accessible, while the landscape – pine forests and sandy ground – is perfect golfing territory, enabling world-class designers like Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Peter Thomson, Martin Hawtree and Dave Thomas to create glorious layouts that rival anything in Europe.

Sueno Golf

Belek is also now firmly established as one of the flagship venues on the European Tour circuit, but for us mere mortals it really is the complete golfing package. More than 300 days of sunshine per year are just a four-hour flight away, and with every venues being allinclusive and offering 1-in-8 free, it makes organising a group trip so simple.

All packages include airport and golf transfers, and Golfbreaks.com also offers flightinclusive packages that include a hold-bag and club carriage too – meaning you won’t need to pay a penny extra for anything.

ATOL-bonded flight-inclusive packages start from just £719

Championship golf courses coupled with luxury beachside resorts have established the Turkish town of Belek as Europe’s hottest golf destination for a seven-night trip, which is incredible value.

When it comes to deciding where to stay, there’s no shortage of options, with 14 golf courses and more than 20 five-star hotels in the region.

The two Cornelia Resorts – the Diamond and De Luxe – both offer five-star luxury and an amazing array of facilities. They also give great access to 27 holes of Faldo-designed brilliance at Cornelia Golf Club. With a David Leadbetter Academy onsite, golfers can play and practise to their heart’s content.

The nearby Sueno Golf Resort is another fabulous venue, where the island-green 18th holes of the Dunes and the Pines courses

lie just 50 yards from the hotel’s veranda and make a stunning backdrop to any stay.

The Gloria collection is another to consider. With three magnificent hotels and as many golf courses all within easy reach, everything you could wish for can be found in one place.

If it’s unadulterated luxury you’re after, look no further than the famous Kempinski Hotel The Dome. Overlooking the brilliant Antalya Golf Club, and just next door to the excellent Sirene Hotel, this is one of the very best places to stay and play in Belek.

And don’t forget the Kaya Hotels – Riu Kaya and Palazzo – which offer access to the muchunderrated Kaya Eagles course.

Belek is a year-round destination, but September to May is probably the best time to visit, so if you haven’t tried Belek, why not give it a go? You won’t be disappointed.

GOLFBREAKS.COM PACKAGES Gloria Golf Resort: Seven nights’ alI-inclusive accommodation with three rounds of golf, including all transfers, costs from £535pp, or £859pp with flights (with one golf bag and one suitcase in the hold).

For bookings, more information or other packages to Belek, visit www.golfbreaks. com or call 0845 543 6673.

April 2014 / Issue 232

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Me&MyTravels ormer Brighton and Spurs defender Gary Stevens enjoys regular golfing trips to F Spain, although he won’t be going back to Fuengirola any time soon My most recent holiday was to…

Calahonda on Spain’s Costa del Sol, where I have a holiday home. I’m currently assistant manager of Sligo Rovers in the Airtricity League of Ireland, where football is a summer sport. You don’t get too much sunshine in Sligo, so for two weeks in December I soaked up the warmth of southern Spain mainly from my lofty balcony looking down on the Med some 4km away.

My favourite golf course is…hard to choose, because golf courses are all so different. I had the pleasure of playing the Old Course at St Andrews several years ago, and felt tingles running up my spine for 18 holes. I could almost taste the history. Currently, I have a membership at County Sligo (Rosses Point), which is five miles from the house I rent in Sligo. It’s a fantastic links course, with amazing views of the Atlantic and Oyster Island. It stages the West of Ireland Championship each year around Easter, which is an amateur tournament that has been won by both Rory McIlroy and Padraig

Le Saint Geran, Mauritius

Britain Olympic football team for London 2012, took his squad there for some of their preparation.

I always travel with… a survival pack – well, that’s what I call it. It’s simply some food, as I get grumpy when I’m hungry.

I’m also a bit fussy about what I eat.

I think it’s a habit I picked up from my mum, who always seemed to have some fruit or a snack available when we were out or on holiday. It could also be that I’m simply too tight to spend my money on overpriced airplane food!

La Cala, Spain

County Sligo

Harrington. And I can’t leave out my home course, Dale Hill Golf Club in Ticehurst, East Sussex. It’s part of the Leaderboard Group, so I’m also able to play their other courses, including Chart Hills, which is a firm favourite of mine.

My ideal holiday fourball would include… Jack Nicklaus, Ray Clemence and Brice Forsyth. Nicklaus is my all-time golfing hero – I love his temperament and what he has achieved over the years with few words and a minimum of fuss. And I think he would improve my game significantly. Ray is a former Spurs teammate, and is just a top bloke

to have in any social situation, while I’ve seen and spoken to Bruce at so many charity golf events over the years. He’s always been so supportive of the fund-raising golf circuit, and he would be guaranteed a ‘good game’!

My favourite golf resort is… La Cala in Spain. It has a nice selection of courses and the health spa is lovely.

There’s also a football facility there and you would be surprised who’s used it.

Stuart Pearce, as manager of the Great

The best hotel I’ve stayed at was…

Le Saint Geran, Mauritius. It was just a perfect holiday. Great company, and the location, staff, and the service was exceptional.

CORNISH CREAM

My worst holiday experience was…

A seven-day trip with Portsmouth at the end of the 1989/90 season to Fuengirola. I had left Spurs and gone to Pompey on loan before signing for the club on a permanent basis. The team were one off the bottom and the chairman promised us a top holiday if we avoided relegation, which we did, comfortably. Comfortable was not how I would describe the hotel.

I’m planning a golf trip to… play some of the Open Championship venues. It gives me a great buzz when I see top players playing at St Andrews, having played there myself, and I would like to be able to add a few more to the list.

My top travel tip would be… to enjoy the experience. Too many people get stressed out by what might go wrong, and forget to relax and enjoy the moment. If you start thinking about delays they will probably happen. If you think positively, you will enjoy your holiday so much more.

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