GOLF NEWS SEPTEMBER 2023 RYDER/SOLHEIM CUP ISSUE

ROMAN CONQUEST

9-PAGE RYDER CUP

SUPPLEMENT

MEET THE TEAMS, THE COURSE & THE CAPTAINS

SOTOGRANDE

EUROPE’S FINEST GOLF RESORT IN FOCUS

SOLHEIM CUP

PREVIEW

CAN EUROPE REIGN AGAIN IN SPAIN?

A MOTOCADDY M7 POWER TROLLEY + £500 OF APPAREL

VIKTOR HOVLAND

“I WANT TO HELP WIN BACK THE RYDER CUP”

INTERVIEWS

LEONA MAGUIRE

STEVE LEWTON

RORY UNDERWOOD

EQUIPMENT

STAND BAGS

REVIEWED

Given all the chat there has been about the buckets of money sloshing around in professional golf over the last 18 months, it’s refreshing to turn our focus in this issue to two pro events that don’t involve any of the folding stuff – at least as far as the players are concerned.

The Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup are the two most pre-eminent team events in professional golf and both are considered by those that have played in them to be the highlights of their careers, give or take the odd major championship win. While many tour pros will often underplay how much they want to earn a place on their respective teams, as part of some reverse psychology ploy, it’s the thing that motivates many players who have long since stopped worrying about the size of their bank balance and want to go out and do themselves, their teammates, their families, and their nation or continent, proud.

As ever, the Ryder Cup teams look closely matched on paper, but the bookies have the US as slight oddson 4/6 favourites with retain the cup in Rome despite having not one an away leg since 1993. The European team looks high on quality at the top end, while the rookies have all shown that they are not short on talent either, and many have decent course form at what is one of the most challenging and physically demanding layouts ever to have hosted a Ryder Cup.

After so few fans were able to make it over to the 2021 Ryder and Solheim Cups in the US due to the travel restrictions caused by the pandemic, the atmosphere looks set to be electric at both Marco Simone in Italy and at Finca Cortesin in Spain, venue for the Solheim Cup, with thousands of European fans set to descend on this two great championship venues providing the air traffic control systems don’t go haywire again and EasyJet’s pilots don’t go on strike. With Europe’s top women bidding for an unprecedented hat-trick of wins in the Solheim, the pressure is firmly on Stacy Lewis’s impressive looking US team to live up to their hype and find out whether they have the mental strength to back up their undoubted technical skills, while European captain Suzzann Pettersen will leave no stone unturned in her search to add to her roll call of wins.

As ever, the selection process for the Ryder Cup teams has caused no end of debate, although this year’s discussions were muddied still further by the ‘will they

or won’t they’ issue surrounding LIV golfers. Irritatingly, the PGA of America and the DP World Tour have had different ideas about that, with the former leaving the door open for LIVers to qualify, while the latter firmly slammed the door shut on Westy, Postman Poults et al, although they are all getting a bit long in the tooth these days to have been serious contenders regardless of their tour allegiances.

The Ryder Cup once served as a juicy carrot to dangle in front of Europe’s elite players to convince them to spend more time playing in Europe, but since the criteria for DP World Tour qualification requires little more than the odd appearance in a major, a handful of WGCs and a couple of Rolex Series events or domestic Opens, that carrot has long since withered and died. Given the weakness of the fields in most DP World Tour events these days, it would be far better to select the Ryder Cup team by simply taking the top 12 names off the world rankings and be done with it. I’ve always been slightly dubious of the role of captain’s picks, given that they are open to influence from friendships rather than performance-related factors, so I’d be happy to let them go. The captain’s role has long been over-played anyway, and bears no relations to any managerial or coaching role played in other sports.

But all that, as they say, is for another day. The 2023 European Ryder Cup team faces a tremendous task in winning back the cup from an individually talented US team that, on paper, looks every bit as good as the one that soundly beat Europe at Whistling Straits in 2021. I say ‘on paper’, as recent Ryder Cup results suggest that paper has a habit of getting ripped up or tossed in the bin in the real world. And long may that continue!

InBrief

Vu wins Women’s Open as Hull’s hopes of Major breakthrough dashed again

World no.1 Lilia Vu produced a golfing masterclass at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey to land the AIG Women’s Open and end the year as she started it – with a major victory.

The 25-year-old American kept her composure as fellow challengers faltered, compiling a near-faultless five-under 67 to finish on 14-under-par, six shots clear of Charley Hull in front of packed galleries at famous heathland venue.

ROCK ROLLS BACK THE YEARS TO WIN SECOND BRITISH PAR 3 CHAMPIONSHIP

★ Former European Tour star Robert Rock reclaimed the British Par 3 Championship title he first won in 2001 after shooting an eight-under-par 46 around the 18hole short course at Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire. Playing in the 90th renewal of the historic event, Rock edged out fellow former tour players Jarmo Sandelin and Matt Cort to the title, which came with a generous first prize of €50,000. Rock was also part of the two-man winning team, combining with Lee Godfrey to score 14 under par to ensure an all-winning weekend.

GOSPORT DUO GRAB THE SPOONS!

★ Gosport & Stokes Bay GC members Caroline Evans and Jackie Rushforth won the 2023 Australian Spoons title – the prize for which is a pair of spoons – after combining to score 34 points during the final held at Woodall Spa. The Stapleford Foursomes tournament is run by England Golf and is open to women with handicaps between 15-54 and involves taking part in intra-club matches and six regional qualifiers to reach the national final.

CREED CAPTURES SENIOR MEN’S AMATEUR TITLE

★ Warwickshire’s Stephen

Creed won English Senior Men’s Amateur with victory over Sunningdale’s Rupert Kellock in the final at Luffenham Heath Golf Club. The 58-year-old from Stratford-on-Avon took an early lead in the second hole of the final and didn’t let that advantage slip, eventually claiming the title on the 18th green in front of a generous crowd at the Rutland course. Having beaten Kent’s Ed Richardson 5&4 in the semi-final, Creed knew he would then have a tough task against Kellock in the final, but was delighted to come out on the right side of the result. He said: “Rupert is a fantastic player he is, so I was pretty certain I was going to have to play really well to beat him. I made a few mistakes, but I was lucky that Rupert didn’t punish all of them and I’m delighted to have ended up with the win.”

The charge for the trophy became a two-horse race across the final round, but home favourite Hull was unable to find the momentum which saw her rocket to a share of the lead during the third round, but back-to-back bogeys from the third, a suffered a cruel lip-out with a long birdie chance at the fifth saw her hopes suffer an early blow.

A sensational bunker hole-out for eagle at the 11th briefly saw her get back within three of the lead, but she was unable to make any further gains and bogeys at 15 and 17 saw her sign for a disappointing closing one-over-par 73.

By contrast, Vu was in a clinical mood throughout on her way to securing her second career major following her Chevron Championship success in April, with birdies either side of the turn opening up a five-shot advantage.

The 25-year-old Californian never looked like letting it slip down the stretch and finished in fitting fashion with a birdie on the 18th as she became the ninth American winner of the AIG Women’s Open and the first since 2014.

Jiyai Shin claimed third on seven-under, a shot clear of Amy Yang and Hyo Joo Kim, while Huddersfield’s Charlotte Heath claimed the Smyth Salver as this year’s leading amateur.

Speaking at the trophy presentation, Vu said: “I can’t thank my team and my family enough for really believing in me and helping me

to get where I am in my career. I love playing with Charley [Hull], she is so fun to watch. I remember looking back yesterday at the crowd and just wanting to play with her today. This has been the best crowd I have ever played in front of in my life. I know they were rooting for Charley, but they clapped for me too, which is amazing.”

Hull was understandably deflated after holding every chance of winning her first major championship with 18 holes to play and vowed to go one better next year.

“I’ve come second twice now in the majors and for me probably the two biggest majors, the US Women’s Open and the AIG Women’s Open, so I really feel like next year’s my time to win one. They’re two different second-place finishes, as at the US Women’s Open I was coming from behind and for this one I was starting at the front. Now I know what to do on both of them, so I just feel very determined for next year.”

The tournament saw bumper crowds attend all four days of the championship, while the creation of a bigger tented village, with more hands-on experiences, and a Saturday night concert by from proved very popular with local fans.

Davies at the double at Pyrford Lakes

Bramley Golf Club’s Josh Davies won the Surrey U17 & U18 Championships and shooting a three-under-par total of 141 at Pyrford Lakes Golf Club.

Despite almost constant heavy rain throughout the 36-hole competition, the scoring was very good, with Wentworth’s Josh Thompson topping the leaderboard after the morning round with a superb three-under 69, with Walton Heath’s Monty Holcombe a shot behind in second, with Davies and James Bould one under and 13 players within five shots of the lead.

■ JOSH DAVIES

Out in the early groups Davies posted a second round 70 to go with his opening 71 and then had a nervous wait to see if anyone could beat his score. Thompson was one-over for his second round coming up the last, needing a birdie to tie Davies’ score. But after hitting the green in two, he was only able to three-putt for par from 35 feet and the title – or rather both titles – was Davies’s, with the 17-year-old taking home both the Millard Quaich and the Mac Trophy.

Chart Hills drives ahead with course renovation works

The owners of Chart Hills Golf Club in Kent have announced that the second phase of the course’s major renovation project is now under way, as it continues with its on-going investment.

The renovation work, which has already begun, will include an extensive refurbishment of tee boxes across the course and the completion of the new Sir Nick Faldo-designed par-3 course and putting green.

“We’re extremely excited to be working on another important phase in the enhancement of facilities at Chart Hills,” said General Manager Anthony Tarchetti. “When we closed the course in 2020 to initiate our fairway sand-capping project, Chart Hills proceeded to undergo a complete transformation, and this project is about building on that foundation and continuing to improve the experience we can offer.

“This next stage is about improving the fine details of the course, which we know golfers love and appreciate, and will no doubt cement us as one of the best golf venues in the southeast.”

The renovation of the tee boxes will begin by completely relaying three tee boxes per hole. The tee boxes renovated will be the standard playing tees – blue, yellow, and red. After completion of the first group of holes the team will move onto the remaining holes.

This period will also see the completion of the six-hole, Sir Nick Faldo-designed par-3 course – with holes ranging from 50 to 100

yards. Inspired by the career of the former world number one, the short game loop will offer huge variety, with specific design features dawn from iconic holes at St Andrews, Augusta National, and the main course at Chart Hills.

In addition, a 668-square metre putting green located beside the first tee, also created by Faldo Design, will be officially opened for use. The green features elements of Faldo’s favourite greens from his major wins at St Andrews, Augusta and Muirfield – including its very own Valley of Sin. The new putting green opened for use on August 1.

Unlike 2020, when the club had to close the course for renovation work to take place, Chart Hills will remain open throughout the project, allowing members and visitors to play a continually improving course with minimal disruption.

■ CHART HILLS WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR PLAY DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF THE RENOVATION

■ LILIAN VU WAS ALL SMILES AFTER WINNING THE AIG WOMEN’S OPEN, WHILE CHARLEY HULL (INSET) WAS LEFT TO RUE ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A MAJOR TITLE

Get Golfing celebrates fifth birthday!

Get Golfing celebrated the fifth anniversary of its founding last month, with the charity having grown from virtually nothing in 2018 to operating 11 golf clubs across the UK in 2023, with venues from North Yorkshire to Kent.

Since taking over Redlibbets Golf Club in Sevenoaks, Get Golfing has grown into one of the largest golf operators in the UK, employing over 500 staff and generating annual revenues of £20m, with surpluses of around £3 million. These surpluses are reinvested back into their venues, staff development, and community initiatives, aligning with the charity’s overall objectives.

CEO Edward Richardson has thanked all the Get Golfing team and admits that the scale of growth ‘has only been achievable through the great work and commitment of all our staff’.

Get Golfing’s goal is to provide affordable and accessible golfing experiences for individuals of all skill levels. As a charitable organisation, its driving force is to increase participation in golf and foster a culture of inclusion at all their venues. The company actively promotes the use of all of its facilities to non-golfers within the local communities and partner with other not-for-profit organisations to further its mission to grow the game.

Over the past five years, Get Golfing has successfully developed a dedicated community team to spearhead key initiatives. One such initiative is the Free School Meals programme, which targets less financially fortunate children who may not have had the opportunity to experience golf before. Through this programme, all participants throughout the year enjoy a safe environment, eat well, and experience a whole host of activities that includes golf. This initiative is provided by Get Golfing to its participants free of charge.

Get Golfing also offers free membership to children at all their sites, with over 1,300 juniors currently playing free of charge at its venues throughout the country, which include Pyrford Lakes, North Downs and Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, Mill Green in Hertfordshire, Sherfield Oaks in Hampshire and Warley Park in Essex.

USA battle back to win 49th Walker Cup

The United States staged a superb fightback to beat Great Britain and Ireland and retain the Walker Cup at the Old Course, St Andrews.

GB&I led 7½-4½ after the opening day, but the USA won Sunday morning’s foursomes 3-1 to reduce their deficit and then took seven points from the 10 singles matches to win by 14½-11½.

England’s Jack Bigham and Ireland’s Mark Power were the home side’s only winners in the singles, Bigham beating Nick Gabrelcik 3&2 and Power making birdies on the 17th and 18th to defeat Ben James and claim his third victory of the weekend.

The visitors had been oddson favourites to secure a fourth consecutive victory in the biennial contest for the top male amateur golfers, with eight of the 10-man side ranked in the world’s top 10.

World No.1 Gordon Sargent led from the front and completed a perfect 4-0 record with victory over John Gough on the 18th, as Gough crucially hit his tee shot out of bounds on the previous hole to fall behind.

Jack Bigham hauled GB&I back to within two points at 12-10 after an impressive 3&2 victory against Gabrelcik, before McClean and Menante halved their match to give both sides a share of the spoils. It was left to David Ford to win the match overall for the USA, draining a birdie putt on the 16th

Kris Kim claims Boys’ Amateur Championship

Surrey’s Kris Kim continued his sensational season when winning the R&A Boys’ Amateur champion following a thrilling 38-hole final at Ganton Golf Club in Yokrshire.

After 36 holes couldn’t decide a winner, 15-year-old Kris kept his cool to beat Alex Papayoanou of the USA on the second play-off hole in a nail-biting final.

Kris began the week in fine form at Fulford Golf Club finishing seventh in the stroke play qualifying event after rounds of 68 and 72. The Walton Heath player sailed through the match play rounds, beating Luca Memeo of Italy 3&2 in the opening knockout round, before seeing off Mads Viemose Larsen of Denmark 2&1 in the round of 32. Erik Sabelstrom Holmberg was up next, but Kris was too good for the Swedish youngster, winning 3&2 to reach the quarter-finals. A convincing 4&3 win versus Spain’s Marcel Fonseca saw him through to the semis, before a 2&1 win over France’s Hugo Le Goff secured his place in the final.

With the final all-square after a morning round, Papayoanou won the 19th with a par four, but bogeys at the 21st and 22nd proved costly and gave Kim the initiative as he moved to one-up at the 22nd. The match settled into a pattern around the turn with Kim edging ahead and Papayoanou pegging him back, so it was no suprise that the matched finished all aquare after 36 holes.

At the 38th hole the American looked to be in control when he chipped to three feet from the back of the green. Kim left his first putt from the front of the green 12 feet short and his attempt from there slipped past the hole. But Papayoanou missed his putt for the Championship and then missed the return from three feet to leave Kim as the champion.

“It feels amazing to win,” said Kim. “ There was never more than two holes in it – so it was really tight the whole way through. I just tried to keep the ball in play and limit the mistakes. I feel really bad for Alex. It was really unlucky at the end there. I’m excited for the future. This is just the best you can do as a junior golfer.”

It’s been a remarkable year for Kris, who won the Fairhaven Trophy in May before breaking the Golf Club of Geneva course when representing England in the European Team Championship, while he also won the McGregor Trophy in July.

to seal a 3&2 win against Alex Maguire to give his side an unassailable 13½-10½ lead, and it was left to Austin Greaser to put the icing on the cake with a 3&1 victory over Liam Nolan.

GB&I captain Stuart Wilson said: “We’re obviously disappointed. We had a nice lead going into the final day that we kind of let slide in the foursomes, but I think where the guys will be hurting the most is they’ll know themselves they haven’t turned up this afternoon and acquitted themselves in the way we know they can.

“We always thought it was going to be a tight match and everything went our way yesterday (Saturday). Six matches went up the last and we got four and a half points out of them, but all the momentum seemed to be with the US side today. To be fair to our players, the USA are a great side and they handled the conditions a lot better than our guys.”

US captain Mike McCoy, who was a player on the last American side to lose the Walker Cup in 2015, said: “It’s pretty special, it’s certainly the pinnacle of my golfing life. After the morning session I felt a lot better, like we were back in the match and had a chance to win this thing. Last night I was pretty concerned, as the mornings are historically not our strong suit, but the guys played great, and I think the morning was what made the day.”

■ REDLIBBETS GC IS ONE OF 11 SITES IN THE GET GOLFING PORTFOLIO

■ USA OVERTURNED A THREEPOINT DEFICIT TO WIN THE WALKER CUP; DAVID FORD CELEBRATES HIS SINGLES WIN OVER MARK AT THE 17TH HOLE ON DAY ONE

Winter Specials at Prince’s!

Golf Break

Available from 1 Nov 2023 to 29 Feb 2024

December Golf Day

Available from 1 to 22 Dec 2023

£185.00pp Sun-Thur / £215.00pp Fri-Sat

1 night, 2 rounds of golf, 2 course meal & breakfast

Based on twin sharing rooms

Extra £45.00 per person for single rooms

£85.00pp

Breakfast & 18 holes

- Groups of 12+

- Valid Monday to Thursday ONLY

- Must be booked in advance & we do require FULL payment upon booking.

27 holes of reimagined Championship links golf

The Dyke says goodbye to shifting sands after completing major bunker renovation

Members and visitors at The Dyke Golf Club in East Sussex are enjoying the benefit of the completion of a major renovation of 33 of the 18-hole course’s bunkers.

The multi-phase project, which started in the autumn of 2021, has seen the replacement of the existing bunkers with a new lining and a synthetic edging system that prevents stones from coming up from underneath, as well reduces the impact of winds blowing out the sand from the South Downs venue, which is prone to high winds.

Course manager Rob Hudson said: “Our bunkers suffered with contamination from stony subsoils, as well as regular washout, and sand blow was another major issue for us, due to our location high on the South Downs. We presented Durabunker with quite a challenge, but one they were more than up to.”

Thirty-three bunkers were re-modelled by Durabunker, which was commissioned to undertake the entire project from concept to completion. It also included using a different type of sand that is more resistant to the wind.

Hudson added: “Choosing a stable, semi-angular sand was crucial to achieving successful outcomes. The bunkers have stood up to extreme rainfall, and pretty much everything nature could throw at them. They also look stunning and have transformed the look and feel of the green complexes.”

Rhydian Lewis, owner at Durabunker, added: “We are very proud of the results we’ve achieved at The Dyke by combining quality and appropriate products, with high quality construction and installation. Combining a seamless liner with a synthetic bunker edge is about as good as it gets in terms of maintenance and ensuring consistently playable bunkers, though the sand choice is crucial too.”

King Louis bags Junior World Championship and a Motocaddy surprise!

Six-year-old Surrey golfer Louie Goh was recently presented with a new Motocaddy pushcart and bag in recognition of his historic win at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego last month, where he becames the first British boy to capture a junior title at the event since its creation in 1968.

Louie, who plays at Woodcote Park Golf Club in Coulsdon, qualified for the prestigious event in California through the British Junior Golf Tour, which is headline sponsored by Motocaddy.

Having won the youngest category event (6 & under) in Championships featuring 1,250 talented junior golfers from 56 countries, Louie joins a stellar group of IMG Academy winners over the past 55 years that includes Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson Ernie Els, Jason Day and Tony Finau.

Presenting him with a new Motocaddy CUBE pushcart and a matching Dry-Series bag at a recent BJGT event at Belton Woods in Lincolnshire, Motocaddy Marketing Director Oliver Churcher said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for a six-year-old to become a world champion and everyone at Motocaddy congratulates Louie on his historic win. Having seen him play, we were blown away with how good his golf game is at such a young age, and we hope he continues to play great golf with a smile on his face.”

Commenting on his experience at the Junior World Championships, Louie said: “It was an amazing experience to compete in California. I had a lot of fun and a big thank you to the British Junior Golf Tour for the opportunity. I couldn’t believe how much hotter it was than back home and the greens were like lightning. But I like a challenge and made new golf buddies too. I can’t wait to use my new Motocaddy trolley and bag!”

Neil Randall, Tour Director of the BJGT, commented: “The considerable effort that has gone into growing and improving the British Junior Golf Tour in the past few years means that we now have players able not only to compete with the world’s best juniors but finish on top.

“We‘re incredibly proud of Louie and all the other BJGT juniors who represented us so well at both the IMG Academy Junior World Championships and the FCG Callaway World Junior Golf Championship in Palm Desert this summer. Our thanks go to Motocaddy for surprising Louie on his return to the UK. He was clearly delighted with his new gear and determined to start using them as quickly as possible.”

■ THE NEW DURABUNKERS AT THE DYKE DURING AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION

■ LOUIE GOH WITH MOTOCADDY’S OLIVER CHURCHER AND HIS NEW GOLF BAG & TROLLEY

Yates claims English Women’s Amateur at Ferndown

Surrey’s Ellen Yates won the English Women’s Amateur Championship after beating former England international Rebecca Earl at the second extra hole of a play-off at Ferndown Golf Club in Hampshire.

The teenager from West Hill, is off to study at Houston University in Texas later this month, came through an 18hole stroke play qualifier and five rounds of knockout match play to secure the biggest title of her career.

Yates was two down with four to play in a tense final, but battled hard to win it on the 20th, having forced extra time with Earl after winning the 18th.

“It’s amazing,” said Yates, who has come close to winning a number of big junior events in recent years without quite getting over the line. “I knew that I could still give myself a chance to win despite being behind, as I was twodown in the morning semi-finals. I knew that I could fight back and my dad on the bag was saying the same thing. It was great having him there for my last tournament before I head to university in the USA.”

Earlier in the day Yates was also two down in her semi-final with Cumbria’s Caitlin Whitehead at halfway. Yates birdied 10 to cut the gap ad also took the next two to take the lead for the first time. Mistakes from both on 15 led to the West Hill star going two-up as her playing partner bogeyed. The next was halved, and despite hitting a fairway bunker on 17, she held her nerve to halve the hole with bogey and reach the final 2&1.

At the start of the week bad weather curtailed the stroke play qualifier, resulting in only one of the two rounds, meant to be played at Broadstone and Ferndown, being completed.

Bricks and birdies to

the fore at Legoland Windsor’s

The world’s first LEGO-themed indoor golf experience is set to tee-off this October at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort.

Families visiting the resort will be able to put their putting skills to the test at the all-new LEGO Adventure Golf, which will features four 9-hole courses when it opens on October 7.

Each course has its own theme, enabling golfers to swing into space, drive into LEGO City, take their best shot in a medieval village, or putt with pirates.

The four uniquely designed LEGO courses are designed for those aged three and over will take a group of six people around one hour to play.

Guests visiting LEGOLAND Adventure Golf will be welcomed by a new LEGO Minifigure, and Adventure Golf mascot called Birdie, while a range of light snacks

will be on offer in the new Tee Time Café.

Helen Bull, Divisional Director at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, said: ”This autumn we are incredibly excited to tee-off the first ever LEGO themed indoor golf experience at our iconic Windsor Resort. This world first attraction is part of the

new adventure courses

resort’s ongoing investment into creating new and exciting experiences for all the family.”

Tickets to play the courses can be bought online in advance from £10pp for day visitors, while guests staying at the resort add on a round on the Adventure Course for £7.50pp.

LEWTON’S ASIAN ADVENTURE

After losing his card after one season on the European Tour in 2011, Bedfordshire-based tour pro Steve Lewton turned his attentions to the fledgling Asian Tour in 2012 and has been happily plying his trade on this fast-growing circuit ever since. Golf News Editor Nick Bayly caught up with the 40-year-old ahead of the Asian Tour’s two-stop swing in the UK to find out what life is like on a tour that has been thrust into the media spotlight following its sponsorship by the same Saudi-backed investment fund as LIV Golf

It must feel a little strange to be back playing in the UK and competing against many of the guys that you grew up playing with in your early days on the European Tour?

Yeah, it is really nice to be playing a couple of events back in the UK. Before I competed in the Asian Tour event held at Slaley Hall last autumn, the last time I had played in a tournament in the UK was at the British Masters at Woburn in 2015. That feels like a long time ago now. It has been nice to catch up with a few familiar faces, as there aren’t many English players who regularly compete on the Asian Tour. Although I live in the UK, and am still a member at Woburn, I spend a lot of my season travelling around the Middle East, Indonesia and the Far East, so to have 3-4 weeks back in the UK has given me an opportunity to catch up with friends and my family.

What were the main challenges of playing the Asian Tour when you rst started out?

When I rst joined in 2012 I thought that the travelling would be the hardest part, but the European Tour, as it was known then, operated a pretty global schedule, so I was used to dealing with time zones, long haul ights, hotels and all that stu , but it’s more the di erent course conditions and variety of grasses you have to play on each week that is the real challenge. That, and the weather. You never really play on a similar style of greens for more than two weeks in-arow. Some are super quick and some super slow, so that took some getting used to. I also had to deal with the variety of weather when I rst arrived. Playing in 100 degrees with 100% humidity was a big change. The o -course stu didn’t bother me so much. I’m not a fussy eater, so that was never an issue for me, and I like to experience new places and new cultures, so I’ve really enjoyed trying out di erent foods, meeting new people and seeing new things. It’s certainly been an interesting journey, and I’m happy with the decisions I’ve made.

You won the Taiwan Masters in 2014, and have had plenty of top-10 nishes over the last decade, but do you think you have another win in the locker?

Yeah, I hope so. I’ve had a few close shaves. I nished second in the Indonesia Open last month – and was also second at the same event last year – so I have been knocking on the door of late. I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well for the last couple of seasons, without having too much to show for it, but I know that on my day I compete with the best.

I showed that at the Saudi Invitational last year when I nished fourth in a eld that contained the likes of Dustin Johnson, Xander Schau ele, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed and Shane Lowry. I really enjoyed playing against those guys as it got the competitive juices owing and really made me want to show that I belonged on that kind of stage. It also showed how far away you are from where you want to be.

It’s very competitive out here now, even more so in

the elevated events where we’ve had current major champions in the eld and a lot of the LIV Golf players trying to stay competitive between their events. So you have to have all parts of your game working well to get on the leaderboard, let alone think about winning.

What are the main strengths of your game?

The best part of my game is generally my iron play. I’m pretty straight o the tee, and I nd a lot of greens in regulation, but it depends how close I can get it to the pins. As I said, putting can be a bit tricky when you’re playing on so many di erent speeds of surfaces, but it is the same for everyone.

Have that bigger prize funds and the incentive of earning promotion to the LIV Golf circuit put extra pressure on you when you’re teeing it up?

You’re just trying to play golf at the end of the day, and shoot the lowest score you can, so while it’s obviously nice to be playing for more money, it’s not something you really think about when you’re out their grinding down the stretch.

The Asian Tour has 20 events this season. Are you happy with amount of game time you’re getting?

In an ideal world, I’d probably like to play between 20-25 events in a season. That’s plenty when you factor in all the travelling and the times that you have to stay out between events to avoid spending all your time ying.

It’s tiring, both physically and mentally, so I’m pretty pleased with the overall balance. There are some periods where we have gaps in the schedule and it’s not easy to keep your game in shape, but we’re all in the same boat.

Do you feel like you have any sort of advantage over some of the other Asian Tour players when you’re competing over here in the UK?

Not hugely. Most of these guys are well travelled and used to playing in all sorts of conditions.

Yes, some of them might not have played much links golf, but then I’ve not played much myself over the last 10 years or so, so it evens itself out. There are also a lot more European and English players competing in these events so the competition will be even stronger.

Do you use local caddies or do you have a regular bagman?

When I rst started out on the Asian Tour, I’d often use a local guy, as they were cheap and they knew the layout better than anyone I knew, so that worked out ne for the rst couple of years, but as you get to know the courses you want someone you can chat to rather than just a local caddy. I had a guy called Joe, who is from Thailand, who caddied for me for a while, and I’ve currently got Simon Gri ths on the bag. He’s actually a player, but at the moment he’s not.

Do you see yourself ever returning to the DP World Tour?

I would never say never, but I’m very happy competing on the Asian Tour, and now that we have the carrot of earning a spot on the LIV Golf circuit there is even more reason to stay in my lane.

I did have a season on the Korn Ferry Tour in the States in 2019-20, but that was during Covid, and travelling back and forth from the UK to compete made things tough, so that didn’t really work out for me as I wasn’t able to practice much in the UK and the guys over there were out playing all the time. With the boosted prize funds – many of which are bigger than DP World Tour events – and the stronger elds, I feel like the Asian Tour is the right place for me to be right now.

What do you think the world of professional golf will look like once the dust has settled on the LIV Golf/PGA Tour/DP World Tour alliance?

Honestly, I’d have no idea. I have no idea what the PGA Tour, DP World Tour or all the other tours are going to look like next year, let alone in the years ahead. I don’t even know if they know. It sounds like LIV is not going to disappear anytime soon, as the Saudi PIF seem committed to it, and the guys that are on the LIV tour seem to be enjoying it, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

It’s certainly a goal of mine to get on the LIV tour. The winner of the 2023 Asian Tour money list gets an automatic card for the next LIV season, so that’s certainly one of my main goals this year. I’m currently just outside the top 10, so it’s a realistic target if I have a strong second part to the season.

What equipment are you playing with and how do you keep on top of things on that front?

I’ve got a mix of Ping and Titleist clubs. I’ve got the Ping G430 driver and fairway woods, and the Ping i430 irons. Whenever Ping brings something new out that I like the look of I will go up to their Gainsborough HQ and get tted for it. My caddy’s brother is Ping’s head tour rep in Europe, so they look after me very well.

■ LEWTON HAS ENJOYED PLAYING IN THE GROWING NUMBER OF UK EVENTS ON THE ASIAN TOUR’S SCHEDULE

COMPETITION WIN A MOTOCADDY M7 GPS ELECTRIC TROLLEY WORTH £1,499!

We’ve teamed up with Motocaddy, the world’s biggest-selling electric trolley brand, to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an award-winning M7 GPS electric trolley, the world’s first remote-controlled model with touchscreen GPS, worth £1,499!

O ering you the ‘ultimate caddie’ experience by blending responsive control with performance enhancing features, the M7 GPS includes a fully-integrated, super-fast GPS system with accurate green visuals; front, middle and back distances; plus hazard information across more than 40,000 pre-loaded courses worldwide.

In another ground-breaking move, Motocaddy is also o ering a 12-month, no obligation free trial on its exclusive cellular-powered Motocaddy Performance Plan allowing you to unlock a selection of stunning hi-tech game management features.

These include access to full-hole mapping with the ability to move the target for ultimate shot planning; a detailed dynamic Green View showing the shape of the green and greenside hazards with drag and drop pin positions; score and statistic tracking; performance analysis through the free Motocaddy GPS App; real-time course updates to ensure access to the latest mapping; and noti cations of software updates with ‘on-the-go’ downloads.

The M7 GPS includes a super responsive, crystal-clear 3.5” LCD touchscreen display usable in all weather conditions and all the bene ts of the award-winning M7 REMOTE, including rechargeable handset, removable anti-tip rear wheel and the brand’s cutting-edge Downhill Control technology.

Other features include a clock and round timer, an indication of the par and handicap of each hole, shot distance measurement, automatic hole advancement, score tracking and a battery indicator. Potential life-saving de brillator (AED) locations at the course can be found on the screen, as well as crucial CPR instructions.

TO ENTER

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply answer the question above, and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Motocaddy Competition’ in the subject line. Please include your name, contact details, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News from or whether you read it online. The closing date for entries is October 31, 2023.

ON-GOING INVESTMENTS ENHANCE PLAYING CONDITIONS AT ALTONWOOD CLUBS

Members and visitors at three of Altonwood Group’s golf clubs can’t fail to have noticed the on-going improvements that have been rolled out across Westerham, Woldingham and Surrey National in recent months.

And with more investment and further renovations taking place over the coming winter, the playing conditions are only set to be further enhanced following a year that has seen record numbers play the group’s popular courses.

At Westerham, those playing the club’s superb 18-hole course are enjoying even more expansive views across the North Downs thanks to the continuation of a woodland management programme by the club’s greenkeeping team which has opened up wider vistas, while the resurfacing of all the buggy paths has smartened up appearances and made getting around the course that much easier. This

winter will see the start of a bunker rationalisation and renovation project, with some traps being removed and others renovated to ensure the course remains a challenge.

Over in Woldingham, three new tees have been enlarged to create more teeing options and reduce wear and tear, while the championship course will also undergo a

bunker remodelling programme over the winter and the continuation of a buggy path resurfacing project.

Woodland management will also be the order of the day at Surrey National, which boasts a 7,000-yard David Williams designed championship course. This will serve to open up views across the course and ensure light gets onto the playing surface areas to ensure consistent year-round growth. Several obsolete bunkers have been removed in recent months and new ones added to ensure the course’s championship challenge is maintained, while a buggy path re-surfacing project will also be carried out as we move into the new gol ng season in 2024.

For further information about the courses in the Altonwood Group, and the range of membership options and society packages available, visit altonwood-group. co.uk or call 0208 7771055.

C) 40,000

■ THREE NEW EXTENDED TEE BOXES HAVE BEEN CREATED AT THE WOLDINGHAM

GOLF CLUB CUDDINGTON

Cuddington Golf Club was founded in 1929. The course was designed by H.S. Colt in conjunction with John Morrision and Messrs Frank Harris Brothers, who had already established a reputation for golf course construction. They were entrusted with the task of producing a downland course of good average length o ering 18 attractive holes of considerable variety. Master builder and developer WG Tarrant, who laid out St Georges Hill and Wentworth, gave much useful advice.

The clubhouse opened in June 1929 and was designed by AC Burlingham. Over the years the building has been altered internally to provide more appropriate accommodation for the members and sta . A large renovation took place in 2011, during which the interiors of the kitchens, lounge, dining room and the 19th bar were all refurbished. And over the last couple of years the toilets and shower facilities in both the men’s and ladies’ changing rooms have been renovated. The club’s largest function room was completely refurbished and renamed the Harry Colt room this year.

The Arts and Crafts Clubhouse provides a fantastic backdrop whilst playing the last hole, but it is from the terrace, as you look back over the course, that the far-reaching views over London really take your breath away.

Over the years the golf course has, like many, evolved. In 1999, all the greens were totally

reconstructed to USGA speci cations which proved to be a master stroke over the coming years. When combined with the chalk downland that the course is situated on, the members truly enjoy golf for twelve months of the year due to the natural drainage.

In 2018 a woodland management plan was implemented to restore Harry Colt’s original humps and hollows and make the grasses stronger by moving the treeline to where it should be after years of encroachment. Nonindigenous trees were also removed as part of this program.

Frank Pont, who is one of Europe’s leading course designers and an expert in Colt restoration, was recently tasked with producing a new course report to restore many of the lost Colt features. This has resulted in much bunker work and the 8th hole being completely redesigned. An emphasis has been placed on restoring many run o areas to

For further information on Cuddington Golf Club, please call Chloe on 0208 393 0952, or via email at o ce@ cuddingtongc. co.uk, plus follow the club on Instagram @cuddington golfclub

exaggerate and highlight the subtle undulations around green complexes.

Over the last couple of years Cuddington’s reputation has continued to grow and it is lovely to hear so many positive comments about not just the golf course, but all the facilities and the general experience one gets when they play at Cuddington. With Tuesday afternoons and Thursdays available for societies, it really is a wonderful venue which is sure to provide many a memorable experience.

The club’s popular Pro-Am has become one of the main events in the PGA South Region’s calendar. It now boasts the largest prize fund in the region and is always a great day enjoyed by both members and guests alike and one the pros really enjoy returning to every year. Immediately after the Pro-Am, the club hosts the Open Series (South) PGA Surrey Open which is now a national PGA Order of Merit event, attracting one of the largest elds of the year.

This year, during the recent AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath, AIG hosted its Pro-Am event at Cuddington which saw the likes of Lexi Thompson, Alison Nicholas, Stacey Lewis, and Cheyenne Knight playing with their guests.

As a club, Cuddington also supports the local golf unions. Surrey Golf has held many events annually at the club and this year the Surrey Ladies hosted one of their largest events, The Druce, at Cuddington, which saw 240 ladies competing and enjoying the club. Coaching is available to both members and non-members. All abilities are catered for from beginners to elite amateurs and professionals.

Weekly junior sessions are held on Sunday morning, and there is a Women’s Golf Academy. With both long and short game practice facilities, together with a state-of-the-art swing studio using the latest HD swing analyis technology, all areas of the game are catered for. The pro shop is fully stocked and specialises in custom tting.

Golf Association

Surrey

As the club approaches its centenary there is much to both look back on and forwards to. Cuddington Golf Club is steeped in history, but has a progressive view to the future. As a member’s club with a superb course, beautiful clubhouse, wonderful facilities, and a vibrant membership, it will continue to develop and improve for its members and its guests.

"Enormous thanks go to Cuddington Golf Club who gave a masterclass in how to host an event

Ladies County

"Enormous thanks go to Cuddington Golf Club who gave a masterclass in how to host an event"

Surrey Ladies County Golf Association

hanks go to Cuddington ho gave a masterclass in to host an event"

ies County Golf Association

The Drift to carry out major course renovation ahead of 50th anniversary

The Drift Golf Club in Surrey has appointed golf course deisgn firm European Golf Design to undertake a review of the golf course in preparation for the 50th anniversary in 2025. The course review follows substantial investment into the club’s Trackman Academy which opened in 2022, alongside plans to renovate and expand the clubhouse, the design process for which is well underway.

EGD will review every aspect of the course and make recommendations on improvements which will enhance the enjoyment, challenge and conditions for members and guests. The initial phase of work will focus on holes 5, 6 and 9, with the objective that the changes are made, and the holes back in play, for the anniversary celebrations in two years.

Jon Connell, the cubs’s managing director, said: “After a recent bunker redevelopment project which has been executed very well, we realised that to fully benefit from that further development was required for the main assets of the club – its course and clubhouse. We undertook a process of inviting design groups to present their ideas for the course and were impressed with EGD’s creative and collaborative approach. Having the benefit of their international experience, and their local presence, gave us the confidence to make the appointment. As owners we are committed to ensuring the best possible facilities are available for our members and guests, and we look forward to seeing the proposed improvements to the course reveal themselves over the next few years.”

The project will be led by Dave Sampson, whose design credits include Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, host venue for this year’s Ryder Cup, Work on the overall review is under way now, as is more detailed planning for the first phase of work, construction of which is scheduled to begin this month.

Joy for Johnson after US Senior Women’s Open success

Trish Johnson made up for some of the disappointment of losing last month’s Senior LPGA Championship when she had the tournament in her grasp, when winning the US Women’s Senior Open by one shot at Waverley Country Club in Oregon.

The Bristol-born 57-year-old, who won the inaugural Senior LPGA Championship in 2017, doubled her senior major tally after firing a closing 72, to go with earlier rounds of 73, 72 and 67, to finish on four-under and just one shot ahead of runner-up Leta Lindley, with Scotland’s Catriona Matthew a shot further back in third.

After dropping four shots over the first eight holes on Sunday, Johnson feared that the collapse that she suffered at the LPGA Championship was about to repeat itself, but she steadied the ship with a birdie at the 9th, and made further gains at 15 and 17 to keep her head in front. However, a bogey at the par-5 17th briefly opened the door for Lindley and Matthew, but the latter dropped at the last to drop into a third, while Lindley could only match Johnson’s par at the last, to leave the English player to claim the title.

“I’ve got to be honest; I am so knackered!” was Johnson’s immediate response to her victory. “I just gutted it out. After the front eight holes I thought, here we go again. But I rallied a bit and hit some decent shots coming in. I wasn’t brilliant today. I hit some good shots, but I hit some ropey ones as well, but I just got away with it.”

She added: “Beth, my caddie, was brilliant. I think she could see the colour draining out of my face, so she kept giving me water as she didn’t want me to faint in front of everybody. She was fantastic and a big part of why I won this week.”

Sonning gets green light to move range to free up space for housing

Plans to build about 50 houses on Sonning Golf Club’s driving range have been approved by Wokingham Borough Council.

The club wanted to build 54 properties, 22 of which would be affordable, on the site of the club’s existing driving range, which would be replaced by new driving nets, as well as the conversion of the west wing of the clubhouse to provide an indoor facility featuring three simulators and six hitting bays.

As the current practice range is outside, the club noted in its planning application that it can be unusable in bad weather and after dark, while the simulators would enable practice at all times of the day and in all weathers.

The simulators would be available free of charge for golfers to hit their own balls, which, the club said, would increase the capacity of the current practice areas.

Other planned changes at the club include the extension of the car park, the relocation of the 18th green, the addition of an extended practice putting green, and a new short-game chipping area.

Councillors voted to approve the plans by four to three, adding conditions that the club put up netting and build a footpath to improve pedestrian access.

Chippenham prevails in Chip & Putt Challenge

After a three-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, the annual Chip & Putt challenge between Puttenham Golf Club in Surrey and Chippenham Golf Club in Wiltshire returned to the two club’s competitive calendars last month, with the latter serving as match hosts.

The match dates back to 2015 after Puttenham’s then-chairman, Colin Reardon, contacted the general manager at Chippenham as he had heard that Chippenham had ‘thrown down the gauntlet’ and challenged Puttenham to a ‘Chip & Putt’ match. Following a visit to Chippenham by Reardon and Puttenham ladies captain Sarah Dyason, the format of the competition was agreed and thus the annual ‘Chip & Putt Challenge’ was founded.

Following the first two years, it was clear that the competition was going to be a success and so a trophy was commissioned with Puttenham’s immediate past men’s captain, Mike Smith, designing and sourcing a very apt putter head and 7-iron mounted on a wooden board.

Prior to this year’s contest, The Chip & Putt trophy had been contested five times, with

Puttenham winning twice (both at home), Chippenham once (also at home) and two matches being halved. Back on home soil this year, Chippenham’s team of eight men and four women won the match – which consists of six fourball better balls – 3.5-2.5, to see the series return to parity.

Colin Reardon said: “It’s a pity that the competition had been on hold over the past three years as it has generated a great sense of camaraderie between the two clubs who now have reciprocal playing arrangements, so it was great to meet up with some old friends and get back to competing again. We’re all looking forward to playing for the trophy again next year, when hopefully we can win it back for Puttenham!”

Golf Breaks at De Vere Wokefield Estate

Home to Wokefield Estate Golf Club; a 6,996-yard, par 72 championship golf course designed to US PGA standards, this is one of the leading golf clubs in Berkshire.

Seasoned professional or first-time golfer; this thoughtfully designed golf course features elevated tees, streams, lakes and bunkers to test your skill.

RESIDENTIAL GOLF BREAKS

Available from just £89* per person, golf breaks at De Vere Wokefield Estate include dinner, breakfast, golf and overnight accommodation. For groups over 12, enjoy 20% off drinks throughout your stay and 1 in 12 play and stay for free!

*Price based on two people sharing a room on a Sunday Driver pacakge in low season. Visit our website for full details & rates.

COMPETITION

WIN £500 OF NEW GOLF GEAR TO BE WON!

Function18 has been offering affordable designer golf clothing to a global and growing legion of satisfied customers for over 20 years and has a built up an enviable reputation for sourcing great products from golf’s most popular fashion brands, as well as plenty of hard-to-find niche labels and performance brands that will not only help you not only look sharp, but also play smart.

Function18’s handpicked collection includes the very latest products from the biggest global sports brands and some of the world’s leading designers including Hugo Boss, Galvin Green, FootJoy, Ralph Lauren, Oscar Jacobson, Nike, Original Penguin, adidas, Puma, TravisMathew and Under Armour – not to mention exclusive designs that are only available to Function18.com customers.

So whether you after that must-have hoodie, the latest designer kicks, or some high performance polo shirts, Function18 has got you covered – and all at great prices. With quick and free UK delivery, simply head over to function18.com and start styling up your golf wear game.

TO ENTER

To be in with a chance of winning a £500 voucher to spend with Function18, simply answer the question above and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Function18 Competition’ in the subject line. Please include your name, contact details, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News from or whether you read it online. The closing date for entries is October 31, 2023.

Terms & Conditions: The prize voucher is valid for 12 months and can be used as credit against any product from Function18.com. Vouchers can also be used in conjunction with discount codes and loyalty discount.

QUESTION WHICH ROYAL COURSE IS HOSTING

THE 2024 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP?

Golf News has teamed up with the good people at specialist online golf apparel store Function18 to offer give away a £500 voucher to be spent on kitting yourself – or that special golfer in your life – with a whole new golfing wardrobe

A) Birkdale

B) Troon

C) Portrush

STORY BEHIND THE PIC

BERNARD LANGER • SEPTEMBER 29, 1991

It’s one of the most famous putts in golf. Bernhard Langer stands over a six-footer on the 18th hole of Kiawah’s Ocean Course at the 1991 Ryder Cup in his Sunday singles match against Hale Irwin.

The home team had gained a one-point lead by the time the final pairing came up the 18th fairway with the match all-square. Langer needed to win the hole for a 14-14 tie that would see Europe retain the cup after their win at the Belfry two years earlier. The Cup is, in every sense, in Langer’s hands.

The German’s approach to the green had ended up 30 feet from the pin, while Irwin missed the green with his second, then hit a poor chip 20 feet short of the flag. Langer’s bold first putt ran six feet past, while Irwin’s came up two feet short. Langer conceded the putt, setting the stage for his Cup-deciding putt.

With the surrounding dunes packed to capacity, Langer –who had battled the putting yips more than any top player in the history of the game – addressed the slippery left-torighter with his left-hand-low grip. He made a good stroke, but the ball slid agonisingly over the right edge of the hole and failed to drop, thus handing victory to the United States.

Before the ugly scenes at Brookline in 1999, the 1991 Ryder Cup, which became known as ‘The War on the Shore’, saw Ray Floyd’s team wearing combat-style outfits on the opening day, and was widely reviewed as the most antagonistic contest ever in the biennial series. The hostile nature became immediately apparent in the very first foursome on day one, when longtime adversaries Seve Ballesteros and Paul Azinger traded accusations of cheating and bad sportsmanship. It all went downhill from there.

Langer, thankfully, recovered quickly from his devastating miss – he won the German Masters the following week – and went on to play in four more Ryder Cups, and captain the winning European team in 2002. He has used a broomhandle putter to devastating effect since 1995, and only in 2014 broke the record for the largest ever margin of victory in a major, when winning the Senior British Open by 13 shots.

One of the upsides to Langer’s miss was that 21 years later, when another German, Martin Kaymer, stood over a six-foot putt to win the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012, the memories of Langer’s lapse hung over him so vividly that Kaymer later admitted that he could think about little else as he prepared to take the putt to pull off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in sporting history. Not wishing to add to the folklore of German golfing misfortune, Kaymer sunk the putt with the coolness that became Langer’s trademark, and in doing so at least partially atoned for his fellow countryman’s miss two decades earlier.

RYDER CUP, KIAWAH ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA

DISCOVER WINTER

GOLF AT ITS BEST IN

EGYPT

So straight away your probably thinking Egypt? Golf? Never….. well let me tell you that Egypt has the most amazing, beautifully manicured courses that will match anything anywhere in the world. Myself and Siani have travelled to every golf course, hotel and resort in Egypt, so that we can offer you the most fabulous golf holidays and be able to offer you the best resort to suit your requirements. Our preconception of Egypt wasn’t great and we couldn’t have been more wrong. We loved Egypt and realised its potential to all you golfers to find a new fabulous exciting new winter destination.

THE PYRAMID GOLF TRAIL

We found Egypt to be extremely clean, the food is as good as any hotel we’ve been to and the people are so friendly. Then you have the courses….. We were blown away by how good they all were and certainly a real treat for anyone that decides to go out there and play. Then on your day off, you can experience the wonder of the Pyramids, Sphinx and museum or some fabulous snorkelling in crystal clear waters. There are four golf main golf areasWest Cairo, East Cairo, Sokhna & Hurghada where every area will give you a wonderful experience.

This experience will give you a choice of four courses where you can decide which ones to play and how many times over the five games, and a choice of staying at one of three wonderful hotels. On your day off a trip to the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egyptian museum will seal the deal on you having an amazing experience in Egypt.

HURGHADA - THE RED SEA

This wonderful golf destination gives you two superb courses with the added benefit of a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea after your game. Somabay Resort also has a nine hole par 3 course and a world beater short game facility, both of which you can use in daylight or after dark as fully floodlit. Two hotels to choose from and between them they cover everything you as individuals might require.

GOLF

TUITION HOLIDAY

If you would rather join a group of golfers to destinations in Egypt, then maybe take a look at what www.golftuitionholidays.co.uk have coming up. Not only will you be with like minded golfers, you will be certain to have an amazing time as all their trips have 5* testimonials and over a 90% rebook.

RYDER CUP 2023

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

MEET THE TEAMS

All 24 players in profile

V FOR VIKTOR(Y)

Exclusive interview with Norway's high-flying Viktor Hovland

PLAYING AWAY

Can Team USA end its 30-year losing streak in Europe?

MARCO

MAGNIFICO

Your hole-by-hole guide to the Ryder Cup Course

RYDER REBOOT

Re-living iconic moments in Ryder Cup history

The hosting of the 44th Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, located just 10 miles from the centre of Rome, will see Italy become only the third nation in mainland Europe – after Spain in 1997 and France in 2018 – to host the biannual match play event.

And while European golf fans will be praying that the result goes the same way in Rome as it did for Seve just over a quarter-century ago at Valderamma and for Thomas Bjorn’s merry band of men in Paris just five years past, there is no doubt that the 2023 renewal of this drama-filled clash of continents will be one of the most keenly observed in recent years, given the state of flux that the professional golf tours on both sides of the Atlantic are currently experiencing.

European captain Luke Donald will effectively be leading his team with just a little finger tied behind his back in that he wasn’t able to call on the services of LIV golfers and experienced Ryder Cuppers such as Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson – the latter being the man Donald replaced as captain – despite the fact that the DP World Tour has now kissed and made up with LIV, while US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson had the much easier decision of whether or not to pick Brooks Koepka as a wildcard largely thanks to his performance in the Majors – and with a slight nudge from the Saudi PIF’s proposed substantial investment in the PGA Tour.

Given the way messrs Westwood et al have played this season, their loss will not be felt at all keenly from the European team, and the vaccum has certainly left the way open for some exciting new additions to the home side’s line up, especially with the likes of Nicolai Hojgaard and

ALL ROADS LEAD TO

ROME

Can Zach Johnson’s star-studded US team maintain its grip on the Ryder Cup or will Luke Donald’s mixture of proven major winners and talented youngsters capitalise on a home draw and superior course knowledge to win the trophy back for Europe when the dust finally settles at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club?

44TH RYDER CUP PREVIEW

Swedish wundkind Ludvig Aberg earning late call ups via captain’s picks.

Personnel and politicking issues aside, there is no doubt that Marco Simone will provide a suitably drama-inducing challenge for both sides. Although not quite as demanding as Paris National when it comes to its use of water hazards, there is enough of the wet stuff out there, along with other man-made hazards, to ensure that the players will be have to think twice before blindly pulling out the driver on many of the par fours and fives, while the par threes also pose some devilish demands on accuracy, especially if the wind gets up, as it is prone to do in the autumn in these parts.

As with most previous Ryder Cup venues, the course, which has hosted the last two renewals of the Italian Open in order to give European players an early sighter, has undergone a significant remodelling to fit the demands of the world’s foremost team match play event, with European Golf Design, in cooperation with Tom Fazio II, carrying out a significant redesign which was finally completed in the 2021. The changes focused on creating a course specifically tailored to create match play drama, with the previous layout rerouted not only to provide numerous risk-and-reward holes, but also to maximise the natural rolling terrain which will sap the stamina

of those players required to play five matches. Spectators will now enjoy unrivalled vantage points of the on-course action, as well as distant views of Rome, including spectacular views of St Peter’s Basilica and of the Castle of Marco Simone, which together will provide a memorable backdrop to what will hopefully be equally memorable sporting drama unfolding in the foreground.

Speaking about the challenges presented by the course, Luke Donald said: “It’s going to be a great match play course – there’s some exciting holes, a few drivable par 4s; some great par threes, and if the matches come down to 18, there’s another spectacular par-5 down the hill with water by the green that will test nerve and skill.

The elevation changes will also give crowds incredible viewpoints to see some amazing golf.”

Speaking about his hopes of winning back the cup, Donald added: “I fully expect us to be underdogs, despite that home percentage of wins over the last 30 years. We’re going to have a bunch of established, world-class players along with a new generation of players playing well, and I think that creates an exciting mix to have at my disposal. And giving myself more picks will give me an opportunity to pick the best inform team, which hasn’t always been the case.”

Asked about his hopes of pulling off the first away win since The Belfry in 1993, US team captain Zach Johnson said: “We’re too used to being told we’re ‘strong on paper’ to come into this thinking we’re the better team. Europe are not the underdogs. They are on their home soil, they will have the majority of the fans rooting for them. But we’ll go there with what I believe will be our strongest team and do our best to retain the cup.”

Regardless of how the teams look on paper or in person, the stage is set for one almighty showdown. So, pull up a chair, plump up the cushions, uncork the chianti or chill down those Peronis, and settle down for yet another edition of the greatest golfing show on earth.

CAPTAIN’S CALL

TEAM EUROPE CAPTAIN LUKE DONALD

SEPT

SEPT

SEPT

OCT 1 12 singles matches from 11am.

TEAM USA CAPTAIN

ZACH JOHNSON

Like his European counterpart, US captain Zach Johnson doesn’t come across as natural leader, with the 47-year-old from Iowa having quietly gone about his impressive career without causing so much of a ripple baring his two Major victories. Despite his quiet demeanour he clearly possesses a steely core, and, like Donald, he has surrounded himself with former captains, including Davis Love III and Steve Stricker, along with Fred Couples and Stewart Cink, who are all too familiar with the cut and thrust of the Ryder Cup.

A five-time Ryder Cupper himself, Johnson was on the losing side four times, although he at least ended on a high when part of the winning team at Hazeltine in 2016.

While there were initial concerns that a number of LIV golfers might force their way on to the US team, in the end only Brooks Koepka, who finished just one place out of the automatic qualifying spots, and could not be left out on considerations, will be lining up in Rome, although the far more controversial decision - at least in some quarters – was the inclusion of Justin Thomas, who was 15th on the points list and is badly out of form. Only time will tell whether that particular captain’s call was the right one.

Luke was probably some way down the list of former greats in the frame to captain the European Ryder Cup team, with the likes of Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter probably ahead of him. But with those players, along with preferred first choice 2023 captain Henrik Stenson, forced to resign their DP World Tour memberships during the LIV standoff, Donald stepped manfully into the breach. As one of the more intelligent and thoughtful players to have graced the pro circuit in recent years, his enquiring mind and willingness to listen to the counsel of others, while holding strong opinions of his own, will serve him well in a role whose importance has probably been a little overstated in the folklore of the matches over the years.

To support him in his role, Luke has picked a group of vice-captains made of up a winning and a losing past captain in Thomas Bjørn and Padraig Harrrington, while the decision to choose stats specialist Eduardo Molinari and his disappointingly outof-form brother Francesco is clearly designed to give the Italian fans something to cheer about in the absence of an actual player.

Together, the European brains trust will have to be play a clever game when it comes to picking the pairings given the lack of Ryder Cup experience among a third of his team and Luke will be hoping that his star talent, including the current world no.2, 3 and 4 - Rory McIlroy, Jon Ram and Viktor Hovland –bring their A games to Rome if he is to avoid the ignominy of being the first European captain to lose on home soil in 30 years.

This year, more than many recent years, feels like a changing of the Ryder Cup guard in Europe, but whether it’s an all-conquering Roman legion remains to be seen.

REGARDLESS OF HOW THE TEAMS LOOK ON PAPER OR IN PERSON, THE STAGE IS SET FOR ONE ALMIGHTY SHOWDOWN

VIKTOR IN DREAMLAND

With eight wins and over $30m in prize money banked just four years into his professional career, Norway’s Viktor Hovland is one of the biggest stars of the men’s game. Here, the current world no.4 and newly crowned FedEx Cup champion assesses his game, discusses his near misses in the majors, and his hopes of helping Europe to win back the Ryder Cup in Rome

How do you even begin to reflect on what you have achieved so far this year? Three wins, the FedEx Cup title, a whole lot of prize money, and we’re only at the end of August.

Yeah, it’s been a great year. I feel like I’ve taken a lot of forward steps this season – contending in more majors, getting my first win in the US at a big event like The Memorial, and then obviously the last couple weeks have just superseded that. It’s been pretty surreal. Obviously, you dream about such things, but you don’t really expect them to happen, so to have achieved what I have is pretty awesome.

What’s made the difference this year over previous seasons?

The main difference this season has been that I feel like I’ve had a lot of good weeks where I really

haven’t felt like I’ve played amazing golf, but I’ve still been able to put a score together. To be able to put myself in a position to win tournaments when I’ve not always had my ‘A’ game has been something that I’m proud of. My short game has got a lot better, which has really allowed me to be able to do that. When my putter gets hot, that can really make up for some bad shots off the tee or some poor iron shots.

Making all those cuts [33 in a row] also shows that my consistency level has been very high. I’ve hit the ball well tee to green, and now with my improvement around the greens, even on my bad ball-striking days I can kind of scrap it together, maybe shoot around even par and then have a good day the next day. I feel like I’m never out of the tournament because of me cleaning up a couple things that haven’t been so good in the past.

Your putter seemed pretty hot during that final round 61 that took you to victory at the BMW Championship. Where does that round rank in your pantheon of rounds during your career, and what did it mean to pull off the win against such a strong field?

It has to be number one. I remember playing a pretty special round during my first year on Tour, I shot seven under at Torrey Pines when it was hailing and windy and that’s probably the best I’ve ever struck it throughout a round. But to shoot 61, and shoot 28 on the back nine, at a course like the Olympia Fields, and under those circumstances, I have nothing that beats that.

Coming back from that far behind against such a strong group of players in front of me was pretty special. I had no option but to just go for it, so in that sense I had nothing to lose.

If you wind back to the end of your college career in 2018, did you ever imagine you would have achieved that you have in just four years?

Yeah, I could only dream about winning these tournaments back in 2018, when I was coming towards the end of my amateur career. I think I’d won one college event before winning the US Amateur, and that kind of changed a lot of things. I got to play in a couple majors as an amateur, then I got my PGA TOUR card, and then a couple months later I won my first PGA Tour event, and then I won my first DP World Tour event, and I’ve just kind of ticked off the boxes from there. But it’s not like I’m expecting to win X number of tournaments or X number of majors. It’s just, okay, this is as good as I am right now, what can I do to get better? And if I get better, I have the chance of winning these events.

Was there a movement when you felt like you had found the belief to perform like you have in these big events or is it just the culmination of a

lot of things that you have been working on?

I can’t point to a single or a speci c moment, but it’s just when I started to see my short game improve that gave me the belief that I have all the shots. I just saw the shots that I was able to pull o in tournaments and in those stressful situations.

I coupled that with the course management stu and just my general attitude – handling bad bounces, handling bogeys, handling bad shots. Just those three aspects combined, when I started to see that I wasn’t stressed when I showed up to a golf tournament or a golf course. It was like, okay, whatever happens happens. I might play badly and that’s okay. As soon as I made that mindset change everything started to kind of come together.

How would you assess the impact that your work with your new swing coach, Joe Mayo, has had in terms of your improvement?

Yeah, Joe has been awesome. He’s a very technical guy, and he likes math and physics and just deals in facts. We like to measure things. I think we both think alike in a lot of ways. I think it’s been great to have someone that kind of conveys information like that, but also I’d say he’s helped me a lot mentally, too, just understanding tournament golf, tournament pressure.

He’s been out here for a while and he’s a very smart guy. Not just with the golf swing, but he sees the bigger picture in other things, as well. It’s been great to have a person that has that perspective on things.

You’ve won over $20m in the last two events. Do you ever allow yourself to think about the money when you’re playing?

Obviously, we’re playing for a lot of cash, so I’d be lying if I said that it’s not in the back of your mind. But it’s not the front, either. I live in Oklahoma. Money goes a long way there. I don’t need a lot to be happy. I don’t need a lot to live within my means. But obviously it’s nice for my family to have

that security, and whatever family I may have in the future. It’s nice to have that, but it’s not something that drives me, it’s not something that gives what I do meaning. I nd meaning in other places. But obviously with how society works, money is something you need and I’m grateful that I’ve got some.

You’ve put yourself in contention to win a few majors of late – going out in the last group at the Open at St Andrews last year, second to last group at the Masters this year and then the last group at the US PGA Championship in May. How do look back on those near misses?

Losing sucks at any time, no question, but it is really good to see that things are going in the right direction. It doesn’t really pay to dwell on these things. Yes, you learn from them and try not to repeat whatever mistakes you may have made, but it’s not aways that simple.

In the Open, it was just one of those days. I think I shot 2-over-par on Sunday, but I felt like I hit a lot of good shots. I just didn’t quite get close enough to the pins, especially with how St Andrews was set up. I feel like if I had been in that position a couple years ago, I would have started ring at pins and ended up in all sorts of trouble, so I feel like I handled it ok, but I just didn’t get any momentum going on early and didn’t birdie any of the easier holes.

And at the PGA. Well, the bunker situation on 16, where it plugged and I ended up with a double bogey, kind of stalled things at the wrong time, as I had no time to recover. I felt like I played solid golf in the main, but I had a couple of bad swings and got out of position on a few holes, so had to rely on my short game to save me a few times, but Brooks [Koepka] was hard to catch. It’s not easy going toe-to-toe with a guy who already had four majors

had no time to recover. I felt like I played solid golf toe-to-toe with a guy who already had four majors to his name.

■ CAP IN HAND: HOVLAND HAD A TOUGH INTRODUCTION TO THE RYDER CUP IN 2021, BUT HAS HIGH HOPES OF MAKING A BIGGER IMPACT IN ROME LATER THIS MONTH

How important was it for you to get back on to the Ryder Cup team after the result in 2021?

Yeah, obviously the Ryder Cup is the big goal for a lot of players, and having made the team last time, I knew that I never wanted to miss another one if I could possibly help it. Of course, making the team is simply a by-product of playing good golf over the qualifying period, or certainly playing well in some big events, and thankfully I’ve been able to do that.

It was disappointing how things turned out at Whistling Straits, and I wasn’t happy to come away with two half-points from my ve matches, so I’m keen to put that right in Rome.

Last year you said that the topography of Marco Simone will make it tough for players to play in all ve matches without getting tired. Is that still a concern for you?

■ PRIZE GUY: HOVLAND ENJOYED A STUNNING END TO THE PGA TOUR SEASON, WINNING THE BMW CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP EN ROUTE TO SECURING THE FEDEX CUP TITLE

Hopefully not for me personally, as I’m pretty t and young, but I’m not a huge fan of the course. It is up and down a large mountain, so it will be di cult to walk for ve or six days. Honestly, I think people will struggle to play 36 holes in a day, and especially the caddies. It’s the same for both teams, but it’s going to be tough for players to play in all ve matches.

You seem like a very calm, level-headed kind of guy. Do you feel like you’ve got an inner killer instinct or is that not who you are?

emotion on the golf course. Keeping calm helps

away the more I think it’s better for me.

I don’t think it’s something that’s innate in me. I’m not someone who shows a huge amount of emotion on the golf course. Keeping calm helps me perform at a higher level. I’m not the kind of guy who goes crazy when I hole a putt or win a tournament. I might give it a little st pump or whatever, but the less emotion I can kind of give away the more I think it’s better for me.

So I feel like I belong out here. I just have to get a next time.

So I feel like I belong out here. I just have to get a little bit better, and hopefully it goes my way

WHAT’S IN VIKTOR’S

BAG?

Driver: Ping G425 LST (8.4°)

Fairway Woods: TaylorMade

Stealth Plus 3 (15°)

Utility: Titleist U505 (21°)

Irons: Ping i210 (4-PW)

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 56°), Ping Glide 2.0 (60°)

Pu er: Ping PLD DS 72

Ball: Titleist Pro V1

YOU DREAM ABOUT SUCH THINGS, BUT YOU DON’T REALLY EXPECT THEM TO HAPPEN

TEAM EUROPE

JON RAHM

CAPTAIN: LUKE DONALD

VICE-CAPTAINS: THOMAS BJORN | JOSÉ MARIA OLAZABAL

FRANCSCO MOLINARI | EDUARDO MOLINARI | NICOLAS COLSEAERTS

AVERAGE AGE OF TEAM: 30 | AVERAGE WORLD RANKING: 30

NICOLAI HØJGAARD

AGE: 28 | WORLD RANK: 3 | RYDER CUP APPEARANCES: 2 (’18, ‘21) | RYDER CUP RECORD: P3 W1 L2 H0

It’s amazing to think that this will only be Rahm’s second Ryder Cup. Popular with fans on both sides of the Atlantic, the bighitting Spaniard will have to put in a big shift in Rome, most likely playing in all five matches. A fiery competitor, JR could pair up with everyone and anyone and bring home the points, but without Sergio Garcia in the team, he won’t have a Spanishspeaking partner to share unprintable jokes with.

RORY MCILROY

AGE: 34 | WORLD RANK: 2 | APPEARANCES: 6 (’10-’21) |

RECORD: P24 W11 L9 H4

The Northern Irishman has experienced a frustrating year by his own high standards, especially in the majors, where he has drawn a blank for the 10th year running, but with two wins and an impressive run of seven consecutive top-nine finishes stretching back to the US PGA Championship in May, he is playing some seriously good golf that would be even better if his putter behaved itself. A Ryder Cup veteran now, it’s hard to imagine the world.2 not playing in all five matches if early results go his way.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD

AGE: 32 | WORLD RANK: 15 | APPEARANCES: 2 (’18, ‘21) |

RECORD: P8 W4 L2 H2

Fleetwood was a force of nature at the 2018 Ryder Cup, winning all four of his matches playing alongside Francesco Molinari, but he was brought back down to earth in 2021, halving two matches, including his singles, and losing the other. His form this season has been extremely consistent, with seven top-10 finishes, five of which have come in his last seven starts, taking him up to 15th in the world. He finished runner-up at the Italian Open held at Marco Simone in 2021, so has solid course form, and should make a reliable partner in all formats if he can find some form with the putter.

VIKTOR HOVLAND

AGE: 25 | WORLD RANK: 4 | APPEARANCES: 1 (’21) |

RECORD: P5 W0 L3 H2

Norway’s first ever Ryder Cup player when he made his debut in 2021, Hovland is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in the pro game in many a year, as he showed with his two stunning victories at the PGA Tour’s final two events of the season, where he shot 42 under par for eight rounds and pocketed a cool $21m in prize money for winning the FedEx Cup and the Tour Championship. Having ironed out weaknesses in his chipping game, he will land in Rome in the form of his life, and will be keen to erase the memories of Whistling Straits, where he only managed two half-points.

MATT FITZPATRICK

AGE: 29 | WORLD RANK: 8 | APPEARANCES: 2 (’16, ’21)

RECORD: P5 W0 L5 H0

The 2022 US Open champion has endured a mix run of results this season either side of winning the RBC Heritage in April, with four missed cuts before and two since, and a best finish of ninth at The Memorial. His debut Ryder Cup appearance at Hazeltine in 2016 resulted in two defeats from two matches, and he also drew a blank in 2021 A much more experienced campaigner now, and with a major title under his belt, the Yorkshireman will be desperate to get on the score sheet in Rome but will need to have one of his ‘on’ weeks.

TYRRELL HATTON

AGE: 31 | WORLD RANK: 14 | APPEARANCES: 2 (’18, ‘21) |

RECORD: P7 W2 L4 H1

Tyrrell has only 2.5pts to show for his seven matches in the Ryder Cup, and England’s angriest golfer will be keen to right that wrong. A former Italian Open champion, he will have the crowd on his side, and this consistent performer will be hopeful of winning his first singles point after being rolled over 4&3 by Justin Thomas in 2021. He comes into the matches in good form, having only missed one cut this year and having had ten top-10 finishes from his last 24 starts.

AGE: 22 | WORLD RANK: 78 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

The younger of the talented Danish twins has enjoyed a superb start to his professional career, having won three times on the DP World since 2019, including victory at Marco Simone in the Italian Open in 2020. A huge driver of the ball, and with an ice cool temperament, he has also acquittd himself well on the PGA Tour, finishing 14th in the recent Wydham Championshp and runner up in the Corales Puntacana Championship. A captain’s pick, he comes into the matches in good form, having finished third at the Czech Open and fifth at this month’s Omega European Masters.

SHANE LOWRY

AGE: 36 | WORLD RANK: 37 | APPEARANCES: 1 (’21)

RECORD: P3 W1 L2 H0

After winning the BMW PGA Championship last September, Lowry has been in and out of form, failing to threaten the leaderboard and with a best result being a tied 5th in a below-par field at the Honda Classic in February. A feisty competitor, he relished the white heat of competition at his long overdue Ryder Cup debut Whistling Straits in 2021, especially when winning his foursomes match when paired with Tyrrell Hatton, but he got mauled 4&2 by Patrick Cantlay in the singles Will need to score well to justify his captain’s pick.

LUDVIG ÅBERG

AGE: 23 | WORLD RANK: 90 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Åberg is only the second player after Sergio Garcia to bag a Ryder Cup spot in the same year that he turned professional. The 23-year-old Texas University graduate only left the amateur ranks in June, but has already won his first DP World Tour event, timing his run nicely with victory at the European Masters just the day before Luke Donald announced his captain’s picks. After reaching no.1 in the amateur ranks, the big-hitting Swede has all the attibutes to make it to the very top of the game, and according to those in know, has a calm head on young shoulders. It’s asking alot to step up so quickly, but he already has plenty of Tour experience.

SEPP STRAKA

AGE: 30 | WORLD RANK: 23 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

The burly Straka is only the second Austrian to win a Ryder Cup call up after following in the footsteps of fellow countryman Bernd Wiesberger, who didn’t fare too well at Whistling Straits in 2021. Straka looks to be a far better player though, with two wins on the PGA Tour (’22 Honda Classic,’23 John Deere Classic) and a tied second in this year’s Open Championship marking him out a serious competitor. He also finished sixth at the Tour Championship, so arrives in excellent form.

JUSTIN ROSE

AGE: 43 | WORLD RANK: 34 | APPEARANCES: 5 (‘08, ‘12, ‘14, ‘16, ‘18) | RECORD: P23 W13 L8 H2

A senior statesman in Ryder Cup terms, Rose will add some much-needed experience to the team in Rome in what will be his sixth appearance. He ended a four-year winless streak in February when claiming the Pebble Beach Pro-am to boost his Ryder Cup hopes and has since performed well enough to earn a captain’s pick, despite missing the cut in the US Open and the Open. After missing out in 2010 and 2018, he has a good Ryder Cup win ratio.

ROBERT MACINTYRE

AGE: 27 | WORLD RANK: 55 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

McIntyre becomes the first Scot to play in the Ryder Cup since Stephen Gallacher’s appearance at Gleneagles in 2014 after finishing sixth in the points list following a supremely consistent season that has seen him secure six top-10 finishes, including a heart-breaking second behind Rory McIlroy in the Scottish Open. The talented left-hander has shown he has a liking for the Ryder Cup course having won the Italian Open there just 12 months ago when he beat Matt Fitzpatrick in a play-off, and he is well worth his place, although this is a considerable jump in class.

TEAM USA

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

CAPTAIN: ZACH JOHNSON | VICE-CAPTAINS: STEWART CINK, FRED COUPLES, JIM FURYK, DAVIS LOVE III, STEVE STRICKER

AVERAGE AGE OF TEAM: 29 | AVERAGE WORLD RANKING 13

AGE: 27 WORLD RANK: 1 | APPEARANCES: 1 (‘21)

RECORD: P3 W3 L0 H0

Scheffler has been the most consistent performer in the top events over the last two years, with his ’22 Masters win coming on the back of three wins in the six-week period before that. Wins at the Phoenix Open and The Players at the start of this year confirmed his status as world no.1 and continued an extraordinary run of results that saw him finish no worse than 12th in 20 consecutive events from November 2022 to his tied third at the Scottish Open in July. A rookie at Whistling Straits in 2021, he could do no more than win all three of his matches, including a 4&2 beating of Jon Rahm in the singles.

BRIAN HARMAN

AGE: 36 WORLD RANK: 9 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Hovering around the top 50 for the past two years, Harman moved up a gear with two runner’s up finishes at the start of the PGA Tour’s season in November last year. After a decent performance in the wind at the Scottish Open, he arrived at the Open Championship as a 250-1 outsider, however, he soon made of those odds look very generous when destroying the field by five shots. Although Marco Simone won’t be anything like the same test as Hoylake, if he has his putting boots on again the world no.9 will be a more than useful rookie to have in the side.

PATRICK CANTLAY

AGE: 31 WORLD RANKING: 5 | APPEARANCES: 1 (‘21)

RECORD: P4 W3 L0 H1

The ultra-consistent Cantlay is one of host of US players who are knocking at the door of major success. Wins at the BMW Championship in 2021 and 2022 boosted his world ranking points, as has eight other top-10 finishes over the last 12 months. His putting makes him a major asset in all formats of the Ryder Cup, where he made an impressive debut in 2021, winning 3.5 points from his four matches – including a 4&2 defeat of Shane Lowry in the singles – and forming an unbeaten partnership with Xander Schauffele, which can expect to be renewed in Rome. His deliberate pace of play won’t excite the fans, but that won’t bother him.

MAX HOMA

AGE: 32 WORLD RANK: 7 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

The 32-year-old Californian has been one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour over the last two years, winning five times since February 2021, with his latest win coming at the Farmers Insurance Open back in January. Since then he has enjoyed an admirably consistent season, bagging seven top-10 finishes and finishing fifth in the Ryder Cup points list to earn one of the six automatic spots on offer. He ranks fifth in strokes gained with the putter on the PGA Tour this season – which is a valuable match play asset.

WYNDHAM CLARK

AGE: 29 WORLD RANK: 11 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Virtually unknown outside of his own family circle before his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in May, Clark made sure the world knew who he was when winning the US Open at LA Country Club in June, where he beat Rory McIlroy by one shot to claim a major title at what was only his eighth attempt. Seemingly unflappable, his cool head will stand him in good stead in the white heat of the Ryder Cup, but he’s yet to play outside of US, barring two unmemorable Open appearances, so it will be interesting to see how his game transitions to Italy and a partisan crowd.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

AGE: 29 WORLD RANKING: 6 | APPEARANCES: 1 (‘21)

RECORD: P4 W3 L1 H0

The Tokyo Olympic gold medallist never seems to be far from the top of the leaderboard most weeks. With six PGA Tour wins to his name, his tied second at the 2019 Masters is beginning to feel like a while ago. Eight top-10s this year point to man in good form, and his impressive debut at Whistling Straits two years ago suggest that he’s cool head to have in pressurised situations. He ranked top-5 in strokes gained with the putter on the PGA Tour this season.

BROOKS KOEPKA

AGE: 33 WORLD RANK: 14 | APPEARANCES: 3 (‘16, ‘18, ‘21) | RECORD: P12 W6 L5 H1

After losing out to Jon Rahm at the Masters, Koepka went one better at the PGA Championship to put himself right in the mix for automatic qualification for the Ryder Cup team season, although ultimately he had to rely on a captain’s pick after missing out on of the six spots by one place after results went against him in the BMW Championship. The winner of two LIV Golf events, most recently in Orlando in April, he arrives in decent form and has a 50% win record from his 12 Ryder Cup matches.

JORDAN SPIETH

AGE: 30 WORLD RANK: 12 | APPEARANCES: 4 (‘14, ‘16, ‘18, ‘21) |

RECORD: P18 W8 L7 H1

One of the six captain’s picks, Spieth will be playing in his fifth consecutive Ryder Cup, the longest current streak among the American contingent. The dual major winner has had a somewhat up-and-down year, with seven top-6 finishes countered by six missed cuts. He lost a play-off to Matt Fitzpatrick at the RBC Heritage in April, a tournament he won in 2022. His career Ryder Cup makes for decent reading, and he has only lost twice in seven outings in fourballs.

COLLIN MORIKAWA

AGE: 26 WORLD RANK: 20 | APPEARANCES: 1

RECORD: P4 W3 L1 H0

Another to gain his place with a captain’s pick, Morikawa burst onto the scene in 2020 when winning the PGA Championship when almost fresh out of college. He followed that up in 2021 by winning the Open at St George’s to announce himself as a rare talent indeed. He showed that he’s no slouch in team golf too when winning all three of his matches when paired with Dustin Johnson and tying his singles with Viktor Hovland in his Ryder Cup debut in 2021. Without a win since the DP World Tour Championship that same year, he arrives in Rome in good form, having finished 4th in the Tour Championship.

RICKIE FOWLER

AGE: 34 WORLD RANK: 25 | APPEARANCES: 5

RECORD: P15 W3 L7 H5

After featuring strongly at the US Open and then bagging his first PGA Tour in four years at last month’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, fan favourite Fowler was always a likely captain’s pick. A mainstay of American team events in the 2010s, Fowler was missing from the last two Presidents Cups and the Americans’ 2021 Ryder Cup. While his RC playing record leaves something to be desired – just 3 wins from 15 matches – his experience and rejuvenated form should be assets for the US team.

SAM BURNS

AGE: 27 WORLD RANK: 21 | APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Burns won the lone match-play event on the PGA TOUR calendar when beating Cameron Young at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March. It’s been a somewhat inconsistent season from there, though. Burns’ T6 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and his T9 at the TOUR Championship were his only top-10 finishes since his win in Austin. This will mark Burns’ first Ryder Cup appearance, and he went 0-3-2 at the Presidents Cup last year.

JUSTIN THOMAS

AGE: 30 WORLD RANK: 26

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P9 W6 L2 H1

After finishing 15th in the Ryder Cup points list, Thomas has done well to get himself a captain’s pick and got through on his popularity with his teammates and his past team performances rather than his current form, which has been uncharacteristically poor during a season which culminated in him missing the FedEx Cup play-offs. He has lost just two of his nine Ryder Cup matches to date.

PING’S RYDER CUP HIGHLIGHTS

PING players and PING equipment have played a pivotal role in the Ryder Cup down the years, from Christy O’Connor’s iconic 2-iron to Seve’s magical Anser putter to Lee Westwood’s record-breaking points tally

CHRISTY O’CONNOR JNR, 1989, THE BELFRY

After failing to record a point for the team in 1975, and being overlooked for the matches in 1985, Christy O’Connor’s selection for the European team in 1989 was met with surprise from many quarters. Losing his only match before the singles, O’Connor had plenty to prove on that nal day at The Belfry.

Paired against Fred Couples, the match was a ding-dong a air, with the scores tied at all-square after 17 holes. Both found the 18th fairway with their tee shots, but O’Connor had 240 yards to the hole, some 100 yards behind Couples. No matter. The 39-year-old Irishman pulled out his trusty PING 2-iron. With European captain Tony Jacklin’s ‘come on Christy, one more good swing for Ireland’ ringing in ears, O’Connor coolly went and hit the shot of his life, with the ball landing on the front of the green and settling some four feet from the cup.

Couples, clearly shaken by his opponent’s magical e ort, half-shanked his approach and ultimately conceded O’Connor’s putt, giving Europe the crucial point needed for a 14-14 tie and the trophy was retained.

O’Connor’s PING 2-iron was later auctioned and raised £50,000 for a hospital in Galway.

SEVE BALLESTEROS, 1987, MUIRFIELD VILLAGE

With his trademark forward press and putter head toe slightly raised in the air, Seve was arguably one of the best putters the game has ever seen. The ve-time major champion used a PING Scottsdale Anser for most of his career, with the model o ering him the perfect combination of sound and feel.

Seve’s highlight with that putter as an individual was undoubtedly the 15-footer he holed for birdie on the 18th hole at St Andrews which brought him victory in the 1984 Open Championship, but the legendary Spaniard also used his Anser to great e ect in the Ryder Cup, and none was more signi cant than in the 1987 matches at Muir eld Village.

With Europe leading 10-6 with the singles to play, Seve was paired in the last match against Curtis Strange, America’s best player. With Team USA staging its traditional Sunday comeback, Seve needed to win his match to secure Europe’s rst ever victory in the US. Two up with two to play, Seve hit his 8-iron approach at the 17th green to 20 feet and used his Ping putter to lag it to within gimme distance. Strange could do no better than par, and the match was Seve’s, which took Europe to 14.5 points and history was made.

LEE WESTWOOD, RYDER CUP STALWART 1997-2021

Alongside Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood is the Ryder Cup personi ed over the last 20-odd years, with the Englishman making his 11th and nal appearance at Whistling Straits in 2021 following his debut at Valderrama in 1997, a gure only matched by Sir Nick Faldo.

His playing record of 21 wins from 47 matches, with 20 losses and six halves, makes for decent reading, as does his record of being on seven winning teams. He was unbeaten throughout the matches 2004 and 2006, winning seven ties and halving the remaining three. Although still someway short of Raymond Floyd’s record of being the oldest Ryder Cup player - 51 – Westwood was more twice the age of some of his rivals in 2021 when he teed it up aged 48.

A lifelong PING sta player, Westwood currently has 49 career wins to his name, including 25 European Tour titles and two PGA Tour titles. He has won the European money list three times, with a 20-year gap between his rst order of merit in 2000, and his most recent in 2020. Following his victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2020, he also has the distinction of having won in four di erent decades, with his rst professional win coming at the 1996 Scandinavian Masters. During the height of his powers, Westwood spent over seven years in the world’s top 10 and held the world no.1 spot for 22 weeks during the 2010-11 season.

SEVE WAS ONE OF THE BEST PUTTERS THE GAME HAS EVER SEEN

THE ITALIAN GOLF BRAND SINCE 1982

SOLHEIM CUP 2023

MEET THE TEAMS

Detailed profiles of the European and US squads

LEONA

MAGUIRE IN PROFILE

Irish star out to extend unbeaten Solheim run

SHOWDOWN IN SPAIN Europe bid for hat-trick of wins

COURSE GUIDE Get to know Finca Cortesin

WHO WILL REIGN IN SPAIN?

History awaits Team Europe at the 2023 Solheim Cup as the defending champions bid to make it an historic hat-trick of victories against Team USA under sunny Spanish skies at Finca Cortesin

While just over half of the players currently inside the top 50 of the women’s world rankings are from outside of Europe or the United States of America, it is a biennial transatlantic tussle between players from these two continents/countries that continues to dominate the discourse and be considered the showpiece event of the women’s professional circuit outside of the ve major championships.

Where once it was considered something of a one-sided a air – USA won eight out of the rst 11 matches – the Solheim Cup is very much a needle a air these days, with Europe having won four of the last six, and arriving in Spain this month seeking an historic third win on the bounce, something that Europe has never achieved before.

And with US players occupying the top two in the world rankings, and having won three of this season’s ve majors, and France’s Celine Boutier having captured one of the remaining two, the 2023 Solheim Cup is packed with serious star quality, and recent tour winners, all of whom will be looking to prove that they are great team

players as well as being individual champions.

Spain will stage the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup for the very rst time this year, a be tting host nation renowned for its passionate, ery atmosphere and deep admiration for the game of golf.

Having produced seven Solheim Cup stars since the biennial tournament was established back in 1990 – Carlota Ciganda, Azahara Muñoz, Raquel Carriedo, Paula Martí, Ana Belén Sánchez, Beatriz Recari and Tania Elósegui – Spain will host their rst edition of the event at Finca Cortesín Golf Club in Andalucia, world-renowned as high class match play venue, having previously staging three World Matchplay Championships on the European Tour.

On top of looking to complete a Solheim Cup hat-trick, Team Europe will also be seeking to reduce the overall series de cit once again, with the United States currently leading the series 10-7.

■ LEFT: US CAPTAIN STACY LEWIS

■ BELOW: PING CHAIRMAN JOHN SOLHEIM PRESENTS CATRIONA MATTHEW WITH THE SOLHEIM CUP TROPHY IN 2021

EUROPE FIREPOWER

Suzanne Pettersen, the captain of the European team, will have plenty of experience at her disposal as she chases the ‘three-peat’, with English duo Georgia Hall and Charley Hull about to tee it up for their fourth and sixth editions respectively, while Carlotta Ciganda, Caroline Hedwall and Anna Nordquist, all of whom were captain’s picks, will be lining up for the sixth, seventh and eighth appearances. While all ve players will no doubt provide a steady hand on the tiller, the reworks are more likely to come from young newcomers Maja Stark and Linn Grant, both of whom have been tearing it up on the Ladies European Tour of late and seem to show no fear in stroke play competition, although it remains to be seen whether that form will translate to white heat of the team match play format.

OUT FOR REVENGE

Standing in Pettersen’s way, for what we now know will be the rst of two captain’s stints, is America’s Stacy Lewis, who, like her European counterpart, has been con rmed as skipper for next year’s Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, as the matches seek to return to the even years to rule out further clashes with the Ryder Cup.

While Pettersen’s team contains four captain’s picks, Lewis’s US team contains just two, Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight, with the other 10 picked on merit – eight qualifying from the LPGA Tour points list and two more from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings who have not already quali ed through the points standings. This ensures a team packed with form players, as well as those who have played well in this season’s biggest events.

WATCHING THE SOLHEIM CUP ON SKY

Sky Sports will have live coverage of the Solheim Cup for all three days, plus daily highlights, previews and a host of extra programming. For more details visit sky.com.

None come bigger than the majors and world no.1 Lilia Vu has won two of them this year, winning the Chevron Championship and the Open Championship, the latter by an impressive six shots at Walton Heath just a few weeks ago. Lewis’s repower has also been boosted by having World No.2 and Olympic gold medallist Nelly Korda back in full health and playing as well as she ever has. Recently recovered from a blood clot in her right arm, the one-time major winner is seeking to avenge the losses of 2019 and 2021 alongside sister Jessica and fellow major winners Danielle Kang, Jennifer Kupcho and Lexi Thompson – the latter coming in as America’s most experienced player with ve Solheim Cup appearances.

Asked about what it will take to turn around the USA’s recent losses, Lewis is under no illusion that it’s about who is able to handle the pressure and who holes those key putts, whether they’re for pars or birdies.

“It comes down to making putts,” Lewis said. “We didn’t do enough of that at Inverness. That’s what I talked about, being in these last groups and learning how to handle the pressure and the emotions of it. That’s really what the putting comes down to.

Elsewhere, Leona Maguire, fresh from her breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour in June, will no doubt be looking to build on the stunning start to her Solheim career she enjoyed in 2021, when she bagged 4.5 points on her debut in the away matches in Ohio.

Europe’s nail-biting 15-13 win in Toledo two years ago was all the more impressive considering that virtually no European fans were able to make the journey over to the USA due to Covid travel restrictions, but this time they can bank on thousands of supporters from all over the continent and the UK making the pilgrimage to Finca Cortesin to cheer on their team.

Maguire said: “It’s going to be a very di erent one this year on home soil in Spain. I was a rookie last time, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was just happy to be there and make the team. This time I feel like I belong, and I know that I have the game to take on and beat the best. It will be great to have that home support, and also to get the crowds back after last time when the fans were not allowed to travel.”

Georgia Hall is another who is particularly bullish about Europe’s chances this year, and even thinks that they are the stronger team, regardless of what the world rankings might suggest. “I think we’re going to have the best team on paper this time. It’s been a while since we were. But we have an amazing captain again in Suzann, who is a erce competitor, and I think she’ll be a erce captain, too. To get three in a row would be incredible.”

If you look at your best clutch putters over time, they have a lot of experience winning golf tournaments,” Lewis said. “They’re putting themselves in contention. They’re giving themselves opportunities to win. I look at last year’s European team, and as a team, they had a lot of wins. Whether it be LPGA or LET, they had won a lot more golf tournaments than our team. A lot can be said about having that experience and knowing what that feels like.”

For the latest information, including late ticket availability, visit www.solheimcup2023.eu and follow @SolheimCup2023 on social media.

■ FINCA CORTESIN IS THE HOST VENUE FOR THE FIRST STAGING OF THE SOLHEIM CUP IN SPAIN

MAGIC MAGUIRE

Top-ranked Irish golfer Leona Maguire talks about her hopes for a European win at the upcoming Solheim Cup, what it means for the 28-year-old to represent her country and her continent, and how she’s finding life competing on two tours

How much are you looking forward to being part of Team Europe again for the upcoming Solheim Cup matches? And what kind of form do you feel that the team looks to be in right now?

I’m really looking forward to it. I love match play golf, as it kind of brings out the competitor in me. Going head-to-head with one player, or a couple of players, rather than a whole eld, gives it an intensity that I love. So, yes, I can’t wait to get to Spain and to get stuck in.

A lot of Europeans are playing well. Celine [Boutier] has won three times this season and twice in recent weeks, Charley [Hull] won in the US last year, Georgia [Hall} has had a good season, and the Swedish players are all playing very well, so the core of the team looks strong. There are couple of new faces in there, such as Linn [Grant] and Gemma [Dryburgh], as well as some more experienced ones like Carlota [Ciganda] and Caroline [Hedwall], so I think we’ve got a nice balance to the team.

I know the American team will be strong too. Lilia Vu has won three times, including a major, and Nelly Korda is playing well, so they’ll be a tough proposition. Like any year, on paper the US team probably looks a bit stronger, but when it comes down to it, both teams will be really competitive. We have a great captain in Suzann [Pettersen] and I’m sure she’ll have no problem in getting us all red up for it.

How did it feel to be chosen as a wildcard in 2021 and come out with 4.5 points and help Europe to a famous away win?

That just gave me the con dence to know that I could compete with the best and, on my day, beat them. We got under the Americans’ skin that week. Everything on paper suggested it would be

a whitewash, but we went toe-to-toe with them, with hardly any support because of the Covid travel restrictions, and it told me that my game is good enough to beat these girls.

You enjoyed your breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour last season with victory at the LPGA Drive On Championship and followed that up with a win at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June. How would you assess your season so far?

It’s been a strange season, a little stop-start to begin with, but I’ve played some really good golf for the most part. I had some decent nishes early in the season, and then I was fortunate enough to get the win in June, and I’ve kind of just kicked on from there.

All the majors were packed very tightly into a few weeks, so it was important to nd your form and keep that momentum going, and although I played OK in them, I never really threatened except for the PGA Championship, where I was leading going into the nal round and just ran out of gas. I think the win the week before took a lot out of me. I was quite drained come Sunday and just didn’t have enough in the tank to get over the line.

It was obviously a new experience for me to be in in the lead and in the last group on Sunday of a major, with all the emotions that went along with that. I’d like to think that if I get myself in that position again, I’ll approach it a little di erently and I’ll have learned from that experience.

While you obviously want to perform well in all your events, do you try and build your schedule around peaking for the majors? And if so, is there any science to that?

A lot of it comes through experience, guring out what works and what doesn’t work. So, you get con dence in knowing that you are well prepared,

and you’ve been working on the right things. On top of that you’ve got to be mentally prepared for the challenge and that kind of gets easier the more you play in those top events. You never really know when it’s going to be your week, so you just want to be in the best possible shape when the opportunity arises so that you’re ready to grab it with both hands.

What do you feel that it will take to make that Major breakthrough?

If you break it down, it’s just four rounds of golf. I’ve had top 10s in the Majors and held the lead after individual rounds at the Majors, so it’s not a million miles away, is it? I’ll embrace the challenge, but you can’t let yourself think what it would mean, you can’t project.

Are there any speci c things you’re working with on your game at the moment?

I’m trying to make improvements all the time in all aspects of my game. My driving was something that my coach and I paid particular attention to earlier in the year, getting the accuracy up, but I’ve also been working on my iron play and my putting more recently, so there’s never anything you can be totally happy with.

How have you found competing in Europe and the States?

Yeah, I’ve clocked up a few miles going back and forth around the world, that’s for sure. The main challenge is getting used to the contrasting course conditions – preparing yourself for putting on di erent green speeds and encountering di erent types of rough, that kind of thing. A lot of the courses are still new to me, so there’s also that to contend with.

I LOVE MATCH PLAY GOLF, AS IT KIND OF BRINGS OUT THE COMPETITOR IN ME

The women’s professional game seems to be breaking new ground in that some key tournaments are being held at iconic venues that have traditionally mainly hosted men’s events like Pebble Beach, Baltrusol, and most recently, Walton Heath for the Women’s Open. Is that something you’ve noticed or been excited by?

Yes, there have been a lot of great venues this year. I think that’s the exciting thing for us. Shadow Creek for the Matchplay was a great test, while Liberty National was fantastic as well. Obviously, Pebble Beach, Baltrusol, Walton Heath, they’re all big venues where I’ve grown up watching the lads play, so one of the more exciting things about our schedule this year is the quality of the courses we’re now starting to go to.

I’d never been to Pebble Beach before, and it’s one of those places that all golfers would love to play one round, so we were fortunate enough to play a whole week around there. It was great fun, and I think we will hopefully continue to be challenged on the world’s top courses.

How do you feel about the direction the women’s professional game is going in general?

I suppose our tours are not quite as glamorous as the lads. We’re not staying in ve-star hotels every week with our chefs and physios, but at the same time we’re very lucky to get to do what we do. And the events are improving all the time. The prize money is better, we’re getting treated better, and they’re putting a lot more e ort into the whole player experience, so I really don’t have much to complain about.

As Ireland’s top-ranked women golfer, and the expectations that come with that, can you relate to the pressures that Rory McIlroy is under to live up to the hype?

Rory has a lot more resting on his shoulders than I do, but all professional players put pressure on themselves to be the best they can be. When things are going well, it’s all very easy and very rosy, but when you’re struggling to play as well as you know you can, it’s obviously a lot tougher.

I’ve been pretty lucky throughout my career, I suppose. Obviously, I missed Q-School the year I turned pro, which was de nitely a big disappointment, and I had to dust myself o pretty quickly after that and get on with things.

Di erent people react to di erent adversities in di erent ways, but I’ve always been fortunate to have good friends and a supportive family, and my entire team has helped me along this journey.

FACTFILE

AGE: 28

BORN: County Cavan, Northern Ireland

TURNED PRO: 2018

WORLD RANKING: 14

AMATEUR WINS: 2011 Irish Women’s

Amateur, 2011 Portuguese Ladies Amateur, 2011 Irish Women’s Stroke Play, 2012 Irish Girls Open, 2012 Irish Women’s Amateur, 2017 British Ladies Amateur

PRO WINS: 4 (2 LPGA TOUR, 2 SYMETRA

TOUR) – 2019 Symetra Classic, 2019

Windsor Golf Classic, 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship, 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic)

CARRER TOP 10s: 19

BEST MAJOR FINISHES: T4 2022 Women’s Open, T6 2021 Evian Championship, T8 US Women’s Open, T11 2023 Women’s PGA Championship

CAREER EARNINGS: $3.9m

TEAM APPEARANCES: 2015 & 2017

Vagliano Trophy, 2016 & 2021 Olympics, 2021 Solheim Cup

We’re the ones who hit the shots, but there are a lot of people behind the scenes that help make our lives a bit easier. It’s all a balance and accepting it’s not always easy. Even if you’re one of the best players in the world, it’s not always going to be going well, so you have to not get too high with the highs and not get too low with the lows.

You have a degree in psychology. Has that helped with your mental approach to the game at all?

I have my degree, but I’m certainly no expert in it. A lot of my con dence comes from knowing that I’m as prepared as I possibly can be going into every single event. It’s a whole mix of everything. I’ve never consistently worked with sports psychologists. I’ve read bits and pieces and I’ve talked to di erent people along the way. I’ve picked Paul McGinley’s brains. I’ve picked Padraig Harrington’s brains. I’ve had chats with Graeme McDowell, and I generally ask questions whenever and wherever I can. I think you just pile it all together and pick which bits suit you at a particular moment in time. That’s the thing about golf – and psychology in general – you’ve just got to gure out what works best for you. I don’t think there’s any magic bullet.

You’ve just played in the two events in front of your home fans at Galgorm Castle for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational and at Dromoland for the Women’s Irish Open. What was it like to play in front of that kind of support? It was great. The World Invitational seemed a much bigger event than last year, and we had some players over from the LPGA Tour and we were competing for the same prize money as the lads. I think the biggest thing was the crowds and the support I had at both events. That was unbelievable. To play in front of home fans for a few weeks was a nice way to cap o a busy and exciting summer, and a great way to prepare for the noise and the support that we’ll hopefully get at the Solheim Cup.

WHAT’S IN LEONA’S BAG?

DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (10.5°)

WOODS: Ping G430 Max 3 (15°), Ping G425 Max 5 (17.5°), 9 (23.5°)

HYBRIDS: Ping G425 (22°, 26°, 30°)

IRONS: Ping i210 (7-UW)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM7 (55°, 60°)

PUTTER: Ping Vault Ketsch 2.0

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

■ UP FOR THE CUP: MAGUIRE WAS UNBEATEN IN HER FIVE MATCHES ON HER SOLHEIM CUP DEBUT IN 2021

A LOT OF MY CONFIDENCE COMES FROM KNOWING THAT I’M AS PREPARED AS I POSSIBLY CAN BE

■ MAGUIRE ENJOYED STRONG SUPPORT FROM LOCAL FANS WHEN PLAYING IN NORTHERN IRELAND LAST MONTH

TEAM EUROPE

CELINE BOUTIER (FR)

AGE: 29 WORLD RANKING: 3

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD P7 W5 L1 H1

CAPTAIN: SUZANN PETTERSEN

VICE-CAPTAINS: ANNA NORDQVIST LAURA DAVIES, CAROLINE MARTENS

AVERAGE AGE OF TEAM: 29 AVERAGE WORLD RANKING: 41

CARLOTA CIGANDA (SPN)

AGE: 33 WORLD RANKING: 33

APPEARANCES: 5 RECORD P19 W7 L8 H4

Boutier topped the Solheim Cup points standings thanks in part to her back-to-back victories at The Evian and the Women’s Scottish Open earlier this summer. She made an impressive Solheim Cup debut in 2019, where she won four from four at Gleneagles, and is a two-time winner after winning 1.5 in Ohio in 2021. In the form of her life, it would be a major surprise if the world no.3 didn’t play in all five matches.

MAJA STARK (SWE)

AGE: 23 WORLD RANKING: 40

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Stark, who clinched the second spot in the qualification list, turned pro just two years ago but has already won six times on the LET, including the 2022 ISPS HANDA World Invitational, which secured her membership of the LPGA Tour. The 23-yearold was part of the Junior Solheim Cup team in 2017 and will now be teeing it up as a rookie in the senior event, and can expect to be paired up with a more experienced partner in the fourballs and foursomes.

CHARLEY HULL (ENG)

AGE: 27 WORLD RANKING: 9

APPEARANCES: 5 RECORD P19 W11 L5 H0

This will be Hull’s sixth consecutive Solheim Cup, having made her debut in 2013 aged just 17. She has been on the winning team three times and has a 65% win record, bagging 12.5pts from her 19 matches. A long hitter with an excellent short game, Hull has a superb foursomes record – just one defeat from seven matches ¬– and will not want to be sitting out any of the sessions. Two runner-up finishes in this year’s majors will have been frustrating for her personally, but she can put that behind her with a team win here.

LEONA MAGUIRE (IRE)

AGE: 28 WORLD RANKING: 14

APPEARANCES: 1 RECORD P5 W4 L0 H1

After an outstanding rookie performance in Toledo in 2021, where she earned 4.5 points out of 5, Maguire joins Team Europe having won two LPGA Tour events in the last 18 months and risen to 14 in the world rankings. A fierce competitor who loves the cut and thrust of match play, her captain will be expecting her to play a leading role in retaining the cup for the home side.

GEORGIA HALL (ENG)

AGE: 27 WORLD RANKING: 16

APPEARANCES: 3 RECORD P13 W7 L5 H0

Hall will be making her fourth Solheim appearance after making her debut in 2017 and being on the winning team for the past two. She has not enjoyed her most productive seasons by her own high standards, but seven-10s, including two runnerup finishes at the start of the year, have seen her maintain her position inside the world’s top 20. She won all four of her matches in 2019, but just one in 2021, so will be looking to improve on that stat as Europe goes in search of a third straight win.

LINN GRANT (SWE)

AGE: 24 WORLD RANKING: 19

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

One of three rookies in the team, the Swedish star has won five times on the LET in the past two seasons including at the 2022 Scandinavian Mixed where she became the first woman to win a DP World Tour event, and she recently secured her maiden victory on the LPGA Tour at the Dana Open in July. It will be interesting to see who see gets paired up with in the foursomes and formats, especially given that there are three other Swedes in the team.

The 33-year-old from Pamplona will be making her sixth consecutive appearance in the Solheim Cup and will keen to put in a strong performance in front of her home fans. She has lost more Solheim matches than she has won – and has only won four of his last 16 matches – but she will arrive in Spain in decent form, having won an Aramco Team Series event in May and secured six top-20 finishes in her last eight starts.

ANNA NORDQVIST (SWE)

AGE: 36 WORLD RANKING: 37

APPEARANCES: 8 RECORD P27 W14 L10 H3

The experienced Swede will be performing the unusual role of a playing vice-captain in Spain after she secured her place in the final automatic qualifying spot via the world rankings. She will be making her eighth consecutive appearance in the competition having won 15.5 points from 27 matches and could be a solid partner for either of the two young Swedish rookies.

GEMMA DRYBURGH (SCO)

AGE: 30 WORLD RANKING: 48

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

A captain’s pick, Dryburgh has taken time to break into the upper echelons of the game but she did that in fine style when winning the LPGA Tour’s Toto Japan Classic in November last year. Since then, the Scot has enjoyed a consistent run of results competing across both tours, with just two missed cuts from 17 events, and with an eighth-place finish at the Evian Championship being her best performance of the year. Likely to play two or three matches at most given her lack of experience.

MADELENE SAGSTRÖM (SWE)

AGE: 30 WORLD RANKING: 42

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P6 W2 L4 H0

This will be Sagström’s third appearance in the Solheim, having made her debut in 2017 and being part of the winning team last time out in Toledo, but it will be a her first appearance on European soil. A captain’s pick, it is slightly worrying that she has missed the cut in three of her last four events, but prior to that she had a decent run of results and had a good season in 2022. The Swede won both her Solheim singles, but lost all four matches in the other formats.

EMILY KRISTINE PEDERSEN (DEN)

AGE: 27 WORLD RANKING: 114

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P7 W3 L4 H0

Dividing her time between the LET and LPGA Tour, Pedersen is five-time winner on the former. She will be teeing it up in her third Solheim Cup after she made her debut in 2017 – where she lost all three of her matches – and rolled in the putt that sealed victory on American soil in 2021. With her last victory coming at the Spanish Open in 2020, she has experience a far from stellar season to date, with her one and only top 10 coming in February at the Saudi Ladies Invitational.

CAROLINE HEDWALL (SWE)

AGE: 34 WORLD RANKING: 120

APPEARANCES: 4 RECORD: P15 W8 L6 H0

Probably the final captain’s pick based on her lowly world ranking, Hedwall hasn’t played in the Solheim since losing both of her two matches in 2019, while picking up just one point in 2017. The big-hitting Swede secured her seventh LET title, the Andalucía Open de España, at the end of last season, so is no stranger to winning in this part of the world, but she will have to recover the match play form that saw her bag the maximum five points in 2013 if she is to justify her selection this time around.

TEAM USA

LILIA VU

AGE: 25 WORLD RANKING: 1

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

CAPTAIN: STACY LEWIS

VICE-CAPTAINS: ANGELA STANFORD, MORGAN PRESSEL, NATALIE GULBIS

AVERAGE AGE OF TEAM: 26 AVERAGE WORLD Ranking: 25

LEXI THOMPSON

AGE: 28 WORLD RANKING: 21

APPEARANCES: 5 RECORD: P19 W6 L7 H7

NELLY KORDA

The former world amateur no.1 turned professional in 2019, and after missing the cut in her eight of her rst nine events on the LPGA Tour considered giving up the professional game. Unfortunately for her rivals she changed her mind and is now no.1 in the world following a string of victories this year, including two majors – the Chevron Championship and at the Women’s Open at Walton Heath last month, where she won by six shots.

AGE: 25 WORLD RANKING: 2

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P8 W5 L2 H

The youngest of the Korda sisters, Nelly has 12 international victories, her best season being in 2021, the year she won four times, including her rst Major and a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics. This season she has won the Aramco Team Series event at Centurion Club and bag seven other top nishes. Supremely consistent, she has a strong Solheim Cup record, but will be without her sister Jessica as a natural partner this time around.

ALLISEN CORPUZ

AGE: 27 WORLD RANKING: 8

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

After turning pro at the relatively late age of 25 following her appearance in the 2021 Curtis Cup, Corpuz made her rst tour victory a big one when capturing the US Open at Pebble Beach in June, which saw her shoot up the world rankings. Fourth at the Chevron and sixth at the Women’s Open, she’s clearly a big match performer and must be one of highest ranked rookies ever to play in the Solheim Cup.

MEGAN KHANG

AGE: 25 WORLD RANKING: 27

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P6 W1 L3 H2

Khang quali ed for the 2012 US Women’s Open at the age of 14 and played on the US Junior Solheim Cup team in 2015. She graduated to the LPGA Tour in 2016, but it has taken until last month to record her rst win, which came at the CPKC Women’s Open the day before the Solheim Cup team was announced. She has had three top 10s this season, but all of them were at Majors. She has won just two points for her two Solheim Cup appearances.

JENNIFER KUPCHO

AGE: 26 WORLD RANKING: 28

APPEARANCES: 1 RECORD: P4 W2 L1 H1

Another of the US team’s former world no.1 amateurs, Kupcho won of the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 and turned pro shortly after. She won her rst Major in 2022 at The Chevron Championship with two holes in one and breaking the record for lowest 54-hole score at 16 under par. She recorded two other wins that year, but is winless in 2023, missed the cut in four of the ve majors and has just two 10- nishes. A Solheim rookie in 2021, she won 2.5 points from her four matches.

DANIELLE KANG

AGE: 30 WORLD RANKING: 29

APPEARANCES: 3 RECORD: P12 W5 L7 H0

Kang won the Women’s Amateur in 2011 and 2012 and has six LPGA victories on her CV, including the 2017 Women’s PGA Championship. She has had three top-10 nishes this season with a best third in the Women’s World Championship, but has missed the cut in three of her last four events. She has lost more Solheim Cup matches than she had won.

ROSE ZHANG

Playing in her sixth Solheim Cup, Thompson is by far the most experienced member of this year’s US team, with 19 matches under her belt going back to 2013. The Floridian has been on the winning side twice and has won six matches in total. With 13 career pro wins, including one major (2014 Kraft Nabisco), she has not done a great deal this season, missing ve cuts in her last eight events and a best placed third in the Saudi Ladies International.

AGE: 20 WORLD RANKING: 31

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

Zhang signed o from a stellar amateur career with victory at this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur, after winning the US Amateur in 2020. Turning professional in May, she won the rst tournament she played, the Mizuho Americas Open and has since gone on to nish inside the top 10 in the last three majors. A veteran of two Junior Solheim Cups in 2017 and 2019, both of which the US won, she can expect to play in at least four matches in Spain, if not all ve.

ANGEL YIN

AGE: 24 WORLD RANKING: 32

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P6 W3 L2 H1

A two-time winner of the Junior World Golf Championship at age 8 and 12, she turned pro in 2016 and won her rst and to date only tournament win at the co-sanctioned Dubai Ladies Classic in 2017. This season she has tied for second in the Chevron and nished sixth at the Women’s Open last month. She played in the 2015 Solheim Cup and has a 50% percentage in her six matches in the main event, although has been on the losing side both times.

ANDREA LEE

AGE: 25 WORLD RANKING: 43

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

A winner of 50 amateur titles in her junior and college career, Lee is former Curtis Cup, Junior Ryder Cup and Junior Solheim Cup player. She turned pro in 2019 and to date has recorded just one win at the Portland Classic in 2022. This year she has missed the cut in seven of her 16 appearances but has three top-15s in her last three, including ninth at the Women’s Open.

ALLY EWING

AGE: 30 WORLD RANKING: 34

APPEARANCES: 2 RECORD: P8 W2 L5 H1

After a successful amateur career Ewing turned pro in 2015 and has played on the LPGA since 2017, garnering three wins, the most recent of which was . This season has seen her bag four top-10 nishes, including a tied sixth at last month’s Women’s Open. A late call up for the Solheim Cup in 2919 due to Stacy Lewis’ injury, she is one of two captain’s picks, and seems unlikely to play a major role in this year’s matches.

CHEYENNE KNIGHT

AGE: 26 WORLD RANKING: 44

APPEARANCES: ROOKIE

The second of Lewis’s captain’s picks, Knight is the lowest world ranked player in the US squad, but the fact that she is still well inside the world’s top 50 highlights the strength in depth of the team. After turning professional in 2018, she has two LPGA wins to her name, the most recent coming at the Great Lakes Invitational just six weeks ago. Yet to have a top-10 in 22 major appearances, she may play just two or three matches in Spain for what will be her debut Solheim Cup.

FINCA CORTESIN COURSE GUIDE

With big changes in elevation, swathes of sand, and fast, undulating greens, Finca Cortesin’s championship layout is set to present a stern match play test for Europe and America’s finest female golfers

Famed architect Cabell Robinson said that he set out to create a golf course where ‘no hole is less than championship quality’ when he came up with the design for Finca Cortesin. The man was true to his word, and the layout that he fashioned in the foothills of the Estepona Mountains is every inch the championship examination.

Ranked the sixth best course in Spain by the trusted reviewers at Top100Courses.com, Finca Cortesin, which first opened in 2007, is also one of the longest on the continent, measuring 7,500 yards from the back tees, although it will be play significantly shorter for the Solheim Cup. Characterised by large, undulating greens, wide fairways, severe inclines and heavy bunkering, with over 100 traps lying in wait, it will provide a suitably strong test for the two teams set to do battle on its pristine surfaces later this month.

Redesigned for the Solheim Cup, the short par-four 4th is being played as the first to ensure there is drama right from the off, with the hole featuring a riskand-reward tee shot over a lake that guards the front of the green.

After the par-3 third, the course gets into its stride at the fourth, a superb par five that plays around a lake that will tempt big hitters to go for the green in two; that is followed by tricky par 4 of around 340 yards that plays from an elevated tee to a green with water front left.

The middle section of the course ramps up the challenge and begins with a monster par four at 7 whose fairway is wide but peppered with bunkers, while the 8th presents a lengthy par five to a tight fairway that will require righthanders to hit a fade to avoid yet more sand. The 9th is short par four that takes players back to the clubhouse and on paper looks fairly straightforward, but the elevated green presents a narrow target, and anything offline will make for a difficult up-anddown.

The par-3 10th serves up great views of the Estepona Mountains from an elevated tee, but the players will have to keep their focus on finding the narrow Spanish guitarshaped green, which is well protected by bunkers on the right.

The next, the par-5

11th, will require players to lean on their shot-shaping skills, with this doubledogleg presenting a challenge for those who can only hit a draw or a fade. The second shot is semi-blind to a small landing area protected with bunkers on the left and a stream running along the right side.

After another drop-down par 3 at 12, Finca Cortesin’s 13th is a gem of a par four, with a creek running down the left of the fairway that then cuts in across the front of a green. Bunkers right and left complete what is one of Spain’s most beautiful approach shots. The green is large and sloping, allowing for several different pin positions.

The 14th offers brief respite, a short par 4 with a wide fairway and a big green that should be won with a birdie, before moving on to the testing 15th, a much longer par 4 that demands a drive over a ravine, then a second shot off a hanging lie to a sloping green. A par here will often be good enough to win the hole.

After a par four and a par three, the rounds concludes with a reachable par-five that will provide plenty of drama for matches that go the distance. The widest fairway on the course gives big hitters license to open their shoulders, but the second shot leaves many options. Big hitters searching for an eagle have a very small green to aim for and out-of-bounds on the left, and a bunker and bushes to the right, while those that lay up will have to produce a pin-point chip to set up a closing birdie.

With wind always likely to be a factor on this hill-top venue, club selection and the ability to control ball flight will be at a premium on this most challenging of courses, and whoever does that, and finds some form with the putter the fast yet pure greens, will prosper. Fail to do that, and big numbers await.

■ 6TH HOLE

■ THE GREEN AT THE PAR-4 9TH PRESENTS A SMALL TARGET

■ THE 12TH IS A DROP-DOWN PAR THREE WITH LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR

■ HOW MANY MATCHES WILL MAKE IT TO THE PAR-5 18TH?

PING JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP

Following its first away win in 2021, Europe’s Junior Solheim Cup team will be looking to maintain its winning ways in the match’s first appearance in Spain with the help of four Spanish players and a French captain

While the European Solheim Cup team will be looking to capture its third victory in the biennial match against the USA at this year’s match at Finca Cortesin, just 25 miles up the Spanish coast at La Zagaleta, Europe’s talented junior amateur female golfers will be taking on their American counterparts in the 12th renewal of the Ping Junior Solheim Cup.

The event, which was conceived by Ping chairman John Solheim, has grown from strength to strength since it began in 2002. With the support of PING and the Solheim family, the competition has developed a reputation for showcasing the best female juniors, many of whom have gone on to become world-class players and compete in the professional adult event.

Europe’s 12-strong team is being captained by France’s Gwladys Nocera, herself a three-time Solheim Cup player. Six players qualified through a ranking system, while the remaining half of the team were picked by the captain. A total of seven players from the winning team in 2021 return for the 2023 renewal.

The visiting US team is being led by five-time major champion Amy Alcott, and they will be looking to win back the cup that they lost in Ohio in 2021, when Europe ran out narrow 13-11 winners. Prior to that Team USA had won six matches on the bounce, while Europe had won

TEAM EUROPE

Rocío Tejedo (Sp), Nora Sundberg (Swe), Meja Örtengren (Swe), Helen Briem (Ger), Andrea Revuelta (Sp), Savannah De Bock (Bel), Cloe Amión (Sp), Anna Cañadó (Sp), Francesca Fiorellini (It), Denisa Vodickova (Chechia)

TEAM USA

Anna Davis, Gianna Clemente, Asterisk Talley, Yana Wilson, Leigh Chien, Gracie McGovern, Elizabeth Rudisill, Irene Kim, Ryleigh Knaub, Kathryn Ha.

just twice in the years before that, with the 2011 matches ending in a tie. The US team comprises 10 players from a season-long qualifying points list and just two captain’s picks.

This year’s renewal is taking place La Zagaleta from September 18-19, just before the main event at Finca Cortesin, marking the first time that the tournament has been held in Spain.

Spain’s Rocío Tejedo topped the European ranking and is looking forward to be playing in her

first PING Junior Solheim Cup on home soil and in front of local fans. She said: “It’s a dream come true and it has been the highest of my goals this season. Being in the team with some of the other Spaniards and other very good players from Europe will be just amazing. It will also be great to experience the full Solheim Cup week and to meet new friends from the US team. Overall, it will be an exciting experience and we will do our very best to win.”

Swedish duo Nora Sundberg and Meja Örtengren finished second and third in the rankings and will each be playing in the competition for the second time having been part of the winning European team in Ohio in 2021. Germany’s Helen Briem will also be making her second consecutive appearance having finished qualification in style winning the final qualifying event, the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship. The final two automatic qualifiers were Spain’s Andrea Revuelta and Belgium’s Savannah De Bock, both were part of the winning team last time out.

Spain will have a total of four players in the team with Cloe Amión and Anna Cañadó being chosen as picks. Italy’s Francesca Fiorellini and Czechia’s Denisa Vodickova will be making their second appearances in the contest, and they will be joined by Switzerland’s Yana Beeli and Sweden’s Josefin Widal.

PING will once again be supplying team apparel and golf bags for both sides as part of its role as an official partner and headline sponsor for the event, as the company shows its continued commitment to supporting some of the future stars within the game.

The Ping Junior Solheim Cup takes place from September 18-19 at La Zagaleta in Spain. For more details, visit www.solheimcup.com.

Lisa Lovatt, Managing Director of PING Europe, commented: “Supporting junior golf, and the Junior Solheim Cup in particular, is something we are incredibly passionate about. Our team has worked hard to provide both teams with the uniforms they need to look and perform their best and we’re excited to see the event unfold.”

■ SPAIN’S ROCIO TEJEDO HAS ENJOYED AN IMPRESSIVE SEASON ON THE EUROPEAN AMATEUR CIRCUIT

■ TOP-RANKED US TEAM QUALIFIER ANNA DAVIS

■ FRANCE’S GWLADYS NOCERA WILL CAPTAIN TEAM EUROPE AT LA ZAGALETA

SERVING IT UP ON THE GOLF COURSE

Professional tennis has long had a close relationship with golf, with many of its top stars being as comfortable on the course as they are on court. April Tod looks at some of the racquet sport’s leading lights with a club in hand

Some say golf and tennis go hand in hand, but in terms of ball control the two clearly overlap, yet far more tennis players are keen to play golf than their are golfers who spasmodically pick up a tennis racket for hits and a giggles.

And this is by no means a recent occurrence, for decades professional tennis players frequently swapped tennis rackets for golf clubs mainly to get away from the pressures of competitive tennis and occasionally gracing some of the world’s most famous golf courses.

Former world number one Ivan Lendl, a fanatical amateur golfer, attempted to join the PGA Tuor after retiring from tennis, but never quite made it the top no matter how hard he tried to perfect his game. He once competed in the Austrian Open alongside top pros and realised all too soon the need for pin-point accuracy to get anywhere near the top echelons of the sport. Undeterred, he still competes in low-key Pro-Am competitions, although very much as an amateur.

On the other hand, former number one,Australian tennis phenomenon Ash Barty, is a dab hand at several ball sports, including cricket, and is also a scratch golfer. She surprised everyone when at 25 she announced her retirement from tennis to concentrate on golf. After successfully competing in the Icons Series, golf is temporarily on the back burner after she and husband Gary announced they were expecting their first child, but talents with a club in hand are not to be dimissed lightly.

Other former tennis aces who are handy with a pitching wedge, include former British no.1 Tim Henman, who has a plus-one handicap and

once shot 69 at Augusta. Tim, along with younger brother Richard, learnt to play as youngsters with their parents, but it’s Tim low-keyed approach to his golf prowess that often surprises fellow golfers yet he never once considered joining the pro tour which some say could have seen him emerge as a top golfer.

Many of today’s top tennis players are using golf as a way to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the tour. During the recent Mexico Open in Acapulco, the ATP organised a long drive contest where some players taking part who had never hit a golf ball before, yet most had little difficulty in hitting the ball over 250 yards. The event’s overall winner was Sebastien Korda with a 278-yard drive – but then Seb’s a bit of an exception given that his two sisters, Nelly and Jessica, are both top players on the LPGA Tour.

Known as the Three Musketeers – Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who dominated tennis for the past couple of decades, all boast low handicaps. Rafa leads the trio with

and once revealed never having had a golf lesson in his life.

Djokovic often swaps his racket for a set of golf clubs and one year during Wimbledon turned up at a local club dressed in jeans and a baseball hat nonchalantly walking into its historic clubhouse only to be confronted by the club’s general manager who quietly explained that such relaxed attire was not permitted. Disappointed at the lack of red carpet treatment, Djokovic simply turned on his heels and and jumped back into his awaiting chauffeur-driven car without hitting a single golf ball.

‘Superbrat’ John McEnroe, has long since matured and now plays as much golf as he does tennis and can regularly be found playing with his former doubles partner Peter Fleming, who is a member at The Richmond Golf Club in Surrey.

Of the current crop of tennis stars, 24-year-old Norwegian Casper Ruud, currently ranked fifth in the world, is another useful golfer. As a youngster he grew up playing both sports with equal passion. However, by his 13th birthday he was compelled to follow in his father footsteps, a former top tennis player and give up his golfing ambitions for tennis. Recently he fulfilled a childhood dream and played US Open Championship venue Winged Foot in New York, where he shot a very respectable five-over-par 77. Not bad, given that he slipped in the round between playing matches during the US Open tennis championships at Flushing Meadow.

Another former top tennis player who has emerged with hidden golf talents is Mardy Fish. Playing off +2 handicap he recently attempted to qualify for the US Open, and competed in the PGA Tour’s 3M Open on sponsor’s invite in 2020.

In fact there are many top players who boast low handicaps. Andy and Jamie Murray both learnt to play golf with their father and Andy is now a member of the exclusive Beaverbrook Golf Club in Surrey. The Skupski brothers, Neal –who recently won the Wimbledon men’s doubles title – and Ken are also both avid golfers, while Sky TV presenters Markus Buckland and Barry Cowan can frequently be spotted at Richmond Golf Club – both are members of The Stage Gol f Society which is affiliated to the club. Players keen to play a round of golf during the Wimbledon Championships only have to request a tee time from the tournament’s concierge who are happy tee times for players.

■ RAFA NADAL

■ IVAN LENDL

■ FORMER DOUBLES CHAMPION PETER FLEMING IS A MEMBER AT THE RICHMOND GOLF CLUB

■ FORMER WORLD NO.1 ASH BARTY HAS TURNED HER ATTENTIONS TO GOLF AFTER RETIURING FROM TENNIS

■ ‘TIGER’ TIM HENMAN IS AN ACE ON THE GOLF COURSE, WITH A HANDICAP OF +1

PRO SHOP

Your guide to the latest equipment launches

GOLF GRIP GUIDE

Your guide to golf grips and grip fitting

STYLE & SUBSTANCE

Look and play the pa with PING's new Autumn/Winter apparel collection

TRIED & TESTED

Spornia's practice hitting net STANDS THAT DELIVER

Spotlight on the season's best new stand bags

THE GEAR EFFECT

INSIDE THE BAGS OF RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR

LUDWIG ABERG

OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS

DRIVER: Titleist TR2 (9°)

FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (13°)

IRONS: Titleist T-MB 718 (2), Titleist T-100 (4-9)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46°, 50°, 54°), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60°)

PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot Versa 1

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

DAN BROWN ISPS HANDA INVITATIONAL

DRIVER: Ping G430 LST (9°)

FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G430 Max (3, 15°)

HYBRID: Ping G430 (19°)

IRONS: Ping Crossover (2, 3) Ping i230 (4-PW)

WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (52°, 58°)

PUTTER: Ping PLD Milled Oslo 4

BALL Titleist Pro V1

VIKTOR HOVLAND

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP & TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

DRIVER: Ping G425 LST (8.4°)

FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth Plus 3 (15°)

UTILITY: Titleist U505 (21°)

IRONS: Ping i210 (4-PW)

WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 56°), Ping

Glide 2.0 (60°)

PUTTER: Ping PLD DS 72

BALL: Titleist Pro V1

TODD CLEMENTS

CZECH MASTERS

DRIVER: Titleist TSR3 (10°)

FAIRWAY WOOD: PING G430 3 (15°), 5 (18°)

UTILITY: Titleist U500 (4)

IRONS: Titleist 620 CB (5-9)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46°, 52°, 54°, 58°)

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron T7.2

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

LUCAS GLOVER

WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP & FEDEX ST JUDE

DRIVER: Srixon Z785 (9.5°)

FAIRWAY WOOD: Ping G430 Max (3, 15°)

IRONS: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (4), Srixon ZX7 Mk II (5-PW)

WEDGES: Cleveland RTX 6 (52°, 56°, 60°)

PUTTER: L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max

BALL: Srixon Z-Star XV

LILIA VU

AIG WOMEN’S OPEN

DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth

FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade Stealth 3

HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW

IRONS: Srixon Z585 (4), Srixon Z785 (5-PW)

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM8 (56°, 60°)

PUTTER: Scotty Cameron

Golo 5

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

EQUIPMENT NEWS

PING’S G430 LST 3-WOOD TRIED & TESTED

If the G430 Max fairway wood is built for easy, high launch and stopping power, the G430 LST is built for the golfer looking for a more penetrating flight and to eek out that last bit of extra yardage. At address though, you’re hard pressed to tell any difference between the two, but on closer examination the LST is ever so slightly smaller front to back, and the alignment dot is closer to the face.

Combining a Beta Titanium face with a titanium body, an eight-layer Carbonfly Wrap crown, and an 80g tungsten sole

wight, the LST is designed for fast ball speeds, low spin and high launch. At 15 degrees for the standard loft, Ping’s Trajectory Tuning Hosel gives eight different options to fine tune flight and trajectory.

The LST sets up beautifully at address, sitting square to slightly open. It is on the shallow side for a 3-wood, which is great for hitting off the deck, and it just sits beautifully behind the ball and reminded of the Ping’s i25 3-wood that I used to love back in the day.

While not being the fastest swinger, I tend to launch my woods with too much

spin, so I always felt the LST would be good for me. And I wasn’t wrong. It feels hot and solid at impact, the titanium face feeling crisper than steel. The ball gets up and then flattens out. And on average I was hitting the ball about 8 yards further than my current Titleist 3-wood due to a higher launch and lower spin.

Yes, it’s expensive, but this is a niche product for a very specific high-spin golfer that brings an extra level of performance that is worth the extra investment for a club that will stay in the bag for many a year. £479, ping.com

SPORNIA PRACTICE GOLF NET

Golf News Editor Nick Bayly puts the Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net through its paces and finds that this lockdown essential is well worth the investment even with practice facilities and swing studios open for business

While I bought a load of random stuff from the internet to pass the time during those dark days of the Covid lockdowns, including a dart board and a roulette wheel, the one thing I regret not investing in was a pop-up golf hitting net. With everyone using the garden all at once, it didn’t seem fair to take up the space for a hobby for which I was the only participant in my household.

Anyway, it turns out I probably couldn’t have ordered one if I had been given the go-ahead as golf hitting nets were selling faster than toilet rolls during the height of the first lockdown and that it soon became harder to get anything resembling a halfdecent hitting set-up than it did to get a couple of 1kg bags of 00 flour or, indeed, a haircut.

With my fun spoiled, I soon lost interest in watching those videos of smug so-and-so’s who had got in early and were merrily smashing real golf balls in their back garden without fear of breaking their neighbour’s bedroom windows. Some – mainly club pros – had launch monitor and simulator set-ups and were able to play virtual golf courses all from the comfort of their own home. Good for them.

So, fast forward three years and – not ever to be accused of being late to the party – I took delivery of one of the hottest selling items of the Pandemic Period – a Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net. Looking at the size of the cardboard box as it came off the delivery van, I was more than a little dubious as to how it could possibly expand to create anything close to a hitting bay capable of containing my random dispersion of shots. But once out of its container, and following a cursory glance at the instruction guide, I had the thing up and running in my garden within 15 minutes.

Covering an area roughly the size of a 4-person hot tub – the precise dimensions are 2.1m x 2.1m x 2m high - the net is robust enough to contain the hardest of drives, and wide enough to cope with most errant iron shots, although for those that, like my son, are prone to the odd huge miss-hit, there are extra side nets that can be purchased. A hitting matt – which is an optional extra (£59) – offers three levels of all-weather turf to replicate fairway, fringe and light rough.

Another boon of the Spornia’s design is that it returns the ball back to your feet, saving your back and your time, and meaning that you only need a couple of balls, while there is also a separate chipping net that can be strung up for when you want to work on your short game. With concentric catching nets, you can quickly devise a game to award yourself points based on your accuracy. While the net has a roof to prevent higher shots from escaping skywards, I’d advise against using lob wedges unless you have pro-level insurance.

After a month or so’s use, I can attest to the net’s durability and its ability to groove your swing and keep your game in shape between rounds. I paired it with a basic SwingCaddie launch monitor that provides distance, swing speed, ball speed and smash factor stats – which provided some useful feedback and helps focus the mind, but with or without a launch monitor it’s a great piece of kit, providing you have the space, a patient partner, and understanding neighbours, whose don’t mind their peaceful evenings being regularly broken by the repetitive ‘thud, thud, thud’ of balls hitting the net.

While I set up the net outdoors, it could just as well be used indoors, in a double garage or large garden shed, or even a specially designed outbuilding for extended winter use and paired with all levels of simulator game play options and swing training set ups – but that’s another level of conversation for this particular household!

The SPG-7 Golf Practice Net has an RRP of £339 and can purchased at spornia.co.uk, along with a range of other training accessories and launch monitor/simulator bundle packages.

Equipment Editor Dan Owen gives Ping’s G430 LST 3-wood a run out and is impressed with its powerful trajectory and low spin

TAYLORMADE DIALS UP SPIN RATES FOR LATEST MILLED GRIND WEDGES

TaylorMade has unveiled the latest update to its popular Milled Grind wedge range, with the launch of the Milled Grind 4 with the all-new Spin Tread technology.

This innovation proves crucial, particularly in wet conditions, where players experience higher launches and reduced spin. By combining the laser treatment with strategically designed grooves and a raw face, TaylorMade says it has achieved notable improvements in wet spin rates compared to earlier models while also increasing face durability.

The technology works in a similar fashion to the tread on a tyre, which creates space for water to exit so the tire can have direct contact with the pavement and better grip the road. In the case of MG4, the treads channel away moisture and allow the golf ball to stay on the face longer while imparting more spin.

The MG4 is offered with a comprehensive range of sole grinds, providing golfers more versatility while also simplifying the selection process. The grinds are categorised into three main options: low bounce (LB), standard bounce (SB) and high bounce (HB). However, to cater to different swing dynamics, alternative options have been added in each category, providing a total of six bounces.

Priced at £159, they are offered in Satin Chrome and Tour Matte finishes in 46°, 48°, 50°, 52°, 54°. 56°, 58° and 60° lofst. The 46° and 48° lofts are only available in Standard bounce options.

HIT THE STREETS WITH THE BACK9 BACKPACK

If you’re in the habit of cycling or hopping on a motorbike to get to the golf course or driving range, or if you’re simply looking for a new way to transport a set of clubs around the course in comfort, then the all-new Back9 Golf Back Pack from Side Street Golf might just be up your, er, street. Capable of holding a full set of clubs, the lightweight yet sturdy Back9 looks like a conventional stand bag in many ways, but its rectangular-shaped frame is designed to make it sit comfortably on your back when worn like a ruck sack, with the whole thing designed to be carried on your back while cycling –with the iron clubheads pointing down to lower your centre of gravity – courtesy of two padded shoulder straps and a back pad.

Once at the course or range, you simply flip your clubs back around and move the straps up to the top of the bag to either use it as single strap carry bag or wear it on your shoulders using both straps like a ruck sack.

The outer covering is made from a water-resistant and extremely durable ballistic nylon, while the clubs are prevented from rattling around in transit with a neat silicone strap which holds everything in place until you get to the course. There are two external pockets

for balls, accessories and clothing, an easy-access mesh pocket for your phone and/or scorecard, a holder for tees, and an umbrella slot, while there are pockets on both sides which can be used to store your golf shoes en route to the course if you’re on a bike. There’s also a detachable rain hood.

The stand element stays neatly folded into the bag when not needed, but automatically flips out to prop the bag when it’s placed on the ground, although it will also happily sit on a trolley or a cart.

Priced at $250 + postage, it is available to buy online at sidestreetgolf.com.

SHOT SCOPE UPDATES PRO LX RANGEFINDERS

Shot Scope has released the new and improved PRO LX and PRO LX+ to add to its overhauled line of products.

The PRO LX+ ( £349.99) is both a fast, accurate laser rangefinder with a built-in extra strong buggy magnet, combined with a powerful GPS and performance tracking system to gain valuable insights from every on-course game. The more compact design features a faster target-lock vibration to help speed up play. The PRO LX (£249.99) features the same feature set, minus the GPS unit, which can be added at a later date.

The PRO LX and PRO LX+ join an impressive line-up of new releases from Shot Scope; the X5 GPS and performance tracking watch, the stylish G5 GPS watch, PRO L2 rangefinder, the mobile plug-and-play tags from CONNEX, as well as Shot Scope Academy, which has transformed the player and coach connectivity within the game.

TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT GRIPS

If you’re not thinking about your golf grips as part of your equipment, then it’s time to change your tune. Equipment Editor Dan Owen looks at the importance of using the right grips and finds out how new grips can add both consistency and distance to your game

TREAT YOUR GRIPS LIKE CAR TYRES

Keeping your grips fresh is one of the keys to playing golf, but sometimes even the freshest grips aren’t up to the job. If you play golf all year round, you may have di erent requirements for your grips in the winter. Think of it like a car tyre and putting a snow tyre on for winter. You might need a corded grips for extra traction in the cold and wet or prefer a softer a grip to combat the rubber getting harder in the cold.

COMFORT OR CONTROL

If you are a golfer that needs a grip to provide maximum comfort because of something like arthritis, you should always choose a grip that will make the game as enjoyable as possible. Not only will a soft grip o er more comfort but choosing the right size but will help you grip the club with the right amount of pressure and prevent discomfort. One of the best examples is Golf Pride’s CPX which is made from an extremely soft rubber compound and utilizes a texture that reduces hard pressure and vibration transmission. On the other hand, if you are a golfer looking for maximum control, a rm grip that has less torque is going to provide more feedback and give you the control you want. Like the rm suspension on a high-performance car, you’re going to feel a bit more of the road, but control and handling are going to be more performance driven.

CONSISTENCY & ALIGNMENT

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be more consistent from shot to shot? While having a grooved swing always helps, having a grip that results in a consistent connection with the club is also vital.

Grips to help with alignment can be broken down into three main categories; no alignment (360 style grip) usually found on adjustable clubs; textured grips with visual aids, and grips with

a raised section to provide visual and texture feedback to get your hands in the right position. Examples of the latter the Align series from Golf Pride which feature a raised portion on the bottom of the grip to help you grip into the same spot in your hands shot after shot. This is similar to what is also known as a ribbed grip, but what separates the Align from a traditional ribbed grip is the feature is on the outside of the grip and o ers an exterior texture that makes it easier to not only install but sit well in your hands. Most drivers come with a round grip due to their adjustability, but once you settle on a setting, if you like a reminder grip, that is the time to get one tted. And if you are a golfer that tends to have a strong or weak grip, you can have an alignment installed in an orientation that will help you achieve a little extra consistency.

SIZE & SHAPE

When it comes to nding the correct size grip, comfort is key. You have to choose the size that is going to make you the most comfortable regardless of your hand size. The golf grip is the only connection you have with your golf clubs, so

it better feel comfortable and inspire con dence. Other than the traditional size categories of undersized, standard, midsized, and jumbo, you can nd in-between sizes by changing up the number of wraps of tape between the shaft and the grip before installation to make it bigger, or by stretching the grip on the shaft during installation to make it slightly smaller.

Beware though that by using extra layers of tape and stretching the grip, you are slightly reducing the wall thickness of the grip which can have a negative e ect on the life of the grip.

Grip shape can be broken down into three main categories: standard taper, reduced taper, and zero-taper. A standard taper grip is going to feel smaller in the bottom hand and can potentially

encourage a faster clubface rotation into impact. A reduced taper grip is as it sounds, a grip that still tapers but at a much slower rate into the bottom of the grip. This can be helpful to players who want to feel more of a connection with the club on the bottom hand. Zero taper grips o er extreme comfort to both the top and bottom hand and are often found in some of the softest designs to not only reduce grip pressure, but also help reduce any unwanted vibration for improved comfort.

WEIGHTY ISSUES

If you’ve been custom t for a set of clubs, the weight of the grips will have been taken into account when building the set. If you need to regrip them the safest option is to replace with the same grips. If not, check the weight of the grips you want to switch to and make sure they weigh the same. Just a couple of grams can throw swingweight out of whack, and midsize and oversize grips can considerably alter a club’s balance point.

KEEPING YOUR GRIPS

4-4-2 GRIP SELECTOR

CUSTOMER CONSIDERATIONS

SIZE

If your middle nger is just touching the pad of your thumb when holding the grip in the glove hand, that is the perfect size.

VELVET AND SMOOTH (TOUR VELVET)

YOUR BEST GOLF

FRESH GRIPS, MORE DISTANCE

As the market leader in golf grips, Golf Pride is constantly conducting research into the performance bene ts of fresh grips. In a recent study into grip performance, they concluded that new golf grips o er an increased average carry length of 2.3 yards on full golf shots. Players taking part in the study found that their average ball speed (average: 121.6 mph) increased by 1.3mph, and the average carry length (168.6 yards) increased by 2.3 yards with the designated test club.

DON’T BE MEAN, KEEP ‘EM CLEAN

Long before your grips will wear out, they are going to get dirty. As the only point of contact with the clubs you need to keep them clean. The best way to clean golf grips is to use washing up liquid and warm water. You will also need a soft scrubbing brush or sponge, and a towel to dry the grips. Scrub the grip from top to bottom, before rinsing the grip with warm, non-soapy water, using care to rinse the grip thoroughly to remove any soapy residue. Wipe the grip down with a clean, dry towel and set aside to continue air drying before returning to your bag.

REGRIPPING

Regripping a full set of clubs can be expensive, so regrip the clubs that need it. Amateur golfers tend to use their driver a lot, while a putter will also come in for some heavy use, and some players may hit their pitching wedge for almost every approach shot. These grips will naturally su er more wear and tear, so pay attention to the state of the grips on the clubs you use the most. Noone wants a grip to look as knackered as the one on Jordan Spieth’s putter, but your 4-iron or your lob wedge may only get used once a round and won’t need changing as often as your driver or your favourite 7-iron.

CONDITIONS

If you often play in rain or develop sweaty hands when it is warm, you may need to factor in moisture management in grip selection.

SURFACE TEXTURE

Do you like the grip to feel smooth, rough with pronounced patterns for added traction, or somewhere in the middle?

KEY GRIP TYPES

SOFT AND TACKY (CPX)

FIRMNESS

A rm grip will o er greater feedback and vibration at impact, whereas a softer feel will dampen the vibration.

HYBRID OR HALF CORD (MCC) FULL CORD (ZGRIP)

ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES

ALIGN TECHNOLOGY

A visible raised red ridge on the back of the club to help lock in hand position at address, enhance clubface awareness, and deliver a square clubface at impact.

CPX

SOFT AND TACKY

Maximum comfort to reduce grip tension and pressure, leading to a more fluid swing. Our softest performance grip with EXO Diamond-Quilted pattern innovation is made with Plus4 technology to promote lighter pressure for increased power.

Sizes – Undersize, Standard, Midsize, Jumbo

PLUS4 TECHNOLOGY

PLUS4 simulates building up the lower half of the grip with four extra wraps of tape. This reduced taper encourages lighter grip pressure, promoting less tension in the hands, creating more uidity and power.

TOUR VELVET

VELVET AND SMOOTH

Comfort, playability and control in all conditions. Features a proprietary rubber compound with a non-slip surface pattern texture reduces moisture and slippage.

Sizes – Junior, Undersize, Standard, Midsize, Jumbo

MCC

HYBRID OR HALF CORD

Hybrid technology to give enhanced stability in all-weather conditions. Upper hand cord is fused with lower hand rubber.

Sizes – Standard, Midsize

ZGRIP FULL CORD

Our firmest grip, featuring a “Z” shaped texture pattern and full cotton cord that delivers both traction and allweather control.

Sizes - Standard, Midsize

The PGA Professional is the authority on grip tting and the installation of new grips. Speak to your PGA Pro to work your way through the grip selector process, and get the best advice to nd the ideal grip for your game.

For more information on the full Golf Pride grip range, and the technologies outlined here, visit this QR code.

FRESH IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO PLAYING

SENSORDRY GRAPHENE 2.5

RRP £225

Engineered to perform in the harshest conditions, this extremely lightweight suit provides the ultimate waterproof and windproof protection, with thermal conductive properties and breathability.

STAY THE COURSE

WITH PING APPAREL

MEN’S COLLECTION

PING’s new Autumn/Winter 2023 range is its largest and most technically advanced collection to date, offering performance-driven golf apparel engineered for superior comfort and playability, whatever the weather.

PING’s innovative Sensor fabric technology platform, with SensorDry and SensorWarm products delivers the protection to keep the golfer playing through the toughest conditions. Offering a range on-trend silouhettes, PING delivers complete head-to-toe outfits combining classic heritage colours with seasonal palettes that continue to create fresh contemporary styling on and off the course.

PING’s SensorDry Waterproof Series has been extended again this autumn, with the new SensorDry S2 Series, a collection of technical waterproofs packed with features and cutting-edge technology, allowing golfers of all abilities to find the right outerwear to suit their needs.

SENSORDRY S2 PRO

RRP £180

This feature-rich jacket is designed to ensure maximum comfort when playing through the elements. It offers a contemporary design, packed with technical features for maximum protection.

SENSORDRY S2 RRP £130

Built for comfort and protection with no distraction during play, the SensorDry S2 jacket is engineered to provide complete freedom of movement and is offered in five colour options.

NORSE S5 RRP £200

Engineered with PrimaLoft insulation and constructed with stitch-free quilted ThermoPlume technology, the full-stretch Norse S5 is designed to allows golfers to swing freely and play through the coldest conditions.

NORSE S5 ZONED

HOODED JACKET RRP £160

A contemporary piece that still offers the superior core warmth, from PrimaLoft Silver Active insulation, and wind protection golfers come to expect from PING, with the added feature of a fitted hood for even more protection from the elements.

NORSE S5 VEST RRP £120

Offering a versatile performance gilet using PrimaLoft Silver Active insulation, it allows golfers to take comfort and freedom of movement to the next level.

CROY SWEATER RRP £90

Made from a merino blend, the fully lined Croy sweater offer warmth on cold and windy days.

RANDLE SWEATER

RRP £110

This new hybrid merino blend halfzip sweater features additional woven protection on the upper body.

As the memory of that scorching hot June fades into the distance, and summer makes way for autumn, it’s time to layer up with PING’s latest apparel collections, which are designed to keep you swinging whatever the weather

BREANNA SWEATER

RRP £110

A Merino blend hybrid full-zip sweater that offers a sophisticated jacket with additional quilted protection.

ZENYA

RRP £65

HALF-ZIP

This half-zip long-sleeve top offers the versatility of being worn next to the skin or over a base layer. Constructed in SensorCool soft peach touch fabric and designed with contrast printed panels, it coordinates perfectly within each of the new season’s capsule collections.

WOMEN’S COLLECTION

With technology at the heart of the women’s collection, this new range offers classic and contemporary styles that provide more choice and outfit combinations than ever before. Designed with style and versatility to allow golfers the ability to layer up coordinating pieces, or wear alone, depending on the weather. Colour and pattern are key to this collection and this season PING offer three strong capsules.

The Mosaic Print is a playful pattern

LOLA VEST

RRP £110

A reversible vest that allows the wearer to choose between a solid colour with soft sheen, or the printed side, to create a vibrant look.

inspired by traditional Spanish ceramics. Luxurious tones of Purple Plum and soft Lavender Mist create trans-seasonal appeal. Winter Bouquet combines a ditsy floral pattern in soft shades of Stone Blue and Angel Falls. Co-ordinating neck warmers and knitted hats create strong key looks on-course.

The Heritage Collection offers a timeless textured print in a monochrome colour palette, combined with the rich shade Rosebud.

NIKI FULL-ZIP JACKET

RRP £95

Featuring lightweight and breathable Sorona Aura insulation to ensure ultimate comfort and warmth.

For more details, and to update your golfing wardrobe with PING’s latest collections, head to www.pingeurope.com

HARTLEY SWEATER

RRP £100

A half-zip, fully-lined sweater alternative that is engineered for warmth on cold, windy days on the course.

WENDY LONG SLEEVE

TOP RRP £65

A mock neck design in all three capsule prints, making this the perfect layering option under the Lola vest, or to compliment the Breanna for a polished look.

MIZUNO OMOI PUTTERS

£279, MIZUNOGOLF.COM

Forged from premium 1025 carbon steel and CNC milled, the OMOI putters feature a heavier head weight to increase MOI for improved stability. The increased head weight is balanced out with a lighter weight grip and shaft to shift the club’s CG and help control face rotation through the putting stroke. We like the look of the slant neck fanged mallet OMOI 6 model.

PROTO CONCEPT 03TC IRONS

£350

PER IRON, PROTOCONCEPTGOLF.COM

Proto Concept irons are forged by Japan’s premier forging house Endo and are designed for performance and feel. The C03TC iron is forged from ultra-soft S20C carbon steel. The one-piece design features a CAD-optimised undercut that helps generate more launch and ball speed in the longer irons. They are available for custom fitting at Precision Golf in West Byfleet, Elite Performance in Newbury, and Urban Golf in central London.

MITSUBISHI TENSEI 1K PRO HYBRID SHAFT

£200, MITSUBISHIGOLF.COM

Mitusbishi is riding this year, with its driver shafts in play for seven of the US Ryder Cup team. The TENSEI 1K Hybrid takes design cues from the entire Tensei line-up, with the shaft being slightly counterbalanced design, much like the Tensei Orange shafts. This means there is more weight towards the grip end for a distinct feel that can help generate more ball speed and a higher launch.

MOTOCADDY HYDROFLEX BAG

£219.99, MOTOCADDY.COM

Featuring modern styling and improved storage, the waterproof HydroFLEX is the ultimate year- around golf bag option, given that it serves as a high-quality, lightweight stand bag when you fancy carrying your clubs, but also sits securely on a Motocaddy trolley when conditions allow. Standout features include a moulded hip pad, an adjustable rear stand lock, and an easily adjustable dual carry strap with quick release connectors.

YOUR GUIDE

TO THE LATEST GEAR PRO SHOP

Equipment editor Dan Owen casts his expert eye over the last equipment launches

CALLAWAY APEX UTILITY WOOD

£319, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM

Better players often struggle with hitting hybrids left – if they’re right-handed Not this one. The Apex UW combines the launch of a fairway wood, the versatility of a hybrid, and a neutral flight that better golfer prefers. The compact shape hides a lot of tech inside it, from the AI-designed Batwing structure that is pushed to the perimeter to stiffen the body, allowing the high-strength C300 maraging steel face cup to flex for fast ball speeds.

TAYLORMADE P790 IRONS

£172 PER IRON, TAYLORMADEGOLF.CO.UK

The P790 irons have proven themselves to be a modern classic, combining good looks and a soft feel with forgiveness and fast ball speeds. The latest version features a new FLTD design that positions the centre of gravity low in the longer irons, gradually moving higher in the short irons. It achieves this with a combination of tungsten weighting and an innovative thick-thin back wall construction. The Forged L-Face and Speed Pocket return to make this one of the fastest irons on the market, while the SpeedFoam Air ensures they feel great.

FOOTJOY HYPERFLEX GOOD VIBES

£179.99, FOOTJOY.CO.UK

The HyperFlex is one of the most comfortable, stable shoes I’ve worn this year. The StratoFoam feels good underfoot, while offering support throughout the swing. But my pair didn’t look as fun as these beauties. The Good Vibes bring a little bit of California cool to staid English fairways and are ideal for helping brighten up your game as we move into autumn.

CHERVO ANYONE POLO

£110,

Italian fashion brand Chervo’s bold all-over prints are hard to miss on the fairways this season. While they not only look the part, they are packed with technology, including a ‘Dry-Matic’ treatment that ensures freshness and breathability, and built-in sunblock technology that protects the wearer from harmful UV rays.

SUPERSTROKE RYDER CUP PUTTER GRIPS

£39.95, BRANDFUSION.CO.UK

Support your team in style by adding an officially licensed Team Europe SuperStroke putter grip to your gamer. Available in four different versions, the Pistol GT 1.0, Pistol GT 2.0, Slim 2.0 and Slim 3.0 offer that trademark soft SuperStroke Zenergy feel. If you happen to be an American ex=pat reading this, Team USA grips are also available.

TITLEIST U505 UTILITY

£249, TITLEIST.CO.UK

After testing the new Titleist irons, the U505 might be my new secret weapon. Labelled a utility iron, it combines the best of a driving iron combined with the versatility of a hybrid. It reminded me of an old Adams hybrid that was the best ‘4-iron’ I ever played. Max Impact Technology and added dampening help create a much better feel, while the redesigned body and lower centre of gravity increase ball speed and forgiveness.

CHERVO.COM

SUN MOUNTAIN H2NO LITE

£339, BRANDFUSION.CO.UK

The ultra-lightweight H2NO LITE stand bag weighs just 2.3kg. Designed for versatility, all six pockets face forwards to make it easy to use on a cart. Other features include an easy-to-access hydration sleeve. The E-Z Lite Dual Strap system makes it easier to get on and off; plus it features a glove holder and towel and accessory loops to the side of the bag.

TAYLORMADE FLEXTECH

£179, TAYLORMADEGOLF.CO.UK

The FlexTech features a new design, utilising TaylorMade`s Flextech easy club in/out base. Made with a weatherresistant poly shell, the bag weighs just 2.2kg. It boasts 10 pockets, including a suede-lined valuables pocket and an easy access drinks pocket. Other features include a removable strap and a cart strap pass-through.

JONES UTILITY TROUPER

£270, JONESSPORTSCO.EU

R

Jones is an American golf brand that offers simple yet stylish golf bags that aren’t emblazoned with brand. The Utility Trouper R is its most sustainable golf bag model, and features a recycled, ripstop material woven from 100% single-use plastic bottles. Designed for use as a single or double strap bag, the stripped back design is perfect for the golfer who wants to let their golf do the talking.

PING HOOFER

£220, PING.COM

An icon in golf bag design, and renowned for the way its base stabilises the bag on the ground, the Hoofer is lightweight and the adjustable shoulder pads are integrated with SensorCool Technology to keep you comfortable. We love the rain hood that is attached at all times inside the cushioned hip pad. When it’s not raining, the rain hood provides extra padding for the walk.

VESSEL PLAYER IV STAND

£395, VESSELGOLF.UK

Relatively new to Europe, Vessel craft some of the most stylish golf bags around, featuring a premium construction and a raft of unique detailing. Made from synthetic leather, the Vessel bag is available in either a 14-way or 6-way top. With its elevated design, it both looks great, while also being fully loaded with practical features such as the jamresistant base.

CALLAWAY HYPERLITE ZERO

£259, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM

An all-new rubberised Shaft Shield top provides protection against club shaft wear over time and creates more space for easy club access. Anatomic straps mould to your shoulders and are paired with an oversized hip pad delivering a comfortable carry. The updated ripstop material saves weight while maintaining durability.

IT’S A STAND OFF!

Eight of the best stand bags to carry you to certain victory

BIG MAX DRI LITE FEATHER

£169.99, BIGMAXGOLF.COM

The water-repellent Dri Lite Feather Standbag is light without sacrificing functionality. The lightweight 5-way divider and light nylon save a lot of weight and make you forget that you are carrying a golf bag. The 6 particularly spacious, water-repellent pockets feature 100% waterproof zips to really keep your valuables protected against moisture.

OGIO ALL ELEMENTS RED FLOWER PARTY

£269, EU.OGIO.COM

The All Elements is available in seven pattens and is made with fully waterproof and geometric rip-stop fabric, with full-seam seals to ensure the contents of your bag always remain dry. An eight-way WOODĒ organisation top ensures your clubs are easily accessible. Other features include lockdown cart straps, double-strap fit disc system, umbrella holder, valuables pocket and OGIO’s unique ball silo.

SAVOURING SOTOGRANDE

Europe's top golf, leisure and lifestyle destination celebrates 60 years of serving up fun in the Spanish sun

PUTTS & PYRAMIDS

GOLFING IN THE EGYPTIAN RESORT OF EL GOUNA

ME & MY TRAVELS WITH RUGBY LEGEND

SOTOGRANDE AT 60

Matt Nicholson visits the luxury residential and sporting resort of Sotogrande, which this year celebrates six decades of providing five-star hospitality and top-class golfing action under warm Spanish skies

Itake no shame in admitting that I often get a bit blasé about the places I get asked to play and stay during the course of the daily grind of being a member of the golfing media, but whenever an invitation drops into my inbox to visit Sotogrande, especially when the weather’s a bit rubbish in the UK, I will move heaven and earth to clear my diary and jump on a plane to visit this little bit of heaven on Spain’s Andalucían coast.

I’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed several trips to this unashamedly upmarket destination over the last 20-odd years, and each time it never fails to impress and, just as importantly, never fails to get better.

Since the first foundations were dug in 1962, Sotogrande has developed from a small, gated residential community where well-healed Europeans came to soak up the sun, into a vast 4,500-acre resort that boasts 10,000 properties and stretches from the Mediterranean Sea 15 miles east of Gibraltar all the way back into the foothills of Sierra Almenara.

In addition to its private residential communities, among its myriad of facilities include a yacht marina, a shopping hub, a beach club, a polo club, a tennis centre, an equestrian centre, an international school and no fewer than four world-class golf courses. These include the Valderrama, host of the 1997 Ryder Cup and countless European Tour events; Sotogrande, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones and will host a DP World Tour event in 2024; along

with the stunning courses to be found at La Reserva and Almenara. Throw in luxury worldclass restaurants and bars, a private lagoon, and a relaxing beach-side lifestyle, and it all adds up to heady mix that has been attracting the rich and famous for six decades and counting.

My intensive three-day trip took in all four courses, so, after a 45-minute transfer from Malaga airport, and checking into our rooms at the new SO/Sotogrande Hotel – more of which later – we wasted no time in heading over to Real Club de Sotogrande for the first round of a 72hole golfing marathon. Fortunately, we just had time to take in a delicious lunch on the clubhouse terrace which overlooks the course before hitting a few balls on the range in preparation for the challenge that lay ahead.

A long-time bucket list course for me, Real Sotogrande was first built in 1964 and was Robert Trent Jones’s first course in Europe. And it is testament to the great man’s skills that the layout still ranks as Spain’s No.2 course – just behind Valderrama – some 60 years later, although a renovation carried out in 2016 has only served to enhance its quality. Every hole demands the utmost respect, and what seem like generous fairways soon narrow when you factor in the tiers of rough and the encroaching ranks of cork, pine, oak and eucalyptus trees and the dozens of cleverly placed bunkers. With large and elevated greens, which are both quick and heavily contoured, you’re only able to relax once the ball finds the bottom of the cup. If you’re scorecard is

in tatters by the time you walk off the 18th green, don’t worry, just take in the views and realise you could be stuck at your desk. It worked me, anyway!

With the sun setting, we headed back to the SO/Sotogrande Hotel after our round and enjoyed dinner at one of its four restaurants, MARXA, a poolside eatery where a menu of freshly caught fish and premium cuts of meat are cooked on a charcoal grill. Opened in 2021, the five-star SO/Sotogrande is located right next to Almenara golf course and offers 152 spacious rooms and 36 suites, each one of which enjoys a view over private gardens or the golf course. Built on the site of an old Andalusian farmhouse, the hotel has a rustic yet modernistic vibe, with art installations and sculptures giving the feeling that you are living in a working piece of art. With three swimming pools and an expansive spa it has a boutique feel with a focus on personal service. Suitably revived after a good night’s sleep day and a reasonably healthy breakfast, day two’s itinerary started with a quick tour around some of latest residential developments that are central element of Sotogrande’s appeal both as a holiday destination and a place for more permanent residents. Village Verde, which is just a stone’s throw or a decent

■ THE SOTOGRANDE ESTATE BOASTS FOUR CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES, INCLUDING REAL GOLF DE SOTOGRANDE (BELOW INSET) AND LA RESERVA CLUB (BOTTOM), VALDERRAMA AND ALMENARA

pitching wedge from La Reserva Club, has seen the biggest development since my last visit three years ago, and it’s easy to see why it have proved so popular with golfers. Boasting 121 luxury apartments and penthouses set with six acres of parkland, with swimming pools and croquet lawns, it provides a safe and secure community in which to relax and unwind.

Suitably impressed, and a little bit envious of the people that had already set up their lives in Village Verde, we for head to our next date with golfing history at Valderrama, a course whose name is a lot easier to spell than it is to play. Having just finished hosting a LIV Golf event, where Talor Gooch pipped Bryson DeChambeau to the title – and the $4m first prize – we were lucky enough to play the course in full tournament condition, although it was slightly disappointing to see that the grandstands had long since emptied out when news of our impending tee time got out. Still, it only served as a reminder as to why this course, and this club, is held in such high regard, and it didn’t take a lot of imagination to cast my mind back to those memorable scenes in 1997 when Seve led Europe to that magnificent 14.5-13.5 Ryder Cup victory.

Armed with our trusty forecaddie, Pato, we headed out to the course wondering if we would be able to create our own piece of golfing history or, better still, make a few pars. Although tough, the course is eminently playable, providing you’re playing of the appropriate tees and you’re not hitting it sideways. But even if you are, it’s hard not to notice that every hole is a masterpiece of design that places demands on your shot-making skills and above all, your imagination. There are too many holes to single out, but while the par 3s are spoken about in hushed terms, it’s the par fives – especially 4 and 17 – that will linger longest in my memory. And even though you come off the course having played absolutely nowhere your handicap, it has a magical pull that makes you want to play it all over again – although perhaps after a

long lie down and a few drinks.

With our brains and short games suitably frazzled by Valderrama’s various challenges, we headed out that evening to the buzzing Sotogrande Marina to decompress and talk about missed putts and pulled tee shots. Thankfully the sight of dozens or super yachts and various supermodels soon distracted us from our golf chat, as did the superb menu on offer at KE Sotogrande, a stylish and relaxed waterside allday café and bar which serves up a tasty selection of Mediterranean dishes.

After another restorative sleep at SO/ Sotogrande, our next round saw us make the short hop to La Reserva Club, which I had the pleasure of playing once before. Opened in 2004, the course is a stunning Cabell B Robinson design which enjoys a gloriously elevated location and plays in and around a Y-shaped valley. The 6,700-metre layout has been subject to considerable investment in recent years and has consequently attracted plenty of interest as a tournament venue, including the hosting of the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series in 2022, which was won by Nelly Korda.

For less accomplished players like myself it still offers a chance to score thanks to some generous

fairways and big greens, although three-putting is very much on the cards if you find yourself a long way from the pin. With clever bunkering and plenty of risk-and-reward options from the tee, La Reserva asks lots of questions of your course management skills, as well as your shot-making, and sadly I didn’t always have the answers!

After the round, we headed down to the La Reserva’s own private beach club for lunch. Interestingly, the beach club is not on an actual beach, with the sand having been brought into create what is perhaps the first inland beach club I’ve ever experienced. It’s slightly discombobulating, but no less fun to swim in nonsalty water while having sand between your toes. The club is right next to a 17,000 square metre sports lagoon, which offers guests the chance to indulge in a variety of water sports ranging from kayaking and SUP boards to electric surfboards, while for the less adventurous there are a range of walking paths which take in the rolling hills of La Reserva down to the sea. After chilling out for a few hours here, we enjoyed our final night’s dinner at the Trocadero Beach Club in downtown Sotogrande, where we had drinks and a superb meal by the sea while watching the sun go down on another cloudless day in paradise.

For our last round we took the short walk from the hotel to Almenara. There are actually 27 holes on offer here, spread across the three 9-hole loops of Lagos, Pinos and Alcornoques – Lake, Pine and Cork, if your Spanish isn’t up to much – all of which were the original handiwork of the late Dave Thomas, but which have been recently and sympathetically renovated by Spanish golfing legend Manuel Pinero. As you’d expect from their names, the nines offer contrasting challenges, with Lagos featuring no fewer than five water hazards, while the other loops, occupy more hilly terrain that cut a swathe through the forest. With the Pinos nine featuring tight, treelined fairways, many of which are cambered, it can be a challenge to keep the ball on the short stuff at times, so driver isn’t always the answer off the tee, but it opens out on the Lagos course, although water replaces wood as the hazard. Thankfully I had packed enough balls to stay the course, and managed to reach the safety of the clubhouse with a couple to spare after what was a fun round played in great weather.

Before long I was heading back along the coast road to Malaga airport for my flight home with a hatful of great memories and wondering when my next invite to this golfing paradise will be forthcoming. Hopefully, it won’t be too long.

For more details visit sotogrande.com.

I WILL MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO CLEAR MY DIARY TO VISIT THIS LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN ON SPAIN’S ANDALUCÍAN COAST

■ THE NEW APARTMENTS AT VILLAGE VERDE

■ SO/SOTOGRANDE IS THE ONLY FIVE-STAR HOTEL ON THE SOTOGRANDE ESTATE

■ ALMENARA SOTOGRANDE HAS A 27 HOLE COURSE DESIGNED BY DAVE THOMAS

■ THE BEACH CLUB AT LA RESERVA

SHIFTING SANDS

Golf News Editor Nick Bayly and family enjoy a week-long stay at the Steigenberger Golf & Hotel Resort in El Gouna, a purpose-built holiday destination located on the sandy shores of Egypt’s Red Sea, where cloudless skies and a gentle breeze provides the perfect backdrop to pristine and uncrowded fairways… and a whole load of kite surfers

For a country not short on sand, it’s somewhat surprising that Egypt has so far failed to produce a professional golfer of global renown. But then again, with just 25 courses to go around a population of just over 100 million, and with a certain Mo Salah doing his thing, it’s safe to say that golf isn’t high up the list of activities that young Egyptians are looking to pursue after the school bell rings.

Of course, as with most holiday destinations, golf isn’t provided in Egypt for the locals, however much the national golf federation no doubt insists that they are. They are there to attract tourists. Hotel? Tick. Spa? Tick. Swimming pools and beach club? Tick. Restaurants & Bars? Tick. Kids club? Tick. Golf course? Tick. These are the things that draw millions of people to leave the comfort of their homes in search of something di erent for two or three weeks of the year. That, and some decent weather.

Fortunately, El Gouna, a man-made, purpose-built temple to hedonism located on the western side of the Red Sea – some ve hours drive south of Cairo, if that’s your only geographical touchpoint in Egypt – ticks all of those boxes and some. The dream-turnedreality of Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris, chairman and CEO or international property and hotel and development company Orascom Holdings, El Gouna is described on Wikipedia as a ‘self-su cient, fully integrated resort town’. Built on 36 interconnected islands surrounded by lagoons along a 5km stretch of coastline, El Gouna is located 20 miles north of Hurghada International Airport, the main hub for southern Egypt’s holiday hotspots. The rst hotels and houses went up in 1990, and some 33 years later the number of hotel stands at 18. Interspersed between the hotels and the houses – and the accommodation for the 12,000-plus employees that work in the town – are three marinas stacked with superyachts, miles of sandy beaches, seven kiteboarding centres, dozens of shops, 80-plus restaurants and bars, a school, a hospital, churches and mosques, a winery and a couple of championship golf courses.

Like Sharm El Sheik, which is located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, El Gouna is designed to provide a safe space for well-healed visitors to relax and unwind – the travel industry calls it ‘Fly & Flop’ – between trips to the historical sites for which Egypt is famous. Hence, you’d be hard pressed to nd a guest at El Gouna that hasn’t snuck in a day-return trip to Cairo to check out

the Pyramids and the Sphinx or hopped on a tour bus for a guided tour around the Valley of the Kings or the temple at Luxor. My family did, and it was something none of us will ever forget.

Our ‘ op’ for the week was the Steigenberger Golf Hotel & Resort, a ve-star venue that, in addition to 268 recently renovated guest rooms and suites, six bars and restaurants, three swimming pools, a spa and a private lagoon-side beach, also boasts its very own 18-hole championship golf course at El Gouna Golf Club. As it turned out, it was also our ‘very own’ golf course, in that during our two-round experience, my youngest son and I didn’t see any other golfers during the rst 18 holes, and only two during our second –but that might have been something to do with the fact that only mad dogs and English golf journalists and their o spring play golf in Egypt in early July, where the temperature is a steady 35°c (although it is much more comfortable mid-20s during the peak visitor months between November and March).

Fortunately, El Gouna enjoys an almost persistent breeze, which not only helps wick away perspiration, but also explains why the oversized luggage area at Hurghada airport was mainly populated by t-looking young people picking up bags lled with unfeasibly large amounts of heavy kit, which I soon discovered were kiteboards. Yes, 35°c is a little on the warm side for us lily-livered Brits, but with factor 50 sunblock applied, the aforementioned breeze on our backs, and the welcome shade provided by a golf buggy, conditions were manageable provided you didn’t dally too long over your bunkers shots or agonise over the read of a curling 25-footer for a double bogey.

in the semi-rough, which is capable of swallowing a ball whole. Designed by Gene Bates and Fred Couples – yes, the very same no-socks wearing, smoothswinging, 1992 Masters-winning Floridian – El Gouna GC rst opened in 1999 and has been providing travelling golfers with a very decent standard of holiday golf ever since.

manageable provided you over your bunkers as the El Gouna course you miss a fairway and end up

While we certainly weren’t for dallying, neither were we up for rushing around, as the El Gouna course demands your full attention, especially when you miss a fairway and end up

Before we get into the golf, the journey from our hotel to the course was an adventure in itself. With the bridge that leads directly to the clubhouse undergoing repair during our stay, the only alternative mode of transport was by boat. Arriving at a golf club by sea, or in this case, lagoon, felt very James Bond, and although we didn’t have to battle with any evil villains en route to the rst tee, it did get our early morning round to a suitably memorable start. Sadly, the standard of our golf wasn’t quite so memorable, but there was plenty to enjoy about the quality of the course, which circles its way around the lagoon. With water coming into play on the left side of holes 5, 7, 8 and 9, this is certainly not a course for right-handers su ering from a dose of the hooks, while the nal two holes will be equally troubling for slicers, with the lagoon very much in play on the right side.

With the course a testing 6,858 yards o the competition tees, we were grateful of the 6,358 yellows, and even more so for the blues, which took the course down to a gettable 5,816. There are also two sets of more forward tees at 5,300 and 4,750 yards, ensuring there are tees to suit all levels of golfer. Playing alongside a novice golfer, and me being a decidedly average golfer, we found the blues very much to our liking, making it challenging but without

■ THE MAIN MARINA AT EL GOUNA IS A LIVELY HUB OF SHOPS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS AS WELL AS A DOCK FOR DOZENS OF LUXURY YACHTS

■ KITE SURFERS ARE DRAWN TO EL GOUNA BY THE ALMOST CONSTANT WIND THAT COOLS THE WESTERN SEABOARD OF THE RED SEA

busting a gut, especially on the holes that played into the wind, which required considerable clubbing up.

In addition to its standard practice facilities, El Gouna also boasts one of the world’s few aqua driving ranges, where you tee o from dry land and aim at a series of greens that are located at various distances across the lagoon. Thankfully, the balls oat and are regularly scooped up. The clubhouse, it should be noted, is currently undergoing a complete rebuild, and will be open in all its glory, complete with restaurant and gym, early next year.

Warming to our task, our next game was at the impressive sounding Ancient Sands Golf Club, a delightful full-length 9-hole course that opened in 2017 and winds its way around the resort of the same name. Occupying the highest point of the town, the course was designed by American architect Karl Litten – who has a reputation for being able to work with di cult terrain – and enjoys superb views to the distant mountain range and the Red Sea and also enjoys a pleasant breeze.

With holes running alongside and intersected by the inland waterways, it’s a desert-style course – that

El Gouna’s ‘dine around’ programme, which enables you to eat at a variety of hotels and restaurants around the town for discounted prices. It certainly provides a welcome break from your own hotel’s dining options for those staying on a bed & breakfast deal only, which is the norm for guests in El Gouna now, after initially mainly o ering all-inclusive packages.

That’s not to say the Steigenberger was short of dining options, with the main restaurant and poolside bar o ering an excellent choice of freshly cooked dishes, while Harumaki, a brand new Japanese restaurant, o ers diners a ringside seat to watch skilled chefs preparing a variety of tasty teppanyaki and sushi dishes with a dazzling display of knife skills.

The Steigenberger hotel itself is designed in what is described as a ‘contemporary Nubian’ style, with the the main buildings featuring arched windows and large domes that are a feature of houses in the Nubian region, an area which links southern Egypt to northern Sudan. Guest rooms, which come in various shapes and sizes – all of which are spacious and tastefully furnished – o er terraces with views over the lagoon and are all a short walk away from

although that will mainly be to the central marina, where the majority of the bars and restaurants are to be found.

At night, the marina – which is packed with rows of large and very expensive-looking superyachts – has a party vibe, with live music sounding out from various clubs and bars, while the water’s edge is lined with diners and people out enjoying themselves. At times it felt like an adult version of Disneyworld, where the only people are tourists, but without the fairground rides, popcorn and Mickey Mouse.

requires careful shot management to avoid reloading, but it is beautifully presented, with generous, pristine fairways, superbly kept bunkers (which didn’t seem very ancient), and large, well-watered greens that ran smooth and true. Design and presentation-wise, I think it just edged El Gouna, hole for hole, and the opening of a second nine next year will only enhance the o ering at this excellent venue, which is also attached to a ve-star Moorish-style hotel.

Golfers prepared to travel further a eld can drive an hour or so south to the Madinat Makadi Golf Resort, while Soma Bay, another resort owned and created by Mr Sawiris, is a further half-an-hour on from there and has an 18-hole championship designed by Gary Player on o er. But with so much else to do in El Gouna, we saved that experience for another time.

And what of the other experiences? Well, as previously mentioned, El Gouna boasts 18 hotels and, although you’re obviously only staying at one, guests welcome to take advantage of the other hotels’ facilities. Thus, if you fancy a luxury spa experience – or some seriously good sushi – you can head to The Chedi, while if you want to try your hand at kitesur ng you might want to mosey over to the Club Pardiso. Regardless of where you are staying, you can sign up to

the hotel facilities, and just a few yards from a private beach, where rows of low-slung barusti huts o er welcome shade between darts into the cooling salty waters of the Red Sea. The sta are super friendly and extremely professional, and many were keen to know my thoughts on Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League this season.

While some visitors to El Gouna rent cars to make the 40-minute journey from Hurghada airport, many chose to take advantage of airport transfers and then travel around the town in one of the many threewheeled TukTuks that whizz around the byways and highways at breakneck speed and can agged down for just £1-£2 to take you anywhere in town,

In between our rounds of golf, endless all-you-eat breakfast bu ets and magni cent dinners, we packed in a trip on glass-bottomed boat to the check out the amazing coral reef that lies 20 minutes o the coast of El Gouna that attracts divers from all over the world. We also enjoyed a 45-minute boat tour around the lagoon, which is worth doing just to get an understanding of the scale of the place, as well as to have a nose at some of the impressive waterside mansions that line the waterways. Keen to tick o a big box, we also got up at 4.30am one morning to take the 45-minute ight from Hurghada up to Cairo to explore the Pyramids and visit the Museum of Egypt. It was a very long and hot day, but a local guide with an air-conditioned car made it a thoroughly recommended trip if you are prepared to drag yourself away from the sun lounger for a few hours.

On our nal night, we joined a group of Italian kite surfers on a desert mountain safari that saw us board a trio of battered-looking 4x4s and drive deep into the mountains that are some 45 minutes inland of El Gouna. Covering some challenging terrain through Wadi Bileh and stopping along the way to explore some impressive geological sites, and do a thankfully limited amount of hiking, we eventually reached a plateau and set up a makeshift camp. Here, under cloudless skies, we enjoyed a barbecue as we watched the sun go down across the endless sands. The silence was golden and after the sun dipped below the horizon the sky was so dark that we saw stars that we’d never been able to see at home. It was a magical moment, and is just one of the many reasons why a trip to El Gouna will live longer in the memory than most beachside summer breaks.

EL GOUNA FACTFILE

WHERE TO STAY:

Nick Bayly and family were guests of the ve-star Steigenberger Golf Hotel & Resort in El Gouna, which o ers seven-night B&B stays from £540 for a double room. For more details, visit hotels.elgouna.com/hotel/ steigenberger-golf-resort-el-gouna

WHERE TO PLAY:

El Gouna Golf Club, 18 holes, Green Fee: €85/€50 (Oct-Apr/May-Sept)

Bookings: golf.club@elgouna.com.

Ancient Sands GC, 9 holes, Green Fees: €50/€30.

Bookings: golf@ancientsadsresort.com.

HOW TO GET THERE:

EasyJet o ers non-stop ights from London Gatwick to Hurghada, with a ying time of 51/2 hours. Flights from £400 return. If ying via Cairo, connecting internal ights to Hurghada are around £100 return.

■ ANCIENT SANDS GOLF CLUB BOASTS IS A DESERT-SYLE DESIGN WITH PRISTINE PLAYING SURFACES

■ THE PAR 3 3RD AT EL GOUNA GC, WHOSE COURSE WAS DESIGNED BY FRED COUPLES

OF THE STEIGENBERGER GOLF RESORT FROM THE ADJACENT FAIRWAYS OF EL GOUNA GC

AUTUMN BREAKS

ASHBURY RESORT

Discover the ultimate golfing paradise at the Ashbury Resort in Devon. Nestled on the picturesque foothills of Dartmoor, the expansive resort boasts an unrivalled 103 holes across uniquely designed courses – making it the 9th largest golf resort in the world. Whether you’re a golf enthusiast or just seeking relaxation, Ashbury has got it all – from state-of-the-art hydro spa, to brand new padel courts. Your dream golf getaway awaits – book now and experience golf like never before!

Special Offers: Winter Golf – 30th October 2023 to 21st March 2024. Up to 27 Holes of Golf Everyday, £10 Golf Buggies, 20% OFF Coaching & Fitting Services. Terms and conditions apply – see website.

Fowley Cross, Okehampton, EX20 4NA 0800 135 7536 | manorandashburyresorts.co.uk/golf

THE DORSET GOLF RESORT

The Dorset Golf Resort has many features that truly make it a unique experience and destination to visit. All of their golf packages include dinner, bed & breakfast with free golf included (18 holes a day). Want a golf break with a difference? The award-Winning golf resort is home to five-star houses and cottages with private saunas and luxury interiors.

Special Offers: Free upgrade Thursdays – pay hotel prices for a five-star log home break. Autumn 2023 prices from £149 per person available for one and two night round breaks on Thursday nights only. Minimun four people, limited availability and subject to availability. Single supplements still apply.

Hyde, Bere Regis Nr Wareham, Dorset 01929 472244 | dorsetgolfresort.com

ORCHARDLEIGH GOLF CLUB

Play and stay with one of our super golf breaks, available throughout the year.

Golf prices are as per our list £16 - £29 for 18 holes. Accommodation begins at £50 per person.

Off of the beaten track; our private family owned estate is located in the most picturesque Somerset countryside, 10 miles from the historic city of Bath. As well as offering a pro-standard all-year-round 18 hole golf course, Orchardleigh boasts a stunning 19th century stately home, conferencing and entertaining facilities for up to 250 guests, a private air strip and accommodation for up to 172 guests.

Orchardleigh Estate, Frome, BA11 2PH 01373 454 200 | info@orchardleighgolf.co.uk

Cornish Cracker Golf Break

Since its introduction to the gol ng fraternity in June 1992, Bowood Park has been synonymous with value-for-money society days and residential golf breaks in our 31-bedroom hotel. e golf course has recently been voted in the top 100 golf courses under £50 and has been built to the highest USGA speci cations resulting in excellent yearround playability.

e clubhouse and hotel are both contained in one building and pose an impressive presence as you make your way through the entrance onto the driveway. e rst and tenth tees sit just a matter of yards from the clubhouse which is perfect for two tee starts for large society/corporate days.

Set in 230 acres of rolling hills and woodland, the front nine holes allow you the opportunity to build a score while the back nine holes o er a much sterner test for all levels of golfer. Holes 11, 12, and 13 are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing holes you will play and have been likened to Amen Corner at Augusta National.

Our most popular golf breaks consist of one, two, or three-night stays which can include breakfast, dinner, and golf. All bedrooms are comfortably furnished with en-suite bathrooms and most of the rooms overlook the golf course and surrounding countryside.

BOOKING HOTLINE – 01840 213017 or form.jotform.com/213322755503348

info@bowoodpark.com (Reservations) | golf@bowoodpark.com (Golf & Buggy Bookings)

Siam provides a unique taste of Thailand

As one of the world’s leading tourism destinations, Thailand continues to attract millions of overseas visitors each year drawn in by the country’s unique culture, traditions, amazing food, incredible beaches and great weather.

Golfers, too, have been travelling in growing numbers to play some of its 250-plus courses across, with the majority of the more well-known layouts located close to the most popular tourist destinations, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai.

For a truly unforgettable golfing experience, Thailand is a must visit for anyone looking for a trip like no other. With individual buggies and caddies, this region creates a golfing environment that is so unique to any other location yet epitomises the incredibly friendly and warm personality of Thailand.

Siam Country Club Group has five golf courses within the collection and is seen as one of the most premium golfing destinations in Pattaya. With four courses located within just five minutes of each other, and the fifth joining from the city of Bangkok, you couldn’t ask more for your next trip away.

Each course has a variety of challenges and incredible scenery, with the well-manicured venues providing a spectacular setting for championship golf. The Old Course has been the proud home of LPGA Thailand for over 10 consecutive years and has hosted a variety of championship events, including the Thailand Open four times, the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament every Spring, as well as several Asian Tour events. The course offers one of the best layouts in the country with a classic tree lined topography and is considered one of the most renowned venues in the region. In 2008, the Siam Country Club Pattaya Plantation course opened with 27 holes designed by Lee Schmidt. The course sits high among natural rolling hills, giving the golf course a panoramic view of Pattaya skyline.

Rolling Hills provides a unique and distinct course layout with stunning visuals within a risk/reward setting. The design takes inspiration from tradition and is far removed from many of the rugged designs in fashion today.

Siam Country Club Pattaya Waterside (pictured left) opened in 2014 and boasts beautiful water features throughout. With environmental care, aesthetic beauty, and friendly play at the heart of design, Waterside has a natural beauty that is showcased across the entire 18 holes. The fantastic golf offering is also complimented by the clubhouse which offers a 180-degree view over the course, lakes, creeks, and natural surroundings – a stunning viewpoint to capture the Chonburi landscape.

For further information on Siam Country Club, visit siamcountryclub.com

Cruise the world’s finest fairways with PerryGolf

With many of the worldwide golf cruises in its 2024 portfolio approaching capacity, PerryGolf has announced its 2025 itinerary, with 17 departures scheduled from January to late October now available for early booking.

Offered in partnership with upmarket cruise line company Azamara, PerryGolf’s schedule will include tee times at more than 70 of the world’s most highly rated golf courses, including 22 ranked inside the world’s top 100.

In the British Isles, five voyages are scheduled between June and August highlighted by the company’s annual flagship cruise to England, Ireland and Scotland, which includes three or six rounds of golf, plus attendance at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

A pair of ‘Scottish Links & Islands Golf Cruises’ will twice navigate the breathtaking Hebridean Archipelago of Scotland’s remote northern coast for 12 nights and five rounds each to play courses such as Royal Dornoch, Turnberry and Dumbarnie Links. Another pair of Irish Links Golf Cruises will nearly circumnavigate the Emerald Isle on two occasions for 11 and 12 nights with five and six rounds, including games at Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and Ballybunion.

The ever-popular Mediterranean Sea & Iberian Peninsula will feature eight departures beginning or ending in Lisbon, Athens, Barcelona, Bordeaux or Nice, all the while playing top courses such as Finca Cortesin, El Saler, La Reserva, Pevero, Crete and Sperone. Across all voyages, guests can take advantage of Azamara’s late stays and overnights in port, providing ample time to become immersed in each unique destination beyond the golf course.

As usual, the 2025 portfolio will cherry pick a far-flung list of destinations, beginning in January with perennial sell-out New Zealand & Australia to play Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs. PerryGolf is offering two of these cruises in 2025, which collectively are already 70% sold out. In Norway, golfers can play inside the Arctic Circle at spectacular Lofoten Links as part of a 15-night Baltic Sea package that takes in six rounds. including the highly acclaimed Bro Hof Slott. Among other highlights in 2025 include two 23/24 night, 11/12 round, back-2-back cruises to Scotland & Ireland, and the opportunity to sail to Northern Europe for 68 nights and 27 rounds in the same cabin by way of five backto-back golf cruises.

For more details and the latest package prices, visit perrygolf.com.

■ LOFOTEN LINKS IN NORWAY IS PART OF THE ARTIC CIRCLE ITINERARY

■ A JANUARY CRUISE TAKES IN TOP COURSES IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

■ SIAM COUNTRY CLUB’S OLD COURSE

■ THE ROLLING HILLS COURSE AT SIAM COUNTRY CLUB

■ 27 HOLES ARE ON OFFER AT SIAM’S PLANTATION COURSE

RORY UNDERWOOD

The former Leicester, England and Lions winger loves tropical islands and chilling out with his family when he’s not hitting the fairways at Woodhall Spa and La Manga

I rst picked up a club… when I was at school at Barnard Castle in County Durham. We lived in Malaysia when I was growing up and I was sent to school in the UK. We used to swing a few clubs on the playing elds and then when they thought that we knew what we were doing we were allowed to play at Barnard Castle Golf Club. I didn’t play a lot of golf during my rugby playing days, but have always kept my hand in. I’ve recently joined England Golf’s iGolf scheme, which is designed to provide a handicap for golfers who aren’t members of a club. Although I generally just play with my mates for fun I do play in a few corporate days and charity events, and was playing o a 13 handicap from when I was a member at Belton Woods in Lincolnshire and it wasn’t very current. My current handicap through iGolf is 19, which is de nitely more re ective of my ability.

My favourite golf resort is… La Manga in Spain. I was invited to play in the Henry Cooper Classic there many years ago and brought my wife Wendy and our two girls along with me for a holiday. We had a great time, and I really enjoyed the golf courses and the other facilities. Shortly after, they got in touch and asked if I would like to become an ambassador for the resort and we were lucky enough to get free holidays there for a few years as part of the deal. The courses are great holiday tracks, as you can get into trouble o the tee but often still have a route to the green – unless you’re stuck behind a palm tree – so it’s pretty forgiving, which is what you want for holiday golf.

My ideal holiday fourball would include…. no-one famous. I just prefer to play with three of my best mates. It’s all about the banter, on and o the golf course, and you only really get that when you’re playing with good friends.

My earliest holiday memory… We grew up in Malaysia and lived in Kuala Lumpur, so going there was like a holiday for me when we were coming back from school in the UK. But mum and dad

would also like to get away, so they’d book us all a holiday to stay in a villa up in Port Dickson on the Malacca Straits, where it was much cooler in the summer. We used to muck around on the beach and swim every day – just very simple, fun, family times.

My most recent holiday was to…. Corfu. We had a family holiday there last year, and stayed on the southwest side of the island, away from the more touristy areas. I had never been before and didn’t know much about it, but I de nitely wasn’t prepared for the state of the roads around where we were. We rented a villa, which was fabulous, but it was quite an adventure every time we had to go out in the car! We went at the end

of September and I remember as soon it got to October virtually all the restaurants closed down for the season, so our timing wasn’t great either.

My most memorable round was… at Mount Juliet in Ireland. It wasn’t long after I’d taken up the game more seriously and I had only really ever played at your regular type of clubs in the UK, and then I turned up at Mount Juliet for a Terry Wogan charity event and the place was like a computer simulator of a golf course. There wasn’t a blade of grass out of place and the tees were like greens. I don’t remember playing very well, but I’ll never forget being blown away by the presentation of the course. It was another level to anything I’d ever experienced before.

We used to play a few nice courses when we were touring with England or the Lions in Australia or South Africa, but I never really paid much attention to their names, so that part of my gol ng life remains something of a hazy memory. It was just something to do to get away from rugby for a few hours.

My other gol ng highlight would be when I played in the Dunhill Links Championship. One year I was paired with Simon Yates, a Scottish pro, and I remember we played alongside Colin Montgomerie and Chris Evans. Simon and I ended up qualifying for the nal round at St Andrews. I’ve never been so nervous in my life on that rst tee. I carved one o to the right and only just managed to keep it play, but thankfully it got better from there and we went on to nish seventh. Seeing my name up on the leaderboard as we walked down the 18th fairway is something I’ll never forget. Dunhill very kindly gave me a framed map of the course with my shots plotted by GPS that day, which is something I treasure.

My favourite golf course in the UK is… ooh, that’s a tough one. I’ve been lucky enough to play a few fabulous courses. Loch Lomond, Ganton, Sunningdale, Wentworth, St Andrews are all right up there, but I’d be hard pressed to pick a favourite – it’s more often about who you’re playing with than the course itself.

The best hotel I’ve stayed in… is the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. We went there for my wife’s 50th about 10 years ago and we stayed in this amazing villa on stilts on the water. You could get up and just jump straight into the sea. It was a very relaxing family holiday – snorkelling, eating and sleeping.

My favourite city in the world is… Melbourne. I’m not really a city person, but Melbourne kind of took me by surprise as it doesn’t have that big city feel, and doesn’t overwhelm you like some cities can.

My most memorable meal on holiday… is anything that involves Malaysian food – satay, fried noodles. Whenever I go back to Malaysia I always head straight for the local markets and the street food stalls as that’s where you nd the best food. There, and at my relations’ houses!

My top travel tip…. is to take a phone charger with all the right international plug adaptors and a good supply of Diarrhea tablets.

■ MOUNT JULIET ESTATE IN IRELAND

■ MALAYSIAN STREET FOOD

■ MELBOURNE

■ CONRAD MALDIVES RANGALI ISLAND

■ LA MANGA’S SOUTH COURSE