ParGolf Magazine (April 2016)

Maybank Championship Malaysia AUSSIE RULES, RSGC REVELS www.pargolfmagazine.com

APRIL 2016

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SPIN DOCTOR Hanoi

ECLECTIC CITY THE MASTERS

Georgia On Their Minds Bernhard Langer

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©2016 Acushnet Company. Source: Darrell Survey. MASTERS® is a registered trademark and service mark owned by Augusta National, Inc. and is being used with permission.

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I ne need it to be consistent to hear the roars on Sunday afternoon.

It has to fly high and long to cut the corner on 13.

Bubba Watson

Rickie Fowler

AT THE MASTERS, YOUR GOLF BALL HAS TO DO EVERYTHING. I need it to perform in the unpredictable wind on 12.

Jordan Spieth

Jimmy Walker

Bill Haas

Henrik Stenson

I need the appropriate spin to keep my ball on the proper tier on 9.

Louis Oosthuizen

I need to hit it as high as possible and land it soft to get it close on 7.

Ian Poulter

Zach Johnson

I have to cut it a little around the corner to avoid the bunker on 18.

Adam Scott Kevin Na

I need a bomb draw on 2 to carry the right bunker.

Justin Thomas

T I T L E I S T. T HE

#1

BA L L AT T HE MAS T E R S.®

©2016 Acushnet Company. Source: Darrell Survey. MASTERS® is a registered trademark and service mark owned by Augusta National, Inc. and is being used with permission.

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S M 6 W E D G E S.

PROGRESSIVE DESIGN. P R E C I S I O N P E R FOR M A N C E.

LOW CG: 46°–52°

MID CG: 54° AND 56°

HIGH CG: 58°–62°

PROGRESSIVE CG FOR SUPERIOR DISTANCE CONTROL AND FEEL. Precision in your wedge game requires precise technology in your wedges. New Vokey SM6 wedges feature an innovative, progressive center of gravity that’s placed in the optimum position for each loft to provide players with more consistent distance, trajectory control and better feel. Available in three finishes: Jet Black, Steel Gray and Tour Chrome. Visit Vokey.com to learn more about new SM6 wedges.

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JIMMY WALKER

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Contents APRIL 2016 ● www.pargolfmagazine.com

FEATURES 18

The Masters

26

Bernhard Langer

32

Maybank Championship Malaysia

Georgia On Their Minds Changing With The Times

Aussie Rules, RSGC Revels

40

Vokey Wedge-Fitting

56

Focus Band

64

Hanoi, Vietnam

72

Mahkota Golf & Country Club

80

April Fool’s Day Special

88

Volkswagen Golf GTI & R

Spin Doctor

The Quiet Eye Eclectic Hanoi

Kuantan's New Crowning Glory Gotcha!

Good Things Come In Pairs

18 THE MASTERS: GEORGIA ON THEIR MINDS

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Soft Feel Local - ParGolf.pdf

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Contents APRIL 2016 ● www.pargolfmagazine.com

64

26 BERNHARD LANGER: CHANGING WITH THE TIMES

ECLECTIC HANOI

INSTRUCTIONS & GOLF TIPS 72

Spinal Scoop

Pain In The Neck

COLUMNS 24 38 62 70 79

Reading The Lines Bunker Mentality Asian Angles Almost OB Two Sen Worth

72 MAHKOTA GCC, KUANTAN'S NEW CROWNING GLORY

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Contents APRIL 2016 ● www.pargolfmagazine.com

32 MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP MALAYSIA

DEPARTMENTS 10 12 14 16 42 55 58 77

Editorial Line-Up Freeze Frame First Tee In The Bag Essentials Around Asia Pro News

78 80 81 82 84 86 92 94 98

Young Guns Subscription Calendar Of Events The Golf Scene Potshots Style Lounge Cars + Pars Golf Course Directory Final Tee

88 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI & R

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Sole Distributor: WINSTON’S SDN BHD (15202-W) 36, Jln Pemberita U1/49, Temasya Industrial Park, Seksyen U1, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Tel: 03-5569 2623 Fax: 03-5569 2639 Email: winstons@wingolf.com.my

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from the pargolf team Masters of the Game So who’s ready for another scintillating issue of their favourite golf read?

With the arrival of April comes the first Major of the season, one of golfdom’s most keenly anticipated events that will bring together the giants of the game to the southeastern American state of Georgia. Yes, the revered Masters tournament will be THE event to feast your eyes upon as it unfolds at its hallowed home, Augusta National, from April 7-10.

As always, we get our European correspondent Mike Wilson to unload his predictions as Texan heavyweight and current World No 1 Jordan Spieth returns to defend his title in a mouthwatering field that will feature past champs such as fellow American Bubba Watson as well as Aussie hotshot Adam Scott. Will Spieth successfully defend his title, or will a dark horse rise to the occasion and snatch the Green Jacket away from him? Find out what Mike has to say, with ‘Georgia on his mind’ – all on page 18.

Next, we chat with a man who knows all about bringing your A-game and winning the Masters in style, and not once but twice. German golf icon Bernhard Langer takes centrestage in this special interview where the 58-yearold veteran dishes out on golf following the unpopular putteranchoring ban – catch the extremely insightful interview on page 26.

A few pages in, we re-cap the Maybank Championship Malaysia, one of the grandest tournaments played on home soil. Join Jonathan Ponniah on page 32 as he recounts the inaugural event, played from February 18-21 at the venerated Royal Selangor Golf Club.

Then a little later, Loo Keng Yip travels to Pahang to experience the state’s newest golfing destination, Mahkota Golf & Country Club. So how did he find it? Well, go on – turn to page 72 and read all about it.

Oh, but before that, we’re gonna make

a much-deserved detour – get ready to savour the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi with Loo as he plays some of the country’s most magnificent courses and delights in the historic city’s incomparable charm. Your journey to cool, charming, eclectic Hanoi begins on page 64.

This and a whole lot more in this issue, folks, so what are y’all waiting for? Get busy!

FACTS & STATS PLAYERS WITH FIVE OR MORE MEN'S MAJORS GOLFER Jack Nicklaus (USA) Tiger Woods (USA) Walter Hagen (USA) Ben Hogan (USA) Gary Player (RSA) Tom Watson (USA) Gene Sarazen (USA) Arnold Palmer (USA) Sam Snead (USA) Bobby Jones (USA) Harry Vardon (ENG) Lee Trevino (USA) Nick Faldo (ENG) Phil Mickelson (USA) Byron Nelson (USA) Seve Ballesteros (ESP) James Braid (SCO) John Henry Taylor (ENG) Peter Thomson (AUS)

PERIOD 1962–1986 1997–2008 1914–1929 1946–1953 1959–1978 1975–1983 1922–1935 1958–1964 1942–1954 1923–1930 1896–1914 1968–1984 1987–1996 2004–2013 1937–1945 1979–1988 1901–1910 1894–1913 1954–1965

MASTERS 6 4 0 2 3 2 1 4 3 0 0 0 3 3 2 2 0 0 0

US OPEN 4 3 2 4 1 1 2 1 0 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

THE OPEN 3 3 4 1 3 5 1 2 1 3 6 2 3 1 0 3 5 5 5

PGA 5 4 5 2 2 0 3 0 3 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 18 14 11 9 9 8 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5

DON'T BE A STRANGER! Think you can write golf? Or feel a need to rant about the game? Here's your chance to do just that! Submit your work or simply drop us an email at info@pargolfmagazine.com * All material published in ParGolf becomes the sole intellectual property of Write Track Publishing & Communications Sdn. Bhd.

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ParGolf APRIL 2016

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PUBLISHER SUZANNAH GUN PALMER sue@pargolfmagazine.com EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JONATHAN E. PONNIAH jonathan@pargolfmagazine.com ASSISTANT EDITOR SYAMA RAMASAMY syama@pargolfmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS KP WARAN, MIKE WILSON, MELVIN POI, DAVID BOWDEN, PETE WONG, STANLEY SAW, DR. GLENN CAMERON, LOO KENG YIP, NATHAN HAUSER, K.H. WAN, CHUAH CHOO CHIANG, IDA FAHANY, NICK GOH CONTRIBUTING PROFESSIONALS DANNY CHIA, STEVEN GIULIANO, KURIKO TSUKIYAMA, ANDREW MYLES STUDIO ART DIRECTOR CHEE CHIN MIN chinmin@pargolfmagazine.com SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER R. SUJATHA MALAR sujatha@pargolfmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER KHAIRUL ADNI ABD RANI khairul@pargolfmagazine.com PHOTOGRAPHIC CONSULTANT LOO KENG YIP (Light & Sound Advertising Photography) CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER TOHA DOL MARKETING & ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TERRENCE LOH terrence@pargolfmagazine.com ASST. MARKETING & JOSHUA E. RODRIGUES SALES MANAGER joshua@pargolfmagazine.com SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASRI JAAFAR (SUBSCRIPTION & EVENTS) asri@pargolfmagazine.com EVENTS EVENTS MANAGER GURDEV SINGH gurdev@pargolfmagazine.com EVENTS ASSISTANT HANIZAM HAIZI nizam@pargolfmagazine.com OPERATIONS P.A. & ADMIN. MANAGER LINDA JOSEPH CONSULTANT DATO’ RA. PARAM, DIMP, AMP PRINTER MAXIMA COLOUR SDN BHD Lot 1314, Kg. Lembah Kinrara, Batu 8 1/2 Jalan Puchong, Puchong Jaya, 47100 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

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FREEZE FRAME

GREAT SCOTT! Miami, Florida, March 6: In-form Aussie Adam Scott celebrates victory in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, his second title in as many weeks after his oneshot win over Sergio Garcia in the Honda Classic.

Scott overcame two early double bogeys in the final round at Trump National Doral, playing the final 13 holes six-underpar to claim his second career World Golf Championships title and 13th PGA Tour win by one stroke over Bubba Watson.

Third round leader Rory McIlroy led Scott by six shots at one stage in the topsy-turvy final round but wound up two shots behind, sharing third place with Danny Willett.

Driver Fairway Irons Wedges Putter Ball

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WHAT'S IN THE BAG

ParGolf APRIL JANUARY 20162015

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FIRST TEE

Spieth and Day in running for Laureus World Sports Awards Spieth is one of the favourites for the Sportsman of the Year award after a stellar 2015 season in which he won six times on the PGA Tour, including two Majors and the season-ending Tour Championship, and took over the mantle of World No 1. He claimed his maiden Major title in the Masters with a score of 18-under-par, matching the tournament record set by Tiger Woods in 1997. At age 21, he became the second youngest Masters winner

©Jamie Squire/Getty Images

American hotshot Jordan Spieth has been nominated for both Sportsman of the Year and Breakthrough of the Year in the 2016 Laureus World Sports Awards, while Australia’s Jason Day is also one of the nominees for the Breakthrough award.

There are seven categories with six nominees each and the winners will be revealed at the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Berlin, Germany, on April 18.

behind Woods and later in the year became the youngest winner of the US Open since Bobby Jones in 1923.

Woods was the last golfer to win the Sportsman of the Year award, claiming the accolade in 2000 and 2001. Annika Sorenstam won the Sportswoman of the Year award in 2004 while the European Ryder Cuppers claimed Team of the Year in 2013.

Day earned his nomination due to his maiden Major title at the 2015 US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits with a record score of 20-under-par. He also won the Canadian Open, The Barclays and the BMW Championship, which took him to the World No 1 ranking for the first time. He eventually finished the year ranked No 2 behind Spieth.

LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES Usain Bolt (Jamaica) – Athletics Stephen Curry (US) – Basketball Novak Djokovic (Serbia) – Tennis Lewis Hamilton (UK) – Motor Racing Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Football Jordan Spieth (US) – Golf LAUREUS WORLD BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES Chile Men’s Football Team Jason Day (Australia) – Golf Tyson Fury (UK) – Boxing Adam Peaty (UK) – Swimming Jordan Spieth (US) – Golf Max Verstappen (Netherlands) – Motor Racing

Rory McIlroy may have blown a big lead in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship but the Northern Irishman seems to have found a solution to his putting woes – a new grip.

McIlroy put the left-hand-below-right grip into action at Trump National Doral, which is actually a return to the technique he used in his rookie season on the European Tour in 2008.

"It's a drill that I've been doing for a while because I feel like my left hand controls my putting stroke and that's the lead hand for me. I felt like over the past few weeks, my right hand was becoming a little bit too dominant,” he said.

"I practised over the weekend just with left below right and it felt really, really good. I'm going to give it a try this week and see where we go with it. But it felt really, really good. The roll of the ball is really good. The contact is much better, and it really just takes my right hand out of it,” added McIlroy, who ranked 14th in putting for the tournament.

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©David Cannon/Getty Images

Rory goes cross-handed

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Olympic Course passes the test men’s and women’s events, each with a field of 60 players contesting over four rounds of strokeplay. Qualification is based on the world rankings subject to country limitations.

Located 9km from the Olympic Village, the par-71 course will play 6,522m for the men and 5,944m for the women.

“Some things will be worked on to ensure we have a fantastic Games in August, but the level that we hoped to achieve today was reached,” said International Golf Federation executive director Antony Scanlon. “We just need to attend to the details that will make the difference between a good tournament and a great tournament.”

©Buda Mendes/Getty Images

Any doubts about the readiness of the Olympic Golf Course for this August’s Rio Games were allayed during a March 8 test game on the Gil Hanse-designed layout in the Barra di Tijuca area of Rio de Janeiro.

Nine Brazilian golfers took part in the Aquece Rio Golf Challenge, with the country’s top female player, Miriam Nagl, emerging victorious.

“The course conditions are very good, the greens are perfect. To be able to tell my daughter that I played in the Olympic Games is an extra motivation,” said Nagl.

The golf event of the Olympiad will feature separate

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Lexi Thompson’s six-stroke win in the 10th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand was not only impressive but significant as it ended Stacy Lewis’ four-year reign as the top American player in the Rolex World Rankings.

The victory at Siam Country Cub in Pattaya saw the 21-year-old Thompson leapfrog Lewis, who finished joint 35th, into third place in the rankings on February 29.

“It means the world to me. I’m out here not only representing myself but representing my country being an American – and this being a huge year with the Olympics,” said Thompson, who also became the first American to win the event since its inception in 2006.

“I’m just trying to focus on my own game, not anybody else’s. Just trying to do my best and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that I’m out here following my dreams, honestly,” added the long-hitting player, who added a seventh LPGA title to her increasingly impressive resume which also includes one Major and the 2013 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.

es

Battle of the Yanks

MOODIE PASSES ON The Malaysian golf industry collectively mourned the loss of Australian coach Duncan Moodie, who passed away of malaria on March 2 in his adopted home of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

An Australian PGA AAA professional famed for his no-nonsense style, Moodie came to Malaysia in 2005 and has played a key role in the development of golf in this country – including stints as coach for the 2009 Malaysian SEA Games team and for the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association’s ‘Golf For Girls’ programme. He set up the Pacific Golf Academy at the Likas Range in Kota Kinabalu seven years ago and has coached many of Malaysia’s leading players. At the time of his passing, Moodie was head coach for the Sabah SUKMA squad.

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Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods cross the Nelson Bridge at Augusta National’s 13th hole during the last Masters

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Presented By

Georgia on theirMinds THE MASTERS

It’s springtime in the US southern state of Georgia where the blooms are blooming, the birds are singing and the winter chill has long since departed – and that can only mean one thing, the Masters at Augusta National, golf’s opening Major of the year

©Jamie Squire/Getty Images

BY MIKE WILSON

ParGolf APRIL 2016

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THE MASTERS

Y

“If I could only win one tournament in my whole life, it would be the Masters.”

JORDAN SPIETH

World No 1 Jordan Spieth will be gunning for his second successive Green Jacket

©Scott Halleran/Getty Images

es, folks, it’s showtime, Masters-time – for some an epic sporting contest, for others, a smaltzy, saccharine syrupy sporting spectacle, an athletic endeavour wrapped up in a sugarcoated sheen of fact and fable, the truth most probably somewhere between the two.

It all gets underway with the hitand-giggle of the traditional par-3 contest, with the defending champion choosing the menu for the pretournament dinner, family members and the occasional pop/film star carrying the bags of the finest exponents of the modern era – it’s also the least wanted prize of the week as not a single winner of the par-3 contest has even gone on to win the BIG prize. The week ends with the victor being adorned by the vanquished with the famous Green Jacket in Butler’s Cabin.

The venue, Augusta National, the ultimate top-end US country club, exclusive to the tips of its toes where those privileged, mostly male, lawyers, financiers, past Presidents of the USA and captains of industry throw open their doors for one week each year,

©Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Bubba Watson has won two of the last four Masters and will be one of the favourites at Augusta National

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Presented By

©Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

2013 champion Adam Scott is in fine form

allowing in the hoi polloi, aka ‘patrons’, the stars of the modern game, past Masters winners and the world’s golfing media.

For those who like that sort of thing, the sense of occasion, the pomp, the azaleas in blossom, Magnolia Drive, Rae’s Creek, Eisenhower’s Tree, Sarazen Bridge, Amen Corner and strict etiquette for both patrons and players, it’s the ultimate in sporting symbolism.

In fairness, the Green Jacket is also perhaps on a par with the Claret Jug awarded to the winner of the Open Championship, and the prize money isn’t too bad either, US$1.85 million to the winner – a far cry from the US$1,500 won by the first nine Masters champions, amongst them the legendary Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen, not to mention six and seven-figure bonuses from sponsors too.

And it’s a bit extra special this year too, the 80th staging of

the Masters, four-score occasions world golf’s most recognised event has been staged, and always at Augusta National, making that the doyen of Major championship venues.

The cream of the crème de la crème normally rises to the top of the Masters leaderboard, multiple past champions including left-handers Bubba Watson (2) and Phil Mickelson (3), and through the years the likes of José María Olazábal (2), Nick Faldo (3), Tom Watson (2), Bernhard Langer (2), Seve – he, like fellow sporting greats Pele, Ali, Arnie and Tiger, in no need of a surname – Jack Nicklaus (5), Palmer himself and Woods one less on four.

One young man is conspicuous by his absence – Rory McIlroy. Since he burst onto the scene at the 2011 Masters, when he went into the final round at Augusta with a seemingly unassailable four-shot lead and spectacularly blew it with a final round 80 to finish 15th, McIlroy may have won four Majors and multiple tour events around the world, but at age 26 he still does not possess that ultimate status symbol in golf – no, not a Ferrari, or a US$25-million beach home, but a Green Jacket.

McIlroy had spoken of a desire to register a win ahead his season’s main goal, a maiden Masters crown, which

MASTERS RECORDS Most Wins 6 – Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986) 4 – Arnold Palmer (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964), Tiger Woods (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005) 3 – Jimmy Demaret (1940, 1947, 1950), Sam Snead (1949, 1952, 1954), Gary Player P (1961, 1974, 1978), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990, 1996), Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010) Youngest Winners 21 years, 3 months, 14 days – Tiger Woods (1997) 21 years, 8 months – Jordan Spieth (2015) 23 years, 4 days – Seve Ballesteros (1980)

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Oldest O Winner 46 years, 2 months, 23 days – Jack Nicklaus, 1986

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Lowest Round 63 – Nick Price (third round, 1986), Greg Norman (first round, 1996) Lowest Total Score 270 – Tiger Woods (1997), Jordan Spieth (2015)

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THE MASTERS

Jason Day has two top-3s at Augusta National and will be one of the main contenders

would complete the career grand slam and appeared on the cusp of that at the WGC Cadillac at Doral; taking a threestroke lead into the final round at the Blue Monster.

But the Irishman registered an error-strewn final round of 74, allowing winner

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Adam Scott and runner-up Bubba Watson to overtake him, shooting 69 and 68 respectively. Scott recorded back-to-back wins following victory in the Honda Classic to set him up perfectly for some time off and practice before a campaign to win a second Green Jacket, following the Aussie’s epic win in 2013.

Watson, also a two-time winner already this term in Tiger’s Hero World Challenge and the Northern Trust Open, has two Green Jackets to his name, bookending Scott’s 2013 careerdefining triumph, whilst McIlroy still seeks his first one in what will be his eighth Augusta appearance, tied-eighth and fourth in the past two years.

Good, but, as the saying goes, ‘No cigar.’

Whether McIlroy is getting apprehensive over Best Asian bet – Japan's Hideki the absence of a Masters Matsuyama title or not is a moot point; his 2011 meltdown cannot

have helped, nor can his latest final round failure at the WGC Cadillac; but, aside of Scott and Watson, the Irishman’s biggest hurdle is arguably the most openly competitive Masters field in years led by his arch rival, World No 1 and defending champion Jordan Spieth.

2015 wasn’t so much as a breakthrough year for the young Texan but a stellar season; two Major wins at the Masters and the US Open, on track at St Andrews for the season grand slam, finishing in a tie for fourth when in contention right up to the end in the Open, runner-up in what would have been the final leg, the PGA Championship, FedEx Cup winner, Player of the Year. Spieth has kicked down the stage door and announced himself as what US golf fans love to call ‘The Man’.

He is certainly focused on his defence of the Masters realm; asked if he could only win one tournament all season, he said “The Masters,” adding, “If I could only win one tournament in my whole life, it

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Presented By

would also be the Masters.”

And, of Augusta National, Spieth is equally emphatic, observing: “It’s heaven on earth to me, it’s probably half the tournament and half the place itself, it’s a bit like walking into a video game.

“The imagination and feel that that golf course requires is so unique,” concluded the man who carried forward his 2015 form by winning the 2016 Hyundai Tournament of Champions, making him the pre-Masters favourite –

Notwithstanding the McIlroy factor, the European challenge looks as flimsy as it has for some time. Perhaps the best chance of a first victory for Europe in the 21st century comes from one of three Englishmen, and not the usual suspects of Poulter, Donald, Westwood and Rose.

but only just from McIlroy, with Australians Scott and Jason Day hot on their heels alongside left-handed course specialists Watson and Mickelson.

One man for whom a case almost certainly cannot be made is the player who, in his pomp, made Augusta National his own fiefdom; even if Woods does attempt another comeback from back surgery, and notwithstanding a decent 17th place at last year’s Masters, it’s now eight years and counting since he last won a Major title.

Still marooned on 14 Majors and down at 448 on the world rankings, it seems he’s yesterday’s man, a country mile behind the new generation of Spieth, McIlroy, Day, Scott and even his arch rival Mickelson.

Of the modest Asian contingent, Japan’s emerging star Hideki Matsuyama looks the best bet; already a PGA Tour winner this season – he won the intriguingly-named Waste Management Open – a fifth place at Augusta last year shows it’s a course that suits his game, and, at 14th on the world rankings, the 24-year-old is on the cusp of golf’s finest of the

current crop. What a boost it would be for Asian golf were he to receive the Green Jacket from Spieth in Butler’s Cabin on Sunday, April 10.

Notwithstanding the McIlroy factor, the European challenge looks as flimsy as it has for some time. Perhaps the best chance of a first victory for Europe in the 21st century comes from one of three Englishmen, and not the usual suspects of Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Justin Rose.

Paul Casey, well settled in the USA and committed to the PGA Tour, looks back to somewhere near to where he once was, whilst young Danny Willett has proved he can compete on the world stage, and that English Bulldog, the dull-but-effective Andy Sullivan clearly has something about him.

However, a Green Jacket looks elusive to anyone other than the top half-dozen on the world ranking, with favouritism reflecting that status, especially with the pressure and attention deflected on others worthy of serious consideration. PG

MASTERS MISCELLANY The Masters is rich and redolent with golfing lore, legend and mythology, arguably more so than any other single sporting event; here is an insight into a small fraction of the traditional tales from Augusta.

• Despite dripping with tradition, the Masters is in fact the baby of the Majors

family; staged first in 1934, the 2016 Masters is the 80th staging of the season’s opening Major.

• Gary Player was the first non-American to don the Green Jacket, victorious in ty Images Clary/Get

1961 before going on to win it twice more, in 1974 and 1978.

he world famous Green Jacket started life as the members’ uniforms at Augusta • The

• No amateur golfer has even won the Masters, but three have been runner-up; Frank Stranahan in 1947, Ken Venturi in 1956 and Charles Coe in 1961.

• Mike Weir became the first left-hander to win the Masters in 2003 and presented

nes Bobby Jo at al di n su Augusta National

A. ©Timothy

National and only gained the legendary status it enjoys today in 1949, when Sam Snead donned one upon winning his maiden Masters title.

another lefty, Phil hil Mickelson, with the Green Jacket the following year. Another lefthander, Bubba Watson, took the title in 2012 and again in 2014.

orton Smith won the inaugural Masters in 1934, his first prize was a meagre • When Horton US$1,500. Jordan Spieth banked US$1.8 million for his victory in 2015.

• Augusta National Golf Club was designed by a Scots-born physician-turned-architect Alister MacKenzie, who died in 1933, the year before the inaugural Masters, and penniless because his fee had not been paid.

• The Masters was the brainchild of Clifford Roberts and 1930 Grand Slam winner Bobby Jones, who designed Augusta National with MacKenzie. It was originally called ‘The Masters Invitational’ before adopting the present moniker in 1939.

• US President Barack Obama played an influential part in the history of Augusta National, placing presidential pressure on the all-male club to admit female members – which they did in 2012, inviting former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore to join.

www.masters.com

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reading the lines jonathan ponniah Apa Lagi Golfer Mau? (What More Do Golfers Want?)

It’s sad to see amateurs competing for prizes, not pride

I

was at a golf event prizegiving recently when one of the participants came up to me with a sullen face, complaining that the prizes were ‘lousy’ and that he would never play in it again.

It’s sad. Sad that golf has evolved at a tangent so divergent to other sports, where amateurs still play for pride and a trophy is often the only prize.

Anything else is a bonus.

And here’s the thing – the event in question actually was a great deal, with the value of the golfing + goodies + F&B itself far exceeding the entry fee.

By two-fold at least, I would say.

Okay, granted golf is different, given the high-flying profile of its protagonists at the upper crust of the clubbing side of the game. But there are valid and pressing reasons for the limits on amateur event prizes – which at present time is £500 or the local currency equivalent.

On the R&A’s website, the section on ‘Amateur Status Essentials’ starts with this succinct introduction: “The purpose of the Amateur Status Rules is to maintain the distinction between amateur and professional golf and to ensure that amateur golf, which is largely self-regulating with regard to the Rules of Golf and handicapping, is free from the pressures that may follow from uncontrolled sponsorship and financial incentives.

“Through appropriate limits and restrictions, the Rules are also intended to encourage amateur golfers to focus on the game’s challenges and inherent rewards, rather than any financial gain so that the sport can be fully enjoyed by all.”

Actually, given the exchange rate, 500 quid can get you quite a lot of stuff in Malaysia – widescreen TVs, audio systems, smartphones and other electronic stuff are commonplace as prizes in these parts. Factor in the ‘kiasu’ (Hokkien for ‘scared to lose’) 24

attitude so prevalent in this region and you can see why we have this problem here – as opposed to, say, Australia where golfers are happy to win a trophy and a sleeve of golf balls.

The root of golf’s current ‘kiasuness’ can be traced back to the early 1990s when corporate golf started booming in Malaysia. As companies discovered the benefits of using golf as a branding and seeding tool, golfers reaped the benefits with the value of prizes and goodies skyrocketing as organisers tried to outdo each other.

This catalysed the genesis of the ‘professional’ amateur – players who took part in events for the sole purpose of winning prizes and selling them at a profit, even after factoring in the entry fee and other costs. It’s not uncommon to see these ‘mercenaries’ hawking off their bounty during prize presentations, not even having the decency to let the organisers and sponsors leave.

To be fair, not all golfers are like

that. For some, tournaments are about testing themselves in a competitive environment, regardless of the value of the prizes. For others, even the competition is secondary as they just want to enjoy being in an event with fellow golfers, mingling with old friends and making new ones.

I have always advised event organisers and sponsors to deflect attention away from the competition prizes and invest more in the goodies and event set-up. Give the golfers a good experience and some really neat souvenirs to take home – like a tastefully-designed branded shirt and perhaps a framed mock magazine cover with them on it – and perhaps we can eventually rid ourselves of this malaise.

In the meantime, if someone ever complains to you about lousy prizes – and presuming you agree with this point of view – don’t hesitate to give them a piece of your mind for your own peace of mind. I know I will. PG

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BERNHARD LANGER

Changing With Bernhard Langer rides anchoring putter ban to continue dominance of senior golf

BY ROBIN BARWICK

"B

©Christian Petersen/Getty Images

ernhard is the best bad putter I have ever seen,” laughs Larry Mize, a colleague and close friend of Bernhard Langer on the PGA Tour Champions (as they now call it) and a fellow past Masters champion.

“He has had his issues but he can putt.”

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The Times Langer, who last year became the first golfer to win the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup three times, has had to adjust his putting technique for the 2016 season in the wake of the global ban on anchored putting strokes. Some rivals on the American circuit for over-50s must have

Langer has won the Charles Schwab Cup three times

been wondering if the 58-year-old German would be able to find a new putting stroke as effective as his old one. Was Langer’s reign over seniors’ golf set to come to an unceremonious halt amid jittery yips over those slippery three-footers?

Well, not yet. Not only did Langer open his 2016 campaign with three top10 finishes in three starts, he won the third of them, February’s Chubb Classic at TwinEagles Golf Club in Naples, Florida, before the PGA Tour Champions schedule reached a fourweek hiatus.

While he has experimented with a number of putting techniques and putters already this season, most striking about Langer’s putting at the Chubb Classic was just how much it looked like his anchored stroke of old, which Langer had adopted for the previous 19 years. He played with his same old Odyssey 2-Ball putter, complete with broomhandle shaft, and even his practice strokes were anchored via his left fist on his chest. But once Langer addressed the ball he moved his fist away from his chest by just an inch

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©Chris Trotman/Getty Images

“I have always tried to adapt as times have changed. Many of the changes in the game have been fun for me too – I hit the ball as far now with my irons as I used to 30 years ago, and with the driver and three-wood I am actually longer than I was 30 years ago.”

BERNHARD LANGER

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BERNHARD LANGER

Masters' winners engravings at Augusta National

©Picture by Getty Images, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

to release the anchor point and play a legal stroke.

An opening round of 62, 10-underpar, included 11 birdies and paved the way for a wire-to-wire victory, although Langer has since admitted to ParGolf in this exclusive interview that his new putting regime remains a work in progress.

“Because I won it does not mean I have found the putting technique I will use forever,” says Langer. “I am still experimenting to see if there is a better way.

“I have tried between 15 and 20 different putters over the winter with different techniques. I have tried a regular putter and grip, some with the claw grip, some with clasping the

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©Picture by Getty Images, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

©Picture by Getty Images, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Langer's locker at Augusta National

forearm and the ‘Kuchar’ grip with the putter grip leaning against the left forearm. I am still experimenting.”

A second-round of 66 in the Chubb Classic was Langer’s 19th consecutive round under par on the PGA Tour Champions and while a closing 73, one over par, brought that run to an end, it saw him ease to a three-shot victory over American Fred Couples. It was Langer’s 26th win on the senior circuit and places him third on the all-time list of winners behind Americans Hale Irwin and Lee Trevino with 45 and 29 titles respectively. Langer has won the Chubb Classic three times in the past six years and this win placed him at the top of the Charles Schwab Cup ranking, again.

Twice the Masters champion – in 1985 and 1993 – Langer’s success on tour has endured for 40 years despite recurring battles against the yips. Each time Langer was inflicted on the greens he found a solution and now he looks to have found the answer to the anchoring ban too.

“Anchoring was never the only putting cure. If it were then everybody would have anchored,” he says. “I putted with an anchored stroke for 19 years but it did not mean I was the best putter. Let’s face it, I still missed putts and I still had many days when I felt I did not putt well.

“I have always tried to adapt as times have changed. Many of the changes in the game have been fun for me too – I hit the ball as far now with my irons as I used to 30 years ago, and with the driver and three-wood I am actually longer than I was 30 years ago.

Who would have thought that would happen?”

More than putting, the consistency and precision of Langer’s iron play has been a keystone of his success over the decades, although he did lead the PGA Tour Champions in putting average in 2015 with 1.72 putts per green. Despite his putting experiments, so far in 2016 Langer’s putting average is 1.73 – almost identical – although his ranking has slipped to 15th at the time of writing.

Langer’s putting technique at the Chubb Classic looked so similar to his previous anchored stroke that television viewers called in to the Golf Channel broadcaster in the United States requesting clarification. Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s Senior Director of Rules, confirmed to the Golf Channel that Langer’s putting stroke is “close” to being illegal, but that it is allowed.

Pagel added: “This is what I expect Bernhard to do. This is how I expected him to putt this year.”

“Obviously I am not going to intentionally anchor the putter,” adds Langer. “I wouldn’t want to break the rule. I like to be a player of integrity and I play by the rules, but even if I did anchor my stroke I would never get away with it playing golf in front of my colleagues, caddies, officials, spectators and in front of TV cameras.

“I cleared all this up with the officials on the Champions Tour in December before the rule came into effect. I talked to our officials and we went through every possible scenario of what I can do and of what I can’t do, and I went from there.

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“Some people are confused by the new rule, but some of them have not read through the details and some even think the ban is for the long putter and not for the anchored putting stroke. Of course the long putter has not been banned and people need to understand what anchoring is and how the new rule is written. I have been through the process of learning about the new rule and figuring out what is legal and what is not.”

This April 7-10, Langer heads to Augusta National to make his 33rd appearance in the Masters.

Scotland’s Sandy Lyle, the Masters champion of 1988, is the only European golfer to have played in more Masters tournaments than Langer, with 34 appearances. But Langer has made more cuts and played more Masters rounds, 110 to Lyle’s 102, so no European has played as many Masters rounds as Langer.

“It is hard to believe I have been playing in the Masters so long,” admits Langer, who made his Augusta National debut in 1982. “I know one thing, back then I would never have thought I would still be playing competitive golf in my fifties!

“The Masters is a fantastic tournament at a great venue and I enjoy going back each year. It is a unique place.”

The putting test posed by the notorious greens of Augusta National is pretty unique too, and Langer’s non-anchored technique is set for its sternest test yet. PG

FACT FILE Name Birthdate Birthplace Height Weight Residence Spouse Children Turned Pro Pro Wins

©Picture by Getty Images, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

©Picture by Getty Images, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Bernhard Langer August 27, 1957 Anhausen, Bavaria, Germany 1.74m (5ft 9in) 74kg (163lb) Boca Raton, Florida, USA / Anhausen, Germany Vikki Carol (m. 1984) Jackie, Stefan, Christina, Jason 1972 99 (PGA Tour – 3 / European Tour – 42 / Japan Golf Tour – 1 / Champions Tour – 26 / European Seniors Tour – 4 / Others – 27 Bernhard Langer is a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz, a global sponsor of The Masters.

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BERNHARD LANGER

Langer’s guide to Augusta National Bernhard Langer knows Augusta National better than most, so here’s his hole-by-hole guide to playing the revered course HOLE 1

HOLE 7

TEA OLIVE – 445Y, PAR 4

PAMPAS – 450Y, PAR 4

AZALEA – 510Y, PAR 5

The first priority is to avoid the right-hand fairway bunker, and then wind direction dictates how much club you need to reach the green. You must avoid going long or left and ideally you want to set up an uphill putt.

This hole demands a narrow, long tee shot through the trees and then real precision is key to the approach to find the right part of the small, elevated green.

I love this hole, classic ‘risk and reward’. The tee shot needs to hook around and hug the left of the fairway by the creek because that shortens the second shot and gives you a flatter lie.

Even then the second shot is played above your feet.

HOLE 2 PINK DOGWOOD – 575Y, PAR 5 The driving line is left of the bunker on the right. As it’s downhill the green is within reach but because it’s so severe and narrow it’s no bad thing to be in a front bunker for two or to have a full pitch into the green.

HOLE 3 FLOWERING PEACH – 350Y, PAR 4

HOLE 8 YELLOW JASMINE – 570Y, PAR 5 This uphill par five plays so long that it is very difficult to find the right part of the green with the second shot. There is a severe slope in the middle of the green, so even approaching with a wedge requires great accuracy and control.

HOLE 9 CAROLINA CHERRY – 460Y, PAR 4

A short par four but the green is only about 11 yards deep on the left side. It is very easy for the second shot to spin down the slope in front of the green or for it to go through the back, so short-iron precision is critical.

Drives must be drawn from right to left or tee shots will find the trees. Even the perfect shot leaves a difficult shot from a downhill lie to an uphill green. If the second shot is short the ball could run back down the fairway for 60 or 70 yards.

HOLE 4

HOLE 10

FLOWERING CRAB APPLE – 240Y, PAR 3 This is a difficult par three because the hole plays so long it can be difficult to generate both the necessary height and distance off the tee. It is better to be in the front bunker than past the flag.

HOLE 5 MAGNOLIA – 455Y, PAR 4

CAMELLIA – 495Y, PAR 4 This is another tee shot that demands a draw.

The fairway falls to the left side and catching the slope means you can take more loft into the green. Problems from the left of the fairway often come from overhanging branches.

HOLE 11 WHITE DOGWOOD – 505Y, PAR 4

The fifth green is extremely difficult so as much distance as possible on the tee means you can play into the green with as much height as you can to stop the ball quickly. A nearly perfect shot can finish 50 feet from the hole.

This used to be one of golf’s widest fairways but now trees on the right and with the tee pushed back it is one of the hardest driving holes. With water left of the green I aim perhaps 10 yards on from the green’s right edge. Try and make par and get out of there.

HOLE 6

HOLE 12

HOLE 13

HOLE 14 CHINESE FIR – 440Y, PAR 4 With the fairway sloping from left to right, another hook helps here as long as you set it off on the right line. Wind direction and pin placement dictate what club to take next, hitting into one of the hardest greens on the course.

HOLE 15 FIRETHORN – 530Y, PAR 5 It takes two great strikes to carry the water and reach the green in two, but even then it is very easy for the ball to skip through. Golfers can still birdie with a precise wedge approach. A great risk-and-reward hole.

HOLE 16 REDBUD – 170Y, PAR 3 The water on the left tempts you to aim for the right half of the green but that can leave a wicked, curling putt if the pin is low and left.

You want to avoid putting with your back to the hole – it can happen.

HOLE 17 NANDINA – 440Y, PAR 4 This hole is more straightforward since the Eisenhower Tree came down two years ago.

There is more room off the tee but the green can get very slick, especially on the right.

HOLE 18

GOLDEN BELL – 155Y, PAR 3

HOLLY – 465Y, PAR 4

A great par three, but perhaps too severe with the top-right corner pin position. I need to stop a long-iron tee shot on an area that is roughly 10 yards deep and eight yards wide.

The green is angled from front-left to backright and so is Rae’s Creek. Due to Amen Corner’s swirling winds I agree with Jack Nicklaus, in playing over the bunker even though the landing area is only about nine yards deep.

This tee is one of golf’s tightest and longest shots. The key is to hit a slight fade for the dogleg, then it could be a mid-iron or much longer club to the elevated, two-tier green, depending on the pin and the wind. There is a birdie chance if you find the right plateau.

©Andrew Redington/Getty Images

JUNIPER – 180Y, PAR 3

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Aussie Rules, RSGC Revels

MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP MALAYSIA

Marcus Fraser claims career-reviving win as Royal Selangor course set-up earns accolades all round

Marcus Fraser poses with the Royal Selangor Pewter trophy

BY JONATHAN PONNIAH

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©Mohd Rasfan/Getty Images

I

Young Gun – 21-year-old Filipino Miguel Tabuena finished joint second

©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

Closing meltdown – Korea's Lee Soomin dropped four shots in the last three holes

©Ian Walton/Getty Images

f there were any other big winners at the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia apart from champion Marcus Fraser, it would be the golf course and the country.

Royal Selangor Golf Club’s par-71 composite course, comprising the first nine of the club’s storied Old Course and back nine of the New Course (collectively dubbed the East Course), stood up well on all counts to the onslaught of the combined might of the Asian and European tours. Indeed, the pristine playing conditions drew unbridled praise from players, officials and spectators alike.

Meanwhile, the country’s profile and image were boosted by the extensive TV coverage of the event, as sweeping views of the KL city skyline dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers were beamed worldwide to millions of households.

The two tournament directors, Wanchai Meechai of the Asian Tour and David Garland of the European Tour, were near ecstatic about the course setup and conditions.

“This is now one of the best courses in Asia and credit has to go to the course superintendent, Jack Cheong, for creating perfect conditions this week,” said Wanchai. “RSGC has a fantastic location near the city centre. The atmosphere is amazing. GlobalOne (the ParGolf APRIL 2016

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©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Marcus Fraser celebrates his win.

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MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP MALAYSIA

©ParGolf

Under Armour putting contest with a difference!

Paul McGinley, RSGC president Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon, Maybank chairman Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin and Gavin Green toss ‘Yee Sang’ at the welcome cocktail

GlobalOne, the European Tour and Asian Tour donated RM25,000 each to WWF-Malaysia’s tiger conservation programme, which is supported by the Maybank Foundation

Lions meet the Tiger during the prize presentation

Flying High – Emirates manager for Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia Andrew Bunn with the airline’s ambassadresses

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Cold one for the champ, watched by Carlsberg Malaysia MD Henrik Juel Andersen

©ParGolf

Snacks on sale for a good cause at the Maybank Foundation booth

©ParGolf

©ParGolf

Tiger mural at the public entrance, painted by Malaysia’s leading graffiti artist Mohd Zaki Nordin aka Escapeva

©ParGolf

©ParGolf

Official Timekeeper Epos’ booth at the Championship Village

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©ParGolf

“I feel the excitement generated by the players competing at the Royal Selangor Golf Club gives us confidence to plan for next year's tournament with greater insights on how to achieve greater successes.”

©Arep Kulal/Asian Tour

TAN SRI DATO' MEGAT ZAHARUDDIN, CHAIRMAN, MAYBANK

Best Malaysian – Nicholas Fung in joint 24th

event promoter) has done a great job with the overall set-up.”

Garland described it as a “good and fair” test of golf. “If you play well, you’re rewarded.

And it’s in wonderful condition – the greens are firm and they’re rolling very well,” he said.

Fraser’s winning score was 15-under-par, respectable by any standards. Indeed, only the top eight players finished doubledigit below par on the parklandstyle course with its fast and firm greens running at close to 12 on the Stimpmeter. The cut came at minus 1.

“It's a tough golf course and good fun to play. It's tough to get at some of those flags. If you're out of position on the fairway you just can't get at any of them,” said the affable Fraser, who pocketed US$500,000 from the US$3 million total purse.

“Coming out of the rough is tricky and the rough around the greens is tricky, so you've got to be patient and hopefully make some putts,” added the Aussie, who did make a superb putt on the final hole – from 18 feet to save par and claim a two-shot victory over two young Asians, Korea’s Lee Soomin and Filipino Miguel Tabuena.

The win ended a frustrating six-year drought for the 37-yearold journeyman, whose last win came in the 2010 Ballantine’s Championship in Korea.

Spare a thought though for the unlucky Lee, who led for much of the final round and

looked set to coast to the title until two late double bogeys derailed his charge. The 24-yearold was in tears after play and who can blame him – but time is on his side.

“This week is very good for my golf life but I’m a little bit disappointed. But it is okay because I have many more tournaments to try and win. I have three top-10s in three events now, so it is okay,” said Lee. “Holes 16, 17 and 18 are very important on this course. I was very nervous and felt pressured.

I missed some short putts and that’s why I finished second.”

Another player with time on his side is Tabuena, long regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the region.

Shrugging aside a bout of food poisoning at the start of the week, the 21-year-old picked up his biggest career cheque of US$260,565 for his joint runnerup finish – thanks to a solid closing 68 which included a rare birdie on the tough par-four 18th.

“It’s all about coming through in big tournaments like this. It’s all about experience and I’m knocking on the door again.

Hopefully I’ll get another win soon,” said Tabuena, who turned pro in 2011 and earned his breakthrough Asian Tour win in last year’s Philippine Open.

“The big goal is to get into the Olympics and I think this will help. As of now, I’m already

THE GREEN TEAM If you’re wondering who was responsible for the superb course conditions at RSGC during tournament week, it was this unlikely pair – Eddie Adams, senior tournament agronomy consultant of the European Tour and the club’s course superintendent Jack Cheong.

Adams and Cheong worked together for close to a year to ensure the East Course was in prime shape for the tournament and the results were there for all to see.

“The golf course is in its best shape ever,” said Cheong. “Having the tournament here forced us to have a deadline to get everything to peak at the same time.

“It’s been great working with Eddie. He gives a lot of constructive advice and we always discuss things to decide what needs to be done. He’s done a lot of tournaments and there are a lot of things we don’t see – and Eddie advises us on that.”

Adams paid tribute to Cheong and the club, noting that the golf course was always in great shape.

Both men noted that they work well together. “We get along fine,” said Adams. “I’ve known Jack for a long time and I think I fit in well with his team!”

Cheong quipped: “Eddie terrifies a lot of my staff! He just stands there and doesn’t have to say anything.”

Eddie Adams and Jack Cheong

©ParGolf

“The maintenance standards at RSGC are pretty high regardless and the course was closed a month ago, which allowed Jack to tweak a few things and get everything just right for the tournament,” said Adams. “The course is in very good order and it’s been well received by everyone.”

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in. If I can keep my momentum, I should do it,” he added.

From a local perspective, there was just one bright spark – ignited

by Nicholas Fung, one of four Malaysians who made the cut out of 16. Fung’s accuracy served him well at the tree-lined RSGC course and he finished a credible joint 24th on six-under-par after weekend rounds of 68 and 69.

“I struggled on the first two days but I made the cut and finished on six-under, so I’m happy with the result. I knew this course wouldn't be easy, so I’m happy,” said Fung, who moved up to 423rd in the world rankings after the event.

As with most new events and what was essentially a new venue, there were teething problems – particularly parking and access issues for both the media and public.

Information on public parking at the new TREC entertainment centre was perhaps not disseminated well enough and there were space issues on the first two days when spectators had to compete with the usual KL working populace.

Public perception – or rather misperception – about access and traffic at RSGC was a large factor in

the poor crowds especially on days one and two.

“As always the case, there are challenges in bringing a competition like this to a new location. We will review what lessons we need to review, discuss it with the appropriate partners and hopefully the next time around some of these hiccups can be eliminated,” said Maybank chairman Tan Sri Dato' Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor. “I am extremely pleased with the outcome of the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia.

In particular, I am delighted that some of the ASEAN players grabbed the opportunity to enhance their world rankings in this Olympic year through playing well at the event, including Malaysia's Nicholas Fung. I feel the excitement generated by the players competing at the Royal Selangor Golf Club gives us confidence to plan for next year's tournament with greater insights on how to achieve greater successes,” he added.

Indeed. We live, we learn and it was certainly good to have top-level golf back at RSGC after 14 long years. PG

Total

Player

Scores

Prizemoney (US$)

269 (-15)

Marcus Fraser (AUS)

66-69-66-68

500,000

271 (-13)

Miguel Tabuena (PHI)

66-68-69-68

260,565

Soomin Lee (KOR)

66-68-64-73

260,565

Julien Quesne (FRA)

70-69-65-68

138,600

Jorge Campillo (ESP)

65-69-69-69

138,600

Richard Bland (ENG)

66-65-73-69

97,500

Pablo Larrazabal (ESP)

70-69-65-69

97,500

274 (-10)

Nathan Holman (AUS)

64-65-73-72

75,000

275 (-9)

Peter Uihlein (USA)

65-75-69-66

60,800

Rahil Gangjee (IND)

68-72-67-68

60,800

Masahiro Kawamura (JPN)

66-70-67-72

60,800

©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

273 (-11)

36

“We are fortunate to have a very good partner in Maybank who not only want to showcase their brand but the venue and the country as well. I think we will not only get bigger but better.”

TAN SRI MOHD RAZALI ABDUL RAHMAN, CHAIRMAN, GLOBALONE

HOW THE COURSE PLAYED

RESULTS (TOP 10 & TIES)

272 (-12)

©ParGolf

MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP MALAYSIA

Over four days of play, RSGC’s par-71 East Course averaged 70.7 or just 0.3 under par.

Hole Par 1 4 2 4 3 5 4 3 5 4 6 4 7 3 8 4 9 4 10 4 11 4 12 3 13 5 14 4 15 5 16 4 17 3 18 4 TOTAL 71

Yards 438 449 536 155 367 498 189 412 444 340 413 202 569 375 553 443 212 484 7,079

Average 4.16 4.04 4.65 2.91 3.9 4.24 3.04 4.01 4.13 3.82 4 3.04 4.61 3.95 4.81 4.16 3.1 4.31 70.7

Rank 3T 7 17 13 14 2 7 10 5 15 11 10 18 12 16 3T 6 1

Toughest Hole – the par-four 18th

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bunker mentality mike wilson

ParGolf’s European correspondent Mike Wilson vents his views in this ‘no-holds-barred’ column

Gambling With Golf’s Integrity Tennis is currently in the eye of a match-fixing storm, cricket has been there too, as have football and horse-racing – so why not golf?

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the USGA and the world’s major professional tours, golfers are prevented from betting on either themselves or on an opponent – yet there is nothing to stop a caddie, or any other member of the ever-expanding entourages, either acting on instructions or alone, from placing a bet on their employer or any other player in the field.

When the R&A required players to sign a no-betting waiver for the first time at the 2013 Open Championship, one leading player, who did not want to be named, said: “I was shocked when they handed me the sheet to sign.”

A player’s agent, also on the understanding of anonymity, told ESPN: “There’s probably at least 30 guys in violation [of the no-bet waiver] already.”

‘What us, we’re golf, of course not!’

Last year, a 56-year-old former sports gambling handicapper, Gregory Silveira of La Quinta, California, acting as a conduit for an offshore gambling operation, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering of funds from an unnamed ‘gambling client’ between February 2010 and February 2013.

ESPN’s ‘Outside the Lines’ broke the story that initial court documents had referred to “money laundering of funds from P.M.” but were mysteriously removed before final proceedings, the rumour-mill awash with suggestions that Phil Mickelson, a man known to enjoy a punt, was the mystery man (although ‘Lefty’ has always denied any involvement and has faced no charges).

One leading Asian Tour player, also on the grounds of not being named, gave a revealing insight towards the end of last season.

“Like spot-fixing, it wouldn’t be difficult to do in certain circumstances, but I don’t think there is a serious problem with betting amongst the leading players, the prize and appearance money are just too good to take any sort of risk,” he said. “But when you get down the money list, with guys struggling financially to stay on tour, there may be a temptation which some may consider and a few take the risk.”

The inherent issue with professional golf however is that, in all matters of potential controversy, its intrinsic instinct is to shut up shop, play a defensive game, circle the wagons to protect its own – leaving outsiders to speculate whether, with thousands of young men, many with money to burn and all with time on their hands, have not and will not be led into temptation given the myriad of gambling platforms available today. PG

©Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

A

t this year’s opening Grand Slam event of the tennis year, the Australian Open, a joint BBC/Buzzfeed investigation revealed not only the presence but also the potential scale of match-fixing, deflecting a disproportionate amount of the attention away from the on-court action.

Over the past 10 years, no fewer than 16 players ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged up to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches following what is colloquially termed ‘suspicious betting patterns’.

The investigation revealed that betting syndicates in Russia, northern Italy and Sicily were making hundreds of thousands of pounds betting on matches investigators thought to be fixed.

Match-fixing and in particular spot-fixing, where for instance cricketers are approached by unlicensed bookmakers to perform an action such as bowling a no-ball with the third ball of his second over, has consistently reared its ugly head over the past 25 years.

Twenty international cricketers have been banned for periods ranging from six months to life, many following approaches from India’s network of shady underworld bookmakers.

Football too has not had its troubles to seek when the relationship between the criminal underworld, illicit bookies and players, referees and officials.

Most recently, the Zimbabwe Football Association provisionally suspended committee member Edzai Kasinauyo, whilst evidence has also emerged of malpractice from the Balkans to China, where 33 corrupt officials were banned for life by FIFA. So, what about the royal and ancient game of golf?

According to the rules of the R&A,

Then R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said, “This whole business of keeping sport clean in terms of betting is very high on the agenda at the moment, and something that we’re following very closely because it’s just a killer to sport to think that any outcomes might have been predetermined,” adding, “I really don’t think that’s applying in golf, but we have to be vigilant.”

But, just like its relationship with performance-enhancing drugs or sex scandals involving players, golf sits somewhere between outright denial and sanctimonious hauteur,

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INTERVIEW: ANDREW ROGERS, CLUB FITTING SPECIALIST – SOUTH EAST ASIA, ACUSHNET

Spin

Doctor Titleist’s club fitting specialist for SEA, Andrew Rogers, explains why it’s important to get your wedges fitted properly How can wedge-fitting help the average club golfer?

Wedge fitting is even more important to your average golfer than it is to a tour player. This may seem like an odd statement as the average player would say things like "the issues isn't my wedge, it’s me" or "my swing changes every day, so getting fitted is pointless."

Well, these couldn't be any further from the truth! A lot of a player’s issues, particularly with wedges, come from the fact they are using the wrong equipment. For example, if your bounce is too low, you'll tend to 'duff' a lot of chips. This results in a player being afraid of impacting the ground, which in turn leads to topping the ball.

Now the player thinks that he or she is 'just not a very good wedge player' or that it’s a case of the dreaded ‘yips’.

Truth is, they never stood a chance in the first place if they need 14° of bounce but are using 6°!

Wedge fitting helps a player better understand their tendencies (why they hit their bad shots). It helps them interact with the turf/sand much better 40

resulting in more spin, the ability to hit it both higher and lower, control distance much, much better and hit the ball closer to the hole more often.

What are the main issues with the wedge make-up in most club golfers’ bags?

The main problem I see with golfers’ wedge set-ups would be the general lack of bounce, particularly in this region where ground conditions tend to be soft. Bounce is the club’s resistance to digging and is a great tool in playing recovery shots and controlling flight.

The wrong bounce can lead to a lack of spin on the ball, inability to control flight, poor distance control and heavy turf interaction. My general rule of thumb is if you're unsure how much bounce to use, go more! You'll be a better player with more bounce than you need than not enough!

Most players tend to not give their wedges a second thought and just buy off the shelf, without any connection to the rest of their set. The wedges are your scoring clubs and also your best

tool to save scores when you’re in trouble! If players spend as much time thinking about their wedges as they do their driver shafts, their average scores will start to drop dramatically.

Given that the short game is a lot about feel, how important is it to get your wedges fitted compared to other clubs?

Short game is all about feel but if you're using a wedge that is working against you, you're going to struggle to hit any good shots. Proper, professional wedge fitting can give you shots you never thought you could play before, be it the high lob, the blasted bunker shot or the spinning low punch. Wedge fitting improves a player’s feel as it helps highlights strengths and mitigates weaknesses.

You’ve been conducting fitting sessions in Malaysia for quite a while now. How has the reception been and what are the main challenges?

The main challenge is that generally the golfers here don't yet have the

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understanding of the benefits that fitting and coaching provide and simply prefer to do battle on their own and pick up advice from their playing partners.

If you were sick, you'd see a doctor.

If you needed legal advice, you'd see a lawyer. So if you need help with your golf, you should see a professional! We don't try to sell expensive shafts or squeeze money from golfers for our services; we provide a tour level fitting service using the best products in the world purely for the focus of helping people play better golf.

Also, I think the perception of our brand is another factor. We've been associated with the world’s best players for so long it’s only natural for people to assume that our clubs are for the 'better players'. But our focus is on the 'dedicated golfer', the player that loves golf and wants to get better, who wants to enjoy the game more. This player isn't necessarily a low handicapper, but a person that really enjoys playing.

The days of Titleist being a better players' clubs are over! We make equipment for everyone and I can fit anyone! It doesn't matter if you're a woman just starting or a 24-handicapper that wants to beat his buddies – we can help.

“If players spend as much time thinking about their wedges as they do their driver shafts, their average scores will start to drop dramatically.”

Tell us about the new Vokey SM6 wedges – what makes them better than the previous generations?

We've made two major changes to the SM6 plus some 'evolutionary improvements'.

Firstly, the TX4 grooves have been improved with new parallel micro grooves that significantly increase spin.

Additionally, this set-up is preferable to radial milling as it allows for tighter groove tolerance during manufacture thereby ensuring the highest quality product, as associated with Vokey wedges.

Secondly, the primary difference is the new CG placement of the SM6 as this new alignment has virtually reinvented the way wedges are designed. The focus now is aligning the CG with the impact position on the clubface, ie lower CG on 46°-52°, mid CG on 54°-56° and higher CG on 58°62°. This allows for precise distance and

trajectory control with exceptional feel.

To me it feels ‘structured but still soft’.

Finally, we've kept the tour-proven grinds that have evolved for many years now but with slight changes to the grinds and bounces to better fit all players and improve versatility.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in Australia near a small, rather basic nine-hole golf course which I'd sneak on when I could to play. I was never a great player as a youngster but was and remain a total golf tragic! I had a dream to become a professional from a young age and when I turned 25 I decided I'd take a chance and start my PGA Traineeship at Indooroopilly Golf Club in Brisbane. My mentor, Gary Calder, was the former national and Queensland state coach and was wellrespected in the industry. He taught me a great deal about the game, coaching, equipment, fitting and how to combine all these into player development.

I played events for about three years before deciding my passion was in helping others improve their skills and enhance their enjoyment of the game.

I've been in South East Asia for 12 months now and am enjoying working for Titleist in this role as I get to work with fellow golfers and help them play better golf! PG

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IN THE BAG

www.callawaygolf.com

Callaway XR 16 Driver

FORGIVENESS MEETS FAST Callaway’s new XR 16 driver is taking the equipment industry by storm and is now available in Malaysia.

Callaway engineers worked with the experts at Boeing on the aerodynamics of the new driver, thus creating a high speed head and lower drag in the crown. The result is Callaway’s most forgiving head shape ever with a re-engineered Speed Step for more clubhead speed and distance.

The XR 16 is also extremely forgiving due to the larger shape for more MOI, a stretched out crown with a bigger footprint, and a CG that’s lower and deeper.

For more ball speed all across the face, Callaway added the next generation R*MOTO face that’s lighter and up to 19% thinner.

“We’re really proud to have collaborated with some really smart people from Boeing. With it we got a driver that has less drag and therefore greater head speed with the same force applied by a golfer, and at the same time we improved the forgiveness,” said Dr Alan Hocknell, Callaway’s senior vice president of R&D. Speed Step Crown The high head speed design is achieved by pinpointing the size and placement of the re-engineered Speed Step Crown to save weight.

Extreme Forgiveness Callaway stretched out the crown with a bigger footprint and positioned the CG lower and deeper, increasing forgiveness for more ball speed at every impact location.

Faster Face Callaway’s next generation R*MOTO Face Technology is up to 19% thinner and the body is lighter too, which leads to more ball speed across the face. The saved weight is redistributed in the clubhead for even more MOI. Pro Version Better players will enjoy all the above benefits in a more compact, 450cc head in the XR 16 Pro driver, which has a deeper face and a more neutral CG bias for workability.

Lofts: XR 16 – 9°, 10.5°, 13.5°HT / XR 16 Pro – 9°, 10.5° SRP: XR 16 – RM2,490 / XR 16 Pro – RM2,590

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Callaway XR 16 Fairway Woods

BIGGER & HOTTER

The new XR16 fairway wood is designed for speed and forgiveness by combining Callaway’s highest MOI and highest COR in a fairway with a low CG. With a larger footprint, the head shape inspires confidence and boasts a host of technologies to help golfers hit it long and straight. The super-light crown allows weight to be moved where it is needed to lower the CG and increase MOI, while the cambered sole provides more versatility and playability from all lies.

Callaway’s Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup is made hotter and thinner for even more speed and a large sweet spot, while the aerodynamics has been enhanced to create even more clubhead speed.

Like the driver, there is a more compact version for better players, the XR 16 Pro fairway.

Lofts: XR 16 – 3+ (14º), 3 (15º), 4 (17º), 5 (19º), 7 (21º), 9 (23º), 11 (25º) / XR 16 Pro – 14°, 16°, 18° SRP: XR 16 – RM1,490 / XR 16 Pro – RM1,590

WILLETT WINS WITH XR 16 The new XR 16 driver first became a winner on tour in February’s Dubai Desert Classic, thanks to Danny Willett who used the driver to finish on 19-under-par and claim his fourth career win by one shot. It was just his second week using the XR 16 driver and fairway woods on tour.

Willett averaged 297 yards off the tee with the XR 16 and topped the putting stats with his Odyssey Versa #1 Wide putter, averaging just 1.532 putts per green in regulation.

Driver Callaway XR 16 (10.5°) Fairways Callaway XR 16 (#3 and #5) Irons Callaway Apex Utility (3-4) Callaway Apex Pro (5-9) Wedges Callaway Mack Daddy 2 (47°, 54°, 58°) Putter Odyssey Versa #1 Wide (Black/White/Black) Ball Callaway SR3

©Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

WHAT’S IN WILLETT’S BAG

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IN THE BAG

www.honmagolf.co.jp

Honma Beres E-05 Woods & IE-05 Irons

EASY HITTERS

Honma’s new Beres E-05 woods and IE-05 irons are ideal for golfers looking for easy-to-hit clubs that generate height and distance with less effort.

The E-05 driver has a low and deep CG, thanks to Honma’s internal weighting and the SUS weight screws. The superthin 811 titanium crown has an internal rib structure arranged parallel with the face, which facilitates flexing of the face at impact. This combines with the super-fast 6-4 titanium face to generate more distance and longer carries.

The lighter weight of the thin crown creates discretionary weight of up to 10g, which is moved to the sole to create a low CG. The driver comes in lofts of 10.5º and 11.5º.

The E-05 fairway is made from high-strength SUS630 Custom Steel and has similar design features to the driver. The 3-wood has a loft of 16º, the 5-wood is 19º and the 7-wood is 22º.

Like the woods, the IE-05 irons are designed to provide longer carry distances and high ball flights. The new face structure of the 5-iron to 8-iron is expanded to the lower portion of the face, thus reducing the effect of mishits.

Honma’s new ‘sole thickness design’ with a thicker bottom and leading edge provides an extremely low and deep CG, making it easy to hit shots with high trajectories. More weight is also distributed to the heel to move the CG inward, helping golfers close the face and generate higher ball speeds.

The wood and irons are fitted with Honma’s proprietary ARMRQ shaft, which uses TORAYCA T1100G for all layers and has a balance design that helps produce a high trajectory.

SRP

E-05 Driver:

E-05 Fairway:

So Yeon Ryu

IE-05 Irons:

2Star – RM3,499 3Star – RM4,499 4Star – RM7,599 5Star – RM18,699 2Star – RM1,999 3Star – RM2,299 4Star – RM5,699 5Star – RM18,699 2Star – RM10,699 3Star – RM17,999 4Star – RM43,699 5Star – RM148,699

©Scott Halleran/Getty Images

HONMA ON TOUR

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Honma’s wide range of equipment also includes clubs for touring professionals and elite amateurs, headlined by the Japanese brand’s high-performance Tour World Series.

Prominent Honma staff professionals include China’s top lady player Shanshan Feng and Korean ace So Yeon Ryu – both of whom are Major winners – along with leading Asian men such as Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata, Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines and China’s Liang Wen-chong.

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www.mikadogolf.com

Mikado JSP-700 Utility

VERSATILE WEAPON Mikado Golf’s JSP-700 utility boasts a high-COR forged titanium face and a Twin Balance Weight System which consists of two weights in the rear that increase MOI and optimise the CG location, resulting in powerful and accurate shots.

At address, two crescent-shaped JSP-700 logos and a target point on the crown help golfers align the clubhead correctly. The club is finished in stylish black gloss using a high-quality IP system process.

Available in 20° and 23° lofts, the utility is fitted with the highperformance UST Mamiya shaft and the Japanese-made Elite NK510 grip, constructed of elastomer resin for excellent feel and durability.

ABOUT MIKADO Mikado provides high-end handmade golf clubs from Japan at competitive prices, focusing on non-confirming clubs for recreational golfers who are in their 40s to 70s. ‘Mikado’ means ‘emperor’ in Japanese.

Mikado drivers generate exceptionally long carry distance as a result of its hexagon dimple system, which consists of a series of circles around the sweet spot. The circles expand the sweet spot area which helps increase forgiveness and at the same time create a trampoline effect that enhances power on impact and hence distance.

Mikado Golf has distributorship partners in South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The Malaysian distributor is J-Golf based at Publika Mall in Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

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IN THE BAG

www.mstgolf.com

OnOff AKA Series

AMAZING AKA Japanese clubmakers OnOff have launched their most exciting product range to date, the AKA Series comprising driver, fairways, utilities and irons.

The AKA series feature a new design highlighted by the Power Trench, which enhances performance on well-struck shots while providing a greater degree of forgiveness on off-centre hits. Daiwa’s renowned carbon technology, used in the manufacture of world-class fishing rods, is once again deployed in the latest shaft technology allied to the AKA series.

Power Trench The Power Trench in the crown and sole optimises the flex of the head at impact, which creates increased head speed and greater distance.

This feature helps the crown flex at impact, then induces the crown to recover its shape quickly for a more powerful hit. This takes place at the sole as well so the gains in performance are uniform.

The positioning of the Power Trench in both the crown and sole also expands the sweet spot to reduce distance loss and lessen dispersion on offcentre strikes.

Face Laser Milling Laser milling on the entire face of the woods and utility clubs as well as the impact zone of the irons suppress unwanted spin and prevent inconsistent performance during wet weather.

This helps golfers avoid hitting fliers from the rough by controlling the spin to ensure a stable trajectory. The irons feature diamondshaped milling which contributes to more consistent shot-making.

New Smooth Kick Shaft The new Smooth Kick Shaft helps the head accelerate to a square position, working in unison with the clubhead design to produce more head speed and a powerful trajectory.

The top section of the shaft provides a sense of speed while remaining stable, minimising unwanted head movement at impact. This helps ensure dynamic energy transfer through impact. The irons have a progressive design which extends to the shaft for optimal performance through the set.

SRP: OnOff OnOff OnOff OnOff

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AKA AKA AKA AKA

Driver: RM3,350 Fairway: RM1,990 Utility: RM1,600 Irons: Graphite – RM6,950 / Steel – RM5,090

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www.mstgolf.com

Yamaha RMX 216 Series

BETTER THAN EVER Yamaha’s popular RMX series continues to move forward with the launch of the RMX 216 Series comprising driver, fairways, utility clubs and irons.

RMX 216 Driver The RMX 216 driver is designed to generate high trajectories with up to 6.4 yards additional flight distance compared to the previous generation.

The 460cc clubhead has a slightly shallow back which increases stability for more directional control, while the low and deep CG location helps close the face to prevent slicing.

The Super Dual Powered Body design consists of six slits on the inside of both the crown and the sole, which help create more deflection to maximise impact energy.

Using supercomputer analysis, the thickness of the clubface is optimised by milling and press moulding to minimise distance loss on off-centre hits. Choosing from over 30,000 shape designs, Yamaha selected the one that delivered the largest sweet spot.

Yamaha used its vast knowledge of musical instruments design to create an internal sound rib structure that provides a more resonant impact sound.

SRP: RM2,950

RMX 216 Fairways Boasting innovative new features, the new RMX fairways are capable of generating up to 10 more yards distance compared to the previous model. These innovations include a cup face structure, 68g inner weights and the new Fricoff Sole.

With a COR of 0.8, this club is near the permitted limits and is designed to generate increased kick velocity, a higher launch angle and lower backspin for more distance.

SRP: RM1,590

RMX 216 Utilities According to Yamaha, the RMX 216 utility can add up to seven more yards to overall distance. Boasting the same technology as the fairway, the utility is also equipped with the new Fricoff Sole which minimises the area that comes into contact with the ground thus reducing resistance and helping golfers swing through the ball.

SRP: RM1,390

RMX 216 Irons The new RMX 216 irons feature radically different materials and machining to create optimised trajectory, control and feel across the set.

M355 Maraging Steel, previously only used in the face, is now used for the entire body to achieve exceptional repulsion and a higher flight. This combines with the unified structure with no weld points to boost the COR to 0.80 from the previous generation’s 0.77.

The blade weight has been decreased and shifted to the sole to achieve an even lower CG, while maintaining the streamlined look of the clubhead.

SRP: Graphite – RM6,800 / Steel – RM5,290

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IN THE BAG

www.xxiousa.com

XXIO9 Utility Clubs

GO HIGH & LONG The XXIO9 utility clubs are ideal for golfers who struggle with longer irons as they deliver iron-like high trajectories with more distance.

In the ninth generation of the XXIO series, Srixon’s R&D team takes its proprietary Dual Speed Technology to the next level. Clubhead speed is increased by helping golfers maintain a longer wrist cock without having to adjust their swings.

The XXIO9 utility boasts higher ball speed technology, with the forged HT1770M clubface updated from the previous open-face structure to a new cup face structure which enhances COR performance across the entire face.

Enlarging the thinner surrounding area of the face (the thinner area between thicker areas) creates a sweet spot 10% larger than that of the previous model and improves the carry distance on off-centre shots.

The head shape sees more curvature towards the toe area and reduced face progression for better contact and accuracy off the turf. A new Power Wave Structure (patent pending) in the sole features a thinner centre and thicker sides, which creates a deep and low CG to help get the ball airborne with ease.

The utilities are fitted with Srixon’s self-developed MP900 carbon shaft, made using the most advanced materials from the aerospace industry. The clubs are smartly finished in high-gloss metallic with blue gradation polarized coating and mirror, ceramic-shot and satin touches.

The ninth generation of the popular XXIO series also includes driver, fairway woods, irons and ladies versions. Since XXIO’s debut in 2000, it has been the No 1 seller in Japan for 16 straight years based on the Yano Research Institute survey of annual over-the-counter sales. XXIO clubs are used by players of all abilities, from amateurs to top pros such as World No 1 Inbee Park and Japanese stars Sakura Yokomine and Kazuhiro Yamashita.

Lofts: U3+ (17°), U3 (19°), U4 (21°), U5 (23°), U6 (25°) SRP: RM1,490

©Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Inbee Park

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XXIO9 Utility Ladies Version

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www.pinnaclegolf.com

Pinnacle New Rush & Soft Golf Balls

DISTANCE PLUS FEEL

The new Pinnacle golf balls, engineered with proprietary core technologies, deliver category-leading performance with the extraordinary distance of new Pinnacle Rush and the incredibly soft feel of new Pinnacle Soft.

New Pinnacle Rush helps golfers hit the ball farther with every club. Rush utilises high-energy core technology to deliver high initial velocity for powerful distance and an advanced icosahedral dimple design for a penetrating, consistent ball flight.

The softest Pinnacle ever, the new Pinnacle Soft combines a high-energy, very low compression core with an incredibly soft ionomer cover to provide an extremely soft feel with low spin for long distance.

All Pinnacle golf balls are designed, tested and manufactured by Acushnet Company’s R&D and Operations teams in the company’s state-of-the-art research, testing and manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts.

“Pinnacle has been a longstanding leader in its segment of the market. Given our extensive performance testing of these products, we expect that this lead is likely to grow,” said Michael Mahoney, Acushnet’s director of golf ball product management.

“Pinnacle Rush is either longer, or longer and softer, than other top selling distance competitors. Pinnacle Soft is longer and softer than the leading competitive products positioned as extremely soft or low compression.”

PINNACLE RUSH The Pinnacle Rush is designed with proprietary high-energy core technology that produces fast ball speed for more distance on all full swing shots. Rush utilises an advanced icosahedral dimple design with 332 dimples to deliver a consistent, powerful ball flight, while its soft, durable ionomer cover provides great feel.

Available in both white and optic yellow.

PINNACLE SOFT The Pinnacle Soft is engineered with a high-energy, extremely low compression core – Pinnacle’s lowest compression core ever – that delivers extremely soft feel along with low spin for long distance. The proprietary core formulation combines with an incredibly soft ionomer cover to produce the softest-feeling Pinnacle ever made. The advanced icosahedral dimple design with 332 dimples ensures an ideal, consistent flight.

Available in white with black play numbers.

Note: Available in standard dozens exclusively at Royal Sporting House Malaysia outlets.

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IN THE BAG www.scottycameron.com

New Scotty Cameron Select Putters

MORE FEEL + FEEDBACK The new Scotty Cameron Select putters, engineered with innovative new face inlay technology, blend precision milled craftsmanship with multi-material constructions to deliver tour-validated performance.

The new Select putters feature six performance-oriented models with shapes and configurations to satisfy the styles and preferences of all golfers. Central to the new Select line are three unique multi-material constructions matched to each putter style, each utilising new face inlay technology to produce responsive feel and feedback that golfers have described as “soft but solid”.

“This new Select line promotes feel while expanding what’s possible with performance,” said master craftsman Scotty Cameron. “We’ve extended the methodology of our proven multi-material technology to include new stainless steel inlays for blades, as well as aluminium inlays for the mid-mallet models. The result is a better look, a better sound, a better feel and a better product.”

The new face inlays – which wrap around the sole and disappear from the player’s view, as opposed to a traditional face insert that occupies only a specific section of the face – are presented in three unique set-ups to complement each putter shape and size: • New Select Newport, Newport 2 and Newport 2.5 models, the next generation of Scotty’s long-time tour favourites, are modern heel-and-toe weighted blades designed to support flowing strokes. Each model features a sole-to-topline 303 stainless steel inlay that is precision midmilled and hand-buffed to a brilliant, metallic finish, then bonded to the stainless steel body using high-tech vibration dampening material.

• New Select Newport 2 Notchback – a slightly larger, angular modern blade with a notched flange – features a sole-to-topline 6061 aircraft grade aluminium inlay anodized in gunmetal grey. The lightweight aluminium inlay, bonded to the stainless steel body with vibration dampening material, enhances sound and feel while moving more weight from the stainless steel to the perimeter for improved MOI and stability.

• New Select Newport M1 and Newport M2 mid-mallets combine a 6061 aircraft grade aluminium inlay with Scotty’s face-sole popthrough technology. The facesole is a single piece of lightweight aluminium that 50

comprises the face inlay, wraps down and around to create the midsection of the sole and pops through the flange to create the sightline field. This construction concentrates weight on the perimeter to produce higher MOI and stability for ‘straight back/ straight through’ strokes.

“I’ve worked with insert ideas for years.

This is the culmination of my research, the various inlays we’ve developed for this new line,” said Cameron.

A new Select Newport 2 Notchback Dual Balance model is also available for those who prefer a Newport-style head but need more stability in their stroke.

Each new Select putter features advanced stability weighting with two, customisable stainless steel heel-toe weights, stepless steel shafts and supple Red Matador Mid-size grips (Newport 2 Notchback DB employs a 15-inch Dual Balance grip).

The Select line’s raw stainless steel finish is refined with a unique bead blast for a radiant yet glare resistant appearance. The tour-inspired graphics blend the familiar three bright translucent red dots with engraved typography that represents this modern, high-tech line.

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Select Newport

Select Newport 2

Select Newport: Classic heel-and-toe weighted blade with a plumbing neck, shorter rounded contours, a 303 stainless steel face inlay and new flange sight line.

Select Newport 2: Legendary low-slung modern heeland-toe weighted blade with a plumbing neck, longer angular lines, 303 stainless steel face inlay and a flange sight line.

Select Newport 2.5: Modern blade with longer Newport 2 profile, crisp lines, short flare neck, 303 stainless steel face inlay and flange sight line.

Select Newport 2 Notchback: Angular modern blade with distinct, mechanical contours, a notched flange, flowing singlebend shaft, and a 6061 aircraft grade aluminium face inlay with a single flange sight line.

Select Newport M1 Mallet: Rounded, flowing midmallet with 6061 aircraft aluminium wraparound facesole technology, sweeping single-bend shaft, and popthrough flange alignment system.

Select Newport 2.5

Select Newport 2 Notchback

Select Newport M2 Mallet: Rectangular, boxy midmallet with 6061 aircraft aluminium facesole technology, flowing single-bend shaft, and popthrough flange alignment system.

Select Newport 2 Notchback Dual Balance: Features a 50-gram heavier putter head counter-balanced with a 50-gram weight in the grip-end of the shaft to stabilise the putting stroke; 37” standard length with a 15” Dual Balance grip to slow down and stabilise the butt end of the putter throughout the stroke.

SRP: New Select putters –RM2,140 New Select Dual Balance putter – RM2,215 Available in shops April 8

Select Newport M1 Mallet

Select Newport M2 Mallet

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IN THE BAG

www.ping.com

Ping G Driver

Headlining Ping’s revolutionary new G Series is the striking G driver, inspired by sources as diverse as dragonfly wings and 18-wheelers.

The G driver takes speed, distance and forgiveness to new levels without sacrificing other performance attributes.

The G driver was inspired by a close-up photograph of a dragonfly taken by Ping chairman and CEO John A. Solheim – specifically the wing structure. Using an approach called biomimicry, Ping’s engineers studied the dragonfly’s intricate wing pattern to create a complex exoskeleton design – which yielded Ping’s thinnest (0.43 mm) and lightest crown to date, saving 8g while creating a stable structure.

This produces a CG that is lower and deeper than any Ping driver, increasing dynamic loft and elevating MOI for more distance and forgiveness.

The science behind the base flaps of 18-wheel semi-trailers were also integrated into the G drivers, specifically in the Vortec Technology on the back of the club and turbulators on the crown which reduce drag by 37% for greater clubhead speed. The variable-thickness T9S face has a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for a thin face to increase ball speed.

Golfers can adjust lofts up to +/- 1º using Trajectory Tuning 2.0, with five settings in the lightweight and highstrength 7075 aluminium hosel sleeve.

In addition to the standard version, two variations are available – the G SF Tec driver with weight closer to the heel to produce a draw bias and the G LS Tec driver which has an extremely low CG (slightly forward of the standard G driver) for low, stable spin with forgiveness.

Lofts: Standard and LS Tec – 9°, 10.5° SF Tec – 10°, 12° Note: Lofts adjustable +/- 0.6° or 1° SRP: Ping Alta J650D shaft – RM2,650 52

©David Cannon/Getty Images

INSPIRED BY NATURE

BUBBA’S PINK G DRIVER Bubba Watson put the G driver into play in his first event of the year, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii and has kept using it since, adding a G 3-wood along the way.

At press time, the flamboyant southpaw was averaging over 311 yards off the tee for the year and already had one title to his name, winning the Northern Trust Open in late February by one shot.

IN BUBBA’S BAG Driver Fairway Irons Wedges Putter Ball

Ping G (9°) with Grafalloy Bi-Matrix Pink X shaft Ping G 3-wood (14.5°) with Fujikura Motore Speeder Tour Spec 8.2X shaft Ping S55 (2, 4-9) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue shafts Ping S55 (48°), Ping Glide SS (52°, 56°) Ping Glide TS (60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue shafts Ping Anser Milled 1 Titleist Pro V1x

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MARCH 7, 2015

Bubba Watson attacked the Blue Monster with a G driver featuring Dragonfly Technology.

GMAX

G

iE1

Rhapsody

bubba on target

Bubba Watson, with his G driver and fairway wood, is displaying the quality of play that makes him the world #4.

In his first tournament since winning two weeks ago, he contended all the way and earned a solo second at the prestigious WGC-Cadillac Championship, his third top 10 this season. Watson flashed the power

and accuracy of the G driver, in round two becoming the first player in the field to drive the 341-yard par-4 16th hole. With his custom-milled Anser putter he drained a 61-foot putt for eagle in the final round. Bubba was #1 for the week both in strokes gained tee-to-green and greens in regulation.

PING DEMO/FITTING DAYS SCHEDULE FOR APRIL 2016

PING PERFORMANCE CENTER AT KLGCC

PING FITTING DAY EVERY FRIDAY STARTING FROM 8TH JAN 2016

Sole Distributor:

WINSTON’S SDN BHD (15202-W)

36, Jln Pemberita U1/49, Temasya Industrial Park, Seksyen U1, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Tel : 03-5569 2623 Fax : 03-5569 2639 Email : winstons@wingolf.com.my Available at leading golf shops, pro shops and department stores.

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FEBRUARY

DAY

VENUE

TIME

1-3/Apr/16

FriSun

Johor Golfest (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

10.00am to 9.00pm

6/Apr/16

Wed

Danau Golf Club Driving Range (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

5.00pm to 8.00pm

8/Apr/16

Fri

KLGCC Performance Center (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

11.00am to 8.00pm

13/Apr/16

Wed

Monterez Golf & Country Club Driving Range (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

5.00pm to 8.00pm

15/Apr/16

Fri

KLGCC Performance Center (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

11.00am to 8.00pm

19/Apr/16

Tue

Extreme Park Golf Driving Range Kota Damansara (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

5.00pm to 8.00pm

22/Apr/16

Fri

KLGCC Performance Center (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

11.00am to 8.00pm

25/Apr/16

Mon

Sibu Golf Club Driving Range (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

4.00pm to 7.00pm

26/Apr/16

Tue

City North Driving Range Jalan Keretapi Kuching (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

5.00pm to 8.30pm

27/Apr/16

Wed

Miri Golf Club Driving Range (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

3.00pm to 7.00pm

28/Apr/16

Thu

Brunei RBA Golf Club Driving Range (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

5.00pm to 8.00pm

29/Apr/16

Fri

Lintas Driving Range - Kota Kinabalu (Custom Fitting with latest nFLIGHT Fitting System)

6.00pm to 9.00pm

Winston’s Sdn Bhd Showroom (Indoor) (Custom Fitting with latest nFlight Fitting System) (PLEASE CALL FOR APPOINTMENT)

10.00am to 5.00pm

APR'16 DAILY EXCEPT - Sat, Sun, & Public Holiday

3/24/16 4:11 PM

SPECIAL > COBRA GOLF KING WEDGES

IMPERIAL PERFORMANCE Cobra Golf’s new King Wedges offer maximum spin with personalised fit and versatility Cobra Golf’s new King wedges are designed to improve feel and performance on the shots that really count.

In addition to a new muscle shape, the King wedge collection utilises progressive grooves, variable face roughness and three sole grind configurations to provide golfers with superior feel, increased spin consistency and personalisation.

“We’ve been working on these new wedges for nearly two years to create the best-performing specialty wedges for golfers,” said Jose Miraflor, director of product marketing at Cobra Golf. “Our Cobra engineers collaborated with our tour players, including Rickie Fowler, Jonas Blixt and Lexi Thompson, and conducted extensive research and testing on the King wedges. Through that we’ve greatly improved wedge feel and versatility, giving golfers the confidence to hit a variety of shots around the green.”

One of the most important attributes of a wedge is feel and Cobra engineers used modal analysis to help tune vibrational frequencies (or shape) to deliver their softest feeling wedge to date.

The King wedges boast the new Progressive Milled Grooves which feature wider grooves and gapping on higher lofted wedges, and traditional groove spacing on lower lofted wedges. The wider groove design allows higher lofted wedges (56°-60°) to grab the golf ball and impart increased spin while making spin more consistent throughout the wedge set. The new grooves 54

are combined with Variable Face Roughness (VFR), a face milling technology that maximises both RA (average roughness) and RY (max peak to peak depth) to the USGA limit.

To provide the ultimate wedge customisation, the King wedges feature three sole grind configurations that have been combined with the iconic Cobra Notch. Golfers thus can choose the perfect wedge to match their game and turf conditions. Each unique sole grind has its own set of advantages: the Versatile sole features a medium bounce (8°-10°) for

overall versatility on medium to firm turf conditions, the Classic configuration has a high sole bounce (11°-12°) and a narrow sole for ease of use on all turf conditions, and the WideLow option has a low bounce (4°-7°) with a wide sole that works well on medium to soft turf conditions.

The King wedges feature a new, durable Satin Nickel Chrome plating finish that helps diffuse light and prevent glare, along with True Temper Dynamic Golf S200 (Stiff) shafts and Lamkin UTX grip.

For more information on the entire King family of products, visit cobragolf.com.

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ESSENTIALS

FREESTYLE – FORM & FUNCTION FOOTJOY

Not only does FootJoy’s radically new category of golf shoes, FreeStyle, stand out in the looks department, it also provides the world-renowned FJ superior in-shoe comfort, remarkable flexibility and an outstanding grip performance that will allow golfers to play their best with complete confidence.

While FreeStyle allows for a more natural movement, the shoe doesn’t compromise on grip. The inspiration for this supreme grip comes from a Red-Eyed Tree Frog who generates incredible gripping power on any surface; hence the birth of F.R.O.G.S. outsole technology, where traction elements increase ground contact points throughout the swing in all weather and underfoot conditions.

a new FTF 3.0 midsole compound is the brand’s softest and most comfortable yet. The Softspikes Tour Lock system and new translucent Pulsar cleats deliver exceptional low-profile grip with a dynamic, frog-like flex. Beneath the upper is an InnerSok Fit System – including both TongueLok and HeelLok mechanisms – to help hold the foot securely in place throughout the golf swing.

F.R.O.G.S. Technology incorporates a super-flexible new SoftMax translucent outsole that offers both a softer feel and extra grip, while

SRP: RM850 RM950 (BOA)

SPRING/SUMMER FIT PING

Ping Apparel’s Spring/Summer collection for men and women showcase a clean, tailored fit under three Sensor technologies: Sensor Cool, Sensor Warm, and Sensor Dry. UV protection, moisture movement, wind and water protection, crease resistance, insulation, and breathability are a few of the benefits of the Sensor Technology Platform.

Ping has partnered with Pertex to offer a new level of waterproof and windproof performance to the Sensor Dry category. Pertex Shield+ offers a high level of wind and water protection with excellent breathability, backed by a three-year waterproof warranty.

Many of the products were designed in collaboration with Ping Tour pros, including Louis Oosthuizen and Angel Cabrera, who represent Ping Apparel. Products include polos, shorts and skorts, mid-layers, outerwear, belts and socks.

Exclusively available at MST Golf outlets.

SRP: Tops – RM299-RM389 Bottoms – RM299-RM399 Outerwear – RM359-RM389 ParGolf APRIL 2016

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THEQuiet FOCUS BAND

Focus Band helps golfers achieve optimum performance through ‘mind control’

BY JONATHAN PONNIAH

T

hey say golf is 90% mental – and the other 10% is mental too! This comes closer to the truth at the highest levels of the game, where ability evens out and the difference between winning and losing often comes down to stressmanagement.

It was this that prompted Graham Boulton and his son Henry to invent the Focus Band, a wearable mental training device which is essentially a headband with three woven EEG (electroencephalogram) sensors that

Eye

measure your brain activity. The data is transmitted to a mobile device via Bluetooth and displayed on an avatar using an app.

The idea is to train your mind to get ‘in the zone’, or what is known in Japanese as the ‘Mushin’ state, and then achieve perfect focus, referred to as ‘Quiet Eye’, where actions are executed using the more intuitive, right side of the brain. Each state triggers a different visual and audio feedback on the Focus Band app so you basically know where you’re at mentally.

The Focus Band gained worldwide prominence when Australian superstar Jason Day started using it a few years ago, culminating in his Major breakthrough at last year’s PGA Championship.

The younger Boulton was in town recently to conduct Focus Band training sessions for teaching professionals and golfers at the JNG Golf Academy & Fitting Studio in Tropicana Golf & Country Resort. He recalled how the idea to create the device came about.

“We were working players on the

“Once you’ve established where you’re at in your belief system, then you can redefine the process to change that.”

HENRY BOULTON, CO-FOUNDER, FOCUS BAND

Focus Band co-founder Henry Boulton (L) observing the mental state of JNG Golf’s Nathan Hauser (R) as JNG Golf director Shinya Sasaki looks on

56

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Henry Boulton conducting a Focus Band training session at the JNG Golf Academy in Tropicana GCC

Australian and Japanese tours and we had them almost technically and physically ideal – but when they’d get to a tournament, they’d play great practice rounds but will fall apart during actual play,” said Boulton, who is a performance and fitness coach certified by the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI).

“So it had to be something mental and we started looking for products out there that could help – but there was nothing that could really solve the problem. Me and dad were originally electronics engineers, so we started working on our own system in 2009,” he added.

Focus Band hit the market towards the end of 2009 but it took a while to

gain traction as the Boultons fine-tuned the product.

“In 2010 we did extensive testing with players and in 2011 we did a really extensive case study with about 300 people. In 2012 we started working with PGA Tour players in the US and in 2013 we got on tour – that’s when we met Jason Day at Phoenix and then we started working with him at Pebble Beach and that went on for the next two and a half years,” noted Boulton.

Focus Band essentially lets you know in real-time, using audio and visual feedback, what your brain is doing. You can thus learn how to change your state of mind to a desired state, a process known as Neurofeedback – the training of the brain.

TOUR PLAYERS USING FOCUS BAND • Rod Pampling • Greg Chalmers • Mike Weir • DJ Trahan • Daniel Summerhays • Padraig Harrington • Chris Stroud • Jason Day • Sandra Gal • Danny Chia • Kelly Tan

“With all the players it’s a belief system – whether they can get their belief and get rid of blockages, those limiting beliefs that hold us back from reaching our true potential. Focus Band helps quantify where they are mentally and practise it when they’re on course – and then hopefully show them that it’s possible, that I can do this,” explained Boulton.

“You already have certain beliefs – what you have to do is show that belief system, using either statistics or combined tests to show that this is where you’re at, that’s the evidence.

Once you’ve established where you’re at in your belief system, then you can redefine the process to change that. The way you train will change the belief, and using the Neurofeedback allows you to say ‘hey, I’m good at this, I can do it in practice and now I can transfer this to tournaments’,” he elaborated.

Boulton noted that the process is not a one-off thing. “It’s a maintenance thing – it’s not like once you’ve worked it out you’ve got it; you’ve got to keep working at it, you have to keep learning, you have to continually reset your goals, you have to keep pushing yourself,” he said.

With more and more tour players turning to Focus Band for help – including multiple Major winner Padraig Harrington – it looks like the sky's the limit for the Boultons. Another major boost came in December last year when they signed an exclusive partnership with FlightScope to integrate Focus Band technology into all FlightScope products for their mobile and PC platforms.

For more information, log on to www.ifocusband.com. PG

Interview with Henry Boulton arranged by JNG Golf Academy & Fitting Studio.

For information on golf lessons, clubfitting and other services, log on to www.jnggolf.com.

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©Asian Tour

AROUND ASIA

Asian Tour commissioner Kyi Hla Han (L) presenting the award to Ben Styles of The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip (R), while Jed Moore of Performance54 looks on

The inaugural Ho Tram Open was selected as the Event of the Year for 2015 in the annual Asian Tour Awards. Staged at the award-winning The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip in Vietnam last December, the US$1.5 million event was the tour’s richest full-field tournament and showcased not only memorable golf but an exciting mix of entertainment events.

Spanish star Sergio Garcia won the event in a memorable playoff against Thai stalwart Thaworn Wiratchant, India’s Himmat Rai and Taiwan’s Lin Wen-teh. Dubbed ‘Asia’s Grandest Stage’ and tagged ‘Where Golf Meets Entertainment’, the event boasted a series of slick supporting events which included black-tie dinners, poolside parties, a ‘Fight Night’ and a concert by former Westlife frontman Brian McFadden.

Most of the events were staged at The Grand Ho Tram Strip, a huge beachfront resort with a full-fledged casino.

“Billing an event as ‘Asia’s Grandest Stage’ immediately sets a high expectation, but from the moment we touched down to the moment we left, the hospitality and service were off the charts, leaving us all excited about returning for the next event,” said Asian Tour commissioner Kyi Hla Han. “This award is the icing on the cake for us,” said Ben Styles, vice-president golf & residential of The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip. “The Ho Tram Open is an advert for all stakeholders within this exciting new destination, both on a local and national level. Vietnam has ambition to grow its golfing prowess and we feel we have played 58

our part in increasing awareness, sparking interest with the global golf community, who will consider Vietnam and Ho Tram a must-visit destination.”

The event was promoted and staged by a team of entertainment and golf specialists, Performance54 and Troon Golf, in line with the innovative vision of the ownership group, Asian Coast Development Ltd. “Golf has the ability to shape a destination's economic profile,” commented Jed Moore, managing director of Performance54. “When you are given license to create and develop unique initiatives, you can drive far stronger returns with more immediate effect. The leadership from Asian Coast Development Ltd gave us the freedom to do something different and lay the foundations for the destination's future success. This award gives us great confidence for what was achieved and the future of the event.”

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Natipong Srithong was named the Asian Tour’s 2015 Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old turned professional last September after winning the individual and team gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games and enjoyed immediate success in the pro trail with a breakthrough victory at the Resorts World Manila Masters.

India’s Anirban Lahiri picked up the Lowest Stroke Average (68.07) and Greens in Regulation (75.99%) awards along with the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown following two wins in 2015. Lahiri also won the Hilton Golfer of the Year award following an online poll by golf fans.

Natipong Srithong

©Asian Tour

Ho Tram Open named Event of the Year for 2015

2015 ASIAN TOUR ROLL OF HONOUR Order of Merit Winner: Anirban Lahiri (IND) Hilton Golfer of the Year: Anirban Lahiri (IND) Rookie of the Year: Natipong Srithong (THA) Lowest Stroke Average: Anirban Lahiri (IND) 68.07 Driving Distance: Lee Sung (KOR) 308 yards Driving Accuracy: Adilson Da Silva (BRA) 81% Birdie Leader: Paul Peterson (USA) 226 Greens in Regulation: Anirban Lahiri (IND) 75.99% Lowest Putting Average: S.S.P. Chawrasia (IND) 1.71 Sand Saves: Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 70.59% Asian Tour 2015 Event of the Year: Ho Tram Open

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©Asian Tour

Fung wins Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Month award for EurAsia Cup heroics Malaysia’s in-form Nicholas Fung was voted as the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Month for January following his battling performance for Team Asia in the EurAsia Cup on home soil.

The talented 25-year-old showed great composure in his partnership with compatriot Danny Chia to pick to two halfpoints in the fourballs and foursomes.

“Winning the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Month is a great start to the season. It’s a sign of better things to come and I’m going to work hard to achieve my first win on the Asian Tour,” said Fung, who won the award ahead of Chia

and Korea’s Yikeun Chang.

Fung’s win follows the recent announcement of Hilton Worldwide’s extension of their partnership with the Asian Tour, which is now into its second year. The Golfer of the Month award is one of the partnership initiatives aimed at recognising outstanding efforts of Asian Tour members both at home and abroad.

Fans vote online at www.asiantour.hiltongolf.com to determine the monthly winner, culminating a vote for the Golfer of the Year at the end of the season. Voters stand a chance to win a one-night stay at any Hilton property of their choice.

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AROUND ASIA

Jang shares the spotlight at Sentosa

Ha Na Jang celebrates her win

for Good’, ‘How Deep is Your Love’ and ‘Babe’. The Manchester group was supported by American EDM artiste Jack Novak.

Meanwhile, Jang’s victory made her the third South Korean after Jiyai Shin (2009) and Inbee Park (2015) to win the event. The World No 10 saved her best until last, making eagle on the last hole for a fourth round 65 to finish on 19-under-par, four clear of Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum.

“It’s amazing right now because the last eagle was very fun, very enjoyable, and exciting in my mind. Two wins (this year)

©Andrew Redington/Getty Images

While Ha Na Jang’s four-shot victory in the HSBC Women’s Champions was outstanding, the Korean had to share the limelight with a series of entertainment events over the first week of March at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.

The highlight of the week was British pop group Take That’s concert on Saturday night, marking the group’s first ‘live’ show in Singapore since 1995. Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald played for over 90 minutes on a purpose-built stage at the driving range, singing some of their most memorable hits including ‘Back

right now, I am very happy,” said the flamboyant nine-time LPGA winner, who celebrated in typical fashion with a jig on the 18th green.

Phatlum meanwhile was left still searching for her first LPGA victory, but the 26-year-old believes she can take a lot of positives from her efforts.

“I played good (this week), a good start to the year, so that’s made me confident.

Everything is getting better and better. I now have more experience and I have new equipment so I can play with more distance,” she said.

Take That in concert

Na wins Vietnam’s first ladies pro event at Sky Lake Korea’s Chung Ye Na made history by winning Vietnam’s first-ever professional ladies golf tournament, the Korea Investment & Securities Championship, held on the last weekend of February at Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club near Hanoi.

The 28-year-old carded rounds of 71 and

60

70 to finish on three-under-par 141, one shot ahead of Choi Kam Ra in the KRW20 million Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) event, part of the new KLPGA Winter Tour.

Managed by IMG, Sky Lake is located 45km from Hanoi and offers two highly-rated

courses, the Sky Course and Lake Course.

General manager Tim Haddon said it was a pleasure to host an event that put ladies professional golf on display for the first time in Vietnam.

“We were keen to see how the pros fared on our Lake Course, which was recently named Vietnam’s Best Championship course. We were delighted it lived up to its reputation as one of the most challenging courses in the country, with a two-round total of only three-under-par taking the trophy,” he said.

Haddon added it was pleasing to see how professionally the players conducted themselves and their interaction with fans.

“They were a credit to themselves and the KLPGA Tour,” he said.

The new KLPGA Winter Tour is staged

by South Korean broadcasting company SBS Golf, enabling the country’s lady professionals to play outside Korea during winter. Another event will be staged later this month at The Dalat at 1200 course in Dalat.

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Glee for Green at Glenmarie

Shaun Norris

there and I trusted myself a lot. I was nervous but I told myself to stay focused. I just played my own game. I told myself not to focus on the outcome but on the process,” said Green.

“This win means a lot to me. It has been a slow start for me this season but this win will definitely give me more confidence in the future. I am very thankful for all the great support this week. My friends and family have been very supportive; even my grandmother is here today,” he added.

Green’s victory was also his third win on the local PGM Tour which runs numerous co-sanctioned events with the ADT.

“This win means a lot to me. It has been a slow start for me this season but this win will definitely give me more confidence in future. My friends and family have been very supportive. Even my grandmother is here today.”

GAVIN GREEN

©Asian Tour

It took a little longer than expected but rising Malaysian talent Gavin Green has claimed his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title as a professional, thanks to his two-shot victory in the PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship in late February.

The 22-year-old Green, who started the final round with a one-shot advantage, showed great resolve as he fired six birdies against a lone bogey for a closing 67 and a 19-under-par 269 total at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club’s Garden Course. This was Green’s second ADT title following the 2014 PGM Vascory Templer Park Championship while he was still an amateur.

India’s Chikkarangappa S. piled the pressure on the Malaysian with an eagle at 16 and birdie at 17, but a bogey on the last dashed his hopes and he settled for second place in the RM200,000 (approximately US$46,600) event.

Green, who turned professional last June, was overjoyed to make up for the heartbreak of the tournament’s last edition when he was pipped to the title by one shot after holding a five-shot lead heading into the final round.

“I was feeling the pressure, especially after Chikkarangappa eagled 16. I knew the scores were close but I just couldn’t let anything go. I kept to my momentum out

TOURNAMENT RESULTS ONEASIA QUALIFYING SCHOOL March 1-4 / Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club, Sabah, Malaysia 283 – Jamie Arnold (AUS) 69-74-72-68; 284 – Mark Baldwin (USA) 73-71-69-71, Eunho Youm (KOR) 72-70-71-71; 286 – Hogeon Lee (KOR) 72-70-74-70, Michael Choi (AUS) 69-72-72-73, Jinwoo Park (KOR) 67-76-71-72

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ISPS HANDA PERTH INTERNATIONAL (ASIAN TOUR / EUROPEAN TOUR) February 25-28 / Lake Karrinyup Golf Club, Australia / A$7.5 million 272 – Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 70-64-67-71; 273 – Alexander Levy (FRA) 70-67-70-66; 274 – Jason Scrivener (AUS) 69-67-69-69; 275 – Gregory Bourdy (FRA) 73-71-65-66, Peter Uihlein (USA) 65-68-71-71 MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP MALAYSIA (ASIAN TOUR / EUROPEAN TOUR) February 18-21 / Royal Selangor Golf Club, Kuala Lumpur / US$3 million 269 – Marcus Fraser (AUS) 66-69-66-68; 271 – Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 66-68-69-68, Soomin Lee (KOR) 66-68-64-73; 272 – Julien Quesne (FRA) 70-69-65-68, Jorge Campillo (ESP) 65-69-69-69

BASHUNDHARA BANGLADESH OPEN (ASIAN TOUR) February 10-13 / Kurmitola Golf Club, Dhaka / US$300,000 263 – Thitiphun Chuayprakong (THA) 65-66-65-67; 265 – Sutijet Kooratanapisan (THA) 67-67-65-66; 270 – Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 66-68-71-65; 272 – Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 68-69-67-68, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 68-66-65-73 LEOPALACE21 MYANMAR OPEN (ASIAN TOUR / JAPAN GOLF TOUR) February 4-7 / Royal Mingalardon Golf & Country Club, Yangon / US$750,000 264 – Shaun Norris (RSA) 66-66-61-71; 268 – Azuma Yano (JPN) 66-68-66-68, Junwon Park (KOR) 73-64-63-68; 269 – Jeunghun Wang (KOR) 66-68-66-69; 270 – Casey O’Toole (USA) 71-69-63-67, SSP Chawrasia (IND) 66-66-68-70 PGM NORTHPORT GLENMARIE CHAMPIONSHIP (ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR) February 24-27 /Glenmarie Golf & Country Club, Malaysia / RM200,000 (approx. US$50,000) 269 – Gavin Green (MAS) 65-71-66-67; 271 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 64-72-67-68; 272 – Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 66-72-68-66; 277 – Thammanoon Sriroj (THA) 70-71-71-65; 279 – Danny Masrin (INA) 68-72-66-73 PGM UMW TEMPLER PARK CHAMPIONSHIP (ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR) February 3-6 / Templer Park Country Club, Malaysia / RM200,000 (approx. US$50,000) 272 – Shunya Takeyasu (JPN) 72-65-68-67; 273 – Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA) 70-66-68-69; 274 – Doohwan Bang (KOR) 67-72-70-65, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 71-71-63-69; 276 – Oscar Zetterwall (SWE) 74-69-69-64

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asian angles chuah choo chiang

A thought-provoking column on Asian golf by Chuah Choo Chiang, recognised worldwide as one of Asia's top golf writers. Chuah is the communications director of the Asian Tour, based in Kuala Lumpur.

I Dream Of Augusta

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atrons at Augusta National Golf Club, known otherwise as golf fans at the fabled venue which annually hosts the Masters Tournament, will endure “double takes” when the year’s first Major rolls up in the first week of April.

Asian Tour star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, dubbed as Asia’s John Daly, will make a highly anticipated Masters debut after finishing in the world’s top-50 at the end of 2015 following two victories – and it wouldn’t be surprising to hear American fans go, “Is that John Daly?”

The burly Thai grips it and rips it like the famous American two-time Major champion who thrilled crowds with his go-for-broke style of play and larger-than-life character.

In some ways, Kiradech resembles Daly in how he approaches the game.

The Thai has an over-the-top backswing like the slimmed-down American, he’s gung-ho when he tees the ball up and readily excites crowds by taking straight aim at pin flags.

It were such traits that helped the 26-year-old Kiradech win the Paul Lawrie Match Play in Scotland last year where he defeated former European No 1 Robert Karlsson in the final. Kiradech has also won twice on the Asian Tour, including the 2013 Malaysian Open when he became the region’s No 1.

Daly enjoyed a tied-19th finish in his Masters debut in 1992, the year after he came out from nowhere to win the PGA Championship. In the following season, the ‘Wild Thing’ finished joint third at Augusta National which proved to be his career best finish at the Masters.

It will be interesting to see how Kiradech performs against the likes of title-holder Jordan Spieth and Rory

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McIlroy, who will be chasing a slice of history by winning the Masters to complete a Career Slam.

For all his talent, Kiradech has somehow failed to produce his A-game at the Majors – he has missed three straight cuts at the British Open; a tied-25th outing at the PGA Championship in 2013 remains his best Major finish to date.

He will certainly need to regain his magic of 2015 very quickly to ensure a memorable first appearance at Augusta National. So far this year, Kiradech’s best outing is joint49th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship and he would surely be keen to carry some good form to America come spring time.

A former world amateur champion, Kiradech has long been earmarked for greatness, with his Order of Merit success in Asia when he was 23 years old offering a glimpse of a bright future ahead. He endured difficulties with his form following the passing of his long-time coach that same year but soon regained his confidence at the start of 2015 with a victory in China, followed by his success in Scotland which pushed him into the world’s top-50 for the first time in his blossoming career.

His recent marriage on Valentine’s Day will also provide him with the stability to push on with his quest to climb up golf’s hierarchy in the years to come.

“I look forward to playing in Augusta National. When I was a kid, I watched a lot of golf and I saw a lot of great players winning the Green Jacket. Since then, I’ve been dreaming of playing in the

©David Cannon/Getty Images

Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s Masters debut is approaching fast, and to say we at the Asian Tour are ‘anxious and excited’ is a complete understatement

Masters,” said Kiradech. “In 2013, I almost finished inside the world’s top-50 and I didn’t get an invite. Hence, I just focussed on my own game and I told myself that one day I will get into the Masters. The dream has come true.”

In the modern age of emails and mobile phones, Kiradech said he found great delight in receiving his Masters invitation through his inbox.

“It was the best email I’ve ever received in my life. I check my email very often and I got excited when I received it. Playing in the Masters is the first step – if I can play in all four rounds, then it would be a great start to the year. Thongchai (Jaidee) and Prayad (Marksaeng) have told me a lot about the course but it is not the same as playing on the course.”PG

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BRG Legend Hill Golf Resort

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HANOI, VIETNAM

Eclectic

HANOI

Cultured, friendly, earthy and cool.

LOO KENG YIP revels in multifaceted Hanoi on and off the course

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aving enjoyed half a dozen golf courses in southern and central Vietnam, the bar was set high. A few had been quite nice. Golf is booming in Vietnam and new courses are springing up every year. At present Vietnam has 36 of which more than 10 are clustered around Hanoi. There were high expectations that the courses up here in the north would be good as well. Ahead lay three days of golf on four courses.

They did not disappoint.

What? Left your sunblock? No worries. The mercury hovered around 15°C under cloudy skies, fairly typical December weather we were told. It was like playing with the A/C on.

We played everything from an exotic five-star country club frequented

by tourists to a rustic diamond in the rough supported mostly by locals and almost everything in between. Even their layouts varied greatly. Apart from having the requisite number and sequence of tee, fairway and green, none physically resembled the other in the slightest. The first has small lakes scattered throughout gently rolling terrain and an especially testy par three, their signature hole, which features a compact island green. The next has the entire course, two 18s actually, built on a sizable island in the middle of a large lake and is designed to be assessed by boat. The third, a stunning beauty built in hilly terrain, seems to have been plucked straight out of a landscape painting of mistshrouded mountains. As amazing as it

may sound, the last course we played was almost completely flat. There was one hole with a lofty tee box but its fairway, as was the rest of the course, was as flat as a pancake. As if fully in keeping with the theme of being different, its driving range is a lake into which players knock balls from an open deck attached to the side of the clubhouse. The contrast between the four couldn’t have been greater. If you like variety in your golf courses, Hanoi is your kind of place.

BRG Legend Hill Golf Resort This is a freshly minted (opened for just a few months) Jack Nicklaus design.

Someone suggested that this would typically mean trouble lurking on the right; apparently the Golden Bear has a

©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf

BRG Legend Hill Golf Resort

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penchant for punishing slices and fades.

Well, maybe this is partially true but a recurring theme here seems to be a water hazard on the left with a generous bail-out area to the right.

Getting far down the fairway on Legend Hill’s numerous left biased doglegs is a matter of deciding how much of the hazard one dares to drive over to reach the opposite shore. A fade or a slice, especially, would result in lost distance but more importantly, the ball would come down on terra firma to the right.

Aiming too far left, ‘over-drawing’ or hooking a tee-shot on the other hand (in the context of a right-handed player) would have the ball end up talking to the fishes. There were also holes with water on the right but it seemed to me that the dogleg left over water occurred a little more often.

There is a par five that turns left and completely back on itself, resembling the letter ‘U’. With a favourable wind the truly heroic might even fancy having a go at the green in one. It reminds me of the infamous fourth hole at Monterez GCC before the nets sprang up to foil the long drive brigade.

This one at Legend Hill has just a pretty lake between the tee and green – far more inviting. Not to mention being a lot safer as one can easily make visual confirmation that the green is clear.

The par three 9th is Legend Hill’s signature hole. The island green has a couple of gentle tiers sloping from back to front and small bunkers fore and aft.

It sits in full view of the modern

Caddies getting off the boats shuttling golfers to and fro between the clubhouse and mainland ‘piers’ at King’s Island

clubhouse. Designed like a cosy alpine ski lodge only with a less steeply pitched roof. You hit off real grass at the driving range and the balls were NXT Tour’s. No rock hard range ball rejects here. This is a quality golf course.

Buggies are allowed on the fairways.

Being critical, the greens were a tad slow. Conversely the fairway grass could do with a little more growing-in.

The course is brand spanking new after all and being December and cold, I suspect the slow growth rate wasn’t exactly keeping the mowers working overtime. But come spring and going by the high levels of maintenance and attention to detail already evident there

©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf

HANOI, VIETNAM

should be no reason why Legend Hill can’t become a great course in the near future.

King’s Island Golf Course The name should have been the tip-off but nothing can adequately prepare one for their first sight of King’s Island Golf Course. After an hour and a half of driving through countryside filled with rice fields, cows and all sorts of landbased flora and fauna, one is suddenly confronted by a huge lake and what appears to be an island in the middle.

“Is that the golf course?”, you’ll find yourself asking. Never mind that it is actually a peninsular attached by a

Hole 4, King's Island Golf Course

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Hole 18, Sky Lake Resort GC

skinny isthmus to the far shore; the speedboat ride to the clubhouse pier completes the illusion quite convincingly. Wow, talk about first impressions – you can’t help but smile.

Everyone is seemingly overcome by some sort of fun island party mood.

Only here, golf kit stands in for straw hats, floral shirts and swimming trunks.

It was early in the morning and the opening tees were already packed.

There seemed to be hardly a pause to the clocklike tempo of speedboats shuttling players and golf bags to and fro between the clubhouse and ‘mainland’ piers throughout the day. As you can well imagine the layout features holes that thread between hills at the centre of the ‘island’ that lead to holes with a lateral water hazard running along their entire left or right side depending on whether one was proceeding clockwise or counter clockwise along the coast.

The design team has done a good job of making the holes different and interesting. In fact they have even managed to throw in an oddball

geometrically correct, almost perfectly rectangular 300-yard par four. It looked like three football fields put end to end driving straight as an arrow up the side of a steep hill. Bunkers on the left and right that curl in towards the green front are hidden from view from the fairway. Walking off with a par is not as straightforward as one might think. The lake looked clean and inviting.

King’s Island is one of Vietnam’s older courses and shows signs of wear but its truly unique location is still an amazing draw ensuring that the ‘party island mood’ persists throughout the round. It’s hard not to have a good time when even the clubhouse resembles a giant tiki hut.

Sky Lake Resort & Golf Course Picture the islands of Ha Long Bay or rows of mist-shrouded hills with rounded peaks receding into the distance like those found in typical ‘Shan Shui’ style brush and ink paintings. Now imagine a no-expense-spared luxury golf course nestling right up to some of this dreamy landscape. Well, that would be Sky

Lake Resort & Golf Course.

There are two 18-hole courses here – The Sky is open to the public while The Lake is a members club with limited slots available to guests. Pushed for time we played the back nine of The Lake, a spectacular course. For a change and much to my liking, the lakes here are not solely employed as heartless hazards waiting in ambush to gobble up even a slightly under-hit shot. It could ruin one’s day. To the designer’s credit, some stretches of water here run alongside the fairway but don’t come into play. They are used, as nature intended, as bits of calming counter point contrasted against the rolling landscape. Beautiful, serene.

Still this course is quite hilly, probably a difficult one to walk.

Never mind that some of the fairways are quite narrow or that they rise or fall sharply and lead to undulating greens, or that some landing zones are full of moguls ... you will enjoy this course. A large part of this is because the fairways, whilst undeniably challenging, are also exceptionally well maintained. On occasion, the ball would sit up so nicely that picking it cleanly off the turf with a driver is not beyond reason – not that you would ever need to as choosing to play driver even from the tee is not always necessary. In fact, there was even a drivable par four. Yes, I did, thank you. Unfortunately I let the eagle escape but tapped in for a lesser bird.

Several fairways are not only narrow, they are lined by thick impenetrable rough. Lost ball territory for certain. Other holes are quite open.

I’m fairly certain that you will call on most if not all the clubs in your bag through the course of a round. The caddies spoke sufficient English. Well trained, they often carried several more clubs than was absolutely necessary as they followed us across the fairways, always allowing for a decent number of

©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf

Panoramic view of Sky Lake

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Da Lai Star Golf & Country Club This is a golf club less travelled, by tourists at least. It was bustling with local golfers, and no wonder, whilst it is a little rough around the edges with its unpaved cart paths, small clubhouse, small restaurant, limited changing room space and short on other amenities, Da Lai is brilliant in the areas where it matters most, such as the great fairways for example. It rained intermittently throughout our round, mostly light showers. Occasionally it was heavy enough to require bringing out raincoats and umbrellas but there were no puddles anywhere on the course to speak of which is quite a feat because Da Lai is essentially flat. On average, the elevation of the fairways above the water in the lakes, is perhaps no more than one or one-and-a-half metres at most. A few holes have slightly more elevated tee-boxes and greens. The sole exception was a teebox perched maybe 20 metres up on a thickly forested limestone outcrop but everything else in Da Lai is as flat as a pancake.

All the par threes seemed to have gently sloping greens that are generous in width but lacking in depth. A bunker

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stands guard at the front, usually in the middle with the pin tucked directly behind it. Scoring well on these par threes will require above-average distance control. I ended up in one bunker and the conditions were excellent considering the wet weather.

Drives still managed a bit of roll on the damp fairways. Just as well.

Some holes are quite long, especially one par five. Launching the tee shot off the centre of the driver, then absolutely nailing a fairway wood still left 170 yards to the front of the green.

Predictably the greens were slow.

Occasionally there were traces of fall lines left in the moisture by previous flights. We could clearly see that the greens were smooth and true. There were no broken or jagged lines which would indicate the ball hopping over a poor surface. Overall the conditions were really quite good in the rain. The

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choices; a good thing as buggies are restricted to the cart path.

This is a truly well maintained and run club far enough away from the city to be surrounded by genuinely rustic, tranquil, perhaps even poetically beautiful, scenery. I often found myself stopping to take in the view. There is very little if anything for one to gripe about on or off the course. If it isn’t already, this will surely be a popular destination soon.

greens and fairways should be even better in the dry.

Da Lai was different from the other clubs we had played and closer to the rural charms of Vietnam in more ways than one. On offer is great golf and an authentic rural Vietnamese experience all at once. The well-maintained fairways are the equal of any country club but here, we also had chickens for company on one green. In the distance people went about their chores wearing the ‘nón lá’ (traditional conical hat).

The best bit, however, came earlier as we waited for a fairway to clear. My caddie leaned over the perimeter brick wall, spoke to someone and emerged with some ‘bánh khoai môn hap’, a savoury taro cake somewhat like the ‘Penang yam cake’ which she shared with us. Add a little sweet chili sauce ... delicious! Such warm hospitality.

Having played as a two-ball on the outward nine we were joined at the turn by a Hanoi local and his friend, a Malaysian expat working in Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese guy is almost certainly a single handicapper.

He had played the course before and was keen on introducing Da Lai to his friend. This is surely an endorsement and few would hesitate to return for another round; in spite of the damp weather we had enjoyed ourselves.

Hanoi City Like the golf courses we played, the residents of Vietnamese capital Hanoi are an eclectic lot. I saw a nattily dressed gentleman with a tweed flat cap toting an umbrella sharing the pavement with a real live chicken. Both perhaps slightly amazed at ‘how’ – if

Da Lai Star GCC

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People 'chillaxing' with food and drinks at sundown

Typical Hanoi street

not exactly wondering ‘why’ – it had crossed the road! A fashionably dressed young girl smiled through braces and hammed it up sitting astride her shiny new moped. Meanwhile, middle-aged ladies in plastic raincoats lean on wellworn bicycles in an alley nearby.

Many streets were tree-lined and the city seems more green and leafy than Da Nang, for example. There are several lakes and parks. Many take advantage of them for their morning exercise and evening walks. Our hosts VNAT (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) had organised our flights, our hotel accommodation and the golf, along with a rickshaw (cyclo) ride and a water puppet show on two evenings.

Sundown also brought out the food-loving crowd. Patrons of packed restaurants spilled out onto the pavement and sat at small low tables.

Others shared coffee with friends at all night cafés or bistros. Hanoians have certainly made an art of kicking back in the cool evenings. They also seem to really like their freshly-baked breads. There seemed to be as many bakeries, patisseries, cake shops and street vendors selling baguettes as there were cafés and coffee shops.

Thanks to the VNAT, we were

feted nightly at fine restaurants serving authentic Vietnamese fare which were always great. There is very little left to say in praise of Vietnamese cuisine except for perhaps that it is in a way, more ‘democratic’ than most.

The dishes are invariably tasty, and yet they are still somehow ‘neutral’.

The main ingredient, be it a meat, seafood, even noodles, is never lost nor overshadowed by spices. Indeed some vegetables are served simply blanched. From humble pho’ at a roadside stall to fine dining masterpieces, they are usually accompanied by several condiments on the side. Diners may then add to their individual servings extra lashings of fish sauce, lime, garlic, ginger, mint, various oils and aromatics in any combination or intensity. Hardcore chili fans may turn up the heat to their heart’s desire without fear of setting anyone else on fire! It is as if being a Vietnamese chef is to be masterful yet humble, never to assume that they should dictate precisely how someone else ought to like their food.

Sweet people. Savoury cakes. Clear lakes. Mist-shrouded mountains.

Delicious food. Cool weather. Brilliant golf courses. There’s indeed much to like about Hanoi. PG

FAST FACTS Getting There AirAsia as well as numerous carriers fly daily from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport. Travel time is a little more than three hours.

When To Go The weather is divided into two main seasons: rainy season (January to September) and dry season (October to April). Thanks to transition months, Hanoi still experiences all four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring (February to April) is humid and wet with drizzles, perfect for the plants to grow and flowers to blossom. As such, it’s the best time for tourists to witness the vitality of tropical nature.

Useful Contacts Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Address: 80 Quan Su Str, Hoan Kiem Dist, Ha Noi, Vietnam Tel: 84 4 3942 3760 Fax: 84 4 3942 4115 Website: www.vietnamtourism.gov.vn/ english

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almost ob loo keng yip

Intrepid photographer and long drive proponent Loo Keng Yip gives his rather slanted view on all things golf

Dang! What A Bird!

Even in Shakespeare’s day eagles were superior to birdies; let’s dig deeper into the pecking order

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Why the avian fixation? Apparently, ‘bird’ is an old term for anything desirable. People might exclaim, ‘That was a bird of a shot’ to note their approval. Of course, ‘bird’ is also a dated term for girl. In the past, pubescent schoolyard chatter might have gone something like, “C’r blimey! Did thou seeth the pair of uh ... err ... ankles on that new bird!”

‘Bird’ used in praise was common throughout the English-speaking world.

But there is some evidence to suggest that American golfers first popularised ‘birdie’ to denote one under par. There is a plaque at the Atlantic City Country Club claiming that ‘birdie’ was coined during an exchange between players in 1903 at the par four second hole. It is also commonly thought that ‘eagle’ became the natural progression amongst American golfers for an even better result; the eagle being an object of pride, the national bird and emblem of the USA. A bird in hand is apparently worth two in the bush. But what about a double-eagle? Whilst an albatross is the exact equal of double-eagle, two eagles do not add up to one albatross. An albatross can have a wingspan twice that of an eagle. Maybe that helps, maybe not. Then there are studies inferring that crows, parrots and cormorants can count. No studies on the albatross and eagle though.

Bird brains? Avian mathematics? Let’s not go there. Let’s return to the USA instead.

Tom, the flight-mate who scored the par, happens to be an

American. Not the longest hitter, he makes up for it with a good short game, usually chipping up close from a ton, ie 100 yards ‘as the crow flies’, or less. On one green he left a makeable birdie putt woefully short and cried out, “Oh you chicken!”

The put-down ‘chicken’, as in ‘chicken-out’, has one etymological trace dating back to the American Civil War, specifically to the Union Army of 1864. Newly enlisted men were given a chicken each, dinner perhaps, to be shared with family before shipping out the next day. Some took the chicken, but never returned.

Americans seem to be the avian authority. There are early birds and lame duck presidents, ghetto birds who flip the bird and in spite of the conspiracy theories, the eagle has landed. We might have come full circle. Who knows, maybe thanks to popular (US) culture ‘chicken’ might eventually become the technical term for lagging a putt “when it isn’t absolutely necessary!” And maybe anyone duck hooking into water on a short par three should be called a ‘turkey’. Yes, guilty.

But hey, sometimes very little differentiates between fame and infamy.

After all an eagle might only be a better looking vulture – or as the Bard put it in Henry VI, “an empty eagle set to guard the chicken from a hungry kite”.

Anyone know a good plaque maker who’s willing to sneak onto a golf course at night?

Drive long and prosper. PG

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erched on the flagstick at the end of every fairway is a motley flock of birds. Getting even one in hand however isn’t easy. Trying to surprise the lot I ripped a driver off the white tees and made the green. The albatross had seen enough and took flight. Then charging my putt past the cup scared off the eagle. Luckily I holed out for three.

By my standards it was a rare and unusual feat, made all the more miraculous by the ball pinning down a luckless birdie that had taken refuge in the hole. I couldn’t identify the species.

Probably a dodo. The other birds had scattered. A flight-mate made par. I replaced the pin. Eventually the birds would return. It had been a good hole. At least it hadn’t been damaged by the bogeyman triplets or worse, destroyed by others.

‘Par’ is almost certainly hijacked from the world of stockbroking – and why not; the term fits perfectly. In addition the ultimate worth of the stock, or stroke count, above or below the ‘par’ or face value pretty much depends on the ability of the people seeking to influence it. But this is where the similarity ends. With appreciating value stockbrokers get colourful, eg ‘blue chip’, whilst golfers – well, we go bird hunting!

Initially any kind of birdie will do.

Perhaps encouraged by a little success we suddenly get more critical. Next up after a merbok, sparrow, dodo, tit, or whatever species a common ‘birdie’ happens to be, only an eagle will suffice.

Then we get twice as demanding. In fact before ‘albatross’ was used, three under par was a double-eagle. Rare birds both.

Catching one feels a lot like poaching.

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MAHKOTA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Kuantan’s New CROWNING GLORY The East Coast’s latest 18-holer is a real test of golf

BY LOO KENG YIP

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eading east out of KL at a relaxed pace and about two and half hours up highway E8 (Lebuhraya KL-Karak-Gua Musang) is Pahang's newest golf course, Mahkota Golf & Country Club (MGCC).

No chance of getting lost even if your GPS is playing up as MGCC's front gates open up right onto the road one has to take from the E8 turn-off (Exit 833) leading into Kuantan.

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Intending to make it a day trip, we started out from KL at 6am and reached the clubhouse in time for breakfast. The golfer's terrace is airy and modern and the roti canai is excellent. Crisp and flaky but not dry, it is as good a roti as you are likely to get from the best roti canai joints. There are conference rooms, VIP suites, gym, pool, tennis and badminton courts and pretty much what you'd expect of a full-fledged Golf & Country Club. The club also has a two-tier driving

range with 48 bays, comfortable changing rooms and a golfer's terrace with alfresco and air-conditioned sections.

Kuantan, a further 20 minutes up the road, is a fast-growing city with a plethora of hotels, beachfront resorts, restaurants, fast-food joints, bistros and cafés. Good food and accommodation won't be a worry if you choose to stay on longer and indeed MGCC can set you up with ‘stay and play’ packages with their partner hotels.

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Sweeping view of the all-new second nine

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Signature Hole – the long par-three 17th playing to a peninsula green

MGCC sits on what used to be the Astana Golf & Country Club but is now part of a larger development by AIM Realty that includes bungalows and semi-Ds, condos and apartments, a commercial centre, shopping mall, college and hotel which are at various stages of completion. This is shaping up to be one of Kuantan's premier addresses.

The 18-hole course itself is comprised of an all-new second nine which only opened for play last December, designed and built from scratch, whilst the front nine are reworked holes from the Astana originals and were playable just over a year ago. Australian architect Nigel Douglas was the chief designer.

The greens are TifEagle and were running 9.0 or so on the day we played.

Generally they seemed receptive and predictable with a good mix of gently rolling surfaces and others with steeper slopes. They were also reasonably large as I don't recall chipping through or having an approach shot run off the back of any green. The Zoysia Matrella fairways were relatively well maintained.

Given the course conditions, the real test at MGCC is in getting the better of the challenging design. There are a couple of tricky par-fours which place a premium not only on being able to drive reasonably long but accurately as well.

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©ParGolf/KY Loo

MAHKOTA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Hole 8, Par 3

Lush foliage on the front nine

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tough going and hard labour. The difficult holes are balanced out by enough 'easier' ones to make it enjoyable.

A little local knowledge helps as well.

Teeing up a draw on the dogleg left, 460metre par-five 12th hole goes a long way – literally. Aiming over the fairway bunker on the extreme left and getting out to around 240m should catch a steep downhill slope that sets the ball running an additional 30m or more. 'Two-on' is achievable from there for long hitters.

And for the less able, the fairway is also quite wide. Getting to the green in regulation is a distinct possibility.

The par-three 17th is MGCC's signature hole that rises a little towards the green. Set into a pretty bit of scenery, the 'island' teebox is built low to the water and connected to the 'mainland' on one side via a rather unique steel girder and cable bridge. A lake protects the front and entire right side of the green.

There is a row of greenside bunkers on the left that protect against the side slopes acting as a funnel for intentionally or accidentally pulled shots.

As seen from the teebox, the challenge of multiple hazards and length make its Index 2 rating seem appropriate, but the 17th is also one of those holes you

CARD OF THE COURSE HOLE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

BLACK 295 185 335 365 515 405 390 170 485

BLUE WHITE RED 281 257 270 136 168 121 325 293 274 301 355 288 467 491 443 382 358 337 364 345 308 136 158 119 470 446 414

OUT 3,145 2,994 2,752 HOLE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

BLACK 415 155 480 395 375 535 335 195 380

2,561

BLUE WHITE RED 405 350 340 135 145 125 460 445 430 380 365 335 355 335 315 515 500 480 310 300 275 150 180 120 360 335 310

PAR INDEX 4 17 3 3 4 15 4 13 5 11 4 1 4 7 3 5 5 9 36 PAR INDEX 4 4 3 18 5 14 4 8 4 16 5 10 4 12 3 2 4 6

3,265 3,110 2,915 2,730

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TOTAL 6,410 6,104 5,667 5,291

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IN

ALL DISTANCES IN METRES

©Mahkota GCC

Strategically-positioned fairway bunkers and hazards force even the longest players to lay up and the shorter players to come up with some decent drives.

There was little to gain from hitting out beyond 230m or so. Even after teeing off a perfect lay-up, there is still a lengthy approach to negotiate. Getting on the green in regulation might consist of hitting two hybrids or two fairway woods in a row.

Typical of this demanding layout is the Index 1, par-four sixth hole that features a split fairway. Picture a stream running the entire length and down the centre of the hole. Looking out from the teebox, the first part of the split fairway is to the right of the stream. There are no fairway bunkers here but this first bit of fairway ends abruptly halfway up the length of the hole with the cart path and a bridge that crosses the stream to link it to the second bit of fairway that lies entirely to the left of the stream.

Both fairways aren't especially wide.

Long drivers able to carry 250-plus metres from the blue tees and attempting to reach the front end of the second fairway on the left have to hit a tiny landing zone merely 10m wide. This is a proper Index 1 hole.

Thankfully MGCC isn't all about

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©Mahkota GCC

Reverse view of the par-three 17th

might find yourself thinking is a little easier than the index suggests after walking away with a respectable stroke count. When playing the hole for the first time, water carry worries can mess with the mind making for a nervous tee-shot compounded by not being able to ascertain the true (fairly generous actually) size of the green from the tees.

To some extent it is true for any course but local knowledge and course management seem to play a relatively large role to having a good round at MGCC. PG

Address

KM13, Jalan Sungai Lembing, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur

Tel

+609-573 9595

Email

bookings@mgcc.my

Website

www.mgcc.my

GPS

Latitude – 3.840878 / Longitude – 103.281667

Designer

Nigel Douglas

Golfing Rates

Weekdays – RM231.80 / Weekends – RM311.80 (inclusive of green fees, insurance and twin-share buggy + caddy)

Note: Contact the club directly for ongoing promotions

©Loo Keng Yip/ParGolf

For a keen but struggling golfer like me, a trip to Kuantan won't be complete without trying my long-rested golf skills at the new and much talked-about Mahkota Golf & Country Club (MGCC). When the opportunity arose, I jumped at the idea without any hesitation.

Equipped with excitement and, of course, my loyal golf equipment all bundled in one car, off I went, along with my three other golfing buddies.

Let me tell you something; it was worth the trip.

The 18-hole MGCC sits within one of the new townships near Kuantan, Bandar Indera Mahkota. Driving there only takes 20 minutes from the city centre, passing shops selling harvest from the sea along the way.

Like a child on a new playground, I paid attention to the layout of the tract as well as the surroundings before embarking on my round. Despite the hot and dry weather we are experiencing now, MGCC was well maintained and nicely watered; signs of a good greenskeeping team.

The first nine seemed short in length for most of the par-fours. I was introduced to a parfour of just 257m in length with an index of 17 as the first hole. An easy drive off the tee, leaving less than 100 metres to the green might sound like a song in the meadows, right?

Wrong! Miss your approach to the right and the ball will fall five metres below the green, from where perhaps a good flop shot might get it back on the dance floor. A tip from the caddy is highly recommended here.

What sets MGCC apart from other golf courses in Malaysia is its acknowledgement of the toughness of par-threes. Three out of the four par-threes are given extremely low indexes – Holes 2, 8 and 17 are indexed 3, 5 and 2 respectively! From the forward tees, the difficulties are not obvious. For example, Hole 17 is just 120m from the red tees and plays straight into the green – two putts for a par and off you go. But playing off the back tees, at 195m in length, one has to carry a pond to get on the green. A dependable rescue wood would be a big help in order to stay 'afloat'.

Throughout my round at MGCC, I came to understand that short does not mean easy.

There are certain obstacles like undulations, big water catchments and, of course, the weather factor that hinder excellent scores. For an average hitter like me, I had to be careful of my direction; one wrong move and I'd end up in a vast cluster of fairway bunkers like on Hole 12, or end up wet like on Hole 17.

My advice to female golfers who would like to test their skills at MGCC is to put up a night in Kuantan after your game. This charming town has many good eateries, especially seafood restaurants. And not to forget all those shops selling fresh ocean catch.

Happy golfing!

Hole 18, Par 4

©ParGolf

FACT FILE

A FAIRER PERSPECTIVE IDA FAHANY

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spinal scoop dr. nick boden

A column on golf-related injuries by chiropractor Dr Nick Boden, CEO of the Spine&Joint group of clinics. Based in Mont Kiara, he is currently the only Level 1 Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified chiropractor in Malaysia and can sometimes hit a golf ball straight. For more information, log on to www.spineandjoint.asia

Pain In The Neck

How to identify the cause of neck pains and treat the problem

N

©Database Center for Life Science

This is a medical term to describe the degenerative changes in the neck which can include neck spurs (osteophytes), loss of space between

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Facet Syndrome

The joints between the vertebrae are called facet joints and they can become sprained and painful, resulting in neck stiffness and a reduction in the range of movement of the neck.

the vertebrae and changes in the normal neck posture.

Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc (Slipped Disc)

Slipped discs occur when the soft gel between the bones of the neck bulge

How do you treat these problems?

A thorough neck examination as well as testing of the nerves is needed in order to make a proper diagnosis.

This may often involve a neck X-ray and if the symptoms are affecting the arm, an MRI. Treatment in our Spine and Joint centres will usually involve an integrated approach of chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy and traction.

By integrating care, it is possible to help improve range of movement, relax muscles and reduce the pain from the compressed nerves.

Neck strengthening exercises and improvement in upper back posture are important too. PG

In some cases, an MRI may be required for a proper diagnosis

©MIGUEL ALVAREZ/Getty Images

Cervical Spondylosis

out and start to place pressure on the spinal code or nerves. This can result in arm pain, numbness and tingling.

©Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

eck pain can cause havoc with your golf swing. It can also have many causes; however, if it involves a slipped disc and pressure on a nerve, then the problems are magnified.

The muscles of the neck, shoulder complex and the arm and hand are supplied by the cervical nerves which come from the neck. Pressure on the nerves in the neck due to an injury or bad neck posture can result in numbness, tingling and pain down one or both arms. If the pressure is really bad this can cause muscle weakness.

Having a ‘steady head’ during a golf swing is important as the head contains the eyes and it's imperative that the rotation of the upper body and neck is not restricted or painful as this wil`l result in problems with the swing.

What types of problems can occur in the neck?

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MALAYSIAN PROFESSIONAL NEWS

©ParGolf

©ParGolf

Focusing on the Olympics

Ian Triggs observing Danny Chia's avatar

Australian golf ‘guru’ Ian Triggs was in Kuala Lumpur early last month to conduct a threeday mental training session at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club for some of Malaysia’s leading professionals as part of the PGMUMW Road To The Olympics programme.

The top two Malaysian men, Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung, were joined by second-ranked Malaysian ladies professional Michelle Koh in the training, which utilised the highly-rated Focus Band training device. Worn as a headband, the device measures brainwave activity which is displayed on an avatar using a mobile app.

Golfers receive audio and visual feedback of their brain activity and can thus train

themselves to achieve a calmer state.

“The Focus Band is a superb tool for mental conditioning as it provides realtime feedback on your state of mind. Once you get the hang of it, you can train yourself to achieve the ideal state of mind for sports performance,” said Chia, who was stoked about the Focus Band and has ordered one for himself.

The Focus Band is used by some of the world’s top golfers including Major winners Jason Day and Padraig Harrington.

Launched in February 2015, the PGMUMW Road To The Olympics programme is a collaborative effort by the PGM Tour, UMW Corporation and MST Golf to help

MST Golf Academy's Koe Lai Yin with Michelle Koh

leading Malaysian professionals qualify for this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The 18-month training period included guest coaches in areas such as mental strength, short game, physiotherapy and fitness. Players also received subsidies to help fund their travel expenses to overseas tournaments that offered world ranking points.

Olympic qualification is based on the Official World Golf Ranking subject to country limitations, with the cut-off set for July 11. At press time, Chia is within the top-60 men while Koh and US-based Kelly Tan are in the top-60 women that make it to Rio.

©PGM Tour

Shaaban learns to win again at Harvard Seasoned campaigner Shaaban Hussin stormed to his first win in almost two years with a wire-to-wire victory in the PGM Sime Darby Harvard Closed Championship, played in early March at Harvard Golf & Country Club in Kedah.

The 36-year-old Kedahan made full use of playing on ‘home’ soil, carding rounds of 66, 69, 69 and 70 to finish on 14-under-par and take top honours by two shots over rookie Low Khai Jei and Iylia Jamil.

“I have come close and played well since winning at Orna in 2014, but was not able to close out any of those events,” said an elated Shaaban. “Here I started well and kept up the consistency, which made the difference. I am very happy to have won again!”

Low, who turned pro in February, already has a win on the PGM Tour in the 2015 Orna

Closed while still an amateur and came close to making it two.

“I’m happy with how I started and finished today, but the third round yesterday let me down. But I will carry on working at trying to improve,” said Low, who turns 20 in June.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

PGM SIME DARBY HARVARD CLOSED CHAMPIONSHIP March 2-5 / Harvard GCC, Kedah / RM180,000 274 – Shaaban Hussin 66-69-69-70; 276 – Low Khai Jei 69-68-72-67, Iylia Jamil 74-65-67-70; 277 – Khor Kheng Hwai 68-7170-68; 278 – S. Siva Chandhran 67-75-68-68 Note: Results of Asian Development Tour co-sanctioned events carried in 'Around Asia'.

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YOUNG GUNS

“The standard of play is improving every year and I’m excited about the future as we continue our effort to grow the game of golf globally through the Faldo Series.”

SIR NICK FALDO

shots during the clinics. That was really inspiring,” added the teenager, who is the third Indian to win the grand final following Rashid Khan and Abhijit Chadha.

Japan’s Nasa Hataoka was three strokes further back in third place but had the consolation of topping the Girls’ Under-16 division and finishing as the leading female.

Arjun will be granted an exemption into an Asian Tour event, while Hataoka will be given a start in a Ladies European Tour event. Both have also earned themselves a trip to compete in this year’s Faldo Series Europe Grand Final.

In the Girls’ Under-21 category, victory went to a three-time Rolex Junior AllAmerican Kaitlyn Papp, who was joint second in last September’s Faldo Series Grand Final at Sporting Club Berlin. The Boys’ Under-21 winner was England’s Jack Yule, who also won that segment at the Faldo Series Grand Final in Berlin, while the Boys’ Under-18 title went to Hong Kong’s Leon D’Souza.

The Mission Hills Trophy for the leading mainland Chinese player was presented to Liu Ziwei, who finished joint 14th overall and fifth in the Boys’ Under-18 category.

“This week we brought together more than 70 young golfers from 20 countries around the world and based on what I’ve seen I’m hopeful many of them will make names for themselves in the years ahead,” enthused Faldo. “The standard of play is improving every year and I’m excited about the future as we continue our effort to grow the game of golf globally through the Faldo Series.”

The 2015-16 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretched over 11 months and was made up of 21 events in 17 countries.

©Mission Hills

British golfing legend Sir Nick Faldo hailed the 10th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final as one of the most dramatic in the history of the series after watching India’s Arjun Prasad stormed to a remarkable comefrom-behind victory at Mission Hills Dongguan in early March.

Four shots off the pace heading into the third and final round, the 17-year-old Arjun fired a stunning six-under-par 66 at Mission Hills’ acclaimed Faldo Course to take the title by two shots from overnight leader Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand.

“Arjun’s victory is a fitting finale to our 10th anniversary Faldo Series Asia Grand Final,” said Faldo.

“It was an engrossing contest between him and Atiruj and this certainly ranks as one of the most exciting and dramatic final rounds we’ve seen since we launched the series here at Mission Hills in 2007,” added the six-time Major champion.

Arjun snared two birdies and an eagle on the front nine to overhaul the 15-yearold Atiruj, extending his advantage to two shots by the time they reached the parthree 16th. The Indian teen then proceeded to hit his only poor shot of the day, pulling his short-iron into the water and having to settle for double-bogey which allowed Atiruj to draw level.

Arjun recovered superbly at the next hole, arrowing a five-iron approach over water to within tap-in distance to regain top spot. He maintained his composure with a par at 18th to seal the deal.

“It’s been an amazing week – one that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” said Arjun, who posted a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 206.

“My thanks to Sir Nick Faldo for all his support and encouragement. I was awestruck to meet him and to see him hit

©Mission Hills

Awesome Arjun rules at Mission Hills

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two sen worth

A column by golf industry personalities on the state of the game in this region. In this issue, golf industry veteran Mohd Rom Muslim looks at the benefits of benchmarking our elite amateurs against the mighty Thais.

Benefits Of Benchmarking Let's find out how Thailand achieves such high results in international events and try to emulate them

I

Thai prodigy Natipong Srithong won two golds in the 2015 SEA Games and turned pro right after, claiming his first Asian Tour title in the Resorts World Manila Masters in November

©Asian Tour

t was no surprise to see Thailand winning all four gold medals at last year’s SEA Games in Singapore. What is more intriguing is the huge gap between the scores of the Thais and the Malaysian players.

We ask ourselves, what did Thailand do to be able to swipe all the gold medals offered for golf?

Yes, it was our strategy to send junior players to the SEA Games for them to gain exposure and experience in a top-level competition. These are the same players who will represent the country when Kuala Lumpur hosts the 2017 SEA Games. This brings us to the question of how we can enhance their training programme and equip them with the necessary high level skills, both mental and physical.

Malaysian players are better exposed to competitive golf compared with other SEA countries. There are about 30 or more tournaments per year where most of them participate. Some of the ASEAN juniors and elite players are keen participants in tournaments here to improve their World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Even with all this exposure, the performance of the Malaysian team on the international scene has been mediocre. Maybe the Malaysian players lack mental strength with little emphasis on mental approach to the game during training. Also, physically they may lack stamina, affecting their performance.

Malaysia is very keen to benchmark

Thailand because of their success. We also share similar physical make-up and environmental factors. This would be a very positive move and benchmarking can be a powerful tool for change and improvement. It enables us to recognise world-class performance and best practices for the enhancement and preparation of our elite golfers.

This will allow us to identify opportunities for improvement and setting performance targets. But we need to identify the areas that need benchmarking. Areas like scientific training methods using specialists and

world-class coaches, proper advice on dietary practices and motivation techniques are priorities.

The benefits of benchmarking are there. However, there are challenges in terms of getting the appropriate level of cooperation to share knowledge and the resources involved. It may take time.

Sometimes, the options for sharing information may be limited.

But under the spirit of ASEAN and with the Malaysian Golf Association’s good relationship with its counterpart in Thailand, this could easily be overcome. PG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hailing from Melaka, Mohd Rom Muslim is the deputy director of the National Golf Academy at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Sintok, Kedah.

Rom was the captain of the storied Ayer Keroh Country Club in Melaka, a position he held for eight years until recently.

He is also the president of the Golf Club Managers Association of Malaysia (since 2010) and is the Melaka state representative and chairman of the education sub-committee of the Malaysian Golf Association.

A former corporate man with an MBA from the Cranfield Business School in England, Rom is a much sought-after speaker for golf conferences both local and international. He shows no signs of slowing down at age 64 and is well known for his tireless cross-country trips for work and golf-related duties.

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APRIL FOOL’S DAY SPECIAL

Gotcha!

SO YOUR BEST GOLF MATE, A.K.A YOUR “FRENEMY”, ENJOYS RUBBING YOUR NOSE IN IT EVERY TIME YOU FLUNK A SHOT – AND YOU’VE BEEN ACHING TO EXACT THE ULTIMATE REVENGE. HEY, WITH APRIL FOOL’S DAY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, WE HAVE JUST THE GOLF GAGS FOR YA! GO ON, LET THE GAMES BEGIN! (AND YOU’RE WELCOME)

EJECT-A-PUTT First of all, stand back and take cover – ‘cos there will be flying golf clubs when you pull the Eject-A-Putt prank. This will have you rolling in laughter especially if you pull this one on a serious, no-nonsense golfer. How does this work? Simple. Place the Eject-A-Putt into a nearby hole and watch as the next ball that goes in shoots right back out! The poor guy will be scratching his head in complete bewilderment while you’ll be trying your hardest to suppress that telling snigger!

Available for purchase at: www.funslurp.com/funny-golf-gifts

UNPUTTABALL Well, here’s a sure-fire way to win that wager and drive even the coolest Joe golfer up the wall. Set up your mate with the Unputtaball Golf Ball for his next shot – when chipped or putted, this gag golf ball will skip and gyrate but will never go straight.

Get a good laugh out of this one, but still, watch your back – your cheesed-off mate might be plotting his revenge on you with his own April Fool’s prank!

QUIRKY GAG GIFTS

CALL ‘EM WHAT YOU WANT, BUT THESE GOLF GAG GIFTS ARE SURE TO TURN FROWNS UPSIDE DOWN. C’MON, YOU KNOW YOU WANT THESE FOR YOURSELF TOO.

WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GOLF ‘What I Know About Golf’ is the perfect joke or gag gift for any golf enthusiast! This book is BLANK on the inside. Huh? Okay, here’s how it works: you give your golf mate the book for their birthday, for example.

They open what appears to be a highquality, real book, loaded with "testimonials" and messages on the front and back of the cover – and it’s blank on the inside. The joke hits them – that they know “nothing” about golf! Got it?

This book can ultimately be used as a wacky notebook or useful journal … or simply left out for others to get a laugh again and again.

Available for purchase at: www.amazon.com

Available for purchase at: www.prankplace.com

POTTY PUTTER JOKING JELLY Picture this: you have just finished your round with your ‘victim’ and you’re walking towards your cars. Before long comes an ungodly shriek, followed by an arsenal of cussing. “What the (bleep)?” he/she says, staring at the golf ball stuck in the middle of his/her cracked windscreen. Of course, you know better. Sneaky sneaky. The Joking Jelly comprises a realistic golf ball with static cling that looks like shattered glass. Works great on car windows, computer screens and glass doors too!

Available for purchase at: www.amazon.com

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Now this would be perfect for those who wish they had more time to practice putting.

The Potty Putter lets you putt while you’re taking a number 2; you can be taking care of business while you're taking care of business. The Potty Putter even includes a free ‘do not disturb’ door sign to ensure no interruptions.

Available for purchase at: www.funslurp.com/funny-golf-gifts

ParGolf APRIL 2016

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0416

3/24/16 4:28 PM

CALENDAR OF EVENTS APRIL - MAY 2016 MALAYSIAN AMATEUR EVENTS Apr 4 – 7

KL Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam, Kuala Lumpur

–

Apr 14 – 17

Sabah Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

TBA

–

Apr 18 – 21

World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship

Dalit Bay GCC/Borneo Golf CC, Sabah

–

Apr 19 – 22

Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open (Ladies)

Saujana GCC, Selangor

–

Apr 25 – 28

Sarawak Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

Kelab Golf Sarawak

–

May 6 – 9

Kelantan Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

Kelantan GCC

–

May 19 – 22

Malaysian Amateur Open (Men)

TBA

–

May 19 – 22

RSGC Ladies Amateur Open (Ladies)

Royal Selangor GC

–

May 24 – 26

MPI Saujana Amateur Championship (Men)

Saujana GCC

–

May 30 – June 2

World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship

Penang GC/Bukit Jawi GR, Penang

–

May 30 – June 2

Negeri Sembilan Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

Nilai Springs GCC

–

PROFESSIONAL GOLF OF MALAYSIA (PGM) TOUR Apr 6 – 9

PGM Darulaman Championship (ADT)

Darulaman GCC, Kedah

RM200,000

Apr 13 – 16

PGM Kelantan Closed Championship

Kelantan GCC, Kelantan

RM180,000

Apr 27 – 30

PGM Palm Resort Championship (ADT)

Palm Resort GCC, Johor

RM200,000

May 2 – 4

PGM Development Circuit – Q-School

Palm Resort GCC, Johor

RM15,000

May 11 – 14

PGM Bukit Jawi Championship (ADT)

Bukit Jawi GR, Penang

RM200,000

May 16 – 18

PGM Development Circuit – Q-School

Bukit Jawi GR, Penang

RM15,000

May 25 – 28

PGM Port Dickson Championship (ADT)

Port Dickson GCC, Negeri Sembilan

RM200,000

ASIAN TOUR Apr 21 – 24

Panasonic Open Golf Championship

Chiba CC, Japan

¥150,000,000

May 12 – 15

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open

Four Seasons GC at Anahita, Beau Champs

€1,000,000

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR Apr 6 – 9

PGM Darulaman Championship

Darulaman GCC, Kedah, Malaysia

RM200,000

Apr 27 – 30

PGM Palm Resort Championship

Palm Resort GCC, Johor, Malaysia

RM200,000

May 11 – 14

PGM Bukit Jawi Championship

Bukit Jawi GR, Penang

RM200,000

May 25 – 28

PGM Port Dickson Championship

Port Dickson GCC, Negeri Sembilan

RM200,000

Apr 7 – 10

Masters Tournament

Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA

US$10,000,000

Apr 14 – 17

RBC Heritage

Harbour Town GL, South Carolina, USA

US$5,900,000

Apr 21 – 24

Valero Texas Open

JW Marriott TPC San Antonio, Texas, USA

US$6,200,000

Apr 28 – May 1

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana, USA

US$7,000,000

May 5 – 8

Wells Fargo Championship

Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

US$7,300,000

May 12 – 15

The Players Championship

TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA

US$10,500,000

May 19 – 22

AT&T Byron Nelson

TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas, USA

US$7,300,000

May 26 – 29

Dean & Deluca Invitational

Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas, USA

US$6,700,000

PGA TOUR

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LPGA TOUR Apr 10 – 16

Lotte Championship

Ko Olina GC, Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

US$1,800,000

Apr 18 – 24

Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic

Lake Merced GC, Daly City, California, USA

US$2,000,000

Apr 25 – May 1

Volunteers of America Texas Shootout

Las Colinas CC, Irving, Texas, USA

US$1,300,000

May 5 – 8

Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic

RTJ Golf Trail, Prattville, Alabama, USA

US$1,300,000

May 19 – 22

Kingsmill Championship

Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

US$1,300,000

May 26 – 29

LPGA Volvik Championship

Travis Pointe CC, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

US$1,300,000

EUROPEAN TOUR Apr 7 – 10

Masters Tournament

Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA

US$10,000,000

Apr 14 – 17

Real Club Valderrama Open de Espana

Real Club Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain

€2,000,000

Apr 21 – 24

Shenzhen International

Genzon GC, Shenzhen, China

US$2,800,000

Apr 28 – May 1

Volvo China Open

Topwin GCC, Beijing, China

RMB20,000,000

May 5 – 8

Trophée Hassan II

Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco

€1,500,000

May 12 – 15

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open

Four Seasons GC at Anahita, Beau Champs

€1,000,000

May 19 – 22

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

The K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare, Ireland

€4,000,000

May 26 – 29

BMW PGA Championship

Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England

€5,000,000

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR May 5 – 8

Lalla Meryem Cup

Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco

€450,000

May 12 – 15

Buick Championship

Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf, Shanghai, China

US$600,000

Note: Calendar omits unannounced schedules of tours and associations at press time

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©ParGolf

THE GOLF SCENE

View of Seri Selangor's 18th green with the clubhouse beyond

Seri Selangor to upgrade clubhouse facilities One of the country’s most popular public courses, the Seri Selangor Golf Club in Kota Damansara, will embark on an extensive upgrading project designed to improve its overall facilities.

The first phase of the project will kick off in May and will see the reconstruction of the buggy tracks and halfway huts. This will be followed by the second phase in September, which includes the construction of a new proshop, offices and registration counter, along with the extension of the changing rooms, golfer’s terrace and banquet hall to increase its capacity from 200 to 500 people. The entire exercise is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

Seri Selangor is managed by SACC Convec Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor which is the corporate arm of the Selangor state government. SACC Convec also manages the Shah Alam Convention Centre.

“With the upgrading we aim to provide better facilities and service to our patrons,” said Shuhainie Shamsudin, the CEO of SACC Convec, during the prizegiving lunch of the inaugural Seri Selangor Media Invitational Golf event on February 29.

“Besides managing these two venues we also specialise in providing a full range of catering services and have catered for up to 20,000 pax. We also provide event management services with our team of event management experts,” she added.

Opened for play in 1998, the par-72 Seri Selangor course is crafted by Australian architect Ross Watson and is one of the most challenging and scenic courses in the Klang Valley. The club has hosted a number of international events including the Asian Tour’s Selangor Masters in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014, and the World Cup Asian Qualifier in 2011.

Sharp partner for Palm Garden Palm Garden Golf Club and Sharp-Roxy Malaysia have embarked on a wide-ranging partnership which will see the electronics giant expanding its footprint in golf.

The partnership was ceremonially launched on March 2 with the handing over of a GoBugs custom-built F&B cart, decked out in Sharp colours and branding. The cart will roam the award-winning Palm Garden course, bringing snacks and refreshments to golfers as they play.

“This buggy is the fruit of our collaboration with Palm Garden. I hope that this buggy will not only enhance Sharp’s branding exposure among the golfers that come here to play but more importantly will help Palm Garden provide better service to golfers and make their playing experience more enjoyable,” said Takaya Wakasumi, the managing director of Sharp-Roxy Sales & Service Company (M) Sdn Bhd after presenting a mock buggy key to IOI Group CEO Lee Yeow Seng.

The GoBugs F&B Cart is designed by Bugs World, a Malaysian company that distributes electric carts manufactured by 82

one of China’s largest automotive companies, Dongfeng.

Crafted by Parslow & Winter Golf Design, Palm Garden opened for play in 2012 and has established itself as one of the top courses in the country.

(L to R) Palm Garden GM Brandon Chin, IOI Properties CEO Lee Yeow Seng, Sharp-Roxy Malaysia MD Takaya Wakasumi and Sharp-Roxy Malaysia assistant GM of new business development Clement Ng

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Coming Soon

Partner Up For A Dream Team Event!

BATTLE GROUNDS Templer Park Country Club (Selangor) Staffield Country Resort (Negeri Sembilan) Palm Resort Golf & Country Club (Johor)

Watch this space for updates!

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POTSHOTS

ROCKER CHICKS RULE THE WORLD If it weren’t for golf, what would New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, South Korea’s Inbee Park, American star Lexi Thompson and China’s Shanshan Feng be doing for a living?

Rocking out on a different kind of stage!

The top-ranked golfers turned up the volume before the HSBC Women’s Champions 2016 at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore (played on March 3-6) by staging

a one-off performance as a golfing supergroup.

Ko took the mic on lead singer duties, Park played the keyboard, Thompson on bass guitar and Feng on drums. They played along to Take That’s 2007 comeback anthem ‘Rule The World’, one of the songs performed by the British pop act at their concert on Saturday evening, a much-

anticipated highlight of the tournament.

“It feels great to be the No 1 in the golfing world but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for No 1 in the charts just yet,” quipped Ko. Ha Na Jang of Korea eventually dethroned Park as the 2016 champ of the tournament with a commanding four-shot win over Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum.

SLY LIL FOX

WIE TAKES ON TOKYO

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Despite a poor performance at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore in early March, Michelle Wie managed to cap off her trip to Asia with a whole load of fun in the Land of the Rising Sun. The 26-year-old Wie shared her Tokyo adventures on social media, posting videos and photos en route to unveiling Nike Golf Tokyo (a pop-store in the fashionable district of Harajuku) and showing off the company’s new gear as well as spending time chatting with fans and the media. Wie also worked out with 30 women at a Nike training centre in Shibuya during a 30-minute training session.

The lanky Hawaiian, who resides in Florida, rounded the visit off by learning to make sushi from a sushi chef in Ginza, Tokyo’s famous dining district, describing the experience as “one off the bucket list” and that making sushi is “way harder than it looks”.

If you’re an avid golfer who plays golf with your mates rather frequently – and in various different settings – chances are you’ve had your fair share of wildlife encounters.

Crocodiles, monitor lizards, cheeky monkeys and wild boars come to mind.

A bunch of golfers from Leeds not only had a run-in with a cute little fox on their round, but also caught a thief red-handed!

The four golfers had stopped to play their shot at the Baltray in Ireland when the fox came snooping around one of their bags. With a quick swipe of the paw and grab with the mouth, the crafty creature took off with the most valuable thing he could find – the golfer’s wallet!

The owner of the bag dashed after the thief. Lucky for him the wallet was found dumped in a nearby bunker.

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THE LOBBY Adv PNB PerdanaKL

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NILAI SPRINGS RESORT HOTEL PT4770, Nilai Springs, 71800 Putra Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Tel: +606-850 2288 Fax: +606-850 2299 A 4-star resort hotel offering 183 spacious guest rooms and suites with full amenities, five F&B outlets, a grand ballroom and 13 meeting rooms to cater to your business requirements, private functions or even for a weekend escapade.

It's the perfect destination for: • Airline transit passengers • Meetings and seminars • Teambuilding/Family Day/Telematch/Mini Amazing Race • Challenging 27 Holes Golf Course

resort hotel P U T R A

N I L A I ,

M A L A Y S I A

★★★★

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STYLE LOUNGE

CERAMIC STANDOUTS Rado Rado adds two new ‘his and hers’ timepieces to the Rado DiaMaster family, perfect as gifts for those special individuals in your life.

The Rado DiaMaster Diamonds for her features opulent 18 carat gold that embraces 72 sparkling diamonds, creating a brilliant halo around the dial. The bezel gleams as it catches the light, creating sparkling sunrays that dance around its heart. Four more diamonds adorn the dial, and a striking five-link bracelet in pure white high-tech ceramic holds the beautiful package in place.

The Rado DiaMaster Grande Seconde for men, meanwhile, displays two sub-dials, one for hours and minutes, the other for seconds. The surface framing the sub-dials is decorated with an intricate ‘Clou de Paris’ pattern, while a dark grey leather strap enhances the metallic brilliance of plasma high-tech ceramic.

COMPACT BRILLIANCE Canon The Canon PowerShot SX720 HS features a 20.3 megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC 6 processor. It’s capable of capturing Full HD movies and the versatile wideangle 40x optical zoom has an equivalent zoom range of 24-960mm in 35mm terms. And it’s 4.3” x 2.5”x 1.41” big and weighs just 270 grams – incredibly compact and light enough to be comfortably carried in a jacket pocket.

The camera features the ‘Creative Shot Mode’, which when selected allows the camera to create five versions of your image with various filters and effects applied.

There is also the capability to create a video album with the ‘Story Highlights’ mode.

Apart from capturing images in JPEG (no raw support) and MP4, other key features include built-in Wi-Fi and NFC for wireless transfers of photos and video to mobile devices, and a 3” high-resolution display.

SNAZZY SCOOTER SWIVELS Bel & Bel The Bel & Bel scooter swivel chair is an absolute head-turner, a great furniture piece for the cool cat’s home or office. These customisable beauties are made from a revival of the original parts of the 1980s legendary Italian scooter, Vespa. Fully manufactured, personalised and handmade by Bel & Bel, an official certificate of authenticity ensures that your unique model, part of a numbered series, is the real deal.

But it’s not all just about the aesthetics. The chairs feature an impressive ergonomic structure for maximum comfort and conduciveness – it reclines, regulates and adjusts to the user’s most convenient height, thanks to a reinforced internal structure and a hydraulic piston base.

The scooter chair is complemented by imitation-leather upholstered seats for comfort and tread-silent wheels.

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TIMELESS PILOT IWC The Big Pilot’s Heritage Watch 48 makes more concessions to modern-day aesthetics and concepts of comfort – and that, of course, begins with its size. On the wrist, the 48mm case is particularly impressive, yet still suitable for everyday use thanks to its light titanium.

The IWC hand-wound 59215 calibre gives the owner the convenience of a 192-hour power reserve that guarantees accurate running for eight days before it automatically stops.

Just how much energy remains can be seen on the power reserve display visible through a small aperture covered by sapphire glass on the back of the watch.

Despite the aperture, this Pilot’s Watch also has a soft-iron inner case that guides magnetic fields safely around the movement. The 48 Heritage Watch likewise features a friction clutch against over-winding and is supplied with a riveted calfskin strap.

SOMETHING TO RAVE ABOUT Givenchy Givenchy’s new Spring/Summer 2016 eyewear collection reveals a subtle yet powerful, carefully calibrated experimentation process in shapes and sizes to create daring associations. The new sunglasses and optical frames reflect the brand’s codes and explore audacious architectural designs.

The collection comprises four stylistic groups: Rave (young, edgy, urban styles with bright colours and an audacious material mix); Style (avant-garde with architectural and strong shapes); Icons (refined frames combining Givenchy DNA and current trends); and Star (timeless shapes featuring the iconic ‘star’ detail).

Rave (as seen here) features a daring and edgy design for this ‘visor’ wraparound shape blending two lenses in strong different colours and mirrored effects. Rubber finishing details on the front and on the temples underline the architectural strength of this frame.

FLORAL DELICACY Lancome Lancôme has unveiled a fresh new version of its iconic 2012 ‘La Vie Est Belle’ Eau de Parfum scent, a light, floral and fruity flanker called ‘La Vie Est Belle L’Eau de Toilette Florale’.

Master perfumers Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion placed osmanthus absolute, a plant native to Asia, at the heart of the fragrance.

Fruity, apricot-tinged aromas and the leathery heart of osmanthus are combined with notes of rose and a violet leaf accord. This is matched with a floral bouquet borrowed from the original fragrance, with mimosa, freesia and sweet iris, and completed with patchouli and a base of amber wood and musk.

The new fragrance inherits the trademark glass bottle from the original ‘La Vie Est Belle’ fragrance, with a fabric flower added to the bottle’s neck.

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CARS+PARS

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI & R

Good Things

COME IN PAIRS What could possibly be better than a round of good ‘Golf’?

Two rounds with great ‘Golfs’, of course!

TEXT & IMAGES BY LOO KENG YIP

A

fter reviewing the Volkswagen Golf GTI and still giddy with the kind of euphoria only a true petrolhead could appreciate, I got my hands on the Golf R! It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store. The morning after is going to be difficult. Not only do I have to revert to my normal, less exciting mode of transportation, I’m also going to have trouble wiping that silly grin off my face.

VW GOLF GTI THE LEGEND GROWS UP The Golf GTI needs no introduction – but for those who have been hiding under a rock for the past four decades, it started a revolution.

Almost every special edition hot hatch today may owe its very existence to VW’s original GTI. The Mark1 GTI was born in 1975 at the tail end of the flower power era. By then even the most hedonistic hippie was beginning to grow tired of, or had already overdosed on a decade of miniskirts,

psychedelic art and music.

The human need for speed however is timeless. Technically proficient DIY auto enthusiasts and crazy petrolheads alike had been installing ‘go-faster’ bits into small family cars long before the first GTI appeared. Seeking a new ‘high’ a few shoehorned Porsche 914 and even 911 engines into first-generation Beetles! Some of their efforts were carefully considered, others were more of the ‘suck-it-and-see’ variety. As you can imagine the results

The GTI has always been practical and fun – a car that appeals to the head as well as the heart.

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were pretty varied. With the Mark1 Golf GTI, ‘hotted-up’ performance was for the first time made available to everyone as a reliable, well sorted and, dare I say, ‘responsible’ factory option.

Fast forward to today’s Mark7 Golf GTI. The original concept is still intact. Like a family car the GTI sips petrol at a rate of 5.3L/100km on the highway, seats five and has room enough for grocery shopping.

The needs have changed somewhat in the digital age and even family transportation would seem out of place without adjustable ride, comfort control, temperature, navigation, audio and coms connectivity manipulated via a swanky touchscreen. Yes. Check. The GTI does and has all of that too. But like the Mark1, and unlike the average family car, you can also throw the Mark7 around a race circuit and have an absolute whale of a time without fear that the wheels might fall off.

Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean. The GTI will still cope well if pushed to the limits, far better than the average family people mover could ever dream of achieving.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI ENGINE TYPE 4-cylinder direct injection petrol turbocharged CUBIC CAPACITY 1984cc MAX OUTPUT 162kW/220PS @ 4500-6200rpm MAX TORQUE 350Nm @ 15004400rpm GEARBOX DSG 6-speed MAX SPEED 244kph 0-100 KPH 6.5 seconds BIRDIE Grown-up fun BOGEY Sunlight glints off steering wheel chrome PLAYER + BAG CAPACITY

The GTI Mark7 runs on 95RON – and boy, does it run. The good thing is that it stops even better. It has excellent anchors.

As always, the 6-speed DSG gearbox with paddle shift was a joy to use. Whilst decently quick, some might even say indecently quick, it is definitely more a case of brain rather than brawn. The Mark7 has enough electronic gadgetry to satisfy most of Generation Y and maybe even some of their offspring as well but the GTI brand built its almost cult-like following by doing one thing very well – going fast – and here electronics have made a huge contribution in the form of VW’s DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control). With just a simple prod at the touchscreen, one can choose between Comfort, Normal, Economy and Sport modes. Each selection adds a corresponding degree of tweaking to the engine management and electrically controlled damping to the suspension.

Dial up Sport mode and the GTI becomes appreciably sharper. Even the exhaust takes on a more purposeful note.

There are very few sexier sounds in all of autodom than the flat out up-shift burble of VW’s great 2-litre turbo. Belting the GTI along a familiar stretch of twisty road there seems to be almost endless amounts of grip. I felt like a hero. In reality the magic of DCC aka traction control was reigning in the car when necessary and keeping me safe. I explored this a little further and intentionally floored the right pedal well before I would normally do so on exiting a tight corner. It resulted in a somewhat underwhelming experience. The GTI stubbornly refused to break traction – or put another way, the DCC reined in the power. Note that we were still going plenty quick and exiting the corner like a scalded cat.

I also tried to induce lift-off oversteer to no avail. I’m certain many will not even realise the traction control had kicked in.

Whilst I had been intentionally trying to provoke oversteer or understeer, this is no different from the traction control saving inexperienced or foolhardy drivers who drive beyond their limited abilities. Given

the choice between allowing any and all drivers unlimited control over the GTI’s healthy power and reining in the overzealous with electronics, I’m glad that VW erred on the side of safety. After all the Mark7 with a top speed twice that of the national speed limit and a 6.5-second 0-100kph would have this GTI nipping at the heels of genuine supercars of the not too distant past.

Being thorough, or foolish, I switched off the traction control and ran a pass over the same stretch of twisty road. The steering, handling, the loud pedal, brakes, everything – the whole chassis became ‘light’. Precise application of power and brakes became rather important. I wasn’t able to blip the throttle mid corner à la the late great Aryton Senna with any meaningful effect but it did seem a touch more responsive with the traction control switched off. This unusual throttle input was probably deemed superfluous and electronically culled. Perhaps it’s also an indication of the tremendous amounts of mechanical grip offered by the 225/35 R19 tyres and/or a limited slip differential that does not uncouple with the traction control turned off. In any case the important bit is that the front end for the most part stayed firmly attached to the tarmac.

The rear end though was a different story. Lift-off oversteer (ie rear end slide induced by turning in and abruptly coming off the gas pedal) became evident. In a tiny number of special circumstances and in skilled hands, a car that can be made to change direction by ‘steering’ the rear end is an asset. But for the overwhelming majority of the time, for the overwhelming majority of drivers, leaving the traction control on and thus preventing either the front or rear end from sliding is going to be a whole lot safer, faster ... better! The GTI has always been practical and fun – a car that appeals to the head as well as the heart. It is great to discover that the refined Mark7 continues in that mould and caters for some old-school mischief if one absolutely insists upon it.

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CARS+PARS

VW GOLF R THE ULTIMATE HOT-HATCH If three letters (GTI) generally define the hothatch segment, just one ‘R’ epitomises it.

The ‘R’ in VW Golf R might well stand for ‘rocket’ but there is also an understated, less-is-more ethos that pervades throughout the design of VW’s ultimate hot-hatch. No brash wings, spoilers, hood scoops, go-faster stripes or loud graphics to be found here. Instead there are tastefully discrete blue pin-stripes on the sills and door trim. Small, almost tiny, ‘R’ badging behind the front arches and a couple more on the grill and hatch. There are four tailpipes vs two, subtle changes to the front bumper and rear valance, matte chrome vs colour-coded door mirror housings and proprietary rims.

That’s about it.

In 4-door trim, one might easily mistake it for one of the other models in the Golf family.

It takes a critical eye to differentiate the all singing-and-dancing R from the rest of the Golf range especially at the speeds an R is likely to sweep by – but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Being true to the best of hot hatch tradition both the R and the GTI don’t advertise their significant prowess. It’s all about a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Inside the cabin there are leather bucket seats with ‘R’ logos stitched into the backrest.

Blue pointers in the gauges and keyless entry help position the ‘R’ as the ultimate Golf.

There is a fraction less boot space due to the rear diff and other mechanicals necessary for 90

the inclusion of the R’s Haldex 4WD (4-motion). Apart from that pretty much everything the GTI has the R has too, only ramped up a notch. Like the GTI, two golfers and bags can be accommodated in comfort.

The R has the GTI’s 2-litre turbo’s distinctive growl and sexy muffled backfire on full power upshifts. Only louder and lower ... more “meaty”. I actually like the GTI’s ‘voice’ a little better, it’s more “musical”. There’s a short but significant burble, a sort of tremolo tagged on to the end of each GTI upshift ‘thump’ that somehow tickles my senses in all the right places. Okay, not all these glorious noises are ‘natural’ and some VW purists might not want to read the following. The fact is, a portion of these sexy engine sounds

are synthesised, enhanced by a device called a ‘soundaktor’. Feel let down? Not me. I still love the results.

As with the GTI there are selectable ride and engine management settings: Comfort, Normal, Race and Economy. The R dispenses with the GTI’s ‘Sport’ mode and replaces it with a ‘Race’ setting. It behaves exactly as labelled. Hold a mid throttle position for too long in a high gear (ie if you are not really belting it) and the transmission will change down to a lower gear ready for instant acceleration. You won’t be able to kick back and cruise with the ‘Race’ setting engaged.

Any GTI vs R comparison has to come down to dynamics and it is in these two ‘ultimate’ settings (the R in Race and the GTI in Sport

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mode) that I will make my distinctions. All driver’s aids were enabled.

Like swinging a large high-tech 460cc driver off the tee, the GTI is amazingly forgiving. Almost anyone can simply jump in and drive it to 9/10ths of its full potential within a very short time. It is neutral on the limit and inspires lots of confidence. Brake as late as you dare even whilst beginning to turn in then stand on the loud pedal. Within sane limits the GTI’s DCC will shoot you through one corner and on to the next. Do that in the R and you might end up inspecting the scenery at much closer quarters than you had planned for.

The R has the GTI’s 2-litre turbo’s distinctive growl and sexy muffled backfire on full power upshifts. Only louder and lower ... more “meaty”.

Getting anywhere near the best out of the R takes a little more work. The 4WD R tucks in hard into a corner on lift off whilst the 2WD GTI is much more neutral. One can’t be faulted if they had expected it to be the other way around. Step over the limit and one may have to catch the tail of the R earlier than the GTI’s. The difference in the GTI’s Sport vs the R’s Race mode makes sense now and is far more than just fancy labelling. It is indicative of the type of driver each Golf was designed for.

Considering the relative merits of the GTI’s FWD vs 4WD (with the R’s Haldex ‘4motion’ capable of diverting all drive to the rear only) and in capable hands, the highest levels of performance may be extracted from each chassis with the handling being set up as they are. Ultimately the R is a much faster car. Turn in is helped by the tail stepping out a little and then taking full advantage of 4WD traction to apply its great power earlier to rocket onto the straights. For regular folks, braking the R in a straight line then engaging the right pedal earlier out of a corner than in the GTI, modulating and increasing throttle pressure all the way through corners should work well enough.

Along my regular test route through what passes off as the front straight, there is a series of sweeping bends strung together in such a way that I can sight clearly down their entire combined length. It’s not a long stretch, maybe 400 metres in total. Three-quarter of the way through these sweepers is where I gauge maximum velocity. It’s an exciting track.

If you find yourself looking at the speedo for any length of time at all, you aren’t really driving, are you? Luckily I had a passenger who declared that the R was 10kph up on the

GTI at the same point. Considering I was nowhere close to wringing the best out of the R at that point (probably nearer to 8/10ths or so) – that’s really quick!

The R is one of a select few cars I have had the pleasure of driving on ‘my’ stretch of twisty test tarmac where I had not been ‘pedal-to-the-metal’ on practically all the short straight bits between corners. The R carries so much speed through corners and has so much grunt in reserve that simply stomping on the accelerator up to the next bend would have been excessive, dangerous, stupid, etc (choose your favourite adjective).

A side benefit of having all that power and torque on hand is when set in cruise control mode, the R effortlessly pulls through practically anything Malaysian highways have to offer without having to come out of top (6th) gear. This surely helps with economy and luxury. Just how good is the R? Well, it might just be better than, err … what’s a three-letter word for chocolate? This is quite simply an unpretentious yet classy, pukka supercar. PG

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R ENGINE TYPE 4-cylinder direct injection petrol turbocharged CUBIC CAPACITY 1984cc MAX OUTPUT 206kW/280PS @ 5700-6200rpm MAX TORQUE 380Nm @ 17505600rpm GEARBOX DSG 6-speed 4WD MAX SPEED 250kph 0-100 KPH 5.0 seconds BIRDIE Better than.. err.. chocolate BOGEY Highly addictive PLAYER + BAG CAPACITY

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CARS+PARS

POWER MEETS SOPHISTICATION HYUNDAI GENESIS G90

The Hyundai Genesis G90’s silhouette is both powerful and refined, from its prominent hood, generous wheelbase, minimised overhangs and sophisticated rear deck contours. Inside the cabin, fine materials and textures meet human-centred ergonomics to provide absolute convenience and luxurious comfort. For optimised comfort, G90 offers a 22-way power driver seat.

It is fitted with a choice of two gasoline engines: a 3.3-litre direct-injected, twin-turbocharged V6 engine developing an estimated 365hp @ 6,000rpm (premium fuel), or the top-trim 5.0-litre direct-injected V8 engine developing an estimated 420hp @ 6,000rpm (premium fuel).

The G90 features Genesis Smart Sense, a suite of active driver safety technologies covering the full spectrum of safety, along with systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Smart

Cruise Control, Smart Blind Spot Detection and Lane Keep Assist. G90’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) utilises sensor fusion technology to help avoid a potential collision or reduce its impact.

Driver assistance systems include the JaguarDrive Contro, which allows you to switch the vehicle’s performance characteristics on the fly, offering Normal, Eco, Dynamic and Winter driving modes that modify the XE’s throttle and steering characteristics.

The XE is also the first Jaguar model to be offered the Speed Proportional Electric Power Steering, the system that accurately optimises steering feel to match your

demands. Another world debut for the brand is its All Surface Progress Control, a traction management system that functions similarly to a low-speed cruise control and gives the rear-wheel driven XE better allweather capabilities.

All variants get six airbags as standard, with active safety features including Hill Launch Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control.

PREMIUM PRESTIGE JAGUAR XE

Featuring an aluminium-intensive monocoque, the Jaguar XE is lighter whilst retaining a robust structure measuring 4,672mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,416mm tall. Each of the three variants – Prestige, R-Sport and S – offers different levels of power output. The XE Prestige gets a 2.0litre four-cylinder turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine rated at 200ps at 5,500rpm and 280Nm of torque between 1,750 to 4,000rpm.

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GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY KUALA LUMPUR BUKIT JALIL GCR (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8994 1600 KELAB REKREASI ANGKATAN TENTERA (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 2141 1113/1881 KELAB GOLF PERKHIDMATAN AWAM (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 7957 3344 KELAB GOLF TITIWANGSA PDRM (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 2693 4964 KUALA LUMPUR GCC (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 2093 1111 KELAB GOLF MAKTAB TENTERA DIRAJA (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 9058 7212 ROYAL SELANGOR GC (45 holes) Tel: 603 - 9206 3333 PUTRAJAYA PALM GARDEN GC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8213 6333 SELANGOR AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 3123 3800 BANGI GR (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 8925 3728 BUKIT BERUNTUNG GCC (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 6028 1841 BUKIT KEMUNING GCR (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 5121 7188 BUKIT UNGGUL CC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8920 2888/2188 DANAU GC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8925 1010 GLENMARIE GCC (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 7803 9090 GUTHRIE GOLF ACADEMY PITCH & PUTT COURSE (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 7846 3505 ILSAS TENAGA NASIONAL RECREATIONAL GC (9 holes) Tel: 012 - 382 7475 IMPIAN GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8734 4195 KELAB DARUL EHSAN (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 4257 2333 KELAB GOLF NEGARA SUBANG (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 7876 0381/0388 KUALA KUBU BHARU GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 6064 2887 KELAB RAHMAN PUTRA MALAYSIA (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 6156 6870 KELAB REKREASI TENTERA UDARA (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 7734 5535/45 KINRARA GC (18 holes) Tel: 03 - 8076 2100 KOTA PERMAI GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 5122 3700 LEMBAH BERINGIN GC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 6460 0016 MONTEREZ GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 7846 5989 PORT KLANG GR (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 3176 1323 ROYAL KAMPUNG KUANTAN CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 3289 1069 SAUJANA GCC (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 7846 1466 SERI SELANGOR GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 7806 1111 SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH GCC (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 5510 5872 SUNGAI LONG GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 9076 2233 SRI MORIB GC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 3198 1418 TASIK PUTERI GCC (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 6034 4721/22 TEMPLER PARK CC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 6091 9617 THE MINES RESORT & GC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8943 2288 TROPICANA GCR (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 7804 8888 THE CLUB @ BUKIT UTAMA (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 7725 5199 UPM GOLF COURSE (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 8947 1888 VALENCIA GC (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 6156 0021

JOHOR AUSTIN HEIGHTS GOLF & HOTEL RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 352 4300 BATU PAHAT GC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 432 9221 BUKIT BANANG GCC (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 428 5431 DAIMAN 18 JOHOR BAHRU (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 351 6813/353 3100 GUTHRIE GCC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 752 7107 HORIZON HILLS GCC (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 232 3166 IMPIAN EMAS GCC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 552 2202 IOI PALM VILLA GCR (27 holes) Tel: 607 - 599 9099 KLUANG CC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 771 8840 KOTA TINGGI GR (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 883 1162 KUKUP GR (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 696 0950 NAM HENG CC (9 holes) Tel: 6019-775 0055 ORCHARD GCR (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 897 7934/6470 PALM RESORT GCC (54 holes) Tel: 607 - 599 2000 PERMAS JAYA GC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 388 6155 PONDEROSA GCC (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 354 9999 PORESIA CC (27 holes) Tel: 607 - 510 2033 PULAI SPRINGS RESORT (36 holes) Tel: 607 - 521 2121 JOHOR GCC (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 223 3322 SEGAMAT CC (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 943 5968 SEBANA COVE RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 826 6655/88 S.T. RHODES CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 607 - 926 1209 STARHILL GCC (36 holes) Tel: 607 - 556 6325 TANJUNG EMAS GC (9 holes)Tel: 606 - 952 1550 TANJUNG PUTERI GR (54 holes) Tel: 607 - 271 1888 THE LEGENDS GCR (27 holes) Tel: 607 - 652 4388

PERAK CLEARWATER SANCTUARY GR (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 366 7433 DAMAI LAUT GCC (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 685 9333 KINTA GC (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 365 2827 KUALA KANGSAR GC (9 holes) Tel: 605 - 776 2396 MERU VALLEY RESORT (27 holes) Tel: 605 - 529 3300/3333 ROYAL PERAK GC (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 542 3266 TAIPING GOLF RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 883 7500 TELUK INTAN GCC (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 623 7421

MELAKA A’FAMOSA GR (27 holes) Tel: 606 - 552 0888 AYER KEROH CC (27 holes) Tel: 606 - 233 2000/2001 ORNA GCC (27 holes) Tel: 606 - 521 0333 TIARA MELAKA GCC (27 holes) Tel: 606 - 231 1111/2366

PERLIS PUTRA PERLIS GC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 976 9660 UUM GOLF & RECREATION CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 604 - 928 2684

NEGERI SEMBILAN GEMAS GR (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 948 2687 NILAI SPRINGS GCC (27 holes) Tel: 606 - 850 8888 PORT DICKSON GCC (18 holes) Tel : 606 - 647 3586/3123 ROYAL PALM SPRINGS GC (18 holes) Tel: 606 - 661 9599 ROYAL SERI MENANTI GCC (18 holes) Tel: 606 - 497 9600 / 900 SEREMBAN INTERNATIONAL GC (18 holes) Tel: 606 - 677 5277 STAFFIELD COUNTRY RESORT (27 holes) Tel: 603 - 8766 6117/8/9 THISTLE PORT DICKSON RESORT (9 holes) Tel: 606 - 648 2828 UTOPIA GR (FORMERLY ERA GCC) (18 holes) Tel: 017 - 336 0836

PULAU PINANG MOUNTAIN VIEW GR (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 583 3777 PENANG GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 644 2255 BUKIT JAWI GR (36 holes) Tel: 604 - 582 0759 PENANG GOLF RESORT (36 holes) Tel: 604 - 578 2022 PENANG TURF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 238 5226 KEDAH BLACK FOREST GCC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 922 2790 /822 CINTA SAYANG RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 441 4666 DARULAMAN GCC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 917 0001 GUNUNG RAYA GR (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 966 8148 HARVARD GCC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 450 0323 KULIM GCR (27 holes) Tel: 604 - 403 2828 PERMAIPURA GCC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 459 4000 ROYAL KEDAH GC (9 holes) Tel: 604 - 731 9405/733 0467 SG. PETANI GC (9 holes) Tel: 604 - 422 4894 THE ELS CLUB TELUK DATAI (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 959 2700 99 EAST GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 604 - 955 1153

KELANTAN GUA MUSANG GC (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 912 0010/11 KELAB REKREASI TENTERA DARAT (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 787 8200 KELANTAN GCC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 748 2102 TERENGGANU BUKIT BESI GC (18 holes) Tel: 019 - 956 4760 DESA DUNGUN GC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 848 1041 GREEN ACRES GCR (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 616 3500 KUALA TERENGGANU GR (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 666 6836 KELAB GOLF & REKREASI PETRONAS (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 804 0232 RESORTS WORLD KIJAL (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 864 1188 PAHANG AWANA GENTING HIGHLANDS GCR (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 6436 9037 BENTONG GC (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 222 2585 BERJAYA HILLS GCC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 222 8882 CAMERON HIGHLANDS GC (18 holes) Tel: 605 - 4911126

FRASER’S HILL GC (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 362 2888 / 03 - 2691 6633 KELAB GOLF KEM UNGKU NAZAMUDDIN (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 312 2901 KELAB REKREASI SRI MAHKOTA (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 277 7831 KELAB REKREASI TUDM KUANTAN (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 538 4282 LANJUT GOLDEN BEACH & GR (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 414 5113 LIPIS VALLEY GC (9 holes) Tel: 609 - 312 1963/4/5 MAHKOTA GCC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 573 9595 MARAN HILL GR (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 468 9187 ROYAL PAHANG GC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 567 5811 ROYAL PEKAN GC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 422 4139 SELESA RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 233 0039/42 TIOMAN ISLAND GC (18 holes) Tel: 609 - 419 1000 SABAH BORNEO GOLF RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 6087 - 861 888 DALIT BAY GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 791 333 HOT SPRING GC (18 holes) Tel: 6089 - 765 555 KENINGAU GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6087 - 331 113 KINABALU GC (9 holes) Tel: 6088 - 251 615 KUDAT GOLF & MARINA RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 611 002 LAHAD DATU GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6089 - 867 288 MIMPIAN JADI GC (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 787 122 MOUNT KINABALU GC (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 889 445 NEXUS GOLF RESORT KARAMBUNAI (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 411 215 SABAH GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6088 - 247 533 SANDAKAN GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6089 - 660 557 SHAN-SHUI GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6089 - 916 888 SUTERA HARBOUR GCC (27 holes) Tel: 6088 - 318 888 SIGALONG GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6016 - 830 3657 TAWAU GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 6089 - 765 990 TAMBUNAN GC (18 holes) Tel: 6087 - 773 114/115 SARAWAK BINTULU GC (18 holes) Tel: 6086 - 253 213 BORNEO HIGHLANDS RESORT (18 holes) Tel: 6019 - 828 0790 DAMAI GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6082 - 846 088 EASTWOOD VALLEY GCC (18 holes) Tel: 6085 - 421 010 KELAB GOLF SARAWAK (36 holes) Tel: 6082 - 444 791/440 966 MIRI GC (18 hole) Tel: 6085 - 416 787 PRISONS GC (9 holes) Tel: 6082 - 613 544 SAMARAHAN CC (18 holes) Tel: 6013 - 816 1876 SIBU GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 6084 - 228 119 LABUAN LABUAN GOLF CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 6087 - 412 711 LABUAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 6087 - 468 468

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GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

Surprising Amverton

The Golfers Paradise

AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT

A‘FAMOSA GOLF RESORT

The Jungle Serenity

AYER KEROH COUNTRY CLUB

PT 673, Jalan Pulau Carey, Mukim Jugra, 42960 Pulau Carey, Selangor Tel: +603-3123 3888 / +6019-383 2233 E-mail: enquiries@amvertoncove.com Website: www.amvertoncove.com Designer: Jason Winter, E&G Parslow Description: 18 holes, 5,875m

Tel: +606-552 0555 Fax: +606-552 8751 Email: operations.golf@afamosa.com Website: www.afamosa.com Designer: Ross C. Watson Description: 27 holes, Rocky - 3,182m, Crocodile - 3,154m, Palm - 3,215m

KM 14.5, Jalan Tasik, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka Tel: +606-233 2000 Fax: +606-232 3578 E-mail: info@akcc.com.my Website: www.akcc.com.my Facebook: fb.com/ayerkerohcc Designer: Tun Dr. Abdul Ghafar Baba Accommodation: AKCC Hotel Resort Description: 27 holes - Governor, Tunku & Ghafar

Play the Best

Never Too Far From Anywhere

Public Golfer’s Paradise

BUKIT JALIL GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

STAFFIELD COUNTRY RESORT

Jalan Jalil Perkasa 3, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +603-8994 1600 Fax: +603-8994 1542 E-mail: jalil@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/jalil Designer: Max Wexler Description: 18 holes, 6,228m, par 72

Batu 13, Seremban-KL, 71700 Mantin, Negeri Sembilan Tel: +603-8766 6117/+6018-222 1919 Fax: +603-8766 7173 Email: staffield@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/staffield Designer: Graham Marsh & Ross Watson Description: 27 holes, Championship Course

Golfing At Its Very Best

Johor’s Hidden Jewel

KELAB DARUL EHSAN Taman Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Kerja Air Lama Ampang Jaya, 68000 Selangor Tel: +603-4257 2333/+603-4253 2333 Fax: +603-4257 6293 Email: kde@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/kde Designer: Ronald Fream Description: 9 holes

BUKIT BANANG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB No. 1, Persiaran Gemilang, Bandar Banang Jaya 83000 Batu Pahat, Johor Darul Takzim Tel: +607-428 6001 Fax: +607-428 6801 Email: banang@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/banang Designer: Michael Coates & Associates Description: 18 Holes Championship Course

DAIMAN 18 PUBLIC COURSE 18, Jalan Pesona, Taman Johor Jaya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Tel: +607-351 6813 / 353 3100 Fax: +607-351 6823 E-mail: daiman18@daiman.com.my Website: www.daiman.com.my Designer: Golf Oasis Sdn Bhd Description: 18 holes, 5,651m, par 71

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Hala Damai 2, Jln Damai Laut, Off Jln Teluk Senangin, 32200 Lumut, Perak Tel: +605-684 3333 Fax: +605-618 3388 E-mail: reservation@sbdl.swissgarden.com Website: www.swissgarden.com Designer: Ronald Fream Description: 18 holes, par 72

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Play Exciting Golf

DANAU GOLF CLUB

In Pursuit of Perfection

Pride Of Nusajaya

GLENMARIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Tel: +603-8925 1010 Fax: +8925 5326 Website: www.danaugolf.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DANAUGOLF Description: 18 holes, 6,340m, par 72 Managed by: Saujana Scape & Greens S/B

No 3, Jalan Usahawan U1/8, 40150, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: +603-7803 9090 Fax: +603-7803 2728 E-mail: ggcc@glenmarie.com.my Website: www.glenmariegolf.com Designer: Max Wexler Description: 18 holes Valley Course (6,412m, par 72) & 18 holes Garden Course (6,404m, par 72, Night Golfing) Accommodation: Holiday In Kuala Lumpur Glenmarie

No. 1 Jln Eka, Horizon Hills, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor Tel : +607-232 3166 Fax : +607-232 3919 E-mail: general@hhgcc.com.my Website: www.hhgcc.com.my Designer: Ross Watson Description: 18 holes, 6271m, par 72 Maintenance: Mon

Malaysia’s Best

Pride Of The Civil Service

A New Era In Golfing

IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KELAB GOLF PERKHIDMATAN AWAM

KELAB GOLF SERI SELANGOR

Batu 14, Jln Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Tel: +603-8734 4195/96/97 Fax: +603-8734 8133 Website: www.igcc.com.my Designer: Ross C. Watson & Tze To Kok Yia Description: 18 holes, par 72 Maintenance: Mon

Bukit Kiara, Off Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +603-7957 3344 Fax: +603-7957 7821 Website: www.kgpagolf.com Designer: Ronald Fream Description: 27 holes - Hill, Lake, Forest

Persiaran Damansara Indah, Off PersiaranTropicana Indah 47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: 03-78061111/1666 Fax: 03-78061777 Email: marketing@seriselangor.com.my Website: www.seriselangor.com.my Designer: Ross Watson Description: 18 hole Championship Golf Course

Serene Beauty

Tee Off With Mother Nature

Where Living & Leisure Come Together

KOTA PERMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB No 1, Jalan 31/100A, Kota Kemuning Section 31, 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-5122 3700 Fax: +603-5122 3701/2/3 E-mail : kpgcc@kotapermai.com.my Website : www.kotapermai.com.my Designer: Ross Watson Description: 18 holes, 6,396m, par 72 Maintenance: Mon

Call 05-684

LABUAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB Jalan Sungai Pagar, 87000 Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan Tel: +6087-468468 Fax: +6087-468467 E-mail : reservations@ligc.com.my Website : www.ligc.com.my Designer: Parslow & Winter Golf Course Design Owned by Labuan Corporation, managed by SSGSB Description: 18 holes, 6,182m, par 72

MONTEREZ GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB No. 1, Jalan Merah Kesumba, U9/18, Seksyen U9 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7846 5989 Fax: +603-7846 7881 E-mail: mgcc@monterez.com.my Website: www.monterez-golf.com Description: 18 holes, 5,699m, par 71

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GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

A Golfer’s Paradise

NILAI SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Pristine Surroundings

ORNA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Oasis For Golfing And Family Leisure In Johor

PALM RESORT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PT 4770, Nilai Springs, 71800 Putra Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Tel: +606-850 8888 Fax: +606-850 3005/3388 Website: www.nilaispringsgolf.com.my Designer: DL Golf Development Sdn Bhd Description: 27 holes, Mango, Island & Pine Course

Batu 16, Jln Gapam, Ladang Gapam 77200 Bemban, Melaka Tel: +606-521 0333 Fax: +606-521 0222 Website: www.ornaresort.com.my Designer: Andy Dye Description: 27 holes, par 72 - East, West & North Course

Jalan Persiaran Golf, Off Jalan Jumbo, 81250 Senai, Johor Tel: +607-599 6222 Fax: +607-599 6001 E-mail: golfbooking@palmresort.com Website: www.palmresort.com Designer: Hiromasa Inagawa Description: 54 holes, Allamanda Course 6,855m, Cempaka Course 7,156m, Melati Course 7,205m

Great Golf, Great Food

Excellent By Nature

The Family And Golfer's Paradise

PENANG GOLF CLUB

PALM GARDEN GOLF CLUB

(formerly Bukit Jambul Country Club)

IOI PALM VILLA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

No. 2 Jalan Bukit Jambul, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang Tel: +604-644 2255 Fax: +604-644 9345 E-mail: reception@penanggolfclub.com.my Website: www.penanggolfclub.com.my / www.facebook.com/penanggolfclub Description: 18 Holes, 5,846m – Par 72

IOI Resort City, 62502, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Tel: +603-8213 6333 Fax: +603-8213 6388/99 E-mail: marketing@palmgarden.net.my Website: www.palmgarden.net.my Designer: Ted Parslow Description: 18 holes, Eugenia Course 2,960m, Bismarck Course 2,820m

PTD 44500, Jalan Indah Utama, Bandar Putra, 81000 Kulai, Johor Tel: +607-599 9099 Fax: +607-598 8101 E-mail: palmvilla@ioigroup.com Website: www.palmvilla.com.my Designer: Rick Robbins Description: 27 holes, Palm Nine 3,012m, Putra Nine 3,097m, IOI Nine 3,253m

Jewel Of The North

Close To You ...

An Oasis Of Relaxation

PENANG GOLF RESORT BHD No 1687, Jalan Bertam, 13200 Kepala Batas S.P.U, Penang Tel: +604-5782050 / +604-5782022 Fax: +604-5750226 E-mail: pgrb@tm.net.my Website: www.penanggolfresort.com.my Facebook: PGRB Kepala Batas Designer: Graham Marsh Description: 36 Holes, West Course 6,247m – Par 72, East Course 6,324M – Par 72

PONDEROSA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PULAI SPRINGS RESORT

No. 3, Jalan Ponderosa 1, Taman Ponderosa, 81100 Johor Bahru Tel: +607-354 9999 Fax: +607-355 7400 E-mail: enquiry@ponderosagolf.com Website: www.ponderosagolf.com Description: Designed by Max Wexler; 18-holes; 6,467 meters Par-72

20km, Jalan Pontian Lama, 81110 Pulai, Johor Tel: +607-521 2121 Fax: +607-521 1818 E-mail: golf@pulaisprings.com Website: www.pulaisprings.com Designer: Robert Trent Jones Jnr & Peter Dalkeith Scott Description: 36 holes, Pulai Course 6,230m, Melana Course 6,019m

BOOK YOUR ULTIMATE GOLF GETAWAY AT

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The Ultimate Challenge

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Borneo's Golfing Haven

SHANGRI-LA'S RASA RIA RESORT & SPA DALIT BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Saujana Golf & Country Club, Saujana Resort Seksyen U2, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7846 1466 Fax: +603-7846 2316 E-mail: golf@saujana.com.my Website: www.saujana.com.my Facebook: www.facebook.com/saujanagolfandcountryclub Designer: Ronald Fream & Ted Parslow Description: PC 6,992 yds, BRC 7,034 yds

Pantai Dalit, PO Box 578, 89208 Tuaran, Sabah Tel: +6088-791 188 Fax: +6088-792 128 Website: www.dalitbaygolf.com.my Designer: E & G Parslow (M) Sdn Bhd Description: 18 holes, 6,369m, par 72

Play Where The Pros Play

Still the Best Golfing Experience in Johor!

SUTERA HARBOUR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

No. 1, Rumah Kelab, Jln Kelab Golf 13/6 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: 603 - 5519 1512/5510 5872 Fax: 603 - 5510 5860 Website: www.kgsaas.com.my Designer: Thomson, Wolveridge & Assoc.

Description: 27 holes - 9,565m, par 72

Princely Charm

TANJONG PUTERI GOLF RESORT

TASIK PUTERI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Sutera Harbour, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Tel: +60-088-243 471 Fax: +60-088-308 194 Email: golfadmin@suteraharbour.com.my Website: www.suteraharbour.com Designer: Graham Marsh Description: 27 holes, par 72, Lakes Courses 3,140m, Heritage Course 3,176m, Garden Course 3,176m

Jalan Tanjong Puteri 1, Tanjong Puteri Resort 81700 Pasir Gudang, Johor Tel: +607-271 1888 Fax: +607-271 1333 Website: www.tpgr.com Designer: Max Wexler and Akira Mamiya Description: 54 holes, Plantation Course 6,454m, Village Course 6,414m & Straits Course 6,163m

Bandar Tasik Puteri, 48000 Rawang, Selangor Tel: +603-6034 4721/4722, +6012-201 3375 Fax: +603-6034 4723 Website: www.tasikputerigolf.com Designer: Australian Golf Mgmt.

Description: 27 holes

Golf With Nature

Experience The Best Golfing

Because Life Is To Be Enjoyed!

TEMPLER PARK COUNTRY CLUB KM 21 Jalan Rawang, 48000 Selangor Tel: +603-6091 9111/9630 Fax: +603-6091 9807 E-mail: mani_sp@tpcc.com.my Website: www.tpcc.com.my Designer: Jumbo Ozaki & Kentaro Sato Description: 18 Holes 6,725 Yards

Call 05-684

TIARA MELAKA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Jalan Gapam, Bukit Katil, P.O Box 473, 75760 Melaka Tel: +606-231 1111 Fax: +606-231 4122 E-mail: tmgcc1@gmail.com Website: www.lion.com.my Description: 27 holes, Lake Course 3,107m, Meadow Course 3,215m, Woodland Course 3,291m

TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT Jalan Kelab Tropicana, Tropicana Golf & Country Resort, 47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel: +603-7804 8888 Fax: +603- 7804 3688 Email: gm@tropicanagolf.com Website: www.tropicanagolf.com Redesigned: E&G Parslow Description: 27-hole championship golf course

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FINAL TEE

Dàlat at 1200 Family Pairs set for July 29-31 One of Vietnam’s best new courses, The Dàlat at 1200, will play host to a new amateur event this July dubbed The Dàlat at 1200 Family Pairs.

The 36-hole tournament will be played on July 29-31 and will feature two-person teams comprising family members of separate generations. The better-ball stableford tournament will be played on The Dàlat at 1200’s spectacular course, designed

by Myanmar golf legend Kyi Hla Han and carved into the heart of the picturesque Da Ron Valley. The exclusive country club and private estate development is located just 15 minutes from Dà Lat’s Lien Khuong Airport.

Tim Orgill, founder of Hong Kong-based event organisers Impact Golf Management Group, noted: “Junior golf in Asia continues to go from strength to strength – but there are precious few tournaments that encourage family participation. This is what makes The Dàlat at 1200 Family Pairs unique. Bringing together entrants from a

wide range of ages for two rounds over a truly first-class course is going to be special.”

Entry fee for the event is priced at US$1,500 per team and includes two competition rounds, one practice round,

Ba Na Hills opens for play

©Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Former World No 1 Luke Donald’s first ever course design project, the Ba Na Hills Golf Club in central Vietnam, opened for play late last month.

Located at the foot of a mountain range less than half an hour’s drive from Danang, the par-72 course measures 7,858 yards from the championship tees, making it one of the longest courses in Vietnam. Unlike the three other Danang courses, Ba Na Hills will play away from the coastline at elevation and in a cooler setting.

“This is an important addition to one of the best new golf destinations in Asia,” said Donald, who held the top spot in the rankings between May 2011 and March 2012.

“The large rolling hills, stunning mountain backdrop

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and adjacent river at Ba Na Hills will provide golfers with the ideal complement to the existing courses in the area.”

With five sets of tees, generous landing areas and high-density MiniVerde putting surfaces, the course is well positioned to attract players of all skill levels.

“I think people are going to really be taken by the diverse mix of natural topography and vegetation out here as well.

From the rose lily trees to the wispy redtop grass, there’s an incomparable beauty to the landscape, especially with the Truong Son Mountains always looming,” said the club’s general manager, Jack Hedges.

“The entire course can be illuminated, so you can play a full round even after the sun goes down. I think that will be a real draw in the warmer months, especially for overseas guests or those who maybe aren’t used to golfing in tropical climates,” he added.

Ba Na Hills is managed by IMG and owned by Vietnam’s Sun Group. For more information, visit banahillsgolf.com.

three nights’ twin-share accommodation, ground transfers, welcome dinner and closing barbeque.

Log on to www.dalatfamilypairs.com for details.

Make-A-Wish Golf to benefit stricken children The sixth edition of the Make-A-Wish Malaysia Golf Tournament will be held at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on the afternoon of Thursday, May 26.

The entry fee for the event is set at RM6,000 per flight with proceeds going to the foundation’s activities, which seek to fulfil the wishes of children stricken with life-threatening illnesses.

“Money raised from our golf tournament helps fund about 30% of our annual wishes. Whether it is Ali who wishes for a bicycle, Sarah wishing to touch a dolphin or Sanjay who wishes to be a chef – every wish is unique. No two wishes are the same,” said Make-AWish Malaysia CEO Irene Tan. “For a child with a life threatening illness, their wish day represents the myriad possibilities he or she can only dream of. For their family, it’s a gift to watch their beloved child outside the hospital and laughing again. Having a wish granted helps the child build resilience,” she added.

Call 03-2011 3300 or email info@makeawish.org.my for more information.

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NEXT ROUND

Faldo appointed as Laguna Phuket brand ambassador

Shaft Attack Reached that stage in your game where you feel you need to upgrade the shafts in your set to play better golf? Don’t miss out on our review of the growing aftermarket shaft business in Malaysia.

Malaysian Golf Awards Find out who the nominees are for the latest edition of the ‘Oscars’ of the Malaysian golf industry!

The award-winning Laguna Phuket Golf Club has appointed English golf legend Sir Nick Faldo as its brand ambassador.

Faldo’s appointment was announced during an exclusive golf weekend with the six-time Major winner at the famous Thai resort, located on the resort island of Phuket, in early March. This broadens Faldo’s partnership with the resort’s owner, the Banyan Tree Group, following his appointment last June as brand ambassador of Laguna Lang Cô, Laguna Phuket’s sister resort in central Vietnam.

“We are honoured to have worked with Sir Nick Faldo as the master designer of our championship golf course in Lang Cô which opened in 2013,” said Ravi Chandran, senior vice president and managing director of Laguna Phuket.

The partnership will also see one leg of the Faldo Series Asia being staged in Laguna Phuket later this year. Created in 1996, the Faldo Series is a worldwide circuit staged in 30 countries with more than 7,000 young golfers taking part each year.

“With the aim of developing youths and giving back to the game, I am delighted to partner Laguna Golf Phuket in hosting Phuket’s first-ever Faldo Series Thailand Championship South in early September 2016,” said Faldo.

MMCA Charity Golf set for Kota Permai on May 6 The Multi Mutual Charity Association (MMCA) will organise its third Annual MMCA Charity Golf on the afternoon of Friday, May 6, followed by a dinner cum auction at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club.

MMCA is a non-governmental organisation that offers aid to needy single parent families and has been active for the past 10 years. Beside monthly food distribution, they also provide scholarships for the children and subsidise medical expenses for single mothers.

“The key objective of this event is to raise education funds for the children of single parents. The funds will mainly be used to reward the children of single parents with grants and cash incentives based on their grades, in order to encourage them to perform better and secure a brighter future for them and their families. It will also be used to provide different kinds of help and support to poor single families,” said organising chairman Patrick Ng, adding that they hoped to raise RM150,000 from the event.

Entry fee is set at RM500 per person. For more information, call 03-89538883.

Where Eagles Still Fly We re-visit one of Klang Valley’s most spectacular courses, Bukit Unggul Country Club, to see how the Ronald Fream-designed course is coming along in its 21st anniversary year.

Golf In Oman Join us on an exotic journey as we discover what has been dubbed as the Middle East’s Best Kept Golfing Secret – the Omani capital of Muscat!

Note: Interviews with Ping CEO John Solheim and Malaysia’s top pro Danny Chia have been deferred to later issues due to unavoidable circumstances.

ALL THIS AND MORE IN PARGOLF’S MAY 2016 ISSUE!

TEE TO GRIN

Then I made the mistake of lending him some of my clubs so that he could finish the round ...

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HERE’S WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY! Congratulations to the winners of the ParGolf People’s Choice Awards 2016!

Best Corporate Tournament Venue Kota Permai Golf & Country Club Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club Palm Garden Golf Club

Most Improved Golf Course* Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resort Bukit Unggul Country Club Ponderosa Golf & Country Club

Best F&B – Golfer’s Terrace Kelab Golf Negara Subang Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia Saujana Golf & Country Club

Most Challenging Golf Course Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia Sabah Golf & Country Club

Best F&B – Halfway Hut Glenmarie Golf & Country Club Kota Permai Golf & Country Club Tropicana Golf & Country Resort

Most Scenic Golf Course Borneo Highlands Resort Damai Laut Golf & Country Club The Els Club Teluk Datai

Best Maintained Golf Course* The Els Club Teluk Datai Kota Permai Golf & Country Club Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club

Friendliest Golf Course Amverton Cove Golf & Island Resort Bukit Kemuning Golf & Country Resort Ponderosa Golf & Country Club

Best Greens The Els Club Teluk Datai Kota Permai Golf & Country Club Palm Garden Golf Club

Best Overall Golf Experience* The Els Club Teluk Datai Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club Palm Garden Golf Club

*Top 3 Clubs to be nominated in same category for Malaysian Golf Awards

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