ParGolf Magazine (March 2018)

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MARCH 2018

WOMEN’S GOLF

PRETTY IN PINK

DAMAI LAUT

IMPIAN

CREATING NEW DREAMS

JEWEL OF THE STRAITS

PAT PEREZ

FRIENDS FOR LIFE

Wonder Woman Lexi Thompson

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Contents MARCH 2018 ● www.pargolf.my

FEATURES

26 MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP: FALLING INTO PLACE

16

Women’s Golf

20

Lexi Thompson

26

Maybank Championship

30

Pat Perez

60

The Royal Selangor Golf Club

66

Impian Golf & Country Club

72

Damai Laut Golf & Country Club

84

Mercedes-Benz E200 Avantgarde

Pretty In Pink

Wonder Woman Falling Into Place Friends For Life A Toast To Heritage

Creating New Dreams Jewel of the Straits Heaven on Wheels

66 IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB: CREATING NEW DREAMS

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Contents MARCH 2018 ● www.pargolf.my

COLUMNS 24 35 54 76

Reading The Lines Bunker Mentality Asian Angles Almost OB

20 LEXI THOMPSON: WONDER WOMAN

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Contents MARCH 2018 ● www.pargolf.my

DEPARTMENTS 60 THE ROYAL SELANGOR GOLF CLUB: A TOAST TO HERITAGE

8 10 12 14 36 50 56 64 78 80 82 87 88 94 96

Editorial Line-Up Freeze Frame First Tee In The Bag Essentials Around Asia The Golf Scene In The Spotlight Calendar Of Events Style Lounge Cars + Pars Golf Course Directory Final Tee Next Round

30 PAT PEREZ: FRIENDS FOR LIFE

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from the pargolf team

run the

Who

WORLD

(Girls)

Wise words from diva Beyonce, of course (from her 2011 album ‘4’).

With the International Women’s Day being observed this month on the 8th, it’s only fitting to celebrate the fairer sex and focus our attention on the ladies game.

Join our European correspondent Mike Wilson, a man not particularly known to mince words, as he takes a look at the health of the women’s game in general and the professional circuits in particular – ‘Pretty in Pink’ unfolds on page 16.

Then a few pages in, we find out what it takes to produce those potent drives of current World No 4 Lexi Thompson. South African highperformance golf and fitness coach Rick Currin breaks down the 23-yearold Major winner’s dynamite swing – flip to page 20 to uncover the ‘super powers’ of this ‘Wonder Woman’.

As you all know, the Maybank Championship took place in early February at Saujana Golf & Country Club, with young Indian talent Shubhankar Sharma laying claim to the Tiger pewter trophy, along with the whopping US$500,000 winner’s cheque. Join Jonathan Ponniah on page 26 as he goes over the third edition of the prestigious tourney, jointly sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.

Next up, learn more about reigning CIMB Classic champion Pat Perez’s career renaissance and his highly successful player-caddie relationship with Mike Hardford. PGATOUR.COM’s Cameron Morfit gets cosy with Perez as he recounts his amazing journey and rare bond with long-time friend and caddie – full story on page 30.

In this issue, we also shine the spotlight on three of the country’s most loved courses. Tag along with Loo Keng Yip as he revisits Impian Golf & Country Club in Kajang, taking it on whilst capturing its improved characteristics through expert lens – story on page 66.

Then a few pages later, join avid golfer Ida Fahany as she swoons over Damai Laut Golf & Country Club, located in Lumut, Perak, just three hours from Kuala Lumpur – full review on page 72.

But before that, over on page 60, get ready for a trip down memory lane as we honour one of the oldest golf clubs in Asia, The Royal Selangor Golf Club, which celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.

All this and much more, folks, so get busy!

FACTS & STATS LPGA TOUR CAREER MONEY TOP 20 Rank Player

Events Played

Career Money (US$)

Rank Player

Events Played

Career Money (US$)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

303 472 503 175 312 692 231 365 237 294

$22,573,192 $20,179,509 $19,176,605 $14,863,331 $14,831,968 $14,026,673 $13,595,433 $12,583,713 $12,468,421 $11,915,165

11 12 13 14 15 17 16 18 19 20

241 246 414 209 535 508 547 237 634 319

$10,729,305 $10,515,865 $10,209,785 $9,817,587 $9,628,616 $9,044,059 $9,087,686 $8,795,258 $8,786,563 $8,620,511

Annika Sorenstam (SWE) Karrie Webb (AUS) Cristie Kerr (USA) Lorena Ochoa (MEX) Suzann Pettersen (NOR) Juli Inkster (USA) Inbee Park (KOR) Pak Se Ri (KOR) Stacy Lewis (USA) Paula Creamer (USA)

Na Yeon Choi (KOR) Yani Tseng (TPE) Angela Stanford (USA) Shanshan Feng (CHN) Catriona Matthew (SCO) Meg Mallon (USA) Laura Davies (ENG) In-Kyung Kim (KOR) Beth Daniel (USA) Mi Hyun Kim (KOR)

Annika Sorenstam

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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 rack Publishing & Communications Sdn. Bhd.

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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, RICK CURRIN 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 SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASRI JAAFAR (SUBSCRIPTION & EVENTS) asri@pargolfmagazine.com OPERATIONS 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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TOUR360EQTBOA

FREEZE FRAME

Adelaide, February 18: Korea’s Jin Young Ko gets emotional after winning the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, making her the first golfer in 67 years to win an LPGA Tour event in her maiden start as a member.

The 22-year-old cruised to a wire-to-wire win at Kooyonga Golf Club with a 14-under-par total, three ahead of compatriot Hyejin Choi.

(Beverley Hanson is the only other golfer to win on her LPGA debut, achieving the feat during the tour’s second season in 1951.)

Ko won the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on home soil last October but as a non-member.

12

©Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Tears of Joy ParGolf MARCH 2018

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FIRST TEE

Playoffs Galore

©Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

There have been a spate of playoffs in the early part of the 2018 PGA Tour season, with two going to six extra holes including Jason Day’s win in the Farmers Insurance Open … but there’s still a long way to go before matching the longest sudden-death decider on tour.

The longest PGA Tour playoff came in the 1949 Motor City Open when Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum contested and matched each other on 11 extra holes. Darkness forced the decider to be discontinued and the two protagonists were named ‘co-champions’.

Mangrum won the tournament the following year, while Middlecoff triumphed in 1952 and 1954.

There have been five eight-hole playoffs in PGA Tour history, the most recent coming in the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic when rookie John Huh edged veteran Robert Allenby.

Sharma’s sensational rise Shubhankar Sharma’s life – well at least his life as a professional golfer – has certainly changed dramatically over the last few months.

The 21-year-old won the Maybank Championship at Saujana Golf & Country Club in early February for his second joint Asian Tour and European Tour victory in two months. He also won the Joburg Open last December, which earned him a spot in The Open at Carnoustie this July where he will make his Major debut.

The Maybank win catapulted Sharma more than 120 places up the world rankings into 72nd place, making him the highest ranked Indian golfer ahead of Anirban Lahiri who dropped from 71 to 76 in the February 4 rankings.

“The last two months have changed my life. I’ve always dreamt of winning and now I’m a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and European Tour. I’m also playing in The Open, so I’m excited about that,” said Sharma.

“Me winning now will inspire some kids and give them the confidence that they can do it as well. Asian golf is in the right hands. I am sure you will see more and more Asian players winning in Europe,” he added.

14

Minjee Lee has won three times on the LPGA Tour but the Australian had yet to win as a professional on home soil until the Oates Vic Open in Australia in early February.

Lee cruised to a comfortable win in the Ladies European Tour event, which she also won as an amateur in 2014 at age 17.

Entering the final round at 13th Beach Golf Links with a one-shot lead, Lee carded five birdies and an eagle en route to a closing 67 for a 13-under-par total and a five-shot victory over compatriot Karis Davidson.

“I won this tournament as an amateur and it’s great to come back and do it as a pro. Twice is a charm! I don’t think I’ve won at home since the Vic Open, so it’s really nice to win in Australia again,” said Lee, who was the world’s No 1 amateur until she turned pro in September 2014.

©Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA

©Andrew Redington/Getty Images

“I’ve always dreamt of winning and now I’m a twotime winner on the Asian Tour and European Tour.”

Home sweet win for Minjee

ParGolf MARCH 2018

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©Christian Peterson/Getty Images

All hail chairman Spieth!

Jordan Spieth will have a few more things to worry about this year apart from winning tournaments now that he’s been elected chairman of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council (PAC) by his peers.

The 16-member PAC advises and consults with the PGA Tour Policy Board and commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the tour.

Spieth, who prevailed over Billy Hurley III for the chairman’s post in the voting process which ended on February 13, will also succeed Davis Love III on the PGA Tour policy board next year. The Texan will serve a three-year term (2019-2021) as player director along with Charley Hoffman (20172019), Kevin Streelman (2017-19) and Johnson Wagner (2018-2020).

Scot on the bag for Green 2017 Asian Tour No 1 Gavin Green figures that having experienced Scotsman Mark Crane on his bag will help him manage his long-hitting game better. The Malaysian star engaged Crane for the first time at January’s Dubai Desert Classic and the partnership seems to be working well.

“We are trying to get comfortable with each other and so far, it has been good. It is a different chemistry because I had my dad on the bag previously,” said Green during the Maybank Championship, where he finished T39.

“Mark understands that you can’t attack all the holes. You've got to play it on the safe side, get your par and get out of there.

Somebody of that level telling me that is a different thing.”

Crane has been caddying on the European Tour since 2003 and has worked with the likes of Paul Casey and Chris Wood, carrying for the latter in the 2016 Ryder Cup.

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WOMEN’S GOLF

Pretty In

Pink? ©Andrew Redington/Getty Images

With International Women’s Day celebrated on the eighth of this month, Mike Wilson takes a look at the health of the women’s game in general and the professional circuits in particular and finds a somewhat opaque and on occasions, contradictory picture.

16

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©National Library of Scotland

W

prevalent throughout much of the developed world out of context and out of proportion.

But, considering it was a woman who was one of the first to be documented playing the game – according to the none-more reliable source than the British Golf Museum, ‘documentary evidence of 1567-1568 indicates that Mary, Queen of Scots was seen playing golf and pall mall in the fields beside

©Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images

ith the centenary of the end of women’s emancipation in the UK in which the Representation of the People Act 1918 granted some women over the age of 30 the right to vote for the first time, it’s all too easy to view thorny issues such as the #metoo campaign following revelations of sexual abuse and exploitation in Hollywood and the gender pay gap still

Seton’ – for golf and the fair sex to enjoy the relationship it does today, it is also important to examine the issue through the correct end of the telescope.

On the participation front, in the absence of comprehensive and reliable global statistics, there is a growing awareness that golf is losing its appeal, especially amongst the millennials, and that it remains a male-dominated game with, on average, two-thirds of regular recreational golfers male and under 10% from the junior ranks. But, some claim, women’s golf is where the growth lies.

In England, following the high-profile ‘This Girl Can’ campaign aimed at getting more women into playing sport, golf would appear to the biggest beneficiary – of the 680,000 people who now regularly play the game, almost 100,000 are women, but that’s just 14 percent and from a very low base.

The Rio Olympics ‘Bounce’ – where the LPGA embraced the opportunity in contrast to the PGA Tour which did its best to fluff its lines in the ‘greatest show on earth’ – may be another contributory factor, especially given the emergence of the quintessential ‘girl next door’ Charley Hull and her contemporaries such as Georgia Hall and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

But that’s less than half the 35 percent of Germany’s 639,137 recorded golfers ParGolf MARCH 2018

016-019•WomenGolf.March18.indd 17

17

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WOMEN'S GOLF who are female. Elsewhere, the likes of Austria (35%), Switzerland (33%), Slovenia (32%) and the Netherlands (32%) are showing the traditional golf heartlands a clean pair of heels in attracting women back into a game they have, for far too long, felt excluded to.

Slovakia, for its part, became the firstever European country to report that more women (45%) were regular golfers than men (42%) … but in a country with just a couple of dozen courses to its name, statistics can all too easily be misinterpreted.

Whether the R&A’s landmark decision to admit female members, or the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers reluctantly and belatedly reversing its men-only ruling, have had an impact on more women playing the game, is possible but impossible to quantify.

So, are more women really playing golf? Research carried out by Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. on behalf of the European Tour shows that the answer is twofold; on the one hand, of the 9.3 million adults and 1.7 million children to have had some involvement in playing golf in its various forms, an estimated 33 percent of those who have taken part in golf were female.

But, on the other hand, it all depends on your definition of ‘golf; SMS reported that ‘it’s clear where female interest lies – adventure golf, pitch and putt, golf simulator, or perhaps nine-hole golf – because this is

fun, and less time consuming.’

Meanwhile, in the world’s largest golf territory, the USA, the National Golf Foundation last year found that 19 percent of all American golfers are women. The NGF also reported, encouragingly, that in 2016, 67 percent of all new registered golfers were women – which could also be interpreted as a significant drop in the number of males taking up the sport.

In Asia, there is little evidence at all, national or continental, to confirm or deny that golf is a growing pastime amongst Far Eastern women.

Despite the exploits of Chinese national heroine and World No 1 Shanshan Feng, Thai superstar Ariya Jutanugarn and her sister Moriya, a seemingly-endless conveyor belt of Korean kids and, most recently, the emergence of Indian girl Aditi Ashok in what is arguably golf’s largest untapped market, the entire structure of golf in the Far East is built around a maledominated, business-driven culture that may take generations to change, as it did in the West.

Surely Asia, by virtue of its commercial contribution and possession of the vast majority of the top talent in golf, must seek – indeed demand – at least one of the sport’s Majors.

Meanwhile, in the professional game, women’s golf has been something of a curate’s egg over recent years – a case of several steps forward, several back, progress but painfully slow, no evidence at all of closing a gender pay gap that makes the BBC’s newsroom look like a level playing field.

Asia, as it has for almost a generation now, is leading the way, with 14 of the top-20 in the Rolex World Rankings from the Far East – compared to five from North America and a solitary European, Swede Anna Nordqvist, in fifth place, one of only four Europeans in the top-50.

But, despite the emergence and subsequent dominance of a truly international LPGA Tour played across 15 countries worldwide, with the USA again dominating proceedings with 14 tournaments compared to Korea which only boasts two (along with China and the UK), it’s disappointing to see Asianbased sponsors such as ANA, Kia, Ricoh and Volvik exporting their financial backing to the West.

Especially so when one considers that between them, Europe and the USA have cornered the ‘Majors market’ in women’s golf. Surely Asia, by virtue of its commercial contribution and possession of the vast majority of the top talent in golf, must seek – indeed demand – at least one of the sport’s Majors.

The Tokyo Olympics in 2020 will once again provide the LPGA and Asian women’s golf another high-profile platform on which to showcase itself on

ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD RANKINGS (FEBRUARY 12, 2018) Rank

Player

Points Average

TOP 10 1

Shanshan Feng (CHN)

7.33

2

Sung Hyun Park (KOR)

7.00

3

So Yeon Ryu (KOR)

6.83

4

Lexi Thompson (USA)

6.79

5

Anna Nordqvist (SWE)

5.78

6

In Gee Chun (KOR)

5.60

7

Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)

5.51

8

IK Kim (KOR)

5.50

9

Cristie Kerr (USA)

5.09

10

Lydia Ko (NZL)

4.71

18

418

Kelly Tan

0.15

605

Ainil Bakar

0.05

673

Michelle Koh

0.04

718

Aretha Pan

0.03

838

Winnie Ng (am)

0.02

897

Michele Low

0.01

1177

Jean Chua

0.00

©Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images

MALAYSIANS

ParGolf MARCH 2018

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WOMEN’S WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING (FEBRUARY 12, 2018) Rank

Player

Points Average

1

Leona Maguire (IRE)

1541.3089

2

Jennifer Kupcho (USA)

1490.3902

3

Lilia Kha-Tu Vu (USA)

1487.0294

4

Albane Valenzuela (SWI)

1418.3944

5

Andrea Lee (USA)

1407.9304

6

Cheyenne Knight (USA)

1299.0236

7

Eun-jeong Seong (KOR)

1291.0762

8

Lauren Stephenson (USA) 1289.9137

9

Kristen Gillman (USA)

1251.2806

10

Lucy Li (USA)

1250.2185

TOP 10

TOP 10 MALAYSIANS

But it would be naive of golf to view females as the answer to the veritable maiden’s prayer, short and medium-term; society’s natural carers are increasingly career-driven, many leaving childbirth into their late 30s and early 40s. Which means that while more women may have the disposable income but not its equivalent in free time to indulge the game.

Which is precisely why organisations such as the NGF have started including women who never see a golf course from one year’s end to the next, but enjoy leisure time with family and friends playing different concepts of golf, explaining the huge success of the burgeoning hybrid sport-entertainment-lifestyle concept that is Top Golf, coming to a city near you before too long.

So, taking the temperature of women’s golf on this 108th International Women’s Day is a tricky task, but with the inevitable UNIWD generic hashtag, this year’s #PressforProgress, that just about sums up where the Royal & Ancient game is for the fairer sex … some achievements accomplished but far from consolidated, other goals still a long way off. PG

76

Loy Hee Ying

959.1927

371

Ashley Lau Jen Wen

768.4695

676

Natasha Andrea Oon

654.8138

710

Winnie Ng Yu Xuan

645.7296

783

Liyana Durisic

625.7425

947

Siti Zulaikhaa Shaari

570.4004

979

Geraldine Xiao Xuan Wong 558.1429

1007

Qistina Balqis Azhar

1061

Warda Amira Abd Rawof 530.5654

1105

Sarfina Vinota Seretharan 516.9120

547.9238

Blast from the past – ladies golf apparel ad circa 1910

©Hulton Archive/Getty Images

©David Cannon/Getty Images

the world stage … and let’s hope they grab it again with both hands as they did in Rio two years ago, a full turnout of top eligible talent, embracing the Olympic concept.

However, the LPGA endured a tricky 2017, the normally sure-footed commissioner Mike Whan getting a couple of key calls wrong, such as expunging scores from a first round in the final Major of the season, the Evian Championship, and having to cancel a US$2.1 million event in China at the last minute.

The Ladies European Tour, while still technically in the land of the living courtesy it is said because of bail-outs from the LPGA, the R&A and the European Tour, is in critical condition.

The inside talk is that the London-based outfit will do well to see 2018 through as a going concern.

With only seven events, including Europe’s two Majors, confirmed almost two months into the 2018 season, one can only imagine the amount of paddling beneath the surface acting CEO Mark Lichtenhein must be indulging in. Only the top eight earned more than US$100,000 (otherwise known as ‘a loss’) on the circuit last year and the ex-European Tour senior executive needs to perform some Houdini-like stunts if the very enjoyable and user-friendly circuit is to rise, like a Phoenix, from the ashes … although, no doubt, the mantra will be, like Mark Twain said, that recent reports of its death “have been greatly exaggerated”.

And, considering the relative strength of ladies golf in Asia, certainly at the elite level in key territories such as China, Korea, Thailand and more recently India, it is ironic that the Ladies Asian Golf Tour can only muster five low-value events to date in 2018. With 2017 Order of Merit winner Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras leading the way with season’s earning of just over US$13,000, (if only her winnings were as lavish and lengthy as her name), its purpose as a feeder circuit to the LPGA must be called into question.

Perhaps the most closely-guarded secret in ladies golf in Asia – and world golf in general – is the power and popularity of the largely-domestic Korean LPGA Tour; 35 events, of which three are in China and one in Japan, offer an annual prize fund of over US$20 million.

And with 2017 Order of Merit winner Park Sung-hyun earning US$1.25 million, it’s a clear and viable pathway to the LPGA, as well as a domestic/regional circuit in its own right.

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LEXI THOMPSON

Wonder WOMAN Lexi’s power comes from hours of working on her core strength in the gym

©Stacy Revere/Getty Images

BY RICK CURRIN

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T

evere cy R ©Sta

/Gett

y Im

ages

here’s probably no other golfer – male or female – who works out as much and as hard on her strength and fitness as Lexi Thompson.

Lexi spends a great deal of time in the gym with her trainer Kolby Tullier, one of the world’s leading biomechanics specialists. Tullier has been in the sports performance industry for more than 20 years and his clients span a wide range of sports including American football, baseball, athletic and of course golf.

Most of the exercises are geared towards strengthening Lexi’s core. She does a lot of squatting and dead lifts to build up her hip flexors all through the quadriceps, as well as the transverse and internal obliques.

That strong core allows Lexi to make a massive shoulder turn of 110 degrees against the LPGA average of 90 degrees.

She generates a swing speed of 106mph with the driver and averaged 273-79 yards off the tee in 2017, making her the third longest hitter on the LPGA Tour.

LEXI'S STATS (2017 LPGA TOUR) CATEGORY

SEASON AVERAGE / RANK

Driving Distance

273.79y / 3

Driving Accuracy

69.39% / 116

Greens In Regulation (GIR)

77.71% / 1

Putts Per GIR

1.76 / 8

Putts Per Round

29.73 / 55

Sand Saves

70.37% / 1

Scoring

69.11 / 1

www.lpga.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rick Currin is a high-performance golf and fitness coach from South Africa with over a decade of teaching experience.

The PGA of South Africa Class AA professional can be found at the MST Golf Academy, TPC Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, email coachrickcurrin@gmail.com or call 019-278 1003.

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LEXI THOMPSON

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KEY MOVE

Matt Sullivan/Getty Images

BOTH LEXI’S LEGS ARE RAISED AS SHE GOES THROUGH THE HITTING ZONE WITH THE CLUB RELEASED FULLY INTO THE TOE-UP POSITION.

SET-UP Lexi looks really powerful and athletic at address, indicating her immense core strength. Her spine is straight, her knees flexed and leg muscles activated for the impending swing.

IMPACT The left leg snaps straight as the quads work, a lot like Tiger in prime. Both heels are off the ground, which is another of Lexi’s swing idiosyncrasies.

TAKEAWAY One of the idiosyncrasies of Lexi’s swing is she takes the club back on a very wide plane but with the face quite shut. She then picks the club up to steepen the plane.

RELEASE The club is released to get the toe-up position, with both her legs raised right up ... again, not something you may want to copy.

BACKSWING The shaft is way past parallel due to the massive rotation of Lexi’s shoulders, creating a powerful coil with tons of stored energy.

FOLLOW-THROUGH Lexi maintains her spine angle really well by keeping the right shoulder tilted down towards the ball. Her shoulder plane is quite steep.

DOWNSWING Lexi squats into the downswing, using her legs to generate power. She pushes off with her right foot not even halfway through the downswing.

FINISH Another Lexi special – she turns through until her body faces left of the target to make sure she gets through the ball completely. Her weight is almost all on her left leg.

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reading the lines jonathan ponniah Family Ties

The key to golf’s growth could just lie in promoting the game among the fairer sex and families

weekends?

The answer, more likely than not, would be mum.

The key to golf becoming a family pastime that is passed down over time is, logically then, to get the womenfolk hooked on the game. An R&Acommissioned report on golf’s growth potential by the International Institute for Golf Education at the University Centre Myerscough recognised the need to get more women, girls and families into the sport.

“When I look at golf around the world, what drives me is that I want to make sure golf is still thriving 50 years from now,” said Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A. “A key part of that is growing the women’s game, not just here in Asia but throughout the world.

The biggest opportunity for golf to grow is by growing the women’s game.”

Slumbers noted that the research demonstrates “a tremendous opportunity for golf to grow its participation numbers and generate more income if it can attract more women, girls and families into playing the sport.”

But in order for golf to become a weekend pastime that most families can indulge in, two things need to happen in this part of the world. First, it has to be affordable and accessible enough to reach those beyond the genteel club membership strata and secondly, the time taken to play a round needs to be shortened to compete with timeefficient outdoor activities like running and cycling.

Public golf, priced within the reach of the majority of the populace, is a prerequisite for golf’s future growth here. Hitting balls at the range and going for lessons is fine for the first few months but kids will get bored if they’re unable to play on course. And we’re

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sk yourself this question … when you were a kid, who most often dictated what the family does during

talking abut regular play, not the occasional 18. It’s got to be almost as simple as booking a badminton court, without the intimidating and stifling rules and regulations unfortunately still associated with golf in this part of the world.

The huge amount of time that it takes to finish a round of golf – while a boon in the corporate world – is its biggest bane in terms of growth among youth. Five hours on a Saturday for a family just takes away too much time from other commitments and activities – but two to three hours would fit in perfectly for an evening pre-dinner outing.

Nine holes then, you say? Well, easier said than done with most courses in the Klang Valley full of 18-holers on weekends. We need simple layouts in the suburbs where fast and fun rounds can be played, whether nine or 18 holes … and who is to say it can’t be somewhere in between? Australia’s

municipal courses are a great example, some with no clubhouses, just an ‘honesty box’ where you drop the green fee in before teeing off.

To illustrate the point on how easy it is to go out and golf in Australia, the nine-hole Canterbury Golf Course in Sydney states on its website: “There is no membership, nor are individual bookings required … simply turn up and play. Saturday and Sunday mornings there can be a delay for a tee time, however all other times you can just turn up and play straight away.”

The course is managed by Australian PGA professionals but is owned by the city council, which explains why it costs only A$25 to play the tract twice for 18 holes, while juniors and senior citizens enjoy discounted rates of A$15 … which is about the same price as going for a movie Down Under!

As the Aussies would say, “fair dinkum, that’s a corker mate!” PG

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MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

FALLING INTO PLACE

Superb winner, excellent set-up and great fan engagement highlight third edition at Saujana

BY JONATHAN PONNIAH

S

ometimes, things just seem to fall into place if you try hard enough … and that perfectly sums up the third edition of the Maybank Championship, played at Saujana Golf & Country Club the first weekend of February.

Things certainly fell into place for India’s Shubhankar Sharma, who played the round of his life on Sunday 26

with a stunning 10-under-par 62 to win the coveted Tiger trophy by Selangor Pewter. The likeable 21-year-old was a deserving and popular winner indeed, captivating on-course and TV spectators with his skill and composure coming down the home stretch at Saujana’s Palm Course.

Sharma birdied 10 holes in the final round, including the last two, to finish

on 21-under-par and claim his second joint Asian Tour and European Tour title by two shots from Jorge Campillo of Spain.

“The last two months have changed my life. I’ve always dreamt of winning and now I’m a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and European Tour,” said Sharma, who won the 2017 Joburg Open to earn a maiden Major start in

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this year’s British Open at Carnoustie.

“I’m over the moon. The last two months have been fantastic for me. I’m playing in The Open championship this year, so I can’t ask for anything more.

Whatever happened today was fantastic,” he added.

Great Malaysian Hope – Gavin Green finished T39 on nine-under-par

“I’m over the moon.

The last two months have been fantastic for me.”

Sharma produced a great weekend comeback after struggling in the opening two rounds which saw him way back in 48th place at the halfway stage. A third round 66 put him within four shots of the lead and he charged into contention on Sunday with five birdies on the front nine. More birdies on 11, 13 and 14 gave him a two-shot advantage and Sharma romped in emphatic style to become the first Asian to win the championship.

Not surprisingly, Sharma professed his liking for the Palm Course aka The Cobra, saying that it suits his eye.

“This is a very special golf course. I finished tied ninth here last year and it was my first Maybank Championship and best result in a co-sanctioned event. I kept my Asian Tour card here because of that result. Obviously, I love the course,” noted Sharma, who is no stranger to low scores having shot 11-under-par 61 in the second round en route to his Joburg Open win and 10-under-par 62 in the final round of the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters.

The win catapulted Sharma to the top of the Asian Tour’s Habitat For Humanity money list and the European Tour’s Race To Dubai ranking … but he noted that it was still too early in the season to think about winning either.

“I’m not thinking about it because there are so many events left. If I play well enough, I will have a good chance of winning the Habitat For Humanity standings,” stressed Sharma, who also became the top Indian golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking in 72nd spot after the win.

Born in the city of Jammu in northern India, Sharma spent much of his childhood travelling all over the country as his father, Mohan Lal Sharma, was a colonel in the Indian army. Recognising the high demands of playing golf for a living, the elder

©Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

SHUBHANKAR SHARMA

Sharma quit the army when his son turned professional in 2013.

“We pretty much went all over the place in India. Dad used to be posted all around and we as a family followed him,” explained Sharma. “I got into the game when I was seven and I turned professional when I was still in school.

My dad is one of the biggest reasons I could take this step. He has been a great inspiration.”

For tournament promoter GlobalOne, things certainly fell into place as far as the organisational aspects were concerned after some teething problems when the tournament moved to Saujana in 2017. Spectator flow was well thought out and implemented, while sideshows and supporting events were kept within a hub of sorts between the championship

village and the 18th hole hospitality marquees.

“The way the venue was set up was something that we paid a lot of attention to so that everyone enjoyed the Maybank Championship experience. We put a lot of focus on the grandstands, the eateries and activation areas ... all were near each other and that sort of brought the crowd together to create a great atmosphere,” said GlobalOne CEO John Eu. He noted that the decision to change the holes around – Holes 8 and 9 played as 1 and 2 for the tournament, while 3 to 7 were 6 to 9 – worked very well.

“Changing the holes around really helped to consolidate the audience.

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improvement on last year,” he elaborated.

“The club really helped … we removed three palm trees that used to be sited on the hill next to the 18th green and that made a huge difference. It just gave us a lot more space; we managed to put in a grandstand and everything was further away from the green and not so intrusive on play,” Eu added.

Another thing that worked extremely well this year was the Beat The Pro Challenge, where selected amateurs were able to test their skills – well, for just one shot – against the pros at the par-three 7th hole during the third round.

The participants, who were selected from a social media contest and other avenues, chilled (and attempted to calm their nerves!) at a small public marquee next to the teebox as they waited for their allocated groups to come.

After the pros played their shots, the amateur’s name was announced by the evergreen Lee Boon Seong and he or she attempted to hit it closer to the pin.

Some came really close – including yours truly – but it was Media Prima’s Zaini Salihin who earned bragging rights as the only amateur to beat the pros.

While Eu shared that the crowd figures were similar to last year (cumulative count of about 40,000),

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MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP

Japan's Ryo Ishikawa drew a large crowd

visually at least, the tournament seemed to enjoy its best galleries to date. Much of that was due to the Gavin Green factor – Malaysia’s great golfing hope and reigning Asian Tour No 1 was a magnet for fans … especially the younger generations.

Green’s long-hitting game can be maddeningly erratic at times but he’s always exciting to watch and never fails to engage with fans … and that was clearly evident at Saujana. The 24-yearold was on the verge of contention for three rounds but struggled off the tees

on the final day and settled for a joint 39th finish on nine-under par 279 (6869-69-73).

Mention has to be made of youngster Amir Nazrin Jailani, the only other Malaysian to make the third round cut (the European Tour implements an additional trimming to top 72 and ties if there are 78 or more players left after the halfway cut). The promising 20-year-old closed strongly with a 68 to claim a T50 finish on eightunder-par 280 (70-68-74-68) in the biggest tournament of his two-year

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Runner-up Jorge Campillo tees off

RESULTS POSITION TOTAL Top 10 & ties

PLAYER

1

267 (-21)

2

269 (-19)

T3 T5

T10

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SCORES

WINNINGS (US$)

POSITION Selected

Shubhankar Sharma (IND)

70-69-66-62

500,000

Jorge Campillo (ESP)

69-66-66-68

333,330

270 (-18)

Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) Ryan Fox (NZL)

70-70-64-66 68-68-68-66

168,900 168,900

272 (-16)

Nino Bertasio (ITA) Ryo Ishikawa (JPN) Hideto Tanihara (JPN) Khalin Joshi (IND) Dylan Frittelli (RSA)

68-65-70-69 74-66-63-69 71-64-68-69 67-70-65-70 69-66-66-71

92,880 92,880 92,880 92,880 92,880

Berry Henson (USA)

69-68-65-71

60,000

273 (-15)

TOTAL

PLAYER

SCORES

WINNINGS (US$)

T11

274 (-14)

Lee Westwood (ENG)

72-62-70-70

47,900

T39

279 (-9)

Gavin Green (MAS) Thongchai Jadee (THA)

68-69-69-73 69-67-69-74

17,100 17,100

T50

280 (-8)

Amir Nazrin Amir (MAS)

70-68-74-68

12,300

T60

282 (-6)

Henrik Stenson (SWE) Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)

72-67-73-70 68-69-75-70

8,250 8,250

T74

214 (MC)

Nicholas Fung (MAS)

71-69-74

4,490

T76

216 (MC)

Ben Leong (MAS)

69-70-77

4,482

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HOW THE PALM COURSE PLAYED

32 nationalities playing in an open field of 156. We see ourselves as very inclusive while at the same time providing opportunities to regional golfers,” said Eu. And the championship ended on a high with Maybank Group president and CEO Datuk Abdul Farid Alias confirming during the prize presentation that the tournament will continue into 2019 – where and when, you’ll have to stay tuned! PG

five spots given to promising golfers from the region – namely Justin Quiban (Philippines), Michael Tran (Vietnam), Naing Naing Lin (Myanmar), Quincy Quek (Singapore) and Rory Hie (Indonesia) – added more diversity to what is already one of the most widely represented fields in Asian golf.

“We will continue to look at enhancements to the event and continue to build on that unique DNA that we’ve developed. This year we had

©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

professional career so far and by far.

Two Malaysians, Nicholas Fung and Ben Leong, fell victim to the extra cut by one shot but still picked up more than US$4,400 apiece for making the weekend.

With Ryo Isihikawa, Hideto Tanihara and Yuta Ikeda in the field, there was a strong Japanese presence in the galleries especially on the weekend with Ishikawa and Tanihara threatening the leaders. The ASEAN category, with

Hole Par Yards Average Score Rank 1 5 534 4.36 18 2 4 493 4.27 1 3 4 387 3.99 9 4 3 195 3.03 6 5 5 604 4.59 17 6 4 370 3.9 12 7 3 203 3.01 8 8 4 405 4.11 3 9 4 394 3.9 12 10 4 391 4.13 2 11 4 420 3.96 11 12 3 200 3.06 4 13 5 523 4.75 15 14 4 447 4.05 5 15 4 433 3.97 10 16 3 194 3.03 6 17 4 373 3.78 14 18 5 569 4.61 16 Total 72 7135 70.5 NA

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FRIENDS for LIFE PAT PEREZ

At 41 years of age, American Pat Perez is enjoying a career renaissance. With faithful caddie Mike Hartford by his side, the reigning CIMB Classic champion recounts his amazing journey to PGATOUR.COM’s Cameron Morfit and gives a wonderful insight of their highly successful player-caddie relationship.

P

at Perez remembers his caddie’s “Tom Kite glasses”.

Mike Hartford remembers his boss’s sense of humour and enviable talent.

They met as teenagers, and Perez, 41, and Hartford, 42, have rarely gone more than a day or two apart since. It’s been a fruitful partnership; they’ve racked up three PGA Tour victories, including two in the last 16 months, and more than US$23 million in career earnings. And Perez has been hovering around the top of the FedExCup standing since the beginning of the 2017-18 season.

Perez and Hartford also recently became the longest-running exclusive player-caddie partnership in the game.

“I knew way back in the day,” Perez says. “After high school and college, still being in touch, I knew that he was going to be in my life forever. He was just that

kind of guy; that kind of friend.”

“I just always wanted to be around him because he was so funny,” Hartford says, “but also because he was a great player and he was trying to help me work on my game.”

Jim Furyk and Mike ‘Fluff‘ Cowan have been together longer, but Furyk has had other full-time caddies, while Perez has never had anyone but the man he calls ‘H’. When Phil Mickelson and Jim ‘Bones‘ Mackay split last summer, Perez/ Hartford went to the top of the list of the most time-tested active tandems on Tour.

They have walked side by side since Perez’s rookie Tour year in 2002, on the Web.com Tour before that, and as amateurs before that. When Perez won the 1993 Junior World at Torrey Pines, Hartford drove him to the course each day. (Perez had totalled his car and needed a ride.) They have been together

so long that Perez used to work for Hartford, not the other way around.

Hartford started a lawn-care business when he was 11, and hired Perez some five years later. “He was the fastest worker I ever had,” Hartford says with a laugh.

Their partnership has aged slowly, and well.

“I always say there are maybe five combinations out there where no one caddie could do a better job for a player than that particular caddie,” says John ‘Cubby‘ Burke, who has caddied for Brad Faxon, Davis Love III and others in a career that has spanned 32 years. “Everyone else is kind of interchangeable. There isn’t another caddie out there could do a better job for Pat than H. “I would say the same thing about Bubba Watson and Ted Scott,” Burke

©David Cannon/Getty Images

At the January-played Omega Dubai Desert Classic

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©Jamie Squire/Getty Images

continues. “Mickelson and Bones had it, and Freddy Couples and Joe LaCava.

That’s about it. That’s rare air.”

But how have they done it? Even Perez admits he couldn’t have predicted the last 20 years.

They are opposites, the brash Perez standing out with his unfiltered opinions and flat-brim hat. Perez’s character fits perfectly with one of his sponsors, William Murray Golf, whose fashion sense is inspired by The Murray Brothers’ off-the-cuff mentality and created on the notion that life and golf don’t have to be so serious. ‘Get out there, have fun, and look great doing it’ is Perez’s mantra.

In contrast, the low-key Hartford blends into the background, but they share a similar sense of humor. At an interview and video shoot with the PGA Tour at Tiburon Golf Club at the RitzCarlton Golf Resort in Naples, Florida, home of the QBE Shootout, they laugh so much that it seems to support the adage that humour is the shock absorber of life.

Asked to write down the one word that best describes their partnership, Hartford writes ‘Trust’. It took trust for him to wait on Perez to recuperate after shoulder surgery, and trust for Perez to hit that 9-iron instead of the 7-iron he wanted to hit at Kapalua last year.

They also trust each other implicitly, so much so that when Perez wanted to hit 7-iron at the 164-yard 11th hole at the Sentry Tournament of Champions last season, and Hartford said it was a 9-iron, Perez didn’t argue.

He took the 9 and nearly holed the shot for a kick-in birdie.

“Greatest call ever,” Perez says.

“I’d have been over the cliff. A lot of guys would have trouble getting on board if they had a two-club difference of opinion with their caddie.”

Not Pat and Mike. They know one another’s birthdays. They know one another’s birthday meals. They talk every day, live four miles from each other in Phoenix, and go to the course together even in off-weeks. Hartford, unmarried, has a standing offer to have his wedding at the secluded mountain home Pat is building in Payson, Arizona, 90 minutes north of Phoenix.

Perez won the 1993 Junior World, beating none other than Tiger Woods (who finished fourth) by eight shots.

Less well-known is how Hartford had a hand in that victory. No caddies were allowed at that tournament, but he found another way to contribute.

“My practice plan for the Junior World was to go up to La Costa to play nine holes before every match,” Perez recalls. “So H drove me up to La Costa [approximately 20 miles north of Torrey ParGolf MARCH 2018

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PAT PEREZ

Perez wins the 2017 CIMB Classic with best pal 'H' by his side

Pines] and then back to the course each day.”

“He was all warmed up for his tournament rounds,” Harford says.

“He’d already played golf.”

After shuttling Perez in his silver 1983 Toyota Celica, Hartford and his grandfather, also a huge Perez fan, followed along on foot as the San Diego junior golf legend dominated at Torrey Pines. Perez won the Maxfli PGA Junior two weeks later in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Hartford had a little game himself. He not only was one of Perez’s high school teammates, he played at the next level for the University of California San Diego.

“Freshman of the year,” Perez points out with obvious pride. But Hartford was not in the same league as Perez; it was obvious whose game looked like money.

Perez would play; Hartford would caddie.

The move would be a masterstroke, first and foremost because of Perez’s otherworldly talent. He is selfdeprecating and sometimes calls himself old, short and/or one-dimensional, but his no-nonsense action, a piston-like backand-through with a perfectly balanced finish, is one of the coolest moves on Tour. It’s also highly effective, seeing him through seasons when he made little on the greens and seasons in which his short 32

If the golf went away tomorrow, Perez says he and Hartford would turn their attention to something else. Tennis.

Business. Shuffleboard.

Whatever. It almost wouldn’t even matter; they would remain close. game flourished. (Last season being the prime example as Perez turned a weakness, putting, into a strength.)

Hartford, meanwhile, brought tireless dedication and invaluable counter-ballast.

Perez is a spender, the owner of five cars and hundreds of pairs of shoes. “I don’t know what I need five cars for,” he says, cracking them both up. Hartford is a saver, the owner of stocks.

Perez is a night owl. Teetotaler Hartford is a morning person.

Perez’s passion, his most endearing quality, can sometimes spill over suboptimally on the course. Meanwhile, the steady Hartford simply soldiers on, ever mindful of the long view.

“H is the consummate professional,” Burke notes. “Pat always comes first.”

Not surprisingly, Perez and Hartford look back fondly on the Junior World and

high school in general. But it’s not long before they dissolve into laughter again, in this case at the memory of the two of them in the Celica, and Perez’s memory of Hartford’s cautious driving.

“He’s driving 36 miles an hour in fifth gear,” Perez says, “and this thing is trying to stay alive.”

Hartford, who is still cautious on the roads, doesn’t deny it.

“I’d pick you up and drive you to school sometimes,” he says, smiling at the memory.

If it’s true that player-caddie relationships resemble marriages, and that life imitates art, then Perez/ Hartford sometimes resembles the cinematic union of Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in the movie, “When Harry Met Sally.” In the last scene, in which couples are interviewed side-by-side, Harry Burns (Crystal) and Sally Albright (Ryan) are talking about their wedding cake.

“There was this very rich chocolate sauce, on the side,” Ryan says.

“Because not everybody likes it on the cake because it makes it very soggy,” Crystal explains.

Here are Perez and Hartford, on Pat’s birthday meal of choice – “He loves Mexican food,” Hartford says.

“Chicken tacos, rice just on the side. He doesn’t like beans.”

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that much time with someone and not have him be part of the family. I’ve talked to him about everything.”

Would they be good at anything else together? They’ve played some doubles in tennis, mostly winning their matches but in China losing badly to Sergio Garcia, who was playing by himself.

“We got smashed,” Perez says. “We couldn’t get the serve back. The serve was going over our heads. He’s got the sweatbands on and everything. We looked like idiots.”

Perez just got a new court at his house, and is looking forward to getting out there again, but adds only halfjokingly that he might not want to tangle with Garcia or Daniel Berger, whose father headed up the USTA. Perez is also leery of Matt Kuchar, whose wife, Sybi, played tennis for Georgia Tech. (The Kuchars have played in high-level mixeddoubles tournaments.)

“Yeah, they might not be invited,” Perez says, and he and Hartford again fall back laughing.

What of the future? Perez says that if the golf went away tomorrow, he and Hartford would turn their attention to something else. Tennis. Business.

Shuffleboard. Whatever. It almost wouldn’t even matter; they would remain close.

“We talk every day about something,” Perez says. “We’ll have lunch, or he’ll come over for dinner, or something will happen to someone we know and we’ll text back and forth about it, sit there and talk s---- about that person, so that’s kind of cool.”

Again, they both bust up laughing.

“My wife loves him more than anything because she knows what he puts into it,” he adds. “What we have out here; the bottom line is it’s just rare.

You can go down the line and … the

Perez and Hartford met as teenagers, and have rarely gone more than a day or two apart since. It’s been a fruitful partnership; they’ve racked up three PGA Tour victories, including two in the last 16 months, and more than US$23 million in career earnings.

Back at the 2002 Buick Classic in New York

©Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Perez laughs. “That’s it,” he says.

“His favourite restaurant is Roberto’s,” Hartford says.

“Chicken taco at Roberto’s is the best thing on the planet,” Perez confirms.

Although they are savouring success now, not long ago Perez’s career was on the verge of turning into chicken feathers. He had shoulder surgery and sat out for most of 2016. His sponsor dropped him. He was left in the lurch. Hartford went to work for Danny Lee and waited for Perez to recuperate, with no guarantee that he would.

Today, Perez and Hartford, who gave eerily similar answers in a recent pop quiz about their union (Pat’s pet peeve: slow play), look back on that time as the low point.

“The lowest for this guy would’ve been caddying for Danny Lee,” Perez jokes, cracking them up again. (Note to Danny: He was only kidding.)

“The lowest would have been right after his operation, when I saw him at his house,” Hartford says, taking a more serious tone “He was taking pain pills, he couldn’t drive anywhere, his arm was in a sling. And then, seven months later, he won Mexico. That was the high point.”

Indeed, when Perez won the OHL Classic at Mayakoba at the outset of last season, he proved he was far from done. It reignited his career, and even took him to the next level. He made it to the Tour Championship for the first time, finished a career-best 15th in the FedExCup, and showed you don’t have to be 24 to enjoy success at golf.

Sometimes, you peak at 41.

Not a year after Mayakoba, in his first start of the 2017-18 season, Perez shot 24-under to win the CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He started the new year ranked second in the FedExCup standings.

Perez says he knows his limitations and is better at staying within himself. He says he has saved “I don’t know how many strokes” with his short game, going from 117th in strokes gained: around-thegreen (-.039) in 2014 all the way to 4th (+.450) in that stat last season.

“You know your game better,” Hartford adds.

Asked to write down the one word that best describes their partnership, Hartford writes ‘Trust’. It took trust for him to wait on Perez to recuperate after shoulder surgery, and trust for Perez to hit that 9-iron instead of the 7-iron he wanted to hit at Kapalua last year.

“I was going to put ‘brothers’ and ‘family’,” Perez says. “You can’t spend

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PAT PEREZ biggest word is trust. I could leave my entire operation with him for a year and I know nothing would happen to it except it would get better. If I had kids, left my kids with him, I wouldn’t even call. I would just know they were being taken care of. That’s rare out here.”

That was a hypothetical scenario until Tuesday, when Pat and Ashley Perez announced on Instagram that they are expecting their first child in September.

This is Pat and Mike’s 17th year together on Tour. They’ve yet to make a Presidents or Ryder Cup team.

They’ve yet to win the FedExCup. But they have no complaints.

“The cap moment would be a Major for us,” Perez says.

He likes Shinnecock Hills, the Long Island, New York, club that will host the US Open in June for the first time in 14 years. Perez was in contention through two rounds there in 2004 but like many others, he struggled with the brutal conditions on the weekend, ultimately finishing T40.

“I just hope they don’t screw it up like they did the last time,” he says.

He also likes Carnoustie, which will play host to the Open Championship.

“I’ve already got a club made for it,” Perez says. “A 2-iron that’s going to be perfect. I’m looking forward to this year. I think it’s going to be really good.”

Hartford has gone quiet, for Perez is on a roll, and when that happens, it’s best to just let him go. He’s making up for lost time, doing what he does best. Besides, H is in his element, too, happily watching his friend open up the throttle and let it run from the best seat in the house.

They’re not going 36 mph in fifth gear, anymore. PG

KEEPIN’ IT LIGHT & FUN Pat Perez’s association with William Murray Golf fits like hand in glove. Inspired by the Murray Brothers’ off-the-cuff mentality, William Murray Golf was created on the notion that life and golf don’t have to be so serious. Keep it light, have fun, and bring personality onto the course which probably describes Perez best.

Bill Murray and his brothers grew up in the North Suburbs of Chicago caddying and playing golf – in fact they were all inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame.

They appreciate and respect the centuriesold sport we all love but infuse the game with energy and a little irreverence. Who says you have to wear a striped polo and play the traditional 18 holes? A new tradition begins.

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bunker mentality mike wilson

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

Slow Is Not Steady With participation levels in decline, the future of golf is approaching its day of reckoning … and the biggest culprit is slow play

L

ike all cultural aspects of society and central to the human condition, life goes in cycles with little that is authentically new; instead we see generational ups-and-downs, variations on a theme.

But, if club membership figures in traditional golf markets such as the UK and the USA are accurate benchmarks, down on average 7.5% year on year, along with pay-TV audience ratings falling by an alarming rate of around 9% per annum, golf has got a significant problem and one it needs to deal with PDQ. Although those responsible for the broad development and macro-marketing of the game agree that golf is in decline because it just takes too long to watch and play, they appear – like rabbits caught in the headlights – unable to find individual or collective solutions. Slow play is the curse of modern golf, professional and therefore

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recreational too in that we all, especially the younger, more impressionable entrants to the game, like to mimic the pros and their time-consuming routines.

At the recent Farmer’s Insurance Open, the leading group’s three-ball final round took all of six hours and still could not come up with a winner, carrying forward to a Monday play-off … ironically won by that self-acclaimed ‘snail’ of golf, Jason Day. Slow play serial-offender JB Holmes was once again at the heart of the matter, taking all of four minutes and 10 seconds to play from the middle of the fairway into the final green, forcing the normally taciturn Luke Donald to tweet: “Last group was over a hole behind, we can all blame JB ... and yes the players should take responsibility for their pace of play, but if they don’t that’s why we have tour officials – they needed to step in a while ago.”

But, like all organisations owned by and run in the best interests of their members, the PGA Tour did precisely nothing … and one can only imagine the conversation in the Golf Channel production trucks as their carefully choreographed schedules were ripped up and re-written for them.

The R&A has done what the R&A does best; formed a committee which produced a report, The Pace of Play Manual – 76 pages of theories and hypothetical postulations focusing on the club golfer playing the monthly medal, when the truly serious offenders are right under their noses on the pro circuits of the world.

And don’t forget the timeconsuming tangle on the R&A’s own watch during the last round of last year’s Open, allowing Jordan Spieth a championshipclinching 13 minutes to decide how to play a critical shot.

The European Tour has taken a somewhat different line to its transatlantic

counterpart, openly recognising that slow play is deeply damaging not only to the game at large but also to its own commercial development. Under the colourful stewardship of CEO Keith Pelley, the tour is tackling slow play headon with a variation of formats all based on the same theme – speeding things up and making golf more palatable to galleries and TV audiences.

The Perth Super-6 started it all off, three rounds of conventional strokeplay with 24 players qualifying for a Sunday matchplay shoot-out; then there was the GolfSixes, started last year, a hybrid of team golf and short-form format.

Another new event, the Belgian Knockout hosted by Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, is played in strokeplay for 36 holes before the leading 64 players go head-to-head in nine-hole knockout strokeplay matches.

Then, there is an event that sounds like aversion therapy – the ‘Shot Clock Masters’ in Austria in which every player is effectively on-the-clock throughout.

All of which could be construed as ‘fiddling whilst Rome burns’ or ‘rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic’ when, in truth – with all the tools and rules available – slow play can be wiped out simply by enforcing these rules.

Nathan Homer, chief commercial & marketing officer of the European Tour, says: “Golf needs a route for younger fans, groups of adults and families to get involved. We know that GolfSixes appeals to those audiences while still offering something to our die-hard fans.

We have to keep innovating in order to grow our appeal and the statistics suggest GolfSixes can have a powerful presence in the golfing calendar.”

Let’s hope he’s right. But with participation numbers and TV ratings heading south at an alarming rate, perhaps, for golf, the stable door is being closed long after the proverbial horse has bolted. PG ParGolf MARCH 2018

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IN THE BAG www.cobragolf.com

Cobra King F8 and F8+ Drivers

MILLED POWER & PRECISION

Cobra Golf’s new King F8 and King F8+ drivers feature the brand’s first ever Precision Milled Forged face for superb performance off the tees.

The ground-breaking, fully CNC machined driver face paired with revolutionary 360º Aero Technology and equipped with Cobra Connect Powered by Arccos deliver Cobra’s fastest, most precise and smartest drivers to date.

The driver face utilises a unique multi-directional CNC milling pattern that delivers an extremely high level of precision. Compared to traditional hand-polished drivers, CNC precision milling allowed Cobra’s engineers to achieve precise face thickness and tighter tolerances for improved bulge-and-roll curvatures. The face is 3% thinner and 10% lighter for increased ball speed across the face.

Golfers have a choice between oversized performance with maximum forgiveness in the King F8 and traditional shaping with maximum workability, precision and penetrating ball flights in the F8+.

King F8 Driver The King F8 driver features an oversized address profile that increases MOI and provides more distance, forgiveness and speed on off-centre hits. An adjustable weight system offers two Centre of Gravity (CG) settings – one in the back for a higher ball flight and one in the heel to provide additional draw bias.

Cobra’s 360° Aero Technology incorporates an innovative system of aerodynamic trips strategically positioned around the perimeter of the face to improve drag reduction through the downswing for increased clubhead speed. A polymer material on the trips placed on the crown creates better CG positioning and higher MOI, while an ultralight, 5-ply Carbon Fibre crown saves discretionary weight to move the CG lower and deeper for higher trajectories and increased forgiveness.

The lightweight 8-1-1 Titanium Body and Forged Face spares weight while Cobra’s patented E9 Technology, a variable thickness face designed with elliptical pattern Sweet Zone, creates more hot spots farther away from the centre of the face for more distance on heel and toe shots.

MyFly8 with Smart Pad Technology affords golfers the choice of eight loft settings (9.0°, 9.5°, 9.5°D, 10.5°, 10.5ºD, 11.5°, 11.5ºD and 12°) to fine-tune launch conditions, while Smart Pad maintains a square clubhead at address.

The King F8 driver comes in two colourways, Nardo Grey or Black, while the stock grip is Lamkin REL 360 (Tour Taper; Cobra Connect) in Nardo or Black (to match the clubhead colour).

SRP: Global Specs: MRC Tensei CK Blue 50g shaft (L and R flex) / Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 shaft (R and S flex) / Aldila NV 2KXV Green 65 shaft (S flex) – RM2,099 Asian Specs: Fujikura Speeder shaft (R and S flex) – RM2,099

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King F8+ Driver Featuring a more traditional clubhead shape and a lower loft range (8.0°, 8.5°, 8.5°D, 9.0°, 9.5°D, 10.0°, 10.5°D and 11°), the F8+ driver utilises the same key technologies as the F8, including a CNC Precision Milled E9 face, 360° Aero Technology, Carbon Fibre Crown and MyFly8 Technology.

Designed to generate lower trajectories compared to the F8, the F8+ driver is equipped with two CG settings – one in the front, for a lower, penetrating ball flight, and one in the back for a higher, towering ball flight with slightly more spin.

Also available in Nardo Grey and Black, the plus version comes stock with a Lamkin Crossline 360 (Cobra Connect) grip in Nardo or Black.

SRP: Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 60 shaft (R flex) / Aldila NV 2KXV Green 65 shaft (S and XS flex) – RM2,099

Ladies King F8 Driver The Ladies version comes in two attractive colourways, Black/Lexi Blue and Silver/Raspberry and offers all the innovative technologies present in the men’s versions, including CNC Milled Face, 360º Aero Technology, Cobra Connect, two adjustable CG positions in the back and heel, Carbon Fibre Crown and MyFly8 with Smart Pad Technology. An oversized profile at address increases MOI, providing ladies with much needed distance, forgiveness and speed on off-centre hits.

The loft range, created for ladies swing speeds to maximise launch and distance, is 11°, 11.5°, 11.5°D, 12.5°, 12.5°D, 13.5°, 13.5°D and 14°. The ladies driver is fitted with a Lamkin REL 360 Connect grip, available in Grey or Black.

SRP: Aldila NV 2KXV 50 shaft (L flex) – RM2,099

COBRA CONNECT POWERED BY ARCCOS The King F8 and F8+ drivers (along with Cobra’s entire F8 family of products including fairways, hybrids and irons deliver the first ever connected set of golf clubs) boast Cobra Connect Powered by Arccos, the award-winning connected golf system that helps players of all skill levels make smarter, data-driven decisions. Electronically embedded sensors in the grip automatically record the distance and accuracy of every shot so golfers can track their improvements round-to-round.

Using the Cobra Connect/Arccos 360 mobile app, users can pair their club to receive detailed performance data and access rangefinder GPS distances for more than 40,000 courses worldwide.

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IN THE BAG

www.cobragolf.com

Cobra King F8 and F8+ Fairways & Hybrids

FAST & SMART

Cobra’s King F8 and F8+ fairways and F8 hybrids – featuring the industry’s first One-Length Hybrid – are hailed as the brand’s highest-performing and most technologically-advanced ever.

The F8 fairways and hybrids employ Cobra’s patented Dual Baffler Rail system, cutting-edge 360° Aero Technology, premium multi-material construction and Cobra Connect Powered by Arccos.

King F8 Fairways Designed to provide golfers with high launch and forgiveness, the King F8 fairways incorporate an improved Baffler Dual Rail System with tighterspaced rails.

The CG is centred between the rails to reduce twisting and upon contact with the turf. Progressive Rail Heights dependent on club loft (shallower in the 3W and taller in the 5W) help ensure consistent turf interaction for sweeping or steeper attack angles. Cobra’s 360° Aero Technology incorporates an innovative system of lightweight aero trips around the perimeter of the face to reduce downswing drag and increase clubhead speed.

The F8 fairways feature a large address profile that increases MOI for more distance and forgiveness on mis-hits, while a shallower face lowers CG for improved launch and speed. Additionally, a back CG weight helps promote a high, forgiving trajectory.

For the first time, Cobra’s mainline fairways feature an ultralight 5-ply Carbon Fibre crown which saves nearly 13g in weight compared to the previous steel version, moving the CG even lower for improved distance and spin performance. The forged 475 Stainless Steel face insert boasts patented E9TM Technology, a variable thickness face construction designed with an elliptical pattern Sweet Zone that creates more hot spots farther away from the centre of the face.

MyFly8 Technology provides a choice of eight loft settings in each of the three different models (3-4, 5-6, 7-8) to fine-tune launch conditions, while a new Smart Pad on the rail system maintains a square clubhead at address. The men’s version is available in Nardo Grey or Black.

The Women’s King F8 fairways come in Black/Lexi Blue and Silver/ Raspberry colourways and utilise all the innovative technologies in the men’s models. Higher lofts ranging from 17° to 27° across three models (3-4 FWY, 5-6 FWY, 7-8 FWY) help generate maximum launch for women’s swing speeds.

SRP: Men (Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 70 shaft in S and R flexes) – RM1,399 Women (Aldila NV 2KXV 50 shaft in L flex) – RM1,399

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King F8+ Fairway For golfers who prefer tour preferred shaping with excellent workability, the F8+ model provides all of the technologies as the F8 but in a more compact head size that better players prefer.

In the F8+ the CG weight is front-positioned for a more penetrating ball flight to help higher swing speed players prevent ballooning, and to perform better in all weather conditions.

MyFly8 with Smart Pad Technology affords golfers the choice of eight loft settings in each of the two models (3-4 & 4-5) to fine-tune launch conditions and maximise distance while keeping the clubhead square at address. The F8+ fairway comes in Nardo Grey only.

SRP: Aldila NV 2KXV Green 75 shaft (XS, S, R flexes) – RM1,399

King F8 and F8 One Length Hybrids The new King F8 hybrids utilise Cobra’s Baffler Dual Rail System and MultiDirectional Crown Aero Technology to provide more speed, forgiveness and versatility than ever before.

Like the F8 fairways, the taller and tighter-spaced rails on the F8 and F8 One hybrids provide more leading edge bounce to help the club stay lower to the ground for more consistent launch from a variety of lies. The multi-directional aero trips on the crown made of lightweight polymer help optimise aerodynamic performance while maintaining a lower CG for more clubhead speed.

A sleeker clubhead design features a lowered skirt and a shorter, skinnier hosel for an extremely low CG, while a fixed weight positioned low and back results in a high ball flight. Four lofts are available – 2H (17°), 3H (19°), 4H (22°) and 5H (25°).

The F8 One Length hybrid allows golfers to utilise one set-up and one swing from their hybrids down to their irons. To achieve optimum performance at 7-iron length, lie and swing weight, the unique design of the F8 One hybrid features an upright lie angle and a heavier head weight.

A larger internal weight pad allows the CG to be moved lower and deeper resulting in a higher trajectory. Available in three lofts – 3H (19°), 4H (2°) and 5H (25°).

Both the men’s models come in Nardo Grey, while the Women’s F8 hybrid is available in Black/Lexi Blue and Silver/Raspberry with low loft options, 4H (22°) and 5H (25°).

SRP: F8 Hybrid Fujikura Speeder shaft (S, SR, R flexes) / Aldila Rogue Pro 75 shaft (S, R, Lite flexes) – RM1,099 F8 One Length Hybrid Fujikura Speeder shaft (S, SR, R flexes) shaft / Aldila Rogue Pro One Length shaft (S, R, Lite flexes) – RM1,099 F8 Women’s Hybrid Aldila Rogue Pro 60 shaft (L flex) – RM1,099

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IN THE BAG

www.vokey.com

Vokey Design SM7 Wedges

SEVENTH HEAVEN Master craftsman Bob Vokey and his R&D team continue to lead the market in wedge design with the introduction of the Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 7 wedges.

The new Vokey SM7 wedges provide all golfers the performance and choices for a better, more confident short game through superb craftsmanship and technology.

Vokey’s prior generation SM6 models ushered in a new era of wedge innovation and performance with their ground-breaking Progressive Centre of Gravity (CG) design. The advancements made with SM7 further improve the performance and shot versatility with expanded fitting options, improved distance/trajectory control and more spin.

Key Technologies Progressive Centre of Gravity: Finely tuned Progressive CG locations improve trajectory and distance control while creating the best-feeling Vokey wedges to date. A concept pioneered by Vokey R&D and engineered using cuttingedge CAD, this visible technology (on the back of the wedge) aligns the CG with the impact position of each loft to produce precise distance and trajectory control with exceptional feel. Compared to SM6, the CG locations in SM7 are pushed even further – higher on the high lofts and lower on the low lofts – to produce more consistent performance with noticeably better feel.

100% Inspected Spin Milled Grooves: The grooves are cut at even tighter tolerances to deliver more spin (up to 100rpm more spin on average). Vokey and his team identified the opportunity for an additional Spin Milled cutting process for plated wedges (Tour Chrome and Brushed Steel) as compared to the raw offerings (Jet Black and Raw), which improves upon the industryleading groove cutting tolerances for a more precise cut by finish and more spin in the plated wedges.

Proprietary Heat Treatment: This is applied to all Vokey Design SM7 wedges, resulting in longer lasting spin through the life of the wedge.

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Tour-Proven Grinds Vokey SM7 offers the game’s most complete selection of lofts, bounces and grinds with 23 different combinations.

Developed through collaboration with the world’s best shot makers, six tour-proven sole grinds – F, S, M, K, L and the new D grind – allow golfers of all skill levels to be precisely fit for swing type, shot-making style and course conditions.

F Grind: Full sole designed primarily for full swings and shots hit with a square face. For that reason, F is the only grind available in the 46º-52º models. The 54°/56° F Grind is the most played sand wedge on the PGA Tour.

S Grind: Designed based on feedback from Steve Stricker, the S is best for square faced shots with a touch more versatility than the F Grind.

M Grind: Vokey’s favourite, the M grind is designed for players who like to rotate the club face open and shut to manufacture shots.

D Grind: The player’s high bounce wedge, the new D Grind offers high measured bounce with the crescent shape of the M Grind for versatility.

K Grind: The highest bounce and most forgiving wedge in the line-up, the K Grind is the ultimate bunker club.

L Grind: The L Grind features a narrow crescent shape allowing maximum green side versatility; but it is the least forgiving wedge in the line-up. #1 Wedge On Tour Just two weeks following their debut last November at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Vokey SM7 wedges became the most played wedge model on the PGA Tour with 123 in play at The RSM Classic. That number grew to 183 SM7 wedges in the bags of players at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January.

Jordan Spieth – who put four new models immediately in play (46.10 F, 52.08 F, 56.10 S, 60.04 L) – is one of more than 100 tour players around the world who have already made the switch to SM7. That list also includes Jimmy Walker (46.10 F, 54.08 M, 60.04 L), Bill Haas (54.10 S, 60.10 S), Webb Simpson (54.14 F, 60.10 S), Brian Harman (46.10 F, 50.08 F, 54.10 S), Russell Henley (48.10 F, 54.10S, 58.08M), Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston (46.10 F, 50.08 F, 54.10 S, 58.10 S) and Patton Kizzire (48.08 F, 52.12 F, 56.08 M) who used the SM7s to claim his second PGA Tour victory in the Sony Open.

Advanced Personalisation & Custom Options SM7 wedges can be custom ordered with a wide range of specifications and personalisation, including an industry-leading selection of shafts, grips, shaft bands, ferrules, stamping and paint fill.

SRP: RM870. Available in stores March 9.

Jordan Spieth has four SM7 wedges in his bag

©Warren Little/Getty Images

New SM7 Finishes The SM7 wedges are available in three finishes – Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel and Jet Black. Tour Chrome retains its popular bright chrome finish, while the darker Brushed Steel is richer and slightly more polished compared to the Steel Gray offered in SM6. The raw Jet Black has been enhanced with black paint fill in the logos and graphics, inspired by requests received on tour by Vokey tour rep Aaron Dill.

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IN THE BAG

www.taylormadegolf.com

TaylorMade M3 and M4 irons

STRAIGHT DISTANCE ISTANCE TaylorMade’s new M3 and M4 irons build upon the successes of their 2017 predecessors, the M1 and M2 irons, with a quantum leap in performance with the introduction of the new RIBCOR Technology.

RIBCOR Technology provides a new internal support system that works with TaylorMade’s proven Face Slot Technology to achieve increased ball speed across the entire face, further enhancing distance and tightening dispersion while improving sound and feel.

The Science of RIBCOR When the clubhead of an iron strikes a ball, only a certain percentage of the energy is imparted back into the ball as reflected by the measured COR. Any flexing of the head that is not directly located at the impact point is lost energy.

By strategically stiffening the structure of the iron head, RIBCOR Technology greatly reduces energy loss, especially on mis-hits.

RIBCOR Technology works in conjunction with Face Slots to stiffen the area outside the scorelines while retaining flexibility and COR within. The outer structure of the iron remains stiff, while the face remains free to flex during impact – enhancing energy transfer that leads to increased ball speed.

By efficiently focusing impact energy directly back to the ball, off-centre hits see higher ball speeds, more carry distance and improved dispersion.

RIBCOR Technology also allows for placement of additional mass in the heel and toe to increase moment of inertia (MOI) significantly compared to the corresponding 2017 irons.

M4 Irons: Maxing out MOI The M4 irons offer increased distance, forgiveness and feel. The new irons push the boundary of COR limit, providing the maximum possible ball speed off the face.

To achieve M4’s crisp sound and feel, the RIBCOR internal ribbing structure works to stiffen the body. A multi-material damping badge works in tandem with RIBCOR to efficiently dampen undesirable vibrations. The M4 irons also utilise proven TaylorMade technologies including Face Slots and Speed Pocket, as well as a new, redesigned off-centre Inverted Cone Technology.

The M4 also boasts a Fluted Hosel 2.0, ultra-thin 1mm topline along with TaylorMade’s thinnest-ever leading edge. Optimised mass distribution (toward the heel and toe) result in a high resistance to twisting of during off-centre impacts. This high-MOI head designs (24% higher than ’17 M2) helps all levels of golfers achieve faster ball speeds and more distance across the face along with optimal forgiveness.

For Asian specs, the M4 irons come with the MCC Fubuki TM6 graphite shaft (S, R) or FST REAX 90 JP steel shaft (S, R). The ladies version is fitted with the MCC Fubuki TM4 graphite shaft (L) while Global specs give players a choice of KBS MAX 85 steel shafts (S, R) and Fujikura ATMOS graphite shafts (7S, 6R).

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M3 Irons: Forgiveness with Workability The M3 irons answer the challenge of creating an iron that delivers distance, while retaining accuracy and workability in a more appealing, compact head shape preferred by better players.

Similar to the M4, the M3 irons push the legal limit of COR. TaylorMade engineers were able to accomplish this by incorporating new technologies, including RIBCOR, which stiffens the iron’s body to increase energy transfer efficiency to the ball. Additionally, a multi-material damping badge works in tandem with RIBCOR to efficiently dampen undesirable vibrations at impact for a clean, crisp sound and feel.

High-density tungsten of 15g has been added to the sole, which allowed engineers to create the more compact head shape while still maintaining a low CG and high MOI. The M3 irons also incorporate TaylorMade’s proven technologies such as Face Slots, Speed Pocket and a redesigned off-centre Inverted Cone. Additional features include a 180° Fluted Hosel, 360° Undercut and individually sized tungsten weights to optimise CG. The refined clubhead features a thinner topline than the M1 and a straighter leading edge. The irons are also shaped to enhance effective bounce, which helps maintain turf interaction conditions.

For Asian specs, the M3 irons are equipped with the MCC KuroKage TM6 graphite shaft (S, R) or NS Pro930 JP steel shaft (S, R). The Global version comes with the True Temper XP100 steel shaft (S300, R300) or MCC Tensei graphite shaft (80S/70R).

SRP (4-9, P) M3 Irons graphite – RM5,490 M3 Irons steel – RM4,890 M4 Irons graphite – RM4,690 M4 Irons steel – RM4,290

SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOW AT SENTOSA The TaylorMade M3 and M4 series regional launch was held on January 16 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, just a few days before the start of the SMBC Singapore Open.

Following a welcome address from Urupong Sinthusar, general manager – TaylorMade adidas Golf South East Asia and India, senior product manager for Asia Joey Chuasiriporn gave an enlightening presentation on the new products.

"For amateur golfers you can't go wrong with either driver because they both have the twist face and

they both have the hammer head … one to give more straight shots, one to give you more distance and more ball speed," said Chuasiriporn.

The launch also featured 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Gavin Green of Malaysia and Thai talents Panuphol Pittayarat and Jazz Janewattananond. All three were extremely impressed by the new clubs.

“I will be using the M3 driver this week, which hits the longest and the straightest … and with the new twist face it helps me find more fairways," said Pittayarat.

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www.scottycameron.com

Scotty Cameron Select Putters

SUPER SEVEN

The next generation of Scotty Cameron Select putters – introducing the new fourway sole balancing technology – continues the evolution of a line engineered for performance, precision and elegance.

The 2018 Select line advances Titleist master putter maker Scotty Cameron’s proven multi-material construction methodology of combining face inlays of either 303 stainless steel or 6061 aircraftgrade aluminium with stainless steel bodies for superb balance, weight distribution, sound and feel.

The new Select line features seven tourvalidated modern blade and mid-mallet models – the new Select Laguna joins Scotty’s classic Select Newport, Newport 2 and Newport 2.5 blade styles, while the popular Fastback and Squareback names return in updated mid-mallet offerings.

Rounding up the line is the heel-shafted mid-mallet Select Newport 3.

Precise Refinements For Key Performance Benefits Sight: Contours and sight cues were refined to enhance alignment and instil confidence.

Cameron focused on thinning topline appearances by giving each model a slightly rounder radius, while plumbing neck dimensions, edges and angles have been squared up for a cleaner look.

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Sound: Improved sound and feel are the result of up to 30% more vibration dampening material connecting face inlays with putter bodies. The connecting screws are slightly larger to account for the increased material and the surface compression necessary to produce the softer sound, while preserving excellent feedback.

Sole: For the first time, Cameron has introduced a four-way balanced sole design for a faster set-up and easier alignment.

The balance point of each 2018 Select putter’s sole has been shifted forward to account for the impact of the weight of the shaft and grip as to how the putter sits.

Select Weighting & Accessories Each new Select putter features advanced stability weighting with two, customisable stainless steel heel-toe weights, stepless steel shafts and Black & Silver Matador midsize grips developed to offer the comfort of a larger grip while maintaining responsiveness and feel.

Refined Aesthetics The Select line’s raw stainless steel finish has been given a unique bead blast for a radiant

yet glare resistant appearance. Smaller double-milled ‘cherry dots’ on the heel and sole – inspired by Cameron’s familiar three bright translucent red dot theme – with simplified, engraved typography represent this modern, refined line.

SRP RM2,140. Available in stores March 30

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www.clevelandgolf.com

Cleveland Golf Huntington Beach Collection Putters

BIRDIE HUNTERS

Cleveland Golf has introduced three new models to its popular Huntington Beach putter collection: the 2, the 8, and the 11. These three additional offerings push the total number of models in the Huntington Beach Collection to nine.

The Huntington Beach 2 has a toe-down blade design with a single alignment dot and a clean address look, while the Huntington Beach 8 is an oversized blade offering more stability for a more consistent roll. The Huntington Beach 11 features two stability wings that add forgiveness and framing for better alignment.

“We’ve had tremendous momentum in the putter category with both the Huntington Beach and TFI 2135 putter lines,” said Jeff Brunski, Cleveland’s director of research & development. “These three new Huntington Beach models produce the same great roll and exceptional feel as our other Huntington Beach models with new address profiles that inspire confidence and help alignment.”

Inspired by Cleveland Golf’s North American headquarters, the Huntington Beach Collection was launched in September 2016 featuring classic designs with modern innovations. Made from soft 304 Stainless Steel, the putters features precision-milled faces with a coarse, diamond-shaped milling pattern to soften the feel at impact while increasing friction for a more consistent roll.

“There has been more demand than ever for our Huntington Beach Collection putters, and these three models provide even more options to golfers seeking a high quality putter at an exceptional price,” said Brian Schielke, Cleveland Golf’s marketing director.

SRP RM450

www.mizuno.asia

Mizuno MP Type-2 Driver

CLEAN CUT PERFORMANCE The new Mizuno MP Type-2 driver features clean lines and cutting-edge technology to increase ball speed and forgiveness.

The MP Type-2 driver will appeal to golfers looking for less spin off the tees with a mid-launch angle. The new Coretech face design adds strength to the centre of the face while increasing mass in the thin areas to generate extra repulsion.

Aerospace forged elite titanium, which is 10% stronger than 6Al-4V Titanium, is used to construct the clubhead, making it possible to design the thinner walls while maintaining strength.

SRP RM2,850 at selected MST Golf Superstores

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IN THE BAG

www.callawaygolf.com

Callaway Apex MB Irons

TRUE TOUR-INSPIRED MUSCLEBACK Callaway’s Apex MB irons, a true muscleback designed with input from the brand’s tour staff, are classic-shaped irons designed for aggressively-flighted shots with pinpoint control and exceptional spin.

Tour Shaping and Design The world’s best players provided extensive feedback to help make the Apex MB a true muscleback iron with classic shape and style. The iron is Callaway’s smallest head shape and has a traditional, slightly thinner topline with a beautiful bright chrome finish. Callaway’s designers advanced the CG positioning to optimise the CG for outstanding control.

High Performance 20V Grooves The precision grooves are built in to promote the high level of control and consistent spin that muscleback players expect out of any playing condition. The 20V grooves also stand out for reducing fliers from the rough to deliver even more control.

Forged 1025 Carbon Steel The Apex MB is a players’ iron engineered for the super soft feel that tour players want. This is achieved through Callaway’s premium forging process, carried out with the exact craftsmanship and precision that the world’s best golfers expect.

SRP (4-9, P): Dynamic Gold S200 shaft – RM6,998

GARCIA WINS IN SINGAPORE WITH FULL CALLAWAY A BAG AY One of the biggest news of 2018 was reigning Masters champion Sergio Garcia joining the stable of Callaway tour professional staff.

The charismatic Spaniard used a full bag of Callaway and Odyssey equipment en route to his five-shot win in the SMBC Singapore Open – the Rogue Sub Zero driver (9°), Rogue 3+ fairway (13.5°), Steelhead XR 5-wood (21°), Apex Pro 16 3-4 irons, Apex MB 5-9 irons, Mack Daddy 4 wedges (48°, 54°, 60°), Odyssey Toulon prototype putter and Chrome Soft X balls.

“I love the golf ball … it is amazing.

The woods are incredible and the irons

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are great … the wedges are very, very nice. The putter – they just made me a new one, the Azalea, which is really nice.

Obviously I’m really pleased with everything right now, and I still feel like I can get better,” said Garcia, who made his first start of the year in the Singapore event.

The 37-year-old Garcia has won 30 tournaments worldwide since turning professional in 1999 including 10 on the PGA Tour. He has also been a mainstay in the Ryder Cup over the past two decades, competing on eight European teams while compiling an impressive 19-11-7 record.

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2/27/18 10:01 AM

IN THE BAG

www.ping.com

Ping G400 Max Driver

MAX IT OUT

Players looking to add distance through increased stability and forgiveness will love the new Ping G400 Max driver, which boasts the highest total MOI ever in a Ping driver.

Boasting a deeper profile compared to the G400 standard driver, the G400 Max has a 460cc clubhead with considerable tungsten weighting and a higher-density back weight to achieve a combined MOI over 9,900 and the deepest CG ever in a Ping driver.

Dragonfly Technology thins the crown and positions the CG low to increase MOI. The textured crown and infinity edge form a pleasing address view.

Research and computer simulation coupled with music theory inspired Ping engineers to patent a rib architecture that fine-tuned the frequencies to produce a deeper, more muted sound while also enhancing feel.

The thin T9S+ forged face flexes more to increase ball speed and generate consistently long, straight drives. The face is textured to increase friction for reducing spin, while a new face pattern forms a captured look with the ball.

The G400 Max sports a sleek, highly aerodynamic speed-inducing shape. The domed crown combines with bolder turbulators to reduce drag and generate more clubhead speed and stability.

SRP: Alta J CB shaft (S, SR, R flexes) / Distanza 40g shaft – RM2,950

LONG-HITTING FINAU SIGNS WITH PING Ping has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with PGA Tour star Tony Finau, one of the longest hitters on tour.

At 6'4" and 200 pounds, Finau was a premier high school athlete in several sports including basketball. But golf was his first passion and he turned pro out of high school at age 17. He earned his PGA Tour card for the 2015 season with a win on the Web.com Tour in 2014 and claimed his first PGA Tour title in the 2016 Puerto Rico Open.

“Tony is very charismatic and has tremendous character. He’s great with the fans and well-respected by his fellow tour players,” said Ping president John K. Solheim.

“We’ve developed a great relationship with him in the last year as he’s looked to play the

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best equipment available for his game. We believe it’s a great fit for both of us.”

Finau switched to the new Ping G400 Max driver at January’s Sony Open and is currently ranked second on tour in average driving distance at 328.8 yards.

“I’ve played Ping equipment for the last year and have gotten to know their tour reps and the engineering team in Phoenix very well in the process. I’m most impressed with their passion for designing the best equipment in the game for golfers of all skill levels, and I know that their commitment to properly fitting and building equipment to fit my game will maximise my confidence every time I step on the tee,” said the 28-year-old Salt Lake City native.

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february 19, 2017

star power iBlade

G400

i200

G Le

A familiar setting and a week filled with activities unrelated to golf proved the perfect formula to return Bubba Watson to the winner’s circle for the first time in two years. Relying on a complete game from tee to green, the 39-year-old captured the Genesis Open for the third time in five years, proving few rival his creativity around the famed Riviera Country Club.

A final nine of 3-under-par that saw him hit six of seven fairways with his pink G400 LST driver, including a 349-yard bomb on No. 17 (his longest drive of the week), separated Bubba from a tightly packed leaderboard as he closed with a 2-shot victory over fellow PING pro Tony Finau and one other. He holed a bunker shot with his

Glide 2.0 60-degree wedge on the par-3 14th to assume the lead for good. Off the course, Bubba’s week included a taping of “Jay Leno’s Garage”, a visit with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and behind-thescenes access to CBS’ hit show “The Big Bang Theory”. As if that wasn’t enough, he participated in the NBA All-Star Celebrity basketball game Friday night. On Saturday, it was back to business as Bubba carded a 6-under 65 to assume the lead going into the final round. With a chance to end his two-year victory drought the next day, Watson relied on his experience around Riviera to capture his 10th career title while shooting 2-under-par 69.

PING DEMO/FITTING DAYS SCHEDULE FOR MARCH 2018 MARCH

DAY

VENUE

TIME

1-4 Mar 18

ThuSun

MST Golfest TPC

10.00am to 9.00pm

9 Mar 18

Fri

TPC Performance Center

11.00am to 8.00pm

13 Mar 18

Tue

Tropicana Golf Country Club Driving Range

5.00pm to 8.00pm

16 Mar 18

Fri

TPC Performance Center

11.00am to 8.00pm

21 Mar 18

Wed

Danau Golf Club Driving Range

5.00pm to 8.00pm

23 Mar 18

Fri

TPC Performance Center

11.00am to 8.00pm

28 Mar 18

Wed

Extreme Park Golf Driving Range Kota Damansara

5.00pm to 8.00pm

30 Mar 18

Fri

TPC Performance Center

11.00am to 8.00pm

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

10.00am to 5.00pm

MARCH'18 DAILY EXCEPT - Sat, Sun, & Public Holiday

Sole Distributor:

WINSTON’S SDN BHD (15202-W)

PING PERFORMANCE CENTER AT TPC KUALA LUMPUR

049•PING.custom.Mar18.indd 49

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.

2/27/18 11:36 AM

ESSENTIALS

GATOR CHIC OUUL

BOLD BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL GLENMUIR

The Spring Summer 2018 collection by renowned Scottish golf clothing brand Glenmuir combines 125 years of crafting excellence with innovative design, fresh colours and high performance fabrics. The collection is built upon three colour stories: the Tahiti Troon story blends a vibrant Tahiti with Black, Light Grey and a hint of White; Dalmahoy Daiquiri features a daring Daiquiri with Navy, Light Grey and White; and Hebridean Sunrise combines a fresh Sunrise with a crisp Light Grey, White and Navy.

Weighing approximately 2.7kg, the Ouul Alligator Stand Bag features an elegant and stylish multi-layered alligator embroidered micro PU design. Available in a variety of rich, beautiful colours, these eye-catching, high-performance golf bags feature 8.5”' five-way front handle design top, and a single strap with a comfortable, thermoform padded insert which makes transportation and accessing clubs easy and comfortable. A soft touch interior lining protects clubs and valuables, while a flex foot base system prevents slipping or sinking on turf. The bag includes a matching rain/travel hood.

Available for purchase online at www.ouulbags.com

Luxury Cotton Shirts – The double mercerised shirts remain the distinguished choice offering a lustrous silk-like handle, luxurious drape and enhanced colour retention.

Superior Performance Shirts Shirts – Glenmuir use a unique active functional fabric with moisture wicking yarn delivering thermoregulation, breathability and enhanced freedom of movement.

High Performance Trousers Trousers – New for Spring Summer 2018, the men’s g.Cuthberts made from a lightweight stretch moisture wicking fabric with silicone grip tape at the waist and back pocket to keep your shirt and playing card or glove in place. Glenmuir’s renowned ladies’ capris, shorts and new skort remain a stylish but high-performing choice.

Available for purchase online at www.glenmuir.com

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SPECIAL > PUMA GOLF

Game-Changing TRACTION Puma Golf’s PWRADAPT footwear delivers unmatched traction and comfort never seen before in golf footwear

Puma Golf takes traction to the next level with its cuttingedge PWRADAPT traction system in its new line of footwear, IGNITE PWRADAPT. The collection comprises three outstanding designs (IGNITE PWRADAPT, IGNITE PWRADAPT DISC and IGNITE PWRADAPT Leather) to provide golfers with state-of-the-art technology, comfort and stability in three stylish silhouettes.

The footwear utilises Puma Golf’s proprietary PWRADAPT sole technology that introduces revolutionary 3-dimensional traction pods and responsive cushioning with IGNITE Foam, utilised the entire length of the midsole for the first time in a cleated shoe, for the ideal blend of industry-leading technology, style and performance.

Puma’s IGNITE Foam is an ultra-responsive cushioning foam with incredible energy return properties for comfort, support and stability, while the PWRADAPT pods provide ground-grabbing traction and enhanced comfort from teeto-green, with every move a golfer makes.

Each style in the collection employs premium Aniline Leather accents for added style.

IGNITE PWRADAPT

IGNITE PWRADAPT provides golfers with the power to adapt to any number of changing surfaces throughout the round. Its new Comfort Construction mesh bootie replaces a traditional tongue for improved fit, comfort and support, while the PWRFRAME, an ultra-thin TPU frame, is strategically placed in high stress areas on the shoe’s upper for lightweight support and enhanced stability. Available in Peacoat/White colourway.

SRP: RM709

IGNITE PWRADAPT DISC

Like the traditional lace version, the IGNITE PWRADAPT DISC utilises the same blend of PWRADAPT, PWRFRAME and IGNITE Foam technologies to deliver multi-surface comfort and enhanced stability golfers will love. However, Puma’s proprietary DISC tightening system delivers ultimate convenience with a micro-adjusting dial system that quickly and easily secures golfers’ feet for a locked-in, consistent and custom fit. Available in Quiet Shade/Quiet Shade, Black/White and Peacoat/White.

IGNITE PWRADAPT Leather

Along with proprietary PWRADAPT, PWRFRAME and IGNITE Foam technologies, the new IGNITE PWRADAPT Leather shoes come with a premium full-grain leather upper combined with a mesh hybrid bootie lining for an ideal fit and better comfort across the full range of golf playing surfaces. Available in Classic White/White and Black/Black colourways.

SRP: RM709

(Note: Only available in stores May onwards)

SRP: RM709 www.cobragolf.com/pumagolf/men/shoes ParGolf MARCH 2018

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SPECIAL > FOOTJOY

PRECISION POWER COMFORT

The all-new Tour-S by FootJoy is inspired by the best players in the world and engineered to deliver superior power, precision and comfort

Power

The Tour-S is available now in major sporting retail stores in four captivating colourways.

SRP: RM1,050 (Laced) RM1,150 (BOA Closure System)

ges gt edin wR A

The Tour-S utilises a dual-density PU Fit-Bed to ensure all-day underfoot comfort and FJ’s exclusive Premium Performance Leather (PPL) to achieve top-grade feel, finish and waterproof protection.

e ndr

Comfort

Ima

The Tour-S features FJ’s proprietary PowerStrap, a moulded component integrated into the shoe’s upper to provide lock-down medial and lateral support. SecureCollar and ComforTongue technologies deliver a secure, precise fit round after round.

“The new Tour-S shoe is the most powerful shoes ever built by FJ,” says Timothy Yoong, FJ regional brand manager. “It’s built to provide power and precision supported by our renowned outstanding in-shoe comfort.”

The Tour-S PowerPlate outsole provides an incredibly lightweight yet stable platform from which players efficiently transfer power throughout the golf swing. Built 52

Precision

tty

And the all-new Tour-S, the result of a multiyear collaboration with some of the best players in the world, delivers on all these requirements – and more – while providing the uncompromising quality and on-trend styling that is standard in every pair of FJ golf shoes.

upon a foundation of a proprietary Pebax polymer, it features an integrated carbon weave fiberglass mid-foot plate and nine LaunchPods to create additional structure, surface area and ground coverage for maximum stability.

Ge on/

Nearly two-thirds of all professional players wear FootJoy shoes each week, and it was this vast network of elite players who helped establish a clear picture of what elite and avid golfers need from their shoes to perform at their very best: power through stability, precision through support, and maximum comfort.

“From the moment I tested this shoe, I knew it provided the perfect blend of comfort and stability for me, especially on my left side as I move through the ball.”

Rafa Cabrera Bello

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SPECIAL > ADIDAS GOLF ESSENTIALS

Maximum Boost

New adidas Tour 360 EQT BOA Boost golf shoes merge 360 Wrap stability with Boost energy

The new adidas Tour 360 EQT BOA Boost golf shoes feature a new full-length Boost midsole foam, designed to deliver maximum energy return, responsiveness and unparalleled comfort. The upper is constructed from a premium leather with Climaproof technology for a rich look, soft feel and long-lasting waterproof protection.

Featuring the most advanced BOA Closure System for customised micro-adjustability, the Tour 360 EQT BOA Boost golf shoes boast superior cushioning and comfort thanks to a full-length Boost midsole foam, a new heel shape that follows the natural contour of the foot, and BOA-integrated 360LOOP connected to the 360WRAP for a custom fit and unmatched stability.

Plus, its advanced dual-density 10-cleat PureMotion TPU outsole with strategically-placed CenTraXion and ThinTech cleats provides improved stability and grip where they are needed the most.

Finally, the new Torsion Tunnel gives the wearer independent flexibility and control between the heel and forefoot, while the FitFoam GEO collar and tongue foam deliver enhanced cushioning and comfort, with the ETC lining reducing friction whilst helping to wick moisture from the inside.

SRP: RM899

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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 senior director, communications of the PGA Tour, based at TPC Kuala Lumpur.

More Than Just Golf Together, Anything’s Possible on the PGA Tour

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From supporting children’s hospitals to mobilising disaster relief, building homes for disabled troops and providing educational opportunities for kids, raising awareness and research for cancer and autism to providing food aid, the PGA Tour has taken the lead to making a difference beyond establishing global golf stars who make headlines every week.

“I feel like playing on the PGA Tour almost comes second. What we get to do for charity, what the PGA Tour gives back to the community is the greatest thing about playing on the PGA Tour.”

JONAS BLIXT THREE-TIME PGA TOUR WINNER

©Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

S

uch has been the impact of the PGA Tour’s Together, Anything’s Possible charitable platform that Swedish golfer Jonas Blixt succinctly explained what it meant to see thousands of lives being touched beyond the ropes.

“I feel like playing on the PGA Tour almost comes second,” said the three-time Tour winner. “What we get to do for charity, what the PGA Tour gives back to the community is the greatest thing about playing on the Tour.”

Indeed, beyond the push to excel in the professional game and beyond the pursuit of golfing greatness, the PGA Tour’s stars and the tournaments that form its annual schedule have joined forces to go beyond the game and impact the lives of people in places where the Tour visits.

In 2017, the PGA Tour and its tournaments generated more than US$180 million for charitable causes, surpassing the previous year’s record amount by approximately US$14 million. The landmark announcement raised the all-time total generated for charity by the Tour to US$2.65 billion.

From supporting children’s hospitals to mobilising disaster relief, building homes for disabled troops and providing educational opportunities for kids, raising awareness and research for cancer and autism to providing food aid, the PGA Tour has taken the lead to making a difference beyond establishing global golf stars who make headlines every week.

“The entire PGA Tour family takes tremendous pride in the positive impact that we continue to make each year through the millions of dollars that are raised for very deserving charitable organisations,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “As we often note, beyond the sheer dollar amount, the real story is in the ParGolf MARCH 2018

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©Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

South Korean icon KJ Choi, the first Asian Tour graduate who made it big in America by winning eight PGA Tour titles including The Players Championship in 2011, has a big heart; when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, he donated US$100,000 for relief efforts.

Tour launched ‘January for Jarrod’, a fundraising effort to help Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle meet his medical costs after undergoing a third bone marrow transplant for acute Myeloid leukaemia.

As the lifeblood of professional sport, corporate support has been important too with the likes of Tour marketing partner, Metlife entering a second year with its innovative season-long charitable initiative called ‘Metlife MatchUp’, a weekly competition between two players who most successfully navigate tough situations on the golf course. The winner is determined through fan voting and US$1 million will then be

“Beyond Beyond the sheer dollar amount, the real story is in the hundreds of thousands of lives that benefit from these contributions every year.”

JAY MONAHAN PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER

channelled to his chosen charity.

Last year’s MetLife MatchUp winner Bubba Watson said: “My fans are really the ones who made this happen. They made it possible for me to give back to the Pensacola community where the US$1 million prize was used to further two causes, our local children’s hospital and junior golf efforts in the area.”

Indeed, when everyone comes together for a worthy cause, anything’s possible. PG

©Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

hundreds of thousands of lives that benefit from these contributions every year.”

In 2017, five PGA Tour events raised more than US$10 million for charity – the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm, Valero Texas Open, Dean & Deluca Invitational, the John Deere Classic and the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In addition, the Presidents Cup announced a record donation of more than US$10.7 million while the Tour’s flagship event, The Players Championship, generated US$8.7 million.

In the spirit of giving back, golf stars, both past and present, have chipped in over the years to make a difference for the less fortunate. Golf’s ‘Big Three’ – Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and the late Arnold Palmer – participated in a one-day event back in 2010 which raised an astounding US$15.2 million in a single day for a mission school.

Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy launched the ‘Birdies for the Brave’ programme over 10 years ago to help build homes for disabled troops and provide educational support for spouses and children of servicemen and women killed in action.

Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose and his wife Kate used their foundation to help under privileged students via a school lunch programme called ‘Blessings in a Backpack’ where for many kids, lunch at school on Friday is their last meal until they return on Monday for breakfast.

As part of its sponsorship of the season-long FedExCup on the PGA Tour, FedEx commits US$1 million in annual donations to benefit non-profit organisations. The donations align with FedEx Cares, a global giving initiative, in which FedEx is investing US$200 million in over 200 global communities by 2020 to create opportunities and deliver solutions for people around the world.

South Korea’s KJ Choi, the first Asian Tour graduate who made it big in America by winning eight PGA Tour titles including The Players Championship in 2011, has a big heart as well. When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Choi donated US$100,000 for relief efforts. “Watching the chaos and devastation, I felt the need to get involved and support the residents of Houston,” he said.

Support for ailing PGA Tour stars is never forgotten. In January, the

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AROUND ASIA

SMBC boost for Singapore Open

- Sports' Patrick (L to R) Lagardere Feizal Joyce, SMBC's Shosuke Mori and SGA's Ross Tan

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has extended their title sponsorship of the Singapore Open for three years until 2021.

The announcement was made on the eve of the first round of the 2018 SMBC Singapore Open (won by Spanish ace Sergio Garcia). The Japanese financial institution first came on board in 2016 and the tournament has flourished since as a jointlysanctioned event by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation.

“SMBC are very proud to be associated with one of the premier golf tournaments in Asia, so much so that we have taken the decision to continue on as title sponsor,” said SMBC president and CEO Makoto Takashima.

“Singapore continues to be a key component of our global strategies and the country’s National Open provides us with the perfect way to connect with our audience.

Furthermore, we hope the tournament acts to further promote the popularity of golf throughout Asia, as well as inspire a new generation of players.”

The Singapore Golf Association (SGA), the guardians of the Singapore Open, welcomed the renewal and also announced they will extend their contract with event promoter Lagardère Sports until 2021.

“The Singapore Golf Association is truly delighted that SMBC have committed to our tournament for an additional three years,” said SGA president Ross Tan. “This year marks the 52nd staging of the

Singapore Open and it is incredibly encouraging to see its future look so bright thanks to SMBC. They will help add to the Singapore Open’s long and storied history.”

Patrick Feizal Joyce, vice president, golf – Asia of Lagardère Sports, noted: “SMBC have been a valuable and committed title sponsor and the fact that they have extended their partnership means we are in store for another three exciting years. They have been outstanding to work with and we look forward to promoting the tournament for them until 2021.”

The SMBC Singapore Open was voted 'Best Tournament' by the members of the Asian Tour and Sentosa’s Serapong layout was acknowledged as 'Best Course' in 2017.

Asian Tour partners Habitat For Humanity The Asian Tour has partnered with Habitat For Humanity where the non-profit organisation will be the tour’s Sustainable Development Partner for 2018. The partnership also sees the tour’s Order of Merit renamed the Habit For Humanity Standings for 2018.

Habit For Humanity is a global non-profit housing organisation that works with families to build or improve their homes and has helped more than 13.2 million people around the world. It operates in numerous countries including the Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, which all host 56

Asian Tour tournaments.

“Habitat For Humanity has worked with the Asian Tour in recent years with great success, starting with the 2012 Indonesian Masters. We are grateful that a group of our benefactors in Asia is providing the support to expand this relationship for Habitat to be a sustainable development partner of the Asian Tour and be a part of the tour’s season-long rankings,” said Habitat For Humanity’s AsiaPacific vice president, Rick Hathaway.

Asian Tour chief executive Josh Burack noted the partnership was timely as the need for safe and affordable housing for

families is particularly pressing in Asia. “The Asian Tour trusts that through this media focused sponsorship, Habitat For Humanity will be able to expand their brand awareness and garner support from the golfing community to help more families increase their access to affordable housing.

In addition, our staff and selected Asian Tour players will volunteer our time on-site in some of the communities we host tournaments to help Habitat activate the partnership first hand,” he said.

For more information on Habitat For Humanity projects, log on to habitat.org.

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Atwal hails players despite EurAsia Cup defeat

©Stanley Chou/Getty Images

Captain Atwal (centre) with his players including Gavin Green (L)

his memories and stand proud as captain again one day.

“I had a lot of fun and I had an absolute blast this week. Even though we didn’t win, they are all champions and for me personally, I would do this again in a heartbeat,” said Atwal.

Japan’s Yuta Ikeda enjoyed a perfect debut by winning all three of his matches, while fellow debutant Li Haotong of China secured 2½ points out of a possible three.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green was another of Asia’s standout players, contributing two points in his rookie appearance in the biennial team matchplay event.

Four of Team Asia’s more experienced EurAsia Cup campaigners – Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Korea’s An Byeonghun and the Indian duo of Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia – had disappointing outings as they collectively failed to put a single point on the board.

TEAM ASIA RECORD Player Yuta Ikeda (JPN) Li Haotong (CHN) Gavin Green (MAS) Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) Poom Saksansin (THA) Hideto Tanihara (JPN) Nicholas Fung (MAS) Kang Sunghoon (KOR) An Byeonghun (KOR) Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) SSP Chawrasia (IND) Anirban Lahiri (IND)

Win-Loss-Tie 3-0-0 2-0-1 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 1-1-1 1-1-1 0-3-0 0-3-0 0-3-0 0-3-0

TEAM EUROPE RECORD Player Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) Paul Casey (ENG) Thomas Pieters (BEL) Henrik Stenson (SWE) Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) Ross Fisher (ENG) Alexander Levy (FRA) Alex Noren (SWE) Paul Dunne (IRL)

Win-Loss-Tie 3-0-0 3-0-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 1-1-1 1-1-1 1-1-1 1-2-0 1-2-0 1-2-0 0-3-0

Points 3 2½ 2 2 2 2 1½ 1½ 0 0 0 0

Points 3 3 2 2 2 1½ 1½ 1½ 1 1 1 0

©Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

©Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Team Asia captain Arjun Atwal was full of praise for his charges despite the 10-14 loss to Team Europe in January’s EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM. Atwal’s young team had led for two days after the fourball and foursomes matches but were outplayed by Thomas Bjorn’s strong European side in the singles matches at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club.

“I’m very proud of these guys. They are all awesome players and it’s just unfortunate we lost. We just didn’t make enough putts and they, on the other hand, made a lot more putts than us,” said Atwal.

The Indian icon was delighted to witness the talent on display, particularly from the young Thai duo of Poom Saksansin and Phachara Khongwatmai.

“The sky’s the limit for them. They are all fantastic players. I got to know some of these guys a lot better this week and by just watching them play, I know they can achieve anything they want. They can win Majors.

There’s no limit,” he added.

Poom, who was making his debut at the EurAsia Cup, took down seasoned Ryder Cup campaigner Paul Casey in the singles.

Partnering Korea’s Sunghoon Kang, the 24-year-old also created the biggest upset of the opening fourballs when they trounced Henrik Stenson and Alexander Levy 5&4.

Phachara proved to be another star in the making when he put up a masterclass in putting in the first two days. The young Thai put two points on the board for Team Asia and showed he can be the man for the big occasion.

“Look at the way he (Phachara) handled himself under pressure. If I was 18, I don’t know if I would be able to do what he did this week by playing under this type of pressure,” said Atwal.

With the conclusion of the third edition of the EurAsia Cup, Atwal hopes to revive

(L to R) Hideto Tanihara, Phachara Khongwatmai and Poom Saksansin ParGolf MARCH 2018

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AROUND ASIA

Carnoustie cheer for Jazz and Danthai

Jazz Janewattanond

Golf Club in Scotland on July 19-22.

Jazz, 21, has been to Carnoustie before but as a spectator more than a decade ago.

“My father brought me to watch Tiger Woods at Carnoustie when I was around 10, so earning my Major debut there this year makes me feel really special. I am very excited but also very nervous about playing Danthai Boonma

Western start for PGA Tour Series-China The 2018 PGA Tour Series-China tees off its regular season with back-to-back events in the Western China cities of Chengdu and Chongqing this month.

Luxehills International Country Club will host the Chengdu Championship from March 15-18 before Poly Golf Club stages the Chongqing Championship from March 22-25 as the series resumes after a one-year hiatus. The 2018 schedule features 14 tournaments with each offering RMB1.5 million, a 25 percent increase over purse levels from 2014 to 2016.

The top-five players on this year’s Order of Merit will earn status on the 2019 Web.com Tour, the path to the PGA Tour. Li Haotong, the first Chinese to break into the world’s top-50, and current PGA Tour players Dou Zecheng and Zhang Xinjun are among the graduates of the tour.

even though it is still a few months away. It is a dream come true to be playing The Open. I can’t wait to be there,” said the 21-year-old, who won the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open last February and earned his European Tour card for the 2017/2018 season through the Qualifying School.

Danthai, who recently turned 22, enjoyed another fine run in Singapore where he also won his first Asian Tour title in the 2015 World Classic Championship at Laguna National.

“I'm very happy and proud to qualify for The Open, which is my first Major championship. I'm looking forward to the challenge and the experience of playing Carnoustie. It’s an early birthday present for myself,” said Danthai, who finished 34th on the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Sean Crocker of the United States and Australia’s Lucas Herbert claimed the other two Open berths on offer. The SMBC Singapore Open is one of 15 Open Qualifying Series events staged worldwide, offering places in the Major to players not otherwise qualified.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

©Asian Tour

Young Thai talents Jazz Janewattananond and Danthai Boonma are looking forward to their Major debuts in this year’s Open Championship.

The highly-rated duo earned their debuts in the world’s oldest Major by finishing joint fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open in January. The 147th Open tees off at Carnoustie

ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth (Asian Tour / European Tour / PGA Tour of Australasia) February 8-11 / Lake Karrinyup CC, Australia / A$1.75 million (approx US$1.25 million) Final: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) bt James Nitties (AUS) 2&1 3rd / 4th Placing: Lucas Herbert (AUS) bt Sam Horsfield (ENG) 3&1 MAYBANK CHAMPIONSHIP (ASIAN TOUR / EUROPEAN TOUR) February 1-4 / Saujana Golf & Country Club, Malaysia / US$3 million Winner: 267 – Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 70-69-66-62 Runner-Up: 269 – Jorge Campillo (ESP) 69-66-66-68 LEOPALACE21 MYANMAR OPEN (ASIAN TOUR / JAPAN GOLF TOUR) January 25-28 / Pun Hlaing GC, Yangon / US$750,000 Winner: 271 – Paul Peterson (USA) 68-66-71-66 Runners-Up: 273 – Satoshi Kodaira (JPN) 69-69-72-63, Tomoyo Ikemura (JPN) 71-66-69-67

Luxehills International CC

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SMBC SINGAPORE OPEN (ASIAN TOUR / JAPAN GOLF TOUR) January 18-21 / Sentosa Golf Club / US$1 million Winner: 270 – Sergio Garcia (ESP) 66-70-66-68 Runners-Up: 275 – Satoshi Kodaira (JPN) 66-72-66-71, Shaun Norris (RSA) 69-67-69-70

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THE ROYAL SELANGOR GOLF CLUB

A TOAST To HERITAGE

A true green lung in KL city, and a golfing legacy that dates back to the bygone era of British rule, RSGC proudly marks the occasion of its incredible 125-year-old history BY SYAMA RAMASAMY PHOTOS COURTESY OF RSGC

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usk was nearly settling that evening. My gaze was fixated on the stillness of the water in front that had delicate white, yellow and lilaccoloured water lilies clustered together along the bank. Age-old rainforest trees were watching, guarding … like loyal sentinels of the grounds – oh the tales they would tell if one would just be still and listen.

The silence, interrupted by sweet bird calls drifting in the gentle breeze, drew me in further as it connected with the soul. Aah, it all felt deeply therapeutic, as though I was a million miles away from the city.

But I was clearly not, as a few seconds later as I strolled along the buggy path, it came into view … the silver titanic double peaks that are truly the icon of Kuala Lumpur city, the

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magnificent Petronas Twin Towers, its reflection on the water coaxing one to take advantage of the irresistible ‘photo op’.

The Royal Selangor Golf Club, located just off Jalan Tun Razak, is indeed an experience, and not just for golfers but for nature lovers as well.

It's a beautiful union between Mother Nature – a sanctuary for wildlife – and the human soul, laid out in a parkland-style layout comprising two

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The Royal Selangor Golf Club is a sanctuary for wildlife – and the human soul – existing amidst the ever-evolving concrete jungle of the Kuala Lumpur CBD, a convergence of the past and the present, steeped in rich history dating back to 1893 in the thick of the British domination.

18-hole championship courses, along with a par-30 executive option, existing amidst the ever-evolving concrete jungle of the Kuala Lumpur CBD. A convergence of the past and the present, steeped in rich history dating back to 1893 in the thick of the British domination.

To think that it all began as a little dream of two siblings who fancied playing a bit of golf whilst being stationed here in Malaya; a modest fantasy that would’ve been toyed around over, well, most likely afternoon tea.

“Three important events happened back in 1893 – first, sometime in January, two English brothers (the Glassfords), who were coffee planters, got together and decided to form a golf club,” says Ezani Abu Bakar, the vice captain of RSGC, clearly a man as passionate about golf as he was about the club’s extraordinary legacy.

“So they advertised in the newspaper (Selangor Journal), inviting anyone who’s keen in the idea to attend a meeting in May.” Sometime in August that year, The Selangor Golf Club was ready for teeoff (the 'Royal' title was given in 1963).

The location?

“The original site was where Stadium Merdeka is right now,” shares Ezani, adding that the move to the current site transpired in 1921 when the government reclaimed the land.

He further explained that during World War II, the clubhouse and the

entire grounds were taken over by the Japanese. “They had built a runway here for their planes … 10 years ago you could still see it. Then we re-built the course to what it is today.”

In 1894, a year after it opened for play, the club held its first golf competition, which later evolved into the Malaysian Amateur Open. The inaugural Malaysian Open was staged at RSGC in 1962 and has been held there on a total of 28 occasions.

“It all started from here. In that regard we’re truly proud that we set the trend, we got the ball rolling,” says club captain Dato’ Chang See Tum, beaming with pride.

Originally laid out in 1921, the RSGC courses underwent a total rebuild following the ravages of World War II, and further renovations and refurbishments over the years. Despite reconstructions in recent years offering modern-day challenge with tactical offerings to golfers, the courses retain most of its unique characteristics and charm of the parkland environment.

The Old Course, measuring 6,981 yards, tests the avid golfer with its strategic design and demanding greens. The New Course, meanwhile, is a tad shorter at 6,897 yards and features generous fairways and undulating greens.

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THE ROYAL SELANGOR GOLF CLUB

Though now they offer full-fledged modern layouts, the courses still retain an old-world feel with its parklandstyle, tree-lined fairways.

“In terms of design, those days course architects were practically unheard of here, so the courses had simple layouts, based on its topography,” says Dato’ Chang, adding

DID YOU KNOW? n Some of the trees at RSGC are over one hundred years old; these get visited by the ‘Tree Doctor’, an arborist who checks on the health and safety of the trees.

that the lush courses are a haven for over 101 wildlife species, including a globally near-threatened species of bird called the Asian Golden Weaver.

Some might even refer to the courses as ‘old-school’ with oodles of charm – and magnificent trees, some that have out-lived generations, for example that daunting yet strangely mesmeric rain tree in the parking lot facing the main lobby. Yes, the one that looks like it’s appeared right out of JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

“The courses are at their most natural state,” Ezani says, “which is why I think the pros really loved it when they played it during the Maybank Championship Malaysia (in 2016). Nothing too modern or forced.

Simply put it’s a heritage course.”

Over the years, the members-only

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TH Anniversary Celebration E V E N T

DECEMBER 31, 2017 RSGC 125th Anniversary Celebration: Official Launching Ceremony of 125 Years Celebration during New Year’s Eve Party MARCH 25, 2018 RSGC 125th Anniversary Family Carnival to commemorate the birth of The Selangor Golf Club on January 21, 1893

n RSGC is home to over 101 wildlife species that includes 74 bird species and a globally near-threatened species, the Asian Golden Weaver (pic).

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club has hosted a slew of prestigious tournaments, and along the way produced a number of professionals who are currently active on the PGM Tour.

“The late P. Gunasegaran also trained here regularly … a goodnatured and well-loved character,” added Dato’ Chang. “He almost became the first Malaysian to win the Malaysian Open back in 1994.”

Apart from supporting junior golf, RSGC has also built a reputation as firm advocates of ladies golf; in fact the RSGC Ladies Amateur Open – its 44th edition to be held on August 9-12 – is the oldest ladies golf tournament in the country and a category E World Amateur Golf Ranking event.

While it’s no secret that golf has seen better days here – a couple of

MAY 6, 2018 RSGC 125th Anniversary Celebration: Planting of trees followed by Open House to commemorate the first Annual General Meeting of The Selangor Golf Club on June 24, 1893

L I N E - U P

AUGUST 4-5, 2018 RSGC 125th Anniversary Tennis & Squash Interclub Open AUGUST 24-26, 2018 RSGC 125th Anniversary Invitational Golf to commemorate the opening of the original golf course (at Petaling Hill) for play and the first tee-off in a handicap competition on August 21, 1893 AUGUST 25, 2018 RSGC 125th Anniversary President’s Gala Dinner

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clubs have ceased operations, as have a number of print titles catering to the golfing community – RSGC remains unruffled by the winds of change, its century-and-a-quarter-old history testament to its uncanny aptitude to reel in golfers, and more importantly retain its membership which includes high-flyers, captains of industries as well as royalties.

So what’s the secret to the club’s longevity and success?

“I would say it’s the profile of our membership … it comes down to the people, as well as our staff. These are two very important ingredients for a golf course to be maintained at a level that’s reputable – and ours is well known throughout the world,” says Dato’ Chang.

“We are fortunate enough to acquire the management skills of the Brits ... they were good at managing and keeping records, and we were able to keep it going; the tradition is upheld till today.”

Ezani added, “Yes, the advantage is

that we were formerly British, so in typically British fashion they set up a good structure in terms of administration and organisation. And 125 years later, here we are!”

The two gentlemen also spoke with fervour about their other prized asset – the club’s well-trained, committed and loyal staff.

“Some of our staff have been with us for generations ... from grandfather to father to children. They’re very passionate about the club, and very loyal – they’re part of the RSGC family,” shares Dato’ Chang.

The club has also to date hired and trained about 4,000 caddies.

According to Ezani, “this is an opportunity for us to work with the community, to provide jobs for those from the nearby kampungs.

“Some of the caddies that we have here are school dropouts. We train them as junior caddies, and then they begin to earn, which enables them to support their families.”

Career progression within the

organisation is encouraged and something the club takes pride on. One fine example is long-serving employee Lovis Loordswamy who joined RSGC as a part-time caddie in 1970. After dropping out of school he started to caddie full time, and in 1989 he became caddie master. Since then he’s been promoted several times, and is now the assistant manager of the sports department. Not only that, Lovis’s sister also works the front desk at the club.

“It’s a wonderful progression, really,” says Ezani, emphasising that giving back to the community is truly the heart and soul of the club, along with conservation of the environment.

Honourable traits indeed, the perfect reflection of a Malaysian icon of the Gentleman’s Game.

Let’s all raise our glasses. Happy 125th Birthday, RSGC … you truly are exceptionally inspirational. PG

WHAT LIES AHEAD According to club captain Dato’ Chang See Tum, the direction of RSGC is very much influenced by its objective to promote the game of golf along with other sporting and social activities. “We’re looking at promoting junior golf further by creating various programmes … we would like to cultivate future champs,” he says. “We’re also interested in collaborating with schools that are keen in sending kids to play golf here at RSGC on certain days under the supervision of our professionals.”

In relation to social and sporting endeavours, a sum of RM7.5 million has been approved (by members) to construct an indoor sports centre. “We will be developing indoor sports programmes such as indoor tennis and basketball – so we’re on the right track. This will be the direction we will be taking on moving forward,” adds Dato’ Chang.

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THE GOLF SCENE

TPC Kuala Lumpur introduces Junior Golf Pass TPC Kuala Lumpur has introduced a Junior Golf Pass (JGP), an annual 'passport' for golfers between 12 and 20 years. Priced at RM7,500 (early birds enjoy an introductory price of RM6,888 until March 31), the JGP allows full access to TPC Kuala Lumpur’s golf course, clubhouse facilities and other privileges – minus the monthly subscription fees.

“The JGP is positioned as the perfect gift for your child who is into golf and to provide them with the opportunity to experience the exclusivity of a golf and country club lifestyle.

Parents can also enjoy the same privileges through the JGP,” said TPC Kuala Lumpur chief executive officer Steven Thielke.

“Golf is a wonderful game that helps to cultivate good qualities namely integrity,

honesty, patience, discipline and tolerance; plus it encourages youths to socialise within the circle of friends who share a common interest in a healthy and positive environment,” he added.

The JGP is the latest initiative by TPC Kuala Lumpur that targets youth following the Rising Star Juniors Programme for underprivileged children funded by Yayasan Sime Darby, the Sime Darby LPGA Golf Development Programme and a junior golf tournament.

The club has appointed some of Malaysia’s leading golfers as TPC Kuala Lumpur ambassadors, including 2017 Asian Tour No 1 Gavin Green, rising amateur starlets Natasha Andrea Oon and Winnie Ng Yu Xuan, as well as TPC Kuala Lumpur ladies club champion Yip Sean Yi. “Our ambassadors are trail-blazing in their golf career and we at TPC Kuala Lumpur are proud to provide access and opportunity for them to hone their skills with world-class facilities and services. We hope our initiatives will encourage other clubs and the overall golf industry to also develop more junior golf programmes in time to come,” noted Thielke.

Honma launches Beres 06 range in Malaysia Bespoke Japanese clubmaker Honma recently launched the latest models of their flagship Beres range during the Maybank Championship at Saujana Golf & Country Club. Honma was an official partner of the US$3 million joint Asian Tour and European Tour event.

The new Beres series comprises the S-06 woods, U-06 utilities and IS-06 forged irons, which replace and improve on the preceding line from 2016.

“Our customers support Honma because

of our quality products. The secret is in our production process, which is done in our own factory in Japan. This is because we want to maintain the quality and performance of our products,” said Honma’s senior manager – Southeast Asia sales, Masanao Hayashi, during the launch at the Pan-West retail area of the Maybank Championship village.

All Honma products originate in the company’s famed Sakata Plant in Yamagata prefecture, built on a 500,000m2 site in the

Honma's Masanao Hayashi (L) with Pan-West director Khoo Chin Inn

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foothills of Chokai Mountain. The clubs are painstakingly handmade by skilled craftsmen over a number of different processes.

Hayashi was in Kuala Lumpur for a series of events tied in with the launch of the Beres 06 series in the region. He was accompanied by Honma master-fitter Takashi Katsumata who conducted a series of fitting sessions for members of MST Golf’s ilovegolf loyalty programme. Honma is available in Malaysia at Pan-West and MST Golf outlets.

Honma master-fitter Takashi Katsumata

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Malaysian stalwart Danny Chia, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia and 2017 Race to Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood now have something else in common apart from being great golfers – they are now part of the Zurich Insurance Group’s team of golf ambassadors, having signed on with the Swiss insurers early this year.

The trio joined current ambassadors Jason Day, Justin Rose, Lexi Thompson, Jamie Donaldson and Billy Horschel and will carry Zurich branded golf bags throughout the season.

“It is an honour to represent Zurich as a brand ambassador and to help them spread their message in Malaysia,” said Chia. “Zurich is an established and strong organisation who does so much for the game of golf and for the people in Malaysia. I am really looking forward to working with them.”

Chia is the first Malaysian to hold multiple victories on the Asian Tour and became the first Malaysian to make the cut in a Major at the 2010 British Open at St Andrews.

©Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Swiss security for Chia

The Golden Bear visits Forest City

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus, aka the Golden Bear, paid a visit to Forest City Golf Resort in Johor in mid-January to view progress on the Legacy Course which he co-designed with son Jack II. The Legacy course is slated to open for play this year and is built on a mangrove swamp.

“We had to work the ninth and 18th greens around a hill and the golf course has beautiful river views. From a playability standpoint, the golf course we have designed is unique as golfers cannot find anything like it in Singapore or Malaysia,” said the 18-time Major winner.

The course is one of three 18-hole layouts which form the green lung of the multi-faceted Forest City development, comprising residential, retail, leisure and

hospitality elements. The 3,425-acre project is built on four reclaimed islands near the Tuas link to Singapore and is developed by Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV). CGPV is a joint venture between one of China’s largest property developers, Country Garden Holdings Ltd, and Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd which is an associate company of Johor stateowned Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ).

Nicklaus Sr and Jr were in Johor for a special preview on what the golf resort has to offer, graced by the presence of His Majesty, the Sultan of Johor, DYMM Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

CGPV executive director Datuk Md Othman Yusof said in his welcome speech that the golf resort would boost the

tourism sector in Johor and provide locals with job and business opportunities.

“Being only a stone’s throw away from the Woodlands Checkpoint, this golf resort will attract international golfers, residents and visitors,” said Md Othman, adding that with completion of the Forest City Golf Hotel in mid-2018 there will be 460 job opportunities within the golf resort.

Col. Mohd Jamal Salleh, president of the Johor Golf Tourism Association, noted that Forest City will add value to golfing in the state.

“Forest City Golf Resort, with the first 18 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son, is expected to further be a part of the bigger players in Johor to revive and add more value to the state as a golf paradise once again,” he said.

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IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Creating

New Dreams

Loo Keng Yip takes on the recently-revamped Impian, whilst capturing its new and improved characteristics through expert lens

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mpian, the Malay word for ‘dream’, was pretty much how I had filed away my memories of the Impian Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Kajang … the town that satay built. It had been so long since I last played there it almost seems like a dream at least.

This was one of my favourite haunts.

A couple of the guys in my regular weekly game back then lived in the area. The greens were as good as or better than those at any other golf course we had played. Golf has always also been about slowing down to smell the roses. This was a pretty course.

Each time we came up to the signature hole, a captivating par-three across water, we took a moment to soak in the beauty. There are some technicallychallenging par-fives. Played with due

care, they were birdie chances for sure.

There was even one, possibly two, that could be reached with just a drive and a 3- or 5-wood. This was a truly friendly course in more than one respect. A good dream.

When the opportunity to revisit Impian GCC came up recently, I jumped at the chance. It would be like catching up with an old friend.

The area around the course has changed significantly. Prime lots directly adjacent have been turned into modern multi-storey apartments joining the luxury bungalows of a gated community that have been there from the beginning. Whilst construction in the surrounding area was perhaps inevitable, the up-market residential nature of the past and present developments form a buffer of sorts

ensuring that Impian remains one of the few ‘urban’ golf courses where the soothing sounds of nature aren’t drowned out by the noises of heavy industry nearby. I have always felt that there is something not quite right with the soundscape if one stands amidst lush fairways, greens and trees, and all one hears is the unrelenting roar of highway traffic or the annoying din of angle grinders from a factory just beyond the perimeter fence.

Impian is good in that regard; it is both pretty and peaceful – but nothing is absolutely perfect, of course. The school beside Hole 4 is still there. And we all know how school kids can get a bit noisy when class is not in session.

Incidentally the fourth is also Impian’s Index 1 hole. A little audible distraction adding to the already tough test.

The picturesque Hole 12

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Otherwise, away from the fourth, the rest of the course is practically ‘pindrop’ serene. At 394 metres, it may be on the long side for some, but the drive should not pose too much of a problem; the challenge is about the tough approach. The fairway is very wide initially then narrows significantly towards the green. Going long, left or right of the green is a recipe for bogey or worse. The fairway now is better, more lush than I remember it being in the past.

In fact all the fairways are pretty well groomed throughout the course.

Even the rough and first cut were well maintained. More so on the first nine than after the turn though. We must have played on a day between maintenance days. The greens on both nines are pretty much as I remember them, smooth and true.

The first hole is great to warm up on as the approach plays downhill all the way to the green. There’s no need to risk trying to launch a blistering drive whilst still ‘cold’ and potentially getting into slice or snap-hook trouble.

Steering a smooth sweet 3-wood or hybrid off the tee will leave about 150 relatively-easy-downhill metres to a decent-sized green. This should get the heart-rate up and adequately prepare you for the first real test.

Hole 2 is a longish par-three. Then comes the first of the par-fives. Still being early in the round it is probably best to continue to play the third hole

Hole 4, Par 4

with a conservative, ‘non-attacking’ frame of mind. Laying up with a long iron or even a hybrid/metal wood from the tee will avoid running on into a stream that cuts across the fairway.

Regulation three-on-the-green is not only good here, it’s the smart play. Only big hitters – really big hitters – need contemplate carrying the drain. If achieved though, ‘two on’ definitely comes into the picture.

Impian GCC presents a wonderful array of different tests in a lush garden setting, including the short 290-metre dogleg par-four sixth at which

When you arrive at Hole 12, the signature hole, do yourself a favour and make an effort to take in the surroundings at this especially scenic little corner of Impian.

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IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

It’s best to play the third hole with a conservative, ‘non-attacking’ frame of mind. Laying up with a long iron or even a hybrid/ metal wood from the tee will avoid running on into a stream that cuts across the fairway. Regulation three-on-the-green is not only good here, it’s the smart play.

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Hole 15, Par 4

practically anyone will be able to successfully reach the green by playing just their irons.

The opening hole on the inward nine plays quite a lot easier with the benefit of local knowledge. Remember to avoid the entire right-hand side of the fairway. It looks fairly benign from the tee box but bogey and double bogey danger lurks there. Ideally stay left of centre all the way to the green and you’ll be fine.

The gently-downhill 312-metre 11th is where one can finally go into full attack mode. Driver time! Otherwise it is a straightforward; long iron off the tees and wedge into the green. This was and still is a really fun hole.

The 13th plays very similar to the 11th. Even better, the rough here has traditionally been cut low. The ball is more likely to roll down and along the slopes than hang up on them. At just 315 metres, long hitters willing to take a risk can aim for the bottom of the slopes on the left about 8/10’s the way up the fairway and with a little luck the ball could roll up very close to the green indeed. There is a shallow bunker short and left of the green designed to protect against just this sort of aggressive play but depending on your skills in sand, I for one think the risk is well worth it. And I’m not even a good bunker player. Another really fun hole.

In between the two is the 12th, the signature hole. Do yourself a favour and

make an effort to take in the surroundings at this especially scenic little corner of Impian.

The 15th is the Index 2 hole. This one is a tough cookie. Downhill initially, it requires a long uphill approach to a multi-tiered green.

The par-three 16th is posted at 150 metres off the blue tees but falls away very sharply to the green. With a helping wind, using a club as ‘short’ as a pitching wedge off the tees is not entirely crazy. Alternatively you could even choke down and punch a low soft baby 6-iron out to about 100 metres and let the ball release up the fairway

towards the green. Lots of options here at this Index 18 hole (ie ‘easiest’) on the course.

The short 391-metre par-five 17th is next. It’s shaped like a shallow reverse ‘S’. Aim to fly over the crest of a small hillock directly behind the fairway bunkers on the right. If the ball ends up anywhere within 20 metres off the cart path that bisects the fairway, you have a green light to go for the green in two.

Impian has won awards that placed it within the top-three for the best maintained golf course in 2011-2012 but fell away somewhat after that. In the

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IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Practice green

last 12 months the club has undergone some major repairs and renovations to recapture some lost glory. They have done well.

The course seems right up to spec once again even if club manager Syed Jan humbly insists that they are perhaps only at 70 percent of where they would like to be, meaning there will be more good things to come. The swimming pool area and convention rooms have been given a new lease of life and are currently quite popular again, hosting everything from small birthday bashes to large all out wedding receptions.

The golf changing rooms? Well, they deserve special mention. Completely rebuilt, they are truly excellent. Large

panel ‘rain’ shower heads and all. But even the best facilities in the world would not count for much if the people behind them were themselves not ‘up to spec’.

Many of the faces have changed since I last visited. I’m happy to note that everyone from the management right through to the shuttle driver at the car park were as welcoming and friendly as I have always remembered them to be. The course and facilities are now as good as they have ever been and my recent visit was a bit like a much anticipated reunion with an old friend. On top of that, it also turned out to be the making of new friends and fond new memories all rolled into one. PG

Changing room

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IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

14th Mile, Jalan Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia Tel +603 8734 4195 / 96 / 97 Fax +603 8734 8133 Email igcc@simedarbyproperty.com Website www.simedarbyhospitality.com/igcc GPS N 3.017583 / E 101.795619

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

BLACK 386 188 465 431 508 304 169 354 359 3,164

BLUE 370 170 446 394 486 290 148 335 340 2,979

WHITE 341 157 427 366 457 283 132 320 329 2,812

RED PAR INDEX 304 4 11 9 139 3 13 409 5 1 321 4 3 440 5 17 256 4 15 116 3 5 308 4 7 317 4 2,610 36

HOLE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 IN

BLACK 382 342 166 333 493 400 168 430 376 3,090

BLUE 364 312 136 315 477 382 150 391 362 2,889

WHITE RED PAR INDEX 4 330 307 12 10 4 297 278 14 3 140 103 4 4 294 256 8 5 458 437 2 4 366 347 18 3 138 126 16 5 379 358 6 4 358 314 2,760 2,526 36

TOTAL 6,254 5,868 5,572 5,136

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Jewel of the Straits DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Damai Laut is a real gem every golfer should try … and there’s a lot to do off the course as well, especially for ladies!

BY IDA FAHANY

Stunning signature – Hole 15, Par 4

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©ParGolf

Daunting drive – Hole 2, Par 5

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t’s too far!”, or “Where is it again?”, or “Oh ya, they have the same resort in Sarawak” … these are some of the common responses I get every time I bring up Damai Laut Golf & Country Club in conversations.

But for avid golfers who love to travel for leisure golf or even for tournament junkies, Damai Laut is one of those destinations that can’t be missed. This is especially so for ladies as there is a lot to do beyond golf. The course forms part of the multi-faceted, 425-acre Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut and it’s a short drive to towns like Lumut, Setiawan, Ayer Tawar and Pantai Remis should you wish to indulge in some foodie excursions … and you can even do some shopping, get your hair done and indulge in a facial in the nearby township of Manjung!

‘Damai’ is the Malay word for peace or tranquillity and that sums up the resort nicely as far as its beachside/ forest setting is concerned. I’ve frequented Damai Laut ever since I started golf in 1998, when golf and life were much simpler … and once you reach there, that simplicity returns as you discover a world of peace and serenity that will make your heart bloom with joy.

Talking about joy, we were welcomed by a four-piece string band at the reception area, serenading us with their take on Bob Marley’s ‘No Woman No Cry’ … I took that as a compliment!

A blend of many types of courses

summed up into one delectable delight, the Damai Laut course is blessed with picturesque scenery of the sea, lush greenery and charming lakes.

American architect Ronald Fream has created a diverse golfing experience with rolling fairways and undulating greens. The well-crafted course always forces me to use every club and every swing in my bag as different challenges await on every hole.

What really sets Damai Laut apart from other golf courses is its coastal location, with some holes built next to the sea. When it gets windy, club selection will differ and I find that fascinating. The course is quite a challenge for a mid-length hitter like me. Any female golfer will want to hone her golfing skills at Damai Laut as the course suits all handicap levels.

At 4,966 metres off the reds, I consider it a relatively short course for ladies.

An easy opening hole on each nine normally promises a good round for golfers and Damai Laut obliges as Holes 1 and 10 are straightforward, no-fuss affairs that are forgiving to mishits off the tee. Pars are a must … save your bogeys for other more difficult challenges. This works perfectly for us ladies as we dread going to the driving range or putting green to warm up!

Hole 2, my favourite, is a par-five measuring 452 metres that resembles a python slithering its way through the terrain. While it requires a solid hit off the hillside tees to avoid the lake on the right, a 5-wood is sufficient to find the landing area as overhits will end ParGolf MARCH 2018

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DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut has activities for everyone, golfers and nongolfers alike. Apart from golfing, there are water sports to enjoy, on-ground activities such as ATV rides and a host of attractions for kids including a the recently-opened water theme park, children’s club, fishing pond and petting zoo. up in the jungle. The second shot has to be well placed between the dense treeline on the left and sand on the right, leaving an easy opening to the green.

“Darling, you’ll nail this hole” were my exact thoughts as I arrive at the 13th, a downhill par-three of just 85 metres. While the green is circled by bunkers, birdies are highly achievable here, pars are rampant and bogeys will put a dent on your scorecard.

One of the prettiest holes in Malaysian golf is undeniably Damai Laut’s signature 15th. Hit your tee shot to a two-tier fairway and you’ll be amazed to find a picture-perfect green overlooking the sea. Overshoot your second shot and you ball will end up in the back bunker and possibly into the blue ocean waters! If you’re lucky, you’ll see a handsome naval ship sailing by.

If you think you’re on course for a decent round, Hole 18 might dampen 74

your hopes and aspirations. Brace yourself for a 90-degree dogleg right par-five with water running all the way to the green. After a few tries on this challenging 450-metre final hole, I decided to lay-up off the tee, hit a full 3-wood for my second shot and, if I’m lucky, have a go at the green in three.

If not, a chip and two putts for a bogey six will be sufficient enough for me to end my round happily.

What to do after a round of golf?

Pamper ourselves, of course! Offering beautifying, relaxing and rejuvenating experiences, the Samara Spa at the hotel complex will replenish any energy expended during golf … and get you ready for another round of golf the next day!

Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut has activities for everyone, golfers and non-golfers alike. Apart from golf, there are water sports to enjoy, on-ground activities such as ATV rides and a host of attractions for kids including the recently-opened

water theme park, children’s club, fishing pond and petting zoo.

So, for your next vacation head up to Damai Laut and experience all this for yourself … I guarantee you won’t be disappointed! PG

FACT FILE

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Address

Hala Damai 2, Jalan Damai Laut, Off Jalan Teluk Senangin 32200 Lumut, Perak

Tel/Fax

+605-685 9333

WhatsApp +6019-574 2113 Email

info@dlgcc.swissgarden.com

Website

www.swissgarden.com/hotels/sgrdl

GPS N 4.263361 / E 100.60261 Coordinates Holes

18, Par 72

Yardage

Black – 6,600m / Blue – 6,007m / White – 5,532m / Red – 4,966m

Designer

Ronald Fream

Year Opened

1997

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Girl Power For Swiss-Garden Beach Resort esort Damai Laut general manager Patrick Tee, working with a predominantly female management team has been a great experience.

“Working with them has been simply great as they have the ability to make me get really excited about things! My working life at Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut would surely be much less exciting without them,” quipped Patrick, referring to the resort’s director of golf Kay Leong, director of sales and marketing Linda Evelyn Wong and assistant director of sales Suzilla Alias.

Asked if they bully him a little bit, Patrick replied: “They don’t but I always remind myself to be honest with them because I stand by the rule that if a woman asks you a question, it's better to tell her the truth … because chances are she's asking you because she already knows the answer!

“The plusses are work gets done as promised with results exceeding expectation. But women tend to take things personally ... some hold grudges for months and won’t let anything go, so it's best not to make promises to them that you can’t fulfil,” added Patrick, who has been in the hotel industry for 28 years and with the resort since late 2016.

Kay meanwhile quipped that they do “gang up” on Patrick occasionally.

“I’m kidding! Patrick’s a really nice boss, in the sense that he’s very approachable and supportive. He’s always willing to listen and give us

Patrick Tee

advice,” she said.

Since she joined Damai Laut in August 2015, Kay has built a great working relationship with Linda and Suzilla, and the three have also become good pals.

“We work well together as a team and collectively it’s easier to come up with ideas. With the two girls around to take care of marketing and sales, I can also focus on operations and maintenance. And it’s nice to have people around you can interact with after works,” said Kay, who was previously attached to Palm Garden Golf Club and Awana Genting Highlands.

“I enjoy working at Damai Laut. The golf course is great and it’s challenging as you have to contend with the natural elements such as the salty sea air and wild boars … but it’s an enjoyable challenge. It’s a really nice place,” she added.

And the place is set to get even nicer, as Patrick revealed: “We are now in the midst of constructing a thrilling outdoor playground for kids – and adults, the big kids! This will be yet another of SwissGarden Beach Resort Damai Laut's ‘must-do experiences’. Apart from that, we have also started renovating the bathrooms of our guestrooms which is due to be completed by the third quarter of this year. Plans are also being finalised to enhance the dining outlets, the ballroom and meeting rooms.”

(L to R) Linda Evelyn Wong, Kay Leong and Suzila Alias

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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

Tough Rough What could possibly make a top pro golfer risk damaging a favourite wedge by hitting off a rough, unforgiving concrete cart path?

D

uring the recent EurAsia Cup played at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club, Henrik Stenson elected to hit a chip shot to the 13th green from the cart path. It was surely one of the more dramatic moments. He even went on to win the hole against the odds on top of risking a shot off the highly abrasive surface and in preference to taking a drop on the surrounding grass in the first place.

The wedge in question seemed important to Stenson. He checked the sole for damage immediately after taking the shot. That’s not surprising.

Wedges after all have been described as the ‘scoring irons’ in the set. Stenson might have been even more concerned about his club than the outcome of the chip. If memory serves, I recall how Stenson with furrowed brow carefully scrutinised the sole of his wedge – twice, and cast only one typically Nordic, ice-cool nonchalant glance at the green later.

Perhaps EurAsia Cup’s matchplay was conducted under the strictest form of ‘play-it-as-it-lies’ rules. That would explain a great deal. If not, Stenson must have believed that taking the drop would result in a lie which would make getting the ball to the green so difficult that chipping off rough concrete and

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potentially damaging his club was a risk worth taking. Seriously gnarly rough on top of steeply-angled terrain perhaps.

Not being directly on the spot I can’t say for sure what species of grass grows at the sides of the cart path surrounding Stenson’s play but I would not be surprised if it was the much-disdained cowgrass. To be fair, hitting off any species of healthy, well-groomed fairway – the humble cowgrass included – will not in itself present any great problems, especially if you are a ‘picker’. Being a ‘digger’ however may put one’s wrists under some extra strain.

The root structure of cowgrass is undoubtedly more coarse, ‘clumpy’ and ‘woody’ than other fairway grasses and presents additional resistance to taking divots. Following on from this, cowgrass probably gets its unfavourable status from players landing in the long stuff.

Successfully getting out of long cowgrass rough with little to no penalty can all come down to a bit of luck. If the ball ‘floats’ relatively high up in the grass blades above the stems, you will have every chance of making a respectable play. But in the worst cases when the ball ‘sinks’ down to ground level and becomes tightly wedged into the spaces between individual tufts, well, good luck to you. Advancing the

ball with even modest distance and accuracy expectations is nigh on impossible. Top-10 pros and weekend hackers alike can look pretty silly playing out of cowgrass rough.

On the plus side, cowgrass copes better with our fickle ‘drought-or-flood’ weather than non-native grasses.

Naturally, the imports can be harder (read ‘expensive’) to maintain. When employed as first-cut and rough though, I feel they present a fairer challenge and add greatly to the enjoyment of the game.

Here’s a crazy thought. Perhaps we should have cowgrass fairways and non-native grasses for the first cut and rough! Maybe we have been getting it backwards all this time. Here’s another thought from out of left field. In custom fitting terms, there probably is an ideal bounce angle to grind into your ‘cart path’ wedge for hitting off concrete!

One that would minimise the chances of making ground contact with any part of the sole actually. A bounce angle designed for no bounce! In fact, the entire sole section of the club could be designed as an easily replaceable sacrificial skid plate. I am sure it would still comfortably fit within the rules concerning ‘damaged’ clubs … for when the inevitable happens.

Drive long and prosper. PG

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Golf with a heart in Sportify charity event

The Sportify Golf Charity Tournament staged at Tropicana Golf & Country Club on January 11 succeeded in raising a total of RM10,000 for the Agathians Shelter home for orphans and abandoned children in Petaling Jaya.

A total of 119 golfers took part in the event, which was organised by Global Line Network in conjunction with the launch of the golf module in the company’s Sportify app and the new BeGolfPro portal.

Sportify is a sports lovers’ platform designed to take the hassle out of booking venues while linking them to other players of a particular sport. The app currently covers nine states in the country with more than 60 sports venue partners. The golf module was recently added, allowing golfers to select a course, create a game and invite friends to join … or you can join an open game and find new

‘kakis’. Payment can be made via debit/ credit cards.

“With the burning desire to solve sports lovers’ pain points, we’re excited to see the future of playing and arranging sports activities expand in Malaysia with the introduction of our app. We want to break the barriers between people and sport to getting more people active,” said Sportify founder Vincent Wong.

BeGolfPro is a golf portal that allows users to search for professional coaches and buy used or new golf equipment online. It currently has a pool of more than 30 coaches in the Klang Valley and Selangor.

The sponsors of the charity event included J Golf, Heineken Malaysia, TPS Golf, The Club and JNG Golf.

Champion Nor Azhar Mohd Noor (L) with Global Line Network CEO Sebastian Tan

Ponderosa crowns club champs for 2017/2018

Men's champion Mahmod Mohd (L) with Ponderosa GM Ivan Teo

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Ladies' champion Sher Lee Yong (L) with former Men's champion Ng Jit Sing

Mahmod Mohd and Sher Lee Yong earned the men’s and women’s titles respectively in the Ponderosa Golf & Country Resort 2017/2018 Club Championship held on January 27.

Mahmod carded a score of 78 to top the men’s standings while Yong signed in a round of 87 to be the best among the ladies. A total of 93 players took part in the championship.

“We were a bit worried about the erratic weather alternating between rain and extreme heat but I am glad it turned out just fine. All players did their best and the champions walked away with a Sierra Glow Blue Flame Car Paint Coating Programme worth RM3,000, a golf bag worth RM450, a microwave oven and trophies, thanks to our partners MST Golf and Sierra Glow, as well as other sponsors,” said Ponderosa general manager Ivan Teo.

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Terengganu triumph for Winnie and Sazanur Winnie Ng and Sazanur Iman Salehin emerged as the winners of the first state open of the 2018 Malaysian golfing calendar, capturing the girls’ and boys’ titles respectively in the 10th Terengganu Amateur Open at Desa Dungun Golf Club on January 26-29.

National team stalwart Winnie stormed to a five-shot victory in the ladies event, finishing on six-over-par 222 after rounds of 74, 76 and 72. Audrey Tan Wei Yen settled for second on 227 (79-74-74), three shots ahead of Nurdiyana Aqilah Khalim (79-74-77).

Sazanur carded rounds of 75, 72 and 73 for a four-over-par 220 total in the concurrent men’s event, edging Mohd Firdaus Sabri (7871-73) by two shots. Yong Fatt Hoe rounded up the top three with a 223 total (75-75-730), edging Muhammad Aqeel Aqram Arman on countback.

Flying high at Sungai Long

The Malaysia Flying Golfers Association (MFGA) staged its annual championship on January 24 at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Sungai Long Golf & Country Club.

More than 80 golfers from the travel industry took part, including management and executives from airlines, travel agents, tour operators and hotels.

Mohd Nor Puasa emerged as the Medal A champion with a nett Stableford score of 39 points, while the Medal B title went to Doris Cheng with 39 points as well. Mohd Akib Rashid emerged as the Guests champion with 40 points.

Meanwhile, Nazri Sulaiman was crowned as the 2017 MFGA Order of Merit winner.

“Malaysian Flying Golfers has been in existence for many years as a social gathering

through golf as a catalyst towards networking amongst the travel trade and tourism-related parties, both domestically and internationally. Over the years we have also joined our fellow counterparts from Thailand and Singapore through our annual tripartite Flying Golfers tournament.

“Earlier this year we formalised our

organisation through our registration with the Registrar of Societies under the name Malaysia Flying Golfers Association,” said MFGA president Zulkifli Mohd Razali.

MFGA organises up to eight golf tournaments each year with an average participation of 40 golfers, culminating in the annual championship.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS MARCH - APRIL 2018 MALAYSIAN AMATEUR EVENTS Apr 5 – 8 Apr 12 – 15 Apr 16 – 19 Apr 26 – 29

Negeri Sembilan Amateur Open (Men & Ladies) Sabah Amateur Open (Men & Ladies) Selangor Amateur Open (Men & Ladies) Sarawak Amateur Open (Men & Ladies)

Sri Menanti GC Labuan International GC Templer Park GC Kelab Golf Sarawak

PROFESSIONAL GOLF OF MALAYSIA (PGM) TOUR Mar 14 – 17 Mar 14 – 17 Apr 4 – 7 Apr 4 – 7 Apr 18 – 21 Apr 18 – 21 Apr 24 – 26

PGM Port Dickson Closed Championship PGM Ladies Championship PGM Johor Championship PGM Ladies Championship PGM Sime Darby Closed Championship PGM Ladies Championship PGM Q-School – Leg 2

Port Dickson GCC, Negeri Sembilan Port Dickson GCC, Negeri Sembilan Palm Resort GCC, Johor Palm Resort GCC, Johor Impian GCC, Selangor Impian GCC, Selangor Port Dickson GCC, Negeri Sembilan

RM200,000 RM35,000 RM225,000 RM35,000 RM200,000 RM35,000 RM15,000

The Hills and Millbrook Resort, Queenstown DLF GCC, New Delhi Ibaraki CC (West Course), Japan

NZ$1,200,000 US$1,750,000 ¥150,000,000

Richard Mille Brunei Championships ADT Gunung Guelis PGM Johor Championship

Empire GCC Gunung Guelis CC, Indonesia Palm Resort GCC, Malaysia

US$60,000 US$70,000 RM225,000

WGC-Mexico Championship Valspar Championship Arnold Palmer Invitational WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship Houston Open

Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico City, Mexico Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead), Florida, USA Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida, USA Austin CC, Texas, USA Corales GC, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic GC of Houston, Humble, Texas, USA

US$10,000,000 US$6,500,000 US$8,900,000 US$10,000,000 US$3,000,000 US$7,000,000

ASIAN TOUR Mar 1 – 4 Mar 8 – 11 Apr 19 – 22

ISPS Handa New Zealand Open Hero Indian Open Panasonic Open Championship

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR Mar 7 – 10 Mar 21 – 24 Apr 4 – 7

PGA TOUR Mar 1 – 4 Mar 8 – 11 Mar 15 – 18 Mar 22 – 25 Mar 22 – 25 Mar 29 – Apr 1

The Hills and Millbrook Resort, New Zealand

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Apr 5 – 8 Apr 12 – 15 Apr 19 – 22 Apr 26 – 29

The Masters RBC Heritage Valero Texas Open Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA Harbour Town GL, Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks Course), Texas, USA TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana, USA

US$11,000,000 US$6,700,000 US$6,200,000 US$7,200,000

HSBC Women’s World Championship Bank of Hope Founders Cup Kia Classic ANA Inspiration Lotte Championship HUGEL-JTBC Open

Sentosa GC, Singapore Wildfire GC, Phoenix, Arizona, USA Aviara GC, Carlsbad, California, USA Mission Hills CC, Rancho Mirage, California, USA Ko Olina GC, Hawaii, USA Wilshire CC, Los Angeles, California, USA

US$1,500,000 US$1,500,000 US$1,800,000 US$2,800,000 US$2,000,000 US$1,500,000

US$10,000,000 US$1,050,000 US$1,750,000 US$10,000,000 US$11,000,000 €1,500,000 €2,500,000 RMB20,000,000

LPGA TOUR Mar 1 – 4 Mar 15 – 18 Mar 22 – 25 Mar 29 – Apr 1 Apr 11 – 14 Apr 19 – 22

EUROPEAN TOUR Mar 1 – 4 Mar 1 – 4 Mar 8 – 11 Mar 21 – 25 Apr 5 – 8 Apr 12 – 15 Apr 19 – 22 Apr 26 – 29

WGC-Mexico Championship Tshwane Open Hero Indian Open WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play The Masters Open de Espana Trophee Hassan II Volvo China Open

Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico City, Mexico Pretoria GC, Waterkloof, South Africa DLF GCC, New Delhi Austin CC, Texas, USA Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA Centro Nacional de Golf, Madrid, Spain Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco TBA

Mar 1 – 4 Mar 8 – 10 Apr 19 – 22

NSW Women’s Open Investec South African Women’s Open Lalla Meryem Cup

Coffs Harbour GC, Australia Atlantic Beach CC, South Africa Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco

MAR 15 – 18 PHILIPPINE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

TBA

US$1,500,000 LADIES AUD$150,000 R2,000,000 €450,000

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

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STYLE LOUNGE

SNUG ELEGANCE Cole Haan This season the Cole Haan signature Downtown ballet flat is updated with elegant details that deliver both fashion and comfort.

A feminine classic front bow adorns its upper of quilted leather while its base boasts both a half-inch micro wedge and a footbed padded with Cole Haan’s Grand.OS technology.

The simple yet classy addition of ribbon ankle straps makes the ballet flats look more forward and elevated. Dainty yet versatile, it pairs perfectly with slim-fit trousers and a silk blouse for work, or skinny jeans and a soft knit for casual weekend wear.

AGELESS APPEAL Cerruti 1881 Ideal for day or night wear, the Cerruti 1881 Praiano for men features a silver sunburst dial that provides a backdrop to ion-plated gold Roman numeral indices and tapered hands, which are paired with a round silhouette.

Its date window and minute to second marks around the face offer additional functionality.

Brushed stainless steel links contrast with an ion-plated gold band skilfully woven through.

The golden tone continues to the top ring and crown, elegantly cradled by the signature C, displaying the craftsmanship that accompanies the Cerruti 1881 name.

Classic lines and a twotoned palette add tailored sophistication to the timepiece while the intricate details elevate its elegance.

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MON PARI PARIS COUTURE Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris Couture by Yves Saint Laurent, the new flanker to 2016’s Mon Paris fragrance for women, is a new sparkling citrus interpretation of the iconic Mon Paris floral signature.

The citrus fruity opening fuses notes of Raspberry and Strawberry with Grapefruit and Mandarin for a sweetness that is absolutely alluring. Giving way to a sparkling heart, the signature notes of White Flowers are now infused with Rosebud that is invigorating yet sweet and romantic. The warmth of Patchouli further elevates the gentle, tantalising notes of White Musk.

Inspired by the haute couture collection of Saint Laurent, the bottle is adorned with couture lavaliere dressed in silver sparkle.

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SPIRIT OF MINERVA Montblanc Montblanc’s 1858 collection is inspired by the legendary professional Minerva watches from the 20s and 30s that were meant for military use and mountain exploration. Paying tribute to the 160th anniversary of Minerva, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere – powered by the calibre MB 29.25 – features a brand-new manufacture world time complication with two turning domed hemisphere globes, which make a full rotation in 24 hours.

The timepiece’s black dial features contrasting colours with the addition of rhodium-coated or red gold-coated elements, while the case comes in two versions: stainless steel or bronze.

Water resistant to 100 metres, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere is available with either a high-quality black ‘NATO’ strap, a cognac-coloured aged calfskin strap or a brown Sfumato aged calf leather Bund strap.

COLOURFULLY FAB Fendi The new Mon Trésor, the new mini bucket bag from Fendi, is a must-have fashion essential this season.

‘Tresor’ means ‘treasure’ in French, and Mon Trésor’s irresistible and enchanting small bucket shape gives the impression of it carefully holding on tight to hidden treasures inside its laces.

Small and cute in size, Mon Trésor comes in two types of leather, and is both ideal as a cool evening bag or a daytime companion. It comes with a long or short handle so you have the option of going sporty with a cross-body, or sophisticated by working the short handle.

Available in monotone colours such as Pink, Yellow, White, Green, Blue, Black and Dove.

ULTIMATE ULTI U LTIMATE LTI M MATE COOL C Emporio mporio Armani A The new Emporio Armani eyewear echoes the eponymous fashion collections in a play on contrasts, merging materials and colours. The frames, with comfort and fit being a key feature, are constructed with charisma and flair.

Inspired by winter goggles, the EA 2057 model for men is bold and futuristic, reflecting the revolutionary spirit of Emporio Armani. Ultralight frames, bridge and lenses sport geometric shapes, sharp cut edges and openwork cutouts.

Featuring the iconic eagle logo, the sinuous tubular metal temple arms form a unique design with an equally unique weightless feel. Available in Petrol Blue or Rose Gold, both with mirrored lenses.

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CARS+PARS

MERCEDES-BENZ E200 AVANTGARDE

Heaven On

WHEELS The E200 Avantgarde is a cool cruise machine, come rain, shine … or spooks

©ParGolf

BY JONATHAN PONNIAH

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©ParGolf

I

but it was no spook that had taken over my psyche. I had, in fact, been consumed by the class, comfort and performance of the E200 Avantgarde that the kind folk at MercedesBenz Malaysia had loaned me over the weekend. The E200 we took was one of three locally-assembled CKD models introduced last year, the other two from Mercedes-Benz’s Pekan plant being the E250 Avantgarde and ©ParGolf

t was near nightfall and the rain was bucketing down as we made our way back from Lumut to KL using the old trunk road, following a short stop at Kellie’s Castle.

You may be thinking right now … this guy is either nuts or was possessed by one of the spooks from the allegedly-haunted castle.

The latter is probably closer to the truth …

Bag drop at Saujana GCC

E250 Exclusive.

Negotiating the old Gopeng-Bidor trunk road was a breeze, even in the wet and wild conditions, thanks to the E200’s Agility Control suspension and Active Brake Assist system which both come as standard. And when it got dark, the Multibeam LED headlamps made sure visibility was near-perfect while adapting to road and traffic conditions, thanks to

Negotiating the old Gopeng-Bidor trunk road was a breeze, even in the wet and wild conditions … thanks to the E200’s Agility Control suspension and Active Brake Assist system which both come as standard.

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CARS+PARS

MERCEDES-BENZ E200 AVANTGARDE Price RM348,888 (OTR w/o insurance) Engine M274 2.0 Turbo Displacement 1991cc Transmission 9G-Tronic Auto Max Power (PS/rpm) 184/5,500 Max Torque (Nm/rpm) 300/1,200 – 4,000

BIRDIE Superb ride when cruising BOGEY 0 to 100km/h in 7.7s is low for luxury segment PLAYER & GOLF BAG CAPACITY

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Like the proverbial caterpillar, it was tough to get out of that cocoon when I returned the E200 to Wisma MercedesBenz in Bandar Kinrara. But, after a long hard look back at my fabulous and faithful weekend wheels and companion, I left in my more modest personal ride with a glint in my eyes and a spring in my step.

Perhaps the spirit of the E200 had rubbed off on me. … or was it one of the spooks from Kellie’s Castle? PG

©ParGolf

distinctive radiator grille with the familiar, three-pointed Mercedes star in the middle.

Inside, the 12.3-inch high-res instrument and infotainment displays are stylish and ergonomically-presented well within the driver’s field of vision. Three different viewing styles for the wide-screen instrument cluster are available – Classic, Sport and Progressive – and you can also select from 64 different ambient lighting settings to create your own personalised driving cocoon.

©Bio Syahm

individually controllable LEDs which precisely direct the light to blank out other vehicles whilst illuminating the surroundings with near-daytime brightness.

Depending on your ride preference, the E200’s Dynamic Select function allows you to select one of four drive modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport+. We were on Comfort most of the way, only shifting to the firmer Sport mode on stretches where a lot of overtaking was necessary.

If you’re used to bigger cc Benzs, the E200 might feel a tad underpowered with the 2.0 litre engine churning out 184 horses at 5,500rpm and 300Nm of torque from 1,200 to 4,000rpm. That’s capable of taking the car from standstill to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds and powering it a top speed of 240km/h – which will be more than enough for most save diehard speed junkies.

The E200 has ample passenger and cargo room but the boot narrows inwards and can thus accommodate a maximum of three golf bags, making it a comfortable three-golfer vehicle.

Keyless start is standard in the CKD E-series but that’s upgraded in the E250 to the golfer-friendly Keyless-Go system which includes hands-free access to the boot – all the key-bearer needs to do is a small kicking action with the foot under the rear bumper. That’s not only cool but really convenient when you’re lugging a golf bag, Boston bag and other golfing paraphernalia to the car.

Back in KL, city driving was just sublime.

And it’s quite a thrill to see other motorists and passers-by do a little double-take, wondering who’s behind the wheel of the E200 which looks as good as it handles.

The car’s sleek yet bold lines are headturners indeed, highlighted by the

KELLIE’S CASTLE Kellie’s Castle was built in the early 1900s by a wealthy Scotsman named William Kellie Smith, who came to Malaya in 1890 at age 20 and over time built up a small fortune from rubber and tin mining.

Falling in love with life in the tropics, Smith purchased a 960-acre piece of land in Batu Gajah for a rubber plantation and to build his home. In 1903, he married childhood sweetheart Agnes and brought her to Malaya where their daughter Helen was soon born.

Agnes struggled to conceive again and it was only in 1915 that the couple welcomed a son, Anthony.

Smith then began planning the construction of a mansion for his family on the site where they currently lived, located on a hilltop surrounded by a river … much like the castles of his homeland. He enlisted the help of 70 workers from Madras, even importing bricks and tiles from India.

In the 1920s, a Spanish Flu epidemic killed many of the workers. To appease those who remained, Smith built a Hindu temple about one-and-a-half kilometres away in honour of the deity Mariamman. Said to be linked to the mansion by an underground tunnel, the temple is still active and has a small statue of Smith on its roof.

Unfortunately, due to delays caused by the epidemic and World War I, Smith never managed to complete his new home. In 1926, while on the way back to Malaya from Scotland after a short trip home, he died of pneumonia in Lisbon, Portugal.

Agnes and the children left Malaya not long after Smith’s passing, selling their home and estate to plantation company Harrisons and Crosfield.

Kellie’s Castle was restored about five years ago by the Perak state government and is now one of the country’s most popular man-made tourist attractions. The impressive structure incorporates Scottish, Moorish and south Indian architecture with high-roofed rooms, arched windows, winding stairways and the first elevator shaft in the country. Many visitors take photos on the flat rooftop, designed by Smith for open-air parties.

www.tourismperakmalaysia.com www.ipoh-city.com

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CARS+PARS

THRILLING, SPORTY HATCH RENAULT MEGANE GT

The new Renault Megane GT features a distinctive lighting signature both at the front and rear, by day as well as by night, equipped with Pure Vision full LED auto headlamps, LED tail lights, signature LED daytime running lights and automatic wipers.

Under the bonnet of the new Renault Megane GT is a 1.6 litre turbocharged fourcylinder engine offering 205Ps at 6,000rpm and 280Nm from 2,400rpm. The Energy TCe 205 petrol engine is mated to a 7-speed Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) auto transmission, getting it from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds (top speed 230 km/h).

The refined cockpit-style interior houses a slew of high-tech features; the dashboard has a 7” colour TFT instrument display, plus a 7” R-Link 2 system which works with an 8-speaker Arkamys 3D sound system.

Safety-wise, the model comes

with ESC, traction control, ABS, EBD, EBA and hill start assist as standard, and also fitted with six airbags and four rear parking sensors.

The Renault Megane GT is tagged at RM228,000 (OTR without insurance).

created. The 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol V8 powertrain produces 405Ps and 515Nm of torque, and accelerates from 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds (top speed 106mph). The V8 powertrain is complemented by an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission with sport mode, uprated brakes and handling kit (springs, dampers and anti-roll bars), plus exclusive 18” diamond-turned Sawtooth alloy wheels and 265/65 R18 all-terrain tyres.

In commemorating the anniversary here, Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia has released the last lot of Double Cab Defenders in limited commemorative special colours: black roof and rims for the Sicilian Yellow and Montalcino Red, and silver roof and rims for the Baltic Blue double cabs. Powered by a 2.2l Diesel engine and paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, it’s tagged at RM198,800 (inclusive of GST but excludes road tax, insurance and registration).

VINTAGE APPEAL

LAND ROVER DEFENDER WORKS V8 Land Rover UK celebrates its 70th anniversary by releasing a limited-edition high-performance version of the iconic Defender. The Defender Works V8 pays homage to the early high-powered engines in both the Series III Stage 1 V8 from 1979 and subsequent Defenders including the 50th Anniversary Edition, highly sought-after by collectors today.

Defender Works V8 is the most powerful and fastest version that Land Rover has ever

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GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT

A‘FAMOSA GOLF RESORT

AYER KEROH COUNTRY CLUB

BUKIT JALIL GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

STAFFIELD COUNTRY RESORT

BUKIT BERUNTUNG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Jalan Jalil Perkasa 3, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +603-8994 1600 Fax: +603-8994 1542 Email: jalil@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/jalil

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

1994, Bandar Bukit Beruntung, Mukim Serendah, Hulu Selangor, Selangor Tel: +603-6028 1841 Fax: +603-6028 1843 Email: vivabonanza@yahoo.com

KELAB DARUL EHSAN

BUKIT BANANG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

BUKIT UNGGUL COUNTRY CLUB

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

No. 1, Persiaran Gemilang, Bandar Banang Jaya 83000 Batu Pahat, Johor Tel: +607-428 6001 Fax: +607-428 6801 Email: banang@berjayaclubs.com Website: www.berjayaclubs.com/banang

2181, Mukim Dengkil, Daerah Sepang, 43807 Selangor Tel: +603-8920 2888 / 2188 Fax: +603-8926 7870 / 79 Email: info@bukitunggul.com Website: www.bukitunggul.com

CINTA SAYANG RESORT

DAIMAN 18 JOHOR BAHRU

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PT 673, Jalan Pulau Carey, Mukim Jugra, 42960 Pulau Carey, Selangor Tel: +603-3123 3888 / +6019-383 2233 Email: enquiries@amvertoncove.com Website: www.amvertoncove.com

Persiaran Cinta Sayang, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah Tel: +604-441 4666 Fax: +604-441 5600 Email: cintasayang@cintasayangresort.com Website: www.cintasayangresort.com

Jalan Kemus, Simpang Empat, 78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka Tel: +606-552 0555 Fax: +606-552 8751 Email: operations.golf@afamosa.com Website: www.afamosa.com

No.18, Jalan Pesona, Taman Johor Jaya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Tel: +607-351 6813 / 353 3100 Fax: +607-351 6823 Email: daiman18@daiman.com.my Website: www.daiman.com.

KM 14.5, Jalan Tasik, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka Tel: +606-233 2000 Fax: +606-232 3578 Email: info@akcc.com.my Website: www.akcc.com.my Facebook: fb.com/ayerkerohcc

Hala Damai 2, Jln Damai Laut, Off Jln Teluk Senangin, 32200 Lumut, Perak Tel: +605-684 3333 Fax: +605-618 3388 Email: reservation@sbdl.swissgarden.com Website: www.swissgarden.com

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DANAU GOLF CLUB

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Tel: +603-8925 1010 Fax: +8925 5326 Website: www.danaugolf.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DANAUGOLF

GLENMARIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

No 3, Jalan Usahawan U1/8, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7803 9090 Fax: +603-7803 2728 Email: info@glenmarie.com.my Website: www.glenmariegolf.com

No. 1 Jln Eka, Horizon Hills, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor Tel: +607-232 3166 Fax: +607-232 3919 Email: general@hhgcc.com.my Website: www.hhgcc.com.my

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

Bukit Kiara, Off Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +603-7957 3344 Fax: +603-7957 7821 Website: www.kgpagolf.com

Persiaran Damansara Indah, Off Persiaran Tropicana Indah, 47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Tel: 03-78061111/1666 Fax: 03-78061777 Email: marketing@seriselangor.com.my Website: www.seriselangor.com.my

KELAB RAHMAN PUTRA MALAYSIA

KOTA PERMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KOTA SERIEMAS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Jalan BRP 2/1, Bukit Rahman Putra, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor Tel: +603-6156 6870 Fax: +603-6156 0280 Email: krpm@krpm.com.my Website: www.krpm.com.my

No 1, Jalan 31/100A, Kota Kemuning Section 31, 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-5122 3700 Fax: +603-5122 3701/2/3 Email: kpgcc@kotapermai.com.my Website: www.kotapermai.com.my

No. 1, Persiaran Seriemas Golf, Kota Seriemas, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Tel: +606-790 9339 Email: reservation@pnbdevt.com Website: www.seriemasgolf.com

LABUAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB

MONTEREZ GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

NEXUS GOLF RESORT KARAMBUNAI

Jalan Sungai Pagar, 87000 Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan Tel: +6087-468468 Fax: +6087-468467 Email: reservations@ligc.com.my Website: www.ligc.com.my

No. 1, Jalan Merah Kesumba, U9/18, Seksyen U940000 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7846 5989 Fax: +603-7846 7881 Email: mgcc@monterez.com.my Website: www.monterez-golf.com

Locked Bag 101, 88993 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Tel: +6088-411 215 Fax: +6088-411 217 Email: info@karambunaigolf.com Website: www.karambunaigolf.com

IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

NEWS AND EVENTS @ www.pargolf.my ParGolf MARCH 2018

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GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

NILAI SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PALM GARDEN GOLF CLUB

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

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

Jalan Persiaran Golf, Off Jalan Jumbo, 81250 Senai, Johor Tel: +607-599 6222 Fax: +607-599 6001 Email: golfbooking@palmresort.com Website: www.palmresort.com

PENANG GOLF CLUB

PENANG GOLF RESORT

No. 2 Jalan Bukit Jambul, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang Tel: +604-644 2255 Fax: +604-644 9345 Email: reception@penanggolfclub.com.my Website: www.penanggolfclub.com.my

1687, Jalan Tun Hamdan Sheikh Tahir, 13200 Kepala Batas, Seberang Prai Utara, Penang Tel: +604-578 2022 Fax: +604-575 0226 Email: pgrb@penanggolfresort.com.my Website: www.penanggolfresort.com.my

IOI PALM VILLA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT PTD 44500, Jalan Indah Utama, Bandar Putra, 81000 Kulai, Johor Tel: +607-599 9099 Fax: +607-598 8101 Email: palmvilla@ioigroup.com Website: www.palmvilla.com.my

PONDEROSA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PULAI SPRINGS RESORT

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

No. 3, Jalan Ponderosa 1, Taman Ponderosa, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Tel: +607-354 9999 Fax: +607-355 7400 Email: enquiry@ponderosagolf.com Website: www.ponderosagolf.com

20km, Jalan Pontian Lama, 81110 Pulai, Johor Tel: +607-521 2121/075-521 2222 Fax: +607-521 1818 Email: golf@pulaisprings.com Website: www.pulaisprings.com

Saujana Golf & Country Club, Saujana Resort Seksyen U2, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7846 1466 Fax: +603-7846 2316 Email: golf@saujana.com.my Website: www.saujana.com.my Facebook: www.facebook.com/saujanagolfandcountryclub

SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

SUTERA HARBOUR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TANJONG PUTERI GOLF RESORT

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

1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard, Sutera Harbour, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Tel: +6088-308 194 Fax: +6088-243 471 Email: golfadmin@suteraharbour.com.my Website: www.suteraharbour.com

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

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TASIK PUTERI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TEMPLER PARK COUNTRY CLUB

THE ELS CLUB DESARU COAST

Bandar Tasik Puteri, 48000 Rawang, Selangor Tel: +603-6034 4721/4722, +6012-201 3375 Fax: +603-6034 4723 Website: www.tasikputerigolf.com

KM 21 Jalan Rawang, 48000 Rawang, Selangor Tel: +603-6091 9111/9630 Fax: +603-6091 9807 Email: mani_sp@tpcc.com.my Website: www.tpcc.com.my

PTD 8381, Jalan Desaru, Tanjung Penawar, 81930 Kota Tinggi, Johor Tel: +607-878 0000 Fax: +607-878 0011 Email: reservations@elsclubmalaysia.com Website: www.elsclubmalaysia.com www.desarucoast.com

THE ELS CLUB TELUK DATAI

TIARA MELAKA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

TROPICANA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

Jalan Teluk Datai, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah Tel: +604-959 2700 Fax: +604-959 2216 Email: reservations@elsclubmalaysia.com Website: www.elsclubmalaysia.com

Jalan Gapam, Bukit Katil, P.O Box 473, 75760 Melaka Tel: +606-231 1111 Fax: +606-231 4122 Email: tmgcc1@gmail.com Website: www.lion.com.my

Jalan Kelab Tropicana, Tropicana Golf & Country Resort, 47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Tel: +603-7804 8888 Fax: +603-7804 3688 Email: gm@tropicanagolf.com Website: www.tropicanagolf.com

GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

GOLF COURSE DIRECTORY

IS NOW ONLINE!

AMVERTON COVE GOLF & ISLAND RESORT

A‘FAMOSA GOLF RESORT

KELAB GOLF PERKHIDMATAN AWAM

KELAB GOLF SERI SELANGOR

KOTA PERMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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

Bukit Kiara, Off Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur Tel: +603-7957 3344 Fax: +603-7957 7821 Website: www.kgpagolf.com

Persiaran Damansara Indah, Off Persiaran Tropicana Indah,47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan Tel: 03-78061111/1666 Fax: 03-78061777 Email: marketing@seriselangor.com.my Website: www.seriselangor.com.my

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

DAMAI LAUT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

KOTA SERIEMAS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

LABUAN INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB

MONTEREZ GOLF & COUNTRY 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

No. 1, Jalan Merah Kesumba, U9/18, Seksyen U940000 Shah Alam, Selangor Tel: +603-7846 5989 Fax: +603-7846 7881 E-mail: mgcc@monterez.com.my Website: www.monterez-golf.com

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

Jalan Kemus, Simpang Empat, 78000 Alor Gajah, Melaka Tel: +606-552 0555 Fax: +606-552 8751 Email: operations.golf@afamosa.com Website: www.afamosa.com

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

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

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

DANAU GOLF CLUB

KELAB DARUL EHSAN

BUKIT BANANG GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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

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

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Tel: +603-8925 1010 Fax: +8925 5326 Website: www.danaugolf.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/DANAUGOLF

GLENMARIE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

HORIZON HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

IMPIAN GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PONDEROSA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

PULAI SPRINGS RESORT

SAUJANA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

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

Batu 14, Jln Cheras, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Tel: +603-8734 4195/96/97 Fax: +603-8734 8133 Website: www.igcc.com.my

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

20km, Jalan Pontian Lama, 81110 Pulai, Johor Tel: +607-521 2121 Fax: +607-521 1818 E-mail: golf@pulaisprings.com Website: www.pulaisprings.com

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

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

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No. 1, Persiaran Seriemas Golf, Kota Seriemas, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Tel: +606 790 9339 E-mail: reservation@pnbdevt.com Website: www.seriemasgolf.com

NILAI SPRINGS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

ORNA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

IOI PALM VILLA GOLF & COUNTRY RESORT

PT 4770, Nilai Springs, 71800 Putra Nilai, Negeri Sembilan Tel: +606-850 8888 Fax: +606-850 3005/3388 Website: www.nilaispringsgolf.com.my

Batu 16, Jln Gapam, Ladang Gapam 77200 Bemban, Melaka Tel: +606-521 0333 Fax: +606-521 0222 Website: www.ornaresort.com.my

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

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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 KELAB GOLF MAKTAB TENTERA DIRAJA (9 holes) Tel: 603 - 9058 7212 ROYAL SELANGOR GC (45 holes) Tel: 603 - 9206 3333 TPC KUALA LUMPUR (36 holes) Tel: 603 - 2093 1111 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 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 KUALA KUBU BHARU GCC (18 holes) Tel: 603 - 6064 2887 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 (18 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

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JOHOR AUSTIN HEIGHTS GCR (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 JOHOR GCC (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 223 3322 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 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 ELS CLUB DESARU COAST (45 holes) Tel: 607 - 878 0000 THE LEGENDS GCR (27 holes) Tel: 607 - 652 4388 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 NEGERI SEMBILAN GEMAS GR (18 holes) Tel: 607 - 948 2687 KOTA SERIEMAS GCC (18 holes) Tel: 606 - 790 7392 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

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 PULAU PINANG BUKIT JAWI GR (36 holes) Tel: 604 - 582 0759 MOUNTAIN VIEW GR (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 583 3777 PENANG GOLF CLUB (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 644 2255 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 (18 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 PERLIS PUTRA PERLIS GC (18 holes) Tel: 604 - 976 9660 UUM GOLF & RECREATION CLUB (9 holes) Tel: 604 - 928 2684 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 SIBUGA GC (9 holes) Tel: 6013 - 854 9668 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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E C I O H C S ’ PEOPLE S D R A W A 2018

t s o m l A * The VOTES Are IN !

Winners of the ParGolf People’s Choice Awards 2018 will be revealed come March 30, 2018!

Log on to www.pargolf.my for updates. (*voting ends March 10, 2018)

CATEGORIES Best Overall Golf Experience Best F&B – Golfer’s Terrace Best Maintained Golf Course Best F&B – Halfway Hut Most Improved Golf Course Best Corporate Tournament Venue Most Challenging Golf Course Best Championship Layout Most Scenic Golf Course Best Clubhouse Best Greens Best Customer Service

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FINAL TEE

©Warren Little/Getty Images

‘Big Easy’ to drive XXIO awareness as global ambassador South African legend Ernie Els has signed on as global ambassador for XXIO, one of three golf equipment brands under Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI).

Nicknamed 'The Big Easy' for his smooth, easy swing which gels perfectly with the XXIO brand, Els has four Majors to his name and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.

“I’m proud to be on board as XXIO’s new global ambassador. Srixon and Cleveland are successful brands in golf, with a proven track record, and I’m familiar with the company’s products, so that’s an easy fit for me. In fact, I won both my US Opens using Cleveland wedges and I’ve always loved those clubs,” said the 48-year-old Els.

“XXIO is perhaps a less familiar name in certain parts of the world ... but trust me, this company is really going places! They’ve been the No 1 equipment company in Japan over the past 17 years, now the market leader in Korea and New Zealand, and the growth has been dramatic. I’ve been talking to the guys there a lot over the past few months. They have a range of high-end, high-quality products and some innovative technologies that help the average golfer get more out of their game,” added the Johannesburg native.

Els noted that he was looking forward to assisting in XXIO’s product development and international brand awareness. He will play with Srixon, Cleveland Golf and XXIO equipment as well as carry a XXIO bag.

Sentosa promotes junior golf and Newell takes sustainability with #KeepItGreen campaign on USGA president’s post Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore has launched a The R&A’s director for Asia-Pacific, Dominic unique #KeepItGreen campaign designed to increase awareness of the game amongst youngsters as well as draw attention to sustainable practices in golf.

Supported by The R&A, #KeepItGreen was unveiled by rising Malaysian star Gavin Green on the eve of January’s SMBC Singapore Open at Sentosa’s Serapong Course. The club, in association with the Singapore Golf Association, offered free rounds to local juniors for every green in regulation that Green hit during the tournament.

Green, the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, noted: “I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to look up to people like Jeev (Milkha Singh) when I was very young, and more recently Kiradech (Aphibarnrat). Having role models like these as a young golfer in Asia was really valuable, and I hope I can now do the same for many more because golf gives so much, and I’m really living my dream out here.”

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Wall, lauded Sentosa for the initiative. “In light of our partnership with Sentosa Golf Club, and it being the location of our Asian headquarters, it’s great to see the team here really drawing attention to two matters that we take very seriously as an organisation. Growing the game in Asia is a must to secure the sport’s longevity, and shining a light on the need for sustainability in our game is also a very contemporary issue that isn’t addressed enough,” he said.

Sentosa’s general manager and director of agronomy, Andy Johnston, added: “#KeepItGreen targets very relevant issues that relate not just to the game but those which are having a massive bearing for the future. Creating a legacy with events like the SMBC Singapore Open is such an important part of making a difference and encouraging change, and we’re confident that our message will resonate amongst the local community, and the wider international audience.”

Mark Newell was elected to serve a one-year term as the 65th president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) during the association’s annual meeting in Miami Beach, Florida on February 3.

Newell will lead the 15-member volunteer USGA executive committee, which provides strategic direction and oversight to the association's full-time management and staff.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the game of golf as USGA president, and to champion our staff’s work to lead, grow and sustain our sport,” said Newell. “We are at an exciting time in golf’s evolution, and our collective focus on ensuring its future has never been stronger.”

Newell, now in his eighth year with the executive committee, has chaired the Rules of Golf committee since 2013. During that time, he has been a leading force behind the USGA’s joint initiative with The R&A to modernise golf’s Rules. He also spent four years as co-chair of the USGA/ R&A initiative that led to the development of the World Handicap System, which is scheduled to debut in 2020.

Four new members were elected to the 2018 executive committee at the annual meeting, including threetime Major winner and former World No 1 Nick Price.

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Heavy hoist for inaugural US Senior Women’s Open champion The US Senior Women’s Open Championship Trophy, unveiled during the United States Golf Association’s annual meeting in early February, will be the heaviest of the four USGA Open championship trophies.

The 22-inch-tall trophy weighs 13 pounds and will be presented to the winner of the inaugural championship which tees off this July 12-15 at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois.

“The US Senior Women’s Open Championship is a key milestone for the game, and this trophy is an iconic, fitting symbol of what this championship represents,” said Mike Davis, USGA CEO/executive director. “We look forward to presenting it to a true champion at Chicago Golf Club following what will surely be an exciting week of golf providing the ultimate test to the finest senior women’s players in the world.”

The sterling silver trophy encompasses both the distinctive history and prominence of women’s golf as well as its exciting future. The design elements include a number of symbolic characteristics:

• Intergenerational inspiration: The olive leaves, which adorn the body, diminish in size and represent the intergenerational nature of the championship.

• Commitment: The prominence of the USGA’s seal symbolises the organisation’s commitment to women’s golf and the role women have played in the game’s history.

• Grandest stage: The ornate scroll and spiral elements of the two handles follow the theme of female energy, growth and evolution, and signify the recognition of the champion on the grandest stage in senior women’s golf.

• Openness: The pineapple, a symbol of hospitality, friendship and generosity, crowns the trophy, representing that the championship is open to all.

• Foundational: The round beads that encircle the base of the trophy denote femininity and celebrate the significant contributions to the growth and evolution of the game made by women.

Loch Lomond is The Spirit of The Open Award-winning independent Scotch whisky distiller Loch Lomond has signed a five-year partnership with The Open championship.

The partnership also includes support of the Ricoh Women’s British Open and will showcase the full range of Loch Lomond Whiskies, while the distiller’s range of single malts will become ‘The Spirit of The Open’.

Whisky and golf are recognised as being among Scotland’s most famous

products. Studies suggest that there is a Lomond Whiskies can trace its roots back to close affinity between the two industries the Littlemill distillery which was established with many golf fans also demonstrating a in 1772 and is one of the oldest in the passion for Scotch. As part of the world. Colin Matthews, CEO of Loch partnership with The Open, Loch Lomond Lomond Group, took ownership of the will create a variety of limited editions, business in March 2014 with the backing of aimed at both golf fans and whisky London-based Exponent Private Equity. aficionados alike.

“We are extremely proud to have “Loch Lomond Whiskies has a strong agreed this prestigious partnership and international reputation for achieving the association with The R&A for The Open and highest standards of excellence and was a the Ricoh Women’s British Open. There is natural choice to become a new partner of an incredibly strong alignment between the The Open and the Ricoh Women’s British worlds of whisky and golf, two of Scotland’s Open,” said The R&A’s chief executive most iconic gifts to the world,” said Martin Slumbers. “We will be working Matthews. closely with Loch Lomond Whiskies over the duration of this partnership to introduce an inspiring range of activities which demonstrate The R&A’s shared desire to offer golf fans the very best experience at our championships.”

The partnership runs until 2022 and includes the playing of the landmark 150th Open in 2021 at St Andrews, the home of golf.

This year’s 147th Open takes place at Carnoustie Don't be ridiculous! on July 19-22.

There's no such thing as a "ball magnet".

Founded in 1814, Loch

TEE TO GRIN

ParGolf MARCH 2018

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FINALROUND NEXT TEE

Wonderful Wellington

Jonathan Ponniah travels way down south to the Kiwi capital of Wellington and finds out why it’s rated one of the world’s most liveable – and windiest – cities.

Photo by Rob Suisted

Note: The Wellington feature is being carried forward from this issue due to space constraints.

RORY’S POWER

THE MASTERS

JUNIOR GOLF

Major mania – well, for men – tees off with The Masters at Augusta National on April 5-8. Mike Wilson rates the chances of defender Sergio Garcia as well as the posse of contenders for the coveted Green Jacket.

©Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

©Harry How/Getty Images

©Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images

Rick Currin dissects the powerful swing of Rory McIlroy, one of the game's best ball-strikers.

Is golf really losing traction among the younger generations? Not so, according to recent participation figures in junior events and academy programmes.

DON’T MISS OUT ON PARGOLF’S APRIL 2018 ISSUE ...

AND THAT’S NO JOKE! 96

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