SGB Golf May 17

MASTERS SPECIAL: Garcia wins Green Jacket at last May 2017

“Connecting the Golf Industry”

Women and children, please Italy Ryder Cup green light American Golf showtime Lamkin’s FLAT CAT deal TGI Golf’s Turkish delight AW17 apparel showcase

DECONSTRUCTED: Sergio’s TaylorMade tool kit…

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First Words Paul Trow

A

fter 22 top-10 finishes in major championships spanning almost two decades, Sergio Garcia has certainly paid his dues en route to joining golf’s elite.

For that reason, along with his heroic contributions to numerous European Ryder Cup causes, the 37-year-old Spaniard’s victory in the Masters has proved extremely popular on this side of the Atlantic. Sports fans love a talented underdog, particularly one who has worked hard along the way. But in America as well as Europe, Garcia is now a firm favourite with the golfing public.

Yet this was not always the case. Indeed, the thrilling, teenaged El Nino, who chased Tiger Woods all the way in the 1999 USPGA Championship at Medinah, took a long time to grow up.

Those with long memories will recall his embarrassing kicking away of an ill-fitting golf shoe after a bad tee shot in the British PGA Championship at Wentworth. Then, wearing a ridiculous yellow shirt, he capitulated to Woods in the final group on Sunday in the 2006 Open at Hoylake (remember the ‘Cat ate the canary’ headlines?). And his petulant reaction to losing out on two major titles to Padraig Harrington – the 2007 Open at Carnoustie in a play-off and the USPGA a year later at Oakland Hills – certainly didn’t go down well either.

But his image had undergone a makeover long before last month’s blossoming amongst the azaleas and dogwood of Augusta National. In addition to regular victories while sticking to a schedule straddling both the PGA and European tours, Garcia kept plugging away in the Ryder Cup. He is also happy to play in Australia, South Africa and the Far East, and

remains fiercely loyal to tournaments, often with small purses, in his native Spain.

In truth, his temperament had matured long before he met his fiancée and muse, the Golf Channel reporter Angela Akins, but it was a mellowing tinged with a loss of self-belief. Despite the frequent top-10s, he continued to bear an air of resignation at the Majors.

But the manner of his recovery during the final round of the Masters, in the face of some superb golf from playing partner Justin Rose, has put that diffidence well and truly to bed. I, for one, will be amazed if he doesn’t win at least one more Major before he turns 40.

And despite Rose’s obvious disappointment at letting slip a coveted Green Jacket, we must hope he doesn’t dwell on the disappointment for long. His play at Augusta was magnificent and he has all the credentials to add to his 2013 US Open triumph, perhaps in pursuit of the Claret Jug in July at Royal Birkdale where he tied fourth as a 17-year-old in 1999.

Before then, we will all have a chance to embrace National Golf Month, a coordinated initiative which runs throughout May with widespread media and celebrity support. Its aim, apart from promoting the game and its health benefits, is to introduce at least 100,000 women to golf. At present, only 14 per cent of UK club members are female – a figure that is far too low in its own right and also harms golf’s attempts to rebrand itself as a family sport.

Let’s hope everyone involved in running the game throws his (and her) weight behind this worthy cause.

Enjoy the read!

Editor: Paul Trow n Tel: 07973 862747 n email: ptrow76780@aol.com Advertising: Pete Simmons n Tel: 07827 995 080 n email: simmogolf@icloud.com

Contents / May 2017 04 News

10 Company News

Sergio’s SuperStroke

Lamkin’s FLAT CAT deal

06 News

12 Equipment News

SkyTrak’s Crown filling

08 Feature

New NS wedges shaft

14 Showcase

Women’s golf analysis

AW17 Apparel ranges

09 Preview

16 Governing bodies

National Golf Month

BGIA annual gathering

PUBLISHED BY: Silverback Publishing Ltd Publisher: Tom Saunders Managing Director: Andrew Crispin

17 PGA News

Captain Heggarty

18 Q&A

Ian Waddicar of Golftech

20 Q&A

Graham Webb of PGE

22 People News

Bjorn’s Shire captaincy

23 Travel News

Travel Trade Club latest

24 Feature

PowaKaddy’s Compact C2

25 News

Italy Ryder Cup confirmed

26 Mulligan

‘Lexi’ rule rushed through DESIGN BY: Keith Wood, Hype Creative SUBSCRIBE: subscriptions@sgbgolf.co.uk

Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of SGB Golf, the editor or publisher do not accept any liability for inaccuracies. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Publication of advertisements and information does not imply recommendation. Publication of submitted items will be at the discretion of the editor. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the directors of the company

03_Contents.indd 1

02/05/2017 16:40

NEWS

S

ergio Garcia took hold of his first Major title at the 74th attempt with the help of SuperStroke S-Tech club and putter grips.

The 37-year-old Spaniard, who has a blue and yellow 1.0P prototype grip on his putter, sealed the Green Jacket by holing from 10 feet for a birdie on the first extra hole.

“There’s nothing more important than feel when it comes to selecting a golf grip,” said Garcia.

“SuperStroke gives me confidence in every shot and putt I take.”

Tony Fletcher, sales manager for UK distributors Brand Fusion, said: “We’re delighted Sergio has finally achieved the victory his outstanding talent deserves and has also won SuperStroke its second Green Jacket in three years [following Jordan Spieth in 2015].” www.brandfusionltd.co.uk www.superstrokeusa.com *Nippon Shaft won its second Major in nine months when Garcia used the N.S.PRO MODUS Tour 130 X flex steel shafts in his irons and wedges. www.nipponshaft.com

SUPERSTROKE SERGIO SEALS HIS DEAL

FOREMOST STAGES POPULAR WORKSHOPS

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undreds of Foremost Golf professionals attended the retail and marketing group’s spring workshops throughout the UK in February and March.

Delegates focused on improving margin, stock turns and profit as well as how to strengthen their position within the golf club.

Peter Durham, Foremost’s head of membership services, and Mark Hopkins, Crossover Technologies’ IT sales manager, headed the presentations.

Topics included a new retail and coaching programme, an update to the membership engagement programme and a 10-minute mystery

shopper survey to identify customer service strengths and weaknesses.

The rest of Foremost’s 2017 education programme includes workshops on sales training, staff development, and stock, finance and EPOS best practice.

Each Foremost workshop carries 25 CPD points. *Foremost members are enjoying record dividend and share increases. Along with a dividend of 16p per share for 2016, members have benefited from annual growth of 14 per cent – an increase from £1 per share since the scheme started in 2004 to the current value of £3.76. www.foremostgolf.com www.crossovertec.co.uk

GREENBACKS FOR GREEN JACKET

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he Masters green jacket that was bought for $5 in a Canadian charity shop in 1994 and subsequently sold to British golf journalist Dominic Pedler has been auctioned for $139,349.

The green colour of the jacket, and its iconic breast patch, went unnoticed in the shop until spotted by an avid golfer who knew exactly what it was.

“It’s a story straight out of a Hollywood movie,” said auctioneer Ryan Carey. “Whose green jacket is this? That’s what everyone wants to know.”

The jacket itself reveals few clues. The internal tagging dates it to the 1950s, but the original owner’s name has been cut out. Augusta National has

confirmed its authenticity but refuses to speculate on who it belonged to.

Green jackets were first worn by club members from 1937 and the green jacket of 1934 and 1936 Masters champion Horton Smith was sold at auction for $682,229 in 2013.

The winning bidder’s identity remains a secret, but it is possible that the Augusta National club bought it back themselves.

After rip-off fees were paid to the auctioneers and other middle men, Pedler, who loaned the jacket to Golf International magazine for a photoshoot in 2007 with model Jodie Kidd, received just under $100,000.

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Club Fitting, Tuition and Play

FOR ALL GOLF PROFESSIONALS

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VTISINGG T R TIN DVE

“ SkyTrak has proved itself emphatically”

A POR SUPSALES

Sam Pleshette, Crown Golf

“Astounding” Martyn Hamer, Davyhulme Park

“ SkyTrak has been brilliant” Matt Blake, Dyrham Park

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26/04/2017 12:14 19:36 21/04/2017

NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF n FootJoy has introduced ENERGIZE, a lightweight athletic shoe that delivers enhanced stability, flexibility, durability and style. It features leather uppers, a moulded midsole, a rubber outsole, six TourLock pulsar cleats and a one-year waterproof warranty. SRP: £95(laced), £110 (closure system). www.footjoy.co.uk

PGA professional Jason Murray using SkyTrak at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Surrey

CROWN FILLING FROM SKYTRAK

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n Galvin Green’s ‘virtually weightless’ BOW shell layer jacket weighs just 107gms – slightly more than two golf balls (92gms) – and is totally windproof, water repellent and breathable. An ultra-thin membrane is laminated to an abrasion-resistant textile layer to create a microporous garment.

Designed with a high collar and fitted cuffs, the BOW is also very packable. Available in three colour options, it can be worn in conjunction with warm, cool or base layers. RRP: £200. S-3XL. www.galvingreen.com

rown Golf has installed SkyTrak launch monitors at 22 venues after a year-long trial.

SkyCaddie will also supply each venue with a portable net to enable indoor custom-fitting in function rooms and golf academies.

SkyTrak, which is part of the SkyCaddie product family, offers a realistic and real-time practice and play system which connects wirelessly to iPad or PC. Sam Pleshette, Crown Golf’s group retail manager, said: “At the trial clubs, our staff used SkyTrak in 90 per cent of fittings – most of which were indoors. Not only did SkyTrak contribute to sales, but it also helped to engage staff with customers. It was this which convinced us that SkyTrak was the right solution

across all our venues. It also has the potential to keep people at the golf club even in bad weather or at night.”

SkyCaddie’s UK and European sales manager James Holmes said: “This is an opportunity for SkyTrak to show that a professional-level golf launch monitor and simulator is available at an accessible price, making multi-venue purchases possible and giving golfers and PGA pros the data they need.

“However, as time passes we hope venues will dig deeper into its potential as an indoor golf entertainment system during bad weather, or perhaps after the sun goes down.” www.crown-golf.co.uk www.skytrakgolf.com www.skycaddie.co.uk

LAWRIE LIVENS SCOTTISH

PITCH SEEKING ANOTHER PATCH

n The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles will be held from September 13-15. The biennial women’s match-play event between Europe and the United States was last held in Scotland in 2000.

The Gleneagles bid was led by Visit Scotland in conjunction with the Scottish government. The 2017 match will take place at Des Moines in Iowa, United States from August 18-20.

he owners of an indoor golf centre that opened in the City of London in January hope to develop a second site in the capital later this year.

Pitch Golf Studio in Bishopsgate has three simulators and a widescreen VIP suite equipped with Foresight Sports launch monitors, and employs seven PGA professionals offering lessons and custom-fitting five days a week.

“Since opening in January, we’ve been packed out every weekday from 8am to 9pm, so now we’re searching for another studio to open this year that can cater for weekend trade too,” said co-director Elliot Godfrey. www.pitchldn.co.uk www.foresightsports.eu

n Live scoring pioneer VPAR will install its tournament management system at five Macdonald Hotels & Resorts’ golf courses across the UK and four in Spain. The web-based technology enables each venue to generate additional revenue streams by offering customers the opportunity to position leaderboards around the clubhouse and online, and build live scoring and handicap management into golf days. www.vpar.com www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk

GOLF SHOW

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he organisers of the 2017 Scottish Golf Show have hailed this year’s event at the SEC in Glasgow as a resounding success.

More than 17,000 people attended across three days with former Open champion Paul Lawrie and Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher among those to take part.

“We are very fortunate to have not only the support of golf’s biggest brands but also the knowledgeable Scottish golfing public,” said event manager Julia Girvan, who confirmed that next year’s show will take place from March 23-25 at the same venue. www.thescottishgolfshow.co.uk

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n Huxley Golf exhibited at the China Golf Show in Shanghai for the first time this spring. Director Paul Huxley said: “The political landscape in China means that, surprisingly, golf remains a fledgling sport. However, after bringing home China’s first Olympic golf medal from Rio last year, interest in the sport continues to grow, particularly amongst young people.” www.huxleygolf.com n UK golfers have until the end of June to get up to £80 off a new SkyCaddie via a trade-in offer.

Any make or model of laser or GPS device – even if broken – can be taken to a PGA pro by June 30 and traded up to a new SkyCaddie Linx GT at £50 off RRP, or a new SkyCaddie Touch at£80 off RRP. The old devices handed in during the trade-in period cannot be re-used or returned, as they will be recycled by SkyCaddie. www.skycaddie.co.uk

n A new 18-hole course, The Dye London near Edgware, has been granted planning permission.

Created by Perry Dye and funded by Tony MenaiDavis, who opened the Seve Ballesteros-designed Shire London in nearby Barnet ten years ago, The Dye London will stretch to more than 7,000 yards off the back tees.

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PROS PEAK WITH FORESIGHT

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ome 160 PGA professionals completed the first Foresight Sports’ PEAK Training courses to learn how to maximise the launchmonitor technology.

Three seminars, hosted by Foresight’s PEAK director of education and former PGA of Canada teacher of the year Liam Mucklow, demonstrated how to increase coaching and club fitting revenues by understanding and using trustworthy data.

Using the GCQuad launch monitor and GC2+HMT combination, Mucklow showed how accurately Foresight Sports’ technology measures ball and clubhead data.

Each pro to complete one of the courses – held at Bromsgrove Golf Centre in the West Midlands, Moor Allerton Golf Club near Leeds and The Drift Golf Club in Surrey – was also credited with 25 CPD points.

“The response we’ve had to our first PEAK training days has been very positive and we aim to repeat them in the autumn,” said Foresight Sports’ marketing manager Tom Jarrett-Kerr. “Liam is one of the world’s best golf coaches and he has allowed us to deliver what we believe to be the most comprehensive launch-monitor education programme available.” www.foresightsports.com/peak

AMERICAN GOLF SUCCESS AT EXCEL

THE GENIUS OF GOLFSIXES

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housands of visitors attended the recent free American Golf show at the ExCeL arena in London’s Docklands.

With the emphasis on encouraging women to take up golf in advance of National Golf Month, the stage was hosted

by TV celebrity Denise Van Outen while demonstrations were given by Ladies European Tour players Sophie Walker, Amy Boulden, Carly Booth and Elizabeth Mallett. “It was great to meet so many people who love the game and to get out among the crowd giving hints and tips,” Walker said. “We can’t wait to do it all again at the end of the month at Manchester Event City [April 28-30].”

Daniel Gathercole, American Golf’s director of marketing and communications, said: “Our show last year was a toe in the water. With this year’s London Show, and Manchester at the end of April, we’ve jumped in at the deep end and the result so far has been fantastic.

The brands have all impressed with their enthusiasm and our charity, On Course Foundation, did an incredible job of staffing the skills challenge while raising a lot of money for their fantastic cause.”

World trick-shot champion Geoff Swain was also in attendance at the show, which was held in association with the European Tour and Sky Sports. www.americangolf.co.uk

U

S software company Golf Genius is to offer a version of the European Tour’s recently unveiled GolfSixes format to clubs across the UK. This short form of the game, which consists of pairs playing greensomes matchplay over six holes, will debut on the European Tour from May 6-7 at the Centurion Club in St Albans.

The event will feature two-man teams from 16 nations split into four groups of four on the first day with three points awarded for winning a match and one point for a draw. The top two teams from each group will then progress to the knockout stages on the second day.

Golf Genius international sales director Craig Higgs said: “While the launch of GolfSixes by the European Tour is great for golf as a whole, it’s also a chance for us to showcase the flexible nature of Golf Genius.

“It’s important for clubs to be forward thinking with their approach to members’ competitions. With Golf Genius, they can choose from literally hundreds of fun and unique formats.”

Golf Genius provides cloud-based software for events ranging from corporate golf days to club swindles. www.golfgenius.com

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Of course, BLADE QUATTRO includes all the classic and practical features of the BIG MAX Trolley Family and offers a luxurious High Tech Smart Organizer Panel with an ergonomic scorecard holder.

www.bigmaxgolf.com | office@golftech.at

04_News.indd 5

26/04/2017 12:02

INSIGHT

WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST

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any numbers are quoted whenever the question is asked, how many people play golf in the UK and Ireland?

The figures vary wildly – from a broad-brush high of four million, which covers everyone from regular golfers to once-a-year pitch-and-putt players, down to 488,000 club members according to Sport England research.

Other random statistics to catch the eye are impressively exact, though not necessarily compatible – 678,372 club golfers in the UK, 738,200 weekly golfers, 1,115,800 monthly golfers, 49,084 club members in Wales, 199,764 club members in Scotland... and so it goes on.

One irrefutable constant in all of this, though, is that just 14 per cent of all these totals, however you cut and shuffle them, are women. Factor in an average of eight per cent for juniors across the UK and we are left with an all-male rump of 78 per cent.

This is the worst gender ratio in northern Europe by miles, and is compounded by the fact that the UK and Ireland collectively have almost as many golf clubs as the rest of the continent put together.

UK golf clubs, with just 94,138 lady members, are comfortably outstripped by Germany (222,581), Holland (123,410), Sweden (123,427) and France (103,802). And smaller golf markets like Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia have similar male-female ratios (between 65:35 and 70:30).

National Golf Month will prioritise the game’s need to become more appealing to women and, by extrapolation, families. Certainly, everyone involved in this initiative is acutely aware that a crossroad has been reached and if the number of female participants continues to languish then the game as a whole, with its chronically ageing demographic, will be impossible to sustain at its current level.

So, are we on the brink of change? Sadly, it is hard to detect much significant change in recent times. True, Muirfield golf club recently voted to dispense with its male-only members’ policy, but only after the R&A threatened it with no longer hosting the Open. Even then, nearly a fifth of the membership voted to maintain the status quo, suggesting the argument is still far from won.

The last time Muirfield hosted the Open in 2013, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond refused to attend. And before the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers went to the polls for a second time in 12 months, current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described its gender position as “simply indefensible”.

But the non-golfing world should not get carried away by the Muirfield anomaly despite the resentment it has caused.

Less than one per cent of UK clubs have a single-sex policy today and it shouldn’t be long before that figure reduces to zero.

The key perception,

rightly or wrongly, is that the backwoodsmen are communicating to women who might take up the game that it remains a masculine citadel and they simply are not welcome.

It thus requires a huge effort by both genders to broker the change that is so desperately needed. So the next question is, what can men do?

A recent report claimed men can play a huge role in encouraging women to participate in golf. It seems one reason women take up the game is the influence of a male peer or relative (think Charley Hull and Florentyna Parker). One in two male golfers say their sons often play golf, but just 12 per cent say their daughters play. Why is that? Are fathers taking the time to encourage their daughters as well as their sons?

The report also found that only a quarter of male golfers are interested in playing casual golf with women, and only one in two women who play golf do so because of influence from a male partner. Staggeringly, 78 per cent of male players said their partners do not play.

Work, family commitments and genuine lack of interest are all reasons why women give golf a miss, but it is also likely that husbands and boyfriends simply assume it is a sport for men and make little attempt to encourage or entice their partners to join them.

Alison Root, the editor of Women & Golf magazine, said: “In most other European

countries, golfers join as a family and more often than not they play as a family. That is why countries like Germany and Sweden have such a high percentage of female players.”

So what does the future hold? Last year, England Golf found that the average club has 25 members under the age of 16, but less than three are female. Again, despite having a golf market fit for mass junior participation in the UK, we lag behind numerous European countries, many relatively new to the game. Consider this... 45 per cent of all Turkey’s golfers are juniors. In Greece, it is 32 per cent while Serbia (27 per cent), Slovakia (24 per cent) and Latvia (23 per cent) all look well-placed for the long term.

The UK’s eight per cent adds up to 56,205 junior golfers at the last count, but strangely the percentages in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands are lower.

In addition to National Golf Month, the campaign to increase female participation is buoyed

by Golf for Girls, run by Hays Recruitment, and #ThisGirlGolfs, inspired by Sport England’s #ThisGirlCan mantra. The Parliamentary Golf Group is also on message, so let’s not forget that more than half of all those eligible to vote in the forthcoming General Election is female.

This article was compiled using a guest post from Golf Support – written and researched in association with Journalistic

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GROWING THE GAME

NEWS

GOLF’S CHARM OFFENSIVE

Forget the Open and the Masters. The most important event of the golfing calendar is National Golf Month.

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or a fourth successive year, this initiative will do its utmost to drum up enthusiasm for a sport that, let’s face it, is currently in the doldrums in terms of participant numbers and retail spend.

Spearheading the charm offensive is project director Doug Poole, a PGA professional to his fingertips and a golf industry veteran with the good of the game very much at heart.

Ably backed by a phalanx of celebrities, the British Golf Industry Association and other governing bodies, not to mention thousands of supportive PGA professionals, Poole has once again got the show on the road.

The emphasis this year more than ever will be on attracting women to the game and, by extension, their children. Golf as a game for the family! Also, golf as a way of keeping fit and healthy, and living longer!

The article opposite bemoans the fact that only 14 per cent of UK and Ireland club golfers are female, especially when the numbers are so much higher

in other northern European countries.

Clearly something must be done if golf is not to wither on the vine. So fair play to the Parliamentary Golf Group headed by Karl McCartney, MP, pop stars Niall Horan (One Direction) and Brian McFadden (Westlife), TV presenters Dan Walker, Naga Munchetty and Georgie Bingham, and top players Paul McGinley, Mel Reid and Charley Hull (pictured below left) for their voluntary support.

“The aim is to get people to try golf in May,” Poole said.

“Last year we had a reach of 30 million people thanks to our media supporters. We know 140,000 people have tried golf during our previous three years. This year’s target is 100,000, including 50,000 women, to have a go through free taster sessions. At present women represent only 11-15 per cent of the UK market, compared with 25 per cent on the continent and 35 per cent in Germany. Also, the average age of a golf-club member is 64 – not good for our industry.

“Increased participation from women will increase family participation because they’ll bring their children along, especially in the school holidays.

“Our media support is again coming from Bauer Media (owners of Golf World and Today’s Golfer magazines) who are running our 30-second ad free across 30 radio stations.

We also have a presence in a variety of non-golf publications like Top Santé.

“Foremost Golf, with more than 1,000 member pros, is on board and American Golf is supporting with events in-store and at its shows. OGRO, BIGGA, GCMA, Sport England and Mediadrive will all be proactive and we will have a strong

presence on social media – #GirlsGetGolfing.

“A lot of people get intimidated by golf, but it’s a great social game and has a wellbeing message – for instance, you take 10,000 steps while out on a course.

“The month runs from our nationwide launch on April 26 and social-media thunderclap two days later through to International Women’s Golf Day – June 6. Alas, we couldn’t launch outside the Houses of Parliament this year. The recent terrorism ruled it out and anyway Parliament has now been dissolved for the forthcoming General Election.

“Even though National Golf Month is now in full swing, there’s still time for everyone in the golf industry to get involved and for pros to create innovative taster sessions to bring our sport to new audiences.”

Golf clubs, centres and pros can upload free opportunities for new and lapsed players to try golf by visiting www. nationalgolfmonth.com *Two free-to-attend shows hosted by American Golf in April – at ExCeL London and Manchester Event City – played their part in launching National Golf Month.

In addition to Poole, other NGM ambassadors present at both shows were marketing expert Felicity Dunderdale and fitness guru Linda Segerstam (all three are pictured right), other NGM ambassadors present at both shows were the fitness and Pilates guru Linda Segerstam and marketing expert Felicity Dunderdale.

Dunderdale said: “Golf is a fantastic game for women, and couples. But little things which can be easily fixed put off too many women.”

Segerstam said: “A round of

golf can burn 500 calories and it’s a sport you can play well into later life. For women, it can be a great social experience, too.” *fibodo, an online consumer marketplace used by more than 1,000 pros, is helping to maximise their clients’ availability during the month.

Anthony Franklin, fibodo’s CEO and founder, said: “It only takes a few minutes to post free trial sessions on the National Golf Month website.

So anyone looking to try golf this May will be able to search for these trial sessions.” fibodo then automatically arranges confirmations and reminders, and processes payments.

Poole said: “Research shows that each new female golfer spends £750. So if just 10 per cent of women visiting fibodo’s website decide to take up the sport, it would generate an additional £4m for the game.

That shows there’s a real business case for pros and clubs to help girls get golfing.” www.fibodo.com www.nationalgolfmonth.com

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SGB man

COMPANY

NEWS

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amkin has signed an exclusive deal with Winston Products to distribute its FLAT CAT putter grips worldwide.

“The Lamkin name is synonymous with quality and character and we are thrilled to marry our FLAT CAT innovation and technology with the heritage of the Lamkin brand,” said Winston Products CEO Winston Breeden.

FLAT CAT grips put the feeling of a square in a player’s palms, helping them to square their hands, shoulders and

TAP-INS n Shot Scope has received a £500,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise to help market its performance tracking systems globally. CEO David Hunter said: “This grant will allow Shot Scope to focus on new international opportunities and continue to scale the business.” www.shotscope.com n JS International is extending its UK and Ireland agreement with Bettinardi Golf to distribute the American brand’s handcrafted putter range across France, Germany and Italy. www.bettinardi.com www.jsint.com n TheMizunoEuropeanTour workshopishostingearly-season fittingdaysatWoburnGC(April 21),SilvermereGolf&Leisure (April29),BearwoodLakesGC (May19)andRoyalMid-Surrey GC(May20).Golferswillbeableto tryoutthenewJPX900drivers, metalwoodsandironsalongwith theBlueIPforgedT7wedges. golf.mizunoeurope.com n The Arccos 360 performance tracker is now available worldwide. Consisting of 14 ultra-light sensors, one for each club in the bag, Arccos 360 automatically analyses every shot a golfer hits. It then uses an enhanced version of the ‘strokes gained’ algorithm to provide club-selection smart data for future use both on the course and during practice. www.arccosgolf.com

LAMKIN DEAL WITH FLAT CAT putter face to the intended target line.

Bob Lamkin, president and CEO of Lamkin, said: “The technology behind FLAT CAT’s product line directly supports one of our core values: providing golfers with the tools to realise a more confident, consistent and enjoyable playing experience.” *Justin Rose (pictured) used a FLAT CAT by Lamkin svelte putter grip en route to finishing runner-up at the 2017 Masters. www.FLATCATGOLF.com www.lamkingrips.com

STEWART EXPANSION

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tewart Golf has moved into a new £1m, 10,500 square-foot factory on Waterwells Business Park in Gloucestershire.

Having built its first electric golf trolleys in a converted Cotswolds coach house in 2000, Stewart Golf acquired additional premises two and a half miles away five years ago but still struggled to keep up with growing demand.

Managing director David Funnell said: “This new factory will allow us to build trolleys more efficiently and in greater numbers. It will give us the increased capacity we need.” www.stewartgolf.com

KEEPING QUIET

SKYTRAK ON SKY

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n advertising campaign for SkyTrak’s launch monitor/simulator features instructor Hank Haney and shows golfers using the device for both game improvement and entertainment.

With almost 500 spots booked, the ads will run on Sky Sports until mid-May and then on Sky AdSmart.

Both commercials promote

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owaKaddy is the first golf trolley manufacturer to be awarded a Quiet Mark, the international award for excellence in low-noise technology from the Noise Abatement Society.

“We’re delighted to be associated with the Quiet Mark and hope this will provide another valuable endorsement and sales tool for our retail partners in 2017,” PowaKaddy CEO David Catford said. “Most

a £200-off deal with an offer code, enabling SkyCaddie to track sales from both channels.

The same deal is also currently available through SkyTrak dealers in the UK, each of whom has a unique offer code.

“With this TV campaign we will send more customers to your store,” said James Holmes, SkyCaddie’s UK and European sales manager. www.skytrakgolf.com

golfers consider sound an important factor when playing a round of golf.

“When you’re on the golf course you want to be able to concentrate fully on your next shot and noisy electric trolleys can sometimes be disturbing to your game.

“A serious amount of R&D goes into the production our trolley motors and transmission systems to ensure they’re amongst the quietest around.”

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14/3/17

10:44

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26/04/2017 19:36

EQUIPMENT

NEWS

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LIMITED EDITION FROM NIPPON SHAFT

ippon Shaft has released the N.S. PRO MODUS3:Blue Edition – a run of wedge shafts limited to 500 pieces for the European market.

Offering the same specifications as the N.S. PRO MODUS3, the N.S. PRO MODUS3:Blue Edition is available

in three weight options.

The No.1-selling steel shaft in Asia, Nippon Shaft manufactures all its steel and graphite products in Komagane, Japan.

Nippon Shaft’s European base is in Shirley in the West Midlands. www.nipponshaft.com

TITLEIST IRONS AT PREMIUM PRICES

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he new premium C16 Irons will be available to trial and fit at select Titleist Thursdays venues over the next month.

“C16 Irons were designed with an absolute focus on performance and without the constraints of material costs or manufacturing limitations,” said Titleist marketing vicepresident Josh Talge.

All fitted with premium Mitsubishi and Nippon N.S. PRO shafts, the long irons (4-7) feature a forged steel face while the short irons (8-W) have an ultra-thin face with a steel insert. Tungsten weighting in the perimeter and hollow body provides forgiveness and a high launch while the thin, castwelded body repositions mass into the heel and toe to push

the CG lower.

Titleist club marketing manager Chris Beaumont said: “C16 is the most advanced iron Titleist has ever created and we are delighted to offer UK and Ireland golfers the chance to try it out.”

Available: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, P, W. Price: SRP: £,2,999 (seven clubs, steel); £3,249 (seven clubs, graphite). www.Titleist.co.uk

ECCO UNVEILS CAGE PRO BIG MAX AT HOME OF GOLF

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E

CCO Golf has introduced the Cage Pro, a spikeless golf shoe with a redefined heel cage and an upper made from soft, resistant dritton leather.

The Cage Pro also features an outsole that is less aggressive on greens, provides outstanding grip in all conditions and minimises dirt clogging.

IG MAX has added St Andrews Links to the roster of world-class venues that use its fleet of threewheel rental trolleys.

All seven of the publiclyowned courses at the Home of Golf, including the Old and New,

have signed up with Big Max. The Fleet 333, BIG MAX’s flagship model, has a numerous optional accessories, including a storage net, basket with bottle holder, sand bottle holder, security lock system and advertising sign space. www.bigmaxgolf.co.uk

As is the case with the rest of ECCO Golf’s SS17 collection, the Cage Pro is crafted at companyowned factories that bond the upper and outsole unit to create a one-piece shoe without the use of glue or stitching. Benefits include flexibility, durability and a lightweight construction.

RRP £160 golf.ecco.com

WILSON LAUNCHES VERSATILE SELECTION

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ilson Staff has unveiled five new bags, including the lightweight (2.2kg), dual-use Hybrix that combines both carry and cart use.

The Hybrix features a stay-flat base and double-padded strap.

The top incorporates 14-way dividers, a putter well that fits oversized grips, six storage pockets, and umbrella and glove holders. RRP: £125.

The neXus III carry bag incorporates a stand that plants

flat, aluminium frame, double strap, seven pockets and six-way top incorporating three fulllength club dividers. Lightweight (2.4kg), it’s made from a heatherweave fabric and comes in six colours. RRP: £135.

The neXus III cart version features 14 dividers to prevent rattling, a trolley anchor, nine pockets, Velcro glove patch and large towel ring. It comes in six colours. RRP: £135.

The iLock cart bag features

a moulded top with four open dividers for woods and an oversized putter grip, and nine pockets, including two garment areas. Made from a durable polyester fabric, it’s available in Navy, black/red and black/grey.

RRP: £125.

The Ionix SL (SuperLight), the lightest bag in the range at 1.7kg, has a five-way top with three fulllength dividers and is available in five colours. RRP: £95. www.wilsonstaff.com

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ro shops are reporting a renewed enthusiasm for coloured balls following the launch of Volvik’s range of red, orange, green, pink, blue and yellow spheroids.

“It’s the quickest-selling ball I’ve ever had,” said Jon Newham at Mapperley Golf Club in Nottingham. “The Volvik stand sits on my counter next to a plastic tub full of different coloured balls. Ninetynine percent of my box sales have come from customers who initially bought a single ball for £3.50.”

Jeff Sim at Cooden Beach Golf Club in East Sussex said: “Originally, I ordered nine dozen, then another 12 dozen.

Members of other clubs have come in to buy them while ladies like to buy half a box in

one colour and half in another.

Lime green and orange have been best-sellers. The counter stand really draws attention to the balls and I think they’ll keep selling well.”

UK distributor Brand Fusion has already doubled its consignment from the Korean manufacturer. “This is the first time Brand Fusion has handled balls and the Volvik launch could not have gone better,” said sales director Tony Fletcher.

Bubba Watson’s favourite Volvik S4 ball has an RRP of £49 per dozen while the VIVID range retails at £39 per dozen. Colourful point-of-sale material is available to stockists, including counter stands and goldfish bowls. www.brandfusionltd.co.uk www.volvik.com

GOOD GOLLY, IT’S ROLLEY

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olleyGolf’s transformable, ‘hop-on, hop-off’ trolley will be available to order at almost 40 Aspiration Group golf events this year.

Aspiration venues include: The Belfry, Valderrama, Trump Turnberry, Loch Lomond, Forest of Arden, The Grove, Kingsbarns, Quinta do Lago, Westin La Quinta, Stoke Park, the Renaissance Club and Monte Rei. RolleyGolf offers golfers a choice between walking or riding around the course and can be used as either a power-assisted walking trolley or a ride-on machine.

Enhancements in the 2017 model include a lighter chassis, meticulously machined from British aircraft-grade aluminium, intelligent braking to stop users safely on even the steepest hills, excellent traction no matter the weather, and Wi-Fi connectivity. www.rolleygolf.com

BUBBA’S VOLVIK REVOLUTION

INTERSNELL MY TOUR CHANGEABLE WILSON BALLS

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he budget end of the UK and Ireland golf-ball market has another player in Snell Golf.

The Massachusetts company’s products – the three-piece My Tour Ball (MTB) and the two-piece Get Sum – are designed by Dean Snell, who was part of the R&D teams that created both Titleist’s ProV1 and TaylorMade’s Penta balls.

“I started this company in 2015 because I felt golf was becoming too expensive to play,” Snell said. “It was my mission to provide topquality, Tour-level performance at a price point that was more consumer-friendly. We were able to achieve our objective by going directto-consumer, avoiding Tour endorsement contracts and streamlining our marketing spend.

Since our balls were first reviewed online, we’ve been inundated by requests from the UK.” At the time of going to press, SGB Golf was awaiting distribution details and trade RRPs. www.snellgolf.uk

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ilson Golf’s adjustable, multipiece driver features two interchangeable sole plates for optimal launch, spin and distance.

“This [the Wilson Staff Triton] is truly a world-class product,” said Jon Pergande, Wilson Golf’s innovation manager. “It was a fun experience to work with people and concepts from outside the golf industry.”

The Wilson Staff Triton combines four elements of technology: two interchangeable sole plates (titanium and carbon fibre), a crown alignment aid designed to increase the chances of hitting the sweet spot, four movable weights (2x2gm and 2x6gm) and fast-fit technology enabling players to make quick adjustments without removing the clubhead from the shaft.

RRP: £349. www.wilson.com

DOWNHILL CONTROL FROM MOTOCADDY

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otocaddy has added a second model to its compact-folding M-Series downhill control trolleys.

The M1PRO DHC incorporates the same features as the original M1 PRO and can maintain a constant speed while moving down a gradient.

The trolley’s power output

is adjusted automatically to control the rate of descent without the golfer needing to make any changes to the pre-hill speed setting, while the parking brake will hold its position on the steepest of slopes.

“As well as the obvious advantage of greater control on undulating golf courses, the

downhill control function is very easy to use,” said Motocaddy sales director Neil Parker.

The M1 PRO DHC, available with a standard Lithium battery and five-year warranty, also includes adjustable distance control (up to 50 yards), speed and battery indicators, handle height adjustment, a bag-to-

trolley connection system and a USB charging port.

RRP: £549.99 or £599.99 (for the extended Lithium version) *Motocaddy’s latest S7 Remote trolley (RRP £799.99) comes with several enhancements, a standard Lithium battery and a five-year warranty. www.motocaddy.com

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APPAREL

NEWS PING PARTNERS PERTEX AND PRIMALOFT

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ING’s AW17 collection is the result of partnerships with waterproof fabric experts Pertex and Primaloft Silver Insulation Active technology.

Men’s range highlights...

Norse jacket – made from 100 per cent polyester, this design has a quilted front design, two front pockets and stretch properties. RRP: £140 Zero Gravity Tour suit – constructed from ultralightweight Pertex layer fabric and fully seam-sealed, both the jacket and trousers are made from 100 per cent polyester and come with a three-year waterproof guarantee. The jacket has adjustable hem and cuffs and two front zip pockets while the trousers have an adjustable

waistband, two zip pockets and a zip leg opening. RRP: £180 (jacket), £130 (trousers) Innis fleece – this half-zip performance top, 91 per cent polyester, has a double-knit construction with the space between the face and back of the fabric trapping air to provide insulation. RRP: £95 Barkley jacket – engineered with a quilted front panel, this jacket (92 per cent polyester) has a knitted, brushed back fleece body and sleeves and elasticated binding to the hem and cuffs. RRP: £80 Crosby long-sleeve polo – featuring a blend of synthetic and natural fibres, this longsleeve polo has a concealed button-down collar and a threebutton placket. RRP: £60

Ladies range highlights...

Oslo jacket and vest – cut and shaped to fit, the jacket and vest are made from 100 per cent polyester. The jacket has a quilted front design and two front pockets. RRP: £140 (jacket), £120 (vest) Tara top – made 92 per cent from polyester and featuring a stylish zip neck, the Tara top combines moisture movement and quick dry properties with a printed design front and back.

RRP: £65 Emily trousers – this new addition, 93 per cent polyester, consists of a brushed-back fabric for long-lasting comfort and warmth, and a button or zip fly opening. RRP: £75 www.pingcollection.co.uk

GLENMUIR OUT IN G. FORCE

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n Ottoman 1/4 zip fleece – Callaway Apparel’s expanded AW17 collection has more layers and performance fabrics. The mid-layer garments have been increased to provide more weather-dependant solutions. Spearheading the men’s range of technical garments is the Ottoman 1/4 zip fleece, a thermal heavyweight.

RRP £64.99 www.callawayapparel.com n Sunderland’s AW17 colour stories are Petrol Inferno (men) and Pink Ray (women). Petrol

lenmuir’s latest range is built on three colour stories – Luskentyre Sunset, Balmoral Thistle and Applecross Peninsula. For the uninitiated, this roughly boils down to Garnet-Navy-white, Royal purple, and spring greenNavy-white-stardust marl.

The men’s highlights include midlayers (g.Eltham and g.Caledonia, featuring Tartan details, and the 100 per cent cotton g.Artemis) and windshirts (g.Bosworth, g.Kew, g.Aragon and g.Dimbleby) constructed from the Scottish

brand’s signature StormBloc three-layer fabric.

The knitwear includes Luxury Touch of Cashmere (90 per cent merino 10 per cent cashmere), lambswool blend performance sweaters (g.Middleton, g.Adonis and g.Apollo) and lined sweaters, including the merinoblend, zip-neck g.Lloyd.

The lightweight, fleece-backed winter trousers (g.Ashurst) have a water-repellent Teflon finish.

In the ladies’ collection, the lambswool blend performance sweaters include a contemporary zip-

through cardigan (g.Oceana) and a dogtooth-pattern zip-neck (g.Chelsy) while the lined sweaters are g.Shelley, a zip-through cardigan with striped inner collar, and g.Luella, a birdseye-stitch zip-front.

Also on offer are a luxury reversible gilet (g.Demelza), performance ( g.Selma and g.Karlie) and winter trousers (g.

Talia) which have diamante rivets, silver lurex icon embroidery and seam detailing on the back pockets. www.glenmuir.com

Inferno (blue/ orange) covers the brand’s latest rainwear (s.Whisperdry), windwear (s.Breckenridge) and coldwear (s.Ontario) while the Pink Ray (pink/silver) palette comes with black matt trims.

The ladies’ range includes the s.Zonda lined sweater with a 100 per cent cotton outer layer.

All the rainwear has a lifetime waterproof guarantee. www.glenmuir.com/ sunderland

feature a patented waistband that offers a couple of inches of invisible stretch and a gripper to keep tops neatly tucked in. All Woodworth trousers are fade-resistant, shrink-fee and made with stretch-tech poly fabric offering moisture control. RRP: £97.50 uk.loudmouthgolf.com

Polyamide fabric with PrimaLoft padding to keep out windchill while a lightweight three-layer fabric sustains a core body temperature. Available in black; sizes: S-3XL. RRP: £260 www.galvingreen.com

n Woodworth trousers – these pants from Loudmouth Golf

n Galvin Green. Part 2 range – the versatile, full-zip Bruce jacket in Gore windstopper fabric is windproof and breathable. The upper body and sleeves feature a soft

n Zip-neck jumper – Glenbrae’s modern twist on its zip-neck is a striking addition.

Featuring a stylish, contrasting zip, this jumper incorporates

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02/05/2017 16:42

FOOTJOY WARNING – ORDER EARLY!

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ootJoy’s area sales managers are advising stockists to order early to ensure the brand’s ranges are in store for AW17.

Leading the way are the DryJoys Tour LTS jacket and trousers which are made with a five-panel construction, temperature-regulating properties and four-way stretch fabric. RRP: £250 (jacket), £200 (trousers). Meanwhile, returning for AW17 is the HydroLite, FootJoy’s lightest ever rain jacket (RRP: £160).

Other garments to combat the cold and wind are two limited availability families,

CHERVÒ SWITCHES ON NORTHERN LIGHTS

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hervò’s designers have been inspired by the Arctic and the Northern Lights.

Peter Erlacher, co-founder of the Italian brand with his brother Manfred, said: “Out in the wild and breathtaking world of the Arctic, we found a perfect harmony and balance between colours, shades and shapes, and we tried to capture these natural wonders for our new collection.”

Chervò’s ‘Aqua-Block’, ‘Wind-Lock’ and ‘Pro-Therm’ technologies underpin the men’s and women’s ranges while its ‘Happy Goose’ 100 per cent animal-free down pads its jackets.

The colour ranges include ‘Borealis Sunrise’, Frozen Pastels’ and Ice Flowers’ for ladies and ‘Borealis Lights’,

‘Cold Tundra’ and ‘Art and Arctic’ themes for men.

The Pro-Therm Milus jacket, which comes with semi-detachable sleeves, is complemented by Muvis and Magamomo three-in-one jackets for men, and lighter ladies’ trousers, turtlenecks and polos. www.chervo.com

SPIROL® yarn and is warm, lightweight and machinewashable. Available in five colours (pictured in cranberry with a pewter trim). www.glenbrae.com

increased thermal retention.

RRP: £139.95 Wool Quarter Zip – the breathable climawarm fabric keeps the wearer warm and dry and the wool-blend fabric offers warmth, comfort and stretch.

This design includes adidas branding subtly placed on the bottom hem a ‘stay down’ adidas zipper. RRP: £59.95 www.adidas.co.uk

n Climaheat PrimaLoft jacket – this Adidas Golf jacket’s PrimaLoft zonal insulation maintains core warmth without sacrificing mobility while the Climaheat fabric stays warm and dry in the coldest weather. A new ‘stay down’ zipper has been introduced and the arms offer

each with three polo shirts and two mid-layer chill-outs in seasonal colour tones – the Mulberry and Indigo collections. RRP: £75 (chill-out), £50 (polo).

Geared to allow the wearer to stay cool and dry in wet or humid conditions, FootJoy’s new Performance MT Lite trousers are made from lightweight stretch nylon fabric and have an anti-microbial finish to prevent odour build-up and UV protection. RRP: £75 Other offerings include stretch pique polo shirts (RRP: £65), thermal quilted jackets (RRP: £135-145), ProDry base

STUBURT KEEPS YOUR BACK DRI

tuburt’s Endurance outerwear for men and ladies features DRI-back moisture-transfer technology and is headlined by full-zip and halfzip jackets with taped seams and waterproof zips (colour: black; sizes: S-XXL; two-year waterproof warranty; RRP: £79.99).

Windproof and thermally-

insulated, the Endurance range also includes trousers with elasticated waistbands, two side pockets and one back pocket, full-zip and half-zip fleeces that can be worn as outer garments, and the Sport full-zip gilet, full-zip padded gilet, padded jacket and zipneck sweater.

The eVent waterproof jacket and trousers (three-year waterproof warranty) have an air-permeable, waterproof membrane with countless tiny pores that facilitate breathability and vent moisture to the outside.

Other Stuburt offerings include Vapour Casual V-neck and half-zip sweaters along with the Urban quarter-zip fleece, long-sleeve polo and base layer. www.stuburt.com

XXL; six colours. RRP: £43 Nostalgia polo – this sleeveless V-neck polo combines polyester and charcoal to create a breathable, quick-drying garment with natural anti-odour properties. Available in regular fit with UV protection. Sizes: XSXXL; three colours. RRP: £46 Line H2Off skort – this regular-fit skort is available in a wide range of sizes and colours. Providing protection from the wind, it is quick-drying, water-resistant and incorporates stretch fabric for ease of movement, comfort and shape retention. RRP: £60 www.cross-sportswear.com

n Peter Millar.

Seattle Stretch rain jacket – this three-layer rain jacket provides all-around protection in inclement conditions. It features a four-way stretch woven face with a water-repellent finish. A membrane layer windproofs the wearer in blustery weather, while the innermost knit layer allows for breathability and comfort. It comes with a lifetime waterproof guarantee. RRP: £245 www.petermillar.co.uk (website relaunching on 01/04)

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n Cross Sportswear Classic polo – this regular-fitting quick-dry pique shirt has a dry layer and UV Protection. A contrast colour stripe at collar and cuff add extra panache. Sizes: XS-

layers (RRP: £50-65), slim-fit trousers (RRP: £60-75) and a stretch Lisle performance shirt (RRP: £57.50).

To promote the performance benefits of wearing lightweight, breathable yet insulating garments, and in support of retailers, FootJoy will continue to promote its layer-up messaging in POS, as well as print and online advertising.

To ensure accounts are stocking outerwear that best suits their customers, FootJoy is also allowing up to 50 per cent of pre-book garments to be exchanged. www.FootJoy.co.uk

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GOV, PGA & PGAE

NEWS

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hil Morley (above), recently appointed as the British Golf Industry Association’s first executive chairman, called on the trade to support National Golf Month during the 31st BGIA AGM at the Woburn Hotel.

“National Golf Month is a big part of what the BGIA does and it’s important it makes the biggest possible impact,” he said. And at the annual dinner at Woburn Golf Club that evening, attended by 115 members and guests, more than £4,500 was raised for the organisation’s Grow Golf Fund.

Doug Poole, National Golf Month’s project director, briefed BGIA members at the AGM on the project’s progress. He revealed that, in addition to ongoing support from Foremost Golf, American Golf would give National Golf Month free space at its forthcoming London and Manchester shows.

He confirmed that the

BGIA BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE National Golf Month website had its own platform and hoped that a ‘Thunderclap’ would boost the reach of one of their tweets to an audience of 25 million.

Morley outlined some of the BGIA’s other areas of activity in addition to giving an overview of the current state of the sport.

“We also organise seminars to help pros, which have been well-received, and we are supporting the On Course Foundation which is a charity that provides opportunities and training for ex-service personnel looking to work in golf,” he said.

“We are especially keen to promote awareness of the health benefits of golf for people who need to get out and exercise more. The R&A is looking for ways to add extra value to the Open. They want to encourage product testing and talk about technology.

“Golf is a fragmented marketplace and quite complex. We are looking to strengthen our relationship with the PGA and other governing bodies. Until 30 or 40 years ago, courses were pretty poor but today greenkeepers are much better trained.

“More secretaries and committees are becoming managers and boards, and pro shop training is now

fantastic. Putters today look like spaceships but are designed with absolute precision.

The retail market reflects an enormous amount of change, a lot of it driven by the Internet, but national media coverage is not good.

“We often hear about problems caused by slow play, but in truth we don’t see too much of that. The game needs to catch children at eight years old, wean them off Harry Potter with better marketing. So we need to continue to support the Golf Foundation to take golf to children of that age.”

All the existing BGIA board members agreed to re-stand and, along with co-opted members Lee Farrar (Amer Sports), Leslie Hepsworth (Srixon) and Julien Barber (Nike), they were elected en bloc. A vote of thanks was also recorded to Nigel Freemantle of Brand Fusion for serving the previous four years as chairman while working full time in his own business.

Hepsworth, UK and Ireland president of Srixon Sports Europe, said: “Srixon shares the BGIA’s desire to become more actively involved in developing the game. It’s in everyone’s best interests to work together to reach new golfers and to revitalise our sport.”

The following day’s charity

golf day on the Duke’s Course raised £10,000 for the Golf Foundation while the winning team, representing Motocaddy, comprised Neil Parker, Oliver Churcher, Peter Durham and David Murch (pictured).

Golf Foundation chairman Stephen Lewis said: “BGIA members have shown genuine goodwill in support of grassroots junior golf. This donation will assist us further in our work and can only help as we all seek to protect the golf industry for the future.”

Morley said: “The annual dinner and charity golf day are always extremely well attended. Members recognise it as an opportunity to entertain their guests and raise money for worthwhile charities like Grow Golf and the Golf Foundation. The event also enables us to listen to the views of the entire golf industry so we can unite to grow the game.” *Titleist has renewed its commitment as official ball partner to the Golf Foundation for 2017. www.bgia.org.uk www.golf-foundation.org

GOLF FOUNDATION’S BMW BOOST

T Children from Rays of Sunshine with (left to right) Jamie Birkmyre (BMW PGA Championship director), Stephen Gibson (Wentworth chief executive), Wall, Pietersen, Jane Sharpe (CEO of Rays of Sunshine) and Pyle

he Golf Foundation and Rays of Sunshine, which grants wishes for seriously ill children, will be the two official charity partners during the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth from May 25-28.

The announcement at the Surrey club was attended by European Tour veteran Anthony

Wall and former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, who is a member of Wentworth.

Golf Foundation chief executive Brendon Pyle said: “We look forward to welcoming many families and their youngsters at Wentworth to try golf with our team.” www.raysofsunshine.org.uk www.golf-foundation.org

MCALLISTER ON BOARD

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tephen McAllister, a former European Tour winner who now

organises corporate golf days, has joined Scottish Golf as a commercial consultant.

The 55-year-old, who won the Atlantic Open and KLM Dutch Open in 1990, combines

playing Senior Tour golf with his business interests. www.scottishgolf.org

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02/05/2017 15:11

CAPTAIN HEGGARTY TAKES CHARGE

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ohn Heggarty of Royal Liverpool Golf Club is the new captain of the PGA, following in the distinguished footsteps of the likes of Sir Henry Cotton, Peter Alliss and Dai Rees.

The 58-year-old PGA master professional succeeds Nicky Lumb and will hold office for the next two years.

Heggarty became head pro at Hoylake at the age of just 23 and has served on the PGA’s board of directors for the past two decades.

He said: “This is a tremendous honour. I turned professional in 1976, the year Dai Rees was PGA captain. As well as being one of the best players of his era, he was five times Ryder

Cup captain. His and the other names on the list of captains clearly crystallises the honour that has been bestowed on me.”

Heggarty, PGA captain-elect for the past two years, said of his predecessor: “Nicky discharged his duties as captain with professionalism and I‘d like to thank him for his help and guidance over the past two years.”

NINE PIONEERING LADIES

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he PGA has granted honorary membership to nine of the founding members of the Women’s Professional Golfers’ Association, whose pioneering efforts resulted in a Tour today offering six-figure prize funds.

The WPGA, the forerunner of the Ladies European Tour, was formed in 1979 and the group of nine comprises (pictured left to right): Catherine PantonLewis, Jane Forrest, Jane Denman (nee Chapman), Maxine Burton, Denise Hastings, Christine Langford and Susan Bamford, along

with Beverly Huke and Joanna Smurthwaite, neither of whom could attend the photoshoot.

All nine have remained PGA members, as have Beverly Lewis and Mickey Walker, two other founders who are already honorary members.

Panton-Lewis, who won the first WPGA order of merit and earned £2,495 for her efforts, said: “It seems a very long time now since I made the decision to turn professional.

My father [former Ryder Cup player John Panton] thought it was a rather risky proposition, but I have to say it was much more fun than having a proper job.”

PGA LEAVES ENGLAND THAI ACADEMY JOINS PGA STABLE GOLF PARTNERSHIP

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he new Laguna Golf academy in Phuket, Thailand, will join The Belfry and Gleneagles as part of the PGA family of branded facilities.

The academy, which opened last year, is part of a resort that includes an 18-hole golf course, hotels, villas, spas and restaurants, and Sir Nick Faldo as official brand ambassador.

Paul Wilson, group golf director, said: “One of our key business objectives has been to enhance

instruction within Laguna Golf.

Developing this new relationship with the PGA will enable us to offer the very best service to our members and guests.”

New PGA chief executive Robert Maxfield said: “The PGA academy is an integral part of a high-class international resort.”

Laguna Phuket will host an inaugural educational and networking event for the PGA’s 1,500 members across 81 countries outside the UK and Ireland from November 5-8.

T

he PGA has withdrawn from the England Golf Partnership after 12 years of working jointly on the project with England Golf.

Following a recent £8.48m lottery award from Sport England to support talented players and regular golfers over the next four years, the PGA decided to leave England Golf to work directly with national sports body from now on.

PGA executive president Sandy Jones said: “Amicable discussion

took place between England Golf and the PGA and it was felt the best outcome for golf in England could be achieved by the PGA allowing England Golf to be the lead funding body.”

England Golf chief executive Nick Pink said: “England Golf will work hard to ensure the Sport England award is invested well into golf in England and looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial working relationship with the PGA in the future.” www.englandgolf.org

RYE HOME AND DRY

R

ye’s Jimmy James and Matthew Holland shot a four-under-par 68 to win the inaugural Surrey PGA Professional and Secretary

Challenge, supported by MHS Group and ProAgenda.com, at Woodcote Park.

Rye’s secretary James said: “This is a great idea and it’s

created my first opportunity to play with Matthew, and develop our working relationship beyond the confines of the club.”

Following a countback, Tyrrells

Wood’s general manager Phil Worthington and head pro Rob Humphrey shaded Fulwell’s Club Murray Cook and Nigel Turner for second place.

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02/05/2017 15:11

PEOPLE

Q&A

downpours, but don’t have sealed seams so they don’t get an Aqua tag.

Under cross-examination is Ian Waddicar, UK managing director of Golftech, owners of BIG MAX and distributors of GolfBuddy What’s your background in golf?

I started out in the industry 33 years ago as a sports buyer at Makro and then Littlewoods.

I switched sides after that, going into the wholesale of golf equipment working with Pro Select and Northwestern Golf.

How did you come to work for GolfTech?

After spending many years working for other people, I decided to give it a go on my own.

I set up Pro Style which became Golf and Sports Supplies (GSS).

We had several successful years, distributing great products, one of which was BIG MAX. That was my first introduction to Golftech and after a few years of working with the guys in Austria, Golftech took over GSS. I was appointed managing director of Golftech UK in 2011 and we’ve been growing ever since.

Is BIG MAX still the main focus of the Golftech business in the UK? BIG MAX is our owned brand so it naturally leads much of what we do. It’s the most successful push trolley brand in Europe by some distance, so we know that the potential for the brand is huge. We took

over GolfBuddy distribution for Great Britain last year, using our sales network and customer support services to help a great brand get the exposure it needs.

We employed a new full-time person to deal with customer support and give the back-room support the brand needs. We’re seeing that reap rewards already.

We’re also launching our own ‘one size fits all’ glove brand this year – ZOOM – which has been exceptionally successful.

With so many high-quality bags and trolleys out there, what is BIG MAX’s USP? Quality and innovation! From the first product we brought into the UK – the IQ – through to the latest fold-flat (FF) trolley Blade Quattro, the level of innovation is remarkable. The brand is constantly bringing ideas to the market that make golf just that little bit easier.

Take the Blade Quattro – it has just won ‘best push trolley’ from Golf Digest and the AutoFold FF won ‘best club transport’ from the same guys last year. The engineering in them is incredible, but they’re also reliable, robust and look fantastic. The bags are the same. What we call waterresistant is what most brands call waterproof. A BIG MAX Aqua has to have watertight zips, every seam sealed and waterproof fabric to get a waterproof label. When we say waterproof, we mean it. Our Dri-Lite water-resistant bags are made from the same materials and can withstand most

How big a market for BIG MAX is the UK and Ireland?

BIG MAX has 39 per cent of market share in mainland Europe – the highest by some distance – but that’s not reflected in the UK. We currently have between five and 10 per cent in the UK. and that’s growing every year. The brand has been going for 25 years in Europe and that area is less price-sensitive than the UK. We’ll never shy away from the fact that BIG MAX is a premium product and I think that does put some retailers off. I think we are gradually winning the battle, though, and retailers and consumers are starting to realise that the value of a product lies in far more than just its price.

What is BIG MAX’s core business – bags or trolleys – and why?

The brand’s heritage is in trolleys and, to an extent, I think that will always be its trademark. However, 2016 was the first year ever that BIG MAX sold more bags than trolleys.

Are there any other golf products that Golftech is looking to produce/distribute?

We’re always looking for great products. That’s why taking on GolfBuddy was an easy decision to make. We have the confidence in our infrastructure from sales agents through to back room, distribution and customer support. All we need is a great product and I believe we will make it a success.

team in place and they’re doing really well for us this year. I’m actually looking for someone in the Midlands currently, so if there’s anyone out there, feel free to get in touch!

Is your focus on green-grass, larger retail or online sales?

All of the Golftech products are premium, technical or both, so they really do lend themselves to green-grass and knowledgeable larger retailers.

We’re trading with most of these.

We do much better when people get all the information needed to make an informed decision.

BIG MAX is a Foremost EMP supplier, which really supports the brand in that respect.

Describe, briefly, the latest products in the Golftech portfolio From BIG MAX, we’re introducing the Blade Quattro, our four-wheel Fold Flat trolley and the Aqua V-1, a 100 per cent waterproof bag that fixes your woods in place so they don’t knock together or obscure the view of your irons. GolfBuddy has the WT6 and WTX, two advanced GPS watches that retail just under £130 and £200 respectively, and ZOOM has its first range of one size gloves.

There’s plenty more for midseason, too, but I won’t spoil those surprises just yet!

www.bigmaxgolf.com

What is the scale of your sales network and where do they operate?

We have nine agents across the UK and Ireland. We’ve got a great

18 18_Q&A_Big_Max.indd 2

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PEOPLE

Q&A

Graham Webb, joint owner of distributor Professional Golf Europe, explains how his business works What is your background and how did you get into the golf industry?

I played golf from an early age, starting at Belmont Golf Club in Hereford, and represented Shropshire and Herefordshire at county level before becoming a PGA professional and taking a head professional’s role in north Devon at the age of 24.

How did you come to set up Professional Golf Europe?

While I was still working as a golf professional, I began distributing for SeeMore as a sideline. Then, after spending a couple of years combining distributing for SeeMore and working for several golf brands as a sales agent, I set up Professional Golf Europe Ltd with my business partner, Peter Lord, in April 2007.

What was the purpose of the company?

We both believed there was a gap in the market for high-end, exceptional golf products, and we turned a corner when we visited the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January. We already had an agreement with SeeMore and added SuperStroke grips and VEGA to the portfolio shortly after the show.

We wanted to distribute the finest products from tee to green.

Where is it based and what sort of facilities does it have?

We are based in Herefordshire and have grown over the past

10 years from an office and garage to a 6,000 sq. ft. warehouse with offices. We have a fully-equipped build room and offer SST Pure, one of only three facilities in the UK that does.

What products does it distribute and into which markets?

In 2010, we purchased the VEGA brand from the owners in Japan. We also own UNITED Golf, RADIUS Putters and Iguana Golf, and we are global licensees for Bentley Golf (Bentley Motors). We also distribute for Shimada Shafts in the western world and Iomic Grips throughout Europe. We also produce all of the Harrods-branded golf accessories.

Where are your products made, and what is the turnround from manufacture to availability at retail?

We manufacture in Japan and China with all assembly carried out by our clubmakers in the warehouse at Hereford. With the majority of our sets of clubs built to order, we aim for a 48hour turnaround on all custom orders. Any component orders (grips, shafts, heads) we ship the same day as long as we get the order by 1pm.

This doesn’t mean you need to be at a high-end members’ club to have an account, though. We take each account application on a case-by-case scenario and once we’re confident of the person, facility, location, etc, we begin the relationship. The great thing is we rarely lose customers. A lot of our retailers have been with us from Day 1.

Hopefully because they enjoy the fact we go the extra mile and they feel they are part of the team.

How important is the Internet to your sales and marketing operation?

It’s definitely becoming more important. We’re growing our social media presence and trying to engage with both retailers and end users to educate and grow the brands we own and distribute. The larger manufacturers dominate the Tours through pay-to-play schemes, but we will not enter that arena.

So when you see anyone playing a club of ours, it is unpaid.

We actually have Tony Jacklin as a Bentley Golf brand icon, using all the products whilst playing pro-ams and entertaining his clients. And you’ll see a lot more VEGA in the bags of Tour players than some would let you believe.

How many people work for you and what do they do?

Pete and I run the company.

Pete handles the majority of the design work and travels to the factories. I handle the office

side and deal with our sales agents, global distributors and the development of products.

We never planned it this way, we just fell into our roles and it works really well. We have Mike heading up Bentley Golf, Pete heading up the club building and customization, and Ciaran manages the warehouse. Jon handles the accounts and Mark works for us in Asia in procurement.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes and plans for 2017 and the post-Brexit era?

2016 saw big growth for us, we were up over 40 per cent for the year and we are aiming for similar growth in 2017-18 which will see more staff come on board and new markets opening.

Bentley has now taken off in China, Hong Kong, the US and across Europe. We are in discussions in other areas in Asia, and VEGA continues to be a big opportunity for us as it gathers momentum, especially in Korea and the US. Post-Brexit, we obviously have our thoughts and will ensure our European clients are well looked after.

Hopefully sense will prevail and we will end up with a positive trade agreement. There is obviously an opportunity to get better deals with Asia and the US, but until we know the full outcome I guess we all need to be cautiously optimistic... we have a General Election to look forward to first!!!! www.pge-ltd.com

What retail outlets do you aim for?

The best of the best – high-end retailers, the best clubmakers, and professionals with a willingness to embrace quality product and understand retail.

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26/04/2017 22:18

ADVERTORIAL

TGI GOLF TEAM CHALLENGE PURE TURKISH DELIGHT

M

ore than 200 golfers have recently returned from Turkey’s glorious Mediterranean coast following the TGI Golf Team Challenge – the biggest event of its kind in Europe.

Now in its eighth year, the event, the brainchild of former PGA Professional Kenny Hutton and TGI’s managing director Eddie Reid, gives golf professionals the opportunity to take their club members or friends to play in an event like no other.

“The key to this event is that there is no individual prize for the pro,” explains Reid.

“This means they can come away and play in a first-class event and enjoy their time with key customers, club members or friends without the pressure of playing for prize money.”

Sponsored by TaylorMade-adidas Golf, PowaKaddy, YOB Golf and Maui Jim sunglasses, every competitor receives a pre-event pack, which includes team shirts, golf balls, caps, tees

and much more.

Each sponsor also provides a plethora of prizes for the event, like full sets of clubs, electric trolleys, golf shoes and sunglasses.

The first event back in 2010 was staged at the Perry Dye-designed Lykia Links and attracted 23 teams. Since then the event has grown and moved around the popular tourist destination of Belek, and this year saw 56 teams stay and play at the luxurious Sueno Deluxe Resort.

This year’s event was dominated by Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, which had two teams in the top three, with senior assistant Joel Hopwood’s team taking top spot and the team of his boss, head pro David Ross, finishing third.

Ross, a TGI Golf partner, added: “This is my second year at this event and we enjoyed ourselves so much last year we were desperate to come back and the guys persuaded some of their friends to come too, allowing us to bring two teams.

“It’s a fantastic trip. The organisation and the spirit of the whole event is a great experience for everyone who comes along. It is the best organised team event I’ve played in and any TGI Partner could come along and enjoy the week with their friends and members, it’s the highlight of the TGI Golf events, and that’s saying something.”

Sean Brady, director of custom and experience at TaylorMade-adidas Golf, said: “TaylorMade-adidas Golf are extremely proud to be part of the TGI Golf Team Challenge for the eighth consecutive year. We thoroughly enjoy providing both professionals and amateurs the chance to experience TaylorMade-adidas Golf products while sharing in the camaraderie and spirit of the event. We’re looking forward to supporting it once again in 2018.”

Reid added: “We know exactly how precious time is for a PGA professional, so the event is always staged at the same time in early March, when they have a little more time to spare. We also choose that time because it is still ‘off-peak’ season so it doesn’t cost as much as you might think to go away and spend seven-days in a luxurious five-star all inclusive resort with four rounds of golf thrown in.” www.tgigolf.com

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25/04/2017 09:41

PEOPLE

NEWS

ANOTHER CAPTAINCY FOR BJORN

E

uropean Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn has been installed as honorary captain of The Shire London for 201718, the club’s centenary year.

The 46-year old Dane will represent the Hertfordshire club as momentum builds towards the next Ryder Cup, from 28-30 September 2018 at Le Golf National just outside Paris.

Bjørn, pictured with the club’s owner Tony Menai-Davis, said: “The Shire London is the perfect golfing base for me in the UK with great practice facilities, the Ballesteros Masters course and a relaxed, friendly

atmosphere. The Menai-Davis family are great hosts and passionate supporters of growing the game.”

The highlight of Bjorn’s captaincy will be a new open event in September, the Thomas Bjørn Trophy, which he will personally host.

“We could not be more proud that Thomas is joining us here at The Shire London to make it his home club” said Menai-Davis. “It is a huge thrill that such a successful and influential figure will represent us for the next two years.” www.theshirelondon.com

CHRIS FITTS IN AT MELHAM TO RUN FOREMOST LITE FOXHILLS

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oxhills Club & Resort in Surrey has appointed Chris Fitt as its new director of golf, overseeing a team of five PGA professionals and 28 greenkeepers.

Fitt previously worked at Gleneagles, Brocket Hall and Golf at Goodwood after graduating from Birmingham University in Applied Golf Management Studies.

“I’m excited to be a part of such an aspirational business,” says Fitt. “It’s been fantastic to see the Foxhills brand develop over the last few years and I very much look forward to being part of the journey to cement Foxhills as a major player in the golf industry and a place where youngsters can learn and grow their game.”

Fitt joins Foxhills a few months before it hosts the 2017 PGA Cup from September 15-17. www.foxhills.co.uk

BLESOVSKY JOINS FRILFORD HEATH Daniel Blesovsky is the new golf manager at Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire. The appointment comes as the club prepares to open a new par-3 course and pro shop.

A PGA professional with a sports science and business management degree under his belt, Blesovsky brings more than a decade of experience to the club having previously held roles at Hanbury Manor and Woburn.

Frilford Heath chairman Alistair Booth said: “Daniel will be instrumental in driving the club’s ambitious plans over the coming years. His experience in the industry and achievements to date are impressive, making him the ideal addition to our team.” www.frilfordheath.co.uk

F

oremost has appointed Ian Melham as its Elite Marketing Programme (EMP) Lite manager.

The EMP Lite newsletter and website service enables Foremost member professionals to provide their customers with digital communication and a website.

A Foremost employee since 2014, Melham said: “EMP Lite has significant potential to improve and expand. This digital solution ensures regular communications are maintained by Foremost members with their members and customers based on products that can be found in their stores.

“We’re going to focus on helping every EMP Lite member to maximise their potential on this entry-level model.” www.foremostgolf.com

LYNX APPOINTMENTS

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ynx Golf has made three new additions to its sales staff.

PGA professional Andrew Bayne (left) has been appointed customer service manager, Chris Kear (right) joins as area sales manager for the Midlands and Kieran O’Connor has taken over as the brand’s sales agent for Ireland. www.lynxgolf.co.uk

COWARD & WILLIAMS NEW FACES ON LE GLAS CRACKS AT THE HELM CLUB CAR JOB SCOTLAND BOARD

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lub Car has appointed Nicolas Le Glas as its regional sales manager across the Mediterranean.

Le Glas’ appointment coincides with a deal for Club Car to supply more than 500 vehicles to Le Golf National ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup. In addition, former regional sales manager Jean-Michel Cortinovis has been promoted to the position of EMEA utility vehicles sales leader. www.clubcar.tv

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cottish Golf confirmed Donald Bremner as its president and appointed two new non-executive directors at its recent AGM. The new directors are Keith Macdonald, senior marketing manager at Tesco Bank, and Addi Shamash, a lawyer with HBJ Gateley.

Meanwhile, Bremner, who succeeds Jim Burns as president, is a retired banker. www.scottishgolf.org

N

ic Coward, a former chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority and general secretary of the Premier League, is the new chairman of England Golf.

Joining him at the top of the national governing body is former ACAS chief John Williams who has taken over as president of England Golf. www.englandgolf.org

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02/05/2017 16:44

TRAVEL

NEWS

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EXCLUSIVE TRADE OPEN DEALS

rade Travel Club is offering exclusive accommodation packages for the Open Championship from July 20-23 at Royal Birkdale.

Owned by Your Golf Travel, Trade Travel Club aims to give the golf industry access to the best service, prices, deals and availability when travelling within the UK or abroad.

For the Open, packages priced at £555 per room for seven nights have been secured at Edge Hill University Campus, Ormskirk, nine miles from Royal Birkdale. Alternative accommodation is also available 16 miles away at the Holiday Inn Express, Knowsley, with rooms and breakfast available from Monday-Thursday (three nights, single occupancy) for just £230 per person.

Ben Davis, Your Golf Travel’s head of offline marketing and commercial partnerships, said: “The Open is a key event for the golf trade and we’re delighted to be able to offer these exclusive deals to our colleagues in the industry.”

Trade Travel Club is also offering discounted packages for the 2018 Masters, spanning the week of April 2-8, at five venues – Athens, Georgia; Columbia, South Carolina; Aiken, South Carolina; Reynolds Plantation, Georgia; and Augusta, Georgia itself.

Davis said: “The Masters marks the start of the golf season and everyone in the trade should experience Augusta at least once. We have some amazing offers for 2018 and are delighted to offer these packages to our colleagues in the golf industry with exclusive discounts.

“The golf industry is a close-knit community and we recognised a requirement from within the trade for

effective travel solutions. We have the expertise and scale to offer those in the golf trade the best possible service at the lowest possible prices.

“While our goal is to become the go-to provider of travel for the UK golf industry, we also want to use our expertise to bring it together at key times throughout the golfing calendar.”

In January, Travel Trade Club transported 38 people to the PGA Merchandise show in Orlando, Florida, and played host to more than 100 at a social gathering. Details of deals for the 2018 show, from January 23-26, will be available shortly but interest has already been shown in accommodation at the Rosen Centre and Vista Cay apartments.

The company is also offering trade-only packages for IGTM in Cannes from December 11-14 and next year’s Ryder Cup from September 28-30 at Le Golf National, Paris.

Travel Trade Club is a British Airways preferred partner and this means free golf-club carriage on long-haul flights (saving £130 per person).

Contact Rhys Weston (0207 336 5416, rhysw@yourgolftravel.com) or Emma Wells-Jones (0207 157 1577, emma.wellsjones@yourgolftravel.com)

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IN BRIEF n Your Golf Travel is partnering TaylorMade Golf to offer free travel covers and holdall bags to clients booking golf holidays. Until the end of May, clients who book a UK or Europe break for eight people or more will receive a TaylorMade holdall (RRP: £49.99) while those booking long-haul holidays for two or more people will qualify for a TaylorMade travel cover (RRP: £179.99). www.yourgolftravel.com n Million Dollar Holdings, formed by travel companies Million Dollar Hole in One, Leisure Link Golf Holidays and Golf Amigos, has appointed Paul Homewood as sales and business development manager.

23_Travel_News.indd 3

Homewood, 48, formerly new business sales consultant to Leisure Link, said: “The new products we’re about to launch will only enhance the holiday arm of the company.” www.mdhio,net www.leisurelinkgolf.com www.golfamigos.co.uk n Gastro Golf offers holidays that combine playing outstanding courses, staying in luxury accommodation and enjoying memorable culinary experiences. In addition to Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, Gastro the Cheshire-based company has recently added South Africa to its portfolio. www.gastrogolf.co.uk

FLEXX-FIT

one size fits all

SHAPE-FIT

holds the shape longer

INSTANT-FIT

fits the moment you wear it

02/05/2017 16:45

BRAND REPORT POWAKADDY www.powakaddy.co.uk

New colours, including lime green, teal and fuchsia, have been added to PowaKaddy’s cart bag range. “The response we’ve had from retail partners and consumers on our bags over the past year has been terrific and, after much research and development, we’re looking forward to introducing our most visually-striking bag range to date,” said marketing manager Mei Tierney. “With four models and a wide range of colour options and styles, there’s a bag for every type of golfer.”

Waterproof and weighing just 2.3kg, the new Dri Edition comes in white/grey/blue, black/yellow and white/grey/red options. RRP: £219.99 The Premium comes in black/yellow, black/red or white/lime and offers 14 full-length dividers, seven storage pockets and an E-Zee lift handle. RRP: £169.99 With black/white/yellow and black/white/blue colour combinations, 14 full-length dividers and seven storage pockets, the Deluxe is made from nylon, polyester and vinyl. RRP: £129.99 The Lite cart bag comes in black/silver/fuchsia, black/silver/yellow and black/silver/teal, and incorporates 14 full-length dividers and seven storage pockets. RRP: £109.99

COMPACT C2 JOINS THE FOLD

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he Compact C2 from PowaKaddy is one of the most space-efficient folding electric trolleys ever launched into the golf market.

Following feedback from golfers and retailers, and after two years of development by the brand’s UK-based designers and engineers, the Compact C2 has an innovative simple-2-fold system that enables it to be set up

and packed away in just two moves, taking no more than two or three seconds.

Its dimensions when folded are 514mm (height) x 349mm (width) x 560mm (depth), and at 9.8kg it offers one of the lightest options in its product category.

“The Compact C2 is without doubt the easiest compact trolley to use that we’ve ever produced – the simple-2-fold system is unique

to a model of this size,” said PowaKaddy CEO David Catford. “It’s relatively straightforward to manufacture a trolley that folds to a compact size, but the real challenge is to ensure this can be done without adding too many folding steps for the golfer.

“The Compact C2 is easy to move around thanks to an integrated carry handle. We believe it is the perfect solution for the modern day golfer. It fits incredibly neatly into the smaller car boots you see these days and, with such a simple folding mechanism, the golfer can get from their car to the tee in record time.”

The compact folding mechanism isn’t the only feature on offer to golfers who use the Compact C2. In addition to a three-year warranty, it has a full-colour widescreen display, a USB charging port for GPS devices and smartphones, a compartment for balls, tees and pencils, a scorecard holder and a soft-touch handle that can adjust to three different positions.

The Compact C2 has a low-profile PowaFrame chassis and a sleek Plug‘n’Play battery system that avoids fiddly wires or connectors.

Its thin Lithium battery has 18- and 36-hole options, both backed by five-year warranties, and is operated by an integrated management system that provides a lifespan up to five times longer than that of lead-acid equivalents.

“The key thing for us as a business is to keep innovating,” Catford added. “If you don’t improve your products then you get left behind in any industry. The Compact C2 offers something genuinely new, which can’t be found anywhere else on the market.”

RRP: £599.99

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24/04/2017 16:27

NEWS

ROMAN RYDER CUP GUARANTEED

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ears that Rome might not host the Ryder Cup in 2022 have eased after the Italian government signed off a financial guarantee.

Ryder Cup 2022 director Gian Paolo Montali warned last month that Italy could lose the hosting rights if €97m (£84m) was not paid upfront within a fortnight.

That deadline was missed but Italy’s council of ministers agreed to underwrite the event, at Marco Simone Golf &

Country Club near Rome, after Switzerland-based agency, Infront Sports & Media, pledged €40m to cut the government’s funding commitment to €57m.

The Italian Golf Federation estimates that while it will cost €150m to host the biennial event, ticket sales, sponsorship and merchandise should raise €170m.

Some Italian politicians campaigned against hosting the Ryder Cup because they felt it was a waste of resources.

NIKE PATENTS BOUGHT BY PING

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ING’s parent company, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, has recently bought at least five patents relating to golf club technology from Nike.

In a statement to the Phoenix Business Journal, PING president John K. Solheim (left) said: “We see this as an opportunity to add utility patents to our already significant intellectual property

portfolio. Our team can use these patents, along with our existing intellectual property.”

PING has apparently acquired additional Nike golf equipment patents, but those sales are not yet reflected in patent records. The US Patent and Trademark Office lists a total of 1,237 Nike patents relating to golf, though Nike will retain those relating to footwear and apparel patents.

“As a part of our exit from the golf-equipment business we have sold certain patent assets that were developed in connection with the innovations created as a part of Nike’s golf club and ball business,” Nike said in a statement. “We are proud of the innovations created by the Nike Golf team and are happy that consumers will still be able to benefit from those patented innovations.”

PRO-CAPTAIN FINAL IN MOROCCO

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he final of this year’s ProCaptain Challenge will be held at Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort in El Jadida, Morocco.

The 10 pairs who qualify from the 10 UK and Ireland regional finals, will contest a prize fund put up by SkyCaddie and Golfplan over the Gary

Player-designed course.

James Holmes, SkyCaddie UK and European sales manager, said: “The Pro-Captain Challenge is one of the PGA’s most popular events and SkyCaddie is proud to support it as headline sponsor.”

PGA chief executive Robert

Maxfield said: “The Pro-Captain Challenge was first contested in 1993 and has gone from strength to strength since then. SkyCaddie and Golfplan are longstanding PGA partners and we’re delighted those relationships are set to continue.” www.pga.info

SEEMORE PUTTING FIVE-STAR WALKER SEMINARS A

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eeMore recently hosted four regional putting certification seminars across the UK. The seminars, led by SeeMore’s director of Tour operations Cody Hale, were designed to grow the brand as well provide instructors and fitters with a platform to

dispense putting instruction and advise on fitting.

The seminar schedule took in Clydeway Golf Performance Centre, Glasgow; Wishaw Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands; West Surrey Golf Club at Milford; and Core Golf, Thame, Oxfordshire. www.seemoreputters.co.uk

lan Walker, PGA captain from 1999-2001 and owner of Garon Park Golf Complex in Essex, has been awarded 5-star professional status by the PGAs of Europe.

“It is a tremendous honour,” said the PGA master professional who designed the 36 holes at Garon Park in 1994. “When I think of all the famous names that have won this award – it signifies

the peak of my career. It’s a great privilege to be a PGA professional.

I wake up every day and believe it’s not work, it’s a hobby.”

As well as running Garon Park and his own coursedesign business, Walker is an experienced rules official and helps with R&A golf development projects in Botswana and Peru. www.pgae.com

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02/05/2017 16:46

MULLIGAN

THE INDEPENDENT VOICE

I

t’s not the rule itself that’s wrong. It’s not even the penalty that’s wrong. What’s wrong is governing bodies genuflecting to pressure from well-paid Tour pros and fulminating media folk on the constant look-out for a cause célèbre.

The R&A and USGA have just issued a new Decision on the Rules of Golf to limit the use of video evidence. They’ve formed a working group with the LPGA, PGA Tour, European Tour, Ladies European Tour and PGA of America “to immediately begin a comprehensive review of broader video issues that arise in televised competitions, including viewer call-ins”.

In other words, these Tours, terrified that sponsors will run

for the hills and their prominent members will thus miss out on gravy-train purses, have brought their might to bear on the socalled Stentorian Guard of the Rules of Golf. And at a time when golf needs all the friends it can get, they’ve won.

This is, of course, a reaction to the Lexi Thompson farce at the recent ANA Inspiration in California, the first ladies’ Major of the year. We all know the hysteria this ignited, and how hard-done-by the media and her fellow pros (mainly American and European, note) felt she was.

That was until Phil Mickelson let the cat out of the bag during a pre-Masters interview when he opined that a significant number of his PGA Tour peers were being creative with their ball marking.

The fact he went on to exonerate ‘golden girl’ Lexi and said she should be retrospectively awarded the title was the archest of hogwash. At a time when he’s still part of an investigation for insider trading, the last thing Mickelson wants is a lawsuit from a fellow player. But the important thing was he got the message out there anyway.

For what it’s worth, Thompson (aka Sexy Lexi) was four shots clear of the field with nine holes to play when told, somewhat clumsily by a hapless LPGA underling, she had lost her entire lead in penalty shots as a result of a viewer phoning in to ‘shop’ her for not replacing her ball correctly on the 17th green the previous day. “Is this a joke?” she asked. Even in her short life, Lexi had

surely learned enough to know it couldn’t be a joke. Po-faced Tour officials don’t do jokes, even when off duty. Strange reaction by her? Mulligan isn’t sure. After all, how would any of us react to such news?

However, what Mulligan, sad beast that he is, does know is that he watched this incident live (i.e. in the early hours of a UK Sunday morning) and thought something was wrong at the time.

Thompson was about to tap in her 18-incher, then decided to mark her ball, then twiddled it around in her fingers inches above the ground, then failed to line the script up to the hole, and then plonked it down in a different spot.

Fortunately, Mulligan isn’t a sad enough beast to send emails to the LPGA, but the fact is the whole misplacing looked far from accidental – from the moment a coin was slid laterally beside the ball in its original position. More pertinently, with the best part of a million dollars on the line and only two groups left on the course, someone from the LPGA should have been watching this.

Perhaps they were, but nothing was done.

The argument, trotted out by Dame Laura Davies and others that it’s unfair for players in the lead to be subjected to greater scrutiny than those tied for 55th because they’re not of interest to the TV cameras is totally fatuous. How many dollars, after all, are those tied for 55th playing for by comparison? Not only are viewers not interested, neither are the paymasters or fellow competitors.

There is no point quoting the entire R&A/USGA statement.

The following words are enough, and what a can of worms they will open! “So long as the player does what can reasonably be expected under the circumstances to make an accurate determination, the player’s reasonable judgment will be accepted, even if later shown to be wrong by the use of video evidence.” Forget snitching viewers, where does that leave tournament officials monitoring a TV screen?

In Mulligan’s view, Lexi should have penalised herself two shots for misplacing her ball. And she signed for a score she should have known was incorrect – hence a further two-shot docking. She got what she deserved, according to perfectly fair rules, and lost to the Korean So Yeon Ryu in a playoff.

Does anyone think for one moment that if one of the Koreans had been flagged by a viewer for anything similar there would have been the same outcry? No, nor me.

Finally there’s a much simpler solution to this nonsense which seems to have escaped the blue bloods. Ban coins and casino chips as markers. Instead of sliding something vaguely beside the ball, make golfers actually push a marker into the ground behind the ball, just as Mulligan was taught to when growing up. What on earth could be wrong with that?

Mulligan

26 26_Mulligan.indd 2

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